Chapter 103

(Sorry for posting late. I've been bedridden all week. Here's hoping I get better soon.)

Ravager PoV

I could feel my blood pulsating as I looked Deathstroke in the eye. The sound of my heart beating diminished the sound of the panicked screams from the road near the alley. Starfire and Beast Boy immediately went to cover Raven, as she pulled out the darts in her side.

A useless gesture. Whatever they were laced with was already in her system.

“It’s Deathstroke!”

Beast Boy exclaimed, causing the man in question to lower his dart gun. Giving Beast Boy a certain look as he tilted his head forward.

…It was him. Not one of those stupid robots, not a fake, but him in the flesh. That much I could tell even if I was no longer calm. I had spent more than enough time with him to know all of his little tells.

“It seems that I have your att-”

He didn’t get any further as my hand quickly went for my gun. Quickly moving to put a bullet in him only for him to move forward, his arm outstretched for mine, while his other hand went to the blade at his side.

Only to immediately pivot as Starfire let loose a vibrant green blast from her hands. He sidestepped it and gave me more than enough time to draw my guns as I took aim with him in my sights-

But instead of Slade, it was Beast Boy in the form of a bear that was there. Rearing up on his hind legs before roaring at Deathstroke…and making sure I couldn’t get a clear shot. I loudly hissed before maneuvering for a better vantage point.

There was an emergency exit on the side of a nearby building, that would give me exactly that…but it’d also take some time to get to. Time that he could use to get away from me.

I couldn’t take that chance.

Deathstroke immediately went to cut Beast Boy with his blade, only to find a black aura cover his weapon. Forcing it in place as Beast Boy swiped forward. Deathstroke abandoned it as he evaded the paw, only to position himself in Starfire’s path as she flew into her punch. His head snapped back as he brought up his gun. Pointing it right at Starfire’s stomach before a green coyote’s jaws snapped up his wrist.

He fired, only to completely miss because of Beast Boy putting his full weight onto his arm, which caused it to lower just enough to miss. Starfire didn’t miss her chance and continued to follow through with her punch with a few more aimed towards his head.

They weren’t doing badly, but it was only a matter of time before the script switch. Raven was still holding her side curling up in a ball in the alleyway. It was practically impossible to see her face due to her hood, but I’d put money on it that she’s struggling to stay awake.

A yelp tore it’s way through the green coyote’s throat as it was kicked. Deathstroke continued to take a beating against Starfire, but had been purposely backing off towards the blade he dropped. Kicking it up into his hand as Starfire drove forward with green lit eyes and a scowl.

Just in the position where I had a clear shot on him.

Several bullets tore into his right side. Some of them were likely stopped by the armor underneath, but considering he needed that area of muscle to be less padded in order to still stretch and twist, it was likely that a few could’ve gotten through.

If they did, he sure as hell didn’t show it.

Using the blade in order to focus Starfire’s enhanced strength on something, and push off with it. Allowing him to evade her strikes with her own strength before slicing into her side as she flew by.

Starfire cried out in pain before sending a bolt of energy straight into Deathstroke’s back. Causing him to stumble a bit, before pulling something else out near his hip. It looked like…some sort of trigger-

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The nearby roofs of each building with over ten floors exploded in a sequence. Causing everyone still on the street that hadn’t fled yet to start screaming. Panicking as debris started to fall and slam into the streets below.

Beast Boy and Starfire’s attention were momentarily broken by it. Raven didn’t seem to have even noticed as she stared quietly at the ground with heavy breaths. The only one still actively engaged with Deathstroke…was me.

“Good. Now that I have your attention, you should be aware that those were only the start of the bombs I planted around the city. Each one bigger than the last.”

Deathstroke answered, holding up his hand. A calm look as regarded the worried looking Titans. I bit my lip as they simply stopped to let him continue talking.

Idiots, I needed him distracted if I was going to be able to finish him!

