The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Evangeline Snow let out a soft moan, head lolling slightly to the side. Her body felt cool, the air gently caressing her naked flesh, raising goosebumps along her thighs. Her eyes fluttered open, and she groaned, stretching—or attempting to stretch, her lethargy fading away instantly as she became aware of the restraints holding her in place. “Wha...” she began, only to gasp, eyes widening, then narrowing, as she spotted the face of her enemy staring down at her impassively. “Eugene,” she snarled, pulling at her wrists, automatically reaching out with her mind, only to find her powers shut down.

“Sorry, lass, but that willnae work,” the Scotsman murmured, walking slowly across the room, gesturing to the control panel mounted into the wall. “It’s probably apparent to ye at this point, but yer side lost our little encounter.”

“Bastard!!” Eva growled, struggling again. “Where... where is my Mistress?” she demanded. “Where are my sisters?! What the Hell have you done!?!”

“Your Mistress is currently... under wraps,” Gene replied blithely, hitting a button on the wall, causing the shutters to open. “As for your ‘sisters’?” he added, as several women stared down at her from the transparent barrier. Lacie, Jessica, and Morgan, their Goddess’ mother, all three stood silently watching, their faces grim, and eyes bloodshot from obvious and heavy tears. “They are here, waiting patiently. The ones that haven’t yet been freed are still and very necessarily... sedated, sleeping soundly. Once we’re done, I’ll let you speak to them.”

“When we’re done?” Eva asked, glancing around, getting a good look at her surroundings for the first time. Noticing that she was strapped down naked to a large padded gurney hooked up to a large power generator of some kind, the blonde suddenly found herself very nervous. “Wh... what are you planning to do? What is all of this for? Damn it, Gene, what IS this?!!”

“All this is to get ye back to yer normal self,” he replied wearily, adjusting the controls as a concave metal helmet slowly descended directly above her head. “You should know better than anyone the effect of Miss Cross’s power on the human mind. Luckily, I was able to isolate the frequency of the unusual psionic energy she emits and created an inverse carrier wave. It will counteract the effect, and restore your mind to its previous state before the lass enslaved you.”

“No! NO!! By the Goddess, Gene, you can’t!! DAMN YOU!!” Suddenly feeling very real panic as she realized what was about to happen, Eva yelled, struggling fiercely, reaching out again with her powers in vain, trying DESPERATELY to free herself, to attack, to defend herself—anything to avoid her fate! Eugene merely let her rant and rave, calmly sliding the helmet onto her head and strapping it into place. “Goddamn you, Frasier! You can’t do this! I’ll fight it! I’ll resist! I won’t let you take my Goddess away from me! I won’t!! I CAN’T lose her!! Damn it, don’t do this, PLEASE!!! Oh Goddess, NO!! Gene, you can’t!! Don’t you understand?! For the first time in my life, I’m FINALLY, truly happy!!! By the Goddess, Gene, I LOVE HER!!! Please... you can’t... take her... away... from me!!” Out of breath, Eva collapses back against the gurney, her body, covered in sweat, hurts, her throat raw and she is truly scared as she realizes that the man she once considered a friend is about to take her... NO.... steal... rip her away from her Goddess. From the truest happiness she has EVER felt!!

“Aye, aye, I ken,” the Scotsman replied, walking back to the control panel once more. “I heard the same thing from yer friends behind the glass when it was their turn,” he added, gesturing at the others watching her. “They all resisted and fought as well. And I advised them, as I advise ye now, to simply surrender to the inevitable. Fighting just makes the process more painful. And... believe me, I AM sorry lass, but, this procedure WILL hurt!”

Finding strength from sheer desperation and genuine, bitter anger, Eva manages one last burst of resistance. “Fuck you! I don’t care! I’ll never give in to you!” Eva yelled out in challenge, even as the helmet atop her head began to hum softly. “You won’t break me! I won’t let you win! I’ll never let you—”

The machine whirred to life, and a strong tingling sensation swept over Eva’s body, from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head. She gasped in surprise, feeling that strangely familiar sensation akin to touching a Van de Graaff generator as if her body had suddenly been charged with static electricity. Then, a moment later, a surge blasted through her, a focused, intense blast of power flowing into her head, like a bolt of lightning arcing directly between her temples. Eva screamed! She screamed from the core of her very soul! Her mouth and eyes opened wide as her entire body began to shake and shudder in convulsions.

Eugene merely stood by impassively, watching as he put his friend through unspeakable pain and agony. In truth, he felt deeply sorry for the very real but, unfortunately very necessary torture he was inflicting upon her, but having already gone through it three times now, his level of horror had already reached its maximum. Again, he lamented his decision in not reaching out to Sarah, to get her aid in helping at least some of Cinema’s victims. Ach, no... Valerie said the lass is still recovering. After the ordeal she’s been through, I’d nae ask her to risk her health and her life to do this, even if I know she’d be here in an instant if I asked. And this process... it is painful and more than a little cruel... but there are no lasting effects and no physical damage caused by what I’m doing... he thought, glancing back at the window once again. He met eyes with his wife, Lacie, and with a sigh, glanced away again.

No physical damage, it was true. The emotional and psychological damage, however... that was another thing altogether. All of the others he had put through the procedure had had their minds freed, Sabrina’s control over them completely ripped away. The problem was that they all remembered every single moment of their time with their beloved Mistress. And, more critically, they all still felt the exact same emotional attachment, love, devotion, and desires, that they’d felt before he freed them. Yes, they now knew that they’d been enslaved, that the feelings they’d felt were implanted against their wills, but it hadn’t made them feel any less real. He still recalled Lacie’s words to him as he’d removed her bindings after freeing her.

“Gene... I know why you did what you... did. And... in a way, I’m grateful for it. I’m glad that I’m free again, that I’m no longer her slave. But... at the same time, a VERY large part of me misses that bliss, that wonderful..., sublime and truly beautiful feeling of belonging to her! Oh God, I can still FEEL it!! The love, the strength, the power, the... serenity of her presence! It was like searching a lifetime to find your purpose in life, finding and achieving it... only to have it suddenly ripped away from you. And... Goddess bless... a large part of me fucking HATES you for that!!”

She hadn’t spoken a word to him since then, had barely even looked at him. It stung... it stung deeply, to know that the one person in the world that he shared the deepest bond with, the person that he’d risked so much to rescue and free from her captivity, utterly hated him for doing so. And, as he soon learned, it was a sentiment that was shared equally with the others he’d freed. Aye, and likely with all of the others yet to be set free as well, he thought dimly. He could already imagine how Katie would react to being... ‘saved’. He knew that his daughter, his wee Katie Ann, even more than Lacie, was a TRUE submissive! Ironically, she needed to be dominated... to be... owned, to feel... safe. To feel loved. He had figured that out for himself early on, but, had never taken the time to discuss it with her. She saw her submission as a sign of her love. He knew he would have to deal with the fact that he had saved his wife and daughter from absolute and all but certainly life-long slavery, and that they would both hate him for it!!

But what’s the alternative? Simply let them stay as they are? Write them all off and just say they’re happier as mindless obedient slaves to their Mistress, and let them be? Nae... the truth is the truth. They may not like the reality of the situation, but it is one that they’ll all have to face. Sabrina Cross is a criminal for what she’s done... and she has to pay the consequences. And part of that is giving up control of the ones she’s enslaved.

Eva, in the midst of her agony, could feel the change enveloping her. Her thoughts, hazy at best from the writhing agony, were shifting, her wants and desires beginning to twist. It was as if her mind was being pulled... stretched... like a piece of putty, or a rubber band, fighting and resisting, as it was slowly being pulled apart. The pain increased, her fractured psyche struggling to hold onto itself, clinging to the image of her Owner, her beloved Mistress, her reason for being. Her scream grew ragged, desperate, her will slipping, pulling back with all that she was even as she felt it begin to tear...

...and with a suddenness that left her stunned, the terrible pressure suddenly vanished, as her mind shifted, her thoughts and desires locking back into place, her psyche restored to its original state as it was before that fated day in her office. The machine wound down, the energy pulse fading, causing Eva’s sweat-soaked body to sag back down against the padding. Panting, gasping, breathing heavily, it took several seconds for the blonde psychic to regain her bearings. Her memory was completely intact. She remembered everything that had happened, everything up until the exact moment everything had changed... until now, the moment things had changed back. And yet... the feelings behind those memories were completely different. She felt... detached... as if she was now remembering something that had happened to someone else, like reading someone else’s mind instead of perusing her own memories.

“Well? How is she?” Eugene Frasier’s voice spoke, rousing her attention.

“Hmm. A good question,” a familiar voice answered, causing Eva to glance up sharply. “I can’t exactly say she’s ‘fine’, considering everything she’s been through. She’s definitely been through a lot of trauma, just like the others. But, I can say that she seems to be handling it much better than they are... her emotional state is actually quite calm. And if she is harboring any desire to fry your mind in retaliation, I can’t sense it.”

“Heh. I’ll take that to mean that it’s safe to release her restraints then,” Eugene quipped, lifting the helmet off his patient. A moment later, the bindings around her wrists, ankles, and waist released as well, and she sat up. “Er... here,” he murmured awkwardly, handing her a white terrycloth robe to cover herself with. “Sorry, but ah, the... procedure required verra exact data, hence the skin to skin contact.”

“Right. Sure, hope you enjoyed the show, ” Eva merely grunted somewhat painfully, the tone of her voice making words unnecessary. “So I see you called my sister in to help with the rehabilitation?” she asked as the door opened, and her twin sister Anastasia Albinn walked in. “Good to see you again, Ana,” Eva replied, as her sister hugged her, “I just wish we could meet under better circumstances than this.”

