Raven heaved herself to her elbows, shoulder throbbing with a deep buried bruise, and took a pained look around. Bodies littered the floor, crying out in the gloom. Others lay distressingly still. Cyborg was crouched by the side door, slowly getting to his feet. Robin was slowly crawling his way to Starfire, who lay curled in pain. Raven hoped furtively that the Princesses natural toughness was enough to protect her from her impact with the concrete floor.
Raven tried to call on her powers, but the place inside her rang hollow and empty. Whatever had happened it had drained her of her powers for the time being. A hand grabbed her by the hair, wrenching her upwards and sending fire down her scalp.
"You!" the head ritualist screamed, mouth frothing with rage. Raven's eyes watered with pain as he shook her. "You useless bitch! Bring her out! Bring out our demoness!"
Raven clawed weakly at his hands to no effect. The man continued to scream, slapping her across the face and hurling her with surprising strength into the centre of the room. Her temple hit the concrete, briefly blackening her vision.
Some of the ritualists spared from the worst of the magical blasts limped to their feet.
"Get up, all of you! She's here. We'll do the ritual again. I won't have all my plans ruined by some fucking green runt."
Raven's head buzzed as she struggled to stay conscious, trying to puzzle out what the man was screaming about. Green runt? Ruined it? Beast Boy!
With a gasp Raven scrabbled to sit up, casting her eyes about wildly for the emerald titan. She didn't have to look far. There, face down in within the ritual circle lay Beast Boy.
But not as she knew him.
It was the same messy head of hair. The same spandex uniform. The same gangly limbs and large hands. But for as long as she had known him, Raven had never known Beast Boy to be anything but a deep forest green. This Beast Boy was white.
Pale and glowing in the gloom the scattered light cast him in a ghoulish blood like glow. Raven felt panic lace through her. Taking in the wrongness of the sight. The stillness of the figure. Denial was quick to follow.
He couldn't be. Beast Boy just couldn't be dead. Please…
"Pathetic" spat the ritualist, looming over them both. Raven flinched, clawing her way closer as he kicked the white Beast Boy sharply in the ribs. The force of the blow flipped the boy onto his back. "How dare this fucking runt interfere with my glorious work! I was going to bring forth a goddess! The true daughter of Lord Trigun! Beautiful and powerful." The man smiled, a rictus of madness and lust as he gazed towards his glorious vision of the future. "But you fucking ruined it! Who shall rule us now!? Who shall wash the streets with blood!?"
Another kick, landing squarely on the stomach. Beats Boy let out a strained groan and Raven felt her pulse thump against her chest in relief. He was alive!
Slowly Beast Boy fluttered his eyes open, emerald orbs weak but defiant. Raven watched his lips twitch into a smile.
"What the fuck are you smiling at runt?" the man snarled, pressing on the boy's chest.
Beast Boy wet his lips slowly, grin spreading ever wider. His fangs flashed. Raven strained to hear his horse whisper.
"You should be careful what you wish for."
The ritualist blinked, then there was a feeling of movement, the thump of something meaty hitting something else meaty and a spray of warm salty blood.
Raven flinched as it splattered across her face, eyes wide with terror as she watched the man go flying across the room. Dying scream stolen from him by the tearing of his throat with one serrated knife length claw.
The smack of the body hitting the wall rang loudly, the slumped figure gurgling and thrashing in their death throws. They struggled to hold their bleeding throat. The whites of their eyes rolling as horror bled into their face.
Breathing shallow, cold sweat suddenly dampening her brow, Raven looked to her left. Though she didn't dare to move her head. Instinct told her that to do so was death.
From the corner of her eye she watched the twisted hulking creature sniffed the air. Everything was red. The small, pointed ears, the course hair, the leathery skin. Everything, down to the grinning, dripping teeth.
Everything, apart from the eyes. Which gleamed a familiar emerald green. Rolling in their sockets to lock onto their prey. Mad and hungry.
The-thing-wearing Beast Boys skin snarled and lunged at the dying man. Reaching across the room in one effortless bound and shifting as it did so. Jaw lengthening, teeth multiplying, claws curling. The skin protruded, thorns bursting forth and a tail, tipped with spikes flowed behind it. This was no creature born of the natural world, but instead a monster with one purpose. To hunt, to kill.
The ritualist stood no chance, drowning in his own blood as the maw descended. Raven's body ran cold at the crunch of bones as his skull was crushed, at the snap of his neck as the beast sharply twisted, like a dog tearing into its meal. A claw came down, crushing the rib cage and opening up his insides, entrails shaken loose, scattered in a pool of blood and viscera.
Bile raced up Raven's throat but terror kept it at bay. Her body remained frozen with the threat of death as the beast finished its task, raised its distorted head and sniffed the air.
