An Opposite Attraction: Chapter Two
Apology: It's been, what? Four years? I figure that's enough time between updates. I don't know all the bits and pieces of where I was going to take this story, but I'm taking the tiny bit I do remember and I'm running with it. Sorry for the lenght between updates. Life sort of took over, I guess.
Summary: The titans get sucked into another dimension where they meet their doubles (Beastboy meets Beastgirl; Cyborg meets Cy Gurl, ect.) Not only the Titans are thrown into this alternate dimension but their enemies as well. Dun dun dun…
Disclaimer:I don't own the Teen Titans or their characters. I do, however, own a character named Max Steeler, and her double Maxwell (Maxx) Steel. They are both characters of my original thought. Don't steal.
Both the geomancer and the changeling felt grass beneath them, but neither one opened their eyes.
"Is it over?" Terra whispered.
Beastboy hesitantly opened his eyes. "I think so."
"Then get your hands off of me," Terra snapped, opening her eyes.
Beastboy removed his arms from her and stepped back. The scene around him remained unchanged. They were back in the courtyard. Birds sang, students chatted and everything appeared untouched.
"You're out of uniform," a voice barked from behind.
Terra replied without turning.
"He was just leaving."
"You've misunderstood. You and your boyfriend are out of uniform."
Both teens turned and faced the girl. Her bright red hair matched her khaki skirt.
"A sure fire way to land in detention," the girl continued. "Don't worry though," she remarked, pointing to her hall monitor badge. "I'm off duty."
Beastboy's communicator chirped to life.
"Cell phone on, too?" The girl laughed. "You're just begging for trouble."
"We'll take care of it," Terra answered and then turned to Beastboy.
Beastboy flipped open the communicator. Robin filled the screen.
"Beastboy, we need you back at the tower straight away."
"Headed your way!"
He shut the device.
"Come with me."
Dejavu.
"I told you before…"
"This is bigger than you and me. I don't care if you don't come back for good. If you want to forget the people who care about you, fine. But not today. Something's not right and we need to figure out what." A smile spread across his face. "You're out of uniform anyway."
Terra glanced over her shoulder. Students in red khakis filled the campus. Beastboy was right. Something felt wrong. She looked at him.
"Come with me, at least until we figure this out."
"We figure this out. Then I'm gone."
"If that's what you want."
"It's what I want."
Beastboy took the form of a hawk. Then, allowing the wind to life him into the sky, he headed for the tower. Terra wasn't following. Confused, he returned to her side.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't, Beastboy."
"You just said."
"No, you don't understand. My powers are gone, Beastboy."
No choice but to believe her.
"Climb on," he sighed, shifting into a pterodactyl. The former geomancer climbed on its back and wrapped her arms around its long neck. The action seemed less sentimental with a dinosaur then with the boy. Beastboy took to the skies, and Terra watched the campus fade into the distance.
A blonde-headed boy watched from across the yard. When the green boy changed forms, his fist clenched automatically, unable to relax until the pair disappeared from sight.
"Ashton?"
They reminded him of…
"Ash? You even listening, bro?"
The blonde's eyes found his friend.
"Sorry, thought I recognized someone."
"And?"
He shrugged. "I guess not."
His friend slapped him on the back.
"We're getting a game going after classes, you in?"
"You know it."
They clasped hands, sliding their fingers across each other in a mix between a high-five and a handshake.
"That's the Ash I know!"
The boys laughed and walked toward the building. The blonde stole a quick glance over his shoulder before they disappeared inside.
"I don't care how you got here. I want you out of my tower! Now!"
"Your tower?"
"Yes, my tower. So you and your group of wannabe heroes can go play dress up somewhere else!"
"Dress up? Now you've taken your little practical joke too far. My team. My tower."
The masked teens faced one another. The spiked hair boy, fuming with anger, held the girl's gaze. The girl's long black hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her outfit - green, red and yellow - put a feminine twist on the boy wonder's outfit. They could have been twins. Fraternal that is.
The others stood watching their leaders in a sense of dumbfound wonder.
Cyborg stood beside a female cyborg. Her spunky attitude matched his own.
"Think about it," Cyborg explained. "How could a bunch of teens playing dress up break past our security?"
"Our security?" She almost laughed. "'Scuse me. I think you mean my security. Shoot. Took me months to develop the perfect system."
