War Against Your Faith- Raven 2
Robin was getting real sick of Beast Boy's shit.
"Are you listening to me at all?" He demanded after a third unsuccessful attempt to get the attention of either boy in the car.
"Yeah," Beast Boy said dismissively as he sat in his seat. "Prison break out, blah, blah, blah. No biggie!"
Raven floated next to his rolled-down window, leveling him with an unamused glare. "Yes, biggie." She corrected. "It's not a break out; Cinderblock is trying to break in."
Cyborg arched an eyebrow, turning his music down. "That makes no sense."
"Nothing Cinderblock does makes sense," Beast Boy reached to turn the volume up. "He's probably throwing a tantrum- it won't be that hard to take him down."
"Just don't leave him alone with Robin," Cyborg slapped his hand away from the radio. "And don't touch my car!"
Raven could feel the annoyance that flared from their leader. "I can hear you," He snapped.
"Good. I'm serious; I don't want the two of you out of my sight. As for the car-"
"Shut up, Cyborg." The comm line buzzed as Robin turned his off and sped up, fleeing the conversation.
"Did he hang up on me?"
Raven shared a look with Starfire over the roof of the car. The team dynamics had been strained since Robin's… absence. He had been uncharacteristically withdrawn and developed the habit of reacting explosively to his teammates, especially Cyborg. He'd been trying to get Robin to sit down and take time to talk through and process his trauma, but any mention of the incident was angrily shut down.
Beast Boy ignored the hurt on Cyborg's face, taking the opportunity to crank the music back up.
Starfire tried to catch up to Robin, but he'd rev the engine when she got too close. It wasn't until they could hear the sirens from the prison that he spoke again, instructing Cyborg to turn the music off.
Jump City Penitentiary wasn't anything remarkable; there were no meta-human residents, crazed supervillains, or otherworldly threats. It was occupied by regular humans who committed common human crimes. That Cinderblock was making his first appearance in over half a year somewhere so ordinary was unsettling at best and concerning at worst. He didn't have much in the brains department, but the Titans had learned that that didn't mean he was harmless. It took little persuasion for him to do the dirty work for others.
Robin stopped the team in the parking lot, updating them on the situation. "Cinderblock's knocked down a few walls, but the guards haven't had trouble containing the inmates so far. It looks like he's tearing his way to the center yard. The warden can't think of any reason why; there's no one here that would be of any interest or anything worth stealing. Considering he was working for Sla-" Robin disguised how he choked on the name by clearing his throat. "Considering who he was working for the last time we saw him, we need to assume this is part of a bigger plan."
"Or, Blockhead got stir-crazy after hiding out for so long and wanted some attention," Cyborg pointed out gently. "There's no evidence this is anything bigger than that."
A muscle in Robin's jaw jumped. He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled slowly. In a carefully controlled voice he said, "There also isn't any evidence that it isn't bigger. It's smarter to treat this as a real threat instead of a one-off tantrum."
"We don't need to treat every call as a crisis; it's okay to deal with the situation as it is."
"I'm not saying it isn't, but in this situation-"
"Not everything is a conspiracy connected to him." Cyborg may have been aiming to comfort, but he failed.
Robin's mouth snapped shut with an audible click, cheeks flushing in anger. He opened his mouth for a likely heated response but was cut off by a heavy crash inside the prison, followed by a frustrated roar.
"Titans, go! Secure Cinderblock and try to minimize the damage!"
It took Cyborg a moment to shake off his disappointment and charge after his teammates.
It was easy to catch up to Cinderblock, following the trail of destruction he'd left behind. He'd found his way to the center yard and was walking in agitated circles punctuated with the occasional punch to the surrounding walls. The team paused in the shadows where they couldn't be seen. A few silent hand signals later, they had a plan; Robin and Beast Boy would act as a distraction, allowing the rest of the team to attack from behind.
Something about Robin being a distraction didn't sit right with Raven, and from his expression, Cyborg agreed. Before they could voice their concerns, Beast Boy waltzed into the light.
"Ya know, Cinderblock," He called with a cheeky grin. "Most bad guys try and break out of jail."
