Talia Al-Ghul And The Cabal

“Thank you all for heeding my warning and attending this meeting.” Talia said to the motley assembly of heroes, villains, and others, speaking with only a touch of hostility after how much difficulty it took to get all of these disparate factions to agree on a simple meeting. Half the attendants weren’t even here in person!

Pushing aside her annoyance, Talia focused on the task at hand. “Whether you believe my warnings or not, there is a grave threat in our midsts, and powerful women are at risk. Whatever our differences may be, it would be best to set them aside in order to combat this threat.”

Cold suspicious eyes greeted Talia and her call for camaraderie from all sides of the round table. This would not be easy, but she had incontrovertible proof of the threat Rob Daily provided, and that uniting together to protect themselves and others from his vile machinations.

“In order to ease the proceedings, I would ask for a round of introductions.” Talia said. There were friends and enemies sitting across one another, but also parties that were not yet familiar with each other. The ice needed to be broken. “To my right is my bodyguard and aide-de-camp, the Lady Shiva.” Talia introduced, motioning to her longtime companion. As the one who personally called this meeting, Talia had no need to introduce herself. “And on my left is my most trusted field agent, Jade Nguyen, AKA Cheshire.”

Behind her great white cat mask, Jade’s expression was unknowable and inscrutable, but Talia knew that her insolent left hand was smirking at the euphemism. “Field agent”. Jade was an assassin, one of the best. But she was trying to be diplomatic. Reminding those that usually opposed her of the blood on her hands was a losing move.

With a gesture, she was able to direct the woman to her immediate left to start the chain.

“Black Canary. Justice League.” Dinah’s hologram said, tersely. It had been a point of contention, especially amongst the League, about sending members in person into Talia’s stronghold. Holographic projection was a concession in order to make them feel more comfortable. Dinah’s clipped tone and stern glance suggested it worked by the smallest of margins.

“I’m Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman, representing the Avengers.” Sue said in a conciliatory tone, the tone of a woman used to speaking to the public. She offered her real name seeing as how she was a public figure already. Sue was also projecting herself

“Really? They sent you two?” Talia’s lip twitched the moment Jade’s snark escaped her lips. “This is a big deal, yet your teams couldn’t bother to send any A-listers?”

“I am the leader of the Justice League.” Dinah corrected, pointedly. “Elected by my peers and doing the work leaders do - AKA, the stuff no one else wants to do.”

“There was heated debate amongst the Avengers about whether we should attend at all.” Sue explained in a much more even tone. “Both Captains Marvel and Carter were against it. Me representing us is a compromise choice.”

Before Jade could unleash another verbal barb, Talia preemptively silenced her with a look and a hand, before motioning to the next woman in line to speak up.

“Jean Grey, representing the X-Men.” The redhead said, coolly, doing her best to restrain a smirk.

Yes, despite all of Talia’s best efforts, Rob Daily himself had a presence amongst this secretive meeting. Jean, the newly enslaved Sue Storm, and Dinah would unwittingly share information with Diana, who would happily tell everything to her Mistress in turn. Even Widowmaker, under the order of Mercy, was looming in the rafters above, blankly staring down on the proceedings, but committing every word and action to memory so she could inform Mercy later. Overkill? Perhaps, but it spelled doom for Talia’s crusade before she had uttered a word. And she wasn’t even facing the full **** of Rob’s insidious powers, for he enjoyed this little shadow war against a fearsome opponent. Talia would have her day yet, to be sure, but for now, Rob was letting her dangle upon a rope before he pulled her back in.

“My name is Poison Ivy.” A green-skinned woman, next in line, said, the first of the attendees to come in person. “My work defending the planet speaks for itself, I hope, and I come at the express invitation of Lady Al-Ghul.”

Indeed, Poison Ivy was a recent ally of Talia. The toxic temptress had no loveloss for the male gender and was single-minded in her efforts to save the green world from the ravages of mankind, meaning she was a willing accomplice to Talia’s gendercide, leading the charge in developing androcidal chemical agents.

“I’m Catwoman. I was also invited here by Talia, but I can’t say as to why…” The infamous cat burglar said, giving askance glances to the rest of the table. To the heavy hitters in the superpowered and political worlds. Even sitting next to Ivy - a solo villainess not representing a nation or organization - Selina Kyle stood out like a sore thumb.

https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/s4ur/catwoman-my-version

“There are many disparate criminal elements across the world that, while I have kept informed, I could not invite all of them.” Talia explained. “You are their unofficial representative, meant to spread the world across the underworld once the meeting is out.”

