Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ TTHS-City Musical: The Phantom of the City ❯ Disassters and Defeat ( Chapter 8 )

CHAPTER EIGHT

Dick and friends were looking all over the place. “Give it up, man…” said Vic. “The letter's gone.”

Dick knew he was right. “I'll just make another one. I just wish I knew what happened to it.”

The gang decided to break it up as hey didn't want to make any scenes while looking around. Raven and Kato also had to prepare for their date that night. Kato was feeling something in his pocket. “What's that…?” Raven asked cheekily.

Her boyfriend wouldn't tell. “Wait until tonight.” He said. “Until then… have a dark day.” They shared a soft kiss and he was off.

…

Terra was walking through the park clutching Dick's letter, and when she sat down on bench she found another letter with no writing on it. It was defiantly from the phantom and it said…

Return to the park by sundown. I shall be waiting.

-P

Garfield popped up as if form out of nowhere. “Terra…!”

She jumped. “AH…! Oh… Garfield…?” Then she caught hold of herself and realized, “Garfield…?” she tried to run, but he grabbed hold of her arm. “Wait…! Don't go… I want to talk to you.”

Terra looked nervous, “About… what I said… what I did?”

Garfield nodded. “Why would you want to have feelings for me? I haven't exactly been nice to you, or anyone at that.”

Terra realized that, but she explained that he just seemed so determined, so focused. “You never let anyone push you around, and even though you pushed other people, you still held together.”

Garfield reflected upon this. “I guess I did… but I still don't see why anyone would want to like me. All these changes in the city are so disgraceful and making things even worse for me.”

Terra asked why Garfield hated changes so much. Garfield sighed, and realizing maybe it was time he told someone, and for starters he didn't always hate changes, and he didn't hate all forms of change…

“It all started twelve years ago, when I was only five…”

…

His parents were American scientists on an experimental expedition in Africa, where he was born. He lived there with his parents until he was about five, but that was when trouble began to strike.

An American executive had arrived in Africa and was planning to turn the entire surrounding site into a landscape to build modern-day buildings and industry ways. Garfield could barely recognize his voice, but the man did say, “There are going to be changes around here.”

His parents refused to leave, and protested that the site where they lived could not be demolished as it was the site of their experimental operations. The man gave them a final warning that if they didn't move, they would be sorry, for he was planning to quickly demolish the site by blowing up the dam and let the rushing waters level everything out as it would make things go faster.

Finding they had no choice, the Logans were forced to evacuate along with everyone else in the village they lived in. However, the nearest Garfield could think of was that the greed man they met had grown impatient, and didn't bother to wait.

So he ordered the dam be destroyed, even though he was fully aware that people were still in the village below. The dam was blown up with dynamite and the waters vegan to flow and rush, wiping out Garfield's entire village destroying all the homes, killing every there and that included Garfield's parents. The young boy found himself drifting away on a floating log crying out…

“Mommy…! Daddy…! Please help me! HELP…!”

…

Terra was livid, “You we're only five…?”

Garfield nodded. “Not a day or night goes by that I don't memorize it at least ten times a day, but from that day on… my life changed forever… all of it bad.”

He also knew that greedy man never built his industry ways as he wanted because he heard he was chased away by the authorities, but he was never caught. “Someday I'll find him… I walk right up to him… look him in eyes and say...”

“My name is Garfield Mark Logan. You killed my parents… now you shall pay!”

But aside form that, Garfield continued with his story…

…

He washed up at a refugee camp, and he was barely alive. He rested up and was sawn back on his feet, but if he had only known what he was in for… it probably would have been better if he had just died.

The kids at the camp were very mean to him mostly because he was American, and pretty much the only American boy. The kids would always pick on him and beat him up saying that Americans weren't helping them enough and forcing them to live their lives.

Many of the parents or god parents of the kids who still had them were just as mean and harsh to the young boy and would not let him play with their children even when some were nice to Garfield.

He would spend his days alone, unloved, unwanted… and above all else… unhappy. He would teach himself how to read, write, talk, count stars on a starry night, by the time he was seven, Garfield had matured a little and learned how to take care of himself, but his life at this camp was no longer doing him any good.

