Disclaimer: I do not own, nor have I ever owned nor will I ever own any Marvel or DC character. I am not writing this story for any financial reason or gain and am simply writing it for my own enjoyment and hopefully the enjoyment of others.
Author's Note: Anything changed or out of place has been altered because that's the way I want it my fanfic not yours…Also please read ALL of the first chapter before reviewing. Thank You. Secondly This is (how should I put this) a Test story I suppose 1 to see how this site works and 2 to see where I stand as a writer. If you review above all other things please BE HONEST...if it is good tell me and I will continue if it is bad I would like to know, that way I don't flood this site with my other fanfics.
The Illuminati sat in council in a secluded chamber of Stark Tower. Black Bolt (King of the Inhumans), Iron-Man (Tony Stark), Strange (Sorcerer Supreme), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Professor Charles Xavier (Founder of the X-Men) and Namor (King of Atlantis) these are the members of the Illuminati, these were the people who thought they were smart enough to play God. They were all united here for a sole purpose, The Incredible Hulk had just devastated Las Vegas and they were going to do something about it. Iron-Man spoke first "I propose we isolate him somehow until we can find a suitable cure for our dear friend 's condition."
Namor looked a little sickened at the prospect and quickly shot back "He's our friend and ally not some disease or menace we should throw away and quarantine." Mr. Fantastic spoke quickly in succession "On the contrary his Hulk persona has caused more damage to the United States alone than most wars his alternate persona IS a menace Namor and until we can find a way to get rid of it he must be dealt with" finished Reed decisively. Black Bolt conveyed his thoughts onto the telepathic link Xavier had open to all of them just to accommodate him 'perhaps through our combined efforts we can find a cure NOW instead of later individually we have all failed…but together I believe this time tomorrow our friend could very well be sitting with us in this very room' he conveyed calmly.
A long silence followed Black Bolts statement as they each contemplated what had been placed before them Iron-Man stood and spoke breaking the tense silence "All in favor of finding a PERMANENT solution right now before this night is over for our dear friend raise your hand" he said solemnly. The vote was unanimous they were going to help their friend Dr. Bruce Banner once and for all.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Garfield Mark Logan, better known as Beast Boy, rarely had to be woken up by his alarm as most of his animal instincts had him up and about well before noon. Today however was an exception as yesterdays 'training' session had been held over several more hours than usual since Robin felt like they had all fallen into too much of a comfortable routine. Beast Boy grumbled and rolled over slamming his alarms snooze button and glaring at the electronic numbers being displayed 'Dude 11:48 in the morning I'll never get to sleep tonight' he groaned. Having nocturnal animal instincts could be such a pain sometimes.
'Well Robin hasn't breached my room like a SWAT team on crack yet so that must mean were having a slow day or he wore himself out yesterday…or Starfire wore him out last night' he snickered to himself. It was no secret after they had gotten back from Tokyo they had both been actively dating as if there were no tomorrow, also not a secret was that their patrols often turned into something much more enjoyable. He rolled out of his bottom bunk and avoided smacking his head on the bunk above him after years of being used to it.
He quickly stretched and yawned loudly, then not missing a beat searched through a nearby drawer to find the mornings usual supplies. After his shower and other preparations he donned his never changing super hero garb and went to stand in front of his mirror as he was accustomed to doing each and every day. Unlike everyone around him believed he wasn't nearly the super hyper always happy person he pretended to be. He wasn't overly sad or happy he was just normal he just pretended to be so happy because that was his job in his mind. 'Keep your friends and family happy if their happy your happy comedy makes people happy so that's what I'm gonna get good at making people laugh' he remembered that thought so long ago when it originated in his Doom Patrol days.
He had simply been the clown so long it was almost who he actually was, almost he was so good at hiding it too even Raven didn't know or at least he expected she didn't or she would have said something to him by now. He knew what his role in the group was 'making people smile keep people happy and generally look on the bright side when no one else could'. 'To change my attitude so drastically now would throw off the group dynamic and make us suffer as a whole in our super hero performances' he smiled to himself 'wonder what Raven would think hearing that sentence come out of my mouth' he mused silently.
