Rorschach covered his ears at the constant wailing of the numerous animals within the laboratory.
Beast Boy flew across the room, knocked into a cage and a computer console before landing in front of the other Titans. He sat up, shook his head and held his stomach in pain "I think my appendix and my spleen just switched places!"
The villain of the week stomped up "You wimps think you can take down Adonis?", speaking like a Californian surfer, the teenager wore a gigantic suit of red armour, looking as if made from car parts. He held up his hand and flicking his fingers back "Bring it on."
Beast Boy stop up "Dude it is totally brunged, branged."
"Ooh," Raven said, floating behind him "bad grammar. That ought to scare him."
Rorschach turned to them "I'm pretty sure those aren't even words, so both of you are marked down for poor literacy."
Nightwing ran past "Titan's Go!", the other quickly followed.
The former Boy Wonder took out his pole and whacked the armour but Adonis blocked it. Beast Boy change to a wolf and jumped on him. Adonis threw him away.
The four others fired their energy attacks, Cyborg's sonic canon, Raven and Rorschach's respective magic and Starfire's Starbolts. Not much effect on armour.
Nightwing tried again. Adonis grabbed the pole and pushed the former Boy Wonder back. Starfire quickly went to him as the others reassembled.
The armoured villain bent the pole onto horseshoe shape with a roar. He threw it away, "You're just making me more ripped."
Starbolts hit him, before Starfire lifted a heavy desk and dropped on the red bruiser. Adonis stopped it, making the floor crack "No pain no gain." He said and threw the desk back at the Tamaranean Princess.
Raven readied her magic again. The villain pounded forward, before the black energy over took him. He struggled out.
The shockwave caused by the freeing knocked both Cyborg and Rorschach back. Adonis pounced on Raven and pressed her into the floor. She struggled to get free "Let me go!" she said straining. Adonis purred "You're feisty."
Annoyed Raven resorted to opening a portal under herself and disappeared. As Adonis reacted the blue witch's black energy animated a bunch of equipment. The villain jumped back before the junk could squash him.
Cyborg came running up and punched him back "Come on big man," he yelled "show me what you've got.", Adonis responded by grabbing the cybernetic jock's fist, so hard that it began to crack and spark, Cyborg gulped "Well okay then." Adonis then threw him through a wall. The armoured muscle man stood triumphant his chest plate oscillating "Nobody out muscles Adonis."
A red energy square slammed into the villain's side and knocked him back slightly, Adonis turned as Rorschach stood with his red fire like magic blazing in his gloved hand "Alright you Schwarzenegger berk, you took the name of a Greek god, let's see what happens to you when up against the agent of another ancient god.", he fired his beams and covered Adonis in his magic. The red bruiser slowly walked forward, grunting. Rorschach's mask changed shape and he took a step back.
Adonis swung his arm and punched Rorschach back. The Techno-mage stumbled before dropping to his knees. Adonis grinned "Looks like I'm a god among men."
"Oh yeah?" Beast Boy said before becoming a bull and charging. Adonis literally took the bull by the horns and swung into a desk. Beast Boy changed to a monkey and leaped at the red bruiser. Only to be punched back. A green tiger charged. Punched back and into pile of objects.
Adonis watched the pile clatter over the changeling before speaking arm wide open "What's the matter wuss? Don't you know how to fight like a man?"
From within the pile a voice called out "I'm not a man. I'm an animal!", a large green ape like creature burst out the debris and jumped high. Adonis dodge out the way as the creature, matching his size, started attacking.
The armoured villain back away before a green rhino head butted him into a pillar. Then an ankylosaurs tail wiped him. A lion roared and scratched his suit. Beast Boy became a grizzly bear and continued the fight.
The other Titans regrouped and watched and the two fought close to a pair of storage tanks filled with green liquid.
Starfire gasped and Nightwing called a warning. Too late as the green ursine slammed his opponent into one of the tanks and subsequently drenching both.
Ignoring anything other than Adonis Beast Boy slashed at the red bruiser again and again.
