Gar 10
Chapter 9: Four arms? No problem
The following takes place in downtown Jump City, where an apartment building is on fire; smoke is billowing out on random floors and some of the building's residents are coming out and being escorted to waiting ambulances, with fireman going into the building looking for others.
Meanwhile, on the street level; a news van rolled up and parked itself beside the building. Coming out of the van; came a typical cameraman with his camera. The person next to him was a woman of Asian decent; with long dark brown hair and brown eyes. She's wearing a light grey work suit with a matching skirt.
She did a quick check-up with the crew and her hair, and once she got the go ahead from her cameraman that they were live; she began.
"Good Morning, I'm Valerie Vale with Jump City News; I'm here downtown where a fire has suddenly taken an apartment complex, as you can see behind me firefighter have already arrived at the scene and started evacuating residents. However, getting to the upper levels has proved to be difficult, as fallen concrete has blocked off the entrances through the stairways. The men are calling for better equipment, but it is not determined when they'll arrive in time."
Just then.
"Look! It's the Titans!"
Hearing those words made people look up into the sky, trying the get a glimpse of their heroes.
Sure enough, the first people they saw was the cybernetic hero Cyborg being carried by the alien warrior princess Starfire.
Right behind them, riding on a black disk made of something obsidian was the dark blue caped heroine Raven, the caped crusaders sidekick Robin and…
"It's Beast Boy!"
"Dad, look its Beast Boy, he's back!"
"Yayyy!"
"From what l can hear from the crowd and from my own eyes, l can confirm that the Titan 'Beast Boy' is indeed back from his three months hiatus, rumors had it he quit the team or had fallen ill. It seems now those thoughts can be put to rest. Looks like we'll see the full Teen Titans team in action once again." Valerie Vale declared.
OoOoOoO
Up in the air
"Cyborg, what do you see?" Asked Robin.
"I'm scanning." Cyborg declared, his cybernetic eye glowing red as he scanned the building for human shapes and heartbeats and structural damage within the building.
"Both stairways each side have structural damage and collapses on themselves, firefighters are going out to the floors, up to 1-6, but 7-12 are blocked off; they called for better equipment, but since its downtown I'll take longer to get here."
"Not an option. Here's the plan; Cyborg, you're on the ground, l want you to search the upper levels and navigate the rest of us to their trapped location. Starfire; get floors 12 and 11, Raven, tenth and ninth, me and Beast Boy will get the eighth and seventh each. Always keep your comms on, if you need help. Call it in, got it?"
"Got it!"
He then turned to Beast Boy. Even though he said before he was fine and, also the training he was going through earlier today; this was a real-life situation with real people on the line if they fail. So, Robin really needed to know from him…
"You got this?"
Beast boy looked over, seeing the building engulfed in flames, slowly burning up, he could hear the cries of his name from the kids and adults below, but also the whimpers and cries of fear from inside. He could feel the familiar adrenaline he got when an alert of this magnitude came to them. And he, having the power to do something, to save someone, he would.
"Out of the frying pan and into the fire huh?" Turning to at Robin in the eyes; without any doubt, fear or hesitation, but with overwhelming confidence and determination. "I got this."
Robin gave him a quick smile before putting back his serious expression.
"Alright then, Titans Go!"
oOoOoOo
The plan was working smoothly so far. With Cyborg on the ground using his scope to find anyone on the top floors and contacting his teammates to their location. Starfire got the people who made it to the roof first, carrying around 5 people to the ground at a time, before going back up for more.
Raven's method of rescue; was using her soul-self to shield against the fire and surround the civilians with it to get them to safety. Though, they would come out of it shivering and a little confused, it was a small price to pay from being saved from a burning building. And since it was a short teleportation, she only lost a small amount of energy.
Robin's way was like his mentor, using his whatever-proof cape to keep the flames at bay and help people with his grappling hook or helping them jump off the building and onto the trampoline waiting below to the firefighters.
Beast Boy used a combination of his animal forms to get through the flames; using the echo-location of a bat to find anyone on his floor, speed of a cheetah to race across the hall, an armadillo to roll through blocked concrete, and used the strength of a gorilla to push aside rubble to get to the people and lead them to the trampoline, even if he got burns on his hands from touching it.
Once he double checked his floor for anyone else, he flew back towards the ground as a seagull to help anyone else in need.
"Samantha!"
"Billy!"
