suitcase of whims

In the Dark- Chapter 3: Nothing

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:19:34 GMT

Title: In the Dark- Chapter 3: Nothing
Category: Maes/Roy
Author: FlyinBison
Rated: M
Genre: Angst/Drama
Spoilers: Yes, in regards to Maes
Status: Continuing
Disclaimer: The following is based of characters as developed by Hiromu Arkawa. By no means do I take credit for their creation and/or character development.

Author’s notes: Sorry for the delay, but I’ve finally gotten a small break that has allowed me to update. Since it’s been awhile, here’s a quickie overview of what’s happened thus far in regards to the 3 major storylines

1) Present day Roy is mourning the death of Maes, expressing this through a very physical and abusive relationship with a woman

2) War time Roy is currently in Ishbal recovering from severe burns (90% of his body) with the help of Dr. Marcoh

3) Military academy Roy has met Maes Hughes for the first time along with his alchemy hating friend, Peter.

Please enjoy this next installment!

Part 3: Nothing

“Usually we like to room alchemy cadets together in the same quad, but I’m afraid there’s been a mistake,” the resident's hall director spoke over his shoulder to Roy, not far behind.

“A mistake?” The young alchemist stumbled as he pulled his heavy trunk along the creaking corridor. He adjusted the heavy sack slung over his shoulder, “What kind of mistake, Sir?”

“Well, it appears that the office has placed you in with the normal cadets,” the hall director spoke to the air in front of him.

Normal…mistake…

“Alright,” the hall director stopped abruptly in front of an open door at the end of the narrow corridor, “Here we are.”

Roy’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared as soon as he set foot in the room. That sweet scent…The room…Everything smelled just like the sleeping car on the train right after the tall man--“Hughes,” the other cadet had called him—had entered.

“Normally we wouldn’t have had enough beds here to accommodate such an error but as your luck would have it,” the director continued, gesturing widely to the empty air in front of him, “We’ve recently had to expel a cadet from this room for unruly conduct and had to relocate him to a dorm with…stricter guidelines. Thus we had an opening for you.”

“Well, it’s late. I’ll let you get settled then.” With that the hall director was gone, creaking back down the thin corridor.

“Uh, thank you,” Roy said nearly breathless, his respiratory rate having quickened considerably along with his heart. It was as if the slight scent was oxygen and his lungs were attempting to fill themselves with nothing but it.

Roy dropped his heavy baggage and fell back on the bare mattress that was to be his, his breath still fast.

When he closed his eyes it felt almost as if Hughes was standing inches away from him again. On the train, he had been so close...right in front of him…

---

(A year later…at the Cathedral of the Blessed…)

“I’m sorry, there’s been a mistake,” said Dr. Marcoh, his fingers nervously tracing the metal railing at the end of the hospital bed.

“Mistake? What do you mean a mistake?” Roy’s words echoed across the high arched ceiling, “What’s wrong with me, Doctor?”

“I-I’m sorry,” the doctor mumbled to the dusty floor, “I shouldn’t have promised you so much…not without knowing…”

“What do you mean? Without knowing what? Why have I stopped healing?” The young alchemist’s voice shook ever so slightly.

Dr. Marcoh cast his face to the floor and closed his eyes, “The nerves of the body, Son. They’re just too complicated, too far beyond my alchemic skills.”

Roy said nothing, his dark, moist eyes widening.

“I was hoping that with the stone I would be able to…”

“But, Doctor, I can feel. I feel the breeze; warmth; touch; pain, excruciating pain every time you treat me with the Philosopher’s Stone. I feel everything against and under my skin. There’s nothing wrong with my nerves.”

“It’s not those kinds of nerves, Son,” Dr. Marcoh finally looked up from the foot of the bed, “The human body contains 2 sets of nerves. One set is for sensory and feeling purposes. The second set is for relaying messages from your brain to your muscles for movement. The problem with your body, Son, is this second set of nerves, the motor nerves that control your movements and fine motor skills. I’ve been able to restore your muscle reflexes and gross muscle contractions but…Surely you’ve noticed that though you are able to bend your arms and legs, move your hands and fingers in slight motions, you are unable to coordinate any of your movements in any concise pattern.”

“So what does this mean for me, Doctor?” The young soldier’s lips barely moved, as if they were afraid to utter the question. His heart thumped heavily in his chest, knowing already what the dreaded answer was going to be, but he wanted to hear it.

Marcoh grit his teeth and cast his eyes back down to linger on the chipped painted railing at the end of the bed, “I am afraid, Son, that it means that no matter how much further physical rehabilitation the nuns and nurses put you through, you will not…improve anymore.”

At first, no words came out of Roy’s open mouth. He too lowered his head, his sweat matted bangs falling into his eyes as they traced the infinite right angles of the tightly knit hospital blanket, “Why don’t you just come out and say it, Marcoh? Stop beating around the bush.”

“Son, I—“

“Just say it, Doctor!” Roy felt the warmth spill down his cheeks and trail down his jaw line, “Tell me I’m not going to walk again! Tell me I’ll never be able to use my hands again! Tell me the truth!”

“Son, I didn’t say that.”

“No,” the young soldier swallowed hard, “you didn’t. But we both know that the nurses haven’t been able to get me out of this bed without falling yet, let alone retrain my hands to stop shaking and to hold anything right. I can’t even wrap my fingers around a God damn spoon to feed myself.”

Marcoh closed his eyes again, confirming the young alchemist’s implications. The corners of the doctor’s mouth sank further as the look on his face became more severe. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve failed you,” he repeated, “But you’re life isn’t over. There are ways we can accommodate your…condition.”

“You think we can compensate?” The bed bound soldier snickered darkly. “I don’t think you understand, Marcoh,” Roy whipped his head up to face the man standing at the end of the bed, “You brought me back; you tease my body by healing it and giving it the strength to weakly wave its limbs around erratically…and to shake with tremors; you teased me with hope; but what have you left me with? Sure, I’d be able to get used using a wheelchair to get around, but…it’s my hands, Doc.”

“Even then, Son, there are ways to—“

“I. Am. An. Alchemist! Without the use of my hands, I am NOTHING!” Roy hunched over, lowering his head again, his shoulders shaking, “You of all people should understand that…God why did you bring me back?”

“Don’t talk like that,” the doctor straightened up, “You have to realize that you’ve come a long way since they wheeled you in here. I nearly committed ‘the taboo’ with you considering how much I had to replace and reconstruct from nothingness!” Gripping the metal railing, the doctor leaned over the end of the bed as he said this.

Nothingness…

“So what was all that pain you put me through for? What does that make me now, Doctor? What am I, now?”

Nothingness…

Not a word past between the two alchemists until Roy laughed cynically, again. “Perhaps,” he spoke to his shaking hands, resting in his lap, “you could take my eyes back again and exchange it for the nerves in my hands.”

The doctor’s gaze softened. He took a step back from the bed, “You know that’s not how equivalent exchange works, Son.”

“Then just drown me in oil and burn me up, again…”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Marcoh took another step back from the bed, “Even if I did and even if I tried to bring you back a second time, we’d still end up here. As I said before…the damage to your nerves is far too complicated and severe for my alchemic skill, even with the stone.” Roy heard the doctor take another step back.

“Doctor, where are you going?” Roy spoke softly.

“I am needed elsewhere,” was all Marcoh mumbled.

“You’ll be back later, won’t you? Doctor Marcoh?” Roy looked up just in time to catch the tail of the doctor’s white coat as he disappeared behind the yellow curtain, “Doctor Marcoh, wait! Please!”

“Wait!” Somehow, the young man wretched himself out of the bed. However, no sooner did he attempt to drag his foot forward when both his trembling legs crumpled under him. He slammed prone against the dusty, stone floor, pulling the thin hospital curtain off its rings and down with him.

“Please,” Roy panted as he watched the doctor’s figure grow smaller as he travelled further down the long hallway with the high arched ceiling.
---

(Several years ago…)

“So, you really have lowered yourself to the level of a cowardly dog of the military. Clearly, I was right to not teach you alchemy of the flame, yet. You aren’t ready and now you never will be.”

“Sensei,” Roy pleaded.

“Now get out, you bastard dog,” Professor Hawkeye whispered, a rage quietly building inside him, “Get out of my house! You are nothing but a coward to me now.”

“But, Sensei, please give me a chance,” Roy lowered his head in a full bow, “You’ve only taught me the basic fundamentals of alchemy and you’ve seen how quickly and how much I’ve learned, already.”

“And it was a waste teaching you!”

The young alchemist fell to the ground, his jaw throbbing hotly. It was the first and only time the Professor had struck him, “You son of a bitch. You had so much potential. I was hoping to pass my research on to you, but now…what have you done?” Relaxing his angry fist, the old man turned his back on the trembling boy.

“I shouldn’t have believed in you. I should have never taken a weakling like you in,” the Professor spoke to the air in front of him, “I should have let you burn…”

---

(Years later…Back at the academy dorm room…)

Tears. There were tears in Roy’s eyes when he awoke. The young cadet blinked several times, attempting to push them away. It was dark outside now, the sun having set only a few hours ago. Roy blinked a few more times, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dim light of the dorm room.

“Well well well,” a figure stepped into his field of view and stood over him. Immediately, the voice turned a knot in Roy’s stomach. “If it isn’t the faggot alchemist from the train.”

Before Roy even had a chance to jump to his feet, Peter’s hands were on him. Throwing a hardened fist across Roy’s face, the angel haired delinquent pushed him back against the bare mattress.

“I can’t believe Hughes’ new roommate is a fucking alchemist. I can’t believe they replaced me with you!” Peter smirked, his fist about Roy’s collar shaking, “But I’ll make sure that you won’t be staying here tonight.”

Despite his previous combat training, Roy’s attempts to defend himself were easily reversed by Peter’s sheer strength and hate. His vision began to blur as Peter continued to bury his fists into him and across his face. All the while Roy could swear he heard Peter laughing, “Ever since the train, I’ve been wanting to do this.”

A sharp metallic taste flooded Roy’s mouth. Instinctively, his body began to curl up tightly on the floor, as if such a position would protect him from Peter’s heels. As the room began to grow dark, the last thing Roy could remember thinking over and over again was, “Hughes…” He looked to the door several times before losing complete consciousness, “Hughes…”

---

(Present day…)

Maes…

“Are you alright?” Gracia’s voice carried over the table, “You haven’t touched your food.”

The colonel jumped and broke his gaze from the darkly finished front door. He looked down at his full plate.

“Oh,” he said, smiling at Gracia and then Elysia who continued to play with her dinner, “I’m sorry. I just haven’t been sleeping well lately.”

When Hughes had been alive, he had always invited Mustang over for dinner on Thursdays. Roy didn’t know why, but even after Maes’ passing, he continued to come. Gracia was just too kind to turn him away and seemed to partly welcome the company. On occasion, when Roy had gotten up to leave, she would squeeze his hand and ask him to stay a little while longer. He never resisted her.

However, no matter how many times he visited; no matter how many times he would gaze longingly at the cherry wood stained front door, Roy knew that Maes was never going to come through that door.

Author’s notes: So…what’d you think? Too emo? Does it make sense? I know with all these flashbacks it can be a little confusing at times but I soon hope to focus on one storyline at a time which will hopefully bring things together and make things a lot more clear. All I hope and ask of you all is to stick with me despite the frequent flashbacks. It’ll all come together eventually, trust me :)

Let me know what you think! Suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome!

In the Dark- Chapter 2: Broken

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:55:05 GMT

Title: In the Dark - Chapter 2: Broken
Category: Maes/Roy
Author: FlyinBison
Rated: M
Genre: Angst/Drama
Spoilers: Yes in regards to Maes
Status: Continuing

Disclaimer: The following is based of characters as developed by Hiromu Arkawa. By no means do I take credit for their creation and/or character development.

Author’s notes: I know I know…it’s been longer than the few weeks I promised some readers that I’d get this 2nd chapter out. Many things came up and I had to put this on the back burner for a little bit. I also rethought how I wanted to write this ficlet and for a while I had hit a small writer’s block in trying to make this new execution in story work out. I think I’ve figured it out, now, and I hope you guys enjoy it :) (and that you guys remembered what happened last time. Please feel free to review ch1 if you need to!)

Part 2: Broken

“Maes…If only you could see me now…”

Roy felt his lungs shred themselves apart as his wet scream extended into infinity.

“Jesus…” “Someone get some rope! We’re going to have to tie him down!” “Wake the doctor! This one’s still alive!”

Riiinngg! The violent ring of the phone on the night stand jarred the colonel out of his sedate stupor.

“Hello?” He whispered hoarsely into the phone after the 2nd ring.

“Sir,” Riza’s gentle but firm voice came from the other end, “it’s nearly 10 o’clock, now. Shall I reschedule your meetings today? If you are fatigued or ill, Sir, perhaps it would be wise to take a sick day to see the doctor.”

“That will be unnecessary, Lieutenant,” Mustang said, barely moving from his position on the stiff mattress, “I will be in shortly. Please send my apologies for running late along to my appointments this morning.”

(Several years ago…)

This is wrong. These thoughts are all wrong.

One moment Roy’s mind was continuously looping the angry words of Professor Hawkeye as the old man threw him out after learning his wishes to enlist as a state alchemist; and in the next he couldn’t help but blush at the improper thoughts that had entered his mind and seemed to instantly wash his mind clean of all pain and torture.

He wasn’t sure when the tall man had entered the dimly lit sleeping car—though he suspected that the man had done so while he, himself, had briefly nodded off—but now that he was here, nothing mattered anymore.

As soon as Roy had laid his eyes on him, he couldn’t look away. Even when he averted his gaze to stare out into the infinite night and shadows rushing by the train, his eyes continued to linger on Maes’ ghostly reflection, neatly framed in the train window.

Only when the train had been enveloped in the lantern studded darkness of a long tunnel could Roy look directly at him. With each flickering light that swept over Maes’ sleeping form, Roy’s heart skipped a beat.

Suddenly, he jumped. There was a large bump in the tracks that jarred each of the train cars as it went. Roy looked back at Maes, still sleeping, just in time to see his glasses slide off his nose and break once it hit the hard wood floor.

Without a second thought, Roy produced a piece of soft, white chalk from his pocket. Kneeling on the floor of the sleeping car, he drew a smooth, intricate circle around the broken glasses, careful to include all the pieces of the shattered lenses. Delicately placing his fingertips at the edges of the alchemy circle he closed his eyes and whispered something to himself.

No sooner did he do this, was there was a small bluish flash that highlighted the intricate design on the floor and enveloped the broken glasses. The light, though intense, faded quickly to reveal perfectly mended steel framed glasses.

Roy smiled silently to himself. It was a shame that his car mate wouldn’t know of his kind service to him.

Gently, Roy picked up the man’s glasses. They were heavier than they looked. Slowly, he approached his sleeping companion and began to slide the frames back onto his nose. His fingers began to tremble ever so slightly as they drew closer to Maes’ smooth face. Maes’ breath was soft and warm against his palm.

“Faggot,” the hateful voice came from the door to sleeping car. Before Roy knew it, he was clutching the newly mended glasses tightly in his hand as a platinum blonde cadet grabbed him by the collar and pinned him against the cold train window, “Alchemist freak!” He threw a punch across the dark eyed alchemist’s face, “what do you think you’re doing?”

“His glasses—“ was all Roy could get out past his already swelling lip before he was slammed against the wall again.

