'Jen. You're okay?' Patsy Walker a.k.a. Hellcat asks as she looks up and sees Jennifer Walters the She-Hulk standing over her. 'More or less' She-Hulk replies as she helps Patsy to stand up. 'You're asleep, though. I saw you. Am I... in your head?' Patsy asks. 'I doubt it' She-Hulk tells her. 'So where are we, then?' Patsy asks, going wide-eyed as she looks around and sees skulls and pitchforks scattered about. 'Hell... or something like it'.
'I've got to be dreaming. This doesn't feel like -' Patsy begins. Reaching out to touch something, she pulls back. 'OUCH!' she exclaims. 'Real?' She-Hulk asks. 'Wait. This is him, isn't it? Hellstrom? He sent me here?' Patsy asks. Arms folded, She-Hulk tells Patsy that from what she hears, she got herself into this mess. 'Oh, no. U-uh. This was not me. Hedy lied to him. You have to believe me, Jen!' Patsy exclaims. Jen tells her that is a convenient excuse. 'Sweet Patsy Walker never does anything wrong. 'She's just so good' She-Hulk mocks, before she vanishes and is replaced by Hedy Wolfe.
'Hey!' Patsy exclaims as someone rushes past her and knocks into her. 'Ooops! Sorry about that, Patsy! I'm late for class!' the other girl calls out. Her name is Nancy Brown and she is one of Patsy's childhood friends. Hedy stands there, smirking at Patsy who utters 'Oh, no, no no' as she looks around and sees the old-fashioned clothing everyone is wearing – outside of Centerville High School, where Patsy spent her formative years – well, sort of. 'Let's grab a malt after school! Catch you later!' Nancy exclaims, waving. 'Oh, yes' Hedy declares.
Patsy starts shaking Hedy and shouts that this isn't real. 'I don't know if this is you, Hedy, or some other bad guy you've managed to trick into working for you, but you have to let me go!' Patsy orders.
'Do I?' Hedy asks, before she vanishes, replaced by She-Hulk, who tells Patsy that she thought she would like it here. 'I...' Patsy begins, before exclaiming 'No! You're in my head. You're making me see things. Let me talk to Hellstrom!' But She-Hulk tells Patsy that he is busy cleaning up the mess she started.
'I never sent anyone after him! All I've been doing is trying to stay away from all this, to just put my life back together...' Patsy declares, putting her hands to her head. 'Yes, that's right' She-Hulk, states, before her appearance changes to a demonic-like version of herself and asks 'How's that working out for everyone around you?'
Reality:
'You have to bring her back. You've been duped!' Jubilee shouts at Daimon Hellstrom the Son of Satan, while Buzz Baxter a.k.a. Mad-Dog stands nearby. 'That remains to be seen' Hellstrom replies in the alleyway behind the club where the trio have gathered. Jubilee lifts her shades off her eyes and complains that she barely knows this situation, but that she can tell both of them got grifted. 'This Hedy person is a liar, and she got you both to do exactly what she wanted' Jubilee exclaims. Mad-Dog explains that Hedy told him Patsy had the cure, that she could fix him. 'If Patsy Walker had a way to make people human again, don't you think she would've used it by now? I mean, I'm still a vampire, for cripes' sake, and I work for her. I feel like she would've at least offered' Jubilee points out.
Mad-Dog looks down at Jubilee and recalls that Hedy was a bit dishonest about Patsy's intentions when they were younger. 'No duh! She's bad news!' Jubilee replies, before Hellstrom asks Jubilee if she doesn't think Patsy intended to come after him. 'No, emo phase, I don't. She has, like, forty “gifted individuals” on call at the temp agency. If she needed to take the trash out, she would have' Jubilee points out. 'Well, shoot' Daimon mutters.
