Titans: Elemental

Chapter 26: Only Human

We see Titans Tower once again. The Titans are in the training room.

Doing, what else? Training.

A target fighting dummy was being pummeled by Dick in the gym.

Starfire flies past, followed by a barrage of lasers and the shooters; several small flying spheres. Flipping onto her back, she throws a handful of starbolts and turns one after another into scrap metal. She stops in midair to look back at one explosion, only to find three more spheres coming at her from that direction; she bails out.

Raven chanted, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

As she speaks the incantation, she levitates three long, thick poles and sends them flying toward Starfire, who weaves neatly through them. The shooters, however, crash into them head on and wipe out very badly.

On a treadmill, BB is running as a turtle. He turns into a bighorn sheep and starts to move faster. He once again transforms, this time into a cheetah and hits the gas.

Bryan is doing target practice with his laser gun, shooting various test dummies in front of him.

Rose was practicing her sword skills against a training robot that was meant to block her every move.

Blackfire was lifting weights as she floated in the air.

Jack was practicing his skills, swirling water all around him and constantly changing it between ice, water and steam.

Meanwhile, a wrecked laser sphere bounces across the floor. Starfire's boots touch down in front of the treadmill, which she angles off in another direction to see what else is going on.

Large metal slabs are being loaded onto an enormous sled, with Vic straining to hold the immense burden aloft. His forearm panel shows a reading of 93% and separate bar graphs marked R and L-power output from each side of his body and overall. It ticks up to 95% as he groans under the load, sweat pouring down his face.

Vic groaned, "just a…. Little more…."

Another weight is added to the stack. Now Dick stops attacking the dummy and crosses the gym to watch.

Dick said, "come on, Victor, push!"

Vic groaned, "what's it…. Look like I'm doing?"

BB, back in human form, and Raven come over, along with the others.

BB said, "punch it, dude! Straight through the roof!"

Starfire joins them.

Starfire said, "yes! Inform that large mass of metal who is the boss!"

Blackfire said, "what she said!"

Raven said, "Uh…. Go, Vic."

Rose said, "push it to the limit, man!"

Jack said, "you can do it dude! Keep pushing!"

The only one not cheering was Bryan, who seemed to understand the strain Vic was going under.

His voice is screaming as loudly as his muscles, he puts every bit of effort he can muster into keeping the pile up. Now all the other Titans cheer at once, but his panel notches up to 100%, with the R and L bars indicating full power.

Vic groaned, "it's no good! Shut it down!"

Dick said, "no way, Victor! I won't let you quit! Come on, push!"

Vic groaned, "I can't!"

Dick said, "yes, you can!"

Vic yelled, "No…. I…. CAN'T!"

His knees finally start to buckle, and with a yell of agony, he collapses and is thrown clear of the sled as it crashes to the floor. He glares up to find Dick extending a hand to get him vertical; BB leans into view, holding up a judge's scorecard with a 9 on it.

BB said, "I give you a nine for the dive", he shows a 2 card instead, "but a two for the landing."

Dick throws a very dirty look his way, complete with throbbing forehead vein, and he backs off. Now Vic stands up, ignoring the proffered hand, and shoulders his way past the two.

Vic said, "nobody asked you."

They stare after the departing armor-plated back with obvious concern.

The others all looked on with obvious concern.

The door to the gym slides open to let out an angry, frustrated Vic, then again to allow Dick to pass.

Dick said, "Victor! What happened back there?"

Vic said, "get off my back."

Dick asked, "I'm on your side, remember? I was just trying to get you to kick it up a notch."

Vic growled, "I don't have another notch! I'm not like you, okay? When I say I can't; I can't!'

He takes a couple of steps off down the hall, then stops and sighs wearily.

Vic said, "when I was an athlete, when I was human, I loved pushing my limits. Getting stronger, faster, better, just by trying harder than I ever had before. My coaches would always tell me to give a hundred and ten percent. And I always did."

Dick said, "you still can."

Vic said, "my muscles are mechanical now. Limits are built in. No matter how hard I try, a hundred percent is all I've got."

Dick said, "I didn't know."

Vic said, "well, now you do."

He strides off down the hall.

Bryan approached Dick and said, "I know how he feels. My cybernetics in my eye and arm prevent me from getting any stronger. Me and Vic; we can't push our limits…."

