Disclaimer: I don't own Robin, Raven, or any other Teen Titans, nor do I own the show.
Summery: In my log, I had promised to write down some of the stories I had pilots to, but I never really got around to it. Two of the most pending of these stories I had hoped to write were "Forbidden Fruit" and "Downward Spiral". And here, as you can see, Forbidden Fruit won my first hand attention. I had always wondered what it would be like to write a story almost completely in Robin's point of view, because I hadn't seen it done often. Robin POV'S today really are quite hard to find. But besides the fact, I inwardly knew I night have fun with this one, (Considering I always write Raven POV's). Change is always good.
Anyway- enough of my blabbering- Here it is; Forbidden Fruit.
((Chapter 1))
"To Notice the Tree"
"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
-The Holy Bible-
Something forbidden to me was something illicit; Banned because of its nature, or because of its evil. In the criminal law system, drug dealers, thieves, murderers and even shoplifters were punished for their evil deeds because these actions they performed were forbidden. In certain societies, what was forbidden and what was not forbidden changed from time to time with the ages, but some things banned stayed the same. Forbidden was a word that I had come to know, and naturally, I connected it with evil.
But what was evil and what is good? What was darkness and what was indeed light? Almost every Christian of the time turned towards the bible to find the answers. Quoting scripture and reading the texts thoroughly, they claimed that all that opposed God were evil in themselves, and all that followed God's sworn enemy, the devil, were evil as well.
Among one of the stories that seemed to stick out most to me during that time was that of the story of Adam and Eve. I had heard it many time before, but somehow, it became lodged in my brain, a constant reminder of how forbidden the girl I had started to love really was. Taboo it would have been for both of us to even be together.
Adam and Eve plucked from the tree of knowledge a forbidden fruit themselves, a fruit that gave them something unheard of; the knowledge of good and evil. And from that forbidden fruit they learned what it could be like to sin, what evil was, and yet at the same time what good they could do. With this knowledge, they realized in the Garden of Eden, that they were indeed naked. So they covered themselves, making it easy for God to see that they had eaten of the fruit.
So as their punishment, the two humans were banished from Eden, and forced to live the rest of their years out in misery, trying o cultivate the earth to grow their food.
To me, plucking from my own tree of knowledge, I learned something I would have been better off not knowing; I loved someone besides the girl I had devoted my whole life to. I loved a girl who was solely devoted to no one, and would never be. To both all others and myself, she was something not to be touched, or even attempted.
What could I do? Everything about her was forbidden, yet everything about her was so alluring and tempting. Like the fruit of the tree, she lured me to her unknowingly, without even lifting a finger. And yet, so like the story, it took a snake to get me to notice this forbidden fruit I had so previously ignored….
That day, I had been exercising hard in the training room of the Titans Tower, trying to prepare myself for the next upcoming battle. Beads of sweat rolled down my face, as I continuously punched and kicked the bag at a rapid pace. I furrowed my eyebrows slightly and concentrated wholly on my task, my mind never wandering from the present.
Preparation, training, and conditioning to me at that time were almost as important as the fight itself- I needed inwardly to do it often. With a slight jump, I lifted my left leg in mid-air, but then forced it back in a fake-out, and kicked the bag with my right leg. A creak and a groan were it's response, as the bag swung back from the power of my kick, and I followed my last with a sidekick and a Round house. A perfect routine, it was flawless, and I knew.
Behind me, clapping hands applauded me as I turned around to behold my closet friend in the Tower; StarFire. My heart skipped a few beats when I first saw her, but eventually my mouth formed a smile.
"What wonderful movements of defense Robin!" she squealed laughing and grinning in her usual jovial demeanor. As always, she was her cheerful self.
"Thanks Star." I said as I walked towards her in appreciation. "Just want to keep in shape for the next fight."
"I as well Robin!" StarFire agreed as she nodded and clamped her fists together. Somehow, I got the feeling she would have done this gesture on her home planet when preparing for war. I couldn't be sure though, so I raised one of my eyebrows questioningly. Next to me, Raven glided past and nodded from under her cloak.
I heard her low-key voice acknowledge my exercise capabilities, and something else along the lines of "Good Job." But that was all. In a moments notice she was gone, on the other side of the workout room, meditating.
My instincts told me it would be a very bad idea to go disturb her, so once more, I turned my attention towards StarFire. But just as I was about to say something to her about the clamped fists gesture, the red light alert went off throughout the tower, accompanied by its siren. A new warning- and yet a new attack. I knew all too well who the enemy we were fighting would be.
