April Fools Joke Gone Bad 2007 - The Sequel by Steve Zink

After a few weeks of fun committing all kinds of crimes, first as evil versions of Justice League girls and then themselves, taking advantage of Mesmera's powers but finding very little use of Duela's, the two vixens found a surprising message on their answering machine on Monday evening.  "Good evening, ladies.  Or should I say it right, 'Hi, you two bitches.'  Don't fret about me getting your new number.  Batwoman isn't the only good detective around here.  If Duela hasn't recognized my voice yet, this is Catwoman.  I've got something hot going, call me at the lair."

Ms. Mesmera looked a bit confused, and asked her partner,  "Selina's staying in touch with you?"

"Not often, just every now and then.  If she found this new number, it must also be easy for Batwoman and the other Bats, if not others," Duela replied.  "We'll have to talk to some code hacks about getting more secure."

"Ain't that the truth!  I presume from the way she said that, you have her number at the Cat's Lair?" Mesmera asked.  "Whichever lair she's using right now."

"Uh-huh," Duela answered while nodding.  "Selina told me the number would route to whichever lair she's using.  I don't know how she rigged that, I know it's not a cell phone.  Might as well call her right now."

"If it drags out, we'll miss American Idol."

"No sweat, I'm tivoing it.  We'll see it either live or later."

"Okay, good.  Does this phone's speaker work like a speaker phone with a mic so we can all talk together?" Mesmera asked.

"I suppose that should work.  You'll have to stay close unless you back off and Selina says you're still audible."  Duela punched the number into the keypad, then set it for speaker and put the phone itself in its cradle.

After only two rings they heard, "I'm glad you were home and could call me back so quick, Duela."

"Selina, I'm not alone.  I've got Mesmera sitting next to me.  Are you hearing me okay?"

"Just fine," Catwoman told her.

"How about me?" Mesmera asked.

"Not as loud, but still clear.  Now I can match a voice to my mental image of you, Mesmera."

"Good.  Now, what's this deal you've got working?" Mesmera asked.

"Did either of you get the details from when Batwoman got hold of Catgirl and Joker's Daughter?"

"None other than what I sensed and we both observed," Duela replied.  "I'm guessing she did something to bring Zatanna's magic powers back even though she was now Joker's Daughter, and she got rid of all the masks, then got back all their original costumes-"

"With newer boots!" Mesmera added.

"Right, with all the sexier new boots we were wearing while we committed crimes as the Justice League girls."

"Oh, so that was you two, using Duela's masks I presume?" Selina asked.

"Of course, but when Zatanna or whoever undid my magic and got rid of their masks, they seem to have really disappeared.  I'm not getting anything from any of those five masks."

"Well, Joker's Daughter must have had at least some idea of Zatanna's backwards spell magic, and Catgirl did a meowwrrr that sounded a lot like a feline version of the Canary cry," Catwoman told them.

"Oh, shit!" Duela said softly, then more loudly added, "I originally had each mask set to negate the super power of its wearer.  When we decided to change three of the girls around, I forgot to realign the masks.  Hey, how did you find out about what happened, Selina?"

"Duela, you'd have to know I'd get interested when I heard about Catgirl in the news.  In mufti I started to follow her around.  I was one of the folks who got tied up manually by Catgirl as opposed to magically by Joker's Daughter.  Here's the best part.  Before Batwoman got both of them, Joker's Daughter did a spell that turned Robin into a sexy looking young woman all roped up like the rest of us.  I have to wonder why it was just Robin she got and not Batwoman too, but anyway, Robin left the scene that way and I've seen her twice so far out with Batwoman.  For some reason, the Boy Wonder is staying as the Girl Wonder."

"Oh, so that's who the girl was that we saw with Batwoman on Thursday, Duela."

"Yeah, Mesmera, and I was thinking Batwoman was starting off with a new female Robin."

"Well, here's why I called you, Duela.  You, too, Mesmera.  I'm working on a way to trap our female Robin, then either using your mind control, Mesmera, or one of your masks and a wig, Duela, to turn her into my new kitten."

"Selina, we could both work with you on that, the same way we teamed up on the Justice League girls," Ms. Mesmera said while Duela nodded.

"Yeah!  Just give us some details of how you want her to look, Selina," Duela added, "and where and when to meet you."

"You can start on the mask right away, Duela.  I liked how Catgirl looked, even if I was madder than hell at you when you wore that costume the first time.  Use that face for a start, but a bit younger and even more sexually appealing.  For her hair, I'm hoping for waist length blonde."

"Keep her good looking body as it is, or do some changes?" Duela asked.

"I agree, she is good and sexy already.  However...I want my kitten to look almost as unbelievable as you, Mesmera.  Huge tits, a wasp waist and hips and legs models would envy.  Oh, and lastly, feet the same size as mine."

"With that last bit, are you wanting her to be about your height also, Selina?" Mesmera asked.  "Or more like a smaller version of me?"

"Good guess, Mesmera.  Your build, but my height."

"I've got her pictured in my mind, Selina," Duela said, "so I can make that mask tonight.  Why don't you get the wig yourself to make sure it's what you want?"

"Thanks, Duela, I'll do that.  By the way, while setting up the magic of your mask, her name is Caitlin Kyle and in costume as my kitten she will be Pussy Willow.  Say, is that Cat Grant mask still at the Watchtower?"

"Right, still up there, wherever they have it put away.  And I've got the names."

"Good.  Since I'm betting you're already working on changing your number, call me Friday night at 9 if you can."

"Anything planned?" Duela asked softly.  Mesmera just shook her head 'no'.  "You've got it, Selina.  Friday night at 9."

As soon as the connection was gone, Mesmera reached to hold Duela's arm before she could get up.  "Besides her names and all the feline skills of Catgirl, give Robin a really conniving and wicked mind.  From what Selina was saying about their similar sizes, I'm getting the idea that Ms. Kyle is setting up Robin to be her heiress and take on the role of Catwoman."

"My thoughts exactly.  Now, don't go turning on the TV until I get back out with you."

"Okay with you if I boot up your computer?"

"Sure, go for it.  I'll be back out in a few minutes."

Ms. Mesmera was surfing sites offering specially made costumes when her partner came back holding the freshly made mask.  She held it up, saying, "How's this look as a mask?"

"Selina's going to love this one!  You've got a young but at the same time devilishly sexy look for her."

"No way am I going to have either of us try it on for a look at the real face," Duela said, "with what I have this mask set to instill in its wearer's mind."

"Good thinking, now let's go watch Idol."

"Right, leave the computer on for later."

The two girls rotted their minds at the TV until a bit past 11.  During commercials on the shows they watched normally, Mesmera told Duela bit by bit about her idea to use the mask of her face to start getting the authorities confused.  When they went back to the computer, she showed Duela two sites which looked promising making a copy of her costume dress, along with a shoe and boot page on a fetish wear site that had boots similar to hers.  "You don't think any local places where you got boots like Catgirl's would have some like mine, do you?"

"I saw some that were close," Duela answered.  "Let's go check around tomorrow."

"I hope the weather's good.  We'll have to look for some like Mask Maven's, too."

"Oh, another mask to make.  I should have figured your twin would also have my twin as a partner."

"Of course!  And wait'll you hear who I have planned to be our twins," Mesmera said.  "I'm going to keep you guessing until we have the costumes, masks and wigs ready."

"Oh, poo!  I guess I'll have to put on that Mesmera mask and mentally force you to tell me.  Just kidding!"

"Speaking of that mask, we never did get around to doing any tests of the hypno powers it would give.  Sometime soon, why don't you go ahead and become my twin.  I'll let you use my costume and you can go out to see how strong your powers are.  Since your Mask Maven mask couldn't affect my own powers, I can go as you to give you backup and observe."

"That's a fun idea," Duela replied.  "How about tomorrow night, but with your Mala mask on once I've become you instead of me, and in regular clothes instead of our costumes after we've done our shopping and had our dinner?"

"Sounds good.  But should we just randomly pick a subject, or see if we can arrange to have some specific person be the guinea pig?"

"Hmmm..."  Duela gave it some thought, then she grinned.  "I know just who to test our reversed powers on, and with mirrors all around.  I'll show you while we're shopping tomorrow.  But if she's not around, we can just work with whoever might be on hand."

"Okay, but reversed powers?  I didn't think our duplicate Mask Maven would have your masking magic power."

"You'll see.  I'm planning on giving her a masking power quite different from mine.  Also, since we're going to be using the mirrored rooms I'm going to undo the identity imbuing powers of the two masks so we can use them and stay as ourselves."

* * *

Robin had gone out to do some shopping after getting out of school on Friday.  As much as she had liked wearing the costume placed on her by Zatanna acting as Joker's Daughter, it was becoming just too much of a distraction for her elder partner.  So Tami Drake went to the mall and selected a green miniskirt of the correct shade that was longer than her preferred one.  It would appear a lot less risque and should make it easier for her to work with Batwoman.  Her next purchase on Saturday was from the only shoe store she knew of that sold boots in lots of colors.  This new green pair with only four-inch heels would add to her more standard appearance with the new skirt.  Nothing happened which called for her to go into action with the Dark Mistress later Saturday nor on Sunday, so after dinner Monday she went over to Wayne Manor to show off her newer outfit to Barbie.  The Dark Mistress liked very much that Robin looked a lot less alluring and sexy in the replacement outfit.  She still had the possibility of making any of their male supervillain opponents lose their self control, and of course Batwoman herself would have to control her own libido in her presence.  She changed back into the blouse and slacks combo to go back home.

* * *

As she did for going out of the house for all things not involving evil, Mesmera went shopping with Duela as Mala Arkins using the mask Duela had made that first weekend.  Where Mesmera's face implied pure evil, Mala's looked angelic.  With her shoulder length golden blonde hair and Mesmera's still outrageously shaped body, Mala was an eye catcher.  Especially so since she always dressed in ways that flaunted her cartoonish form.  So during their initial stop at Avant-Guard early in the afternoon, the pair went straight to the shoe and boot display.  Even though dressed much differently, they hoped Mala's impressive figure wouldn't be remembered from the visit made to get all the new boots they wore as the Justice League heroines.  There was a different guy on hand, so it seemed like they'd stay unrecognized while getting the two pairs of black boots for their Metropolis replacements.

With the boxes in hand, the girls did a quick check of the costume area for dresses and catsuits.  Some good possibilities were spotted, so with the intention of coming back much later, they went up front to pay for the new boots.  The rest of the afternoon's window shopping went by quickly, since both of the super villainesses were certain the rest of their needs could be obtained that evening.

After dinner, they put on the test masks to become each other, then it was Duela changing herself into Mala.  As Mask Maven, Mesmera didn't look obvious in the bright colors she wore instead of the usual black.  "Now, let's get back over to Avant-Guard!" Duela said in Mesmera's voice and body.

In the shop Duela had originally planned on finding a costume for Mesmera before seeing what the Kryptonian machine had done for her, during their earlier visit they'd found a black dress so close in style to Mesmera's it was incredible.  Now it was time to see if it was available in a size that would accommodate her profound figure, and at the same time see if Terry was working that night like usual so she could be the guinea pig.  She wasn't anywhere near the aisle with the dress, so Duela asked the male clerk putting up a display across the aisle, "Do you have one of these that would fit me?"

