Our Time in Reverse – What it Takes

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Chapter 64: My Shadow

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Dick's brow wouldn't stop sweating as the alarm in his ear, meant a new day.

A new type of kill to be had.

While he cracked open one from under the covers, only then to groan and fall back asleep...he ignored the knocking hand, as the knob to his room slowly turned while he lay resting. Attempting to dream of something less prophetic while a dark shadow loomed over his dozing frame.

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"Rise and shine, apprentice."

The next thing Richard knew, with the blanket, the boy was dragged to hit the wooden floor with a restless rushed, hurrying his response to a half sleepy panic. ."Sir!-

Slade dragged through a quilt to grip the kid's arm, eye sharp as his breath was fully functioning and better to those in his predicament. "Are you ready to resume our training, Renegade?"

Dick was chewed out as the man pulled the kid out the door and down the steps of the first floor to the estate. He didn't speak yet his breath was heaving enough to ask once he'd caught up to his thoughts, steps out into the lawn.

"Sir? Wh – where are you –

Dick was tossed into the dew – dipped morning air, the wetted grass catching him as he was shoved into the messiest patch of land. It was fog, everywhere. He saw how the estate was country – esque. The scene something out of 'Montana's Autumn View Monthly."

Was this, actually California?

"I made sure you weren't going to bother trying anything. Renegade; your wasted time with the bat has you wondering if I'm still intent on turning you into my right hand."

"No, sir! I know, know you are." Swallowed the boy "I swore that I-

"It can barely be called a promise…you almost didn't remember my face. That was due to the martian. A part of the spell, however was psychological. You'll have plenty of time to show your loyalty though, because I intend to have you understood just what I gave to you through my very promise. One you could never comprehend…"

Slade moved closer as he pulled the boy up by the scruff to see him stand taller. "We'll spar, and if you hesitate, I'll know one if two things." Slade turned his back, two fingers in the air as one hand stayed behind his back and visible to the boy as his "speculative pose."

Pacing was natural for the man, yet Dick somehow felt a shiver race down his back by how much of a threat the man was being. The fog was thick as mud and his eyes were still not fully opened to see to his surroundings as the boy rubbed them. Rubbing and seeing more past the blur of his consciousness.

"I understand." Dick nodded and took to his stance in the grass. Slade heard the vow and the boy's resetting of his sock covered feet. The grass had little sticks or rocks to trip over. Slade expected the kid to get used to these morning drags out into the wilderness even. He'd be expecting Renegade to remember everything that he'd pushed back down.

"Wayne made you soft, yet as you saw from my new promise to the overlord Trigon, I'd only make you stronger as long as you continue to abide as before. Begin. Show me what you're wasting my time with…"

/

Aggressive behaviors were buried since Dick's face off with Beastboy or Cyborg in the gym. He was shocked to see that the push He'd given to Jason was managed by the man who was just like him. "If you can keep up, you'll be obvious competition for others wanting to take you apart!"

Slade threw a punch as Dick's legs bent to split. His legs moved to trip the enemy, yet Slade moved as his shadow. There at times and gone in broad daylight.

"Try again, my apprentice." Dick never saw from behind as Slade pummeled him into the grass. Dick tried to flip into a bridge to pick himself up, yet Slade dragged him back down, pinning kid to the muddiest earth as grass tickled a rug burnt side of the kid's frustrated face.

"Aren't you going to try and break free, what happened to all of that fire? It was there with the Titans, wasn't it?? Answer me, apprentice!" The boot ground down, as his arm was yanked back in a forceful bend. "If I'd wanted, this could hurt…" Slade's head tilted to the side with a pigeons humm. "I should, seeing as in seconds that arm would heal."

He hissed. "Imagine if your enemy had yanked it off, bone and flesh, together. Rrrip…"

Dick's brow was perspiring at the mere reminder of his dream earlier. He wasn't…a killer, that wasn't a person!

Though, pain. Pain of being a disloyal traitor to them. Versus the man that could end him, make this trip back to ego tripping the man near impossible…

Dick growled and twisted his torso, Slade's grip keeping him bound until Dick yanked, the full extend not rewarded. Slade tugged and the kid's dry gasp could sense a short time to get away.

The pin was on his back, arms pulled back in one hand. One, just…

His legs moved as he waited to hit the weighted armor of the mad man. It wasn't his usual kick. It was centered, controlled and desperate as Slade was shoved back while a dent formed in his knee guard. Slade hopped back, the kid's arms moving as he contorted out of the grip like a damned salamander off of a log. "I'm worthy!" He shouted, the boy moving his wrists as Slade looked on with a wide stare.

"I'd bend and break for you, you altered…me, to give me a shot and I won't blow that. I promised us, that I'd come back. So, I'm here. I'm not going back."

Dick grunted as his arm reformed from the twist. Slade's knee did the same much quicker as he dusted himself off. "That took fifteen minutes to accomplish. Well done."

