Teen Titans season 6, episode 4
For better or Worse
Author's note: This episode of my fic contains heavy emotional themes involving grief, depression, and death that may be upsetting for some. Reader discretion is advised.
So close, thought Cyborg. He nearly cracked Slade's location. It had been three days. It was rare for him to sleep or eat. In order to locate their enemy's base, he had to search. When they had fought Icicle, Cyborg did a radar scan of him and discovered some ash on his feet. They analyzed the ash using the data computer. So far, it analyzed at least six different locations in Jump City. The locations included S.T.A.R. labs, two empty factories, the pier, the sewer they fought Icicle at, and Slade's old hideout. Cyborg frowned at the last location. He remembered that godforsaken place. Five years ago, Slade used that location while testing Nightwing when he was Robin to become his apprentice. Slade had put microchips inside Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven to blackmail Robin into becoming his ward. The chips would have weakened the Titans to death. The plan would've worked had Cyborg not discovered the devices and helped his friend thwart Slade. No one had used the place for years. As far as Cyborg could tell, that was the best guess for where he could be. He grinned happily.
"Uh, Cyborg?" he heard behind him.
He turned and saw Beast Boy standing in the room, hands rubbing together squeamishly with a nervous expression.
"Something wrong?" asked Cyborg, concerned.
Beast Boy stepped forward a little, shivering.
"I kind of have a confession to make," he said.
Cyborg sat up from his chair, puzzled. Beast Boy seemed to hesitate.
"You gonna say anything?" Cyborg asked. "I'm trying to find the words," contorted Beast Boy.
Cyborg placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Hey, you can tell me," he assured.
Beast Boy took a deep breath.
"I kind of knew Slade had returned three years ago!" he finally exclaimed.
Cyborg stood up and took a step back, looking shocked.
"What?" he asked.
Beast Boy could tell Cyborg wasn't taking this well. He wasn't even expecting it, either, but at this point, he had to do it.
"3 years ago, he showed himself to me after we beat Brain and the O.G. brotherhood. You guys were out fighting that snow robot. Slade taunted me. Showed me something. Broke me, kind of. And that's it," he finished lamely.
There had been silence between the 2 in the room for nearly a minute. Finally, Cyborg spoke.
"Why didn't you tell us this before, dude? We could've handled this problem a while back, not now, when things have just snowballed," he asked calmly.
Beast Boy couldn't believe how calmly Cyborg took this. But he could tell he was still in some hot water with his friend's trust. So, he told the hardest truth about his secret keeping. "Because it hurt too much," was all he could muster.
Cyborg frowned at his response.
"What hurt too much? Telling us?" he demanded.
Beast Boy tilted his head and closed his eyes. A teardrop fell.
"Terra's alive," he confessed.
Cyborg's expression changed from anger to surprise.
"Terra? You mean the Terra that betrayed us, redeemed herself, and sacrificed herself to kill Slade?" he asked. Beast Boy nodded. Cyborg folded his arms. "How is she alive, and what does this have to do with Slade?". Beast Boy opened his eyes.
"When you guys went after that robot, he showed me to a high school. Terra was there. She seemed happy but also lost. I tried to talk to her. But she changed, dude. She didn't want to see me or us again. Things changed that day, dude. Slade mocked me and scarred me. It just hurt me emotionally to talk about it."
Cyborg raised an eyebrow. Something didn't seem right.
"Wait! The last time we saw her, she turned into a statue. How do we know-"
"Because he showed me!" growled Beast Boy, now looking very agitated.
" The Body was gone! Nothing there! It's her!" he panted.
"Calm down, bro!" advised Cyborg. "Something doesn't feel right. What high school did you see her at?"
Beast Boy pressed his finger to his chin and looked up, trying to remember.
"I think it was called Murakami High," he replied.
Cyborg's human eye widened.
"Uh, dude. There's no Murakami High in Jump City." Cyborg informed him.
Beast Boy placed his hands to his side.
"Yeah, there is. I saw it. Right in front of me."
Cyborg didn't look convinced. Beast Boy sighed, annoyed.
"Fine. Come with me."
After an hour, the two arrived at the location Beast Boy described. Cyborg was still skeptical about the claim but was willing to look at it. Beast Boy led him down an alleyway to where the event happened. Eventually, they made it.
" And there it is!" said Beast Boy.
