[Author's Note: Black Alice, Doctor Fate, and the June Moone version of the Enchantress are copyright DC. Doctor Doom and Clea are copyright Marvel. Also, no one owns Doom but Doom, and mortals can disagree at their peril. For Alice's new look, picture Freya / Dark Chii from Chobits, minus the metal ears of course, who is also copyright the anime studio and manga published that produced her and not me. I don't own any persocoms. Enjoy the story!]
Chapter 15: Playing Doctor
"I'm going to ask you one more time. Where is Black Alice?!"
His name was Doctor Fate, and he was one of the world's most powerful magic users. Even if he was alone, which he wasn't, Zatanna wouldn't have stood much of a chance in a fight against him. She and Satana were just not in that power league, which made his intimidating interrogation fully effective in generating very real fear in her. But she couldn't and wouldn't back down, and so she had no choice but to steel her will and bluff her way through it. And pray to all the gods she knew that it worked.
"I already told you, she's been and gone. But feel free to look around. You won't find her here."
He nodded, his face invisible behind the famous golden helmet he wore. The mantle of Doctor Fate had changed hands --or more precisely, changed hosts-- many times over the years, so it was impossible to tell if he was the same man she'd met before or not. Worse yet, as gruff as he was being he was clearly playing the "good cop" role. Even if some of his assembled posse of magic users hadn't included some decidedly villainous sorts, the presence of Clea alone would have sealed the danger she was in. The woman was well-known in magical circles as both Doctor Strange's ex-lover and the daughter of Dread Dormammu, an extradimensional evil of a scope that beggared description. The look in her eyes was clear that she'd just as soon dismantle the place and toss them to her father in his otherdimensional hell if it even served a tangential function in avenging her slain lover. The thought chilled Zatanna to the bone.
"We will." he said, glancing at her with glowing, empty eyes behind the mask. "I'm sure we won't find anything, though. Not without us engaging a more thorough and..." a glance back at Clea "...aggressive search." The threat there was more than clear.
"Still..." he said, turning to fully stare her down. "...my tracking spells are still active. The moment she tries to use her stolen powers, wherever and whenever it is, I'll know. And if she's here, your past favors to the JLA won't be enough to protect you. Harboring a fugitive suspected murderer is a serious crime. They're only enough to buy you the benefit of the doubt for now."
Despite her outrage at being treated more like a common criminal than a trusted superhero, Zatanna had no choice but to accept his hostile words in silence. An hour later, they were gone, and Zatanna went to one of her "disappearing" boxes and summoned it's human contents from the space between.
"It's ok, they're gone now. They bought it, for the time being. I swear, you'd better be worth all this."
Out of it, stepped the woman that everyone was looking for. The woman accused of killing Earth's Sorcerer Supreme.
-----
THREE DAYS PRIOR
"This is live footage from today's funeral at Avengers Mansion in Manhattan, where teammates are saying a sad farewell to a longtime colleague, sorceror and superhero Doctor Steven Strange. Stay tuned to this station for continuing coverage of this important breaking event."
Zatanna had been glued to the news networks and internet since she'd first heard the news, and had done her share of phone and chat communications with other people in the magic and superhero circles as well. This was even more a big deal than the news coverage would indicate, as it was more than the simple death of a superhero that the media was covering it as. Doctor Strange was unique among superheroes, with vastly more importance than most knew or could understand. Others could not simply step in and cover for him, as would be the case for almost any other hero no matter how powerful, respected, or tenured. The Sorcerer Supreme of their world was not simply a title or an acknowledgement of premier power and status. It was a station, that carried with it duties of frightful importance.
Even now, the ramifications of the event were rippling through the magic community. Succession squabbles and hasty contingency plans were springing up like wildfire, even as speculation ran rampant as to the mystery surrounding his death. All knew the chaos would continue until someone claimed the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme, and with it the vital task of defending the Earth plane from the numerous magical and otherdimensional threats that he or she was responsible for. Without Strange, those threats would surely be licking their chops at the opportunity for attack, and those coalitions of volunteers who had stepped up to fill the breach would be tested. Gods help everyone alive if they were found wanting in the task.
It was fear of just one of those magical or otherdimensional threats that ran a chill through Zatanna when she felt the mystic alarm that warned her that someone was trying to break into her home. Shadowcrest had strong defenses, more powerful than she herself after being built up by generations of Zataras, but some of the things she knew the Sorcerer Supreme held back would make of it a haystack in a hurricane.
A thousand horrors flashed through her mind as she investigated the alarm, steeling herself for the worst. She never expected what she actually found.
A short time later, seated at the kitchen table and sipping hot coffee as she tried to dry off and warm up from her time running in the rain, the blonde Zatanna knew as Black Alice implored desperately.
"I'm telling you, I don't know how he died and I sure as fuck had nothing to do with it!"
Satana was skeptical. "So his gear just appeared on you then, with his powers, all on it's own?"
Alice nodded. "That's exactly what happened! Look I know it's suspicious but believe me, I didn't ask for this and I don't want it! Do you have any idea how many people are after me right now?"
Satana scowled. "I can imagine, which is why I want you the hell out of here, yesterday. We don't need that kind of trouble."
Zatanna sighed, and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Love... you didn't like being falsely accused when you were on the pitchfork end of the mob."
The redhead blinked. "You're telling me you believe her?"
Zee nodded. "I trust the Oracle. She went to Barbara first, and Barbara sent her to me. If she vouches for her, it's good enough for me."
Satana sighed and sat heavily. "You're serious about this. I... fuck. If you really believe her, and wanna help I'll back your play, but shit. We gotta play our cards right or we'll end up so over our heads we won't have time to drown before we're crushed."
-----
That warning played heavy in Zatanna's mind as she pulled Alice back from where she'd hidden her during the search. That was entirely too close a call, and they all knew it.
Alice clearly knew it too, as she sighed deeply. She'd clearly been thinking while she was hidden. "I should probably go. They won't leave you alone, they already suspect I'm here. You can't hide me forever, and we can't stop them either. I'm fucked no matter what, there's no sense taking you down with me."
It was suicide talk, a decision to resign herself to her fate. Zatanna would have none of it. "No way. Forget it. You're staying with us, and we'll just have to figure something out. That's final."
Alice blinked, astonished. "You don't even know me... why stick behind me even when I said forget it?"
Zatanna kept her determined look and tone. "One, Barbara asked me to. Two, you need it and it's the right thing to do. Three... I don't trust Doctor Fate. He and his group rub me entirely the wrong way and I won't help him."
A new voice spoke even as Zatanna's senses detected the decloaking presence and the mystic alarms went off. Zee silently cursed herself, she should have suspected a group that powerful could sneak someone in!
"That's good, you shouldn't trust him. And you shouldn't do anything that will help him get what he wants."
