Titans: Elemental

Chapter 32: Betrayal

We see a complex of buildings overlooking a rocky ridge. It is early evening.

Inside of a room, a guard falls unconscious to the floor, and several of Slade's commando robots, one carrying a large canister, walk past him. Many other guards lie knocked out as well. Outside, a section of the wall is blown out and the area fills with dust, which clears to show the robots making their exit. A wingding flies across the room and smashes away part of the leader's head.

We then see the Titans on the scene!

Dick growled, "tell Slade; the Titans have a message for him."

Terra stands on one of several floating boulders, as does Jack.

Terra yelled, "eat dirt!"

Jack yelled, "what she said!"

We see that Terra has forgone the goggles she once used. She sends all the spare rocks across the open area and neatly crushes several robots.

Dick exclaimed, "Titans! Go!"

All ten move in, Terra bringing a few more rocks along. She changes positions and lowers the one she was standing on so that Dick can hop aboard. Laser blasts from the surviving robots slash the air, but he swerves expertly around them. Finally, he leaps off; the stone crashes into one shooter, and he delivers a flying kick to another. More shots emerge from farther back, zeroing in on the approaching Starfire and Blackfire. They return fire with their eye beams, tracing a blazing path through three other robots; it explodes after a moment and throws them in all directions.

Now it's Raven's turn.

She levitates an enormous slab of rock as she exclaimed, "Terra! Zivel! Catch!"

She propels the mass at the blonde and brunette, who puts their hands and staff up and gets it under control as Raven lets go. Down it comes like a few dozen loads of bricks to crush a knot of robots to pancakes.

Terra said, "thanks a ton."

Raven said, "closer to two tons, actually."

Jack groaned, "looked more like three tons to me!"

Raven creates a shield in front of herself; a laser shot immediately blasts it apart and throws her backward. The robot that fired it flies up behind her, using its boot-mounted rockets to stay aloft, and cuts loose with another blast that shatters Terra's stone platform. She tumbles to the ground and very soon finds herself staring up at a couple of the burglars, but BB, as a large gorilla, jumps down behind her and roars, pounding his chest in fury. One robot gets a huge green smack across the face, then another receives the same. A third runs toward BB and is swatted away; a fourth jumps on his back, but he picks it off, slams it to the ground, and throws it against a charging fifth. Finally, he roars, scoops Terra up, and returns to human form.

Terra said, "you saved me."

BB starts blushing, hearts in eyes as he says, "yeah. That was cool."

Terra said, "uh, Beast Boy? You can put me down now."

He comes to his senses with a little yelp and does so, then backs up.

BB said, "right. I was just, uh…."

A robot being thrown past them cuts him off; he gives her a big sheepish grin and runs in the direction it came from.

Bryan runs past, shooting at several robots as they try to surround Rose, who slices half of them to robotic ribbons!

We then see Dick and a commando charge at each other. His fighting staff out and at full length, he nails the enemy with a backward flip kick to the chin and swings the weapon to knock away another one when it rushes in. A roar and jump carry him in range to bash a third upside the head. As he lands the blow, there is a brief flicker and click as of a camera shutter snapping.

….

Nightwing appears on a computer with several graph readouts.

….

We then see Raven, rising higher in the air with a black aura surrounding her body. She forms this into a group of energy streams and hurls them downward.

….

Raven now appears on the computer with several readouts around her.

….

We see Vic running at a commando. He drills it with a killer uppercut, then brings out his sonic cannon and fires in a different direction.

….

His image appears on the computer as well.

….

We then look at one group of robots, fleeing from a hail of starbolts, and as smoke pours up from the points of impact, Starfire and Blackfire fly out of it and hurl some more.

….

The sisters both appear on the computer with the graph readouts.

….

Bryan smashes one robot with his arm as the other is shooting at any robot that runs at him.

….

Bryan's image appears on the computer with some extra readouts.

….

Rose slices through a robot right down the middle, her hair flying in the winds as she does so.

….

Rose's image appears on the computer next, with some readouts showing her connection to Slade.

….

We follow BB as he becomes a bighorn sheep and rams another of the thieves.

….

His image appears next on the computer.

….

Jack swings his staff around before hitting the ground with it, freezing three robots, setting ablaze to three others, knocking three back with a gust of air, and crashing pieces of Earth into three.

….

Jack's image appears on the computer right next to the picture of his brother.

….

We see a silhouetted figure watching a wall of small monitors; each of the preceding pictures appear several times on them. This person's voice is a dead giveaway to their identity.

"Excellent work."

Slade is at a desk littered with notes, books, maps, and Titan equipment; some of Dick's discs, a dismantled communicator, grappling hook, fighting staff, etc.

Slade said, "you've done well. Very well. All your hard work is about to pay off. Tonight we strike."

