Wonder Woman Mothra: Battle of the Sexes

by Japan Boy

Forming a bond with the natives of Infant Island & their giant guardian Mothra, Diana & her Amazons are besieged by enemies with ties to Queen Hippolyta's past & invade Themyscira - with a giant ally of their own! Guest stars galore! Kindly review if read.

For actress Lynda Carter, who has brought the Amazon Princess to such succulent

& glorious life in her live-action television series which ran from 1975 to 1979.

For Phil Jimenez, John Byrne, George Perez, & all the other fabulous writers &

artists at DC Comics who have kept the Amazing Amazon looking strong &

glamorous since her debut in issue 8 of 'All Star Comics' back in 1941.

To the loving memories of the seven unfortunate victims who were killed at

51st Street near 2nd Avenue in Manhattan on March 15, 2008. Our hearts &

deepest prayers go out to you & your immediate families.

To the loving memory of my dear, loving friend Sareena B. DeGaeto, a person

who has changed me in ways which nobody else could (Sareena passed away

on May 13th, 2003 from an epilepsy. She was only 28. Rest in peace, dear friend).

Last but definitely not least, to Wonder Woman's creator, William Moulton Marston &

his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston, for creating one of the first—if not the first—ever-

lasting & iconic super-heroine who still inspires peace & love for more than 65 years.

WONDER WOMAN/MOTHRA:

BATTLE OF THE SEXES

2003, 2008 by Anthony Ogozalek

CHAPTER I

Not many people in their lifetime get to see their home planet Earth in reality.

Most of the time, they catch pictures/photographs of it published in magazines and/or newspaper articles specifically covering that particular venue of news or information, but to actually see the real thing in all its glory is a scarcity for most. In truth, only about a handful of people have been fortunate enough to have been granted that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. One notable name is Russian Yuri A. Gagarin, who achieved fame by becoming the first man to go into outer space aboard the craft Vostok I in April 1961, making one orbit for an hour & 48 minutes before heading back down. That same year in July, Virgil I. Grissom became the first astronaut to make a duo of space flights, a task once attempted by Alan B. Shepard, who only rode about 300 miles up in the stratosphere. Soon, their trips became stretched out to days rather than hours. In May 1963, astronaut I. Gordon Cooper piloted the Faith 7 22 times around the Earth in 11/2 days. In the year before, Russian cosmonaut Andrian Nikolayev remained in space for four days straight in the month of August.

The real spectacular view of Earth from space, however, came in the year of 1969, when none other than astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man ever to set foot on the moon that orbits the planet in which we all call home, setting the American flag on its airless, lunar surface & delivering the immortal phrase, 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'.

What a joy it must be to be an astronaut, as they are the chief people to be given the chance in seeing Earth from beyond it into space.

Or any member of the Justice League of America.

Resting in the moon's Mare Serenitatis—The Sea of Serenity—the JLA Watchtower proudly stands erect on the lunar surface, its interior lights keeping things well lit for its few inhabitants currently occupying its quarters. The Watchtower is more or less the first line of defense for Earth from any & all threats that come from space, & the planet has had more than its fair share of other-worldly enemy attacks. Threats such as the Star Conqueror (starfish-like parasites that can force anyone to do their bidding once attached to their face), Mageddon (a war-bringing monstrosity created by the Old Gods of Urgrund, who later faced extinction), & Zazzala, better known as the Queen Bee, a humanoid insect female who once joined Lex Luthor's second Injustice Gang, are just a tip of the iceberg of interstellar threats the Justice League has faced in order to keep Earth safe & out of their deadly grip.

Made from an amalgam of fascinating technologies consisting of Kryptonian, Martian, & New Genesis as an example, the JLA Watchtower is the perfect fortress any hero from on or off the Earth they could ask & hope for.

On duty inside the Monitor Womb—a circular room with dozens of active monitors, hence the name—a lone figure sits in a suspending hoverchair, staying in parallel with the room's lone walkway/entrance but being twenty feet away. This figure is male, measuring a height of 6 feet from head to toe. His eyes are brown & his hair auburn, but currently most of his head, face, & even his entire body is covered in special red & blue spandex. Only about 2-5 percent of his flesh is exposed—eyes, nose, mouth, & ears. His name is Ray Palmer, Physics Professor of the Ivy University.

To hs fellow Justie Leaguers, he is known as The Atom, a name which once belonged to the late Al Pratt, a Physics Professor as Ray himself is.

As usual, all hovering monitors in the womb were functioning, displaying numerous areas on the Earth in many different countries simultaneously. Ray watches each one with patience as he has done many times previous when it was his turn for monitor duty. Eel O'Brian (Plastic Man) had done his share the previous week, & Batman the week before.

Now it was The Atom's turn at bat.

Viewing the multiple screens, The Atom sees scenes of basic tranquility: cities going about their daily routines by its millions of citizens in each one, countrysides showing nothing but picture-perfect scenery, oceans & seas being as calm as can be, as if the water-god Poseidon had taken a well-deserved vacation. Even the vast blackness of space showed absolute calmness, with stars as plentiful as it is peaceful.

Such peace & tranquility, thught Ray Palmer, staring into the monitor of the black, airless void. Now, if only it could remain that way each & every day of the year, free of fighting, poverty, wars, corruption, hostility…

Ray's calm got a rather abrupt (& silly) interruption by Plastic Man, whose cheery voice had come in over the mini-comm in his ear.

"Heeeeeey, Atom! You awake in there, good buddy?"

"Uh, ten-four, Plastic Man", said Ray, shaking his head of the sudden call in his ear. "What's on your mind?"

