Here is a quick heads-up. There will be a few, I guess, arcs you could call them where the rest of the Titans do not show up or they only come in at random. This is a chapter that focuses on Kiara and Slade. Hope you like and let me know if it doesn't make sense! Thanks again! :)
Chapter 7: Training
Kiara was not happy. She had blown her cover, revealed her teacher, and may have said more than she should with her little speech. What was up with the fangs and scarlet ring in her eyes? That had never happened before. However, Sensei tells everyone how they met; it would not end well for her in training today. She could feel his tension over the ordeal emanating off of him in bursts. Her lip quivers in fear, the last thing she wanted to do was go back to that place.
"Well dear student of mine. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"No Sensei." Slade grips her chin forcing her to look him in the eye. He stays like that for several seconds. Kiara has no choice but to stare back at him. His eye narrows for a brief second before he composes himself and sighing he drops her chin. Kiara is too tense to relax she knew her training session would be akin to falling in a volcano and then being thrown into an Arctic ocean. Slade gestures to the steep hill that stretches up to a flat slope that leads to a near fatal drop off a cliff. Kiara closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and begins climbing.
The climbing itself is not the terrible part. All she has to do is walk up the hill. What makes Kiara cringe on the inside is the top of the hill. Slade's personality could be considered border-line paranoia with all the booby traps, hidden entrances, and security cameras around just the "front door". She has no idea what would be on the inside of this mountain "fortress". Knowing that Sensei was watching her every move made her anxious and excited at the same time. This is what Kiara wanted so now she had to follow through.
When they make it to the top of the hill Kiara is stunned by the beauty of the natural surroundings. She could imagine flying through the canyons, forests, and over the lakes.
Kiara was brought out of her daydreams when she was able to look around the tree covered field. For a moment Kiara wondered where the entrance is. She found out after stepping on a flat stone and the floor caved in from under her foot. Holding in a yelp of shock she slid down the twisting metal slide. Through the final inches she is plopped onto the hard concrete. She brushes off dirt and dust. Expecting to hear a similar thud from her Sensei instead she is blinded by lights.
Forced to squint against the glare she is not expecting to be surrounded by at least 25 metal robots.
"Well this is a surprise."
A spot light shines on a "throne-like" chair in the center of the room and there is Slade. Kiara stares at his expression as a swirl of emotionless white and red for strength whipped around his face. In Kiara's mind this meant I am in for a world of pain. This thought is confirmed when he snaps his fingers and his robots charge. Kiara relaxed her muscles as well as she could while trying to look scared. Slade was not fooled but one of his robots backed away wary of an oncoming attack. In truth he should have been watching for flying objects.
Another robot had been flipped over Kiara's head and was sent flying into the 'retreating' robot. They get slammed into the pipes hidden behind the 'throne' where Slade was sitting. Three robots decided to jump her and corner her. Kiara spun around using a brown (maturity) and orange (mischievous) gust. The robots are knocked off their feet and Kiara manages to grab one staff they were holding. Kiara who had not moved from her spot sprints toward the nearest robot twirling her staff over her head. The robot aims a gun at her head to which Kiara deflects some of bullets by spinning the staff in front of her.
The gun-slinging robot continues to fire. Kiara leaps in the air hoping to slam her staff in its head. The plan was foiled by an incoming net from one of the 10 or more robots down below. Kiara yelps as she falls to the ground in a hard thud!
"My dear you should pay better attention to your surroundings. I know you can sense auras now use them."
Kiara closed her eyes to concentrate on her breathing. Opening her eyes she saw the robots covered in a white wind which meant they had no emotions. Kiara had to rethink her original plan of exploiting whatever emotions they had. Now she was going to have to content with mechanical versions of her Sensei. Most people would have given up but Kiara is determined to prove to Slade that he didn't make a mistake. A blade of red (confidence) turquoise (dedication) and red-violet (mystery) cuts through the net. The blade becomes curved as she focuses on the ends of the staff.
Slade is surprised by the different colors but he has no idea what they mean. Kiara seems to have gotten a confidence boost. Whenever a robot makes the mistake of turning its back it gets blown away by a colorful gust. Kiara spins, ducks, and swings her staff like a professional. One robot grabs her staff and tries to yank it away. Kiara lets it slip through her fingers and twists her arms on the end. The robot slams the staff on the ground. She cushions the fall with wind and a split. In a quick round-house kick she knocks the robot on its butt. Another robot aims a gun at her back and fires. Kiara leans over to the left dodging the bullet and it hits another robot.
