Part one of 'Titans Together.' :)
He really shouldn't…
But why not?
He'd already been labelled as a villain…
Robin stood atop the control tower, hands in shackles and his head slightly bowed in defeat and anger.
Yes.
Yes, he should.
After all, he hadn't had the chance to gloat at anyone ever before, and here was definitely an opportunity for it.
The Brain obviously thought so too…
"Patiently, we watched you all waiting for our moment to strike." The Brain said, facing the defeated Robin.
"You forged your alliance. You trusted without cause. And finally, when you thought your world was safe, it fell apart before your very eyes. You are merely pawns in a game and you have played your part perfectly."
Wykkyd stood, cloak folded around him, hidden in the shadows of the rafters, and smiled 'evilly', (He'd been practicing.) narrowing his eyes as a feeling of superiority to Robin grew in him.
"There is nowhere you can hide, and there is nothing you can do to stop us. Each small victory brings us closer to an even greater prize. The elimination of an entire generation of heroes."
He turned his head to the left slightly to share his gloating with the only other person capable of following him up there without the aid of magic or technology, who was now sat on her heels next to him. She hadn't climbed this time, as Wykkyd insisted on giving her a ride up. Ever since that peck on the lips, he and Cheshire had been closer- not a couple, more like the level of… partner-in-crime. (Even though they didn't have time for 'petty' crime under the Brain's schedule.)
"And we owe it all to you, Robin."
After a quick glance at each other, both Cheshire and Wykkyd let out the silent cackling they had been practicing as they stared at Robin. (Just in case the good guys somehow won in the end and wanted personal revenge, however slight the chance. Hey, you couldn't be too careful.)
"Your network has been crushed." A signal from Monsieur Mallah and Speedy's capsule moved along the conveyer belt.Wykkyd winced slightly, glancing carefully towards Cheshire. She kept her eyes fixed on Speedy's capsule, not returning Wykkyd's look of trepidation for her.
"Your friends have no way to communicate or follow your commands. Together you may be formidable…but apart you are lost, powerless, mine."
Professor Chang pushed the button on the console, and Wykkyd saw Cheshire tense slightly, her fingers digging into the wooden beam as the frozen vapour engulfed the archer, her breath catching in her throat. When the walls of it slid away, revealing the stationary statue, she sat equally as motionless, staring down at him.
"You will fall, one by one. Who among you can possibly stop me now?"
The pair glanced up in time to see Robin turning to glare angrily at The Brain, bending his arms at the elbow to bring his cuffed hands into a defensive position.
"I hope you packed warm." The Brain mocked as two of Prof. Chang's henchmen grabbed him by the upper arms from behind. He made a last attempt at fighting his way out, swinging a kick at one of the guards, but a swift smash to the back of his head soon quietened him.
Wykkyd looked back to Cheshire, whose head had drooped, and shoulders slumped. Her grinning mask only hid her sadness of Speedy's fate, and she lifted an arm up to her mask, slid her sleeved hand underneath it, then gently moved it up and down, stirring her mask slightly.
A buzzing sound underneath them, the pair looked down to see one of Killer Moth's pets fly hastily towards its master from the open double doors at the far end of the auditorium. Curious, and, with a nod from Cheshire, he swung his cloak around them both and teleported to the ground. They arrived in time to see Killer Moth fly down from the control tower as Menos, the speedy twin, moved towards the ice gun. Killer Moth had said something to Monsieur Mallah, but on the floor with the other villains they couldn't make out what he was saying. The gorilla approached The Brain and spoke to him as Prof. Chang hit the button to freeze Menos.
The Brain didn't react, watching with the usual impassiveness of his metal body as the freezing vapour engulfed Menos. After waiting until the gas cleared, he turned himself round to face the gathered crowd at the base of the tower.
"Victory is at hand. And for your part, a gift."
A beat.
"I give you… Robin."
A henchman pulled a lever on the freezing platform.
Robin, trapped in a tube, slid towards the edge so the crowd could see him clearly. Without warning, a spontaneous cheer rang through the hall, startling Wykkyd slightly as fists were punched into the air.
"This isn't over!" Robin growled, staring directly at The Brain, his hands pressed against the side of the tube. The Brain looked directly back and said
"For you… it most certainly is…" With a brief glow of his jar, he signalled for the button to be pushed. Wykkyd looked at Robin sadly, shaking his head as he closed his eyes to it. He tilted his head down as he heard a rush of sub-zero air above him, immediately followed by even louder cheers than before.
