Chapter 1: Boredom and Schemes
Chapter Text
Klarion the Witch Boy lounged across his throne in his chaos dimension, one leg dangling over the armrest as he sighed dramatically. His familiar, Teekl, was curled up nearby, tail twitching with mild annoyance at his master's endless complaining.
"I'm bored, Teekl." Klarion whined, flicking a small ball of chaos magic between his fingertips. "This dimension is so dreadfully dull today."
"Meow." Teekl responded, which translated roughly to "You say that every Tuesday."
Klarion sat up suddenly, eyes brightening with that dangerous gleam that always preceded trouble. "Remember that adventure we had a few weeks ago? With Psimon and that archer girl?"
Teekl's ears flattened against her head. She remembered all too well.
"That was fun! Psimon was so easy to tease about that green Martian girl. His mind practically screamed his little crush." Klarion cackled, his voice echoing in the strange dimensional space. "And Artemis actually gave me some advice. Can you believe it? A hero giving me advice?"
Klarion flopped back dramatically, staring at the swirling chaos overhead. "She said I should watch movies. That 'Twister' one she mentioned... And Psimon suggested 'The Shining.' I watched them both, and you know what, Teekl?"
The cat familiar gave him a bored look.
"Movies are fascinating! All that drama, tension, romance..." his voice softened slightly, "...reminds me a bit of Zatanna."
Teekl made a gagging sound and Klarion threw a small pillow at her.
"Shut up! I do not still have a crush on her." he protested, but his flushed cheeks betrayed him.
Rising to his feet, Klarion began pacing, his shadow stretching impossibly long across the dimension. "I have an idea, Teekl. What's better than watching movies?"
"Meow?" The cat tilted her head.
"Experiencing them!" Klarion clapped his hands together, sparks of chaos magic flying from his fingertips. "And I know just who to invite to our little movie night."
Teekl groaned.
"What? It'll be fun. Besides, I'm a Lord of Chaos. I make the rules... or rather, I break them." he grinned maliciously, his pointed teeth glinting. "Let's pay some 'friends' a visit, shall we?"
With a swirl of red energy, Klarion conjured a portal, grabbed Teekl by the scruff, and leapt through with a cackle that would have sent shivers down the spine of anyone unfortunate enough to hear it.
Happy Harbor High School was having an ordinary Wednesday. Students milled about between classes, lockers slammed, and the usual teenage drama unfolded in every corner.
Until a crackling red portal tore open in the middle of the main hallway.
Klarion stepped through, dressed in his usual formal attire, complete with bow tie. Teekl perched on his shoulder, tail swishing imperiously. Students stopped and stared, some backing away instinctively from the pale boy with horned hair and unnaturally sharp teeth.
"What a dreary little education prison." Klarion remarked, glancing around with disdain. "How do you stand it, Artemis?" he called out, spotting the blonde archer standing next to her locker.
Artemis froze, then closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "Klarion. What are you doing here?"
Nearby, Conner, M'gann, and Wally tensed, ready for trouble. While the other students just looked confused—who was this weird goth kid and how did he get in?
"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" Klarion pouted, strolling toward them with his hands clasped behind his back.
"We're not friends." Artemis stated flatly.
"Details, details." Klarion waved dismissively. "I've come with an invitation!"
Conner stepped forward, fists clenched. "Whatever you're planning—"
In a flash, Klarion produced a small lead box and flipped it open, revealing a glowing green shard. Conner immediately doubled over, weakened.
"Kryptonite. So handy to keep around." Klarion grinned. "Now, don't be rude, Superboy. I'm trying to have a civilized conversation."
"Put that away now." M'gann demanded, her eyes beginning to glow.
"Or what, Miss Martian? You'll make me think I'm a butterfly?" Klarion sneered. "We all know you're too afraid of your own powers these days."
The civilians around them were starting to record with their phones, whispering about "Superboy" and "Miss Martian."
"Klarion, there are civilians here." Artemis hissed. "Our secret identities—"
"Oh, bother." Klarion rolled his eyes dramatically. "Fine, I'll fix it, but only because you asked nicely." With a snap of his fingers and a flash of red light, every civilian in the hallway froze, then continued about their business as if nothing unusual had happened.
"There! Memory spell. They'll remember you all as boring normal teenagers having a chat with a new foreign exchange student." Klarion explained. "Now can we talk about my invitation?"
Wally zipped to Artemis's side. "What does he want?"
"I'm hosting a movie night!" Klarion announced with inappropriate enthusiasm. "And you're all invited."
The four heroes exchanged skeptical glances.
"Why would we go anywhere with you?" Conner growled, still keeping his distance from the Kryptonite.
"Because it'll be fun." Klarion replied, as if that explained everything. "And because if you don’t..."
He left the threat hanging in the air, his fingers glowing with chaotic energy.
Artemis sighed again, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is about those movie recommendations, isn't it?"
"You're so perceptive." Klarion clapped mockingly. "Yes! I watched them. Loved them. And now I want more. With company!"
"Can't you just... rent them like a normal person?" Wally asked.
Klarion's face scrunched up in disgust. "Normal? Do I look normal to you, speedster?"
"Uh, good point." Wally muttered.
"So what's it going to be?" Klarion's eyes gleamed dangerously. "A fun movie night with your old pal Klarion, or..." He tapped the Kryptonite box meaningfully.
M'gann stepped forward. "We'll go. But you put that away first, and no tricks."
"Oh, I can't promise that." Klarion giggled. "Tricks are what make life interesting."
Before anyone could protest further, Klarion snapped his fingers. The school hallway dissolved around them in a swirl of red energy, and the four heroes found themselves standing in a dilapidated old movie theater.
The marquee above read: "KLARION'S CHAOS CINEMA" in flickering neon letters.
"Welcome to movie night!" Klarion announced, spreading his arms wide. "The fun is just beginning!"
Chapter 2: The Reluctant Audience
Chapter Text
The abandoned cinema in Gotham's old theater district was a shadow of its former glory—peeling wallpaper, dusty velvet curtains, and the lingering smell of ancient popcorn. But under Klarion's chaotic influence, the place had taken on a twisted life of its own. The lights flickered with reddish hues, the moldy carpet patterns seemed to move when viewed from the corner of one's eye, and the concession stand now featured bubbling cauldrons of butter and soda fountains that defied gravity.
"What the hell, Klarion?" Artemis shouted, spinning around to take in their new surroundings. "You can't just kidnap people for movie night!"
"I just did." Klarion replied smugly, floating cross-legged above the floor with Teekl purring in his lap. "And we're not done with our guest list yet."
With another dramatic gesture, three more portals opened in the theater lobby. From the first emerged Psimon, looking distinctly irritated in his usual grey outfit, his exposed brain pulsing with annoyance.
"Not again." the psychic villain groaned. "I was in the middle of an important mind-control experiment!"
"Boo-hoo." Klarion mocked. "Your rats can wait, Psimon. We have movies to watch!"
From the second portal stumbled Terra, her blonde hair disheveled, wearing civilian clothes rather than her combat gear. She looked disoriented for a moment before her eyes narrowed upon seeing Miss Martian and Superboy.
"What is this? Some kind of trap?" she demanded, hands beginning to glow with her geomantic powers.
"It's movie night." Klarion announced for what felt like the hundredth time. "No trapping, no fighting, just cinematic adventures!"
The third portal shimmered, and Cheshire stepped through, immediately dropping into a defensive stance, her masked face turning to survey the room before focusing on Artemis.
"Sister." she said coolly. "Interesting company you're keeping these days."
"This isn't my idea." Artemis protested. "Blame the Lord of Chaos over there."
Klarion beamed with pride. "That's me!"
Wally zipped between everyone, his concern evident. "Okay, this is officially the weirdest gathering ever. Klarion, why these specific people?"
"Because it's more fun this way!" Klarion twirled in the air. "Heroes! Villains! Family drama! Unrequited crushes! It's perfect!"
At this, both Psimon and M'gann looked uncomfortable, avoiding eye contact, while Terra glanced away, a hint of pink touching her cheeks.
"Speaking of which." Klarion continued, looking around expectantly, "where are the rest? Robin? Aqualad? Ice Junior? And..." his voice softened slightly, "Zatanna?"
The way he said the magician's name made Teekl roll her eyes dramatically.
Artemis crossed her arms. "They're busy. You know, actually doing important hero stuff."
"Hmpf." Klarion pouted. "Well, their loss. Especially Zatanna's. I think she would've appreciated my magical cinema experience."
"I'm sure she's devastated to miss it." Artemis remarked dryly.
Klarion either missed or ignored the sarcasm. "Now, before the feature presentation, we need provisions!" He floated over to the concession stand and gestured grandly. "Everyone must select popcorn, candy, and beverages. It's mandatory for the full experience."
"This is ridiculous." Conner muttered, still looking slightly weak from his earlier Kryptonite exposure.
"Maybe." M'gann whispered to him, "but until we figure out what he's really planning, we should play along."
With visible reluctance, the group approached the concession stand. The snacks weren't exactly normal—the popcorn popped in different colors, the sodas changed flavors with each sip, and the candy seemed to wiggle slightly in its boxes.
"Is any of this actually safe to eat?" Wally asked, even as he loaded up a tray with an improbable amount of food.
"Define 'safe,'" Klarion giggled. "It won't kill you. Probably."
Psimon stood apart from the others, arms crossed. "I refuse to participate in this childish nonsense, again."
Klarion's expression darkened. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a spark of chaos magic that zapped Psimon right in the exposed brain.
"OW!" the psychic yelped.
"Get. Your. Snacks." Klarion enunciated, his voice echoing unnaturally. "Or the next zap goes somewhere more sensitive."
Grumbling, Psimon complied, making sure to stand as far from Miss Martian as possible while selecting his concessions.
Meanwhile, Terra had sidled up to the snack counter, eyeing the colorful candy with poorly concealed interest. "So... Beast Boy isn't coming?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
"Garfield? No, he's off with the others." Artemis replied, watching Terra carefully.
"Oh. Whatever. I don't care." Terra shrugged unconvincingly before grabbing a box of color-changing chocolate balls.
Cheshire had selected nothing but kept her distance from the others, her masked face unreadable as always.
"Sister." she called to Artemis. "What exactly is going on here?"
"Klarion's bored." Artemis explained, filling her own cup with a bubbling purple soda. "And apparently, that means we all have to suffer."
Once everyone had their snacks—willing or coerced—Klarion clapped his hands excitedly. "Now! To the theater! I've prepared a spectacular lineup of cinematic wonders!"
With another gesture, he herded them all through large double doors into the main theater. Unlike the rundown lobby, the theater itself seemed impossibly grand and spacious, with plush velvet seats that stretched out before a screen that was far too large to actually fit within the building's dimensions.
"Reality is so flexible when you know how to bend it." Klarion remarked, noting their surprise at the impossible space.
As they all reluctantly took seats, Klarion floated to the front of the theater, Teekl still perched on his shoulder. The cat seemed to be the only one enjoying herself, purring loudly in anticipation.
"I've selected some classics for our viewing pleasure." Klarion announced, hovering before the massive screen like a demented theater attendant. "But I thought, why just watch movies when we could experience them?"
"What does that mean?" Conner asked suspiciously.
"It means, Superboy, that we're going to do more than sit in these comfy chairs." Klarion's smile widened unnaturally. "We're going to be in the movies!"
"That's... not original at all." Artemis scoffed. "Control Freak already did that whole schtick."
Klarion's face fell momentarily. "What? Who's Control Freak?"
