Betrayal

Alexnandru Van Gordon

This is a one-shot challenge between Insaneiac the Maniac and myself. The time limit to write it was an hour and a half, and we choose each others summaries (what the stories will be about, what had to be added in and such…). The stories are judged more so one the emotion provoked in the audience by the writers and the judges are dlsky, Rebel Aquarius, Slade Wilson – Deathstroke, Victor Van Heiring, and my other cousin, Jake.

The beginning of the event is written as seen by Starfire, and the end (with aftermath) is seen through Robin. It takes place the next time they see Slade after the Apprentice shows if not for Terra.

SUMMARY: What is Robin to think when he is betrayed?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything from Teen Titans, the show or comics.

ONE-SHOT:

Starfire was new to earth and therefore nobody expected much of her when it came to understanding their customs and actions to everything in life. It was frightening to suddenly find herself in a world where every other being was a hundred times weaker and slower that her and had no such ability to make flight possible without the aid of machines. It was like stepping into the wilderness and trying to adapt to the ways of ants. Sure they were strong and they were pretty fast, but you couldn't help but feel terribly out of place.

But despite all differences, she found she understood quite a bit about the ways humans acted. If you were hurt, you cried; if someone else was hurt, you wanted to avenge them and cry with them; if you laughed, they felt good; and if they laughed, you laughed with them. There were many things she could relate to and, most of all, she knew the importance of life. She knew that living was better than dying, and living in a world of pain was for the best if it saved the lives of others from torment and death. That was why she admired the Titans and joined their ranks, swearing to go to any length just so that even the smallest amount of people could live in peace.

That led to sorting out your priorities in the job.

This was something Robin aided her with when she first came to earth. First, the lives of many were worth far more than the life of one. Second, the life of an innocent was worth more than the life of a villain. And thirdly, the lives of themselves and their teammates were worth the least of all on any scale. That was how they operated when numerous lives were in immediate, life threatening danger. It made it easier…to a degree. It most certainly didn't make her feel any better about letting someone die but that had yet to happen. And in any case, it was of the utmost importance that they have all that sorted out in their heads before a life-threatening situation came up. There was no possible way in battle they could pause and think about whom to save first.

First you saved civilians, then the people who could fend for themselves, then the baddies (if that was possible), and lastly themselves.

It took a load off one's chest, and she hoped she would never find herself stuck in a situation where her heart came into conflict with those simple rules.

Too bad that wasn't going to happen.

Slade.

When first dealing with him she could have cared less about his intentions and what he said to their team. All that mattered to her was that he was going to hurt someone soon and it was her duty to stop him before he could. After Robin was kidnapped and his own set of rules played out before him, she started to hate him. And she meant really hate him.

Robin went with just one rule: his own life was worth less than that of anyone on any scale. He suffered just so that his team would survive the mini-bombs Slade implanted in their blood streams and from that the impact of those rules took full force into her face. It wouldn't be long until the rest of them would have to play those rules as well on a much larger scale than day to day "stop-the-robbery" crimes.

That made her scared.

And it took a lot to scare a super-strengthed alien princess of her race.

But she was scared when her time finally called…

Another late night—another odd battle at Wayne Enterprise. The culprits caught on screen: Slade's robots. A quick foreshadowment of what was going through their leader's head: This time I'm going to kill that—

But after the first time he was caught, everyone in the team silently agreed that it would be for the best to keep a better watch on Robin. After she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and smiled as best she could despite the tension in the air she told them their small plan.

"Stay with someone, friend Robin, and do not follow him unless we are not far behind."

Much to their surprise, he eased at the suggestion and nodded, a grin at to the left corner of his lips. Through that she knew he was going to listen and suddenly whatever worry she felt about losing him vanished into thick air. Nothing was going to happen to them and they would return home laughing whether they caught Slade this time or not.

Sometimes she wished that were true.

They came to the building and fought to the best of their ability. And although they were tough the robots somehow slipped away, leading to a very mundane chase atop the roofs of the jump City buildings. Four out of the five sent by Slade were caught within in the hour but one ended up as a lucky little bugger and sent them wildly across the city to the forest surrounding the west. Old mines and caves were the only things there, an easy hiding place for the thief.