….

We see Vic playing the game station on his own. Two large robots, one blue and the other yellow, charge into view and begin to slug it out. After a few seconds at close quarters, Blue throws Yellow to the ground. The other Titans, along with Sarah, who had arrived for a visit. They all slide into view to watch from the kitchen. He pays them no mind, but keeps hammering at the controller buttons with a very sour look on his face.

BB said, "whoa. And I thought Raven looked grumpy."

She does now; and Jack has to hold her back from hitting him.

Starfire said, "our friend is more dismal than the swamp moons of Mulwark. Measures must be taken."

Blackfire said, "and…. Here we go."

She goes to the couch and pops up grinning behind him.

Starfire said, "to replenish your heart with warmness and cheer, I offer a traditional Tamaranean folk song!"

She sucks in a huge breath and lets it out in the form of an insanely shrill wail at eardrum-shattering volume.

Vic yelled, "STARFIRE, CUT IT OUT!"

Starfire stands frozen with her hair blown back from her head. On screen, Yellow does a victory dance over Blue as Vic: 1- Atlas: 1, flashes up, with the word "WINNER" in red below them. Now he growls angrily at her as veins throb all around him: her interruption made him lose the round, and she ducks out of sight. As the video game combat resumes, BB puts himself in front of the screen with a broad grin. Vic is not amused.

BB starts holding up a cookie, "okay, dude. Keep your eye on the cookie."

He tosses it into his mouth, leaps high, and quickly changes into a whale to shoot the snack from his blowhole. Becoming an elephant next, he sucks the cookie into his trunk. The gag ends, and he drops to the floor in human form except for his nose; this retracts in an instant, allowing him to stick out his tongue with the cookie sitting neatly on it.

BB said, "ta-da!"

Vic boils over, turning red from the bottom up as veins pop all over his face, and wraps one huge hand around the green joker's head. Eyeballs, tongue, and cookie protrude between the fingers; steam rises as well due to drool touching the red-hot surfaces. The next thing BB knows, he has been flung backward to crash down behind the rest of the group.

BB groaned, "ugh, you're supposed to laugh! What do I have to do, make it fly out my-?"

Raven pushes the others aside, "let me try."

She pops up uneasily behind Vic, whose temperature is back to normal.

Raven said, "uh…."

Vic said, "I don't want to talk about it."

During this, Bryan sketches a drawing of Vic in a chibi style on a hilltop, wearing an army helmet and standing amid a battery of anti-aircraft guns. He aims them into the sky and fires off a volley; where Raven is in a leather aviator helmet, goggles, and scarf and is piloting a World War I biplane.

Rose snickers as Raven goes back over to the others.

Raven said, "I tried."

Jack said, "well, that counts for something."

Starfire then pops up in front of them. In her arms is something that looks roughly like an alien set of bagpipes; the very sight of them is enough to set BB's eyes spinning crazily.

Starfire said, "Tamaranean folk songs are even more cheerful when accompanied by the gorka pipes."

Dick said, "uh, Starfire! Maybe he just needs some time alone. Come on, guys."

He ushers the others out of the operations center, nudging the instrument as he does so to produce a small noise of air being forced out. Vic does not even budge from his spot on the couch. The two robots trade blows on screen.

The only two who didn't leave are Bryan and Sarah, who want to be there in case Vic needs them.

Vic said, "aw, you picked the wrong day to come online and mess with Cyborg! 'Least I can still push myself in cyberspace."

Vic's blue robot slams Atlas' yellow one into the dirt. New message, "Vic: 2-Atlas: 1-WINNER."

Vic said, "Boo-yah", he plants his palms on the screen, "I don't know who you are or where you're from, but, Atlas, I just kicked your virtual butt!"

With a yell, he sweeps to his feet and whirls across the room. He danced in the middle of the room with a microphone.

Vic said, "go, Victor! Yo, Vic!"

He knocks the mic stand over, sending up a squeal of feedback, and kneels as Bryan slides in to drape a towel over him. The other cyborg backs up.

Suddenly, words are typed onto the screen as an angry voice speaks, "no one defeats Atlas! I demand a rematch."

The victor stands, shaking off the towel, and takes up his controller to peck out a reply.

Vic said, "anytime, anywhere."