He turned towards the sound and found a married African American couple, and an older man who had slightly greying hair, sweatpants and a wifebeater, they were both being held back from the building by police.
"Ma'am, you can't go back in there."
"You don't understand, my daughter is in there!" The woman cried out hysterically, her eyes never leaving the building that was her home.
"Ma'am, are you sure?"
"Yes, we are." Replied the husband. "She was playing around the area with her friends when the fire started, she must've gone back in to get her stuff rabbit. The only time she ever leaves without it is with her friends."
"My nephew, Billy must've gone up there with her to keep her safe, he stands up for the little ones." Said the now-identified Uncle, feeling just as worried for his nephew, he was the only family he had left in the world.
"I'm sorry, but l can't in good faith, let you back in there while the building is a blazing inferno."
The highly stress out mother, was about ready to punch the officer in the face and run in to get her baby, when she spotted one of the local heroes walking towards them and listening in.
"Please!" She pleated. Hers eyes locking with his, desperate for help to save her little girl. "Please, save them."
"What floor?" Beast Boy asked. Turning and running back towards the building, trusting his hearing to hear them over the flames and crowd.
"One the sixth floor; room 607, front window!" Shouted what sounded like Billy's uncle. "Billy's a smart kid. If anything, they should be hiding in the bathtub to keep away from the fire!"
"Got it!" Shouted Beast Boy before transforming into a Golden Eagle, the world's second fastest bird to quickly gain attitude, once finding the floor and seeing the glass window was partially intact. He flapped harder and aligned himself with the opening, transforming smaller into a Peregrine falcon and flying through the crack.
Once inside, he transformed back and took out his communicator. "Cy, I'm on the sixth-floor east side, do you see any signatures, kid size?"
"Gimme a moment." Was the reply he got. "…Got em, two kids around your location, looks like they're in some bathroom."
"Thanks." He said, before hanging, and running towards the bathroom. He could hear the whimpering of a girl and a boy trying to console her with confidence, but with an undertone of fear in his voice. He noticed that the smoke wasn't getting into the room; something was blocking the bottom of the door, most likely a wet towel.
"Smart kid." He thought.
"Billy, Samantha, are you guys O.K!?" He shouted through the door.
"Y-yes, were O.K!" *cough cough* Came the reply from the boy, however with the cough he was hearing, some of the smoke must have gotten in before they bloke it.
"I need to get them out of here before they inhale to much smoke. And the door handle is to hot to touch." He thought. "Alright guys, l need you to both to duck inside the tub, as low as you can. I'm going to kick the door down to you guys out of there!"
"OK!"
"I need to make l use the right amount of force; to much, l could hurt them, to little and l can sprain my ankle." Backing away from the door and steeled himself for a charge. "You ready!?
"We're ready!"
"Alright, here l come." Before taking a one-step charge, putting power not only to his knee, but also into his lower back to even it out and balance the energy.
BAM!
Clack!
The door slammed down into the ground, with a foot-space to spar from the tub. He hurried to the tub and looked down. In it, he found a boy that looked to be twelve. He had black wavy hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a red shirt with a white stripe running down it and blue pants. The girl was wearing dark blue jeans and a red top, she had dark brown eyes and her long-braided hair in a low ponytail. Each of them had a wet cloth around their nose and mouth to delay smoke inhalation.
"You two O.K?" He asked, Getting a nod from both. "Alright, l'm going to get you two out of here; once we get to the hallway, stay close to me and stay low to the ground, once we get to the window, l can lower you out to the firefighters below. Got it?"
"Got it." They replied, as they got out of the tub and began to follow him out, taking his advice and staying low to the ground, as they followed him on either side. The kids got lucky; the fire haven't reached inside the apartment yet, making the smoke the only thing to made it through, darkening the apartment to a dangerous degree.
"So far, so good." He thought as he led them towards the living room and to the window.
Crack!
At that sound, they all froze, knowing what it was, but not where it came from, each of them started to slowly look around in their surrounding, tying to pinpoint where exactly it came from.
Crack! Crack!
It wasn't until Beast Boy noticing dust starting to fall in front of his face, that he realized where it was coming from. Snapping his neck upwards, he spotted the spider-web of cracks, forming on the ceiling and spreading in all directions. Smoke, making it hard to see to the normal eye.
CRACK!
"GET DOWN!"
