Our Time in Reverse- What it Takes
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Chapter 51: Dear Diary, When Will my Time Ever End or Begin for Me?
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~ She's always saying things incorrectly. Her English is still failing to improve and….and it's kind of cute how she always seems to not care about it. I mean, not like I don't think she's not brilliant. She's had schooling in quantum physics. She's not worth hurting, maybe send her to space? Sir, I'm starting to wonder if killing them will even make a huge difference…can we think of another-
Dick stepped back with a gasp. "I…that was-
"DON'T. SPEAK."
The boy had been out and Slade had stolen a peek at what Kori had already watched from the boy's hidden journal. "Do you question my authority, Renegade?"
"Sir –
Dick watched the man rise as his fists went up to defend himself. He gasped and put them down too late. Slade gripped the front of his top and tugged his arm, twisting it so the kid would keep his eyes on something else for a while. "Where did I go wrong with you, hem ? What is one life to an entire city full of resources…. answer me." The mad man sneered. " Now, APPRENTICE." He twisted even harder, making the serum activate into overdrive aa Dick's limb twitched while Slade pulled it from its socket. Dick cried out as Slade tossed the boy to the floor. "Three. Two. One." He counted on his lilting, mocking tone. Dick bit his lip, something else was wrong now…he shook.
The boy felt a spasm in his right arm as the magic, the mayhem took hold. He shook at his brow while he couldn't stop watching. He turned to the man, squinting up in pain as Slade brought out his staff. As if a yardstick to a priciest in Sunday school, he thwacked it into his hand as Dick heard the sound and flinched.
"Up. Broken or not, I want you to face me and say it again. Just as you did to her."
"Ma –
" Do as I command!" Slade swatted the child on the shoulder where the blade was still healing up.
"What…. what did I do to you?? This was all-
Slade did it again. The caning involuntarily pushing the boy to stand up, even hunched as the bone mended. The solid piece fitted together as if it had never shattered under that man's gloved grip. "Answer the question, apprentice. Do you doubt your loyalty to me. Do you not swear your allegiance to our cause? Or are you one to dessert your only teacher? The man who raised you to defy even yourself? The very, worst parts!" Slade hit again, as Dick shouted out, his teeth quaking as the bone was nearly done. "No, sir! I'm still loyal! Always!"
"Then, tell me…" Hissed the man as he went over to tug the kid forth with the length of his bo, pushing the teen to stare up at his mentor. " Why did you defy me with this footage? Their deaths will make it far less work in the long run. I thought you listened to my every lesson." The man struck out his arm as that grip now took to the kid's throat, the other dropping the staff as Dick clung to the man's wrists, pawing them off. "You could live again if I allow it. Maybe the old you won't remember any of this. It is a disgrace that you were ever caught - even as my apprentice - of as what might have been more had you…not…. defied…your, master."
Slade gripped tighter as the boy's skin lost its palor. "This won't kill you. Maybe I should do it, though." He mused, fingers furling and unfurling around the boy's bruised neck. "After all. You wanted to be just like me…I gave you a reason to want that more than anything, Dick." The kid clawed and even kicked as his breath was stolen from him, only ragged gasps sputtered between unclad lips. "Maybe, but I do need you to hate me just as much. For part two. So, you'll live another day, child." Slade was not talking to him. Without Wintergreen around, Dick was truly afraid of Slade's own uncapped bloodlust and sadism.
The man let go as Richard fell down onto his backside, coughing and gasping to get oxygen back into his system. Slade turned back towards the screens and ignored his previous threat. He only wanted what was to come. "If the bat catches you, steal his data and leave." Dick looked up at the man as Slade didn't even look the boy's way this time. "Return here. Only then, will I know that you haven't betrayed our promise again."
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Stolen. Down the street, there could have been more trouble; the Titans were battered after the fight. Dick had evaded capture and they weren't even sure it wasn't him. He wore all black and covered his face, a voice modification device must have kept his real voice from peeking out to say hello. Beastboy had lost the scent, still as it rained for the second night. Tara in the tower was starting to fall apart. Cy had taken to Raven watching her this time. Her mental state a great concern as sge wasn't able to have the cuffs for her powers removed right away. Maybe, never.
