"Vampire Genesis"
Chapter 5: "Scum of the Earth"
Disclaimer: Teen Titans and Hellsing do not belong to me. They belong to DC Comics/Time Warner and Kohta Hirano, respectively. The only profit I make from this story is the satisfaction of knowing that I've written something people will want to read.
Author's note: Now, you may be wondering why Kid Flash is being such a dick to Robin. The answer is simple and that is that people fear what they don't understand. Even superheroes are not exempt from this; if they were, mutants would get a lot more support from the "empowered human" community in the Marvel Comics Universe. However, Kid Flash fans will not have to worry for long, as someone very special will be knocking some sense into him soon enough. Wanna see?
Kid Flash had run to his one refuge, the one place he knew he would be welcome when he needed to get away from the other Titans. That one place was a small, one-bedroom apartment that was cozily arranged. It was an apartment that belonged to the probability-manipulating former villainess Jinx, under the alias of Jana Suresh. Jinx – or rather, Jana – had welcomed him in when she saw the troubled expression on his face.
"What's wrong, Wally?" she asked.
"It's Robin," Kid Flash replied. "He's turned into a monster."
"Is that why he's wearing black now?" Jinx asked.
"Some wacko cult sealed some kind of demon god inside him and now he's a blood-drinking monster," Kid Flash replied. "He's even got other vampires holed up in the Tower now. He's endangering us all by having them there and he doesn't even care."
"What makes you think they're monsters?" Jinx asked, her catlike pink eyes narrowing.
"They prey on human beings for their blood!" Kid Flash answered indignantly. "What else do I need to know?"
Jinx slapped Kid Flash, the slap coming so unexpectedly that Kid Flash couldn't dodge. "Listen, Wally. Vampires are not automatically evil. Like us, they have a choice. You made me see that. You made me see that I didn't have to be evil just because my powers caused bad luck. With modern medicine being as it is, vampires don't need to hunt humans for their blood; they can just get it from a blood bank. And Robin has more self-control than to just go around killing people for their blood, not to mention that he's your friend."
Kid Flash looked at Jinx, chastised yet still insistent on his point. "To be honest, I trust Robin more than I trust those vampires he's got in the Tower. Who knows what they'll do to the other Titans?"
"Robin won't let anything happen to his friends," Jinx answered. "You know that, don't you?"
"Yeah," Kid Flash admitted. "I've been a real ass, haven't I?"
"Yes, you have," Jinx confirmed. "Now go back to the Tower and apologize to Robin."
"Sure, Mommy," Kid Flash answered sarcastically.
"If you wanna play like that, then we should be in bed," Jinx replied with a smirk.
Kid Flash winked at her before speeding away from her apartment. As he ran back to the Tower, he could only think of Robin. He had been so fucking scared when Robin took out Dagon and ripped into the Initiative's ghouls, so scared that he'd forgotten something important. Robin wasn't a monster just because of his new abilities and nature, just like Raven wasn't a monster because of who her father was and Jinx wasn't evil just because her powers brought bad luck. He had been such a moron, such a goddamn fool; he could only wonder how he'd make it up to Robin.
Elsewhere in Jump City, several skinhead vampires were prowling the streets. They were new to the blood, reborn through the technology of someone who claimed to be representing a group calling themselves "Millennium." The person, looking like a young boy with cat ears, had said that Millennium was going to create a new world order in which the impure would be destroyed and offered them a chance to be part of it. The skinheads had eagerly agreed; vampire powers would give them the edge they needed over the lesser peoples infesting this nation. When pressed for a name, the boy had identified himself as Schrödinger and seemingly vanished.
Suddenly, a man-shaped figure landed before them. With their enhanced senses, they could see that it was a tall, muscular man dressed in skintight black with gray mesh between his shoulders and forearms and around his abdomen. Gray armored plates covered his shoulders, forearms, thighs, knees, shins, and feet. A black-and-orange bisected mask covered his face, with a singular lens on the orange side and breathing slits where his mouth would have been.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" one of the skinhead vampires asked.
The man tilted his head as to suggest he was smirking at them. This single motion enraged another of the skinhead vampires to the point that he lunged at the masked man. He should have been fast enough to catch the masked man by surprise, but as though anticipating him, the masked man grabbed his outstretched arm and whipped him into the wall with such force that he tore his arm off, as he'd been gripping it quite tightly.
"My arm!" the skinhead screamed. "My fucking arm!"
The masked man chuckled darkly. "Come on. Surely a minor wound like that wouldn't be enough to stop you, would it?"
"Motherfucker!" another skinhead yelled, charging at the masked man. The masked man simply punched him in the head once he was close enough, his fist smashing through the skinhead's head and splattering brain matter, blood, and skull fragments all over it and the ground.
