After the reveal of the deal between the Chess Company and the Shadow Union Juanita turns her attention back towards Elizabella.

 

“You weren’t actually interested in making a deal with me either? We’re you?” Juanita questions.

“I actually was, but if that fell through I was prepared to cross you. Besides, I’ve known about your little secret counter attack plan for a few weeks already.” Elizabella says with a devious smirk. “I honestly can’t really blame you for doing the same though. That’d be hypocritical of me.”

 

Juanita grits her teeth in anger, but she snaps herself out of it before she does anything rash.

 

“Pythia. How are the odds looking?” Juanita asks.

 

The fortune teller closes her eyes for a moment.

 

“...I…I can’t see anything…The future is clouded in mystery to me right now…”

 

“Oh, I guess that means my backup has arrived!” Elizabella says with a chuckle. “You can come in, Bishop.”

 

On cue, the door is surrounded in translucent green energy before being forced open.

 

“Thank you for the introduction, your majesty.” Bishop says with a slight bow.

 

As he keeps his hands behind his back, Bishop makes his way over to Pythia.

 

“...So…you negate other people’s powers…is that it?” Pythia questions.

 

“Not exactly, but that is part of it.” Bishop says as he pushes his glasses back into place. “I’ll be completely honest with you and say that I have full control over psychic energy within a certain range. As long as I am here those with such powers might not be as effective as they usually are. Unfortunately, as long as you have any other type of power you should still be able to use it.”

 

“...So…” Ilma says as she cracks her knuckles. “...That means as soon as we knock you out Pythia should be fine again, right?”

 

“Yes, that is correct.” Bishop says as he takes advantage of the path that the Shadow Union made and guides Elizabella safely back to her throne. “I’d love to see you try to do anything about it though.”

 

Krystal Black slowly makes her way to the other side of Elizabella’s throne while grabbing her stomach.

 

“Are you alright, Miss Knight?” Bishop asks.

 

“...I’m fine…” She says through gritted teeth. “...I just need to rest for a bit…I’ll be good to fight again soon…”

 

“I see.” Bishop responds before his eyes turn back towards the heroes and villains who were about to clash.

 

“I guess that leaves both Pythia and Ez powerless for the time being.” Pat says as he assumes a combative stance.”Don’t worry. Papa bear is here to protect you.”

 

Juanita snaps her fingers and creates 15 more numbered copies of herself.

 

“That should raise our odds a bit.”

 

“Let’s do this!” Ilma shouts while flexing.

 

“I’m sure you’ll do fine, but I’ll give you a little boost just to make sure.” Francince says as she gives Ilma a kiss on the cheek.

 

Hearts appear in Ilma’s eyes as her muscles appear to grow even larger.

 

“You seem tough!” Ilma shouts to Mezu the blue oni. “Let’s see who’s stronger!”

 

Mezu sighs.

 

“...Let’s get this over with…”

 

Mezu attempts to backhand Ilma, but she grabs his arm and flips him over her shoulder.

 

“Come on!” Ilma says as she laughs. “You’re going to actually have to try to beat me!”

 

“...We’ll see about that…”

 

Mezu punches the place Ilma was previously standing, but she quickly dodges it with a jump and punches him in the face as she flies back down which sends him stumbling backwards.

 

The oni shakes his head to regain his composure, but before he is able to get up Ilma has already ran back to where he was and grabs his arm.

 

“Let’s go for a spin!” She shouts as she begins to swing the blue monster who was almost double her size before throwing him into a wall.

 

“Come on man! This is too easy!” Ilma says as she rubs the back of her neck. “I’m getting bored over here!”

 

Mezu gets back up to his feet and sighs.

 

“...Fine…” He says as he snaps his fingers as blue flame appears in his right hand that eventually dissipates while leaving a massive black spiked club in its place. “...How’s this for effort…”

 

He holds the club up before slamming it against the ground. This creates a shockwave of blue fire that quickly makes its way towards Ilma.

 

 The Pakistani woman uses her arms to guard, but is easily overwhelmed by the force of this attack and is sent flying backwards.

 

“Ilma!” Francine shouts as she runs towards her injured girlfriend. “Are you okay?”