Immediately after those words, the ceiling started to collapse upon them, quickly the kids hit the ground, Billy protecting Samantha with his body, waiting to be crushed by the slab of concrete.
Only to not feel anything.
Opening his eyes in confusion, he look up in surprise to see the hero Beast boy, holding up the piece of concrete with his bare hands. He could almost see the tension and determination on his face and in his eyes as he struggled to keep it away from them. Billy was wondering why he didn't just transform.
The reason for that, was because Beast Boy needed a moment to concentrate on the form he needed. But he couldn't, because it was taking all his concentration to push the rubble away from them, it also didn't help that the slab was getting hotter by the second, burning his hands in the process though his gloves were taking some of the pain away, but it wouldn't last long. It also didn't help that the hole brought down fire from the seventh floor, bringing in more smoke for them to inhale.
Beast Boy needed to think fast, Cyborg might have seen his predicament and send help, but it might take to long, plus he had no way of knowing without his communicator, not to mention his strength will give out soon. He needed a plan, and fast.
"I need to get this slab off me and get the kids out of here, but l can't transform; it's taking all my concentration not to cough out a lung from all this smoke that I'm inhaling." He could the kids' coughing getting worse by the second, he had to act fast, or it would be to late. "If only l was stronger."
Beep Beep!
"!"
He sent a quick glance at is wrist, to find that his alien watch that has been red before, has turned green again.
It was recharged!
"Talk about timing!" He thought. "The only problem is, that l can't touch it. Taking my hand off this thing and it crushes us." He needed help, and the only help he had now was a scared little girl and a young courageous kid, who were both coughing on thick black smoke. "No choice."
"B-Billy, can you hear me?" *cough cough*
Coughing in return, Billy lifted his head and opening his eyes to look up at him, though a little blurry in the smoke, he could still see general outline. "I-I'm here."
"I need you to do something for me." He said. "See my glowing watch?" He asked, getting a nod. "I need you to get a whole of it, when you do, you'll see it light up and see pictures inside; l need you to pick a picture that looks strong, strong enough to get us out of here. I know its dangerous, but right now, its our best shot. I need you to be brave and do this, let me know when you find one."
Billy was scared, he did not think any of this was going today; from playing with his friends, to helping to keep one of his friends alive in the fire. No matter what's happening in his life, he always had his courage to stand up for himself and for those he cared about. This wasn't any different.
"B-billy?" Whimpered Samantha; frightened out of her mind, she didn't want to be here, it was too hot in the room and the smoke was making hard to breath. She wanted her mom and dad to hold her, and Mr. Wabbit was not making her feel any safer.
"It'll be alright Sam, l'll be right back." Consoled Billy, before he slowly went towards the green glowing object that was Beast Boy watch. He made sure not to reach to overhead, otherwise he could burn himself. Once there, he touch it and it let out a beeping sound, before the faceplate pushed upwards and started to show a picture of something.
"I'm getting a distinct feeling that this thing is small." He thought before twisting. "To hairy." Twist "To weird looking." Twist "Is that a plant?" Twist "Oh?" This is where he spotted one. This picture showed a dark outline a large humanoid figure with three toes and large legs. The most outstanding thing about it, was that it had four arms in total; two muscular arms on each side of its body. "He'll work"
"I found someone!" *cough*
"Great! *Cough cough*" Beast Boy could feel his muscles screaming at him to let them take a break, they weren't going to hold out for much longer! "Now, l want you to close your eyes and push down on the watch when l say go, O.K?" Seeing a nod, he continued. "Alright on three: 1…2…3!
Billy closed his eyes and slammed his hand on the watch. The last thing he saw beneath his eyelids was a great flash of green light.
_Gar 10_
Cyborg was getting worried about Beast Boy.
After confirming on where the children were located to him, he turned his attention back to the others to help them get the other civilians out of the building. After six gone by, and the others were getting the last out. He noticed that Beast Boy still hadn't shown up with the kids. He could hear the mother getting more desperate as she saw more people coming out of the building. So, Cyborg turned his eyes back to the sixth floor.
He did not like what he saw.
It looked like the seventh floor caved in itself and fell into the sixth, right on top of Beast Boy and the kids, He could see Beast Boy struggling to push against a slab of concrete over his head, it must have got to him before he could transform.
He immediately called for help. "Guys, bad news; BB's caught in under some rubble with a couple of kids on the sixth floor. Smoke and fire are surrounding them from the seventh. I don't know how long they've been breathing it in."