"What are you?!" a third skinhead asked in terror.
"Something far superior to you," the masked man replied.
The third skinhead, along with his four remaining uninjured companions, rushed the masked man, moving at superhuman speeds. The masked man seemed to regard them as moving at slow motion, considering the speed with which he dispatched them. He tore out the heart of one with claws bursting from his fingers, while brutally dismembering the other four. The skinhead who had had his arm torn off had attempted to escape, but the masked man who had so easily and savagely dispatched his comrades caught up with him easily.
"Leave me alone!" the one-armed skinhead yelled, although it came out more like a desperate plea.
"Actually, no," the masked man replied. "You fools needed to learn a lesson. Weaklings like you can never stand against those such as I."
"Fuck!" the one-armed skinhead yelled. "Who are you?!"
"You can call me . . ." the masked man trailed off, chopping the one-armed skinhead in the neck with such force that his head came off. "Deathstroke."
Back at Titans Tower, Robin sat in front of the computer screen, pondering his next move. He had all these vampires in the Tower now, and he was hoping he could count on them not to feed off his fellow Titans. He could smell a familiar and pleasantly alien scent, as a pair of slim black-covered silver-white arms wrapped around him from behind. Robin reached up to place his hand over one of the hands currently dangling on his chest.
"Hi, Argent," Robin greeted.
"Hi yourself, love," Argent answered, tilting her head down for a kiss. Robin tilted his head up, catching Argent in a not-quite-awkward, not-quite-uncomfortable kiss. After the kiss broke, she smiled at him. "What're you thinking about?"
"Just wondering what I've gotten myself into," Robin replied. "The clan leaders in the city want me to be their protector and agent. I've got all this power, but I don't understand it entirely, and L'andira's been trying to push me to use it more aggressively."
"Like what you did to Dagon?" Argent surmised.
"Yeah, like that," Robin affirmed. "It's scary. And you know something else that's scary? The idea that sooner or later, I'll lose control of the power I have inside me and then I'll really hurt someone, someone I care about, someone I . . ."
"Love?" Argent filled in for him.
Robin was silent, allowing Argent to continue speaking. "You don't have to be afraid to use that word."
"Except that word is thrown around by people who don't understand what it means. I don't want to use the word unless I seriously mean it, and I've . . . had some bad experiences with that."
"I understand. I can wait. You'll say it eventually."
"Sure." He squeezed her hand gently. "One day."
"If it isn't the lovebirds," a certain sardonic voice remarked, prompting Robin and Argent to turn and see Mai standing there. "We've got a bit of a problem."
"What is it, Mai?" Robin asked.
"Gavin tried to get inside Raven's room. The end result wasn't pleasant."
"He isn't dead, is he?"
"If you mean dead as in really dead as opposed to undead, then no."
"I'll talk to them." Robin rose from his seat, gently pulling out of Argent's grip, and walked out of the living room-slash-ops room. He "flickered" to Raven's door, flickering being the vampire equivalent of a sprint. Once there, he saw a chastised brunet boy looking down at the floor and Raven scowling at him. "What happened?"
"He tried to sneak inside my room," Raven replied.
Robin turned to Gavin. "What for?"
"I just wanted to see what was inside. Guess my curiosity got the better of me. Sorry."
"Fine. Just don't do it again. Raven's a martinet when it comes to privacy."
"Ok." Gavin flickered away from Raven's door, leaving her and Robin alone.
Robin turned to Raven. "You still have problems letting other people in, don't you?"
"You I can tolerate. A total stranger, no."
"Not what I meant."
Raven sighed. "For my powers to remain under control, I have to remain under control. Letting someone in like that carries with it a risk of losing that control."
"Something I can relate to, sort of."
"You've had control issues since before L'andira was sealed inside you."
Robin rolled his eyes behind his mask. "Dr. Fate visited me earlier tonight. He told me that my relationship with L'andira was symbiotic but that I had to be careful to make sure that my will was stronger than hers." He paused. "Did you ever hear of the Silent Zone?"
"The Silent Zone was where they sent gods that grew too powerful for their own good and the good of humanity."
"Why was L'andira sent there?"
"The accounts differ. Some say it was because she was undermined by former worshippers that sought to take her power for their own. Others say she attempted to conquer the human race by spawning an army of vampires and had to be restrained by her fellow gods. There are accounts that say she was betrayed by several of her fellow gods and trapped in the Still Zone."
Robin sighed, only to find Alucard walking through the wall to introduce himself to Raven. "Alucard. What brings you here?"
"I wanted to see you," Alucard replied imperiously.
"Who says I wanted to see you?" Robin retorted.
"Quick with the remarks, aren't you? You almost remind me of what Police Girl would be like if she had more of a backbone."
