Teen Titans; ReBeL Yell – If I Had Stayed a Renegade –
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Tag, You're It – Stuck on You
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If Terra became partnered to Richard; if Renegade had never escaped his apprenticeship and yet still had the nerve to plan his escape – so watch the crazy, fly!
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Tapping his booted foot against the foot, there was news.
Something felt amiss, and it wasn't the fact that Slade had stepped out of the haunt for…
Reasons NOT regarding his hostage protégé who'd stayed for up to a year, here.
In Slade's lair.
With the Titans still on standby.
Kind of like Richard was supposed to be…
He could run, but that risk was the loss of the Titans.
His best friends.
As if being bitter and alone didn't feel like the pits enough, the door's mechanism fired up.
Dick raised his masked head to the sound of a clicking security lock, and as it shut, he heard the sound of a second pair of boots.
"Ah, good."
Boy, was not used for once. Dick looked up to see what Slade was so hopped up on…
"Apprentice, meet our newest accomplice. My newest, protégé."
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As they stared at one another; a blonde with a tomboy expression, oozing anxiety and suspicion, Richard opened his mouth to speak.
"Sir, she's a…kid."
"And no older than your late teammate, Beastboy."
"I met the heroes this city seems to adore so much." The blonde rolled her eyes. "He's kind of, clingy –
Dick flashed his masked gaze at the snarky blonde.
"He's like you, still a -
" Apprentice." Slade gave the boy a warning glare, as Dick ducked his head out of habit.
"Sorry, but she worked with…him? Them?"
"You're confused; that is easily understandable, so allow me to paint you a better picture, Renegade."
Slade nodded to the blonde as she walked off to meet with Slade's butler. The two moved from the room, and Dick got read to defend his face.
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"You got hurt?"
"I spoke out of turn." Dick walked past this girl; Tara, who'd left the heroes to come to the dark side, his team.
She was really not giving him anything nice to say about her.
"Sorry, I guess we got off to a rocky start." She then grinned, time returning to when he'd been waiting for Slade to come home. Her hand out to shake, Richard was struck dumb – wasn't she a potential enemy?
"I'm Terra. I can move the earth and…I'm still kinda nervous that he picked me to work with…you…. look famili –
"I'm just his apprentice." Dick said, cutting off that name, knuckles clenched at his sides as Slade probably was watching them both through the camera feed... that title that Robin could never be…
She'd spotted it, and now he had to stick to her. Keep his head down like always. Throw her off his trail.
He had not been this upset since the very first day of his painful, blackmail. The probes were good and ready to put the Titans in their graves…why was Slade changing his game plan?
And this girl acted like she was at a summer camp for what? Future soldiers?
"Whatever – oh!" She hopped out in front with those annoying big, blue eyes. "What's there to eat in this place? You hungry?"
"No. Thanks. I have to go train."
"I'll spot you…"
"No –
"Apprentice." Slade popped up out of nowhere, scaring the pants off of Terra as she heaved a sigh, nervously catching her breath. "Wow! Ninja reflexes? That's so cool!"
"Is it, now? Apprentice? Show Terra where the kitchen is, and remember to clean up before you leave it."
"But sir –
"That's an order, boy." Slade's firm tone was a reminder. Getting whacked in the gut earlier wasn't what had exactly happened from before…but it still hurt to remember his other many punishments.
He'd shown Robin his old team on the screens, making sure the threat stuck.
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Terra was full of spontaneity.
Energy, that Dick only reserved for any jobs from his master now…. His jailor, and now her teacher.
His competition was this meta – child.
While he could only try to keep his head up.
"You, ok?"
Dick blinked away the possibility of tears, knowing he was as vulnerable as she was while Slade watched from behind steely walls. "I'm fine. I just got something…" He stopped, taking in a breath.
~ Mask it. Fake it. She's a victim. Don't be tricked by him. So…try! ~
A smile was forced against his jaw, yet Grayson managed the million-dollar grin that everyone in his town just swooned over.
"I'll make you a snack. What'll it be? No pizza or junk food, so I can't help you there!"
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He was exhausted!...
Dick slumped against his bed and swayed, falling into the maroon sheets as his body went boneless for the first time in weeks.
Not since Slade had updated the training simulator.
Not since Slade had decided to gather a new underling, making sure she never figured out his diabolical reason for having had her join his little "squad."
"I can't keep doing this…" He groaned into the sheets, fists wringing the red cloth as a bleeding, gaping wound below him – ribs sore from holding on to dear life as Slade beat him over and over…just to make a point.
~ But you have to. ~ His mind whipped up that reason, that excuse as Dick screwed his eyes shut, tugging off his mask with a disgruntled growl of his weary canines. ~ Slade already knows my identity. He's known even before I came to become a Titan…. Terra, what did she find out about…~
He'd already drifted off, mask in hand and having forgotten to settle in.
There was no need to fight it. This was, after all his new life. One year.
And one year more.
After that.
And after that…
For as long as Slade decreed, he'd be his to torment for as long as he could be the perfect apprentice.
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Morning meant an early session. Terra was up as she yawned from the habit of having her freedom…
For now. She had no idea what she was in for.
