DISCLAIMERS/NOTES

1. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun.

2. Needless to say, I don't own the 1954 book by Fredrick Wertham, either. I assume Rinehart & Company, the original publisher, does.

3. This is a femslash story. If you don't like that sort of thing, you won't like this.

4. Just a reminder: the Supergirl in this story is not Kara Zor-El, but the post-Crisis Matrix with an altered backstory. For more information, see Disclaimers/Notes for the first chapter.

SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT

Supergirl crashed through the wall and landed hard on the street. As she struggled to gather her bearings, she was again amazed at the situation. It was quite possibly her worst nightmare. The Girl of Steel raised her head as a figure appeared in the hole she made in the wall. "Mary... please... "

"Yes, beg," snarled Mary Marvel, clad in black and hovering over her. "It's all you're good for." Supergirl felt her blood freeze at her lover's tone. Her heart was breaking at what Mary had become. At what had happened to the woman she cherished.

Before Mary could get any closer, the other members of the Marvel Family rushed her from the sides. Each taking an arm, Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jnr. struggled to control the World's Mightiest Girl. "Mary, snap out of it!" her brother cried. "You're not thinking straight!" But suddenly, the heroes were blindsided by two people who, unbelievably, were Mary's allies. Black Adam and Eclipso.

Adam and Eclipso managed to prise the two Marvels off Mary and begin battling them separately. "We've got the whitebreads!" Adam yelled. "Think you can handle the outsider?"

Mary looked back at Supergirl and smirked. "Oh, yes." She then shot towards Supergirl, who barely managed to raise her arms to partially block her girlfriend's assault. Evenso, the force of Mary's charge sent them both to the ground. Mary began hammering fists down on the shapeshifter.

"Mary, please!" pleaded Supergirl. "Fight this! Eclipso's done something to... "

"Shut up!" Mary shrieked as she punched Supergirl hard in the gut. "You always did talk too much, Mae! You were always hogging the spotlight! Well, it's my time now!" Getting to her feet, Mary grabbed Supergirl by the throat, choking her hard, before flinging her into a far wall. The blonde heroine slumped to the ground, unable to breathe. But that was not what hurt the most. What hurt Supergirl most was knowing what Eclipso had done to Mary. How the former Jean Loring had twisted and warped her darling.

Again Mary rushed at the Girl of Steel, crashing into her and sending them both deeper into the wall. "It was always about you!" Mary growled as she resumed the assault. "It was always 'Supergirl and Mary Marvel' - not 'Mary Marvel and Supergirl'! Everyone always thought you were the better one, just because you ripped off Superman!" Her face was one of pure fury as she continued to rain down on the shapeshifter. "I'm not second to anyone, bitch!"

Supergirl's eyes watered at Mary's words. This was what Eclipso had done to her: weeks ago, she preyed on Mary's subconscious feelings of inadequacy and being "second best" - always in Supergirl's shadow. As if anything was further from the truth. Never mind the fact Mary Marvel was far more physically powerful than her: Mae was always in awe of her inner strength, sheer force of will, and ability to care so much for everyone, even the villains they faced. Mary Batson was truly the most caring person in the universe. Mae was humbled that the perfect brunette ever returned her love.

But now Mary was corrupted by the seductive words of Eclipso - herself warped by her obession to be with her ex-husband, the Atom. Supergirl swore she would not let that happen to her and Mary. "My darling, please!" she begged. "Let me help you! You helped me fight off Darkseid... you brought me back! Please, this isn't you! We love eachother - together we can beat this! I... "

Mary suddenly pulled them both out of the wall crater and threw her lover back to the ground. "Isn't me?" she asked incredulously. "If there's anyone here who isn't themselves, it's you!" Mary managed to grip her hand around a shocked Supergirl's throat again. "Pretending to fit in, pretending to be something you're not! You're a shapeshifter - a fraud!" Mary again struck Supergirl in the stomach - this time with her knee - knocking the wind out of her. Mary then leaned in close, her eyes full of scorn. "You once told me only extreme trauma or death could force you back to your protoform." Mary smiled sickeningly. "Howabout we put that to the test?"

With that, Mary proceeded to batter Supergirl mercilessly, without restraint. Every blow sent shockwaves through the shapeshifter's body. She went limp, unable to fight back. Each punch by the woman she loved sent Supergirl's head deeper into the cement ground. Each punch broke more and more of her heart.

"Mary, stop."

The warped brunette heroine paused her barrage at Black Adam's command. "'Stop'?" she asked, surprised.

"Other heroes are on their way," Adam explained. He and Eclipso - who quickly joined them - had clearly held off Billy and Freddy. "We didn't start this fight. But we can end it - for now."

Mary nodded in acceptance. "Very well." Her gaze returned to a beaten and bloody Supergirl, barely conscious. "Next time, 'darling'" she sneered - before kicking the heroine in the gut a final time. Mary, Adam and Eclipso then flew off high into the skies.

Somehow, Supergirl managed to struggle to her feet. She painfully looked up to see the three retreating people. "Mary... " she choked.

She then collapsed as everything went black...