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Groaning with the impact of the weight, he braced himself, allowing himself to be pushed back a few feet. All together this situation was… well, to put it quite bluntly, embarrassing. To be challenged by this… this… not-even-worthy-of-being-on-the-'Villain's-to-Watch-Out-For'-list-villian's minion. If one could even call this… this… thing a minion.
He sighed, okay, he definitely needed to work on his vocabulary. His villainous insults were becoming too pathetic! In fact, they were worse than Beast Boy's!
His thoughts went along the lines of, 'Stupid Control Freak.' As he grunted once again, pushing against the… cardboard man (drawn rather poorly, looking as if… well, Beast Boy had scribbled upon it). Cyborg sighed, yes indeed, he was being challenged by cardboard, which was only slightly (very, very, very slightly) less embarrassing then being challenged by Control Freak.
OK, that's it, when this was over, Cyborg was buying a thesaurus.
Cyborg had only been getting ready to buy the gamiest game of them all… Mega Monkeys 4.3 when Control Freak had destroyed the store's entire supply. And Cyborg wasn't going to forfeit this great opportunity for some lame-o villain who could only dream of getting within a foot of the Titans… and being considered a challenge without getting put in a straight jacket five minutes later. Oh wait, that wasn't right. Without being put in a straight jacket in ten seconds, flat.
And here he was battling this cardboard minion and it was taking him more than ten seconds.
Cyborg wondered if that was more of an insult to Control Freak or himself.
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Control Freak giggled madly from his self appointed shelf of videogames at the E B store and had decided to consider it his 'throne' to watch his cardboard football player (that he had drawn himself) vanquish that annoying and jerky Cyborg. Come on, "You villainous villain" is a pathetic insult- even by Control Freak's standards. And he watched children cartoons.
Or perhaps… he might capture Cyborg and use him as bait to lure Starfire into a trap. He cackled madly, yes, Starfire would be his. Nevermind that stupid clown-shoe-Christmas-spandex-wearing-short-goodie-two-shoe. Starfire deserved a real man, like him. Or maybe he was just too much man for Starfire to handle. But he'd wait till she was ready for a real man. Robin was only a distraction… he'd wait for her to realize her mistake.
Oh well, everyone had to make sacrifices in the name of love.
However, Control Freak's fantasies (or what he believed to be his soon reality) were interrupted by a blonde haired nine year old boy with green eyes and glasses was staring up at Control Freak in amazement.
The blonde child looked up at Control Freak, awe clear in his voice, "You… you mean you can make games come alive?"
Control Freak was clearing loving all the attention, and wiped his fingers on his chest on them and blew on them, and said all 'cool-like' as he had seen in so many classic TV shows, "Well… yeah… but I don't like to brag at all. I could just about do anything with this remote and have battled the Titans more times than I can count… but you know how it is?"
"Even the Madden 2007? You could make that come alive?" the kid asked, stuck on the idea of being able to live his favorite video game, Control Freak's image reflecting off his glasses.
Control Freak gave an indignant noise, "Can a Jedi of the level of the fifth force dance to the Polka?"
The kid hesitated, but nodded, as Control Freak shook his head, and looked down at the boy, "We have a lot to teach you before you are a nerd even worthy of my presence."
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Cyborg shook his head as he heard Control Freak trying to corrupt the mind of an innocent… nerd (what an oxymoron that was)… and continued trying to wrestle a come-alive-cut-out of a football player, all he had wanted was to play Mega Monkeys 4.3... But no, there just had to be fifty football player cut outs in the store celebrating the release of Madden 2007… plus the one Control Freak drew….
Cyborg was never playing another football video game as long as he lived. Especially Madden 2007.
Getting slightly angry Cyborg took his cannon out and blasted the last football player knocking the cardboard player a few yards as it lied on the floor, a useless burnt piece of cardboard. How long did Control Freak except cardboard to keep Cyborg, Teen Titan supreme busy?
"Alright! Now WHO wants a piece of me?" Cyborg exclaimed aiming his sonic cannon at Control Freak, I mean, can't a guy go out and be a nerd in peace anymore? But no… some lame-o villain has always got to attack you.
Control Freak backed away… before realizing he was on a video game shelf. Only slightly panicked he looked around for his blonde haired 'nerd minion' who had long since been lost in the shininess of 'X-Box 360'. His once upon a time nerd minion's whines of 'Oh Mom, can we get it, who needs food anyways?' could be heard.
