SSV: The Raven, Part 1

Chapter Three

Beth watched as Goth stood over her with a sadistic grin. She'd fought with everything she had, but she'd proven to be too much for her. She gripped her pistols and tried to stand, but the sharp heel of the reeking amazon's boot pressed her back down. "Now, Elizabeth, I don't recall telling you to get up," she taunted, "You look much better at my feet. You came all this way just to fail, and poor Jake is dead because of you. His fate was child's play compared to what I'm going to do to you; I hope you're ready for some fun."

Beth awoke with a fright on the filthy mattress. She panted and reached for her gun, but stopped as she got her bearings. The stench of feet and sweat brought her back to reality. She glanced over at her phone and noted the time: a quarter after four. Another nightmare, this was the third one tonight. Since trying to find some rest she'd witnessed Jake's death and him begging her for help, him blaming her and cursing her for ruining his relationship with his Goddess, and now herself losing and being at the mercy of that sadistic tyrant. She groaned and decided that she wasn't getting any rest this night.

She pushed herself off of the bed, and tried not to think of the ick that she had just been laying in. Despite trying she still shuddered as she realized she'd been sleeping on a discarded sock most likely belonging to Alexis. That certainly explained the smell staining her nostrils. She shook her head as she dismounted the mattress, and exited the room. She hoped these dreams weren't going to become a recurring thing, but she didn't have much hope these days.

As she entered the living room she found Alexis sleeping soundly on the couch. She was clutching the remains of Jake's suit against her chest. It was a sad sight, and one that pulled at her heartstrings. The two had, had their differences, but she didn't deserve this. To be hunted in her own city, and to lose the love of her life, granted said love was more than a bit one sided, but still it wasn't fair. She decided to use this moment to inspect the shrine to her friend, and made her way to it. She found the yearbook with several notes proclaiming love and desire to Jake, and a note that was addressed to Alexis in her own handwriting. She wondered how old the note was, but pushed the thought away as she continued looking over the table. She decided to cut it short as she found some locks of Jake's hair scattered about the table. Where the hell did she even get those?

She moved over to Alexis' chemistry station to see if she had indeed written a list for her. She didn't have a clue what this was for, but if it would help her take down Megabutt then she'd do whatever it took. She found a small piece of paper with several common things listed on them, and a note on the back. The note read:

Hey Kitty Cat, figured you wouldn't be able to sleep so I went ahead and wrote this out. Most of this stuff should be easy to get, but the last ingredient is in one of my old labs. I wrote the address down and just look for a bottle marked with AXJ, and get back here. I'm betting some of Goth's goons will be there looking for me, so watch out for that. Would hate for you to get killed before things start to get good. See you soon,

Footgirl.

Beth stared at the note for a minute wondering what the hell AXJ was supposed to be. She shrugged and put the note in her jacket before dawning her hood and departing. She had over half of the list back at her apartment, and she needed to grab a few things anyways so she headed off into the early morning. The sun hadn't begun to rise just yet, and she savored the night air and the freshness that came with it. It was a welcome change from the rotten smell of Alexis' squat. She broke into a jog as she headed back into the city.

It didn't take too long for her to see the skyline of her beloved city, and she readied her grappling gun to speed up her trip. She fired it at one of the buildings and began to soar. She loved the feeling of flying through the air, but it was bittersweet as it reminded her of Jake. She sighed as she landed on the roof of a building and continued running. She wondered if she would ever be able to stop thinking about him. She couldn't stop blaming herself for everything; from his first submission to his untimely death, it all felt like her fault. If she had just been stronger then maybe she could have prevented this. If she had been willing to take that final step against evil maybe Jake would still be alive, but then she would have lost him another way. Some part of her still clung to her old ways, and it was screaming at her that what she was doing was wrong. She forced it down, and reminded herself that this was justice. She was doing what had to be done, and that was that.

She found herself back at her apartment before she knew it, and carefully entered through the open window. She drew one of her pistols as she entered her room. She checked the perimeter half expecting to find one of Goth's underlings waiting for her, but the place was empty. It was still trashed and she noted things seemed untouched. She closed her eyes and exhaled as she went back to her room, and grabbed a duffle bag. She began filling it with some of her clothes and various gadgets she had. She grabbed one some distress beacons, smoke bombs, replacement cable for her grappling gun, and a few bags of evidence they'd held on to for research. The bags contained some strange items, but most notably were some balls labeled stink grenades. Another item confiscated from her aunt Salley that she had held on to for Jake to research.

She stuffed the items in her bag, and set about her place looking for the ingredients she had on the list. Most of it was located in her kitchen or under her sink, and she briefly wondered if she was giving Footgirl the ingredients for a poison. She sighed as she placed the contents in her bag, and decided that if that's what they were then at least the pain would stop. "What am I thinking?" she asked herself, "Teaming up with one of my enemies, and accepting suicide as an option? What is wrong with me?"

