Beast Brothers

[RedLioness]

When Raven stepped around the corner near one of the battle simulators, Beast Boy was standing in the hallway, naked as a jaybird.  Raven blinked a few times, feeling a blush starting around her collarbone and quickly heading upwards.

Beast Boy hadn't seen her yet.  He was backing away from the simulator, his eyes locked on the interior of the room.  The look on his face was a strange mixture of shock and confusion, tinged with fear.

Raven tried to clear her throat, but found her breathing curiously constricted.  The last year's growth had been kind to Beast Boy.  he was still no Aqualad, but in certain light, even Raven would admit he qualified as cute.

BB's back hit the opposite wall and the changeling paused to look up and down the hallway before turning his attention back to the simulator.  Then he blinked and slowly turned to lock eyes with Raven.  The half-demon swore she felt her facial capillaries crank open to full bore, sending a wave of crimson across her cheeks.  Judging by the sudden tinge of puce on Beast Boy's face, he was in the same predicament.  Then his eyes drifted downwards.  He yelped in an embarrassingly high register and threw his hands over his bare essentials.  Raven put one hand up to shield her eyes.

"Uh . . . . um . . . I know Robin told to you practice your powers . . . . and I *guess* shifting out of your clothes *could* come in handy . . . but I'd put something on if I were you."  She said.  There was a sudden shift in the air and the 'clickita clickita' of claws on metal let her know Beast Boy had switched to dog form to run back to his room.  Raven lowered her hand just in time to see a green cocker spaniel scurry past, stubby tail tucked firmly between its legs.

Raven waited until the dog was gone, then laid her forehead against the large book in her arms and giggled.

"Uh . . . Raven?"  The half-demon raised her head up and found herself face to face with Beast Boy.  She yelped a bit, not realizing he had returned and started to put her hand back up to her eyes.  However, Beast Boy was fully clothed, even though there was no way he could have made it back to his room in time.  In fact, if she listened closely, Raven could still hear the click of dog nails on the floor.

"Raven?  Did-did you see something weird just now?"

********************************

A green dog stopped outside of BB's room and whined.  A moment later, Beast Boy reappeared still wearing nothing but a deep blush.  He reached for the keypad and hesitated.  What was the code again?  Was it 2460?  No, it was 3118, wasn't it?  Or maybe 5586?

"Problem?"

Beast Boy jumped, throwing both hands where he needed them most.  Vyborg was standing behind him, slurping soda out of a take out cup.

"Uh . . . uh . . Cy - cyborg, right?  I can't remember the code for my door," BB stammered.

"Mmmm-hmm," Cyborg returned, reaching over to enter the master code.

"You're probably wondering why I'm naked," the changeling muttered, turning puce again.

"Dude, I don't even wanna know.  Just don't let Robin catch you like that,"  Cy said.    The door hissed open.  Beast Boy disappeared through it like a streak of greased lightning.

"Don't worry; she didn't see me!" he called, shutting the door behind him.

Cyborg frowned.  BB seemed a little more spacey than normal; he might have gotten a head injury practicing.  Cy was going to go down tot the medical lab and boot up the shapeshifter's data.  Then he'd drag the little grass stain down for a checkup.  *After* he got dressed, of course.

Cy hadn't gone more than twenty feet when Raven flew up to him.

"Cyborg!  Have you seen anything . . . weird?" she asked.

"You've got no idea,"  Cy quipped.

"Seriously!"  Beast boy cried, coming up behind her.  Cyborg blinked, turned and looked at the door to BB's room, then back at the shapeshifter himself.

"How'd you do that?" he demanded.  Beast Boy's face grew stony.

"He was here."

"We'd better call Robin and Starfire," Raven said.  Beast Boy gritted his teeth.

"I guess you're right," he growled.

"I just saw you go into your room!"  Cyborg protested.

"What did you need us for?"  Robin asked, appearing from around the corner.  Starfire was at his side.

"You forgot your code again and you didn't have any clothes on,"  Cy continued, not will to let go of his train of thought.

"What? Robin asked, raising an eyebrow.

The door to Beast Boy's room hissed open again.  Much to everyone's surprise, Beast Boy stepped out.  He had a uniform on, but he was still barefoot; he carried his sneakers in one hand.  From where he stood, this Beast Boy couldn't see the Beast Boy standing behind Cyborg.

"What's the matter, man?"  Cy called.  "Forget how to tie your shoes?"

"No, I just couldn't find any socks."

"That's because I keep them in my desk drawer," BB announced, stepping out from behind his larger teammate.  The barefoot Beast boy looked startled and deeply, deeply, confused.

""B-Beast Boy?  What's going on?"  Robin asked, gawking at the green pair.  Beast Boy sighed.

"I had a little accident in the battle simulator."

************************************

Later, everyone gathered in the main room.

