10 Leisurely Days
by Blue Ten
Summary:
Robin finds out that Starfire will be leaving for Tamaran in 10 days. Keeping his discovery a secret, he has a little over a week to give her a reason to stay. But when things keep getting in the way, will he even get the chance? RobxStar, BBxRae
Disclaimer:
I do not own Teen Titans.
Day 10, Part Three: The Unyielding Heart
"We... I care about you too much. If I ever hurt you, I would never forgive myself." looking directly into Starfire's eyes, which had now lost their glow, Robin retracted his staff and placed it back in his belt. "I promised myself... never again. And that's a promise I intend to keep."
Seeing him put away his weapon, Starfire's eyes struck aglow once more, "Then you are a fool!" she said, readying herself. Growling, Starfire rushed forward, feet tapping rapidly against the metal floor.
"You know me better than anyone." keeping himself steady, Robin watched as Starfire advanced, eyes radiating with fury... seeming as though she had no intention of stopping, "And that means you know I won't do this." he shook his head, letting her continue. Unsure of what was going to happen, Robin shut his eyes and turned away, bracing himself for anything. Whatever happened, he knew it couldn't really be Starfire doing it... and he wouldn't blame her... no matter how badly she would hurt him. It was too much... the way he felt for her, memories of looking into her beautiful eyes and hearing her enchanting voice, the days he spent with her, watching the sun rise and set... these foolish things would not allow him to fight... Was this the weakness he had been warned about so long ago?
"Star... remember the things you wished for. I know it's selfish, but my wish can't come true if you're not here with me, so--"
"Ugh!" Robin groaned as something collided with him, pushing him backward several feet with its force. Suddenly he felt constricted, tightly grasped around his back and shoulders... no room for his arms to move. Confused, Robin opened his eyes and found Starfire holding on to him firmly, resting her head over his shoulder. As his thoughts faded away, the sound of Starfire's almost raspy sobs filled his ears. She trembled with heavy breaths, though her embrace remained strong--grasping as though she couldn't be close enough to convince herself of the moment.
"I... I would never hurt you." Starfire cried in a hushed and labored voice, letting warm tears fall from her tired eyes; they tapped subsequently on Robin's shoulder. "Know..." Starfire gasped as her sobs distorted her speech, "Know that I would not do such a thing... please, believe me." she begged as though she had done something terribly wrong. "You are dear to me... like nothing I have ever known."
Pulling his arms out from under Starfire's, Robin reached around and held her securely in his arms, "I believe you Star... there's nothing to worry about now." he said, attempting to reassure her, "Please, don't cry." Without thought, he found his hand passing carelessly through her hair. He didn't know what he was doing, but Starfire was back, and in his arms no less... all rationality had left him.
Starfire pulled away and looked Robin in the eyes. Her tear-stained cheeks were the first thing Robin noticed, though her bright smile and shimmering emerald eyes quickly captured his attention. "Robin!" Starfire cried, hugging him tighter and smiling ear to ear. Robin let out a groan, though he didn't protest in any other way. "I am sorry for letting go of your hand." she said, burying her head in his shoulder. Suddenly, Starfire felt her face heating up; blush was rushing over her expression... She welcomed it--let it overtake her--for it seemed like an eternity since the last time she felt this way.
Robin chuckled happily at Starfire's words, "Don't worry... I still held on to you." he said, not meaning it literally of course. Starfire's closeness was causing his heart to leap about in his chest, his pulse to quicken, and his face to boil over with blush... Nostalgic; he wished it would never end.
"If that is the case, then I kept you here with me as well." Starfire played along, smiling though hot tears still streamed from her eyes.
For a moment, the world disappeared and Robin and Starfire merely held on to each other. They had only been apart for several hours, but it felt like forever. Now, they were basking in each other's presence, letting the knowledge envelope them like the warm embrace of the sun. The nearness of one another warmed them both to the core, subduing their heartache and rejuvenating their spirits. However, the sun quickly set on their little world... a realization of where they were and what needed to be done rising in its place. Reluctantly, Robin and Starfire separated, keeping their eyes locked... neither caring to turn away as they usually would.
"We can't leave yet..." Robin sighed, finally looking to the ground.
"I know this..." Starfire agreed, wiping the moisture from under her eyes, "This Grey wishes to purge the earth of life... and it cannot be allowed. It is our responsibility to stop him."
"Right." Robin looked up, regaining his determination, "But how do we stop him?" he asked himself. "We have to catch him off guard somehow..." Robin crossed his arms in thought. "Starfire... how much do you remember after they took you?"
"Everything." Starfire answered, closing her eyes to think back.
"He didn't... hurt you did he?" Robin questioned, feeling a twinge of anger at the thought.
"No." Starfire shook her head... aside from that frightening experience strapped to that cold metal table... there was no harm done to her. Reaching behind her back to her belt, Starfire felt the length of rope she had been given. "Robin, perhaps there is a way we may catch him without the guard." she said, removing the rope and holding it out for Robin to see.
- - - - - -
"NO!" Grey's eyes glared with anger, "How... How did you break the control!" he demanded, tightly clenching his fists.
"You did not have control." Starfire answered, imbuing her hands with energy, "Soon the others will realize this and break free as well."
"You're finished." Robin added, holding his staff out toward Grey.
Grey's eyes lost a bit of their intensity as he reached down to pick up his sword, "This must be quite amusing to you..." he said, his blade scraping against the floor as he reclaimed it. "It was entirely my intention that you find this place. And now that you are here, none of you will leave." he said, holding up his weapon and letting the dim sunlight from the window catch itself on the surface. "Restrain her."
Before Robin and Starfire had a chance to react, two metallic thumps shook the floor behind them. Without warning, the same glowing ropes that had taken hold of Starfire before, encircled and pulled her backward; consequently, her energy quickly disappeared, though she struggled as best she could, words of protest muffled by the bonds. Robin turned around to see two humanoid creatures--the same type of robot they had fought previously in the city--restraining Starfire with the ropes, pulling her away.
"No!" shouted Robin, beginning to chase after them. Quickly, one of the robots brought a single blade-like finger up to Starfire's throat--threateningly close. Immediately, Robin came to a stop, watching the white android carefully. "Don't--"
"I wouldn't. She's far too important to sacrifice so thoughtlessly." said Grey, walking away from the window, "But stay where you are. Strike those machines and there's no telling what could happen."
Robin looked at the blade as it hovered inches away from Starfire's neck... She had since stopped struggling, her eyes closed and her body limp. She had only just returned... and now she was being taken away again? He wouldn't allow it, "Let her go... or I'll--" Robin turned around to see Grey standing directly in front of him.
"What will you do?" Grey lowered his head, narrowing his eyes at Robin. As the boy in front of him remained still, Grey noticed the desperation in his eyes. "Would you put yourself at risk... die for her?" he asked, "Would you be willing to throw your own life away... for the sake of one."
"I would." Robin answered in a low voice, glaring up at the masked man.
"We shall see." Grey looked up and motioned a hand at the robots; thereafter, the one holding up its blade quickly relinquished its threat. Still keeping the ropes tight around Starfire, the two robots backed away and stood by the door. "I know what you feel for her. And truthfully there will be a place for such a thing in the new world... far be it from me to destroy something like that."
"What are you talking about...?" Robin clenched his staff, reluctantly turning away from the robots.
"A test." Grey answered, "Defeat me, show me your feelings are stronger than my ambition... and I will release her, you have my word." he said, his deep voice sounding calm and serious, "These machines respond to my commands. If I die, they will be mindless. So if you are truly determined, you will kill me... then there will be nothing I can do to stop you."
"Why would you do that?"
"Simple. I want you both to join The Tempest... but you are far too resistant. I see winning a fight against you as the only way to change that. And, though you will not defeat me, why shouldn't I give you some form of hope? It should prove interesting to see how far that takes you. That is the test; to see how long you last before you fall." Grey explained in a tone that infuriated Robin to no end, "And you will fall." he finished, quickly striking a fighting stance.
