Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

Stone Hearted 3

My Name is Mud

Once Raven got enough energy (or at least she thought she had enough) she set out for Terra's statue. She had the spell memorized and did not have to rely on the Azarathian spell book. She had to believe in her powers. Raven rested on the ground in front of Terra and locked eyes with her for a moment.

"Don't make me regret this, Terra," Raven muttered.

Raven paused as if waiting for Terra to answer and she took in a deep breath. Raven lifted up her hands and chanted the spell.

"Azarath Hazback Weknah Polav Nevikai Mavex!"

Two jets of black energy came from Raven's hands. The energy blasts circled around Terra's statue like sister tornadoes and then engulfed her body. More and more black energy came from Raven and seeped into Terra. Raven grunted and felt her power drain away slowly yet she did not let up. She had to use all of her energy. She could not give up. It became a struggle for Raven to keep her arms up. Raven did not know why it was so difficult. Perhaps Terra was putting up a fight or perhaps it was the first time Raven had ever tried the "Increased Weakness" spell. Then Raven's strength waned down and her arms dropped side. Raven moaned; fell to her knees and onto her face. Raven had used up all her strength but Terra remained standing as if she hadn't been touched.

Raven woke up about half an hour later with a tremendous headache. She had to fight to open her eyes and it took a while for them adjust. Grunting, she pushed herself up on her arms and raised her eyes at Terra's stony form.

"Nothing," Raven croaked, "I wore myself out for nothing."

Raven tried to push her body up but failed. Raven gave herself a minute or so to gather her bearings and reaching for Terra's stony legs, Raven let out a grunt and used Terra's statue as support to stand back up. Her hands climbed up onto Terra's body and came to rest on Terra's shoulders. Raven thought it was ironic given how much she hated Terra—she was using her as support. She laughed then groaned. It hurt to laugh. It hurt to speak. Raven tried to fly back to the tower but she was too tired to do so. She couldn't sink into the ground and appear back into the tower. After using all of her strength to use the spell, she didn't have enough power for herself. She had to walk back to the tower—if she could manage it.

Raven stepped back and grabbing her head, stumbled back to the tower. Her friends looked at her in concern when she arrived.

"Raven, what's wrong?" Robin demanded, thinking that she was attacked. "What happened?"

"It's nothing," Raven murmured, "just have a headache. I'm going to my room. Please don't disturb me."

Halfway to her room, she stopped and shook her head. She felt dizzy. If she walked all the way back to the tower, she could make it to her room. Her body was about to give out when a pair of arms caught her.

"You know, Raven," said Beast Boy, "I've seen you looking better. Let me help you to your room."

"You don't--," Raven began but there was no point in protesting. Beast Boy put his arm around Raven and led her onto her room. She leaned into him without realizing it. The green titan felt so warm.

"You sick?" Beast Boy inquired. "You want something? Maybe I should take you to the infirmary instead…"

"I'll be fine," Raven muttered, "I just need to lie down."

Beast Boy stopped at Raven's door and looked at her. "Um, is it all right if I come in?"

"I don't care," Raven groaned, "just don't touch anything."

Raven felt Beast Boy's ribs rise up as he laughed. "I think I learned my lesson the first time I came into your room, Raven."

Beast Boy pushed open the door and walked Raven into her room. He took a quick glance around. "Looks about the same," he commented and he walked Raven to her bed and she sat down.

"Thanks, Beast Boy," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he said, "You sure there's nothing else I can do?"

"Positive," Raven fell onto her bed.

"Well, all right," Beast Boy said and he walked toward the door. Raven sat up.

"Wait—Beast Boy."

"Yeah?"

"You knew Terra better than anyone," Raven said and Beast Boy nodded. "Did you know what her weakness was?"

Beast Boy didn't answer right away. He looked at Raven as if the question bothered him. "Why you wanna know, Raven?"

"Because maybe if we knew her weakness," Raven said thoughtfully, "we could've helped her more."

Beast Boy sighed and shook his head. "She never told me her weakness. But if you want my guess---it was her power."

"Her power?"

"Yeah," Beast Boy said, "she was afraid of her power because at first she couldn't really control it. Then when she was able too…I guess it kind of took her over."

