Veronica Star Sapphire
By Kid Zatanna
This fan-fic uses charicters that are owned by Warner Communications and Archie Comics. It is only for fun, not profit
I really hate what the publisher has done to Veronica in the past ten years, they used to have Chyerl Blossam for a "whipping girl" but since they dropped her for being "too risque", they seemed to dump it all on Veronica. So I wrote this story to make her respectable again.
PROLOG:
High above a baseball field, the battle between two superbeings was comeing to a conclusion. Green Lantern fired green rays from his ring at a masked woman in a pink and white bodysuit who was returing the fire with blueish rays from her gloved hands and tiara. They were almost evenly matched and both knew that only skill and cunning would win the battle. The woman--known as "Star Sapphire"--dove for the ground and Green Lantern turned to entrap the villianess with his green energy but he saw her roll over onto her back and fire a blast!
Stunned, the hero fell to the ground, only his power ring prevented him from breaking every bone in his body. Star Sapphire landed gracefully before him, strikeing a haughty pose.
"Surrender, Green Lantern!" she demanded of the recovering hero. "Admit that I have defeated you while you can still walk!"
"Not while I have this!" He said, pulling a small cylinder from his glove.
Star Sapphire took a defencive stance and...stared. Then she smiled.
"A fountain pen?" She laughed, dropping her defences.
"Err, it was supposed to me a mini-laser," John Stuart/Green Lantern said sheepishly. "Looks like I grabbed the wrong weapon. Maybe I can write you a nasty letter?"
The dark-haired woman laughed with genuine amusement; men are such idiots! She stopped laughing when a "pop!" came from the "pen" and a cloud gushed out.
"AAAGGGH! My eyes!" She screamed.
John Stuart was on his feet in an instant, useing his ring to grab the woman's tiara with it's power gem. Once she was disarmed, he played the ring's light over her face, cleaning out the tear gas. The first thing SS saw was her sapphire.
"You fool! I don't need to wear my sapphire to control it!"
"I know that," GL said and sealed it in a energy ball.
Cut off from the alien gem's influence, Star Saphire groaned and went limp, her mind reverting back to that of Carol Ferris. A blue and red streak flashed to Carol's side as Supergirl landed and kept the woman from falling.
"Sorry I'm late, John," She told her fellow Justice Leaguer. "But I can see you have things under control."
"Uhh...what happened?" Carol groaned, then noted her costume. "Oh no, not again! I hope I didn't hurt anyone."
"You couldn't help yourself," Kara asured her. "Green Lantern, what are we going to do? It seems that no matter where that thing is hidden, it will be found and then posess some brunette."
"I've thought about that. The best thing to do would be to send it to another dimention where there are no Zamarons or Green Lanterns."
With a silent command to his power ring, Green Lantern detatched the sapphire from it's setting. The gem floated above the three, then shot into the sky, entering the multiverse...
PART ONE
At Riverdale high school, the football and cheerleading teams were on the practice field. Coach Cleats smiled as the boys ran a neat blitz, they always played better when the girls were present. Although the girls were takeing a short break, they cheered and waved their pom-pons, causeing their coach, Miss Shapely, to smile. Her girls always performed better when the boys were present.
"Look at them go!" Cried Betty Cooper. "They sure love to show off for us!"
"Of course they do," said Veronica Lodge as she gazed into a hand mirror. "Because we're worth it!"
"Look! Up in the sky!" Shouted a cheerleader. "It's a bird!"
"It's a cannonball!" Suggested Midge.
Whatever it was, it was flying towards the school! Then, incredibly, it seemed to slow down and turn, heading for the sidelines where the girls were! It hit the ground, landing at Veronica's feet.
"Holy cow!" Someone said.
Veronica picked the thing up and looked it over with intrest. For something that had fallen from space, it was surpriseingly cool.
"Wow!" Said Virginia, comeing over for a look. "A meteorite!"
"It's a sapphire," Veronica sighed, rolling her eyes. Some girls have no class. "Thirty-five carots, flaw...less..." Her voice trailed off.
"It's not fair!" Cried Jane. "Jewlery just falls out of the sky for the rich girl!"
Betty scenced that something was wrong. Her friend was stareing at the gem as if hypnotised.
"Veronica," she said, touching the other girl's arm. "Are you alright?"
Veronica turned with a strange smile.
"Of course we are," she said with a BRITISH accent.
Veronica held the sapphire above her raven bangs. It glowed and blueish energy spread from it, takeing shape. A tiara formed on the girl's head, makeing a place for the gem. The energy flowed downward, changeing her blue, white and gold cheerleader's uniform into a pink and white body-suit with a wide white belt emblazoned with a starburst design. A 'cat mask' covered the Lodge hieress' face, her knee socks became pantyhose and her sneakers were turned into close-fitting, mid-heeled boots.
