This chapter took a while to edit—I was forgetting tabs, and just coming across parts that could be worded better.
Robin grunts as he whacks the dummy continuously, and I spare a second to look up at him as he does so. Starfire catches my attention as she flies past the Boy Wonder, turning around to fire starbolts at the laser-firing spheres that insist on following her.
Raven levitates in the middle of the room, her eyes firmly closed. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she shouts, and the three pillars surrounding her turn black and rise into the air, destroying the last three probes chasing Starfire.
I turn back to the small probes on the ground around me, and close my eyes to calm myself. When I open them, water flows through my skin, and when I lift my hands, small pillars of water shoot the probes up, crushing them against the roof. I sigh as I slowly let the water recede back into my body and turn towards Cyborg.
"Just a...little more..." he grunts as more weights are added to the sled that he's holding up. Sweat pours down his face as the number on his forearm panel increases ever so slightly.
Robin stops attacking the dummy and crosses the room to where I stand. "Come on, Cyborg, push!"
"What's it...look like I'm doing?" the robotic teen slowly retorts.
Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven join the two of us as we watch Cyborg. "Punch it, Cy! Straight through the roof!" the former shouts.
"Yes!" Starfire adds. "Inform that large mass of metal who is the boss!"
"You've got this, Cyborg!" I whoop, my fist in the air supportively.
"Uh...go, Cyborg," Raven says.
We all cheer louder as Cyborg's forearm panel ticks over to one hundred percent. He looks at it and groans, more sweat rushing down his forehead. "It's no good! Shut it down!"
"No way, Cyborg! I won't let you quit!" Robin states. "Come on, push!" I nudge Robin and give him a knowing look, one that he promptly ignores.
"I can't!" Cyborg argues.
"Yes, you can!" Robin fires back.
"No...I...CAN'T!" Cyborg's arms give way and he falls to the ground. Robin, Beast Boy and I walk up to him, Robin offering his hand to help him get back up.
Beast Boy, however, has other ideas on how to best handle the situation. "I give you a nine for the dive, but a two for the landing," he jokes.
Cyborg glares at him, then at Robin, and instead stands up by himself. "Nobody asked you," he replies, crossing the room and exiting through the door.
"Cyborg! Wait up!" I shout, running through the door before it closes. I make it through, and scan the hallways for the Titan, but to no avail. I let out a groan and run to his room, opening the door and walking through. "Cyborg! Are you okay?"
"Get off my back," he replies from down the hall without turning around, and I scoff.
"I'm not on your back."
"We're on your side, remember?" Robin's voice interrupts, and I look to my right to see him there. "I was just trying to get you to kick it up a notch."
His words trigger something, and Cyborg whips around. "I don't have another notch! I'm not like you, okay? When I say I can't, I can't!" He moves further away before stopping and letting out a sigh. "When I was an athlete, when I was human, I loved pushing my limits. Getting stronger, faster, better, just by trying harder than I ever had before. My coaches would always tell me to give a hundred and ten percent. And I always did."
I walk up to Cyborg and place my hand on his shoulder. "You still can," Robin says.
"My muscles are mechanical now," Cyborg counters. "Limits are built in. No matter how hard I try, a hundred percent is all I've got."
Robin looks up again at Cyborg. "I didn't know."
"Well, now you do." Cyborg cautiously moves my hand away and leaves down the hall. Robin doesn't move, but my legs chase after him.
"Cyborg, I'm so sorry," I say. "I didn't know either."
Cyborg gives me a remorseful smile. "It's okay. No one did."
~~~
I walk into the main quarters and stare up at the screen, where two robots are fighting. The other Titans stand by the door, and I join them as they stare at the half metal boy on the couch in concern.
"Whoa," Beast Boy comments. "And I thought Raven looked grumpy." Raven grimaces at the comment and I fight the urge to point her reaction out to the shapeshifter.
"Our friend is more dismal than the swamp moons of Mulwark," Starfire points out. "Measures must be taken."
"What measures?" I ask, my voice relaying urgency. "Starfire, what measures?" She doesn't hear me, and when I look up she's right behind a grouchy Cyborg.
"To replenish your heart with warmness and cheer, I offer a traditional Tamaranean folk song." Starfire claps her hands together and begins to scream at the top of her lungs. I crash into Robin as I sink to my knees and protect my ears, and don't bother to shoot him a sorry look until it's over.