“Jeez, give a girl a little warning next time…” Catwoman said under her breath, but just loud enough to be audible. Talia spared her a look, and one for Cheshire, too. What was it with cat-themed individuals and the annoying snark?

https://x.com/LumiNyu\\\\_Art/status/1167892800089640963

“Princess Zelda, of Hyrule, representing the Princess Union.” The next attendee said, also projecting herself, thankfully reintroducing a level of decorum to the meeting. The Princess of Wisdom, representing many kingdoms united in common deed and goal, then paused and slightly frowned, as she motioned to her projected companion to her left.

“And-”

“Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil!” Boomed the dark faerie next to Zelda, the hologram doing nothing to diminish the drama and bombast she possessed. “I come here in retinue with the Princess, but I have my own agenda to see to, as well.” The sometimes ally, sometimes enemy of the Princess Union explained.

https://www.deviantart.com/j-scott-campbell/art/Maleficent-78965471

But then, coming next to her, could almost be the spitting twin of Maleficent, if not her corporate sister. Pale of skin, clad in black-and-green arm, spiky blades everywhere, and also possessing an air of superiority and a flare for the dramatic, she was one of the few to attend in person, for she was also an ally of Talia and her mass-murdering ways. That, and what threat could any attendants pose to a goddess of ****?

“Hela, Goddess of ****, straight out of Helheim.” Hela said, drolly, smirking across the way to Sue, to Jean, to Zelda. “Charmed, I’m sure. I’m certainly not.” Divine smugness radiated from the goddess, so assured of her superiority she didn’t consider anyone here remotely on her level.

The final attendant was an older woman, long that was more white than black, wearing a vibrant purple outfit that was an odd combination of regal, striking, and sensual. Plenty of cleavage and thigh was on display, and even if she appeared to be an older woman, the tightness of her outfit showed off both her curves and her body’s fitness.

“I am Empress Sindel, of the nation of Edenia.” Sindel, also attending in person, declared with all the royal gravitas she could muster. “And while us as individuals and factions may fail to see eye-to-eye, I know firsthand how insidious this threat is.”

“Well, now that introductions are out of the way and we’ve played nice, I have to say,” Dinah launched into a breathless rant, so quick she was to speak it was clear she was waiting for the introductions to end, “but given what little information you’ve given us, Talia, I don’t see how or why this is such a dire threat you need to call a council. From what I’ve seen, he’s just some schleppy guy in his thirties. Some wannabe Hugh Hefner. Now, we take rapists and mind controllers seriously, it’s part of the job as a superheroine, but I don’t see this Rob Daily as any kind of world-shattering threat like you’re making him out to be.”

“His appearance belie both his means and ambitions.” Sindel returned. “Recently, in the poor nations around Edenia, strange clinics have begun to pop up in the poorest of villages. High-tech salons that transform the human body with the greatest of ease. At first, they catered to wealthy foreigners looking for experimental surgeries, but then we discovered that the prices for these procedures are ludicrously cheap. The villagers have begun to partake in the services provided by these Re-New-U clinics, turning themselves into idealized, handsome individuals. And from this glut of over-sexed people comes an upturn in the sex worker industry. The major cities of these nations have seen an uptick in casinos and brothels, as well as sex tourism, and the villagers turned sex workers are all too happy to work there.”

“Okay, interesting story.” Dinah replied, leaning forward and facing Sindel with all her attention. “But how do you know all about this? And how is this connected to Rob Daily?”

“This company - it’s parent company, BSSW Incorporated - made inquiries into establishing these clinics in Edenia. We declined, did our due diligence, and uncovered this.” Sindel nodded to Talia, who tapped a button on the table’s control panel. One of the photos Amelie had taken on her scouting mission was projected into the air,depicting both Asami and Mercy. “These two are representatives of BSSW, who came in person to negotiate with my government. They are listed as heads of BSSW’s many subsidiaries and, as Lady Talia can attest, have been photographed numerous times in Mr. Daily’s company.”

Notably, despite having the information of Rob’s numerous corporate dealings, Jean - executive in charge of WeWhore Entertainment, another of BSSW’s subsidiaries - was not outed. Once more, she hid her smile at the ignorance of her Master’s so-called enemies.

“We are not aware of where this man’s wealth came from, but we can confirm he is far and away the wealthiest person on Earth.” Talia added, emphasizing Sindel’s point.

“Well, why don’t you hack his account and drain it to the last cent?” Catwoman suggested, the thief and burglar going for the obvious route.

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Dinah murmured, now leaning back in her chair.