"Holy cow..." someone said again.
Veronica again took up her mirror and checked herself out, obviously pleased with her new look. Reggie Mantle was at that moment exicuteing an "end run", but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Veronica. That was a mistake, as Archie and Big Moose were comeing at him. They piled up a few feet from her, but the newly-costumed cheerleader mearly gave them a brief look before returning her attentions to her reflection.
Archie and Reggie stared at the girl with jaws hanging open. Moose stared with amazement too, but for a diffrent reason.
"Uh, oh!" he said.
A pair of whistle blasts caused Veronica to wince.
"Come on, you guys!" Yelled Cleats. "Lets try that again! And this time, Mantle, try to stay awake!"
The boys made motions in Veronica's direction, trying to clue the coach in to the situation. (Whatever that was!)
"That's a girl," Coach Cleats sneered sarcasticly. "Haven't you ever seen one before?"
"Back to work, girls," Miss Shapely called. "Break's over!"
The cheerleaders also tried to bring Veronica's new look to their coach's attention. But they didn't know the situation any better than the boys did!
"Miss Lodge!" Shapely snapped. "This is cheer practice, not a fashion show! Either get into uniform or leave the field!"
She blew her whistle for emphasis but it was somehow jammed into her mouth when Veronica waved her hand.
"I never did like that noise," the rich girl said softly in her new accent, not her regular Georgia drawl.
"If I could proove you did that," The woman said, casting a stunned look at her whistle. "I would throw you off the team! Now come on! Get into formation!"
As Miss Shapely turned to walk away, she stumbled and fell. To her surprise, she saw that her shoe laces were tied together!
"And since you need proof," Veronica said, pointing at the coach's feet.
A blue light removed the startled woman's shoes and dropped them into her lap. Shapely went into "full panic mode", screaming for Cleats to come over. Remembering that Virginia had bought an astronamy book on her way to cheer practice, the masked girl sat on the bench, took the book from it's plastic bag and started to read.
"What's going on, Jane?" Cleats asked, ariveing with some of the football players.
A confused and excited babble was his answer as Jane Shapely, the cheerleaders and Moose tried to clue him in. Archie Andrews volinteered to see what the problem was.
"Ronnie is just a little cranky," he told his friends. "I'll talk to her and it'll be OK. You'll see."
"Arch, you don't know what you're getting into..." Moose Mason began as his pal went over to the girl.
"Hey, Ronnie-babe!" He said. "Whatcha doin?"
Star Sapphire paused in her search through the book, but then continued without looking up.
"Want to tell your Archiekins what's buggin' your pretty self?"
The part that was still Veronica told the would-be queen that she liked Archie, so the supervillianess just sighed and ignored his "come-on".
"Err...Veronica? Baby-cakes? Sweety-pie? Honey? Lamb's lettuce?"
OK, NOW he was getting on her nerves!
"Excuse me, ma'am," said another voice. "May I speak to you?"
SS looked up to see Big Moose with his helmet in the crook of his arm, bowing like a knight in a movie he saw the other night. At least this boy knew how to address a queen, she thought!
"Yes you may," she nodded with a smile.
"Thank you. Are you the villianess known as 'Star Sapphire'?" Moose asked.
"I am known by that name," she told him pointedly.
"Uh, yes. Excuse me, I didn't mean to be rude. But you did fight Green Lantern?"
"That's true."
"And you're the queen of the Zamarons?"
"Not yet, I must defeat Green Lantern to proove myself worthy."
"Oh yeah, that's right. Thank you, I'll let you get back to your book," Moose said with a bow.
"You're welcome." Veronica said, searching the book's index.
Moose went back to where the others were gathered, gently pulling Archie with him.
"We're in trouble," he reported.
"What are you talking about, Mason?" His coach groaned.
"That is Star Sapphire!" He whispered, pointing.
"No, it's Veronica in a cute costume," Reggie insisted.
"Oh you boys!" Betty sighed. "I'll talk to her, she tells me everthing!"
As Betty approched her best friend, Veronica/Star Sapphire was flipping through the book with a look of desperation on her pretty face.
"It's not here!" She muttered. "The Sapphire Star isn't listed! That means no 'Planet Of Beutiful Women', no Zamarons and from what Veronica's memories tell me, not even a Green Lantern to defeat!"
Veronica Lodge hugged her legs, pressing her face into her knees. It looked like she was going to cry! Betty u-turned and went back to the others.
"You're on your own, you guys!" She told them.
"But why not?" Declared the brunette, getting an idea. "I am already the most important girl in Riverdale, why shouldn't I also be it's queen?"
"Because you're a fruitcake!" Cried Shapely, thinking there was safety in numbers. "You should be locked up!"
