AN: So, here we are, at the beginning. The Titans, before they were...titanic. The backstory of the characters is a curious mash of the cartoon, the comics, and my own ideas, so if something doesn't seem quite right, it's probably because I decided to change it. This is bascially a trial run for me. I have a massive Titans story planned, but I've no idea if I'll actually be able to write it. It'll consist of about five or six arcs of equal length to this story, so if I stuggle to do this there's no way I can do the other one. On the other hand, if I do get onto the other one, this story will set up a couple of the characters appearing in the next one.
I will also be referencing as many movies and books as I can cram in. See if you can spot them all.
Anyway, on with the fic!
"I'm not happy with this."
"I'm good enough to work on my own!"
"You are a skilled fighter, true, but you're used to working with backup. You don't have the experience for solo missions yet."
"How will I get the experience if you refuse to send me on any?"
"I am sending you on one now. I'm just not happy with it."
"You're not happy with anything I do."
Dark grey clouds floated ominously above Jump City as Robin approached on his motorcycle. The journey from Gotham had been a cold one, making him wish for a full body costume, or in-suit heating, or at the very least a long-sleeved shirt. It was one of the hidden facets of being a superhero; the costume may make you stand out, and strong winds can be very dramatic, but more often than not you just end up bloody cold.
Robin sighed. He'd argued with Batman for hours to be let on this mission, and now he was finally on his way, all he could do was complain. To take his mind off of his discomforts (and it was really about time to do so anyway, the city in the distance growing rapidly larger) he mentally reviewed the information Batman had given him.
Jump City, located on the western coast of the US, population at last census: 734,652 , notable superhero population: 0. While there had been many reports of meta-human activity no one seemed willing to step forward and claim Jump for their own. Which is why Robin was there. There had been disturbing rumours of unexplained disappearances and kidnappings, most of which involving known meta-humans (the rest of which it was presumed involved unknown meta-humans) that were connected to the Raincoat Corporation, whose main expertise was in experimental weapons research. Adding two and two together, it seemed clear that Raincoat Corporation were taking advantage of the lack of any real superhero presence in order to conduct illegal research on what makes metas tick. Using the information gained from the research, they could secure more government funding, make more money, and generally carry out the nefarious schemes evil corporations are wont to do.
Batman wanted them stopped. Unfortunately (or not), the Justice League had called on him with much more important business just as he was about to leave Gotham, thus providing Robin with the opportunity he had been waiting for. As soon as Batman had shut down communications with the Watchtower, Robin was at his side begging for the mission. It took a lot more convincing than he had expected, and had Batman not been so unsure of when he would return Robin doubted he'd have been given the mission at all, but in the end Batman relented. Robin found his thoughts returning to where they had been for most of his journey, to the bitter words exchanged at the end of the conversation. Batman's final comment had been as curt as ever.
"I'm not a happy person."
Ten points for observation. And suddenly Robin couldn't contain it any more. All the anger, all the pain, all the frustration built up with having such a man as a mentor. Constantly seeking approval that never comes, and when it does, it's a small, grudging thing. Fighting night and day to meet the impossible expectations, and all of it because he's not a happy person. The pent up emotion of several years threatened to explode but in the middle of a busy motorway was no place for it to happen, so Robin pulled his motorcycle onto the hard shoulder and turned off the engine. He had just enough time to remove his helmet before his self-restraint ran out.
He burst out laughing.
After some time he managed to wheeze out "Not…a…happy…person…" before it set him off again.
He eventually pulled himself together, but only after his mask threatened to fill up with tears. For however short a time it was, he was free from Batman, and he hadn't been aware of quite how much he needed this.
Which, of course, led to him throwing back his head and screaming up at the sky, "FREEDOM!"
He laughed again, not the catharsis of laughter he had just undertaken, but a revelling laugh. He laughed because he could. And that was right.
Pulling his helmet back on he set off down the motorway again, just as the clouds decided to follow Robin's example and unleash their bottled up energy. A torrent of rain flung itself to the ground, beating at the cars and other vehicles on the road. Jump City all but disappeared into the murk of the falling rain.
