Come on red! Hear my thoughts! Where are you?! I want to help you, but you need to tell me where you are so I can cover your scrawny ass! Come on Mystic X!

Vivian stood in a storage closet with the door closed and trembled with fear. She concentrated on hiding her mind and her emotions, but also tried to pick up on any thoughts that would give her an answer to her two questions.

1- Just how screwed was she?

2- What would they do to her once she was caught? Hearing that announcement had made her stomach turn. Vivian bolted for the exit, only to find thick metal security shutters preventing her from leaving. The redhead trembled and ran back to the nearest hiding place. Thus her current location, in a storage cupboard.

Mystic X? This is Agramon. Can you read me? I am going to attempt to draw the attention of the other recruits by telling them I'm chasing you, and lead them towards the garage. There I will incapacitate as many as I can to get you a chance out of here. Vivian sniffled through her hands and smiled sadly. I hope this helps. I would do more, but I already have Shade and the others hot on my trail. If I came to you, I'd be bringing them as well. I don't know what happened, or what you did, but you run Mystic X. Shade says they're going to interrogate you as a hostile agent. Don't let them catch you. I know what it's like to be in a cage. Don't let them catch you. Run. Agramon out.

Vivian shuddered and held herself tighter. She knew J'onn would be angry at her, but so angry he'd send the entire league after her? For interrogation!? She picked up on the thoughts of the other recruits as they ran past her closet, and heard how they intended to beat the shit out of her before she could use her psychic powers to get away. A sound strategy, except it resulted in Vivian broken and bleeding. One thing was clear. No one is going to give me the time to explain that I'm not a criminal. They're going to attack me the moment they see me.

Mystic X! Where the hell are you?! Things are getting pretty crazy out here. I'm not sure how long I can keep flying around before I come across one of our rather pissy mentors!? Where are you so I can spell us out of here already?! Vivian didn't want to get her friends involved, but it seemed it was too late for that. Luna and Agramon had heard the announcement and didn't hesitate to come to her aid.

Real friends… There was one problem with replying to Luna. To do so would expose her mind to J'onn, who she imagined would be listening in for any sign of her to coordinate the rest of the JL to pounce on. He must be so angry with me… The sound of wind rattling down the corridor tore Vivian from her own dilemma.

"You bitch!"

"What's the matter? Don't like being a toad? Would you prefer being a pig? Oinky oinky!" Vivian heard a squeal, a thud against the door, and then pink glitter flooded around her feet. It's Luna! Vivian took hold of the door and pushed it open like her life depending on it. Luna looked surprised for only a moment. "About bloody time there red!? I've been shouting in my head for ages!"

"Yes a-and the Martian manhunter would have-"

"OOooooooh he would have eavesdropped? Gotcha. Hop on!" Luna extended her silver brooch into her broom and mounted it, her red underskirt flaring around her legs at either side of the broom. The crimson clad witch looked over her shoulder and made her raven pigtails whip round with her. "NOW!"

"B-but you'll get-"

"Oh trust me poptart, I'm in shit loads of steaming trouble already. Get on. We're blowing this popsicle stand." Vivian fisted at her brown tatty jumped and nodded through her tears.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry I just couldn't be around him anymore. I quit and he's sent the whole league after m-me and-"

"Then he's an arsehole. Get on the damn broom!" Luna threw her thumb back over her shoulder and barked at Vivian.

"Now cherry top!"

"R-right. Thank you Luna."

"Thank me once we're out of the crapper." As soon as Vivian sat on the broom behind her and held her around the middle, Luna leaned forward and the broom thundered forward. "Anywhere you sense I should avoid?"

"The garage. Agramon has lead as many as recruits as she can there."

"That's the back of the joint right? Ok. Out the front we go!"

"L-Luna?" Vivian sniffled and griped her tightly as the wind whipped her hair. "I went to the front and there were thick metal shutters preventing exit."

"My Magic tells the laws of physics to go fuck itself. We're getting out of here sweetpea, don't you doubt that." She was cackling as Luna hurtled the broom towards the entrance.

"Luna stop!" Superman hovered in front of the main entrance with his cape billowing around him and his fists raised. "I don't want to have to fight you Luna, but Mystic X needs to come in for questioning."

"Oh is that why you broadcast a bloody witch hunt over the tannoy? To just ask her questions? Huh?" Luna stuck her tongue out and swerved the broom to the left and into the massive canteen. "AH shit." Luna yanked the front of the boom up to avoid a green hand reaching for them after the entrance. Vivian screamed, barely avoiding being captured by the green lantern. "Hold on cream cakes. It's going to get a bit bumpy."