News got worse when the team couldn't respond, looking back to the building reveal Robin, helping a family of four safely down to ground. Starfire was inside the Eleventh floor, getting someone who was trapped under collapse debris, and Raven was using her magic to move debris that was trapping two kids in a wardrobe closet.
There was nothing anyone of them could do for him right now.
Cyborg was about to call over one of the firefighters to help him out, when a great big flash green light enveloped the sixth-floor room.
There was a moment of silence, as everyone tried to figure out what they just saw.
CRASH!
THUMP!
Until, suddenly, the window on that floor exploded outwards as something big and red flew out of it. Luckily, the ground around the area was already cleared of people, as the form landed, causing a miniature earthquake around the people.
When the figure rouse up to its full height, it stood a whopping twelve feet; it had three toes on each foot, wore black pants, wearing a dark purple t-shirt with a black strip going up the middle, going around its collarbone and ending at the ends of the shirt. The skin that was showing was a solid red. His head bald with a black streak between his four eyes, starting from where its nose would be, going over its head and down its back.
Being in Jump City, people were used to heroes and villain having different skin tones and being genders (they had creatures made a rock, lightning, and slug for Pete's sake!) What they were not used to seeing was a being with two extra arms on each side, four very muscular arms. Its two upper arms were empty, its lower ones…
"Samantha!"
"Billy!"
The two children were tuck securely in its arms, coughing but alive. After its landing, the alien immediately began moving to one of the available ambulances. Samantha's mother began trying to push through the yellow tape and through the officers holding her back. The father and Billy's uncle also wanted to go, but they also knew that this alien was far stronger than them with extra arms to boot, until they all heard a male booming gruffy commanding voice.
"These kids need oxygen, now." He commanded, laying the kids down gently as to not further agitate them in the back of the truck, as one of the attending straps them both with oxygen mask and covered them in a thick blanket. The red giant then turned his attention towards the families of the young, freezing them in their tracks as his four eyes yellow gaze, slowly moved from them to the officers holding them back. "Let them through."
The three officers looked at one another, not sure what to do in this situation when being spoken from figure double their size.
"It's okay…" Cyborg walked to the officers and the family. "Let them go." Getting the go-ahead from one of the heroes, they let the families go. The three started running towards the truck in tears of joy that their daughter and nephew were safe.
Cyborg slowly approach the giant figure, already having a good guess on who it was, after seeing a familiar faceplate on his left shoulder.
"So, new alien form I'm guessing?" He asked sarcastically.
A smug grin started to form on the face, as he cross his upper arms and put his lower ones on his hips. "Yup."
Cyborg raised a brow in return. "Already got a name pick out?"
The smugness turned cocky and he then started to flex all four of his muscles in regular 'muscle man' poses. "Duh."
It took Cyborg to deduce what it was as he continued flexing, be breaking out in highly amused chuckles. "Really, 'Four Arms'?"
"Short, sweet and to the point."
"Eh, its your call BB. Just let one of us name the next one." Smiling, he raise his hand for fist-bump.
"Deal." Smile back and returning the pound. Getting Cyborg to wince and shake his hand to get feeling back.
Minutes later, the rest of the Titans joined them after completing their task in evacuating all the residences from the top floors of the building.
"Beast Boy?" Robin questioned as he approached the two.
"I'm Four Arms now."
"OH! You are a Tetramand from the planet Khoros. They are a strong warrior race much like that of Tamaraneans and live for the glory of fighting." Gushed Starfire, as she flew around and examined Beast Boy's new form.
Raven silently observed him, looking him up and down if any of his burns transfer over. "You feeling okay?
He nodded. "Yeah, turned out, this form is resistant to intense heat, plus the extra arms and strength really came in handy with getting the slab off and getting the kids out."
Robin then turned his Cyborg. "What's the ETA on the extra hoses and help?"
"Due to morning traffic, its gonna take another ten minutes for them to get here." Replied the concerned cyborg.
"Its to long." Robin said in concern, as he turned towards the building, the intense fire still growing. "There's not going to be much to save in another five at this rate."
"I got an idea." Came from the unexpected baritone voice of their transformed teammate as they turned to look at him, starring at his hands. He then turned to Cyborg. "Did they evacuate the building behind this one?" He asked.
"Yeah, there was a risk the fire could jump ship based on the intensity. Why?"
