Chapter 2: Bad Dreams

Terra's Nightmare:

Terra rolled over restlessly in her bed consumed by dark shadows. She was running much too slowly through a darkened canyon wash; lost, scared and pursued. The dark pack of snarling fangs was closing in on her. She struggled forward out of breath as her legs began to falter. The loud snarls of her pursuers let her know it would only be a short time before she would be taken down. Coyote chases were a constant recurring nightmare for her.

She cried out in terror as the first member of the pack jumped her from behind. The force of the collision caused her to tumble onto her shoulder and roll along the hard dusty ground. She quickly curled her arms around her head as the rest of the pack descended upon her.

Savage barks filled her ears as she felt powerful jaws clamp down on her arms yanking them from her face. Terra could feel her bones break in the Coyotes' powerful jaw. She looked up in terror as a set of glowing white teeth closed in on her face. Foul steaming breath washed across her face as she drew a deep breath and screamed. Her cry was quickly ended as her pursuers jaws closed around her neck and ripped her throat open.

Cyborg's Nightmare:

Cyborg stood silently in his regeneration station. His one eye was closed in deep slumber. His face suddenly flinched as a vision filled his mind. Fluorescent lights covered the ceiling in all directions. Surrounding him were rows and rows of massive computer towers. Tangled masses of wires were strewn between the machines. Their consul lights flashed randomly as they hummed in rhythm.

His friends would never have guessed that Cyborg feared the very gadgets that allowed him to survive his tragic accident. In truth he was always afraid that what was left of his humanity would be consumed by the cold machine parts that connected the leftover pieces of his shattered body. Being surrounded by these machines only made his human part feel more vulnerable.

He began to walk hurriedly though the masses of machines looking for a way out. His heavy footsteps echoed in the sterile room. On his right, one of the rows seemed wider than the others.

"This must be the main route out this place," he tried to reassure himself as his level of panic continued to rise. He broke out into a quick sprint.

The row he chose went on as far as he could see. He stopped short and turned around trying to reorient himself in the maze of computers. That was when he felt something wrap around his leg. Cyborg glanced down and noticed several thick computer cables entangling him. He staggered backwards then fell clumsily onto his back. Other cables quickly snaked across the floor towards him. Cyborg grabbed one in a vain attempt to fend them off. It was too late; several other lines had hooked on to him and accessed his central processor. He felt a cool sensation pass through his body as streams of data began to pass in and out of his systems. Cyborg felt his level of resistance wane. Soon all he could see were precessions of ones and zeros.

Starfire's Nightmare:

Starfire hugged her pillow tightly then thrashed in her bed as a dark vision filled her sleeping mind. She was happily walking through the Tower on her way to visit Robin. She cherished these visits since Robin finally acknowledged their relationship. As she rounded the corner she stopped suddenly in her tracks. The door to her partner was strangely closed. Cautiously she stepped towards the door. Two voices cooed softly to one another from the other side.. Starfire pressed her ear to the door.

"Ouch, that hurt," Robin said in an annoyed voice. "Hey, give that back!"

"Oh, Robbie you'll have to get it back yourself," said a familiar teasing voice.

Starfire gasped in horror as she recognized the voice of her sister coming from Robin's room. She grasped the edge of the door and pulled on it as hard as she could. It resisted her efforts at first then quickly gave way and slid to the side.

Starfire staggered into the room. Her sister was straddled over Robin; her long black hair fell across her bare back. Robin lay underneath her with his hands clasped around Blackfire's wrists as they pinning his naked shoulders against the mattress. Robin looked over at Starfire who stood dumbfounded. He then shot her a sly smile.

Blackfire noticed Robin's attention was focused on the doorway. She released her grip on his shoulders and turned to see what had attracted his attention. Robin's mask clung to her face. Blackfire's naked chest heaved as she drew in several quick breaths smiling fiendishly upon being caught.

Robin's Nightmare:

Robin rolled over onto his back. A soft snore began to fill the room then stopped as darkness took hold of his slumbering mind. Robin was pursuing Slade once again. The pair made their way gingerly through the darkened trash-filled alley. Robin's gasped as Slade began to increase the distance between them.

"No you don't," Robin said to himself; he bore down and tapped into his reserves pushing himself harder. Slade looked back then swung his hand to his side overturning a metal trash can into Robin's path. Robin tried to vault over this sudden obstacle. He caught his back leg and roughly tumbled to the ground as a large crash echoed through the alley.

Robin skidded hard along the pavement. He quickly looked up and saw Slade duck into a side alley. Robin gingerly pulled himself up as he drew labored breaths. His knees and the palms of his hands stung harshly as speckled drops of blood began to protrude from his raw skin. Robin groaned in frustration then staggered forward.