And so this was the ritual he did every day stand in front of the mirror and practice his clown persona making sure his smile widened just the right way making sure his eyes scrunched up when he did properly making sure his fang stuck out in the right spot and so on and so fourth. He had done this so long it most likely wasn't even necessary anymore but this was his ritual he was compelled to do it just to make sure he didn't mess up and raise unwanted questions. He could only imagine what would happen if he changed the group dynamic now by showing his true self 'Starfire would constantly be worried about me and that worry would directly affect her powers, Cyborg would think I had gone crazy and want to run tests, Robin would think Slade was controlling me somehow and go off on another 'Slade Crusade' and Raven…'
This was always where this train of thought led him and this was where he always became stumped he knew what train of thoughts would branch off from this but he'd pursued this thought so long it was only natural at this point to let them flow in order. 'Would she even be affect by me showing my true self' he wondered 'I mean she never laughs at my jokes often acts like she can't stand me and treats me like a complete imbecile, granted I do act like one but still…and yet I can't help but love her' he thought smiling to himself. Yes Garfield Mark Logan was head over heels in love with one Rachel Raven Roth and couldn't do anything but hide it since he knew such a thing would be taboo.
He sighed frustrated as ever at his predicament but had long ago accepted that even if her powers weren't holding her back anymore, since her emancipation from her father, she wasn't likely ever to be interested in someone like him. So he was content with being her bestest best friend even if she didn't want one. After setting his mask firmly in place down to the finest detail he took a deep breath messed his hair just the right way and opened his door to make his way to the common room.
The dawn rose on a new day, a glorious day in the Marvel universe the Illuminati were quite pleased with themselves and believed they had finally found a cure for their dear friend 's unique condition. had come up with the initial idea that the Hulk persona fed off of Bruce's childhood trauma which in turn made the Hulk a sort of parasite feeding off of that emotional stress and anger. This was so similar to a case of possession by an anger or war demon that believed something completely foreign to the Hulks origins would be required to remove him, Exorcism. The Hulks secondary source of 'food' was of course Gamma Radiation.
Iron-Man, Reed Richards, Namor, Beast, Forge, Xavier, Peter Parker (A.K.A Spider-Man) and C.L.O.C had come together and devised and were already creating a device that would absorb all the Gamma Radiation from a 'de-Hulk'ed' when his Gamma Radiation levels would be significantly less. The Gamma Radiation would be absorbed by this device and contained within it; they would then be able to dispose of it at their leisure. With the Hulks to main 'food' sources gone from his host he would be much less compelled to return to poor . The plan was simple but effective Thor, Colossus, Juggernaut, Thing and the Sentry would engage him in close quarters mainly to restrain him while Emma Frost, Jean Grey, Professor Xavier, the Stepford Cuckoos, and the Sentry, using his friendship with both Banner and the Hulk, would use their psychic powers to keep him as calm as possible further reducing his anger and rage and further reducing his strength.
was crucial he was to exorcise the Hulk and then contain him within the Astral Plane (where there is nothing corporeal to destroy and normal physics don't even exist thereby rendering what little strength the Hulk would have left useless). After making sure Banner is okay and free of the Hulk permanently they would deicide what to do with 'him' (the Hulk that is). There really wasn't much left to do construct the Gamma Absorbing and Storing device, preparing his magic rituals, gathering the necessary superheroes, they already knew the Hulk's location as S.H.I.E.L.D was helping them with this. All-in-all the plan should be underway by about 3PM this afternoon and complete by about 7PM if everything went according to schedule.
Beast Boy walked into the common room dressed and ready for the day mask in place and practiced as ever with holding it up. He entered to a normal scene Robin sitting at the Jump City observation computer constantly on the look out for crime, Cyborg was fixing breakfast the smell of cooking meat made The Beast drool and snap its jaws in anticipation. Contrary to popular belief The Beast hadn't been cured like Cyborg had said it merely took shape as all his predatory instincts he had to ignore constantly. That's why BB wouldn't eat meat; by eating it he's fueling his primordial instincts which could cost someone their life later. Not his or his team mates but maybe some poor thug or lackey who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time catches all that pent up aggression…the result wouldn't be pretty and BB knew it.
