The Man in the Iron Mask

A modernized version of Alexander Dumas' tale, based off the book and the screenplay by Randall Wallace. Power ruled, injustice reigned, and a tyrant took whatever he desired. He thought no one could replace him, but he was wrong…

They that flame shall be ignored; so don't even try it. This is a modern version of the story and the cast is as follows:

Red X is King Louis XIV
Robin is Phillipe
Raven is Aramis
Beast Boy is Porthos
Starfire is Athos
Aqualad is D'Artagnan
Speedy is Raul
Terra is Christine
Blackfire is Queen Anne (Starfire and Blackfire will not be related in this story)
Jinx is the Governor/ Warden of the Bastille Baisemeaux
Cyborg is Lieutenant André
Gizmo and Mammoth are the King's advisors
The Tower is the Bastille (in this story they'll have headquarters somewhere else)

That's all I have to say so, have fun! Tell me what you think of it. I tried this before with another story, but everyone ignored me. But that was a long time ago so now that I've been here awhile I think y'all will review me. Seeing the success of Blond Shadowcat's Teen Titans version of The Phantom of the Opera inspired me to do something similar, but different. This is set in modern time so it'll be a little different. This is set in modern times so there are cars and computers and stuff like that. The story remains the same though, for the most part.

Chapter One: Imprisoned

A warm breeze blew across his face as a 15 year old named Robin quietly sat outside his house enjoying the warm weather. He as quietly studying some homework his mother had given him. They lived out in the country, away from the bustling metropolis known as Jump City in the countryside of a province called Soto located in a small but very proud country called Markovia. He didn't quite understand why, but he like his simple life, although his family rarely received any visitors.

He sighed in frustration. His parents insisted he become an educated person, although he had no idea why because he knew he wasn't smart enough to attend a university. This is ridiculous, he thought, setting down his books and papers.

He jumped to his feet as he heard his father's voice shout something urgently. Running towards the house, he soon spotted his father and his mother talking in hushed, urgent voices.

"What will I tell her Majesty the Queen? Should I some random breeze blew her letter smack dab into the well?" John asked urgently.

"Isn't that the truth?" Mary asked.

"Of course it is! But who will believe me?" John asked. What if she thinks I gave it to someone—one of her enemies, perhaps? Can you imagine what she would do to us then?"

"Knowing her, that's not a good thing," Mary replied.

The Queen, like the Queen of Markovia? What are they talking about? Robin wondered. Something was going on, and he was going to find out what it was. He watched and waited for answers. What was in this letter that was so dangerous to his parents' lives?

"We need to find someone to get that letter out of the well. Someone who can't read, can you think of anyone?" While his parents came up with a name Robin decided to see what this letter was about as they ran off to get him.

Sprinting over to the well, he peered down, sure enough; there was a piece of paper with writing on it. Carefully climbing down, he snatched up the letter as quickly as possible. Scrambling as carefully as he could, he climbed out clutching the letter.

Heading back to his bench, he began to read the soggy letter. The letter was wet but not bad enough that it had washed away the ink. Robin couldn't believe what he was reading. It had to be some kind of joke. He couldn't take it seriously could he?

According to the letter, he was some kind of high born nobleman of some sort. And the people he knew to be his parents were not his birth parents at all. They were noble like he was, although a considerably lower rank than him. They had treated him like he was their son, although they had first taken him out of loyalty to the Queen.

Robin heard some noises, peering around the corner from where he sat; he saw his father and his mother returning with the workman. "It's all wet here. Someone must have climbed in and taken it out of the well."

"But who could have…" His father's voice trailed off. He stared off in Robin's direction, their eyes meeting despite the fact that he was half hidden around the corner.

"Robin," his father called, "Come here." Robin got up from his seat and walked over to them. His mother returned to the house and the workman left, puzzled but uncurious about the strange events which had transpired.

He stood before his father as the man began to pace up and down the yard. Robin shifted uncomfortably until he couldn't stand it. The unhappy look on his father's face made him uneasy. He decided to break the silence. "So you aren't really my father, are you?"

"No Robin, I am not your father, but I have come to love you as if you were my son. Your mother loves you though she isn't your real mother."

"I see. So who are my real parents?" he asked.

"I can't tell you, it is better if you don't know who your parents are," John said simply.

Over the next few days Robin had pestered his father for more information about his true parents but the more he insisted the more his father refused to tell him. He told him to just forget about it completely. In time, Robin began to think about doing just that.

What was the point? Most kids his age would have loved the idea of being royalty or being rich, but not him. He enjoyed his simple life too much. Why would he want to be some snotty royal anyway? Just the thought of it made him feel even happier with his life as it was.