Swiftly, I turned from StarFire, and ran down the hall to the main Titan control room. Cyborg and Beast boy were already there, looking onward towards a screen filled with mayhem and destruction. StarFire flew in next to me on my left, and stared at the screen wide eyed. Live coverage was showing our city, Jump City, being once again attacked by the masked menace- Czar Muriel, or so he called himself.
For the previous weeks, he had been terrorizing the city for no apparent reason, his goal only to bring about the annihilation of the city itself. Weeks of research had proved futile, and his motives were still a mystery to us.
"If I can get close, perhaps I can dive into his mind this time- and find the true reasoning behind his actions." A voice behind me offered, as it got closer. Raven stepped up next to me silently.
"Wouldn't that be dangerous?" I asked worriedly.
"Yea Dude, The guy's a psycho path!" Beast Boy chimed in.
"What other options do we have?" Ravens aid as she turned. "He's single handedly defeating all five of us at once. I sense a strong darkness within him, conceivably if I went into his mind, I might be able to find out what his weakness is."
"Is it the same concept as when you went into my mind?" I questioned remembering my brief episode with Slade.
"Yes." She answered in her emotionless tone. That was the answer I had feared. If Raven went into his brain like she had done mine, she would be able to see everything. The darkness of the Czar might be too much.
"We'll cover you." I finally answered, weighing out the pros and cons. I knew silently that Raven could take care of herself inside of the Czar's brain- she was half-demon after all, and darkness would be nothing knew to her. But still- I worried for her safety.
"Well then it's settled- lets go." Cybrog nodded as he and the rest of the Titans rushed off to get the T Car and leave the Tower. As StarFire passed me, she smiled approvingly, silently trying to give me the confidence she knew I needed to have as the leader. It was my decision then that could either save us all, or quite possibly get all of us killed.
I strapped on my helmet securely, as I started up my motorcycle, revving the engine to get it ready for the drive. Next to me, Cyborg climbed into the T Car and Beast Boy turned into a hawk. The rest of the Titans could fly, StarFire and Raven hovering in the air. And as suddenly as we had been at a stand still- we were off.
Racing across town, I mutely prayed that we would get to the cities bridge in time before the Czar destroyed it completely. Thousands of lives hung in the balance, the city really couldn't handle much more of this threat or his destructive hobbies. And as always- I secretly worried for the members of my team as well.
But I knew all too well that a worried mind prohibited the body from physically being able to concentrate on the task at hand. My team could succeed this time in bringing the Czar down- I was sure of it.
So when we all arrived at the bridge, and landed near the spot where the Czar was wreaking havoc, my confident self stepped in. "Titans- Go!" I yelled as we all rushed towards the Czar at the same time from different angles. StarFire flew in from above, and shot star bolts at the cloaked villain, as Cyborg fired head long at him with his sonic cannon.
But the Czar dodged each attack, even as Beast Boy charged at him in rhino form. He turned to me and sneered, his darkened face shadowed by the black cloak he wore around him. "Did you really think Titans- that this time, I would be easier to defeat?" he said as he laughed once more. "No- this time I have brought more of my friends to help humiliate you!"
"Oh really?" Beast Boy said changing back into his human form. He gestured around him, "Where are they?"
"Right behind you." The Czar cackled. Behind the Titans, the ground shook and trembled, the pieces of concrete buckling from the pressure. Numerous rocks burst from the ground, as mysterious ghost like apparitions appeared, their eyes a blood red. They held no weapons- yet their surprisingly sharp nails and talons stuck out from their hands, as did their jagged fangs from their mouths.
"Well crud…" Beast Boy muttered as he stepped back from the line of ghouls. At this point, I decided to step in.
"Beast Boy, Cyborg, take care of the spirits. StarFire, make sure the bridge and the people are safe. At any minute- this thing could fall!" I yelled as the spirits moved towards all of us. "Raven-" I said as I nodded, "You know what to do. I'll fight off the ghosts for you and watch your back! Go!" With this, Raven flew of towards the Czar, as the rest of us tried desperately to fight of the spirits he had called. I could only hope that Raven's plan would work, because I knew all too well, we were severely outnumbered.
Charging at me, the black apparition slashed at my face, trying to get a clear shot at my neck. But I took out my staff before it could get close, and blocked its swipe. It was strange, but somehow, I could hit the spirit, even though it was seemingly transparent. 'Perhaps,' I wondered, 'It's physically stable- unlike a ghost itself…' With this thought, I had an idea. I took out a couple of my ice discs and flung them at the creatures, instantly turning them to frosted over icicles. Then, I launched myself at the frozen creatures, and upon my foot hitting the surface; they shattered into millions of tiny pieces. It was too simple.
