Freedom

11

ROBIN
A white hair women steps out of a boat at the pier of the Tower. She seems tall until she steps on land, nearly half of Raven's height, and Raven is pretty short. Her legs move quickly to Raven, giving her hugs and kisses.
"Darling," the woman starts. "I cannot believe how much you've grown, your hair and your posture!"
"Hi, Luciana," Raven mutters. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard my darling is going to prom," she says. "And what kind of designer would I be if I did not design her dress? Now, where is Ro-ben?"
"Right here," I say, waving my arm a little. She turns around and looks up at me. I am really tall in comparison. She then turns back to Raven.
"Why are you not attending prom with this hubbub?" She asks. I don't know if Raven is blushing or not, but she immediately pulls her hood over her head. "Well, Ro-ben, I have your suit in my boat. My men will prepare you for tonight."
A bunch of buff men step out of the boat with a suit on a hanger. I gulp. I really don't want to be prepared by those men.
"Now let us go, darling!" Luciana says, ushering Raven into the tower. Cyborg cocks his eyebrow.
"Captain sent this?" Cyborg asks.
"I guess," I respond, still slightly afraid of what was going to happen.

"Don't worry Robin, we'll get Beast Boy back," Cyborg says to my worried expression.
"Yea, I know you will," I say, biting my lip as one of the men measure me.
"But that isn't why you are bothered," Cyborg says in realization. "What's going on with you and Raven?" What did he mean?
"I don't know," I admit. "We're teammates."
"She means more than that to you," Cyborg says with a chuckle. My eyes turn to the size of saucers. "Don't need a computer program to figure that out. Just focus on the mission and don't get distracted today. The point is we need Beast Boy back, okay? No drama."
Did Raven really mean more than what I keep her as?

After hours of changing and an hour of bickering with Luciana on whether why I should bring my weapons or not and then another hour on why my hair should be kept spikey, I get on my motorcycle in a black suit and red tie.
I rev the engine. They wouldn't allow Raven to come with me, saying that it would not look good arriving with a girl when I had a date. I look at Starfire and Cyborg who are getting ready in the garage.
"Remember, get Beast Boy and get back," I repeat sternly.
"We know, boss, have a good date," Cyborg dismisses.
Starfire comes up to me and gives me another kiss on my lips. She hasn't kissed me in a while, but no longer does it feel special. She called me her friend, not her boyfriend, and now she's kissing me? I don't understand woman.
"Have a good date," she says solemnly. I nod and place my helmet on. And then there was Starfire.

