270. Epilogue
December 4, 2004.
11:32 am
The City
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
The Titans were together.
I saw them as I came over the hill of rock crags and debris.
They gathered on the only known patch of ground on the Island where there could be a level playing field between six odd people.
And there were indeed six odd people.
Tempest with his arms crossed…leaning back against a steel girder of metal that stuck out of the half-soft earth like a lamppost. He smirked and straightened his loose hair in the cold morning breeze.
Beast Boy squatting atop a heap of rock and gray debris. He flickered his one elfin ear and leaned his head to the side…listening as best as he could. His face was straight…serious….and somewhat brooding…
Cyborg in the shadow of his crumbled Tower. He had his hands planted on his hips. He had polished his titanium surfaces that morning….a sure sign that he was back together again (in some fashion).
Raven in her blue cloak. Yet she still wore the army jacket and pants beneath it. It was so queer a look that it made me smile. Raven was alive.
Starfire—bandaged in a few places—wore a green t-shirt also donated from the army as well as a pair of jeans donated by….someone else. It didn't occur to me till then that all of her Tamaranian traditional wear must have perished in the Tower's collapse.
And in the center of the meeting was Robin. Leaning on his crutches, but trying to stand as tall as he could muster. He had on his replacement shades. Gone was his uniform, and its place rested a sweatshirt over the tattered remainders of his green tights. I had always known and accepted that he was one of the smallest members of our crime-fighting troupe—in spite of his leadership position. But then and only then did his smallness suddenly intrigue me. I realized—as I would often re-realize—that Robin was something that we had all lost. We had….legitimately lost him. And by freakish, deadly means…he literally was resurrected. And for that—he was far smaller and more precious than we could imagine. And no longer did we have to imagine. For he lived. He bore the name of the Titans like a banner flying ahead of us. There was no better time for the rest of the battered team to be resurrected as well than then…
As I rounded the hill, I noticed something. Much rather…..someone.
Supergirl stood on a rise in the rubble to my left. Her hair and cape flapped in the breeze identically. As I walked up, she glanced aside. Those magical blue eyes. She smiled and nervously uttered: "I-I'm…..kinda sorta watching from afar. No reason to interrupt your important business…..r-right?"
"……?" I stared at her closely. My shaded eyes blinking as I leaned my head to the side. My one right arm dangling by my ribcage.
She bit her lip and waved a hand. "Eh heh heh…..y-yeah. Uhm….go on without me. Seriously. I think Robin's got some serious stuff to say and I'm only here for—"
My right fingers suddenly graced her chin.
She looked at me. Sapphire eyes blinking wide. "H-Huh?"
Her eyes widened further…
For I leaned in.
And kissed her.
Gently.
A three-and-a-half second, feathery contact.
I drew back.
I gazed at her.
Black eyes reflecting past the shades.
And I smiled…
And my hand drifted down towards her fingers.
"………….," Supergirl blinked. And somewhere, a drunken breath emerged in cadence with a flush of red through her upper body. "Okay….I-I think I c-c-can go take a closer look…..if y-you insist….."
My lips curved.
Sure as Hell beats e-mail.
I took her by the hand…
…and led us both down into Titan company.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
We walked up.
We stood in our 'places'.
Robin was speaking: "—there will be a memorial. The Mayor wants a ceremony to honor the fallen U.S. Soldiers. I think it'd be best that we all attend that, if possible…"
The Titans nodded in numb cadence. None of them……none of us were really looking straight at Robin.
He leaned on his crutches. He took a deep breath. He spoke: "The Wildebeests that gave their lives will be honored as well. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for them. If it weren't for the League. If it weren't for everyone."
Again. We nodded. Again. Eyes drifting.
"…….and……..," Robin shifted where he stood. A shudder. "I would…….th-that is….."
Silence.
…….
He tilted his head up. "I would like the Titans to continue……….only if you wanted that too."
Every Titan looked up. Everyone of us looked at the Boy Wonder.
But he said nothing. He was hauntingly silent.
Changeling was the first to raise his eyebrow. "Dude…….am I hearing you right?"
Cyborg waved a hand: "This the same Robin we know?"
Tempest chuckled.
A beat of silence.
Robin said: "I don't know, guys. You tell me."
Tempest drew serious.
Silence……..
"I……," Robin began. He gazed down. He shifted his weight on the crutches. He wincingly stirred his bandaged foot. "….I let you all down. In a lot of ways."