"Dudes…we're never going to find it…" Beast Boy complained, a hand wiping away the perspiration on his brow. He and Robin, begin the only two actually running (Raven with Starfire flying, and Cyborg too robotic to really feel tired unless his battery was low), were exhausted beyond belief when they reached a cliff edge off the highway to a bunch of trees below.

"Maybe we should turn back?" Cyborg suggested. With a quick glance at his arm he gave the silent message that he was low on energy.

A nod from Robin and they could have sighed in gratitude. Starfire was happy to see that he was finally getting over his obsession of catching every criminal he ever came across, and this was just the beginning in her glowing eyes.

He grinned at the group and scratched the back of his weary head. "Sounds fine to me. I guess sleep wouldn't be too bad around now."

Perhaps it was luck….bad luck, that is, that led to the next events.

She landed, right between Robin and the edge of the cliff, and that was what prevented him from seeing the robot instead of her. Right then and there she wanted to make it up to Robin for calming down so far when it come to dealing with Slade and that prompted her to jump off the edge of the cliff after it. Soaring down to the ground, she ignored the calls of her companions as she fly after it into a dark cave cut into the cliff side.

If she thought the chase in the city was tiresome, this was what Raven would call ridiculous. The cave was full of tunnels and through them she got lost, twisting and turning every which way in a futile attempt to catch up with the bot. Near the end of the chase, she could have sworn that there was more than one robot. There was no possible way just one could move from tunnel to tunnel so fast.

Who cared?

The game led her to one large cave area, some place dark and dank save for some mechanical equipment brought down there recently by who she could easily guess as Slade. This was his next hideout and she couldn't see worth a darn—or close enough to nothing if not for the monitor screens showing off the cave's tunnels and the forest around the entrance. The other Titans were displayed, searching around inside down different tunnels in search of her.

"What a surprise…"

She froze. Eyes darting around in the dark, they finally focused on the man as he stalked toward her into a new spot light. One flashed down on her from above and she was tempted to cover her eyes from the brilliance. That, however, would have been a sign of weakness.

"I didn't expect to see you here." He finished. His hands were behind his back as always, that one eye sizing her up slowly. "I was hoping to see…someone else."

In saying someone else, he really meant Robin.

"You will stay away from my friends." She ordered, hands glowing to life with her righteous fury. "I will not allow you to harm any of them!"

He laughed. He always laughed at them, but now she felt how demeaning it was. The laugh made her feel weak, feel foolish, like she was some stupid child who had no idea if the sky was really blue of if that was what adults told her just to satisfy her curiosity. N wonder Robin wanted to knock his lights out for good.

Seeing how she said nothing, the sociopath continued. "And what makes you think you have a say in any of that? Do you even know what has been happening the entire time I've been in this city?"

Honestly…she had no idea….

"No?..." He held up a hand, in it a small controller. She flinched when she saw it but it merely changed the wall screens to show plans for something else, a few smaller shots showing his robots working on something—guarding it, rather. "It's a bomb, my dear…under your city."

A gasp was all she could manage as it registered in her mind. He was going to destroy them all…that's why his base was outside the city.

"I will not—"

"Do a thing." He finished—interrupting. "It's just one of my plans, because your city holds little interest in my mind. There's…one thing, but I've really outstayed my welcome. There are more important cities that call for my attention, so I have given some thought about what to do about Jump…"

No what? If Robin was in her position he'd….what would he do? Break it out into a fight? Was that wise—or should she had attacked him right when she first saw him?

"We will stop you." She growled.

"How?" He waved the controller twice before returning his hands behind his back. "But…I am willing to compensate…"

Now she understood why Robin hated asking this question. "What is it you want?"

"Isn't it obvious? You know who I want."

Who…Yes, she did know—and it could make her cry. She just wanted to attack him but he would press the button. He didn't have as much patience for the rest of the Titans as he did with Robin and there would be no fooling around if their leader wasn't the one he was talking to.

Okay…back to what Robin said. The whole city was in danger and he was the price. What was the right thing to do?

The lives of themselves and their teammates were worth the least of all on any scale.

No matter how many times she went over the rules in her heard, that was the same conclusion she always came too. The supposedly "right" thing to do now was hand Robin back over to Slade.

Could she do it?

"Deliver him to me and I will save your city from kingdom come…for now." He said, already knowing what she was going to do. "If it will be safe later on is entirely up to him and his new loyalty to me."

