Chapter Five: Hearing of Horror!

As SheZow and Officer Boxter Hamdon pulled up to the Megadale Courthouse, they could already see that things were not going to go smoothly! The mob scene outside the courthouse was mostly what you would expect from a major trial: reporters and spectators crowding near the entrance and the police trying to form an orderly path to the entrance to the trail. Boxter's Bloodhound police cruiser pulled up towards the line and the reporters immediately started to crowd around the passenger side door! It was a blinding glare of camera flashes and a barrage of questions from the reporters before the police manage to push the scavengers back from the door! Quickly rushing over to the passenger side door, Officer Hamdon let a slight disoriented SheZow out of the car.

An hour's difference was clear evident on SheZow: he was wearing handcuffs to keep the crowd from going rabid (as well as keep him from escaping) and worries and exhaustion was etched onto his face! Cautiously moving forward, with Officer Hamdon keeping up appearances of an arresting officer, SheZow made his way slowly through the gauntlet of questions from the reporters and taunts and fruit thrown by the spectators! Declining to comment on the questions and taunts and dodging the fruit thrown at him, SheZow was slowly able to make it to the entrance. The police officers, stoically keeping the crowd back but doing nothing to stop the harassment, held the same stance of an attack dog ready to strike. The doors to the courthouse opened and Officer Hamdon and SheZow enter through them quickly!

Unlike the atmosphere outside, the main hall was empty and quiet. Rather than sooth SheZow's fears, however, the quiet brought everything into a terrifying quality! This was the calm before the storm, the quiet before an upcoming battle! It was truly unnerving how quiet everything had come before! Finally reaching the courtroom, Boxter and SheZow opened the doors, almost glad for the upcoming chaos…almost!

Inside the courtroom, the stands were filled with calmer versions of the spectators outside. Thought they did not hurl insults and fruit, the glares would have been lethal if they were lasers! The guards along the aisles held the same stance as the police outside: firm but willing to attack at the slightest provocation! As SheZow and Boxter made their way to the defendant's positions, some inconsistencies became obvious. The jury bench, which should have been filled, was completely empty and there was no one at the prosecutor's position. Something was not right here!

"All rise for the Honorable Judge Bruja!" introduced the bailiff, who turned out to be Kelly! And just when she was announced, La Bruja appeared from the judge's entrance wearing an altered version of a judge's gown. It was still as voluminous as normal judge's gowns and still the same color, but the color was bejeweled with rubies and she was obviously wearing her high-heeled boots underneath. The strangest thing about her getup, other than the black and white skeleton body tattoo she always had on, was that her long black hair had been stylized in the fashion of a judge's powdered wig! She finally sat at her position and motioned for everyone to sit.

"Now, I am sure that everyone in this room would like nothing more than to see swift justice brought down upon the offender!" said La Bruja dramatically, pointing to SheZow, causing him to wince. It seemed everyone in the courtroom agreed with La Bruja, almost salivating at the thought of SheZow's destruction!

"But since we live in a modern society, it is necessary to invoke the niceties of civilization in this instance." added La Bruja, causing a large amount of groaning to come from the mystically enraged mob. Pounding her gavel, which was black and had a white skull engraved on the head of it, to force everyone to be quiet she continued, "Now then…SheZow have you any last word before your sentence is made."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…whoa! Sentence?! Wasn't there supposed to be a trial first?! And where exactly is my lawyer?!" demanded SheZow, wondering what La Bruja was doing. When he was finished, a small chuckle could be heard from the crowd, followed by laughter, and then everyone in the courtroom was laughing like it was April Fool's Day! After a minute or two, Sartana started bang the gavel to return the court room to order, though she herself had a cruel smirk on her face.

"This isn't a trial, SheZow! You were tried in absentia…that means you weren't hear when we had the trial!" explained Sartana, in a mocking tone.

"But that's illegal!" exclaimed Officer Hamdon, outraged that La Bruja would abuse the law so flagrantly.

"WAKE UP BOXTER! It's mob rule out there right now! As long as I put an end to the chaos, the Mayor is willing to give me any power I want! And besides…if you'll remember correctly, I never said SheZow was going to get a trial!" declared La Bruja still mocking both SheZow and Hamdon.

