A couple hours had passed and the group of teens were still stuck inside their yellow prisons. Atlas was still playing his video games and chugging metal barrels filled with oil. All of the titans kept their guards up while Perci laid down with her feet up against the barrier.
"So...who's taking first watch?" Perci asked. "First watch?! You mean we're gonna be stuck here forever?!" Beast Boy started to panic. "Easy, Beast Boy. We'll find a way out. But until then, I'll take first watch." Robin volunteered.
With a stretch and a yawn, Perci spoke up. "I'll take second watch. Maybe I can annoy the mechanic enough to figure out a weak spot in these things." Perci stated while tapping the barrier with one of her uninjured knuckles.
Across the room, Atlas chugged another barrel full of oil before crushing it against his head and tossing it back towards the mechanic.
"Mechanic! More oil!" Atlas yelled to the man. The mechanic quickly hovered over to his boss with a brand new barrel. He handed it to the robot and he quickly stared to drink it before spitting it back out into the mechanic's face. The titans all grimaced in disgust at the gesture.
"This is cold, human! Bring me warm oil!" Atlas yelled and the mechanic looked down in defeat. While looking down his eyes wandered over to the teenagers. His eyes locked with Robin's and he finally understood what the leader was trying to say.
"Get it yourself." The mechanic said making Perci let out a soft gasp that was quickly followed by a stifled laugh. Robin glanced at the girl as a half smile formed on his cheeks. Perci eagerly shuffled around onto her knees pressing her hands against the barrier trying to get a better look at whatever was about to unfold. He definitely noticed just how excited she was to see the man stick up for himself.
"What was that? No human tells Atlas what to do." The robot man said before hoisting the human up and throwing him across the room into a wall. Perci and Beast Boy all grimaced at the action. They definitely knew that feeling all too well. Starfire covered her eyes with her hands so she wouldn't have to see what would happen. Her curiosity got the best of her though as she peeked through her fingers. Robin and Raven stared at the man emotionless.
"You sure about that?" The familiar voice made the group of teens immediately perk up. They all were surprised and thrilled to see Cyborg standing there.
"I'm human, and I'm telling you to let my friends go." Cyborg said as he cracked the mechanical knuckles in his hand.
"Cyborg!" Beast Boy said leaning against the yellow barrier. "Yes!" Robin yelled as he held a confident stare. "Woo! Fuck him up, Cy! Fuck him up! Fuck him up!" Perci cheered as she banged on the barrier with an overly excited smile.
Everyone watched as Atlas and Cyborg ran at each other. The teens cheering as Cyborg landed a solid punch to the robot sending him into the large tv. Atlas refused to give up as he sent multiple attacks towards Cyborg, but the half man half robot was able to dodge them all easily.
Well, that was until Atlas hit Cyborg with a ruthless upper cut sending him flying back. The group cheered as Cyborg quickly got up and dodged Atlas' next attack.
The mechanic stood by the teenagers prisons with an unsure look covering his face. Robin and Perci were quick to notice as they crouched down so they were more on his level.
"He doesn't respect you." Robin said and Perci let out a soft tsk. "He doesn't even like you." Perci said with her head placed against her hand. "Why do you serve him?" Robin asked.
"I have no choice. Atlas is stronger than me." The man's voice came out defeated making Perci raise a brow at him. "Him? Stronger than you?" Perci said and the man turned to her confused.
"She's right. He isn't. Atlas needs you. You're the one who fixes him." Robin confirmed making the man turn back to him. "You're the one who makes sure he's running and at peak performance levels." Perci stated. "You're his strength." "Without you, he might as well be a pile of rusted bolts." "And he knows it." The two went back and forth telling the mechanic the truth behind who truly has power.
"Without you, he's nothing, and he knows it. That's why he pushes you around." "Atlas wants you to believe you're less than him. Wants you to think that he's so far above you that you'll do whatever he says." Atlas is afraid of you." Robin finished while pointing towards the man.
Both teenagers were broken from their conversation as they heard Atlas hit the ground hard.
"Still got power to spare?" Cyborg asked as he approached the robot. "Plenty." He said pulling a live cable from the ground and striking Cyborg with it. Perci couldn't help but wince at the sight. It definitely looked painful.
"Mechanic! Concussion blaster, heat cannon now!" Atlas yelled to the man as he hovered near. The man watched as Cyborg struggled against the ground.
"No!" The mechanic said as he flew towards Atlas' face. His heroic moment didn't last long as Atlas shoved him out of the way. "Then stay out of my way!" Atlas yelled as he ran towards the group of teens. He slid down to the ground and pressed a large red button that revealed multiple weapons. Atlas stared at each attachment dumbfounded. He couldn't tell which was which.
"Let's see how far you get without my help." The mechanic said hitting a button. The group of teens all stood in shock as the yellow barriers around them all disappeared one by one.
"No!" Atlas yelled as he ran back. "Titans, go!" Robin yelled and each member of the group jumped into the fight. Perci jumped off the trophy and went straight underground.
Atlas tried to retreat through one of the exits only to be blocked by Robin. "You wanted a fair fight. That's what you're going to get." "Six against one? This is a fair fight?" Atlas asked only for Raven to appear next to him.
"Oh, we're not fighting." She stated. Starfire and Beast Boy were next to her. "Think of us as referees." Beast Boy said while Perci appeared next to Robin. "Would you do the honors, Perci?" He asked with a smirk and Perci couldn't help but send a devilish smirk towards the robot. "Gladly." Was all she said before dropping to the ground forcing her uninjured hand into the dirt.
