Scarlet Hearts and Black Roses

[michealdark]

Scarlet Hearts and Black Roses

What does a new Titan do for her day off? Well, she…

Rose: You actually think Tim would give me a vacation? Ha, not on you life pal. Just get on with it…

Me: Would you shut up and let me do my job?

Rose: I would if you just cut to the chase! Here, let me help you; Tim’s let me out of the tower on a solo mission to go get Raven. It’s about what happens from there. That’s it!

Me: Thanks. Thanks A LOT rolls eyes sarcastically. Anyways, I don’t own the Titans. The TV version belongs to the WB and Cartoon network, and this current comic version I’m working with is the property of Geoff Johns. All versions are covered by DC comics. I hope I do everyone justice, considering how Geoff handles this is going to be far different, which makes this AU, and I hope to add some humor and softness to Rose without hopefully ruining her…if I do %*(& her up, she has full permission to cut my leg off and beat me with it, and you have full permission to b!^(# at me all you want. As always though, R/R!

Rose: There, now get your lazy ass going!

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Rose Wilson, the Ravager, daughter of the world’s deadliest mercenary, Slade Wilson (aka Deathstroke the Terminator) leaned back as well as she could within the jet’s confines. Her silver eye patch setting off her long, flowing platinum blonde hair. Her one blue eye absently surveying the horizon as the autopilot cruised her along. It was a beautiful, almost cloudless night with the stars and moon providing an ample amoung of illumination at this altitude. A cell phone was pressed to her ear. She looked down at the instruments and checked everything before she said “Yeah Eddie, I’m fine. Everything’s great so far. Smooth flight, few clouds, and I think for the first time in months I can say I’m relaxed. You have no idea how good it is for me to be out of the Tower. I’m telling you, it’s so hard having to make sure Robin isn’t going to kick you out.”

Rose listened intently to the other end of the line. It was her best friend and fellow outsider on this current Titans team, Eddie Bloomberg, aka Kid Devil. Wendy and Marvin were starting to speculate about them. They always seemed inseparable. In all actuality though, they didn’t know where they stood. They had been such good friends for awhile now that it wasn’t just friendship anymore. They weren’t sure what it was, nor did they in all their long conversations even admit that the feeling had moved past friendship. Still though, Rose felt good that someone on the current team liked her and didn’t judge her on her past betrayal of the team, but accepted her as perhaps the one trying the hardest, the one with the most to lose, and the one that could be most reliable when given the chance. They both were outsiders. They both shared that pain and worry about their spots on the team. Luckily they made each other stronger, and that translated into hard work that made the other members respect them, even if they still couldn’t see it.

When Eddie was done with his current part of the conversation, Rose sighed. She had expected him to say what he did, but she still sighed every time he did say it. “I know you trust my place on the team Eddie, but Tim isn’t the forgiving kind that you are. I know he doesn’t want me around. He still thinks I’m crazy…and to an extent Eddie, he is right. I don’t think I’ll ever be normal…but d**n it Eddie, I try so hard! I do! You know it! You’ve seen it! I deserve to be on this team after the effort I’ve put in, and he still doesn’t think I’m worthy! It pisses me off. That’s why I’m glad he gave me this mission. I can’t take Wonder Boy and Wonder female dog anymore. I just need a few days away to blow off some steam. Besides, if I can get her back, then maybe things between Tim and Wonder female dog will settle down. I’ve always heard that despite her quirks and betrayals, Raven’s always a welcome part of the team and kinda keeps everyone on the level. That would be nice, because those two have been walking on eggshells around each other even more than they have me! That’s not like them for those two, who are best friends, to be so uneasy around each other…Oh, you gotta go? Why? … I see, training exercise. Well, good luck. Don’t worry about me. I’ll probably be home within a week, and I’ll make sure to call every once in a while.” With that Rose disconnected her call. The airstrip she was supposed to land at was in her line of sight now.