The red armour sparked and the chest plate exploded. Revealing Adonis to in fact be a skinny teenager in a massive mechanical suit, he fell out unconscious.
Beast Boy changed back to normal and stared the boy down with a grimace "Who's the tough guy now?", he turned around and walked away. As he passed the other they spoke, Nightwing first rubbing his head "Um, good job."
"Nice intensity." Added Cyborg.
"Yeah," Raven said, "had any good freak outs recently?", Beast Boy stopped, turned around and push himself into the blue witch's face "I just got sick of being pushed around.", the changeling then turned around and walked out.
Josh narrowed his eyes at his teammate's new attitude, but he turned to the passed-out villain 'So, Adonis was an overzealous thick-headed egomaniac with no basis for his claims, if his strength was actual muscle and not the suit I'd actually be impressed.'
A wolf's growl brought him out of his train of thought. He looked to a cage with the wolf inside. As Beast Boy passed the animal suddenly stopped growling and back up into the cage whimpering.
Joshua blinked his eye widening momentarily, he turned around and walked to the green liquid on the floor, his eyes narrowed. His instincts told him trouble would be coming.
The light appeared through the window.
The changed cause Beast Boy to wake. He groaned at first before changing into a cat and stretching. Done stretching he change back to normal then noticed something, "Why is my bed way up there?", the changeling for some reason slept on a bunkbed, but didn't use the bottom bunk. He got up and grinned "Dude, I should sleep on the floor more often I feel great." He paused as he smelled something in the air "And something smells awesome.", he ran out the room.
Devoid of his hat and coat Rorschach stood at the kitchen hob with a couple of pan.
He carefully cooked, frying sausages, bacon and eggs. He let them continue sizzling before heading to the fridge.
The main doors opened, the young mystic looked up, his mask changing to a curious form "You up earlier than usual Gar."
"Had a great night's sleep Josh," the changeling said walking up "So your making breakfast for everyone again?"
"Yes. I'm making a full English for Cyborg, Cynefrith, Nightwing and myself. Raven's herbal tea is brewing. I was about to start making some Tamaranean food for Starfire. But since you're here I'll start making a vegetarian omelette."
"Josh, I wouldn't mind joining you with the full English.", Josh's mask shape sharpened "Garfield you're a vegetarian, you've said countless time you think it wrong to eat something you can transform into.", the changeling smirked, shock his head and crossed his arms "Not anymore. Ever since I stood up to that loser Adonis I feel like a new man, a real man. And real men don't eat tofu."
Josh narrowed his eyes, his instinct told him something bad would happen. He tried examining Beast Boy's eyes but he could find anything, other than a subconscious change "If you say so. Although apparently, the Roman gladiators were vegetarians." He knelt and got more meat out of the fridge "Speaking of Adonis, I cannot believe someone that thick-headed is a classics nerd."
"What do you mean?"
The young mystic explained as he continued making breakfast "Adonis is from Greek Mythology, sort of a male Aphrodite, the male god of beauty and desire. Although if our villain Adonis knew the full tale he'd know the god Adonis was a child born of father and daughter incest.", Beast Bot shuddered and Rorschach nodded "To be fair the father didn't concede to it, he was tricked, like Lot in the Book of Genesis. Anyway, the god Adonis was later killed by wild boar in a hunter accident," the Techno-mage chuckled "he went the same way as Robert Baratheon."
Beast Boy raised an eyebrow "Something in that book your reading?", Rorschach nodded, he turned back to the food and checked some "These ones look done, get a plate and I'll serve."
"Thanks dude.", Josh waved it off as he took the spatula "Anyway, how's this new attitude going to affect your attempts to woe Raven?"
"Woe?"
"Beast Boy, my instincts are telling me you're interested in her, and that only increased after Nightwing and Starfire became a couple."
"Alright, I like her, but, I don't know, I want her to be safe, I want to know her better, but I don't want to drive her away like how Mento's attitude drove me from the Doom Patrol." He sighed "Any thoughts?"
