Chapter Text
The city of Townsville was always quiet after dark, but it had never felt more lonely than it did that night.
Once, in the before times, when her wings were unclipped and her body and soul complete, she relished those quiet nights. Slinking through dark alleyways, crawling up shadowed walls, and racing across abandoned rooftops, her footfalls soft as a feather, her fangs bared in a wide, breathless grin that verged on maniacal laughter with every trinket she stole and every home she wrecked.
Once, a long, long time ago, Sedusa had been happy.
Then, in a single evening — not even a full half hour until her scheme to replace the only woman she’d ever met who could rival her charm and beauty could reach completion — all the joy and sinister glee she’d ever known was ripped away snip by miserable snip. Held down by hands powerful enough to move mountains, all she could do was cry and beg for forgiveness as her hair — her strength, her power, her everything that made her unique amongst her countless sisters — was sheared away forever.
Nearly a year in prison, waiting for a miracle that would never come. She eventually got her chance at revenge with the use of her curves and wiles, conning those stupid teenage boys into breaking her out and stealing the artifacts of Wadjet to give her a chance at revenge, and a brief reunion with that stolen part of herself. And, of course, those useless boys turned against her, and her last scheme failed.
For months, she wallowed in her misery and uselessness, allowing herself to remain caged. But, in time, not even her depression could convince her to stay. A flutter of her eyelashes and a subtle caress of her fingertips later, the guard was more than eager to let her go.
Now, granted her freedom, all she could bring herself to do was kill time drinking cheap beer and reminiscing about how she used to be someone.
Tightening her grasp on the long neck of a half-drained wine bottle, Sedusa tilted her head back and brought it to her lips. Streams of red ran like blood from the corners of her mouth, but if she noticed at all, she didn’t bother to wipe it away. Her blurry gaze drifted across the uneven concrete, spotting a beaten, stained couch next to a nearby dumpster, its lid forced open by an overflow of shiny, slimy black bags of garbage. Unfazed by the suffocating odor, she dropped onto the frayed cushions, wincing as a broken spring dug into her thigh. She considered moving, but the pain was a welcome anchor against the waves of alcohol sloshing around her head.
An approaching truck backfired, startling the rats digging through the garbage and sending them fleeing into the waiting claws of a prowling alley cat. Cold yellow light spilled briefly between the buildings. A momentary illumination that reflected off a puddle and caught the former thief’s eye. For the briefest moment, she glimpsed a haggard face staring back at her: eyes puffy and red, cheeks stained black with streaks of makeup.
She scarcely recognized herself. Sickened by what she’d become, Sedusa pulled her hood tighter around her face, tugging the strings until the opening shrank so small that nothing could pass through but the mouth of a bottle.
Her chest seized; her shoulders shook. The empty bottle fell to the ground with a shrill clink, rolling through the puddle and smearing her reflection in a deluge of ripples.
“Oh my! Now isn’t this just a pitiful sight?”
Sedusa reached up to brush away the tears slipping down her cheeks. She didn’t bother looking up, but feeling a weight press into the couch beside her, she felt the corners of her lips curling into a thin, quivering smile.
“After all this time…this is when you finally decide to come see me?” Though there was a twinge of playfulness in her voice, her chest ached all the same.
The newcomer remained silent for a beat too long, and then a hot, heavy claw came to rest on her shoulder. When she leaned into his touch, his arm slipped around her shoulders, squeezing her tight and resting his cheek against her head.
“You know how hard it is to keep in contact with old friends. Life, work, battles to the death with your nemeses. It all adds up over time and, before you know it, whoops! Three years have gone by and at that point you think: well, it’s already been a century, what’s the rush?”
Sedusa replied with a weak chuckle and lifted her head to look at Him. Still the same as he’d always been: colorful, queer, and preening, as if he owned the world. He did, of course, and knowing that somehow made his sincere smugness equal parts infuriating and charming. A chill swept through the alley, bringing her to tug her hood on tighter.
Glad as she was to see him, she couldn’t bear the thought of him seeing her now. But, as if he’d read her mind — perhaps he’d done exactly that — he teasingly tugged on one string of her hoodie.
“Come now, darling, don’t hide your pretty face! Let me get a look at you.” Him’s smile shrank into a thin line when she shook her head. “Ima, dear, what did they do to you?”
“You don’t know?” There was a bitterness in her voice that wasn’t meant for him. Sensing his deflating mirth, the villainess sighed and, after a moment of intense consideration, pulled down her hood. The moonlight reflected off the shiny surface of her bare head.
