Beast Boy screws up a mission and Robin gets him thrown out of the Titans, shortly after a new hero appears and saves the team from death. Who is he and why dose Raven feel like she knows him? I don't own the Teen Titans and for all you Robin fans be warned there will be a LOT of Robin bashing. Also, and I only add this because I know that there will be people who bring this up, the charater Claw is NOT a rip off of Red X, while I do grant you the two will be similar there are destinct diffrences between the two. Read and find out and if you still question the diffrence ask and I will explain, enjoy.
Claw
"Is she going to be okay?" Beast Boy asked as Cyborg looked Raven over. It had been a simple bank robbary by Dr. light, one that the Titans have handled hundreds of times, but his time was diffrent. At some point during the fight Beast Boy had gotten cocky and Light took aim at him, this in of itself wasn't out of the ordenary because Beast Boy was always over confident, but this time Light was ready for the changeling.
"Looks like you're not to bright!" Light laughed as he fired at Beast Boy. As the energy shot barreled towards him Beast Boy froze, every animal sense in him telling him to run but with so many voices yelling at once his body stalled, then it happened. Raven, completely forgeting about her own powers, ran up and pushed Beast Boy out of the way, puting her derectly in the line of fire.
The rest of the team all saw this and ran towards Raven to help, Cyborg examained her while Starfire and Robin finish taking down Dr. Light. "Cy, is is going to be okay right?" Beast Boy asked again, Cyborg tensed at his name being called by the little green twerp who let the girl he considered his little sister get hurt, "Cy?..." "Oh now you care?!" Cyborg roared as he turned around to face Beast Boy, who looked utterly shocked, "You just stood there like a deer in the freaking headlights and she had to push you out of the way! And now you ask if she's 'Okay'? Hell no she's not okay, she's in one of her healing trances because you froze!"
Beast Boy stepped back in shock and turned to the others for suport, instantly regreating it. Starfire was a mix of terrified for Raven and enraged at Beast Boy while Robin only glared at him. He walked over to Beast Boy, "Get to the tower, now." he said with descust. Beast Boy looked down as he shifted into a hawk and flew off.
It was half an hour later that the others walked into the tower, Cyborg and Starfire refused to even look at Beast Boy, who was sitting in the corner waiting quietly for what he knew was coming, they mearly carryed Raven to the med bay. Robin walked over and sat at the table stareing Beast Boy down like one would do to vermen the're about to rid themselves of.
For a long time the two sat like this, at opposite ends of the room, one despratly trying to avoid the other. "Beast Boy," Robin said darkly, "Come here." Beast Boy breathed deeply as he got up and walked towards Robin, ready for the worst, "Pack your things and leave," Robin said, "Which Titans are you transfering me to?" Beast Boy asked, Robin seemed to smerk as he said, "No Beast Boy, I mean get out, you are no longer one of us, no longer a Titan." Well almost ready, "What?!" Beast Boy all but shouted.
Robin put his hand on the table as he stood up, "Beast Boy you are poorly trained, never focused, you mess up or brake everything you touch and now you almost got one of us killed. You're not a hero, you're a burden and you won't drag down my team any more."
"What about Starfire and Cyborg?" Beast Boy yelled trying to gain ground, "There's no way.." "The desision was unanimus Garfield." Robin interuped, using his real name to drive the point home like a frate train. "Cyborg and Stafire both agreed, Raven even agreed when she came to. Cyborg had to use seditaves on her because of how much pain she was in."
Beast Boy fell to his knees as the information sunk in, no one wanted him around anymore. Not Cyborg, not Starfire, and espeshally not Raven. Beast Boy stood up and said, "I don't want anything, just burn it all." Beast Boy's voice was hollow and the look in his eyes looked almost dead, his ears drooped so low they rested on his shoulders. Taking out his comunicator he put it on the table and walked out.
Robin sneared at the reteating Beast Boy, happy with himself, 'Finally,' he thought to himself, 'That filth is out of my hair.' Just then the doors opened and Cyborg and Starfire walked in, "Well, she's stable," Cyborg sighed happily, "All that beam really did was knock her out, she'll be fine in about an hour." Starfire looked around and asked, "Robin, where is friend Beast Boy?" Cyborg straitened up a little and said, "Ya, I wanted to said sorry for blowing up at him like that." "I wish to do the aplogising as well." Star added
The look on Robin's face instantly went from smug to sad in an instant, "He's gone," he said quietly as he held out Beast Boy's comunicator, "I tried to stop him, to tell him it wasn't his fault but he said he couldn't take the pressure anymore. He said to do what we liked with his stuff and ran off before I could stop him."
Starfire gasped with her hands over her mouth while Cyborg slammed his fist on the table, denting it, "Damnit, I shouldn't have been so hard on him, it wasn't his fault he froze." Cyborg scolded himself. Starfire landed next to Robin and buried her face in his sholder as she cried her eyes out. Robin patted her on the back while in his mind he was smiling in delight. "Don't worry Star, I'm sure he'll come back." Robin lied, he knew that even though he had nowhere left to go he would never come back to the tower.
