Chapter 19: Home "I know you still have trouble controlling your powers…"
"You have no friends…"
"Things change…"
Voices whispered in the darkness, taunting her – mocking her.
Her hands reached towards her ears, trying to block out the torment. Why was she here?
Shouldn't she have fallen to her doom – drowning in her own power?
"Why am I here?" she wondered aloud, her voice void of emotion.
"You are here…to destroy…"
The voice seeped into her ears, its icy tone sending chills down her spine.
"No! You…have no…control over me anymore!" the girl cried, her hands driving through her hair.
Relief spread through her when no hairclip was found.
"Silly Terra! It's not the hairclip that's controlling you."
And in pure horror, the troubled girl stared at her shivering hands that moved against her will, turning into fists.
And the darkness around her began cracking and crumbled…to reveal a black and orange mask.
"It's your powers controlling you."
The mask cracked and crumbled as the girl screamed in utter despair and fear.
Terra's head shot up as she continued to scream.
She stopped immediately when she realized that she was not in school. Her eyes opened wide, when realizing that she was no longer dreaming. This was a familiar place.
She stood up from the bed and went out of the room she had been placed in. Terra moved along the hallway, glancing from one room to the next as images of certain heroes flashed through her mind.
The girl closed her eyes, fear attacking her again. She had to escape! She couldn't face them – let alone face herself.
Her steps quickened until she was running frantically through the large mansion, her eyes searching desperately for the exit.
If only she could stop the tears – what if she ran into one of them?
What if they wouldn't let her go?
Terra shivered at that thought, unaware that they were still resting from their wounds – wounds that she and Robin inflicted to them…
Meanwhile said ex-leader returned to the mastermind's lair, a torrent of emotions swirling inside of him after witnessing the destruction of the power plant at Terra's hands.
His mind drifted to the former titan – did she destroy his friends?
Was she destroyed?
He stepped into a hall, the troubling thoughts drifting into the background.
Slade sat on a step, face hidden in shadow and watched his apprentice step closer. Robin stopped in front of his mentor, trying to restrain his confusing emotions when suddenly Slade spoke. "I haven't told you to return yet."
"Did you want to see me rather die in lava?" Robin murmured.
And before he could have blinked, Slade's fist sent Robin towards the floor. "But I didn't tell you to come back without her," Slade replied, staring him down.
"Terra…was about to destroy the city. How could I have stopped her?" Robin's voice rose slightly before it lowered again.
"I didn't expect you to do that. Someone else did instead…and I'm not pleased."
"So you just watch her destroy the city?" Robin's anger was starting to make itself evident in his voice.
"No, Robin! Only watch her destroy my biggest threat."
Robin looked on in confusion as he got back up on his feet.
"The only one who could bring Terra back…"
Robin's eyes widened in realization and sent a fist Slade's way.
Slade side-stepped and took hold of the fist and leaned closer to his apprentice. "And whatever you try to do…you know nothing can stop the inevitable end."
Hatred spread through Robin like wildfire and he threw his other fist at the man before Slade moved away.
The fist in Slade's palm quickly twisted to an unnatural position, causing Robin to kneel and cry in pain.
"But it's always nice to see resistance from my apprentice. That makes sure you will do anything for me…even if it goes against your morals."
Arrogance and pride filled Slade's voice, causing Robin to shudder from anger.
"You won't have me as your tool, Slade. I…will find a way to stop you."
The ex-titan stood back up and charged once more in determination but Slade was just as quick and evaded the kick sent for his chest.
Slade side-stepped another fist aimed for him before pulling Robin on his arm. And with a quick thrust, Robin staggered forward as Slade's fist collided with his stomach before the other fist sent him back to the floor.
"You know better than anyone…that you can't escape this time," Slade muttered and watched in amusement as Robin narrowed his eyes at him. "And this time…eliminate anyone who poses a threat."
Robin clenched his teeth in utter rage.
Jump City received its first rays of sunlight.
A certain tower for superheroes also received some of it, gradually waking a half-demon.
Raven blinked before her eyes opened slowly but fully. With a yawn, she floated off her bed and towards the kitchen. She was surprised however to see the kitchen in perfect condition. The ceiling was back in place, the fridge standing in the corner, ready to be emptied and Raven even noticed that the floor was wiped clean and the dishes were washed too.
"Cyborg…" she murmured.
"I have also helped in the cleaning of the kitchen."
Raven spun around to came face to face with Starfire holding Silkie in her arms. "What…are you doing here?"
Starfire smiled at the female titan. "I was just preparing a traditional Tamaranian dish of victory. It is something we call-"
"And the wall?" Raven interrupted, not interested in Tamaranian cuisine.
"Just like new," a voice boomed to her right.
Cyborg grinned proudly at her while Raven tried to calm her nerves.
Why did they have to sneak up on her?
