Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far; this being the first thing I've ever written for MM, and the first thing I've written past a term paper in about 5 years, I was extremely nervous. So once again, thank you. *throws hearts around*

That being said, I take constructive criticism to heart. If there's something that you feel doesn't work, or you see something I need to work on PLEASE TELL ME! I do not have delicate sensibilities, and would highly appreciate it.

Now, I was really hoping to finish this up this evening, but as I'm 2hrs late leaving town, I left off at a place I felt was acceptable for a chapter break, and I hope to have what I think will be the last chapter up by Monday or Tuesday. Sorry it wasn't longer *pouts*

Once again, thank you. And if you haven't noticed by the end of this chapter, I'm not really focusing on the game being the main plot to this... its just a means to an end :3

"Miss Ritchi, you seem a bit nervous. Whatever for, I wonder. Surely, the potential to feed your seemingly insatiable need to ask me your nosy questions would far outweigh any fear you may have over a possible dare. But no, you're Roxanne Ritchi; you run into battles and disaster areas and the likes with nary a second thought." Bending over to face her directly, forcing her to make eye contact that she was desperately trying to avoid, she shifts her focus to the end of his nose instead, hardly a hair's breadth between the two. "No, it's something else entirely. Perhaps my little reporter has her own see-krets she would prefer to keep to herself? How interesting…"

Deep blue eyes immediately snap onto electric green ones, the anxiety once again palpable. Whatever it is, it's GOOD, he thinks excitedly. A face splitting grin settles upon his visage as he straightens fully before sauntering back to his chair, seating himself with fingers steepled beneath his chin and wearing a look that promised she was going to regret complaining about his shortcomings as a host.

~~M~~~~~M~~~~~M~~~~~M~~~~~M~~~~~M~~~~~M~~~~~M~~~~~M~~~~~M~~~~~M~~

Roxanne mentally facepalms herself at what she has done. Why can't I just keep my big mouth shut?! I think I'd prefer the brainbots make a reappearance at this point, she inwardly groans to herself. It's a stupid game, and one that as of last night seems to cause a fair amount of aggravation involving her 'favorite' abductor… oddly, unbeknownst to him.

She really wants to keep it that way. The cornered reporter knows that any attempt to change the subject or nudge him in another direction would be fruitless, and only cause him to pursue the matter even more vigorously. The fact that he is as intelligent as he is ridiculous tends to be a constant source of entertainment and irritation for her. The one intelligent man I come into contact with on a regular basis, and he insists on knocking me unconscious, tying me up, and generally antagonizing me to no end. Mentally raking her fingers down her face in utter frustration at the predicament, she steels herself to do as much damage control and gentle misleading as humanly possible. It's nothing that is so horrible that she would be ruined if he found out, but it would make coming face to face with him on a regular basis just that much more difficult for her. And really, he didn't need any help in that department.

"Please, once again you're dramatics have run away with you MegaQueen. Like I said, I just had a really rough night, and am simply paying for my lack of judgment. Besides, I don't believe in secrets. Secrets are created by people who have done something they're ashamed of. There may be things I'd rather keep to myself just for peace of mind, or in your case just peace and quiet, but I don't do things that I'm ashamed of." She stares at him matter-of-factly, and she can't quite decipher the look on his face, taking it is a mixture of near disappointment and quite possibly respect. "Now if that hasn't completely turned you off of this little trip we're taking, then might I point out that I am at a disadvantage, unless you are satisfied to keep any dares aimed at me to 'Whistle the national anthem' or 'Blink really fast'. And as daring and bold as those might be, they don't strike me as your style, and though I relish the idea of dragging out little tidbits of info out of you, I doubt you'd be content with hearing about my relatively uneventful life. These little random 'get togethers' you throw are about all I have time for most days, and you're usually here for them, or at least the first half of it."

It was right about the time she makes the quip about whistling that his expressive brows become about as flat as his glowering mouth, and by the time she takes another shot below the belt when she hints at his repeated carting off to jail, he looks downright sour. She considers the fact that maybe the names are a bit harsh, but tells her self she is a woman with a mission, and she'll suffer his wrath if it effectively distracts him.

"So basically, Miss Ritchi, what you're attempting to allude to is that you wish to have me untie you, my helpless victim, so that we can play a romping good game of 'Truth or Dare'? Well why don't we just play 'Hide and Seek' while we're at it? Because there's absolutely nothing I'd rather do than let you run amok in the Evil Lair, touching things and nosing about and making a general nuisance of yourself with your lovely, infuriating inquisitive nature." Really, this guy can do 'smarmy' so well. As she hadn't really expected him to readily agree to it, Roxanne simply shrugs, content to move on until a small, purposeful cough comes from the quiet fishy-sapien on the sidelines.

"Well, why doesn't Miss Ritchi just promise not to run off? As simple as it sounds, we all know that she's about as honest as they come, so I know if she says she won't, then, she won't, right Miss Ritchi?" The look of complete and utter faith he offers her throws her for a second before she silently curses the sweet fish. She had been set on misleading his friend in an attempt to keep her latest little 'mishap' to herself, but with his hopeful gaze locked on her, she feels guilty for even considering being deceitful. She smiles lopsidedly at Minion, musing for a moment that for a fish, he's awfully good at baiting others, and sighs indulgently.

