The Dangers of Daring Officer Dolly

Chapter 27. "Uncertain Paths"

by Skytower

'If I had a dollar for every time…'

Mary came awake slowly and the phrase ran through her mind. It ran through her mind most times after she had been knocked out. In her room at Rothschild's Mansion, the home of Earth Force, Mary had a mason jar half full of silver dollars. One for every time she had been knocked out, stunned or otherwise rendered unconscious. Mary swore that when it was full she was going to retire.

But it's not full yet, Mary thought as she opened her eyes. She was in the infirmary. It was a large open room, the former conservatory of Rothschild mansion. It featured a bay window that looked out over the Atlantic Ocean. When they had been setting up the mansion as a new headquarters Lucy had decided that anyone convalescing should have something to look at besides the television.

"How do you feel?" Esmerelda asked.

Mary opened her eyes and looked around. There were five other beds in the room and they each had an occupant. The Savage, Miss Shadow, Granite Girl and Moon Girl. All of them were bandaged in someway and all of them were unconscious.

"What happened?" Mary asked sitting up. At least she was still wearing her clothes.

"There was an argument between Earth Force and Force Group J." The Young Ancient said. He was standing behind Esmerelda, his usually calm face marred slightly by a bandaged head. "Over the pursuit of the fighter from Dollopolis. It got violent when the fighter blew up."

"How many of theirs are in the hospital?" Mary said sitting up.

"About the same as ours." Yoran said with a note of grim humor. As the Young Ancient he was a sorcerer of immense magical knowledge, but as plain Yoran he allowed himself to joke occasionally. "I believe that the Dark Dragon the Bookie was the only true winner, he has been betting that Earth Force would win and in truth we came out a little ahead of the game. Considering the number of people who bet against us the odds-makers in Las Vegas are quite happy with us."

"It was televised wasn't it." Mary asked.

"MNN was there almost as soon as we were." Yoran said.

"Damn!" Mary swore. MNN was the Metahuman News Network, it had shown up two years before and the kind of attention it focused on the superhero crowd was the same as the National Enquirer focused on Hollywood stars. It was twelve hours a day seven days a week of gossip, sleaze and more sleaze. The breakup of Force Group J and the release of the E.I.A. Black Files had been a bonanza for the network.

"The trace we were running was a cell phone in the pilots seat of a model of a Star Wars X-wing. It led us and Force Group J and an E.I.A. jet on a merry chase before it self destructed. After that the two Miss Shadow's got into an argument and the rest of us joined it."

"Those two." Merry swore standing up. Thankfully the stun beam had no after effects and she felt fine.

"The security system was down but I managed to get a look at the ship that left here." Esmerelda said. "It was another Star War's fighter."

"They have advanced technology, why the hell are they flying around in toys?" Mary said. She headed for the door and they followed her.

"That is a mystery we may never solve." Yoran said. "Abigail was our last link to Dollopolis."

"And Mystery Woman." Esmerelda said.

"And Lucy and Prudence." Mary swore. "Damnit to hell! I get that they don't have any reason to trust us, I get that they don't like us, I got that when she broke my arm, but these people are paranoid! Where did they come from?"

"More importantly where are they now." Yoran said. "For while I can not find Dollopolis my divinations tell me that they will know where to find Prudence."

"And if we find Prudence we find Lucy." Mary said. She stopped. She had led them through the mansion to Lucy's room. The room was a corner room and had windows facing the sea and the road. Immaculately neat the room held a bed, a dresser, a book shelf, two cribs and a small altar. On the altar was a statue of the Greek goddess Athena. On the dresser were family photos. Lucy's wedding to Stephen, Stephen and Lucy and Prudence at his first election win… Looking at them tore at Mary's heart. Lucy had loved the man, and he had seemed so solid. Just like her. But his betrayal, his insanity had torn her apart inside. It was so like Lucy to keep the photos. So like her to remind herself of her mistakes.

"She knows." Mary said looking at the statue. She didn't go in the room but stayed in the doorway. You almost never went into Lucy's room without asking first. "She must have told Lucy where Prudence is, nothing else would have gotten her out of here."

"She only told me to take care of the children." Esmerelda said. "She left enough of her breast milk for a few days. But I fear for her Mary, she knows that I can give the children my own milk, and she did not look as if she expected to return."

"She prayed and she received an answer." Yoran said. "But she has not been forgiven by Athena."

"If she even attempted to go near the temple the sky would grow dark." Esmerelda said. "Even to prey at the statue here was dangerous. I would see her pray every morning and be stricken with a headache or some other sickness. Athena will not forgive her."

"So she's out there without any chance of her powers." Mary said letting the worry show in her voice. Lucy Rothschild only could become the super powered Goddess of Justice if she had the blessing of Athena. "But maybe Athena will talk to me."

"No." Yoran said putting a hand on her shoulder. "Only Lucy was chosen of Athena, if you attempt to talk to the goddess she will either not answer you or curse you depending upon her mood. And her mood as you know has been sour of late."

"Yea you're right." Mary said. She slammed her fist softly against the door frame. "I'm never good with gods anyway."

"I think the Obrien's and Abigail will be back from Dollopolis." Emserelda said. "They will talk to us."

"It might be too late." Mary said. She turned to Yoran. "You got any spell that can put me in touch with a goddess?"

"Athena will not hear you."

"Someone else might."

It was after sunset before Yoran was ready. They were on the roof of the mansion. Mary had stood patiently while had drawn a circle around her with a white powder. Then with more powder he had drawn an intricate design within the circle. The magical powder didn't blow away in the constant sea breeze but that same breeze chilled Mary. She used her own powers to form a mild shield around her body but still the chill got through. She was fully in her Ms. Dream persona now. If anyone looked at Mary they would see a woman whose face mirrored their fondest wishes and whose body an ever-shifting rainbow mist hid. Mary didn't think it would impress Ida at all, but there was no harm in it. Behind the illusion she wore a pair of comfortable slacks and a plaid workshirt. And over them she wore the micro-circuited cloak that upped her powers.

"Are you sure about this?" Esmerelda asked.

"There's nothing left to try." Mary said. "Athena's in a bad mood, Ida might not be. Right now Lucy's out there without her powers and Prudence barely knows how to use hers. We might as well serve them up hog-tied with an apple in their mouths to the first supervillain who stumbles into them. They need help and to help them we have to find them."

"I'm ready." Yoran said. "This will take you to Ida if she is acceptable, if not nothing will happen but some smoke and fire."

"Keep things together for me Yoran." Mary said. "You're in charge till I get back."

Yoran nodded and then with a twist of his wrist a lit match appeared in his hand. He tossed it onto the powder and there was an explosion of light and smoke and sound. Mary's ears popped as the dimensional vortex swallowed her.

Abigail Addams woke up slowly but without pain. Her first thoughts were clear.

Man, this makes five times in five days I've been knocked out. I wonder if it's just hanging around with superheroes? Hey, I'm naked but I'm not tied up? How come I'm not tied up? If they knocked me out they should at least tie me up. Daisy should have told them I don't mind being tied up.

Abigail opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a round room with a high vaulted ceiling. The bed she was in was round and comfortable. Sitting on a large Victorian chair beside the bed was a dozing Daisy in a white robe. Abigail ran her hands over the sheet that covered her. The threads were normal size and so was the weave of the fabric. It was a brilliant blue with white clouds.

