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This was a trap. It was obvious since the first glance at the video. Having the coordinates to the hideout didn’t help the matter either.
Silently looking at his teammates, Jason instantly knew what they had planned…so as their leader, he had to stop them…before things got bad, “I will be going alone,” was his firm declaration.
Jason was not surprised by the complains that followed. Instead, they were telling him to stay put for some reason… He didn’t really understand that, but he has already set his foot down and was not up for debating this further.
In the end, they had to agree. Jason was their leader after all.
“So glad you could make it,” Jason could almost see the grin right behind that red mask…and took a fighting stance unceremoniously, “It’s a shame your little friends did not follow you… You seem to be a lot smarter than your predecessor.”
Again, he had no idea what Slade meant by that, but being compared to Richard was in no way something he wished for. The frown gave away his displeasure because Deathstroke hmmed pleasingly, “You admire the first Robin, don’t you? Well, I think you should let go of such pety feelings…being a better Robin than him.”
Eyes widening, Jason subconsciously let his guard down, allowing Deathstroke a chance to get closer…but he returned to his senses in time, just in time to realize what was happening and took a couple of steps back.
This bastard…knew how to push one’s buttons. Still…never once in his life, when compared to Richard, has Jason heard praise…that he was in some way a better Robin than him… Ridiculous, how would this guy know if he was any better. Jason has only recently joined the Titans for a couple of missions.
It was evident to Jason that Deathstroke was trying to get his guard down. Perhaps he was stalling for time? Jason eyed the controller in Deathstroke’s hand. It wasn’t about to work, “Cut the crap, Slade,” and he wasted no time as he found the opening to attack. Jason wasn’t the type for mindless chit chat, not when he had limited time and had to stop a villain. He had no interest in asking what Deathstroke’s plan was either. He just knew he had to stop him, “I’m taking you out.”
The fight was short lasting and in the end, Deathstroke got an upper hand when Jason got distracted by trying to get a hold of the controller, getting a punch in the face that sent him backwards a few feet.
Slade let out a dramatic sigh, “Enough of this. We are wasting precious time, young Robin,” and he crushed the controller in his hand to Jason’s surprise, “I have no use for a bait that did not work. So let me cut to the chase as to why I lured you in,” there was a short pause, during which Deathstroke gestured to Jason, “I have been watching you closely, young Bird. And you, unlike your predecessor, have outstanding potential… You see, it just so happens I am looking for a sidekick, a partner. And I think I found a perfect candidate.”
Jason clenched his fists, “I am not sure what you have been smoking, villain, but I am not about to join your-”
“Tsk tsk…so quick to decline an offer of a lifetime,” Deathstroke shook his head, “I figured that if you stay with your current team any longer, everything you learned will go to waste. It doesn’t look like there is much for you left to learn from them. I, on the other hand, could teach you a few new tricks in exchange for your service…what do you say?”
This got Jason thinking. Recently, neither Bruce nor Richard have been paying much attention to him. It felt like he learned everything he could from them already and now he had to continue his training on his own. Titans were his first stop…and it was going well so far, although at a slower pace. And he tended to disagree with the team a lot…they didn’t seem eye to eye on many an occasion. Mostly due to their different views and perspectives as to what a hero is supposed to be.
Jason was generally not much of a team player to begin with…
Learning from a criminal..? Now this was something new, something he has never thought about. Then again, it made a lot of sense to him because they were his enemies. And what better way to defeat enemies than by learning about them up close, personally?
This seemed to be like a good idea… And somehow Jason was not at all disturbed by the offer, Deathstoke patiently awaiting for his answer, “Are you not scared of me killing you in the process?” Jason smiled.
“Not at all…on the contrary, you will gain my perspective and better understanding of our side. Perhaps even end up sharing the same point of view.”
“Shut up. I grew up with you lot so don’t think you can change my thinking so easily…and make a criminal out of me.”
“Even better,” Deathstroke was trying to hide his excitement the best he could, “We shall see.”
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“Robin, why are you doing this?!”
