A/N: Hey guys I'm back! I'm SO sorry for the long wait. Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest weekend at my job so I've been really busy and too tired to motivate myself to write. But here I am with Part V. I really hope you like it. Please review and let me know what you think. Love, Ellivia22
A/N: By the way I tweaked Cyborg's backstory a little. I hope you don't mind and you like it.
Disclaimer: If I owned Teen Titans, they would've showed more of Cyborg's backstory in the original show.
I'll Be
Part V
Raven
Nevermore is almost in utter chaos when I enter after my talk with Cyborg. The atmosphere is almost blood red, which only means one thing: Rage is getting stronger. If I don't watch it she'll break out and that's the last thing I need right now. I need to calm her down before I talk to Robin, otherwise I know fore sure that she will escape.
I pace back and forth in the large room of Nevermore that I use to have meetings with all my emotions. The walls are white and have framed pictures, one on each wall: a portrait of Azar in his everyday orange and red robed attire; another of my mother clad in her white robes, a photo of the entire team; and finally, a picture of Beast Boy and I kissing in his bedroom. The frame containing the picture of the Titans has been burned in several places, particularly Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg's faces have been burned out. Most likely Rage's doing. The red cloaked emotion is chained to the wall across from the ruined picture. Her four red eyes glare angrily and she pants heavily.
My other emotions gathered around the circular table watch me as I continue to pace back and forth. I'm trying to make sense of everything that Starfire and Cyborg have told me.
"What has happened to our friends?" Timid asks barely above a whisper, breaking the silence in the room. "Why are they being so mean to Beast Boy?"
"We all want to know that!" Rude says bluntly, letting out an obnoxious belch.
"Perhaps they are afraid of him," Knowledge says, straightening up in her chair. She pushes her glasses further up her face. "Maybe they are afraid to trust him."
"But why would they be afraid of him?" Timid asks, lowering her head sadly.
"Yeah," Love adds, hugging a picture close to her chest. I suspect it's a picture of Beast Boy. "He's my hero. He saved us!"
I stop pacing to look at my emotions. "There has to be more to it than just the incident in the lab. Cyborg showed so much hate when he talked about Beast Boy. I wish I knew what his real reason was, but I am no closer to finding out what." I look at each and every one of my emotions. "Robin is going to be the most difficult to convince. So I'm going to need each and every one of you. More importantly, I need all of you to remain calm when I talk to him. Understand?" I stare hard at a struggling Rage. "That includes you!"
The red cloaked emotion glares back, struggling even harder against the chains that are keeping her against the wall. Her blood red eyes are full of vengeance. "I have a better idea. Let me talk to Robin. I'll make sure he sees reason!"
"Not a chance," I shoot back sharply. "You might kill him."
Her expression becomes indifferent. "So? He hurt Beast Boy the most. He deserves it!"
"I am not a killer!"
"But what if I just make him suffer a little..."
"NO!" With a wave of my hand I use my magic to strengthen the chains that are starting to wear down from her pulling on them.
Timid's soft words tear my attention away from Rage. "W-what are we going to tell Beast Boy?"
"We have to tell him the truth," Wisdom says immediately. "We have to tell him what the other said."
"But the truth will hurt him," Timid replies. "I-I don't want him to feel worse."
"Keeping it from him will hurt him even more," Knowledge interjects, siding with Wisdom. "Telling Beast Boy is the right thing to do."
Love looks down at the photo frame that she still is clutching. "I just hope he knows how much I love him," she says in a much softer voice.
I give the purple cloaked emotion a reassuring smile, thinking about last night. His strong embrace around me and his sweet, passionate kisses. "He does, Love. He does."
I exit Nevermore, still thinking about last night. I haven't seen Beast Boy all day. I miss him terribly. I hope with all my heart that he's okay. I decide to go check on him before I talk to Robin.
When I open his door a few minutes later I find the green boy curled up in the bottom bunk of his bed. His light snores tell me that he's fast asleep. I feel relieved. After everything he's been through he needs rest. I loom closer until I'm standing right in front of him.
