Disclaimer: I have no ownership of any DC characters
Note: We last left off with Robin's nightmare. How can the Titans find a way out of this one?
Chapter 8: A Message
The first thing Robin heard were shouts.
The clamoring sound of them all together gradually grew louder and clearer as he began to regain consciousness. His hidden eyes blinked open, the blur faded from his groggy eyes and he saw the dull black of the asphalt street under him.
Confused, he tilted his head upward, stretching his sore neck away from the street floor. On the street before him, he saw dozens of legs, all seemingly grouped together, their feet stomping and moving aggressively against the floor.
He realized that they were the source of the clamor.
Then, a pair of black-booted legs stepped into his line of sight, blocking the others from view. Robin craned his head upward, and saw that the pair booted legs belonged to a frighteningly familiar woman.
"Stay back you fools!" her lush voice threatened the band of citizens who were stepping toward her, "If you take one more step- I'll destroy you all!"
Suddenly, it all came back to him. There was trouble in the city, and the team where there instantly. She was the cause of the trouble alert, she had been torturing citizens, they had defeated her...but then-
Then he faced his fears.
His eyes widened as the realisation hit him, anger suddenly igniting in his veins. A rush of adrenaline pulsed through his body, matched with a desire to defeat her, to make her hurt for making him subject to everything he feared most.
"I warned you idiots." She spoke to the clamoring crowd, aiming her dangerous arms out towards them.
"Ay-ah!"Robin leapt into action, swiftly sweeping a leg around and under her body, colliding with her legs. She tripped and fell to the floor on her side, grunting in surprise at the unexpected attack.
Behind her, the crowd cheered. But Robin paid no attention to them, and instead was intently focused on the villain that lay before him, anger building up inside of him as he watched her.
How dare she search inside his mind, and exploit his weaknesses. How dare she make him face his mentor and relive the past that he had tried so hard to forget. She would pay for that.
She quickly got to her feet and whipped around to face her attacker.
A wicked smile played across her face when she met his masked eyes.
"Hi there, birdie," she raised a flirtatious black eyebrow at him.
He narrowed his eyes murderously, and said nothing in response. She smiled sweetly at him, the sinister vibe taunting him.
"How was your nap?"
Robin immediately lifted a metal-rimmed boot and slammed it into her stomach, re-enforcing the kick with a yell of anger and power. She flew backward, into the crowd of people who cleared the way for the falling villain.
She landed hard to the ground, and instantly was surrounded by the mass of angry citizens. They swarmed in around her, shaking fists and thrusting fingers in her direction, all threatening to beat her together. She only smiled at their feeble threats, welcoming them to try and take a swing at her.
"Leave her!" a distinct voice demanded over the commotion.
Immediately the crowd fell silent to the dangerous tone in Robin's voice, and backed away from the villainess, clearing a path from him to her.
"Go home, all of you!" Robin ordered the citizens, never taking his eyes away from the woman before him.
The people of Jump reluctantly obeyed, and gradually disappeared into the thick fog that still enveloped the city in a dark, dreary realm. Soon, the street was cleared of all others, leaving only two behind, whose eyes were still locked onto each others.
Robin was first to break the stare by bursting into a run, intending to attack. She quickly flexed her fingers and thrust them towards him, streams of black energy flying at him through the air. He swerved expertly and dodged them, a hand to his belt as he ran, pulling out the retractable bo-staff.
The weapon extended quickly in his tight grip, and he pushed off the floor with a grunt, launching himself at her. Swinging the staff behind his head in the air, he then drove it into her side.
The staff hit and knocked her off-balance, but she quickly re-gained her ground and began to doge the series of furious swings that were aimed at her. Then, using fast reflexes, she caught the staff between two hands, holding it there as Robin struggled to yank it free. She twisted the weapon in her grip and threw it to her side, with Robin still holding on to it.
He found himself swinging through the air by the staff, and released his hold on it, allowing himself to fall to the floor. Tumbling to the street, he somersaulted down and landed smoothly in a lunge, a hand touching the floor to steady himself and the other poised in a fist and ready for another attack..
