Teen Titans, Go!

By remix17

CHAPTER ONE

OPERATION: RAVEN

The sound of the alarm clock rang through his ears, and Robin’s head shot up from his pillow. He groaned, rolling over to slam his fist down on the clock and shut it off as the morning alarm became intolerable. His tired eyes registered the time: six thirty p.m. Almost nightfall. Next to the digital clock was his small CD player, and Robin blindly pressed a few buttons. Loud rap filled the room as he turned and rolled out of bed, hitting the floor with a thud.

His uniform, given to him by Batman, was also still on his body, wrinkled by a heavy sleep. Robin smoothed out some of the wrinkles and pulled off his mask so that he could rub the sleep out of his eyes, barely registering that he was falling asleep wearing his costume more and more. After a moment, Robin stood up, returning his mask to his face as he looked around his dim apartment.

He had been living in for the past month in a studio apartment, and it was not the grandest living quarters he had ever stayed in. His bed and the table beside it rested in one corner, and on the far side was a small kitchenette. There was a miniature bathroom near his bed, a table where he kept his computer and workstation, and not much else. But then, Robin had learned over the years that he didn’t need much to live in, and these small quarters served him well until he moved on.

Robin walked over to the table holding his computer. He sat down in his swivel chair and began typing on the keyboard, drawing up a file that he had looked over many times. The file was a list of at least a hundred teens, all considering the hero field. Robin browsed through each name, though he had read them all at least a dozen times each, and as he re-scanned each one a sense of failure rose within him.

It was almost six weeks ago that Robin had sprung his idea on Batman. He’d waited for months to tell his mentor that he wanted to leave Gotham to pursue his own crime-fighting career and start a team of his own to lead. As soon as Robin finally found the courage to say these words, things had happened just as he’d feared they would. Batman had been displeased, angry even, at the idea of Robin leaving. Even though Robin was a teenager now, mature for his age and capable of defending himself, Batman still tended to be overprotective. But Robin had remained adamant about his desire to leave Gotham. Though he loved his role to his mentor, he was ready to start looking out for himself and making his own way in the world.

Still, Batman had not given in so easily. He had asked questions, and Robin had not been able to answer all of them. Where will you go? Who will provide for you? How will you last five minutes without me coming to save your neck when things get bad?

It had taken days, but eventually the two of them came to an agreement. Batman would provide a generous allowance for Robin, but Robin had to report to him every month on his activities. Robin could not come to Batman every time he needed help, nor could he expect to get extra financial aid whenever he wanted it. Robin had agreed to these terms, assuring Batman that he knew what he was doing. He also told his mentor that he would not be alone—he would have teammates to work with.

“And teammates whose lives will be in your hands, twenty-four hours a day,” Batman had responded. But assured Bruce that he could handle it.

Leaving Gotham had been the easy part. Finding teammates was turning out to be harder. He’d been in Jump City for a month and Robin still had nothing regarding even one partner. Robin was dreading the call he would have to make to Batman in a few days to report on his progress. He knew that a part of Batman was just waiting to hear him admit defeat and say that he would be returning home. Robin’s pride recoiled at the thought of returning home a failure.

With these thoughts in his head, Robin scrolled down the list of names on his monitor, looking for someone, anyone, that looked like they would make a good addition to his still-nonexistent team. But every name he read seemed flat and dull. Even the ones with superpowers failed to intrigue him. After a while, they all began to sound the same.

Robin glanced over his shoulder at his clock. It was now 7:15 p.m., and outside he knew the sky was growing dark. Robin got up from his chair and walked to the window, pulling back the curtains and opening it to look out at the bright lights of Jump City that spread out from his building in all directions.

Jump City was different from Gotham. Gotham had been darker, slower, filled and with slinking scum to put in jail. Jump City was bright, with neon lights and bustling inhabitants. Its name implied movement, action, and Jump City was all of that and more.

Robin had a sudden urge to abandon his work and go out on patrol. He’d been doing it almost every night, jumping from roof to roof, running alley as he learned the city’s ways. He’d stopped crimes and people had begun to take notice of him. Some of them no doubt wondered if Batman was also nearby.

Not anymore, Robin thought, and he felt free at the thought. Batman wasn’t looking over Robin’s shoulder any more. Robin could do what he wanted.