"Some lame Teen Titans villain." Artemis explained. "He could transport people into TV shows and movies with his remote."
"Well, I—" Klarion sputtered, genuinely offended. "That's completely different! I'm using Chaos Magic, not some stupid Remote!"
"Same concept." Artemis shrugged, clearly enjoying his irritation.
"Oh yeah? Well, have you seen what happened to that Teen Titans universe lately?" Klarion snapped back, recovering his composure. "Teen Titans GO happened to it! Talk about chaos! Even I couldn't have messed it up that badly!"
Before anyone could respond, Klarion raised his arms dramatically. "Enough chatter! Let our movie adventure begin!"
Red energy crackled from his fingertips, shooting toward the screen which began to swirl like a portal. The image of a massive ship appeared—the Titanic in all its glory.
"Our first feature presentation!" Klarion announced gleefully.
"Wait—" Wally started to protest, but it was too late.
The chaos magic expanded outward, engulfing everyone in the theater. The last thing they heard was Klarion's maniacal laughter as the world dissolved around them, reformed into the deck of the RMS Titanic, and their unwilling adventure into cinema began.
Chapter 3: Titanic Troubles
Chapter Text
The salty sea air hit them first, followed by the unmistakable sensation of standing on a gently rocking deck. The transformed group found themselves aboard the RMS Titanic, complete with period-appropriate clothing that had replaced their modern attire.
"What the hell?!" Conner exclaimed, looking down at his stiff formal suit with obvious discomfort.
Artemis was now wearing an elaborate early 20th century gown, complete with corset that made her gasp for breath. "Klarion, I'm going to kill you!"
"My sister, the refined society lady." Cheshire commented dryly, fingering the beaded details of her own elegant dress. "How quaint."
M'gann, despite herself, seemed delighted by her elaborate gown and hat. "This is... actually quite beautiful craftsmanship."
"Thank you!" Klarion appeared beside them, looking absurdly pleased with himself in a first-class gentleman's outfit, Teekl now sporting a small bowtie around her neck. "I've put us all in first class, of course. Only the best for my friends!"
"We're not your friends." Psimon muttered, tugging at his stiff collar. "And I look ridiculous."
Indeed, Psimon's exposed brain was now covered by a top hat, which looked constantly in danger of popping off due to the pressure beneath.
Wally, meanwhile, was spinning around taking everything in, his eyes wide with amazement despite the situation. "Dude, this is insane! We're actually on the Titanic! The details are incredible!"
Terra, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. "Isn't this the boat that sinks? With all the freezing water and death?"
That sobered everyone quickly.
"Relax!" Klarion waved dismissively. "We're not going to experience the whole movie. Just the fun parts!"
"Define 'fun parts,'" Artemis demanded.
"Well." Klarion's grin turned mischievous, "first, we need to assign roles."
With a snap of his fingers, small name cards appeared hovering in front of each of them.
Wally's read "Jack Dawson."
Artemis's read "Rose DeWitt Bukater."
Conner's card said "Cal Hockley."
M'gann's said "Ruth DeWitt Bukater."
Terra was labeled "Molly Brown."
Psimon unhappily discovered he was "Thomas Andrews."
Cheshire found herself cast as "The Countess of Rothes."
Klarion's own card read "Captain Edward Smith" while Teekl was designated "Ship's Cat."
"You have got to be kidding me." Artemis growled, crumpling her card in her fist. "I am not playing out some romantic scene with Wally for your entertainment, Klarion!"
Wally, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear. "I don't know, Artemis. Could be fun to be the hero who gets the girl."
"You've got the girl in real life." she reminded him with a glare.
"Yeah, but I've never gotten to draw you like one of my French girls." he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Artemis punched him hard in the arm.
"OW! I was joking!" Wally protested, rubbing his bicep.
Conner looked at his card with distaste. "So I'm the bad guy? The rich jerk?"
"Typecasting." Klarion shrugged. "You've got that brooding thing down pat."
"And I'm Rose's mother?" M'gann looked between herself and Artemis with confusion. "But we're the same age!"
"It's acting, darling." Klarion affected a theatrical accent. "Besides, you're a shapeshifter. You can play any age!"
"Why am I the ship designer who goes down with his vessel?" Psimon demanded.
"Because you're both bald?" Klarion suggested innocently, then cackled.
Terra examined her card curiously. "Who's Molly Brown?"
"The 'Unsinkable' Molly Brown!" Klarion explained. "A nouveau riche who survived the sinking. One of the fun characters."
"At least someone gets a survivor." Artemis muttered.
"Now." Klarion clapped his hands together, "the movie must go on! Let's skip to the good parts, shall we?"
With another snap of his fingers, the scene around them shimmered and changed. They found themselves at the grand staircase under the magnificent glass dome of the Titanic, surrounded by the elite of 1912 society preparing for dinner.
"I hate formal dinners." Conner grumbled as he suddenly found himself escorting Artemis down the staircase.
"Just play along until we figure out how to get out of this." she whispered back.
Wally appeared at the bottom of the stairs, looking uncomfortably scrubbed up in a borrowed dinner jacket, his hair slicked back in a style that made Artemis snort with laughter despite herself.
"What?" he asked, genuinely confused.
"Nothing, Jack." she emphasized the name, trying to suppress her giggles. "You clean up... interestingly."
The dinner scene progressed with surprising fluidity, as if they all somehow knew what to do or say, guided by invisible cues from the movie itself. M'gann found herself adopting Ruth's haughty demeanor with surprising ease, while Terra embraced Molly Brown's outspoken nature, seeming to enjoy the chance to be boisterous and admired.
Psimon, despite his protests, actually appeared to be taking some pleasure in expounding on the engineering marvels of the ship, perhaps enjoying the rare opportunity to be respected and listened to.
Cheshire remained silent for the most part, observing everyone with sardonic amusement from behind her champagne glass.
Klarion, playing the captain, kept inserting dramatic warnings about icebergs that weren't in the script, causing confused looks from the others.
"Captain Smith didn't know about the iceberg danger yet." Artemis hissed at him during a lull in conversation.
"I'm improvising." Klarion replied defensively. "That's what good actors do."
Before anyone could argue further, the scene shifted again. Now they were at the famous party in third class, with raucous music playing and people dancing energetically around them.
"Now we're talking!" Wally exclaimed, grabbing Artemis's hand. "Come on, Rose, let me show you how the real people party!"
Despite her initial resistance, Artemis found herself being swept up in the high-energy dancing. The music was infectious, and soon she was spinning around the floor with Wally, both of them laughing as they attempted the period-appropriate dance moves.
"Admit it, this is kind of fun!" Wally shouted over the music.
"I will admit nothing." Artemis replied, but she couldn't hide her smile as he lifted her in a spin.
Meanwhile, Terra had discovered the beer and was drinking enthusiastically, while Psimon looked on with disapproval. "You're playing a grown woman, but you're still a minor in reality." he pointed out.
"Oh, shut up, Brain-Case." Terra replied. "It's not real beer. None of this is real!"
"Tell that to my hangover tomorrow." Klarion cackled, also drinking deeply from a pint.
M'gann and Conner stood awkwardly at the edge of the festivities, neither quite sure what to do with their stuffy upper-class roles in this scene.
"Want to dance anyway?" M'gann suggested. "I don't think Cal and Ruth would, but..."
Conner nodded, a small smile breaking through his perpetual scowl. "Yeah, let's break character."
As they joined the dancing, Cheshire materialized beside Klarion, who was now perched on a table conducting the band with exaggerated movements.
"What's your real game here, Witch Boy?" she asked quietly. "This isn't just about movies."
Klarion glanced at her, his manic grin faltering slightly. "Can't a Lord of Chaos just want to have FUN with his frenemies?"
"No." she replied flatly.
Klarion sighed dramatically. "Fine. Maybe I was a little lonely. Maybe I thought this would be more entertaining than causing random disasters. And maybe..." he glanced around to make sure no one else was listening, "I was hoping Zatanna would be here."
"Ah." Cheshire nodded knowingly. "The magician girl. You have a crush."
"I do not!" Klarion protested, his pale cheeks coloring slightly. "I just think she's... Interesting. Magically speaking."
"Right." Cheshire smirked behind her mask. "Very convincing."
Before Klarion could retort, the scene shifted again. Now they were on the bow of the ship, the famous "king of the world" scene set against a spectacular sunset.
"Oh no." Artemis groaned as she found herself standing with Wally at the railing.
"Oh yes." Wally grinned, spreading his arms wide. "I'm the king of the world!" he shouted into the wind, his voice carrying across the open ocean.
Despite herself, Artemis laughed at his enthusiasm. "You're such a dork."
"Yes, but I'm your dork." he replied, turning to face her. "Now I think this is the part where we kiss dramatically while the sun sets."
"In your dreams, Dawson." she retorted, but there was no real rejection in her tone.
"Every night, Rose." he winked, then pulled her close for a kiss that she returned with surprising enthusiasm.
From his vantage point on the upper deck, Klarion made gagging noises. "Too sappy! Fast forward!"
The scene blurred again, but instead of moving to another moment from the film, everything suddenly began to shake violently. The ship lurched to one side, throwing everyone off balance.
"What's happening?" Terra yelled, grabbing onto a railing to steady herself.
"Oh boy." Wally's eyes widened. "I think we hit the iceberg!"
"Already?" Artemis looked to Klarion with alarm. "I thought you said we were only doing the fun parts!"
Klarion looked genuinely confused, his control over the scenario apparently slipping. "This isn't me! The narrative is taking over!"
The ship continued to shudder, and icy water began spilling onto the lower decks.
"We need to get out of this movie, now!" Conner shouted, helping M'gann stay upright as the deck tilted further.
"I'm trying!" Klarion shouted back, his hands glowing with chaotic energy as he attempted to wrest back control. Teekl yowled in alarm, clinging to his shoulder with extended claws.
Psimon, in a rare moment of cooperation, stepped forward. "Let me help. Two mental powers might break through whatever's happening."
"Fine, Baldy, but don't try anything tricky." Klarion warned, allowing Psimon to stand beside him.
Together, they concentrated, red chaos magic mingling with Psimon's psychic energy. The ship scene began to waver around them, like reality itself was becoming unstable.
"It's working!" M'gann called out. "Keep going!"
With a final surge of power and a sound like reality tearing, the Titanic dissolved around them. For a moment, they floated in a void of swirling colors before crashing back into the theater seats they'd started in.
"Well." Wally said, breaking the stunned silence as they all checked themselves—back in their normal clothes, completely dry. "That was intense."
"What happened?" Terra demanded, turning on Klarion. "I thought you were in control of this whole thing!"
Klarion looked genuinely rattled, stroking Teekl who was bristling with residual fear. "The movie's narrative was stronger than I anticipated. It wanted to follow its own story."
"Great." Artemis groaned. "So we almost died because you didn't think your magical movie tour through completely."
"Nobody was going to die." Klarion insisted, though he didn't sound entirely convinced. "But perhaps we need a movie with a happier ending for our next feature."
"Next feature?" Conner stood up angrily. "No way. We're done here."
Klarion's expression darkened, his fun momentarily spoiled. "We're done when I say we're done, Superboy. Or have you forgotten who's in charge here?"
The tensions in the room rose instantly, everyone readying themselves for a potential fight. But before things could escalate, Psimon, of all people, intervened.
"Perhaps." he suggested carefully, "a more... romantic adventure would be easier to control? Less catastrophic endings to worry about."