"Slade….he…he said he'd come back for me…he's lying. He's a liar!" She gripped her skull as the cuffs de – magnetized to allow her emotions to come out. Raven saw distress as Tara finally grew calm enough to talk to.
"You don't want this. You were sold to him against your will in a meta trafficking circle. It must, be difficult to want to forget-
"Forget? I'm so… angry at myself!" Shouted the blonde. "I could have taken them all. These powers are no curse always, but a gift. I must know when to strike. To take back my freedom, yet…what of that mad man knows the person who has Bryan? Is he hostage in this game we've been playing?" Her accent was much stronger as she refused to mask it any longer.
Raven understood similar languages like Hungarian and Russian as well as Polish, yet Markovia was the Ukraine of its own design and well off compared to post wars that had shattered its resources before. "My uncle is no hero, the people were happy without that monger to tear at their only weapons, time is not enough. I must go back and reclaim our rotes myself. Bryon…I need to find him soon…"
She wept into her hands as Raven stared back at a child, not a teen. A child she had repressed since the day her body and mind had lost all hope. Once, one she would have her revenge. That would be how Slade had kept her spark alive – yet he didn't seem like a nurturing type. Then again, Raven frowned to herself as Tara tried to cope, neither did the Batman.
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"I'm gonna get in trouble even if I wanna patrol by myself. Let Star come too –
"No." Cy shook his head to the green teenager. "Star is fine inside. Slade knows she's a threat ta his plans. The video they showed us showed Richie trying to have Slade give up killing us. He's afraid of that guy. Batman might not be fighting back, but we can lose too. You know this city…our team is strong together. So, don't get hurt because of Slade being the bully."
Cy was sure Bb wouldn't fly for the window. His ears dipped as he seemed smaller, just as upset as Richard was trying to fight another repressed memory. "He was so different when we got him to open up. Like, like he'd done this before. But you said he was a circus kid. That he knew how to flip around like our Robin. He's only a traitor if he does what the video said." Bb had seen a clip of Dick trying not to run in circles about describing Bb's jokes. He, wasn't laughing at him, as if sympathy was behind the curtain. Dick had a heart in the big ego for one more family. So, Slade wouldn't win. He couldn't. Dick wouldn't survive being hurt again. Bb knew. He had lost family in a freak incident after they'd saved his life, changing him…and then the man who Rita and the Doom patrol had saved him from as a kid. A KID.
"We can't just run and hide though. I can sniff a rat out miles off, underground. Why not ask the kid, the other Robin?"
"Can't get ahold of em, either." Cy rubbed his neck and headed back to the bike he was fixing. That was left since the run in with a different raven-haired wonder boy. "You don't wanna bug em, he's-
"Not going to come to our aid. Not now." Starfire's red headed meekness came from around the corner of the hall as her eyes peered in on their conversation. "Jason has alerted that there was trouble. He cannot leave the city. We must brace ourselves in this moment."
"We…. are not gonna get his help, what about the Justice League?" Bb turned to Cy. "You're not making any sense! What kind of leader leaves us all stranded!?"
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Slade had blocked those channels as well. Cyborg tried to send it and it only bounced. It was fun, for a while.
"How was the heist, my apprentice."
"I, got the components." Dick shuffled over to a worktable of the higher platform, adjacent to the screens above and to the side, his seat. "Sit. You've earned that much."
Dick's ears pricked at the praise. "If I might stand –
"That was an order, apprentice."
Dicks throat felt a cold acid creep up it.
Like a dog.
Sit.
Stay.
"Come."
Dick turned to the man, then the screens before he took in a breath, releasing it quickly. "I apologize, Master. As you wish." He wound up seared there. The stone symbol he'd wanted all along, the cool metal making his bruises better, when they should have stung a little longer. "Something on your mind, Dick?"
He, was calling him by name. In this seat, they were almost…. family. He was –
A flashback persisted as it resulted in him freezing up.
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The Titans were at the park. Same week as his saving Star from Blackfire. Slade had allowed Richard to object in order to elude suspicion from his teammates. What was a few sweet nothings to be to a fifteen going on sixteen-year-old set of adults? The park was bare of turmoil, chaos or evil doers. Just sunny days ahead, and Dick wondered if he was just hoping for that. In the back of his mind, Kori was useless to the mission as was falling head over heels for a fake affection. Slade had encouraged it...but…
~ That craft…it is bright and not at all alive, yet what makes it so joyous to view?"