The Titans were shocked. Jason was calm. Standing on the roof of Wayne Enterprises, having failed to retrieve the device necessary to his current boss, he was not pleased by the interruption and as such, a gun was pointed at Starfire, “Nothing personal,” he blurted out as he shot it unceremoniously, hitting Starfire’s arm to distract her. Slade was listening through the intercom…but he had nothing to say, only smirk pleased.
Killing heroes? No, he was not stupid like that. He was only going to use Slade to learn. But that was all it was going to be.
And if it meant for him to steal or immobilize those who stood in his way…then so be it.
Sacrifices need to be made for the greater good.
Using this opportunity, Jason threw down all of the gadgets and weapons that Batman gave him, hearing Richard trying to contact him before he crushed all communications and trackers he had on him. Glancing at the Titans one last time, Jason turned to leave, “Don’t worry, the Original will be here soon,” he was referring to Richard…and how he himself was only a temporary replacement.
It was time for Jason to find his own place.
And fight crime on his own terms.
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A month has passed and Jason was starting to see there was not much left to learn from Deathstroke. They have left Gotham during this time, Slade claiming they would not be bothered this way.
Sometimes… Jason wondered if anyone was looking for him, what his ‘family’ was thinking about his sudden betrayal.
He knew if he came back empty-handed, Batman himself would persecute him as a criminal. How very typical… So his only choice was to kill Deathstroke if he wanted to return things back to normal.
…but…did he really wish to return to the normal days? His ways of fighting crime have never been approved by Bruce…
Did he truly wish to return to Batman as Robin… A boy wonder… A name that kind of been holding him back from doing what was right. What he felt and knew he had to do.
Slade was speaking to him, but as it happened a lot, he was not listening…he couldn’t hear him…he was looking at his red mask.
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“Robin..? B-but…”
“Be quiet. Unless you want for me to put one in your lap.”
“But-! Why are you working with-!”
“I said,” a punch, “Shut up. This is your last warning. He is here.”
“Ah, I see you have captured Speedy. How unexpected,” Deathstroke strode right in, kneeling right before the bound boy, “So tell me, how does it feel like to be brought to your knees by a fellow superhero?”
“He is far from on his knees, Slade…” and with those words, Jason clicked a red button in his hand, activating a laser beam that hit Slade in the back of his neck, the only vulnerable spot that Jason could find over the course of weeks, killing him instantaneously, the mask rolling off his head, the body crushing right before a startled Speedy, “But I can’t say the same about you.”
In the end…he was definitely not a villain. Sadly, Slade thought he could change his way of thinking. Well…he paid for his mistake.
Speedy watched Robin with shocked big eyes as he undid his binds, “Y-you…you killed him.”
“Yeah…the fuck deserved it ”
“B-but-”
“If you try giving me that moral code speech, you are next.”
Speedy paused, watching Robin as he went to pick up the red mask, examining it, before adding, “Actually… I think you did the right thing.”
The mask fell from Jason’s hand with a loud thud and he turned to look at his companion with widened eyes.
He was…not the only one to think like–
“Don’t get me wrong…killing is not good. But sometimes, some of these villains…especially dangerous ones like Deathstroke…deserve it.”
For the first time in his life, Jason felt like he was understood. For the first time… He could be himself.
He could be…
“So how did you end up in these suburbs anyway..?” Jason was already dragging the body away.
“I was going to stop Deathstroke’s plans to brainwash half the city… I have been fighting him for weeks, finally locating the hideout…but then you showed up and kind of–”
“Saved the day as I always do, huh.”
“Yeah, guess you could say that…”
They parted ways with not much else to say. But Jason had a feeling that if he ever needed a partner, he already had one that shared his views.
After that, he returned to Batman, claiming he has defeated Deathstroke…but he had to die in the process. Richard was off with Titans and not there when he made this claim. Bruce was suspicious of course, but since the bad guy was defeated and Jason returned home safely, he let it go.
And sadly, Jason was playing the role of Robin on Batman’s terms once more…for now.
But… I am not the original Robin.
I have no responsibility to act like one.
And he stayed true to his believes.
The End.