"Yeah? You and what army?" Smiled Star Sapphire wickedly.
"How about me and the football team?" Cleats declared. "Throw Her Majesty off the field!"
"Oh help, help," she said, rolling her eyes as several boys started forward. "I am being attacked."
The alien gem flashed towards the cheerleaders, lifting them up and positioning the squad like defensive line-backers between Veronica and the approaching players. This show of force made the boys pause.
"Uhh, Coach?" Said a confused line-man.
"Jane?" whispered Virginia to her team-mate. "What are we doing?"
"I think we are about to die!" Jane answered, looking at the six-footer before her.
The boys were reluctant to fight their cheerleaders, espesaly since some of them were their girlfriends! Unfortunatly, this worked to one girl's disadvantage...
"Hi, Kathy," said Mike dropping into position. "Remember when you stood me up last week? HIKE!"
Mike launched himself forward and Kathy threw her hands up, shouting "Mike, stop!". To everone's surprise, Mike stopped as if he had hit a wall! Kathy looked at her hands, they had glowed! Cautiously Mike started towards her again.
"Stop!" Kathy commanded, thrusting her hands towards him.
Mike stumbled back, it felt like she had pushed him!
"Did you think I would not have provided protection for my minions?" Laughed Veronica, poseing like a 1940's pin-up. "They each now posess two percent of my power! Throw them off the field, my NEW Zamarons!"
The girls didn't want to hurt the boys, but that didn't mean that they couldn't have some fun with them! While Kathy zapped Mike with something like static electricty, four girls tossed a boy in a blanket and two others threw energy-created "water balloons" at the retreating football players. Midge, meanwhile, leapped into Moose's arms, saying that if he let her capture him, she would let him "capture" her next time! It was a fiasco, the boys were outclassed and over-whelmed. But with Riverdale in trouble, it's hero, 'PureHeart The Powerful' appiered!
"Veronica! I insist that you stop this nonsence at once!" Called Archie/PureHeart.
"Not so fast, carrot-top!" Reggie declared, now costumed as 'EvilHeart'. "If anyone saves Riverdale, it'll be me, EvilHeart!"
"Scram, EvilHeart, I was here first!" PH told him. "Go check your hair, I think it's a quart low."
"Lay off the hair, punk," EH warned. "I'm twice the hero you are!"
"Ha! You only want the glory. I do heroics for the good of all!"
"Get a load of 'Captain Goodie-Two-Shoes'! Why don't go you help a old lady across the street?"
"How about I help you into the emergency room?" PH snapped, stepping forward.
"Wussies first," sneered Reggie/EvilHeart, balling his fists.
"Boys! Boys!" Cried Veronica. "The sight of two such brave, noble heros has convinced me that resistance is useless. I surrender," she said, crossing her wrists before her and bowing her head.
"You do?" They chorused with surprise.
"Yes, but the honor of takeing me in belongs to the bravest, strongest and most handsome hero."
"That's me!" They both told her.
"Me!" Yelled PureHeart.
"Me!" Returned EvilHeart, thumping his chest.
"She said 'bravest', you mercinary!"
"She said 'most handsome', funny-face!"
"Do you want a fight?"
"No, I have plenty," EH responded. "Have some!"
PureHeart was sucker-punched and fell back. But being the hero he was, Archie sprang into action, fists flying. Star Sapphire chuckled, makeing fools of males was as easy as fishing with dynamite. But just as Riverdale had it's protector, Archie Andrews had one too. Since she had been apart from the other cheerleaders, Betty Cooper had not been included with those who had recived the sapphire up-grade. But she didn't need it, twisting her pony-tail, she became SuperTeen!
"Veronica, this joke has gone too far!"
Veronica was surprised to see her friend in the red slacks, cape and bow-tie of SuperTeen.
"Betty? What are you doing in that silly costume?" She asked.
"Silly? Why...well look who's talking!"
"You think so?" Veronica asked, looking down. "Wait, I can fix it."
"Veronica..." Betty began, but stepped back when a glow surrounded the other girl.
Veronica's costume changed. The cotton-candy pink bodysuit became jet black and the mask and tiara merged. The boots stretched past VL's knees and the belt disappiered. Betty was left speachless by the transformation.
"Oh yes, that's much better!" Ronnie smiled, consulting her mirror. "Don't you agree, dear?"
"OK, you look great. But listen; you can't take over Riverdale."
"Sure I can," Ronnie said, not quite understanding.
"No, look: we have our own elected officials here. Our own system of goverment and it excludes royalty. You see?"
"This country's independance was won from the British Empire, wasn't it?"
"That's right," Betty smiled, thinking Veronica was getting the point.
"By winning the American Revolution and over-throwing the Torys, correct?"
"Darned right, we did!"
