A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update!! Okay, this episode isn't as comical or action-packed as the last three chapters, but you find out a lot about the Titan's final showdown with Slade and Terra, and there are a couple of twists! Enjoy!!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans (I do own the storyline and the made-up characters!)... If I did, Beast Boy and Raven would've gotten together sooner!
Behind the Mask
Episode 2.
Who sent you? WHO??
Who do you think, Boy Wonder? The person who sent us last time!!
Slade...
Robin awoke in a cold sweat. He wiped his forehead and sat up on the bed. He looked at his alarm clock. 4:38 AM. 'Gizmo was lying.' Robin thought. 'He's dead. No one could have survived that...' But he didn't convince himself. 'Except Slade.'
He found himself looking back six months earlier, when he and his teammates were in the deserts outside of Jump City, where they first met Terra. It would also be the last place they'd ever see her or Slade...
The Titans had Slade and Terra on the run, and the two super villains had traveled deep inside one of the caves. Along the way, Slade and Terra split up and went into separate caverns. Beast Boy and Raven followed Terra while Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire went after Slade. The two villains met up again and that's when the caves began collapsing. Beast Boy ran back inside to save Terra, but he was too late; he saw both her and Slade crushed before his very eyes...
Or so he thought...
Slade was back, and Robin felt it was his responsibility to find out his new agenda. He couldn't put his fellow teammates in danger... he couldn't put Starfire in danger...
Robin lay back down on his bed, thinking of the Tamaranian girl. He looked at the hand that held hers last night and smiled. 'Last night was kinda like the date from hell!' He chuckled to himself, stopped, and shook his head, 'Well, that's if one were to consider it a date. I certainly don't!' He nodded with satisfaction and continued to look at his hand. "What are these feelings?" He whispered to himself. "She's beautiful, she's innocent, she's... Starfire... my best friend... and my teammate." He shook his head. 'Forget about it! Nothing good will come of it! Only complications...' And he drifted off to sleep.
Down the hall from Robin's room, another Titan lay awake in bed. She couldn't get him out of her head. He was all she ever saw and ever thought of, night and day, and it scared her...
She was falling for Beast Boy.
Raven rubbed her sleepy eyes and rolled over on one side. She knew if anyone found out about her secret infatuation with the shape-shifter, she would never live it down. Cyborg was close to finding out... too close... 'I must destroy him!' Raven thought evilly. She shook her head. As tempting as it was, she remembered she was one of the good guys.
Raven didn't like her vicious attitude towards the changeling (although sometimes she couldn't help but purposely piss him off), but it was better than constant blushing and uncontrollable giggling... like Starfire behaved whenever she was around Robin... 'I know I can't tell him. He doesn't feel the same way.' She then asked herself. 'How long must I pretend?'
The next morning at the Titan's Tower, Raven was meditating, Starfire was making breakfast, Cyborg and Robin were playing video games, and Beast Boy was up in his room making a phone call. He plopped on his bed, dialed a few numbers, and waited for an answer.
"Hi, this is Beast Boy, may I speak to Mr. Isle?"
"He's not in at the moment." The nasal secretary replied.
"Any of his associates in?" Beast Boy interrogated.
"Yes, I believe James Fuentes is in. I'll connect you to his office."
"Cool, thanks!" And Beast Boy waited until he heard a gruff voice answer. "Hi, this is Beast Boy regarding the new reality show I'm making."
"Right, right, the Teen Titans show," Fuentes replied.
"Right!" Beast Boy agreed. "My friends are willing to do the show, but they want to get paid, and if they don't get paid, they won't do the show!"
"Everyone wants to get paid these days! Nothing new." Fuentes chuckled. "I'll need to get back to you and see if Mr. Isle can make a deal of some sort."
"Cool dude!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "I mean, thanks!" And he hung up.
