Disclaimer: Welcome all to the third installment of Crimson Darkness. The Teen Titans are the copyrighted trademark of the D.C comic company and Cartoon Network so you can't sue me. Ladies and gentlemen enjoy the show.
Chapter 3: Calm Before the Storm
It had been several hours since Julian was granted his alliance with the Titans and allowed to stay within their home. The time toward sunrise became shorter and shorter and he had yet to welcome sleep. Like many other things Julian had come to hate in his imprisonment sleep and the darkness it accompanied found it's self-high on that list. Instead he had spent the dwindling hours of the night studying his room and the area surrounding the tower learning the lay of this new land he found him self in and trying to commandant him self to the new time period. Sitting on the floor in a cross legged position he prayed to his creator for forgiveness though he knew that it would not come so easily, if it every came at all. The door to his chamber suddenly slid open, flooding the room with false light from the hall.
"Morning!" The Green changeling Garfield Logan greeted, a slightly nervous look on his face. Julian blinked, trying to readjust his eyes to the light. "What is your business here?" He inquired a little annoyed. Garfield's face grew paler as he moved nervously from his right foot to his left foot. "I, uh…." He stammered.
"I'm not going to kill you if that's what you're thinking," Julian bluntly stated, standing up. "Now what do you want?" Relief washed over the shape shifter and he stepped into the room.
"I noticed last night that your clothes were a bit tore up and you didn't seem to have any others with you, so I decided I'd give some of my old clothes to you and maybe help update your look a bit," Gar said placing the large bundle of clothes and bottles in his arms on the bed. Julian raised an eyebrow. "And what is wrong with my wardrobe?" Julian asked looking down at his robes and cloak that were tattered beyond recognition and looked as if they were going to fall apart at any moment. "Oh."
"We seem to be about the same size, so I'm sure they'll fit, I suggest you try on these first," Gar said handing Julian one of the outfits. Julian shed his ancient robes and began to change into the new aged clothes.
"Dude! You should have asked me leave before you changed! How was I supposed to know that you were going commando?"
"If you had not wanted to witness me change you should have left while I did so," Julian coolly stated looking down at his new appearance. "I thought you said that these would fit, so why is this shirt so short?"
"It's supposed to be like that, and yes so are the pants," Garfield answered. "How come you didn't mind changing in front of me? I mean how would you know if I wasn't gay or something?"
"The gods do not discriminate against their people's preferences and neither do I," he responded and turned to the full sized mirror in the corner to get a better look at him self. Julian was now dressed in a crimson; sleeveless; cotton shirt that stopped above his naval, a pair of low rise black and red fatigues that where held up by a belt that had the words "Free" carved into the oversized buckle, a pair of combat boots, and a black leather jacket that came down to Julian's hips with buckles that covered the sleeves topped, off the ensemble.
"I do not think that this is very appropriate," Julian stated pointing to his exposed stomach.
"Trust me Jul, I can call you Jul right?"
"If you wish."
"The chicks dig guys who can pull off the 'I 'm not afraid to show some muscle' look and you my friend, pull it off very nicely."
"If you say so, after all I'm guessing you're the fashion expert here."
"Now we just have to do something about your hair," B.B said gathering the bottles he brought with him.
"What is wrong with my hair? I like it how it is," Julian defended.
"No offense dude, but your forehead is too high to have all your hair pulled back like that you need bangs," Gar pointed out, producing a pair of scissors and a comb. Beast Boy, after seveal minutes struggling to get Julian's hair free in the front and five minutes of work, finished with Julian's hair. It was still pulled back into the overly long braid, but Garfield had combed out his bangs, spiked them so that the hung down over his forehead like spider legs, and had dyed the tips and his roots where they met the rest of Julian's hair blood red. Before he had a chance to examine Gar's handy work, Garfield's watch started beeping.
"Breakfast time!" He shouted happily making Julian jump. "What do you like to eat for breakfast Jul?"
"Um, I eat food." Beast Boy gave him a quizzical look. "Know what you need? You need tofu!"
"Tofu? What is Tofu?"
"You don't know what tofu is? Well my friend you're in for a real treat because tofu is the best thing you will ever taste!" Garfield started toward the door and look back over at Julian who was still standing by the mirror admiring him self.
"Food now! You can drool over your self later!" He shouted and left toward the kitchen. Julian soon followed, noticing as they past a group of windows that the sun had just only begun to raise.
"Garfield you wouldn't happen to know what time it is?" He asked wondering why the changeling was up so early.
"Hey, first rule you are to call me Gar or B.B never Garfield, Got that? And it is 6:15 am."
"So you mind telling me why we're up so early?"
"Raven is usually up at this time mediating up on the roof, I'm usually up this early so I can eat my breakfast with out being hassled about being a vegetarian by Cyborg," B.B replied. They reached the kitchen and Julian sat down while Beast Boy began rummaging through the refrigerator.
"Viola! Breakfast is served!" Gar exclaimed in an unconvincing French accent and handing him a plate with a creamy colored substance cut into triangles surrounding a pool of ketchup that was garnished with a multitude of different herbs,and a glass of a dark colored milk. Julian poked the substance with his fork before raising it to his mouth.