"Make our job easier, though," Robin strode after him, bo staff slung casually over his shoulders.
"True, but the job isn't hard to begin with."
Cinderblock had frozen, staring at the boys with confusion. Raven, Starfire, and Cyborg began to sneak behind him through the shadows. They had to be careful not to trip over debris or call attention to themselves too early.
"I bet he's lonely," Beast Boy suggested. "It is Valentine's Day."
Robin snickered. "Is that what you're doing, Cinderblock? Hitting on that wall by literally hitting it? Hate to break it to you, but I don't think she's into you."
With a snarl, Cinderblock swiped at them. Raven tensed, ready to catch her friends if they went flying, but Robin brushed the fist to the side with his staff.
"Now, now, that wasn't very nice. Use your words, Block Boy."
Cinderblock threw his hands in the air, and it might have been amusing if those same hands didn't have the power to flatten brick walls.
"Don't take it too hard, bro," Beast Boy opened his arms. "I'm sure there's plenty of lady brick monsters out there! In the meantime, bring it in; let's hug it out!" He shifted into a dinosaur about the same size as Cinderblock.
The living rock was visibly confused as Beast Boy tried to hug him with his too-short T-Rex arms. He half raised his arms like he was going to complete the hug, but they hovered around awkwardly, like he was scared to go through with it.
"Ready?" Starfire whispered, fists beginning to glow dangerously.
Raven nodded, crouching low to the ground, preparing to immobilize Cinderblock's right leg. Cyborg would take the other, and Starfire would go for the head. They had been given a perfect window to attack, and it should have been an easy takedown. Unfortunately, Cinderblock never made things easy.
Just as Cyborg was settling into his position, the giant turned around, trying to escape his prehistoric hug. He roared and kicked Cyborg clear across the courtyard when he saw them.
"No!" Starfire yelled, eyes igniting furiously. She flew in Cinderblock's face with a battle cry; Beast Boy whipped his tail low, trying to knock him off his feet. Robin rolled out of the danger zone, popping to his feet next to Raven.
"That did not go as planned," He muttered bitterly. He glanced to where Cyborg had landed, and Raven heard his sigh of relief when the other boy pulled himself to his feet and crushed rubble off his shoulders.
"What now?" Raven asked. Chaos and Cinderblock weren't a good mix; it was impossible to tell what the giant was thinking or his next move. While that didn't necessarily make him dangerous, it did make him destructive.
There was an agitated pull to Robin's shoulders as he surveyed the scene; Starfire launched star-bolts rapid fire at Cinderblock's face, Beast Boy swung his tail to throw him off balance, and Cyborg had slowly worked his way back into the fray, firing his arm canon at every opening. It wasn't a bad approach, but Raven noticed a new uncertainty in the pinch of Robin's eyebrows that hadn't existed 7 months ago.
"Stick to the plan," He decided. "Get him flat so we can keep him down; do as little damage as possible."o
Cinderblock swatted Starfire out of the sky, and Raven rushed to catch her with magic before she crashed to the ground.
"Starfire!" Cyborg bellowed, abandoning the fight to check on her.
"I am unharmed," Starfire assured him, stepping out from Raven's magic. "I am only angry."
So was Robin. He scaled the outer wall of the prison yard and jumped, landing on Cinderblock's shoulder and using his bo staff to put him in a choke-hold. There wasn't much they knew about Cinderblock's physiology- even basics, like if he actually needed to breathe- but Robin was at least pulling him off balance.
"Get him off his feet!" He instructed, holding on as the giant tried to buck him off.
With a wave, Raven pulled up a concrete slab and folded it behind them for Cinderblock to trip over; He's fall back into the yard instead of an outer wall or Cell Block 9. Beast Boy locked his jaw around his arm, tugging him closer to the trip trap. With a running start, Cyborg heaved himself at Cinderblock's legs, sending the giant stumbling back; he windmilled his arms to keep his balance, dislodging both Robin and Beast Boy.