Fuentes hung up the phone. He looked at the blonde man sitting in front of his desk. "That was Beast Boy, sir. He wanted to know if we could pay all the Titans. He said if we don't, there won't be a show!"
The blonde man took off his glasses and cleaned them. "Draw up four more contracts. Give the Titans whatever they want."
"Yes, sir, Mr. Isle." Fuentes said, now working on more paperwork.
Isle stood up from his chair and walked towards the exit. "Have them ready by this evening. I'll give them the contracts in person at a dinner party the mayor is hosting. It's to congratulate the Titans for defeating the H.I.V.E."
Robin called everyone into the living room early noon. "As you know, Mayor Moore invited us to dinner last night. Tonight, we're expected to arrive at six-thirty in our finest clothes, and then I realized," Robin grabbed two identical Robin suits on hangers. "These are my finest clothes." Everyone sweatdropped.
"Aw, man, you're right!" Cyborg agreed.
"So, when I told the mayor of our predicament, he came up with a solution." Robin looked towards the exit. "Come on in, guys!" Two men came in with dozens of boxes. Beats Boy opened a box and found a tuxedo. "Sweet!" Starfire and Raven approached the boxes and opened one of them and found a white evening dress. "Oh! It is gorgeous!" Starfire gasped. "Nice." Raven muttered.
"Try them on!" Robin told the girls. "Ooh! This will be joyous!" Starfire giggled as she grabbed a few boxes and grabbed Raven's hand and flew to her room.
Two hours later, the three Titans (and the men who brought in the boxes) were still waiting. "Come ooon!" Beast Boy growled, throwing his arms into a fold. "We picked our tuxes out an hour and forty-five minutes ago!"
"We have selected our dresses!" Starfire announced happily from her room. The Titans returned all but five boxes and sent the men on their way.
"Great! Now it's three o' clock!" Beast Boy looked down at his growling stomach.
Starfire gasped. "You are correct!" Once again she grabbed Raven by the hand and said, "We must prepare!!" And she flew out of the living room with Raven into her room again.
"I meant we haven't eaten lunch yet!!" Beast Boy called after them, rubbing his stomach.
Three hours later, the boys were in their tuxes, pacing the floor, waiting for the girls. "They been in there for three hours, and they're still not ready??" Beast Boy barked, looking at his watch every five seconds.
"C'mon, girls! We're gonna be late!" Robin called.
"One moment please!" Starfire's voice echoed from the upstairs.
Cyborg looked at Robin. "Uh, Rob?"
"Yea?"
"The mask?"
"What about it?"
Cyborg looked around, trying to find the words, "Well, uh... it's just..."
"He wants you to take it off!!" Beast Boy answered Robin bluntly, still looking at his watch.
"Cyborg, you know I can't take it off!"
"And why not?" Cyborg asked.
"Behind the mask, I do have an identity, you know!" Robin reminded the half-man half-robot. (A/N: Hey, I just used my title in the story without realizing!!)
"I know that, Rob, and it would be fine if we were going to a masquerade, but this is a dinner party, man!" Cyborg argued. "You could wear sunglasses!"
"Or those cool glasses with the fake bushy eyebrows and mustache!" Beast Boy added.
"Or you could wear Beast Boy's googly-eye glasses!" Cyborg laughed.
"Look, I'm not taking it off! End of discussion!" Robin snapped. "We are ready!" Starfire announced from the top of the stairs. The boys lined up a few feet away from the staircase. "Raven requests you do not laugh when she enters the room!"
"Do I have to go?" Raven's monotonous voice came from the upstairs. High heels could be heard and they were getting closer to the stairway. The three Titans were shocked to see it was Raven walking down the stairs and not a model out of a magazine. She had her hair up in a lose bun, her eyes lined black, her lips a sheer gloss, and she was wearing a strapless black dress. The top looked like a leather corset and the bottom of the dress was long and silk, covering her black stiletto shoes. She looked at the boys looking back at her as she put on her long black leather gloves. "What?"