Unfortunately, Control Freak had more pressing matters, and he stuttered in pure fear, "Uh… can't we talk this out good friend?"
Cyborg growled as he fired the cannon at Control Freak . Poor, pudgy, preposterous Control Freak's eyes widened when the blue wave of energy hit him. As Newton could have told Control Freak, he was going to fly, fly like a little birdie without wings and certain death ahead. Indeed, Control Freak flew through many layers of glass and all the way across the mall to the other video game store. 'E B Game 2', because, simply, one was just not enough. After all, Jump City did have a high nerd population… and many idiots were lost in the shininess of the place. Namely, blonde nerd minion number uno. Because uno is always better than one.
Inside was none other than our favorite green Titan also looking for Mega Monkeys 4.3… and possibly the Batman comic also sold in this place of heaven for all nerds. Indeed many greasy haired nerds were crammed into this tiny place. As Raven would say, 'The smell of nerds was overwhelming.'
Indeed, Raven was at a bookstore, was being the key word as she had trudged with Robin and Starfire… and Starfire and Robin, well, they had left a long time ago. After stopping into some toy stores, they met up with Raven, and the three left to allow the nerds to be nerds in peace. As much as Raven had wanted to mock them (it was just too easy, she had muttered), Cyborg had insisted she go forth in case Robin and Starfire 'got too mushy'. In other words, Beast Boy refused to split up if Raven was tagging along.
But enough of that, we currently join are hero-ish hero (in Cyborg's advanced vocabulary) in the store… reading a Batman comic and overcome by the awesome graphics which were- SHINY! Yes, shiny and in 3-D, the world was now complete.
Control Freak mumbled to himself before walking into the video game store. The bell attached above the door gave a slight ding as Control Freak entered. The other nerds barely noticed Control's Freaks 'grand entrance'. Grand entrance meaning, whenever Control Freak entered a place it was always grand simply because he himself was so grand.
This meant that Control Freak entered the store brandishing his one… er second true love remote (or Rina as Control Freak would prefer) and swinging it around, and spraying as he said it, "Beast Boy! Meet you greatest nemisi! None other than, I, the great Control Freak! The most fiendish fiend! The man who captures the lovely alien powerhouse- Starfire's heart!"
Control Freak completed this with a few twirls of his wand/ remote/ light saver trying to show the macho man he truly was.
"Yeah, yeah dude. Isn't this like pass your curfew? Besides, everyone knows Star and Rob have the hots for each other… er, well, I did after Raven told me… and the fan websites… and living with them…" Beast Boy trailed off distractedly reading a comic as he waved Control Freak away with a hand. Of course Beast Boy was completely unaware of what he was saying due to the shininess of the comic before him.
Control Freak huffed, "I'll have you know my curfew isn't till 7:30… and oh crap it's 7:31! My Mom will kill me!..." he trialed off, wondering what kind of super villain had a curfew, deciding he'd check it out on Google later, he continued, "But that is besides the point entirely… and Starfire is mine! Robin is only a side attraction! Soon she will get tired of him and get a real guy who will fully appreciate her in all her beauty- namely me!"
Beast Boy said nothing at all overwhelmed by the sensational comic of which is Batman.
After a moment of finishing his comic page, Beast Boy looked up at Control Freak and managed out one elongated, "Duuuudddddeeeeeeeee… you are one twisted dude." Oh yes, Beast Boy's vocabulary was just as advanced as Cyborg. Who do you think taught Cyborg his vocabulary?
"… That doesn't matter! I will get you. Prepare to meet your doom!" Control Freak announced as he pointed his remote (or Rina, as Control Freak reminds me to call her in all of her faithfulness). As the plasma screen TV which seemed to gain its own life, becoming animated with... evilness…
The once lovely TV now had black wires, electrically charged, for deadly hands and feet. Its face inhabited an eerie static glow with a red vicious computerized face as it walked to Beast Boy… with a life of its own.
Beast Boy looked up from his comic and gave a shrill screech as he threw the comic book to the side, and groaned, "Dude… why do I have to break the awesome shiny TV!"
