Anonymous

Starting Out

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans…check back in a couple of years.

A/N: Comments, questions, criticisms, please Review and as always I appreciate everyone who has managed to take time to review, thanks.

Summary: In a world controlled by Slade since before his birth, a now servile Robin struggles to deal with right and wrong and good and bad, before the evil that controls the world swallows him up as well.

Everyone cries.

If someone says that they don't then they're lying. Tears are apart of makes us human. I cried when I was taken from my home. I stopped soon afterwards. I stopped as if some part of my humanness was stolen.

Maybe…it was.

April 24, 1998

I don't remember my birth…well no one does so I guess I should clarify. I don't remember my childhood. My parents are faded portraits exposed to too much light and my home is a lost cause, not worth devoting time and energy to. But, still, if I remembered where I lived then I wouldn't still be here. I've have run home as fast as I could. Even now after all these years, I still wish I could sometimes…

Most children that are part of Slade's army were chosen at birth; they are the best of the litter. The ones with helpful mutations or the healthy, strong ones were taken. It's like Hitler all over again, only this time the bad guys won.

I was different. I always am…

I was a weak child, even I can tell that from my small stature and the way that Cyborg and even Raven and Beastboy absolutely tower over me. So I wasn't taken at birth. I was allowed to live with my parents until the age of five. Five wonderful, perfect years spent in harmony with the two people I loved the most.

Screw Slade's idea of Utopia, I've already seen it.

Of course, he had to ruin it. He ruins everything. In an unprecedented move, and I'm quoting this from the history books, he burst into my home, snatched me away from paradise and dropped me into the room with a ton of other kids.

These kids were different. There were already conditioned, already perfect, I wasn't. Needless to say, the kids weren't impressed with my imperfectness. It was my first rough night, my first heartfelt sob and my first lesson.

I still don't know who the true monsters are.

Signing off,

Robin

"Raven are you ready yet? I've got to go get Beastboy and Cyborg. No doubt those two are straggling over a last video game."

"Almost Robin. Just let me finish gathering my supplies," answered the raven-haired witch, "Beastboy and Cyborg are in the virtual reality room. Cyborg some how figured out how to turn it into some sort of huge video game and the two have been playing it ever since."

"Right. Thanks Rae." Robin nodded and smiled at her, noticing the small blush that graced her pale cheeks.

Grinning a little too widely, Robin picked up his utility belt and said, "Be ready at ten. We'll leave immediately and plan our attack in a safe house. We…can't fail this time"

Raven nodded seriously. She knew all too well the consequences of what would happen if they failed again. She had been there when they had found Robin and had seen Slade's method o dealing with him; oh, yes, she definitely didn't want to fail with time.

Robin turned and started to leave the room in measured steps. As he left, raven heard a soft voice, barely discernable, "I can't wait to leave."

He never saw the confused eyes that followed him down the corridor.

Robin traveled down the hall until he reached an unmarked door. He paused, thinking of all the other times he had stood in front of this door, preparing himself for some challenge or the other. Slade often used the virtual reality room to push his followers to their limits, or to make them face their biggest fears. Usually people dreaded being sent in there, where the mistakes and the consequences were all too real.

Funny, how it had been transformed into something so trivial as a game station.

Shaking his head at the indistinguishable noises filtering through the door, he twisted the handle and entering the door, letting the door swing open on its hinges. He squinted at the change in lighting; Slade's hallways were always dimly lit, but the contrast in this room was astonishing.

Two figures sat in front of a huge, slightly flickering screen. Both were scrunched over their separate controllers, joking throwing barbs back and forth. Robin rolled his eyes; it was nice to know that no matter what problems arose, some things never changed. Beastboy and Cyborg would, through thick and thin, always play video games.

"Beastboy, Cyborg. It's time to go."

The two aforementioned boys turned at the voice. Immediately the green one's ears perked up and he ran towards Robin happily.

"Robin…dude. You're back. I thought you and Slade would never get back from your trip. Jeez what are you to that guy, his personal retainer?"

Robin forced out a laugh and barely stifled a wince when Cyborg clamped his metallic hand on a fading bruise in greeting, "I just got back yesterday night. But, listen; we've got a new problem. Batman broke out of jail again and Slade gave us the job. This time, no mistakes."

Beastboy stifled a gasp, "No…not that guy. Dude, he's…creepy!"

Robin smiled at Beastboy's choice of words and ruffled his hair, "This time we'll know what we're up against. As soon as you're ready we'll get going. Raven's waiting for us."

"Raven!" Beastboy said hopefully, a smile lighting up his face.

Cyborg sounded a bit more wary, "Why Raven? We operate in three man cells, in fact, why me and Beastboy? Slade likes to change the rotations often doesn't he? You know, to keep people from making friends." The unsaid, like we have, was left hanging in the air.

Robin floundered for a moment and then recovered his composure, "You two and Raven were on the team that was supposed to recover me after Batman…you know, and I suppose that Slade thinks that since we brought him in the first time, then it won't be a big deal to bring him in again."

"Its…you're going to have to be careful Robin."

"Yeah, man, who knows what that wacko's got planned now."

"Hopefully," Robin interjected, "It'll have nothing to do with me. Come on, Raven will be wondering where we are if we spend too much time here."

Cyborg's smiled, his face grim, "Don't worry Robin. No mistakes."

To Be Continued…