Chapter 1: The Princess and the Warrior

Starfire stood next to Robin in the strange device that the humans called and 'elevator' as it slowly climbed the side of the skyscraper. The sun was sinking past the horizon and the city's lights could be seen from the window, spread out below them. This building wasn't one of Jump City's tallest- it certainly had nothing on the structure's of Starfire's own home world- but the lights were still beautiful.

She turned to Robin. "Remind me please why you wanted to come here tonight?"

The leader of the Teen Titans smiled and gave a soft chuckle. "I told you, Star- this it what we Earthlings call a date."

"A date," Starfire repeated. "Was that not what you called it the night you had to dance with the Kitten and there ended up being a fight?"

Robin winced at that memory, something Starfire sympathized with completely- she could only imagine how horrible enduring the company of Killer Moth's spoiled daughter directly for hours must have been. "Well, hopefully there won't be any mutant moths or spider-people here tonight," he finally said. "And this isn't a dance- it's a restaurant."

Starfire nodded. "Like the establishment from which we buy our pizza?"

"A bit classier than that." The elevator came to a stop, and with a ringing sound that made Starfire jump the elevator door slid open. The two Titans stepped out into a restaurant that took up the entire top floor of the building, with windows all around looking out over the night city. Shimmering light fixtures- chandeliers, Starfire remembered the word- hung from the ceiling.

"Do you like it?" Robin asked.

"It is beautiful, Robin," she replied.

A man stood up from behind a small desk, preparing to lead them towards their table- then he stopped, his eyes widening as he realized who exactly he would be serving. Gesturing excitedly, he led them to their seats; the heads of the restaurant's other patrons turning to get a better look at the two superheroes. After all, such a sight was not an everyday occurrence- even in Jump City.

They were able to order their meal without difficulty ( thankfully, Starfire had become reasonably familiar with what constituted main course, sides, and dessert and generally didn't combine them in inventive ways anymore, though she still found human food rather limited, and switched her straw from a glass of water into the mustard bottle while Robin wasn't looking).

They sat quietly for several moments before Robin finally spoke. "Star," he said, "I've been thinking ever since that battle with General Immortus and how close we all came to- well, you know*. It really went to show how dangerous it is, what we do- fighting monsters and criminals and demons every day."

Starfire put a hand on his. "I know, Robin," she said. "But it is something we have to do. I do not fear dying, and I do not think you do either."

Robin shook his head. "It's not that," he said. "It's just that I wanted to make sure that I had a chance to tell you-"

Before Robin could finish his sentence, loud music blared out from under the table. The team leader muttered a word under his breath that Starfire didn't know but suspect was impolite. He reached down to his belt and pulled out his communicator- the apparent source of the sound, and flipped it open irritably.

"What is it?" Robin grated.

"Hello, lovebirds!" a loud voice said, and several other diners nearby turned their heads to see what was causing the noise. "Teen Titans central here to check up and make sure that everything is A-OK and under control!"

"Beast Boy," Robin said, "I told you to call if there was a problem at your end. I don't think having dinner with Star is going to put either of us in danger."

"Aww, come on, Robin," Beast Boy said. "Dates are supposed to be fun." He lowered his voice to an audible whisper. "Have you kissed her yet?"

"None. Of. Your. Business," Robin growled.

"Hey, I just asked if you- ack! Raven, put me down!" Though it was clear from his tone that Beast Boy had, if anything, raised his voice, the sound was growing quickly quieter- almost as if the shapeshifter was being dragged away from his communicator by telekinesis. Starfire giggled.

"We're sorry," Cyborg's voice came on a moment later. "Raven's got everything under control now. Back to your regularly scheduled romance!" The communicator clicked off. Robin tucked it back into his belt, sighing.

"You were going to say something, Robin?" Starfire prompted.

"Never mind," he replied. "It wasn't important."

Starfire doubted that, but something told her that Robin was no longer in the right mood to say whatever it was, so she didn't press it. Dinner passed uneventfully, apart from the waiter's scandalized expression at the straw poking from the mustard container, and both Titans were eating the quite delicious dessert called a "sundae" (though a very similar sounding word was used for the first day of the week, a fact which had caused Starfire some momentary confusion) when the waiter brought the bill.

