When The World Is Losing All Control

A Teen Titans- Blackest Night crossover

Heroes Day. A day to remember fallen super-heroes from all over the world. For the Teen Titans, that meant visiting Terra.

"When it comes to grief," Raven told Robin, "Everyone handles it in their own way. Some people, like you, just keep on moving. Others, like Beast Boy, turn inwards, become withdrawn. But today we face it like we would face a villain."

Robin turned to her. "Together," He said.

She nodded. "Together."

Over by the plaque they had set up, Starfire sighed. "I don't understand," She said. "Why do we still come to visit Terra? She was a traitor."

"She was still a Titan, Star," Beast Boy said.

"A Titan who tried to destroy us," Starfire replied.

"So did Robin," Beast Boy retaliated. "He was Slade's apprentice once. But you don't call him a traitor!"

"Terra wasn't being forced, Beast Boy," Cyborg cut in.

Beast Boy turned away in disgust. "Terra would have been a great Titan if she had just been given the chance."


Later that night, Starfire and Cyborg watched him out the window from the Tower's main room. "It was not my intention to upset Beast Boy," Starfire said.

"Well you did a great job anyway," Cyborg said somewhat bitterly.

"I just do not understand. Would it not be better for him to face the truth about what she did?"

"What makes you think he hasn't already?"


Outside, Beast Boy was watching the water. Remembering skipping stones with Terra. "So much for Heroes Day," he sighed. "But it's not like I need it to remember you, Terra."

Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him. "Oh, really?"

Beast Boy's eyes widened so much it seemed like they might pop out of his head. "Terra?"

There she was, standing right in front of him. Her skin looked a bit more grey than normal, but other than that she seemed perfectly fine. "Yeah. It's me," She said.

"But- How could you be here? There was lava- and the earthquake-"

She moved closer, smiling at him. "I can control earth, remember? Earthquake is my middle name. I've sure caused enough of them." She paused for a second, looking down slightly. "After everything that happened… after helping Slade, almost destroying the Titans, I thought it might be better for me to just stay dead."

"But why come back now?" Beast Boy asked.

"What, other people can come back to the ones they love, but not me?" Terra asked. "Didn't you miss me?"

"Of course," He said, " But this is-" He was cut off as she kissed him full out on the lips. He kissed her back.

Suddenly, the other Titans came out of the Tower. Starfire had star-bolts ready in both hands, and Cyborg had his sonic cannon aimed directly at Terra. "How are you here?" Cyborg asked, rage in his voice and glinting in his eye. "We saw you die!"

Now the thing chose to pull back it's disguise. It still looked like Terra, but it was decayed and stank of rot. It's skin was brown, like soil from a freshly dug grave. They could see the outline of the skull beneath the skin, like a puppet wearing Terra's face. "What is- what's happening?" Beast Boy screamed.

"Well don't just stand there drooling!" The thing said. "What do you think of the all-new Terra?" Beast Boy just gaped at the thing, and it moved closer to him. "Come on, Beast Boy. You gave me your heart long ago. I'm just here to collect."

The thing raised it's arms, and tendrils of rock shot out and wrapped around Beast Boy's arms and legs. The Titans attacked, but Terra dodged out of the way. "What is happening?" Starfire shouted.

"This thing must be manipulating us somehow!" Robin shouted.

"You're one to talk about manipulating, Robin," Terra said. "I Joined the Titans because I thought you guys could help me. I thought that you would let me finally learn to control my powers. But that's not really what you're all about, is it? You just fight for whatever side you think is right."

"No true Titan would say such awful words!" Starfire shouted. "We are a family here! A family you betrayed!"

"Save it, Star," Cyborg said. "Something tells me this thing isn't really Terra. Not matter what any of us thought of her, we need to stop it."

Through the thing's eyes, it could see Beast Boy's emotions. It hungered for them. Just a bit longer and he would be ready. His heart was a swirling mass of hope, love, fear and rage. "You poor little freak," The thing said with venom in it's voice, "You just don't know what to feel do you?"

Suddenly it's vision blurred as he changed form. Now he was a small green rodent, scurrying away. "Come back you little weasel!" It roared.

"Technically, I'm a ferret," Beast Boy shouted back, "But I get that all the time!" The thing sent a pillar of earth flying towards him, but he turned into a bird and flew out of the way. Then he dive-bombed it, turning into a mammoth at the last second and crushing it. "And I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers!" They were hitting the ground now. "What are you? What do you want from me?"