Rose turned her autopilot off and radioed into the military tower, as they guided her in. The landing was smooth, save for a little bump in the runway that rattled her a little, kind of like being in a car going over a speed bump. When she disembarked she was surprised to see a car waiting for her already. A guard in fatigues gave her the key. Rose gave him a faint smile of gratitude as she started the engine. Maybe Tim Drake, the current Robin, wasn’t such a bad guy who had it in for her after all.

Rose set her meager suitcase in the passenger seat next to her. It contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, a bathing suit, some spare panties, 2 extra outfits, and her costume. Couldn’t do the hero thing without a costume. Unfortunately she had it so tight you could never get a pocket on it. Speaking of pockets, she reached into hers to pull out a small piece of paper with Raven’s last known address.

Raven…Rose knew Raven, though she couldn’t say she knew her well. Raven was a constant on the team, although she always seemed to leave or be taken over by evil for some reason. Then again when you’re a gothic half-demon who while mentally mature and physically stunning aren’t really that emotionally mature, despite being able to finely control said emotions , life has to be hard. Rose could relate. Being the half-crazy daughter to the world’s greatest human killing machine had not been easy either, especially when said man had in an act of desperation at recent loses in his own life and his maniacal hatred of the Titans had used a super-serum to try to control her…and ended up making her a real nutter, a dangerous psychotic who had carved her own eye out to prove her loyalty to him. Rose also worried about how Raven would react to her. Rose, while under her father’s influence, had tried to kill Raven only about 3 or so years before. Surely that sting hadn’t worn off yet.

Rose felt the car start bouncing a little and eased herself back onto the road. Her mind had wandered off on her. She sighed. Her perfect night was going to be ruined. She knew it. She knew it because she was about to ruin the night of a former teammate that still had no idea Rose was on the team now. She didn’t want to do that. But she had to. That was the mission. Find Raven and bring her back to the team.

Rose pulled to a stop at the apartment complex and stared up at Raven’s window. Rose let out and even longer sigh than before. “I don’t suppose she’d let me in the front door at this hour of night…”

She looked at the fire escape that lead to the roof. She approached it quietly, and leaped up, grabbing a hold of it and swinging herself up onto it. She tiptoed her way quietly up to the roof and jimmying the door open to sneak down the stairs to the 5th floor. Once there she headed to Raven’s door and pulled out a makeshift lock pick. She picked Raven’s lock and eased the door open before entering the apartment. She didn’t take in much as she headed straight to Raven’s bedroom. The door was open, so she stood in the doorway for a little while, debating how to wake the beautiful empath.

Raven answered that for her. Apparently she hadn’t been as asleep as Rose had hoped. Her empathy had kicked enough to awaken her. She turned on the little lamp by her bed stand and almost squealed in shock when she saw Rose standing there. She started to shiver in fear for a few seconds, until she had enough bearing to sense that Rose meant her no harm.

“Rose…?”

AN: Whatcha think? I got enough ideas for the first like 4 or 5 chapters and the last chapter, but I might need some suggestions later on in your R/R’s. So please R/R and feel free to help, or constructively criticism. Please keep flaming to a minimum though. LOVE YA!

www.fanfiction.net/s/3108641/1/-link to original story
www.fanfiction.net/~mikedark2-link to my FF.net account

[byronlogan]

i like how you are adding the new titans into the story and adding the modern storyline i can't wait for the next chapter

[michealdark]

Thanks. I'll try to work on it soon

[elle]

MORE!!! ^.^

[michealdark]

Lol,I will,I will. I'm currently stuck between my idea for the last chapter and my writing down Ch. 2. I got all the ideas for Ch. 2,but I can't find the wordings

[elle]

plz more? plz? *cries*

[michealdark]

I'm working on it. I might make ch. 2 short. expect a lot of dialogue though

[michealdark]

I finally have ch.2 written and I'll have it typed at some point soon

[michealdark]

Me: Well, I’m back. I hoped you all missed me. Sorry this took so long to get together. It’s longer than I expected it to be…tried to blend in stuff from #38, and the conversation pieces took a long time to organize the way I wanted.