A second after her hand was buried, the entire arena started to become covered in brown roots. The plants grew creating a large dome around their battle field. Once you could no longer see the night sky, Perci pulled her hand up from the ground. The girl placed her arm on Robin's shoulder as she leaned against him with a cocky smirk. No one was getting in or out until the fight was over.
"You're sending your weakest link to battle with me?" Atlas asked as he smirked down at the much smaller woman. "Oh I'm far from the weakest link and I'd gladly put you twelve feet under, but, alas, I'm not really a Titan. You might want to turn around though." Perci said gesturing behind Atlas.
"It's just you and me." Cyborg said as he glared at the robot in front of him cracking his neck. Atlas stood tall and proud cracking his knuckles in an attempt to frighten Cyborg. There was only a small moment before Cyborg punched Atlas square in the jaw sending him back. The group immediately started cheering for their friend and was happily joined by the mechanic as well.
Atlas charged at Cyborg using both fists. The Titan stopped his attack, but they were fist to fist as they tested each other's strengths. Atlas' smirk grew as he heard Cyborg's strength device start to beep. The device saying that he was nearing 100% strength.
"What's the matter? Running out of steam?" Atlas' sarcasm dripped from his mouth while pushing Cyborg back. "Push, Cyborg! You can do it!" Robin yelled only to be followed by Perci chanting Cyborg's name. The group watched as Cyborg grunted and Atlas started to laugh. The beeping on Cyborg's device beeped faster as it reached the full 100%.
"You have reached your limit. You cannot win!" Atlas stated while staring down at Cyborg's kneeled form. "Yes...I...can!" Cyborg yelled as the sound of the screen on his device cracking as the numbers surpassed 100%. The titans started cheering louder as Cyborg gained leverage against the robot. Atlas was then hoisted above Cyborg's shoulders and thrown into the trophies that kept his friends captive. His friends cheered as they approached the crater Cyborg had formed.
"No more, I am defeated. You are a better robot." Atlas said defeated. "No. I'm a better person." Cyborg said walking away. The group of teens turned away from the robot as the mechanic approached.
"Mechanic, refit." Atlas said as he struggled to get up. "Aw, do it yourself." The man said walking away. Robin and Perci both shared a soft smile as they heard the words leave the mechanic's mouth. As they were walking away, Perci placed her hand back into the dirt. Robin waited beside her as the others kept walking towards the exit. The plants surrounding the arena went back into the ground revealing the night sky once more.
The group of friends stood outside the arena with Cyborg, Beast Boy and Robin next to each other as they stood by the entrance. Raven, Starfire, and Perci were in front of them waiting for whatever line Beast Boy needed to say.
"And the winner by technological knockout, the mechanical maniac, the bionic bruiser, the one the only, Cyborg!" Beast Boy yelled as he hoisted one of his friend's arms up into the air in victory. Perci let out a soft laugh while Starfire was quick to give him a large hug.
"I shall express my gratitude with a Tameranean folk song!" Starfire said with an innocent smile while the boys hid behind each other. The girl was about to sing the song of her people when Perci and Raven both covered her mouth.
"Way to go, champ." Raven said with a proud smile. "The look on his face when he lost was absolutely priceless!" Perci said with a laugh.
"Guess we better get you a new one of those." Robin said as he pointed to the broken device on Cyborg's right arm. "Don't need it anymore. My body may have its limitations but if I put my mind to it there's no limit to what I can do. After all, I'm only human." Cyborg said and the group agreed starting to walk back through the city.
Beast Boy and Starfire immediately pulled Cyborg to the front of the group talking about how they should celebrate Cyborg's win. Raven rolled her eyes as she trailed not far behind the three. Robin and Perci finding themselves alone in the back unconsciously walking slower than the others.
"I'm sorry today didn't really go how it was supposed to." Robin apologized to the girl making her glance over at him with a smile. "Are you serious right now, bird brain? I got to watch Cyborg completely demolish a cocky asshole. I got to hang out with you guys! And we got some training in. It was way better than what it was supposed to be!" Perci reassured him and he couldn't help but send her bright smile back.
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it." Robin said. "I always hanging out with you guys." Perci said turning her gaze forward. Robin looked at the group quite a ways ahead of them. "We should...hang out more often." Robin's words came out slightly hesitant making Perci raise a brow towards him.
"I keep telling you guys to stop by the club more often. Or we need to figure out a biweekly hang out schedule or something. Tell your enemies not to schedule stuff on certain days." Perci joked. Robin took a breath unknowingly gaining an insane amount of courage. He was going to need it for what he wanted to say.
"I meant us." Robin said softly. A smile just as soft lying across his cheeks. The words that left his mouth took a couple seconds for Perci to process. Once they did, soft pink roses lined underneath her mask, a few even finding themselves along her arms. As Robin's eyes caught the pink flowers he turned his gaze back towards the other titans. A soft blush of similar color sat on his cheeks.
"I-I mean...only if you want to of course." The hero said not looking the girl in the eye. "I...I'd like that, Robin." Perci said softly as a smile crept up her cheeks. "We just never get to really see each other and-wait did you say yes?" Robin asked as he turned back to Perci. "Yeah...yeah I did." Perci said with a smile. Both of them continued talking and trying to plan their next possible meet up as they walked through the streets.