Stargirl: The Best Hope (version 1) (Patreon)

“Stargirl I presume,” Cindy’s grin simmered.

Courtney gaped, her already big blue eyes growing larger behind her mask. She was so shocked to see the school’s cheerleading captain facing her in platinum green armor that the young super heroine froze, her mouth falling open.

The moment’s hesitation almost cost her life.

Cindy’s rod blurred and would have caved in Courtney’s skull if she hadn’t thrown herself back. It was a frightened reaction more than a practiced maneuver and it threw her off balance, making her stagger backwards and barely raise her staff in time to block Cindy’s next stroke. The serpent-headed rod crashed down on the golden shaft in a spurt of glowing sparks, two supernatural weapons clashing.

Stargirl retreated, still stunned by the appearance of her high school rival. She’d been searching the principal’s office after hours, thinking there was a link to the Injustice Society. It had crossed her mind that maybe she would run into a member of that evil cabal, but not Cindy Burman dressed up in snake armor and tights.

She was still too startled to attack, but Cindy, or Shiv as she called herself in her work clothes, had no compunction on continuing her assault. She thrust her weapon at Stargirl once more and a jet of flame shot from the mouth of the serpent, threatening to engulf the teen heroine.

Courtney cried out and swiped it away with her staff, its golden energy keeping her from being roasted.

“Nice toys,” Cindy , “But your skills… not so much.”

Flushing at the taunt, Courtney twirled her star-powered weapon, then punched the end at Cindy’s face.

Now it was Cindy’s turn to be surprised at the speed of the attack. She moved her head just in time, the lunge going over her shoulder. She tried to counter-attack but Stargirl had already retracted her stroke; she knocked Cindy’s rod away with another small shower of sparks.

No longer certain she had her opponent’s measure, Shiv sprang back and landed with her weapon at the ready, watching Stargirl from a safer distance.

The young super heroine grinned smugly back, the expression mischievous on her round, baby-doll face. She doubted she was as good as Starman had been, but Courtney had grown confident using the staff and wearing the costume. Her elastic bike shorts were shaped by rounded hips and full thighs, her top abbreviated to reveal the grooves of her ab muscles. With her curly blonde hair and girl-next-door cuteness, she made the large star on her chest seem earnest rather than tacky.

Courtney twirled the staff and stopped it with the heavy end, an ornamentation that imitated a thick shepherd’s crook, aimed and glowing toward Cindy’s chest.

Cindy had always been nasty to Courtney. She had never cowered before Blue Valley High’s queen bee, but Cindy had always been the one with the final, stinging barb. It felt good to be able to shut her up for once.

“How are my skills now?” Courtney added a little bite to her words.

Cindy pursed her lips and judged the other girl with a quick up-down look.

“Not bad,” she smirked back, “But not in my league.”

With that she swatted Stargirl’s staff aside and kicked the teen heroine hard in the stomach, driving her back with a gasp of surprise.

Shiv pressed her advantage, pursuing and trying to crack her rod across her blonde opponent’s temple, but Courtney turned her staff and the weapons clashed. She whipped the end of her staff upwards, trying to catch Cindy under the chin, but the villainess ducked to the side and made her own counterattack.

And so it continued.

The teen rivals fought their way down the halls of the school, Stargirl swinging her staff in arcs that left luminous trails in the air, blocking and returning while Cindy struck back with her rod, fists, and feet. They attacked, dodged, and counter attacked, moving together almost like a dance, neither able to land a telling blow.

Courtney sprang back and fired a blast from the end of her staff, but Cindy flipped neatly aside and threw silvery blade that embedded itself in a locker when the blonde dodged in return. Eyes wide at the near miss, the teen super heroine called on the staff to fly forward, carrying her so she could slam a kick of her own into the villainess’s chest. It wasn’t done as artfully as Cindy’s, but the blow still knocked the cruel girl off her feet, banging her into a wall.

Stargirl stared at her, heart hammering.

“Are you crazy?!” she shrieked, “You almost killed me!”

“Duh,” Cindy drawled.

Then she paused.

Slowly the villainess narrowed her eyes, looking closer at the star-spangled teenager.

“You know, you sound familiar…”

Courtney stiffened, then quickly swung her staff, which punched a hole in the dry wall when her opponent dodged. The last thing she wanted was for Cindy to think too hard about who Stargirl reminded her of.

Cindy counterattacked and was blocked but now she was grinning. She hadn’t missed the deer-in-headlights look on Stargirl’s face. There was something delicious there and she intended to exploit it.

Lunging once more, she purposefully tangled her serpent-rod with Stargirl’s staff, then released her grip with one hand, freeing it so she could spin and elbow the heroine in the face. The blow snapped the blonde’s head back with a grunt and she fell back a step, wincing in pain.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Cindy’s grin broadened, “I know you. I wonder who you could be…?”

Courtney attacked again without answering the question.

Unfortunately, this time Cindy expected it.

The staff swung down and Shiv stepped aside, letting it crack the floor tiles, then planted her foot on the golden weapon to keep it pinned and pistoned a side kick right into the star on the heroine’s chest. The girl was thrown away from her staff and deposited on her back, legs flying up to give the villainess a brief view of her butt.

Cindy shook her head pityingly, then kicked the golden staff aside, letting it clatter down the hallway.

“Whoever you are, you’re not much of a poker player.”

Cringing, Courtney propped herself up on her elbows, only for her eyes to widen when she realized Cindy was looming over her.

Cindy bounced her rod playfully against her palm, her smirk crooked and taunting.

“I think I’ll give you a choice, Stargirl,” she leered, “You can take the mask off now or I can take it off your dead body. Better make your choice quick, because there is a time limit…”

Courtney scuttled back on her rump, gaping in fear, and Cindy followed her with a confident, hip swaying swagger.

“I make the choice for you in 5…” Cindy began to count, “4… 3…”

The star staff glowed. It lifted off from where it had fallen, hovering above the ground.

“2…”

Before the count went any lower, the golden staff flew to its owner. Cindy didn’t hear or see it coming and it hit her at the knees, swiping her legs out from under her.

The young villainess cried out in surprise, it being her turn to be deposited on her back with pained grunt.

The staff flew right into Courtney’s hands and she caught it. The weapon floated up, pulling its owner to her feet and setting her down.

“Thanks,” she whispered to the staff, before aiming it at her opponent.

Wincing, having banged her hip and shoulder in the fall, Cindy propped herself up on an elbow. Sh

Courtney scowled back, but her naturally sweet features made her glare cuter than intimidating.

“New deal,” she scrunched her lips up tight, looking as formidable as she could, “You tell me what the Injustice Society is up to or I’ll blast you across the across the room.”

The villainess rolled her eyes and sat up a bit straighter, brushing her hair from her face. She didn’t look very worried by Stargirl’s threat.

“So, your staff has a mind of its own, huh?” she arched an eyebrow, “Do you control it at all, or are you just along for the ride?”

Courtney glared back, “We’re a team! And you better start answering or…”

“You’re adorable,” Cindy sighed, “Wait, that’s not the right word. Pathetic. Yeah, pathetic works way better.”

Courtney opened her mouth to say something back, but once again when faced with the other girl’s nastiness, words escaped her.

“A team,” the other girl shook her head in amazement, “And look at you in your little star-spangled outfit. You’re straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon. You do realize those shows aren’t real, right?”

Her cheeks burning pink, Courtney glared back, her lips pouted and twitching as she struggled to come up with a retort.

“Well… well at least I’m not on the wrong side like you,” she finally snapped, “You can make fun of me all you want, but the Injustice Society is going down…” she barely stopped herself from saying Cindy’s name, “whoever you are.”

The villainess threw her head back and laughed.

“Oh my god!” Cindy cackled, “Are you seriously one of those ‘the good guys always win’ people? What are you, eight?!”

“It doesn’t matter how bad it looks or for how long!” Courtney shouted back, “Good DOES always win in the end!”

“Uh huh. Say that after I beat your ass with your own staff.”

Courtney stepped closer, about to fire back a retort, when Cindy took advantage of the opening and swatted the staff aside then planted a kick into the superheroine’s tummy. The blow was hard enough to make Stargirl stumble back and gave time for Shiv to get back to her feet.

Furious, realizing she’d been played, Courtney raised her staff and fired, at that moment not caring if she blasted the villainess through the wall.

Cindy raised her weapon at the same time, shooting out a burst of flame.

Fire and star energy met, bullying against each other. Like the wills of the girls wielding them, the two forces wrestled for dominance, pressing, unrelenting.

However, the pressure of a flame couldn’t hold for long against cosmic energy. All it took was for Courtney to focus a bit more, put some more oomph into her star blast and Cindy was forced to dive out of the way as the energy punched through her flame.

The blast scorched a banner for the school’s fall dance and Cindy rolled, coming back to her feet. She had barely gotten up before she had to dodge again as Courtney tracked her with another blast.

Courtney, angry at being manipulated, charged her staff and flew straight at her.

Surprised at the speed of the attack, Cindy only managed to gasp before the staff slammed into her waist, folding her across it and jarring the serpent rod from her grasp. It clattered to the hall as its owner was knocked off her feet and carried back.