As Cyborg and Beast Boy stared in wonder at Raven's transformation, Robin noticed another beautiful girl standing on top of the stairway, but for Robin, Raven's beauty couldn't compare to hers. It was Starfire. Her hair was left down straight and curled at the bottom; her purple eye shadow brought out the emerald in her eyes, and her lips a pinkish gloss. She wore a white spaghetti-strap dress that was puffy at the bottom. She also wore short lilac gloves, a matching lilac choker and high heels.
"Starfire," Robin said. The three other Titans stared at the Tamaranian girl as well. Starfire finally reached the bottom step and asked Robin. "Do I look pleasant?"
Robin smiled and replied, "Better than that." Starfire blushed, and there was a silence until Cyborg looked at his watch. "Hey, we're gonna be late if we don't hurry!" They all rushed out of the tower and into the T-Car. "I call shot-gun!" Beast Boy cried.
The Titans arrived at the mayor's mansion with five minutes to spare. They rang the doorbell, and the butler took their coats and had them wait in the study. As they walked towards the room, there were statues, fountains, and expensive furniture everywhere. The floor was made of white marble tile, the chandeliers gave the room it's light, and the walls were a creamy white (A/N: I rhymed!). As the Titans waited for the arrival of their host in the study, they noticed the large book collection and the huge portrait of a beautiful African American woman who looked a lot like Ali, only older. At the bottom of the portrait was a gold plate that read "The Late Mrs. Madeline Arthur-Moore." Beast Boy found collectibles and antiques on one table in the office. He found one of the bottles with the ships inside (A/N: I dunno if those things have a proper name...'). He picked it up and looked inside. Suddenly, one of the sails from the mini-ship fell over. Beast Boy gasped and put it down quickly. A voice came from the doorway. "Titans, I'm glad you could make it!" It was Mayor Moore.
"Mayor," Robin began. "You're home is enormous!"
"And very beautiful!" Starfire added.
"Thank you," Mayor Moore said. "It's time for dinner." The Titans followed him to the large dining room area. The chandelier in this room gave of a slightly dim glow. On the large mahogany table were expensive china and candles.
"Whoa!" Raven muttered.
"You can seat, like, fifty people at this table!" Beast Boy cried.
"Actually," Mayor Moore corrected. "You can seat twenty. Now where has Natalie gone to?"
"I'm right here!"
The Titans turned and greeted Ali. She was dressed in a light yellow spaghetti-strap v-neck silk dress that went down to her feet. Her curly hair was up, the golden eye shadow brought out her honey-brown eyes, and her lips were a glossy pink. She blushed when she saw Cyborg, and Cyborg's human ear went pink. The mayor's guests slowly entered the dining room and took their seats. Mayor Moore remained standing at the edge of the table, cleared his throat, and welcomed his guests.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for joining my daughter, Natalie, and me this evening. I would like to single out a few people. Our special guests tonight are the Teen Titans." The other guests applauded. "Last night our young heroes took down three of Jump City's criminals and saved my at-first reluctant daughter." The guests chuckled and applauded once more before the mayor continued. "I would also like to single out an old friend of mine. Bruce Wayne, if you could please stand up!"
Robin's eyes went wide and darted towards the other end of the table. A very wealthy businessman with graying black hair stood from his seat and waved to the guests as they applauded. "Bruce and I went to college together. I was in a meeting with him when disaster struck yesterday. I was fortunate to have him stay for dinner. Tomorrow, he leaves for Gotham City." Robin noticed Bruce glance at him before sitting back down.
After dinner, the guests were free to mingle with one another in the lounge. Robin found Bruce across the room, and smiled. "Bruce, it's been a while." He held out his hand for the billionaire to shake. Bruce switched his glass of champagne from his right to his left, took hold of his hand, and firmly shook it. "Robin." He motioned towards the exit. They walked out of the lounge together and went outside in the backyard to talk freely.