"What's going on here?" Raven asked as she walked into the room an hour later, holding her head, no body said a word. Raven walked over to the table and sighed, "Where's Beast Boy, off sulking because he had to be saved again?" Raven's eyes widdened at the feeling of overwelming sadness that suddenly filled the air, she looked up and found Starfire in tears and Cyborg balling up his fist and gritted his teeth, "There's something we have to tell you." Robin said
By the end of the explination Raven's face was pale as stone, "He... he's gone?" she asked unable to move, Robin gave a curt nod. This wasn't good, he needed at least one person on his side just incase the truth ever got out and he was counting on it being Raven. Beast Boy got under Raven's skin even more than his own so he was sure that she would be jumping for joy. He was wrong. He hated being wrong.
For a moment it looked as if Raven might join Starfire in histarial crying but insted she headed for the door, hell bent on finding the little green lovable anoyance. Robin grabbed her shoulder, "I don't think that it's a good idea to go look for him." Robin said sternly, "Who knows what he might do..." 'or say,' "... right now. It's best to just leave him be. If he can leave so easily then we're better off without him."
Everyone turned to Robin angrily but it only lasted a second, they really couldn't argue with that kind of logic, all exept Raven who only glared daggers at him before walking off to her room. She walked into her room and headed straight for her mirror, once in her mind she broke down and joined Timid in crying. Braveory and Anger paced around ranting about how he could leave so easily while Love and Happiness only held each other quietly. Even Knowlege was acting out of character, her books were scatered about her in heaps and Crass was cleaning up the mess that was being made by the others.
The only one who was still acting like herself was Wisdom, who was glaring at no one in particular. She was mulling over what Robin was saying and how he was acting. Wisdom started to trimble with anger as she said, "He was lying," that drew everyon's attention. Raven and all the other emotions walked ever to her, Wisdom was trying to hold back her anger as she said, "Robin, he was lying, he drove Beast Boy away."
"I'll kill him." Love and Timid said in unison, there eyes glowing red. Anger and Bravory looked at one another in shock before they grabbed and held the two down, "You took the words right out of my mouth but now's really not the time!" Bravory said to Love while Anger seemed to be struggling with Timid, "Calm the hell down child! You're not helping the situation!" Knowlege walked up to Wisdom and asked, "How do you know? Robin has never lied to us before." Wisdom sighed as she said, "I really can't prove it but I know it's true. Garfield wouldn't just abandon us like this, even if he did feel bad about what happened to us. He would try all the harder to make it up to us."
"We need to find him," Crass said with a lazy sigh, "We need to get the infromation strate from the green horse's mouth." Raven dried her tears and stood up in agreement. Only Beast Boy could do this to her, only Beast Boy could get her emotions to not only agree on anything, he got them to act so out of character. Timid still looked bloodthirsty and Crass was still cleaning the mess, Happiness was still sitting quietly and Love, after calming down, was still angry. Anger was the one that suprised her the most, despite her uncontrolable rage she was calmly helping Wisdom and Knowlege gather and control the others.
Garfield sighed as he flew into a back alley in the bad part of Jump City, he knew full well that a titan alone in this part of the city was a death sentence but he really did care, after all what did he really have left to live for. In a single day, in a single instant, he lost his home, his friends, and most importantly the love of his life.
No longer a titan he figured that 'Beast Boy' probably wouldn't be a good choice in names, so he was back to Garfield Logan. Luckily for him he had maintained his life for the last few years so it wasn't like he was starting from scrach, he had what he needed to get a job and enough saved to get an apartment, though not a good one.
Garfield carefully looked around and sniffed the area to make sure no one was around, when he was confedent no one was he reached down and pressed a hidden button on his belt, instantly the holoimage that Cyborg had built into it took effect. All the green on his body faded, his skin turned a healthy peach and his hair turned into a dirty blonde, the only green left on him was his eyes which stayed that rich jade they had always been. Grabbing the buckle and turning it slightly his jumpsuit turned into a pair of faded bluejeans and a purple V-neck shirt, his boots and gloves stayed the way they were. With a slight sigh Garfield walked out of the alley to start his new life.
Several weeks passed, Cyborg and Robin were playing video games in the common room while Starfire watched with mild interest. Raven was sitting in the corner reading her book. In the first week that Beast Boy left Raven never left her room, devoting all of her time to trying to find him by reaching out with her mind. Cyborg and Stafire would always check on her, try to get her to come out, but it wasn't until Robin himself came that she reallised her mistake.
Raven trully believed what Wisdom said. After the first day her emotions went back to normal, for the most part, but Wisdom held ferm to what she had said. So when Robin came knocking Raven knew that he was getting suspisious of why she was locking herself away. She didn't need that right now, if Robin got suspisious he might try to get rid her as well, so every time she said that she was meditating she was acually looking for Beast Boy. In truth the only reason she was reading in the first place was because she needed a break, she had scoured Jump City several times over but couldn't find a trace.
Although no one had said it the team had suffered greatly at the loss of the changeling. Not only was there more work for the teens now that they were down one teammate but with Beast Boy gone the villians seemed to be able to get the better of them more often. Even Control Freak and Killer Moth of all people were getting away. The common room was filled with red flashing lights, Robin ran to the computer and read the report. "It's Brother Blood," Robin said, "He's attacking down town, Titans go!"