Directing her attention back to her blue-hued playmate, she offers him a questioning look that lets him know the ball's in his court, and he chews on his bottom lip while fixing her with an assessing glare.

"Ugh, have it your way. Minion, you may untie her. Just remember Miss Ritchi, my fishy friend here is vouching for you: if you go against your word, it's he that will pay for it. And please, spare me the weary sigh for once; it isn't very becoming of a lady of your stature." Nonchalantly he waves his robotic partner over to the inwardly affronted reporter. I don't sigh that much, and if I do it's because he brings it out in me! She tries to hide her indignation, but judging by his self-satisfied smirk, she guesses she didn't succeed.

As the ropes fall to the floor with a whispered thunk, Roxanne rises stiffly and rolls her shoulders before stretching her arms over her head to get the blood flowing again, only to wince at a sudden raw pain situated acutely on her right hip, caused by the edge of her jeans catching the corner of a medical bandage taped to the area. As gingerly and discreetly as she can, she brings her arms down and tugs at the hem of her tank top, praying her hardest no one caught that. Silently, Roxanne promises a slow and painful death to her 'friends' for last night. The irony that last night had started from a snowballed game of Truth or Dare as well hasn't escaped her. I really need to learn not every challenge should be won. Sometimes you come out on top by saying 'no', she thinks ruefully.

As Minion bends over to gather up the ropes and coil them for future use, he decides to take the initiative. "Well, since I'm not much of a dare devil, and I'm relatively sure I'll hear about it sooner rather than later if I 'flap my gills' too much for Sir's liking, I'll play referee in this." Roxanne snorts quietly at the comment about 'flapping his gills' and assumes they've had conversations about this in the past. Poor Minion, I'll have to remember not to work him over so much. I don't want to think he gets in trouble because of me. Turning her attention back to Megamind, she starts to ask if he'd like the honors of going first when her mouth snaps closed in slight panic; a pair of worried green eyes are steadily focused on her right hip, undoubtedly where he saw the taped bandage that was now hidden beneath the edge of her shirt.

Shit! The hell if she's letting him go first now! Determined not to warrant any undue attention, she swallows the small bite of panic and hitches her left hip, dragging the contemplative alien's attention back to the here and now with a gentle shake of his head.

"Great idea Minion, sounds like a plan. So Mr. Blue Man, what will be your first flavor? Truth, or dare?" When he looks up into her face, she sees the question in his eyes, and whether it's out of concern for her health or simple curiosity, she doesn't care to know, so she feigns ignorance and simply crosses her arms, waiting. With a quiet growl of frustration, he sits back in the plush folds of his leather chair and crosses an ankle over his knee, the leather of his uniform creaking subtly. Steepling his slender fingers once again beneath his nose, he considers her for a moment, and she knows the question is going to come out eventually.

"Very well Miss Ritchi, have it your way. Let try my hand and being 'unpredictable', and start with Truth." She purses her lips, admittedly not expecting him to take that route. Being the showman that he is, she'd assumed he would stick to Dares for the duration of this little game, but she's pleasantly surprised.

"Hm, consider me surprised Space Man. Figured you'd want to keep all your secrets to yourself, and really to pass up a chance to show off? You got me." He smiles sheepishly, almost childlike, and she wonders at it for a moment, thinking that it was actually a very attractive, natural look on him.

"Normally I do what I can to guard said secrets, but someone recently made me reconsider my stance on them… something about 'secrets being created by people who've done something they're ashamed of'. As I am proud of all of my accomplishments and downfalls and everything that falls in between those categories, I guess I really don't have all that much to keep to myself. That being said, I call Truth, Miss Ritchi. Come at me!"

She smiles broadly, both at his enthusiasm and the fact that he actually took something she said to heart. Tapping her chin in thought, she decides on a question she's always been slightly curious about.

"Okay, got one. Why don't you ever call me anything other than 'Miss Ritchi'? Never Roxanne, Roxy, Roxaroo, Roxors Boxors, nothing. The most I might get is 'nosy reporter' or the likes. Miss Ritchi is more fitting for my mother or an interview. For a villain, it's awfully formal, don't you think?" Megamind's ever-expressive eyebrows shoot up, presumably not really expecting something so personal and random. Clearing his throat, he folds his hands into his lap, his eyes never once leaving hers.

"Simply put, I have more respect for you than that. I see your face when Metro Mahn throws his little 'pet' names at you, and your ridiculous cameraman. You loathe the nicknames, but say nothing. I give you enough reasons to dislike me, Miss Ritchi, so that just seems excessive. Plus…" his face turns brooding, and the hurt he feels is visible in his features, "I know what sort of feelings 'silly nicknames' can carry, and what they can inflict on someone. Long story short, it's a matter of respect and common decency." He shrugs noncommittally, and she can sense this is one of those 'secrets' that has just recently been declassified. He respects me? Wow, revelations abound today, and her heart warms at the thought. In that same moment, she realizes that she constantly calls him 'silly nicknames', and wonders if they bother him more than he lets on. She resolves break that little habit… but he's still stuck with cheap shots and low blows.

Clapping his hands and rubbing them vigorously together, he snaps her out of her revelry. "Now then, I'm more than ready for this. You're right Miss Ritchi, this is infinitely more entertaining than sitting around! So, Truth, or Dare?", and as he waggles his eyebrows in her direction, she groans mentally knowing what is coming.

Ugh, here we go…