She smiled at him again, chuckling to herself as she discarded the weapon to her side, letting it drop and clatter on the asphalt.
Holding out a hand, she curled a finger upward in a seductive way, as if coaxing him to come and try to make the first move. Grinding his teeth together in frustration, he growled in his throat and narrowed his eyes harshly. Enjoying the reaction she was receiving from him, she smiled wider, and began to giggle harder.
Robin struck then. While she was distracted, he took off in a sprint right to her. Leaping into the air, he launched himself at her again. The moment before impact she looked at him and her laughter ceased.
Their bodies collided into each other, as Robin took her aggressively into his arms and they rolled onto the street floor. He pinned her beneath him, holding her arms above her head and her legs behind his, ensuring that he would be in control of the situation.
"Oh, well hello there." Her sultry voice purred as she looked up at him, an eyebrow cocked.
He ignored her comment, instead locking eyes with her again, the frenzy showing in his flared nostrils and tense muscles.
"Who. Are. You?" Robin asked through clenched teeth, fighting to keep his anger under control.
Another disturbing smile curled onto her lips, "Phobia."
"Why are you here?"
Phobia did not respond and only looked deep into his hidden eyes.
"Answer me!"
Unexpectedly, she jammed a knee into Robin's side. He grunted in pain on impact, and she took advantage of the distraction she created. She then delivered a swift kick to his stomach. The wind knocked out of him, she wrapped her fingers around his wrists, and propelled her feet upward, driving into his stomach.
Robin was vaulted up and over were Phobia lay, and was slammed against the ground only feet away from were he pinned her. They automatically whipped around to face each other again, prepared for an attack from the other.
Phobia pressed a hand to her ear, as if listening to something.
Robin's eyes narrowed as he realized she was listening to someone through a comm-link.
"If that's what you want." she spoke to the link in her ear.
"Why are you here?" Robin asked again, his tone demanding.
Phobia turned her attention to him, her hand dropping to her side.
"I'm here on a mission." she replied slyly, "Not just to...reveal your fears to my employers, as you may have guessed, but to deliver a message."
"What is the message?" he asked suspiciously.
"It's too bad I have to leave after this, your little team was the most fun I've had in a long time." she said, ignoring his question.
"You're not leaving." He said menacingly, pulling out a bird-a-rang from his belt.
She scoffed at his comment, "Try it. Then you'll never get the message."
He narrowed his eyes, but did not lower the weapon from his hand, "The message, what is it?"
"Fine," she pouted her lips in a fake sense of disappointment, "Don't be any fun."
"The Brotherhood has returned." She almost whispered, a joyful expression on her face as she delivered her message, "They're stronger than they were before." She smiled, causing a chill that ran down his spine and lifted the hairs on the back of his neck, "They'll kill you, and your friends."
Robin's face dropped, and his heart plummeted to the floor.
The Brotherhood of Evil? Returned? But how? They defeated them, he was sure of it. They were frozen in Paris! They couldn't be back! Surely there was no escape from that...or was there?
The doubt began to fill his mind, dark thoughts and painful memories dawning his conscious state. Last time they had faced the Brotherhood, they were nearly defeated! He had been frozen for a small amount of time, but still the fear of lost hope and fallen friends was all too much to endure a second time.
How could they return?
Caught up in his own thoughts, Robin almost failed to notice Phobia backing away into the thick grey fog.
"Stop!" Robin yelled and ran toward her already disappearing form.
"Oh, I wish I could, my precious birdie. But this is where I say goodbye..." she flashed him her famous wicked smile.
"...for now."
Her ludicrous laughter split the air, ringing in his ears as she faded away, into the fog.
Robin stood alone, breathless and deeply disturbed, feeling the eeriness linger steadily in the brisk, cool air.
A silence fell over the street, once more. A gust of wind swept through the seemingly deserted city, gently tugging at his cape.
