AMZ here once again with the second chapter to "Cyborg in a Strange Land." The inspiration to do this chapter hit me suddenly, so I just had to keep writing.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Teen Titans.
Chapter 2: Head of the Class
The sun shone brightly through a dingy window in the apartment. Flimsy curtains did little to resist the assault of the star's light, and any hopes of continuing sleep were gone within the few moments that the sun had first started to rise. Cyborg groaned and slowly brought himself into a sitting position, drawing his blanket into a ball in his lap. Swearing under his breath, he rubbed his back, which was intensely sore. He looked over his shoulder and realized he'd fallen asleep on the couch.
On a couch, he realized... a strange couch in a stranger's apartment. His eyes grew wide as he looked around the room. The events of the previous evening crawled back into his mind and he began to calm down. He examined his surroundings more carefully now, not out of necessity, but of curiosity. He and Bea--he and Garfield (he had to remember that this wasn't exactly the friend he remembered) had gone to bed almost immediately after they had arrived the night before, so he hadn't had a chance to really get a good look at the place.
A black Fender bass stood in the corner of the room next to an amp, and to the right of the television set. On top of the TV was a golden trophy of some kind, in the shape of a microphone. Various posters dotted the walls, mostly of bands, but some of movies or attractive women. A huge poster of Kate Beckinsale from Underworld graced the wall behind him (a crude red heart had been drawn over her face), and to his left were large posters adorned with images of groups such as My Chemical Romance and Boy Hits Car. Various black-and-white prints of handmade posters telling of the Doom Patrol's gigs hung over the television.
BB's got quite the pad to himself. Cyborg thought absently. He concentrated on the pain in his back and winced. He smiled. As masochistic as it sounds, I kind of like being able to feel pain for once. He rubbed his hands along his arms, feeling his flesh. He relished every brief second his fingertips didn't touch metal. As comfortable as he had been with his body before, he couldn't help but feel a huge wave of relief at his new organic body. He finally felt... human.
He heard a dull crunching noise and turned to see the man who took him in walking into the room, a bowl of Cap'n Crunch in one hand and a spoon firmly in his mouth.
"Morrrink," mumbled his host with a mouthful of cereal.
"Good morning," returned Cyborg, slowly standing up. A twinge of pain erupted once again from his back, but he ignored it.
"You sleep OK?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Not used to sleeping on the sofa. But I'll survive."
Garfield nodded. "Yeah, I used to couch surf. A long time ago. I wouldn't do it again. I'm glad I've got this place."
"Do you have any roommates?"
"Just one, but he's rarely around. He's either at class or sleeping or out with his girl. You know how it is."
Cyborg nodded this time, not totally knowing, but at least having some understanding.
"Anyway, you probably wanna get some breakfast and a shower." He paused, looking Cy over. "Do you have any other clothes? I mean, obviously not, but..." He trailed off, finding it awkward to finish the sentence without sounding offensive.
"No, not really. I'm not used to wearing clothes." Beast Boy gave him a very disturbed look. Cyborg caught himself. "Like these! Not used to wearing clothes like these."
"Did you get robbed or something?"
"Yeah. You could say that. I'm okay with these clothes, though. Although they really look like they could use a good wash."
Beast Boy held his nose. "Yeah man, they stiiiiink," he offered, letting out a huge smile. Cyborg shook his head. "I'm just jokin' man. Don't take it so personal. Go on, go get something to eat and a shower. We should meet Kori soon."
"Kori?"
"My teacher-friend up at the university. I called her a couple of minutes ago, said we'd be there in a couple of hours." He checked his watch. "You'd better hurry. She... doesn't like to be kept waiting."
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A quick bowl of cereal and a shower later, they were on the bus headed downtown to the university campus. Beast Boy angrily shook his fist at the No Smoking sign.
"You believe this? Man..." he grumbled.
"How come you smoke?" Cy asked, tilting his head. "What made you... you know?"
"You're way too curious about my life, man."
"Hey, just asking."
"Well, hey, if you're curious, why not... Not like it's a state secret or anything. I started a couple of years ago. I really needed something to help my nerves. I was a total nutcase, I tell you. Really off the wall." Cy swore he saw tears slowly welling in his eyes, and his tone become hushed and somber. "What really sent me over the edge, though... was when... I lost this girl, see? I loved her, dude. I really loved her... Thought she was the one." Beast Boy became very quiet after that, and was staring at the floor of the bus. The vehicle went over a bump, and the entire bus shuddered from the impact.
Cy expected him to continue, but he kept staring at the floor. Guilt swept over the Titan in a dull grey wave, and he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I, uh, couldn't help but notice that trophy on the TV. What's, uh, what's that all about?" he asked.
