Teen Titans Presents; Robin – Torn Legacy of a Prodigal Son –
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Chapter 2: Bitter Bruises
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It had been a few days after his episode, and Dick's returning spark gave Slade a bad taste in his mouth every time they were together.
That, was what Robin had wanted to believe, yet Slade was somehow not as dishonest a teacher…well, as dishonest, but more so calculating than anyone else Robin could name off the top of his head.
Ra's was a very good comparison if Slade were a cult leader.
Which, he was not.
Or Lex, if Slade had to be a tycoon in a city saved constantly by a man in the colors of the American flag.
Super wasn't it, no.
Slade had to be planning something bigger, more than to ruin his apprentice's friends' careers. Dick knew by how Slade didn't seem to really let Richard pal around, but then…
It sounded more indirect than simply a plot in the background being made.
He was formulating a time when Robin would have to use that raw energy to prove his worth to the master.
Jump, was about to get a big shocker as the door swung back to the boy's room.
No sunlight; all walls bare except for his dresser housing his uniform and underwear or sleep things, Dick was roused, miserable from the beatings for his insubordination again, while an interesting change took place in his room. An older man standing in a grey suit with white gloves, a long face with a balding scalp, and weary eyes though sharp, stood to the side as one other came through that door.
Soldiers, seeing to their –
Dick's heart beat hardest as he rose from his bed. His spike – less hair a ruffled mess, his clothing quite wrinkled as the face was his master's masked one. The elder was someone he'd never gotten to know until the other night, when Slade had called over an "assistant" from years ago. The man's name was Wintergreen here at the haunt, but Dick didn't know much else about him, except that he practically worshipped Slade from a safe distance. Robin had tried to crack Slade's files a week ago, and it landed him in the infirmary with even more stitches for the two men to patch up….
Maybe the only time Dick had seen Mr. Wintergreen had been after the bruises had set in from Slade's many painful "lectures."
They had him tangled up in stitches right now, by trying to pin the kid to the wall while he was still in his sleeping quarters, no less.
"Wintergreen will be staying for a time to assist with things around the haunt."
"No "good morning," Apprentice?" Snipped the ex hero with a grumble, his knees tucked in as he exaggerated his discontent for Slade barging in, with a rather loud and obnoxious yawn. The display made Wintergreen's face muscles twitch a bit before he spoke.
"This is the young man you wish for me to discipline while you'll be away this week, sir?"
Gruff and not very secretive. Dick glared at Slade, telling him to back off even with their masks on.
Robin loved these odds….
Heh, this old timer had to either be senile or getting up there, or just…. clueless.
Or Slade was making him say that to mess with him. To take Robin off his guard.
Wintergreen had been with some combat training and previous knowledge of taking down his opponent or incapacitating them. The boy had found out the hard way when he'd tried to dash into the work shop to rain Slade's robot collect for spare parts just to…well, escape. It was mediocre, yet still Wintergreen used a military style by right here in Slade's home – sweet – lair. He knew how to put Robin in a headlock too. As for Slade, he didn't speak much which was bothersome, but also, relieving.
He'd try again, but this time he'd do so quietly.
"Master Slade has set aside a list of tasks to keep you on your toes, child. You'll be given homework and your sleep and meal routines will not be changed unless you are to, misbehave."
"He wont, will you, Robin –
"Depends." The boy sat up a bit and cracked his neck with a sore wince. "If I don't get bored of everything once I have nothing else to keep me busy, Wintergreen can always stop banning anything fun to do here."
"We are not here to cajole and mope around, boy! I am here to be certain you'll not lose focus while Slade is away on some very important business."
"Very, very? As in –
"None of your concern, Apprentice." Slade sniffed and turned to go. They'd be fine, but still he had to monitor things from afar. He was dedicated, and Robin would keep up his end of their deal until the years deemed his apprentice worthy of the title.
He shook his head once out of sight of the boy's silly attitude. Wintergreen just had to promise not to lose his focus. Robin could be very persuasive if provoked.
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Slade left and Robin was now afraid to go back to sleep and waste the day, bound to a promise he really would rather have tossed into a nearby wastebin. He got up, dressed in his gear and checked the list Slade had left for the boy to complete by the end of that one week.
Ten items, all easy save for the last two….
"Ok, no sparring with Sl –
He blinked.
"Combat? What? With who?" Dick scratched his chin and knew it had to be a simulation training exercise. Would Wintergreen be at the controls?
He geared down and put on a basic black gi or uniform for training in and slippers for the floor so he wouldn't be barefoot when he got there.
The training hall was a few halls down and at the lowest part of the haunt's outline. He had plenty of steps to count and even though his teeth were brushed and hair held back with his mask in place, he still felt exposed too much to whatever or whom – ever he'd be fighting today. He took the list with him, just in case.
"Five – thirty." He clicked his tongue and opened up a dojo door way. A sliding version that was well hidden even with no true locks to it on the side of the wall beside it.
Dick padded inside of the room and noticed the tatami matt below his feet. He had to…
Dick scowled and dragged off his slippers as they were discarded by the entranceway. The door shut on its own, electronically as Robin knew he'd be in here for the time the note had described. Only a two-hour session. He sighed. "Just, take a deep breath…" He did as he could, meditating on the issue before he went in further towards the main matt in the center of the dojo floor.
"Hello?"
There was no one there, but it felt as if he was being watched…maybe, Wiintergreen? A bot?