"Well", O'Brian began, "I was juuust looking out the window in the Viewport after running a few laps in the Gymnasium…"

Ray smiled as he briefly interrupted. "You actually exercise, O'Brian? That's a new one."

Plastic Man cleared his throat at the remark. "Anyhow, I'd been staring out into the wild black yonder that is space, when all of a sudden I spy with my little eye…"

"Yes?"

"Some shooting stars at one o'clock, captain…& they're heading straight for Earth", Plastic Man says in his impersonation of Scotty from 'Star Trek'. "Care to have a look-see, sir?"

"Shooting stars, you say?", asked The Atom.

"Yawhol, mein captain!", Plastic Man says in a German accent.

Ray Palmer scanned all screens that showed both the Earth & the vastness of space that was between the planet & the Watchtower itself. In almost no time, Ray found exactly what Plastic Man was referring to: a small volley of golden-yellow shooting stars, traveling through space like a school of intergalactic fish. Immediately Ray scanned the stars, searching for size & mass in each one. While they may look harmless enough, there's always a chance that they could cause a fair amount of damage should even one of them strikes the Earth with the right mass amount.

In the Justice League's line of work, there's two things you need to take note of.

One, you can never be too careful.

And two, looks can be deceiving.

Switching to infra red & spectral screening, The Atom scans the shooting stars as the monitor gives an analysis of the projectiles making their way toward Earth.

If they pose a threat to Earth, thought Ray, Steel & myself will take the shuttle & fly over to & vaporize those stars before they can cause any harm to the planet.

Just as the thought entered Ray's mind, the infra red & spectral analysis completes its work & displays the results on screen. The monitor explains that the shooting stars—each of them no bigger than an average ping-pong ball—are of harmless, inert rocks, & while on a course for the Earth, will more likely than not burn up & disintegrate once they reach the atmosphere, causing no harm whatsoever wherever they hit, be it land or sea.

Armed with that knowledge, The Atom releases a collective sigh of relief & smiles.

Looks like I won't have to bother John Henry Irons in his workshop, after all, thought Ray, happy & satisfied.

"Hey, Plastic Man, you still there?", Ray asks.

O'Brian's answer was immediate. "Yo, wassup?"

"Care to make a wish on those shooting stars?"

"Oh! Oh! Me first! Let's see, I wish I…no, no, that wouldn't work out. Uh, I wish for…mmm, I believe I'll skip that particular one…hey, I know what I'll wish for…!"

The Atom grins widely at Plastic Man's attempts in making a wish & even allows himself a little chuckle. Like some Leaguers, Ray still finds it hard to believe that before Eel O'Brian had become a stretching, pliable super hero, he was a lowly gangster with an utter disregard for law & order. One night, while attempting to rob the Crawford Chemical Works, he was shot & wounded by a security guard & fell into a vat of unknown chemicals. Eluding capture, the chemicals seeped into his wounds & transformed his body into living, pliable plastic. Seeking refuge at the Rest-Haven spiritual retreat, the change in his body convinced O'Brian to do the same with his way of life & take it in a new direction.

Eel O'Brian converted from criminal to crime-fighter, & eventually found membership in the Justice League, nominated by none other than Batman himself.

Yes, Ray found it hard to believe, but also the fact that he can alter his size from 6 feet to microscopic with but a thought after touching a fragment of a white dwarf star, turning him into the hero known as The Atom.

Wonders never cease for him.

Oh yes, Ray thought. If only it could stay this serene every day.

Staring at the shooting stars, The Atom continues doing so until they hit Earth's atmosphere & shrivel/shrink out of existence before turning his attention elsewhere.

Alas, not all the shooting stars disintegrated into nothingness after striking the atmosphere, something The Atom might've discovered had he still kept tabs on the little caravan. The last of the shooting stars—remaining in its size, totally intact—splashed into the Pacific Ocean, scattering a school of dolphins out for a joyful swim as it makes a fifteen-twenty foot plume of water rise up in the air before splashing down again. As the dolphins in the area swim in opposing directions, a twelve-foot long great white shark swims along & heads for the fallen star, now just an inert golden-yellow rock. The shark eyes the new arrival in its territory, ignoring the dolphins breaking rank. By comparison, some might call such behavior in an aquatic predator rather strange.

But strange or not, it comes after the rock & nothing else.

Then it opens its toothy maw & swallows the rock whole, gobbling it up like a child would do to a French fry at a fast-food restaurant.

Its target snatched & consumed, the great white swims off in a swift but leisurely pace & heads south.

In an underground cave on an uncharted island, an armada of men were hard at labor in moving metal equipment & weaponry. The cave was vastly huge, with rocky ceilings forty feet high from the floor. It spread out for many yards, using thick slabs of rock to hold up the roof in spots. A patch of water thirty-two feet wide & twenty-four feet long lay on the eastern corner. Over a dozen smaller cavern entrances—each about eleven feet high—gaped open in the walls, all leading to numerous areas on the island. The men who were hauling & moving things around were all fitted with armor, their chests being completely covered. Their arms & legs were only half-so, chiefly their forearms & backs of their hands, along with the front part of their legs & feet. One man was about more than half a foot taller than the rest, his hair a sandy yellow, combed to one side at the front. A tall gold staff is gripped in his right hand, having the metal head of a cobra perched on top with magenta eyes embedded into it. Cupped in his left arm is his helmet, sporting a crescent moon on top that points forward. Like the rest of his men's, his helmet highly resembles that of which the Spartans wore in combat in ancient Greece, most notably when King Leonidas of the city of Sparta & his bravest 300 soldiers waged war against the tyrant known as Xerxes to prevent the madman from invading his home & making slaves of his people as he had done to many civilizations previous. With a crimson cape dangling from his shoulders, it's hard not to address this man as Leonidas, for like the king of Sparta, he was a muscular person like all his men in the cavern with him. The only difference between him & Leonidas, aside from the hair, is that this man sprouted no mustache or beard. His face was clean shaven, & had the dashing good looks of a genuine movie star like Mel Gibson or Al Pacino in their younger years.