Beast Boy slowly turned to his new friend, a slight smile on his face. There was still a sense of grief in his eyes, but he answered with a more jovial tone. "Yeah, that. Some friends of mine gave me that. I did an open mic stand-up comedy show one night, and..."
"And you bombed, so they bought it to cheer you up?"
The green lad's eyes grew very serious, and he glared. "What? No, actually. I did really well, and they bought it as a memento. Dude, what brought that on?"
Cyborg mentally kicked him. I shouldn't have said a word. "Nothing, it just... I just jumped to a stupid conclusion, that's all. Something similar happened to me once," he lied. Beast Boy shrugged.
"Sorry, man. In case you didn't notice, I'm not you."
"Yeah... sorry about that. I didn't mean to be a dick."
"It's okay. Nothing personal."
They rode the rest of the way in reflective silence.
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The duo slowly made their way up the stairs towards Kori's office. While Garfield was talking about his time at school, Cyborg's mind was a million miles away. When they had been quiet on the bus, he couldn't help but focus on his current situation.
Where am I exactly? And how am I going to get home? He felt guilty with his next thought. Do I really want to go home? I have no responsibilities here, at least not yet... And I have... this body. He rubbed his hand over his face, and felt the tiny scratching of bristles of hair. Man, I've got stubble and everything! This is so weird. This is something I've always dreamed of. I'm finally normal!
"Yeah, I've known her since high school. She's wicked smart, and she skipped quite a few grades. I was never that good at school, but she took to it like a duck to water or something. Breezed her way through university. She's had her Ph.D for about about a year now. I took one of her classes last year, but I dropped out before the end. She's amazingly smart, I just can't get over it." He slapped his friend's chest suddenly. "Oh! One more thing. I think she's from Asia or something, but don't bring it up. She's changed her name and everything. I think she's sensitive about it."
Cyborg snapped back to reality. "So, wait, you said she's got her Ph.D? How old are you guys, anyway?"
"I'm 25. I think she's 24. The way she ripped through school, I dunno. I never paid attention."
"You're 25?"
"Yeah. So?"
Cyborg caught himself before he went too far. "I, uh... Just thought you guys were younger, is all."
Beast Boy smirked. "Why? How old are you?"
Cyborg returned the smirk. "Old enough. Now where is she?"
"Her office is right down this hallway."
They walked for about a minute before they reached the proper door. A large yellow plaque hung to the right of the doorway: Dr. K. Anders, Dept. of History. Garfield knocked softly.
"Please enter," came a familiar voice from the other side. Beast Boy turned the knob and the door flew open. They strolled into the office casually.
"Hey Dr. Anders. This is the friend I told you about, Vic."
"Hello, Victor. Garfield has told me a lot about you," she replied.
Cyborg was stunned at the lady sitting before him. She sat primly behind her desk, glasses resting quaintly on the bridge of her nose. Her long red hair was pinned into a bun, and her skin was a little lighter than he remembered, but still had the hint of orange he recognized. He knew exactly who she was. He smiled broadly at seeing her again.
"Hello, Starfire." Cy shook his head quickly as Beast Boy shot him yet another odd look. "I mean, Dr. Anders."
Kori stood up from behind the desk, taking off her glasses and looking thoughtful. "What a curious combination of words. Star fire. A star already is a massive fiery ball of plasma. Ergo, I don't see why one would add the fire to the end. Unless they were discussing solar flares..." she trailed off, putting her glasses back on.
"Yeah, sorry. I dunno where that came from," he lied. Beast Boy rolled his eyes at the Titan's gaffe. "Uh, Beast Boy here has told me a lot about you."
"Only positive aspects of my personality, I hope," she replied with a grin.
"You know me, Doc. I got nothin' but love for my favourite History prof!"
Dr. Anders giggled at his comment. "Garfield, your sense of humour is quirky, but always appreciated. I miss having your presence in my classes. Your essay on the American Revolution was most amusing."
Beast Boy shrugged. "What can I say? I had a knack for something, but it wasn't history. I hate to say this, though, but I gotta go. I've got practice in a half an hour, and it's gonna take me that long just to get there. If I'm late, Mento goes mental. You kids play nice, okay?" He waved goodbye and left the room. Cyborg stood alone with another stranger he couldn't help but feel he knew intimately.
"So, Victor... You have been friends with Garfield for a long time?"
"Actually, we just met last night. We just sorta hit it off. I feel I've known him a long time, though."
She nodded appreciatively. "I see." An oppressive silence set in as the two tried to figure out what to say to each other.