Robin looked over his shoulder at Starfire, his expression softening as he saw her bound and rendered helpless... her eyes twitched for a moment, seeming as though she was struggling to get free in the only way she could. She was still fighting... and he wouldn't let that be in vain. Robin clenched his staff tightly, his entire body quaking. He looked back toward Grey, fierce determination written across his face, "Fine, I'll fight you." he said, brandishing his weapon.
Starfire's limbs refused to move, though she tried with all her might. A cloudy fog resided over her consciousness, blurring her vision and deafening her ears. However, as though through some strange filter, she managed to catch Robin's acceptance of the fight. Forcing herself awake, Starfire opened her eyes and shouted as loud as her voice would allow... nothing came--merely a quiet breath, muffled by her bonds. Through blurred vision, she saw Robin standing across from Grey, ready to do battle. She wanted to help him... but as the ropes continued to drain energy from her, she could only watch.
"Begin!" shouted Grey. Stepping toward Robin, Grey slashed downward from his right. Robin simply took a step to his side, allowing his staff--which he held strongly in both hands--to take the force of Grey's attack, causing a loud scraping noise. Keeping a calm facial expression, Robin pulled his staff away and swung horizontally toward his enemy's face. Given hardly any time to think, Grey awkwardly shifted his stance, quickly bringing his blade up for a block. "What?" holding his sword over his shoulder, he narrowed his eyes at Robin, who didn't react. Grey let out a single low chuckle, "You've improved."
"Hmph." Robin shoved Grey's sword away as best he could... the man was still as strong as ever, only allowing Robin to push his weapon a minuscule distance away before recovering. Even after everything he'd learned, Robin was still at a disadvantage when it came to strength. He had to gain the upper hand somehow... and he knew of only one way. Robin backed away, setting a good distance between himself and Grey, "That shouldn't be a surprise to you. After all... you said so yourself..." he started, making sure to look Grey directly in the eyes, "I'm a fast learner."
Nearly dropping his sword, Grey took several steps backward, his mouth muttering indistinct grievances, "So... you knew..." he said, reaching up to his neck with a free hand, "I suppose then... this is of no use anymore." in one quick motion, he pulled the guise from his face, clenching the black fabric tightly in his hand thereafter. An aged face coldly stared at Robin through stony gray eyes; the face of Tyrus. "How did you figure it out?" he asked, once again readying himself for the fight.
"I always knew." replied Robin, jumping in with a swift downward slash.
The unmasked Grey held his sword horizontally, catching Robin's attack with ease, "And yet you returned... accepted training from me. What a fool you are." he said, attempting to keep hold of his sword as Robin continued to press against it, "But I am no fool. Did you honestly think I would teach you enough to defeat me? I only taught you enough to make you believe so."
"You're wrong." in one motion, Robin flipped his staff around, placing it under Grey's blade; pulling it backward, Robin used his opponent's own strength against him. Grey attempted to stop himself as he was drawn forward several steps. Taking his opportunity, Robin dealt a strong kick to Grey's stomach, knocking him away. Feet scraping against the ground as he steadied himself, Grey looked up at Robin with anger and held an arm over his abdomen. "You taught me more than you realized." Robin held his staff in a defensive stance, "I wasn't there to learn about the sword. I needed to know your weak points. And you showed them to me... with every step, every stance."
"You..." Grey gritted his teeth. This entire time... he was the one being used. He looked on at the unshaken boy standing strong in front of him... this was no ordinary child. Running forward, Robin cut his staff through the air. Lifting his blade, Grey simply caught Robin's strike once again. In a test of strength, their weapons remained between them, sheering against one another.
"So... what... was it?" Robin asked, trying with all his might to resist Grey's strength, "With all the lives you destroyed... all the children placed under your control... none were strong enough to satisfy you. So you tried to craft one in your own image..." Robin's boots scraped against the floor as their struggle continued, "A psychopath like you is easy to understand. You want power, no matter what the cost, no matter how many lives you ruin. All for your sick--"
"NO!" Grey shouted. Pulling his sword back, he slashed it through the air, slamming it into Robin's staff with a nearly deafening metallic clash. Sent backward several feet, Robin tumbled to the floor; keeping hold of his staff, he stood up and attempted to regain his balance. "Ruined... lives?" Grey looked down at the ground, clenching the hilt of his sword, "Tell me... what kind of lives do you think they had?" he questioned, watching Robin's unchanging expression, "You don't know what these children faced every day. They were the forgotten; left alone to die simply because no one knew they existed... or refused to acknowledge their existence. Their lives, as you call them, were torn apart by war and tragedy long ago. I took them in, gave them strength. Take them from this place, and you will be condemning them to death."
Robin looked over his shoulder at Starfire... were her eyes open? "What about Starfire?" he questioned, "Why did you involve her in this?"
"They needed guiding hands... strong leaders." Grey looked away, "She was not the only one chosen for this... There were many others... including you. However, because of your friend--the thief--we ran into many obstacles attempting to recruit the final numbers." he explained grudgingly.
"X." Robin looked across the metal floor toward Grey, almost glad that Red X had interfered. 'Recruits...' he thought. The man seemed to believe he was doing something... good.
"You couldn't possibly understand them... no one who has not lived like they have can. That is why I took it upon myself to save them." at that, Grey took several quick steps in Robin's direction, slashing upward from his side.
As Robin stepped away, he noticed Grey's blade shred a portion of his shirt's sleeve, 'Gotta be more careful...' he thought, bringing his staff up to block another strike from Grey. "And what gave you the right to decide for them?" he demanded, backing away to avoid a recovery attack.
"I was once one of them!" Grey shouted in his deep and imposing voice, jumping in with a downward slash. Quickly, Robin grabbed both ends of his staff and caught the sword in the center. Not giving up, Grey continued to press against the staff, scraping the edge of his blade against it, "I understand them completely. My memories are plagued by the same haunting images... the evils of the world." he said, his eyes narrowing as he continued to push Robin backward. Unable to fully contend with the man's strength, one of Robin's legs gave way, causing him to drop to one knee as he attempted to keep his enemy at bay. "Imagine if you will... watching from the shadows as your entire family is slaughtered before your very eyes... murdered in cold blood because of mere suspicion..." Grey's eyes became alight with fury, "I grew up alone, despising the people behind those acts... I wanted revenge. I found the sword was the perfect weapon to return the cold pain they caused for so many others than myself. But it wasn't enough. I was doing no good; there were still many more evils in the world."
"And you became one of them." said Robin, pushing forward with all his might.
"I came to this country, forced from my war torn home. I wanted to put a stop to the killing... so I became a soldier, in the hopes that I could help to rid the world of that evil I knew all too well. It was then that I met him... Slade." for a moment, Grey looked calm, his facial features showing no distinguishable expression, "He was a strong man and he seemed to fight for the same convictions. I looked up to him... like a brother. Soon, war showed itself again, and I found myself fighting alongside this man... finally, I felt like I was helping the world. But soon I saw that I had become the people I detested... hunting down and ending innocent lives... out of suspicion. Women... children... all caught in the crossfire. The man I looked up to... the man I believed fought to end these crimes... committed them without question. He is truly evil."
"Slade...?" Robin winced as he felt his arms losing control. He wondered if it was a mistake to tell Grey what he knew all along. 'No...' thought Robin, looking past Grey's blade. The man's eyes were filled with fury... he was becoming irrational.
"We both became the subjects of a black project... one intended to create the perfect soldier. Of course, even the subjects weren't told about the experiment in its entirety... we believed they were testing us against truth serum. But soon the changes became too much to ignore. My eyes lost their color, I became stronger, more intelligent... and vengeful. With that final sickening act, the world showed itself to be a truly corrupt place. It is a place of death, boy... Those in power seek only to destroy others in power... to secure their place in war without sides, a war with no victor and no end. Well, if death is what they want... then death is what I will bring them." in one short movement, Grey poured all his strength into his arms, almost pressing Robin's staff against his neck.
