Teen Titans – ReBeL Yell – If I had Stayed a Renegade-

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Slade and Bruce get stuck in a space that involves them butting heads over Richard being Slade's toy soldier. Slade slipped Bruce reason to hate the mercenary turned crime lord even more. Dark intention in a T rated fashion. Let's see.

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COIN OPERATED HEART

When Dick was a kid in the circus, he once had the liberty of getting to read a dated children's book about a boy with a clockwork heart. The people bowed, cheered and praised him for his presence alone – while every night, the boy was wound and the person in charge of keeping his parts functional, tutted him as an excuse. A fake ruler to keep him underfoot. To have him tame.

The story ended with the boy meeting a servant girl and they both fled the castle in a rush of feeling. The feeling was freedom, and years passed long after while the clockwork heart soon stopped….

…..

Richard dreamed of that day, when his heart could stop beating so frantically. The Titans had forgotten to check their numbers. They didn't need him anymore as Slade allowed the group to flourish while he peeled back that ego if the famous dark knight's former protégé in his own haunt.

He came across a way also to make a serum that was not to change the boy, but heal any and every laceration, indent and scar until he was brand new. Wound up again to woe any spectators. To appease his master, just like in the story.

Yet, Richard had no servant girl to pity him. He had no allies that Slade didn't already know about. The mastermind revealed one day that he was not just a common criminal, yet had spilled blood on multiple occasions to turn a profit. At first, the boy tried to run before the man could truly break him. He was unsuccessful, and the tested serum sunk into his veins by syringe to make his blood hotter than it had ever been below the surface.

A month after that, every time a bruise or a telling sign came to be a black eye, a cut at his neck where a shirt collar was useless, the serum was tested. He said it would not change Dick as it had him. He did not want an actual successor until he knew Richard deserved to feel the same way he did. Power, hungry and ripe for the taking, their next mission was only Slade's to take.

He was on his way to bump into a respectful figure.

In Gotham City.

No surprise there. Slade had dubbed the boy's identity as useless to anyone but the child's new "master." He told the kid of his little to no meeting time again with Mr. Wayne in that city. How his investments were turned away for being, less than opportune. Richard gave the man the biggest sneer he'd seen in a long time. The kid couldn't come along after that, never wanted him to anyway. Too risky, and Slade had to do some dealings before a few fireworks went off.

A parade on the street. A bad idea since Joker could be behind any of the floats for the veterans that were assembled there in that dirt city to shine. Slade, being one of them.

He just acted as a masked sightseeing chap with a grin on his face. Beside him, was Wayne who was going out of his way to be a part of that crowd. He wore a hat and all black with his dutiful tie poking out.

"Lovely day for a parade. Despite the controversy, don't you agree?" The man's job wasn't a job at all. This was his own idea of giving the billionaire a billion-dollar update of his apprentice. A no – brainer if anyone thought this was going to be a bit of commentary. Is it though? Let's find out…

Bruce stared into the stream of post war survivors and at those flags waving. Even heroes had remorse, yet this man couldn't be just a guy holding up a camera and enjoying the view. No. Everyone had a backsto –

"By damn! You're the guy who arranged all' a this! Wow, I thought my eyes deserved but here you are!" He was joking, right? There was something more at work here, so Bruce played along.

"I'm here to alert the security since I know more about this city's problems. And, I don't appreciate the publicity as much as most might think I have in the past. Funny, you saw right through my disguise."

"Ah, I guess I did…!" The man chuckled and rubbed his neck with a witty grin. "You wanna get out of here? See the rest from a better angle? My wife wanted to come but her knees, boy. And we're from the outer areas here. The city just ain't fir me. But to me, this day just got even better. So? Can I take you on a tour, I'll get ya a dog after. If you still eat like we little people down here."

"I wouldn't mind keeping away from the camera. No pictures till the end of your tour." (He's more like the 2004 the Batman so don't judge.)

"Great, I know a crawl through here that will let us get the best shot. Oh, not of you. Not to boast…"

"None taken. Then, lead the way."

Slade knew his disguise wasn't why the bat had let him act on his own son easily. Nay, never. The man was onto him, and Slade Wilson was expecting no less from the great detective.

"Do you and your wife, have any kids…?"

"Not a one, we wanted to adopt, but that's not at all easy to do. Her health is one thing I'd never have our kid if we did, go through trying to navigate. The fact is, Wilma is not the best right now, physically. I took out this old camera so she could be a part of today. Her brother died in the war, Nam." Slade told the billionaire, who went along like it was by the book. The facial expressions. The posture, even his own words of wisdom. Exactly, typical hero syndrome. Until the masks came off.

"The tabloids talk about you adopting again. What ever happened to the first? That Grayson fellow?"

