Chapter 4-Enter the Bat
In the med-lab of the Tower was busy as Cyborg and the others rushed to save Robin's fading life from ending so short. Raven teleported him and the others their instantly without problems, but getting Robin to the med-lab was the easy part and getting him on the bed. However, when Raven placed him down on the bed she was about to remove his cracked mask when he grabbed her hand his broke arm with his damaged glove catching Raven and the others by surprise. 'No! Don't remove the mask. Its not bothering me. Please!' thought Robin into Raven's mind and out of respect for him and his privacy she stopped.
As for the hard part, it was keeping Robin alive in regards to all the injuries Slade had delivered to him. According to the read out after Cyborg did a scan of Robin and input the info in the med-labs computer, the leader of the Titans had two broken arms, one broken leg, internal bleeding, a lot of blood loss, and to top it all of he had 90 of his ribs now broken in multiple areas by Slade. That and a lot of other cuts and bruises that happened before that from a battle they believed went to that started their leaders down fall.
After several intense hours, his vital signs weren't doing that good either even after Raven healed most of his wounds with her magic to stabilize his condition during that time period. "I don't understand it you guys, 40 his cuts and bruises on his body has been healed, the bones mended, and the internal bleeding is stopped, but he still won't wake up yet," said Cyborg as he looked at another read out on the computer.
"His body maybe healed Cyborg, but his mind and spirit have been damaged beyond any of our abilities to heal him," said Raven who used all her focus to restrain her emotions that were screaming at her inside to worry.
"In any case Rae I gave Robin a pretty powerful sedative to relax his muscles so he won't be able to move at all while his body does the remaining healing process on his own. In fact I'll be surprised if he can move at all when he wakes up," said Cyborg.
"What do we do? I want Robin to wake up soon so he can help us defeat Slade like he has done so in the past," said Starfire with tears streaming down her eye who unlike Raven had no problem with showing her emotions that she felt for Robin.
"We can't Star that would do more harm then good. Slade is the one who did this all of this to Robin. Just imagine what would happen if he tried to fight Slade again. The man beat Robin within an inch of his life and left him to die in the dark all alone. The intense psychological stress alone could destroy him on a mental level," said Cyborg who double-check some of the readings.
"We have to do something. I can't just sit by and watch Robin in this condition. We have to do something now," said Beast Boy as lighting flashed outside.
"You don't have to do anything Beast Boy. None of you do. His care and well being is mine and mine alone," said a cold dark voice from a shadowy corner of the room.
Immediately all four Titans went into battle stance incase the unknown figure was Slade and had come back to finish the job. "Man you better identify yourself before I blast you back to where you came from, "said Cyborg who readied his Sonic Cannon.
The figure step out of the shadows causing everyone to lower their defense in shock of who it was. The figure before them was taller then all of them with pointy bat ear and mask with the symbol of the bat across is chest that was barely seeable through his cape. His piercing eyes from the mask even made Raven feel uncomfortable when she stared at him. It was none other then Robin's teacher, mentor, master, and father...it was none other then...the Batman! "You know who I am," said Batman in his dark and fearful sounding voice as he walked passed their shocked bodies as he approached the body of his adopted son and parted some of the hair covering his still masked face.
(A/N: Batman's voice is the voice of the Batman from Justice League Unlimited in case you are all wondering. Enjoy!)
"Batman..." said Cyborg, but was cut of by Batman who raised a left hand for him to shut up and stop talking.
He bowed his head closer to Robin's hear and place a gentle hand on Robin's forehead. "Robin...my son," said Batman in a low whisper that seemed to have caused life to stir in Robin as he slowly awakened from consciousness.
"Fa...Father?" said Robin in an equal whisper as he opened his eyes behind the mask further.
"Yes Robin," said Batman in his normal voice as Robin's body stirred somewhat to life.
"Dude! How did you do that?" said Beast Boy in utter disbelief.
"Ancient Chinese mind ability used between Masters and students who have been closely bonded together through the same or similar pain. It can also be used by family members who also share the same or similar pain that know the technique, like a father has with his son. In my case however, it was a little both for me and him," said Batman while Robin continued to stay silent.
"How did you get here so fast?" said Raven curiously as she tried to somewhat read his emotions, but found his mind was unreadable as well as his emotions.