"This obstacle course is here to help not only hone Terra's potential in a later battle, yet it will help with Renegade's agility and stamina as well. Are both participants ready?"
"Yes, Slade." Smirking at the boy wonder, Terra was confident as she strapped on her goggles, readying her plan of action. They'd ended up on more than an average field trip or a "bring your kid to work day."
The desert design was miles from Jump's California, west coast shore. Slade looked to enjoy the ride, but of course he was the one holding the timer.
Dick got to stretching and easily warmed up prior to standing on the course's starting line. This "obstacle course" was built out in the desert and that felt a tad unfair. Giving Terra a handicap, just because she was new…
Or because this was a test…
If she…
Dick's heart flopped in his chest.
~ If I beat her at this course, he won't go easy on her…~
His movements got tenser right there.
He wasn't here to watch her win….
Dick gulped, sweat drops withheld from Slade's one surveying eye.
He was here to watch her lose, and to try to FIX her as he had Robin…
Dick could take it. Terra was in danger; he could warn her. There was nothing stopping the girl from getting away!
"Ready?" Slade set the timer, a gun in hand.
~ Shoot…what to do…. think, think! ~
The bolted, and Terra rode a boulder as a bonus.
No!
Wait…. if she won…
No, Slade would figure out Dick's choice. That he'd have to try to fool him…
Slipping by, Dick locked onto his target and scaled a sand - wall, his bo staff let him propel himself only so far as Dick's rangs helped the hero to climb up even xhigher.
Get ahead, then –
He jumped, scaring Terra who turned to look as Dick faked a flop.
She caught him as he wasn't the least bit sorry for faking a stunt like that.
"Are –
" Agh! Hey!" She rebounded as he found his feet on the ledge again, sailing over top as Terra's blue eyes bugged out, not at all impressed.
Slade was standing by, arms crossed and looking so proud that Dick didn't bother to return even a snarl.
He kept pounding the stinking sand, until another collapse.
Slade flicked a switch.
This was after all more than a simple endurance run.
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The explosions in the stonework had Dick leaping like a mantis, hopping for dear life.
As if he had nine lives to save him!
"Do you want to lose that badly, Renegade??"
Terra was spitting at him now, and she sounded just like Slade.
He huffed and flipped over to another ledge, just as they were nearing a new checkpoint.
Dick swung himself over her head and grabbed the first flag.
"Are you sure you can catch up, "Miss. Rocky Start?" He grinned, taunting her and waving the stick to keep going.
Slade wanted someone to fall, and he'd be sure…
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They were panting, Terra's feet hitting the ground as Dick tried to mimic her, letting his knees buckle first.
~ Please, let this work…~
Dick sighed.
She took the last flag; Slade was coming over, a timer in hand as he nodded at their progress. "It wasn't a real race, but you managed to beat Renegade's time by half a minute, my dear."
"Awesome! So…. pant…. water…. got any?"
Slade dragged out a bottle from a canteen pouch. As if he could summon a truckload of those in the desert, or a geyser to appear with a flap of his pinky…
"You've earned it. Head back to the vehicle, Terra. I'll see to Renegade's condition."
"Kay." The girl chugged her relief down as if it weren't a fluke, not worried at all about what would happen to her competition.
Slade walked over to the boy, sands shuffling beneath his steel toed boots.
"I appreciate that you want to make our new student feel right at home…. But, next time?"
Dick braced himself, Slade right at his ear. His dragon's hiss so very powerful over the teen's state as Renegade knelt. Dirt on his knees and gloved hands. Lips parched, anting in soft puffs.
"Try a different tactic if you want to get my attention. Even if she did lose, I wasn't going to touch that girl. Her powers are far too unstable."
Dick's stomach flipped at the confession.
"You would have won, had you stopped being a hero." Slade shoved something into the boy's view. "Drink up. It'll be a while until we reach the city. Wouldn't want you both to pass out from the heat."
Dick nodded, taking the bottle without a word. After a mean chug of the canteen, Slade turned towards the dusty path that lay before them. "Come. No use dwelling on your attempts to help her now."
"If you knew what I wanted to do, why let it happen?"
"You never let it." Slade shrugged off the question. "I know you, Richard." Slade simply chuckled. "You can choke, despite the promises you've made with yourself. To save your team. That's why you're still not trying to escape me, boy."
Dick's face fell.
"You have something else now to protect, and eventually she won't want you going anywhere…"
"You…want her to trust you??"
"As if she doesn't already. She'd do as I ask without fail, yet I prefer your spark. She's just a child to bait as a weapon. Mass destruction, dangerous…and a way that I won't fail with keeping your "city" in line."
Dick shook, hands pure white with rage.
He, was not taking on an apprentice…
She was a tool – he was…. the only one.
It made him sick! Terra was going to have her youth and joy shot at and beaten . While he got out of this, as Slade's perfect right hand…
"I told you before, that you were already almost, the perfect apprentice."
"I'm a monster then, just like you..and I will get out –
"And, that girl?"
The boy stayed silent. "I'll find a way, we both will."
Was all he added before following the crime lord back to his truck. Miles away from anyone who'd hear him scream for help.
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