And with that thought, he had made his decision. Robin opened the window and climbed up on the sill, pulling out his grappling hook. A moment later, he was gone, barely disturbing the curtains that fluttered behind him in the wind.

(TT TT TT)

As she walked down an empty sidewalk, Raven pulled her cloak closer around her, shivering slightly in the cool air that came at her from all directions. She lifted her hood over her face, retreating into it, and looked about herself with dark eyes as she walked. Though Raven had been in Jump City for less than a week, she was already feeling the desire to leave.

She had been looking for a place where she could reside and do some good for a long time, but so far Raven’s searches had been fruitless. Of course, Raven didn’t know what she was looking for. She wanted a home, but she didn’t know what that home looked like, or what it felt like. She wanted to fight evil with the powers she had been given, but she didn’t know precisely how she could accomplish that. Though Raven liked to be in control of her own destiny and actions, she felt lost, and she didn’t have any sort guidance to tell her how to find what she was looking for.

As Raven walked past a darkened alley, going over her thoughts, she became aware of another presence nearby, and a moment later a strong hand gripped her arm. She turned to see a large man and several others coming from the alley. Though many other teenaged girls would have been afraid in this situation, Raven remained fearless.

“Let go of me,” she commanded.

“Those are some really nice legs,” the man said, commenting on Raven’s pale limbs that were only half-hidden by her cloak, and his companions laughed or agreed with him.

Raven felt a burst of anger, one she immediately quenched. No, she told herself firmly. Stay calm. Do not get angry. This man was just a thug, nothing more. She did not need anger to defeat him.

The man gripped her more tightly, yanking her towards him, and pulled back Raven’s hood, revealing her pale face and short hair. He and his companions let out more sounds of approval. Raven kept her voice as level as she could. “Let me go.”

”And what’s a little weirdo like you gonna do if we don’t?” the man questioned, grabbing her other arm and pulling her toward him.

Raven snarled, aiming a kick at him through her arms. The man stumbled back in surprise, and his companions stared, backing away slightly. Raven glared, pulling back on her hood.

“I told you to let me go,” she said, directing her voice to all of them. “Now am I am telling you to leave.” I am not angry, she told herself privately, repeating the phrase over and over. I am not angry, I will not get angry.

“Oh, we’ll leave, alright,” the man said, and Raven saw his fist tighten as he stepped toward her. “Just after we pound your pretty face in.”

They stepped toward her, and Raven backed away, wondering if they would still be alive after this was all over.

(TT TT TT)

Robin was jumping from rooftop to rooftop, sliding down into alleys and climbing up walls as Batman had taught him to. He always like patrolling, even if his mentor wasn’t in front of him any more to follow. In the old days, Batman always called the shots and had led the way when the two went out to look for crime. Robin had been happy to follow his father-figure, always keeping his masked eyes on Batman’s black cape and following it without question.

It was nice though, to decide what to do now. true, Robin was still getting the hang of being by himself, and he still didn’t know what his next course of action was, but for tonight, it was nice to patrol his new city alone, obeying only himself.

He found himself in a part of town he’d visited only a few times before. Robin reached the edge of his building and saw another beyond and below him, too far to jump. On the building was a high water tower. Robin fired off his grappling hook, waiting for it to snag the water tower, then swung down toward the building. The rope grew taught and he released the hook from the tower as he executed a neat flip, landing on the rooftop in a low crouch. He breath was quicker now, and he stood up, ready to repeat the process.

That was when he heard the yell.

“Let me go!”

Robin frowned beneath his mask. He walked toward the side of the building, peering down onto the sidewalk two stories below him. He saw a young girl, maybe his own age, trying to pull away from a much larger man. Robin’s jaw tightened in anger. He and Batman had stopped sleazy men from attacking women and young girls many times. Robin never understood this type of behavior, and it made him angry every time he saw it. He didn’t like strong people picking out weaker ones to do as they wished with.

Robin was pulling out his bo staff when the girl kicked the man away. Robin stared. The move was a professional one, maybe not at his level but definitely from someone who knew how to fight. Robin looked at her more closely. Though he was not one to judge, he thought the girl dressed strangely indeed. He was wearing something like a leotard. She pulled her cloak’s hood back over her purple hair and pale face, ad Robin couldn’t help but wonder who she was.