Silently Abigail sat up. The room was done in an early 19^th century style. There was a writing desk by one of the windows and across from her was a vanity dresser with drawers. Two doors, one half-open and leading to a bathroom and the other closed were at three and six o'clock from the bed. The walls were a deep blue and the ceiling plain white. Against one wall was a floor to ceiling mirror. But next to the mirror, leaning against it, was a watch. The watch was an old-fashioned pocket watch, it was open but the hands weren't moving. But the size of it was stunning. It was at least two feet around.

Wait a minute I'm small again! Abigail thought, and with that realization came a host of pleasant and unpleasant memories. Abigail put them aside and stood up. In the mirror she could see herself and was grateful that everything had been shrunk in proportion. She stood shorter than Daisy; Abigail guessed her height at eleven inches. Her heavy breasts still hung a bit lower than she would have liked, but then her hips were still too wide to. She wished they could have chopped off a few pounds when they had shrunk her. Her face was still the round, somewhat chubby face with wide eyes and brown hair that drew boy and girl friends too her.

"How come they didn’t tie me up?" Abigail asked in almost a whisper.

"Because you are not here as a prisoner."

The voice was calm and had a hint of an English accent. Abigail whirled around reaching for a blanket to cover herself and saw that a woman had come into the room. Abigail's mouth dropped open as she looked at the woman. She was twice as tall as Abigail was. She was wearing a gold V-neck gown with a silver belt and on her head was a diamond tiara.

"Abby?" Daisy asked jerking her head up as she woke up.

"I'm here Daisy." Abigail said going to her cousin and trying to keep the blanket around her body at the same time. She failed and stumbled onto the bed.

"I trust you're feeling no effects from being brought here." The woman said walking over to them.

"Why'd you knock me out?" Abigail asked struggling with the sheets.

"I didn't." The woman said. "My First Knight did. You were in the room with Ms. Dream, a person we do not trust."

"You’re the duchess?" Abigail asked.

"Since you are not my subjects I think Simone will do." Simone said. "Considering what we will be doing together standing on formality seems silly."

"Oh yea, that." Abigail said.

"Having second thoughts?" Simone asked.

"No." Abigail said quickly. She looked around. "I'm just trying to get my bearings."

"I understand." Simone said. "Daisy can fill you in, then you can both join me for lunch."

"Where's Brent?" Abigail asked suddenly remembering him.

"He's helping with some home repairs." Simone said. "Daisy didn't want him to see you naked."

"Oh yea!" Abigail said remembering her nudity. "He freaks if I skinny-dip."

"You can use one of the small robes in my dresser if you wish." Simone said. "I'll leave you now."

She left the room with practiced grace and Abigail stayed silent until the door was closed.

"What the hell have you gotten into?" Abigail demanded.

Dimensional travel was very much like going from an air conditioned building into a blazing hot sun and then back into the air conditioned building. It wasn't lethal but it wasn't pleasant. Mary had done it before many times and never enjoyed it. And this time was worse because this time she had no idea where she would end up, or even if she would get there at all. Force Group J had encountered a few of the old gods, or beings that claimed to be the old gods. To a man or woman they were ill tempered, powerful and deadly. They also tended to live in places that were patterned after Dante's Inferno.

So Mary was pleasantly surprised when reality formed around her as an apple orchard. It was the morning of a fine spring day. The sun was shining and the air was fresh with the smell of the apple blossoms. Mary was standing at the edge of a clearing. She could see a small cottage and beside it an even smaller cottage. Mary blinked as her mind cleared. The cottage next to the larger cottage was a doll house. It had a round door, two round windows and a small chimney with smoke coming from it. As she watched the door opened and a woman came out. She was a skinny woman wearing a dun-colored sleeveless shirt and a short black skirt. The woman's black hair was done in a ponytail and that ran to her knees.

"Sandy?" Mary said the word silently and she wasn't heard. But it was Sandy even if she barely stood past Mary's knees. Mary would never forget the woman.

Mary watched as Sandy walked over to a small patch of ground, took up a small shovel and began to dig. For a few minutes Mary watched as Sandy dug up the soil. The woman was barefoot but she had no trouble driving the shovel into the soil. About thirty feet of dirt stretching out from her house was roped off.

Mary walked over to the house. Stepping over the rope she walked over the ground and found it was hard packed. Not the sort of ground you could easily turn over. Conflicting emotions churned in her. Sandy was the greatest traitor that Force Group J or the Earth Intelligence Agency had ever known. She had also been Lucy's best friend. They had shared a bond that Mary had often envied. But Sandy had slept with Stephen, had Prudence raped and nearly murdered. Anger charged to the forefront of Mary's mind.

"This is what you get for being a traitor?" Mary demanded after she walked to the edge of the garden. "Just this?"

Sandy's head had snapped up at her voice and now the tiny woman favored her with a cynical smile.

"Hey Mary." She said. "You dead too?"

"A gardener?" Mary whispered bending down. "A damn gardener?"

Sandy laughed and shrugged.

"I dance too." She said. "I plant all day and I dance all night and the next day I have to plant again. Ida says nothing'll grow until I feel sorry for what I did. Funny, being dead I don’t sleep anymore either. Do you sleep?"

"So it's just that?" Mary asked feeling the anger grow within her.

"Hey I thought I'd have paradise." Sandy said.

"You should be in hell." Mary swore.

Sandy shrugged.

"How is everyone? I heard that Lucy was on the outs with Athena, she still mad about me and Stephen?"

"You…"

Mary's arm shot out and she grabbed Sandy, pinning her arms to her side.

"Hey let off bitch!" Sandy shouted. She kicked her legs but her struggles were useless.

"Do you know the hell you put Lucy through!" Mary shouted.

"Yea and I'd do it again!" Sandy shouted back. "Just because you want into her pants doesn't mean some of us…"

"SHUT UP!" Mary shouted. Her hand came up and spanked Sandy.

"Hey!" Sandy screamed.

"Shut up." Mary said again.

She started to repeat the words as she spanked Sandy again and again. Sandy screamed and kicked her legs but that only succeeded and loosening her skirt. Mary tore it off of her and held the tiny woman with one hand while she spanked her with the other. Mary spanked Sandy with the intensity of pent up rage and frustration. After a few minutes Sandy stopped shouting and started crying.

"Stop! Stop please! All right I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Sandy shouted.

Mary ignored her until a shadow blocked out the sun. Shaken out of her rage Mary looked up to see a giant woman with medium length red hair and a strong handsome face. The woman reached for Mary and seemed to grow at the same time. Too late Mary tried to react, but Ida caught her in an iron grip. As Mary had done to Sandy Ida did to Mary. Her fingers closed around Mary's body, pinning her arms to her side. Mary dropped Sandy who lay in the dirt sobbing.

"How dare you presume to punish one of mine!" Ida hissed.

"One of… Hey!" Mary shouted interrupting herself. Ida had grabbed her sneakers and tugged them off of her feet. Then her socks and then she tugged Mary's jeans off of her. Then she tore Mary's panties off of her.

Mary knew what was coming but there was no way to fight back. Her mental powers were useless against a goddess.

SPANK!

Mary screamed as the first spank hit and then kept screaming as Ida kept spanking her. As Sandy had done Mary kicked her legs and like Sandy she found it futile to do so. Again and again the goddess palm hit Mary's bottom until, like Sandy, Mary was reduced to sobs. Ida changed size, shrinking a little and Mary found herself bent over the goddess's knees. Ida still held Mary's arms in a tight grip and again she started to spank. The spanking was worse this time. Ida used her fingers and then the palm of her hand and held Mary firmly over her knees.

Just when Mary thought the spanking would go on forever it stopped. Ida let her fall to the ground and in the blink of an eye was standing above Mary. She was no longer a giant but there was still a hard look in her eye. She reached down and took Mary's cloak off of her. Mary felt a mental snap as her powers were halved.