“Well, you know me, Sis,” the blonde telekinetic quipped, “nothing brings me to town faster than some kind of disaster or cataclysm. That said... how are YOU feeling? You’re the therapist, so you’d know better than me, but I am rather... concerned that you’re not more... distressed about being freed. You just lost your connection to your Mistress, your living “Goddess” after all. I’d think you’d be upset, angry, hurt, and sad... everything that Lacie and the others are feeling so strongly right now.”

“I suppose I should be,” Eva conceded, “except that what I experienced was quite different from what everyone else did. When I was in my office and I knew I had no chance of beating her, I protected myself... I split my psyche and created a ‘false self’, then sealed away my true consciousness. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure it would work. I had no clue how her power worked, didn’t know if she could simply... overwhelm me, but, I knew I had to try. The ‘me’ that she enslaved was merely a shell, a protective layer to hide the true me. When Gene removed her brainwashing, the fake me dispersed and the real me woke up again. So, here I... am.”

Ana shook her head. “And you came up with that on the spur of the moment, eh? Incredible. And I guess that explains the... disconnect to your emotions as well,” she said, letting out a sigh that sounded almost... wistful. “At any rate, now that you’re back in your own right mind, I hope you’re up to helping me with the other eleven women she enslaved. I’m definitely going to need it.”

Eva nodded grimly. “Yes... the others.” She could only imagine how they were all feeling. After everything they’d experienced, it would likely take weeks, months, perhaps even years to completely come to terms with what they’d been through. It was effectively severe laden Stockholm syndrome, with the victims all deeply enchanted with their captor even after being freed. Damn. In a case like this, my choices are pretty limited. I really hate to do it... but there’s really not much choice. And I know Ana agrees with me. Sighing softly, she glanced at her twin, who nodded in silent agreement.

“Alright, Eugene,” she said, resigned. “Ana and I will take care of the ladies waiting outside. You can go ahead and start processing the next one...”

She starts toward the door, then stops and looks at Gene. “If I were you, I’d leave... Katie... for last. Yes, you’re freeing her from being a “villain’s” sex slave, but she will hate you for it, you know that, right?”

Gene meets Eva’s gaze. “Aye, Eva. I ken she will. But, I nae have a choice, do I? I cannae allow her to remain a slave! Not after what it took to get to here...”

A month after narrowly, but finally being defeated, captured, losing all of her slaves, tried AND imprisoned, Sabrina Cross and Doctor Evangaline Snow are alone in her cell. As the city’s duly appointed counselor and state-certified psychiatrist, Eva was allowed access to the prisoner, despite the warden’s concerns of having a former victim facing her captor unsupervised. Nevertheless, the good doctor had assured them all that she was fine and more than capable of maintaining a professional air. And... if anyone failed to take her at her word, a little ‘convincing’ made it all a moot point. Soon enough, she was allowed entry, and the guards dismissed, sent on their way, leaving the two of them alone once again. Sabrina sits on the edge of her metal frame bed while Eva sits in the cell’s only chair, facing her as they talk,

“...after all, my dear Dr. Snow, for an all too short, but veerry wonderful time, I had everything I could’ve ever wanted, didn’t I? I had you, Eva...,” she pauses as she smiles and looks directly into emphva’s eyes, a lustful look on her face, even now causing Eva to smile an almost... regretful smile of her own, her chest tightening as she looks into the eyes of the beautiful young woman who had owned her so completely.., “and, my mom, Megan, Katie, Lacie..,“

Sabrina stops to take a deep, heartfelt breath as she VERY fondly remembers the unbelievable and incredibly blissful last few months she had just spent with her mom, Morgan Cross, Eva Snow, Megan Tanner, Katie Frasier, and all of the other stunning, sexy and truly beautiful women and powerful super heroines she had enslaved, used for her own admittedly selfish pleasure, gotten to know and... had come to honestly care for and even truly... love! She returns her attention to Eva, the former slave she had genuinely fallen in love with. The one woman whose love for her she truly wishes was as real as the love she feels for her. “I had so many of the city’s beautiful, sexy, superheroines crawling at my feet, begging to serve and satisfy me in any way I desired, and, of course, more money than I could have ever spent! My God, Eva! I... I have had a literal Goddess bow down before me, kiss my feet, and call me Mistress!! I... I literally fucked... a... Goddess!! There is nothing... NOTHING... that can compare to that!! I mean, yes granted, she did it all willingly because it was fun for her! And while I do remember being with her, I don’t remember the actual sex itself. I can’t remember her smell, I can’t remember her... taste, or how it felt to look into her eyes or touch her skin. I... Oh God!! I understand that that was deliberate and necessary on her part. I remember her telling me that it was for my own protection. After all, after a mere human, even a metahuman, has “known” a God or Goddess, no mortal sexual experience can possibly ever satisfy after that. There is simply nothing else to say... NO ONE could have possibly wanted for more!??! Oh God, Eva... I... I...”

Taking another moment to look at the ceiling, the wall, anything to collect herself before continuing, Sabrina clenches her fists as she turns back to Eva, “And, honestly, who can blame me? How many other people in my situation wouldn’t have done exactly the same... damn... thing?! Tell me that, my love!”

Taking a very slow, deep, and deliberate breath, knowing for certain that the cell’s security camera is off, that the guards have been deliberately “distracted” with other duties, and that they will not be disturbed until she leaves the cell, Eva simply slides off her chair and onto her knees, sitting on her ankles, again kneeling before her Goddess! She leans slightly forward at the waist, her hands on her knees with her head bowed, precisely the way Mistress trained all of her slaves to present themselves to her. “Please... my Goddess, command me! I... I NEED you!! I exist only for you! I am your slave!! I am so sorry I have only myself to offer you but please... how may this single slave serve you?”

Smiling with a predator’s gleam in her eye, Sabrina takes Eva’s face in her hands as they share a long, passionate kiss. Breaking the kiss and looking into her slave’s eyes as she caresses her cheek, she slides a strand of blonde hair behind Eva’s ear and feels it as Eva melts into her touch exactly the way she did when she first surrendered herself to Sabrina in her office that first wonderful day. Sabrina takes a moment to look at this beautiful woman now WILLINGLY on her knees before her, giving her the ONE thing she has wanted most thru ALL of this! She takes the time to consciously enjoy the sensation of true dominance running thru her body as she appreciates who this woman is and the serious and very real choice she has just made.

Eighteen-year-old Sabrina Cross, now also known as the ‘super villain’ Cinema, is sitting in a power dampening cell in the special section of the River City Maximum Security Detention Center, specifically designed to hold powerful meta-human prisoners like her. She is alone with Dr. Evangaline Snow, aka, the powerful, telepathic, former super-heroine, Whitewash. The same superheroine who has just dropped to her knees before her of her own... free... will and now truly offers herself as a slave! Sabrina can feel her juices flowing as her pussy clenches with excitement. She releases Eva and looks into her eyes, “Strip, slave!”

“Yes, my Goddess! I obey!”

As Sabrina starts removing her prison uniform, Eva nearly rips the buttons off of both her white jacket and blouse in her need to get undressed. Sabrina smiles when she sees the very familiar dark purple lace bra Eva is wearing under her blouse as Eva kicks off her modest, black heels. The purple lingerie was so much sexier than the white everything that Eva wore before becoming Sabrina’s slave. As she herself stands up to slide her pants and panties off, Sabrina actually starts to laugh. She is reminded of how much she truly enjoyed owning this woman, of just how she had fallen so truly and deeply in love with Eva, and how much losing her had hurt as she watches her strip completely. She sits back down, placing her bed’s single pillow under her head, spreads her legs, and lays back. Eva smiles blissfully as she drops back down to her hands and knees, eagerly crawling into position. She kisses her, then she slowly, lovingly kisses her way down her owner’s body. She kisses each breast, flicking the stiffening nipples with her tongue as she takes each in her mouth, sucking like a newborn babe. With the sweet music of her Mistress’s soft, lust-filled moans in her ears, the slave continues her efforts, kissing her way down her owner’s body. Taking her Mistress by the hips, she shoves her face deep into her exposed pussy, desperate to both taste and satisfy her Goddess again. Right or wrong, Eva needs this. Needs it more than her next breath!

Sabrina simply lies back, closes her eyes, and savors this unexpected final victory. Her victory! After everything that has happened over these long months, from her awakening as a very powerful metahuman, to enslaving, dominating, and using so many of the city’s most beautiful superheroines as her personal fuck dolls, to the battles won... and the one... lost, and the hard lessons she learned from them, on thru her trial and sentencing, being put in this cell, after AAALL of that, to have this woman, THIS woman, naked and on her knees as her slave, willingly eating her pussy, it’s just... “Ooohh... Ffuuuck... Mmeee!!! I... I... Ooohh Ggoood!! Eeevv... vaaa!! OH God, I... I... Mmmm!!” Sabrina grabs the edge of her mattress, her fingers going white and her eyes slamming shut as she feels the orgasm rip thru her entire body. Breathing quick, shallow breathes as she tries to catch her breath, her slave stopping only long enough to swallow her Mistress’s cum, before lovingly, almost mindlessly continuing to service her, Sabrina stares at the ceiling, now possessively holding Eva’s head with both hands as she experiences the sheer bliss of her favorite slave’s devotion, her talented tongue, and the new secret only the two of them now share as the sounds of her satisfaction fill her cell...

Veronica Albinn stirred, yawning and stretching, opening her eyes, only to let out a soft sigh, finding the bed beside her empty. Again. Slipping out from underneath the covers, she grabbed her robe from the hook on the door, reaching out with her mind as a reflex, even though she hardly needed to search to know where her husband had gone. Padding barefoot, she left the bedroom, made her way down the hallway to the living room, stepping out onto the patio through the open doors. “So. Looking up at the stars again?” she prompted, not really expecting a response. To her surprise, her husband turned back to face her, nodding grimly.

