28

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Heatherfield, Connecticut -

The members of WITCH walk into the business property that Ms. Shimmer had brought in order to spy on them. It's located downtown located between to what use to be a Blockbuster and what use to be a Toy R Us. There are some office buildings and apartments around the block where the property is located. And the reason why the property has remained open even after the two brand stores closed, is because unlike the two brand stores the business is one that will always be needed, a laundromat.

"This is it?" Will asked as she and the others had step out of the portal that Will made. 

Will has been using her portal magic to help her mother Susan Vandom to get around and her friends family as it's lot easier to travel around then driving. Irma is there with her parents, Anna, Tom Lair, and her little brother Chris. Taranee's parents Lionel and Theresa Cook along with her older brother Peter. Cornelia's parents Harold, Elizabeth Hale and her little sister Lillian. And Hay Lin's parents Chen and Joan.

The laundromat is shabby, looks like its been there since laundromats became a thing. There is only 5 parking spaces in front of the one story tall building, the billboard on top of the building showed the words Coin Wash with a gold coin between the words. There was something strange that stood out, as the laundromat has a cell tower on the roof.

"Hey wait a minute," Tom said looking around. "I've been here before. I use to rent a apartment near here when I started to live by myself. I use to come to this laundromat. If I remember right there's an arcade in the back."

"An arcade?" Chris asked having only seen an arcade at the Chuck E Cheese they sometimes go to. 

"Arcades use to be big when, I was your age," Peter said. 

"The young heroes of Witch," a voice called out. 

Turning to where the voice came from the group saw a middle aged man in his late 30s. He's dress in a white shirt and overalls, carrying a takeout bag from Wendy's.

"I'm, Jeffrey and I run the laundromat. I use to own it too, till Ms. Shimmer brought me out but kept me running the place," Jeffrey said.

"And you didn't see anything strange about that?" Tom asked.

"All I was told the reason why she brought the laundromat was to install a cell tower for her company and my store was where it was needed to be built," Jeffrey said.

"And why keep the laundromat?" Irma asked.

"A steady source of income. I learned that she was using the laundromat to spy on you all, after that thing happen in France. I'm guessing that she likes to have hideouts that pay for themselves. Probably why she's giving ownership to you five, so that you have a hideout that pays for itself and have a source of income," Jeffrey said. (1)

"We are going to be paid for our service as heroes but it be nice having another source of income," Taranee said.

"Follow me, I show you around," Jeffrey said leading the group inside the laundromat. 

Inside the building is a typical laundromat, rows of washers and dryers all of which are the new ones that used cards instead of coins. There are a pair of the old coin operated washer and dryer machines left for the people who don't use cards. There's a vending machine that sells laundry soap, softener, and other laundry items. There are 3 working arcade machines, a snack and a soda vending machines, and a paid toilet. Jeffrey showed the girls how to open the token slots for the machines for when they're running the shop.

Jeffrey then took them to the back which use to be the arcade but closed down once home game consoles became a thing. Jeffrey had to sell off the arcade machines once people stop coming to play at the arcade once iPhones and iPads became a thing, which killed the arcade for good. As people had mostly played the games to do something while they waited for their wash to be done but now that they can just download games, there isn't much point of having more then a handful of games. (2)

The half of the backroom is now the server room for the cell tower, which was also used to spy on the girls. The servers are behind a lock metal door which is kept cold by the air con to keep the systems from over heating. The other half is for storage for supplies and a break room. There is the small office for the laundromat that Jeffrey uses. 

"Wow, this is barebones," Irma deadpanned. 

"The computer room we can use but… this isn't much of a base," Cornelia said.

"Yeah it's not much but Ms. Shimmer started with less," Jeffrey said. "She told me to tell you that."

"Yes?" Will ask looking towards the server room. 

"Will what is it?" Susan ask looking at her daughter.

"I'm talking with the computer," Will said.

"Magic?" Jeffrey asked.

"Yes, Will can talk to machines," Susan said.

