The sun was bright and shimmering over the waters. A young blonde girl was sat on the rocks watching the waves roll onto the shore. She looked out at the T-shaped tower in the distance before she left. As she got up and started brushing the dirt off her hands and skirt, she noticed two figures running towards her.
"Terra!" one of the figures yelled from across the distance. Amber and Dionne, it figures they'd come looking for me.
"Hey girl! Where've you been? As soon as school let out, you just up and left in a hurry and didn't bother to say goodbye!" Amber said with a small pout.
Terra refused to meet her eyes. Dionne noticed the distance between them and continued on the other girl's behalf. "Yeah, like, I feel ya and stuff. I'm so done with highschool, but c'mon. I'd like to think we still have each other after graduation.. don't you?"
A strand of hair fell into Terra's face and she brushed it away quickly. Finally, she looked at her two friends. "Yeah.. sorry about that. I just.." she paused and looked out over the waters again. "I have a lot of stuff to take care of this summer, kinda need to hit the road and stuff."
The two girls stared at her in disbelief. "What? You mean.. you're leaving Jump City? Why..?" Amber asked, not bothering to hide the hurt in her voice.
Dionne just blinked at her, waiting for her answer. "Come on, don't act like that. It's not like I'm leaving forever and won't ever see you again. I just have things to take care of. Ya know.. before college and all that. You understand, right?" She looked at them for a moment before continuing, "Besides, I don't know what that city would do with all three of us on the loose this summer!" Terra forced a small chuckle. "You'll have tons of fun, I'm sure, even without me."
There was a moment of silence before Dionne spoke, "Well.. this summer will be a hell've'a lot more boring without'chya. We're gonna miss you." She hugged the blonde and Amber joined in after her.
"Promise we'll hear from you soon?"
"You can bet on it." Terra smiled through that lie. "I'll see you guys around, okay?" She said as she started to back away. They took the hint that it was time to go and waved goodbye before turning away. Terra let out a breath, she could have lived without dealing with that dramatic nonsense. She would have preferred to just slip away without anyone noticing. I hate goodbyes, she thought looking over at the T-tower again, they never are a good thing.
The sun was low in the sky by the time that Terra had finished changing and packing. She traded her school uniform for a more comfortable outfit, blue jean shorts and a black tanktop with her blue jacket tied around her waist. She also traded her mary jane's and knee high socks for her old brown boots. Terra looked around the room once more, I guess there's nothing left for me to do here. Nothing left for me here. She sighed and pulled her backpack straps onto her shoulders.
Despite it being late in the day, the air was still humid. Terra walked a familiar dirt road outside of town towards where she first met the Titans. Night started settling in as Terra made it to the city limits. She looked over her shoulder once more before she started again. But as she moved to take another step, she heard a sound, a footstep. Terra froze, but quickly regained composure. Placing a hand on a carving knife in her belt, she turned to her side, ready to fight off whoever or whatever lurked in the shadows.
There was nothing on these dirt roads aside from dirt. Rocky terrain covered the areas on the sides of the road as far as the eye could see. Nothing but mountains of rocks littered the terrain.
"Ah, so you did notice me following you around? I was beginning to feel a little underappreciated." The voice sounded deep but as though it were talking through a mask. Looking into the darkness, she suddenly saw a silhouette of a person near a large boulder. Terra squinted as she tried to make out who the person was. "City life just not do it for you?" The voice asked as it came closer.
In the moonlight, Terra could make out the stranger's features. A suit with a black cape and a red x on the front.. Red X! But.. Robin was Red X and that was so long ago.. Terra was thoroughly confused, staring down the man in front of her.
"Sure, it's not the most charming city in the world. I'm a bit curious what sins it committed to make someone like you leave in the middle of the night." The voice continued.
"Excuse me?"
"The reason you're leaving. I was asking-"
"I don't have to answer to you, I don't even know who you are." Terra curtly replied, cutting him off mid-sentence. I don't think it's Robin.. he would know why I don't want to live here. But even if it is, I "don't remember" who he is.
"Red-X. Nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand, but Terra did nothing but stare at it until he retreated.
A moment passed, nothing but the wind blowing filled their ears. "Can I help you?" Terra finally broke the silence, doing nothing to hide the annoyance in her voice.
"A mysterious stranger like myself can't chat up a pretty thing like you without needing help?" He asked with what sounded like a smile in his voice. "It must be the suit and the voice. I give off the suspicious bad guy vibes, huh?" Red X paused to look at her before he shrugged nonchalantly. "Look, I'm leaving this place too. I just saw you doing the same thing and it peaked my interest. Nothing more."
Terra stared at Red X in silence, unsure of what to say or what to even make of him or this interaction in general. "Nice talk. If you happen along my path again, maybe we'll have a more interesting one?" He prompted, waiting for a reply. "See ya, kid." Red X said with a wave of his hand as he started off towards the shadows.
"Terra." She spoke to the barely visible figure. She watched him pause at her sudden reply before nodding and continuing onwards into the darkness. Terra watched after the shadows long after Red X had disappeared. Finally, she shook her head to get rid of all her thoughts surrounding him and what just happened as she continued on her path with nothing but the moonlight guiding her way.