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Legal disclaimer: I tend to liberally "borrow" character profiles and art from the Earth-27 wikia created by Roy Westerman with art principally coming from digital artist Phil Cho. Other creators and artists are found there as well and will specifically list any creations with creator citations as I utilize them. In short, this the single most comprehensive retelling of all things DC and beyond I have encountered. In short, it's worth your time to explore.
That having been said, the properties, and their variations belong to DC and its parent, AT&T, with notable exceptions. More on that in the epilogue. I do not own DC characters or their interpretations and reimaginings. My own characters are implied Public Domain since I have not included a copyright notice as required by the 1974 revisions of the copyright statutes and regulations. While an intellectual copyright is implied without the due symbols and language, all such considerations are voided under CC-BY-SA unless duly noted otherwise
That all being said, there is no implied or actual profitability in this work. Actually, considering the man hours put into research and writing, I've actually paid to have this available to read.
Goldilocks blearily witnessed as Alice the Mad Hatter was gleefully consuming the Alice in Wonderland statue in NYC's Central Park. She examined every twist and turn. And when she thought she had seen everything, she'd pour over every inch again. While Goldilocks was pleased for her friend, they'd both been up for nearly forty-eight hours.
Arriving in Keystone City with the planning to undertake in order to strike four Intergang owned and operated banks had been a twenty-four-hour operation. The actual heists had been complicated by rivals, Intergang, and even the Justice League. And of the course, the younger Flash who had seemed to return from nowhere. And he had a speedster sidekick with him.
Then she and Alice had stayed in Bangor Int'l Airport to check into a flight to New York while the rest of the Injustice Society returned to the apartment complex they owned, managed, and resided in. Goldilocks was especially proud of that brainchild. But after checking into the Ritz-Carlton Central Park Hotel, all of the accumulated hours came crashing in on Goldilocks.
If Alice hadn't shown her the emergency beacon Enchantress had put in her mind, she never would have agreed to come. Goldilocks wasn't a witch or a sorceress. Her only enchantment was in her hair. But Enchantress chose her because she trusted her not because of the raw power she could deliver. And Enchantress knew Goldilocks was far too clever by half.
So while Alice looked rejuvenated, Goldilocks had reached the decision that there wasn't enough coffee in the world to keep her going for much longer. She pulled Alice aside, "Homesick, luv?"
"I'd have to say 'yes' because when I can return is anyone's guess," Alice replied in her usual rhyming way.
Of course, she hadn't needed to open her mouth to draw that kind of attention to her. Her raw appearance was enough otherwise. She had chalk white skin and hair with silver eyes. She only blended in with a group of Goths. And Alice's penchant for wearing blues and brightly patterned shorts or pants made it look like she habitually wore pajamas. Whatever the reason for her choices, Alice always looked comfortable while committing crimes. Goldilocks herself was thinking about buying some jammies to wear during crime sprees.
"We came in a rush because you detected Enchantress' cry for help in my mind. Can you locate her" Goldilocks asked.
"We must, we must go and not be slow. But where she is I cannot know," Alice glumly told her. She pulled the image from Goldilocks' mind again, "She won't share where to find her there."
Which meant Enchantress was hidden within June Moone again. Goldilocks was disturbed by that, "Bollox. June's a sweet girl but she's also a nit."
"Out of fear she's no longer here," Alice confirmed it.
Which meant Enchantress' pursuers were quite powerful and even more nasty, in Goldilocks' estimation. Alice seemed to sense it as well, "If we were to go, I'd have to say 'no'. It's tragic she won't use magic. She could be here, there, and everywhere."
Children were conspicuously eavesdropping, "Let's scarper. They'll want you twisting balloons next."
They passed a clown blowing balloons up and shaping them. Alice wondered why that would be a bad thing. Alice knew about bad things. It's how she ended up in Earth Prime. They were so deliciously fun. Goldilocks knew. She just didn't talk about her own appetite for them.
June was upset. Her current arrangement with the Enchantress was the witch would occupy her body full time from now on. Not run back to the nether realm and kick June loose to fend for herself against whatever pursuit Enchantress had brought down on their mutual head. And June was perturbed to discover Enchantress had altered June's appearance.
June was a natural blonde and Enchantress had raven hair. Every superhero and super villain knew that. Now they both possessed Enchantress' hair color. If June would've had any money left she would've bleached her hair just to spite the witch. Or at least gone ombre.
Not knowing how long she'd be stuck in NYC, June invested in a bus pass, a subway pass, and a rail pass. Damn Enchantress anyway for stealing Tsaritsa the Queen of Fables' prized book. Unfortunately for Enchantress, her sleeping curse was only a sleeping spell to Tsaritsa. And the Queen of Fables held enough clout with the Shadow Mages to inspire Damien Darhk to let the wolves loose. And Darhk was personally managing the situation.
June knew Enchantress had fled from Bremen, to Rome, to County Cork, back to the mainland to Instanbul, across Asia Minor and the `stans to India before alighting in China. With a skip over Japan, she went to Brazil, snaked her way north across Central America and Mexica, arrived in the American Southwest and burned her way east. Only to be found again in the United States' single most populated city. It conceivably would be easy lose oneself amongst over eight million people but June wasn't so confident.
She vaguely had Enchantress' memories of the hunters. Darhk had called in his daughter Nora, and Rebecca Carstairs the Witchfire, as his personal agents. But the hunter-seekers were the Unholy Order led by the alchemist, Mad Monk. Brother Seamus was the Last Inquisitor. Father Grey was called the Cross Bearer. Sister Scarlett Monk was known as the Holy Soldier. And the last wasn't a willingly participant. To slake his lust, Mad Monk kidnapped and held captive the Scottish Lady Ellen. Her betrothed, Sir Lochinar served at Mad Monk's behest in order to keep the ages from Ellen. For they had all been at this since 1109 ACE.
Lochinar was only allowed a weekly visit with Ellen for one hour. And the man still considered her virtuous even if she did not. She only knew the Mad Monk's groping hands, roving tongue, and thrusting penis as her existence. He'd aborted babies beyond count, repaired her anus times beyond measure, and revived her when he gagged her to death deep throating her. And the irony of all ages was that according to the beliefs of her day, she was at fault. And those delusional prejudices abounded even into the modern day.
The only man whose sexual advances she actually wanted, wouldn't even touch more than a hand or stroke a cheek. Lochinar was chaste enough to refuse to even kiss her. And he wondered why over the last thousand years she'd grown haggard and lost all hope.
And these were the people Enchantress had fled from.
Darhk set up a command post in the most specious penthouse suite the Mark Hotel across the street from the Alice in Wonderland statue. He'd cordoned off one half of the master space to allow Nora to equip it with computers and monitors and use magic to tap into every surveillance camera in the city. There were more them since 9/11 and the numbers grew exponentially every day.
"What do you mean, 'you lost her'?" Darhk wanted to know.
"She's in this city but has managed to hide herself," Mad Monk reported indignantly.
"She's terrified of us," Sister Scarlett Monk boasted.
"Really?" Darhk's mocking tone offended her, "Because I happen to know the Enchantress personally. She irritates, she confounds, she angers, she vexes, she attacks, she disables, she slaughters, and she obliterates. She doesn't frighten."
"Perhaps we speak of different women," Brother Seamus chuckled, `Cause this one pissed her dress."
Darhk clenched his fist and Brother Seamus began choking, "Are you correcting me?"
Father Grey intervened as Sister Scarlett Monk drew her sword, "Please, Sister."
"She led us on a wild chase and vanished. Why but because she's terrified?" Mad Monk asked.
"How have you survived this long?" Darhk wanted to know, "She went to ley line points and extracted energy. Where there were relics exuding magic, she stole from them as well. And you never recognized the pattern or thought to get ahead of her until I just explained it all. Because you were convinced she was mindlessly fleeing from you rather than picking her battleground."
