Fan Fiction ❯ Don't Eat Your Hero ❯ PeTA ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter 1: PeTA

 

Robin strode into the operations room shifting through the mail they had received. Raven was off to the side, meditating, Starfire was cooking, and a disgruntled Beast Boy was losing horribly to a rather chipper Cyborg. Beast Boy threw the controller up into the air in defeat. Cyborg merely turned and looked at him, smiling widely as Beast Boy grabbed his head, and leaning forward resting his elbows on his shoulders. “You know you can't beat me man.”

“Beast Boy…” Robin lifted the letter up into the light, to making sure it really was meant for Beast Boy, then looking over to him, “… you've got mail today.” Cyborg looked up as did Beast Boy.

“Beast Boy got mail? Has that ever happened before?”

Beast Boy shook his head, “No… not outside of fan mail… the chicks dig me you know.”
Cyborg rolled his eye as his friend got up to grab the letter from Robin, “Who's it from?”

“PeTA. People for the ethical treatment of animals.” Robin replied, handing the small letter to him, Beast Boy's eyes lit up and he grabbed it from him smiling intensely, “Is this another information packet about the evils of eating meat? We're not going to turn into vegetarians Beast Boy, I'm sorry.”

Beast Boy didn't seem to notice, instead tearing the letter open, scanning it, then screaming with joy, rushing from the room. The others, Raven excluded stared.

“Tell me, is that a sign of good news for friend Beast Boy?” Starfire said, putting her pink covered wooden tablespoon down.

Cyborg and Robin looked at each other uneasily before Robin looked to Starfire, “Yes… although I'm not sure it's a good sign for the rest of us.”

 

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Beast Boy ran to his room, the crumpled up letter still in his hand. He had done it! He had contacted PeTA and told them his idea. Not only did they reply they LIKED it! They wanted him to CALL them! He quickly turned into a myriad of animals, holding the letter by his trunk as an elephant, on his head as a ferret, on his nose as a seal, and in his mouth as a dog before he reached his room. Returning to human form he smiled wildly he jumped into his cluttered room and rushed to the phone.

“What was that number again?” He placed the wrinkled paper on the table and flattened it out as best he could. Checking the paper again he saw her signature! Kirk Newgrid, president of PeTA, had signed it personally! He lifted the paper up and hugged it, it was among the happiest days of his life. Shaking a bit, he placed the paper back down, found the number they had given him to call, and started to dial.

 

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Robin had taken Beast Boy's place after he had left, but had also taken Cyborg's place as well… taking the winner's position repeatedly as Cyborg growled and scowled in frustration. Starfire had managed to burn her… well they weren't exactly sure what it was to begin with so it was probably for the best. Raven had left for the roof to meditate. And just as Robin finished Cyborg off once again, Beast Boy burst into the room.

“Robin!” Beast Boy said breathlessly.

“What is it?” Robin lunged to his feat, expecting an emergency, what he found was Beast Boy scratching the back of his head smiling sheepishly. Robin's enthusiasm fell away, “What is it?” He asked dourly.

“I was… sorta kinda wondering if I could have the next few days off?” Beast Boy's grin widened.

Robin raised an eyebrow, “Why?”

“It's kind of personal. Please?” Beast Boy pleaded, clasping his hands in front of him.

Robin looked to Starfire and then Cyborg, “Well… it has been kind of slow around here, I guess we can hold down the fort without you.”

Robin had barely finished his sentence when Beast Boy turned and fled at breakneck speed, nearly knocking Raven over as she entered the Operations room. Raven had to grab the doorframe so she didn't fall over. She glared at him as he rushed off, snorted, and then walked in, “What is he so happy about?”

“I… really don't know Raven.” Robin said, then turned back to play more video games.

 

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Beast Boy rushed to his room once more, they wanted him there as soon as possible, he packed a few spare uniforms, some other necessities, and a picture of Terra. “You'd love this…” He said, kissing the photo, then placed it in the special compartment of his travel bag. He was leaving in another three hours, getting on a train so he could get to PeTA headquarters. It would be an overnight train, but they were paying his way. He could barely contain his excitement. He was going to become the spokesman for their next campaign…

 

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Robin looked at the empty seat of the dinner table, Raven didn't seem to care, but the others had noticed Beast Boy's absence. Starfire put down her silverware, “When is friend Beast Boy due to return?”

Robin shrugged, “A few days, he'll be back, don't worry.”

“Enjoy the silence while you can.” Raven said, taking another sip from her tea.

Cyborg's shoulders fell, “Yeah…”

 

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Beast Boy arrived at the PeTA's waterfront national headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. It was a fairly big complex, and Beast Boy stood there admiring it. It was a beautiful day, and perfect weather. He'd have to go for a swim later on. Walking in, the smiling receptionist got up, “One moment, sir, we have a special greeting for you.”