He started walking toward the two women, approvingly evaluating Mala's exotic form that Duela was wearing.  "I don't know how apparent it is on that dress form, but that dress is a spandex mix," Mike told them as he got closer.  "I'm sure we have one that will mold itself to that fantastic body you have.  Hang on a sec, I'll get it for you."

As he walked away, Mesmera looked around to make sure no one was within earshot, then told Duela, "Well, it looks like we have a costume dress already.  How about the young lady on whom you said we could try out our masking powers?"

"I've been looking around ever since we came in, Mesmera.  Oops, that's right, I'm Mesmera and you're Duela.  Anyway, I'm guessing Terry isn't around tonight.  I guess we'll have to go to plan B and pick a random person on whom we can do the tests.  Oh, wait a minute, here comes that dress.  Let's think about it after I try this on, okay?"

"Right."

"Here you go, ma'am, this should open up and then close down around your incredible shape," the clerk said as he handed a hanger to the incredible looking blonde.

Both had by now seen his ID tag.  "Thanks, Mike, both for the compliment and the dress."  Both girls headed for one of the dressing rooms.

* * *

A devoted fan of Zatanna from when she first came on the scene as a crime fighting heroine and even more from her popular magic shows, John Drake in Greenville, South Carolina was both shocked and puzzled when she and four of the other Justice League of America heroines made the news committing crimes.  He along with almost everybody else became relieved when the mask spells were broken and the heroines told the press who really had been committing all those crimes while they were out committing crimes themselves as the villainess daughters.  A number of people disapproved of the sexier looking new boots all five heroines wore after the incident, but John in particular liked Zee's new footwear enough to mention them in the fan letter he sent.

The magical brunette couldn't answer all the fan mail she got with personal replies, but John Drake was an exception.  He'd been to so many of her shows in the front or first few rows of seats that he'd been asked to introduce himself and chat for a while after a big show in Miami the year before, and now was a well known and looked for face in the crowd for her.  Along with her thanks for his kind words, she told him that a date hadn't been arranged yet, but an unusual magic show was being planned to show in a special way what all the heroines had just gone through.  Would he be willing to help in a very different and fascinating way?

When John got this reply, his first thought was, 'Zee wants me to be a part of her program, not just a front row spectator like usual?  WOW!'  He quickly wrote a note back saying no matter what, he wanted to help in any way he could.  A few days later another letter from Zatanna arrived and this time she included her email address for quicker and easier communication.  He turned on his computer right away to compose a message.

   Zee, can you tell me any more about the way you want me to help?  
   Also, finding out the date ASAP would help for getting airline
   reservations and tickets arranged.  John

   John, I want to explain about the show and your part in it in
   person.  I just found out yesterday that I can get the Omni in
   Atlanta this coming Saturday, April 28th.  I know it's already
   Tuesday, so there's not much time.  Can you spare an hour
   or so right now?  Zee

John was wishing this could go even quicker using Instant Messaging, but at least they were both online and the email was working good.

   Zee, there's nothing going on here at all, in fact I'm on vacation
   this week and the next so the timing's nearly perfect for the show
   in Atlanta.  There's nothing scheduled on the TV I want to see.  
   What's up?  John

   Good, can I hope you're in normal day clothes and not lounging in
   vacation under shorts or whatever, John?  Zee

   Yes, I'm fully dressed, I was out shopping just before dinner.  
   I haven't even taken off my shoes, Zee.  John

   Just fine!  Save to file anything you're working with, then shut
   down your computer.  Zee

A few moments later she saw,

   Saved, and it's shutting off.  John

Zatanna didn't type a reply to that.  She said, "nohJ ot eht taes txen ot ym ksed."  

It was hardly a shock but still a surprise for John when he changed from sitting in front of his own computer to sitting facing Zatanna at hers.  She was casually dressed in a beige T-shirt and white slacks, with simple brown loafers on her feet as opposed to her more usually seen spike heeled pumps.  Zee grinned at him and said, "Welcome to Shadowcrest, John.  What do you think of my little den?"

His eyes were wide, checking out the room.  Zee's den probably had more square footage than John's entire house.  "Wow, I always figured Shadowcrest was huge, but if just this den is so spacious, the rest of the mansion must be unbelievable!"

"Tell you what," Zatanna said while standing, "how about if I give you a tour of my humble abode while I tell you about your role in the show.  Come on."

John practically leapt from his seat.  "I can't wait!"

"I know you must have at least a rough idea of what my place looks like since you've been such an ardent fan for so many years," Zee said as she got to the door and opened it.

"Well, I could probably sketch the floor plans as far as room location, but as for their actual size, since this den was such a big...no pun...surprise, I'm betting even the three bathrooms are bigger than I'd imagined, not to mention all your other rooms."

"GIGGLE!  The bathroom next to my bedroom is like a sauna, but the other two are just average."  She opened a door on their left.  "This is my practice stage.  Comes in handy for working out the logistics and tempo for new act ideas.  Speaking of new act ideas, you've been at some of my shows where I've turned guys into gals, right?"

"Unless you've done that act at some shows that weren't reviewed, I've been at all but the one you did in San Jose last year.  Hey, did Simon in New York ever get back to being a guy?"

Zatanna opened a door on their right.  "Not much to see unless we turn here, that's the hallway leading to the garage and workshop.  The laundry is just past the workshop; nothing special, just plenty of space and the latest in state of the art washer and dryer technology from Whirlpool.  You should see what it's like to sort, load and unload the wash magically!  And nope, Amber is still getting a thrill at being an exotic dancer at Foxxes, begging me to let her stay that way.  You know all the other guys that I changed are back to being guys."

"Right.  Hey, I've been wondering...can you tell me anything which wasn't mentioned in the news articles about that bit a few weeks ago when you got turned into Joker's Daughter by that magical mask?"

"That was really something for all five of us," Zee told him.  "Those masks actually changed each of us into identical fantastic bodies but with different faces and hair...except Huntress, who got a totally different and incredibly shaped, fantastic looking body, face and hair.  Our minds were taken over to know that we really were the daughters we were turned into.  We had become some of the most wicked villainesses to hit Gotham City in a long time!  As Joker's Daughter, I was the de facto leader of all the daughters and came up with most of our plans for crimes.  Each of us had become so used to who we'd become and liked being super criminals so much that it became difficult to change back to being our original selves."

"The changes that got imposed on you and the others must have been pretty intense and deep seated," he commented.

"I'll say they were!" Zatanna replied.  "Even with the spell I did that put our original personalities back, with our own faces and hair under masks and wigs, we all still felt a compulsion to remain as we were.  Then it got really interesting as the spell I did to put us each back into our original, absconded costumes brought the sexier versions of our boots Ms. Mesmera and Mask Maven were wearing while committing crimes as us.  Between the five of us and those two, Gotham City was really getting hit like never in the past, and we managed to avoid the Dynamic Duo successfully until Catgirl and I got caught.  That spell I did to put our own costumes back on transfered all our daughter costumes, masks and wigs to the same part of our Watchtower museum section where we've had that Cat Grant mask on display.  I also put some magical wards around the whole lot so nobody can know they're in our display unless they're standing there looking at it.  So anyway, I guess it might have been some leftover attitudes from being the daughters that made all five of us want to keep those new and sexier boots as parts of our costumes."

"Just so you know," John said, "like I said in my letter, I'm one of the fans who does like those new boots you and the other four kept as part of your costumes after the costumes came back from those two villainesses who'd been wearing them to pretend being you all while committing those crimes."

"Yes, and your letter and this repeat of your opinion make me feel really good," Zee replied.  "Also, I presume you know all about the way Robin got turned into a fantastic looking young woman by a spell I cast as Joker's Daughter while Catgirl and I were robbing the Diamond Exchange."

"Yes, Batwoman showed up with Robin to stop you both, and he got changed before the Dark Mistress subdued you both, which led to her getting you to undo the masking magic so the five of you could get back to who you really were," John related.

Zatanna smiled.  "You're remembering things as reality got altered by another spell that I did, which nobody else seems to know about.  Even I myself didn't know about it after changing back from being Joker's Daughter, until the spell had been cast.  When I did that spell to change Robin, I also did a delayed spell to take place on April Fool's Day to have Batman and his butler...oops...seems like I'm giving away his secret identity to you.  I think I can trust you, though.  I made it so both Bruce Wayne and his butler Alfred would be in the Batcave and at home in Wayne Manor respectively, and then change both of them.  So while it was actually Batman who came with Robin to the Diamond Exchange and did the work to change me and the others back, when he turned into Batwoman, now called the Dark Mistress instead of him being the Dark Knight, and Alfred turned into her bondage specialist, fetish French Maid Alecia, reality got changed to reflect the new identites they had.  Dark Mistress even fits Batwoman as a second name even better than you think.  In addition to her day to day job duities as Barbie Wayne and fighting crime as Batwoman, she really enjoys playing her role as the dominatrix called Mistress Demonique.  What surprises me is that Barbie Wayne hasn't made any effort yet to ask me to change them both back."

"WOW!  So there's a lasting change from you being Joker's Daughter that now I know about!" John replied.  "I wonder if what they're each doing is why Barbie and Alecia are preferring to stay as they are, sort of like Simon wanting to stay as Amber."

"Good question," Zee told him, "and I'm sure hoping to hear from Batwoman soon.  The other members of the League had to get used to having Ultra Babe being with us instead of Superman, but thanks to that spell I did, I'm the only one who knows Batwoman shouldn't be there instead of Batman."

"It was interesting the way Superman passed on his powers to that great looking redhead before he died from that Martian bug.  Hey, that hallway ahead on the left leads to your entry area, doesn't it?"

No way was Zee going to tell John that Ultra Babe wasn't really a redhead.  "Yep," she said, "turn there and we'll go up the staircase.  I presume you're not interested in seeing the kitchen, it's down on the right."  John shook his head.  "I rarely eat in the dining room.  It's big enough to seat two dozen.  I'm guilty of eating just about everywhere but there.  Okay, up the stairs.  I could have asked for a female volunteer, but I know you've been such a dedicated fan.  For this special show I want to do on Saturday, I can get you there magically to avoid the airlines.  How would you like to be my female assistant?"

"Why did I have a feeling that's where this conversation was leading?"  John gave it some thought as they went up the last few steps to the top floor.  "I've never had any urges to find out how the other side lives and feels, but I'll admit it's been fascinating to see you do that in the acts.  Just one thing - if I say yes, I don't want to be changed so that folks would see the real me first.  I'd want you to change me before the show starts."

"That would be my pleasure.  Easy, even.  I can zap you here just like I did this evening, do your metamorphosis, then we'd both zap together to backstage at the Omni.  Hey, I just had a thought.  How about if I finish this tour some other time?  There's a shop in downtown Gotham where I get most of my costume and bondage escape trick supplies for the magic shows.  I've got a line of credit there, and you can use it after I call 'em and give you a signed note.  It's called Avant-Guard, and most folks think of it as an adult oriented fetish wear place.  I can zap you there and you can pick out just what my assistant will be wearing on Saturday night...to start and end with, at least.  Don't worry about the sizes, I can take care of that."

"Sounds like fun!  Is there a good spot to zap where I wouldn't be seen by everybody?"