Beast Boy is indeed asleep, but I can tell by the troubled expression on his face that he's surrounded by nightmares. I can feel my heart ache seeing him like this. Gently I run my hand through his green hair. It's wet, but soft from the touch. He must've just taken a shower. I'm not sure what he's dreaming about, but judging by his tensed up body and the strength of his anguished emotions it's nothing good.
I lean in closer, giving him a gentle kiss on his cheek. Then I whisper some sweet words in hopes that will make his dreams more pleasant. "I'll be your crying shoulder. I'll be the greatest fan of your life. I promise. I love you."
Slowly his scrunched up face relaxes, but he doesn't wake up. I can feel his tension ebb away slightly. I give him on last kiss on the cheek then leave his room. Next I have to find Robin. I feel my cloak change from blue to white as all my emotions consume me to give me the perfect balance. I'm ready to talk to the one person who hurt Beast Boy the most. Hopefully I'm strong enough to get through to him. Otherwise I don't know what I'll do next.
When I manage to find Robin it's the middle of the afternoon. Because it's close to being winter time, the sun has already begun its descent, bringing in the night. I find the Boy Wonder slouched on the couch, flipping aimlessly through the channels on the massive TV in front of him. His masked face is expressionless. Already I can feel Rage getting strong within me. Using my powers I make the huge TV crackle, breaking with a simple pop! The screen goes pitch black.
Robin sits up fast, looking around wildly for the cause of the TV breaking. He glares at me angrily when he sees me. "Raven! What did you do that for?!"
I don't bother answering his question. "What in the hell is the matter with you?! Why were you such a jerk to Beast Boy last night?!"
Robin gets up from the couch to face me. His face changes from anger to stony and cold. "I'm just trying to be a good leader by protecting the team from all possible threats. Beast Boy is dangerous and you need to stay away from him."
"How many times do I have to tell you, Beast Boy DIDN'T HURT ME! He saved my life! How dare you threaten to put your own teammate in jail! That is not what a good leader does! A good leader would know when his teammate is not in his right mind and do his best to help him! "
"He may not have hurt you, but he attacked us while in Beast form. He had caused multiple injuries on all of us. He could've killed one of us-could've killed Starfire!"
It's as if a lightbulb clicks in my head. Suddenly it all makes sense. "So that's what this is all about," I say, my voice dropping to a dangerous level. "You are blaming Beast Boy for unintentionally hurting Starfire."
Robin doesn't answer, but the fury on his masked face confirms everything. The living room starts to rattle, the lights above us are flickering. I'm getting angry and I find that I don't care. "You are such a hypocrite!" I spit out venomously. "Beast Boy was not in his right mind when he became the Beast. You, on the other hand, chose to become Red X without informing us. You knowingly stole and committed crimes just to impress Slade. Not to mentioned you fought and injured us when we tried to stop you and never apologized. We chose to forgive you and move on and never once did we threaten to put you in jail for breaking the law. Why can't you grant Beast Boy the same mercy?!"
The hatred is evident on Robin's face. Hatred not towards me, but obviously our green teammate. I had no idea that Robin hated Beast Boy this much. "Because he doesn't deserve it. He is a pathetic excuse of a superhero. I never should've let him join the team in the first place. He's worthless and we'd be much better off without him!"
Robin's words are like a sharp slap across the face. It becomes clear to me that no matter what I do or say, he's not going to listen to me. His opinion of Beast Boy isn't going to change and Robin is going to continue to hold onto his hate. I make a decision. If this team is going to remain heartless, cruel, and uncaring then I want no part of it. The lights stop flickering and objects stop levitating as I start to calm down. The decision to leave seems to be an acceptable idea by all my emotions.
"Well, if that's how you feel then I'll make sure he leaves the tower. And I'm going with him. I can't just stand by and let you treat someone so cruelly for something he had no control over. Beast Boy isn't the problem, Robin. YOU are! You and your hate. I hope you are happy with the cold team you have created." I turn to go back to Beast Boy's room. I look back at Robin to get my last words in. "Oh, and not that you care, but Beast Boy almost blew his brains out last night. Goodbye. I hope you have a miserable life."
I storm down the hall in the direction of Beast Boy's room. Rage is getting so close to breaking out. I can feel it. The Teen Titans is no longer the team it once was. Beast Boy deserves so much more respect than the others are giving him. If I can convince him to leave the tower with me I will make sure that his life is happy again.
