Teen Titans Presents Robin – Torn Legacy of a Prodigal Son –

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Chapter 44: Kids of Yesterday

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Song title from My Chemical Romance. Welcome to the stage, Team Defiance!

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"He won't go for it, and that could be the end of us."

Rose snorted and shot a dart onto the board of Jason's small flat on the other lower side of Gotham, docks and ports made this safe house the perfect cover. Only until the other Bat – kids came a stalking would they high tail it to a new location.

"We got caught a lot more, a lot. And maybe…maybe there weren't enough of us to disarm that many drones."

"Yeah, he has a ton of robots servants and one-man servant currently laid up in Germany." Grant shook his head and Jason went detective on the two, a somewhat Bat – slap in the face to his ulterior personality. "Batman can't get us in unless if I took his tech and tools, made it look like a set up – we'd get what we wanted and be out before sun – up."

"Who says it like that?" Scoffed Rose with a crooked smirk. "I say we get some real meta – hands in this Defiance smoothie."

"Um, what part of covert makes sense to either of you?" Grant put his hands on his hips and his sister just ignored the question, Jason understood plenty. "Rob is done for, so unless we tear up the next new haunt Slade has cooking, I'm out of options –

"We steer his legacy into a shit hole, push him out and he can cry to someone else."

"Most likely his butler." Shrugged Rose to the comment, hugging her knees by how this was a form of anarchy she'd never experienced. It felt, right.

"Or, my brother." Jason pursed his lips and kept up his pacing, making Grant's eyes slant in annoyance at his partner. "Hey, quit brooding. The last thing I want to hear is "I Can't from a zombie and an effing princess. I'm no white knight either, but that network of dad's is chaos incarnate. I won't be upstaged by the twerp, and I won't act like a pansy for the bat to mock and call "insane." Not when this is the plan…" He had them huddle, the shuffle Todd was doing, coming to a stop as he grinned and nodded back.

"Infiltration. Fuck yeah!"

"Now the very best part?" Grant smirked at his two team members. "Rosie is right, we need to more for a distraction."

"Who's you have in mind?" She frowned as her half brother's cocky grin was hardest not to point out.

"You gave us Terra, but I know some folks. That and a little brother who's just itching to do what he can to free Deathstroke's perfect apprentice from a life of absolute tyranny."

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Dick's practices slowly did get plenty tougher. He'd never had so many burns on his hands until now, in direct contact with a bed of coals or sharp needles. By the time it was nearly a month, the teacher and fakir was ready for one final test as he stayed inside for it on a floor that held very little accommodations. A door was shut by the entry way as Dick walked in with his plainest attire granted and a frown on his face.

"I did not remember to tell you, my name." The elder soon smiled warmly and rose to go and bring not two cups of a lovely chai, yet three.

Dick looked to his display and didn't know what to expect. How did this all go? Was his a passing grade and would Slade finally take him back? Dick wondered all in his time as the door finally opened and in walked not one but two faces, one he recalled very strongly as they both rushed to him.

"Robin!"

Raven was beside a Martian daughter who'd joined the team due to the league's consideration, she told the ex – hero. "So, you were all in on…why here?"

"Reception could be blocked, jammed to be exact. Slade might come soon but we have a counter move. Miss M told the boy wonder as he smiled to both, Raven's eyes downtrodden even after their reunion. "I knew you weren't evil, that Grant and his team saved Batman before Ra's could act. Even Cheshire is safe, so…you don't have to blame yourself. We made sure that our team was safe…" She told the hero. "We even tracked Slade's movements the moment he took you back. I made sure to learn all I could from there."

"But you could get hurt." Dick replied, his hands shaking in his lap at their pain, not his. "I won't let him press the trigger, not to teach anymore lessons that I don't want any of you to have to learn –

"It is pain that he wishes to show you, in order to release you from the incorrect pain that you are feeling. Yet now, do you know why I falsely trained you even so, Robin?" The Fakir questioned as Dick in a sense did, it was a hero's training. The same as Bruce would have, not the way a Shadow might perceive a lesson. As in treason; the man could lose HIS life to the Terminator.

"Robin, we have an idea to keep you linked to up, even if he succeeds in taking you back. Miss Martian helped us so I believe she can help you, and with our bond I can also make sure he won't try to harm…. you either." Raven rubbed her arm, hoping the teen would consider, despite his fear and that petrified glance from before in Nanda Parbat.

"What about my team, what if he finds out everything –

"He can't, Robin…Richard." Miss M said with a lopsided gaze. "I can go deep in your mind and place a telepathic link, that way you won't be alone against him."

"When the time is right, the Titans won't hold back. Please, consider what we have to offer…. I , Starfire is ready to leave if you ever do come back. She's losing her faith in her friends."

"Because of me…"

"Because of Slade's trick, the blackmail." Raven corrected. "We won't let you live like this; we'll find a way back in. You just have to trust us." Dick looked at the fakir as he bobbed his head patiently and then to Miss M, he swallowed. The fear was still a pinch to his subconscious, yet he felt this was necessary to break free from Slade's grip when the time was right to act. "I'll do it, so go ahead."

