Sorry for the delay, all. I've been talking to people about it on AIM (my screen name is mdn), and I've assembled a plot best together as I can. Feel free to contact me anytime.
Again, reviewing and constructive criticism will be appreciated and welcomed in open arms. I like to know what my readers think.
Chapter VI : Perfidy
Beast Boy's POV (Point of View)
Thump Thump Thump.
These were from the awakening sounds from metal boots impacting upon the stone tile floor.
Thump Thump Thump.
The reverberations continued as I lay half-conscious on the floor. Instinctively, I raised my arms for defense but they held together by a thick knot of steel bound around my wrists. Bounded vulnerably, I awaited only for the man in the metal boots.
Thump Thump Thump.
Beads of sweat formed upon my forehead. Head throbbing, I tensed in an effort to peer into the dark where the sounds emanated from. Though I could only recall being ambushed with a sharp pain on my back, I knew where I was – the lair of Slade.
Thump Thump.
I could only wait in baited breath as to hear the verdict of my fate from a sadistic megalomaniac. If this was truly the end, then let the end be swift and quick.
And as I thought what perhaps could be my very last thought, Slade emerged from the dark. I could not see, but I knew that behind that masked exterior was a crafty smile because he controlled me to an extent.
Finally, he spoke, with an accumulation of sinister quality.
"So…Beast Boy, tell me..
His hands were placed behind his back ever so nonchalantly, an awkward position for an inevitable execution.
..what's worse.. losing somebody you love or knowing that they forgot you ever existed.."
My body tensed in surprise of the rhetorical question. Nevertheless, it seemed like some kind of psychological torture to implement upon me before a prolonged death.
"Knowing.. that the one you love, the one you hold most dearly to your heart views you only as merely a trifle, a figment of the past or an unidentifiable entity."
Striking a vein with that remark, I pulled on the chains successfully rupturing them in surprised ease as if the chains were placed fragilely deliberately. Whatever the reason, I lunged at Slade for round two. As I morphed into a huge grizzly bear with unforgiving claws aimed at Slade's chest, he swiftly reached from my wrists crushing me with brute force. Not only that but he continued his mental assault.
"Knowing.. that she's still out there but unattainable, unable to be induced or persuaded to come home."
Grunting half from the pain and the other from anger, I head-butted him repelling him feet away from me. Having the upper hand, I morphed into a gorilla lifting my fists overhead preparing for an impacting smash on Slade's chest. And yet, never was I fast enough for Slade flipped backwards away from a sickening crash. Continuing undeterred, Slade leaped over me thrusting his leg downwards impacting me on the shoulder. Clutching a damaged shoulder, I fell down to my knees before him staring in unmistakable hatred.
"Knowing.. that the enjoyable times that was shared counted as nothing.."
Why, why the hell did he have to continue speaking about Terra. Why…?
I felt my eyebrows curve as the rest of my features projected abhorrence.
"SHUT THE HELL UP. YOU KNOW NOTHING."
I remorphed into a T-Rex thrusting my tail onto his chest hurtling him past the balcony and below. The impact left him upon a steel floor where the stairways should have took him. I walked over to the balcony peering below.
Was this the end of him?
And for a few seconds, I panted rapidly. But I knew Slade could never be defeated so easily. Even then, he would be a Slade bot. However, his voice echoed beyond the darkness he fell into.
"Knowing.. that a priceless bond was razed into the depths of calamity all too quickly in a fragile line between consciousness and memory"
Anger burned within me as it never had. It surpassed all hatred felt in the House of Mirrors with Terra the first time, and with Slade the second time. For in that moment, there was no code of heroes for me. There was nothing to stop me from ripping Slade's flesh apart and deliver the punishment he so deserved.
"WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS!"
No answer.
Frustrated, I morphed yet again into a pterodactyl flying overhead above Slade then remorphing into a gorilla attempting to land upon him. Quickly moving aside, Slade then delivered an uppercut followed by a swift kick across the face slamming me into the railings of the stairs. Charging at me, he threw me by the neck onto the steps of the stairs halfway to the balcony.
"but worse.. knowing that all of this..was unintentional and that she was unaware of the heartbreak that emanated.."
Following suit, Slade crushed my head into the steel step of the stairways with his metal boot.
"Why am I telling you this? Because, dear child, there is a way."
My head jammed relentlessly into the floor forced me no choice but to listen to Slade.
"Your friend, Terra, is not really the amnesiac you make her out to be. She is not really the innocent school girl that you so hurried that night to talk to. She has deceived you, Beast Boy."
At that moment, things snapped together – things such as – Terra's consecutive sad looks every time I approached her that day or the fact that an amnesiac's preferences does not alter.
"The girl you once knew.. she's only a memory..."
Of course…
"What do you want from me?" She pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Terra, why.
"You go. You're the superhero. That's not me…"
There was no doubt that Slade was telling the truth.