She closed her eyes as if waiting for someone to answer, but only silence came. She sighed as she zipped the bag, and headed back to the window. She gave her old home a final look before leaving it behind. For better or for worse, she'd chosen this path and would see it through. Her next stop was a few miles away, and so she grabbed her grappling gun and fired once more.

She zoomed through the city as the sun began to rise. She noted an increased level of heat beneath her jacket, and cursed herself for forgetting deodorant. She found herself relishing the cool wind as she flew through the air, and a bit disappointed as she arrived at her destination. Maybe a heavy coat wasn't the best idea, but it was too late to change now.

She walked along the rooftop of her destination, and searched for a skylight. She was rewarded when she spotted one overlooking a lab. She vaguely remembered this place, but it looked like it hadn't been touched in years. An outline of a man wandering the floor quickly dashed that thought, though. He looked to be wearing a black suit with a purple undershirt. Beth guessed it another one of the city's criminals that worked for Goth. She considered the subtle approach, but decided to send a message. If these fools wanted to work during the day thinking they were safe, then they needed to learn that no place was safe from her.

She waited until the man was under the skylight before bursting through the glass. The man looked up in time to see the sole of her boot collide with his face. He fell to the ground in a useless heap, and she looked around the room. There were three more all with wide eyes staring at her. "Shit! It's that feral freak!" one of the men yelled.

She cocked her head to the side at his comment. Feral? That was...different, but she didn't dwell on it as she sprang into action. Gunshots rang out as the men tried to take her down, but she was too fast for them. She went into a slide and fired a few shots into one of the men before pulling her grappling gun out and firing it. It wrapped around one of their ankles and she retracted it pulling him forward. He screamed as he drew closer to her and she slammed the butt of her gun into his head. She heard the sound of a slide, and flipped to the side to avoid a bullet. She landed in a crouch and took off in a wild pattern. The man tried to hit her, but she zigged and zagged her way up to him. She pulled a knife and dove between his legs, and sliced as she slid underneath him. He howled in pain as her knife cut through his ankle, and she rose behind him. She jammed the blade into his shoulder and forced him to the ground.

She got close to his ear as she said, "Tell that bitch you call a God that this city is off limits."

The man tried to stammer out a reply, but she knocked him out with a fierce punch. Now that the room was cleared she set about trying to find that container. It took more time than she thought, and to be honest she wasn't sure what she was looking for. After about a half hour of looking at various beakers, bottles, and boxes she began to grow frustrated. She cried out as she kicked a nearby desk in anger. There was a dull click that sounded, and one of the drawers opened up. A picture of Jake that looked by what she guessed was Alexis' feet with his tongue out rested atop a small box. She rolled her eyes and pocketed the picture; she figured Alexis might want it. She opened the box to find a small vial with a sticker labeled AXJ. Alexis X Jake, why did she not guess that? This girl's obsession really knew no bounds.

Feeling satisfied with her work she walked back to where she had entered. She pulled her grappling gun out and readied it, but not before giving one of the goons another kick for good measure. She fired it and in a second was back on the rooftop. She walked over to her duffle bag and gently placed the vial in the bag; she wrapped some of her clothes around it to keep it safe. She removed her hood and placed it in the bag as well before heading to the edge of the building. She carefully descended the building, and found herself in an alleyway. She sighed as she tried to collect herself and blend in to the civilians. She slowly exited the alleyway and began her walk back her new teammate's hideout.

Goth sat on her throne and with Jake at her side. He was on his leash and couldn't bring himself to look up; he remained silent unless he was spoken to. He back still ached as did the rest of his body. The events of only a few nights ago laid heavy on his heart and continued to run through his mind. He hadn't said a word unless spoken since that night, and he hadn't any idea that he had been recorded. He was also blissfully unaware that his girlfriend and Goddess had sent said recording to his best friend.

Goth and Jake were waiting for the last remaining members of her court to show up. A meeting had been called to discuss Goth's business affairs in Metropolis. She decided to put her Raven's loyalty to the test by informing him of the state of his precious city. This would be the ultimate test to see if his lesson from the other night had finally broken his rebellious spirit. He had been so well behaved since that night, and she decided that this would be the next logical step in their relationship. If he was truly to be hers, then he would need to know and accept that her empire was growing beyond the expense of Citiville.