Klarion considered this, his anger fading as quickly as it had flared. "Hmm... you might be right. And I know just the one!"
With a snap of his fingers, the theater screen lit up again, this time showing the title: "The Princess Bride."
"Oh no." Artemis muttered. "Not again."
But the red energy was already swirling around them, pulling them into the next cinematic adventure, whether they wanted it or not.
Chapter 4: Inconceivable Adventures
Chapter Text
"Farm boy... fetch me that pitcher."
Artemis found herself saying these words before she even realized what was happening. She was standing in a rustic farmhouse kitchen, wearing a simple country dress, her hair loose around her shoulders.
Across the room, Wally turned to her with a knowing smile, dressed in the worn clothes of a farm laborer. "As you wish." he replied, his eyes never leaving hers as he handed her the pitcher.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Artemis groaned internally, suddenly recognizing the scene. "I'm Buttercup? Seriously?"
Outside the farmhouse window, she could see Klarion floating cross-legged in the air, munching on popcorn while Teekl perched on his shoulder. He gave her a jaunty wave when he caught her glaring at him.
"I heard that thought!" he called through the window. "And yes, you're Buttercup! You and Speedy already have the tragic romance thing down pat!"
"Our romance isn't tragic!" Artemis shouted back.
"It's Wally, not Speedy!" Wally corrected simultaneously.
Klarion just cackled and continued watching.
As with the Titanic, the scenes began to play out with them as unwilling actors, though this time Klarion kept things moving at a brisk pace, skipping through the early parts of the story.
One moment Artemis was on the farm, the next she found herself engaged to Conner, who was now Prince Humperdinck, complete with royal attire and a ridiculous mustache that made it nearly impossible for her to keep a straight face.
"Stop laughing." Conner muttered as they stood in an ornate throne room. "This isn't my fault."
"I know, I know." Artemis struggled to compose herself. "But that mustache..."
Meanwhile, Wally discovered he had been transformed into the Dread Pirate Roberts, dressed all in black with a mask covering the upper half of his face.
"Now this is more like it!" he exclaimed, admiring his new outfit and the sword at his hip. "I look awesome!"
Somewhere in the countryside, M'gann found herself transformed into Fezzik the giant, suddenly towering over everyone else in her vicinity.
"This is... different." she commented, looking down at her massive hands. While she could shapeshift naturally, this forced transformation gave her an oddly disorienting perspective.
Terra was even less pleased to discover she had been cast as Vizzini, the Sicilian criminal mastermind. "I'm the short, bald guy with the annoying voice?" she complained. "How is that fair?"
"Because you're both devious!" Klarion shouted from above, still floating along as an observer rather than a participant. "And betrayers!"
Terra's face darkened at the accusation, rocks beginning to rise from the ground around her, but before she could retaliate, the scene shifted again.
Psimon, much to his dismay, found himself playing the role of Count Rugen, the six-fingered man. He kept staring at his hands in disgust. "This is anatomically disturbing." he muttered.
Cheshire, perhaps most appropriately cast, had become Inigo Montoya, complete with Spanish accent and vendetta. She seemed to be the only one actually enjoying her role, practicing sword flourishes with surprising skill.
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." she recited with evident relish, pointing her sword at Psimon, who backed away nervously.
"She's getting way too into this." Artemis commented to Wally as they watched from the sidelines of this particular scene.
"I think it hits a little close to home for her." Wally replied quietly. "The whole revenge thing."
The movie continued to progress through its famous scenes—the battle of wits with iocane powder, the encounter with the R.O.U.S. (Rodents Of Unusual Size) in the Fire Swamp, which Teekl seemed particularly enthused about, launching herself at the giant rat creatures with predatory glee, and eventually to the climactic confrontations in Prince Humperdinck's castle.
By this point, everyone had reluctantly embraced their roles to some degree. Wally was hamming it up as the heroic Westley, sword fighting with exaggerated flair and delivering deadpan lines with surprising comic timing.
"Drop... your... sword." he instructed Conner during their confrontation scene, despite being ostensibly too weak to stand.
Conner, looking thoroughly uncomfortable as the villainous prince, glanced at Klarion hovering nearby. "Do I really have to play this out? He's not even holding a weapon anymore."
"YES!" Klarion insisted. "It's a classic moment!"
With a resigned sigh, Conner dropped his sword and allowed himself to be ordered into a chair where Wally proceeded to deliver the famous "to the pain" speech, barely containing his grin throughout.
"I'm not going to tie you up or anything." Conner muttered once the scene had played out.
"Spoilsport." Wally replied with a wink.
Meanwhile, Cheshire was thoroughly enjoying her climactic confrontation with Psimon, chasing him through the castle corridors while repeatedly demanding he prepare to die.
"This is cathartic." she called out to Artemis as she ran past, brandishing her sword.
"Don't actually hurt him!" Artemis shouted back, though she didn't sound particularly concerned.
Psimon, for his part, looked genuinely terrified, his psychic powers seemingly inactive within the confines of the movie reality.
"Klarion! Control your creation!" he pleaded as he narrowly avoided another slash from Cheshire's blade.
"Where's the fun in that?" Klarion replied, floating alongside them as Cheshire cornered Psimon against a wall.
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Cheshire repeated, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper as she raised her sword for the final blow.
Just before she could strike, the scene froze, everyone suddenly immobilized except for Klarion and Teekl.
"What are you doing?" the Witch Boy demanded, poking at Cheshire's frozen form. "You were supposed to wound him dramatically, not actually kill him!"
No one could respond, locked as they were in their frozen tableau.
Klarion sighed dramatically. "Fine. I guess we're done with this movie before someone gets carried away."
With a wave of his hand, the castle scene dissolved around them, and once again they found themselves back in the theater seats.
"That was actually kind of fun." Wally admitted, stretching his arms above his head.
"Speak for yourself." Psimon muttered, checking himself for sword wounds despite the fact that their movie injuries hadn't transferred to reality.
Terra was scowling, still obviously offended by her casting. "I am nothing like that Vizzini character."
"Aren't you though?" Klarion countered, floating above his seat. "Always thinking you're the smartest person in the room, making plans, betraying people who trust you?"
"Shut up." Terra snapped, a dangerous tremor running through the theater floor.
M'gann quickly intervened. "Let's not fight. What movie is next, Klarion? Something less... antagonistic perhaps?"
Klarion tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I was thinking we need something with more action. Less romance, more adventure!"
The screen flickered to life again, this time showing a weathered fedora and a coiled whip.
"Indiana Jones?" Artemis recognized the imagery immediately. "Which one?"
"The Last Crusade!" Klarion announced. "My favorite. It has everything—Nazis to punch, ancient relics, father-son dynamics, and immortality!"
"Of course you'd like the one about immortality." Conner grumbled.
"I do enjoy a good archaeology adventure." Psimon commented unexpectedly, earning surprised looks from everyone. "What? I have interests outside of mind control, you know."
"That's the spirit, Psimon!" Klarion clapped delightedly. "Now, let's see who gets to be who this time..."
Before anyone could protest further, the screen expanded once more, red energy swirling around them as they were pulled into their third cinematic adventure.
Chapter 5: The Last Chaos Crusade
Chapter Text
The hot desert sun beat down mercilessly as Wally found himself standing in the midst of an archaeological dig site, wearing khaki clothes, a leather jacket, and the iconic fedora. A bullwhip hung at his side, and he immediately broke into a grin when he realized his role.
"I'm Indiana Jones? Awesome!" he exclaimed, adjusting the hat to a jaunty angle. "I've always wanted to try this..."
With more enthusiasm than skill, he uncoiled the whip and attempted to crack it dramatically. Instead, it wrapped around his own legs, sending him toppling into the dust.
Nearby, Artemis burst into laughter. "Very smooth, Dr. Jones."
She was dressed in the crisp outfit of Dr. Elsa Schneider, the film's ambiguous female lead who worked for both the Americans and the Nazis.
"I'm the Nazi sympathizer?" she asked incredulously, examining her costume. "Klarion!"
The Witch Boy appeared, lounging in a director's chair that definitely didn't belong in 1938, with Teekl wearing a tiny pith helmet. "Yes?"
"Why am I always the love interest?" Artemis demanded. "And this time a villain?"
"Because it's funny." Klarion replied simply. "Besides, Elsa is complex. She's not just a villain."
"She literally tries to steal the Holy Grail and falls to her death." Artemis pointed out.
"Details, details." Klarion waved dismissively. "Let's see who else we have..."
Around the dig site, the others were discovering their roles. Conner had been cast as Indiana's father, Henry Jones Sr., complete with round spectacles and a tweed suit that made him look thoroughly uncomfortable in the desert heat.
"I'm... older than Wally?" he asked, confused. "That makes no sense."
"It's the dynamic that matters." Klarion explained. "You're both grumpy and serious."
M'gann, meanwhile, found herself transformed into Marcus Brody, Indy's bumbling museum colleague. "Why am I playing an elderly human man?" she asked, touching her now-bald head in surprise.
"Because you're both sweet and get lost easily." Klarion replied with a grin.
"I do not get lost easily!" M'gann protested.
"Remember that time in the Bialyan desert?" Conner reminded her gently.
"I had amnesia!" she countered.
Psimon discovered he had been cast as Walter Donovan, the film's main villain. He nodded with something close to satisfaction. "At least I'm not cannon fodder this time."
Terra looked down at herself in confusion, now dressed as a Nazi officer. "Who am I supposed to be?"
"Colonel Vogel." Klarion informed her. "He's tough and ruthless and gets his face run over by a tank."
"Great." Terra muttered.
Cheshire appeared in the guise of Sallah, Indy's Egyptian friend and ally. "Really?" she asked flatly. "The jolly sidekick?"
"I thought about making you the Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword guy who says 'The quest for the cup of Christ has begun,'" Klarion admitted, "but Sallah gets more screen time."
Once everyone had oriented themselves to their new roles, the adventure began in earnest. Unlike the previous movies, Klarion allowed this one to unfold more naturally, following the film's progression with fewer skips and jumps.
They experienced the Venice library scene, where Wally/Indy and Artemis/Elsa discovered the knight's tomb and its clues. The catacombs beneath filled with petroleum-soaked rats provided a genuine thrill as they raced to escape the inferno.
"This is actually kind of exciting!" M'gann admitted as they emerged from the burning library.
"Speak for yourself." Conner grumbled, adjusting his ill-fitting tweed suit. "I keep having to pretend I'm old enough to be Kid Flash's father."
"That's DR. Jones to you, Dad." Wally replied with a smirk, tipping his fedora.
The adventure continued through the castle in Austria where Henry Jones Sr. was being held captive. Cheshire, embracing her role as Sallah with surprising enthusiasm, provided getaway transportation when needed, while Terra threw herself into playing the Nazi officer with alarming zeal.
"You're enjoying this a little too much." Artemis commented as Terra barked orders at some movie-generated Nazi extras.
"It's just acting." Terra shrugged, but there was an unsettling gleam in her eye. "Besides, they all get defeated in the end, right?"
"Right..." Artemis replied, not entirely convinced.
The most entertaining scene came during the zeppelin escape, where Conner, as Henry Jones Sr., was required to impersonate a Scottish lord with an exaggerated accent.
"This is ridiculous." he protested. "I can't do accents."
"Just try." Klarion encouraged from his floating director's chair. "It's one of the funniest parts!"
With evident reluctance, Conner cleared his throat and attempted a Scottish brogue that was so terrible it actually circled back around to being hilarious. "My son and I would like to get off this airship!"