Heroine, villainess, and glowing weapon shot forward, banging through a set of double doors and crashing through a table on the other side. The impact knocked over a set of speakers, dislodged Cindy and threw Stargirl’s flight off kilter, sending both girls tumbling.

Courtney landed on her shoulder with a pained grunt and she rolled over several times, the staff clattering across the floor. She finally stopped when she banged into the tire of a car, flopping to the floor on her back.

For a moment, the young super heroine laid flat, the star on her chest heaving, staring at the ceiling and waiting for things to stop spinning. Maybe a kamikaze flight into Cindy hadn’t been her best idea, but it had at least wiped the grin off the mean girl’s face.

They had crashed into the gym, which was already decorated for the 50’s themed fall dance. A mural of dancers in lettermen jackets and poodle skirts had been painted on one wall, a record the size of a swimming pool had been mocked up on the dance floor and streamers had been hung from the gym lights. As Courtney got up, she leaned against a cherry red convertible that had been lent to add flavor to the décor.

Courtney held out her hand and her staff flew to her grasp as she turned her head to and fro, scanning the dimly lit gymnasium. Where was Cindy?

The ring of metal across metal startled her. She whirled around.

On the other side of the car was Cindy wearing a nasty grin, but what drew Courtney’s eye was the foot-long, silver blade projecting from the girl’s wrist.

The villainess’s eyes narrowed at Stargirl’s reaction. She raised her other fist, showing it to the wide-eyed super heroine, and an identical silver blade pushed its way out from her green gauntlet. It grated as it grew longer, extending to at least one foot, double edged with a wicked point.

Courtney’s mouth fell open. The blades that sprouted from Cindy’s wrists were the same metal as dagger the villainess had thrown at her earlier, but these were much longer, almost like swords. She didn’t see a place in the armor to hide that much metal. Had those blades come from the armor… or from Cindy herself?

“Okay, Stargirl,” Cindy showed her teeth, “Let’s get serious.”

Courtney’s blood went cold.

Everyone knew Cindy’s type. The spoiled, entitled cheerleading captain at the top of the social ladder, sabotaging whoever and however she needed to stay there, no one daring to challenge her for fear of the consequences. That type was cruel, petty, and vengeful, but deep down insecure, the first to scream for help if she were put in any actual danger.

But the girl grinning at her, with foot-long blades coming from her wrists, was not that type.

Courtney wasn’t very experienced with super villains yet, but she still recognized that whatever Cindy was, she wasn’t JUST a bully. There was something gleefully evil inside her that was starving and finally being allowed loose. Cindy wasn’t a high school mean girl who dressed up as a super villainess, it was the other way around.

Courtney focused her staff and golden energy blasted at Cindy, but the villainess dove forward and slid across the hood of the car, the attack passing harmlessly over her. As soon as Cindy landed on Courtney’s side of the car, the young heroine found herself fending off a flurry of quick stabs and slices. She retreated but Cindy followed, not giving her room to catch her breath.

Razor edges rasped and clanged off the golden star staff as Stargirl was driven back, blocking and dodging as quickly as she could but being barely able to keep up. Cindy tirelessly pressed, the whites showing around her eyes, a mad grin pulling her lips back.

It wasn’t long before Courtney wasn’t quite fast enough. She turned a blade aside with her staff, but it still sliced across her shoulder, splitting her blue costume and giving her a shallow cut.

“AAH!” she cried out in fright and pain, swinging the staff in desperation to keep Cindy back.

Cindy blocked by crossing her daggers in an X, then elbowed Stargirl in the nose, snapping her head back.

“Uh oh,” she hissed, “It isn’t looking good for our heroine…”

Then she stabbed again, but this time she wasn’t aiming for Stargirl.

She aimed for the staff.

The point of her dagger landed exactly where she wanted, into the seam of a small panel on the staff’s side. She jammed the blade in, grabbed the staff with the other hand, then pried upwards, the metal creaking as the panel was slowly bent up to reveal blinking lights and glittering, golden components.

The staff, sensing it was in danger, wiggled and even made a strange squealing sound.

“No!” Courtney cried, twisting her weapon and partner out of the villainess’s grasp.

Having already completed her objective, Cindy let her pull the staff away, then dropped and swept her leg in a C shaped arc, kicking Stargirl’s feet out from under her.

Courtney landed on her back with a grunt and in an instant Cindy was on top of her. Both blades came down for Courtney’s throat and she blocked them with her staff, but Cindy shoved downwards, not relenting.

“You’ll learn,” the villainess grinned smugly down, “The ‘good guys” don’t always win, sweetie. They don’t even usually win.”

Courtney gaped in horror at the gleaming points of the daggers reaching for her windpipe. She was already pretty strong and her belt made her super strong, but Cindy was strong too and she had gravity on her side. The villainess leaned into it and the daggers inched closer, trembling as opposing forces fought to control them.

“It’s about who’s willing to do more,” Cindy crooned, “Who’s trained more… and I’ve been training for years, but never allowed to use it. I’ve been dying for this…”

Realizing brute strength wasn’t going to work, Courtney focused on the staff and it glowed bright. It flew up, flipped the girls over then slammed Cindy down with Stargirl on top of her, instantly reversing the position.

Now Courtney and the staff both pressed down, digging the shaft into Cindy’s throat and pinning her gauntlets to the floor.

The villainess winced in discomfort, groping around on the staff to try to find a better hand hold, but trying to overpower both Stargirl and her staff was pointless. She was trapped.

“You’re not going to beat me,” Courtney glared down at her, “Because no matter how good you are, I believe in what I’m doing! It isn’t about getting what you deserve or getting to do what you want it’s about doing what’s right! I don’t care how many of the Injustice Society there are or how experienced they are, they won’t win! And if that means stopping you too, then that’s exactly what I’m going to do!”

Cindy frowned at that, canting her head as she looked up at Stargirl. Her hands continued to grope about on the staff for another moment, but then stopped as she considered the heroine’s words.

“You really believe all that,” she said, “Don’t you?”

“It’s the truth.” Courtney sternly met her gaze.

Cindy slowly grinned, “It’s… sad.”

Courtney narrowed her eyes, about to retort when she noticed the villainess’s right hand fiddling with something.

Cindy’s grin broadened when Stargirl saw what she was doing. When she’d been groping around on the staff, it hadn’t been to find a better grip, it had been to find the panel she’d exposed. She’d dug around and found a few important-looking wires and now had them firmly in hand.

The villainess didn’t know what would happen when she yanked those wires free, but she had a feeling it would be exciting.

Realizing her mistake, Courtney gasped and grabbed for Cindy’s hand.

Too late.

Cindy jerked the wires loose just as Courtney grabbed her hand.

The staff glowed brighter and brighter, a whining sound growing louder as its energy built up to a boiling point. It jerked and shivered in Courtney’s hands, the whining becoming piercing, glowing too brightly to look at, the golden weapon struggling to control its untethered power and quickly losing the battle.

Once the whine was almost deafening, the energy inside the staff exploded. Stargirl was thrown the air like she’d been hit by a wrecking ball.

Courtney lost all sense of space, not knowing which way was up until she slammed into the wall of the gym, the force of the blast pinning her there for a moment like a bug on a windshield. Then gravity reasserted itself and she fell flat on her stomach, barely managing to brace some of the fall with her arms.

Her ears were ringing, the world spinning, white spots swirling around in her vision. Courtney lay still, waiting for her head to clear. Human beings weren’t designed to be hurled several hundred feet then come to an almost instantaneous stop. Her body was still trying to figure out where it was and what had happened, even as Courtney herself was dimly aware that if it hadn’t been for the protective field of her cosmic belt, she would have been smashed to a pulp.

Groaning, Courtney pushed herself up and dragged herself to her feet. She wobbled, everything still seeming too bright, leaving her squinting to make things out. She held her hand out to summon her staff.

It didn’t come.

Courtney shook her head, blinking hard to clear her vision. There was no sign of her staff, no glowing energy approaching, none of the weapon’s strange singing as it came to her. Just stillness, the faint ringing in her ears, spots like she’d been staring at the sun for too long.

After several seconds, she heard something and turned towards it, but it wasn’t her staff. It was Cindy, charging at her, Courtney’s staff in her hands, a wild grin on her face.

She slammed the end of Stargirl’s golden staff into the ground, used it as a pole vault and kicked the heroine in the face.

Courtney grunted and reeled from the blow, staggering, but Cindy pursued before she could even regain her balance. Letting the inert, lifeless staff clatter to the ground, the grinning villainess punched the staggering blonde hard in the jaw, then again with the other hand and again.

It happened so fast, the thought of defending herself barely came to mind. Stargirl’s head whipped one way, then the other, then snapped back in quick succession, her eyes rolling and crossing, expression vacant as her thoughts were beaten loose. She tottered back only to be hit again, her legs fumbling and turning to jelly.

Before she could fall, Cindy grabbed two handfuls of the white star on her chest, then yanked her upright.

“No, no,” the villainess grinned, “Not yet.”

Then she buried her knee into Stargirl’s toned stomach.

Even in her discombobulated state, the blow forced Courtney to gape at the shocking pain, doubling over. As she did so Cindy darted behind her, looping her arms around the hapless young heroine’s waist.

“Ready for a little ride?” the villainess hissed in her ear.

The next thing Courtney knew, she was yanked off her feet and flipped over, her legs kicking wildly before she was suplexed onto her head.

