A/N: Another chapter for you readers. It might suck because I'm going through this stage in my writing that I can't come up with anything good. It seems like I lost my mojo. It will be back soon, though. So this is what you have till then. Nothing much else to say, so just enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 5 Baron or Underground?
"So this Krew dude is a good guy, right?" Beast Boy asked Jak as the four made their ways to the Hip Hog Heaven Saloon again. Jak had just gotten his gun upgrade for taking down all those guns with Starfire and Daxter the other day. He had tested it out in the target practice room Krew had set up for some of his people.
"Um…" Daxter and Jak said at the same time while glancing at each other with grim smiles. Starfire had only met him a few minutes ago along with Beast Boy and they weren't sure if Krew was the most best guy to work for.
"I wouldn't say that he would be considered a good guy," Jak finally said slowly. Daxter gave a short, sarcastic laugh. Beast Boy and Starfire gave each other a worried glance at the response.
"So why do you work for him, friend?" Starfire asked Jak innocently.
"It's kind of complicated, sweetheart," Daxter said down to her.
The four walked back into the saloon and Sig gave Jak a high five for his good score for his gun at the shooting garage. "Nice work, cherries!" he said to them. He then finally had the time to study Starfire and noticed that her ears were just like Robin's and asked her, "Do you have a friend with the same ears as yours?" He hadn't noticed Beast Boy's because the teen had on his cloak once again to blend into the city.
Starfire smiled and nodded her head overdramatically. "I do, friend!" she said with excitement in her voice. She barely could stop herself from hovering in the air, but she remembered the Shadow telling her to not use any of her powers in public. "Tell me," she said to Sig, "Have you seen one of them?"
Sig nodded and said, "A small spiky black haired one that sure knows how to kick some Metal Head butt."
"Robin!" Beast Boy and Starfire yelled at the same time with their eyes lighting up.
"Yep!" Sig answered with a nod. He chuckled at their happiness and said, "He took up a job for Krew at being back up for me and a racer. He just went over to the stadium for his first race. I would have gone with him, but I have things to do for Krew."
"Dude!" Beast Boy shouted to the group. "That old guy said that the Underground needed to find Robin right away before the Baron does. We need to go tell Torn where Robin is!"
Jak and Daxter looked a bit stunned at this, but they quickly got over their shock and nodded. "Let's go!" Jak said to them while bolting for the door. Starfire and Beast Boy were right behind him with huge smiles on their faces.
"Wait," Krew said while flying up next to Sig with complete confusion on his face. "Where are they going? I had another mission for them, ey."
Sig frowned while rubbing his chin in deep thought. "Don't know," he lied to Krew. He was worried about Robin. The kid didn't know that everyone in this city was now searching for him. What if some Krimson Guards showed up right when the Underground did? A full fledged civil war would break out. He hoped Robin made it out alive.
- Robin -
Robin sighed to cool his nerves as he slid on his helmet. Like a helmet would help him survive a crash at 100 miles per hour on a zoomer, but it was required for some reason. Maybe it was some sick joke. Robin didn't care much about it; all he wanted to do was stay alive. If winning was added into the mix it was just a bonus for the teen.
The Elf, who Tess had pointed out for Robin, named Erol pulled his zoomer up next to Robin's zoomer. Erol looked calm and relaxed as he studied the track before him. Tess had said that he was the best racer in the city so far for the past three years. This didn't do much to Robin's nervousness because she had muttered at the end that he had cheated along the way. She thought that Robin hadn't heard her, but his ears were just as good as her long ones.
Other racers with their zoomers started to surround Robin's zoomer as the race was about to start. Engines roared into life as the races showed off for the crowd. Everyone in the stands was screaming for their favorite racer or booed for the others. Pictures were taken, and flashes flew up from all around and kind of made Robin dizzy from so much lights going off at once. It amazed him how many people came out for a sport like this. People died in his game. Didn't the crowd know that? Or was that why people came out? That thought only made Robin frown more.
Robin looked up and saw that a hovering machine was showing some lights ahead of the races. The first red light was already up. Robin gripped his handlebars and waited for the race to begin. The next red light was shown then the green light lit up and everyone was off. Erol was in the lead of course.