Him gasped.
“What did they do to you!? Oh dear, oh gorgeous, your lovely hair! It’s…”
Sucking in a long sigh, Sedusa leaned forward, rested her cheek on her fist, and told Him everything.
“ Those little savages ” Him wrapped both arms around her, tugging her into his arms and squeezing her with herculean strength. His deep, booming voice shook the surrounding block, startling the tomcat and setting off a car alarm at the end of the street. “You always had the loveliest hair in all of Heck. This is simply unacceptable!”
Her meager strength spent, Sedusa’s voice shook as she spoke, saying, “I kept trying to get away, but every time I grew my hair out, they cut it off until I ran out of hair. Now it’s gone, and I can’t grow it back!”
The two sat in a silence broken only by her weak sobs and his quiet shushing. When at last she settled, he held her a minute longer before finally releasing his hold. Sedusa sat up and rubbed her eyes.
“Thanks…I needed that.”
“No, dear, what you need is a solution to this travesty…” Him sat back, crossing his legs and stroking his beard.
Sedusa laughed, “Can’t you just grow it back with your magic?” Her face fell when he shook his head.
“Well, yes of course, I could . But, we both know that my magic comes with a cost, one that I could never ask you to pay. No, no, no, that wouldn’t do at all. You came to Earth to escape such things. If I wanted you in chains, I’d simply invite you back to my place.” Him smiled when she laughed, his eyes still focused on a spot in the distance.
“No, we need something of this world…something…ah ha!” Him snapped his claw. A swirl of fluffy pink smoke curled around his wrist, collected in his grasp, and solidified into the shape of a cell phone. It was every bit as garish as its owner: a hot pink flip phone — several years outdated already — bedazzled with rubies and onyx, and outlined in pink fuzz, matching his outfit. He flipped the phone open. “Do you have Mojo’s number?”
“Mojo…Jojo?” Sedusa raised an eyebrow.
“That’s the one!” Him replied with a giggle. “Do you know of any other evil, genius monkeys?”
“No…I don’t. I don’t even have a phone.” Sedusa slowly shook her head. She jumped when Him flicked his wrist and held out a magicked slip of paper to her. Plucking it from his claw, she looked at the number, then back at her old friend.
“Well, get one, you silly girl! It’s 2001! You can’t be so disconnected from the modern world! We’re not in Heck anymore, darling. Time marches on!” Him cackled and disappeared in a puff of smoke, reappearing on her other side. Leaning over her shoulder, he pressed his cheek against hers and tapped the number on the paper. “Mojo is a dear friend. Get yourself a phone, give him a ring, and let him know what you need. I’ll reach out to him ahead of time to let him know to expect you.”
Before Sedusa could protest, Him vanished in another puff, his shrill cackle echoing through the night air. She rolled her eyes, fighting against the smile forcing its way onto her lips. He was such a drama queen, but it was so like him to swoop in and help her, even after all these years.
If everything worked out, she’d have to thank Him properly.
Few places were open after midnight in Townsville, especially not on the east side. Nestled across the river from the prison, Townsville East was a wretched hive of scum and villainy, populated almost entirely by ex-cons and the rest of the city’s undesirables. Proximity to Townsville East had driven down the property value in the suburb of Pokey Oaks West, creating a pocket of poverty and undercover crime that not even the threat of the Powerpuff Girls could thwart.
Luckily for the late-night ne’er-do-wells, “few places” being open wasn’t the same as “no place” being open. One such place was an unnamed convenience store on the corner of Rundburg and Park Row. With windows plastered over by outdated ads and newspaper clippings, only those who knew better could even guess the store was open. The door made no sound as it slid open, but the eyes of the cashier locking onto the newcomer let her know that her presence hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Sedusa slipped her hands into the pockets of her hoodie and looked the gruff cashier in the eye. Face hidden behind a grisly beard, his severe expression melted with a smirk and a wink. His cheeks flushed and a goofy grin spread across his face.
“Evening, ma’am. Need help finding anything?” He asked as he scratched his bald head and averted his gaze.
“That’s alright, sweetie, I’m just browsing. Are you having a good night?” From the corner of her eye, Sedusa spied the burner phones across from the register. Instead of heading straight for them, she walked right up to the checkout, leaning against the counter and tilting her head to see the cashier’s face.
His heart raced, body temperature rising. When she licked her lips, a shiver rolled down his spine and his voice caught in his throat.