"Well, perhaps cut down on the joke, be a little more serious, of course be yourself. But I should stress that harming her, whether physically or mentally will do a lot of damage, quite probably breaking the friendship you have now."
Beast Boy nodded and took his plate to the table.
"Twenty-five," the changeling said as he pulled himself up and down in the gym "twenty-six, twenty-seven." He sighed, he glanced at the door and notice a shadow move, a hooded figure, he grinned then transformed into a monkey and continued.
Later still Beast Boy lounged in the living room channel hoping.
Starfire walked in "Friend, my favourite TV programme "World of Fungus." Is about to begin. Can we please watch it?"
"No.", her face fell slightly "But you are merely flipping."
"I said no!", he took a swig of his soda, and belched "Now be a good girl and get me another root beer.", the Princess turned angry, but she simply turned around and walked away, passing Rorschach leaning by the entrance.
Back in the gym the Changeling lifted a barbell "Fifty-one, fifty-two." He started to struggle "Fifty-three." He groaned, he eyes dilated and he transformed, this time into the massive ape creature he used against Adonis. He threw the barbell into the wall and roared.
The sound of footsteps caught his attention and he look to see the end of a blue cape float away. Beast Boy changed back to normal and walked to where Raven stood and smelt the air, he grinned 'Someone's impressed.' He walked back and rubbed his hands 'Let's see if I can get more out of the little female.'
Rorschach polished his shoes in the corner as he watched Cyborg and Beast Boy play their games again. Presently the racing game. Cyborg's ship ran into the side of Beast Boy's and the changeling's ship blew up, "Dude!" Beast Boy shouted "No fair! You can't do that!"
"I can, I did, that's why I'm going to win.", Beast Boy grew angry and threw his controller to the ground "That's what you think", his grey gloved fingers turned to claws and he slashed Cyborg's chest, the cybernetic jock looked at the damage before looking back at the changeling now walking away, "Yo man chill! It's just a stupid game."
Rorschach watched Beast Boy leave the room, behind his mask his eyes narrowed 'Becoming more feral, dangerous.' He got up and replaced his shoes 'I should tell Raven to avoid him for the time being.' And he walked out.
Again, in the gym Beast Boy this time pushed a sand bag, hard and repeatedly, so hard the bolt fixed the ceiling broke off its hold and the bad flew into the wall. Beast Boy panted. But then growled. A green wolf pounced. And sank its teeth into bag.
Raven walked down the corridor reading one of her books. To distract her from Beast Boy. Rorschach warned her to steer clear until thing cooled with the changeling, but her own feelings pestered her to get closer to understand this change within him.
Presently however said team member walked past. Bumped into her arm and the book fell to the floor. She picked it up "Sorry." She muttered.
Beast Boy stopped "You better be. Why don't you watch where you're going?"
"On second thought, I'm not sorry. And you're a jerk.", she turned around and started walking away.
Beast Boy turned around, he didn't like the emotions coming from her.
Raven continued forward and glanced up. She stopped suddenly as Beast Boy somehow stood in front of her, the changeling spoke "You know Raven, I've been a really nice guy for a really long time, I've put up with your insults and your attitude and I've had it. As of last night, Mister Nice Guy has left the building."
"Is this the part where I'm supposed to be intimidated."
"No," Beast Boy said, then he remembered Josh's words about not harming her, he continued "just letting you know I won't put up with you mocking me, I'm making myself stronger, you'd better be careful." He walked away.
Raven watched and blinked, her emotion in a little turmoil, part of her like this more serious Beast Boy, part of her didn't like his jerk attitude, part of her wanted to get closer to him, part of her felt scared at the change. She gulped and walked away returning to her book more conflicted than ever.
'What's wrong with her?' Beast Boy fumed as he paced his room 'She didn't react right, I stand up for myself and she gets scared.' He sighed 'What can I do?' his thoughts turned to earlier in the day 'What's with everyone else? I'm standing up for myself and they don't appreciate it.'
A knock on the door sounded, the changeling looked around and the door opened, Nightwing walked in "Beast Boy, the others told me you've been acting odd."
"Odd?"