Batman didn't even turn his head to acknowledge her as he spoke. "Robin's suit connects with his belt that both connect to the computer in your tower. If something happens to him that is seriously wrong the computer then silently activates. When Robin was near dearth and the suit sent me a signal back in the Bat Cave, which then sends with it details of his past mission reports that he has written up so I can do a careful examination of just about everything their. It also gives me detailed files on each of you along with all of your backgrounds. That includes all of your strengths, weakness, abilities, etc. The instant the censor went off I got in my jet and flew in the storm at Mark I. When I arrived shortly after you did, I went here because I knew you would take him here. By the way while were on the subject why did my computer read four active Robin's suits while he left the Titans for more martial arts training that one particular day?" said Batman as he finally turned to face all four of them with those white piercing eyes.
"Heheheh we uh...kinda put them on to see what it would be like to be Robin with all the gadgets, weapons, and the whole mask thing..." said Beast Boy whose talking was interrupted by Batman backhanding Beast Boy into the wall next to the door.
"Yo! That's not cool man," said Cyborg who tried to raise his Sonic Cannon and fire, but Batman was too fast as he threw a Bata-rang at the cannon and grabbed Cyborg by the throat and lift him up from the ground as if he was nothing.
"Cyborg! You put him down!" Starfire said in anger and then with surprise as she tried to punch the dark knight who used his free hand to swing the arm around her neck in a devastating choke hold.
"Listen to me and listen well. That mask, that uniform, and everything it represents is a mantle of honor you THREE are not and never will be worthy of wearing. Unlike Robin, I will not have anyone, but himself wear it just as one day he will be the only one to wear my mask when I cannot be the Batman anymore. If I find out you three are wearing the uniform again I will break you and leave you in the darkness as Robin was left earlier today," said Batman as he threw them away from him and the bed Robin was resting on.
Beast Boy's body finally fell from the floor and was completely dazed when he tried to get up. "Dude were sorry, but...wait! You said three, but there are four of us who wore Robin's suit. What about Raven?" said Beast Boy point a finger at the pessimistic child of darkness that gave Beast Boy an angry look for bringing her into the mess Beast Boy had created just now.
"In one of Robin's reports he said that out of all four of you, Raven was the only one worthy of even wearing the uniform and mask. You three are not," said Batman as he pointed to Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg.
"How come?" said Cyborg surprised and hurt as he removed the Bata-rang from his arm.
"That's not your business. Now leave us. ALL of you," said Batman who turned around to face Robin who had a small smile on his face as he could imagine the others priceless expressions that were on their faces.
With a little help from Raven, they were pushed out of the room and they left for their rooms tired, hurt, and exhausted; except her. She turned and faced the dark knight who knew she was their, but did not look back, almost as if she was nothing to him. "I...have a question," said Raven as she entered the room again, but only a little bit as to not piss off the dark figure.
"What?" said an impatient sounding Batman who turned a little to his side and stared at her with his unmatched gaze.
"You said that Robin felt I was worthy of wearing the mask and uniform. Any particular reason why?" said Raven curiously though she would not have been surprised if the tall, dark, and masked figure told her to leave before he did something harsh.
"Because...you and he have suffered at the hands of all things filled with darkness. The mask he wears...the mask that WE both wear, are masks of suffering and darkness. I've read your file Raven and I know you have had many dark things happen to you when you were a child. So has Robin and myself. That...and I agree with Robin's belief that you are worthy of the mask and what it and the uniform represents," said Batman.
Raven didn't know why, but she felt something stirring in her heart when she heard this about what Robin thought of her. She quickly got it under control and decided to leave. "Thank you I needed that," said Raven as she turned to leave.
"Wait...Raven," came tired voice that stopped her cold in her tracks.
"Robin?" said Raven in disbelief as she started walking back to him and saw him in his weakened state.
He reached for something in his back pocket of his torn uniform and pulled out a little black book with a vine like plant design along the spine of it. "Here...Raven. Slade took...this from your...room. I...I thought you might...want it back," said Robin as he found that even though he had been healed by Raven's powers, it didn't mean his body was feeling relief from the pain his nerves were still delivering to his brain.
"Slade...took...this from...my...room," Raven said in complete baffled disbelief over the fact that her diary was read in front of Robin and that he could move his arms and hand.