"The server said that she can monitor the going ons around the city to help us," Will said. 

"As long as you file the paperwork," Tom said. The heroes are allowed to do things like monitor things around the city but they do need to submit the paperwork first.

"It's the reason why her communications array, auxiliary power unit, and primary CPU are all turned off. Once the paperwork for all of her functions are approved we can use them," Will said.

"There be a lot of work to get this place to be your HQ. I'll be staying as the manager of the laundromat and handle all the essentials in running it," Jeffrey said.

"Well at least this is something to work on," Cornelia said.

"Yeah, I guess," Taranee said.

"I don't know what your plans are, but if you want to be heroes I suggest you start training hard," Jeffrey said.

"We are with the other heroes," Irma said wondering what's next for their group.

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Paris, France -

Bloom and her friends has been kept in the women's prison, while the boys are in the men's prison since their families sent soldiers to arrest Shimmer. Which has dealt a huge blow to relationships with Earth and the magical world. Seeing proof that the magical world only cares for their own laws and not of others, many countries of Earth are cutting ties with the kingdoms that sent soldiers to Paris. Which didn't work thanks to Shimmer having machines that can drain magic from people and objects. Once drain of their magic the soldiers and Bloom's friends were all arrested and charge for many different crimes. 

"I can tell you right now that you and your group are in deep legal trouble," Courtcase said the superhero lawyer who is talking with Bloom in a room. 

"We we're trying to prevent things from getting out of hand," Bloom said.

"Which all the lie detector tests we have tells us is true. But as a member of United HeroeZ you and your group are expected to follow the rules that all members need to follow. Entering another country needs to be called in, the only expeditions are in emergency cases and cleared up with said country. Which your group failed to do, and the government of France isn't happy with your world's kingdom sending soldiers to arrest a citizen of their country on their soil," Courtcase explains.

"Shimmer is a citizen of France?" Bloom asked. 

"She has a EU citizenship which allows her to travel to all the countries that are part of the EU. As well as having several other citizenships, and yes she has an American citizenship. Which she did so that it's all perfectly legal for her to travel to all the countries by magical means as she is a citizen of all the countries that she owns property in. Shimmer had a well thought out plan that covers her on all legal matters and have the documents to back it up, and has already handle all other legal matters with the countries she's been operating in. While you and your friends have violated many laws with France," Courtcase said.

"So is there anything you can do?" Bloom asked.

"While I am a international lawyer. That's only for those who have citizenship on this planet. You being adopted you are a citizen of France like your adopted parents, as well as your friend Roxy so I can represent both of you. Your other friends on the other hand don't have any citizenship on this planet. The same went for the soldiers, all of them have to wait for a lawyer from their worlds to represent them or a deal is made with France and those worlds," Courtcase said.

"So what now?" Bloom asked.

"Well you and the others will be held in prison till your hearing and no there be no bail as you're a flight risk," Courtcase said.

"What about any diplomatic strings?" Bloom asked.

"The only magical worlds that actually have diplomatic ties to the UN are, Ephedia, Meridian, and Rainbow Land. Seem your parents and your friends parents drag their feet on making any ties," Courtcase said.

"That's just great," Bloom said covering her face with her hands. Seeing that she's struck in jail because of her parents decided to put off in making ties with Earth.

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Sparkle's Lab -

In the portal room the different bands that are on Shimmer's payroll are working with the cosmic key trying to figure out the right musical notes to open a portal to Equestria. They all been working on shifts trying to figure out the right notes and recording the portals that they do open. Some of the worlds they open a portal too, could be useful later, having rich resources that they could take later.

The Dazzling sisters, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata who have been working with Sunset for years even before she found the umbrella. 

The Alraunes, Rose Petal, Sunny Sunflower, Iris, Orchid, Lily Fair, Daffodil, Fuchsia, Gladiola, Marigold, Cherry Blossom, Sweet Violet, and Canterbury Belle.

The Kindles, Beami, Flashi, Glari, Gleami, Glorali, and Sparkli.