"Starfire said you wouldn't let her watch her show."
"It's stupid, why does she watch it?"
Nightwing's eyes narrowed "Do I question you over the stuff you watch?"
"Normally you're watching and enjoying my movies with me."
"You've destroy gym equipment, roughly."
"Trying ways to make sure I beat idiots like Adonis, you always say trainings important."
"Cyborg said you scratched him over a video game."
"Dude cheated.", this time the former Boy Wonder crossed his arms "I can understand changing, but if it comes at the harm of the others, then I can't allow you to continue on the team, be warned hurt the others you'll be out." He leaned in closer and pulled out a bird-a-rang "Harm Starfire and I won't make it clean.", then he left.
Alone again and out of anyone's earshot Beast Boy growled and threw a toy monkey with cymbals "This is who I am now, they don't like it, tough." He slammed his fist into a table, actually breaking it into "Nobody pushes me around. Nobody…" he lunched and yelled pain overtaking him, he fell to the ground "What's happening?" his mind fogged.
Raven heard snarling and a howl. It snapped her out of her meditation, her fear screaming. She calmed herself and opened her door "Whose there?" she called before walked into the corridor.
Beast Boy slept in the room closest to hers so she neared it, the snarling came from inside and her eye widened, she neared the door "Beast Boy?"
Something dented the metal of the door. A fist shaped dent. Then another. Raven gasped and back up. One more hit. The door burst out into the corridor. A shadowy animal unlike anything ever seen before trudge out the room and eyed her growling. She stood paralysed unable to escape.
Josh sat on his bed, his eye shut and focusing on entering the Dreaming, or at least finding a method to communicate with Zirnitra.
Cynefrith started whimpering and scratched at the door, the Kitsune turn to his mistress's mate and barked.
Josh's eyes opened, he turned and narrowed his eyebrows "Trouble?", the red fox nodded. Josh sighed and stood up and put his gloves on and picked up his mask, knowing how often stuff happened at night he always kept most his attire on encase the alarm went. He grabbed his coat and hat and opened the door. Cynefrith raced down the hall. Josh follow slipping the sleeves over his arms and pressing his hat on his head, he pocketed his mask for the time being.
Then a scream echoed through the corridor. His eyes widened and followed the fox towards Raven's room.
The others stood outsides and Cyborg having looked inside spoke "She's not in her room.", Cynefrith rushed passed them and Josh followed, they headed to Beast Boy's. Josh reached the door and stop in his tracks "Gordon Bennett!"
The quarters looked a total mess, far more than usual. Bed wrecked, claw marks everywhere, the shattered window. Cynefrith went to the window and barked again. Josh walked up and peer over, the claw marks continued down the side of the tower. Josh nodded and pulled his mask out and put it on, he turned on his heels and passed the other just entering "Come on." He shouted.
Starfire flew above the other three, Cyborg in the T-Car, Nightwing on the Wing-Cycle and Rorschach on the Vincent.
"Alright team," Nightwing spoke via the communicators "we've got two Titans missing and no explanation. We need answers, so split up!"
At the next junction Cyborg went right, Nightwing went left and Starfire flew straight on. Rorschach braked. Cynefrith poked his head out of Rorschach's coat and sniffed the air 'Not a tracker dog, but still.', the Kitsune barked towards and alleyway and they speed into it, just catching a large snarling creature jump over a fence, he stopped and grimaced, Cynefrith whimpered.
He reached for his communicator on its place on the handle bars but before he could speak Starfire came on the line "I have spotted something, something with claws.", Rorschach then spoke "We glimpsed something too just before you Star, its big, heavy muscled and covered in fur, sadly we couldn't get a really good look."
Cyborg spoke "Steering to your coordinates Star.", Rorschach turned around to headed for Starfire's position.
As he made his way Cyborg called "I lost sight of whatever that was.", he paused, and Josh took a moment to think 'Something that big can't move so fast.', the cybernetic jock spoke again "But I just got a lock on Raven, she's moving fast."