The singing ends early, as it quickly enrages Cyborg. "STARFIRE, CUT IT OUT!" he roars, taking the alien girl aback. The game plays a sound, announcing the opponent as the winner, and Cyborg growls at the Starfire, who smiles innocently and walks back to us.
Next, Beast Boy steps in front of the Titan, holding a cookie. "Okay, dude. Keep your eye on the cookie." Beast Boy throws it in his mouth, turns into a whale to spit it out, then to an elephant to suck it back in, and finally back to human form to reveal it sitting on his tongue. "Ta-da!"
Cyborg reaches a state of anger where he might as well have steam pouring out his ears, as he grabs Beast Boy by the head and throws him behind his back to our feet. "You're supposed to laugh!" Beast Boy states. "What do I have to do, make it fly out my—?"
"Let me try," Raven interrupts. She walks up to Cyborg and opens her mouth to talk. "Uh..."
"I don't want to talk about it," Cyborg says, blasting her back with a sonic cannon.
She stands up slowly, brushing herself off beside me. "I tried."
Starfire reappears, holding an alien instrument similar to bagpipes. "Tamaranean folk songs are even more cheerful when accompanied by the gorka pipes," she states.
Robin intervenes before I can. "Uh, Starfire! Maybe he just needs some time alone. Come on, guys." He ushers the three Titans out whilst I stare cautiously at the infuriated teen. I walk to the kitchen and get out some chocolate and butter, setting it on the stove.
"Aw, you picked the wrong day to come online and mess with Cyborg!" the Titan says, his voice resigning to a mutter for the next sentence. "'Least I can still push myself in cyberspace." The game emits more sound and Cyborg jumps out of his seat, still not noticing me. "Boo-yah! I don't know who you are or where you're from, but, Atlas, I just kicked your virtual butt!" He begins to dance, and Beast Boy throws a blanket over his shoulders before disappearing again. "Go, Cyborg! Yo, Cy!"
"Celebratory cookies?" I ask, looking down at my small creation.
Cyborg nods vigorously, before his attention is brought back to the screen. His opponent is typing, and an audio file matches it. "No one defeats Atlas! I demand a rematch."
Cyborg grins. "Anytime, anywhere."
"How about here and now?" As soon as the words appear on the screen, they melt away to reveal a large robot dressed in red and gold. He grabs Cyborg with his hand and holds him there, despite the latter's visible struggle. "Atlas is ready. Let the rematch begin!"
He throws Cyborg out the window, but I catch him midair and pull him back in the Tower just as Atlas jumps out. "You do not want to start with me, man, especially not over a stupid video game," Cyborg shouts to the robot.
"Atlas never loses," the self proclaimed robot states.
Cyborg grins. "First time for everything."
Atlas slams his fists in the water, but I quickly calm it before floating down as I munch on one of the cookies. "Hey, there," I say. "Cookie?"
While Atlas is distracted, Cyborg jumps over and continuously sends punches to his stomach. Atlas catches his fists and flings him back, disturbing the water. I fly back down, my feet touching the earth, and I feel a tap on my shoulder.
"Sorry. You can't fight. The master specifically requested a one on one." I shoot a glare at the frail man who spoke to me, and when he doesn't stand down, I send him flying back with one flick of my wrist.
I hear a loud crash and turn to see Cyborg crouching beside the shore, with an angry Atlas approaching. I make a shield out of the earth and water, and fly down to Cyborg.
"Are you okay?"
Cyborg nods. "I'm fine," he states, his tone flat and firm. He runs through the shield and charges, only to be thrown behind the Tower.
"Goodbye, loser," Atlas says, turning to leave.
"Hope you came looking for a fight, 'cause you definitely found one!" Robin shouts as he throws his discs at Atlas, but they do nothing. Starfire shoots beams as well, but when they subside Atlas grins maniacally.
He turns around to find Raven holding up a tsunami of water, and she drops it on Atlas. I settle the water and once it's calm once again, turn to Raven. "Now, why didn't I think of that?" I ask rhetorically, shortly before spotting Atlas unharmed. "Oh. Maybe that's why."