There is a figure shrouded in shadow behind him. Piercing blue eyes in the darkness.

Slade said, "and by sunrise tomorrow…. The Titans will be annihilated."

Smoke washes over the area….

….

We once again return to Titans Tower. It is now later that night. On the table is a table filled with dirty dishes and empty pizza boxes.

A single piece lies in one of the boxes, among a litter of half-eaten fragments. Each of the Titans stare at it. Terra is drinking a soda, while Bryan looks like he's still got plenty of room for more and Jack is munching on some buffalo wings.

Vic spins the pizza like the pointer on a game wheel as he says this.

Vic said, "and the last slice of pizza goes to…."

When it stops, it is pointing at….

Vic exclaimed, "...Terra!"

It stopped right on front of her! She is caught by surprise; assorted reactions from the others follow.

Rose exclaimed, "that's mah girl!"

Dick said, "all right!"

Bryan cheered, "yeah!"

BB yelled, "whoooo!"

Jack exclaimed, "nice job!"

Starfire cheered, "you are the winner!"

Blackfire cheered, "and you deserve it!"

Raven simply said, "congratulations."

Vic said comically, "just a rookie, and already you're an MVP holding the coveted Four-Cheese Trophy. Terra…. The world wants to know. How does it feel?"

Terra said, "Um…. Good…. And kinda greasy."

Dick said, "seriously, Terra, great job tonight. We're glad to have you on the team."

Jack said, "you've helped us kick more bad guy butt in a week than we could in a month."

Starfire said, "and we are most mirthful to claim you as our friend."

Blackfire said, "it's been great to have you as part of the team, and as a friend."

Raven said, "yeah. What they said."

BB, as a puppy, bounds happily into view to lick Terra's face.

Terra chuckled, "Beast Boy…."

Beast Boy turns back to normal with an embarrassed look.

Terra said, "thanks, guys, really, for everything. But you shouldn't, I'm just doing my job, you know? No big deal."

BB said, "well, it's a big deal to us. Good friends don't come along every day, you know?"

Bryan said, "yeah. And after everything we've been through, you've earned your place among us."

Terra smiles at this as Vic approaches the door. A small panel opens up on the wall to reveal a handprint reader pad; he puts a palm to it and brings up a screen that shows schematics of the Tower and assorted systems. The lights go out. He yawns widely.

Vic said, "all right, y'all. Titans Tower's locked up and Victor's shutting down."

He walks out. The palm reader and panel close behind them.

Dick says as he stands by the couch with Raven, Starfire, Blackfire and Rose, "we should all get some sleep. We may have stopped Slade tonight, but we need to figure out what he's planning tomorrow."

He and the other four girls head for their rooms. Jack and Bryan follow. Terra suddenly looks worried.

Raven said, "'night."

Bryan said, "good night."

Jack said, "sleep tight."

Rose said, "and don't let any bed bugs bite."

Starfire said, "pleasant shlorvaks!"

Blackfire said, "see you all tomorrow."

The newest Titan wheels away. We see her looking at BB, who waves to her.

BB said, "nighty-night, Terra."

He, too, heads for the hall.

Terra stuttered, "y-yeah. See you tomorrow."

….

It's a little later in Terra's room. A laptop computer sits open on the coffee table by her couch, next to a lava lamp, and after a moment, she steps into view and sits down at the keyboard. She looks warily over each shoulder to make sure she is alone. She then lets out a huge breath and starts typing; her gloved fingers on the keys. On the screen is an e-mail SEND button. The mouse pointer moves to this and clicks it; immediately, there is a loud thumping at the door. Terra gasps and closes the lid of her laptop. When she gets to the door, it opens to reveal BB in the hall. He smiles broadly.

BB said, "hi."

Terra said, "hi."

For the moment, he can only grin stupidly as a big drop of sweat appears on his temple.

He has still not said a word. After a rather tense silence, she finds a few words and plasters a smile on her face.

Terra said, "okay, well….", she waves goodbye, "... nice talking to you."

She turns back toward her room. After a second, BB yells in surprise and his eyes pop so wide that they could be used for bowling balls. With one hand, he whips out a large, lumpy, badly wrapped package that shimmers in the light.

BB said, "I kinda…. Made you something."

She leans out.

Terra asked, "you did?"

She takes the parcel.

BB said, "yeah."

He laughs a bit and brings out a glue dispenser in his other hand. The leaking adhesive has stuck it fast.

BB said, "went a little crazy with the glue gun."

He tries to shake it loose, but with no luck, and a vein pops out on his forehead as he thrashes angrily about. She unwraps the package to reveal a heart-shaped box. She flips the lid open, finding it to be hinged along the heart's upper lobes, and it shows her reflection in a mirror set on its inner surface. A small gasp is followed by a warm smile across her face.