"How about here and now?"

The letters go red and melt away, as does the entire screen a moment later. When the view clears, the reason quickly becomes visible; an enormous red-and-yellow robot, looking very much like the character Vic beat, with a large red A at the waist and the glowing muzzle of a blaster in place of the right hand. It perches at the sill of the ruined window. This is Atlas. As Vic stands stunned in the growing shadow, the left hand shoots in and hauls him up. The robot's voice is the same one heard a moment ago.

Atlas said, "Atlas is ready. Let the rematch begin!"

Vic is flung out through the hole and he sails out screaming and splashes down off the island shore. After he gets to his feet, Atlas leaps down to face him.

Sarah runs to the window to see what was going on as Bryan ran off to get the other Titans.

Vic said, "you do not want to start with me, man, especially not over a stupid video game."

Atlas said, "Atlas never loses."

Vic said, "first time for everything."

They rush at one another. Atlas raises both fists with a roar and brings them down on the water surface, creating a line of waves that extends ahead and behind. Vic is thrown backward, but soon moves in again with a string of body blows that forces the opponent to give ground. This comes to an end when one of his fists is caught in a huge yellow hand and pushed aside; Atlas grins down at him before delivering a king-daddy haymaker. The impact sends waves spreading over the bay in all directions. Now the other Titans gather at the windowsill.

Dick asked, "Cyborg?"

BB said, "looks like he went out for some air."

The brawl continues.

Dick exclaimed, "Titans! Go!"

They are over the sill and charging toward the shore in no time flat, but before they can reach the fight, a barrel-chested fellow descends into view, using a jetpack on his back, to block their approach. He wears shorts, a long-sleeved blue jersey, matching cap, and a tool belt; one cheek sports a bandage. This is Spike, a.k.a. The Mechanic.

Spike tried to say, "sorry, folks, can't let you interrupt the master. This match is one on-"

Dick gets a double handful of fabric and throws him to one side, clearing the path for him and the other Titans to charge again.

Bryan asked, "does it look like we care?"

Atlas throws a punch that dumps Vic into the water on his face; before he can stand, though, he is seized and thrown against the rocky slopes near the shore. Just after he falls away, Atlas wraps a set of fingers around him and lets fly; the yelling Titan sails up, neatly through the hole in the top window, and out the other side of the Tower. A loud splash marks his meeting with the bay.

Atlas said, "goodbye, loser."

Suddenly, something explodes in his face!

Dick exclaimed, "hope you came looking for a fight, 'cause you definitely found one!"

He leaps into the air and hurls several explosive discs, but Atlas raises both hands to block them and their blasts do no damage. Starfire and Blackfire yell and zip past for a strafing run, but their shots are also ineffective. The metal face grins evilly up towards them, but is soon put into shadow. A huge wall of water bears down on him under Raven and Jack's control. They float up above the crest and send the tsunami crashing down on Atlas.

The water drains away, leaving the robot still standing and grinning.

Suddenly, Atlas is hit with a barrage of lasers from Bryan.

Bryan yelled, "you traded one cyborg for another!"

Atlas runs forward and tries to hit Bryan, but Bryan uses his robotic arm to barely hold him back as Rose jumps onto his back and hits him with her staff over and over again before he throws them both away from him.

But an approaching yell from BB catches him by surprise. The green hero runs forward, and then transforms into a whale, he comes down on Atlas like a few hundred tons of bricks. Broad smiles from the others on the shore, looking out at their now-oversized colleague. BB's eye turns downward, widening in surprise, and his vast bulk is slowly hoisted up by Atlas. Chuckling savagely, he throws the mammal hard toward the island. Resuming human form on the fly and yelling all the way across, BB drops neatly into Dick's arms.

Atlas said, "humans provide no challenge."

Jack mutters, "two of us are aliens."

The right fist retracts into the arm to expose the blaster seen earlier, and a shot rips toward the spectators, who scatter before it.

Atlas says, "Mechanic", he holds up his right arm, "Refit!"

Spike grins, flies over, and quickly switches out a forearm panel.

Spike said, "looking sharp out there, Atlas", the retracted fist extends, "keep up the good-"

Before he can finish the sentence, the combatant is dashing back into the fight. A landing on the shore, several blasts from the cannon, and one by one the other Titans roll backward, each now imprisoned within a large, spherical force field.