'Now!' thought Robin. Nearly as quick as Grey had moved, Robin rotated his staff counterclockwise, striking his opponent's face with a painful sounding crack. As Robin's staff moved out of the way, the tip of Grey's sharp blade stabbed partway into the thick metal floor, narrowly missing Robin's shoulder by an inch. Rolling away, Robin stood up and watched carefully as Grey pulled his sword from the ground--which he had kept hold of the entire time. He removed it from thick steel like it was nothing... Robin realized it was going to take everything to beat him. Looking over his shoulder, taking one lasting glance at Starfire, Robin knew there were no options in this fight. He would give everything... and if that wasn't enough... he would give more.
"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you now?" asked Robin, standing up fully as he turned away from the door. "You saw the world as corrupt... and you let that change you... let it corrupt you. You think you're different? You're worse." Grey stood in place, visibly cursing himself, "Starfire grew up... enslaved. She was never shown a shred of kindness for all that she gave. But she didn't turn out like you... she didn't give up... she was strong."
Watching and listening as best she could, Starfire's eyes began to well up with tears as she heard Robin's words; streaming down her cheeks, they passed over the luminous ropes that held her in place. 'I will not stand by and watch as you sacrifice yourself for me...' narrowing her eyes, Starfire attempted to move her fingers, grasping faintly at the air. She wouldn't let Robin to fight alone... she had to help somehow.
"Shut your mouth, brat!" Grey charged at Robin, weapon at his side, "You believe you know what she thinks of the world? Imagine the bitter hatred that must flow through her mind." as he passed by Robin, sweeping his blade through the air, expecting a cut, Grey nearly tripped as he felt his sword collide with metal.
Using only one hand to keep hold of his weapon, Robin quickly stepped out of the way, letting his staff take the hit, 'No more mistakes... use his weak points against him... wear him out.' he thought seriously. "Starfire isn't like that." he answered Grey simply.
"How... how are you doing this?" Grey slashed his sword through the air at his side in frustration.
"You twist your elbow to absorb the impact of a strike... effective, but it leaves you vulnerable to a counterattack. Your left leg... you must have injured it during your time as a soldier. It never fully healed, and so your stance is always--"
"Observant..." Grey chuckled plainly under his breath, "But you don't have me figured out, not by a longshot." raising his hand to the air, Grey looked toward one of the robots by the door. Reaching behind its back with its free hand, the android on the right quickly hurled something reflective through the air. As Grey caught the object in his hand, it was revealed to be a second sword, nearly identical to the first. "The sword is said to have a soul of its own. These are twin souls." he explained, crossing both blades in front of himself threateningly. "Nittoryu." Grey cracked a sinister smile, "Two sword style. I don't believe we discussed this in your training." still quick to attack, Grey immediately rushed forward holding both swords at his sides. Watching, Robin carefully examined Grey's footing and held his staff ready. Coming to a critical distance with Robin, Grey slashed both his swords inward. With two loud clashes, Grey felt as though he was opening his eyes as he saw it... Robin, holding his staff diagonally, had pinned one sword to the ground and kept the other at bay in the air. "What--" given no time to finish speaking, Grey's face was met by the bottom of Robin's boot.
Having used his staff to propel himself at Grey, Robin successfully dealt a kick to his opponent's jaw. In the air, Robin held on to his staff, soaring over Grey's form as the man fell to the floor. Landing carefully on the ground, Robin turned around to watch Grey recovering; he wiped away a spot of blood from his bottom lip, breathing reasonably harder than before. 'It's working... but that was too close.' thought Robin, looking at some shredded fabric on the side of his glove. "The style is different, but the flaws are the same." he said.
"You think you can make a fool of me...?" Grey looked to the ground, his entire body showing signs of his rage. "I'll cut you into submission." crossing his blades, he stood in wait for Robin to make a move. Without saying a word, Robin rushed in, staff held in the center by one hand. As soon as Robin came close enough, Grey slashed downward with both swords. Twirling his staff, Robin knocked away both attacks by sweeping his weapon through the air; taking a step forward, he forced Grey to back up in order to give himself better distance. The sound of clashing steel continued as Robin repeated the process, leading Grey toward a side wall, taking advantage of his exhaustion. Grey stopped as his back pressed against one of the large metal pipes which lined the walls, the cold metal sending a shock down his spine. Once again, Robin managed to parry both swords, infuriating the man. "This was a mistake..." Grey commented with a grin. Turning his sword to face the wall, Grey swiftly punctured one of the steel pipes, causing it to release a dense white fog into the air.
Caught in the path of cold air, Robin quickly covered his face and backed away, nearly unable to see Grey in the mist, "No." he spoke under his breath, realizing the dire error he had made. More fog erupted from the wall accompanied by the sound of quick slashes... Grey was cutting open more of the pipes. Standing outside the dense mist, Robin looked carefully to see any movement within. Suddenly, Robin heard several consecutive metal cuts behind him, turning around in time to see a wall of fog rushing toward him. Zero visibility... Robin stood in the center of the rolling mist, unable to see anything, afraid to move for fear of running into a trap.
"This battle has proven one thing to me..." came a deep voice from within cloudy obstruction. Robin turned around quickly only to see nothing but the white mist, illuminated by the dim sunlight passing through the glass wall. "You will make an excellent leader for them."
The terrifying sound of air being cut caused Robin to move. Suddenly, an electric pain rushed up his back and Robin fell to his knees; looking over his shoulder, he saw his shirt torn under his cape... he couldn't see it, but he knew the wound was there too. Grasping his staff tightly, Robin stood up and searched the fog again, listening carefully for footsteps.
"Your friends too... the empath, the changeling, and the cyborg. All will make splendid additions."
"Stay away from them--Ahh!" Robin shouted as another slash separated the mist, cutting into his shoulder. Tightly gripping his wound with a free hand, Robin stared at the slash mark. For a moment his vision blurred, making it harder to see the red liquid passing over his fingers... though he knew it was there. Hearing a quick tapping sound against the floor, Robin began to frantically search around himself for the source of the noise.
"However, let us not forget about her... the strongest. She will be like no other." Grey's ominous voice continued, giving no clue to his position.
"No!" clenching his teeth, Robin let go of his shoulder, running through the mist in the opposite direction of the light, hoping to get out of the trap without any more injuries. As he progressed, the fog became thinner and the walls in the distance slowly faded into view. Finally breaking out of the cloudy barrier, Robin quickly halted, his breath caught in his throat as he saw Grey standing directly in front of him, crossing his arms before himself, holding his swords over his shoulders. Before Robin could even ready his staff, he felt the cold steel of the blades.
"It's over!" Grey shouted, slashing both swords diagonally. Robin made no sound as the blades cut through his shirt, tearing at his skin; his eyes merely widened, focusing on Starfire by the door as he fell to his knees. Lifting up a leg, Grey kicked Robin directly in the chest, sending him flying back into the fog where he was heard colliding with the steel floor. It was at this point that the world went black for Robin.
Seeing everything, Starfire began to breathe heavily, her arms struggling against the ropes. "No!" she shouted in a hushed breath--all her body could manage. She wouldn't allow it... suddenly, her heart began to race and its frantic beating was the only sound she could hear... it called to her, begged her to break free and fight. Body quaking, Starfire tore one arm out from under the ropes as though waking from a dream. "Robin!" swinging her free arm, Starfire managed to knock one of the robots away with a swift elbow to its head, causing it to release its grasp on the ropes; the robot fell away to the door, sparks flying from its neck. Partly free from the ropes, Starfire's eyes glowed an intense green as she lifted an arm into the air, "Huuaaaah!" she yelled, hurling a starbolt across the room.
