Monstrous

By Shahrezad1

Summary: Roxanne thinks it's high time she visited her cousin, especially after missing the girl's ill-fated wedding. Meanwhile Megamind follows with…monstrous results.

Disclaimer: Roxanne wears red, Megamind is blue. This Disclaimer is somewhat pointless, but please don't sue…I'm poor enough already. ^^;

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Chapter 2

A week, Roxanne reminded herself as the plane jumped for what seemed like the fiftieth time in an hour, it's just a week.

But she was already miserable.

First there had been the charge for having two carry-on bags rather than just one, regardless of her explanation that all it was just a camera bag. Then they had overbooked her flight, so she'd had to book to another city, then pick up a second trip thereafter. New security measures caused her to be searched not just once but twice (for heaven's sake, they were just fillings!) and what was left of her in-flight snack had fallen to the floor, now inedible and completely undesirable.

What with all the small little pains plaguing her she almost was ready to give in-the trip wasn't worth all the trouble it was causing her. But a promise was a promise, she knew, and Ritchies never backed out of keeping their word. Especially not after verifying that she would be going.

Roxanne sighed and twitched her skirt lower upon her knees, cursing that she hadn't had the chance to change into something more comfortable before heading out. If she had known just what a hassle she would be receiving...well, hindsight was definitely twenty-twenty. At least she knew what to expect on the return trip and would prepare accordingly.

As for now, the indignity of the entire trip was easy to at least partially block with the careful application of a good book: Evil Genius, by Catherine Jinks.

Not that she'd ever let it slip to Megamind that she was reading that one. They already had enough sci-fi in their lives as it was, and it had been bad enough when the alien had found out that she liked Artemis Fowl!

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What he wouldn't give to be at home and investigating Roxanne's home library right now. She always had something interesting to read, whether it be through work-related research or personal curiosity, and it had been a while (three kidnappings ago, really, and quite a long time) since he'd had the chance to snoop. Not that he would be snooping this time! No, any literary discoveries would be with permission, and in a decidedly un-sneaky manner.

And said discoveries would at least give him something to focus on past his discomfort and boredom. Why, he remembered the time he had discovered her Artemis Fowl collection. Hours had been spent familiarizing himself with the fictional genius; another chance like that would definitely stave off his current misery.

A week. A week without Roxanne in his life.

The last time something so horrific had occurred it had been his twenty-eighth birthday and she'd gone on a vacation to the Bahamas (somehow discerning that he was about to instigate a plan, as he always did the same time every year). Operation: Torture-With-Cake had been a complete failure, not to mention the fact that he had been forced into suffering Metroman's ribbing at his lack of knowledge.

Imagine, a victim reporting her change in location to her would-be hero but not to her would-be kidnapper. It had really rankled to be left out of the loop-but at least now he was the one whom she informed regarding everything. Or almost everything. There had been that Girls Night Out, whatever that was. And then her strange actions lately…

Flushing lavender yet again in memory of the palm print that was seemingly burned into the skin of his shoulder, Megamind thought on this as yet another example of their social discomfort-they both knew that something existed between them, but the past hung overhead like so many newspaper clippings. Sure, he'd saved the city. But, well, it had been from his own creation. And he had lied. Sort of.

It was all very complicated. The whole situation was complicated.

Megamind sighed and tried to shift slightly among the luggage surrounding him. It had been easy enough to figure out where Miss Ritchie was going, despite the odd zig-zag of flights she'd taken (did all humans take the most indirect route possible? Or just specifically human women? Maybe it was some sort of inborn flight or fight response, literally in this case?). But he still didn't have any idea as to why Miss Rit-Roxanne was visiting her re-late-ive, or what the so-called emergency involved (certainly nothing had happened in the small town over the course of the last year).

Modesto, California.

What an odd name for a city. Certainly not as interesting as Metrocity, or even some of the more remarkably titled locations: Metroville, Gotham, Central City, Metropolis. Hmm, he sensed a theme…

Anyway.

And now that he was actually receiving revenue for his patents the Ex-Villain was able to pay for a ticket-legally! However…there was only one working holowatch. And Minion was busy with it, pretending to be him while the alien followed his quarry. And while Metrocity had certainly become accustomed to the sight of a certain giant-headed, fantastically blue super-genius walking the streets and saving the day, other cities simply hadn't. Making his situation all the more complicated. (There it was, that word again.)

Leather had to be traded for a pair of unfortunately baggy jeans-black of course-cinched tightly at the waist with his usual studded belt. And a cowl easily translated into a hoodie, also black and emblazoned with his signature lightning bolt insignia. Minion had stated that it was overkill, and sure to give him away, but Megamind hadn't been able to resist-it was his only tribute to "fashion," particularly as the whole ensemble almost disgusted him. He'd previously demanded the only other combination he was familiar with in the form of Bernard's turtleneck and jacket, but again Minion had vetoed the selection before he'd even been fully able to voice the idea.

Really, the only way he would be able to go unaccosted would be while disguised as a teenager to hide his bulbous head and odd coloring. Studded black gloves and a skull-etched something called "snii-kiers," finished him off, practically guaranteeing that no one would give him a second glance.

But that apparently wasn't enough. It was "customary" for human beings to carry something called a paws-pourt. One could easily be forged, but, well…with him being "good" the illegal creation one was a moot point. And then there was the reality of his face, cerulean blue, pasted on a slim piece of cardboard and presented to airport officials…

Suffice to say that it wouldn't go over well.

So he decided to stow-away, as so many fictional characters had done before him. It would be an adventure, his story bound friends informed him! And if, yes, it could be considered a small infraction upon honesty, then he reassured himself with the knowledge that he'd managed to hack into the database and deposit a small sum therein from his own accounts-just enough to pay for the trip, mind you, and possibly a return one back. One could never be too careful.

The discomfort was just a side effect of it all. As was the smell of old lunchmeat and dirty laundry.

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AN: Holy response, Batman! I never even expected for this to be well-received, much less reviewed. –gapes outright at her computer screen- Well, here you go, I hope you like the next part. Again, a little boring…but more fun than you'll ever know. ^^ Working with Megamind creates such a load of opportunities that I never even expected.

The next part is already written, I just have to type it up, so I should be able to post it either this Friday or next week, providing I have computer access.

Thank you for all your wonderful responses-I promise I'll respond individually once I get the chance. :)