HEY GUYS!
I forgot to tell you all something cool, for my birthday I got sent to FanExpo, best birthday pressie ever. Anywho I got to see and meet and shake hands with Mr. Ron Perlman. That's right, I shook hands with Slade. XD Thought I'd share that because it was kinda cool. *Also no one else can play Hellboy, seriously the new movie is gonna suck*
I wanna Thank you guys so much for everything! I know I say it every chapter but no really thank you. To be honest I never expected anyone to ever read this thing or it to get so far. So thank you again!
Asilla: Big thanks to you, you've been reviewing me and reading this story forever. XD So big kudos and hugs to you my friend! Thanks again.
Top Hat Elephant: Uber big thanks to you to! I'm so glad I can inspire someone to write as well. =) And yes still alive... somewhat. I might be a zombie by now, not to sure.
Everyone else: Thank you so much! Here everyone gets to pet my kitty! *inserts Max*
Anywho ONWARDS right...
EDIT 03/29/2022: Fixing some typos and making it sound smoother I suppose, also moving story to A03
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"Hold it steady" He shuffled on his feet, digging them deep into the sand. He probably shouldn't do that and he mentally scolded himself. If he had to move, getting out of the sand however easy, could still slow him down by a few seconds. And a few seconds sometimes is all that it took.
"Steady."
The gun felt heavy in his hands, but not so unfamiliar. They were all preparing for their trip to Berlin, it would take awhile until they were ready. Sariel wanted to make sure everything was perfect before heading out, which he didn't blame her for. One mistake and they could all wind up dead.
"Steady..."
Slade had set up a few bottles and cans on a stone wall, it was low enough to be a fence. Perhaps at one point it was a part of a much larger fortress, but now all that remained was the remnants of a once larger structure as the sands devoured it whole. With a sigh the former hero took in the sights before him, what lay ahead was his makeshift targets and endless desert. Slade thought it best to take Robin a bit outside of town. While close enough to walk back within less then five minutes. The locals would hear the gunshots, but none seemed to worry so much about it. The gun itself was one of the pieces that Sariel had littered around her little house.
"Do as I taught you and fire at the glass bottle on the right."
Robin sighed and did as instructed. Pulling the trigger, hoping he had hit his target he then instantly regretted looking. He missed.
"I don't get how Sariel does this with such ease."
"Sariel has been shooting a gun since she was a child. You just started."
He was correct. It was actually just yesterday that Slade finally allowed him to fire the weapon. The first few days Slade instructed him on all the various parts that made up the gun, how to put them together and how to dismantle it. He drilled Robin on that for awhile, got him to rip it apart and put it back together again. He was also taught basic care for any firearm. The next was how to defend yourself against any kind gun. A lot of that part Robin already knew from his days in Gotham. Once all that was out of the way, Slade put the gun in his hands, set up a makeshift firing range and here they were.
And after all this, he missed.
"But I can throw a bird-a-rang at anything, I never miss."
"Your skill in your use of throwing knives, or bird-a-rangs as you call them, is a great skill Robin. But firing a gun is a bit different. It's more of a fixed aim I suppose. Although firing a gun is not any easier then throwing a knife. It is a different mind set."
Robin slumped his shoulders.
"Remember the horseshoes?"
Robin looked to the man and arched a brow. "Yea...?"
"Fixed aim. When throwing a blade your body is more in motion, you have to apply enough strength to get the blade from point A to B. Your fingers have to let go of the blade at the right time. In many ways that is much like the horseshoes, but remember you had to look on dead ahead at the peg in the ground. When wielding a gun your not throwing a blade, concentrate on your target, look dead on to your target, prepare for the recoil and keep moving. Fix your aim, you're to used to thinking ahead of when and if your blade will come into contact. The bullet will hit, you just have to lock onto what you want it to hit."
Robin nodded and raised the weapon to try again.
"Steady yourself, look dead on at your target, they are never to leave your sight. Then pull that trigger."
BANG!
He heard it, the glass shattered. A smile crossed his features. "What do you know."
Slade placed his hands behind his back and looked to Robins now shattered target then back to the boy. "See what happens when you actually listen?"
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So far so good. Gus had played the role on the phone well enough. He got in contact with one of their people, told him that Sariel wanted to trade the Legacy for something of value and within the next week they had a meeting set up. Sariel knew however they would already be planning their demise, their deaths scheduled as soon as they walked in the door. So she had Gus set the meeting up in one of their local pubs, they had a few of them specifically for the type of trade they were going to do. Many of the bars were old in Berlin, many of them with rooms above or below the main floor. Perfect for any kind of secret meeting. Pubs were a normal thing, they were anywhere and everywhere. In many truths they were the perfect cover. Especially in a city like Berlin.
There was no doubt that everyone in there would be a member of the ben Elohim of some sort. Lowbies, but it would allow them to cause some havoc on the way out, make it look like at the last minute the deal was off, they would send all their people after them, they would probably get shot in or around the pub, and Aurora would move on with the fake Legacy. Giving them the opportunity they would need.
If it all went to plan that is, and like everything else in her life, Sariel already knew it would not go as planned. Which is why she had the back up plan. That plan, well it was a little rough, it would have to be something she would make up on the way.
Giving out a yawn she rubbed her eyes. She had not slept well the night before. She was anxious. Nervous. This plan could very well work, but it also could get them killed. She talked it over with everyone. Asif was insistent that she not go and meet them but it was kind of cowardly not to show up at this point. She'd have to go with another. And Robin instantly volunteered. At first she disagreed, but the kid was persistent.
So she said yes.