The black-haired new arrival, dressed as she was in what could only be described as a black and purple "sexy witch" outfit, looked down at the sword cane that Zatanna had materialized and pointed at her throat. "You won't need that, I'm on your side. Fate and his cronies helped smuggle me in, but I only pretended to be with them. Even if I had started on their side, I couldn't stay that way knowing what I know now."
Zatanna looked her over, not merely sizing up her body language and mannerisms to try to determine her sincerity but also trying to place her.
"I'm not sure yet I believe you, but you have my attention. Who are you? Is there a reason I feel I should know you?"
The woman both nodded and shrugged. "We've met before, but I wasn't really myself then so I'm not sure it counts. I was once known as the Enchantress, then as Sedusa the Temptress. I'm not that person anymore... I guess for now you can just call me June".
Zatanna absorbed this, and put two and two together. "June Moone? Reports are you disappeared. Missing and presumed dead."
The woman shrugged. "You could say I died and was reborn when the entity was fused to me. You could say it happened again when she and I were separated. I kept some of the power, but I'm just me again for the first time in years."
Once again Zatanna absorbed this, and brought the conversation back on topic. "You said you know things that implicate Doctor Fate?"
June nodded. "Absolutely. I've overheard him planning with that demonlord's daughter. He wants Strange's artifacts and power to make himself Sorcerer Supreme, and Clea just wants to kill the girl and torture her soul. Neither one are really interested in proving she did it or getting real justice. As far as they're concerned, she's guilty and they've already decided the punishment."
Zatanna sighed heavily. This was even worse than she thought. "What do you suggest we do, then? Even if you feed them misinformation it will only throw them off the trail for so long and basically just postpone the inevitable. And when they come, we don't have a prayer of standing up to them in a fight."
It was a good question, but she never got to answer as they were interrupted by the final uninvited guest of the night. A servant girl, one of the golem-like creations that formed the staff of Shadowcrest, began emitting a hum and glowing from within, even as her skin and clothes began melting like a wax statue. As the flesh melted, gleaming metal bones began to show, and the whole process was disturbing and disgusting. Even as it melted, the now clearly non-human figure spoke, it's voice an electronic and muffled tone.
"Do not attack. Unit non-hostile. Incoming message. Prepare to receive transmission."
As the assembled women stared in shock, the figure's exterior completed it's process of melting away, leaving only a shiny metal robot standing amidst it's own evaporating human disguise. "Opening communication channel. Switching to holographic projection mode."
The humanoid machine lit up as lenses and lasers flared to life, projecting a larger than life image in black and green, a figure that chilled them all to the bone even before it spoke.
"Greetings, ladies of magic... from Doctor DOOM!"
------
DOOMSTADT, LATVERIA
Despite the decadent, old-world opulence of every step of the journey, none of the four women were truly comfortable. From the moment they'd chosen --as if they'd had a real choice-- to board Doom's metallic, sci-fi Zeppelin, a feeling of palpable dread had infused every moment. Despite Doom's promises that he could help them and that the price would be "minimal". Despite the meticulous service of the robotic staff, despite the rich quality of the food and wine served aboard, despite the fact that even the luxury liners of the gilded age could not eclipse the comfort and quality of the amenities in the stateroom-like passenger cabin, none of the four could escape the oppressive apprehension that weighed in them like a fist of ice in their gut. Despite the overall amazingness of the trip, it felt to the women like the walk to the gallows.
And an amazing trip it was. The flawless, pewter-colored metal craft harkened both to the past and the future, the form like an early 20th century airship but of a technology that eclipsed anything in the 21rst. Crewed entirely of robots with that same brushed iron construction and "dieselpunk" design, with a service staff of artificial humanoids dressed in the finest butler and maid uniforms, it was like a vision of the science fiction future of World War I. Where propellers might be on a vintage Zeppelin, this sleek craft sported shrouded, ducted fanjets that tilted to provide hover and thrust. As they smoothly lifted off, their sealed passenger cabin insulated from even the slightest noise or vibration, the engines tilted to an angle as they accelerated their ascent at an angle forwards and upwards. Despite the gentleness of the forces of acceleration, truly no more than a good quality express elevator, they quickly gained an astonishing speed and were above the clouds in mere minutes. And then to their surprise, they continued their ascent, climbing higher and higher still until the blue of the dawn sky melted to the blackness of suborbital space. Only when they'd reached those lofty, dizzying heights did the ship's engines tilt to bring them into a more horizontal flightpath with the glowing blue arc of the earth below them. Even the apprehension the women felt could not entirely surpress the awe they felt at such a sight, marking the first time any of them had ever seen the earth from so far above. As Satanna grimly joked, if today was to be their last it would at least be a hell of an experience.
It took mere hours for the ship to complete it's ballistic arc of a flightpath and set them down half a world away, from the west coast of the US to the depths of central Europe in barely more time than it would take to watch a film about the Titanic's journey of weeks to merely cross the Atlantic. And all this without an airstrip or supporting facilities, as it had taken off from the lawn of Shadowcrest and set them down in a courtyard just outside Castle Doom itself. When they'd disembarked, they'd been transferred to a limo in the style of an early automotive luxury coach, though driven by yet another serving robot and lacking the sound, vibration or fumes of an internal combustion motor of even the most modern quality. Like everything else it seemed, this vehicle reflected a mix of yesterday's styling and tomorrow's technology. To call the whole experience merely impressive would be to stretch understatement to it's breaking point.
The ride in the ground vehicle was much shorter and the ascent to much less dizzying heights, but it was no less luxurious and only mildly less impressive. Their road took them up on a winding path up into the mountainous terrain, passing through snow-covered evergreens that perhaps never knew a snowless season, up into the rocks and cliffs that cut the sky in stark majestic beauty. And then, suddenly, they turned a corner and it was there, looming above them like a crouching dragon carved into the very stone of the mountain itself. Their destination.
Castle Doom.
The green and grey of the Latverian battle flag flew from the towers and spires, and below them the rooklike subtowers sprouted wicked looking hi-tech cannons, their twin barrels glowing green like the eyes of a gargoyle scanning the grounds for unfortunate prey. Between those, the battlements were manned by armored, knightlike robots carrying energy pikes, their bladed ends glowing green like the barrels on the cannons. Some stood at attention, motionless as statues, others leaned over the wall and swept their pikes in a back and forth pattern, aiming them like guns, and others marched along the top of the walls. More of them stood in a gauntlet configuration bracing the arched gate, and more inside the tunnel that led through the wall. To call it merely intimidating would be to stretch understatement to it's breaking point.