He lowered his bo staff slightly, and watched to see what would come next. The girl might not need his help tonight.

“I told you to let me go,” the girl said to the thugs in front of her, and Robin could detect anger vibrating beneath the surface of her words. “Now am I am telling you to leave.”

“Oh, we’ll leave, alright,” the man said. He started walking toward her, and his companion followed suit. “Just after we pound your pretty face in.” He grabbed her again, and the others raced for her, ready to do their part.

Robin grip on his bo staff tightened, and he jumped down from his perch.

(TT TT TT)

Raven screamed in rage as she felt her attacker’s hands on her again.

“Let go,” she cautioned. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

A whistling rang through the air, interrupted by a metal clang, and the man holding onto her yelled out in pain, released Raven. She dropped to the sidewalk in a heap of cloak as his companions backed away, shouting in surprise.

Raven watched as a boy, wearing a black and yellow cape and holding a metal staff, moved through the air, swinging his simple weapon with expert swiftness. When he landed, three of the thugs that had threatened to move in on her were lying on the ground.

“Who are you?” Raven demanded, both taken aback and indignant at someone jumping down into her business.

“Robin. I’m here to help you,” he said, with the tone of someone who was used to saying such things—and believing them.

“What makes you think I need help?” Raven almost spat back.

”About five guys here trying to kill you.”

”Trust me, I can handle them.”

“Get him!” The two remaining thugs clutched their weapons and ran for the boy, who ducked beneath a swing pipe and dodged a jabbing knife. A kick hit his stomach, however, and Raven saw him fall to the ground.

Before she knew what she was doing, Raven had lifted off the ground, her cloak flapping around her as he eyes were slowed up by blazing white light.

“Leave...him...alone…” she commanded. The two thugs looked up at her, pure shock on their faces that widened their eyes and made their mouths drop open.

The shock gave way to fear.

“Azarath, metrion, zinthos!” she screamed. The weapons in their hands were surrounded by her powers and yanked from their hands. Raven’s white eyes narrowed at them as she concentrated on twisting and contorting them, until there was noting left but misshapen metal that clanged to the sidewalk. One of the thugs yelled out an obscenity as he stared at what used to be several knives and a heavy metal pipe.

Raven felt the anger inside of her growing, threatening to break free. NO! she told herself, cutting off her powers. She dropped to the sidewalk beneath her cloak, her hands ceasing their dark glow as she suppressed the anger once more.

“Whuh-what the hell is she?” one stammered.

“Whatever she is, I’m getting the hell out of here,” the other returned, and the two scrambled back into the alley to escape, tripping over their companions’ unconscious bodies as they fled.

Robin stared at the scrap metal that had clattered back to the ground, surprise evident even on his masked face. He looked up at Raven, and she could see a cautious look forming on his face as he slowly got to his feet.

Raven looked away from him, and stood up, deciding it was best to leave before he attacked her now. She turned from Robin, straitening her hood about her face, and started to walk away.

“Wait,” Robin said before she could get far. “Where are you going?”

Robin ran up to the retreating girl, slipping in front of her to stop her from leaving.

(TT TT TT)

Robin was accustomed to seeing people with superpowers, but he had never expected to see it from someone who looked like this girl. She had twisted a thick utility pipe into scrap without even touching it, and she’d scared off two thugs without having to fight them—something Batman could have done, had he been here.

“What do you want?” the girl asked. Robin noted she had a very dry, almost monotonous voice, and for some reason she was not pleased with him right now.

Robin wondered, briefly, if she was feeling self-conscious, even embarrassed, about her powers.

“That…that was amazing,” Robin told her. “What you did back there. How did you do that?”

“None of your business,” the girl responded, and started to walk around him.

“Hey, wait—” Robin grabbed hold of her. She spun around, holding out her hand and sent him stumbling back with an invisible blow to the chest. Robin hit the sidewalk, gripping himself with both arms.

Above him, the girl pulled back, as if in shame. “S-sorry,” she said quickly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you…I just…I don’t like people touching me…”

Robin sat up, rubbing his chest. It hurt by a surprising amount. “It’s okay,” he said, ignoring the pain and standing to his feet. Robin realized he would have to be very careful about approaching this girl, if he wanted her to open up enough to consider what he was about to offer her. He had been searching for months to find at least one team member, and now he had a very powerful girl right in front of him. “Can I have your name?” he asked her.