"But of course!  How do you think I do it?  They like my business so much that there's a small room in the hallway leading back to the storeroom.  There's always a night light plugged in, and the door is permanently locked from the outside so I can go out but nobody other than me or the manager can go in.  I'll give you my cell phone, just leave it in that room on the seat and after you've used my key to get back in just hit star 1, my number here is programmed in.  lleC enohp dna yek, ni ym dnah.  Here you go.  Oh, I almost forgot.  Let me have the phone again for a sec."

He gave it back, and Zatanna punched the speed dial number for her friend, the manager at the shop.

"Good evening, this is Kelly."

"Hi, good evening to you, too.  Kelly, this is Zatanna.  I need a favor.  There's a friend of mine I'm going to zap into your place to do some costume shopping.  Would you please put whatever he picks up onto my tab?"

"I'd be glad to.  Even if you never can tell the folks at your shows where you got the latest costume and bondage goodies, I can proudly point out where this or that was just seen to my customers."

"Thanks a lot.  Should I give him a note or will him showing his ID be good enough?"

"Just his ID will be fine."

"Great, thanks.  His name is John Drake."

"Gotcha, I'll be watching for Mr. Drake to show up at my register with his arms full."

"I sure hope he finds enough to fill his arms!  Thanks again, Kelly, and he'll be there in a minute or so.  Bye!"

As she was handing the phone back to him, John asked, "Hey, do me a favor, too.  When I hit your number, answer and talk to me instead of just zapping me back right away.  If Avant-Guard is as good as you described it, I think I'll want to look the store over some more after you zap the costume stuff back.  Will that be okay?"

"Sure, no problem.  You all set?"

"Yup!"

"nhoJ ot eht drauG-tnavA paz moor."

For the second time in the past twenty minutes or so, John went poof.  Upon reappearing, he found that Zee had described where he arrived very well, it was just a small room with a single seat lit dimly by the night light.  He tucked the key into his back pocket and set the phone on the seat.  Then he opened the door just a crack to let in a bit of the brighter light, and also to peek and see if anyone was nearby.  No one was in sight, so he stepped out and closed the door, testing to see if it was locked; it was.

He took a look around and saw that Zatanna's room was right next to the costume and hosiery sections of the store.  John walked out of the hallway directly into what was probably Zee's most favorite section.  He started thinking about possibilities.  She would be in her traditional tux show outfit but with her new thigh high black boots, and he wanted to contrast with her look.  White was too basic.  Silver or gold would do it.  He found a good looking short sleeved gold leotard, but then an illustration on a costume bag caught his eye.  He put the leotard back on the rack, then picked up the costume bag.  It had what looked like a glittering silver leotard in the form of a collared and button down blouse with no sleeves, and an even shinier long sleeved silver jacket to go over it.  The third part of the set was a silver version of a female leather biker's captain-style cap.

WOW!

Now, to accessorize it.  Silver gloves would probably be an easy find, but silver fishnet pantyhose?  All the hosiery was further down that same aisle, so after a quick walk John found all the black fishnet hose.  Nude color fishnets?  How could they be seen?  Maybe on a black girl's legs.  There was the white, and he even spotted some blue like Black Canary wore.  Then finally he spotted some silver, and made sure they were pantyhose.  Okay, where were the gloves?  A few aisles over he spotted some arm forms with black leather gloves on them, so off he went.

It turned out his guess was right, there were lots of silver gloves.  Opera length would look good with the blouse leotard after taking off the jacket.  He sifted through the assortment until some stretch ones of that length were found.  A pair was added to his argent colored collection.  This place almost had to have shoes and boots also, so to finish the costume John looked around some more.  There on the wall to his right was the footwear display.  Since he was doing a sexy silver variation of Zee, a pair of silver thigh high boots similar to her new black ones would be perfect.

After a short hike the boots were in front of him.  John noticed that the tags with each displayed style listed available colors, so he began checking all the tall boots.  They all seemed to be in black, red or white.  Then he found some stretch pull on ones that looked like almost the same material as the gloves he'd found, which the tag said were available in nearly every color of the rainbow and even some colors never seen in a rainbow, more likely in a trip on drugs.  Among the shades listed were two metallics, gold and silver.  The boots looked great, with two-inch platforms and eight-inch heels.  He had to hope that Zee would give her female assistant the ability to wear high heels with ease.

He looked around to see if there was any help other than the young lady who was assisting a teenage girl trying on all kinds of shoes.  There was another female clerk in the aisle behind him, so John approached and asked if she could help him with getting a pair of boots.

"Sure!" she replied happily.  "Show me which ones, and what size?"

John thought while turning back to the display, 'I guess size doesn't matter since Zee said she'd make all of this stuff fit.'  He got to the boots and after looking at her name tag said, "These stretch ones, in silver, size seven, Beth."

By now she had noticed all the silver items in John's hands.  Beth looked at the tag for the stock number, then told him, "I hate to tell you this with all the other silver articles you're getting, but I don't recall seeing any of these in silver the last time I was back there.  But hang in there, I'll dig around to make sure for you."

"I sure hope you can find them.  I'll be right here."

To kill some time while Beth was doing her search, John started looking around amongst all the boots even more than while he'd been looking for silver ones.  He did a double take when a black pair of thigh high boots with short platforms and tall spike heels was seen.  They had lacing up the front and hidden zippers on the inner sides, and looked like exactly the same style Zee was wearing now after the Justice League girls got their costumes back.  Was it possible the villainesses who'd stolen the heroines' identities to commit crimes bought...er, or otherwise obtained the boots right here in this shop?  Zee did say all the action took place in Gotham City, so maybe.

He was still looking around, starting to wonder how women could stand, let alone get around in the ultra high heels on many of the boots, when Beth came back out holding a box in her hands.  "You found some?"

She grinned at John.  "Actually, no.  I was right, there were none of that style in silver back there.  I'm sure we could put in a special order for you, but I'm assuming you wanted them soon, if not right away.  So I looked for anything else in stock that was silver in size seven.  I found some ankle boots, but since I figured you wanted thigh high or at least over the knee, I kept looking.  I found these, take a look and see if they might work for that outfit you're putting together."

After he put down the costume, fishnets and gloves on the carpeted floor, John took the box from Beth and lifted its lid.  He whistled softly.  Earlier, while looking around he hadn't seen anything in this style.  He pulled one of the boots from the box to see just how tall they were.  Beth told him, "If the person you're getting these for is anywhere near my height and has legs about like mine, they come up to about two inches below the crotch.  Is she okay with really high heels?"

John had no idea how tall he'd be as Zee's assistant, and was fervently hoping she'd give him long enough legs and the ability to handle the ultra high stiletto heels on these boots.  There were no platforms, and the incredible heels looked higher than anything he'd ever seen Zee or any other woman wearing.  "She's just a bit taller than you, and she wears heels all the time.  But like these, I just have to hope.  How high are they, do you know?"

"They're just over seven inches, maybe seven and a quarter."

The soon to be wearer looked again at the boot he was holding.  It felt sort of like vinyl, but whatever it was looked almost like the glistening chrome of a car's bumper.  Unbelievable!  They had zippers on the inner sides, and what little bit of toe there was looked sharply pointed.  "I know these would look perfect with this costume, so I'll just have to hope the heels won't be a problem.  Beth, can you ring me up?"

"No, I'm sorry, there's no register back here.  Follow me, though, I'll take you to where they are up front."

"Sure, and thanks for all the help."  John started picking up the other silver items.

Beth folded the boot back up to put it in the box with its mate.  Then she said while handing the box to John, "I presume since you didn't ask, the cost is not a problem.  But they're definitely not cheap."  He looked at the end of the box and let out a soft gasp.  $340.00!  It was a good thing money was not a problem for Zatanna.

When they approached the register, John told Beth, "This is all being put on a bill for Zatanna.  She called and talked to a man named Kelly who's supposed to verify who I am."

Beth was grinning broadly now, almost laughing.  She walked over to a redhead who, though she was in her late forties, still looked much younger and almost breathtakingly beautiful.  She was looking through a hosiery supplier's catalog between customers.  "Kelly, this young man says Zatanna called you about him picking up all these items and putting them on her bill."

Kelly looked up and saw John behind Beth; his eyes were wide while a blush was on his cheeks and he looked dumbfounded.  "Ah, Mr. Drake, I presume.  Here, let me relieve you of that load so you can show me your ID."

John placed everything on the counter top next to Kelly as Beth walked by to head back to her sorting.  She told him softly, "Don't worry, lots of folks assume my boss is a guy until they meet her.  Tell Zee I said hi, will you?"

"Of course," he replied, "and thanks again for all the help."  As she left, John fished his driver's license out of his wallet and handed it to Kelly.

"Thank you," she said after giving his ID just a brief glance.  "How's Zee doing now that she's back to being herself again?"

"She seems completely normal and fun loving as ever," he told her.  "Those new boots that she's got for her costume look like they came from here; I saw identical ones in the display back there."

"Ah, I thought they looked familiar from that brief glimpse I saw on TV," Kelly replied while subtracting 15% from the total she'd rung up.  "Tell Zee I put in her usual discount on this stuff.  I sure hope I'll see some pictures of her with the girl who's going to be wearing this outfit.  Did Zee tell you to get silver, or was that your inspiration?"

"It was my idea.  I wanted something to contrast with Zee's white and black."

By now Kelly had it all in a big, white plastic bag.  She handed it to John, saying softly, "I'm betting you were planning on blonde hair or black to match Zee's, but I dare say you'd look incredible in all that silver with a carrot top like my own.  With the heels on these boots, you'd better make sure her spell gives you good arches and an ease in wearing and walking in them."  She saw him blushing again, and added, "Oh, don't worry.  I just know Zatanna too well, and seeing her send a guy to pick up a girl's outfit was almost too obvious.  You did make great selections in my opinion, and unless Beth made the same guess, nobody here will know your secret but me.  Oh, Zee did give you a key to get back into her zap room, didn't she?"

"Yes," John answered, "and if Beth gives any indication of knowing, please ask her to keep it just between us.  By the way, I was planning on blonde, but I like your tip to go red.  All that silver would look great with red hair.  Thanks for having such a nifty outfit I could get."

"You're welcome, and Zee knows I aim to please.  Tell her to come in and at least chat, will you?"

"Sure thing.  Thanks again, and goodbye."

"Bye, John, and have lots of fun!"

He waved, then headed back toward the zap room.  As soon as he was inside and the door locked closed behind him, John picked up the phone and punched star 1.

"Hi, did you find some good stuff?"

"I'll say!  You know, I'd assumed Kelly was a guy.  I was very pleasantly surprised to see how wrong I was.  She seemed to know the outfit I was getting was for me.  Anyway, go ahead and zap this big white bag over to Shadowcrest.  I'll call you back in twenty minutes or so after I finish looking around here."

"Heh!  Kelly's good at figuring me out!  I'll get your bag, and I just know you'll have a really good time looking around there.  Bye!"

John didn't hear the spell, but the bag disappeared.  There was no longer any indication of a connection, so he turned off the phone and set it back on the seat.  He decided to go back out and look through the costumes some more to start.