“J-just fine! Doing just fine. N-not many customers this late.” He cleared his throat and raised his head. When their eyes met, her hand snaked across the counter, fingers brushing against the back of his massive hand.
Pupils dilated. Thin sheen of sweat breaking out on his temple. Mouth dry, breathing picking up.
“Well, I’m glad they’re not overworking you. There’s too many weak, little men these days. We need more big, strong guys like you keeping the city running after dark.” Sedusa’s fingers moved slowly, drawing figure eights along his skin. She laughed when he laughed at her biting comment, noting the way his chest swelled when she praised him.
Her lips pulled back to reveal her fangs, but he didn’t seem to notice. His eyes locked with hers, lost in their emerald depths, sparkling in the fluorescent lighting.
“It’s awfully hot in here, don’t you think?” She asked in a sultry tone. Without waiting for his answer, she gripped the zipper of her hoodie, pulling it down just enough to give him a glimpse of what was hiding beneath. Her grin sharpened as his gaze broke away from hers, locking onto her chest as it spilled out into the open. Her shirt was loose, but the collar low, giving him just enough to keep his interest.
“Y-yeah, really is. Been warm the last few nights.” His voice cracked, and a blush dusted his cheeks, one that grew darker when she giggled and bit her lip.
Her fingers laced through his. He was trembling. A small, breathless groan pushed its way through his clenched teeth. Her free hand traced the edge of her hoodie, reached beneath, gripped her collar and tugged it down slightly. She broke eye contact and breathed a sigh, fanning herself.
“Do you think you might be able to turn it down just a little? At least until I’m done shopping?”
Resistance. He tensed and started to pull his hand back. She tightened her hold. Tilting her head, she fluttered her eyelashes and raised her voice half an octave. “Pretty please?”
Resistance broken. His tongue practically fell out of his mouth as he nodded his head furiously.
“S-sure! I’ll be right back!”
“Thank you sooo much! Oh, by the way, where do you keep the instant noodles?”
“Oh, um, they’re at the back, by the chips.” He called back over his shoulder.
Sedusa giggled and waved at him. “Thanks so much, sweetie. You’re the best!” Spinning on her heel, she drew her zipper down another inch. As she passed by the display of burner phones, her obscured hand plucked one from the rack and slipped it into a hidden pocket inside her hoodie. She pulled the zipper back up to just beneath her chest and made a show of bending over to look at the selection of instant noodles.
The cashier returned just in time to catch a glimpse of her little show. Sensing his eyes on her, the intensity of his gaze prickled up her spine. He was fighting the urge to jump over the counter. She picked a few of her favorites and made her way back to the counter.
“You are just the sweetest man.” She set her selection on the counter and reached for her wallet. “I just got out of a relationship. He was such a pathetic little man. Nothing like you. I bet you could break a little boy like him over your knee, couldn’t you?”
The cashier laughed, his voice deep and rumbling, as he rang her up. While she fished for her cash, he flexed one of his massive arms.
“Sure could! Just the other day I had to toss one of those Gangreen punks out of here. The little hissy boy. Thought he was hot stuff without the others to back him up.”
Sedusa bristled, her pupils shrinking and her smile curling into a scowl. Quickly forcing it back into a sinister smile, she plucked the bills from her wallet and handed them over to the cashier.
“Good boy. Make those little punks suffer.” She thanked him for his time and said her goodbyes. She could feel his desire pulling at her, urging her to stick around and finish the job. But feeling the chilly breeze against her head steeled her nerves enough to fight off her lesser nature. Once she was around the corner, she pulled the phone from her jacket and looked at the number Him had given her.
Her stomach growled, and she rolled her eyes. If she wasn’t going to sate herself on that brainless lug, she was going to have to settle for instant noodles.
An hour later, Sedusa sat curled up on a half-shredded couch cushion, nursing a steaming cup of noodles and staring at her new phone. The wind whistling through the broken window shook the tattered blinds, sending a chill through her body that had her sucking down a mouthful of burning broth. The rotting floorboards creaked with the shift in her weight as she extended her legs and leaned back against the wall.
It wasn’t an apartment she paid for — it wasn’t an apartment anyone would pay actual dollars for — but it had been her home ever since her anticlimactic prison break. There were more empty rooms than tenants and the few people who lived in the building had an “Ask no questions: ever” policy that she appreciated.
Her thumb trembled over the dial pad. The crinkled up slip of paper with Mojo’s number sat on her lap, written in extravagant, pink cursive, letters glowing even in the near pitch darkness. Not that her eyes couldn’t have read it otherwise. Tinged with a faint green glow, her vision pierced the darkness as if it were the middle of the day, a talent that had served her well in her thieving days.