"Then what is all of this if it isn't a trial?" asked SheZow, dreading the answer.

And he was right to fear the answer because Sartana grew a hideously evil grin on her face as she said, "This is a sentencing hearing! This is where we, the people of Megadale, get to decide exactly how you will die! And with that, I turn to the citizens of Megadale to decide the most appropriate form of punishment for your most heinous of crimes…being SHEZOW!"

And with that, a massive roar could be heard from the crowd as various spectators shouted out whatever punishment they could think of:

"GET HER IN FRONT OF A FIRING SQUAD!"

"BURN HER AT THE STAKE!"

"STONE HER!"

"BURY HER ALIVE!"

"All excellent suggestions!" declared La Bruja, in a state of near ecstasy at the sight of the mob waiting to tear SheZow apart, "But unfortunately, it is the decision of this court that SheZow is sentenced…to immediate beheading by my newest assistant: the Ax-ector!" And with that Maz, in his Ax-ector costume, sporting a massive two handed executioner's ax! A short stand was wheeled in…to be used in SheZow's execution!

"Despite my personal desires to see this whole affair ended, I am legally obligated by the Municipal Code of Megadale to allow the convicted a final statement. So SheZow…any last words!" La Bruja said those last words in an awful, triumphant hiss. Despite being unnerved by La Bruja's change in tone, SheZow stood proud and turned around to face the spectators, police, and cameras currently broadcasting the trial! La Bruja wanted the whole would, including the super villain community at 13 Dead End Drive, to witness her final triumph over SheZow. And like so many other forms of super villain gloating…it was about to bite La Bruja where the sun don't shine!

"People of Megadale, I implore…this isn't right and you know it! La Bruja put a spell on the whole city…forcing you to act out on your worst instincts! I am not asking you to do anything except look in your hearts and fight for what you truly believe in! If you still want to go through with this…kangaroo court…I'll understand. But I have a feeling…that you will all make the right decision!" SheZow ended his speech by raising his hands up in the air and dramatically breaking the handcuffs! With that, he turned to face his really enemy, who casually sat on her chair with a smirk on her face.

"Do you really believe that some…inspirational words would turn the battle in your favor?! You really do read too many comic books! Ax-ector, would you kindly dispose of this…trash!" declared La Bruja, lazily gesturing for Maz to attack SheZow. Maz step towards SheZow, who was in a battle ready stance, and raised his ax over his head…seemingly, preparing to strike!

"No." said Maz simply, before throwing the ax onto the ground. La Bruja was shocked and furious at this development! So much so, in fact, that she never noticed the triumphant smirk on SheZow's face!

"I gave you an order Ax-ector! As a duly deputized member of the Megadale Judicial System, I order you to put an end to that arrogant little puta!" shrieked La Bruja, clearly angry that something was going wrong with her plan! As she looked around the room, La Bruja began to realize that something had gone horribly wrong with her plan! The crowds angrily looks, which until a moment ago were fixed on SheZow, had turned to face La Bruja! Even Kelly was backing away from the Judge's bench with a smirk on her face!

It was unbelievable! Somehow, that little speech SheZow gave had completely reversed the spell La Bruja had placed on everyone in the courtroom! Looking back at SheZow, La Bruja noticed a glowing pendent around SheZow's neck! Where did THAT come from? thought La Bruja in a furious haze, knowing it had something to do with this turn about!

SheZow noticed that La Bruja was looking at the heart-shaped pink pendant, smirk, and explained, "Oh, you noticed my newest accessory! It's something that been in the family almost as long as my SheZow ring! But before I explained how this lovely little gem helped me out, I believe you need a little background! Did you ever hear about the time I gained super-empathy?"

"You mean when you watched a chick-flick and gained the ability to understand your enemies' emotions and then became a wuss." stated La Bruja simply. She made it a point to obsessively study SheZow's abilities, even the one's she saw as worthless!

"My, you ARE well informed, aren't you?" asked SheZow sarcastically, "Well, after our last little…tussle, I made it a point to actually start doing research on my abilities! I know, I know, it was brutal but I did learn quite a few interesting tidbits! For example, do you have any idea how many times a super villain has used this exact same plot? I know it's crazy how unoriginal you guys can be….

