Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ The Incredible Beast ❯ Part one: Lovers united ( Chapter 9 )

FINAL EPISODE

 

(Part one)

 

Two years since the lab explosion…

 

It was a quiet morning in the parries of Arizona, and the mountains stood tall and proud. Suddenly, if you were wandering around you'd suddenly see a dust-cloud picking up over in the distance…

 

Followed by the sound of clomping…

 

A horse came galloping along the way carrying a young girl on its back. The girl wore a simple jacket and a cowgirl hat over her head. She also wore thick digging gloves on her hands, and wrapped round and over her shoulder was a satchel bag that almost seemed to be weighing her down a bit.

 

As she rode towards a terrain of rocks, and formations, “WHOA…!” she cried, and her horse slowed to a halt, “Easy, Rocky…”

 

Rocky, the horse neighed softly as the girl hopped down. “Good boy…” she said as she stroked Rocky's mane, and then she fed him a half a carrot from her bag, and then walked off to actually examine the rocks.

 

She reached into another pack that was strapped to Rocky's saddle, and took it with her. Inside were all kinds of tools, including a magnifying glass she had and a small pickaxe. She hacked away at some of the rocks and observed them closely. “Wow, cool…” she muttered. It looked as if from the many other rocks that were in her satchel-bag, this one was a new sample.

 

“This is a keeper…” she said with glee as she stuffed the samples in her bag, and also made sure to note her findings in a small notepad she had with her.

 

But, suddenly she heard the sound of growling up ahead. “Uh oh…” she heard that noise before; it was a cougar, or a mountain lion. She quickly packed away her things and climbed back on Rocky. “We got trouble boy…” she said. “Let's get out of here… YAH…!” Rocky kicked up hard and took off across the prairie, and not a moment too soon… for just as they had dashed off did a fierce cougar leap over the rocks and began to chase them…

 

The girl was afraid, but tried to stay brave as she and Rocky continued to gallop across the path, but the cougar didn't seem to want to give up. The girl hated to do this, but she realized she had no choice and threw some of the extra rocks she had gathered to try and scare it off. “Go on…!” she thundered, “Get out of here…!”

 

The cougar turned and ran the other way after it got hit by a stone, but suddenly the girl realized that she had accidentally thrown off her right glove. She stopped Rocky, and got off to fetch her glove.

 

She about to place it back on her hand, she stopped when she gazed down at her third finger. There as plain and as pretty as ever was a beautiful engagement ring. One that almost brought tears to the girl's eyes, and a knife to her heart…

 

She gently touched it and adjusted it on her finger. “Oh… if only…” she said very softly and sadly. The breezes gently blew her hat off her head, letting her long blonde hair drape down…

 

It was her; Terra Markov… the school girl from Murakami-High in Jump-City, and the Fiancée… of the deceased Garfield Logan…!

 

Rocky gently walked over to her and gently prodded her with his huge nose. Terra turned to face her beloved steed and rested her head on his letting the tears fall from her eyes. It had been two long years since she last saw Garfield before he died…

 

She never forgot the day when he gave her that ring…

 

…

 

“Terra Markov… when we're old enough… will you marry me?”

 

Terra said nothing for a moment, but then she responded. “Yes…! Yes I will…!” and she pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss. The more romantic one they had ever shared.

 

When the separated they made a promise, “After we graduate, and once we're eighteen at least, and we can work things out… It'll be just you and me, together.”

 

“Forever…” she added to his words.

 

…

 

Two years, and Terra hadn't taken her ring off since, not even when she washed-up. Her heart belonged to Garfield… and she would always love him, dead, or alive. “I just wish you were here with me now…” she sniffled.

 

…

 

(Sad piano music)

 

A little ways west…

 

Garfield Logan, whom had officially turned nineteen, was walking down a dust road in the Prairies. The sun beam down on him that hot day, he wished he had bought himself a hat or something…

 

He had been walking a long way now, and it had been weeks since he had a job, or been in a town to buy food, and his supplies were running short. He stopped however and sat on a rock and began to write in a notepad he had with him…

 

…

 

Four weeks, and five days since my last transformation… and I am still nowhere near to finding the cure I desperately seek to reverse the process, and regain a normal life.