A hundred glowing green robotic eyes watched their approach as the cannons zeroed on them, and the car slowed to a crawl as the first portcullis was raised and they entered the tunnel. Within it, rectangular portals revealed more glowing robot eyes and glowing pike ends, ready and able to cut them to ribbons in a furious crossfire at a moment's notice. Beyond the second portcullis at tunnel's end, more of the knightlike soldier robots stood guard or marched in patrol formation, as if those outside weren't enough. Inside the car, watched by so many lifeless eyes and targeted by so many deadly weapons, you could cut the tension with the proverbial knife.
"Oh-we-oh... ee-OOOOH, rum!"
It was Alice, attempting a joke to cut the tension. She was perhaps the most nervous of them all, and frazzled from a week of threats and running and hiding. Zatanna managed a smile, while Satana surpressed a snerking chuckle and June pulled the girl into a gentle hug. They were all afraid, and it was a good joke. There really was something reminiscent of the castle of the Wicked Witch in the classic Wizard of Oz film in all of this, and trying not to laugh out loud was at least some distraction from the deadliness surrounding them.
Moments after, the second portcullis was raised and the car pulled into the courtyard, stopping before a tower flanked by guardbots. The doors were opened, and the four women escorted inside and into, to their small surprise, a large elevator. Satana muttered a soft statement of relief that they wouldn't have to climb a thousand stairs to get up into the looming fortress, and the others agreed. When they reached the top, they were escorted through lavishy-appointed halls in a mixture of medieval and victorian styles, to a set of double doors. What awaited them inside was decidedly not what they were expecting.
The room was large, furnished in that same mix of victorian and medieval finery, and dominated by a massive four-post canopied bed that would dwarf any bed manufactured for consumer sale. It actually had footstools at it's side to assist in getting in, and it could easily sleep half a dozen in comfort. For a moment, the women's blood ran cold as they anticipated a naked castle lord waiting to have his way with them, but there was no one in the room but they and the artificial humanoid servant who had escorted them.
"What's this, then?" Zatanna queried of him in her confusion.
"This is your guest room, to which you have been assigned for the duration of your stay. Lord Doom has extended his dinner invitation to you, and you are advised to be ready at 7pm sharp. Servants will be available to assist you in bathing and dressing in the outfits that have been provided for you. This will be a formal affair, and decorum and manners are expected to be observed. For now, do not leave this room. Any other needs you may have can be provided by the serving staff, and any significant questions are to be saved for Lord Doom himself."
Zatanna absorbed this, but asked a question anyhow. "I do have something I think you can answer. Are all of you robots? Are there any other humans here at all?"
The artificial man paused, as if scanning his memory banks. "All staff are constructs. At present, you are the only biological beings in the complex save for Lord Doom himself."
It wasn't a totally unexpected answer, but still it left them stunned. Somehow, the castle seemed to become even more intimidating and foreboding in their minds, as the realization of their total aloneness in this massive, dangerous place weighed on them like the stone of the castle itself. To call it merely chilling would be to stretch understatement to it's breaking point.
"You may pull the rope by the bed to summon service at any time. A grouping of helpmaids will be attending you shortly."
And with that, he turned and left them, the heavy doors closing behind him with a soft boom. It felt like the clang of a prison cell slamming shut. ----- "It is time."
With the reappearance of the butlerbot, the mechanical maidservants finished the last checkover of their work and pronounced them ready. From there, they were escorted from their guestroom to the dining hall, where they would be dining with Doom. None could say they were looking forward to the experience, despite that ordinarily the treatment of being pampered, bathed and dressed by meticulously attentive serving staff as if they were some sort of nobility would have been quite a treat. Clearly, Doom no more spared luxury on his guests than he spared firepower in his defenses. It was cold comfort, even as Satana joked that if they were to die there, they would appear to at least be granted a hell of a last meal. None of them laughed, as it was so very close to what they all actually feared.
As they passed a set of long mirrors in the entry hall leading to the sitting room, surely placed so that guests could check their appearance before entering, it had to be admitted that they looked damned good in the outfits Doom's robotic staff had supplied them with, The fit and quality was superlative, suitable for the highest of aristocracy or celebrities. They surely would have enjoyed them more had they not all felt the dread that they were as lambs being fattened for slaughter.
Still, they looked damned good. Zatanna had been outfitted in a feminine version of a tuxedo, an outfit similar to that she wore onstage so often and thus familiar to her though never of this richness. The suit, skirt, and stockings were all of fine silk, as was the white shirt under the black vest and jacket. Even the undergarments, though seemingly cotton or something similar, were of a fine Victorian lace and as soft and comfortable as her own skin. The boots accompanying the outfit were supple yet shiny leather so well polished she was almost concerned they could be used as a mirror to peer up her skirt. Everything fit as if it had been made specifically for her, and for all she knew it had. The thought of a room full of seamstress robots slavishly cranking out an outfit for her while they flew over from America was almost amusing enough to pierce the overall dread of their situation. Almost.
The other women had been no less lavishly appointed, and looked no less stunning. June had been given a silk dress of shimmering purple that almost seemed to glow in the gaslight, over stockings and arm lace of a rich charcoal grey-black that was dusted with sparkly bits and reminiscent of the dark grey portions of the moon. The corset she wore under the dress was of similar sheen and color, and the soft suede boots in purple were as rich a leather as those Zatanna wore. Satana was dressed similarly in a way, with her silk overdress of a fiery red and her corset and other appointments of a darker, deeper black. However, she had insisted on pants and the flustered servants had reluctantly provided her with pristine white riding pants and attached black leather chaps, clearly sourced from the stablehouse and the equestrian garments there. She'd tucked the red silk dress into the pants, making it into a blouse of sorts, and though improvised the outfit was no less stunning and looked amazingly good on her. The thought that she was most likely wearing the same style of silk stockings under those pants in that luxurious black made Zatanna think of rubbing her cheek against them, and coming face up to the matching black panties. The pang in her heart that she might never get to experience her lover that way again was like a punch in the gut, though like the fantasy itself Zatanna kept it inside and her outward facade neutral. She'd be damned if she showed any weakness here no matter what she thought or felt.
Despite the luxury and quality of their outfits, it seemed that perhaps the best was saved for Alice. She'd been adorned in a stunning gothic dress with corset and petticoats, rich deep black over pristine white stockings and undergarments, all lace and frills and finery. A silk ribbon with crystal and silver accents held her hair back, though it fell long and silky like liquid gold down her back. Satana had joked that she looked fit to be the bride of Dracula himself, and none had disagreed with the assessment. She looked both aristocratic and "fetish-tastc" all at once. Zatanna had to admit the girl was more attractive than she'd given her credit for, especially as compared to that first night she'd appeared on her doorstep wet and bedraggled like a lost puppy. The nights thereafter spent in borrowed nightclothes disheveled from catching up on sleep from long nights on the run hadn't helped. Not that she had ever judged the girl merely on her looks, but seeing her this way certainly cast her in a new light.