"Careful! That's a balloon, Starfire." Dick gripped the string before it could leave Jump city's airspace. Maybe it would find Star City if he didn't.
~ A…. balloon? Does it not seem the strange. Warships are much different from this. .can it in fact carry intel to one's enemies?~
~ Should it have to? ~ Grayson smiled as the park was alive with laughter, the smiles of every dace of man, families…. sisters…. lovers…. -
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"Renegade!"
Slade shook the boy's shoulder as Dick stared at the floor. His voice mouthed something slowly, frustrating the mad man as he gripped harder for Richard to simply, talk. "Out with it. Talk to me…"
"I…. I…can't kill …I-
In a whip of his very present, Slade had the kid dragged from his seat. Snot nosed and a rabbit's heart, all the way to a quiet corner of the hall as the door opened.
With no live in the man's motions, he was shoved inside. Locked away from any such praise or communication, Richard went through a startling fit. He cried and yelled, banging himself to the wall. Head smacked, as if to break as one of Slade's other imperfect creations.
It went for a few minutes. Ragged screams that bordered on insanity, born by the trauma that Slade had not projected carefully. The kid was hooked to his master's word, yet now…
Shouting that Slade had lied to him about caring. About his role as the man's everything else. Slade walked away, ignoring everything but that. His wrist alerted him of a problem, so he left Robin to deal with his own while the master if the haunt went away on official business.
"Will. Guard that door. Don't let a soul into the base while I'm away. If the kid has to shit, let him learn."
~ Very…. well, sir. Slade? That boy might not survive the-
"What choice can anyone else give him, he's not changing back." Slade huffed into his comm. ~ Then, might I try some-
"Not. A soul." Slade said back, chipped and cold "He needs reprogramming, badly. If I had known about his little admiration…. well, it was nearly hard to tell when he acted out because of them. The titans are ruining what I plan to have. They have to be ended, very close to that time…" Slade paused. "What percentage is the detonator power supply?"
~ Sixty-four. It will take a few hours to have the core stabilized completely. It's impressive that your plan cane so well along under the Justice League's watch. ~
"I've set the bomb to go off and keep time the way it can be for myself, and my apprentice. That's the one thing, Richard's little night runs are only a distraction. He's safe here where the beam can't harm him. My suit has the same interface as well. We'll be the only ones left standing."
~ And, Terra? That girl came to us of a separate nature than what she is today. The Titans have her, Slade. It might mean –
"Killing her will be my apprentice's work or my own. She's broken out and that…" Slade locked up the hall with his code inputted promptly before turning one last time to hear a sirens call fade out. "It had to happen eventually. Richard will learn. I put too much in his case not to care. He won't do this again."
~ You're playing with fire if the bat sends his troops from the watchtower….be careful to set it off only for a second's worth. ~ Will advised. ~ If ever we must abandon our new roles, I'd ally take to the hills of our oldest Visage and stay put. No more of this 'Slade' nonsense-
"It will end once there is nothing left, no bridges and certainly…" Slade sniffed as the next doors shut, and the next, keeping Robin away from any hope of further rescue or response. Not without his master's permission. "No unruly apprentices left to punish for trying to "abandon ship." He snorted, not asking anything else of his conger of a friend. Will worried deeply, yet that emotion got in the way of what Slade truly wanted. He was good at this. Be damned if some sociopathic man in the mirror was going to come between them.
He sauntered off and found the exit quietly, the gears going without hid need to say stop. Quietly, into the morning light, Slade left the haunt to a single soul, only ready to return once he'd made sure they made the first move on his invisible chess field.
One toe out of line….
Frozen, in time they went.