Only now reacting to the commotion behind him, Grey had no time to turn around before the starbolt struck him, causing him to drop both swords to the floor. His ears deafened for a moment, ringing as the explosion thrust him forward. Catching himself before he fell to the ground, Grey held himself up with shaky arms, breathing heavily as a sharp burning sensation spread across his back. Looking over his shoulder, he saw smoke rising from a place on his uniform where the black fabric was nearly incinerated. One eye wincing, Grey stood up and turned around to see Starfire struggling wildly against the remaining ropes, eyes glowing... Noticing something, Grey quickly ducked as the light from Starfire's eyes intensified into beams. "Restrain her!" he shouted, letting the bright green beams pass over him. Quickly, the robot reacted by tightening its hold. After struggling more, Starfire fell limp, held in place by the ropes. "That shouldn't be possible..." Grey said, grasping his shoulder which took a great deal of the attack, "Carry the boy... we're taking them both to be influenced." he said, looking at the other robot. Peering into the fog, the robot jumped away from the door and disappeared into the white.
Grey let out a groan through his teeth as he knelt down to pick up his swords. Standing up, he began walking to the door, nearly limping. Before going any further, he came to a halt, narrowed his eyes, and turned around, looking curiously into the fog. A strange scraping noise came from within the swirling mists.
- - - - - -
A seemingly thin veil separated Robin from consciousness as frigid swirls of air rushed over him like water in a cold and empty blackness. Pain--like electricity--surged across his chest and back, drowning out the sharp feeling on his shoulder. Suspended--paralyzed--within the shadows, he could hardly tell if he was awake or not, though his breaths echoed and a constant thumping sound filled his ears. 'What happened?' he asked himself, his voice overpowered by that persistent pounding. The veil... it infuriated him. What was it keeping him from? What was this unfathomable sense of failure? Beyond that blackness... hidden in the void... a feeling too strong to ignore.
'Get up.' Robin heard a voice reverberate in the darkness; desperation. It echoed loudly, shaking his entire body. 'Get up. Fight. She's counting on you.'
"Starfire!" Robin strained to open his eyes, though the darkness remained before him.Suddenly, it all came rushing back to him in one agonizing instant; Grey, the fight, and Starfire... Robin felt his eyes beginning to twitch wildly. The veil held him down, restraining him with its overwhelming weight.
All this time, he had been so selfish... trying to keep her on earth... Well, now she would be staying... whether she liked it or not, and that madman would use her for his purposes. "NO!" shouted Robin, moving his fingers in an attempt to grasp at awakening. He had to get up... had to keep fighting... so she could be safe... so she could return to her home. If he failed here, then he would be keeping her from that... he only wanted her to be happy. The day would end soon, and she would be held captive here... unable to keep whatever promise she made. "GET UP!" he shouted as loud as possible once again, sending tremors through his world. He promised to give everything... and as long as there was life in his body... there was still more to give. Robin felt movement returning to his arms and legs. He had to continue, so Starfire could wake up the next morning and make that decision for herself. Robin realized the pounding sound in the void resided in his chest; his heart, too, attempted to awaken him. Give it all... give everything... wake up and fight; these words flowed continuously through his mind. He knew he loved her, and that was why he couldn't keep her from that morning... when she would rise with the sun... and leave if she desired it. Was it possible to feel more than love?
Clenching his hand tightly, Robin forced himself upward and swung his staff through the air, striking something hard. Standing up and opening his eyes, he looked upon the dense clouds; there, at his feet was one of the robots that had held Starfire captive... its body twitched and several blue sparks identified its position in the white. Looking down at the android, heart beating with unmeasurable intensity, Robin lifted his staff high into the air.
- - - - - -
"What happened?" Grey questioned as he heard a metallic thud within the fog.
Suddenly, with a loud crash and an eruption of blue sparks, a large portion of the mist opened up. Holding on to his staff--one end of which had been thrust through the face of the fallen android--Robin breathed heavily, glaring at Grey through narrowed eyes. "We're... not finished yet." he spoke in an abnormally low voice, pulling his staff from the robot as the cloud moved in and disguised him once again.
Grey growled through his teeth, "Wait there." he ordered the robot which restrained the unconscious Starfire. Holding his swords up, he noticed the burning pain that radiated across his back, restricting his movement. 'No matter...' he thought, walking toward the cloud of cold air, 'The boy is in far worse condition.' Stopping at the edge of the cloud, Grey's eyes widened as he peered into the blinding white... he couldn't simply walk in, not in his condition. His own trap was now working in his opponent's favor.
"YAAH!" without warning, Robin suddenly erupted from the cloud, slamming his staff into Grey's stomach. Backing away, Grey slowly brought his swords up for defense as he regained his breath... the look on Robin's face tore through his eyes. Leaping forward, Robin assaulted Grey with a flurry of slashes and strikes.
Robin's wounds bled, leaving a small trail of blood behind him as he advanced, "Stop it, boy! You'll kill yourself!" shouted Grey, backing further away as he attempted to parry each of Robin's strikes.
Regaining some energy, Starfire opened her eyes, shocked and relieved to see Robin... immediately, her relief subsided as she witnessed his wounds. Using what little strength she had, Starfire began to move her shoulders under the ropes, hoping for another chance.
"I won't die!" relentless, Robin continued his onslaught, drawing energy from somewhere deep within. His body ached, his wounds stung, but there was no fraction of his being that would allow him to stop. Sweeping his staff upward as Grey continued to back away, Robin slammed it against his opponent's right hand. With a grunt, Grey released his grip on one sword, watching as Robin knocked it away; the surface of the blade reflected light as it spun violently and finally stuck itself into the opposing wall.
Unable to properly grasp the remaining sword, Grey simply held it up in front of himself, feeling the constant strikes shaking the blade and his entire arm. His abdomen carried a dull pain, keeping him from moving normally; his back burned too intensely for him to pay any attention to the battle... Grey realized, in one horrifying moment, he couldn't win this fight. As Robin's staff struck the edge of the blade, Grey noticed several tiny reflective objects fly away from the steel... a small crack had formed in the center. With one final clash, the blade shattered like glass, breaking into several pieces which flew away from the hilt. Grey watched in shock as the shards passed him by, spinning in the air, constantly catching the sun's light. No sooner did he see his weapon break than his vision turned white. Struck painfully across the face, Grey was sent backward a good distance until his back collided with one of the untouched pipes, denting the metal.
"Unh..." Grey groaned at the base of the wall, bringing a hand up to his face. Immediately, he felt himself pinned against the pipe, the scorched portion of his back making contact with the freezing metal. Grey let out a pained groan as he opened his eyes to see Robin glaring at him. Grey's arms were being pressed against the pipe as well, though he couldn't manage to move them out of sheer exhaustion.
"Let... her... go..." demanded Robin, his breathing labored as he clenched the ends of the staff and pressed harder. His wounds continued to bleed... he paid no attention to them.
One of Grey's eyes shut tightly as his injured back continued to be pressed against the frigid pipe. Turning to face the robot, Grey tried to speak, but coughed for a moment, "Re..." he started in an unwieldy voice, "Release her..." he finally spoke up. At that, Robin stood up, taking his staff away from Grey's shoulders; the man fell to the ground thereafter, letting out a breath as his back finally separated from the icy metal.
As soon as the robot loosened its hold on the ropes, Starfire's eyes lit up. Before she was fully released, she imbued her hands with energy and slammed them into the machine. With a luminous explosion, the robot was broken into pieces, its remains propelled away toward the ground where they noisily skidded across the metal floor. Tearing the ropes from herself and tossing them aside, Starfire could only think of flying to Robin's side. Attempting to take to the air, she found that her energy had not fully returned yet as her feet merely left the ground for a moment before falling right back. Running as fast as her legs would allow, Starfire rushed toward Robin as he turned around... the depleted look on his face sending a shiver to her core.
"Robin!" Starfire shouted, unable to keep her eyes from stinging as she closed the distance between them. Worry overcame her as Robin began to tilt, his eyes closing behind his mask. Before Robin could collapse, Starfire quickly wrapped her arms around him, holding him up. Turning Robin to face her, she was frightened by the pale look of his skin, "Robin, please... speak to--"
"...Star?" Robin looked up at Starfire; her beautiful green eyes stared down into his, glistening with repressed sadness, "Are you... okay?"