Everyone, including Psimon, burst into surprised laughter at the normally stoic Superboy attempting such an outlandish performance.
"I hate all of you." Conner muttered, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
The tank chase through the desert provided another highlight, with Wally enthusiastically swinging from the tank's gun barrel while Terra, as Colonel Vogel, engaged him in combat on top of the moving vehicle.
"This is for casting me as a Nazi!" Terra shouted, throwing a surprisingly real punch that Wally barely dodged.
"Hey! That's not in the script!" he protested, ducking another swing.
"I'm improvising." Terra replied with a grin that was a little too wild for comfort.
Before things could get out of hand, Klarion intervened, freezing the scene temporarily. "Save the real fighting for later, Earth-Mover. We have a holy grail to find!"
The final sequence in the Canyon of the Crescent Moon brought their adventure to its climax. The temple carved into the rock face loomed before them, with Psimon/Donovan holding Conner at gunpoint to force Wally to navigate the booby traps.
"Only the penitent man will pass." Wally muttered, remembering the first challenge. "The penitent man kneels before God!"
He dropped to his knees just as razor-sharp blades swung out from the walls, passing harmlessly over his head.
"That was actually kind of cool." he admitted, climbing back to his feet.
The Word of God floor puzzle provided another tense moment, with Wally carefully hopping from letter to letter to spell out "Jehovah" (or rather, "Iehova" in Latin).
"J... E... H..." he began, before Conner shouted from behind him.
"In Latin, it begins with an I, not a J!"
"Right, right." Wally corrected himself, barely avoiding a collapsing floor tile. "I knew that."
The invisible bridge across the chasm gave everyone pause, even knowing it was just a movie construct.
"You want me to step out onto nothing?" Wally looked down at the seemingly bottomless abyss before him.
"It's a leap of faith." Klarion reminded him, genuinely invested in the scene.
With a deep breath, Wally extended his foot... and found solid ground where there appeared to be nothing but air.
"Whoa." he breathed, carefully making his way across the invisible bridge. "This is trippy."
Finally, they reached the chamber of the Grail, where the ancient knight guardian awaited them. Psimon/Donovan rushed forward, greedily selecting the most ornate chalice from among the collection.
"The true Grail will bring life." the knight warned, "but the false Grail will take it from you."
Ignoring this, Psimon drank from his chosen cup, then let out a horrifying scream as his movie body began to age rapidly, decomposing before their eyes until nothing remained but dust.
"That was... graphic." M'gann commented, looking slightly queasy.
"It's one of the best death scenes in cinema!" Klarion enthused, clapping his hands delightedly. "Now choose wisely, Indy!"
Wally examined the remaining cups, eventually selecting a simple wooden chalice. "The cup of a carpenter." he explained. "Jesus was a carpenter, so his cup would be humble, not made of gold."
He filled the cup with water and brought it to Conner, who had been "shot" as part of the movie's plot. As soon as Conner drank, his wound magically healed.
"It works!" Wally exclaimed with genuine surprise, as if he hadn't known the outcome.
Artemis/Elsa stepped forward then, her eyes fixed on the Grail. "Immortality." she whispered, reaching for the cup.
For a moment, it seemed as though she might deviate from the script, but then she performed her character's greedy attempt to take the Grail beyond the seal, causing the temple to begin collapsing.
The ground split open beneath her feet, and she found herself dangling over a seemingly endless chasm, with Wally desperately holding onto her hand.
"Let it go, Elsa!" he shouted over the rumbling of the collapsing temple.
"I can't reach it!" she replied, her free hand straining toward the fallen Grail just beyond her reach.
"Elsa! ELSA!" Wally called, but her hand slipped from his grasp, and she fell with a convincing scream into the abyss.
The temple continued to collapse around them as Wally, Conner, Cheshire, and M'gann made their dramatic escape, riding out on horseback just as the entrance crumbled behind them.
As the dust settled, they found themselves looking back at the ruined temple, the adventure concluded.
"That was actually... pretty fun." Artemis admitted, somehow back with the group despite her character's demise.
"Right?" Klarion floated down to join them, his eyes bright with excitement. "And nobody tried to kill each other for real this time!"
"I think we're getting the hang of this." Wally agreed, still wearing his Indiana Jones hat and looking reluctant to part with it.
"So." Klarion clapped his hands together, "ready for the next feature?"
Before anyone could respond, the desert scene dissolved around them, and they found themselves back in the theater once more.
"I vote for a break." M'gann suggested quickly. "Maybe some real refreshments?"
"Boring." Klarion pouted, but after a moment's consideration, he nodded. "Fine. Ten minute intermission. But don't even think about trying to escape. This theater exists in a pocket dimension, and only I can open the way out."
As if to emphasize his point, Teekl hopped down from his shoulder and transformed into a much larger, more menacing cat form, prowling around the perimeter of the theater with glowing eyes.
"Great." Conner muttered. "Trapped in a movie marathon with a chaos lord and his super-cat."
"Could be worse." Wally shrugged, helping himself to more of the magical popcorn. "At least the snacks are good."
Chapter 6: Phantom Menaces and Secret Agents
Chapter Text
The intermission passed quickly, with everyone taking the opportunity to stretch their legs and discuss their predicament in hushed tones. Klarion, for his part, seemed genuinely pleased with how things were going, floating around the theater making small adjustment to the decor with casual flicks of his wrist.
"So what's our plan here?" Conner asked the others as they huddled near the concession stand. "We just keep playing along until he gets bored?"
"It seems to be the safest option for now." M'gann replied. "I've been trying to reach the Team telepathically, but something about this pocket dimension is blocking my powers."
"Same with mine." Psimon added unexpectedly, joining their conversation. "I can't extend my psychic reach beyond these walls."
"Why are you even telling us this?" Artemis asked suspiciously. "Aren't you supposed to be our enemy?"
Psimon gave her a withering look. "Right now, I'm as much a prisoner in this childish game as you are. Temporary alliance seems prudent."
"He's not wrong." Cheshire commented, examining her nails with apparent disinterest. "The enemy of my enemy, and all that."
Terra, who had been sitting alone, finally approached the group. "So what's the verdict? Fight or play along?"
"Play along." Wally decided, speaking for the group. "At least until we see an opening. Besides, it's just movies. Could be worse—he could have thrown us into a combat simulation or something."
"Don't give him ideas." Artemis warned, glancing over at Klarion who was now adjusting the theater seats to be even more comfortable, apparently unconcerned by their plotting.
"Intermission's over!" the Witch Boy announced suddenly, clapping his hands together. "Everyone back to their seats for our next feature!"
As they reluctantly returned to their places, the massive screen flickered to life once more. The familiar opening crawl of Star Wars appeared, along with the iconic theme music.
"Star Wars?" Wally perked up despite himself. "Which one?"
Klarion's grin widened maliciously. "Episode I: The Phantom Menace!"
A collective groan rose from almost everyone in the theater.
"Of all the Star Wars movies, you picked the worst one?" Artemis complained.
"That's debatable." Wally countered. "I mean, Attack of the Clones had that awful romance dialogue..."
"You would defend the prequels." Artemis rolled her eyes.
"Hey! They have their moments!" Wally protested. "The lightsaber choreography was peak—"
"SILENCE!" Klarion interrupted their bickering. "I selected Phantom Menace because it has podracing, cool lightsaber fights, AND a two-headed announcer, which I find hilarious."
"Still doesn't make it good." Conner muttered.
"Everyone’s a critic." Klarion huffed. "Let's see if you maintain that attitude when you're in it!"
With a dramatic gesture, he sent the swirling red energy out from the screen once more, enveloping them all and transporting them into the Star Wars universe.
The Trade Federation control ship hummed with mechanical activity as Wally and Conner found themselves in Jedi robes, standing outside a conference room door.
"I've got a bad feeling about this." Wally said automatically, then grinned. "Hey, I always wanted to say that line in context!"
Conner looked down at his Jedi outfit with resignation. "Let me guess, I'm Qui-Gon Jinn and you're Obi-Wan?"
"The beard suits you." Wally teased, gesturing to the facial hair Conner had suddenly acquired.
Before they could continue their conversation, a protocol droid approached them. "My masters will be with you shortly." it informed them before walking away.
"At least we're starting at the beginning." Conner sighed. "Though I'm not looking forward to Jar Jar Binks."
Almost on cue, gas began pouring into their waiting area, and they found themselves instinctively holding their breath and drawing their lightsabers—glowing energy blades that hummed with power as they activated.
"Okay, this is pretty cool." Wally admitted, admiring his blue blade.
Battle droids appeared, and the two found themselves deflecting blaster bolts with surprising skill—their bodies seemingly knowing what to do even if their minds were unprepared.
The scene progressed rapidly, with them escaping the Trade Federation ship and landing on Naboo, where they encountered the rest of their transformed companions.
M'gann, to her visible dismay, had been transformed into Jar Jar Binks. "Meesa think this is terrible casting, yes?" she said, her voice altered to match the Gungan's distinctive speech pattern.
"Sorry, Green Cheeks." Wally tried to suppress a laugh and failed. "But it's kind of hilarious."
Terra had become Queen Amidala, elaborate headdress and all, with layers of ornate makeup covering her face. "I can barely move my head in this thing." she complained, attempting to turn and finding herself restricted by the costume.
Artemis appeared as one of the Queen's handmaidens, Padmé's disguise. "At least I'm not playing a romantic lead this time." she noted with some relief.
Psimon discovered he had been cast as Darth Sidious, which seemed to please him greatly. "Finally, a role worthy of my intellect." he remarked, pulling up the hood of his dark robe to shadow his exposed brain.
Cheshire found herself transformed into Darth Maul, complete with red and black facial markings and double-bladed lightsaber. She experimentally twirled the weapon, looking impressed with its balance despite its fictional nature.
"I could get used to this." she admitted, admiring the red energy blades.
Klarion himself had taken the role of Watto, the junk dealer, hovering above the ground with his small wings flapping. Teekl had been transformed into a small alien creature that followed him around, occasionally making strange chirping noises.
"Why am I the greedy junk dealer?" Klarion complained, apparently unhappy with his own casting.
"Because you're both annoying." Artemis suggested with a smirk.
The adventure unfolded through the key scenes of the film—their escape from Naboo, the arrival on Tatooine, and the discovery of young Anakin Skywalker, played by a computer-generated character since they were one person short.
The podracing sequence provided some genuine excitement, with everyone watching from the stands as the CGI Anakin navigated the dangerous course.
"I've gotta say." Wally commented as they watched, "this part of the movie actually holds up pretty well."
"The sound design is impressive." Conner agreed reluctantly. "I can feel the engines vibrating."
Even Psimon seemed engaged, leaning forward slightly as the race reached its climax. "The technical achievement is remarkable for its time." he observed academically.
After Anakin's victory and liberation, the story moved to Coruscant and eventually to the film's climax on Naboo, where the battle against the Trade Federation droids commenced.
Cheshire, as Darth Maul, seemed to relish the lightsaber duel against Wally and Conner, her natural combat skills enhancing the choreography to create a truly spectacular fight.
"You're enjoying this too much." Wally commented as he parried a strike from her double-bladed saber.
"Consider it payback for The Princess Bride." Cheshire replied smoothly, executing a flawless acrobatic move that sent her sailing over their heads.
The duel progressed through the Naboo palace, eventually reaching the energy gate corridor where Wally found himself separated from Conner and Cheshire by the timing barriers.
"This is where Obi-Wan has to watch Qui-Gon die." he realized, genuinely concerned for a moment before remembering it was all fiction.
