Chapter 28

Last chappy was dramatic; Beulah is prejudice—go fig, like that type of family member isn't played out. Haha anyway I've made Robin out to be a real jerk, sorry bout dat…He just seemed like the one who would tell Batman out of all the Team. Meow! Hatter's gonna be healed up now so mew…ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!

"Alright then; I hope you're ready Lita." Beulah said as the two and their familiars stood in a stone walled training hall. Hatter had healed up quite nicely; though she was still a little hopped up on pain meds to be restored to her usual foal mouthed self. However Beulah wanted to train Lita and go home soon.

"I-I'm ready." She stuttered, looking to both Cherie and Hatter who both meowed. Beulah glared.

"All those not participating in this leave the arena." She growled looking at Cherie who meowed. Lita looked up.

"O-oh Cherie's my familiar too, he belonged to my mother; now he's mine." She explained Beulah scowled.

"Familiars don't work that way; you cannot pass down familiars." She spat, Lita shrugged.

"Well that's how I got him; and he's been my familiar for as long as I can remember Aunt Beulah." She said, Beulah sighed.

"And none of this 'Aunt Beulah' you may be my brother's spawn but we are in no way family." She said, "You will address me as Lady Bleak."

"U-uhm…ok…" Lita mumbled, Beulah gave a pointed nod as she readied herself for a spell.

"Today we'll be focusing on Barriers." She said, Lita nodded, "I'm going to give it all I've got; so be ready."

"Yes ma'am." Lita said, Cherie and Hatter meowed behind her. Then Beulah sent her first wave of attack; throwing fireballs and energy waves at Lita; who managed to keep herself safe with each blast and attack. After a while Beulah began to get annoyed and her attacks more intense. Lita looked up at her protective bubble as it began to crack under the constant attack. Then Beulah lifted both hands and a giant wave of energy swirled around her; she then sent the wave back at Lita. Her barrier shattered instantly and Lita was knocked back into the stone wall behind her. Cherie and Hatter meowed and ran to her aid. Lita groaned as she stood, using the wall for support.

"I'm fine you guys." She said though now she had a had a large bruise forming on her back.

'I don't like this woman; rip her to shreds!' Hatter hissed in her mind Lita shook her head.

'I can't do that she's my aunt.' She said.

'She doesn't appear to have much trouble doing the same to you.' Cherie mewed, 'For once Hatter and I can agree on something; show her your full strength.'

"Are you quite finished bickering with your familiars?" Beulah asked narrowing her eyes at the girl. Lita nodded.

"S-sorry Aun—Lady Bleak." She said, and stood up straight. Beulah frowned.

"Alright we'll try this again; be ready." She said, Lita nodded, and readied herself for her aunt to attack again.

By the end of the day Lita had been thrashed around and beaten to a bruised pulp. As she dragged herself to her room she noticed all of the cats in the neighborhood had decided to come into her room. They all meowed collectively as Lita plopped down on her bed. She groaned into her pillow.

"I'm so exhausted; I don't know if I'll be able to do this for much longer." She moaned.

"Don't worry Lita; it's all for the best is it not?" Cherie mewed as he curled up next to his master.

"Personally I want to rip that woman and her flying rat to pieces." Hatter growled, Lita rolled over as the other cats piled around her.

"I can't do that she's my aunt." She said.

"She didn't seem to have the problem beating you to a pulp." Cherie mewed.

"I just…" Lita began to drift off, "need to…sleep."

Hatter looked to Cherie.

"We need to do something," She mewed, "I know we promise to never speak of what happened that day again—"

"No I agree, she'll wear herself out like this and if we ever want to prevent what happened with Savage from happening again, she'll need to be at her full strength." Cherie mewed, Hatter nodded.

"I'll tell the others." She said.

~0~

The next morning Lita awoke bright and early, feeling well rested and energized. She stretched and yawned.

"Kya! I feel so much better!" She shouted happily. Cherie and Hatter mewed.

"Ever the morning person." Hatter groaned rolling over on her back so that her feet stuck up in the air.

"Good morning Lita Dear—Hatter must you be so indecent so early in the morning?" Cherie asked, Hatter growled.

"Can it fluffy."

Lita giggled and she threw off the covers and got dressed for school. After she got dressed she went to Abra Kadabra's room, where she had to poke and shake him to get him to wake up.

