Daughters, Deals, And The Teen Titans
AN: It's been a while. I'm sorry that I haven't had time to update, but something tells me you will like this chapter. So...enjoy.
--------------------
"Very good, Dawn." Xander praised the blushing fourteen year old girl. They were going through katas, and he was very proud of her progress. She had only been working with a katana for a few months and already she showed a great deal of promise with the Japanese sword. Given a few more years, she would be quite formidable.
"Really?" Dawn asked hopefully. For her part, she was happy that somebody was willing to teach her to fight. She had thought that she would never learn with Buffy being so protective.
"Yes. A few more years and you may very well be a master." Xander told her smiling. It was true, he was impressed and he wasn't easily impressed. It was unfortunate that work got in the way of his education of her, he would love to harness that potential as soon as possible, as well as be in her life more. Sadly, he wasn't around as often as he would have liked.
"So, how was school?" Xander asked, smiling in amusement when Dawn crinkled her nose in disgust.
"Ugh." Dawn said in disgust. "It sucks super bad. Mrs. Melton gave us a five page report on George Washington's view on Democracy."
"Well, it's good to see some things never change." Xander chuckled. "I'll tell you what, if you pass all of your classes with at least all B's and practice your drills, then this summer I will take you to anyplace you want to go for one week."
Dawn squealed and hugged Xander in bone crushing embrace. "Igottogoandgetmyhomeworkdonebye!"
With that, Dawn Rose Summers ran off to the house leaving a laughing Xander Wilson.
-----------------------------
'She is coming along beautifully.' Mused Slade as he sat on his 'Throne' at his current base. 'But soon she will start to wonder what it is I do, and what will I tell her then?' He frowned in thought.
A beeping sound distracted him from his disturbing thoughts. It was the business line, but it was not from someone he recognized. He latched on his helmet and activated the two way screen.
Much to his surprise, it was Gotham's much feared Dark Knight that popped onto his screen. Slade tensed momentarily, before he relaxed. 'Not even Batman could get through my security without being noticed.' He reminded himself.
"So what brings the legendary Batman to call upon a lowly mercenary like myself?" Slade drawled as he looked for any sign of emotion in the dark face. Other than a tightening of the jaw, Slade could not see anything of use.
"I require your services." Batman's deep voice said. That peaked Slade's interest, or it would have if it wasn't already peaked at the fact the costumed crime fighter had called him.
"Really?" Slade asked curiously. "I wonder, given your rather well known non-killing policy, what it is you have need of me for?"
"My...apprentice Robin is striking out on his own. He has formed a team that they call the Teen Titans." Batman stated, his voice and face free of emotion.
"And you wish for me to test them. To make sure they are strong enough." Slade finished for Batman. Slade rubbed the chin of his helmet thoughtfully. "The little bird is leaving the cave and you want to make certain he will not be swallowed by a predator."
"Yes and, if possible, make them stronger." Batman said. Slade pondered the offer for a moment.
"You wish for me to be their nemesis." Slade realized. "That's why you chose me. I am not connected to you in any way and can push them past their current limits."
"Will you do it?" Asked Batman. Slade knew of the Titans, he always researched those he may come up against one day and, despite the fact that they were new, he knew their weaknesses. There was one of the teenagers that he had studied more than the others. Robin. The boy was potential incarnate, someone who Slade could see surpassing him, someone who was worthy to become his student.
"Very well, but I will require an unusual price." Slade smirked under his mask. If Robin became his pupil, his apprentice, then Slade would be very satisfied. He knew that he was, effectively, immortal and eternity was very boring. He would need a challenge, someone who could match him move for move throughout the unfolding of history. Robin would do quite nicely as that opponent.
The Dark Knight's eyes narrowed, "Name it."
"I need a student, someone to teach and train, someone to be my...son. I reserve the right to take Robin as my student when the job is finished." Slade said, enjoying the fury that lined Batman face before he, once again, wiped his face of all emotion. 'His control is impressive.' Slade thought with some admiration.
"As long as there is no killing in his education, Terminator." Batman growled to Slade. Slade's one eye glittered in pleasure at the struggle that Batman must be going through.
"Done." Slade agreed, as he started to formulate plan upon plan. He reached out to cut the screen off, but paused. "And please...call me Slade."
--------------------------
Everything was ready. Cinderblock had been easy enough to acquire, he was a loyal minion and, with a little maneuvering, was now *his* loyal minion. He had to be careful to use the name Slade and not Deathstroke, as it wouldn't do for Kate to show up and lend dangerous information to the Titans. He had even finished the Wintergreen 2.0 artificial intelligence and human imitation android. He had made it in honor of Slade Wilson's old friend William Wintergreen.
The Titans themselves were as interesting as they were diverse. Robin was, obviously, the student of Batman and was a prodigy in all sense of the word. Strong, resilient, determined were all very apt descriptions when talking about the Boy Wonder as was rash, overbearing, and impatient. The boy needed to be taught patience and how to plan properly. After all if one is always reactive, always countering, then he can never anticipate and trap. That is what he would have to teach him first and foremost. Perhaps also a lesson in not giving trust so easily.
Cyborg was a genius among geniuses as far as mechanical and technological minds go. He was as caring as he was strong. Like Robin, he was also determined and resilient, however, unlike Robin he stoped to think about the situation n a detached manner. To him crime fighting was a job. One he enjoyed but a job none the less, thus staying detached from making it personal. Unlike Robin to whom crime fighting was a way of life and felt it was personal with every single criminal.
Starfire was a power house that fought with everything she had. To her being a hero was about helping people, unlike to Robin and Cyborg who believe it was about catching the 'bad guy'. She was sweet, kind, and gentle but was also fierce, determined, and powerful. She drew her powers from her emotions, thus often had trouble controlling them, which lead her to making rash and dangerous actions.