The Titans got down town ready to fight only to find the battle was long over. All the robot guards, that now looked more like Blood than Cyborg, lay in scrap on a large pile. A lone figure sat atop the pile. He wore a long brown trench coat and combat boots, silver grey gloves and a black mask that covered his whole head, leaving only white where the eyes were. The figure turned to look at the Titans, his mask was marked with three white slash marks across it, he stood up and his coat swayed in the wind, reviling his black leather pants and a tight black shirt.
With a flick of his wrist four daggers flew out of his coat sleve and into his fingers, they were long and dark red with black markings on them. He threw them directly at the Titans, they jumped out of the way and the blades collided with there real targets, the Bloodbots the were atempting to suprise attack them. Blood jumped out of his hinding place and charged the man, who only jumped off the pile and spin kicked Blood in the face sending him crashing down in front of the Titans.
Blood glared at the man, his eyes glowing brightly as he attempted to take control over his mind. After his attempt failed Blood growled and started to teleport away, "I don't know who you are but I will find out and then I-" Blood was cut of by the man grabbing him by the throat and pinning him to a wall. He held up his left hand and long black talons grew out of his glove, right next to Blood's face. Raven could feel the fear flooding off of Blood but nothing from the man, she looked right at him, around him, threw him but felt nothing. 'Like he's just a hollow shell.' she couldn't help but think.
The talons suddenly disappeared as he drove his fist into Blood's stomach. Blood let out a gasp as his eyes glassed over and passed out. The man gently tossed Blood at there feet, the Titans stared at him and he stared back. The silence was heavy in the group when Raven took a step forward, there was something about him that she recognized, something that was drawing her towards him.
That single step forward was enough to cause him to run off, both Raven and Stafire in tow. He was faster than the two expected, easyily keeping just out of there grip and somehow able to sense where Raven was grabbing with her magic, but they were fast enough to keep up with him so that they never lost him for more than a split second. Starfire tried flying over the building to get ahead of him but found that she only lost him in the buildings so she stayed right next to Raven, it was very hard to fly around the buildings but it was the only way to follow him.
Raven grinned when she realised that they were catching up, he wasn't slowing down but they were getting the rythem of his movements. Suddenly he stopped dead and dashed into an alley, Starfire and Raven were going full speed and couldn't make the turn. By the time they got back to the alley he was gone, "Agh, he got way and we didn't even get his name," Raven growled in anger, Starfire gently tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Friend, that is not quiet true." Raven cocked an eyebrow at her until she pointed towards a wall, edged into it was a single word, "Claw?"
Back at the tower Robin was fumming, he had finally managed to rid himself of Beast Boy and now the team was starting to fail him, even worse was this new 'Hero' that stole the spotlight from him before they got to the scene. Robin's thoughts were cut off by Starfire and Raven walking in, "Did you find him?" He asked, trying not to let his vemon flow. "I am sorry Robin," Star said, "We have search the city many times and have come home the empty handed."
Robin growled and turned back to the the computer and brought up the video feed from down town around that time. It started out fairly basic, Blood and his Bloodbots apeared, over a hundred Bloodbots, and began ransacking the area. This went on for several minutes until a dagger shot threw one Bloodbot and into two others, directly behind Blood Claw jumped into view, landing on and smashing one more Bloodbot in the process.
Robin quickly turned on the audio when he saw Blood was about to start talking, "Well, well, what do we have here? A Titan wanna be or are you looking for enrollment in my school?" Claw said nothing, he only charged Blood. Blood backed away and let his robots handle it, Claw wasn't effected by this in the least. His talons extened from his hands and he quickly dispached the first fifty almost with one swipe. Claw jumped over the others and slam kicked Blood, who blocked the attack but was thrown back several feet.
Blood narrowed his eyes and cracked his neck before charging Claw, using his fist, feet and energy blasts but to no availe. For ten minutes the two exchanged blows with Claw quickly over powering him. Claw, while fighting defencifly, moved like he was made intirly of water, flowing in and around all of Blood's attacks, while on offence however he was like a wild fire, firce and everywhere, almost all consuming. With a foot sweep Blood found himself on the floor, it would have been over right then and there if not for the Bloodbots tackling Claw which allowed Blood a chance to slip away. Five more minutes passsed until the arivel of the Titans but it only took him four minutes to demolish the last of the Bloodbots and pile the scrap metal in a pile for the city to recycle.
Robin shut off the video feed and stormed off to his room to figure out who this guy could be. "Friend Raven, do you believe this Claw could be a new firend?" Starfire asked, Raven closed her eyes as she remembered the moment when she had examained him. She sighed and said, "I don't know Star, he acted like he was afriad of us but..." Starfire noticed that Raven had trailed off and said, "But?" Raven turned to Starfire and said, "I... feel like I know him." Raven suddenly sensed Robin approching, she grabbed Star's hand and teleported the two back to her room.
