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Three Way Mirror	By : tenohikari Category: DC Verse Cartoons - Teen Titans > Slash - Male/Male > Robin/Slade Views: 5588 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Three Way Mirror
Written By: Teno Hikari
email: teno_hikari@yahoo.com / tenohikari@cs.com
Summary: Takes place in the 'Aftershock' episodes. Slade has taken over the city, and all the Teen Titans, except Robin, has fallen. Can the boy wonder stop Slade alone? Or will Terra clip his wings? (Slade/Robin)
Disclaimer: Well you know what I'm gonna say, I own nothing. That includes the Teen Titans. ::walks off to go sulk in the corner::
Warning: Spoilers for the show - at least for the 2 seasons.
Slash, Yaoi, M/M pairings. Adult situations. Mature readers only.
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Chapter Seven
"All right, that's enough," Robin's voice broke through the silence. "It seems we'vverevered everything for tomorrow night. Make no mistakes, this will be your last chance to get out of the city. Remember, all land and air vehicles have been taken into Slade's custody. The bridge is the only way out."
The three former mercenaries nodded their heads in understanding. Using his robotic wings once, Gizmo was shot out of the sky, luckily he had his back up spider legs. He doubted those metal appendages would help in the ocean.
Making a boat had been another option. It would have been possible, but not practical according to Robin. They were better on foot. At least they could outrun their enemies, instead of trying to out swim them and drowning in the process.
After the briefing, the masked youth dismissed them to go get some rest. They would definitely need it for tomorrow. The past few days seemed to go by rather quickly. Living with the H.I.V.E had gone surprisingly well, when they weren't driving Robin crazy. Between waking up before five in the morning, and going to bed around midnight; the group of teenagers managed to accomplish a lot for their upcoming plans.
Once Gizmo had fixed and upgraded his system, he went to work on upgrading the computer, their weapons, and even some appliances. Mammoth had been assisting him in the process. Robin was mildly impressed on their work with some of the new gadgets donated for his own utility belt. The small inventor had done all of that using the tools and whatever parts he had managed to salvage.
Jinx was on her feet again, practicing her acrobatics with the Boy Wonder. Though she was cautious about trying not to put too much weight on her still sore ankle. Robin had refused to let the young sorceress practice her magic inside. Out of fear of bringing the cave crashing down over their heads.
Muffling a yawn, Robin finished brushing teeth and stepped into the bedroom he had to share with the other two boys. Having roommates who actually shared a room... was an experience. With the giant who snored, and the midget who talked in his sleep, the Boy Wonder - actually wondered - how he got any rest at all.
He no longer dreamed. Perhaps it was because he was too exhausted, Robin didn't know or care. But it was a blessing. He was utterly defenseless in his nightmares, where his fears dominated him. No more. No more poisoned dreams of the past, that caused him to silently scream in the darkness.
There were times when he found himself waking up in the middle of the night, for no apparent reason. He suddenly became aware of the fact that his body was growing accustomed to his lack of sleep. He would lay down and close his eyes, an hour later Robin would feel strangely refreshed. He didn't find this discovery all that unusual, considering the times he spent under his mentor's wing.
Staring blankly up at the ceiling, his lips twitched into a small grin. During his training, Robin had been convinced the man behind The Bat, was indeed a machine. It didn't make sense how the man could spend all night as the vigilante Batman. Then after a couple hours of sleep as his alter ego, living a completely different life. A double life.
'Maybe I should try, when this is all over,' he thought, chewing his bottom lip. Liberate a city all by himself against a madman and his drones? Ridiculous perhaps, but not completely impossible. Even though the odds were stacked highly against him, he had to believe he could do this. Or die trying, at least.
Sitting up, Robin turned his head towards neon green numbers on the VCR clock. It was only one thirty in the morning. He still couldn't sleep, despite how tired he had been earlier. Once his mind was fixated on something, it was hard to let it go. So he laid back down, and stared up. Swallowing hard he reached over and touched his other hand. Lightly tracing around the healing bruise given to him by Slade's puppet.
'Slade...'
He wondered if the real man behind the mask slept at all. Did he dream? What kind of dreams did he have? If they were so alike, as the older man claimed, then did he have dreams of regret?
No, of course not. Robin glared at the ceiling, picturing that very masked face before his eyes. The man was as heartless as the robotic soldiers that served him. True, they were both ruthless; but he at least knew mercy. He did take those three other teenagers in an act of altruism, hadn't he?
'But you were only planning to use them,' said a dark voice in the back of his head. 'You were going to use them to your benefit at the start. Just like Slade had used Terra...'
Shut up!
'You already admitted it before.'
['But there's one big difference... he doesn't have any friends...']