“We have attempted that.” Talia said, giving the infamous Black Canary a long look of warning. “But whatever layers of protection he has on his accounts are far too strenuous even for our hackers. Similarly, we have made attempts on his life, but he is protected by supernatural means.” Tapping more keys on her console, Talia had the projector cycle through the many photos she had of Rob and his harem. “While many of the women he has claimed are most likely chosen for their bodies, he has several powered individuals in his thrall, including magic users, demons, and reality warpers. And of those women, they stand as -”

Talia was about to say “members of the Justice League or Avengers” to drive home the point to the most obstinate members of this council and to underscore the threat, but as she was about to speak, and as the projector was about to roll over to said members - Zatanna, Wanda, Megan, Star, Raven, et al - Talia went blank. Her eyes went wide, her face stricken and blank, as she trailed off into dull silence. And she was not the only one, for everyone at the table fell into a stupor simultaneously. Everyone that is, save for Jean and Susan (and Amelia up in the rafters).

Rob was playing on god-mode, and it just wouldn’t be any fun if the game was given away so soon. A psychic censor had been placed up over the information Talia held, so that no one would be cognizant of the wolves in their midst. The Justice League would not know of Zatanna’s extracurricular activities, the Avengers wouldn’t learn of what Wanda was doing in retirement, and no one connected would know of the daggers in the dark already at their throats.

Eventually, slowly, the collaborators came back to their senses, assassin and superheroine and princess and goddess alike. No one noticed the lapse in time or senses. Jean and Sue struggled to not snicker aloud. Amelie remained a stonefaced sentinel.

“Okay, I’m convinced.” Dinah surmised after she zonked out, staring at the projected images of Luz Noceda and Violet Parr and Ney-Ney as if they held great knowledge for her and her cause. “He’s already a creep and scum for enslaving so many women, but if he has that kind of power behind him, he is a world-shattering threat.” Dinah said, as if she wasn’t ignorant of the real power Rob held, saying it in such a way as to apologize to Talia without actually apologizing.

“I concur.” Zelda pronounced. “We cannot allow such unabashed misogyny to run rampant.”

“I would never allow such a feeble mortal to control me.” Maleficent declared. “I will strike him down.”

“He shall not escape ****’s embrace.” Hela said in a similar manner, almost relishing the idea of her slaying Rob. “And once I do take his life, I shall cast it to Helheim, so he will suffer at my feet until Ragnarok comes.”

Consensus came quicker than Talia was expecting, but she supposed most women, when threatened with such an existential concept as losing their free will to a lecher, would rally against it. Still, she felt accomplished bringing together all these peoples and factions towards one cause.

“From my understanding, this impromptu alliance wields awesome power, too.” Sindel said, looking across the table to Dinah, Sue, and Jean. “Shall we gather our forces and strike while the iron is hot?”

“We may only get one chance at defeating this monster.” Talia replied, tenting his hands before her as she shut her eyes and calculated the combined strength these women represented. “And we cannot take any risks. The longer we wait, the more power he gathers, but it would be foolish to assume we can win now. We must be patient, gather our strength, insulate ourselves and protect ourselves from his desires, and when we are ready… we strike!”

“I propose one month to prepare ourselves.” Jean spoke up, doing her Master’s bidding. “One month to gather friends and allies, build protections against whatever stands against us, and then we unite and strike together.”

“I agree with Miss Grey.” Sue echoed, sharing a knowing smile with her fellow Marvel slavegirl. Consent and agreement murmured around the council table.

“Very good. One month.” Talia agreed with a sharp nod. “One month and we’ll take down this villain once and for all.”

War was declared. For this alliance of strange bedfellows, a war of survival against an all-consuming threat. But for Rob and Sue and Jean (and Amelie) and their fellow slaves, a war of conquest. The Justice League, the Avengers, Edenia, and the Princess Union were all on his hit list. All containing women he greatly desired. Unbeknownst to her, Talia was playing right into his hands.

Now, he was just working on a time limit.

/////

Going back to Talia briefly as we set up the conflict of this part. The Princess Union will a be major conquest at some point while, with his Trojan Horses, Rob will subvert the Justice League and Avengers from within.

Also, another shout-out to Marvel Rivals. I thought Cate Blanchett was super hot as Hela in Thor Ragnarok, so I'm glad she is the inspiration for the NetEase thirst-trap - I mean Marvel Rival version and more people start to appreciate her glory and beauty.

I also have a new story, so take a click on the link if you would be so kind. Or, if not, I plan for more reader participation and have some polls up, and I would appreciate a vote as well.

STORY:
https://chyoa.com/chapter/Introduction.1727879

POLLS:
https://strawpoll.com/BDyNzRwEeyR

https://strawpoll.com/B2ZB92k9EgJ

https://strawpoll.com/PbZqbENb0yN