In another round-house kick she stands up. Two robots come at her from the side. Kiara drops to her knees and jabs her staff into the robots kneecaps. Unstable the robots bend on their knees and Kiara swings her staff like a lumberjack. The last two robots go flying into the dense pipelines behind her. She pants gripping her staff, she swings feeling a hand on her shoulder. Slade deflects the blow and punches her in the stomach. Kiara doubles over in pain coughing.
"That was well done. However that was just a warm-up. I'll let you see your room and give you a tour and then I'll meet you back here in an hour. One piece of advice you should expect the unexpected." Slade is kind enough to help her to feet.
Kiara coughs again afraid to look her Sensei in the eye. Slade grips her chin and forces her to look him in the eye. Kiara sees the familiar white (emotionless color) and red (strength). She is surprised to see red-violet (mystery or intuition), turquoise (dedication), a flash of yellow (happy) and orange (mischievous). Slade pokes her in the head and points to the staff on the ground. Kiara has a swirl of cream (weary) and blue-green (weak in her current situation physical pain) whipping her hair. Taking one deep breath she clears her mind of all fears and anxieties now content to wait.
Slade reaches behind his back and pulls out a long slender metal pole. Kiara is plagued by an onslaught of memories and emotions most of them when Sensei was training Robin. Kiara saw the images from his eyes and she marveled at his complex emotional display as he "trained" with the young crime-fighter. She wants to understand why Robin hates her teacher so much or why Terra had been so eager to stay. Slade is amused watching the play of emotions on his student's face he knew that showing this staff would bring back memories.
Slade wants this to happen. If Kiara is going to survive the next hour she has to show him one: she can adapt to uncertain situations, and two: how will she deal with an emotional shock something that his memories could not prepare her for. He swings his staff on her injured right shoulder she flinches but he continues to swing. Kiara ducks under the blow with a shoulder roll to avoid him kicking her with his leg which he does. She grabs his leg and uses it to push herself up in the air. She didn't use her wind to knock him off his feet but instead backs away cream whirling around her and yet there is a brief splash of turquoise. (End 12/12/10)
With a wicked smirk that makes his eye curl up he charges at her. Kiara backpedals as fast as her feet can go, Sensei matching every step. He crosses the staff in front of him like a person in a canoe. When Kiara thinks she can't go any further she drops to her knees. Slade swings the staff rolling Kiara over and over. Kiara tries to stand but wobbles and falls. Slade strolls up to the battered and bruised girl like he was walking through a park. He grabs her shoulder and yanks her to her feet. Dazed and confused Kiara's knees give out and her head falls on Slade's stomach.
"Sir, if I may? I believe the young girl has done satisfactory for her first day of training would you not agree? So please let her rest tomorrow and she will come back more vivacious and eager than ever." Slade grips the gold handle of a black door to reveal an olive green bed, maple drawers; a light pink rug at the foot of the bed, beige walk-in-closet, and cream colored walls.
"I am not going to work my one apprentice into the ground my old friend. I must admit I am growing fond of her "duckling" like attitude it amuses me. I forgot she may have most of my memories she doesn't know everything. I will show her to her room and let her rest for the day, but after that I'm going to get serious," Slade explains while placing the exhausted teen under the matching olive green sheets and covers; before patting her head and turning to face his old friend.
A gray-haired elder gentleman in a dark navy suit and glasses gives a grin, flashing white teeth. The elder walks to the closet pulling out an old fashioned stereo and a Rascal Flatts CD and plays the song "Holes" and before Slade can say anything he clears his throat.
"Remember Wilson sir, no matter how many robots you build or how much you torment the young Titans you must never forget this." Slade steps up to the older gentleman and stares him right in the eyes giving a glare that would make the Joker proud. The older gentleman stares back without flinching and continues, "You are and always will be lonely unless you let someone in. I think you should start with the young lady. She has a strong heart even I can see that, so don't let your pride destroy this… second chance you've been given. I doubt you'll get another one."