Kumiko vs Mufette... And guest

The naked Kumiko made her way deeper into the caves as Stryker flew alongside her, the heroine keeping an eye out for any doors or passages that led to the dungeon. After a few minutes, the two came to a large room with three hallways leading in different directions.

"Which way do we go, Kitty?" Kumiko asked, turning to her quokka friend.

Stryker looked around, pretending to think. After a few seconds, he pointed to the tunnel on the left. "That way!"

"Alright, if you-"

"Wait!" Stryker called out, popping up in front of the heroine. "Think about it, Kumiko! If Curb Stomper came to stop us after finding the secret passage, then Goddess of Shadow must know we're here! So she'll be expecting us to go that way!"

"But Kitty," Kumiko argued, "We have to get to the dungeons and save everyone!"

"And we will!" Stryker said, lying through his teeth as he tried to keep up the charade. "Fortunately, the tunnel straight ahead is a trick tunnel that leads in the same direction as the left tunnel. She'd never expect that!"

"Well..."

"Kumiko, you know me. I'm your friend. Would I ever lie to you or lead you the wrong way?" Stryker said with an innocent look on his face, ironically lying to Kumiko in an attempt to lead her down the wrong tunnel.

Kumiko sighed as she shook her head. "Sorry, Kitty." She apologized, "I'm just a little on edge at the moment, you know? I trust you. Lead the way."

Stryker smiled as he and Kumiko went through the center tunnel, the 'quokka's' smile becoming more sinister.

---

The two made their way down the tunnel as Kumiko kept an eye out, not only for the prisoners, but also for any enemies. If she understood things right, Goddess of Shadow had only three minions left: Mademoiselle Mufette, Gator Gal, and The Lord of Lobsters.

Goddess of Shadow did not seem like the kind of person who would go through all this elaborate planning just to be stupid enough to send out Lord of Lobsters as a warm-up, let alone an opponent after Moth Queen, Gwuck, or Curb Stomper, so that meant that Gator Gal and/or Mufette were up next.

"Oh boy..."

"What? What's - " Kumiko began, only to have her eyes go wide as she saw the large stone wall in there path. Turning to Stryker, the heroine said, "I thought you said that this was a trick hallway!"

"Maybe it was the one on the right?" Stryker asked himself as he scratched his chin, doing everything he could to keep the laughter out of his voice.

"Just great!" Kumiko snapped in annoyance, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Now we got to waste even more time by turning around and finding the correct tunnel before we -"

"'Become sitténg duks', non?"

Kumiko froze as she looked over her shoulder to see Mademoiselle Mufette standing behind her and Stryker, the skunk woman smirking evilly as she aimed her gauntlets at the two.

"Well, 'ow eez zis fair deja vu, Fille Magique Kumiko, Protectricede la Justice, Gardienne de la paix, l'Humanitaire désintéressé, et Vainqueur du mal?" Mufette asked. She then raised an eyebrow and lowered hee eyelids. "Air should I just call you, 'Kishi Kumiko'?"

"How did you -" Kumiko began as she spun on her heel to face Mufette, only to catch herself and clear her throat. "I... I mean, who is Kishi Kumi-"

"You can drop le act now, girl. Wiv brains lik mine, eet wasn't too difficult to undairstand."

"That, and Goddess of Shadow must have finally got fed up with all the stupidity from you buffoons and just decided to tell you like I suggested we do in the first place." Stryker muttered quietly as he rolled his eyes.

Apparently, he wasn't quiet enough as Kumiko gave him a confused glance. That didn't sound like something Kitty would say. In fact, now that she thought about it, Kitty had been acting strangely ever since they met up again. Before Kumiko had a chance to question it, however, Mufette chuckled and stepped forward.

"Adieu, Kumiko." The skunk woman said as she prepared to fire, "And bécause I wént to be fair, zis eez an extra potent sprai of mon own désign. First time beeng testéd. I 'opé you don't 'ave any plans fair a fu months, because you weehl be bathéng een tomato juice until yur skin falls off."