Atlas said, "no challenge at all."

The trapped heroes are all trying their best to break out. BB swipes at the sphere wall as a tiger, Raven's dark energy, Starfire and Blackfire's point-blank starbolts, Dick's punches, Jack slashing with ice and fire, Rose trying to stab into the sphere, Bryan shooting at it, all are fruitless efforts. Atlas steps onto the island and is met by a glare from the team leader.

Atlas said, "but you will make amusing trophies."

Sarah is staring out from the window, terrified for her friends, but impossible to help them.

A sonic cannon blast connects high on the shoulder. The captor glares back and finds Vic now on the shore, his weapon locked and loaded.

Vic growled, "let 'em go!"

Atlas points his own blaster and fires. The shot hits Vic's arm and knocks out the cannon; he raises its smashed muzzle to his face and stares in disbelief.

Atlas said, "hold! Atlas will defeat you, but later, in a fair fight. No weapons, no friends."

Vic growled, "no! We'll finish this now!"

Atlas said, "as you wish."

He puts the cannon muzzle up against Dick's sphere, ready to make good on the second condition for that fair fight.

Dick exclaimed, "Cyborg! We'll be alright! Get your strength back, then get Atlas!"

The underdog Titan, who thinks this over very hard as a bell is heard ringing from a patch of sky; a platform descends into view, resembling one corner of a boxing ring. Spike stands behind the post, operating the flight controls, and brings the rig behind Atlas to hover just above the ground.

Atlas sits on his seat in front of the post, "the old stadium. Sunset. Come, if you dare, and I will let you have your friends back."

The platform and the captives dematerialize. Vic's grimly determined face stares at where they had vanished.

Moments later in the tower...

Sarah is staring at Vic as he looks over his assorted circuit panels-on his shoulder, arm, and head. Each snaps into place and glows bright blue. Next, we see him smacking a fist against his other palm, followed by a pair of eyes narrowed in icy fury; he has worked himself up for this fight, physically and otherwise.

Sarah asked, "are you sure you don't want me there?"

Vic said, "I don't want you getting captured too. Staying here is your safest bet."

Sarah nodded before saying, "you give that creep a piece of your mind."

Vic said, "oh, I plan to."

He begins heading out an open door. Before he reaches it, though, he stops and looks back over his shoulder at the weight sled, hanging a few feet above the floor of the gym. Now his resolve diminishes somewhat as he turns to leave the workout area.

As she watches him leave, Sarah whispers, "good luck honey."

….

We see a run-down football stadium. It is now evening. Each of the Titans' spheres has been mounted atop a large gold trophy cup, and Spike is making a few last adjustments to fix them in place.

Dick growled, "you can't hold us here forever!"

Spike said, "now don't be a sore loser. Atlas is just better than you. Better than all of us."

Starfire yelled, "your Atlas is nothing but a…. ZOLWARG TUBEK-PLIXING ZORDMORKER!"

Blackfire growled, "no, he's worse! He's a…. A…. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!"

BB said, "yeah! What they said."

Spike said, "you watch your tone! Atlas is the greatest. He deserves your respect."

Jack growled, "he doesn't deserve my glare!"

Raven asked, "so…. Do we get bathroom breaks?"

Rose said, "please say yes! I shouldn't have drunk that super sized soda from the pizza place!"

Atlas said, "Mechanic!"

Atlas sits on his floating platform near one of the locker room entrances, a short distance away.

Atlas said, "buff me."

Spike grins and says, "you got it, champ."

He flies over and plies a rag on the broad metal back.

Spike said, "now remember, that Cyborg's got a decent left hook. So keep an eye out for-"

Atlas' head swivels to face him as he speaks in an icy tone, "never tell me what to do."

Spike said nervously, "heh…. Yeah, uh…. Sure thing, chief."

"Yo, Goldilocks!"

Atlas turns his head slightly to look downfield. Sure enough, there is Vic, coming in from the other locker room at the far end of the stadium. He walks unhurriedly to the approximate location of the fifty-yard line, then stops and jerks his head from side to side to loosen up his neck.

Vic said, "let's do this!"

Atlas said, "I did not think you would come. Humans scare so easily."

Vic said, "I'm only half human."