The Flowergals, Peppermint Rose, Lemon Kiss Lily, Merry Mint Violet, and Miss Vanilla Daisy. 

They been working for weeks trying to figure out the right notes and dealing with opening the wrong portal. They once open a portal where lava just came out, another time a lizard like monster came out and attack them, then there was the one that lead to a world of hamsters, who made their bodies into their homes.

The use of the magical item The Time Twirler, allowed them to replay the same day over and over again or undo a mistake like they been doing. So any deaths or a waste of time, they could just undo thanks to at least one of them in another room watching by camera and when they see something or the camera is cut they activate the Time Twirler, just like resetting a level in a video game. They do redo some days but do quit to go and get some sleep before doing it all over again.

"What happen this time?" Aria ask Lily Fair who is watching from the security room.

"Water," Lily Fair said undoing the flood that came out of the portal by reversing time. "Also Sparkle was coming in when the water came gusting out of the portal."

The door of the room open and Sparkle came walking in. 

"I found the right notes," Sparkle said. 

"What how?" Flashi ask.

"Shimmer kept a magic journal that connects to the one the one that Celestia has in Equestria. I managed to get it to work which it glows and vibrants to alert the other user it's on. And I ran the vibrations through a computer that translates it into music notes," Sparkle said placing the paper with the music notes on a table for all the singers to look at.

"All that work for nothing," Glari said.

"I wouldn't say that, we did find all those resource rich worlds," Sunny Sunflower said.

"After making sure there isn't any intelligent life on them," Lemon Kiss Lily points out.

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Germany -

In the city of Aalen, the main HQ of Shimmer Exports, Sunset is talking with Drake Cam her oldest friend who has been working with her since the very start of the building of her company. He called her into a meeting with her to talk about the concerns from the banks and insurance companies that help support the company. Even if the company isn't a publicly traded company the company does need the support of the banks and insurance companies to stay open. With the reveal that the founder and CEO of the company had only created it to fund her war chest to take her throne from her mother has caused much unrest with the banks and insurance companies. 

"Sunset, I been with you since your truck broke down and you open that restaurant to pay for repairs. But really using the company to be your war chest is just too much. The amount of money you been putting into this is in the billions," Drake said to Sunset looking over the amount of money she's been spending. He's been handling the damage control of the company's image since the reveal of Shimmer's past to the world. 

"Which is all from my own personal wealth and none from the company. It's all right there, all the money I been putting into my war chest isn't from the company. It's my own money and side businesses, all perfectly legal. I just used the company to laundry the money and resources I gathered by other means," Shimmer said to Drake who uses her first name instead of using her last name like everyone else. 

"What about the planting of gold into the gold mine you own in Canada?" Drake asked.

"There is no law against taking gold that I got from a different world and planting it into the mine. I checked and there is no law I broken. The gold wasn't stolen and fraud would be if the mine was being funded by something other then my money and that there isn't any gold as there is still gold in the mine which the earthbenders on my payroll can confirm, just very deep. I just use the mine to laundry the gold I got from other worlds so that there would be no questions of how I got the gold in the first place. Which I did because of how cut throat the magical worlds are in keeping the status quo, as you saw how they reacted by sending an army to arrest me," Shimmer explained.

"Are they really that gun ho?" Drake asked.

"The French hero Nyctalope is only remembered as a pulp fiction hero who is a cyborg, and not a hero who found a magical helmet that allowed him to do all that he's able to do in the novels. The magical world captured him and made people forget about him, turning him into a pulp fiction hero so that the few people who did remember him wouldn't be believed," Shimmer said as she magically gave Drake the files on said hero. (3)

"They did the whol plot of Wanted on him?" Drake asked. 