"Who are you?" Raven asked.
"You must be Raven," Alucard answered. "Fascinating young lady you are. You'd make a splendid vampire, you know that?"
Raven narrowed her eyes. "You didn't answer my question."
"So much like my Master," Alucard remarked. "Very well. You may call me Alucard."
"Master?" Raven asked.
Alucard smirked at Raven and hovered over her, inhaling with his nose. Raven fought the urge to shiver in his presence. She'd fought her own father, for Christ's sake; she could handle one arrogant vampire, couldn't she? The red-coated vampire pulled away from Raven, still smirking.
"I like your scent."
Raven shivered this time, but with rage rather than fear. How dare he? Dark energy crackled around her hands as she asked in a voice as calm as she could manage, "Do you know it's rude to sniff people for no reason?"
"Who says I need a reason?" Alucard asked. He turned to Robin. "Be careful, boy. You are still just a baby by our standards. A powerful baby, but still a baby, and you're entering a world that's more dangerous than you realize."
"Considering I just saved the prisoners of a military organization trying to harvest their bodies to create superhuman vampire killers, I think I have some idea how dangerous things are for me now."
"I wasn't speaking of that. I was speaking of the rampant intrigues in our world. We may be 'immortal,' but like humans, we can lust for power ourselves. Be wary that such lust does not overcome you . . . or else my Master will deem you a target and I'll have to kill you. That would be a shame." He walked out through the wall, passing through it like a ghost.
"Is that the vampire who shot off your arm?" Raven asked.
"Yeah," Robin replied.
Just then, Kid Flash appeared next to Robin and Raven. "Guys? I just wanted to say that I've been a real asshole and I'm sorry."
Robin smiled. "You're forgiven."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. The only people I have grudges against are villains and last I checked, you're not a villain."
"Thanks, Robin. That means a lot to me." Kid Flash sped to the refrigerator to get himself something to eat when he caught a blue-haired vampire girl sipping a blood pack through a straw. His expression wrinkled slightly, but he caught himself and forced it back to normal. "Uh, hey."
"Hey."
". . . What's up?"
"This is kinda cool. I always dreamed of being a Titan."
"We can make you an honorary one. Give you a communicator and all that jazz."
"Yeah. Why so nice all of a sudden? Thought you were disgusted by us 'monsters.'"
"Girlfriend slapped some sense into me."
"Womanizer like I've heard you are, you'd need to be denied pussy before you came to your senses on anything."
"I'm a reformed womanizer!"
"Is that the same as a dry drunk?"
Kid Flash rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha. Very funny."
The blue-haired vampire finished her pack and crumpled it up, tossing it like a basketball. The pack easily made it inside the garbage bin. "Swish."
"What's your name?"
"Undine."
"Interesting name."
"What's yours?"
"Kid Flash."
"Your real name."
"Can't tell you that. Trade secret."
Undine sighed. "Figures. You superheroes are always so secretive."
"So are you vampires."
"That's because if everyone knew vampires existed, there would be even more humans trying to hunt us down and kill us."
"And if everyone knew who we were when we weren't in costume, we'd have villains going after our friends and families."
Undine groaned. "You have a good point."
Kid Flash smiled. "So do you."
"Can I guess your name?"
"Knock yourself out?"
"Um, you look kind of like a Jason or a John or a Walter or a Hunter."
"You were close with number 3, but no cigar."
"Aren't you going to give me a helpful hint?" Undine smiled at Kid Flash, batting her lashes.
Kid Flash shook his head. "No."
"Awwww, you're no fun." Undine pouted . . . quite sexily, Kid Flash had to admit. Still, he had only to summon up the memory of mesmerizing pink eyes burning into his blue ones to resist Undine's charms.
"Kid, what would Jinx say if she knew you were hitting on another girl?" Beast Boy asked, waggling his eyebrows.
"She'd say nothing because I'm not hitting on another girl," Kid Flash replied. "Another girl is hitting on me. I'm not doing anything."
"Right," Beast Boy drawled.
"I'm serious! I'm not doing anything!" Kid Flash spotted Cyborg walking into the kitchen. "Come on, Cy! Your sensors can tell if I'm telling the truth, so scan me! Ask me if I was flirting with Undine here! You'll know!"
"Were you flirting with Undine?" Cyborg asked.
"Nope, not at all!" Kid Flash replied.
"The sensors detect nervousness and slightly elevated heart rate, but nothing too out of the ordinary for you. You're telling the truth."
"Exactly! I'm reformed!"
Cyborg rolled his biological eye. "I'll stick around. Just to keep you honest."
"Nobody trusts me!" Kid Flash exclaimed indignantly. "Do I have to go fucking celibate to prove to you people that I'm not a womanizer anymore?"
