The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

When the knock sounded once again on his door, Eugene was ready, having expected the call. Nevertheless, it was a definite shock when Chloe returned with her friend in tow, looking for all the world to be little more than a mindless zombie. “Bugair me toll-toine,”, he sighed under his breath as he watched Chloe lead her childlike over to the sofa to sit down. “I know ye said she was taking things badly... but I never imagined something like this!”

Chloe nodded. “Yes, and I’m starting to get really worried. She was bad enough before I put the idea in her head that our Goddess might have... you know,” she said helplessly. “But this is even worse. She doesn’t eat, or talk, she barely sleeps... she mostly just sits in the corner alone, staring out into the distance. And I’ve tried everything I can think of to bring her out of it, but at best, she only responds with one word answers, then goes back to staring.”

“I see,” Gene said softly, walking around to stare at his former charge. She was definitely thinner than the last time he’d seen her, back in the hospital. Back then, she’d seemed so... so full of life. She’d been upset, naturally, that she’d been separated from her Goddess, that Venus Satore had left them, but she’d also been determined and resolute about finding her and tracking her down. The shell of a woman sitting before him now seemed completely devoid of hope, of life, as if she were already dead, and just waiting for her body to catch up with her soul.

“Rosella,” Chloe said gently, sitting down next to her, taking her hand, “do you see who it is? It’s Eugene. Eugene Frasier. He said he would help us find Goddess Aphrodite.”

For a moment, there was a spark, a reaction, and Rose turned slowly, her eyes focusing on the face of the elderly Scot. “G... goddess?” she said briefly, before sighing, and turning away. “Not Goddess. Only a man... doesn’t matter. Nothing matters...”

“No, Rosella, this is Eugene. You remember him, right? He’s going to help us!” Chloe insisted, squeezing her hand, trying to keep her from slipping back into catatonia again. “He knows where to find our Goddess. He’s going to help us!” She glanced at Eugene hopefully. “Please tell me you were able to find her.”

“Aye, I did,” Gene replied, frowning, staring down into Rose’s slack, utterly emotionless face. “I did find her. I ken precisely where she is.”

“Did you hear that, Rosella? He found her! Goddess Aphrodite is alive and well!” Chloe told her, feeling excited herself at the news. Though she hadn’t taken their separation nearly as badly as her friend, she, too, missed the connection she’d shared with Venus Satore, A submissive at heart, very much changed by the experiences of her youth as a heroine, she now truly wanted nothing more than to live and love and serve at the hands of a benevolent Mistress alongside her dear Rosella. And while she’d believed her Goddess was alive and well, merely separated from them, hearing confirmation from a reliable source felt like a heavy weight being lifted from her shoulders.

Her words managed to reach Rosella as well, as awareness returned to her eyes again. “She’s... alive?” she said softly, shaking her head slowly, as if trying to process the meaning. “She’s... alive. My Goddess... still lives.” Finally, she turned to face Eugene, a frown on her face as she struggled past the fog in her brain to recognize him. “And... you know... where she is?” She blinked. “Eugene? You’re... standing,” she said after a moment, before shaking her head once again. “You know where she is? You found her? Please! You have to tell me! Where is she—”

SLAP!

Chloe gasped aloud in shock as Rose’s head spun, slapped hard by her former Master. Her knowledge of Eugene Frasier was rather limited, having spent the majority of the past twenty years in a brain damaged childlike state, but from what she knew of him, he was a kind and understanding man, a true ‘old school’ gentleman. For him to hit a woman, someone he knew and apparently cared for, was completely unexpected. She opened her mouth to protest, but without turning, he held up a hand for her to be silent, and she found her mouth dropping back closed.

“Look at yerself,” he said in a low deep voice, staring directly into Rose’s astonished face. “Look at what ye’ve become! I hardly recognize ye!” He shook his head, turning away in apparent disgust. “All this because of that ungrateful she-bitch left ye high and dry? Are ye bloody daft!?!” He turned suddenly and grabbed her by the collar of her blouse. “What in the seven hells happened to ye, Rose? Yer stronger than this! You’re better than this! Seeing you like this, pining after that... that...siursach... turns my stomach!” When she refused to respond, he simply released her with a growl. “Ye ken what, lassie? Aye. I ken exactly where Venus Satore is. My equipment tracked her down, and she’s traveling right now. I can tell ye where she is and even where she’s heading. But I’m not going to tell you.”