"He wasn't the only one who been disappeared and people made to forget, with anyone who did remember being discredited by the ones made to disappear to be made into a comic. Wendy the good witch, a young girl who discovered on her own how to use magic, The Phantom a hero who thanks to a magic item allowed him to talk to animals, The Fury, a cat theme heroine who could change into a werecat, The Shadow, could cloud people's minds with a magic item. Even Spring-Heeled Jack who had magical boots that allowed him to jump around, was turned into a villain by them. All of them arrested for being people from Earth who can use magic, and put to death. With them being turned into comic book characters to hide that they use to be real, the magical worlds could hide magic till, thanks to cameras and tv they couldn't just make someone disappear like they use too. Which I have given all the proof to the heroes and governments to show what levels the magical worlds will sink to make sure they're the only ones who can use magic," Shimmer explains. (4)

"Wouldn't erasing the memory of a public figure have lots of butterfly effects?" Drake asked.

"Yes and it's the reason why WW2 happen as the magical world stop a witch name Hilda from using her magic to help Germany and made her life long friend forget all about her. Without her in his life, Hitler turned out as he did," Shimmer said shocking Drake.

"You mean Hitler was only as he was because of the magical world erasing his memory of his friend?" Drake asked.

"Yes, they been doing that kind of thing for centuries now. It's the reason why once I control the magic, I'm cutting them all off. They proven that they can't be trusted with magic," Shimmer said.

"Well there is still the money for your war chest. If you were to accept the offers from the UN or any of the other governments willing to aid you, is one thing. But there be stuff you have to agree with for their help and for the bank as well as other banks aren't just going to fund a war," Drake said.

"Don't need any government or bank to fund me," Shimmer said as she opens a portal that's large enough for Drake to see what could only be called a treasure room.

The treasure room has heaps of treasure in staggering profusion, piles of diamonds, sapphires, rubies, turquoises, opals, emeralds; ziggurats of jade, jet and lapis lazuli; pyramids of gold wedges; teocallis of silver ingots; jewel-hilted swords in cloth-of-gold sheaths; golden helmets with colored horsehair crests, or black and scarlet plumes; silver scaled corselets; gem-crusted harness worn by warrior-kings three thousand years in their tombs; goblets carven of single jewels; skulls plated with gold, with moonstones for eyes; necklaces of human teeth set with jewels. All of which is contained in what looks to be a shipping container.

"This is what I took from a Conan the barbarian like film. The whole treasure room scene where all the loot is stored," Shimmer said to Drake who enters the room with her.

Shimmer walk past the piles of treasure and walk to the door of the container and opens it. The room beyond is a vast room filled with shipping containers all likely to container just as much treasure within them. She magically opens some of them to show Drake what's inside of them. 

One of the containers is filled with stacks of gold bars, another has silver bars, another has copper bars. Full of gemstones of every kind there is, from Achroite to Zultanite. Boxes full of jewelry, coins and other small items in other containers. The amount of wealth is just staggering to behold. Shimmer walks back to the portal after closing the door and back in the boardroom with Drake following her. 

"How much do you have?" Drake asked.

"I have 177,732 containers, all filled with treasures that I collected while trap in the tv worlds thanks to Discord. Unlike what happen when I used the umbrella where I can only bring back knowledge with me and make magic copies of the friends I made. His magic combine with the umbrella allowed me to bring back anything. I spent that time looting treasure rooms and vaults from many different tv shows and films. Pirates films and shows, the mummy films with a vault, and yes even the ones that showed Fort Knox, I stole from which after I left just reset like I never even stole anything. Scrooge's money bin was fun to rob. I also traded like the dwarves from Disney's Snow White all the gems they mined were traded for food and beer. Trading food and water in post-apocalyptic worlds. And just picking up all the treasures that people in tv and films just leave all around," Shimmer answers to Drake.

"How much is that?" Drake asked. 

"It's more than any annual gross national product on Earth combine. If I were to release the treasure all at once it would cause a massive drop in the gold market. So I'm going to be releasing it slowly and mainly use it to fund the rebuilding of Equestria once I take my rightful place," Shimmer said. "And that's just the wealth I collected. There are the vast amount of crude oil, ore, and other resources that I have collected from the movie and tv worlds. I really should thank the pony Sparkle for sending Discord after me." 

