Chapter 2: Stranger Beast Boy gave her a confused look, still not knowing who she was.
"Watashi…Miko Tezumi," the girl repeated slowly, pointing to herself so he would understand.
The confused look still stayed before he stood up. "It still doesn't ring any bells for me."
"Baka!" she muttered under her breath. "Sorry for crashing into you like that," he chuckled nervously. "I gotta go and find Terra," he said before he dashed through the hallway.
The dark-haired girl smiled.
The changeling sped up his sprint through the hallway that was slowly filling with teenagers, trying to make up for the distance that he let be made between him and the girl of his dreams.
He turned another corner when he saw Terra just entering a door and he skid to a stop just in front of it.
He sneaked a peek from the glass pane and saw that her class was already filled with students and he saw her turning her head before she frowned at him and turned back to the board.
An adult's voice began talking in a monotonous tone and he saw Terra taking notes in her notebook and a sigh escaped his throat.
"I guess I'll just wait for her to finish," he mumbled and dropped himself onto the floor, watching the clock on the opposite wall as the seconds ticked by.
How long would her class last?
How long would he have to wait until she'll realize that she's meant to be a Titan?
How long…until she'll realize that he loves her more than himself – much more than the duration of time itself? He didn't know…but he would wait…and watch as the hand of the clock skipped slowly to the next number.
Meanwhile red lights filled the Titan Tower and 4 heroes made their way to the T-Car.
"Cinderblock's on a rampage!" Cyborg informed his team.
"Where?" the Titan leader asked as he opened the door of his side of the car.
"In Jump City Museum," Cyborg answered as he started up the car.
"What about Beast Boy?" Raven asked from the back of her seat.
Robin glanced at her from the rearview mirror. "Now's a good time to talk to him."
She nodded before pulling out her Titan communicator and activating it.
The sound of the bell rang through the hallway and Beast Boy woke up with a start before the classroom door opened and students started walking out.
Beast Boy quickly got to his feet, searching once again for the blonde-haired girl.
And suddenly he saw her rushing out of the classroom with quick steps. "Terra, wait!"
But his voice only caused the girl to speed up and Beast Boy matched her pace before she turned a corner. He turned as well…and was surprised to see that she stopped running, her back facing him.
"Stop running already!" he gasped.
And suddenly he stopped in his tracks when he saw that her shoulders were shaking.
"Terra? Are you alright?" he asked concerned and carefully resumed his approach on her and placed a hand on her shoulder that stopped shaking at the touch.
"I just want you back," he murmured, trying not to scare her.
He heard her sigh before her hands turned to fists – fists that began shaking.
But she remained silent and the changeling began to grow impatient. "Please, Terra! You were happy back then…we all were."
He saw her shaking her head weakly, her hair flowing slightly with her movement.
And suddenly his impatience gave rise to anger and he forcefully turned her to face him.
And a look of pure shock crossed his face as Slade's words from the House of Mirrors echoed inside his ears.
"I'm not the one hurting her. You are!"
Terra's smirk and her glowing hand that pointed at him made him deny Slade's words…but her streaming tears confirmed them.
And before he could tell her to stop, he noticed a crack opening under him, dropping him into an empty void…
"Terra!" he shouted and bolted upright before he blinked in confusion.
The ticking of the clock made him realize that he was still on the floor of the hallway of Terra's school.
And suddenly he realized that his communicator was beeping and his eyes wandered over to the sound.
He looked in surprise when he realized that the dark-haired girl from earlier held it in her hand, looking at the device in confusion.
"Oh, it's you," he mumbled and stood up and she gave him a shy smile. "I think I have to get that," he said, taking the yellow device from her hand before her hand landed on his.
Her hand was small but warm and the shape-shifter looked at her in confusion.
"D-demo…" she mumbled before she pointed to the door of Terra's classroom and Beast Boy looked through the glass pane and saw that Terra had packed away her books and stood up.
"What do you mean?" he asked as he turned to look at her and her smile remained on her face.
"Terra-san," she said simply before he looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Terra what?"
She pointed at the girl behind the glass pane and Beast Boy barely registered something with 'ai' in her flow of words.
