"Congratulations on your first year as Empress, may you have a long and lengthy reign! Only a year into your reign and the policy changes that you have enacted, have already started to prove dividends. You've cut down corruption, you've enacted sweeping policies to make sure that everyone on this planet has the bare necessities. The air is cleaner, the water is pristine, and we've started to undo the damage to the planet, animals that were endangered have flourished. An Empress—"
"For fucks sakes, get to the point," Charlie interrupts. "As if I don't have enough people kissing my ass."
Victor Von Doom, bows with a flourish, "With all due respect, I understand that these topics might be considered problematic but it's not as if we shouldn't have them. Many in the Assembly worry about the line of succession—"
"Which isn't the concern of the Assembly, I have no intention of dying. That's what mortals do," Charlie interjects. "Also tread carefully Doom, you're entering dangerous waters."
Victor makes a face, "You've stopped using your concubines, and while there are rumors about your Majesty's ability to shapeshift—"
"Are you asking about what I can do with my genitalia?" Charlie questions raising a brow. You could hear a pin drop in the General Assembly Hall, as everyone glances at Victor Von Doom and starts to immediately distance themselves from him.
"That would be grossly inappropriate, your majesty. But I am concerned about your general happiness. To have someone to share your burdens with—there are many positives to being in a relationship."
"And yet there are many downsides as well, do not think that I see the greed in your eyes Victor, or the eyes of everyone gathered here. And given that many of you were attempting to push your daughters or other women onto me like they were nothing more than chattel, and a way for you to gain power. The reality is that most people grate on my nerves, so while you may hope to gain power the reality of the situation is you're more likely to be visiting the casket of your loved one than entering my palace." Charlie's harsh words fill the air and she watches as many exchange looks. "Is that what you wish? If I want to be with a beautiful woman, I am quite capable of bedding a beautiful woman. That does not mean I intend to marry her, I have little use for beauty. Nor do I have any use for a liability."
"Then may I suggest a tournament?"
"A tournament?" Charlie questions raising a brow.
Victor nods, hesitating for the briefest of moments before deciding to press forward. "The Queen position shouldn't just go to anyone, certainly one that is just pretty. The easiest thing to test would be raw strength—"
"Am I a prize to be won by the woman who punches the hardest?" Charlie questions, her tone utterly flat and unimpressed.
Kara who was beside her leans in, and tilts her head and drops her voice so no one can see what she says. "You are quite the catch, your majesty thus the greatest prize. Besides, a test of strength doesn't mean that they have what it takes to be your Queen, but it probably does mean they're durable enough for your harem. Plus these types of things are good entertainment for the people. Not to mention we'd be sure to make a mint off all the gambling."
"You are—" Victor stopped himself as he realized that there was no way out of the simple trap that Charlie had laid. He glances around but no one is coming to his aid, as Charlie's lips quirk upward and she slowly stands to her feet.
"The Queen's position only has power if I allow them to have power. And I am not going to marry the first person that wins a tournament Victor, don't be absurd. Being able to fight doesn't guarantee that I will treat them with any respect, I mean look at Patchy over here." Charlie gestures to Kara. "She does tick all the boxes, she is attractive enough, she is certainly durable, but our personalities clash. I am more likely to simply throw the winner of the tournament into my harem and assuming that I make the unfortunate mistake of impregnating anyone, well I can just rid myself of the little parasite. That said, if you want to host a tournament while promising the winner a dinner with me, it's certainly something. But such events should be open to everyone of every nation, but they must be nominated by a country. If you're all interested in who I choose to call my queen, then you must all bear the consequences if they don't work out. So it behooves all of you who plan on partaking in this foolishness to vet the people. Because any tournament that I have in my name is a fight to the death, so their deaths will be on you."
"Your Majesty—this event would be televised, and people will undoubtedly have their favorites. It would not look good if you killed the winner out of hand in front of the people. There must be some hope if you expect people to be willing to die to impress you."
"I promised them a dinner, if they manage to peak my interest it might evolve into more, but it's up to them to be interesting. I am certainly not promising them marriage, but if they are interesting and they are durable enough, then perhaps I would consider them becoming my queen or at the very least becoming a favored concubine. The prize for the winner is spending as much time as I allow in my amazing presence."
"What a prize," Kara muttered under her breath and tilted her head away when Charlie turned to look at her.
