Disclaimer: Do I have the time to own anything?
The Incident
Chapter Sever
Raven's Pov
We kept running. None of the others, besides the Beast, knew we were running away from my father. I looked back. 'He's gone,' I thought before I visibly sighed.
"Thank the gods!" the Beast exclaimed as he stopped and placed Be- Garfield down. "I was beginning to think we'd never lose him! Thank's for looking, babe," he said to me. I blushed as Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, and I caught up to the Beast and Garfield. 'If asked, I'll just say I'm blushing because of exercise,' I thought before the Beast let out a short laugh.
"Okay, now tell us, what is going on?" Robin questioned.
"Can you read minds?" I asked. It was the only possible explanation I could think of.
"Why did you call friend Raven, what is it he called her again?" asked Starfire.
"Babe," responded Cyborg.
"Well, team, that's easy. I'll tell you what happened. Yes, I can read minds. I called Raven 'Babe' because she is destined to be with me."
"What!?" Robin, Cyborg, Starfire and I shouted.
"No offense, but how would a relationship between you and Rae happen? I mean, you're all big and hairy and she's a little demon offspring girl. I'm pretty sure that would be bestiality, and I'm pretty sure Rae is not into that sort of thing," Cyborg said.
"Yes, destined to be my mate. And by 'me' I mean Garfield here because I am his primal instincts," the Beast said as he pointed to Garfield. The blonde boy nodded in agreement, but remained quiet. He also looked slightly saddened. I wonder why? "I'm going to have to tell our backstory to lead up to this. Are you prepared to let go of all of your secrets, Garfield?" the Beast asked him.
"Go ahead, I know you have to. I'm ready, bro."
"Okay, well gather 'round all ya kiddies. Imma tell ya'll a story," the Beast said, imitating a grandma about to tell her grand kids a story. We obeyed, sitting in a circle, like a Kindergarten class. "It all started in Africa..."
FLASHBACK (NO POV)
Mark and Marie Logan walked around their campsite, admiring their work in all things science, especially their major, genetics. Suddenly a young, blonde child ran up to them, prompting Marie to pick up her son. She knew he loved exploring as they traveled, but she also knew his young age couldn't always take the effort, constantly requiring naps during the day, even more so than a normal child his age because of a little thing called jet lag.
Marie carried her son to his tent, longingly looking at his face as he drifted off into slumber in her arms. She placed him into his cot, telling his to sleep peaceably in the mid-day heat of the Congo Rain Forest. The mother looked at her son's weary face, knowing he enjoyed enjoyed exploring the jungles of the world more than anything - that he would rather do anything else but sleep, but his body, and his parents, have told him otherwise... growing boys need their rest. "Go to sleep, Garfield," Marie said to her son, fighting against his protesting eyelids.
"...b-but M-mom," the young boy groggily protested.
"Garfield, Honey, you'll be able to go back out in an hour. Just rest up now so you can explore more later," she smiled as she pat her son's head, lovingly, as the boy relented. "Sweet dreams, Sweety."
"... b-better wake me in a-an hour," the boy muttered back as he drifted off to sleep, a sleep filled with many memories of growing up in the many different jungles of the world, especially of his favorite - the Amazon Rain Forest, located in the center of Brazil.
Meanwhile, outside the tent, Mark and Marie were holding a conversation while going over their research. "I really wish you wouldn't let that kid roam around this area, Marie. It's too dangerous."
"Don't you think I know that?" Marie yelled back. "But what else could we do!? We can't very well watch him 24/7! The only thing we can do is make sure he understands the danger!"
"We could have not brought him along!" Mark replied, setting down a piece of equipment he was working on with a slam that sent the table rocking.
"And what would we have done with him, Mark? He's never actually been to America, our home, in his short life because of all our traveling! We don't even know went we will be done here, how to get in contact with someone to watch him, or how to make sure he has money. We are kinda broke at the moment - spending all of our savings traveling to check out leads, all of which had turned up at dead ends! We may be famous scientists, but we aren't millionaires! We don't have a money tree!"
"At the very least, we could ask him to stay in the tent as much as possible." Mark sighed, knowing his wife was correct, once again.
"You and I both know that that kid has way too many tricks up his sleeves. He loves wildlife too much. We can't keep him away, and if we try, we'll be hurting not only his trust in us, but his interest in the sciences as well," Marie sighed, exasperated, "In a strange way... it's for his own good."
"I understand all of that... it's just that... I'm scared," Mark admitted as he hugged his wife and quietly sobbed into her shoulder. "Seriously, Sakutia? Why did Sakutia have to be spotted on some of the wildlife here?" Mark paused as a sob wracked his body, his inner fears coming out while his wife comforted him. "Maybe we should not have come here to do our research."