“Just call him.” She said aloud in a voice just barely above a whisper. Her thumb drifted down to the first number, freezing at the first hint of plastic against her skin.
What if he didn’t answer?
What if he wouldn’t help?
What if he laughed at her the moment he saw her gross bald head?
A million reasons to just leave well enough alone dug their filthy, gnarled roots into the base of her brain, stretching through her shoulders, down her arms and into her fingers to keep them from moving.
“J-just c-call him.” Her voice was weaker; her breaths were shallow gasps.
You never should have left home.
You’re not good enough to walk the Earth.
You’re just worthless.
Useless.
Ugly.
“He said he’d call ahead…” Sedusa closed her eyes. The Prince of Darkness — no, the King of Darkness, now — was a liar and a cheat, but in all the centuries she’d known him, he had never been anything less than honest with her. Not even when doing so would have benefited him. If she couldn’t trust Him, she really had no reason to not return to Heck with her tail tucked between her legs to receive the punishment surely waiting.
Click-click-click. Click-click-click. Click-click…click-click.
The number stared back at her, daring her to hit the call button. But whatever strength she’d summoned to enter it at all was spent. Her thumb froze again; the roots of anxiety were too thick, too strong to resist.
Biting her lip, her grip tightened and her muscles tensed. But before she could throw the offending implement across the room, her gaze fell on an icon in the corner. A letter. The tightness in her chest released as if the roots were finally being pulled away.
If she couldn’t call him, she could surely send him a text message.
Sedusa tapped the icon, switching to the messenger. Digging her fangs deeper into her lip, she quickly pecked out a message and hit send, not daring to take too long, lest she lose her nerve.
S: hi. this is ima. him said u can help?
The message sat on the screen for what felt like forever. In reality, it was a little over three minutes before a response appeared on the screen with a satisfying plunk . Sedusa’s eyes widened, a small, hopeful smile breaking out on her face.
M: That is correct. I have been apprised of the details of the situation and have crafted a solution that should bring about the end of the predicament in which you find yourself presently in. It is prepared and ready for you at your earliest convenience. - Mojo Jojo
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sedusa knocked over her barely touched cup of noodles and stumbled onto her legs with all the grace of a newborn foal. Her hands shook, typing back a mishmash of letters that she hoped he could understand.
S: caani commmm ritegh nwo?
She winced and took several deep breaths. Her tongue poked from the corner of her mouth as she struggled to write a coherent message. She never got the chance. A response plunk ed onto the screen.
M: That is acceptable. I am located in Townsville National Park, in the observatory on top of the volcano. My door shall be locked, and while you may possess the talents necessary to bypass such a measure, please do me the courtesy of knocking so that I may deactivate my security system. Otherwise you may be destroyed before we have a chance to resolve the problem to which we have sought a resolution. - Mojo Jojo
Stuffing her phone into her pocket, Sedusa scrambled to the other side of the room, squealing and stomping her feet with excitement. Dropping to her knees, she dug through the pile of freshly stolen clothes, searching for the perfect “return to former glory” outfit.
“Now what would an evil chimp genius like?” She mused, sifting through a collection of colorful tops and scintillating dresses. From the corner of her eye she spied the one: an old favorite from the before-times. Lifting it from the box in which she’d carefully tucked it away, she held it up to her body and grinned — the first truly joyful smile she’d worn in a long, long time.
The trip across town took nearly an hour, but every ounce of fatigue that once weighed her down vanished when the volcano came into view. Taking the countless stairs two at a time, she practically thrummed with energy by the time she reached the top, her legs tingling and body shaking. Balanced on the first pair of heels she’d worn in years, swaying dangerously close to toppling backward from the last step, she curled her nervous fingers into a fist and reached for the door.
She froze. But before she could turn tail and run, she leaned forward and rapped her knuckles against the warm steel. She held her breath, occupying herself by smoothing her dress and fidgeting with her wig while she waited.
Perhaps the little white dress she once used to seduce Professor Utonium was a bit much for an after-midnight medical procedure, but it wasn’t every day that a forgotten nobody of a villain like her was invited to the home of the arch nemesis of the Powerpuff Girls. The pink pearl necklace and matching bracelet helped her stay grounded, and the white-haired bob cut wig hiding her hideous bald head kept her insecurities buried just deep enough to ignore.
“Who is it?” A gruff voice barked from an overhead speaker.