“You know me,” he replied softly. shrugging. “Looking up at the sky at night, staring up at the stars... helps give me perspective. It helps remind me that, no matter how big my problems might seem to me, in the end, compared to the vastness of the world, of the galaxy, of the entire universe, we’re all smaller than a grain of sand in a vast desert.”

Veronica sighed heavily. “Parker, I—”

“Save it, Roni,” he cut her off, shaking his head. “I already know what you’re going to say. Hell, you’ve said it a few thousand times now. Doesn’t make it any more effective. And, for what it’s worth, I’ve already forgiven you... just like Eugene has forgiven Lacie and Katie for everything they said and did.” He sighed. “But it doesn’t mean everything is immediately fine and back to normal. You guys might have had the whole ordeal neatly cropped out of your minds to help you deal with the trauma... but for those of us that lived through and experienced the other side of it? For those of us that basically went through hell and back to rescue you guys—WHILE you were actively trying to KILL us, I might add—then only to get such... such... unfiltered hatred even after rescuing you?” Grunting, he turned away, staring out at the cityscape again.

“Look. I get it,” he said after a moment. “You... Katie, Lacie, Megan... all of you, you went through a really traumatizing experience. So none of us blame you guys for how you reacted. But what you said really hurt us... deeply. And saying you’re sorry a million times doesn’t just make that go away!”

“I know, Parker,” Roni replied gently. “But... I don’t know what else to do!” She gritted her teeth in frustration, forcing herself to try and calm down. “Can you... please... try and look at it from my point of view? For me and the others... it’s like waking up from a bad fever dream, or a drug-induced nightmare. I mean... I remember everything that happened before the restaurant... the plan to take down that... um... girl... what’s her name,” she trailed off, frowning slightly, the details blocked from her mind. “I remember challenging her, fighting her... and then...” She shook her head. “After that, everything is foggy and disjointed. I get flashes, random images, and a lot of... strange feelings,” she added softly, causing Parker to glance back at her. “And that’s the thing. When I woke up in Gene’s little laboratory, I remember being furious. I remember wanting nothing more than to kill you and him with my bare hands... but for the life of me, I can’t remember why! And... that anger is gone now, faded back with the memory of whatever happened to us. But at that moment, just waking up, I felt like I’d found something I’d be searching for my entire life, only for you to suddenly snatch it away from my grasp.”

“I know that,” Parker replied tersely. “And that’s what makes it all the worse! Basically, you’re saying that your time as a brainwashed, mindfucked slave was preferable to a life with me... that SHE left you feeling fulfilled in a way that I never could! And that I’m just supposed to let that go... pretend that it never happened and just blindly pretend things are back to normal again? Well, I’m sorry, Roni... but I can’t just flip my emotions off and on like a switch! Just like it took time for you and Lacie and the others to get over what happened, it’s gonna take me a little while as well!!”

Roni sighed, shaking her head, opening her mouth to comment, only to gasp sharply, hand going to her mouth. Parker turned, glancing over only to wince slightly at the sight of their daughter standing in the open doorway, her lip trembling, a precursor to soulful tears. “Lucy? Sweetie?” Roni said gently. “You should be in bed, pumpkin. What are you doing up?”

“I... I heard you and daddy fighting,” the young girl said, sniffling. “You... you and daddy have been arguing a lot. Are you... you gonna get a ‘deborse’? Are you gonna split up? Do we hafta move away from home?”

“What? No, no, honey,” Parker said immediately, walking over to his baby, kneeling down to hug her gently. “Lucy, sweetie, it’s okay. We’re not getting a divorce. Mommy and Daddy are just... working through some things, that’s all,” he said, glancing back at Roni, who nodded, forcing a smile. “You remember when we took you to stay with Grandma for a few weeks, right? While we fought that really ‘bad lady’?” Lucy nodded. “Well, we managed to beat her and lock her up in jail... but not before she did some really bad stuff to Mommy.”

“Yes, sweetie,” Roni said, kneeling down as well. “And... that bad lady made Mommy... fight Daddy. She made me hurt Daddy really bad.” She sighed softly, still staring at Lucy, but her words were meant for Parker. “I didn’t mean to. And I’m really sorry I hurt Daddy. But... like we always tell you, just saying ‘I’m Sorry’ doesn’t always make things better. It helps... but it doesn’t make the problem go away.”

Lucy glanced up at Parker then. “But... Mommy’s really REALLY sorry, Daddy,” she pointed out. “And anyway, it was the Bad Lady that made her do it. So you shouldn’t be mad at Mommy anymore, okay? You should be mad at the Bad Lady, ’cause she’s the one that caused it!”

Parker, despite himself, laughed, shaking his head. “Da.... dang,” he amended. “Out of the mouth of babes, eh?” He sighed ruefully. “I wonder what it says about me that I’m defeated by a six-year-old’s logic? That I’m really simple, or that she’s really smart?”

“Well, we’ve known all along that our daughter is a genius,” Roni quipped, playfully rubbing Lucy’s head. “At any rate, it’s late. And it’s pretty chilly out here. C’mon, let’s go back inside and get to bed.”

“Yeah,” Parker nodded, following them in. Silently, he opened his mind, and thought directly to Roni, the first time he’d done so in nearly a month. «And don’t worry, Roni. We’re okay... you and I. Forgive me if I don’t embrace you quite as much as before... it’ll take me a while to get it out of my system. But I do forgive you. And I do love you. Lucy’s right... the person to blame for all of this is sitting locked up in jail right now. So... I’m done blaming you. I’m going to do what I should have been doing this whole time—put this all behind me and focusing on strengthening our bond and pulling our family closer together.» Reaching out wordlessly, he clasped his wife’s hand, giving it a squeeze, as they took their daughter back to her bedroom.

“I’m sorry, but I have to say it again. This is... just... cruel!”

Eva glanced up at her sister, Ana, eyebrow raised. “Excuse me? What part of this is cruel, exactly?” she asked, gesturing to the video screen. Two monitors showed the prisoner, Sabrina Cross, in her jail cell. The first showed Sabrina as she actually was, lying peacefully on her bed, a large, padded metal helmet strapped to her head covering her eyes and ears completely. The second monitor, however, showed the fully interactive program being beamed into the youngster’s mind, a virtual simulation playing out while she rested in a drug-induced dream state. The scene was currently showing Sabrina having vigorous and passionate sex with the object of her obsession, Eva, who was steadfastly returning those feelings with a slave’s utter love and submissive devotion. “What’s wrong with this?” the real Eva asked again. “We’re just giving her exactly what she wants... We are even letting her spend her time in a gentle, peaceful fantasy while she serves out her sentence. Are you saying it would be better for her to spend the next four years locked up in that windowless, concrete box with all of that very high-tech equipment lining every wall keeping her incredible powers neutralized, in maximum security, enduring the harsh reality of this place instead??”

When her sister merely grunted, shaking her head, Eva sighed. “Look, Ana, I agreed to let Gene scan me, create an avatar of me, and put me in that simulation to help keep her calm after the... troubling power readings he measured from her after she was sedated and he could finally take precise un-obstructed measurements of her energy levels suggested that even with her drugged and in that power-dampening cell, that if she woke up, she could actually still be a threat, but, it DOESN’T mean I have to feel any pity for her! Between her extreme healing factor fighting the drugs and the raw energy coursing thru her body already pushing the negation field to its limits, we had to do something if we’re going to keep her in that cell for the next four years!”

Ana sighed. “I understand all of that. But, if I’m being honest, all things considered, I think four years in federal prison is rather... harsh also. It’s not as if she actually stole anything, really hurt anyone, or caused any real or permanent damage. Hell, Gene has already found and recovered the money that Lacie, Katie, you and the others signed over to her, so...” She sighed, shaking her head. “My issue is that this ‘fantasy’ you and Gene have her living out has you and her together, practically joined at the hip! Look at this! The girl is clearly in love with you, Eva!”

The elder sister scoffed, rolling her eyes. “She’s in love with the control she has over her slaves,” Eva insisted. “Trust me, Sis. She THINKS she is in love with me, because of how deeply submissive my doppelganger was while under her control. And looking back on it, the girls who were all natural submissives from the start, like Megan and Katie, were the ones she was the most taken with.” She sighed, shrugging. “When she wakes up to the reality, she’ll probably be more angry than heartbroken... but I’m sure she’ll find someone... else to fill the void easily enough.”

Ana sighed as well but said nothing. She, however, wasn’t so sure. Eva may have been the trained psychiatrist and therapist, but SHE was the empath. Eva may not have been able to genuinely feel or experience the emotions that her ‘fake self’ had felt and experienced, but in reading through her thoughts, Ana herself had been caught by surprise and very nearly overwhelmed by their sheer intensity. And she knew, she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that those feelings were reciprocated by Sabrina just as deeply. She had to wonder what the future held for the two of them.

My sister can’t see it, she thought privately to herself, or rather, she doesn’t WANT to see it. I think this whole episode cut a little too close to home for her, despite all her assurances that she is completely fine. She’s always identified as a dominant, as the big bad Mistress in charge, giving commands to others. And yes, she’s been forced into the submissive role before, but always against her will. She can’t stomach the idea that she might actually grow to accept and even thrive as someone else’s submissive. I truly believe she’s more scared of wanting to be Sabrina’s slave than she is angry at having been her slave. It shatters the very idea of herself that she’s built up. She chuckled softly at that. Strangely enough, she herself had had that same superior self-image growing up, the same cocky dominant mindset she’d held all through her teenage years. And then, she’d had that image shattered when she fell under the control of a handsome, suave, dominant man that showed her just how wonderful submission can truly be...

“What’s so funny?” Eva asked, glancing at her.