Slade stood in the darkened alley calmly waiting for his pursuer. Robin entered the alley to face his nemesis. He closed his eyes then doubled over gasping for air.

"Well Robin, I guess we meet again," Slade said in his soft seductively voice. "What's the matter? Can't catch your breath old man?"

Robin remained doubled over desperately trying to fill his aching lungs. He opened his eyes and saw his long gray-streaked hair hanging loosely around his face. He stood up and threw his head back then brushed the hair out of his face. When he looked down he noticed his old outfit had been replaced by his night-wing garb.

"I'll never stop chasing you Slade," Robin gasped as he looked back up into Slade's eye. He cried out and charged throwing a wild roundhouse at his nemesis. Slade easily ducked then kicked the side of Robin's knee causing his opponent to cry out in pain and collapse onto the pavement.

Slade turned to his injured opponent. "You don't get it do you." He glared down in contempt. "Evil will always exist. Suffering will always exist. The strong will always take from the weak." Slade's voice rose to drive home his point. "You'll be a hundred years gone and all these things will still exist! There is nothing you can do about it Robin."

Robin grasped his shattered knee. His breaths were heavy and labored. The hair around his face had turned pure white.

He reached over and grabbed a short piece of metal pipe embedded in the alley debris. "NO!" Robin replied defiantly as he hurled the pipe at his opponent. Slade didn't flinch as the piece flew wildly clanging harmlessly against the brick wall behind him.

Every joint in Robin's body ached. He couldn't move. Slade strode menacingly towards his helpless opponent.

Beast Boy's Nightmare:

Beast Boy lay face down on his pillow. His head turned and his arm fell limply over the side of his bed as a bitter vision filled his mind. Sweat poured down his face as he slashed through the jungle undergrowth with his machete. The warm tropical air was nearly unbearable. He looked around trying to recognize any features that would help him find the long forgotten graves of his parents. Their headstone had to be around here somewhere. Beast Boy spotted a gray stone protruding from the wild overgrowth.

He hacked his way towards it then took a few swipes revealing a short obelisk. A few more well placed hacks cleared most of the remaining undergrowth. Beast Boy plunged the machete into the soft jungle soil and cleared the last remaining vines and weeds from the marker with his bare hands.

When he was done Beast Boy stepped back and looked at the naked gray stone that marked his parents' grave. The air was still and sweltering. He stood somberly listening to the soft jungle noises then stepped forward and slowly lowered himself in front of the obelisk. He halted just before he touched it sure some unknown force would thwart him. His hand twitched uncontrollably as he felt something repel him. Beast Boy groaned then shoved his hand out until it finally jabbed forward onto the cold rough stone that marked his parents' grave.

Beast Boy immediately tensed up as a cold current pulsed though his body. He could feel the ground beneath him squirm with a million maggots. Slowly his body began to sink in the writhing mass. He coughed uncontrollably as poisonous vapors of decay bellowed up from the disintegrating ground underneath him. Beast Boy put his hands down trying to push himself away. That was when he felt the cold bony hands of his long dead parents grab onto him. A terrified shriek filled the jungle air.

Raven's Dream:

Raven gasped suddenly in her sleep as a dark shadow crept into her mind. She was having another one of her cursed dreams; she hated dreams. They were always dark and frightening. This one was no exception.

She was a child again in a dark world running from her father. Raven felt the ground beneath her shake as a demonic laugh rumbled across the sky. The icy grip of fear crept over her body as she turned to face her father. He rode towards her on a gray horse with flaming eyes and burning hooves. She watched unable to move as the pair galloped towards her.

The galloping steed slowed in Raven's mind. She watched helplessly as her father closed in on her. Each step the gray stallion took echoed harshly in Raven's mind. The pair would be on her shortly.

Raven then felt something imperceptible flutter lightly by her face. She caught the faint smell of paint as the presence passed her. A thin beam of light suddenly erupted from behind her and shown past her shoulder focusing on her charging father and his unholy steed. Both screamed in agony as the light began to dissolve them. As her father's shadow disintegrated Raven though she saw a pair of cold yellow eyes staring at her.

The light was soon overwhelming. Raven watched as it drove the dark shadows, her father and his mount from her vision. A familiar voice rose up behind her singing a favorite song from her childhood.

"Mother?" Raven's small voice called out as she turned around.

There in the light was the familiar hooded figure of her mother, her arms held open wide and her sweet voice echoing across the horizon.

Raven's eyes filled with tears as she ran forward towards her mother's outstretched arms. In a moment she was consumed by her mother's warm embrace. She buried her head in her bosom. All the familiar smells and warmth came back to her from so long ago as her mother's song washed over Raven driving the last remnants of fear from her.

In the quiet darkness of her room, Raven lay curled in the fetal position on her bed. A sweet smile crossed her face as she let out a light sigh of relief.