Questions and Answers

Goddess of Shadow sat on the throne twirling Kumiko's wand within her fingers as she and the others waited for the the heroine's arrival. Gator Gal couldn't help but stare at the shadow woman, a burning feeling in her gut telling her that something didn't feel right.

"Something troubling you, Tabitha?" Goddess of Shadow asked the alligator woman, sitting the wand down at her side. "You've been staring at me for the past five minutes now."

"Awrite, I was just wondering what exactly you had planned for when ya took Kumiko's powers away?" Gator Gal asked, "What exactly is da role we play in dis?"

"This wouldn't happen to be about what Kumiko said to you earlier, would it?" Goddess of Shadow asked, shaking her head at the alligator woman's sheepish look.

"Surely you could tell that she was lying to you?" She asked as she got up from the throne and looked over the villains with a sincere looking smile. "I'm your friend. I'm a friend to all of you. All I want to do is help you finally defeat Kumiko. What would give any of you the idea that you couldn't trust me?"

"If I may, Goddess of Shadow?" Curb Stomper said, "What Gator Gal means to say is that it's quite difficult to trust someone that you just met, let alone someone who is quite secretive as you are. Perhaps if we knew what your connection to Kumiko was?"

"Oui! Air pairhaps whaire you came from?" Mufette added.

"Gwor Gwhat Gwur Gwoing Gwere?" Gwuck asked.

"Or why you needed all of us?" Moth Queen added.

"Or perhaps even just your real name?" Lord of Lobsters threw in.

"Alright, that last one was just unfair." Goddess of Shadow groaned, rolling her eyes. "Besides, I only know the real names of two of you: Tabitha LeBlanc and Hitoshi Ryu. So it's not quite -"

"Annette Ruth." Mufette said.

"Gwirst Gwlass Gweneral Gwuxlor Gwoswell Gwuck IV." Gwuck stated, giving a salute.

"Miyamoto Ken." Curb Stomper introduced.

"Professor Uzumaki Asuna." Moth Queen said with a nod.

"Balls in your court..." Stryker muttered in amusement.

"Shut. Up." Goddess of Shadow spat quietly at the kangaroo. Just as she turned to address the other villains, however, Kumiko and Kitty walked through the shadow portal.

"Ah, right on time." Goddess of Shadow said as she sat back down on her throne and waved her hand. Within seconds, Kumiko's family and Selkie appeared chained up in the throne room. Next, Ken and Chimera appeared in the middle of the room surrounded by a wall of flames before Osaka appeared next in yet another salt ring. The shadow woman then smiled at the heroine and asked, "I take that you made your choice?"

"I have." Kumiko said somberly, giving a sad look to her loved ones before returning her gaze to the shadow woman. "I have decided..." She hung her head and sighed, "That I surrender my powers."

"Selfish, naïve fool!" Chimera spat in disgust as the others gasped softly, earning a slap from Ken.

"Excellent!" Goddess of Shadow said as she lifted her staff and pointed it at the heroine. "Now, this may sting for a - "

"If..."

Goddess of Shadow gave a look of surprise as she lowered her staff, narrowing her eyes as she frowned. "Come again...?"

"You'll have my powers," Kumiko said as she looked back up at the shadow woman, "but only on one condition."