“Nothing,” Ana replied with another sigh. “Just thinking about the past. Anyway, we do need to be moving on. We have to stop by Megan Tanner’s home and see how she’s doing, then we definitely need to pay Katie a visit. We can talk to Jessica as well while we’re there.” She glanced back at the monitor one last time before turning back towards the door. Eva glanced back at her, a wordless question on her lips, but Ana just waved her away. “C’mon, let’s go. We can talk more about what to do with Miss Cross later on. We have plenty of time to decide what to do. After all, it’s not as if she’s going anywhere in the near future...”

The young dark-haired girl glanced up sharply as her dorm room opened, only to gape in stunned surprise at the person entering. “Whoa! Elsa? Is that you?” the girl asked, laughing aloud. “Hahaha! Holy shit! I didn’t think I’d be seeing YOU again! Where ya been, girl?”

Ella sighed inwardly. “It’s... a long story, Brittany. Long, involved, and utterly crazy. Anyway, I’m just here to pick up my things,” she said, glancing around with a frown. “But... it looks like someone already cleared them out.”

“Yeah,” the brunette replied nonplussed, turning back to her desk. “The dorm RA came by a week or so ago and said that you’d run off... withdrawn from all your classes and just taken off. Kinda sucked, though, Elsa—I always figured you for some kinda brainiac with your grades.” She shrugged. “But yeah, I guess the stress gets to all of us, eventually.”

Ella grunted, gritting her teeth. Point of fact, she had had similar conversations with her various professors and her academic advisor. Trying to explain that she’d been kidnapped and taken by some unknown villainess for the past month hadn’t gone over very well, particularly since the whole incident was a half-remembered foggy mess in her brain anyway! Without proof of some kind that she had been a part of the alleged kidnapping, the university had chosen to withdraw her funding and treat it as if she has voluntarily withdrawn from classes. To make matters worse, she’d only been receiving a partial scholarship—the remainder of her tuition had been paid for by her job at the Orange Julius at the mall. And of course, they’d fired her, after being missing for more than a month.

“Look,” she said tersely, sweat starting to dot her brow, “as I said, I just came by to pick up my stuff. All of my clothes and junk. I spoke to Missy downstairs before I came up and she said that you’d packed up all of my belongings and stored them somewhere. I just need to know where they are so I can get out of your hair.”

Brittany glanced up at her then, a slight frown on her face. “Oh... yeah...” she murmured. “See, that stuff was totally junking up the room, so I had my boyfriend Carl haul it off to Goodwill the other day. Sorry.”

Ella blinked. “You... sent all of my stuff... to Goodwill?!?” she asked, incredulous. “That was everything I owned! ALL of my clothes, my books, my personal keepsakes from home! And you just...” she cut off, scowling. “Wait... I know that—are you WEARING my silk blouse?!?”

Brittany winced slightly. “Um, well, yeah, I suppose,” she said guiltily, before going defensive. “Okay, so I went through your stuff and took anything that I thought might fit first... But hey, it’s not MY fault, okay? You were gone, Elsa... vanished off the face of the Earth! And I waited a reasonable amount of time for you to come back! If anything, this is YOUR fault!”

“My... fault?!?” Ella hissed, eyebrow twitching in barely concealed anger. “I was kidnapped against my will!”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what they all said,” Brittany replied dismissively. “That you were playing the victim card.” She turned back to her desk again, picking up her book. “Look, Elsa, your stuff is gone, okay? And harassing me and giving me a hard time isn’t going to get it back. Maybe you should just look at this as a life lesson... and next time try taking responsibility for your actions...”

Ella’s hands curled tightly into fists. The audacity of this girl! That she was so casual about having discarded everything that she owned... everything she had in life, then chose to turn it all around and blame HER? The burning anger built and built inside her... and then in a snap, faded, washed away by a tide of clear blue ice. A smile slowly creased her lips, as she ran a hand up through her short blonde hair... which turned a pale icy blue.

“Ya know what, Brit?” she said, her voice going high and perky, causing the dark-haired girl to glance up again. “Yer right! I, like should TOTALLY take responsibility for my actions. In fact, everyone should. Doncha think?”

“What do you mean by—AAAAHHHHH!” she cried out in alarm as her chair froze, suddenly finding her lower half encased in a thick layer of ice. “E-Elsa? Wh... what are y-you—”

“It’s ELLA!!” the blue-haired girl shouted, stunning Brittany into silence. “OH, MY FUCKING GAWD! MY NAME IS ELLA! NO ‘S’, you stupid FUCKING bitch!” The ice holding her captive slowly rose, covering her up to her waist. “I mean, like, you’ve only been my roommate for like six months before all of this... I’d think you could at LEAST learn my FUCKING name!”

“El... la... p-p-please...” she begged, teeth chattering, the ice continuing to rise. “I’m... s-s-sorry! I’ll... b-buy you... m-more... clothes.... okay? I’ll...g-g-give you... anything you w-w-want!”

“Anything I want, huh?” Ella mused aloud, smirking. “Nice offer... but ya see, Brit, I think I’m getting everything I want right now! See, before now, everyone just disrespected me... treated me like a nobody. Poor poor widdle Ella...” she said, mockingly. “No one took me seriously. Well, fine! If that’s how they wanna do it... Ella Rutherford is gone! Outta here! Buried in the snow! From now on,” she said with a grin, as her ice finally covered her roommate completely, “there’s just Snow Bunny!” She giggled, turning back to glance at her frozen former friend.

“Ya know, Brit, I like you better this way. You don’t seem anywhere near as annoying or aggravating like this.” She winked, then turned on her heel, heading down the hallway, a thin sheet of ice forming on the ground at her feet. “Now I think it’s about time I went back to talk to my advisor and professors again. Maybe I can help them all to... ‘chill out’ a bit before I take off...”

Tabitha yawned and stretched, groaning as she rolled over in her bed. She sighed, grinning, feeling a smug sense of satisfaction... though it had been several days since the incident in the desert, she still felt the lingering pleasure of her tryst with the two lovely heroines she’d managed to subdue and so totally dominate. Luminaire and Red Rocket had proved themselves as sexually skillful as they were insatiable. Even when the drugs in their systems had worn off and they’d returned mostly to normal, they had continued to obediently grind, and lick, and nibble and suck her to climax after climax with an almost feverish desperation.

“Mmmm... yes. There’s just something about sex with a true submissive,” she mused aloud, kicking her feet from out of her covers, sliding out of bed. Padding naked across the room, she moved to her computer, booting it up. Still, as much fun as it was to reminisce, she told herself, retrieving and inserting the handheld flash drive, there’s a time for business and a time for pleasure. And now, having enjoyed myself and earned my payday, it was time to get back to business. Tapping a few keys she accessed her private offshore account, grinning widely at the balance, the total increased by a hefty two million dollars.

Oh yes, the very best career of all is one that doesn’t feel like a career at all. Satisfied, she opened a second menu, bringing up the files she’d downloaded discretely from Dr. Frasier’s computer when no one was around. Despite being paid a rather hefty sum for participating in the old man’s little battle royale, she’d recognized immediately what an unbelievable opportunity she was being given. As both a billionaire and one of the world’s best industrialist inventors, Eugene Frasier was already on her radar. With the knowledge that he was also the high tech warrior Armor Man as well, and that she’d actually been invited into his secret sanctuary, the temptation to steal as much of that technology for her own was simply..., painfully irresistible. Obtaining it had been tricky—the old man was definitely no fool, but with all that was going on, he’d been distracted and hyperfocused on the situation with Cinema. Hmm, speaking of Cinema. A seriously sweet piece that one, for sure! But, considering the fact that she can literally go toe to toe with Omega Girl, Ultra Girl, AND Armor Man, and she can enslave you utterly almost instantly... Nnooo! Definitely DO NOT want to try my... luck screwing with that one! she mused, turning her attention back to her computer.

Ahhh... And now I get to reap the benefits, she thought giddily, as she opened the first menu that her software had finally finished decrypting. Staring at the screen, however, a slight frown crossed her lips as the display shimmered slightly, then went momentarily blank... before returning with a bright, stunning, piercing strobe effect. Eyes widened, Manx shuddered slightly, her natural instinct to close her eyes against the glare somehow disabled, leaving her no option but to stare deeply into the bright flashing screen, as a kaleidoscope of colors washed over her...

... and gasp suddenly, as the screen cleared, showing a very familiar image staring back at her. “Well met, Lass, I have to give ye credit where it’s due, you’re a surprisingly patient villain!” Eugene Frasier’s Scottish baroque sounded through her speakers. “I see ye finally got around to perusing the stolen files ye lifted from my computers all those weeks ago. Congratulations on that, by the way. Thanks to ye, I’ve had to revamp my entire cybersecurity protocol list.”

“Frasier,” Tabitha growled, struggling to move, finding her limbs completely non-responsive. “What... what the hell? How are you doing this?” she hissed.

“If yer wondering about yer body’s lack of responsiveness, dinnae fausch,” he continued, “it’s merely a post-hypnotic suggestion.” She blinked in surprise, her frown deepening. “Aye, that little light show you experienced. It’s a slightly edited version of the same hypnotic light show you yourself utilize to routinely entrance and enslave your victims.”

Manx bristled, the outrage at being caught by one of her own traps was humiliating. “Let me go this instant,” she growled, “or so help me, I’ll make your life a living hell—”

“Right about now, you’re probably making some kind of idle threat,” Frasier broke in, “no doubt convinced that I’m talking to you in some kind of two-way communications. Far from it, lass, this is simply a pre-recorded message.” Manx blinked in shock. “What? Ye think I had the time to sit around waiting aimlessly for you to activate the little failsafe I downloaded onto yer flash drive? Regardless of what you may think, I’m a verra busy man! Nae, lass... I simply anticipated how ye’d react, and planned this speech accordingly.”