 

“...I’ll…I’ll be fine…” She says as she rubs the back of her head “...I…I just need to rest my eyes for a second…”

 

Mezu yawns.

 

“...I did my part…can I take a break now?” The oni asks as he scratches his back.

 

“You did wonderfully.” Noir says with a psychotic grin.

 

“...You…You monster!” Fran shouts towards the larger oni.

 

“I don’t think it’d be very smart to fight him if I were you.” Pierre says as he walks towards Fran with his bow raised. “Of all of you clowns she was the most equipped to fight him, but even she didn’t stand a chance! Do you think you have a chance against him? Don’t make me laugh!”

 

“...Fine!” Fran shouts before she takes a deep breath to recompose herself. “I’ll defeat you first.”

 

Fran blows a kiss towards Pierre, but Pierre doesn’t acknowledge it.

 

“Huh?” Francine asks through her confusion. “Why didn’t that work?”

 

“If you really must know!” Pierre says with a smirk. “The only person I love is myself!”

 

Francine stares in fear at the Frenchman for a moment before she shakes her head again to refocus on the fight.

 

“Guards! Attack!” She shouts as the two guards under her control make their way towards Pierre.

 

“En guarde!” Pierre shouts as he uses his bow to quickly parry the first guard's energy sword. He then begins to play his violin as all the papers from Elizabella’s desk begin to circle around him.

 

The first guard is quickly surrounded by papers that slowly turn into a small tornado which spins him until he is too disoriented to stand.

 

The second guard tries to fire his laser gun, but Pierre points his bow and sends the papers into the barrel of his gun. When he tries to fire the gun it explodes and knocks him out.

 

“No more tricks mademoiselle!” Pierre shouts as he points his bow towards Fran.

 

“...Alright…” Fran says as she takes out her rapier.

 

Pierre immediately sends more paper towards Fran. She spins her sword like a fan and slices most of these papers, but she misses a few and they leave a few scratches on her as they fly past.

 

Fran dashes towards Pierre and clashes with his bow.

 

“It seems like you are quite effective at long range, but you’re no match for me at this range.”

 

“We’ll see about that.” Pierre says as he pushes the Spanish woman back and points his bow at her throat.

 

Fran cuts through most of the next barrage of paper, but Pierre’s papers manage to cut her a few more times.

 

She sidesteps and comes at Pierre with an assault of forward sword thrusts.

 

Pierre manages to dodge most of this attack, but she manages to scratch his face.

 

“Not my face again!” Pierre says as he rubs the blood from his cheek. “Why is it always the face!”

 

Fran places the tip of her sword against the composer’s throat.

 

“Do you yield?”

 

Pierre sighs as he drops his baton.

 

“...Fine…I know when I’m beat…” Pierre says as he raises his hands.

 

“Alright.” Fran says as she walks beyond Pierre and towards Mezu. “Now for some revenge.”

 

When Pierre leaves Fran’s line of sight, he pulls another baton from his sleeve and points at her back.

 

“Ne tournez jamais le dos à un adversaire.”

 

“What was that?” Fran says as she begins to turn, but before she has time to react she is suddenly surrounded by papers.

 

“La mort par mille coupures!”

 

The papers that were swirling around Fran began to quickly cover her arms and face with cuts while also severely damaging her clothes.

 

“AAAHH!” Fran screams in pain as she falls to the ground. She tries to use her arms to guard herself from the papers, but this effort is futile.

 

“Do you yield, mademoiselle?”

 

“...You…you said no more tricks…” Fran says as she grits her teeth in pain while trying her best to stay conscious.

 

“HA!” Pierre mocks. “Of course you’d be caught up on such a small detail! You heroic types are very easy to manipulate! Caring about what is fair and what is not will only lead to your demise!”

 

Elizabella gets up from her throne and heads towards the center of the room where the fights were taking place.

 

“It seems like it is now ten to three!” Elizabella says with a devilish laugh. “I’ll still be willing to agree to a deal, you know.”

 

“...Not a chance…” Juanita says as she and the other heroes are backed into a corner by the Shadow Union.

 

“...Have it your way then…” Elizabella says with a disappointed sigh. “...Noir…finish them off for me…”

 

“...Can do…” Noir says with a psychotic smile as he starts to pull the blood on the battlefield towards himself. “This will be fun!”