"Nonsense!" Marie countered, flabbergasted. "With our current amount of money, there was no other way we could have done it. Besides, we're so close to finding the answer."
"But, Honey, "Reverse Evolution" can wait, especially when our son is only five."
"But if we perfect it and bring back extinct animals, our son can have the perfect future that we have always dreamed of him having!"
"Not if he's dead!" Mark retorted, causing Marie to wave him off, having full confidence in her young son.
An hour later, not a minute more or a minute less, Marie went into the tent that her son was peacefully sleeping in. She nudged his shoulder and said, "Time to get up! Time's a-wastin'!"
The five-year-old groaned, wanting to request five more minutes, but then he remembered that he could go exploring again and shot up in an instant. "I'm up!" he yelled as he dodged his mother's head as he was getting up. Marie, being prepared for he son to shoot up as he did, since he does it every time he takes a nap or sleeps, easily moved out of the way.
"Be safe and remember the rules!" Marie called as he son shuffled past her.
"I will," he waved as he ran with enthusiasm, going deeper and deeper into the Congo. Marie smiled.
It wasn't long until Garfield heard what sounded like a moan of agony coming from the treetops. Being the compassionate boy he was, he walked towards the tree in order to help whatever animal was in trouble - mistake number one. He doubted it was another human, considering he and his parents were the only ones aloud to go this far into the wilderness. Garfield pulled back a bush to see the animal that was on the other side - mistake number two. The animal was revealed to be a green monkey, one of which the young boy knew was the West African Green Monkey... one that he had been told to stay away from at all costs. He was about to hurry away when the monkey looked at him, green eyes staring into blue ones with a helpless and hopeless expression, while the owner of said eyes nursed his left arm. Garfield, against his better judgement, approached the monkey instead, intent to help - mistake number three, and as they say, three strikes and you're out, a fact that young Garfield Logan learned soon afterwards.
The minute Garfield took a step forward, the monkey leaped from his perch - lunging at the poor boy. Garfield started to panic, running around and trying to knock the monkey off of him. The monkey stayed firmly planted on the boys shoulder and bit him on his arm as the monkey then decided to run away. Garfield screamed bloody murder and started to cry, running back towards camp.
Mark and Marie started when they heard the screams, even more so when they realized they were coming from the direction that Garfield had ran. The stopped what they were doing and ran towards the screams, trying to find their son. The soon bumped into him and he explained what had happened, causing the two to pale. They knew Sakutia was highly probable, but had to do testing - and they had to do it quickly or their son would die within 24 hours if he was indeed infected.
Garfield was tested and their fears were reviled to be true: Sakutia. There was a cure that was in the process of being made, but was never tested. However, the couple knew that if there was a chance to save their son, they would take it. After researching - quickly because of the disease - they found the instructions for the experimental cure in a deep dark corner of the private web that geneticists and other scientists used to convey their knowledge to one another. After quickly making it with the ingredients they found growing in the Forest. They quickly administered it to him, changing him into the only animal capable of withstanding the disease, a West African Green Monkey. They watched as their son changed into said monkey, smiling that the serum had worked, and hoping that it would cure him.
Their monkey son watched the parents as they created the reversal serum, that they had found in the same place as the serum that had turned their son into a monkey, readying it to give to their son in 24 hours, once they were sure that the disease was out of his system, in order to change him back into a human. What the two adults didn't know was what the side-effects of said life-saving serum would be.
The two scientists had giving the new serum to their son-turned-monkey exactly 24 hours after the human-to-monkey serum had been administered, after both had stayed awake all night in order to make sure that their son would not die on them and that the serum had in fact worked. They smiled as the green monkey began to metamorph back into the boy they knew and loved, but then they frowned. His skin, hair, and eyes had not lost their green color. Later, after some harmless testing, they had also found out that the boy could change into any animal of his choice, growing stronger with age and practice. It may have saved his life, but he was changed forever, a dangerous being that couldn't and shouldn't exist, but had so much potential if raised correctly, but couldn't be raised as a normal boy.
The two scientists sighed as Mark deleted the serum and the antidote from the scientific database, intending to keep said power out of the wrong hands. They smiled as they looked at their son and smiled, ready to start their life a-new.