What this person was planning, however, was no movie, but more like an invasion, considering the weapons—guns that seem to come from the future, among others—& equipment his men were hauling.

It is no mistaken that this man was the leader of this group of battle-harden males, seemingly because of his height & the fact that he was the only one in the cave who wasn't laboring in moving stuff around anywhere. While the men followed his orders to the letter, he wasn't a cruel commander to his group. During the many years they've been isolated on the island, he had taken great care of the men: training them in many fighting skills, making sure they were disciplined properly & well-fed with the great abundance of food found all over. It was these factors that made him the leader of these hundreds of men, a force equaling almost twice the number of Leonidas' 300 soldiers.

No, he didn't let the role of leader go to his head, & he certainly wasn't avoiding assisting his troops out of spite or anything like that.

In fact, he could do help out anytime he wished, & he has in the past with all sorts of tasks.

The main reason for not helping out is because he's patiently waiting for the most vital of components that will help assure him & his men success in their mission.

From his invaluable sources, it should arrive very shortly.

"Lord Galamyr!", a man with short, spiky red hair calls out from the underground pond as the water begins to churn & bubble.

"Ah, Elios", Galamyr responds, approaching his second-in-command. "I take it our scout has returned with our prize?"

"I believe so, my lord."

The spot where the water churned breaks apart & reveals a twelve-foot long great white shark that floats on the surface like an overgrown cork. It was the very same shark which had swallowed the surviving shooting star right after its 'splash landing' in the Pacific.

Only this isn't really a shark at all.

In fact, it isn't even real, let alone alive.

It was a mechanical construct, as Elios reveals by pressing a hidden button on the shark's head, opening its mouth. The golden rock it consumed was still there, only it has allegedly grown to the size of a bowling ball at this time. Elios reaches into the shark's mouth to grab the rock with his hands, & though the golden object may have increased in mass, it didn't weigh as much as he first thought, being only half the weight of the aforementioned bowling ball it has grown in size to.

Elios holds it out in front of him & presents it to Galamyr, as he & the rest of his men stop & stare at the instrument their leader has been waiting for.

"Beautiful, Elios", Galamyr says pleasingly, taking the object from his second-in-command & holds it in his own hands.

He turns to his men & holds up the golden rock above his head.

"Behold, men!", Galamyr addresses them. "The instrument in which will grant our mission an assured success has finally arrived to us!" The men roar a cheer that echoes throughout the entire cavern, even in the many tunnels.

When they quiet down, Galamyr lowers the object to his chest & continues. "How we've all longed for this day, my friends. As far back as we can remember, we were forced to come to this island by a race who claimed superiority over our kind, when all we ever wanted was equality among us & them. But did they grant it to us? No! They told us we were unworthy to live among them, & so they exiled us here to an island far away from their own home—a place where we should be ruling! Before, we hardly had any reliable resources to stand up to them, but now, with our secret weapon, along with our new armaments, all supplied by our generous ally, it won't be long before we live in a place of luxury—a place of utter & complete paradise!"

Loud, boisterous cheers erupt again inside the cavern, the men raising fists in triumph, all eagerly awaiting the prize they long to fight for. Galamyr looks at Elios & both leaders smile, quite pleased at the rallying that's been caused.

Elios raises a hand for silence & it gets granted in two seconds.

Without looking at him, Galamyr speaks to his right-hand man. "Elios, have the men load our weapons & equipment aboard our transports. Afterwards, take a squadron & use the detonators to rig this place to explode shortly after we depart."

"Yes sir", Elios said, already giving orders to a group of men to start carrying out his leader's commands.

Galamyr then addresses his troops. "Men, as Elios gives you your instructions, I would advise you all to take one, last good look at what's been our home for years. We shan't be returning to it, now that we're 'checking out' of it—permenantly!"

Nods & murmurs of approval erupt among the men as they attend to their assigned tasks. Galamyr stares at the golden rock in his hands, which now has three pairs of twin red dots appearing on the surface, staring directly at his face. Oddly enough, the trio of dots appear to be shaped like eyes full of fire & rage. But that didn't faze Galamyr in the slightest. Truth be told, he had the distinct feeling he would be seeing something like it on his 'ultimate weapon' supplied to him & his men by their 'employer', a being known only to him & him alone. It was a request—or rather, a demand—by this individual, & violating it will have dire consequences on Galamyr, ones even he cannot imagine.

Galamyr didn't take it into account, anyway. If this weapon can help him & his men achieve the task they are now setting to depart for, it wouldn't concern him if his employer was Ares, the God of War himself.

For the warrior, it will be worth it.

He grins wickedly as he stares back at the eyes doing the same to him.

Soon, he thought, we will have it all!

Soon, it will awaken.

CHAPTER II

It was supposed to be a fun-filled, relaxing vacation for Marie & her friends.

One week ago, she & her group had flown to Hawaii from San Francisco for a two-week getaway in Honolulu to temporarily escape the pressures of their jobs, as their bosses had granted each of them for that period of time. All they wanted was to unwind & get their minds off everything else before heading back home, refreshed & invigorated for anything that comes their way.

That was originally what the ladies had planned on.