Miss M was as bubbly as Kori and that made Dick sniff back a sob, he'd save for his ride home to the haunt. "Work your craft quickly." The elder said. "Your evil teacher is coming here very soon."

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The Bat had all eyes on the Titans yet a call had been made out not from the computer but his front lawn. The Man of Steel stood there in mid flight before landing and by his looks, he wasn't a happy camper. "Bruce Wayne, I presume."

"Superman." Clark knew to address them both in order to let the world know who Batman was; he had to keep his alibi solid as well since it wasn't long after they'd found out about each other's secret worlds.

A bounding adult fell onto his lawn with a forceful drop, rocking the ground as he stood side by side with the other alien. Bruce recognized the kid as a Project Cadmus mistake sand their best secret weapon at times since his integration into their newest secret project. Not so secretly known as Young Justice, which was composed of Wally West; a.k.a Kid Flash, Miss Martian and Roy had been offered to move there yet…Titans East was his home. The one person on that team also at times was Tim Drake when he wasn't in Gotham but he was still the youngest of the growing bunch. All managed by the league until they got their wings, Black Canary and Red Tornado must have missed role call…

"Bruce. This is…. a hard time to come to you; one of the Titans went alone; they are out of range, and…."

Clark elbowed the younger copy of Clark's younger days, if he were a broody jock (Conner)

"Tell him what you told me and Diana."

"I'm not buyin' your tough guy routine. Interrogate me, and you go up against Young Justice and the –

"Conner."

The teen scrunched his face and clicked his tongue in annoyance, his patience more Lex's temper since his other donor was no good boy in Sunday school. "Miss M and Raven are not in town, we though…. they had a shot of getting through to Deathstroke's hostage –

"And with Deathstroke probably aware of their motives?" Bruce shot at the younger half alien hybrid. "You know he has eyes –

"In Bangalore. That's where you said they'd be now." Shrugged the teen, getting less the dis than the aster from the billionaire's bulging neck veins than his own.

Clark interrupted the bat a moment. "Bruce, the League is currently off world, J'honn won't be back in time to do much and I'm being summoned there…we don't have anyone else who can make the trip."

"It's too late, we just took our time too soon in Nanda Parbat and I had to call in the only force strong enough to defy Deathstroke, the Titans are not –

"The zeta beam." Conner turned to his dad. "It can get us there in no time. Beam us to wherever we last saw M'egan." The teen had the two in understanding as Conner went with Bruce, the idea suicide but then again, the job was working through the pain as always.

"Report back if things don't follow as planned." Clark told his foster kid, the boy giving him a weird look. "Do I look like the new guy in the group, dad? I got this, and I'll make sure my team is alright. Go save the world, and we'll save your Titan."

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Slade was up in the copter long enough to get his unit out, a scratchy voice on the end that made him cringe. "Your team is up, don't disappoint."

~Roger, cap. She's on our side, nothing's going down like your scuz – munchin' Titans ain't waiting fer. ~

~We're on it, and I'll be sure to lead them like you said, sir. ~

"Very good, and maybe the HIVE academy will give you both a pass on this exam. ~ Slade crossed his leg and smiled below the mask. ~ Bangalore is no mystery, it's a part of my past…. ~ (India is where Jinx was from in the comics.) ~ Team Alpha won't let you down, sir! ~

/

"We have to stop!" Miss M started to breathe less calmly out, her senses attune to what was currently prying at her skull. "We'll get out first, Robin. I'm sorry that we can't do more…" Raven wiped her brow, hood going up as he knew she'd put a lot of thought into this, even this reckless a plan.

"Go, take the back way and do not turn from your mission. The boy will come to no such harm."

Raven nodded and levitated off, not even leaving a scent in her way for Slade's bloodhounds to sniff out.

"Thank you for your kind words, Sir." Miss. M smiled and bowed in peace before the two found their strength to go –

Only, they didn't as Raven let out a cry that had Dick running after.

"No! Do not let fear –

"They are my friends! I'm taking in their pain because I have to." Dick snapped at the elder as the old man sighed, the one by his front door opening it in steel toed horror.

"This won't stand. My apprentice hasn't advanced like you told me he could. What did you do in my absence, tell me…" The fakir sighed and the result was just as Cassandra's had been. "If you kill me and take my life from these hands where you stand, will it make you happy to see me go?" Was all he asked as Slade left him, the standing worry that the boy was not going to feel his pride return until he'd tapped into the defense mechanism that the strange fakir had in fact granted the boy the ability to seek when the time came. "Overcome, and yet…you run into the fire as if it will not touch you."

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The teen looked back at Mammoth, Gizmo, a darkly clad boy with a pale blue face and a curved mask and cape, as well as their leader Jinx had Raven in a pinch. Dick sped up, stopping when a voice wrung his metaphorical collar without even calling on his name twice.

"ROBIN."

The man behind the door had Dick turn, not sure who to face at this….

