Old Towne slum

Megamind couldn't calm the feverish activity in his brain enough to coax sleep to take hold. He just laid there listening to the snuffling of creatures in the foliage below while the slight swinging of the cot made him dizzy. Wart didn't seem too concerned with anything coming after them in the trees, but with the luck he'd been having lately Megamind wasn't taking a chance. The calming blue light from his De-gun was a comfort, since the hanging stove's fire offered little illumination and flickered about. He watched the deep black shadows dance back and forth from beneath half opened eyes. They were just starting to lull him to sleep when he heard Roxanne stir in her hammock. He immediately slid his eyes shut, peeping from underneath his eyelids a moment later to see if she had gone back to sleep. She was lying on her stomach with her arms cradling her head. Her cerulean eyes were wandering over his carefully tranquil face, and he felt a great need to say something to break the tension.

He floundered for a bit to come up with something good. He mentioned the most prominent thing on his mind, sleep, and just went with it from there. It was all just a bit of playful banter. He was a little more suggestive than he meant to be, but his bleary mind let it slip. He had only hoped that she didn't hear him utter her nickname, he couldn't get too casual with her. She was his bait for Metro Man, and villains couldn't be buddy buddy with their captives.

He caught a few hours sleep before once again he was staring blankly at the canopy. He was going over the items he needed and how he would install them just like one would count sheep. The early grey of morning crept over the horizon, making the nocturnal animals scurry back to their burrows. Megamind sighed, no use trying to sleep now.

Wart arose first, making coffee and eating the pink flesh of one of the yellow gourds that hung from the tree. The smell of caffeine slowly awakened the rest of the crew, who were no more rested than Megamind and Roxanne. Wart seemed to be the only one who was refreshed and ready to go by the time the sun had fully restored the forest's vivid colors.

The trek was miserable and muggy as they meandered their way through some marshy land. The sinking mud pulled at their boots even though they wore the mud shoes Wart had brought. The bugs dive-bombed their eyes in a constant barrage of assaults. Wart told them there was nothing for it which made Grego start grumbling again.

"I'm dying this fucked up, boiling mud pit," He shouted as a particularly large insect decided to assail his ear, "Shit flying in my eyes, can't see, let's forget this and get the fuck out of this hell hole."

"We be half way there, my impatient friend," Wart said shielding his eyes from the blistering sun, "The mire mud will soon give way to firmer ground."

"That DuPont fella didn't pay me enough to deal with this crap. We'd bloody well get there soon or I'm going back. You can get through the gates on your own time then."

Ahi growled and whipped around so fast he nearly knocked Grego into the mud. "Listen, you pompous ass hole," he seethed, "If I have to listen to you whine like a sissy little girl for one more minute, I'm going to cut out your waggling tongue! Savvy?"

Ahi didn't wait for an answer; he merely turned on his heel and tromped off after the hooting Wart. Grego remained uncharacteristically silent even during water breaks, his furious stare never leaving Ahi. Roxanne caught a chilling glint in his eye that led her to believe he was planning something unpleasant.

After a setting up the beds, everyone slipped into a profound slumber, allowing them to feel more alert the next morning. Wart got more and more jumpy as they neared the valley where Old Towne resided. The acrid brown smog the city was pumping out swirled around it like they were in a truck stop toilet bowl. Everyone besides Grego cringed at the sight.

"I regret to say it, but this is where I must leave ye," Wart looked cautiously around, "Grego will take it from here. I will meet ye over yonder when ye finish the task at hand. I pray ye return safely and successfully. Now make haste, lest you be caught dawdlin'. Fair you well, my friends." With that he disappeared between the trees.

Grego turned to his charges, "alright, let's get a move on, shall we."

Roxanne donned her scruffy paper boy hat that she had, and adjusted the painfully tight bandages that flattened her chest. She looked like a very feminine boy, but it would have to work. She patted a bit more dirt on her face, taking care not to rub off the patterned black spots that Ahi had silently painted on her face earlier.

Between the montage of rusted metal that made up the fence, the graveyard of tree stumps, and the squalid smell; Old Towne looked like the least occupiable place Roxanne had ever seen.

A small hatch opened with a groan and a heavily accented man grunted in broken English, "Why you here? What business you have?"

Grego pushed past Minion and Megamind and began speaking in a very guttural language. The burly Guard grunted back looking at Roxanne with a sour face and Grego nodded. The man grumbled something before slamming the porthole.

"What was all that about," Megamind asked.

Grego turned to Roxanne, "He was questioning her nationality. Told him she was a Dreggle mutt, he seemed satisfied enough, but he's skeptical."

The Gate screeched open allowing the five companions into the gloomy city. Eyes watched from every corner and every darkened window. They sneered down at the fresh meat that had wandered so willingly into their midst. Grego looked about trying to get his grounding, before heading off down one of the wider streets. He was constantly looking over his shoulders and making sure his metal club was handy while pausing to peep into every bar they passed. Occasionally he would ask the bar tender if he'd seen someone named Mirth. Apparently Mirth not only frequented these establishments for booze, he was a very well known business man that sold his 'wares' to most of the taverns. Roxanne could only guess what that meant, but she had a pretty good idea from the ladies with smudged makeup that were hanging about.

Grego found Mirth talking to the owner of a bar called The Brass Bugle. It was one of the cleaner places they had seen, but it was still dark and reeked of unwashed men. Mirth was quite the handsome fellow. His cheek bones were high under his skin pale , and his eyes were like two sapphires glinting mischievously in the dim light. His long silvery hair was accompanied by two graceful horns from which lustrous ornaments hung. He looked every bit the part of a proper gentleman with his impeccably clean frilled shirt and navy blue jacket.

"Oh, my good friend," He said in a deep voice, "it's been ages since I've seen you. How's the 'good, clean life' been treating you, Urhines?"

"Not bad. Not bad at all, Mirthy. How's your business been, a little too good to you?"

Mirth grinned, showing his sharp teeth, "yes, well, you know how much I love a good challenge. Things are getting too boring around here, especially without having to dig you and I out of trouble every other night. So aren't you going to introduce me to your," he paused to look at Roxanne, "companions?"

"Oh, umm," Megamind felt he shouldn't use his real name just in case, so he thought quickly, "I'm- Price, - Vincent Price, and this is M-m- Martin," he motioned to Minion and shook Mirth's hand.

"How do you do, Mr. Price. And what about you two," Mirth looked between Roxanne and Ahi, "Do you have names?"

"Richard Ritchi," Roxanne shook his hand. It was soft and cold as ice, making her shiver.

"Ahi Tibbs," He remained lent up against the post he had found.

Mirth smirked, "I knew I'd seen you somewhere. You were Champion of the battle cages weren't you? You've grown quite a bit since I'd last seen you, Mr. Tibbs, where have you been?"

"Been on holiday," he said bluntly.

"I see," Mirth examined Roxanne for a moment, looking directly into her eyes. She felt as if she was a little bird hypnotized by a menacing snake, but she shook it off. Mirth's eyes darted back to Grego and he smiled warmly, "Come friends, let us not loiter about. We shall retire to my humble abode."