Raven looked on in horror. The entire town had been hit by Terra's power leaving it uninhabitable. The mine was now collapsed and the buildings of the town barely stood. Luckily... no one was killed. But she could only imagine many were seriously injured.
The whole town was running from Terra and the further away from Terra the less the damage was. The explosion of large boulders were closest to Terra and they only got smaller the further away from her.
From where Raven was levitating the damage was much worse than what she saw at the lake. There was an enormous crater with Terra at the center. On the outskirts of the crater lay a half destroyed town with a mine that was now inaccessible.
This didn't surprise Raven much. After all... Terra had the power to halt an erupting volcano in its wake. But to think she had this kind of power at such a young age... Raven couldn't help but sympathize with her. She could relate on such a level with Terra that it upset her. It upset her that she couldn't see it before. As she continued to think about what Terra had just gone through, the memory faded and a new memory began to appear from the dust.
Terra was traveling from town to town. She was almost a teenager now. Everywhere she went she continued to try to gain control. One town she stayed in for a few days before a small earthquake she caused forced her to leave before it got any worse.
The scenery changed again to reveal another town high in the mountains. She stayed at for a week before a tremor she caused started an avalanche that nearly buried the town. The next town she stayed at near the ocean shore for a few weeks, before another earthquake she caused sent a tsunami barrelling at the land wiping out everything near the shore. She would progress in her control with each town she visit and the pain in her head would become lesser and lesser like she was getting used to it... But it still wasn't enough to save the people around her. When she turned 14 she decided to go from town to town not staying more than a day. She was tired of hurting people. Tired of being the reason others suffered.
Then she found a place to stay far away from a city but close enough to make trips for food and supplies. She found a cave miles away from a huge T-Shaped building that stood on an island in the distance.
As she made her way back to her cave, someone was waiting for her. A familiar face that Raven hated with all her being.
"Hello Terra," Slade said in his menacing voice.
"Do... do I know you?" Terra respond a little frightened.
"No... But I know you," he sounded like he already had a plan for her, "I know why you keep running. I know about what you've done."
Terra's eyes went wide and she began to panic.
"Relax child," Slade said seeing the look on her face, "I'm not here to hurt you. On the contrary... I want to help you."
"How can you help me?" Terra asked doubting what he was saying.
"I can offer you control. I can help... save you from yourself. All I ask in return is a small favor." Slade's gaze turned sinister.
Terra wasn't convinced, she didn't think what he was saying was possible, "what favor?" She asked out of curiosity.
"I'm sure you heard of the Teen Titans, yes? They might think they are heroes destined to save the world but they would doom the world in order to save it." Slade sounded confident.
Terra raised an eyebrow. What he just said made no sense to her.
"You're not an evil girl are you? You just can't control your gifts. Am I correct?" Slade tried to clarify.
Terra's eyes welled up with tears as she thought about all the people she's hurt on her journey for self control.
"I didn't think so. You take no joy in the suffering of others. But that doesn't matter to people. They see what you've done and despise you for what you are." Slade's tone grew more and more dark, "the Teen Titans are no different. They might call themselves heroes but when they find out what you are they will hunt you down and lock you away like any other criminal."
"If I can learn to control it they won't have to. If I can learn to control it maybe I can be a hero too!" Terra said trying to keep her only sliver of hope.
"Dear child... you and I both know you can't be a hero," Slade started walking past Terra to take his leave. He stopped at her side and looked down at her with his one visible eye, "make no mistake. The Teen Titans will find you. It's only a matter of time. Don't let them find out who you REALLY are." He looked up from Terra and continued walking, "I'll be in touch."
Terra watched him walk off into the distance with an enormous amount of concern on her face. This made her reseach the Titans a bit more. She learned that they are actually good people with good intentions. Nothing like what Slade had told her. She even wanted to meet them someday... Maybe... But she always kept what Slade told her in the back of her mind.
Raven clenched her fists after seeing the interaction unfold in front of her. Slade had reached her long before they had even met.
The memory faded and another appeared. The tower could be seen in the distance as Terra ran through a small canyon miles outside of the city.
Raven recognized this memory. It was the day they met. Terra was being chased by a massive scorpion when the Titans jumped into action to help her only to see she didn't need any help. She was luring it into a trap.
"I'm Robin. We're the-" Robin was shortly interrupted.
"The Teen Titans! Rock on!" Terra exclaimed bumping Robin's fist with her own.
They all started heading to the Tower to get to know Terra better when Slade appeared from the shadows above them on a cliff looking down at them. "Don't get too attached my young friend... I saw her first."
The scenery changed once again. It was night and Terra sat on the shore of Titan's Island skipping rocks across the water flawlessly like when she was little.
"So I'm guessing the couch was too lumpy?" Beastboy joked as he walked up behind her.