When Cindy let go of her waist, Courtney flopped onto her back and the villainess scrambled around to loop her arm around her opponent’s neck and under her armpit in a scarf hold. She squeezed the hold tight and suddenly Courtney couldn’t breathe.

Dazed, battered, completely overwhelmed, Stargirl kicked her legs feebly, gagging and squirming to free herself, her trapped arm waving about uselessly.

“You’ve definitely had some practice,” Cindy grinned, “But I’ve been training for years. I don’t think believing in what you’re doing is going to help you much right now…”

Courtney pulled at the hold with her one free hand, but it was hopeless and her grip was only weakening. The danger of the choke wasn’t the lack of air, but the blood being cut off to her brain. It wasn’t long before her extremities started tingling and becoming clumsy, any strength she had left bleeding out of her body, darkness closing on her vision.

Cindy watched eagerly as she felt the heroine’s body soften, her pretty face growing slack as the light left her big blue eyes. She could finish this right now if she wanted, just hold tight for another fifteen seconds and there would be no more Stargirl.

But that seemed unsatisfying.

She let go of the hold and Stargirl gasped, flopping to the floor in relief.

Cindy didn’t give her time to rest.

“Come on,” she took a handful of the heroine’s curly blonde hair, “Get up.”

The villainess stood and dragged the groaning girl to her feet by her scalp, grinning with immense satisfaction.

“I’m still having fun.”

Courtney staggered up reluctantly, hips swaying as her balance wavered. She managed to grasp at the hand tangled in her hair, but it was simply to support herself rather than to pull away. Her sweet features were hanging from exhaustion and pain, eyes glazed and lidded, the girl clearly standing only because her enemy willed it so.

Cindy loved it.

Her eyes narrowed with pleasure, she looked her battered rival over, enjoying the control she had over Stargirl’s nubile body. The heroine was the type of athletic that was rounded in the hips and rear, not to mention having a healthy swelling in the chest. Shiv found it amusing to pull her prey to the side, watching her hips wobble as she staggered, then the other way to watch her wobble back.

“Oh, honey,” Cindy pouted empathetically, “You’re not enjoying this at all are you?”

She drove her fist into Courtney’s belly button. Unprepared, the blonde’s hips were shoved back, the blow sinking into her bare tummy. She ‘oof’ed and tried to double over, but Cindy kept her upright.

“I definitely am,” the villainess grinned, “Sorry, sweetie. We all have to make sacrifices.”

She punched Stargirl in her stomach once more and with great satisfaction. The young superheroine had firm abs, the little grooves of muscle displayed by her mid drift-baring top, but Cindy felt them soften beneath her fist.

She did it again and Stargirl croaked, her eyes bulging.

“I’m enjoying this,” Cindy said, “VERY much.”

The queen bee hammered punch after punch into Courtney’s belly, each blow driving further through the firm abs, making them tender and weak. As much as Cindy was enjoying this, Courtney was finding it equally miserable. Her guts were aching and she felt like she wanted to throw up, but the villainess pulled her up straight whenever she started to droop, making sure her stomach was nicely presented for the next blow. After half a dozen hard punches, she couldn’t breathe, her knees were buckling, but Cindy wouldn’t let her fall. After a few more, she couldn’t even lift her arms to defend herself.

When Cindy was finally done, Stargirl was hanging in her grasp, retching and coughing. Her mouth gaped, eyes still wide from shock at the stabbing pain in her stomach. As a gymnast she’d had fallen and had her breath knocked out, but she was discovering striking the mat was different from having hard bones punched into her guts repeatedly.

“Awww…” the villainess cooed, “Tummy a little sore?”

She let go of Courtney’s hair and the superheroine plopped onto her knees with a grunt, then crumpled forward, arms clutching her stomach.

Still dazed from her earlier beating, now hollowed out by having her insides pounded to jelly, Courtney curled up with her face to the ground, knees tucked beneath her.

“Look at all these stupid decorations,” Cindy scoffed, “God, I HATE having to pretend to be just a high schooler.”

“Kaff… kaff koff…” Courtney turned her head enough to see the other girl glaring around at the gym’s sock hop décor.

Cindy put a fist to her hip and wrinkled her nose, eyeing the banners, the painted walls, the streamers.

“Everyone around me acting like all this stuff is so important and so hard,” she made a disgusted sound, grabbing one of the streamers, “The classes, social standing, who’s dating who, dances. Tiny people caring about tiny little things.”

She yanked the streamer down, tearing it and watching it fall to the floor.

“And that’s why,” she turned to grin at Stargirl, “I’ve needed THIS so, so badly!”

Curled up as she was, Courtney’s rump poked up towards the ceiling, the position making the spandex look painted over it.

Cindy gave the blue cheeks a loud smack with her palm.

“Thanks for that, Stargirl,” she reached for her, “I think this is going to be really cathartic for me.”

Grabbing the spandex between her shoulders and the waist of her shorts, she pulled the slack superheroine up, hunched over but standing.

“Unnhh…” Courtney groaned in the awkward position, grabbing clumsily at the other girl to try to support herself. On her feet but bent over, she was off balance, entirely at Cindy’s mercy.

Which is how the villainess wanted it. She started forward at a trot, forcing her victim to stumble along with her, then picked up the pace.

“I hate this stupid dance,” Cindy snapped, “I hate this school.”

Perpetually feeling like she was about to fall on her face, Courtney tripped and grasped at the other girl, desperately trying to regain her equilibrium.

“And I hate… this CAR!”

Bent over, Courtney couldn’t see where she was running. She had no idea something was in front of her until she was thrown forward and rammed her head into the door of the vintage car, denting the cherry red metal. She saw a bright flash, let out a confused grunt and fell flat on her face.

“I don’t belong here,” Cindy said, “I belong in the real game! I should be showing the world what I can really do, not wasting my time in this place!”

Head throbbing, Courtney panted against the floor, feeling sick in more ways than one. She had to get up and keep fighting to save the city, even the world from the Injustice Society, but she was getting her butt kicked. Without the staff it wasn’t even a contest. She didn’t think Starman had ever been clobbered this thoroughly.

She lifted her head, enough to rest her chin on the floor, and she saw something gold glittering beneath the car. Her eyes widened. The staff was lying almost within arm’s reach, having rolled there after Shiv tossed it aside.

“I should burn this place down,” Cindy sighed wistfully, “Maybe the whole school. What’s the worst that could happen.”

Courtney reached toward the staff, trying to summon it to her hand, but it didn’t come. The panel Cindy had pried up was still sticking out and the metal around it was blackened. It didn’t glow or hum like it had before. Was it broken… or dead?

She didn’t have time to think about it. Though moving hurt, she grabbed at the floor and drug herself towards the staff. Maybe if she touched the golden weapon it would come back to life.

“Maybe I should go hunting for superheroes,” Cindy continued, “I’m not even sure I’ll be able to focus on school after to—oh, are we going somewhere?”

Courtney managed to squirm far enough to get her hand on the staff, just before her opponent grabbed her by the ankle and dragged her from under the car.

“Nhh…” she grunted as her bare thighs squeaked across the gym floor, but she kept the staff in hand.

The young superheroine started to climb to her feet, but before she could do it herself Cindy grabbed her by the back of the costume and dragged her off the floor.

“Looks like you found your glow stick,” the villainess cooed, “Isn’t that nice.”

Cindy put a hand on her shoulder to turn her, but Courtney moved first.

Gripping the staff in both hands, she spun around and swung the weapon with all her might in the same movement. Tired, still dazed, but with strength enhanced by the cosmic belt, she aimed at her opponent’s head. Taking Shiv by surprise might be her only chance. This had to be the moment she turned the tide.

The staff swept through the air and Cindy was surprised for a split second, but she reacted instantly. The villainess leaned back and the attack whistled harmlessly by, barely grazing the tip of her nose.

The miss threw Courtney off balance and she stumbled with a gasp, turning her back to her opponent. Sure the other girl would attack her immediately, she turned back and swung the staff blindly, hoping to at least keep the villainess away.

Cindy took a tiny step back to avoid the second swing and watched Stargirl with a sour smirk.

“I think your toy is broken, blondie,” she said.

Courtney panted, weariness and fear battling inside her. Superheroes didn’t lose to supervillains, not when everything was on the line, but the staff was heavy and clumsy in her hands. Without the energy in the staff helping her, even guiding her, it felt completely alien. She remembered what it felt like to do some of the moves, but she’d never had any formal training.

On the other hand, Cindy was watching her with a curious interest, like how a cat would watch an injured bird.

“You could run, you know,” she stared with big, dark eyes, “Or surrender. Take off your mask and maybe I’ll let you live.”

Courtney swallowed. Part of her wanted to take that offer, as she was seriously doubting her ability to take Cindy on right now. But she also doubted the villainess would keep her word and even then, she couldn’t just give up. Starman would never do that, no superhero would. She was Stargirl and she had to win. The whole town was counting on her, maybe even the whole world.

Her blue eyes narrowed, jaw set with determination, “No…”

“Hm,” Cindy smiled, “Good for you.”

Courtney watched the other girl, squeezing the staff tight. Cindy was standing easily within reach of a swing, but had her arms at her sides, entirely relaxed. She might as well have been waiting in line at the mall.

