Accepting the Apprenticeship

Chapter 3: Becoming an what!?

I run to his hideout since that's where the tracker led me to. I see a door and hear Slade talking through the door. "Hurry young Titans. Your time is running out," Slade says as I bust the door down with a hard kick. "Actually... we just went into overtime." I jump down from the high platform and land on the ground in crouch, then stand up. "Robin, welcome. I've been expecting you for some time. I was beginning to wonder if Cinderblock was too much of a challenge." Slade turns around, holding the transmitter in his hand. "Looking for this?" Slade holds the transmitter at my eye level, waving it around. "Well... Here it is." he places the transmitter under the light in the middle. "If you want it, come and take it." He stares up at me, determined faces we both have. My teeth bared in slient snarl. I then go into a sumersaulting leap, and as I sail closer, then I pull my right arm back and make a hard punch to Slade. But I miss, stumbling over as a huge leap carries me closer. Then Slade hits me broodeside with a flying kick. We both land facing each other. "Come on, Robin. You'll have to do better than that. I haven't even broken a sweat," he rushes, leaping and does a mid-air backflip. Leading into a roundhouse kick, sending me trembling a bit. I ran into Slade, punching and kicking him, but I miss him every time. He then does another kick to me, sending me back. My face snarling as I grunt in frustration. Slade then punches me, but he misses again and again as I duck and move to the side. He then kicks again as he obviously misses me as I throw a couple of punches and miss. I backflip backward and throw punch to him, but then his hand catches it. "Good technique." Twisting my arm down, he sends me flying across the building onto a wall. I hit back against the wall as I'm on my hands and knees panting. "Good, but not perfect," his arms crossed, looking at me down at the ground. I get and angrily yell in fury, running to Slade about to punch him, but instead, he punches my stomach hard. I land again on my hands and arms, breathing heavily. I get up again aiming a punch at Slade, but then he kicks me hard. I land on the ground next to the transmitter, and then I punch my fist on the ground as I groan, upset. "I understand your frustration, Robin. You hate losing as much as I do. One of the many qualities we have in common is " a pause breaks through just as I undercut Slade. I then punch him twice as he lands into crouch and gets up. I punch over and over as I do midair backflip by kicking twice. Sending him back into the ground, I then go over to the transmitter and grab it. "It's over, Slade," I grab the transmitter in my hand. "On the contrary, Robin." The transmitter starts to spark on my hand. "Huh?" The thing break apart, staring down in confusion. "This is just beginning." I hear Slade say from behind me. "Where's the trigger?" I question Slade in frustration. "Trigger? There is no trigger because there is no detonator." My eyes widen even more.

I then see on the screen Starfire, Beastboy, Cyborg, and Ravens' name on the screen with a picture of their bodies and through their blood cells little S markings show on their cells. "Nanoscopic probes. The chronoton detonator was merely the bait for a much larger trap," Suddenly, a button from his wrist shots up into his hand. "You see with a push of a button..." his thumb just up above the button almost about to push it but doesn't. "My probes will destroy your friends from the inside out." My eyes widen, then I grunt fiercely. "You can't control them. No matter what you threaten, they'll never obey you." Slade paces around me. "This isn't about your friends, Robin. It's about you. It's always been about you," hearing him say that sends me shivers down my spine. "What?" I say speechless, nothing else comes out of my mouth. "Sending trouble your way. Leaving cryptic clues for you to unravel. I was testing you. For some time now, I have been searching for an apprentice. For someone to follow in my footsteps." he leans in front of my face. "And, Robin, I've chosen you. Congratulations," my mind questioned why he chose me. Why? But I wasn't going to let him boss me around. "No way I would ever work for -" Slade holds up the button; if I were to no, then my friends would be gone, so I had to say yes. "If you join me, if you swear to serve me. If you never speak to your friends again. I will allow them to live, " my mind swirled with all different emotions. But the most I feel is hatred and fear. "But... if you disobey even the smallest request, I will annihate them, Robin. And make you watch. So, do we have a deal?" A long pause of silence goes on just before I speak. "Deal," I accept the offer, not that I had a choice. "Excellent, now let me show you your uniform." I follow Slade to change into my new uniform. Slade had me wear a sliver neck lining piece, a half orange half black top, and black pants. A belt, black gloves, and steel on shoulders, forearms, thighs, knees, and lower legs with black and sliver boots, and a sliver S on the right side of my chest. After putting on my new uniform, I put on the last pieces, a black glove and steel wrist guards on my arm. While putting it on, I heard from my communicator Starfire communicating with me, but I obviously can't answer, so I ignore it. "Please respond! Robin, where are you?" The communicator turns off. Slade then steps into the light behind me. "I know it seems bad now. But trust me, you'll learn to like it." I stand there remaining motionless. I want to fight off Slade again, but it would just remain me into watching my friends get annihilated. So all I have to do is follow orders from Slade for now until my friends come and rescue me. If they do, at least. I hope so.