Terra said, "Beast Boy…. It's…. I don't know what to say."

He leans into view.

BB said, "you could say yes, 'cause I'm about to ask you out on a date."

Terra said, "oh…. Wow."

BB said, "so….", she closes the box, "... want to do something tomorrow night?"

Terra said, "tomorrow…. I…. I'm sorry, Beast Boy, I can't."

BB tried to say, "but-"

Terra turns back toward her room and says, "I just can't."

The door closes just in time for him to run into it face first; we see his stunned, contorted expression, then he pulls back to show him still standing at the entrance.

BB muttered, "um…. Okay…. Maybe some other time?"

He hangs his head for a moment, then yells in frustration and pulls on his ears. A vein throbs above one eye.

BB groaned, "you idiot!"

….

We see BB in his hopelessly cluttered room; he yells at his image in the mirror.

BB groaned, "how could you mess that up? All you had to do was knock on the door and say…."

...

He walks away from the mirror and then slides in front of it, talking like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

BB asked, "yo, Terra. You, me, movies, Friday?"

….

The lovestruck Titan now changes into a debonair Frenchman complete with beret and rose. He sniffs the flower a moment.

BB said, "you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

He clasps the stem in his teeth and pops his eyebrows up and down.

….

Now he is dressed as a 1950s teenage gang member, with a winged skull on the back of his leather jacket and a ducktail haircut, and he twirls a set of keys as he looks over his shoulder.

BB asked, "you want to go for a ride on my moped?"

….

BB sits in puppy form. He wags, barks, and pants happily.

….

He slides into view on his knees, hands clasped pleadingly, eyes wide and full of tears.

BB asked, "pleeeeeease?"

….

A vein pops out on his temple as he says, "anything would've been better than giving her a stupid glue-covered box and acting like a total goober", he drops to all fours and sobs a bit, "now she'll never go out with me."

The sound of a throat being cleared shakes him out of his funk. He looks up and voices a shocked yell. Outside of the window, Terra is standing on a floating rock.

BB asked, "um…. How long have you been standing there?"

Terra asked, "want to go out?"

BB asked, "huh? Yeah! I mean…. Uh…. That's cool", he stands up and approaches her, "but why didn't you just knock on my door?"

She leans down and holds out one hand.

Terra asked, "do you trust me?"

He gives this a long thought and comes up with a big smile.

BB said, "more than anyone I've ever met."

He takes the proffered hand and is lifted onto the rock.

The stone sails towards Jump City.

BB asked, "so, you want to catch a late movie?"

….

A light comes on in an upper-story window. A door opens to reveal Vic, the light is in his room. Loud rumbling comed from his gut, which he covers with one hand, then we see his unsettled face.

Vic said, "oh, man."

He steps out into the hall, letting the door close behind him. Now only the eye implant's red glow marks his progress.

Vic said, "I knew I shouldn't have given up that last slice of pizza."

The next illumination is from the kitchen's refrigerator, which he has opened in search of a midnight snack. He yawns loudly while rooting around.

Vic said, "oh, well", he stands and brings out a large hoagie, "nothing a foot-long ham and beef jerky sandwich won't-"

His face goes slack as he trails off. The reason for this surprise is revealed when we see many of Slade's commando robots stand on the kitchen counter and glare down at him, having somehow penetrated the Tower's security measures. He turns around; more of the mechanical intruders move to hem him in.

Vic gives a horrified, "no."

….

Jack is snoring as Percy snuggles around his legs.

That's when he hears something tap the door.

He mutters in his sleep, "Raven, not now…. We'll sail to pumpkin land next week…."

The tapping gets louder.

Percy wakes up and grows frightened before running under the bed.

Jack reluctantly gets up and grabs his staff before opening the door, showing several of Slade's robots standing there.

Jack said, "oh…. Crap."

….

Bryan snores lightly with Rose cuddled up next to him on his bed. But that's when they start to hear fighting on the hallway, snapping them awake!

Bryan groaned, "always when I'm trying to relax…."

….

We look across the city skyline, quiet under a full moon. We see BB and Terra on an outcropping of stone, well outside the urban center.

BB said, "when you asked me out, I didn't realize you meant "out of town."

Terra said, "looks cool, doesn't it?"

BB nods with a big smile.

Terra said, "guess sometimes, you have to leave a place to really appreciate it."

A few silent seconds pass, during which the wind toys with her hair a bit.

Terra asked, "you hungry?"

BB said, "always."

….

We then see a place called; Ben's, a diner in the city. A big rig rolls past in front.

As the door swings open, we see Terra leading BB in. He stops at the threshold, eyes widening in mild shock. He sees men around a pool table, staring right back at him before resuming their game, and Terra has already parked herself on a stool.

