Howdy y'all! Thank you all for reviewing! Here's chapter 4…
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, batman, or Eminem. I do however own the newest addition to my Robin collection, a picture of the ultimate actor guy hottie- Chris O'Donnell the guy who plays Robin in the live action batman movies such as Batman forever and Batman and Robin. He is sooo hott!
On with the show….
Like Toy soldiers
Chapter 4
DREAM
Alex tugged on the rim of his mother's dress. He was so small he could barely reach it.
"Mommy?" Alex asked
"Yes sweetie" Kori answered scooping her five-year-old son up so they were eye to eye
"Why is grandpa Bruce moving away?" Alex asked
"Oh he is just getting older sweetie. He is retiring and moving away but he'll still visit you and he'll still love you and all of us"
"Really?"
Kori nodded "really"
"Will Alfred visit too?"
"Of course"
Bruce's car was packed and Alfred waved goodbye and warmed it up.
"Take care of yourself Bruce" Richard said hugging his father figure
"Oh I shall miss you Bruce!" Kori said hugging Bruce tightly
"Will you visit me Grandpa?" Alex asked
Bruce smiled an scooped his Grandson into his arms "Of course kiddo. Everything will be fine"
Bruce set Alex down and headed for the car.
"Bye-bye Grandpa" Alex said waving goodbye as the car drove off
6 years later…
Alex could hardly wait. It had been five months since he had seen his Grandpa last. He was eleven now and Bruce would come over for visits every few months and holidays. Alex heard the doorbell ring and rushed over, opening the door.
"Hey Grandpa!" Alex greeted
"Hello Alex. I need to speak with your father" Bruce said turning the corner and barely even noticing the look of disappointment on Alex's face.
"He always does that Mom. When he used to live hear he was the best. Now he's just a stuck up old dude," Alex said to his mother as he ran up the steps. Kori hated to admit it but she had to agree…
END DREAM
Kori woke up and fell back on the pillow. Old memories had a way of creeping into her dreams lately, Especially ones about the Titans. Trying to forget that she rolled over expecting to find Richard next to her in the bed in the large room, where he always was when they went to sleep and woke up. Richard wasn't there. She opened her eyes and saw her husband pacing the room.
"Richard, what is wrong?" Kori asked
Richard shook his head and sat back down on the bed wrapping his arms around Kori.
"Bruce. He's visiting today. Every time he comes it always worry me that Alex could find out about everything. The titans, Batman, everything"
Kori leaned up against her husband's shoulders and closed her eyes and shook her head "Bruce won't tell. Now go to sleep, it's early and I'm tired"
Richard glanced at the clock. 5:30 AM. He smiled slyly "Oh excuse me I believe it was you who kept me up last night, then the doorbell rang, and then after that you kept me up some more"
Kori giggled, "You started it"
"Excuse me missy but I believe it was you who started that shower encounter" Richard chuckled
"Mm it was both our faults, we had a good time, but now I am too tired to deal with your 'father'. Too bad, the snoot will have to go home"
"Aww c'mon Kori he's not a snoot. Well he didn't used to be one anyways"
"Well he is now. He could be half descent to his grandson"
"Personally I'm glad he is ignoring him. That way I don't have to worry about him telling Alex all the secrets"
"It's not Bruce telling him I'm worried about. Tamerainien puberty in boys usually starts around 12 to 13"
"12? Great let me guess, soon he's going to grow 10 inches and randomly shoot starbolts against his free will"
"That about sums it up"
"You mean that's what's actually going to happen? I was kidding"
Kori giggled, "It's true though"…
Alex awoke and rubbed his head. It was cold. He reached for his blanket, eyes closed. Reaching over he fell onto the cold hard ground and came in grips with where he was. The cave. He had fallen asleep here. He got up from the floor and rubbed his eyes. He had watched some clips of the Teen Titans all throughout the night. Tiredly Alex just started walking, not really knowing where he was walking, not really paying attention, not really caring. He was dead tired and it showed. Alex shut his eyes and grabbed hold of a handrail. Walking down a ramp he tripped and fell down. He growled in frustration and opened his eyes.
"Why hello Master Dick and Mistress Koriand'r. Despite of Bruce's and my own absence I hope you are doing well. I took the liberty of recording a training session in case you wanted to train again…" The sound of Alfred's voice boomed from the speakers. Master Dick? Alex knew it was an old fashioned nickname for Richard but it was still weird. And Koriand'r? What kind of name was that? Alex had just always assumed his mothers name was just plain Kori. But now it seemed that it was really Starfire. Or Koriand'r. He had always thought his father's name was Richard but now it was suddenly the old fashioned nickname Dick or Robin. Who knew, with the amount of stuff his parents were hiding maybe Alex wasn't even his own real name. He shook his head and paid attention to the recording.