It turned, intestines and blood dripping from its fangs. Mad slitted green eyes twitching to every living soul in the room. The night held its breath as it hesitated.
"Nobody move," rasped the white Beast Boy. His voice carried in the dangerous silence. "He's only hesitating because he doesn't know who to go for. Move and your next."
Raven wanted to turn to the white Beast Boy, wanted to demand answers, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. Hypnotized as the great head swung back and forth, tongue hanging limp from between its fangs, slowly tasting the air. Its leap towards the cultist had been nothing but a blur. If she brought up a shield, would she make it in time?
"What is it?" she whispered, barely daring to speak.
The claws flexed. The chill of the night slid down her spine as she waited for an answer.
"Bloodlust."
The nostrils flared, growing larger as they took in the smell of the room. The head swung ponderously, lips curling back on a snarl. Its ravenous gaze came to settle on her, on the slow drip of blood from her temple. With a growl, it leapt.
Raven's throat dried in horror. She threw up an arm on reflex, trying to call forth the power for a shield. But any small dregs of energy she had were sluggish and slow to form. She would never make it in time.
Raven closed her eyes, sure this was it.
A body impacted her, spinning and encasing her in warmth, arms gripping tight.
"Now!" shouted Beast Boy next to her, the command sharp and snarled.
Raven heard a snap and yip of surprised pain. A growl thundered around the room, shaking her to her bones. Beast Boy all but picked her up, throwing them both out of the way as the two combatants went rolling across the floor. Teeth and claws flying. Any of the cultists to injured or slow to move were slaughtered under uncaring feet and bloodied talons. Their cries were drowned out by the growling, screaming howls of the beasts.
Raven watched from between the white Beast Boys arms as the two beings separated, seizing each other up. The red beast kept low, snarling and spitting. Shifting and un-shifting its form, teeth to pincers, claws to tentacles.
Raven watched its competition rise and keep on rising. Its great bulk coming to fill half the room. At least three times the size of the other. The behemoth had Beast Boys familiar green colouring but was no form she had ever witnessed before. From behind all she could make out was its great back, rippling with muscles under short course fur. A wild mane fell about its shoulders, leading down to a long-tufted tail, thick as a tree trunk. Huge arched feet tipped with talons scrapped at the concrete, clawed paws flexing in preparation to attack. She watched as the muscles contracted, readiness written in every line of its being.
With a screech the red beast attacked. Powered by madness and hunger, it aimed for the throat. Bellowing the green behemoth threw it off with an effortless swipe and returned the sentiment in kind. Head snapping sharply and biting deep into the red flesh. The huge protruding fangs set within a short muzzled face sinking effortlessly into flesh.
The red monster was constantly shifting, looking for a way to overcome its opponent. Never once hesitating in face of its larger attacker. It went after wounds and vitals with a single-minded ferocity, screeching and hissing, spitting venom and acid. The behemoth stood tall and unconcerned by the assault, returning every attack tenfold with efficient savagery.
Any wounds inflicted by the red monster did little to phase it. Hide too tough and muscles too thick to fall to piercing claws and teeth. A swipe of a caw removed a scarlet leg, a snap of its jaws and shake of its head chewing apart a shoulder, heavy tail whipping the monster, sending it flying onto the wall. Bricks cracking and cement dust raining down from the strength of the blow.
In a new tactic the red monster turned its face liquid and oozy. Tentacles forming to wrap around the descending maw of the behemoth in an attempt to smother it. A great paw came up and pulled it from its goal, tufts of green fur caught in its suckers, teeth spinning within them. Before the monster could shift again it was slammed to the ground, spine and pelvis pulverized. The great green maw came down, fangs rendering the flesh with ease. The behemoth tossed its head back and swallowed its prize whole.
The feast continued through the dying screams of the red monster. The spray of warm blood and desperate scratching of claws across its muzzle doing nothing to deter the behemoth from its meal. Until every ounce of flesh and bone was consumed. Nothing left of scarlet monster but a great dark stain upon the shaggy green mane. Its fangs dripping pink saliva.
The last echoing screams faded. No one said a word.
A few breathless moments passed. Seconds or minuets, Raven didn't know. Her focus so entirely on the new monster in their midst. The behemoth licked its fangs one more time, sniffed the ground to make sure that no last morsel of its prey remained, pawed at the ground in disappointment and turned to face her.
Raven panicked, snatching for her depleted powers heaving them into line with the full strength of her will and desperate fear. Wrapping herself with what small magic she could gather she flung herself from the remains of the magic circle and away from the monster, coming to land by Robin and Starfire. Fully expecting an attack.
Green eyes followed her from the great head. Green eyes she knew all to well. Raven felt her heart tremble with realization.
With a sniff the beast turned away from her, trotting smartly into the centre of the circle and coming to curl its great bulk around the white beast boy. It dipped its head, jaw open.
