She was part of a ritual

“I don’t think my story will be that exciting,” Gwen T said as she rubbed her upper arms.

“No biggy, if it's not that great, I’ll just move it earlier in the video,” Gaige said, causing Katara to kick her leg. When Gaige went to complain, she saw Aelita’s and Katara’s expressions and dropped it. “Well, ready when you are.” Gwen T took a deep breath and nodded, as soon as Gaige counted down her fingers she spoke.

“I was traded in by my first owner for a new ‘waifu’, I don’t know who as the store knocked me out before I could see,” Gwen T explained, causing Katara and a couple others to nod in sympathy. Katara remembered when a Tiana was traded in for her and then she was traded in for a Cecil (from RWBY) and a Monique (from Kim Possible).

“The next thing I knew I was waking up in a park with a dozen other girls in the middle of a large magic circle at night.” Gwen T shuddered a bit. “It was the middle of the night and there were dozens of people in robes around.”

“A cult ritual?!” You exclaimed, when RealDreams started selling characters a bunch of cults, religious groups and other organizations started popping up. You were still an honorary part of the Sons of Daisy despite asking that they stop asking for donations and artifacts from your mom. You were also once part of the Garden Jedi but left due to differences with the Jedi in charge.

But there was a crack down a few years back when a bunch of cults started trying to summon dark lords and other entities into the Prime World; Ohio was still a Quarantine Zone after the Ma’PinJ Incident. Since then all cults and such groups involving actual magic had to get multiple permits and jump through hoops to get approval to run the morally gray and darker rituals. Most major groups had moved their headquarters to other worlds to get around the restrictions.

“Yeah, they had multiple sacrifice slabs, chanting, and everything,” Gwen T said shivering. “They ordered us out of the stasis pods and had us strip naked. Not everyone listened.”

“Were they okay?” Alex spoke up from her corner of the game room. You had almost forgotten she was in the room still. Gwen T’s face explained what had happened.

“They grabbed us and chained us to the slabs and started painting symbols on our bodies, “ Gwen T continued to explain as she gained a far off look. “Then they started chanting, and chanting and…” Marinette limped over to Gwen T and gave her a comforting hug, snapping her out of the flashback.

“Do you want to stop?” You asked nicely when Marinette let go of Gwen T and returned to her seat.

“No, I–I’ll continue,” she says. “When the chanting stopped, they were going to stab us but then some superhero characters and police appeared and stopped them.” She frowned and looked away.

“They were not there to save us, they were there only to stop the ‘unlicensed and unpermitted’ ritual and public nudity of characters,” Gwen T spat out the air quoted words. “They only arrested them due to one of the cultists getting angry and shouting about how a ‘Mac’Dagond’ would have their souls.” You felt a shiver of horror as you recognized that name.

“Good thing they stopped the ritual. That name is one my dad warned me about. Those cults are not allowed on Prime Earth,” you say with horror on your face. You definitely need to be checking the news if stuff like this has been happening in your town.

“I’m guessing after you and the other characters were cleaned up and had any ritual remnants cleared off, you were used as evidence for their quick trial?”

“Yeah and now I’m here,” Gwen T said a bit numbly, obviously concerned with your reaction. Everyone spent some time digesting Gwen T’s story. Aelita asked for some clarification on the ritual used while Ahsoka asked about which heroes and police arrived. You could probably ask your friends in the police if they had responded to that ritual and anything that might’ve come of it.

Diana felt that the atmosphere of the room was down, decided to try to lift everyone’s spirits. “I know that you just got here but James will not allow such things to happen to any of us,” they new new new girls eyed the signs of injury your girls had, “intentionally. He cannot promise that it couldn’t happen but it would be a very unusual occurrence. But have some faith and…”

“Welcome to our home,” Aelita, Gaige, Diana, and Katara said with slight variation between them. That got a little smile from Hinata and Gwen. Soon Gaige was collecting her CameraTraps and you were trying to get to know your characters. Eventually, finding out that Gwen had gotten Kyoka’s music selection.