"Robin," Starfire said, "are you certain that you have enough of the green slips of paper for this?"

"Don't worry," Robin said, leaning close. "I get a monthly allowance from Bruce- he thinks I'm using this to buy new equipment. What he doesn't know won't hurt him." He laughed softly.

After they had paid, the two of them exited the restaurant and stood beside the elevator when Starfire took Robin by the arm.

"What are you doing, Starfire?" he asked.

"You paid for the dinner. I would like to do something special for you as well, Robin." A service door stood beside the elevator; Starfire pulled it open and leapt out into the open sky, Robin hanging on to her arm behind her.

They flew up into the night sky, the city spread out below them like a sea of gleaming jewels. Starfire sighed as the wind rustled past her and blew her hair streaming out behind her. The Tamaranean race were children of the skies- flight had long been considered among her people to be one of the greatest joys they could know.

"Come fly with me, Robin," Starfire said as she adjusted her grip to make sure he wouldn't fall. "We have done it in battle, and you have flown in a vehicle, but it is not the same."

Robin smiled, trusting in the Tamaranean princess to keep him aloft. "All right," he said. "Show me what it's like." Starfire smiled back at him, and then they were off, soaring above the city faster than any Earth creature could fly. Star threw back her head and laughed as she flew, and after a few moments Robin joined in. They circled the city for what felt like an eternity, and then Starfire brought them down on top of a building.

"That was amazing," Robin said breathlessly.

"It is," Starfire agreed. "I am glad you enjoyed it."

"I was on the trapeze in the circus when I was a kid, and I thought that was flying, but next to what you can do, it doesn't hold a candle."

Starfire giggled. "Thank you, Robin," she said. The two Titans stood still for several moments, looking up at the silver moon among them, when Robin's communicator rang.

"Not again!" he snarled, pulling it out and opening it. "Beast Boy, this had better not be a prank-"

"It's not," a cool voice said from the other end, and Starfire recognized Raven. "We've got trouble. There's a museum that's just been broken into- we're on it, but it's much closer to you."

"We'll be there." Robin snapped the communicator shut and turned back to Starfire. "I'm really sorry, Star," he said, "But it looks like we have an appointment with a crook or two."

"I heard," Starfire said. "Let's go."

#############

They landed outside the museum, and Starfire stared at the hole that had seemingly been burned through one of the walls. No ordinary criminal could do that- it was most likely some sort of demon, robot, or alien, and that meant a tough fight was in the works. Robin pulled a small metal cylinder from his belt and it extended into a fighting staff; Starfire formed a starbolt in one hand. Together they slowly crept through the opening.

The museum was dark and empty, but it was obvious that someone had been through here. Displays had been smashed and overturned, as if the person who had broken in was looking for something and was enraged that he couldn't find it.

Suddenly something smashed in a nearby side gallery. Robin motioned for quiet as he and Starfire crept into the hall. A tall figure stood in the middle of the floor, wrapped in a hooded cloak and tearing angrily through a pile of artifacts he'd removed from their displays.

"Hey you," Robin called, stepping forward, "didn't you ever learn to have more respect for history?" The cloaked figure spun towards him, and Robin leaped forward, staff in hand- and was sent flying by a powerful blow from the thief's right fist. He'd been an acrobat in his childhood and a martial artist for most of his teen years, so he was able to land on his feet with little damage, but Starfire knew that a blow like that had to have been backed by superhuman strength.

"Who are you and why are you here?" she demanded, stepping between the thief and Robin and holding her starbolt at the ready.

The figure started and then cast back his hood, and it was Starfire's turn to gasp. The thief's human-like build, orange skin, and glowing green eyes were instantly recognizable features- those of her own people, and one of her people she knew.

"I am sorry you became involved in this, Koriand'r," he said in their own language. "I would have preferred that you lived."

*For the full story of how the Teen Titans prevented General Immortus from attaining world domination (with a little help from Red X), see my fanfic "The Art of War".