Inside the club, Ian Soo, Tom Hale and Sharon King are huddled under a table. The club is a mess. 'You think they're okay? They've been gone a long time' Sharon remarks. 'You want to get in the middle of that?' Ian asks her. 'Don't look up, but I'm pretty sure some of the gum under this table is older than I am' Tom exclaims. 'Ew, ew, is it on me?' Ian gasps, getting out from under the table. 'You're fine, kiddo' Tom tells him, while Sharon announces that they should go out there. She adds that she will hate herself if they get hurt. “Kiddo?” Ian quotes, reminding Tom that he is almost his age. 'Oh, but you're pocket-sized' Tom replies. 'Then again, I've got no powers, and I might just get my butt kicked...' Sharon tells herself, before going wide-eyed and announcing that she doesn't care. She adds that if there are three of them, they will be fine. 'Besides, Ian, you can always whip out that telekinesis in a pinch, right?' Sharon asks, turning back to Ian and Tom, who she finds, arms around each other, kissing. 'Are you with m-' Sharon begins. 'Awww' she coos.
Hell, or something like it:
'It's about time' a voice calls out. Patsy turns around near a row of lockers inside Centerville High, and finds Buzz Baxter standing behind her. 'Hey, gorgeous. I thought you'd never make it' Buzz tells her. Buzz puts an arm around Patsy as they walk down the corridor, and announces that he heard that jazz cat Petey Hambone is playing a set down at the record shop tonight. 'Be my date?' he asks. 'Oh, my frig. We never talked like that!' Patsy remarks to herself. 'Like what, kitty-cat?' Buzz asks. 'It was never like this. This is my Mom's twisted Stepford Wives version of my teens. Kids aren't this perfect. They're messy, and mean, and their skin is definitely never this good' Patsy snaps. Patsy declares that the only thing her mother ever got right was how much Hedy sucked. 'You mean you don't feel anything for me?' Buzz asks. 'No! I mean... I did. For the actual Buzz' Patsy replies. 'That's something real then' Buzz tells her. 'Not this way' Patsy declares, adding that they fought, and sometimes it was ugly, or it hurt.
'But I married him anyway. 'cause that's what you do when you're young and in love, and your whole world's the size of a teacup' Patsy explains. 'Then you left him and look what it did to him' Buzz exclaims as he is transformed into his present-day Mad-Dog appearance. His size increases so much that he towers over Patsy, who declares 'That wasn't my fault. He joined the Air Force. He saw war. It changed him'. 'Into this?' Mad-Dog asks. Patsy hangs her head and points out that he did that to himself, that he volunteered to become that thing.
'So, what... you upgraded to the Son of Satan?' Daimon Hellstrom asks as he approaches Patsy, both of them dressed for their wedding. 'Fine, all right. You got me. I admit it! I've committed the worst possible crime!' Patsy exclaims, tossing her bouquet to the ground, she states that she doesn't have the greatest taste in guys.
Reality:
'You're kidding, right?' Sharon asks as she, Ian and Tom have joined Jubilee outside with Hellstrom and Mad-Dog. 'I am not' Hellstrom replies. 'You summoned that hell dimension? I'm not buying it' Sharon declares. Hellstrom explains that he can only open that door, but not enter it. He reports that Patsy is in the domain of Belial, a demon of lies who does not answer to him. 'What the heck, dude? You were married to her! That is not cool!' Jubilee snaps. 'Also, I might have it mixed up, but didn't she already go to Hell for you once? Seems kind of harsh' Ian points out. 'That wasn't...that was different. You weren't there!' Hellstrom snaps. 'You will bring our friend back or...' Sharon begins. 'I'll bite you' Jubilee threatens, showing her teeth. 'She'll bite you! She'll make you a vampire!' Sharon declares. 'I don't think I can do that' Jubilee remarks. 'She can't do that! But she will bite you!' Sharon warns Hellstrom. 'You won't like it!' Jubilee exclaims. Hellstrom puts his hands up to Jubilee and Sharon and tells them that if he could retrieve Patsy, he would, but unfortunately, her only way out is through Belial.