Once I reach Beast Boy's door I can hear strange sounds coming from the other side. Scuffling, punching sounds. It sounds like a fight. I don't hesitate to open the door with my magic.
A figure wearing a black and metal armored suit is in the middle of the room. I gasp seeing Beast Boy slung over his shoulder. He's out cold.
"Beast Boy!" I cry. The figure looks at me. I recognize the orange mask immediately. It's one of Slade's henchmen. "Let him go!" I yell, warming my hands.
Before I can use my powers something hard hits me on the back of my head. The last thing I see before passing out is Beast Boy's communicator falling to the floor as he's carried out the window.
Cyborg
I lay on the slab I use for a bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The machine next to me beeps steadily as it charges my batteries. Not that I need to charge-I still have a full battery from last night. For the first time since I became a Titan I don't have the motivation or desire to do anything. I feel...emotionless. Almost like a real robot.
Clutched in my robotic hands is a wooden framed photograph. In the photo is my sixteen year old self next to my parents. They were wearing white lab coats, my mother was holding onto a tan clipboard. My father had his hand on my shoulder. In my arms I was clutching onto a large golden trophy that I had won for football. I was normal, not part metal. All of that changed a month later.
I trace my mother's face with my finger. It's been two years. This picture is the only way I can remember what she looked like. "I miss you, Mom." I squeeze my eyes shut tight as I once again relive the day my life changed forever.
"Detention again?! Victor, you've got to be kidding me!"
Even though I stood a foot taller than my 5 foot 4 inch mother I immediately cowered seeing the absolute fury behind her round rimmed glasses. Her black hair, which was up in its usual tight bun was starting to come undone. I recovered quickly. "Awe, Mom, it was nothing. Mr. Milsaps was just overreacting."
"You were hanging out with that Evers boy again, weren't you?! I told you to stay away from him! He's bad news!"
I looked around the crowded laboratory in hopes that my father was close by. I doubted that he would be on my side, since he didn't like my best friend, Ron, either. But maybe he could calm my mother down. I didn't see him. Instead all I saw were dozens of scientists performing experiments, working on the large circular object that could open the portal to another dimension, and mixing antidotes that S.T.A.R. Labs had already discovered. No sign of my father.
"Victor? VICTOR?!" I turned my attention back on my mother. Her face was starting to go red. She was about to enter full rage mode. "Are you even listening to me?!"
"Yes ma'am," I tried to say as convincing as possible.
She looked down at her trusty clipboard, then back at me. "It has become obvious to me that 189 is not a high enough IQ. But once I give you this week's treatment, you'll be too smart to even consider associating with Ron anymore."
The anger and resentment floored inside me quickly. I was so sick of being one of her experiments. Why couldn't she just leave me alone and let me live my life the way I want to? "No! I refuse to take another dosage! I just want to live a normal life! You can't make me do this!"
"Yes I can. You are my son and you will do what I say!"
"But-."
Before I could say anything else a loud and furious growl erupted in the lab. It sounded like a wild animal; an animal ready for the kill. When my mother and I turned around to see what was going on, the first thing I noticed was a swirling blue and white portal was in the middle of the circular structure. The portal to another dimension was open. I watched in amazement and horror as the biggest creature I had ever seen emerged from the portal. It stood on two legs and was completely covered in black fur. It had to be taller than me by at least another foot. Large claws protruded from its paws that looked like it could take out anything with one swipe. The beast continued to growl, showing off its sharp and pointy teeth.
"CLOSE THE PORTAL!" a deep voice bellowed over the frantic screams from extremely terrified scientists. My father. "SEND THAT THING BACK WHERE IT BELONGS!"
The Beast didn't give us a chance. It lunged forward, swiping and mauling anything and everything in its path. I became sick to my stomach seeing the laboratory becoming covered in blood and flesh. The smell of iron from the blood was starting to become nauseating. The screams around me switched from horrified to agonizing. I couldn't hold the contents in my stomach any longer seeing the corpse of a scientist laying over to the side, his face ripped clean off, exposing just meat and bones.