Cyborg closed his eyes and exhaled. Raven glanced at him.
Robin continued: "I made you all suffer and mourn for no legitimate reason. I…….A-As much as I may deny it, I did fake my death. I faked my death….and…..there could have been another way. No matter what I did, Deathstroke got to you all in the end and—"
"Robin….man….," Cyborg smiled patiently and gestured: "What are you trying to get to?"
"……………," Robin leaned back on his crutches. "If you can't stand me being the team leader anymore….then……th-then I could accept that."
"……………."
"And…..And if n-necessary, I'll step down. If it'll mean the Titans continuing to do their job. I'll….step down. I won't even be a member of the team if necessary. You guys mean too much to me…."
"…………"
"…………."
"…………."
"…………."
All of us Titans shifted nervously.
All of us Titans exchanged glances.
All of us Titans gulped dry throats and said nothing.
Until Starfire…
"Robin…."
He gazed aside.
She leaned one hand gently on his right crutch. The other she placed on his shoulder and softly kneaded. She leaned forward. Her green eyes serene…loving. Her face gentle. In a soft voice, Starfire said: "You are my best friend. And you are the one who founded this team….who forged the spirit that drives it. You have been and shall always be an inspiration to us. Yes, we did suffer in your absence. And, yes, Deathstroke did cause quite a bit of malice in our lives…"
Robin bowed his head. Gently, he nodded.
The rest of us watched.
The rest of us listened.
"But Robin?" Starfire innocently cocked her head to the side. "This attitude coming forth from you……this spirit of resignation……it is quite simply a mountain of the bull's shit."
Robin nodded—"!.!.!.!" Robin did a double-take at Star.
Changeling snapped up.
Cyborg's eye went wide.
Starfire stared at Robin. "………" Starfire smiled.
"St-Star?"
Tempest whistled.
Kara and I exchanged glances.
Starfire blushed, hiding a smile as her eyes trailed away.
Robin leaned his head aside, lips slightly curved. "Star….wh-what are you--?"
Cyborg cupped his hands over his lips: "Yo! She's saying that 'your desire to retire your position as authoritarian Titan leader is nothing more than a deleterious exaggeration of unnecessary melodrama and pompous self-pity'!"
"BULLSHIT!" Tempest shouted. "Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Heh heh heh heh," Changeling joined in.
Starfire bit her lip. She squeaked aside to Robin: "Do excuse me…."
"Uhm….," Robin scratched his head. He simpered. "Y-You're….excused?"
Tempest and Changeling stopped laughing. Tempest brushed a tear away.
And when their laughter died away.
There was still a light, breathy chuckle.
We all glanced over.
Raven was slightly bent over. A graceful hand cupped over her lips. She noticed everyone looking, stopped giggling, and cleared her throat. "A-Ahem…." Her cheeks were slightly rosy. "I….needed that….."
"And HOW, girl!" Cyborg rolled his human eye.
"Righteous….," Kara breathed.
I smirked. Leaning my one hand against my hip.
"I…..just….uhm….," Robin fidgeted. Robin shrugged. "I dunno. I could be stronger, but—"
"Dude…..," Changeling spoke. Staring over at the Boy Wonder. "We're sick of hearing it."
"You're a one man army….," Tempest shrugged. "Face it….you're too strong for our own good. Much less yours…."
"He's right, Robin…."
The Boy Wonder looked over.
Raven droned, looking at him. "You don't have to prove to us any more that you're a good leader."
Cyborg nodded. "No more than we have to prove that the Titans shall always be there to kick crime's butt."
"………..," Robin smiled. Gently. "….yeah….kicking butt."
We smiled back at him.
He sighed. "I miss that….."
Starfire looked at him. Smiling. "Shall we resume kicking the butt from here on out, Robin?"
"'Ass', Starfire," Tempest corrected with a wink. "Kicking bullshittin' ass—"
Th-Thwump! Changeling elbowed him.
"N-Nnngh! What?"
Changeling rolled his green eyes.
I snickered breathily….then realized how much silence had gone on without a word being said.
Robin was taking a deep breath. He finally tilted his head up and spoke: "I would like to continue the team." He glanced at Cyborg. "The Tower will be rebuilt."
Cyborg nodded.
Robin looked at Raven. "We'll heal from our wounds…"
She tilted her head forward once.
Robin glanced at Kara and I. "We'll branch out and spread justice…"
We saluted.
