Hello and welcome back everyone! This chapter goes away from the canon and obviously it focuses on Grim and his interactions with the city who still hates him for his appearance. It involves the city putting a handicap on him to make sure he won't attack any citizens. So without further ado... LE STORY CONTINUES!
Grim had woken up to Robin banging on his door. He rose from his crystal bed and opened the door.
"What is it?" Asked Grim rubbing his eye with a giant finger.
"Trouble. And it involves you." Said Robin walking with Grim in tow.
They walked into the living room to see an image of Grim's face snarling at the screen. In front of that was a news anchorman.
"This monster has continued to terrorize our city ever since the alien invasion! It's time the Titans take care of the true villain. This monster needs to be locked away or destroyed!" Said the man as a video played of Grim fighting a giant rock monster as people ran in fear from the two of them. Then to Grim trying to save someone from falling off a building for them to fall and be saved by Raven. And then a building was set on fire during a fight with Grim and overload.
"The city council has come to a decision and if the Titans don't bring in the monster then they won't get support from the city anymore." Said the man slamming his hand onto the table in front of him.
The tv turned off and the team all looked to Grim who's shoulders slumped. He sighed and let his head fall into his hands.
"They can't do this!" Said Cyborg angrily.
"No, I can see their reasoning. I'll just have to hope they choose imprisonment instead of destroying me." Said Grim walking to the elevator.
"Where are you going!?" Yelled Robin.
"Turning myself in." He said closing the door behind him shutting out the team. He emerged from the tower seconds later and walked to the edge of the island.
Grim dove into the water and sunk to the bottom. He began walking across the bottom until he emerged at Jump City harbor. (It turned out he doesn't need air anymore since the transformation.) He ignored the screams and calls for the police as he walked in the middle of the road making sure everyone got a good view of the 'Monster'.
A police car stopped in front of him and two officers pulled out their guns and began firing at him. Grim continued walking until he stood next to them. He turned to them and spoke with his voice deeper and rumbling.
"Your supposed to wait until lethal force is used against you." He said shocking the two officers who stood down and got back in their car to follow him slowly.
Grim continued his walk until a building burst into flames next to him quickly erupting into a pillar of flame. His enhanced hearing allowed him to hear people yelling inside.
He turned towards the building as the police began to call the fire department. He brought his arms out and smashed his hands together creating a blast of air that put out the flames saving the people inside. He continued walking until he ended at City Hall. He walked to the door and kicked it down scaring all the officials as he entered.
"I heard that I'm under arrest?" Growled Grim glaring at the people in the building.
"Y-you have caused too much terror to the city! Monsters will not be tolerated!" Stuttered the Mayor.
"Very well." Growled Grim again turning and pushing past the two officers that had followed him and walking to their police car.
Grim stopped realizing he wouldn't fit in the car and turned towards where he knew the prison was. He bent down and made a mighty leap sailing through the air and landing in front of the prison cracking the ground on landing.
"Alright... Got to work on the landing..." Said Grim
He jumped again and landed inside the courtyard were the prisoners were currently at surprising them and scaring them as quite a few of them were put there by him.
"Sup Scrubs." Said Grim as security guard ran to him and brought him through regulations for super criminals. Strength inhibitor collar, scans for weapons, they tried to get him into an orange jumpsuit but he ripped it with his massive body so they settled for only the pants.
Grim emerged from the building again and walked into the courtyard to see his favorite four HIVE members glaring at him.
Grim looked around to see most of the other prisoners just looking away from him so he walked over to them and waved.
"Yo! I see they got the crystal off." He said walking to them cheerfully.
"What? Did they arrest you for being ugly?" Snapped Gizmo.
"Actually... Your not too far off. It doesn't always pay to be a giant terrifying monster. Tends to make people not like you." Said Grim shrugging his shoulders.
"So what? Your a villain now?" Asked Jinx.
"No. I'll probably just be prisoner for life... Or become a monster that the city needs to deal with having." Shrugged Grim looking to the side to Archangel was punching the wall of the prison with his bare fist.
"IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH FAITH NO PRISON CAN HOLD YOU!" He yelled in a frenzy.
"Uh... Is he okay?" Asked Grim pointing at him.
"No. He really isn't. I don't know how he even graduated..." Sighed Jinx.
"Graduated? There's a school for villain? Why is this not a thing for heroes!?" Asked Grim sitting down so his eyes were level with hers. Those damned pink cat eyes.
"It's called HIVE academy." Said Gizmo angrily.
"Thanks midget." Said Grim flicking him in the head.
"Hey!" Yelled Gizmo holding his head.
"I'm talking to the cute girl, not her creepy sidekick." Said Grim when a shadow fell over him.
Grim looked up to see a huge normal human. He cracked his knuckles and grinned evilly.
"Let's see how tough you are without your super strength!" He yelling punching Grim in the face... And then holding his hand in pain.
"Only my strength is taken away dumbass. My armor is still harder than rock." Said Grim as the man ran away defeated.