Suspecting a trick, Courtney faked high with the staff, then swung it at Cindy’s ribs, intending to knock the breath out of Blue Valley High’s resident mean girl the same way it had been done to her.

Cindy read the attack easily. She didn’t react to the feint in the slightest, then when the swing came she stepped close and into it, taking away the leverage and smothering it before the attack could build any momentum. She looped her arm around the weapon and caught it, trapping it under her tricep.

Before Courtney fully realized what had happened, the villainess kicked her in the chin, snapping her head back.

“UNF!” the young superheroine stumbled back and fell against the car, losing her weapon in the process. She started to slip down the side of the vehicle but managed to catch herself.

Cindy jammed the staff directly into the star on the center of her chest. She leaned into it and pinned Courtney there, while the young superheroine gasped in pain.

“I’m seriously glad you didn’t just give up,” the villainess narrowed her eyes, “Because I’m REALLY enjoying this.”

Gritting her teeth as the metal of the staff dug into her breastbone, Courtney gripped the end and pushed at it, trying to force it to the side, off her chest. She could still win. She WOULD still win!

The moment the superheroine pushed at the weapon, Cindy let it go and threw herself forward.

With both her hands occupied by the staff, Courtney was unprepared for the punch that smashed into her chin. It knocked her head back so hard, she broke the car’s driver side window, the safety glass shattering into tiny crystal beads.

Deprived of her senses, the young heroine immediately crumpled, but Cindy grabbed a wad of her spandex top and yanked her back upright, leaning her against the car.

“I truly am enjoying this,” the villainess remarked, “You should take that as a compliment. I usually don’t like spending time with anyone!”

Courtney blinked at her, mouth hanging open stupidly. She recognized the girl staring at her, but everything seemed surreal, like she was watching a blurry tv show. She had to fight this girl, she realized. She needed to do something to stop her from doing bad things.

Cindy hit her again, snapping her head back and jarring those thoughts from her mind.

“It’s not just beating someone up either, it’s you in particular. Oh so innocent, all sweet and earnest. Being ‘partners’ with your weapon. So adorable and punchable.”

Cindy buried a fist into Courtney’s stomach, drawing a surprised ‘oof’.

“I’d much rather be kicking your ass than cheerleading,” the villainess said matter-of-factly, “And I really like cheerleading. I like the attention. That’s saying something.”

She punched Courtney in the face once more. The young superheroine wondered where she was and how she got here. Someone was hitting her. Why were they hitting her?

“You know, you’re a good listener too,” she grinned, “I appreciate that. We really should do this again sometime.”

Another punch left Stargirl entirely slack, her eyes unfocused, shoulders drooped and hands hanging at her sides. She was dimly aware she was being beaten but she couldn’t focus, her body too heavy to move. She was hanging so heavily from her opponent’s grip that her top was getting pulled up, showing the pink sports bra she wore underneath.

“Out of everyone who’s tried to stand up to me,” Cindy said, “You’re my favorite.”

She hit Courtney again and the girl’s head bobbled on a limp neck, her expression silly and bewildered. She didn’t even grunt this time, too out of it to react.

Still enjoying herself, Cindy drew back her fist again, but stopped.

Stargirl wasn’t even looking at her even more. The heroine’s blue eyes were lidded, their gaze cloudy and far away, features soft like she was already asleep. She could continue punching the girl, but she might as well be beating a side of beef.

“Awww,” the villainess groaned in disappointment, “Don’t tell me you’re already done!”

Cindy clasped the heroine’s jaw to stabilize her head then squinted into her eyes, checking to see if there were any signs of resistance.

Courtney’s vision swam and her thoughts were so jumbled up she couldn’t interpret what she saw. She saw weird shapes, some of them looking like Cindy, but didn’t understand them, just staring at them sleepily. She wouldn’t remember this at all later.

After a second’s peering, hoping Stargirl would snap out of it, Cindy sighed.

“Hmph.” She pouted, “All used up. Boo.”

Cindy let go and Courtney slipped down the car to drop flat on her butt, legs splayed. The landing bounced her head before her chin came to rest on her chest, right above her star insignia. She was entirely slack, shoulders drooped, hands resting palms up on the floor beside her, but she remained propped up against the car, sitting upright like she’d just plopped down for a quick nap.

“Nhh…” the battered heroine groaned faintly, like she was having a bad dream.

Cindy crouched down in front of her and cupped her chin, lifting her head upright.

“Well, at least I finally get to see who’s under this mask,” the villainess grinned into Courtney’s glassy eyes, “I definitely feel like I know you.”

She pinched the top of the blue mask and began pealing it up over the heroine’s face. It was sealed there firmly, needing to stay in place in the midst of battle, so it took a bit of loosening before it could be removed.

In her senseless daze, Courtney felt the little tugs and wiggles on her mask. They nagged at her, a voice somewhere in the recesses of her mind screaming a warning. She managed a lazy blink, a confused frown furrowing her brow, knowing something was wrong but unable to discern what it was.

Cindy took her time working the mask up. Once the seal against the heroine’s skin was broken, she dragged it up over her brow with sensual sluggishness, savoring the moment.

“Come on, Stargirl…” she cooed, “Let’s have a little look-see.”

As the eye holes of the mask slipped over her forehead, Courtney’s blue eyes blinked with realization. Her mask. Someone was taking her mask off. Her vision was so blurry she couldn’t tell who it was, but she still felt a flutter of panic.

By the time recognition struck her, the mask was already sliding over her curly blonde hair.

“Nnn… no…” she gasped weakly, “D-don’t…”

“Oh, hush, Courtney,” Cindy said, “It’s too late.”

The villainess pulled the mask free of Courtney’s hair and then held it up beside her face, comparing the two.

“Courtney Whitmore,” Cindy looked back and forward, “I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you. How could I not figure out little miss goody two shoes new girl was little miss goody two shoes superheroine? I’m honestly disappointed in myself.”

A stab of fear pierced the exposed heroine’s heart. She didn’t remember how she came to this point, but she recognized Cindy, recognized her own mask in the girl’s hand. She clumsily tried to reached towards her mask, trying to take it back, but her arm wouldn’t work right, only twitching and lifting a bit before flopping back down.

“It’s perfect, though,” Cindy narrowed her eyes, “I wanted to beat both your asses, and it turns out they’re the same. If I’d known, I DEFINITELY would have played with you a little longer.”

“Nhhh…” Courtney mewled, managing to lift her arm and paw towards her mask.

Cindy grinned and drew it back, just outside the heroine’s reach.

“You are fun,” the villainess giggled, “I wonder…”

She paused, biting her lip playfully. She considered something, her grin broadening as she did.  then shrugged.

“I guess we’ll talk about that later,” the villainess cooed, “For now, it’s time to put you down for your nap.”

She drew back her fist.

“Nighty night, Courtney. And by the way, I don’t know if you were paying attention, but… you just.”

Courtney was still feebly grasping for her mask when Cindy’s punch slammed into her chin.

Stargirl fell into darkness.

* * *

The rattling of a wobbly wheel was the first sound Courtney recognized on waking up. The rhythmic rolling of the other wheels was close enough that she could feel them, the loose one vibrating her enough to make her nose itch.

“Nrrh…” she groaned, realizing something had been stuffed in her mouth when she did.

Her body complained of aches from almost everywhere, but her head was the worst. It throbbed miserably, hurting worse when she tried to open her eyes, everything much too bright. She felt like she’d had too many wine coolers.

She was lying on her stomach, breasts pressed uncomfortably into a metal surface, wrists held tight behind her back. Beside her were stacks of small crates and she realized a white tarp had been laid across both them and her.

Her head was still lazily spinning so it took her a moment to pick out the sensation of movement. She’d been laid on some kind of dolly and was being taken somewhere.

“Muummh…” the young heroine closed her eyes, trying to alleviate the throbbing pain in her head.

Memories slowly filtered back to her. Meeting Cindy in the school. Her staff. Being beaten badly. Her mask…?

Courtney shook her head, hoping for an instant it had been a nightmare, but judging by how she was bound and gagged, she doubted it. Her cosmic belt had been removed as well as her boots, leaving her barefoot. There was nothing binding her legs, but she was still so dizzy she didn’t think she could run anywhere regardless.

The facts began to sink in. She’d tried her best, fought Cindy with everything she had, and even with right on her side, she’d lost. Not only had she been utterly trounced, her staff had been broken, her mask yanked right off her face. Even if she somehow escaped, she’d never be able to defend herself or anyone else. As far as she knew, the Injustice Society already knew who she was and they were on their way to destroy her family.

The good guys had lost. She wasn’t the hero of this story. She hadn’t continued Starman’s legacy, she’d ended it.

Courtney let out a groan of despair, tears filling her eyes.

The dolly abruptly stopped.

Courtney froze as she heard footsteps approach her, just before the tarp was whipped off.

“Well, well, look who’s awake,” Cindy grinned down at her.

The young superheroine stared at the other girl like a cornered bunny.

Cindy was still in her green armor, her hip cocked as she looked into Courtney’s big, frightened eyes. The cosmic belt was slung across her shoulder, the fire rod hanging from her waist, and her dark eyes were twinkling with pleasure.

“You look a little spooked, new girl,” she giggled, “Were you hoping it was a bad dream?”