But when he looked at the place, it dumbfounded him, and his expression showed surprise. Right where there should've been an active high school was an abandoned building with cracked windows and graffiti art sprayed all over it. He didn't understand. He couldn't. Cyborg stepped forward.
"Uh, dude? By the looks of it, no one has lived in this place for years. Are you sure you found the right place?"
Beast Boy turned around with a confused look on his face.
"Yeah, this should've been the place!" he exclaimed.
Cyborg walked closer and pressed his finger towards his robot eye. Beast Boy observed him. He didn't know precisely what Cyborg was doing, but he knew it was important. The robotic man lowered his hand and turned to Beast Boy.
" I analyzed the place. Concrete, glass, dirt. This place has aged by about 30 years." Beast Boy raised his eyebrow.
"So?" he asked.
Cyborg sighed.
"So, this place hasn't been open for at least 30 years, dude!" he contorted.
Beast Boy's gaze returned to the building. How? he thought. How is this happening? I saw her right here! Something was wrong here. He looked back at Cyborg.
"If you don't believe me, I'll show you! Back in the cave! Her body's gone!"
The climb up took Cyborg a lot of work. He never had that much strain put on his cybernetics or his own body. On the other hand, it was much easier for Beast Boy. The changeling had transformed into a gorilla to muster the strength and speed necessary to climb the steep mountain slope. It had been five years since they had been to this volcanic structure. Cyborg could remember the struggle like it was 2 hours ago—the heat from the lava. Shakes result from the tremors. The victorious feeling the team had when they had defeated their enemy. Their former traitor turned friend's sacrifice for the ones she loved resulted in a tragedy as she turned to stone. He shook his head, trying to ignore those memories, and continued climbing. He eventually reached the top, with sweat drops pouring down his non-robotic parts. Beast Boy led him to the entrance of the lair. Nature had decayed the place by this point. Rust and char had affected several guard rails and platforms to a point. Various sections of black rocks covered the floors and walls of the cooled lava flow. Cyborg folded his arms and turned to Beast Boy.
"You sure the statue ain't here?" he asked.
Beast Boy didn't need to say anything. He pointed to an upper level, and Cyborg saw the truth in his friend's claim. In the area where there should've been a 14-year-old girl covered from head to toe with stone, there was nothing more than blank, sightless air.
Beast Boy looked up at Cyborg, frowning.
"Now you know what I'm saying?!" he uttered.
Cyborg stroked his chin. He turned around and walked up an old set of stairs leading to that level. Beast Boy followed in earnest. When they got up there, Cyborg knelt, tapped his forehead on the robotic hardware, and stared at the ground briefly. Beast Boy sneered, impatient and perplexed.
"What are you doing?" he asked after a minute.
Cyborg stood back up and lowered his head towards Beast Boy.
"I was analyzing the ground for footprints. Fortunately, the wind is not strong since this cave has few openings because of the lava flow covering the holes."
He pointed at the ground. 2 more pairs of footprints were near or crossed in the older prints.
"The ones on the left match the width and length of Terra's boots. And if you look even closer…" he pointed at her prints.
They seem to have four copies on the ground, and the tracks stopped. Beast Boy looked nervous.
" ... they end here. And they haven't been here for that long. My scanners say they are about three years old. And that's not all. Look at the tracks in front of hers!"
Beast Boy looked in front of the end path for Terra's footprints and saw a massive set of footprints in the ground a few meters before it. They had various rippled outlines in them, and the center was a huge "S" imprint. Unlike the smaller ones, these prints seem to have continued moving toward their intended exit.
" Gone?" asked Nightwing.
"How is it gone?!".
Cyborg and Beast Boy had just returned home and told Nightwing of their discovery. Everyone was surrounding them in the commons to listen to the info.
"Slade stole it! Or she escaped. I think. Look, I saw her, dude! At that school!" Nightwing turned his head to Cyborg.
"Can you confirm, Cyborg?" he asked. Cyborg nodded.
"The stone Terra was missing. I saw her prints in the cave and found Slade's prints close by. Regarding the supposed memory loss and her new school being real or fake, it is not something I can confirm or deny."
Beast Boy frowned at Cyborg. He shrugged in reply. Nightwing approached Beast Boy and knelt in front of him.
"Why didn't you tell us you had seen Slade then?"