"So... This academy... Does it teach you to control your powers?" Asked Grim facing Jinx with a serious face.
"Well... Yes it does... Why?" She asked looking him in the eyes.
"I'll be honest... It's been little over two years since I got my power and they're still hard to control. And every day I get stronger." Said Grim looking at his hand.
"So?" Asked Jinx not seeing a problem.
"Imagine... One day you have to put effort into opening a door... Then it's easy... Then it takes no effort... Then just touching the door lightly will shatter it. But replace the door with people. I might as well be living in a world where everyone is made of glass." Said Grim holding his head in his hands.
"Then control it!" Scoffed Jinx.
"How? By the time I get used to my strength it just increases again! Even this collar is only holding back a small amount!" Said Grim slamming his hand into the ground causing a hand imprint in the concrete.
"It's not my problem." Said Jinx walking away.
"Yeah it isn't." Said Grim standing up and dusting himself off when a guard ordered him to come inside because there was a phone call for him.
"Make it quick monster." Said the man as Grim picked up the phone.
"Grim! We've been trying to get in contact with you! We need you now. There's a mutated gorilla destroying the zoo and we can't take him down, we need your strength!" Said Robin over the phone.
"Robin, I'm in prison. They ordered my capture or death, what did you expect? I wasn't framed or falsely accused of a crime, I was incarcerated for my appearance. Not much you can do against that."
"But we need you!" Yelled Robin.
"Find another monster to help you. Maybe the gorilla is looking for a career." Said Grim hanging up.
"Out of my way." Said Grim pushing past the guard. He found a shady spot and began taking a nap until a roar woke him up.
He bolted awake to see other prisoners looking around in confusion when the wall he was leaning on broke open and he looked up to see a giant glowing red gorilla. In one hand he had a woman and in the other... Was Robin.
"Mutant gorilla huh? The one day I'm off duty." Said Grim reaching up to his collar and tearing it off.
"The idiot guards were so scared of me they forgot to activate the thing." Said Grim leaping up and slugging the gorilla across the face making it drop the woman and Robin. Grim caught the woman midair and landed on the sidewalk.
The woman was looking up at in confused that a monster had saved her from another monster. Grim put her down and turned his back to her.
"Run, and do me a favor and try to get people to evacuate." He said before leaping and crashing into the gorilla again smashing into a building.
The gorilla grabbed his leg and smashed him into the ground and threw him into the prison wall knocking down more of it as prisoners began to run out.
"Grim! The prisoners!" Yelled Robin from the sidewalk.
"FIGHTING A GIANT GORILLA!" Yelled Grim as the other Titans arrived to fight the beast.
"I've got this. Stop the prisoners!" Said Grim as the gorilla swung a fist down towards a group of kids who couldn't escape.
"No!" Yelled Robin when Grim dived and stopped the fist with his back.
"And they call me a monster." He said lifting the giant fist and grabbing it with his.
"THIS ENDS NOW!" He roared slamming the giant fist into the ground and ran up the arm to the head of the giant animal.
"SLEEP!" He shouted slamming both hands on either side of the gorilla's head causing a shockwave. The mighty gorilla crumpled and fell onto it's back.
"In the immortal words of Cyborg... BOOYAH!" Said Grim standing on top of the gorilla with a peace sign.
Suddenly the gorilla began to shrink and Grim fell off it landing on his stomach. He looked up to see guns pointing at his face.
"Get back into the prison or we will use lethal force!" Yelled the warden eager to give the command.
"You mean the prison with the huge hole in it? Alright." Said Grim standing up and holding out his wrists. Black crystal formed around his hands like handcuffs and he began to walk with the armed patrol back to the prison when the woman he saved stopped them.
"Lady, no need to worry they're putting me back in prison." Said Grim from behind the men separating him and the woman.
"Hold on! This man just saved my life and the lives of those children! What is his crime?" The woman asked.
"He is a danger to city. He causes destruction everywhere he goes." Said the warden.
"You would too if you were as powerful as him!" Said the woman making Grim raise an eyebrow.
"I would control it." Stated the Warden coldly as he began to turn his back to them.
"REALLY!? You would control it!? What if I told you that the same power you use to turn the knob of a door would be enough to snap a man's neck? If the steps you take would crack the ground!? YOUR FINGERS STRONG ENOUGH TO BREAK DIAMONDS LIKE AN EGG!?" Roared Grim hitting the last straw. He broke apart his handcuff crystal and pushed his way to the warden who put his energy pistol to Grim's head.
"ALLOW ME!" Yelled Grim grabbing the gun and putting it to his head. Before people could stop him he pulled the trigger and it fired... Just to disperse on his armored skin like it was a mere light show.
"I don't feel pain anymore. My armor has never been pierced by anything. You have no ability to stop me." Said Grim as a familiar green clad person suddenly descended into the group of people.
"What's going on?" Asked John looking from Grim to the Warden.