"You may apologize to me now." Ida said.

The sarcastic retort that Mary would have made was drowned out of her mind by the ringing pain from her butte.

"I'm sorry goddess." Mary said a little breathlessly. "I'm sorry."

"Now you may apologize to Sandy."

This time it took the pain from Mary's butte and a large amount of self control to hold back her sarcasm. She looked over at Sandy. Sandy lay on her stomach in the dirt, still crying. Her face was dirty and her body trembled.

"I'm sorry." Mary said.

"When you have composed yourself join me." Ida said. "Sandy, you have planting to finish."

"Yes mistress." Sandy said meekly. She climbed slowly to her knees and took hold of her skirt.

This isn't starting well, Mary thought as she found her jeans. She managed to find one of her socks but saw that the other sock and her sneakers were being carried off into the brush by a pair of rabbits. Sighing Mary didn’t bother trying to catch them.

"AH!" Mary gasped as the harsh fabric of her jeans hit her still sensitive ass. She looked around for her panties and saw a small girl-elf vanish with them into a hollow log.

"Ah hell!" Mary swore. Hoping that Ida wouldn't be offended Mary held her jeans in front of her as she walked to the front of the larger cottage. As long as she didn't turn around Mary could keep her modesty intact.

"This is really freaky." Abigail said. "I mean I've been through some freaky stuff, but this is so freaky even freaky doesn't work, this is like Ultra Freaky!"

They were sitting at the table in the throne room. Brent, Daisy and Abigail sat across from Simone. Daisy thought that Simone was ready to laugh but was too polite to do so.

"By your standards it is unusual." Simone said. "However it is the only solution we have."

"But this is like Valley of the Ultra-freaks!" Abigail said with her mouth half full.

"Not that she's calling you freaks!" Daisy said quickly.

"No." Abigail agreed. She took a gulp from her cup. "But you are sort of freaky being small and everything."

Daisy had never wished for a gag more in her life, and she knew Abigail had a drawfull of them at home. This was what she had been afraid off. There was no circuit breaker between Abigail's brain and her mouth, what she thought and what she said were the same, no matter if it was the wrong thing to say. Simone however seemed to find Abigail amusing. Daisy hoped that would last.

"Once you get the kid in me… what then?" Abigail asked.

"That presents a problem." Simone said. "While you are pregnant you must maintain your normal size. You can not remain in Dollopolis, so you must be allowed to live in the house where we have hidden Dollopolis." Simone paused for a moment and then went on. "There will be restrictions."

"So I'm like a prisoner?" Abigail asked.

"Not completely." Simone said. "Though my First Knight suggested a dungeon or cell could be built. I rejected that, it is uncivilized and you have not shown any ill-intent toward us. You will be allowed much of the house and some of the grounds, during most days, but not at night."

"Why not?" Daisy asked.

"Stars." Simone said. "During the day she will see nothing but the flora and fauna of the land. That will allow anyone to localize the position of the house to a general area. That is not really a concern. She will see the house itself, which might be traced. My first knight has been working on that, hiding features that may be distinctive, but one look at the night sky will tell any astronomer where we are. I have changed the night sky above the duchy for the same reason."

"I don't think I'd remember." Abigail said.

"It would be in your mind." Simone said. "Easy prey for Ms. Dream, Miss Shadow or the other telepaths of this world."

"They really, really need to talk to you you know." Abigail said.

"I do not wish to talk to them." Simone said coldly.

Daisy put her hand on Abigail's arm and squeezed slightly. Simone had been furious about the trace and being kept on the line. This wasn't a time to push things.

"What'll I do?" Abigail asked. "I mean aside from being pregnant?"

"The house has a library, a collection of films and music." Simone said. "As well as a small area for you to exercise."

"No cable? Satellite? Internet? Play Station? X-box?"

"No." Simone said.

"It's only for a few weeks." Daisy said.

"I guess." Abigail shrugged.

"Can she come and visit us?" Brent asked.

"Actually you will be with her." Simone said. "I've made arrangements for one of the houses to be put into the same room."

"One of those houses?" Abigail asked pointing in the general direction of the outside of the castle.

"Yes." Simone said.

"Freaky." Abigail said. "So… Like Brent and Daisy will be like… small?"

"Yes, the same size you are now."

"And I'll be… like a giant?"

Abigail's face lit up and Daisy's heart skipped a beat. She saw the same look of concern on Brent's face.

"You won't just leave us alone?" Daisy asked.

"No, I'll be around, as will my First Knight." Simone said.

Daisy relaxed. She loved and trusted her cousin, but Abigail could get carried away with things sometimes. She was also more liberated sexually than Brent or Daisy ever wanted to be, and the thought of being totally in her power was frightening.

"At least when I have the time." Simone added, and if there was a smile in her eyes that didn't make Daisy feel any better at all.

"So how does it all work?" Abigail said.

"The ritual is complex." Simone said. "But it will be made easier if we can regain the Temple of Life."

"Regain?" Brent asked.

"When I pushed Dollopolis through the portal I not only lost my people I lost some of the land." Simone said. "I was fortunate not to have lost my life. Since then I have been working on rebuilding and regaining. The Temple of Life, the Library of Eelybrik, the Armory of Blood, these have yet to be found."

"How do you do something like that?" Daisy asked.

"My First Knight scours the dimensional limbo and when she finds the building brings it back. I'm afraid I do not wish to tell you how, such knowledge is dangerous."

Abigail was going to say something but Daisy squeezed her arm again. At this rate she might have to break it. They had only had an hour before Lizzie showed up and invited them to lunch. A very short hour to try and tell Abigail not to push too hard. Simone had been absolutely furious at the second trace and the loss of another fighter. She had stomped out of the castle and it was left to Lizzie and Jessie to tell them that Merry was returning to Dollopolis with Abigail.

"Can we still do this without the temple?" Daisy asked.

"Yes, but it will be more difficult."

"How's it gonna work?" Abigail said. "No one has to reach between my legs do they?"

Brent turned red and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Daisy again wished she had a gag. Simone seemed to take the question in stride.

"It won't be that crudely invasive." Simone said. "But you will have to be shaved so that the runes will be smoothly put onto your body."

"Shaved? My cunt!" Abigail exclaimed.

"Yes." Simone said. "Will that be a problem?"

"Well hell yea, I've never done it before!"

"You told us you did everything." Brent said.

"Everything but that!"

"You won't be doing it to yourself." Simone said. "Either I or my First Night will."

"You will!" Abigail practically shouted and Daisy almost lost her grip on her cousin's arm.

"Abby…" Daisy started.

"Why does my pussy have to be shaved?" Abigail demanded.

"Because we have to write stuff there and the hair gets in the way."

Daisy shuddered at the voice as Merry walked into the throne room. The First Knight scared her, there was no getting around it, and she seemed to always walk into a room at the wrong time. Merry was wearing an orange jumpsuit and carrying a diamond-like helmet.

"The runes have to inscribed on your body with magical ink." Merry said coldly. "They have to be inscribed carefully, one word misspelled and you could wake up with a demon in your belly!"

"A demon!" Abigail shouted.

"Merry." Simone said warningly. "That is only a legend."

"A demon?" Abigail repeated.

"It is not only your pubic hair." Simone said. "It will actually be all of your body hair below the neck. I'm afraid it has to be done in a way that you will not be able to do yourself."

"If you still want to do it." Merry challenged.

Abigail swallowed hard but tried to match the look on Merry's face.