That got a reaction. “WHAT?” Rosella yelled, turning to stand in front of him again. “No! You have to tell me! I need to know! Please! PLEASE! I’ll do anything! Anything you want!”

“What I want is for you to grow a damned spine again!” Eugene growled, heatedly. “Look at you! Begging! Pleading! Offering yerself to me like a shameless slut just so you can traipse off after the.. woman... that left you behind and dropped you like a hot knife the moment she no longer needed you?”

“It’s not like that, and you know it!” Rosella said, some of her old fire coming back to her. “It’s because of YOUR WIFE! Her and those stupid goddesses, or whatever! They took her away after the battle! They broke our bond and sent her away! If not for THEM we would still be together!”

Gene sighed heavily, eyes rolling skyward before deflating, losing the last of his anger. “Rose... how could you let yourself become so weak?” he asked. “You were one of the strongest women I knew. Aye, I ken ye never wanted to be, that all you wanted was to submit, to give yourself to someone who would love and cherish you. And aye... I screwed that up for you. Royally. I never understood what you needed, or the best way to help you. That was my fault, and I acknowledge that. It’s perhaps my single biggest regret in this life.” His expression hardened. “Nevertheless, you found your independence, your strength. When you decided to act against me, when you set about your mad plan to free Satore to help restore Chloe back to her old self, you were fearless. I was, in your own words, your entire world... yet you faced me down, told me off, and bloody well dared me to stop you!” He chuckled ruefully. “I didnae agree with yer choice. I tried everything I could to stop ye. But I must admit... even though it broke my heart, I’d never been more proud of ye.”

Rose blinked in shock. “Pr... proud of me? But I... I... lied to you... purposely hurt you, stole from you, hurt other people in the process! I did some... really terrible things... how could you possibly be proud of that?”

“Not of yer actions lass,” he said gently, “but of the fact that ye were able to make them! You’ve had a rough life,” he said glancing over at Chloe. “Both of you have. Ye were both mere girls, still just starting yer lives when the Confectioner did what he did to you. When I rescued you, you were both broken, so... so utterly lost. I’d never dared hope that one day I’d be able to stand here with you, having a conversation like this, so utterly normal and mundane. You both have your lives back. You can go or do anything you want now. You’re both finally free of the shackles of your past.” He sighed. “And yet... you’re choosing to place yourself back into a bondage so strong and so deep that the mere loss of your beloved Mistress all but destroyed you!”

Rosella winced at that. “You... have a point,” she conceded. “I did give in to my despair. I shut down. Completely.” Her face twisted into a sad smile. “And once again, you saved me... brought my out of my downward spiral, even if it was ‘tough love’,” she said, rubbing her still red cheek. “But as you said, it’s my choice. You gave me the ability to choose, and I choose service to Goddess Aphrodite.” She sighed softly, closing her eyes. “I can’t... I don’t think I have the words to express how it feels... what it’s like being connected to her,” she said after a moment. “I know what you think about her. I know she has done things in her past. So have I. I’m not a saint, not by any stretch of the imagination. But, she is good inside! I’ve felt it! And I’ve been with her long enough to know the REAL Venus Satore, behind the facade she shows everyone else! As much as I need my Goddess... I also know she needs me. Us,” she said, glancing at Chloe, who nodded.

Eugene sighed. “Aye. I cannae say I agree with your choice, but again, I am happy that yer at least making the choice.”

“Then you’ll tell me where she is?”

“Not on yer bloody life!” Eugene snapped, again surprising her. “Lass, I said I’d help ye in any way I could, and I meant it. But in this... the best thing I can do is to NOT help you. By yer own words, you shut down and surrendered when ye couldn’t find Venus’ location. You gave up. And the Jennifer Rose Contreras I knew NEVER gave up a damn thing in her life.” He turned to grin at her. “If ye want yer damned goddess so badly, then fight for her! Find her, and make her realize that she needs you as much as you need her! And don’t take NO for an answer.” He sighed softly, shaking his head. “Aye... I must be out of my own damned mind for doing this... again. But I’ll at least give ye this much of a clue. She was recently in Crescent City, yer old hometown—but she’s now heading back this way. To River City.”

