Gorestrike’s harem were in the gym, working out at an almost idle pace. It wasn’t that they didn’t care about staying fit. They had already gone through their workout routine for the day, but Gorestrike, Ascension, GianTessa, and Psychedelika had been in some sort of strategy meeting with those two detectives all day. The harem’s duties were to stay in shape, and hang off Gorestrike like human jewelry. But Gorestrike was busy, had been busy all day, and likely wouldn’t have time for them for at least a week from the sounds of things.

“He’s eight feet tall and four feet wide!” Milli argued, “How’s he going to scout anywhere?”

“By sticking to alleyways?” Trish retorted, “Just stay out of sight!”

“He is incredibly stealthy for his size,” Jane-Claudia said, wiping a chocolate colored hand across her brow, “But he’s also blood red, and covered in spikes and skulls, and he wants to do recon against a totally unknown enemy. Why aren’t we doing this?”

“Jane, we are in great shape,” Rose said, “We’re young, smart-”

“Hot,” Trish said.

“Hot,” Rose agreed, “But we’re not superheroes. We don’t have any powers-”

“Ascension could make us stronger, smarter and hotter,” Jane-Claudia said.

“We don’t have any training-” Rose said.

“My dad got me that Special Operations manual for my birthday,” Jane-Claudia said.

“Why?” Trish muttered.

“Why would you even want to help them?” Rose argued, “They’re supervillains!”

“Gorestrike’s nice,” Trish said.

“Nice does not mean good,” Rose said.

“Because they’re the only people who are fighting against- against whatever’s attacking us!” Jane-Claudia said, “Because we might be able to help people! Because we might be able to make a difference! Because if we tried, we could be heroes! Alison! You wanted to be a hero, right?”

“I- that-” Alison stammered, “This sounds dangerous.”

“More dangerous than living in a supervillain’s lair?” Jane-Claudia asked.

“He takes good care of us,” Rose argued.

“For now,” Jane-Claudia said, “We have no idea how long Gorestrike will want us here. And what job prospects would we have after. Who wants a bunch of aging co-eds that spent their twenties in a supervillain harem?”

“Other villains?” Trish guessed.

“Listen, Jane,” Rose said, “If this is really such a problem to you, why don’t you just ask Gorestrike?”

“Because I want backup,” Jane-Claudia said.

“What?” Rose demanded.

“What? He’s Gorestrike!” Jane-Claudia said, “I don’t want to make him angry! And if all of us are there then- I don’t know, then maybe it’ll work better. I- you do want superpowers, don’t you?”

“Jane, everyone wants superpowers,” Rose said, “But I don’t want to be a supervillain.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“I want superpowers,” Trish said.

"Enough to do Gorestrike’s dirty work?" Rose demanded.

"It doesn't have to be that," Alison said, "Like Jane said, it could just be scouting. And it would be nice to get out of the castle."

"Look, just talk to Gorestrike about it," Rose said.

"Do I have your support?" Jane-Claudia asked.

Rose let out a long, rolled groan before finally saying "Yes."

"Alright," Jane-Claudia said, clapping her hands, "Hit the showers and get presentable ladies! We're having a meeting with the boss!"

Stepping into the strategy room terrified Jane. Gorestrike, Ascension, GianTessa, Psychedelika, She-Wolf and Lady NightRaven had been arguing with each other almost since the detectives had arrived. First, Gorestrike had no way to track or uncover his enemies because he looked and sounded like Gorestrike, then She-Wolf and Lady NightRaven couldn’t do it because people knew who they were and the enemy would be looking for them. Psychedelika and Ascension were wanted criminals, and GianTessa was GianTessa.

“Mighty Ser Gorestrike,” Jane-Claudia said, trying to make herself heard over the grumble of conversation, “Mighty Ser Gorestrike, I-”

“You would start shouting the moment anyone approached you!” She-Wolf shouted, “How would you get anywhere?”

“And why should I lower myself to such devious tactics?” Gorestrike inquired, “I am the-”

“Mighty Ser Gorestrike,” Jane-Claudia repeated.

“-A warrior of strength and honor!” Gorestrike declared, “Lady GianTessa, you seem to insist on venturing worth.”

“Y’all have been kind to me,” GianTessa said, “But I’d like some time outta the castle to stretch my legs.”

“Why do you bar me from such action,” Ascension said, “With my superior intellect, I could effortlessly evade detection.”

“Mighty Ser Gorestrike,” Jane-Claudia repeated, just a touch louder.

“Cause you’re a crazy loudmouth,” GianTessa said, “Psychedelika would be better!”

“She’s a drug obsessed maniac!” Ascension argued.

“I am a drug obsessed maniac,” Psychedelika agreed, “I still think we should use the detectives. They are detectives after all.”

“For all we know we’re on wanted lists!” Lady NightRaven said.

“Then we’re all on wanted lists,” Psychedelika said, “Everybody wants us.”

“Mighty Ser Gorestrike,” Jane-Claudia repeated.

“Speak your piece and be away!” Gorestrike declared, slamming a gauntleted fist onto the table.

“Your harem and I would like to volunteer for Ascension’s genetic augmentation,” Jane-Claudia said, “So that we could further serve you as your scouts.”

The room was quiet for just a moment.

“They could probably go undetected,” Lady NightRaven said.

“I would like to do some more augmentation,” Ascension said.

“Ah, Ser Ascension,” Jane-Claudia said, “I advise you not to alter the harem’s appearance too much. I can only guess at how noticeable an army of supermodels would be.”

“If I am to make you better,” Ascension said, “I will make you look better.”

“Please, just-” Jane-Claudia said.

“I shall restrain myself, worry not,” Ascension said, “Command the harem to assemble in my lab as soon as possible.”

Ascension had spent a lot of time perfecting his work, and Jane-Claudia found herself walking out of Ascension’s lab before the day was up. She raised a hand in front of her face and flexed her fingers. It was intoxicating. She was strong, she was fast, she was knife proof and bullet resistant! Jane-Claudia ran back to the gym, leaping and springing as she went, and racked her usual weights on the bench press.

Jane-Claudia lifted it without even so much as a breath. She doubled the weights, and lifted them again! She laughed, happy and excited, relishing in her power! The rest of the harem trailed in after her, and took to exercise with maniacal excitement. Running fast and lifting more! Jane-Claudia took this in and realized it wasn’t enough. They needed to really test themselves, to push to their limits and properly know them. But the harem didn’t have infinite weights in their gym, and Jane-Claudia quickly realized that the hardest thing they could test themselves against was each other.

“But what to do?” Jane-Claudia asked herself.

“Y’all should play baseball!” GianTessa said, kneeling down in front of the gym doors, “There’s space outside the castle for a diamond, and e’nuff a you for two teams.”

“Who’s up for some baseball?” Rose called, the harem answering with a raucous cheer.

A regular baseball diamond wouldn’t be enough for the now enhanced harem, so when GianTessa drew the field on the ground she made it three times the size of a regular diamond. Jane-Claudia was first up to bat, and struck Rose’s pitch with a deafening, thunderous crack. Alison raced down the field to catch the ball, but even at such an extreme distance Jane-Claudia could see the leather and cork baseball falling apart as it flew through the air.

GianTessa looked at the crack in Jane-Claudia’s bat, and realized she’d need sturdier gear.