“Gaaaaahhh! You fucking son of a bitch!” Manx yelled, whipping her head back and forth, the only part of her body that she had actual control over. “I swear I’ll get you for this! I don’t care what kind of armor you put on to protect yourself, I swear I will find a way to make you wish your fucking ass had NEVER been born!”

“My my... such language,” the Frasier on-screen commented idly, shaking his head. “Again, not able to actually hear your insult, so it’s a wasted effort, but feel free to vent if you like.” His expression sobered. “Now then. Before I release you, we have a few things to discuss. First of all, there’s the matter of the breach of contract.” Manx stiffened. “Aye, ye ken what I mean. Attempting to steal private and classified files from my computer definitely qualifies. And so, you have, in essence, forfeited yer paycheck for yer services.” The screen shifted, as a second window opened, and Manx let out a cry of alarm as the display showed her private offshore bank account listing. Before her eyes, the two million dollar payment was withdrawn from her account. The catgirl let out a loud scream of anger and frustration, whipping her head back and forth in a frenzy, trying in vain to make her arms and legs move, to be able to do something, anything to stop what was happening. Eugene simply waited silently on screen as she raged, huffing and puffing, before finally settling down again.

“Good. Now that ye’ve gotten that out of yer system,” he replied almost cheerfully, prompting her to scream again, “ye’ll notice that I did leave ye the five hundred thousand dollar retainer that I promised you at the start. Even if ye felt the need to try and cheat me, I will at least abide by my original contract. Alas, I’m afraid I cannae allow you to keep the files ye downloaded from me. Much of that technology is still in development, unfinished, and potentially quite dangerous, and having already experienced the trauma of having my designs stolen and used by other much more unscrupulous people, I’ll nae have it happen again.” Immediately, a loud pop sounded, as sparks and smoke began issuing forth from the flash drive.

“Gaaah... dammit! That was a custom model, thank you very much!!” she grumbled, seething. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself right now, you skirt-wearing bastard. You can’t hold me like this forever... and when I get free I will kill you for this! You forget—I now know your secret identity, of you and your entire family! Not to mention where you all live!”

“Next on the list,” the Scotsman continued on heedless, “there’s the top-secret information contained inside your wee pretty head,” he stated, glaring into the screen. “I may be many things, lass, but I’m nae a fool. Did ye honestly think I’d reveal myself, my family and friends to a notorious thief, share our deepest and darkest secrets with you—and NOT have a way to prevent you from abusing that knowledge?” Tabitha’s jaw dropped. “And really, this time, it wasnae even technically me that crossed ye, lass. It was Whitewash. Ye ken, the psychic that helped you and the others during the aftermath of... well, actually, ye probably dinnae remember after all,” he said, flashing her a sadistic grin. “As I recall, ye were a bit too enamored with fucking my wee daughter and her friend in yer private little hideaway at the time! I had her erase the identities of every single Super you knew, aside from myself, as well as erasing the incident where she tracked you down, leaving you to think ye’d gotten away with it.” His grin faded. “Until now, that is.”

“What? No. NO! That’s... you’re... that didn’t,” she protested, only to gasp in stunned surprise as she looked back on the events of the past few weeks. She clearly recalled meeting everyone in Frasier’s home, in his secret downstairs lab... seeing their unmasked faces, hearing them talk and say each other’s names. Hell, she could even see their faces now, in her mind’s eye.... and yet... she couldn’t recall a name to go with any of them, or recall any special physical features to match a face. The deeper she delved, the harder she tried to remember, the more it seemed to slip out of her grasp! The speedster, the annoying smart-ass, that annoyed everyone—she could see his face clearly in her head... but that image was somehow disconnected from her ability to recognize him! His hair, his eyes, his skin color... she had no idea, even with the image right there in her head! Was he... Asian? Hispanic? Black? White? That space between knowledge and recognition was an unbridgable gap, one that her mind refused to cross no matter how hard she tried.

The man on the viewscreen let out a deep sigh. “Ye ken, lass,” he said frankly. “Ye may think I take some kind of sick pleasure in tormenting you like this... in drawing this out instead of simply sending ye off to jail. And... after a fashion, I do. Ye took advantage of my bloody daughter,” he stated, a bit of his temper showing through before he resumed his calm state once again. “For that alone, I’d love nothing more than to see ye locked away in prison. But, again... we did have an agreement. And part of that was not to pursue any kind of official legal action against you for any past or present crimes. And I intend to honor that. So, consider this then a kind of truce. Ye give up any ideas of revenge against me and mine, and I’ll do the same. We both start fresh with a clean slate. Just know,” he added, his tone sharp and menacing yet somehow still calm, “that if you go after me or my family again, I will nae hesitate to use everything at my disposal to end you as a threat. And... considering how I fared against someone who was a much bigger threat than yerself, I hope ye’ll take that to heart.” And with those final ominous words, the screen went dark.

Tabitha gasped, jerking a bit in her chair as full control of her body suddenly returned. Moving to her computer, she immediately shut it off, examining the ruined remains of her flash drive. “Damn... no saving that,” she murmured softly. Tossing it into the trash, she sighed deeply, hanging her head, contemplating. On the one hand, she was mad. Angry. Furious. Her claws itched with the desire to find and hurt that man... that... that... person, she thought furiously, as her tormentor’s identity now joined the others, disconnecting from her ability to recognize or remember. That she’d been outsmarted, caught unaware, and essentially violated, stung deeply. She wanted revenge, and she wanted it badly!

And yet... the practical side of her argued against it. For one, she no longer had any way of knowing WHO to seek revenge against! For another... in the grand scheme of things, she wasn’t really capable of waging a war against Armor Man and his companions. If anything, she’d actually gotten off lightly, considering what she’d done, and attempted to do. It was like walking past a hornet’s nest and getting stung on the arm. It hurt, and it sucked... but you knew deep down that attacking the hornet’s nest would only cause you much more pain in the end.

“Tch... fine,” she said after a while, returning to her bed, flopping down onto her stomach, her legs dangling over the edge. “I guess I have no choice but to let this go. For now. Still... it wasn’t... all bad,” she murmured, a slow smile creasing her lips as a hand slid down between her thighs, thinking once again about her tryst with the very delicious Red Rocket and Luminaire. “I might not have gotten the payday I was after... but I did very much enjoy the... ‘fringe benefits’ of the job. Besides... its a big city. I’m sure our paths will cross again...”

The woman sitting on the couch glanced up briefly as her door opened, then with an irritated sigh, lowered her gaze back down at the coffee table. Her two visitors glanced at each other and sighed softly. “Hello, Megan,” Eva said gently, walking over to sit down across from her. “how are you feeling today?” The brunette woman glanced up again briefly, before sighing, glancing back down again. “Oh, come now Megan,” Eva chided her gently. “Surely you have a few words of welcome for an old friend? Considering all that we went through together...”

Megan’s mouth twitched slightly, but otherwise, she shows no change in expression. “We? Exactly what ‘we’ are you talking about... Eva?” she asked blankly. “The person that I thought was my sister... my friend, my lover, my fellow slave? The woman who had pledged herself to our Goddess from the very depths of her soul?!” Her mouth flattened. “Or do you mean the REAL Evangeline Snow—the doctor, the cold, clinical analyst, the psychiatrist, the... fucking TRAITOR that brought Eugene Frasier into our happy little life in the first place?! The same Eva Snow that had NO problem with sending our beloved Goddess to jail to suffer all alone for the next... four.... years!” She finally looked up, meeting her gaze. “And the same Eva that has been going around to help all of Mistress’ former ‘victims’ by erasing the memories of every glorious thing that happened to us?”

Eva winced visibly. “Megan... it’s not like that. I am really trying to help everyone through this trauma.” When she refused to respond again, Eva sighed. “Look. I know you blame me! All of you blame me. And... I don’t deny that I played a part in all of this, even if I didn’t know or remember my actions at the time. And... I’m sorry that you are hurting... that you feel... betrayed. But as the only one of you with my own mind clear and unaffected, I can say wholeheartedly that I am the one that feels betrayed! Sabrina Cross brainwashed and enslaved my girlfriend... my lover. And she tried to do the same to me, in my own office! Tried to, being the operative term!” She sighed, forcing herself to calm down again. “My point is... no matter how good and enjoyable it was being her slave... no matter how much pleasure you felt, how deep a sense of rightness and purpose she gave you, in the end, she manipulated you and the others into feeling that way. She was a bad person, Megan.”

“NO! NO! How DARE you speak about her that way?!!?” the brunette growled, getting to her feet. “You criticize her for making people THINK and FEEL things? That’s the pot calling the kettle black, MS. PSYCHIC!!” Her arm went back, hand clenched into a fist... but with an extreme effort, she lowered it back down. “Goddammit... you have no idea... no FUCKING idea, what it truly, actually feels like,” she said, deflating as the fight left her. She sank back down onto the couch. “It’s like... having the very life sucked out of you. Sabrina Cross... my Mistress... she was my EVERYTHING,” she said, tears beginning to fall now. “And... I’m not stupid. Eugene’s machine removed her brainwashing like it did for everyone else. I’m NOT her mindless obedient puppet anymore. AM I, Eva?!” she shot, staring back up at her defiantly. “But none of that changes the fact that I want to be... that I wish I were with her right now, kneeling naked at her feet, eager and waiting for her slightest command.” Eva sighed, shaking her head, somewhat at a loss.

“Megan,” Ana spoke up, moving to sit next to her, “I understand what you’re saying. And I know exactly what you’re feeling. Unlike my sister, my main strength is my empathy. I feel exactly what you’re feeling. I KNOW how much it hurts... how deeply you are feeling that void in your life.” Reaching out, she took her hand. “And this may be hard to believe, but Eva and I truly do want to help you. And the best thing... the absolute best thing for you right now... is to forget about all of this.” Megan glanced up at her sharply but Ana nodded. “Megan... all you are doing right now is punishing yourself... keeping alive a pain that you can’t heal for a problem you can’t fix. Believe me... Katie felt the same way you do. She fought it, resisted it, refused to even TALK about letting Eva remove her memories. Hell, she wouldn’t even see us at first! But in the end, she conceded. She let us help her.”

