A Madman's Apprentice

You Don't Have to Act Like Him

(Part 3 of The Apprentice Part 1)

Wether Robin likes to admit it or not, he and Slade are similar in many ways. Robin's aggressiveness and stubbornness are just two things he showcases. Especially when trying to find Slade. The fight started like any other when the Titans face a large group of enemies. They each take on a few at a time. Teamwork. But Robin didn't spare any time when fighting this battle. They all separated to do combat, but Robin took over the whole fight.

The Titans watched in horror as Robin beat every last minion to death with his staff. Multiple decapitated with their heads rolling away. Thankfully, they were just robots. Whack! Whack! Whack! Robin smashed the last robot's face in with his staff repeatedly.

"Uh, Robin...I think you got him." Cyborg said. Beast Boy was peering out from behind Raven. Starfire stepped forward. "Yes, please," she started. Whack! Whack! Whack! "You may stop now." She said as she grabbed Robin's arm mid-swing, stopping him from beating the thing any more. "We are victorious!" She said. Robin stood abruptly. "Slade's got his finger on the button, and we've got nothing. Does that sound like a victory to you?" Robin said, tucking away his staff agitatedly. He whipped around and walked out without looking back.

Cyborg, Beastboy and Raven looked at each other in surprise as Starfire stared at Robin in disbelief and worry.

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"Okay. We know the Khronoton Detonator was here. Now, we just have to figure out where it went." Cyborg said to Beastboy as he checked his scanners built into his arm. They were just outside the warehouse. "No problem. We should split up and--" Beastboy started before being cut off by Raven, who walked up from the right. "Waste our searching only to come up empty-handed?" "Well when you say it like that..." "Raven is right," Starfire started, landing next to Cyborg. "We must find some way to track the device."

Robin passed by, aggressively looking for something that could lead him to Slade and his detonator. That's when a worker passed by afar. He was just doing his job, but that's not how Robin saw it.

"Freeze!" Robin called out in a threatening tone as he ran towards the man. This startled the poor man, and he tried to run back the way from whence he came.

It was too late. Robin came from the other side of the building, throwing down a birdarang, cracking the concrete before the man's feet. It was only a distraction. Robin came from the side and threw the man against the wall.

Robin had him pinned by the chest with his right hand, and Slade's symbol in his left. "Tell me everything you know about this." Robin growled, gripping the man's shirt tighter. "I,I-I..." The man stammered, shaken to his core. "Answer me! NOW!" Robin shouted, as he grabbed the man with his left and slamming him into the wall again, harder. "I've never seen it before! I don't know anything! Honest!" The man squeaked.

Raven used her magic to grab Robin by the torso and slam him against the wall to the building behind Robin. The man ran away as fast as he could. The Titans all walked up to face Robin. "You said you could handle it" Raven said, releasing him. Everyone looked disappointed in him. "You promised." Starfire said.

"We're wasting time." Robin barked, throwing his fist in the air and storming off in the direction the man ran off too. "Y'know, just because we're trying to catch Slade, doesn't mean you have to act like him!" Beastboy spat, annoyed in Robin's aggressive behavior.

Robin froze dead in his tracks. He paused for a moment to process what Beastboy had just said to him. Beastboy just compared him to Slade. His archenemy! The man he's despised since the beginning. "Don't you EVER COMPARE ME TO HIM!" Robin shouted, whipping around, aggressively stomping in Beastboy's direction as if to give him a punch in the gut. "HE'S TRYING TO DESTROY THIS CITY, IM TRYING TO SAVE IT!" Robin growled, grinding his teeth as he got closer to Beastboy, holding himself back from punting him across the docks.

Beastboy didn't flinch. Raven and Starfire looked concerned, and Cyborg was getting ready to defend Beastboy in combat. That's when Starfire sneezed.

"AH- CHOOOO!" Her lasers fired off uncontrollably. There was a pause. "Gesundheit." Raven simply said, at loss for words for the powerful blast of Starfire's sneeze. It went off without warning. Starfire sniffled. "Forgive me. I'm allergic to metallic chromium. There must be a source near-" She suddenly felt another sneeze. The Titans ran and hid. "AH- CHOOOO!" The explosion was larger than the last, but the Titans were behind shelter that time. Star sniffled again. "Sorry..." The Titans came out of hiding.

"Interesting..." Cyborg said, checking his arm scanners. Star sniffled again. "Not really. On my world, chromium allergies are quite common." She said, congested. "No. The key component of a Khronoton Detonator is a metallic chromium core, which means..." "Starfire can track it!" Beastboy finished Cyborg's sentence.

Star sniffled yet again, slightly annoyed her allergy of all things had to be used to track the device that could freeze time in their city forever.