Once the two settled on Raven's bed Starfire asked, "What is it that makes you believe you know him?" "Honstly Star I have no idea," Raven said sadly, "I couldn't feel his emotions, it was like he was just a hollow shell, but something in me is telling me that I know him, that I can trust him."
Starfire's soft and slighlty confuesed smile turned into a glare in an instant, "Friend Raven, are you telling me that you have devoloped feelings for this masked man?" She asked as her eyes began to glow green, "I should hope that you are the joking. To discard Friend Beast Boy from your heart so quickly mearly because he is no longer present is most..." "It's not like that Starfire!" Raven yelled at the girl, her eyes glowing red.
Raven had told Starfire of her crush on Beast Boy a few weeks before this whole problem took place and the thought that her best friend could think so little of her pissed her off a little. Starfire blushed bright red at her misinturpitation and apologised. "It's alright Star, I understand how you could get confused, I don't even understand it." Raven said before sighing, "Maybe I'm just over thinking this, I shoud meditate." Starfire smiled softly, "I would very much like to join you friend."
The next day, Raven walked into the common and found Robin still stareing at the monitor as the video of Claw's fight still playing on a loop sequnce. Robin looked half dead, his hair was mattted and he was pale, his eyes fought to stay open but it was a losing battle. Raven could feel herself as well as her emotions smirk at his pittiful apperence and she was half tempted to leave him like this but she cared to much for Starfire to leave her boyfriend in this state.
"Robin, you look terrible," Raven said as she walked closer to him. Robin glared at her but in the state he was in it did very little, "Why don't you go to bed, I can tell just by looking at you that you need it." Robin stood up to say something but fell over in a dead sleep. "Moron." she hissed as she stepped over him. Raven sat at the monitor and was about to turn it off when the crime alarm went off. The screen flashed to a bank where Johnny Rancid and one of his robomutts was trying to tear open the bank vault.
Robin got up right as Cyborg and Starfire came running in, "Yo, what's happening?" Cyborg asked as he and Star helped to stedy Robin. "Johnny Rancid it trying to knock over a bank." Raven said calmly as she started to the door. Robin took one step forward before Raven stopped him with an aura sheild, "You are in no shape to fight Robin, you've been up all night and I dought very much that you can stay awake long enough to even get there. Starfire, please make sure he stays in bed." she said as she walked out the door with Cyborg.
Robin growled slighly as Starfire helped him to his room, how dare her presume to order him around. 'Maybe I should get ride of her like I did Beast Boy,' he thought to himself before disregarding it, 'no, she's acually worth something. Raven can still be of use to me so for the time being she can stay.' With that Robin fell asleep in Starfire's arms.
Raven and Cyborg arrived on scene and was emediatly met with Rancid tearing apart the bank vault, "Ha, only the two of you today, what bird boy and the orange chick getting in on or something? and where's the green twerp?" he sneared. "Like we need Beast Boy, Robin and Star to beat your sorry butt." Cyborg said as he charged him. Rancid's robomutt suddenly jumpped out and swallowed Cyborg whole. Raven reached into it using her powers to drag Cyborg out, he shuddered being covered in motoroil and drool.
"Maybe Beast Boy had the right idea," Cyborg shuttered as he wiped the last of the drool off, "Maybe eating nothing but meat isn't a good thing." The robomutt took several long strides back towards Cyborg, licking it's metal lips eagerly. "Aw man, why's it keep coming after me?!" Cyborg yelled as he stared running. The robomutt only made it two steps before it was smashed in the head by Claw.
Rancid darkly laughed as he said, "Aw yeah, now I can cut loose!" he suddenly burst with mystic energy, taking the same form he did when he stole 'Larry's' power. Pulling out his laser guns, Rancid fired off several shots at Claw. Claw drew one of his daggers and deflected the shots and even sent several back.
Raven and Cyborg attempted to assised Claw but all it did was draw rancid's attention. He blasted at them like they were flys that were annoying him. Claw moved faster than anyone thought posible as he suddenly appeared in front of Raven to protect her from the blast. Raven sat wide eyed when she saw that one of the eyes in the mask had been ripped off, showing a deep green.
Angry that he was being ignored, Rancid jumped onto his robomutt, which turned into something like a motorcycle, and charged the three, "Did you freaks forget about me?!" Rancid roared. Claw stood up strait and did something that suprised them, he spoke, "Get down and don't move." he said in a low voice, lower than she thought it should be. Claw removed his trench coat, showcasing all his stringy but thick mucles, grew his talons and held his arm back, poised to strike. As Rancid was barrling towards them Raven heard something like a mix between a snap and a crack, Claw suddenly slashed forward causing the muttbike to be demolished in an instant.
Rancid's real bike exploded from the robot and cought him as he was falling. With 'Larry's' power flowing threw it it started flying, "I'm outta here!" Rancid yelled as he flew away. Claw held two of his talons up again and with another *crasnap*, drove his hand forward and demolished the bike like it was nothing. Claw jumped into the air and grabbed Rancid by his arms, slamming him into the ground and pinning him there. Four metal rods suddenly implanted themselves next to Rancid's limbs and bent over them to where he couldn't move.
