Rocky Territory
By Letselina

Chapter Nine
Slade's Plan

She was still in disbelief. How could it be true? Terra's mind raced with possible answers. Beastboy didn't look like he had wanted her… dead. He was crying. Why? Shaking her head, she continued walking into the sun. The bright orange orb rested on the horizon, and the air was beginning to cool. The trees cast long gloomy shadows on the ground, and she tried to put her mind on other things.

Her body ached, and her head was throbbing. How long had she been frozen in her own stony grave?

Why did the Titans want her dead?

She didn't have much more time to think about it, as something broke her pensive mood. Squinting her eyes to see in the bright sun, she noticed pebbles speckled along the path she traveled. They rattled on the ground, as if something large was stomping nearby. Could it be her power?

"TERRA!" bellowed a powerful voice.

Instinctively, Terra spun on her heel, clenching her fists together. Her bright blue eyes widened with fear as she saw her caller.

Anger raged across a gray face. A midnight blue cloak billowed powerfully in the wind. Two pairs of angry red eyes pierced into Terra's.

Cursing under her breath, the blonde began to panic. 'Run.' It was all she could think. That was how she had lived. That was all she knew. 'Run!' Pumping her arms and legs as hard as she could, she sprinted in the opposite direction. Her body protested, and threatened to drop her to the ground. She begged her body to continue, but she could feel herself slowing.

"Stop!" shrieked a higher pitched voice.

At that very moment, Terra felt something hot slam into her body, and she crashed into the earth. Weakly, she rolled over, facing the group of teens.

The two males were pulling Raven back, her raging body fighting against their superhuman strength. Her face was now twisted in an internal battle – one Terra had invoked before.

Just before her stood another member of the Teen Titans. Her long red hair whipped in the wind. She seemed to be struggling with own emotions. Her eyes were sparkling, but their normal vivid green had faded, as if her tears were diluting the color. Her arms were slack against her body, but the rest of her was tense.

"S-Starfire?" Terra's voice quivered with fear.

"You. Killed. Him." Her face was now contorted with anger, making her unrecognizable. She raised her arms, palms facing the blonde as her hands ignited in a glittering green fire.

Terra felt confused. What was Starfire so angry about? She had killed many before – but they had all been accidents caused by her powers. Accidents she didn't want to remember. The only intentional deaths had been that of her supposed master, and herself.

She opened her mouth to speak – but she couldn't make herself voice her question. 'Slade?' It caused her body to shudder, thinking of his name. "What are you talking about?" she questioned. Even if she had meant Slade, why was she so upset? Slade had been the Titan's mortal enemy. They should have been happy –

A starbolt smashed into the ground, dangerously close to Terra's body. "I shall not be fooled by you again!" she cried. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she powered up a new starbolt.

Suddenly, Terra was afraid of death. When she had prepared to sacrifice herself, she welcomed death. She wanted to die. Now she wanted answers. She wanted to live. Her eyes moved slowly to the ground. Praying to a higher source, she closed her eyes. Gold light flared around her fists, and the piece of ground beneath her flew up into the air.

Opening her eyes, she used her power to control the earth beneath her. She did not dare to look behind her, knowing two of the Titans were capable of flight. Zooming forward, she raced over the water toward the horizon, her figure disappearing in the intense rays of sunlight. A familiar building came into view, and her heart raced. A giant 'T' shaped tower; a place she had once called her home.

Passing it quickly, she entered the city, diving deep into the masses of people. Children pointed their stubby little fingers and gazed with awe. Some let out shrieks of joy or fear, laughing with excitement. She could hear the cries of parents attempting to gather their children.

"The Teen Titans!" a mother shouted. This made Terra a villain, and caused the children to run to their parents, all in fear. Why else would the Titans chase her?

"It's Terra!" a man yelled, obviously flustered.

Public enemy number one. The citizens of Jump City seemed to remember her well – as the earthmoving girl who destroyed their homes and caused them to run away. Now the crowd ran, screaming.

Starbolts and blasts of blue sonic waves crashed around her, and she continued to flee. She would have to fight eventually. She had no doubt she would lose. Her body was in no shape to fight, and she knew her powers were limited.

Without any warning, she grasped the edges of the rock, and flipped it backwards, zooming directly at her attackers.

Surprised, the Titans had no choice but to get out of the way. They seemed to think she was a dangerous enemy – no matter what her condition was.

The changeling stared up at the ceiling of his cell. It had only been one day, but he had become accustomed to the small cage of a room. He felt he deserved to be trapped there. He wouldn't mind spending more time there with Gaia and Slade if it meant knowing Terra and his friends were safe.

That wasn't the case, however. He was stuck there, and he had no idea what was going on.

"You be set free soon."

Beastboy's head whipped around, startled. He hadn't realized someone had entered the room again. Gaia stood in the middle of the room, a smug aura generating from his body. She walked toward the cell, a smile playing on her features.

"What do you want?" Beastboy growled.

"Terra will be dead soon," Gaia said nonchalantly, ignoring Beastboy's question.

"What!" Fear overcame the green Titan.

Gaia chuckled lightly. "You are foolish, changeling. Surely, one of the other Titans could have figured this out sooner. Terra will be dead, and the fault will be yours."

"I haven't done anything!" Beastboy argued.

"The other Titans think you are dead. They saw Terra – I mean," Gaia smirked, "– me kill you."