"Beast Boy!" The titans cried out as one in alarm. Both the white Beast Boy and the green behemoth perked their ears. Two pairs of identical forest green eyes regarded them.
"Rrrraaaavvvvveeeeennnn" said the boy. His words drowned out but the rumbling purr of the beast. Guttural and distorted around protruding fangs, it was still unmistakably her name.
Raven could swear she felt her heart shatter.
The titans were stunned into silence. Getting nor response the green beast turned back to the boy, snuffling his hair and licking a stripe up his cheek, leaving a streak of red. The white Beast Boy allowed it, burying his fingers in the stained mane to pull himself to his feet. The behemoth crouching to help.
Raven watched the white beast boy shift minutely as he stood. The familiar silhouette grew tall and slender. The face narrowed, cheek bones and jaw sharpening. Fangs and ears shrinking until their points were barely noticeable. It was still indisputably Beast Boy, but it an alternative grown, elegant Beast Boy.
Those deep green, achingly familiar eyes turned to face them.
"Star, how is she?" he asked, with real concern. Behind him the behemoth turned its head to start grooming itself. Licking over its fur like a cat, content and stated. With sharp eyes Raven noticed that any wounds it had sustained were already gone. From the ritualists there was not even a whimper, Raven had a passing thought to wonder if any of them were still alive, or just struck mute by terror.
Moving cautiously Cyborg approached their huddled group. Eyes and sonic cannon never leaving the two figures. With the slightest tilt of his head he let his bionic eye scan up and down Starfire's form. Taking in her vitals and assessing them swiftly. Starfire cradled one of her arms loosely, face twisted with pain. Robin stood in front of her, boomerang in hand.
"She's alright" breathed Cyborg, with no small amount of relief. "Probably a concussion and a heavily bruised, possibly dislocated, shoulder but nothing life threatening." His gaze hardened, turning to take in the room and the scattered bodies. "Which is more than can be said for them."
The white beast boy grimaced slightly and inclined his head, acknowledging the bloody mess around him. Raven refused to look. "Yes, I know. We are fortunate. If Instinct had not been close by we all would have suffered the same fate."
"Enough. Who are you? What is that?" bit out Robin, weapon still raised. Raven moved back behind the boys, taking their leaders place by Star and helping her to her feet. With her powers so weakened she would only be a liability if a fight broke out.
If the white Beast Boy was bothered by Robins angry tone he didn't show it, looking back at them placidly.
At the sharp words the behemoth huffed, causing all of them to tense. It flicked its ears once before snorting and going back to its cleaning. Apparently, they were beneath its concern.
"Please be calm. I will explain, but we must be prepared to move soon. There are a number of dangerous Aspects that we need to secure. Some dangers are uniquely human."
"We won't be doing anything until you tell me who the hell you are? And until that thing is caged."
To that the behemoth took exception, curling its lip to release a deep grumbling growl. Raven felt every hair on her stand on end. Her heart spiking in fear. Every cell of her body screaming to flee. The ancient monkey in her reacting to the sound of a predator and reminding her that for all her powers to some she would always be prey.
The white Beast Boy frowned but made a few shushing sounds. Stroking a hand gently down the muzzled face. The behemoth settled down, growl fading out. "I suggest you watch what you say. Instinct is no danger to anyone, least of all us, if kept calm. He will not attack without reason, but he will not be caged without a fight," he gently admonished.
Robin ground his teeth but relented, picking his battles. "Answer the question! Who are you?"
"I am Beast Boy. Surely that is obvious?"
"Beast Boy ain't white" snapped Cyborg, sonic cannon still primed and ready to fire. "And no BB I know talks like a posh nob either. Or can reach the top shelf without a stool."
The white Beast Boy blinked, looking down at himself as if only just noticing the changes in his physique. He made a a small 'aha' of realization.
"Some kind of unconscious mirroring must be occurring. My natural shifting echoing the spilling of the Aspects with an internalized unconscious representation. How curious," he muttered. The white Beast Boy removed a glove, inspecting his long-fingered hands. Pressing against the short, soft nails with interest.
Cyborg let out a grunt of frustration. "That's what I mean! Our BB don't act like that! Just what the hell is going on?!"
"I apologize. I will explain as simply as I can. I am Beast Boy-yes, your Beast Boy" the white Beast Boy raised a hand, cutting of cyborgs continued protests. "However, I am only a small part of the Beast Boy you know. One part of a whole. A singular Aspect, if you will, of Beast Boys personality."
Robin frowned but relaxed marginally. "Then what about that thing?" he questioned, gesturing to the behemoth. "And the other one? They don't look like any part of Beast Boy I recognize."
