The Anti-Villain | Robin Love Story

Titans East: Part 1

"When there's trouble you know what to do,

Call Cyborg!

He can shoot a rocket from his shoe!

Cuz he's Cyborg-" I roll my eyes and pull on my headphones to drown out the robotic Titan's singing as we drive down an empty highway in the T-car. Who knew a road trip with only two people would be so boring.

I glance out the window and watch the hail bounce off as it falls from the dreary sky. I spot something flashing from the corner of my eye and turn towards the dashboard. I pull off my headphones and Cyborg answers the call.

"What's up?" the robotic male greets as Robin pops up on screen. I give the Boy Wonder a smile which he returns with one of his own.

"Oh, hello friends who I am missing already!" Starfire exclaims as she pops up beside Robin. "The sight of you makes my eyes sore!"

"Yeah. It's been totally lame here without you. Raven stinks at video games. It's like she isn't even trying," Beast Boy grumbles as he gestures over his shoulder at the half-demon sitting on the couch.

"Just because you glued the controller to my hands, doesn't mean I wanna play," Raven states.

"So, how goes the cross-country trip?" Robin asks.

"Dandy," Cyborg says with a roll of his eyes. "It's like eighty below, the hail's messing up my paint job, and WHY DID I VOLUNTEER FOR THIS!"

"The Titans East needs your technical know how and Hypno is there for backup," Robin states.

"Yeah, and maybe if I stick around long enough I'll get another chance to bring down Blood. Personally."

"And even if you don't, a little time away from home might do you good."

"Agreed. You have been somewhat lobstery lately," Starfire says. Everyone gives the redhead a confused look as she just stands there with a closed-eye smile like what she said was perfectly normal.

"I think she means crabby," Raven states as she stands from the couch.

"That sounds about right," I chirp.

"Besides, somebody's gotta show these copycats what being a Titan is all about," Beast Boy says and flexes. The controller he glued to Raven hits him in the back of the head and the transmission shuts off, leaving Cyborg and I in silence.

"Maybe they already know," the mechanical male mutters. He pushes a button near the steering wheel and the T-car lifts off the street and drives over the water on either side of the gloomy highway.

"I wouldn't say that," I scoff as the Titans East Tower comes into view. It sits on a little island like our tower but looks to be completely falling apart with several massive holes in the rusting building. Cyborg parks the car in front of the tower and we both step out. I stare up at the sad looking building as the metal Titan pulls out our bags-his being a small toolbox and mine a (f/c) duffle bag. The hail has lightened to a drizzle but the sky is still a dark gray.

The only thing I can smell is rain but there is a hint of saltwater mixed in. Cyborg hands me my duffle as we both make our way to the large front door. The smell of rust and dust becomes heavily apparent as we stand at the entryway of the tower. As Cyborg knocks, the door falls off its hinges and crashes to the floor, kicking up a cloud of dirt. "That's a good start."

"Uh, hello?" Everything in the tower is either laying in a rusting pile on the ground or sparking on the walls. "Place looked better on the outside, but nothing a little elbow grease won't fix." We walk up to a panel that bursts off the wall in a cloud of black smoke. "Make that a truckload of elbow grease."