After a nervous look around, BB walks in and sits by Terra, who is reading the menu. He picks up a copy for himself; there are pictures of the various platters, all of which contain liberal portions of meat. In between them is the face of a thick-browed man, presumably Ben himself, licking his chops, with a word balloon showing a heart. Needless to say, this is not the sort of cuisine he would prefer. Lowering the menu, he finds both Terra and a waitress looking at him.

BB said, "um…. Don't suppose you guys have a veggie burger?"

The waitress gives him a long, funny look as if he had just addressed her in Tagalog. Terra takes the menu from him.

Terra said, "we'll just get the usual, Pam."

BB said, "so, um, I'm guessing you've been here before."

Terra said, "I've been everywhere before", she fiddles with her spoon, "I was quite the traveler before I became a Titan, remember?"

BB said, "okay. What's the coolest place you've ever been?"

She thinks hard and gazes at the spoon.

Terra said, "don't know. Probably Titans Tower. But there's plenty of cool stuff out here. Who knows? If you're really nice to me, maybe I'll give you the tour."

Pam, the waitress, brings two plates of food. She sets them down: pie a la mode. Terra hands BB a spoon.

Terra said, "dig in."

Taking a bite, he lets off a muffled yelp as his eyes bug out and his hair stands on end. Ever so slowly, he pulls the spoon from his mouth.

BB said, "this is the greatest pie in the history of pie."

Terra said, "there's a place about two hundred miles outside of Gotham that bakes a mean cherry."

She swivels on her stool to face the mirror behind the counter, and we see Slade's image in the glass. However, she does not notice him straight away.

Terra said, "but for apple, this is the best there-"

Now she sees the masked figure, and her eyes pop as she gasps. She whirls to face the window. She looks around. First at the men at their pool game. A couple of other customers sit in a corner booth, drinking coffee and reading the paper, and there is no sign of Slade anywhere around here. Terra is still turned around and staring wide-eyed at nothing, BB's full attention remains on the pie he is wolfing down, and Slade's image is gone. She darts a few quick glances here and there, puts some coins on the counter to cover the tab, and climbs off her stool to pass BB.

Terra said, "let's get outta here. Night's still young."

BB exclaimed, "but, pie!"

She reaches back into view and seizes his arm; he is whisked out with a surprised yell, dropping his communicator. We only hear the bell jingling as they sail away on a rock, and we look down to the item on the floor. It comes to life after a moment.

Dick exclaimed, "Beast Boy! Come in!"

….

Back at the Tower. All is quiet outside, but the mood is soon shattered when the living room window explodes. Inside, Slade's android troops advance down the hall with lasers blazing. We see a piece of rubble, behind which Dick hunches down to use his communicator.

Dick yelled, "Beast Boy, where are you? Answer me!"

A shot strikes the edge of his makeshift bunker and cuts him off. He makes a break for it, dodging a fusillade of blasts, and hurls himself with a yell through a hole blown in the floor. On the story below are more shooters, which he easily dispatches, but a squad of reinforcements soon moves in. Off he goes again.

Blackfire, Vic and Starfire are taking cover around the edge of a doorway. When the right moment comes, they lean out of the room and unleash a double-barreled assault with cannon and starbolts. Dick dives through the portal and lands at its opposite edge.

Dick said, "he's not responding."

He looks out and catches sight of Raven rising up through the floor.

Jack, Bryan and Rose run to them.

Raven said, "and Terra's not in her room."

Bryan said, "this seems like too much of a coincidence."

Vic said, "somebody want to explain how two hundred armed robots got past my security?"

Rose yelled, "pumpkin juice, I dunno!?"

A contingent of said robots advance at a leisurely pace and train a steady stream of fire along the hall. Vic opens a small hatch and peers inside. Inside is a circuit board with a large button. He presses this and is rewarded with a jolt of electricity that makes him yell in pain. The firefight continues unabated.

Vic shouted, "can't even access the computer! We're locked out!"

Jack shouted, "oh great!"

Starfire said, "they are too numerous to fight! What shall we do?"

Dick said, "fight anyway. Titans! Go!"

All eight rush into the hall. Dick catches one robot with a flying kick and decapitates another with a wingding throw.

This buys him only a moment, though; a third aims a punch at him, but he ducks and comes back with an uppercut that nearly lifts the metal soldier clear off its feet. A crushing kick puts it down. Vic charges at them and punches away one after another, followed by Starfire, who fares well with both shots and strength.

Once she has cleared a bit of room, she takes flight down the hall and strafes the next rank of invaders.

Bryan and Blackfire are back to back as they shoot at the robots, while Jack begins freezing multiple robots as Rose slashes them into pieces!

Jack quickly turns around and shoots a lightning bolt through several robots before quickly turning around and setting several robots ablaze!

