A/N: Yah know, when this show came out, I never would have seen myself writing something for it. But I got to tell you, the show has caught my undivided attention, and has made me a fan. Pretty good considering the main character is only Robin. Anyways…
Description: Since the death of Slade, it has been pretty calm in and around the city. Too bad peace is never permanent, as Slade returns, seemingly from the dead, with a brand new apprentice. And unfortunately for Robin and the rest of the Titans, this one is helping Slade of his own will.
Allow me to tell you a story… a story about a great and powerful evil, whose ambitions knew no ends or bounds. Whose pure ruthlessness destroyed cities, ruined friendships, and bound himself to fate. He was a man with no master to abide to, yet haunted by the thoughts of one past. He led himself in life, drawing in those around him, and bringing them to submit to him.
This man had few names, all of which would strike horror into any seasoned crime fighter. He preferred one name over all though. A name of power, a name of cunning, a name of pure, unchained force and will. His calculated efforts and deadly planning were infamous in both victories… and his own defeats. Yet he would not be denied.
Yet this story centers itself around another. One whose life was tied to fate directly, and manipulated to events beyond his control. He lived life as an outlaw, and a freeman. He, as did Slade, brought those around him to him. Yet he became but a pawn in a game of chess, when he should have been a hand moving the pieces.
And then there was one more. A joker in the proverbial deck of cards. A child who lived with his heart on his shoulder, and his anger and rage sealed inside. He had no whim about cracking a joke, or filling a room with laughter. He even allowed himself to be the victim of jokes, to distract from the negatives that would consume all whole.
These three were bound to each other by a fate, and before they would die, destiny would play itself out, and each one would achieve something horrible, and something great. Each person was a force of fate, and each walked a path that would be most lonely as it went on. For some, this was good, for others, bad.
Yet if the first time resulted in defeat, and the second repeat of the first time, could it be that the third time results in the defeat of all forces, good and bad?
The Blink Trilogy: Third Times a Charm.
Chapter 1: Hell Hath No Vacancies
"Robin, for the last time, he is dead, gone, checked into the stone cold hotel, lying at the bottom of some pit of lava. There is nothing left of him." Cyborg reassured, his left hand on Robin's right shoulder, looking down at the box containing Slade's mask and suit. "It's been months now, can't you let it go?"
"It's not that easy. Every time I close my eyes, or try to relax, I hear his sickening laugh, and listen to him play mind games with me. I can't help but feel he's out there still, biding his time."
Cyborg sighed, and turned away in defeat. Every day for two months now, Robin had been down here, watching the box. Even after they went out on a mission, he went right to the box. Raven wrote it off as Robin just being "cautious", but Starfire and himself were much more concerned. It was almost like Robin had entered a state of psychosis, and it was beginning to scare the group. Cyborg, defeated, walked back towards the central area of Titan Tower, and call to call a meeting to discuss…issues.
"I know your out there, you bastard, just waiting for me to drop my guard. But I swear it won't happen. I'll be ready for you, whenever you show your ugly head." Robin mumbled to himself, staring down at the mask. And like it has for every day for the last two months, it stared back at Robin, burning into his soul.
"We have GOT to do something about Robin! He's creeping me out!" Beast Boy voiced, as the group sat around the center table. If anything, Beast Boy was blatant. Blatant and idiotic as well.
"What do you do when someone is convinced a dead man is gunning for them?" Cyborg inquired, scratching his head. Beast Boy opened his mouth to say something, but Cyborg beat him to it. "We are not sending him to the crazy house BB." Cyborg smiled as he heard Beast Boy whine.
"Well we need to do something. Robin hasn't slept right in weeks, and when he does, he has nightmares." Raven put forth, with her average monotonous voice.
"But he's Robin. He has to get better. He's been down before. All he needs is some FRIENDLY CHEER!" Starfire intervened, attempting to provide a positive solution. Unfortunately for her, all it gained was a blatant shoot down from Beast Boy.
"I hate to say it, but Robin may cause more harm than good right now. We need to find some way to help him, or we need to keep him away from that box." Cyborg said again, looking down at the ground.
"To think, even when he is dead, Slade is Robin's number one focus." Beast Boy stated, prompting an angry glare from Starfire.
"IT IS NOT!"
"Star, I hate to say it, but Beast is right. As long as Robin has access to that box, we may never get the old one back." Cyborg stated flatly.
"Friend Robin is not at all like that! He is just careful!" Star still argued, attempting to defend the leading member of the team.
"Perhaps we can confine him to his room, until he becomes… less troubled." Raven spoke again, eyes going wide when she heard a door slam. No one needed to turn around, and as far as everyone was concern, attempting to run was both idiotic, and at this point, suicide.
