Robins True Allegiance 2

Titan's East Part 2

It wasn't long before there was a knock at my door.
"Who is it?" I asked, trying not to sound like I'd just been crying.
"It's Raven," Was the reply, "Will you let me in?"
"You here to judge me?" I asked.
"No, I just want to talk," She replied, "Please Robin, there was a lot to process, for both of us, I just need to make sure you're alright."
"I'm fine," I bit back.
"Then I'm here to ask you about Slade," She said in response, "And if you don't let me in I'm coming in anyway."
"Just go through the wall," I said and looked over to see her come in.
"What I saw, what you saw," She said, "Everything you did under Blood wasn't you. I could see you fighting back, you never wanted to do any of that. I know that. But Slade, that was before you met Blood, that was all you. What's going on?"
"He's not a bad guy," I said as she sat on the bed next to me, "What Terra did, that wasn't what he wanted. Yes he want's Jump but he wants to turn it into a place people like us can retire in when we can no longer fight crime. When villains have changed but want to escape their past. They'd come here and it would just be a normal town. It would be protected of course, and  none of the active villains would know about it either. He's not trying to be evil."
"How long?" She asked.
"Since he took me as his apprentice," I replied.
"That's almost two years ago," Raven got out, "How? I don't- Look, I'm not going to tell the others, mostly because he's gone now and you are just our leader. But you have to understand if I don't fully trust you again."
"I know. Let's just call a team meeting can we?" I asked, "I need to tell them Cy doesn't want to come back and find a way to get us over there to stop Blood's plan."
"See, there was an upside to him trying to take over you," Raven smirked, "We're now ahead of him. He won't even know you're offline until we're already kicking his butt."
"I guess," I shrugged, "Thank you Raven. For everything."
"Anytime, Dick," She said with a snigger and walked out.

"So he's coming back right?" Beast Boy asked once we were all gathered in the main room, "I mean, he's quit before but he always-" He stopped when I turned to look at him, shaking my head.
I didn't honestly know if he'd come back after what's going to happen happens, but we have to factor in the very real possibility that once this is all over he might still want to settle down there.
"Dude," He sighed as he leant back into the sofa and I turned back to the screen, I didn't want to see them after what I knew now, I didn't want to see Raven now that she knew.
"But who will shout the Boo-Yah when we are victorious in battle?" Star asked.
"Who's gonna laugh when I make fun of Beast Boy?" Raven asked and I fought not to tense up.
"Yeah, and who's gonna beat me at video games and fall for my practical jokes and shoot spitballs at the back of my head and watch dumb movies with me and barf when I feed him Tofu?" I felt Beast Boy's hands grip the bottom of my cape but elected to ignore.
"This isn't about us," I said as Beast Boy's grip relaxed, "It's a good opportunity, we have to let him go. No matter how much we're going to miss him."
"But Robin, we are not there. Who will make sure that he is safe?" Star asked as I sat down at the computer and started going through files to find something to do.
"Cyborg's old enough to take care of himself," I replied and that ended that conversation, "However, that being said I think we should go visit him, just for a moving away party and to take him his stuff."
"Yeah, we could get there within the hour if I transport us over," Raven chimed in, "You know, so we've got all day with him. Time is of the essence."
"And bring your gear, you never know when a fight's going to break out. We leave in ten," I ordered and with that everyone left the room.