The racers rounded the corner and Robin saw who the better drivers were. Some could barely control their vehicles while others took the turn smoothly like Robin did. The teen quickly left all the others in the dust, and he smiled as he pulled up next to Erol's zoomer. So Sig and Tess were telling the truth when they said he was a good racer.
They all flew through a tunnel. Erol and Robin were neck to neck as they sharply turned through the sharp hairpin that was said to be the hardest part on the track. The two went through it like it was a breeze. By this time Erol was seeing such a threat Robin was. He wondered where the teen had come from. He must have been new.
Erol started to lightly bump into Robin's zoomer with his own to try and push him off the track. Robin looked over to him with shock and decided to fight back. He brought his leg up and sharply kicked Erol in the shoulder with a small battle yell. He heard Erol give a sharp cry of alarm as his plan backfired and sent him spiraling the opposite way. Robin rolled his eyes while pulling in front of him and flying past the starting line and going onto his second lap.
Suddenly a zoomer rammed into Robin's zoomer from behind and sent his hovercraft forward and out of control. A flash of panic swept over Robin's face as his zoomer started to spin around. The teen quickly pulled his head together and got his zoomer under control and saw that Erol was ahead of him now.
The creep! Robin thought to himself while trying his best to catch up with the Elf. He pulled up next to him and smiled slyly when he saw the shocked face of the Elf, as he saw that Robin was not affected by spinning out of control back there. But Erol had more stuff up his sleeve.
Erol put on his brakes, and Robin watched in confusion as he flew past the other zoomer. Erol then started to ram into him like he had done before. Robin barred his teeth in frustration as determination shown in his eyes. He wasn't going to fall for this one again.
"You're not going to get away with this one," Robin said to Erol while slamming on his brakes and having Erol's zoomer suddenly flying over his. Robin ducked as the zoomer almost whacked into his head. The teen then floored it and whacked into the side of Erol's zoomer to push him away.
"So you know how to fight back," Erol spat out at him while coming back at Robin with his zoomer. Sparks flew into the air as metal collided violently with metal. Both racers barred their teeth as they tried their best to push the other away.
"Get off!" Robin yelled at Erol over the wind and screech of metal. If Erol would just back off, the race could end peacefully. Too bad the Elf only knew how to keep going. The two were not going to give up.
"Let's see what you're made of, shrimp!" Erol yelled back at him with a wicked smile spreading over his face. "I haven't had this much competition in a long time!"
"Fine!" Robin shouted. If Erol wanted him to show him what he got, he would have to give it to him. Robin looked down and saw that Erol's breaking pedal was on his right side just like a motorcycle's. "Here it is!" Robin yelled over to Erol while taking his own foot off his left peg and slamming it down on Erol's right foot to make him step on the brakes.
"Wait!" Erol said with panic in his voice as a grim expression crossed his face. But it was too late. The damage had been done. Both of their zoomers were going at their top speed. At that speed it was incredibly stupid to slam on your brakes, because it could ruin the engine and make it blow up. And that was exactly what happened to Erol's poor zoomer.
Fire flew into the air as the thing exploded in mid air. Erol was able to fall off it and winced as he tumbled down the track. Smoke filled the air and made the huge crowd gasp in fright that their favorite was not alive. Robin slowed down his zoomer and turned around to make sure Erol was okay. He didn't know that would happen, and he was worried about Erol's life.
But Erol was okay. He sat on the track with a look of shock on his scratched up face as he winced a few times from the many bruises on his body and his ego. Robin stopped next to him with worry on his face. "You okay?" he asked Erol with real concern in his voice. Erol just glared dangers up at him.
"Fine, don't answer me," Robin said with a sigh. "But I warned you to leave me alone. I hope you learned something here."
"This isn't over, shrimp," Erol spat back up at him with venom in his voice. "I'll be back."
"Get over yourself," Robin muttered to him with disgust. He was sick with this place and the people here. All he wanted was to go home and save his own city. He worried about it. With the Teen Titans gone Jump City must be in total havoc since Slade was back with some fire powers. At least the people there were nice to everyone, unlike the people of Haven City.
Robin quickly finished the race and came in first. Krew was going to be happy with him. Robin slowly came to a stop on the track and got off his zoomer with a depressed sigh. Ever sense he got here things were working out great for only his future if he stayed in the city. But he didn't want to stay in this city for the rest of his life. He needed to get back to his own world with his friends. He really hoped they were okay or at least finding out how to get them back to Jump City.