Hell, or something like it:
Patsy sits slumped over in her wedding dress on the steps out front of the school. 'What's the matter?' Mad-Dog asks as he stands next to her. 'Uggh, just stop talking. I hate you' Patsy snaps back. 'Yes. Tell me more about that' Hellstrom asks as he stands on the other side of Patsy. 'Look, just let me talk to Daimon. This whole thing is a huge misunderstanding' Patsy declares. 'Was it? He's betrayed you before, hasn't he?' Hellstrom reminds her. 'You don't know my life, or what happened between us, just because you can make all these mirages' Patsy points out. 'I do, though. I know you quite well' Hellstrom declares. 'Wait, how?' Patsy asks, surprised by the apparition posing as Hellstrom.
'Do you remember your mother's bargain?' Dorothy Walker asks from where she lay in her death bed. 'Okay, look, we solved this. Firstly, I got my freedom back. Secondly she was high as a kite near the end' Patsy declares. Suddenly, Hedy materializes, explaining that Dorothy Walker's wish opened a door, combined that with, what is it, Patsy's two separate trips to the underworld? And her sense for the supernatural, it all adds up to Patsy attracting some attention from this side over the years. Hedy takes Dorothy's hand and announces that Patsy has so much anger inside her. 'Yeah, well, you would, too' Patsy replies. 'My point exactly' Hedy declares. She turns to Patsy and asks her why she doesn't embrace it? 'What?' Patsy asks as Hedy grabs her hand. 'Your inner demons' Hedy exclaims, grinning.
The scenery around them changes from Dorothy's room to a living area, and Patsy warns the supernatural force that if they keep changing the background, she is going to hurl. 'Think about it, Patsy. How many people have hurt you?' Hedy asks, reminding Patsy that she spends her life running from her past, and it just keeps catching up with her. 'Yep, definitely getting queasy' Hedy mumbles as she sits on the couch, head in her hand. 'You train for years, you fight and you lose, and even now, the world is falling apart around you. You're scraping by' Hedy declares. She tells Patsy that it doesn't have to be this way. 'You know what you are, and what you have the power to be' Hedy points out. 'What, a... a demon? A monster? I'm one of the god guys!' Patsy exclaims, standing up. 'That doesn't have to change. Power is power, Hellcat. What's that line about responsibility? You get to choose how you use it' Hedy replies. 'Yeah, okay. Here's my choice!' Patsy exclaims as she leaps towards Hedy and kicks her backwards, where she crashes into a mirror.
Hedy slumps to the floor, and Patsy stands over her. 'You don't think I buy this, do you? Get up, whoever you are' Patsy exclaims. 'Do you really want to know? Isn't the mystery more fun?' asks a man in a dark suit, drinking a dark liquid from a wine glass as he appears next to Patsy. Patsy looks unimpressed and asks 'You want to play, weirdo? Quit pretending. Show me your face'. He drops the wine glass as Patsy warns that him that she will give him to the count of three. 'Aw, you spoilsport' the man mutters, before he transforms into his true demonic form, towering over Patsy. 'Better?' Belial grins. 'Woof. That's one word for it' Patsy tells him. 'There. No tricks, no costumes. Just us, having a chat' Belial remarks. 'How about you let me out of here and we talk on my turf, since you're so tough?' Patsy asks as her Hellcat costume materializes. Belial tells Hellcat that it is a lot harder than that to trick a trickster, but Hellcat exclaims that she is serious. 'You want to recruit me for your dark purposes or whatever, show me what you can do outside your fun house mirrors' she asks him.
Belial declares that his powers are not limited to this dimension. 'Put up or shut up, demon' Patsy tells him. 'Uggh. Fine' Belial replies, snapping his fingers, his arms transform into wings, and he flies upwards, with Patsy following in some sort of energy bubble. 'Behold, one of the very few powers you could claim, if you gave in to your darker impulses' Belial urges. 'Hey, neat' Patsy tells him,b when suddenly a portal opens over the alleyway.
Reality:
'This is my stop!' Patsy exclaims as she emerges from a portal, with Belial behind her. 'Patsy!' Ian calls out to his friend. 'Whoaaaa, girl' Jubilee remarks. 'See? I told you she'd be fine' Hellstrom points out. 'When was that, again?' Mad-Dog asks. 'Fear me, humans of Earth! I am Belial, ruler of Gehenna, he who watches over the great lakes of fire, and I have come to claim Patsy Walker as my own!' Belial announces. 'Oh yeah?' Jubilee asks as she leaps up at Belial and punches him in the face. Belial falls to the floor. 'Who you calling human, scales and tails?' Jubilee asks as she and Hellcat high-five. 'I am so glad we hired you' Hellcat remarks.