Pamela was present as was Dilatrix. Pamela stood off to the side rather impassive, while Dilatrix stood by Goth's side with her arms behind her back. Currently, they were waiting on both Nastia and Aurora who were supposedly on their way. The sound of devious and malicious laughter began to fill the room as they entered; Aurora held a leash in her hands, and with a rough tug Dart was jerked into the room. Jake dared to look up as the three women joined the fray; he took a careful look at Dart. She stood clearly shaken and a look of constant fear was plastered to her face. Her eyes remained downtrodden, but he noted it looked like she hadn't slept since the night he brought her in.

The collective eyes of the room were watching the three girls carefully as Nastia took a seat on the floor. She removed her shoe and began fishing between her toes. "Hey guys watch this!" she said excitedly, "Hey Darty, if you don't want to eat my toe jam just speak up."

Dart looked up to Nastia with a horrified expression. Disgust and panic were evident on her face as she opened her mouth to speak, but barely a hoarse whisper was heard. The rest of the room looked on with intrigue, while Jake stared with a pang of dread hanging in his gut. He watched his former friend continually try to speak up, but it seemed she was unable to. Aurora laughed loudly and cruelly as she said, "Doesn't sound like this little bitch wants to say no!"

Dart looked between the two sadistic women before her eyes landed on Nastia's rising figure with a handful of toe jam. One could almost see the stench coming off of it, and as she held it out Dart recoiled in revulsion. Finally she managed to croak out, "No."

The noise was so faint that if Jake hadn't been paying attention he wouldn't have heard it. To his horror he watched as Nastia inched forward and said, "I~can't~hear~you. Guess you must really want this then, huh? Open wide."

Tears welled up in Dart's eyes as Nastia forced her hand into her mouth. Jake couldn't tell what was worse, the fact that she was being forced to eat Nastia's toe gunk or the fact that as she swallowed she looked to be in pain. The latter was unexpected; Jake had been cornered by Nastia once before and while disgusting her toe jam hadn't hurt. He wondered just what Aurora had done to her after he had brought her back, and a sudden wave of guilt began to crash over him. He pushed it aside as he reminded himself that her punishment, whatever it had been, was brought about by her own choices. He served a higher purpose as Goth's Raven, and if Dart had simply stayed and followed her will this wouldn't have happened. If she had only given his Goddess a chance then maybe she to could have stood by her side. Now she was doomed to be nothing more than an object to both Aurora, Nastia, and the rest of the court.

Goth finally spoke up, "Alright you two that's enough. You can play with your toy after we discuss business. I believe we have a guest who has a message for us."

Pamela looked up from the scene to Goth and asked, "Are you sure you wish to do this with your pet present?"

Goth gave her a nod before saying, "Of course, Pamela, my Raven deserves to know what is happening. I'll pardon your question this time, Pamela, but remember I am your Goddess and it is best to trust my judgement."

Pamela gave a bow and said, "Very well, forgive me my Black Matron. I will fetch out guest."

She exited the room, and Jake wondered just what was going on. He wasn't aware that anything was being kept from him, but he reminded himself that Goth knew what was best. He felt a bit of pride well up in him at the thought of being included in all of her affairs. To him, it meant that she was beginning to fully trust him. He was, admittedly, worried after that fateful night that he had lost her trust.

Pamela returned with a tall man who looked like he'd been put through the ringer. His clothes looked like they may have once been fairly nice, but appeared to be filthy and torn. It looked as though he'd be cut several times over, and his face looked to have several bruises across it. Jake wondered if one of the girls had gotten ahold of him or not. He watched him carefully, and tried to figure out just what his purpose was here. He didn't have to wait long as Goth said, "I understand you have a message for me from Metropolis. Well, out with it!"

Metropolis? What was going on? Jake tried to figure out why this man, who was apparently from his home, was here and what kind of message he could have for Goth. The man stepped forward and looked around the room, clearly nervous. He spoke with a bit of a stutter as he said, "W-well your Goddess, I-I was uh...I mean we were kind of attacked."

Goth began to grow impatient as she said, "And what does this attack have to do with me? Are you insinuating that I am not providing adequate protection for your little operations?"

The man quickly stepped forward and knelt down before saying, "No Goddess! I just, I was just told to give you a message by our attacker," he paused to swallow nervously before continuing, "You see, we were meeting to count up profits from our sales, and to prepare your tribute. We were in the middle of our meeting when this...this freak burst through the doors! I don't know who they were or why they were there, but they moved like a wild animal. They gunned down half of my people, and gutted another quarter with knives. They shouldn't have known about the clocktower, but somehow they did!"

"This...this psycho feral freak pinned me down, and dragged me to the roof. They fucking tortured me, and threw me off the clocktower before pulling me back up. When they spoke it was...scary and filled with hate. They beat me until I finally...I finally told them who I worked for."

The man shut his eyes as Goth stood from her throne. Jake's leash fell to the floor as she walked over to the man. She towered over him, and she cupped his chin to raise his gaze to her own. "What. Is. The. Message?" she asked clearly growing more annoyed by the second.

