Back to Reality, or something like it

Garlo stood outside the room which held the young woman. She bothered him, much more then he would like to admit. She bothered him and he didn't like it, which only bothered him more. No one had seen her before, no one knew her, but it was obvious that she knew him. It was unnerving.

Pressing an unseen panel on the yellow wall, he entered the chamber. Immediately he knew something was different, something other then the computer screen across the room. Something about her was different.

The young woman was lying on her bed, her knees held close to her chest, and her head down. He moved closer, taking in everything, looking for the difference. He couldn't find it. Shifting slightly, he tapped his foot against the bed frame, letting her know he was there. Slowly looking up, her eyes met his. He found fear and uncertainty there, and it bothered him. In an unconscious motion, he brushed a few stray locks from her face.

When his fingertips touched her skin, he hesitated. Her face was wet with tears, and he could feel the moisture and warmth through his glove. He could hear her breath and heart beat, smell the salt in her tears. He continued to stare into her eyes for a moment. She was getting to him, beyond his defenses, under his skin. It made his stomach tighten, he started sweating under his mask. She was getting to him, and he liked it. He had no idea that she was going through something similar beneath his hand.

Pulling his hand away quickly, he turned to the door. "You need new clothes, I will see to it."

Raven swallowed, taking a deep breath before she spoke. She was having an extreme identity problem now, and a few things had been bothering her since seeing herself on the screen. Now was the perfect time to relieve at least one question in her mind. "Who are you, the real you? Are you the cold and calculated Garlo that you are now, or the loving, happy Beast Boy that you used to be?"

The masked man paused, the open doorway before him, a question he couldn't answer behind. Silently he wondered how many times he had asked himself the same question. He saw no reason to lie. Without turning to her he spoke. "I don't know. I can't remember."

She nodded, "It's hard to wear masks for too long, makes you start to forget what's underneath."

He didn't respond for some time, wondering if she was talking about the mask on his face, or the one beneath. "Clothes will be brought to you soon, if you want something specific, type UNIFORMS onto the computer." He moved into the hallway, his hands holding onto the door frame for a second. "The cafeteria is to the left of your door, the main hall to the right. Your room is number eight twenty four."

She looked at him oddly, even if he couldn't see her face. "I can leave the room?"

"You will still be monitored. I don't trust you." Somehow this didn't surprise her, she doubted he trusted very many people. "And you will still have to translate those books."

Raven stared at him. "Of course." It seemed the only thing she could say, in a matter of seconds everything had changed. Garlo left, leaving her to herself.

As much as she used to want this solitude, she felt very lonely when she was alone in this yellow room. She swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat as her mind traveled to the man that had just exited.

Slowly moving to the computer, she jabbed the word UNIFORMS in and began browsing the different custom additions that could be chosen from. After putting in her measurements, she started designing what she would wear since her unitard was ruined.

After a few minutes, a second screen appeared beside her with a grinning face on it. Vic's voice filled the room, "Wanna see something funny?" When she nodded, a scene with Garlo and a young woman played out in front of her.

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The masked man stalked silently to his room. He was suddenly very tired, and with the speech he had to give later, and the mission later on, he needed some rest desperately. It would have been perfect if he could go straight to bed, but someone was plotting against him.

A petite red head to be exact. Her curvy body standing between him and his destination. He stepped to one side, she moved in front of him, there was no way he was getting away from her easily . "What do you want Sharon?" Her green eyes sparkled when he said her name. How she managed to do that every time and not mean it was beyond him. She was just another power grasper, a human man or woman that wanted to ensure their bloodline would have special abilities. They were becoming more common as the war progressed.

"I was just coming to check on you Garlo, I wanted to see how you were. You have been so busy lately, I thought maybe I could help relieve some stress." She subtly pushed her chest out and up, pointing her breasts at him. She wasn't subtle enough for him not to notice though.

"Not now Sharon." His voice was as cold as he could make it, but it didn't seem to phase her.

"Call me sweetheart Garlo." She ran her hands over his arm, "You're so tense, isn't there anything I can do to help?"

He grinned beneath the mask, an idea sprouting. He leaned in close, his mask right by her ear. "Know what, I think you can. But it involves a lot of motion, a lot a grunting, and sweating. Are you sure you are up for it? I can be pretty vicious."

The red head smiled, "I think I can handle you, do you think you can handle me?"

"We'll find out." Taking her hand, he began leading her in the opposite direction from his room.