"Could you walk as loud as you brag next time?" she retorted annoyed.
Cyborg frowned at her, having expected a 'thank you' instead.
"Shall I call Beast Boy and Terra to join us for breakfast?" Starfire asked, impatient to display her dish.
Raven looked out the window and when she saw the sun having fully risen from behind the horizon, she nodded approvingly.
Starfire floated out of the kitchen and knocked on Beast Boy's door. "Beast Boy, let us commence with the breakfast."
She waited a short while before she let herself in. Beast Boy was sleeping sprawled upside down on his bed, his mouth hanging open while emitting low snoring sounds.
"Beast Boy! Please wake up! The sun is already in the sky."
His eyes didn't open.
"Then let me sing you a good Tamaranian morning song that would wake up even the most heavy of sleepers."
Starfire drew in a sharp breath and let it out in a loud, screeching howl that resembled more of chalk scratching on blackboard than singing. "We're under attack! Titans, go!" Beast Boy shouted alarmed before he fell off his bed. "Star? Have you ever heard of something called beauty sleep?"
"I have enough knowledge to know that it is strange for earth males to engage in beauty sleep."
"I don't care about your knowledge! I care about resting my heavy eyelids."
Starfire floated towards his door. "So you will not wake Terra and see if she would like to have some of the breakfast?"
The changeling got to his feet at the mention of her name and rushed to the room she was sleeping in.
He stopped when he saw that the door was open. Was she…already awake…or was she probably…?
The shape-shifter opened the door more so he could fit through.
His heart had sped up its beating, hoping that she was awake – that she was still alive.
His eyes opened wide when he was faced with an empty bed.
"Terra?"
The bed made no sound.
The changeling turned around only to come face to face with Raven, Starfire and Cyborg.
"She…she's gone! I have to find her!" he shouted frantically and moved to push past them only for Raven's hand to land on his shoulder. "Raven! What if Slade-"
"You're not finding her!"
The changeling stared angrily at the half-demon.
"We all are."
His expression turned to surprise. "So…you're not trying to stop me?"
"No way, man! She might be the only connection we have to Robin," Cyborg said with an encouraging smile.
"And we can't Slade get to her. There might be a chance that he would want her back…or that we need her to get through Robin."
Raven's words sent hope through the shape-shifter.
Beast Boy placed a hand on her shoulder and returned the kindness. "Alright! Let's try to bring Terra back home!"
They turned around to start their search.
"For one last time…"
"You have no friends…"
"Things change…"
Voices whispered in the darkness, taunting her – mocking her.
Her hands reached towards her ears, trying to block out the torment. Why was she here?
Shouldn't she have fallen to her doom – drowning in her own power?
"Why am I here?" she wondered aloud, her voice void of emotion.
"You are here…to destroy…"
The voice seeped into her ears, its icy tone sending chills down her spine.
"No! You…have no…control over me anymore!" the girl cried, her hands driving through her hair.
Relief spread through her when no hairclip was found.
"Silly Terra! It's not the hairclip that's controlling you."
And in pure horror, the troubled girl stared at her shivering hands that moved against her will, turning into fists.
And the darkness around her began cracking and crumbled…to reveal a black and orange mask.
"It's your powers controlling you."
The mask cracked and crumbled as the girl screamed in utter despair and fear.
Terra's head shot up as she continued to scream.
She stopped immediately when she realized that she was not in school. Her eyes opened wide, when realizing that she was no longer dreaming. This was a familiar place.
She stood up from the bed and went out of the room she had been placed in. Terra moved along the hallway, glancing from one room to the next as images of certain heroes flashed through her mind.
The girl closed her eyes, fear attacking her again. She had to escape! She couldn't face them – let alone face herself.
Her steps quickened until she was running frantically through the large mansion, her eyes searching desperately for the exit.
If only she could stop the tears – what if she ran into one of them?
What if they wouldn't let her go?
Terra shivered at that thought, unaware that they were still resting from their wounds – wounds that she and Robin inflicted to them…
Meanwhile said ex-leader returned to the mastermind's lair, a torrent of emotions swirling inside of him after witnessing the destruction of the power plant at Terra's hands.
His mind drifted to the former titan – did she destroy his friends?
Was she destroyed?
He stepped into a hall, the troubling thoughts drifting into the background.
Slade sat on a step, face hidden in shadow and watched his apprentice step closer. Robin stopped in front of his mentor, trying to restrain his confusing emotions when suddenly Slade spoke. "I haven't told you to return yet."
"Did you want to see me rather die in lava?" Robin murmured.
And before he could have blinked, Slade's fist sent Robin towards the floor. "But I didn't tell you to come back without her," Slade replied, staring him down.
"Terra…was about to destroy the city. How could I have stopped her?" Robin's voice rose slightly before it lowered again.