"Cyborg- Beast Boy, Freeze them!" I yelled as I threw both of them ice discs. Why had the Czar made it so easy for us to defeat his monsters? It didn't make sense to me. The Czar himself was almost undefeatable. But when I turned to where I knew he and Raven were fighting, I knew all too well why he had called upon the easily defeated spirits. They were only a distraction.
Behind me, I saw Raven, tightly grasped by the Czar in his out stretched arms, struggling to get air. "Raven!" I yelled as I ran over to where they were standing.
"Don't come any closer Robin." The Czar warned. "You wouldn't want to see Raven even more paler than she is now would you?"
"If you hurt her…" I started to threaten.
"You'll what? Kill me with those amazing martial arts skills you have? I doubt it. You couldn't lay a single finger on me."
"What do you want Czar?" I demanded to know, as I eyed Raven. The Czar, too busy with staring at me, didn't seem to notice Raven chanting something silently with her mouth. Her left arm was raised, as in the background she picked up a car with her telekinesis.
"Give me your City Robin." The Czar commanded as he lifted Raven higher.
"And if I refuse?"
"I'll kill your pretty little teammate." He answered threateningly. "She won't look too forbidden anymore to you or to that Beast Boy dead."
"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked confused and angry.
"Oh please- she's just that kind of girl you boys all lust after, but can never have. So luscious, yet so dark. Inside, you know you want her."
"Stop trying to mess with my head you depraved psycho!" I yelled, fuming. The guy was insulting, not to mention disgusting, repulsive and perverted. I made a motion to step towards him to kick his ass, just for that comment, but I was beaten to it. Before I was even able to move, the evil Czar who had just a moment before been holding Raven and practically choking her, was on the ground unconscious from a severe blow to the head by a car. Raven was hovering triumphantly, glaring and scowling at the unconscious Czar Muriel.
"Pervert." She muttered as she walked away. I picked up my bow staff and followed, nodding in agreement. She said just what I was thinking.
Behind us, Beast Boy and Cyborg had just finished off with the Ghosts, and followed, along with StarFire who had secured the bridge and helped all of the stranded people. Silently, we all headed home to the tower, after of course I notified the authorities of the Czar's whereabouts. The police would soon pick up a VERY disturbed man.
But consciously, that day, while I drove home on my motorcycle, I couldn't help but have the Czar's words play over and over again in my head. "She's the kind of girl all of you boys lust after…" "So luscious…yet so dark…" Somehow, what he said resonated within me. Could it be true? Could I really have feelings for her?
No. I was positively sure then that the Czar was wrong. I loved StarFire, my light, my joy, my love. Raven was just a close friend, a teammate I admired for her collectiveness, intelligence, and control. At that time, doubt wasn't present in my mind at all. But the seed had been planted, and the temptation rooted. The Czar started it all, he was the snake that offered what was banned from my mind. The Czar was the man who offered to me the idea that something dark might also be delicious and quite pleasing.
He offered to me the unthinkable….
Author's Note:
Um Kay, First chapter up and ready for review- how do ya like them's apples eh?
WARNING-THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL HAVE FLUFF AND WILL HAVE TO BE MOVED TO A HIGHER RATING. YOU MUST REALIZE NOW THAT THIS STORY WILL PROABLY NOT APPEAR ON THE TEEN TITANS SEARCH ENGINE FOR NEW STORIES. ADD THE STORY TO YOUR FAVORITES ALERT MENU IF YOU WISH TO SEE THE NEXT UPDATED CHAPTER.
Hopefully, pretty soon, I can get the next Chapter rounded and typed, and ready to post, if enough good reviews come in. This is my first story with a Robin POV in it at all, so writing it seemed a tad odd. But I approached the chapter the way I thought Robin would, logically, confidently, and without hesitation. Some may say he's out of character, but I believe he's pretty damn close. It isn't really noticeable, but Robin is really a smart guy when it boils done to it. I wrote this chapter like I thought he would, with lots of intellectual viewpoints and details. Robin is like Batman- it's all about the details.
Anyway- stay tuned for the next chapter and please review, I really need reviews for this story in particular.
Special Note: I accept anonymous reviews now as well.
Ultra Special Note: Wal-Mart and Walgreen's are both evil; don't shop at either of them. Wal-Mart has no union for its workers, which means they're paid crap and treated like it as well. Plus they don't have health insurance benefits. Also, these big brand companies are killing the business in small towns and such, making it hard for small businesses to run. The stores next to my house including Farmer jack, Churchill's, Food Town, and Food Basics all had to close because of the big Wal-Mart that they couldn't compete with.
Anyway- review.
-See you in the ninth level of Hell-
BitterSweetArtist14