: Engele :
- Day Three -
: Disclaimer :
Teen Titans and all its bishounens / bishoujos are not mine
Only Engele and this pretty plotline is mine
: Credits :
Story credits to both Aoi Akiko & (brother) Alexstar Moonlight
- Day Three -
She'd woken up before him, kicking the itchy blankets away with her little legs. She sat up and wondered what she should do…
She really didn't want to leave him, but her imagination was providing her with a million ideas of funner things. She thought hard through them all and grinned at the prospect of a grand adventure. Yes, yes – that would be lovely…! A grand adventure it shall be…!
It was a difficult task getting the rectangle with the bold symbols to open the doors for her, but she managed in the end. The door slid open, and she scrambled down to freedom. Yay, freedom! What a great way to begin the day…!
"Engele…?" he groped blindly for her as consciousness began to stir. When it became apparent that she was not present, his consciousness slammed into him like a tonne of bricks and many other painful things…
"Engele…!" he called frantically for her as he shot up from the bed and tumbled from it, blankets still wrapped tightly around his ankles. There was a rude surprise as he fell onto a whole array of used discs and cartridges and bird-a-rangs and—
He groaned, rubbing his sore shoulder and following the mysterious trail of weapons with his eyes. Most were scattered randomly, but there was an indefinite pattern beginning at his closet and ending with a wooden box right under the control panel to help little girls reach high places—
"En-ge-le…!"
He flew from his room, panicking and wondering what mischief-making his charge could be up to so early in the morning – not to mention if she'd learnt how to use the control panels, she could be anywhere in the Tower by now… His odd flight was cut short as he was yanked from behind by his cape, landing painfully on his back with his legs up in the air…
Once the images stopped going in and out of focus, a black-smudged face peered into his line of vision and grinned toothily at him. He leapt up to wrap his arms around the dirty creature, "Engele!" and a moment later, "… why do you smell of motor oil and burnt circuitry…?"
"That's because she's been playing in Unca Cy's fixing place…" came a growl from behind, and the masked one wasn't quite sure he wanted to know how the other looked like. He dared one small peek…
… charbroiled to sooty-black and smoking like a fireworks factory, Cyborg didn't look like he'd enjoyed his wake-up call at all…
"What… happened…?"
"What happened? What happened! SHE—" a metallic finger pointed at the watery eyes peeking from under the black cape, "—IS A WALKING ALPHA-CLASS X.1200 DISASTER! She broke into my garage, reconfigured all the communicators, dismantled my T-car and NEARLY BEHEADED ME WITH MY OWN SONIC CANNON!" With every accusation, the head and jaws of the offended grew twice its size—
"Engele's sorry. Engele said so…"
The disproportionately gigantic head looming over them shrunk back down to its original form, "Yeah, I heard ya, kiddo…" He reached down and ruffled the shoulder length hair into a mess, making her giggle, "That's why you're here…"
She clambered onto her chief guardian's shoulder, hugging him from behind, "Robin…!"
"She's all yours, Boy Wonder…" the taller teen straightened and began walking away, "I've a garage to rebuild…"
He stared at the innocent little face peering at him over his shoulder, amazed at this strange power she held over them all. He sighed and stood up, carrying her piggy-back-style, "Let's get you cleaned up, shall we…?"
"… baby come along… so we sing this song… silly little fish… ducky make a wish…" (1)
He washed her honey-brown hair, humming along with her as she splashed about his bathtub, bobbing the empty bottles on the surface of the water…
"When did your hair get so long…?" he mumbled, separating the tangles between his fingers, "Close your eyes, love – I'm going to rinse the bubbles away…"
"Does Robin close his eyes, too?" came her cutesy voice, dark blue-violet eyes staring at him, head turned up to let the water cascade down her back.
He smiled, "I'll have to if I don't want my eyes to sting…"
She reached out to his face and tried to grab his mask, "But Robin always wears the black thing…"
He pulled away from her out of instinct, "Engele, you shouldn't—"
"But why do you hide your eyes…?" she said straightforwardly, turning to kneel on the floor, arms crossed on the side of the tub.
