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Chapter Text

  Jovana Torr lay on her bed, as her mother, Melissa sat beside, telling her a story. At five years old, the young girl already looked very different from her mother. Jovana’s hair was straight and brown, while her mother’s was a wavy blonde, and Melissa had bright green eyes, contrasting her daughter’s which were a cold and dark blue.

  Melissa was a hero in this world, having the ability to fly, as well as higher than usual strength, but she was also a mother, and right now her task was to tell her young daughter a bedtime story.

  “What story would you like me to tell you, sweetheart”

  “The one about my other mother!”

  This was Jovana’s favourite story, the one about the mystery of her parentage. “Well, a long time ago, way before you were born, I met a very beautiful lady, and we loved each other very very much. We loved each other so much that you emerged from our love. But one day, after you were born, she vanished, and when she did, she took most of my memories of her, and who she was. The only thing she left behind was this,” she pointed to a locket around her neck, “I was never able to open it, but I always keep it on me, to remember all that I can of her”

  “Will she ever come back, mum, and open the locket?”

  “I don’t know Jovana, I don’t know”

  “I hope she does!”

  “I hope so too…”

Sixteen years later…

  Jovana woke up, her head hurting like crazy. She couldn’t even open her eyes, and when she tried to move her limbs, she found them bound by metal rings. She scrunched her already closed eyes, and tried to bend the rings. “Your powers won’t work,” a cool, but menacing, female voice spoke, some humour in its tone, “I made sure the restraints would nullify them. Couldn’t have you escaping that easily”

  Jovana was finally able to open her eyes, seeing before her, a tall woman, with deep purple hair and eyes, wearing a very long, dark violet, dress which trailed on the floor around her. Her hair was short and spiky, and on her face she wore a smirk. “I know you! You’re Verena, mum’s arch-nemesis!”

  Verena grinned at her recognition, “That is correct, dear. But it’s Lady Verena to you. And you must be…?”

  “Jovana”

  “Jovana…” she said the name as if it was very familiar to her, “the daughter of my wonderful arch-nemesis”

  “Why have you captured me!?”

  “To teach you”

  “Teach me!?”

  “That is correct, to teach you how much more enjoyable it is to be a villain… you see, I have been in need of an assistant”

  “And you think that I’ll be your assistant!?”

  “You may take a little bit of persuading, but fortunately, that’s my speciality,” Verena smiled a menacingly sweet smile, “imagine a garden,” when she spoke again, in was in a colder, more powerful tone, and Jovana couldn’t help but picture it in her mind, “do you see it?”

  “Yes, but ho-”

  “Shh-shh, just listen, imagine yourself walking through the garden, smelling the flowers around you,” as Jovana pictured herself in the garden, she could smell the scent of roses nearby, despite being in reality, bound within Verena’s dungeon, “as you walk through the garden, you come across a small pond, with a burbling waterfall, can you see and hear it?”

  “Yes,” Jovana spat, displeased at how easily Verena could put these images into her mind.

  “Good, very good, now sit on the grass beside the pond and just watch and listen, see a family of three ducks in the pond…” everything Verena described came vividly to Jovana’s mind, “is it peaceful?”

  “Very,” Jovana grunted, still displeased.

  “Good. Just focus on that peaceful feeling”

  As Jovana felt this, she began to feel at peace, almost enjoying the sights and sounds Verena had conjured in her mind. In fact, the burbling waterfall was almost causing her to drift off…

  Verena watched as Jovana’s expression became more tired with pleasure. She waited for the perfect moment, when the girl’s defences were fully down. “Are you listening to me?”

  “Yes…” Jovana murmured.

  “Very good, now, think about it, think about how much more fun it would be to do evil, to not be bound by simple and boring moralities, to do whatever you want. Doesn’t that sound appealing?”

  “Yeah… it does actually…” Verena smirked again. She knew Jovana couldn’t be lying in response to that question.

  “Excellent! And wouldn’t you like to serve as the partner to myself, the greatest villainess on Earth?”

