SMST: The Trials of Lady SHAZAM! – By DS Wynne


Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, DC Comics and other properties belong to their respective owners.

Note: This is a multi-genre story.


Part 2


Meanwhile, Ruby the Witchling was munching on her teacakes, when the little ninja retainer Sasuke opens the door to the living room.

"Miss Ruby," said Sasuke with a bow. "I have been asked to escort you to the next room."

"Oh?" Ruby asked. "What for?"

"You have been selected to participate in the next challenge as Miss Usagi's avatar," Sasuke said. "Do you accept?"

Ruby thought for a moment…

"Okay," Ruby replied with a nod. "I don't like it, but…I'm in."

"Good," Sasuke said, as he moves out of the way to the side while motioning Ruby to leave the living room.

"Well, let's see what we have here," Ruby said, as she goes through the door…

FWOOMP!

"Ahhhhh!" Ruby screamed, as she fell down what appeared to be a bottomless pit.

THUMP!

"Ow!" Ruby said, as she falls on her "bum". She quickly gets up and realizes that she is in another place.

"How did I get here?" Ruby asked, as she looks around. She saw a valley of sorts. The skies were like autumn, while trees were decorative with gold and red leaves.

"I must have been transported to another realm," Ruby said.

"That, you have, Miss Ruby," said a female voice.

Ruby quickly turns around to see a Norse sorceress. Her jet-black hair flowed with decorative pins. Her golden fur cloaked hugged a body that was garbed in green clothing. But it was her green, piercing eyes that were the most notable.

"I sense…great power from you," Ruby said, as she prepared her wand. "And you remind me of someone that I have recently met."

"I am 'Lokidis the Trickster'," Lokidis said. "You are about to play the role of pawn in a game that will test Usagi's wisdom."

"How can this be possible?"

"Simple," Lokidis said with a knowing smile. "See the valley at the foot of that castle over there?"

Ruby turns to see what appeared to be an expansive maze that began at the base of the hill she was presently on."

"Yes?"

"To win this contest, you must reach my castle within thirteen hours. Fail, and Usagi will fail to gain my wisdom."

"But, it could take forever! How am I going to get from here to there in the time you prescribed?"

"Simple. Just follow the white hair."

And with that, Lokidis fades from view.

"'Follow the white hare'?" Ruby asked herself aloud. "I don't see any hare-"

Just then, a white bunny rabbit goes hopping by…

"Huh, there's my path, I suppose," Ruby said. She then looks up towards the sky.

"I shall not fail!"

And off Ruby goes.

The rabbit stops at the wall of the labyrinth.

"Okay, so why are we here, little rabbit-"

SSSSSS!

"Eeek!"

"Got you!" said a voice.

Ruby sees a dwarf with long white hair spraying poison on faeries.

"That's sixty today- ULP!"

The gnome found him suspended in the air.

"What manner of witchery is this?" the dwarf said.

"This," Ruby said as she shows her magic wand, which was glowing. "Why are you picking on that faerie?"

"Because they be pests, witch," said the dwarf. "Can you put me down, at least?"

"But no more spraying sprites today."

"But I need to make a days pay."

"Fine," Ruby said, as she pulls out a gold coin, which she keeps on her person just in case. "You earned your keep."

"Thank you. 'Hoggle' is my name, and being the gardener of the Labyrinth is my game."

"Good, then you can show me how to get to the castle."

"Can't do that, lass. That would be cheating."

"Then can you show me the way into your Labyrinth, master gardener?"

"Ah, a question that I can oblige to answer, but shall not."

"Why not?"

"For your familiar seems to know the entrance already."

Ruby sees that the white rabbit was sitting next to a door that was not there before.

"Oh, okay," said Ruby with a smile. "So many things that I have done before…many, many things, but never something so…much."

"But it is for a friend, yes?" Hoggle said.

"Yes, it is."

"Then, may the lady of luck be with you."

As if on cue, the door to the Labyrinth opens…

CREEEEEKKKKK…

Ruby sees that the white rabbit has gone inside.

"Wait up-!" Ruby yells, as she runs into Labyrinth…

The first obstacle was a deceptively simple one.

"How am I going to find a way pass the inner wall?" Ruby asked. So far, all she was doing was walking down a narrow corridor. Or was she?

"How don't know how to do this," Ruby said, as she picked up the rabbit. "There's got to a way to do this-"

The rabbit squirmed out of Ruby's arms, and runs past the wall…and disappears.

"Huh?" Ruby said to herself. "How…?"

Ruby walks to the spot where the white rabbit seemingly disappeared…and walked on straight through an opening of the wall. The brick walls were contiguous, but the bricks of the far wall were bigger than the bricks of the closer wall, which made it difficult for the eye to discern depth.

"I cannot believe I fell for an optic illusion like that!" Ruby said. "What would Tsukune think of me for falling for such a trick?"