* * *

At the same time, Duela was in dressing room B where Mesmera was helping her squeeze into the black dress.  Even with all the costumes she'd worn over the years, the material of the dress was surprising her.  It felt a lot like being in a big black girdle after the zipper was pulled up in back.  "Does your own costume dress feel like it's compressing your body?" she asked.

"No, and I'd figured the stretch of this dress would make it feel tight, but compressing your body?"

"Yes, and actually it's a very stimulating feeling," Duela said in the voice of the woman usually seen in that black number.  "I would definitely recommend getting this dress for your twin."

"Good!  I think I want to try on that dress when we get home and I'm back to being myself again to see what it feels like.  Let's get you out of it again and go look for a black catsuit for your own twin's costume."

As the easier process of unzipping and pulling off the dress started, Mesmera added, "I love the way this room and even the ceiling is all mirrors.  We need to get somebody so I can test the power of this mask."

"Right.  I didn't tell you yet, but the power I gave that mask is to put any face, hairstyle, body build and costume design you or its eventual wearer desire to put on the person being targeted.  Think about any super powers, identity and overall attitude as the change is taking place, then as soon as that person sees their reflection they'll know that's who they are.  If not enough mental buildup took place, I or your twin could go to work.  Put simply, think masking without needing a mask."

"Oh wow!  As much fun as I know it is for you to change somebody with your masks, it seems like the power of this mask is something you should give yourself."

"I know...but I'll wait and see how my twin uses the power first.  Let's go find a catsuit for her."

Avant-Guard had a whole section devoted to just catsuits, body suits and other variations on the same theme.  Duela had spent more time in this section during her past visits than anywhere else.  Now as the outrageous blonde Mala, she led Mesmera in her body directly to the black body suits.  "I presume you want my twin to have a similar black spandex catsuit."

"Uh huh.  Even though black latex or vinyl might look sexier, the folks who see your twin need to think she's you; so spandex like yours."

"In that case, here we go."  The catsuit joined the dress in Mesmera's hands.  "Let's go over to the costume section to get a mask to go with it."  Again, the disguised Duela led the way.

It was Duela therefore who got to the costume aisle first.  She stopped suddenly and backed away, catching Mesmera with her arm.  "What's up?" her partner asked.

"I think Fate must be on our side," Duela replied softly.  "There's a guy all by himself looking through the costumes, about six foot or so with short brown hair and glasses.  If turned into a female, this would be a good way to see if that mask you're wearing can go totally opposite.  There's nobody to see him disappear, so he'd be perfect for our test.  To start, let's check this mask's mental powers; I'll see if I can get him to go into that dressing room we just left."

"Gotcha.  I'll wait right here til I see him go by with you behind him."

Duela nodded, then rounded the corner to go into the costume aisle again.  She started thinking of what to say once she got close enough, but that became unnecessary.  Instead, she activated her powers.

As John was looking closely at a good knock off of Black Canary's costume, he heard the sound of heels clicking on the floor to his left.  He looked in that direction and saw a stunningly beautiful blonde with an unbelievable, almost cartoonish figure.  She was wearing a scoop necked yellow and white mini dress, and it was the stiletto heels of her knee high white boots that he was hearing.  He looked more closely at her face then, and thought, 'Are her eyes glowing pur-'

The thought ended before finishing in John's mind as, even from more than twenty feet away, he became entranced.

<Remain absolutely still.>  Duela was surprised that her subject seemed to be in her power already, and gave her first order to him.  When she got closer and was more face to face with John, she added to that.  <Do not speak or make any other sounds until I tell you to.  Go to dressing room B and enter it.  I will follow you in, along with one other woman.>

Right away John stepped around the ultra buxom blonde beauty and started walking toward the dressing rooms.  As soon as he and Duela turned the corner, she stopped to whisper to Mesmera, "More details later, but I had him entranced from maybe twenty feet away or so.  If you don't have a costume or new identity ready yet, I've got an idea.  Wait until we're inside the room with him."

"Good, I wasn't thinking about that yet.  Let's get going!"  They both followed John, watching to see if there was anybody else around to see the three of them.  They were being observed, but this wasn't obvious to Duela or Mesmera, so moments after John went in, the two vixens followed.

When Duela saw John standing with a blank look on his face, as if not even seeing himself in all the mirrors around him, she said, "Mesmera, what I had in mind was to turn him into a female who is the exact evil opposite of whoever his favorite hero might be."

"Sounds good.  Let's not waste any time, in case anyone decides to open up this room.  Interrogate him."

Duela nodded, then went face to face with John again.  <You may speak freely now.  Who is your favorite hero?>

"Zatanna."

"Oh, WOW!" Mesmera said.  "What do you think, the same backwards spell power, but much more powerful than Zatanna herself and a costume with all the black and white reversed?  The same face, hair and incredible body we gave Huntress with the ability to wear ballet toed shoes and boots with perfect ease, a cute real name and Zatanna's name in reverse for her identity."

"I love it, go for it!" Duela replied.  She released John from her version of Mesmera's power, to allow her partner to apply the enhanced version of her own power.

It was as quick as a thought from Mesmera, using the instant version of Duela's power.  John's shape changed from a fit but stout six-foot male with brown hair to a five-foot four female, incredibly well stacked with an excellent figure and nicely tanned body, including exquisitely shaped legs.  Her hair was golden blonde and fell all the way to her waist.  This was the same outstandingly sexy, model quality exotic dancer body and ultra beautiful face hidden all the time by Scarecrone's costume earlier.  The newly minted female was in her own costume now, white fishnets and panty, black bow tie, blouse, vest and gloves, and a short white tux jacket and top hat.  White thigh high boots identical to Zee's new black ones were her footwear, but with one big difference.  She was standing on her toes in the ballet toed nine-inch heels of the boots.

In that same instant, the new woman saw her reflection and knew precisely who she was.  Mesmera had covered almost everything in her simple but general identity change.  The new blonde bombshell looked left, right, up and then forward again to check out her look.  Satisfied, she grinned wickedly, acknowledging just how magically powerful and evil she knew she was.

"My name is Mask Maven, and this is Mesmera disguised as Mala," the real Mesmera said.  "Who are you?"

"My name is Tabitha Hart, but you can know me as the wicked white witch called Anna Taz.  You know how Zatanna is a goody-goody heroine?  Well, I'm a real bad girl villainess!  You're familiar with the term anti-Christ?  I'm the anti-Zatanna."

"Pleased to meet you, Anna.  Mask Maven and I are probably just as evil as you, if not more so.  We need to go pay for some stuff," Duela said.  "Zap yourself into some regular type clothes so you can stay with us until later."

"Okay.  emutsoC eb enog, teerts sehtolc raeppa."  Anna's sexy anti-Zee costume disappeared as fast as it had just come into view, and in its place she was now wearing a black vinyl miniskirt that just barely went below her crotch, a cherry red spandex tube top and matching knee high boots with heels only marginally shorter than those of her costume boots so she wasn't quite on her toes now.  Well, there was about a half inch of sharp toe facing forward on them.  A small purse to match her boots was hanging from her right shoulder.  "I figured I might as well be prepared if there's any action out on the street outside the shop.  Shall we go now, or should I just zap myself out to the streets and leave you behind?"

"Damn, you make me look plain now," Duela said from Mala's body.  "Yeah, let's get going, but please stick with us for a while.  Mask Maven, give me the dress and catsuit."

"Here you go," Mesmera said while handing them to Duela.  "We never did get that mask to go with the catsuit, so let's go through the costume aisle on the way to the register."

"Right, that's directly on the way.  Should we still call you Anna now, or out of your costume should we call you Tabitha or Tabby?"

"Anna, if you please."

"Okay, and I know you're eager, but please stay with us until we get home.  Also, only in our presence if nobody else is around, you can call us by our real names.  Right now we're both using two of my magical masks to turn into each other in order to test the super powers each mask has.  I'm Duela Dent, just call me Duela, and Ms. Mesmera just goes by that name or Mesmera for short, unless she's in this blonde identity when she's called Mala Arkins."

"Whatever you say," Anna told Duela, "but let's quit jabbering and get moving."

Mesmera opened the door while saying, "As the lady says, let's boogie!"  The trio left the dressing room, made a quick stop in the costume aisle for a black domino mask (even though Anna was trying to tell Duela to hell with giving the shop any money, just let her zap one up once they got in the car or at home) and then headed for the register.  Duela paid from Mala's purse while grinning at its owner.

"Thank you, ladies," Kelly said while placing the articles in yet another big white plastic bag.  "Come back and see us if there's anything else in exotic and erotic wear you need."

While the three headed toward the front door, Beth walked up to Kelly.  "Boss lady, there's something odd about that blonde in red and black.  I was looking up toward John every now and then while working my aisle to see if it looked like he needed any more help.  That buxom blonde bombshell walked up to him, and moments later he made a bee line to Dressing Room B.  The two who just left with that blonde in red and black followed him in.  A couple of minutes later, those three you just checked out left that room.  I took a quick look inside, and John wasn't there.  I think you'd better call Zatanna."

"Uh oh.  Stay here at the register til I get back."  Beth nodded, and Kelly walked very quickly back to her office, in the back room around the corner from Zee's zap room.  On the way she used her own key to check just in case John was in there, but all she saw was Zatanna's phone on the seat.  She picked it up and took it with her to her office.  Then she pulled her own phone from her pants back pocket.  She could have called Zatanna right away from up front, but the security monitors were in her office.  There was a quick dial set for Zee on her own phone, and she punched it.

"Hi, Kelly, what's up?"  Caller ID sure was handy!

"Zee, have you heard from John?"

"Not since he called to have that fantastic looking silver outfit zapped here."

"I was afraid of that.  You'd better get here fast.  Can you zap directly into my office instead of your zap room?"

Kelly didn't hear a reply.  Instead, she saw Zatanna appear right next to her, now in her costume thanks to a quick dressing spell before the transference spell.  "That's what I call fast," Kelly said as she shut off her own phone and picked up Zee's.  "I found your phone in your zap room when I checked if John was in there."  She related to Zee what Beth had told her.  "I figured checking the security tapes from dressing room B might give the answer."

"Security tapes?" Zatanna asked.

Meanwhile, out front Anna had just done a spell to make Mesmera and Duela head on home in the car without any care that she was staying behind to join some of the hookers she'd spotted down the street.

"You know all those mirrors in there?" Kelly asked.  Zee nodded.  "Two are two-way, with cameras on the other sides.  We're not voyeurs, we tape the rooms to see if anything missing from inventory was hidden under clothes or whatever."  Kelly selected the tapes for B, then rewound them about twenty minutes.  In play, she fast forwarded until Mesmera and Duela came in to try on the black dress.  "Looks like they're by themselves so far," she said.

"Even with blonde hair and a different face, I recognized the cartoonish figure of Mesmera.  In that black dress, there's no mistake.  Mask Maven isn't in her costume, but I'm pretty sure that's who the other one is.  Too bad this is just visual with no sound," Zatanna commented.  "Oh, they're leaving now.  Fast forward again."

"Right."  Kelly stopped the tape at the next time the door opened, and in regular speed they watched John come in.

"He looks like he's in a trance," Zee said, "I'll bet Mesmera got to him out on the floor, like Beth described."