  “I would love to work alongside you, Lady Verena…”

  Verena grinned evilly, and snapped her fingers. The restraints unbound themselves, and Jovana’s eyes opened, now the same deep purple colour as Verena’s, as she returned to full wakefulness, “How do you feel, Jovana?”

  “I feel… good,” there was a malicious confidence to her voice which hadn’t been there before.

  “Wonderful!”

  Jovana climbed out of the restraints. “Now, we can finally destroy my bitch mother.”

  Verena felt a twinge of something, at the girl’s sudden hate towards her own mother, but she replaced it with an evil grin, “Of course… but first we’ve got to get you out of that ridiculous outfit, into something more villainous”

  Jovana looked down at her own costume, a pale yellow colour, with cyan streaks running down from the shoulders. It definitely looked ridiculous. “Mmm, definitely,” Jovana said with distaste, “I want to wear something… sexy”

  “Of course, that is part of a villainess’ role”

  Verena was able to arrange the basics, which she modified herself. The final product was a low-necked black jumpsuit, with highlights in Verena’s favourite purple, which hugged Jovana’s body tightly, while her hair was tied into a high ponytail.

  After this, the two had come up with a plan to get to Melissa. Verena had sent a remotely-operated aircraft (of her own design and creation) crashing into a large public park, in order to lure her out.

  As crowds fled the carnage, Melissa flew in, wearing a dark teal costume, with golden patterning, and a flowing white cape. She landed in the middle of the park, looking for anyone in danger.

  “Hello, mother,” she heard a familiar voice behind her.

  Melissa quickly turned, “Jovana!” Suddenly a confused expression crossed her face, “what are you wearing?”

  “You don’t like my new outfit, mother?” Jovana put on a fake pout, which transformed into a smirk, “I thought you’d be a particular fan of the purple”

  “Sweetheart, please tell me you aren’t working with her…”

  “Oh, but I am, mother”

  “No, please, you can’t be”

  “Lady Verena has shown me how much more enjoyable it is to be evil”

  “No… no, this can’t be true…”

  “But it is,” Verena walked up, standing beside Jovana, “hi Melissa”

  “You’ve brainwashed her, turned her against me!”

  “Brainwashed? Nonsense. Jovana here willingly chose to be my partner in crime”

  Melissa laughed darkly, “You expect me to believe that? I know what you can do, Verene. But turning my own daughter into your little puppet, I didn’t think you were this bad”

  “I’m a villainess, darling, bad is what I do.

  “You’ve corrupted her! She’s not a villain!”

  “I just showed her an alternative path, one not bound by boring moral constraints and heroism”

  Melissa looked at Jovana again, “Please Jovana, you can’t side with her, she’s evil!”

  “So what?” Jovana smirked.

  “‘So what?’! She’s intent only on destruction, and she’s just using you! She doesn’t actually care about you!”

  “Ha. You’re just saying that, of course she cares about me, she cares a whole lot more that you ever did”

  These words struck a cold blow to Melissa’s heart, and she looked at Verena, “Why Verene!? Making my own daughter hate me!?” Tears began to stream down her face.

  The sight caused a pain in Jovana’s heart, “Please don’t cry, mother,” she said, emotion flooding her face.

  “Why shouldn’t I? Don’t you see what she’s done to you?”

  “I… I’m sorry mum,” Jovana ran over to her mother, and hugged her tightly, sobbing into her shoulder, “I’m sorry for betraying you”

  “It’s okay sweetheart, she gets inside your head like that, I don’t blame you”

  “Thank you..”

  “I’m so proud of you Jovana, you’re my daughter,” the embrace slowly broke away, “your eyes?”

  “What about them?”

  “Verene’s purple, it’s almost gone, you’re back”

  Verena’s face seemed to show genuine emotion as she watched this, before she laughed evilly, Jovana and Melissa turning at the sound.

  “It’s over Verena. I couldn’t betray my own mother. Not even you could make me do that”

  Verena clapped sarcastically. “Is that really so? And what makes you so sure?”

  “Nothing you could do can break the bond between mother and daughter.”