The man began to shake in the presence of the Goddess. Partly due to sheer terror and partly because of the repulsive stench emanating from her imposing form. "They said," he began, "They said to tell you that they're coming for you, and after that they threw me off the roof."

Goth growled at his words. The back of her strong hand connected with his face, and his frail form fell to the floor. He made no attempt to rise, but instead chose to remain on the ground. "Aurora, Nastia it seems you have a new toy to break in," Goth said, "Take him and make sure to spare no expense with him. I want him to know the price of failure and the price of treason; take Dilatrix with you in case you go too far. I want his suffering to last as long as possible."

The two sadistic women walked up to the man who was now in tears begging, "Please my Goddess I didn't have a choice! Please they would have killed me!"

"Then perhaps you should have fought harder or died for your devotion," Goth replied as Aurora took a rough hold of the man, "You'll learn the price of failure, and if you're lucky you'll learn to serve. If not, then you'll die and be brought back again and again until you learn."

Jake watched with wide eyes as Aurora and Nastia left the room. Dart was pulled out of the room by Nastia. She seemed sympathetic to the man, but as her eyes met Jake's he sensed disappointment. He ignored it and turned back to Goth. She smiled down at him as she walked back to him and said, "I can sense your questions. You want to know if I'm operating in Metropolis, and if so how long I have been. The answer is simple, I am and I was long before you came to my tower and gave yourself to me. You might also be interested to know that your company and all real-estate is also under my control. What use is it to you, my love? It serves a better purpose in my hands, wouldn't you agree or is that a problem?"

Jake couldn't believe it. Goth had lied to him, and had never intended to keep her word. Part of him felt outrage, but it was outweighed by his fear. He knew there was nothing he could do to stop her, and the consequences of defiance were still fresh in his mind. With a meek and fearful voice he said, "No, my Goddess, you're right. I am your Raven and nothing more, and anything I had built in my past life should belong to you."

Goth could sense his anger, but more than that she could feel his hopelessness. She drank it in and felt herself begin to drip with arousal. She had completely broken him, and it was truly a magnificent feeling. She turned to Pamela and said, "Go to Metropolis and rally those worms. Remind them of who they serve and the what happens when they disobey. Make sure they know that while under my protection no harm shall come to them, so long as they are willing to fight for me. While you're there try to find out who this new player is, and see if you can't bring them to me."

Pamela nodded and gave a bow before saying, "By you will it shall be done."

She turned to exit and Goth turned to Jake with a look of hunger in her eyes as she said, "Come, my Raven, I feel you've earned a reward for your exemplary behavior."

Beth had been waiting on the reeking couch Alexis called a bed for over an hour. She went back and forth between watching the girl work and polishing her arsenal. Currently she was in the process of cleaning her pistols. She had started it as an attempt to both quell her boredom and distract from the overpowering smell of feet that permeated the room. She glanced over to Alexis and asked, "Are you almost done? I've been waiting for what feels like forever."

Alexis rolled her eyes at her new roommates remark. It had only been maybe an hour and a half, and she was nearly done. "Would you shut up?" she asked, "You can't rush an artist and you certainly can't rush perfection."

It was Beth's turn to roll her eyes. The girl was had been an instrument of chaos for the city in the past, but she had to admit she was laser focused. The times she had looked over she was impressed that someone so unhinged could work with such speed and accuracy. Alexis worked without having to measure out the ingredients she had been given, and it seemed like second nature to her. She wondered just what the girl could have done if she hadn't turned to crime, maybe she could have cured cancer or something else major.

She watched with avid curiosity as she carefully pulled out the mystery ingredient she'd retrieved from her old lab. Alexis took a small dropper and filled it with a large amount of the sickly green liquid inside the vial. It didn't look like a lot, but whatever the chemical was it seemed volatile from the way she handled it. Beth considered asking what it was, but felt it probably better not to. She set the parts to her gun down and rose from the couch to get a better angle on things. Alexis squeezed the dropper and the liquid inside dribbled out into an already full container before a plume of smoke sprung out.

Somehow the smell in the house got worse as the smoke cleared. A combination of feet, sweat, and now sulfur filled the room and Beth gagged as it hit her. Alexis looked over to her and said, "Don't be so dramatic it's not that bad."

Beth coughed as she replied, "The hell it isn't! Jesus what even is that?"

Alexis rolled her eyes again and held the container out to Beth as she said, "This is my own little creation that will give you the edge you need in battle. You'll be faster and your reaction time will increase drastically. Now drink up."

Beth looked from her to the container of fizzing liquid with horror as she said, "You have got to be kidding me, you want me to drink that?"