"I was working on my powers all morning; changing shape as slow as I couldn't as fast as I could, trying new species; you know, just stretching myself."  Beast Boy said. "I decided to finish up with a run through the battle simulator.  I decided I was going to go big to small the whole way through.  Well, instead of dodging out from under the falling weight, I decided to go amoeba.  Nobody told me they installed a shock feature on the weight!"  BB yelled the last part pointedly at Cyborg.

"It's a battle simulator, Beast Boy,"  Robin stated.  "It's supposed to keep you on your toes."

"'Keep me on my toes'?!  Do you know what happens to amoeba when you hit them with an electric current?!"  BB cried.

"Given the evidence," Raven said, eyeing the second Beast Boy, "I'd guess it causes them to divide."

"So I'm the second amoeba?" BB2 asked.

"Please," Starfire cut in, "I am confused:  what do you mean by 'divide'?"

"Amoebas are these little microscopic creepy things that asexually reproduce,"  Cyborg explained.  "Instead of having babies, they just split into two identical cells."

"Then . . . " Starfire turned to the duplicate Beast Boy, eyes shining.  "This person is Beast Boy's son?!"  Not waiting for an answer, the alien tackled the doppelganger, swinging him around a few times in sheer joy before cradling him like a baby.

"Welcome to the world, little one!  I know that Beast Boy is your father, but please consider me your k'norfka!"  Still cradling the second shapeshifter, Star turned to Beast Boy.  "What do you plan on naming him?!"

"Help." BB2 squeaked.

"Sorry, Star.  He's not really my son,"  BB protested.  "He's more like my twin brother."

"But he is still newly born and requires care!"  Star insisted.  "Please, little one, are you hot?  Cold?  Thirsty?  Hungry?"

"I'm a little hungry,"  BB2 admitted.

"Then we shall procure you sustenance immediately!"  Starfire cried, carrying him off towards the kitchen.

"Okay . . . ." Robin said.  "So how do we reverse the process?"

"Well, I suppose you could get her pregnant," Raven offered.  As the other two snickered, Robin blushed bright red.

"*I mean* the other Beast boy.  How do we reverse the process?"

"What process?" Cyborg asked.

"The division.  How do we get the Beast Boys to re-merge?"

"I don't know, how do we get you to crawl back inside your mom?!" BB returned nastily.

"We can't have two Beast Boys!"  Robin yelled.

"Well,"  Raven said in the ultra-flat serious tone that meant she was joking, "We could kill him."  Robin gave her a dark look.  

"There's a good solution,"  He said.  There wasn't much sarcasm in his tone, just a nasty look on his face.

"Yeah, one good blast with the sonic cannon would take his pointy little head right off!" Cyborg added cheerfully, letting his hand transform into a weapon.

Beast Boy, who was sitting on the opposite side of the table, raised his head, his eyes going wide.  A tray clanged to the floor, scattering chips and sandwiches.  Robin, Cyborg, and Raven turned.  The duplicate Beast Boy was standing right behind them, a look of horror on his face.

"They were joking!"  Beast Boy yelled.  His copy shook his head, starting to back away slowly.

"Easy, man, we're not really going to hurt you!"  Cyborg said, raising his hand in what was meant to be a placating gesture.  Unfortunately, it was with the arm that was still set to cannon.  The copy BB yelped in horror, turned and dashed for the windows.  Without missing a beast, he scooped up the dropped tray and disked it into the window glass hard enough to crack it.  A moment later, the shapeshifter's body followed it, shattering the glass.  The Titans ran to the window just in time to see a green owl disappear into the darkness.

"Oh, identical replica of Beast Boy!  Have you delivered snacks to our friends for your k'norfka yet?"

[RedLioness]

“Whatarewegonnado?!  Whatarewegonnado?!  He’s all alone out there and he thinks we’re trying to kill and he’s only one hour old!”  Beast Boy wailed.

“Oh, I am worried for the identical replica of Beast Boy as well!”  Starfire cried.  “We must locate him at once.”

“It’s not that simple, Star,”  Robin said.  “If he ran out of the tower, he’ll probably run from us in the city as well.”

“Yeah, ‘cause some people had to make jokes about killing him!” BB snapped.

“We weren’t serious,” Raven said flatly.

“Yeah, you’d think a copy of you would have better sense of humor,” Cyborg added, scanning the city for the duplicate’s energy signature.

“The murder of Beast Boy’s asexually produced brother-son is not amusing!” Starfire said primly.  “Maybe he would not respond to those who make not nice jokes, but surely he would come to his brother-father and his k’norfka!”
 “’Asexually produced brother-son’?”  BB echoed.  “Okay; the first thing we do when we get him back is give him a name.”
 
“We two should search the city while you not nice joke makers scan for him from here,”  Star suggested.  “And I always like the name K’irland’r’ach for a boy!”