"I have it automatically set to level one. To change the level of difficulty flip the switch now" The recording of Alfred said
"Hmm I'll start out at one, but it's probably easy as pie" Alex said rubbing his eyes awake and getting ready to start
"Level one has been selected, a fine choice. Now Master Dick I do suggest you start out with grapple training. Mistress Koriand'r you might want to sit back and relax because flight training will be next. Now master Dick I have taken the liberty of keeping an extra utility belt down here. It is on the table near the computer. Please strap it on and find the grapple and grapple to the overhead platform," The recording said
Alex walked over and picked up a shiny gold belt. He snapped it on and laughed.
"Retro" He chuckled opening a compartment. Some small round objects fell out, hit the ground, and exploded. Alex coughed up some dust from the explosion
"That was NOT a grappling hook," Alex said rubbing his head and opening another compartment. A staff came out, but it was heavy and Alex fell to the ground. He pushed the silver staff away and found some red boomerang objects
"What is this, Australia?" Alex said tossing the boomerangs away. Unfortunately he forgot that boomerangs come back once you throw them and the all flew around and hit him on the head
"OWW!" Alex screamed rubbing his head and stomping on the boomerangs. This was not going well. (AN: About Alex's line about Australia, that is not meant to offend anyone it is just him stating that Boomerangs originate and are usually found in Australia. Just thought I'd clear that up) Alex opened yet another compartment and found some disk shaped objects
"What is this, throwing toys day? Boomerangs, round little balls, Frisbees! Where in hell is the fucking grappling hook!" Alex yelled. He looked down at the belt. Slightly past the middle compartment there was a compartment with a label that read Grappling Hook. He opened it and a red and yellow grappling hook fell out.
"Well that's just peachy, JUST PEACHY!" Alex yelled grabbing the grappling hook. This was going to be a long day…
"Kori" Richard said trying to wake up his wife, who had fallen back asleep in his arms. She didn't budge.
"Kori" He said again in her ear. This time she turned over in her sleep and mumbled "My mustard, not yours".
He sighed. It was time to take drastic measures. He went over to a cabinet in their room and picked up his cell phone. One of the ring tones was a beeping sound that sounded just like the alarm at Titans tower. He pressed the beeping button and held it to Kori's ear. She shot up
"Trouble!" she whispered sleepily and flew towards the door. Richard pulled her back and laughed.
"Kori I'm sorry I had to wake you up with something" Richard laughed
She rubbed her sleepy eyes "that was NOT funny Robin!" She groaned
"Hmm Robin, I miss that name" Richard said cuddling his wife into his arms
Kori nodded "I miss being Starfire. But for Alex's sake…for our sake we can't be them any more. Plus Richard is a sexy name"
"Sexy huh? And Robin isn't?" Richard chuckled
"They both are." Kori laughed "Now why did you wake me up again Mr. I-think-I'll-shove-my-cell phone-up-Kori's-ear?"
"Bruce is coming over in two hours," Richard said
Kori lay back down on the bed and shoved a pillow over her head "Wake me up when he leaves" She stated
"Aww c'mon Kori, as much as you dislike him he is my Dad. Well sort of. Not really…. I'm not making much of a point here, am I?"
We're talking 'bout a man who literally saved my life...
Kori shook her head and sat up " Fine I'll get up. But that doesn't mean I'm going to be polite to him. And he better not comment about the way I dress again"
Richard looked puzzled "what did he say about the way you dress?"
"I wore that short pink skirt, just one day, and it wasn't even very short, and he said I dress like a slut"
"Oh yeah. I like that skirt"
"You're not helping in the least bit"
Richard smiled "I know"
Drip drip
Doug lay on his bed face up, water from the ceiling dripping onto his face. There were tiny holes in the ceiling and since they had an apartment on the top floor all the water from the roof would drip through the tiny holes.
Drip drip
Doug winced as the drops of water fell onto his face. The dripping noise was annoying too.
Drip drip
It was starting to get him angry…
Drip drip
That was it. He lost it. His eyes turned black and the black aura of his powers lit up his hands. His Chakra glowed black. He winced and tried to control it. It died down and he sat up on his bed and tried to meditate.