My heart pounded hard in my chest. At the same time I felt my adrenaline pick up. We had to get out of here fast before we were next on the menu. More importantly I had to make sure that my parents made it out alive.
I attempted to grab my mother by the arm. Instead of complying with me, she pushed me on the chest. Hard. She pushes me so hard I hit the side of the wall in a daze. It only takes me a second to realize why.
Before I could do anything, the large beast advanced on my mother. I watched in horror as the ferocious beast clamped its large jaws on my mother's throat. "MOM!"
"ELINORE!" my father yelled by the still swirling portal. I vaguely noticed that he was trying desperately to find a way to suck the beast back in the portal and shut it down at the same time. I couldn't take my eyes off my mother as she twitched, then went limp, the blood flowing fast down her neck. Then with one last crunch, she fell to the floor.
"Mom, no," I cried in anguish.
The Beast turned his attention on me. I looked straight into its black eyes. Empty, void of feeling. It was just a monster. He lunged at me. Then I remembered no more.
I wipe the stray tears away, but keep my eyes closed. When I woke up from that incident I learned that my father managed to send the creature back through the portal and shut it down. In an attempt to save my life he made me who I am today-a cyborg. Over time I've been able to push the memory at the back of my mind, but since BB turned into a Beast last week, it's been on my mind constantly.
I open my eyes. The first thing I see is the cork bulletin board next to my computer. It's filled with pictures of me with all my friends-but most of them are with Beast Boy; all our good memories.
Beast Boy almost committed suicide.
The intense pain I'm feeling on the inside from the memory of my past is replaced by intense guilt. I've kept my distance from Beast Boy out of fear that history would repeat itself and I will lose another person I care about. I want to believe that Beast Boy would not hurt anyone, but I've had my doubts seeing how angry he can get and the level of damage he did to the city that night.
He almost shot himself in the head last night.
The more I think about what Raven said to me earlier, the more I realize that perhaps I was wrong about Beast Boy. The chemicals must be completely eradicated from his system, meaning he's back to normal. If that's the case, then he is no longer a threat. Thinking about everything that has happened the past couple of days, I realize that Beast Boy hasn't shown any signs of being controlled by the Beast. In fact he's been acting the exact opposite. I've closed myself off so much that I haven't realized the way I've been treating him.
I've been a terrible best friend. In fact, I've been worse than an enemy. I hurt him deeply. I wince when I remember seeing the absolute fear and despair in his green eyes when he ran into me after lunch. I remember how pale his green skin was and how he looked so worn down. If what Raven said is true, then I almost lost the one person who has never judged me: my best friend. All because I was being stupid. I have to fix this. I have to fix this now.
I exit my room. I try to think of what to say to him as I make my way towards Beast Boy's room. What if refuses to listen? What if he won't even see me? Honestly, after everything I put him through, I wouldn't blame him.
I notice immediately that his door is left halfway open. That's strange. He probably went somewhere and forgot to close it. What I see next turns my blood into ice and erases and hopes of reconciling with my former best friend. My worst fears have been confirmed.
Lying in the middle of Beast Boy's room, face down, is a blue cloaked figure. Raven. A pool of blood is forming around her head. I feel sick from the sight. I don't want to believe that Beast Boy had hurt her. But he did.
"RAVEN!"
I rush over to the girl who I consider as my little sister and flip her on her back. I sigh immediately in relief when I realize that she's still breathing She' bleeding from what looks like a head wound. Beast Boy must've hit her with something to knock her out. Of all the people he would hurt, why would he do it to the one person who loves him?
A high pitched scream makes me look away from Raven. Robin and Starfire are standing in the doorway, both of their faces an ashen color. "Raven!" Starfire gasps. "Oh no!"
"She's alive," I tell the alien. "She's just been knocked out."
"I warned her," Robin says, his voice mixed with anger and concern. "I told her he was dangerous!"
I pick up Raven fully into my arms. She's as light as a feather. "Let's get her to the medical ward," I say tightly. "We'll deal with Beast Boy later."
As I leave the room I feel my chest tighten, followed by a burning pain. Looks like my friendship with Beast Boy is officially over now. Once Raven wakes up my next mission will be to cut all ties with him. It's for the best.
To be continued...