Her smile wavered. "Where are we going? Your room isn't this way."

"We are going to the training rooms, why would we ever spar in my room."

Her grin faded completely. "S-Spar?"

He stopped to look at her, "yes, you know, practicing fighting with someone else. Pushing yourself to hit harder, faster, and more dangerously. Doesn't that sound relaxing?" He watched her eyes widen and suppressed a laugh.

"Actually, I have to go. Just remembered I am on cleaning duty in the cafeteria." With that, she ran down the hallway. As soon as she was out of ear shot, he laughed dryly.

Walking into his room, he secured the door and made his way to the bed.

_________________________________________

Raven smirked, the girl had been totally freaked. "Does he do that often, mess with people I mean?"

Vic laughed, "Only when he is in the mood, which hasn't been for some time. You get to him."

She spoke before thinking. "He's starting to get to me too." Her eyes widened as she realized what she had said. Vic didn't notice, or at least he didn't bring it up.

"That outfit of your's is becoming quit distinct."

____________________________________

The main hall was filled with hundreds of men and women, some in uniforms, some in custom outfits. All were silent as they waited for the masked man on the stage to begin.

Garlo sighed silently, he hated this. Always had, always would.

Stepping closer to the crowd, he spread his arms. "This, this is what the demons fear. Our strength, our determination, which is visible in each and every person here. Tonight we will be taking back a large section of the city, clearing out all the demons." A cheer rushed through the crowd. This was the first significant battle that they had planned in months. "Some of you are afraid, unsure, worried. Good, you should be. This is a war, when you start to stop caring, you need to step down. When I am in a tight spot, I don't want to be beside someone who doesn't care if they live or die, I want someone beside me who will strive to survive no matter the odds. That is what makes us different from our enemies." Another shout rushed over the crowd. "I know it's hard, on body and mind, if it wasn't it wouldn't be a war. But we will not fall, we will not surrender, because it's not our nature. We are men, and women. Whether you have powers, or don't your still human, and we will do as we always have in times of death and destruction, in times like these. We will not survive, we will dominate." Another cheer.

The speech was over, short and far from sweet. He slowly backed up on the stage, only to be stopped dead by a voice, the girl's voice. "Isn't it kind of hipacritical for you to tell them that, when you don't seem to care if you live or die, or any of them for that matter?"

He didn't turn, "I care Raleen, about them. That's why I am the way I am. Maybe you will understand one day, that sometimes a single person must suffer so that others can be free."

He looked at her and went wide eyed behind the mask.

A tight gray tank top barely covered her upper body, a black bird stretch across her breasts. A long leather vest, reaching to her knees, with a high collar lay over it. Dark red leggings went into knee high black boots. Knives were strapped in along her right thigh and left upper arm. Along her left arm, from the elbow down were chains wrapped loosely, and her right forearm was covered in a thick leather arm cover with metal spikes coming out of it. Her hair was tide back, and only a few strands fell in her face. She looked....

"Magnificent." The whisper left his lips before he knew what he was saying.

"What was that?"

He calmed himself immediately, "Nothing, nothing at all girl." He walked by her.

As he passed, Raven suddenly wished he were closer, just to feel him touch her as he brushed by. "My name is Raleen. And if you can't learn it the old fashion way, maybe we should settle it in a sparring match."

Garlo froze in mid stride. A challenge? He couldn't remember the last time he was challenged. He felt a shiver of excitement, but suppressed it. "Very well, but you had better hope your as quick as your mouth."

"We'll see Beast Boy, we'll see. But why don't we make it interesting?" She was starting to like playing this game, and she was definitely getting better at it. At least with him.

"Interesting, how?"

"A wager." She cocked her eyebrow at him, "Unless you don't think you can win."

He smirked through the mask, "Go on."

Raven smirked in return. "If I win, you will give me any answers I ask for."

He was definitely interested now. "And when I win?"

"When? Confident aren't we? IF you win, you can have me in your bed, to do with as you please."

Unlike Sharon, Garlo doubted everyone got such an opportunity. He wouldn't take her up on it, still he couldn't resist putting the girl in her place. "I thought that if I won, I was the one who got the prize, not you."

She passed right by him, "Says you green boy, I think taking my virginity is a definite prize."

Willing to stake her virginity on a sparring match with him. This girl was getting to him bad. And he liked it. Walking quickly, he led her to a practice room.