He released Brother Seamus, "You want to know why I'm not killing you? It's simple: your retainer is nonrefundable. However I will overlook that fiscal fact if you disagree with the following terms. You will complete the task and forfeit the remainder of the fee while doing so. I will direct your path from now on. You will go where I say, when I say, even if it seems banal or idiotic. And you will do so not only on forfeiture of your life but I will personally undertake shredding your reputation through the ages. Your memory will be as forgotten as the dust your body becomes. Okay?"
Darhk was so merry, the Unholy Order excepting Lochinar, thought he was jesting, "Oh, and there's a time constraint. Agree in the next five seconds or await damnation."
Mad Monk happily agreed. Father Grey did as well. Brother Seamus rasped an agreement. Sister Scarlett Monk and Sir Lochinar held out.
Eldritch fire enveloped Darhk's hand, "And just so you know, it had to be unanimous."
"Wait!" Mad Monk dropped to his knees and begged, "He'll never agree. He wants us all dead."
"Let's see, you've held his beloved for almost a thousand years, you rape her every day and twice on Sundays. You beat her. You abort the offspring you conceive with her, and only repair her body enough so you can do it some more. I'm not seeing an upside for him to agree to leave you alive," Darhk pointed, "I'll give you ten more seconds to reach a deal just because I'm a nice guy."
"Lochinar!" Sister Scarlett Monk placed her sword tip at his throat.
"You're part of this as well," Darhk reminded her.
"But I…" she protested.
"Tick tock, " his hand ignited again.
"Release Lady Ellen," Lochinar made his one demand. The only demand he ever had.
"Three…two…" Darhl began counting down.
"I agree!" Mad Monk screamed.
"I yield," Lochinar said a half a breath afterwards.
"That'll have to wait until you retrieve the Queen's book. But I'll observe the release and make certain the deal holds. Agreed?" he didn't get a ready response and flames filled the room.
"Aye," Mad Monk bitterly spat.
"Aye as well," Lochinar conceded.
"Now go back to the hovel of a drydock you're holed up. And pick up the damn phone," Darhk snapped them before summoning Rebecca, "Now, as I've told you, Enchantress has anchored the Book of Fables to her soul. Who knew she had one? The point is, you can burn away the anchor?"
"I've never failed yet," Witchfire boasted.
"And you never will again," Darhk promised, "Now go, get ready."
June checked into a homeless shelter in Hell's Kitchen. The intake worker's name was Lizabeta. She was surprised June was even there.
"Ms. Moone, I've seen your work. At art school they taught you had a seamless fusion of fantasy and reality. Corporations were in bidding wars to contract you," Lizabeta turned out to be a fan.
"And you're here why?" June sought to deflect the questioning.
"Heh. I had more ambition than talent. Switched schools and majors and got a degree in social work," Lizabeta was self-effacing. June knew there was more to it.
"So why the real reason for the switch?" she could see Lizabeta's margin doodles and they were good. Pretty damn good.
"Most of my professional references came from family owned business. My family. All with allegiances or ties to the Bratva, "Lizabeta explained.
"The who?" June was clueless.
"Russian Mafia. The type of people Russia won't let get deported back to the old country," Lizabeta sighed.
"Well, I can relate. I was recently released from Belle Reeve Prison before it was destroyed," June confessed.
"Are you on parole? Is there a probation officer you need to contact?" Lizabeta inquired.
"Complete and total pardon for crimes I was never technically convicted for," June shared. Which was the technical truth.
"I heard it was some crazy ass black site illegally detaining people," Lizabeta was captivated.
"And legally detaining even more," June told her.
"So…about all the huge amounts of prison sex orgies….?" Lizabeta hedged around.
"Complete and total fabrication," June let her down easy. Although, the Enchantress had hooked up with Killer Croc three times. And June had plenty of sex with Col. Rick Flagg between Suicide Squad missions.
Until she abruptly left Task Force X during a disaster of a mission. She'd reunited with Madame Xanadu and learned of the Justice League Dark was becoming known as Dark Justice. And Xanadu offered her roots. As well as a mission. The Queen of Fables had been contacted by Wonderland's Knave of Hearts to contract a killing not only of an individual but the entire Multiverse. The remaining Twenty-Three of the Twenty-Seven realms would standby and allow the event to happen.
A near-Apocalypse had nearly decimated Wonderland. The same force devastated Neverland. The Fables and the Endless were terrified. The Lords of Order were indifferent. Counterposing that attitude, the Lords of Chaos were ecstatic. Heaven and Avalon stood opposed to the event occurring. With the abstaining Lords of Order that only left Glorith's pocket universe opposed to allowing Tsaritsa to destroy the Multiverse ahead of the Anti Monitor's endgame.
The Fables Realms felt threatened by catastrophes caused by their own. Word was still returning from Neverland and that word was every single living organism, magical or not, had been butchered. The pixie mines were not only down but poisoned. No dust would ever leave them again. And fairies and pixies from Neverland had produced the greatest yields of pixie dust in immortal history. The Wonderland catastrophe could be traced to a single individual but no one, not a single seer, had witnessed the Neverland cataclysm.
June vaguely knew these facts and of the Enchantress' fervent desire to halt Tsaritsa's effort. June just kept asking herself if it had only been up to the Enchantress to act unilaterally. Surely other members of Dark Justice could have assisted her.
Lizabeta's voice grounded June back into "reality", "We have job placement workers that can assist you in finding a miserable job at piss poor wages."
June smiled, "I'll take my chances. I'd rather get out of here with the means of continuing to stay out. I suppose my freelancing days are truly behind me."
"You never know," June could Lizabeta's scheming behind her eyes.
"Then I suppose it won't be caviar for breakfast anymore," Lizabeta teased. And that finally broke the wall between them.
Goldilocks luxuriated in the penthouse suite her billion dollar share of the Intergang heists afforded her. Of course, she was deducting half of all costs from Alice as well. Alice didn't worry about money. Her power was to cloud minds and cast spells to control them through tactile contact. Everyone else in the Injustice Society assumed Alice's manipulative power was psionic in nature. Truth was, it was half inborn magical ability and half a studied and trained mystical acumen.
Goldilocks was delighted to see Alice settling down. Goldilocks wanted nothing less than to watch the BBC One and then go to bed for at least twelve hours. She unwittingly had booked the same room that Galatea and Blackhawk had consummated their relationship for the first time. And many more after that.
Goldilocks' idea of "love" had been twisted beyond conventional reasoning thanks to the systematic sexual abuse her uncle had heaped upon her since the age of four. As a early teen, she'd accused him of his blatant crimes to her parents. Who not quite admitted they'd always known. Bu Goldilocks' sacrifices left Dorcas free to pursue her happy ever after. Upon which time, Goldilocks became violently dangerous. And so it was she was locked in an asylum.
Her defense mechanism of disassociating during her uncle's lusts was to slip into a world of fairy tales. And in the asylum, her mind became frozen in that plane. She then escaped from the asylum to return to the family manor house and ransacked Dorcas' room searching for the spell that enchanted Godiva's hair. Perform the ritual, she cast the leather bound parchments and the yule log totem into the fire.
Confronted by her parents regarding her absenteeism, she lashed out with her final accusations against her uncle and her own parents for allowing, no, encouraging Goldilocks' systematic sexualization. Her uncle had been in attendance as well and smugly told her she'd always led him on and how badly she'd wanted his dick inside her. Her hair acted on what seemed to be its own accord and snapped their necks. Tossing the corpses into the brazen fireplace in the main hall, Goldilocks torched the manor house and the estate to leave nothing behind for Godiva to inherit.
Goldilocks had taken the loose cash found throughout the manor and travelled to Paris where she learned to be a thief. She got to be so good, the Brain and Mallah personally recruited her in partnership with Psimon's Fearsome Five.
Goldilocks would forever be hyper-sexualized but originally she found her focus being on discovering who her "knight in shining armor" was. That delusion led her to the Shining Knight. In her warped reality, Sir Justin was given to her to provide her own "happy ever after" as even her parents had phrased it. So men met her, they would cum, and she'd be done and looking to dig a shallow grave afterwards.