"And leaving me to handle all the issues that the banks and insurance companies are bringing up," Drake said.

"It was to protect you in case the magical world caught wind of my plan or something else," Shimmer said.

"So when are you going to make your move?" Drake asked.

"Once a portal can be open and I can take care of Celestia," Shimmer said. 

"Won't the magical world try to stop you?" Drake asked.

"Of course they will, but seeing how they depend on their princesses to do all the work in defending them. The soldiers won't be a problem. I already have counter measures placed for anything. Not to mention if they try the invading army, the superheroes will be showing up to help. And it would take something big to keep them away. There is also the governments who will be more than happy to send troops to help out. Both for the magic I'll be giving out but also for the technology," Shimmer said.

"What technology?" Drake asked.

"I stole the starship Protostar which, I rebuilt using technology that I picked up here and there. There are also other ships and machines that I have taken. Which I have informed the governments of me having and willing to share if they help me," Shimmer said. 

As Drake took it in, Shimmer pulled out a bottle from a portal and pulled two paper cups from the water cooler in the room to her. Drake saw the the bottle is a Goût de Diamants ("Taste of Diamonds" in French). It is the most expensive Champagne (and alcohol overall) in the world, it costs about $1.2 million for a single bottle - the alcohol itself doesn't contain diamonds of course, the bottle is encrusted with diamonds.

"Stole this from Lex Luthor from the Justice League film," Shimmer said pouring the champagne into the paper cups. 

"How many do you have?" Drake asked.

"About a container worths," Shimmer said handing him his cup.

"To think you been planning this since, I met you all those years ago," Drake said.

"Yes, I been planning for this for most of my life. And I'm too close to stop now, I will have my revenge and feel great about it," Shimmer said.

"So you have plans on what to do after Sunset?" Drake asked.

"Show that I was born to rule," Shimmer said.

"And you can finally get marry to Izak," Drake said causing Shimmer to do a spit take.

"What!" Shimmer chokes out.

"You do take him with you the most besides Sparkle in those books," Drake said.

"Who said that" Shimmer growls.

"Gary Fischer pointed it out. Which Sparkle when told that with her so focus on studying and learning knowledge that she wouldn't had noticed. Which caused her to list how there were times where you and Izak disappeared for hours or days when you three are in a book world. How sometimes she spots you or him coming out of a room half dressed. How you two act as a married couple in some worlds. How you take him into erotic books time to time, and going to all those Ancient Roman orgies. It took her awhile listing things off for her to finally realized it," Drake said.

"It's the reason why I took her with us as she's just too clueless to realized what's happening beyond what she's studying," Shimmer said rubbing her forehead. 

"Ok so you been having a relationship with him for years, big deal. Remember Alan and Emily when we first started, they did that kind of stuff and got married," Drake said.

"I know we were invited to the wedding and we sat at the co-workers table," Shimmer said.

"Well after you get the throne you can marry Izak and start a family," Drake said.

"Yes, start a family," Shimmer said. In some of the time she spent in a book world she had tried her hand at being apart of a family. Never as a parent but as a aunt as she knew if she tried being a mother in a book world she would have to say goodby to the child who once the book world reset, wouldn't remember or be like the child she had raised. She will show Celestia that not only she's a better ruler but also a better mother.

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Author's Notes -

1 - Seeing how many heroes aren't super rich, having a source of income is needed.

2 - It's hard to find a arcade nowadays.

3 - The Nyctalope, alias Léo Saint-Clair, is a pulp fiction hero created by French writer Jean de La Hire in 1911. He may be the first cyborg (an individual with both organic and mechanical body parts) in literature and is seen as a significant precursor to the superhero genre. The character has an artificial heart and powers such as excellent night vision, which is the source of his name.

4 - This is what would happen with people who just because they're around doing their own thing would cause the whole cover up of a magical world or what not to be revealed. And that the reason to hide things would often be just because it's always been that way and that the people who cover up things believe that only they should have whatever they're covering up,

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