But they never, in a million years, expected anything like what they're now facing: a group of heavily armed Spanish men—twelve in all, twice the number of Marie & company—on board a fishing vessel two-three times larger than Marie's rented outboard cruiser have approached & ambushed the girls by firing a few rounds from their AK-47 rifles & Glock handguns, proving to the victims that the men mean serious business. The men were all dressed in green khaki shirts & pants, boots, & hats. On their belts hung several grenades, & extra magazines for their guns rested in their shirt & pants pockets. Most of the men had thin mustaches between their upper lip & nose, but one had his thicker, & was presumably the leader of this heinous group. They were fitted in the opposite attire of their new victims, terrified beyond belief—shorts, shirts, sandals, & a clean & healthy appearance. One of Marie's friends—Julie—was on the verge of screaming her head off, barely able to restrain her trepidation of what was now happening. Marie's friends soothed & comforted her as best they could, so as not to give any of the gunmen an excuse to shoot her for her insubordination. The girls doubted that even if Julie did scream, no one but the gunmen would be able to hear her, due to the fact that they were far out at sea, with the Hawaiian islands barely visible behind their captors.

They didn't doubt that any of the gunmen—possibly even their leader—would shoot & kill her without hesitation if she did.

When one of the men nods to his boss that all is secure, the leader nods back & starts addressing their captives.

"Listen up!", he says hard in accented but perfect English, his rifle pointed at the girls with his men. "You six ladies are now our prisoners, & therefore belong to us! You will abandon your boat & board our own, where you will be taken to our camp for transport back to Mexico to serve as slaves for the rest of our tribe! You girls will do exactly as we tell you to, & when we tell you to do it! None of you will move unless we say, none of you will speak unless we say! Should any of you disobey our orders or complain or argue, you will be tortured & killed in that order! If any of you tries to call for help or alert the authorities, you will die immediately, so do not even think of performing any such deed! Do you understand?"

Although terrified, Marie, Julie, & the other girls nod their heads soundlessly, their eyes filled with tears, knowing full well that their vacation has become a living nightmare, one that won't end anytime soon.

Goodbye mom, goodbye dad, thought Marie, her head being too clouded for further thoughts.

"Good!", barked the leader. "Now, hurry up & board our vessel!" His mouth turns from a snarl to a grin that flashes yellow teeth caused by years of smoking ganja. "Your brand new lives as our whores begins today, & you will enjoy it!"

"Not in this lifetime, pal!"

The sudden voice took the men by surprise. The leader was about to shout at his new captives as to who it was that dared to speak out of turn, let alone in that tone, but he knew it had come from behind him & his men, not in front.

With swiftness as only mercaneries can perform, the leader & his men turn their backs to Marie & her friends, & momentarily froze at the sight before them, thirteen feet away from where they stood.

A quartet of females were hovering in the air just seven feet above the water!

The first female stood six feet tall, & wore a garb of red, yellow, & blue, resembling very highly like a bathing suit. Her boots were red with a white strip in the center, & her forearms held shiny silver bracelets. Her eyes were blue, & red star-shaped earrings hung from her earlobes. Her head held a wave of long jet black hair, & a golden tiara with a red star rested on her forehead. The woman next to her on her right looked similar to her companion, with the long black hair, silver bracelets, blue eyes & red lips, but this one was three inches shorter, & wore a suit of black in which sparkled like glitter. Her star earrings were silver, as are the boots on her feet. Around her waist was a silver strap that held a spherical medallion in the middle.

On the left side stood a female who was more exposed than the first two, revealing a skin color of a light orange. She stood at a height of six feet, four inches high, & wore a purple outfit & boots, something a sex mistress would probably wear, sans the whip. Her eyes were a solid green, with no irises, & her hair was auburn, measuring down to her knees. Their last member (the one who shouted her defiance) was their shortest, measuring at a height of only five feet, three inches. Like the first two women, she had blue eyes & silver bracelets on her forearms (with a red star on the side), but wore a pair of brown pants, along with black boots. Her chest was covered by a red tank-top shirt, with a double 'W' insignia on the front, much like what the first woman has on the front of her own outfit. Her long blonde hair had a red bandana on top, & like her companion in red, yellow, & blue, she had a golden lasso hung on her hip at her side.

To their closest friends, these four are known as Diana, Donna Troy, Koriand'r, & Cassandra 'Cassie' Sandsmark.

But to the world in general, they are called Wonder Woman, Troia, Starfire, & Wonder Girl (a role Troia herself once held as her own).

"You men are savages to forcefully take these innocent, defenseless women to use for your own personal pleasure!", Starfire barked.

"And if you think that you'll be leaving with them on your leashes like dogs, then you're all in for a very rude awakening!", Troia firmly stated.

"This will be your only warning, slave traders!", said Wonder Woman. "Release these girls from your grasp, throw down your arms, & surrender yourselves before we turn you all in to the Hawaiian authorities! Refusal to do so will cause you great turmoil & humiliation!"

"What will it be, boys?", asked Wonder Girl. "Easy or hard?"

All the underlings turn to their leader for a response, & they get a loud rebuke.

"What are you fools waiting for?", he screamed in his native togue. "Shoot them!"

Like a standard firing squad, the men aim their weapons at the super-heroine quartet & launched a volley of rounds from their AK-47s & Glocks at a frightening speed.

But as fast as these mercenaries are on the draw, Wonder Woman & her companions were even faster: she, Troia, & Wonder Girl deflected the oncoming projectiles with their silver bracelets, while Starfire swerves & twists in mid-air to avoid getting hit.

"It seems they opted for 'hard' after all, Cassie!", said Starfire, flying towards Cassie.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me, Kory!", she says, blocking bullet after bullet. "But that's okay—we can do 'hard'!"