“She’s heading back this way?” Chloe said, excitedly. “And if she was back in Crescent... then she might have been looking for us!”

Rose walked forward, pulling Eugene into a deep hug. “Thank you,” she said sincerely, kissing him deeply. “I’m sorry to keep involving you in my troubles... but really, Eugene. Thank you so much.”

Eugene merely nodded as she pulled back, watching as she and her friend left. He stood for a long moment, then sighed softly, licking his lips from the kiss, before heading back downstairs to his lab.

So... things were... interesting, during the drive. My erstwhile companion was not in a talkative mood, and trying to keep a one-sided conversation going without knowing a whole lot about her in the first place was pretty much impossible. After forty-five minutes of ‘hmm-hmms’ and ‘uh-uhhs’ I decided to cut my losses and turned on the radio. Smiling, the mood lightened immediately, I began humming along as the familiar tunes began pouring in through the speakers. As the guitars finished their lead in, Adam Yauch’s voice began its high pitched vocals.

”Yeeeeaaaahhh! I can’t stand it—I know you planned it!

I’m gonna set it straight, this Watergate!

I can’t stand rockin’ when I’m here!

Because your crystal ball ain’t so crystal clear!

So while you sit back and wonder why

I got this fuckin’ thorn in my side.

Oh my God, it’s a mirage—

I’m telling ya’ll it’s sabotage!”

“Ughhh,” Lana replied, wrinkling up her cute button nose in dismay. “Must we listen to this... noise, as we drive along?”

“What? Not a Beastie Boys fan?” I asked, bopping my head slightly to the music. “Don’t they have music in Sanctuary?”

“Yes, we do,” she said dryly. “And I’ve heard enough of it to know that what we are currently listening to hardly qualifies.”

“Huh, well, okay,” I said, flipping a switch, activating my CD player instead. “We can listen to something else if you want. I have a pretty extensive collection.” I frowned slightly. “It was somewhat more extensive, until my little sister had a temper tantrum and melted about a third of them... and nearly set the house on fire.” Not that I really blamed her for it. She was having a really bad time. And she HAD been slowly rebuilding my stock, replacing the CD’s she melted. I did enjoy teasing her about it now and again, though. “How about something a bit more... melodic?” I asked, shifting to my Godsmack selection. As the music began playing once more, I sighed softly, having a sudden craving for sci-fi spaghetti westerns. I was pretty sure that Hollywood DID have some kind of vendetta against Joss Whedon...

“As I sit here, and slowly close my eyes...

I take another deep breath, and feel the wind pass through my body...

I’m the one in your soul... reflecting inner light.

Protect the ones who hold you, cradling your inner child—

I need serenity... in a place where I can hide.

I need serenity, nothing changes, days go by—

Where do we go when we just don’t know, and

How do we relight the flame when it’s cold?

Why do we dream when our thoughts mean nothing?

And when will we learn to control?”

My selection apparently met her approval this time, as Lana simply sat there, spellbound, as I sang along to the music. As the song finished, I sighed softly, leaning back in the driver’s seat before glancing over at my companion. “So, what did you think? That song more to your ascetic tastes?”

Lana nodded softly, her face strange for a moment. “You... sing very well,” she said after a moment, her throat somewhat raspy. “It was a good song, yes, but I hadn’t expected to hear your voice accompanying it.” I sighed softly, turning to stare straight ahead at the road, trying to ignore the heat in my cheeks. I appreciated the compliment, but my singing was still a... touchy subject for me. I didn’t usually sing for anyone other than my sister or my girlfriend. This, just now... it was more of an aberration, a habit of singing while I drove down the highways, usually alone. If I’d actually thought about the fact that Lana was in the car next to me, I wouldn’t have sang a note.

“I, um... if you, um, liked that one, then maybe you’d, uh... like something in a similar vein?” I said, trying to shift the attention back to the actual music, bringing up Audioslave, starting ‘Like A Stone’. We both sat in silence this time, Lana nodding in time to the beat, a slow smile creasing her face. When the song ended, she nodded again.

“Yes, I did enjoy that one as well,” she said, glancing at me sidelong. “But... I notice you did not sing this time. Are you unfamiliar with the song? Or... did I perhaps embarrass you earlier?”