Raven's heart skipped a beat as the back of Robin's head smacked into the nearest wall before she could react; he dropped to the ground, unmoving. Cyborg sprinted up to him, shaking his shoulder.
A panicked roar came from above, and Raven noticed the distinct lack of a Tyrannosaurus Rex on the battlefield. She looked up as a large shadow blocked out the light and swore at the sight of the incoming falling dinosaur. Beast Boy had just enough time to change back into his teenage self before he crushed her.
"Sorry," he groaned, rolling off of her.
"I'll live," She replied, popping her neck.
Starfire screeched in fury as she was grabbed out of the air, a stone hand trapping her arms at her side. She struggled ferociously as she was pulled closer.
"This may come as a shock to you," She growled. "But I am stronger than I look."
She threw her weight back and kicked Cinderblock in the mouth, sending him reeling over the trip trap while Raven helped Cyborg get Robin steady on his feet. The giant caught himself on one knee and pushed back up, rubbing his jaw.
"Robin," Cyborg cocked the blaster on his arm with a borderline-evil grin. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"
Almost surprised, Robin pulled a small disc from his belt. "Sonic boom?"
"I've got the sonic if you've got the boom."
Raven had a bad feeling.
The 'Sonic Boom' was an experimental move the two had been workshopping since the team's first interaction with Cinderblock. From the beginning it was obvious that they'd need an advantage when fighting him, since regular powers weren't strong enough to do any damage. The best and only course of action was to pin him down and restrain him; the Sonic Boom was designed to do that.
It had never been tried before, but Cinderblock was making a mad dash toward Cell Block 9.
The pair sprinted after him, Cyborg half a step ahead of Robin. "Yo, Blockhead!" He shouted, stopping short to plant his feet and aim. "Eat th-"
His sudden stop had accidentally cut Robin off, and he smacked face-first into a robotic shoulder. Cyborg's shot went wide and Robin lost his grip on the boom disc; neither attack his anywhere near the target.
Cinderblock had the audacity to stop, turn around, and laugh before charging straight through the walls of the cell block. The inmates that appeared soon after weren't friendly.
"So, uh, what kind of convicts were kept over there?" Beast Boy asked nervously as small, violent fights began to break out.
Robin cupped a hand under his bleeding nose. "Oh, just gang members, murderers, and-"
"Hey, Robin!" A gruff inmate waved between throwing punches. "Heard you were legal now, Pretty Boy! Kinda takes the fun out of it, but I'll make an exception for you!"
"And sex offenders." He signed heavily.
Starfire grimaced in disgust. "They are blocking the path to Cinderblock."
Prison guards in riot gear flooded the scene without much luck in controlling the escapees.
"We're gonna have to secure them before we follow him," Cyborg said, a hint of regret in his voice.
Robin nodded, and Raven used her powers to stop his nosebleed. Tiredly he announced, "Titans, go."
When they got the crowd under control, it was dark outside, and Cinderblock was long gone. As the last cuffed inmate was led away, Beast Boy sat hard on the ground.
"Duuude," He drew out the 'u,' rubbing a hand over his eyes. "Just. Dude."
"I, too, am exhausted," Starfire agreed.
Cyborg leaned back on the nearest wall, crossing his arms over his chest; his LEDs were dimmed- an obvious sign of fatigue. Raven stood next to him, determinedly not letting herself relax until she was sure she wouldn't have to get back up. She kept her eyes on Robin, who stood away from the others, murmuring with the warden.
Something was wrong. His posture was too rigid, like he was fighting to keep himself from lashing out. After a moment, the warden walked away. Robin crouched down, mouth in a firm, displeased line. He tended to make himself smaller when thinking about something serious, but this was different. His shoulders were shaking, and to a stranger, it might look like he was crying.
Raven knew better. Robin was beyond pissed; he was livid.
"Do not despair!" Starfire moved to sit next to him. "We were victorious in containing the criminals!"
There was something dangerous in the controlled way Robin said, "Not as victorious as we thought, Star."
"What're you talking about?" Cyborg asked. "Not a single inmate escaped."
"Not on that we were aware of, no."
Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "Quit speaking in riddles, dude. Tell us what's up."
Robin took a measured breath, jaw twitching with annoyance. "I have been informed that a secret, high-security inmate was being held in a remote holding chamber under Cell Block 9."
"That, uh," Cyborg linked. "Damn. That doesn't sound good."
The air was thick with tension. "Who was the inmate?" Raven asked, hoping there wasn't about to be another supervillain on the loose.
"Prisoner 385901. His real name is Otto Von Furth. He has to be kept asleep in a stasis chamber at all times or he..." Robin pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes. "He turns into a monster made of acidic toxic waste."
"Dude, are you kidding me? We lost a toxic sludge monster?" Beast Boy cried.
"No, not 'we,' me," Robin corrected. "I'm the reason we didn't know about Otto in the first place."
Cyborg's eyebrows jumped in shock. "Whoa, hey, wait- what's that supposed to mean?"
With tense eyes glued to the ground, Robin hissed, "It means that he didn't want to tell someone who used to work for Sla- for a monster about the weapon in the basement."
Raven's heart twisted: Beast Boy sucked in a harsh breath and Cyborg's expression froze in horror.
"That is not what happened," Starfire tried to take Robin's shaking hands, but he jerked them away.
"It wasn't your choice," Raven added.
"They don't know that," his voice was barely above a whisper. He didn't look at anyone as he put a few steps of distance between himself and the team, clenching his fists to keep them still.
"They don't know anything," Cyborg said seriously. "Rob, no one knows why you were gone-"
"That doesn't mean they don't know what I did!"
"How would they know, man? We don't even know everything that happened because you won't tell us!"
"There isn't anything more to tell," Robin snapped. "I was kidnapped and forced to do terrible things to keep you all safe- what else do you want?"
"The truth would be appreciated..." Beast Boy muttered.
"We only encountered you twice, for very brief periods of time," Starfire explained sadly. "You were gone for much longer."
"Tell us what he did to you, man," Cyborg pleaded. "Let us help."
"Nothing happened," Robin's voice was like ice.
"Nothing happened?" Raven repeated incredulously. Perhaps this wasn't the best time or place for this conversation, but now that it had started, she wouldn't let him run away again. "Robin, you weren't okay when we found you. Dislocated shoulder, electrical burns, malnutrition- you can't say 'nothing happened' and expect us to believe that."
"It's fine- I'm fine."
"Dude, you really aren't, and I'm sick of you pretending like you are," Beast Boy's ears drooped. "You made us switch from ear comms to throat comms with no explanation, you jump every time the tower creaks, and you're avoiding us like the plague. You haven't joined us for movies or games in forever! I miss you, dude."
"We understand the experience was traumatic," Starfire jumped in. "And that trauma such as yours will take time to recover from. However, the process could be significantly expedited if you were to let us help you."
Cyborg stepped forward, reaching out to Robin. "We aren't trying to ambush you or anything, but we're worried about you, man."
Robin slapped his hand away, jumping back like he'd been shot. Breathlessly he choked out, "Don't." Cyborg raised his hands in surrender.
"Robin?" Starfire's voice was calm and soothing. "Are you alright?"
"No," he snarled, turning his back to the team. "No, I'm not alright because you won't let this go. You want me to move on? Recover? I'm trying! But it's impossible with you treating me like I'm fu- freaking broken!"
"We do not think-"
"Then stop acting like it! Just drop it. Act like it never happened- it's over. It doesn't matter."
"Of course it matters," Cyborg whispered in dismay. "Why can't you see that?"
For a moment it was silent, and Raven had the fleeting hope that Robin would finally understand that his team- his family- was there to help him with whatever nightmares of the past that were haunting him.
"We're done talking about this," He said instead.
"Don't do that, man. Please." Absently, Cyborg grabbed the edge of his cape as he stalked past, something he used to do when he was teasing Robin. The Boy Wonder flinched away, tearing his cape out of the loose grip like his life depended on it.
"I said we're done!"
"You can't keep blowing us off!"
"This conversation is over, Cyborg."