Cyborg walked up to Claw, he was about to run when Cyborg quickly said, "Whoa, hey now, we just want to talk, no need to run off." Claw stopped but remained tenst, ready to run off at a moments notice. "Lets start off with introduction, I'm Cyborg, and this is Raven," he gestured to Raven who was stareing right at him, trying despratly to figure out who he is. "Look, I don't know if you have any prior comintments but we would like you to come back to Titan Tower with us, maybe join us as a Titan?"
Raven felt a flood of emotion flash threw Claw, it was quick but she feel sorrow, joy, lonelyness and fear, all of which dissappeared just as quickly as they had come. Claw's eye shimmered as he thought about the proposition. After a moment he reached up to the top of his mask, "I'd love nothing more..." Claw said, his eyes suddenly narrowed and turned icy, "... but I can't, I'm sorry." Claw suddenly pulled out a smoke pellet and threw it to the ground.
Once the smokescreen cleared Claw was gone and so was his jacket and all the daggers he had used. Raven was sure of it now, she still didn't know who he was but she knew that she knew him, the feel of his emotions was something that she recognised. Little did either one know was that there was someone else there watching, a one eyed man in a black and copper mask. "He sertanly has quite a bit of skill, he will make a fine aprintice."
Back at the tower, Raven and Cyborg walked threw the door right as Robin, who still looked half dead, burst threw the door way, "He was there, Claw, and you didn't wake me!" he growled, Starfire suddenly burst in front of him, "You were and still are in need of rest!" she retorted pushing him back to his room, "He's trying to make a mockary of the Titans!" Robin yelled. "No he is not Robin." Raven growled, "Yeah dude chill, he's just trying to help, he even saved us today!" Cyborg said in his 'big brother' voice. Robin looked like he was going to contenue to agrue but he was out numbered so he just hung his head and walked back to his room.
Over the next few weeks Claw would appear either right before or during whatever fight the Titans were in the middle of. Raven couldn't help but wonder why Claw never spoke after that day but she played it off as just part of his personality. His fighting style was farly simple but also very strange, he would suddenly show up (unless he was already there) and use a wide array of fighting moves that even Robin was impressed with, then quickly run off.
Claw also had deadly accuacy with his daggers, every blade hit it's mark every time without fail. From what Raven could tell he only had ten of thoughs daggers at any one time, every time he would use one he would always retreave it after the fight.
Within the tower Raven was going out of her mind, not only was Robin being more of an ass than he usually is but the stress of not being able to find Beast Boy was begining to get to her. Raven sighed and leaned back on her bed after yet another failed attempt at finding him, 'W-What if he l-left Jump City?' Timid squecked, Knowlege's voice rang out as she said, 'There is no need for you to panic Timid, although we can not find him, his energy still flows threw our home, he is still in Jump City.' Crass yawned as she said, 'You need to take a break girl, outside the tower.' Wisdom quickly agreed, 'That dose sound like a good idea, why don't you go down to that diner down town.'
Raven jumped off her bed and quickly changed her clothes. She slipped on a purple long sleeve and a green v-neck shirt over it, the shirt said 'Save the world, eat a vegetarian' on it, her pants were black hip huggers with small holes cut at the knees and a small slice up at the heels. Raven slipped on a pair of purple Vans with a black raven on them along with a silver belt that hung off her hip much like her regular belt did, her wallet hung off a chain that lead to her back pocket. Raven also wore the holoring that Cyborg had devoloped so that they could have a normal life when the mood struck them, her purple hair turned black and she lost the grey tone in her skin.
Raven passed threw the common room and receved a whistle from Cyborg, "Yo girl, where you going all pimped out like that?" he asked, "Off to see some of my man whores about some money they owe me," she sarcasticaly responded. "Please friends, what is this 'whore of the man' of which you speak?" Starfire asked inocently, all three titan turned to her at the same time, Cyborg opened his mouth to speak but Robin cut him off, "Don't you dare." In the midst of the confusion Raven slipped out.
(AN: Sorry, real quick, the diner I'm describing is indeed real, I acually used to work there, some of the people also exist. No this is not just me trying to drum up buissiness, I loved the place and the people I worked with. They are fun characters all alone and I just wanted to share them with you. The names of the people have been changed to protect their identitys as well as my own butt.)
After a short fly Raven found herself reading the sign on the diner, "Olmos Pharmacy?" The moment she walked threw the door Raven was greeted by a, "Welcome, have a seat where ever you like!" from a woman who looked like she just walked out of a 1950 diner poster. She had her dark blone hair up in a neat bun and had four or five pens stuck in it, she wore a knee length skirt with a waist apron over it, her shirt proudly desplayed the name of the diner on it.
"Hello, my name's Jade," she beamed as she handed Raven a menu, "What would you like to drink?" Raven glanced at the menu for a second before she said, "You wouldn't happen to have herbal tea would you?" "I don't know dear, let me ask." she said as she walked off, Raven watched her as she walked around the counter and said, "Hey Garfield," Raven's heart stopped, "Do you know if we have any herbal tea?"