'And now, you don't have any either.'
He growled a little, before turning on his side, burying his head under a pillow. If only to muffle out that devilish voice in his mind. The damned voice, that was right.
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Stop. Rewind. Play.
Slade took in the sight of his human prey on the monitor screen. Still life images had come to life, taken from a first person perspective. More digital footage he had enrouted back from his mechanical duplicate. Crisp and clean, as if he were reliving the event through his own body.
He could see the boy, taken completely by surprise. It was a fatal move. The predator could have easily ended the hunt right then and there. Backed up against the edge of a cliff, he could have ended the last Titan's life. Could have thrown him into the freezing cold depths of the ocean. Could have made the robot self destruct while still holding him in it's grasp.
However, the hunter's objective was not to kill the prey, but to own it. To possess the younger man in every way. Body and soul.
Freeze frame.
Licking his lips, his eye focused only on the crime fighter's pale face. The boy turned to look away from his former home shared with the other Titans, and stared in wide-eyed shock at the camera eye. Entranced, the masked man watched his other's hand lightly caress the teenager's cheek.
Play. Fast forward. Stop.
Everything, even with Robin's ruthless backlash, had gone as he planned. Disillusionment and pain were the perfect tools to corrupt. The prey had taken a devastating blow to his pride and foolish heroic beliefs, that night. Soon they would shatter like glass, and Robin would have nothing to hide behind anymore.
He would show his young counterpart the truth. Heroes existed only in the black and white fairy tales with happing endings. Fictional characters standing above everyone else on their pure white pedestals. What goes up, must eventually come down. Heroes will fall. Their pedestals will tarnish and crumble to the dirt. It was time to close the children's book, and wake the child.
"You can't hide forever, Robin," he purred, watching the youth speed on his motorcycle away before the screen was filled with static. "It won't be long now... until you fly right into your own gilded cage."
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Jinx was combing the last of the tangles from her hair when she entered the kitchen to see Robin. It wasn't unusual for him up so late, or so early working on something. Or in this case, a variety of weapons and gadgets that covered the table. Yet it was rather puzzling watching him go to work out of his normal 'Robin' costume.
The masked teenager was closely dressed in the black outfit he had rescued them in. Minus the skull faced mask. She noticed the only spot of crimson on the front of the spandex and leather suit. A bird. A red robin. How fitting.
"Was there something you needed?" he asked, without even looking in her direction. The young vigilante was strapping the blastor weapon he had been working on to his left wrist. Realizing that she was staring, the Sorceress averted her eyes.
"Just a drink," she answered, nodding toward the refrigerator. As she past him, Jinx noticed his hair was a little more in disarray, and damp from rain water. He had been out again. Looking for another fight most likely. "Where did you pick up the spare suit?"
He glanced up at the girl who sat herself across for him, a water bottle in one of her hands. She looked mildly impressed, staring at the set table. The arsenal laid out before them was enough for an army, and not an army of one. The image of the Titan leader carrying all this on his back and toppling over, nearly made Jinx choke on her drinking water.
Loading up his new black utility belt, Robin looked back down as he removed the useless Titan communicator. "Back at the Tower," he replied. "Went in stealth mode to pick up a couple of things I left behind. Just got back an hour ago."
"Why the change?" she pressed. Leaning back in her seat, Jinx kicked one foot up on the table. She proceeded to tie the laces of her brand new boots into perfect knots.
"Just wanted a new look." Robin shrugged as Jinx nodded approvingly, she believed it was a vast improvement than the red, yellow, and green he always wear.
The truth was, this suit was one of his first creations before putting the Red X costume together. Obviously the 'Robin' on the chest would have been a dead giveaway, so he dumped it. After several months after that incident, the reject costume still hung in his closet. When Star had told them about their possible future with their meeting with the time traveling criminal Warp. After looking at the outfit, she remarked that it had a striking resemblance to what his future self wear.
[ "So...Nightwing, huh?" ]
He almost wished that future was unchangeable. Even though his friends had drifted apart in that alternate time line. At least they would still be alive.
The teenage girl blinked as she watched him go perfectly still. Robin
was staring back at his old 'T' communicator. It was an easy guess that he was thinking about them again. Old wounds are just as painful as new ones. It was like picking a scab, refusing to let it heal.
Hesitantly, Jinx placed her water bottle down. "Uumm... do... do you want to talk about it?"
She was just as surprised at herself as Robin was. Offering herself for help? It wasn't like her. Even with Gizmo and Mammoth, she would simply tune out their random bouts of emotion. Except if it was serious. They were her friends after all... But Robin? He had been the target, the enemy.
Her confusion was mutual. Robin stared back at the former mercenary, wondering if she was sincere. After a few moments of - understandably - awkward silence, he went back to his work.