“How?”

“Hmm? What was that, sweetie?” Ana asked.

“I asked, how did you... convince her?” she repeated, cheeks wet and red. “What did you do to her to make her surrender such a precious part of her life that way? Because if she felt ANYTHING close to the way I do right now, I can’t even conceive of any way of taking these memories out of my head other than force.”

“No,” Eva said softly, then, shaking her head. “It wasn’t force. Or coersion. Or trickery. I just told her one simple truth, one thing that she couldn’t argue or refute at all. The same argument I made with everyone, even with Morgan, to let us help them forget.”

“Oh yeah? And what would that be?” Megan asked in challenge.

“The simple fact that, above all else, more than anything, your Mistress loved you,” Eva replied sadly. “That as much as she delighted in your servitude to her, she also truly cared for your well-being. And the absolute LAST THING she would want would be to know that her beloved slaves are sitting here sad and heartbroken, pining after her. And that, given the choice of forgetting her to escape the pain, or mourning over her loss for the next four years, what do you honestly think your Goddess would tell you to do?”

Megan stared at her for a long moment... then sighed, nodding. “Damn,” she muttered softly, just sitting there, letting the tears flow. Eva and Ana sat there with her, letting her come to terms with things, letting her take her time. Finally, sniffling, she managed a small nod. “Will I remember anything at all?” she asked in a quiet voice. “Will I remember the... good times?”

Ana shook her head. “It doesn’t work that way, sweetie. It’s like a chain. All of the links have to be removed or you’ll be able to recover them again.” She gave her a sad smile. “But I promise you this. The memory may fade... but the feelings of purpose, of being loved and adored... of being with your Goddess... those will stay with you forever.”

Megan Tanner nodded briefly, taking Ana’s offered hand, squeezing it gently. It was all so damn unfair. Every time..., every time it seemed as though she had found someone to be with... someone who truly understood and cared for her... somehow, in the end, it always fell apart. She knew that this was for the best... that the only way to move forward was to let go, to forget what was and what could have been, and focus on what was to come. Despite that, she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing again, as she again felt that familiar gentle pressure in the back of her mind, the psychic intrusion that seemed to spread through her mind, flowing over her thoughts, her memories, her very sense of self... like a warm blanket, covering all the pain, all the sadness, and loss... leaving behind, at last, only a blessed, blessed peace...

Eugene Frasier glanced up at his visitor, nodding as she approached to stand before him, practically rigid in her stance. “Aye, lass, at ease,” he replied in an amused tone. “Ye ken, ye dinnae have to go to attention every time you meet me.”

Rose Contreras blushed slightly. “Ah, um... of course, Sir.” Clearing her throat, she continued. “Thank you for agreeing to see me. I... um... just wanted to apologize,” she said, staring down at her feet. “I failed in the mission you assigned me. Further, I ended up getting... compromised... and becoming a liability as well. I’m... I’m sorry. Sir.”

Eugene let out a deep sigh. He’d expected something like that. “Nae, lass,” he said wearily. “It’s not your fault. If anything, it’s MY fault that ye ended up as ye did. I didn’t provide you and yer group with enough Intel going into this whole mess...”

But Rose shook her head. “You’ve sent us into situations with less information than this, Sir, and we still managed to make it work. After all, we’re trained to be adaptable... to be able to read and assess the situation properly.” She sighed ruefully. “I underestimated my opponent. I’m... not sure of everything that happened during that time,” she admitted, “but I do recall clearly walking directly up to the... the... “ she paused frowning, “Whoever it was,” she added a moment later, visibly frustrated. “Damn. I know her identity was erased from my memory for my protection, but it is rather annoying trying to talk about a situation with half the information hidden from me!”

Frasier managed a wry grin. “Aye. I ken... but trust me, it’s for the best. It might be cliche, but some things truly ARE best forgotten,” He sighed again. “So, lass... why are ye here? It is good to see you again, but I ken ye wouldnae have made the trip back to see me just to apologize for something that isnae even yer fault.”

Blushing again, Rose averted her gaze. As usual, her Boss had cut straight to the heart of the matter. In truth, she was feeling a bit out of sorts since the entire incident, waking back up in his lab a few weeks ago. The specifics were all a bit fuzzy, but she knew the important details—she and several others had been captured and brainwashed into servitude to the evil villainess that she’d been sent to stop. In the end, Eugene, Parker Albinn, and a few other heroes of the city had managed to defeat their former friends and comrades, and take down the villainess, freeing them all from her control. And that should have been that, as far as she was concerned. Job done, mission completed, and time to move on to her next assignment.

Except... something had changed. Something fundamental had shifted inside her, leaving her feeling anxious and uncentered in a way she hadn’t felt in years. Not since... Him. The Confectioner... the candy-themed supervillain that had utterly and completely destroyed her life. Two decades later, and the thought of him STILL made her shudder. And... not in a completely bad way. Indeed, her great enemy and tormentor had broken her in the end, stripping away the young innocent impressionable woman she’d been, remaking her completely into a THING for his pleasure...

“Lass? Are ye okay, lass?”

“Sir?” Rose gasped, glancing back up suddenly. She’d gotten so lost in her thoughts she’d almost forgotten where she was. Grimacing, she noticed her left hand clenching tightly to her pack of cigarettes, and with an effort, slid them back into her pocket. “Sorry... I, um... was distracted for a moment. What were you saying?”

Eugene repressed a sigh. He was concerned about the young woman. In truth, he was always concerned about her. And for the millionth time, he wondered idly if he’d done the right thing in how he’d rescued her all those years ago. When he’d recovered her from the streets of Crescent City, she’d been little more than a shell, a discarded toy tossed away by her former Owner. Half-starved, drugged out of her mind, barely clinging to life let alone sanity, he’d done the best he could to heal her. In the process, she’d come to latch onto him, claiming him as her Master, and slowly and steadily rebuilt herself from the ground up to become what she felt he wanted her to be. And what he’d wanted, more than anything, was for her to become as independent and self-sufficient as she’d been before the Confectioner.

An impossible task, it seemed. And yet, she’d managed somehow, through sheer force of will and determination, to become the next best thing. She became his complete and obedient slave acting the part of a strong and independent woman, even going so far as to maintain the illusion by pretending that the man before her was not actually her Master, but actually her ‘Boss’, her employer, the head of the private security branch in which she served. An acceptable lie, one that they both knew and accepted; if she wasn’t allowed to be his eager and willing slave, she could at least be his ready and willing soldier. And for years, that had been enough.

At least, it had been... until now. Until being enslaved by some nameless villainess had torn something loose. Something that she’d buried down deep, deep within herself, something that she’d convinced herself wasn’t important and wasn’t needed anymore. Something that threatened to unravel her like a knitted sweater with a loose hanging thread—

“For the love of...” Eugene’s exasperated voice brought her back to the present. “Lass, if yer jonesing for a cigarette so badly, just go ahead and have one!” he said, gesturing to her hand. Rose blinked, grimacing to find that her hand had once again strayed to her pocket, snatching out her pack of cigs while she’d been daydreaming again.

“Oh! Oh, um... s-sorry, Sir,” she replied, moving to pocket the pack once more. “I can wait. I know how you dislike smoking—”

“It’s fine, Rose,” he said dismissively. “If it’ll help settle yer nerves, I’m all for it.” When she didn’t immediately respond, he snatched the pack from her hand, withdrew a cigarette, lit it, and offered it back to her. Blushing hotly. she accepted, taking a long deep drag before letting out a contented sigh. “Better, aye? I dinnae mind overmuch. There’s no projects or equipment here in the lab that would be affected by the smoke... and I’m pretty sure my air filtration system can handle a cigarette or two.” He nodded, giving her a chance to compose herself again. “Now then... as to the reason ye stopped by...”

“Do you have another job for me?” she asked him pointedly. “I spoke to Solo a day ago, and he said he was heading out to Seattle for an assignment you gave him.”

“Aye, I did,” he confirmed. “But lass, yer still on R&R, recovering from the trauma of this past event—”

“And I’m fully rested and recovered,” she cut him off. “Believe me, Sir, I’m perfectly fine.” It was a lie; she was actually a complete mess. Despite everything her Master had done for her, the effects of the Confectioner’s torment were still a part of her. She was basically a recovering sex addict, and whatever she’d endured while under that villainess’s control had knocked her solidly off the wagon. What she needed more than anything was a return to normalcy... to be back in the field, working, training, fighting... anything to get the ever-present ache between her legs off her mind.

Eugene stared at her deeply, as if peering into her soul. Rose forced herself to maintain her composure. Her Master knew her so well, in many ways better than she knew herself. If he thought for one moment that she wasn’t back to full capacity, he’d take her off active duty, or worse, subject her to more ‘sessions’ with Dr. Snow, having her poke and prod her broken psyche. Which did absolutely no good whatsoever—she didn’t need a psychic to tell her what she already knew. She stared calmly into the eyes of her Master, desperately trying to keep from breaking down... when finally he sighed and nodded.

“Verra well. If yer truly sure yer ready to get back to work,” he muttered, turning back to his desk. “I actually do have an assignment for you. A verra important one,” he added, passing her the folder. Opening it, she blinked in surprise, then glanced back at him, curious. “Aye... I’m serious. I want you to keep an eye on my son, Jimmy. With everything that’s been happening these past months and the dissolving of Frasier Enterprises, I cannae help but think that my brother is about to make his move. And I wouldnae put it past him to try and get at me through my children.”

“So... you need me to be your son’s babysitter?” she asked him, frowning.

