A/N: Welcome back ladies and gents! It's Zero here with another chapter of Birds of A Feather! The game and poem parodied here are ones that I have personally experienced, but do not own. I also do not own this series or the characters within. Also if you're a fan of my other fiction, 'The Vulpine Prophecy', I have a few ideas for that, but it may take a while. While we're on that topic, follow and favorite this story if you like it that much. The next chapter will be a bit more... well, you're all level headed people. I'm sure you can guess what might happen next!
I own nothing included in this chapter. Nothing.
Chapter 3: A Surprising Revelation
Cyborg woke up, running a full diagnostics check on his systems and battery level before standing and stretching. The Titans had shown a lot of progress in the last few days, specifically between Beast Boy and Raven. He had meant to tease the two about it a little, had it been easy enough to find the two of them. He swore Raven had to be using some sort of cloaking device.
Speaking of Raven, he heard an excited squeal coming from the living room. Realizing he could threaten the two with something like this, he snuck down the hall into the living area. However, he was not expecting what came next.
Raven sat close to Beast Boy, a controller in hand, furiously mashing at the buttons with an unhooded look of sheer glee. It wasn't long before the two broke the silence.
"Get 'im, get 'im, get 'im!"
"Shit, he substituted!" Raven spoke.
"Quick, collaboration attack!"
Cyborg saw as the characters on-screen lunged at the enemy, who wore a black cloak with red clouds emblazoned upon it, a three-bladed scythe at his side. Judging by the enemy's health bar, this would be the last blow. (Cookie for whoever got that character mention!)
Beast Boy's character, a white eyed, brown-haired male lashed out, striking the opponent 15 times, using only palm strikes. As it transitioned to Raven's character, the girl became giddy as the attack landed.
"GO NINE-TAILS!" Raven's character called out, as a massive beast appeared and launched a massive black ball of energy which completely levelled the enemy.
"Woo-hoo! Way to go, Rae! High five!" Raven promptly returned the offered gesture with a "whoop".
"That was fun. What would you like to do now?" Raven asked the energetic changeling.
"How bout we get breakfast then maybe you can teach me to meditate?" Beastboy inquired.
The pacifist smiled at her emerald friend's resolution. Raven had decided that she would like to try video games, and Beastboy had given up one of the activities from his schedule to make room for Raven's meditation.
"Okay."
As the two made breakfast together, Robin, Starfire and Cyborg all entered the dining area.
"Good morning friends Beastboy and Raven!" The energetic redhead greeted.
"Hey Star." The two returned the greeting.
"Hi Beastboy. Hey Raven." Robin said.
"Morning, Robin."
After a few minutes, Cyborg walked out to a most confusing sight. Raven and Beastboy were cooking together side by side! And perfectly coexisting as it seemed. He snickered a bit; a little teasing now and then never hurt anybody.
Raven and Beastboy finished cooking and began setting the table for their fellow Titans. As everyone sat down to eat, Cyborg spoke up.
"So Beastboy, how was your morning?" Cyborg inquired, a growing smirk on his face.
"It's going good, I guess. Still kinda early." Cyborg's smirk grew a bit.
"How bout you, Rae? Anything interesting happen?" The robotic teen baited.
"About the same. Beast Boy and I enjoyed each other's company, played a few games. Just basic decompression techniques." Raven responded.
At this point, Cyborg had major trouble maintaining a straight face. He was about to speak up when the alarm sounded.
"Titans, go!" And with that, the Titans were off to the scene of the disturbance.
(In the interest of time…)
"Alright, split up! From the sound of things, we have multiple perpetrators on opposite ends of the mall. Cy, Star, on me!" Robin was off like a flash, followed by orange and blue blurs.
Beast Boy and Raven, after seeing their noble leader's battle strategy (or lack thereof), decided to go with stealth. As they followed the sound of battle like rats to the Pied Piper, they noticed a faint glow in the distance.
'Garfield, be careful. That glow could identify some form of magic user and we don't know their potential.' Raven communicated telepathically to her comrade.
'Got it.' He thought back, then severed the mental link. They were now only 20 yards from the target when the person in question whipped around.
"Well done on stealth, you almost caught me off guard." An oh-so-familiar face said.
"Malchior!" Raven snarled, her anger rising, black energy surrounding her.
"Hello Raven. My, my, you seem displeased. Did I do something wrong?" The mummified sorcerer inquired.
"YOU TRAITOROUS BASTARD! I'LL TEAR YOU APAR-!" Garfield stopped her.
"Allow me to handle this one, Raven."
"Garfield, what are you doing? This jackass broke my heart and taught forbidden black magic!" Raven said, her eyes, dividing into four red narrowed slits.
"Oh I know. I know all too well…"
"Do you really think you can defeat me, an all-powerful magician?" Malchior sneered.