Sedusa jumped, saying, “I-It’s Ima!” in a soft, breathy voice. When no response came, she cleared her throat and repeated herself with a smidge more confidence. “Ima. Him’s friend.”
The speaker crackled and squawked, the lingering static going silent. A moment later, a series of electronic beeps chimed from behind the door, followed by the sound of six deadbolts unlatching, the groan of wood grinding against metal, a rattling clank of swirling gears, and finally the delightful jingle of a chain.
Sedusa couldn’t resist a giggle, a hand flying to her mouth to smother the sound. Her nerves prickled once more when the door slid open and a pair of sharp, pink eyes peered up at her, gleaming in the darkness. Despite his sharp stare, his glower softened to a professional smile.
“Ah, Sedusa. Welcome. Please, let us not dally and get started without wasting any more time, as much time has already been spent. It has been a long, laborious night, and I am certain that you are eager to see the results of my efforts to restore your lost hair.” Mojo moved to the side and gestured for her to enter. As soon as she crossed the threshold, he pushed the door shut and went about resetting the many locks.
Watching him with a nervous smile, Sedusa tilted her head and focused instead on the quality of his security system. “You know, I admire a man who values security. Though, I can’t imagine that does much to keep out your most frequent unwanted guests.”
Mojo breathed a laugh through his nose, spinning the vault lock and leading her deeper into his lab. Hands folded behind his back, his shuffling steps echoed four at a time for every languid click of her heels.
“No, it does little to dissuade, disrupt, or deflect Chemical X cannonballs flying at mach speeds. Nor do my walls or ceilings.” He glanced up at her and his smirk grew a bit. “That said, it has proven quite effective at keeping other would-be burglars at bay.”
Sedusa laughed. “And just how many criminals are lining up to break into the great Mojo Jojo’s home? It isn’t exactly a secret who lives here.”
“You would be surprised. It is surprising just how stupid the average person in Townsville can be, and even more surprising the depths of idiocy the truly stupid amongst them can reach. It’s those such idiots I have to protect myself against…” Mojo trailed off. His brow furrowed and his lips pursed. “Especially after one broke into my lab and proceeded to ruin several of my inventions thinking they could be pawned as if they were common trinkets and knick-knacks.”
“Let me guess…one of the Staglioni’s goons?”
Mojo blinked. “Yes, actually.”
“Of course, it would be one of theirs. They act like they’re big enough to run the city, but they’re just as incompetent as the meatheads they pull off the street.” Sedusa laughed out loud and shook her head. “It was probably a pathetic guy in a black hoodie with an absolute joke of a blonde goatee, wasn’t it?”
“That is correct.”
“Lachy Latchkey. He tried breaking into Bellum’s house when I was using it for one of my plans. Of all the Staglioni’s useless goons, he’s by far the most useless. I’ve heard the only reason they keep him around is because he’s dating the boss’s son.”
Mojo laughed, and the conversation continued as they made their way to the back of the lab. Conversation with the evil genius was easier than Sedusa had expected. Despite his occasional rambling contributions, he was insightful and surprisingly funny. And he seemed genuinely interested in what she was saying.
What surprised her the most about Mojo, though, was nothing he did or said. It was that all the usual tells — increased blood pressure, body temperature, furtive glances, or muscle twitches — were missing. Mojo was mortal, and a man, and yet she couldn’t read him the way she could every other man on the planet. To a certain degree, the thought terrified her. Without her hair, she’d learned to rely on her demonic insight to navigate potentially threatening conversations. But, in another way, it was…nice. She could relax without responding to every subtle, unspoken cue, and just focus on the conversation itself.
“Here we are.” Mojo hopped onto a stool and rolled it the rest of the way to the counter, where a vial of lightly pulsing black liquid stood. Lifting it with a careful grasp, he hopped from his seat and motioned for her to follow him to a marked off area a few feet away. Strips of neon orange tape marked off the area around a raised metal platform, which was, itself, marked with an X.
“Please, remove your hairpiece and stand here in the designated location for standing.”
Sedusa paused just outside the taped off testing area. She watched Mojo turn to look at her, his gaze meeting hers first, glancing toward her head, then returning to her eyes. Hands trembling, she reached up, slowly ran her fingers through the wig’s thick alabaster locks, dug her fingers in and, with one last glance at Mojo for encouragement, pulled it away as if she were ripping off a bandage.
Holding her wig in both hands, she bit her lip and stepped inside the neon perimeter. Her legs shook as she stepped onto the elevated platform. She didn’t dare look back at Mojo, hoping against all hope that the light shining off her head wasn’t blinding her simian benefactor.