Sure enough, the scene played out with Cheshire/Maul impaling Conner/Qui-Gon with her lightsaber. Conner gave a convincing performance of death, collapsing to the ground as Wally watched helplessly from behind the energy barrier.
When the barrier finally opened, Wally charged forward with genuine emotion, engaging Cheshire in a furious duel that ended with him using Conner's lightsaber to cut her in half, sending her falling down the reactor shaft.
"That was... intense." Wally admitted, breathing heavily as he knelt beside Conner's "dying" form to hear his final request to train Anakin.
As the movie concluded with the victory celebration on Naboo, they all found themselves back in the theater seats once more, the Star Wars adventure complete.
"I still say it's not the best Star Wars film." Artemis commented, "but it was more fun than I expected."
"The lightsaber was awesome." Cheshire added, looking like she genuinely missed the weapon.
"See? Even the prequels have their merits." Klarion argued triumphantly. "Now, for something completely different..."
The screen changed again, now showing the iconic gun barrel sequence that opened every James Bond film.
"007?" Wally guessed, immediately interested. "Which one?"
"Tomorrow Never Dies." Klarion announced. "It has everything—gadgets, martial arts, a submarine, and a media villain!"
"At least it's not Die Another Day." Artemis remarked dryly. "That invisible car was ridiculous."
"Ready?" Klarion didn't wait for responses before sending them spiraling into their fifth cinematic adventure of the day.
The cold water of the South China Sea shocked Wally as he found himself swimming underwater toward a terrorist arms bazaar. He was dressed in a tactical wetsuit, with various spy gadgets attached to his belt.
"I'm James Bond." he realized with delight, swimming toward his objective. "This is the coolest one yet!"
Upon reaching his destination and planting his explosives, he emerged into the arms bazaar itself, now dressed immaculately in a tuxedo that somehow remained perfectly dry and pressed.
"How does that even work?" he wondered, adjusting his bow tie with a grin.
The scene played out with Wally/Bond observing the illegal arms deals through a digital camera that doubled as a weapon. When gunfire broke out, he found himself engaging in combat with startling proficiency, his body moving with the trained reflexes of a master spy.
After a narrow escape involving a fighter jet and the timely detonation of his explosives, the scene shifted to MI6 headquarters in London. There, Wally discovered that M was being played by M'gann, who had apparently been relieved to leave Jar Jar behind.
"007, your recklessness continues to be both your greatest asset and liability." she informed him with surprising authority, despite looking like a green-skinned teenage girl in M's conservative attire.
"Sorry, M, won't happen again." Wally replied with a charming smile that suggested it absolutely would happen again.
Moneypenny was portrayed by Terra, who seemed thoroughly unimpressed with the flirtatious banter her role required. "If you make one more innuendo, I'm going to drop a boulder on you, Bond." she warned after delivering her scripted lines.
The adventure continued with Wally investigating the mysterious sinking of a British warship, which led him to the headquarters of the Carver Media Group. There, he encountered Artemis as Paris Carver, his former lover now married to the villain.
"We meet again, James." she said with exaggerated sophistication as they crossed paths at Carver's Hamburg party.
"Paris." Wally/Bond acknowledged with a suave nod. "You look beautiful."
"Oh, please." Artemis broke character momentarily. "This dress is ridiculous. Who fights in something this tight?"
"Bond girls manage somehow." Wally replied with a grin. "Usually while running in high heels."
The main villain, Elliot Carver, was played by Psimon, who seemed to be enjoying his role as the media mogul with delusions of world manipulation. His exposed brain actually enhanced the character's megalomania, giving him an even more sinister appearance.
"Words are the new weapons." he proclaimed during his speech, seeming to savor the line. "Satellites, the new artillery."
Conner had been cast as Jack Wade, Bond's CIA contact, which allowed him to be more casual and less formal than his previous roles. "Finally, regular clothes." he commented, appreciating his simple attire of khakis and a Hawaiian shirt.
Cheshire appeared as the Chinese agent Wai Lin, a role that suited her combat skills perfectly. When Wally and Cheshire found themselves handcuffed together during a motorcycle chase through Saigon, their actual fighting experience made the sequence even more spectacular than in the original film.
"Left!" Cheshire shouted as they weaved through traffic on the motorcycle.
"I know how to drive!" Wally shot back, executing a perfect drift around a corner.
"Debatable." she replied dryly as they narrowly avoided a truck.
Klarion had cast himself as the sadistic Dr. Kaufman, the professional assassin, which allowed him to deliver menacing lines with theatrical glee. Teekl became his silent henchcat, stalking around with an earpiece somehow attached to her furry head.
The climactic confrontation aboard Carver's stealth ship brought everyone together for a final battle. Wally and Cheshire infiltrated the vessel, taking down henchmen with impressive martial arts moves. Psimon/Carver pontificated from his media room while orchestrating the crisis that would have started World War III.
"The difference between truth and fiction?" Psimon delivered the line with chilling conviction. "Fiction has to make sense."
The final confrontation between Wally/Bond and Psimon/Carver ended with the villain being fed into the ship's sea drill—though Klarion mercifully cut away before the graphic details were shown.
As the British Navy arrived to clean up the scene, Wally and Artemis found themselves sharing a tender moment on a rescue raft, fulfilling the obligatory Bond ending.
"I always wonder what Bond does on these missions that we don't see." Wally mused, staying in character.
"You're incorrigible, 007." Artemis replied with a resigned smile.
The scene faded to black, and once again they found themselves back in the theater seats.
"Bond was awesome." Wally declared enthusiastically. "Can we do another one?"
"No." everyone else responded in unison.
"Fine, spoilsports." Klarion pouted. "But we're only halfway through my planned marathon!"
"How many more do we have to endure?" Psimon asked wearily.
"Just five more!" Klarion announced cheerfully. "Next up is something spooky!"
The screen changed to show the ominous opening credits of The Shining, with the aerial shots of a car traveling through mountain roads accompanied by the unsettling synthesizer music.
"Oh no." Artemis groaned. "This was Psimon's recommendation, wasn't it?"
"Indeed." the psychic confirmed with a thin smile. "A psychological masterpiece."
"But it's a horror movie." M'gann pointed out nervously. "With a lot of... disturbing imagery."
"Exactly!" Klarion clapped his hands together with glee. "And you'll all get to experience the Overlook Hotel firsthand!"
Before anyone could protest further, the red energy engulfed them once more, drawing them into the world of Stanley Kubrick's horror classic.
Chapter 7: Shining Terrors and Twisting Winds
Chapter Text
The frigid mountain air bit through their clothing as Wally, Artemis, M'gann and Conner found themselves in a vintage yellow Volkswagen, winding up the road to the isolated Overlook Hotel. Snow blanketed the surrounding landscape, creating a deceptively peaceful scene that belied the horrors awaiting them.
"I really don't like this one." M'gann said nervously, huddled in the back seat. "Can't we skip to something less... psychologically damaging?"
"That's the whole point!" Klarion's disembodied voice echoed around them. "The fear is what makes it fun!"
Wally, now transformed into Jack Torrance, complete with slightly disheveled appearance and disturbing intensity in his eyes, gripped the steering wheel tighter. "I've only seen parts of this movie." he admitted. "Doesn't it end with me trying to axe-murder my family?"
"Spolers!" Klarion's voice chided.
Artemis, sitting beside him as Wendy Torrance, looked equally uncomfortable. "Great. I'm the terrified wife who spends the whole movie screaming and running."
In the back seat, Conner had been transformed into Danny, the couple's young son with psychic abilities. The change in his physical appearance to that of a small boy was jarring, though his expression remained characteristically serious.
"This is just weird." he commented, looking at his diminutive hands.
The scene progressed through the iconic tour of the hotel, with Psimon playing the role of Stuart Ullman, the hotel manager, briefing them on their caretaking duties and only subtly alluding to the previous caretaker who had murdered his family with an axe.
"The isolation affects people differently." Psimon delivered the line with perfect ominous undertone. "Some adversely."
Terra appeared as the chef Dick Hallorann, who shared the psychic "shining" ability with Conner/Danny. Their scene together in the hotel kitchen was particularly effective, with Terra displaying surprising acting range as she explained the hotel's dark history.
"Some places have a shine to them, just like people." she told Conner with unusual gentleness. "This place, it shines the brightest. But not all the shine is good, you understand?"
Cheshire had been cast as Delbert Grady, the ghostly previous caretaker who encourages Jack toward violence. The casting was particularly unsettling, as her natural menace enhanced the role considerably.
"You've always been the caretaker, Mr. Torrance." she whispered to Wally during their bathroom scene, her sister's face somehow more terrifying than Jack Nicholson's original encounter. "You've always been here."
As the story progressed and "winter" set in, the hotel became increasingly isolated by snowstorms, and Wally's character began his descent into madness. The experience became genuinely unsettling as the line between acting and reality blurred within Klarion's pocket dimension.
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Wally found himself typing repeatedly, feeling a disturbing compulsion to continue even when he tried to stop.
"Klarion, this is going too far." Artemis called out when she discovered Wally's obsessive typing. "The psychological effects are too real!"
"That's the beauty of it!" Klarion's voice echoed through the hotel corridors. "You're not just seeing the madness, you're feeling it!"
The horror escalated as Wally began experiencing visions of the hotel's bloody past and increasingly hostile interactions with his "family." The famous "Here's Johnny!" scene approached, with Wally wielding an axe outside the bathroom door where Artemis and Conner had barricaded themselves.
"I'm not doing this!" Wally shouted, trying to resist the role but finding his arms raising the axe regardless. "Klarion, stop it!"
"But we're just getting to the good part!" Klarion protested, appearing briefly in the mirror behind Wally, his reflection showing an eager, ghoulish expression.
As the axe began to splinter the door, M'gann suddenly appeared in the corridor, having broken free of whatever role she'd been assigned.
"ENOUGH!" she shouted, her eyes glowing green as she directed a powerful psychic blast not at Wally but at the fabric of the movie reality itself.
The hotel corridor rippled like disturbed water, and for a moment, the Overlook's nightmarish environment faltered. Klarion appeared fully now, his expression annoyed.
"You're ruining it!" he complained. "The hedge maze chase was going to be so good!"
"This is different from the other movies." M'gann confronted him. "You're not just putting us in scenes, you're making us feel things, influencing our minds. That crosses a line."
Klarion pouted, floating cross-legged in the air. "Fine, FINE! No more psychological horror. You heroes are such spoilsports."
With a dismissive wave of his hand, the Overlook Hotel dissolved around them, and they found themselves back in the theater once more.
"That was... intense." Wally said shakily, running a hand through his hair. "I actually felt like I was losing my mind."
"You were." Psimon confirmed, looking slightly impressed despite himself. "The chaos magic was influencing your neural pathways, creating authentic psychological responses."
"Which is exactly why we needed to stop." M'gann added firmly.
Even Terra looked unsettled. "I don't mind scary movies, but that was different. It felt... real."
Klarion floated down to his seat, Teekl jumping into his lap with a sympathetic purr. "Alright, I admit I may have gotten carried away with that one. Let's try something lighter!"
The screen changed to show the opening credits of Twister, accompanied by images of darkening skies and tornado footage.
"This was my recommendation." Artemis recalled. "At least there's no psychological horror, just regular disaster movie peril."
"With excellent special effects for its time!" Klarion added enthusiastically. "And flying cows! Who doesn't love flying cows?"
