This story has been a bit stale lately, I admit. I hope this fic will liven it up a bit more. I've been so busy with my other fics, that I've forgotten about this. I'd like to thank Oneredneckgoddess for the use of Khyrran and all of her wonderful characters. If you want to read Family Habit's, look in the M section, she's putting Khyrran through hell and had to change it because of content. Nothing seriously demented, but it's pretty stong. Well, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I only own Melanara and her powers. And even then it's iffy.
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"So, you battled the Justice Lords, meet someone new, punched the Alternate me and worked with a different Fate?" Batman asked in disbelief. Melanara nodded and smiled as she relaxed on the couch in the lounge. Kent was sitting in a chair three feet from her.
"Yep, that Fate was even more annoying than this one." Melanara said, thumbing straight at Fate uncannily. Uncannily because her eyes were closed. Kent frowned and shook his head at her.
"I don't believe you." Clark said, Melanara cracked an eye open and looked at the Man of Steel.
"What don't you believe?" Diana asked absently. She was reading the report Batman had insisted Melanara write. The rest of the seven, except for J'onn for obvious reasons, were present. Zatanna and Etrigan were there also.
"That Melanara could bring me down." he said and stubbornly shook his head. Melanara opened her eyes and stared at Clark with such intensity that the Man of Steel shifted uncomfortably.
"Clark. If necessary, I can bring down each and every one of you. Even Shayera and Flash." Melanara said seriously. And Clark believed her. Standing up, Melanara stretched and popped tired joints. "Now if y'all can excuse me, I need sleep and no arguments Bats, I can sock you just as easily as I did you're alternate." Melanara said threateningly as Batman looked ready to protest.
"Good night, Melanara." Shayera said, looking up from her copy of the report. Melanara nodded and walked out.
---------The Next Afternoon--------
"Is it true you went to an Alternate dimension?" Booster Gold asked eagerly. Melanara, who had her back to him, rolled her eyes at Huntress, who smothered a giggle.
"Yes, Booster Gold." Melanara said, knowing what was coming next.
"Did you see me? What did I look like?" he asked, Melanara resisted the urge to drive her elbow into Booster's face.
"No, Booster Gold. I don't know, Booster Gold. Buzz off, Booster Gold." Melanara snarled this last part. The rest of heroes were smart enough at least to not ask such stupid questions. Well, except for B'Wanna Beast, but Melanara generally liked him, if only because he respected animals, so she refrained from treating him an idiot. Melanara usually got along with everyone, but she disliked idiots and only put up with them because it was illegal to kill someone just because they annoyed you. At least that's what she kept telling herself. Walking back to the back of the Cafeteria, Melanara complained to Huntress in a low tone.
"The next person who asks me if I saw them in the Alternate dimension had better be a good ducker." Melanara vowed and shook her head. Just as Helena was about to reply, Melanara saw bright lights and shimmering lines...And then darkness.
-----Unknown Location---------
"Not again." Melanara half-growled, half-whined. A familiar, yet totally unwelcome voice sounded from right behind her.
"Tell me about it, I thought being Flash was bad." said Lex Luthor from behind her. Melanara whirled around and immediately wished she hadn't. Groaning, she pressed a hand to her head.
"What did you hit me with? A cast iron skillet?" Melanara asked, glancing around, noticing the bars.
"I wish I had hit you. But it was Grodd, he escaped and kidnapped me and for some reason, kidnapped you." Lex explained, glaring at the mage. The smooth, cultured voice of said gorilla spoke from right outside the bars.
"I mistakenly took Ms. Raya, when I meant to grab Batman." he explained and smiled. Melanara wished she could vaporize the heap of fur right there, but unfortunately, she sensed a magical shield around the cage. A signature she recognized.
"Tala. You got Tala. Dammit." Melanara swore vehemently. Lex, however, looked faintly amused.
"I knew you would turn against me when you had the chance." he said, speaking to the unseen figure.
"I had no choice. He threatened to put me back in the mirror if I didn't." Tala said repentantly, her Russian accent thickening.
"I'll put you back in the mirror and let Lex smash it. As soon as my head stops hurting." Melanara winced. Grodd chuckled unsympathetically.