"Wake up Uncle Abra!" She whispered, he groaned.

"Too early." He groaned, Lita giggled.

"That's school for ya; come on I don't want to wake dad up he barely gets any sleep as it is." She said, grabbing Abra's arm and trying to pull him out of bed. "If you don't wake up I'll get Hatter to do it."

"Alright I'm up," He groaned, sitting up. Lita smiled, that usually worked.

"Ok I'm gonna wait for you in the living room." She said then flew out of his room.

Later she found herself waving her Uncle goodbye at the school's front gates. She turned and found herself face to face with Jackson Bullock.

"Morning Lita; haven't seen you in a while." He said, Lita's smile dropped a little.

"Good Morning Jackson Bullock." She said, "I have been nursing my pet cat back to health as of late, sorry to make you worry."

"So why aren't you with your friends?" Jackson asked, Lita looked over her shoulder to see Impulse and Garfield. They smiled at her kindly but it was a tad forced, she then looked back to Jackson.

"I…don't think we're friends anymore." She mumbled, holding tight to her backpack strap. Jackson put a hand on her shoulder.

"Well you can always hang out with me and the guys if you want." He said, with a grin. Lita looked up at him.

"I…I think I will." She said, then followed Jackson into the school.

~0~

"Where's Lita going?" Garfield asked as the two watched Lita walk into the school. Impulse stared.

"I think she's going in with Bullock." He said.

"But she doesn't like Jackson." Garfield said, "This has everything to do with Robin last night."

"Maybe; I think we should go talk to her." Impulse said.

"You know Jackson's not going to let us near her now right?" Garfield asked. Impulse shook his head.

"I don't really care; he can't do a thing if can't catch me." He said, then walked to the school. Lucky for them Jackson wasn't in their first period. So during study time they could talk to Lita without much problem. Garfield leaned over in his chair and tapped on Lita's book. Startled she looked up.

"You're not still mad over yesterday are you?" He asked, Lita shook her head.

"I'm not the kind of person who holds grudges." She mumbled as Impulse leaned back in his seat.

"They why'd you blow us off this morning?" He asked, Lita looked back to her book.

"If I distance myself from the Team…maybe things will blow over." She said hiding behind her book, "Besides I-I've been busy."

"Doing what?" Garfield asked, Lita buried herself deeper into her text book.

"I've been studying magic with my Father's sister, she's really strict and I must be ready for our next training session." She said.

"You don't have to distance yourself from us—we're your friends." Impulse said Garfield nodded.

"Yeah Lita; it doesn't matter to us who you're dad is. You're still the same girl we met two months ago." He said.

"That argument won't stand with Batman, or the rest of the League." Lita said letting the book slide far enough to see her deep sapphire cat-eyes.

"But you've got Zatana too." Impulse said, Lita shook her head.

"She only sees me as my mother's daughter, not a member of the Team." She said, "It won't help my case."

"But you can't ignore us forever." Garfield said, Lita set her book down.

"I-I suppose you are right." She mumbled, "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing, you don't need to be sorry over every little thing." Impulse said with a smirk, causing Lita to smile back as her cheeks turned a slight shade of red.

~0~

Later that day Lita still didn't go to the Cave—even though the boys had begged her to come with them. She had told them both that she had to go home to study, she also told Jackson that she would see him the next day—though that came a disappointment to him. So there she sat in the training hall waiting for her Aunt Beulah to come and show her another spell to try. When she came in Lita stood up and smiled, making Beulah frown.

"Do not get so arrogant you have only had a nights worth of training." She spat. Lita's smile slipped, making Hatter and Cherie growl.

"Sorry." Lita mumbled, Beulah nodded.

"We'll be combining offensive and defensive spells today." She said, Lita nodded as the door opened revealing Klarion.

"Unless you plan on training I suggest, little brother, you leave at once." Beulah warned. Klarion narrowed his eyes.

"I am here only to watch Lita's progress." He snapped back, Lita smiled nervously at her father then looked to Cherie and Hatter who shared puzzled looks.