No one shared their donations or rations with him, and Garfield decided his best was to leave. Then one day, he got his chance. As donations and supplies were being delivered from America by planes and helicopters, Garfield snuck inside one of the empty crates that was going back, and packed what little food he could sneak out with him and was bound for America.

That was how he came to Jump City. However, he had no money. No place to stay. He wasn't even given much money by the people of the city and no one would help him. Just slam the door in his face or cast him aside.

So he ended up eating discarded sandwiches and sipping from half drunken soda cans, or he would've starved. It also didn't help much that he didn't like to eat other animals. He also took clothes charity-boxes as he was a boy in need.

It was then that he decided to try and change his life again hoping things would get better, but first he would have to become smart, and since he couldn't go to school there was only one thing for it…

He would go to the local library everyday and check out books for free and spend all his time reading and studying. This was how he was able to become so smart. He also studied books on magician's tricks and studied the art of magic.

This helped him perform shows on the street, performing simple tricks and finally gaining some trust from the people and some cash which he was finally able to put to good use.

He continued to study, bought himself regular food, took time and showers at the local gym, and one day, when he was fourteen, he charmed the principal of Murakami High with his magic talents, and high IQ, that the principal let him into high school.

While Garfield believed his troubles were over, they were only about to get worse as all the students teased him and picked on him worse than the kids from his old camp, just because he was different.

Garfield began to lose his patience when he realized all the kids at Murakami High were all slackers and spoiled bratty kids who didn't try hard enough and leeched off decent working people like him.

Finally, he stopped caring. Every time something changed it always affected him and it was always disastrous. Robbing him of what he had and giving him nothing in return but hopelessness and endless misery!

So Garfield ultimately changed by acting hateful and harsh towards all changes, hoping so no more bad consequences would befall him, and while it made it him unpopular with most people and wouldn't allow him to move up in the world as easily… it was just too risky to try or he could have ended up losing everything… even his life!

…

Now Terra understood it all. The city was already suffering enough due to Mayor Jackson's negligence and greedy ways. “Twelve years…?” she exclaimed. “That's a long time…!”

Garfield nodded, and as he had more flashback right from the beginning he just had to sing about the frustration and trouble he always dealt with…

-Do you ever feel like breaking down?
Do you ever feel out of place?
Like somehow you just don't belong
And no one understands you
Do you ever wanna runaway?
Do you lock yourself in your room?
With the radio on turned up so loud
That no one hears you screaming

No you don't know what it's like
When nothing feels all right
You don't know what it's like
To be like me

-To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life

-Do you wanna be somebody else?
Are you sick of feeling so left out?
Are you desperate to find something more?
Before your life is over
Are you stuck inside a world you hate?
Are you sick of everyone around?
With their big fake smiles and stupid lies
While deep inside you're bleeding

No you don't know what it's like
When nothing feels all right
You don't know what it's like
To be like me

-To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life

-No one ever lied straight to your face
No one ever stabbed you in the back
You might think I'm happy but I'm not gonna be okay
Everybody always gave you what you wanted
Never had to work it was always there
You don't know what it's like, what it's like

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like (what it's like)

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life
Welcome to my life
Welcome to my life

…

For the first time in his life, Garfield felt sorry for the way he acted, but if one had a life the way he did, perhaps you'd feel that way too. “I guess I'm just a big fat nothing.”

Terra turned him round. “You aren't nothing...” Then she held his hand and held out her other hand. “You're just the same as me. Flesh and blood, bones, hair, and nails. You're a human just like me… just like others.”

Garfield looked at her. Their eyes met, and their faces moved closer towards one another when suddenly stray bullets nearly hit them. “Look out!” Garfield cried as he pushed Terra out of the way.

“Who did that…?” snapped Terra!

They saw who it was. A young lady loaded with all kinds of weapons. She was looking right at them and smirked wickedly, “Well, hello there!”

“Hey! What's the big idea?” snapped Garfield. “You almost hit us!”

“That's the general idea. I'm a hit-person, and the name is Erin.” The lady said. “I have no interest in you. It's your friend I'm after.”

