The Crimson Panther
By the Elder Barry erctow@aol.co
The Gods Are Worried


THE CRIMSON PANTHER

(The Gods Are Becoming Worried)

The two most recognizable females on planet earth were each reading the same
Daily Planet's front page feature article describing and publicizing the
highly anticipated arrival of an exhibition of priceless Egyptian antiquities
dating back to the year 30 BC and before, a collection consisting of ancient
artifacts, statues, jewelry, as well two separate bejeweled sarcophaguses
believed to house the mummified remains of two unidentified royal Egyptian
dignitaries.

Selina Kyle, AKA Catwoman, was an avid collector of ancient artifacts and
jewels. She was planning on surreptitiously helping herself to a number of the
catalogued items in the collection including a mystical golden diadem (crown)
decorated with symbols of royal power and dominion ... The crown for which
Selina would be searching is essentially an ornamental headband ornately
decorated with a depiction of a scepter with a straight shaft and a crooked
handle in the shape of an animal head, specifically a large jungle cat.

Diana Prince, AKA Wonder Woman, was preparing herself for a much more mundane
task. She had been chosen by museum board members to act as a guide and
representative of the prestigious Gotham City Museum of Art which easily
encompassed over 3,500,000 square feet housed over 2,000,000 pieces of art and
nearly 500 full-time security guards. Wonder Woman would be escorting a
privileged obscenely wealthy clique of thirty or so high-profile celebrities
and mega-donors on a preview tour of the Egyptian collection.

Three security guards were devoted to the area housing the Egyptian
Collection. Jabari Hussain Schwartz, the smallest but most experienced of the
guards, was nonchalantly investigating a noise coming from the area containing
the tombs.

One of the two sarcophagi was violently vibrating as it hovered a foot or more
off the ground as it slowly moved closer and closer towards the petrified
security guard. Schwartz immediately begam to shake with fear and was abruptly
frozen in his tracks. He was likely suffering from an extreme case of
temporary paralysis ... until he finally collapsed to the ground as if he
where he a curled up piece of raw bacon.

The ancient sarcophaguses lowered itself to the ground as the recessed niche
like door slid open allowing a nearly rather tall mummy to exit the tomb.

The body of the heavily bandaged cadaver began to expand in both height and
weight and muscular development stopping at six-feet one-hundred sixty pounds.
The centuries old swath wrappings were beginning to disintegrate; succumbing
to gravity and the ever expanding female corpse. The bindings floated to the
ground exposing what should have been the naked body a 2,000-year-old female
but instead revealed a cute crimson clad curvy chick rocking a form fitting
sleeveless body hugging spandex like suit, a suit that left nothing to one's
imagination.

Watching discreetly from a distance was a similarly dressed Catwoman who,
after disarming the alarm systems, had surreptitiously entered the museum
through the overhead vents. Selina Kyle, was wearing her purplish-black form
fitting "cat" suit, allowing her to blend into the shadows.

Before entering the museum, Selina had conducted a thorough investigation of
the Egyptian artifacts and their histories. She immediately recognized the
tomb's inhabitant to be Bastet a feline Goddess of ancient Egypt and the
daughter of Ra who was considered by many as the King or Father of all Gods, a
heretofore thought to be mythical feline deity who should be wearing the
crown.

Egyptian mythology postulated that the mysteriously powerful Cleopatra had
somehow subjugated Bastet to her will and imprisoned the woman in the
consecrated tomb of the damned where she had lain in a stasis for more than
two centuries.

The faux-latex clad Bastet flexed her mighty biceps and screamed like a
banshee before confronting Catwoman in her hiding place.

"And who might you be?" Bastet focused her eyes on Catwoman's biceps which
seemed to be every bit the equal of hers. Nonetheless, not awaiting an answer
the Goddess leveled a powerful right hand at Selina's head surprised when the
girl slipped the punch and countered with a reverse spinning karate kick that
connected with the woman's temple sending her reeling.

Cat pressed her advantage by unloading a plethora of right and lefthanded
punches of her own connecting with Bastet's face and body she delivered
spinning karate kicks to her head, and karate chops to her throat leaving the
2,000 year old woman breathless. Her adversary was completely helpless against
modern hand-to-hand combat techniques and even though the barrage of blows
drew neither blood nor caused any bruising Selina briefly wondered if she
would be accused of being an ageist, picking on the elderly as she was.