"This criminal has escaped and stolen a firearm! Bring him down and put him in the league's villain prison!" Yelled the Warden going red in the face.
"You mean him?" Asked GL pointing at Grim.
"How are you John?" Said Grim crushing the gun in his hand.
"I'm fine. Now what's really going on here?"
"I've been arrested as a danger to the wellbeing of the city. You know, your usual monster look must be monster person idea." Said Grim.
"That's it?" Asked Green Lantern.
"Jump City still isn't used to the whole super hero and villain shtick yet. It's scary? Lock it up. It broke a few things? Lock it up." Said Grim.
"Wait, you know this monster?" Asked the Warden shocked.
"He isn't a monster. He's a hero. Just last year he saved metropolis from being destroyed during the invasion." Said John.
"But he destroys everything he touches!" Yelled the Warden and the woman Grim had saved finally blew it.
"That's it. I'm calling a meeting for city council." She said taking out her phone.
"Woah. Who are you?" Asked Grim surprised that she had the power to call a meeting at any time.
"I'm Cole William. CEO of William industries." She said as she called someone on her phone.
"... Yes he deserves a trial! He just saved my life!" She was yelling on the phone a few minutes later as everyone stared at her. One of the kids Grim saved walked over and pulled on his hand.
"Are you going to jail again?" He asked looking up at him.
"Don't worry kid, I'll be fine." Said Grim ruffling the kid's hair as Cole got off the phone and turned to him.
"Your trial will be tomorrow at 12:30." Cole said.
"Thanks I suppose. But I don't think it will be any different." Said Grim making Cole sigh.
"Why are you like that... I don't even know your name. Does anyone?" She asked.
"My friends call me Grim... The city should stick to monster... Or The Goliath." Said Grim smiling at his new name showing off his drill teeth.
"Very well... Goliath. You will be allowed to return to your home to wait for trial." She said shaking his giant hand and walking away.
"Trial huh?" Said Grim scratching his head as the Titans walked to him.
"Looks like I might be free after all." Said Grim smiling at the team.
"Woah! Grim is smiling! That's a first." Said Beastboy.
"Well until now a monster hasn't had a reason to smile." Said Grim walking over to the team.
"I think it's time for me to tell the world my story. And to make a city trust me." Said Grim closing his fist and looking towards the sky.
The next dat Grim's trial went quickly. (Mostly because people didn't like being in an enclosed space with a giant destructive Goliath.) To Grim and the cities people's surprise he was found innocent and actually got an apology from the City Council.
When Grim emerged from the building he was greeted by crowds of scared citizens. These people were terrified by the fact a monster was set free.
Grim grabbed a microphone from someone about to announce the outcome of the trial and he began to speak.
"Hello Jump City!" His voice echoed around the city.
"My name is Grim Deathly. Otherwise known as Goliath or The Monster! Well let me tell you something... I am human! I was born in this city, I returned to this city to find it hated me for a mutation that I had no control over." Grim spoke looking into the eyes of individual citizens.
He then told his story. The story of abduction, mutation, and recreation. The story of saving metropolis. The story of meeting the Titans. And the story of the city hating him no matter what he did.
"But now it comes to an end! I have joined the Titans and am now free to walk the streets without fear of being arrested for being mistaken for being a super criminal. And as a token of my gratitude I'll tell you this. If your in trouble you know who to call... GOLIATH! If this city needs help, I will help it! If a lone person is in trouble I will save them! I am no monster! I AM A HERO!" Said Grim passionately eliciting a cry of approval from a large portion of the crowd. Grim handed the mic back to the person and began to shout reaching the same volume as with his mic.
"I have one confession though! I have a hard time controlling my strength! So until then I'll have to ask you to not get too angry for collateral damage! And I also can't find any shirts in my size! If you have any shirts in xxxxl large please contact the Titans!" Roared Grim getting laughter from people as he began to walk towards them. He passed through the crowds and heard people whispering about him.
"Wait Grim Deathly? Wasn't he a boxer?" Asked someone.
"Isn't he the one that went missing a year ago?" Asked another.
"Oh! His giant hands are like his boxing gloves!" Said another person.
Grim finally found who he was looking for. Cole was smiling at him as he stood in front of her.
"Thank you Cole, I can't thank you enough." He said surprising her by gathering her up in a hug.
"That's enough Mr. Goliath." She said struggling to breath.
"Please call me Grim." He said putting her down and facing the direction the tower was in.
"It's thanks to you I can live freely again." He said leaping and landing at the tower.
"That jump is bullshit." He said when he landed and opening the door to the tower. He entered the tower... And began his free life not as a monster... But as The Goliath.
END
SWEET MERCIFUL GOD THAT TOOK FOREVER TO WRITE! It was a long chapter but I wanted to show both the distrust the city has for Grim and the beginning of him actually being a hero in one fell swoop. Next chapter Grim makes his hero costume and gets a weapon! Remember to review please. See you next time on... Titans and the Goliath! [input awesome end credit music here]