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Truth

Dinah’s blood had turned to ice in her veins. Frozen with fear while the weight of absolute dread pressed down on her, smothering her, suffocating her. Around her, the ceremony had come to a halt, Kingston Brothers and Sisters ceasing their chanting to turn and stare at Dinah. At the newly revealed infiltrator.

Her cover was blown and she was surrounded. But the Black Canary didn’t spring into action. She couldn’t. It was like her feet were fused to the cold, stone floor. Dinah could only stand, a dreadful shiver rolling down her back, as the woman who had damned her stood mere inches away.

Headmistress Vivian Kaplan wore the devil’s own smile, red-painted lips spread wide across her flawless, porcelain face. Her eyes twinkled in the faint candlelight, piercing right through to Dinah’s soul. She was dressed in a robe of black silk, the fabric clinging to the sensual curves of her body. Her breasts in particular were wrapped up tight, enough that Dinah could see the faint outline of Vivian’s nipples through the thin material.

The Headmistress was triumphant here… and it was clear she very much liked that.

The pale woman reached out and palmed one of Dinah’s bare breasts which poured outward over her cupless bustier. She took one of Dinah’s nipples between her fingers, rolling her thumb over the nub, making it pebble to hardness. 

The blonde could only give a quiet, defeated moan. The warmth of the other woman’s touch was delightful and sickening in equal measure. But it lasted for only a moment.

Vivian quickly drew her hand away, stepping back from the half-naked heroine. She turned her gaze onto the surrounding onlookers, the gathering of naked students and teachers, and thrust her arm out towards Dinah, as if presenting her to the crowd.

“Dinah Blake - actually Dinah Lance - was never a gym teacher!” The Headmistress' silky voice resounded off the chamber’s high ceiling, giving power to her words - along with the ominous sense that she was all around them. She faced the woman in question once more, setting her fierce gaze upon the helpless blonde. Then came the hammer blow, the words that shattered what little remained of Dinah’s fiery spirit. “She’s the famed Black Canary! She came here, undercover, to dismantle everything we’ve built! And she wasn’t working alone!”

The gathering of students and teachers broke into gasps and murmurs. Dinah could feel their eyes on her. Especially Reston’s, who’s larger frame she could still feel looming beside her. Helena remained on her opposite flank, her hand coming up her back to settle gently on the back of her neck.

Nowhere to run… No escape…

Vivian continued on, striding back towards the scantily clad Barbara. The redhead lifted her bowed head, meeting Dinah’s gaze from across the chamber. Dinah could see a silent apology in her comrade’s eyes - right alongside a very clear look of surrender. 

The blonde felt a stone drop into the deepest pit of her belly. There was no biting retort bubbling up in her throat. There was no point. She knew what the Headmistress was going to say next. 

“Barbara Morgan - or rather, Barbara Gordon.” Vivian announced to the crowd, running her fingers oh so gently through the slender girl’s mane of silky red hair. “You all might know her better as the famous Batgirl!”

Dinah no longer had any words. All that was left was defeat.

All around her, there were excited whispers and gasps of shock. Dinah could even hear Reston mutter in confusion right beside her. She could feel his eyes bearing down on her. But she didn’t dare meet his gaze. She kept herself facing forward. She didn’t know why. Maybe it was some desperate attempt to maintain a small measure of dignity. But it wouldn’t change a damn thing.

Her cover was blown. She was surrounded. It was over.

The Birds of Prey lost.

“These two were attempting to infiltrate our Brotherhood!” Vivian announced, her voice booming powerfully through the ceremony hall. “They sought to learn our ways, our rituals, our secrets… only so they could destroy us from within!”

Another wave of gasps rolled through the crowd of attendees. They were louder this time, aghast and horrified. Some of the young men even began to shout and curse in anger. Dinah’s whole body tenses up as she feared the mob would close in on her… but Vivian held up one open hand, signaling for silence. 

The mob quickly settled into an uneasy peace, though many could be heard grumbling, muttering sharp words under their breaths.

“Do not hold enmity for these ladies.” The Headmistress told the gathering. She stepped away from Barbara, her fingers lingering on the redhead’s soft cheek as she went. Slowly, Vivian made her way towards Dinah, her queenly voice resounding clear and rich. “Like most women in the world, their minds have been poisoned. They have been led astray their whole lives, taught to believe that they would find purpose and meaning in acting as men do!”