"Troia, you & I will take on the leader & his first five men!", Wonder Woman says as she fends off rounds. "Starfire, Wonder Girl, the other half are all yours!"

"Two teams of two taking on six at a time!", said Troia. "That sounds like pretty good odds, sis! Let's put these slave traders out of business for good!"

"Let's!", Kory & Cassie say in unison. Avoiding another multiple rounds from an AK-47, Starfire's hands get clenched into fists & they start to glow a bright orange-yellow form of alien energy. She then launches it out of both hands right at the men, or more precisely, their guns. Once they make contact, two AK-47s begin to glow in the men's hands, becoming too hot for them to handle. Yelling out in pain & releasing their hold, the wood & metal burn & melt into useless kindling & slag. Starfire repeats this method of disarming her & Cassie's half of the mercs two more times before Cassie herself disarms the last two by going up close & personal with them & snatching their guns (a pair of Glocks), crushing them in her bare hands as if they were nothing more than soda or beer cans. Dropping them like weights, Wonder Girl, along with Starfire, effortlessly & quickly snatch the men's grenade belts & toss them aside, far out of their reach.

"Sorry boys, but they'll be no kamikaze attempts on our watch!", said Wonder Girl, tossing men like potato sacks to the far side of their vessel with Starfire's assistance before even one of the mercs could think of pulling the pin on one.

Using the speed of Hermes, Troia & Wonder Woman maneuver around any stray bullets or ricochets from the men's firearms. In no time, they were all devoid of their weapons as they were grabbed & tossed into the briny deep of the Pacific, out of sight & reach. As Wonder Girl & Starfire had done, Troia & Wonder Woman grab each of the mercenaries & toss them all into the pile which was begun by the younger heroines. Using her golden lasso, Cassie wraps the eleven underlings into one tight pile, wrapping them around three times, pinning their arms to their sides.

Only their leader remains standing, but he was bound by Diana's own lasso, & just as weaponless & helpless as his soldiers. The Amazon Princess has some questions to ask this ruthless individual, but first she needs to make sure that his intended victims were all right, a chore handled by Donna, Kory, & Cassie. Starfire cuts the rope that has binded their boat to the mercs, using a small, concentrated blast of energy from her right hand. Wonder Girl then pushes the ladies' boat a safe distance of thirty feet away.

No need for these would've-been victims to see those scumbags any more than they already have, Cassie thought, keeping their vessel steady in the water once the desired distance was achieved.

"Is everybody here okay?", asked Troia as Cassie floats down beside her.

"Yes, thanks to you four", Marie said. "If not for your timely intervention, who knows what kind of torture those men would've put us through."

"That is a feeling I myself know all too well, miss, for I have actually lived through such a grueling, bleak experience", Starfire says.

"Please, call me Marie. What do mean by that, miss…Starfire, is it?"

Kory's mouth turns into a smile. "Yes. I, along with Wonder Girl here, am a member of the group known as the Teen Titans." Her smile fades as she now tells of her melancholy & eerie memory. "As I've said, I went through a harrowing six Earth years of torture & pain. You see, on my homeworld of Tamaran, although my people are fierce warriors, we prefer peace over violence if it can be helped. One day, a ruthless alien race called the Psions threatened us with annihilation. So as not to arouse a war that would've wiped us all out, my father, King Myand'r, turned both me & my older sister, Komand'r over to these vile people. When we made our escape, I came here to Earth & took the name Starfire, joining the Teen Titans as a force of good. My sister, however, took the name Blackfire, & is the opposite of what I had matured into. Presently, her current whereabouts are unknown."

"That's horrible!", Marie said, assimilating Starfire's sad but creepy tale.

"I'll say it is!", said Julie, her disgust clearly visible in her tone. "I can't imagine any kind of father who would be willing to trade his own flesh & blood to a bunch of savages like that, alien or not!"

Kory's smile returns. "I appreciate the sentiment, miss…"

"Call me Julie", she says, retaliating with a smile of her own. "I wonder: do you forgive your father for the decision he made with you & your sister?"

"Thank you, Julie. But while that may sound cold & cruel to you, back then it seemed the only thing my father could think of to spare my world from a terrible fate. As to whether or not I can forgive him for his seemingly betrayal of me, only time will tell, as you Eathlings are fond of saying now & then."

"Starfire isn't the only one of us who is familiar with slavery", said Troia, staying on the subject, however bale it may be. "All you need to do is to go & speak to Wonder Woman's mother, Queen Hippolyta, about it, & believe me, she & the rest of her Amazon sisters are no strangers to it. You might even say that they wrote the book on slavery. This is one of the reasons as to why Diana was chosen years ago by her Amazon sisters to be the ambassador to 'Patriarch's World' as those on Themyscira call it."

"You mean 'Man's World', don't you?", asked Julie.

"You're a clever girl, Julie. Her goal is to teach the outside world the ways of peace, love, & unity between both sexes, so that everyone can prosper equally without resorting to acts of atrocity or barbarism among males & females."

"That's one hell of a task, I must say", said Marie's friend Tara, a long-haired black girl in white trunks, shirt, & shoes. "No one individual can perform such a task all by herself, even if she is Wonder Woman. Then again, I guess that's why she doesn't work alone on it."

"It never hurts to have bold, trusting allies at one's side", Wonder Girl says affably. "If even Batman can have young protégés fighting by his side, despite his reputation as a lone wolf, why shouldn't Wonder Woman have some of her own?"

"In any case", Troia cuts in, smiling, "none of you needs to worry about those men who tried to make slaves of you. After Diana gets through with their leader, they'll all be turned over to the authorities in Hawaii."