With a huff, Ruby proceeds to the next "stage" of the challenge of the Labyrinth…

Meanwhile, back in the "real world", Usagi leans back.

"It appears that I am off to a strong start, Nabiki," Usagi said with a smile.

"A strong start does not make a winner, Usagi," Nabiki said with a knowing smile. "Let's see if we…up the challenge?"

Nabiki then moves her piece across the Shogi board.

CLAK!

"There. Let's see if Ruby is up to THIS challenge."

Usagi studied the move.

"That's not very fair," Usagi whined.

"Anything goes, remember?"

Meanwhile, Ruby was running up and down a maze of stone columns. However, she ended up losing the rabbit.

"Aw!" Ruby screeched. "I lost the rabbit, and the walls keep changing-!"

"Then perhaps give US a try, lass?" said a voice.

Ruby turns to see two, colorful gates. One was red, while the other was blue.

"Huh?"

"We're talking to you, lass!" said the red gate.

"If you want to get out of THIS maze, then try us for size."

Ruby whips her wand, and points it at the gates.

"No tricks, or I'll melt you into slag!" Ruby said.

"No tricks, witchling," said the blue gate.

"You are the mistress of your destiny," said the red gate. "But remember, some destinies end with tragedy."

"But a word of caution," the blue gate said. "I am a liar."

"And everything HE says is a lie," said the red gate.

"Arrgh!" Ruby said, as she winced at the thought of facing a logic trap. "My head hurts!"

"Choose quickly, witchling," said blue gate.

"Hmmm, well, Tsukune's favorite color is blue, so I'll try blue," Ruby said with a smile.

"As you wish," said the blue gate, as it opens.

CREEEK!

"Huh," Ruby said, as she steps past the blue gate. "That was not so bad-"

CRASH!

The stone floor gives way, causing Ruby fall downward.

"Ah-!"

However, as she went down, a wall lined with hands slowed her descent.

"We have you, witchling," said the hands.

"Ah, don't touch me there!" Ruby whined. "It's not proper!"

"Sorry about that, witchling," the hands say. "We're just 'Helping Hands'."

"Well, you need not to help your self to a 'feel'!"

"Then, in order to make amends, where would you like to go? Would you like to go back up, or go straight down?"

"Just let me go!"

"Okay…"

DROP!

"Ahhhhhhh-!"

Meanwhile, back in the "real world", Usagi frowns.

"What's wrong?" Nabiki teased. "Stuck in a possible position?"

"Nonsense," Usagi replied. "It's just that I didn't want to make this next move."

Usagi moves her next Shogi piece.

CLAK!

"Isn't that cheating?" Nabiki said with a raised eyebrow.

"Actually, it's what you said that gave me a clue as to my next LEGAL move," Usagi yawned.

"Fine, but now, I get to 'up' the ante," Nabiki said, as she responded to Usagi's maneuvers…

Meanwhile, Ruby uses her wand to light up her dungeon-like room.

"I should have never agreed to this," Ruby said with annoyance. " But Tsukune would have been disappointed in me-"

BANG-BANG!

Startled, Ruby turns towards the door to her dungeon.

"Who's there?" Ruby demanded. "Tell me!"

"It's me, witchling," said a familiar voice.

"Ah, Hoggle!" Ruby said happily.

CHUNK!

The dwarf opens the door to the dungeon.

"Lass, I turn my back ONCE, and you get yourself in trouble," Hoggle said, as he motions. "Maybe you should turn back?"

"I want to, but…I got to at least try," Ruby said.

"Very well, I will help you. But remember, it will get increasingly difficult from here on out."

"I can take on anything!" Ruby said confidently, as she follows Hoggle out of the dungeon…

As they make their way past the talking

After narrowly escaping from the so-called "Dungeon Cleaner", which involved goblins operating a machine that removed debris from underground corridors of he dungeons, Ruby found herself climbing out of a large…vase, and into a garden grove that was arranged as a maze.

"That was close," Ruby said, as she dusts herself off. She looks around. "Where did he go-?"

Ruby catches an old crone sewing garments by a reflecting pool.

"Excuse me?" Ruby asked.

The old woman turns to look at the young lady. She smiles a toothy grin.

"Yes, young lady?"

"Um, I'm kind of lost," said Ruby. "I'm trying to get to the castle at the center of this labyrinth, and I can't seem to find my way out."

"Aw, yes," the old lady said. "The lair of the Trickster lies there."

"So, you know Lokidis?"

"Aye, I do. I am a guardian of this reflecting pool, so I can see everything, even many possibilities."

"Really?" Ruby said. "Can it…show a life with the one I love?"

"All you have to do is seek its counsel. The visions will come."