A blonde haired boy walked out from behind a wall carring a wash tub full of dirty dishes from the kitchen to be washed, "I don't think so Jade," he said with his green eyes glittering in thought. Raven felt like she was going to explode with joy, there was no dought in her mind that was Beast Boy, HER Beast Boy. "I could get one of Clark's orange or earl grey teas from the back though."
Jade walked back to the table and said, "We don't have any herbal tea but we do have earl grey and orange tea if you like..." Just then Garfield run up and said, "Good news, I found some green tea hidden in the earl grey." Raven smiled warmly at him and said, "That will be fine, thank you." Garfield grinned as he handed the packet to Jade and went back to washing the dishes, Raven turned to Jade and asked, "Who is he?"
Jade looked back at Garfield then turned back to Raven with a knowing smile and a mistevious glint in her light green-brown eyes, "Cute isn't he? His name is Garfield, he just stared a few weeks ago." "Do you know what time he gets off?" Jade's eyes narrowed slightly as she asked, "You're not a stalker are you?" Raven turned to her quickly in suprise, Jade grinned lightly, "Don't give me that look, we've already had to deal with that once." Raven laughed lightly as she said, "Don't worry I'm not, I think I might know him. He remindes me of an old friend that I haven't seen in what feels like forever."
With a slight nod Jade said, "He gets off at 3, I'll tell him..." "No don't," Raven said with a playfully evil grin, "I want to suprise him, he always did scare easily." Jade nodded and left to make Raven her tea. Raven watched her dance off, literally, and stiffled a laugh when she heard her start to sing along really well with the song playing over the radio.
Raven only had to wait twenty minutes for Garfield to walk out of the building, he happily walked passed her and said, "Hello." Raven smerked and said, "Hello Beast Boy." Garfield stopped dead in his tracks, he sniffed the air carefully before he sighed and said, "How did you find me?" Raven stared at him in the eyes as she said, "It wasn't easy I'll tell you that, you can be a very hard man to find if you want to be." Up close Raven realized that Garfield had grown taller in his absense and was growing stubble.
Raven's exprestion suddenly turned serious as she said, "Garfield, you and I need to talk." Garfield sighed as he nodded in agreement, "You're right but its alittle to open out here... how about we talk at my place?" Gar started to walk off with Raven in tow. "You have your own place?" she asked, he nodded and said, "Ya but it's across town so we're gonna have to fly." When he finished speaking he shifted into a crow and flew off.
Even flying it took twenty minutes for Garfield to land, in one of the worst parts of Jump City. He shifted back and a sperrow landed on his shoulder tweeting happily. "Thanks for the up date, I'll put out some more food when I get up." Garfield said, the bird tweeted once more and flew off. "What was that all about?" Raven asked
Garfiled laughed lightly as he said, "Me and the neiborhood birds have an agreement, if they look out for my apartment for me while I'm gone I leave out food for them and keep the cats away." Just then a tomcat jumpped infront of them and hissed, almost like it was challlenging him. Garfield shot him a slight glare and the cat slowly backed down and ran off.
The two walked up three flights of stairs before he walked up to a door, "Here we are, home sweet hell." Gafield said as he opened his door. It was a one room apartment, his bed on one corner and a computer desk and TV in two others, right by his door was an old green armchair with a hanging bookshelf, which was full of books, right above it. Garfield walked up to his dresser, which was pressed up against the head of his bed, and pulled out a bag of bird seed from the bottom drawer.
"Kinda small isn't it?" Raven asked, Garfield laughed and said, "For 150 dollars a month it's not bad." Raven looked around again and said, "There's no bathroom or kitchen." "Both comunal. my closet has tolet paper and my shampoo." he laughed.
After filling the feeder Garfield walked back to his chair and collapsed across it, "So what do you want to talk to be about?" he asked in a tired voice. Raven eyed him carefully before saying, "You know very well what I'm here to talk to you about." Garfield's eyes turned to stone as he spoke, "I guess I do, look Raven I know I messed everything up, like i do everything, thats why I left without putting up a fight. When Robin told me that it was a unanimus desision that I should be removed from the Titans I... I just couldn't find it in me to fight it."
'I knew it!' Wisdom shouted in Raven's mind, Raven brushed it off and started to talk when her comunicator went off. Robin was on the screen, "Raven we have trouble down town, it's Slade, hurry." he said as the screen went blank. Raven turned to Garfield and said, "The teams needs us come on Beast Boy." Garfield shook his head and said, "He called for you not me, you go. I'll be here when you get back if you still want to talk." Raven stared at him for a moment before she grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward, kissing him right on his lips, "You're damn right I do, don't you dare go anywhere."
Raven flew off and quickly found the Titans locked in battle with several roboninjas, Robin himself was fighting against Slade. Raven blasted Slade away along with most of the roboninjas, "If you don't mind I do have other plans right now." she growled. Slade mearly laughed and said, "Sorry to interupt your plans but I needed you Titans to act as bait." Slade ran forward and atempted to spin kick Raven only to be drop kicked into a building by Claw.