Dick felt the silence of his praise echo. Slade…wait.

"Did…did I or wasn't I good enough?"

Slade walked past him. His face looking off for the next stack of pancakes Will had readied in case the boy did a "good" job. He'd likely burn it off. After all, being young and enhanced now, he had to stay his stamina as Slade, wondered if feeding his future competition would…be a mistake.

"Breakfast will be served once we've cleaned up. Come."

Dick panted, pushing back his side bangs a bit as Slade expected Dick to fall into line right behind, yet never to his right side.

He'd shown Slade just a new side his could both punish and manipulate, Dick knew he had to tread carefully. Having lost his temper nearly there, Slade wasn't going to take their next session as a slight of hand attempt. Dick padded on after his master, stepping carefully as they made their way back through the main doorway to the man's mountain estate.

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~This is Katie Holmes, reporting from Gotham Clocktower, where earlier our caped crusader refused to make a statement. Sources are popping up saying that, Robin. The first and maybe even last The boy wonder, is now flying free from his mentor…to Jump City, to becomevan honorary Titan??Is this the end of the Dynamic Duo? More tonight at six. Back to you Ted.~

~ As we remembered from the showdown with the elemental brothers in California , Katie, their original Robin turned out to not be what they thought. He was in fact a spy fir the mastermind still untraceable since his departure, Slade. This menace had puppets around every corner of the city's underground and played into trying to dismantle the Justice League and Titans – he was thwarted by an exiled princess. Tara Markov's brother Bryan will become the leader of Markovia since its liberation ushered in a new day. Just as Slade took the life witnesses now have found to be true, that Deathstroke was hired to take out the princess inside of her cell before her trial. The tragedy struck us all, so there is hope that a new bit of blood might help citizens to fight- yet who will replace Batman's first Robin? I'm Ted Cordero. Live tonight; Wayne Enterprises is la -

The paper showed a few things too while Bruce skimmed and Jason packed his bags over the television dividing them both. "I can do this, you know I'll do what I can to get him back. He's not, not a victim."

"I could tell. He wanted to stay, but not to remain totally loyal to Deathstroke. That's why the Titans would be safer knowing we have eyes in as many places as they should be. Slade would be laying low, staying out of the public eye with his new powers."

"He contracted with Raven's pop." Jason chewed his lip and watched as the news swapped to an advertisement for life insurance. "Not much of that news was comfortable for any of them to hear." Bruce put down the newspaper and watched as Jason turned to face his dad. Jason put the bag down, his arms teaching over to the sofa as Bruce didn't treacherous out of not knowing what to expect. A, hug?

"I'm not him. I can't be the kid you post and I won't be another. Raven and the others are under our watch. Robin's." Grinned the kid as he patted Bruce to let go. "If I lost any of you, I'd never forgive –

"Hush." Jason sighed loudly. "You act like a tough guy in that suit, but where is he now? Huh?"

Bruce didn't answer, looking right through Jason as he reached for the remote and saw something that they both saw as, strange.

~ Score marks and firestorms in a pine forest late last night. Something of….a snake, Martin? We're here in the sky copter and down there – whoa, get the crew on that.~

"Go."

"B, I…"

"Jason, that's an order."

The boy dipped his head, lip pointing as he took his things and huffed at the big bully. "I'm gonna do my job. Don't wallow around. Al's not your nanny, he's family. Like you and me…"

Bruce grunted a thanks as they parted. Alfred cane through the other entryway to the room that was adjoined as Bruce expected him to be eavesdropping.

"Alfred. Make sure Jason reports –

"Master Bruce, the grieving process I do think –

"It's not him I'm worried about." Bruce turned to the screen as he pointed at the "S" mark over a red wood pine forest only miles from San Francisco.

"It's someone else. Someone I have to catch and stop before Jason is forced to follow after Dick."

"That boy has shared your burdensome promise for nearly a decade, sir." Alfred huffed indignantly. "I would expect his father to understand, yet you sent him away with a heavy mind to keep him grounded. I do hope you're happy with that. Richard was somewhat –

"He was tricked, I…" Bruce sat back down and combed his hands through his jet-black hair. "I lost him from a lack of trust. Slade pulled him away before I even knew the mercenary had set foot in Gotham. Dick was told to kill Zucco, but Slade did that. He watched, thinking there was no other way to possibly repay the man. It's blackmail. I won't let that go. Slade…isn't there to make Dick his son."

"But, is the Batman for either ,boys?"

Bruce sighed, standing slowly as the paper remained folded on the sofa. "Was I ever even close to being there, Alfred? Was it never enough to just, have both?"

"A parent has something that the Batman lacks, I'm afraid. It's up to yo, Bruce Wayne, to find out exactly what that something may be." He left Bruce to consider those words as Jason shrugged off Alfred arms as he was indeed held for as long as it took to wish him the best.

Something, that the Bat didn't have…Bruce thought that hugging was something both were capable of. Even granting some living memories where no one suffered for a time. Did Jason think so little of his support? His leadership?