Rose: SHUT UP! Just get on with it, will you! You kept me in limbo for like 3 weeks or a month of something like that! Just put me to use already, you piece of nuts! *pulls out her swords menacingly*

Me: Anyways, same disclaimers as before
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The Complex Meaning of Darkness and Roses

Rose let out a heavy sigh to Raven’s reaction. It was to be expected though. How could she not have reacted differently when someone juts walked into you’re her place and disturbed her sleep?

Rose looked at the dark haired and violet eyed empath. Raven gazed back, still weary and confused? It was Rose who spoke first. “You didn’t get the memo that I’m a Titan again, did you?

Raven blinked as she thought for a few minutes. Then she cast down her gaze. Yes, she had gotten that memo. It was shortly after Rose joined that an item was stolen from the Tower. A very valuable book that contained a very damaging secret. Raven decided that it was imperative that she retrieve it, even though that meant suspecting everyone that had been a Titan up to that point, and leaving her boyfriend and leader at the time, Garfield Mark Logan, aka Beast Boy, and not have a chance to interact with Rose.

At first her prime suspects had been Rose and the one called Joker’s Daughter, Duela Dent, because they had both been Titans in the past and had both been villains too. Raven had rejected that Rose was the thief in short order. Rose’s arrival was too quick for her to have learned the importance of the book, and she had too much to lose in committing the crime.

Rose could tell Raven was in deep thought. What was it about though? Then she turned her head and saw Raven’s diary on the table in the living room. She smacked herself on the forehead. How could she have forgotten that? When they had started looking for Raven at her apartment in Beijing, she had left it behind. That’s how the Titans had found out why Raven left. But now it was here with Raven again…somewhere in Okinawa?

Rose’s thought train was broken when she heard Raven cough. She cautiously entered the room to sit beside Raven on the bed. She looked closely at Raven now that she was able to see her clearly. Rose could tell Raven was in bad shape. She looked gaunt. Her eyes were large in her head. Her cheeks were sunken in. She seemed tired, weak, like it was taking all her strength to try to make herself healthy again. It was clear Raven was terribly sick, and it looked like she hadn’t been eating well either. Rose said the only thing she could think of. “Are you…ILL?”

Raven took instant notice of Rose’s distress and smiled reassuringly. “I am. I have been fighting and running for so long now that my body can no longer handle it. I developed a severe…almost life threatening…case of influenza. I returned here because I have eluded my pursuers enough to afford a short recuperation. I have found time to eat and rest again, and my strength is returning. I can assure you the worst has passed.”

Rose shook her head in disbelief. Raven sick? Had it ever happened before? “Well, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“A temporary fever-induced coma” Raven muttered very quickly, attempting to not distress the younger woman any further. She could already sense other worries from Rose she would soon inquiry about.

Rose wasn’t fool by the speed of Raven’s words. They registered with her perfectly. She put a hand on Raven’s forehead and quickly removed it, her one eye bulging widely. “My God, you’re on fire! You should be in a f**k**g hospital!”

Raven sighed. She knew continuing this conversation was just going to make Rose worry more. So she decided to change it. “There are other things on your mind, Rose. What is troubling you?”

Rose sat there for a second, unsure what to say. Finally she asked “You’ll listen?” When Raven nodded at her, Rose took a deep breath and began.

“Good God, where to start? My biggest problem is Tim and Cassie. Yeah, Cassie actually came back. That’s a longer story than I’m willing to tell tonight though. It’s just I’m sick of them Raven! I’m sick of them not trusting me! I’m tired of not trusting them! I give 1,000% every time we go to battle. I try so f**k**g hard! I’m trying to redeem myself. I want to make things right. Can’t they see that?!”