“Nae, lass. ‘Watcher’ would be more accurate,” he clarified. “I’ve already assigned an agent to watch over Katherine Anne as well, though I doubt the lass will actually need it.” He smiled slightly. “She’s more ’n capable of warding off anyone or anything that means to do her harm. Aye... unless Duncan manages to attach red hair and breasts to a bullet, he’ll not even come close.” He sighed softly, shaking his head. “Jimmy, on the other hand... the lad tends to attract trouble like a magnet. Through no fault of his own, mind,” he added. “It’s why I asked specifically for you to watch over him. Yer used to dealing with... dangerous situations.”

“You believe your brother represents that much of a threat to your son?”

“Nae lass,” he replied with a smirk. “While I do regard Duncan as a serious dire threat to both of them, I was actually referring to wee James himself! Trust me when I say, ye’ll see what I mean when ye’ve been around the lad for a time.”

Despite that, Rose found herself smiling. This assignment was turning out to be a legitimate challenge, after all, just the thing to get her back focused and centered again. Still, she did have one concern she felt she needed to voice. “Sir, far be it for me to question your plans... but don’t you think perhaps we should have a more... direct involvement with your children’s safety instead of just watching out for them from the shadows? Shouldn’t you at least let them know what’s going on?”

Eugene sighed. “I thought about that, aye. But I’ve seen the way the knowledge of a dire threat hanging over one’s head can ruin a person’s life, even if the threat never comes. Duncan tried to take my wee bairns once before when they were young.... as ye well ken,” he pointed out. “Since then, Lacie and I spent years of our life on guard, with everything on hold, just waiting for him to return. We even kept the kids out of school for half a year because we didnae trust that they’d be safe.” He sighed. “But eventually, we learned that living in fear is no way to live. We eventually agreed to go on with our lives... we’d prepare as best we could, and just have faith that we’d be ready when he finally showed his hand again.”

Rose nodded silently. She remembered the incident all too well. She’d arrived just for the end of it, when Duncan Frasier had retreated, withdrawing from the battlefield without his prize. And she remembered as well the utter devastation left behind in his wake—the Frasier’s house and surrounding land pulverized. And Eugene, Lacie, and the other heroes that had fought against him, just as decimated, barely surviving the onslaught.

“I did not come to this decision lightly,” he concluded grimly. “My son and my daughter are the most precious things to me in the world... and I’ve placed their safety in the hands of someone I trust. But I don’t want them living in fear, checking over their shoulders and jumping at shadows. Duncan Frasier is my problem,” he said fiercely. “And I’ll be the one to finish him.”

Rose nodded, slipping the folder under her arm. “Thank you, Sir. For the assignment... and your trust. I promise I won’t fail you again.”

“Aye, I ken,” Eugene replied with a soft smile. “I have faith in ye lass. And despite what you think about this current situation, ye’ve never failed me yet.”

Swallowing, Rose made her departure. Leaving the lab, she sighed deeply, finally allowing her anxiety to show. She’d gotten what she wanted... what she needed. Now she just needed to make it happen. Slipping into her car, she resolved to speed back to her hotel and pack, and take the first available flight out to Provo. More importantly, she resolved NOT to surrender to her overclocked libido... to close and lock the door as soon as she entered, strip out of her clothes and descend to the bed, spending the next three hours frigging herself into a stupor, yet again...

“I don’t care! No, Jackson, you’re not hearing me. I DO NOT FUCKING CARE!!” Morgan Cross scowled into her phone as she paced back and forth. “You and your people owe me... HUGE! Your company would be fucking BANKRUPT right now if not for me! You owe me, and I’m calling in that favor!” She listened for several more minutes, before growling in frustration and hanging up, barely resisting the urge to throw it against the wall in a rage. “Damned fucking hypocrites,” she seethed. “Next time he has the Federal Trade Commission breathing down his back about cutting corners in his construction work, let’s see who he comes running to for help!”

“So... no luck, then?” a sympathetic female voice asked.

“No... no luck,” Morgan replied sadly. She shook her head, hands clenched in frustration. “It’s just so... damned frustrating! I’ve called and contacted every person I know with any kind of clout... anyone that might owe me a favor, to try and help with my daughter’s case. But they all say the same thing. District Attorney Patricia Grimalde is dead set on making this conviction stick. She’s up for reelection, and her platform is all about cracking down on criminal offenders with a zero-tolerance policy.”

“Yes, well, that’s to be expected,” Anastasia Albinn answered with a sigh. “It sucks, and it’s unfair, but it is the outcome we expected after all. Even with most of the so-called ‘victims’ refusing to press charges, and all of the ‘stolen’ funds returned, not all of the charges could simply go away.” Walking over to the agitated young woman, she placed a hand gently on her shoulder. “I know this is hard for you, Morgan. And... I know I’m pretty much a stranger, so my words or feelings on the matter don’t carry a lot of weight...”

But the dark-haired woman shook her head. “No, no, not at all! On the contrary, Ms. Albinn, I’m quite grateful to have you here with me.” She sighed softly. “It’s still all just so... unreal, you know? This past month... everything is all such a confusing blur. The last thing I remember is my daughter crying out in pain in my living room, complaining of a massive headache... and the next thing I know, I’m waking up in some, strange science lab straight out of “Star Wars” and I’m surrounded by people I don’t even know! I’m sitting in a chair while you, your sister, Dr. Eva Snow, and that Dr. Frasier are all trying to explain to me that my darling Sabrina, my baby girl, had suddenly developed incredible superpowers, brainwashed a bunch of people, including me, and then went on some crazy rampage against several of the city’s superheroes?!” She scoffed aloud, flipping her hair in a huff. “I’d have sooner believed that aliens had invaded and a flying spaghetti monster had been elected President if they hadn’t shown me video footage of her fighting Ultra Girl.” She sighed softly. “Even now, I can’t really bring myself to believe it...”

“Trust me, it did happen, Morgan,” Ana reassured her, gently. “But there are the facts, and then there’s the reasoning behind those actions. I honestly believe that your daughter had no malice in mind when she did what she did. She’s a young woman, still really a teenager, who suddenly miraculously developed a bunch of special superhuman abilities. So, of course, she went a bit overboard and abused them a little bit.” She smirked ruefully. “Believe me, I know EXACTLY what that was like. I was born with my own powers fully active, had someone to help train and guide me in how to use them, and I was STILL pretty much a hellion until my twenties.”

Morgan chuckled softly, appreciating the moment of humor. “Yeah, I remember Dr. Frasier saying that he was also sympathetic to her. But... I’m still not... sure how I feel about him, yet. On one hand, he’s the one that pushed for her to pay for her crimes, insisted that she not only stand trial, but that since she was so powerful and considering what it took to defeat her, that she had to be tried in absentia, and serve time if convicted... but THEN he speaks to the court on her behalf with just as much energy and actually pleaded for leniency, and plea bargains it down to the minimum time served...”

Ana shrugged. “Yes, well, Eugene can be a bit... intense. He was in a rather complicated position, to begin with, considering he had a very personal stake in what had happened. Still, at his core, he is an honorable man, and he thought that this...” she said, gesturing to the one-way glass, “was the best thing for her.”

On the other side of the glass, Sabrina was resting comfortably on her bunk, looking for all the world to be soundly asleep. The display monitor, however, showed the truth—that the girl’s mind was active and aware, living in a constructed dream fantasy supplied through the high-tech helmet strapped to her head. Indeed, the display showed her having a rather... passionate conversation with Dr. Evangeline Snow, a conversation communicated without words as both women expressed their carnal appreciation for each other. Ana blushed slightly at the display, remembering all too well the scenes she’d viewed, both on the monitor, and in each of Sabrina’s slaves’ minds as she and Eva healed them.

Morgan, strangely, found herself biting her lip as she watched. On the one hand, it was her daughter, her baby girl, the single, most important person in her life... having passionate, uninhibited, and kinky lesbian sex with another woman right in front of her eyes. The twin sister of the very woman she was talking to right now! She should have felt embarrassed, or uncomfortable watching should have averted her eyes away from the scene. And yet... she found herself utterly captivated, her mind eagerly watching and recording every single second, soaking it up like a sponge, feeding a steadily growing hunger that clawed up from the very depths of her being. She hadn’t mentioned it to Ana or the others, but since her ‘recovery’, she’d started having disturbing dreams at night... strange unsettling dreams. Flashes of images, and feelings, sensations, all of them disjointed, completely without rhyme or reason, yet all of which left her feeling incredibly turned on and horny. It was as if a vital part of herself had been removed, and the remaining bits of her were gravitating to that spot, seeking something to grab onto.

And now, here she was watching her beloved daughter, who, as far as she knew, she’d obviously NEVER felt anything other than motherly love towards, and she felt a sudden and blazing desire to join her, to rip away her clothes, and literally crawl, on her hands and knees, to kneel before her and... and... BEG to eat her out! To lick and suck her own daughter to one shattering orgasm after another, all the while fingering her own overheated, dripping wet cunt as she did, knowing somehow that it would be the absolute best experience of her entire life!

And if that wasn’t... strange enough, Morgan had to consider the fact that she had never been with another woman, any woman in her life! She hadn’t even “experimented” in college. And her college roommate had been a beautiful woman. She smiled to herself as she momentarily pictured Lilly Belmonte. Anyway, she knew that she was an unquestionably straight, heterosexual woman. And yet... here she was, not only now very much wanting to have sex with another woman, but that woman was her own daughter?! She must be going crazy! God, what the hell is wrong with me? she wondered.

“Morgan? Morgan...? Morgan!!”

“What?” she gasped, blinking rapidly, glancing over into the very concerned face of her new friend. Ana peered over at her with a frown, staring at her as if trying to peer into her very soul. “I’m sorry, I was... um... I... er, what did you say?”

