Chapter 4 - Familiar faces , fights and transformations

    SCRR-ATTT-CHHH !!!!  The metal claw ripped through the slowly rotating rod covered in shag carpeting, tearing large holes in the lush brown rug.  A solitary woman dressed in a bright yellow costume struggled mightily to free herself from the ropes that tied her to the rod as it slowly brought her towards the looming fingers of razor sharp metal.  Batwoman knew that if she didn't pull herself free soon, those claws would maul her into bloody scraps.

    "Listen, whoever you are, you got lucky when you caught me unaware in that back alley but you'd better let me go.  My partner will be along soon and.." the heroine shouted out into the darkness hoping to trick her captor into releasing her.

    "Pipe down, Bat Boobs.  Bad enough I gotta deal with the rest of you heroic idiots half the time without hearing how you've dragged along one of your pals for kicks," a sarcastic female voice called out from the shadows.

     Batwoman gasped when she saw the woman step into what light the flickering fluorescent bulbs provided.  Dressed in a tight fitting red and black bodysuit that resembled a medieval court jester's outfit, the woman's face was covered in white makeup that completed the look of one of the most dangerous and unpredictable villainesses around.  Her name was Harley Quinn and anyone who encountered her, be it heroine or fellow villainess, tread lightly due to her extreme unpredictability.

     Harley walked over and, ignoring the  pendulum's deadly rotation, flicked on a small color TV perched in the corner of the room.  She clapped her hands together with a yelp. "Ooohh, it's the old Bats show! I always thought they had the coolest Catwoman, though my Mr. J is much better than theirs. C'mere, boys, we can watch this while the Bat broad gets her wings clipped permanently," Harley said, waving over her two hulking henchman.

     The trio huddled around the television laughing and joking as the images flickered onward while the rotating rod continued rotating Batwoman to a grisly death.  "I have to get free. .mustn't let this bizarre woman be the cause of my demise," the heroine thought to herself as she desperately tried to pry an edged weapon from inside her gloved hands .  Alas, she could only move her bound hands just slightly and, as she looked up to see the giant metal claw looming over her head, she realized this truly might be the end for her.

     Just as the metallic talons started their fatal deadly downward arc, the heroine felt something slice through the bonds holding her wrists.  Pulling her hands free, she threw herself to the side just as the claws slammed into the post, tearing into the area where her head was.  Batwoman looked up to see a purple and silver metal object sticking out of the post that resembled her own batarang.  Scanning upwards, she saw a purple and black clad woman standing on a balcony which overlooked the main area.

      Hearing the same thing that just happened, Harley turned her attention from the TV back to her now freed captive. "Your little friend showed up, did she?  Ooohh, sidekick, come out, come out, wherever you are..."  she called out in a taunting voice while pulling out an oversized handgun that had a boxing glove stuck on the end.

      A voice boomed out from the garishly clad woman above. "Prepare to kiss the concrete floor, clown! Nosferata, crime fighting mistress of the night is here now.  Your time of perpetrating foul deeds on this city has ended as of now.  If you surrender now, I may spare you the pain of being on the receiving end of my devastating blows and perfectly timed throws," she cried out as she swung herself to the floor.

      Harley glanced at the woman  as the heroine stepped onto the floor and started to advance towards her as did Batwoman. "Geez, you crime fighting types are pretty long winded blowhards to say the least! Jester! Clowny! Take care of these two yakky broads!" she shouted to her two helpers.

      With the strands of a music theme emanating from the TV, the heroines and Harley's lackeys quickly engaged in a furious hand to hand struggle.  The one called Jester quickly grabbed Batwoman in a viselike bear hug and slowly tried to squeeze the very life out of her.  "Sorry, bitch, but the boss wants youse two outta the way poimently!" he grunted as he continued to exert pressure on the muscular heroine's midsection.

      "Well..then... you better ..try harder..next time!! " Batwoman shouted as she snapped her head back into the man's face.  With a howl of pain, the burly man released the heroine from his grasp and staggered backward as blood gushed from a newly broken nose.

      Meanwhile, Nosferata was deftly avoiding the hammy fists of Clowny without  even attempting to land one punch of her own.  She seemed content to wear her opponent down through futility for now.

     "Stand still, youse costumed idiot! Geez..." the man panted in exasperation as he continued to throw blow after blow at the lithe heroine to no avail.