Courtney goggled, her heart tight in her chest. There had been times where she’d been intimidated by the queen bee’s confidence and sheer venom, but she’d never been outright afraid of her. Now she remembered how easily the girl had hurt her, pummeled her, enjoyed kicking her butt, and was terrified. She couldn’t fight, couldn’t run; she was a helpless, sitting duck.

Cindy put her hands on her knees and leaned down, smiling at her former rival like a lost puppy.

“It wasn’t,” she told her, “You put up a better fight than I expected, but… well, you remember.”

Courtney gulped. She remembered vividly.

“Now you’re my prisoner,” Cindy reached for her, “And you can still walk, so no more resting for you…”

She took Courtney’s arm and the terrified heroine flinched.

“Time to get up.”

Cindy dragged her up to a sitting position, but Courtney drew back, stiff and reluctant to rise. She didn’t fully understand why the other girl had spared her. As cruel as Cindy was, she halfway expected to get stabbed through the stomach as soon as she got to her feet. Maybe the villainess just wanted to draw it out, make her think everything was okay, then kill her just for fun. She even remembered the other girl saying she wished she’d made the torment last longer.

Cindy tried to draw her upright, but while her prisoner was too scared to directly fight her, she didn’t help. She shrunk, staring at the other girl with a pinched brow, jaw clenched tight.

Cindy gave another quick tug on Courtney’s arm then rolled her eyes.

“Seriously?”

She sighed, looked towards the ceiling, then back to Courtney.

“You do realize I SHOULD have cut your throat, right?” she arched a lazy eyebrow, “That I could get in trouble for not killing you? That I could have done it at any time when you were out?”

She pursed her lips and stared levelly.

“That maybe I don’t want to kill you? That I’m doing you a big favor? Any of this getting through that superheroic skull of yours?”

Courtney gulped again as she considered those words. The beating had been brutal and she was still hurting, but she WAS still alive. All the proof Cindy would have needed that she’d beaten Stargirl was the staff, belt, and Courtney’s dead body. There was no reason to spare her other than Cindy didn’t want her dead. The thought made her squirm with uncertainty.

“I know you super types aren’t the smartest,” Cindy sighed, “But really. The only thing you’re doing right now is making it harder to keep you alive.”

Cheeks flushed and Courtney looked away, feeling a bit silly. If the other girl wanted to kill her, she could do it if she was sitting on the dolly just as well. It’s not like there was anything Courtney could do to stop her.

Her head lowered, she got her feet beneath her and pushed with her legs, coming up unsteadily.

“That’s better.” Cindy supported her with the grip on her arm, “Come on. Up.”

Standing was a bit tricky as her head was still spinning slightly, but Courtney managed to come up, the other girl helping her balance. Once she was on her feet, Cindy guided her off the dolly, helping her step down and plant her bare feet to the concrete floor.

“Good,” Cindy told her, “Just like that.”

Courtney stood in front of her former rival, hands behind her back, head bowed in submission. She was a prisoner now, she realized. Cindy’s prisoner. The queen bee could do whatever she liked with her and Courtney’s only option was to follow and hope she wasn’t being led to a terrible fate. And that her captor wouldn’t be cruel.

Cindy let her stand there for a moment, then placed a finger under her prisoner’s chin, tilting it up. Courtney allowed her head to be raised, obeying the silent command and staring at the other girl with weary eyes.

“Hmmm…” Cindy mused, “I did beat on this pretty face of yours, didn’t I?”

She touched an aching place on Courtney’s cheek, then stroked her thumb over another spot under the blonde’s eye.

“You’re going to have a shiner here for sure,” she continued, “But nothing broken. Should heal just fine.”

Courtney winced at the touches to her bruises, feeling fragile and small. Cindy was being gentle, but something about the way she was talking made her shiver.

The villainess pursed her lips and continued to examine, rubbing at a spot on Courtney’s jaw, then tapping at a lightly swollen lip.

“A few ice packs and gargling some salt water will fix you up,” she said, “Marks will be gone in just a few days.”

Courtney let out a heavy breath through her nose, lowering her eyes without lowering her head. It slowly became clear why Cindy’s voice made her feel strange. The girl wasn’t really talking to her, more to herself as she examined the damage to a new possession. She was looking Courtney over like one would a collectible or curio they were considering buying, speaking aloud on what would buff out and the overall value.

Cindy finished by combing some of the curly blonde hair out of Courtney’s face, running her fingers through the soft locks in a few rhythmic strokes.

“Don’t be a brat,” she said as she petted, “And we can minimize this sort of thing in the future.”

Courtney was willing to let her hair be stroked if it didn’t result in any more pain. She avoided the other girl’s gaze but didn’t flinch or resist. The touch was actually a bit calming and felt good after her recent pounding, despite the tinge of humiliation that came with it. She only stiffened when Cindy reached around her with both hands to pluck at her gag.

She looked up at Cindy, blinking.

Cindy looked back, arching her eyebrow again.

“So, behave yourself,” the young villainess told her, “Like right now. If you scream in my face, I’m going to get annoyed.”

Cindy loosened the knot on the cloth tied behind Courtney’s head, enough so she could wiggle the knot out of her prisoner’s mouth.

Courtney squirmed, trying to help before she remembered her hands were tied.

“I’m going to make a few things clear right now,” the queen bee stared, “Don’t interrupt me. Say yes or no when I ask you a question. Smart off or play little miss heroic and I’ll make you very, very sorry. Is that clear?”

Courtney licked her lips as the gag was slipped over her chin, laid down to rest on her chest. Part of her wanted to tell the other girl off, but it only made her hesitate a moment before responding.

“Y-yes…” she swallowed, “Cl-clear.”

“Good,” Cindy told her.

Seemingly pleased with the other girl’s response, she began petting her again, as if in reward for behaving.

“Listen very, very closely,” Cindy narrowed her eyes, “I want to keep you alive. Alive and with everything still attached. I’m definitely the only one in the Injustice Society of America who doesn’t want you tortured to death. So, unless you WANT to become one of my dad’s experiments, you will do EXACTLY as I tell you, when I tell you, and as fast as you can.”

She stared, making sure that point was driven home.

Courtney nodded with wide eyes.

“The ISA’s rules SHOULD let me do what I want with you, since I’m the one that defeated you,” the villainess continued, “But since I’m not a full member yet—and let’s be serious, even if I was—the others are going to look for a reason to kill you anyway. The only way you make it is if everyone sees that you’re beaten, tamed, and harmless. A good, obedient, ex-superhero that is dying to show me how well behaved she can be.”

Courtney nodded again, biting her bottom lip.

Cindy’s petting hand paused, fingers still coiled in the blonde hair.

“I hope you realize how hard this is going to be for me,” the girl’s brow lowered, “I probably shouldn’t be wasting my time. If you mess this up, if you decide to suddenly strike a pose and yell something about truth and justice, oh my god…”

The hand in Courtney’s hair tightened to a fist as Cindy closed her eyes, the very thought making her furious.

“I swear... I’ll kill you myself,” she growled, eyes opening to slits, “Do. Not. Embarrass me. Got it?”

Courtney nodded frantically, her eyes getting a bit wider.

Seeing this, Cindy brightened a bit, resuming her petting.

“Good,” she said, “I really am doing you a favor, you know. It would have been way easier to kill you.” She lifted her chin, smiling smugly, “A thank you would be nice.”

Courtney hesitated, still chewing on her bottom lip. Part of her did feel a bit of gratitude to be a prisoner rather than dead, but it felt surreal to thank Cindy for kicking her ass, breaking her staff, unmasking her, then not killing her.

However, the fact that she didn’t have a choice made the decision much easier.

“Thanks… Cindy,” Courtney murmured, lowering her eyes.

The villainess’s grin broadened, “You’re welcome, Courtney.”

She lay her hands on her prisoner’s shoulders with a sigh, seeming very pleased.

“Behave yourself, be a polite, obedient prisoner, and you’ll be just fine,” she rubbed up and down Courtney’s arms as if to warm her up, “Just do as you’re told for once.”

Courtney nodded again, almost on reflex, and found some of her tension fading as she released another gentle breath. When she’d first awoken, she’d thought she was a goner, and despite her wounded pride it was a relief to find there was something she could do to save herself. And it would be easy, all she had to do was behave. It didn’t seem that bad right then; really, Cindy had never been nicer to her than she was being at that moment.

Cindy patted her cheek, “Now stay right here while I get the rest of your things.”

Courtney nodded and her captor stepped around her to get at the dolly.

Initially, she’d been so worried about what had happened and what Cindy would do to her, she hadn’t noticed her surroundings. Now the young heroine looked around to see they were in some sort of underground tunnel, all concrete like a massive bomb shelter. Wiring ran along the walls and copper pipes along the ceiling, lit by overhead bulbs that were hung in set intervals down the long hallway, so long that Courtney could barely make out where it ended.

Courtney shivered, drawing her shoulders in, feeling very small. She’d suspected the Injustice Society had some tunnels beneath the town, but she hadn’t thought they were this vast. There was no way to tell how deep they were, but they were at least a world away from anyone that would help her. These tunnels had existed for decades and no one had discovered them. If Cindy decided to kill her, it would be like she vanished. It was like she was alone on a planet run by super villains.