Kumiko gulped, her back literally against the wall. She would've pulled out her wand, but she knew that Mufette was faster on the draw. And this time, Guardian Devil was nowhere to be found to save her at the last second.

"But not until she faces her doom at the claw of her most powerful adversary! The Lord of Lobsters!"

That exclamation caught Mufette off guard as she yelped, firing her gauntlet to early. Kumiko jumped out of the way as the spray splattered against the wall, the overwhelming stentch making her want to lose her lunch.

"What lé 'ell aré you doeng haire, you fat idiotic buffoon?!" Mufette snapped as Lord of Lobsters stepped forward.

"Goddess of Shadow said that you may need reinforcements in your battle against Kumiko!" Lord of Lobsters said as he waved his foam claw around, "And as Tabitha was busy with something else, she sent me instead."

"Wait." Kumiko said as she got up and looked between the two. "Goddess of Shadow has you working with The Lord of Lobsters? And who's Tabitha?"

"I am most cairtainly not wairkéng wiv zis foul!" Mufette snapped before turning to the man in question. "And I do not need reinfaircemonts! Ai 'ave- wéll, 'ad kumiko een le palm of mon 'ands! And even if I did, why would she send you and not zumone competent?!"

"Implying any of you were competent to begin with..." Stryker muttered.

"And who's Tabitha?" Kumiko asked, hoping there wasn't a new surprise villain around the corner.

"Tabitha LeBlanc." Lord of Lobsters said with a loving sigh, "She's the most wonderful and beautiful woman I have ever met. Her soul capturing eyes, her musical laugh, her amazing and fun personality, her flawless scaled skin, her powerful and majestic tail, her beautiful fanged smile, her rippling muscles, her ability to love someone despite their glaring flaws such as weight issues they can't control; everything about her just makes the heart of Hitoshi Ryu burst with joy!"

"Gator Gal's name is 'Tabitha'?!" Kumiko asked in shock. "And who the hell is Hitoshi Ryu?!"

"Excusez-moi, Monsieur Loose Lips!" Mufette snapped in annoyance, snapping Ryu out of his lovesick daze. "Why don't you go and blurt oot mon réahl name next?!"

"Sorry, Annette. I-I mean Mufette!"

"Mon Dieu..." Mufette groaned now that her real name was exposed as well, shaking her head. "What Tabitha sees een you, I weehl névair know."

"Look, I don't care what exactly is going on right now, so..." Kumiko said as she aimed her wand at the skunk woman, "Super Special Magical -"

"Okai, okai! Time oot! Time oot!" Mufette interrupted, making a "T" shape with her hands as Kumiko stopped. "J-just give us a second to talk."

With that said, the skunk woman dragged the fat man in the lobster costume a few feet away until they were out of earshot, much to Kumiko's confusion and Stryker's annoyance.

"Leesten good!" Mufette whispered sternly, "I do not need yur 'elp wiv zis! Zo go bak to ze cas-tell and let me 'umiliaté Kumiko."

"I don't see how you could without resorting to your smelly spray." Lord of Lobsters whispered in reply, "Besides, I'm a vital member of this team too, and I haven't been sent out once to make Kumiko's life a nightmare. And you know what else? You've been belittling me for days now, almost as if you didn't like me."

"Mon Dieu." Mufette groaned, "Nobody likés you! You 'ard-lee count as a veehlain! You 'ave non powairs, non money air resurcés to use fancy and flashy toys to do crimes wiv; you are not even a blip on zé pulice radar! You aré just a fat man een a pohir-lee made Halloween costume!"

As Mufette and Lord of Lobsters continued their arguing, Kumiko could merely stare in confusion, trying to piece together what was going on here.

Stryker, on the other hand, was desperately trying to keep it together as his eye began to twitch. What the hell was Goddess of Shadow doing?!

"Stryker..." A voice whispered, getting the kangaroo turned quokka's attention. Stryker looked to his left to see Goddess of Shadow's reflection in a slate of quartz. Making sure that Kumiko was still distracted by the bickering villains, he flew over to the quartz.

