Ding-dong

Got it, called Robin, striding over to the door. He wondered who would be visiting them. Unless . . .He opened the door.

"Robin! Hey!"

Kay. He opened the door wider, allowing the girl to step in the door. "Hey yourself," he replied. "What's up."

"We were just leaving," Starfire said from behind Robin. "Now."

"Let me guess," said Kay, still smiling. "To get some formal attire for the gala, right?"

Robin couldn't help but notice Starfire's lack of acknowledgement. Unless he missed his guess, Star was acting more than a little rudely towards Kay. Why? He felt almost embarrassed, what with Star acing so strangely. He shot her a brief questioning look and then turned back to Kay. "You're right. We were just heading over to the clothing store."

"As I suspected. Actually, I'm glad I managed to get here before you guys left, otherwise, you would have gone on an unnecessary shopping trip." She paused, but then upon seeing the bewildered looks on the Titans' faces elaborated. "See, I've already taken the liberty of selecting your attire for the gala."

"You chose our clothes?" asked Beast Boy."

"Not really. I actually purchased several different outfits for each one of you. All of them yours to keep as a sort of advance payment, but you can choose any one of them to wear. Come with me down to your condos and I'll show them-" She stopped, once again noticing the Titans (all except for Robin) had no idea what she was talking about. She gave Robin a pointed look.

He shrugged. "I guess I kinda forgot to mention it."

"Apparently," said Cyborg. "We don't own any condos."

"We do now," said Robin. "Look, its no big deal. I know it sounds weird, moving out of the Tower temporarily, but we really don't have much choice. If we really are going to take this job, we need to be able to respond quickly to any threats that should arise, right? How are we supposed to do that from the Tower. Its as far as far can be from Takahashi Inc. It'd take thirty minutes at minimum for even those of us with flight capabilities to reach the place, and by then, it would most likely be too late.

Raven sighed. "Still, how are we supposed to be that effective without all of the resources here?"

"That will all be provided for," said Kay. "A recharging station, for example, has been installed for the benefit of Cyborg. Any other features in the Tower that you may require in your new temporary home will be provided."

"A gym?" asked Cyborg.

"There is a private one in the condo's sub-levels." She looked around. "So, is everybody cool with that?"

"Yeah," I think we are," said Robin.

Kay grinned. "Great."

***

Jealous, are we," commented Raven four hours later. She said it with a straight face, making the statement more of an observation than a tease. She plopped down on the couch in Starfire's room, waiting for a response.

Starfire didn't even bother turning around from the mirror in which she was combing her hair. "I do not know what you are talking about."

This time, Raven's mouth quirked up in a semi-smile. "Kay. That's who I'm talking about. "You haven't said or done a polite thing to her since you two met. I've never seen you act that way to anyone, Star."

Star still didn't turn around. "I do not want to talk about it now," she said.

"Fine, but just tell me. What don't you like about Kay? I mean, she hasn't even done anything to you."

"I never said that I did not like Kay."

"You sure give enough hints. And I'm not the only one who notices, I could tell how embarrassed Robin was at your hostility to Kay this morning."

Starfire colored instantly. Raven had just hit a nerve, and now it was she who was feeling acutely ashamed, wondering what her actions must have seemed like from Robin's point of view. She sighed. "I really do not wish to talk about it, Raven."

"By all means, don't talk about it then." Raven sat up and tapped a finger to her left temple. "Think about it." With that she got up completely. "They should be done putting my stuff in my room now, its been at least a half hour." Raven pointed to the group of dresses hanging up in the open closet of Starfire's room. "Pick the purple one."

***

"I look ridiculous," Cyborg grumbled as he fixed his tie. The guys of the team were in Robin's room, prepping up for the gala.

Beast craned his head to take a look. "Don't worry tin man, you always look ridiculous."

"You guys done yet?" asked Robin. He still wore the mask, as well as a tux, ring, and watch that probably cost more than all of his other clothes put together. All of this provided by Takahashi Inc. His bo staff was cleverly concealed inside of a diamond topped cane, and he had a full compliment of birdarangs inside the tux pocket. Just in case.

"Yo Rob, don't you ever take that mask off?" asked Beast Boy.

"Sure I do. Just not in front of you guys."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes, shoving his hands inside the pockets of his green suit. 'Having a secret identity seems like such a hassle man."

"It can be." Robin looked at the clock. "OK, Its about time now. Kay said we were supposed to rendezvous with her and the girls a little before the gala starts, so we'd better leave like now."

"Make sure you guys don't let anyone see me," said Beast Boy as they trotted down the stairs. "Me and a stylin' suit, it's a lethal combination. Wouldn't to get run over by a mob of lovestruck fangirls before we even get there, would you?"

