Now this was something Robin had been ESPECIALLY afraid of. Obviously, he
didn't want to fight his friend and mentor, his father figure, but another
factor came into this: Robin was pretty sure he couldn't beat Batman.
The man in question hopped down from the building, his long dark cape billowing, and landed on the ground in a crouch. He slowly straightened, and his form seemed to be made from the darkness, his white eyes the only thing showing. Robin could finally understand why criminals would cower whenever they saw "The Bat" - why some thought he wasn't really human. He was like something out of a nightmare.
"Robin," he rumbled in a deep voice that would make Darth Vader nervous, "I want you to stop this now."
It occurred to Robin that not too long ago that would be all it took - a sharp order from Batman. Back when he was just a sidekick he'd do anything to please Batman, to prove his worth, and if he disappointed him, he would work hard to make sure it didn't happen again.
Robin sighed. But he had his team to think about now. He couldn't let them die because he disappointed Batman. 'This is going to suck,' he thought.
He whipped out a small metal ball from within his suit, closed his eyes, and threw it down. It exploded into a blindingly bright flash of light that filled the whole area. Everyone gasped and closed their eyes, but it was too late; they were temporarily blinded. By the time their sight returned, Robin was gone.
"Aw, MAN!" Beast Boy cried, "He did it again!"
Batman had thrown his cape in front of him when the flash happened, and he now tossed in behind him as he made his way towards where Robin was standing just before. Starfire flew down from above and towards Raven and Beast Boy.
"Oh dear, is everyone all right? Where is Cyborg?"
"Ohhhhh."
Cyborg stumbled out of the building, rubbing his head.
"And what were YOU doing?" Raven snapped, "Taking a nap?"
"Don't. Talk. Head. Huuurts," Cyborg moaned. "Man, BB, why did you let Robin run past you?"
"Aw, I dunno, I just - I mean - I couldn't do it guys! It's Robin!"
"It IS Robin," Raven said, "but right now he's our enemy, and we have to treat him as such."
"I know," Beast Boy said sadly.
Raven frowned, almost feeling sorry for Beast Boy. Well, nothing else made sense at the moment, so why not?
"Hey," she said, putting a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder, "I hate it too. But we've been through worse situations, right? As long as we stick together, we'll be fine."
For a moment Beast Boy stared at Raven like she was growing horns, surprised at the sudden kindness. Then he grinned, "Yeah, you're right."
"I agree," Starfire nodded, "we must forget our fears and confusions and work together in order to get to the rear of this!
"No, Star, it's 'bottom of this' and I agree and this is all very sweet," Cyborg said, "but could someone tell me who the heck that is?" He was pointing at Batman, who was still crouched where Robin had been standing before, now holding some sort of device in his hands.
"That is 'The Batman'," Starfire explained, "He was Robin's guardian. He saw Robin on the news and came here to find out what is going on."
"What'd you tell him?"
"What we know about the situation."
"In other words, not much," Beast Boy said. "What's he doing?"
"I'm using a thermal detector," Batman said. The others jumped. They hadn't realized he was listening to them. "It can pick up traces of the heat that came from Robin's body and the power suit."
He stood up suddenly and headed towards a building that had a fire escape. "He went up here," he muttered. He began to shimmy up it. The Titans looked at each other, shrugged, and followed him.
On the roof, Batman frowned. "It's too cold up here. Any traces of heat are too faint for the detector to pick up."
"So what do we do now?" Beast Boy asked.
Batman swung his head around to face him, eyes narrowed. The Titans backed off a little. This guy was WEIRD.
"I work alone."
"But Robin's our friend!" Beast Boy cried.
"Yeah, and if you know how to find him, we're sticking to you like glue!" Cyborg added.
"PLEASE?" Starfire begged.
Batman stared at them for a long moment, then said, "Fine. But let's get one thing straight: I'm in charge. You do what I say, when I say it, or you can go walking back to that bizarre T-shaped tower of yours."
"What's wrong with our tower?" Beast Boy cried defensively.
"Yeah," Cyborg snapped, "and who died and made you king -"
"Deal," Raven interrupted. This was no time for pride issues. And secretly, she couldn't help but admire the Dark Knight's harsh bluntness. In fact, he was kinda cool.
"Good," Batman said, looking on the horizon. "Here's the plan."
~
"Will you listen to me!?" Robin cried. He was standing in front of Slade, who was sitting in a large chair and staring nonchalantly up at him. "You're best chance is to move the hideout TODAY!"
"I'll do no such thing," Slade said calmly, "why should I be worried about Batman?"