“The first located at the Medical Center downtown in the third floor. The second is located underneath the Berkson Bridge south of Jump City. And the last is-“

He quickly shifted as I took aim. Moving out of the way so I couldn’t nail him. The other Titans stepped forward to stop him causing him to speak up.

“You have only fifteen minutes before they go off and kill hundreds of people.”

Beast Boy exchanged looks with Starfire before going for the communicator on his belt. Starfire on the other hand charged forward to deal with Deathstroke. I took the shot while he was moving, only to hit the floor near his feet. This time instead of evading Starfire, Deathstroke jumped off the ground before colliding with her with both feet. Drop kicking her into the wall of the nearby bar, and bursting through.

“Come in, guys! We got a situation! Hello? Anyone there?”

…He was looking at me expectantly. As if having already predicted my next actions before I could even think about them.

It pissed me the hell off.

I dropped down to the ground. Pulling out my own swords from my back before twirling them in my hands. I could barely hear Beast Boy’s agitated yells as I could only focus on HIM. He cooly regarded me behind his mask. Too much of a bitch to even look his own flesh and blood in the eye.

“Slade…”

The name felt bitter on my tongue. As if it could actually somehow harm me if I spoke it out loud. In return he didn’t so much as even move a muscle. Simply observing me as I slowly walked forward.

It was all so similar to how he would train me. How he’d beat me day after day in the hopes that I’d get stronger from it.

And you know what?

I did.

“Ravager.”

He answered, with a professional and disinterested sounding tone. As if we were just meeting for the first time today. As if he didn’t spend so much time fucking my head up. As if he wasn’t my father.

I pointed my sword at him.

“…I’m going to kill you.”

“No, you’re going to try.”

A basic as shit taunt, but damn if it wasn’t effective. I screamed as I stepped forward. Focusing everything I had in the fight as every ounce of experience I had accumulated went into this.

Dual wielding swords meant I had less power in each one. Meaning a swing was inferior to two handing a blade in pratically every way. Direction, force, momentum, etc.

However, that wasn’t to say it didn’t have its own benefits. And that was the ability to overwhelm an opponent.

I became a storm of sharp edges as I swung relentlessly. The speed of which forcing Deathstroke on the backfoot as there was no opening to attack. Not without letting me get in at least one good cut in return. One that would likely be fatal.

Our swords clanged together as he was forced to take a step back, and then another, and then another. Even if was expertly blocking each one, he was still on the backfoot. Any counter to get some air could backfire spectacularly if I was able to see it coming…and unfortunately for him, I knew just about all of his moves.

So, the odds weren’t in his favor.

His front foot shifted, causing me to turn in response. He had planned on front kicking me during a clash, so I prepared for it. That in turned clicked that I knew exactly what he was going to do. He decided to abandon that plan as he continued to be pushed back.

Sweat dripped down my forehead as I continued to push forward. The problem with this way of attacking was that it was for short and sweet fights. Because of how powerful the blows need to be in order to not be shrugged off as well as how fast they had to strike to keep him pinned down, it was tearing through my stamina like nothing else.

That said, I could keep it up all day if I needed to.

…But damn would it be nice for one of the other Titans to help out here a bit! I couldn’t even hear Beast Boy anymore, and I’m pretty sure I heard Starfire’s voice earlier, and yet she wasn’t here. Wherever they went, they seemed to have at least taken Raven with them. Maybe bringing her back to the Tower before finding those bombs, or something.

Idiots. Even if it was a matter of saving lives, wasn’t it obvious that more lives would be saved if they put Deathstroke down!?

My errant thoughts led me to overstep. It was barely noticeable, but to Deathstroke it might as well have had a large neon sign pointing to it. He didn’t miss the window, as he stepped forward and slammed the pommel on my wrist. The pain was excruciating, but he seemed to at least fail in breaking it completely.  

I attempted to run him through with the other blade, only for him to catch the arm into a hold. Looking me in the eye as I struggled against his building pressure.