"What are you playing at?!" Stryker asked, gesturing to Lord of Lobsters. "Sending him out?!"

"Keep your fur on, my old friend." Goddess of Shadow assured with a smile. "This is all part of the plan. Now, here's what I need you to tell Kumiko..."

"I swear! Ever since Tabitha and I got together, you have done nothing but jump down my throat about everything!" Lord of Lobsters growled.

"On-lee becaus I know zat she can do zo much béttair than a fat, Z-Grade wannabé veehlain lik yurself!" Mufette spat back, "I mean, what 'ave you done to warrent hair affecshe-on othair than call hair béautiful? S'il te Plaît, téll me zat!"

"I make her happy just as she make me happy!" Lord of Lobsters argued back, tears starting to well up in his eyes as he snarled. "We love, care, cherish, and respect one another!"

"Kumiko!" Stryker whispered, snapping the heroine out of confused state. "I just remembered something! Before I escaped, Goddess of Shadow told Mufette to load her gauntlets with a smelly, flesh dissolving acid!"

"Are you sure?"

"Would I lie to you?"

"Well, do we just sneak away or...?"

"No, Kumiko!" Stryker said, "You need to stop her before she calls this argument with the fat loser off. I have an idea! Remember that attack you used on those Cat-Burgler Brothers last month?"

"The one that shot them with electricity that knocked them out?" Kumiko asked for clarification. As Stryker nooded, Kumiko looked uneasy. "I don't know, Kitty. The Cat-Burglers were a lot more durable than Mufette is, and she's pretty durable as it is if she can survive my attacks."

"Exactly! Which is why I know she'll survive!" Stryker argued, "Just do it sneakily so you don't tip her off."

Kumiko wasn't sure about this, but nonetheless aimed her wand at Mufette. "Super Special Magical Girl Kumiko Heart Energy Lightning Bolt Attack!" She whispered as a bolt of pink lightning shot out from her wand towards the skunk woman.

At that moment, however, Lord of Lobsters gasped as he saw the lightning heading straight for the skunk woman, shoving the best friend of his beloved Gator Gal to the ground as he took the blast. Lord of Lobsters screamed in pain as both women gasped in horror, Kumiko immediately canceling the attack as Lord of Lobsters fell to the ground, groaning in agony.

"Oh my gosh!" Kumiko shouted, "I... I didn't... Let me -"

"Partez pour nous maintenant!" Mufette roared as she aimed her gauntlet at Kumiko, spraying the heroine from head to toe with her skunk juice. As Kumiko screamed and gagged from the attack, the skunk woman dragged the man through a shadow portal that had opened up behind them.

Stryker smiled. That worked surprisingly better than he had hoped. Taking a deep breath (a choice he soon regretted after taking a whiff of the horrid skunk smell), he donned a look of concern as Kumiko seemed to calm down. "Kumiko! Are you okay?!"

"Yeah..." Kumkio gagged, "But thankfully this isn't flesh melting acid!"

"I could of sworn I heard Goddess of Shadow tell Mufette that. I guess I was wrong."

"You seem to be wrong about a lot of things lately." Kumiko spat as she lifted up her wand. Much to Stryker's confusion, the heroine pointed it at herself and said, "Super Special Magical Girl Kumiko Skunk Smell Eliminator."

A pink mist soon enveloped the heroine for a few seconds before dissipating, leaving Kumiko and her remaining clothes smelling fresh as a spring shower...

And Stryker in complete bewilderment. "I... That's... Did you really... I can't... What?!" He stammered out, "When could you do that?!"

"Uh... Since last year when we fought Mufette and Gator Gal the first time?" Kumiko asked, as if she was stating the obvious. "You were the one who told me I could do that after I spent three hours in my back yard scrubbing myself in tomato juice, remember?"