"Peace, quiet, tranquility. Peace, quiet, tranquility…" He whispered as he shut his eyes and calmed down. He usually didn't loose control like that. He was just so angry. His family had moved so many times. He remembered the first place he ever lived. Jump City…
FLASHBACK
Doug ran to the window of the Giant T in the middle of Jump City harbor. Light glistened off the water and reflected on the tower. His room was empty, everything in the huge trunk of the T car.
"Doug honey, it's time to go" Raven said from the doorway
"But Mommy I don't wanna leave" Doug whined
Raven sighed. Neither did she. So many things had happened in Titans tower. The titans were formed here, had fun here, and fought crime here. Robin and Starfire had left here. Beastboy and Raven had gotten married here. Doug had been born here. But the titans were no more and it was time to start a new life in Steele city.
"C'mon Dougey" Raven said scooping her four year old son up and carrying him out of his room, the walls still painted purple and green, his favorite colors.
"No! I don't wanna leave!" Doug screamed
"Wow, Doug chill." Beastboy said, nodding for Raven to hand him Doug. He held Doug and looked him in the eye "What seems to be the problem little soldier?"
"I don't wanna leave this city Daddy. I like it here" Doug said brushing a tear away from his eye
"Aww don't worry kid. Steele city will be great! They have lots of snow there and in the winter you can make huge snow men and go sledding down huge hills and in the summer it's warm and I'll teach you how to surf in Steele City bay" Beastboy said
"Really?" Doug asked, sniffling and drying up his tears
"Really" Beastboy responded putting his son back down on the ground, taking Doug's little hand in one hand and his wife's in another as they walked to the car.
3 years later…
Doug sighed and placed his backpack on his shoulders. Snow fell on Steele city rapidly and it was moving day. Lucky him. Doug had made some friends in Steele city and had a pretty good life. That was until Brother blood bombed the city. Sure his parents and the Titans East, who no longer fought crime but still lived in Steele city, had taken Blood down. But nooo it was too unsafe to stay. Doug took one last look at his room and walked down stairs brushing past his father
"You promised we wouldn't move again," Doug muttered
"Look Doug, I didn't know this would happen. I'm sorry" Beastboy said trying to hug his son. Doug pulled away "you always lie" Doug said
"Now when have I lied?"
"You said that you would teach me to surf. You never did. You said that if I was good I could take martial arts training. You never let me. You promised we'd never move again. And we did. You promised that we could always stay here, that I would always stay in the same school with my new friends. You lied. Shall I go on?"
"Look Doug, Your mother and I try to make you happy. It just…doesn't always work out. We're different from other people Doug. I'm sorry I've been a crummy Dad"
"Yeah, you have been" Doug said storming off towards the car
Raven walked into the room and saw Doug storming off. Beastboy wrapped his arms around her and sighed
"Dude no one told me being a dad is so hard" Beastboy whined
Raven chuckled "Doug doesn't mean what he says he's just…going through a phase"
"Yeah but just do me a favor okay? Let's not have any more kids. One is more than enough. Way more than enough"
"I heard that!" Doug yelled from the garage
Raven laughed and pulled her husband towards the car "C'mon Gar. Let's go"
3 years later…
Doug walked home from school with his friend Will. The alleys of Metropolis were spooky, but they were the easiest way to get to the apartment complex that they lived in.
"Hey Will, think I should get a tattoo?" Doug asked
Will laughed, "Man you look scary enough with that hair of yours. Don't push it"
"Yeah. But it would piss my 'rents off. That would make me happy"
They walked through a dark street and a boy then knew from school came up. His name was Martin but every one called him Xin. No one knew why.
"Hey, you guys want some?" Xin asked holding out a pack of cigarettes
"Now way man! You'll kill yourself with those!" Doug said snatching the pack and tossing them into the sewer
"Thanks a lot, freak" Xin said walking away
"Man don't listen to Xin. Sure your hairy is freaky and you have that scary S mark on your arm and that weirdo piercing in your forehead but…" Will started but Doug shot him a death glare
"Ya know what just forget what I was saying" Will finished rubbing the back of his head nervously
They got to the apartment complex and said their goodbyes as they each went to the sides of the building their apartments were at. Doug opened the door and as he got in his mother tossed him a box. He caught it and looked at the label. It read 'Doug's stuff'
"Go pack the rest of your stuff. We're moving" Raven said
Doug took the box and stormed off Beastboy stopped him in the hall "Look Doug I'm sorry and-"
Doug stopped him with a glare "save it" he muttered packing his stereo and other items into a box…
END FLASHBACK
Doug sighed and looked out the window. Gotham city. A new opportunity. A new chance to catch Slade. A chance for some new friends. He looked out the window again, looking towards the large Wayne Manor. Robin and Starfire lived there. There was also a new chance for the Teen Titans to form again. If the Titans formed again they would all move back to Jump city and stay there. There was nothing Doug wanted more than to just stay in one place.