"Because he doesn't need a bunch of clues laid out when he wants to find something! He'll be here for sure, and trust me, you don't want that!" Robin was desperate. He couldn't believe he was giving Slade advice, but it had to be done.
"You really don't want to fight him, do you?" Slade smirked.
"Of course not," Robin snapped, "you know I couldn't beat him."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because he taught me everything I know -"
"Did he teach you how to kill?"
Robin was thoroughly startled by this question. It took him a few moments to answer, "No, no, of course not."
"There you are, then. He will never kill you, but I can teach YOU how to kill HIM."
"But - I -" Robin stammered. He couldn't believe they were having this conversation. "Kill him!? But you said if I obeyed you -"
"I said that if you obeyed your FRIENDS would live. I said nothing about him."
"No," Robin whispered in horror, "no, I won't -"
"What's that, boy? I can't quite hear you." Slade said mockingly, holding up the glove with the damn button. Robin turned away, feeling the tears of hopelessness forming behind his mask. He couldn't make a choice like that!
When Robin didn't say anything, Slade said, "You'll have some time to think about it. Retire to your room, but don't get too comfortable; we'll be training again soon."
It was all Robin could do to not lash out right there. Holding together his dignity as best he could, he left the computer room.
-
-
(Dang, now this is getting heavy. Anyway, no, I'm not dead! Sorry I took so long, I got stuck! :P
Maria ~ Nah, I know what you mean, I was just kidding. You're right, the story would be pretty boring without some angsty drama! ^_~
Starre ~ But of course! .Wait, I just told you, huh? CRAP!
Tandy ~ Thanks! My other stories? Oh yeah.I should get back to those huh? *LOL* Hey, everyone check out my Dee Dee fic in the Batman Beyond section, PLEASE?? Tell me what you think!
G.O.T. Nick ~ Yeah, Batman wouldn't do that. Still, they were trying to tell us SOMETHING. Hmm. Wait, what happens in three months?
Chessy Cat ~ o_O *LOL* Okay then.
The Skiver ~ Yeah, it did kinda! Oh well. I hope it isn't him.
Kraven the Hunter ~ You bet it's awkward! It's like your dad walking in and catching you smoking pot with your friends or something! o_O
Alyson ~ *whimpers* Don't kill me! Here's the chapter! O_o
Prisonero ~ Your fic looks good! You might wanna try fixing some spelling and grammer, but I think it's got potential! ^_~)
The man in question hopped down from the building, his long dark cape billowing, and landed on the ground in a crouch. He slowly straightened, and his form seemed to be made from the darkness, his white eyes the only thing showing. Robin could finally understand why criminals would cower whenever they saw "The Bat" - why some thought he wasn't really human. He was like something out of a nightmare.
"Robin," he rumbled in a deep voice that would make Darth Vader nervous, "I want you to stop this now."
It occurred to Robin that not too long ago that would be all it took - a sharp order from Batman. Back when he was just a sidekick he'd do anything to please Batman, to prove his worth, and if he disappointed him, he would work hard to make sure it didn't happen again.
Robin sighed. But he had his team to think about now. He couldn't let them die because he disappointed Batman. 'This is going to suck,' he thought.
He whipped out a small metal ball from within his suit, closed his eyes, and threw it down. It exploded into a blindingly bright flash of light that filled the whole area. Everyone gasped and closed their eyes, but it was too late; they were temporarily blinded. By the time their sight returned, Robin was gone.
"Aw, MAN!" Beast Boy cried, "He did it again!"
Batman had thrown his cape in front of him when the flash happened, and he now tossed in behind him as he made his way towards where Robin was standing just before. Starfire flew down from above and towards Raven and Beast Boy.
"Oh dear, is everyone all right? Where is Cyborg?"
"Ohhhhh."
Cyborg stumbled out of the building, rubbing his head.
"And what were YOU doing?" Raven snapped, "Taking a nap?"
"Don't. Talk. Head. Huuurts," Cyborg moaned. "Man, BB, why did you let Robin run past you?"
"Aw, I dunno, I just - I mean - I couldn't do it guys! It's Robin!"
"It IS Robin," Raven said, "but right now he's our enemy, and we have to treat him as such."
"I know," Beast Boy said sadly.
Raven frowned, almost feeling sorry for Beast Boy. Well, nothing else made sense at the moment, so why not?
"Hey," she said, putting a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder, "I hate it too. But we've been through worse situations, right? As long as we stick together, we'll be fine."
For a moment Beast Boy stared at Raven like she was growing horns, surprised at the sudden kindness. Then he grinned, "Yeah, you're right."