Beast Boy jumps on Atlas as a whale, and we all watch from the shore before looking down. The shapeshifter follows our eyes to Atlas, who has lifted him up and is prepared to throw him. That's what he does, and Beast Boy lands near Robin, who catches him in human form.
"Humans provide no challenge," Atlas says. He shoots a beam at us and we scatter to avoid it. "Mechanic! Refit!"
The frail man from before floats up to Atlas with the help of a jet pack, and he takes off a part of Atlas' arm before replacing it. "Looking sharp out there, Atlas. Keep up the good—" Atlas takes off before he can finish, leaving the mechanic stunned.
Atlas lands in front of us, and I instinctively gather up the earth to shield. "Raven!" I shout. "Help me shield!" The half demon attempts to oblige, but the shots make their way through before she can. The five different balls encase each of us in seemingly impenetrable cases.
"No challenge at all," Atlas comments as he walks up to us. "But you will make amusing trophies."
"Let 'em go!" Cyborg commands, but Atlas destroys his sonic cannon before he can shoot it.
"Hold!" Atlas shouts. I notice his blaster that forms his right arm charge up, aimed at me. "Atlas will defeat you, but later, in a fair fight. No weapons, no friends."
"No!" Cyborg replies. "We finish this now!"
"As you wish." Atlas charges the blaster further, so that Cyborg can see. I inhale sharply, then mask my face with a stoic expression. I hear a gasp that can only belong to Starfire, but don't turn to face her.
"Cyborg, we'll be okay!" I call out reassuringly.
"Get your strength back, then get Atlas!" Robin adds. Cyborg changes his cannon back to his arm as the mechanic flies a chair of sorts down for Atlas to sit on.
"The old stadium. Sunset," the robot proposes. "Come, if you dare, and I will let you have your friends back." Cyborg watches helplessly as we flicker away, the sun indicating hours before our release.
~~~
"You can't hold us here forever!" Robin states as the mechanic fixes one of Atlas' parts.
"Now don't be a sore loser," the mechanic says, pointing the wrench at the black haired leader. "Atlas is just better than you. Better than all of us."
Starfire's eyes glow green. "Your Atlas is nothing but a...ZOLWARG TUBEK-PLIXING ZORDMORKER!"
Beast Boy looks at the alien girl. "Yeah! What she said."
"You watch your tone!" the mechanic scolds. "Atlas is the greatest. He deserves your respect."
I look up intensely. "He deserves nothing of the sort," I snarl.
The mechanic opens his mouth to oppose me, but Raven cuts in first. "So...do we get bathroom breaks?" she inquires as she sits on the floor of her case.
"Mechanic!" Atlas shouts from across the stadium. "Buff me."
The mechanic smiles. "You got it, champ," he says as he flies over, leaving the five of us alone. I listen closely to the mechanic's words as he polishes the robot. "Now remember, that Cyborg's got a decent left hook. So keep an eye out for—"
Atlas whips his head around, independent from his body. "Never tell me what to do."
The mechanic smiles nervously as he takes a few steps back. "Heh...yeah, uh...sure thing, chief."
"Yo, Goldilocks!" a familiar voice shouts, and I look up to see Cyborg standing on the other side of the stadium. He jerks his head from side to side, loosening up the muscles in his head, and does the same with his shoulders. "Let's do this!"
"I did not think you would come. Humans scare so easily," Atlas smugly states.
"I'm only half human," Cyborg fires back.
"And half of nothing is still nothing." I notice the slight droop in the mechanic's expression at Atlas' words. "Mechanic!" At his command, the mechanic begins taking off Atlas' armour. "I want a fair fight, human, so I shall willingly forgo my arsenal."
"Say, Tool Boy!" Cyborg shouts. "While you're at it, why don't you shut off his big fat mouth?"
The mechanic glares at the Titan. "Nobody talks that way to—" He cuts himself off as Atlas, now in a state of fury, bounds towards Cyborg, who also charges. They both jump into the air and begin the brawl, and Robin looks at the mechanic.
"You respect Atlas. Does he respect you?" he asks, and the mechanic scowls.
"Quiet, human!" I whip my head back to the fight to see Atlas punch Cyborg through the wall, and once the dust clears I spot one of his hands holding on, the rest of the mechanical teen presumably hanging on for both his life and ours.