Raven could sense the sadness, anger, and frustration welling up from Rose as she continued on. “To make matters worse, those two are acting really weird. They’re hardly speaking to each other. And when they do, it’s mostly whispers about a ‘mistake’. I don’t know what’s going on there. It’s driving me crazy. I wanna know!” Then suddenly she blurted out “Does he hate me?”

Raven stared at her for a while. At first she thought Rose was referring to Tim. The deeper her empathy searched though, the more it became clear it was Rose’s father she was asking about.

Raven was unsure how to answer. She was not sure who Deathstroke was anymore herself. She had seen the damage Joseph Wilson’s corrupted soul had done to his father. She had almost been on the receiving end of Slade’s plan for vengeance for casting Joey’s soul into Purgatory, which involved the kidnapping, recruitment, and brainwashing of Rose, which started the scenarios that had lead to Rose’s question. But from the stories Raven had heard and from what she herself had seen in Bludhaven during the Crisis 2 years ago, Deathstroke’s change seemed permanent and more chaotic than previously imagined. He had helped form and trained the Society, shot a pregnant Cheshire (though he couldn’t have known she was pregnant at the time…still the principal of it seemed out of character and so very wrong)-who had barely survived and was now living God-knows-where, almost slaughtered the Secret Six, and had decimated Bludhaven. This was not the Slade Wilson she had known for years now. The Slade Wilson both Raven and Rose knew was a ruthless mercenary yes, but was also a caring family man that hated people who hurt their own children and followed a very strict personal moral and ethical code. He had even turned hero a few times. In fact he had willingly given Rose over to the care of the Titans as lead by Roy Harper, aka Arsenal, and mentored by Sarge Steel, because he felt responsible for the deaths of Joey (before discovering in a horrible way that Joey’s soul had been dwelling in him and that only his physical form had died), and his other son Grant, the first Ravager, and feared the same would happen to Rose. No, this was not that man at all.

I do not know anymore, Rose. I simply do not know. I believe when he made you the Ravager, that it was in fact and act of desperation. But who he is now…it is not Deathstroke anymore. I do not know who that is. His soul, mind, and heart seem irreparably damaged. I…am sorry.”

Rose sighed. Perhaps she’d never find out his reasons or rather he cared about her. Instead she said “All right. I bet you’re wondering why I’m here though, aren’t you?”

Raven nodded but said “Not yet. There is someone on the team whom you are close to, is there not?”

Rose looked inquisitive at first, then smiled brightly. Raven felt a wave of contentment was over her from Rose. Rose said much more cheerfully “Oh yeah, Eddie!”

Raven’s eyes perked a little as Rose said this. The only response her mind could form was a questioning “Kid Devil?” to which Rose responded “Yeah. He’s my best friend, Raven. Hell sometimes I think he’s my only friend. We’re the black sheep of the group, but that’s not just it. He’s the only one that doesn’t look at me and judge me. He doesn’t see me as the Ravager. He doesn’t see me as this generation’s Tara Markov, the First. He doesn’t see me as Deathstroke’s Daughter. He sees me as Rose Wilson Worth, the daughter of SLADE WILSON and LILIAN WORTH! He sees me as a real human being who’s done a lot of things she regrets and is trying to rectify them. And he loves me for who I am. And I love him because of that, though I’m not sure if like LOVE him or if he’s like a little brother to me.”

Rose’s eye focused on a spot on the wall as she said “He treats me how I want to be treated and sees me for who I am. And in return I do the same for him. I wish the others would see me for me.”

Raven felt the anger rising again as Rose projected and image of Slade’s masked face at the point on the wall she was focused on and started venting.

“You did this to me! You did this to me! You! d**n you, Daddy! You made me who I am! You turned me into this monster!” Before Raven could stop her, Rose was standing again and had a switchblade she had yanked from her pocket, which she tossed at the wall before running at the image and punching the hell out of it while howling out “It’s all because of you I have no friends! It’s all your fault I’m alone! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! I f**k**g HATE YOU!”