Raven watched the following interaction and grew a little jealous. Beastboy clearly cared about her and he had only just met her. They skipped rocks together, flirt with each other, and had a long meaningful conversation... but towards the end of it Terra lifted the rock Beastboy was sitting on into the air knocking him back and drenching him in water as the rock went splashing into the sea.
"Don't tell! Please don't tell!" Terra begged.
"So you can't control your powers... big deal... My friends will like you-" Beastboy tried to console her before he was interrupted.
"Promise you won't tell anyone! Swear it!" She demanded from beastboy.
Raven was now angry at Beastboy. If he had told them maybe they could have all helped her before she... Raven sighed. There's no point in dwelling on it now.
The memory faded as another appeared.
Terra was fighting along side the Titans at a site she was familiar with. It appeared to be a mining site and tunnels were coming and going in every direction. Slade seemed to be after a powerful diamond in this mine.
As the fight raged on Terra lost control once more and nearly crushed Beastboy, ending him permanently. Luckily he survived but Terra ran in fear. Which may have been Slade's intentions at the mine all along. While she was running she saw a familiar person running through the tunnels. Before she knew it she was face to face with him right where he wanted her.
Terra had been told by the Titans that Slade was a bad guy. She had seen his face but she never heard his name. Now she felt like she was tricked and wanted to confront him again to tell him off and that she wanted nothing to do with him. So she chased him down the tunnel only to fall into his trap.
After Slade doubled down on convincing her the Titans were not really her friends she began to get angry. Her powers took over and she started to lose control again.
Slade saw this and didn't want to get buried alive so he decided to run leaving Terra with one final message.
"No one can understand you Terra. No one else can help you! I'll be waiting." After he made his message clear he fled leaving Terra to wallow on her pain.
It seemed hopeless for Terra but just before she was about to fall prey to her own power Beastboy jumped to her aid and tried to comfort her. As he did Terra fell into his arms and let her pain out by crying into his chest. Her power faded and they sat in the tunnel holding each other.
"Promise..." Terra said weakly.
"I won't tell anyone," Beastboy immediately respond, "I promise."
Raven lowered her head. She saw this tyical Beastboy behavior and couldn't help but cherish him. But one thing she noticed was that everything he was doing for Terra... he has done for her as well. Maybe he did have feelings for her even if he didn't know it.
The memory faded as the scenery changed to the living area of the tower where all the Titans stood in front of Terra who was getting ready to leave. Robin was handing a communicator to her after they decided to make her part of the team, only to hear that Robin knew she couldn't control her powers. Terra dropped the Titans communicator and turned to Beastboy.
"You told?! How could you?! You promised!" And she darted out of the Tower without another word. She was terrified that if they ever found out what she has done they'd lock her away just as Slade had said.
The memory then changed into the time Terra had returned to take up the Titans on their offer to be a Teen Titan after she somehow gained total control over her powers.
Raven and Terra worked together to save the Tower from Slade. Raven knew now it was just a way to trick the Titans into trusting her. She still blamed herself for not seeing it sooner.
The next memory appeared... Terra extend a hand out to Beastboy from his bedroom window.
"Do you trust me?" Terra asked.
"More than anyone I've ever met," Beastboy replied taking her hand.
Raven could tell he was head over heels for her and it made her heart sink in her chest. She hated seeing these memories. She didn't think it would be this hard on her. But she shook it off and continued watching for Terra's sake.
The next memory appeared. Terra and Beastboy were at the carnival on a date. They sat in the ferris wheel talking to one another and the conversation was haunting.
"Beastboy... If you knew something bad about me... would you still be my friend?" Terra asked.
"Of course," Beastboy respond without hesitation.
"No matter how horrible you'd still like me right?" Terra asked trying to clarify.
"Yes." Beastboy confirmed moving in closer to her, "I promise Terra. No matter what."
As they got closer to each other it looked like they were about to kiss. Raven turned her head. She couldn't allow herself to wacth this memory. The pain in her chest was unbearable. But something forced her to look back... The sound of a familiar voice.
"Hello Terra," Slade sat behind Beastboy watching their every move. Spoiling the moment they were having, "remember me?"
The memory faded and Raven now found herself in the house of mirrors where she had found Beastboy after he had run away. He stood in front of Terra confronting her on what Slade had just told him.
"So it was all a lie?!" Beastboy questioned.
"You said you'd be my friend no matter what remember?" Terra was pleading with Beastboy to forgive her and continue to be her friend.
"Slade was right... You don't have any friends," Beastboy's words struck Terra like a dagger to the heart. That moment changed her for the worse.
Raven felt a mixture of emotions. She was proud of Beastboy for not letting his feelings for her blind him anymore. But she also felt bad for Terra. She finally had a real friend but an evil criminal had ruined that for her. But she was mostly mad at Terra. Mad at her for hurting Beastboy like that. He showed her nothing but kindness and love and she obliterated his heart in a matter of seconds.
The next memory appeared. Terra wore a suit of armor with Slade's emblem "S" on her chest. She had just attacked and defeated each of the Titans one on one and now patrolled through the city she had just claimed in the name of Slade.