"Okay, thanks Beast Boy," Raven said, "that's all I needed to know."

"Sure," Beast Boy said. He was still curious to know why Raven was asking him about Terra. He didn't say anything but he lingered by the door, waiting for her to say anything. Raven laid back down and turned on her side.

"Please shut the door when you leave," she stated.

"Oh, sure," Beast Boy murmured, "I hope you feel better, Raven."

"Thank you."

Beast Boy exited Raven's bedroom and closed the door behind him. Why did Raven ask Beast Boy about Terra's weakness?

--

It took some time for Raven to recuperate. While the Titans went out on missions, Raven stayed at the tower. She mediated, ate and slept and hardly ever left her room. It was the start of spring and then one night, it rained—a lot. It rained more that April night than the night Beast Boy got all wet while sleeping at Terra's statue. Thick raindrops splattered onto Terra's stony face and trickled down her body. As the rain continued to fall on the statue, cracked formed in Terra's statue and slowly turned it into mud. Terra was no longer stone. Terra's fists clenched and unclenched. Her arms fell to her sides, her knees gave way and she fell off of her platform, coughing and gasping. Specks of ash and dirt escaped her mouth as she coughed. Terra could not see. Mud was in her eyes, in her hair—everywhere. She lifted an arm to wipe her eyes, with little good it did. Terra looked around her surroundings.

"W-where am I?" she wondered out loud. Her voice was small and scratchy. "H—how? Aaah!"

She put both hands to her head. It felt like it was going to split open. Her whole body was achy. Why was she in so much pain? It hurt to think, to move. Terra fell onto her stomach and cried. The pain hurt so much. She felt like she was going to die. He felt sick. Her tears washed the mud away from her eyes and she was able to see a little bit. Terra saw something out of the corner of her eye. It was some sort of stony slab with writing on it. Terra pulled herself to the stone slab and ran her finger over it.

TERRA

"Terra…that's…that's me…" she murmured, "I'm Terra."

A TRUE TITAN

A REAL FRIEND

"True titan?" Terra asked herself. "Real friend…what does…aaah!"

Again, it hurt to think. She saw flashes of something in her mind. None of it made any sense. It just hurt like hell. She dropped the stony slab, grabbed her head and into a fetal position. Her head hurt. Her body hurt. Her heart hurt and she did not know why. She remained shaking, sobbing and groaning in pain and frustration and confusion until her mind cleared. Terra gasped for breath and pushed herself on her knees. The tears washed some of the mud out of her eyes and down her cheeks. Terra picked up the stony slab again. Though it hurt to look at it, that slab of stone was the only key she had to her identity, her past and how she got here. She had to get away from this place. She needed some fresh air, something to eat and a place to rest. That would do her some good. Clenching the slab of stone in her muddy hand, Terra limped drunkenly toward the city. She passed a couple of streets and nothing really stood out to her. She felt like she had to know them. Why couldn't she remember anything? Every so often she stopped to lean against a building and catch her breath or regain her bearings. Terra glanced up at the rain coming down on her. It was late and the storm was going to continue all through the night. There was nothing she could do now. She would have to find shelter somewhere.

Her legs somehow led her to an abandoned fun fair. For some reason, she felt like she had come to this place before. She walked to the Ferris wheel, the bumper cars and all the games and rides. She kept seeing images of herself with longer hair, wearing a black long-sleeved midriff top and yellow shorts and in every one of those images she saw a guy with green skin and hair wearing a black and violet suit. When she looked at the Ferris wheel, she saw another figure. It was a tall man in half copper half black mask. She screamed. The man scared her. Terra grunted and shook her head. The images hurt. Why was she thinking this? Were they really memories? Did she really go on a date to this place or was that all in her mind? Terra walked away from the Ferris Wheel and entered the House of Mirrors. It gave her shelter from the thunder and the rain and she gave a soft sight. Terra approached a mirror and was shocked at the state of her. She was covered in mud head to toe, her blond hair looked like it had been chopped off viscously. White wraps were hanging from her arms and legs and her stomach was bare. Her skin was covered in bruises and scratches.

"What—what happened to me?" she demanded herself. "How did I get like this?"

Laughter suddenly filled the house of mirrors. Terra screamed and turned around, dropping the slab of stone.