Victor smile, this would be perfect, "It will be done—"
"And so we're clear, I'm doing this because it will make my people happy. Not because I have any real reason to want a queen. I honestly could care less, so I will not be attending these events. I actually have work to do, but I would be disappointed if the citizens of my empire weren't entertained. So make it entertaining, if this woman is to be my Queen or at the very least a concubine, she should win the hearts of the people. I can't marry an unpopular Queen. Also if there is any controversy, it's on you Victor. Now if that's all, I have actual work to do, and this is a waste of my time."
~ O ~
"Well say you want about Victor, but he certainly knows how to throw a tournament," Tina admits as she takes a seat in the VIP section and glances at Kara who had her hand on Lena's knee, "If you two start doing anything that's improper I'm going to report you for sexual harassment."
"I really don't know why you're even here," Kara grumbles. "I'm here because someone needs to make sure that this entire thing is entertaining, and to act in her stead—"
"She sent me to make sure you do your job," Tina reminds her. "She probably wouldn't have a problem if you hadn't mentioned how you'd have an entire VIP suite to yourself, this is your fault. I'm not actually sure I want to watch an Amazon win this blood sport."
"I mean they are the most durable of the lot." Kara points out, "Which is good, she can't break them by fucking them stupid. We want that, and they're less likely to be afraid of her, which is also something we want. She needs to get over Santana at some point. She hasn't even wanted to fuck Lena!"
"The Amazons are going to make her majesty's impulse control issues worse, we shouldn't want that. Also—gross." Tina shook her head, "She doesn't need to get over Santana she needs to forgive her, and we really should have tried harder to get her to forgive Santana. Then we wouldn't be here and I could take a vacation."
"No one is stopping you from taking a vacation, you're not even being paid for staying. The Furies are no more, remember." Kara grumbles.
"I'm aware, but if I leave then she only has you by her side. That's even worse than having an Amazon by her side."
"Have either of you heard from Santana?"
"She went dark soon after she was kicked out and labeled a traitor. I tried to reach out but there was nothing, she disappeared. Which could mean anything," Kara admits. "But she has no abilities, and she certainly has enemies, it's probable that she's dead in a ditch somewhere. I mean no one has claimed credit either, which is smart, I don't know how she'd react to news of Santana's death."
"Has she even asked?" Lena questioned.
"No," Tina frowned. "Which is troubling in its own right. She forgives Kara for nearly every transgression. She changes her mind when it comes to punishments and she hasn't with Santana. But at least she's been getting her work done. I've never seen her as focused as she has been, she's taking all that energy and focused it on doing her work. I mean so we really shouldn't complain."
"What do you mean we shouldn't complain, she's boring now!" Kara bitched and sighed. "Well whatever, might as well see what we're working with. If they're all disappointing I'm going to have to tell her that this was a bust and she's going to die alone."
"Please don't—" Lena sighs. "I mean I was okay with the pirate look, I'm not sure what I'll do if she decides to take the other eye. I haven't yet asked for her to fix it, I'm trying to ingratiate myself to her, she likes me just fine, but not nearly enough to fix that eye because it still amuses her. Let's not antagonize her."
"And now you understand why I couldn't just leave Kara right there beside her," Tina muttered. "Which nations nominated people?"
"Themyscira, United States, Britain, Wakanda, France, Atlantis, you know the people who can afford it. There aren't that many people all together, I mean the biggest contingent is from Themyscira and its territories," Lena replies.
"Wakanda? I mean that's bold isn't it? I mean they've been quiet which is troubling, but it's not as if Charlie's forgotten about their treason, same with Atlantis. Charlie considers the lot of them traitors so this is a bold move, and the Wakandan delegate is masked, I can't imagine that this will go over well. White Tiger? Seriously?" Kara grumbled. She should have said that she was busy with work, this whole thing was going to be a disaster. "You should look into their activities, make sure they aren't planning an attempted assassination. I mean White Tiger? Come on, total assassin name."
Before Tina could decline to go and spy, she wasn't on the clock after all the ceremony started, with all the fanfare that could be mustered as the Imperial anthem was sung, and the sky lit up with blue and gold, the new imperial colors. "Victor certainly put a lot of effort into this. Is Latveria sponsoring anyone?"
"No, but they also don't have that many augmented individuals, he's not going to sacrifice his own people. But he is trying to suck up to her majesty. I'm just not sure why he's chosen this way to climb to the top. I mean even while she was a princess, she never really liked going to these events. As for Victor, his love of his country keeps his ambition in check. That said, I doubt her majesty fully trusts him. He's ambitious, he's cruel and he's powerful himself. If she were straight, he'd be pursuing her himself."
