Clash of the Titans by CidGregor
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.
Chapter 10
"…So…she knew…how to free me…for months before now?"
Beast Boy nodded, glaring at the dark girl who flew along about a dozen feet ahead of him and Terra. "Ever since she first encountered Malchior. He taught her a lot. I guess one of the spells he taught her was something that could bring you back…and she hid it from us. Urgh…I swear, I almost bit her head off, I was so mad…"
The two were riding on a boulder wide enough for them to both sit comfortably on, flying quickly toward the quarry where they hoped they could rescue the others. True to his word, Beast Boy had explained to her their previous encounter with Malchior, everything about his current attack, and the spell to free Terra that Raven had discovered and then hidden.
"I don't blame her," Terra said quietly. "You're a great friend to be so forgiving, Beast Boy…but I don't deserve it. Raven has every right to hate me."
"She didn't have the right to hide it from the rest of us that she knew a way to free you!" Beast Boy said. "It was something we all should've known and made a decision on together, like a team!"
"The result would be the same either way," Terra said. "They'd all vote to leave me there."
"Terra, that is SO not true," the green titan assured her. "I can promise you Starfire, at least, would want you free. And Robin and Cyborg, well…they're intense sometimes, but they're not cruel. They wouldn't leave you like that."
Beast Boy saw the expression on Terra's face and realized his assurances weren't working, so he changed tack. "Look, you'll see when we get there. They'll all be happy to see you again, I promise."
"But I betrayed them!" Terra insisted, her eyes growing misty again. "I…I betrayed you. I gave you all to Slade. I gave the whole damn city to Slade! How could anyone forgive me after…after that?"
"You made the right choice in the end, Terra," Beast Boy said. "You stopped Slade. You saved the city. You saved us. And you sacrificed yourself to do it. That means something to us, Terra. No…it means a lot to us. You…you were really brave to do that…we've never seen anyone make such a noble sacrifice…Starfire cried for you that night…heck…so did I…after what you gave up…well, if anyone deserves the chance to start all over again, it's you."
Terra locked eyes with the changeling, shocked and deeply touched. No one had ever told her something like that before…no one had ever showed such positive emotion over her before. It was…a pleasant feeling.
"You…cried for me?"
Beast Boy reddened. "Well…maybe a little…"
She allowed herself a small smile. "Beast Boy…you really are the best friend I've ever had," she said.
"Right back at you, Terra," he said, smiling back at her. "Listen…we'll talk more later, okay? For now, let's haul ass to the quarry and play hero. Just like old times."
Terra took a deep breath and nodded nervously. "Yeah…just like old times…I hope."
"RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWRRRRRRGH!"
A massive hand of rock slammed into the ground just moments after the Boy Wonder had leapt out of its path. Robin launched a grappling hook and reeled himself out of the Earth Titan's range, desperate to catch a breather, but the monster caught up to him quicker than he thought was possible, and after only a few seconds of rest he was moving again.
Star…Cyborg…where are you? he thought in a panic. The Earth Titan had knocked the both of them away and out of sight, and neither had returned to the fight. Robin could only assume that they had been knocked unconscious by the hits.
Which meant Robin was left fighting one of the most powerful creatures in Greek mythology all by himself.
And he was losing.
He reached into his utility belt and hurled a flash bomb as high as he could; it exploded in the monster's face, leaving him roaring blindly. Robin knew the effect wouldn't last for more than a minute or two, so he used what time he had to search for his two missing teammates.
"Starfire! Cyborg! Can you hear me? Where are you?"
No answer.
"Damn…this isn't good…" he muttered. If they weren't answering, they were likely in worse shape than he was…and he was exhausted. Not a good sign.
STARFIRE! CYBORG!" he tried again. CAN YOU HEAR ME?"
"Rob…over here," a deep voice muttered from his left. Robin turned and saw a metallic hand pushing its way out of a pile of rubble. A metallic body slowly followed, covered in dirt.
"Cyborg!" Robin exclaimed, rushing over and kneeling beside the half-robot. "You okay?"
"Unnh…barely," he said. He glanced at the power readouts flashing on his forearm. "I'm running low on juice, Rob…I can't keep this up. Another ten minutes and I'm gonna be dead weight."
"Starfire…did you see…?"
Cyborg shook his head. "No…sorry, man…"
Robin leapt to his feet again and looked around frantically. "Starfire! Starfire, where are you? STARFIRE!"
A stray bit of rubble fell from another pile nearby, the sound catching Robin's attention. He looked over and saw that the fallen rubble had uncovered a lock of red hair.
The Boy Wonder's heart leapt into his throat. "STARFIRE! HOLD ON!"
He ran to the pile of upturned earth and began digging the alien girl out. His exhaustion had temporarily left him; in fact thoughts of the Earth Titan, even, had temporarily left him. Suddenly Starfire was all that mattered.
Slowly he uncovered her unconscious form; her uniform was filthy, her hair was tangled in the rocks, and her body was limp…but the slow rise and fall of her breathing assured the Boy Wonder she was alive, at least. He hooked his arms under hers and pulled her free of the ruble, distantly aware that his flash bomb was wearing off on the Earth Titan. He didn't have much time to wake her up.
"Star? C'mon, Star, talk to me…"
He squeezed her hand gently, hoping for a response, and it was only a few seconds before he got one. She returned the pressure much more strongly than Robin was squeezing, almost crushing his hand.
"…Ow…" he muttered, but was relieved anyway. If her alien strength could still crush his grip, she would be fine.
Sure enough, her eyes fluttered open a moment later, looking at the Boy Wonder. "Robin…?"