Bryan yelled, "so am I! Just less so."

Atlas said, "and half of nothing is still nothing. Especially when you're 3 thirds, like the other one. Mechanic!"

Spike reaches into view and removes a panel from Atlas' forearm, then does likewise on the other side.

Atlas said, "I want a fair fight, human, so I shall willingly forgo my arsenal."

Vic said, "say, Tool Boy! While you're at it…. Why don't you shut off his big fat mouth?"

Spike tried to say, "nobody talks that way to-"

Before he can finish, Atlas is out of his seat and moving across the grass. Vic yells during his own charge, Atlas does the same, and both hurl themselves into the air toward each other. The eight living trophies press themselves against the walls of their cells to watch as the area shakes from the collision; Spike leans into view and stares open-mouthed.

Dick said, "you respect Atlas. Does he respect you?"

Spike yelled, "quiet, human!"

Rose said, "it takes a human to know a human."

Vic fetches up in the cheap seats and knocks out several rows of them. He comes to with an angry growl. Atlas starts barreling straight up the steps; there is a white flash as he throws a punch. A chunk crashes out in a cloud of dust, which clears to show the Titan hanging over the edge of a brand new hole by his fingertips. The blow was strong enough to drive him through the structure and almost clear down to the street.

As Atlas stands waiting on the steps, Vic hauls himself back in and races down them with a growing snarl. The hit he delivers sends the giant robot to the turf, where he crashes down on his back, but Vic does not stop there. He leaps from the steps, both legs braced for a high-powered stomping attack as he lands.

Dick exclaimed, "yeah!"

Rose said, "get him dude!"

Raven yelled, "alright!"

Jack exclaimed, "you the man!"

BB said, "alright, Cy!"

Starfire exclaimed, "kick the butt!"

Blackfire exclaimed, "no! Kick the-"

Bryan said, "please don't finish that."

Spike yelled, "go, Atlas! Take him down!"

Atlas and Vic circle; the Titan dodges under a roundhouse punch and fires a string of body blows, but is stopped when Atlas grabs one of his fists. Vic is whisked off his feet and flung down hard, and he smashes through the ground level from the force of that slam. The dust clears to show him lying at the edge of the new hole; he is promptly yanked back, and at field level, Atlas hurls him into the far wall. Vic stands where he hits, very badly dazed, and falls to all fours after a long moment. Not giving him any respite, Atlas rushes in. The bionic teen comes crashing through the wall of the stadium and sprawls on the sidewalk.

Atlas grins broadly down at him, and it takes only a moment for this taunting look to get him fired up again; he is on his feet with a loud growl and moving fast. The melee throws up enough dust to hide both of them from view. One after another, thick plumes rise from different spots within, each accompanied by a crash that shakes the area. Night has fallen, and a full moon hangs over the scene.

We see the two brawlers-some distance apart and trying to collect themselves for another go. A beeping draws Vic's attention down toward his forearm: the power readout stands at 96%. He looks up in alarm and sees Atlas moving in fast once more. A huge punch sends him flying, but he soon recovers and deals a high jab to the robot's chin. The exchange of blows continues and rapidly turns against Vic, who staggers backward under the assault and comes back with a right hook that Atlas catches easily.

Now they grapple, Atlas slowly pushing Vic back and making his feet grind the dirt. He looks at his forearm. The power readout has maxed out just as it did in the gym.

Atlas said, "it seems you have reached your limit. But Atlas has power to spare."

He increases the force of his grip and pushes Vic down to one knee, then laughs as the Titan tries with every scrap of his strength to stand again. One final punch finds its mark on his jaw and sends him through a graceless arc. Spike grins while the others stare on in shock.

Spike yelled, "Atlas!"

Vic hits the turf face first and tries weakly to get upright, while the metal behemoth towers over him.

Atlas said, "no one defeats Atlas."

He turns away.

Vic said, "fine. You win. Now let my friends go."

Atlas said, "no."

This catches everyone on the sidelines flat-footed.

Spike says in shock, "but, boss….", Atlas passes him, "... You said that…."

Atlas sits on his platform.

Atlas said, "your friends will remain as my trophies, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Starfire and Blackfire both gasp in shock.

BB yelled, "Cy!"

Raven begged, "please!"