Cyborg shut the door behind them. "I'll say it since Raven's not here to. Dude, you're not funny."

"Dude, you're not funny," Beast Boy mimicked. "Whatever." He looked down at the cane that Robin was twirling absentmindedly between his fingers. "What's with the bo-staff? We're not going to go beat up supervillains-"

"For once," injected Cyborg.

"We're just going to a ball. Think of the one in Cinderella. You didn't see the prince come to the party loaded down with weapons, did you?"

"I've never seen Cinderella," Robin informed him twirling the cane/bo staff into the air only to neatly catch it as it fell in mid-twirl. "Besides, a bo staff and a few birdarangs is hardly what I call loaded down with weapons.

"Never seen Cinderella!" Beast Boy shook his head in mock disapproval as the trio entered the building. "It's a classic! Cinderella wearing the glass slippers and . . ." he trailed off. "Speaking of which, wonder if the girls got as dressed up as we did."

Robin nodded his head to the left. "See for yourself."

"Guys," Kay exclaimed when she saw them. She walked over, threading her way through the people congregated in the library. Raven and Starfire trailed close behind.

"Just on time," Robin greeted them. "We were wondering if you were going to make it."

"Ditto." Kay tilted her head to the side. "Nice tux."

"Thanks. So when des this thing start anyway?"

"Now, as a matter of fact." Kay pointed to a large set of doors. "C'mon," she said, taking told of Robin's arm, "we'd better get in now, while there's not a line stretching back a mile."

"Uh, OK." Robin let Kay lead him and the other Titans through the door. What greeted him was a room. More like an auditorium really. It was huge and tables were aligned all across the walls. It would have been dark were it not for the large disco ball that hung from the ceiling casting bright pinpoints of light all over the floor and walls. Some type of slow jazz song played gently through the large space.

"Should we just grab a seat?" asked Cyborg from behind.

"No need. You guys already have a table reserved up in front," Kay told him. "Here, I'll show you." It was a relatively short walk to the table, although it was hard to navigate while the room was filing up with people. Kay stopped at a circular table with six seats. "Here we are," she informed them.

"This music is terrible," Beast Boy complained once the group was seated. Their seating arrangement had already been decided, as there were name cards all around the table indicating who sat where. Not that the green animorph minded so much. He was next to Raven, after all. And boy did she look stunning. He'd barely been able to keep his jaw off the ground, seeing his teammate in an actual dress.

"Stop complaining Beast Boy," Raven said. She gave an absentminded tug at the collar of her dress, a purple formfitting garment with lace, translucent sleeves and a wraparound scarf of the same material. She wondered if she looked as ridiculous as she felt, especially since Beast kept staring at her, which he would have no reason to do unless he thought she looked strange.

"If you'd like a different selection of music, I'm sure you could arrange it with the DJ," Kay was saying to Beast Boy.

"You think he'd listen to me."

Ordinaily, no. But you are, after all, a Titan. The company values your help a lot, so I don't think he'd mind.

"I think I will get some soda," Starfire announced, rising to her feet.

Kay shrugged. "Help yourself, we've probably got like fifty different kinds on the punch table. For the next half hour or so, you guys can do whatever you want. Dance, talk, eat, it doesn't really matter."

"I'll go with Star," Raven said. "Make sure she doesn't eat the napkins or anything."

"Count me in," said Cyborg, leaving with Raven and Starfire.

Kay looked straight a Robin, a small smile playing on her face. "What about you Robin?"

Robin twirled his disguised bo staff. "Oh, I dunno I'm not that thirsty."

Kay's smile grew wider. She stood up. "Well. In that case, would you care to dance?"

****

Outside, it was a cold night. In turn, the ten mysterious figures crouched on the roof above the skylight were freezing. The leader, a tall man in a full face mask and with enough weaponry on him to start an armory looked back at his team. "Remember guys," he said as he adjusted the laser targeting mechanism on the monstrous .50 handgun he hefted in his coarse hands. "Two million dollars for this hit. For each one oof us. Don't let a little cold make you forget that."

"I think I see one o' them Titans, said one of the men, peering down through the skylight.

"They will probably be the biggest obstacle, which is why we must get in, kill Takahashi as soon as possible, and then get out while we have the element of surprise with us. We can't afford to directly engage the Titans, they're too powerful for that. And Roland isn't paying us to knock a couple of superpowered kids. We're getting paid to knock off Takahashi. Remember that." He finished adjusting the laser, and with a deft twirl had it back in its holster. The gun was deadly. Accurate, and with unbelievable power, especially with the custom adjustments he'd made. One shot, no matter where on the body. One shot, and Takahashi would be dead.