The prom is being held at a pier. It was like a boardwalk, with the sunset setting in the background. Truly, it was a romantic place to hold a prom. The dancing was happening at the beginning of the boardwalk, the middle of the boardwalk was lined tables filled with food. At the end of the boardwalk, there were teens hanging out and sharing moments. Teenage moments that I never had.
"Robin!" A shrieking and irritating voice calls. I turn around to see a blonde hair girl in a bright big pink dress stepping out of a limo. Her hands are waving for my attention, and I just sigh. I walk towards her, cringing. "Oh, Robin! My pumpkin!" Was she purposefully saying these things loud?
"Hey," I mutter, trying to avert my eyes.
"Compliment me back," she mutters under her breath. I try to find a compliment but what was I supposed to say? Her dress is big and such a distraction. Her voice is annoying as fuck. Her hair is done up so tightly that she could be mistaken as a teacher. And she had more makeup than a clown. What was I honestly meant to say?
"You look nice..." I say through my teeth.
"Awe, Robin, you're too sweet!" she says loudly again, making heads turn. I shrug my shoulders. She quickly catches an eye of what seems to be her friends. She pulls me to them. "Jessica! Jeffrey! Nice to meet you guys. This is Robin..." she continues on.
My eyes wander until a rev of a sports car catches my attention. A blonde boy with a ponytail steps out of the car first, putting on sunglasses. Sunglasses? The sun was setting, there is literally no need for sunglasses. He goes around and opens the door for his date. A girl steps out and he closes the door, wrapping an arm around her waist. 
Beautiful.
That is the only word that comes to my mind.
Her dark hair is curled to the side, with minimal amount of makeup on her face. Her dress is a beautiful white long dress with a slit from her upper thigh all the way down. Her dress has black designs imprinted on the top portion, creating such stories. I look up at her stunning eyes, her stunning purple eyes.
I pick my jaw off the floor, straightening myself as much as possible.
Raven.
She seems so different, yet so much the same.
But who was the guy she is with?
"Robin! Hello! Robin!" the whiny voice says. I turn to Britney in complete regret.
"So, where did you guys meet?" Jessica asks.
"Her grandfather..."
"We met at my country club," Britney cuts in. "He is a server there, but he begged so much that I finally let him take me out." I grind my teeth together, fighting the urge to retaliate.
"Oh, Britney, always helping the community," Jeffrey laughs in a pompous and irritating way that makes me want to rip his throat out. 
"At least he is very cute," Jessica says.
"I'm going to get a drink," I say through my teeth. I don't wait for any answer before leaving.
I go to the punch bowl which smells like alcohol. Knowing these kids, this has already been contaminated. But to my luck, I need alcohol to get through this night.
I pour myself a glass of punch, downing it immediately. Looking at all these kids leading normal lives, soon they'll be gone from here, and pursuing a job or higher education. What would it be like to go to normal school?
"Great dance," a monotonous voice says. I turn to find Raven leaning with her back against the rail of the pier. Her leg is slightly bent, revealing her pale skin. Nonetheless, she looks stunning.
"You look..."
"Like a dork," she finishes. "I know, I know. I look like a complete utter loser."
"I was going to say beautiful," I say.
"Oh." Her eyes widen, her hands trying to hide a blush that creeps onto her face. "You look pretty handsome too."
"Thanks," I say, rubbing my hand on the back of my neck. Awkward tension fills the air, making me become a little a bolder. "Who was the guy who brought you?"
"That," she points to the long haired boy with a fan club of girls. "That is Chad, Luciana's son. She said it would be a good idea to bring a date."
"Oh."
"But, luckily he's occupied," she says. A girl wraps her arms around him, bringing him out to the dancefloor. Which makes me a little happier that it's not Raven doing that to him.
"Pumpkin!" Britney shrieks like a banshee. "Oh, punch, how nice of you to get some for me!" She takes the cup from my hands and takes a greedy sip.
"Pumpkin?" Raven snickers. I roll my eyes. But Britney doesn't take the comment lightly.
"Yes, pumpkin!" she says with more of an edge to her tone. "Who are you anyway?"
"A friend," Raven responds. Britney sticks up her nose to the response.
"Ugh, just don't get in between Robin and I," Britney cautions. She protectively wraps her arms around my arms. "Oh, pumpkin, there's a slow song playing. Let's dance."
"Wait, Britney," I try to stop her, but her grip is strong.
"You are here as my date," she hisses. "One wrong move and I will annihilate your little green friend. Clear?"
I don't say anything but she takes that as a yes. She pulls me onto the dancefloor and wraps her arms around me, making it nearly impossible to breathe. I try to dance but this woman is horrendous at dancing.
I look over to Raven. Her face goes from worry to smiling in seconds. She gives me a thumbs up and happily sips her punch. Chad goes over to her and they begin to talk. My blood boils, nearly causing me to reach into my pocket and pulling out one of my disks.
The song finally ends and Britney lets me go. Until another slow song comes on and her arms are around me. I sigh to myself.
This is humiliating.
"I'm sorry, man, can I dance with your beautiful date?" Chad asks in a husky tone. I look at him with surprise then look at Britney. Her eyes are practically filled with stars in seconds.
"What date?" she asks, grabbing onto his arm. They leave to dance and Raven walks up to me.
"You're welcome," Raven says.
"You got him to dance with her? How?" I ask.
"Simply said that she was rich and problem solved," Raven responds laughing a little.
"Let me thank you then," I say. I take her hand in mine. Her warm and dry hand. "May I have this dance?"
"I don't know, Robin," she responds nervously. "I'm a terrible dancer."
"I'll teach you then," I say. I place her hands on my shoulders and my hands on her waist. She leans in closer, her hands wrapping around my neck. I lead her and she immediately follows, making sure not to step on my feet. "See, you're not that bad."
"Maybe I just have a good teacher," she says and my heart destroys my ribs, pumping faster and harder.
Ecstasy exerts in my mind, driving me into such euphoria that I cannot understand. All I see is Raven and the beautiful colors behind her. Her smile. Her eyes. Her nose. Her hands.
"Come with me," I say as the song ends. I pull her to the edge of the boardwalk, the best view of the sunset.
I sit on the edge, letting her sit beside me. The kids move to the dancefloor as they begin to announce the King and Queen of prom. I let my legs hang off the dock, just as she does.
"Beautiful," I say, looking out to the sun setting behind the water. "What was it like, before joining the team?" A personal question, I know, but I am curious.
"A world of meditation and forgetting," she responds not making eye contact.
"Forgetting?" I ask. "Forgetting what?"
Her smile dims. "Robin," she says. "I'm afraid." I drop to caution.
"Why?" I ask warily. 
"I'm afraid you'll hate me," she mumbles.
"Why would I hate you?" I vigilantly ask.
"Because..." she trails off and places her head on the crevice of my shoulder. I close my eyes.
Images.
Her childhood. She was born of devil's fire. Born with the DNA of the greatest demon, Trigon. Her mother fled, going to Azarath. Azarath was burned to the ground after the reading of the prophecy.
Her time at the Monks. Dropped there when she was a child. Living with men and women who preached, who meditated, and who controlled. Taking narcotics to stop her memory of the prophecy.
Her time as a superhero. Made a deal to change her life. Made a deal to be good.
Her relationships. Happiness she never had. Family she never had.
Slade. He destroyed the temple. He followed her. He brought her memories of her father, or her destiny.
Her prophecy. Born from fire, and meant to destroy, she will rule the world. She will be Trigon's hope in destruction. She is the cause of the end of the world.
Fire consumes each image. She's trying to forget. She's trying to forget everything.