Three years later, the family had returned to the Amazon Rain Forest, as to the eight-year-old Garfield's request. The family now had a large sum of money in Garfield's savings account for said boys future, since all of their research had proven useful. They, however, home-taught their son while they lived in Brazil, as to their green, super-powered son's request. He knew he was different, and he knew exactly why, the memory of those days vivid in his mind, seared there forever - haunting him for the rest of his days. He hated how he looked now, but he couldn't do anything about his eyes, hair, skin, pointed ears, or his canine-like tooth that was beginning to poke out of his mouth. He could, however, enjoy his life with his family and learn from them, which is something he found he loved to do. The eight-year-old was already smarter than most college graduates!
He learned, explored, practiced his transformations, and explored some more every day, continuously going to the routine many times each day. Sure, he got tired of the routine at times, but he loved it all the same. Speaking of routine, he was currently in the middle of practicing transforming.
"Come on Honey, transform for me," cooed Marie Logan, blue eyes looking into her son's green.
"Okay," Garfield replied as he shifted into a Mouse Lemur, one of his mother's favorite animals. He ran towards his mother as she squealed in joy and sat on her shoulder. He then licked her cheek, eliciting another happy squeal, jumped off her shoulder, ran back to where he was before-hand, and transformed back to a human.
He father clapped, then said, "Do you think you can try a little bigger? Don't strain yourself, just think big."
Garfield nodded, then he turned into a Great Dane, happily barked, then changed back. "That's the largest I can do right now. I'll just have to keep trying."
His father nodded, pleased. "Do you think you can do any extinct animals?" he then asked.
"I don't think that would be possible, but it would be so cool to be a Tyrannosaurs Rex!" Garfield sighed.
"Well, I think this has been a great practice!" Marie exclaimed as she clapped her hands together. "Now to learn some things."
"But, Mom,"Garfield whined, "I want to explore!"
"I know, that's why you are going to come on a boat with us and learn about the different types of fish that inhabit the Amazon River!" Marie exclaimed, causing her son's face to beam and he ran towards the river, his parents walking behind him, chuckling at his excitement. The three quickly found the boat and they set sail once the captain gave the 'okay.' Once aboard, Garfield started his studies, every couple of minutes watching the vast wilderness around him.
"So, how long have you operated a boat on these waters?" Mark asked the captain, just to make conversation.
"First time using boat," the captain replied, Brazilian accent thick. The the adult Logan's paled.
"You mean you are taking us through unfamiliar waters?" Marie screeched.
"No. I know water. No harm come. Safe," the native Brazilian replied.
"Better not, or we're suing," Marie replied, calmly.
"Or jumping overboard!" panicked Mark.
"No! Bad! Piranhas! Bite! Go ouch!" the Brazilian yelled, effectively shutting Mark up.
Marie whispered to her husband, "I have a feeling that we are going to die today." Mark nodded in agreement, too afraid to open his mouth.
"Ay! You cursed us! We die soon! You cause!" the Brazilian yelled, pointing at Marie.
"Are you trying to say I jinxed us?" Marie asked ant the captain nodded. "There's no such thing!"
"Sí, Señora. Bad stuff happen! You cause!" the Brazilian panicked and Marie just walked off, not believing a thing the native was saying.
It wasn't even half an hour later when a storm suddenly struck and the captain fell overboard, quickly reappearing as a large red ooze, thanks to the Piranha-infested water. Marie screamed. Neither she nor Mark knew how to properly steer the boat, which was rapidly approaching a large rock. Mark and Marie knew what they had to do: get Garfield to safety - to Hell with their lives!
"Hey, Garfield!" Mark called as he ran into the room that his son was studying in.
"Yeah, Dad," he replied, looking up.
"Can you go to the shore and get us some more wood for us?" Mark lied.
"Uhm, sure," he replied as he transformed into a seagull and flew away through an open porthole in the room, used to the difficulties of flying in wind and rain because of all of the times his mother and father have wanted to test his abilities in such kind of weather. He figured this was one of those times, considering how fast the rain was currently coming down outside. However, Garfield soon realized otherwise.
It wasn't until he had reached the shore that he had looked back to the boat... and had watched it just as it had hit a large rock being projected from the water. He looked on in silent terror. It was like a dream, a terrible dream, standing and watching as the ship started to sink, hearing the panicked screams of his parents in the distance. He listened to his mother's distinct scream of, "Shit!" while he imagined that his father was silently crying.
Garfield watched as the boat disappeared out of sight, leaving his parents screaming in the water, screaming as though they were dying. "Mommy! Daddy!" Garfield screamed when he finally found his voice, "Hold on!" Garfield was about to transform to help them when he lost sight of them, both having been pulled under by something only to reappear as a rather large spot of blood on the water's surface. Garfield paused. He had no idea what to do. His mind drew a blank. The only thing that his body would allow him to do was drop down and start sobbing, the rain clearing up once his parents' blood has been shed.
