CHAPTER 5
"If I told you about my past, would you trust me enough to do the same? 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.
"I was born in a tiny shack in Europe," she started hesitantly. "My parents weren't married to each other, and while they never came out and said it, I know they look at me as an accident, an 'oopsy –baby'. My folks and their peers all looked at me like I was a freak, that I didn't belong in their world. Then came the time when my parents during one of Dad's visits told me that my mom and I we're going to have to leave for the States. They tried to convince me that it was because things were getting dangerous there and that a war was coming, but I wasn't an idiot. I knew there was more to that story. It was right around that time that I heard of this local scientist who was performing some sort of secret experiment that would allow humans to manipulate rocks and the very earth. Such powers would make a person truly a force to be reckoned with, and I wanted that power. I wanted that power to make my parents – and my country – proud of me…"
"So, what happened?" asked a spell-bound Beast Boy. Terra shook her head and clinched her fists.
"I'll be damned if I actually knew. What I do know is that after sneaking into the doctor's lab and using her technology, I could now move, alter and manipulate anything that was made out of rock, dirt, and or sand. It was also very wearing on my body, and despite undergoing intense training, I didn't feel like I was getting any where with it. I also didn't see eye to eye with the doctor whose machine granted me my powers. That plus the fact that my broken family was falling even further apart convinced me to strike it out on my own. I packed up my things, and set out into the world. Saw a lot of sights, and met a lot of folks from Belgium, France, Ireland, Canada and of course here, but I could never really feel at home in one place for very long. I just…had to keep moving…"
Things grew silent between the two teens, the only sound coming from the call of the seagulls and the waters of the bay splashing against the coastline.
"I wasn't born with my powers either."
Terra looked at him in disbelief. "What?"
"I..had gotten very sick as a kid. My parents were really talented doctors and scientists, and I had gotten a disease in which no man has ever survived from. In order to save my life, my parents used an experimental medicine. I was fine after that, well, if you count turning green and being able to change into the shape of any animal or insect as being fine."
"Do you blame your parents for it?"
"I don't know," said Beast Boy sadly, taking another stone and skipping it across the water. "On one hand, what they did saved my life, and on the other, it changed my life forever. Then again, they cared enough about me to do what they did. They lost some credibility in the science and medicine field for what they did was ethically unsound, and they got a lot of flak from other people when they saw me. Still, they took things pretty well. Only makes me wish even more that I could've returned the favor."
"Returned the favor?"
"…They died in a boating accident seven years ago. Had I kept a cool head, maybe shifted into a hippo or a crocodile or…something…"
Terra hesitantly rested a hand on his shoulder. "Hey…"
Beast Boy turned to look at her. He looked to be on the verge of tears.
"You were only a kid, Beast Boy, and under the circumstances, even an adult or a superhero would've found it hard to keep a cool head and just leap in to the rescue. It wasn't your fault."
Beast Boy nodded and wiped his eyes. "I know. Doesn't make it hurt any less though."
Terra nodded. "If it's any consolation," she said timidly. "I know your parents would be, no, are proud of you. You do so many cool and brave things, Beast Boy, and you're a funny and great guy."
Beast Boy smiled. "Thanks, Terra. You're pretty cool and brave yourself if you've travel around the world on your own. That's why I know that tomorrow you'll ace the training session. I know you can do it."
Terra smiled at Beast Boy, then shivered slightly. "It's getting cold out here."
"Yeah, and it's getting late. We better hit the hay if we're going to be ready for meeting the others at nine."
Terra nodded and the two began to make their way back into the Tower…
Raven stared from her seat at the control panel. It was several minutes after 9:00 a.m., and after the team drew names at random, both Cyborg and Terra had already run the obstacle course. She was surprised that Terra had not only finished the course, but even beat Cyborg's best track record, and the blonde stood down below as Starfire, Cyborg and Beast Boy ecstatically cheered at her triumph Meanwhile, still rooted to her seat, Raven watched the scene with a strange whirlwind of emotions swirling about her…
'Who does she think she is?'
"What do you mean, Raven?" asked Raven's timidity. 'I'm talking about Terra. She's a complete stranger. She just waltzed into our lives no more than 24 hours ago, and everyone just adores her.'
"Oh…" laughed Raven's rage. "Sounds like someone's jealous…"
'I'm not jealous.'
"You were incredible!" beamed Beast Boy, who lifted up his hand to give Terra a high five, but then gasped as Terra suddenly hugged him.
"I did it!" she said happily. "You said that I could it and you were right!"
Robin rose from his seat beside Raven and made his way down to the others, while a love struck Beast Boy swooned and then collapsed to the ground. Raven however scowled and folded her arms.
'Unbelievable…'
"Jealous…" said Rage in a sing-song voice.
"Stop it, Rage," said Affection. "Raven is no such thing. She knows that the others will always be her friends."
"And Beast Boy?" smirked Rage, wagging her eyebrows, causing Raven to inwardly scoff.
'Me? Upset about Beast Boy getting all Twitterpatted over Terra. Please…'
The other emotions looked at each other while Rage chuckled, but before anyone could push the matter further, the tell-tale sound of trouble began to sound and simultaneously, Robin's communicator, Starfire and Raven's brooch, Beast Boy's belt buckle and the console built into Cyborg's arm began to flash and chirp.
"Ok, why is everybody blinking?" asked a confused Terra. Robin closed his communicator and started to walk towards the Tower.
"It's trouble. Titans, let's move."
Everyone with the exception of Terra nodded, and began to make their way back into Titans' Tower. Although she wasn't an official member of the team, Terra felt intrigued by the turn of events and quickly followed the Titans inside. The party of six made their way back to the common room, and after furiously typing into the big screen tv/computer screen console, the image of a man dressed in black armor, steel reinforcements, gloves and boots appeared. He also wore a mask that was a reddish-orange on the left side, black on the right and interestingly enough, there was no cutout in his mask for his left eye.
"Slade," declared Robin. "He's back."
"Slade?" questioned Terra. "Bad guy," retorted Beast Boy. "Way bad." A few keystrokes later, and Robin turned to face the team.
"Got a fix on his location. Titans, move out!"
Like a well-oiled machine, the Titans took off running (or in the girls' case, flying) to the nearby elevator, and Cyborg, Starfire, Raven and Robin took the first car down to the garage. Moments later, Beast Boy came down in the next car, and he was accompanied by…
"Uh, Beast Boy?" said Cyborg with a raised eyebrow, glancing over at Terra, who waved bashfully. "Don't," he interrupted. "I know what you guys are going to say. This mission could be dangerous, and to have Terra tag along is crazy."
"I would've went with stupid, but crazy works here too," quipped Raven.
"Beast Boy," Robin reprimanded as he approached the changeling, then looked over at Terra. "I have nothing against Terra, but she's not a member of the team. That plus the fact that we're going up against Slade, a terrorist who you never know what to expect from him, makes this a very risky scenario to drag her into."
"But there's safety in numbers!" cried Beast Boy. "And Slade won't be expecting Terra, who has experience in fighting, to be with us. We'll have the evident of surprise."
"Element," groaned Raven. Robin sighed and looked back at Terra. The insecure stance that she once had had disappeared, and she stood at attention, looking rearing to go. Robin sighed once more.
"Normally, I wouldn't make such a decision, but time is of the essence, and we need to stop Slade as soon as possible. Looks like you getting a crash course in Heroics 101, Terra. Hop in."