Jack exclaimed, "you have to get up man!"

Rose said, "please! Help!"

Dick exclaimed, "get up, Cyborg! Get up and fight! You can still beat him!"

Bryan said, "you can still win!"

Vic, still tumbling on the ground, looks reproachfully toward the group for a moment and then turns his face away. His forearm panel is still showing maximum power on all fronts.

Vic said, "no. I can't."

Atlas said, "fool! Did you actually believe you could defeat Atlas? I am all robot…."

Bryan yelled, "that doesn't make you better!"

Atlas, Spike, and the other Titans begin to sink out of sight on an unseen elevator. Vic's bitter, beaten expression sticks to his face like glue.

Atlas said, "... and you are only human."

The captives stare in wordless amazement as they are carried past the level of the field, and down below….

….

We see inside the stadium's locker rooms, which has deteriorated as much as the rest of the facility. The sound of a video game is heard and we see Atlas sitting in front of a big-screen television. Behind him are several oil drums, some crumpled like soda cans. He is playing the fighting game Vic was playing the previous day. Atlas' yellow robot deals a finishing blow to its opponent, smashing it to pieces, and stands erect in triumph.

Atlas said, "victory!"

"GAME OVER" slides onto the screen.

Atlas said, "Atlas wins again! Derrick Wyatt of East Gotham City, I dominate you."

We see the Titans nearby in their trophy spheres.

Bryan said, "picking on a kid. Despicable."

BB turns into a bighorn sheep to ram the wall of his sphere, then tries to chisel out as a woodpecker, then does another bighorn turn. Resuming human form next, he groans and staggers woozily about, the attempts left him with quite a thump on the noggin, before passing out.

Raven said, "give it a rest. You're starting to repeat yourself."

Jack said, "you can say that again, babe."

Starfire said, "but we must discover a way out."

Bryan said, "trust me, I've been trying to think of a way out ever since we got captured."

Starfire and Rose both try to kick, but get only sore feet for their trouble and have to hop around on the other one.

Starfire said in pain, "Ow…. Ow…. Ow…."

Spike flies over, a drum under each arm.

Spike said, "there is no way out. Now be quiet, humans! Master's trying to relax."

Starfire growled, "I am not human."

Blackfire growled, "neither am I."

Bryan said, "and I'm only half human, like Cyborg."

Dick said, "but you are. You should be on our side."

Spike said, "I'm on the winning side. Atlas is the greatest. No one can defeat him. No one!"

Dick said, "if Atlas is so great, why does he treat you like a loser?"

This gives him pause for a moment.

Atlas said, "Mechanic! Oil!"

Spike said, "c-coming right up, boss!"

He zooms over. Dick is very concerned for both his team's welfare and the assistant's state of mind.

….

At a deserted city street; Vic is trudging along the sidewalk.

Vic asked, "how could I?"

He is passing a long row of windows on a building's first floor.

Vic said, "they were counting on me and…. I just couldn't do it. And I have to tell Sarah she'll never see the others again. Atlas was right", he stops to face his reflection, "I am a loser."

The image draws itself up to full height and speaks in a strong voice.

It says, "so that's it, man? You're just gonna give up?"

Vic asked, "what else can I do? I gave everything I had. A hundred percent."

The reflection says, "give more. Bryan's got limits like yours, and he still pushes past them. Your friends are in trouble. You have to go back. You have to win!"

Vic said, "I can't win. Atlas is stronger. Atlas is faster. He's just a better robot."

The reflection says, "but you aren't all robot. Half of you is human, and that's the half that can beat him!"

Now Vic is the one who gets jolted into thinking for a moment. Beeping from his forearm panel draws his attention; now it is showing 50% power overall and the same on the bar for each side of his body.

Vic said as he hurried away, "time to take it up a notch."

….

Back at the stadium, we see Atlas at play in the locker room. One of Spike's two oil drums has been set by his chair; after a few seconds, he grabs it, chugs the whole thing, and crushes it against his forehead. He tosses the empty drum over his shoulder, where it lands and rolls over to Spike. He still has the other drum.

Atlas said, "Mechanic! More oil!"

The man flies over and hands him the container. Atlas takes a drink and promptly spits it all over him.

Atlas yelled, "this is cold, human! Bring me warm oil!"