“I wasn’t embarrassed,” I replied with a slight edge, “not really. I just... I don’t usually sing... to other people, I mean. It’s a... private thing.” I sighed softly. “I’m kind of the opposite of Nebby that way. Singing is a very personal thing for her, too... but she actually enjoys expressing that part of herself to others. She enjoys crowds; I don’t.”

“Nebby?”

“Sylvia LaSilvas. My cousin,” I clarified, shifting lanes, knowing the turnoff for Provo was coming up soon. “She’s a very famous singer here. Her band’s called Symphonic Nebula, mostly for her. Her power, it’s kind of a combination of Sarah’s sparks and Valerie’s mist, giving it a kind of ‘starry’ appearance—”

“Ah, yes, I know of her,” Lana replied, dismissively. “She visits Sanctuary to see her sister quite frequently, in fact, and has performed for the assembly several times. I am, however, more curious about your connection to the Lightbearer and her children,” she asked, causing me to glance her way again. “You are obviously close with them, and that is admirable... but calling yourself their ‘cousin’ when you share no bond of blood with them—”

“It’s not about blood,” I said tersely, gripping the wheel a bit tighter than I’d meant to. I exhaled, and forced myself to calm down. If we were going to be working together as student and teacher, we really did need to know more about each other. I just, well... kinda sucked at meeting and talking to new people. “Sarah... is more than just a family friend, okay? She IS family. Ask her or Yancy or Sylvia and they’ll say the same thing. Heck, she and my mom will often joke around that, in another life, we’d all be brothers and sisters. But it’s not just that. You’re a LaSilvas. I assume you know how you to, ahem... procreate... without the usual sex partner?”

“Why yes, dear,” she said with a smirk, rolling her eyes, “I am familiar with the method. I know all about the birds and the bees. Why do you ask?”

“Because Aunt Sarah is the reason why my sister and I exist,” I stated firmly. “I’ve heard the story countless times over the years... how my mom wasn’t able to conceive, and after Sylvia was born, she went to Sarah, and she, well... did her thing.” Lana blinked in surprise. “She used her magic, or whatever it was, to help my mom and dad conceive. And yes, my dad was a part of it as well. Auntie always said she tried her best to make sure that it was mostly ‘them’ and not much of ‘her’ in the joining, but well...” I half shrugged. “I love my mom and my dad. But I also love Sarah. And for me and Katie both, she is like a second mother.”

“Indeed,” Lana said softly, taking in my words. “I did not know that. I suppose I can understand then the strength of your feelings for each other.”

“Yeah,” I said softly as well, then forced a grin. “But don’t worry. I’m not going to go as far as to claim to be a LaSilvas as well or anything. The first male in your bloodline? I wouldn’t want to shame the rest of the family,” I said with a chuckle.

“Yes, that would definitely be a first,” she said, grinning as well. She glanced off to the side, out the window. “We’re coming up on a major city. Do you mind if we stop soon? I’d like to get out and stretch my legs.”

“Actually, I was planning to make a pit stop once we reached the next exit,” I admitted. “I hope you don’t mind the delay, but I need to pay a visit to an old friend before we head to Portland...”

Devon McKinley sighed softly, deeply, eyes closed as she floated, figuratively and literally, in a deep meditative trance. Even with her eyes closed, she ‘saw’ everything happening before her, her mind’s eye showing her a myriad of images, scenes and happenings, in a disjointed rapid fire barrage. It had taken quite a bit of practice to be able to sort through the seemingly random pieces enough to put together a full picture, and to understand what she was seeing. But this was her purpose. It was what she did. It was what she was born to do.

Hmm... that won’t do, she thought to herself, seeing a fire break out at a high rise building. Fast forwarding through time, she saw the fire department handling the fire, and saving a majority of the residents, though a young girl, still asleep in her room, ended up trapped and perished before firefighters could reach her. The Great Weave, already tattered and mending, shifted and shuddered at the loss of her thread—the girl it seemed would grow up to be an important person in the grand scheme of things, if she lived. Nodding to herself, she banished the image and instead focused her attention on her friends, and servants, reaching out to them through their bond.