"How do you like teaching? Garfield said you were 'wicked smart.'" The Titan finally blurted.
She giggled once again, blushing. "Well... I am flattered by his description, certainly. I love it, Victor. I am enamored with history. I am essentially getting paid to do what I love. And that is everybody's dream, ultimately."
"That's the truth."
"Now, to business. Garfield also said you'd like to know some history?"
Cy smiled. "Yeah... I'm kinda new to the area. I wouldn't mind getting some background info, y'know?"
"Anything to help the pursuit of knowledge! Now, the earth was formed around 4.57 billion years ago when--"
Cyborg waved his arms frantically. "Whoa! I was kind of looking for some more recent history! The age of Algae isn't exactly what I'm looking for."
Dr. Anders looked perplexed, but continued. "Well, Jump City was founded after a gold rush in 1837. It was named after its founder, Captain Gordon Jump of the United States Navy. A fire in--"
The Titan coughed, interrupting her thoughts once again. "Er, sorry... but... I was kind of thinking, well... even more recent... Like, say... Well..."
Kori leaned forward, a certain gleam in her eye. "You wish to know how things have become so... restrictive, do you not?" She whispered. He nodded. "I understand. I have friends I have not seen in many years because of what happened. I will tell you what I can. But I will tell you this from the start: I will only do this as a favour to Garfield. Because he seems to trust you so much, I do as well. But if you were anybody else, I would act as ignorant as I could on the subject."
"I understand. I need you to trust me, though. I can't help but think this is all linked to why I've come to Jump City."
She gave him a peculiar look, but began, her tone very quiet. "Around seven years ago, a new church made its way to the city. Brother Blood, the current Archbishop, built up a strong religious community based on his charisma and appeal within the media. I did not think much of him, to be honest. A friend of mine once told me that she had heard he used to lead a cult in Steel City. But his church grew very influential, appealing to evangelicalism, faith healing and performing 'miracles.' Certain socio-economic conditions within the city during this time period also enabled the growth of such a mystical concept..."
"In English?" Cyborg interrupted.
"Basically, a recession hit, the city's unemployment rate skyrocketed, and people went looking for someone to save them from starvation and the crime that came about as a result. Seeing this potential, Councilman Slade Wilson began working very closely with Blood."
"I see... I've heard of Wilson."
"I'm not surprised. There's a massive statue of him in the centre of Wilson Park. His name adorns shopping malls, schools, government buildings... The list goes on and on. His name is 'big news,' so to speak. Let me continue..."
"Er, sorry."
"Councilman Wilson announced five years ago that he would be running for Mayor. The incumbent was generally seen as a sitting duck, mostly due to the poverty and crime. Wilson vowed to take the city to new heights, and pledged to end corruption, crime, and poverty. It was an incredibly enormous task, but he claimed he held the secret plan to accomplish this goal."
"Which was?"
The door opened suddenly, and Dr. Anders jumped in surprise. Her eyes grew wide and she became visibly flustered as a head poked its way through the gap in the doorway.
An elderly man with strange rectangular glasses appeared. "'ello, Kori, my duckie. Sorry to interrupt. 'ave you got a minute?" Came the man's voice, distinctly British. Cyborg's eyes went wide with recognition. He had to remind himself that things were different here before he lept into action and did something he might possibly regret.
"I am sorry, Dr. Richards. I am quite busy right now with a student. Perhaps another time?"
The man Cyborg recognized only as Mad Mod nodded. "Alright then. I'll drop by a bit later, eh?" He slowly drifted out of the doorway and the door closed behind him. Cyborg heard him grumble "Rebellious snot..." before the door finally shut. Ignoring it, he turned his attention back to Kori.
"Where were we again?" whispered Starfire, visibly bothered. She looked nervously over her shoulder, despite the fact that there was only a brick wall behind her.
"Slade Wilson's secret plan."
"Oh, yes. Correct. Well, Wilson issued a platform based solely around 'moral values.' He told the citizens of Jump City that it was their own moral decline that had lead to their downfall. Brother Blood, already in league with Wilson, began echoing the same sentiments during his sermons and at public rallies. Wilson and Blood pledged a city government based on moral salvation. With faith and virtue, everything else would fall into place, or so they claimed. The incumbent had nothing to combat this. He tried time and time again to point out the flaws in Wilson's plan, to reveal that it was just scapegoating and empty words, but nobody would listen. The city was falling apart, and they felt it was all his fault. Suddenly, he became blamed not just for crime and poverty, but for the very destruction of their society's moral fabric. He went from simply unpopular to demonized. As Wilson's power grew, more and more councilmen and women jumped on his bandwagon. When there was a month left until the election, Wilson seemed unstoppable."