The collared existence he'd faced. The probes, the Titans. Was this another test or just a way to get rid of some unfinished business. "Let them go, apprentice. You've gotten what you need from the fakir's lessons. You don't have to stay, let them fight."

"Robin…" Miss M looked on with a sad gaze as Dick felt to –

"I think we can work something out."

From the air, a force of a blast, no a crackle had Slade look up with one bewildered eye. "Don't engage." He seethed, Dick not taking that to heart as Batman and one other showed their faces. Ready to fight.

/

"Since when was Batman supposed to show??" Mammoth growled out with his fisticuffs shiny and brand spanking new. Dick felt unsure of what side he could take, but Bruce could get someone killed.

"GET THE DEVICE ON HIS WRIST!" Conner shouted out, Miss M gawking and knowing they were never going to take any of it back this time.

"We can't risk –

"We're here now so trust me, Meg." Conner looked at her, Slade picking up the cues as he ordered the villains to go on the assault.

"We're gonna wipe the floor with you, dweebs." Gizmo snickered as he pressed a button on his suit. Mechanic arms and legs had him off the ground, while Jinx snapped her fingers and had Batman dive out of the way of a crumbling pile of earth and a roof of some small dwelling right beside them. Where was the fakir, Dick's head turned to Slade as he nudged for the boy to follow him back to the old wise guru's home. Dick blindly did so, hoping he was ok as Bruce called out, his force knocking Slade to the dirt as the two went at trying to get the device. Slade kicked and snarled until they were apart. The Batman never fought like a kid in the mud…was he desperate??

Slade could use this.

"Pity things again took a turn for the worst, Batman." The man dug a kink from his armored neck as Bruce didn't bother to humor another sociopathic kidnapper.

"It was a better strategy than we had formulated in Nanda Parbat, otherwise Robin wouldn't have made his choice." Bruce cracked a smirk as he pulled at trigger up and to eye level for all to witness, until Slade gave a dark chuckle, moving as a snake in the grass.

Far too close as Dick felt a hand creep to his shoulder. "As I said, a pity. And you're too late to try and trick me. The decoy worked to put you in your place. My apprentice will witness his very first kill." The man grasped harder as Dick's pain receptors didn't come. His face went blank instead, wondering why he couldn't feel the hurt shoulder, why Slade had to be right.

"And I'll be right there to congratulate him, on a job well done."

Why, if the fakir was on his side, the price was the same…

He no longer felt the man's abuses the same way, as Batman attacked with everything he had. Slade countering without mercy while the heroes brawled in the dirt of the countryside. Robin looking on, waiting to be rescued or find a weak spot in Slade's cracking armor.

/

Slade and Bruce were evenly matched, but a decoy…. Bruce was livid as his hands never stopped. Whether to parry, block or hit the menace, he wanted his son to come home.

So, what did Robin actually want?

"You want to know happiness, and it doesn't exist in shadow as you remember it has always." The fakir spoke from the doorway so that only Richard could hear him. "That ability…what's going –

"What will follow, and what I cannot tell you. The pain will manifest itself strongly and one day, you will no longer allow for it to control you. You are not a puppet; you have wings to fly and feet to ground you." The man told the teen. "Find that passion within and let it burn until you understand what it is YOU are meant to accomplish." (Aka Nightwing but you didn't hear it from me!)

"THAT'S FAR ENOUGH."

A bullet whipped by as the fakir's blood splattered cranium, right in front of his shattered pupils masked eyes. Dick, Dick couldn't move. Slade held the smoking laser for a killer as Bruce shot a rang and tackled, Slade letting him before the man swapped to a serious head-butt and twisted the Bat to his back. Slade pinning him with his own Batarang as Dick was torn between losing anyone else.

"Go ahead, apprentice." Slade huffed out, the heat in this place making the man work harder to show who he really was, his masked face puffing out clouds as if a wolf to the goat on its belly below. "Take down the bat, and I'll keep my word to keep your friends alive a bit longer." The slick sound of the rang at Bruce's pinned throat had Dick yelp as he dragged himself to stay up. To not go and cower before his enemy. Slade put his knee to the bat's chest, crushing the wind out with his enhanced strength, Dick shaking his head and tears welling up.

Good, he had a choice to make. Get his freedom back, or lose more of the heroes to this deal.

Slade soon swapped tactics, scaring the boy wonder to act on his own volition by force. The gun was cocked in HIS face, the Bat losing his breath as Dick's was held for far too little too late. Slade's one eye never faltered on either as the Hive played playmates on the playground with the Titan and Young Justice teammates.

Slade let the barrel roll; Dick's nerve as shot through as that fakir's bleeding skull. "Choose your poison, boy."

Slade let the words come out, just as he'd never planned for a more perfect betrayal of the man's trust. The Bat's mercy would be the death of him eventually.

"Otherwise, this is the end."

/

I'd wanted this to end with Dick being Renegade up until his twenties so…it is a bit gritty while Batman knows Dick doesn't want what Slade has to offer. That trick that was originally Cassandra's gift to Bruce was something he stuffed down, yet now Dick can use the working through pain motto to defeat Slade when it's time. Right? Find out!