  An evil grin crossed her face, “Oh really? Then let me ask you something dear”

  “Give up, Verene. You can’t beat both of us.”

  Verena ignored her, looking again at Jovana. “Do you know who your other mother is?”

  “No. Noone does. Not even mum” Melissa nodded her agreement with this statement.

  “Noone knows, huh? Well what if I told you that I did?”

  “Then you’d be lying”

  Verena laughed again, “Oh really? Then how do you explain this?” She reached into her dress pocket, drawing out a locket, identical to the one Melissa owned, the last trace of Jovana’s other mother.

  “That’s… that’s impossible,” Jovana’s eyes suddenly blazed, “what did you do to her!?”

  “I’m not sure I understand the question,” Verena’s tone was light and humorous, despite Jovana’s rage.

  “You must have done something to my other mother to get that”

  “Done something?” She laughed again, “oh no, I didn’t do anything to her. Why don’t you open it? It’s been unlocked”

  Jovana cautiously opened the locket, revealing a small photo inside, which struck her as strikingly familiar, “Is that me!?” she asked, before taking a closer look, realising the differences between herself and the woman in the photo, who had to have been her other mother, “wait no… it’s her..”

  “Look familiar in any way?”

  Jovana ignored her, looking over this only image of her other mother that she had, until she noticed something striking, “Her eyes… they’re…”

  A grin now fully covered Verena’s face, “what about her eyes, dear?”

  “...purple,” Jovana looked up in shock, “is she you!?”

  “Bingo!”

  “You…! You’re…! It can’t be…” she turned to face Melissa, “is it true, mum?”

  “I… I don’t know…”

  “Oh right, of course,” Verena’s face was now serious, as she snapped her fingers.

  A purple gleam crossed Melissa’s eyes, “yes, it’s true sweetheart… Verene is your mother…”

  “But… but how? Does that mean you two…?”

  Verena grinned at the implication, “We were quite a couple back in the day”

  Melissa looked at Verena, betrayal in her expression, “Why Verene? Why did you leave? And take all my memories?”

  “I’m sorry Mel, I truly am, but I knew I couldn’t be a good mother to Jovana, and you’d be better off raising her on your own. It breaks my heart what I did to you, but I did it for both of you. And I knew if you kept your memories, you’d go looking for me”

  Jovana looked at Verena, “Verena… mom…” she corrected herself.

  Hearing herself addressed as such brought a tear to Verena’s eye, “Jovana?”

  Jovana reached out, “please join us mom, so we can finally be a family together”

  “Would you be okay with that, Mel?” Verena asked, sincerity and regret in her voice.

  “Yes, Verene. I can’t forgive you yet, but I know you can be good, and I still love you. Please, for our daughter”

  Verena nodded, “for Jovana…” she approached slowly, before pulling Melissa into a tight embrace, “I’m so, so sorry, Mel. I’ve missed you every single day”

  As she watched the two reconnect, Jovana’s eyes changed colour again, now they had a purple ring around the blue, a sign of her familial connection.

  Verena looked over at her, noticing the change in eye colour, “your eyes dear, they look beautiful”

  “Thank you mom”

  “She definitely takes after you, Verene. I want you to properly get to know her. Come live with us, there’s space”

  “I would be honoured to… my love,” Verena stared deeply into Melissa’s eyes, while Melissa stared back.

  “Oh, get a room you two,” Jovana jeered.

  “Do not speak to your mother like that!” Melissa said, outraged, a slight blush on her cheeks.

  Verena cackled hysterically, “You’re right Mel, she does take after me”

  Jovana ran up to the two of them, pulling them into a hug. “I love you two. I’m glad you’re my mums”

  “We’re glad we have you too, dear”

  And the three of them walked home, not a care in the world.

Chapter Text

  Pillars of fire roared across the sky, their target a large office block. As they rushed towards it, incinerating anything in their path, it seemed nothing could stop their rampage above the town square.