One robot is flung across under Raven's control and crashes into the wall. The telekinetic Titan is floating above one bunch and slinging them every which way while blocking a shot or two.

Raven yelled, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

As she chants the spell, black claws grow from the fingers of one hand and shoot straight ahead. They slice through one enemy, sending up sparks as it crashes down, and she glares toward it. Another crew runs toward her from a doorway and the darkness of the hall's other end; her eyes go very wide and then narrow in pure rage.

Raven said, "that's my room."

She sweeps her hands down, and as the robots get close, two thick sections of the wall come loose and bulldoze them away.

Raven growled, "nobody goes in my room. Except for Jack."

She whispered the last part.

A swing of her arms caves in a long stretch of the floor and sends the survivors down to the story below. We focus on one robot as it falls, then continue on to Vic, who is in the path of the collapse. He goes down yelling, and a few thousand pounds of rubble crash down on the bunch. The dust clears to show all of them lying prone in the gym below. Vic is first to start to his feet with a groan, only to meet a commando rushing at him and swinging a piece of the junk. This blow connects against the big man's head and knocks him into a wall.

Vic ducks a punch, deals back several more that drive his attacker across the room, and hurls it bodily against the spot he hit a moment ago. In a flash, two more have landed on his back to get him in a headlock; he picks them free and slings them away, only to be jumped by several others. He slams into the wall again.

Vic growled, "don't know how you guys got in", he dodges a punch, "but I know how you're getting out!"

His right fist, cocked back, goes across the short distance to the sound of his yell. It crashes through a robot's solar plexus and drops the thing sparking to the floor. When a different one tries to punch, he clamps a hand on the face and puts all his weight into a throw. The robot plows out through the wall and tumbles senseless. Starfire, farther down the way, throws one member of a group and lets others have it in spades. Fists and starbolts fly everywhere as her sister joins her in her shooting before several reinforcements arrive and dogpile on them. They struggle within the mass of metallic encroachers. One beam after another slices through the bunch, followed by a small explosion that hurls them all backward. When the glare subsides, we see them in the clear, still jacked up on fury and adrenaline, but it soon wears off and they pass out from this Herculean exertion.

The light in the hall begins to flicker. A group of survivors gathered around the canister they stole earlier. It is clamped to the wall, and one of them is operating a control panel set in the side. One of Dick's discs whistles into view and glances off the canister, detonating and throwing the robot backward. We see the lead Titan, staff in one hand, as the invader crashes down before him. Another rushes, but he extends the staff and knocks it down with ease. Its buddy moves in as well and gets the same treatment; for the next one, Dick leaps to the ceiling and brings the staff's end down onto the crown of its head, wrecking it in one blow. Still more troops start after him, and he growls and charges.

….

We see a roller coaster at an amusement park. A sign identifies this as the Megacoaster, and it is in operation. The string of cars comes around a bend and thunders past. We see BB and Terra in the front seat and coming down a steep incline. He has his arms up, but she is positively petrified with fright.

BB exclaimed, "Ya-HOOOOO!"

He laughs and whoops exuberantly as the coaster tops another hill and plunges out of sight.

We later see the pair on a bench elsewhere in the park. He perches on its back; she sits normally and appears very preoccupied.

BB exclaimed, "yeah! This place is awesome!"

Terra said, "spent a lotta time here when I was on the road. It's the closest thing I've ever had to a home."

BB said, "you mean, besides Titans Tower."

Terra said, "yeah. So you want to ride the bumper cars, or-?"

BB sits next to her and asks, "Terra, is everything okay?

Terra begins smiling hugely, "totally! What makes you-?"

BB said, "'cause I'm having fun. A-And I really want you to have fun. But if you're not, you know, with me-"

Terra thumps his arm, "Beast Boy, you're my definition of fun."

He smiles; she takes his hand and leads him away.

Terra said, "come on, let's ride some rides."

….

At the bumper car arena. The two Titans zip past each other, after which he doubles back and stops, perplexed. A moment later, she speeds in and knocks him hard enough to send him into the distance, and she raises her fists in triumph.

….

We then see them spinning past, riding the Tilt-a-Whirl, or Centrifuge, at a speed that would probably be unsafe for any normal person. Inside, Terra raises her fists again, while BB's eyes show just how woozy he has gotten. A surprise turnaround comes when Terra, not he, is the first to go green and clap hands to mouth in order to keep from vomiting. They are swept away.

….