Beast Boy bowed his head, and a tear streamed from his eye. It was difficult for him to devise a logical explanation.
"It was too hard. I wasn't sure it was him. He just sent a robot. It could've been just a trick. Like when he made you think he was alive with that weird stuff on the mask. Remember?"
Nightwing remembered all too well. Slade had been dead, burned to ashes by a flow of lava. But he had a backup plan. Slade had laced his helmet with a chemical that made Nightwing back when he was Robin, hallucinate his foe, and nearly killed himself in the process of fighting a shadow. Could this be another shadow Slade had concocted to mess with Beast Boy? During that time, a giant white monster, which turned out to be a robot, distracted the Titans. It self-destructed when they caught up with it. Beast Boy had yet to be around. When the team caught up with him, Beast Boy looked happy but forced happiness. Now, it was clear why it looked forced. Nightwing stood up.
"I believe you," he said.
Beast Boy looked up, hopefully.
"You do?" he asked.
He didn't expect his leader to take it seriously at first because of his goofy nature. "Why wouldn't I? All the evidence seems to be there."
Beast Boy jumped and clapped his hands happily.
"Great, let's go find Slade and see what he did to her!".
He walked towards the exit until he realized something. No one was following him. Beast Boy turned and saw everyone just standing and watching him.
"Hello? Are we going or not?" he demanded impatiently.
Nightwing and Starfire looked at each other, looking a little uncomfortable. Finally, Nightwing sighed.
"Look, not that we don't believe you, Beast Boy…" he began.
"But considering we just took a brutal beating from Slade recently, and I nearly became an ice pop, I don't think just going out now is the best idea. We need to know at least what we are dealing with here." Beast Boy's frown turned to shock. Then back to frown in an instant. Nightwing knew what he said would not be easy for him. Nothing seemed to be easy these days. Beast Boy marched over towards his leader, immensely angered at the response.
"Dude, we just found out our friend, someone who gave their life up for us, is still around and possibly in the hands of our enemies, and you just want to wait?!" he contorted.
The room was nearly silent. Only Cyborg and Nightwing had been that angry in the past, but Beast Boy's made the former's anger and rage look mild by comparison. But he hadn't finished yet.
"Slade manipulated her, caused her death, and possibly forced her to not be with us anymore. Like you, when he put those things in our blood! We owe it to her!"
Breathing heavily, his eyes turned to Kid Flash and Starfire. They could tell Beast Boy was looking for their opinions. Starfire breathed through her teeth and approached up towards Beast Boy gently.
"Beast Boy, we know how much Terra means to you. She meant a lot to us, too. But we can't just conclude that all is what they seem. This could've been a fake Terra or an illusion he used on you. If we assume that she's alive and goes in like the ancient Tamaranian barbarians with no sense, we could be in for a trap."
Beast Boy sneered at her reasoning. He knew she meant well with her speech, but it wasn't enough for him. For her. His gaze zipped towards Kid Flash.
"What about you?" he asked gruffly.
Kid Flash rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall.
"Kid, you don't know if she's alive or not. I never knew her, but I'm sure if she is, I doubt anything too bad would happen." Beast Boy looked at him disappointingly.
"Ok, maybe that was the wrong choice of words.." Kid Flash said, correcting himself.
"... but there isn't much evidence for this besides a couple of prints. I say we take this slowly," he finished.
Beast Boy turned to Wonder Girl and Raven for their opinions. Wonder Girl went first.
" As much as I would like to go out into the blue and find your friend, Gar…"
She was the only person to call any of the Titans by their true names, which nearly made Beast Boy smile with hope until he saw the sad look in her eye.
"... but I don't want to endanger her or our lives if she lives. With Slade's powers and brotherhood, waiting might be better."
He then turned to Raven.
"I think the best plan right now is to take this slowly," she said dryly.
He finally turned to Cyborg.
"You saw what I saw, man," he sputtered desperately.
But Cyborg just folded his arms.
"What do you want me to say, dude?" he replied.
Beast Boy stood in silence. Beast Boy stood silently, his fists clenched and his face in a defeated sneer. He started towards his room before stopping.
"If it was Starfire, would you go?" he asked bitterly.
Nightwing didn't know what to say about this. Unfortunately, it didn't matter, as Beast Boy continued toward his room and slammed the door hard. The room fell silent, and Nightwing turned to Starfire worryingly.