Raven was up as fast as she could be, thankful the apartment next door was empty. She was not kidding about starting to get her strength back, as she wedged herself between Rose and the wall, and wrestled the younger woman back onto the bed again and held her close as the wave of rage broke into racking sobs of inner pain. Raven wept as well, for she had been there herself.

Once Rose was calmed down, she tried to pretend she hadn’t just exploded like that and pulled away from Raven, saying “I suggest we get going. I’m taking you home. You see that’s why I’m here. When Vic woke up he found that tape you left him and decided we should find you. Which is what we’ve been doing for a while now. Tim just gave me this mission because I think he knew that I needed to get away from him for awhile. I think he expected I might find some new leads, but not actually find you. Anyways, we’re going home.”

Raven’s violet eyes stared into Rose’s solitary blue one as she said “Oh…has Garfield returned as well?”

Rose shook her head solemnly. “Beast Boy? No. He’s with the Doom Patrol now, living with his parents. We saw him not too long ago. It was pretty sweet actually. You see, we were fighting the Brotherhood of Evil and Plasmus really hurt Eddie badly. The Doom Patrol showed up and took us back to their headquarters and the Dayton Mansion so Dr. Caulder could put him back together. Well Tim found out that the old man was manipulating everyone by making them think they still couldn’t function without him. Beast Boy didn’t believe it at first, until Tim confronted the old man in front of everyone. He was shocked to hear Dr. Caulder call the entire DP damaged goods he needed to ‘fix’ and show his true colors. The old man got the real shock though when Mento himself came out looking healthier than I hear he’s been in years and demoted him, taking control of the DP. It was great. f**k**g jack offs like Dr. Caulder deserve to have their egos beaten with a sledgehammer once in a while. Anyways…Beast Boy decided to stay behind, for now.”

Raven smiled inside that Garfield’s family was truly back together now that his mother Rita Farr, the Doom Patrol’s Elasti-girl was restored to life and her husband, multimillionaire Steve Dayton, who was also called Mento the Master of Mentality, was back to himself after spending a few years in the criminal wilderness of mental illness. But she said “I must refuse the offer then.” This elicited a “What?!” from Rose to which Raven said “I hurt him, Rose. When I left, I left him under the impression that he had done something to harm me in some way when he hadn’t. I still loved him dearly. I still do. I want apologize to him. I need him to know why I really left. I cannot have this on my conscience any longer.”

Rose shot her an understanding look but still said “What you need is to come home and rest. You’ll be able to see him soon. You need to get healthy first though.”

Raven said again, much more firmly “I said I ill not return until I see Garfield.”

Rose sighed heavily and said “All right, we’ll do it your way. Pack up. Fast, because we need to leave quickly. We’re going to Prague.”
**********
Outside a man sat high in a tree, dressed in black tactical gear, listening and watching from a laptop. He tapped a button on his headset and went “Sir, we found the Bird. She has a pigeon with her though. They’re heading to Prague. Should we try to cage them in, or let you and the dogs hunt them there?” The young man listened to his commander’s orders before finally saying “I understand Sir. Continue your meeting with Large Mind. Over and out.”

Adjusting his headset the man said “Red One and Blue Four, the Bird is inside. She has the Ravager with her though. We’re going to try to cage them. Stand at the ends of the hallway, and open fire if they try to come out, but be careful. If they do get past you though, do not give pursuit. Report back to me and we’ll meet the commander in Prague. Over.”
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Not 10 minutes later Rose and Raven were standing by each other as they started to open the door. Rose caught sight of the two armed men and pushed Raven back inside, shutting the door.

“nuts, they know we’re here. They’re trying to trap up in, and you just had to pick an apartment on the 5th floor of an 8 story building, didn’t you? nuts, that means they bugged this place! Raven, they set you up! They knew you’d come back here! f**k!! I didn’t want to, but I guess I’ve gotta kill some people tonight.”

