Chapter 9: Defeat

"Remember Team, this is her last chance…" Robin said into his helmet as they arrived at Slade's hideout.

"Ready Team?" Cyborg asked the dashboard of his car.

"Ready…" Raven said into her communicator.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Beastboy landed, turning into human and waiting for them.

"Let's go." Robin said, putting his helmet on his bike and opened the door, the others following.

When they entered, all they saw was black…nothing else…just darkness. They looked around, squinting their eyes, trying to adjust.

"Thanks guys, that light really helps!" BB said as a green light lit towards the wall.

"That isn't us…" Cyborg said.

They looked in the direction of the light, only able to see a ball of green light and a bright red 'x'.

The light suddenly grew bigger and bigger, coming closer to them. "Team, move!" Robin yelled as the whole team jumped out of the way and the starbolt blew up behind them.

"Hello Robin…" the way she said Robin was cold and full of anger and hate…enough to make a shiver go down his spine

"Hey Star."

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" Nightblade screamed, pulling out her daggers and lunging after the boy wonder.

"Oh, you made a big mistake there bird boy…" X snickered.

"Starfire…" Robin said, dodging the girl, "you don't know what you are getting into. Remember, I was once Slade's apprentice, I know what you are going through. It isn't all that great."

"You don't even know what you are talking about." All this time X was taking down the other Titans with ease. Nightblade, of course, had Robin in hand to hand combat…with some daggers and bo-staff in there too.

"I think I do…"

"NO!" Nightblade used a dagger and cut the side of his arm.

"Yeah, I do. I know you are his apprentice and just like Terra…just like me…you are being used as a middleman. He is using you to break up the team. He is getting at your weakness and forcing you to join."

"Not exactly. First of all, I wasn't forced…I joined with Red X. Second of all, Slade is a very gracious master..third of all, I have a boyfriend who wouldn't ever cheat on me, he is always with me and never obsesses over things like villains and would NEVER kiss someone else."

"This is your last chance with us, please, come back, Star."

"You think you can just come here, storm down our walls and actually think I am going to leave the love of my life to join you creeps again?"

Nightblade went to kick him in the gut, but Robin caught her foot in mid-air. He twisted it just like X had, and he placed his bo-staff right at her throat. Her hands were behind her, and she couldn't move.

Robin smiled, "Yeah, I think I do believe that." He reached in slowly, letting his lips brush up against hers. He smiled as he pushed even harder, letting his tongue slide inside her mouth.

Red X stood there, watching the entire time…he had the rest of the team down…he knew she could handle this…or could she?

Nightblade smiled at Red X and bit down hard on Robin's tongue, causing Robin to jump in pain. She started gathering starbolts in her hands

"Don't you EVER…Do" the Starbolts were getting bigger, "That again!" Robin jumped when the green light burned his hand…she let them hit Robin right in the stomach, causing him to let go of his bo-staff. She stood up, kneeing him in the groin and taking her dagger and cutting a deeper scrape in the side of his cheek. "I despise you…" she whispered harshly, and then kicked him hard to the ground. She did to him the same as what Slade had done to her a few months earlier. She punched him in the eye, kicked him in the side and slashed part of his scalp. She knew Raven could heal it all easily, but she wanted him to look as hideous as she once did. "Don't kiss me again…you thought you could get me to join by that? It may have been able to work for Terra…it may have even worked for you a long time ago! You are three months too late." She kicked him once more, letting him roll over a few times, unconscious.

She turned to Red X, "Let's get out of here, sweetie." Just then, the necklace she was wearing started glistening in the light. Beastboy noticed it… "You are who robbed the mall?"

"Um….duh!" Red X smiled, "Anything for my girl!" he grabbed her hand and they headed to their new hq.

Last time they fought the duo, Robin was the one who got everyone out…this time, he was the one who needed saving.

"Raven! Get us out of here!" Beastboy yelled. He was stuck to the wall with a tape like X…

Raven glared at him, pointing to her mouth. She could walk, but the tape like X was over her mouth. She walked over to Cyborg, who just broke free from his trap and pulled off the tape over Raven's mouth.