"Can't you just speak English?" he wondered and suddenly he felt the sense of familiarity inside of him.
Why did it seem that he knew her from somewhere?
Tezumi put her index and middle finger on her palm of the other hand and made walking motions before she pointed at him and did the same.
"You mean I should follow her?" he guessed and she looked expectantly at him.
He pointed to Terra and pretended to walk and she nodded her head and he felt a smile pulling at his lips before he realized that his communicator was still beeping relentlessly.
With a frown, he turned off the device. "You're right! Terra is more important than some lectures from Robin!"
The door opened and Tezumi stepped back, making way for the students to pass – a certain blonde-haired girl included.
The Asian stared at the girl that kept the green boy's interest as she passed them with quick steps, oblivious that they were even there.
And a smirk played on her lips.
Beast Boy followed the school girl before he turned back to Tezumi. "Thanks, by the way," he smiled and turned back to Terra.
Tezumi smiled after the shape-shifter. "Ja ne."
Meanwhile the 4 Titans were battling Cinderblock in the museum and Robin caught yet another antique artifact as it plummeted towards the ground. "Raven! Where's Beast Boy?" he asked out of breath before the stone giant charged at him and he pulled out his grappling hook.
"First he doesn't answer and now he just turned off his device!" Raven shouted angrily and put the communicator back, ready to continue her attack.
Robin fired his hook and the wire spun around the struggling Cinderblock before he fell.
And to his shock, a Grecian Urn dropped from his stony hand.
"No!"
Just before it hit the ground, the urn floated in dark energy before it floated back onto its pedestal.
Robin let out a sigh of relief.
Unfortunately the relief didn't last long since Cinderblock managed to simply rip the wires off him and Robin began to feel wary.
"What do we do now?" Starfire asked as she evaded a pillar that flew towards her before Cyborg shot it into pieces so it wouldn't damage any property.
Robin flung a flash pellet at Cinderblock, successfully confusing him. "First take Cinderblock outside…and then we'll have a talk with Beast Boy."
Her hair flowed gently around her as her quick steps caused her head to slightly bob up and down and Beast Boy found himself wishing he could race-walk faster.
Why did she run? Was she…scared?
And why did it seem that he couldn't catch up to her?
But he wouldn't let that happen this time!
His walk turned to a sprint and his voice came out louder than he had wished. "Why are you lying?"
The girl stopped suddenly and turned around and for a split second, he thought that her shock turned to fear as she faced him.
And his anger returned, remembering that he was being blamed for Terra's denial.
"Beast Boy?"
"Tell me why you're lying," he said as his eyes narrowed at her and he saw that her face returned to her cold demeanor. "I'm not lying! Now stop following me!"
"Not until you tell me why you're acting like this," the shape-shifter insisted and stepped closer to her and she stepped back to keep her distance.
Was she scared?
He took another step forward and she took one back and Slade's words suddenly seemed to taunt him.
He took another step forward and she took one back before her back hit the wall of the hallway.
And his anger only increased with the fact that she began to look nervously left and right.
But for a moment, nobody passed the hallway and he saw that she swallowed.
"I…just…don't remember you," she murmured when he came to a stop only two steps from her.
His thin line turned to a scowl and her eyes widened for a moment at the look of…hatred? "Liar!" he shouted and she felt herself flinch from the sudden outburst of rage.
"I'm…not lying! I don't…even want to remember you!"
His eyes showed surprise, his rage leaving suddenly. "But Terra-"
"I never want to see you again, ok? Just get out of my life!" she shouted angrily and he found himself taken by surprise.
"No, you're lying!" he said but his words didn't hold the strength they did just moments ago.
"You're lying…to yourself! Don't you see that this is not the girl you want her to be? Get it in your head! I'm not Terra!" she screamed in desperation and dashed away, leaving the shape-shifter longing after her.
And suddenly he had the feeling that she was becoming a stranger to him. He hung his head in sadness…before a hand landed on his shoulder.
A weak smile played on his lips as the dark-haired girl faced him before she passed as well.
And he knew that she wasn't a stranger.
She was… a friend – and with a warm feeling in his heart he made his way back to the Tower.
