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

/

Chapter 38: Earning Back a Hero's Good Word

/

How; was the question.

As in, how was Jade; the talented assassin former Shadow turned double agent to the JLA, going to convince the first Boy Wonder Robin the very first to the role, that he needed to fight his captor with everything he had.

How, was it that Slade wouldn't try to destroy Robin's team with nano machines, or if she could have his attention away a moment to dupe the "master" manipulator Ra's pupil? All very excellent questions…except for one factor in the way of her game plan.

Deathstroke; A.K.A. Slade J. Wilson.

How, was the question, as Jade Ngyuen Crock attempted to forget about her wrongs, until a knock sounded on her room's door.

She sighed, just a little while as she'd go along with whatever her cult followers decided. In a few short moments, they'd all gather, maybe welcome the new duo to sit and chat.

That wasn't always the case as one guard had Jade escorted to a dojo that was enclosed as the outpost's individual training field. The grounds were protected on every which wall. Wilson was dressed in a more traditional and appropriate set as was his new protégé. How they looked this identical, that truly made Jade want to hurl as she considered Red's speculation.

" Comrades!" Ra's swept along as regal as his attitude might request. She roamed about a few steps and saw Dick Grayson peering out past the wall. That, lifted her spirits. He wasn't brainwashed. It was as Red and Grant had said. She still honestly did not trust Grant to stay clear of trying to get "rid" of the problem that was his father, yet did anyone ever try to refuse killing the merc for a laugh or two? Or pride, as Sports - master had failed to. Those two were not allies, no matter how you sliced it.

"Sir, you look…healthy." Slade smiled a bit, not intentionally trying that hard. A joke; Ra's was practically decaying under all of that black magic. Jade withheld a groan as she put her mask back in place. "What I wanted to tell by this duel, was how well you've trained your pupil; with Master Sanji (made up) returning to learn less and do so much as guide his own student, there wasn't time in the present as now I see…for this." Ra's ran an eye over the two teens. "Jade will demonstrate her skill, as will your Renegade, for me to judge your competence."

/

Dick turned his head as the announcement was cemented to his soul. Slade nodded, Richard's feet nearly ready to bolt for the highest wall and leap into the abysmal fog surrounding this mountain fortress. "I…I'm not ready, she's killed –

"She's just an apprentice, like you." Slade reassured in a way that was pressing, not at all for that case, nervous over the comment.

He expected Dick to be tested, if not now then when he deemed himself assured in his role.

"She'll be sparring like you always did with your enemies. Not much a difference, feeling concerned for how this will affect your grade?"

"No, no sir…"

~With a set of dangerous weapons on her back, I would be cautious. Wouldn't you? ~ Dick thought, as Jade smiled under the mask and stepped forward with a hand to her hip. Her green sash and kimono style garb was more so to aid in stealth than to be battle ready. If she needed less metal than Slade had forced Dick to carry, then this kid was at least an intermediate student in the "big villain's school for future criminal masterminds."

"Come at me, wonder kid. I don't bite. Might even let you win the first round." She purred, egging on the merc's young protégé with a crook if her ungloved finger.

Dick pushed a bit of himself, his old self down for now, seeing as Jade was here to learn about what he'd learned. So far, very little – unless hacking, stealth, poisons, and of course combat practice were involved. Then, yes. He was almost too fit for the job as Dick leapt into battle with his only trusty, bamboo staff available.

Grimacing, he had to avoid making them both look bad; Ra's was counting on Slade to have picked a damn winner.

Oh, he'd show the old stiff a thing or two about what Renegade had to bring into the arena….

/

The boy dodged as well as he could and flung himself as high as Jade could go up in a mask. He was an acrobat, yet Slade stared as if to point out that the theatrics should be left out until after supper. When he'd turned to see the man's silent displeasure, Jade attacked and sent the kid into the ground on his rump. Her twin sai came down as he rolled, crouched and locked eyes with the enemy. He parried her hits, the staff stronger than traditional wood when in the correct hands. Both panted as they divided, then leaped into each other again.

Wait.

Wait….wait!

She knocked him in the shoulder with the butt of her blade, nothing lethal and he eventually found that she was holding back. Slade saw it too and started to talk to Ra's, a whisper away as Richard winced by the mental image. Dick then nodded to the assassin girl and she understood, almost as if they'd always been in perfect sync.

Like the Titans –

"That's enough ."

Jade pulled away and kept to a military posture as Slade made it over to the field. Ra's following. "I must have a word with my apprentice."