She gave men what she knew they wanted and they wouldn't emotionally feed her. She wanted love rather than sex but sex was all she'd ever known. She always chose the man with lust in his eyes rather than ordinary attraction. So she was continually emotionally unfulfilled but she'd bedded over one hundred partners before settling in with the bereaved Sir Justin. But he was as much a misogynistic pig as the rest. Shad truly begun to despair of ever finding her love. But in the interim, she'd gathered a sisterhood within the Injustice Society. Any of whom would join her and Alice on their jaunty quest to help a friend in need.
She knew Alice established permanent ties with the minds she'd controlled and corrupted. That is how Alice knew the Injusticers, at least the newer female recruits, wanted to fly to NYC and assist them. Clock Queen, Mist, and Hazard leading the charge while Shadow Thief attempted to use her former contacts within the Mossad to locate them. Sportsmistress, Calendar Girl, and Dollmaker were reticent but willing. Toygirl wanted nothing more than to visit the hidden toyshop beneath Winifred Schott's Schott's Toy factory. While Prank had been imprisoned, Winnie bought Clark's Toys out from underneath her. Every day was a good day to receive a Toygirl toy in her opinion. Jack Nimble, and his foul theft of the Toyman persona from the late, lamented Winslow Schott, had to die.
Alice had, at Goldilocks' behest, built triggers within every Injusticer's mind. These prevented revealing secrets while under interrogation as well as compulsory orders to attempt an escape while inflicting the greatest numbers of casualties. They also provided the means for Alice to seize control at any given moment. Goldilocks had been the only volunteer for the process. Rejected for this ability since her birth, Goldilocks' act of trust had been rewarded with Alice's undying friendship and loyalty. Goldilocks had blossomed into being the White Queen, Alice's idealized sovereign and motherly role model.
Goldilocks stepped out on the terrace to contact Madame Xanadu. If anyone knew where June Moone was, it would be Nimue Inwudu. She'd left Avalon centuries ago and served beside the Demon Knights for most of those. Now Madame Xanadu served as co-leader and de facto guidance counselor for Dark Justice. Her sister had come out into the world recently. Morgan Le Fay had never left Earth Prime after leaving Avalon's Realm centuries before. Vivian Lochlan had emerged to serve and protect the Lady of the Lake and to fulfil her charge to hand over Excalibur and Merlin's staff to one found worthy.
Merlin himself was now called "Tommy Merlin" and cavorted about the Twenty-Seven Realms making mischief and trouble wherever he went. But he was now based out of Crossroads, Vermont and spent an ungodly amount of time at Violet Smith and Pansy Jones' Crossroads Coffee Bar. And he was frequently assisted by a witch named Michelle and a lycan dubbed, Jack. Jack being a reversal. He was a wolf during every moon phase except the three days of the full moon. And those days included the daylight hours.
Goldilocks own part-time status as a Dark Justicer gave her access to the House of Mystery. Which like Danny the Street, was sentient and roved around the word. Danny sought peace and the House of Mystery sought out trouble of pacify. It's sibling, the House of Secrets, served as a Homi Magi and practitioner detention center. Every manner of creature from across Twenty-Five Realms was held withing its walls. And yet from the outside, it was a typically Victorian three-story dwelling. That moved about as it sensed the need for its unique service.
Alice had ordered a tea cart and was meticulously prepping a tea party for two. Goldilocks only wanted to go bed but she participated. Later, in bed, she heard Alice scuffling about as she stripped naked and laid down next to Goldilocks. The Brit feared the worst but Alice fell right to sleep. The simple fact she wasn't alone was all she required in the way of comfort and assurance.
But still, Goldilocks awoke twelve hours and later she checked her groin and vagina. She hadn't cum so Alice seemingly was the innocent party here. And Goldilocks massively overgrown hair wasn't damp from an attempt to hide sexual activity. It even seemed Alice had neglected the usual obligatory fondling. Her trust in her friend leapt beyond measure as she fell back to sleep.
June volunteered to sweep the shelter after breakfast while everyone else was obligated to vacate the premises for a few hours. She was just trying to go unnoticed. It seemed Enchantress' one alteration to June's appearance seemed to have some dividends after all. And now no one had realized that June was over sixty-eight years old. The interdimensional witch didn't age and that slowed June's own aging to a slow crawl. What should've occurred in the last fifty had hardly marked her. It even took catastrophic injuries to scar June. The Enchantress was immune of course.
Lizabeta came rushing in, "June! I found you a job. The interview is in two hours."
"But I'm…" June feebly protested.
"Gimme that!" Lizabeta snatched the broom away, "This with Filmation Studios. I know they went bust but they were recently bought out and revived by a gaming studio. They're developing a digital film studio and want you involved. From the sound of it, you only have to show up and the job is yours."
"But I don't have any other clothes," June did protest.
"I told the company president and he doesn't care. He looked up your digital sculpting work on YouTube and you could show up naked and get hired," Lizabeta enthused.
"For an entirely different type of work," June grimaced.
"Just go," Lizabeta thrust a piece of paper into June's face, "And here's $300 for a prepaid phone and lunch. Dinner's on you when you pay me back."
"Thank you," June felt a wave of gratitude over this small act of kindness.
"Nora, did you find anything?" Darhk asked his daughter.
"Not the Enchantress per se but there's an incredible locus of power nearby. The timing can't be coincidental," Nora pulled up the map with the being's location highlighted, "Its extradimensional energy like the witch inside of June Moone uses."
"So this could Enchantress' own people mounting a rescue?" Darhk inquired.
"Doubtful. She was exiled here to begin with," Nora stipulated.
"And your more mundane searched?" Darhk inquired.
"Still running. I detected purchases of rail, bus, and subway passes for one June Moone the other night. She can't stay off the grid forever. We'll find June eventually and the Enchantress instantly if she reemerges." Nora promised.
"I'll take over while you and Witchfire track down this new player," Darhk instructed.
"You haven't heard where our erstwhile intruder is from," Nora reminded him.
"True, elucidate please," Darhk was still feeling jovial…until he got her answer.
"No! Absolutely not! We told those people they could go anywhere but here. Let them attack Neverland or Oz. But we have arrangements to keep them from the Multiverse. Pacts they will honor or suffer from breaking them," Darhk went on a tirade.
"So, you want us to…?" Nora sought clarification.
"Send this scout home in an urn with a note attached that there's no room at the inn," Darhk demanded.
"Good luck, Dad," Nora smirked and went to gather Rebecca Carstairs. Darhk felt insulted that his own daughter doubted his touch with machinery.
Inside Filmation Studios, Mark Snow gave his final pitch, "We're under an exclusive contract with a game console provide for a series of six games. We also have open contracts for cross console titles. You do an excellent job at 3D modelling characters. But everyone wants to do that `cause it's sexy. What I need are environment engineers. And I've watched your showcase models. You have an exceptional talent for it. So, with no further adieu, please, please, please work for us."
"You had me at 'paycheck'," June softly laughed.
"We have some crazy investors with deep pockets. Starrware being an investor and the contract holder for the exclusive title platforms. Kord Industries is another major player. Ryder Conglomerates also finances a huge portion of our operating costs. And everyone wants a short term return to prove our viability," Mark told her.
"I'm surprised LuthorCorp didn't want to make a Starrware-type deal," June admitted.
"Lena did want to but LuthorCorp is very micromanaging. So we declined," Mark shared, "Now, we offer a signing bonus as well as a relocation package. Lizabeta told me you're already in town and in need of a place to live. I can offer the standard arrangements as well as an additional Starrware funded bonus package if you take up the gauntlet regarding their titles."
"I say 'yes' to everything on the table," June agreed.
"Okay, there are endless contracts to sign, a visit to payroll, and I'll buy you lunch, if you won't be offended," Mark offered.
"Just no eggrolls," June hoped he got the hint.
"Got it. How do you feel about Irish pub grub?" he asked.
"I won't say 'no'," June promised.
"Then a shepherds' pie and a bacon sandwich will be delivered," Mark promised.
June could see having an egg roll someday.
Lizabeta was on pins and needles until June returned, "And?"
"I took the job. I need to find a bank so I can open an account to cash these gigormic bonus checks and I think I was propositioned regarding a future date," June stated.
