Leaving the tavern behind, Beast Boy wandered through the narrow, shadowy alleys of the city, his ears still in bat form to catch any information if possible. The distant hum of tavern chatter faded, replaced by a more sinister sound. He heard an old man's voice, trembling with fear and desperation, pleading for his life.
"Please, have mercy!" the old man cried. "I've done nothing to deserve this!"
Peering around a corner, Beast Boy saw a group of five young men in their twenties, their faces twisted with anger. They stood outside a house that had seen better days, hurling stones at the windows and walls, shattering glass and chipping away at the crumbling structure.
"Where's your grandson, old man?" one of the thugs snarled, throwing a particularly large rock that narrowly missed the old man's head. "He owes us. If he doesn't show up, we'll set this place on fire!"
"I don't know where he is," the old man stammered, cowering in the doorway. "He doesn't mean any harm."
"Yeah, and everything bad that happens around him is just a coincidence," another thug spat, stepping closer, brandishing a torch. "We'll send him to you in some time."
Beast Boy's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. He couldn't stand by and watch this senseless violence. He transformed into a lion and let out a thunderous roar, sending the thugs into a panic. They turned, eyes wide with terror, as the massive, green-skinned beast advanced on them.
"Th-thank you," the old man stuttered, still shaking. "You saved my life."
"No problem," Beast Boy said, offering a reassuring smile. "What was that all about?"
"Well, they won't be bothering you for a while," Beast Boy assured him. "But you might want to find a safer place to stay."
The old man hesitated, then fell to his knees, clasping his hands. "Please, you must help me save my grandson, Luke."
"i haven't seen him since yesterday and i fear what will happen if they find him, if they already haven't" the old man fell at beast boy's leg "i have nothing to offer now but i will find a way to pay you for this, i swear on my life"
Beast boy places his hand on the old man's sholder "i will bring him back to you" nothing more was said before he changed into a half and flew towards the direction where the thugs went.
Within 10 minutes, he found the five young men and saw that they were walking away towards the main road. He had to act fast; more people mean more problems for him.
He descended in front of the men, who changed back to normal. The sudden action caused them to panic and take out their swords.
"Drop your weapons and surrender or die," he wasn't really going to kill them; he was just saying that.
They looked like they were about to fight before Beast Boy changed into a T-Rex, and they immediately dropped their weapons.
"I am not here to hurt you, but if you don't answer my question, I will" beast boy said as he changed back to normal.
One of them stepped forward and said, "What do you want?"
"Why were you attacking that old man?"
Taking some time as if recollecting everything he spoke, "His grandson, Luke. He is really unlucky. Any party he joins, they get the worst luck. Some even have died after having him join...We were desperate; we needed a baggage carrier for our team. So we took him." He paused, as if remembering what had happened.
"And all went to shit," all the men with him nodded their heads as if agreeing. "So many monsters, goblin archers, goblin riders, goblin mages here and there," they were lost in thought as if remembering it all unfold, well, to their credit, it was just yesterday.
But seeing beast boy staring at them, they continued.
"Well... anyway. After working for months, I finally had enough money to buy a new 'Iron' series sword, and in that ambush, I lost it." His face was marked with anger while his eyes held sadness. "Now those stupid goblins are probably having the time of their lives with my sword." Suddenly, a fear marked his face as he realized what he had said and to whom.
"I am not a goblin," beast boy said with a straight face.
"So that's why I'm so angry at him. We want to go to lower floors, battle stronger enemies, but now..."
One of his friends finished for him. "If we challenge the dungeon without being fully armed, we might not come back home."
"I spent everything I have on that sword, and it was worth it."
He looked at each of them before signing, "Fine, I will go and get your sword back, but after that, you have to leave Luke alone."
They were shocked out of their minds. In front of them stood a goblin... well, a person who was going to the dungeon, which is a dangerous place with monsters of all kinds, to retrieve his sword, as long as he leaves the unlucky guy alone.
"What's the catch?" the leader asked him.
".. you leave the old man and his grandson alone. Wasn't I clear before?"
"But what do you get by putting yourself in harm's way for this?" the leader questioned, his voice tinged with both concern and skepticism.