Alexis shrugged and forced the container into her hands as she said, "It's either that or you'll end up under Megabutt's fat ass again. Yeah, everyone heard about your last trip to Citiville where she turned you into a throne...again, but hey of that's what you're into who am I to judge?"

Beth glared at her comment. Now she had two reasons to kill that bitch; one to send a message to Goth and two for telling every damn villain about the tower. She eyed the glass suspiciously before sighing and turning it up. The taste was somehow worse than the smell, and it took everything she had not to spit the contents out. She shuddered as she swallowed the contents, and exhaled as she slammed the glass down onto the chemistry station. She was about to ask when it was supposed to take affect, but before she could her body began to tremble. She went from shuddering to shivering as a wave of strange sensations rushed through her. She felt herself become somehow lighter, and her feet began to feel more rooted. She closed her eyes as the sensations became stronger, and she began to feel overwhelmed.

The stopped as suddenly as they had come on, and she looked up at Alexis who wore a strange grin. Before Beth knew what was happening she was on her feet and standing beside Alexis with a knife trained on her throat. She blinked and looked down to see one of her putrid feet where she had been mere seconds ago. "How do you feel?" Alexis asked.

Beth blinked and said, "Incredible, but what is that stench?"

Alexis' grin widened as she pointed to Beth's feet. Beth looked down and could almost see the stink radiating from her boots. She pressed the blade to Alexis' throat in frustration, but made sure not to hurt her. Alexis laughed and took hold of her arm before spinning around face to face and saying, "Think of that as a happy little side effect!"

Beth backed up and tried to collect herself before asking, "Is this permanent?"

Alexis shrugged again before saying, "I mean I never found a way to cure it, but look on the bright side now you've literally got a little bit of me in you. Besides Goth and her little cronies use feet, so this will give you an added edge!"

Beth closed her eyes and tried to calm down. Alexis made some good points, but the idea of having part of Footgirl in her DNA was a bit unsettling. In the end she decided it was a small price to pay for the added abilities as she said, "I guess you're right, but could you please not say anything to do with you being inside of me? Just...at least phrase that a little differently."

Alexis laughed and gave her a wink, "Personally I think you just got like ten times hotter, but that's just me," she said before sobering up, "Now on to business! Megabutt was last spotted at her little church. I'll assume you're wanting this little excursion of yours to be as public as possible?"

Beth nodded and began retrieving her equipment as she said, "Yeah, the criminals here and everywhere need to learn they aren't safe from me. Day or night, I will come for them."

Alexis nodded and said, "Then if you hurry you can catch her in the middle of one of her farty sermons. You sure you're ready to actually kill her? I mean yeah you've killed some bad guys, but this is a woman you've fought for years. I get the sense that you're still trying to justify all of this, but trust me it is different when it's someone you know."

Beth sighed before dawning her hood and saying, "I'll take your word for it, but yeah I'm sure. Before I forget here, take this."

Alexis held out her hand to catch what looked to be a small cylinder that felt a little heavy in her hand. She frowned as she began to toss it up and down before asking, "What's this supposed to be? Some kind of secret weapon?"

Beth shook her head as she said, "No, it's a beacon Jake and I used to use before he…" she trailed off unable to voice his fate.

Alexis held the thing close before saying, "Huh, I don't know if you guys changed the design after I stomped so many of them or if I just stopped paying attention to them. Either way, why give it to me?"

"It works two ways," Beth started, "If you find yourself in trouble while I'm gone press the button and it'll lead me to you, and same goes for me. I'm trusting you by giving this to you, so don't screw me on this."

Alexis waved her off saying, "Yeah, yeah trust and hero bullshit same cat different coat. Hurry up or you'll miss your chance, and good luck."

Beth nodded her thanks as she exited the house. She still couldn't believe that she was stuck with this God awful foot odor for life, but it was a small price to pay for the added agility. She was certain to make sure that Megabutt suffered before her defeat. Still, as she headed back into the city the words of Alexis rang out in her head. Would it really be that different to take the life of someone she had known? Sure Mebabutt had been an enemy for years upon years, but she still knew the woman. She attempted to push the thought aside and any doubts that came with it as she came to the outskirts of Metropolis.

It didn't take her long once she reached the city to find Megabutt's church. The shining statue of herself that stood outside the doors sent a wave of anger through her. She had never understood why the city allowed a villain and sadist like her to be allowed such freedoms. Religious freedoms be damned, this psycho was literally brainwashing people into a fart cult! She would bring about the end of all of it today.