     "Well, you depraved lowlife, it's time we ended this little dance.  One precise blow should do it I think,"  the heroine shouted before delivering a powerful leg kick into the upper torso of her opponent.  Clowny hurtled backward several feet into the brick wall where he slumped to the ground unconscious.

     Nosferata then turned to help out her fellow heroine, only to find Batwoman had also defeated her opponent thanks to a series of powerful blows and judo chops.  As Jester sagged to the floor, Batwoman nodded to her fellow heroine and then both glared at Harley Quinn.

     The villainess sighed and tossed her gun aside. "Well, I can see you two aren't going to be any more fun today but I can still put a positive spin on this day.  Watch this, you batty broads! " Harley shouted as she whipped out a remote control and depressed the big red button in the center.

     Immediately, the very ground of the building began to vibrate noticeably as the rod that Batwoman had been tied to began to rotate faster and faster by the second.  After only a few seconds, cracks began to appear in the floor around the rod as it continued to gain momentum.  The metal claw flew off the rod and impacted itself through the far wall with a loud CRASHH!!.

     Nosferata and Batwoman exchanged a quick glance before each scooped up their respective combatant and fled out the weakened structure just ahead of the disintegrating floor.  They had just escaped the building before it literally came crashing down in a heap with dust and debris thrown high in the air.

     "Do you think Harley....?" Nosferata asked her fellow heroine, gazing at the destroyed building behind her.

     Batwoman sighed, "I doubt it. Her kind always manages to slip through these kind of death traps.  We'll catch up with her again soon enough.  For now, let's take these two-bit hoods in to the local police and then maybe exchange some info on each other," she said, looking seriously at the purple clad woman.

     Nosferata nodded slowly. "The mistress of the night doesn't usually share with others but maybe just this once.  We shall talk, Batwoman," she said.

      "Kathy.. just call me Kathy when we're alone," the caped heroine said as she threw her captive in a waiting vehicle and sped off, followed closely by Nosferata riding a motorcycle painted exactly like her garish costume.

      Meanwhile, several blocks away, a woman panting hard leaned up against an  alley wall. " Puff.... this just wasn't my day running into those two do-gooders.  It just wasn't in the cards," Harley wheezed as she recovered from her quick run for her life.

      "You can say that again, dear," a mysterious voice whispered from behind her as a hand clamped down on her shoulder.

      "Eeeppp...!" was all Harley managed to speak before her world faded to black as her shapely body became completely immobile.

Sometime later in another place...

     The sunlight streamed into the room where a sole figure rested in a light sleep surrounded by a four post bed and items of refinement. After a few minutes, Shapeshifter (or Kara, as she called herself out of costume,)  pulled herself up on her butt and gently rubbed the sleep from her eyes. After the acquisition of Zatanna as part of Puppet Master's growing collection of "living" art, her boss had recommended she spend the next day or two in bed to recoup her strength.  She was going to question the reasoning behind such a request but figured 48 hours of rest wouldn't hurt after which she could confront him about just what he knew and didn't know about her health.

     As she swung herself out of bed stretching and generally feeling a great deal better now than she was two days ago, she heard a low whisper coming from a room adjoining the bedroom chamber.  Throwing on a satin bathrobe, Kara crept silently towards an open door near where she saw a woman dressed in a maid's uniform with a feather duster in one hand.  Kara was going to dismiss it in her mind when she saw the woman reach into her handbag and retrieve what appeared to be a cell phone of sorts.

     "Mistress Viper, this is agent number 37 reporting.  As you ordered, I have joined the staff of Mr. Masters posing as a cleaning maid and have already sighted your enemy Shapeshifter.  I will substitute the bottle you gave me for her shampoo that currently is in her washroom.  When next she goes to shower, I will stay in the vicinity long enough to observe her thrashing in the throes of death after which I will report back to you directly," the woman said before pausing and listening for a few seconds to the voice on the other side. "Yes, if she somehow escapes this, I will contact you again for further instructions.  Vengeance will be yours, Mistress Viper!" the woman said, a little bit louder than before, putting away the phone and moving next to the shower stall.  The agent then pulled out an innocent looking plastic bottle and started to look around for Kara's bottle of shampoo.

     Suddenly, the woman felt her herself being grabbed around the neck in an iron grip while her left ear was spoken into softly by her assailant.  The tables had suddenly turned.