Starfire was lazing on the couch rapidly flipping through the channels more fascinated by the scintillating colors than the shows themselves, BB smiled at her naïveté. Raven, ah ever beautiful and composed Raven was seated by the window sill with her hood down, a rare thing, levitating slightly and reading a book. BB feeling a bit off today for some reason or another decided to forgo the normal options, annoy Raven or Robin, indulge with Star, or even argue with Cy, instead he simply gathered up some Soy milk and tofu and sat at the table and began to eat. Little did he know but this minor act of him feeling 'off' was the first crack in his mask and it did not go unnoticed.
Cyborg didn't think much of it but smiled considering it a victory for their eternal argument over food choices and simply went back to fixing breakfast none the wiser. Robin noticed as well and was a bit concerned at first but quickly came to the conclusion that Beast Boy was finally growing up if he wasn't engaging in his child like morning antics anymore. Starfire was more than a little concerned normally friend Beast Boy would engage in the flipping of the channels with her or try and make Raven smile or some other joyous activity but today he was devoid of it for some reason. Raven noticed it the most of all she was one of this worlds most powerful and in tune empaths, she knew many things including that Beast Boy had romantic feelings for her, although if they were legitimate or just a crush she wasn't to willing to find out after that business with the damned deceiver.
Now she was more aware than ever of something amiss about Beast Boy, she always got this reading off of him when trying to find his true emotions, lots of people tried to hide them most failed but some could hide them for a limited time even from her. Beast Boy was an entirely different galaxy unto himself compared to those people, it was almost as if he had mastered a controlled form of schizophrenia keeping his 'jokester and happiness façade' up all the time while the real Beast Boy lay buried deep underneath. Now this had happened, his empathic aura was normally bright yellow and warm while Starfires was a vibrant ecstatic pink etc. etc., now his had a small speck of solid black poking through his temple.
Raven had never seen a black empathic aura on anyone except Batman and his was natural, Robins was a cold grey blue mix the blue becoming more dominant as he spent more time with Starfire. Now her curiosity was peaked, well more than peaked it was ablaze burning inside her. This teammate and friend that possibly had legitimate romantic feelings for her had a chink in his armor and she was so sorely tempted to investigate to see and feel the real him. She reached out a small tendril of her power across the ether as it come closer to the black speck an electric spark seemed to jump and connect with the tendril.
On the material plane none of this could be seen of course Robin was still attentive, Starfire was still flipping the channels, and Cyborg was still cooking. Beast Boy however he knew, he could feel the tendril he couldn't see it but his primal instincts locked onto it the minute the electrical jolt arced between the two. As he took his next bite of his cereal he made eye contact with Raven out of the corner of his eye, their eyes met and he could feel the curiosity coming off of her could almost tangibly smell it. He smiled to himself so someone finally figured it out…no real surprise it was her though…so to show or not to show that is the question? He thought to himself.
He decided for a few reasons he would let her in, let her see and feel what he was really like. If she can ever truly love me back this will be a test to see if she can accept me it will be a catalyst for us or it will forever damn any chance I have of being with her. He let his mask drop mentally and internally but maintained it externally so the others wouldn't be suspicious. Raven watched in a sort of abstract horror and fascination as his aura seemed to bleed out the yellow being replaced with a sickly steel grey, almost like an unexpected frost choking the life from everything it touched. Almost subconsciously the tendril shot forward and buried itself in the black dot occupying his temple.
Externally everything transpired in a few seconds but internally in the realm of the mind time had little power. Raven saw such a drastically changed individual no longer a boy was he, but a man of iron will and focus. She witnessed his entire life completely uncensored from his earliest memory until this most recent escapade in the blink of an eye. She had tried to control the flow of emotions and memories but what she got had been so drastically far from what she had expected she physically recoiled.
Garfield, the real Beast Boy, in his mind watched silently as she experienced all of everything that had ever happened to him. His infection with Sakutia, His first change and how much changing hurts his bones and muscles' and sometimes even organs and cellular structure warping, The deaths of his parent's, His guilt afterwards feeling useless and weak as if he could have done something more to save them, His abduction by the two kidnappers, The abuses and tortures they inflicted on him mentally and physically, His despised guardian Nicholas Galtry and his multiple attempts on Garfield's life some blatant others dangerously subtle, His adoption by Rita and Steve and the subsequent deaths of the Doom Patrol, His joining of the Titans his feeling of joy when he made her smile, His feeling of joy when Terra arrived and his heart being ripped apart at the atomic level when she betrayed him. All of this flashed before Raven's eyes and burned itself into her brain for her to remember for all her days.
