My name is Terra. I have done horrible things. And I have absolutely no regrets.
Or do I?
I betrayed them all. Everyone who ever cared for me, I turned my back on and attacked, tried to kill. Anyone who was ever kind to me, who loved me, I stabbed them in the back. I didn't regret it. Not until now. I remember. Everything Beast Boy told me and more, I finally know what he was prattling on about. And ever since I regain my memory, it's all I've been able to think about.
"Macy!"
I jump, remembering that I am in class. Or rather, a mostly empty classroom. My friend Julie is standing next to my desk.
"Didn't you hear the bell?" demands Julie.
"Oh...no," I reply, ticking my long blond hair behind my ear and butting my pencils back in their case. "I guess I was just daydreaming again."
Julie rolls her eyes, grabbing my bag for me. "You've been daydreaming all the time these past two days, Macy. What in the world is up with you? You were such a good student!"
"I know." I follow her out the door, once again thinking about how strange it is that I go by Macy at school. Then again, I had no memory when I came to learn. I had no idea of my identity, my my past. Now that I remember, I don't know if I like it.
"Is there something wrong?"
"No, not at all! Everything is totally cool. Why do you ask?"
"Because I just asked your opinion on the previews for the movie we're seeing later."
"Oh. I'm sorry. I zoned out again. Anyway, the previews look okay to me. It seems like it might not be as action-packed as I'd like it to be."
Julie pauses and searches my eyes. "Are you sure you're all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine. I didn't sleep well last night." I can only hope that the fear and confusion that I am feeling don't show through. My poker face isn't that great.
"Okay, fine. Let's just hope that you're with it enough to take this geometry test."
I suppress a groan as we enter the classroom. I had forgotten all about this test. All I can do is hope for the best and try to keep my mind from wandering to my childhood, to the Titans, to Slade, to Beast Boy. Everyone knows where the Titans live, in the tower on the island about a hundred yards from the shore. All I need to do is wade over there, because the water isn't deep, and apologize, beg forgiveness. Perhaps they'll even take me back.
It doesn't work to try to keep my mind off of my past. By the time the bell rings, I haven't finished my test. But thank goodness, the school day is over. I can go do whatever I want. I just need to figure out what that is. Do I want to hang out with Julie and Sierra? Or do I want to go pay a visit to the Teen Titans? I'm planning on going to the movies with Julie and Sierra, but I remember everything now. Everything has changed. I can't ignore it. If I do go to the movies, then I won't focus on it. I'll focus on the only thing I've thought about all day.
"You coming to the movies, Macy?" asks Sierra while at our lockers. "I can't wait to see this movie! I heard it's great!"
"No, I'm not going," I reply. "I have something important to do."
Her faces falls. "Oh...okay. It won't be as much fun without you. What are you doing?"
"I...I'm not positive yet. But I'm going to find out about my past."
"Oh my gosh! Really? Do you remember anything? Well, okay, that's a dumb question. You came to us with full amnesia, couldn't even remember your name."
"I do remember my name."
Sierra gasped. "What is it?"
I take a deep breath. "Terra."
My dark-skinned friend raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what the little green boy called you?"
"Yes. His name is Beast Boy. He's a Teen Titan."
"Oh, yeah, I've heard of Beast Boy. He turns into different animals, right?"
"That's right. He's funny." There is a pause. "Well, I'd better get going if I want to find this stuff out about my past."
"All right. I'll see you later and let you know how the movie is!"
"Bye." I walk out of the school, nervous. Do I really want to go see the Teen Titans? Will they be angry with me because I joined Slade? But I defeated him, so will they be more accepting? Beast Boy did seem awfully eager to see me. Will the rest of them be okay? I tried to kill them all. It's not something that can just go unnoticed.
Do my powers even still work? Ever since I started going to high school, I haven't used any earth-moving powers. Wouldn't I have noticed if I randomly made a rock float? I decide that it's a good idea to make sure I still have my powers before I go to see the Titans. So I can prove who I really am. Besides, it delays the visit.
I stop on the shore, looking out at Titans Tower. There are lots of rocks here; if I can even shift a pebble, I can prove that I still know how to use my powers. I take a deep breath and focus on a cluster of stones, extending my hands, hoping, praying, that they will rise. My hands get a faint yellow glow aroudn them and the rocks begin to rise slightly. My heart fills with joy as a couple rise higher and higher. Maybe that's all I need to do for the Titans. Probably the only one who will remain unconvinced is Raven.
I take another deep breath, looking toward the tower. I can wade across, but if I can lift myself over on a boulder, that's fantastic. It will require more than making a couple of pebbles float though, so I soon give up on that idea and take off my shoes and socks. The water is cold as I put my foot in, but it feels nice in the beginning of May.
BOOM.