He gazed Changeling's and Tempest's way. "We'll make a name for ourselves."
Tempest merely smirked. Changeling….was gazing westward. Towards the horizon. Dark green eyes thin.
"But…….," Robin lingered.
Starfire leaned her head aside. "What is it, Robin?"
He took a deep breath. He pushed the crutches aside.
Kara and I winced.
Cyborg jumped.
"R-Robin!" Starfire rushed over and supported his shoulders.
He paused…gently patted her hands….nodded…………and stood on his own. Shuddering from the pain of his leg. But remaining tall and strong the best he could. He took a deep breath and spoke in the leader's voice we all knew. With great effort.
"I would like us to be true Titans……New Titans…….I……I-I've had so much time to think and to flesh out my life….and my purpose…….and my friends….," he brought two shaking hands up to his face. "And I realize….I-I always had my life right there in front of me. But I never had a chance to….truly know my friends." He took a deep breath…grabbed his shades….and stripped of them.
The whole of us Titans watched with baited breath.
Tim Drake stared back at us. Sheepish. Uncertain.
Human.
"I want this to be a real team….," Tim said. "A true team. Led by a leader you can all trust…..and know." He simpered. He cleared his throat and stammered out: "T-Timothy Drake……I-I would be so very happy……t-to be your friend……."
Tempest blinked.
Cyborg rubbed the human part of his head….smiling confusedly.
Raven mouthed the word: 'Timothy……'
I looked at Kara.
Kara looked at me….and shrugged.
I merely smirked and gazed back at the crowd.
"……..now….," Tim said. A breath. "Wh-Who is with me?"
…………
An amber hand rested over his.
Tim looked over.
Starfire smiled. She gently breathed: "Kory….Koriand'r……"
Tim nodded. He leaned against her.
She hugged an arm around his far shoulder, leaning her red crown against his.
The two closed their eyes and rested against each other momentarily….
Peacefully drifting……..
…..
…..
Tempest hopped forward. Marching for show. He cleared his throat and thinned his eyes in mock regality. "Gar…..Prince Gar…." He bowed.
Cyborg gasped. "You don't say!"
"Hehehe!" Kory giggled.
Gar held his hand out and rested it atop Tim's and Kory's.
Tim smiled at the Atlantean.
Gar winked.
Cyborg marched forward. "Boo-ya….I'm in…"
"Had to frickin' say it, ya clunker?" Gar stuck his tongue out.
"It's Victor to you, Flipper!" he placed his titanium hand out atop the other four's. He stared strongly at Tim. "Victor Stone."
"Glad to have you with us, Mr. Stone," Tim said.
Changeling groaned. "Grffff….." He stood up and limped over. "And to think I used to love this mushy stuff."
"Come! Come be engulfed in the mush!" Kory chirped. "Hehehe!"
He stuck a green hand in. He looked up. Brow furrowed and lips subtly curved. "Garfield Logan."
Tim nodded.
A beat.
They all looked—
--at Raven.
"Uhhhm….," she drifted over. Ruffling a hand loose from her robe and jacket. She smiled nervously. Weakly. "I-I don't exactly have an alias name."
"Aaaaand….." Gar began.
"Aaaaand—" Kory added, smiling.
"Aaaaaaand!" everyone said.
Raven sighed. She stretched her hand gently out--
SLAP! Victor placed it firmly down atop the rest of ours.
"RAVEN!" everyone chimed.
"Hehehehe!"
"Heh heh heh heh!"
"Heheheheh."
Raven rolled her eyes. "Yeah….," she smiled and pressed her fingers firmly into the pile. "Raven."
"We gotta get a name for you….," Garfield said.
Gar brightened. "How about Vampire Vickie?"
"Go to Hell."
"Hmmmmm…," Victor tongued his human cheek. "….does 'Rachel' sound good?"
Raven did a double-take. Looking somewhat disgusted. "Rachel?.?.?"
"First thing I could think of, girl!"
"Ughhh….whatever. Count me in already…."
"Consider yourself counted," Tim smiled.
I had already drifted in. A mute hand raised—
Victor mocked a gasp. "And who is THIS dark stranger?"
"NOOBY!" Garfield grinned.
I stuck a tongue out, smirked, and mouthed: 'Jordan'.
My one hand rested over theirs.
"Welcome to the team, Jordan," Kory said.
"Hmmm……'Rachel'………" Raven gazed skyward…contemplating.