Mojo cleared his throat. “Ahem, if you don’t mind, could you please lower yourself such that I may reach your head. I need to massage the ointment or it won’t take, and the best way to safely do so is by hand and my hands cannot reach as you are taller than my, erm, personage.”
Something about the way he fumbled over his words struck a chord with her, bringing a tiny smile to Sedusa’s face. Tucking her fangs into her quivering lip, she slid to her knees in a single motion, body flowing like water into a puddle. Her eyelids slid shut and, when a shadow passed in front of her, she bowed her head and tried to stop her shaking.
“This may result in a tingling sensation that you might find uncomfortable. It is also possible that you may find the sensation pleasurable. In either case, please resist the urge to touch your head until I have confirmed the ointment has fully taken. Since you will be exposed to Chemical X, it is…possible, probable, that there may be side effects. That is to say, effects which were not intended beyond the scope of the original intention, that being-”
“I understand, Mojo. Thank you.”
“Yes. Very good. Very good…well, let us begin.”
Sedusa held her breath and waited. The cork unscrewed with an audible pop that hung in the air, echoing across the lab until a trickle of liquid joined it, then the slick, wet squeaking of Mojo’s gloves rubbing together. After a full minute of holding her breath, she felt his hands touch her head and the breath she’d been holding burst forth in a gasp.
It was cool to the touch, but quickly warming as shockingly gentle hands massaged her scalp. Her gasp melted into a moan, exacerbated by a delightful tingling spreading across her skin. Like tiny jolts of electricity, forming circuits with her hair follicles and sinking deeper from every caress of his fingers.
What was once cold turned into a crackling campfire.
What was once a moan gave way to a deep-throated purr.
Somewhere in the distance, over the roar of her heart pounding in her ears, Sedusa heard Mojo’s rumbling voice say something. Then his hands were gone. In their place was a sensation exceeding satisfaction; an encompassing ecstasy taking root in her center and sprouting from the top of her head. Growing longer and thicker until it wrapped around her like a blanket.
What was once a purr burst into gut-busting laughter. Growing — she was on her feet, eyes open but unseeing as pleasure and release in equal parts spilled through her from every root down to the tips of her toes. Growing — she was rising off the floor, lifted until her shadow engulfed the thinly lit lab, held aloft by miles of inky black stronger than steel.
Sedusa’s vision came back into focus, her chest aching and throat raw, tears spilling down her cheeks, mixing with black streaks of eyeliner and crimson lipstick. She was so much more than she had been before — not simply her precious, luscious hair returning, but something deeper, something stolen from her so long ago she thought it lost forever. Turning her gaze to the floor, her lips pulled back in a full-face grin, fangs gleaming, irises glowing with such ferocity to cast the lab in a venomous spotlight.
Her hair shrunk until her now bare feet touched the floor. With just three long-legged steps, she closed the distance between them and sank to the floor. Her body moved with a mind of its own, hands threading through his coal black fur, lips finding purchase on his pink dusted cheek. Voice cracking, she purred and moaned and curled her obsidian strands around him to bring him closer.
“Wh-what is the meaning of this?” His voice cut through the lust-laden fog in her brain.
Sedusa blinked, the light in her eyes dulling to a faint shimmer. She pulled away from him, brushing her hair back behind her ear, frowning as an uncomfortable heat rose on her face.
“I, erm…I just…I was so happy and I, um.” She brushed her arm. “I thought this was what you wanted? That…th-that this was why you helped me?”
“Wh-what? Of course not! Do not think so little of me to believe that I would expect such favors for such a simple task!” Mojo coughed and turned away, crossing his arms. Even with the light gone from her gaze, there was no hiding his burning red cheeks.
Pain. Unimaginable, unspeakable pain as if her entire being were being shattered into a million pieces. Sedusa’s hands clawed at her chest. Despair bubbled up in her chest, clenching her heart and squeezing until her sorrow spilled from her eyes and her hair went limp, collapsing to the ground like a corpse. Her shoulders shook as the first sob escaped.
“D-do y-you…d-d-do you n-not th-thi-think I’m pr-pretty?” She barely recognized her own voice. The words just came tumbling out before her brain could even register their shape and sound.
Mojo spun to face her, his hands flying up in a defensive gesture.
“What?! Good heavens! Of course I do!” He clamped his mouth shut before a rambling, barely coherent explanation could escape.