FLASHBACK BEGINS

"So, anyway, in the hour you gave me to prepare for my 'court date,' me and Officer Hamdon went back to the She-Lair (don't worry I used a remote entrance). I asked Shelia for any help in regards to your spell. To my surprise, this sort of attack had happened before and I already had the ability to fix this: super empathy! The only problem was, as previous shown, I couldn't control it! Luckily, super empathy kept appearing throughout my family line, so one day, one of my early ancestors created a way to help control it…"

FLASHBACK ENDS

Holding up the pink, heart-shaped locket, SheZow exclaimed, "Behold, the True Heart's Desire Locket! This little beauty not only gives me the ability to turn my super empathy on and off; it also allows me to help people express their true feelings! In other words, since the people in this room (other than you) don't hate me normal, it breaks you spell! But that's not all…"

Pointing to the cameras, SheZow began to explain further, "I don't need to be in direct line of sight for this ability to work! I just need them to see and hear me! So anyone watching this broadcast is now free of your spell!"

Turning to face La Bruja with his eyes closed and a triumphant smirk, SheZow continued to gloat, "You see La Bruja, like every other bad guy before you, in the end it's you who brought about your own downfall! You could have just had people keep hunting me down and I would have been out of your hair forever, but noooo! Ya gotta go, 'Look at me, I destroyed SheZow' or 'Your end is neigh SheZow!' Really I never get why you guys keep on talking and talking when you have the chance to finish me off! I mean, gee, drama queen! Well, I hope you'll be thinking on this when you're…rotting…in ….jail?"

The reason SheZow was currently squeaking was that he had finally opened his eyes to look at La Bruja, and boy howdy, was she ever pissed! It wasn't she thought that SheZow was wrong about anything he said. Matter of fact it was just the opposite: she knew SheZow was right! If she hadn't wasted her time gloating, she could have finished off SheZow at least three times before this trial! This did not, however, stop La Bruja from directing her anger at SheZow!

What SheZow and the other people in the courtroom saw during La Bruja's self-incrimination was the witch snorting with anger, and black smoke coming out of her nose, eyes, and ears! Soon, her hair fell out of the judge's style she had on previous, flowing widely as if caught in a wiping wind! Her judge's robe ripped into tatters under this energy build-up, barely covering her modesty! Eventually, an explosion of energy ripped out from La Bruja, knocking everyone else in the courtroom to the ground! After a minute, everyone got back up onto their feet…to get a firsthand look at a nightmare come to life!

La Bruja's anger at herself and SheZow had initiated a demonictransformation! Amidst the destroyed furniture at the front of the courtroom, La Bruja stood on three-toed hind legs with a bone blade at her knee! A long tail with curved blade at the end sprouted behind her! Her elbows had produced blades similar to her knees! A pair of bat-like wings sprouted from La Bruja's back! All over her body, the black and white skeletal tattooing she was noted for was still prevalent! But the most terrifying change was her face!

Her hair had a windswept look about it, wild and untamed! Her forehead sprouted horns in the shape of an evil princess tiara! Her mouth was filled with fangs, just waiting to tear out someone's throat! But most terrifying of all were La Bruja's eyes! They glowed the same shade of red purple as everyone else who had been under the spell, only with greater intensity! And the evil glare was directed straight at SheZow!

"Well," began La Bruja simply, with an evil smirk, "I think it's time this case took a recess, don't you SHECOW?!" With that final shriek, La Bruja pulled out a massive sledgehammer, colored and decorated just as her judge's gavel, and leapt straight at SheZow!

Disclaimer: I do not own SheZow, obviously! Unfortunately, problems this week, along with my internship, have lead to some…delays. Also I will be taking Christmas off from writing to relax. I hope you enjoyed the callback to the episode Mr. Nice Guy! I always think there is more to those 'superpower incidents' than they say in the episode! I am afraid the next chapter won't be out before New Year's Day. Still there will contain a lot of action in the upcoming chapter! Goodnight and Merry Christmas!