Ten yards away, Diana was interrogating the mercenaries' leader by questioning him while he was entwined in her golden lasso. The lasso was forged by the god Hephaestus from Gaea's girdle & presented to Diana by Artemis' arrow after she fired it fom Mount Olympus. It has no limit to its length, is virtually indestructible, & anyone bound by it—be it god or mortal—is compelled to speak the truth & nothing but.

And that's precisely what Diana wants from the mercenaries' leader.

"Speak! What is your name?", she demanded.

Try as he might, the man cannot resist the lasso's power over him.

"Pedro Morelos", he confesses.

"Where were you & your men planning to take those young women, Pedro?"

"To a slave camp between the Santa Magdalena island & La Paz. There, we could operate unperturbed by any interlopers, authority or otherwise."

"Why did you need those girls?"

"A good number of our current women were getting old, & our young women were dying of malnutrition for months. We needed newer, fresher recruits."

"And so you men come here in the Pacific, near Hawaii, to pick up young ladies who arrive here to get away from the pressures of their lives, only for you to add that to which they wished to escape from, albeit temporarily! Is that it?"

"It was our job, damn you! We had no choice! Our bosses would've killed us if we returned emptyhanded! Can't you understand that, amigo?"

"I'm not your amigo, & I only understand that you intended to make the lives of those women horrendous—and this is something I will not allow!"

"So you plan to make slaves of my men & I, in retaliation? Or do you plan to kill us?"

"Neither. This is what's going to happen from here on in, Pedro: you & your group will be handed over to the Honolulu authorities, & there you will—repeat, you will—spill the beans of your sick, twisted operation to them in full detail! Should you deviate from this or mislead them in any way, I will know about it & pay you a very unpleasant visit, no matter where you hide! Now, do we have an understanding…amigo?"

"Si", Pedro said reluctantly & with loathing.

"Good!", Diana said, tossing him in to the rest of his men, still bound tight by Wonder Woman's lasso as they are by Wonder Girl's. "Listen closely, Pedro. Regardless of what the outcome may be of this, one thing I know is certain: those women you tried to enslave will never be seeing you or your foul band again, & none of you will ever see any females to take prisoner for a very long time!"

Wonder Woman looks back at the boat which the half-dozen young ladies, her sister Donna, & her two friends Cassie & Koriand'r rest at from thirty feet away. Diana reflects back on the story her mother, Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira, told her about when she was younger. 3,000 years ago, shortly after she & the rest of her Amazon sisters were reborn (resurrected since cavemen times when they had been unfairly killed by their male counterparts & sent to the Well of Souls collected by Gaea), the son of the god Zeus & mortal woman Alcmene, Heracles, came to Greece where the Amazons' rebirth had occurred & challenged Hippolyta to a one-on-one duel in a test to prove who was the mightier between them. After a brief but brutal conflict, Hippolyta won, & Heracles called for a truce between the sexes, being highly impressed by his opponent's fighting skills. Little did the Amazons know that Heracles was under the war god Ares' influence, & had drugged Hippolyta when sharing a toast, enslaving her afterwards. Rediscovering her principles & purpose, Hippolyta escapes imprisonment within Heracles' dungeon & frees her enslaved sisters. A bloody war between the Amazons & Heracles' men ensued, with Antiope leading some into a vengeance, war-filled tribe. Hippolyta did her best to convince her otherwise, but it was for naught. Antiope got into her lifestyle too much to listen to reason, & thus led a portion of the Amazons on their own, separate way, eventually settling on Bana-Mighdall, a city located on the far side of Themyscira. As punishment, all Amazons wore a pair of silver bracelets as a reminder of their enslavement & were taken to Paradise Island when the sea god Poseidon cleared a path in the Atlantic Ocean for Hippolyta & her tribe of peace-loving Amazons to trek down. On arrival, she & her sisters were informed by the goddesses that Themyscira holds a great evil deep within the island & are to guard it with their very lives as penance for renouncing their duties & ideals before.

Looking at her bracelets now, Diana sees just how fortunate that she, Donna, Cassie, & Koriand'r were able to rescue Marie & her friends from a fate her mother & sisters endured all those centuries ago. Even though Diana never went through the pains of enslavement as her mother & brethren had, her bracelets are customary among her tribe. Such was the case with Cassandra Sandsmark herself: since Diana's arrival in Gateway City & becoming a temporary employee at the Museum of Cultural Antiquities, Cassandra (daughter of Museum Director Helena) was thilled beyond words when Wonder Woman would be working (& living) with her & her mother. Deemed as irresponsible by Helena, Cassandra, or 'Cassie' for short, changed her callow & dismal way of life when she 'borrows' the Sandals of Hermes, enabling its wearer the power of flight, & the Gauntlet of Atlas, which increases the strength/stamina of the wearer tenfold to help fend off a virtual clone of Doomsday, the infamous creature which once killed Superman. After receiving powers from none other than Zeus himself (who later turned out to be Cassie's long-lost father) & receiving Amazonian training with the Bana-Mighdall known as Artemis & defeating the twelve-year-old terror known as Devastation (daughter of Cronus, the sworn enemy of the Gods of Olympus), Cassandra 'Cassie' Sandsmark has been declared an Amazon in her own right, & ws worthy of bearing the name 'Wonder Girl', once held by Diana's soul sister Donna Troy.

Through it all, if she, Donna, Cassie, or even Kory can save just one female's life & free her from living as nothing but a personal plaything to a brutal male or a flock of them & not have to go through what her mother & sisters endured three millennia ago, it is surely worth it.

It's worth ten times as much if the process can be found & halted before it's even begun, something the Amazons had foolishly allowed themselves to be seduced into.

That was when Pedro started ranting, blaring his voice like a fanatic.