"W-who's there?"

The laughter continued but Terra couldn't find anyone.

"Just me, Terra," said a voice.

She turned back around and put her hands to her mouth. She was looking at her self but she looked different somehow. Her new reflection had long hair and she was wearing the same outfit as Terra, but it wasn't falling apart. Terra's reflection was wearing a sly smile and her arms were folded.

"You're…me," Terra murmured.

Terra's reflection scowled. "Don't insult me. I'm not weak like you."

"What are you talking about?" Terra asked.

"You really have forgotten, haven't you?" Terra's reflection laughed. "All right, I'll tell you what happened. You thought that you could be a Teen Titan but that wouldn't work. You don't know how to be on a team. You were always alone because nobody wanted you. From the day you learned of your power over Earth you thought you could be a superhero. Only problem was that you're not superhero material, Terra."

"I have powers?" Terra looked at her hands.

"Yes, they're amazing when you know how to control them—but that's right—you had trouble controlling them, didn't you?" Terra's reflection snickered. "You tried really hard at being good but something always went wrong. Remember that earthquake you started when you were just trying to help make irrigation ditches? What about the time you made the landslide? So many times your powers got out of control. Then you met the Titans and you got some silly idea that you could be on a team, that they would want anything to do with Terra the Terrible!"

"You're lying," Terra muttered.

"Truth hurts," Terra's reflection spat, "but you met someone willing to help you. Slade. Our power of geomancy no longer had control over us but you had full control over it. You could do anything you wanted. Of course, it came at a price. Slade wanted you to be his apprentice and take down the Titans—which you did."

"I—I couldn't! They were my friends, weren't they?"

"You had no friends, Terra," Terra's reflection said coolly. "And you never needed them. You always had yourself and your power. And you had Slade of course. You brought a city to its knees. You turned the whole place upside down. Victory was yours—and what did you do? YOU THREW IT AWAY!"

The eyes of Terra's reflection glowed yellow and it seemed that the earth moved.

"You pathetic little traitor!" Terra's reflection shouted. "Slade made you the person you are now and then you betrayed him. You were never able to do half the things you did before you met him! You could've ruled the world, you know! And you killed him!"

"I...killed him?"

"You made a volcano and then you stopped it from erupting. Volcanoes are supposed to erupt, you fool. This whole city would've been destroyed. It'd be nothing but ash but no you just had to play the hero, didn't you?"
"I…I remember now," Terra said, grabbing her head. "I really did all those things. I betrayed the Titans. I hurt Beast Boy and—"

"Beast Boy—ha—you bring him up? He was weak."

"Shut up!" Terra snarled. "I'm not listening to you anymore!"

"There's nothing you can do, Terra," Terra's evil reflection hissed, "I'm a part of you. I represent the kind of person you could've been."

"You really are pathetic," said another reflection of Terra. This Terra was wearing the black and yellow Titan's outfit. Her hands were on her hips. "You really thought that Beat Boy would still be your friend after you broke his heart?"

"But—but—" Terra moaned.

"And you should've known that Slade wouldn't help you for nothing!" said a third Terra, this one wearing cut off jean shorts, and a gray long sleeved shirt under a black and gray top. "You believed him? You believed he would actually help you? The Titans told you he was bad news!"

"Well, Beast Boy broke his promise and…"

"That's why we shouldn't have stayed at the Titans!" The gray-sleeved Terra exclaimed. "You always knew how to look out for yourself before. You knew they were going to find out, even if Beast Boy didn't tell them."

"I…I…" Terra mumbled.

"You're a loser!" shouted the gray-sleeved Terra.

"You're a traitor!" hissed Terra the Titan.

"You're a murderer!" snarled Terra the Apprentice.

"Stop it!" Terra cried. "I didn't mean to do any of it!"

More Terras appeared in the mirrors, pointing at Terra and calling her names.

"Liar! Coward! Loser! Traitor! Murder! Menace! Liar!"

"That's enough!" Terra shouted at her reflections. " Enough!"