“Sioban... Tawnya... hear me, my angels. I have need of you,” she sent telepathically. She smiled slightly as she felt them both respond. It was still a strange feeling for Devon, the girl, having servants, feeling the respect and reverence they felt for her, particularly from Sioban, who was much older than her. The goddess part of her seemed amused by her sense of strangeness, which, in and of itself, also seemed strange. Still, she supposed she would get used to it in time. Not take them for granted, of course, for they were more than just her pet Valkyries to dispatch out to emergencies, they were also her friends... and in an equally strange way, her ‘daughters’. Sending them the details of the emergency and what was needed of them, she dismissed the link, then sighed softly, searching through the rest of her visions for anything that might need her personal attention, before finally dismissing them altogether.

“DEVON!”

“Aaaaahhhh!” Devon yelped, opening her eyes wide in surprise, dropping heavily onto her bed. “M-mom?!?” she sputtered, quickly getting to her feet. “Oh! I, um, I was... uhhh... oh man, stupid foresight, I did NOT see this coming...” She shook her head as she straightened her blouse and glanced over into the disapproving face of her mom. “So... uh... mom. Can I, er, help you?” she asked weakly.

“Devon, what is going on in here?” Dana McKinley demanded, causing her daughter to wince. “I saw the light flicking underneath the door and looked in... Devon, you were floating in mid air!”

“Oh... you saw all that, huh?” she said sheepishly. Seeing the stern look on her mom’s face, she decided to come clean. “Okay. Mom... you got me. I’ve kinda been going through some... changes... recently. The whole ‘glowing and floating’ thing is a part of it.”

“Part of it? You mean there’s more?” her mother asked, frown deepening.

“Um, yeah. It all started when I finally met Jimmy—”

“Jimmy? This mysterious boyfriend you’ve been so secretive about?” her mother questioned. “Did he get you involved in this? Are you part of some kind of cult?”

Devon blinked. “What? No! No, mom, I’m not in a cult!” she sighed in exasperation. Her mother was a devoutly religious woman, and one of her biggest fears was that her children would end up joining some kind of cult. “Look. This has nothing to do with a cult. Jimmy is a Super, and a hero. He fights criminals, and—”

“A Super? You mean he’s one of those freaks with powers?” her mother accused.

Devon groaned inwardly. This conversation was deteriorating rapidly. “Mom, Jimmy is NOT a freak!” she said heatedly. “He’s a good person who just happens to have special powers. And if you consider HIM a freak, then I guess you consider me one as well—I have special powers too! In case you’ve forgotten, I was floating in midair and glowing just a few minutes ago.” She sighed. “And if you’d stop interrupting me, I would explain!”

Dana stared at her daughter, mouth agape, for a long moment before closing her mouth, walking over to the bed and sitting down, primly, with her arms crossed. “By all means,” she said succinctly, gesturing with her hand.

“Okay. So... this is going to sound a little strange...and unbelievable. And crazy. But I swear it’s the truth.” She took a deep breath, and her mother, as promised, stayed silent. “I’m a goddess from Norse mythology... a Norn. I’m the reincarnated spirit of one of the three elder sisters that govern the three aspects of time—past, present, and future. My given name is Skuld, the youngest sister, and my province is the future. As such, I can see and manipulate the future to a degree. And it is the duty of me and my sisters to guide humanity and shape events in order to prevent the end of the world and guide the world into the best possible outcome.” She sighed softly, and her mom just sat there, staring at her. “Mom? Oh, you can talk now. Please... say something.”

Dana McKinley sighed heavily, shaking her head. “It’s just like I thought. You ARE in a cult,” she muttered.

“It’s NOT a cult, mom!”

“Oh no? You are your ‘sisters’ are trying to guide humanity and change the world for the better? Sounds like every cult promise ever made to me!” Her scowl deepened. “And the fact that you actually believe yourself to be some kind of goddess... they’ve obviously brainwashed you. Did they use drugs on you too? Are you high right now?”

Devon groaned, resisting, barely, the urge to scream. “Mom. I’m NOT in a cult! And I’m not crazy or delusional, or on drugs!” She sighed softly, considering. “Look... I’m not technically supposed to do this, but it is kind of important that you believe me. And anyway, with things as crazy as they are, thanks to my boyfriend and his sister, I’m not sure anyone would really notice anyway...” Nodding to herself, she extended her hand. “Let me prove that I’m telling you the truth.”

Dana eyed her skeptically, but took her hand. “And how do you plan to do that?” she asked.