A flash, and the view has changed to become a photograph of the two; he stands surprised near the camera, she much farther back. The same transition carries us through the following shots, taken at a photo booth. Second: both flex their muscles, BB with forehead vein popping. Third: she laughs as he hangs upside down, tongue hanging out and eyes rolling crazily. Fourth: they have traded positions, and he is now picking his nose. Fifth: he has become a puppy for her to hug. Sixth: she screams and cowers before his Frankenstein's-monster advances. Seventh, she lands an uppercut that launches him upward and out of frame. Eighth: he has come down, face badly bashed up from the punch, and she is distressed at the sight. Ninth: she winks at the camera, while he has a thermometer in his mouth, a big lump on his forehead, and a bandage on his cheek. Tenth: both yell dementedly at the camera, mouths open wide.

….

We go through the Chamber of Horrors; a graveyard scenario at night, with red eyes flashing in the darkness. BB and Terra ride through it; she is quite at ease, he is much less so. They pass a dark patch. On his side, a group of ghosts pops up, followed by a few spiders and a skull on hers, then a collection of monsters all around. Each display causes him to freak out, but she just smiles and laughs at his overreaction. After the third, he seems utterly spent; a bit of drool oozes out of his mouth and he leans against her shoulder. She blushes a bit.

….

BB has thrown a baseball, knocking over a stack of cans in a game booth and eliciting cheers from Terra; next, she grabs a ball and lets fly at a second stack. Her throw is a bit weak, though, it just dribbles out of her hand, and he gives her a condescending smile. Another flash marks his next throw, which plows into those cans and gets her cheering again. She gives him a hug with enough force to squeeze a tear from his eye, complete with a tiny copy of his face. It retracts as she loosens her grip, and both laugh.

….

We then see the night sky. A bottle rocket blasts into view and explodes, followed by additional bursts of fireworks. From here, we see BB and Terra taking a stroll. As they look up, she links her arm through his; the move catches him off guard, but he quickly smiles again. The area has; fireworks, games, tents, the Big Wheel. This is a Ferris wheel, toward which they are heading.

….

We see them in one of the cars. Her mind again seems to be on other things as he slides a bit closer.

BB asked, "so, what made you change your mind?"

Terra asked, "excuse me?"

BB asked, "about going out with me. It was the ears, wasn't it? Ladies love the pointy ears."

She laughs a bit and says, "actually, it was because…. Of all the things I could've done tonight, I realized all I really wanted to do was spend time with you."

BB said, "lucky for me, you didn't have other plans."

Terra said, "Beast Boy, if you knew something bad about me, would you still be my friend?"

BB said, "o-of course."

Terra said, "I mean, if you were really my friend, I could tell you anything. And no matter how horrible it was, you'd still like me, right?"

In the far corner behind him, a silhouetted figure is partially visible: it was not there a second ago.

BB said, "yes. I promise, Terra", he moves toward her, "no matter what."

When he shifts position, the third individual is revealed to have only one eye, the left; it can only be Slade, but he does not notice. BB concentrates on getting close enough to Terra to kiss her, but the next words end the romance in a very big hurry.

Slade said, "hello, Terra. Remember me?"

He stands up into the light as Terra stands up and gasps. BB quickly joins her on his feet.

BB and Terra, backed as far across the seat as they can get. Slade steps into view and heaves him aside like a pile of dirty laundry; the young man bangs into the car door, and the camera cuts to outside as it falls away. He is left hanging by his fingertips while the Big Wheel slowly rotates.

Slade looks toward BB and says, "I have plans for you, Terra", he turns to her and growls, "did you think you and your little boyfriend could just run away?"

BB jumps back inside and yells, "let her go!"

He becomes a velociraptor, eyes Slade for a moment, and lunges with a screeching roar.

Terra yelled, "Beast Boy!"

He is back in human form and has knocked Slade onto the top of the next car.

BB yelled, "Terra! Run!"

Slade said, "stay where you are, child."

BB growled, "what do you want with her?"

Slade said, "you mean she didn't tell you? I thought you two were friends…."

He flips the shape-changer over the edge, then gets himself upright and looks down. The cry of a falcon interrupts him, a big green one rising. It becomes a tiger and lands next to Slade, who brings out his fighting staff. The adversaries circle carefully in the tight space; finally, BB leaps, but Slade blocks the attack and, after some seconds of struggle, thrusts him into empty space. Looking down, he finds one Titan in the first car and the other, back in human form, hanging off its roof.

Terra gasps sharply as both look up; here comes Slade, leaping down at BB. The latter dodges a roundhouse staff swing and jumps backward to end up clinging to the rear exterior. His teeth grind in a silent snarl. Slade steps toward that edge, only to find a gorilla climbing up to face him. A bellowing roar escapes BB's lips as he advances on the enemy, who backs up until he drops over the edge.

The big green ape follows suit and begins to chase him all over the Big Wheel, roof to roof, up the framework and sign, back onto an upper car. Here, Slade puts BB in a headlock.

Slade said, "you think you know her. You know nothing. She never even liked you."