 

Yet I have come to the conclusion that being alone and isolated in the middle of nowhere seems to be the safest environment for me. There is no one around to make me angry and trigger the metamorphosis.

 

Though it is rather lonely and heartbreaking for me to be out here like this, all alone, at least I am well assured that while I am alone, there is no one or nothing that I can harm should I transform again…

 

In the meantime, I must continue on my seemingly endless journey to find a cure.

 

…

 

He sighed heavily, and took a sip from his canteen of water, after which was completely empty. Then he got up and continued to press on down the lonely road, where there weren't any passing cars that he could hitch a ride with…

 

If he didn't find a town or at least a supply of drinking water soon, he probably wouldn't make it, but with two years of experience in being on the run, he was still able to press on.

 

Finally he could see a house on the prairie with a barn house near it. He was hoping maybe whoever lived there would be able to give him some help. He practically dashed towards the lands but then he stopped at the last twenty feet. “No way…?” he cried softly.

 

There was a wooden sign near the door that read: “Terra Markov: Geologist-Assistant.”

 

“Terra…!” he peeped again.

 

So many visions of his romantic life began to flash in front of his eyes…

 

Like the day they had met in Murakami-High…

 

How they slowly took an interest in each other, and looked out for one another. This eventually turned to romance…

 

“No… I don't have a boyfriend.”

 

“Aw, come on… you're a—ahem, a pretty girl… you have to have a boyfriend.”

 

“Heh, heh… I have never in all my life thought myself as pretty.”

 

Garfield then grabbed her by the arm and positioned her in front of a mirror, and he pointed straight her reflection, “Pretty girl!”

 

Terra felt her cheeks turning red as she giggled, “You're crazy… you know that?”

 

“I know it… how'd you know it…?”

 

And romance to turn into true love. Garfield smiled and his faced turned red a little…

 

He ever remembered the day he had proposed to her… that was when he started to feel bad. His little accident involving the beast brought on a lot of chaos and misery for him. If things had turned out differently… who knew what could've happened today.

 

He and Terra would've been happily married by now, and probably living together in this place… maybe, they'd even have kids too. This would even make his Foster mother, Rita a Foster Grandmother too…

 

…that is… if Rita were still alive!

 

Garfield couldn't believe this. The two most important women in the world to him; One of them was dead, and the other believed that he was dead. Nothing would have made Garfield happy enough to let Terra know that he wasn't dead…

 

But realizing the great peril he'd be putting her in because of his problem, the risk was one he just couldn't take. He sighed heavily and gazed down at the ground completely dazing off.

 

Little did he realize that someone had rode up to the barn on Rocky, behind him away from the house.

 

Terra worked up the nerve to make it back to her place, and then she helped Rocky back into his stall in the barn. She really had collected quite a few samples on her morning ride, she lost a few while scaring off that cougar, but she had a feeling she wouldn't be resting well tonight…

 

She walked towards the house looking through her bag, but as she reached the gate, she notice someone was standing there by the wooden-sign. Terra gasped, and dropped her bag…

 

THUD!

 

The sound of the crash snapped Garfield out of his trance and he looked round, and he stood there transfixed at the young lady who was gazing back at him.

 

Terra almost couldn't breath, “Gar… Garfield…?”

 

Garfield blinked once, “Terra…!”

 

Terra held her ungloved hands to her mouth. Her eyes lit up like the sun and heart began to race a-hundred miles per second. “GARFIELD…!” and cried as she began to dash towards him.

 

Garfield then found himself dropping his own bag and dashing towards her as well, “TERRA…!”

 

They got closer, and close… CRASH!

 

Terra threw her arms around him as he picked her up and twirled her round and around. Then they kissed very deeply, and Terra rested her head on his shoulder, her tears stained his shirt. “You're alive!” she sobbed happily. “I thought you were gone forever…”

 

“Shh…” he whispered into her ear. “I'm here now Terra. I'm here.”

 

They kissed deeply again, and didn't seem to want to separate.