"Alright then; Lita, come at me." Beulah said, Lita nodded as she conjured up a ball of electricity in the palm of her hand. She then ran at Beulah; who effortlessly put up a bubble around her, however it shattered on impact with Lita's attack. Klarion smiled proudly as Lita stopped just in front of her aunt's face, letting the ball dissipate into a tiny spark. Beulah stared in shock (yay pun) her face then contorted into one of anger. She then conjured up a beam of energy which hit Lita sending her back into the wall once again. Klarion stared wide eyed.

"Lita!" He shouted then ran to his daughter's aid. He then glared at his sister, "You could at least show her a little mercy in this!"

"Do you want her to be able to defend herself? Or do you want to continue to coddle her?" Beulah shouted back, Lita stood and smiled up at her father.

"I'm ok dad, not as painful as it looks." She said then winced as she felt one of her ribs crack. Klarion looked down at his daughter, despite the fact that she was in pain, and knew her life was in possible danger she continued to put herself through more abuse from her aunt. He sighed.

"Perhaps protective parents should leave the training grounds." Beulah suggested, Klarion glared, the Teekl meowed in his ear.

"Alright fine, but I am warning you now Beulah," He said in a slight growl, "I'll rip you to shreds if you go too far."

"I'll be fine dad, promise." Lita said, Klarion then spun around and walked out of the room; leaving both girls and their familiars.

"Alright brat on you're feet—I'd like to see you try shattering my barriar this time." Beulah said.

'This woman isn't teaching; she's just trying to show hpw strong her power is.' Hatter hissed. Cherie growled.

'For once I agree; Lita let's show her what you can really do.' He said.

'Stop it. Cherie Curie aren't you supposed to be the good one?' Lita asked, Cherie shrugged in her mind.

'If someone is trying to outright hurt you I'm going to rip them apart.' He said, Lita shook their voices out of her head and tried to concentrate on her aunt.

"Try again." Beulah shouted, Lita nodded and formed another ball in her hand, this time however instead of charging at her aunt she sent it flying at her. Beulah sent her own beam of energy fly back at Lita, who put up a barrier, it cracked but other than that made no damage. This went on for a while before Hatter grew bored and got an idea. She nudged Cherie and looked over to Beulah's familiar; the owl that sat on a pedestal away from her. Cherie didn't seem interested, so Hatter shrugged and during the commotion padded over to the bird.

"Do not think that just because you're my brother's spawn I will go easy on you, brat." Beulah shouted as she threw a large wave of energy at Lita.

'I didn't think you were.' She thought; then suddenly Beulah let out a scream and fell to the ground, she and Lita looked to her owl that was currently in Hatter's mouth. Beulah glared.

"You mangy cat!" She shouted, Lita sighed.

"Hatter…" She mumbled, as the cat stood on stool that the bird was previously on. The bird laid still in her mouth, however it wasn't dead—Hatter knew better than to go that far. Instead she sat on the stool and narrowed her eyes at Beulah who was shouting profanity at the cat.

"You let Draaga go right now you flea bitten mongrel!" She shouted, Hatter growled. Angered beyond control Beulah aimed her hands at Lita.

"Tell the cat to let go of my familiar; or I'll intensify you're training." She warned, Lita let out a low mewing sound.

"Hatter enough games; let go of the owl." She said, Hatter snorted and did not comply. Beulah fumed ,"S-sorry; she likes to pull pranks."

"This is no prank!" Beulah shouted, "Now release my bird before I skin you alive cat!"

"Hey! That's my cat you're talking to like that." Lita said a bit sternly. Beulah glared.

"Hold thy tongue—half breed." She shouted, as her hands began to glow. Lita frowned.

"Half breed?" She repeated, Beulah turned again, and took a step toward her.

"Yes, that is what you are; half breed, half witch and half human!" She shouted, "And had I had my way you wouldn't be around to soil the Bleak family name."

'She did not just insult my Lita!' Hatter hissed, Cherie growled as well.

'Lita Dear…' He said, but Lita's mind was a million miles away. Cherie looked to Hatter, 'Do it.'

Suddenly Lita's body began to glow with a dark green aura, that made Beulah shrink back in fear.

"What is this?" She questioned, fear showing in her eyes. Lita grinned.

"I am your worst nightmare personified," She shouted her voice overlapping with several others. "I wonder Beulah Bleak what your worst fear is."

Stopping here for today. n_n now you know what went on between Lita and Simon n_n review please.