I apologize for the hiatus on this fic. Got distracted by some visual novels and other matters. Hopefully this time around, I'll be updating more frequently. Therefore please read, review & enjoy…
CHAPTER 4
"Let's ask her to train with us tomorrow. We need to see what she can do. See what she can do. See what she can do…"
Terra awoke with a start and looked around nervously, only to remember that she was on the couch at Titans' Tower. After she collected herself, Terra rose from the couch and walked over to one of the large windows that overlooked the bay and the city. It was a little before midnight, and the city at night looked beautiful with all of its lights shimmering in the inky blackness of twilight and reflecting off of the bay's crystal clear waters. However the view which was once so fascinating earlier in the day was now lost on the blonde geomancer. She then looked at her clothes which hung on the clothesline, and while they were still a tad damp, Terra promptly discarded her bathrobe and towel and changed back into her clothes. She then headed for the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby level.
"Let's ask her to train with us tomorrow. We need to see what she can do."
Terra closed her eyes and sighed. While she did have her headphones on and while she was nodding off to sleep, Robin's words from earlier that night still reached Terra's ears, and unbeknownst to him and the Titans, Robin's words also struck a nerve since they reminded Terra of…that woman…
"Come along, Liebchen…"
Terra opened her eyes to find herself not in the elevator shaft of Titans' Tower, but in a cold, sterile, high-tech science lab. She then looked over her shoulder to find a middle-aged woman with short graying brown hair and stern brown eyes who was also dressed in a white lab coat.
"Let us see what you can do, eh Tara?"
Terra nodded absentmindedly and walked alongside of the female doctor to an outdoor observation chamber. The doctor took her seat at a console while Terra headed for the chamber's entrance. The chamber door slammed shut and Terra walked into the middle of the field, which was a cold, barren looking area littered with crevices and craggy rocks.
"February 25, 1999. This is Dr. Helga Jace with test subject Tara Markov. Study case G203 commences in 10, 9, 8..."
Terra lowered her goggles over her eyes, clenched her fists and waited for the countdown to finish. At the sound of the horn, she took off running and summoned her powers to cause a boulder to elevate her above the fighting field. Moments after she took to the air, several robot drones also took to the sky and honed into on Terra. Now having to multitask, Terra struggled to keep control as one hand steered her stony 'aircraft' while the other constantly ripped chunks of mountain and earth to hurl at each robot. However, Terra failed to notice that one robot had escaped her line of sight, and the second she did realized it, it was too late. The robot had already stuck up behind Terra and locked onto her with a vise-like grip, and with both of her arms now restricted, Terra and the robot began to rapidly fall back to the ground. Terra's eyes widened since she was several hundred feet up, and she struggled to break free from the robot's grasp. Her mind went into overdrive and she finally managed to summon a column of earth to shoot up from one of the craggy rock forms, effectively freeing her and knocking her assailant off balance. She then lowered the column so that she was only few yards from the earth, and from the safety of her perch, Terra frantically searched for the robot, which was now plummeting downward. After jumping and touching down on the ground safely, Terra quickly used her powers to rip a huge piece of the stone column to snag the robot on its way down and it crashed with an almost sickening crunch. Not satisfied that the robot was truly down for the count, Terra summoned piece after piece after piece of the stone column to flatten the destroyed robot until it was nothing but scrap metal, frayed wires and spilt oil. It was also only then when Tara realized that Dr. Jace had been screaming at her to stop for the past five minutes…
"Tara! That is enough! Stand down!"
Terra hesitantly stopped her excessive assault and the observation chamber door hissed opened. The blonde preteen panted heavily as she watched the doctor slowly make her way over to her and then lifted her googles from her eyes.
"You need to learn some self-control, Ms. Markov."
"Wasn't it you who always told me that the bad guys never show restraint on kids simply because they're kids?" snipped Terra. "Those robots would've killed me if I gave them the chance."
"I know what I told you, Tara, but you still used unnecessarily excessive force to achieve your goal. You also allow yourself to get distracted, which in turn allowed Prototype 207 the opening of opportunity in the first place. Therefore and quite ironically, it was you, or rather your own carelessness which gave your opponent the chance to destroy you."
Hearing this, Terra sucked her teeth, and Dr. Jace glared at her. "Mind your tone, Tara. You asked me when we started your training to be always truthful with you. You need to learn how to take criticism when it's given to you."
"Whatever," scowled Terra as she started to walk away. "I'm not finished," said Dr. Jace. "Tara, you need to stop treating the whole world as if it were your enemy. You ought to know and understand by now that I'm not your enemy. You also need to stop blaming me for your…current state. I strongly cautioned you that my research on geomancy was still in the testing phase. No one tricked or coerced you into using my machine. You knowingly went ahead despite the dangers it could have brought you. At least have the humility to heed my advice and to enlist whatever help I can give you."