 

…

 

Eventually, they did separate and of course Terra invited Garfield into her home. She treated him to some well needed food and a much needed bath. Garfield amazed that she had plumbing way out here…

 

Garfield almost left a ring in the tub when he got out, “Guess I was due for a rinse… huh?” he joked. Terra giggled and pecked his check. That's when he noticed she was still wearing the ring he had given her…

 

Judging from the slight expose of the tan-line round her finger, he could tell that she obviously never took it off ever.

 

As they sat down for a cup of tea, Terra had loads of questions to ask him. “Where have you been all this time…?”

 

Garfield explained he had been traveling the world, trying to find and rekindle himself after Rita died in the lab explosion… he did not tell her the real reason though.

 

Terra knew that losing his Foster mother must've been harsh on Garfield, especially as he had already lost his parents once before.

 

She was just happy to have him back in her life again, she always had believed deep down that he was never killed in the explosion as his body was never found, but still… she always kept his spirit alive…

 

Garfield could tell by the way a large picture of him was sitting a wreath of fake-flowers over the mantle above the fireplace.

 

Garfield was really amazed how Terra had come to own this place, and she explained to him how after high-school, she went to college to study further in geology, and being out here like this was helping her gain the credits she needed.

 

She was the assistant of a fine Geologist, Dr. Franklin Granite; Every now and then the good doctor would fly out and make an annual inspection on her findings and research. Garfield was also impressed by her notes and findings… having knowing quite a few things about geology himself…

 

…he was after all the former smartest kid in all Murakami High.

 

That's when Terra realized, “Say… you never graduated did you…?” she asked.

 

Garfield felt embarrassed to admit it, but it was true, he never had officially graduated from Murakami-High, even though he had the brains of a super-genius and probably could've been a great college-boy… because of what happened, he was nothing more than an ordinary High-School dropout…!

 

“There's… there's nothing I can do about that now.” he said.

 

Terra didn't believe that, here he was with her… alive in the flesh. “Once we head to town and we straighten a few things out--”

 

“NO!” Garfield snapped at her. She winced, and he apologized for snapped, “I'm sorry… I didn't mean to yell.” he said, “But I can't let people know that I'm alive.”

 

This struck Terra as something really serious, “But… why?”

 

Garfield couldn't tell her the awful truth, “It's just… things are really complicated right now, Terra.”

 

Terra assumed that this had something to do with him still being upset over the loss of Rita, or the fact that he had traveled around so much and a lot had happened to him. She sort of felt the same…

 

All this time she thought he was dead, and yet here he was, having tea with her, and it was no dream or illusion. This was a big shock for her as well.

 

She decided that he'd stay with her for the night, and they'd decide what to do in the morning. Garfield accepted, but he seemed to be really nervous about something, and it almost looked as though he wanted to decline her offer…

 

But he didn't…

 

Besides, they were miles and miles in the middle of nowhere, and Garfield had no clue of where to go to get to the nearest town. So he had no choice but to stay with his beloved. He just prayed dearly that nothing bad would happen…!

 

“What's the matter…?” Terra asked.

 

“Hmm…? Oh, it's… nothing.” he answered,

 

Terra thought that sounded like a pretty big nothing, but Garfield got saved by the bell when the telephone rang. Terra answered it, and it was Dr. Granite with his message that he would come and visit Terra by sundown for his annual two day inspection.

 

Terra had no choice but to accept the offer, even though she knew this would probably put a strain on Garfield, but she assured him that she never once told the Doc about him. She hardly ever told anyone that she became engaged; since Garfield had supposedly died, talking about it pained her…

 

Garfield wasn't sure if she should have felt grateful or worried about Terra, but he could put a lot of it behind him. As he got up from his chair, he noticed a newspaper was clipped onto the refrigerator.

 

“Aw, man…” he cried, it was that story from two years ago, “Beast Murders Two”

 

His eyes narrowed in slight anger, he had to be careful not to lose it here. Terra noticed how he stared at it. “You feel the same don't you…?” she asked.

 

Garfield turned to face her. He knew he couldn't let her know the truth, so he played along. “The beast is innocent…” he said.

 

“What…?” Terra asked.