“…You don’t fit in, do you?”

My teeth gnashed as I tilted my head back, but Deathstroke already saw the headbutt for what it was, and simply tilted his head out of the way. His grip tightening on my arms until finally I was forced to release one of the swords. The sound of it clattering to the floor was deafening.

“They were all too quick to abandon you. They didn’t even particularly like you. And why would they? You’re nothing like them. You’re not a hero.”

Deathstroke’s knee slammed into my stomach. Vomit immediately rose up to my throat as I momentarily froze from the shock. His hands wrapped around my throat before pushing me to the ground.

He was just trying to get in my head. That much I already knew, which is why nothing he said had anything effect on me. No, that wasn’t quite right. There was an effect, and that was PISSING ME OFF.

“If you were, you’d have helped them in saving hundreds if not thousands of lives. But instead, you chose to get revenge. To kill me. Do you know why that is?”

It was hard to speak with his hand clamped around my throat. I was struggling just to breath, but he started to lessen his hold when it became clear I was trying to talk. So he gave me just enough room to squeak something out.

I made sure it was worth it.

“…Eat…a…dick…!”

He sighed quietly before redoubling the squeeze on my neck. Using my hands to pry his hold off was a mistake. Going for his eyes and face was the better choice, but unfortunately, he had longer limbs than me. Meaning there wasn’t much else I could do. Our weapons were just out of reach on the ground as well, fuck!

“It’s because you’re cold hearted. Their lives don’t matter to you. None of it does. Deep down, you’re still the same Ravager as ever, aren’t you?”

Tears streamed down my face as my vision became blurry. I started flailing around as any plan I could up with was blocked off. Kind of like the oxygen was to my brain.

I attempted to gasp for air, but I wasn’t allowed to do even that. My chest burned with the pressure in my lungs.

And then…the pressure was suddenly released.

I was able to gasp for air. Sucking it in like it might be my last as tears streamed down my face. I rubbed the top half of my face underneath the mask as I simply focused on trying to not die. My bones felt as though they were rattling in pain every time I tried to move them, until finally I was able to sit up on my knees.

I glared up at Deathstroke, who had gotten down on one knee. His arm bracing against it as he looked at me through his mask. Unlike mine, his didn’t even show his lower mouth, so I couldn’t even begin to guess what his expression was.

“You and me? We’re weapons. To be pointed at an enemy, and to finish the job.”

Drool spilled out of my mouth as I attempted to push myself up. My body protesting with every muscle.

…It might not be possible at this point.

“Don’t you think it’s time you came home…Rose?”

He extended his hand to me, but instead of it holding nothing, it held one of my injectors. The ones he used for my training, that made me stronger…and unstable.

It was the ultimate expression of his words. To show that he truly thought I was nothing but a weapon to be used and discarded. A tool that fulfils its purpose before breaking down.

That I was not even a real person to him.

That much I knew, obviously. I wasn’t fucking stupid.

…Even then, as much as I hated it, there was something attractive in the deal. To simply stop caring and turn my thoughts off like a switch. Becoming little more than a robot that could be sent out to do tasks. Numbing out every emotion.

There was a strange fucked up beauty in it.

My hand weakly reached out. Shaking and shuddering like crazy as I hovered over his own outstretched hand. My fingers slowly hooking over the drug until it was pulled out of Deathstroke’s hold.

…Yeah, while not optimal, it wasn’t exactly a bad deal at all.

There was one problem with it.

And that was being a weapon to the worst dad in the world.

I stabbed the injector into my thigh, at the same time, a dark aura quickly wrapped itself around Deathstroke. Holding him tightly as I steadily got to my legs. Every breath felt like a wheeze as I put my fists up towards him.

A panting Raven stood, leaning against a wall with her hand outstretched towards Deathstroke. Judging by the fact that she was putting almost her entire weight against it and her energy was flickering away, I likely didn’t have much time to act.

That’s fine.

I always worked better under pressure anyway.