Parade of a Thousand Birds

Chapter Thirteen: That Boy Is Poison

Robin winces, trying hard to keep the pilliar from crashing into the unconscious body.

"Why don't you just let him suffer, you know you want to." A voice called out as Robin struggled at the task at hand.

Blood dripped at the boy's feet, making the traction weaken even more, he was slipping. "I can't!" Robin forced himself to stay upright, but his hand was slipping. "I promised to never kill again!"

"You killed those men who were after you, What's one more." The voice soothed, causing Robin to waver a little bit. "This is the man who took it all away in a fatal swoop. Why save him?"

"I...I can't.."

"Just let go, that is all you need to do."

Robin looked at the body, arms shaking violently from the strain. Zucco. If he let go, Zucco would be no more. If he let go the pillar would crush him, giving the revenge Robin oh so wanted. But what was stopping him? Why was he trying so hard to save the man who took everything away from him? He did not deserved to be saved.

"That's right. Just drop it, no one would care that he is gone. He needs to be put to justice."

"Justice.."Robin frowned a bit.

"Choose Justice over revenge." Robin heard his mentor call out in the distance, batman now standing next to Robin. "Dick, you are better than this don't kill him."

"What does he know?" The voice cooed, a shadowed hand touching Robin's as he continued to struggle. "You don't have to carry this weight, It will be gone once he is dead."

Robin's hands slipped , blood from gashes making the stone pillar hard to grip.

"You are a killer, and that will never change." The voice continued. "It was what you were destined to be, what I created you to be. Renegade."

"That is not my name! I am Robin! I am a hero!"

"Don't fool yourself, you know deep down that there is nothing. You were created to kill. You are the poison that will corrupt all those around you. You will betray, you will kill."

"Robin, you are a killer, we always knew you were." Robin turned to see a grim looking Wally staring at him with no emotion. "You will betray us. You are poison."

Robin saw the rest of the team, lifeless bodies piled up right next to Zucco's, along with Batman and the rest of the League. More blood appearing on Robin's hand.

Robin let out a choked laugh, backing away slightly, no longer fighting the force of gravity. "Poison, I kill those around me."

"Renegade, It is time to appear once again."

Robin's hand slipped completely, and as the pillar fell, the screams of his new teammates echoed through the void, twisting with his own maddening laughter.

Robin bolted out of bed, covered in sweat and his hands were shaking. His eyes glanced over to the clock to see the time.

Four thirty in the morning.

The boy sighed and shakily got out of bed. There was no way he would be able to get any more rest after that. Dick slowly walked down the stairs, not bothering to get out of his pajamas. He walked passed the kitchen, but was stopped by Alfred, who was already preparing breakfast for the morning.

"You are up rather early, Master Dick." The silver-haired butler commented, giving a slightly worried look.

Dick just gave a small shrug. "I just wanted to get some training in before school starts. I have a test and training always helps with the jitters." He lied smoothly, just another skill the ex-assassin had mastered.

Alfred nodded slowly, the lie was believable enough and he thought nothing of it. "Well Breakfast will be ready at six, be sure to showered and clothed before then."

Richard smiled and nodded before going to the training room to take his mind off of the screams he heard in his head.

Renegade.

Robin never thought he would hear that name again. What scared Robin more than anything, was the thrill he felt when dropping that pillar on Zucco.He vowed never to turn into him again, yet in his dreams, he yearned to become that cold killer once more.

Robin pulled himself up on the hanging rings on the ceiling, balancing. Of the all the times, why now was he having these dreams. He had a home, a team..a family..Why would he go back.

"You were created to kill" The voice repeated in his head. But Robin continued to ignore it, trying to focus on his ballance.

"You are a shadow Renegade. Your heart is darker than the shadows from which you hide."

Robin gritted his teeth, shaking the thoughts away. "I am not..."

"You are not...what?" Batman's voice startled Dick, his grip loosening on the rings and he fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

"How long have you been there Bruce?" Robin sat up, rubbing his head and sighing. "You scared me half to death you know."

Bruce narrowed his eyes slightly. "I heard you get up early, and the troubled look on your face told me something is wrong." The billionaire kneeled next to Robin, Face serious. "You know that if there is something bothering you Richard, that you can talk to me. "

Robin managed a small smile, trying to act like nothing was going on. "I just couldn't sleep." That wasn't a complete lie. Robin slowly stood up and dusted himself off. "I just wanted to clear my head is all. It is nothing really."

Bruce did not look convinced, but decided not to pursue it any more. "Go shower and get dressed, I will drive you to school today."

The boy blinked a bit. Alfred was the one who always drove Dick to school, always. "Uh...sure..yeah." The boy awkwardly pivoted around Bruce, making his way upstairs.He knew that it was going to be a long and awkward drive to school today.

"The boy seems a bit down, Master Bruce." Alfred walked in as Robin left. "His face was so grim when I saw him this morning.

"Grim?" Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow,beginning to worry once more about the boy.

"He looked like he just killed a man"

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A/N

Yep, More fun coming your way.

Will Robin's worst fears of becoming Renegade again come true?

The next few chapters  will have some villains and action!
And more snarky Robin(of course)
be sure to keep reading!

-RingLeader_Robin