Bruce seized up for a second before raising his eyes to this friendly stranger. "You don't already know?" Bruce asked, Slade seeing right through the ruse of anger as it wanted to beat his opponent senseless. "He went off to live independently in another city. In Japan, it is actually a common fact that most kids looking to strengthen their school and future career ties do this. He said his college is in California." Bruce lied. "I only talked to his friends recently and he's locked himself up to get ahead in his courses. The boy is even a year ahead in his grade. That's probably because of my push on him to grow up to fast, naturally. " Bruce again, was skimming off the top the real reason as he and Slade saw a wall and Slade got that second to speak.

The cheers out there weren't electric, but the band was loud. They got off to a corner and Slade told Bruce he'd get them those dogs he'd promised in the beginning of their little tour around the grounds. "I'm back. Line was murder. Not too bad. Did you like mustard or ketchup?"

"Relish." Bruce lied. Anything to toss in that faker's face.

"Cheers, to good people fighting the good fight. With good neighbors."

"Amen to that." They tapped and then, eyes met. A glass one and the real two blue of a spoiled billionaire pretty boy. (Blue in this.)

"You really had me worried there for a second." Smirked the playboy. Slade smiled back and nudged his neck to a side alley. To talk.

"After you."

"I insist, you first."

Alright. Slade would humor the humorist. He took his meal to go, down a back alley and a few feet around. They man didn't swerve as Bruce kept the merc from running.

"Dead end, huh." The merc munched on his meal. "You sure do hate surprise entries as much as I do inflexible anomalies."

"Like yourself, Deathstroke." Snarled the bat.

"You didn't have to come. You don't belong among any of them. You're not a hero, anymore. Dick knew nothing. I never breathed a word in fear of, this." Hissed Wayne. "Why?"

"Why not gloat a bit at my venture? It was easy to piss you off the most. I had an impulse to maybe, put you down a peg. And, to leave a brief update before my leave." The merc hinted. "The boy's not going to see my face until I'm sure he's trustworthy enough. Broken down in parts to rebuild. He seems reluctant to change become of your morals. No surprise." The merc yawn into his hand at the idea of Bruce being any less boring than he ever was. "That child isn't a tool. I won't settle for what you've done to the titans."

"The probes were never touched, were they? I made sure to keep them at my mercy. The boy won't step out of line; if he does –

"Murderer. You'll already have gone back on your word. Deathstroke doesn't break a code like that. What is your real plan? To get back at me? To keep Robin in –

"Renegade. He's getting a makeover this week." Slade said clearly. Bruce wasn't a fisticuffs kind of guy. Slade could box from an earlier age, but the playboy? He could call the butter into this, or…

He could simply lie there and play dead.

"The boy wanted me to tell you personally, that he's not sure if Robin can ever come back. Not right away. He sends you his apologies too. That was news to me." The man tapped his chin, shifting feet as the billionaire looked ready to burst a vein.

"I'm happy to send him your message in turn. No payment necc

"You aren't getting a cent owed. You're a criminal, Slade. There is nothing I could pass on that Robin wouldn't know by now."

"Funny, he said the same thing to me." The elder man blinked. "Renegade, your Richard is safe. I even made sure that if he does get mangled too badly, my newest formula will fix him up. Good as new."

"He's not taking that serum. Your s –

"No, no. Wayne. He hasn't earned the right to be just like me. In time, maybe. When he's deserving of such praise I intent to withhold…maybe by the next decade. Can you imagine your little bird, killing to make bank? I could."

"That's the same with anyone else. Your son, Grant –

"A failure." Slade cut off. "Your boy though, he just can't be bound to miss."

It didn't take long for Bruce to strike. His anger was justified by only him as Slade dodged a punch. The man wasn't at his level. Not without his cape and cowl.

The bat came to observe a block as he kicked out, Slade holding himself to the wall as he lunged in. They were at each other's throats – it wouldn't have ended well, and Slade didn't want the bat dead. He wanted Bruce to see the transformation of his first Robin. HIS creation. Cogs winding in the haunt, the boy was slowly being torn apart. The isolated rooms for his punishment. The errors in judging his friends and if they even cared anymore!

The boy was not going to last, as Bruce knew more than anything that Dick had a bleeding heart since a young age. He wasn't at all though ruthless. Not as Slade wanted him to be.

The man punched the merc in the jaw. Finally, some shame there showed. Slade rolled and Bruce was forces to move as his stomach was kicked. Just before the groin. ( not sexual!)

"Low blow, for a lowlife." Snarled Bruce as he was left without the other pinned anymore. "You deserved it, kid. I just had to put you in your place this once."