“Sir?” Beast Boy pointed to himself, looking around to see if there was anyone else he hadn't seen. He was the only one there besides the receptionist.

“Mr. Newgrid.” The receptionist said into the phone. She looked up and smiled at him, “Yes, he's here.”

Beast Boy barely had time to raise his hand to say something, when the doors burst open and dozens of PeTA members, Newgrid out in front, walked towards the hero, smiling, “Hello, Beast Boy.” The man grabbed Beast Boy's hand, which had fallen from its raised position to an outstretched position in front of him, and shook it. Beast Boy looked at his hand then to the man who was shaking it, nodding dumbly. The man in front of him, holding his hand, was none other than Kirk Newgrid. The tall, thin, gracefully aging brown haired man in his mid-fifties standing in front of Beast Boy, shaking his hand, was none other than the President of PeTA. Beast Boy was actually shaking his hand, “We here are PeTA are proud to have you as our only superhero spokesman…” He looked up at Kirk still a little shaken by the experiences of shaking the hand of one of his heroes, his smile widened, “hopefully the first of many.” Beast Boy nodded and was led inside.

The first thing Beast Boy saw upon entering the next room was the table and what was on it: sandwiches, veggie-burgers, and dozens of other meat substitutes lay on it. “Go ahead, it's a congratulatory party, and you're the guest of honor.” He looked back, but couldn't see who said it. He nodded anyway, and walked over, grabbing a plateful or food, several other PeTA members following in his footsteps.

The meal was amazing, a delicious meat free lunch complete with soymilk on the side. Kirk had sat down next to him, and there had been a photo of the two with soymilk mustaches. Beast Boy laughed at that, but he had been starving. The train hadn't served any vegetarian food outside of a completely inedible salad, so old that the lettuce had been brown, the fact that their only dressing had been ranch with milk. He hadn't touched it. Here though, they had everything he could dream of, any vegan dish he could imagine, and everything tasted so good. Finishing up the rice based ice-cream they served, he burped loudly, then covered his mouth horrified. Everyone was staring at him in shock. He shrunk in his seat, completely embarrassed, murmuring, “Excuse me.”

To his surprise, he heard a chuckle from the person next to him. Wide eyed, he looked to Newgrid who had a small smile on his face, he chuckled again, shaking his head. Most of the others followed suit until everyone was laughing. Kirk turned to Beast Boy shaking his head, “It's ok.” Kirk put a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder. Beast Boy sat up, smiling sheepishly.

“Now, I know this is a bit soon after lunch, but I was hoping we would be able to start as soon as possible.” Kirk smiled with polite expectancy.

Beast Boy nodded rapidly, “Oh, sure.”

Kirk patted him on the shoulder, smiling, “Excellent.”

 

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The days had been rather boring, even Raven had begun to notice Beast Boy's absence, although she claimed she enjoyed it the others could tell she was beginning to wonder. Starfire had attempted to play video games against Cyborg, but that had been a dismal failure; and Robin beat Cyborg with such ease so many times that Cyborg had completely given up after the second day. Robin lay back on the couch, looking away from Starfire's television show, which she was watching halfheartedly. Why the girl wanted to watch a show on fungus Robin would never understand.

The door to the operations room opened and everyone turned to see Beast Boy walk in. With the noticeable exception of Raven, all were at his side in an instant. Starfire hugged him tightly, “OH! Friend! I am most glad you have returned!” She released him to find his face slightly blue, then hugged him again until Robin tapped her on the shoulder.

“Yeah… I think he needs some air. But I'm glad you're back Beast Boy.” Robin smiled.

“Yeah man, you have no clue how boring it is around here without you.” Cyborg added.

“You mean how boring it is to loose ninety seven times in a row?” Robin asked, raising an eyebrow.

Cyborg scowled and Beast Boy laughed, finally regaining the ability to breathe, “Yeah, I'm glad I'm back…” He smiled widely.

“So… what were you doing anyway? You never explained.” Raven queried, finally walking over to him, holding a cup of herbal tea in her hands.

“Heh… I think I should show you.” He said, showing them an unlabeled videotape.

The group stared at it, Raven raising an eyebrow, and they collectively followed Beast Boy over to the massive TV where he popped the video in. The screen went black for a moment, and Beast Boy rushed over sitting down with his friends, “Give it a sec…”

It flashed a few numbers like an old movie, and then came to life. Beast Boy was standing in the middle of simple set, smiling while a narrator's voice commented, “This is Beast Boy, one of the Teen Titans and one of Jump City's biggest heroes…” Beast Boy changed form into a cow and let loose a large moo, then the screen split, one half showing Beast Boy and the other a hamburger. He stayed that way for a moment longer then turned into a chicken, the other panel quickly changing to show a roast chicken. The other panel disappeared, as Beast Boy returned to normal smiling and said, in unison with the narrator shouted, “Don't eat your hero! Go Vegetarian!”