"So who are we putting money on? To take this whole thing? Nubia? Diana? Yara?" Kara questions changing the subject, as the women who would be fighting come out wearing the flags of the countries that sponsored them.
"We really shouldn't be seen betting on what we believe will happen. Might lead to someone claiming that we're corrupt. Besides, you're here to make sure there isn't any cheating."
"Charlie doesn't believe that you can cheat in a fight that is quite possibly to the death. That said, that's why I'm here, she wants to know who fucking cheated and if they were any good at it." Kara frowns as the Wakandan delegation finally appears and they get their first look at the White Tiger.
Almost immediately Tina and Kara exchange looks, even though she was masked, there was only one person who had a high-ponytail that was perfect, not to mention the body type seemed to fit. "They didn't," Tina whispers.
"The Wakandans aren't that—" Kara's eyes focus on the face as she uses her X-ray vision. "How did they think that they'd be able to hide this?"
"Hide what?" Lena questioned. "I'm the only one in the room that doesn't have powers so you're going to need to explain—"
"That's Santana," Kara interrupts. "That's fucking Santana, and someone is going to need to tell her Majesty that she's back and she's competing—"
"Not doing it." Tina announces immediately.
"Good luck with that Kara," Lena adds.
"I mean do we even have to tell her? She has no abilities, not since her majesty stripped her of them. She's going to get herself killed. Besides, by definition she shouldn't be allowed to compete because she has no abilities."
"If the Wakandans have figured out a way to create people with abilities, then they are breaking so many laws. I had to give a report the other day about Vought Industries trying to create augmented individuals. They no longer exist, the CEO and the entire board are currently rotting in prison. If a country was doing it there would be no saving them, it would require a purge."
"I mean—we aren't certain it's Santana, and maybe we should just wait and see. I mean it's not like we're getting paid for this, right?" Tina questions.
"Do you honestly believe that she's going to let us use that excuse?" Kara questions as she rubs her head. "Well I say we wait and see, if she dies then I say we don't say shit. If she appears to be the frontrunner, we're going to have to say something or it's all of our heads."
Tina groaned and sunk down in her chair, Santana dying would be a disaster all on its own. It would make Charlie's mood even more unpredictable than it normally was. Santana needed to win and Charlie needed to accept whatever apology Santana had, and then she would insist on getting back pay for this year from hell.
~ O ~
"Have you given any thought as to what you will do once she finds out it's you?"
Santana glanced up at Okoye for a moment, "It doesn't matter what she does to me, I betrayed her whatever she chooses to do in response—to me appearing in front of her after a year, is completely up to her. But I don't think she's going to kill me outright, certainly not in front of everyone. What she chooses to do when she has me alone is anyone's guess. This is uncharted territory, I can't predict her actions." Santana frowns ever so slightly; she suspected that Kara and Tina had already figured out her identity, which meant that they'd probably inform Charlie sooner rather than later so they could avoid the fallout. "Have you given any thought to how she will react to Wakanda's involvement? I've already said I'm not promising anything in return. If she even suspects that my loyalties are split she'll kill me, and I'm not dying for Wakanda."
"Her Imperial Majesty might not be predictable, but she is consistent. Ever since the Fury's were disbanded, various countries have been attempting to come for our Vibranium, our ships and our outreach programs have been attacked by various countries. We've managed to repel them, and we've lodged complaints but her Majesty has remained silent, giving these colonizers tacit approval. They have attempted to destabilize the region. We are hoping that you win, and that her majesty forgives you. We want nothing except for the appearance that her majesty is softening her stance against Wakanda."
"If you want tensions to ease between her majesty and Wakanda then King T'Challa will need to reaffirm his commitment to her, and the throne. The only reason that she hasn't gotten involved and simply taken what she wants is because she doesn't wish to rule over a crater in the ground. In her majesty's mind T'Challa was one of the instruments of her exile. An exile that you may believe was justified but it wasn't, the reasons why tensions are so bad is because of his arrogance and her Imperial Majesty's insistence on seeing someone else take the throne because she doesn't believe he is fit. And she doesn't view that he is fit because he was wrong and refuses to admit that he was wrong."
