Chapter Eighteen
"Alright… Machine… Set challenge to Difficulty Level 7… Four opponents… Gravity 125%, antimagic pheromone efficacy 15%, Time Dilation 1:6, Oxygen levels 95%, Environmental Challenge Level 5. Confirm." Nightwing said. The machine read back Nightwing's commands and Nightwing confirmed. Four opponents began to appear and 25 mph winds began to gust while rain started falling and the temperature dropped to about 35oF.
The Titans could feel the difference in atmosphere with lowered Oxygen levels and higher gravity. Raven felt slightly sluggish with the antimagic pheromones working. However, they all leapt into action. One opponent was Mad Mod, standing there in all his feigned youth with his "magic rod" and Batman on one side. On the other was Superman and Joker, each looking terribly menacing, Joker with his bizarrely wide grin and Superman looking like the tank that he was.
"Titans, go!" Nightwing and Starfire called simultaneously. The Titans moved against their respective enemies. Combat waxed and waned through the room, with any damage self-repairing, and new opponents rising as old ones were defeated. Eventually, after what seemed like hours upon hours, Nightwing noted the Titans' exhaustion and commanded the program to terminate. The computer echoed his command and the enemies disappeared.
"Good job, Titans. You're all looking a lot sharper with your new powers. I programmed us all with Accelerated Development. Since we don't have unlimited time to learn to fully take advantage of our powers, I sped things up a little bit. Probably within a week or two of normal time, which could be anywhere from one to two years of time in here, we'll have our powers mostly under control.
"Years? That doesn't seem terribly accelerated." Beast Boy retorted. Nightwing shrugged.
"Do you know how long it took me to gain the level of power I had when I first joined you clowns?" Damian demanded. "I was training my entire life. I'm a fast learner, but it still took a lifetime to learn to fully control myself and I'm still learning. If you're saying that a year or two will be enough to control our new powers, then great." Damian said.
"Well… There's always room for improvement. I programmed your new powers, especially with the pills to create a biopool inside all of you so that your powers, even once fully controlled and stabilized, will continue to grow, still at an accelerated rate, but at a more 'natural' rate if you will." He said. The rest of the Titans nodded.
"How long have we been in here?" Terra asked, looking at her hair and noticing that aside from it being soaked with sweat, it was also greasy as though she hadn't bathed in a while. That could just have been from the intense workout she just went through.
"Three weeks… Give or take a day or two. Outside, it's only been three hours."
"I thought you said it was a 1:6 ratio!" Cyborg protested.
"It was. But we were doing so well that I telepathically slowed the time in here. Just a little bit at first… But I'm also testing the limits of the room, a little bit at a time to prevent any damage from being done either to the room or to us. The room is also showing whether it can take a protracted beating. I think it's living up to that expectation pretty well." Nightwing said with a smirk.
"Yeah, great… Can you turn off the antimagic? I'm exhausted from the draining effect…" Raven complained. Nightwing walked over to her, feeling her forehead.
"You are quite depleted, both magically and physically. But the pheromones were sucked back into the machines almost immediately after I commanded the machine to shut down. Machine! Assess antimagic pheromone levels."
Antimagic pheromone levels at 0.001% The computer replied. Nightwing nodded.
"Good… Release magic replenishing pheromones throughout the tower at 10%."
Confirmed. Releasing magic replenishing pheromones throughout tower at 10% efficacy.
"Confirmed." Nightwing said, opening the door and having everyone go back to their own rooms, wash and rest for a while. As Nightwing went back to his own room, he sighed. He was stopped by Beast Boy and Terra, though.
"Hey… I noticed that you were the only one of us who wasn't out of breath after the combat simulation shut down." Terra said, trying not to sound like she was accusing him.
"I'm oxygen independent. I don't really need any sustenance. Food, water, oxygen… I could survive in the vacuum of space if I were so inclined… Not that I have any desire to." Nightwing said with a laugh.
"Well… That's pretty convenient. Natural outcome of your powers, or did you imbue yourself with these abilities?" Terra asked. Nightwing laughed.
"I had to give myself that power. You guys can hold your breath for a very long time also… I cheated, but there's no reason that you should have to. Eventually, your powers will increase to the level that you barely need oxygen." Nightwing said. Beast Boy nodded.
"Right… I need to use the training room on my own for a while… I need to train my ability to turn into swarms… I'm able to turn into like 200 insects or like 100 rats now. But I know I can do better. I just need to practice." Beast Boy said. Nightwing nodded, touching Beast Boy's forehead.
"There. You should be able to operate the system on your own, now. Do whatever you need to do. Just make sure to set the system back to basic at the end." He said. Beast Boy nodded and headed downstairs.
"Excuse me, Terra… I need to go… I have some stuff to do in my lab… That's where I'll be if anyone needs me." Nightwing said. Terra nodded as Nightwing hurried off.
"Mm… This should work. Alright, infestation Insect, take message and use video."
Infestation Insect recording. Speak in 3… 2… 1… Now.
"Fellow Titans, there's not enough time to explain everything that's happened to me… Needless to say, I'm in no danger. In addition to obtaining several new members of the Teen Titans, I was infected recenty with something called Blacklight. Again, do not worry. I'm no longer ill, but I have attained a slew of new powers, all connected to the virus. An ability Slade has called Biological Manipulation. I have enhanced my fellow Titans, and now, I intend to enhance all of you.
"Do not be alarmed. The enhancements will not give you the virus I got. They're physical and mental enhancements that will make you better suited to combat the threats that we will likely soon face, if Raven is correct. When you start to feel that your powers have been enhanced, wait for it to circumnavigate the tower. It will tell you when it has. Then simply swat it. When you do, it will transform into bottles of biomass pills for each of you.
"The pills have superficially similar effects to normal steroids. However, they are pure biomass, programmed to further enhance and stabilize your abilities. In addition, they are labelled for each of you and the first pill will give you each an intuitive understanding of your currently enhanced abilities and any enhanced abilities you may have received. You will also get the optimal schedule for taking the pills. Thank you for cooperating with this program. Nightwing out."
With that, the six insects confirmed the message and flew away.
A/N: My RobinxRaven group. Unfortunately, I find that there are often fights between RobinxRaven shippers and RobinxStarfire and Beast BoyxRaven shippers, especially if we mention that we ship RobinxRaven. So I made a fan group for RobinxRaven shippers. Please be sure to answer the questions when you apply for the group. It's literally just called RobinxRaven Shippers.