BB's eyes as they go wide with surprise. He then plucks Slade off, slams him onto the metal surface, and throws him overboard. Behind him, Terra rises into view on a rock; her expression reveals just how much of a strain this night has turned into for her.

Terra yelled, "Beast Boy, come on!"

He does not move or speak. As the ride turns, another car is carried down on the far side, and Slade is standing atop it. Her eyes widen as Beast Boy turns into a screeching baboon and leaps across the space. The impact throws Slade off to land on a different car, but he quickly recovers and bounds to the framework with the green primate in hot pursuit. Terra watches, horrified, as the two struggle and Slade gets the upper hand. Back in human form, BB is pinned down.

BB yelled, "Terra!"

Yelling, she backs higher into the air and spreads her arms wide. On the ground, a large fissure opens, and it races toward the Big Wheel. The supports start to buckle.

Terra yelled, "Beast Boy! Fly!"

A little green bird flutters up and out of Slade's grasp.

Slade yelled, "Terra! No!"

Those two words throw a bit of fear into her, but she does not alter her stance or stop her seismic assault on the Big Wheel. The entire structure collapses in a roiling dust cloud that quickly envelops her.

Back on the ground, she and BB, in human form, run from the destruction and stop at the entrance to the House of Mirrors for a second before entering.

Inside, they advance into the darkness, and after they are gone, Slade steps to the entrance.

….

We see another area, where many reflections of each Titan cross the mirrors, followed by the two real McCoys after a moment. The same thing happens around a bend, after which they stop in a large chamber. He reaches into his belt for something but does not find it.

BB yelled, "I lost my communicator! Gimme yours!"

Terra said, "I don't have it."

BB said, "then we've gotta get back to the Tower and…."

Terra said, "Beast Boy, I'm not going back. I can't..."

The patch of hair above her right ear, formerly held back by her butterfly clip, slides forward to cover that side of her face at the end of this. She dips her head and closes her eyes.

BB asked, "what? Why can't you?"

Slade said, "because she's not your friend", his image appears in the mirrors, "she's my apprentice."

Those last three words explain the earlier events of the night. She collected the data on the other nine Titans for Slade to analyze; the equipment on his desk was purloined by her; the dismantled communicator was hers, as was the blue eye seen in shadows; the e-mail she sent was to Slade. BB instantly gets angry upon seeing that masked visage all around him. He steps here and there, inspecting the reflections; Terra has gone. All of Slade's words echo around the room.

BB exclaimed, "Terra? Terra!"

Slade said, "the girl you knew was merely an illusion. A fantasy. In reality, she's been working for me."

BB yelled, "that's a lie! Not after what we told her! About what you did to Rose! To Nightwing! To Winter Soldier!"

He rushes over and shatters a mirror with one punch.

Slade said, "I found her."

Smash!

Slade said, "I trained her to control her impressive powers."

Smash!

Slade said, "and then I sent her to destroy your little team…."

Smash!

Slade said, "... from the inside out."

This image, too, is shattered. Now BB backs away; all the mirrors we can see behind him have been broken and gone blank.

BB yelled, "no! Terra would never-"

A single pane is intact and still showing Slade's figure.

Slade said, "tonight, her orders were to strike. But I guess she took pity on you. Perhaps she wanted to keep you as a pet. However, despite this minor error in judgment…. She was kind enough to deactivate the security at Titans Tower. Your friends are being annihilated as we speak."

BB yelled, "liar!"

"Beast Boy…. It's the truth."

BB turns to the master and apprentice. The one unbroken mirror has slid away, and they are standing in its place. BB takes a fumbling step toward them, his whole face going slack and his eyes staring in disbelief. Tears begin to go down his face.

BB said, "Terra…. Why?!"

Slade said, "because you could never give her what she needs."

With a primal scream, the changeling becomes a tiger and charges at the pair. Terra ducks out of the way as Slade grabs him out of the air and throws him past the mirrors. In this dark space, a roar from BB is answered with the leveled muzzle of Slade's blaster; he carries one just like those of his robots. The shot drops the Titan to the floor, unconscious and back in human form, and Slade steps close to deliver a point-blank kill shot. Behind him, Terra moves up and gasps in surprise; BB moans weakly and she gets her hands ready.

Terra exclaimed, "no! I won't let you hurt my friend!"

Slade said, "dear child, you don't have any friends."

A very large shadow falls over him.

BB is back on his feet as a bear with one paw raised to strike. The claws send Slade to the floor and knock his blaster away, and the enraged Titan goes after him as Terra backs off. When the masked villain stands up again, fresh gouges are visible on his armor and mask. BB pins him, at which point the focus shifts to Terra in the background; she turns and runs through the opening in the mirror wall.