“Yeah . . . . I always liked ‘Mark’.”  Beast Boy returned.

“That’s a good idea, Star,” Robin said.  “This close doesn’t have a communicator, but maybe Raven can sense him or Cyborg can pick up his super-powered energy signature.  We’ll let you know what we find from here.”

 “Yes, let us go find young K’irland’r’ach at once!”

“Mark!”  BB corrected, leaping out of the window.

***************************************************

Down in the city, the asexually produced brother-son of Beast Boy wandered aimlessly.  Where was he supposed to go now?  He didn’t know anyone in the city.  He didn’t know where he should go or what he should do.  He didn’t have any money, or food . . . . He didn’t even have a name.  He had some of Beast Boy’s memories, but they were very vague, almost dreamlike; and they were only becoming less defined as time went on.  He probably would have forgotten the Titans’ names if he hadn’t met them in person.

He couldn’t go back to the Tower, though!  Maybe he was just an accident from a second amoeba, but he didn’t want to die!  And he was still hungry.  Maybe he just should have run to K’norfka Starfire.  She would have protected him.  His original had been kind of nice, too.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” A deep voice boomed.  Beast Boy’s duplicate looked around. . . And up and up and up.  There was a much bigger boy in a black and yellow suit behind him.
 
“I don’t know; what?”  BB2 asked.  This seemed to confuse the larger boy.

“What?”

“You asked what we had here.  I don’t know.” BB2 looked around.  “Sidewalk?  Pavement?  Parking meters?”  The bigger boy blinked a few times, then leaned down to get a better look at the duplicate Beast Boy.  The bigger boy was incredibly hairy and feral looking.  “Hey, you’ve got fangs!  I’ve got them, too.”  He pulled down his lip and showed off the protruding teeth.

“Uh . . . Don’t you want to fight me, Titan?”
“No way!  You’re huge.  And I’m not a Titan.”

“Yes you are!  You’re Beast boy!”  BB2 slumped.

“I’m not Beast Boy.  I’m just a copy.”  He sighed.  “The Titans don’t even want me around.”

“A copy?  Like a clone?”  BB2 nodded glumly.  “So you really don’t know who I am?”  BB2 shook his head.  The bigger boy held out his hand.  “I’m Mammoth.  I’m one of the Hive 5.”

“I’m . . . . . . uh . . . . .Beast Boy’s copy.  I don’t really have a name.  What’s the Hive 5?” He asked, shaking Mammoth’s much larger hand.

“Only the best group of teenaged supervillans in the world!”  Mammoth announced proudly.  “You should come back and hang out with us!”

“Supervillans?  But I’m a copy of a hero.”

“Yeah, but clones are always evil!” Mammoth declared.  “You’re always welcome at the Hive Tower!”

“Really?”  BB2 looked surprised.  Was that why the Titans had wanted him dead?  ’Cause he was evil?  “Do you guys have anything to eat there?” He asked hopefully.

“Sure!  What do you like to eat?!”  Mammoth asked, putting a massive hand on the duplicate Beast Boy’s shoulder.
 
“Umm . . . I don’t know.” The clone admitted as the pair moved off.

*********************************************

“Oh asexually produced brother-son of Beast boy!  Your K’norfka Starfire is very worried for you!”  The Tamaranian called, flying over the pizza place the Titans frequented.  “Your brother-father and I have even picked out some names for you!”

“Anything yet, Star?”  Beast Boy called from the balcony.

“No.  Have you had any fortune?”  Star fretted, drifting down to her teammate.

“I tried my favorite spots and tried to track him by scent, but I wasn’t sure if the scents were him or me.”  BB slumped.  “Some brother-father I am.”

“Do not blame yourself, friend Beast boy.  We shall find your identical replica,” Starfire said.
“I just think he’s out there somewhere, cold and hungry and I can’t do anything about it!”

************************************************************


“Cheddar-herb Italian bread.  Ham, pepperoni and salami.  Cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese.  Toasted to a golden brown, then topped with lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, red onions, pickles, aaaaaaaand--”  Mammoth paused to smear a thick white substance on the top slices of bread.  “ -- topped with bacon-ranch dressing.  Ta-da!!!  The ’Mammoth Special.’”  The giant finished assembly on two identical sandwiches.  Almost daintily, he carefully placed a pickle spear beside each one and carried them to the table, setting one down in front of Beast boy’s double.

“Here ya go, Beast Buddy.  Have at it.”  BB2 picked up the sandwich and studied it cautiously.  He eyed Mammoth tearing into his own sandwich, then took a tentative bite.  The shapeshifter’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open, dribbling crumbs down the front of his uniform.