"I brought in every paper and real estate listing with apartments for rent. This is Hell's Kitchen people always want to leave so there are new vacancies every day," Lizabeta promised, "But you'll need ID to do any of it."
"Yup. My Soshe got me squeaking by Filmation but I'll never survive any kind of real scrutiny," June agreed.
"Let me give you a ride in two hours. Hopefully you'll have called around and found a few places to look at," Lizbeta offered.
"Thanks again. I couldn't have done this without you," June squeezed her hand. Lizabeta blushed.
"Yeah, I'll show you around. You'd just fallen off the bus yesterday," Lizabeta nervously stated.
"I didn't literally fall off a bus," June mock protested.
"It's my statement and I'll liberalize it however I want to," Lizabeta insisted.
"Feel free," June allowed, "You will anyway."
"And how well you know me in a short time," Lizabeta hoped.
At noon, Lizabeta traded off shifts. She led June to an Italian style motor scooter, "This bitch is brutal in a New York winter but I only need to get gas once a month. You ever ridden?"
"Does it count against me if I haven't?" June asked.
"No," Lizabeta laughed.
"Then I haven't ridden," June confessed.
"Just lean when I do and hold on if it makes you feel better," Lizabeta handed June her a spare helmet.
Once they got underway, Lizabeta had assumed June would take hold of the grab bar behind the seat. Instead she had a death grip on Lizabeta's waist. And Lizabeta didn't mind a bit.
Goldilocks was jostled awake by a very hyper Alice. But Alice was thoughtful enough to hand her a cup of steaming coffee, "All you want is to sleep and I haven't said a peep. But now I want to weep because we're too far in the deep."
"I take it you know something about June Moone," Goldilocks hoped like hell that justified the intrusion.
"If I were to guess I'd really have to say, yes," Alice offered.
For the first time, Alice's rhyming got on Goldilocks' nerves. But English was hardly the young woman's primary language. She used a translation spell to sound like a proper Briton. A touch of a glamour spell gave the illusion she was forming the proper words. But the reality was simply that Alice didn't know any earthly languages.
"Give me five…no, twenty minutes," Goldilocks requested.
"It is very poor when I'm shown to the door. If we had a house I would converse with the mouse," Alice complained. Goldilocks knew it wasn't a metaphorical hyperbole.
"Hurry, hurry, for the day is already a flurry. Alice warned her, "Get up, sleepy head. Before people believe you are dead."
"I'm getting up," Goldilocks groaned.
"You'd be blessed to get dressed," Alice advised, "For they pray they will be here today. Within the hour they will arrive in power."
A loud insistent knock could be heard at the door. Goldilocks had already had enough. What good was an effin' Do Not Disturb sign if you were disturbed?
Goldilocks slowly opened the door and recognized Nora Darhk and Witchfire, "Oh, bloody hell. Bite me already."
"Who do you have with you?" Nora wanted to know.
"Your father. But he's still in my bed," Goldilocks retorted.
Nora froze her with a spell, "Search the rooms."
Witchfire's hands ignited. Goldilocks actually felt sorry for her. She had no idea of what or who was coming at her. And Rebecca Carstairs, like Nora Darhk, wasn't much more than a glorified minion.
"The description of you we received downstairs mentioned your hair of course and your albino BFF," Nora verbally prodded Goldilocks.
"She's hardly an albino, you wanker," Goldilocks was pleased that hit its mark. Nora was angry enough she was losing control over her containment spell.
Witchfire rounded the first corner and Alice gripped the sides of her head. Witchfire's world expanded and contracted all at one. Witchfire's eyes rolled back in her head.
"You're both too fine to be such bores. But if you give me mine and I'll give you yours," Alice offered.
"Witchfire, roast her!" Nora demanded.
"Her thoughts are with her coven and that she has a bun in the oven," Alice tittered.
"You're saying she's pregnant?" Nora gasped.
"To be a bun just isn't fun," Alice warned her. Witchfire convulsed several times and then blood hemorrhaged from Witchfire's vagina and Alice had a malevolent laugh going, "Wwas' is very true but now she'll only be blue."
Goldilocks had witnessed Alice in every conceivable mood but this one. She'd never seen her friend maliciously cause pain before. And the truly frightening part was Alice was enjoying it.
Witchfire turned to face Nora and her hands ignited with hellfire again. Alice spoke on her behalf, "You have until the count of five or I'll have her roast you all alive."
"Bloody hell," Nora had Goldilocks by the neck and held her like a shield against Witchfire and her mistress.
"Do that and your friend dies with us," Nora promised.
"In your captivity it can be said your prisoners would rather be dead," Alice wouldn't back down, "Now you have until three before I set you all free."
"My friend is bleeding out. Give her up and I'll do the same," Nora offered.
"You'd best be true on the count of two," Alice advised her.
"One…two…" Nora didn't waver and Alice sported a cruel smile.
"It's a form of lechery when dealing in teachery," Alice decided.
"For real this time," Nora conceded, "The hell of it."
Goldilocks found she could move again as Nora ordered everyone about, "Gather your things and get out. But know this. It's far from over."
"You should draw harder to sharpen your words because right now they sound as threatening as chirping birds," Alice allowed Witchfire to stumble forward and collapse in Nora's arms.
"Alice, we're leaving," Goldilocks had thrown together enough for modesty's sake.
"I'm sorry about your friend's splatter but I truly am mad as a hatter," Alice snickered as she lugged her duffel bag past Nora, who had just concluded her call to her father to receive discreet medical support.
"Alice," Nora grated the name into her memory.
The Unholy Order had slaughtered the Filmation employees. Brother Seamus was torturing Mark Snow, "Where is the Enchantress?"
"I don't know any enchantress," Mark spat blood over Brother Seamus' face. The Last Inquisitor used a hook to pull Mark's intestines further out.
"Confess and recant and you might still live," Father Grey pleaded.
"She's used her sex to bewitch him. I can smell her musk all over him," Sister Scarlett Monk accused.
"You smell Lady Ellen upon me," Mad Monk admonished her, "He speaks the truth. He doesn't know the Enchantress. But that doesn't mean he doesn't know June Moone."
They all witnessed the flicker of recognition in Mark's eyes. Brother Seamus squeezed Mark's exposed bowels, "Where does she live?"
"She's homeless!" Mark screamed before he died.
"Her trail can be found here," Lochinar held up the Human Resource file being prepared on June Moone, "She has no address listed. But she was given a considerable sum to obtain living space and get her started with more than the mere clothes on her back."
Everyone gaped as Lochinar continued, "A list of required items she must obtain before starting gainful employment can be here as well."
"What devilry is this?" Brother Seamus began to roar.
"It seems we restrict ourselves to bygone megthods from a bygone era. Well done, Sir Lochinar," Mad Monk allowed.
"The sooner we achieve our goal the sooner Lady Ellen and I can be rid of you at long last," Lochinar spat on the floor.
"Yes, you will be. The pair of you," Mad Monk promised.
Lizabeta had scootered June all across Manhattan. She had an ID card, a bank account, thousands of dollars in her jean's pocket, and nowhere to live. All the brokers had either already rented the properties or never showed up to show them.
June dreaded returning to the shelter with so much cash on her person. Lizabeta had been concocting a solution even before they set out, "Look, my studio isn't much but I sleep as much on the couch as in the bed. You could have your pick."
"I promise I'll leave as soon as possible," June hated to intrude.
"You don't have to," Lizabeta blurted, "I mean, you could either stay as long as you can tolerate it or actually move in for real."
"Or we could look for a bigger apartment for the both of us," June sought a compromise.
"We could do that too," Lizabeta happily agreed.
"So, was there prison sex where you were held?" Lizabeta asked.
"I finger banged a lot," June admitted.
"I know the feeling," Lizabeta murmured.
The Unholy Order barricaded themselves in the branch bank whose cameras had recorded June's presence. After sealing the place, they indiscriminately slaughtered whoever didn't know anything about June Moone. Lochinar had to wonder if the clods thought "precision" was a foul word. The woman who had processed June's application for an account provided every detail she could…including her arriving and departing with Lizabeta.