"I'm game." She said.

"Good." Simone said.

"I found it." Merry said. "Intact and I've put it back."

"Perfect." Simone said. "Well done."

"I nearly lost the ship doing it, there was a Wanarek near the temple."

"We will never be free of them will we." Simone said.

"What's a wanarek?" Abigail asked.

"A left over weapon from the war that destroyed my world." Simone said. "Deadly but not too bright."

"The temple might need some cleaning." Merry said. "I sent Jessie and Lizzie up to give it a good sweep."

"When…" They all looked at her and Abigail trailed off for a moment, but then started to speak again. "When you say 'inscribed', your not talking tattoos are you?"

"No." Simone said. "Only magical ink, painted onto your skin and Daisy's skin."

"So she's gonna be shaved too? Who'll do that?"

"Daisy does not have to be shaved." Simone said before Daisy said anything. "Only you." Abigail opened her mouth to speak but Simone kept going. "Because you are the one receiving the child."

"Oh." Abigail said.

"Abigail this is Merry, my First Knight."

"You're Mystery Woman?" Abigail demanded looking at Merry with newly wide eyes.

"That's what they called me." Merry said and Daisy could easily hear the warning in her voice. Abigail of course did not.

"They need to talk to you."

"No they don't." Merry said.

"But…"

"Let's go see the temple shall we?" Simone said standing up.

"Good idea." Daisy said gripping Abigail's arm tightly.

"Owe, hey!"

"Let's go see the temple." Daisy said with enough of an edge in her voice to get through to her cousin.

"Ok, temple." Abigail said.

Daisy let go of her arm and Abigail rubbed it and gave her cousin a hurt look. Daisy ignored it.

Ida was seated on a chair by a small table when Mary walked over to her. Mary walked carefully; her butte was going to sting for a long time. On the chair neatly folded was her cloak.

"I would invite you to sit but I don't wish to punish you anymore." Ida said.

"Thanks." Mary said looking up at her. Ida was at least twenty feet tall. Mary felt the size difference acutely. She was holding her pants awkwardly in front of her like some child sent to the principle's office. Ida had changed into a green dress with full sleeves and a low neckline. The dress showed off her full figure and set off her long red hair and the hair set of her blue eyes.

"It has been a very long time since any performed the spell to bring them to me." Ida said. "I was curious so I allowed you to come."

"Thank you." Mary said.

"You want something from me." Ida said. "And though I find any request bad-mannered of you, since you have never prayed or done service to me in any way, I will consider it, since you are known to me."

"You're right." Mary admitted. "I've got nothing here but me. I need your help. I didn't come off too good just then, but I'm asking anyway."

"Honesty." Ida said. "What do you seek?"

"Mystery Woman." Mary said. "She's the key, I know it. Prudence is missing, probably captured by ICE, Lucy went after her after she talked to Athena, she could be in more trouble than Prudence. I know that Mystery Woman's the key, she knows where Prudence is and if I'm right Lucy's close by."

"How do you know Mystery Woman is the key?" Ida asked.

"I'm psychic." Mary said. "I can read minds, I can travel through dreams, with a little help I can pull puzzles together. I can't say exactly how I know, but I've known since Lucy left that Mystery Woman is the key to getting her and Prudence back safely."

"And the safety of Mystery Woman and Dollopolis?" Ida asked. "Are these to be ignored?"

"I'm not trying to hurt them!" Mary snapped. "They aren't the enemy!"

"They have never been your enemy. But to save your friends you would sacrifice them?"

"No!"

"Yet only last night you led enemies too them."

"We weren't tracing the call." Mary said. "There are bugs all over the mansion, we didn't know they were there!"

"That I will grant you. Yet by merely being in contact with them in the past you have put Mystery Woman's life and soul in danger, and only after she broke your arm did you stop trying to read her mind."

Mary sighed.

"Yea, I know, I was a bitch, I'm sorry ok? Look Lucy's been through ten kinds of hell since then, Prudence is all she's got left! She's out there without her powers, without Athena…"

"Athena did not abandon her." Ida said calmly. "Lucy abandoned the principles that she swore to live by and Athena has sent her on a quest of redemption to rediscover those principles. Ironically Mary you and Lucy share the same quest. She must find Mystery Woman and beg her forgiveness if she is ever to regain the title of Goddess of Justice."

"Lucy could care less about that, she just wants Prudence back."

"She cares." Ida said. "For her actions on that day shamed her in front of her daughter, and there has been tension there even as they have clung to each other during the evil of her husband."

"Have you been watching them?" Mary asked.

"No, I have."

The voice was sweet and powerful at the same time. Mary looked over to her right and saw a woman emerge from thin air. She was tall and broadly built, wearing a white robe that clung to her body. Her golden brown hair curled around her head and hung past her shoulders.

"Greetings sister." Ida said rising.

"Greetings sister." Athena said walking over to her. They hugged and shared an open mouthed kiss that made Mary blush.

Sisters, she thought?

A chair appeared beside Ida and Athena settled into it.

"I wondered at first why you called." Athena said looking at Mary.

"There is more than just her. Your experiment has born fruit and the shift that is coming is a great one."

"The shift that may be coming." Athena corrected her.

"She is here." Ida said nodding at Mary. "She could not be here without the change that you started."

"My project was modest in scope." Athena said. "But the mortals alliance with the Nephilim did not go un-noticed, nor did it escape anyone's notice of how Asguard was saved."

"Many have come not just to see her dance." Ida agreed.

"We shall deal with this later." Athena said.

"Yes." Ida agreed.

"I have not abandoned my champion Mary." Athena said turning to Mary. "But when she abandoned the principles I taught her Lucy abandoned me."

"She's sorry!" Mary said grateful that they were talking to her. "She's been saying she's sorry for months now!"

"But I am not the one she must apologize to." Athena said. "I know in her heart the regret is sincere, I know that the lesson was learned. But I was not the only one wronged."

"How can she say she's sorry if she can't find the bitch!" Mary shouted exasperated beyond all control. She started to wave her hands, lost her grip on her jeans and hastily grabbed them again before they fell. "They hide better leprechauns!"

"Redemption is never an easy path to follow." Athena said, completely unmoved by her anger. "Lucy will find Mystery Woman, she will apologize. That is a fact that I have decreed. Having pointed her toward the beginning of that path I can offer her no more assistance."

"She's got no powers." Mary protested. "She's aging, she'll die."

"She is more resourceful than you know." Athena said. "She has been without her powers before. Beaten, raped, humiliated, always she rises to face and overcome the challenge."

"What about Prudence?" Mary said.

"She is not mine." Athena said.

"She is mine." Ida said. "But I would ask your guidance on this sister. Truly Mary's need for redemption is as high as Lucy's."

"But she is not yours, you can not set her that task." Athena replied.

"She came to me." Ida said. "She seeks my help."

Athena looked thoughtfully at Mary for a few minutes. Then she turned to Ida.

"The mortals seek us out. It is time." She said simply.

Ida nodded.

"I believe we are ready. The others sense it."

"This may prove it all, if we hold true and it turns out well." For a moment Athena looked hopeful. Then her face fell slightly. "Or she could fail and all our work will be un-done. They will know what happening and they will work to oppose us. If she fails…"

Ida shook her head.

"I know mine as you know yours. She has made the strides I knew she would. She will choose life."

"Then our reign will begin anew." Athena said. "Let us hope this time we are worthy of it."

"Um…" Mary raised her hand. She suddenly felt left out of the conversation. "Hello? Desperate heroine here? I'm not sure what you're talking about, I don't really care. I need to find Mystery Woman. Will you please help me?"

