Not My Choice
There was a bitter taste in his mouth. Robin groaned before turning away from the wind and attempting to expel the vile taste, even though he knew it was useless. This taste came accompanied with a queasy stomach and heavy conscious. It was a mixture of his pent-up anger, guilt, disgust, and self-pity.
He was the apprentice.
He was Slade's apprentice.
Robin's stomach turned. What's more he was now a villain. He had stolen from people; he had fought his friends! The very friends he fought in order to protect.
Saying he loathed Slade was no small statement. He abhorred him. He abhorred his mask, his clothes—the monotonous tone of his voice. He hated what he did to him; he hated what he made him do to others. He was the bane of his existence.
Yet Slade had given him something he had never known before. It was something one could not miss unless having already tried it. He could never truly place it but had felt it at times before. It was part of the reason why he had become a crime fighter.
It was the rush.
Caught up in the moment, adrenalin pounding through his veins. It was the same as it had ever been yet ten times more potent. Just remembering the sensations made his heart skip a beat or two.
With each successful robbery, each successful crime Robin found himself slowly anticipating the next raid more and more…
But this had to stop.
Robin couldn't really be a villain, he couldn't enjoy the crimes he committed. He had to do this or his friends would be hurt, even more than he and hurt them.
It wasn't his choice.
Static filtered in over the mini-com earpiece Slade had given him. Robin straightened and focused on his target, loathing his automatic reaction to the sound.
Slade had sent him to the Pacific Coast Academy to recover a top-secret prototype, developed by one of the Academy's many ace students. The ongoing static abruptly stopped and a monotonous voice drifted to Robin's ear.
"Now is the time, Robin," Slade drawled surreptitiously "Move in and seize the target."
Robin's hands were a bit sweaty and the cool night air was refreshing. His stomach jittered and his heart pounded as he languidly jumped from his hiding spot. He landed cat-like on the Academy roof and looked around for guards.
Robin was the hero. Slade was the villain.
It wasn't his choice…
But…
He blithely rushed down the deserted hallways, his feet softly clacking on the hard surface.
…if he could…
The alarm lights blared around him as guards surrounded him. He would have to wrap this up quickly, the Titans were coming.
…he knew what he would choose…
He quickly knocked out the guards. A groan emitted from one as he plucked the invention from its luminescent pedestal.
…though it was something he would never admit…
"Robin," Slade's voice barely whispered in his ear "Are you enjoying yourself?"
…because he didn't have a choice.