“Like this,” Devon stated, pulling lightly on her mother’s thread... and Dana gasped sharply as the world around her suddenly shifted in a kaleidoscope of motion and color. When reality settled again, she found herself standing in a small room, one she’d never visited before, yet seemed strangely familiar. In the far corner, a gray haired woman, reading in a rocking chair, glanced up in surprise.

“What? What is this?” she yelled sharply, getting to her feet, grabbing a large heavy wooden cane. “What is this? Who are you? What are you doing in my room, unannounced?” Dana blanched, taking a step back as the elderly woman gestured towards her with the cane.

“Easy, mom. It’s okay,” Devon said gently, hands up non-threateningly. “It’s okay. It’s just us.”

The elderly woman paused, eyes widening behind her glasses, a smile cracking her lips. “Devon? Honey? Is that really you?” the old woman asked, breaking out into laughter. Devon nodded, and she pulled her into a tight hug. “Oh, baby... it’s been such a long time since you visited. And this...” she asked, turning to Dana, peering at her curiously. “Is this who I think it is? Is it really that day?”

Devon nodded, grinning. “It sure is. But you should probably explain yourself... she’s looking kind of confused right now. And since she won’t believe me, I was thinking maybe you could convince her.”

Dana’s scowl returned. “Convince me of what? What is this all about, anyway? How did we get here? And who is this old woman, and what does she have to do with what we were just talking about?”

Far from being put out, the old woman cackled in glee. “Oh my goodness... I’d forgotten how thick I could be,” she said ruefully, shaking her head. “Dana, dear... I know this is a bit of a shock for you... but you’re me. I’m you... twenty years in the future. Now, now, no profanity,” she said sharply, just as Dana opened her mouth to curse. “I’m still a practicing Catholic, you know,” she added, gesturing to the crucifix nailed to the wall above the bed. Dana’s eyes widened slightly as she recognized it. “I see you recognize it, huh? Well, take a look at this as well,” she said, extending her hand, showing her aged withered left hand, and the small gold band with the diamond on it. “Look familiar? Just like the one you have on your finger isn’t it?”

Dana sputtered, glancing away, staring at her wedding ring, then back at the stranger’s ring as well. “This... this is some kind of trick,” she insisted, shaking her head. “You probably just had a copy of it made, one that looks like mine!”

“Oh? I suppose that’s possible,” the old woman conceded, still smirking, as she slid the ring off her finger, “but then maybe you’ll tell me how I knew about the engraving,” she said, handing her ring to Dana. Glancing down at the band, she gasped aloud, nearly dropping it. “Yep. It’s the same. ‘Mea vita mea’...”

“‘My love, my life’” Dana quoted softly, still shaking her head weakly in denial. “How... how did you do this? I never take my ring off... Bill is the only one who knows what it says... did you get him in on this somehow?”

“Mom, this isn’t a trick,” Devon said gently. “This is real. I brought you forward to see yourself in the future. What more will it take to convince you?”

“I know,” elderly Dana said simply, nodding once. “How about I whisper something to you, something private, that only YOU would know... something we’ve never shared with anyone else?”

Dana swallowed softly. Her resolute denials were beginning to fade. “O... okay,” she said, leaning forward. “But it better be something real, something I would never ever tell another soul—” Her calm pinched expression changed however, as her elderly counterpart whispered, the color leaving her cheeks momentarily, before returning in full bloom. She stood back up, blinking for a moment, before nodding. “Okay... um. Okay. I’m convinced,” she said in a shaken voice. Elderly Dana just chuckled.

“Sorry m’dear,” she said with obvious glee, “but I find this funny on so many levels. Your expression is just priceless! When I was you, back when Devon brought ME here to convince me all those years ago, I looked exactly the way you do right now.” She slid her wedding band back on and sighed. “And don’t worry. It’s not so bad having a mystical magical goddess in the family. Things actually turn out quite well—”

“Mom, no, you can’t,” Devon cautioned the elder woman. “You can’t reveal too much about the future to your own self. It could change your future if she knows too much about what is to come.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right, dear,” the gray haired woman sighed. “And I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprises she has to come.” With a shrug, she went back to her chair. “Still, it was good to see you both. I’d nearly forgotten this was the day that this happened, but this... it really made my day.” She chuckled again. “Wait ’til I tell old Martha next door that I just had a visitor that was a real blast from the past!”