While Courtney contemplated her surroundings with growing trepidation, her captor threw the tarp off the dolly to reveal Stargirl’s mask, boots, and broken staff. She tucked the mask into her belt, scooped up the staff, and left the boots. Humming to herself, the victorious villainess gave the staff a playful twirl, caught it under her arm, then dismounted the dolly with a jaunty hop.

“Come on,” she popped Courtney’s rump with her palm, “Time to go.”

The young heroine squeaked, jumping onto her toes. She was still blushing as Cindy took her by the arm to lead her away. She stumbled at first, but kept up, being led with no further enticing.

The teenagers marched down the tunnel, two sets of perky flanks shifting beneath spandex, one in blue, one in metallic green, one stiff and meek while the other swayed, taunting with confidence. They kept the same pace, Courtney with her head lowered, looking at the floor, Cindy with her head held high, occasionally throwing a triumphant glance in the other girl’s direction.

“This isn’t so bad, is it?” she smiled, using Courtney’s staff like a walking stick, “Me leading, you following. A lot nicer than you getting in my way all the stupid time.”

Courtney glanced at her, checking to see if she was expected to respond, but Cindy continued.

“It was fun kicking your super little butt,” she grinned, “I should have killed you, but it seemed… wasteful, you know? My main problem with you is that you kept getting in my face. But it was kind of cute. You with your outfit, so… nicey nice. Also annoying, but much less so now that we both know who the boss is.”

Cindy paused and looked at her prisoner, expecting agreement.

Courtney swallowed and nodded, looking back down to the floor.

“Really this whole thing could have been avoided if you just got with the game plan like everyone else,” the villainess stroked the other girl’s arm with her thumb, “But I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I haven’t felt this cheery in… well, ever, actually. There’s nothing like crushing an enemy, beating them at their best, bending them to your will…”

Courtney’s head dipped lower, the words making her feel heavier, remembering how she’d been beaten so easily without the staff. How she’d gotten trashed no matter how hard she tried. That Cindy had been right all along.

Cindy noticed, looping her arm around the girl’s shoulders.

“Aww,” Cindy squeezed her tight, “It’s all right, my little prisoner. You did your best; I’ve been training for this since I was born. Don’t feel too bad.”

She leaned over to kiss the blonde’s sad cheek, offering a smile of surprising sympathy.

“I can be really nice too, you know,” Cindy said, “Just be good, let me handle the rest. You’ll see.”

Courtney winced at the warm lips to her cheek, shoulders drawing up. She expected Cindy to be mean to her, say nasty things, try to hurt her. She was ready for that, even used to it. But Cindy being nice to her, stroking her hair, comforting her, and kissing her cheek was in some ways more unsettling than trying to kill her. She didn’t know how to handle a super villainess that was trying to cheer her up.

The pair walked in silence for a distance, Courtney still feeling vulnerable, not sure why the other girl was being kind and worried it was some sort of trick. She took care not to scrape her bare toes, taking many small steps compared to Cindy’s confident strides, continually looking around to see where they were going.

Cindy looped her arm around her captive’s waist and drew her close, their hips hugged together so they looked like close friends, if one ignored Courtney’s tied hands. Her chin was held at a regal height and she wore a satisfied smile, looking off into the distance like she could see all the acclaim and honor she deserved. Occasionally she’d laugh to herself and squeeze Courtney’s waist, glancing sideways at her before returning to her daydreams.

Gradually, as there didn’t seem to be any forthcoming ambush, Courtney began to relax. She couldn’t help it really, already being tired and still aching in various body parts made it too easy to lower her defenses and let her mind wander.

Her thoughts weren’t pleasant. She was a prisoner and while she preferred that to having her throat cut, she didn’t know what that meant for her in the immediate future. Cindy had said she didn’t want to kill or experiment on her, but what then? Would they lock her in a cell forever? Make her work in some slave mine? Brainwash her? Freeze her like the guy in Star Wars? She also couldn’t rule out that Cindy had been lying about not killing her.

Thinking such things made her insides churn and she considered running, but quickly dismissed the idea. Even if she got away from Cindy, now that her identity was revealed there was nowhere to hide. If it became clear the villainess was going to kill her or turn her into a robot or something she’d have to fight as best she could, but for the moment her best hope was that Cindy was telling the truth. It was a strange hope, but really her only hope.

After they’d walked about half a mile, Courtney finally plucked up the courage to ask a question.

“Um… where…” she swallowed, “Are we going?”

Cindy glanced towards her, considered something, then shrugged, like she decided responding would do no harm.

“As we speak, my father and the others are having a little brainstorming session in their fancy meeting room,” she explained, “They’re probably arguing about plans, boasting about what they did lately, blaming each other for things, the usual.”

She patted Courtney’s bottom, feeling the plush shape ripple.

Courtney flushed, tensing with discomfort.

“We’re going to spice things up a bit,” Cindy smirked, “We’re going to stroll in and show how them that while they were whining and wasting time, I was getting the job done. They couldn’t even figure out who you were, and I’ll be marching in there with the cosmic staff, belt, and Stargirl wrapped up like a to-go order from Starbucks.”

Courtney’s eyes widened and she had the overwhelming urge to turn and run. Being helpless in front of one super villain was bad enough, the thought of being dragged in front of all of them terrified her on several levels. Her pace slowed and she even drew away, looking around wildly for somewhere to escape.

When she felt her prisoner falling back, Cindy’s eyes snapped towards her, narrowed and hard as onyx. She stopped dead.

“I don’t recall telling you to stop walking.”

The abrupt edge to her tone forced Courtney to turn towards her as quickly as if she’d cocked a gun.

The frightened super teen cringed. A voice in her head told her to run, but those dark eyes had her frozen in place, feet rooted to the floor. She had a terrible feeling that the second she turned, a blade would sink into her back or her leg, or she’d simply be pinned and beaten like before. She couldn’t make herself flee; there was only one way she could go.

Courtney took a hesitant step forward, then another, before catching back up.

Cindy watched her approach with the air of a stern schoolteacher. As her captive came closer, she held out her arm and arched an eyebrow, waiting for the blonde to obey.

Courtney saw and followed the direction. Lowering her head, meek and embarrassed, she nudged her hip into Cindy’s and let the girl loop the arm around her waist again. Once she was back in place, the pair of them continued on their way.

After they’d gone a few paces, she tried faintly to protest. She knew there wasn’t much hope, but she could at least try.

“You…” she mumbled, “You don’t have to do this…”

“At what point did you think this was a discussion?”

Courtney took the hint. She lowered her head and didn’t respond, letting her captor guide her along.

Any tiny thoughts of escape vanished at that point. As afraid as she was of being displayed in front of a bunch of super villains, she couldn’t even bring herself to run from her victorious rival. If she tried, she knew she’d be caught and punished, but what’s more she didn’t even have the guts to make the attempt. She hadn’t just been physically beaten, her confidence had been shattered.

Courtney let out a little moan, her shoulders slumping. She didn’t know what would happen after, but for now she was going to do as she was told. She was going to march right where Cindy wanted her, quietly and obediently, and hope the villainess kept being nice.

Cindy heard the sound, felt Courtney’s body relax, and smiled to herself. A predator like her knew submission when she felt it.

The high school queen squeezed Courtney’s waist, then reached down to feel that round butt of hers, the shape shifting beneath the spandex as she walked. It was hard not to notice, the way it protruded so prominently, and she’d always wanted to give it a little squeeze.

“There’s a good little superhero.” She purred.

Courtney didn’t flinch or jump this time. She simply let the hand stay there, groping as it liked all the way to their destination.

* * *

The girls went at least another half mile down a straight away before Cindy took them on their first turn. They passed several elevators and small rooms, which made Courtney to realize that these tunnels were even larger than she thought. They were almost like a city in themselves, opening up into secret entrances that were spread all throughout Blue Valley.

She wished she’d discovered more of this back when she had the power to do something about it.

They finally came to a set of large oak doors that looked like they belonged in a fancy hotel than a bomb shelter. The wood was dark and they towered over the relatively short pair of teenagers, handles polished and gleaming like real gold rather than brass.

Even through the thick doors, Courtney could hear the murmuring of conversation, the occasional raised voice. The Injustice Society in its entirety was in the next room, separated from a powerless, defenseless Stargirl only by a few inches of wood. She gulped, her knees weak.

“And here we are,” Cindy grinned, “The big reveal…”

She leaned the staff against the wall, then took Courtney by the shoulder, turning her prisoner to face her.

Courtney stumbled where she was directed, head lowered, feet aching from walking so long on the bare concrete. Keeping her eyes on her feet, she was turned to face her captor squarely, sidelong to the door. She had a feeling she knew what was on the other side of that door, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it, so she stayed quiet and still. Getting Cindy mad at her would only make it worse.

With her captive standing before her, Cindy pursed her lips and gave the defeated heroine an up-and-down look.

“Hmm…” she mused, head tilting thoughtfully, then began adjusting the girl’s stance and costume with brisk, confident moves.

She took Courtney’s shoulders and pushed them back, forcing the girl’s posture upright and pushing her compact bosom out beneath the star. Her hands cupped beneath the breasts for a moment, then tugged on the blue top so the hem was level across her stomach. She did the same with the spandex shorts, wiggling them a bit, tugging on the legs so they were smooth across her thighs, making sure everything was perfect for her big moment.