She didn't even move… "I am really getting used to this…" she held up the X.

She chanted her three famous words and Beastboy was once again freed. They all walked over to Robin who was laying there in his own pile of blood.

Robin rolled over a little and coughed.

"Robin?" Raven asked lightly, kneeling on the floor. Robin coughed some more, trying to stand up.

"Stop, dude, you are gonna hurt yourself." Cyborg picked him up. "Raven, can you carry his bike home?"

"Sure…he going to take the T-car?" she asked.

"Yeah…just hope he doesn't spill too much blood on my sheets."

Robin groaned out in pain. "He's waking up." Cyborg said, walking to the car and placing him in the back seat. "Beastboy…sit back there with him and watch him."

"Oh, can't I drive and you sit back there?"

"Sure!" Cyborg opened the driver's door.

"Really?"

"No" Cy sat down in the drivers seat, starting the ignition. "Get in, you little grass stain."

Raven dropped the R-cycle off in the garage, landing in the hospital wing, Cyborg, BB and Robin following close behind.

TTTT

"Nightblade…" Slade said as they walked inside.

"I already checked, no trackers…" Nightblade smiled, so proud of herself.

"I know…I watched the whole thing myself. Impressive comeback to a horrible defeat!"

"I do not understand Master…" Nightblade's smile disappeared…replaced with a frown.

"The kiss…." Red X whispered.

"But I meant for that to happen…"

"Really, please, enlighten us." Slade crossed his arms.

"Well, when I realized what he was going to do, I let him. I wanted him to kiss me hard, think I let my guard down so he could let his down a little. When a guy kisses, he lets down a little guard, not expecting her to fight back. When he stuck his tongue in my mouth, that was my cue to charge my starbolts and bite him. His mouth was full of blood when I left, Master. I wanted him to do like what Red X did in the training room…except, I would get him back. I wanted him to be treated the same way I was treated, back a while ago when you left me unconscious."

"Interesting." Was all Slade could say.

"I'd say so, except, I don't like the idea of my baby letting some other guy sticking his tongue in her mouth." X smiled, punching her arm lightly.

"You know I wouldn't do that unless I had an alternate motive." She winked at him, taking off her mask.

"I am impressed, Nightblade…and X…you are able to take out those three others…very good. I am impressed, but don't let this go to your head. You have training tomorrow at 7 am."

"So where do we sleep, boss?" Red X asked.

"I figured you two would do better sharing a room, but if your trainings get sloppy or you two seem even more tired, then I will separate you two." He smiled under his mask, "Your things are already in there."

"May we be excused, please?" Night curtseyed slightly.

"Go get some rest."

"Thank you." Nightblade smiled.

"Yeah, thanks, Slade!" Red X grabbed Night's hand and dragged her into the room.

TTTT

Robin sat up slowly, holding a glass of water and a pan. He took the warm salt water, swishing it in his mouth, then he spat again. He had done this so many times, but he still couldn't get all the blood out. That was a cheap shot, and so cruel…she bit his tongue…

Raven walked inside again, placing her hands over his scalp, trying to heal the wound more. It was harder, because she was trying to heal it without shaving the boy wonder's head. It finallyclosed all the way this time.

Robin coughed…the taste of blood filling his mouth again. "I can't take this…can't you heal this?" he pointed to his tongue.

"I'll try." She closed her eyes and placed her hands over his mouth. She could tell she was healing it a little bit, but not enough…there was still a little blood coming out, but not as much as before. This cut would heal the rest of the way in about a day.

She healed his arm and leg and the cut on his cheek. Within about two hours, he looked like his old self again, except one of his lips was puffy and he had a lot of scars over his body. Robin slurred, "Thanks…" then he stood up slowly.

Raven let him drape an arm over her shoulder, helping him walk into the operations room. Robin flopped down onto the couch where he watched his two friends fighting over the TV remote.

"Hey guys…" he slurred.

"Robin!" Beastboy shouted.

"How are you feeling, dude?"

"I've been better…"

"She got you bad…" BB said…, "Nightblade, that is."

"Yeah…Nightblade…" Robin looked down…she was no longer Starfire…