Nonetheless the Cat continued to employ every weapon in her arsenal, karate
chops, punches, and kicks. She skillfully slipped herself behind Bastet and
administered a perfectly executed rear-naked-choke hold denying the ancient
Goddess the ability to breathe.

Bastet frantically leaned her body forward unsuccessfully stretching her
powerful arms back trying to gain purchase on the muscular arm crushing her
windpipe. The clash of the titans was all but over and Selina had only two
decisions to make ... should she incapacitate the woman ... or ... should she
simply kill her. Before Cat could decide on either of those options, both were
rendered moot.

Bastet had transformed herself from human-form into that of a lethal 250-pound
crimson colored jungle-cat, specifically a panther. Catwoman was taken aback
knowing that fighting a shapeshifter would be problematic but quickly decided
that breaking limbs would be her best and easiest means of attack.

The panther had other ideas and immediately flicked out a long-nailed paw
scratching Selina's right biceps drawing minimum blood but causing an
immediate nauseous dizzying feeling. The Cat could feel herself losing control
of her motor functions as she collapsed in a heap at the feet of the Crimson
Panther.

In her previous life Bastet always treated her nails with curare. Apparently
the Wetyu (attendant) who had bandaged her body had applied curare, a
paralyzing plant-based drug. Selina would likely be incapacitated for hours.
So, the Egyptian female, back is human form, but now with crimson colored skin
(bright red with a tinge of blue) easily lifted the body of the unconscious
Catwoman and tossed her, as if she were nothing more than a sack of garbage,
into a far corner out of sight. Just for fun Bastet leveled a devastating kick
to Catwoman's kidney before setting out to inspect the jewelry collection;
hoping to locate one the pamphlets detailing the locations of the exhibits

She could here several voices coming from the largest of the several staging
areas. An Amazon warrior like female was apparently leading a tour of the
exhibit room for the benefit of the thirty or so visitors who were all
listening to her practice rap.

The red skinned Egyptian Goddess like female's way froward was being blocked
by two burly security guards each wielding threatening nightsticks. The
six-foot red woman laughed as the guards' nightsticks simply bounced off the
body of the overly muscled intruder. Bastet lifted each of the guards high
over her head, one in each hand, banged their heads together, before violently
propelling them flying head over heels into the exhibition room gaining
everyone's attention.

"All of you get out." The Amazon guide protectively ushered everyone towards
the exit. "Let me handle this." A confident looking Wonder Woman turned her
attention to the muscular female who seemed to be 'blushing" from-head-to-toe.
"I shan't be long."

"And who are you?"

"My name is Diana Prince." She smiled. "But the world knows me as Wonder
Woman." She flexed her body. "And you are?"

"In years past I was known as Bastet ... Some called me a demi-deity ... those
fools underestimated me and my power." The red woman flexed her body
surpassing the physicality of Wonder Woman in every way imaginable. "Step
aside Amazon or I will break you."

The inevitable confrontation was afoot. When Bastet threw a powerful righthand
at the head of Wonder Woman she ducked forward and grabbed the approaching
forearm with her strong righthand and flipped the shocked Egyptian over her
back in a classic Judo throw sending the female over her shoulder into one of
the display cases where she was pelted with and covered by a plethora of
precious jewels; rings, necklaces, tiaras, bracelets, and the like.

Wonder Woman immediately pounced on the intruder and delivered countless
traditional blows to the defenseless red woman's head and body as well as
several well-placed Karate chops to her throat causing apoplectic like spasms.
From behind Diana wrapped her python like legs around the red woman's torso
and began to squeeze the life out of her while simultaneously effecting a
rear-naked-choke hold rendering the demi-deity helpless and breathless.

Bastet was hysterical frantically fighting for her very life. She had
languished for over two centuries in that god-awful tomb every moment
anticipating her resurrection, her rise to power, and her eventual coronation
to the throne of Olympus. However, now her birth-right was being thwarted by a
modern-day Amazon who had somehow garnered fighting skills unknown in Ancient
Egypt.