Rose quickly ran back to the bedroom and grabbed her knife from the wall. When she did, she noticed they had accidentally left the middle drawer to Raven’s dresser open. Almost instinctually she walked over to it and listened. That’s when she heard a soft, very very soft humming from the knob handle. She touched the screw and jumped as it shocked her. She knew it wasn’t an ordinary screw. It was some kind of bare radio antenna. She had found the bug alright, although she suspected this was actually a central transmitter and there were other bugs very near. In fact she was certain she knew where. Probably and audio and a visual one, in the knobs directly above and below it.

Rose called Raven back and pointed to the knob. “I found our little friend. I think the ones above and below it are bugs too.” She leaned close to the knob and said “Hey, guess what. Eat nuts!”

With that she stood beside the dresser and with a mighty kick destroyed the knobs in question Then she looked around and spotted Raven’s phone that had come with the place, and she formulated a plan almost instantly.

Quickly she unhooked the phone and said “Talk about old school. This thing still has a rotary dial. Oh well…it’s nice and heavy.” She handed the phone to a perplexed Raven and said “I have a plan. Trust me, this will work.”

Rose went to the door and cracked it open just enough so she could aim and hurl her knife. It flew straight and true, severing the guy’s carotid artery and lodging deep in his neck. She shut the door quickly and went back to the bedroom. She looked Raven in the eye calmly and reassuringly said “I want you to go out just enough to lure the other on into the apartment. You won’t get hurt. I promise you on my mother’s grave.”

Raven handed Rose the phone, but didn’t move at first. That was until she got a stern look from Rose. With that look she made her way to the door and came out just enough to catch the attention of the other guy, who was calling in the report that his buddy had just been killed. With rage in his eyes he stood up and stalked his way across the hall. Raven slammed the door shut, trying to get some distance between them, but he kicked the door in and menacingly backed her into the back of the living room. Once he was level with the bedroom door he said “That’s it female dog. Now you…”

“DIE!!” shouted Rose at the top of her lungs as she swung the phone into the man’s throat. He went down gurgling, his trachea collapsed instantly. Rose was far from done with him though, and straddled the now helpless man as she continued to bring the heavy old contraction down onto his throat until she was quite sure he was dead. Once she was she removed his headset and just uttered a single word: “Check.”

With that, she grabbed Raven’s bag and handed it to her as she drug her off, Raven is speechless shock and Rose on pure adrenaline. Almost enough adrenaline that her metagene kicked in, but not quite.

Once the man in the tree heard the squeal of tires peeling away he clicked his headset and said “Sir, the Bird and the Pigeon and flying to a new nest. I’ll meet you there. Over and out.” He packed up his equipment and once one the ground he looked into the sky and said “Well played, Ravager, well played.
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AN: Okay, sorry this took so long! Please R&R, but no flaming unless it’s me inappropriately handling Rose or Raven. I love ya’ll!

[michealdark]

Rebirthing Infamy

Me: Hey, I got tired of waiting for #40, so decided it was time to work another character in that’ll play a pretty big role in the future of the plot. Unfortunately there’s no Rose or Raven, or Gar. Rose and Raven will return next chapter, and Gar should finally make his appearance the chapter after that. Then it’s a parade of fighting and fluff! Yay!

Rose: Why’d you even want to wait for #40 anyways? You had like half of a chapter in your mind with Raven and me already! Why couldn’t you finish it?

Me: Let’s just say after I see how a certain confrontation goes in #40, it’ll help shape how the rematch goes in this one. You’ll enjoy it. Trust me.

Rose:…it better be worth it, I’ll make sure you know how pissed I am.