Chuckling as well, Devon took her mother’s hand and returned them to the present. “So, mom... do you believe me now?” she asked. “I’m not delusional. I am a goddess. I have powers. And I’m learning how to use them to help all of mankind grow and prosper to the best of my ability. Can you understand that?”

“No... no, I can’t,” Dana said weakly, slumping down on the bed. Devon blinked in surprise at her mom, who looked far more shaken than she’d expected.

“Mom? What is it? What’s wrong?”

Dana lifted her eyes to her daughter’s face, and Devon winced at the obvious fear. “What’s wrong? You ask me what’s wrong? You just proclaimed yourself God, and demonstrated your power by moving me through time and space like it was nothing! You’re my daughter... I gave birth to you... and now I find out suddenly that you’re some kind of supreme being?!? And now you ask me what’s wrong...” she said bitterly. “Devon... you’ve just turned my entire world upside down! I don’t... I can’t...” she shook her head fitfully, wringing her hands, clutching tightly to the rosary around her right arm.

The rosary.

Ah hell, Devon groaned inwardly, as realization dawned, the pieces finally falling into place. “Mom,” she said, dropping down to her knees, staring at her face to face. “Let me clarify some things for you, okay? First of all, I said that I’m a goddess. I never claimed to be GOD. Despite everything that’s happened to me, and everything I’d learned over the past several weeks, I still consider myself a Catholic girl as well,” she said with a smirk. “My world view, I suppose you could call it, has just... widened. My sisters and I, the Nornir... we govern and regulate a small part of the larger picture. We are divine, yes... but there are Others above us. Those that we serve as well. And those we serve, they also serve a higher being as well.” She sighed softly. “My sisters and I refer to capital ‘G’ God as The One Above All, the one God that all the lesser divinities serve. And yes, I know, that sounds sacrilegious in and of itself... but it is the way it is.”

Dana nodded slowly, digesting her daughter’s words. “And what about the Ten Commandments?” she asked. “What about ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me’?”

“We’re definitely not ‘before’, or above, or in any way superior,” Devon replied with a small smile. “Believe me, mom... all of us are very well aware of our shortcomings and weaknesses. And for the record, we neither want nor court worshippers, beings bowing down before us. I do have... servants, of a sort,” she admitted, blushing slightly, “but they are beloved friends. I think of them as my own daughters... which, when I actually stop and think about it too much, kind of freaks me out!”

Dana sighed heavily, her head dropping into her hands. “Devon... this is a lot to digest. Before I saw the light under your door and came into your room a few minutes ago, my biggest concern was that you were staying up late reading and watching TV, and needing your beauty sleep. Now... now, you have me questioning my own faith...”

“There’s nothing to question, mom,” Devon said gently, sitting down next to her. “I’m still the exact same girl you raised all these years. I’ve just kinda changed what I’ll be doing after I graduated, that’s all. And yes, I am still planning to graduate with a degree.” She shrugged. “And anyway, it’s not as if I suddenly told you I’d decided to go Democrat or something.”

Her mother blinked. “Are you kidding me? Suddenly becoming a Norse goddess from mythology, I can deal with! If you’d suddenly gone Democrat, I’d disown you!”

They laughed a bit at that, the tension broken. Devon sat with her mom, hugging each other for a long moment, only to wince slightly as her cell phone suddenly blared to life.

“Now I ain’t sayin’ she’s a gold digger, uhhn,

But she ain’t messin’ with no broke niggas, uhhh!

Now I ain’t sayin’ she’s a gold digger, uhhn,

But she ain’t messin’ with no broke niggas, uhhh!

Get down, girl, go ’head, get down!

Get down, girl, go ’head, get down—”

“Uhhhn, sorry,” she said, blushing deep crimson. as her mother stared at her with a scowl. “It’s a... private joke,” she said weakly. “I keep meaning to change that ring tone.” Scrolling through, she read the text from Jimmy, then smiled. “Oh! Great timing! That was Jimmy. He’s actually here in Provo. He was asking if it was okay to stop by for a visit.”

The scowl had returned to her mother’s face. “Jimmy the boyfriend?” she asked, eyebrow lifted. “The one that refers to you as a ‘gold digger’?”

“It was a JOKE!” Devon replied defensively. “Gahh... I knew I should have used that other Kanye West song... And he’s never called me that! I was the one that joked about it, and the fact that he has two hundred and fifty million dollars in the bank would basically make me his ‘trophy wife’ when we get married.”

