Fan Fiction ❯ A Raven's Cry ❯ Major Changes and a Strange Encounter ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

 

The first thing that Beastboy became aware of was the burning sensation in his left shoulder. He brought one hand up and brushed it against the bandage covering the bullet wound he now remembered receiving. He started to sit up, grunting a little in pain. In a chair next to the bed, Raven started awake. "Beastboy, don't move."

Beastboy lay back, "Right. You okay?"

"I'm fine. How do you feel?

"Fine, I guess, except for my shoulder."

"You don't feel any different?"

"No, why?" Beastboy was starting to get worried now.

Raven grabbed his good shoulder and carefully pulled him up. "Think you can stand?"

Beastboy knew he'd have no problem standing, but decided to take advantage of the situation. "With help." He turned and dangled his legs over the edge of the bed.

Raven slipped an arm around him and pulled him off the bed, supporting some of his weight. Beastboy looked down and realized that she didn't have to stoop to support his usually small frame. "Aren't you taller than me?"

Raven didn't answer as she walked them to the infirmary's bathroom. She opened the door and led them in. When Beastboy caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he gasped. He did seem to have grown several inches literally overnight. His chest was broader and he looked overall more muscular. When he bared his teeth, he could see that the fangs on his lower jaw were gone, now he had upper fangs that curved wickedly. "This is new."

"Any ideas why you changed like this?"

"A couple."

Raven looked up at him for a moment before speaking, "Care to share them?"

"Not standing in the bathroom."

Raven walked them both back into the main room of the infirmary and slid Beastboy back into the bed. "Alright, spill it."

"I can't consciously make small changes to myself, but my sub-conscious will change me to suit long term situations."

"Meaning...?"

"Something in the environment's changed, so I adapted to it."

"In what ways have you changed? Aside from the obvious."

"Well," he sniffed at the air, "my senses are better. I figure I'm probably stronger and faster now."

"What's changed?"

“Huh?”

“In the environment. What have you adapted to?” Raven folded her arms and stared at him impassively.

Beastboy blushed a strange shade of green. "I don't know."

"Why did you follow me earlier, I believe both questions have the same answer?"

"What do you mean?"

"You followed me, why?”

Beastboy shrugged, causing him to grimace in pain. "I was just curious."

"You didn't have to help me in that fight, they were just a bunch of thugs I could have taken without a problem."

"I know."

"So why did you help me?"

"I don't know."

"Look, I don't need an escort and I don't need a body guard."

"I know."

"Are you going to give me a straight answer?” Raven stopped and took a deep breath. She could feel her emotions starting to slip out of control. “You followed me when I told you that I wanted some time alone, then you stepped in and tried to help me in a fight that would have been no problem. Why?"

"I couldn't help it."

"Couldn't help it?" she asked incredulously, "You were forced to help me?"

"When you were leaving, it was like I heard this voice. It just kept telling me to follow you, to protect you. When I saw you getting harassed in that ally, I lost control."

"A voice in your head?"

"Well, not a voice really, my instincts."

"So you knew something was going to happen?"

"No, I always want to follow you, to protect you."

"Why?"

"Raven, I love you."

"I know." She closed her eyes. She had known, but it was still a shock to finally hear him say it. “Beastboy, no matter how you feel, it will never work. I can't feel.”

Beastboy`s fists clenched. "I don't believe you. I don't think you've been completely honest with us, I think you can feel but choose not to."

Raven shook her head and stood, "Beastboy, just forget about how you feel about me, it'll never work."

"I can't help how I feel. Why do you keep fighting a losing battle?"

“What do you mean, a losing battle?”

“When we meditated. I could feel it. It's getting harder for you to be around here, around me and not feel anything.”

Raven stood. “Just forget about me. Forget about how you feel about me and move on. I'm out of your reach.” She turned and stalked from the room so that he wouldn't see the tears that threatened to escape her.

 

Beastboy walked out of his room, into the dark hallway, and to Raven's door. He reached forward, but before his fingers could even brush the cool metal, the door slid open. On the other side of the door stood Raven, staring impassively, "What?"

"Raven, I..." he reached forward to touch her, but his hand was stopped by cold glass.

"This is pointless."

Beastboy looked beyond Raven and saw the other figures crowding her room, all in cape and cowl. "Why? Why do you hide behind this wall that you create? Don`t you know that there are people that care about you out here? Whatever you are hiding from we will help you, I`ll help you."

"“You can`t help me, no one can."

"You've separated yourself from us Raven, because you're afraid of losing us, I can feel it. What will happen if you allow yourself to feel, if you give up this battle?"

"Death will come."

"We are the Titans. Nothing can stop us."

"He will kill you."

"Who will kill us?"

"I will."

"Your emotions do not control your powers, you do."

"Not true. I control my powers, and these." Two of the forms stepped out of the shadows, one dressed in red with four glowing eyes, the other in pale gray seemed to cower in fear.

"Rage only controls when you are angry. What about feeling frightens you?"

"I fear feeling."

"Not good enough, why do you fear it?"

"Because he comes when I feel."

"Who comes?"

"Death."

"Why does he come for you?"

"Because I feel, he comes for you."

"Not good enough, why does he come when you feel?"

"Father does not want me to feel, he does not want me to be human."

"We will deal with your father."

"He is too powerful."

"No one can stand against us."

"He will kill you all. I can't live knowing that I've killed you."

"I can't stand seeing you every day, Raven," His hand came up once again, caressing the cold glass above her face, "not without touching you. I love you, Raven."

"Please don't say that."

"I don't care if your father is too powerful. I am willing to face him, if I can stand by your side."

"Please don't say that, Beastboy."

"Please let me in, Raven, let me be a part of your life."

"I can't, it will call him."

"I don't care. I am willing to risk his wrath."

"I won't be able to live if he kills you."

"Then I won't let him kill me. Please, Raven, trust me, let me in." Under his hand the glass shattered.

Raven's dark form began to weep, "What have you done?" she asked as darkness consumed them.