“What’s the matter?”  Mammoth asked, spraying sandwich shrapnel across the table.  “Don’cha like it?”  BB2 gawked at the larger boy, then tried to shove the entire sandwich into his mouth as fast as possible.
 
“W-Why did’n’ an’body tell me food tas’d so good?!” He managed between bites.  Mammoth laughed.

“Don’t choke!”

[bbissocute]

awsome! i cant wait to read more! :!:

[RedLioness]

“Don’t choke!  Here; let me get sodas.”

   The door to the room hissed open and Gizmo, Seemore and three of Billy Numerous walked in.
  “Man, that rocked!  The Titans didn’t even show up!” Gizmo cried
  “I saw Starfire yelling something about five blocks away,” Seemore offered.
  “Yeah, it was something about sex and Beast Boy’s brother,” said a Billy.
  “No, it was sex and Beast Boy’s father!” Corrected a different Billy.
  “Starfire had sex with Beast Boy’s father and brother?  Kinky . . . .” Gizmo growled.
  “Beast Boy?!” Seemore yelled.
  “No, his brother!” the first Billy corrected.
  “His father!” the second Billy insisted.
  “No, I mean it’s Beast Boy!”  Seemore cried, pointing.  Beast Boy’s copy was sitting calmly at the table, scarfing down the sandwich Mammoth had made for him.  He calmly finished the mouthful and wiped his arm on his sleeve.
  “Hi.  Are you guys the Hive 5?” He asked.  The assembled villains stayed in attack posture for a minute.
  “Uh . . . . Yeah, we are.” Seemore finally answered.
  “Cool.  Uh . . . But aren’t there six of you?” BB2 asked. 
  “No!”  Gizmo yelled.  “Billy, get down to one of you!”  Two of the Billys were sucked back down to one.
  “Well, that’s better, but now there’s four of you,” BB2 observed.
  “Well . . . . Kid Vicious is still out committing crimes!  What the ding dong dell are you doing here, you pit sniffing Titan?!”  Gizmo squalled.
  “I’m not a Titan.  And Mammoth said I could crash here,” BB2 said, gesturing to the giant teen, now returning with two soda cans cradled in one hand.
  “What do you mean you’re not a Titan?  You’re Beast Boy,” Seemore insisted.
  “No, guys; you’ve got it all wrong.  This isn’t Beast boy.  This is Beast Boy’s clone!”  Mammoth declared happily. “Can you imagine what the Hive Five could do if we had a shapeshifter?!  It’d be awesome!”  Seemore and Gizmo exchanged a look, then carefully looked around Mammoth to where Beast Boy’s clone was trying to figure out how to open a soda can.  The green teen gave the can a good shake before trying the tab on the top, spraying himself with root beer.  Billy Numerous cracked up laughing.
  “Well, he might need some training, but I bet we could turn him into a villain!” He drawled.
  “Couldn’t be worse than other people I could mention,” Seemore said, looking sidelong at Billy.
  “I guess we could give him a try.  But at least get the snotlicker into a different uniform,” Gizmo growled, heading off to his lab.
  “He needs a name, too!”  Mammoth said. 
  “’Kay . . . . So what’s a good name for a changeling?”  Seemore asked.
  “Changeling?”  BB2 echoed.  “I kinda like that.”

[RedLioness]

"Okay.  I like *that* pattern, but not in those colors," Changeling said, pointing over Gizmo's shoulder at the computer screen.  The Hive 5 had crashed the little boy's lab after Changeling had chosen his name to use the pint-sized genius's uniform maker.

"Do it in red and white!" A Billy cried.

"Yeah, red and white's always good!" A second Billy piped up.

"Yeah, if he wants to look like he's there to deliver Valentines!"  Gizmo snarled.

"Black and yellow's good,"  Mammoth suggested.

"Yellow does not go with green."  Seemore stated firmly.

"I like black and purple,"  Changeling said slowly.  The rest of the Hive 5 paused.  They didn't know Beast Boy on a personal level, but they got a feel for his personality during battle and it didn't jibe with what Changeling was showing them.  For one thing, Changeling stared. 

Not the slack-jawed gawk of a normal person encountering metahumans unexpectedly, but the trusting, expectant stare of a dog awaiting his master's command.    There was a deep, deep innocence in his green eyes that stated he was depending totally on the staree for the next step in social interaction.  Something about his expression seemed to state he could wait all day.

And then there was the way he thought.  When asked for a decision, Changeling would pause.  He would pause for a long time.  Sometimes it was almost a stop.  And then he would give the answer very slowly, as if it had come from a great distance.  It should have made him seem dumb, but instead he came across as very deliberate, as if he were considering the question from every possible angle.

"Your original wears black and purple,"  Gizmo reminded him.

"Well, I will too." Changeling said quietly.

[Maniacal Genius]

This is insanely cool! I love it, keep it up. I can't wait for more.