They say 'it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all' they apparently had never met Rachel Raven Roth before. Her whole life she was denied emotion and now it was flooding into her then getting taken away from her just as fast never ending ebb and flow of feelings rocketed into her as she experienced Garfield's entire life in the blink of an eye. It left her gasping and breathless on her hands and knees against the cold blackness in Garfield's mindscape. Crying and laughing at the same time shuddering in fear and elation in the same motion she was completely overwhelmed. Garfield approached her solemnly hands in pockets his footsteps thudding and echoing off the blackness of non-existence that his mask had formed between his real self and the real world.
Once he was standing next to her he bent at the waist and lowered his mouth next to her exposed ear, her hood having been flung off long ago, and he spoke. "I hope this doesn't change anything between us dearest I would so hate for our relationship to fall apart because I don't fit the stereotype you've grown accustomed too…it really would have been better for the both of us if you had never known" he spoke frankly this was his mind and in his mind he had taken her in more ways than one countless times. As far as Garfield was concerned she was his and he was hers wither it be on a friendship level or something much more intimate, oh how he hoped for the second one.
She couldn't respond her body felt leaden and heavy her breath came in long shallow gasps. He kneeled and rested a hand on her shoulder leaning in close with his face nearly touching hers. "Not such the simpleton everyone believed, I know you suspected but now you know for certain I hope I haven't traumatized you too much. Until you feel like exploring 'us' in every since of the word I'll consider our friendship on hiatus…I'll be in my room when you decide your ready to face this". With that he EXPELLED her from his mind as easily as one swats a fly.
This had all transpired in a matter of a few seconds in the material world but a few seconds would forever change the group dynamic. Garfield and Raven made eye contact and in a few seconds all hell broke loose. Raven gasped loudly and fell from her levitation hitting the ground unceremoniously. She had a genuine look of shock on her face and it made itself known to everyone when the cupboard doors flew from the wall wreathed in black fire and all the dishes and cups shattered in a hail of shards.
All activity in the common room had stopped Cyborg was now shielding himself with his arms from the shards. Robin had swiveled around and faced the direction of the disturbance then realizing what had caused it cocked his head towards Raven questionably. Starfire squeaked in surprise and leaned over the back of the couch looking around trying to figure out what had happened. Garfield and Raven maintained their stare and in the moment she blinked and her eyes reopened his aura had snapped back to the yellow she knew except for one crucial part his face.
His expression was the same as when his mask was in place, however his aura was the exact opposite with his body being yellow and his face that sick steel grey. He calmly walked over to Raven and kneeled down with a look of concern and whispered "why dearest Rachel whatever is the matter…I'll be in my room if you need me" he said while rising up.
When he stood he slapped that same phony smile on they all were familiar with and stated almost yelling "she's fine something about the feung shwey mixing with some bad chi or something" he said scratching the back of his head and blushing like an idiot. Just like that they all went back like nothing had happened Robin helping Cyborg clean up the collateral and Starfire smiling and giggling while waving everything off. Beast Boy walked off and out the common room leaving Raven in a state of stupor she hadn't known since she was a young child.
Raven excused herself soon after saying that she needed to meditate and oh how true that was. She walked down the hallway thoughts flying through her head and amalgamating into one giant mass. How can he put up with that kind of pain when he changes…he remains in such control not only of his own pain but of his primal instincts as well…were actually similar…and he's intelligent I could feel it…so many things he's hidden from me…from us all…and I could feel his attraction to me…it was legitimate. The last thought made her stop for a moment and blush could he really care for me could he really want to be with something like me…I…I think he could…and I…I want too…NO! I can't its not allowed I'm not allowed to feel. She banished her thoughts and pulled her hood up quickly confining herself to the domicile of her room to meditate she would address Gar-…Beast Boy later.