Chapter 2
"What is he talking about?" Beast Boy asked quizzically.
"What are you afraid of? A simple question with so many answers... But enough of these games. Time to face your fears Titans."
"You're right about one thing old man. This is enough." Cyborg launched himself at the man just as he held up his staff. A blast of black surged out of the staff and zapped through Cyborg. All of the Titans cried out in horror as Cyborg jolted as if struck by lightning. The black abruptly vanished inside his body, leaving Cyborg huddled on the floor.
"What did you do to him?!" Robin demanded as Starfire flew down to kneel beside Cyborg.
Tears glistened in her eyes when she saw him. His eyes were as blank as the guards' had been. A bead of sweat slid down his face and he began to shiver, muttering to himself. With a muffled sob, Star pulled herself away from Cyborg and faced the man.
"Who are you?" She cried.
"I am your worst fears come to life. But most would call me Nightmare."
"What have you done to my friend?" She whispered.
"Forced him to confront his deepest fears." Nightmare responded with relish, "It's quite ingenious actually. The energy your friend now has inside him activates a simple mix of emotions. It tricks your brain into believing what it is seeing is reality. Your deepest fears are unleashed, praying upon your own emotions, until... Well. That speaks for iteself."
"You're a monster." Raven's voice broke through the stunned silence following Nightmare's pronouncement.
"No, no my dear. Just a genius."
OOOOO
The stadium is full to capacity. "Great job dude!" "Kick some butt!" The cheers of my teammates ring in my ears as we wait in the locker room.
"What?" I look down to my hands. My human hands. I gasp in shock, standing to look at my reflection in a mirror. Human. Completely human. No metal. Me. Whole.
Was it all a dream? I wonder in shock. The accident? The Titans? It couldn't have been!
"He's messin' with my head!" I exclaim angrily, slamming my hand into a locker, "OUCH!" I cradle my hand against my chest, wincing at the pain.
"Dude, you okay? You look kind of tense." A blond comes over and lays a restraining hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah man, I'm fine." Jeremy. The name comes unbidden to my mind. How did I know-?
A burly man enters the locker room, "Alright team! This is the championship! No going back from here! We give it our all tonight! Agreed?" Coach. I think before I even realize.
"LET'S GO!" The whole team roars. Including me. But how did I know what to say?
We head out of the locker room, the Coach puts a hand on my arm before I leave.
"Bring your water bottle this time sport? Don't want you getting dehydrated during the big game."
"I forgot it in the car." The explanation is out of my mouth before I have time to wonder where it came from.
"Well..." The Coach looks at a watch on his meaty wrist, "You have a few minutes, run out and grab it."
"But I don't-" The image of a car comes to mind. Red, license plate: YUG- 669, parked across the street. "No problem Coach..."
"Good man!" He gives my shoulder a clap before releasing me.
I head out to the car, my car, shaking my head. Is this real? What's happening to me? Was all of that a dream? Was the accident a dream?
Unconsciously I pull a set of keys out of my pocket and unlock the car door. Leaning across the seat I snag the water bottle out of the cup holder. Right where I always... keep it. I shiver slightly. What's happening to me?
I step away from the car, clutching the water bottle. What's going on?! The squeal of tires interrupts my thoughts. I look up to see a car hurtling toward me.
"No! This isn't how it happened!" I cry instantly, watching in horror as it comes closer and closer until...
OOOOO
Cyborg let out a guttural scream, curling himself into the fetal position. The scream went on and on, until finally Cyborg was silenced, a sound almost worse than the screaming.
"What's happening to him!?" Star begged, dropping to her knees beside his still body.
"His worst nightmare."
"What is he talking about?" Beast Boy asked quizzically.
"What are you afraid of? A simple question with so many answers... But enough of these games. Time to face your fears Titans."
"You're right about one thing old man. This is enough." Cyborg launched himself at the man just as he held up his staff. A blast of black surged out of the staff and zapped through Cyborg. All of the Titans cried out in horror as Cyborg jolted as if struck by lightning. The black abruptly vanished inside his body, leaving Cyborg huddled on the floor.
"What did you do to him?!" Robin demanded as Starfire flew down to kneel beside Cyborg.
Tears glistened in her eyes when she saw him. His eyes were as blank as the guards' had been. A bead of sweat slid down his face and he began to shiver, muttering to himself. With a muffled sob, Star pulled herself away from Cyborg and faced the man.
"Who are you?" She cried.
"I am your worst fears come to life. But most would call me Nightmare."
"What have you done to my friend?" She whispered.
"Forced him to confront his deepest fears." Nightmare responded with relish, "It's quite ingenious actually. The energy your friend now has inside him activates a simple mix of emotions. It tricks your brain into believing what it is seeing is reality. Your deepest fears are unleashed, praying upon your own emotions, until... Well. That speaks for iteself."
"You're a monster." Raven's voice broke through the stunned silence following Nightmare's pronouncement.
"No, no my dear. Just a genius."
OOOOO
The stadium is full to capacity. "Great job dude!" "Kick some butt!" The cheers of my teammates ring in my ears as we wait in the locker room.
"What?" I look down to my hands. My human hands. I gasp in shock, standing to look at my reflection in a mirror. Human. Completely human. No metal. Me. Whole.
Was it all a dream? I wonder in shock. The accident? The Titans? It couldn't have been!
"He's messin' with my head!" I exclaim angrily, slamming my hand into a locker, "OUCH!" I cradle my hand against my chest, wincing at the pain.
"Dude, you okay? You look kind of tense." A blond comes over and lays a restraining hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah man, I'm fine." Jeremy. The name comes unbidden to my mind. How did I know-?
A burly man enters the locker room, "Alright team! This is the championship! No going back from here! We give it our all tonight! Agreed?" Coach. I think before I even realize.
"LET'S GO!" The whole team roars. Including me. But how did I know what to say?
We head out of the locker room, the Coach puts a hand on my arm before I leave.
"Bring your water bottle this time sport? Don't want you getting dehydrated during the big game."
"I forgot it in the car." The explanation is out of my mouth before I have time to wonder where it came from.
"Well..." The Coach looks at a watch on his meaty wrist, "You have a few minutes, run out and grab it."
"But I don't-" The image of a car comes to mind. Red, license plate: YUG- 669, parked across the street. "No problem Coach..."
"Good man!" He gives my shoulder a clap before releasing me.
I head out to the car, my car, shaking my head. Is this real? What's happening to me? Was all of that a dream? Was the accident a dream?
Unconsciously I pull a set of keys out of my pocket and unlock the car door. Leaning across the seat I snag the water bottle out of the cup holder. Right where I always... keep it. I shiver slightly. What's happening to me?
I step away from the car, clutching the water bottle. What's going on?! The squeal of tires interrupts my thoughts. I look up to see a car hurtling toward me.
"No! This isn't how it happened!" I cry instantly, watching in horror as it comes closer and closer until...
OOOOO
Cyborg let out a guttural scream, curling himself into the fetal position. The scream went on and on, until finally Cyborg was silenced, a sound almost worse than the screaming.
"What's happening to him!?" Star begged, dropping to her knees beside his still body.
"His worst nightmare."