A long stick-pen and a scroll appeared on the table in front of Ida and she started to write.

"I will send you to Dollopolis itself Mary." Ida said. "By my word you will have safe conduct in and out of the city. But it will fall to Duchess Simone and Mystery Woman to help you or not. For this service I do you, you will do two things for me. First you will accept this rule of travel, that Mystery Woman must forgive you for what you tried to do to her, and until she does so you will not have use of your powers. Second when this is over, I will call you and Lucy here, and you will sit and talk with Sandy for a day and dance with her for a night."

"That's it?" Mary asked.

"Did you think I would ask for your soul?" Ida said and Athena laughed.

"To be honest I didn't know what I'd get here." Mary said.

"A spanking I'm sure was not expected." Ida said. "But I do not think it will be your last. I will add one more condition to my safe conduct, that you accept with grace any punishment that the Duchess Simone deems appropriate for what you did to her First Knight."

She rolled the scroll up and held it for a moment. A band of solid iron appeared at each end. Ida released the scroll and it floated over to Mary. At the same time Mary's cloak appeared around her shoulders.

"Any punishment?" Mary asked, not reaching for the scroll.

"Any punishment." Ida confirmed. "Or if you do not accept I will sent you back to Lucy's Mansion."

This is why I don't like gods, Mary thought but she was careful not to think it too loudly.

"Ah what the hell." Mary said taking hold of the scroll that shrunk as she reached for it. "How mad can they be?"

"That you will soon discover." Athena said as Mary took hold of the scroll.

Neither of them did anything but Mary felt the dimensional vortex open up and swallow her.

How many people can I be? Merry wondered that as she followed Simone and Daisy up the hill. Brent and Abigail trailed behind them. I'm a cop, I was The Group's field operative, now I'm the First Knight of Dollopolis. What's next? Who's next? Will I have to be Mystery Woman again? Which me is real?

The question had no answer but it ran like a stuck tape in the back of her mind. She was careful not to let her doubts show on her face. She kept the hard, blank stare that was so useful on patrol. It was the stare that kept criminals in line, or at least cautious. Merry set her lips in a tight line and relaxed the rest of the muscles in her face. The effect was almost like a mask, not a real face. It scared Daisy, but then Daisy believed Merry had been torturing someone. Merry wasn't at all comfortable with what Daisy thought of her.

Merry wished that she could be like Simone. The woman had assumed her roll as Duchess with an ease that amazed Merry. She was frank when she had to be and evasive when she had to be, but she did both with an honesty that was dishonest but sounded honest anyway. Merry wondered if it was the power Simone had over her own size. Merry could only grown and shrink when The Group wished it. Simone could control her own height and she used that power to her advantage. Now was a perfect example. At twenty four inches tall Simone easily outpaced them all as they walked up the mountain. She did it easily, naturally and none of the strangers would have guessed that Simone hadn't had that power all of her life. The outfit she was wearing, a gold V-neck gown with the silver belt and the diamond tiara made her look too regal to be questioned. The thought struck Merry that she could wear a similar outfit. She could order Lizzie and Jessie to make one in her size.

I'm not a queen, Merry told herself. The stuff they give me is good enough. Simone'd laugh if she saw me in that thing.

"There it is." Simone said as they came over the top of the hill. "The Temple of Healing."

It was impressive. Even though Merry had seen it already, even though she had seen Molly and Tremont put it there, it was impressive. They had set the Temple on the top of the ridgeline of the mountains that formed the outer edge of Dolloplis. The temple was a diamond pointed toward the sky. Four glowing columns of glass held it up. The four columns glowed from within, alternating blue, green, red and yellow. The temple was not large, but it dominated the skyline.

"Is that a real diamond?" Daisy asked coming up beside her.

"Yes." Simone said. "My ancestor fashioned the temple a long time ago. Inside are four healing chambers. Daisy will go into one, Abigail will go into the other and I will cast the spell. By sunrise it should be done."

Meaning the surgery would be done. Merry knew that the healing chambers were coffin-like boxes that would knock out Diasy and Abigail and deliver them to The Group.

This is like being a magician's assistant, Merry thought. I'm the scantily clad girl there to distract everyone while the magician does the trick.

"It is beautiful." Daisy said. She was a little winded from the climb and leaned on Simone.

"It's all set milady." Jessie said calling as she came down the hill. Lizzie was right behind her.

"It'll never be cleaner." Lizzie called.

That was about as close to the truth as Merry guessed they would ever come. The place was brand new; of course it was clean. Of course the girls would have done a better job cleaning it than Molly or Tremont simply because they were the right scale for it. They both looked happy with the lie, but then they were used to lying.

Stop that, Merry told herself sternly. These aren't the two girls who raped you. Goddess Merry get over it, you'll really slip too far into this 'First Knight' stuff if you don't.

"What's over the mountains?" Abigail asked coming up beside Daisy and Simone. She was panting from the walk and Merry realized that Abigail was in terrible shape.

"Nothing." Simone said.

"Nothing?" Abigail asked dropping to her knees.

"Well you can go an see for yourself." Simone said kneeling down to her. "But if you fall over the edge I'm afraid you won't survive. To people of your height it is a long way down."

"Oh." Abigail said.

"Your cousin asks a lot of questions." Merry said to Brent. He was standing beside her looking at the temple. Merry noticed that he was slightly winded too. She wondered if Simone had walked fast intentionally.

"Yes she does." Brent agreed calmly.

Merry was sure that he had heard the edge in her voice. Hopefully he could reign in Abigail's curiosity.

Paranoia rules, Merry thought.

She took a few steps back and looked at the scene. On the surface it was calm but Merry felt that something was wrong. Lizzie and Jessie were standing next to Simone. They both had on the same short black skirts and black blouses with puffed out sleeves. Slightly to her left Daisy had climbed to her feet. A few feet away Brent was talking with Abigail.

"Let me shrink down and I'll show you around the place." Simone said. She raised her arms above her head and called out "By royal command, I wish to be as small as I can be."

The result was spectacular. Simone's body shifted in the air and when the shift was done she was only a little taller than Daisy.

"Jeasus!" Abigail shouted.

"I told you I could." Simone said smiling slightly.

"You loved that." Merry whispered to herself.

"Jessie, Lizzie." Simone called holding out her arms. Her gown hung loosely on her now-smaller body. "If you would girls."

"Yes milady." Jessie and Lizzie said togheter. They rushed over and started to fold Simone's gown in upon itself.

"All of my clothing will grow with me." Simone told Daisy pleasantly. "But shrinking still requires some aid."

"I see." Daisy said breathlessly.

It was the sort of scene that Simone loved and Merry had no doubt that they would talk and laugh about it later on. Daisy moved to help Jessie and Lizzie and she smiled as Simone talked on.

"Something…" Merry whispered to herself and then let her voice fail. There was something wrong.

Merry looked around. Back the way they had come was the trail leading up to the mountains, a rough pebble and rock strewn trail that led down to a stream and followed the stream to an empty house. Merry let her gaze travel around Dollopolis, looking at every feature. Something was wrong, her gut was screaming at her. But what?

The sound was the first solid indication that she was right. It was a high pitched whine, more of an irritation in back of the neck than a sound. At least at first. Then it built and became a real sound. A high-pitched whine.

Merry looked around quickly now, searching for the source of the sound. Everyone else had stopped talking and was looking as well.

"What's that noise?" Abigail asked.