"They are whores of Satan," Sister Scarlett Monk declared after beheading the application officer.
"Why do you say that, Sister?" Father Grey inquired.
"Women in this age only travel together if they lovers," Sister Scarlett Monk found the idea repulsive.
Mad Monk and Lochinar had reviewed the security footage, "There is no clandestine or overt sexual relationship between them. More likely, the other woman is the only friend June Moone has made in this godless city."
"And you still believe Lady Ellen is a virgin," Brother Seamus guffawed until Lochinar's fist put him on the ground.
"Let's do try and behave. I believe the police have us surrounded," Mad Monk clucked his tongue.
NYPD Commissioner Maggie Sawyer was livid. The Unholy Order had been leaving behind charnel house crime scenes behind them all day. And half her force was out on a localized swine flue outbreak. Lt. Raul Castro was supervising the investigation at the DMV. Det. Molly O'Day oversaw the slaughter at Filmation. Lt. Speed Lansing was her right hand here at Wells Fargo.
Sgt. Rex Clive was coordinating the efforts of the uniformed officers. Cpl. Stella Dawn ran crowd control. Officers Bob Barry, Jim Jones, Jack Hudson, and Guy Enders were scouting visibility points and attaching surveillance miles and cameras. Sawyer found it to be ridiculous every showboating costume was out today.
After Dan Turpin's death and Superman's betrayal of the world, Sawyer was disillusioned with mystery men and woman. Her greatest success in Gotham had been legalizing the relevant statutes and laws making costumed vigilantes blatantly illegal and having the state legislature follow the city's lead. Her great failure had been her inability to arrest Batman. But she'd be effing glad to even see him right now.
"How is Carstairs?" Darhk asked as he monitored the growing police response to the Unholy Orders' ineptitude.
"Two liters of blood transfusions later and she'll be fine. She's just weakened by the blood loss," Nora reported.
"Tell her to suit up. These idiots have provided me with a opportunity to locate the Enchantress," Darhk gloated.
"Father, we have a major problem. That anomaly was a person. A very powerful mage. You were right she wasn't from our realm," Nora told him, "Her name is Alice."
"Describe her," Darhk looked worried.
"Porcelain skin. Chalk white hair. Silver eyes. Speaks in rhymes and can control…" Nora rattled off until she was cut off.
"Minds. She controls minds," Darhk was definitely disturbed by this news.
"Who is she?" Nora asked, "Where is she from?"
"She's Alice the Mad Hatter from Wonderland. She's also the illegitimate daughter of the White Queen and her court favorite, the Mad Hatter. She manifested her magical gift as a child and has instruction in glamour and defensive spells," Darhk explained.
"Why are you worried?" Nora inquired.
"Alice singlehandedly overthrew her aunt, the Red Queen, and threw her from the tallest parapet. Using proxies, she waged war against her mother and toppled the kingdom but the White Queen escaped to another realm," Darhk shared Wonderland's recent history, "Killing her father she took his prized hat and travelled by hat to Neverland to seek out her mother."
"Did she find her?" Nora was intrigued.
"Doubtful. Her body wasn't among the rest. And surprisingly, neither was Alice's," Darhk shared, "You see one can travel to Neverland but only Pan and Tinker Bell knew how to travel out of it."
"So why the bodies?" Nora wondered, "Who reported them?"
"The Knave of Hearts sent emissaries from Wonderland to Neverland to warn the White Queen that her daughter was tracking her. But all they found was that every living thing, magical or not, was dead. And the enchantments keeping travelers in Neverland were also broken with Pan's death."
"So you believe Alice was responsible," Nora realized.
"She had the power and the motive. She'd make those poor bastards turn on each other like ravenous wolves," Darhk shuddered.
"Next you'll tell me Red Riding Hood is a werewolf," Nora snickered.
"No, she's a vampire," Darhk couldn't see the humor, "I don't think you get the point."
"She's a naughty fairy tale," Nora shrugged.
"Nora, she deals in a magic that terrifies any being beneath the angelics. Once she's in your mind, if she wants to retake control from any distance, she will," Darhk warned her, "Your friend is now a time bomb. It would be better to put her down now before she's pitted against us."
"I refuse to believe that," Nora protested.
"Nora Doll, I will bury her long before you're threatened," Darhk warned her. He saw it as an inevitability.
"Why am I speaking on this ridiculous device when magic should suffice?" Mad Monk ranted.
For a moment Darhk feared he'd been infected by Alice, "I can't spare energy to transport you out of there. There's a new element in play and she will require all of my power to deal with. But you share her goal of locating the Enchantress. Her description is that she has the purest white skin and hair. And her eyes are unmistakably silver. Do not allow her within speaking distance. And if, Satan forbid, she manages to touch you, your only salvation will be death. On the good news front, I cashed in a very expensive favor with an ally. You need to relocate to the vault and seal it from the inside. Don't think about it. Just go! Now!"
"We're moving!" Mad Monk gave the instructions as he'd heard them.
"We're to fear a mere girl?" Sister Scarlett Monk was outraged, "I'll merely crush her between my thighs."
Mad Monk amused. The good Sister had "crushed" many women between her thighs. And killed every one of them so her reputed "chastity" would remain intact. Not that anyone believed the rumors of her virginal status remaining.
"Now what?" Brother Seamus irritably wondered aloud.
"Shall we pray?" Father Grey asked.
"No!" even Lochinar joined in that chorus.
Then they heard it begin.
"Spotters have the perps entering the vault and sealing it," Lt. Lansing reported.
"Attention everyone! We are commencing full tactical breach on my order," Sawyer radioed. After the officers gathered, she gave the order. Only to feel a mild earthquake and hear a resounding crash., "Report?"
"Give us a minute, Commissioner," Sgt. Clive answered, "It's a holocaust in here. And we can't locate the vault in all of the dust."
"Dispatch, get me Metro. They have a bank vault sitting on the tracks," Lansing called in.
"They'll never believe it," the dispatcher warned.
"They will when they derail on the thing," Lansing angrily retorted
Sawyer went on. Bodies were strewn everywhere. Many having endured obvious torture. It was a replay of Lt. Castro and Det. O'Day's crime scenes. A file folder was liberally tossed around a desk. Sawyer examined.
"Who are you, June Moone?" she murmured.
"We've got video running!" Lansing announced.
Sawyer considered trying to intercept the assailants. But her manpower was doubly stretched thin trying to barricade the press. Cpl. Dawn was at her threshold and was ready to throw down and fire into the crowd.
"They had this footage cued. Notice the two women. One left the account application desk, made a deposit and a withdrawal and left with that other one," Lansing pointed out.
"Get me facial. And see if we can establish IDs," Sawyer instructed.
Common themes emerged upon finding June Moone had received a state identification card and a job at Filmation. All today. And everywhere she went, the perpetrators were sure to follow. So the grand trick was to get there first before anyone else had.
Goldilocks relocated from Central Park to the Greenwich Hotel in downtown Manhattan. Seeing as how Alice would be sharing her bed anyway, she went for the more modest studio suite. The Darhks were an unexpected problem. And the news reports were catastrophic. And likely following June's trail. Unlike Enchantress, June was woefully naïve about these things.
So she wouldn't be leaving bread crumbs. Rather, she'd be dropping whole loaves of bread. And Alice's shift in temperament had been startling. Killing Witchfire would have been akin to flipping off a switch. It had that much emotional impact. Goldilocks knew the teen was a fugitive and she thought she'd learned why. No one killed that casually on their first attempt.
In her delusional state, Goldilocks had killed nearly one hundred lovers. For where she came from, Alice wasn't delusional. Despite her innocent façade, she was quite ruthless and quite calculating. And she had a personal agenda she hadn't even shared with Goldilocks. Alice had approached her while she'd been recruiting for the Injustice Society's new avant garde. The question that had never been satisfactorily answered was why.
"Um…have you ever considered picking up some clothes?" June could swear the entire studio apartment was covered in three inches of clothing. There were even clothes in the oven. She didn't care to inspect the refrigerator and the microwave. The bathroom was littered in personal effects and hygiene products…including some racy lingerie. So Lizabeta at least entertained the thought of going out on occasion.