“I saw what you were doing…how you were looking at him…” The other young man sneered, “Fag!”

Roy swallowed hard and cast his eyes to the ground. He had seen this man before. In fact he had lived not too far from the Hawkeyes. The professor had caught him several times, as a boy, throwing stones at their house. Up until now, Roy had made a point to avoid him as the blonde and his gang was known to often gain pleasure from tormenting known alchemists.

“Hey!” Stirred from his slumber, the tall man jumped up. He placed his hand the angry blonde’s shoulder, “Let him go, Peter. He didn’t do anything.”

“Hughes,” Peter continued to stare down the young alchemist in his clutches, “you’re lucky I got here in time. Fucker would have probably raped you if I hadn’t.”

“I highly doubt that, Peter,” Hughes pushed him away from Roy a little, “Besides, he was just trying to help me.” He took the glasses from Roy’s clutch, “You know I’m practically blind without these stupid things.”

Slowly regaining his nerve, Roy looked up. When his eyes met Hughes’ his mouth went dry as his heart jumped into his throat as a lump. His eyes were…golden! They sparkled and were so close to his and very deep.

“Come on,” Hughes slipped the glasses on, “let him go, Peter. You don’t want to get thrown off the train again, do you? I mean I don’t think I can talk the conductor into letting you back on a second time in a row.”

“Fine…” the angry blonde dropped Roy after a stiff silence, “We’ll get him and all the other alchemy freaks later when we pull into the academy.” The alchemist crumpled to the ground with his back against the wall.

“That’s right, Peter,” Maes patted the blonde on the shoulder as they turned to exit the car, “Later.”

Just as the door began to slide shut behind them Hughes turned, “Hey,” he said catching the door, “Thanks.” He smiled back at Roy and tapped his glasses in a half salute-half wave motion.

Roy wasn’t quite sure if he returned the smile before Hughes released the door. The door closed swiftly with a soft click, casting him into the dark again as he stared distantly at the smudged chalk circle outlined in moonlight on the floor in front of him.

His eyes are golden…

God…I’m so fucked up…

(Several years later in Ishbal…)

“Mustang…Major Mustang…can you hear me?”
Roy let out a painful groan. Even though he knew all the flames had been put out, his skin felt like it was still burning. It hurt to breathe and to even lie still. Every sigh, every breeze, every heartbeat was agony.

“My name is Dr. Marco,” the gentle voice continued, “and you are in the Cathedral of the Blessed, which, since wartime, has been converted by the Fuhrer and our allies into a small military hospital.”

“Doctor, why is it so dark,” Roy managed to sputter out past his bandages, “Why can’t I see?”
The doctor exhaled sadly, “The fire…it burned out your eyes and over 90% of your body. It’s a miracle that you’re even alive and talking only 1 month after the accident.”

“Accident…so that’s what they’re calling it…” Roy thought to himself.

“Son,” Dr. Marco continued, “I’m afraid I’m only passing through and will be here for only 3 days. That doesn’t give us much time to heal you.”
“Heal me…you have that power?”

“With this philosopher’s ring, the same kind of ring the Fuhrer bestowed upon you, I do have the power to restore your body’s appearance, even your eyes, back to or at least close to what they were. From there, after I leave, the nuns and nurses will assist you in rehabilitating your body. Indeed, it’s going to be a long and hard road, Son, but in the end I think you won’t regret taking it. You are, after all, a hero.”

“A hero?”

“You saved the entire Ishbalian village of Cronus. Not to mention the great loyalty to the Fuhrer you’ve shown through all your selfless services.”

Despite the excruciating pain, laughter began to tremble throughout the young flame alchemist’s body, “I’m no hero, Doc. I’m a murderer. Before Cronus, I’ve burned hundreds of villages to the ground and perhaps have killed thousands. All because of that blasted ring.” Under his bandages, Roy grimaced as he tried to turn against them, “Are you sure want to save me, Doc? I’ve killed doctors too, you know. Like you, they were just trying to help everyone…and I burned them until there was nothing left but ashes and dust…they had pictures of their little girl back home everywhere…”

After a long pause, Dr. Marco spoke again, “This is war, Son, and if I’ve learned anything as a doctor here it’s that no one ever escapes it clean. We all have blood on our hands and all that one can truly hope for is that one’s soul, like a phoenix, will emerge from it anew and worthy of salvation. It doesn’t make what we’ve done right, but now you can make sure that what you do next will be the right thing.”

Silence then, “Son,” the physician continued, “Please. This is your second chance. If not for yourself, then do it for those you love back home. Do it for May.”

“May?”

“Yes…” the Doctor shifted in his chair, “You were screaming her name over and over again the night they brought you in from the oil fields.”
Roy let out a small breathless gasp as fragments of that night surfaced in his brain, “Maes…”

“Ah, so there is an ‘S’ at the end of her name. They had just assumed that you had been slurring the name due to your injuries,” Marco shrugged, “She wouldn’t happen to have any pictures of you that she could send along, would she? I would like to have them so I may heal you properly and so that when I’m finished you’re…recognizable. I have your military photo on hand, but I will also need different angles to estimate.”

Though his eyes had been burned away, Roy could still feel tears or something like them, well up and seep out from behind the bandages across his face.

“No,” Roy said, a stone settling in his throat, “Maes doesn’t have any pictures of me.” Before Roy had left, he had made sure of that.

“That’s a pity. Is there anyone else, Son? Your mother perhaps?”

“Hawkeye,” Roy forced the name out of his lungs that had seemed to be growing weaker by the second, “Lt. Riza Hawkeye. We grew up together. She’ll have pictures of me.”

(Several years later…Present day…)

The stiff ruffles of her underskirt grated against his pale skin. With each firm jerk into her, Roy’s blindfold grew damp.

After he had managed a kiss at their last encounter, she had forced him into restraints this time. He arched his back and pulled against the coarse rope about his wrists and ankles, letting out a heavy gasp after each of her rough thrusts. Eventually he felt the splintering burn from his ligatures grow until it finally spread warmth streaming down and around his extremities. On the feather edge of pleasure and pain, Roy bit his lip, stifling his screams.
If he wanted to get to heaven, he had to comply…
Additional notes: And there is ch 2! If you noticed, I’ve stuck with the 1st FMA series premise in regards to what happened to the Rockebells. (Though I must admit I like how FMA: Brotherhood is making Roy more bad ass and hot! Episode 19 = *love love love!*)
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter in all its tension and torture. Please let me know what you think by reviewing and commenting! (At least I hope haven’t lost too many readers due to my uber long delay in getting this installment out…*sweat drop*)

In the Dark- Chapter 1: Barely Breathing

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:44:50 GMT

Title: In the Dark - Chapter 1: Barely Breathing
Category: Maes/Roy
Author: FlyinBison
Rated: M
Genre: Angst/Drama
Spoilers: Yes in regards to Maes
Status: Continuing

Disclaimer: The following is based of characters as developed by Hiromu Arkawa. By no means do I take credit for their creation and/or character development.

Author’s notes: Well I’m off on another one shot again. But this time, looking at my notes, it’s going to be a few chapters long which I think I’ll continue to write and release as long as you guys are reading and enjoying it :D (otherwise…if you guys didn’t like it what would be the point? I do it all for you!)

In the Dark

Part 1: Barely Breathing
If it was pleasure Roy wanted, he’d have to chase her in the dark for it. No lights; no touching; no kisses; and she always had to be on top. These were the rules and if he ever wanted to get to heaven he had to comply.

Roy fell back onto the bed, his breath short and his heart pounding. As always, her hands were swift. Hungrily, they ran down his chest, quickly finding the line of restrictive buttons across his crisp, pressed uniform.

He heard the buttons clatter to the floor as, with one smooth motion, she viciously tore past his outer jacket. As she worked her way through his white dress shirt Roy managed to press his wet lips against what he imagined was her cheek. No sooner had he applied slight pressure did she strike him across the face with a closed fist. Instantly, he could feel his jaw grow hot and begin to swell as the blood rushed to the surface of his pale skin.

With a strong hand she grabbed him by the throat and firmly forced him back, flat against the mattress. He coughed. Though she uttered not a word, he knew his place and he dared not advance on her again. For the remainder of their time together he remained still, tightly gripping the sheets. The cold air of the room made his naked skin tighten and prickle.

Suddenly, he let out a loud gasp when, without further foreplay, she drove herself down onto him. His muscular back arched with each violent thrust she gave. She was strong…soft….and so very warm.

As he lost himself in her, his head lolled back over the pillow, while his eye lids fluttered rapidly, tearing. Eventually, he stared off, glassy eyed, into the darkness above him, letting out an orgasmic gasp every now and again.

“What are you doing here? In this place?” The thoughts briefly pushed through the lusty haze in his mind, “Do you think you’re somehow getting closer to Maes this way?” However, these questions soon left him with the next rough push.

Then, before Roy knew it, she let go of him as quickly as she had grabbed him at the start. He heard the soft ripples of her skirt as she quickly pulled it back down over her thighs and smoothed it out.

His nostrils flaring and his brain still stuck in a fog, Roy lay naked and still, slowly catching his breath, barely aware of her movements.

Mellow, incandescent light spilled in from the hallway when she opened the door. Roy blinked sedately, his eyes unable to focus in the light. Suddenly, the yellow light was wiped away as the door quickly shut behind her, casting him into darkness once more.

“Maes…” Roy whispered as if a simple whisper could bring him back from the dead.

---------------------------

(Several years ago…at the military academy…)

Deep in thought, the young fire alchemist bit his lip. Quickly his eyes scanned over the stark, white forms once more. He wasn’t checking for completeness so much as he was hesitant to turn them in. Eventually, his eyes came to rest on the thin black loops of his scribbled signature at the end of the last page. He stood there for a prolonged moment, trying to figure out why even the shine of the dark ink reminded him of the smooth, glossy hair of—

“Maes Hughes,” the name escaped Roy’s lips, hardly audible, “Why, Maes?”

Finally, when the bitter taste of iron began to enter his mouth, he hurriedly, almost with an air of frustration, folded the forms twice and slipped them neatly into an envelope addressed to the General. He dropped it into the mailbox and quickly left the office without looking back even once.

---------------------------

(A few months later…in Ishbal…)

A sand covered jeep bounced roughly through the desert. Not far behind a small string of trucks and other military jeeps followed, bobbing on the red horizon.

Day dreaming. He had been day dreaming again, his hand subconsciously and rhythmically turning a dull push dagger over and over again. Its edges had long since been worn smooth from wear, but Mustang’s fingertips could still make out the thin “MH” that had been etched near the hilt of the blade.

By the time he had realized that the convoy had deviated greatly from the originally planned path, it was too late.

“Colonel,” Roy blinked a couple times and looked around, “Where are we going? This is not the planned route, Sir.” Swiftly, he slipped the push dagger back up his sleeve.

“I’m very aware of that, Major Mustang,” the man sitting next to him in the jeep responded, his back to Roy as he scanned the sand dunes with a pair of binoculars, “We’re just taking a slight detour.”

“But, Sir,” craning his neck, the young alchemist squinted at the distant horizon behind them, “We’re very far outside our limits. This is ally territory. We shouldn’t be here.” He shifted uneasily in his seat. Something was very wrong. This wasn’t right.

“Easy now, Major,” the colonel chuckled, “Your concern has been noted. However, I know exactly where we are. Besides, we’re almost there and this shouldn’t take too long. We’ll be back at base camp before you know it.”

Just as the convoy popped over the next sand dune, it appeared seemingly out of no where. Even from a distance, the rows and rows of dark, steel tower pumps and piping were unmistakable. As they drew closer, it became apparent that small, ordinary houses and sandstone buildings were also scattered about the area.

“Ah there you are, beautiful,” the colonel whispered to himself.

Roy’s eyes widened, “The oil field...you’re after the--”

Automatic gunfire washed out the rest of Mustang’s sentence. It wasn’t long after when the screams of villagers over rid the gunfire itself.

“Sir,” Mustang shouted trying to keep his head down low, “This is not what we were sent here to do! We were ordered to help put down a rebellion on the other side of the border!”

The Colonel ignored him, laughing as the convoy broke travel formation and began to raid the houses and chase down any one who was running.

“I beg of you, Sir, please stop! This is a simple oil mining town in ally territory! They pose no threat! Sir, please stop!”

Filled with an ugly mix of horror and rage, Mustang shot out of his seat and, grabbing the nearest soldier’s gun, pulled it down violently causing the soldier’s spray of bullets to strike a neighboring truck. The truck jackknifed as the engine caught fire. Unable to maintain its center of gravity it flipped on its side and skidded to rest not far behind the jeep they were in.

Before Mustang could draw his gun and turn around, something dense and blunt him in the back of the head making everything go black.

---------------------------

“Was this part of your plan, Maes?”

“Who said I had a plan?”

When Mustang came to, the sun was high and blinding. The colonel was standing above him, smiling smugly, his shadow casting long across the major’s body. Behind him several pumps creaked eerily in a rhythmic fashion.

The young alchemist groaned and tried to move but he found that his guns and alchemy gloves had been taken and that his hands were tied behind his back as well.

“Major Mustang…the Flame Alchemist,” the colonel chuckled darkly and began to circle his prone body, “I’m going to give you one last chance, Major. You can either be with us,” he lit a cigarette, “or against us.”

Mustang blinked several more times and squinted up at the colonel. Secretly, with a shift of his wrist he slipped out the small silver dagger that had stayed hidden in his sleeve.

“I assure, Major, that it is definitely worth your while if you’re with us,” the colonel continued to pace, “The future is oil, Major, not steam. We can run this place better than the red-eyes and become heroes, Mustang, saviors of this land. However, if you’re against us, you can go down the well with the enemy,” he nodded towards the trembling villagers huddled against a nearby wall and surrounded by guards. One bye one, the guards pushed the villagers into the dried up well to the right of the wall.

“So, what’s your decision, Mustang?”

For a long moment Roy didn’t respond. The push knife was dull and the rope was thick.

Finally, unable to control himself, his shoulders began to tremble.

“Mustang?” Perplexed, the colonel took a step closer.

Suddenly Roy burst out laughing, “I’m sorry, Colonel,” Roy gasped taking in a deep breath, trying to stifle his laughter, “You must forgive me for my disrespect, Sir, but do you actually know where we are?”

The colonel scowled and stepped back. “By all means, Major,” he puffed his cigarette, “do enlighten us.”

“I’m sorry, Sir,” Roy cleared his throat, “This is the village of Cronus or more well known as the ‘Hollow Land.’” Tickled, Roy chuckled again and shook his head, “If you’re looking for oil, Sir, this is not the place. Most of it was sucked dry by industrial contractors years ago. What’s left, what these innocent people are living on, are the meager residues of fuel left behind after the contractors had pulled out.” As he continued, the colonel’s eyes grew wider and wider, filling with a quiet rage, “Why do you think that the field was so easy to take? If there was real money here, Sir, there would have been guards and a stronger resistance. Honestly, Sir—“

The colonel threw his tight fist across the young alchemist’s jaw before he could go on further. Only partway through the ropes, Roy concealed the blade back up his sleeve. The colonel then drove his heel into his abdomen over and over, until a sharp, metallic taste entered Roy’s mouth.

“I’ll take that as a rejection to my offer,” the colonel turned his back on the heaving and gasping major. He gestured to two soldiers to drag Roy along behind him, “If that truly is your answer then I’m afraid we have nothing better to do with you than to make an example out of you.”