A, bot…
He chuckled at the idea, until a tapping resounded from behind.
Of boots.
In the dojo…
Dick turned slowly to see and his eyes were wrong.
It wasn't his imagination, maybe? Paranoia, possibly…
"Ok, I get it. Can we just –
The clanking went on, but there was no one there as Dick swung around.
He saw a staff on the ground behind his foot.
"How di –
The kid turned with fists up, it was light enough but the walls. The walls were in shadow as lights soon flashed on to show cases and cases of killing weapons from ancient times.
A dojo…. for….Slade?
The cases however, were sensitive and had locks electronically built in to prevent theft.
Dick grunted and gingerly went for, hesitantly…
The hit, was caught as his arm blocked it.
"Aha!"
The figure grunted.
Dick pointed with a smirk to the stalker, expecting a "you got me," or a congrats.
"I knew it." He squinted at a gleaming bit of...
Metallic chrome.
Robin frowned.
"Just a ro...–
"Anh!" Dick was kicked back into the side, and had to jump back, grabbing the discarded wooden staff and twirling it in a partial crouch before swinging back.
The staff was grabbed by the chrome figure's grey gloves - before his arms let go of the staff, when it had been yanked into those shadows –
And a sickening crunch* echoed, as the staff was chucked to the floor. Broken perfectly, in two whole pieces.
Dick gaped and realized that he was trapped in a room with something he couldn't see. Something deadly. He had to call it out, no matter what kind of monster he'd be fighting. Even if it was to Wintergreen. Yet, there was no telling if they'd even set this simulation up on auto pilot!
Dick narrowed his masked eyes at the opponent.
"Come on." He beckoned the haunting nightmare to dive right in, yet it lingered by the walls, making no sound until something was thrown at Robin's spike - free scalp. He ducked immediately and fell to the mat on all fours, rolling away and looking for anything that could…
The mat. Yes!
The growl he let out became a gutteral, battle cry as Dick went to the end of the matt and tugged –
He kept doing do, but it was cemented down! For show??
"And, so much for that plan…" He groaned and ducked - as a throwing star came again at the poor teen.
"I'm unarmed! Stop!" Robin turned and exclaimed, making sure his voice was raspy enough to seem a bit distressed by his odds.
These ones, really blew.
The thing throwing the stars didn't stop so Dick got mad. He ran in the direction of the stars and instead another item whizzed at him from behind. He held his breath, masked eyes widened as the kid's gaping jaw forgot how to close for a few seconds.
And then. The lights went on completely to reveal a bigger scare
Four sides of the room. One for each corner, each waiting in an auto – matic stance to attack.
One with a spear.
A staff.
Stars as the held many.
And, nothing at all for the last, for it was the ultimate weapon.
"You can't see us, child, because you're not trying to learn a thing."
"No way…. Slade, you…you left! How…. robots, like with X…" He growled at the replica of his master. The bot he'd destroyed from that fiasco on the roof had been rebuilt. He seethed at how serious this was.
"I don't have to take this. It's a beat down and I won't be a part of your –
"Criminal the concept may be, apprentice…." Hissed the bot, "Yet you won't be prepared enough if we don't challenge you from all angles."
Dick snarled and got into his best chance at a stance to hold off the hits, long enough to fight for his life.
"Fine, bring it…. I'll just take you apart like I did before as Robin…"
"Robin, won't be joining us." Fake Slade raised a palm and two bots rushed in with their staves and spears.
Dick took that as a challenge right off the bat, and didn't hold back this time.
Sparks flew as the one bot with the staff was gutted with the other's spear that Robin had taken only AFTER disposing of the spear carrying bot. On its back, like a dead turtle. He smirked and coaxed the star thrower to come at him next, if it wanted to stay alive.
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The dojo was something with a reed mat, so why didn't it catch fire already?
The star thrower was just a distraction as the bot's attacks pushed him into the broad, metallic chest of the fake Slade. A bear hug came with the blow as the star thrower took on the liberty of beating up the kid with a kick in the gut. The fake Slade didn't drop Robin, even when its metal guards were kicked by Robin's unclad feet. He bit back a cry as the Slade bot stood at attention to the side, while the other fake Slade let the boy fall to the matt, coughing up a bit of saliva from the hit and the shock. He rubbed his foot and seethed at the ache, not noticing that the Slade bot had gone to pick up from a convenient wall of first aid items, an ice pack.
"Are…"
He, for some reason looked at the fake Slade, but then realized it was a bad idea. Dick lowered his eyes and rose, thinking that he'd needed a break, yet the cold hand now resting on his shoulder steered the teen from leaving the matt.
"You still have forty – five minutes remaining." The false Slade reminded the kid, who was tortured enough by the clock ticking to know…
"I need to give myself a second."
"What seconds do you have to keep the Titans alive."
Dick growled, temper up, while he swung back around and….
BAM!
The mask flew off of the fake Slade's face, and his wrist; his right was definitely….
Sprained at some point, as Dick gasped.
The disturbed apprentice of a mad man bit down hard on the inside of his cheek until the soreness from his foot was changed to remedy his poor wrist. "Shit… shit!" He cursed, wished the bots weren't crowding in on him like the walking dead. He ran for the door, sliding it back before those THINGS could hassle him into his first cardiac arrest. His heart rambled on as Dick panted, sweat upon his brow from not cooling off in time, and the pain making him woozy…. just as something had come down the hall to…. look at his many bruises…. he fainted.
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