"I'm not –" Beastboy froze in mid-sentence. He had thought he was going to die. Yet, he hadn't. It was all a plot – to trick the Titans. They had to have seen the battle. They wouldn't – couldn't find out that he had been saved. The real Terra was set out in the open.

Now his friends would be seeking to avenge his death… And Terra was in no shape for battle.

"You!" he snarled. His temper rose drastically. It all became clear. How perfect would it be for the Titans to see Beastboy – alive – just as they dealt the final blow to the framed Terra? That would be Slade's ultimate revenge.

"It's not me who planned this," Gaia said simply. She pulled her fingers through a lock of golden hair. She neared the cell, "I've got something much better planned," she whispered menacingly.

Beastboy yelled with anger. "Let me out!" he screamed.

"As you wish," Gaia smirked with glee. She pressed a button on the wall, opening the cell.

Beastboy burst from the cell, rapidly shifting into a green cheetah as he crashed through the next door. He entered a long corridor. There were doors everywhere, but at the very end, there was the exit.

His claws scratched against the cement floor as he sprinted toward the door. Throwing his weight into the last step, he slammed into the door, and it flew open.

Squinting his feline eyes, he stepped out into the sunbathed world. With a slight relief, he shifted into his human form. Inhaling, he filled his lungs with clean air.

Free.

His short relief ended quickly, as he saw many figures ahead. "I'm coming Terra!" he said, shifting quickly.

They were near the area they had first seen Terra when the battle began. Starfire was flustered, and thus, her powers and ability to aim had decreased immensely. Raven, although no longer red-eyed, was having difficulty controlling her powers enough to carry both Robin and Cyborg (since Starfire was hardly in a condition to lift one of them).

Finally, one of Starfire's many starbolts managed to shatter the rock carrying Terra. Exploding in a flurry of dust and pebbles, the blonde crashed on the ground.

Letting out a sharp cry of pain, Terra immediately attempted to stand. Her left arm was limp, and now numb with pain. She had little doubt that it was broken. Raising her right hand, she sent a barrage of rocks at the Titans, attempting to slow them from reaching her so quickly.

Raven had now set Cyborg and Robin on the ground, and flew ahead. Muttering under her breath, a shield of black magic blocked the multiple rocks from hitting her and her friends.

"Terra!" said Robin, who had caught up with the females.

The blonde's eyes had closed, and her fear was once again getting the best of her. "Why are you doing this?" she whimpered quietly.

"I should ask you the same thing," Cyborg growled. His sonic cannon was armed and aimed; he wouldn't miss.

"I didn't do anything!" Terra pleaded. Her mind was still racing with ideas. She didn't know if she could escape again.

"Don't even play that game!" Raven hissed. "You killed Beastboy!"

Terra opened her eyes with astonishment. "What? I did no such thing! Beastboy's alive!"

"No!" Starfire shrieked, letting loose a pair of starbolts.

Quickly, Terra raised her right arm, hoping to block the attack with a wall of rock. Instead, the starbolts smashed into the rocks, blowing Terra onto her back. Pain shot through her arm again, and she felt hot tears trail down her face. "He's… alive!" she whispered. "Why don't you believe me?"

"We saw you kill him!" Cyborg accused. "Don't lie to us!"

"We're sick of your games Terra! This ends now!" Robin roared, setting off the other three.

Terra felt her body rise in the air, but all she could see was the sunset over the watery horizon. White-hot pain shot through her body as she felt her body being torn apart. Fiery blasts from Starfire and Cyborg burned her skin that was ripped from a variety of Robin's weapons and Raven's magic.

"S…top… please…" she begged through tears.

"Stop!"

All at once, the attacks ceased and silence took over. She was able to open one of her eyes; the other eyelid refused to lift. Terra noticed she wasn't on the ground, but in the air. A pair of green gloves held her up by the broken breastplate that had once controlled her.

"You…" Cyborg's quivering voice broke the silence. Terra had never heard him speak like that. There was a strong emotion that she couldn't recognize.

Her eye closed involuntarily. She was so tired. It'd be easier just to let go… and sleep.

"Is it really you?" a frightened Starfire questioned.

"Of course it's me! Why wouldn't it – no…" a familiar voice spoke.

Terra felt the ground beneath her, and realized Robin had set her down. Why had they stopped attacking her?

"Terra…"

She sensed someone sitting above her, then felt someone touch her cheek. With her remaining strength, she opened both of her eyes. It was blurry, and it seemed the sun had reached below the horizon already. The sky was dusk blue, spotted with cotton candy colored clouds.

Then, there was an evergreen figure hovering above her. Two bright green eyes looked into hers hesitantly.

"Beast… boy…" she hardly whispered.

"You're alive…" he bent down, resting his forehead against hers.

A/N: Finally an update! It's rather long, and was originally supposed to go further into the story but I decided to stop here for today. I've had my computer back for about two weeks but I haven't had enough interest to get working on this. I've really lost my interest in Teen Titans – probably because they haven't come out with anything new in months. I had seen everything from The Prophecy to The End part III before school ended, so I've been rather bored.
I'm definitely not doing a sequel anymore, and I've figured that I can end the story within five – ten chapters, depending on what inspires me. I've got about ten days left of summer so I'll try to write a new chapter at least every other day (I got this one done in one day, I should be able to continue this writing spree). This will probably be my last Teen Titans story for a long while.
Please review on your way out! It makes me happy as can be! - Letselina