Cyborg slowly pulls himself through the hole in the wall, growling, and he runs down the stairs before whacking Atlas across the body with one of the chairs. He jumps on Atlas and another round of dust blocks our view.
"Yeah!"
"All right!"
"Whoo-hoo!"
"All right, Cy!"
"Kick the butt!"
The mechanic glances at us before turning back to the fight. "Go, Atlas! Take him down!" Atlas does just that, and slams Cyborg into the ground so hard that he creates another hole. He pulls Cyborg out of it and throws him against a wall, the latter collapsing and heaving on the ground.
Clouds of dust surround the pair as they travel through the arena, destroying everything in their path. By the time we can see them again, both are panting heavily, and Cyborg looks down to his forearm to see the number ninety-six written on it. This distracts him, and Atlas gets in the first punch. Cyborg quickly retaliates with another and they keep at it until Atlas catches Cyborg's fist and begins to push him back.
Cyborg's forearm panel whistles and both competitors look at the red number reading one-hundred percent. "It seems you have reached your limit," the robot says. "But Atlas has power to spare." Atlas sends one more punch and it knocks Cyborg to the ground, almost unconscious.
"Atlas!" the mechanic cheers, and I whack my case to shut him up.
"No one defeats Atlas," Atlas states.
"Fine," Cyborg growls, unhappy at the defeat. "You win. Now let my friends go."
Atlas doesn't look back, nor does he make any attempt to free us. "No," he says as he sits back on his chair.
The mechanic looks at him in disbelief. "But, boss...you said that..."
"Your friends will remain as my trophies, and there is nothing you can do about it."
Starfire lets out a loud gasp at this revelation, and we all hammer at our cases. "Cyborg!" Beast Boy shouts.
"Please!" Raven adds.
"Get up, Cyborg!" Robin shouts, his voice echoing off his case's walls. "Get up and fight! You can still beat him!"
Cyborg looks at us, then looks away sadly. He spots his forearm, still reading one hundred percent, and sighs. "No, I can't."
"Yes, you can!" I counter, slamming my fists, shielded with earth, against the wall. "Come on! Dig deep!"
"Fool! Did you actually believe you could defeat Atlas?" We begin to descend into Atlas' lair. "I am all robot...and you are only human." I look up at Cyborg pleadingly, and he shakes his head before disappearing completely.
~~~
The game's sounds fill the otherwise silent room, but I refuse to watch. Eventually, the violent button pressing brings sounds of victory, and Atlas confirms this with his words. "Victory! Atlas wins again! Derrick Wyatt of East Gotham City, I dominate you."
Beast Boy changes into several animals in an effort to escape, and Raven opens her eyes to look at him. He falls to the ground in a daze. "Give it a rest. You're starting to repeat yourself," she says.
"But we must discover a way out," Starfire argues as she kicks the side of the case. It causes a ripple, and Starfire clutches her foot. "Ow...ow...ow..."
"There is no way out," the mechanic tells us as he flies over. "Now be quiet, humans! Master's trying to relax."
"I am not human," Starfire informs him angrily.
"But you are. You should be on our side," Robin states.
The mechanic glares at the Boy Wonder. "I'm on the winning side. Atlas is the greatest. No one can defeat him. No one!"
"If Atlas is so great, why does he treat you like a loser?" Robin asks.
"Mechanic! Oil!" Atlas commands, his voice booming through the room.
The mechanic's expression softens, and he looks at us before slowly flying away. "Coming right up, boss!"
~~~
"Mechanic! More oil!" Atlas shouts as he tosses yet another barrel back at the mechanic. The small man flies over, clutching another barrel, and hands it to his master. He gulps some down before spitting it out, on the mechanic. "This is cold, human! Bring me warm oil!"
The mechanic looks down before looking at us. Robin discreetly nods and the mechanic's features turn angry before he turns back to Atlas. "Get it yourself," he spits.
Immediately, he regrets it, as Atlas towers over him intimidatingly. "What was that?" He picks up the mechanic and throws him across the room. "No human tells Atlas what to do."
"You sure about that?" Cyborg's voice replies. "I'm human, and I'm telling you to let my friends go."
"Cyborg!" Beast Boy gasps at the sight of the Titan.