"I don't need help. I DON'T need pity, and I sure as hell DON'T need my teammates talking behind MY back. The fact that you are all fooled by his charade of a death, doesn't mean I will be. I refuse to be fooled!" Robin yelled, overhearing the last two statements of the conversation.
"Friend Robin, calm down." Starfire sputtered out, seeing the raging team leader.
"NO! I am sick of the slacking off and the unprepared ness of this team. Slade could attack at any moment, and you are all to busy trying to convince me and yourselves that he is dead!" Robin continued, prompting an angry glare from Raven.
"Calm down, NOW." Raven replied, as the rest of the Titans, one by one, turned to face Robin. What happened next was one of Robin's most brash and idiotic statements, something that would leave the trust of the team in Robin in shambles.
"You're all working for him now! You all believe that he is dead, and in doing so, he has made you useless. All of you are USELESS TO ME LIKE THIS! USELESS!" Robin hollered, turning to leave. He didn't get too far, as a chair flew into the back of Robin's head, and knocked him clean out. Upon Robin falling to the ground, everyone turned and looked at a shocked Starfire, who had her hands to her mouth.
"Good going Star. Now he's really going to be pissed when he wakes up." Beast Boy complained, as Raven sighed. Cyborg stared, with very little surprise lingering in his eyes, as Starfire just began to shake. Raven was dead right; Robin was going to go crazy.
"Let's lock him in his room now. We'll deal with him after a few days or confinement."
"As much as I hate to do it, Raven's right. He needs to be alone, and we need to be away from him." Cyborg replied, agreeing with Raven.
In the city ------
Outside a rather large skyscraper, at the entrance to the entire building, and across the street, was a figure in a black cloak, sitting on a bench. With the hood up, he looked at the building, and down at a book he had. Slowly, he tilted his head, and took a look at the roof. That was his point of entrance, and where he would stage the biggest heist of the city, ever. Then again, not everyone ever did something as gutsy as steal from one of the largest producers of computer based technology.
Slowly, he lowered his head to reveal a head of blue hair, with a single strand hanging down in front of his face. He had a pair of dark shades on, which was surprising, seeing as how it was nighttime and all. Most of all, he had a headset on, and at the moment he lowered his hood, a voice came on the headset.
"Now"
The man blinked once, and disappeared from the bench. To the few people watching, this baffled them entirely. All that was left of the man sitting at the bench was his cloak, and his book.
Titan Tower ------
The task was done. Robin was locked tightly in his room. They could give him food, and water, but Robin would not get out until he showed some stable signs, which might take a long, long time. As Cyborg walked into the main area, he could feel the mood had become much worst. Starfire had gone to her room to retire, and BB was just sitting, looking into what seemed like emptiness.
"You know, we just threw our leader in prison right?" BB said, in a not so happy mood.
"Don't remind me. Let's just deal with these precious few days, and it'll be better." Cyborg replied, opening the fridge to grab some water. Before anything else could occur, the alarm went off.
"It just goes to show you… TITAN'S LET'S MOVE!" Cyborg hollered out, taking Robin's lines out from his book.
City ------
The man moved swiftly, breaking into the science area of the building. He did as was ordered already by tripping the alarm, a task that baffled him as to its purpose. However, it meant nothing. He was at his target, and within a few short minutes, the company he invited would be here.
The man blinked again, and appeared on the other side of the laser grid. Nothing like bypassing modern security to add insult to injury. With a quick glance, he swiped the prize, and went on his merry way out, laughing all along. The entire thing went off without a hitch. Now, all that was left was part two of this brilliant plan.
And, as if on cue, enter the Teen Titans.
"Alright, drop it!" Cyborg yelled, his blaster aimed at the thief's head.
"Kay. Here yah go mate!" The man yelled, throwing the machine at Cyborg, and disappearing in a flash. Before anything else could happen, Cyborg took a kick to the back of his skull, and went face first into Raven. BB went wolf, and attempted to attack him, but took a kick to the stomach instead, as the man teleported again.
Starfire had a bit more success, catching him off guard with a bolt of energy in the side. It succeeds in sending him flying, but to the chagrin of the Titan's, he appeared behind Starfire, and delivered a sickening kick to her back. Quickly, the man reappeared underneath Starfire, and delivered an elbow to the gut of the falling Titan, knocking her clean out.
"Now that was too easy." He said, teleporting and picking up the item. About then, a pipe wrapped around him, tightly, and he was thrown into a wall, courtesy of Raven. That was when he started laughing.
"Who the hell are you?" Cyborg asked, as the man laughed.
"Why don't you back off Robocop!" The man retorted, laughing as he saw Cyborg's face expand.
"ROBOCOP! I am not ROBOCOP!"