"She was called the Mad Dog for a reason, exile was the alternative to what others wanted to do. King T'Challa views his actions as saving her life, perhaps he is wrong, but it did not come from a place of treachery, or a lust for power. You are the olive branch he extends to her, so you must win and she must forgive you—"
"If King T'Challa wants peace, then he should talk to her, disagreeing with her isn't calls for execution, so long as he represents his position in a respectful way, it could lead to some thawing of tensions," Santana said as she picked up the mask. "I will win and I will return the suit back to you, once I have won the tournament. The first fight of the day against an Amazonian princess."
"Good luck."
Santana doesn't say anything in response as she takes a deep breath and affixes the mask to her face. She didn't need luck, she was better than ever, for everyone on Earth it had been a mere year, but time moves differently in Hell and she had done nothing but train and fight, and more importantly she had found her flames again. She no longer felt helpless without her power. Still without a word she heads to the staging area where she immediately tunes out the producer who begins to fuss over her.
It doesn't take long for her to be pushed forward out of the tunnel and into the blinding lights of the camera and the screams of Imperial Citizens thirsty for the blood-sport that would help determine who their next Queen would be. She glances over at her opponent, she needed to take each of them seriously, she couldn't let arrogance and overconfidence get in the way of what she needed to do and that was to win and keep winning until either Charlie noticed on her own, or she was dragged in front of her for breaking the rules.
She was truly in uncharted waters, no one Charlie had ever depowered had managed to gain abilities on their own. And if anyone else found how she had done it, Charlie would have an actual revolt on her hands. Which would probably entertain her.
"If you're knocked out you lose. If you submit you lose. If you die—you lose. Keep your wits about you and make this entertaining."
Santana glances at the referee who raises his arm and then lowers it quickly, signifying the beginning of the fight. She darts to the side avoiding an exploratory jab. As far as she knew and as far as she understood, the Amazons didn't have any real abilities, super strength wasn't an ability to write home about, and sure some of them could fly but it was clear that this woman couldn't which meant that she could do a little flash, as she spins around aiming for a heel hook to the face, she expects it to be blocked as the crowd roars with approval as she switches into a heel hook. Letting her body drop as she locks in a submission maneuver on the woman's leg dropping her to the ground and wrenching the joint. "Submit."
"Never!"
Santana sighs and her eyes grow dull, as her body erupts in hellfire. She had never mastered it, not truly but now there would be nothing left. Hellfire, true hellfire burned the soul and the flesh, till there was nothing left. Ever since she'd killed a few elder gods, Charlie was immune to it. "Then die." The woman, Philipa, can't even scream in agony, as the flames devour her, burning away everything; her body and soul. There would be nothing left and there would be no resurrecting her. There was so much information in hell, and finding about the Cavern of Souls, it was information that Charlie would be interested in, she was an elder god and if she was a god that meant she could create her own loyal race of people who would serve as her foot soldiers.
"The Winner of this bout—"
Santana doesn't bother to hear her moniker being called as she turns around and heads back to the locker room. If she had hoped to fly under the radar and win the competition she had just blown that opportunity. Charlie would know exactly how she had won and the presence of hellfire would force Charlie to act.
"Santana , I don't know what you're doing here, and I sure as hell don't know what's going through that mind of yours but your little fireshow means that I can't pretend that I don't know it's you."
Santana pauses and turns to look at Kara who had a suspicious look on her face, "Was it that obvious?"
"Tina figured it out in a second, I figured it out the next second. We both hoped that you would stay under the radar. Maybe win so we could pretend to be surprised, you just couldn't help yourself, could you? I don't know how you managed to give yourself abilities, but you circumvented her punishment and the consequences for that—if she sees you as a threat, I can't protect you from her."
"If Charl—if her Imperial Majesty saw me as a threat, I'd be dead. The sole reason you're alive is because she doesn't see you as an actual threat and you're probably her only friend. Or at least someone who can tolerate her abuse, and weird tantrums because she offers you perks, and you two get to beat the hell out of each other. If she wanted me dead she would have killed me herself, to be labeled a traitor is a death sentence and she left me alive. And if she forgave you for throwing a tantrum and threatening to kill her with only a physical deformity, which she'll heal when she stops finding you being a pirate amusing, then I have to believe there is a chance that I get to come back too. I have to believe that I have a path back to her side, if I win, I get what I want. If you figure out who I am and drag me in front of her to prove your loyalty I get what I want, a chance."
Kara pinched the bridge of her nose, "She'll never admit it but she's been absolutely miserable and not fun lately. It's just work and more work, and it's not even the fun work."