"Nothing to really talk about," he told her, attaching some grappling hooks to the belt. Well that wasn't true. There were plenty of things. Like his fear that he was going to become just like Slade over time. Or that he was starting to enjoy the H.I.V.E's company... but they would never be his friends. Never like the ones he had lost.
"Oh come on," she persisted, sitting up in her chair. "I'm bored, let's talk. Only to the point where we bond and I get too nauseous to eat breakfast. So... what did you want to be when you were growing up?"
He smirked a little, putting the devices he didn't intent to use in a pile. "Desperate, huh?"
She shot him a tiny glare, one of her eyes twitching with irritation. "I'll go first then." The sorceress cleared her throat for a moment, and her sour expression melted into a thoughtful one. "When I was little, I always wanted to design cool clothes. On my birthdays, my parents always gave me those Barbie dolls with the frilly pink outfits that made them look like Pepto-Bismol bottles."
For reasons he couldn't explain, Robin was actually paying attention. Looking at Jinx while he was setting more weapons aside. It wasn't every day a former villain began to tell you their past life. From the start of it, Jinx had a normal childhood. Perhaps the same went for her companions.
"Anyway," she continued. "I took one of my mother's fancy and ridiculously expensive silk scarves, and turned it into a new wardrobe for my dolls. They were awesome... I showed my mother and she... was... well... not so thrilled."
Her voice wavered a little at the end, and Jinx absently rubbed her wrists. Robin studied her closely and noted the slight fear in those cat like eyes. Fear... from her own mother? She met his gaze and shrugged, dispelling the emotion from her face. It was so sudden, he wondered if that expression had been there at all.
"We didn't get along," she said simply, dropping her hands. "So I left. Years later, I was recruited by H.I.V.E and then we met you guys..."
"You mean you were hired to kill me and my friends."
"Er..."
Robin waved dismissively, no longer concerned about the rest of the weapons laying on the table top. "Tell me about H.I.V.E - why was Slade selected to pick your final exam?"
The question didn't really surprise Jinx. It was the way the Boy Wonder leaned forward and stapled his fingers together. Suddenly Mr. I've-got-nothing-to-say was rather talkative.
"I don't know much about the deal, really," she admitted. "The contract was between the Alpha H.I.V.E mistress and Slade himself. Which means he was an extremely important client."
"In funding?" Dealing with the masked man's drones on several occasions, Robin knew the criminal mastermind had some serious financial backing. Hiring mercenaries, having an army of androids, and all that high technology at his disposal. You just didn't get all that in the bargain bin at the Walmart for Super Villains.
"That, and reputation," Jinx added. She finally overcame the weirdness of the situation. It was like talking to one of her girl friends back in the campus' dorms. Well, not exactly like that. She doubted the Titan leader would want to give each other manicures. "Slade is pretty popular with all the higher ups. Rumor has it, he takes off his mask during their meetings... a friend of mine knew this other person who knew another guy who knew."
Robin sweat dropped. He was in junior high, all over again. Yet, the thought of Slade with his mask off, did intrigue him. He drifted back and remembered the fight when one of his kicks had shattered the mask.
Both fighters landed in a crouch, the black portion of the mask fell to the ground between them. Indeed there was a face. Cloaked in shadows, but the outlines of a human face were barely visible. That single eye stared back at him in shock. It was then, Robin knew he had won. He had been close, very close, to exposing his arch nemesis.
"Hey, Robin?"
"Yeah?" he responded, snapping out of his reverie.
"You really aren't going to stay here by yourself, are you?"
How odd, he could actually hear concern in her voice. Though she had no reason to be. Nodding his head, he got up and cleared the table. The others would be getting up soon, and he didn't really didn't care for his arsenal getting splattered with waffle batter.
"Why?" /p>
"I can't go back to living at the Tower with Slade's army on patrol."
"I know that!" she snapped suddenly. The girl stood up abruptly from her seat, toppling it over. "I mean - why do you have to stay behind and risk your life, while the people in the city ran like cowards?! Are all super heroes this stupid, or is it just you?!"
Robin stiffened, barring his teeth as he glared at her. The look alone would have made regular criminals pee their pants, but she stood her ground and refused to be intimidated. Taking a deep breath, she continued before he could open his mouth and shout at her.
"Look, Robin," she began, softening her voice just a little. "You're a good guy, and cool as super heroes come... but if you tell anyone that I just admitted that, I will give you seven years of bad luck."
His anger slowly dissipating the crime fighter relaxed his hands that had been clenched tightly into fists. Seeing that he wasn't going to storm out or attack, Jinx went on.