  Until suddenly, one of the fireballs exploded midair, then another, then another. “You’re finished, Infernos.” A woman, wearing a teal costume, with gold emblazoned on it, and a white cape, threw a car at the final fireball, causing it too to explode as she floated midair.

  “Oho,” the man called Infernos, who had a long grey beard and hair, and orange costume covering his muscular body, which was emblazoned with flame symbols, “you really think so Melissa?” Infernos held out his hand, a massive fireball forming in it, “well stop this!!” He threw it towards the park, where a large group of people were gathering, having fled the building.

  “No!!” Melissa shouted, as she prepared to dive in the fireball’s path, sacrificing herself to save the people.

  But before she could, a loud, cold female voice called out, “Stop!” Melissa found herself incapable of flying at the fireball.

  “What the-!?”

  “Everybody! Get as far from here as you can!” the voice called again, and the amassed crowd scattered instantaneously. The fireball crashed in the middle of the park, harming noone.

  “Who are you!?” Melissa called out, searching wildly, before she saw a woman with pointy brown hair, wearing a deep violet jumpsuit running up the side of the building on which Infernos stood.

  “Stop right there! Or I’ll swat you right off!” he shouted at her.

  “Oh really,” the purple-clad woman grinned, “didn’t you use up the last of your energy making that massive fireball?”

  “I… yes, I did…” he admitted, seemingly compelled.

  “That’s what I thought,” the woman reached the top of the building, jumping into the air, and kicking Infernos in the chin, sending him flying backwards. “You’re finished, Infernos,” she smirked.

  Melissa landed behind her, “How the hell did you do that?”

  The spiky-haired woman turned around, and grinned, “psychological powers, darling, basically I’m a very good persuader”

  “Who are you?” Melissa asked.

  “Just call me Verena”

  “Verena…” Melissa said the name, to see how it felt to say.

  “I already know who you are. The famous Melissa Torr, hero to all”

  “We could make a good team Verena”

  Verena let out a single laugh, “Sorry darl, I only work alone,” she grinned then turned and ran, jumping off the building, and extending flaps of purple fabric from her arms to form a wingsuit.

  “Wow…” Melissa watched in awe as Verena glid away.

  “I said, drop the sword,” Verena hissed, as a tall black haired woman swung one of her twin rapiers at her, barely missing Verena’s throat.

  “Sorry,” The Great Swordswoman sneered, “couldn’t hear you”

  Of course, Verena thought, she’s blocking my powers out somehow! She dodges to the sight, as a rapier was swung down directly at her head.

  “Need a little help?” A familiar voice came from above. Verena looked up to see Melissa standing atop a nearby building.

  “You again?”

  “I thought you’d be happy to see me”

  “I’ve told you time and again, I work alone,” Verena dodged another swing of a rapier.

  “Come on Verena, I know you’ve got a soft spot for me”

  “Will you two stop flirting!” The Great Swordswoman shouted, “the pair of you are insufferable!”

  Melissa floated down from the rooftop, landing behind The Great Swordswoman, who swung a rapier at her. Melissa grabbed the rapier, pulling it from her hand, and tossing it aside.

  “What!? You!”

  Verena took her chance, grabbing The Swordswoman’s arm, and wrestling her other rapier away. “Not so tough now,” she grinned.

  “See Verene, we make a great team”

  “Don’t call me Verene”

  “Ugh, if being defeated wasn’t enough, I need to listen to you two flirting”

  “Be quiet,” Verena snapped at her, “and maybe stay put until the police arrive”

  The Great Swordswoman glared unable to move or speak.

  Verena saw a slight trickle of blood dripping from Melissa’s hand. “Mel, you’re hurt!”

  “Did you just call me Mel?”

  “Fine,” Verena sighed in exasperation, “Melissa, you’re hurt!”

  “It’s nothing, I’ll be fine”

  “What if the blade was poisoned?”

  “Are you worried about me?”

