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"Data log entry: 05. Now recording," A computerized voice monotoned.
"Robin's something else, let me tell you. Some people see him as the Boy Wonder who fought alongside Batman in Gotham City for a time. His main identity now is Robin, leader of the Teen Titans.
Robin's got it all: a huge mansion (It's a giant T. So what?), a girlfriend who's sweet and gentle, yet fierce and dangerous when crossed the wrong way, amazing friends, and even ties to a wealthy superhero.
But that isn't all to Robin. No, citizens don't see Robin's personal life. They didn't see him obsess over the criminal named Slade to the point of blocking his friends out completely, even using a secret identity and attacking them at one point.
No one was there when Robin had sleepless nights, being able to think of nothing but who he was, doubting himself after he was blackmailed by Slade into becoming the villain's apprentice. Did he really enjoy fighting his friends on some level, as Slade had told him his body language had said? Was he a true-blue hero, or was there a side that actually wanted to learn from Slade?
Well, I shouldn't say no one. There was one person that was there every time. There was one person there when Robin tuned out his friends. And that person loathed Robin's actions in that situation. That person tried with all their might to stop Robin from creating Red X. That one person helped Robin through the final throes of Slade's disappearance after Terra destroyed him.
That person was me. My name is Richard Grayson, the one most people identify as Robin.
That may have sounded overly dramatic. Probably because I'm tired. Anyway, that's all for this entry."
Robin hit a key on the computer. "Entry: Richard Grayson, 9/21/08, saved." Robin smiled and shut down the computer. He had been keeping an online journal ever since the incident with the Gems. Why? Even he didn't necessarily know. But that night, his mind was focused on thoughts of who he really was. Sometimes, he felt like the line between Richard Grayson and Robin was becoming blurred. He began musing aloud to himself, quietly as to not wake the others.
"I'm not like the others. Everyone else… they don't have to deal with this. Raven has always been who she is; a powerful Azarathian with a half-demon heritage. She doesn't have a different identity. She's half demon, but only her human side shows," He told himself.
"I guess Beast Boy might be able to relate. He isn't Beast Boy, he's Garfield Logan. But even then, his identity isn't nearly as popular as mine. He's never had to ask himself 'Am I Beast Boy or Garfield Logan?'" He cocked his head, wondering if that was true.
"Starfire…" He heard footsteps and froze.
"Having fantasies now? Ooh la la," He turned on the couch, beet red to see Beast Boy's grinning face.
"I-I- What're you doing up?" Robin spluttered, changing the subject. Beast Boy continued to grin.
"I am getting a sandwich, at which point I will continue to actually live my fantasies with Raven. And get your head out of the gutter," He added as Robin's eyes grew wide. "My fantasies involve snuggling up tight and sleeping with the knowledge that I've got a beautiful girl on my arm. Literally. Girl's got a pretty good grip, too. The weekends suck, 'cuz she sleeps in and I can't get out of bed without dragging her with me," He told Robin. Then he smirked.
"Wait. Why did you go so quickly to the conclusion that my dreams are dirty? Guilty conscience? I repeat: Ooh la la," He laughed. Robin was now officially flustered.
"I didn't say that!" Robin hissed.
"Me thinks he doth protest too much," Beast Boy replied. He wasn't about to let it go so quickly.
"You can go to Hell. Maybe you're 'beautiful girl' can get you a ticket," Robin muttered. Beast Boy frowned.
"Touché'," The changeling admitted. Then his eyes got a mischievous glitter. Robin did not like that look. Not at all.
"You know… Raven's waiting for me upstairs. I wonder if I could get her to see your 'fantasies' about our resident alien?" Robin looked in horror as Beast Boy finished his sandwich and ran for the door.
"You wouldn't!" But Beast Boy was already gone. Robin sighed, not particularly concerned. Raven wasn't one to casually go into people's heads that way. I hope Beast Boy hasn't had that much influence on her… He sighed again, returning to his thoughts. Apparently, he returned too far in, because within minutes he had fallen asleep on the common room couch.
"You alright?" He heard a voice call to him, breaking his fog of drowsiness. Groaning, he rolled over so he was face-down. Raven looked at him, cocking her head and wondering why exactly he A) Slept on the couch and B) Slept in. Neither of those were characteristic of the Boy Wonder at all. Smirking, she used the tactic Beast Boy always used on her: the ever powerful poke.
"Ow!" She yelped as he slapped her hand away, only half awake. Now she was annoyed. Apparently, Robin was not one to wake by outside forces. Unfortunately, Raven was not one to be thwarted once she set her mind to a goal. Immoveable object vs. irresistible force. Bending over, she put her face down to his ear. "WAKE UP!" She yelled. Robin simply buried his head under one of the cushions.
Her eyebrows shot up, amazed that he didn't wake up (and possibly get mad). Finally, with an evil grin, she had a solution.
"Robin, Beast Boy slept in Starfire's room last night," She told her teammate. He shot up immediately with a look of horror.
"WHAT?!" He cried. Raven smirked.
"Thought that might do it. I was just joking," She called over her shoulder as she exited through the doors. The full realization his Robin that he had actually fallen asleep on the couch. Odd. Usually I can't sleep anywhere BUT my bed, He thought. Regardless, he jumped off the couch and made his way to training.
"He just doesn't have his heart in it," Cyborg noted as he watched Robin run the obstacle course. His time was dismal compared to his usual blazing runs, and he had actually gotten hit a couple times. As Raven healed the minor scratches as she usually did during training, she silently agreed. Robin had been out of it all day.