 

Garfield explained that he saw the creature on the night the lab exploded. He was on his way back to the lab after speaking with Jackie and Jillian since they were caught trespassing on private property.

 

Then… the lab exploded, and he knew that poor Rita was still inside, but he couldn't seem to get anywhere near those flames, but s he got to safety, he saw the creature burst thought the walls and carrying Rita with him; he was trying to save her.

 

“But it didn't seem to matter…” replied Garfield, “Rita died from her injuries anyway, and there was nothing that could've been done.”

 

Terra placed her hand on his shoulder. “You loved her, and she loved you… like a real son.” She told him, “And I think she at least died happily knowing that you both shared something special.”

 

Garfield smiled at her, but he still wished Rita hadn't died. He and Terra a warm hug…

 

…

 

By sundown, the couple could hear the sound of a chopper coming in for a landing. It was indeed Dr. Granite, “Ahh… Terra…” he said in a polite English manner, “Good to see you again, my dear.”

 

Terra shook the Doc's hand, and the man gazed at Garfield, “Ah, I see you have another guest with you.”

 

Terra nodded, “This is Garfield…he uh… he studies in geology too.” She had to lie a little bit, and she told him nothing more about their romance…

 

The men shook hands, “How do you do…?” said Granite

 

Just then, another man came out from the chopper, “Ahh… this is my environmental assistant, Slade Wilson, “Tragically was born without a personality.” according to Granite.

 

“Yes… quite…” Slade practically hissed.

 

Terra invited the two men into her house, where all four of them immediately began to observe Terra's latest research. “Ahh… interesting… Most interesting.” chirped Granite. “I must say my dear; you certainly may be well onto something here.”

 

Garfield couldn't help but ask what it was they were all searching for, and Granite answered that they were hunting for gems that were said to be found near the areas where Terra had been exploring. “These rock formations are the clues we need to help us locate them…”

 

Garfield raised an eyebrow, “Hold on… how can there be gemstones in this part of the world…?” he asked, “Geologists and Scientists have studied for years, and the stone and granite here aren't firm enough to even support a mine… let alone a gem or two.”

 

Impressed with Garfield's knowledge, “Ah, correct dear chap…” he said, “However… my theory is different…”

 

He explained how it was possible gems could be discovered simply in the ground itself, not in ordinary rocks. “We must however be certain that if we locate the correct source of stone, particularly kimberlite, or ramporite.”

 

“Kimberlite, or ramporite…?” asked Terra, “But those are rocks that normally contain diamonds.”

 

“Correct…” hissed Slade, “But it has been studied that gem stones may also be found near where diamonds are found. We find the diamonds, we find the gems.”

 

“Yes, yes of course... thank you Slade.” Granite cut in, “Now then… I a trust everyone will get a goodnights rest. For tomorrow we shall set off for our two night's campout for our expedition.”

 

“Expedition…?” Garfield asked.

 

Terra explained to him that she had four horses all together in the barn. “We should all go…” she said, “We should all go together. With all our knowledge on the subject we could really have impact.”

 

Granite agreed wholeheartedly. “Then it is settled…” he said, “Well everyone, I suggest that we all tend to dinner and then turn in for the evening. We are going to have an early start tomorrow.”

 

Garfield was in a way looking forward to it… but that part of him was as small as it could be compared to the rest of him that was thinking this was going to be a disaster…!

 

He was still thinking about it that hard as he lay in bed that night. He knew he had to get some sleep, but he prayed dearly that he wouldn't have a nightmare; one that would upset him that much.

 

It would be bad enough that someone could get hurt, but Terra… if she got hurt because of him he'd never forgive himself.

 

Something was even telling him just to leave the house and hit the trail, but his guilty conscience, not to mention his longing to be with Terra held him back. So he decided to stay, and he fell asleep.

 

During his sleep however… he did begin to have nightmares

 

Nightmares of his trauma when he was five years-old and the boat accident happened. The boat had turned over and burst into flames. Little Garfield was thrown clear, but his parents were inside and would die if he didn't get them out quickly… but he couldn't move the heavy boat.