"What kinda credit score are you sporting?" Lizabeta breathed, "I've never seen the manager want to have someone's babies before."
"My credit was forgiven as a byproduct of my release. The deal was, I go inside and they erase my debts," June was still taking it all in.
"Did you volunteer to go to prison?" Lizabeta couldn't believe it, "And with no prison sex?"
"It was more of a work release program," June mentioned.
"At a top secret black site?" Lizabeta knew there was faaar more to the story.
"Look, I'll explain someday. But not today," June offered, "Why the obsession with prison sex?"
"`Cause then a partner couldn't leave," Lizabeta said bitterly.
"You could entice someone by hanging up your clothes," June counseled.
"You're so funny I'm dying here," Lizabeta deadpanned.
"Just a thought," June shrugged.
"Yeah well, if someone hung around they'd have to meet my family," Lizabeta grumped.
"Family can be asses but are they all bad?" June wondered.
"Most of my family is Bratva. My mom is Orthodox so she believes I'll burn in Hell for being me," Lizabeta shared.
"Why would she think that?" June had to question her judgment.
"Because God condemns lesbians. Or so my mom believes," Lizabeta breathed.
"He seems to be condemning more and more people every day," June shrugged. Enchantress had her own opinions about the Almighty. And they generally weren't kind.
"You really didn't get it, did you? I didn't try to hide anything," Lizabeta was surprised.
"I'm stuck in a dream world most days," June offered. Or at least a nether realm.
"I believe I still owe you dinner," June changed the subject.
"Riiight. I know just the spot. You can meet one of my friends," Lizabeta decided.
"Rebecca, you're up," Nora helped her friend into the suite.
"Barely. But it's getting better," Rebecca shared.
"I have them," Darhk announced, "I've alerted HIVE and the Unholy Order. They'll wear the Enchantress and any allies down so we can take them. You up for this?"
"Is there a chance for revenge?" Rebecca asked the skeptical Darhk.
"Always," he promised.
"Then I'm in," Witchfire vowed.
Goldilocks hadn't been in Times Square since she and Gemini were doing training missions there. Alice was frolicking amongst street vendors and performers. Finally she felt a tug on her sleeve.
"Witchfire chose to show where to go," Alice alerted her, "June is in great peril as her enemies have grown quite feral."
"You have an address?" Goldilocks asked.
"Don't take a crap. I'm your living map," Alice was unexpectedly crass.
"I had to ask," Goldilocks told her.
"Just a note, in the future don't," Alice was still miffed.
"Can we move on?" Goldilocks flagged a taxi and translated as Alice gave directions.
"Deeprika, I'd like you to meet my new roommate, June," they were seated in an Indian restaurant.
"You know I changed my name," he said, "I'm Derek and I identify as male despite my genetics. Or my parents."
"Derek here just started undergoing hormone replacement therapy and is being psychologically examined regarding masculizing surgeries," Lizabeta explained, "And he's my oldest friend."
"I'm your only friend," Derek retorted.
"Not anymore," Lizabeta promised.
June could see a sibling relationship had grown.
"And she'd persuaded me to clean our apartment," Lizabeta announced.
"Thank God for you," Derek confided, "I was going to be forced to hire the roaches to it."
"I've decided I like you," June announced.
"It's nice to be liked," Derek admitted, "But if you can steer this dyke towards cleaning, I'm enamored with you."
"I saw her first," Lizabeta growled, "Besides, June flies straight and true."
"But she's good people," Derek made his own decision, "It's obvious."
"Do you still work here?" Lizabeta asked.
"What will you be having?" Derek grumpily took their order.
The Unholy Order arrived Derek's family restaurant having terrorized the tenets in Lizabeta's building. They hadn't even spared a single infant. But the Last Inquisitor had enjoyed torching them overt open fires. Children had been disemboweled as a matter of course. All of which revealed nothing other than June didn't have clothes, wallet, purse, or extra shoes.
Having arrived, Mad Monk prepared his clerics for battle. Sister Scarlett Monk drew her broadsword. Father Grey had an incense swing that splattered acid and emitted acidic fumes. Brother Seamus utilized a halberd with a blade and a hook at the end. Sir Lochinar was just dismayed at the unnecessary butchery that had been undertaken that day.
"Let's do this and be done," Lochinar demanded.
"But I'll pleasure myself before releasing Lady Ellen and force you to watch hour upon hour," Mad Monk gloated.
Lochinar thrust his sword through Mad Monk's mouth and out the back of his head, "And I'll take my pleasure now."
"Murderer!" Sister Scarlett Monk screamed. He beheaded her. What he'd never learn was Mad Monk was her fraternal twin. She and he would join together with their mother to gratify their mutual sexual cravings while their father travelled selling religious icons. So she died with him as she'd lived with him: steeped in their perversions.
He kept a wary stance regarding the other two, "Be wise and walk away."
Lochinar strode off and Brother Seamus turned to Father Grey, "Let's gut this bitch."
Brother Seamus had joined the church to sanctify violence…against everyone without mercy or appeal. Father Grey had been a priest in a nunnery until he'd impregnated every nun and sexually molested a dozen altar boys. Mad Monk had found a willing recruit when he'd heard of Father Grey's flight from ecumenical justice.
Six blocks away in a limo, Darhk groaned as he viewed the scene in his scrying stone, "That idiot monk finally pushed his pawn too far."
"Now we go in?" Witchfire was edgy.
"Easy," Nora counseled her.
"I guess it's up to HIVE to provide the cannon fodder now," Darhk was displeased, "Which won't present nearly the same challenge for Enchantress."
Brother Seamus smashed the large window and came through the sills. Father Grey pushed his way through the proper entrance. Both employed their weapons to terrorize the diners.
"Bring us June Moone and you will die painlessly. But you shall die regardless," Brother Seamus vowed. Father Grey wafted his incense swing again and people inhaled the acidic vapors and coughed up blood, drowning in it as their lings melted.
"Oh, eff it," June stood, "Enchantress."
Black smoke enveloped and dissipated to reveal the other dimensional witch called the Enchantress. Lizabeta could hardly breathe, "Oh. My. Effing. God."
Enchantress tipped her hat towards Lizabeta and winked.
"Harlot!" Brother Seamus screamed at the top of his lungs. The broken glass clustered to impale his skull. He died without a whimper.
"Too effing cool!" Derek had his first transman crush.
"I met her first," Lizabeta warned him off.
"By two seconds," Derek complained.
Enchantress snapped her fingers and the incense swing swung around Father Grey's head until he couldn't hold his breath any longer. He died as horrifically as any of his victims. She warped the swing away.
"You two had better get under cover. This was only the first wave," she warned Lizabeta and Derek.
"How do you know?" Derek asked.
"It's a point of professional pride with these nimrods to have a second and potentially third wave follow them in. They're merely cannon fodder intended to wear me down. The last wave will be the big guns," Enchantress predicted.
"So where do we hide?" Lizabeta asked.
"Hell if I know," Enchantress shrugged, "Everyone else is already dead."
And that emotional impact nearly crippled Derek.
Darhk and his minions watched through the scrying stone when their limo lifted in the air and was unceremoniously dropped. The resultant impact dropped the drive train and gear box, knocked the driver and the bodyguard out, unhinged the doors, and cracked the scrying stone.
"What the hell?" Darhk was pissed.
"Look," Witchfire pointed out the rear window. Goldilocks' hair was retracting back to its ankle length around Goldilocks' feet. The trio exited the vehicle. Goldilocks' hair snaked forward faster than anyone could stop. She hefted the limo into the air and cast it down upon the Darhks. Darhk suspended it but magic comes with a price and as he pushed the limo aside, he could feel the attrition of his power level.
"You!" Witchfire shouted as Alice made her appearance. Her hands ignited in a nimbus of hellfire flames but she merely stood still trembling. She was unable to press the attack but neither was she able to withdraw from it either.
"What the eff, Rebecca?" Nora asked.