The colonel stopped at a large rusted barrel near one of the pumps, “However, if what you say is true, what do you make of this, Mustang?”

With that, the colonel popped open the barrel and kicked it over so that its thick, black contents drained freely into a nearby, dried up water trough. The glistening surface of the oil hardly settled before they had pushed his head under its dark surface. Struggling to bring his head back up again, he kicked and writhed furiously against his half cut bindings. They creaked slightly with the tension but still held fast.

Roy’s eyes and throat burned when they finally let him up for air. With his nose but a few millimeters above the dark shining liquid he gagged and sputtered. Eventually, he vomited. What came out was a dark fluid, black.

“Well well,” the colonel scoffed letting out thick wisps of cigarette smoke as he spoke, “I do believe that is oil, State Alchemist Mustang. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Eyes red and wheezing, Roy turned his head to the side and swore as the oil streamed down his face body. “Fuck you,” he spat.

“State alchemists,” the colonel chuckled, “you know I’ve always hated you all. You all think you’re so important…that you’re so much better than the rest of the military. You think you can save everyone with your stupid alchemy circles.”

“Damn it, Maes!” Roy’s past frustration at the academy echoed in his mind, “I can't do this! These alchemy circles aren’t making any sense to me! I think I’ll just settle to become a paper pusher like you.”

“Oh come on, Roy,” Maes had answered. All cadets had been required to take the entry level alchemy in order to understand its basic nature. Unlike Roy, Maes seemed to be a natural at the basic circles though this understanding fell off considerably for Hughes in the upper level classes, “You’ve done harder things than this before when you were with old man Hawkeye, yeah? I think you’re just over complicating things. This is just a simple reorganization circle. It’s just a shifting around of material. There’s not even any chemical reformation involved. I mean I did it and I definitely know I’m not state alchemist material. So you should be able to do it too. I believe in you.”

Roy’s eyes widened. They had caught site of a network of special, silver piping behind the colonel.

“Wait! Wait!” He managed to wheeze out. Somehow, in his slight struggle, he managed to hook his leg around one of the soldiers holding him. Losing his balance, the solider lost his grip on Roy, causing him to drop Mustang to the ground beside the rusty trough. “You know they’ll come looking for me, Colonel!” He shouted rolling over onto his back, concealing the quick actions of his hands again, “Especially because I am a State Alchemist.”

“Hehehehe,” the colonel laughed darkly, “That maybe, Mustang, but,” he grabbed Roy by the collar, “but when we’re done with you, they won’t even recognize you. I'll just report you MIA or perhaps even as a cowardly deserter.”

With that he slammed Roy’s head back under the black oil. The young alchemist struggled violently against his bindings still unable to break them.

Just when his air bubbles in the oil began to subside, Roy felt the ropes finally snap and give. Whipping out the push dagger, he swung his arm up and out, dragging across something soft and delicate. Though his head was submerged in thick liquid, he could hear an immediate scream of agony. Suddenly, the colonel released him.

Wiping the oil from his face with his sleeve, Mustang caught site of the Colonel cupping his left eye with his hand. Streams of crimson flowed out from between his fingers as he flailed around.

Push knife in between his fingers, Roy hit the soldier closest to him before the soldier could ready his automatic gun. The soldier let out a small shout, as the short blade sunk into him. With a quick, combative flourish, he threw the soldier several feet back, colliding him with his fellows.

Thinking fast, Mustang kicked over the trough full of oil and dove behind it before they started firing their guns at him. When the ricochet of the bullets subsided for a moment, Roy, as quick as he could, made a break for the network of pipes and pumps he had spied earlier.
As soon as he popped up, the soldiers began to fire at him again. However, only a few wild rounds had been discharged before the Colonel shouted, “Stop! Stop firing you idiots! You hit the pipelines you compromise us all!”

Still dripping in oil, and gasping for air, Roy collapsed behind one of the large, silver pipes. After a brief moment he propped himself up and quickly dragged the dull dagger point across the pipe in a regular, familiar pattern. He then bit his lip and tried not to scream as he pressed the blade against his own hand.

Before the colonel could call out to Roy, the shining silver pipes suddenly contorted into an odd shape. As the material bent around, large holes burst through the sides of the pipe releasing its clear, odorless contents. The air quivered in the sun as the gas hissed out into the open air.

“A reorganization transmutation,” the colonel recognized the basic alchemy, “Damn alchemist. Natural gas often accompanies oil deposits below ground. Very clever of you to disrupt it’s pipeline to fill this area with natural gas. Now we can’t fire our guns without blowing us all to kingdom come. But, alchemist, you forgot one thing.”

“And what’s that?” All of the sudden, Roy jumped out and blindsided the Colonel, knocking the older officer to the ground.

Looking up at the young alchemist, the colonel couldn’t help but laugh. Mustang, was standing above him, his hand out stretched with his fingers together as if to suggest he may snap them at any moment. On the back of his outstretched hand, were several deep cuts, sliced in such a way to mimic the flame alchemy circles usually found on the back of his gloves.

“You forgot that you can’t do anything if you can’t make a spark. Without you’re alchemy gloves you’re useless. We may not be able to fire our guns, but, look at you. You’re covered in oil. You’re still gasping for air. You’re weak! And we can still take you down!”

With that, the colonel lunged at Roy, upper cutting him. After a few quick jabs to his ribs and across his face, Mustang was on the ground again. Nevertheless, the young alchemist kept his hand in the snapping position.

He held out his hand towards the colonel again and smiled his swollen lips, “But I don’t have to make a spark, Colonel,” he opened his hand to expose the smoldering cigarette that he had plucked from the Colonel’s lips when he had blindsided him earlier, “once I snap my fingers I disperse the hot embers into the air and then all I have to do is alter the air densities and currents around it to make it burn!”

“No,” the colonel gasped, “you wouldn’t! You’ll kill us all. Even yourself!”

Roy smiled, his fingers twitched.

“NOOOOOOOOO!” The colonel screamed as Mustang snapped his fingers.

Additional notes: I’ll have to admit that since I haven’t written action in a while it was harder to write this time. Anyways, stay tuned for the next chapter! (well…if you guys like it…) So let me know what you think!

In the Dark: The Pheonix prelude

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:25:43 GMT

since my Robin fics ("Red Robin" and "Return to Me") are quite extensive, the process of archiving them on this account may take a while. in the mean time i'm going to upload my current project (Maes/Roy) fic (which is now only 2 chapters) as well as the oneshot that preceeded this project, for your reading enjoyment :) (see below)

Title: Phoenix
Category: Maes/Roy
Author: FlyinBison
Rated: T
Genre: Drama/Angst
Spoilers: Not really (unless you don't know about Roy's professional aspirations)
Status: Completed (oneshot)

Disclaimer: The following is based of characters as developed by Hiromu Arkawa. By no means do I take credit for their creation and/or character development.

Author’s notes: Been in a bit of a one shot mood lately. This is a scene I’ve been thinking of for a little while with a pairing I’m crazy about (Maes X Roy). It’s set a little after Roy tells Hughes he wishes to become Fuhrer. Let me know what you think!

Phoenix

“Shhh….Wait for it…wait for it…” Maes Hughes kept his voice low. Dusk was starting to set in and the evening air had grown still and quiet. The sinking sun made their shadows long and stained the rolling hills around them a warm orange color. The light warmed Hughes’ face. He closed his eyes, breathing calmly, sighing softly as if to concentrate on every blade of sweet grass beneath his bare feet.

Suddenly, there was a gentle swell of air around them. Maes snapped his eyes open, “Now, Elysia!” He shouted as a gust of autumn wind swept across the meadow. Quickly, he threw his arms up into the air and released the massive kite. “Hold on tight!”

“Yay!” Elysia squealed with delight as the wings of the phoenix shaped kite puffed up with air and took flight, “Look at me, Mommy!”

“I see you!” On the picnic blanket not too far off Gracia shaded her eyes and peered up at the large kite swooping in gentle paths against the vibrant sun. Its long, ribbon tails danced in the wind, “Hold on tight, Honey! Don’t let it get away!”

The light beneath the phoenix’s billowing wings, like the wavering light of fire, flickered in a sleepy rhythm as the kite criss crossed the sky. Was it odd that for a brief moment Maes wished that Roy was there beside him?

Hughes’ smile widened as he watched Elysia scamper back and forth, struggling to tame the kite to her will. Was it possible with only a spool of thin string?

“Oh no! Maes, I told you that kite was too big for her,” Gracia sprang up next to her husband, “Don’t just stand there! Go help her! It’s going to start dragging your daughter if you don’t do something!”

Hughes didn’t move. “She’s fine, Gracia, look! She loves it,” he said as Elysia caught herself from a trip that would have face planted her into the ground. Nevertheless she never let go of the large spool of string in her hands, “She’s a big girl. She’s so athletic for her age don’t you think?”

“Oh, Maes! Sometimes I think you’re…” he didn’t hear the rest of her sentence as she ran further away to where their daughter was pulling at the kite. Hughes’ smile deepened as he watched his wife’s slender figure sprint to their daughter’s aid while holding her large weaved hat to her head with one hand. How he wished he hadn’t forgot the camera back at the house.

A rustling to his right brought Hughes to break his gaze from his wife and child.

“Roy?”

He was standing just beyond the large maple tree, beneath the dancing shadow of the phoenix kite near the picnic blanket. Another gentle breeze sent a cascade of bright orange and red leaves around him and across the meadow. Despite the pleasant weather, he was wearing a dark suit. His crisp white collar was unbuttoned and upturned and his black tie was unknotted and hung loosely around his neck. With his black jacket slung over his shoulder he turned and walked closer to Maes.

“I thought you weren’t coming,” Hughes smiled again, “Didn’t you have a date?”

Roy stared off distantly at Gracia and Elysia wrestling with the giant bird kite, “I did.”

“What? And it’s over already?” Hughes teased. He scratched the back of his head, “If you keep this habit up you’ll never find yourself a wife.”

“Yeah,” Roy squinted up at the bright kite flapping overhead, “I know. But I think a wife is the last thing I need right now.”

Slowly Maes’ giddiness subsided as silence settled between them. Elysia’s squeals echoed throughout the rolling hills of the down.

“Where did Hawkeye and the others go anyway?” Roy finally spoke up, but continued to keep his gaze on the horizon in front of him, “Weren’t they coming?”

“Oh,” Hughes placed his hands in his pockets and glanced over at his friend, “They just left. It was getting late and Black Hayate was getting sick because we think Havoc was feeding him too many sausages behind his back.” Hughes gestured to the picnic basket behind them, “But we still have plenty of food left if you want some.”

“No thanks,” Roy shrugged, “I’m not hungry.”

“How about a beer?”

The fire alchemist shook his head.

After another extended silence Roy spoke up, “You have a nice family, Maes.” Somberly, he waved back to Gracia who had just caught sight of him.

Hughes smiled fondly, “I know. I’m telling you. Once you find a lovely woman like Gracia you can have one too.”

“No. It’s not the thing I want right now. And somehow, Maes, I don’t think I’ll ever…” Roy dropped his gaze to his feet, “…ever be as happy as you.” His hand subconsciously thumbed the bandage on his opposite wrist.

Hughes’ eyes widened, “You bastard, Mustang,” he swore quietly, pulling Roy in close, “You tried again didn’t you?”

“Relax, Maes,” Roy said, still avoiding eye contact, “It’s not what you think. Besides, it didn’t work anyways. I just ended up burning myself…my cowardly hands were just shaking too much.”

“You fool. You know it’s forbidden for a reason,” Maes whispered harshly, trying to hide anger from Elysia and Gracia still occupied with the kite, “I told you I’d help you become Fuhrer! Didn’t my words mean anything to you?!”

Roy kept his eyes locked on the ground not saying a word. A light wind tousled the dark hair that had fallen into his eyes. More auburn leaves swirled down around them.

“Look,” Hughes let go of Roy’s arm and turned his back on him, “I know you can never forget what you saw over there. I can only imagine what they made you do. I know that it’s going to be hard to move on but if you truly want to become Fuhrer you’re going to have to. I’ll help you but—“

“They mean everything, Maes,” Roy interrupted, “You’re words, that is.”

Perplexed, Hughes turned around. The dimming orange sunlight danced violently across the fire alchemist’s face. “This,” Mustang tapped the bandage on his wrist, “Had nothing to do what happened over there.”

“Then what?”

“Heh,” Roy lowered his head again, his dark bangs hiding his eyes, “It’s not them that I think about all the time. It used to be…but not so much anymore,” his fingertips played across the ridges and hillocks of the white gauze, “These different thoughts actually started while I was overseas…and it’s funny, because as I get over what happened over there…these other thoughts are becoming stronger.” Gently, his fingers began to stroke the smooth white cloth around his arm, “You see, Maes, it’s not them that I can’t stop thinking about…Maes… it’s y—“

As the fire alchemist spoke the shadow of the phoenix kite fell away abruptly. Elysia’s screams washed out Roy’s last few words.

Unexpectedly, Hughes hesitated, glancing at his family and then back at Roy as if he wished for Roy to repeat himself.

“Maes!” Gracia’s shouted over and over again as she cradled Elysia next to the heap of the shattered kite.

In a flash, Hughes ran to his daughter and scooped her up in his arms. Running back towards the car not far off he spoke to Roy quickly, “Roy, I’m sorry but we’ll have to continue our talk later. We think Elysia broke her arm. We have to take her to Dr. Marcoh right now. Can you gather our things? ”

Roy’s initially wide eyes saddened slightly, “Sure thing.” He nodded, “I can bring the items to the office on Monday.” He nodded several more times.

Again, counter to what was expected, Maes hesitated, his eyes searching Roy’s face, perhaps struggling to decipher the rest of what was on Roy’s mind.

“Just go,” Roy finally said firmly, “I’ll see you Monday.”

Roy stood motionless as he watched the car speed off into the distance. Long after the car had disappeared, he continued to gaze at the horizon, which was now nothing but a thin fiery red line as formed by the last sliver of sun.

Slowly, the fire alchemist gathered the picnic items. When he came to the tattered phoenix kite, he stopped. The thing was obviously beyond repair. It was funny that while it was in the sky, Roy hadn’t been able to make out the intricate design of the brightly painted feathers; and now even when it was right in front of him as a mangled heap he still couldn’t tell what it had looked like before.

Without further hesitation, Roy slipped on his alchemy glove and snapped his fingers.

“How disappointing,” Roy whispered to the growing pyre, “Burning so brightly when no one cares...”

Author’s notes: And yet again…another drama fic! I seem to be on this drama kick lately (as opposed to the usual action paced stories). Please note that this one shot was done kinda quick so there isn’t as much development as I would have liked. But I had a lot of fun with subtle symbolism. Though I’m still wondering if it’s too subtle.
What do you think? Let me know because I like to hear from people and even if it’s criticism since those usually help me improve.

Dick Grayson TV show???

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:12:30 GMT

(thanks to lilang_luha , her bro, and steve who told me about this...)

you've probably already heard about this but...

apparently according to "Variety" magazine the same studio who produced "Smallville" (the CW network) is planning on making a show called "The Graysons" centered around the one, the only Dick Grayson before he was Robin...

the tagline reads: "In the one-hour "Graysons," which will be set in modern times, young DJ will face challenges involving first loves, young rivals and his family as he grows up. Souders and Peterson have come up with an original take on the character."