"It's… the only thing that hides… me…" he whispered, the real me… the true me…
She did not understand his reason, but she did understand that he was unhappy. And to her young mind, the best ways to chase away unhappiness were with sincere hugs and kisses. So she did, catching his downcast face in her two hands and granting him a chaste peck on the cheek, before wrapping her short arms around his torso as she pressed her face into his chest, "Don't be sad… Robin has Engele now…"
He gave her a kind smile, "That I do…"
She'd been obedient and quiet for the rest of the bath, even as he took her out and sat her on the stool in front of the mirror to pat her dry. He dressed her in a white day-dress they'd bought her knowing she'd outgrow her clothes within a day. He dried out her hair and brushed it into twin ponytails at the side of her head, held back by rose-coloured ribbons.
He put down the accessories and hesitated, only then kneeling down before her, "You… can take off my mask, if you like…"
She gasped at him in childlike astonishment, "Really?"
He nodded, "… but anything you see under them remains in this room, alright…?"
She frowned at him, confused, "Like a secret?"
He nodded, once, "Yes, a secret… But I trust you…"
She squirmed in her seat, "Okay…"
It was a magical moment between them, of partial-paternal-figure and partial-child-of-his-own. He undid the invisible straps for her with practiced precision… She slid it away from his face with surprising deftness… He kept his eyes closed, and waited… She touched the warm skin and beckoned them rise… He did so…
"Pretty…" she exclaimed quietly, "Gold(2)…"
He smiled, "Yes. Gold…"
"Like the sun…"
He chuckled, "I suppose…"
"Does Robin like his eyes?"
"I do… very much…"
"Engele likes them, too… but only because it belongs to Robin…"
It was a rather profound confession, coming from a 3-year-old. For unknown reasons, it warmed him completely, the sensation tingling in his fingers and down his toes. He pulled her against him, "You're so precious, love…"
To the curious onlooker, the unusual family unit looked rather out-of-place. While it seemed to have perfected its structure – the parent figures, the child, and the external family – it was the members themselves that made them stand out…
Mama(3) (Starfire) had showed her the different kinds of trees and flowers (they ended up being chased by a swarm of angry bees), Unca BB had demonstrated how to throw the best skipping stones (they ended up being chased by a mob of angry swans)… Auntie Rae had spent most of her time staring at the sky while she cloud-watched (one was a unicorn, another a slice of pizza, the third resembled Silkie), Unca Cy had taught her how to follow hidden trails (one led to an anthill, another to a squirrel's nest, the third to Beast Boy digging a hole)…
"What's fu-ball…?" she questioned curiously, climbing down from her T-stroller and onto the picnic mat as the others hovered nearby to prepare the necessary boundaries, "Is it a ball made out of Unca BB's tofu…?"
Someone had explained that the name of the game had nothing to do with Unca BB's choice of food. Then again, she'd been distracted by the pair of colourful wings landing on the flower on her shoe, flitting away again in a heartbeat to some other, perhaps more realistic, flora… The game started, and soon everyone was busy having fun…
She was searching for her companion, only so recently introduced…
It had wings as she did, only it had rainbow hues compared to hers of every shade of snow… It could fly freely, while she could not… She would have to learn… Maybe her Robin could teach her—
"Looking for this, little girl…?" a rich voice graced her ears and she turned. To her delight, her fragile friend was there, flapping its appendages slowly in the palm of a stranger, "Please, may Engele have her butterfly…?"
He knelt and touched her cheek, eyes like steel studying her features. She glowed under his cold fingers, and he risked an invisible smile, "My sweet Innocence(4)… it is time…"
She watched with horrified eyes as he caged the helpless creature in a fist, a definite crushing sound echoing loudly around her. He scattered the tattered remains into her trembling hands, cupped to receive what was hers, and walked away… away… away…
The score was 2-1, Cyborg and Robin celebrating their victory. It was only then her guardians looked up and realized their cheering section had vanished…
"Where's Engele?"
Panic choked them as they immediately set out into different directions, calling for their little runaway. Under every rock and bush and hot-dog stand, high and low and inside out—
"Engele…!" Starfire stumbled upon the missing child, sobbing quietly under a tree, "Oh my cereae… what is wrong?"
"He broke Engele's butterfly…" the girl answered plaintively, tear-streaked face looking up as she held the cradle-grave of her crushed counterpart in her hands, "Why, Mama? Why did he break Engele's butterfly?"