It was a little after noon when she touched down outside the doors, and she decided to make as grand an entrance as possible. She stomped up to the doors and delivered a powerful kick to them that sent them flying open. She felt eyes upon her as she strode into the church, and it didn't take long to find her target. There sitting atop a throne with a poor man beneath her was one of Metropolis' oldest enemies: Megabutt. Beth tried to remain as calm as possible as she walked up the aisle, and Megabutt was the first to speak, "What do we have here? A new devotee to this pathetic city's God, or are you just a fool looking to challenge me?"

Beth stopped about ten feet from the tyrant, and she looked around the chapel. Countless men and women sat in pews and some knelt down in praise, but all eyes turned to her. "I've come to put an end to you and your disgusting tyranny," she said through the voice modulator, "Stand and face your death, or sit there like the coward that you are. The choice is yours, but by the end of this you'll realize your mortality."

Megabutt threw her head back and laughed, "Such arrogance," she taunted, "Another hero come to become one with my glorious butt. I think I'll enjoy breaking your spirit, bring her to me."

A group of her drones rose upon command and approached her. Beth watched them carefully; she knew they didn't have control of themselves, and she didn't want to kill any innocents. She waited for them to approach before she sprung into action. One man lunged for her, but she side stepped with ease and delivered a series of punches to his back that brought him to his knees. She drew a pistol and brought the butt down onto the back of his head; he grunted as he fell to the floor. A second man dove for her, but she ducked and quickly rose with an uppercut that connected with his gut. He grunted as he fell to the floor, and she brought her boot down on his head. She made sure not to apply enough pressure to kill, but between the force and the stench he was rendered unconscious in a second.

There were four more that approached, but the voice of their God stopped them in their tracks, "Enough!" she yelled as she rose from the poor soul on her throne, "This one has some spirit, and it has been too long since I've had a decent fight. Stand down, the lot of you! I will deal with this one myself, and show this city once again that I am its one true God."

The drones drudged off back to their seats, and watched as Megabutt slowly descended down the stairs from her altar. Beth watched and felt her skin crawl as the gassy titan approached. Megabutt brought a hand to her ass and cupped it before blasting a wild torrent of gas into it. She hurled the foul ball of gas at Beth, but thanks to her hood it did nothing except irritate her. Megabutt cocked her head to the side as Beth said, "That pathetic trick won't work on me, you bitch. You'll have to fight me the old fashioned way."

A smirk graced Megabutt's face as she charged and said, "Very well, face the wrath of a God!"

Beth was barely able to dodge the punch that Megabutt fired, but despite her speed she found herself receiving a strong kick to her gut. She grunted and recoiled backwards before Megabutt used her signature power and expanded her ass; she rammed it into her, and sent her flying backwards. Beth landed with a thud and a skid that sent her into the pews. Several were overturned as before she stopped. That had hurt more than she expected, but she wasn't about to give up. She pulled her pistol out and opened fire, but Megabutt was too fast. She took to the air and easily avoided the gunshots until Beth's clip was emptied. She looked to her gun as a panic began to well up within before she felt herself being lifted into the air by the throat.

Megabutt held her by the throat, and she could feel the pressure on her windpipe growing at an alarming rate. She threw herself forward in an attempt to kick the gassy titan, but Megabutt simply gave her a rough shake that caused her kick to falter. Her breathing was becoming difficult as Megabutt said, "As all heroes, you are weak and pathetic. Before I make you into a loyal follower, let's see who's under the mask shall we?"

Beth struggled and clawed at the titan's iron grip, but it did nothing to stop her. Megabutt brought her free hand underneath her hood, and in one swift motion had it removed. She grinned upon seeing Beth's face before saying, "My cushion has come home! I was simply going to gas you into becoming one of my followers, but since it is you, Elizabeth, I think it will be more fun to break that little hero streak with a beating."

She rose another few feet before diving down and driving Beth's body into the ground. A shockwave was sent out that knocked several citizens and pews backwards. Beth coughed as the grip on her throat was released, and she rose to her feet in a shaky manner. She swung at Megabutt, but she dodged it and took a firm hold of her wrist. She pulled it back in a painful armbar that forced Beth to her knees. Beth grit her teeth and spat out, "Fuck you, you sick bitch!"

Megabutt leaned in and began to whisper in her ear, "Such rebellion from the lesser half of a dynamic duo. You always were pathetic, Elizabeth, you only ever served a purpose as a seat. Then again, your little bird brained friend was quite pathetic as he begged for his life."

Beth felt her eye begin to twitch at the mention of Jake. Taunting her was one thing, but Jake had nothing to do with this. "Shut. Up," she growled.

"Oh, did I strike a nerve?" Megabutt continued to taunt and apply more pressure, "You know he suffered at the hands of my sister. The fool actually believed that he was doing a valiant effort to save you and this wretched city, and once more he believed that she actually cared for him. He truly was a bird brained moron."