"I see you and the Titans have been doing well on your own." Bruce began, making conversation.
"You mean I've been doing well on my own, don't you?" Robin asked bitterly.
Bruce raised a brow. "You in particular? No. You and the Titans are a team, and I would never single you out." He sipped his champagne.
"Yea, now that you know I'm capable of making it on my own!" Robin said under his breath.
"I've always known you would make it on your own. I've never thought otherwise." Bruce replied sternly, now looking up at the sky. His voice softened. "You act as if I don't believe in you." Robin shook his head and apologized. "I'm sorry. It's just when it comes to Slade, I don't handle things very well and I doubt myself constantly."
"Dick," Bruce began. "Everyone doubts themselves from time to time."
Robin continued. "Even after his death I lived my life in constant worry, and then I finally try to relax..." He paused. "Yesterday at the carnival, one of the criminals mentioned that someone had sent them."
Bruce nodded. "You think it's Slade."
"I know it is!" Robin declared.
Bruce placed his hand on his shoulder. "Dick, I know he's put you through a lot of turmoil this past year, but I think it's safe to say he's dead..."
"But that's just it!" Robin interrupted. "No one witnessed his or Terra's death!"
"Terra?" Bruce asked.
"Slade's apprentice." Robin explained. "Long blonde hair, blue eyes, skinny, talks funny." (A/N: HAHAHA!! Well, it's true, isn't it?? Doesn't Terra talk funny??... Hm, maybe it's just me...)
Bruce looked out into the garden, and sipped his glass of champagne. "Interesting."
"What is?"
Bruce looked back down at Robin and replied. "This Terra girl. You say no one witnessed her death?" Robin looked up at him. "Bruce, what are you getting at?" Bruce fixed his tie. "The girl you just described is inside the mayor's house this very moment!"
The other four Titans were conversing amongst one another when a blonde-haired blue-eyed man excused himself. "Hello! Beast Boy, is it?"
"Uh, yea!" The changeling replied. "Who are you?"
"Forgive me!" He extended his hand. "Adam Isle."
Beast Boy grinned and shook his hand. "Mr. Isle! It's a pleasure finally meeting you!" Isle whispered in his ear. "I got something for you!" He held out a manila folder. Beast Boy took it, opened it and gasped. "YEA BABY!" Beast Boy jumped ecstatically in the air. Isle laughed at his reaction. "I'm guessing you're happy!"
"What is it, Beast Boy?" Starfire asked.
"And who is he?" Raven asked.
"Mr. Isle is one of the television producers that will be airing my show this fall!!" Beast Boy replied. Raven approached him. "Beast Boy, remember what I said..." "I know, Raven, and that's why..." He stuck four contracts in her face. "BAM! Four contracts for Cyborg, Starfire, Robin, and you!" Raven grabbed the four contracts and read them carefully as Beast Boy addressed the television producer. "Mr. Isle! Thank you!!"
"It was no problem!" Isle chuckled. "I think the people of Jump City will be interested seeing the lifestyle of their five teen heroes, that is, if you're still willing..."
"What are you talking about??" Beast Boy exclaimed. "There's no question!!"
"Great!!" Isle extended his hand. "We have a deal, then?" Beast Boy looked at Raven, who reviewed the contracts, waiting for her approval. "Well..." She sighed. "The contracts look alright with me." Beast Boy grabbed Mr. Isle's hand. "Deal!"
"Wonderful! Start sending in the tapes." Isle said as he began leaving.
"Well, I have one tape, but I need to edit some things..." Beast Boy began.
The television producer stopped and turned. "No! Don't! I mean," He fixed his tie. "Don't bother. It's part of our job." He waved back at the Titans as he left to chat with the other guests. Beast Boy watched as Isle approached a blonde-haired girl. He touched her shoulder from behind, and the girl spun around. Beast Boy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw her face. It had been months since he'd seen her. He thought she was dead. He reminisced the day he last saw her...