She was interrupted from this train of thought by the servants telling them it was time and then escorting them into the dining room itself, seating them and asking their choice of wines. Both June and Zatanna chose the deep rich red only slightly cooler than room temperature, while Alice chose a light chilled fruit wine and Satanna threw a curveball by asking for beer instead. She was rewarded with a golden brown pilsner in the traditional German style, chilled more than was traditional to suit the American palate. Their hosts were quite well prepared for them, it seemed. As they sipped their drinks in nervous silence, they were brought soup and salad courses and told they could begin. For the most part they'd thought themselves too nervous to be hungry, but the incredible quality of the food and the relaxing effects of the alcohol served to calm them to at least some degree and allow them to relax as much as possible. And so it was that they'd almost begun to enjoy themselves when a steel doorway at the far end of the room slid open with a hiss, revealing the glowing eyes of a cloaked and armored figure cast in shadow by the eerie glow from the doorway.
Doom had arrived.
If possible, he was even more impressive in person, in no small part due to new and clearly upgraded armor. Even his hologram had been the traditional green and grey with open eyeports and such, an aging design that looked positively archaic next to something like Iron Man's modern armors. Clearly, that was no longer the case. No longer was the bulk of the armor covered by a tunic, instead the new armor suit was full metal from head to toe, constructed of thick plates that were semi-sculpted into an angular representation of human musculature. The metal was a deep charcoal grey akin to hematite, with a brushed finish and hardened appearance. His famous mask now was fully sealed with glowing eye covers and an enclosed mouthpiece, though both were subtly articulated to allow facial expressions. On the left pectoral plate was a glowing panel of small rectangular lights similar to a military ribbon set, and on his right hip a laser pistol was holstered and on his left a short sword or long dagger, depending on how you chose to classify the deadly looking blade. Clearly, the weapons were ceremonial, he needed neither. All knew that Doom's true weapons were built into the armor itself and were powerful enough to give pause to the mightiest superhumans on earth. Completing the uniform of Doom was his traditional hooded cloak, in a deep forest green that complimented the darker alloy well.
The robotic servants moved swiftly and smoothly to attend to Doom, seating him and bringing him wine, while another came with a metal half mask on a pillow. Doom turned, head and face concealed in the shadows of his hood, and exchanged the masks with a hiss of air from the pressure systems. This one was more in keeping with his traditional mask with exposed eyes and mouth, allowing him to eat and drink. This process completed, he looked over the assembled guests and spoke for the first time, his voice rich and deep with a hint of aristocratic middle-European accent that made him sound like a cross between Count Dracula and Darth Vader.
"Good evening, ladies. I trust everything thusfar has been to your satisfaction?"
The four women managed to mutter a nervous good evening in response, but it was Zatanna who found her courage to voice what they'd all been thinking.
"What is all this, Doom?"
The armored lord merely looked at her, an eyebrow quirked over eyes hard as the metal of his mask, and deadpanned. "Clearly, it is dinner."
Despite his stare and the few nervous chuckles from her companions, Zatanna stood her ground and pressed the issue. "You know damned well what I mean. You promised us a solution to Alice's problem and a price we'd have to pay, and we get treated like visiting dignitaries on a social call instead. What gives?"
Despite Zatanna having risen from her chair to deliver the heated words, Doom did not rise to meet her nor did he raise his voice in response. "Patience, my dear. Doom is a busy man, surely you did not think I would drop everything and attend to your issue immediately? I have scheduled time for you in the morning tomorrow. After dinner, you will retire to the room I provided for recreation and relaxation before a full night's sleep. Doom, by contrast, will be working on various matters both scientific and political until after midnight, and will begin again at dawn. Does that satisfy your concern?"
Zatanna frowned, meeting his gaze with willful defiance before looking to the others. Alice seemed frightened that Zatanna would anger Doom, while Satana had this grim scowl as if she expected to die in a blaze of glory. June softly shook her head, meeting Zatanna's eyes with gentle calm in her own purple ones, mouthing softly to her to let it drop. With a sigh, Zatanna took the good advice and sat, merely nodding to Doom in response to his question.
From there the meal went uneventfully and unremarkably save for it's opulence, and for the most part in silence. The food was exquisite, featuring a main course of fresh-caught baby pig and roast wild duck, along with fresh vegetables and sides and delicacies such as caviar and liver pate', Dessert was fresh fruits, cheeses, and chocolates as well as a cognac cake of decadent delightfulness. Throughout, the servants kept their glasses filled and despite the rich and heavy meal it was hard to avoid getting at least a little tipsy at the free-flowing alcohol. Among them, the one who fell to her indulgence the worst was Alice, who clearly wasn't as experienced a drinker as the others and ended up more than a little on the happily drunken side. She wasn't truly wasted, but her face was flushed and speech and walking affected enough that the others took it on themselves to help her on the way back to the room and encourage her to nap it off.
Doom himself had said little during the meal, beyond polite host's small talk, and when it was complete he took his leave and handed the four guests into the care of his robot servants. to be returned to their guestroom. There, they were informed of amenities such as a gym, recreation room, mini theater, hot spring mineral bath, and other such things available to them along with a warning not to wander unescorted. After those instructions and the accompanying warning was issued, the four women were left alone.
Zatanna gave a grumbling groan as she flopped into the bed without bothering to remove her boots, clearly frustrated, while her redheaded lover alternated between fuming in a chair and pacing the room. Alice was sleeping the blissful sleep of the nicely toasted, and it was hard for June not to laugh when the girl unconsciously cuddled into Zatanna in her sleep, as if the other woman was a teddybear. Zatanna's look of frozen confusion was priceless, and June allowed herself a quiet chuckle to accompany her warm smile to Zatanna reassuring her that she wasn't laughing at her.
The raven haired magician sighed, and almost unthinkingly began to pet Alice's hair as if the girl were a cat who'd curled up in her lap. June smiled softly to her and sat near her on the bed, by her feet, and began gently removing Zatanna's boots.and setting them down on the floor. Zatanna just blinked as she watched this process in mild astonishment, not having expected the kind gesture. She muttered a thank you, starting to seem drained as her anger fizzled out and the effects of stress took their toll.
"I have to sleep in this bed too, you know." the amethyst witch said in explanation, though that offered no reason for her continuing to rub and massage Zatanna's feet and calves through the stockings, earning a confused and blinking stare from the target of her attentions. She softly smiled again, and added in explanation. "You clearly need some help relaxing, you're coiled like a spring and taut like a rubber band. It wouldn't be good for any of us if you snap."
