Chapter 3: Almost the entire story
They walked into the cabin behind Brian. It looked pretty cozy, with a bed in one corner and a pit in the middle that still had a fire burning in it. A coat of arms hung on one wall, there were no windows. Brian moved behind them and barred the door with a massive wooden beam. Seeing the look on their faces, he told them that it was a habit and he had no intention on hurting them. He then walked to a nail in the wall next to his bed and took off the entire quiver assembly, swords and all. He hung it on the nail.
"Well, let's not stand here like a statue, let's talk" Brian said as he sat down beside the fire.
The others sat down around the fire, making a complete circle around it.
"Okay… I've got some questions for you Brian" Robin told him a few seconds later.
Brian pulled the hunting knife from his belt and took a small square stone out of a pouch. He began sharpening the blade. "Shoot away" He said.
"Alright, where did you get these weapons?"
"Which ones?"
"The swords are no replica, they are old, same goes for the guns, the rifle was in use two hundred years ago and that revolver is going out of service as we speak"
"Oh, my colt peacemaker?"
An embarrassed look came across Robin's face. "Oops, I didn't know it was that model. I stand corrected. That revolver was in service earlier than the rifle. Can you just tell us where you got these?"
Brian looked up from his knife. "Okay, my family is from Scotland. These swords are a family heirloom that belonged with the coat of arms, but I decided to put them to work instead of letting them sit on the wall behind the coat. And the rifle Belonged to my uncle, he's dead now, by the way. He gave it to my father. And I ended up with it. And the pistol always belonged to my father; I just got a hold of it"
"What do you mean, 'got a hold of it'?" Raven asked.
"I'm seventeen now, I ran away from home when I was eight. I came and lived here"
"When you were eight!" Beastboy blurted out.
"Yeah, and I have no regrets. Anyway, two years ago, I came back to my house to find it abandoned, with all the stuff still inside. That is why I have all this stuff now. And I'm thankful. Because when I was first gone, I only had an axe, knife, and a little bit of water."
"You know, we don't recall there being any missing persons report on the news, how can we believe your story? Your mother would have called the police" Robin said thoughtfully.
"My mother died when I was five."
"What about your father?"
Brian looked up again from his knife, his eyes shining with hatred. "I don't want to talk about him"
"Why not?" Beastboy asked, but Brian gave him a look that told him to steer this conversation into safer waters.
'So you've lived here for nine years?" Robin asked.
"Not in this cabin, no. I lived in a pine tipi until two years ago, but then I had the supplies to make a comfortable living, that's also when I met Cujo, here. He was a stray; he's still a puppy, technically"
At the sound of his name, the small basset looked up from its nap. It soon laid its head down and went back into a deep slumber.
"Pine tipi?"
"Yeah, you make a tipi frame out of trees, and then use spruce boughs as shingles to build up the sides. It's quite comfy…" A reminiscent look came across his face. He placed the knife back in its sheath and picked up the rifle. He began to disassemble it, cleaning with a rag.
"Why did you run away?" Raven asked after a moment's silence.
"Because im different"
"Define different"
He looked up from the weapon. "In a crowded room I feel alone. And other things. I can do what other people can't. Im not normal, my dad never failed to remind me… I don't want to talk about him, okay? Don't ask me what he did. I like it here, there's nobody to push you around."
Cujo looked up at the door, the fur on his neck raised, a low growl issuing from his throat. Everyone turned to watch. Then, behind the barred door a sound came, it was a straight 'woof', not a bark, but something sounding like a gruff exhalation of air. Brian looked down at the disassembled rifle in his lap, then to the door.
"That's a bear" He said. And, before anybody could top him, he grabbed a sword from the quiver harness. The blade was four feet long, with a hilt meant for two hands. "You guys had better go, I've got some things to do" He finished, nodding towards the door.
In the tower…
Brian had began to fight the bear as the titans made their escape. They never stood around waiting to see who won, but they had the feeling that the human had been the victor. They were surprised at how deftly Brian had wielded the blade.
Later, that evening, Robin cornered Raven in the hall.
"Hey, Rae, got a minute?"
"No"
"Well, I've got a question, and you're answering"
"I'm-"
"Did you levitate that remote?"
"What?"
"Did you levitate it?"
"No, it wasn't glowing, so it wasn't me"
She then shut the door in his face, leaving him to ponder who had made the remote fly into his hand, although he was pretty sure that he already knew the answer.
Meanwhile, in her room, Raven was meditating. A little voice intruded upon the tranquility of the dark room.
"He's kinda cute, isn't he?"
"What?"
"I said, he's pretty cute, eh?"
"Who?"
"You know who I'm talking 'bout"
"I don't know who you're talking about, and I don't want to know"
"I suppose he would be cuter if he wasn't such a cold blooded killer and not so serious"
It took a second to realize that the voice was in her head.
Happy? Why are you talking about him?
You know, im in your head, a part of you, remember?
I don't know why you keep thinking about him
It's you that's thinking about him, I'm just being optimistic
A new voice appeared in her head.
Oh, take your optimism and shove it, happy. You know he isn't interested in you, he's a cold blooded killer, you saw the arrow snap the guy's neck like a carrot, you know he's not exactly a ladies man.
Still, he's pretty cute…
WILL BOTH OF YOU JUST SHUT THE BLOODY HELL UP! IM TRYING TO THINK!
Think about him, you mean.
Shut up, just both of you shut up. Raven told two of her few emotions.
Alright, I just realized something: Brian is a lot like legolas, I mean think about it. Long blond hair, longbow, dual swords, quick reflexes… ETC. I just want you all to know that legolas wasn't on my mind when my character lodged an arrow in my brain, causing me to build up the details of him and this story. So that's out of my system. Please tell me what you think of my story. I want my faults ripped up viciously, so I can change them for the next chapter. Take no prisoners and know no boundaries when it comes to the criticism!
Cody Brien A.K.A: Twitch
Au Revoir!