"Poor baby. Feel free to try and escape, you won't be able to do it." Grodd challenged and left, with Tala trailing like a scolded puppy. Melanara leaned against the cold bars and rested her aching and throbbing head against the bars. Lex regarded her suspiciously, like he suspected this was all some kind of trick.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you isn't polite to stare?" Melanara asked acidly. She could feel Lex wince. "Sorry." Melanara said almost sincerely.
"Doesn't matter. What does, is how you're going to get me out of here." Lex smirked and pulled Melanara to her feet. Bad move, he received a knee to the groin and an elbow to the back.
"Don't touch me, slime." Melanara snarled and moved away, a bit unsteadily. "Besides, even if we escape the cage, we couldn't leave the field. Tala's magic is far...Older than mine. Mine is still in infancy compared to hers. I couldn't break out if I wanted to. Right now, I just want to lay down and let my headache subside." Melanara explained and sat on one of the cots and rested her head in her hands. Lex was slowly recovering from her blows and he limped to the cot opposite her.
"You hit harder than Superman." he groaned, Melanara smirked.
"I'm not sure whether to take that as compliment or an insult." Melanara grinned and laid down. A voice jogged her out of her incoming doze.
"So this is the great Melanara Raya, pathetic, she's only a teenager." Sinestro said, unimpressed. Melanara sat up and fixed the purple alien with a evil look.
"So this is man who betrayed the Guardians of Oa, pathetic. My grandmother hits harder than you and she's dead." Melanara said disparagingly. Sinestro started forward, but Keymaster stopped him.
"She's not worth it, let it go." he muttered to his friend and the two left. Melanara groaned and sank back. Lex had watched the exchange with some interest.
"You seem smarter than most Leaguer's than I've encountered." he said, Melanara didn't even look or respond to him. "And that's saying something. How did you join the League?" still no response, he tried pushing another button. "How did a teenager receive so much power?" he asked, Melanara turned her head and glared at him.
"Will you please shut up. I'm trying to think here." Melanara snapped and Lex fell silent. After a moment, Melanara rose to her feet and walked back and forth between Lex and her cot.
"What in the world are you doing?" Lex asked after a moment. Melanara stopped and stared blankly at him and then shook her head like a dog coming out of water.
"What? Oh, just thinking. I think better on my feet." Melanara responded absently and walked over to the bars. She knelt down, then laid on her back and stared up through the bars at the shield. Then rocking to her knees, Melanara reached out and tapped the floor with her finger. And when she turned around, Lex saw she was grinning.
"What?" He asked suspiciously, but Melanara didn't respond. Closing her eyes, Melanara laid her hand flat on the floor and mouthed to herself.
"Damn witch. She thought of everything. I can't even sense beyond this fraking shield. Damn her anyway." Melanara growled and leaned back against the bars. "I suppose we're stuck here, until the League comes looking for me. Or you're girlfriend gets a backbone, which ever comes first." Melanara shrugged. Lex shuddered involuntarily.
"I hate my life. There is nothing worse than being stuck here with you." he said. Melanara smirked.
"You could be trapped with B'Wanna Beast, believe, that's annoying." silence reigned for a few minutes.
"I really was curious when I asked how you received you're powers." Lex stated as the silence grew uncomfortable. Melanara looked up at him and sighed.
"I was 11 when I got my power. I was a book junkie, still am actually, I read almost all of the Science Fiction/Fantasy there was. David Eddings, Dragonlance, Mercedes Lackey, Andre Norton, Susan Cooper, all of them. A little bit of Terry Brooks and most of the Lord of the Rings. I was reading Polgara the Sorceress one night and I half wished I could have powers like Polgara. Well, I had no idea my god Ra was listening. As a joke/bet with Isis, he granted me powers. Shapeshifting, a touch of clairvoyance and a general amount of magical power. Well, I really had no idea what to do with my power or how to use it. I improved things for my family. I guess by doing that, I set off a tidlewave in the Magical pool. Trevon found me sometime after that. Said he needed my help and that he could give me training in my power. I asked what in the world he was babbling about, my smart mouth was well developed by then. He explained about the then current council and what needed to be changed. I agreed. I have barely spoken to my parents since then, well I went with Trevon and we staged a coup of sorts. No hanging trees, no bloody revolt, no blood shed whatsoever. I came in with Trevon and two others, insisted I was going to take over and they just kinda handed it over. As easy as could be. I've been in charge since." Melanara shrugged and stretched her legs to prevent her legs falling asleep.