"Their King is gone…" The Brain announced, turning back to the assembly below him. "They will be helpless. Now, we have no time to waste. Killer Moth has just informed me that one of his pets spotted five remaining heroes coming into the base. Assume positions."
Another cheer rang round as The Brain turned himself slowly on the spot from one side to the other, surveying the villains below him. His eyes lingered on Kyd Wykkyd's upturned face a split second longer, glowing slightly. Wykkyd felt a shiver of fear run through him as he looked back, and he gulped in nervousness as people assuming their designated positions jostled him.
"C'mon Wykkyd!" See-More called to him, grabbing his upper arm as he ran by, dragging Kyd Wykkyd along with him. "(This is great!)" He added in a whisper, standing behind him as the mass assembled itself. "(This is what we've been waitin' for! We're gonna be pro villains!)" He grinned happily, elbowing Wykkyd slightly for having a worried expression on his face. When it didn't change, See-More's face flickered to concern. "(You alright?)" He asked.
Wykkyd nodded, a worried smile on his face, shrugging his shoulders. See-More grinned back."(Don't worry, it's just nerves, it's be fine!)" He promised, patting Wykkyd on the shoulder.
They were interrupted when the door exploded outwards in a scattering of splinters, and they turned to face the front, their practiced 'evil grin' on their faces. Beast-Boy, Panthra, Jericho, Mas and The Herald stormed in, unaware of the unlit group of villains in front of them.
"Alright Brain!" Beast-Boy yelled as they halted, pointing a finger into the darkness they could see. "You're goin'-!" He stopped short as a spotlight lit their small group, casting the villains in a spooky glow. "…down?" He added, dumbstruck.
Wykkyd sniggered at this, along with the others in the ensemble. Hey, he had to admit, Beast-Boy's face was pretty funny looking.
"What's so funny?" He growled, leaning towards them.
"The five of you? Against all of them?" Madame Rouge spoke up, making the heroes turn on the spot. "Even I find that amusing."
"Tell me where our friends are!" Beast-Boy demanded, striding forward to the head of the group.
"Little green one, you always try so hard, and always fail so completely." The Brain leered at him. "This time will be no exception."
"Where are they?" He demanded again.
"Would you like to say hello…?" Madame Rouge said rhetorically, sweeping an arm towards the stands of frozen heroes, which lit up brightly. "Oh, but it seems you are too late." She said in mock pity. Beast-Boy turned back to look at the now lit group, which had been moving apart into battle positions.
"I think we can take them." He growled, before shifting into a T-Rex.
"I think you are correct." Panthra added, punching her palm with her fist.
Precisely at that moment, Kyd Wykkyd, who had been looking at The Brain, saw his eyes glow brightly, the signal to attack. He rushed forward at the quintet, along with one or two others to lead the charge. The gap between them grew smaller and smaller, and just when in striking distance, Beast-Boy leapt up into the air. Wykkyd, following his leap with his eyes, screeched to a halt just as he landed in front of him, throwing him backwards from the shockwave as Steamroller was clamped in his jaws.
Growling silently, Wykkyd rolled up into a crouch, and, grabbing at the edges of his cloak, he snapped it round him, transporting himself onto the back of Beast-Boy's head just as Panthra leapt off him. He crouched down again and stretched his cloak wide enough to blind the T-Rex as the dark form enveloped his head. Dropping Steamroller, he leant back, bending his head backwards and, roaring, attempted to dislodge him, only to be slammed heavily in the stomach by an electrical burst from Overload as he let his guard down. Wykkyd jumped back, teleporting away and re-appearing next to Plasmus just as Ding-Dong-Daddy, punched by Panthra, smashed into the slime-blob, showering Wykkyd with green gunk.
Wykkyd shuddered, slowly bringing his elbows up above his head and flicking his hands down, flinging off the excess as he glared at Plasmus, who was currently extracting Ding-Dong from the side of his face with a loud SCHLLLURP-ing sound. In a futile effort, he tried to wipe the green gunk off, but it seemed to stick to his costume and… seemed alive…
Trying to ignore it, he surveyed the room, trying to spot where he could help. A few moments passed as he glanced around; Panthra was fighting See-More, Billy Numerous was trying to form a perimeter around them all, The Herald was taking down Karatou, Jericho had just exited Killer Moth- Aha! Beast-Rex was alone!
