[Changeling the Prototype] (Teen Titans X [Prototype])

Things Change

Beast Boy knew that no matter how chaotic things were in the city, he would need to save the Titans before he could do anything about it. But without shifting, he had no idea how he would get across the bay, or if he could even get to the beaches with all the Infected and BlackWatch around. Even now firefights were breaking out, members of the black ops group mercilessly pushing back the shambling hordes. What had Mercer called it? BlackLight?

Whatever it was, the huge amount of people on either side of the 'war' would make it difficult, especially since they were both his enemies.

The Infected were a violent horde, their only thoughts of destruction, and whatever Mercer had done to him had not made him invisible to their aggression.

BlackWatch, on the other hand, had taken him prisoner and tried testing his strength, only to attempt to kill him when they found him too powerful to contain.

"Seems like you finally realized that you're alone here." A cold voice pointed out, soon revealing it's owner as Alex Mercer, the hooded being who had infected Beast Boy leaping into sight from the shadows.

"What have you done to me!?" He asked, readying himself for a fight. Without his shapeshifting he was at Mercer's mercy, but whatever had been done to him seemed to be adapting, and his super speed and strength were the results.

"I've made you a God. What does BlackWatch call me these days? Zeus? I think Chimera will suit you nicely." Instead of answering his question, the response led to even more questions from Beast Boy.

"A God? Dude, I don't know what you're on, but it must be some strong stuff." This made Alex let out a chuckle, a dark, cold noise that sent shivers down Beast Boy's spine.

"What I'm on? Chimera, the power flowing through my veins, your veins, is all the drug you'll ever need. I'm sure by now you've Consumed someone?" Beast Boy shuddered, remembering the green and black tendrils that had erupted from his body and absorbed the nutrients from the Infected back at BlackWatch's laboratory.

"Consume... You made me a monster." He felt sick and strange all at once, no longer feeling comfortable in the enhanced body. Part of its strength had come from killing another.

"Think more along the lines of an apex predator. The only thing that can kill you is another of us... Like me." He shifted his arms into claws and pointed at Beast Boy's chest, where his heart was. "You were just born... You're still new and weak. It would be easy."

"I'll stop you! I'll get help from the Titans and take you down!" He replied defiantly, Mercer laughing coldly before, to the changeling's shock, he shapeshifted to look like a BlackWatch soldier, the wrist mounted blade on his left hand at his throat.

"When you Consume someone, you get their memories, and the ability to take their form. If you somehow managed to imprison me, and that is quite a large if, all I have to do is Consume a guard and I'll be out. Or maybe I should Consume you, head to the Tower. Make them think I'm you before killing them all and absorbing their power." He suggested, and Beast Boy could picture a cocky smirk on the face behind the mask.

"T-they'd know you aren't me." He tried to stand tall, but he was beginning to falter.

"You don't get it. I can become you. Your memories, your thoughts, your body, and your abilities. It wouldn't even be like swatting a fly to me." He shapeshifted back to his normal form, red and black tendrils beginning to reach out towards the changeling. "Easy as pie!" As if nothing had happened, the tendrils receded into Mercer and he began walking away.

"Where are you going?" Beast Boy asked, confused as to what was going on.

"BlackWatch is on its way here, what with us both being in the same place. If you really want to get help from your friends, try taking a chopper. Even I can't get that far myself." The changeling was surprised by the shift in Mercer's tone and personality, and he didn't trust it.