"You don't seem to have been corrupted by power." Lex said almost wistfully. Melanara glanced at him and shrugged again.
"Only absolute power corrupts absolutely. I don't have absolute power. I delegate a lot of the responsibility. The main power lies with me and Trevon however. Should the Mages ever march to war, only Trevon or I could give the order. Anyone else who tries is rather forcibly showed the door to the dungeon, then transported to a spacious, comfortable prison. They can move around in the world, but they can't affect it and no one can see them. It's really a very nice place. I visited it once before we actually put someone in there, just to be safe. There's a designated house in South France where they eat, sleep and, well, live." Melanara explained, playing with a piece of string she had in a pocket dimension she always carried around. Lex sighed and shook his head.
"You're one of those, aren't you?" he asked bitterly. Melanara regarded him with a raised eyebrow, but said nothing. "You think you're so good, just because you resisted temptation." he ranted on like that for quite a while in which Melanara completely ignored him. "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?" he shouted, Melanara glanced up at him and smiled innocently.
"Did you say something?" she asked brightly. The sound that emanated from Lex Luthor was akin to a lion tearing into his morning meal. Melanara ignored him and played on her gameboy.
"You...Are the most annoying, self righteous, irritating...Girl, I have ever met!" Luthor howled. Melanara nodded decisively.
"Thank you, Lex. That's what I strive for." Melanara nodded and went back to her game. Lex sat down and rested his head in his hands. Silence once again reigned. Grodd, who had expected Luthor to have killed Melanara by now, was surprised to find the mega-villain asleep and Melanara concentrating on her game. Melanara, seemingly oblivious to Grodd, stood up and covered Lex with a blanket and laid down on her stomach on her cot to play her game.
"Why haven't you killed him yet?" Grodd asked in genuine curiosity.
"I don't kill. Too messy. I'm more of the assassin's type." she said, surprising Grodd further.
"You would make an excellent addition to my team, care to join me?" Grodd asked, Melanara shook her head.
"Ehh...Na? No way, no how, niy, non, nyet, nine. Absolutely not. Besides you already have a magic user, a very good one I might add." Melanara said and nodded to Tala, who beamed at her. "I can't get any magic through this shield of hers, very well crafted. One of Faust's spells, right? Very well woven." Melanara complimented. Tala nodded and smiled. Grodd had, had quite enough by now.
"Enough! I want to know how to get in the Watchtower." he snarled and woke Luthor, who was having a very nice dream. He pretended to remain sleeping, listening with acute interest.
"Guess." Melanara said smugly. Grodd controlled himself from strangling the by now annoying human and answered somewhat calmly.
"Guess what?" he asked patiently.
"Why?" Melanara asked innocently, Grodd looked confused.
"What are you talking about?" he asked perplexed. Lex smothered a chuckle, he had played this game with his father and knew how it would turn out.
"Why?" Melanara repeated. Grodd looked increasingly confused as the game continued until he exploded with rage.
"What are you talking about?" Grodd demanded through clenched teeth.
"Nothing." Melanara said and turned back to her game. This let the air out of his sails completely. Grodd mouthed a couple minutes, then walked out, speechless. Tala smirked at Melanara as she passed.
"Good one." Tala whispered and ran after Grodd. Lex looked at Melanara like she was a new specimen of germ for him to inspect.
"I don't understand you." he said after moment. Melanara didn't flinch.
"You're not supposed to. It's the nature of the beast." Melanara said and frowned slightly at the game. "Damn. Stupid Pokémon. All right, back to Viridian." she said and rolled her eyes.
"What beast?" Lex asked in confusion.
"Being a teenager. The Beast. Oh, come on, don't tell me you weren't a pain when you were a teenager." Melanara asked in disbelief. Lex sat up and shook his head.
"I was good when I was a teenager. It was when I hit my early twenty's I turned evil." Lex sighed. Melanara sat up and looked sympathetically at him.
"Evil is a state of mind." Melanara said, Lex chuckled nastily.
"Only someone good would think that." he said and looked away. Melanara shook her head softly.
"You don't understand. I know what it's like good and evil. I'm on both ends of the spectrum." Melanara said in a serious soft voice.
"Then the rumors are true." Lex said, making Melanara give him a confused look.