The Egyptian had been only a few seconds away from unconsciousness when she
spied the ring of Ra, a ring that depicted a scarab beetle which afforded the
wearer unimaginable strength and eternal protection. She immediately gained
possession of her long passed father's ring and slipped it onto her finger
instantly feeling a rush of unimaginable power surging through her hardening
body.

The red woman immediately tensed and inflated her body mass escaping the
clutches of a totally shocked Wonder Woman. The Egyptian warrior began
delivering awkward but powerful earth-shattering punches to the face and body
of a reeling Diana Prince who quickly assumed a defensive position and
absorbed the powerful attack as well as she could.

Wonder Woman realized that the red woman was now in possession of the Ring of
Ra. Diana realized that Bastet was now infinitely stronger than she but that
didn't mean the fat lady was about to sing. Diana understood that she still
enjoyed superior fighting skills and if she were to manage those skills
properly, she could still put the red woman down.

An epic battle ensued with each of the super endowed physically blessed
females alternately giving more than she received. Each was hurt and in pain
but neither had been acutely injured until Wonder Woman managed to achieve a
devastating armbar by placing her legs across the red woman's chest, with one
of her arms between her thighs hyperextending the elbow causing a compound
fracture engendering unspeakable pain.

Bastet scrambled to her feet screaming in pain the force and shrillness of
which shattered hundreds of the museum windows and nearly 400 mirrors thus
insuring 2,800 years of bad luck. The thousands of people gathered outside
murmured among themselves. Three separate heavily armed Swat teams and other
police units had apparently decided that this was a good time to engage. They
collectively moved closer to door; the silence from within was deafening.

Suddenly the massive Museum doors opened wide revealing a scantily clad Wonder
Woman looking resplendent in her nakedness. The crowd roared with delight
thrilled that their heroine had emerged victorious. Long considered to be one
of the most beautiful women on the planet Wonder Woman was beginning to look a
little peaked and unstable and that's when a red booted foot could be seen
pressing against her derriere, a foot that forcibly kicked Wonder Woman
forward depositing her face first sprawled across the museum steps.

The Egyptian woman straddled the inert Wonder Woman flaunting her complete
dominance. With but one foot the red woman flipped Diana onto her back and
forced the once proud Amazon up to her feet using only the power of her mind
suspending Diana in the air a foot off the ground causing her arms and legs to
kick out and wave like a marionette.

The clearly amused reddish woman stood next to the one they called Wonder
Woman giggling as she compared their respective bodies ... which on the beauty
and fitness scale showed that Wonder Woman had clearly dropped a notch or two.

Displaying her firm incomparable gravity defying 44" DD breasts, and flexing
her massive biceps 40" biceps she was convincingly demonstrating her
superiority over the Amazon. Rather than an outpouring of love and adulation
the red woman was being shunned. The love of the crowd was 100% reserved for
the thoroughly beaten woman now lying at the feet of her conqueror.

Okay then, Bastet had made an executive decision. If these modern-day
earthlings wouldn't love her, they would be made to fear her. She targeted the
three stealthily approaching swat teams and with an almost imperceptible
left-to-right waive of her arm she sent the 80 swat team members and their
military equipment flying 100 feet or so through the air across the street and
down the block. Then with a simple blink of an eye she incinerated a couple of
dozen police vehicles.

"No one move." Bastet issued her first command and to no one's surprise no one
disobeyed. "Oh shit. I wanted at least one of you to disobey." She offered a
maniacal laugh before incinerating a boy who had simply deigned to laugh out
loud.

"Do you like my hat?" The crowd was silent. "Well, do you?" Most of the crowd
spoke softly, whispered, and nodded in the affirmative. "Good." She held her
hand up to her ear to hear better. "Louder ... LOUDER ... "The crowd screamed
its collective approval ... 'Yes ... of course ... beautiful ... oh my God ...
fit for a queen ... great fucking hat ...'

The red woman glared at the woman in the crowd who had screamed 'great fucking
hat' and incinerated her on the spot leaving only the insulant women's own
chapeau to slowly float to the ground. The Egyptian willed the hat into her
hand and inspected it as if she were fashionista; a designer of haute couture.
She wrinkled her nose at the hat implying a distasteful order quickly flinging
into the crowd.