Rorschach increased speed and turned down an alley to meet up with Cyborg and Nightwing. A wall stood at the end. A rubbish dumpster and some planks rest before it, "Hold on boy.", he turned into the planks and use them as a ramp. He flew over the wall. With a crash and screech he landed and stopped. Just in time to join the other two as they arrive.
He put the stand on the Vincent as Starfire landed. Cynefrith fell out the grey coat and began sniffing around. Cyborg stepped out the T-Car "She was here just a second ago."
Cynefrith barked at the manhole cover and Nightwing checked his communicator tracker "No," he said, "she was down there, the signal's coming from underground.", the lifted the cover off and jumped down into the sewer.
Rorschach held the Kitsune and grimaced as the sludge splashed over his shoe 'I just knew one day I'd be on a case involving a sewer, another cliché I can mark off the list.', he glanced at Starfire floating 'Sometime I wish I could fly.' He shook his head knowing his magic wouldn't allow it.
Cyborg's shoulder light flicked open and he checked his arm computer "Raven's stopped and she close by come on." They travelled fast down the concrete tunnel. They turned a corner and Cyborg stopped the beeping of his tracker almost sound like one continuous beep. He looked around.
The light then shone upon a red circular jewel set inside gold. Nightwing picked it up and gritted his teeth.
Starfire put her hand on her cheeks and frowned with wide eyed "Xhal please, I want to know if my friends are okay."
"Join the club." Cyborg said before checking his arm again "I can't even find BB's signal."
Nightwing spoke next "It's not Beast Boy I'm worried about.", Rorschach, still holding Cynefrith in his arms walk about, whatever he would have suggested got stopped by a load roar, echoing from the tunnels, the Kitsune, whimpered and curled into himself.
Cyborg change the tracker to a sonic locater "I can't find the source!"
Nightwing turned to the others "Then split up.", they all went into separate tunnels.
Rorschach's route took him a section with a platform mostly sludge free, no light source so he used his magic energy, looking like a red fireball in his hand.
After a little while Cyborg called "I think y'all better get over here.", Rorschach then set his locator to Cyborg's signal and ran in that direction. He reached the end of his tunnel at the same time and just behind Nightwing and Starfire. Cyborg held up Beast Boy's belt.
Before anyone could say anything a series of growl caught their attention.
A shadow appeared on the wall before the creature Rorschach described bounded down the side tunnel at the end. Quickly the four Titans gave chase.
The existed another tunnel and looked around. Cyborg's light travelled up a died end and shone onto the beast. It snarled and turned around. The Titans gasp. The creature carried Raven, the blue witch hung by the hood of her cloak held tightly within the beast mouth.
Josh examined the creature thinking 'If this thing has Raven, where's Garfield.', the creature stood bipedal and humanoid, standing roughly ten feet tall, covered with green hair and far more muscles than any man could ever hope to build up in a gym. 'Green fur.' Josh's eyes widened, his mask conveyed his revelation. A revelation as shocking to him as the fate of Blair Roche had been to Walter.
The beast carefully put Raven down.
The other Titans readied their attacks. Rorschach held out his free arm "No, don't attack him."
Cyborg looked to his old friend "Him?"
"Yes, trust me." He patted Cynefrith "You recognise the scent boy?", the Kitsune nodded, Rorschach walked forward slowly "Then speak to him.", the red fox began barking, howling, snarling and yipping, and adding almost any kind of canine sound.
The beast seemingly understanding became wide eyed and smelt the air, its large hand slammed onto it head and it roar, getting onto its knees. Before the eyes of the Titans the creature shrunk.
Starfire gasped, Nightwing and Cyborg's eyes widened and their jaws dropped.
"No!" the former Boy Wonder exclaimed.
Rorschach nodded. He put Cynefrith down, who walked over to Raven. The Techno-mage took off his trench-coat and put it over Beast Boy, the changeling rubbing his head groaning before he looked up as the others approached seeing their fearful and astonished faces "Where am I? Why's everybody looking at me like that?"
In the medical room the monitors beeped. Raven rested, to be precise, she floated just above a bed.
