Beast Boy paced back and forth across the main room of Titans Tower, fidgeting at every step. He was anxious to get moving. Starfire was his opposite. She sat complacently on the couch, reserved and still. Though near each other, their minds were a million miles apart. The double main doors slid apart with a swish and Robin entered the room. He faced the two of them, but he looked at Beast Boy.
"All right." He said. "It's time to go."
"Finally!" Beast Boy breathed. He was out of the room in a flash.
Robin paused for a moment to consider that before he moved to follow.
"...Robin." Starfire stood up. "May I speak to you for a moment?"
Robin stopped and turned to her.
"Is...is there something wrong?"
Robin's eye mask squinted.
"Mad Mod-"
"No." Starfire shook her head. "I do not mean the current threat. It is...well...since our excursion to Neo Hive, you have not spoken to me."
"I've been busy, Starfire. Besides, there was no need. You performed well."
"...Performed well?"
It was too late. The Boy Wonder had already turned and walked away.
"..."
With no choice, Starfire bowed her head and followed.
TTTTTTTTTT
Cyborg honked the horn once or twice, but it was no use so he gave it up. The T-Car inched towards City Hall and the Jump City Beauty Pageant. When the huge crowd saw it, they stopped being pageant fans and became Titan fans. The clamored around the car on all sides, trying to get a peek at the Teen Titans through the windows. They tapped to get their attention, hand signed and mouthed. A few more obsessed people quickly scribbled on anything the could find and pushed it against the window so it could be read.
THUMP!
One such message was pushed against the passenger side window where Raven sat. She turned and looked at it.
'Raven, will you marry me?'
Without changing expression, she turned to Cyborg.
"We must get out of here."
"I'm trying, girl! Unless you know a way to get all these people to move-"
"You put a sonic cannon on the car for a reason, didn't you?
Cyborg did a double take. He looked at her, shocked.
"Raven!"
The mystic raised an eyebrow.
"...What?"
Outside, drawing no attention from the crowd, a blur of black smoke streaked down the sidewalk. It spiraled up a lamppost, vaulted and landed in the form of Noir on the roof opposite City Hall and the pageant stage. He crouched on the ledge and looked down with those black eyes.
A few policemen temporarily left their posts to help clear the crowd around the T-Car. They held out their hands and stepped forward along with the slightly faster progression of the vehicle.
The stage was finished with it's metal grating pillars, spotlights and the two winged walkways that sliced out into the crowd. Between them was an indented place for the composer and his orchestra. Sweeping red curtains hid the backstage area from which the pageant contestants would emerge.
To the right of the stage was a small area barricaded off for the JCPD. Walker filled the air with smoke while Decker profaned it with curses.
Noir took in a deep breath. He sighed. All would soon be in place.
All he could do now was wait.
TTTTTTTTTT
I stood in one of the large, long rooms in Madam Pufton's etiquette school that served as a bedroom for multiple pageant contestants. I leaned against the wall with one foot planted against it, my arms folded across my chest and my hat low on my brow, just trying to stay out of the way as the girls went back and forth to get their stuff ready. I pulled out my pocket watch, flipped it open to see the time and put it away again.
"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying." Lisa grumbled as she crossed and recrossed the room gathering...whatever it is women need for beauty pageants.
"I didn't say anything."
"You didn't have to."
I sighed.
"We're gonna have a tough time if you keep seeing some secret meaning to everything I do."
"Chill out, guys." Terra told us from where she was packing up her own stuff.
"But-"
"But-"
"Bard, stop looking at you watch. We have plenty of time. Lisa, stop reading Bard's mind. It makes him feel insecure."
I grumbled about that under my breath. I stepped over to the window door that led out to a tiny balcony. I was outside, but still close enough to talk. I dug in my pocket, pulled out a cigarette and lit it up.
"Give me one." Lisa demanded.
"Nu-uh. Finish getting ready first."
Lisa put her hands on her hips.
"You're bribing me with nicotine?"
"Yup." I said around the cigarette. "Bet it works, too."
This time it was Lisa's turn to grumble. I felt a trifle smug over it.
"So," I said, inhaling from the cancer stick again. "Ya'll seen anything suspicious here yet?"
Lisa and Terra looked at each other. When Lisa shook her head, Terra answered.
"Nothing. I don't think it's an inside job."
I nodded.
"Well...don't let your guard down."
Terra giggled.
"Yes, Robin." She looked at me a little more seriously. "Don't let Madam Pufton see you smoking that. She's already burning up about the fact you're gonna be riding along with us."
I had to smirk at that.
"If only I'd had time to take the muffler off my Harley..."
The door suddenly slammed open and Madam Pufton stomped in the door. I coughed and nearly swallowed my cigarette before managing to drop it off the balcony.
Madam Pufton sniffed at the air.
"What is that I smell?"
That was too easy. I held my tongue.
"It smells like...smoke." She turned and glowered straight at me.
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Maybe someone's having a pig pickin'?"
"A pig...what?" She looked at me closely. "...Are you doing the marijuana?"
It took all I had not to fall over laughing. I managed to tip my hat.
"No, ma'am. My drug of choice is crack cocaine, ma'am."
She started on a tirade, but then her face turned red. She pointed a finger into my face.
"I'm watching you, boy." Madam Pufton turned on her heel and stomped out of the room.
Terra shook her head, looking at me.
"Why do you have to give that woman such a hard time?"
I shrugged.
"I don't like her tone."
Terra rolled her eyes up at the ceiling.
"Men."