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Raven left Tara to her moping as she let the sedative work for her this time. Surprised that she'd even allow it, Tara had revealed that she was too good of a kid and deserved all of what was happening to her. She used to sneak out if the palace and their villa, making everyone go and search for her. The only one being successful in doing so to locate her in the garden, was her brother, Bryon. The middle child, he was before Tara in line and if any, their eldest brother was the cowardly lion of the bunch that their uncle had used like a puppet upon the murder of her parents by the evil relative. In that time, Tara had not escaped becoming what she was. A monster, a future weapon and killer – and through the glass, her faithless bodyguard was always, Deathstroke. Mask free, she saw him for the first time when they changed her to carry such tremendous power. He told her to simply roll with what they wanted to stay alive, and she hated that he was so apathetic. Had she known he'd steal her away, well…
He'd bought her through an illegal sale and then told her eventually what his purpose was. To train her to fight, to have her freedom and her brother back so that they might save their country. Slade was actually a selfish man. She saw how he looked at his scrawny apprentice. How he expected the kid to shine even while weeping like a baby. She thought it was cute or dumb ay first, then she saw his attention shift to her to be once again, useful. ~ Do as I ask, and I may have the answers you want much faster. If not, I'll have no problem keeping your demise between us. Do we have a deal? ~
He'd kill her if she failed him, to make sure no one found her body. Because was an assassin, a cold-blooded psycho who was training kids to fight. Not a batman, not even close. She was hurt a lot more when she said what he did with a straight face.
He had tried to break the law ten times over, and she believed on every word. "Tara has to go into the custody of those she can trust. I know a facility run by Black Canary (Young Justice applies here.) "She has a lot to let go of, to come terms –
"She wants her family to pay for what he did, Rave." Bb frowned and put his head on the meeting room briefing table. The screens in the back of them made the worst crackle. His dog eats found it irritating.
"It's worth a shot. I know they don't try to mess with mental health if I tell her first, get a couple of calls through." Cy agreed while Kori was busy staring into space. "Star? What do you…" Cy trailed off as she had to excuse herself. "Tara would benefit greatly from such a known advocate, Raven. I…I must have the time to, process. Please?" She had one hand at the door as Raven nodded. "Sure, don't worry. We'll be fine. Rest, we'll call you in a few minutes."
"The many thanks, friends…" Starfire smiled weakly as she was let free. Her wingless back took her to the elevator of the tower as she geared up to search once more. The recorded entries playing in her skull when passing each stop sign.
~ If they won't join us, we could brainwash them. Collar them. Like your own personal army – I'll be in charge, but…they shouldn't die yet. Please, if we could just rethink the possibility…~
Starfire brushed tears from her eyes as more images reeled about at the back of her skull while she flew overhead her wondrous city.
~ Wow, Star said the craziest thing to me today. She mentioned this really dark event if you don't celebrate with bells and wind chimes. Ever heard of Blorthog? It's superstitious at best, kind of gushy. I wonder if she would hate that I'm never coming back…I'm sorry, just... I have evidence that she is starting to care well, for me… too. What do I do, sir? I might have a Titan as…my girlfriend? ~
To her, it was an innocent cry to know from a sheltered child. She, she thought he could care about someone else. Slade wouldn't-
The girl' eyes spotted a figure running down to the tech sector as it climbed out of a hole in the shadows. She spotted it and stayed close enough to watch. The figure climbed up and flipped up – a fire escape. Her eyes watered as the figure impressed her even more. "Nearly to the area where it's set to go, should I…"
She was overjoyed and, in an instant, her body gravitated towards whoever it could be.
"Robin! -
She pulled away, the face of a teen not the one she'd seen. But a robot with his voice instead. "Capture the alien, sir?"
The teen wasn't able to fly as more bots crowded her with lasers and weapons of self-defense. Destructive force, while this "sir" spoke through the line in this bot's unit as he held it loosely.
~ Affirmative. ~ The other voice said, while all of the boys at once, attacked Starfire.
/
The silent gears turned to thunder in her ears as day became night. No sun to touch her brow whilst she had been taken deep into the recesses of another hidden earth below their city. Starfire had once before been bound in chains. She had once been born so weak as to be mocked by her sister.
The warrior, never she.
She was, second best. Here on earth, she was…
"We meet, and I'm not shocked to say, you've been nothing but an absolute eyesore."
It was a warehouse. A place close by to some district of trade, commerce and poor security. Or high security by the looks of this setting she had landed herself into. The man before her didn't bother to wear his mask. He had once, in hand as he put it up to his face so she could wake up and see – see who was speaking.
"SLADE!"