"Richard is not going to give up... We have the Titans fully aware of what comes next. If you strike, we step in and finish you. Dick isn't going to continue….to be your prisoner or a product of your conditioning."

"Are you so sure about that thought, Wayne?" Slade smirked., side stepping another punch. "The boy eats from my hand and begs to have his friends spared. Seems like my methods deserve some credit. After all that time of telling yourself that there could never BE another Batman and Robin. I bet the boy does even know about his replacement."

Bruce grunted; Slade instantly picking up the cues as he snapped his fingers, laughing lightly at the other man's mask. Partially slipping.

"A- ha ! So that WAS one part of the reason why he can't trust you any longer. I see it now. The boy showed the most interesting reactions when I had tended to a single wound. Right across his back." The merc was beaming, feeling proud that he'd come this far. "A bullet; removed with both precision and care in mind. That wouldn't be your job, could it?"

Bruce cringed. "The damned clown that time? Dent, maybe? He was always a bit unhinged if you ask me. Kept that mask on until it made him go insane."

" That , is not for you to judge."

" ISN'T it though?" Slade wondered with his eyes popping out, to prove the billionaire otherwise. The same psychotic look that had kept those damned teenaged heroes at bay for so long.

"The fact your own ward doesn't trust his former mentor rang some bells. Even after that run in with the Titans. On top of your tower, Sir Knight "

"YOU…."

Slade put up a palm. He was irritable as much as the next, but not reckless and blinded as one might think. He had work here for himself. The boy had asked him not to cause a ruckus, and Deathstroke did always keep his word. Quick and painless.

"You knew, but you never once pushed to be in his city. To see through his eyes from your perch about what was really happening right under their noses. You are a falsehood as a guardian, Bruce Wayne. I know it and, I'm just like you in that same re-

"YOU ARE NOTHING LIKE THAT. EVER." Bruce swung forwards as Slade stopped him. The bat was red fisted out of rage, eyes for the first time showing what lay beneath the hat.

A shadow of stubble. Red eyes, sleepless night up looking for a reason to step in. To save the day. Reaped bare by his responsibility to everyone else in this city. While his boy remained missing. The other, off someplace maybe. Doing the same. Trying to be something he wasn't. One child did all if that.

One villain had taken this bat for a joy ride he'd be glad to get off of any time.

However, that truth, he could not. Could not dismount. He could not stop questing forth. The knight had to save his princess, right? Slade chuckled as he let go. "You fell in line over a damned kid. Proves my point very well. He's a keeper." The older man purred and let the billionaire fall to his knees.

"Take care of the new boy. Your, Robin…He could end up hurting himself pretty badly one day. He's from the streets, right? Was that true how he got the job handed to him on a whim, Mr. Wayne."

"Get out…" Bruce growled under his shame. "Of this city…. don't ever…. come back."

"But I must!" The man didn't let go. Now that he had Bruce's attention, he wanted leave his parting words. With a snap of his fingers, Slade masked robots crawled out of the shadows of that Gotham city alley way. "You'd best keep to your post. Protect this city as you see fit. My mind is made up; I will keep every word of what I said." His eyes narrowed as the man walked in reverse, the robots flanking him and coming forth in a dozen or so poses.

"Enjoy the rest of your parade, dark knight."

"You could have been anything else, Deathstroke." Bruce brought up his fists as the bots dragged themselves closer to their next opponent. "You could have let your honor still exist. For Dick, he needs heroes to look up to. You could never be anything more than a criminal and a murderer. He and both agree. He's after all, the boy that I raised. Broken parts and all. He deserves to keep going."

Slade didn't say anything in retort. He just mulled over the man's last words before turning and letting the bots throw Bruce around a bit more. The older man found his hidden, smooth black sedan with a bot disguised inside of it in the driver's seat. "Put my apprentice on." He ordered the closest bot in his row of the back seat. Slade leaned into his seat, resting on his elbow as he tugged off the extra wig and mask meant to hide what lay beneath. "I want to tell him about who I ran into today…. And that, I think it's time we got to know each other a little better as master and apprentice."

With a wolfish grin, the man wore no mask, the patch was replaced. The fake eye, popped back out, always chafed anyway. The boy would probably ask so many questions about who HE was.

He already knew.

Slade was the nefarious Deathstroke the Terminator. And Richard Grayson, had only to conform or continue to be whittled away. Piece by piece. Brick by brick, until only his ideal protégé remained.

A Ravager.

A, Renegade…

For life.

Broken parts and all.

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Very similar to my last arc where Slade does use the serum on Dick eventually. Doesn't break Dick was quickly, and Bruce is less grungy as you see here. This is foreshadowing, nothing more. Anything, feel free to leave a comment! More to come.

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