A/N: Hey everybody! I'm back with a new fic. It's only a one-shot though and it's Teen Titans rather than yyh. (Hence it be categorized under Teen Titans. :P) Basically, this takes place during the second part of the two part episode, "Aftershock." It's written in Terra's point of view, something I've wanted to do for a while. I tried my hardest to keep it true to the episode but I'm sure there are parts that are missing and the dialogue may not be exact, but it's pretty close. Ok, enough of my rambling, here's Fallen Angel. All usual disclaimers apply.
Fallen Angel
"My name is Terra and I have done horrible things. I have sworn to serve a dark master and obeyed his every command. I committed terrible crimes in his name. I have betrayed and attacked everyone who used to be my friend. One by one, I destroyed the Teen Titans, and with no one left to stop me, I have brought an entire city to its knees. My name is Terra. I have done horrible things... and I have absolutely no regrets."
Slade had helped me contolr my power. Without him, surely I would have destroyed myself. The Titans couldn't help me and they were afraid of what I could do. It was their own fault for going against us. They called me a traitor, when in fact they were the ones to turn their backs on me. They destroyed themselves when they couldn't help me.
I had to go out on patrol. There really wasn't much of a point since there was no one left to defy us. Since the Titans disappeared, taking control of the city was an easy task. Slade's robot army marched in as I watched by Slade's side. We had finally triumphed and I thought that was the proudest moment of my life. Slade had informed me that this was only the beginning and we would conquer many other cities, as we no longer had anyone to stop us.
While I was patrolling, I caught myself reminiscing about my time with the Titans. I recalled a mission when I helped catch Mondo after he'd robbed the bank. As I passed the pizza parlor, I had to shake off all the memories of the times the Titans and I used to eat there. I even thought back to one particularly nice day when Beast Boy and I took a walk through the park. No, those days are gone, I had to remind myself. They are meaningless to me.
"Sector 6 is secure," I relayed to Slade. He was my life now. There was no turning back and no need for meaningless memories. "It's been pretty quiet since all the people cleared out," I said. I needed to distract myself from thinking about them.
"Get used to it my dear," I heard Slade reply through the intercom. "Soon we'll take over more cities like this one and we'll be unstoppable." The thought of world domination pleased me. Slade would rule and I would be right there by his side.
It was becoming foggier by the minute as I finished patrolling. Suddenly a rock came flying out of nowhere and knocked me to the ground. What's going on? I thought as I quickly scrambled up. Then I was hit with a familiar blue laser beam. They were back, but where were they? I couldn't see them in the dense fog but I was able to dodge a barrage of starbolts that came at me. I saw the shadow of a wolf and heard it growl deep within his throat. "Beast Boy!" I yelled. He wasn't really going to attack me, was he? "Aren't you even going to talk to me?"
I heard his cold reply. "There's nothing left to talk about." I could sense his anger and who could blame him?
"You attempted to annihilate us," Starfire said.
"Did you think we wouldn't take it personally?" I saw another rock coming and it glowed with the dark aura that was Raven's manner of attack.
Then I heard Robin's voice. "It's over Terra." I panicked. I had destroyed them, so why were they still here? Then I did the only thing I could think of to do at the time; I ran. Running was my reaction to fear and I was afraid. I used my elemental control over the earth to pull up a small boulder that I could fly away on. As I tried to escape, a starbolt blasted my rock and I fell to the ground. I ran ahead and ducked into a nearby alley.
"What are you doing, apprentice?" Slade reprimanded me. "Get back there and fight!" He couldn't be serious. There was no way I could win.
"I can't do it alone!" I yelled.
"My dear, you are never alone," he replied. Suddenly the ground started to shake, and not by my doing. I looked and saw Cinderblock, Overload, and Plasmus come up from below the ground. I watched in fascination as they were enveloped in a white light and molded into one being.
I took the opportunity to get away. While the new creature took its turn with the Titans, I made my escape back to our hideout. Slade would be so glad to see that I was alright. After all, his success depended on me. He would never hurt me.
I ran into the hideout and went down to our base of operations. "I made it," I said breathlessly. "I'm alive. I can' believe they almost beat me." I laughed a little, but when he turned to face me, the look in his eye was not relief or contentment. He was furious with me. It caught me by surprise when he picked me up and threw me against the wall.
I winced and looked up at him as he walked over to punish me further. With a malicious backhand, he struck me again, and in an equally malicious tone said, "It's nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you." I was shocked. How could he treat me this way? "You failed me, apprentice. I ordered you to eliminate the Titans, you did not. I ordered you to fight and you ran."
I glared at him. There was no way I would stand for that. He can't treat me that way, especially after all I'd done for him. "Oh yeah? Well it's not too late for me to walk out the door," I replied and headed out to leave.
"Oh but it is too late," Slade said and I stopped dead in my tracks. "You see, apprentice, you no longer have a will of your own." Suddenly I felt a surge throughout my body and it was as though I had no control. My body turned around even though I tried to will ir away from him as my feet carried me back. "You promised to serve me forever and that's a promise I intend to make you keep."
Slade smiled viciously and went back to the monitor. I sank to my knees. This was the end. There really was no turning back now. With this stupid suit on my body, I no longer had any control over what I wanted. I had no choice. Now my fate was in his hands.