Despite his incredulous rebuttal, the thought refused to leave her head. Falling to the floor and burying her face in her arms, Sedusa continued to weep.
“Th-then wh-why d-d-don’t you w-w-want me? Wh-what’s wr-wrong with me?”
Taking a deep breath, Mojo slowly approached her. His meticulous footsteps clicked with every step until stopping next to her. The gentle hands from before reached out to her, patting her shoulder.
“Please, try to calm yourself. Your emotions are heightened because of the Chemical X in the ointment. In this heightened state they are volatile, uncontrollable, and easily exacerbated by stimuli, such as the relief you felt in having your hair returned and my…ahem, startled response. It was not my intention to upset you, nor was it to imply that there was anything at all unappealing about your appearance or the actions to which you felt compelled to take.”
Mulling over his words, Sedusa struggled to make sense of what he was saying. Mojo’s manner of speaking could be confusing under normal circumstances, but with the chemical fog still gripping her brain, she found it near impossible. The sneering voices of her family back in Heck kept whispering in her ears, robbing her of her focus.
Unwanted.
Uninteresting.
Ugly.
Sedusa pushed herself up onto her hands, then into an unsteady seated position. Still sniffling, she latched onto the one part of his reply that she could understand and raised her head.
“You…think I’m pretty?” It was a stupid question. Intellectually, she knew it was the absolute dumbest question she could ask at the moment. But she needed the answer more than anything. If it was true, she needed to hear him say it.
“I…yes, of course.” Mojo sighed and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You are an undeniably attractive woman. Only a fool would think otherwise.”
Her brow furrowed. Another sniffle. She reached up to wipe her eyes with the back of her arm.
“But…you don’t want…”
“Not as payment, no! I may be a ruthless villain, but I would never sink so low as to extort someone — much less a fellow evildoer — for something such as that. Please, do not think so lowly of me. I have no such expectations for you to repay me, especially not like that.”
Now confusion had completely supplanted the distress and sorrow as the dominating feeling that was slipping through her grasp. “But then…why did you help me? Why would you , the greatest villain in Townsville — in the world! — want to do something for a…for a…” Her lip quivered. “A D-list nobody like me?”
“D-list nobody? Poppycock!” Mojo plopped down on the floor beside her. “You are no Lenny Baxter, or Abracadaver, or a fraud like that Major Mann. You are a criminal GENIUS who was ruthlessly cut down in her prime. Your schemes were sinister, meticulous, and came closer to success than so many before and after you!”
As he continued, Mojo’s voice raised. Words quickened. His frown curled into a smile. But, through his entire explanation, his hand never stopped stroking her arm, even after her tears settled and her sobs disappeared.
“Taking advantage of that fool, Professor Utonium? Slipping inside their home so that you could curb their infuriating do-goodery with maternal malice and retribution? Brilliant! No, more than brilliant! Not even I could have concocted and pulled off such a scheme.” Mojo frowned and scratched his cheek. “And, believe me, I tried. My attempt at thwarting them through the authority of adult supervision led to a humiliating defeat and weeks of therapy. I still do not know how you managed to do it.”
A small smile broke through Sedusa’s defenses. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and shrugged her shoulders.
“I still failed. They figured out who I was and I couldn’t keep the Professor under control.”
“What about your plan to replace Ms. Bellum and take advantage of the idiot Mayor’s affections? You ran a crime spree throughout the city for days and very nearly succeeded in replacing the real Ms. Bellum. Were it not for being found out at the eleventh hour, you would have successfully secured control of the entire city through that stupid little lapdog.”
Another shrug.
“Blossom figured out who I was before I could make the switch…and I lost my hair for my trouble.”
Mojo rolled his eyes, and in an uncharacteristic show of playfulness, blew a raspberry.
“Pish posh! That annoying little know-it-all will always solve even the best laid schemes. Neither myself nor that salacious snarky Satan have managed to pull the wool over her eyes, for she always notices the wool and pulls it free, thus uncovering the clue that will unravel the wool that was once covering her eyes. Him even failed to fool her within the mental plane, where he claims to have full authority.”
Sedusa giggled and allowed her smile to grow wider.
“That sounds like Him. He’s always had a habit of underestimating everyone else.” She sighed and shook her head. “I thought I had them with the Artifacts of Wadjet. But, those…pathetic little man children!” Fury, overflowing like lava, burned in her veins just thinking about their pitiful, slobbering faces.