Cyborg checked the data "She's alive, but she's in some kind of trance.", Rorschach looked at the blue witch closely "She's healing herself.", he picked up her cloak and examined the garment for damages "Nothing." He looked back as he put the piece down "You we're gentle with her Beast Boy."
The changeling sat on a chair in a corner in one of his spare uniforms, "I don't remember what happened."
Nightwing spoke standing with Starfire, he back turned on the changeling "We found you with her."
"No, I wouldn't, I mean we had a fight but I would never…", Starfire cut him off "She was in your teeth."
"That's a lie!", Rorschach walked up between them "Everyone calm down, yes, we're unsure what happen," he turned to Nightwing and Starfire "but what my instincts are telling me, Beast Boy did not harm her." He turned to the changeling "But Beast Boy please, don't get angry, otherwise we'll be in trouble."
Beast Boy sighed and looked down "What's happening to me?", Cyborg answer while he checked the computer "I'm picking up traces of recombinant DNA" the screen change and his eye widened "It's not human.", Rorschach walked up as Nightwing suggested "The chemicals in the lab?"
"Could be." Rorschach said looking over the data himself "As I thought, predominantly canine, and primal. Cynefrith brought Beast Boy back by reminding the Beast, best appropriate name for it, that it was a part of a pack, and that we were it. Identifying Nightwing as the alpha male and Starfire as the alpha female.", the Titans mentioned blushed as the Techno-mage continued "Beast Boy's behaviour this morning was like a power shift, the Beast didn't fully understand and thus was trying to establish its dominance, only when Cynefrith an omega of the pack told him the truth did the Beast surrender knowing instinctually never to fight the alphas, letting Beast Boy take control again."
Cyborg sighed "Because of the shapeshifting his genetic code was unstable, maybe now it's just, finally falling apart.", Rorschach nodded "I can see a way of normalising it, but it'll take time, we estimate if Beast Boy changes into the Beast again, then his DNA will only last twenty-four hours. After that, things will get unpleasant, and, fatal."
Beast Boy's eye widened and he shook. His breathing faltered before he looked to the blue witch floating "Raven, she's going to be alright, isn't she? I mean, she's not moving, what have I done?"
Nightwing opened his mouth be Rorschach cut him off "She'll be fine, give her an hour or two. As of what you did, all I can tell is the Beast works by instinct."
"My instincts." Beast Boy clarified, the Techno-mage nodded "But you appeared to do everything you could to keep Raven unharmed."
"But…"
"My instincts are telling me something else is a foot.", the communicators went off. Nightwing took his "Commissioner Thatcher wants to talk with us, Cyborg and I will go, Starfire, you and Rorschach stay here and guard Beast Boy and Raven, and Rorschach, get working on that cure.", they all nodded and left.
Thatcher sat on his desk tapping his fingers on the edge.
The door opened and his face darkened. Nightwing and Cyborg walked in. Thatcher hoped Rorschach would come to explain matters, but no. He stood up and put his hands on his pockets "You said you had the situation handled."
Nightwing's mask frowned "Excuse me?"
"You said the Beast was in captivate, either you lied or you've got to sort out your security", he took his notepad and handed it to the two Titans, "we're still getting reports of some large monster running about the city, brand new claw marks are appearing in walls and roofs."
The two turned to each other wide eyed, the former Boy Wonder spoke "Rorschach said something else was afoot."
The door swung open and a policeman practically threw a file at Thatcher, Nightwing caught it, read it, his eyes widened further, and he ran out, tossing the file onto the desk, Cyborg quickly followed called out for an explanation.
Thatcher opened the file and scanned through it and nodded. He sat down and leaned back in his chair before looking to the policeman "Don't worry Spark, knowing the Titans they'll have this over by morning."
Raven's eye fluttered open and she dropped onto the bed. Sitting up fast cause her to grunt and clutch the side of her head "Beast Boy." She uttered. Starfire put her hand on the blue witch's shoulder "Rest, Beast Boy is fine.", she nodded and Raven looked to the silent changeling sitting with his head in his hands.