Hearing this, Starfire's face contorted, her eyes squinting as she became unable to hold back her tears any longer. Kneeling down with Robin, she pulled him close, holding him gently in an embrace, "Do not ask such foolish things... you are injured and..." speaking in a whisper, Starfire's bottom lip trembled. He did all this... with her safety in mind as his words had suggested. Starfire looked over Robin's shoulder, noticing the wound on his back. Letting go of her emotions for a moment, Starfire stood up, pulling Robin's arm over her shoulder, "We must locate Raven..." she said seriously, looking worriedly at Robin's pale face. He looked back, reassuring her with a small smile; though he couldn't fully hide the pain his wounds caused, seeing Starfire safe was more than enough to keep his mind off of it. Paying no attention to the man behind them, Starfire began helping Robin to the door.
"You're too late..." Grey looked up at them as he pulled himself along the ground toward the center of the room, "I told you I had a dream, boy. That was no lie. And soon that dream will come to fruition." Robin and Starfire turned around... almost pitying the man in his condition... though his words certainly changed that feeling. "This facility--" Grey coughed, interrupting himself, "Is more than it seems... It was designed to generate a storm the likes of which the world has never seen; a true tempest. Perhaps you remember the storm that struck the coast not too long ago... a mere sample of this facility's capabilities... a test. It was a success." he said, raspy chuckles escaping his mouth as he halted his movement. "My children are not the soldiers who will rid the world of evil, but the seeds who will replant the land after the purifying storm. Yes... it will purge the world of all evil... Those who survive will have proven themselves worthy of our influence... the boy will see to that. He will open the door to their minds and show them our way... just as he did for all of the children." Grey opened one eye, staring at Robin and Starfire, "There are many smaller facilities connected to this one, scattered across the oceans, all with the same purpose. We are safe here... in the eye of a thousand storms." he laughed, causing himself to cough more, "The sequence has already begun... there is no stopping it now."
An unaffected expression on his face, Robin reached behind his back to his belt. Bringing his communicator into view, he spoke into it, "You guys get all that?" he asked. With a slight smirk, Robin turned the communicator to face Grey.
"Got it." came Beast Boy and Raven's voices over the communication link.
"Every word." added Cyborg. "You okay, man? That sounded pretty bad."
Grey's eyes could be seen narrowing as Robin and Starfire turned around, the doors sliding open for them. "I know you came too... my old friend." as the doors shut, Grey tiredly brought his arm into his view. Pulling down the cuff of his black uniform, he revealed a small device strapped to his wrist, a single black button on its surface. Straining to move his other arm, Grey pushed the button, "You won't be taking the boy anywhere." at that, he let out a final tense breath and fell into unconsciousness.
- - - - - -
"Yeah... I'm alright." Robin spoke over the communicator, his voice sounding tired. Oddly enough, Robin had disabled the imaging feature on his end, so Cyborg had no idea of his leader's true condition as he looked at the blank screen on his arm.
"You don't sound alright." Cyborg commented, raising an eyebrow.
"He is injured and in need of healing... We are attempting to locate Raven." Starfire cut in. With the way her voice sounded, Cyborg realized she must have been holding Robin up... thinking about that, he was almost afraid to know how bad Robin was hurt.
"Cyborg, Grey said this place is somehow linked to all the others. Can you find a way to shut down the other facilities from here?"
Cyborg chuckled, "If I can't, then I've wasted the last couple years of my life." he said with a smile. "This place looks like the control room. I'll get right on it." he added seriously, shutting off the communication. Cyborg looked up to the ceiling as he turned to face the computer consoles; the red lights continued to slowly fade on and off, but the screens and lights on the computers remained normal.
The row of computers, in the form of an arc, stretched around the walls of the tall circular room. Walking alongside the consoles, Cyborg stopped to examine the first one to the left of the entrance. Though he was sure Slade posed no threat, Cyborg looked over his shoulder at the man. Keeping hold of the unconscious Jericho, Slade looked over one of the consoles--which appeared to be a communication system of some sort... Cyborg paid it no mind, turning around to check the computers.
"So... the military really did that to you?" Cyborg asked without turning around as he dismissed the console as unimportant and moved on.
"Yes... No doubt that chemical running through the walls is based on the serum they gave us." Slade answered... surprisingly. Through the subtle whir of electric devices, Cyborg could hear him tapping something into a keyboard... again, he paid no attention to it.
"Your son..." Cyborg started, finding it odd that he was in a conversation with Slade, of all people... and asking questions about the man's son no less, "What do you think they were using him for...?" he asked, studying the buttons and controls on the computer in front of him. "It doesn't seem like he's one of the soldiers." he added.
"My son was born with unique abilities... an affect of the changes in my genetic structure..." Slade looked to Jericho, his expression softening, "As I'm sure you know, he can enter a person's mind, effectively taking control of their speech and movements." he said, looking away from the computers to the empty containment area where Jericho had been held... the strange metal mask remained suspended above the ground by wires. The slanted restraining table in the center of the room rose to the same height as the mask... facing it perfectly. "Grey must have been using him to... force a message into his captive's minds..."
"Brainwashing..." said Cyborg, moving along the consoles, bitterly remembering his experience with Brother Blood. Looking over the displays, he attempted to find some form of networking system. Coming to a stop at the opened containment room, Cyborg sighed; nothing on the left side of the room was of any consequence. Passing by the metal slab, Cyborg looked at the first console... sparks flew from its broken surface, illuminating the occasional darkness. Cyborg's eyebrow twitched as he stared at it, "Y'know... if this is the console I need, we'll all know who to blame when the storm of the century hits." he commented, turning to find a stern look shot his way, "Uh... forget I said anything." he quickly added, holding his hands up defensively. Before anything more could be said, Cyborg's human eye widened as he saw peculiar images on the very next console's display. "This is it!" he exclaimed, stepping up to the keyboard and examining the screen. The display showed a map of the world... he only wished he had seen it earlier. Several locations in the oceans were marked by blinking red dots... he recognized one in the Pacific Ocean--their exact location. "It's got our position marked... and--wow..." he looked shocked as he saw just how many other locations there were, scattered everywhere. A readout on the right side of the screen revealed a list of numbers, many followed by the word 'Active' in red letters... very few marked 'Inactive.' As soon as Cyborg noticed this, he saw one switch to active. "They're being activated... in a sequence, just like he said. How do I stop it?" he asked himself examining the keyboard.
"How long will this take?" Slade asked as he looked to the door, sounding hurried.
"As long as it does... Why?" Cyborg questioned, carefully studying the information on the screen. Slade remained silent. Getting an idea, Cyborg began to type something into the keyboard. In response, the screen lit up with the words 'Action Canceled.' "No." he said, nearly slamming his hands against the keyboard as the map returned, "The system's locked... it's activating those other facilities by signal, and it's already gotten to most of them. I can't stop it..."
"You need to find a way." Slade spoke in a low voice.
"I told you... I can't. Even if we destroyed this facility, the other facilities would stay active. This place just keeps sending out that signal to all those little guys and--" as something dawned on him, Cyborg stopped himself mid-sentence. Kneeling down, he began to examine the underside of the console, "Come on, come on--Yes!" he exclaimed, seeing a port at the base of the machine. Extending a thin black cord from his arm, Cyborg hastily connected it to the port, beginning to tap something into the panel thereafter. The display on his arm soon read, 'Uploading' in blinking green letters.
With a grin, Cyborg retracted the cord and stood up, looking intently at the next inactive facility on the list. His face moved closer to the screen; swallowing hard, he kept his eyes locked on the number. Suddenly, it switched to active. "No!" Cyborg shut his eyes and looked away, hanging his head in defeat, "The whole world's in trouble because of one stupid little computer, and I can't even hack it!" he slammed his hands against the edges of the keyboard in frustration, "I really messed up... DA--" he stopped as he heard a shrill beeping noise... followed by another, and another. Opening his eyes, Cyborg turned back to the screen, a smile beginning to spread across his face as he saw it. The first numbers on the list had been replaced with error messages. Preceded by the same beeping noise, each consecutive number on the list shared the same fate. "Boo-yah." he said with a triumphant smile.