"Long live the Diablos! May our enemies burn & rot in Hell for eternity!"

Wonder Woman turned to see what Pedro was raving about, when her blood ran cold. Had she paid more attention to him, Diana noticed that Pedro had slyly reached into his pocket despite being roped up by the Amazon Princess' lasso, & see him pull out a silver stick in his right hand with a red button on top that his thumb rested upon.

A Dead Man's switch!, Diana thought as her eyes went wide. These men are suicide bombers!

"Fire in the hole!", Wonder Woman shouted as she turned to Troia, Starfire, & Wonder Girl & begins to launch herself out toward them.

BOOM!

Before Diana can get two feet away, the entire vessel which the mercenaries inhabited blew up & exploded into a fiery ball of red, orange, & yellow. Debris was sprayed all over, some of it spontaneously combusting like kindling & burnt pieces rained down into the water, but some of it had reached Marie's boat. Fortunately, Diana's last-second warning was enough for the three heroines to take evasive action. Troia & Wonder Girl huddled Marie & her friends, throwing themselves atop, acting like living shields. Starfire launches her orange-yellow beams from her fists to fend off & incinerate any remaining pieces, including any big ones—those which are either extremely scorching from the blast, or pieces that are sharpened to a lethal point and/or have nails sticking out. With the speed they were traveling, they could've acted like spears/arrows & skewer the six females, or maybe even Donna or Cassie themselves.

It did seem unlikely with the later two, but Koriand'r wasn't taking any unnecessary risks on it.

In no time, all the debris heading in their direction was all blasted away or blocked by the heroine trio, becoming a threat no more.

"How's everyone holding up?", asked Wonder Girl. "You all good?"

One by one, Marie, Julie, & the rest of the girls all nodded their heads, allowing Cassie & company immediate relief.

Troia, Wonder Girl, & Starfire turn to where the suicidal merc's vessel once stood floating in the water, its locating marked only by a steady rise of fire & black smoke that ascends like a large mushroom not unlike the aftermath of Hiroshima & Nagasaki during the closing days of World War II.

Hardly anything was left of the boat, save for the burning bottom part. The bodies of Pedro & his foul band were missing, as not even charred skeletons existed; the blast had napalm burning when Pedro pressed the button on his Dead Man's switch, ensuring that no one survived to talk of their embarrassing ordeal, let alone allow any other vital information leak out from the blasphemy that is Wonder Woman's magic lasso.

Sadly for Pedro, he & his men have come up empty on both counts.

Or have they?

Wonder Woman was nowhere to be found, a fact realized just now by Troia & company.

"Where'd Wonder Woman go?", Tara asked.

"Diana? Diana?", Cassie called out to her.

"Sis! Are you okay?", Donna Troy bellowed. "Answer us, please!"

Stafire does not yell out like her friends, but instead looks around for any sign of the Amazon Princess. Like herself, Diana has a really high stamina & can withstand a great deal of physical punishment, although she is not totally invulnerable, unlike a certain Kryptonian or even his long-lost cousin recently found.

Koriand'r needn't worry herself, for her search took a mere eight-nine seconds.

All she had to do was to look skyward.

"There she is!", Starfire says, pointing up & smiling.

Her relieved grin is shared by everyone else, & they, too, look up to see Diana hovering in the air sixteen feet above, her skin & uniform scorched in the very slightest & in the fewest areas, but she is otherwise unscathed, & her magic lasso is retrieved & hanging proudly on her belt. In her left hand, she holds Wonder Girl's own lasso, being thrown by the blast as hers had been.

"Here, Cassie. I think this belongs to you", said Diana, gently tossing Cassie's lasso to her as she grabs it in her right hand & loops it onto her belt.

"Thanks, Diana", she says. "I felt kinda naked without it."

"As you so often yourself have said, 'Thank the Gods you're all right'", said Starfire.

"My words precisely!", said Julie. "I thought you'd be looking worse for wear after you got caught in that horrible blast! No offense meant, of course."

"No offense is taken, Julie", Diana says, her feet gently touching the deck of Marie's rented boat as she descends. "The blast did catch me unawares &knock me for a loop when it detonated, but it did very little damage to my person. All I really felt uncomfortable with was the blazing intensity of the heat. Judging by that & the blast's force, I'd say it's a high possibility that Pedro & his band of mercenaries used napalm in their suicide attempt."

"I still don't clearly understand as to why some people would foolishly claim their own lives in order to protect an occupation that's just as dumbfounded", says Starfire.

"Unfortunately, Kory", Troia states, "that's the nature of people like those: they stupidly believe in their cause so much, they'll do anything to protect their assets, even if it means committing suicide. Everything else to them is irrevlevant."

"It's my fault, Diana", Wonder Girl said. "I should've done a more thorough search on those guys before & even after wrapping them up in my lasso. I'm sorry I didn't."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Cassandra", Diana assures her. "I myself have made that same mistake, but we had to get those men stopped & subdued as quickly as we could before Marie & her friends here were ruefully whisked away."

"But now the Hawaiian authorities have no suspects to take into custody for their malicious behavior."

"That may be true, sis", said Donna Troy. "But we do have most vital information to hand over to them, once we help these six back to…Honolulu, is it?"

Marie & her friends nodded.

"You're right, Donna", Diana agrees. "At least we have that in our favor. Once the info is relayed to them, they'll alert the troopers in Santa Magdalena & La Paz to hunt down the remaining members of the Diablos & put an end to their tyranny."

"It's just too bad those twelve tyrants won't be suffering in a prison cell like their superiors will be soon", Starfire said matter of factly. "For their horrendous crime, I'd much rather they had lived, in order to receive the same kind of punishment & torture they were going to put these ladies in."