Raven then glanced at Rorschach typing away, Starfire explained "Friend Joshua is working on a cure for Beast Boy's current ailment and wishes not to be disturbed.", the blue witch nodded, returned her gaze to Beast Boy and smiled "Thanks."
Beast Boy turned and blinked "For what?"
Raven's smiled went and she frowned her eyebrow "You saved me remember?", Starfire blinked "From what?"
The window smashed in and another snarl filled the air. Everyone looked, Raven went white, Starfire gasped, Rorschach mask changed drastically and Beast Boy stood up growling.
Another Beast, this one with a greyish red coat of fur clambered into the room and eyed Raven.
Beast Boy growled loudened "Get away from her!" he roared.
The monitor with Beast Boy's data beeped loudly. Rorschach turned and watched the changeling transformed in the Beast. Twenty-four hours and counting. In a split second the Green Beast lunged. Rammed into the Red Beast. The two fell out the window.
The three over Titans went to the ledge and watch. Raven felt tears forming.
Starfire and Rorschach looked up hearing the roar of engine noises. The T-Car and Wing-Cycle rolled fast along the bridge. The Techno-mage pulled out his communicator "Don't interfere." He spoke into it, Cyborg called up "What do you mean?"
"Beast Boy fighting the other Beast for dominance, if anyone interferes things could get nasty for them."
Raven only partially heard it as she focused on the fight.
The Red punched the Green back. Slammed him into a bridge arch and punched him again. Fighting continued under the arch. The Green hit the salt-watered ground and laid there flat on his back, eyes shut.
The Red jumped and dived. Green opened his eyes and flipped out the way. Red crashed. Looked up. Green lunged. Red swung both fist upward and knocked Green back. Red then pounced. Green dodged and flipped out the way. He tried slashing at Red. His opponent dodge and bit into Green's arm. Red then flung Green into the ground and then up and let go. Green hit the top the arch and then crashed to the ground. He tried to get up, but couldn't stand.
Red bounded up and clasped his hand together into a large fist. He slammed his fist into Green, then again, and again. He paused and observed his motionless foe. He howled long and loud before trudge away.
Tears fell down Raven's cheek and shook her head "No, Beast Boy."
Out from the arch the Green Beast launched into the Red. He wailed onto this opponent. Red slammed into an arch. Went through it and landed on the ground. He got up. Green made himself into a ball and steamrollered Red. He reached the cliff of the island and propelled him back at Red punching him as he passed. Did the same with the arch, again and again. Red almost hit the ground outside the bridge. But Green landed in front of him. One upward slash from Green and Red fell up. As Red fell Green jump up and dived feet first into Red.
Crash.
Green jump out of the crater panting.
"Beast Boy!" someone called, the Green Beast turned. Raven float up to him. She put her hand on his furry cheek and smiled "You did it, you won.", the Beast smiled and leaned in nuzzling himself against her. Raven shut her eyes and leaned into him. She then felt pain in her neck. Her eyes opened and darted. The Beast's removed his fang from his skin and licked the wound. He smiled to reassure her before stepping back and collapsed to his knees. Beast Boy returned to normal.
Raven touched the side of her neck and rubbed were the Beast bit her. She felt her skin through the punctures in her leotard.
Rorschach quickly ran up. He took off his coat and covered Beast Boy with it, he then looked to Raven "Get us to the medical lab, there's no time to wait.", she nodded and covered the three in her magic.
Nightwing and Cyborg walked up to the crater where the other Beast fell. The former Boy Wonder scowled at the figure now in its place, "Adonis."
Beast Boy woke slowly. He felt the sheets of the medical bed over his skin. He looked to his side and found Raven, he smiled "Hi."
"Hi." She responded with a small smile herself, she glanced to her neck "Beast Boy do you know what you did?"
His eyes narrowed "I think. I think I marked you."
"Marked?"
"My instincts told me to, claim you."
"As in a, mate?", both blushed and Beast Boy nodded and looked away "I'm sorry, but I had to appease the…", she took his hand "It's alright, in fact I'm kind of happy.", he looked up and she explained "My emotions have been, testy, I think ever since Nightwing and Starfire started dating, now you've done this they've calmed down."