He stood rooted to the spot, staring into the dreary gray fog where Phobia escaped. Thinking about the message she left him, his mind worked wildly to try and process it all. Questions raced through his mind, and memories from the last time they faced the group of villains shook him to his core. How could they have escaped the freezing process? How could they possibly stand a chance against the brotherhood again? They were nearly defeated last time. And why would they warn the Titans that they have returned?
Suddenly, small groan sounded from behind him, shattering his dark thoughts.
He whirled around, holding his bo-staff defensively, ready for attack. His grip loosened on the weapon when he saw who had made the noise.
Starfire was slowly waking, trying with weak arms to get herself of the floor. Robin rushed to her side, bending down to her. She silently looked up at him, pain and terror evident in her deep emerald eyes. But as she met his masked face, the terror seemed to subside, but did not fully leave her tormented soul.
A half-hearted smile lifted his lips as he looked at her, trying to offer some comfort. She returned the smile, knowing now that she was safe. Gently taking a hold of her wrist with one hand and placing another on her lower back, Robin helped her to her feet. Letting her lean against him for support, he feared that if he let her go she might disappear into the mist, like in his nightmare.
Before he could ask her if she was alright, three other groans sounded, and the two Titans turned their eyes to find their team members all rising to their feet.
Beast Boy peeled himself off the floor, wiping away a small strip of drool that still hung at the corner of his mouth. Noticeable tears gathered at the changeling's eyes, and he tried to hide them by rubbing his hands on his face repeatedly, as if exhausted.
Raven let out a small frightened gasp and hastily pushed herself to her feet, her violet eyes wide and alarmed as she scanned the area around her. Hesitantly, she looked down at her hands, a shaky sigh of relief escaping her lungs when she saw nothing on them. Glancing at briefly at her friends, she quickly pulled her hood over her face, hoping that the shadow would shroud her fear.
Cyborg was last to rise to his feet. On his face he wore a stone-cold expression, his dark eye unreadable, his other glowing a bright firious red. Despite his show of unfeeling, his mechanical body trembled slightly. His head turned to where his car had crashed to the floor in the fight against Phobia. His human lips twitched as he looked at it, he gulped down the sudden tears that rose, breathing deeply.
Starfire was released from Robin's supportive hold, finding that she could stand on her own, though her legs shook weakly under her. Feeling the cold night air, she crossed her arms almost subconsciously, her mind lost in thought. Staring at the ground, her beautiful face was contorted by pain and terror as she thought back on her past experience.
Robin watched his teammates in dismay. Guilt spread through his conscious as he thought about how he could have prevented this from happening, how he could have protected his team from the fear that struck them now. If only he had been strong enough to take her down when he had the chance...if only he had been smarter to see the trap Phobia had set up for them. If only...
And her message, how could he tell them the horrible warning she left him?
He did not have the heart to tell his friends that their toughest villain ever would be returning to claim vengeance. It was too heavy of a matter to lay on them now, while they were still petrified by the trauma of facing their own worst fears. He had already failed them by letting this situation occur, and he could not add to their fear by telling them that they would soon have to prepare for another attack.
He couldn't tell them...not yet.
"Let's go home." Robin said in a quiet tone. His four friends looked up to him, any lingering fearful memories shattered by their leader's comforting voice.
Robin lifted his heavy feet, and began to walk, his mind still tangled on the ominous message Phobia left. He felt guilt in not telling his team about the threat that was still out there, thirsting for revenge. A threat that could mean the end of the Titans.
'They'll kill you, and your friends.' Her voice echoed in his thoughts.
He looked back at his friends, all walking slowly, the remnants of the nightmare still shown in their disheartened faces. He promised himself that he would tell them, but not today. When they were strong enough to handle it again, strong enough to have the hope that they will be able to defeat the Brotherhood again. When they were ready, he would tell them.
For today, he would carry the heavy burden.
The Titans followed Robin without saying a word to each other, all acting on a silent agreement. No one of them wanted to talk about what just occurred, it was still too fresh in their minds, too shaken by fright to speak of it. They all just wanted to be back to the comfort of their home, were they knew they could be safe...
...for now.
End