"That would help," Beast Boy answered with a grin.
Kid Flash indignantly sped out of the kitchen, a "Fuck this!" clearly heard as he retreated. Beast Boy snickered in amusement and banged Cyborg's larger fist in the familiar gesture of friendship.
"You guys like torturing him, don't you?" Undine mused.
"He'll be ok," Cyborg replied. Suddenly, a proximity alarm sounded. "Oh, man. Better call the others."
He didn't have to, as he and Beast Boy found the other Titans in the living room-slash-ops room. The vampires that they had taken into their protective custody had gathered there as well. Robin accessed the screen to get a look at the intruder. His eyes narrowed beneath the mask.
"Slade."
"Slade?" Argent echoed.
"Yeah. Twisted bastard."
"What's he doing here?" Kid Flash asked.
"That's what we're going to find out," Robin replied. He turned to look at the vampires. "You guys stay inside."
"We want to help," Gavin said.
"You can help more by not getting yourselves killed fighting this guy," Robin answered. "I don't know what's going on, but I have the feeling that Slade's changed, and for the worse. If I'm right . . . we could be in for a real fight."
"Fine, then," Mai said. "But if I see you about to get killed, I'm coming out there . . . and I won't be alone."
The Titans exited their Tower in different ways. Starfire, Argent, and Beast Boy in the shape of a raven flew out. Robin and Kid Flash zoomed out, while Raven transported herself, Cyborg, and Jericho through a shadow-portal.
Slade stood before them, gazing at them with a single, mocking red eye. "Titans . . . how nice to see you again. I see you've added a few to your ranks."
"Slade . . ." Beast Boy growled, his shape rippling and changing into the Werebeast.
"Beast Boy," Slade greeted. "Still angry over losing your beloved Terra? She's better off without you."
"You son of a –" Beast Boy snarled and lunged at Slade, who simply grabbed him by the throat and brutally choke-slammed him onto the ground.
"Beast Boy!" Cyborg shouted, activating his Sonic Cannon. "Back off, Slade!"
"Or you'll do what?" Slade asked sinisterly.
"Titans, go!" Robin shouted, leading the Titans in an attack on Slade. Robin was the first to reach Slade, flickering at him and snap-kicking him into the ocean. Slade merely rose from that ocean and came down with a brutal punch that Robin dodged, leaving Slade's fist to impact against the ground. The impact was enough to shake the island.
"Whoa!" Cyborg exclaimed. "He was never that strong before!"
Raven looked Slade in his eye and saw a horrifying flash of something. It looked small, almost like a pea, and yet it was full of evil intent . . . and it was growing. In her fright, she almost didn't notice Slade flickering in front of her. She raised a shield to protect herself, but Slade pierced it with a simple blow, his fist striking her in the stomach. He grabbed her by her hood as she fell and looked her in the eye, frightening her with the evil she saw in that eye.
"Hello, Raven. It's been awhile."
"Get away from her!" Robin shouted.
"Or you'll do what, Robin?" Slade gently cupped Raven's chin, his fingers slowly extending into claws.
"Let. Her. Go."
"Come on, Robin. Show me what you're made of. Show me your strength."
Robin flickered at Slade, only for Slade to pull his clawed hand away from Raven's chin and swing at Robin, who dodged and kicked Slade in his armored head. Slade didn't seem to be that affected by the kick and swung his leg out to trip Robin. The Dark Squire jumped up to avoid the kick and landed with a hard kick to Slade's knee, bending it at a very wrong angle. Slade did not seem deterred by this; rather, he just pushed his knee back into place and bent it properly to demonstrate that it had healed.
"What . . . what happened to you?" Robin asked.
"He's not human anymore, Robin," Raven replied with hidden franticness. "There's . . . there's something inside him. It's changed him. Made him even worse."
"Worse?" Slade echoed. "I choose 'better.'"
Robin felt a cold shiver of fear running down his spine, both his and L'andira's. L'andira? What is he?
Infected is what he is. He is now a Wamphyr.
Wamphyr? What is that?
Equal and opposite of what you are, of what we are, of what I created.
Robin looked Slade in his eye, an eye that was even more filled with evil than the Dark Squire had ever seen it. "Robin . . . are you ready to begin?"
End Notes: Good to end it here. Yeah, for those of you who don't read Hellsing, Millennium is a Nazi-affiliated military organization seeking to start an endless war. Schrödinger is one of its operatives, granted the power of being "everywhere and nowhere," which allows him to survive fatal wounds and presumably move at tremendous speeds.
If you're wondering what in hell has happened to Slade, read a good book series called Necroscope; I've borrowed some elements from it for the purpose of making Slade what he is now. Any remarks, questions, or critiques would certainly be welcome.