He ran towards him, the Instigator and the Hive's former headmistress running alongside. He glanced sideways and quickly stuck his tongue out at her- he had never liked her, even when she was headmistress before Brother Blood.
Suddenly, without warning, he heard the loud bellowing of a trumpet from behind him, followed by a great rush of air that nearly took him off his feet. One of The Herald's portals opened in front of the trio. The Instigator was instantly sucked in, the Headmistress quickly sidestepped it and Wykkyd swept his cloak round him, teleporting away. He re-appeared next to Gizmo, and, after examining his cloak, was happy to see that Plasmus's gunk was left behind.
"Why're you checkin' your laundry at a time like this, ya glammerstickin' sludge-for-brains?" Gizmo yelled, franticly typing streams of calculations into his on-board computer in an attempt to re-direct his fired missiles, his spider legs swaying him from side to side. "Get back in there and help!"
Wykkyd blinked, off-track, then, shaking his head, ran back towards Beast-rex, just as he swung his tail, clobbering him and sending him tumbling almost clear across the other side of the room. He quickly shook his head, glancing up as Control Freak K.O'ed Johnny Rancid-
Wait a second- Control Freak was supposed to be on their side, what was he doing attacking-! He leapt up and ran towards him to try and stop him, only to be knocked back by his- um…-dual-light-stick-thingies. (Why'd he have to get a weapon from a show Wykkyd had never seen?) After tenderly tapping the spot where the sticks had hit him, he rolled over and glanced about again, wondering where he could help.
But…
He looked left.
Wait a second…
He looked right.
Jericho was surrounded and bagged…
Panthra had been Steamroller-ed…
Prof. Chang had captured Mas…
Cheshire and El Puerto had taken down The Herald…
And Beast-Boy…
Was face-down on the floor with Johnny Rancid's boot on his back…
Wait a second…
That meant…
…
This was it.
He got to his feet, panting slightly, looking up at The Brain.
They'd won.
They'd actually won!
"Did you think your pathetic resistance could actually stop what I have created?" The Brain said to Beast-Boy, its tone incredulous. "One again, Beast-Boy… You fail. Madame Rouge?" She turned her head. "Add them to the collection…"
Wykkyd closed his eyes and tilted his head forward, putting a hand to the side of his face, a small, disbelieving smile on his panting lips.
This was too much.
He turned his head slightly to look at Cheshire standing behind him. She too was panting, her costume had been slightly ripped, but she caught his glance and, wriggling her sleeve out of the way, bunched a fist, her arm upright, then slammed her elbow down onto an invisible-opponent; 'Yes!'
Suddenly…
TZZZZZZZYAAAAA!
The floor where Madame Rouge had been standing suddenly exploded, a blue-ringed white beam of light ripping a hole through the floor, sending clouds of dust up and Madame Rouge flying.
Wykkyd stared, open mouthed, as a robotic foot slammed onto the tiled floor, lifting Cyborg from the gaping hole.
"Lesson Number One!" He growled, striking a triumphant pose as Gnarrk, with (Wykkyd blushed deeply when he noticed her) Kole on his back. "Never throw me down a hole unless you make sure I say there!"
Another explosion rocked the hall, this time from the roof. When the smoke cleared, Red Star and Bumblebee were hovering in mid air, shortly joined by Starfire, fists glowing.
"The Lesson Two!" She called down to the collection. "We never give up!"
Suddenly, a large portion of the undamaged floor glowed dark black. Wykkyd's faced changed from red to pale white in an instant as he recognised what that meant.
"Lesson Three!" Raven growled viciously, rising out of the glow. "Your Secret lair isn't very secret!" She raised her arms, and three children grew out of the darkness, accompanied by the biggest and scariest Teddy Bear Wykkyd had ever seen.
Wykkyd's shoulders hunched as he cupped his visibly shaking hands to his mouth, shaking his head as he stared around at the superior superpower around them, completely petrified.
No! No! No!
This wasn't fair!
They were winning!
The villains had won!
He turned and looked at See-More, who was staring at the heroes, pupil tiny and jaw hung open, fingers in his mouth as he tied to chew his nails. He looked back at Wykkyd, terrified, shrugging his shoulders in helplessness. The older, more experienced villains, however, growled, and gritted their respective teeth, fangs, claws or tentacles, gearing themselves up.
"Titans!"
Wykkyd slowly turned to look at Beast-Boy, surrounded by powerful heroes.
"Together!"
Wykkyd gulped.