 

…

 

Garfield began to moan softly in his sleep, and Terra who was passing by in the hallway could hear him, even with the door closed and locked from inside. She tapped slightly on the door. “Gar…?”

 

“You okay…?”

 

…

 

Now he was dreaming about the night of his first transformation. He was changing a flat tire in the rain, and really hurt his hand… “AWOA… GAA-AAAH…!”

 

Finally… it was those dreadful images of Garfield as himself and the Beast actually chasing him through the desert! Finally tripping over his feet Garfield found himself at the mercy of the raging spirit he had fought so long to control…

 

…

 

“AH!” he woke up feeling really angry and stressed.

 

SNAP!

 

“Oh! OH NO…!” he groaned.

 

…

 

Terra was practically pounding on the door, “Garfield…? Garfield!”

 

Lucky she always had a set of keys to the rooms of her own house and reached her nightdress pocket. She unlocked the door and when she walked in the room, “Gar-- WHAA--!”

 

There on the bed was a huge, hairy creature with sharp teeth, and big claws, and it seemed to be tangled in Garfield's rags. Terra also recognized the picture from the paper in the kitchen, and wasn't sure she could believe it… “The Beast…!” she cried.

 

The monster took one look at Terra and roared angrily. Terra was so frightened that she couldn't even scream, and what was worse… she assumed by the way the creature had shredded Garfield's clothing; it had snuck into the night and ate her beloved whole…!

 

The creature suddenly got this strange feeling over him as he gazed down at the frightened young-girl, and realized that he just couldn't hurt her, no matter throw angry he was. He also decided to get out of this place and fast, without making a mess, and at least the window wasn't too small for him to open wide and escape without smashing it into pieces.

 

He leapt right through it and began to dash off into the night. “Wait…!” Terra called. She dashed to the window, and called out into the night, “Wait…!” but the creature had already gone.

 

Terra just stood there with the cold breeze blowing past her thought he window. “Terra…” called a voice from behind. It was DR. Granite who had awoken from her screaming, “Terra, whatever are you doing…?” he asked. “You'll catch a cold if you stay there.” He walked over and closed the window.

 

Slade, who looked just as dark and mysterious as ever wondered. “Whatever happened to Garfield…?” he asked in a near unconcerned tone.

 

Terra didn't answer, and said, “The creature…!”

 

“Beg your pardon…?” asked Granite.

 

…

 

The Beast had dashed all the way past the barn before he finally decided to rest by a rock. He held his head in exhaustion from having run so far so quickly, so much that his energy began to drain out… and he changed back into Garfield.

 

His head ached, and his eyes felt like there were on fire, but all of it quickly surpassed him replaced by the chills of the cold night in the open prairie, and he realized what had happened.

 

“Whoa! Boy is it cold…!” he cried, “I better get back to the house before I freeze.”

 

…

 

Back at the house, there was still no sign of Garfield, but the two men found it very difficult to believe Terra's story about a huge beast in Garfield's room. They merely assumed that Terra was only dreaming…

 

Terra, however, thought otherwise. How else would it explain for Garfield's absence? Just then, there was a knock at the front-door. “Garfield…?” cried Terra, “What happened to you…?”

 

Garfield lied in saying that he stepped out for a breath of air, and he wandered a little too far and barely escaped a cougar with his life; this accounted for his clothes being shredded.

 

Granite and Slade took the bait, and so did Terra… but she was still a little unconvinced. For one thing, how did get outside when the door was locked the whole time? And he knew fully well that at nights on cold parries it was a cougar's territory…!

 

Still, Granite decided that everyone would dismiss the thought, “Now shall we all go back to sleep…?” and everyone did. Garfield didn't have anymore nightmares that night, thank goodness…

 

Slade, however, was still wide awake, seated at a desk and sharpening his tools. Particularly his pickaxe, he gently ran his finger across it… “Ahh… perfect.” He hissed softly.

 

He then raised his arm up high and smacked the axe hard on one of his research books so as not to make any noise. Then he turned out the lights and went to bed.

 

The moonlight shined through his window, and lit up his book, and the light illuminated a picture of Dr. Granite, and the pick when right though his heart.

 

Was Slade planning something dreadful…?

 

To Be Continued…