Four Arms grinned. "Then get everyone to get behind me and away from the building, this is gonna be loud and cause some damage."
Robin did not like the sound of that.
Two minutes later, the people and vehicles were moved back and away. The only one left was Four Arms standing in front of the building.
"Hopes this works" Taking a deep breath, he stretched his arms as far as he could.
Starfire, more knowledgeable with this species, widened her eyes, recognized this gesture yelled out to everyone. "Everybody hit the gravel!"
With great speed, Four Arms brought his hands together.
BOOM!
He had created a low-level sonic clap towards the building, shattering windows, but also snuffing the flames out before they could spread with the more oxygenated air. The drawback was that it also shattered windows on cars and some of the windows on the building behind it.
All this happened in a matter of seconds, people slowly opened their eyes to their home, while darkened by flames, was still intact. Minus the windows for the front.
The people around slowly turned their attention back to the red hulking figure. One hand rubbing the back of his head, another rubbing under where his nose would be, and the last two on his hips.
"Hehehe…Four Arms smash."
Robin let out an annoyed huff. "The mayors' not going to like this." Before developing a thoughtful expression. "You know, I think l actually read that comic series."
OoOoOoO
"This is Valerie Vale, and your eyes are not deceiving you."
"Ma'am." A female, wearing an all-black uniform, the words in red in all caps 'CADMUS' was sitting in front of a computer, surrounded by other people dressed similarly to her; each with their computers with different assignments tasked to them by their boss.
Said boss was right behind her, on a balcony overlooking them all. When hearing the voice, she looked over on who called her. "What is it?"
"Information regarding the alien artifact that dropped down three months ago."
This got her interest. "Put it on the big screen."
"Yes Ma'am." A few seconds of typing and the giant screen change video show the seen of Four Arms jumping from the burning building with two kids in his hands.
Amanda Waller 's eyes narrowed as she observed the alien figure and the strange device on its shoulder. "So, there you are."
OoOoOoO
"From what was mysterious fire happening downtown, our local heroes arrived at the scene to help out. Things were going smoothly with evacuations, until two kids were reported trapped on the sixth floor. Resident hero Beast Boy, who has been MIA for the last three months, rushed to the floor, where moments later the seventh-floor collapse upon them. Then suddenly with a flash of green light, a large red figure appeared in with the children in tow. This figure then put out the fires with a single mighty clap! The only damage sustain was broken glass and fire related. It was later reviled, that this figure was actually Beast Boy himself!"
Somewhere in a rust bucket in the middle of Arizona
"Sounds like the guy woke up and is already holding is own with the Omnitrix."
Ben Tennyson was in his home away from home, just finishing a deal with his grandpa max and his partner Rook with a peace negotiation with Mole people, actual mole people. He was still getting use to seeing things far out of the ordinary, even if he did live in a world of super powered beings.
"That sounds reassuring, he reminds me of you a lot, I was getting a little worried."
"Indeed, for as long as l have known Ben, he is well known to think second and do action first, causing many problems for either me, you or anyone else to help him clean up."
"Hey!" Whined Ben, turning back towards his grandpa and his partner-in-crime Rook. "I'm not that bad."
They both stared at him for a second, before turning towards each other and bursting out laughing.
Ben crossed his arms and pouted, before turning back towards the t.v. "Julie would back me up on this…maybe."
OoOoOoO
"Could this be why the resident shifter has been out for the last three months? Training his body and discovering new shapes to explore? Jump City is just waiting to find out. This has been Valerie Vale, Jump City News."
"Freeze that image!"
The picture on the screen froze with the image of Four Arms clapping his hands to create a sound wave. A looming figure stalked towards the screen, reaching up with his green hands and brown gloves, red criss-crossing scars going up its arms. Its red eyes narrowing on the picture of what it longed to have.
"My Omnitrix." Turning to one of its subordinates, he ordered. "I need more information, send in the machines…and call the bounty hunters. Its time for a hunt."
Author note: Finally done, did not think it would take this long to write this up. But I'm so glad it turned out well. Now that its out of the way, I can focus ON my 'Goblin Slayer one-shot (Probably gonna put it under the 'One Goblin' story and keep adding on to it). Then, get started on 'Li-Li Bizarre Adventure: Super Smash Brothers'. Assigning roles to characteristics in the smash universe (which is a lot!). I promise at least a chapter or two every month when l can. *Fingers crossed*
Next time: A Zoologist By Any Other Name