"And I can tell you every layer of that system because I designed it. We couldn't have gotten past it. We didn't have to, because we've been in the tower the whole time."
Starfire stood in front of a tall red-headed, orange-skinned male. His hair was cut short, except for the rattail hanging down his neck. Any references to Star Wars went over his head. He looked as if he lived in the gym. Metal bonds hugged his bulging muscles.
"You come from Tamaran, yes?"
"Yes. I am prince of my planet."
"That is impossible, I am princess of Tamaran."
Two pale teenagers quietly watched the altercations, refusing to take part. Anger was to be controlled not exercised. Besides, neither felt angry.
"When do you think they'll figure it out?" Raven said to the violet-haired boy standing beside her. The fellow empath shook his head.
"Once Robyn's temper flares she can be quite difficult to calm."
Raven nodded knowingly. "I'm Raven by the way."
"Rave," the boy answered.
"So, your mother?"
"Yeah."
"How did that work?
"Mother disguised herself as an attractive female. She seduced my father and tricked him into giving her sperm."
"Does he know?"
"That his spawn is half-demon? Yes. When Azar died, it became his task to raise me. He wasn't thrilled about it."
"Your father then?"
"Was the sperm donator. My human mother carried me."
"Ah."
A green girl stood alone, pacing back and forth, the only one without a partner. Finally, past her patience, she threw up her arms, exasperated.
"Dudes! Don't you see how weird this is?"
Everyone turned to face her.
"You look just like each other! Don't you think that's weird?"
The girl-wonder crossed her arms.
"Then where's your mirror reflection, Beastgirl?"
"He's on his way," Robin retorted.
"Kids in costumes, that's all they are," Robyn muttered.
Beastgirl pointed to Cyborg. "Byn, does he look like a kid in costume to you?"
Cyborg brought a fist up to his mouth and coughed twice, embarrassed.
Just as the group poised to begin their arguments anew, an energetic voice entered the room.
"Now before you guys freak out, I brought…"
He stopped. Beastboy's eyes widened.
"Dude…"
The changelings locked eyes.
"Dude!" They exclaimed together.
Terra walked in behind Beastboy, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"What's she doing here?" Raven spat.
"She's with me," Beastboy challenged, adverting his gaze from the female changeling.
"That much is obvious," Raven replied, "but why is she here."
"To help," Terra said quietly.
"We didn't ask…"
Beastboy cut the empath off. "I asked for her help!"
"Enough!"
Raven's mouth twitched, as if she wanted to object, but she grudgingly accepted her leader's command. Beastboy didn't surrender as easily.
"But Robin…"
"Enough."
Repetition made the command sink in. His mouth stretched into a thin line, displaying is obvious annoyance.
"Robyn."
Both heads turned to an uneasy looking redheaded male.
"Female Robyn," he clarified.
"What is it, Firestar?"
"Perhaps we can perform the introduction?"
Robyn didn't look pleased at that suggestion. Starfire quickly finished her counterpart's idea.
"Friends, perhaps by introducing ourselves, we will begin to understand what is happening here."
"Good idea, Starfire."
Robin gave her a comforting smile.
"I'll bet anything it has something to do with Sloane," Robyn muttered.
Robin's brow furrowed. Pieces of this puzzle were beginning to fit together. "Slade…"
"Who?"
"Criminal mastermind, mad man. In your case, I'm guessing, mad woman?"
Robyn nodded.
"Red X?" he ventured.
"Ruby X," she answered.
"We've been pulled into their dimension," Raven said casually.
"Shoot. How's that even possible?" Cygurl interjected, crossing her arms.
"We're not sure," Rave continued. "But as you can clearly see, it is possible."
"She's you," Raven explained to Robin, "from another dimension."
Robin's fist slapped against his open hand.
"Slade," he hissed.
"Sloane," Robyn span simultaneously.
"Two criminal master minds working together," Raven agreed.
"So what do we do?"
"All we can do, Beastboy," Robin answered. "We wait."
Terra tugged at Beastboy's arm.
"What is it, Terra?"
"I should go."
"Wha…no! You just got here!"
Stung by his wounded look, Terra rubbed her arm.
"Terra!"
Robin motioned her over. The geomancer shoved past the changeling, making her way over to Robin.