Dick's face fell to the girl, even as masked as he was before, her eyes were constantly changing as he saw her keeping the mask as it was, stalk still to not let Slade or anyone else come after her to commit to the ultimate decision to rat out a spy. Dick had seen her hint something vaguely, yet so had Slade.

Ra's said nothing as Richard was forced to walk with his mentor, behind him. He swallowed, wondering why Jade had spared him those extra beatings when he barely knew her.

/

Dick didn't speak. Slade was onto whatever had just gone down, and maybe he'd already figured out the rest with Ra's technology. "You're to stay away from Cheshire. That's an order." He told the ex – hero, gruffly.

"She's not one of them, and if she is then Ra's has been losing his touch." The man looked up in thought at the archways, his eye still on his protégé at all times. "Someone else is possibly commanding that brat, so I'd advise you to steer clear for a few more days before our new lair is up and running."

"We can't go!... We'll be running for…" Dick's voice softened. Slade turned to his apprentice and didn't think much would come of another lecture. His fists curled, the jab by Ra's was starting to have some effect at a delay. "For as long as it takes." Said the man in a darker tone, leashing his protégé back on board to their deal. "You still owe me for the Titans' lives; this contract is not completed, not for a few more years." He said to the teen, who didn't have a comeback lined up while in such a small hallway. He could run, yet Slade would not allow a failed attempt to see to his creation learning its place.

"Yes, sir." Dick finally answered. "What about Ra's?" He asked with a weak voice. "What if he does know about…whatever she's been up to?"

"Leave the rest to me, my apprentice." Slade slowly addressed the title, dressing it up as something meant to be kept safe and away from all dangers. "I'll be sure to speak to her sensei. Ra's is just supervising for the girl for a day and we have a mutual understanding... You only need to focus on preparing for our leave to the next location that I'll choose for us. Got that?"

"Yes, sir." Dick nodded, hands to his sides as he faced the murderer. Trying to pretend that the mask was just a wall, nothing threatening about that…

"Good, get dressed into something else." Slade moved alongside him as Dick stayed to not straying from the path to the hall, and then eventually to their rooms. " I don't want to see that uniform again until I know you're meant to take her out of commission, for good. "

/

Jade bit her lip, her bruised one and her now sore arm. Her sensei in the dojo situated here was a very strict man. She'd almost gotten more bruises just by telling him a lie that sounded true. He didn't get his answer, not all of it. She said she was testing him, his master just had overreacted. However, Deathstroke was too well respected to be mocked by a novice, even if she had once been a full fledged killer. That was before Roy….Roy, was he ok?

~You hanging in there, Chesh? ~

~ Ag….I wish that's all I had to do. Your boy wonder didn't want to fight. You were right, he needs to get home to them…~

~Don't talk. What happened? ~

Jade tried to stay quiet with the mental link that another hero up and coming had initially allowed via range. She was glad to be working with so many like herself. Robin was no exception to the rule, he reminded her of…

" Hn…. poor….Artemis…." She wept into her arms and tried to keep her voice down, but was too upset to force anymore emotions into the well of her heart.

~We'll find her, Jade. I promise… ~ Roy could try, yet Sports Master's hold on his kids was a touchy subject. Jade had fought to leave, she even ran away to become the thing she'd hated most of all. While, Artemis Lian Crock was left to the Crusher…. (his nickname.) (In this, there is a reverse. Artemis is captive to being Sportsmaster's favorite kid, while Jade was already converted by Speedy and now is a double agent of the shadows she used to work for – currently does.)

~It's my job to get them both home safe, I'll work on wonder boy. You just, have my back. If I need you, that is…~ She assured, her hope in her pride to surpass the dreariest of outcomes to come.

~Will do, babe. ~ Roy smiled and tried not to shed a tear too soon, if ever Deathstroke ended up ending what they had right now….Dick had better keep his beak shut. ~ I'll be right by your side, always. ~

/

Batman was off with recruiting the JLA's closest team to infiltrate or scope out Ra's fortress, if not to speak to Talia and tell her what Slade's real plan had been all along. While he did what he had to do, the Titans refused to be on standby all at once.

They came together and Joey stayed out of the group, claiming that he was too unstable and should go back with his mother. The heroes all felt a pang of guilt in not being able to help him with the time they had ticking by, his want to be a hero would in fact be in transit until the probes were deactivated and eradicated from their bodies.

However, there was still a concern over Grant going behind their backs to ruin everything. Roy had stayed to being very clear to Red that their little covert ops run was not going to last if his demented ego took over the story to twist it like before. He needed to keep a cool head, yet Grant was a killer, he'd not been very good for very long and found it problematic to sit with nothing to add to their teamwork.