Vivian clenched her eyes and held onto Luna as tightly as she could. She felt sick from the way they twisted, turned, span and hurtled at great speed around the hall. With her eyes shut she didn't see how expertly Luna was avoiding the lasso of Wonder Woman, the reaching hands and mace of Hawk Girl, the green light constructs Hal threw their way, or even how Superman almost tackled them to the ground. If Luna hadn't swung them both upside down in that moment, the man of steel would have caught them. Once upright Luna grunted and looked to the wall of glass to her right.

"They're riot proof and reinforced." Batman called up, seeing her line of thought and shattering it.

"I see I see..." Luna nodded, seemingly deep in thought, before she nodded comically over to the windows. "Is it Joker proof?" Luna called back and Vivian lifted her head from the witch's back to look at the wall of glass. At exactly the same time as the heavy hitters of the justice league. "Yeah, I thought I'd need some outside help, and thought, well who would be crazy enough to launch an attack on the halls of justice?!" Luna cackled and wiped away a fake tear. "Then I remembered this guy I met with a few screws lose, and sent him a magic smoke signal. You know, for the hell of it. Sorry guys." Luna blew a kiss to the glass wall and sent a cloud of pink smoke at it.

"Stop that spell!" Wonder Woman span on the spot to try and blow the smoke away, but she was too late. The pink sparkly cloud hit the glass it turned into water. This then fell like rain to the ground and left the left side of the hall open to attack.

"Good morning Metropolis!" The Joker, in his purple 3 piece suit, green dress shirt and purple tie, crazy devil will cry grin and bright green eyes, cackled as he held up a bazooka with a smilie face on the end. "I'm here to put a smile on your faces! Permanently!"

"What have you done?" Vivian whispered to Luna, who shrugged.

"I told you I was in a shit ton of trouble. I knew you needed out, and I wouldn't be able to outrun and outgun the entire justice league without being very naughty...so I thought I'd get him to be naughty instead!" Luna then cackled. "Let the loony tune be our way out! Come on red, time to amscray!" Luna leaned forward to fly out of the hall, which was becoming flooded with clown goons very quickly. "We just need to-hold on!" The witch twisted them into a spin as Superman once again made a tackle for them. He managed to grip some of the silver hairs of the broom, sending it into a tailspin to the ground. Luna and Vivian tumbled and rolled several times along the ground. They were dazed for long enough for Hawk girl to land with a thud on top of Luna. She held her electrified mace by the witch's face and looked for guidance from one of her colleagues. She took hold of Luna's neck and dragged her up into a headlock. "AH shit-oh no!"

Vivian groaned and looked up to see a colourful figure stood over her and with his foot poised ready to stomp on her face. "JOKER NO!"

"Hay now little girl? You sent me an invitation, I came, and you said I'd have fun. This is boring." Joker groaned, flung his hand round and fired his pistol to his right. This caused Batman to drop and roll away from the clown king. It was like Joker had eyes in the back of his head. Not that he showed that he'd spotted the bat. "Breaking miss popular's face would be fun." Joker lifted his purple leather shoe higher, and Vivian whimpered with her hands up to brace herself.

"I'LL SHOW YOU A MAGIC TRICK!" Luna fought against Hawk girl, who held her steady. "Save my friend, and I'll show you the BEST magic trick you've EVER seen." Joker raised a brow, lowered his foot gracefully to his side and then swung his arm clumsily across his body. He fired to the left, making Superman stagger back into three waiting clown thugs.

"Well I'm waiting?" Joker growled and reached down, taking a fistful of Vivian's ginger hair. "Entertain me twinkle-buns?"

"…I'm sorry." Luna looked over her shoulder at Hawk Girl. "I really did try to be good. But I won't let you hurt my friend."

"Think very carefully about-AAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Luna blinked and her eyes were icy blue. Her skin drained to white and her raven hair broke free of her red hair ties. Long and thick as a mane, her tendrils twisted and flicked at the ends. Her lips became black, as did the skin around her eyes. Her clothes morphed into a black dress that shimmered red when caught in the light. It shrouded her form and hugged her every dip and curve, only flaring out from her midthigh to the floor in layers of black. Her long sleeves wrapped around each finger to her knuckles, and her nails became black and sharpened to a point. Luna parted her lips and black smoke crept out the corners. It shrouded her head and became a shimmering black hood. With a shadow cast over the top half of her face, her icy eyes became piercing. Luna stood and lifted her arms out, sending Hawk Girl flying back like she weighed nothing.

"I am Maluna, blood priestess and Soul eater." Everyone, and I mean everyone, froze stiff. That voice wasn't human. It was like three voices spoke at once, and there was mothing kind about their tone.

"…Luna?" Superman felt his shoulders sag. What exactly had his goofball recruit just turned into?

"I have lived longer than the sun has shone on this dirty world. I have consumed the lives of armies, and within me is the power to draw forth wickedness the likes you have never seen." Her arms were still wide open and she stalked through the crowd of terrified villains and heroes alike. "I have made an alliance with this one." Luna dropped both arms like she intended to take flight and looked intently at Vivian. "She is mine. I will go where she goes. If she goes with you, so do I."