“Ha! Speaking of D-list villains. Those green-tinted goobers have never had a plan more complicated than a misdemeanor. Those fools thought molten slag or a train could actually harm the Powerpuff Girls! The most devious thing they’ve ever accomplished was the time Sunglasses took advantage of Buttercup having a crush on him.”
And just like that, Sedusa’s rage was gone. Replaced, in an instant, by something far more powerful: an unquenchable thirst for tea.
“Wait WHAT?!” Sedusa uncurled her legs and leaned closer to Mojo, reaching up to grasp the hand still dutifully caressing her arm. “How have I never heard of this? Wait, how have you heard of any of this?”
Mojo puffed himself up and smirked at her. “I require something to pass the time between prison escapes, so I have constructed a robot to infiltrate the police station and to provide me with the latest supervillain police reports. I like to keep up with the crimes of other supervillains to ensure that mine remain the preeminent evil schemes in Townsville.”
Sedusa almost held back her laughter, but the sight of Mojo’s grin — too wide for his face and bursting with pride — stripped the little control she’d regained over her emotions. Falling backward, holding her stomach, she kicked her legs and laughed until her chest hurt. When she finally settled, she sat up on her elbows and peered up at him.
He was watching her. Looking at her — not her body — and smiling. Not a sinister grin or a wicked leer. Just…smiling. At her. Heat flooded her cheeks once more. She accepted his help in sitting up, her hand lingering in his after.
“I should…probably go.” She had no clue what time it was, and she didn’t care to look for a clock. If she looked away, he might disappear. The moment, the feeling swelling in her chest, might disappear. “It’s late.” She said in a voice just above a whisper.
“It is much later than I normally would stay up.” Mojo agreed, though he, too, seemed to lack any motivation to get up and lead her to the door. At only the slightest prompting, his fingers spread, and hers slid between them. “But…perhaps you should stay. The side effects of Chemical X exposure can last for several hours, and proper scientific procedure states that we should test for any unwanted, lingering effects. Perhaps it would be best if we checked again in the morning, after such time has passed that these unwanted, lingering effects have faded? Say…after breakfast?”
Her hand squeezed his. Several strands of her untamed hair curled around his arms. Another curled around his waist as she drew closer. There was no demonic light in her eyes, but they sparkled.
“After breakfast sounds perfect.” Pressing a soft kiss against his cheek — meeting no resistance this time — she lowered her voice. “But…I don’t know if I’m ready for bed, just yet.”
His face turned toward her. His breath tickled her ear and sent a shiver down her spine.
“I believe I can think of a way to pass the time.”
Mojo chuckled, his voice low and menacing as he approached the couch where Sedusa lay. He laced his fingers, eyes gleaming in the dark as he reached for a remote.
“Prepare yourself for the greatest exploration of wickedness and villainy ever put to the silver screen. The tragic tale of an innocent doe-eyed girl driven to unspeakably evil heights!” Mojo frowned as he took a seat next to her. “At least until the third act. But we can always skip that part, for it is the part that is most skippable and as such we should not waste our time.”
Sedusa leaned over, curling up against him in the cozy glow of the television. In front of them was a meticulously polished coffee table, an open pint of Krunk’s Big Chunk ice cream sitting next to an overflowing bowl of popcorn. She picked up the latter with her hair to pass it to Mojo, while taking the former for herself. Realizing they forgot to get spoons, her hair stretched out across the lab, slipped into the kitchen, found the silverware drawer and brought a pair back for them.
“Mean Girls.” Sedusa looked at the back of the DVD case. Her eyebrow raised. “Mojo…” She asked, speaking around a spoonful of ice cream. “Why does this movie say it came out in 2004? That’s three years from now.”
“Ha! So you noticed! I should have known such a detail would not escape you. Yes, this movie will not be released for another three years. It is, however, one of Him’s favorites, so he brought it back in time for our monthly movie night.”
Sedusa blinked. “You guys have a monthly movie night?”
“It is still a recent addition. It was only recently that we chose to share custody of the boys and, wishing to promote a healthier family dynamic for them, we made the decision to gather together once a month to watch a movie of our collective choosing.” Mojo chewed on a mouthful of popcorn, remaining silent, until suddenly adding, “They are rotten little miscreants.”
“The boys?”
“But…I think you would like them, Sedusa.”
Sedusa took another bite of ice cream. Looking down, she saw Mojo’s hand unoccupied, sitting between them. She slipped her fingers through his, her stomach doing a backflip when he squeezed back. Smiling, she snuggled closer and draped her hair around him like a blanket.
“You know…I think I would. And, please, Mojo…call me Ima.”