Me: Don’t worry about it. Let’s just enjoy the show. Get your popcorn. Anyways guys, standard disclaimers apply.
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In Markovia
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I find myself pacing. I do that often anymore. It happened again. It’s been the same d**n nightmare every night for months now! In this nightmare I see it all. Everything she did. I see her first meeting the team, and then joining, and then getting “him” to fall in love with her. I see her sleeping with “the other one” …and I always feel violated while watching. I see her betraying the team. Finally I see her losing control and witness her powers kill her . Then she crawls out of the rubble, her back to me, and starts giggling like and manic cheerleader. I approach her and tap her on the shoulder. She turns around, and suddenly it’s not her I’m looking at anymore, but me. My hair, my coat, my old goggles, laughing in my own face. That’s when I wake up, always with a start. Always in a cold sweat. Always shivering. Always with tears in my eyes.
You see, my name is “Tara Markov”. I am a Teen Titan. I am a hero. But there was another before me with the same name, the same “family”, and many of the same friends. She was a Teen Titan too. But she also betrayed her team. She was a deeply psychopathic girl, mentally sick to the point of barely being human anymore. She allowed herself to be used as a sleeper agent by Slade Wilson, the mercenary known as Deathstroke the Terminator, for him to get back at the Titans for the death of his son and to fulfill his son’s contract. At the same time she used him too by having a very illicit and deeply disturbing pedophilic affair with him. In the act of betraying the team something happened to make her snap completely. She ended up destroying herself with her own powers.
I came about some time later as a member of the Team Titans. The Teamers’ history is very convoluted, but in short we believed we were from an alternate timeline. I believed I was an orphan that bore a more than passing resemblance to this first Tara, given a shot of her DNA to get her earth-manipulating powers, and given reconstructive surgery to make me look even more like her. Then the Zero Hour incident hit. With the exception of myself, only Deathwing and my fellow Teamer Miriam Delgado, Mirage, survived this shift in time. Still, I didn’t immediately think about the implications of this as it related to her, and instead Miri and I just moved on to join Arsenal’s team of Titans. Then I came into contact with the messenger orb of the Time Trapper…
It explained to me that Miri and I are from this timeline, not the alternate one most of the other Teamers were from. That is how we survived Zero Hour. It explained Miri’s history to her, but I destroyed it before it could reveal mine. It had already planted the seeds in my head, and I didn’t want hear it. I didn’t want to think I could do that to them. To “him”.
“Him”…him being Garfield Logan; Changeling, Beast Boy. Her boyfriend and the one I wish was mine. When she betrayed the team she hurt him worse than most people ever hurt in their lives. She crushed his very spirit for some time. Then he freaked out when he found out about me. It took him a long time to get used to the idea of my existence. Luckily we have become friends as time has gone on, but there are times where it still seems an uneasy friendship. How could she have done this to him? I thought to myself that there was no way I could have been the one to hurt him like that! I “like” him, A LOT! She hated him! But I digress.
After the dissolution of Arsenal’s team, I moved here to the European kingdom of Markovia to join her brother, King Brion Markov, the hero known as Geoforce. Yes, that’s right. Not only was she a nutter, but she was a princess too. And that’s what I am, because regardless of who I am, Brion and I view each other as siblings now, and we love each other very, very deeply. And as such, I’ve taken on her mantle as princess.
A few years ago I had the scientists here do tests on me to determine if I am her. Brion got the results and told me I wasn’t. I never quite believed him though. He knew that was what I wanted to hear. Still, despite my doubts his reassurance was enough to get me through, that was until a few months ago when the nightmares started. As time went on they just continued to spiral out of control, so much so that I gave up heroing and gave my codename of Terra to someone else. Someone new. Someone that didn’t have to live with her legacy. Instead I dove into politics and diplomacy, much to Brion’s surprised delight. I just figured, “Hey, I’m here. I’m the princess now. Why the hell not? Besides, it’s a change of pace from the fighting that comes with being a hero.”