"Don't worry! It will do all the breaking…" Control Freak began, as Beast Boy turned into an elephant and rammed into the TV. The screen broke rendering Control Freak's newest minion useless, and the TV returned to a normal broken down TV, "… never mind" he added quietly to himself.
Beast Boy (now changed into a leopard getting ready to pounce), crouched down and began readied himself to attack the over chubby villain known as Control Freak.
Control Freak quickly backed away, but he soon hit the shelves, and with no where to turn Control Freak desperately grabbed the last edition of Mega Monkeys 4.3. He held it up as a last feeble attempt and shouted, "If I go down this game goes down with me!"
Beast Boy's eyes widened as he retreated to his 'regular form' and resumed begging position, something he had seen Starfire to with Robin (funny, when he tried it, Robin had refused him, though Starfire he had immediately agreed too, but now was not the time to dwell on it). Exaggerating it slightly more, and allowing himself to make it more manly by not pouting, Beast Boy cried, steady tears pouring down his face. "Please, name your price anything!"
"Well…" Control Freak smirked as an idea drew upon him (something very rare), "Fine, I'll give you the game on one… no, two conditions. First you allow me to pass unharmed and second you shall…."
Beast Boy walked out of E B Games 2 whistling happily to himself (and failing miserably to keep a tune) as Cyborg came running to Beast Boy.
Eagerly he asked, "Did you get it? Control Freak destroyed all the games in E B Games… and then I had to sort it all out with the manager. I saved his life, and he was ready to make me pay for the damaged games! I told him he could sell them to freakish fans… but it took me a while to convince him… and we know how you get distracted by shiny things…"
"Don't worry I got it." Beast Boy said with an easy going smile.
"How much did it cost?" Cyborg asked as the two proceeded to walk out of the mall.
Beast Boy said slowly, deeply troubled by having to think things through before he said them, "I paid nothing." In his mind he added 'yet'.
"It was free?" Cyborg questioned, I mean, they saved the city but he didn't know he could get video games for free… that would have made things slightly easier…
"Not exactly…" Beast Boy said uncomfortably, shifting on the spot and not looking Cyborg directly in the eye. An instant sign of lying, as Cyborg well knew.
Cyborg gave him a look, confused and suspicious, he spoke hesitantly, "So… what do you mean? You paid nothing, and yet something…" he trailed off.
Beast Boy shifted from foot to foot yet again as he twirled the bag in his hand, "You'll see when we get home." Beast Boy said trying to be evasive like Raven… 'Raven would have known what to do.' Beast Boy thought bitterly to himself. He didn't allow his thoughts to waver more than that, using all his possible energy to figure out his half baked scheme.
Cyborg just gave him another look and took the bag from him, not wanting his precious video game to fly out of the bag and get damaged (hey, he'd seen it happen and with Beast Boy… the sky's the limit) as he asked casually, "So… you flying home?"
Beast Boy nodded as the two walked out of the mall and he immediately changed into a hawk (A green one mind you), as he flew off to Titan's Tower.
Watching his friend fly away, Cyborg knew Beast Boy had gotten himself in trouble, how, well, Cyborg did not know, but what he did know was that he was most definitely taking the long way home. Most definitely he would not want to be at the Tower when Beast Boy revealed his news. Because Beast Boy would somehow blame him and then Robin… or Raven would kill him. And he did not want to be dead, or otherwise tortured by those two. Plus, Robin had been pissy lately… and so had Raven… and Starfire.
In fact, in Cyborg didn't know better, he'd be say the three of them were PMSing. But he wanted to live, so he said nothing.
Now, Cyborg knew he'd taken purposely an hour longer just to miss everything, whatever the heck the turmoil was… but here was Beast Boy.. being Beast Boy, brow furrowed, pacing, behind a mediating Raven. Cyborg stifled a groan, obviously Beast Boy had not told them yet.
Cyborg raised an eyebrow at Beast Boy and scratched the back of his head, not knowing how to phrase this, "Er… BB… did you…?"
"Sh! I was waiting for everyone to get home…" Beast Boy said, still pacing, "To… prolong my torture." He muttered the last part to himself, but Cyborg still heard him.
Cyborg would have normally laughed at this comment… but it just sounded so pathetic… and it didn't seem like Beast Boy was joking (or meant to say it aloud).So instead he just shrugged and walked over to the intercom as he called down Robin and Starfire.