The girl stared at him, her shadowed eyes searching his face as if she were trying to decipher what he wanted—or if he were trustworthy enough to hear her name. “Raven,” she said.

“Raven.” Robin smiled at her, hoping it would make her lose her edge a little. “Nice to meet you. I’m Robin.”

Raven nodded slowly. “I’ve heard of you before. You’re some kind of super-hero, aren’t you?”

“Kind of.” Robin chose his next words carefully. “So, is it just you here in Jump City all by yourself?”

Raven stared at him from beneath her hood. “Yes,” she said after a moment. “It’s just me. Why?”

“I’ve been in Jump City for about a month now,” Robin began slowly. “I’ve decided to fight crime here, and I’m looking for some partners to form a team. A crime-fighting team.”

Raven gazed at him blankly, and turned her head slightly as if to get a better look at him. “A crime-fighting team,” she stated.

”I haven’t had much luck finding teammates. But tonight…I don’t know why, but you really impressed me back there. I was wondering if you would consider becoming partners with me.”

”Partners.” Raven said the word flatly, with absolutely no emotion in her voice.

I’m losing her, Robin thought. He could tell already that this girl wasn’t shy or just a loner—she was an extreme introvert, someone who probably avoided interaction with people altogether, let alone had any close companions. Robin wasn’t very sociable himself, but his behavior paled in comparison to this girl’s.

“Listen, you helped me back there,” Robin said, trying to come at her from a different angle. “That means that you must care about doing the right thing, unlike those guys who tried to attack you. Since we both want to do the right thing, we could work together as a team.”

”No thanks. I don’t do teams,” Raven said, and she began to start walking again. Robin followed after her.

“Listen, if we worked together, we do a lot of good for the city. You’d be surprised what two people can do all by themselves.”

“I can do things on my own,” Raven responded tersely, and with that she quickened her pace.

Robin stopped following her, biting his lip thoughtfully as he watched her leave. He decided that since she was leaving anyway, he might as well try one last approach. “How can you help other people, if you hide yourself from them?” he asked the girl’s retreating form.

Raven stopped walking immediately, her cloaked back straitening almost scarily. But she didn’t turn to face him. “I don’t hide myself from anyone,” she said in a voice that dripped slightly with venom. “A person like you could never understand. I protect people this way. I protect them from me.”

“From you?” Robin said dubiously.

“My powers are greater than you could imagine,” Raven said, turning around to face him. “The slightest hint of anger could have disastrous results. I have to mediate every day just to keep powers under control. Before I can help anyone, I have to help myself first.”

“You still shouldn’t have to be alone,” Robin told her. “I could help you.”

”I doubt that,” she replied dryly.

“I know what it’s like to be angry,” Robin said, stepping towards her slowly. “But someone taught me a long time ago to channel that anger, and to do something good for the world with it.”

”My anger cannot be channeled.”

“But what about your powers?” Robin countered. “You can fly, Raven, you can move things with just your thoughts, you can twist a steel pipe into a pretzel. If you’re not using your powers to do something good, why have them at all?”

Raven was silent, her dark eyes losing focus staring into nothingness. Robin knew that she was pondering his words, but he didn’t know if she would believe them or if she would turn away again. He tried to peer under her hood, to see her face, but in the darkness the hood shielded her features very well. Having that hood was sort of like having a mask, he realized. He hid his eyes from the world just as she drew herself beneath a realm of cloth and shadow.

Just when Robin thought she would decline his offer, Raven spoke. “Can we maybe do this on a trial basis?” she asked slowly. “Like I said, teams really aren’t my thing.”

“Sure,” Robin said. “We can just test it out first.”

”If I don’t like it, I’ll leave,” Raven told him. “And if you make me stay, I’ll throw you out a window.”

Robin held his hand out to her. “I give you full permission to do that.”

Raven stared down at his hand, then took it. They shook briefly.

Robin smiled slightly at her. “Congratulations, Raven. You’re the first edition to my team.”

“Yeah,” Raven said, her voice a deadpan. “Lucky me.”

(To be continued)