Dana’s eyes widened at that. “T... two... two hundred and fifty million?” she squeaked, going pale. “MARRIED?!?” This last shock proved to be too much for the McKinley matriarch, as her eyes rolled up into her head and she passed out, slumping to the floor.

Devon sighed. Uhnn... I didn’t mean we were getting married right now... I was talking in the future... oh well. I guess I have dropped a lot of heavy stuff on her at one time. Lifting her mom up gently, she placed her on the bed. “You just rest here for a while, mom,” she whispered softly, kissing her forehead. “I’ll think maybe it would be best if you met Jimmy face to face a bit later, after you’d had a chance to digest all this...”

“Hey. What’s going on over there?” Stephanie asked, gesturing to the virtual armada of police and rescue vehicles parked in front of the Wells Fargo Bank. Her companions, Amanda and Emily, shrugged, then walked over towards the crowd, gently but firmly making their way towards the barrier.

A uniformed officer waved them back, but paused as Amanda held up her own badge. “Ah, pardon, ladies,” he said, stepping back to allow them through. “I was actually hoping one of you costumed types would show up sooner or later.”

“Well, it’s kinda hard to miss with a gathering this big,” Stephanie pointed out. “What happened here? What’s going on?”

The officer sighed heavily. “You’ll probably want to talk to the Lieutenant about the specifics, but from what I’ve heard, some new villain guy showed up a few hours ago and robbed the bank.”

“Well, that much figures, from all the police response,” Amanda stated, then frowned. “Wait. You said a few HOURS ago? If it took place that long ago, why is everyone still here? Did he leave some kind of special surprise behind or something?”

“Yes and no,” the OIC, Lieutenant Priscilla Cross remarked, stepping forward. “Thanks, Murphy, I’ll take it from here.” The uniformed officer saluted and returned to the perimeter. “So... I guess you ladies hadn’t heard, then? I suppose that’s not too surprising. A few hours ago, some weird retro 80’s styled lunatic robbed the bank. According to witnesses, he came in wearing a white leather jacket and boots, a huge wig, carrying a boombox and a camera. He began playing that stupid J. Geils Band song on the stereo, singing along to it, when the bank manager sent the guards to escort him out of the bank.”

“Um, excuse me,” Stephanie said, holding up her hand. “I wasn’t even alive in the eighties. What song are we talking about?”

“Oh, right, Sorry. It’s called Freeze Frame,” Priss remarked, wincing slightly. “I’m probably dating myself by saying I actually do remember it from back in the day... watched the video when it first premiered on MTV... you know, back when they still did music videos. Anyway... the guy, he starts dancing, and brings up the camera just when the song gets to the chorus, and yells out ‘Freeze Frame’. And apparently, that’s precisely what happened. The camera flash froze everyone he took a picture of in place.”

The girls glanced at one another. “I see. So, do we know if it was actually the camera that froze everyone, or was it the guy himself?” Emily asked. “Does he have the power to freeze people, or was it the technology he was carrying?”

“No idea,” the lieutenant replied with a shrug. “All I know is that the customers and bank employees all described the same thing. There was a bright flash of light, and the next thing they knew, the police were there, checking on them asking if they were okay. From their point of view, they just appeared out of thin air, with no lapse in time in between.”

“Um, I just noticed something. You said they just appeared, and that the police were there. I take it you weren’t on site then?”

“Actually, yes, my men and I were on site,” she admitted with a sigh. “We responded to the silent alarm, rushed to the scene, and set up a perimeter. I actually saw the perp when he left the building. An officer yelled for him to freeze, and he raised his camera... and the next thing we know, three hours had passed, and additional police units and EMTS had arrived on the scene, trying to figure out how to unfreeze all of us.” She shook her head. “Damnedest thing I’ve ever experienced. But whether they guy has some weird time control power or it was that stupid camera, one things is for sure. We’re not equipped to handle this guy.”

“Thanks, Lieutenant,” Emily replied with a nod as she walked back to her men. “She’s right girls. They may not be able to handle this sort of thing, but we are. This is a job for the Beautiful Gems.” She took out her cellphone and dialed the mansion. “Hello? Diane? We have a situation. Looks like it’s time for the Gems to shine!”