"What did you do?" asked Slade, watching with a narrowed eye as the red error messages filled the screen.
"Heh, I infected it with the worst computer virus I've ever known... and a couple extra ones for good measure. Since this place continuously sends that signal to every active facility, it just infected them all." explained Cyborg, sounding proud of himself.
"You fool--" Slade was interrupted as the entire room shook, the facility itself seeming to tilt in one direction. Quickly, the computer screens began to flicker. "It was not supposed to sink yet." Slade's face suddenly developed a frustrated expression.
Cyborg narrowed his eyes at Slade, "Yet?" his attention quickly shifted as a thunderous pounding sound erupted from the other side of the closed doors. "What now?" he asked in exasperation, aiming his cannon forward as the metal began to bend inward with another thump.
- - - - - -
Lying face down on the floor, Gizmo opened his eyes to a relatively dark room. Shifting his focus upward, he saw rows of bright lights stretching across a large and lofty ceiling... many broken. He found himself pinned to the floor by an immense weight as he attempted to move. Looking over his shoulder, he realized what the problem was, seeing the behemoth that had fallen on him.
"Hey..." Gizmo struggled to move, managing to pull one of his arms out from under Mammoth's back, "Get off me ya big lummox!" he shouted, though his constrained abdomen only allowed a certain amount of volume to escape.
Groggily, Mammoth opened his eyes and sat up, resting a hand on his forehead. Turning his head, he looked down at Gizmo who gasped for breath, "Oh... sorry." he apologized in a gruff monotone.
"Next time watch who you fall on!" Gizmo pointed up at Mammoth with an accusing finger... suddenly his vexed expression went limp as he realized he was standing in a field of unconscious people. "Jeez, what the--" seeing two figures in the center of the cavernous room, Gizmo quickly grabbed Mammoth's arm and pulled him to the ground, "It's two of the Titans... Think they did this?" Gizmo examined the countless unconscious children with curiosity.
"If they did, don't you think it would be better not to draw their attention?" came the voice of a girl just to the side of them.
Gizmo and Mammoth did a double-take as they saw Jinx huddling close to the ground as well. "What're you doing here?" Gizmo asked in a skeptical tone, squinting his beady eyes at her.
"The same thing as you... I have no idea." she answered, eyeing both former teammates, "Just... shut up and play dead." reaching a hand out, she pushed Gizmo and Mammoth closer to the ground.
- - - - - -
"Did you hear something?" asked Beast Boy, standing on his tiptoes to examine the fallen crowd. Looking around at all the bodies, Raven heard nothing more and simply shrugged her shoulders. Giving up on his search, Beast Boy looked back to Raven, suddenly gaining a blushful expression, "Well... now that this is all out in the open and stuff... I was wondering..." he turned his eyes to the ceiling, swallowing a painful lump in his throat, "When we get back, do you wanna... um, go on a..." he began to scratch the back of his head nervously.
"You mean... a date? I... don't know..." Raven searched her feelings; she knew she wanted to be with him, but she was... new to the whole thing, to put it lightly. She didn't want to ruin things by messing up a date. Plus, it was Beast Boy... how would he act?
"Come on." Beast Boy stepped in front of Raven, hands clasped together, almost looking like he was about to beg, "I promise, I'll be a perfect gentleman. And--And I'll only joke if I get really nervous!" he said quickly, his expression faltering as he realized that meant he would be joking the entire time.
Raven covered her mouth as an uncontrollable smile grew, "Okay." she nodded her head, taking Beast Boy's hand in hers, "So... what did you have in mind?" she asked, finally meeting his gaze.
Beast Boy simply looked back into Raven's amethyst eyes, at a loss for words, having never seen that kind of smile on her face, "Um, I wanna say something first..." he gulped, grinning sheepishly, "And I probably should have said it before I... well, y'know..." he trailed off as Raven placed a finger over his lips.
"You don't need to... I can sense it well enough from here. Why don't you just... show me again."
Floating down through the pitfall in the ceiling, Starfire held Robin carefully in her arms. Robin's increasingly pale skin had been the subject of Starfire's attention the entire way to Beast Boy and Raven's communication signal. His wounds had nearly stopped bleeding... but she didn't know if that was good or bad. She was simply thankful he was still awake, though he looked like he would pass out at any moment if they didn't find Raven soon.
The first thing Robin and Starfire noticed as they descended was the sea of seemingly dead bodies surrounding the center of the enormous room. However, something much more... interesting caught their attention as they turned their eyes to the only two people left standing. Trying to keep hold of Robin, Starfire's mouth went agape as she saw Beast Boy and Raven--who wore all white--apparently in the midst of a romantic moment, standing too close to each other for it to be anything else. Though only half awake, Robin shared Starfire's shocked reaction, his eyes widening as he looked upon the scene.
Suddenly feeling their necks stiffen up, both Beast Boy and Raven slowly turned their heads to see Robin and Starfire staring at them. Hearts jumping into their throats, they leapt away from each other, faces red as beets, "We were just... uh..." they spoke in unison, searching for an excuse. Suddenly, they lost their embarrassment as they saw him, "Robin!" both shouted in worry. Rushing up to their friends, Beast Boy and Raven noticed Robin seemed near to passing out.
Starfire knelt down, now cradling Robin in her arms. Robin's mask showed his eyes were partly closed as he stared vacantly at the ceiling. "He is badly wounded. Please, Raven... you must..." with no need to be strong anymore, Starfire felt herself falling apart, her voice cracking.
Getting over her reaction to the wounds, Raven quickly knelt down beside Starfire, "Of course." she said, hovering her hands over Robin's chest. Wanting to heal everything at once, Raven closed her eyes and concentrated, "Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos." she chanted, enveloping Robin in a bright white light. Opening her eyes as she finished, Raven looked down at Robin. His wounds were gone, the only evidence that they ever existed being the tattered portions of his uniform. Even so... there was something strange; his eyes had closed completely, his head turned away from the ceiling. "Robin." Raven called, shaking him slightly. No answer. Suddenly, she looked up to Starfire with worry, "...How much blood did he lose?"
"I did not see..." Starfire stared down at Robin, "But I do not understand... will he not be okay?"
Raven's eyebrows lowered in remorse, "That depends on how fast we get him back to the tower." she said, feeling Starfire's heartache emanating. The poor girl had only just gotten him back... and now it seemed as though something bad was going to happen. Raven didn't know what to do... she completely healed his wounds, but his face remained pale, his skin cold and lifeless. Starfire could only sit there holding him, unsure, afraid, like she was lost in the dark. The feeling Raven received from her was overwhelming, almost causing her to lose control of her own emotions.
"Don't worry Star." Beast Boy joined the two, "He'll be alright. I mean, this is Robin we're talking about... I'm sure he's been through a lot worse." he looked at the 'x' shaped tears on Robin's shirt from the corner of his eye, not entirely certain of his own words... even so, he simply wanted to keep everyone's spirits up.
Taking in a deep breath and standing up with Robin in her arms, Starfire put on a strong expression, "You are right." she agreed, nodding her head. Suddenly, the lights began to flicker, followed by a massive tremor which shook the entire room and seemed to tilt it as well. "What is happening?" Starfire queried, looking up to the flickering lights with concern.
"Pick up!" came Cyborg's distressed voice over Beast Boy's communicator, a metallic pounding sound heard clearly in the background.
"Yeah?" Beast Boy quickly stood up, taking out his communicator.
"I managed to shut down all the other facilities, but... I messed up... the whole place is sinking into the ocean because of it. You guys get out of there now! I'll catch up to you later--" the communication quickly shut off at the sound of another loud thump.
"Cyborg, wait!" Beast Boy called, though no response came. Putting his communicator away, he looked to the others with a flustered expression, "Well... I guess we should listen to him. Somehow, I don't think he was kidding..." he said, steadying himself as the ground shook once again.
"Then let's hurry." Raven turned around, facing the door.
"Wait," Beast Boy reached a hand out to Raven's shoulder, "What about them...?" he asked, looking at all the knocked out children, "They're all innocent. We can't just leave 'em here."