     "Well, my pretty little pawn, you thought you'd please that icy bitch Viper by killing me while I showered.  Somehow, I don't think you'll be getting that chance today, sweet thing," the villainess whispered softly as she tightened her grip around the assassin's neck. "If you're lucky, I'll let you leave here still looking like you do now but only if you answer a few questions first."

     However, the would-be assassin was not content to be pumped for information.  Popping open the bottle she had intended to plant with her left hand, Viper's agent swung the bottle backward as much as she could in the hopes of harming Shapeshifter as much as possible.

    "OOwwww!!!" winced Kara as a few drops of the liquid hit her bare left leg sending an intense wave of pain coursing through her body.  She flung the woman bodily across the room as she staggered back limping noticeably on the affected leg. "What the hell was in that bottle?" she wondered to herself as she saw her enemy slowly pulling herself to her feet and taking out an odd shaped dagger that had a carved skull prominently featured on the blade.

      "My mistress Viper will enjoy hearing how this blade - coated in the venom she provided - was used to end your useless life. Prepare to die, Shapeshifter!" the angry brown-haired woman shouted as she rushed at her adversary, hoping to catch her off guard.

      However, any surprise the attack offered was quickly neutralized by Kara's superior strength and speed.  The transmuter easily grabbed the woman's hand as it arced towards her chest and twisted the long dagger out of the assassin's hand, eliciting a sharp yelp of pain from the woman. A grim look of satisfaction crossed Kara's face as she saw the bravado in her opponent's eyes quickly change to fear and terror in the face of an overpowering opponent.

    "Well, my dear, you were about to head into the shower to give me a little 'gift'.  Why don't we go back into the bathroom and I can show my appreciation to you as only I can?" Kara whispered softly as she dragged the frightened woman into the nearby washroom.

     "Look..we can work something out... I can get you money, and lots of it... I'll be in hot water with Viper as is..can't you just let me go?  I'll never bother you again!" pleaded the assassin, desperately hoping to extricate herself from this mess.

     "Hmmm..funny you should mention water, dear, because you're going to see lots of it over the next little while!" snarled Kara as she dragged the woman back into the washroom with ease despite the woman's frantic attempts to escape her hold.  Once in the washroom, the villainess ripped away the maid's uniform, followed quickly by her undergarments. leaving a nude and very frightened young woman who continued to try and get away.

      Kara then picked up the squirming woman's body and shoved it up against the shower fixtures that were located on the bathroom wall.  Reaching behind the woman, whose movements were noticeably starting to slow down, Kara ripped free the brass fixtures that were mounted in the shower, sending large streams of water pouring over both women drenching them thoroughly.  However, the assassin seemed oblivious to it as her arms, pinned to her sides by Kara, were moving less and less by the minute.  Her eyes seemed to be glazing over as the fear so evident in them the last few minutes was replaced by a flat blank look that showed no emotion at all.

     With an evil smile on her face, Kara watched as the woman's skin color changed from a healthy pink to a bright shiny gold tone.  As the color change occurred, the woman's upper arms and lower legs extended out from her body at 45 degree angles and protruded behind her where they seemed to melt into and join with the pipes jutting from the wall, cutting off the flood of water.  The golden color engulfed her entire body, including her mouth and pussy, both which seemed to be forming into perfectly round circles.  The assassin's short black hair seemed to melt into her head, forming a smooth shiny golden orb while her eyes stared straight ahead, tinged strangely in motionless pleasure.

     The most visible change occurred in the torso of the rapidly transforming woman who no longer moved or gave any indications she was still human.  The nipples on her breasts were quickly growing larger becoming two shiny knobs capped in silver with a large H marked on the left one and C on the right.   Her belly button seemed to push outward forming a button of a very different type, framed in a silver circle.

     A shiny gold and silver sculpted shower fixture now protruded from the wall where mere minutes ago a woman writhing in a desperate struggle had been pinned against it.  As Kara ran her hands up and down the smooth surface of the transformed assassin, her smile grew even broader before she stepped out of the shower/bath stall and grabbed a towel off a nearby rack.