"I. Don't. Understand," Witchfire struggled with all of her might to say. They were her last conscious words.
"It's her," Darhk nodded at Alice, "The Mad Hatter's daughter is back inside Carstairs' head."
"Or she felt bereft for I never left," Alice snickered.
"She's insane," Nora complained as Witchfire volleyed burst of hellfire at her.
"She's the White Queen and Mad Hatter's daughter. Of course she's insane," Darhk cast death hexes at Goldilocks. But her hair intercepted them and instantly regenerated.
"I can't do this much longer," Nora's shields were beginning to buckle as Witchfire's attack intensified.
"Let's try this instead," Darhk cast several death hexes at Alice. They struck her full force and she remained seemingly unaffected. She shook it off and giggled.
"Well, that's disappointing," Nora complained.
"It's because of where she's from. My magic doesn't affect her," Darhk realized.
"Then why does her magic affect Witchfire?" Nora demanded to know. She was sweating as the heat of the hellfire penetrated her shields.
"Wonderland is closer to Chaos. The Lords of Order screen Chaos magic here. It's a highly filtered and watered down version. 'Alice' uses undiluted Chaos magic and her connection, as she was born with it, is undiminished in the Multiverse," Darhk summarized.
"Well, that's just effing great," Nora grumbled.
Goldilocks hair looped around Darhk's neck and lifted him into the air and began smashing him off walls. Nora went apoplectic and found the reserves she needed to stun Witchfire. She cast several lethal spells at Goldilocks.
Alice slapped her palm onto Nora's forehead. "No more fear. You'll find comfort, my dear. You'll be fine now that you're mine,"
"Nora Doll," Darhk weakly protested. Nora smiled at him and began to weave a cacophony of spells with which to neutralize him.
HIVE forces surrounded Derek's establishment. It was his now by virtue of his family's death. Enchantress returned the grenades meant for them. Screams erupted as the detonations began.
"Holy effing shit! I thought the good guys took them alive," Lizabeta was alarmed.
"Whatever made you think I was remotely good?" Enchantress spun to intercept an incoming hail of bullets from the rear entrance. She returned them to their rightful owners, "Of course, if you want me to stop I'll simply leave you with them."
"That isn't June anymore. She's a different person," Derek warned Lizabeta.
"You're smarter than you look, little wannabe," Enchantress chuckled, "June and I time share. Except, she's tired of this world. These assholes wanted me, now they get to deal with me. June is happy to get into the metaphorical backseat from now until forever."
Lizabeta and Derek began to feel sorry for HIVE.
Sawyer threw everything she had into cordoning off Hell's Kitchen. Officers escorted fleeing residents through the checkpoints as quickly and efficiently as possible. Stryker's Island recalled every available guard. Nothing incited prison riots like a super villain outbreak.
Barbara Gordon had offered to send GCPD units in to help. Sawyer flatly refused. Gordon had her old job. Her rightful job. So call Sawyer pissy but NYC could burn to the ground before she let the GCPD set foot in the NYPD's jurisdiction. But now a terrorist organization was blowing the holy hell out of a local eatery. And Sawyer wanted to know why. What connection did June Moone have with it? Because it all had to be interconnected.
Lady Ellen was sequestered in a tin shed inside a drydock. Lochinar pried open the door, "Milady! We are finally free of the monster."
And the sight that he beheld broke him at long last. Ellen was covered in semen and blood. And only one was hers. Mad Monk had raped her one last time with her tied down with baling wire. Then he'd asphyxiated her with the wire. Her wrists had bled as she struggled. But the rictus of death on her face showed how horribly she'd died. Alone and bereft of all love and hope.
Lochinar openly wept as he drew his sword one final time. Situating it, he fell upon it, running himself through. He died cursing a God he no longer believed in.
Enchantress built barricades of debris and tables. She layered three tables each, front and back, of Derek and Lizabeta. For all her instinctive intimidation tactics, Enchantress was grateful for their warmth and caring towards June. The ninny would've been lost without Lizabeta. She promised herself they would make it out alive. "June! Behind you!" Lizabeta heard the scratching at the debris covering the rear.
"I. Am. Not. June," Enchantress grated.
"Whoever you are, they're coming through," Derek shouted.
Enchantress shielded them from the C-4 detonation. And she warped physics to blow back the concussive wave onto the HIVE troopers outside. It would take clean up crews hours to wash away all the blood and bits.
"It smells like a backyard grill," Derek opined.
Lizabeta threw up. Enchantress smirked, "And there's a fine commentary."
Darhk's shields saved him from Nora but not from Goldilocks' beating, "He's too effing powerful to kill. But I still need your help saving my friend."
Alice mulled it over, "That you'd ask is a matter of course. And as for your aid, I'll still be a source."
Nora collapsed as Alice put her to sleep, "It would be best if she got some rest."
Enchantress fought back another HIVE wave in the front. The fateful trio heard screams and impacts from the rear. And then a lingering silence that wasn't broken until Goldilocks stepped into view.
"The hell? I almost cursed you!" Enchantress fumed.
"I brought help," Goldilocks promised.
"And she's a friend," Derek nudged Lizabeta to show how Enchantress seemed to show affection. It involved a lot of irritability and annoyance.
"Who the eff is that?" Lizabeta pointed at Alice's ghostly appearance. The silver eyes said it all.
"What the effing hell?" Enchantress began ramping up spells, "What's she doing here?"
"She's my friend. She's here to help," Goldilocks interposed herself between her antagonistic friends.
"We don't need her kind of help," Enchantress insisted.
"Look, we've been through hell to get here to help your sodding ass. I don't care if you like each other or even want to kill one another. Just don't do it right now. You want the help? It's a package deal. So embrace some tolerance or we walk," Goldilocks got into Enchantress' face.
"I've missed you, pygmy," Enchantress hugged her friend rather fiercely. Her remark considering Goldilocks 5' stature wasn't lost in Derek or Lizabeta. Even the diminutive Alice looked tall in comparison.
"Alice?" Goldilocks asked.
"If you say, it'll be okay," Alice shrugged.
"Goddamn Wonderland," Enchantress muttered.
"Not to be a buzzkill, but is there a way out of the nightmare?" Lizabeta asked.
"Alice?" Goldilocks prompted.
"Their pain will be our gain," Alice smirked.
"I don't speak mass murderer. What did she say?" Enchantress demanded to know.
Screams and gunfire erupted outside punctuated by grenade detonations. Enchantress quieted down, "Oh."
"Spotters indicate HIVE is prepped for one last assault," Castro reported to Sawyer.
"We hold," Sawyer ordered.
"Ma'am?" Castro was confused.
"They outgun us eight days a week. We allow them to expend ammo before we go in," Sawyer coldly instructed.
"And the civilians?" Castro was beleaguered.
"They're dead. All that's left is metas. And who the eff cares if they survive or not? Killing them would be HIVE doing our jobs for us," Sawyer said flatly.
Castro knew he and dozens more would be filing complaints against Sawyer with the mayor's office when this ended. His radio squawked, "Commissioner, two HIVE squads have opened fire on the main force."
"I'll be damned," Sawyer remarked. According to Lizabeta's mother she would be.
"Yee-effin'-haw!" Derek channeled his inner cowboy. Which even a year ago he would have been pigeonholed as a cowgirl. He had to love modern medicine. Now, if they could just develop a prosthetic penis to replace his strap on.
"Now we get out of here," Enchantress announced.
"Waitasec! WEehad a way out the whole time?" Lizabeta was incensed. Goldilocks face palmed.
"Teleportation spells are very intricate and very dangerous. Without exact concentration on the precise location it is lethal. So attempting one while dodging goddamn bullets isn't exactly safe!" Enchantress snapped at her.
"True love that fits like a glove," Alice said wistfully.
Everyone in the room told her, "Shut up."
"Quiet," Enchantress irritably commanded.
And they found themselves at the gutted wreckage of Lizabeta's apartment that June Moone had signed the lease for that afternoon. Enchantress looked distinctly guilty, "I'm sorry."
"I needed to move out of this shithole anyway," Lizabeta said angrily.