Beth could feel a white hot rage building within her as Megabutt continued to speak. She began to shake in her grip as she once more said, "Shut. Your. Fucking. Mouth!"

Megabutt laughed in her ear as she continued, "I'd say I don't know which of you are dumber, but it was obviously him. Letting you go is what cost him his pathetic life, but don't worry in time you won't even remember him. You should know, that my sister will bring him back just to have him as a personal sex-toy. After all, that's all he ever was and all he will ever be, even in death."

Beth felt something inside of her snap at those words. Could Goth actually do that?! A newfound hatred bubbled to the surface as her muscles tensed up. She reached down with her free hand and produced a small knife from her boot. She spun the blade in her hand, and with a heart full of hate she drove it into Megabutt's side. Megabutt released her arm and staggered back with a cry of pain. Beth slowly rose to her feet and raised her head as she said, "I told you to shut the fuck up. Now, I'm going to make you truly suffer before I kill your disgusting ass!"

Megabutt glared at her as she removed the knife from her side. It wasn't a deep enough wound to do serious damage, but no one had ever had the audacity to stab her before. What gave her pause was the look in Beth's eyes. They held no light, only hate. She snarled before smirking and saying, "There's a dangerous hunger in those eyes of yours. If I wasn't a God maybe I would actually feel fear."

Beth didn't move as she spoke, "It's a bad time to be a God right now, and before I'm done with you, you will know fear."

"Insolent little bitch!" Megabutt yelled before launching herself into the air for a diving punch.

Beth sidestepped the punch, and it left a small crater in the ground from the impact. Megabutt growled in anger, but before she could retract her arm she cried out in pain. Beth took the opportunity and drove her boot through her elbow, and a sickening snap echoed throughout the church alongside the pained scream. Megabutt looked at her now broken arm with wide eyes before turning back to Beth. It was all the opening she needed, and Beth seized it with ferocity. She delivered a combination of punches to her old foe that quickly put her on the defensive. With one arm, however, she found it increasingly difficult to block, and instead found herself taking the brunt of Beth's assault. Beth finished her combination with a rising axe kick that knocked Megabutt into the air.

She stopped herself by taking flight at the last minute. Beth slowly stepped forward and retrieved her hood before putting it back on. It felt like putting on the hood of an executioner, and for the first time since beginning this quest for vengeance Beth fully embraced that role. She pulled her guns out and Megabutt taunted her, "You worthless little ant! I am a God, and what are you? A miserable speck compared to me! What are you going to do, shoot me?"

Beth tossed the guns to the ground and said, "You aren't worth the bullets, and that would be too quick for you. No, I want you to feel every ounce of pain you inflicted on this city!"

Megabutt laughed at her as she said, "You think I need both arms to beat you? You are nothing compared to me! I will crush you and absorb you into my ass!"

Beth pulled out her grappling gun and fired it at Megabutt. It wrapped around her, but she didn't bother retracting it. Megabutt began a rapid ascension, and quickly began wild maneuvers in an attempt to shake her tag along. Beth held tight to the cable, and with new drive she began scaling it. It took some time, but soon she was at Megabutt's feet. She took out another knife, and with devastating force plunged it into her calf muscle. The titan howled in pain and began trying to kick her attacker in a vain attempt to shake her off. Beth felt the boots of her enemy collide with her hood, but she wouldn't be deterred. She proceeded to pull the blade downward, and splashes of crimson splattered her hood as the wound grew in size. Once she reached her ankle she removed the knife, and by that point Megabutt couldn't take it anymore. The two plummeted to the ground in a heap.

Megabutt crawled away from Beth in an attempt to escape. Beth rose to her feet and dusted herself off. She slowly began walking in a menacing manner. The two had landed near the altar, and Megabutt found herself on the steps as she turned and yelled, "Stay back! Get away from me!"

Beth paid her no mind as she continued to advance. She held the still bloody blade in her hand as she neared her victim. She savored the terror in Megabutt's eyes as she knelt down and drove the blade into her thigh. "Or what?" she asked, "Where is that Godly wrath you spoke of?"

Megabutt swallowed and said, "You won't kill me! You're a hero, and heroes don't take lives they save them!"

Beth tilted her head to the side as she said, "I'm no hero, not anymore. I am the spirit of vengeance, and I've come for you. You're going to send a message for me to that cunt you call a sister."

Megabutt began to panic as she pleaded, "Wait! Killing me won't bring Jake back! Please don't do this!"

Beth smiled beneath her hood as she said, "Oh I know it won't, but it will make it clear what happens when you fuck with the people I care about. Now scream for me, and just know that no matter how much you beg, no matter how much you scream, no one is going to save you."