The human in question hangs his head and looks over at the captured Titans. Dick's expression says it all, "where you go from here is up to you", and the lowering eyebrows above that cheek bandage show that Spike has gotten the point.

Spike muttered, "get it yourself."

In a twinkling, he finds himself in the enormous shadow of his boss, who is getting to his feet.

Atlas growled, "what was that? No human tells Atlas what to do."

He throws Spike across the locker room to fetch up against the wall headfirst. The latter sits up, rubbing his head.

"Are you sure about that?"

Vic steps into view. He is ready to pick things up right where he left off, thumping a fist against his other palm to emphasize this fact.

Vic said, "I'm human, and I'm telling you to let my friends go."

Starfire gasps happily.

BB yelled, "Cy!"

Jack said, "alright!"

Dick said, "yes!"

Spike backs up to the trophies, hoping to get himself out of the battle zone. Atlas takes a few steps toward him. The tense standoff ends when they charge toward each other, growling and snarling in rage. When they connect, there is a mighty flash that clears to show the yellow robot sliding backward across the floor to crash into his television. Vic steps up; in an instant, Atlas is up and punching at him. The Titan dodges easily, grinning all the while, but is caught off guard by a big uppercut. At the field level; he crashes up through the dirt and lands well down the length of the stadium.

He stands and looks up with a gasp. The roaring leviathan is descending with full weight ready to drive him underground again. Vic gets out of the way just in the nick of time; the impact sends up a thick curtain of dust, which clears to reveal Atlas embedded to his waist in the playing surface. He turns to face Vic, smiles, and climbs out. Behind him, a lift brings Spike and the Titans up to the sidelines. The former is now very unnerved by what he has seen, heard, and had done to him.

Dick said, "he doesn't respect you. He doesn't even like you. Why do you serve him?"

Spike said, "I have no choice. Atlas is stronger than me."

Dick said, "no, he isn't. Atlas needs you. You're the one who fixes him. You're his strength. Without you, he's nothing. And he knows it. That's why he pushes you around. Atlas is afraid of you."

Vic backs up before Atlas' advance, dodges a couple of punches, and catches a giant yellow fist in his left hand, just as easily as his own attacks were foiled earlier on. Raising his right arm and balling its fist, he ejects it from his shoulder; it rockets straight at Atlas' jaw and lands a thundering uppercut that lifts him off his feet. The opponent lands in a half-sitting position and rubs his jaw as Vic walks up while reattaching the limb.

Vic asked, "still got power to spare?"

Atlas said, "plenty."

Atlas yanks a buried electric cable out of the ground and thrusts the sparking free end against Vic's chassis, causing him to scream in agony as circuits short out all over his body. Smoke rises from him as he collapses and Spike watches. Now Atlas stands up and holds both arms toward his second.

Atlas yelled, "Mechanic! Concussion blaster! Heat cannon! Now!"

The long-suffering man looks uncertainly toward him, then to the groaning, medium-well-done Titan, and finally makes up his mind. He gets in the boss' face.

Spike said, "no."

He is shoved aside.

Atlas yelled, "then stay out of my way!"

He rushes across the field and stops in front of the Titans. Pressing a button embedded in the platform that brought them up, he causes a panel to pop up from beneath it. He smiles nastily. It opens to reveal the weapons he said he would not use. However, his expression quickly gives way to bewilderment as he looks from one side to the other.

Spike said, "let's see how far you get without my help!"

He brings out a control device from his tool belt and presses a button on it-and one after another, the force fields holding the Titans on their trophies collapse. He smiles grimly as Atlas backs away from them.

Atlas yelled, "no!"

Dick exclaimed, "Titans! Go!"

He fires a grappling hook into the air and swings away on the line, and BB becomes a falcon to charge alongside Raven, Blackfire and Starfire.

Jack lifts off on a large piece of dirt from the ground. Rose and Bryan run after the others.

Dick touches down in front of the locker room entrance to cut off the robot's escape.

Dick asked, "you wanted a fair fight? That's what you're going to get."

Atlas asked, "nine against one? This is a fair fight?"

Raven floats up behind him.

Raven said, "oh, we're not fighting."

Rose said, "not by a long shot."

Bryan said, "we're just watching."

BB said, "think of us as referees."