Zatanna took a long deep breath and sighed it out, trying to force herself to let go of the tension she felt. Glancing to her redheaded lover across the room, who was watching all of this with a quirked eyebrow, she sighed again and muttered. "I wish Doom had at least given us separate rooms."
June chuckled and teased. "Oh, am I such bad company? I shouldn't smell, I bathed at the same time you did. Same with Alice, and she hasn't puked on your lap or anything either. Plus, she's cute. Are we really such awful roommates?"
Zatanna shook her head, but then blushed. "No, but... some privacy would have been nice. We're all afraid of what we'll face tomorrow, and if we have to wait for the hammer to fall it would at least be nice to make love to my girlfriend one possibly last time."
June nodded, and crawled seductively up the bed to lean close to Zatanna, lowering her voice to a husky purr. "And what's stopping you? Alice is asleep, and I won't object. In fact, I was thinking of giving her a pleasant surprise when she wakes up."
As Zatanna blinked and blushed deeper, June leaned in closer still and delivered the verbal killstroke. "If we're all doing the same thing there's no cause for embarrassment, right? And if the urge strikes us to join in on what one another are having, well is that so bad? I certainly wouldn't complain about having you tonight."
Zatanna's mouth fell open in shock, and June pressed forward with a deep, powerful kiss that smothered the surprised eep from those lips and melted them into an aroused mmm. Glancing over her shoulder at Satanna, who'd risen to her feet with an angry 'WTF' expression, she merely smiled and reached back to pull up her skirt and wriggle her silk-clad legs and bottom at her, putting herself on sexual display for the jealous lover and making clear that she was offering to her as well. To seal the deal, she smiled seductively and gave her that same husky purr as she spoke.
"Don't worry, beautiful, you'll get your share of the fun too. I'm not taking her from you, I'm giving myself to you both."
Satana blinked, frozen in surprised indecision, and looked to Zatanna for guidance. In reply, Zatanna bit her lip and mulled it over. "It's certainly umm tempting... and it's probably our best option short of taking turns in the bed and sending the other couple away, which is kind of a lot of trouble to avoid a good thing... I'm inclined to say yes. What do you think, love?"
The redhead shrugged. "It wouldn't be the kinkiest thing I've ever done, and they're both hot. I'm cool with it if you are."
As Zatanna nodded her assent, June's seductive smile deepened to victorious anticipation. No matter what hell they might face tomorrow morning, they would have one hell of a night first.
-----
The fun began a few short hours after it had been decided on, with June casting a timed sleep spell on them so that Alice would have time to sleep off her earlier overindulgence with the wine. Even still, the three others awoke first and began without her. They'd stripped before bed to the soft silk lingerie that had been provided for them by Doom's robotic servants, and one of the first tasks they'd set themselves to after they'd begun kissing and caressing was to remove it from one another in the most sensual way possible. From there, they'd begun indulging in one another affectionately and passionately but also rather gently and as quietly as was reasonably possible, keeping their movements slow and their voices quiet so as not to disturb the sleeping blonde. Even when the three found orgasm from the questing fingers and tongues of one another, they kept their moans and cries of pleasure muffled in soft flesh so as not to be too loud.
After that first set of peaks, though, June decided the time for patience and for letting the fourth woman in their bed merely sleep was over. With a soft kiss for the couple whom she'd partaken of and shared herself with, she parted from them and moved to Alice. She began by uncovering her to the cool air of the room, blankets tossed aside. As the girl squirmed a bit at the sudden removal of her comfortable warmth and rose into a lighter, more fitful sleep, June made her next move. Beginning by softly kissing and massaging her feet as she gently worked the silk stockings off of her, she slowly worked her way up the soft skin of the blonde's legs until she reached the center of her womanhood, nibbling at it through the two layers of cloth, one of silk and one of cotton that formed her panties and petticoat they'd left her in to sleep. This clearly had an effect even in the girl's sleeping state, as she stopped fidgeting and began soft moans as she writhed gently under the sensual attention. As the girl moved, June gently and skillfully worked with her motions to pull off the petticoat from her and also the bra, leaving her only in panties as she settled onto the now-exposed chest to offer oral attentions there combined with gentle but insistent caressing below. All the while she was careful to be slow and gentle so as not to bring the beautiful blonde to full awakening, but finally she felt the timing was right and came up to gently kiss her lips and stroke her hair. As her blue eyes fluttered open, in newly-awakened confusion, she became aware of the soft flesh skin to skin with her, the scent of sex in the room, and her own state of arousal, and June spoke to her softly in greeting and explanation.
"Good morning, beautiful... no, it's not a dream, and everything you feel and want can be yours if you merely say yes."
Alice blinked softly, her mind slowly working through this as her mind came more fully awake and sorted dream from reality and got it's bearings, and then she finally gave her reply. "Ok, sounds awesome but I totally have to pee first!"
The other couple chuckled as June blinked, startled by the other's sudden dash for the bathroom though it should not have come as a surprise. After all, she was sleeping from the amount she drank and all that fluid had to go somewhere. Soon enough, the blonde returned, hair and teeth brushed and looking radiant. June smiled and gave her an inviting gesture to rejoin her in bed, and Alice complied. And though the others were naked and she almost so, and she had agreed to June's proposition, still she bit her lip in nervous freeze once she climbed in.
"Umm, you meant what you said? You, me, us? No teasing?"
June softly smiled, and stroked her hair again and softly kissed her, similar to how she had awakened the girl only minutes before. "Oh I mean it... I've had my eye on you longer than you think, and I was waiting my chance to make a move."
Alice blushed and looked down, taking in her own near-naked body and clearly finding it lacking compared to the other three women. "I... don't know what to say."
June softly tilted her chin back up and kissed her again. "You need say nothing more, and you need not doubt yourself or anything before you. Just relax and enjoy."
As Alice nodded in nervous anticipation, June began by going in reverse order from how she woke her up, beginning by kissing her lips and moving downwards from there. This time, when she reached Alice's center the girl was awake, wet, and actively receptive as June pulled off those soft white panties with her teeth and began to explore the moist and fragrant treasure there with nose, lips, and tongue. Alice responded with a head tossed back, full throated moan and June only took this as encouragement to intensify her attentions, and from that point forward they were joined. Despite Alice's pleading, June neither let up on her nor gave her own sex to touch and taste, not until the brunette had drawn a powerful, screaming orgasm from her teenaged blonde lover. After, though, all bets were off and they indulged of one another without reservation or hesitation.
For a time, the other couple in the bed watched this amorous display held tight in one another's arms, trying not to disturb the pair as they climbed the sexual stairway to heaven together. Soon enough, they found joining and release with their fingers clenched in the hot soft and clenching wet of one another, and eventually the play spilled over to draw them all together. From there, there were no more boundaries or limitations as four bodies entwined as one, and pleasure and affection and fulfillment flowed from their joining, leaving exhausted satisfaction in it's wake. After their last peaks had come and passed, they cuddled together in blissful afterglow and drifted into sleep. Morning would come far too soon, but while the night still lasted all was right with their world.