Something behind the arguing boys caught Beast Boy's attention. "Uh… guys?" No one paid him any attention.
"Why don't you trust us?" Cyborg asked with a heartbroken frown.
Beast Boy tugged on Starfire's arm, and she gasped when she saw what he was pointing at. "Holy glorphnor..."
"I can't- that is not the issue here," Robin insisted.
"Then why aren't you telling us more?"
"Why don't you trust me when I tell you there's nothing more to tell?"
"Guys!" Beast Boy yelped, and everyone fell silent when they saw what was behind them.
Cinderblock was back in the prison yard, encased in ice and immobile. In front of him stood two kids, a boy and a girl, looking like they'd rather be anywhere else.
"Hi," The girl offered an awkward wave as all eyes turned to them. "Sorry to interrupt, but, uh, I think you lost this?" The boy gestured to Cinderblock with a weak impression of a game show host.
Beast Boy's jaw was on the ground. "What- how- who?"
Starfire was equally impressed. "Did you do this?"
Raven couldn't see how that was possible, but the boy nodded.
"Yeah, he uh. I used ice- my ice- so he's stuck. Until it melts anyway."
"How has it not already melted?"
The boy shifted awkwardly, keeping his gaze on his feet. "It's… It's not normal ice."
No shit Sherlock. Raven could sense the odd otherness of it from where she was.
The answer wasn't good enough for Robin. "I'm going to need better than that. Who are you?"
The girl was taken aback by his hostility. "That's a kinda long story."
"Let me guess; long and complicated?" Robin pulled out his bo staff with narrowed eyes.
"Dude," Beast Boy whispered. "Put that down."
He was ignored. "Tell me again how you trapped him."
"Ice," The girl said, tone beginning to mirror Robin's aggression.
"My ice," the boy clarified with a much friendlier voice. He stepped in front of his partner, partially blocking her with his shoulder. Her purple eyes flashed, but he smiled placatingly and she backed down.
The boy cleared his throat self-consciously and held out a hand. Robin tensed, but the boy motioned with his other hand to tell him to wait. A second later, frost ran up his fingers, a diamond of ice forming an inch above his outstretched palm.
"See? Ice." He said lamely.
"Huh," Cyborg moved to get a better look. "I'll be damned."
Before he could get any closer, Robin attacked, striking the diamond with his staff and shattering it.
"Holy shit!" The girl yanked the boy behind her, a translucent purple shield of energy shimmering into existence. Shards of ice bounced off harmlessly.
"Holy shit," Cyborg echoed, staring at Robin in shock.
"What the hell was that?" The girl yelled, the shield fading. Raven wondered the same thing.
"You are scaring them," Starfire scolded, pulling Robin back by the shoulder.
She wasn't wrong. As soon as she'd seen them, Raven had started feeling the intense waves of anxiety rolling off the pair, but now it had skyrocketed to pure panic. The boy held his hand close to his chest, green eyes round and scared.
"We don't want to hurt you," Beast Boy said, cautiously approaching them.
"Yeah?" The boy shook out his hand, and Raven realized he'd taken a hit when his ice was broken. "Tell him that."
Beast Boy put himself between them and Robin, a physical barrier to keep him from attacking again. "Everybody take a breath, okay?"
The boy raised his arms, similar to the stance Starfire took before launching a star-bolt. "Don't come any closer," he warned.
"This was a mistake," The girl said, glaring daggers at Robin.
"Perhaps you would be willing to answer a few questions?" Starfire offered.
"Yeah," Robin shoved Beast Boy away. "Let's start with who you are and how you got-"
He'd moved too close. The same hand that had created ice shot a ball of green energy that knocked Robin on his ass with a startled gasp.
"Hey!" Cyborg raised his blaster, but another energy ball- purple this time- had him ducking away.
Before anyone could do anything else, the two were in the air, flying over the wall and zipping away into the night.
Starfire knelt next to Robin as he sat up, a hand on his chest as they disappeared; Cyborg watched them go, mouth open in disbelief.
Beast Boy turned to Raven with wide, confused eyes. "Dude, what just happened?"