"I've got a feeling there's a huge 'but' coming up."
Kori smiled. "You are correct. A group of heroes known as the Teen Titans became alarmed when they realized that Wilson and Blood's actions were actually increasing crime and poverty. Rallies often spiraled out of control and turned into vicious brawls. People singled out as 'immoral' were getting attacked, and 'vice arenas' like bars were getting fire bombed. Riots erupted in impoverished areas, and property damages were approaching the hundreds of thousands. The Titans starting openly questioning the validity of Wilson's plan."
"So Wilson spoke out against the Titans."
"Exactly. Wilson and Blood told the world that the Titans were the ultimate representatives of 'immorality.' Suddenly, the society they swore to protect was openly attacking them. They did their best to appeal to reason, but Blood's power was too strong. Needless to say, Wilson won the election. His opponent was found dead the next day. Apparently an angry mob celebrated the end of 'immorality' by destroying the man who had brought it upon them."
"So what happened with the heroes? You make it sound like they were just ignored."
Kori wagged a finger impatiently. "I am getting to that. Wilson's attacks on the Titans increased once he was in power. He opened a department within the police devoted solely to bringing them to 'justice.'" She rolled her eyes at the use of such a term, and continued. "Some of them wound up captured and imprisoned. Many of them quit, as the pressure had simply become too much for them to handle. Within a month, the Teen Titans were no more. And it did not even stop there. 'Mayor' Wilson was assassinated by a masked gunman before the end of his first year in office, in front of a crowd of thousands while delivering a speech. His successor, working closely with Blood again, declared that Wilson had been murdered by 'costumed vigilantes,' and passed a law making such behaviour illegal. Anybody who was a metahuman, anybody even remotely associated with the Titans in any way found themselves under police scrutiny. A lot of innocent people were arrested, and many of them are still in prison. Often without just cause. That was only four years ago. In that time, his successor passed a law declaring elections to be 'needless.' City hall is ruled by a single hand-picked committee."
"Who was Wilson's successor, anyway? Was it Blood?"
Kori spread her hands. "Nobody knows. He was only referred to as 'Citizen X' in the media. We were told that if we did not know who he was, then the 'heroes' could not get to him. Like many things it was 'for our own protection.' It could very well be Blood."
"And why didn't the federal government get involved? This is a blatant violation of people's rights."
"Blood's church has become very influential. Not to mention wealthy. He has friends in high places. Beyond that, the city has technically not done anything illegal. The actions before Wilson took office were committed by so-called 'random mobs,' and he passed a law legalizing his behaviour once he came into power."
"That's... disturbing."
"Incredibly disturbing, my friend. We are living in a police state. But there is hope. Some heroes still operate in secrecy. City hall calls them 'terrorists,' but I prefer to see them as freedom fighters. I think the people are beginning to realize just what they have lost. And they are becoming angry." She took a deep breath, and sighed.
The information sank in slowly. "Wow," was all Cy could say.
"You sum everything up so well in such a brief syllable. There you have it, Victor. The history you sought."
"How did you find all of this out?"
"Underground media, reporters fired from mainstream papers for uncovering unflattering things, underground activists... and a very good friend of mine."
"I can't believe this. Everything is so different... than... back home."
Kori smiled. "Let us discuss something less depressing. Where is home for you, Victor?"
"Oh, er, uh... Corto Maltese."
"That is very far away. How did you come across Garfield? You must know him fairly well to call him 'Beast Boy.' I have only heard fans of his music refer to him as such."
"Yeah, I'm a huge Lost Patrol fan. I came to Jump City for their concert... uh... Saturday."
Starfire examined him slyly. "I see," she said finally, sounding unconvinced.
Cyborg found himself sweating. "So, how long have you lived in Jump City?" he asked, hoping to deflect attention.
Dr. Anders leaned back in her chair, examining him closely. "All of my life. I was raised just south of Perez Square. Overlooking the bay."
Cyborg rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Really?"
She looked rather annoyed. "Yes."
"So where is your family from... originally?"
She sighed, her annoyance growing. "I do not know. Somewhere very far away, I imagine. My family was not into looking up that sort of thing."
"Kind of odd for a history professor. Where're your folks now?"
"They are deceased, sadly. Can we discuss something else, please?"
"Do you have any brothers or... sisters?"
Kori swallowed, hesitating. "No," she finally said, looking to her left, ignoring his gaze.
Cyborg watched her for several minutes. They sat together in a very awkward silence. Finally, he spoke: "How's your k'norfka?"
Starfire's eyes narrowed, and her manner became incredibly cold. "Excuse me?" she spat, disdain in her voice. She crossed her arms slowly.