"Ah, yes!" Ruby said with excitement, as she goes to the reflecting pool. "Maybe I can see if I end up with Tsukune after all…"

As Ruby looks into the pool, she immediately finds herself swept up by the visions.

She sees herself going out on a date with Tsukune.

She sees herself getting married to Tsukune.

She sees herself trying to set up a household with Tsukune.

She sees herself starting a family with Tsukune.

Slowly, Ruby begins to fade away, as she becomes caught up in the vision…

Meanwhile, back in the "real world", Nabiki smirks.

"Check," Nabiki said with a frown. "It looks like I will win."

"Really, my dear," Usagi said. "You forgot one thing."

"And that is…?"

"Ruby believes in self-less love, not personal love," Usagi said. "And remember this: Tsukune, the object of her affection, is of MY namesake."

Usagi makes her move.

"CHECK and MATE."

"Ruby-san," Tsukune said, as he hands Ruby a gift. "Happy Birthday!"

"Oh, Tsukune," Ruby said, as she accepted the gift. It was wrapped in a royal blue box with crescent moons on it…

"Open it," Tsukune said with a smile.

Ruby opens it to reveal a stuffed, white bunny rabbit…

TING!

"Oh, that's right," said Ruby with sadness.

"What is it, Ruby-san?" Tsukune asked.

"I can't do this," Ruby replied, as she shakes her head. She then turns towards Tsukune.

"Ruby-san…?"

"I will always cherish our time together, but duty comes first," Ruby said, as she places a hand on Tsukune's face.

"Ruby-san…"

FLASH!

"Oh!" Ruby said, as she realized that she was back in the garden. She quickly turns around to see the old woman.

"Who are you really?" Ruby demanded, as she points her wand at the old woman. "I command you to show your true visage…Trickster!"

FLASH!

"Excellent job, Ruby of Sunflowers," Lokidis said with a smile. "If you can get pass my illusion, then you might be worthy to guide the Moon Princess."

Lokidis then begins to turn away.

"See you at the castle…"

And with, Lokidis fades from view.

As Ruby lowers her wand, a tear slips from her left eye.

"So much for love," Ruby said, as she sighs. She then sees a white rabbit hop by.

"Time to finish this," Ruby said, as she continues her journey through the labyrinth…

Later…

"Well, it looks like you completer your journey, Ruby of Sunflowers," Lokidis said, as she sits on her throne. "You even made allies that helped you defeat my goblin army."

"Have I proved myself worthy to guide the Moon Princess?" Ruby asked.

"Indeed."

With that, Lokidis snaps her fingers.

FLASH!

"Oh?" Ruby said, as she sees herself in front of Usagi and Nabiki, who were putting away the Shogi pieces. "It was…an illusion?"

"Of course, Miss Ruby," Nabiki said. "And you defeated it."

"Oh. OH! Yes!"

"Ruby, I'm sorry about putting you through that," Usagi said. "I'll understand if you back out of your role as my guide and advisor."

"No, I made a promise to you, and I intend to keep it," Ruby said. "And besides, the magic of SHAZAM is too important to leave in the hands of the bad guys. But…"

"But what?"

"I…thank you for allowing me a chance at a fulfilled life," Ruby said with a wistful smile. "Even if I can't be with Tsukune-kun, at least I got a taste of it."

"Huh."

"But, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Were you the dwarf AND the bunny rabbit?" Ruby asked.

"Come, now," Usagi said with a knowing smile. "Sometimes, what you see is what you get."

"Ah," Ruby said, as she smiles back.

"Okay, okay," Nabiki said. "Let's get this over with. Hold my hands, Moon Princess."

Usagi reaches across the shogi board to hold Nabiki's hands.

"Okay," Usagi said.

"Usagi Tsukino, you, Princess Serena, the legendary Moon Princess, bani House of Serenity," Nabiki began to say. "By choosing Ruby the Witchling, bani Coven of Sunflowers, you've earned the gift of Wisdom. Use this gift to further your quest to earn the magic of SHAZAM."

FLASH!

Ruby sees the apparition Lokidis appear over Nabiki and Usagi. The image then changes to that of Minerva, the Olympian goddess of wisdom, before changing to that of the image of the great King Solomon.

FWOOSH!

Usagi suddenly feels…smarter, as information begins to flow into her head at a rapid rate. But best of all, she understood HOW to use that information. Wisdom was not about raw knowledge, but how best to utilize it.

"Whoa, what a…rush," Usagi said. "I think I need to lie down."

Ruby turns towards Nabiki.

"Um, I have a question for you, Miss Nabiki," Ruby said.

"I'll do my best to answer it, but I'll have to charge you for it."

"Huh."

Tbc.


Author's Note: Yep, I used the movie "Labyrinth" as the template for this chapter. I actually found the source movie online. I actually liked it, even though the film was on the goofy side. I AM surprised that it was a financial failure. Go figure.