The Apprentice II

No More!

The villain delivers a karate chop that breaks the end off his own staff. Robin jumps away and high overhead, landing on a bend in the damaged pipe. A camshaft swings back and forth in front of him like a pendulum; he takes a few cautious steps backward-and Slade appears suddenly before him once the next swing has gone through.

Another couple of cycles, and he is gone again. Robin's eyes go wide in disbelief, an instant later, Slade barrels across and hits him broadside. The young man fetches up on a stationary gear mounted horizontally and, dazed a bit, struggles to lift his head. He snaps back to full consciousness in a hurry once he sees Slade coming straight down toward him. One of those armored fists slams into the platform, just missing Robin thanks to his last-second dodge. Withdrawing his hand from the hole he has smashed in the deck plate, Slade stands up and cracks his knuckles. Robin's eyes narrow in pure hatred, and he runs across for a leap; instead of aiming directly at Slade, though, he goes past one shoulder and brings his leg up for a crashing spin kick that staggers the man. A second blow knocks Slade over the edge, he tumbles down in front of the monitors, which once again show the four Titans' bloodstreams. The left side of his mask has cracked from the force of the kick. Robin jumps down to face him.

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that." Robin steps closer.

"I only wish I'd done it sooner." As he says this, he tears the silver S from his chest. He then throws it down to stick in the platform surface just in front of the still-kneeling Slade, who voices a low growl and lets it build into a full roar as he charges. Now Robin is forced to go on the defensive against a sequence of attacks. He goes into a handstand, attempting to kick Slade in the face, but the latter only catches the approaching foot to immobilize him. After an incurious look back and forth, Slade throws Robin across the way, The former Titan, ground level, as he struggles to stand and the former steps into view.

"I have much to teach you." Slade said softly with a groan. "But the first thing you need to learn is gratitude."

Robin wipes his face, and Slade merely stands there and eyes the activity on the monitors. The rebellious apprentice yells in fury and moves in for another go, but Slade seizes his arm and bends it back cruelly past the shoulder before dumping him onto his back. Robin, the hold is released, and he starts to roll away.

"I made you my apprentice. All my knowledge, all my power, all for you." He leans into view and grabs Robin's hair. "But the only thing you care about is your worthless little friends!"

Robin on this last word, Slade lets go of the hair and takes a couple of steps away before Robin stands.

"If the Titans are so distracting, maybe I should just get rid of them."

As casually as if he were looking at a wristwatch, he brings up the button and gets ready to set the probes off again. Robin steels himself for another charge, then loses his resolve, knowing what another act of defiance could bring down on his friends.

"Don't. I'll do whatever you say." Robin said deeply.

"Good boy. And, from now on, I'd like you to call me Master." Slade smirks.

A starbolt flashes across the screen and blasts him away to land right in front of the monitors. the other four Titans, now in the lair and gathered in front of his favorite chair. Starfire has a double-barreled blast all ready to go with his name on it.

"Leave-him-alone!" Starfire yelled.