Chapter III

Prepare The Sacrifice

Robin and Cyborg were inside the garage, working on the new T-Car and Robin's new motorcycle. Cyborg was drooling over all of the new enhancements the car had, while Robin stared in wonder at his new rockets.

Suddenly, they became aware of Beast Boy and Starfire coming and going. They stopped marveling over their new toys, wondering what those two were doing.

"Is that... a tux?" Robin asked aloud.

"And a dress?" Cyborg pointed out. "What's up with that?"

They looked at each other, then clapped their hands to their foreheads.

"Idiots," they said simultaneously.

"Isn't a tux over the top?" Peter asked, feeling self conscious as he stared at himself in the mirror, holding the suit up to himself. "I mean, wouldn't a suit be more appropo?"

"Nope," BB said, working his way around the tie. "Besides, the date's tomorrow night, you have plenty of time to get used to it..."

"Tomorrow?!"

Peter dropped the tux. He stared at BB's reflection in the mirror.

"You didn't tell me it was tomorrow!" Peter said, running his hand through his hair. "I... that's hardly enough time..."

"It's more that enough!" BB said hastily. "And, hey, you aren't getting any younger, so the sooner the better, right?"

Peter stared at him in silence.

"I'm sixteen," he said, deadpan. "No, I'm not getting younger."

He held up the tux again, privately thinking that the date at least should take his mind off of Raven...

But thinking of Raven helped him to forget about Mary Jane.

"And no, you cannot wear your cloak over your dress..."

"Drat."

Raven looked at herself in her mirror. Tomorrow night, Starfire was going to do her makeup and hair, but the dress looked very nice. It was silky black, strapless, and it had a nice purple sheen to it when it moved in the light.

Starfire was playing with Raven's hair.

"Can not you make it longer?" she asked, sounding exasperated. "With your magic? Like when we defeated the Terror of Trigon?"

"That was a flux," Raven said, annoyed, but then she thought about it. "Should I grow it out?"

"There is hardly enough time," Star said, blowing her breath out in a gust, picking up two strands from the back, twisting them around.

"No, I mean, ow! I mean with my magic," Raven explained. Star gasped.

"You can do it?" she asked, her eyes glittering. "Glorious! I have the perfect idea! We can use the curlers of iron!"

"Curls?" Raven repeated, trying to picture herself in curls. She didn't much like the thought, but then, Starfire said she knew what she was doing.

And I believe her.

She did. Starfire was going to help her enjoy herself. Besides, she was dating Robin, so she can't be all clueless.

Oh, no wait. She's dating Robin. Yes, she can be clueless.

No, that was unfair. Raven was just jealous. Not of Starfire, but of not being able to express her true feelings.

She didn't even know if Peter remembered the dream world. She certainly did. It was memories she cherished, especially the kiss.

But no... she wouldn't force herself on Peter, not when he was still grieving over losing his entire world. She would go on this stupid date, if only to take her mind off of him.

But thinking of Spider-Man helped her to control her powers.

The Next Evening

"You look fine."

"I feel like an idiot."

"Well, you insisted on tying your own tie..."

That, Peter thought, was the least of his worries. Had he allowed BB to tie the bow tie, he would probably have suffocated halfway through the dinner. He tentatively felt his hair, combed up and back, and checked his face for any unsightly blemishes.

"Dude, you look okay," BB said, pushing him away from the mirror and toward the door. "Go! You're future awaits!"

"Wow."

"I must admit, I did not expect such... radiance."

Raven stared at herself in the mirror. Having grown her hair down to past her shoulders, Star had curled it, and it now fell gracefully around her face. Her grey skin complimented the dress perfectly, and the makeup wasn't overdone. Starfire also stared at the reflection, with awe and a slight twinge of jealousy.

"Starfire... thanks."

"It was my pleasure," Starfire said, gently nudging Raven to the door. "It is time."

BB searched through his special spy binoculars with infrared sighting, trying to spot Peter. He found him, staring around the expensive restaurant as if he had never been in one before. He watched him make his way to the table.

"What's the vector, Victor?" he asked into his walkie-talkie.

"I'm sorry?" came Starfire's confused voice. BB shook his head.

"Where's Raven?" he clarified. "The timing has to be perfect, or..."

He broke off as he saw Raven approach the table at the opposite angle. She too was looking around at the impressive lighting and architecture.

They reached the table at the same time, still looking around, not noticing the other until they both sat down. BB couldn't see their faces, but he would have given anything to have been able to. As it was, he turned into a bat to pick up what they said.

"Raven?"

"Peter?"

He changed back, doing a fist pump.

"Yes!" he said into the walkie-talkie. "Phase Two is complete. Phase Three is initiated..."

So, events are picking up speed with alarming rapidity! Muahaha!