  Verena smiled, genuinely this time, “of course I am”

  “Aww, Verene, you’re sweet”

  Verena did her best unimpressed face, but there was a hint of humour in her eyes, “if you ever say that again, I’ll use my powers to stop you ever doing it again”

  Verena reached into the pocket of her jumpsuit, and pulled out a tissue, which she used to gently dab at the cut on Melissa’s hand. Once the blood was gone, she looked upwards, to see the kind face of Melissa.

  “Thank you Verene”

  “No problem, Mel, but I have something else that I think would help even more,” Verena put her hand on Melissa’s cheek, and pulled her into a gentle kiss.

  The Great Swordswoman looked away in disgust from where she sat paralysed.

  The two women were locked together for some time, before eventually pulling apart. Melissa simply smiled up at Verena, then rested her head against her chest.

  In the deep waters beyond the beach, a massive creature stirred. The first signs of its emergence was the orange tip of her sail, just breaching the water’s surface, far enough out that none of the beach’s residents noticed it.

  As she paddled towards the beach, more of her many sails emerged from the water, each being taller than a man’s height. Seeing this massive creature heading towards them, the beachgoers began to flee.

  As she honed in on the shore, the giant creature stood up on her back legs, stomping through the water. Her face was reptilian, although a discerning biologist would recognise that in fact it shared a much closer resemblance to mammals, and had a downturned snout, with spikes above the eyes. She had bulky limbs, and her thick tail dragged behind her as she slowly stomped towards the land. Her body was grey, with a slight countershading, other than a cobalt blue stripe leading from her eye down her body, to the tip of her tail. On her back were a series of sails, one massive one, with two rows of smaller ones on each size. Most of these sails were a dull orange, or a dark reddish pink, though some were a pale grey colour. She continued her slow march towards the shore.

  Eventually she emerged, her four-toed feet leaving prints in the sand, as she roared, a terrible screeching sound.

  Two women, standing together atop a building, watched this massive creature emerge from the ocean. One of them, with spiky purple hair, turned to the other. “How the hell are we going to deal with this one, Mel? That things gotta be more than a hundred feet tall”

  “I’m sure we’ll think of something Verene”

  Verena scoffed, “Ever the optimist”

  “As long as we’re together we can doing anything”

  “Look, I love you darling, but I think we may need to rely on something a little more than that to defeat that thing”

  The creature began to make her way slowly up the beach, towards them. “I’m sure we’ll figure something.” Melissa jumped into the air, flying directly at the gargantuan beast.

  “Mel!” Verena shouted in frustration, as she ran down the side of the building, “you’re so annoying!”

  “I love you too Verene!” Melissa sped directly towards the creature’s snout. As she got closer, she realised just how massive it was, its nostrils were almost as tall as she was. “This’d better count…” she muttered to herself as she flew, the air around her beginning to heat out.

  “You can do this!” Verena cheered her on from the ground, as Melissa flew at the titan, her fist outstretched.

  She struck it directly on the snout, and bounced off, seeming not to affect it at all. The monster swatted at her, as if she were a mosquito, one of its claws, which dwarfed her, almost knocking Melissa out of the air. She flew down to the beach, where Verena ran up and hugged her tightly.

  “That was too close!”

  “I didn’t do anything to it. We’re going to need a new plan”

  “Mel, can’t you see I’m worried!”

  “I’m sorry Verene, but that thing could destroy the whole city with ease, I have a few bigger things on my mind right now”

  Verena looked somewhat disappointed at her care being rebuked, but her face hardened with resolve. “Right.”

  “Do you think your powers would work on it?”

  “I have no clue”

  “But it’d be worth a shot.”

  “How exactly am I supposed to get close enough for it to hear me?”

  Melissa hooked her arms under Verena’s and flew into the air.

  “MELISSAAAAAAA!!!” Verena shouted as she was unexpectedly lifted into the air.

  The two flew towards the enormous menace, which didn’t even seem to notice their presence. They approached its ear, which one of them could easily have climbed into, if they had wished to. “You ready Verene?”