That was where Terra and Rose came in, specifically, Ravager number two. How would he get past Tara's blocking? They went to the same academy for now in Gotham so that Bruce could keep an eye on both meta teens. Yet, he'd let Grant's obsession with culling his dad slip by as soon as the Bat had left the building.

That was why the Titans had no choice but to follow and spy on Grant as he snuck out one evening from the manor. Even if he was being tracked down, he could hack as well as Richard and his old mentor. With his improv skills, he could even blend in as a student to talk to Rose. She was in her room at Leslie's, same as Tara since right now she couldn't go back into a system and Addie wasn't sure she could handle any bad blood on her hands again. (She's annoyed because Slade slept around on his missions. Lily, we are using 2020 movie Deathstroke for this one.)

Rose had to study, yet she'd put down her note cards to wield a bo staff and practice her katas. She still tried to fit in, yet she was not likable with her attitude and the fact she lived with a therapist…. that bit –

At her window, one stone, then one pebble before a cord cable took her to raise her staff in self-defense. She lowered it immediately as she saw who had come by after supper to stay a while.

"Grant? She saw that he was not wearing his full suit, a bummer with the Bat leashing them both to their provided new roles as convicts going through reform school. "You can't be here right now, what the heck are –

"I'm here to get you out. You're not the college type anyway. What?" He pointed to her staff as he stood by the ledge and smirked. "Was that just "because" you felt like beating out the anger from your system, or are you tired of lying about what you can do for you?"

"You sound just like him." She sneered and dropped the staff before sitting onto her bed, head in her hands. "Our dad was nothing but a my way or the highway type; you don't need him and I don't need the life anymore –

"Rose! This is…they still think we wanna kill people anyway!" Grant exclaimed, annoyed that his own double had just given up the best way "out" as well as the only right way they'd been granted. "We have powers, they don't –

"Then use them like Superman, don't be such a selfish dick all of the time! You have something else to say? Like a "woman's place is in the kitchen?" She sniffed and picked up a pillow, willing to have him leave by force if she had to. "Become more like Red, at least he won't kill people and do whatever for no real reason but revenge –

"Not anymore, he's getting to be too soft for me to hang around…" Grant muttered, eyeing the window with a sigh. "And so is the rest of my family. You're all just…cowards afraid to fight!"

"Then be a Titan!" Rose said, seeing how Grant needed more help than she did to steer clear of continuing down the path their father had set for him. "Do something with those powers and stop hating who you are. I'm in track and swim in my school. I love the water and I can fence in that stuffy place better than any senior above me. One thing I can do, is never give up…I thought for a while but then I realized that…I can't force myself to grow up too fast." She put down the pillow, blue eyes trying their best to pierce the veil that was Ravager's cover. "Talk to your mom, stay with Joey and me and make yourself really happy. No more blood and guts…. I'm sick –

"Are you done?"

Rose stopped, only to chuckle and throw her hair back. "Didn't buy it for a second, huh?" Her eyes and voice changed to something of a cunning vixen, her demeanor nothing of the old as it could have been by a trigger word or some vague traumatic memory in the girl's messy past.

"Ready to go? They could be onto us if I'm not out of this city by tonight."

She smiled and went to the closet; in it was her suit in an extra backpack with everything collapsed for a hero to miss spotting. "Keep an eye out for the guard dog." She warned and began to change her outfit to fall over some pieces of her clothing while Grant turned around to let her have her privacy.

"Ready, partner."

He turned in only five minutes or less, a new record as the mask looking back brought back a thrill in all of the havoc they'd create together.

"Window is always a good choice."

"If you don't mind me going first?" She teased, while he was just glad to have his double back in the game of an underpaid assassin. "Lead the way, Madame." He joked, her humor being a bit dark while his was satire enough.

One hell of a team, ready to spread that good work to the very worst person in the universe, the took off across rooftops while Starfire and BB could not believe their four ears.

"Rose is…going to betray us with her brother as well??? We must warn the Batman!" Star was far enough away as the noisy clatter back through their coms was not a good sound.

"Trouble, Star!"

"We shall…. track them very soon…. on our way." She finished the call and the two retreated back to Wayne's home.

Seems there was a break in in progress while the two had been spying on a fellow comrade, Pennyworth out cold as the Penguin had decided to get revenge on the butler's entire family. Starting with the new and younger Robin.

/

This is similar to Arc rewind story where Joker and Ivy invade the Bat's home with Freeze under Slade's orders. It was a while ago, and it was a bit darker than this. Now the rest falls into Tt03 and The Batman 2004. Hope you'll find out the rest and stay tuned for more!