Chapter 18 First Elimination

Robin cracked his knuckles. Standing on one side of the gigantic, brightly lit stadium, facing his taller but far more inferior double, he felt strong. He felt like he could conquer anything that life could throw his way. Ironically enough, he felt powerful; more powerful than his teammates who had actual, literal super powers.

This was going to be a piece of cake. Robin could take his double down. Sure, he was taller by a longshot and had hands that were actually a decent size (one of the few ways in which Robin was superior to Robin), but that meant absolutely nothing. Robin was awesome. He was tough like a bear, cool like a cat, heroic like a discount Batman. If there was anyone in this stadium who was going to emerge victorious in the end and prove once and for all that he was the best Robin the multiverse had ever known, it was him. And that was a fact that put a huge grin on his face.

"OKAY!" The Master of Games announced, floating in the middle of the stadium on his game piece-looking chair. "Titans and Titans, here is how this tournament iss going to play out." He lifted his cane, and a force field appeared around the perimeter of the stadium. "All of you will be fighting at the exact same time. Your ultimate goal is to throw your opponents out of the ring. Whoever is thrown out will be teleported into those fancy glass cages right there." They pointed toward the cages; lined up in order of color and arranged along the tittle of the letter T. "Whichever team manages to knock out all members of the opposing team will claim victory!"

This, admittedly, made Robin feel a little nervous. No no, not because he doubted his own abilities and what not. No, he was nervous because he had very little if not nonexistent faith in his teammates. They were just too goofy and stupid, and they didn't take things seriously at all. Looking at them, Robin was willing to bet that they didn't understand the gravity of the situation. Their reputation was on the line! Their image as the best superheroes in the multiverse was in danger of being tainted! And yet, what were his teammates doing?

They were smiling! With the exception of Raven (which wasn't saying much, as she was kind of well known for her lack of smiles), each one of the Titans were grinning like the Joker after infecting Gotham with Joker Gas. They were all going to lose, and they were all going to lose in a way that painted the team as one huge failure and one big joke. Sure, there was the possibility that Raven could go full-blown demon again, but if she didn't, then the other Titans had absolutely no hope whatsoever. Robin always did hate when the responsibility of being the only awesome one present fell on him.

"Now that the rules are taken care of," the Master of Games said, "It's time to get to the fighting!" He pulled a barrel of popcorn out of his long, stacked white hair. "Let the tournament…BEGIN!"

Right in the center of the arena's floor, a timer appeared. As it counted down from ten, Robin made eye contact with his double straight down the way. He mouthed the words "you're dead," an action that he was pretty sure Robin didn't see. Still, doing it made him feel satisfied.

5…4…

This was happening. This was actually happening. Robin's heart pumped a little extra hard. A smile grew on his face as he imagined all the ways that Robin would become disfigured from Robin's punches.

3…2….1!

Yelling at the top of their voices, each Titan present in the arena charged. Robin held his staff, his most prized and precious weapon, in front of him like a knight would hold a sword. The closer he got to Robin, the bigger and more powerful he felt. This was going to be easy. There was no way that he was going to lose to this clown. He was going to beat him; beat him so hard his entire body was going to hurt for days afterward. Beat hi so hard that…

WHAP!

"AHHH!" Robin screamed. He had been so drawn in by his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed Robin pulling out his own staff. The leader of the taller Titans had smacked him right in the stomach, sending him barreling through the air toward the edge of the stadium. He stopped literally inches away from the force field. In fact, the tips of his hair disappeared right into it.

Robin laughed as he approached. "Looks like this is going to be easier than I thought."

Robin grit his teeth and sprung to his feet. "That's what you think, Inferior Robin!" He jumped up, wielding his staff. He smacked his double right in the face.

"OWW!" Robin held his hand to his cheek. Despite the pain, he somehow managed to put on a smile. "You know, that was pretty nifty. Nice work."

Robin sharply exhaled. "Like I would accept a compliment coming from the Inferior Robin." He leapt up into the air once more.

Robin, meanwhile, rolled his eyes. "Why are you so convinced that you're superior? If anything, I think you're just looking for anyway to boost your ego and make that already humongous head of yours bigger." He moved out of the way just before Robin's staff could make contact with his skull.