Megabutt didn't have time to question her as Beth removed her hood and planted a kiss on her forehead before taking a firm hold of her face. Her eyes went wide as she watched the blade of the blood stained knife approach her eye. She screamed as Beth slowly drove the blade behind her eye, and began to carve it out of its socket. She screamed bloody murder for what felt like eternity until finally her voice began to grow hoarse. Beth finished her carving and showed her, her own eye. Tears streamed from her remaining eye while blood flowed from the open socket. She weakly asked, "W-why?"

Beth looked at her with cold hate and said, "An eye for an eye and all that. Now, since you wanted to be a God so fucking bad why don't we make you into just that. Come here you filthy bitch."

Beth stood and pocketed the dripping eyeball, and proceeded to take hold of Megabutt's hair. She dragged her up the stairs, and as she screamed she felt a deep satisfaction inside of her. She threw her against the wall, and held her good arm up and outstretched. She took the knife and plunged it into her palm to hold her in place. She repeated the process with the broken arm, and when it refused to move she gave it a thorough jerk to put it in place. Megabutt sobbed as she was forced into place, but Beth took it another step further by cutting her wrists. She stepped back and admired her handiwork. Megabutt stood crucified in her own church at her altar. "Enjoy your God hood you worthless excuse for a villain."

She turned when she heard a loud clap from one of the pews. She looked around and saw Alexis standing and clapping, "Bravo! Bravo!" she said as she walked out, "Oh man the brutality of it all is just so...impressive, and that line," she paused to lower her voice, "Scream and know no one is going to help you. Oh my God that was perfect! I knew you had it in you Kitty Cat."

Beth wasn't in the mood for games and stormed up to her demanding, "How long have you been there?"

Alexis laughed as she said, "Pretty much since the beginning. You didn't think I'd miss this did you?"

Beth glared at her behind her hood and asked, "Why the fuck didn't you help me when she had me pinned?!"

Alexis smirked and said, "Because you'll never know how far or how strong you're willing to go and become until you're pushed to the limit, and from the looks of things you're willing to go pretty fucking far! Honestly, I couldn't have done it better myself. Oh, would you stop glaring at me. I would have stepped in if I really thought you were in danger, but I knew you could handle it. After all you're The Feral."

Beth looked at her quizzically, "The Feral?" she asked.

"Yup that's what the city's been calling you," Alexis said with a grin, "Pretty accurate considering you just fuckinf crucified one of the city's biggest villains. Anyways, I thought you'd be interested to know that there's a meeting tonight between the crime bosses and one of Goth's personal court members."

Beth sobered up and quickly forgot her anger at Alexis and asked, "Who?"

Alexis' grin widened and it turned almost evil as she said, "Pamela."

Beth felt a rush of anger flood her veins at the mention of her name. Pamela was Goth's star pupil, and the one who had first informed her of Jake's punishment. Her eye twitched as she asked, "Where?"

Alexis answered as she turned to leave, "A cabin on the outskirts of the city. One of Jake's old getaway locations, but I'd hurry if I were you. The cops are already here because of the disturbance, I gotta go but the address is in the pew."

With that the agile psycho was gone. The sounds of sirens outside filled her ears, and she debated sneaking off or not. She decided that she would face this to head on. She walked to the doors of the church as several cops entered the room. Their guns trained on her as one of them said, "Freeze!"

Beth bent down to pick up her guns before addressing them, "I would stand down if I were you. Let me pass, I'm not your enemy here."

Another cop spoke up, "Like hell you aren't! You just murdered a woman!"

Beth looked back to Megabutt before turning and saying, "In one hour I've done what your heroes failed to do for years. That woman has killed countless and brainwashed more than that. She's no longer a threat to my city, and I'll say it again: I am not your enemy. Lower your weapons, or I will put you down to. I don't want to, but my business isn't finished yet."

The cops looked between one another before one of them lowered his gun and said, "She's right."

Another one looked at him and said, "John you can't be serious! Look at this mess, she has to be brought in."

A female cop spoke up as she holstered her gun, "Carl, Megabutt killed over half of our brothers and sisters. I'm not saying this is right, but if you ask me she got what she deserved. Let this one go."

Slowly the guns were lowered until all that remained was Carl. He groaned as he put his gun away and said, "Fine! Get the hell out of here before I change my mind."

Beth had the note from Alexis in her pocket and headed out. She took note of a syringe wrapped in the note. She opened it and read it:

“You'll need this if you're going to take on Pamela. It's a neurotoxin, and with it she won't be able to do anything until you're done. Have fun, and make sure they suffer!”

Beth looked at the syringe and put it in her pocket as she fired her grappling gun. She was off into the afternoon sky before anyone else showed up. She intended to make good on Alexis' request. They would suffer, every single one of them especially Pamela.