Really sorry about the delay, I was busy! But here's chapter 16, folks.
After about half an hour of talking, Beast Boy, or 'BB', as his new friend called him, and Cyborg had found several common topics of interest.
"Dude! That new racing game rocks! I played it at some arcade!" might just be a phrase that showed up sometime during their conversation. (A/N: I know nothing about video games or cars, so I can't outline their conversations in detail.) They talked on and on about the newest video games, technology, and cars that were going around. Both were very happy to have found someone that accepted them for who they were. The topic finally changed to history. Specifically, personal history.
"My dad was a famous scientist, back in the day, and I got in a bad accident. Most o' my body was damaged in some way, and I was blind in one eye. He decided to patch me up with some o' his new tech, and it worked. Eventually, I decided that I was gonna live on my own, so I left. I haven't heard from my family since the day I left. I was taken in by this real bastard who just used me. I didn't get paid or nothin'. He just forced me to do stuff by cutting a lot o' my circuits that held my mind together. I couldn't think for myself. He covered up my skin, so people wouldn't see a hybrid, an' I worked for him for years as a slave. It was just tonight that I woke up. I can't get to my family 'cause I don't have enough power in me to go that long way. That's were this comes in." He hefted the recharger. "I'm planning on going back to my dad's place after I charge up and get you to a place to eat." He grinned down at the green kid. "That's my story. Your turn."
BB sighed and slouched a bit. "Okay. First off, how I got green and got the animal stuff. When I was really little, I was in Africa with my mom and dad. I got sick somehow, and it was a fatal disease. My parents got a cure from some wise man in a tribe, but it turned me green. The animal thing was either a side effect or was already in me. I have no clue. Well, the Doom Patrol took me in, but I couldn't follow orders real well. They yelled at me for not doing as I was told, so I ran away. I got to a city and thought that I could get a job at the circus, but a zoo found me first. I was a spectacle to be laughed at and teased. It was horrible. I finally got away, and have been stealing for a living. Not very much, of course, and waaaay less that what's usual around here. So I've been eking out a miserable living. Poor little Garfield, all alone, in the big, wide, cruel world…" He looked up at his huge companion with big, hopeless eyes. "Could you leave me to starve?" he asked in a small voice.
Cyborg laughed. "Why do ya think I'm taking you to a pizza place, B? Charity? You're my new buddy!"
BB perked up. It was obvious that he had been faking; his acting skills were horrible. "Sweet! Thanks, Cy!"
Wandering the streets, they found a dark little pizza place. It looked like it was almost out of business. They looked at the prices and decided that they could get something. It was fairly cheap. The black girl behind the counter gave them a bored look. She didn't take any shocked second glances. Her hair was in little puffballs on the top of her head, and she was fairly pretty. She didn't wear a uniform, but wore a yellow and black striped shirt and black pants. A nametag identified her as 'Bumblebee'.
"What can I get you tonight, boys?" She leaned on the counter, and looked just a tad interested. "Y'know, you're the first newcomers in a week. How 'bout a freebie? We don't really need the money."
"Ah… okay!" Cyborg grinned at her. "One free pepperoni pizza, please."
"NO! No WAY am I eating pepperoni! Soy-cheese pizza!"
"Dude! I am not eating that shit! It's pepperoni!"
They continued to fight over what kind of pizza it would be until Bumblebee interjected a statement. "You can get a half-and-half pizza, you know. Much easier. Of course, it'll take longer, but it'll have to cook. Just take a seat anywhere. I'll take care of it, Sparky. Hold your horses."
Cyborg's mouth dropped. "Sparky? My name is Cyborg!"
"Right… Sparky." Cyborg ground his teeth together audibly. BB grabbed his hand and went over to a booth.
He could barely stifle a grin. "At least she isn't making fun of your looks. Hey, we got a free pizza, right?"
"Yeah… it's just… why that?"
Before BB could answer, three teens walked in the door, laughing and talking loudly to each other. They fell silent as soon as they spotted Cyborg and Beast Boy.
"Who're you?" declared one, with bubble-gum pink hair and eyes, and grey skin. She wore a black dress with a purple collar and black boots. Her hair was in the air with two black metal bands surrounding it.
Another one spoke up. "You're sitting at our table, snot-bags." He was about two feet tall and wore a green jumpsuit. A small metal pack was on his back.
Cyborg looked at them. "There've got to be at least a dozen tables here. Sit somewhere else for once."
The short one growled at them. "Why should we, huh?" Long metal legs sprang out
of the pack and lifted him up. "Anyway, this is the HIVE's personal pizza place. You don't have a right here, dirt bags!"
Bumblebee stepped in. "Gizmo, leave off. I said they could eat here, and I said they could sit at any table. By the by," and now she turned to the two sitting at the table, "your pizza's ready." She was holding a platter above her head, and two paper plates were in her hand. She walked over to their table and set it down. "What's your name, short stuff?" she asked BB.
"Beast Boy! Cy calls me BB or B, though."
"Thanks, B. OK, HIVE students, what'll you be having tonight?"
They ordered and sat at a table far away from the two innocent bystanders.
"K, Mammoth… go and…" were all that Cyborg and BB could catch. Cy had already finished his half, but had cautioned BB to eat rather slowly, unless he wanted a really bad stomachache.
"How come you didn't eat slow?" complained BB.
"Cause I am the one with the iron stomach and you haven't eaten in days. Good enough?"
BB just grumbled and reached out to take his second slice, but Mammoth walked by and picked up the pizza pan.
"I'm doing kitchen duty tonight." he rumbled meanly as he walked back to his table. There was a moment of laughter, but then the three came charging over with angry expressions.
"What was on that pizza?" the girl shouted.
"Soy cheese. I happen to be a vegetarian." retorted BB. "That was my first meal in days. I hope you didn't throw it away."
They could hear Mammoth talking to Bumblebee about 'spoiled cheese'. She looked at him and the group around the table.
"Mammoth, did you steal their pizza?"
"Uh…"
"Thought so. Go give it back. That kid hasn't eaten in days. How would you feel?"
He nodded sadly and took the pizza back.
"Mammoth, you are such a push-over!" Gizmo snapped. Mammoth hung his head.
"Sorry." he mumbled.
BB eagerly snagged a slice from the pan and dug in, humming happily under his breath. Gizmo sent a mechanical leg forward and knocked the pan off of the table, ruining the pizza inside. BB swallowed the last bite and glared at the kid. "Dude!" BB cried. Gizmo smirked.
"What're you gonna do about it, greenie?"
In response, BB turned into a wolf and leapt at the small genius. Gizmo lunged out of the way… just in time, for jaws full of razor-sharp teeth snapped shut right where Gizmo's hand had been just seconds before. He was furious.
"Hey!" he shrieked. "You could have killed me!"
BB returned to his human self. "No. You would have just lost a hand. You could just make a new one, right?" He could barely control his temper.
The girl looked sideways at Cyborg. "I'm Jinx. Who're you?"
Cyborg was surprised for a moment, but quickly replied. "Cyborg." They were soon engaged in a friendly conversation. It finally turned to HIVE.
"What is that place, anyway?" Cyborg asked.
"It's a school for villains. Wanna join?" asked Jinx. "You might be in the top class, where I am, along with brainy and Neanderthal over there." Gizmo had fired small missiles at BB, and Mammoth watched eagerly, ready to step in if necessary. BB responded with a flying attack by pterodactyl, and he easily dodged all missiles fired at him.
Everyone's attention was taken away from what they were doing, be it talk or fight, as the door opened to show three teens, two girls and one masked boy.