"I didn't expect you to do that. Someone else did instead…and I'm not pleased."
"So you just watch her destroy the city?" Robin's anger was starting to make itself evident in his voice.
"No, Robin! Only watch her destroy my biggest threat."
Robin looked on in confusion as he got back up on his feet.
"The only one who could bring Terra back…"
Robin's eyes widened in realization and sent a fist Slade's way.
Slade side-stepped and took hold of the fist and leaned closer to his apprentice. "And whatever you try to do…you know nothing can stop the inevitable end."
Hatred spread through Robin like wildfire and he threw his other fist at the man before Slade moved away.
The fist in Slade's palm quickly twisted to an unnatural position, causing Robin to kneel and cry in pain.
"But it's always nice to see resistance from my apprentice. That makes sure you will do anything for me…even if it goes against your morals."
Arrogance and pride filled Slade's voice, causing Robin to shudder from anger.
"You won't have me as your tool, Slade. I…will find a way to stop you."
The ex-titan stood back up and charged once more in determination but Slade was just as quick and evaded the kick sent for his chest.
Slade side-stepped another fist aimed for him before pulling Robin on his arm. And with a quick thrust, Robin staggered forward as Slade's fist collided with his stomach before the other fist sent him back to the floor.
"You know better than anyone…that you can't escape this time," Slade muttered and watched in amusement as Robin narrowed his eyes at him. "And this time…eliminate anyone who poses a threat."
Robin clenched his teeth in utter rage.
Jump City received its first rays of sunlight.
A certain tower for superheroes also received some of it, gradually waking a half-demon.
Raven blinked before her eyes opened slowly but fully. With a yawn, she floated off her bed and towards the kitchen. She was surprised however to see the kitchen in perfect condition. The ceiling was back in place, the fridge standing in the corner, ready to be emptied and Raven even noticed that the floor was wiped clean and the dishes were washed too.
"Cyborg…" she murmured.
"I have also helped in the cleaning of the kitchen."
Raven spun around to came face to face with Starfire holding Silkie in her arms. "What…are you doing here?"
Starfire smiled at the female titan. "I was just preparing a traditional Tamaranian dish of victory. It is something we call-"
"And the wall?" Raven interrupted, not interested in Tamaranian cuisine.
"Just like new," a voice boomed to her right.
Cyborg grinned proudly at her while Raven tried to calm her nerves.
Why did they have to sneak up on her?
"Could you walk as loud as you brag next time?" she retorted annoyed.
Cyborg frowned at her, having expected a 'thank you' instead.
"Shall I call Beast Boy and Terra to join us for breakfast?" Starfire asked, impatient to display her dish.
Raven looked out the window and when she saw the sun having fully risen from behind the horizon, she nodded approvingly.
Starfire floated out of the kitchen and knocked on Beast Boy's door. "Beast Boy, let us commence with the breakfast."
She waited a short while before she let herself in. Beast Boy was sleeping sprawled upside down on his bed, his mouth hanging open while emitting low snoring sounds.
"Beast Boy! Please wake up! The sun is already in the sky."
His eyes didn't open.
"Then let me sing you a good Tamaranian morning song that would wake up even the most heavy of sleepers."
Starfire drew in a sharp breath and let it out in a loud, screeching howl that resembled more of chalk scratching on blackboard than singing. "We're under attack! Titans, go!" Beast Boy shouted alarmed before he fell off his bed. "Star? Have you ever heard of something called beauty sleep?"
"I have enough knowledge to know that it is strange for earth males to engage in beauty sleep."
"I don't care about your knowledge! I care about resting my heavy eyelids."
Starfire floated towards his door. "So you will not wake Terra and see if she would like to have some of the breakfast?"
The changeling got to his feet at the mention of her name and rushed to the room she was sleeping in.
He stopped when he saw that the door was open. Was she…already awake…or was she probably…?
The shape-shifter opened the door more so he could fit through.
His heart had sped up its beating, hoping that she was awake – that she was still alive.
His eyes opened wide when he was faced with an empty bed.
"Terra?"
The bed made no sound.
The changeling turned around only to come face to face with Raven, Starfire and Cyborg.
"She…she's gone! I have to find her!" he shouted frantically and moved to push past them only for Raven's hand to land on his shoulder. "Raven! What if Slade-"
"You're not finding her!"
The changeling stared angrily at the half-demon.
"We all are."
His expression turned to surprise. "So…you're not trying to stop me?"
"No way, man! She might be the only connection we have to Robin," Cyborg said with an encouraging smile.
"And we can't Slade get to her. There might be a chance that he would want her back…or that we need her to get through Robin."
Raven's words sent hope through the shape-shifter.
Beast Boy placed a hand on her shoulder and returned the kindness. "Alright! Let's try to bring Terra back home!"
They turned around to start their search.
"For one last time…"