Zatanna vs Wonder Woman III

If **** would not prevail against Wonder Woman (and thank Rob for that), then Zatanna would strike at another tact.

She looked upon Diana like a cat would to a cornered mouse. The mouse thought it had a chance, but no matter which way it went, the cat would be just that much quicker and would catch it. The only question then was, would the cat play with it some more or just go in for the killing blow?

Even bereft of her sword and shield, and somewhat shaken, little mousy Diana Prince still looked like she believed she had a way out. That her strength or speed or mind or will or spirit would prevail against Zatanna and the unfathomable power she wielded. And, in any normal scenario, she would be correct. Even with superpowers only existing in the realm of the physical, Zatanna had seen her friend best some of the best wizards, witches, mages, and sorceresses in the world - she herself among that number. Without Rob’s blessing, Zatanna would have stood no chance.

Still, Diana stood there, fists up in a defiant stance, legs and feet shoulder-width apart, her entire body coiled up tightly like a spring, just waiting to pounce. But would it be to run or to strike? Because despite how steely sturdy her body was at the moment, Zatanna could see her friend’s eyes quivering. Fear and indecision were blooming in those deep blue eyes, both foreign emotions that tarnished her beauty and told Zatanna how deeply affected she was by her tortures. There was doubt, too. Doubt that Diana could win or escape. Zatanna hated to see her friend in such pain.

So she would ensure Diana never knew pain or suffering ever again.

“I can see just how afraid you are, Diana.” Zatanna said. Neither had made a move, contemplating in silence for a few moments, so unlike the great warrior woman to be stricken like this. “You never hesitated to charge in before, never hesitated to fight, no matter the challenge. I must have really broken you.” Diana gnashed her teeth, in defiance and annoyance. “It’s a shame, really, all that power and you don’t have the will to use it…”

In a flash, Zatanna appeared behind Diana, placing her hands to the side of the latter’s head.

“If you’re not going to use it, then I’m afraid you’re going to lose it.”

Touching her fingertips to Diana’s temples, Zatanna began to syphon the physical power from the warrior before her. All Diana could do was grasp as her divine strength was stolen from her and she became weak, very very weak. Too weak to struggle, too weak to speak, too weak to even stand up. She sank to her knees as Zatanna leached away more and more of her power.

And it wasn’t just metaphorical, intangible power that Zatanna was draining, no. Much to her horror, Diana watched as she physically wasted away before her very eyes. The muscles on her arms and legs began to wither and atrophy, as did those on her stomach, shoulders, back - everywhere. Muscles deteriorated, followed by fat, as Diana shrank in on herself, stomach and ribs becoming concave, bones visible beneath tightly stretched skin, her cheeks and her eyes sinking into deep, dismal hollows.

By the time Zatanna was finished, Diana was hardly anything more than a scarecrow, just skin and bones. Her torso narrow and shrunken, her limbs spindly and almost distended into limp noodles. She tried to raise her arms up, but only caused them to weakly tremble and spasm, as she was unable to lift the weight of her bracers. The same was true of her boots and leotard, all of her clothing and accessories weighing her down and immobilizing her.

“Great Hera… what have you done to me?” Diana’s voice came out as a weak, raspy croak, her shriveled chest and deflated breasts rising and falling with the great effort of simply speaking.

“Well, I was thinking about stripping away your beauty, but that wouldn’t slow you down one bit…” Zatanna cocked her head and circled Diana, as to observe her handiwork. “No, you aren’t vain but you are proud. Proud of your strength and your might. Proud not of your beauty, but of your body all the same. Because it’s easy to be brave and confident when you have power, not so much when you’re a glorified stick figure, right?”

“Please… please… by the gods, you have to help me…” Diana wheezed, eyes quavering in panic, paralyzed before Zatanna in more ways than one.

Zatanna acted as if she didn’t hear her distressed cries, instead snapping her fingers and unleashing more power.

“But why just settle for my opinion? How about we ask your adoring public?”

What was once an empty street was now crowded with bystanders. At first, they all gasped in shock at the positively devastated and broken Wonder Woman, weak and wasted, immobilized and ashamed, tears welling in her eyes. Then, one man broke out into a hyena-like cackle and the rest of the mob followed, pointing and laughing at their former heroine and idol.

“Oh my god, look at the freak!”

“She’s supposed to be the world’s strongest heroine?”

“This is why you don’t let ladies do this job - they just can’t take it!’

“Ugh, I can’t believe I used to idolize her…”

“Ugh, I can’t believe I used to masturbate to her…”

The slings and arrows of everyday citizens, Diana could take those, but as the barrage of insults flew at her, several shadows seemed to loom over her. With the greatest of effort, Diana craned her head towards them, only for a boot to strike her in the chest, sending her sprawling to the asphalt, even more helpless than before.

“Well, would you look at this?” Power Girl, the one responsible for kicking Diana, sneered. She thrust her chest out and held her hands to her hips, exuding her superiority over the shrivelled Wonder Woman. “The Princess doesn’t look so good anymore, does she? Guess this is what she gets for hogging the spotlight, huh?”

No, it was barbs delivered by her friends and comrades that hurt Diana. Tears began to run down her face, as all she could do was gawk and croak.

“S-sisters…”

“We’re not your sisters.” Black Canary refuted sternly. “We’re the ones who do all the hard work and then get shunted aside because people only care about you. What are you good for, anyways? You’ve only ever been a primadonna and a pain in the ass.”

“She thinks she has it so easy because she’s literally blessed by the gods.” Batgirl said, crouching down to take a selfie with Diana. “Not so easy when you don’t have powers, right? See what the rest of us have to do when we go without? But the moment you’re stripped of everything, you break down crying?” She spat at Diana. “Pathetic.”

“Indeed it is.” Donna Troy agreed, grimly nodding alongside Wonder Girl. No, not them. Not her sisters and comrades. Anyone but them. Their words were less harsh, their glares less venomous, but their disappointment was apparent and profound and hurtful all the same. “I think Cassie and I have made a mistake, modelling ourselves after you. Perhaps we should sidekick for someone else…”

Diana wailed and screamed in pain, but given her weakened body and prone position, it came out as a ghastly and keening wail. Instead of sympathy, her cry led to another round of mockery, from civilian and heroine alike. Their cruel laughter and mocking faces began to bleed into one another, an orgy of sights and sounds that existed to destroy Diana’s spirit. And it seemed that they were all right. Without her power and stature and body, she was nothing. She had no will or spirit or anything else. She crumbled like ancient, dusty stone. Without her power, she was nothing.

Then, reality snapped back to normal, and Diana found herself once more facing off with Zatanna, her body back to normal. Still, the humiliation she just went through was fresh in her mind, alongside the memories of being brutally murdered. So, when Zatanna took one step forward, Diana skittishly leapt backward, almost falling over herself.

“Get back! Back! Stay away from me!” Diana called out, in utter fear, now all too aware of the gulf between her and her former friend. Eyes wide and fearful, Diana took another uneasy step backwards and then she…

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Just so there is no confusion, no - Powergirl, Batgirl, Black Canary, Donna Troy, and Wonder Girl are not enslaved an apart of the harem. These are the real versions of them that appear in this chapters, but Zatanna has just plucked them from wherever they were, used them for her purposes, and then sent them back none the wiser. The Justice League will be getting their proper time in the spotlight later on.