Superman stood up, his expression firm. He wasn't angry, but the "dad" look was gone. He blurred forward—faster than anything Sela had ever seen.
She tried to react, but he was already behind her. He didn't punch or kick; he simply wrapped his massive arms around her in a bear hug, pinning her arms to her sides.
"Enough," Superman said, his voice echoing in her ear. "You've made your point. You're strong, but you're losing control."
Sela struggled, her muscles bulging against his grip. It was like being held by a mountain. Even with her Ki flared to the max, she couldn't budge his forearms.
"Let... go!" she hissed, her face turning red.
"I can't do that," he said calmly. "Not until we talk about where you came from and why you're attacking heroes."
Sela stopped struggling for a split second. She felt her tail twitching behind her, free and unnoticed. She smirked.
With a sudden, whip-like snap, her tail lashed upward over her shoulder. She didn't use the blunt end; she used the very tip to poke him right in both eyes.
"Ow!" Superman grunted, his grip loosening as he instinctively reached for his face. It didn't cause permanent damage, but the sudden sting was enough to break his focus.
Sela didn't waste a second. She blasted out of his arms, putting a hundred yards between them in a heartbeat. "Rule number one: Watch the tail!"
Superman rubbed his eyes, blinking back the irritation. He started to lean forward, clearly ready to end the game for real, when his head suddenly cocked to the side. His super-hearing had picked up something miles away.
"Gunfire," he muttered, his gaze shifting back toward the city. "A bank heist on 5th street. "
He looked back at Sela, his brow furrowed. He was torn between chasing the girl who just poked him in the eye and saving civilians.
"This isn't over," Superman warned. "Stay put."
"Yeah, sure. I'll wait right here," Sela lied, crossing her arms.
The moment Superman turned into a red-and-blue blur heading back to Metropolis, Sela turned the opposite way. She didn't just fly; she pushed her Ki until it hurt, zig-zagging low through the forest canopy to mask her trail.
"Big Blue is a lot harder to move than the Birdy," she panted, her heart racing. "But a win's a win."