FicWad

Chapter Ten: Explanations

The sun rose in the sky, warm glow enveloping the world in its brilliance. Angel stood, still in her uniform staring out her window. Gar walked out of the guest room where he had slept, still sleepy. Gar looked up and saw Angel staring out the window. It seemed that the sun's light surrounded her, wrapping around her in a halo.

Gar smiled, he put a hand on her shoulder, "Want some breakfast?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Angel replied, pulling herself out of her thoughts, she turned to face him.

"Want some breakfast?" he asked again.

"Yes, yes I'd like that," Raven smiled. "Come on, let's go to the kitchen."

They walked from the living room to the kitchen, saying nothing. Angel quietly made breakfast, eggs and bacon for her, she found some cereal and toast for Gar since he was vegetarian.

They sat down and began eating in silence. "So, you said you'd explain everything to me...So, where should we begin?"

Gar shifted slightly, "Let's start back ten long years ago, when the Titans disbanded. I went off on my own. I lived on the streets. One day, these guys came up to me. One of them asked if I was Beast Boy. Then they attacked me. I fought them off and then I heard this voice inside my head. It told me that I was worthless, that you didn't love me, that my friends didn't care about me."

"It promised me power and revenge against you. And I believed it," Gar paused slightly.

"Who is this voice?" Raven asked.

"It called itself Changeling, that's all I know."

"Where do you think it came from?"

"I don't know...I honestly don't know..." Gar's voice trailed off, "So I gave myself over completely to Changeling...Well, you know what happened, The Iron Fist was formed and I was the leader."

"Periodically, Changeling would let me out as Gar Logan, so I could live a 'normal' life; Gar continued between bites, "That's how I met you and why you couldn't recognize me."

"About your skin tone," Raven interrupted, "I don't understand that."

"Well, I did a little research on my father's biological studies and I discovered he had a cure for my condition that I had when I was a kid."

"Condition? What Condition?"

"It was an African disease I got when I was a kid, they call it Skultia; the only way for me to survive was to become an animal."

"Are there any side effects of Skultia?" Angel asked.

"I'm not sure, but once my father, Mark Logan said something about the risk that I could become a schizophrenic psychopath."

"But you were normal for so long," Angel said, "There wasn't anything wrong with you when I knew you; although I wondered if there was." They both laughed.

"There wasn't anything wrong with me, until I thought you broke my heart. Something inside me snapped. I had never felt anything like it." Gar paused, "So you think Changeling's the...side effect of the disease I had when I was a kid?" Gar asked.

"Yes, that's the only logical explanation," Angel said. "So...now that the riddle is solved, what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know, I suppose I'll have to go back to the Tower and explain myself."


Putting away the dishes, Raven and Beast Boy flew to Titans Tower. Landing on the small island, Beast Boy felt nervous, he didn't know how his friends would react. He didn't know if they would trust him again, especially when they discovered the truth about who he was. Raven squeezed his shoulder, "Don't worry, you'll be fine."

They both walked over to the door. Nightwing answered, "Raven it's about time you got here.-" He stopped, looked and stared in shock, "It can't be! Beast Boy! You're dead!"

"It's me, Nightwing. It's really me."

"Where've you been all these years?"

"Let's go in, I'll explain in a few minutes."

They walked into the Tower and use the elevator to take them to the top floor. Cyborg and Starfire were sitting on the U-shaped couch. Cyborg grinned at Robin and Raven.

"It's 'bout time you guys got here. Changeling's reeking havoc on Jump City, we gotta go." He stared hard at Beast Boy and his eyes went wide, "Beast Boy! What the heck? You're dead! You've been dead for ten years!"

"No, Cyborg, I have lived. Sit down guys, this is a long story."

So Beast Boy sat down and he told them everything. From the past to the present, he told them everything. The Titans listened if fascinated horror as the tale of their friend's fall from grace. He smiled sadly, "So that's my story guys. If it were not for Raven I would still be Changeling. I did not know the power he had over me until last night. I let him rule me, but now he has separated himself from me."

"So what are we going to do about it?" Nightwing asked, still stunned by the bizarre tale that had unfolded before them.

"The only thing I can do," Beast Boy replied, "to destroy a monster, I must become a monster. I must fight what I became to restore who I truly am. It's time to fight fire with fire. Now I shall avenge all whom I have hurt. For their sakes I must."

"Defeating Changeling will not atone for everything you have done, you know," Starfire said quietly.

Beast Boy looked out at the city. "I know. But this is my final shot at redemption."