"So if you—"
Kara flicked her gaze towards Santana and scowled at her, "But her boring is better than her slaughtering a significant number of the population to bring them to heel. I mean I love a good fight just as much as she does, but do you have any idea how many times I had to stop her from drowning half the planet in blood. Heck when she found out about your little sexcation, she nearly killed Tina, if I hadn't been there she'd be dead. I don't know if I trust you anywhere near her. You make her more crazy than she is, and honestly you could have convinced her that marrying you was her best bet to get everyone off her damn back about an heir. But no you had to go and get fucking hurt that she showed a mild interest in your doppelgänger. Which by the way was your fault, she ignores everyone else in front of her to be with you. And you said I'm a moron."
"You are a moron, you should take me in, Kara, it's the wise thing to do."
"I should, but you've made this public by showing up at a televised event. Her majesty can't be seen killing one of the contestants, which I'm sure you also planned for. I have latitude to do whatever it is I want, but she doesn't let me make decisions like this. So I'm going to talk to her, if she asks me to bring you in, don't fight."
"Scared I'll whip your ass?"
"You just incinerated a person in front of us, I don't know what your abilities are at this moment and I view you as a threat, I haven't determined if you're a threat to her majesty yet."
"Send Tina, I like her better than you."
Kara rolls her eyes and begins to turn, stopping when she spots general Okoye, "It really just gets worse the longer you look at it. She might not forgive you, especially if you idiotically decided to join hands with the Wakandans."
Santana licked her lips, "I love her Kara, I'm in love with her. Trust that."
Kara grunted before she started to float and took off.
"That didn't go well," General Okoye hummed. "In another world her Imperial Majesty and King T'Challa would be great friends."
Santana grunts deciding she wasn't going to touch that with a ten foot pole. The walls had ears, and she still was one of the few people who couldn't sense Tina. The ball would be in Charlie's court now.
~ O ~
"I was worried that you wouldn't be as ferocious as your brethren and it seems," Charlie began as she rubbed Candy, Bacon and Cherry's stomach, the three headed dog wiggling on the floor it's tail thumped at a rapid but steady beat. "That I was right. You're too big to be a lap dog, Candy, Bacon and Cherry. You need to be more like Sparky."
Before she can continue rubbing the belly of her cerberus it suddenly rolls over and all three pairs of ears flatten against her head as she lets out a menacing growl.
"Like that. Good girl," Charlie said, opening a portal and pulling out a large bloody steak, which she tosses at the middle head, before quickly pulling out two more so the other heads could enjoy the raw steak.
Kara knelt behind Charlie, who was wearing an apron and rubber boots. She'd been mucking out the pens again. It seemed to bring her some semblance of peace. "Your Majesty—"
"It must be serious if you're starting with your Majesty and remembering your etiquette," Charlie mused, not looking back at Kara. "Has a front runner emerged that quickly?"
"Yes, but—"
"I think I'd like for my dinner guest to be a surprise," Charlie interjects again.
Kara got up and threw her hands in the air. "You hate surprises. No one likes surprises. I'm not even sure you can—you already know don't you?"
"There's only one real reason why you'd be this nervous, and be trying to get on my good side, and it's only because you act like this whenever you bring up her name. So I'm going to process this—"
This time it was Kara's chance to interrupt. "She has powers and she's joined hands with the Wakandans. I'm not going to be your whipping girl for this. Neither is Tina, so process this however you want but you can't just kill her in a public fashion."
Charlie grunted. "I can really do whatever I want. You know that, and I know this. I acknowledge your report now, get out, you're stressing out Candy, Bacon and Cherry."
"Are you really going to let this stand?"
"Do you think she can win in a fight against me?"
"She incinerated an Amazon. I have no fucking clue what she is capable of and I personally will decline to take her in. I don't think she knows how to control it fully. Incinerate isn't even the right word, she basically turned her into ash."
Charlie paused for a moment before frowning. "Bring me Illyana."
"Alive?"
"Well I can't question the dead Kara, now can I?" Charlie paused, "Actually I've never tried to raise the dead, perhaps I am capable of it now. But I'd prefer it if you brought me Illyana alive."
"She's going to try to fight me or hide out in the hell dimension."
"Illyana is currently acting as a Russian mob boss at this moment, at my request. Actually send Tina, you'd make too much noise, just have her ask the obvious questions." Charlie said as she turned her attention back to her cerberus, ending the conversation.