-----
Morning did indeed come uncomfortably early for the group of mostly nocturnal women, the soft alarm chimes bringing them to reluctant wakefulness in advance of the group of servant robots who arrived to rouse, bathe, and dress them.for the day. None of them seemed to notice the state of naked, sex-scented stickiness of the four, or if they did they made no mention of or reaction to it. Perhaps it wasn't in their programming. Their briefly worn outfits of the night before were taken to be "refreshed" while they bathed, and they were given a rather delicious and invigorating juice to drink as well. When they got out of the bath, they were presented with freshly steamed and clean outfits with new fresh undergarments to wear, and then once dressed and ready they were brought back to the dining room where breakfast was served. Doom did not make an appearance at this meal, and it was less fancy but perhaps even more delicious, with eggs and polenta and ham from the night before and fresh baked biscuits. The mood was lighter than last night, with the afterglow from the night before still freshly shining in their eyes and warm in their memories, and the small talk was light and affectionate. They didn't know what they'd face today, but they felt ready for it.
After breakfast, they were escorted by both servant bots and a quartet of the huge, fearsome looking armored guard / soldier robots deep into the heart of the complex, mostly via an elevator of sorts that moved in three axis directions making it perhaps more a moving platform. They emerged in a metal reinforced stone corridor and walked through a gauntlet of guardbots into a huge chamber carved from the stone of the mountain.
Doom's laboratory.
Zatanna had performed in some auditoriums smaller than this, and it probably rivaled a basketball arena or large theater in size with at least three double height stories of vertical space and multiple levels. The massive room was braced by round towers in the corners with walkways between them, guardbots posted and a new type of servant bots, this kind without skin or clothing concealing their mechanisms working various equipment stations. A massive computer station with a monitor the size of a movie screen dominated the space, and that was where they found Doom. As they were presented to him by the guardbots, he turned and greeted them.
"Good morning, ladies. Are you ready to begin?"
Zatanna shrugged. "Would it matter if we said no?"
Doom actually chuckled at this. "Ah Zatanna, you remain feisty. So typical of those of so-called heroic bent."
He then turned back towards the monitor screen, and through a floating holographic interface brought up a set of windows. "You will be pleased to know I have perfected a solution to young Ms Alice's difficulty in a way that will not be harmful to her and will both eliminate her current problems and prevent a recurrence."
Zatanna nodded. "You mentioned a price."
Doom nodded. "A simple thing, really. If you like, we can take care of that now and get it off your mind."
Her eyes narrowed. "And what stops you then from getting what you want and then giving us nothing?"
Doom turned on her then, eyes glowing a dangerous red as he loomed over her. "The same thing that keeps me from simply coercing you by force, or ransoming your lover, or vaporizing you on the spot for your continual insults. The honor of Doom prevents it... though that protection can be revoked with sufficient provocation. I trust I make myself clear?"
Zatanna's blood ran cold, even as the others froze in near panic at the sudden danger. Still, she didn't truly back down, only nodding in reply. "Let's get on with it then."
Doom nodded, and mildly chuckled. "Spirited girl..." and then turned with a flourish of cloak back to the monitor screen and enlarged one of the windows, which was marked "COMMUNICATION PENDING". Activating that window, the program cycled through the steps of creating a video call, and when it connected showed a sight that frightened her more even than Doom had, causing her to physically back up from the screen and into June's waiting and supportive arms, even as Satanna growled out a roar of enraged shock.
It was HIM. The man --no, monster-- who'd haunted her nightmares for so long, the man she thought she'd killed. The one who came so close to killing and worse both her and her love, Satana.
Doctor Light.
"Ah, Zatanna. Doom told me he was able to secure a favor from you, but of course I sought to verify that before completing a transaction with him. Now that that is confirmed, we can proceed."
Zatanna didn't reply, only scowled and went into battle stance, summoning her sword cane, while Satana brought out her flaming dagger and growled, even as June sought desperately to calm the situation. Doom, for his part, reacted not at all.
And yet, something was wrong. He didn't look the same as she'd seen him before, something different about him. And instead of the sort of reaction she expected from him, he merely nodded and smiled to her. It even seemed genuine.
"Do not be alarmed. I am no threat to you or yours, and I require nothing from you you have not already provided." He paused, and continued. "I see you need an explanation. Allow me to enlighten you."
Neither Zatanna nor Satana relaxed their stance in the slightest, but did pause to listen with skeptical scowls. He didn't react to this, merely beginning his story instead.
"Of course you're well aware of my... other personality..." He frowned with a wrinkled nose, as if he smelled something distasteful as he mentioned it, before continuing. "I had thought after the last time I regained control it was for good, but I took no chances. When the opportunity came to dispense with the trappings of a meat body, I took it without hesitation. I am now all that I wished to be, without imperfection or human baggage. A higher, more intellectually pure form of life. But I digress."
"After the transition, I kept the original body in cold storage, suspended animation, in case I needed it again. After all, the technology of the transference and the new body were new to me, and I kept the original as a backup in case it failed. However, that plan backfired horrifically."
Zatanna growled. "What are you trying to say, Light?"
"Somehow, and I have yet to determine the cause, the body reawakened. Without my consciousness there to keep it contained, the... beast personality took the fore and went on it's typical rampage. It remained at large and evaded my attempts to recapture it until you found a way to track it down and destroy it permanently. For this, I owe you my deepest gratitude."
Zatanna blinked in shock. She could hardly believe what she was hearing, but it made sense. It explained a lot.
"You have rid the world of a monster that committed it's crimes in my name at great vexation to me. You have destroyed the demon that has haunted my existence from the earliest of my days. For this, you have my gratitude. I will provide Doom with the data he requested of me, as a favor to you, and that will serve as payment for the service he is providing to you and the young lady."
Zatanna frowned. "What data?"
Light said simply. "Oh, it is nothing to do with you. If you're curious, it's a spectral analysis of the hard light constructs utilized by the Green Lanterns. I assure you it is nothing Doom could not have researched himself, but going to me for it is more efficient than duplicating my work."
Zatanna didn't know what to say to that, and Light proceeded to hand over a set of disks to a Doombot (one could identify it as such by it's identical resemblance to Doom in his older armor), which the robot analyzed before confirming that all was in order. Doom acknowledged this, and Light spoke to her one last time.
"I know it will be difficult for you to trust me, but I do owe you much gratitude for destroying that abomination. If you have need of me, you may contact me and I will do for you what I can. Doctor Light out."