Jack said, "for one heck of a battle."

They all turn to see Vic standing there.

Vic said, "it's just you and me."

As before, he works his head back and forth, limbering up his neck; now Atlas turns to face him and cracks his knuckles. The last pop has barely died away when one bionic punch after another rocks the metal giant from head to toe. Vic's power readout quickly rises to 93%, and the other Titans cheer him on as Atlas slides past. Their voices die away to make room for one more voice; Spike's.

Spike said, "yeah, Cyborg! Take him down!"

Dick flips him a quick smile. Another roundhouse drops Atlas like a rock near the wall. Vic steps closer to inspect his work, but soon finds himself facing one very angry, charging enemy. They lock arms and grapple, Atlas grinning savagely down at Vic. Beeping from the forearm panel; power level increases to 98%, throwing a scare into its owner, and his knees start to give.

Atlas asked, "what's the matter? Running out of steam?"

As the onlookers stare, Vic is slowly pushed backward past them.

Dick said, "push, Vic! You can do it!"

He pours in every bit of strength he can muster and is met by derisive chuckling from the foe. Now the power output hits 100%, but he does not let up one bit.

Atlas said, "you have reached your limit. You cannot win."

Vic is now on one knee. He looks up, and sees a sight that gives the push he needs. Sarah is sitting in one of the top seats in the stadium. Her face filled with worry as she watched him fight.

Vic's gaze goes to Bryan, who nods. They both knew what he needed to do. He needed to push his limits!

Vic yelled, "yes…. I…. CAN!"

The panel's covering cracks as the readout quickly notches up to 130%. Atlas' eyes go wide in sudden surprise, and Vic regains his footing. With a scream as tortured as his muscles, he lifts the huge metal body over his head and throws it down the field to smash into the abandoned trophies. Everyone cheers wildly.

Just inside this new hole in the field surface, the Titans walk up just behind Vic. Sarah quickly joins them. Atlas' outstretched hands are just in view; he is lying half-buried in the wreckage of the locker room.

Atlas said, "no more. I am defeated. You…. Are a better robot."

Vic said, "no. I'm a better person."

He and his teammates walk away, leaving Spike to walk up to the crater by himself.

Atlas said, "Mechanic…. Refit."

Spike removes his tool belt, "ah, do it yourself! Oh, and the name's Spike!"

He throws the belt into the hole; it lands just out of Atlas' reach, and he tries to get at it, but gives up with a weary groan.

….

A little later, outside of the stadium, it is now sunrise.

BB said, "and the winner by technological knockout, the Mechanical Maniac, the Bionic Bruiser, the one, the only, Victor Stone, aka: Cyborg!"

He holds said winner's arm aloft on the last word, as a referee would do with the victor in a boxing match, and a bell and cheering crowd are heard. Starfire gives Vic a big hug and backs up next to Raven.

Starfire said, "I shall express my gratitude with a Tamaranean folk song."

Remembering how the first one sounded, the boys recoil in fright. This does not stop her windup, though; she sucks in a breath and gets ready to sing, but Raven and Blackfire both slap their hands over her mouth to cut it off.

Raven said, "way to go, champ."

The others sigh in relief.

Dick points at Vic's forearm, "guess we better get you a new one of those."

Vic looks down at the damaged power readout, whose displays have all gone dark.

Vic said, "don't need it anymore. My body may have its limitations, but if I put my mind to it, there's no limit to what I can do. After all, I'm only human."

Bryan and Vic fist bump.

Sarah hugs her boyfriend close as the others turn to Spike.

Jack asked, "what're you gonna do now?"

Spike said, "I was offered a job by Star Labs, for their robotics program. Maybe I'll see you all again some time. Until then, keep beating up bullies like Atlas!"

Rose said, "like you even gotta ask."

Spike smiles as he walks away, and the others begin making their way back to the tower, eager for some rest and relaxation….

….

Reviews:

Canadude2029: yeah. Terra's story is quite the tragic one. Especially when you know her entire story.

SuperSentai199: yeah, I agree. If she hadn't run away, who knows what could have been.

….

Sorry it's taking so long to update the story. Honestly, the site keeps having so many problems nowadays. The notification issue, problems with Cloudflare, PM's shutting down at times.

Hence why I tend to use more than one site to upload these stories.