And it looked like we got there just in time as the Titans East were advancing on Cyborg who was strapped down to the upright table, holding drills.
Beast Boy got there first, transforming into a Lion and taking out Aqualad as Raven used her magic to throw the other four across the room. Star sent her starbolt at two of the watching bots whilst I hit down the other two with my explosive disks as I leapt down in between Cyborg and Blood.
"The Titans!"
What's the matter Blood, you sound surprised. Not that I could give away anything that said I was a mole, I needed the team to trust me completely right now more than ever, even Raven was putting aside Slade for this.
"I'll be honest Blood, you don't look so good," I felt my team come to gather around me and let a smirk grace my features as he just stared at me.
"Yeah, does that stuff get cable or did-?" Really BB?
But he didn't get a chance to finish his thought as Blood sent a pulse at us, "Silence!" I felt the push at my brain again, but I pushed back, and I even felt Raven there helping as it passed.
I felt even better at the look on his face as he realised none of us joined him and got out my handled escrima sticks, preparing to fight.
"If I can't disassemble you, I'll just have to experiment on your new friends," Blood said, "Pity, trail and error is such a messy process," And with a flash of light they were gone and the tower went into a lockdown around us.
Star moved straight over to Cyborg, ripping the restraints from him as he fell to the floor, "You are okay?"
"I'm not hurt, but I'm a long way from okay," Cy replied as he stood back up, "What are you guys doing here?"
"We only came to celebrate your new beginning," I explained, "Help you settle into your new home."
"And it looks like we got here just in time," Raven added on.
"Some leader I turned out to be," Cyborg sighed as he leant up against the wall, "Been in charge less than a week and I've already lost my entire team."
"No you haven't," I cut him off before he could continue, "Not yet. There's still time to save them."
"So what's the plan?" Cy asked.
"You tell me," I replied, "If anyone's going to know how to stop Blood it's you. This is your enemy, your technology, your mission. The team is yours to lead."
"Alright," His voice had already perked up, and I looked over to get an appreciative nod from Raven, there was no chance of me accidentaly playing into Blood's hands now, "Well I guess we need to head out and-"
"Uh dude," Beast Boy interrupted, "We're kinda locked in."
"Not for long," Cyborg replied, "I put this place together, I can tear it apart."
And he did just that as we moved into the vents, finally finding a panel to jump down as Raven moved it silently.
"So, when they made you I guess they didn't break the mold," Raven commented as she followed Cyborg to look around the corner.
"Okay, I've never told anybody this but my electronic eye can't see in low ultraviolet," Cyborg said, that was not something I found in his files, and I guess I wouldn't test for it either, either way my mistake led to us having the upper hand, "If these things have my eyes, a simple blue shift should make us invisible."
He popped up his light, I'm assuming in that specific blue shift, and flashed a light at us.
"You sure this is gonna work?" BB asked as he looked at himself, "'Cause I can still see me."
Cyborg only nodded, and I thanked the lord it would. And so it seemed did Raven as I gave her a nod in answer to the unspoken question.
We continued to move through the tower, Cyborg keeping the light on until we arrived outside a door where one of the robots was keeping guard. And it walked straight past us, not even acknowledging Beast Boy's not-so-funny funny face. I'd never moved so silently as I had right now, the girls not even risking touching down on the floor as they floated along. Sure they couldn't see us, but how would they react to a noise they couldn't pinpoint?
We finally arrived in the room where Blood was operating, thankfully he hadn't started yet, and Bee was fighting back, good on her.
"Or maybe you should quit while you're ahead," Cyborg got in the one liner as we landed, most likely in response to something I didn't hear.
"Student's attack," Blood grinned and then disappeared as the restraints all opened and they lined up against us.
"Go easy on them, they're still my friends," Cyborg ordered, "Titans go!"
Speedy went after me, and we knew how this was going to end. I beat him in the contest of champions, I was going to beat him now. I dodged the quick array of arrows that were sent my way as I ran at him, coming in with a couple kicks and then a duck as he swiped his bow at me before going back on the offensive with a punch which he flipped backwards to avoid, then leaping up onto the platform and I was sent running the other way as another barrage of arrows came at me, using the end wall to propel myself up and throw some explosive disks at him, which he flipped down to dodge again, using the momentum to launch himself back into the air and shoot more arrows forcing me to run, but towards Cyborg this time. A moment to analyse the situation and a shared moment of understanding, but he was in charge.