"It..is for the best," he said, almost fearfully.
In reality, he wasn't sure if he had made the right call, but he didn't want to see anyone hurt for the time being.
Beast Boy checked his digital clock. It was seven. He had stayed in his room since Nightwing turned down his search for Terra. The bitterness had yet to leave his system. Terra had been their friend. A traitor, yes, but their friend nonetheless. How can they disregard his claim? He didn't understand it. He couldn't. In his heart, Beast Boy knew what he must do. Getting out of bed, he fetched his costume from the closet. Since the beginning of his career, Beast Boy had worn a purple and black jumpsuit. But recently, he traded up to a red and white jumpsuit. It was the colors on it he liked. He approached the window, determined to find his friend and save her from Slade's clutches. He had about one foot out the window when a voice startled him.
"Ahem," it said.
Beast Boy nearly fell off his balance because of the unexpected utterance. He turned to see Cyborg standing by the open door, arms folded, with an annoyed frown.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked callously.
Beast Boy balanced himself back up and continued his climb out the window.
"What does it look like, dude?" he responded, irritated.
"I'm going to find the truth about Terra. Whether you guys like it or not, I'm doing this."
Cyborg grabbed his arm before he could jump down.
"No, you're not!" he stated.
Beast Boy was squirming aggressively in Cyborg's grip to get out.
"Yes, I am, dude! Let me go!".
Cyborg lifted him, pinned the boy's arms to his side, and pulled him close. "I mean.." he began.
"...you're not going without me."
He grinned sneakily, confusing Beast Boy.
"What?" he asked as Cyborg dropped him.
Cyborg lifted his head, gazed still at Beast Boy, and explained his behavior.
"Look, I just figured out where Slade might head, and I'm not going to let an opportunity like this go. Plus, if you want to get in, you might need some help from the guy who knows how tech and machinery work."
Beast Boy stepped back, amazed at his friend's rebelliousness. Yeah, Cyborg had rebelled against Nightwing in the past, but not with a stake this big. But Beast Boy could deal with it. He returned to the window and walked towards it before Cyborg pulled him back.
"I've got a better idea, man!" he said.
The cold air blew into Beast Boy's face like ice. He now knew how Nightwing felt when frozen by Icicle. Unsure of the reason they needed to be on the roof, Beast Boy turned to Cyborg.
"Ok, why are we on the roof? How will this help us?".
Cyborg grinned.
"Well, for one thing, they can't hear our footprints on our way out, plus you can fly, so that can be useful, man!" he explained.
Beast Boy nodded. Ready to go, he bent down and prepared to change until Cyborg grabbed his arm lightly this time.
"Before we go, I want to list some ground rules," he informed his friend.
Beast Boy stood back up and watched him closely, listening to the rules.
"1. Until we confront Slade, stay close to me. 2. Keep quiet, and don't draw any attention to yourself. And 3… you listening?" he asked urgently.
Beast Boy's smile mirrored that of a child who had been awarded candy for good behavior. He nodded. Cyborg knelt before Beast Boy and placed both hands on the former's shoulders.
"If I say let it go and get out with your life, you let it go and get out with your life. Understand?"
Beast Boy's smile faded, his head turned sideways, and he looked toward the ground, his expression unsure. Cyborg snapped his fingers a few times, and it seemed to snap Beast Boy out of his train of thought and regain his attention.
"I said, do you understand?"
he repeated.
Beast Boy nodded this time, looking somewhat depressed at the prospect.
"Alright," said Cyborg.
He stood up and allowed Beast Boy to turn into a pterodactyl and carry him to their target.
It was 8:20 by the time they arrived. Earlier than they assumed, they'd make it, but no matter. Beast Boy placed Cyborg gently on the rocky ground as they descended. After returning to normal, the two gazed at the aging factory building where their foe had taken residence so many years before. The place was now chipped and brittle beyond belief. The two heroes found it surprising that someone like Slade still wanted to use this waste bucket as a fortress. Beast Boy smiled confidently. "Ok, let's head in," he remarked.
But once again, Cyborg pulled him back. As Beast Boy frowned at him, Cyborg pointed upwards, and Beast Boy could see his reason. In at least three areas of the building, security cameras were moving on every bit of land for at least 50 miles. This is going to take a lot of work, thought Beast Boy.
"So, what are we going to do?" he asked Cyborg.