Zatanna didn't reply or speak at all, reeling from this, but she put away her weapon and slipped from June's arms to take Satana in hers. She had to actually urge Satana to sheathe her dagger and extinguish it's flames with a soft hand, but then it was all over and they drew comfort in one another's arms. Doom reacted to none of it, as if the whole interaction were none of his concern besides acquiring the data he wanted. In a way, he was right.
He addressed the entire affair with a single statement, before moving on. "That wasn't as difficult as you feared, was it? Doom is a man of his word. And now, I will pay my portion of the bargain."
He ignored the scowl of the couple as he brought up more windows in replacement of the closed communications window. They showed, among other things, a naked blonde in a tube who looked a little but not completely like Alice, floating serenely with eyes closed.
"It was no small feat to complete this clone and alter it in appropriate ways for our purposes, but Doom's unparalleled mind was up to the challenge. With it, we can exchange young Alice's consciousness into it and allow her to be free of her unwanted burden and in perfect disguise to elude her pursuers forever."
Zatanna processed this in stunned realization at the implication, but it was June who spoke up first. "Now wait just a damned minute... if she keeps the clone body, what happens to the original and it's artifacts and powers?"
They all knew the answer, but Doom confirmed it with his next words. "They will remain in my possession for safekeeping. I assume you do not have the resources or equipment required to support the needs of a mindless shell body?"
The amethyst witch scowled. "So that's your game... you help us out of the kindness of your heart, and you just happen to coincidentally get access to all the powers and trappings of the Sorcerer Supreme. How convenient."
Doom was unmoved. "I remind you, you have very little choice. I can send you home as you are, but what will you do when the pawn of Nabu and the daughter of Dormammu find you? Can you protect her? If you have another solution, take it. I will release you to pursue it. But be certain you can succeed, for it is not Doom that will bear the consequences of your refusal to accept my help."
Satana growled. "When somebody tells me it's their way or the highway, I hit the road."
Zatanna and June seemed apt to agree, but then Alice spoke up. "No! You can go if you want, but... I'm staying. I knew it would be something like this, and I don't care. Who gives a fuck which Doctor gets the stuff? I just want it gone. I didn't ask for this and I don't want it! It's done nothing but make my life hell, and if he wants to defend it against all comers, well better him than me."
Zatanna and Satana were stunned, and June looked her in the eyes. "Are you sure, Alice? We can fight Fate if we have to."
The blonde shook her head, shuddering. "No... you don't understand. I've seen things... so many things... outside our dimensional plane, stuff like out of Call of Cthulu... they want me. They show me what they're going to do to me, and they're waiting for their chance. Let Doom face those things... I can't. I just can't!"
June sighed, and hugged her tight. Satana seemed still angry, but Zatanna also sighed and relented, understanding well what horrors lurked in wait for a weak Sorcerer Supreme.
Doom stood silent waiting through their debate, and nodded when they reached their final decision.
"Very well... we may begin."
-----
For all Doom's talk of getting on with it, it seemed to take forever to finally see some action. The first steps were horrifically tedious, consisting mostly of Alice being placed in a tube where she was bathed in scanning rays with the occasional sample taken by laser biopsy. The whole time, the screen was dominated by two displays, one for the clone and one for Alice, and test results and comparison data and the like scrolled and flashed across the screen in rapid fire progression. In the meantime, the others could do nothing but stand and watch, and Doom ended up telling them they could go as the testing process could take several hours. At first they resisted, but June said they could go and she would stay and keep near Alice for emotional support. Eventually, she returned to the room as well saying that Alice had been sedated and there was nothing more she could do either. They were reassured by a video feed from the lab on the screen in the room, showing nothing different aside from that ever so slowly creeping progress bar.
When asked if she had any idea what was taking so long, June shrugged and said that Doom had mentioned something about running simulations based on various genetic tweaks, and it took computing time to crunch out each one. He'd also mentioned that it would take a top civilian supercomputer weeks or even longer to do the same calculations, so they should be thankful. June herself mentioned being thankful that Doom was being so thorough, but the waiting was torturous. Over the course of the process, lunch came and went, this time delivered to their room by the servant staff so they could keep an eye on Alice. After what seemed like a small eternity, the screen stopped it's rapid activity and showed green lights across the board, indicating successful completion. Soon enough, they were on the way back to the lab to finish this whole affair once and for all.
-----
"Welcome back ladies... you are just in time to witness the triumph of Doom."
He ignored the icy response from the three women, and continued. "It would have done little good to merely clone the girl, and have the mantle of Strange simply migrate to her again. It was necessary to adjust the girl's powers so that such a reoccurrence was impossible."
As they blinked in shock, he explained further. "In theory, it was a simple process of testing out variations to her x-gene to determine what configuration would provide the desired results, but it was necessary to test all reasonable subset variants and simulate them out to the one year mark to make certain of no unwanted side effects. Doom's computers are the best on this planet, but even they are taxed at such a task. But now, it is done and the clone has been equipped with the chosen optimal genetic configuration."
June spoke up. "And what will that mean for her powers?"
Doom gestured to the screen, which displayed a simulation video which he narrated. "As you can see, no longer will she absorb specific spellsets and sorcerous mantles from individual magic users, instead she now draws from the eldritch field as a whole and uses it to fuel a suite of basic powers that should serve her well. In fact, she might easily learn to be a competent spellcaster in her own right using that energy as her source of power, but at least initially she will have a suitable variety of powers inherent to her. This powerset will be easier for her to handle as she grows in skill and experience, and prevent problems such as this from occurring again."
At their stunned silence, he announced. "All preparations are now complete. Now watch, as Doom completes the process."
And with that, there were no more words, only action. First, he floated to the platform containing the new clone, now dry of fluid and free of tubes or restraints and wearing the dress Doom had supplied for Alice. Alice herself had been dressed in a simple blue bodysuit, which cast contrast to the red Cloak of Levitation and golden Eye of Agamatto. Staring into the clone's empty eyes, his body went stiff even as hers became animated, and rose from the ground testing the body's new powers. Forming a shield, and then a sword, and then a power bolt from the same energy that s/he levitated with, the Doom-possessed clone judged it to be satisfactory as s/he moved to Alice to repeat the process.
Zatanna softly stared, and she and June confirmed it for one another as they spoke in awe that he had actually exchanged consciousness with the clone by his own power, something none of them realized he was capable of doing. As they watched, s/he prepared to do it again. This time, it would put Alice's mind into the new clone, and Doom's mind into Alice's former body. He would possess the power of the Sorcerer Supreme directly! The implications of this made both magicians feel their blood run like ice.