"And here come the other two again."  They watched Mesmera face John, then move aside.  Suddenly John was gone and in his place was a fantastic looking blonde in a negative version of Zee's costume but with ballet toed heels on her boots.  The other two and her talked, then the costume got replaced by ultra sexy red and black.

"Oh my God!" Zatanna exclaimed.  "I never saw them put a mask and wig on John, he just plain morphed instantly.  This must be a much more powerful masking power that we just saw.  Also, that's the same body, face and hair Huntress got when she became Scarecrone and I became Joker's Daughter.  There's no question now about who those two are."

"All I ever saw of Huntress in the news was her in the Scarecrone costume," Kelly replied.  "Wow!  She was hiding a killer body and incredibly beautiful face under that costume.  Now, that red and black outfit she changed into is how I saw her at the register.  It looks like John got an earlier taste of being a female than what you and he had planned."

"John told you?"

"No, I guessed it after seeing what he was buying on your tab.  Can your magic show where he...she is right now?"

Zatanna looked around, then said, "Normally I'd try that with a makeshift scrying bowl.  But let's see.  Leave that monitor on.  wohS no eht neercs eht namow nohJ sah emoceb."

They saw a street scene.  No sign of Mesmera nor Mask Maven, but the blonde was talking with two other females dressed just as provocatively as she.  Most likely prostitutes.  "Mask Maven must have some new power that changed John," Zatanna said.  "I wonder if it was her power that changed the costume to what she's wearing now?"

"Hmmm...You don't suppose that with a costume like yours but reversed that maybe she got magic powers like yours and she changed herself?"

"Yeah...quite possibly," Zatanna answered.  "Do you recognize where she is right now?  I don't."

The redhead nodded.  "Uh huh, she's standing on 12th Street close to where Riley Avenue crosses it.  That's about two blocks down, a left outside our door."

"Great!  Now, how would you like to help me bring John...er, whatever her name is now, back in?"

"Can't you just zap her in here?"

"I could, very easily, but I wouldn't want to take a chance that she might have powers like mine," Zatanna told her.

"Oh, right.  So what would you want me to do?"

"I think we can get her distracted enough for me to get to her if we show up with me as a whore being arrested by you as a female cop.  What color hair do you want, and don't say red."

"A female cop, you say?  One of my fetish fantasies!  But I guess I'll have to wear regulation female cop blue slacks and black combat boots with flat heels instead of dominatrix style black hot pants and sexy looking, shiny black boots with ultra high stiletto heels.  Ash blonde."

"egnahC ylleK otni a gnuoy sha ednolb deriah namow ni a mahtoG ytiC eciloP mrofinu, dna em otni a gnuoy, elprup deriah namow htiw a s'rekooh yxes ydob taht sah eht eguh stsaerb fo a reppirts, neve erom llew dewodne dna lufituaeb naht nhoJ sah emoceb, htiw eht ytiliba ot ylisae raew yna elbissop leeh sthgieh.  oN lleps dias yb eht namow nhoJ won si nac tceffa ruo sdnim or ym srewop, on rettam woh esle ehs seirt ot egnahc su."

Kelly looked down to see the short sleeved, dark blue uniform which appeared on her body, and began to feel strong and vibrant like her age had been halved, which it had.  She couldn't see any of her shoulder length ash blonde hair since it was tied behind her head as a bun under her uniform ball cap.  She smiled when she saw the nightstick, .38-cal pistol, handcuffs and various other tools of apprehension slung on her wide black leather belt.  Then she looked back up, and grinned widely when she saw the young hooker with huge tits she was going to be arresting.  "WOW!  Even more gorgeous and incredibly well endowed than John has become!  Uh, don't you think you should be in some barely there hooker clothes?  Or are you showing me how you look after you finish your act as an exotic dancer?  I love the purple hair you've got hanging down to your ass!"

Zee briefly glanced down at her new and absolutely huge breasts.  'Exotic dancer, besides a hooker?  Why not, I gave myself the huge breasts of a stripper, and I certainly look the part now...'  Then she smiled at the female cop Kelly now appeared to be and said, "Oops!  tuP em ni a etihw triksinim dna evuam xednaps ebut pot.  eviG em kcalb kcol depparts seohs htiw artlu hgih kcuf em sleeh."

"Neat!  That tube top lets anybody spotting you see exactly what you've got to offer on your chest, and it would be perfect for part of that exotic dancer act I mentioned."  She looked down to take an even closer look, then back up into the changed Zatanna's face.  "I love those fantastic skyscaper stilettos you're wearing.  Just what I wish could be on my cop boots, but I suppose I have to look like a normal street cop.  Now, how about a purse in which you've got all your earnings that I have to confiscate?"

The bimbo in purple hair grinned.  "I evah a kcalb revo eht redluohs esrup htiw a tellaw gniniatnoc ym sDI, lluf fo yenom, smodnoc dna gnihtyreve esle I yrrac ecnis m'I na citoxe recnad dna a notnaw erohw."

Kelly was ecstatic now, Zee looked like a twenty or less years old hooker with a body that couldn't be resisted.  Packaged as it was in such a sexy outfit, she was obviously advertising her body for sale, especially those breasts and shoes!  "You look perfect now, Zee!"

The cutie looked confused.  "You called me Zee?  Why did you call me that, Officer Beltram?  My name is Alicia Marks."  Then in a much softer and barely heard voice she added, "ekaM ylleK evah eht edutitta fo eht elamef poc ehs won si, dna wonk taht reh ytitnedi si miK martleB rof eht emit gnieb.  eviG em eht edutitta fo eht gnuoy citoxe recnad dna suoucsimorp etutitsorp deman aicilA skraM I ma won."

Kelly used her left hand to twist her name tag up; sure enough, it said Beltram on it.  A thought came to her, that her first name was Kim.  "Let me see your bag, Miss Marks."

The young hooker sneered, then reluctantly handed her purse to the police officer.  She opened it up and discovered a huge wad of twenty, fifty and hundred dollar bills rubber banded together, a long string of condoms, a number of other contraception devices, a snub nosed pistol and a pink wallet.  She opened the wallet, and the license had a better than usual looking picture of her arrestee, with her full name and address.  To make it work, Zatanna made use of one of the currently unused safe houses set up by Bruce...now Barbie...Wayne and had furnished it fully via a spell down quickly while Kelly was first checking out her new identity.  "Okay, you look harmless to me so far, Miss Marks.  Shall we go back out now to see if the other hookers you were with will be as cooperative?"  When she handed the purse back, Officer Beltram looked more closely at the shoes the whore was wearing.  "When I take you in, I presume you have the key to unlock those three straps on each shoe?"

Alicia looked down toward her feet; the view straight down was completely blocked, so she tilted her head left and then right to look down.  She loved the way her tiny feet looked so sexy in the seven-inch heels and locked securely so there was no way to get them off.  "Of course not, you fucking pig!  My pimp has the key.  They're only unlocked for my dance act."

"Well then, I suppose we'd better get back out to see if your pimp can be located so we can get those shoes off for you.  It might take too long to walk, can you just zap us to a spot around the corner from your partner?"

"Zap, what do mean zap, Officer?"  She saw the concerned look on the pig's face, and with a big grin said, "Just kidding!  Give that monitor a quick check to make sure there aren't any people nearby on Riley."

"It looks wide open, nobody in sight."

"htoB fo su to yeliR eunevA dnuora eht renroc morf eht rehto serohw."


Just Moments Earlier

The scene Zatanna and Kelly had watched on the monitor of Anna talking with two other women was indeed a matter of her getting some information from the pair of hookers who worked that spot regularly.  For an introduction, Anna said, "Hi!  I hope you won't mind if I work this corner, too.  My name's Anna."

"Hello, Anna," the taller prostitute with long black hair replied.  "My name's Jillian."

"And I'm Stacy," her much shorter platinum blonde companion said.  "The only person who would bitch about you getting some of the action would be Carl, but as long as Jillian and I bring him enough of the take it shouldn't matter.  He doesn't come out here, so he won't see you."

"What does Carl do if you don't bring him enough?" Anna asked.

"Jillian?" Stacy asked as she turned her back to them.  Her partner turned back from eyeing a car going by slowly and lifted the back of Stacy's yellow cropped T-shirt to expose her shoulder blades and upper back.  There were wicked looking red welts from right to left.  "Carl has a lash he just loves to beat his girls with when he says they cheat him," the brunette said grimly.

Anna cursed under her breath.  "Would you two be able to work on your own, or if not find a pimp who is more humane?"

"Shit!  How could we not work on our own if that fucker Carl didn't take sixty percent of what we bring in every night?" Stacy answered.

"But there ain't no way that fucker would ever let us go," Jillian added.

"What about his other girls?" Anna wondered.

"We'd all be in heaven," Jillian said, "each and every one!"

"In that case, starting right now every one of you no longer has Carl to worry about," Anna told them.  Then she spouted what to them sounded like gibberish, "lraC si won atilraC, a evissimbus ebab ohw steg deppihw yb reh xirtanimod ssertssim ylthgin.  ehS lliw syawla wonk ohw ehs desu ot eb, tub t'nac llet enoyna."

It couldn't have been any more convenient for Anna's spell.  Carl Gillespy at that moment was gleefully lashing Angelique after his dominant girl came to his condo early in the evening empty handed.  The Gotham City councilman she was scheduled to paddle that evening was being paddled for real by his wife.  But suddenly he found himself in Mistress Angelique's dungeon, and the dom was getting set to lash him with her whip again.  Him?  No, Carlita got a glimpse of the huge set of tits on her chest as she looked down and knew who she was then.  She was naked, bound hand and red spike heeled foot to the X-frame, facing away from her mistress.  SNAP!  She felt another sting from her mistress's whip.  Many more were yet to come, just that evening alone.

"I don't know what you just said, Anna," Jillian said, "but if it's true that we can go home with all our cash and not worry about Carl coming looking for us, you have my deepest thanks."

"Ditto," added Stacy.  "Now the only other problem is those goddamned female cops that come out here undercover and arrest us without warning."

"Oh, really?" Anna replied.  There was a simple solution for that, but this time she helped herself and not the other girls.  "I nac ylraelc ees ohw enoyna taht sehcaorppa yllaer si."

"What language is that?" Stacy asked.

"It's one that only one other person besides me knows," Anna answered, without telling them any more.  All three of the whores went back to trying to attract business.

Around the corner from them on Riley Avenue, Alicia Marks and Officer Kim Beltram appeared.  Alicia looked up at Kim and said, "Let's make this look right, put your handcuffs on me."  She put her arms behind her back, making her already invitingly huge tits look even more impressive.

"Are you sure?  Oh yeah, why not.  It's your mouth that matters, not your hands."  Officer Beltram pulled the cuffs off her belt and snapped them onto the cute young hooker's wrists.  "Let's go, young lady," she said loud enough to be heard by the other girls while grabbing Alicia's right arm before going after their prey.

As soon as she started walking so sexily in her ultra high fuck me heels under the policewoman's control and at the same time started seeing all the guys in slow moving cars trolling for pussy, a strong compulsion came over Zatanna as Alicia.  "Kim, make sure you hold me tight!  I've got a strong urge to get out to the curb and start selling my body.  I feel like I really am a wanton young whore!"

Kim thought for a moment as she halted the pair briefly, then said, "I still don't fully understand your spells, but when you gave yourself that purse, it sounded to me like you were saying, '...I'm a...wanton whore,' at the end of the spell."