She is sprinting as she did when that giant scorpion tried to capture her. She stops at another reflective wall, catches full sight of herself with a gasp, and backs away slowly. More images of the slim blonde appear in the glass sheets: a multiplicity of shocked, speechless, hopelessly confused Terras staring every which way. Her reflections become huge and distorted, and they collapse as she does.

Terra begins sobbing, "Beast Boy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen."

He moves partially into view, a bit of blood at the corner of his mouth and a bruised eye, and asks, "then why did you let it?"

She stands up and says, "I don't know, okay? I don't know."

As she continues, we see her in a spotlight against a totally dark room. A second spot is halfway to her right. BB is standing in this spot, lines of tears on his face, slowly drying.

Terra saud, "Slade…. He helped me, saved me from myself."

BB asked, "did you even listen to us? Do you remember what we told you? What he did to our friends. Mind controlling Bryan. The probes in our blood. Forcing Nightwing to work for him. Driving Rose to stab out her own eye!?"

Terra stuttered, "h-he said I owed him, but-"

BB asked, "so it was all a game? You were just pretending?!"

Terra steps closer to him, "no. You said you'd be my friend no matter what, remember?"

She reaches out to touch his shoulder, but he gives her the hardest glare he can, tears streaming down his face yet again and turns away.

BB growled, "Slade was right. You don't have any friends."

That jab hits her like a two-by-four upside the head.

Slade said, "Apprentice…."

She backs up.

Slade said, "come."

We see Slade standing just behind her. She bows her head and closes her eyes.

Slade said, "we've had a change of plans."

Her eyes open as her whole face rearranges itself into an expression of sullen hatred. She and her new master slowly retreat into a shadowy niche.

BB only whispers three words.

"I…. Loved…. You…."

….

Back at the Tower. It is now the next day, and the place looks like a hundred miles of bad road thanks to the onslaught of Slade's robots. We see across the ravaged entrance hall; metal body parts lie among the smashed armchairs and smoking debris.

Vic said, "well…. Looks like we won."

Bryan said, "I guess…."

In the cluttered stairwell, a robot sprawls on the landing.

Starfire asked, "then why does it not feel like a victory?"

Blackfire said, "we all know why."

The ceiling of the gym. An arm hangs down limply; tilt down from here to frame all the wreckage and broken fighters.

Raven said, "I knew it. I knew it! We never should have trusted her."

Jack said, "after everything we did for her…. I can't believe it…."

In the garage, a large pile of robots has accumulated.

Dick said, "but we did. We all did."

Rose growled, "the next time I see her, I'm calling that blonde witch, Judas!"

We see most of the Titans in the living room. They are gathered where the couch and coffee table used to be; Vic works a few controls on his forearm.

Vic said, "I've regained access to the computer. Security codes and encryption strings have all been reset."

Bryan said, "I looked over the backup codes. Everything is clear now."

Starfire said, "and all enemy surveillance technology has been located and destroyed."

Blackfire said, "I found a spy cam in almost every room."

Raven said, "problem is, Terra gave Slade more than secret codes and hidden cameras. She gave him; us. Our flaws, our weaknesses, everything he'd ever need to know."

Jack said, "he knows all about us now. We've gotta up our game the next time we run into him."

Dick said, "it doesn't matter. When Slade makes his next move, we'll be ready."

Vic asked, "and Beast Boy?"

Starfire asked, "he will be, alright?"

Dick said, "he just needs a little time…."

….

We see said heartbroken Titan curled up on the blankets as a large, melancholy dog, and the box he gave Terra lies next to him. He's whimpering and crying over the loss of his best friend…. And who he hoped would have been more….

….

Canadude2029: indeed. Glad you liked the chapter. And thanks for voting.

SuperSentai199: yeah, it's a pretty good episode. Thanks.

pokemonking0924: well, I'm glad you liked how I adapted the chapter. And I fixed that error, thanks for pointing it out.

….

Yeah, I think many fans felt how Beast Boy did when Terra betrayed the team….

Also, I've got a new poll up for a new DCAU story. Where my OC, Sam, is half Tamaranian, half Saiyamite, (Saiyan and Viltramite combined), who becomes an ally to the Justice League. This poll is to help decide his love interest. The options include:

Poison Ivy

Harley Quinn

Blackfire

Cheetah

A Harem of all these lovely ladies

Miss Martian

Wonder Woman

Raven

Livewire

Supergirl

Killer Frost

Zatanna

Mala

Starfire

Jinx

Talia Al Ghul

Roxy Rocket

Batgirl

Katma Tui

Fire

Ice

Catwoman

Volcana

Giganta

Miranda Kane

Kitten

Argent

Pantha

Lana Lang

Rose Wilson

If you vote on the poll, make sure you pick 10 choices.