Enchantress conjured June's money, "June won't need this in the nether world. She'd like you to have it."
"And you can room with me until we find a place," Derek decided.
"We?" Lizabeta was confounded.
"You don't think I'm staying at my parents' flat now that they're dead? And screening roommates is a pain in the ass," Derek told her.
"Go with who you know," Goldilocks urged.
"Tell June meeting her was a once in lifetime event," Lizabeta requested, "You, not so much."
"I can respect that," Enchantress smiled, "As for you."
Derek found his pants were suddenly quite snug. He unbuttoned and unzipped to find a very large and erect penis poking out from underneath his boxers, "Oh, my effin' God."
"And he's hung like a horse, of course," Alice weighed in.
"Thank me. God deprived you in the first place," Enchantress advised him, "And here's the secret, when you really need it to, it'll get even bigger."
Derek's eyes almost crossed, "Like twelve inches?"
"Think eighteen," Enchantress chuckled.
"I know who's going clubbing tonight," Lizabeta was amused.
"You're coming with. I get the straight babes and you can nail the lezzies," Derek promised.
"He certainly sounds like a man," Goldilocks grimaced.
"My duty here is done," Enchantress decided, "Wait! An afterthought, pick out what qualities drew you to June and settle for nothing less. And invest in some damn sex toys in between."
"And don't forget anal beads," Goldilocks offered.
Everyone just stared at her except for the snickering Alice, "No one ever listens to that bit."
"She'll learn," Enchantress promised. Then she shook her head at Lizabeta.
"It's like a wonderful spasm when you undergo an anal orgasm," Alice supported Goldilocks.
Now everyone stared at her. Goldilocks touched her elbow, "Thanks for trying, luv."
"And for my final touch," Enchantress conjured a final spell for Derek. His breasts reduced and his voice deepened even as an Adam's apple formed, "And now your transition is complete. You can get off hormones now."
"Where to, ladies?" Enchantress asked her surprise benefactors.
"Bangor, Maine," Goldilocks answered.
"You have got to be kidding me," Enchantress was crestfallen, "Thule, Greenland has a better nightlife."
"Would you look for me in Bangor?" Goldilocks had arms akimbo.
"Point taken," Enchantress conceded, "And she comes with?"
"You're learning," Goldilocks was proud of her.
Enchantress knew Alice couldn't infect her mind. But she didn't sense her presence in Goldilocks'. Which given the sporadic news splashes regarding the young Mad Hatter was surprising.
Goldilocks gave her friend the address and Enchantress spent several minutes prepping the necessary spell, "It's time."
And they stood outside the Injustice Society owned apartments. Enchantress took Goldilocks aside, "Drop the piece of chalk and run away as far and fast as possible."
"You know I can't," Goldilocks was almost defiant.
"Whatever, Goldilocks Leigh. But I owe you one. Possibly a rescue from that one," Enchantress nodded Alice's way.
"We'll see about that. It's always a very real possibility," Goldilocks agreed.
"Take care of yourself, scrapper. Don't pick up anymore strays," Enchantress made preparations and vanished.
Goldilocks turned to see Alice had gone in already. She had her own apartment where she lived alone, much to Goldilocks' mounting surprise considering this morning. But what she didn't know could harm her.
Alice did not live alone. Her roommate had come with her from Neverland. In fact, the pixie had led Alice from Neverland to London on Earth Prime. Upon exile on Neverland, Alice befriended the lovelorn Tinker Bell and they conspired together to exact revenge for every slight. Alice's power unleashed the Lost Boys on the Native American tribe. Afterwards she turned Hook's crew against each other. Tinker Bell dealt a lethal blow against the pixies and then pitted the crocodiles against the mermaids and butchered the survivors.
And in a final assault, Alice and Tink led the remaining Lost Boys against Pan himself. As he lay wounded, Tinker Bell smothered him. Finalizing his death by using his own dagger to stab him through the heart several times. Gathering the last of the pixie dust, Tinker Bell transported Alice and herself off of Neverland. Once they finally arrived on Earth Prime, Alice instinctively realized Goldilocks was a kindred.
So Tink remained hidden while Alice the Mad Hatter joined the Injustice Society. With the last of the pixie dust used up, Tink performed one last size change to assume human proportions. Her wings vanished and she could no longer fly. But magical and cosmetic properties remained.
Tinker Bell retained the native magic within all pixies. And Alice was teaching her pure Chaos magiks. Her pointed ears necessitated covering them when Tinker Bell went out into the world. And her chiming voice required a ruse that she was mute. During daylight hours she seemed to faintly shimmer. But in the dark or at night, she literally glowed. And the color changed according to her mood.
And that was the trait Alice had exploited. Pixies and fairies were mercurous creatures. Their entire beings consumed by a single emotion at any given time. Tinker Bell's default had been love for Pan. But he abused and ridiculed that love. And over time her love became resentment which blossomed into hate. Tinker Bell was immune to Alice's signature power. But she didn't have to be. She willingly followed Alice on their genocidal campaigns. Because Neverland wasn't the only realm they devastated.
Alice found Tinker Bell glowing a shade of red, indicating she was very angry. Chiming bells were Tink's voice as she railed against Alice's prolonged absence. Alice held her hands up in surrender.
"I know but I had to go," Alice promised.
Tinker Bell was in Alice's face now, chiming away and she attempted to slap Alice. She caught Tink's wrist and turned her hand palm up so she could kiss it. Tinker Bell's glow began to shift colors.
"I tried my best but you've seen the rest," Alice reminded her.
Their early effort on Angor had resulted in nuclear annihilation. Neither wanted to kill Earth Prime unnecessarily. It would be the last stand of the Multiverse. And both of them were increasingly noticeable. Their manners of speech were just the beginning of their physical uniqueness. Tinker Bell's chiming speech and Alice's rhymes gave them away even when they disguised their physicalities. But Tinker Bell was incapable of human speech and Alice had been speaking in rhymes her entire life. All nine hundred years of it.
"It's a brand new day and I couldn't stay away," Alice pledged.
Tinker Bell planted a fierce kiss on Alice's lips, all fire and consumption.
Her anger dissipated as her body melted into Alice's. Alice had a twinkle in her silver eyes, "What do you say? Would you like to play?"
Tinker Bell's chiming reply was as hungry as the looks in her eyes.
Enchantress arrived at the House of Mystery's front door. Since the Houses of Mystery and Secrets moved throughout the word wherever they felt they were needed, it was impossible to pinpoint their location at any given hour. But the House of Mystery itself could be pinpointed just like Danny the Street.
And Madame Xanadu awaited her at the open door, "Welcome. The cards showed there would be trouble."
"So you told me going in," Enchantress conjured the Book of Fables and untethered it from her soul.
"It appears to be so innocent and benign," Madame Xanadu said wistfully, "Only we know better."
"I met Alice the Mad Hatter. She's everything you warned me about," Enchantress advised her.
"That's what I feared. She is Devastation and Tinker Bell is Destruction. They are a plague to the living," Madame Xanadu complained.
"Nimue, there has to be something we can do," Enchantress pleaded.
"There will be a time and a place. But we can't waiver when it comes," Madame Xanadu warned.
"And if the Realms unite against them?" Enchantress wondered.
"That is what will be required," Madame Xanadu confessed.
Epilogue: And the DCAU series Anthologies continue. The Justice League DCAU Series proper will resume with Justice League Rebellion taking place on Apokolips. And in keeping with tradition it'll be a multi-front, multi-team tale with a few hundred characters. I have two more anthology stories to write before I undertake another massive project. Next up are Lois Lane & the Paragons and Lana Lang & the Paragons. And added to the previously written Hellequin & the Paragons you'll meet the Monitor's 32 Paragons.
The goal of the anthology stories is to tell stories that are necessary for the main DCAU series and completely vital but won't fit inside the narrative of the larger story being written. The DCAU Series stories are busy enough. And I haven't had the opportunity to write short stories and novellas since Strange New Worlds and Kindle Worlds shut down. So it's a nice mental muscle to flex again.
As always, I hope you enjoyed and know that as long as I'm still capable, there will be more.