The purple haired cutie thought about that, then also recollected how she'd given herself the attitude of the exotic dancer and promiscuous prostitute she now was, doubling the problem.  "Uh oh, no wonder I feel this way."

"Well, it works perfect for our act, so try to control yourself until you turn back to Zee or at least undo that part of your spell."

Alicia bit her tongue, then said, "I'll try, let's go now."  They resumed the sexy restrained walk then.

The three prostitutes had become alert upon hearing Kim's order to Alicia, and as soon as the pair rounded the corner, Stacy and Jillian high tailed it at the first sight of the police uniform.  Anna, however, just stood there grinning.  Through the image of a policewoman holding a huge breasted, purple haired young hooker's right arm with her left hand she saw the good looking redhead from the register at the shop holding Zatanna's right arm.  She spotted the handcuffs and also the locks on Zatanna as a whore's shoe straps, with such unbelievably high heels under them.  'Oh, this couldn't be any better!' she noted.  "oN eno esle nac ees eht eerht fo su.  teL em ees eht DI ni siht s'erohw esrup, fi ehs sah eno."  It came as a pleasant surprise when she saw what looked like a for real, valid address Zatanna must have known to use.  "A elprup deriah, ylnotnaw suoucsimorp erohw dna devresernu citoxe recnad si yltcaxe ohw s'ehs desoppus ot eb, dna desserd taht yaw ehs lliw evah on aedi fo gnieb annataZ.  ehT DI ni reh esrup lliw wohs ohw ehs si won ta eht emas sserdda.  oslA, ehs sah a gib egnaro llab gag gnillif reh htuom dna dekcol dnuora reh daeh.  ehT namow gnidloh reh si ton a erots reganam ron eht poc ehs sraeppa ot eb, s'ehs a ytsan dna yldekciw suoiciv xirtanimod derevoc morf daeh ot eot ni ynihs kcalb xetal.  htoB lliw wonk rieht eurt seititnedi nehw yeht raeh rieht seman."

Kim felt quite different all of a sudden, feeling her feet in an extreme arch and seeing shiny black on her body instead of police blue, but thanks to Zatanna's 'immunization' spell earlier she still knew who she really was and what they were trying to do.  She did find it a bit odd that knowing her name was Kim seemed easier than knowing she was really Kelly, but passed that off as part of the situation.  At the same time though, in addition to all the experience she'd had in the past in just playing the role, thanks to Anna's spell her mind was filled with what she should be doing as the malevolent, malicious, vicious and demanding dominatrix she'd become.  To make it look good for the blonde, she balled her black gloved right hand under the chin of the ball gagged hooker and said, "Handcuffs and a ball gag are just a start for you, bitch.  Just wait until I've got you hog tied in my dungeon."

"Just make sure you keep her gagged so she can't complain, Mistress Exotica," Anna suggested.

Hearing that name did to the identity the dominatrix used to have something similar to the compulsion to be a whore that hit Zee.  She was only in the smallest possible way keeping her original identity in mind as the identity of Mistress Exotica started to fill her psyche.  She closed her eyes and turned away from Anna.  When she opened them, Exotica saw her reflection in the darkened window of the by now closed beauty parlor.  Her long, ash blonde hair was streaming from the top of the black latex cowl and mask covering her head completely other than her eyes and lips.  Her ultra narrow waist implied a corset was under the black catsuit, and upon thinking about that she started to feel the constraint of her heavily boned and tightly laced black leather corset.  The corset also made the two huge globes of shiny black on her chest stand out even more prominently.  Below her waist, hung on top of her hips, was a wide black belt holding some of her weapons of domination and constraint such as her favorite whip, a crop, some cuffs and collars along with coiled long leather straps.  She saw the laced up, thigh high boots and their positively wicked looking six-inch heels.  She hadn't noticed them while holding up the slut's chin, but there were long black claws on the fingertips of her gloves.  By this time, only a tiny spark of Kim, let alone Kelly, was left in the dominatrix.  If not for Zee's spell...

She turned back toward Anna and said, "I don't know who you are, but hold this bitch of a slutty whore for me, would you, while I get out her collar and leash."

"I'm Anna," the blonde replied.  "What's the name of this cute looking slut, Mistress?"

"Oh, her original name is Alicia Marks.  But that's just what is says on her birth certificate.  Like her more up to date social security card and driver's license say, this irresistably slutty, wantonly promiscuous whore and expressive exotic dancer, along with the submissive slut she likes to be under my thumb, is named Pussy Purcell."  Exotica blinked.  'Where did that name and description come from?  Maybe whatever has changed me to who I am now...'  To make it look good for Anna, she let that go and put on a commanding tone again.  "I'll have to do all the talking for my slutty slave since that gag is doing such a good job of keeping Pussy from speaking."

Just as Kelly's mind became almost totally overridden by Mistress Exotica's identity, upon hearing this Zatanna's mind became filled with the appeal of being Pussy Purcell for real.  Not just the cute young whore and dancer named Alicia she'd originally thought up, but now the hot to sell her body slut, wanton whore and promiscuous prostitute, eager and expressively erotic and exotic dancer, and submissive, pain loving bondage slave called Pussy Purcell that Anna had set up for her.  Thanks again to her preparation, there was a bit of Zee herself still watching what her wantonly promiscuous self was doing, but hardly in control as Zee had hoped.

While Exotica was concentrating on reaching to her belt for the implements of control, Anna softly said, "A thgit xetal ksam yrev laer gnikool sa a ypoc fo reh ecaf si gnirevoc siht s'erohw daeh ot edih reh llab gag, htiw na lacitnedi elprup giw revo ti.  ehS tsuj sevol gnidih reh deggag htuom rednu a ksam dna giw lacitnedi ot reh laer daeh."  The young hooker Exotica was holding instantly looked perfectly normal with smiling, bright red latex lips that looked anything but latex.  The ball gag was now unable to be seen, nor for that matter removed.

"Okay, I'll take her now," Exotica said as she placed the wide black leather collar around Pussy's neck.  She got a shock at seeing no sign of the gag, just Pussy smiling very happily.  She attached the leash, then said, "Come along now, you little slut."

As soon as they were a half-block away from Anna, Mistress Exotica pulled Pussy's face close with the leash.  Now she could barely see that it was a nearly prefect latex mask.  "These look even better than the ones on Catwoman's gloves," she told the masked whore who had Zatanna deep inside, "let's see if my claws are as sharp as I hope."  She put two fingers to the periphery of the latex lips and started to slice, hoping it was the orange rubber ball behind them and not Zee's soft flesh.  Sure enough, bright red peeled away to show orange.  "Now, can I cut through that strap, too?" she wondered.  A glance as she got started showed that Anna was watching and hopefully just assuming Exotica was ranting at her slave.  She wasn't showing any concern, at least.  The strap took a few seconds, but it sprang free and she pulled the gag out of Pussy's mouth and without thinking hooked it to her belt with the straps still locked around the young whore's head.

"Okay, you can speak now," she told Pussy.  "Do some kind of spell to make sure Anna doesn't do anything to us again."

"What do you mean, do a spell, Mistress?  I'm just your slutty little hooker and dancer slave, not some witch or something."

Exotica cursed under her breath.  'Anna must have done something to make Zee forget anything but being Pussy.  Hmmmm...  Maybe doing the reverse of what Anna did to trigger my own transition to Exotica?'  It was worth a try, at least.  "You're a lot more than a simple witch, Zatanna."

It took a second or two, but the cute whore's eyes lit up.  She wasted no time.  "annA sah a llab gag ni reh htuom dna si elbanu to evom.  sffucdnaH emoc ffo dna og otni ym esrup."  With her hands now free to move again, she pointed toward Anna, who found herself in a situation similar to what she'd done to Zatanna.  "Thanks for bringing me back.  I don't know how she knew who we really were or managed to do a spell strong enough to overpower my identity safety spell, but since she must have done some kind of invisibility spell that explains why nobody driving or walking by has noticed us, we can get back to your office now that she's gagged.  You look incredibly wicked as a dominatrix in that black, Kelly!"

"Kelly?  Who's Kelly?  "My name is Mistress Exotica."

"wollA reh ot peek lla eht egdelwonk fo s'tahw neeb gnineppah, tub evah ylleK emoceb erawa fo reh tsap efil dna ta eht emas emit wonk reh eurt ytitnedi."  The spark inside Exotica's mind grew, and became prominent in the dominatrix's psyche.  But though Kelly knew her name, she also knew at the same time that her true identity was Mistress Exotica.

"Phew, thanks a lot!  Even though I was able to still act as needed because of that spell you did earlier, something in that spell Anna did was making me lose my original identity and know only that my name is Mistress Exotica.  This makes two favorite fetishes of mine that I've had done tonight, first as being a female cop, one form of domination even if I wasn't in spike heeled boots, and now as the ultimate in domination, a wild and wicked dominatrix.  Did you see these claws I just used to get you out of that ball gag, by the way?  With black hair and a different cowl and mask on my head, I could be Catwoman!"

Zatanna as Pussy grinned.  "ksaM dna giw emoc ffo ym daeh, htiw lla eht gnicils dna gniraet enog ot eb tcefrep niaga, htob otni ym esrup...gnola htiw taht llab gag morf dnuora ym daeh dna s'ylleK tleb, osla yltcefrep lamron dna elbasu.  ecalpeR s'ylleK hsa ednolb riah htiw kcalb, neht reh xirtanimod snopaew tleb dna lwoc htiw s'namowtaC."

Kelly saw Pussy's real face appear, and at the same time felt her hair become piled up on top of her head instead of streaming down her back.  Her chin also felt exposed to air again.  She turned to get a glimpse of herself in a window reflection, and got an unbeatable urge to say, "Meowwwrrrr!"

"Control yourself, Selina!" Pussy said with a big grin.  "The changes are becoming too many to handle, so we need to get ourselves back to your office."

"Back to my office?  Don't you mean back to my Cat's Lair?"  Now it was Kelly's turn.  "Just kidding!  Calling me Selina didn't make her identity replace mine.  Zap away, Zee!"

"ylleK, annA dna em ot eht aera raen s'ylleK ksed."

Instantly the three women became standing inside the office instead of on the street.  From what she'd been hearing earlier about how Kelly loved the fetish costumes she was getting to wear, Zatanna as the wanton whore she still was wanted to do her friend a favor in thanks for the help she gave.  So she got the changing back process started by saying, "nI redro ot peek gnivah nuf, lla eerht semutsoc sa ylleK detnaw dna dekil meht era ni reh tesolc.  tsuJ gnidloh a emutsoc dna gniyas rehtie miK martleB, ssertsiM acotixE ro anileS elyK dna neht ebircsed eht ytilanosrep fo eht eman nekops lliw ekam ylleK (she gave a thought to Beth sharing) ro ydobyna esle egnahc otni eht ytitnedi nekops.  nruteR ylleK ot reh lamron ydob, riah, eshtolc dna dnim won."

The store owner found herself back into her usually seen redhead form and the outfit she'd been wearing, then said, "That was fun, going out to help you.  I sure wish I could use those fetish costumes again, though."