Instead of verbally answering, Cyborg knelt on the ground and flipped out his wrist controls. After pressing some buttons, the controls flashed. Cyborg lifted his head and saw the cameras go slack. Delighted at the talent, Beast Boy fist-bumped with Cyborg before they entered the fortress.
Entering the lair was more accessible now that the cameras were out. After getting through a window, it was a piece of cake. Beast Boy and Cyborg trailed the halls cautiously. To prevent any noise from being made, Beast Boy had turned himself into a mouse. The plan was working well because he made no sound. It had been years since they had been there, but it would be worth it in the long run. They were close to Slade's private quarters when a sound like a puff of air emerged. Cyborg leaned back onto the wall near the corner. Beast Boy crawled up his arm and onto his shoulder. Peering around the corner, Cyborg noticed Brother Blood exiting after a meeting with Slade. Making haste, Cyborg slowly slid along the wall towards the door, but his efforts were in vain as Blood turned and noticed the teenage hero's valiant attempt. Just as Blood opened his mouth to alert Slade, Cyborg charged him, knocking Beast Boy off his shoulder. As Cyborg covered Blood's mouth as hard as he could, he noticed Beast Boy crawling towards the open door. Cyborg aimed his arm cannon and blasted the door controls to prevent Blood from getting in, just in case. The door slammed shut.
Beast Boy transformed back into his human self and examined the room. It had looked the same as it had all those years ago. The gears were turning, and the control screen that displayed the Titan's bloodstream was intact. Right in the middle of the room was a tall, menacing figure with its hands behind its back. Beast Boy approached the figure slowly. When he got near, he heard the calm, frightening voice emerge.
"Welcome back, Beast Boy." greeted Slade.
He turned towards the child, his exposed eye peering at him.
"It's been a while since we last met."
Beast Boy wanted to rage, but he remained relaxed. He needed the info, and freaking out would not help.
"I went back to the school, Slade! It's been closed for years! Terra was never there! Where is she?" he demanded.
Slade raised his eyebrow in a confused fashion. Then his eye went wide with realization.
"Oh yes. Your friend. The one who was happy not to know you anymore. If you wanted to find her, all you had to do was ask."
He got out a trigger and pressed the red button on top. Suddenly, a panel slid up on the right side of the room, to which Beast Boy turned his head. Smoke came out for a few seconds before evaporating. In the spot was the shape of a girl, similar in height to Beast Boy. The figure walked out. The figure wore a white outfit with blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. It was Terra. Beast Boy's eyes widened upon seeing her after three years. He approached her until a tall figure jumped behind her. Out of the blue, Slade grabbed Terra by the hair. "Wait! Stop!" shouted Beast Boy, but his words fell on deaf ears as Slade yanked the head right off.
Beast Boy nearly screamed in terror, but something unnatural prevented him from doing so. Where there should've been neck veins, there was instead a tangle of wires and sparks. Slade slammed his head on the ground, making a loud CLANK noise as it made an impact. Beast Boy gazed up from it, confused.
"So...it wasn't real?" he asked nervously.
In response, Slade pressed his trigger again, and more panels opened, revealing all the friends that were with Terra at the abandoned building.
"The truth stands before you, Beast Boy," he replied.
Walking before the monitor, Slade looked upon Beast Boy with his exposed eye gleaming with contempt.
"You see, while you and your friends were out fighting Brain's team of lackeys, I returned to where I was defeated and made a discovery."
Beast Boy stood in eagerness and hesitation, with his heart racing anxiously.
"The truth is that your beloved Terra wasn't dead - quite the opposite, actually. She was very much alive. She placed herself in a granite cocoon to shield herself from the oncoming lava. Unfortunately, she didn't have full control of her powers; thus, she was trapped for the next two years. That is...until I came along and found her broken free from her prison."
Beast Boy stood silently after the notion. By this point, Beast Boy's temper was flaring. He needed to know.
"What did you do to her?!" he shouted.
Slade approached him and bent his masked head towards Beast Boy.
"I annihilated her," he responded dryly.
The words hit Beast Boy like a baseball bat to a ball. No, he thought. He's lying. But Slade hadn't finished. His monologue continued.
"After hearing of your recent defeat of Brain and his useless pawns, I decided that since you were the victor, you earned my preview. The best way to defeat your prey is through the heart, so I made these robots and sent a monster to distract your friends and expose you to destiny."