Beast Boy! We gotta go!
No! I have to go back!
Forget it man! This place is gonna go!
NO! I'm not leaving without her!
He was running deep inside a cave, calling her name. "Where are you?" His legs were moving, but everything swept past him in slow motion. He dodged the rocks that were falling from the cave's roof. He heard something in the distance...
... He heard crying...
"Where are you?" He shouted. The sobbing grew louder. He ran further and found the same blonde-haired blue-eyed girl in a metallic suit standing over a dark character. "What have you done to me, Slade??" The girl asked as she kicked him in the gut. "What have you done to me??" She repeated.
"I have made you a stronger person!" Slade replied in his smooth voice, rising to his feet. "I have helped you control your powers! I made you my apprentice! It's everything you ever wanted!"
"The only thing I ever wanted was a home and to be accepted! And I had it with the Titans!" The girl snapped before spin-kicking him to the ground. "And you corrupted me, saying they would betray me. I believed everything you said, and now I have NO ONE!" Her eyes glowed bright yellow, tears streaming down her cheeks. Beast Boy knew what was happening. She was losing control of her powers again. The roof was about to collapse...
Terra!!
"Hey Beast Boy!" Cyborg said, snapping the changeling out of his daydream. "Beast Boy, you okay?" He asked. Beast Boy nodded, still watching the girl from across the room that looked like Terra. "Everyone's leaving to the ballroom! Let's get our freak on!" Beast Boy turned and watched Cyborg leave. He turned back to get another glance at Terra but she was gone.
Robin and Bruce Wayne were still outside, conversing with each other, discussing the mystery that was Terra. "That's not right!" Robin thought aloud. "Beast Boy saw her die!" Bruce shrugged and replied. "It's obvious she survived."
"Bruce," Robin began. "If Terra survived that cave-in..."
"There's a chance Slade survived, as well." Bruce finished.
"Not just a chance!" Robin debated. "He definitely survived!"
"We don't know that!"
"Maybe you don't, but I do! At first I wasn't too sure if Slade could have survived, but Terra's alive, and there's no doubt in my mind that Slade is out there!"
"Now there's something else you have to think about." Bruce said, now facing his once-partner. "Can you trust Terra?" Robin looked up at him. "I can't take my chances. She could still be working with Slade."
"If you'd like, I could be of some assistance from Gotham." Bruce offered. Robin shook his head and smiled. "Thanks Bruce. You've been a big help tonight, but I'll have to pass. Slade's my problem, and I don't want you going out of your way."
"Very well, but my offer still stands." Bruce nodded. Robin walked back towards the mansion, and realizing the billionaire wasn't follwing him, asked, "You coming?" Bruce shook his head. "I have to be on my way."
"Back to Gotham, you mean?"
"Tell Thomas (A/N: The mayor!) I had important business to attend to." Bruce called to the Boy Wonder.
Robin smirked. "Tell him yourself! I stopped taking orders from you a long time ago!" And the Boy Wonder walked inside the mansion without looking back at his father figure.
A/N: Yes, I changed the second season finale to fit the story! Spoil-free! YAY!!
Dear LordoftheBloodyHand: If you are reading this, those flames were anything but constructive criticism, and because you don't respect my wishes as an author, I won't bother "improving my writing skills" to your liking. Don't like my story? Here's a thought: don't read it!! If you "wish for better work", how about you write your own TT's story and get off my back...
...Signed, kiki.
For those who have R&R, I thank you all!! (If missed anyone, sorry!!)
MirandaOtto, LightHawkSentinel, Starxfire, CherubTenshi, bunny133, Rukato86, StormyDreamer, MoonFireFire, StarfireRobin4ever, AzerathMetrionZinthos12, Broken-Mask, AntimatterManticore!
Please review!!
a lot of reviews good reviews = a lot of good reviews = faster update!!