Claw turned to Raven and she seemed to know what he was thinking, "I'm fine, he didn't hit me." Claw nodded then drew his daggers and began to attack the roboninjas, unfortunatly there were more than they could handle. Claw was doing a good job taking them down with the Titans but it was becoming obvious that they were fighting a losing battle. A yell drew Claw's attention behind him, Slade had gotten out of the building, snuck up behind Raven and grabbed her. "I think it's about time we had a little talk," He said calmly, Claw drew a dagger and was about to attack when Slade pressed a knife against Raven's neck, drawing blood, "Ah ah, none of that, if you try anything she dies."
A dark growl came from Claw as he threw his dagger into the ground several feet away, Slade grinned under his mask and said, "That's a good boy, I've been needing a new aprinctice for some time now and so far you have shown the most promise. Heres the deal, you remove your mask and you and I leave Jump City, if you do this I won't harm the Titans, if you don't they die right here."
Narrowing his eyes angrily Claw reached up, Slade suddenly yelled, "And no smoke bombs," he stopped for a second then reached further back and unclasped it, unzipping it slightly. Raven felt a presents press against her mind, 'Raven, when I toss my mask off, sheild your eyes.' Before she had time to question it Claw grabbed the top of his mask and slowly pulled it off.
The first thing anyone saw was the forest green skin of his neck, then the emerald hair that hung low on his head, and lastly was his jade eyes stareing darkly into Slade's. Standing before Slade and the Titans was Garfield. Slight stubble was on his face and his teeth were much sharper but for the most part Garfield was just the way the Titans remembered him with one major exepteion, his eyes were sharper and slite, giving him a slighly feral look in them.
Slade's eye narrowed slightly as he said, "Well this was unexpected but oh welll... toss your mask to me and we can go." Garfield nodded slightly as he tossed his mask into Slade's hand, only after did Slade realised that the mask was beeping. In a flash the mask exploded, Raven used this chance and teleported away.
Slade swad slightly as he tried to regain his vision however the familiar wistle of a dagger being thrown caught his ear, he easily got out of the way but with a *Crasnap* the dagger suddely changed direction and embedded itself in his shoulder. "ARGH!" Slade roared as he yanked it out, his vision cleared and the first thing he saw was a flash of green uppercut him with a force plam. Garfield pulled his arm back, *Crasnap* and punched Slade in the stomach, sending him barroling into several buildings. Garfield ran off after Slade and quickly tied him up with rope from his coat.
Garfield walked back to the others, dragging Slade with him. Robin, in all his anger, started to back away only to be blocked by a wall of dark aura. "Going some where Robin?" Raven hisssed, Robin narrowed his eyes and was about to respond when she encased him in a bubble and flew him back to the others.
"Yo BB where ya been man?" Cyborg beamed as he grabbed his little buddy and crushed him in a bear hug, Starfire grabbed them both and hugged them even harder than Cyborg, "Oh yes Friend Beast Boy we have done much of the missing you sense you left us!" 'I left you?' Garfield thought as he saw Raven bringing Robin back in a bubble, his eyes narrowed as the pieces all fell into place. As hard as Garfield was glaring at Robin, Robin was glaring just as hard at him.
Garfield's glare disappered as he happily chirped, "Aw come on Rea, let Robin go, Slade's tied up so it's not like you need to hold him down." Both Raven and Robin were so shocked by this that neither noticed that Cyborg suggested pizza to celibrate. "You two go ahead, Rob, Rea and I will wait for the police to get the slade robot."
"Slade robot?" Cyborg asked as he poked the man in ropes, knocking the face plate loose and dropping onto the floor. Before Cyborg could even ask Garfield spoke, "I could hear all the gears in the chasy, plus he moved to slowly and didn't try to defent himself when my mask exploded." Cyborg was obviously confused but brushed it off quickly and said, "Whatever man, see you at the pizza place in ten!"
Garfield turned to Robin and just staired at him for a moment with a very serious glare. After a long uncomfortable silence, Robin suddenly snapped, "Well, aren't you going to say anything?" Raven turned to Garfield some what curious about what he had planned, he simply closed his eyes and said, "Poor Starfire, when she hears about what kind of man you really are she's going to be beside her self."
Robin's eyes widdened in shock and rage coupled with slightl worry, he may be a lying, power hungry jackass but his feelings for Starfire were genuen. Garfield walked over to Raven as he contenued, "*SIGH* she just might in up leaving and going home to tamaran." Robin visably flinched. "Then there's Cyborg, no way he'll follow someone who would lead his best friend into thinking he wanted him gone, he just wouldn't trust him." Garfield gently wrapped his arms aound Raven, she smiled at his touch but was still confused as to where he was going with all this. "And lets not forget Raven, who at this exact moment is probally plotting a way to torcher you in the most inhuman way phisically posible. "
Robin started to bite his lip in worry as the consequises of his actions started to sink in. Garfield let go of Raven and walked over to the quivering mass before him and said, "Bottem line Robin is that if this gets out you will have done what no villian as ever been able to do, you will have destroyed the Teen Titans." Hearing that Robin jumpped up and said, "N-no, no it's okay... I-I can fix this! I just need to... I mean we... I..."