The vortex opened up with the quickness and force of an explosion. There was a clap of thunder and a blast of circular red flame and a round hole opened up further up the trail toward the temple. A blast of hot air assaulted everyone and then something hurtled out of the portal. Merry had time to recognize that it was a person but no time to stop that person as she flew through the air and hit Simone, Daisy, Lizzie and Jessie. The impact transformed the five women into a tangle of arms and legs that fell back and started to roll down the hill.

"DAISY!" Brent shouted.

Merry was moving before he finished the word. Not wasting time on words she ran after the women, thankful that at least she was wearing boots. The gravel would have cut her feet to pieces otherwise. Lizzie and Jessie were tossed clear about halfway down and lay dazed on the ground. Merry barely paused as she went by them. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw that they were stunned but not seriously hurt. Simone, Daisy and the un-known woman kept going, tangled up in Simone's gown until they landed half in and half out of the stream. Merry saw Simone bang up against a rock and lay still. Daisy lay on her side in the water gasping in pain.

The woman struggled to her feet as Merry reached them. Merry recognized her instantly.

"Telepath!" Merry shouted as she reached Ms. Dream.

Ms. Dream had only a second to realize that Merry was attacking before the attack was nearly over. Merry used her charge to slam her shoulder into Ms. Dream's stomach and then flip the heroine over her shoulder when Ms. Dream doubled over. Merry stopped short, turned and grabbed Ms. Dream's arm pulling it straight out and up. The lever action caused Ms. Dream to stand and as she did so Merry's leg came up four times and rapidly hit Ms. Dream in the stomach each time. Ms. Dream gasped for air and Merry shifted her target, hitting the side of Ms. Dream's knee on her left leg and then the calf of her right leg, then she released Ms. Dream's arm and then spun on one foot. As she completed the spin Merry's other foot came up and slammed against the back of Ms. Dream's head. The heroine fell to the ground face first and did not move.

"Simone!" Merry demanded bending down to Simone. She didn't have to check to see if Ms. Dream was out.

Simone didn't stir and Merry quickly checked for blood, but there was none.

{She is fine Merry.}

{Merely unconcious.}

"Daisy!" Brent shouted rushing to her.

"I'm… I'm… fine…" Daisy gasped the words out and held her stomach. Merry left Simone and looked at her. Daisy had cuts and scratches over her arms and legs but other than that there was no damage.

"Milady!" Jessie and Lizzie shouted stumbling over to Simone.

"She's ok girls." Merry said.

"That's Ms. Dream!" Abigail said nearly tripping as she finished her trip down the mountain.

"I know who she is!" Merry snarled. She reached over and pulled the cloak off of the unconscious heroine. Ms. Dream moaned but then lay still.

"Where's her pants?" Abigail asked.

"I don't care." Merry said. She tossed the cloak aside and then grabbed the back of Ms. Dream's shirt. With a savage jerk Merry tore the shirt off of Ms. Dream and then tore the sleeves off of it. Quickly she used one sleeve to blindfold the heroine and the other sleeve to tie her wrists together behind her back.

"What are you doing?" Brent asked.

"Keeping us safe." Merry snapped. "The Young Ancient must have opened up a portal somehow, if she wakes up he might be able to see through her eyes."

Merry turned back to Simone. Jessie and Lizzie were sitting next to her. They were outwardly calm but Merry could see fear in their eyes and their hands were trembling. Simone lay still and breathed slowly.

"I need to be bigger." Merry whispered.

{Take a few steps back from them.}

Merry stood up and backed away a few steps.

{Clap your hands.}

Merry took a deep breath and brought her hands together.

She felt the shift of reality and then blinked as the world around her shrunk a little. The jumpsuit tore into her skin as she grew but Merry didn't really notice. It was shredded and fell away from her body.

"Jeasus!" Abigail said again.

"I thought only Simone…" Brent said.

"I'll take her to the castle." Merry said bending down to Simone. Seeing her small was a shock and Merry realized that she couldn't remember a time when Simone had been smaller than she was. "Jessie, Lizzie, tie Ms. Dream up some more. Gag her, tie her legs, tie her ankles tie her up so good she can't move a muscle! Then take her to the punishment stocks. Don't put her in them, wait for me. If she wakes up knock her out again."

"Right." Lizzie said and Jessie echoed the word a split second later. They dove toward Ms. Dream and grabbed what was left of her shirt.

"Can you carry her?" Merry asked Brent as Ms. Dream's shirt was torn into strips. "We should get them both to the castle. Ms. Dream may not be the last person who comes shooting out of a portal today."

"I can walk." Daisy said climbing to her feet.

"Follow me then." Merry ordered picking Simone up in her arms.

Mary woke to a body filled with pain. Her butte stung, so did her side and her legs and her head was pounding. She reached out with her mind but was reward with silence. She was blindfolded. The gag they used on her was some kind of cloth and it was pulled deeply and painfully into her mouth. She was on her knees, bent forward her wrist and neck held by solid wood, her stomach rested on some sort of pad and her legs were strapped to more wood and forced apart.

As soon as Mary moved her head a mass of ice cold water was dumped on it.

"Ahhhh!!!" Mary screamed through her gag.

"That to was to make sure you were awake." Mystery Woman said. "And now we can set the ground rules."

"Myery oman?" Mary tried to speak.

"Ground rule one." Mystery Woman said. "Your helpless, you can't use your powers if you can't see, hence the blindfold."

Spank!

"AhhhhHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Mary screamed again as she was spanked.

"That was just the palm of my hand." Mystery Woman said. "But I got a paddle handy if you break the rest of the rules. Ground rule two, I can spank you some more if you lie, if you try to tell me I can't do this," She paused, "or just if I feel like it."

Spank!

"AHHHHHHHHEWHHAAAAH!" Mary screamed again.

"I felt like it." Mary said pleasantly. "As a matter of fact there's no part of this that I'm not enjoying."

Mary pulled at her bonds and tried to think of some way, anyway to communicate.

"Now I told you to leave me alone. You didn't."

Spank!

"AHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"You had the Young Ancient open a portal to Dollopolis."

Spank!

"AHHHHHHHH….OOOOOhhhhh….AAAHHHHH!"

"You came through the portal and attacked four people, three of whom I love and one of whom is pregnant."

Spank!

"UUHHHHHHHAAHHHHHAH!"

Spank!

"HHHUUUUHHHAAHHHAHAHAAHHHHH!"

Spank!!

"OOOOHHHHHAHAHAHHEEEEE!"

SPANK!

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEE!"

Mary was close to blacking out from the pain. She drew in deep breaths through her nose and shook her head. If she hadn't been blindfolded tears would have run down her face.

"Now." Merry said playfully. "I'm going to take the gag out of your mouth and your going to tell me if anyone else from Earth Force is coming and how you managed to get here. If you don't, if you lie to me, or hell if I feel like it, I'm going to pick up the wooden paddle over there and we're going to have some more fun."

Mary felt the gag being untied and pulled away from her mouth. She licked her lips and coughed a little at first. Then she spoke.

"Not… Not the Young Ancient." Mary gasped out the words. "Ida… It was Ida…"

"Well." Mystery Woman said. "A lie with your second sentence?" She ran the palm of her hand over Mary's ass. "This baby's going to see some action! Hold on I'll get the paddle."

"NO!" Mary screamed. "No! Wait! I can prove it!"

"You can?" Mystery Woman asked and Mary tensed as she felt a hand rest on her ass. She winced as Mystery Woman pinched one of the cheeks. "How?"

"I had a scroll with me!" Mary said. "It was from Ida, it gives me clear passage!"

"A scroll from the Goddess Ida?" Mystery Woman asked.