"My name is Terra. I have done horrible things," Terra spoke to herself as if coming to terms with who she really is, "I have betrayed and attacked everyone who used to be my friend. One by one I have destroyed the Teen Titans," Terra sounds confident like she knows exactly what she's talking about. But something in her voice says she's not happy. Like she wishes things could have been different, "My name is Terra. I have done horrible things... I have have absolutely no regrets."
Raven found herself in a deep cavern. A place she remembered well. The resting place when Terra sacrificed herself. The battle between her and Slade continued on as the Titans rushed to free Beastboy from the rocks Terra had trapped him in. She had taken control. Of herself. Of her life. Of her power. But when Slade tried to retake that control from her she couldn't contain it anymore and her power triggered the infamous volcano.
"You were the best friend I ever had," Terra gave Beastboy a final goodbye hug and unleashed the rest of her power stopping the volcano in its tracks and turning herself to stone.
Raven had nearly forgotten how brave that was of her. How she gave up everything to save everyone. She felt bad that she didn't forgive Terra sooner.
It went silent. Everything faded into black nothingness like when she first entered Terra's subconscious. It was eerie. It made Raven feel cold and uncomfortable but she could tell Terra didn't feel the same way. Terra had a sense of peace surrounding the darkness.
Raven was then taken by surprise when a blinding flash of white light flooded the vast darkness and she witnessed Terra fall to her knees with her stone armor crumbling off her.
Raven knew this was the moment she defeated her father, Trigon. She's only seen a similar light like that once in her life.
From here Raven knew Terra could remember everything else from here, on her own. She took a deep breath and concentrate her power to return to her origin and the memory of Terra waking up in the cave began to shrink into the distance until it vanished from sight.
In the real world... The night continued on with the horizon showing signs of the approaching twlight. The barren emptiness of the desert Raven had brought Terra to was still quiet and peaceful. The sounds of night life and crickets still filled the air.
Raven opened her eyes to see Terra gasping as she sat up straight. Beads of sweat rolled down her face and she looked like she just watched the most terrifying horror movie.
Raven watched her to see if she could remember anything.
"Terra..." Raven started, "can you... remember?"
Terra wasn't even phased by the question as she sat there breathing heavily. She raised her left hand to her face as if trying to tame her vision. After a long moment of silence she finally looked at Raven with the biggest look of remorse Raven had ever seen.
"Just take it slow," Raven said trying to help, "it's a lot to process all at once."
Terra's expression didn't change. It was like she was at a loss for words. Her life literally flashed before her eyes.
"Just take a deep breath," Raven continued, "your past is behind you. Just like mine. All we can do is move forward."
Terra looked at Raven. Her face looked like she didn't believe what she just saw, "I hurt..." her voice trembled, "all those people." She sounded horrified of herself.
Raven could see the battle she had in herself. She covered it up so well when Raven first met her but now it was like she had to live with it as if it happened a few hours ago.
Raven looked down knowing all to well the battle Terra was fighting in herself.
"Listen," Raven began, "you're not the only one who's hurt a lot of people. I know how hard it can be... Living with what you've done in your past," she looked up at Terra who was intently listening to every word she said, desperate for a way to cope with what she just experienced, "but that's just it... You have to keep living. You have to use that struggle to give your new life and your second chance a purpose. Just because someone says your bad doesn't make it true. If you are trying to be a better person. If you're trying to do the right thing. That's what makes you a good person." Raven looked up at Terra with a small smile. She truly believed every word she said. It made her feel better about her own past as well.
Terra's face relaxed. She didn't know what Raven has been through but she could tell that Raven had done something just as bad if not worse than her. This terrible thing... that should have been the end of her. Yet here she is. She's still hopeful. She's still going. Finding her way in life like everyone else. It gave Terra hope. If Raven could do it... Maybe she could too.
Terra grew a small smile and her tears began to roll down her cheeks. She reached out to Raven and swarmed her with a tight hug that took Raven by complete surprise.
"You we're right," Terra whispered, "I'm not alone." She began to sob into Raven's shoulder.
Raven hesitated but after hearing what Terra whispered it brought her an unexpected comfort. A warm feeling that somehow filled a void in her heart. She didn't feel alone anymore either. Someone else understood the pain in her heart. She eased her arms around Terra and gently squeezed back. This strange bond she found with Terra felt good and it was the last thing she expected from Terra.
The sun began to rise over the horizon, dawning a new day. It seemed fitting for them. A new sunrise. A new day. A new beginning.
But as the sun rose it revealed something lurking in the darkness of the twilight.
"Touching... Very touching," a sinister voice spoke through the darkness.
Raven and Terra began frantically looking around for where the voice was coming from. They both knew exactly who this voice belonged to. As they searched they both found who they were looking for as he spoke again.
"You're definitely right about one thing Raven," Slade sneered as the sunlight revealed his presence, "our new lives do need purpose."