He pulled it down, a wolf's grin on his face now that preserved a new sort of menacing façade to hide behind. "Bingo. You catch on pretty quick, for a troq."
Slade knew this species as a foreign power only by its warring class and its space affiliation with the galaxy omega prime allegiance. He didn't want or need to know her to see how sheltered this princess ever was for his Renegade.
"So sorry, but you know how it is. I have to look out for myself; this city, it has everything one could ask for. Resources, connections. Land. You…came here during that invasion, two summers ago… didn't you, child." He cocked his head, turning it with a hand to his chin. "A princess from the stars, like a fairytale. However, this story I'm waiting to write has only one ending." He frowned and stood to face a wall of controls. She was bound in cuffs to nullify her. Far stronger with her legs cuffed as well.
"My apprentice. You've met him. He got to know you, personally. He even wanted to keep you, as a pet, perhaps…" Hissed the man as he trailed off to muse over the thought. "He's worse than you. Knowing nothing but what I've taught him, to cheat and lie…like he did to your teammates. Didn't you realize he'd go and betray your trust, eventually?"
"I…" Starfire took in an inhale and she didn't…she still knew she had been warned. Plenty, by Raven and Cy too, but…
"Did not." Were her words as Slade barked out a chuckle. Then, he cackled at her. "You…are truly a pitiful specimen. If the boy was actually that good in his role, I may have to thank you for being yourself and not saying a damned word-
"You…. wished for us to know? That is, why would we even –
"It's my job. If he had a choice to flee and couldn't, his blood lust might as well have saved him from capture. You never told that team about your petty past either, as a ruthless sort of species. Tamaran may be all for peace, yet the death penalty is still a crunch to the skull."
"I WOULD NOT HARM MY FRIENDS!" Starfire shouted back. "That order is the out – of – the – date. We intend to stop the fighting on my home world and…and I will become grand ruler if I must!"
Slade threw his head back and, seeped in air before smiling slow and cruel. " You? You'd kill off your entire nation, my dear."
Her eyes shot out as green, yet she didn't have that power yet. Not until the Tamaran version of puberty. Blackfire could shoot fire from her eyes and she could not. Starfire, was always one day late…he, was correct.
"Tell me, what if that sister of yours had help. If she had the throne with another's blessing…" He looked at her, cobalt on emerald as she let out a gasp, seeing it. "You!! Blackfire was freed by…by…"
"She fell into my lap, as did her plans to have her prize back. To see you, and to pity you, maybe there was a truce, yet she took the pirates that took her ship out and became their leader. And…Those pirates?" He smirked. "They were alerted of the cargo coming into their airspace - by authority of the Centauri police, by me."
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"She, was aided by an earth male…a criminal –
"Blind leading the blind. You're so very narrow minded, dear princess. I'll ask you again then, if I have not before through my older alias." Slade paced a few steps, his feet leaving noise to bounce over the warehouse.
"Won't you kindly, leave my apprentice out of your silly heroic fantasies or any desires you may have at his release. Release those from your mind. He has a future, as my heir. My weapon –
"He is not !" Starfire exclaimed back. "Richard…. he is more than his ability to do as you wish of him. He is a person. Our gnorfka on my home world once said, "that a teacher cannot expect a student to be as they wish always, for their strength within is a great world that only they may one day determine." She recited proudly. "Richard is still not and never will be as you wish. He wishes for friends and his family back…you, you are none of these and as my sister, you only wish for our demise if nothing is done to satisfy your every need. He shall never submit!"
Slade kept his temper this time. She was too fragile to break. "Fine. Remember this though, if you can." He snapped his fingers as the cuffs fell from her legs. "The others will release once you are feet from this location. Which…" Slade eyed her before she'd had a second to see the air gun trapped in the vein of her neck.
"I'd believe it best NOT to let you follow my trail home. The probes will activate if you intend to fight us, highness." She groaned and was collected to be left where her team or she would rise to find them. Far from his little upper ground mess, Slade had stations around the city. Above and below ground.
"And remember, that you wanted this to happen."
He left her in the dark, until she saw absolutely nothing. Not even a sliver of his remorse to remain while Starfire was left to fend for herself once more.
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Slade is playing the long game through guilt. We are increasing the chances that Slade will make or break his apprentice. But does Tara have a way back in?? Find out!
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