Terra was confused, and when she asked why, Erin explained she had been hired by Mayor Jackson and his council to exterminate the phantom.

“Jackson…!” snarled Garfield “I should've known!”

Terra was now more confused than ever. “But what do you want form me.”

Erin marched over and grabbed Terra by the neck. “I want information from you and I'm not going to be patient about it.” she sneered.

Garfield could see this was going to get ugly, so he hid behind and shrub and changed.

“Ugh! Stop! You're… choking… me!” groaned Terra.

“Then tell me where the phantom is, and I'll let you go.” hissed Erin.

“I don't know where he is!” growled Terra.

“You're lying!” snapped Erin and she aimed one of her pistols at Terra. “I'll give you this one last chance and if you value you're life, you'll answer me!”

Terra was sweating hard, but suddenly. “Put her down!” growled a voice. Erin looked behind her, and saw the phantom. She let Terra fall to the ground coughing and trying to catch her breath.

“Well… it's not everyday my victim just comes to me.” Erin gloated.

The phantom flapped his cape back and held out his cane, “You'll be sorry for torturing that girl, but you'll be even sorrier for crossing my path.”

Erin only snickered out humor, and threw all her weapons to the side. “I can beat you even with one hand behind my back and I'll prove it.” and she held her left hand perfectly behind her back where she promised to keep it. “Shall we then…?”

They stared each other down, and Terra crawled behind the bushes to avoid trouble, but she also wondered, “Where'd Garfield go?”

The phantom dashed towards Erin and took one swing with his cane, but Erin sidestepped perfectly out of the way and socked him hard in the face. “G'AH…!” He rolled along the ground but got back to his feet to try again only to miss every time and end up getting punched… chopped… or kicked.

Terra almost couldn't bear to watch this.

“I've never faced anyone like her before.” The phantom thought. “I guess I'll need a little magic to help me.”

“Have you given up yet?” asked Erin.

“Not by a long shot!” growled the phantom. “Time for my first trick…” Playing cards appeared in his hand. “Pick a card… or rather let the cards pick you!” and he threw them like throwing knives, but Erin managed to dodge them all and even flip out of their path. “What…?!”

Erin winked at him. “Mm-heh…!”

The phantom still had many tricks up his sleeve, but so did Erin. The phantom tried all his best tricks, even his projectiles which hit her dead on, but the projectiles didn't hurt in the first place, and they didn't knock her back or even make any marks.

Finally, the phantom ran out of patience, and powered up his cane. “FEEL THE MAGIC!” He made the circle, and slashed, “ALA… KA… ZAM!” but Erin grabbed onto the cane and withstood its magic as if it didn't even tickle her. The phantom struggles and struggled to gain control, but suddenly...

…the cane snapped in half!

“AH…?!”

Terra gasped, and Erin sniggered. Now the phantom was on the ground backing away from her, until finally he was backed up against a tree. Erin pulled out a bazooka, as odd as it was to that. “You said you'd use no weapons!” growled the phantom.

Erin bent down and grinned at him. “I'm full of tricks too, ya know.” She poised the bazooka at him, “And now… while I must admit you lasted long than many… I'm afraid this is where we say goodbye.”

The phantom quickly reached behind him just as Erin pulled the trigger… KAPOW! A small yet powerful explosion happened. “NO!” screamed Terra.

The tree was blown to dust, and the ground where it used to stand was a blaze, but the phantom's corpse was nowhere to be seen. “What?!” snapped Erin. “Where did he go?”

Terra, as upset as she was, took her chance and fled.

Erin couldn't tell if the phantom was dead or not. She did have a knack for blasting her enemies so hard that nothing was left. She did break his cane, and decided that was good enough, and the fact that the phantom didn't stand a chance against her, she figured she had already won and would collect her money from Jackson.

She didn't know that the phantom really was still alive and had pulled a vanishing trick old-style. He was now standing behind another tree clutching his broken cane. He had just escaped with his life, but what was he going to do now?

What could he do now…?

Author's apology:

In the case of my talking about the refugees, please understand I had no intention making them look bad or anything, I merely needed to use what I wrote for the fitting of this fic…

The REAL Refugees do need our help and support, and I know someday they can make it.