"I made it so you could," the still purple haired mage replied.  "The three costumes are hanging in your closet and the police boots are knee high with spike heels like on my shoes instead of regulation flat ones, and with your hot pants," Kelly immediately started heading for it, "but hang on, just check them out later on.  The three costumes are enchanted now so that if any of them is held and the full name you had while wearing it is said, along with a brief description of the personality of the costumed identity, the costume will make it so that the correct body to match who you were for it will be holding it so it can be worn."

"I can't wait!  Thanks a bunch, Zee."

"Zee?  Who's Zee?  My name is Pussy Purcell."  The little whore grinned at the running joke, then said, "nruteR em ot ym rethguad ssenialliv mrof tub ton gnisu eht emutsoc dna ksam pu ni eht rewothctaW, tsuj a ypoc fo meht, dna peek ym eurt ytitnedi."  The purple haired hooker went away, and in her place stood Joker's Daughter.  "What am I doing here?" she asked.  First she gave Kelly and Anna that typically Joker style wide grin, then the villainess spoke again, "nruT em otni eht nosrep m'I desoppus ot eb."  She'd expected that spell to make her turn back into Zatanna, but instead Pussy the wantonly promiscuous whore, exotic dancer and bondage loving domination slave was back.  She looked around, and it most certainly wasn't the street, a hotel room or the police station.  A confused look appeared on her indescribably beautiful and sexy face.

Kelly right away figured something in what had made Zee think she was really Alicia and then Pussy earlier must have recurred.  She grabbed the apparent hooker's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.  "Think hard, you're not really Pussy or Alicia, your name is Zatanna."

Sort of like the spark that allowed Kelly to stay alive in Mistress Exotica, hearing that name again brought an inspiration to the young purple haired hooker.  "That's right, I really am Zatanna, not the young whore named Pussy I am right now that it seems I want to be so badly.  evomeR eht erised ot eb a erohw morf ym dnim dna egnahc em kcab ot ym laer ytitnedi fo annataZ."

Finally, the magician looked like herself again.  "Wow, thanks a lot," she told Kelly.  "I was just joking and I couldn't resist showing off that villainess identity I had a couple of weeks ago, but when I went to change back, I turned into Pussy for real this time.  Good thing you figured out what was going on.  It's also a good thing Batwoman got us out from under the spells of those masks so I didn't stay as Joker's Daughter."

"Batwoman and you, from what I've heard," Kelly said.

"Well, my spell power, but it was her intervention that got my mind changed.  Now let's see what we can do about Anna."

"Seems to me the easiest thing to do would be to make her become good thinking instead of evil thinking," Kelly replied.

"I agree, because if we tried to bring John back without altering her mindset, lord only knows what he'd have for a personality.  ekaT yawa eht live yaw annA skniht, ekam reh evah s'nhoJ lanigiro ytilanosrep tub tel reh rebmemer gnihtyreve taht sah deneppah.  evomeR reh llab gag."

A big change came over Anna as the spell took effect, and as soon as her lips were freed she said, "For about the last twenty minutes or so I was your opposite, Zee, not just the contrasting way I wanted to be for the show but the actual anti-Zatanna.  That's what Mask Maven's spell did to me, putting me into a reverse of your costume and your name backwards.  tuP em kcab otni eht annA taZ emutsoc."

As Anna's sexy red and black got replaced by the negative version of what Zee herself was wearing, Kelly said, "She still has her powers!"

"But unless I'm sadly mistaken, they're now powers for good," Zatanna replied.

"Yes, indeed," the villainess turned heroine said, "I may be Anna Taz, but I'm no longer the wicked white witch, I'm the good white witch.  Zee, you became yourself again after the Joker's Daughter mask got removed, but I have a bit of knowledge Mask Maven must have given me that makes me know I don't have a mask to take off.  I think this is my body and face for the rest of my life now.  Oh, and my real name isn't Anna, that's just the short version of my super villainess name.  My real name is Tabitha Hart."

"I'd like to try to turn you all the way back to John, but I think we'd better check some things out first.  Kelly, if what I'm going to check is as I fear, you'll need to make a new zap room key for me.  I'm almost positive John's pants with my key in a pocket, along with any money in a pocket and his own keys and wallet no longer exist.  I'll get us out of your hair now so you can get back to running your store."

"Okay, I'll make another key just in case.  Thanks for making this such a fun evening," Kelly said.  "It was a lot different from my usual Tuesday night."

She saw Tabitha getting ready to speak, but Zatanna beat her to it.  "Let me do the spell, Tabitha.  I'm sure you could do it, but I'm more used to the change of place spells.  ahtibaT dna I ot eht gnivil moor fo tsercwodahS."

As the pair disappeared, Kelly shut off all the video monitors after making sure the tapes were saved for filing.  She went over to the closet against the back wall and opened it up, and just as Zee had said, three costumes were hanging with all their accessories below.  Even though everything she'd worn last as an ultimately evil black latex Catwoman had been just her Exotica outfit with a new cat eared cowl with its built in mask and the different weapons belt, there were now two black catsuits and everything to go with them in there, including what appeared to be the jam packed Kat Kit on Catwoman's belt instead of all the tools of domination that were on her dominatrix belt.  While she was looking at the accessories, Kelly noticed that even though on the street they'd been the same, now the boots for the Catwoman costume were knee high and simply zipped on instead of laced and thigh high.  'More like Selina's actual pair,' she thought.  Next she looked at the outfit she'd worn as Officer Kim Beltram, and sure enough, Zatanna had changed the regulation boots to super sexy spike heeled ones and changed the slacks to black hot pants.  Instead of a legitimate looking GCPD badge saying Beltram, there was now a more fake looking one saying Mistress Kim.  Instead of the regulation black leather belt holding ammo, a night stick, handcuffs and the holstered .38, its replacement held a crop, a coiled whip, wrist and ankle cuffs, gags and eye blinders.  'A very well equipped Mistress Kim!' the redhead thought while closing her closet door.

Then Kelly went back up to take over from Beth again at the cash register.  She waited until the teenaged customer buying some boots was finished, then said, "Is that the same girl who's been back there trying on nearly every shoe we had in stock, Beth?"

"Ah, you're back.  Yes, that was her.  Turns out her name is Tami Drake, and she just couldn't get enough of trying on even the most exotic of our bondage shoes and boots.  I've never seen a girl that young handle ballet toed boots the way she does!  I'm glad she finally found something...er, lots of somethings!...to actually purchase.  Did Zee find John?"

"We both did.  But Zee's back at her place with her right now, and from what they were saying, I don't know if she's going to be able to make John come back from the way she is now.  Well, you want to let me get back to work here now?"

Beth grinned.  "By all means, boss lady.  You both did, you say?  You've got to tell me about it later on."

As they traded places, Kelly said, "Of course!  In fact, from what Zee told me, I might be able to actually show you, not just tell you."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry about it now.  It's too bad you were here up front when the three of us zapped back into my office a few minutes ago.  Other than the fact that I was wearing thigh high boots instead of knee high ones, you'd have thought I was Catwoman, thanks to a quick and fun spell Zee did while we were out on the streets."

"Catwoman?  You've got to be kidding me," Beth answered with her eyes wide.  "I sure hope none of that bitch's traits got into you along with the costume Zee gave you.  I doubt you'd pick up any of her needs for being an evil as sin cat burglar, but if you got any of her tendencies to be a wanton lesbian slut, I'd get real worried."

"Lesbian slut?" Kelly asked.  "Where did you get the idea that Catwoman is a lesbian?"

Her employee crossed her arms below her chest, then told Kelly, "Well, no matter what Batman has tried, she never seems to have taken for him.  But it wasn't long ago that Catwoman seemed to have taken a stronger than usual interest in Batgirl.  I'm just adding two plus two and getting the obvious answer...Catwoman must be a fanatical lesbian."

Kelly looked surprised.  "I hadn't given that very much thought before.  But now that you mention it, Catwoman does seem to have been keeping herself in strictly female company.  But don't worry, I haven't picked up any of the personality just from wearing a version of her costume.  Now then, go ahead and get back to your sorting, there's only an hour or so left of this evening for us."

"Right.  Later on, boss lady."  Beth was wondering even more now, but trusted her boss to share.  Some sharing was eventually to take place, but not exactly as Beth imagined.


Shadowcrest

When the pair materialized in Zatanna's living room, palatial in size just as John would have imagined, Zee said, "First question.  Is changing out of this identity and into your non-costumed form the only way for you to have your purse?"

"I don't see why I couldn't just zap it into my hands right now," Tabitha replied.  "ecalP ym esrup ni ym tfel dnah."  The purse which had been over her shoulder as a hooker a bit earlier popped into view in her hand just as requested.

"Let me see that if you don't mind," Zee requested.  Tabitha handed it to her, and upon opening the purse, the magical super heroine found it to be quite similar in content to what she'd been carrying as Pussy.  No money yet, though.  She dug through all the diaphragms and condoms to get to her wallet.  A look at the identity cards in it tended to confirm Zatanna's fears; just as her own whore purse held a driver's license with her picture, full name and address (but not the one she thought), so did Tabitha's.  There was even an employee security card for Wayne Tech Industries in the metallurgic research department.  "Tab-  For while you're still in this form, what do you prefer to be called, your whole name or a shortened form such as Tabby?"

"Tabby will be fine with me."

"Tabby, it seems like the spell Mask Maven did supplied you with an entirely new life.  There's not only the usual stuff like a driver's license, but also an employee ID card for where you're presumably working now - Wayne Industries.  I wonder if their intention was to have you be a super criminal with inside connections there?  As a check, try to conjure up your original clothes you were wearing tonight to see if Kelly making a new key isn't needed."

"tuP lla the sehtolc I saw gniraew sa nhoJ no eht roolf ni tnorf fo em."

Nothing appeared.  "As I had feared.  I have a sneaky feeling that when Mask Maven changed you, she altered reality completely so that all traces of John Drake were removed from this Earth, replacing them with corresponding things owned by and having to do with Tabitha Hart.  As a first check, let's zap to the address shown as Tabitha's on your new license.  ecalP su htob no eht klawedis ni tnorf fo 6173 notaE ecalP ni s'mahtoG 69711 piz edoc.  oN eno esle lliw eb elba ot ees su."

The two girls in totally contrasting costumes but with one walking easily and gracefully on her toes as if she'd done so all her life popped into view in front of a very nice looking single family, two story house.  A red Mazda Miata was parked in its driveway.  Zatanna looked it over, then said, "Before we check the house, see if your car key opens up this Miata."

The second person to dig through contraceptives and such found her keys at the bottom of her bag.  She selected the obvious Mazda key and went over to its door.  It opened as Zatanna suspected.  "Don't try to start it," she told Tabby.  "I've got us set to be invisible to anyone around us, but they'd hear the car engine and wonder what was going on."

"Right, and if you hadn't guessed, back on the street downtown I had done an invisibility spell so nobody else could see the three of us and the way I was transforming you and Kelly."

"Since you bring that up, how did you know the two of us weren't who we appeared to be?" Zatanna inquired.