Stryker gave a blank expression as he slowly blinked. A second later, he sweatdropped at realizing that he messed up and was on the verge of exposing himself. Giving a smile, he chuckled sheepishly as he said, "Oh. Y-yeah, of course I did! I was... Just testing you to see if you remembered! And you passed with flying colors! Now, let's go find the right tunnel this time, huh?"

Stryker immediately took off down the tunnel towards the room they entered, leaving Kumiko behind.

"Somethings wrong here..." Kumiko said skeptically as she followed the quokka. It was one thing for Kitty to get things wrong, but the way he had been acting and now apparently not remembering the very spell that he told her about? This didn't add up.

---

"What happened?!" Moth Queen shouted as she and Curb Stomper helped Mufette drag Lord of Lobsters into the common room of the castle, gently placing the man on a couch.

"Kumiko 'appened, that's what!" Mufette spat. "She was aimeng fair moi and 'e took la attak!"

"Gwacigal Gwirl Gwumiko Gwid Gwhis?!" Gwuck asked in shock.

"You know, you can drop the whole 'Magical Girl' part." Curb Stomper said, "We all know her real name now."

"I'm not too surprised she did this." Goddess of Shadow said as she entered the room, "It appears that Kumiko has gotten bloodthirsty since we've taken those she cares deeply about."

"Right!" Moth Queen shouted, "Like how she tried to kill me, Curb Stomper, and Gwuck with those falling things!"

Goddess of Shadow inwardly smirked as she realized just how well this lie was working. The shadow woman then walked over to the groaning man. "He'll live, miraculously."

"Hé saved mon life." Mufette said, getting the attention of the others. "I treated 'im lik compléte refuse, and 'e saved mon life. If 'e caiaiyaired enough to savé what 'e considairs an annoyéng et ovairbaiyaireng friend of 'is bélovéd, zen..." The skunk woman choked back a sob as she sat down on a footstool, "Zut Alors! We cannot lét Gator Gal know abut zis!"

"What can't I know, Stripe?"

All the other villains looked up in concern to see Gator Gal walking into the room, none of them noticing the smirk on Goddess of Shadow's face.

"What's going on? Are we having some kind of fais do-do oya some-" the alligator woman stopped the instant she laid eyes on the body laying on the couch, groaning in pain. Mufette cringed when she saw the look that she had hoped to never again see on her friend's face: Complete devastation at seeing her entire world come crashing down around her. She had seen this expression before when Tabitha had been dumped by her fiancé after her transformation.

But this time, it was much worse.

"RYU!" Gator Gal screamed as she raced past the other villains until she was at Lord of Lobsters side. "Ryu! Ryu, speak to me, Dawlin!"

"T-Tabitha..."

"Dat's right, baby." Gator Gal cooed softly as she stroked the man's hair. "It's me. I'm here for you, hon."

"Tabitha... I..." That was all Lord of Lobsters could get out before he passed out. White hot tears filled up the eyes of the alligator woman as she gently embraced the villain wannabe, crying as she felt her heart breaking into pieces.

"Gator Gal..." Goddess of Shadow said, smiling inwardly. "Tabitha. He's still alive and will pull through, but he just needs his rest."

"Who did dis?" Gator Gal whimpered, hot tears running down her face. Taking a deep breath, she roared, "WHO DA HELL DID DIS TO MY SWEET BOY?!"

"Why did you éven tell 'im to go oot zere?!" Mufette asked, feeling heartbroken as her friend wailed loudly over her beloved.

"I didn't!" Goddess of Shadow lied, "I told him that I wished he could go out and help you, but it was far too dangerous with Kumiko getting all -"

"Kumiko did dis?" Gator Gal interrupted in a low voice that was dripping in rage. Gently placing Lord of Lobsters back down, the alligator woman got to her feet and turned to Goddess of Shadow with an icy glare, a low gutteral growl, and a snarl that bared her sharp teeth in a way that made the shadow woman inwardly jump with joy.

"Where. Is. Dat. Bitch. Now?!" Gator Gal growled, visibly shaking in rage.