Belial is dazed, but he gets up, and reminds Hellcat that this was not their deal. 'You know what you are' Belial tells Patsy. He is about to fire some energy at Hellcat, 'You know what you – hey!' he shouts as Hellstrom puts his trident between Hellcat and Belial's energy. 'What's the deal, man? You sent her to me! You know how this goes!' Belial tells Hellstrom, who admits that he may have been overhasty. 'You think?' Patsy asks as Jubilee, Ian, Tom and Sharon gather around her. Daimon informs Belial that he was led to believe that Patsy sought vengeance on him, however this proved to be untrue. 'You didn't even wait to figure that out before you damned her to Hell?' Belial asks. 'I have some... anger management issues, yes' Hellstrom admits.
'No matter. She is mine. The rage inside her will bring her to me in time, one way or another' Belial grins, wickedly. 'No one person can handle so much -' Belial begins, before he finds himself thrust upwards with telekinetic force. 'Hey! Cut that out! Why can't I stop this?' he asks. Hellcat tells Ian that he is getting good at this. 'That's nothing! I floated the whole couch yesterday while Tom was napping on it' Ian reveals. 'You did?' Tom asks. 'You guys are so cute' Sharon tells them. Hellstrom informs Belial that it is time to go. 'Yeah, what he said' Mad-Dog agrees. 'You'll hear from me, Hellstrom. So will she. This isn't over' Belial calls back. 'It's over enough' Hellstrom declares as he creates a pentagram and fires it towards Belial. 'You'll see, Walker! You can't hide the hate inside you! It will consume you, and you will beg for me to help you seek vengeance!' Belial warns Hellcat, before the pentagram surrounds him and he vanishes.
'Man, I don't know what that guy's on about. I'm super nice' Hellcat frowns. 'He's a bit overdramatic' Hellstrom explains. 'Oh yeah, 'cause you're the poster child for subtlety' Mad-Dog points out. 'At least I've got a distinct hairline!' Hellstrom snaps back. 'Your head is on fire, Warped Tour. Besides, I'm cuddly' Mad-Dog retorts. Hellstrom asks him how often he has to unclog his drain, when suddenly Patsy shouts at her ex-husbands, 'Boys. Enough'. 'He started it' Daimon and Buzz exclaim in unison. Sharon tells the men that she thinks they owe their hero an apology. 'Although, it is pretty cute how much you love her' Jubilee tells them, blowing them a kiss. 'I do not!' Hellstorm exclaims, fire raging around him. 'It's not about that!' Mad-Dog exclaims, while Hellstrom tells them that they are overanalyzing. 'A-hem?' Patsy asks, standing before her ex-husbands. Daimon hangs his head and tells Patsy that he is sorry. 'I'm sorrier' Buzz adds. 'Good, because I have a feeling we have some cleaning up to do' Patsy announces. 'Oh, yeah. Mad-Dog definitely went off the leash up in there' Jubilee points out. 'I don't appreciate that' Mad-Dog replies.
At that moment, up above, looking down over the alleyway from a tall building: 'Doesn't exactly look like much of a threat, boss' someone remarks. 'She just took out a hell demon, Lina' the “boss” replies. 'Sure, but not on her own. You get that many of anything in a group and they can be dangerous' Lina replies. 'So we get her alone' the boss declares. Lina adds that it is no skin off her nose, before asking 'What's your beef with her, anyway?' The Black Cat a.k.a. Felicia Hardy comes into view and explains that while everyone's off fighting aliens and each other, Patsy is one of the few street-level heroes paying enough attention to be a problem. 'Plus, she's biting my style' Black Cat adds, looking down at Hellcat, Jubilee and Sharon, she declares that she thinks it is time they took Hellcat out!