Beast Boy was only half-listening, his mind more on Slade's confirmation that he had murdered Terra. He tilted his head up, a frown on his face.
"You lie!" he yelled angrily.
Slade only mildly chuckled. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a pair of dark brown gloves with holes outlined by burn marks. Beast Boy's eyes widened. They were Terra's! Slade tossed them on the ground callously toward his adversary. Beast Boy knelt before the gloves and picked them up. Tears formed in his eyes, the heartache getting to him. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible.
"Why?!" he bawled out.
"Why did you do it?!"
The pain was absorbing him. The man who stood before him just left Beast Boy with nothing but pain and agony at this point.
"We never did nothing to you!"
Slade just watched.
"It's over," he said.
"We both know it. We knew it back then; we know it right now."
Beast Boy continued to weep until he felt a hand grab him by the chin and tilt his head toward the masked menace.
"What?" he asked sarcastically.
"Did you believe you and her could be together? That you could be the hero? Things change, kid. For better or worse." Letting go, he stood back, slowly but quickly, to look intense. Beast Boy tried to keep his tears back, but it was not going well. His gaze returned to Slade. "You are nothing. Nothing more than a green little fool! No one would want to be with a green little fool!"
Cyborg was unprepared to fight his foe again, but still soldiered against Blood. His strength was just as powerful as it had been since the last time they had encountered each other. Luckily, Cyborg had upgraded, too. Getting the upper hand, he lifted the terrorist from his feet and knocked him out cold. Heading toward the path Beast Boy entered, Cyborg grabbed the bottom of the door and lifted it open before entering. Running into the room, Cyborg stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing what was before him: his friend kneeling on the ground crying loudly, Slade looking down on him menacingly, a robot version of Terra's head on the floor, still sparking from multiple loose wires and Terra's charred gloves in Beast Boy's hands.
Hands shaking with anger, Beast Boy looked towards Slade, a shine of hatred in his eyes. The tears stopped, but the fury had just begun. Beast Boy turned into a rhino and charged toward the man before him. The monster. The despicable creature who had murdered his friend. He desired to end this threat. His target in line, The massive, green rhino ignored everything around him. Inside him. He ignored the sense. The logic. Even tranquility. None of that mattered now. When he got nearer, his target leaped out of the way via the agility of a young man being performed by one much older. His mind was clouded with fury, and his focus was shattered. Beast Boy only noticed that his prey had escaped when his head collided with the control monitor before him. If it weren't for his physical adaptation of the rhino, he probably would've had a head concussion. After lifting his head out of the wreckage and shaking it off, Beast Boy looked to his right, seeing Slade land on his feet almost gracefully. As Beast Boy prepared for another charge, a familiar voice bellowed, "Stop!"
Beast Boy turned and saw Cyborg race toward him, his expression alarmed. The robotic hero stopped before his green-skinned friend and attempted to force him back from charging at the insane man before them.
"It isn't worth it!" he tried to say, but Beast Boy was too busy attempting to break through Cyborg's hold on him, so he refused to listen.
In a flash, Beast Boy transformed into a giant gorilla, broke free from Cyborg's grasp, and landed in front of Slade. Beast Boy growled and threw his enormous fist in Slade's direction. Slade grabbed the massive fist with both hands, effortlessly holding it in place. Beast Boy was stunned—he'd never seen Slade resist like this. Even more surprising was how effortlessly Slade resisted the full force of Beast Boy's punch. Slade shot a searing fireball from his palm, striking Beast Boy square in the face, sending him flying across the room and landing on the floor heavily, nearly shaking the building. Cyborg, noticing his friend's attack, ran to assist him. While that occurred, Slade ran to the doorway, but not before flipping out a trigger. He slowly edged his thumb toward the top of the button and forced it downward. As if a bomb went off, a tremendous explosive noise erupted from nowhere, creating a giant shake hard enough to cause the building to crumble. Cyborg and Beast Boy looked up and saw Slade run through the door. Despite the pain, Beast Boy pushed himself up from the rubble, eyes blazing, and charged toward the door.
"Dude, wait!" pleaded Cyborg as he followed him out.
The building was crumbling, walls cracking, and dust filling the air. It wasn't safe anymore, and they knew it.