"Yeah, but...I...I never...read...it if...your...your wondering, but he...he did...unfortunately. He read...several pages...out...out loud after he...he had beaten me...senseless, but I...I was too...too...disoriented to...hear anything," said Robin half truthfully as his ribs still hurt when he tried to breathe.
Raven's skin went from pale to a blush tomato like red and back to pale again faster then one could almost blink. "Thanks Robin. Your sweet," said Raven as she teleported out of the room to hers and lay on her bed while holding the diary close to her heart the entire time as she went to sleep.
"Why did you lie to her about not hearing anything Robin?" said Batman as he looked at Robin with curiosity in his voice.
"Because...if I had told her I heard I heard the fact that I know that she actually loves me she would be destroyed inside knowing her secret is out. I couldn't do that to her and you know it. Just because I was trained by you Bruce doesn't mean I have to make all the moves you did," said Robin as the pain finally stopped in his ribs and could talk normally again though the rest of his body said otherwise.
Batman seemed a bit offended by that last remark and narrowed his eyes at the young boy wonder. "True I suppose. However, your recent mission reports involving Trigon that I have read suggests that you love her as much as she does you," said Batman who saw the boy's astonishment.
"I do Bruce, but...I don't know. I thought I liked Starfire, but when I look back on it now I think it was only puppy love. I thought I had loved Starfire, but after being here in this tower for what seemed like an eternity you just can't..." said Robin who was unable to finish his sentence.
"I know Robin I've had that same feeling with many women I've know throughout my life both as the Batman...and as Bruce Wayne," said Batman as he turned away from the youth as if he was embarrassed.
Robin smiled a little, but it faded when he asked Batman another question. "Do you know who Slade is Bruce?" said Robin a curious, but serious tone that made Batman somewhat proud.
"Yes I do. I knew him when I was still training to be the Batman when I went to Asia for my martial arts training that would be the final stage to becoming the Batman. His name is Slade, but I do not know his last name since he kept much to himself as I did. He was traveling along Asia like I was to increase his strength and skill to become a dangerous force that no one would dare face. He never saw my face in our travels together due to us both wanting to keeping a low profile in our training, but I saw his though when he dropped his guard. He had a healthy face like mine with black that was a little spiky along the sides of his head. Our travels together both brought us to the man who completed out training and a man I had to betray for all that was good. You remember what I told you about the League of Shadows?" said Batman as he turned to Robin and removed his mask.
"Yeah," said Robin abruptly remembering the tale Bruce told him about his training with the League of Shadows that sometimes gave him nightmares.
"Slade and me both trained under their leader Ra'sh Au Ghoul and we were his two most promising students that would one day lead the League when he died. However, as you know Ra'sh and I had a little...falling out if you will when it came to beliefs about how to 'punish' one's enemy. During the fight in the complex where we both trained Slade had intervened and I was forced to...damage him before the building exploded and scattered the Leagues members. In the end of that...little conflict Slade disappeared taking a sizable chunk of resources with him to start a new life as the man he is now," said Batman.
"So what Slade told me was true. You gave him that scar and took out his eye in the process and now he wants you suffer as you made him through me," said Robin sounded somewhat sad that Slade had told him the truth about something personal.
"Yes...Robin. I'm actually kind of sorry. I should've told you about Slade and how he had moved to Jump City, but my arrogance and holding back my own personal reasons created this mess," said Batman as he turned away and walked towards the window as the rain continued to pour and the lighting flashed without mercy.
"What happens now?" said Robin as he finally with some effort sat up and hugged his ribs a little.
"Simple. Your going home to retrain. You have been broken mentally, physically, and to a degree...spiritually Robin. I have to fix what has been broken inside you and the best way to do that is to take you home," said Batman ho could tell his son did not want to go.
"What about the city? This city needs me Bruce...just as Gotham city needs the Batman," said Robin trying to make an arguable statement.
"True, but as you stand now you cannot even fight a common thief let alone try to lead the Titans. I'm sure your cybernetic friend can take over while you and I head home to heal you. You know why? Because this time Robin...were going back to basics and this time I'm going to have you come face to face with your greatest fear," said Batman as his voice became more dark and terrifying like the storm outside.
"Slade?" said Robin.
"No. Failure!" said Batman in an eerie whisper as another flash of lighting consumed the room making the dark knights figure even more frightening.