Terra never did get around to going to China, like she had planned. Every time she tried, Starfire would drag her to the 'Mall of Shopping', or Beast Boy would bashfully ask if she'd like to play a round of Zombies Ate My Neighbor's Friend's Cousin's Maternal Great-Aunt's Favorite TV Star's Former Pizza Delivery Guy's Third Cousin Twice Removed's Dog 3: The Special Revised Edition (1) on the Gamestation with him, or Robin would invite her to a training session, or Cyborg would insist that if she left now, he'd never forgive her for wrecking his car - that she had to stay and help him work on it, to prove that she was really sorry. Before she knew it, a month had passed and Terra found herself no closer to leaving or joining the team.
She knew that the team didn't fully trust her. Raven especially, but also Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire. She knew that she had done nothing, as of yet, to really earn their trust. They locked her into the Tower whenever they left for a mission. Terra never fought against that decision - it had been her idea, after all. They did give her a communicator. All of them knew that there were villains the Titans couldn't handle, and if they needed help she could be there in a matter of minutes.
That villain came almost two months after Terra began her stay.
"Terra! We need your help. Corner of Fifth and Main," Robin said grimly.
"I'll be there in three minutes, tops," Terra promised. Robin nodded once, told her the unlock code, informed her that it would be changed at midnight, and cut off the connection. Terra unlocked the front door, hauled a boulder into the air, and sped toward the battle site. She was elated. She had always enjoyed fighting alongside the Titans. It was nice to have someone to rely on if you needed help.
The city grew progressively more ruinous as she approached the intersection of Fifth and Main streets. When she caught sight of the villain, however, her heart stopped. Terra went numb. She hurtled recklessly toward the laughing figure, who was batting the Titans' best efforts away as if they were nothing. Terra crash landed beside the new villain, stumbled, and then shouted.
"Rhea!"
Time froze. The Titans were shocked into stillness by the sheer emotion in Terra's voice. Sorrow, glee, confusion, awe, fear. The villain had stopped because the Titans had. Now she turned, her long brown hair swaying gently, her purple heart-shaped hair clip sparkling just as brightly as her bright, emerald green eyes.
"'Lani! I knew you'd come eventually! Gimme a hug!"
Rhea was wearing Slade's uniform. Terra shook her head, backing away as Rhea approached, arms spread wide.
"Don't be silly," Rhea scolded, grabbing Terra's arm and pulling her into a hug. "It's been a long time, 'Lani! Seven, eight years? How old are you?"
"Sixteen," Terra answered automatically. She remained stiff in Rhea's embrace.
"Is that so? No, you can't be sixteen! I'm only eighteen. Well, I guess you've been alive longer than I have. So I'm twenty-six, am I? Hmm... Ah, 'Lani, I'm so happy to see you!"
"You're working for Slade," Terra said quietly, her voice trembling.
Rhea released her and looked down at her outfit. "What? Oh, no, I just liked his style. Snazzy, isn't it?" She turned, modeling for Terra. "Anyway, now that you're here, we've gotta go. Come on!" Rhea smiled a genuine smile, but Terra backed away again, shaking her head.
"You're dead," she whispered, oblivious now to the eyes of the Titans on her. "You're dead... You're dead..."
"Hm? Well, from what I've heard, so were you. Apparently, your powers can't make people stay dead," Rhea drawled. She cocked her head, pondering. "I wonder why?"
"S-stay away from me!" Terra yelped, breaking the street to aid her and turning to flee. Rhea laughed and pulled up beside her on a similar chunk of pavement.
"I can do that too!"
Barrages of small- and medium-sized rocks and stones pelted Rhea. As suddenly as they had appeared, they turned back toward Terra. Rhea yawned, casually flipping her wrist as if conducting an orchestra. Terra dodged. She glanced back at the Titans for a split second. They stood in shock at the striking resemblance between their friend and this new villain. Beast Boy was, of course, the only one who knew that Terra had a sister. He wasn't dumb. He could only stand there, wide eyed, struggling to take in the fact that they had been fighting a dead girl.
"Useful, these powers. Aren't they, 'Lani? You won't kill me so easily!"
"You're dead," Terra continued to mutter. "Leave me alone. Just leave me alone!"
"Aw, 'Lani, I'm hurt! You don't like me anymore? I missed you! Come here." Rhea drifted close enough to grab Terra's arm and pull the smaller girl onto her mount. Rhea made a move as if to hug her, but at the last moment twisted Terra's arm painfully behind her back with one hand and grabbed her neck with the other. The maneuver was professionally executed and, within seconds, Terra was helpless. The former Titan writhed and squirmed, trying to get away.
Rhea returned to float near the Titans. To her horror, Terra saw the street beneath them turn to quicksand and swallow the Titans up to their necks before turning solid again. Of course, they fought to get free. But no matter what they did, Rhea made it so they couldn't get free. Raven shot Terra a furious glare.
"Do anything - try to get away, try to use your powers, anything - and I'll kill them. Don't think I won't," Rhea whispered in Terra's ear. To the Titans, she called: "I'm gonna borrow 'Lani for a while! You probably won't see her for, oh, a couple years at the very least. 'Kay? Kay! Bye-bye!" She turned and the rock began speeding away. Terra heard Beast Boy calling her, but she didn't dare move. She had already killed herself once for them! She wasn't going to let that be in vain now... even if she wasn't dead anymore.
At first, Rhea didn't go far. Just to an alley near Jump City Airport, where she had obviously stopped before. Two backpacks waited there. Rhea landed and released Terra.
"I can kill them from here," Rhea warned, "so don't try anything."
Terra was silent. Rhea grabbed the backpacks, tossed one at her, and opened the other. She pulled out a tee shirt and a pair of jeans, which were slipped on over her Slade-style uniform. Curiously, Terra opened her backpack. It was empty save a small paperback book.
"Come on, 'Lani! We've got a flight to catch in about half an hour, and it'll take that long to get cleared and everything!"
"Flight? As in, on an airplane?! To where?!"
"Home, where else? Let's go already!"
---
(1) An ongoing inside joke... Sort of like "His skin is cold... like plastic!" ZAMNFCMGFTVSFPDGTCTRD3:TSRE (whoo! That's a doozy!) is actually based off of a real video game called Zombies at my Neighbors.