Vivian Kaplan came to a stop before Dinah, looking upon the blonde with a sad, sympathetic smile. Like the way a mother would look upon a silly little girl. 

Dinah had endured much in the last few days. She’d dealt with Reston’s disrespect, his grabby hands, his stupid smile, his… his big fucking dick. She’d endured it all and not once had it broken her. But this? This insult was too great for the Black Canary to take quietly. 

Even in defeat, Dinah felt a surge of white hot rage.

The blonde jerked her head away as Vivian reached out to caress her cheek.

“You’re a fucking psychopath!” Dinah hissed fiercely, setting her burning gaze to match Kaplan’s. “This whole place is sick!”

But the Headmistress was unmoved. The pale woman sighed and reached under her black robes. She drew her hand back out and in her fingers was clutched a small, glossy black stone. She held it in front of Dinah’s face.

The influence was immediate. Dinah could feel her anger, her fury leaving her body. It was as if she was being drained of those emotions. The blonde soon felt lightheaded, her vision swirling some as she lost some of her balance. She would have fallen over had it not been for Helena and Reston at her sides.

“Amazing thing, this stone.” She heard Vivian speak. 

Dinah lifted her head and stared shakily at the woman she realized was the true power behind the Kingston Brotherhood. Vivian was smiling proudly as she cradled the stone in both hands. 

All this time… it was her.

“Ancient Amazonian magic is simple… but quite powerful.” Vivian continued. “One of the few useful things to come out of that wretched island. A physical manifestation of my will, my desire. A person only needs to stand near it to feel its influence. Of course, you and your friend already have.”

Without the flame of anger to give her direction and focus, Dinah now felt the weight of dread. It sank deep into her gut, making her legs feel heavy as stone. The implication of Vivian Kaplan’s words sank as well, deep into her head. Only a moment later did Vivian give voice to Dinah’s worst fears.

“You see, you and dear Barbara never really had a chance.” The Headmistress told Dinah, her red lips twisting into a wicked smile. “I had my claws sunk into you the moment you stepped into my office.”

Dinah’s eyes widened in shock. The feeling of dread in her gut grew, spreading through the rest of her body. Dark snakes coiled down her arms and legs, around her throat, suffocating her. She didn’t want to believe it. 

But memories began to play in her head, recollections from the last few days. Reminding her of every choice she and Barbara made, every decision that led them only to another complication or setback. 

Every chance they had to leave. Every chance that they turned down.

It was horrifying, what Vivian was telling her. And deep down, Dinah knew it was true.

“You’re delusional.” Dinah said in a small voice. It was all the fighting spirit she could muster.

It was a stab to her heart hearing the Headmistress laugh.

“Delusional? No. I’m the only woman who can see the plain truth.” Vivian reached out and caught Dinah by the chin, forcing the blonde to meet her gaze. The pale woman had mad eyes, Dinah could see. And they ran deep, so deep that the trapped heroine could feel the pull of the abyss. “This world belongs to men. Strong men. It’s always belonged to them and it always will. My sisters on Themyscira were absolutely right to call this place ‘Man’s World’. The only difference between me and them is that I believe it should stay that way.”

“You’re an Amazon?” Dinah whispered, the dread coiling tighter.

Vivian released her hold on the blonde’s face, her lips curling into a sneer.

“The only one with any true wisdom, it seems. It is the duty of women to submit to the authority of man.” Vivian spoke plainly as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, gesturing towards the dozens of young and fit male students. As if their mere existence was proof of her claims.

Dinah found herself shaking her head. Another feeling came along to join the sense of dread. Bewilderment. Confusion.

An Amazon - a sister of Themyscira - wanted to betray womankind and undo decades, centuries of progress!

Dinah couldn’t believe it. She refused to believe it!

This nightmare wasn’t just frightening. It was absurd. 

“God.” Dinah breathed, appalled. A spark of anger returned to her heart, flaring hot. “You really are delusional. The only one with any power and authority here is you, Kaplan! Is this how you serve men? By running the whole show?”

As Dinah predicted, it was too much to expect Vivian Kaplan to be shaken from her path by pointing out her fallacy. The pale woman put on a motherly smile, once more looking upon Dinah as if she were a confused, wayward daughter. 