'I'm going to get them to join again. Whatever it takes' Doug thought. He then squeezed his eyes and went back to meditating.
"C'mon Alex you can do it! Just aim the grappling hook at the little platform" Alex told himself, squinting on eye and aiming the device. He clicked a button and a cord shot up, attaching the grappling hook to a platform above.
"Sweet!" Alex exclaimed. Suddenly the cord started to pull him up really fast "Not sweet! Ahhh!" Alex yelled as the grappling hook pulled him up onto the platform and let go, causing him to spin into a wall.
"Great work. Now you must use your cape to buffer your fall back down," The Alfred recording said
Alex pondered this for a second. What cape? There was no other platform around and he had nothing to buffer his fall.
"This is just peachy. Just fucking peachy," Alex muttered angrily as he searched for a way to get down.
Richard slipped a nice button up shirt on a jelled his hair. Bruce would be there in approximately one hour. Richard looked at himself in the mirror. He had on nice pants a nice shirt and nice fancy shoes.
"I look like a nerd," Richard said as Kori entered the room
"Don't be silly, you look fine," Kori said running a brush through her hair. Richard admired her for a second. She had on a tight fitting tank top and nice black pants and fancy black sandals.
"I may look fine but you look beautiful" Richard said capturing her lips in a kiss. She giggled as they kissed, a few minutes later pulling back.
"As much as I'd love to continue this I believe we should awaken Alex" Kori said as Richard wrapped his arms around her. Richard shook his head "don't. Bruce will just ignore him and he'll just get upset"
Kori nodded and smiled. Richard moved closer to her lips "Now where were we?" He asked as he brushed his lips against hers. And just as he was about to glide his tongue into her mouth the chime of the doorbell echoed through the house. Kori giggled as they broke free and they walked downstairs, hand in hand.
Richard opened the door and there stood Bruce. He hugged his father figure "Good to see you Bruce"
"Good to see you too. Hello Kori" Bruce said as he quickly hugged Kori
"Where is Alfred? And did Becky opt out of not visiting again?" Kori asked
Bruce nodded "look guys she can't come back here. It reminds her of her parents. It's too painful"
Richard nodded "I understand. Here, let's go inside, we have some catching up to do"
"Now you must dodge the laser," The voice recording of Alfred said, after Alex had painfully jumped to the floor many, many feet below.
"Easy as pie" Alex said cracking his knuckles and getting ready. The heat laser spun around the floor "All I hafta do is dodge it and jump over, just like those skip-it things girls have where they jump over that thing and see how long they can last"
Sadly though, a laser hurts more when you miss a beat than a skip-it. Alex successfully jumped over a few times but then it started spinning faster and he couldn't keep up. It hit his foot "Oww!" and again "Oww!" and again "Oww!" and again….
Bruce walked down the hall to the china cabinet and pried back the sugar bowl. The opening in the floor opened and he fell gracefully to the ground of the batcave. He needed to check it out and get some supplies. He opened a drawer and pulled out some old style bat-a-rangs, which he needed to craft a few more new ones. He also pulled out some of Batgirl's bat-a-rangs. He wiped some dust off of the old oldest one. Batgirl had etched her name on the back and it was still there. He smiled sadly, reminiscing but he was interrupted by a huge "OWW!"
Bruce ran into the training room and there was Alex. Bruce flipped the laser off.
"What are you doing down here?" Bruce asked
Alex turned around in shock "erm hi Grandpa Bruce! Alex said nervously
"Explain" Bruce commanded
"I know my parents have a secret. I have powers and so do they. I want to take down villains just like they did! But wait…how did you know about this place?' Alex asked
"I built this place. See that bat costume over there? Ever heard of Batman?" Bruce asked
"NO way! You're batman? The Batman?" Alex asked
Bruce smiled "The one and only. I can understand what you want to do. I agree. Gotham city needs a new hero. Next week, your first week of summer break you'll come to my house and I'll train you"
"Really? Thanks Grandpa!" Alex beamed
"Don't mention it. But this will be our little secret okay? No need to get your parents involved"
"Alex smiled "Don't worry I won't tell a soul"
To Be Continued…
Next time: Training is harder than Alex could ever imagine. Will he ever be able to become a super hero?
All right y'all I'll try to get the next chapter up soon but I have tons of catching up to do on my other stories so it may just take a few days. Please review!