Realizing he'd gone too far, the Titan shrugged, looking at the ground. "Never mind. I just--"
Cy was cut off suddenly as Starfire flew over the desk and grabbed him roughly by the shirt, swinging him to her right and slamming him hard against the wall.
"You monster... Damn you!" she cried through grit teeth, raising a fist to strike as she gripped him tightly. "It is a shame friend Garfield is not aware you are a spy!"
"A spy? What? No!"
"Then explain yourself! How do you know so much about me? I have done everything within my power in the past seven years to keep my past a secret."
Cyborg stared at her fist in horror. Her eyes were glowing green now, and her hand was beginning to flicker with emerald sparks. This was serious. If she thought he was a threat, she might figure she had nothing to lose... and kill him. He began breathing heavily, fear shooting up his spine.
"You're not going to believe me," he began. "But I'm going to tell you anyway, because it's the truth. I haven't told Beast Boy this yet but... I'm... from an alternate reality. I don't know how I got here, I don't know why I'm here, but I am. It sounds crazy, I know! But I come from a world where we're on a superhero team together. I know Beast Boy is a shapeshifter. I know you're from Tamaran!"
Starfire screamed at this point and brought her first forward. It missed his head by inches, slamming into the brick behind him. While she had not crashed completely through (proving she was at least holding back), he saw her fist was firmly embedded in the wall. She slowly pulled it out, readying for another blow.
"Tell me something nobody else would know. Something no government weasel could dig up in a million years. Prove your honesty to me. Or I will... do something I might regret."
Reaching deep into his mind, he wrestled with his conscious to find something suitable. The more he thought, the more obvious everything seemed. With the right contacts, a cop could find out just about anything. Even her being an alien could be uncovered if the right people had known before. He didn't know this Starfire as well as the one back home, he had no idea how public she had once been with her information. Finally, he realized something he knew she must have kept to herself. Something any teenage girl would have kept locked deep within herself.
"You have a massive crush on Robin of the Teen Titans." he blurted. He shut his eyes tightly and prepared to die. Seconds passed and he was still alive. His head had not been pounded in. He opened his eyes again slowly, examining the woman currently holding him at her mercy.
"You... you... How did you know that? I have never told anybody that."
Cyborg let out a huge sigh of relief. He wanted to wipe his forehead, but was too nervous to even move. "You're not going to believe this, but you guys are a couple where I come from."
Dr. Anders slowly let him down, placing him gently on his feet on the floor. An awestruck look was imprinted upon her face. "Sincerely?" she asked, looking at Cy with a meek smile. He nodded, and her smile broadened. She pounced forward and clutched Cy in a bone-snapping hug. "Oh! Oh, glorious! I am terribly sorry! You cannot understand how hard it has been these past few years. We cannot trust anybody!"
He groaned in pain. "My back... has been... bothering me lately." She blushed again and loosened her grip. He returned the hug, smiling... and glad to be alive. "It's okay. I don't know what it's like living in a police state."
The door opened and Dr. Richards stepped in. "Is everything alright, love? I thought I heard..." He noticed the dent in the wall. Dr. Anders followed his gaze and her head snapped back to face him once she realized what he was looking at.
"I was recreating the Battle of Waterloo for Mr. Victor here. I guess I got carried away."
Dr. Richards gave her an incredulous look, but shrugged. "Alright, then. But be careful next time." The door closed once again. He took a few steps away from her office before stopping dead in his tracks. How on earth did she put a dent in the brick wall? He scratched his head and walked slowly back to his office.
Starfire turned back to Cyborg. "That was very close. So you are from an alternate reality. While I must confess I find such an idea preposterous, you have somehow managed to convinced me."
"Look, I haven't told BB yet. Obviously, I didn't think he'd understand. I'm completely lost in this world, though. I don't know why I'm here, I don't know how I got here. I don't know how to get back. I know this might be outside your expertise, but can you help me?"
Dr. Kori Anders removed her glasses once more, examining her new friend carefully. "Victor... I am afraid I am unable to help you. I can tell you the past. But the future is beyond my realm."
Cyborg slouched at that, his weary mind moaning internally. Too much had happened in two days for him to completely take it all in. And now his history lesson had left him depressed and terrified that he would be stuck in a hostile world. His flesh body seemed like too little of a reward to be trapped in such a terrible place. He slid a hand over his bald head, breathing deeply.
"I have a friend, though, who is much more accustomed to such matters. I am sure she can help you," she declared smiling brightly. Cy looked at her once again for a brief second before embracing her in a bonecrushing hug of his own.
TO BE CONTINUED... in Chapter 3, "Sell My Soul."