I lose balance and fall into the water as the explosion happens in the city behind me. My first thought is that I'll need to put my uniform in the laundry when I get home. Then it hits me: there's trouble. The Teen Titans will be going to go help. Meaning that I don't need to go through the water! All I need to do is run to the crime scene! Perhaps, if I strengthen my powers, I can even help.
Come on, I think, concentrating on lifting a boulder. Come on! I need to do this!
Another explosion. I'm caught off guard and my arms flail as I turn to see where the explosion is coming from. I get a general idea and turn back to the boulder I'm trying to lift. But it's already in the air. I did it! Now I just need to keep it under control. I'm nervous about this because the only time I've ever been able to control my powers was when I worked for Slade. Maybe, just maybe, I can still control my powers. I'm praying that I can.
I move the boulder over to me, not concentrating as hard. Obviously, concentration does nothing. As I climb up onto the boulder, just as wet as I am, I'm shaking. I don't remember how exactly to use my powers; all I remember is that I can.
By the time I get to the crime scene, the Titans are already apprehending Control Freak. The police are arriving to take him to jail once again, and my old five friends are standing proudly, chatting. Most likely, they are debating going to pizza.
Beast Boy looks up and sees me immediately. His face floods with joy, which makes me so happy that I almost let the boulder drop to the ground.
"Terra!" yells Beast Boy.
All the other Titans look around, and Beast Boy points up at me. They all start yelling my name, telling me to come down. Starfire flies up to greet me and I'm suddenly in a tight embrace that permits no oxygen to enter into my lungs. Yes, she hugs way too tightly for my liking, but I willingly return the hug, not knowing how I went for so long without a hug from Starfire.
"Friend!" she exclaims. "Oh, how we have missed you! How ever did you manage to come back to us?"
I laugh, gently letting myself and the boulder to the ground. Cyborg and Robin both come eagerly to greet me, but Raven and Beast Boy stay behind. It's normal for Raven not to come say hello, but why won't Beast Boy?
"It's great to see you, Terra!" says Robin, patting me on the back.
"You can say that again!" agrees Cyborg. He rubs my head. "Good to have you back!"
"Glorious!" Starfire is jumping and clapping. "But you have not answered my question. How did you come back to us?"
"Yeah," says Robin. "How did you manage that? I mean, you can turned to stone after defeating Slade."
"To be honest..." I begin, "I have no idea. I didn't remember anything when I started going to school."
"Come on, y'all," pipes Cyborg. "Let's all go for pizza and catch up there."
"Actually, can we go to the tower?" I ask hopefully.
They willingly agree and within minutes, we're in the tower, all sitting on the couch. The five Titans are looking at me intently as I am about to begin to tell them my story. That is, all except Raven. She's not interested in the least, and begins to read. Cyborg takes her book away from her and stuffs it between the couch cushions, which angers her only enough to use her mind powers to throw the TV remote at his head. She then sits forward, prepared to listen.
"Well, um," I say awkwardly, playing with my wet uniform tie. "What do you want to know?"
"How did you get your memory back?" inquires Starfire. "Beast Boy told us that you did not recall anything, that you did not even go by Terra."
"I've been having a vivid dream lately. It starts when I was young, and ends with me stopping the volcano. Mostly everything that happened to me in those years is in my dream. Every time I have that dream, it becomes more and more real. Everything is always more vivid. There are still some things that I can't remember, but I know who I am now." I look at Beast Boy. "These dreams started a few days after Beast Boy tried to get me to remember. Yesterday was when I realized that it's all real, it's all my past. I am the girl he thought I was, but I didn't know it."
"So you remember everything now?" asks Robin. "Just because of Beast Boy and a dream?"
"Yes. And I don't think I would have had that dream if not for him."
"Hey, Terra," says Beast Boy. "You told me that day to stop calling you Terra. If you weren't going by Terra, what have people been calling you?"
"Macy. I guess someone must have found me and taken me to the hospital, because that's where my memories after the volcano begin. Like I said, I couldn't remember anything before high school, and now there's a gap in there, between where we beat Slade, and waking up in the hospital being called Macy. I remember one of the doctors saying something about total amnesia. So the only things that I could share about myselef in school were my new name, my age, and the fact that I was suffering from amnesia."
Robin chuckles. "Sorry, but that name just doesn't fit you. Macy would be too weird to call you."
I smile. "I know. Macy never felt like my name. When I heard Beast Boy call me Terra, it was strange, but seemed much more like me than Macy."
The alarm goes off. Robin jumps up. "Trouble!" He goes over to the computer and glances at the screen. "It's Doctor Light! Titans, go!"
Everyone rushes up and out of the room. Beast Boy stays next to me. "Once a Titan, always a Titan." He extends his hand to me. "Come on, Terra. Just like told times."
I grin up at him and take his hand. Holding hands, we run to fight Doctor Light. I'm a Titan again.