Beast Boy appeared to be the comic relief, but that was a guise. A deception. He used his immaturity to keep up the moral of the other Titans. He was the definition of hope for the best and prepare for the worst. He had only recently gained control over his powers and was still learning how to use them. This makes him both sloppy and unpredictable, a dangerous combination. He needed to learn when to take off the mask and be serious, even though he was more serious than most would think.
Raven was a bit of a mystery. No records, no known similarity of her powers, and no way to read her. She had such emotional control that Slade was a bit envious of her. She seemed mystical in nature, mostly specializing in some form of telekinesis, sorcery, teleportation, and possibly some telepathy or empathy. She is unable to function using her emotions, this is a draw back as she unable to understand the emotions behind an attack or, more importantly, how to use an opponent's emotions against them. She is, overall, the most effective Titan and the most dangerous.
The problem at hand was getting the name Slade known to the Teen Titans. He had heard good things about the H.I.V.E. academy, perhaps he should give them a call.
"Wintergreen." Xander called to the android who was currently cleaning the factory.
"Yes, Master Slade?" The robotic butler asked as it walked to him.
"Set up a meeting with The H.I.V.E. Headmistress. I am thinking of hiring their services and only their best team will do." Xander ordered as he walked to his chair and sat down.
------------------------
Slade was barely able to keep awake during the demonstration video of the HIVE's best team. The obstacle course impressed him slightly, but no more than that. They would do for now, but after what he was planning to put the Teen Titans through, the HIVE would be a small bother at best. Still, the niceties had to be observed.
"Well Mr. Slade?" The Headmistress asked. She was a cold, prudish looking woman in her late fifties to early sixties.
"Impressive, truly." Slade said as he watched the young team swell with pride. "However, robots and obstacle courses only prove so much."
He smirked as he saw the team's faces go red from anger, but they kept their temper. No doubt, out of fear of The Headmistress, and possibly fear of Slade himself. He supposed he did cut an intimidating figure, especially to those who lack experience like the team in front of him.
"My plans demand operatives who can function in the real world." He announced as he walked to the balcony above the team and their headmistress. "If your students are going to serve me, then they'll have to pass one final exam. Destroy the Teen Titans and then we'll talk."
The Headmistress bowed and left. Slade wondered how the team from HIVE would fair against the Titans. This attack had three purposes: One, to test the Titans teamwork and flexibility, Two, to provide enough of a distraction so his Sladebots could infiltrate Titan's Tower and set up spy cameras, Three, to reveal his existence to the Teen Titans.
'Well, let's see how they fair.' Slade thought to himself as he turned on his many monitors and sat back to watch the battle.
Slade was at first disappointed in Robin and the other Titans teamwork and battle prowess. He knew Robin wasn't dead, the Boy Wonder was too much like himself to not have failsafe and a back door. He guessed the boy was studying his opponents while they were relaxing in the Tower. He was proven right when Robin rounded up the other Titans and informed them of his plan. The boy had studied his enemies personality flaws and devised a plan on those weaknesses.
'Bravo Robin, bravo Titans.' Slade congratulated mentally. When Gizmo announced that he was calling him for help, Slade damn near laughed. As if he would help them. When Robin noticed Slade's name he asked the question that Slade had been hoping for.
"I assure you, such failures are not tolerated within the HIVE." The Headmistress said in apology to Slade. "Once the agents have been retrieved from the authorities they will be disciplined strictly."
Slade watched her try to save face in the capture of her students with great amusement and decided to add to her humiliation.
"Actually your agents served my plans quite well. I never expected them to succeed, they were merely messengers." He told her as he activated his monitors. "And the message has been received."
Screens filled with Robin's face showed him asking the question that had made Slade's day.
"Who is Slade?"
-------------------------
He pushed them to their limits. When they thought they had exhausted every ounce of cunning, ran dry every well of energy, and every bit of strength they had left. He proved them wrong. He beat them so bad that they trained themselves to the brink of insanity to be able to combat him.
If they thought they had him figured out then he added another twist to the plot. Of course, Xander never used his true skill, but occasionally he slipped up and pulled off a spectacular move that meant he had to take another hit from the Titans so as not to clue them in that he was holding back. Though he believed Robin knew or at least suspected that he was holding back.
He made Robin so obsessed at catching him that the boy betrayed his friends to do what he thought was right. That was when he knew he was doing his job well. When Robin saw the greater good, that some things had to be sacrificed to catch some enemies. In that case it was the trust of his friends.
Of course, he wasn't always testing (or teaching, depending on your point of view) the Teen Titans. He also checked up on Dawn, or Rose as he had taken to calling her. It was some of his happiest moments when he trained his, unknown to her, daughter. They talked for hours sometimes. He even took her to the fair and won her that damn near impossible to get stuffed octopus.
She was keeping to the deal of minimum strait B's. Joyce had mentioned that he was more of a father to Dawn than Hank had ever been. Which reminded him to track down Hank Summers and execute him. What kind of man could leave that family behind for some floozy of a secretary?
'A soon to be dead one.' His mind helpfully supplied. Xander smirked at the thought of what awaited Mr. Summers when he got into his car tomorrow morning. Sometimes it was good to be an assassin.
Upon hearing a beep, Xander checked to see who it was, and was surprised to see it was Buffy. He turned the screen on and saw her face pop on screen.
"Buffy." Xander greeted her. "What can I do for you?"
"Hey Xand." Buffy returned with a smile. "Listen, we have a problem with a mayor."
"A problem with a politician? Sounds like it's right up my alley." He said with a grin.
END OF CHAPTER
AN: Sorry it's not longer. Next chapter: Wilkins, Apprentice, and the Initiative.