Raven examined the fallen crowd with regret. He was right, they couldn't simply leave them, but would it be possible to evacuate them all before the facility sinks...? Not only that, but they were in the middle of the ocean, and the T-Sub could only carry five people. "I... could try to ghost everyone through to the roof. There's a large platform up there... and at that height, we should have enough time to wait for Cyborg."
"Can you... do that?" Beast Boy asked, raising an eyebrow. Starfire shared the same concern, having never seen Raven help more than one or two people in that way.
"I suppose we'll know soon enough... Stand close to me." said Raven, motioning her hands at Beast Boy and Starfire; moving behind Raven, they watched as she closed her eyes and began to slowly recite her mantra. As though bombarded with a powerful wind, the entire room was swiftly flooded with black energy, all sound from the outside cutting off at that point. Tightly keeping her eyes shut, Raven concentrated on each and every presence in the room, slowly lifting them all into the air. Starfire looked down, watching the ground fall away beneath them; for fear of accidentally letting go, she held Robin securely as they passed through the ceiling. Soon, their speed increased and several floors were seen passing by through the cloak of dark energy. Finally, the metal workings of the interior gave way to a large open platform. As soon as they reached the roof, Raven let go of her energy and felt herself becoming light headed from the sheer amount of concentration it took. Swaying as the cool sea air suddenly burst over them, she accidentally stepped backward.
"Hey." Beast Boy moved in, grabbing on to Raven's shoulders to halt her, "You alright?" he asked.
"...You're always catching me..."
"Just returning the favor." Beast Boy smiled fervently. Looking to the side, Raven felt her face beginning to blush... such an unfamiliar thing. Finally realizing where they were, Beast Boy and Raven looked straight ahead to see Starfire with an immense and knowing grin spreading across her face. They didn't know whether to simply be glad she was happy, or quickly split apart before anything could be said. Suddenly, another tremor from within the facility drew everyone's attention away.
Slowly tilting from one side to another, the enormous circular platform stretched on quite a way from its center, keeping a portion of the ocean from being seen, though it was clearly visible on the horizon... as was the curvature of the earth... quite a disorienting sight. It was this that made everyone realize something; the massive tornado of water was absent, allowing the midday sun to shine through a lightly clouded sky. A constant cool wind whistled across the platform, breaking itself over every obstacle on the flat surface, which included the three Titans, the fallen army of children, and a fairly large box-like enclosure with a door on one end of the plate--presumably a way back into the facility.
"Come on, Cyborg."
- - - - - -
Carefully aiming his cannon forward, Cyborg watched as the large dents in the doors continued to grow with every ground shaking slam against it. Whatever was trying to get in... was huge. Shaking his head, Cyborg imagined the facility inching its way to the sea floor... there was no time to fight anything... they had to leave and soon. Readying himself for anything, Cyborg locked his eyes on the doors; they were beginning to split in the middle, revealing movement in the pitch darkness on the other side. Suddenly, Cyborg saw Slade walk directly in front of him, a serious expression on his face.
"Take him." said Slade, handing Jericho over.
Given no time to protest, Cyborg caught the unconscious Titan, "Hey, what the--" he started, face struck with sudden confusion.
"I'm going to fight it." Slade turned around, facing the door with a fighting stance, "I know what this is... and it is my fault it's here... it was my technology he stole to create it." he said, looking over his shoulder for a moment, "Stand behind that table... and keep him safe." he finished. As soon as Slade turned to face the source of the noise once again, the doors seemed to explode inward, crashing against the computer consoles, causing an eruption of sparks and electric crackling.
Standing under the violently flickering lights, a large humanoid creature swayed eerily. Ducking down behind the slanted metal table with Jericho, Cyborg looked around the corner, seeing the creature as reminiscent of the robots they had fought in the city... only hulking, nearly twice the size of Slade. Its body was composed of reflective white armor; a small robotic face with two tiny slits for eyes, a barrel chest supported by a relatively thin abdomen and legs, and long arms with three threatening blades attached above the fingers. A red insignia depicting three lines curving inward to a point was seen clearly on both its bulbous shoulders.
As the gargantuan robot took one step forward, the ground shook, causing one of the broken doors to fall noisily to the ground from its position atop the computer consoles. Growling, Slade clenched his fists and advanced on the robot without fear or hesitation. Slowly rearing itself to face Slade, the machine raised an arm and slashed horizontally through the air. Continuing on his path, Slade simply ducked under the strike, running quickly toward the creature's legs; reaching a good distance, he leapt forward, arms outstretched.
Cyborg watched from afar as Slade brought the giant to the ground by simply tackling its foundation. The entire room shook as the creature collied with the floor. To Cyborg's surprise, Slade didn't stop there; standing up, he took hold of the machine's leg once again, beginning to pull backward, 'No way...' he thought in astonishment, seeing the body begin to shift position. With a strained expression, Slade swung the entire metallic creature around, on release letting it fly and crash into the computers on the opposing side of the room. 'Jeez...' he knew Slade was strong, but...
Recovering, the enormous machine stood up; without waiting, it began to charge toward Slade, its tremendous weight shaking the ground with each step. Merely narrowing his eyes, Slade took the challenge and ran forward as well, holding one arm back to deal a powerful strike. The ground-shaking advancement continued until the two combatants met at a critical distance, replaced then by the sound of shattering metal and mechanical parts.
From his position, Cyborg couldn't see what had happened. Getting a better look around the corner, he saw that Slade's fist had passed completely through the robots abdomen; sparks flew from its back, and shattered pieces of its armor lay strewn across the floor. Letting out a breath, Cyborg realized Slade had done it... and somehow, he had no doubt. Peering further around the corner, Cyborg's eye widened, "No." he spoke out loud with widened eyes. The automaton's left arm had been thrust forward, its blades passing directly through... Slade. Cyborg could hardly look, seeing the three sharp weapons sticking out through the man's lower back... dripping with a dark liquid he dared not identify... He knew for a fact, it was something he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy. Hearing Cyborg's voice, the robot--still functioning--quickly turned its head to face him. Gritting his teeth, Cyborg quickly hid himself behind the table once again. He couldn't fight... that would put Jericho at risk... and Slade was...
Eye wincing, Slade looked up at the machine, its attention turned toward the table. "You won't make it that far..." he said, pulling his fist from the robot's abdomen and tightly grabbing hold of its forearm, causing it to shift its attention back. Strengthening his grip, Slade crushed the thin arm with his hands; lifting his left hand up, he punched downward at its elbow, separating the arm from its owner. Both Slade and the machine took several steps backward as a result of this change. Clenching the arm once again as the robot recovered, Slade coughed violently, pulling the blades from himself. Vision blurring as he finally removed them, Slade turned them to face the robot, immediately running forward. Quickly, giving the creature no time to move, Slade thrust the blades upward, directly through the machine's chest. Keeping hold of one end of the arm, Slade proceeded to slash it across, nearly cutting the giant robot in two, sending its inner working's across the room. Eyes losing their slight red glow, the machine halted entirely, falling to the ground with a loud crash. Letting out a labored chuckle, Slade dropped the arm to the ground, allowing himself to collapse.
"Hey!" called Cyborg, hearing the battle come to an end. When no answer came, Cyborg stood up, running around the table with the unconscious Jericho in his arms. Walking up to Slade, who lay face down on the ground in front of the defeated robot, Cyborg knelt down carefully, "Can you walk? We gotta get out of here." he said, trying not to pay attention to the man's wounds. The ground tilted, causing Cyborg to nearly lose his balance.
Slade looked up, his good eye partly closed, "Go." he said, pointing to the doorway, "Go now!" he shouted, coughing as a result.
"I can't just leave you here. Come on, I'll carry you both--" Cyborg held out a hand.
"Charges..." Slade pointed to the glass tubes on the wall with a shaky hand, "I placed timed explosives on those tubes... When they detonate, they will take this entire facility and that volatile chemical with them. I wanted to make sure it didn't spread elsewhere." he said, turning back to face Cyborg with a deadly serious look, "Find a way to the roof. It won't be long, so you need to leave quickly... and I will slow you down, do you understand?"