After all there was always tomorrow.
"Watashi…Miko Tezumi," the girl repeated slowly, pointing to herself so he would understand.
The confused look still stayed before he stood up. "It still doesn't ring any bells for me."
"Baka!" she muttered under her breath. "Sorry for crashing into you like that," he chuckled nervously. "I gotta go and find Terra," he said before he dashed through the hallway.
The dark-haired girl smiled.
The changeling sped up his sprint through the hallway that was slowly filling with teenagers, trying to make up for the distance that he let be made between him and the girl of his dreams.
He turned another corner when he saw Terra just entering a door and he skid to a stop just in front of it.
He sneaked a peek from the glass pane and saw that her class was already filled with students and he saw her turning her head before she frowned at him and turned back to the board.
An adult's voice began talking in a monotonous tone and he saw Terra taking notes in her notebook and a sigh escaped his throat.
"I guess I'll just wait for her to finish," he mumbled and dropped himself onto the floor, watching the clock on the opposite wall as the seconds ticked by.
How long would her class last?
How long would he have to wait until she'll realize that she's meant to be a Titan?
How long…until she'll realize that he loves her more than himself – much more than the duration of time itself? He didn't know…but he would wait…and watch as the hand of the clock skipped slowly to the next number.
Meanwhile red lights filled the Titan Tower and 4 heroes made their way to the T-Car.
"Cinderblock's on a rampage!" Cyborg informed his team.
"Where?" the Titan leader asked as he opened the door of his side of the car.
"In Jump City Museum," Cyborg answered as he started up the car.
"What about Beast Boy?" Raven asked from the back of her seat.
Robin glanced at her from the rearview mirror. "Now's a good time to talk to him."
She nodded before pulling out her Titan communicator and activating it.
The sound of the bell rang through the hallway and Beast Boy woke up with a start before the classroom door opened and students started walking out.
Beast Boy quickly got to his feet, searching once again for the blonde-haired girl.
And suddenly he saw her rushing out of the classroom with quick steps. "Terra, wait!"
But his voice only caused the girl to speed up and Beast Boy matched her pace before she turned a corner. He turned as well…and was surprised to see that she stopped running, her back facing him.
"Stop running already!" he gasped.
And suddenly he stopped in his tracks when he saw that her shoulders were shaking.
"Terra? Are you alright?" he asked concerned and carefully resumed his approach on her and placed a hand on her shoulder that stopped shaking at the touch.
"I just want you back," he murmured, trying not to scare her.
He heard her sigh before her hands turned to fists – fists that began shaking.
But she remained silent and the changeling began to grow impatient. "Please, Terra! You were happy back then…we all were."
He saw her shaking her head weakly, her hair flowing slightly with her movement.
And suddenly his impatience gave rise to anger and he forcefully turned her to face him.
And a look of pure shock crossed his face as Slade's words from the House of Mirrors echoed inside his ears.
"I'm not the one hurting her. You are!"
Terra's smirk and her glowing hand that pointed at him made him deny Slade's words…but her streaming tears confirmed them.
And before he could tell her to stop, he noticed a crack opening under him, dropping him into an empty void…
"Terra!" he shouted and bolted upright before he blinked in confusion.
The ticking of the clock made him realize that he was still on the floor of the hallway of Terra's school.
And suddenly he realized that his communicator was beeping and his eyes wandered over to the sound.
He looked in surprise when he realized that the dark-haired girl from earlier held it in her hand, looking at the device in confusion.
"Oh, it's you," he mumbled and stood up and she gave him a shy smile. "I think I have to get that," he said, taking the yellow device from her hand before her hand landed on his.
Her hand was small but warm and the shape-shifter looked at her in confusion.
"D-demo…" she mumbled before she pointed to the door of Terra's classroom and Beast Boy looked through the glass pane and saw that Terra had packed away her books and stood up.
"What do you mean?" he asked as he turned to look at her and her smile remained on her face.
"Terra-san," she said simply before he looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Terra what?"
She pointed at the girl behind the glass pane and Beast Boy barely registered something with 'ai' in her flow of words.