Slade had expected something like this would happen—he knew Beast Boy's rage would drive him into a frenzy. Thus, the explosives he rigged could now have a purpose. He charged through the falling debris when he came across the unconscious body of Brother Blood. Slade lifted him and slapped his face. Blood awakened with shock and surprise to who was holding him up.
"Where did Cyborg go?" he asked.
"Doesn't matter," replied Slade.
"The building's collapsing! We need to get to the pod now!"
Slade hauled Brother Blood to his feet, both of them racing down the crumbling halls, debris falling around them.
In a blind fury, Beast Boy smashed through the wall, his body a blur of green as his rage consumed him. Peering down the hallway, he saw Slade and Blood escaping through a door, heading toward an unknown exit. Beast Boy chased the two, dodging multiple falling pieces of rubble. After dodging falling debris, Beast Boy finally closed the gap between them, his mind set on catching Slade. Slade and Blood entered a doorway, revealing a cockpit beyond. The escape pod—Slade's ticket out—was ready to launch. Beast Boy leaped towards them, and a chunk of cinder came crashing before him, blocking his path. The impact shook the ground beneath him. He screamed in anger. His prey was now safe from the demise Beast Boy had planned for him. Determined, Beast Boy grabbed a hold of the cinder and tried to lift it. It was cumbersome, yet Beast Boy attempted to remove the object in vain. Before Beast Boy could lift the debris, mechanical hands grabbed his shoulders and yanked him back.
"Dude, let it go!" ordered Cyborg.
"You promised, Beast Boy! You said you'd listen!"
Beast Boy looked at Slade and looked back at Cyborg.
With a heavy sigh, Beast Boy shifted back into his human form, exhaustion washing over him as he let go of his anger. Then he ran alongside Cyborg. Looking behind, he saw the door close and heard an engine, showing that the bad guys had escaped. Cyborg swiftly took out his arm cannon and blasted a hole in the wall, creating an exit for them. They both jumped down to the ground after landing. Facing the building, they witnessed it buckle. However, Beast Boy remained undeterred. Without a word, Beast Boy collapsed into Cyborg's arms, his head resting on his chest as tears poured down his face. Cyborg wrapped his arms around Beast Boy, holding him tight, his grip steady as his friend cried.
"I know, man," Cyborg said softly, his voice thick with emotion.
"I'm so sorry."
Nightwing was peacefully asleep with his girlfriend when they awoke suddenly to a surprised shout. The two charged into the living area to find Kid Flash, wearing P.J. and maskless, holding Starfire's pet larva, Silkie. "Starfire, your pet got into my room again," he grunted, tired.
Concerned, Starfire ran up and gently retrieved Silky from Kid Flash's arms.
Opening its mouth, Silky stook out its tongue, showing bits of food crumbs on it. "Aww," coddled Starfire.
"She liked your little cookie and cream snack food you always eat!".
Kid Flash folded his arms, unamused.
"You mean my Oreos?" he asked.
Having heard the noise, Raven and Wonder Girl entered the living area, tired but shocked by the scream.
"Ok, what was so important that it had to wake up my beauty sleep?" asked Raven sarcastically.
Shaking his head, Kid Flash held out his hand. Starfire looked at it, confused.
"I'm kind of owed for my snack," he informed her.
Starfire looked at Silky, then back at Kid Flash.
"Ok, all I need is my Tamaranian laxative, and I'm sure we can get the Oreo out-" Nightwing stopped her from finishing her sentence by gesturing the "time to shut up" motion and explained what he meant.
"I think he means to pay for a new bag. I'll cover it," he informed Starfire before giving Kid Flash a dollar.
The elevator door opened suddenly, and a grief-stricken Beast Boy and a hardened Cyborg stood in it. Nightwing took a moment to understand why they were at the elevator rather than in bed, but he understood now.
"Did you guys go out after Slade?" he asked sternly.
Beast Boy didn't respond, his shoulders slumping as he shuffled toward the couch. His steps were slow, as if the weight of the world was pressing down on him, and when he finally sat, his eyes remained fixed on the floor.
"I told you not to go! But you didn't seem to listen!" exclaimed Nightwing.
Cyborg approached him and grabbed him by the arm.
"This isn't the time, man." he contorted towards the agitated Nightwing.
"What do you mean it's not the.." he began, but as if his question was answered immediately, Cyborg swiftly pulled out a pair of gray leather gloves with burn marks on them.