He'd never been to Jump before, and it was going to be hard enough navigating the unfamiliar streets without contending with rain as well. His first point of action upon arrival in the city would be to find a place to stay. Batman had provided him with a list of potential places, but he hoped not to have to use them. Instead, he was going to try and seek out one of the resident metahumans, who might not only put a roof over his head but also help him with his investigations at the Raincoat facility. Someone with local knowledge may prove to be invaluable. There were a number to choose from, but the only one Robin was seriously considering was a half human, half robot teenager who called himself Cyborg. Most of the other metas seemed to have very little desire to distinguish themselves as heroes and it seemed that those who fought crime just as often committed it. Cyborg was the exception, protecting those that needed it but never going too far. Thus far there hadn't been a serious threat to the city, mostly just thugs and bank robberies, but the robotic teen had managed to handle himself well.
As Robin finally entered the boundaries of the city, he brought up a map on a screen. Cyborg also happened to be the easiest to find, living in a tower on an island in the bay, although when Robin was discussing his plans with Batman his mentor had mentioned something about it being a little bit hard to get to. When Robin checked the map he saw that a bridge connected the island to the mainland so he wasn't sure what Batman was talking about, but he figured he'd find out soon enough. Besides, Cyborg wasn't the only option, just the best one.
Robin pulled the motorcycle onto Ocean Avenue, of which Cyborg's tower was Number 1. As he neared the ocean and the buildings on either side began to fan out, he got his first clear view of the tower.
A tower shaped like a giant T.
He briefly tried to figure out why anyone would want to build a tower shaped like a giant T, but did not have much time to debate with himself about this due to having to slow to a halt. The road, which was supposed to be bridged to the island on which the tower stood, instead fell away into the ocean.
"A little hard to get to, that's a fact." He muttered to himself under his breath.
He glanced around, considering his options. He could give up on Cyborg and find one of the less suitable candidates, but he was loath to do so at only the first hurdle he encountered. He could swim across, but with the armour of his costume weighing him down it would be a tough swim and he wouldn't particularly enjoy the swim back, either. However, this brought to mind that the resident of the tower must somehow be getting to and from the island, and Robin doubted that he would be swimming. Instead of going straight up to the tower and knocking on the door, he'd just give Cyborg a call. If he wanted to speak to Robin they could work out arrangements from there; if not, it would just have been a waste of time going up to the tower anyway.
There was an in-built communication system in the motorcycle and connected to Robin's helmet, so all he had to do was dial the number he had memorised when preparing for the mission. The phone rang twice before being answered by what was clearly a recorded message.
"Thank you for calling Titan Industries Tower. If you already know the section you are looking for, press one. If you would like to hear a list of available sections, press two. If you would like to speak to one of our advisors, press three." Robin hesitated a moment before pressing three. As far as he knew, the only occupant of the tower was supposed to be Cyborg. After hearing a couple of clicks and pauses, the voice once against issued from the phone. "Unfortunately there are no advisors currently available. If your call is urgent, please leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible." After this followed the customary beep which signalled that a message was being recorded.
"This is Robin, protégé of Batman. I've been sent on a mission here in Jump City and was looking for the metahuman known as Cyborg, with the hopes that he could help me. I am currently standing at the end of Ocean Avenue. If you're listening to this Cyborg, I'd appreciate some kind of sign that you are interested in helping me. If not, I probably won't bother trying to contact you again." At this point Robin paused, waiting for an indication that Cyborg had heard him. Nothing happened. "Well, if you change you're mind or it turns out I just missed you, you can contact me--"
Robin was interrupted by a rushing sound and his attention was drawn to the water in front of him, which was beginning to churn and froth. As he watched, the missing bridge rose up from the ocean and clunked into position, a few stray pieces of seaweed littering the road but otherwise no worse for it's bed beneath the waves.
"Cool." Robin said, as he started up the motorcycle and made his way across to the tower.
AN: More of a prologue than an actual chapter, although I can't promise the proper chapters will be too much longer.