Our Flag Still Flies – War of Rebellion –

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PART SEVEN: METROPOLI

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This will be the next part where Slade introduces Robin to his role as Slade's soldier and lackey basically as they go to meet with Alexi in Metropoli to turn the tide of a rumored rebellion coming from the walls of neighboring Stir – that the Blue knight may return and Alexi is not amused. So! We can go ahead with the ramble and move along here! Back to it! Also, Robin is Richard or Robin right now, and Rose is Rosa since I messed that up last chapter. Keeping it going strong, I hope?

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Richard stood at the hall where the General was gathering his few soldiers he did trust, those including his newest co – captain Rosa. Grant was made to come along regardless of any minor disputes as of the days prior. Grant didn't despise the man who'd given him all of this power, the opportunity to do more. No, he had in fact envied what the man was willing to keep all to himself. The secrets and so much of the taboo rites that his associates would not disclose. Rosa did not look at her brother; her focus was on her squadron even so small, that she'd be in charge on their trip to a neutral city with a tycoon at the helm to dissuade any deal that didn't suit him.

"Major Rosa?"

Major... That had a nice ring to it, as Rosa stayed attentive and as a pillar before her master and associate. Her, king to be.

"The test will be to see to our new recruit, can you do that for me? Can you be for certain he won't leave your sight, Major?"

Grant muttered to the side as Robin just stood off and watched the short haired silver haired maiden salute her future ruler of Bluddbechia. "Sir, yes, I shall! You won't regret a thing, sire!"

"That's a positive affirmation, keep it up." He nodded to her, eye now falling below the hat onto his servant boy of the hour. "You'll stand by your cadets, and if the Ravagers need you to come, you won't hesitate." He commanded the former noble, who was only able to nod, gravel in his mouth as he tried only to bob his head and not to speak out of line. "Speak if you'd like. I'd prefer a human at my side. Not a machine."

"Ri…right! I…I will, sir."

"It will surely take less time for you to address me as my best hunters do, child."

Robin lowered his eyes, yet the General didn't want the kid to regress. This was his way back into the world of the elites. As long as he played the part…

Slade helped up the teenager's chin and admired him, his modesty was fearful and yet under that mask was a killing kind.

"You'll do just fine; Rosa and Grant won't let any harm come to you. And if that should fail…" He turned to Grant and let go of Robin's chin, the boy glad to have that hand off of him…for now.

"You won't fight on this mission. Subdue if you must but no fighting where we'll be going." He warned the eldest in the room. "Yes, Sir." Grant said with his arms to either side. "Well, better try again to make it up to your superior officer, first lieutenant."

The kid didn't need to hear much as the three were escorted with the General to a separate car on the rails, the stacks of smoke making Richard choke as a flashback dashed his connection to the real world.

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Just has the General had painted upon disclosing his servant's true identity. Cobb's face remained below an owl – mask as two a man and woman with a small bundle in their arms fled the rail car to hide in the forest. The owl masked man retreated upon finding no one out in the snow and grey fields, that maybe they'd frozen to death with his last heir and lucky charm also eaten by rabid animals.

Or however even, raised by them as well…the bodies of the Gray - son's mother and father strewn about in bone and blood, while a child was carried away in an attempt to return them both to a less hostile environment…

An orphanage on the hill tops, a school and he yet was so young. Had he been adopted right away…as the memory turned to white flurries and faded with a sound made to shatter his old buried dreams of the past…

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"Second Lieutenant Grayson." Grant saw Slade waiting and alert, for Rosa to pull Robin's head out of the clouds. "We'll be boarding shortly, stand by."

"Yes, understood." Robin said in a compromised and chipped voice. His dignity was buried in that past as well, as well as the fact that he'd recalled a part again of his missing past. Grant looked over and wondered if he could make fuss in a private location when the old man's back was turned. His second-rate commander was not qualified to keep children in line, not a spoiled noble's son or a circus brat as he closely watched the boy beside him sigh and head after in single file, to their allotted train car.

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Korina's promise and Richard's longing had left the teen to reminisce on the days long since, Rachelle noting that to her comrades, there had to be a way to stop the war and save the last of the knights' only hope at rebellion – Victor did not disagree, he just was afraid to lose anymore of their rebel forces to a mistake of running or hiding themselves in a corner, even while Roy had been that reason in the first place that the General had caught on. Garrsion worked on keeping in contact from the air with any flags still flying over the states and cities of Dakanta (Dakota) Sterling, and even as far as Baton Rouge. The creatures attacking the strongholds and embassies there had been reported as experiments under a war goddess in the clear; Amanda Warden." Warden as in prison. The few kept an eye on the other countries overseas even, in Manornga ( Morocco Hot Spot) and Aukley ( Argent.) Where there, they had heard of such cruelties by groups associated directly with the Court and her tricks.

There was also rumor of a stronghold in the great mountain range of Nanda Parbat where a surviving few had been imprisoned from the last take over. Rachele and he were going by sun up to see if this was so, that one of the Knights of Jumperei and elsewhere did not fall. He was not forgotten as the scanning eyes of green and violet both spotted a doorway, a way inside of a fortress that stood taller than any mountain top should.

~There are guards, many. ~ Rachele telepathically spoke to her comrades back in Jumperei as they too had to find a way to gather the resistance from scratch. ~What of the Messenger Constance?~ Wallace took a thought up and the rest did as well. ~Constance is a time – leaper of alternate traverses of unforeseen power. ~ Gareth (Garth) of the Atlanticans (Atlantis) spoke out against trying to reason with a hound and a devil for skulls and money they did not have within his reasonable fair amount. ~He'll ask for us to give him far more than we are willing to sell to that crooked Magi. He looks out for himself and no one else. ~

~That isn't necessarily true, however. ~ Victor told the Atlantican noble's child. ~His ally and prentice Anthezara (Zatanna) was not given the same welcome and they both work for the resistance now. We can use their ability to gather information as well as recruit more allies to support our cause. ~

~That may be so, yet be prepared. ~ Garth warned as he ducked at the blasts coming by his head. There was a breech, a criminal Trident was after a rare mineral found to have the power to topple his capital. The warrior king Arthurus (Arthur) was by his arm, beckoning his protégé on. ~I must leave you, do not forget what I have said today. Find yourselves well and we are for the surrender of the Court and its corrupt influence on our world. ~

He left them, the few remaining shaking their heads as Garrison gawked and gasped for Rachele to see as he saw. A boy, and not just any as the squad leader. Yet a child of an impressive birth beside Nanda Parbat's ruler.

Ra's Al – Ghul of the Shadows and a person of such great disaster that the two fled from view before he could spot them from the ground.

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