"Can't you just speak English?" he wondered and suddenly he felt the sense of familiarity inside of him.
Why did it seem that he knew her from somewhere?
Tezumi put her index and middle finger on her palm of the other hand and made walking motions before she pointed at him and did the same.
"You mean I should follow her?" he guessed and she looked expectantly at him.
He pointed to Terra and pretended to walk and she nodded her head and he felt a smile pulling at his lips before he realized that his communicator was still beeping relentlessly.
With a frown, he turned off the device. "You're right! Terra is more important than some lectures from Robin!"
The door opened and Tezumi stepped back, making way for the students to pass – a certain blonde-haired girl included.
The Asian stared at the girl that kept the green boy's interest as she passed them with quick steps, oblivious that they were even there.
And a smirk played on her lips.
Beast Boy followed the school girl before he turned back to Tezumi. "Thanks, by the way," he smiled and turned back to Terra.
Tezumi smiled after the shape-shifter. "Ja ne."
Meanwhile the 4 Titans were battling Cinderblock in the museum and Robin caught yet another antique artifact as it plummeted towards the ground. "Raven! Where's Beast Boy?" he asked out of breath before the stone giant charged at him and he pulled out his grappling hook.
"First he doesn't answer and now he just turned off his device!" Raven shouted angrily and put the communicator back, ready to continue her attack.
Robin fired his hook and the wire spun around the struggling Cinderblock before he fell.
And to his shock, a Grecian Urn dropped from his stony hand.
"No!"
Just before it hit the ground, the urn floated in dark energy before it floated back onto its pedestal.
Robin let out a sigh of relief.
Unfortunately the relief didn't last long since Cinderblock managed to simply rip the wires off him and Robin began to feel wary.
"What do we do now?" Starfire asked as she evaded a pillar that flew towards her before Cyborg shot it into pieces so it wouldn't damage any property.
Robin flung a flash pellet at Cinderblock, successfully confusing him. "First take Cinderblock outside…and then we'll have a talk with Beast Boy."
Her hair flowed gently around her as her quick steps caused her head to slightly bob up and down and Beast Boy found himself wishing he could race-walk faster.
Why did she run? Was she…scared?
And why did it seem that he couldn't catch up to her?
But he wouldn't let that happen this time!
His walk turned to a sprint and his voice came out louder than he had wished. "Why are you lying?"
The girl stopped suddenly and turned around and for a split second, he thought that her shock turned to fear as she faced him.
And his anger returned, remembering that he was being blamed for Terra's denial.
"Beast Boy?"
"Tell me why you're lying," he said as his eyes narrowed at her and he saw that her face returned to her cold demeanor. "I'm not lying! Now stop following me!"
"Not until you tell me why you're acting like this," the shape-shifter insisted and stepped closer to her and she stepped back to keep her distance.
Was she scared?
He took another step forward and she took one back and Slade's words suddenly seemed to taunt him.
He took another step forward and she took one back before her back hit the wall of the hallway.
And his anger only increased with the fact that she began to look nervously left and right.
But for a moment, nobody passed the hallway and he saw that she swallowed.
"I…just…don't remember you," she murmured when he came to a stop only two steps from her.
His thin line turned to a scowl and her eyes widened for a moment at the look of…hatred? "Liar!" he shouted and she felt herself flinch from the sudden outburst of rage.
"I'm…not lying! I don't…even want to remember you!"
His eyes showed surprise, his rage leaving suddenly. "But Terra-"
"I never want to see you again, ok? Just get out of my life!" she shouted angrily and he found himself taken by surprise.
"No, you're lying!" he said but his words didn't hold the strength they did just moments ago.
"You're lying…to yourself! Don't you see that this is not the girl you want her to be? Get it in your head! I'm not Terra!" she screamed in desperation and dashed away, leaving the shape-shifter longing after her.
And suddenly he had the feeling that she was becoming a stranger to him. He hung his head in sadness…before a hand landed on his shoulder.
A weak smile played on his lips as the dark-haired girl faced him before she passed as well.
And he knew that she wasn't a stranger.
She was… a friend – and with a warm feeling in his heart he made his way back to the Tower.
After all there was always tomorrow.