     "Well, my dear, I do hope you enjoy your new role as my everyday shower fixture.  Every time I depress what was your belly button, I'll be able to wash myself in the warm water that gushes forth from your lovely mouth or relax in the water that will pour forth from what used to be your pussy.  The best part - from your point of view - is that every time I take a shower or bath, it will result in intense waves of erotic pleasure traveling throughout your body and then when the water is shut off, it will feel like the pleasure has resulted in the most intense orgasm you have ever experienced.  You'll find yourself looking forward to me taking a shower or bath on a regular basis although I'm afraid you'll never be able to express that desire.... HA!..HA!.."  Kara said maliciously, without a trace of regret over what she had done.  With an abrupt turn, the brunette walked out still running the towel over her lithe body and moving towards the outfit she would wear in that day's chores.

            Meanwhile......

     Jill was just finishing making the adjustments in the game room Mr. Masters had requested for a new addition he planned to have brought in later that day.  Judging by the look in his eyes when he spoke with her, she surmised it was going to be yet another heroine transformed into an inanimate piece of art or furniture that would be installed in the room where she stood.  Glancing at the flickering neon-lighted sign that was until recently the magician Zatanna, Jill  rationalized to herself that if she didn't figure a way out of this house and away from it's bizarre occupants, she might soon be joining the heroines on display, perhaps as a counterpart to the erotic neon that lit up the game room.  "But how...how do I get away...?" she thought to herself before she finished preparing the room for its next occupant and walked out into the main area of the house.

     Just then, Shapeshifter made her way down the stairs to the left, garbed in the skin tight blue leotard and silver cape that marked her appearance wherever she went in the world to do her mischief. She seemed completely oblivious to Jill's presence and judging by the fact that Jill had stopped in her tracks and stood silently off to the side, Jill was quite happy to keep it that way.  She watched from the shadows as Shapeshifter walked swiftly down the stairs to the floor where she turned to go towards the computer room that Mr. Masters was currently in.

     Suddenly, though, Shapeshifter stopped and clutched her head as if she had suddenly received a bolt of pain that hurt her to the very core of her being.  After a few seconds, she straightened up again and wiped off her forehead that looked wet more from the sweat of the pain just suffered than from the shower water that had splashed over her earlier.  Glancing around quickly to see if anyone had seen her moment of difficulty, she resumed her walk towards the computer room where Puppet Master waited expectantly with her next assignment.

     "So the psycho bitch has a problem... this is something to keep in mind for the future when I get away from these loonies..."  thought Jill to herself as she waited until Shapeshifter went into the computer room before heading off to finish up her chores.  For now, she would keep up the pretense of doing exactly what was asked of her while waiting for her opportunity to get away.

     Batwoman walked into the deserted construction site, looking around for the appearance of Nosferata somewhere on the lot.  After their earlier meeting, the two had gone their separate ways looking for clues as to the whereabouts of Harley Quinn.  Just when Batwoman had decided to call it a night, she received a text message on her cell phone from Nosferata asking for a meeting here at 1 am to discuss a vital clue as to the location of the mad villainess.

    As the heroine strolled through the site looking around for a sign of the purple clad ally, she heard a sharp whistle come from the far end of the partly completed office building.  Glancing in the direction of the sound, Batwoman saw the familiar form of Nosferata waving her over impatiently.

     "So, Nosferata, do you have some new info on the whereabouts of that little minx Harley Quinn we can use?" Batwoman asked hopefully as she walked across the dirt and rubble on the site.

      Suddenly,and without warning, Nosferata's form seemed to shift and shimmer right before Batwoman's eyes.  After a second or two, another figure was visible clad in silver and blue standing in her place - Shapeshifter!

     "All I know is that you, Batwoman, will soon be joining this Harley Quinn  person as a part of a very special collection. If you surrender now, I promise it'll be painless and more than a little pleasant," Shapeshifter shouted out as she advanced quickly on the momentarily startled heroine.

     "Gee, you sound like that genetic freak Power Girl mentioned a while back.  I have to admit I suspected this might be a trap from the minute we first met earlier today. Your name and garb were just a little too much for me to believe," Batwoman intoned as she dropped her hands to her utility belt.

      "First met?... what the hell is she talking about?.. .hmm.."  Shapeshifter thought to herself as she closed rapidly on her intended target.  Stopping just a few feet in front of Batwoman, the villainess looked at her and sneered, " Well, what is it, Batwoman? Willing to accept your fate the easy and pleasant way or do I have to force it on you?"

     "Sure..just surrender to the first shape changing woman in run into as part of yet another world domination plan — I don't think so!" the heroine said, launching herself at Shapeshifter with an aggressive kick to the villainess' midsection.