"Yes?"
"You're the only inconsistency," Robyn said.
"I'm sorry?" Terra said, taken aback.
"You're counterpart isn't here."
"Counterpart?"
"Terrance. No one's seen him since his statue disappeared. Not even Beastgirl. Any ideas?"
Terra shrugged. "How should I know?"
The black haired girl pursed her lips. Robin took advantage of her silence.
"He might have something to do with this. We wanted to make sure…well…you both don't have the best track records."
Terra's eyes narrowed. "If he's anything like me, he no longer has powers, and I doubt he has anything to do with this." Terra's eyes faltered. She shifted nervously, her tone grew quiet. "Unless…"
She had their full attention.
"Unless your Sloane person cashed in."
"Cashed in?"
"Private schools aren't free," Terra continued, unable to shake the guilt which caused her voice to quiver. "Slade's been paying my tuition. I can't prove it, but I know it's true. An anonymous donation comes in every semester."
"Could be anybody," Robin offered.
Terra shook her head.
"He confronted me when I first came back to life. For all I know, he was the one who brought me back. Anyway, he told me that he was no longer interested in using me as an apprentice. However, if I wanted to disappear from the super hero realm, now was the time to do so. As long as I didn't make contact with you guys, he wouldn't bother me. I didn't believe him and told him so. I told him I was through with both him and the Titans. I told him to go to hell." Her eyes connected with Robin's, "He said he'd already been there, and next time he went, he'd be taking me with him. I ran. I bolted out of the place tried to enroll at various schools. None would take me. Not without a record, not without a parent or recommendations. So I went to Slade, and he helped me get into a school. Then he left. I haven't seen him since, but those payments keep coming in."
"Terra, how could you?"
"I wanted to wash my hands of the whole super hero world, Robin. I wanted out." Terra's eyes flickered to Beastboy. "I'm tired of hurting people. I'm tired of letting everyone down."
"You could have come to us."
Terra shook her head.
"We both know that's not true. You claimed to be doing everything possible to bring me back, but after a few months, you guys stopped visiting. You stopped trying. Only Beastboy came to visit, and then, even he stopped. You moved on and that's fine. I only wanted to do the same."
"So Terrance?"
Terra shrugged again.
"Might be working for your Slade, but I doubt it." She looked at the girl wonder. "After what happened, I'm sure neither one of us will ever work for Slade, or Sloane, again." She turned to Robin. "You, of all people, know exactly what he's like, how he gets under your skin. It was worse for me, Robin, you may not believe that, but it's true. I didn't know Slade; I didn't know what he was like. He made me feel insignificant. He separated me from your team and got into my head. I never want that to happen again. Never."
Robin nodded.
"You're more than welcome to stay here."
"Thanks, but I don't if that's the best idea."
Robyn stopped her.
"You're staying here. If anything to make sure you don't go running off to this Slade person."
"Which is exactly why your Terrance person hasn't come back," Terra smiled weakly. "Because you'll never let yourself trust him again ."
"You both haven't earned it."
"Have you?" Terra countered. "Didn't you work for your version of Slade? Didn't you become her apprentice; feel what it was like to betray those you love? New flash, I died to fix my mistakes. I sacrificed my life to save the citizens of Jump and the Titans."
"People you put in danger to begin with!"
"Maybe so, but I didn't have to save them. I could have let the Titans die." Terra gave an irritated sigh, "I don't have to take this. I'm done. With all of this. I'm not a member of this team anymore. I don't have to follow orders."
She turned to leave.
"Then how about a request?"
Terra stopped.
"I'm sorry if we hurt you. None of us intended to do so. I'll be the first to admit, we're not perfect. We make mistakes. Maybe we made one by you. But looking back, I think you'll see a few mistakes were made on your end as well."
Robin stepped forward, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Please stay, Terra. Help us figure this out."
"I don't even have powers."
"Neither do I," Robin smirked. "You belong with us, Terra, whether or not you can move rocks."
Terra turned, facing her former leader.
"Okay."
"Good."Robin turned and extended his hand to his look-alike. "Let's figure this out together. Both teams. Okay?"
"Deal," Robyn said, connecting her hand with his. "If our enemies have united, the best stand is to unite as well."
"Titans together!" The leaders shouted together.
"Titans together!" The new team replied.