  “Just… just give me sec…” Verena looked down then instantly regretted it, “yeah… I’m ready…” she cleared her throat, then spoke in the calmest, most powerful voice she could muster, “Leave. Go back to where you came from.” The creature turned her head, her enormous eye now just metres away from where the two floated in the air. “I said leave!!” The creature looked back towards the ocean from whence it had emerged, and began to turn.

  “I think we did it!” Melissa carefully turned Verena around midair, and the two locked together in a tender kiss, as they slowly and gracefully floated down to the ground.

  Landing on the sand, Verena slowly broke the kiss, and looked Melissa in the eyes. “You had better make up for that real hard tonight…” she muttered, just loud enough for her partner to hear.

  Verena awoke in bed. “G’mornin’ darling…” she mumbled, before rolling over to find Melissa absent. “Mmm??” she grunted in confusion, climbing out of bed, and throwing on a purple dressing gown. “Mel…?” she asked, looking around the house, until she spotted her, on the verandah of their modest home, still in her nightie, and watching the sunrise. Verena opened the sliding door and walked outside. “Something up, darling?”

  “...yes” Melissa confirmed, still looking away, “it finally happened…”

  “Wha? What happened?”

  “Verene… I’m pregnant”

  “Mel…! That’s wonderful news!”

  “I know Verene… but you’re going to have to work alone again, I can’t put our baby at risk”

  “Of course Mel… anything for our child” Verena pulled her into a comforting embrace, and they kissed beneath the radiant sunrise. Verena put her hand on Melissa’s cheek, and whispered to her, “whatever happens, Mel, I will always love you.” The two briefly kissed again, before Verena returned to the house, and headed for the front door. Once she had exited the house, she ran down the street, and collapsed in a park, at the bottom of their road. “Oh god… what have I done… I can’t be a mother… I’m not ready… what if I hurt our child… my powers aren’t safe… I couldn’t live with myself… I can’t do this… I can’t do this… I can’t do this… I’m sorry Abigail… I promised I would never let this happen again…” she sobbed, lying curled up in the park, “how could I let this happen… I should never have let Mel fall in love with me… it’s all my fault… it’s all my fault…”

  She lay there for what felt like hours crying. She couldn’t let Melissa know how she felt, not when she was so happy, but she also couldn’t let herself put their child in danger.

  Verena returned home shortly later. “Hey Verene! Where did you go?”

  “I just had to go for a walk to process the news… but I bought something to celebrate”

  “Oooh, what is it?”

  “Blueberry yoghurt,” the words wrenched her heart to say, the favourite snack of the woman she had betrayed, but she maintained a smile on her face.

  “Oh my god Verene, you’re the best. I love you so much!” Melissa ran over, grabbing the yoghurt, and kissing Verena on the cheek. Instead of the usual happy feeling, the place where Melissa’s lips had touched her skin seemed to burn with Verena’s treachery.

  Nine months passed in a flash, and soon, their daughter was born. Jovana was the name given to her, chosen by Verena. When she was born, Jovana already had cold blue eyes, similar to Verena’s as well as the first hints of dark brown hair.

  Before she had even left the hospital, Jovana’s powers started to show, objects would randomly float or move themselves when left near the infant, and it was discovered that she had telekinetic powers. Melissa doted on her newborn daughter, while Verena kept a distance, knowing what she would soon have to do.

  Some weeks after they had returned home from the hospital, Verena awoke in the middle of the night. She grabbed a secret suitcase containing all of her possessions, and wheeled it to the front door. Leaving it there, she crept back to her bedroom, where she looked down at the sleeping form of Melissa. “I’m sorry Mel… I will always love you…” she felt tears pricking at her eyes, as she leant down and placed a tiny kiss on her partner’s forehead. Although Melissa’s eyes were closed, Verena knew that they had briefly glowed purple as all memory of her was suppressed. As she passed Jovana’s crib in the corner she looked to her daughter and whispered again, “I’m sorry Jovana… you’ll understand one day…”

  Verena grabbed her suitcase and stepped outside the front door, closing it behind her. As soon as she did this, she slid down it, and began to cry uncontrollably, sobbing for an hour on the doorstep, before she vanished into the night.