"Hey, Star…" he whispered back. "You had me worried for a minute there…"
"I did…?" she said, furrowing her brow. "Oh, I am sorry, friend, I did not mean to cause you concern…"
"It's fine, Star, don't apologize…as long as you're okay…"
Starfire smiled at him for a moment, but it vanished in an instant just then and was replaced by her 'warrior' face. "GET DOWN!" she suddenly shouted.
Robin didn't even think; just reacted. He ducked down as Starfire threw her hands up and fired star-bolts over his head. Robin craned his neck for a look and saw the bolts crash into a huge boulder that was flying toward them, no doubt thrown by the Earth Titan. Starfire fired again and again, until the boulder shattered, showering the two with rubble. Robin swept his cape up and over himself and Starfire, taking the brunt of the raining rocks upon himself and shielding the alien girl from it.
"Unnhh…you all right?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you," she answered. "Robin, I do not wish to sound pessimistic, but all our efforts to fight this creature have failed quite completely. I…I am afraid this is a battle we cannot win."
"There has to be a way!" Robin insisted. "We have to beat this thing! We are the Titans!"
"No, Rob," Cyborg said, limping over. "That's what Malchior was talking about, man. That thing that's kicking our collective butts…THAT is a Titan. Just one of them, man, and it's beaten all three of us without breaking a sweat."
"I am not going to just roll over and die for this thing, Cyborg! There's got to be a way to beat it! There has to be!"
"Rob, it took freaking HERCULES to beat these guys! How in the world are we supposed to stand up to that kind of power?"
Robin sighed. "I don't know…but I'll be damned if I'm just going to give up. That's what we do, Cyborg; we fight. Even when it seems hopeless…we keep fighting."
"Robin!" Starfire shouted, pointing behind him.
Robin spun around on a hair trigger and saw the Earth Titan looming over him, the flash bomb having worn off. Its giant fist was raised high over its head, and was just beginning to swing down.
"TITANS, SCATTER!" Robin barked.
Cyborg was already far enough away that he didn't have to move much, but Robin and Starfire were right at ground zero. Starfire snagged Robin by the shoulders and flew away as fast as she could manage, just barely escaping the fist that slammed into the ground. The shockwave from the impact, however, slammed into her instead and sent her and Robin careening toward the ground again.
"OOMPH!" Robin grunted as the impact forced the breath from his lungs. He bounced, rolled, and skidded along the ground, scraping his elbows bloody. Starfire had yet to hit the ground, but she was falling straight toward the Boy Wonder. He stretched his arms and caught her, saving her from suffering the same injuries.
Cyborg meanwhile was distracting the Earth Titan, drawing it away from the two of them. He managed to lead it the length of a football field away before he felt his mechanical limbs begin to slow, and he was unable to outrun the man-sized boulder thrown by the monster. It struck the half-robot in the back and sent him sprawling to the ground, where his mechanical blue glow faded to black, and he didn't get up again. Apparently satisfied, the Earth Titan turned and slowly began lumbering back toward the Boy Wonder.
But Robin too had reached the end of his rope; every muscle, nerve, and bone in his body was aching, and a sharp pain in his chest made it hard to breath. Starfire didn't look in much better shape, he realized, as he looked closer at the girl lying in his weak arms. She was clutching her forehead with one hand and her side with the other, and dark red blood trickled from small cuts on both.
"Robin…I have taken considerable damage…" she admitted. "It is growing difficult to move without inducing pain…"
Robin could barely summon the strength to answer. "I…I'm sorry, Star…I've let you all down…I couldn't beat this thing…"
"It is not your fault, Robin," Starfire assured him. "We fought our best…and at least…we shall die a warrior's death…fighting to the last. It is one of the greatest honors in all of Tamaran."
"I don't deserve honor," Robin managed to say. "I failed…I failed the Titans…I failed the city…"
"You are not a failure, Robin. Not to me."
Robin craned his neck despite the pain, and looked into her eyes. He managed a small smile. "Star…thank you…you've always been…my best friend…"
"As have you been mine," she said. She glanced at the Earth Titan, watching his slow march toward them, then looked at Robin again. Slowly she took his hand in hers. "Robin…if it is not too much to ask of you…may I make a last request?"
"Yeah?"
"You recall, during our…recent battle with Kitten and the Killer Moth…when I kissed you?"
"…Y-yes…"
"Well…since then…I have…desired to do so again. May I, Robin?"
"Of course…anything."
Starfire leaned forward and slowly pressed her lips to Robin's. And despite the numbness in his body, it warmed him somewhat. He kissed her back, enjoying the sensation for the second…and last…time. It was only a few seconds before they separated, but it was enough. They tore their eyes away from one another to see the Earth Titan looming over them, a boulder in its hands the size of a semi-truck ready to crush the two remaining titans.
"Thank you, Robin…goodbye."
"Goodbye…Starfire…"
Robin squeezed his eyes shut as the monster tossed the boulder at them, and for that last moment, he couldn't help but keep thinking the same thing.
I'm sorry, everyone…I failed…He waited…waited for the end…
…and kept waiting…
When a full five seconds had passed and nothing had happened, the Boy Wonder opened his eyes, and marveled at the scene before him. The boulder was frozen in mid-air about ten feet above the two titans, surrounded by a pale yellow aura.
And then…he heard light, dainty footsteps walking slowly past him…
He looked over and saw brown hiking boots, connected to slim legs. His eyes traveled up and saw yellow shorts…a black t-shirt…blonde hair adorned with blue goggles and a butterfly-shaped comb…
Robin's eyes were as big as baseballs behind his eye-mask. …It…it can't be…Terra held one hand straight out in front of her, pointing it at the boulder, preventing it from falling. She stared unafraid at the monster behind it, almost smirking
"Hey, ugly…ready to fight someone more your type?"