But something was wrong. Instead of the quick, simple and virtually invisible process the first exchange was, this one was clearly more difficult. Both the Doom-possessed clone and Alice seemed to struggle, squirming and grunting in pained concentration, and then it happened. Alice's body was suffused by a golden glow and the Eye of Agamatto on her chest opened, casting the clone in it's blazing light. S/he screamed, and collapsed even as Doom's body reawakened with a similar roar of anguish and frustration.
"No! Doom will not be denied!" he roared, opening fire on Alice's body with gauntlet blasters that could easily vaporize main battle tanks. Despite the sound and fury, the might of those incredible weapons signified nothing as they dissipated harmlessly against the golden aura cast by the Eye like a water hose splashing against glass. Moments later, the golden glowing figure returned fire, freezing Doom in place in an imprisoning golden aura that held him securely. Even as the others reacted in shock, the being that was Alice spoke in an otherworldly voice without her mouth or lips moving at all, a reverberating echo chilling in it's inhuman nature.
"The powers of the Eye and the station of Supreme are not for the likes of Doom. You have been denied."
As the three on the ground absorbed this, and noted that Doom's security robots and other systems were as frozen as he himself was, the figure turned to address them.
"This child is also not worthy of nor ready for the power or the burden of this mantle. She will live on in the body provided by Doom, and be safe. The Eye will see to itself, in this body. And until one proves worthy, it will protect this dimension itself."
With that, it floated the clone body --Alice, now-- down to the waiting magician trio and then with a blinding flash of golden light, it disappeared. As the women reeled from the blinding flash and it's overwhelming aura of power, they realized with a sinking, desperate fear that Doom had recovered from his paralysis and was looming over them. He was furious, eyes and gauntlet emitters glowing even as he floated a foot off the ground making him even more imposing. There was suddenly no doubt in their minds that they were all about to die.
"This business is concluded. You will be taken away and out of my sight, where you will gather your things and begone. You may keep the clothing I provided you, that was a gift. You have the option of boarding the aircraft you arrived in to be returned to your home, or you may arrange other transportation, but if the latter you are warned to be out of Latveria's borders within 24 hours or be treated as hostile invaders and dealt with accordingly."
His voice was a chilling growl that brooked no argument, and before the women could even fully process what he'd said or that they would be allowed to live, they were rather roughly grabbed by the metal hands of guardbots and hurried to the exit, whereupon they were taken back to their room and all but thrown inside, with a servant bot backed by the guardbots supervising them as they gathered up their things and made ready to leave. Lacking a reliable way out of the country, it didn't take them long to decide to accept the flight back to the US and Shadowcrest, trusting that if Doom wanted them dead then they would be dead already. There was no meal or service on the tense return flight, and at landing they were unceremoniously deposited on the lawn and the ship launched away the very moment they were outside the wash of the engines.
It was over. They had faced Doom and lived to tell the tale.
-----
Epilogue
-----
"I told them the truth, basically. That Alice had been innocent, and that nothing they wanted was here anymore."
Zatanna nodded. "And?"
"They pretty much already knew. Their tracking spells went crazy when the Eye awakened in Latveria, and now they have a vague idea where she is and it isn't here. They've pretty much lost interest in us."
Zatanna softly blinked. "Us? I thought since it was all over you'd be on your way."
June smiled. "I don't know... I certainly felt like we forged ourselves a bit of a bond, and besides, you have a magic show and a pretty big house. I'm sure we could earn our keep."
Zatanna smiled, and kissed her. "Welcome to Shadowcrest."
-----
Some time later, they were greeting the new dawn with breakfast, before bed. Alice had been sleeping on and off since Latveria, so she looked adorable in her bleary-eyed, messy-haired way wearing only that long petticoat she'd gotten from Doom. All three of the others smiled on her, but June had the look in her eyes of new love dawning. They certainly made an attractive couple.
At one point, between bites, June spoke up suddenly. "What about Luna, or maybe Lady Luna?"
Satana blinked. "What about it?"
The amethyst-eyed brunette shrugged. "I'll need a stage name, won't I? Even if I never play in the superhero or villain world again. And I can't use the ones I had before."
Zatanna smiled. "Lady Luna it is. And how about you, Alice?"
The blonde shrugged. "I don't know... I wasn't really planning on changing my name, but I suppose I could think of something. Umm, maybe a rabbit theme? Like Sailor Moon? Then you could pull me out of a hat."
Zatanna laughed, and Satana grinned. "You'd look damned cute as a bunnygirl."
June agreed, and hugged the blonde tight, before suddenly blinking, tapping at something hard under her improvised nightshirt. "What's this?"
Alice blushed, biting her lip, and pulled out a rather large and impressive looking dagger from under her clothes where it had been concealed. "Umm, I stole it from the castle... I guess you could call it the Dagger of Doom."
The three blinked in shock, and Zatanna asked first. "The Dagger of Doom?!"
The blonde nodded. "Yeah... don't worry, he won't be after it. It's just a wall decoration, from in our room. I read it's past... it's a manufactured blade, same alloy as his armored robot weapons so it's tough as nails but just a mass produced piece of fluff to him. I was thinking of making a focus out of it, and a self-defense weapon."
The three absorbed this, and again it was Zatanna who spoke. "Then why the name? Dagger of Doom sounds pretty important for just something you pulled off a wall plaque."
Alice shrugged and grinned. "It's true though, it's a dagger, it was in Doom's castle, he owned it, so it's the Dagger of Doom."
June chuckled and asked softly. "So by that logic, does that make everything there the x of Doom?"
Alice pondered that, and nodded. "Yep, I'd say so."
Zatanna chuckled. "So we slept in the Bed of Doom?"
June grinned. "We had sex in the Bed of Doom, dear, don't forget."
Satanna got into the spirit of the joke as well. "We had dinner... with DOOM!"
Alice nodded. "I spread butter on my muffin with the Breadknife... of DOOM!"
The others laughed, and she added another. "Right above the dagger plaque, I witnessed the Tapestry of Doom!"
Zatanna grinned. "And we slept beneath the Chandelier... of DOOM!"
The four continued to name the most silly and mundane sounding items they could think of and adding the words "...of DOOM!" to them in an ominous chorus, letting loose the fear and tension of the whole affair with healthy laughter.
It was Satanna though who topped them all, when she observed. "I took a piss in the Toilet..."
The others chimed in. "...of DOOM!"
As the new morning's sun broke through the trees and illuminated the laughing four in it's golden glow, it felt like the final scene of a horror movie, the new dawn's light bringing safety and closure to the survivors. The worst was over, and they'd survived. The danger was finished.
At least, as long as you didn't watch the stinger scene after the credits.
In that, the camera would pan through the halls of Shadowcrest and onto a normal looking golem servant girl, an adorable sexy maid type, settling onto the eyes which for a moment flashed an eerie green glow as laughter echoed.
The chilling laugh of DOOM.
-----
The End...?
-----