"But--"
"My son's life rests in your hands now. If you don't leave... he will die." he explained, "I've been too long in this world. My time came long ago."
"Shut up!" shouted Cyborg, standing up, "I'll get your son outta here, but when he's safe, I'm comin' back for you. You've still got a lot of crimes to answer for." he said, glaring down at Slade. Facing the door, Cyborg began running toward the hallway, stopping as Slade spoke up.
"I know what awaits me... I've been there before; the fire. I did not do this to change... that is impossible. I thought I could prove something to myself... that I still had some shred of humanity left. I did it for my son... and the family I destroyed..." he said, sounding delirious, seemingly staring off toward nothing, "It means nothing from a man like me, but tell him... tell him I'm sorry. For everything." with that, Slade collapsed on the ground, his one eye shutting as he let out a breath.
"You can tell him yourself... when I get you outta here." said Cyborg, running into the dark hallway.
- - - - - -
The crushing waves of the ocean could be heard moving progressively closer as the facility continued to sink, swaying as it did. Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire looked over the edge of the plate, watching as they approached the ocean. Now visible over the edge, the T-Sub had floated away from the base of the facility as a result of the massive waves the place was causing.
"Where are you?" Beast Boy asked, feeling like running back into the building. Before he got the chance, a loud bang came from behind them. Everyone turned around to see Cyborg running out from the door to the facility, having broken it open with his shoulder. He carried someone his arms... "Cyborg!" Beast Boy shouted, waving his friend over. Raven and Starfire let out sighs of relief as Cyborg continued toward them. Coming to a stop, he looked to be in a rush. "Whoa... is that... Jericho?" Beast Boy asked with wide and disbelieving eyes, "Great... as if this whole situation couldn't get any more confusing." he threw his arms in the air.
"It's a long story..." said Cyborg, looking at the circle of unconscious children that surrounded them, "That's... the army?" he asked, having nearly forgotten about them. "How are we gonna get this many people back to the coast? We only got one ship--" Cyborg was interrupted by the deafening sound of a horn. Looking at each other in confusion, the Titans began walking to the edge of the plate to inspect the noise. What they saw, surprised them to no end. A large military vessel had approached a side of the facility, just beyond the plate's reach. The facility was close enough to the ocean now that the top of the plate could almost be seen from the ship's point of view.
"We... We received a distress signal from this location..." came a man's voice over a loudspeaker, sounding reasonably confused.
"Slade...That's what he was doing..." said Cyborg under his breath.
"Come on. I'll carry everyone over there." said Raven, pointing out toward the ship. Beast Boy and Starfire nodded. Cyborg looked over his shoulder toward the facility's entrance... Realizing he still had to get Jericho to safety, he turned to the others and nodded as well.
Reciting her mantra, Raven enveloped everyone on the plate in a bubble. As soon as they began to ascend as a whole, a loud explosion erupted from within the facility, sending a large plume of smoke out from the open doorway soon after. The facility shook wildly, beginning to sink faster. "NO!" shouted Cyborg, running up to the wall, "He was still in there... Slade was still in there." he said grudgingly. Hearing this, each Titan looked to the ground. For some reason... it seemed wrong for him to go like that...
- - - - - -
The sun had nearly set by the time everything was straightened out; the sky slowly faded from blue to a bright orange. After the events that passed, it was strange to see the sky calm and clear... Standing on the edge of the vessel, the Titans watched as the sun approached the oceanic horizon, lighting the waves on fire. The facility had since sunk deep under the sea, not a trace of its existence in sight. The ship's crew--after a lengthy explanation--was in the process of taking each and every child to the infirmary.
Still holding on to Robin, Starfire looked off at the sun, hoping that he would make it through this. Though the thought of losing him made her want to fall to her knees, for him, she would remain strong... it's what he would want. Turning her eyes away from the evening light, she looked down at Robin, the gentle rise and fall of his chest reassuring her... He was going to wake up eventually... And when he did, Starfire knew nothing could stop her from telling him the things in her heart. Taking in the fresh air, she looked back to the sea, smiling as it was a sunset that signified a new day.
Standing in quiet meditation, Raven found herself stealing furtive glances at Beast Boy. So many things had changed between them... and she was glad. She was able to feel love... real love. Smirking, Raven hoped--and in some ways, knew--nothing could change Beast Boy, even his feelings; he would always be making the same stupid jokes, pulling the same underhanded pranks, and smiling with that ridiculous grin as he did those things... She wouldn't have it any other way. Little did she know, he was stealing glances, hoping that she would stay the same as well.
Having handed Jericho over to the ship's physicians, Cyborg looked down at the communicator on his arm, 'I'll tell him for you... I swear.' he thought. It felt strange to mourn the loss of an enemy... though in the end, he proved to be their greatest ally. Slade saved the life of every child in that place... and yet he still believed, to the bitter end, that he couldn't change. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Beast Boy.
"Look, if we're lucky, he won't come back." he said, causing Cyborg to raise an eyebrow, "But when have we ever been lucky?" he smiled, getting his point across with--for once--a well placed joke. "So..." he started, looking from the unconscious Robin to the T-Sub which floated on the waves beside the ship, "I guess this means... you're driving?"
- - - - - -
Robin found himself awake, though his eyes refused to open. Contrasting to the darkness he had seen before, the area was lit up brightly in radiant white light. Soft winds could be heard passing through an open window... the sounds of the sea carrying in along with it. There was something else... a familiar voice speaking to him, though he could not understand the words as they seemed to be fading into earshot.
"...I must leave now." Robin could hear Starfire's beautiful voice penetrate through the blinding light like music to his ears; euphony, however this song carried words he could not stand to hear...
'Please... don't go.' he tried to speak, but only thoughts could escape; he attempted to move, but the darkness seemed to envelope and restrain him. 'Stay with me... Starfire...' he pleaded; mustering all his strength, he could feel only his fingers moving. Robin felt a soft touch on his forehead--it warmed him amidst the wintry emptiness; a kiss from an angel.
'Starfire...'
Author's Note: One final cliffhanger. Quite an evil place to leave off if I do say so myself, but the 22nd and final chapter will certainly clear this up, so don't worry. Besides, all may not be as it seems :)... I'll let you decide what that means.
On another note... THIS IS THE FREAKING LENGTHIEST THING I'VE EVER WRITTEN Oo... my school projects have nothing on this, lol. Thankfully, the next chapter will be much shorter, though that's not saying much, considering this baby was 13,000 words XD.
Anyway, on to the contents. First off, I hope you like how I had Robin snap Starfire out of it... it wasn't quite what some people were expecting "word-wise," but if Starfire read into it... she certainly could have gotten something out of what he said ;).
Yes, indeed... Tyrus is Grey. I figured since some people probably already came to that conclusion... the surprise wasn't that Tyrus was Grey, but the fact that Robin knew the entire time. He used Tyrus (Grey) in order to get better acquainted with the man's fighting flaws... so when the time came to fight, he would be ready and able to catch the man off-guard. He didn't really want to learn just sword fighting, though that certainly did help. Grey aided Robin in his defeat without even knowing it.
Also, there were a couple little extras in there that people were wondering about. Such as how Red X, caused "some extra trouble" for The Tempest. And why Jinx was hanging out with her old friends again XD... I really liked writing that part.
As for what happened to Slade... I'll let you use your imaginations for that one :D.
One more thing, and then I'll shut up XD. Grey had used Jericho's powers to enter every child's mind and leave a message inside... this message caused them all to "see the light" and think the way of The Tempest. A bit of Jericho (if just a small psychic imprint) remained in each of them until they were finally released from the control by Raven--which is why Raven felt the strange connection to them (and eventually Starfire) after running into Iris (she was given a connection to Jericho, and thus a connection to every member of The Tempest).
Next Chapter Preview: In the wake of the storm, Robin is confronted by his fear. Was it simply a dream, or did Starfire really leave? "Epilogue: The Hardest Thing to Say."