The 'hat' she had referred to was in fact the mystical Crown of Ra for which
she had been searching. Just before the Wonder Woman had broken her arm at the
elbow, Bastet had spotted the Crown lying on the ground seemingly beckoning to
her. Seeing her future lying on the ground had broken her concentration which
had allowed the Wonder Woman the opportunity to apply the devastating
submission hold.

Ignoring the pain, the red woman shoulder blocked a surprised Wonder Woman
sending her stumbling backward. An ecstatic Bastet took the crown in her hands
and examined it adoringly before placing it on her hand; not surprisingly it
was perfect fit.

Wonder Woman, knowing the ramifications was horrified. She stood back and
watched discreetly focusing her attention on the grotesquely dangling compound
fractured elbow miraculously healing itself before her very eyes. Bastet
flexed her now healed powerful arm and turned to face the confident-less
Wonder Woman who seemed to be cowering away from the Goddess incarnate.

Bastet, in the blink of an eye lifted Wonder Woman high over her head and
violently smashed her back down across her knee likely causing irreparable
spinal damage. She stripped the Wonder Woman down to her particulars, pushed
her adversaries near naked self to the museum doors, and booted her to the
pavement.

"What do you want of us? Diana looked up at the Goddess with a combination of
awe and fear cringing in her overwhelming presence. "What?" She repeated
herself. "What is it you want?"

"Among other things I want universal adulation." She flexed her incomparable
body. "I think I deserve it. Don't you?"

"Well." Wonder Woman paused. "No ... No, I don't. You need to demonstrate
compassion not just strength." She paused again. "If you crave adulation you
need to be more than just powerful; you need to display empathy for the
people."

"Fuck that. I want the people to organize pilgrimages in my honor. I want them
to come to me from the four corners of the earth to pay homage to their
omnipotent Queen."

"Four corners?" Diana laughed. "Darling, the earth is round ... no corners ...
but I get your point."

Bastet was tiring of the inane chatter and determined that now would be as
good a time as any to leave this shit hole planet.

The Goddess was becoming anxious to ascend to the heavens and occupy her
rightful place on the throne of Olympus. She pointed to the heavens and
slashed her hands through the air causing a narrow aperture to appear in the
sky from which numerous vile winged creatures, gargoyles, and dragons
descended into the earth's atmosphere ready to wreak havoc. However, they were
interrupted by two blue and red clad flying humans. Superman and Supergirl
demolished the creatures in seconds.

The Kryptonian cousins alit directly in front of the Egyptian Goddess and
resolutely marched towards the red skinned woman. Before either could speak,
they were each struck mute and paralyzed in place completely immobile; useless
against the power of an actual Goddess.

"And who might you be?" The Goddess guided the man to her and allowed him the
power of movement and speech.

"I - I - am, Su - Su - Superman." The heretofore most powerful being on the
planet stuttered uncontrollably unable or unwilling to look the red woman in
the eye. Unimpressed with the superman she snickered and sent him back to his
immobile state.

The crowd gasped as the two Superheroes remained immobile while Wonder Woman
lay inert on the steps of the museum. The protectors of the planet were
helpless unable to move, never mind fulfill their sacred vows. The superheroes
were cognizant, aware that the crimson woman was preparing to leave the
planet. Each was in fear trying to anticipate her next move.

Bastet watched closely noticing that the path to the aperture consisted of an
eddy of swirling winds, a veritable vortex. Without hesitation she lifted
herself off the ground ready for her ascension when suddenly Catwoman appeared
out of nowhere, leaped at the Goddess, and snatched the crown from her head.

Bastet had already been caught in the swirling winds and was being inexorably
dragged towards the opening in the sky. She was no doubt heading towards
Olympus were the Gods and Goddesses would be awaiting her.

Wonder Woman stood up and inspected her still naked body and for the first
time in awhile felt and looked Wonder Womanish again. The Kryptonian cousins
were Superhero-ish was again. As of now everything was back to normal. And the
protectors of the planed were back to protecting the planet.

All eyes turned towards Catwoman and the grateful congregation rose to its
feet and cheered wildly. Wondering what she planned to do with the mystical
crown she now possessed.

To be continued ...?

The Crimson Panther ... by the Elder Barry ... 3,200 words