"Robin now," He shouted and I vaulted over the top of him and sent a kick straight home into Aqualad's face, knocking him down and out. But Speedy was still going as I caught one of his arrows just before it hit my face, somehow he'd gotten back up on the landing level. But I didn't have time to deal with him as I was forced to jump out the way of the fast dudes, only for them to circle back and knock me off my feet, and bloody hell for a small pair that hurt. I got back up in time to see Star picking a tiny saliva covered Bee off the floor as BB turned back from a frog. Gross, but effective. But I didn't react in time as Blood appeared again.
"Cyborg!" But I was too late, my hands closed on air as they both vanished.
I turned my head at the sound of Star's scream to see Bee back up to size and the others were getting back up.
Round two here we come. I guess I had Aqualad this time as he sent a stream of water my way which I jumped out of the way of, running towards him. Another stream forced me into a roll, a final one into a leap as I got out my Bo Staff and split it in two, coming down with a hit that should have knocked him out had it landed. I swung left to get his new position but he danced back again and I lunged at him, blocking the kick with my staff, and throwing the other forward in another missed hit and I was forced to block another two punches. Screw this. I spun the right stick, two swipes and throw the stick, his eyes followed, as expected and I came around with a kick that sent him back into a support beam as I used my free hand to grab his shirt.
"We can help you Aqualad," I ground out, "You don't have to serve Brother Blood."
"Headmaster!" Oh god, please say he didn't hear.
But he must have done as doors opened everywhere and hundreds of his Hive Bots came in.
"Really wishing Cyborg were here," Raven commented as she was backed towards me.
So was I Raven, so was I. But I didn't have time to worry about him, we needed to get out of this. But that wasn't going to happen as I felt a force wrap around me and with a flash of light the team and I were transported to the top level, and there was Blood and "Cyborg."
"No," He got out, but he couldn't do much, not with what I could see was left him, legs and arms removed, main power cell cut open.
"You should have accepted my first offer Cyborg," Blood said he he lifted him the same way as us, "I would have made a man out of you. I still could you know."
Not the best time to get that song stuck in my head, thanks a lot.
"You can take your offer and blow it out your-"
"Insolent child," Blood cut him off, "Where is it Cyborg? I've combed through your blueprints, peeled back your armour, stripped off your machinery, but still you defy me," Someone was getting mad, and that did not bode well since he had us all held in his grasp, "Where in this vile contraption is the part that allows you to resist?"
"It's not in the circuitry is it?" Cyborg bit back, "It's not the machine that resists you, it's me. My spirit," And for some reason he was now emanating the same powers Blood had been as Blood was blasted to the floor and the Hive bots started to fade and move into Cyborg as he repaired himself, "That's the part you can't break," The gasp of horror from Blood was almost comical, "I don't need you to make me a man. I already am one."
Blood threw a punch that Cyborg dodged, uncontrolled and sent him stumbling as he came back around, slamming his hand into the ground with a power fist, which separated around Cy? Does everyone apart from me get cool powers?
He came back at Cy with a jump, landing where he had been stood moments before, advancing with an array of uncontrolled anger driven hits. I was surprised Cyborg waited so long before catching his fists and pushing him down to the ground. And I was surprised when he broke off Blood's hands and sent him flying across the helipad with a roundhouse kick.
"Boo-yah," A whispered celebration, you know that hit good.
And we were dropped back to the ground as the others came back to themselves.
"We're free," Aqauald being the first to voice his joy.
"So, are you like magic now?" BB asked.
"Pretty sure that was a one time deal," He replied and I felt a selfish wave of relief wash over me.
And I watched as the two twins fought to try and give gifts to Starfire, and strangely I wasn't as jealous as I thought I was going to be at that.
"Thanks for everything," Bee said as she held out her hand which I shook, "Blood's in jail and we'll be sticking around to make sure he stays there."
"Besides, I have a feeling he wasn't the only criminal in Steel City," Aqualad chimed in as everyone else came over.
"Well, I guess this is it," I turned to Cyborg, trying not to look sad.
"It is, for me," He replied, "Thanks for the offer team, but I already have a home," He said as he came to stand over with us and I hid my smile, "And you already have a leader, you just need to listen to her," And I almost laughed at Bee's shocked face.

It wasn't until that evening that we were all ready to go and Cyborg packed the last of his belongings in his car.
"So what changed your mind?" I asked as he closed the boot.
"I always thought I was missing something, something I needed to become a man," He admitted, "My own team, my own mission, my own skin. So Blood did manage to teach me one lesson, I'm not missing a thing."
"Dude, Dudettes, roadtrip!"
I looked up at BB's voice to see him hovering above us in the T-Ship as Star let out a giggle.
"Need a lift?" Cyborg asked and I jumped into the car as we headed on home.
At least no one found out about Blood, and no one else needed to know about Slade. But maybe it would be nice to have someone to talk to at last.