Who was she to say no to a kid that so wanted to march into the arms of his own death. Although she knew Robin better then that. But still, this time around she couldn't completely cover for him. Which is probably why Slade was out there teaching him the basics on using a firearm.
They were not going to just go in there to knock a few people out, if these guys were going to go down they would have to stay down. No one could follow them, no one could alert Aurora to their plan. They would have to kill as many as they could and sneak around the rest.
"Boss."
Her tired eyes turned to see Asif standing above her, she was sitting down in the living room, lost in thought. "How the hell did he sneak up on me like that? I must be more tired than even I realize." she mused to herself.
"Yes?" she rubbed her eyes.
"Take a nap."
"I can't."
"Look Sar, if we are going to do this, we gotta leave in two days, so we can set up shop in Berlin. Once we are there then you can start to worry. But for now leave the trip planning and all that to Gus and I ok? You look tired."
She huffed. "Didn't know you cared after everything you have done little traitor."
"You would of done the same."
"Perhaps, but only to fool them. I know were I stand, and whom I stand with."
Asif sighed, he knew he had lost a great amount of trust with Sariel, but he would work to gain it back. "I was wrong. I'm sorry. You know I'm sorry."
She closed her eyes. "It's going to take time Asif."
He only nodded. "I know."
"Your sister wouldn't of been so proud of you, you know that right?"
"Yes, I know."
She sighed then stood up. "Perhaps you are right though. I'm going to take a nap." Asif only nodded as he watched Sariel move towards her bedroom.
"Give me time Sariel. I will win your trust again." he spoke only to himself.
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It was later in the evening when they were returning to their makeshift headquarters, Sariel did seem to have a thing for this little house. It wasn't large but it was big enough for anyone wanting to hide out for awhile. It sat on the edge of town and hard a bit of what one could almost call a yard. But it wasn't grass, it was just dirt and sand with a bit of a fence. The interior, however a bit rough around the edges, was nice enough inside to have marble floors to cool your feet down. But then again it also had old retro furniture from the late 80's or perhaps early 90's. He knew enough that nothing was really modern around these parts and Sariel probably just bought what she could to accommodate the house and it's guests. And while her couch was old, it wasn't uncomfortable. The atmosphere was kind of nice, cozy and well lived in one could say even though Sariel rarely visited. It was more of a safehouse for other allies of hers. Hence there was a lot of tech scattered about, computer parts and whatnot.
It was a safe haven for any who called Sariel friend and he briefly wondered if he would ever return here in a similar situation. Speaking of the woman where was she? All he saw was Asif and Gus who was currently clicking away at the computer.
"Do you ever think of them any more?"
Robin was in the kitchen when her heard the smooth voice of his master slip into his ear. He continued to watch Gus and Asif go about their evening. The kitchen was dark, the others knew he had come in but weren't paying much attention to him nor to Slade.
"What?" he turned to face his former adversary.
"You don't do you?"
Robin looked away, feeling ashamed. He knew what Slade was talking about.
"The Titans are like a very distant thought now, and once this is over so to will these three."
That made the boy frown, he really liked Sariel and company. "These people have made such a impact on my life tha-"
"And didn't the Titans?"
His shoulders slouched. "Yea..." Slade was right.
"In the end Robin, all you can do is look out for yourself. That is the number one rule in this game. While Sariel and her little friends you may call allies, in the long run it's best to only have ..."
Robin look up to the man with a bit of wonder, there was never any 'howevers' with the man.
Slades frame relaxed a little when he saw Robins posture change. "When one is in my condition of having a young apprentice, one must also think of them as well. You've always been a social bird Robin, it would be a shame to dismantle that ability which could draw in many allies when needed. So just be cautious of your acquaintances."
"If you're telling me to be careful just in case someone might betray me from the inside, I know all about that thanks to you." Robin scowled at the thought of Terra.
"Another lesson I have taught you."
"Whatever" Robin placed his things down on the kitchen counter before making his way out to the living room to stretch out on the old sofa. However he didn't stay there for long until Gus called him over to get him to look at something on the computer. Within moments the two were laughing at something playing on the screen.
Slade found amusement from the shadows. Robin was indeed the more social of the two. The boy could make friends anywhere and at anytime. It was a good trait, but it was also one that could land you in heaps of trouble in this world. Best to warn the boy, but also best to leave him to his own devices.
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Sariel had woken up awhile ago from her nap, however she didn't feel the need to leave her bed. So instead she stayed and had set up her laptop. She was going over current events to try and spot anything in which the ben Elohim were responsible for. There was many possibilities.
The fire in Yemen was still all over the news. Apparently there was some sightings of Batman in the area. Odd. Perhaps he was looking for Robin. But then again wasn't Robin pronounced dead from the whole Brotherhood of Evil fiasco?
Not that it really mattered to her. But why was he there of all places.
She thought she should tell Robin, but thought against it. She didn't need him wanting to go back there to find the Bat. She and the others didn't have that kind of time. Besides didn't he turn his back on the capes anyways.
She shrugged the whole idea away. If Robin really wanted to know about the Bats ongoings he could damn well google it himself. Plus he was pretty mad at Batman right now, pretty mad at that whole community actually. She sighed and swapped to another news stream.
This one had something going on about the Flash, how he saved the city at great cost. And at great risk. She sighed. Apparently the news only had super heros on tonight. "Of course" she muttered. "When do they ever show any real news of the rest of the world?"
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Ok ok I know short as well, but things are moving along! YAY! Plus RObin shot a gun! ooOOoooOOooo!
Anyone PLS PLS leave me a review and I'll give ya cookies! =D
Thanks everyone and be good out there
-Fangy