"See? He's my worst enemy!" Raven tried to advance, but Garfield held steady.
"I understand completely." Garfield said, a primal hatred rising in his soul, rushing to his heart. "Which is why I want first crack at him!"
Malchior watched as the changeling transformed and at that point in his miserable life, he knew what true terror felt like.
Meanwhile, Robin and Starfire were heading over to their friends' location. Cyborg had gotten there first and apprehended the perp, who just so happened to be Control Freak. He stated to his captors that he had used the mall attack as a distraction to steal new tech.
As Robin and Starfire neared the scene, a white-haired man wearing silver armour broke through a wall, flew across the atrium and crashed into a wall.
What followed after the villain shocked the two into stunned silence.
Beast Boy, now in full Beast form, meandered over to the mummified magician. He seemed to enjoy taunting his prey, as though he enjoyed every little flinch Malchior gave.
But the Beast didn't come alone.
Levitating in the same semi-lazy manner was Raven, now supporting blood-red eyes and a fanged grin that would make a sadomasochist tremble from unbridled, undiluted fear. As the half-demoness approached, the Beast picked Malchior from the ground as though the mummy were a small kitten that had lost its way.
"PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GET THEM AWAY FROM ME!" Malchior whined, attempting to claw his way back to Robin and Starfire by any means plausible.
"A pretty gift for a beautiful maiden! Although it definitely be a craven,
Aged by time and test and lore,
I inquire your request;
Should this one walk amongst these pale and purified shores?" The Beast quipped poetically.
"Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'"Raven responded, as the Beast happily broke Malchior's back over it's knee and tossed him aside. Beast Boy and Raven reverted back to their original forms.
(5 minutes later)
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" Robin shouted at the two "WHY DID YOU BOTH DECIDE TO GO FULL BEAST MODE AND CRIPPLE A MAN?"
"Well, dear leader, while we were busy doing real work, you seemed to take your sweet time getting over here. I know for a fact that it would take less that thirty seconds to get to our side of the mall had you made a conscious effort." Raven snapped back.
"THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN WHY YOU HAD TO DESTROY PART OF THE MALL TO DO SO, USING BANNED TECHNIQUES BY THE WAY!"
"Look Robin, we all met Malchior before. He was a high level threat and I terminated him the way I saw fit. I could have easily killed him, had I been given that instruction from Raven." Raven blushed slightly at Garfield's defense of her.
"THAT DOESN'T EXCUSE YOUR ACTIONS! I DON'T CARE THAT YOUR LITTLE GIRLFRIEND WAS OFFENDED BY A CRIMINAL, I AM THE LEAD-"
"SHUT UP ROBIN!" The young changeling retaliated.
The other Titans, excluding Raven, were shocked at their friend's open defiance against the team leader.
"You have NEVER had to experience the pure, unadulterated madness that Raven faced at the hands of that backstabbing sonofabitch! He used her as a tool for black magic! He almost stole her INNOCENCE, for Azar's sake! So until you can honestly tell me that I had done something outstandingly wrong, I'm done!"
Robin was stunned. No one, not even Bruce Wayne himself, had ever shouted at him like that.
"Guys..."
"Leave me out of this one, man. That's your deal." Cyborg said, walking toward the T-car.
"I too believe this is an issue you must work out with Beast Boy." Starfire agreed.
"C'mon y'all, I'll spring for early lunch."
(Meanwhile...)
Raven and Garfield had arrived back at the tower and had lunch. The two were obviously displeased with Batman's former apprentice and decided to spend the rest of the day at their leisure. After a brief intro to the art of meditation, Garfield and Raven spent the majority of the day training and meditating. After the umpteenth spar, they collapsed on the floor outside Raven's room.
"Hey Gar?" Raven asked.
"Yeah?"
"Um... This has been really fun and all but I'm kind of getting tired from everything that went on today. Think we could... you know... take a nap?" She inquired. Garfield gave a toothy smile.
"Sure Raven, but are you sure you want me in your room?"
"I'd feel much safer if you were there. Especially after what you said to Robin." She said, giving him an appreciative smile.
"Well when you say it like that..." He teased.
"Get in here." She playfully demanded.
Garfield entered the darkened room, using his senses of touch and smell to navigate his way to Raven's bed. He gently laid down, making sure to leave room for Raven in the middle. The pacifist joined her comrade on the bed, got under the covers, and slithered into Garfield's arms.
"Better?" Garfield inquired, enjoying the empath's current position.
"You have no idea." She responded, tucking her head into Garfield's shoulder, molding herself into the most comfortable place she could.
The two were drawing closer to one another. It would only be a matter of time before their feelings for one another began to evolve.
A/N: Well that was lovely, wasn't it? But what happens next? Stay tuned for more! Or Trigon will find you!
Don't forget to PM if you have any suggestions! Peace!
\M/-Zero-\M/