As I knelt on the ground crying, I heard Beast Boy coming. I looked up and noticed that Slade was gone. OH well, it doesn't matter, I thought. Beast Boy walked over and I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I knew what he wanted and it was fine with me. "Destroy me," I said to him. He didn't respond and I looked up at him. "C'mon, isn't that why you came? Do it now!"
I could see the shocked expression on his face and he uttered my name. I wished he wouldn't. "Terra, you don't have to do this," he said. His voice was so calm; I didn't deserve his kindness.
"Destroy me! Quick!" I yelled thi time. "Please, I don't want to fight anymore. You have to stop me. Destroy me, do it now!" Then I listened in fear as I heard Slade's voice come from the shadows.
"You must forgive my apprentice," he said. "As usual, she can't seem to control herself. I felt him take control of my body again. I tried to stop it but watched in terror as I attacked the only person who understood me. My body was causing the earth to rise up against Beast Boy and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I watched as a collapsing boulder pinned Beast Boy's foot and trapped him there as I pulled another stone from the wall and formed it into a spear-like death trap.
"I'm sorry Beast Boy," I said. "I can't stop him. He's too powerful, I had no choice."
"It's always been your choice Terra! You chose to give Slade control. You chose to betray us. And now you've chosen this. Slade's not doing this, Terra, you are!" I could feel the hot tears rolling down my cheeks as I stood there holding up the sharp rock with my powers, his fate in my hands. I had no desire to kill him but I had no control over what I could do.
Just then, the rest of the Teen Titans burst into Slade's stronghold. Each one prepared to attack, should I give them cause to, and quite frankly, the situation was cause enough. I heard them all shouting at me and couldn't concentrate. My head swirled in confusion.
"Don't do it! Don't do it!" I heard Cyborg's voice yell.
Raven was ready to kill me. "It'll be the last thing you ever do," she threatened.
Starfire pleaded with me. "Please, Terra, no!"
"Stop!" Robin yelled and Slade told me to strike. "Terra no!" Robin repeated.
I looked to Beat Boy, whose life depended on me staying in control. "It's your life, your choice," he said softly. It was then I knew what I had to do.
"I'm sorry," I said to him. I'm not quite sure how I was able to regain control, but I did. I obeyed one final order. Slade had told me to strike, so I did; I struck him. With all my power I fought Slade with the Mother Earth. I telekinetically threw several large rocks at him. He couldn't smash them all. I pushed him back, off the edge of a fissure he had forced me to create while he had been in control and fighting Beast Boy. I stopped the barrage and came down to the ground to see if I had actually won.
Then he jumped up from the fissure and grabbed hold of me. He looked like he was about to finish me off, and probably thought so too. I summoned a massive amount of power and forced him to release me as I let all the energy out. "You can't control me anymore!" I yelled and watched as he fell. The earth started to shake, probably due to the amount of power I had just unleashed on it. Lava flowed from the walls of the cavern as I went over to my friends.
Robin was yelling frantically. "Terra's power! It's triggered a volcano! We have to evacuate the city!"
"There isn't enough time," Raven said. "We have to get out of here!" The others agreed and they started to make their way toward the exit. I would never be able to go with them. Even if I had gone, rebuilding the trust I broke before would have been a nearly impossible task. Besides, I knew I could stop it.
"Terra, come on! We have to get out of here!" Beast Boy said urgently to me.
I looked up at him. I knew what needed to be done. "I have to stay. I'm the only one who can stop it," I told him. For the first time in a long time, I was being truthful. It was a good feeling, especially since I was being honest with him.
Beast Boy was worried. "You can't! It's too late!"
I smiled and repeated words he had spoken to me not long ago. "It's never too late." He smiled too and I was grateful he understood that I had to do this, iff not for the sake of the city, I had to do it for myself. I hugged him. "You were the best friend I ever had," I told him.
I had to force myself to pull away and send him off with the others. When I was sure they had made it to a safe place, I did what was needed to be done. One final time, I called on all the power I had and released it all to save the city and my friends and loved ones. This was my atonement for all the crimes and sins I had committed in Slade's name. By giving my life for all the innocent people of Jump City, I had reconciled myself and finally regained control over my own life. This was the proudest moment of my life.
As I await judgement of my crimes and the final order of where I am to live out eternity, I know that no matter what descision is made, I am at peace with myself and nothing can change that now. I watch as the Teen Titans go to my grave and hear Beast Boy's eulogy.
"Her name was Terra. She was gifted with tremendous power, and cursed with it as well. She was a dangerous enemy, and a good friend; and she is one of the bravest people I have ever known."
I watched as Starfire placed a bouquet of flowers by my stone body. Even Raven was more solemn than usual and tried to console Beast Boy by telling him that they would be searching for a way to reverse the effect. I know that will never happen. Death is irreversible. I would rathe they not waste their lives searching for an antidote that will never work. I want them to live happy lives. east Boy needs to move on and find someone new. He can't spend his life waiting for someone who can never be there for him. But no matter where they go or what they do in their lives, I know my spirit will be with them and I will continue to watch over them and protect them. For I know that we will meet again... someday.
TERRA
A TEEN TITAN
A TRUE FRIEND
A/N: Well? What did you think? Like I said, I've been wanting to write this particular fic ever since I saw that eppy. I wanted to get inside Terra's head and see what she was thinking as she fought her friends and then realized she was only a tool for Slade. I tried to stay as close to the episode as possible. I even took notes each time I watched it so I would remember everything that happened as I went back to write my story. Please review and tell me if I did a good job. (Or if I didn't...) Ja matte ne!