"Normally, I wouldn't care if you wanted to jump out of an airplane without a parachute, its your life." She began to stutter. "But... in this case... you've given them to the other jumpers and still jumped out of the plane anyway..."
"Huh?" Robin cocked his head to the side until realization struck. "You mean to tell me, you would actually feel guilty about leaving?"
"Just a little. Well not just me." She started to fidget. "Me and the guys. I mean you saved us ... and we owe you."
"Leave me the big screen TV, and we'll call it even."
Speaking of her companions, both the Titan leader and the mercenary sorceresss could both hear doors opening and slamming shut. Indicating that they were finally awake. I must have been past five in the morning if neither Robin nor Jinx had to dump ice cold water on them.
After cleaning up the rest of his mess, the masked teen turned toward the control room before her voice halted him. Hesitantly, he half turned to face his former foe. She was smiling a little, an awkward but friendly smile.
"You didn't answer my question."
"Hmm?"
"What did you want to be when you were growing up?"
He caved in. "I wanted to be..."
"Let me guess, leader of a group of do-gooders?"
"No."
"A cop?"
"Do you want me to tell you or not?"
"Alright... alright," she relented. "So what was it?"
Robin paused before sighing and returning that smile.
"A ringmaster."
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Breakfast was spent in a peaceful silence. All four teens sat at the table, just enjoying their last meal together. The ex-mercenaries were, grudgingly, going to miss this. Who knew what they would have on the other side of the bridge.
Their bags were packed, and they were ready to go. Just after they finished eating. Weird how breakfast seemed to drag on for thirty minutes of silence. Robin wondered if the two others really did feel the same way as Jinx did.
"It's time to go," he finally announced as they finished cleaning up. "You guys ready?"
Absently they nodded their heads and followed him out.
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The room was subtly lit from above, just bright enough to ease the eyes. Wintergreen opened the doors and stepped back as three figured trudged right in. The high chair at the control panel swiveled and its occupant surveyed his approaching visitors.
"Good, you're all here," Slade greeted.
Cinderblock, Plasmus, and Overload stood silently inline before their master. Mindless flunkies they were, but still very useful. They turned their heads as he gestured to the large split screen.
"Recognize these three
They shook their heads and Slade sighed as he enlarged one of the group pictures of his temporary operatives. Useless band of children who assumed they were worthy of being apart of his empire. He had no use for gutter trash.
"Now?"
Nodding their heads, he continued. "These vermin have been living in my city for quite some time now." Which could only mean his little Robin was generous enough to take them under his wing. The boy never ceased to amaze him. Far too trusting.
"They have been spotted heading north towards the bridge to make their escape. Your are to stop these children before they can cross. Destroy them if necessary... but leave one alive."
He did need a worm to catch the bird after all. As they proceeded out, Slade rose from his chair and descended the steps to the lower platform. Wintergreen was already walking behind him, ignoring the slimy trail Plasmus left in his wake.
"Fetch, Terra."
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Author's Notes:
Okay, I really rushed on this chapter. I know nothing about Jinx's past - and I'm making a little of it up as I go along. Now you know which 'Robin' I picked, doesn't really matter but in away, Robin revealed a little more of his past to his former enemy than he ever did to his team mates. I don't know, was it too soon? Were the characters too OOC in this chapter?
Feedback Responses:
(fanfiction.net)
IHateSchoolVeryMuch - Thank you for the compliment. I do try and proofread my stories. I'm just really lousy at it. Just waiting for my beta-reader to help me out, if she still wants to ::gives Cagalli-chan large watery kitten eyes::
Emerald Star - Robin's pride keeps him from leaving and/or asking for help. He does get this from Batman. My friend told me, that according to the DC comics, Batman refused to let the govt. get involve when Gotham became a "No man's land". Yes, you're right. The people who have left would try and take back the city by other methods, and probably will. Using airplanes and boats... only to be sunk or shot down by Slade's army.
Claire - In the show, yes. In the first season, Slade sort of wanted to be a father figure to Robin. Then in the second season, he practically ignores him except in 'Titan Rising' - "Good, Robin. Now I have you all to myself." ^_____^;
Flick-chan - Wow! I'm a genius! ::Head inflates:: So... what do you think of Robin's new Red X/Nightwing costume?
TheDudeLordOfFantasy - Hoped you like the new chapter. Jinx is trying to get closer to Robin, but no, this will not be a Jinx/Robin story.
Teekoness - My friend explained it to me, the deal with the two other Robins. Not so complicated, considering the animated series didn't want to kill off Batman's second side kick like that. Also it would have been easier to just switch their pasts, than doing another back story episode.
Thanks for all my reviews at Fanfiction.net, Adulfanfiction.net, and Mediaminer.org
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Three Way Mirror