McG is slated to direct the series.... (he's the guy who directed "Charlie's Angels," the TV show "Chuck," and produced the primetime soap "The OC")

no premiere date yet...but it's meant to fill the void that will be left by "Smallville" when it comes to a close...

here's the link to the article so you may judge for yourself...http://www.newsarama.com/tv/100801-GraysonsonCW.html

my personal thoughts....

i am estatic that Dick is finally getting more popular attention in the media (first the talks about having Nightwing in a possible Teen Titans movie in the future...now this) HOWEVER, personally, i sadly have to say i have a bad feeling about this. i'm realllllly worried that they're going to butcher Dick's character.

the mere fact that they're calling him "DJ" instead of "Dick," "Rick," "Rich," or "Richard" makes me cringe a little and, again, extremely worried!

also troubling is the fact that while "Smallville" sorta fit in with the canon timeline for Superman since he did in fact grow up there, how does this sort of show about Dick's teenaged years growing up fit in with Robin's timeline? albiet such a time shift isn't outside the realm of fan fiction storylines and devices, i'm not sure how it will work for network TV.

i suppose i shall give the pilot a chance when it comes out but i'm going to be honest and say i'm not going to be holding my breath...

though randomly a part of me hopes that if they really must show him growing up in his teens (going to high school etc)...i hope they put him in prep school and NOT just Gotham Public. it'll be:

1) far more interesting that way, considering Bruce Wayne would be able to afford to send his adopted son to prep school. PLUS, being from the circus and probably home schooled during that time--not to mention he suffered the horrific tragedy of watching his parents die--would probably make him (to understate it) "a bit rough around the edges" especially in a prep school setting. (kinda sorta but NOT like "The OC" put a troubled, rough teenager into a rich boy/girl school...)

2) compete with other sucessful shows with prep school settings (i.e. "Gossip Girl"...haven't watched it but heard a lot of people liked it)

3) ....what kind of fangirl would i be if i didn't want to see a school boy Dick Grayson? (the actor they cast better be HOT or at least pretty!) (i have to admit...THIS IS MY MAIN REASON for the random suggestion above........i have no shame what can i say?)

so any thoughts? hopes? worries? anyone?

Return to Me- Chapter 4: Awake

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:18:35 GMT

Title: Return to Me
Rating: M for subject matter, language, and eventual violence.
Genre: Angst, Drama
Summary: A follow up to my "Red Robin" fic AU . 1-2 years later, things attempt to settle back down. But Robin has changed and things are far from normal. Never forget...dreams and happiness always come with a price. Shonen-ai undertones and pairing.
Disclaimer: The following story is based on/inspired by characters created by DC Comics. By no means do I take credit for their creation or development.

Hmm...this is odd...Apparently this post is too large to post on here...or so says LJ...so here's the link to the chapter on FF.net... Comments are open to anyone even if you don't have a FF. net account so feel free to leave me comments there or even here if you are so moved...

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4327815/4/Return_to_Me

Edit 9-29-08: On top of that it seems that my carbon copy alert on my FF.net account hasn't sent out since yesterday. I sure hope the alerts were delivered to everyone. I have even deleted and reposted the chapter with no luck...hmmm hopefully it's just delayed due to it being the weekend.... Well if you get FF.net alerts for the fic let me know if you received an alert if you can! Thanks :)

Return to Me-Chapter 3: Lost

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 05:43:57 GMT

Author’s Notes: Well here it is! Chapter 3! Again, sorry I’ve been so slow with my updates. But this time it’s a long chapter and I promise I’ve made it worth the wait! Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Lost

“Ravager…” Dick said, breathless.

This time…can it really be you? Robin revved his motorcycle as he wove erratically between stopped and oncoming traffic, accelerating feverishly past red lights. Though he had been the last to arrive at the Titan control room he had been the quickest to take off.

“Dick!” Cyborg’s voice crackled over the radio, “Do you copy? Respond!”

Warning bells and lights blinked systematically, indicating that the bridge ahead was going to open soon to allow a large boat through.

“Dick! What are you doing, man? The bridge is out!”

Paying no heed to the radio, Robin increased his speed up the incline of the rising bridge. At almost the last possible moment he jerked the front of his R-cycle up. The motorcycle growled ferociously as they jumped the gap of the bridge pulling itself apart.

The tires squealed as he continued on the other side, hardly losing any momentum.

“Robin,” Raven’s calm voice came smoothly out of the ear piece next, “I know you can hear us. When you get there wait for us. We’re a team, remember? Take a moment to breath and think clearly. Otherwise, you may only be disappointed, again. No matter how strongly you feel you must separate yourself from your emotions.”

“Focus, Dick! Separate yourself from your emotions!” the similar words of Batman rang out in Dick’s memory. The last time he had heard it was when he had hastily run into Mr. Friese’s lair to rescue Barbara without waiting for Batman. It nearly cost him his as well as Barbra’s life.

“Barbra, I’m coming!”

“I’ll see you guys there,” Robin answered flatly after a pause. He applied more pressure to the pedal.

--------------------------

(Back in the T-car…)

“Robin seems so… distant,” Starfire lowered her head in the back of the T-car.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too,” Vic said concentrating on the road.

“It’s because of what Slade did to him,” Raven looked out at the blur of lights and buildings passing by outside the window, “When the mind remembers things it does so via a distinct pattern of memory tracks. That’s why songs are so easy to remember and memory mnemonics work. Your brain doesn’t use random paths when remembering things but the same and easiest ones to access knowledge and memories quickly.”

A deep furrow developed on Ravens brow, “When Robin had been captured, Slade and Mad Mod used a selective brain washing technique that induced pain whenever Robin’s mind tried to access memories about us. I can only imagine how tortuous it was to go through such conditioning. Especially since Robin has a personal tendency to think of things from different angles he usually develops more than one alternate memory track to almost everything. Slade would have had to…” Raven closed her eyes for a moment, “…over and over again…”

Letting out an almost tired breath, she continued, “Then, to stop Dick from using the less travelled, alternative memory tracks, Slade incorporated the use of Xynothium, which acts specifically on the part of the brain that stores memory. Since the Xynothium he was using was distilled from Addie’s, Slade’s wife, blood, it not only blocked Dick’s alternate memory tracks when he tried to think of us, but it also replaced them with Addie’s memories.”

“Uh,” Beast Boy yawned, “no offense, Raven, but could you please tell me why we need to know all this boring brain stuff? In the end, Robin got his memory back, right? So what does it matter what Slade did? Whatever it was, it didn’t work.”

“That’s just the thing, Beast Boy,” Raven glanced at the back seat, “It did work. It worked very well. Don’t you recall when we met him after his capture? The blank stare on his face? He didn’t remember us at all. Dick’s mind and his feelings for us are strong and so, yes, after some time he was able to regain his memory, but not all of it.”

Raven sighed again, “I’ve been working with him lately to help him with some of the damage, and his mind is…heavily scarred. Right now, he’s only regained his most significant and strongest memories. It’s the little moments, the memories that make up the essence of one’s love of their family and friends that he has troubles with. There’s…disconnection.” She glanced back at Beast Boy again, “ I guess what I’m trying to say is that he knows he cares about us very much but he can’t remember exactly why. So, it’s like he’s…lost touch with us.” When she finished her eyes came to rest on the floor in between her boots. The wind whistled furiously outside as they whipped past buildings and trees.

Finally, after a long moment, Starfire broke the heavy silence, “Is that why he has become so obsessed with this Ravager person? Is it because they became friends after Slade cleaned his brain?”

“Yeah,” Beast Boy chimed in, “Is that why? It’s like he doesn’t care about us or…anything, anymore. Heck, ever since he’s gotten back he hasn’t even tried to look for his other ‘obsession,’ Slade. Even though Slade’s long gone, I thought Robin would have had some twisty conspiracy theory by now on how Slade could still be alive. I would totally have bet money on it. But I guess we don’t know him like we used to.”

Vic shook his head at the road, “I don’t get it, Raven. Robin is acting almost like he has a stronger connection with that assassin instead of us, his real friends. Even if he met the Ravager after Slade brain washed him, it doesn’t explain why he’s so fixated on the Ravager, now. I mean, shouldn’t all of those ‘alternate memories paths,’ or whatever you called them, have been reestablished once he stopped taking the Xynothium? He’s been off the stuff for months. Shouldn’t he have his full memory of us back by now? ”

Raven turned back to the window and didn’t respond to any of them. They rode in silence for nearly the rest of the way.

--------------------------

(At the antibiotics factory…)

Robin killed his motorcycle engine and lights as he pulled up to the gates of the factory. “Rouge Antibiotics,” a crooked, dusty sign with faded lettering read. Two fully armored security guards lay in front of the open gates, a single ninja dart sticking out the back of each of their necks. Dick habitually checked their pulses

“I’m here,” Dick whispered into his radio,” he peered up the building’s vast silver silos and smoke stacks before moving to the second man, “guards are out cold but alive. Ravager used some kind of sleeping poison on them. These guys actually look really heavily armored for security guards. I have to say they look almost like they’re from the military.” Robin stood up and leaned on his motorcycle, “I bet Rouge Inc. deals with more than just manufacturing antibiotics, that is, if they really make antibiotics to being with. Ravager may be after something else they manufacture here.”

“You thinkin’ it’s just a cover and that Rouge makes weapons?” Vic offered on the other side of his ear piece.

“Maybe,” Robin whipped out his night vision binoculars, “The factory is surrounded on three sides by a rock quarry and wooded hills. The front seems to be the only direct entrance to the place. Ground is wet and gravel. I can see tracks entering the grounds,” he squinted, “there maybe two sets of tracks actually…fog is settling in…makes it hard to see. There aren’t any leaving yet, though. So, you guys better hurry up, because he’s still in there.”

Slowly, as Robin surveyed the perimeter, an eerie feeling crept over him. There was something haunting about the place; something that seemed to call out to him.

Dick…Dick…

Before Robin knew it, he was standing at the base of one of the silver silos looking up at it again, his grappling hook already in his hand, “I think I’m going to seek higher ground to get a better look…see if I can find the point of entry,” he half mumbled into his radio.

“Dick, wai--!” As he ascended, Raven’s voice on the radio faded into static. There must be something in the factory that jammed radio frequencies around it.

At the top of the silo, Dick immediately spied a broken skylight on the adjacent building. “So that’s what triggered the security alarm. Hmm,” he scratched his head, “that’s odd…bit too sloppy for Grant’s tastes.”

Looking around, Robin located a grouping of thin pipes that connected the silo to the main building. Taking a small deep breath, Dick stepped onto the thickest of the slender pipes, held out his Bo staff, and quickly, with the same air he used when he walked the tight rope back at Haley’s Circus, sprinted across the pipe, one foot behind the other. Though it shuttered and swayed slightly, it never gave way since he had never stopped to give it time to hold his entire weight. With a small, catlike flourish he leapt from the pipe, flipped in the air, and landed softly on the main building roof.

However, the slight, nostalgic smile that had touched the corner of Dick’s lips faded quickly when his eyes came across thick, rich droplets of blood at his feet. He eyes widened slightly as they traced the crimson across the roof towards the skylight. The droplets soon became streaks and splashes thrown across the roof in almost delicate, artistic arcs. As he stared at the dark pattern, Dick could nearly imagine the graceful struggle that had occurred across the roof not long ago.

His breath already quick, Robin ran to the edge of the blood outlined skylight. A small sigh of relief escaped his lungs when he didn’t see a corpse lying below. With his detective instinct kicking in, he produced a small sterile, forensic Q-tip from his belt, collected a small sample of the blood still glistening on a sharp edge of the broken skylight, and slipped it back into his belt.

“Are you hurt, Grant? Or does this all belong to the second person who’s set of tracks I saw at the gates?”

Careful not to cut himself, Dick silently lowered himself into the factory. The streaks of blood were more frequent and nearly continuous on the factory floor. Ribbons of blood littered the checkered tile floor and stark, cinderblock walls. Following the heavy dashes of red with his flashlight, Dick found himself in front of a metal cabinet with its doors hanging crookedly on their hinges. The state of the art lock on the front had been violently ripped off. Clear vials of antibiotics were strewn messily about the shelves and his feet. On closer inspection, the inside of the cabinet had large smears of blood, in the thin shapes of grabbing hands and fingers. Whoever was after the antibiotics had been in a rush.

Dick squinted. The width of the finger marks actually looked too small to be Grant’s or any man’s for that matter. They almost looked as if they belonged to a child or young woman. He and the others would have to see if they could lift finger prints from this later.

He let out a small sigh of disappointment as he followed the blood trail further into the factory. Maybe the security camera was playing tricks on them. He thought as he walked through long shadows and past rows and rows of locked storage cabinets with shatter resistant glass. Maybe Grant wasn’t here after all.

In the next tiled room, Dick paused at yet another small puddle of crimson that had collected in front of a large, broken window that overlooked the actual production floor. Robin peered down at the vast maze of chutes and conveyor belts below that reflected in the sleepy moonlight. “So they really do make antibiotics,” Dick marveled to himself.

Suddenly, a small noise behind Robin, brought him out of his thoughts. He swiftly turned around, jerking his flash light back and forth, quickly scanning the area. Just as he was about to let out a sight, he noticed several glistening, vibrant red streamers of blood that had crossed the doorway. Those definitely weren’t there before!

Quickly tracing the blood with his shaking flash light Dick’s eyes widened as the ribbons quickly drew closer and closer to him!

“AHHHHH!”

Dick barely had time to duck when the swinging katana came out of the shadows, straight for his neck. On the ground, Robin shifted to the left in attempt to get back on his feet.

SHUNK! The silver blade glinted in the pale moonlight as it sunk into the checked tile near his head, narrowly missing him. Dick grit his teeth as he felt the side of his face begin to burn where the katana had grazed his cheek.

Robin’s eyes grew wider when he caught sight of the engraved pattern on the cool blade and hilt before it was withdrawn back into the shadows. That katana…

“There’s no way I’m letting you get the easy way out…”

“Grant? Is that you?” Robin called out, jumping to his feet. No sooner was he standing, was he ushered into the shadows of the room by several quick kicks to his abdomen. Relying mostly on the change in the slight air currents in the room against his skin, Dick leaned left, then right, dodging more jabs and katana slices, “Grant? It’s me…Robin.” He extended his Bo staff.

His attacker kept him to the shadows as his staff resonated against the steel katana. Finally, after some time, they locked weapons. Dick backed against the wall as his assailant applied more pressure. He could feel the figure’s hot, quick breath against the back of his throat. Whoever they were, their form and style certainly were exactly like Grant’s.

“Ah!” with a shout, Dick pushed off the wall, swinging his staff wide. Ching! Ching! Striking the katana twice Dick managed to strike the blade out of his opponent’s hands and pushed the mysterious attacker back several steps. Finally, he lunged, knocking the figure to the ground and into the moonlight.

Dick gasped, it was a woman! She was dressed in the Ravager’s garb: the smooth dark cowl, with slanted, red lenses, and flowing black ribbons; the jet black, form fitting suit and boots; they had all been altered to fit her! A thick stream of blood originating from somewhere under her mask ran down the left side of her face and off her smiling chin.

Dick leaned on her with the Bo staff between them and across her chest, “You’re not the Ravager! This doesn’t belong to you!” He spat, grabbing the mask from her face, unbridling her long flowing, white hair. It lit up iridescently in the pale moonlight.

Dick’s scowl suddenly melted into shock, “Rose?” The picture of a meek, voiceless girl in Slade’s mansion flickered across his memory.