"Wait! Put that fork down or you'll regret it!" Gar and Julian turned to see Cyborg enter the kitchen, a look of utter horror plastered on his face. Julian shrugged and placed the tofu in his mouth. "May god have mercy on you," Victor prayed as he watched Julian's eyes bulge.
"It has been centuries, I mean it's felt like centuries since I've had food this wonderful!" Julian shouted catching him self before he spilled his true age. "Oh, god another tofu eater," Victor moaned.
"I would prefer it if you did not use the good lord's name in vain around me," Julian warned and turned back to his plate, devouring the tofu at a nauseating speed.
"Please tell me that you did not give him those clothes B.B, " Victor groaned while watching Julian consume another plate of tofu, and pulling out a package of Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches. After consuming a third helping of tofu, Julian stood, placing his plate in the sink he wandered in to the Titan's living room
"Good you're awake now maybe we can get some answers from you." A voice said from behind him. Julian turned to see Tim sitting on one of the many sofas that encompassed the room.
"If you mean we, you mean yourself right? Because I'm the only one in here and I have answers to questions," Julian smirked and seating him self in a chair across from the sofa Where Robin was seated.
"If your trying to grind my nerves you're sure doing a good job of it," Tim growled.
"I pride myself in a job well done Tim," Julian retorted with a satisfied smile. "I do not wish to try my time, so ask away." Robin clenched his fists, but relaxed as the rest of the Titan's entered the room and take various positions on the other chairs and sofas.
"For starters where are you from?"
"I am from what you would call the cradle of civilization."
"You mean Israel right?" Quote Raven.
"Indeed so, if that is what it is known as now." The Titans all looked at him with puzzled expressions.
"Well that would explain his accent and the tone of his skin," Victor interjected.
" Alright tell us how you knew where to find Slade, and better yet why did you kill him?"
"I did not find him, he found me, i would have rather have just been left alone, he brought me to this city with the intent on using me to eradicate your team, but instead I killed him for wasting my time."
"What made you want to join use instead of destroying us like you brought to this country to do?"
" I figured if Slade had gone through all the trouble of tracking me down and bringing me here to kill then you must have extraordinary signifigance and what I read from the files Slade had on you, I found I was correct and then some,after finding out that you all seem to be the saviors of this city, I decided that being your ally was a better choice then being your adversary," Julian explained. "Is there anything you wish to know about me?"
"Yes how did you kill Slade and what did you do with his assistant?" Interrogated Beast Boy.
"As you all can probably tell I ripped his head and spine out, as for this assistant I saw none, but i did destroy his complex, so any of his personel was probaly wipped out when I did so, there was however a girl i found in what I guess is a stasis chamber in one of the bunkers that surrounded the complex, I think she said her name was Terra, anyway, i don't know where she went to after I let her go."
"Why did you let her live she was a criminal!" Robin shouted.
"She was? Then I forgave her sins after all doesn't every one deserve a second chance?"
"Who died and made you pope! We gave her too many chances, she was once part of this team, but she betrayed us, no matter how many chances we gave her she defied us!"
"You do not want to upset me Tim Drake and I did what I felt was right unlike you I can see the good in the hearts of some people no matter how tainted it is by the evil enforced upon them." That did it for Robin, he stood ready to attack Julian, but Kori and Victor held him back.
"Just who do you think you are, to tell me how to do my job! To call me incompetent in front of my whole team! What makes you think that you can decide right from wrong!" He roared.
"The same way you or your team judges everyday, you and me Tim we're not so different we may be from different places or generations, but inside we are one in the same," Julian snarled his violet and his blue eye flashed dangerously as he stood. "And no matter what you might have thought I said, by no means have I called you incompetent and I have no reason to insult your leader ship, but let me ask you something Timothy Drake do you, a mortal, see yourself fit to decide what evils are right for forgiveness, which ones are unforgivable and punishable by death? Tell me would you have killed Slade if I had not? Would you have let his evil taint even your heart, though I'm sure it already has answer me that." With that he stood and left the room, leaving the Titans in a deafening silence.
Robin collapsed in the grasp of his friends, his eyes wide behind his eye-mask in shock. Raven placed her hand on his shoulder. "Tim, are you alright?" Her voice filled with concern.
"He's right who am I to judge what have I ever done that gives me the right to decide what the law of life is," he stammered in shock.Looking up at his friends , hefell back into his chair and buried his face in his hands. The others drifted out of the room, leaving Robin to his thoughts, surprissed at his reaction to Julian's words.
"What have you learned?"
"The heroes of this city seem to have excepted the blood line, though it appears that he is causing some of the mental constucts of the leader to collapse master," A cold voice hissed from under the it's owners tangles of hair
"Very well, keep a close watch on them Krieger, report back when you find out when the transformation occurs, you will know where to find me for now." A figure bathed in the shadows ordered.
"As you wish master Katanga," The man with the tangled hair bowed and skulked away.
"Things seem to get more and more interesting, soon our time will be at hand."
(A/N): I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Review or flame it is your choice. Until next update, so long and good night.