"Pardon?" Melanara asked suspiciously.
"There are rumors flying around both circles that you're neither good nor evil. You're neutral. But what I don't get, is if you're neutral, then why are you working for the League?" Lex asked curiously. Melanara laughed.
"I'm not neutral. While I am both good and evil, I have to concentrate on the good side, because if I didn't...No one could rule the world." Melanara said, now Lex looked confused.
"Because you would rule it?" Lex said, hazarding a guess. Melanara shook her head.
"There would be no world to rule. No earth, no milky way, no galaxy, no universe. If I turned evil, yeah, I would have absolute power, but I wouldn't have anyway to enjoy it. Let me see if I can explain this. My power stems from the forces of good and evil. Demon's and Angel's if you prefer. Do you know the expected life span of the Head of the Council of Mages, optimistically?" Melanara asked, Lex shrugged.
"A couple thousand years, give or take a decade or two." he said, Melanara shook her head.
"At least four hundred decades, five at the most. In mage years, thats practically infancy. To put it simply Heads of the Council of Mages have an average of four hundred years in life, five if we're lucky, five and a half if we eat right, exercise and don't risk ourselves too much. The life of people in my position is dangerous. We risk our lives daily, just by practicing magic. The magic we use is dangerous, not because there's so much of it, well in a way because there's so much of it. If it decides to turn on us for some reason or because of a whim, it can kill that mage or mages. It's like working with a Lion or a black bear. It can turn on you at any second, kill within a second if it chooses. I met a promising young mage once, bright child, beautiful soul, wonderful personality. But she turned into a wild child just by using her magic. She was trying to conjure something, I don't remember what now, but the magic she had unleashed, backlashed to her. Destroyed her instantly. Wiped her out, she was barely 10. I had to tell her parents, good friends of mine and supporters, what had happened. They understood there had been nothing I could do. I couldn't control that much magic. They understood the risks because they were mages themselves. They were killed when they were trying to control a rogue spirit that had gotten loose from one of the higher level students. The higher level students are forbidden to handle spirits anymore. Oh, they practice with the minor ones, but only when a member of my council is there, no one else." Melanara shook her head. "Mage work is dangerous. At least, using the power for good, using it for evil is so much easier, which is why there are so many evil mages." Melanara sighed and shook her head.
"You make it sound deadly." Lex said with a smile.
"Are you trying to be funny?" Melanara demanded, Lex shrugged.
"Not succeeding?" Lex asked, Melanara groaned and sank her head into her hands. "I'll take that as a no. Now what do we do?" Lex asked, looking around.
"You're asking me? I don't know! I'm not psychic! I'm telepath-ic," Melanara said as a revelation hit her. She raced over to the edge of the cage and laid her hand flat on the floor.
"This shield blocks Magic, not Telepathy! That's it!" Melanara crowed quietly. Closing her eyes, Melanara reached out with her mind, looking for the nearest friendly mind. None were in her reach and the Watchtower was too far up. She did get a rather good fix on their location. Downtown...Gotham.
"Are you ready for some rather ironic news?" Melanara bitterly asked Lex, who raised an eyebrow.
"We're in Downtown Gotham." Melanara said, kicking the bars with the flat of her foot. Kicking bars with your toes could get them broken. Lex looked at her like she was lying, then saw the fury and indignation in her eyes and knew she was telling the truth.
"Gotham, we're in Gotham!" Melanara said and violently hurled a fireball against the far wall of the shield where crackled, fizzled and then went out. Lex, who had ducked to keep his head from being taken off, looked up at her in surprise.
"Is that a bad thing?" Lex asked blankly, Melanara glowered down at him and relented a bit.
"Batman patrols Gotham almost every night, depending on his League schedules and whatever comes up that he's needed for. I don't know what day it is, so I don't know if he's patrolling and I can't even contact Robin, because I can't sense him!" And I can't contact Alfred either, we're too far from the manor. Melanara thought privately. Lex didn't need to know any more than he already did.
"So what do we do?" Lex asked, looking around for some way out.
"How in bloody hell am I supposed to know?" Melanara snarled, Lex raised his hands in surrender. Swearing violently and loudly, Melanara kicked the bars again and again. Then she started to kick it again, then stopped.
"What happens when you super cool metal?" Melanara grinned, Lex, being a genius, thus being able to figure it out rather quickly, grinned right back.