Before anyone could object to continuing the marathon, the red energy swirled around them once more, gentler this time as Klarion seemed to be making a concerted effort to be less invasive with his magic.
The Oklahoma plains stretched out endlessly under a deceptively calm blue sky as their small convoy of vehicles raced along rural highways. Storm-chasing equipment was mounted to the vehicles, with weather radar displays blinking inside.
Wally found himself behind the wheel of the lead truck, now transformed into Bill "The Extreme" Harding, tornado researcher and protagonist. "Storm chasing!" he exclaimed with renewed enthusiasm. "This is more like it!"
Beside him sat Artemis as Dr. Jo Harding, his estranged wife and fellow storm researcher. "At least the premise is more straightforward." she conceded. "Chase tornadoes, don't die, try not to fight about our failed marriage."
The rest of the group had been distributed among various members of the storm-chasing team. M'gann became Melissa, Bill's new fiancée who finds herself increasingly out of place among the weather enthusiasts. Conner was cast as Dusty, the enthusiastic photographer with a penchant for inappropriate jokes, which was perhaps the most against-type role he'd had all day.
"Why do I have to be the comic relief?" he grumbled, adjusting the strange hat his character wore.
"Because it's hilarious to see you try to be funny!" Klarion replied, who had cast himself as "The Extreme Sport Drink" mascot that occasionally appeared on t-shirts and billboards throughout the film.
Terra played Dr. Melissa Reeves, the no-nonsense team member who operated much of the technical equipment, while Psimon found himself as Dr. Jonas Miller, the corporate-funded rival storm chaser whom the team derisively nicknamed "The Suck Zone."
"The suck zone is the point at which the twister sucks you up." Psimon delivered his line with surprising dramatic flair, clearly deciding to embrace the role. "That's not a scientific term, of course."
Cheshire had become Eddie, the daredevil driver who seemed perpetually adrenaline-rushed, a role that suited her reckless nature perfectly.
Unlike the previous films, Twister was primarily action-driven, which made it a welcome relief after the psychological intensity of The Shining. The group found themselves chasing massive CGI tornadoes across the Oklahoma landscape, deploying their research device "Dorothy" in attempts to gather data from inside the funnel cloud.
The first tornado chase sequence had them all scrambling out of vehicles and diving into a ditch as debris flew overhead.
"We got cows!" Conner shouted, pointing at the flying bovines in what was perhaps the most animated delivery he'd given all day.
Wally couldn't help but laugh despite the chaos. "Conner actually made a joke! This movie is magical!"
The rivalry between their team and Psimon's "corporate sell-outs" provided an ongoing subplot, with competitive races to tornado sites and increasingly risky behavior to get the best data.
"Jonas, this is crazy!" Wally called out during one particularly dangerous encounter. "You're going to get someone killed!"
"It's all about the data, Bill!" Psimon replied, somehow making the clichéd dialogue sound genuinely menacing. "You know that better than anyone!"
The climactic F5 tornado sequence brought genuine thrills, as they found themselves literally in the midst of a monster storm with winds over 300 miles per hour. Houses disintegrated around them, vehicles were tossed like toys, and they had to chain themselves to underground pipes to avoid being sucked into the vortex.
"This is actually pretty awesome!" Terra shouted over the roaring winds, seeming to genuinely enjoy the destructive force of nature that somewhat mirrored her own powers.
"Speak for yourself!" M'gann replied, clinging desperately to a metal pipe as debris flew past her head.
When they finally succeeded in deploying their research instruments into the heart of the F5, the resulting data stream of thousands of sensors rising within the tornado created a genuinely beautiful moment amid the destruction.
As the storm passed and calm returned, they found themselves standing in the devastated farmland, surveying the aftermath with a mixture of scientific awe and human compassion for the destruction.
"We did it." Artemis said with surprising sincerity, the character's passion for understanding storms momentarily aligning with her own appreciation for significant achievements.
"Yeah." Wally replied, equally earnest. "We sure did."
The scene gently faded around them, returning them to the theater with less dramatic flourish than previous transitions.
"See? Wasn't that refreshing?" Klarion asked, floating above his seat with Teekl perched on his shoulder. "Action, danger, but nobody trying to murder their family!"
"It was definitely an improvement." M'gann agreed cautiously.
"I've always had a soft spot for disaster movies." Artemis admitted. "Though I hate to say you picked a good one after my recommendation."
Klarion beamed with pride. "I knew you'd like it! And we have just three more to go!"
"Three?" Psimon counted on his fingers. "But we've only done six so far. Titanic, Princess Bride, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, The Shining, and Twister."
"Right!" Klarion nodded enthusiastically. "And I have Jurassic Park, The Matrix, and Back to the Future still on the agenda!"
"That's actually not a bad lineup." Wally commented, earning a glare from Artemis. "What? They're classics!"
"If we must continue this cinematic hostage situation, at least dinosaurs are next." Cheshire remarked with dry resignation.
"EXACTLY!" Klarion clapped his hands together. "Who doesn't love dinosaurs?"
The screen illuminated with the iconic Jurassic Park logo as the familiar John Williams score filled the theater.
"Hold onto your butts." Wally quoted with a grin as the red energy began to swirl around them once more.
Chapter 8: Dinos and Dystopias
Chapter Text
The humid air of Isla Nublar hit them first—thick, tropical, and carrying the rich scents of prehistoric vegetation. As the helicopter descended toward the landing pad, they found themselves transformed into the characters of Jurassic Park, gazing out at the lush landscape with a mixture of wonder and trepidation.
"I've always wanted to visit a dinosaur park." Wally remarked, now in the role of Dr. Alan Grant, complete with rugged archaeologist attire and a wide-brimmed hat. "You know, before everything goes horribly wrong and people start getting eaten."
Artemis, transformed into Dr. Ellie Sattler, adjusted her khaki shorts and gave him a sardonic look. "Just try not to be one of the eaten ones."
The helicopter touched down, and they disembarked to find Klarion waiting for them, having cast himself as John Hammond, complete with white beard, safari outfit, and amber-topped walking cane. Teekl perched on his shoulder, wearing tiny round spectacles to complete the look.
"Welcome to Jurassic Park!" Klarion announced grandly, perfectly mimicking Richard Attenborough's enthusiastic delivery. "Spared no expense!"
Conner discovered he had been cast as Dr. Ian Malcolm, the chaos theorist who predicts the park's downfall. The all-black attire and skeptical demeanor actually suited him surprisingly well.
"Life, uh, finds a way." he delivered the famous line with perfect Jeff Goldblum hesitation, then looked surprised at himself. "Why did I say it like that?"
"Because it's iconic!" Klarion explained gleefully. "You can't say it any other way!"
M'gann had become Lex Murphy, Hammond's granddaughter, which reduced her physical age to around twelve. "Back to being a child again." she sighed. "At least I'm not Jar Jar Binks this time."
Terra was cast as Tim Murphy, the dinosaur-obsessed grandson, complete with oversized night vision goggles hanging around her neck. "Why am I always playing kids or old people?" she complained.
"Because you're versatile." Klarion replied unconvincingly.
Psimon found himself transformed into Dennis Nedry, the disgruntled computer programmer who sabotages the park's systems. His exposed brain was now partially covered by a colorful Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, giving him an absurdly mismatched appearance.
"The villain again." he noted wearily. "How predictable."
Cheshire had become Dr. Wu, the chief geneticist, a role that gave her relatively little to do but allowed her to deliver scientific exposition with surprising authority.
"We've engineered them to be female to prevent unauthorized breeding." she explained during the laboratory tour scene. "Life finds a way." she added with a significant glance at Conner, who nodded appreciatively at the callback.
As with their previous adventures, the movie played out with them assuming their roles, though Klarion seemed content to let them retain their self-awareness throughout. The initial tour of the park proceeded with the appropriate sense of wonder, especially when they encountered their first living dinosaur.
The massive Brachiosaurus reared up on its hind legs to feed from a tall tree, its movement and detailing so convincing that even the most skeptical among them found themselves genuinely awestruck.
"It's... beautiful." Artemis whispered, her character's paleobotanist excitement aligning with her own genuine amazement at Klarion's creation.
"They're moving in herds." Wally found himself saying. "They do move in herds."
The wonder continued through the laboratory tour and into the beginning of the automated park tour, with Klarion/Hammond proudly showing off his creations while Conner/Malcolm continued to voice philosophical objections to genetic resurrection.
"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." Conner delivered the line with genuine conviction, earning an approving nod from Psimon of all people.
Of course, things began to go wrong once the tour reached the Tyrannosaurus paddock. As in the film, rain began to fall heavily, and the vehicles stopped as Psimon/Nedry's sabotage took effect, shutting down the park's security systems.
"Stick to the script, stick to the script." Psimon kept muttering to himself as he worked at the computer station, apparently worried about actually bringing down the systems in Klarion's reality.
The iconic T-Rex escape scene provided genuine terror, as the massive predator approached their vehicles with earth-shaking footsteps. The water rippling in cups, the goat leg landing on the sunroof, and the deafening roar were all perfectly recreated, creating an immersive experience far beyond regular filmgoing.
"She can't see us if we don't move." Wally whispered urgently as the T-Rex's massive head lowered to inspect their vehicle. "Her vision is based on movement."
"That's actually a movie invention." Terra/Tim replied automatically. "T-Rex likely had excellent vision. Also, we should definitely be running."
The chase sequence that followed was exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure, with the thundering footsteps of the pursuing T-Rex creating genuine panic as they fled through the rain-soaked park.
Psimon's comeuppance as Nedry provided a gruesome but satisfying moment, with the venomous Dilophosaurus confronting him in his escape vehicle.
"No wonder you're extinct." he delivered the line right before the dinosaur revealed its intimidating neck frill and spat venom at his face. Klarion mercifully cut away before the actual attack, transitioning to the next scene.
The raptors in the kitchen sequence brought another surge of genuine tension, with M'gann and Terra hiding from the intelligent predators in a masterfully crafted game of cat and mouse.
"This is terrifying but kind of amazing." M'gann whispered as they crouched behind a kitchen counter, a raptor's curved claw tapping impatiently on the metal surface just inches away.
The climactic showdown in the visitor center brought everything together, with the T-Rex making a surprise return to attack the raptors just as they had the humans cornered.
"When dinosaurs ruled the Earth." Wally read from the falling banner as they made their escape during the distraction.
As they boarded the helicopter to leave the doomed island, Conner delivered one final Malcolm line with perfect timing: "Hammond, after careful consideration, I've decided not to endorse your park."
"So have I." Klarion replied with a wink, breaking character before returning them all to the theater.
"That was awesome." Wally declared, still buzzing with adrenaline. "The dinosaurs felt so real!"
"Because they were." Klarion explained proudly. "Well, as real as anything is in my pocket dimension. I based them on actual dinosaur DNA I... borrowed... from a parallel Earth."
"That's concerning on multiple levels." Artemis commented.
"I actually enjoyed that one." Conner admitted reluctantly. "Malcolm is a character I can understand."
"Of course you liked the guy who wears all black and predicts disaster." M'gann teased him gently.
"Two more to go!" Klarion announced, floating excitedly above his seat. "And next is one of my ABSOLUTE favorites..."
The screen changed to show green digital code cascading downward before transforming into the title: "The Matrix."
"Oh, this should be interesting." Psimon remarked with unexpected enthusiasm. "A film about the nature of reality and consciousness."
"Plus awesome fight scenes." Wally added.
"And leather. Lots of leather." Artemis noted dryly.