"This is Instinct. I suppose you could consider him the accumulation of my animal side. As half of what I am he is a powerful Aspect. Like an animal he will defend himself with force when threatened but doesn't seek to harm anyone if his needs are met. Rather, he will seek safety and a place to protect himself. And all of you too, of course."
"What about the other one? The red one? That one went for Raven! It ate that man!"
The white Beast Boy flinched, gazing dispassionately towards the visceral scattered remains of the ritualist. Blood congealing on the floor, the stench filling the room.
"That, I'm afraid, was a rather less pleasant Aspect of my animal side. Bloodlust is a dangerous and powerful Aspect but normally kept in check by Instinct and my more human emotions. Separated, he was the embodiment of our desire to hunt and kill."
"Boodlust? Wha-but our BB don't want to go around killing people! I can't believe it. I won't believe it!' cried Cyborg, looking distressed.
"It isn't like that, you are thinking to human. My decision to refrain from meat is a moral one, if I was to follow my baser nature I would prefer to hunt for my food rather than forage for it." Raven danced her eyes across Beast Boy and across Instinct behind him. Taking in the fangs, the claws, the slitted predatory eyes.
"Bloodlust is that drive within me" the white Beast Boy continued. "Distilled and given form. It is the want of a predator to hunt and to kill. He was a murderous and dangerous Aspect with no sense of friend or foe, and it is good we are rid of him."
"That thing didn't hesitate to kill either" pointed out Robin, gesturing to Instinct.
The white Beast Boy huffed, growing impatient. "How many times must I repeat myself. Instinct is an accumulation of my animal side. That means they do not run by human morals and will not hesitate to defend themselves with violence when threatened. As long as he is treated with respect and his needs seen to he poses no danger. I am surprised Bloodlust was separated from them."
"Probably because Bloodlust was the violent Aspect the ritual could find" said Raven, grabbing everyone's attention. "The ritual, it was probably trying to draw out my daemon side. When it didn't find any demonic powers it must have rendered BB into these Aspects, searching for something that isn't there. Such a violent, unhinged Aspect was probably the closest it could find."
The white Beast boy nodded to her. "Just so. It was good Instinct was here to deal with them. My more human Aspects seem to have been much more scattered. We should work to gather them quickly. Not all human emotions are pleasant. Some will not hesitate to cause harm."
"We can't allow that" said Robin decisively. He stared hard at the white Beast Boy, then at the calm and placid Instinct behind him. "Can you keep that thing-Instinct, calm?"
"As long as he is not attacked, yes. He views all of you as one of his, to protect and provide for. He will not pose a threat in that regard."
Robin continued to stare, judging. The other Titans looked to him, waiting for his decision. Eventually he released a large breath and put away his boomerang. Everyone relaxed an inch, Cyborg powering down his cannon. The white Beast Boy gave a small smile.
"Okay. If what you're saying is true we need to gather up all of these Aspects ASAP. We will…secure Instinct in the Tower. The access to alerts and city cameras should help with our search."
"That sounds acceptable."
Robin hesitated for one more moment before squaring his shoulders. He turned, pulling Starfire to his side and throwing her good arm over his shoulders.
"Yo, are we just gonna leave all this here?" asked Cyborg, gesturing to the massacre around them.
"We don't have time Cy. We'll deal with it later. For now, we need to stop any more innocent people getting hurt and sort out Beast Boy."
Cyborg hesitated but eventually shrugged, still looking uneasy. "You're the boss man. You good Raven?"
Raven startled at being addressed, attention still focused on the white Beast Boy as he coaxed the great beast to walk calmly at his side. "I'm fine Cyborg. You go ahead, get the car ready."
Cyborg hesitated, looking between her and the Aspects. "You sure?" he whispered.
"Yes. I don't-I really don't think they're a threat." She bit her lip, fear fading as his mind began to whir. "Go, Star's going to need the lift."
Cyborg nodded, giving her a pat on the shoulder before moving ahead. Raven waited until the white Beast Boy drew close trying to feel him out with her powers. It was…difficult. Normally feelings came in as a mess of signals, all mixing and twisting to paint a rich tapestry of emotion. Noisy and messy, making it difficult to pick out one individual thought and feeling from the rest.
Not so for the white Beast Boy.
It was like only a single cord playing in a song. There was the impression of a tune but no real melody. It left her floundering and the emptiness of it.
The white Beast Boy smiled at her and Instinct came to sniff her curiously. She flinched back, watching its ears drop as in whined in disappointment. It really was BB, wasn't it.
Gathering herself she addressed the white Beast Boy as they slowly made their way to the T-car. Speaking loud enough for her teammates to hear.
"You never answered Robin's question. If that is Instinct and the other one was Bloodlust, what Aspect are you?"
"Me?" he paused, thinking on it. "For now, call me Serenity."