Nightwing froze, the anger draining from his face as he stared at the gloves. His heart seemed to stop momentarily as the weight of what they meant sank in, his thoughts racing to everything he should've done differently. Starfire gasped. Raven clenched her teeth with dread. Kid Flash and Wonder Girl had confused reactions, though. Terra had been before their time, so they wouldn't be knowledgeable. Regretful of his berating, Nightwing sat beside Beast Boy, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. He didn't need words to convey his apology; his presence alone was enough.
"Ok, I'm sorry I nearly lashed at you there, buddy," he apologized.
Beast Boy tilted his head towards him.
"No... you were right."
Beast Boy's voice cracked as he added, "I shouldn't have gone.
Beast Boy's voice cracked as he added, "I shouldn't have gone. Not only did I hear that poor kid got burned, but I also let Slade get away!" he continued to sulk, burying his face in the nearest pillow, leaving Nightwing feeling pity towards his friend.
"I should've told you..." Beast Boy whispered, his voice barely audible. I should've listened to them. I should've waited, but I thought... maybe if I could stop him, things would be different. The thought gnawed at him, more profound than the physical pain of the mission's failure.
Nightwing lifted Beast Boy from the pillow and positioned him eye to eye with him.
"Look, I don't care about Slade right now! I don't care if he got away! I care about you! It's not your fault any of this happened. I should've looked for Slade a long time ago, since after Trigon. If I had done that…" Beast Boy held out his hand as in "stop" and started limping towards the turbolift.
Nightwing attempted to follow, but Starfire and Cyborg grabbed his shoulders.
"I think he needs some time alone," Cyborg advised.
Nightwing looked on with shame.
The rock was cold. Didn't matter to Beast Boy, though. The world had just frozen to kingdom come. It was painful. It had been 16 minutes, just sitting at that old rocky side with the lightower. He hadn't been there since Terra's first death. But at this point, this was the only place where he felt comfortable grieving. He had sat there, weeping hard. It was like having the one thing he always wanted given to him, to have it crushed. He was about to tear up again before hearing a familiar but kind voice behind him. "Hey, man," it said. Turning, he saw Cyborg and Raven standing by the edge with sympathetic smiles. "Wanna talk?" asked Cyborg. Beast Boy grunted in reply. Cyborg turned to Raven, shrugging. The two sat down on either side of him.
"Hey, I'm sorry about what happened to Terra tonight," said Raven. "I mean, I know a kind of how it feels to lose someone close to you." "Same," Cyborg added. Beast Boy stood up with a surly expression, as if they touched a nerve. "No, you don't!" he shouted. " You think you know how it feels because your moms died?! Guess what happened to my parents! They got rid of me in the woods! Because I looked like a green monster! If it hadn't been for Mento and Elastigirl, the wolves would've eaten me up!"
Sitting back down, he took several deep breaths. Cyborg put his hand on his shoulder. "It's ok, man. We understand your feelings here. "You do?!" he questioned. Raven then approached him. "Listen, we can't bring Terra back, but what we can do right now is be there for you, our friend.." ".. And defeat Slade so that her death will not be in vain.
"Promise?" he asked.
Raven smiled. "Promise." Beast Boy held out his arms, and the 2 embraced him.
Nearly 2 hours had passed since Slade and Blood had escaped from their old headquarters in their escape pod. The device was on autopilot, allowing Slade to attend to other matters. While working on his next plan, Blood came into the study on the pod to report to him.
"Did you send the message out to the others?" asked Slade.
"Yes, Slade," replied Blood.
"They should arrive before the week is out."
Slade stood up from his chair.
"Good," he said.
But that wasn't all. Blood was curious. "About the girl…" he began.
"... did you really kill her?"
Slade chuckled softly. Without warning, he pulled out another trigger, pressed it, and another panel slid open on the wall. Sitting there was a podium containing an orange jewel. Slade and Blood approached it eagerly.
"When she agreed to work under me, there were vows to follow," explained Slade. "She broke them when she killed me in the lava flow," said Slade. "During my service with Trigon, I learned how to imprison foes in little trinkets like this. When she emerged from her stone cocoon, I placed her in this jewel to make her suffer the pain of loneliness and isolation. And I promised that for her betrayal, I'd eradicate her friends. And make her watch. Afterward, she'll have my permission to join them in the next life."
The End