“Look at me,” she said, cupping Courtney’s chin.

Courtney lifted her head, her worried blue eyes looking into Cindy’s as the villainess straightened her hair.

Cindy frowned at the way the blonde curls fell over Courtney’s face, then began brushing them away, first to one side, then changing her mind and brushing them back.

“Remember what I told you,” her eyes were narrowed on her work, “The only way this works out with you still breathing is if they see you’re my beaten prisoner. Just be quiet, be scared, do what I tell you.”

She paused to take Courtney’s chin again, looking into her eyes.

“Got it?”

Courtney nodded quickly and Cindy smiled, going back to her work.

“It should be easy for you,” she continued, “I mean, you ARE entirely helpless and you SHOULD be scared. Until it’s official that you belong to me, any of them could still try something. I won’t let them take anything that’s mine, including you, but if you give them a reason, I might decide you’re not worth it.”

Courtney gulped and nodded again, while Cindy took the mask from her belt.

“Ice Cicle is DEFINITELY going to want to unmask you himself,” she explained, fitting it back over Courtney’s face, “So, I’ll pretend to be surprised. But if you could be extra scared when he goes for the mask, it would be helpful.”

Courtney blinked, “O-okay…”

She didn’t think being extra scared would be a problem.

Narrowing her eyes, Cindy regarded the mask and then shifted the corners to it framed the face properly.

“How are your bonds?” she asked, “Nice and tight?”

Courtney nodded, but her captor took her by the shoulders and turned her around to check. The young superheroine trotted around until her back was turned to the other girl, letting her wiggle and tug at the ropes to make sure they were snug.

“Tight, then?” Cindy asked.

“Yes,” Courtney sighed, “It’s tight.”

“Good.”

Unable to resist, the villainess gave the humbled heroine another pat on her bottom. The spandex held the plump shapes tightly, but not enough to keep them from jiggling slightly under Cindy’s palm.

“You know, I’m surprised I didn’t recognize you by this booty of yours,” she grinned, “Got a little bubble back here for a white girl…”

Courtney shifted in place like a nervous mare. She’d gotten fairly used to her rival touching her, but the knowledge Cindy was ogling her butt was more than she was ready for. She said nothing but couldn’t help squirming.

Seeming to notice her prisoner’s discomfort, Cindy gave her a pinch before taking her by the shoulder and turning her around.

A bit pink in the cheeks, Courtney lowered her eyes as Cindy grinned playfully.

“Aww,” the villainess cooed, “Is someone embarrassed?” she patted the heroine’s cheek, “You’re so cute. You’re going to be a LOT of fun!”

Her eyes twinkling with a strange mix of smug affection, she touched her lips to the tip of her prisoner’s button nose.

Courtney squirmed again, feeling like a little girl. She looked up at her captor with shining eyes, self-conscious and fretting her bottom lip. She still didn’t know what to do when the cruel girl was nice to her.

Cindy gave her another smile and rubbed her shoulders before going back to business. She gathered up the gag that had been allowed to hang loose around Courtney’s neck.

“I’m going to help you not say anything stupid by gagging you,” she explained, working the knotted cloth back to her captive’s mouth, “All you’ll have to do—open—”

Courtney obeyed, opening her mouth so Cindy could work the knot back into place.

“All you’ll have to do is blink those big baby blues and do as you’re told,” the villainess continued.

She tightened the knot behind Courtney’s head with a few careful tugs, making sure the knot at the front filled the girl’s mouth. Once it was how she wanted it, she tied it tight.

She finished by wiggling the gag around, wiggling Courtney’s head in the process, ensuring it was snug, then snatching the staff from where it leaned against the wall.

“Ready?” Cindy chirped.

Courtney could still hear the voices on the other side of the door, murmuring in low tones. She didn’t feel ready at all. How could anyone be ready to be marched, bound and gagged, in front of a bunch of dangerous people as the prisoner of the girl at school that hated you? Not to mention the fact that if she acted in the wrong way, she might be killed.

“Nnhh…” she whined, cringing and looking away, wanting to cry.

“Awww…” Cindy took her chin and waggled it playfully, “Just be your scared, helpless, blushy little self. They won’t think you’re a threat at all, I promise.”

As if on cue, Courtney blushed again, chewing on her gag.

“Just like that,” the villainess giggled.

She looked Stargirl over once again, then took her by the elbow with a broad grin.

“And here we go.”

With no further preamble, Cindy turned and kicked the doors open with a bang that made Courtney jump. She saw the brighter lights of the ISA’s meeting room, a few faces, heard their gasps of alarm before her captor strode into the room and yanked Courtney along behind her.

To Courtney’s surprise, none of the Injustice Society of America seemed shocked by the sudden intrusion. There were no angry cries and no one jumped up to demand what was going on. They remained in their seats around their large, round table, their conversation abruptly ceased, staring with an air of cold menace.

Cindy seemed to expect this as well, marching right up to their meeting table with her head held high.

“Gentlemen,” she said, “Father.”

She stopped beside the table where there was an empty seat and gave a sudden yank on Stargirl’s arm, jerking the girl around in front of her.

Courtney yelped and stumbled past her, almost jerked off her feet.

“Pardon my bursting in like this,” Cindy couldn’t resist a crooked grin, “But there I was doing my hair and my schoolwork like a good girl, when I found someone I think you’ve been looking for…”

She tossed the cosmic staff and it landed in the center of the large table with a resounding bang. The cosmic belt joined it a moment later.

The Injustice Society remained silent, their gazes calculating.

Courtney looked around at the assembled villains. Sportsmaster stared through the holes of his hockey mask while beside him the Tigress sneered, her eyes glinting with something predatory. The Gambler sat with his hands on his paunch, wearing a wry grin, seemingly as amused by his teammates reactions as by the situation itself. The Dragon King, Cindy’s father, was as still as a statue, yellow eyes glaring through the hole of his mask and beside him was the Fiddler, who was also the principal of Blue Valley High. And on the other end of the table was the leader, Icecicle, his expression hard but his surprise given away by the slight widening of his eyes.

Out of everyone in the room, Courtney was definitely the most alarmed. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, her shoulders clenched and cringing like a cornered bunny. She looked from gaze to malicious gaze and couldn’t help taking a step back, wanting to run for her life.

Cindy held her arm tight, making sure she couldn’t retreat too far.

“She’s my prisoner, of course,” the villainess looked at her father, “But I’m willing to share her toys and the secrets I get from her with the rest of this society. If I’m a member…”

No one responded to Cindy’s proposal. The young villainess held her chin high, her eyes smug slits, lips pouted in a confident smirk. She looked each member of the ISA in the eye, but saved her longest look for her father, who still hadn’t moved.

Courtney was a silent witness to the standoff, her heart in her throat. She was finding this experience much less humiliating and more terrifying than she expected. It was surreal to hope that Cindy would keep her as a captive, but the alternative was this group of super villains would kill her and maybe Cindy too. She hoped her captor hadn’t overplayed her hand.

The Gambler broke the silence with a chuckle.

“Well, well, well,” he said in his aristocratic southern, “This IS an interesting development.”

“I agree,” the Fiddler, Principal Boyin, narrowed her eyes, “Greetings, Stargirl. Lovely to meet you.”

The pair of villains looked faintly amused, wearing small grins, but the grins didn’t touch their eyes.

“If it’s really her,” Sportsmaster crossed his arms.

Cindy just smiled at him then turned her gaze back to the Dragon King.

After a moment, the green-cowled figure gave a small, barely perceptible nod.

Cindy nodded back, grinning to herself.

The Dragon King spoke, his voice soft but carrying immense weight.

“My… daughter may be brash. But it would not be sensical for her to bring us a counterfeit Stargirl.”

The Sportsmaster, ever a hothead, banged his fist on the table.

“Aw, come on!” he snapped, “Are you telling me Tigress, the brainiac, and I couldn’t take down her down, but switchblade barbie did it on her own?! Really?!”

The Dragon King turned his head, just enough to meet the villain’s gaze, “That appears to be the situation, yes.”

“Bull shit!” Sportsmaster pushed back from the table, “You’re just saying that cuz she’s your daughter! If I couldn’t handle her, there’s no way this little bitch brings her in! There’s no goddamn way!”

“Calm yourself,” the Dragon King narrowed his eyes.

“We are NOT letting your daughter in the society because she brings us a fake—"

Before he could continue, a hand slapped down on the table and frost crackled across the steel. The metal groaned and became bitingly cold, making the villains that were touching it jump in surprise, Sportsmaster included.

“Enough,” Icecicle growled.

The air became noticeably colder, breath turning to mist. The assembled villains instantly stopped their bickering, all eyes turning towards their leader, who met their gazes one by one, making his point clear. If he wished, he could have radiated such cold through the table that everyone who touched it would have been almost instantly frozen. Even Cindy’s eyes widened slightly at the show of power.

Icecicle looked each member of the Injustice Society in the eye one by one, then turned his gaze to Stargirl.

Courtney shivered and not just from the cold.

The ice-powered villain raised his hand and beckoned, “Cindy. Bring her here.”

Cindy, still a bit wide-eyed, hesitated before regaining her confidence.

