WARNING:
*SPOILERS* for Whispers in the Dark.
This is a in-between chapters sort of one-shot to help me get back into my writing mojo. Takes place in the later chapters of Whispers in the Dark. If you are not up to date on that fan fiction. I strongly suggest going back on the risk of ruining a few plot twists for yourself.
Sometimes people were just born with a purpose.
And sometimes, but rarely, they knew from the start they had that purpose.
They realized in themselves that they had potential.
Rarer still; sometimes those people were able to put ambition with potential and become what that purpose called for.
Such people could nearly be idolized, even if they were still human like everyone else, even if they still had blood to bleed; society took pride in those individuals.
But then there were those with the potential without the purpose.
Those that fell behind the line, those with ambition but misguided judgment; those who held the tools, but lacked the instructions to use them.
The evening was clear outside, but within it felt colder then usual, callusing in a way that was comfortably numb. Perhaps she was happy with her revelations, perhaps she was falling into this new world so easily because it gave her something to live by besides fear.
Her blue eyes closed, rich blond hair fell around her face as she hung her head. She kept her eyes closed, not looking at the yellow and black communicator in her hands, silently pushing the voices away and instead hearing a ringing silence. It was never completely still inside, the girl never had complete rest… it was like tremors were running through her veins, the tingle was always on the edge of her nerves and left her on edge even when she would façade a look to say otherwise.
Power without purpose.
The power she had chained so firmly that it was rebelling against her and evolving every day. Terra held her breath, feeling the oxygen burn in her chest in fury…. Her fingers glowed a faint yellow as the energy built.
Exhaling, the power died down and Terra opened her eyes and stared at the T-com. She was never going to be what she wanted; she was never going to be a Titan.
Was this so bad?
She weighed her options.
Emotionally she now had a home, was it a restful one… one of peace and love? No, not by a long shot. Her company was stoic, and cruel on the best of days. But it was a home, it was a place she fell in society, she now expected the rebuttal from public, and she had grown to work with and in it. The company of Jump City's most infamous thief was far from supporting, he forced her to face every fear she had; but the more he did this the more Terra realized that it may have been what she needed. Red X pushed her into the cold, and Terra in her desperation for companionship rebounded right back, each time finding another layer against her heart.
And what of Slade? Of Rose, and Jericho?
Terra grit her teeth.
She was stupid, she was more often than not blind and inconsiderate of the future, but she wasn't as naïve as she had been last year. She knew she was following Slade's plans, she knew she was taking the footsteps he had planned out for her.
Terra knew she was being used alongside the others, she knew that she didn't have the full story, that Slade's intentions were not as pure as he said they were…. That he was only showing her the furthest extend of her abilities for his own gain; he planned to use her.
The young woman looked around her room, staring out the window briefly as the moon hung in the sky. She wondered if she cared about the whole story… until she looked back to the T-com again. The Titan's were wrapped into this whole story, and she had yet to know how or why. Terra wagered to just break into Slade's files and find out for herself… but she doubt he kept anything on paper. Red X wouldn't leave yet anyways… he too was waiting for something, he was prowling on this plot line for something for his own personal gain, Terra grit her teeth wanting to know what it was.
"You're still awake."
It was not a question.
Terra startled slightly, sitting upright on her borrowed bed. Her spine went ridged at the voice, her shoulders rolled as her chin tilted up in a motion that sent her hair spilling back out of her face.
"Obviously." She retorted. Her eyes watched as the black shadow moved into the room… his movements were almost silk like in the darkness, such careful steps for such a reckless man.
Mask removed, he was still in his black uniform, Terra could tell because she could only just make out his thin outline. The red X crossing his chest helped her keep an eye on his position… yet she had spent enough time with him to know how to read his movements.
She could feel his eyes analyzing her… she could feel him judging her like he always did. "I thought that thing was disabled." He nodded towards the T-com.
Terra narrowed her eyes, looking back to the precious badge she clung too. "It is." She replied dryly.
"What're you doing with it out then?"
"Just looking." She muttered, fingers clutching around her reflection of what used to be an attainable goal.
Red X let out a chuckle, Terra was unbothered by his mockery.
"Slade is lying." Terra growled the words, eyes clinging to her T-com and the lessons it had taught her.
"Of course he is." X shrugged.
Terra's eyes snapped up at Red X. "Why are we still here?"
"You can leave whenever you want." He said almost without hesitation.
Terra rolled her thoughts for a moment before explaining her question better. "Why're you still here?"
"Because your little vigilante night outs were so much more fun?"
"You're doing this for fun…?"
"What else do I do anything for?"
Terra shook her head, she knew better… she knew him better. She had a feeling Red X was irritated at her for pulling the T-com out again, she knew he hated it when she reminisced about her lost potential as a Titan… he saw it as weak, he hated that she was too weak to pretend to be a different person, that her obsession didn't matter… he hated that she wasn't like him.
For a moment she looked at the T-com again, this time she flipped it open and stared at the picture tucked into it. It had water damage, and was ragged along the edges… but it was one of the only things she carried on her at all time. It was a picture of something happier, and a soft smile touched her lips at the carnival picture of her and that green puppy. Beast Boy was a whole different level of comfort and home, and Terra felt the corners of her expression soften as the memory burned fresh. What had been the last thing he had said to her before the pieces of Slade's puzzle fell back together?
….Terra frowned when she couldn't remember.
She closed the T-com… only remembering how hurt the changelings eyes had been at her pushing, at her blockade against his friendship… against something she knew was there under the simple term of friendship. The lump in her throat hurt, and Terra only closed her eyes at the pain and was reminded she deserved it.
For all the horrible things she had done in the past.
She deserved it.
Terra wrestled her emotions, keeping the tears away; she looked up to Red X… he wasn't looking towards her, his posture was loose as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. Reddish brown hair covering his face from the side, she only saw his pale jaw line clearly. But he stayed in her company, the quiet room where the only words the two could ever seem to share were in some form of mocking banter or clashing personalities.
Two sides of the same coin.
She could see he had no intention of leaving… he had probably already come home from whatever it was he wanted to do in the city. Terra didn't question him further, instead she set her T-com, the bruised badge she wore with broken honor, on the nightstand and brought her knees to her chest. Wrapping her thin arms around her legs, she set her chin on her knee caps, taking in a deep breath… she composed herself and mimicked X's careless yet predatory posture, adopting his self confidence as she listened to her hell-given terrene powers feed hungrily off the flames of her tattered emotions.
Waiting for tomorrow…
If the current rolls of the plotline waited until tomorrow that is.
OH MY GAWDDDDDD. COULD TIA BE BACK? WELL... HOPEFULLY. I want to get back to writing Whispers in the Dark SOOOOO bad... even if I am now a grown woman, and it's been years since I last updated LOL. Oh god... please forgive me... that is if anyone is even reading this.
Teen Titans is coming back! Sort of... I saw the chibi spin off series they are doing it, and it helped give me the boot to go back to my writing. Also the fact that you, my loyal readers, have not ceased sending reviews and personal messages of encouragement. You guys are amazing, thank you for the support. Also special thanks to Ellie for being my bud these past years and helping me keep my love for TT at heart :)
I will try to get back to writing WID... but I'm also juggling posting some of my Halo work as well, so we'll see what comes first. Wrote this to get familar with Terra and Red X again, and get a feel for their characters... I thought it'd be nice to post it to show I'm still alive. LOL.