"You cheated!" Robin heard Erol yell at him. The teen turned around and saw Erol walking up to him and looking quite mad. The Elf narrowed his brown eyes at the Human and a growl escaped his lips as he kept walking towards him.
"I cheated?" Robin yelled back. He took off his helmet and threw it on the floor while walking up to Erol as the anger inside of him was just ready to burst. What was wrong with him? He usually never was this mad or angry. This thought just made the teen even more confused and frustrated.
"Yes, you…" Erol was cut off when he finally saw who Robin really was. A look of astonishment spread over his face as his eyes went wide with surprise. "You have short ears," Erol said faintly so that Robin was barely able to hear him.
"Excuse me?" Robin asked him with confusion sweeping over his face.
"Get him!" Erol then yelled to some Krimson Guards in the stands. "He's the leader!"
"Huh?" Robin asked as he looked around him at all the Krimson Guards coming from nowhere in the crowds. They were all coming for him! He had battled a few of them a day ago and it was easy, but battling about 20 of them on his own was hard stuff. What was he to do? He sure didn't want to go with them, so he did the only option that came to his mind quick enough. RUN!
"Get back here, shrimp!" Erol yelled at Robin as he saw the teen take off down the zoomer track. Robin didn't answer as he ran up the curved side of the track and flipped over the railing and into the crowd. Robin zigzagged through the throng of Elves and had to kick some Guards away to avoid getting caught by them.
He finally made it out of the Stadium and was breathing hard from all his dodging. He bounded down the steps going two at a time. He jumped the last five and landed like a cat on the pavement with a small grunt. He looked up and had no time to stop as he whacked into his half machine friend with a loud uuff! He winced as he fell back onto his butt as his nose swelled up in the pain.
"Robin!" Cyborg and Raven said at once with surprise and happiness in their voices. "We were just looking for you to tell you that Erol is okay and you don't have to run from him," Cyborg said quickly while helping Robin to his feet by putting out his hand. Robin accepted the help with a dazed expression on his face. He was barely to his feet when the next set of friends came at him.
"Robin!" Starfire and Beast Boy said in union as they spotted the teen from where they were with Torn and a bunch of Underground workers with them. Starfire didn't care that she was in public anymore as she flew down the steps and hugged Robin with her alien strength.
"I'm so happy that you are undamaged!" Starfire said happily. Cyborg had to pull the girl off Robin to let the poor teen breathe. Then there was silence as the team shared smiles of just being back together again. But their joy soon ended when they saw that Krimson Guards with Erol were on one side of them, and the Underground workers with Torn were on the other side. Things were about to get messy.
"Dude!" Beast Boy said with a smile to Robin, "It's a good thing we brought some of the Underground with us because those Krimson Guards are ruthless. They want you because they know you are the leader. Whatever side you're on we would have to go to. But you choose the Underground, right?"
"What are you talking about?" Raven snapped at Beast Boy. "The Underground are just a band of thieves and villains who want to take down the ruler of this city. You can't be on their side. Robin has already chosen to go with the Baron. Plus, he has been expecting us."
"So have the Underground, friend Raven," Starfire said with concern in her voice.
"Yeah," Cyborg said and added, "But the Baron is the ruler of this city, and as superheroes we need to stay with the Baron. We can't go off with some rebellion because of what they say. We need to help save this city from the Underground."
"We can only do it on this side," Beast Boy said while pointing to the Underground and Torn. "We need to help fight against the Baron." Torn looked at the team with some confusion in his hard, blue eyes. Jak and Daxter stared at the Teen Titans with the utter most puzzlement on their faces, but they weren't trying to hide it like Torn was.
On the other side were the Krimson Guards and Erol, who were just in the same boat as the Underground. Erol looked back and forth to each superhero that talked. He then looked over to Torn, and they both frowned at each other.
"Should have known that you would try to get Robin as well," Erol said to Torn. "But he's mine," he said while smugly smiling at the ex-Krimson Guard. "So sorry you came out of your hole for nothing."
"You're wrong, Erol," Torn spat back at the Elf with his eyes narrowing. "Even if you did get him on your side it won't be for too long. No one likes the Baron's methods except for insane freaks like you. The leader is mine!"