"I don't need it…"
Terra, what do you want. Whatever it is, I'll give it to you. Why are you always.. running away. I would have understood; I would have accepted you.
At this revelation, I worried not about the sadistic man with his boot upon me but
Why…
As if comprehending my exact thoughts, Slade pulled out a Titans Communicator, clicked a button, and threw it down beside me.
"Your communicator….this is merely a duplicate that I've tapped into your original communicator. It saves and replays all messages relayed. Sure, it causes quite a bit of static between the communicating signals but it is still efficient as ever."
The communicator whirred in operation.
"Robin calling Beast Boy. Do you read me. Over."
"Robin, pzzzzzzzzzt… this is Terra. Beast Boy…was…taken…. By Slade. Over."
And… it was the voice of … Terra's..
"Terra, listen to me. Come back to the Tower. Tell me all that happened with Slade. We'll find him. Over."
Slade lightened the pressure upon my head and I could feel myself thinking more clearly as I gave up the futile attempt to struggle against him.
"You see, Beast Boy, she's with the Titans now. She is safe…for now…"
Raising his right arm, a mechanical switch was held up and as he flipped it on, an outline of Terra's figure appeared on a TV nearby displaying a mix of colors. I realized what it was.
"This isn't.. what you did to…Robin"
"It isn't, dear child, but it is much worse. You see, the green colors are symbolisms of all the cells within her. So naturally, her whole color scheme is green. However, the red specks throughout the green colors are nanoscopic machines attached to each cell and they are spreading and multiplying each second we speak. When activated, they will tear the cells within her apart causing an unexplainable agony and torture that will not lead to death but to a state of insanity. You see, Beast Boy, the cells multiply too quickly to be completely tore apart, but it still causes tremendous amount of pain."
"Why are you telling me this! Why don't you just kill me?"
"I'd just thought I'd be notifying you of what's going on inside your body at this very moment. Plus, then I wouldn't have you to do work for me."
"What do you mean?"
Slade pushed another button on his controller and my outline appeared on the screen taunting me with a horrible fate.
"Isn't that nice? You and Terra both together – and both die at the same time. That is, if you refuse."
"Refuse? WHAT DO YOU WANT. JUST TELL ME."
In my sudden explosion of fury for my "infection", I gripped Slade's boot and pulled it so that he would fall. As his head crashed upon a step of the stairs, I threw my gorilla-transformed first across his face. Subsequently, I morphed into a ram and collided with him as he recovered himself. Spinning violently as he crashed into the floor, Slade persisted and grabbed my horns as I charged again.
He lowered his head into my ears.
"Beast Boy, fight for me."
As he said that, he kneed me in the stomach producing agony as I fell again vulnerably onto the floor.
"I want to.. enjoy the reaction from your perfidy. And if you grant me my request.. I will let you two…live."
Grunting, I tried to muster strength to stand up. I was still injured from my first fight with Slade and struggling further would not help either. I knew I had lost.
"Why should I trust you.."
"Because, dear child, it is your only hope for survival, your only hope to live. Have I ever lied to you? Think about it. I've always kept my end of the bargain. I gave Terra control – she fought for me. I promised Trigon I would be his servant in exchange for life, and I upheld that part. I am a man of my word, Beast Boy. Truthfully, you no longer have the choice in the matter. Die or work for me – that is your decision."
He held the controller in front of my face taunting me with the prospect of dementia. There had to be a way to escape it; a way to bypass Slade's plan. But it all seemed so tightly shut. If I refused, Terra and I would both die which would serve no purpose. If I agreed, I would be hurting Terra and myself again.
"Beast Boy, if you even think of doing a betrayal upon me, just know, the outcome for you will not be prosperous."
"Slade, you really think after our "deal" is finished, that I can return to a normal life? I'd be an outcast, a criminal. I'd never see Terra again."
Slade chuckled with a sinister mirth that shivered down my spine. Anger swelled upon me but was compressed by my damaged stomach.
"That, dear child, is the lesser of two evils. Which is worse? Knowing that she is unattainable or knowing that she exists no longer. Dear child, it is clear to me now that if you truly wish for her best, you will pick the former."
"This is hypocritical coming from a sadist who told me to leave Terra alone."
He narrowed his eyes hovering his thumb eagerly above a red button on his belt.
"Child, it is your time to decide."
Despite my injuries, I grinded my teeth together preparing for a final effort to attack. Anger surmounted rapidly as I contemplated on the multiple ways to rip his flesh from his body. But as quickly as my anger swelled, it died into fear from his blackmail. Whatever anger I felt was reduced to a pile of nothing more than cowardice. My head lowered into a shame position.
"I'll-I'll do it."
Realizing his triumph, Slade relaxed his thumb from its tensed position and returned it by his side.
"Think of it…as a favor to Terra. And if questioned of affiliation with me, regard yourself as my Third Apprentice."
Well, that's it. Reviews/Constructive Criticism is welcomed. I look forward to your comments and I'll try to respond best I can.