“No,” she smiled, more thick blood streamed down her face from a smiling, empty eye socket, “Not Rose! I am daughter of Slade! We see eye to eye now!” Her right eye shimmered with an odd green, blue light, “And I have consumed Grant’s blood! It runs through my veins now!” A second, eerie vision of Rose licking the blood from Grant’s tortured body in a blood spattered room suddenly surfaced in the back of Dick’s mind.

“ I AM the Ravager!” Rose howled, “There is only one!”

Without further warning, Rose lunged up at Dick, sinking her teeth into the nape of his neck.

Robin screamed, losing his grip on the staff. With a flick of her wrist, Rose drove a long ninja dart into Dick’s side. The thick, bitter taste of iron immediately entered his mouth. He coughed as she viciously twisted the dart. Like the smaller darts in the guards outside, this one was also poisoned. She pushed him off as his vision began to blur. With a smirk so very much like her father’s she slipped on the Ravager mask again and picked up her katana.

Somehow, despite the heaviness that had entered his extremities, Dick stumbled to his feet, Bo staff in hand.

Rose cackled with delight before advancing on him. With ease she kicked him through the already broken window and onto the production floor below.

“Unh!” Dick groaned when struck the metal conveyor below. Fighting the fatigue settling across his entire body, he rolled over and struggled to get up, again,

A small gasp seeped out of Dick’s lungs when several small, round cherry bombs fell from above and rolled in front of him.

--------------------------

(Meanwhile…Outside the factory…)

“Dick!” Raven shouted into her communicator as they pulled up to the factory gates, “Dick, can you hear me?” Stepping out of the T-car, she paced back and forth trying to obtain better reception.

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, eyes wide. Her communicator hit the gravel with a dull thud.

“Raven you alright?” Beast Boy’s voice pulled her out of the trance. She glanced around frantically a few times a worried look on her face.

“What is Raven?” Cyborg set a strong hand on her shoulder, “Do you feel the Ravager here?”

“Is it,” Beast Boy hesitated after she didn’t answer, “Slade?” Everyone was thinking it.

“No. Yes. I mean don’t know…Someone else too…all this energy…in the same place… all at once…” Raven pinched her brow and squeezed her eyes shut. She let out an exasperated sigh, “It’s all coming from there.” She pointed at the east wing of the main building Robin had entered earlier, “Dick’s in there now.”

Just as they turned to look where she pointed, the east side of the building exploded, lighting up the night with bright orange and hot white. So strong was the blast that the shock wave of it blew the Titans back and off their feet.

After the burning debris ceased to fall from the sky, Raven retracted her protective shadow wings from over the Titans. “Is everyone, alright?”

“Oh dear, look! It’s Dick!” Starfire now pointed upwards towards the upper floors of the burning factory.

Against the full moon and surrounded by fire, Dick continued to engage Rose. Having lost her mask in the explosion, her illustrious white locks whipped in the hot updrafts.

“Who is that?” Cyborg exclaimed.

“Something is wrong. Robin is struggling,” Starfire said as they watched Dick’s silhouette stumble back onto a flaming ledge, “He needs help!” She leapt into the air.

But Starfire was too late. The razor sharp katana was faster. Rose plunged it deep into Dick’s abdomen.

“Dick…Why do you want to die?”

The question from a distant memory echoed in his brain as thick crimson streamed out of his mouth. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he finally gave into the heaviness that had been tugging on his entire body all this time. When she withdrew her sword, Dick fell back, over the crumbling ledge.

“Dick!” Tears ran down Starfire’s face as Dick’s limp body crashed through floors of burning wreckage, into the flames below.

Vic grabbed her ankle just as she was about to fly into the burning building, “Wait, Star. That’s a chemical fire. It burns so hot that not even your Tameranian skin would withstand it.”

“I do not care!” Starfire jerked her ankle away from Cyborg’s grasp.

“Wait, Starfire. Look,” Beast Boy shouted.

Raven’s eyes grew wider.

Slowly a faint silhouette rose out of the flames and began to stride towards them. A collective gasp escaped the Titans as the figure drew nearer.

It was Grant dressed in a pure white suit. Wrapped gently in his white trench coat was Dick’s motionless body. He seemed to float smoothly, almost gracefully as he walked out of the wreckage. Watching him draw nearer was almost like watching a ghost in slow motion.

Smoke and steam rolled off his shoulders as he came to set Robin on the ground at Raven’s feet.

“I’ve given a concentrated injection of Xynothium,” Grant habitually brushed the hair out of Dick’s face with his finger, “it’ll stabilize him for the moment but you’ll have to get him back to your infirmary soon as you can to maintain him.” Grant stood up slowly and turned to leave.

“Wait. Where are you going?” Raven asked, still in awe at the sight of him.

The blonde man smiled and winked, “I’m dead, remember?”

With that he slipped his hands in his pockets and began to walk back towards the wooded hills behind the factory.

“Raven,” Dick murmured up at her as Grant walked away, “I almost saw him today…He was so close I could feel him…” He trailed off, passing out, again.

“Ravager,” Raven called out. Grant stopped in his tracks but didn’t turn around.

“The authorities will be here soon. Take Robin’s R-cycle. It’ll be faster. If you want, there’s a map programmed in it that will take you back to the Tower. You should be there when he wakes up.”

After a moment’s pause Grant glanced back at her, his soft blue eyes smiling in the delicate moonlight.

--------------------------

Additional Author’s Notes: Well what do you think? I know his appearance at the end is a bit sudden…but there’s a reason for my insanity, trust me…or at least I think it’s a reason. Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know how you feel by clicking that review button for me :D. Until next time!

Return to Me Chapter 2: Replapse

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:54:11 GMT

Disclaimer: The following story is based on/inspired by characters created by DC Comics. By no means do I take credit for their creation or development.

Author’s Notes: Sorry about the hold up. Some things came up that I had to deal with right away and thus delayed the release of the chapter. In the words of Kakashi… “I got lost on the road to life..”

Feel free to skim Ch 1 again for a refresher. But to put it in a few words...We left off with Dick running after someone he's seen in the distance that he believes is Grant while Raven has noticed something odd about Robin's hands.

Now to Chapter 2! Enjoy!

“Robin?” Raven’s voice fell on deaf ears. Before she could stop him, he was gone, breathlessly sprinting towards the distant dock.

Chapter 2: Relapse

Out of my way! Out of my way! Where had all these people come from and why were they all visiting the pier that day? Dick couldn’t push through them fast enough. “I’m sorry. Excuse me.” He mumbled hurriedly as he stumbled through the thickening crowd, his breath growing short.

Slowly, as he reached out further, his throat and lungs began to burn. Perhaps, Plasmus’ caustic fumes had affected him more than he had thought. Or perhaps it was because he had been shouting over and over the most beautiful name that he had ever heard. Grant…

As Dick pushed on, more and more people obstructed Robin’s view of him, seemingly increasing the distance between them with every step. Almost there! Almost there! Almost in Grant’s arms… he could smell him now…

He became light headed as he pushed past the final wall of strolling pedestrians. Coming to a full stop, Robin spun around several times. “Grant?” He whispered, his voice hoarse and out of breath. He was right here…

The world began to whirl rapidly around Dick. He coughed into his palm. Bringing up his hand, his eyes became sad and confused at the sight of the glistening red blood drops collected in it. Unable to catch his breath, Dick felt oddly lighter. After blinking hard a few times, he collapsed and blacked out on the dry wood of the sun bleached pier. Where was he?! He saw him right here!

“Grant…I need you…” Robin’s lips barely moved as he slipped out of consciousness, “I need you now…”

The white winged seagulls cried repeatedly as they circled overhead, against the dimming orange sky.

(Later that night…at Titan Tower…)

Dick…….Dick…Why couldn’t you save me?

Slowly, almost somberly Robin opened his eyes, his cheeks sticky with salt.

“Dick,” Raven’s voice made him jump, “we need to talk.” She stood in the doorway, her shadow cast long by the bright light coming in from the corridor.

He sat up and turned his back to the cloaked shadow, casting his eyes to the floor. “If it’s about the dream, again,” he gripped the edge of the mattress, “the answer is ‘yes, I’m still having it.’ It’s not a memory because it’s never happened before but it never changes. Grant is always there in my arms...dying. His eyes are pleading, asking me ‘Why?’ And I-I can’t answer him because the only thing I’m certain of is that it’s my fault. It’s my fault.”

After a pause he finally turned and glanced at Raven, tearful. She had since walked into the room and had removed her hood so that her face was visible in the half light. Her brow was furrowed into a look of concern, “Are you sure you haven’t been having any other dreams, Dick?” She stopped at the end of his bed.

Robin shook his head sadly.

“Because,” she took a step forward, “when I found you past out on the docks you were saying—“

“I know,” Dick interjected, “I was sure I saw him, this time.” A soft smile flickered across his face at the mere thought of Grant, “I know you’ve told me that you’d sense his soul if he was still out there and I know you’ve told me that you feel nothingness when focusing on him, but,” he subconsciously clutched his chest, “I guess I’m a horrible listener, Raven. You see something else tells me that he…” Robin trailed off and stared at the floor again, his fingertips still palpating the light thump of his heart beating.

Another long silence settled across the room.

“Is that why you’re still taking Xynothium, Dick?” Raven broke the stillness, “To make the pain go away?”

“What?” Robin snapped his head up, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I phased off of that stuff months ago.”

“Did you, Dick? Because as I was saying, when I found you on the docks you were speaking, mumbling…words that aren’t your own…Addie’s words Dick!”

Grant, my little brave knight…Grant…my sweetie…my lucky boy. You’re such a lucky boy…yes you are…such a lucky boy…my son…my only love…

Robin’s eyes grew wide as the familiar words echoed throughout his mind. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut as if to stifle them.

“So,” his voice quivered, “that doesn’t mean a thing. I was under Slade’s control for almost a year and it just means I still have some healing left to do.”

“NO!” Raven, unable to keep her usual cool, finally shouted, “The Xynothium is keeping her alive in you, Dick! The Ravager’s sacrifice only made her go dormant! It’s up to you to finish her off! Look!” She grabbed Dick’s wrists and pulled them out, “Look at your hands, Dick!”

Robin opened his eyes to stare his calloused palms.

Breathing heavily, Raven continued, “There’s not a mark on them. Plasmus’ acid did nothing to them…because the Xynothium still in your blood healed you. That property of Xynothium only lasts at most for a day. So if you really had stopped taking it months ago…” She trailed off and let his hands slip out of her grasps.

“I don’t know how you’re getting a hold of it, Dick. But you need to stop,” Raven took a step back, “Even though it gives you great physical enhancement, its major side effect is insanity. I dare say it may be why you keep having hallucinations of Grant. You saw what years of taking Xynothium did to Slade.”

“I’m nothing like Slade,” Dick snapped back automatically, “Despite what you think I’m not dosing Xynothium anymore.” He said the last part as if he had practiced it several times before. However, for some reason he couldn’t meet her eyes when he had said it.

Raven cast her gaze sadly to the floor, “You know it’s hardest for you to lie to me than to anyone else.”

“Why? Because you’ve been in my mind and we share a bond?” Dick continued to speak to the floor.

“Yeah…or at least we used to…” Raven solemnly pulled her hood back over her head and turned to leave.

“Raven?” Still unable to make eye contact with her, Dick spoke with his back to the doorway, “You know I would never lie to you to hurt you…only to protect you…”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” her voice was soft, faint. The door closed behind her with a cool, electronic swish.

After Raven had left, Robin tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. A few hours later, Dick, frustrated and sweating, sprang out of bed. Opening his closet, he rifled through various compartments of one of his spare utility belts until he found what he was looking for.

The tell tale red pill hardly had any time to dissolve on Robin’s tongue when, suddenly, the Titan Tower alarm sounded.

In a flash, like clockwork, all the Titans assembled in the main room, suited up and ready for action. “There’s been a break-in at the High Street antibiotics plant,” Robin heard someone say as he ran down the hall. Having been preoccupied, Dick was the last to arrive. By the time he joined the others, Cyborg had already pulled up the security stills that had been automatically sent to the Titan’s computer.

“What do we got?” Robin pulled on his gloves as he ran up beside Cyborg.

Strangely, no one in the room responded. “Guys?” Dick looked around. Everyone’s eyes were fixed to the computer monitor, their mouths a gape.

“No way…” Beast Boy whispered.

“Dick…Look…” Starfire gasped.

“It’s…” Raven trailed off.

Eyes wide, Robin slowly turned to face the images littering the large computer screen. Though the still shots from the security cameras were grainy and had only managed to capture half of the culprit’s silhouette, the smooth dark cowl with long, dark ribbons was unmistakable.

“Ravager…” Dick said, breathless.

Additional author’s notes: And another short chapter. I think as things build, the chapters may get longer, but we’ll see. Sorry again for the long wait. But rest assured that in my time away from the fic I did manage to work the plot out even more. It’s going to be a small plot (much smaller than the first fic) but hopefully it won’t disappoint.

So please leave me a review or something and let me know what you think!

Return to me Ch1

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:34:29 GMT

so at long last i've finally reached a point in my life where i have a vacation! and what do we do on vacations? we fan fic! do we finish off the old ones that we've already started? why of course NOT! we start another one! ;p

this one though i do plan to finish seriously. it's a short follow up to "red robin" that i got the idea for when i as in a really dark mood (i blame stress). i was hesitant to put out a "sequel" (sequel is such a strong word...) because i had ended "red robin" the only way it could have ended. but then someone had a request for an alternate ending to "red robin" and so (since sadly i don't think i'm that awesome of a writer to be able to write another ending to it) instead of making an alternate ending i decided to go ahead with writing the follow up. don't know if it'll live up to the complexity of "red robin" but it does have a small plot.

now i'm not actually sure what TT communities on LJ i should try and pimp this on since i did not do the full LJ thing with "red robin." i clearly need to start using LJ more often for this sort of thing, so any suggestion would be very helpful. though, i think i did try pimping "red robin" once or twice but that didn't seem to work out...especially since some LJ comms are really clicky and it's hard to be accepted/get your stuff read.

here's the link to it on FF.net : http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4327815/1/Return_to_Me

and here's the actual chapter because i realize that i should start archiving chapters on here like i said i would oh so many years ago...ENJOY!

Title: Return to Me
Rating: M for subject matter, language, and eventual violence.
Genre: Angst, Drama
Summary: A follow up to my "Red Robin" fic AU . 1-2 years later, things attempt to settle back down. But Robin has changed and things are far from normal. Never forget...dreams and happiness always come with a price. Shonen-ai undertones and pairing.

Disclaimer: The following story is based on/inspired by characters created by DC Comics. By no means do I take credit for their creation or development.

Author’s Notes: This is a short follow up to my “Red Robin” fic. While I’ve planned out a few chapters it won’t be nearly as long as the original fic. The idea came about whilst I was in a particularly dark mood and decided to subject poor Dick Grayson to a bit more “torture.” However it wasn’t until I received some encouragement by a reader to get me to go with this and do this. So now, let’s twist the knife once more, for old time’s sake shall we?

Return to Me

“I will always be here for you…

Chapter 1: He is here

...Dick...

Someone was calling his name again. It was a very soft sigh of a whisper. Lately he had been hearing it quite a bit and noticed it especially when he was alone. Just last week and even yesterday during patrol he could have sworn someone was calling his name over and over again...yearning for him...throughout the entire night. It was enough to make a man go crazy. Nothing in particular set it off and he didn't know what to make of it.