Robin was on the verge of hyperventilating when Garfield grabbed his lips and growled, "Calm down bird brain, I'm going to fix this." Apon hearing this Robin smiled in releaf and Raven stompped over and grabbed Garfield by his ear, "Gar, a moment please" she hissed as she dragged him off.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? After all the hell he's put us threw you're just going to let him go, just like that?!" Garfield rubbed the ear that she almost pulled off and said, "Listen Rae, like it or not this is the way it has to be. If the truth ever got out it would destroy our team. I don't like it either but if we want our family to stay togeather, this has to remain a secret." "So Robin just gets off scott free, just like that?" she hissed, Garfield smiled a fanged smile as he said, "Well I wouldn't say that."
The two walked up to Robin, who was smiling smugly at them thinking he was untouchable. "Well Robin, Raven and I have come to an agreement about what we're going to do." "And that is?" he taunted knowingly. 'Thats right, keep smiling you smug piece of sh-' Raven's thoughts were cut off by Garfield saying, "There are two conditions of your punishment. The first is that your turn over the title of leader over to Cyborg."
Robin's smug look vanished instantly and was replaced by an enraged scoul, "Why the hell should I do that?!" "Because anyone who would lie to there teammates just to get rid of someone they don't like shouldn't be leading." Raven growled, her eyes glowing an omonis red, Robin however didn't back down, "And if I don't?" Garfield stepped forward with sheet of paper and began reading from it, "Aqua Lad, Hot Spot, Speedy, Jericho, Herald, Thunder, Lighting, Red Star..." Garfield looked up to a confused Robin and said, "These as just a few of the many guys who asked me or Raven for Star's number after we fought the Botherhood of Evil. Even if Star were to be heart broken over your betral I'm sure we could find someone better for her."
The look on Robin's face was just priceless, he was acually turning so red that he was purple. After a few moments he dropped his head and said, "What am I going to tell the others, they are going to ask questions." Garfield narrowed his eyes as he said, "You can say it's for personal reasons, or we can tell them what thoughs reasons are." Robin glared savagly "I... accept. What is the second condition?" With out warning Garfield punched him in his jaw, dislocating it along with knocking out a few teeth, "That is the second condition, that's for all the hell you put Raven threw." Garfield said as he gently took Raven's hand and walked off, as she walked off Raven blew up the Slade robot.
A little while later Cyborg's laugheder could be heard bellowing out of the pizza place. "Slade blew up right in Robin's face?!" "It is not funny friend Cyborg," Starfire protested, "Oh Raven could you not do the healing of him?" Raven sighed as she said, "Star, this is him after I healed him. It's like with his arm, it just needs to mend on it's own." Robin growled slighltly as he eyed the pizza on his plate, trying to figure out how to take a bite without hurting his jaw.
"So B," Cyborg said as he swallowed his slice whole, "I gotta ask, what's with the knifes man?" Garfield laughed slightly and said, "First off Cy, I think I'm going to stick with Claw, I've been in need of an image update for like three years now. Second they're african daggers." Garfield drew a dagger and showed it to them all, "I grew up in upper Lumumba, my parents were friends with the local tribe. We lived in there village for several years and the chief taught me how to use and throw them."
"What about your long black talons or this new ability of your friend?" Starfire asked. Garfield put his dagger away and grew his talons, "Sort of a side effect of the beast in me, he and I sorta worked out an arangement of compromise. We meet in the middle, he lets me use his strength and form and in return I... well I gave up on being a vegan."
"And that new ability?" Raven asked with a raised eyebrow. Garfield laughed as he scratched the back of his head, "That's acually the tricky part..." he said with a sweatdrop, "It's something I discovered after the beast and I worked our problems out. I can cross my animal forms and use the abilitys from each. For instance I could take my tiger form for it's strength but add an eagles wings for flight. To that end I crossed the beast's strenght with the ability of the the pistol shrimp. (AN: this animal dose exist, I don't know if this is it's acual name but it really dose this.) A pistol shrimp has an over sized, overly devoloped claw that it clicks togeather so quickly that it creats a shockwave that stuns there prey. Beast strength plus shockwave equals a force blast, depending on how much force and how big a point I use is how large the force blast is."
"You know what I still don't understand," Cyborg said as he leaned back in his chair, which groaned in protest to that much weight shifting all at once, "Why on earth whould Robin of all people give up being our leader, dude lives for the job." Robin visibly flinched at this, seeing this and the look on starfire's face Garfield sighed to himself and said "From what I hear ol Rob's been trying to be a better boyfriend to you know who, he knew that being a leader for the team would always be at the front of his mind so he deligated it to someone more suited for multi tasking."
Raven gave Garfield a side look to him, he mearly smiled and motioned with his head to Starfire who was glowing with happiness as she did her best not to snap Robin in half. 'Don't you think it's worth a little irritation to see her that happy?' Garfield mouthed, Raven smiled and nodded in agreement. Raven leaned over and gave him a kiss on his lips causing shock and aw to the other three. "You Mr. Logan owe me some alone time." Raven said as she teleported them away. Cyborg was the first to speak, "Uh... did eather of you two know about this?" Robin shock his head but Starfire nodded happily as she drenched another slice in mustard.