At 4 p.m. the day before yesterday I got a call that might change all that and end this extended vacation. That’s the other reason I’m pacing. It was a call from Gar’s parents, the Doom Patrol’s Elasti-Girl and Mento. They said that Gar, that they needed my help. They said they were under siege in the Prague, in Dayton Manor, held up by the Brotherhood of Evil. Knowing the long and storied history of the Doom Patrol’s struggles with the Brotherhood, I was skeptical at first. So I had our own intelligence agency look into the matter, and today they confirmed it all with shocking results. You see the Brotherhood itself is quite small, only a handful of super powered freaks. Their leader, the Brain, has A LOT of money though, and put it to good use, buying himself a small army of mercenaries and a large amount of old fashioned heavy weaponry. From what we could gather in this short period of time, what’s going on over there is far from a normal superhuman battle. It’s an old-fashioned, all-out war!
I keep pacing as I weigh my options. The truth of who I am is starting to become clear, despite Brion’s best efforts to hide it from me and make me comfortable. I just can’t deny it anymore. I can’t run from it any longer. And that scares me. What if she gets out? I know that she’s still in me somewhere, a mental illness waiting for a trigger to take root again, another personality far darker than my own. A whole other person sharing my body with me. What if she gets out? I don’t want to hurt him! I don’t want her to hurt him anymore. But he might die if I don’t help. If that happens, I’ll never forgive myself knowing that I could have done something to prevent it.
As I pace I can feel eyes upon me. Standing in the doorway to my room are Brion and the servant I think has a crush on me, Mathias. Mathias is a great friend. He’s helped me immensely these past few months, and I’m grateful for that. He always seems to know when my mind is troubled, and the right words to calm me. He is always at my bbeck and call, and does everything he can to make me comfortable.
I stop pacing and stare at myself in the full length mirror at the other end of my room. I picture myself out of the jeans and tee-shirt I’m in now (I know, not very princess-like, but I gotta have my casual Fridays too…tee hee) and back in costume. It makes me smile. I say “Mat, bring me one of my suitcases and pack my costume.” I sense Mathias gawk at me for a few seconds in amazement, before going to meet my request.
Brion walks up behind me and puts a hand on my shoulder. In the mirror I can see he is dressed in one of his best suits. He is about to leave on a trip to an international heroes meeting himself, odd as it sounds. He asks barely above a whisper, “Are you sure about this?”
I turn and look in his eyes, knowing he knows me too well to lie to him. I say truthfully, “No, but he needs me. I just can’t sit on the sidelines for this one, Brion. This is something I feel I have to do.”
He nods, and for silent moments we wait for Mathias to return. When he does, I start packing. I look in and see the costume and smile broadly. I haven’t even looked at it in a long time. But that smile soon fades as I remember that I’m going to be wearing a body-thong leotard in the mountains outside of Prague. But I giggle a little inside when I remember that I’ve worn a big leather coat in the heat before . It’s the same situation, just at opposite ends of the temperature spectrum.
I put on my boots, then walk to my closet and pull out that said coat, the trademark that truly separates my outfit from hers. When I look in the mirror I’m pleased with what I see. Then I walk over to the nightstand and pull out my mask. I place it on my face and look in the mirror again, unable to hold the smile in as I grin from ear to ear. Something about this whole thing has always just been so right. Already I feel happier.
I walk over to Brion and look into his eyes. He engulfs me in a huge hug. He whispers “I love you, Tara.” I melt into the embrace and say “I love you too, Brion. You’re the best brother a girl could ask for. I’ll come back, I promise.”
I turn to Mathias, standing at Brion’s side, and pull him close. I embrace him tightly and thank him for helping me. I can feel the heat in his cheeks as he blushes. He’s always been easily embarrassed when you praise him. As I pull away I tell him sternly, “I need you to hold down the fort for me, okay? “
I pull away and look at both of them with a playful smile before saying something that just feels like home; “Besides, I think it’s time the REAL Terra comes out of exile to have some fun.” With that, I’ve got my bag and I’m sprinting down the corridor to a boulder that I use my powers to bring to the door, before jumping on and jetting off. God, it feels great to be back!