...Dick…

“DICK!” Starfire’s shriek pulled him out of unconsciousness. With a gasp, Robin’s eyes snapped open. Suddenly everything came back to him. They were fighting at the east docks when he had been abruptly blinded sided. Quickly, Dick shifted his body to right.

Crash! Plasmus’ gelatinous fist shattered the pavement inches from Robin’s head. With a sweeping flourish, Dick jumped back on his feet, ready to continue fighting. However, he was too late. Despite Starfire’s struggling, Plasmus enveloped her completely, taking her deep into his radioactive core.

“Kory!” Robin’s eyes widened, “Titans! We have to get her out of there, now! Plasmus’ acid is going to digest her if she doesn’t suffocate first.”

“Workin’ on it!” Cyborg nodded as he discharged his sonic cannon.

Leaping up into the air, Dick whipped out several cryo-disk explosives and showered them down at Plasmus. On contact, one by one, the disks detonated. Long spirals of ice instantly crackled across Plasmus’ exterior, freezing him in mid motion within a fraction of a second.

“Ahhhh!” Knuckles white, Dick swung his Bo staff back and forth across the frozen blob. Slowly, small, frozen pieces of Plasmus began to chip off. He had to work fast. He had to get Kory out before the ice melted.

Barbara! I’m coming! The memory of himself struggling to break the ice wall in Mr. Friese’s ice cavern to save Barbara flitted across his mind. Why was he thinking of that now?

Ching! All of the sudden, Dick’s metal alloy staff shattered. Throwing the fragments to the side, he pounded his fists against the rock solid muck before him. His fists began to burn as he felt the knuckles of his gloves begin to tear away.

Finally, the weakened ice cracked and fell to the ground, exposing an unexpectedly soft inside.

“Kory!” Out of breath, Robin clawed madly, the soft mud-like substance running between his fingers, “Kory can you here me?” Dick’s eyes, throat, and fingertips began to burn as the Plasmus’ radioactive exterior was quite caustic and fumous. “Kory!!” Dick’s eyes began to water.

As time past, Robin clawed more and more frantically. It was like no matter what he did. No matter how hard he dug, everything would just fill in and smooth over with more slippery muck. As the ice began to melt, water mixed with the sludge making it run more fluidly over Dick’s hands.

“Dick! Get back,” Robin finally heard Cyborg who had been shouting at him. His voice came from far behind Dick.

“Dude! Look out!” Beast Boy shouted.

The sun and summer heat had made the ice very thin very quickly. Robin whipped his head up just in time to see Plasmus break through the top of the ice shell.

“Reeah!” Plasmus let out a multi-harmonic hiss and shook off the rest of the ice fragments.

Dick’s eyes grew wider as he found that he could not pull away. His hands were now completely buried within Plasmus. He took in a deep breath as Plasmus, unfazed by the sonic and telekinetic blasts from the other Titans, descended down upon him.

“Robin!” Raven gasped.

The Titans let out battle cries together as they attacked Plasmus with everything they had, filling the air with smoke and dust. The smoke hung heavily in the air in an odd pause after the onslaught. “Did we get him?” Cyborg began to relax his cannon.

With a roar, Plasmus leapt out of the smog, spitting acid at the remaining Titans.

“It’s no use,” Raven flew back, swiftly dodging the acid, “he’s gotten too big!”

Just as Plasmus began to advance on them, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and began to jerk around and twitch.

Suddenly, there was a muffled bang and all of Plasmus’ eyes widened as if shocked. Ice crystals burst out from beneath the surface of Plasmus’ body, one or two popping a few of his green eyes.

“Whoa,” was all Beast Boy said while the rest remained silent.

Despite Plasmus’ violent thrashing, the ice crystals grew larger and more frequent, overtaking him. Finally, he fell to the ground, face down and frozen solid. Cold steam rolled off his body.

Slowly, the Titans crept up towards the fallen heap that was Plasmus. All of the sudden, with a shout, Robin came bursting out of the frozen heap with Starfire in his arms. The ice fragments glistened in the sun as they fell from the air.

“Robin!” Everyone gasped.

Though he was heaving and coughing, Robin laid Kory down on the pavement and began to perform the set mechanical motions of CPR. “Come on Kory. Come on. Stay with me now.”

After a prolonged moment, the Tamranian finally coughed and gasped. Dick smiled weakly, resting his hand on her smooth cheek.

Heart still pounding, Dick flinched when Raven touched his shoulder. “Sorry, Raven,” he said, “you scared me.”

The corners of Raven’s lips curled slightly in a mild smirk, “I seem to have that affect on a lot of people. She took Dick’s hand and removed the glove, “But let Cy and Beast Boy take care of Kory and I’ll heal those acid burns for you.”

“Raven, it’s OK,” Dick insisted, still out of breath, “I’m fin—“

Dick… a whisper caused him to glance behind him and then, upon seeing no one, look around quickly.

“Kory, was that you?” Was he imagining things, again?

“Robin,” Raven furrowed her brow, “Your hands are…they don’t have any burns... Robin you’re--”

Dick… When he heard the voice a second time it was unmistakable. He would know that voice anywhere. “…It can’t be…” Eyes wide, Robin turned back around slowly.

My God...

There he was. Just beyond Raven, standing on the edge of the dock in the far distance, a flock of seagulls flying past him and out towards the bay. Their shrill cries echoing in the wind. Their pure white wings, his white trench coat, and his platinum blonde hair reflected beautifully in the golden sunlight.

He was watching Robin. How long had he been watching him? He was smiling at him. His blue eyes were grinning…Those eyes…

“No…it can’t be…” Dick rose slowly.

“Robin?” Raven’s voice fell on deaf ears. Before she could stop him, he was gone, breathlessly sprinting towards the distant dock.

Author’s notes continued: OK, I admit that this chapter was a bit short and things were a bit sudden but I figured it was best to get started in the middle of action. I’m not sure if this will be as good as the first fic, but there is a plot…a small little plot. Besides this is just for fun and I hope you guys enjoy it.

Let me know what you think! Comments are always good .

(PS Again, thanks to the reader who really gave me the motivation to start again. You know who you are :D )

and so i prowl and lurk in the shadows...

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:52:05 GMT

so...i need to stop making promises like "i'll be back with a story in 2 weeks" like i did last entry...^^;;; i've been kinda busy...ok...really busy...the ideas are still milling in my head though. i did start another Maes/Roy FMA fan fic but haven't had time to finish the 2nd chapter yet grr...

here's the link to the first chapter if you wanna looksee. but i have to say i'm not sure when i'll update again. hopefully soon because i've got the beginning written and the flow of it mapped out in my head, but we all know what happens when i say "i'll be back soon..." ^^;;;

In the Dark

and i still need to archive RR on here as well as other fics...

wow....i need a vacation...one where i can just fan fic and read fan fics all vacation time long!...

thank you to anyone still reading this page and/or my work...i know i've been aloof as a reader and writer and (if you're still reading this) i'm glad you haven't given up on me...thanks.

in the works...

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 04:30:15 GMT

well...i said i'd come back to do a proper entry and that was almost a month ago ^^;;;. i really wish i had more time to pimp this LJ out...at least more than i have recently. heck...i still need to archive the rest of "red robin" on here and those shorts. all in all things have been getting a tiny bit busy but as is the nature of my creativity (so it seems) my urge to write and my ideas some to come out when i have the least time to write them down, lol. so i end up writing or drawing when i should be working. not to get anyone's hopes up (tho i'm not certain how many people actually visit this place...and i only estimate that the number of people that read the fics could fit into a small classroom lol... but that's fine by me ^_^... knowing at least someone is reading is nice. hence i'm ever grateful for people actually leave comments to them heh. everybody loves feedback right?)...ANYWAYS just as a preview for those who do humor me and read this and so i can put them down to keep them straight in my head, i'm currently working on a few one shots and a ficlet:

-another maes/roy ficlet. i've got the first part down but i'm still mulling the plot over in my head. something about it i feel is a bit cliche so i'm going to try to rework it...somehow... i've also been told i have tendancy to write with a bit of angst but the extent of that remains to be seen in this one. but i don't know how it will turn out. i mean, with the ending of RR i had originally imagined it out to be much darker...but it ended up a touch lighter than what i had aimed for. (in fact that fic took several turns i didn't think it would take...originally it was meant to be my take on Robin's path to Nightwing...but it eventually morphed into a very different kind of story lol...)

-i'm afraid i'm still stuck on the scott/bobby continuation i was hoping to try and do. granted the one shot was...well a one shot...but a part of me wants to find a way to continue this pairing at least one more time...we'll see tho. the thoughts are there but they're very minimal and i have yet to develope a guiding plotline that suits my fancy.

-not too long after i wrote RR...it was suggested to me that i should do an "avatar: the last airbender" fic. after the new season started, i'm happy to say i finally got an idea/premise! but as of right now it is still a seed in my brain and i need to figure out where i want to go with it. this actually may come to fruitation a little sooner than the scott/bobby fic. (the new season of Avatar is really awesome tho! the epi last week ("the beach") was a bit of a fan service epi with little contribution to plot...but nevertheless so far the epis are so far so good...hoping tho that the story doesn't putter out because it's getting popular. that's my biggest fear for that series.) as for my fic...oddly enough i think it's going to be the first non-shonen-ai fic i write *gasp!*

-several months ago i did have a fic idea for CSI: Las Vegas (which i found strange for me since it's a live action show)...it involved Keppler (Leiv Schriber is a great actor and that character was the best!). but it's been a while since i watched the Keppler epis and i have to say i'm not as up on CSI as i am with other series. the fic was to be a one shot and a part of wants to pick it up again. hmmm may have to watch those epis he was in to re-inspire me to try my hand at it. (LOL...why do i always pick up the obscure pairings and less popular characters to write about? i mean once i had an idea for an Escaflowne fic involving Folken and last i checked there weren't many Folken fics out there...and i did look...even went to pages dedicated to Escaflowne...but that was a few years ago. either way it's slightly older anime and i'm not quite sure if i should still try and do it...any Escaflowne fans out there, hey?)

- i have one more idea milling around in my head...but it's not decent for public viewing yet...lol...so why the heck did i even put this bullet point down in the first place? lol...

and there it is. hopefully the next time i get back on here i'll have at least one of these projects done. i'm aiming to complete at least one within the next 2 weeks...but we'll see what life throws my way lol. i suppose one thing i'm kinda afraid of is that my stories will all end up sounding the same. i totally get the feeling that the dialog of some of the characters sound too similar too...maybe i'm just overthinking it. but if the stories do start to sound like the same thing (plotwise or even dialog wise), be sure to let me know yeah? lol...i'd hate to be a one trick pony or broken record of some sort.

well wish me luck and until next time!

one shots

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 01:54:43 GMT

so after much avoidance...i'm back and with 2 one shots. one i posted a month or so ago but forgot to throw up here (lol...throw up....)

anyways...here they are...

X-men one shot--Scott X Bobby (trying to think of a way continue this one...the thoughts are still cooking on this one)

FMA Maes X Roy (really short. so short i'm not sure if i should attempt to cross post it on LJ comms...nor which comms i'd try if i did.)

let me know what you think! i'm in a bit of time crunch right now but i'll try to get back on later and give a proper entry later...

at long last...i've returned

Thu, 05 Apr 2007 03:54:38 GMT

so...after much time away, i'm back! here's a bunch of odds and ends presented in random order...

amazingly, i've completed "Red Robin" . posted the ending last night and i'm kinda proud of myself coz it's like one of the few stories i've actually completed and feel somewhat "done" with. tho i must say if i got the motivation i'd want to go back and rewrite the lemon...lol it was just horrible and i think i could do better. but for now i'll leave it how it is and proceed to archive the fic up on here. it ended up being nicely sized at about 30 chapters and if you get the time to read the fic/ the ending, let me know what you think! -_^

as i keep saying, i'm not sure there will be a sequel or follow up to "red robin." if ideas come then there will be one, tho i'm not sure if i can even write a follow up after having written an ending like that (lol sorry you gotta read to fic to see exactly what i mean... :D)

now onwards! i'm stil trying to give my CyclopsXIceman fic a bit more substance other than..".i think i like you, let's have sex..." plot line...lol, but i'm really enjoying the new premise.

this feeling of having finished something tho, feels good. guess this means now i have time to actually indulge in other people's fics i've been meaning to sink my teeth into for a while. i espeically want to check out other Robin fics and some Zutara (Avatar: the Last AIrbender) fics. ^^;;

on one last final note...go see the new TMNT movie! if you're a turtle fan...you'll like it. honestly, since the story sorta picks up "in the middle of things" (as opposed to re-establishing characers etc.) i kept feeling like i was reading a really good fan fic while i was watching it lol. sorta like how "superman returns" was an awesome take on the whole superman saga. besides...Mako (God rest his soul) who's the voice of uncle iroh on Avatar, is the voice of splinter! anyways, come on! you know you have to watch it now -_^.

and one month later...

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 04:21:25 GMT

gah! work is really tiring me out! but i WILL finish "red robin!" i've decided to finish the thing first on ffnet and then just archive it on lj since i got into posting it on lj way late (like 20 chapters into it...). tho for future fics i will definitely post them on here and in the respective communities.

what else? well other than working i also got distracted by H-ween, costume making/hunting, and parties. i soooo wanted to paper mache a deathstroke mask and go as slade for H-ween....or at least the Ravager (rose wilson ravager)...but that would have taken so much work to sew the suit and craft the mask. (and one day i swear i'm going to make me a robin costume...sorry but i personally think the store bought teen titan costumes aren't that great..and it's funner and more satisfying when you make them yeah?)

a part of me is also still playing with the idea of putting together an original online comic...but who am i kidding...i can't draw very well or very fast...plus i still gotta work out the kinks of the story. more on this as i develope it hehe. (sorry to be so vague).

other than that...yeah...boring life...but hey...strangely i don't think i would have it any other way...

(p.s. i'll try to update more often...-_^)

wow it's been a while

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 23:31:03 GMT

ok ok...so i've been sorta neglecting my journal...but hey i'm back now. where have i been exactly/why haven't i updated "red robin" yet? well i recently got a new job that i'm actually enjoy for once! however it does take up much time and leaves me pooped by the time i get back. not to mention that i've currently become the proud owner of the "avatar: the last airbender-water book" (season 1) and the "chrno crusade" boxed sets hence i've been marathoning the damned things like the addicted otaku that i am (p.s. aion in in "chrno crusade" is an awesome bad guy! his personality soooo reminds me of muraki and even looks like him! take a look! muraki, right; aion, left).

/ /

(and btw why are the evil ones always the bastards in white?)

i've also started working on a cyclops X iceman oneshot that has also distracted me from completing the current "red robin" chapter...however, last night i got uber inspired and took down a good chunk of the "red robin" chapter so i'd say be expecting the post by the end of the week if not earlier. things will be coming together and i'm hoping people will like it.

and there you have it...i think i may have had more reasons why i've been such a slacker regarding fan fics...but right now hunger and sleepiness are washing those thoughts out of my head at the moment...

till next time...

soo...i'm late...