"I agree," Starfire nodded, "we must forget our fears and confusions and work together in order to get to the rear of this!
"No, Star, it's 'bottom of this' and I agree and this is all very sweet," Cyborg said, "but could someone tell me who the heck that is?" He was pointing at Batman, who was still crouched where Robin had been standing before, now holding some sort of device in his hands.
"That is 'The Batman'," Starfire explained, "He was Robin's guardian. He saw Robin on the news and came here to find out what is going on."
"What'd you tell him?"
"What we know about the situation."
"In other words, not much," Beast Boy said. "What's he doing?"
"I'm using a thermal detector," Batman said. The others jumped. They hadn't realized he was listening to them. "It can pick up traces of the heat that came from Robin's body and the power suit."
He stood up suddenly and headed towards a building that had a fire escape. "He went up here," he muttered. He began to shimmy up it. The Titans looked at each other, shrugged, and followed him.
On the roof, Batman frowned. "It's too cold up here. Any traces of heat are too faint for the detector to pick up."
"So what do we do now?" Beast Boy asked.
Batman swung his head around to face him, eyes narrowed. The Titans backed off a little. This guy was WEIRD.
"I work alone."
"But Robin's our friend!" Beast Boy cried.
"Yeah, and if you know how to find him, we're sticking to you like glue!" Cyborg added.
"PLEASE?" Starfire begged.
Batman stared at them for a long moment, then said, "Fine. But let's get one thing straight: I'm in charge. You do what I say, when I say it, or you can go walking back to that bizarre T-shaped tower of yours."
"What's wrong with our tower?" Beast Boy cried defensively.
"Yeah," Cyborg snapped, "and who died and made you king -"
"Deal," Raven interrupted. This was no time for pride issues. And secretly, she couldn't help but admire the Dark Knight's harsh bluntness. In fact, he was kinda cool.
"Good," Batman said, looking on the horizon. "Here's the plan."
~
"Will you listen to me!?" Robin cried. He was standing in front of Slade, who was sitting in a large chair and staring nonchalantly up at him. "You're best chance is to move the hideout TODAY!"
"I'll do no such thing," Slade said calmly, "why should I be worried about Batman?"
"Because he doesn't need a bunch of clues laid out when he wants to find something! He'll be here for sure, and trust me, you don't want that!" Robin was desperate. He couldn't believe he was giving Slade advice, but it had to be done.
"You really don't want to fight him, do you?" Slade smirked.
"Of course not," Robin snapped, "you know I couldn't beat him."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because he taught me everything I know -"
"Did he teach you how to kill?"
Robin was thoroughly startled by this question. It took him a few moments to answer, "No, no, of course not."
"There you are, then. He will never kill you, but I can teach YOU how to kill HIM."
"But - I -" Robin stammered. He couldn't believe they were having this conversation. "Kill him!? But you said if I obeyed you -"
"I said that if you obeyed your FRIENDS would live. I said nothing about him."
"No," Robin whispered in horror, "no, I won't -"
"What's that, boy? I can't quite hear you." Slade said mockingly, holding up the glove with the damn button. Robin turned away, feeling the tears of hopelessness forming behind his mask. He couldn't make a choice like that!
When Robin didn't say anything, Slade said, "You'll have some time to think about it. Retire to your room, but don't get too comfortable; we'll be training again soon."
It was all Robin could do to not lash out right there. Holding together his dignity as best he could, he left the computer room.
-
-
(Dang, now this is getting heavy. Anyway, no, I'm not dead! Sorry I took so long, I got stuck! :P
Maria ~ Nah, I know what you mean, I was just kidding. You're right, the story would be pretty boring without some angsty drama! ^_~
Starre ~ But of course! .Wait, I just told you, huh? CRAP!
Tandy ~ Thanks! My other stories? Oh yeah.I should get back to those huh? *LOL* Hey, everyone check out my Dee Dee fic in the Batman Beyond section, PLEASE?? Tell me what you think!
G.O.T. Nick ~ Yeah, Batman wouldn't do that. Still, they were trying to tell us SOMETHING. Hmm. Wait, what happens in three months?
Chessy Cat ~ o_O *LOL* Okay then.
The Skiver ~ Yeah, it did kinda! Oh well. I hope it isn't him.
Kraven the Hunter ~ You bet it's awkward! It's like your dad walking in and catching you smoking pot with your friends or something! o_O
Alyson ~ *whimpers* Don't kill me! Here's the chapter! O_o
Prisonero ~ Your fic looks good! You might wanna try fixing some spelling and grammer, but I think it's got potential! ^_~)