The thing slipped out from under him. "What I've always wanted, Beast Boy," It purred. "Your heart. Hook, line and sinker." It placed a hand on his chest, and the hand started glowing with a dark aura. Beast Boy started growing weak, changing back into his normal state.

Thankfully Raven came to his rescue. "I never liked you much Terra," she said, "So this will be easy for me!" She knocked the thing off of him and into the air. It flew for a few seconds before finally hitting the water. Then Raven turned to Beast Boy. "Are you okay?"

He nodded slowly. "You know that thing wasn't her, right?"

He sighed. "I don't wanna focus on it right now," He said.

Robin nodded. "We probably don't have much time to think anyway. I saw more of those things heading for the city. We can't let them hurt any civilians!"

Beast Boy took one last look at where the thing had fallen, and then ran to join his teammates.


It almost had him. But those cursed Titans had stopped it.

It was time to finish the job.


"According to these news reports, there are most of these creatures all over the city. And if Terra is back, Slade might be as well. We need to split up and find him." Everyone else agreed with Robin. Beast Boy and Cyborg were searching for any sign of Slade when the thing appeared again.

"You can't get away from me, Beast Boy," It said. "Just stop fighting it."

"Don't listen to it BB!" Cyborg said. "It's not her! We'll take this thing down together!"

Beast Boy turned to him briefly, then faced the thing again. "I can't, Cy. Anyone but her. I need you to go find the others. Let me handle this."

Cyborg started to protest, but realized he wasn't going to get anywhere. He went off to help the others as the skies blackened and the dead descended on the city.


As they searched, Robin got a message from the Justice League. Evidently these things were called Black Lanterns. They were basically reanimated corpses that targeted the dead family, friends and enemies of heroes all over the world. No one was available to explain much more, but apparently they were susceptible to light-based powers.

Robin's eyes narrowed at this part. He turned his motorcycle around, heading for the city jail.


"What are you going to say next? That you were confused?" Beast Boy screamed. He turned into a cheetah, leaping at the thing and knocking it to the ground. "That you were controlled?"

"Beast Boy… please…" The thing was crying out in her voice, crying out as he tore his claws into it.

"That you were drugged?" He was a lion now, slashing at the thing, roaring his words, ripping the thing apart.

"It's me… It's really me…" The thing was back the way it was before. Trying to make him care again. It saw one thing in his heart now; rage.

Beast Boy had morphed into a bear now. He was circling the thing, slowly getting closer. "No. But you might as well be. Because you are just like her. A fake. A phony. Everything she was. Everything I saw in her. It was all just a lie. And I knew. Deep down, I knew." He was tearing at it again. Blindly ripping it apart. "None of it was real!"

The thing was in shambles, but still it spoke. "Maybe, but it doesn't change the fact that you still love me. I don't care what you know, what you believe, what you realize. No matter what happens, you'll always love me."

As Beast Boy finally tore the thing in half, he said, "I know."

Suddenly a burst of light flashed through the air, melting the thing away. Beast Boy turned to look. The burst had come from Doctor Light. He was surrounded by the other Titans, who now ran over to Beast Boy. All except for Raven, that is, who was keeping a close watch over the super-villain to make sure he could not escape.

Robin explained the situation, telling Beast Boy that they would be headed for Coast City to help Green Lantern and the rest of the Justice League combat this new threat. They headed for Titans Tower, but Cyborg and Beast Boy stayed behind.

"Come on, bro. We gotta go. Someone is pulling the strings here, and I wanna find out who."

Beast Boy sighed. "She wasn't worth it." He sat down, head in his hands. "She wasn't worth any of it."

Cyborg sat down next to him. "Not by a long shot."

"I'm not an idiot," the green hero said. "I may have been in love, but I wasn't oblivious. I heard what everyone said behind my back, but I didn't care. I chose to believe that under all the betrayal and the lies, there was a good person."

"You hoped for the best in her. I get it; you're an optimist. You just picked the wrong girl."

Beast Boy looked off into the distance. "She's out there, you know. Somewhere."

Cyborg frowned. "That creature? Don't worry, dude. If she is out there, we'll track her down and-"

"No," Beast Boy said. "Terra. The real Terra is out there somewhere."