END FLASHBACK
Back to Raven's POV
The Titans stared alternatively at the Beast and Garfield. It was Robin who broke the silence, "You're parents were Mark and Marie Logan?" he questioned, to which he received dual nods from the Beast and Garfield. "That's pretty awesome! Batman made me study them for many years, their research was some of the best." Garfield blushed.
"You're smart!?" asked a bewildered Cyborg.
"Silicon," Garfield replied. Starfire started to hysterically laugh.
"Apparently he is..." I mumbled.
"That was terrible," Robin muttered.
"Sorry. I did have a joke about Cobalt, Radon, and Yttrium... but it was kind of CORNY!" Garfield said as he and the Beast dissolved into a fit of laughter. Starfire picked up her hysterical laughing while Cyborg, Robin, and I face-palmed.
"Can you stop with the Chemistry jokes. We get it - you got a brain!" Cyborg shouted.
"Robin, I think you'll appreciate this one," Garfield started, "Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, Sodium... BAAATMAAAN!" Starfire, the Beast, and Garfield could not stop laughing, now rolling on the floor, or it Starfire's case - the air, clutching their sides in pain. Cyborg and Robin just sighed.
"WILL YOU STOP IT!" I yelled, letting out the demon side of me, effectively shutting everyone up. I then calmed down and continued. "You said they died when you were eight, when happened between then and now? You stopped your story before you got there."
"Well, I joined the Doom Patrol for awhile and bettered my powers. Everything that happened there and before that are classified - as to the Doom Patrols' request. Then after I left, that's when we met," Garfield replied as I thought back to that warm day in October, three years ago. We were all basically normal, super powered people who did not know each other. Beast Boy was 11, I was 13, Robin had just turned 16, Starfire 15 - almost 16, Cyborg 18. We teamed up to get rid of the threat that was Starfire, only to find out she was in danger. Together we freed her and formed the Teen Titans.
Three years ago...
A lot has happened since then...
"Also, you all should know what is happening and who is behind it," the Beast said, Garfield nodding. I had a sudden suspicion that I knew who it was, and how he did it - demonic magic and shit can do that, but not why.
"Who?" Robin asked, getting into a fighting stance. Urge to beat whoever did this in his eyes.
"Trigon used some demonic shit that turned me mad and split the two of us," the Beast said as he motioned from himself to Garfield, "Once out, after I destroyed the city, I calmed down and knew I had to find my other-half. Luckily, you guys had taken me back to the Tower."
"I had completely lost my memory from after I had contracted Sakutia, the Beast however had kept it, since he has been with me since that incident. Neither of us can lie like this. I have no idea what Trigon had done, but I want to go back to normal," the Beast nodded along with what Garfield was saying.
"Like that will happen!" my fa... Trigon shouted as he appeared next to us.
"I'm done running," the Beast proclaimed and Garfield nodded.
"Titans GO!" the bond boy shouted as we all - the now six of us - got into fighting stances and lunged towards my father.
A/N: Holy shit! This is the longest chapter of this story... of any Fanfictions I have ever written, actually. Maybe even the longest chapter of anything I have ever written... well, there was this story I wrote for a Fanfiction for Creative Writing Final, but I don't count that because it was a grade. Anyway, over 3,600!? What the Hell is wrong with me? And he I thought I wanted to abandon this story and delete it since every time I sat at my computer, I took one look at this and didn't want to touch it. I started writing it in March! I only had it to about one paragraph into the flashback when I picked it up two days ago and changed my whole flashback setup. I think it was the flashback setup that was keeping me away.
Anyway, I actually surprised to still see in my Email that people are still reading and faving this and me. Damn!
Also, I got a job at Arby's last week. First job! Whoo!
All the jokes I have found online as part of Chemistry Cat. I love him so much!
Cookie to anyone that has read that looong, pointless A/N. Just needed to get some things off of my chest. Anyway... now for the few, overdo questions/comments I have:
Guest: Yes, these chapters may be short, but that's not really a comment. No questions? No, "I like/hate how you did" whatever. Just a simple " All your chapters are extremely short" ... that's it. Thank you for telling me something I already know.
Sorry if that sounded mean, but I actually hate when people state the obvious. I really can't respond to that... and I like responding to people... even you, Mr/s Guest. :)
That's the only comment...
Anyway, thanks to all my new and old story favorites and followers. I appreciate it.
I think I only have one or two more chapters left of this story... whenever that may be. IDK what I am even going to do with it (them) yet. A fight, but then what? Any ideas?
Comments, criticism, questions, following and/or favoriting are all appreciated.
Thanks for reading.
Write ya later! :)