Terra's eyes glowed yellow for the first time in months. Waves of yellow flowed down her body and into her hands. The ground began to shake and break apart, leading cracks to the walls and breaking the mirrors. Using her power over earth made Terra tired and it hurt but she did not let up until every mirror was broken. Yet the voices lingered in her head. Terra wished she had not remembered what happened. In a panic, Terra ran out of the House of Mirrors. Now it was all clear, every single detail that she had done. She never should've believed Slade. She shouldn't have become his apprentice. She shouldn't have betrayed the titans. She never should have even met them. She should've just walked away after she took down that giant scorpion. She was stupid to even think she could be like them. None of this would've happened if she had just wished them a nice day and went back to her cave. She really felt like mud. After lingering at the exit of the House of Mirrors to cry for a moment, Terra walked away from the carnival.

A gang of bikers were approaching the carnival as Terra was leaving, one of them being none other but Johnny Rancid. Terra groaned. She didn't want any trouble.

"Look, Rancid, the circus left behind a freak!"

"Who's she…the mud lady?"

"Well she's better looking than the bearded lady, that's for sure."

"Hey, sweetie," said a blond girl sitting behind Johnny Rancid. "That whole thing about mud being good for your pores is a myth. You know that, don't you?"

It was Kitten. She may had been still together with Fang but he had a spider for a head. She pretended to stay together with him just because her dad was trying to find a way bring his gorgeous face back. In the mean time, she was playing hooky with Johnny Rancid.

"Oh, it isn't?" Terra said in mock surprise. Her eyes glowed yellow once again as she pulled the mud off her face and arms. She tried to get all the mud off of her but for some reason, she couldn't remove it all. Was it the water in the mud? Was it because of the rain? Was it because she hadn't used her powers in so long?

Somehow, Terra managed to fling a ball of mud at Kitten gasped at first and then she started shouting Terra.

"Come back here, you! Look at what you did!"

"Let's teach this girl some manners," Johnny Rancid snarled, rising from his motorcycle and the other bikers followed him. Kitten moved up on the motorcycle to examine her face in the mirror.

"She's going to pay for this!"

Johnny and the bikers circled around Terra. Terra stopped and looked around.

"Just leave me alone," she muttered, "I don't want any trouble."

"Too bad, baby," said a biker with an earring. "Because we're going to give you some."

The biker walked up to her and grabbed her arm.

"Don't call me baby!" Terra shouted. "Let me go!"

Terra attempted to use her powers again but it was difficult in the rain. All she managed to do was lift up pebbles and fling them. Terra then tried to pull her arm out of the biker's grasp.

"I like my girls dirty," leering at Terra as he approached her.

"Back off!" Terra snapped. "Leave me alone!"

Terra managed to get the ear ringed biker's hand off her wrist by kicking him in the nuts. He winced, grabbed himself and fell down.

"Stupid…"

"Someone help!" Terra yelled.

"Go ahead and yell," Johnny said, "no one's coming to save you. No one can hear you."

"Get away from me!" Terra snarled.

Johnny brought out a chain, circled it around his head and flung it at Terra's arm. Terra shrieked and backed up. Just as the chain almost went around her arm, a figure clad in black and green landed right in front of her. On her back was a staff that resembled a rose. Terra recognized her, barely.

"Black…Rose?" she murmured.

"We'll talk later," Black Rose hissed just as Johnny's chain circled around her thorny arm. She yanked her arm hard, pulling the chain and Johnny with it. She punched Johnny in the face and he went down.

"You boys want my friend here then you'll have to get through me first," Black Rose said, whipping out her staff.

The bikers attacked Rose but none of them could touch her. She ripped up their outfits, gave them black eyes and broken bones. Terra watched Rose fight, amazed. Had she always been that good? Once every biker received enough damage, they ran for it.

"That girl's crazy!"

"Let's get out of here!"

The bikers jumped on their bikes and sped down their street. Terra approached Black Rose.

"Th-thanks," Terra stammered, "I thought I was a goner."

Black Rose turned around and kicked Terra right in the stomach. Terra cried out as she fell on her back. "Hey…what the?"

"Don't thank me just yet," Black Rose said, bringing her staff down into her face. "I only saved you so I could get you alone. I didn't want them to kill you because I'm going to do it."

"Kill me?" Terra gasped. "W-why?"

"We have a score to settle, Terra," Black Rose said. "I've waited a long time for this. Prepare to die!"

TO BE CONTINUED