"You're not angry I did it without your consent?"
"I should be, but I'm not.", Beast Boy turned away slightly and saw the light sun in the sky "Who long was I out?"
"About twelve hours, Rorschach worked as fast as he could to make a cure, we purged the Beast from Adonis…"
"That was him?" he gritted his teeth "That spineless muscle-head tried to take you from me.", Raven blinked and squeezed his hanf bringing his attention back her.
The blue witch clutched his shoulder briefly with her other hand "He broke into the tower to attack you, and he wound up attacking me too. But you defeated him, twice, and he's not going to be a problem anymore." She sighed and looked away slightly "Rorschach created the antidote, your better now."
"Yeah." He looked away and towards a monitor, see his reflection in the black mirror "But that Beast it came from inside me. And it's still there. I can feel it."
"Good.", the changeling turned back to her, she explained her reason "If it wasn't for that Beast, I might not be here right now. Having that thing inside you doesn't make you an animal. Knowing when to let it out is what makes you a man."
Beast Boy narrowed his eyebrow thinking "When I saw the Adonis Beast turn to you I knew my Beast was the only thing that could stand up to him, I guess I let him out, at my own risk to protect you. If that makes me a man, then I can't keep calling myself Beast Boy, can I?"
"I suppose not, but Beast Man doesn't sound appealing."
"No, loses the alliteration, let's see, I've heard people refer to me as the Changeling."
Raven shook her head "Doesn't sound right to me, the Ling part makes it sound more childish then Beast Boy."
"Yeah, how about Menagerie?"
"What?"
"Menagerie, it means a collection of wild animal."
"Fitting, although isn't that basically a Zoo?"
"Could be, but Menagerie sounds a whole lot better than the One-Man Zoo.", Raven chuckled slightly at the memory of what Starfire told them "If you think it works then I won't stop you."
"Thanks Raven.", his stomach growled, he chuckled as well "Over twelve hours without food." He got up with his back to Raven. He blinked but didn't turn around "Uh, did any of you bring a spare uniform for me?"
"It's on the chair, I'll leave, see you in the living room." And she teleported out.
The other Titans sat in the living waiting. Raven appeared and explained about Beast Boy and about his change in alias.
Sasu sat with Josh on the sofa as she stroked Cynefrith, she looked up "Good thing I explained canine pack behaviour wasn't it."
"Yes, it was." Josh said before scratching the Kitsune's ear, "Lucky the Beast was able to understand this little guy."
"Josh, can I ask something?"
"What's on your mind?"
"How is it that alien species can evolve to be like others, I mean, you have a words for canine and feline, and animals which resemble those were on Isro, how can that be?"
"Well maybe it's convergent evolution, organisms not closely related, independently evolve similar traits because of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches. From what you said your home region of your planet was like the environment wolves evolve in here."
"I see." She paused and shook her head "Sorry all this science stuff reminds of the Dyreus."
"It's alright.", they heard the door opened and the changeling, now calling himself Menagerie walked in "Hey guys." He smelt the air "What's cooking?"
Josh got up, "Since we didn't know how you would be after sorting out the Beast I thought it would be best to make two options, a full English or a vegetarian omelette, so which would you prefer."
Menagerie's stomached growled fiercely "Actually is it alright if I have both?"
Everyone blinked before Cyborg grinned and rushed over to the fridge.
The green shapeshifter raised an eyebrow "Uh Cyborg what are you doing?"
"Getting rid of the tofu."
"What! Hey just because I'm going to start eating meat doesn't mean I'll stop eating tofu, I like the stuff."
Cyborg trudge up "Why eat a meat substitute when you can have the real thing?"
As the argument started up again Josh held the bridge of his noise and shook his head, but he laughed "Some things just never change, do they?"
Raven nodded but smiled.
Author's Notes
Another favourite episode out the way, and Be-Rae is now official in this. "And there was much rejoicing."
Until next time.