As the two Elves discussed which side Robin would be on, the Teen Titans were going at it with the same matter. Robin stared at his team with wide eyes of surprise. What had happened to them? They were enemies! It kind of scared the leader to see even the calm Cyborg and sweet Starfire start yelling at each other. Where were his friends?
Robin quickly saw that this whole argument was for him. They were all treating him like an object. A look of hurt was on the teen's face as he just stood there in the middle of everyone yelling their point to the other person. He hated this! He was fed up with this world!
"QUIET!" Robin yelled at the top of his lungs suddenly.
Silence. Everyone stared at him and waited for him to say something. Now they listened to him. Robin looked at each of his teammates as he shook his head in frustration. He just hoped that they would listen to him for a while and obey him.
"I'm not choosing some stupid side," Robin said to everyone. "We have our own city to protect, and we need to get back to it somehow. I don't know where you guys got this 'legend', but I've never heard of it, so I'm not putting my life on the line to start a civil war. Only Haven City can fix their political problems. The Teen Titans fight for justice, not for the dirty work of the Baron or Underground. So I'm not in this mess. I'm finding out how to get my team home."
Robin then turned to his team and said softly to them, "You guys can do whatever you want because I don't need hard core fighting and hatred going on behind my back as I do this. Join me when you have settled your own problems between each other. But be safe. Think before acting."
His team looked at him with sad expressions on their faces. They all looked extremely guilty for their wrong doings, but none of them were about to give up even if Robin was the leader. They had quickly been sucked up into the Haven City life and had put their whole heart into the side they were on. Two thought this was doing the right thing. One had friends who she didn't want to part from. And one just didn't want to go back to Jump City for a good reason.
"I'll see you guys later," Robin said with a small smile. He then started to walk away, but he was stopped when someone grabbed his shoulder. Robin looked behind him and saw that Erol was the one keeping him from going anywhere. Okay, now things got serious. He didn't have an option anymore.
"You don't have a choice over this matter, shrimp," Erol said coldly into his ear. "Guards! Get him and bring him to the Prison." Cyborg and Raven looked at Erol with surprise on their faces. They hadn't seen the Elf like this before.
"Get him before the KG's do," Torn ordered his men while pointing to Robin. "We can't afford him being on the Baron's side." The two sides then came at the poor teen. Robin quickly went into action. He easily flipped Erol over his shoulder and threw him at Torn. He duck rolled out of the way as two Krimson Guards lunged at him. They only ended up with air.
Robin had to ignore the shouts of his teammates as he ran past them. He ran out of the crowd, and Krimson Guards and Underground workers were right after him. The other Titans didn't know much what to do. They didn't want to pull Robin into their troubles, so they just let their side go after him. Secretly, all of them were hoping that their side would catch him.
Robin sprinted as fast as he could over the crowded street. He looked behind him and saw that he was gaining some ground. But he couldn't keep running for forever. He looked up and saw that, to his luck, Sig was on a zoomer above him. "Jump!" he called down to him.
The teen bent down and sprung into the air. He grabbed Sig's extended hand, and he helped Robin into the seat next to him. The small acrobat hung onto the zoomer as it sped off through the city. They quickly left the Krimson Guards and Underground workers in the dust.
"That was a close one, kid," Sig said to Robin with a smile. That smile quickly faded when he saw the state Robin was in. The teen had his head resting on his arms that were on the dashboard of the zoomer. A sad and depressed look was planted on his face.
Sig gave a sigh as he patted Robin's shoulder. He had such a soft spot for ones his age. They always seemed to be the ones with the most troubles. "Hey," Sig said softly to Robin with a warm smile. "Things will come around. I heard what you said back there. And you're one hundred percent right, kid."
"You think so?" Robin asked him with a weak smile. "At least someone has some brains in this city." Sig just chuckled.
"We shouldn't be caring about the Baron or Underground," Sig said with a sigh. "We should be caring about the Metal Heads."
A/N: I'm really sorry if this chapter sucked out loud. I'll be explaining a few things in the next chapter as to why each Titan didn't want to join Robin. Next chapter I'll take a break from Robin and you will see the others more. So tell me how you liked it in a review. Thanks!