Terra stared back at Dr. Jace with hateful eyes, though unshed tears threatened to spill forth. She then turned on her heel and ran out of the observation chamber and back to her dorm room.
That was also coincidentally the last time Terra and Doctor Jace both saw and spoke with each other…
Terra walked along the shore of Titans' Island, the waves lapping gently against the rocks lining the coast. While Terra was most familiar and comfortable on solid ground, there was just something about walking along the beach that was equally soothing. Perhaps it was because it reminded her of her first home which was along the coast of the Belgium Sea. Perhaps it was because it reminded Terra of the simpler times that she spent with her mother…
"I wonder what you're doing now," said Terra to herself, as she telekinetically picked up a stone and skipped it across the water.
"So… I'm guessing the couch was too lumpy?"
Terra smiled lightly as she glanced over to see Beast Boy walk over and then take a seat beside her. After telekinetically skipping another stone, Beast Boy eagerly snatched one up and tossed it, only to watch sink like well…a stone. Terra giggled and after clearing her throat, she "handed" Beast Boy another pebble and encouraged him to give it another go. This time he succeeded, and the stone skipped four times. Beast Boy laughed and touched his arm, massaging his imaginary muscles, causing Terra to sigh sarcastically and then make a face when Beast Boy made a face at her. Before they knew it, the two teens were giggling and laughing like they were the best of friends. Terra blushed and then turned away, embarrassed that she had let down her guard, and even more so that she was getting flustered and even a little attached to a boy she hardly knew. She was a bit worried, because while Beast Boy and the Titans for the most part were friendly towards her, she was still apprehensive if she could really call them her friends. She was still apprehensive that she had finally found a place to call home. After all, she had been searching for a home and searching for true friends for the past four years…
"I can't stay," she sighed, bringing her knees up to her chest. Beast Boy looked at her in confusion.
"Why not?"
Terra shrugged and tried to sound indifferent. "Places to go, people to see," she murmured.
"Come on. You know you wanna stay. We've got free cable, indoor plumbing and all the tofu you could eat."
Terra had to laugh. "Tofu? You sure know how to charm a girl. I..I guess I could hang out for a least one more day."
Beast Boy was ecstatic. "Awesome! We're gonna have so much fun, and I can't wait to see what your powers do when you really come them loose!"
While Beast Boy was talking, Terra smiled, but upon mentioning her powers, she became nervous. Even after four years of having geomancy, she still didn't have full control over her powers, and tomorrow, five of the world's most talented superheroes were going to access her skills? Her very skills that could determine if she too could be a true hero? What would they say if she stumbled or worse yet, fail? What would Beast Boy, who seemed to like her and put all of his trust and faith in her say if she failed?"
"Ooff! Doh!"
Terra's eyes widened. While she was panicking, she had unwittingly unleashed her powers and had levitated the stone that Beast Boy was sitting on. She then lost control of the boulder, which fell into the water and splashed Beast Boy, who had landed awkwardly on his duff. Mortified, Terra shot up to her feet, and was quick to hit the apology button.
"Sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so stupid! Don't tell! Please don't tell."
Beast Boy looked at her sympathetically. "Terra, it's ok," he responded. "You can't totally control your powers. So what?"
'How can he say that so casually?' thought Terra. "Promise me you won't tell anybody!" she shouted. "Ever!"
Beast Boy appeared shocked at her hysterical demeanor. This was the first time since they met that Terra revealed a different side to her laid-back and hip personality, and it unnerved him a bit. 'Nobody's perfect,' he thought. 'Why does she feel that she has to be?'
"Sure."
"Swear it!" she frowned. "Ok, ok!" said Beast Boy, coaxing her to both back off and relax. "I promise, but really, it's no big deal. If my friends knew, they'd still like you."
Terra turned her back to Beast Boy and held her arms close to her chest, the doubt and fear still engulfing her mind and body.
"You just don't understand."
Beast Boy stood silently for a moment and then tenderly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Then make me understand, Terra."
Terra turned back to face Beast Boy head on. Any hint of humor or childishness that made up his very being had escaped him, and he was intently staring at her.
"If I did, you'll never look at me the same way," she said sadly.
"If I told you about my past, would you trust me enough to do the same?" he said softly. "Would you look at me any differently?"
Terra stuttered. She never thought about what could have possibly led Beast Boy down the path he was on. Was it possible that he too had his own demons to fight? Could he really understand why she felt the way she did? Terra sighed and then closed her eyes, silently praying that what she was about to do next was the right decision.