"Why you little…!" Robin ran after him this time, extending his arms in an attempt to hit or punch or scratch Robin.

In response to this, Robin grabbed him by the forehead and held him a loft. He smirked as he did. "Or are you just so entranced by the idea of stupid nicknames? Cause you know, I can give out nicknames too. How do you feel about…Bobblehead Robin?"

THAT drove Robin so far up the wall that he was surprised he didn't explode. Screaming, he extended his leg and kicked his double right smack in the cheek, the same cheek that he had punched him in minutes before. Robin let go off him and slid across the floor, wincing and rubbing the wounded cheek. He lifted his head as Robin approached him, grinning devilishly.

"Ooh. You might want to get an ice pack for that. My kicks really do some damage." He laughed, not because what he said was particularly clever, but because looking at his double in this position was satisfying as hell.

Wincing, Robin rose to his feet. "I…I think…I'll survive." He ran forward and smacked Robin in the shins with his staff. Robin went flying backwards a few feet. When he gathered his bearings enough to look straight ahead, Robin reached into his pockets and threw all the birdarangs he had in his possession at his double. Said double did the exact same thing, causing various explosion to occur when the devices collided with each other.

"Ooh hoo hoo!' the Master of Games said. "The two Robins are really going after one another, and the results are explosive!"

This drew reactions from all the other Titans, who looked toward their respective Robin and cheered.

"You can do it, Robin!" Starfire called out, halting her arm wrestling with her double to do so. "I believe in you!"

"Yeah, Baby Hands!" Cyborg called out while flying around thanks to the rockets in his feet. "You show that tall dummy!" He just barely missed getting shot by Cyborg, who was on the ground and firing super sonic blasts at him.

Robin grit his teeth as he ran forward. Robin ran forward as well, and they clashed staffs in the air. Thanks to his strength, Robin pushed his double down toward the ground, closer to the force field. This actually drew concern out of Robin; he even started sweating a little bit.

"Look," Robin said. "You've really got potential; I won't deny that." He started walking, pushing Robin even closer to the force field. "But you don't have the heart needed to be a superhero!"

"And what makes you think you do?" Robin scoffed.

"I don't think I do," Robin said. "I know my flaws and my weaknesses. But still, I try to get better. I try to wake up every morning and choose to be a better hero, and a better person." He actually looked a little bit angry when he said the next part. "But you? I try not to judge people I just met, but you think you're already perfect!"

Robin laughed. "That's because I AM already perfect! Isn't it obvious?"

Robin shook his head. "Every word you say seems to be designed to be as irritating as possible."

Robin glared. "You're one to talk!" He pushed back against his double, getting him away from his precariously close position to the force field. He was already to charge at him again; this time without showing any remorse or mercy.

Unfortunately for him, Robin was prepared. He got out his grappling hook, which wrapped itself around Robin's right leg. Robin drew him in like he was a fish on a hook, and before he knew it, Robin was being kicked around like he was a ball connected to a paddle by a string. He didn't cry out though, even though the whole practice hurt like the Dickens.

"It seems I was right about your ego," Robin said as he continued kicking. "Come on, Robin, you've gotta learn that you aren't the best thing since sliced bread!"

Robin gripped his hands into fists as he received more injuries from the kicking. "And how exactly might I do that, Inferior Robin!"

"I don't know." Robin smirked. "But I think what I'm about to do next will help you get a head start."

Like a flash of lightning, Robin did a round house kick right as he unwound the string around Robin's ankle. This sent the Goofy Titan flying. This time he screamed, both because of the adrenaline and because he was heading straight toward the force field with no one and nothing to stop him.

"LOSER!"

In the blink of an eye, Robin was in one of the crystal cages above the arena. He looked down at what was happening in the ring. When he got kicked out, the force field grew a smidge smaller. More importantly, every other Titan in the arena stopped to gawk at Robin.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The Master of Games shouted. "We have our first elimination!"

The crowd cheered. Starfire even joined in, an action that drew a raised eyebrow out of her double.

"The what?" she asked. "I can cheer for any side I want."

Robin shook his head as he took a seat. "Rats." He kept his eyes glued to his double, looking at him with the strongest kind of ire.