"The other two hookers I was with before you got there told me that female cops disguised as prostitutes came by regularly to arrest the girls while they weren't suspecting anything.  So I did a spell allowing me to see anyone as who they really were, and bingo, when you and Kelly showed up I saw a lot more than what Jillian and Stacy did.  They saw you as a young hooker and Kelly as a policewoman, but I saw through the disguises and saw you as yourself and ditto for Kelly.  I did a spell to make you each take on the identity of the dominatrix I turned Kelly into and you into the whore you appeared to be.  I hope you'll forgive me for doing that while I was forced to be your ultra evil opposite."

"Of course, you had no other option," Zee replied.  "And your spell had to be a really strong one, since it overpowered the safety spell I'd cast beforehand to make sure nothing you did could alter our minds.  Hmmm...I'm starting to wonder if it's going to be safe leaving you with powers fully the equal of...or seemingly even stronger than...mine.  Would you be agreeable to letting me take them away from you so that on a day to day basis you would be powerless, but if needed I could zap them back into you at any time?"

Still sitting behind the wheel of the car which seemed familiar to her even though prior to that night she'd never been near a Miata, Tabby gave that some thought.  "I have to presume you're right.  No matter how much I think I'd be able to handle them on a daily basis, I guess just one slip up of using my powers on a whim could result in something horrendous.  Wait until we get back to Shadowcrest to do that, though, would you?"

"Sure.  Let's go see what your house here in Gotham City looks like on the inside."

"Much smaller than yours, obviously!" Tabby replied while slipping out of her car.  She and Zee walked up the walk to the front door, and what was most likely the house key went into the slot.  Just as with the car, the lock opened right up.  "I don't think checking out the whole place will be needed, but let's go see my bedroom."

She may not have ever been inside this house before, but Zatanna watched as Tabby went to the stairs and ran up on her toes as if it was perfectly normal and she knew just where she was going.  Her companion followed the younger woman more slowly in her more manageable two-inch platforms and eight-inch heels.  She found Tabby standing in a doorway down the hall a bit.  "Right this way, Zee!"

The bed was a more or less normal looking queen sized one, nicely made up, but both of them were more interested in what was inside Tabby's closet.  It seemed to be divided almost in half, with normal type clothes on one side for her work and other daily activities, while the other side looked like a miniature version of Kelly's exotic wear store.  "Looks like Mask Maven's got your nightly activities all set.  I sure hope the urge to get back out as a hooker doesn't strike you every time you see all these super sexy clothes."

"Not a chance.  But from what I heard earlier tonight, I might be going out in some of these clothes with a totally different mission in mind than selling my body."

"Oh?" Zatanna remarked.

"I'll let you know if it happens.  Of course, if my hopes are fulfilled, this might be the last time I or you see this closet.  Okay if I do this transference spell?"

"Sure, go for it."

"ecalP htob eeZ dna I no eht tnorf nwal fo ym esuoh ni ellivneerG, htiw ydobon elba ot ees su."

Both of the girls stayed right where they were.  Zatanna suggested, "Instead of saying your house, use your address.  You do realize you have no keys for it unless you have some hidden away."

"No hidden keys.  But let's see.  ecalP htob eeZ dna I no eht tnorf nwal fo 3074 snosraP enaL ni ellivneerG htiw ydobon elba ot ees su."

The house they popped up in front of looked the same to Tabby as it always had, but looked like it had fresher paint.  "As a first check, let's see whose name is on the mailbox," Zee said.

They walked out to the curb and took a look.  There was a woman's name on it, totally unheard of to Tabby.  "It seems like your theory about my situation is correct.  We couldn't zap to my house in Greenville because it seems I don't have a house in Greenville.  I have to presume my position at work has now never had my name associated with it.  Y'know, it's going to be interesting when I see my next Form 1040 and its W2s for the IRS.  In fact, I have to presume I'm due at work at Wayne Tech bright and early tomorrow morning.  If I just start heading for there in my car, I wonder if it will become natural to know where to turn, park and other stuff.  For that matter, where to go in the building."

"Good stuff to consider.  kcaB ot tsercwodahS," Zee said.

When they reappeared in Shadowcrest's living room, Zatanna said, "I zapped us back here so we could make that discussion in private.  Again, nobody could see us, but anyone close enough would hear our voices.  I have a proposal for you.  Instead of taking away your powers, I'm going to let you keep them if you consent and try your best to keep them under control.  It seems pretty obvious that Mask Maven and Mesmera expect you to be working with them on the inside at Wayne Tech and on the outside as Anna Taz.  Would you be willing to keep up this charade, even if you have to commit a few crimes to make it look good?  Presuming you can magically get word to me, I can let the powers that be in the GCPD and the Bat crew know what you're doing and not hold it against you.  That hooker's wardrobe would be much more used, in all likelihood, too."

"Live as a double agent, spending my life as a criminal in effect?"  Tabby gave it a few moment's thought, then said, "Wicked White Witch reporting for duty.  I'm betting Mesmera and Mask Maven are expecting to see me at their place soon, from what went on earlier this evening."

"Thanks, and in that case, get on over to their place.  Get going on your new life as a super villainess, but make sure you keep Saturday evening free.  Zap yourself here to Shadowcrest sometime around five if you can, and we'll both work on changing you so my assistant won't be seen as Tabby in costume by any of the bad girls."

"If nothing else," Tabitha replied, "I promised Kelly I'd have red hair to go with that silver costume."

"Sounds good.  We should probably alter your gorgeous face a bit, too.  You should be able to get away with keeping that great body they gave you, though."

"I look forward to Saturday.  kcaB dray fo s'aleuD esuoh."

As she blinked out of sight, Zatanna wondered, 'So Mask Maven really is Duela Dent, just like I thought...'

* * *

Speaking of Kelly, it was only a few moments later that she turned the lock on the front door.  She rang up the day's totals on the register, then took the drawer with her back toward her office.  "Mike, Beth, Hal, Angie, the time has come," she said loudly while walking.  "I'll be doing the totals and locking up afterward.  Finish up whatever you're working on, we'll get back to it all tomorrow."

"G'nite, boss lady," Beth said, since she was closest to her.

It took only a few minutes for Kelly to do the numbers, since almost all of it was done electronically now with very little cash.  She placed the drawer into her safe, but instead of grabbing a rag to do some last minute dusting before leaving, the redhead went over to her closet.  'I think I'll give the guys and gals a bit of a thrill,' she mused.  Kelly knew Mistress Exotica was who she really was, so the Catwoman and cop costumes were out of the question.  She opened up the closet and lifted the hanger holding the dominatrix catsuit of what she still knew to be her true identity.  "Mistress Exotica, the ultra cruel, wickedly vicious and evil to her core dominatrix," Kelly said, and while she'd expected to only feel her body changing and see her hair become long and ash blonde while her mind still stayed as usual, the spell was stronger and did a lot more.  Zatanna had said the spell while in her purple haired whore form, and the spell was worded more for fun than with the proper cautions.  At the moment she'd finished the description, Kelly Carson ceased to exist.

Mistress Exotica laced on her corset and then got into her more usual outfit, wondering where the hell she was and why she was dressed in such plain and drab clothes.  She tossed them into the garbage can and shut the lid.  Without knowing exactly how she knew this, the cruel bitch turned the latch and snuck out the back door, eager to get back to her dungeon and get to work.  The inadvertent spell Zee had done not only gave the dominatrix her identity, but also provided her a place of business and its living quarters four floors up.  In addition, there would be a further cementing of this identity into her being as soon as Exotica heard anyone else say her name, thanks to the spell Anna had done.

When Beth had been at it for ten minutes and her boss still hadn't come by headed for the front door, she got worried.  The short blonde went back to see if Kelly was having some trouble.  Inside her manager's office, she found no sign of the redhead, and everything seemed to be in order.  'The safe's closed and locked, all the monitors are off, and everything looks neat and clean,' she noted.  'But wait, why is her closet open?'

She walked over to if nothing else close the door, but when Beth faced the inside of the closet she saw a sexy looking dominatrix version of a female police uniform which looked like it had absolutely incredible boots to go with it.  They were ultra glossy black with both lacing and zippers, sharp pointed toes, and what looked like at least seven-inch stiletto heels.  Next to it was a gleaming black latex catsuit.  'I've seen enough of each of these in the store, but why is there one of each hanging back here?'  When she pulled out the catsuit on its hanger, Beth saw the cowl, boots and other items which went with it.  She picked up that cowl and held it next to the catsuit.  "This looks like what that felonious feline felon Catwoman wears for a costume so that those not already in the know wouldn't have any idea that the indescribably evil bitch committing all those crimes is really the slutty and insatiable lesbian whore who calls herself Selina Kyle," she said.  In the instant that Catwoman's identity was mentioned, Beth Rutherford ceased to exist.

Selina Kyle wondered how the hell she'd gotten into such ill fitting clothes, since she was rather tall and the pant leg bottoms were up around her mid calves.  The damned blouse was impinging on her huge tits, and there was a bra so too damned small it was unbelievable.  She practically tore away all the ill-fitting clothes so she could get back into her costume.  As she was zipping on her boots, the villainess saw the safe on the wall across from her.  "I wonder where the hell I am?" she muttered.  "That safe doesn't look worth trying my skills on.  Screw it," was the last thing Catwoman said as she pulled her fingertips into the claws of her gloves.  She piled her long black hair up on top of her head and pulled her shiny black cowl down over it, then tucked its neck into the top of her glistening black latex catsuit.  A quick look into her Kat Kit after the belt was slung over her hips showed everything was there, as expected.  The evil as sin feline felon went out the same back door as had Mistress Exotica.

Neither of the two guys had any thoughts about their female coworkers.  As soon as they finished, they left via the self locking front door.

* * *

When Tabby popped into view in the back yard of what was now Duela's and Mesmera's home, she noted the evenly trimmed and very high hedge which surrounded it.  'Nice for privacy,' she thought.  Brief consideration was given to changing back to the whore outfit she'd been wearing when the others left her downtown since those boots would manage better walking on the soft, grassy soil.  But instead, she said, "nO rieht kcab hcrop," and reappeared there.  "ecioV eb draeh edisni.  Hi, Duela and Mesmera.  I'm back, waiting at your back door."

After leaving Anna downtown to enjoy herself, Mesmera and Duela went straight home.  First what they'd been wearing, then what became again wigs and masks got removed so they returned to being their true selves.  After Mesmera tried on the black dress to experience that same fascinating feeling Duela had described in the changing room, it was carefully wrapped up along with the mask and wig Duela had been wearing.  The box holding the boots for that costume went into the shipping box first, then the daintier items along with a zillion styrofoam peanuts.  Mesmera did an address label for Jimmy Olsen and skipped putting a return address on it.  "Oh, so it's Jimmy Olsen who gets to be the new Ms. Mesmera.  But won't UPS or whoever does the delivery require a sender, also?" Duela asked.

"I guess you're right," Mesmera replied.  She then put her Mala Arkins name and a made up address on the box.  "I'll do the same thing on the box we'll send a couple of days from now so that our new Mesmera will be able to get Cat Grant to become your twin."

"Thanks for letting me know who our twins are to be!" Duela said.  "Before we box up the mask for Cat to become Mask Maven, I'll add some hints to use her power so Jimmy and Cat can be seen at least on and off at the Daily Planet."

"Good idea, I hadn't thought about that," Mesmera replied.  "In my enthusiasm to change them, I missed considering just how obvious it would be if both of them became missing from the usual day to day scene."

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