A look inside
It was a seemingly normal day with the seemingly normal routine as 5 heroes rushed out of the Tower to bring another villain to justice. Things have seemed to improved ever since the defeat of the Brotherhood of Evil and a certain shape-shifter seemed to have been able to focus more on his duties as a Titan…and today it showed especially as he managed to surprise and overwhelm Mumbo Jumbo as he hid in his top hat at one point during the fight and emerged as an elephant when he had attempted to pull a trick out of his hat. And the poor magician was crushed under the heavy weight of the animal before being sent to the nearest police station. The team congratulated him on a job well done and a big grin spread on his face that wouldn't leave him until they passed a particular building – a school to be precise.
Beast Boy's steps slowed a little even though he tried to ignore the indistinct chattering that came from the yard. His friends didn't seem to have noticed his lagging behind and he couldn't help himself and he let his eyes wander around for a certain blonde-haired girl.
He just wanted to see if she was still here.
His heart skipped a beat, seeing her on the other side of the gate, talking to her friends. But he was too far to hear what she was saying…but what he wanted to know was why she had that sad expression on her face.
Like she was disappointed about something.
"Uh…guys?"
The 4 other Titans turned around in confusion.
"Mind if I check out the new game center they opened recently?" he asked, hoping they didn't suspect anything.
"Not if you can make it for Starfire's lunch," Robin said and Beast Boy gave out a nervous chuckle.
"I'll try to make it in time," he said and watched them continue on their way home.
Beast Boy turned away and breathed a sigh of relief to see Terra still in the yard. Now to find out what was wrong with her – but how could he get close enough without angering or scaring her off?
It still hurt remembering the events from a few days ago as she walked away from him.
The painful memories were interrupted with a sudden thought and the shape-shifter grinned before morphing into a frog. He leaped through the gate and his green color was perfect for both, choosing this animal and for being camouflaged beneath the grass of the lawn.
"You know you can't participate if you don't bring one," the red-head called Amber said matter-of-factly.
Terra sighed. "I know. But it's too late for that. I…just didn't have time to find one yet."
"But now you can't come with us. I guess you gotta sit this one out…and suffer bad grades again," Dionne said. "Sorry we couldn't help."
"It's fine. You two better get going before you'll be late," she smiled at them and with a sad look in their eyes, they disappeared inside the building.
What was it that Terra had to find?
Beast Boy tried to figure out what it was that could give someone good grades but still didn't have to be in school apparently.
His train of thought was interrupted when he saw Terra approach him and was about to hop away, not wanting to be found 'stalking' her.
But her ever growing smile robbed him of his strength. It was so long ago that he had literally seen her eyes sparkle like that and the small frog kept gazing up at her in awe.
"I found it…" she whispered.
Wait, what?
"Did you know you just saved my life?" she asked the confused frog with a smile and slowly scooped him up in her hands, like she was protecting him before she hurried into the building.
If frogs could have blushed, then he would be as red as a tomato at hearing Terra's words and having her hold him like that.
He literally felt like he was on cloud 9!
Unfortunately his trip to heaven was stopped abruptly when they entered what seemed to be a laboratory and the small frog was faced with curious faces of Terra's classmates before said girl hurried to her table next to Amber and Dionne.
"Terra? What happened?" Amber asked, surprised to see her,
"I found one," she smiled and revealed Beast Boy in frog form to them.
"Nice. Seems like this little guy must be your prince charming," Dionne giggled and Terra giggled with her.
Their laughter stopped when the teacher entered and Terra placed Beast Boy in a glass jar. Unfortunately, being in a glass jar prevented Beast Boy from hearing what the teacher was saying.
Unknown to him, she was explaining about the internal organs and systems of a few animals. The explanation lasted for about 10 minutes and by the time Terra opened the jar again, he was so bored, he thought that he might have dozed off…maybe it was the lack of oxygen in the jar.
Gentle, gloved hands picked him up and the frog made no move to jump out of her hands – he missed her so much that he would give anything to have just a few more minutes with her – even as a frog.
His eyes wandered around for a moment and he noticed that each of the other tables had a frog and Beast Boy wondered what they had planned to do with them before seeing some of the other students trying to hold their frogs against the table with arms and legs spread open.
And he began to feel worry.
Those positions didn't look comfortable.
"And remember, you have to place your index finger between their legs to restrain them. And make sure you hit the back of their head," the teacher spoke and Beast Boy froze for a moment, feeling Terra following the teacher's instruction and straightening his little frog legs before sliding her index finger between them to keep him restrained.
What's going on?
Terra lifted her arm and the small frog in her hand lifted with her and Beast Boy tried to get free of her dead-lock but saw that he literally couldn't.
He had to morph his way out – and risk Terra some good grades.
But before he could even think of what animal he should morph into, he suddenly saw a bright light accompanied with a paralyzing pain as her hand swung downwards against the edge of the table.
She placed the dazed frog on the table.
"I…I've never done this before," Terra said nervously before Dionne nudged her in her side.
"Don't worry! That's why the teacher showed you how dissecting a frog is done," she smiled…and Beast Boy felt sick to his stomach.
They were going to dissect him!?
That thought gave him the energy needed to managed one leap…before Amber captured him and handed him to Terra again.
"First time is always hardest," she smiled. "Just keep trying,"
Please don't keep trying!
Beast Boy still felt a little funny after that hit and he wasn't sure he would survive another one but he didn't have the necessary reflexes to escape Terra before she locked her fingers around him again, rendering him immobile.
She lifted her hand and Beast Boy prayed to her – making low croaking sounds, hoping she would somehow read him.
No use.
Her hand came down fast and the pain that followed sent him into unconsciousness. Slowly she spread him out on the table…before reaching for the scalpel.
With a shivering hand, Terra placed the scalpel against her former friend's abdomen.
It's just a frog…so why couldn't she do it?
"Are you ok?" Amber asked.
"Do you want us to take over?" Dionne asked now but Terra kept focusing on the breathing of the frog.
She couldn't do it.
And an idea popped into her head.
"I…think I'm…feeling sick," she mumbled and pretended to fall, letting her hand swipe across the table on purpose and sneakily catching the frog in her other hand.
"Terra!" both friends cried in alarm but she got back up to reassure them.
"It's…fine. I just…need to go to the bathroom real quick," she mumbled before receiving permission from her teacher.
She entered the bathroom and placed the frog on the sink before washing her face. She did feel a bit sick.
Terra turned back to the frog…before it turned into the shape-shifter in front of her very eyes.
"B-Beast Boy?"
Terra leaned closer to make sure it was him before that nauseous feeling spread in her for a moment,
She had almost dissected him!
"That…was the worst dream I've…ever had," the changeling groaned before his eyes fluttered open and lifted his head.
And both stared at the other in absolute shock and confusion, one because it hadn't been a dream and the other, because she hadn't killed him.
"It…wasn't a dream," she mumbled, leaning a bit closer and Beast Boy suddenly felt glad that it wasn't a dream.
Because just then, Terra fell into his arms.