“I asked if you were okay,” Ana repeated, still frowning. “You were looking a bit... feverish.” She glanced back at the monitor, then back at Morgan. “If this is disturbing you, I can just shut it off—”

“NOO!!” Morgan blurted out suddenly, desperately, before composing herself. “N-no, sorry, that’s not... necessary,” she continued, giving Ana a nervous smile. “I mean... it’s not exactly the way I ever pictured seeing my daughter, you know... and that was another shock, by the way, and thanks for dropping that bomb on me as well, Ana. I can tell you that sitting in some crazy, sci-fi lab and having a total stranger tell me that my teenage daughter is definitely a lesbian is a Hell of a way to find that out! But if I am going to try and work on my daughter’s behalf, I need to know everything about her time here, her treatment, and her... her... ‘rehabilitation’,” she said, frowning in distaste. Honestly, she was more than a little outraged that the warden actually considered having her daughter sedated and drugged, with a mind-control device beaming sexual lesbian smut into her brain to be any kind of legitimate rehabilitation. Underneath that outrage, however, was that strange, unbridled... hunger that she felt, warring with her guilt at feeling such... lust towards her own daughter. With an effort, she shook her head. “But seriously, Miss Albinn, I’m very grateful to you for all of your help, and for you taking the time to come here with me.”

“Now, now, I told you before, call me ‘Ana’,” she replied, smiling. “And really, it’s no trouble at all. I’m very sorry about all of this... of you having to try and deal with this situation all on your own. We single mothers have to help each other when we can, after all,” she said, giving the dark-haired attorney a slight nudge. “My son is a grown man now, with a family of his own, but I still worry about him. I live all the way across the country, but if he so much as stubs his toe, I’m on the first flight here out of New York.”

Morgan smiled back, this time her expression genuine. It was strangely comforting having the blonde there with her. Knowing they had a similar background also helped. “New York, hmm? That is quite a commute. And... I think you said your sister, your only other living family is here in River City as well? Have you ever thought about moving here?”

Ana shook her head. “No. My whole life is back in New York. Back when I left Midas City, my sister and I were... not on the best of terms. I wanted to make a new start, and have a new life, completely separate from her. And, well, I found that in New York. Eva and I have since made up and are close again... and yes, it’s a bit lonely, being so far away from the rest of my family. But I made something of a name for myself there, and that’s where I intend to stay for the foreseeable future.” She sighed softly, glancing sidelong at the monitor. “Though I will say that sometimes... I am seriously... tempted..”

A moment later, and the guard rapped loudly on the door. “Well, it seems that visiting hours are over for now,” Ana replied ruefully. “We’d better head back out now.” Morgan gave her a nod as Ana walked across the room to the door. “Morgan,” she said hesitantly, causing the tall brunette to glance back at her. She bit her lip, trying to choose her words. As a psychic, she was loathe to use her powers to simply dive into another person’s mind unless there was a decisive reason, but her empathy, her strongest gift, was much less choosy. She could clearly feel the other woman’s anxiety, that she was feeling intense guilt and frustration... along with an unusually high arousal, no doubt caused by the erotic show on the screen. She wasn’t really in a position to judge, considering her own unresolved feelings, but her concern for the young mother was real. “I meant what I said before,” she stated finally. “I know you’re feeling a bit... lost right now. Anyone would be in your position. So, please... if you need anything, anything at all, even if it’s just someone to talk to—”

“Thank you, Ana,” Morgan replied back, sincerely. “That means a lot. And yes, I promise, if I ever need anything, I will definitely let you know.”

Ana simply nodded, opening the door, and following her through. Morgan Cross was in a rather fragile emotional state. In actuality, ALL of Sabrina’s former victims were in a similar state of mind. Even with the memories of what they’d experienced as her devoted love slaves gone, the feelings and desires d she’d given them still existed within them. Of all of them, only her sister Eva seemed to be completely unaffected... and that was because, unlike the others, her psyche had been completely separated from the emotional backlash of what she’d endured. Ana wondered idly, if Eva had been forced to experience the same emotions that the others had, if she had truly been Sabrina’s slave, would she be as calm and composed as she was now?

Still, Morgan very much concerned her. Even though her mindwipe was just as thorough and extensive as Sabrina’s other thralls, unlike the others, Morgan was her mother and Sabrina was constantly on her mind. Morgan was working tirelessly to try and help her daughter, to get her freed from her four-year jail sentence, doing research and digging into the details of what exactly happened during the past few weeks. And on top of that, Morgan was spending a LOT of time in close physical proximity to Sabrina. Even with Sabrina’s strange energy being blocked, that had to be having an effect on her as well. Eugene had done a remarkable job of suppressing the details of what happened after the fact... but Ana still worried that the clearly intelligent, persistent attorney and very caring mother might uncover just enough to cause the memory blocks within her mind to break down. The knowledge within her mind was not gone; the information was still there, only locked away, buried, ‘whitewashed’ as Eva liked to put it, hidden away and forgotten. But like anything hidden, with enough time and energy, the truth could again be revealed.

And as she left the prison, bidding her friend farewell, she couldn’t help but wonder, if Morgan DID regain her memories of her time as her daughter’s obedient, brainwashed, and deeply devoted sex slave, what effect that would have on the young mother’s sanity... and what would... or rather, what COULD they do about it? Yes, there was one option if Morgan’s mental state truly worsened... but no, that was also the LAST option any of them wanted! Ana just shook her head as she again considered the very limited choices that she, Eva, and Gene had already discussed...

Midnight came to River City, as most of its residents settled in to sleep for the night. Everywhere, lights dimmed and faded, sounds faded into silence, and a general peace settled over the city like a blanket. It was a very rare moment in time when everyone and everything was still. In the River City Maximum Security Detention Center, the guards, tired from their long shifts, yawned and stretched, closing their eyes, resting them for just a moment... a moment where time itself seemed to stop. Mores the pity... for had they been awake and alert, the ones guarding a certain isolated cell would have seen a most unusual sight.

The golden tressed goddess let out a soft sigh as she stood just outside the prison cell. Her sisters, and even her other half, disagreed with her assessment, and with her actions, but she was Verdandi, scion of the Now, and she would not be denied. Though the Future was the providence of her younger sister Skuld, she had glimpsed something within this girl—a fire, a spark not unlike that of her own Chosen. The girl had strength and spirit. True, she had yet to truly find her path, but the goddess knew that when she did... she would walk that path with a fierce pride and determination that few could stand against.

Stepping forward, she held a hand against the door, feeling the pulsing, cascading energies of man’s technology flowing within. A field to disable one’s powers and render them mortal... and yet such science held no sway over her. Amused, she continued forward, she walked through the wall, materializing inside the cell, padding silently on leather sandals to the bed, where Sabrina Cross lay sleeping soundly. A true sleep, not the artificial state induced by the apparatus forced upon her.

«Yes, sleep well, Child. You heeded my warning and did indeed keep your word unto me. And for that and... other reasons, I find myself sorely tempted to grant you another moment with me..., but no, that is not my purpose in coming to you this night.

You have a grand destiny ahead of you. As Sabrina Cross, and more importantly, as Cinema. Though, I dare say, a destiny FAR different from any you may have envisioned for yourself. At least, had not these very events transpired, the very events that have, regrettably, placed you here, in this cell. And, while this is unfortunate, it was perhaps... necessary. Possibly, even of genuine benefit to you. You are young, Sabrina Cross, but with all that has now happened, you are far wiser than your years. The lessons these events have taught you were better learned now when the price paid was not so... dear. While you are in this cell, your powers are kept from you, but even “locked away” in this fashion, they shall continue to both grow and strengthen. Once free of it, you may well discover that not only have you become far more powerful than you thought, you may well discover still more new abilities as well.» Verdandi paused a moment, seemingly staring thru the wall at something unseen in the sky above, before turning back to Sabrina.

«In my opinion, you have already shown a remarkable... restraint after discovering your great powers. Granted, you used your powers for your own selfish desires. You enslaved many of this city’s heroines and used them to sate your own carnal yearnings. However, it speaks well for the good soul I see in you that even as you did so, you learned to care about them, you showed a true concern for their well-being as much as your own, you were even humble enough to both seek and heed their counsel..»

Verdandi stops and looks over her shoulder as if acknowledging a second unseen presence.

«Yes, in truth, you will need all of your abilities and the sheer, incredible power you will possess to play your coming role in the Great Weave. The friendships you have formed with these women... yes, my Child, for they shall all come to consider you a friend, a few of them, perhaps, much more, and even the friendships you shall, in time, develop with those Supers that defeated you and have placed you here will serve you well as ALL of you must face the trials that approach. The coming trials will truly test you all, some of you more mightily than you can imagine! This is when you will embrace your destiny, Sabrina Cross. It is surprising, even to me, that you have chosen to call yourself “Cinema”, a more fitting name you could NOT have chosen! For soon shall Cinema take her place upon the grand stage!»

Again, Verdandi acknowledged the unseen presence, her lips twisting into a wry grin. She reached down and placed her hand on Sabrina’s forehead, causing Sabrina to breathe deep as her entire body trembles before relaxing even further.

«Goodbye, Child. I must now take my leave of you, though we two shall meet again in time. Rest, for now, Sabrina Cross. All too soon, you will need to take your place and play your part in the Great Weave. I would have you recall and consider the day you spoke to your enslaved mother, asking her what shall your new life be? That of heroine or villain? While you shall never know nor perhaps even understand, I would tell you now that that question had been answered long before you asked it! Destiny does indeed show Herself in strange ways!»

Even as Verdandi slowly fades away, she smiles at Sabrina, an expression of calm certainty on her face. «Goodbye, “Cinema”. I believe you will, indeed, become a great heroine! Though I must say, you have indeed traveled a strange path to find your destiny!!» As Verdandi disappears, only her laughter is left behind.