"Yea!" Mary said. She felt something heavy settle on to her back and realized that Mystery Woman was sitting on her.

"A scroll that you don't have and that I didn’t see." Mystery Woman said. "I guess I should go look for it."

"Yea!" Mary said. "It's gotta be near where the portal was!"

"I go look for it, you have time to recover and escape." Mystery Woman said.

Spank!

"AHHH!!!"

Spank!

"OWWWWWEEE!"

"Nice try." Mystery Woman said.

"IT'S TRUE!" Mary screamed.

"Merry!"

Mary jerked her head up at the new voice. It sounded familiar.

"What?" Mystery Woman called.

"Duchess Simone is awake, she's coming and she says for you not to do anything else until she gets here."

"Damn!" Mystery Woman swore.

Mary felt the woman get off of her and sagged a bit in relief. A second later the gag was forced back into her mouth and jerked tight. Mary winced again as the skin around her mouth was stretched and the knot of the gag tugged at her hair.

"Lizzie, you and Jessie go to where the portal opened up this afternoon. Look around and see if you can find a scroll."

"What's a scroll?"

"Rolled up paper. If you find it bring it back here on the double."

"Right."

"You know if they don't find that scroll we're a long way from being done." Mystery Woman said a few moments later. "I mean spanking is just a start." Mary jerked in her bonds as one of her breasts was slapped and then the nipple was pinched. "And there's a lot more targets on your body."

Who the hell named this woman 'Merry', Mary wondered?

She tensed up as Merry placed a hand on her butte.

"Oh stop it you big faker." Merry said laughing. "We barely got started."

"Merry."
Mary's head jerked up at another familiar voice.

"Simone!" Merry called back and there was clear anxiety in her voice. "Are you alright?"

"Fine dear, just a little bump on the head. Why is she here?"

"We were just getting to that when Lizzie and Jessie told me to stop." Merry said.

"Why is she hear in the punishment stocks?" Simone said.

"She's a telepath, the more distance between her and you the better. Besides Lady Goth is in the dungeon and they have a history."

"Lovers?" Simone asked.

"Oh!" Mary said through the gag.

"Shut up!" Merry snapped and spanked her again.

"AHHH!" Mary screamed.

"Where are Lizzie and Jessie?"

"Ms. Dream told me that it wasn't the Young Ancient who got her here." Merry said. "It was the Goddess Ida. Said she had a scroll that said so. I sent Lizzie and Jessie off to find it, if it exist."

"It would be comforting to know that a goddess could reach us instead of a mere mystic." Simone said. "Remove her gag, I'll speak to her."

Mary felt the gag being untied and then pulled out of her mouth. Some of her hair came away with it.

"I'm not lying." Mary said.

"And if you were you'd tell us." Merry said.

"Merry be calm." Simone said. "If she meant to attack us she'd hardly charge through a dimensional vortex half naked."

"I've heard of cultures from this world that went into battle fully nude and painted blue." Merry said. "She's a superheroine, they do kinky stuff all of the time."

"We do not!" Mary said.

Spank!

"Ahgggahhhah!"

"Shut up." Merry said.

"Merry…" Simone began.

"Milady!" Lizzie called.

"We found it!" Jessie said.

Mary sagged in relief.

"There was actually a scroll?" Merry asked.

"Yea, but it was in the water." Jessie said.

Mary's heart stopped for a moment. If that scroll wasn't readable…

"It will take more than water to erase a message from a goddess." Simone said. After a moment she went on. "Listen to this Merry. 'By these words be it known that I, Ida of Asguard, do grant under certain conditions, free passage in and out of Dollopolis to Mary Ellen Macquire, also known as Ms. Dream, also known as Dark Dream, also known as Ms. Nightmare, and I grant her a fair and full hearing from the Duchess of Dollopolis.'"

"Release her Merry."

"What about the blindfold?" Merry asked. "She's a telepath."

"Not for the time being." Simone said. "The scroll covers that. I will explain more later. Release her."

Mary heard a lock click and after a moment the wood holding her wrists and neck was pulled up. Then her blindfold was pulled off. She blinked and looked around.

Mary was on a raised platform on a hill that overlooked a city. A half city! From where she was Mary could see that the houses of Dollopolis were open from the back. She looked around more as the straps holding her legs were undone. The land was shaped like a giant U, with a castle at the base of the U and on either leg hills, rivers and streams all leading down to a large river on the inside of the letter. It was night, but the three moons in the sky gave off enough light to see everything.

"Welcome to Dollopolis." Simone said.

Mary blinked and looked at her. Simone was twice as tall as the two girls next to, one of witch was 3K, the one who had been with her in Professor Margeret's maze.

"Dollhouses!" Mary said struggling to get out of the stocks.

"But comfortable ones." Merry said.

Mary looked up at the face of her blonde blue eyed tormenter.

"Who the hell named you 'Merry'?" She demanded.

"I guess the same person who named you after a chaste virgin; 'Mary'."

Merry leapt off of the platform before Mary could think of a retort.

"How is Daisy?" Merry asked.

"Fine." Simone said. "But she needs to rest before tomorrow."

"AH!" Mary cried out in pain as she tried to stand up. Both of her legs ached.

"Stop faking." Merry called out. "I didn't spank you that hard!"

"Ida spanked me before you did bitch!" Mary swore. "What the hell did you do to my legs?"

"Hey, you attacked us!" Merry shouted.

"Silence!" Simone ordered.

She stepped over to the stocks and reached out and ran her fingers over Mary's leg.

"Sprained ankle, bruised bone." Simone said. "Red backside. You have had quite the day haven't you?"

"I've had better." Mary admitted.

She had a moment of fear as Simone picked her up and cradled the heroine in her arms. Simone's hands were under Mary's stomach and legs. Her fingers caressed Mary's breasts and one of them rested on her vagina. Mary forced down her reaction.

"The castle is rather full at the moment." Simone said. "Lizzie, Jessie, I'll put her in your house. Tend to her, get her something to wear and then bring her to the castle."

Mary's stomach dropped as Simone carried her down the hill and toward and old Victorian.

"A word of advice Ms. Dream, do not insult my First Knight while you are here."

"She just…"

"You hurtled out of a portal and seemed to attack us." Simone said. "And in the past you have not been trustworthy. Can you truly blame Merry?"

Mary didn't answer but inwardly she was wondering just how much power Simone had over the other woman. She hoped it was a lot.

"You've really got Lady Goth here?" She asked as they got near the house.

"In my dungeon courtesy of my First Knight." Simone said.

"Can I talk to her?"

"Later if you wish." Simone said. She placed Mary gently on a large bed. A moment later the door to the room opened and Jessie came in. It was surreal for the giant woman to put Mary into the bed from the outside of a half house and for a normal sized woman to come in through the door as if it were a normal house. Mary had been through her share of crazy events as a superheroine, but this rated the highest among them.

"Better get the stuff Lizzie!" Jessie called.

"We'll wait for you in the castle." Simone said.

As soon as they were out of sight of Jessie and Lizzie's house Merry collapsed against Simone. Her entire body was shaking and Simone sat down and drew the smaller woman to her. It took a few minutes for Merry to stop shaking.

"This scroll changes everything." Simone said holding it up.

"Damn it." Merry said tonelessly. "I thought I had the answer, I was sure that she was from Earth Force, that Lucy was still after me."

{It was a logical assumption.}

{And in tone with their character.}

{As Simone said it gives us some comfort to know that a goddess had to breach our mystic defenses.}

{Had your assumption been correct Officer Dolly your plan would have worked.}

"But it wasn't." Merry said.