Oh…she could just kill him.

He continued—"Lead him here unbeknownst of this plan and I will keep my word. Say anything or try to warn him and you will damn those who you dearly try to protect."

What now…whatnowwhatnowwhatnow—what would Robin do?

…He'd say yes.

-R-

When Starfire suddenly nose-dived off the side of the cliff he thought she was crazy. The team naturally went after her and that was when they found the cave…the tunnel filled cave…that made the most inescapable maze in the world…

It suited Slade's taste.

Right now he was trying to get over the urge to catch the man and break him into a million pieces. He was trying to change. He was going to let his team help him with this one. No ands, ifs or buts—Slade was a team issue now no matter what the villain thought otherwise, and all be damned if someone thought otherwise.

He would change because he cared for his team…cared for her. He was going this all for her, to never hurt or betray her and their friends ever again.

If only this was as simple as admitting to her that he loved her…

And then there she was, right in front of him down the tunnel he strode. Naturally the team had split up to find Starfire and he was almost glad he had been the one to find her. Now that he could see she was well his heart felt at ease.

"Let's go." He sighed, grinning as he began to turn away.

"I have found him."

That made him pause…but he didn't exactly jump at the news. Turning slowly, he frowned in concern. "Starfire?"

He wanted to defeat Slade…but right now, more than ever, he really only wanted to return home and talk to her for a while before they turned in for the night. She must have misunderstood because she smiled gently and took off back the way she came.

Honestly, he didn't want to go.

But he went for her.

True to her words, she did find him…or his main room, anyway. Same monitors, same tables loaded with weapons and machines of every sort…but not the man himself. How…odd.

He must be in the shadows, watching…

His hand reached down cautiously toward his utility belt, fingers itching to close around his bo-staff—but his hand felt nothing when it touched his hip. Looking down, he found that his utility belt was gone.

"How did…" Then he saw it in her hands. She must have grabbed it when she walked past him, but why did she take it? "Um…could I have that back? I actually need it at the moment."

"Why? I thought you fought well enough with just your hands."

The voice alone sent shivers down his back, the sight of the man emerging from the shadows only fueling his anger. He promised himself that he was going to change for Starfire but, oddly, she really wasn't leaving him with much of a choice at the current moment. Why, of all times, did she have to unarm him now? Why!

Turning his body to face Slade, he moved into a fighting position. Well, at least Starfire was there to help him, aid him from falling into another trap like last time. That was an improvement? Wasn't it?

No.

The last thing he expected was her foot connecting with his side as she kicked him far across his room. Was this the real Starfire? Had Slade done something to her? He really had no time to answer those questions, especially when he collided with the wall from that single kick, winded of all air currently held within his chest.

"Starfire?..." He sat up, back against the wall as he rubbed his head and stared straight at her. His side ached like hell, no doubt a couple of bones broken from that hit. She had never him, practice or no practice, that hard before—actually, he had never been hit that hard before. He was lucky to still be alive.

She didn't say anything, just stared. Slade, eye glinting with malevolence, strode over to her, a hand reaching out where she couldn't see it—

"Starfire!"

First she betrayed him and then she ignored his cry to help her. Slade's hand came around her fragile neck quickly and closed into a fist—the crack of bone following before she realized what was happening. He watched her fall to the ground, body limp and lifeless, his heart stopping on the beat.

What was happening?...Why did she…Why did she…

"NO!" He hollered, forcing himself to stand against the pain. He was ready to run toward her but in one step he say the controller in Slade's hand, finger pressing down on one of the buttons, and in a second step he was rudely halted by a wall of bars that shot up from the ground and surrounded him. Hitting those alone would have been painful enough, but the fact that they electrocuted him with a single touch blew him back into the wall, more ribs breaking upon impact. This new shot of pain forced him to cry out sharply in agony, silencing when he bit down on his lower lip.

This was happening all too fast…It had to be a nightmare…a very horrible and realistic nightmare…

…that was never going to end…

Slade, without a care in the world, walked casually over to the small cell and showed the controller. There were many buttons and Robin couldn't help but stare at the large red one.

"You know the drill, Robin." Slade began, voice coated with the need for revenge. He could tell Slade was smiling…the man was enjoying every second of this. "Beneath the city…"

Until Again,

Alexnandru Van Gordon