     "Oooff!!.."exclaimed Shapeshifter as she landed on her butt, not so much from the force of the impact but from amazement that Batwoman couldn't be so stupid to challenge her.  From what Puppet Master said, she was just a chick with a few gadgets but no inherent super powers who couldn't harm a hair on Kara's genetically enhanced head.

     "Fine.. we do this the hard way, Bat bitch!" snarled Shapeshifter as she pulled herself to her feet, looking to deliver a little pay back.  Suddenly, she found herself surrounded by a greenish colored gas that seemed to be some form of tear gas that was causing her to choke and gasp.

     "That gas is designed to blind and render helpless even villainesses with big muscles and attitudes to match.  Once I've got you secured, we'll talk about this little plan of yours," Batwoman said, grimly pulling out a length of rope from her utility belt and advancing to the edge of the area where the dense gas had spread.

     Suddenly, Batwoman found herself flying across the site from the impact of Shapeshifter's fist.  She slammed into a large pile of sand where she slumped face down unconscious with the bat-rope still clutched in her right hand.

     Shapeshifter emerged from the cloud of gas and walked several feet before exhaling outwards in one loud breath, "The stupid broad didn't realize my eyes aren't like a normal woman's and couldn't be harmed by the tear gas. Heroines can be so stupid some times!" she snarled as she advanced on the knocked out heroine.

     Picking up the limp Batwoman, she looked at the heroine's cowled face. " Well, my dear, it's time we made a living motorcycle - or Batcycle in your case - out of you!" she said pulling the woman's limbs into an arched pose like one would see on a standard motorcycle.

     However, after several minutes passed, Shapeshifter was shocked to notice that heroine's body remained flesh and blood, with no inanimate change whatsoever. When she released the arms and legs of Batwoman, they hung loosely by her sides and did not stay frozen in position like all her other previous victims.

     "Damn! What the hell is going on here!" Shapeshifter screamed out loud in frustration over the unexpected turn of events. She grabbed the rope out of Batwoman's right hand and quickly bound her foe in her own equipment, making sure she couldn't get at her utility belt when she recovered consciousness.

     Once she had finished binding her opponent, Shapeshifter slung the body over her right shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "When I get back to Puppet Master's, I'm going to have a long chat with him about all that has gone on today and this time he won't put me off with a suggestion of a little bed rest!" she snarled before taking off into the sky.

At the same time... back at Puppet Master's..

    The lights flickered on in the game room as Puppet Master strolled in eager to glimpse his latest acquisition and how she would fit in with the surroundings.  Following close behind him, Jill hoped the luxurious carpeting and other knick-knack's she had brought in during he day pleased her 'employer'.

     In the center of the room stood a large object draped in a large white tarp which hid what was beneath it completely.  Stopping briefly to look approvingly over the expensively decorated room, Puppet Master moved quickly towards the mystery object and with a grand flourish pulled back the tarp to reveal what was beneath.

     At first, it appeared to be nothing more than a oversized novelty playing card with the letter J imprinted in the upper left and bottom right of the card.  However, the image depicted on the card indicated this was not your everyday novelty card.

     To Puppet Master's immense pleasure, it was the sexy body of Harley Quinn which had been transformed into the caricature on the card.  However, she was still alive as her eyes moved back and forth even though the rest of her head was stiffly unmoving.  There was a slightly noticeable effect on the surface of the card as her chest rose and fell ever so slightly causing her breasts to waver very sexily.  She was posed with an oversized prop gun in her left hand and with her right hand on her hip, her feet slightly splayed apart. Her mouth was frozen in a mischievous smile which clearly showed no awareness of her current predicament.

     The evil puppeteer ran his hands over the figure in the life-sized card and laughed out loud as the card seemed to slightly twitch at his ministrations.  Stepping back, he looked around the gallery and nodded approvingly at the room's look "Great job with the room, Jill! I want you to start working on the back yard next for another acquisition I've lined up," he said to the silent assistant before moving over to his right.

     "Before I forget, thank you, my dear, for getting me this great centerpiece for my room," Puppet Master called out to a silhouetted woman waiting in the shadows.

     The red haired figure stepped forward, dressed in her usual skin tight leotard. "No problem, PM. I trust you'll be able to hold up your end of the bargain for my unusual form of payment..." the villainess Shimmer said with a smirk.

     Laughter echoed throughout the room from both Shimmer and Puppet Master...

      A most foreboding laugh indeed...

Next : One if by land, two if by air....