Her idea had been simple, a song and dance to show how xenophobic the people of Dollopolis were, that Simone had decided to do another dimensional jump to get her city away from Earth before more superheroes descended upon it. There would have been a great light show after they had finished with Daisy, one that would have convinced everyone that Dollopolis was never coming back. And Merry's own act would have made brutally sure that no one ever wanted them back. But now…

"That was chilling." Simone said. "I've never seen that side of you before."

"I did it for nothing." Merry said. "We can't use the plan."

{The plan will have to be adjusted.}

{Depending on what Ms. Dream says.}

{If Ida is involved we can no longer avoid contact with superheroes.}

{At least not this one.}

"You act was not wasted dear." Simone said. She stroked Merry's hair. "It was the same act you used with Daisy and Brent and now Abigail. I'm amazed you can play it so well."

"My first year on the force." Merry said. "I was teamed with Jake Spanner." Merry drew closer to Simone, hugging her leg. "Jake was about as crooked a cop as you could be. But he was a great cop in other ways. He taught me a lot. I saw him do that to hookers, drug dealers, anyone he thought he could get away with. The trick is to make it sound like you're having fun, that you both are having fun. That… That no matter how much pain you put them through, you are having fun."

"You weren't having fun." Simone said.

"I was." Merry said in a dead voice. She rested her head against Simone's leg. "Sort of. All the… what she did… what she tried to do to me… Then when she hit you… It was payback. I… Hell I'm not sure if it was fun or not. Goddess Simone what am I? Am I really the kind of person who likes that?"

"Of course not." Simone said. "What you are is the type of person who can do what she thinks is her duty. If you have to lie, you will lie, if you have to get a bit rough, you will get a bit rough. You forget Merry I've seen you be a police officer. All you had to do was take that roll and stretch it a bit."

"Twist it you mean." Merry said.

"Yes, twist it." Simone agreed. "But it was just a role, a role that you needed to play. You don't like it, this is proof of that, and you can turn it off whenever you wish."

"I guess." Merry said. She looked up at Simone and gave a short laugh. "Man can she scream, even through the gag."

"I have a feeling we're not the first to spank her." Simone said. "She'll heal."

"Fast too." Merry said. "If Jessie and Lizzie use the stuff on her. It's helped me some times. Man, spanking is the worst thing…"

"Your problem dear is that you don't know the other side of spanking." Simone interrupted her.

"What?"

"When this is over I'll have to introduce you to the fun aspects of spanking."

"Fun? What?" Merry asked again.

"Later." Simone said standing up. "For now let's get to the castle. I want Daisy, Brent and Abigail to stay in their room while we talk to Ms. Dream."

She put out her large hand and Merry took it and stood up.

"And we have to sit down with The Group and read the rest of this." Simone said holding up the scroll.

"If Ida sent her here… Ida wouldn't put us in danger. I know it."

{We agree.}

"I don't think she would." Simone said. "Not after what you've told me about her and what she did for you and Prudence."

{Gods do not work in straight lines.}

"Neither do you all that often." Simone said.

Merry stifled a giggle at the silence. She would never have spoken to them that way.

"What ever happened to Jake?" Simone asked as they walked.

"Well after six months I was ready to go to I.A." Merry said. "I knew it'd be career suicide, but he was just too crooked. Before I could though he took a shotgun blast in his face from a twelve year old gang-banger wannabe."

"Oh dear."

"Funny." Merry said. "At his funeral, it was big. I mean it wasn't just the city bosses and the brass that showed up, it was everyone. All that time he'd been shaking down gangs and drug dealers and pocketing cash after robberies he'd been shoving it all into some sort of community trust. Churches, shelters… He gave away thousands. He was the crookedest cop I ever worked with, I was going to turn him in. Instead I was a pall bearer for his funeral. I made a speech about how I was the luckiest person in the world to work with him. I saw hookers he got freebies from cry as they lowered the coffin. Before him I thought I knew how the world worked, after him I wasn't so sure."

"And now?" Simone asked.

"I don't got a clue." Merry said. "But I don't need to anymore."

Simone didn't say anything to that and Merry was glad. She didn't think of Jake too often. It was in the past and she was trying to live for the future.

Mary lay still as Jessie taped up her ankle.

"You really scared everyone." Jessie said.

"Not like I had a great landing myself." Mary said.

"Probably would've been ok if you hadn't hurt the Duchess." Lizzie said coming into the room. "Merry goes crazy when that happens."

"No, really?" Mary said sarcastically.

"Hey she would have put you in the dungeon if she was really mad." Lizzie said. "And you don't wanna go there."

Mary sighed and didn't reply. Then she felt a hand on her ass.

"HEY!" Mary said springing to her knees. She whirled around to face them. "Watch the hands!"

"Hey take it easy!" Lizzie said. She held up a small bottle.

"It's a magic healing salve." Jessie said.

"Unless you want your ass to keep glowing in the dark." Lizzie said.

"Oh." Mary felt a flush come to her face and turned around and laid back down again. "Sorry."

"You really are homeritic aren't you?" Lizzie said.

"What?"

"Afraid of gays."

"I'm not afraid of them I'm just not one." Mary said defensively.

"Well you can’t put this one yourself." Lizzie said. "And if I don't put it on you won't be able to sit down or wear a skirt for a few days."

"You don't need to wear clothes here though." Jessie said.

"We didn't at first." Lizzie said.

"Ok, put it on. I like wearing clothes." Mary said. "I'm sorry ok."

"Ok." Lizzie said.

The salve was cool but not cold and after an instant Mary felt the sting from her rear fade slightly. She sighed and started to relax, then she tensed up and had to force herself to relax as Lizzie slowly but firmly spread the salve over both of her cheeks and into the crack between them. Mary nearly jumped off the bed as Lizzie's fingers moved close to her sex.

"What's with the house?" Mary asked. "Where's the rest of it?"

"It came this way." Lizzie said. "The Duchess said that back on her world the women always used to fight at first, so they built the houses this way so that it'd be easier to break up the fight."

"Her world? You're not from here?"

"We're not supposed to say." Jessie said.

"This isn't Dolloplis this is Paranoia-village." Mary said.

"There you go." Lizzie said.

"Leg's ok now too." Jessie said.

Mary sat up and gingerly tested the taped ankle. It hurt but she'd walked on worse. The other leg was just stiff. Her butte was sore but it wasn't actively yelling at her anymore.

"We got a skirt that'll fit ya." Jessie said holding up a sheer black skirt. "But your boobs are too big for our stuff."

"Skirts good enough." Merry said taking the skirt. "Do you know what happened to my cloak?"

"Merry said she was gonna hide it." Jessie said.

"Or burn it or bury it." Lizzie said.

Mary sighed again. She'd faced hard-nosed people before but Merry seemed to be taking it to a new level. There was full-length mirror set against the wall and Mary looked at herself. She looked horrible. Her long black hair was full of tangles, she had a black eye and her stomach was heavily bruised. Only her beige bra was left from her original clothing and it combined with the sheer black skirt to make her look like a housewife trying to be trashy. Her body ached, she could barely stand, she was mentally tired and now she had to try and convince two people-one of whom didn't like her and was paranoid to begin with-to help her. Possibly to risk their lives and their city to do so.

"You ready to go?" Jessie asked.

"Oh yea." Mary said wishing the jar in her room were full. "No problem."

"Here lean on us till we get down the stairs."

"Thanks." Mary said. Supported by the two girls she started to hobble toward the stairs. She stifled a shout as Lizzie's hand brushed against her breasts.

…to be continued

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