A/N: Ladies and gents, I am proud to present the second chapter of Birds of a Feather. Again, please rate and review and PM me if you have any questions/suggestions. Thank you and Zero out.
I don't own Teen Titans or the power metal band Dragonforce. Aww, now the chibis are sad.
Chapter 2: A Meeting of the Minds
After the events that conspired the previous day in the hall, Raven had suggested for the first day that the two play a few board games with a special stipulation added; the winner got to ask the loser an intensely personal question. So the two made a pact to show up at six and begin playing.
Raven was already in the ops room, preparing the first game. Five minutes later, Garfield walked in.
"Good morning, Rae." The changeling greeted.
"Good morning. Ready for our game?"
"Of course. Mind if I make a little breakfast first?"
"Go ahead."
With that, Beastboy got to work, happily making pancakes and brewing herbal tea. For himself he made a small portion of oatmeal- with soy based oats and milk of course. With breakfast completed, the two sat comfortably as they began their first game: chess.
"Let's make this a bit more interesting." Raven stated.
"How so?"
"We get one free question per piece taken. Winner gets a free major question." Raven stated.
"You're on!"
(...)
Seventeen turns later, Raven and Beastboy were evenly matched; they couldn't move a single piece without losing. Raven was impressed with Beast Boy's ability to think on the fly, as was Beast Boy with Raven's incredible strategy. The two learned each others favourite colours, holidays, hobbies and songs. When it came to pets, Raven revealed that she used to own a crow aptly named Zinthos, while Beast Boy owned a dove by the name of Gabriel. Go figure.
"You're good at this." Beast Boy said, breaking the silence with a smile.
"It's my favorite game, although it's been a while since I played. I didn't always enjoy it so." Raven responded.
"Why do you enjoy it now?" He asked, his curiosity piqued.
At this she blushed. "Well...it's because I'm playing with my... best friend."
Beast Boy blushed right back.
"Shall we call this a draw?" Raven asked.
"Yeah. So what's your major question?" Beast Boy inquired.
"...Are you sure you'd be okay answering it?" Raven asked. The question she had in mind was fairly personal and she really didn't want to offend him.
"Yep, ask away!" Beast Boy grinned without a care in the world.
"All right…um...how did you..you know...gain your powers?" She asked nervously.
Beast Boy's smile dropped considerably.
"I'm so sorry, I've offended you!" Raven quickly blurted out.
"No, it's alright. I know that I would have to come to terms with this some day." Beast Boy began, his voice serious and lucid. "When I was a toddler, my parents and I resided in an area of North Africa known as Upper Lumumba. One day, I was on an outing with my father, when we spotted a green monkey. It apparently had some sort of viral infection, because it had bitten my arm and the infected area began to burn. We sprinted back home, only for me to collapse on the front porch. My mum and dad had made a cure for severe DNA alteration and mental degradation but the side effects gave me shape-shifting abilities. Ironic, I know.
The cure also altered my skin pigmentation to what it is now. My powers didn't fully awaken until I saved mum from a hooded cobra by shifting into a mongoose. The maturation process never fully completed until that fateful day when I lost my parents. We had gone out on a boating trip for a while, when the engine malfunctioned. A small part of the fuel we had leaked out into the exterior of the engine, immediately igniting it. My parents did their best to cool the engine, but it didn't work. In a last-ditch effort, they decided to give me an opening to escape. I can still hear my mother's last words to me.
S-she told me 'Garfield, honey, mummy and daddy can't get out of here. I need you to transform into a bird and fly for the shore. Fly as f-fast and f-far as y-you c-can. A-always know s-s-son, w-we love you and o-only shed a tear when you're h-h-happy.'
I…I should have turned into something bigger! I sh-should h-have be-been a-a-able to s-sa-ave them!" Beastboy finished, his body racked with sobs, and his eyes flooded with tears.
At that exact moment...everything changed between the teens, forever altering their futures.
Out of any single thing Raven could have done, whether it be to try to make him laugh or tell him it'd be ok, she decided on the most effective thing to do in that situation.
Raven reached over to her friend, her best of friends...and embraced him. Raven held Garfield in her arms and slowly rocked back and forth, crying it out with him. After 10 minutes, Raven tried to sooth Garfield's whimpers with a song. Her angelic voice brought forth a beautiful litany of sound
"I'm searching through emptiness,
And trying to forget us in vain.
The light of the dark setting sun,
Will bring my sadness to an end.
Voices cry out through the fear and the dark,
As we wait for our lives to be better,
The words are dying in the night,
No winter lasts forever.
The seasons pass and the sunlight will shine on my life again,
So let the past now burn down in flames…"
Beast Boy's sobs began to quiet as his eyes started to dry.
"Sadness in time, for the truth that she hides,
And this pain in my heart for no reason,
Voices cry out, through the fear and the dark,
No winter lasts forever,
The seasons pass and the sunlight will shine on my life again,
Just let the past burn down in flames…"
Garfield looked up at the sheer beauty of the pacifistic maiden who gripped him ever tighter as she concluded her serenade.
"The words are dying in the night,
No winter lasts forever,
The seasons pass and the sunlight will shine on my life again.
The dark clouds faded from my mind,
No pain will last forever,
The seasons pass and the sunlight will shine upon my life again,
So let the past now burn down, just burn down in flames…"
Raven picked up Garfield's head from where it had lain upon her shoulder.
"Garfield, I'm terribly sorry that you lost your parents. I too, know how it feels to be orphaned in a strange land. That's why if you ever need anything, even if it's just a quick talk, I implore you to seek me out. I'll be there for you." Raven said, giving a small smile at the end.
"Thanks Rae, I...I needed that. There's just one thing."
"Yes?"
"Why didn't you tell me how beautiful a singer you are?"
"Um...I don't really sing a lot. That song is the one I always listen to if I'm having a bad day. Say, didn't you have a question you wanted to ask? We did have a draw after all."
"I just asked it." He grinned sheepishly. "But um, I would like to know something else."
"What is it?" She asked curiously.
"Um...could I get another hug?" He asked nervously, waiting for the inevitable right cross.
It never came. In its place was two slender arms wrapped around his midsection. He was surprised, but returned it anyway. All his thoughts just dissolved away as he just existed with Raven in the Tower. He didn't know what the future held. All he knew is that he had someone he could share his pain with, someone to care about. Someone to trust in.
And that was just fine with him.
A/N: Aww, wasn't that just an emotional little piece of work there? Anyway, the next chapters will cover days 7, 14, and 21 of the challenge. We'll see romance, confusion and a lot of hilarity between the other Titans. Until next time, this is Zero signing out. Peace!
\M/-Zero-\M/