“O-of course…” she said, then tightened her grip on Courtney’s arm.

All eyes were on Stargirl now, as Cindy walked her around the table towards the leader of the Injustice Society.

Courtney couldn’t help but drag her feet a bit at first, not that her captor noticed. Without shoes on, she couldn’t get much traction and she didn’t dare struggle. Unable to meet anyone’s eyes, she lowered her eyes towards her feet, but could still feel their gazes on her. The girl with the golden staff that had given them so much trouble, now disarmed and bound in their lair.

As the girls approached, Icecicle stood from his seat, watching Stargirl with a thoughtful tilt of his head.

When they reached him, he cupped her jaw, directing her face towards his.

His hand still felt icy cold. Courtney drew a sharp breath through her nose, eyes widening, going as still as if she were frozen.

He was actually a handsome man, his eyes an icy blue, face carved from marble, strong and humorless. His expression was interested more than angry, but Courtney knew that didn’t mean he wasn’t intending to kill her. Icecicle could kill someone with a smile on his face.

Icecicle smiled, looking into her frightened eyes.

“Stargirl, hm?” he said gently, “Thank you for bringing us the staff and the belt. I’d wondered where they’d wound up, when they weren’t recovered with Starman’s body. I killed him, you know.”

Courtney’s knees quivered, moaning softly through her gag.

“You shouldn’t have tried to fight us,” Icecicle leaned closer, “This is not a game. This life has real consequences.”

Courtney squeaked as his other hand came to her mask, pealing it away.

“This is not dress up,” Icecicle narrowed his eyes.

Then he paused.

Courtney had met Icecicle when he was Jordan Mahkent, the first businessman of Blue Valley. He’d even come to her parents’ house for dinner. Any hope she had that he wouldn’t recognize her faded away as he blinked, his eyes widening with surprise.

The other members of the Injustice Society leaned closer to have themselves a look as well. They squinted, as if recognizing the teenage girl’s pretty features, but unable to recall from where.

Principal Goyin narrowed her eyes, “Ah. Miss Whitmore, isn’t it?”

Sportsmaster grunted, “She’s cute, but I don’t recognize her. Who is she?”

Icecicle cleared his throat. For some reason he seemed more stunned than the others, like the revelation had given him pause.

“Her name is Courtney Whitmore,” he said slowly, “Her mother… works for me.”

Courtney herself looked worriedly around the group, feeling exposed and ashamed at the same time. She’d already been unmasked once before, but she still hadn’t entirely accepted it, and this seemed different. Being exposed by Cindy was one thing, but this was something else. The entire Injustice Society was looking at her, Courtney Whitmore, not Stargirl. And none of their looks were very friendly.

The young, defeated superheroine whimpered softly, tears shining in her eyes.

Cindy stroked her hair and Courtney glanced at the other girl. Her captor didn’t look back, but she continued to gently pet, it being the only soothing sensation the miserable blonde felt at that moment.

Courtney felt strangely grateful to her for that. She truly hoped Cindy would take care of her and everything would be all right.

The rest of the meeting went by in a blur.

Sportsmaster matter-of-factly mentioned killing her, even got up to do so, but Cindy got in the way. Sharp words and yelling almost came to a fight, Tigress stepping up to support Sportsmaster while the Dragon King rose to Cindy’s defense. It looked like there was about to be a brawl, until Icecicle stepped in and made a unilateral decision. There would be a vote, both on whether Shiv would be the newest member of the Injustice Society and on what they should do with Stargirl. There would be a discussion, which Cindy would be a part of, then they would decide. Sportsmaster wasn’t happy about it, but he relented.

Courtney kept her head down and stayed back, never once looking up from her feet, staying quiet like a child while the adults argued over what to do with her.

When Icecicle called guards to take Stargirl to a cell, Courtney went with them without a fuss, never bothering to look up. There was nothing she could do about it and she barely cared. Her life was over anyway.

On her way out the double doors, with a guard on either arm, Courtney glanced once over her shoulder to see Cindy taking her seat at the table with a smug grin. The last thing she saw was the girl grinning at her, giving her a little wave, before the doors closed behind her.

* * *

Courtney sat in the corner of her cell, her face buried in her knees. She hadn’t bothered to look up in hours. There wasn’t much to see in the tiny room but black stone and a metal door and she didn’t want to look at anything anyway. She was too busy playing through everything that had happened in her mind.

Cindy was a super villainess and had beaten her badly. Her staff and belt had been taken, she’d been unmasked, and now she was a prisoner of the ISA, as helpless as any other girl. She hadn’t put up a fight or said a word as the guards had taken her to her cell, removed her ropes and gag then replaced them with a pair of metal manacles. They’d pushed her inside, closed the door and left her alone with her thoughts.

For a while she’d cried. Right now, the Injustice Society was voting on her fate, but whatever they decided they’d still probably go after her friends. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that the kids Stargirl spent so much time with might be superheroes too. They’d either join her in a cell or be dead and the ISA would win. She could only wait for someone to open her cell and tell her which it would be.

The upshot of it all was the bad guys had won, the good guys had lost. There was no denying it. The Injustice Society had destroyed the original Justice Society and now they would destroy its reincarnation in the same way. Their plans would succeed and no one would stop them.

It hurt every time she thought about it, but she didn’t have any tears left. All she had left was to wait for someone to come for her.

The door of her cell was so thick, Courtney couldn’t hear anyone approaching. The only warning she had that someone was there was when the heavy lock clunked open.

Courtney’s heart clenched with fear and she jerked her head up, watching the door slowly open. She hugged her knees tight to her chest, wiggling as far into the corner of her cell as she could.

They’d decided. She was about to find out if she would be tortured to death, experimented on, outright killed and dumped somewhere, or something else terrible she hadn’t considered. Part of her had wanted it to just be over with, but now that the time had come, she wished she had longer. Even as terrible as she felt, she didn’t want to die.

Though the room outside the cell wasn’t overly lit, hours in her dark cell made her squint at the figure in the doorway, only able to make out a silhouette. Whoever it was stood in silence, framed in the light, watching her.

Courtney stayed quiet as well, anticipation making her stomach do flips. She sucked in her bottom lip to keep it from trembling, her eyes pink from crying and sad from fright. But as the seconds ticked by, her eyes adjusted and she began to make out who was standing in her cell.

The figure cocked her hip, the metallic green of her suit glinting in the dim light.

“Come here, new girl.” Cindy told her.

Courtney pushed herself to her feet and did as she was told. She lowered her head, humble and self-conscious, and shuffled towards her captor with the worried pace of a child going to the doctor’s office.

Cindy smirked, watching her former rival come to her, eyes narrowed with pleasure.

When Courtney reached her, Cindy took her prisoner by the shoulder and ran her fingers through her hair, combing the curly locks back.

“Everything’s okay,” the villainess told her, “You were a very good little superhero. We voted and I get to take you home now.”

Courtney swallowed, looking up into her captor’s eyes, “Home?”

“My home,” Cindy smiled, “You don’t have to worry about your fam, we don’t care about them. But you’re my prisoner. I’m going to be keeping you.”

Blinking, Courtney slowly nodded as she assimilated that information. Her family would be fine and she belonged to Cindy now. It was the best she could have hoped for, but… she still belonged to someone who had been her enemy.

“You’re welcome?” her new owner arched an eyebrow.

Courtney sighed. Her family would be safe. She would have to do what Cindy said, but she could do that. It was a relief. All she had to do was obey and Cindy would take care of her.

“Thank you, Cindy,” the former heroine said.

Grinning, the triumphant villainess leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek, then wiped away the wet spot with her thumb.

“We’re going to have to take your costume off, though,” she explained, “It’s going into the ISA trophy room. Okay, sweetie?”

Courtney nodded, not entirely caring.

With that, Cindy went to work, undoing her captive’s cuffs. Once she set them aside, she began wiggling off the red gloves.

Courtney let her, staying still and quiet, watching her owner like a puppy does her master, intent and trusting.

“It’s going to be better this way,” Cindy explained, “I’ll take care of you, you’ll listen to me and do what I tell you. It will be like we’re friends.”

“Friends?” Courtney blinked at her.

Cindy grinned and set the gloves aside, then took the hem of her prisoner’s top to begin rolling it up over her chest.

“Good friends. I’ll tell you secrets, because I know you won’t tell anyone and you’ll tell me ALL your secrets. You’ll be there for me, go shopping with me, exercise with me. I’ll clean you up, keep you fed and dressed.”

The top worked its way up over Courtney’s pink sports bra. She raised her arms so Cindy could draw it up over her head.

“That’s what friends do, isn’t it?” the villainess continued, “At least, the kind of friends that I want.”

She set the top aside and pealed down Courtney’s spandex shorts. They were snug and turned inside out as they came off, but there was nothing underneath.

“Yup,” Cindy helped her step out of them, “We’re going to be best friends.”

Courtney just nodded as she was stripped from the waist down, letting her owner fold the shorts then turn back to her.

“Does that sound like fun?” Cindy grinned.

Courtney blushed, but found herself smiling shyly back. She nodded, fretting her bottom lip.

And so Courtney Whitmore, wearing only a pink bra, was marched down the tunnels beneath Blue Valley with her former enemy’s hand on her bare butt.

And it was the most she could hope for.