Silence.
Then there was a weak, nervous voice from the sidelines. "Uhm….K-Kara?"
We all glanced over.
Supergirl fidgeted. Blushing furiously. "Kara Kent?.?.?"
"Gotta contribute to the pile, girl," Victor winked.
She bit her lip.
"He's right, you know," Tim smiled.
"Eep! Uh…okay!" She drifted over.
"Just what we need…," Garfield rolled his eyes under his bandaged crown. "A second Starfire…"
"I heard that!" Kara walked over. Took a deep breath….and added her hand to the pile. Surprisingly, we didn't explode. She relaxed.
I smiled at her from across the group huddle.
"Well……," Raven droned. "….this should be interesting."
Kory giggled.
An awkward….beautiful pause…..
"Titans…..," Tim said. A breath. "Friends," he corrected. "……I think it's time we show this world who we really are….."
"Yup."
"Yes."
"Boo-ya…."
"Amen, dude…."
"……"
"Right."
A collected sigh.
And before we knew it…the huddle drifted forward.
And it was as if we were all bowing to some collective center of the universe.
But we weren't praying.
At least….if some of us were, I couldn't hear it.
There was something euphorically simple about…..
……about being in each other's aura.
And I realized that this is how it had always been.
And was elated to think—as everyone else certainly did—that this was how it would always be.
And yes—things were changed.
Things were broken.
Things had shattered and things had died.
But so much more had remained alive.
And it was a free feeling.
More liberating than any zen teaching that the Messenger could have preached to me on his own.
It's a wonderful thing to sit back and realize that….
That even the most heavy, wrought iron bird cage is defined only by the air that flows through it.
And right now…
That air was warm.
Friendly.
Mutual and….
Alive.
The smoke and mirrors had faded.
By our own breath we lived.
Titans.
New Titans.
Family.
And walking a fresh, new line.
We stayed together like that—silent and mutually warm—for a good few minutes.
The next hour or two was wasted in recently discovered anecdotes of our separate adventures.
The sort of details that….we could enjoy rethinking.
And shortly after, we all moved as one.
To assist with the cleanup.
And to prepare for tomorrow.
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Whurrrrrr-Click!
Ch-Chtunk!
Whurrrrrrrrrrrr-Hisss-CLANG!
In an underground laboratory…
Laced with metal…
A huge pair of double-doors opened.
Security locks spewing out hydraulic steam.
Alone….limping…
Dagger marched through the gateway.
He looked blue and decrepit around the corners of his flesh.
His face was pale.
He couldn't stop sweating….and he clutched his meaty stub of a hacked left limb to himself.
Hissing….dragging….hissing…gulping….
He walked to the center of the dimly-lit…metallic chamber.
Over to a lone chair of wire-frame metal sitting in front of a wide and tall viewing screen.
Robot arms and wires of some nefarious mechanical sub-system hung down and hovered about the chair.
Dagger sat down with a slumping sigh.
Panting…heaving….sweating for breath.
He swallowed.
He leaned his head back.
Whurrrrrr!
Whurrrrrrrr!
Whurrrr!
Robot arms went to 'work'.
Metal spider legs wrapped and twirled and hummed around him.
A neck rest rose up out of the body-brace of the chair and planted itself behind his dark head.
A hole in the metal rotated to a rest against the base of his neck.
Dagger exhaled.
He calmly….gently rested his left and right arms—what was left of them—down onto the limb rests of the chair.
Tiny wires and metal ribbons wrapped about the length of his wrists and shoulders….fastening Dagger to the chair.
Ankle rings closed, holding his lower body firmly to the chair.
The arms kept whirring….rotating….spinning around and above him.
All the while, the sickly Dagger stared straight ahead at the viewing screen….
….
….and soon that viewing screen lit up with the fizzled gray image….of a face.
A very distorted and unearthly face behind the walls of dancing static.
Two thin….glazed eyes plastered against a gray cranium.
Featureless.
Obscured behind the snow.
A sphere of hovering white.
With jagged edges.
Like a skull…
With a red streak…like a falling star….
Flickering…
Dancing…..
Glaring huge and menacing against the man in the chair.
And Dagger spoke to it:
"You were right. The City was lost. The Titans survived. All but Slade's son. But the Parasite was defeated. He is no longer of concern to us."
'An unpredictability……yes….that he was. Was he ended by the Black Eyes' blade?'
