Chapter III: The Journey Begins

Raven looked in both directions when she exited the cafeteria. She was seething; if there was one thing she hated it was being lied to or misled. There was only a scattering of girls roaming the hallways. Raven took a deep breath and closed her eyes trying to focus her senses on finding Terra. It took her several minutes but she divined a direction and quickly walked down the hall.

She exited the building and rose up into the air to survey the campus. Terra couldn't have gotten that far from her. From her elevated vantage point she could take in the whole school campus. After a brief survey she spied a girl with long flowing blond hair quickly entering one of the large dorm buildings.

Raven swooped down to the front door and pushed it open. The ensuing hall was well lit with natural hardwood floors and cream colored walls. She could hear foot steps from around the next corridor. Raven drifted down the hall and around the corner. Terra stood in front of one of many doors along the quiet hallway. She turned and spied Raven approaching her but she did not seem panicked. She reached up and slid a card into the door; a soft click echoed in the hallway as she pushed the door open to her room. Raven landed behind her. "Come in please," Terra gently said without turning to face her.

Terra entered her room . Raven follower her then allowed the door to close behind them. Terra threw her books on her desk and proceeded to her closet. The room was small and sparsely furnished. A small bed, desk, and dresser were placed along the walls.

Raven surveyed the room briefly; there was nothing here that would readily identify this girl as Terra. "Why did you lie to me," Raven demanded.

Terra did not reply. She pulled out a large camping backpack from her closet, threw it on her bed and proceeded to pull different items from her closet and dresser then pack them in her backpack.

Raven became annoyed with Terra's silence. "Why didn't you tell Beast Boy who you really are?"

Terra paused for a second and drew in a deep breath then turned around and faced Raven. Her soft blue eyes focused on her. She unbuttoned her blouse, kicked off her shoes then pulled off her shirt and slid out of her school skirt. Raven suddenly felt uneasy as Terra stood in front of her dressed only in her panties and a sleek white bra.

Terra turned and walked over to her dresser and pulled out a large white t-shirt. She put it on then pulled out a pair of khaki shorts and slid them on slowly tucking her shirt inside her shorts before zipping and buttoning them up. She then sat on her bed and pulled off her socks replacing them with a thick pair of tan hiking socks before reaching under her bed to retrieve a pair of brown boots.

"Where are you going?" Raven asked. Terra's silence was driving her mad.

"I'm leaving," she replied curtly; she looked up into Raven's eyes as she put her boots on and tied them. "If you want any answers to your questions you'll have to come with me right now. Otherwise I'm out of here and I promise that you and Beast Boy will never see me again."

"Where are we going?" Raven demanded.

"Some place where everything will be revealed," Terra said mystically. "Are you coming with me or not?" She stood up from her bed and waited for Raven's response.

Raven drew in a deep breath and considered her options. If she didn't go with Terra she might not see her again. She could hold her here until the others came but that somehow just didn't seem right. After all wasn't she entitled to leave if she wanted to? Her options were limited; if she let her go Beast Boy would never forgive her.

"I'll go," Raven dully conceded.

Terra nodded slightly in approval. "Remember, just you and me, no communicators and no more questions until we get to where we're going. Those are my conditions. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand." Raven was not used to being on the other end of a mystery. It was usually her who offered cryptic answers.

"You'll need to change your cloths. What you've got on now won't be comfortable where we're going," Terra explained.

Raven looked down at her outfit. "I'm comfortable."

"You won't be," Terra replied. "I'll pack some extra stuff of mine in case you change your mind." She went over to her dresser and pulled out several more items of clothing then stuffed them into her school backpack.

"I won't need those," Raven protested.

Terra ignored her then went into her closet to pull out one last thing; a small pick hammer. Raven stared at her coolly. Terra paused then walked over to Raven. "It's a geologic hammer, not a weapon. I got it for one of my classes. We'll need it where we're going."

Raven continued to stare at her. "I'll put it in your backpack if it will make you feel better." She stuffed it in the smaller backpack then zipped it up and handed it to Raven.

Raven looked at it for a moment then took it, slung it over her back then she fished her hands through the shoulder straps. Terra went over to her backpack and finished securing the last of her items then slung it over her shoulders and jumped up to adjust the load on her back.

Terra passed silently by Raven and opened the door to the hallway. Raven sighed then fell in behind her.