There was very little to say, so the foreigner could only hold her, wishing it would all go away. A short message was sent to the others, along with the coordinates of their location. The child continued to cry into her uniform, "The bad, mean man with one eye. He told Engele it is time. Then he broke Engele's butterfly… Engele's pretty, pretty butterfly…"
The elder startled, "… one… eye…?"
"Mm, one eye," the smaller one nodded miserably, "His face had two colours. One side was orange and the other was blac—"
"ENGELE!" "Ro-bin!"
He squeezed her tightly into his chest, grateful to have her in his arms once more. Then he broke away and held her by the shoulders, eyes narrowing dangerously, "Never, ever do that again, Engele! By the Bright Lady, do you know how worried we've been…!"
She squeaked out and whimpered as his fingers dug into her small shoulders, "… hurts… R-ro-bin…"
Transparent black spheres took hold of his fingers as metallic hands pulled him away, green arms held out to the child for assurance. He swallowed thickly, "Engele…"
The alien princess patted his arm, in need of his attention, "Robin, I must speak with you…"
The story was repeated, a tree held testimony to his wrath.
"So it is Slade."
She frowned, "When did you—I didn't…" She shook her head, "It does not matter… Robin, there is more: Engele says that he told her it is time – I fear he is planning something unpleasant…"
He punched his other hand in the palm, vowing vengeance, "I swear, if I ever find him, I'll—"
She shook her head tenderly, "Please, Robin, you must not be so angry… While I fear Slade may hurt Engele, I also fear you may hurt her as well…"
He winced, reminded of the glassy pupils just moments before, "I never meant to be so… harsh…"
"I know… but perhaps you should tell her…" she took his hands and leveled herself with his face, "Even without Slade, you have frightened her so… When Slade is present in your thoughts, you will become ever more frightening… While we may understand this condition, Engele may not. Please, for her sake, promise me you will continue to nurture her as you have these days past?"
He hung his head, glaring at his hands. She sighed and floated beside him, guiding his gaze upwards and across the clearing, where his charge was waiting patiently for him. He realized her intentions and nodded, patting her hand, "I understand, Star… and, I promise…"
She embraced him graciously, cheek pressed to his own, "I am glad…"
He exited his personal bathroom, eyes immediately drawn towards the small lump at the center of his bed. He padded over and sat on its edge, hand over her head. Wide eyes blinked opened and shifted towards him.
"Why aren't you asleep, love…?" he asked with a smile, thumb stroking her ear.
She curled into the blankets, tightening her grip around the toy he'd (stolen from Starfire and) given to her for security purposes. Though the thick materials muffled her voice, the words rang clear all the same, "Is Robin still… angry…? With Engele…?"
He froze in his ministrations. "Oh, love…" he scooped her bodily from the bed and settled her against his warmth, enveloping her completely, "I can never be angry with you…"
"Engele's sorry…" she mewled, holding back tears, "Engele said so…"
"I know…" he returned, cheek on her forehead, "I know… I'm sorry, too…"
She needed to know the bond between them was strong and would not sever, clinging desperately to his clothes. She scratched at the symbol at marked his name, "Sing me your song, Robin…"
He nodded absently and began to hum, patting her back and running his fingers through her loosened hair. Knowing she was safe, she began to fall away: eyes began to slide shut, breathing evening out…
The night--mares that haunt your thoughts, I'll chase them all away…
The wickedness that bar your dreams, I'll force them back and say,
"Be gone, be gone, evil ones… Leave my beloved true…"
For in the universe of wonders, there's only me and you…
Aoi Akiko rambles:
(1) The song, ... baby come along...
All © to the lyrics of Engele's silly song belongs to both Aoi Akiko & Alexstar Moonlight
(2) Robin having gold eyes
There's been widespread debate on the colour of Robin's eyes, from blue to green to brown to ethereal shades of gold and silver - but it really doesn't matter... The point is on Robin's trust allowing Engele to see his eyes, and not on the actual colour of them...
(3) Engele calling Starfire Mama
There is a significance to Engele actually naming her maternal figure, but never naming her paternal figure. For more information, see : Day Seven :
(4) The name Innocence
For those who haven't figured it out, this is Slade speaking with Engele. Innocence is Engele's first given name, and its origins shall be revealed in : Day Four :
(5) The song, For the universe of wonders
All © to the lyrics of Robin's lullaby / love song belongs to Aoi Akiko