Beast Boy maintained his calm demeanor, a sincere smile on his lips. "I'm just someone who wants to help. So, where exactly did you lose it?"
The leader's eyes shifted nervously. "The second floor of the dungeon, northwest corner. There are five steep hills there. That's where we were ambushed."
Beast Boy nodded thoughtfully. "Almost forgot—do you know where Luke is?" His body rippled and transformed into a massive bear. His keen nose could detect even the slightest hint of deceit.
They were shocked at the sudden transformation but still answered "No, we don't..." The bear's unnerving look made him say, "Wait, I did tell him if he didn't get me my sword back, I would hurt him, maybe...I'm sorry, I was very angry." The leader could only apologize and hope nothing bad would happen.
The sun was setting as Beast Boy approached the old man's house. He landed softly in front of the door and knocked firmly.
"It's me," he called out.
The door burst open, and the old man, looking both relieved and anxious, rushed outside. "Did you find anything? Is he alright?"
Beast Boy shook his head. "Do you have his clothes? I need his scent to track him."
The old man's face fell. "I'm afraid I don't understand..."
"I'm going to search the entire kingdom for him," Beast Boy explained. "I need his scent to follow his trail."
With a heavy sigh, the old man went inside and returned with an old, worn shirt. Beast Boy took it from him, sniffing it deeply as he transformed into a bear once more. As a bear, he headed out.
The sun was setting as Beast Boy approached the old man's house. He landed softly in front of the door and knocked firmly.
"It's me," he called out.
The door burst open, and the old man, looking both relieved and anxious, rushed outside. "Did you find anything? Is he alright?"
Beast Boy shook his head. "Do you have his clothes? I need his scent to track him."
The old man's face fell. "I'm afraid I don't understand..."
"I'm going to search the entire kingdom for him," Beast Boy explained. "I need his scent to follow his trail."
With a heavy sigh, the old man went inside and returned with an old, worn shirt. Beast Boy took it from him, sniffing it deeply as he transformed into a bear once more. As a bear, he headed out.
Beast Boy flew to an abandoned part, then changed into a bear and took in the scent to find the old man's grandson before it was too late.
He kept going and going from one place to another until.
It wasn't Luke but someone else, someone very familiar. He stopped what he was doing and left for that place. He changed into a bear when no one was around and into a bloodhound when there were people. Even in bloodhound form, he received strange looks.
As a bear, he headed out.
The sun was setting as Beast Boy approached the old man's house. He landed softly in front of the door and knocked firmly.
"It's me," he called out.
The door burst open, and the old man, looking both relieved and anxious, rushed outside. "Did you find anything? Is he alright?"
Beast Boy shook his head. "Do you have his clothes? I need his scent to track him."
The sun was setting as Beast Boy approached the old man's house. He landed softly in front of the door and knocked firmly.
The door burst open, and the old man, looking both relieved and anxious, rushed outside. "Did you find anything? Is he alright?"
Beast Boy shook his head. "Do you have his clothes? I need his scent to track him."
The old man's face fell. "I'm afraid I don't understand..."
"I'm going to search the entire kingdom for him," Beast Boy explained. "I need his scent to follow his trail."
With a heavy sigh, the old man went inside and returned with an old, worn shirt. Beast Boy took it from him, sniffing it deeply as he transformed into a bear once more before he headed out.
Beast Boy flew through the desolate part of the kingdom, his keen senses alert as he searched for the old man's grandson. He transformed into a bear, using his enhanced smell to track the elusive scent. His search led him from one abandoned building to another, with no sign of the boy.
Then, he caught a familiar scent that made him halt abruptly. It wasn't the grandson he was looking for, but someone he knew all too well. He shifted into his bear form to avoid detection and slipped through the shadows. When people were around, he became a bloodhound, drawing curious glances but remaining focused on his mission.
Finally, he reached his destination. Standing before him was a young woman draped in a long, dark cloak that flowed around her like a living shadow. Her cloak was deep indigo, almost merging with the night itself, and seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light. The scent that surrounded her was both familiar and haunting—a mix of old books, stormy skies, and a hint of lavender.
As she lifted her hood, their eyes met.
"I found you," they both spoke simultaneously.
Beast Boy's gaze fixed on her as she removed her hood.
"..Raven"