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:06:47 GMT

ok ok...so yesterday i spent all my time trapsing around town looking for "nightwing: year one" issues 104-106 (coz i got 101-103 last year) and yeah...you guessed it...since i dropped the ball on getting them as they came out THEY'RE NO WHERE TO BE FOUND! ;_; i looked on e-bay and it appears that if i were to buy them there it'd cost just as much as buying the bound collection. so i may do that instead. but man...it sucks! this is what i get for being slow.

other than that...been writing "red robin" finally after long pause. actually didn't sleep well last night coz i kept on thinking of revisions to the ending and how everything will connect. teeheehee i feel so psycotic for losing sleep over it... ah the overactive imagination...

in other news, dad and i are almost done watching FMA! but had to stop in the middle of the last epi because it was getting late!!! sadfljasdljc moerijr392doklxcmc! be there no doubt that i will make him watch that and the movie tonight! but man...it's good...and roy...is smokin'....

yeah i live a boring life...but that's why i like to write stories, right? thought i'd just twitch to, i don't know, let people know i'm still alive...heh.

boooored....

Sat, 12 Aug 2006 19:38:37 GMT

last night i marathoned a good chunk of FMA and must *gasp!* coz it's getting good!

i've got about 6 more epis and the movie to go. and after last night's episodes i have to admit that i'm starting to see a stronger royXed tension that lilang_luha has warmed me up to(check out her fic underneath! it's really good! click her memories to check out the rest of her fic after the prologue i've linked here! do it! you know you want to...). i mean before i didn't see it as much as i did see the maesXroy tension...but now after seeing pics, reading fics, and watching more epis...oh man...oh man, it is SO there! lol, how could i have been so blind in the past?

as a result last night i had some good dreams -_^ and smoothed out the plans for the ending to "red robin". previously it had been a little more straight forward and normal, yet due to some turns i've added currently i've had to make it a bit more dramatic, sick, and demented :D. now i haven't written it yet...but the plans are laid out all in note form and i'm estimating it finish around 30 chapters, at least. (so hey we're on ch 22 and means only plus or minus 8 more chappies left!) mwahahahahaha...

after "red robin" i'm considering doing an cyclops fic (yes...yes...deride me all you want...he's my favorite XD; then iceman...why do i always end up liking the cocky bastard characters?). it'll probably be based more off the animated series and the movies since i'm really deficient in knowledge of the comics other than what trusty wikipedia tells me lol. i'm trying to develope the story now but so far it's still cooking in the head...so i don't know...

i've also had an older fic idea in my head having to do with "escaflowne" but i'm not sure where i would post that lol...anyone know of any "escaflowne" comms that still exist? tho i think i may need to rewatch the series again to refresh my muse for that idea...hmmm.

ah well...i should get back to work tho i'd much rather day dream all day. and where is everyone on the internet when you want to socialize? bah i suppose it's for the better right now since i should concentrate on working and getting things done...lol...

joker?

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 00:48:44 GMT

this better be a joke... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14137821/

just heard this from my friend jadensama. tho heath ledger is kinda cute and a good actor the joker is soooo NOT the role for him.

mark hamil would have been perfect i think...we all know his voice is at least...tho i'm really foaming at the mouth hearing that the next batman movie is well on it's way. (mmm mmm christian bale *wibbles!*) not to mention christopher nolan is a kick ass director. i just love the twisted/grittier psychological feel of his movies...

ok...but back to the point...heath ledger = no no NO for joker (despite his acting ability)...i'd like to be proven wrong but i just don't see it working...

on a personal note

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 03:21:17 GMT

so steadily i'm updating red robin to lj...taking a little longer than i thought but hey writing chapter 22 is taking a lot longer than i thought. especially since my relatives have just come into town and things are starting to get hectic as far as work goes. i hope those on FFnet haven't forgot about me yet...

one thing i do wonder is where all the comments are going lol...tho i guess i do suck at pimping my work and being social on communities. i'm hoping i can learn to be a better participant in comms but yeah...lol i'm socially inept in real society so i mean in the virtual comm i'm more inept if not deficient when it comes to these things lol...*sigh*

but if anyone has any pointers let me know! FLYIN_BISON WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO PIMP! lol. damn... i'm attention whore sometimes...sorry about that.

i also fear the fandom maybe shrinking down a little bit since the show ended (damn CN for ending it too soon!) ;_;

ah wells i'm rambling now...

later days.

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 02:31:08 GMT

Chapter 3: Double Vision

(The next night…)

Breathing hard Robin ran into his small bathroom and shut the door, locking it behind him. His hands shook as he tore open the evidence bag that held Zucco’s gun and bullets. The bullets pinged as they spilled out onto the floor. One by one he picked them up and shoved them into the gun.

Useless! Completely useless! Vic was right; Robin couldn’t see anything worth a damn in those tapes. Nothing! He had completely nothing! After the raid on the warehouse, everything had died down. No word on the streets. No rumors. Nothing! It was as if it never happened. Did it really happen? Maybe it didn’t really happen. Maybe it was like that time he faced down a mechanical Slade at the chemical factory. When he had finally got his hands on whom he thought was Slade, the thing detonated and covered him in a thick chemical reagent dust. Horridly intense and torturous hallucinations of Slade ripped through Dick's mind during the long month that followed. Fortunately, Raven was eventually able to enter his broken mind and pull him out of the psychosis. Maybe it wasn't real...this isn't real! Maybe this was all a hallucination, again. Maybe…maybe…No! Dick wished that were the truth. But, although Raven had been unable to erase the scars of his mind he knew better.

Robin had nothing. Everything he ever had cared about was taken away from him; right in front of him. ... They always make you watch… He couldn’t save his parents. He almost lost Barbra before he left Gotham. And now he couldn’t save Raven. He couldn’t save anything!

What’s worse… Robin cocked the fully loaded gun. What’s worse is that this was all his fault...his fault!

Dick jammed the barrel of the gun against his temple. He squeezed his eyes shut and sank down to the cool tiled floor. His fingers curled around the trigger. Worthless…

Just as his hand began to squeeze…his fingers suddenly locked up!

Robin snapped his eyes open. Someone was controlling his hand, forcing it backwards! All of the sudden, Raven’s silhouette flashed in front of him. “Raven?” Dick’s fingers let go of the gun. The butt of the revolver hit the floor causing it to discharge. The bullet grazed his cheek and took out the bathroom light, sending them into darkness.

Scratch! Scratch! The sound of a wooden match striking against a rough surface reached Dick’s ears. Raven was close. He could feel her kneeling in front of him. Suddenly the match burst forth with flame! Raven was so near to him. Her breath was ice cold. It hurt to breathe.

Robin’s chest heaved as his breathing became labored. Calmly, Raven held the match to the side and began to slowly lean into him as if to whisper in his ear. The flame went out just as her cheek touched his. Dick's body grew tense when he felt her heart beat against his chest in the same rhythm. He held his breath.

All of the sudden there was a flash! Without warning, Dick was bombarded with images of Raven as a child in Azeurath, a red demon, a white cape, Robin and her first meeting… her memories...Then…the incident on the rooftop of the warehouse.

“Raven!” Robin saw himself call out to his perspective as Raven. The point of view whipped around. Everything slowed down for a moment. For a split second he saw himself struggling with tall dark figure in a trench coat. Robin squinted. He could barely make out his captor’s face. Then everything clicked! Dick gasped. The split, two toned face…it was…it was…no…it couldn’t be… the man who had taken everything from him before…Two Face?

Bang! Before Dick could get a better look the gun muzzled flashed and it was all over.

Bang! Bang! “Robin!” Starfire pounded on the door, “Are you all right! We heard a gun discharge!”

Robin found himself in a cold sweat on the bathroom floor. A spent match stick smoldered by his toes.

Red Robin Chapter 2

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:00:39 GMT

Disclaimer: The following story is based on/inspired by characters created by DC Comics. By no means do I take credit for their creation or development.

previous chapters: prelude & chapter 1

-------------------------------

“Ready, Ricky?”

When Dick looked up, he found himself on the edge of a groaning, wooden plank. Who was calling him “Ricky?” People had stopped calling him that a long time ago. The lights were bright and Dick could barely focus on the outlines of—

Snap! The platform under Robin’s feet splintered into millions of pieces. Falling headlong out of the light, he was enveloped into complete darkness. As the wind whistled passed him, he began to wonder if he’d ever reach the bottom of wherever he was.

Suddenly, a swooping searchlight beam flickered across the stage floor rushing to meet him. Robin blacked out when he struck the ground. The last thing he was aware of before he lost complete consciousness was the dark rain drenching him and dripping off the thin, sagging, telephone wires overhead. Was it really rain? Or was it something else?

“Robin…” a soft voice pulled him into consciousness, once again.

“Raven?” Dick slowly opened his eyes. When his eyes focused on Raven, he gasped as black horror constricted around his heart.

Her naked, dismembered body parts were strewn randomly across the now brightly lit stage. Bright red blood was everywhere! Her head lay next to Robin; its eyes staring back at him; the mouth was bloody and moved as if to speak, “Robin…”

Chapter 2: Mo(u)rning

“Raven!” Robin shot up from the desk crowded with papers and evidence. Security footage from the east docks flickered on black and white monitors in front of him. He was facing a screen playing video feed from the rooftop in a loop when he had fallen asleep. His right hand clutched Raven’s enameled broach.

Robin’s palm stung as he drew it across his face. He pressed it against his mouth as he tried to settle his breathe, again.

Bleeding. After he had brought his breath under control, he noticed that a gash above his eyebrow and his burned right hand were bleeding once more. Robin’s eyes widened.

“You know, you really should get some rest.” Cyborg’s voice came from the open door way. Dick turned and squinted at the bright light that poured in from the corridor.”

“Yes,” Starfire scurried out from behind Cyborg with a tray of breakfast food complete with a decorative orange carnation in a cup. On closer inspection, it appeared that a dog dish with waffles was in the center of the tray, “we are sorry to disturb you but you must eat something!”

Robin turned back around, “Not now, Star!” He snapped.

Kory stopped in her tracks, a frightened look on her face.

Seeing this Robin’s face relaxed from its tense contortion, “Thank you, but I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“Robin…your wounds; they were not there before.” Starfire peeped.

“Man,” Cyborg piped up again, “you’ve been working for 3 days straight, now. A guy can take only so much you know? I even stopped after 2 days and I’m part machine.”

Dick kept his back turned and shook his head at the floor and spoke distantly, “I can’t stop. My body won’t let me. Haven’t been able to sleep very well so, why should I be wasting my time trying to sleep when I could be working? Anyway, how can I sleep when Raven’s l—“

“Absolutely fine.” Vic interrupted, “She’s been stable for 2 days. I just convinced the docs to release her to the Tower infirmary last night.”

“No, Vic,” Robin turned to face them and held out his wounded hand, “She’s losing!”

“You don’t know that.” Cyborg looked down, “Her vitals are stable. And you know she has healing powers. She’s probably healing herself as we speak. You’ll see. She’ll be back on her feet in no time.”

“No. No.” Dick’s face contoured into a painful expression, “You and I both know that she’ll never be the same.” Robin took a step forward, “Look, Vic! Raven healed me after I got this burn…I didn’t have it at the hospital or when I came back to the Tower…but just now my wounds have reopened. That never happens. Not unless some thing is wrong.”

“Please!” Starfire said firmly, “Stop! I do not wish to hear this anymore! You are not the only one who cares for her! And I do not see how doubting her healing is helping her. Besides, you cannot help her effectively in the state that you are in now! Dick, you need not work alone!”

“Star…” Robin stared back at the monitors for a moment.

“Robbie…” Cyborg broke the silence, “Enough is enough. I must have watched those tapes a hundred times, myself. You can’t see shit with the resolution of those tapes. But from what I could see, there was no one else up there except you, Raven, Zucco, and the other Akaishuen.”

“No…it can’t…look!” Robin pointed at the corner of one of the monitors, “When I was struggling with Zucco’s accomplice, we’re cut out of the screen! Can’t you see him!” After a moment of silence, Dick lowered his head, “You think I just made it up, don’t you? You think I strangled myself?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Cyborg scoffed.

“Vic!” Star shot an angry glance at Cyborg.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean that.” Cyborg looked Robin in the eye “But believe me. I know that losing someone in front of you makes you do and remember strange things to cope.”

Dick shook his head, “You’re wrong, Vic.” Robin touched his bruised neck, “There was someone else there.”

“Whatever. If it helps you, you can believe what you want. As far as I’m concerned we got him. Zucco confessed to the shooting yesterday afternoon after ballistics matched the bullet with his revolver.”

“No…” Robin felt his knees give out. He crumpled to the floor, staring at something non existent, “It can’t be…”

Authors notes: Sorry for the boring chapter(s). I’ll try to make it up to you within the next few. I promise the pace will pick up within the next few chapters.

chapters archived in: suitcase of whims (personal journal)

raven sketch

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 19:34:10 GMT

this is a sketch of raven i did last year that (if i had the option to do so) would have posted with chapter 1 of my fic. now i know it doesn't look like her off of TV but this is her in my style. it's really static and could use some color but here it is at this stage...looking at her now i should probably go back, ink and color it. then again i'm not that great of an artist and i'm seein' some things i would like to fix if i drew it again...either way...enjoy and if anyone has any drawing tips send them my way heh. let me know what you think...

other than that...acquired a beta recently and going back cleaning up previous chapters. also been busy lately with work and studying. can you tell right now i'm avoiding my work? heh...

i think i had more to ramble about but i forgot what it was...:(...will post if i remember...

prelude & chapter 1

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 05:04:51 GMT

[x]Title: Red Robin
[x]Author: FlyinBison
[x]Rating: PG-13 now, will increase to R (for violence, lang, and subject)
[x]Comic Book or Animated Series: A mix of both
[x]Shipping: Hidden pairing with Robin (shonen-ai); so, many hints at different ones
[x]Chapters: Prelude & Chapter 1: Deathstroke
[x]Story Type: Angst, action, drama, shonen-ai, tension, eventual pairing intent
[x]Short Summary: When one of the Titans is compromised, Robin seeks vengeance alone. Old wounds from Gotham return, haunting Robin with his past.
[x]Critque: Reviews welcomed and encouraged! But please no personal attacks...if you wish to critique negatively please do but please explain why you think so.
Status: Continuing
xposted in: deathstrokes, tt_fics and on FFnet @ http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2611123/1/
beta: cynical_coat
Author’s note: This is a continuing story I had started posting on FFnet, but only now have realized the beauty of LJ Comms. So I’m sorry if you’ve seen these chapters already ^^;;. But if that’s not the case for you and if you want to read more chapters right away go to FFnet (see link above). However, I will steadily re-release the chapters here until LJ is caught up to the current chapter on FFnet and then from there start posting in both places simultaneously… (round and slightly redundant system, I know…please forgive me for my redundancy…if there is a better/different way you would like me to do this…please let me know…because I’m such a n00b…)

Chapters Archived at http://flyin-bison.livejournal.com/

Prelude: Up to Speed

For the past week the Titans had been tracking a string of heists across the city's banks and technology facilities. The perpetrators were clad in sophisticated black and red mechanical suits akin to a ninja's garb. They called themselves the "Akaishuen"—the "Red Death--" and they had escaped every time. Patience was wearing thin.

Luckily, after receiving a tip, the Titans were able to hinder their exit during the last robbery. They put up a great struggle; even Starfire was severely beaten, almost killed by an Akaishuen. He would have killed her, had Robin not decked him into a wall. However, when the dust cleared, the Titans found that they had not been fighting men in suits, but robots; mindless automatons. After he saw this, Robin beat the contraption into an indiscernible pile of oil and smoldering circuits with his Bo staff. Just who was pulling the strings here?