When questioned what it was, or what the emergency was, Cyborg just said Beast Boy had some news, and not good news it should seem. Robin told him he's rush right down, the two shared a brief recollection of Beast Boy's last big news… better not mentioned, as both simultaneously shuddered.
Raven simply flew over to the couch and sat down as she watched Beast Boy pace, seeming slightly amused with his… pain, soon afterwards Starfire came hovering down as she too flew to the couch wringing her hands… Beast Boy's last news did not bring pleasure to her… then Robin who jumped over the couch and sat right next to Starfire, gave Beast Boy a look… or more precisely a death glare…
Beast Boy looked a little relieved that Robin was sitting nest to Starfire, most likely to calm Robin for killing him for this news. Which Beast Boy had probably blown out of proportion… as always.
"What did you do this time?" Robin asked, arms crossed, his tone harsh.
Beast Boy gulped, "Well... you know how Cy and I went to get the game today?"
All the Titans nodded as Robin also sent Cyborg a brief glare.
Cyborg put his hands in front of him, signaling to back off, "Hey, don't pin this on me, I know nothing at all. I'll be just as surprised as ya'll are."
Robin seemed satisfied with that answer because he gave a brief nod, loosened his glare then fixated his death glare back on Beast Boy, as hard as ever.
Beast Boy gulped again and looked pointedly in Cyborg's direction, "Thanks a lot bestest buddy for sharing the blame with me."
"No problem." Cyborg responded with a light grin.
"Well," Beast Boy began gulping again, as Raven also fixated her glare on him, urging him to actually get to the point, "Well… Cyborg and I wanted the game real bad (Cyborg: Don't blame this on me at all!) so we met Control Freak… and he ruined Cyborg's chances of getting the game, and then he started fighting be and he had the only game left… and he gave it to me.. .but there was a catch."
All the Titans simultaneously groaned as Raven rolled her eyes, "There's always a catch. So tell us."
Beast Boy gulped, head lowered and he mumbled something, to which Robin yelled at him to speak louder, all the Titans were on edge with Beast Boy right now ,so he continued slightly louder, but at least audible, "Um… he wants a date…"
Cyborg laughed, "Figures, so what, we get a girl pay her fifty bucks and…"
Beast Boy shook his head, "That's not all…" he managed weakly.
Robin raised an eyebrow as Starfire continued wringing her hands, sensing that this was not going to end well, especially with the way Beast Boy kept giving her these glances, that seemed as id they were… apologetic.
"Um… there's a certain someone he wants a date with…" Beast Boy said, looking at the floor as he mumbled to himself, "I don't think the videogame was worth all this torture…"
Raven shook her head and dismissively said, "It better be you he wants to go on a date with."
"Well… not exactly… remember when Titans East came here? Well… Cyborg watched the video tape… and… showed it to me… so I think I knew… but he made me promise before he told me what he wanted…" Beast Boy said twiddling his thumbs, head hanging low.
Cyborg's eye widened, as he remembered laughing about the Titans East struggling to fight Control Freak… and when Control Freak had dressed up as them, and suddenly it hit Cyborg, as he said shocked, "Oh god… he wants a date with Starfire??"
Beast Boy nodded meekly in confirmation.
The results were simultaneous, Cyborg thought; Control Freak and Starfire? And Robin?; and fell on the floor laughing. And then he began pounding the floor with his fists. Oh my god, tears were streaming down his face, oh my god he thought to himself again.
Raven raised an eyebrow at this piece of information as she let out a wry smile after tossing it around in her head for a while.
Starfire's own eyes were very wide, showing only surprise. The idea of… her… first date… with such an odious and horrific teenager had not sunken in. But Robin had let it sunk in. He was now steaming mad, and incapable of speech.
Raven spoke blandly, "Well... you told him no, didn't you?"
"Not exactly… he's coming at six tomorrow to pick her up…" Beast Boy said shuffling his feet, and avoiding looking anyone in the eye.
Robin just stared blankly at Beast Boy for a moment, and then in a freakily calm voice said, "You have three seconds to run."
Beast Boy beamed widely, "Feeling generous today Rob?"
But he barely got to finish the first syllable of 'feeling' because Robin tackled him.
Beast Boy croaked out, "I thought you said three seconds?"
"I lied." Robin said simply drawing out a bird-a-rang.