"Well, then it's OK. Because I'm going to do the same thing for Riverdale."
SuperTeen held her head in her hands as she sighed loudly. Betty could never win an arguement with Veronica, the rich girl was smarter than she let on. She tried again.
"All right, let me put it this way: if you don't give up your nutty idea, I'm going to have to hurt you!"
Star Sapphire blinked. This girl was serious!
"Oh go away," She told the heroine, turning back to watch EvilHeart and PureHeart slug it out. "The Queen of the Zamarons does not fight with girls."
She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned.
"SuperTeen does," Betty told her.
POW!
Caught by the upper-cut, Veronica/Star Sapphire fell backwards, hitting the ground with her arms and legs spread. SuperTeen was quite satisfyed with the punch and blew on her knuckles like a movie badman blowing the smoke from his gun. But then Star Sapphire lept to her feet and into the air!
"OK!" She shouted angerly. "There are exceptions to the rule!"
Light blasted from her gem, but SuperTeen dodged it. SS smiled, she was not aiming for SuperTeen.
"Screeeech!" Betty screamed as the cooler full of icewater was dumped on her. "Oh no!" she thought. "When my pony-tail is wet, I'm only slightly more super than Betty Cooper!"
Betty felt her arms being pinned to her sides as she was lifted up and inverted. The girl was then bounced on her head a few times, causeing her eyes to cross. The bounceing stopped and as Betty's vision cleared, she saw a familior figure pass before her eyes untill she was face to up-sidedown face with the villianess.
"Look, SuperTeen," She was told. "I told you: I don't like to fight my own kind. So if you promass not to oppose me, I'll let you go, OK?"
"Owww..." was the reply as Betty clutched her head.
"Hmmm. I'll take that as a 'yes'."
Star Sapphire gently lowered her foe to the ground, even makeing a pillow from the discarded pom-poms (Betty was her best friend, after all) and took stock of the situation. The football team and coaches were keeping what they thought was a safe distance from her, the cheerleaders were milling about, discussing the recent events, PureHeart and EvilHeart had managed to knock each other out and SuperTeen was nurseing a headache. At the moment, she owned the field! It was time to rally the troops.
Landing on the players' bench, Veronica struck "Queenly Pose # 7" that immediately drew the cheerleaders' attention.
"Assemble, my Zamarons! I have a royal proclamation to issue!"
"Does she mean us?"
"She has 'issues', all right."
"The rich girl is acting weirder than usual."
"What's a 'Zamaron'?"
Veronica looked towards Heaven with a sigh.
"Cheerleaders," She said, motioning them toward her. "Would you come over here, please? I have an announcement to make. For too long men have led this city. They have done their best, but their blunders have been costly. Meanwhile we women have tried to set a good example, but now it's time to do more: it's time for action! I have decided to take over, and use my powers for the benefit of my people! We ladies shall lead the way to a bright, new tomorrow!"
"I'm surprised at you," SuperTeen said, staggering through her team-mates, holding a chunk of ice to her sore head. "Why set your sights so low? Thank you for pounding some scence into my head, my queen," She said, dropping to one knee. "May I speak freely?"
"Yes you may," Star Sapphire told the girl, watching for a trick.
"Your Majesty, Earth is on the threshold of space; men have walked on the moon, we have landed exploritory missions on Mars, probes have been sent outside the solar system. Why settle for a town when the solar system is before you?"
Veronica's eyes sparkled, obviously she was thinking of the possibilitys.
"You're right! What do you say, my ladies?" She asked the cheerleaders.
Courtiers to the ruler of the world? They didn't have to be asked twice!
"Hurray!" The cried, one doing a back-flip. "Long live the Queen!"
"As for you, SuperTeen," SS continued. "You deserve a reward. Hold still."
Sapphire energy played over Betty; she was levitated, turning slowly as her costume changed and her team-mates "ooohed" and "aaahed". When the queen-to-be dropped the girl at her side, the heroine was clad in Star Sapphire's old uniform (With SuperTeen's heart emblem replaceing the starburst design and minus the mask). Veronica had even dried her hair!
"You are now 'Lady SapphireTeen', my personal companion and secritary."
"Thank you, my queen," Betty said with a bow. "My first act is to arrange for your official announcement. But before that, we must choose a suitable outfit for your debut; and the best place for that would be the Lodge mansion!"
"Good thinking! Come, my Zamarons, we will continue this at my home."
With a wave of her hand, Star Sapphire levitated the girls and flew off, "SapphireTeen" following useing her rocket belt. Back on the ground, Moose Mason shook his head and sighed. Looks like somebody had better take charge.
"Mitch," He called to another boy, pointing at the fallen heros. "See if you can wake those two up! And don't let them run off, I have to get something from my locker."
TO BE CONTINUED