"Robin, are you sure you're okay?" She asked again.
There we go again. They all call me Robin. Just once…Just once I'd like to be seen as who I am, as Dick Grayson. "Yeah…I'm alright," He said halfheartedly. As he slouched back in to the Tower, everyone turned to Raven.
"You guys know that I don't barge into people's heads. But…this is warranted," And with that, she assumed a lotus position and began hovering. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…" She said it deeper than usual, drawing out the last word and saying it in a far softer tone.
Alright, Boy Blunder, what seems to be the problem? She kept her telepathic presence from him, as to not let him know she was invading his mind. She saw memories of old times, with the Titans, and she saw the pain that Robin was still healing from about Drake.
Finally, she found it. A memory of their time in Tokyo.
"If everybody is looking for Robin, then I can't be Robin anymore," Richard muttered to himself as he picked the lock on his handcuffs. No sooner had he done that then he heard a voice.
"Give me your money," the voice said, sounding like a stereotypical thug.
Richard smirked, turned around and easily took the guy down.
Moments later, Richard Grayson emerged from the alleyway in the man's white trench goat, black pants and sunglasses.
Ah…Identity crisis. Far more than that though. She thought. Damn… Alright, that explains a lot, And with that, she withdrew herself.
"So?" Starfire asked anxiously. Raven sighed.
"He's doubting who he is," She told them. Looking at their puzzled faces, she sighed. "Okay, the Robin we know is as we see him; leader of the Teen Titans, generally good natured, enjoys martial arts -" She was interrupted by Cyborg.
"Makes puns worse than Beast Boy's," He added. Raven looked annoyed.
"You're not helping. Anyway, he feels as though there's a line between Robin and Richard Grayson. And I can't blame him. Robin's the superhero. Robin's the one with the cool gadgets and traffic light outfit and such. Richard Grayson is the guy inside of it all," She finished.
"So… He feels like he's losing himself in Robin?" Sophia asked.
"Exactly," Rave nodded.
"Well, there's only one way to cure that," Cyborg said. He looked at Beast Boy, and Beast Boy grinned. Raven raised an eyebrow.
"And that is?" She asked warily, not sure she was going to like the answer.
"Make Robin disappear," Beast Boy said simply. Raven was right. She did not like the sound of that.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Marylyn was somewhat worried about this whole idea. Starfire was keeping Robin busy at the mall, and while he was gone the others were clearing everything even remotely connected to Robin out of the Tower. Titans
West would take it for safekeeping for the week that Robin was to become history in Jump City.
"He'll feel like a whole new man. He just needs to be Richard for a while instead of a superhero," Cyborg reassured her.
"You know, for once I'm shocked to say that Beast and Cyborg have actually had a good idea together," Sam commented. Raven smirked, and the two Titans frowned.
"Alright, let's see. Capes, check. Eyemasks, check. Green tights, check. Red shirt with badge, check. Boots, check. Hair gel, check. Utility belt, check. Weapons, check. I think that's it," Cyborg said, hauling it all into a box. Raven frowned.
"You just took the hair gel out of spite," She accused. Beast Boy grinned, not responding. She just sighed and shook her head. "Did you get his room secured?" Cyborg nodded.
Not only were they making sure that their leader had no access to Robin, they were making sure that he had no access to the Tower, changing the codes on his room and even the security. The only connection he would have with the Teen Titans was Starfire.
"Alright guys. What's for dinner?" Robin asked as he came back from his outing with Starfire. The instant he entered, he was confronted by his team. "Uh…What's going on?" He wondered.
"Go up to the restroom and put these on," Cyborg commanded him, throwing him the Steel Tigers shirt he had worn when he quit the Titans and a pair of blue jeans. Cyborg also tossed him a pair of sunglasses.
"Why?" Robin asked, suspicious.
"Just do it. We're not pranking you, Raven wouldn't let us even if we wanted too," Beast Boy assured him. Seeing the honest looks on their faces, Robin agreed. As soon as he came back down the stairs with his uniform in hand, it glowed black and zoomed over to Raven.
"What the hell are you doing?" Robin cried. She grinned.
"Sending you on a vacation, Richard," She told him, passing him his hotel information and keycard. She also gave him a suitcase and a debit card. He raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me? Vacation? And did you seriously just call me Richard? What's going on here?" Richard issued a rapid series of questions. Sophia smiled.
"We're giving you a Robin-free week. We've packed up your uniforms, weapons, everything tied to Robin, and sent them to an undisclosed location. We've also changed the codes on the Tower's security and on Robin's room. The only bit of connection to us that you'll have is Starfire," She explained. His eyes grew wide behind the glasses.
"Are you…serious?" He croaked. On one hand, he was concerned for the Titans. On the other, his mind screamed in pure joy.
"That's right, dude. For one week, Robin never existed. You're takin' some time off to be Dick Grayson," Beast Boy told hm with a grin. While Richard generally preferred his real name, he'd let it slide for this moment.
"T-t-thank you. Seriously… I need this more than anything right now. I guess I'll see you guys in a week," Dick said with a voice full of gratitude. With that, he turned around and headed for the doors. Then he stopped. "Wait. What if something happens? I mean, I am the leader-"
"No, you aren't. Not until next Friday," Terra cut him off.
"Alright," He said after taking a breath. And with that, he left the Tower towards the Hilton hotel.