"…ooooOOOOoooo…" Joker shuddered and lifted Vivian up to stand properly, only to wrap an arm around her shoulders like they were best buds. "Well she's most definitely coming with me. But first? Was that my magic trick? A wardrobe change and a speech tuts?"

"No Jack, it's not." Her black lips pulled into an eerie smirk, and Joker tensed, but then he cackled.

"Show me, darkness and light."

"I gift you…" Luna glided along the floor and jerked to a stop when she was nearly nose to nose with Joker. "…Invincibility. For five minutes." Luna pressed her lips to his and opened them. Vivian turned her head and saw black smoke creeping down Joker's throat. He was grinning and tonguing her and the smoke with great vigour. When Luna pulled back she fluidly raised a hand to navigate Vivian's shaking body into her arms. "Enjoy." Luna waved her hand and her broom thundered through the hall and into her hand. Even the broom had changed. It had the head of a serpent, mouth open, fangs exposed and eyes of rubies gleaming.

"Oh tuts? If that shit is real? Me and you are going to have to become besties." Joker cackled, turned a dial on his watch and grinned. "Here, we, go!"

Vivian felt her lungs finally take a breathe when the Joker released her to swagger forward into the hall. He held his breech straps and giggled as he went. His grin foretold of much bloodshed. All made possible because of Luna's spell, because she came to Vivian's defence.

"Luna-" The with snapped a finger before her black lips and silenced the redhead.

The broom was completely black and even seemed to hiss as Luna caught it. The silver bristles were replaced by a curved blade, curved and sharp on one side, concave and serrated on the other. It looked like more of a weapon than a broom.

"Get on the broom." Luna sat side saddle on the broom and turned her icy blue eyes slowly to look at Vivian. "I sacrificed much to save you Vivian. I will sacrifice more if I must. But you must trust me."

"I do…but you're kind a scaring me right now Luna. Maluna? Erm-"

"I will answer your questions as much as I can later. For now, we need to leave." Luna opened her hand and waited for Vivian to take it. The telepath turned to look at the hall and saw that that the clown thugs were the least of the league's problems now. The Joker, invincible for another four minutes, was kicking their ass. He still used explosives, guns and knives, but now when they tried to punch him, the supers were sent flying back with the same force. "Now Vivian."

"I'm so scared." Vivian gulped, and dropped her hand into Luna's hand. "But if you promise you're still my friend, I'll come with you."

"I am the only real friend you have right now. I will protect you." Vivian gulped and allowed the witch to guide her onto the broom behind her. It hissed, and then they took off with more speed than last time. they kept going and going, leaving the city borders and Metropolis all together. "I never thought I'd go there again." Luna sighed and shuddered all over. The black shroud slithered back and revealed the red dress she'd been wearing earlier. Her hair even twisted back up into pigtails, and bright blue eyes looked at her as Luna looked over her shoulder at Vivian. "So...I'm kinda an ancient witch that did some…questionable things in her heyday. I'm ashamed to say I destroyed far more than these pretenders ever did. But I've also lived long enough to wish I…I'm trying to be a good girl. I locked that part of me away and embraced what was left. I try to surround myself with good things. Happy things. So I don't…fall back into the dark place."

"How did I not sense this about you?" Vivian flustered, happy to have 'Luna' back.

"Oh Sugar? You're not the only telepath I've ever met, Vivian." Luna chuckled sadly and looked forward. "I sensed what you were the moment I entered the halls of justice, and cast a blocking charm. You would only ever hear what I wanted you to."

"…" Vivian gulped. She had thought only psychics could shield their mind. Apparently not.

"I really did join the justice league recruit program to be a hero. A force for good. To try and…make up for my sins. But you-you're the first friend I made on my own. For no other reason that I wanted to be your friend, and you wanted to be mine." She chuckled sadly and cleared her throat. "That friendship has taught me so much. I wasn't about to lose it because of something like you and your mentor having a falling out, and an overreaction. Honestly? Putting out an apprehension order because he got a bruised ego? What? Did he want you to rub his Martian melon and you said no dice?" Vivian blinked slowly, and started to hear the Luna she was used to creeping back into place. Like she was putting that mask back on inch by inch. "Honestly? These super brats have such sensitive masculinities. Don't worry red? I've got you. Let's get somewhere safe enough for me to put up my magic tent, eat jelly and talk alllllll about what happened between you and Mr over-peppy alien, ok? Jelly and girl talk hooooooooooo!" Vivian held onto her friend and saviour as they flew for hours out of range of the justice league. She felt safe, but she also felt a touch scared of Luna. Or was it Maluna? Who was she really? What heinous things had she done? And why? What made her decide to try and be a 'good girl' now? And what would she do she'd revealed herself? what would happen to Vivian now? At least I'm not on the streets…so things could always be worse I guess…