About a week after he had fished the letter out of the well, Robin finished his daily farm chores and went to pick apples from his parents' orchard. Wiping the dirt off his jeans, he scrambled up a tree and picked one of the ripe apples off the branch.

Climbing down, he sat beneath the tree to enjoy the fruit. Chewing contentedly, he watched the birds as they flew through the trees. Hearing the noise of a car, he jumped up. His parents usually didn't receive many visitors so he was surprised.

Running up to a nearby tree, he peaked out from behind it. He was surprised to see a group of cars at his front door. That's strange. He suddenly had a bad feeling, a very bad feeling. Something was wrong. He began running towards his house. His parents were in danger.

Suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed him. "Let go of me!" he shouted. He struggled hard to break the person's grasp. He whirled around punching hard. The figure staggered back but Robin felt a dark aura surround him and throw him into a wall.

Breathless, he tried to rise to his feet when he was seized by two figures in dark uniforms.

"Do you have him?" a voice asked.

"He's right here," another replied.

"Good," something was forced against his mouth. His hands were held back firmly so he couldn't claw the wet cloth away from his mouth. He began to feel lightheaded and dizzy. A strange scent with the hint of meadow flowers filled the caverns of his brain. Unconsciousness fell over him like a dark curtain and he blacked out. Just before the darkness took him he realized this had something to do with the Queen's letter. Now he wished with his entire being that he had left it floating at the bottom of the well.

"Take him to the Tower," a dark figure in a blue cloak replied.

"As you wish Raven," the darkly dressed Titan replied.

"The King himself ordered this," she said as they dragged a limp Robin to the car. They drove him to the Tower, Jump City's notorious prison. Once you went in, you never got out. Ever.

Robin suddenly woke up, looking around, he didn't recognize his surroundings. The place where he was made him nervous, guards had a hold of his hands and wrists so he couldn't move.

"Hey, what's going on here? What did I do wrong?" he asked his captors. They said nothing. He struggled as someone pulled his head back, forcing him to stare up at the ceiling.

He struggled but it was no use. A cold, hard mask was forcibly placed over his face, concealing it completely. "Uggh!" he shuddered at the cold feeling against his skin.

The Warden, Jinx could only stare dispassionately at the prisoner. "Take him to the lowest level of the Tower."

"No! No! What's happening? What have I done?" Robin pleaded with the Warden. "There must be a mistake! I've done nothing wrong. My name is Robin and I live in a country house in the province of Soto. I haven't broken any laws! Please!" His blue eyes pleaded for mercy.

"You are Prisoner number 4-6-3-8-9000. Take this lunatic away," she turned and walked away. The guards roughly dragged Robin through the prison down to his cell. Throwing him in, they locked the doors behind him.

Kneeling on the floor, he clawed at the hideous contraption that hid his face. It was hot inside the mask and it felt horrible too. He pulled and struggled and tried with all his might to pull the mask off. But it was no use. It still remained.

Robin began pounding his head on the floor, banging it in hopes that the hard floor might shatter it. He ran his head into the wall, trying to break the hideous contraption. He ran and placed his hands on the barred window. "What have I done? What crime have I committed?" he shouted. No one heard him, and if they did they didn't care.

"Please," he pounded on the door. "I've done nothing wrong!" Still there was silence. Robin waited for many hours, pacing to and fro, hoping someone would come and tell him there had been some mistake and he could go free. But none came.

He stared down at the watch on his wrist; it was a special gift from his parents. They were very poor and couldn't afford much, but they had given it to him for his 15th birthday. It was 8:00 at night. He had only been there for six hours. Surely they would release him soon.

Unexpectedly, the door swung open. A man with a tray of food came in. "It's about time! There must be some mistake. I have committed no crime against anyone. If I could speak to the Warden or the Governor—"

"Quiet scum!" the burly man said. "Here is food. Eat!" The man struck him, groaning Robin fell to his knees. The jailer placed the food on the floor and gave the platter a contemptuous kick, spilling some of its contents on the dirty cell floor.

Robin scrambled to pick up the contents of the platter. Placing some of it in his mouth he gagged at the tastelessness of it. He forced himself to keep eating. After he was finished, he walked to the window, actually it was placed high on the wall; there was something like steps which he scrambled up.

Pressing his face against the bars, he caught a glimpse of the moon. He stared out sadly, the realization hitting him that he might be in the cell for a long time. Tears streamed down his face. He could only stare out at the water lapping beneath his cell window and the bright moonlight, and weep.

Raven Roth, a Titan, a protector of the esteemed monarch Red-X XIV stood silently as the prisoner was dragged away. "Forgive me," she whispered. "One day, you shall be restored…" She turned around and walked out of the Tower, her blue cloak swirling around her.