"EXACTLY!" Klarion clapped his hands together. "Reality is an illusion, just like my pocket dimension! It's thematically appropriate!"
Before they could discuss further, the familiar red energy surrounded them, and they were drawn into the world of The Matrix.
Rain streamed down the grimy windows of the abandoned hotel room as Wally, now dressed in Neo's iconic black attire, found himself sitting across from Conner, who had been transformed into Morpheus, complete with small round sunglasses and a long leather coat.
"You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe." Conner intoned with surprising gravity, holding out two pills in his palms. "You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes."
"Considering we're already in Klarion's pocket dimension, I'm not sure how much deeper the rabbit hole can go." Wally quipped, but took the red pill anyway.
The famous "wake up" sequence followed, with Wally experiencing the disturbing realization of being harvested in a liquid-filled pod, then rescued by Conner's crew and brought aboard their hovercraft, the Nebuchadnezzar.
Artemis had been cast as Trinity, Neo's eventual love interest and badass resistance fighter. The sleek leather outfit and slicked-back hair transformed her appearance dramatically.
"I can kick ass in this outfit." she noted approvingly, executing a perfect high kick. "The leather's surprisingly flexible."
M'gann became Tank, the operator who remained in the real world to monitor those jacked into the Matrix. "At least I get to be the tech expert this time instead of comic relief." she commented, examining the complex computer setup with interest.
Terra was cast as Switch, the white-clad crew member with the distinctive binary dialogue, while Psimon found himself as Cypher, the traitor who ultimately betrays the crew—typecasting that he accepted with resigned dignity.
"Ignorance is bliss." he delivered his line about wishing he'd taken the blue pill with convincing weariness.
Cheshire had become Agent Smith, the primary antagonist, a role that suited her intimidating presence perfectly. The transformation gave her an unnervingly neutral expression and the precise, measured movements of the program designed to hunt down humans.
"Mr. Anderson." she greeted Wally with Smith's characteristic contempt, adjusting her dark suit and earpiece with mechanical precision.
Klarion himself appeared as the Merovingian, the flamboyant program who spoke of causality and controlled various aspects of the Matrix. Teekl had become a digital black cat that occasionally glitched, repeating the same movement in a "déjà vu" loop that signaled changes to the system.
"I love watching you." Klarion/Merovingian told Wally during their restaurant scene, his accent a perfect imitation of the film. "Causality. There is no escape from it. We are forever slaves to it."
The training sequences provided some of the most entertaining moments, with Wally learning various martial arts and abilities within the construct program. The famous "I know kung fu" scene had him genuinely surprised when his body executed perfect movements he had never trained for.
"Whoa, I actually do know kung fu!" he exclaimed after performing a flawless spinning kick. "This is amazing!"
"Show me." Conner/Morpheus replied, assuming a fighting stance in the dojo construct.
Their sparring match was spectacular, with both executing impossible jumps, strikes, and blocks that defied the laws of physics. For Wally, whose real-world abilities relied on super-speed rather than martial arts, the experience was particularly novel.
"I'm beginning to believe." he quoted with a grin after nearly landing a hit on Conner.
The iconic "bullet time" sequence gave Artemis her moment to shine, as she executed Trinity's famous suspended kick against a policeman, time slowing to a crawl as she hung in mid-air.
"Now that was cool." she admitted when time resumed its normal flow, genuinely impressed by the effect.
Psimon's betrayal scene as Cypher provided unexpected emotional depth, as he delivered his monologue about the steak not being real but still tasting delicious with genuine philosophical conviction.
"I don't want to remember nothing." he told Cheshire/Agent Smith as part of his deal. "Nothing. You understand? And I want to be rich. You know, someone important... like an actor."
The climactic confrontations escalated through the government building rescue of Morpheus, with Wally and Artemis unleashing an arsenal of weapons during the famous lobby shoot-out scene.
"Guns. Lots of guns." Wally quoted before they entered, the walls opening to reveal an impossible array of firearms.
Their final confrontation with Cheshire/Agent Smith in the subway station brought the action to its peak, with Wally finally embracing his role as "The One" and seeing the coding of the Matrix itself.
"My name... is Neo." he declared before engaging in the final fight sequence, where he matched Cheshire move for move in a blur of impossible martial arts.
When he finally stood victorious and made his famous phone call at the end, speaking of a world without rules or controls, Wally delivered the lines with surprising sincerity.
"I'm going to show these people what you don't want them to see." he told the unseen machines. "I'm going to show them a world without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible."
As he hung up the phone and soared into the sky, the movie ended, returning them all to the theater once more.
"That was incredible." Wally enthused, still feeling the rush of the experience. "The way you could actually feel yourself transcending the rules of physics!"
"It reminded me of my telepathic landscape." M'gann noted thoughtfully. "The way reality becomes malleable when you understand it's all mental."
"It's not dissimilar to chaos magic." Klarion agreed, unusually contemplative. "Reality is more flexible than most people realize."
"Is that why you like movies so much?" Artemis asked, genuinely curious. "Because they're constructed realities like your magic?"
Klarion seemed surprised by the question, floating thoughtfully above his seat. "I... hadn't thought of it that way. But yes! Movies are little pocket dimensions of their own, aren't they? Complete worlds with their own rules and logic."
"Or lack thereof." Psimon commented dryly.
"And we have one more to go!" Klarion announced, his enthusiasm returning. "Saving one of the best for last!"
The screen changed to show the title "Back to the Future" against a backdrop of clock faces and lightning.
"Time travel!" Wally's eyes lit up. "This should be interesting given how many different versions we've all encountered."
"Just remember this is movie time travel, not real time travel." Artemis cautioned. "It follows its own rules."
"Like the DeLorean needing to hit 88 miles per hour." Terra added, surprising everyone with her movie knowledge.
"EXACTLY!" Klarion beamed. "Now, one last adventure, and then I'll let you all go. PROMISE!"
With a final surge of red energy, they were drawn into the world of Hill Valley, 1985, for their concluding cinematic journey.
Chapter 9: Great Scott! It's About Chaos
Chapter Text
The sleepy suburban town of Hill Valley materialized around them, bathed in the golden light of a 1980s morning. Wally found himself transformed into Marty McFly, complete with down vest, denim jacket, and Nike sneakers. A skateboard was tucked under his arm as he stood outside Hill Valley High School.
"This is heavy." he quoted with perfect inflection, examining his new appearance with delight. "I'm Marty McFly!"
Artemis appeared beside him, now Jennifer Parker, Marty's girlfriend. "At least I'm not playing your mother." she noted with evident relief. "That would have been weird even by today's standards."
Conner discovered he had been cast as George McFly, Marty's meek, nerdy father—perhaps the most against-type role he'd had all day. Complete with high-waisted pants, plaid shirt, and slicked-down hair, he looked thoroughly uncomfortable.
"Why am I always someone's father?" he muttered, adjusting his oversized glasses.
M'gann had become Lorraine Baines McFly, Marty's mother, which created the awkward dynamic of having her play Conner's wife. "This is... unusual." she commented, smoothing down her 80s-style dress.
Terra was cast as Biff Tannen, the aggressive bully who tormented George McFly, a role that seemed to amuse her greatly. "Now I get to push Superboy around?" she asked with a mischievous grin. "This I could enjoy."
Psimon found himself transformed into Dr. Emmett Brown, the eccentric scientist behind the time machine. His exposed brain actually enhanced the "mad scientist" aesthetic, and the wild white wig and lab coat completed the look perfectly.
"Great Scott!" he exclaimed involuntarily, then looked surprised at his own outburst. "These character compulsions are getting stronger."
Cheshire had been cast as Mr. Strickland, the strict disciplinarian principal, which allowed her to deliver stern warnings about being a "slacker" with intimidating authority.
Klarion himself appeared as multiple background characters throughout the film, popping up as different townspeople in both time periods. Teekl became Einstein, Doc Brown's dog, though she seemed thoroughly unimpressed with this canine role.
The adventure began with Wally visiting Psimon/Doc Brown at the Twin Pines Mall for the famous DeLorean unveiling. The time machine itself was impressively detailed, with all the retrofitted gadgets, flashing lights, and the essential flux capacitor pulsing at its heart.
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious shit." Psimon delivered the line with unexpected enthusiasm, genuinely impressed by the vehicle before him.
"This is the coolest car ever." Wally remarked, running his hand along the stainless steel body. "Even if it does have some... questionable design issues."
The Libyan terrorist attack scene played out with appropriately cinematic tension, sending Wally accidentally back to 1955 in a spectacular display of temporal displacement, complete with fire trails left by the DeLorean's tires.
Hill Valley of 1955 formed around him, a pristine vision of 1950s Americana, with its town square dominated by the clock tower that would become so central to the plot. Wally wandered through this nostalgic setting with genuine wonder, taking in details that seemed both familiar from the film and fresh in their immersive presentation.
The central conflict emerged when Wally accidentally prevented his parents' first meeting, putting his own existence in jeopardy. This led to the uncomfortable scenario of having M'gann/Lorraine develop a crush on him instead of Conner/George.
"This is so weird on multiple levels." Artemis commented as they watched M'gann flirt with Wally during a family dinner scene.
"Believe me, I know." Wally replied, looking deeply uncomfortable. "The whole Oedipal thing was creepy in the movie, but it's even worse when it's people you actually know."
The "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance provided the central set piece, with all the various plot threads converging. Wally had to ensure Conner and M'gann shared their first kiss while also performing "Johnny B. Goode" on stage and avoiding Terra/Biff's aggressive advances.
"You know, you're actually pretty convincing as a bully." Artemis told Terra during a quiet moment backstage.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Terra asked coolly.
"Just an observation." Artemis replied, studying her carefully. "You play the role well."
"Maybe because I've had practice." Terra admitted unexpectedly. "When you're always the new kid, sometimes being feared is easier than being liked."
Before Artemis could respond to this rare moment of vulnerability, they were interrupted by the next scene transition.
Meanwhile, Wally and Psimon worked together on the clock tower lightning rod setup, preparing for the crucial 10:04 timing that would send Marty back to 1985.
"Temporal mechanics are fascinating." Psimon commented as they connected cables. "Even in this simplified Hollywood version."
"Yeah, real time travel is way more complicated." Wally agreed. "Trust me, I've experienced it firsthand."
"As have I." Psimon replied. "Though perhaps not as directly as you speedsters."
This unexpected moment of professional respect between hero and villain was interrupted by the DeLorean's arrival, requiring them to hurry with their preparations.
The climactic clock tower sequence delivered all the tension of the original film, with Wally racing the DeLorean toward the crucial lightning strike moment while Psimon struggled with the cables above. When the lightning finally struck, sending the time machine back to 1985 in a spectacular light show, everyone—even those playing antagonistic roles—found themselves cheering.
The return to a newly improved 1985, where Conner/George had become a successful science fiction author and the McFly family fortunes had dramatically improved, brought their adventure to a satisfying conclusion. As Wally reunited with Artemis and prepared to head off for a weekend at the lake, Psimon/Doc Brown returned from the future in a flying DeLorean, delivering the famous closing line.
"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads!"
With that perfect ending, the Hill Valley setting dissolved around them, and they found themselves back in the theater one final time.
"That was actually... fun." Conner admitted, sounding almost surprised by his own assessment.
"Time travel stories always have excellent dramatic tension." Psimon commented approvingly. "The butterfly effect of small changes creating large consequences."
"Plus the DeLorean is just cool." Wally added with a grin.
"I'm glad you all enjoyed it." Klarion said, floating down to stand before them. "That concludes our cinematic adventure!"