"Fine then… I'll call you Arnie instead, terminator."
"OH YOU ARE SO DEAD!" Cyborg yelled, pulling his arm back.
"Actually, last I check, I was Blink." Blink responded, looking at the four attackers. "Jeez, you mates can't fight worth a lick without your fearless leader, can you?"
"Do notsay that!" Starfire yelled, as Blink sighed.
"Listen, I have a business partner who'll be wanting that back soon. And I'm fairly certain that this…client…would prefer not to be kept in the dark. Yet here's a sparkler of an idea mates. Maybe you should worry about the truly unprotected prize right now."
"What are you talking about?" Raven asked, as Blink's attention turned to Starfire.
"My my, aren't you the beauty. Truly remarkable features and a stunningly beautiful face. You must be Starfire." Blink rambled, gaining blushes from Starfire, and a sharpand very attention reaffirmingjabfrom Beast Boy. "Alright, alright. If you must ask, then you're not worth being told. Now then, I believe I was about to finish the heist of a century here…so…" Blink said, flashing a devilish smile, before disappearing again. Before a breath could be taken, Blink grabbed the Ionic Generator, and blinked out again, reappearing at the exit.
"Toodle ooh Titans" Blink taunted, before running off. At full speed, Blink jumped into a window, and smiled as he went through it, making his glorious escape. As he plummeted towards the ground, Cyborg fired at him to try and hit him. However, Blink just teleports out of the way, and into the sewers below, officially escaping.
"I don't like him." Beast Boy puts blatantly, before Raven clicks in. 'Unprotected prize… that couldn't refer to anything in the room, as he left it all. And who was he talking about by business associate… No, it couldn't be... it's not... Oh please, pleasetell me I'm wrong…' Raven thought, before her eyes sprung open.
"NO! This was a diversion! We need to get back to Titan Tower…NOW!" Raven yelled out, looking at Cyborg.
"Why friend Raven?" Starfire inquired, as Beast Boy looked out into the night.
"Yeah dude! We can still catch him!"
"NO! Robin might very well be in danger!" Raven retorted, as the other three stared at her. Each wanted to ask as to how she came by such an idea, but the look in her eyes warned them all that time was of the essence.
"LET'S GO!" Cyborg hollered.
Robin's Room ------
Robin had finally gotten back to reality, and found out that, to his dismay, no one was in the Tower. They must have left some time ago, to deal with a call they got. No worries, they could do it on their own. Robin would just remind them, ever so subtly, as to who was leader. And why you never throw your leader in his room, and lock him in. Last he checked, no one was parents here.
"Oh… they will pay for that one." Robin muttered, rubbing the back of his head.
"Yes Robin… They will." A voice, a purely evil voice, a voice all too familiar to the dedicated crime fighter, came from behind Robin. Robin's eyes went wide, as he spun around to come face to face, mask to mask, with his arch nemesis, Slade. The man that everyone had believe to be dead and effectively out of business. The man that made Robin's life a living, breathing hell every day of the week, every hour of the day.
"SLADE!" Robin yelled, almost on reflex. "Let me guess, more dust?" Robin growled, watching the masked man's left eye with his own masked eyes. "Or are you just a Slade-bot trying to scare me?" The resulting smack soon silenced Robin, knocking him backwards, and to the ground.
"No Robin… this time I am real. I am here…in the flesh. But more than anything, my dear child, I am here for you."
"I already told you, I won't be your stinking apprentice Slade!"
"Yes, but I already told you Robin. You will be my apprentice. You were born to be my apprentice." Slade retorted, before spraying something in Robin's face, and watching him pass out. "But for now, dear child, you will sleep."
Titan Tower ------
The door to Robin's room flew open, and to the dismay of the Titans, Robin was gone. All that was left was a note, lying in the center of the room, and written in near perfect handwriting. Cyborg ran in, looking for scenes of battle, or anything, but found precious little. Starfire picked up the note, and a tear slowly rolled from her eye. Today had not been a great day for the Titan's, and it just got a lot worst.
"Star, what does it say!"
"It says 'Thanks for keeping the suit warm and clean.'" Star replied, as the horrifying realization set in.
"You know what this means…right?" Raven muttered, as Cyborg stared out the window, and into the city.
"Yah. Slade's back. Somehow, some way, he survived. Robin was right, and now, Robin is in trouble." Cyborg replied, before hanging his head in defeat.
"I guess Hell had no vacancies for him." Beast Boy responded, admitting defeat.
"Well, the most important thing is, what do we do now?" Raven voiced, before turning to leave the room.
A/N: Well now,seems like nothing but hellfor the Titans. A new theif shows up, an of course big dark and creepy shows back up for none other than robin. What will they do? You will all just have to wait and see.