Chapter 9: The brainwashed Deception Delegate
"
I could have taken them!
" Blair declared, as they slinked away from Mistress Crimson's secret hideout.
"
Of course you could sweetie,
" Martha agreed, pulling Blair along by the wrist. "
But that doesn't mean you have to. We've got a long night ahead of us and we can't afford to be careles-
"
Martha's words were muffled by a stranger in crimson stepping out of a nearby alleyway.
"
Shhh
" They whispered, holding a finger up for a moment before curling their hand in a 'follow me' gesture. "
They may have already heard you. Move. Now!
"
"Can I trust you?" Blair debated, internally in that moment. "Mistress Crimson's been compromised and Pinolva has mind control. You could be leading us right into a trap, but fuck it, there's a hoard of soldiers closing in with guns."
"
Stay close to me,
" Blair whispered to Martha, as she followed the stranger into the shadows. "
Use your eyes and watch for danger, including from our friend.
"
"
They're one of Mistress Crimson's puppets,
" Martha whispered as they dashed into the dark alleyway. She could see a comforting crimson aura, and somehow feel the warmth of Tanya radiating forth.
"
So is the one through that doorway,
" Martha added a few seconds later, as the crimson puppet ushered them inside. "
But the twelve people converging on us are definitely Pinolva's
"
"
Impressive! but not quite accurate,
" The puppet stated, once the door was firmly closed. "
Oh but where are my manners. My name is Mary. Mary Annette, and this is a magi-tech trap I've set. They them pronouns agree with me. How shall I refer to thee?
"
"
I'm Blair, she's Martha, we're both she her,
" Blair answered quickly. Then she noticed something familiar about the curves of the body below the smooth and featureless crimson suit.
"
You were there at Ruth's nightclub,
" Blair realized out loud, "
when I first fought Mistress crimson! Um, sorry about the knee to the face.
"
"
I was,
" Mary answered. "
All four of us were, and I let you win, because Mistress wanted you all to herself. But that's not important right now. Mistress and the others have been captured by Pinolva.
"
"
We're going to rescue them,
" Blair asserted. "
First we need to ditch our tail and head to 420 North Eetsowest avenue, as quickly as authorially possible.
"
In no time at all the trio was knocking on the door to Cheshire's apartment.
Meanwhile a dozen of pinolva's men lay in a puddle of puppet goo, paralyzed in ecstasy. A strange clockwork sphere sat in the center, humming an enchanting beat on repeat. Mary's mechanical construction played a single chord of instruction, through harmonic spell induction. Resonating with the puppet goo, it invoked gentle suction, down down down, towards the ground in endless magical seduction.
"
Take a nice deep breath for me and calm your worried mind,
" Cheshire instructed, when Blair finished telling her story. "
You're safe here with me. My office is hidden in illusion right now. Even If Pinolva's men were to enter, all they would see is a maintenance closet, complete with a scalding hot water heater to fool their thermal vision goggles.
"
"
Thank you,
" Martha nodded in appreciation, as she absentmindedly ran her fingers through the fur of an illusory black cat.
"
Of course,
" Cheshire replied. "
Now we've got a dangerous mission to plan. What tools do we have at our disposal?
"
"
I've got two more pleasure grenades,
" Mary offered, going first. "
They explode in a shower of puppet goo, then this little emitter sends paralytic waves of pleasure to make my victims FREEZE in place on the floor. I've also got this goo gun, loaded with a dozen rounds of CUMshot. Same tech, just more targeted.
"
"
I can weave a vast illusion,
" Cheshire added in collusion, "
which could grant us stealthy entry or deceive and spread confusion.
"
"
I have magical sight,
" Martha spoke next. "
And um, I know how to use Blair's creations
"
"
I've got 3 magical charms.
" Blair declared, "
Well, four actually, but Tanya borrowed the lust spell. One turns my aura into a shield that can stop a few bullets. Another makes magical flames from Hestia's hearth. The third provides mental clarity and removes hypnotic conditioning.
"
"
About that mental clarity pendant,
" Martha jumped in. "
I noticed something intriguing when I was wearing it today.
"
"