There was a moment of surprised silence.
"Wait, really?" Artemis asked suspiciously. "You're just... letting us go now?"
"I promised, didn't I?" Klarion looked offended. "After Back to the Future. And we've completed all eight movies!"
"It's been entertaining, in a bizarre hostage situation kind of way." Cheshire remarked, rising from her seat and stretching. "But I have assassinations to plan, so if we're done here..."
"Yes, yes." Klarion waved impatiently. "You're all free to go. But first—what did you think of my movie night? wasn't it spectacular?"
The group exchanged glances, seeming unsure how to respond to this unexpected request for feedback.
"The immersion was impressive." M'gann offered diplomatically. "Though The Shining went too far with the psychological manipulation."
"The Indiana Jones experience was well executed." Psimon added, surprising everyone with his positive review. "The period details were impeccable."
"The Titanic almost drowning us wasn't great." Artemis pointed out. "But Matrix powers were pretty awesome."
"Lightsabers." Wally stated simply. "Lightsabers make everything better."
Klarion beamed with pride, clearly pleased with their responses despite the mixed reviews. "See? Wasn't this better than being enemies and fighting all the time?"
"Debatable." Conner muttered.
"Well, I had fun." Klarion declared, scratching Teekl behind the ears as she purred contentedly on his shoulder. "And that's what matters."
With a dramatic gesture, he conjured a swirling portal in the center of the theater. "Your exit, ladies and gentlemen! This will return you to exactly when and where I took you from. No time will have passed!"
Terra was the first to approach the portal, peering at it suspiciously. "No tricks? We just walk through and we're back?"
"No tricks." Klarion promised, then added with a mischievous grin, "This time."
One by one, they approached the portal. Psimon went through first, followed by Cheshire who gave her sister a enigmatic nod before departing. Terra hesitated briefly, glancing back at the group with an unreadable expression before stepping through.
M'gann and Conner went next, hand in hand, with Conner giving Klarion one last warning look that clearly communicated "never again."
As Wally and Artemis prepared to leave, Klarion stopped them with a raised hand. "Wait! I have a question."
They paused, looking at him warily.
"Do you think Zatanna would have enjoyed this?" he asked, an uncharacteristic vulnerability creeping into his voice.
Artemis and Wally exchanged a surprised glance at this confirmation of what they had suspected all along.
"Honestly?" Artemis replied. "She probably would have enjoyed parts of it. Zatanna loves magic and illusion in all forms. But she wouldn't have enjoyed being kidnapped for it."
"Next time, try an invitation instead of abduction." Wally suggested. "Crazy concept, I know."
Klarion considered this, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "An invitation? How boring. But I suppose it might be worth trying..." He brightened suddenly. "Maybe for video games instead! I've been meaning to try Mortal Kombat!"
"That's... progress, I guess?" Wally shrugged at Artemis, who rolled her eyes.
"Goodbye, Klarion." she said firmly, pulling Wally toward the portal. "This was weird, but... not entirely terrible."
"High praise!" Klarion cackled. "Until next time, archer girl!"
With that, they stepped through the portal, leaving Klarion and Teekl alone in the empty theater.
"Well, Teekl." Klarion sighed, floating up to perch cross-legged on the back of a seat. "Was that better than causing random chaos around the world?"
"Meow." Teekl replied, which roughly translated to "It was more structured chaos, which is a start."
"You're right." Klarion nodded sagely. "Video games next time. With proper invitations." His face split into a mischievous grin. "And maybe some special guests."
As he snapped his fingers, the entire theater folded in on itself like origami, collapsing into a tiny point of red light that winked out of existence, leaving nothing behind but the abandoned building it had temporarily occupied.
Somewhere in Gotham City, Zatanna Zatara felt an unexpected shiver run down her spine, as if someone had just walked over her grave... or perhaps was planning a very unusual party in her honor.
Chapter 10: Epilogue: Game Night?
Chapter Text
One Month Later...
Artemis Crock stood in her kitchen, phone pressed to her ear, an expression of disbelief growing on her face.
"He did what?" she asked, reaching for a glass of water with her free hand.
"Sent me an invitation." Zatanna's voice came through the speaker. "A formal, calligraphed invitation to a 'Gaming Soirée' at an address in Gotham. Signed by Klarion the Witch Boy."
Artemis nearly choked on her water. "And you're calling me because...?"
"Because your name is listed as a reference." Zatanna replied, amusement clear in her voice. "It says, and I quote, 'Ask Artemis Crock about our previous successful cinematic endeavors.'"
"Successful is a strong word." Artemis muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "More like 'hostage situation that didn't end in disaster.'"
Wally zipped into the kitchen at super speed, opening the refrigerator and pulling out ingredients for a sandwich. "Who's that?" he asked, nodding toward the phone.
"Zatanna." Artemis replied, putting the call on speaker. "Guess who she just got an invitation from?"
Wally paused mid-sandwich assembly, a piece of turkey hanging from his fingers. "No way. He actually did it?"
"Did what?" Zatanna asked. "What am I missing here?"
Artemis and Wally exchanged glances before Artemis sighed and launched into an abbreviated version of their forced movie marathon adventure.
"So let me get this straight." Zatanna said once Artemis had finished. "Klarion kidnapped you, Wally, Conner, M'gann, and several villains, forced you to act out eight different movies in a pocket dimension, and his primary disappointment was that I wasn't there?"
"Pretty much." Wally confirmed, biting into his now-completed sandwich. "He asked specifically if you would have enjoyed it before he let us go."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.
"Zatanna?" Artemis prompted. "You still there?"
"I'm trying to decide if I'm flattered or creeped out." Zatanna finally replied. "Maybe both? It's definitely both."
"So what are you going to do about the invitation?" Wally asked between bites.
"I'm considering going." Zatanna admitted, surprising them both.
"You're what?" Artemis exclaimed. "You do remember he's a Lord of Chaos who regularly tries to destroy the world, right?"
"Of course I do." Zatanna replied calmly. "But I'm also a powerful magician in my own right. And from what you've described, he wasn't actually trying to hurt anyone. He just wanted... company? Entertainment? Something almost normal, in his own twisted way."
"That's one interpretation." Artemis conceded reluctantly.
"Besides." Zatanna continued, "if I don't go, he might revert to kidnapping people again. This way, I can set some boundaries. Make it clear that invitations are the way forward, not abductions."
"She's got a point." Wally commented, earning a glare from Artemis.
"Don't encourage this." she told him before turning her attention back to the phone. "Zatanna, at the very least, don't go alone. Take backup."
"The invitation says I can bring guests." Zatanna replied. "It specifically mentions that 'Kid Flash and Artemis might enjoy a rematch in Mortal Kombat.'"
Wally's eyes lit up. "Mortal Kombat? I'm actually really good at—"
"No." Artemis cut him off. "We are not going to Klarion's game night."
"Come on, Artemis." Wally pleaded. "Aren't you even a little curious? He's trying to be... well, not good exactly, but less evil? That's progress!"
Artemis looked at him incredulously. "Have you forgotten how the last 'entertainment' went? We nearly drowned on the Titanic!"
"But we didn't." Wally pointed out. "And we got to use lightsabers. And have Matrix powers. And race a DeLorean at 88 miles per hour."
Artemis could see she was losing this argument. She turned her attention back to Zatanna. "If—and this is a big if—we were to consider this, we'd need safeguards. Magical safeguards."
"Already planning them." Zatanna assured her. "I'd set up protection spells, emergency extraction portals, the works. I wouldn't go in unprepared."
"I still think this is insane." Artemis muttered.
"Probably." Zatanna agreed cheerfully. "But sometimes the best way to deal with chaos is to engage with it on your own terms."
"Very philosophical." Artemis remarked dryly.
"So... is that a yes?" Zatanna pressed.
Artemis looked at Wally, who was giving her puppy-dog eyes while making pleading gestures.
"I'm going to regret this." she sighed. "Fine. But we're bringing more backup. Call Conner and M'gann too."
"Already did." Zatanna replied. "Conner said, and I quote, 'absolutely not,' but M'gann is considering it. She said it might be good to 'encourage positive behavioral changes' or something similarly diplomatic."
"Of course she did." Artemis shook her head, though a small smile was forming. "What about Robin and Aqualad?"
"Robin said, and again I'm quoting, 'sounds crash, I'm in' while Kaldur said he would 'monitor the situation from a strategic distance,' which I think means he'll be nearby but not actually participating."
"At least someone is being sensible." Artemis remarked.
"So it's settled then?" Zatanna sounded excited now. "Saturday night, we go to Klarion's game tournament with magical safeguards in place?"
"This is either the beginning of a very weird truce or the setup to the most elaborate trap ever." Artemis said resignedly.
"Either way, it'll be a story to tell." Wally added with a grin.
After ending the call, Artemis looked at Wally with a mixture of exasperation and fondness. "You realize this is probably a terrible idea, right?"
"Probably." he agreed, finishing his sandwich. "But tell me you're not just a little curious to see what video game night with a Lord of Chaos looks like."
"I hate that you know me so well." she grumbled, but there was no real annoyance in her voice.
Meanwhile, in his chaos dimension, Klarion floated upside down while examining a massive collection of video game consoles and cartridges he had "acquired" from various electronics stores around the world.
"Do you think they'll actually come, Teekl?" he asked his familiar, who was batting at a dangling controller cord with mild interest.
"Meow." Teekl replied, which roughly translated to "The magician might, out of curiosity. The others are less likely."
"Well, Zatanna is the one I really want to impress." Klarion admitted, a slight blush coloring his pale cheeks. "But having the others would make it more fun."
He flipped right-side up, surveying his collection with critical eyes. "Should we go with fighting games? Or maybe those racing ones where you can throw shells at each other? Or those party games with the mini-challenges?"
Teekl gave him a look that clearly communicated her lack of interest in these distinctions.
"You're right." Klarion nodded as if she had made an excellent suggestion. "All of them! We'll have tournaments! With prizes!"
He clapped his hands together excitedly, causing several nearby objects to transform into strange, otherworldly trophies.
"This is going to be the best game night ever." he declared, his grin widening to uncanny proportions. "And no kidnapping this time. I promised."
Teekl gave him a skeptical look.
"What? I can keep promises... when I want to." Klarion protested. "Besides, this way is more interesting. If they come willingly, it means they actually want to play with me."
The cat familiar yawned, unconvinced.
"You'll see, Teekl." Klarion insisted, conjuring a chalkboard on which he began sketching elaborate tournament brackets. "This is going to work perfectly."
As he planned his video game extravaganza with maniacal enthusiasm, somewhere in Gotham City, a newly rented storefront began to transform from the inside out, chaos magic seeping through its walls as Klarion's pocket dimension took shape once more—this time filled not with movie screens, but with the flickering monitors of dozens of game consoles from across the decades.
Whether this would mark the beginning of a strange new chapter in the relationship between the young heroes and the Lord of Chaos, or simply another bizarre episode in their already unusual lives, remained to be seen. But one thing was certain—it would be anything but boring.
"Game on." Klarion whispered to himself, his chaotic energy crackling around him in anticipation of Saturday night.
ash_sato-chan (Guest) on Chapter 3 Wed 23 Apr 2025 04:59AM UTC
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tforange on Chapter 3 Mon 28 Apr 2025 03:10AM UTC
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Zairestar (Guest) on Chapter 10 Wed 28 May 2025 10:17AM UTC
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tforange on Chapter 10 Wed 28 May 2025 02:44PM UTC
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