No, no. He wanted to keep his promise, just like his….father…like the man, that didn't….

Bruce walked off, not willing to overanalyze his stunted emotions.

And then, he remembered what he had done that there could be no comparison.

He'd cared for Dick differently than Jason. Cared.

Jason's cycle took off as Bruce ran out the door with a slightly unshaven anguish. Alfred was there and then he wasn't, the father and son duo now broken up as Alfred went to phone Batman's other partner, Batgirl about the swap.

"Master Bruce shall require assistance. There is not much more that can be said at this time, no."

Bruce walked back along a path quicker in that anguish, to the cave as he went to get started. Find out more. More about Raven's father, and how Slade was now working in tandem with an interdimensional demon for even more status than he had already lost.

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Slade came back through the door by four pm. There were leaves and pine needles on the soles of his iron boots. Will got out the vacuum as soon as he'd witnessed the man's hunched shoulders and slight hit to the side by, something larger.

"A , Titan?"

"More than enough." Slade grunted. "Don't breathe a sound to him, got it?"

Will nodded, expecting the man to rest from a rhino crushing his ribcage as a scream echoed and the bones re- mended themselves. Slade dusted off his fatigue as it dropped. He got his head on straight and right to the installed gym in the basement, he trudged.

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Into an elevator in the wall as the panel slid back.

The batcave was a cave, this was mainly built over an old mine, the rocks below still coal and diamonds; the way he'd stayed so in tune with his "diamond in the rough" metaphor. It wasn't as tall as the bat cave, yet to be expected of a forest overlooking an entire city with major fault lines. He was fortunate it hadn't sunken into the earth.

The boy was taking on a robot that was bent on severely incapacitated him. Dick landed on his right foot as his stance was a crouch partly swept – Slade crossed his arms and leaned back, barely visible, save for his one narrowed eye at the boy's competition.

The Slade bots appeared to help as Dick used his own two fingers to propel himself in a flip over the bots.

"Don't be reckless, boy. Try to stop wooing your audience. Go right in for the kill."

Slade was there? Dick gasped as the bots swing nearly threw off his concentration. With a growl, Dick lunged as he tossed one bot into the fire arm of the other, having them kill by simple error. The boy dragged the other bot up and shoved it back into a fourth, the fifth being hijacked as Dick went like a monkey on its back and the head –

Was dismantled with bare hands. He shut his eyes. Slade saw how the boy was still squeamish with fake prey. He did need to change that the next time they fought some real competition.

"Gritty. Isn't it?" Slade moved into the fight as a wild cat. Swiftly his leg kicked to have sparks flying off of the bot Dick had been aiming for. "This was my fight, I had –

"You're making this lengthier than it has to be. Bodies go down…." Slade did his best as he always did while Dock set the clock. Fourteen seconds. Four bots.

He was, embarrassed to say the least. "They did their part. Care to yell me why you didn't look it in the eye?" Slade pointed to the robot that's neck was snapped by the boy's somewhat perfect grip.

Dick forced himself to look then snapped his attention back to the man, a hand to his face as he stood taller. "I'm sorry –

"Don't be. That was what I was expecting. Sloppy ay first, yet there is always room for improvement. You're my apprentice, and this…" Slade splayed out his arm to exhibit his interest in what the boy had done to the dead bots.

"Is a part of your recovery process, dear child. Don't you trust yourself to know that I'd never lie about that to you?"

"I, it's just all new. I hurt two people, but I never…killed!" Dick finally said it. His state was so fragile it made Slade itch a bit to try out something.

"This isn't a kill job we'll be going to into. More, a hostage situation. A trade off. I need you more now than ever – the city is calling us back. I found a way to that end, but…"

"It involves Raven, and bringing Trigon what he wants."

Slade stood back a moment to ponder Richard's answer. It was stoic, the loner in him had devised a way to be subjected, and yet to wait. To overcome before he gave up or in. In to whom, was the question. "The blood doesn't stain forever, my apprentice." Slade coaxed the child to listen. "I only want to stand up to the bat. I promised we'd help him see that you belong, here. Not with him. He's weak. Deaf to your needs and your brother?"

"He, Jason just runs after me. It's not ok. He's-

"A sacrifice to the mantle." Slade rubbed his chin and pulled up his mask a bit. His eyes and the beard now starting to itch for a shower and shave. Life went on. Always.

"Feeling up to getting dressed and going out?"

"Shower, first sir?" Dick looked the man's way as his shoulders were less hunched. More relived that he'd get to wash away the crude oil of that afternoon from his battered gloves.

"Of course. Then, how about we stop…in the city? Get a late lunch out. It's on me." He smiled. "Like old times."

The boy weakly smiled back, his armor cracking as Slade knew that the very first hour they bumped heads with a Titan…the boy would submit and pay for lying since he'd left the cave behind.

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Slade is buttering up Dick into fighting his brother. What else is new? Find out!