"Crack." he grinned, then grabbed the cots and created a barrier for himself from the frozen metal pieces. Melanara closed her eyes and concentrated on one thing: Cold.
"Tsunami Strike! Ice!" Melanara cried and cast ice on the bars. Melanara was wearing her 'Butt-Kicking Boots' which were basically cowboy boots. Melanara kicked off six bars. Once at the top and once at the bottom, knocking them off cleanly. Lex started to follow her when she left cage, but she held up her hand and signaled him to stop.
"Uh-uh, too easy." Melanara said and rolled to left as a laser beam struck the floor where she had been standing. Diving back in the cage, she started swearing. A chuckle came from the doorway as Grodd watched their efforts.
"How did you know about that laser?" he asked conversationally, Melanara straightened and replied civilly.
"Oh, I knew it was too easy. And a touch of clairvoyance." Melanara said and cautiously peered out at where the lasers were situated. "Clever gorilla, aren't you?" Melanara growled as she saw the set up of the cannons. The two cannons were centered on the end where the hole was. Grodd smirked and nodded.
"I try, I want to know how to access the Watchtower, what are the codes?" Grodd snarled. Melanara glared at him.
"Do I like a laptop? I don't know. I only know my code." Melanara growled at him and sat down on the floor, crossing her legs. Grodd frowned.
"What's your code?" he asked, Melanara laughed at him and shook her head.
"Do you honestly think I'd give it up that easily?" Melanara shook her head sadly. "What, did you're mother drop you on your head when you were a child?" Melanara Tsked. Grodd growled and charged through the shield and grabbed Melanara by the neck. She made a choking sound as he lifted her off of her feet.
"Don't you ever talk about my mother again." he snarled. Melanara laughed a little.
"What, is she occupying the New York Zoo under the Chimpanzee section?" Melanara gagged, Lex winced as Grodd growled and squeezed harder. Melanara had enough. She planted her foot in his face and kicked backwards. She went flying back and Lex, seeing his way out about to become paté, stopped her from slamming into the bars.
"Thanks." she said hoarsely and stood shakily to her feet. Grodd was still recovering and charged her again. This time Melanara smoothly sidestepped him and let him slam into the bars, knocking himself out.
"I love doing that." she said, her throat still rough and rubbed it in irritation.
"Don't talk so much. You'll only make it worse. It's going to constrict and limit the amount of air you'll get through your mouth, so talking will be difficult. Try using your telepathy if you need to tell me something." Lex advised. Melanara gave him a considering look.
I didn't know you knew so much about medicine. Melanara said, using her telepathy like he had suggested.
"I don't, I just like to read. Knowing certain things can be useful." Lex said as Melanara grabbed one of Grodd's hairy feet and pulled him to the edge of the cage. "What are you doing?" Lex asked curiously.
I'm getting us out of here. Don't ask so many questions. Melanara said and smirked at him. She conjured a fireball and threw it above the doors and the laser turrets fired, destroying each other. Melanara pulled Grodd out and pushed him into the shield, grunting at the effort and finally got him half way between the two sides. She straightened and grinned at Lex and bowed like a valet. After you fellow escaping prisoner. Melanara smirked and waved her hand. Lex bowed in return and cautiously stepped across the giant body, hoping he wouldn't suddenly reach up and grab him. After he went across, Melanara quickly followed and grabbed a stray metal pipe. She ran her hand gently over Grodd's skull and rapped him on the spot she felt.
"What was that for?" Lex asked curiously, Melanara grinned and gently set the pipe down so it didn't clatter and alert anyone.
To keep him down. Now how do we get out of here? Melanara asked, Lex shrugged. They searched the room a few minutes, but came up with nothing.
"Perhaps I can be of some assistance." Tala said evenly, Melanara whirled and summoned an energy ball, prepared to take the sorceress down for the count. Lex gently pushed her arm down and Melanara fixed him with a glare. But he ignored her in favor of Tala.
"Are you that loyal?" Lex asked softly, Tala nodded. Melanara was making gagging noises in the background as they kissed.
Okay, enough with the mushy stuff, show us the way out of here. Melanara said crossly, Tala blushed, but nodded. She lead them out and into the dark street.
"Are we even?" Tala asked, Melanara sighed and looked her up and down.