Dinah thought of using her Canary Cry right then, or launching herself at Kaplan to start wailing on her, but those urges died as soon as they came into being, smothered immediately by the black stone’s influence.

All the blonde could do was stand there and fume.

“Not even men are immune from the poison of equality. All those pervasive lies taught to them by the weak, pathetic leaders of this modern age. My bitch sister has only made it worse.” Vivian's face momentarily twitched in distaste at the mention of the premier superheroine of the Justice League. “The damage done by Wonder Woman cannot be overstated.”

Vivian took her eyes off of Dinah then, turning them to the man standing beside her. Matthew Reston. Immediately, the disdain and fury upon her face was replaced with adoration, passion… and twisted desire. 

Her posture, the way she carried herself, changed dramatically. A moment before, the Headmistress was regal, immaculate, powerful. But as she stepped forth to Reston, she was no reverent, sensual, fawning.

The pale woman with raven black hair reached out and drew her hand over Reston’s bare chest, shamelessly feeling up the younger man. And Dinah watched with revulsion, fascination, and envy as he accepted the woman’s affection with cocky, infuriating mirth.

Vivian Kaplan gave a pleased hum, moving close into Reston’s personal space. Her hand slid up his chest, coming to rest on his firm shoulder, and she gave his muscles a delighted squeeze. Her eyes looked clouded, glazed, as if she were in a trance. One of her own making, Dinah realized.

As Vivian stared lovingly into Matt Reston’s eyes, she spoke again.

“These… magnificent young men are told to limit themselves every day, to make themselves weak so petty, envious women can feel strong.” Vivian breathed out, practically moaning. But the needy passion of her words still held an edge. And their sharpness cut right down to Dinah’s soul. “It’s a tragedy that I cannot allow to continue. If today’s men won’t accept their rightful place above us, then they will be made to. This is not how I serve men, Miss Lance. This is how I worship them.”

“No.” Dinah said quietly. “This is sick. You’re sick.”

“I’m the cure for a degrading society.” Vivian answered without turning from Reston. 

The woman continued to feel up his toned, muscled body - and the young man allowed it without protest, grinning. The same expression on his face as when Dinah was choking on his fat cock. The blonde felt her stomach twist - not out of disgust, to her horror. Out of jealousy.

“Soon you will understand.” Vivian briefly flicked her eyes towards Dinah. “Tonight, you and Barbara will know the joy and pleasure of service. Barbara will be given to Andrew Westfield - even the blind can see how much she wants him. A prime specimen of virility, that one. She should count herself lucky. But you, Dinah Lance, will serve beside me.”

Dinah swallowed, the whole world around her fading away as the Headmistress’ words poured into her ears. The black stone’s touch was deep and absolute. Its tendrils were sinking into her mind, her heart, Dinah could feel it - and she couldn’t fight it.

“Beside you…?” The blonde asked, confused.

Vivian didn’t care to listen. She had now draped her body onto Reston’s, pressing herself, her curves, her warmth, to mingle with the firmness of his figure. Both of her hands slid up the sides of neck, her slender fingers running through his hair, cradling the back of his head.

Dinah watched in silence as the woman drew the younger man into a deep kiss. 

Deep. Sensual. And lasting. The Amazon was thorough in her enjoyment of Matthew Reston. Vivian moaned into the teen’s mouth, devouring, hungrily swallowing every sound she urged out of him.

All the while, Dinah saw Helena looking upon the carnal scene… beaming with joy.

When Vivian finally broke the kiss, Dinah herself found herself short of breath.

“Matthew Reston.” Vivian proclaimed, as if presenting a prized stud. 

She did not break from the teenager, not entirely. Vivian pressed herself into his side, one hand still on the back of his neck. Her other fell upon his chest again, her fingers drawing down to his tight abdomen. Vivian turned her smoldering eyes back onto Dinah, wearing a brilliant, dreamy, and proud smile.

More praise came spilling from the lips of the Headmistress. Each word Dinah found more twisted than the last.

“My star pupil. My most daring charge. The boldest young man of this sacred brotherhood.” 

Vivian gave Dinah a heated look that pierced right to the depths of her soul. It was inferno. Pure desire. 

“My husband.”