After inspecting the motherboard of one of the androids, Cyborg recovered a serial number that he eventually tracked to an old mannequin warehouse on the east docks.

--------------------------------

The rain fell in steady sheets that night, but no one ever waits for good weather anymore.

"You gonna be alright?" Vic touched Robin's shoulder before they descended on the warehouse.

"Yeah, I'll be fine once that bastard Slade gets what's coming to him," Dick said coldly, "He hurt Kory and he's gonna pay for that."

"Heh. You really think you'll finally get to meet him, huh? What I want to know is how you can be so sure it's him?"

Even though Cyborg stood behind Robin, he could picture Robin's scowl darken. Dick's fist tightened and trembled at his side. Who else could it be? Exasperated puffs of steam flowed out of his mouth and into the cool night air.

After a stiff silence, Cyborg eventually smirked and shook his head, "You know that 'serious-all-the-time –slash-hate' attitude is getting a little old. Can't be good for you, man."

"Whatever." Slowly, a smile crept over Robin's face, "You know, you're getting a little old."

"…shut up." Cyborg signaled the "all clear" to the others on the opposite side of the docks.

Chapter 1: Deathstroke

"Titans, go!"

Suddenly, the Akaishuen androids were everywhere! They swarmed the team causing the Titans to split up. But that didn't matter, Dick knew as well as the others that they had been through much worse than this.

A bruise here; a gash there; injuries didn't matter. Slade was behind this. Slade was here…Robin could feel it and he would find the son of a bitch even if he had to rip every robot apart.

"Kory! " Robin leapt from the catwalk and landed on the back of an Akaishuen overwhelming Starfire. The robot swung around crazily blindsiding the young alien. "Starfire!" Hanging onto the automaton's shoulders, Robin managed to crack its steel skull open with his contracted staff. He pried the metal plate off and wrenched a fistful of hot wires out of its head. The red bird sprung away just as the shuttering machine fell sparking and convulsing to the floor. Black oil streamed down young man's cheeks and off his chin.

"Star, are you alright?" Robin propped the disoriented red head up, "I'm sorry. I knew I shouldn't have let you come."

Starfire opened her emerald eyes, "Do not worry, I am fine, Robin." She began to dust herself off. Suddenly she gasped, "Oh my. Robin, your hand!"

Dick looked down at his palm and winced as if he had just noticed that the machine's hot wires had seared through his glove. Crimson blood and flesh peeked out of large open sores in his, now, charcoal skinned palm. "It's ok, Star. It's not as bad as it l—" All of the sudden, out of the corner of his eye, Robin caught sight of a silhouette of figure with a Tommie gun standing on the catwalk opposite them. "Get down!" He pulled Star behind some wooden crates just as bullets peppered the area.

"Hahahahahahaahaha!" An egotistical laugh echoed across the rafters of the warehouse. Dick's eyes widened. That laugh…he knew that laugh! He would know it anywhere. Ever since he was nine years old he had never forgotten that arrogant snicker. No, it couldn't be…It wasn't Slade but--

"Zucco?" Robin felt his lips barely move, "Tony Zucco?" What was he doing so far from Gotham?

"You know this man? Please, kindly," Starfire heaved two star bolts at a mass of robots on the other side of the crates, "explain, Robin." When he didn't respond, Starfire repeated herself, "Robin?"

Dick shook his head as if to break himself from deep thought. He quickly began to rip a strip of fabric from his cape, "Hey, Cyborg! How we doin'?" Robin wrapped the cloth around his right hand, biting one end to tie the finishing knot.

Cyborg discharged his cannon, "Can't complain, Robbie! But then again," he paused to fire his arm cannon again, "things always get worse before they get better! Man where are all these guys comin' from?"

"Rawwwwar!" Crash! Beast Boy's Tyrannosaurus bellow could be heard on the other side of the warehouse floor.

"Um…Cyborg?" Beast Boy switched back to human form and pointed to the wall he had crashed through, "Does this answer your question?"

"Oh man…hey Robbie, I think BB just crashed into their main manufacturing room! Get over here!"

Robin tried to peek out over the crates. Ackackack! However, just as the top of his head started to creep above the boxes it was chased back behind them again by Zucco's Tommie gun.

"You stay down, bird boy!" Robin heard the metallic echoes of Zucco's hurried footsteps turn and run down the catwalk toward the exit.

"Damn, he's getting away," Robin turned to Starfire, "Cover me, Star!"

Starfire nodded and immediately began to hurl star bolts over the crates, clearing a path for him to run out onto the floor and deploy his grappling hook.

The door at the end of the catwalk was just closing when Robin reached the top. Kicking the door open, Dick found himself on the catwalk of the adjacent warehouse. Despite the commotion next door, this warehouse was eerily quiet. Shit! Zucco's footsteps had stopped. Where was he hiding now?

Robin allowed the door to shut behind him so that his eyes could adjust to the darkness. No sooner did he do this when he heard movement to his left. Crack! Pah! Just as Dick whipped around, he was struck by a blunt object and then kicked over the railing of the catwalk.

"Ahh!" Robin crashed through a wooden crate on the ground floor of the dark warehouse. Gasping, he struggled to regain his breath and get up quickly from the debris. How could he have been so careless?

All of the sudden there was a large, hollow snap of a switch being thrown and Dick was blinded by bright white stadium style lights. Looking up, he could barely make out the thin, washed out silhouettes of Akaishuen surrounding his prone body.

Bang! Kapow! The blows seemingly came from out of nowhere and from everywhere all at once. Dick only managed to block perhaps one or two critical strikes. The following string of hits came so fast that he barely had time to fall to the ground

Finally, Zucco raised his hand and pulled back the vicious, metal mannequins. Robin spat out a short stream of blood then grit his teeth. Come on. Come on, Robbie, get up. Damn it! GET UP! He could see the barrel of Zucco's large gun draw near as the crime lord walked up to stand over him. The crime lord ground his heel on the superhero's burnt right hand that was surreptitiously reaching for Robin's Birderang. "Uh!" Dick let out a small cry of pain.

"Time to die, kid," Zucco raised the barrel out of Robin's peripheral vision and cocked the gun.

Then, without warning, everything went black. The bright lights, the Akaishuen, Zucco; Robin couldn't see a thing; all had been blotted out by darkness.

"Wha? How are you doing this?" Zucco's voice was almost a whisper.

"Azarath. Metrion…" A ghostly shadow rose slowly out of the floor next to Robin, draping its wings around him, "XINTHOS!"

When the dark veil disappeared a shower of android parts and fat oil droplets fell from the air, coating the ground black save for a clean, perfect circle that circumscribed them. Zucco's Tommie gun clip struck the floor, rolled, and hit Robin's foot.

"Robin, are you alright?" Raven knelt down and supported Dick against her lap. She brushed the hair out of his swollen eyes.

"Forget about me. I-I'll be ok." Robin coughed and tried to get up, "…Zucco he's…he's getting away." His legs collapsed under him. The two sank to the floor again

"Trust me, he won't get far. Here," Raven closed her eyes and waved a free hand over the length of his body and face, "let me heal you."

-----------------------------

"Damn it!" The crime lord lost his footing and slammed into a wooden crate. Whispering…he could swear he heard whispering or moaning behind him, "Who's there!" Zucco clutched his revolver with a trembling hand. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he timidly scrambled back up and continued to run frantically toward the exit, "What the hell was that thing!" A flash of lightning briefly illuminated the empty warehouse.

Miraculously, Tony Zucco found the stairs and managed to feel his way along the catwalk to a fire escape ladder. On the roof, Zucco noticed that the rain had lightened to a steady drizzle. "He said there would be a helicopter…where is the helicopter?" The crime lord crazily ran in several circles around the flooded roof top, searching the night sky for his promised escape.

Whispers. Zucco stopped in his tracks. He heard whispers again. "Who's there? Where are you?" He held out his shaking gun and frantically turned around several times.

Suddenly, there it was; the demon bird. Rising out of the cool dark water of the roof, the obsidian silhouette grew larger and larger even though Zucco emptied his revolver, point blank, square between its four red eyes.

With a spread of its dark wings Robin swooped out of the dark shadow cloak decking the crime lord in the face, instantly rendering him unconscious.

"This doesn't make any sense, Raven." Robin habitually knelt down checked Zucco's pulse, "You know, this bastard and I go a long way back."

"I do, Robin," Raven moved her gaze up from Zucco's body, "and I'm sorry"

"What?" Dick stood up and looked over his shoulder at Raven.

"This is the man who murdered your parents, isn't it?"

"How did you…" Robin whipped back around and talked to the ground in front of him, "I never…I've only told you guys that it was…"

"An accident? Yeah," Raven pushed off her hood, "But I've been inside your mind, remember? So I know that's not the truth. I know it was a little more complicated than that; that Zucco, a thug at the time, was hired by Two Face to kill them after the circus refused to be extorted by him."

"Raven, I…the others...do they…" Dick trailed off. Thunder rumbled in the distance. The full moon peeked out from behind the dark storm clouds.

"No, only I know."

"Good." Dick scowled at the ground, "It was an accident, though."

"Dick…"

"What Zucco did…what happened…it shouldn't have happened."

"Dick, I highly doubt that you could have—"

"Raven! Please…" Dick closed his eyes. A flicker of lightning traced the outline of clouds not so far off. A grumble of thunder soon followed.

-----------------------------

"Booyah!" Cyborg astride galloping-mammoth-Beast Boy blasted his plasma cannon at full power left and right. Throngs of Akaishuen were sent clear across the warehouse floor. A mass even crashed through a wall and into the adjacent warehouse.

"Ok, that should be the last of them." Beast Boy dusted off his gloves.

"Yes! We have triumphed over the automated warriors of anger!" Starfire beamed brightly , "Now where are Robin and friend Raven? They must join us in our hour of victory!"

"Good question," Cyborg glanced around, "Where did those two go?" Vic clicked his communicator onto send, "Robin, Raven, this is Cyborg, do you copy? Over."

Static. Click!

"Robin. Raven. Do you copy?"

Hiss! Click!

"Cyborg," Starfire tapped Vic on the shoulder, "do you hear that? I believe there is noise coming from over there." She pointed over to the debris of the walls in between their current location and the adjacent warehouse.

"I'm on it," with a hop, Beast Boy morphed into a small, green mouse and scampered into the debris heap. A little while later a large gopher burrowed out of the rubble, "It's just Robin's communicator." Human form Beast Boy fished the banged up contraption out of the rubble and dusted it off.

"Hmm. Well how do you like that?" Cyborg began to glance around the warehouse floor, "Looks like we'll have to do this the old fashioned way." He switched his cybernetic eye to pick up heat emissions.

"Oh my God…" Cyborg gapsed. The area just beyond the rubble lit up like a Christmas tree! Swarms of newly activated Akaishuen were breaking out of wooden crates and heading their way. The neighboring warehouse must have been used for storage. "Hey, guys, heads up! We got more company comin'!" His arm transformed into a plasma cannon, "Just the way we like 'em too," Cyborg fired over the debris heap, "fresh out of the box!"

-----------------------------

On the roof, rain drops began to pitter patter against the skylights in a steady rhythm. After a moment, Robin spoke up again, "But if you know that much about what happened, then you must also be aware that this isn't Zucco's style." He turned to face Raven, "Drugs, prostitutes…murder; yes. But robots? No. Bastard's not smart enough." Robin began to pace a little. He briefly inspected his ghostly reflection on the skylight, "He had to have been in on this with some one else.

"Rob-in. Ra-en. Do you copy?" Cyborg's voice frizzled over Raven's radio.

Robin touched his utility belt only to find that he had lost his communicator, "Well," Dick turned back around to face Raven once more, "we better secure Zucco and then go back to help the oth—

Crash! Suddenly, an Akaishuen smashed through the skylight behind Robin, grabbed him, and pulled him back through the glass pane into dark the warehouse below.

"Robin!" Raven reached out in vain.

The metal mannequin gripped the red bird tightly, preventing him from accessing his grappling hook. Luckily, during the free fall, Dick managed to keep the machine between himself and the ground. The robot fragmented on impact with the warehouse floor.

"Ugh!" Robin groaned. Getting up he found himself amid large, jagged pieces of glass; each individually suspended in dark shadow. He looked up and couldn't help but smile this time. Where would he be without that telepath?

All of the sudden, Raven turned around too face something behind her on the roof. The shards of glass were abruptly disengaged from their dark suspension, shattering as they struck the ground. Other Akaishuen must have reached the rooftop. "Raven!"

Bang! A metal fist broke through a wooden crate. Robin whipped his head around, quickly surveying the warehouse. He suddenly found himself encircled by hundreds of Akaishuen! How and who had activated them!

The circle closed in on Robin as the mass of robots began to mob him with their sharp metal claws. Thinking fast, Dick deployed his grappling hook, pulling himself out of the dog pile along with an Akaishuen still clinging to his ankle. He promptly kicked the metal mannequin off and dropped a flurry of explosive discs behind himself before any of the Akaishuen could utilize their rocket boots.

Dick swung his legs just as he reached the top of the shattered skylight so as to propel himself over its frame and back onto the roof. In the midst of this a firm hand from above grabbed him around the neck while another grabbed him across the shoulder, choking him as it brought him to the rooftop.

Despite all his struggling, Robin couldn't get out of the iron clad choke hold. He felt himself being lifted above the ground and pressed against the mysterious figure's body. His kicking legs were locked by the culprit's legs. Dick could feel his captor's hot breath on his neck. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Zucco's body motionless and face down on the roof where he had fallen.

"Watch closely, Robin," his captor hissed in his ear. The choking hand locked onto Robin's jaw, forcing him to look straight ahead at Raven staving off several Akaishuen. The hand across Dick's shoulder fell away and out of his peripheral vision. When it reappeared it held out a dark gun aimed directly at Raven. Dick struggled furiously and tried to shout out to her. But he couldn't. He was still subdued even when his captor was using only one hand to strangle him. His eyes began to tear.

Then, suddenly, Robin felt a shard of glass caught in his cape. He gripped it with one of his flailing hands and stabbed his captor in the leg. A gasp of air! "Raven!"

Raven whipped around.

Bang!

Raven's wide eyes; the fluttering of her dark cape; everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Raven once told Dick that they had shared a bond; that they had a link. He never fully believed that. Not until that night when he felt Raven's mind tear apart.

-----------------------------

"Robin?" Beast Boy came up the warehouse ladder, "Are you up h--…Oh man…"

The rest of the Titans found Robin rocking back and forth, cradling Raven's limp body in a growing, dark crimson pool. His body shook with tears as frantic hands ran their trembling fingertips through her hair over and over; trying to make it soft like it was before. But he couldn't. The blood was just too thick.

welcome to my suitcase of whims!

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 15:00:51 GMT

welcome to my suitcase of whims (yeah i know...it's kind of a corny name...but i couldn't think of anything else!). this is where i'll keep my fanfictions, random thoughts, and "decent" drawings/sketches (or at least i think they're decent...) for safe keeping.

right now i'm writing my first fic, "red robin" and have been posting it on FF.net (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2611123/1/). thus i am in the process of transfering the chapters here and if all goes as planned i will post the story in BOTH places (basically FF.net is really glitchy and i got fed up when i couldn't update at all...now i can at least update in one place if one glitches on me. ^_^).

since i'm still getting settled, i'm will eventually (hopefully soon) start posting chapters to comms.

hmm...ok this entry sucks...will change later...maybe...if anything...this is a test...only a test...