We're even. Try and keep Grodd there for a while. Lex, thank you for helping me. Melanara nodded and rose in the air and looked around Gotham. She saw a dark shape flying off to the west. She glanced down and caught the tail end of Tala's dress disappear in a wall of purple. 'Yeah, my friend, we're even.' Melanara thought to herself and set off to follow the dark knight and hopefully scare him...
-----Unknown Gotham Alley--------
"Where is she?" Batman snarled, the thug trembled in his grip and babbled incoherently. "Make sense." Bruce ordered, shaking him.
"I don't know who you're talking 'bout!" he shouted.
"Don't play games with me, Silverman. Melanara Raya, 16, medium height, red hair, blue eyes. Always wears jeans and has a smart mouth. Now where is she?" Bats half-growled, half-shouted. The man fainted from fright. Melanara smirked in the shadows. So the Bat really did have a heart, who knew?
My, my. Aren't we protective? Melanara whispered in his mind. She was fully capable of talking, but she just liked tormenting Batman.
"Melanara? Where are you?" Batman asked, looking around. Melanara stepped into his line of sight and her smirk faltered as she saw him sigh in obvious relief. "Where have you been?" Bruce demanded, walking up to her. Melanara's smirk reasserted itself as indignation replaced disbelief and Anger replaced disconcertion.
"Right under you're pointy nose. Because you're shaking down the Gotham Underworld, I assume the League is on full alert." Melanara said sardonically as she followed Batman into the rooftops of Gotham.
"Well you can't just disappear in the middle of the caféteria and expect not to be searched for." Batman said as they came to a rooftop above the Batmobile. Batman lowered himself down as Melanara floated down.
"So I'll see you at the tower?" Melanara asked, Batman shook his head.
"Oh, no. I'm not letting you out of my sight until we're back at the Watchtower. You're coming to the Batcave with me." he said and pointed at the seat. Melanara grinned at him.
"Yay! A legitimate reason to go to the Batcave!" Melanara said with mock enthusiasm. Her laughter was heard as the top to the Batmobile closed.
-----The Batcave----
"Alfred, I'd like you to meet Melanara Raya. Melanara, my long time friend and butler Alfred." Batman said and waved his hand as he sat down at the computer.
"We've already met." Melanara said in a dry tone. Alfred nodded to her.
"Miss Raya. Would you like something to drink?" he asked, Melanara smiled slightly and nodded.
"Mountain Dew please." Melanara said. Alfred smiled and left. "Where's Tim? On patrol?" Melanara asked, Bruce shot her a surprised look.
"How do you know about Tim?" Bruce asked, pulling the cowl off.
"Hello! Telepathic, remember? Besides, it's not that hard. I mean look at Clark and Lois. Three years she's gone out with him and she still doesn't know he's Superman. Like the Glasses are that good of a disguse. The mannerisms are the same." Melanara shrugged and examined her fingernails. Bruce rolled his eyes and turned back to his computer. He pulled his cowl up and put a call into the Watchtower.
"Batman to Watchtower, I have Melanara with me, call off the search." Batman said. Melanara held up two fingers behind Batman's head and Terrific had a hard time suppressing a grin.
"Gotcha. Welcome back, kid." Terrific said, his voice almost cracking as Melanara wiggled her fingers side to side.
"I'd thank you to stop that." Batman said. Melanara snatched her hand back and looked at him innocently.
"Stop what?" she asked, Bruce pulled the cowl back and glared at her. Unfortunately, it didn't work without the cowl.
"You know that's not very threatening without the ears." Melanara pointed out. Bruce was about to say something when Alfred returned with Melanara's Mountain Dew.
"Thank you, Alfred." Melanara nodded, taking the can from him.
"Is there anything you require Master Bruce?" Alfred asked, Bruce smiled and shook his head.
"No, thank you." he said warmly and Melanara hid a grin.
"I shall retire then. Good night, Master Bruce, Miss Raya." he said in his flawless accent and left the cave.
"I'm going home for a long, involved nap and if you wake me up, I'll box you're ears. Curved and pointed." Melanara threatened and backed away from the man in the suit.
"Good night, Melanara. Keep out of trouble huh?" Bruce said and caught her grin.
"Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in!" Melanara said and shimmered away.
"I need an aspirin." Bruce groaned and rubbed his temples...