"No," Dagger calmly shook his head in the brace. "Although Jordan did engage Red Aviary multiple times during the urban engagement, he didn't defeat him. Not even Robin could. Destruction could only finish itself—so it seems—which is how Slade's son came into play. But Jordan did certainly fair better than I did against Deathstroke, although I could not summon forth a spectral progression from him when we last met."
Robot arms tightened Dagger's head to the resting brace.
A long, jagged knife-like needle attached to a syringe of nefarious green liquid lowered slowly from the ceiling.
WHURRRRR!
It hovered just behind Dagger's skull.
'Black Eyes did not attempt a spectral jump?" the white face on the staticy screen shook. 'That shows a lot of integrity for an Equalizer…..'
Dagger's eyes narrowed. "Yes, it was a great display of strength. I believe our Experiment still has a potential with Jordan."
'As opposed to Red Eyes? Dagger, if only you could see the progress he is making. These last two months in Japan……the stealth and efficiency with which he finishes a room full of herectics. He is being trained for the Demon Operation in Arizona. I have full faith in the boy. And he is quite confident in himself as well. 'Black Eyes' has been nothing but an embarrassment since he survived the Self-Destruction of the Old Experiment, and furthermore—'
"You do well to put your faith in your apprentice…," Dagger spoke. "…but passion alone will not make Red Eyes reach the Obsidian Trinity. Though—I believe—he will be important to the Experiment's success in that regard either way…"
'What do you propose?'
WHURRR-CL-CLINK!
The robot arms clutched ahold of Dagger's head from behind.
The green-dripping needled turned and pivoted…
….aiming its razor sharp edge into the back of Dagger's skull.
Aiming through the metal-ringed hole….
"Black Eyes does not know it yet. But he is greater than an apprentice. He is a chess piece. He has been. He always shall be. He fights for more than feeling and for more than passion. He fights for things he doesn't understand….but instead for that which comes to him on a moment's notice. With Construction long dead….with White Eyes' breath leaving her body so many years ago…..Black Eyes doesn't have any firm base to stand on. He doesn't know what destiny may lie before him. All he can do….is counteract. The only power he ever showed was what surprised both you and me….and that was what showed the power he has over your apprentice. Jordan made Red Aviary. And that extension of him rocked the world…almost shattering my empire and leaving others in ruin. If we were to tilt the world so that Jordan could make something else….something in our favor….that will bring us one further step towards manifesting the goal of the Experiment."
'The Obsidian Trinity……,'the glazed eyes of the obscured face narrowed. '…but how could Balance--?'
"He is the Equalizer. Given the right situation…given the right spectrum….he will consume…..consume what lies ahead of him. He is more than just Balance. I know it. I can sense it in him."
'Tell me, Dagger, does this all have something to do with the Gaia Sphere?'
The needle rested at Dagger's neck. Tiny insect arms grabbed the edges of the metal hole.
Whurrr-Ch-Chunk!
Clink!Clink!Clink!
"I am hardly the culprit behind this…..obstacle. But I shall play as big a part of it as is necessary to get Noir involved. For I think it is inevitable. The world has seen enough Red for the time being. Sooner than any of us think…..it will be White that dictates the fate….the destiny of us all…."
'Yes. I do sense this. But what makes you think that the boy will lean towards White anymore than Red? After all, you failed—'
"It was not a failure…..," Dagger glared. "….it told me that I was right. It told me that the boy is running. And he is leaning….leaning to one pole of the Spectrum. He must absorb that…consume that….before he could swing onto the other side."
'Do you think he could then tackle the Demon Operation?'
"That depends on whom we both have our faith in when the time comes….," Dagger spoke. "Black Eyes….or your apprentice."
'………..,' the face leaned back. 'I am intrigued. Carry on, Dagger. Although……I've never been quite able to distract you from your ultimate will.'
"And you never will…..," Dagger said. "But do not worry. I know what I am doing. And I know where my priorities lie."
'And it would do you good to keep that in mind, Dagger….."
BLIP! The face disappeared from the screen.
Dagger took a deep breath.
The needle charged against Dagger's skull.
It leaned back on its legs…
"Yes…."
Whurrrrr!
Dagger closed his eyes.
"Everything is going according to plan, Red X."
WHURRRR-SWIIIISH!
TH-THUNK!
SCRKKKKK-KKKKK!
CH-CHNKTTT!
SlppppSlllpssspppp—THP!
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End of Act Two.