Fan Fiction ❯ A Raven's Cry ❯ The Beast Returns... ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7

 

After the modified sladebots had been taken care of Robin turned to the strange villain. "Alright, I want answers. Who are you?"

"Ah, how rude of me. My name is Jeremiah Tinkerton, you are the titans."

"And you are coming with us."

"Don't think you have me beaten yet, you must pay for hurting my friends." Something moved in the shadows that filled the end of the room. "Yes, you have destroyed my friends, but they were weak. Now you must face my child." In the shadows, something reared up to a ten foot height. It made its way into the main part of the room, pushing the huge crates out of its way with ease.

The metal monstrosity stepped out of the shadows. It was supported by eight mechanical legs, similar to those that supported its 'father', but had no human attached to it. A vaguely humanoid torso sprouted for the top of the leg section, though it had two extra arms, all of which ended in long sharp looking weapons. "My child shall not be destroyed so easily."

Raven, who was closest to it, lifted her hands. "Azerath, Metri-" She was cut off when the creature moved with stunning speed to pin her to one of the crates.

"Raven!" Beastboy cried out. He leaped into the air, morphing into a T-rex as he flew and landed on it. The monstrosity barely budged at the sudden crushing weight. It simply slid Raven another foot up the crate and pinned her to its side with a long spike through her shoulder.

When Beastboy heard Raven's short cry of pain, he snapped. The next thing any of the titans knew, the Beast was standing in the room with them. In a deep, guttural voice it managed to speak, "I am going to kill you." It jumped onto the machines back, intending to wrench off its head, but the machine reached back and pulled the Beast off of it, slamming it into the ground.

The other Titans could do nothing as the Beast and the machine continued to fight, they were simply a blur as they fought with blinding speed, and none of the titans dared get close to either combatant.

After the machine had slammed the Beast into the concrete floor it turned back to the now unconscious Raven, but was stopped from doing anything when one of its legs was suddenly torn off. The Beast stood, clutching the makeshift club, and swung with all his might, driving the machine back.

"No no no, I can't let you harm my child, my beautiful child." Jeremiah lifted some strange weapon from the confines of his mechanical walker, "No no no." He aimed the weapon at Beastboy, but had no time to fire it before it was knocked from his hands by a birderang.

With a light thump, Robin landed on the platform of his walker. "No cheating, Tinkerton."

"Please don't hurt me."

"Now now, I'm the good guy."

 

The first thing that Beastboy could remember after hearing Raven cry out, was standing in torn clothing, staring at the machine with most of its insides spread out around him. He lifted one hand and saw a mass of wires and circuitry held in his fist. He dropped it as he turned to the crate that Raven was pinned to, but saw only a small hole and a smear of blood. He turned to Robin with, and with an involuntary snarl, "Where is she?"

"Cyborg already took her back to the tower."

"Where's Tinkerton?"

"Already been taken by a police escort."

Beastboy nodded. "Good."

"What just happened?"

"I can't remember."

"You became that monster again."

"I kind of figured." He turned and started walking toward the exit form the building.

"I though it was gone."

Beastboy did not turn, as he answered, “It was never gone It wasn't created by those chemicals that got dumped on me, they only let it out."

"So is it a danger?"

"I doubt it."

"Beastboy, if you can't control..."

"I'll be fine." Not giving Robin a chance to answer, Beastboy morphed into a hawk and took flight.

 

Beastboy stepped quietly into the infirmary. Raven was in one bed, floating several inches above the mattress, and Cyborg dozed in a chair nearby. Beastboy laid a hand on his friends shoulder, waking him. "Is she okay?"

"Hey, man. She'll be fine, just needs to heal." He stood allowing Cyborg to take his place. "You want me to bring you something to eat?"

"Nope, I'm fine."

"You should try to get some sleep."

"Maybe." Beastboy watched Raven hovering there. He could feel Cyborg still standing a few feet behind him, but didn't care, he trusted his friend.

"That form, whatever it is, it takes a lot out of you."

"Uh huh."

"Every other time you've used it you've collapsed afterward."

"So?"

He hears his friend shrug, "Just think its weird that you haven't gone out yet."

"Don't worry, I'll not be awake much longer."

Cyborg nodded. "I'll be back in a little while, see how you're doin."

"Yeah thanks."

After Cyborg left, Beastboy reached out and took Raven's hand. Through the loose fitting t-shirt that she now wore, he could see thick bandages. He watched the life signs indicator above his head, tracing lazy paths across the dark glass. "She's okay."

Starfire popped her head in the door. "Friend, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Star."

"Cyborg said that you were 'bummed out' so I came to cheer you."

Beastboy couldn't help but smile, "I'm fine, Star, really. Just worried about Raven."

"Do not fret, our friend is strong."

"Yeah, I know."

Starfire seemed to not know what else to say. She watched Raven floating above her bed for another moment before finally continuing, "Friend, the monster worries me."

"Don't worry, it won't harm you."

"I know this, but I am afraid that you shall harm someone else. A criminal, or a bystander."

"I won't hurt anyone."

"You were very... frightening... in this fight."

"It was only a robot, nothing else."

"I am aware, I just... Never mind, I must go."

"See you later, Star."

After Starfire left, Beastboy leaned back and closed his eyes. He was exhausted after his fight with the robot, but had managed to keep himself conscious on adrenalin alone. It was only a matter of moments before he had fallen asleep.

Two hours later, Raven slowly settled to the bed below her. She sat up slowly, wincing at the pain in her shoulder. She was unable to prevent a smile, as she watched Beastboy for several moments as he snored softly. Robin walked in a stood next to the bed.

"How are you feeling, Raven?" he spoke softly to prevent Beastboy from waking.

"I'm okay, I guess. I can't fully heal myself, but it won't be long."

Robin nodded. "Good, I need you back in top form soon."

"Why, is something big happening?" She had hoped to be able to take a break, just a rest to figure things out.

"No." Robin folded his arms across his chest. "I'm taking Beastboy off active duty for the time being."

Raven's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Not much, nothing after it got me."

"Beastboy changed into a monster. He tore the machine to shreds."

"I see."

"Before he turned back, he tried to find Tinkerton, he said he was going to kill him."

Raven drew her knees up to her chest, resting her head on them. "Great."

"Until he gets control of his... whatever that thing is, he is not fighting."

"Does he know yet?"

"No, he was already asleep by the time I had decided."

"I'll tell him later."

"Do you have any ideas of how to help him?"

"Maybe. Could you do something for me?"

"Sure."

"In my desk, top right drawer is some cash. I want you to take it into town, there's a shop, basically an apothecary, they sell stuff for magic."

"Okay, what do you want me to get?"

Raven dug around a stand next to the bed and came back with a pen and paper. She wrote a short note on it and folded it. "Just give this to the cashier, he'll know what to do."

"Right."