"Yes!" Robin cheers. The two opponents stand opposite each other, and say nothing before charging. Cyborg smoothly dodges Atlas' punches until Atlas picks him up and throws him into the exterior part of the stadium. The mechanic pulls a lever and we are brought up as well, Robin crouching down to get through to the mechanic
"He doesn't respect you. He doesn't even like you. Why do you serve him?"
"I have no choice," the mechanic replies. "Atlas is stronger than me."
"No, he isn't," I state. "Atlas needs you to reach his full strength. Without you, he's easily conquered, and that makes him afraid of you."
"Atlas is afraid of you," Robin repeats, to fully send the message.
I turn my attention back to the fight to see Cyborg's hand detached from the rest of his body and Atlas flying back. "Still got power to spare?" Cyborg asks as he walks up to Atlas, adjusting his arm in the process.
Atlas pulls a wire out of the ground. "Plenty." He presses it against Cyborg, and I look away as it electrocutes him. Regardless of where I look, his excruciating screams still fill the air and fire shoots from my body as a result of the painful memories that are triggered. It fills my cage and I feel the other Titans' eyes on me when I bring it back in.
Fortunately, Atlas comes to my rescue, and his commanding voice brings the attention back to him. "Mechanic! Concussion blaster! Heat cannon! Now!"
The mechanic looks at a struggling Cyborg on the ground. "No," he says.
Atlas shoves him back. "Then stay out of my way!" He runs to where we stand and smirks as he opens a container filled with different parts. His eyes widen as he looks at the amount of them and the mechanic fits in a remark.
"Let's see how far you get without my help!" He presses a button, releasing us, and Atlas stumbles back.
"No!"
"Titans! Go!" Robin shouts, and surround the robot. "You wanted a fair fight? That's what you're going to get."
"Five against one?" Atlas asks. "This is a fair fight?"
"Oh, we're not fighting," Raven states.
"Think of us as referees," Beast Boy adds.
"And besides, you lost privileges to a fair fight when you broke your word," I finish, my hands igniting with blue colour.
"It's just you and me," Cyborg says from behind, loosening his neck just like he did before. Atlas socks his fist and Cyborg punches him across the face, two more punches sending the red and gold robot back.
"Yeah, Cyborg! Take him down!" the mechanic shouts, and we all cheer alongside him.
Cyborg punches him one more time and steps closer. Atlas charges and they grapple, but when Cyborg's forearm panel flashes the number ninety-eight, it sends a wave of panic through him. "What's the matter?" Atlas asks smugly. "Running out of steam?"
We watch in disdain as Cyborg's feet begin to give and he gets pushed back. "Push, Cyborg! You can do it!" Robin shouts.
Atlas cackles and Cyborg looks in alarm as the number, once again, reaches one hundred. "You have reached your limit," Atlas states. "You cannot win."
"Yes...I...CAN!" Cyborg roars as his panel breaks. Atlas' eyes widen as Cyborg begins to overpower him, and he gets flung across the stadium, sending a wave of cheers through us all.
We walk up to the defeated Atlas, who holds his hand out pleadingly. "No more. I am defeated. You...are a better robot."
"No," Cyborg says. "I'm a better person." We leave the robot stuck amidst the debris and walk away as the sun begins to rise, stopping just outside the stadium.
"And the winner by technological knockout, the Mechanical Maniac, the Bionic Bruiser, the one, the only, Cyborg!" Beast Boy holds up Cyborg's hand as he flashes a grin.
Starfire engulfs the half robot in a hug and steps back. "I shall express my gratitude with a Tamaranean folk song," she states. Robin, Beast Boy and I gasp and hide behind Cyborg, but before Starfire can begin, Raven clamps her hand over her mouth.
"Way to go, champ," she says, a small smile etched on her face.
"Guess we better get you a new one of those," Robin points out, referring to the forearm panel that Cyborg broke in battle.
"Don't need it anymore," Cyborg says. "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."
"Good job, Cyborg!" I say, offering my hand for a high five. This shocks Beast Boy and Robin, but Cyborg smiles before returning the gesture. "I still have those celebratory cookies. They'll be cold, but they're there."
Cyborg smiles and nods as we make our way back to the Tower.
I was making cookies earlier, and I thought it'd be fun to include something like that. Let me know if small things like that are good or not.