"Instead, they took the easy way out, like the cowards they really are", Cassandra added.

"Unfortunately, Cassie, some people just can't be saved", Troia says glumly. "Whether they are beyond help or just refuse to be, they lack the common sense of seeing the light in their misdeeds. Sadder still, the world is full of people like that, not just in Mexico."

"That's why it's important for you heroes to continue fighting the good fight whenever the need arises", said Julie. "Especially you, Wonder Woman. You once announced that your mission is to embrace peace & love between the two sexes, right? So that should only tell you that however rugged the path is to your goal, it's always best to keep trying, don't you agree?"

Julie's words flood Diana with memories of her adventures ever since she won the contest which enabled her to become the ambassador to Patriarch's World: her first encounter with Ares, the God of War, who once tried to commence World War III by causing nuclear Armageddon; the brief but bloody conflict with twisted archaeologist Barbara Ann Minerva, who became a human cheetah by performing an ancient ritual; her first of many run-ins with the witch from the island of Aeaea known as Circe, who can literally 'bring out the beast in men' by turning them into what are called bestiamorphs; the sudden attack from the first Silver Swan, Valerie Beaudry (a role that would later be given to the unfortunate Vanessa Kapatelis, daughter of Professor Julia Kapatelis) in Boston at a carnival in her honor; her first two battles with the malevolent God known as Darkseid, a tyrant from the planet called Apokolips who has once tried to seize Olympus & many times to conquer Earth.

The list goes on & on: Dr. Poison, a villain who can exude any known toxin from her own person; Doctor Psycho, a dwarf of a man who can literally use mind over matter by attacking his victims with illusions & other psychic attacks; Dr. Doris Zeul, who had her consciousness transferred from a gorilla to a circus performer known as Olga & became Giganta, able to grow from 6 feet to hundreds of feet in height & becoming a member of Villainy Inc. (a group consisting of villainesses Doctor Poison, Jinx, Cyborgirl, Trinity, & group founder/leader Clea).

Diana even had a run-in with a few rogues from Batman's own gallery: in New York City, Basil Karlo, a.k.a. Clayface, discovered that Diana was made from enchanted clay & wanted her godlike abilities for himself; in Boston, she had an encounter with none other than the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker, in an attempt to take over crimelord Paulie Longo's empire. She even had an onerous battle with the Justice League against the vindictive & vile creature Doomsday when fellow Leauger (& good friend) Superman was on a mission to take a dying baby to Atlanta, Georgia in order to save its life.

For all those battles (& then some) in which Wonder Woman has been involved in, she never forgot her real reason for entering Man's World: to embrace harmony between the two sexes, & that in itself can be as difficult a task as a battle with any villain she can think of.

Diana grins a glamorous smile at the girls. "You ladies are as wise as you are pretty. You also happen to be correct: while my mission has gotten me recognition as a super-heroine as well as membership in the Justice League, fighting countless super-villians & otherwordly threats, my primary goal is to create unity between the male & female sex in Man's World, & like I promised my mother, Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira, I vow to keep fighting for that objective, regardless of what tyranny gets thrown my way."

"The best part about it is, she won't be handling that monumental chore alone", said Troia. "Isn't that right, sis?"

"Of course you are, Donna. It's comforting to know I can rely on true & trusting allies to aid me in my quest. I couldn't ask for better company right now."

"Well, before you start getting mushy all over us", Wonder Girl says, "I think it's high time we helped to escort Marie & her friends back to Honolulu & be on our way. There's probably a whole bunch of others who could be in a similar predicament even as we speak."

"I agree", said Starfire. "These ladies no doubt have had more than enough of the open seas for one day to last them several lifetimes, & we also shouldn't delay in giving the police the vital info received from their would-be captors about their base of operations."

"As always, Kory, you're correct", said Wonder Woman. "Why don't you three assist in getting Marie's vessel back to shore while I race ahead to the city & tell them what transpired here?"

"That's an excellent plan, sis", Troia says, turning to the rest, all of whom nod. "Good. Let's get this show on the road, or in this case, across the water."

"Hold tight, ladies", Wonder Girl warns as she, Troia, & Starfire get to the rear of the boat & place their hands on the edge. "It's going to be a fast & somewhat bumpy ride back!"

"Then full speed ahead, girlfriends!", Tara says with gleefully, imitating a female pirate as the other girls giggle at her mock imitation of Jack Sparrow, the memorable pirate which actor Johnny Depp portrayed in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie trilogy. Nonetheless, the three heroines in back behave like living motors & propel the boat across the wide pond that is the Pacific was far ahead of them, as she went her way while her companions were preparing in pushing the vessel to shore. In no time, she would have reached the Honolulu authorities & explain the situation & possibly long before Marie, Julie, & the rest even reach land, despite getting assistance from Cassie, Donna, & Koriand'r. It still bothers her that she wasn't able to bring Pedro & his men in along with the forthcoming information passed onto her before he went kamikaze on her, but the general details of their plans will be more than enough for the Honolulu police to pass it along to the authorities in Mexico.

Aside from the fatal suicide, Diana can certainly call this a victory: Marie & her friends were spared a fate worse than death, & are able to head home to see their families again.

It's basically all she could ask for.

CHAPTER III

The sun glares down on Themyscira & shines its light & warmth all over the island, bathing it with a feeling of love & comfort, as if Apollo were right above them in true form, with Aphrodite standing right beside him. Surrounding the island were waters as calm as a kitten with no activity of atrocity anywhere, behaving like Poseidon was taking a well-deserved holiday. The Gods which watch over the inhabitants of Themyscira might as well all be taking one, for it was as peaceful as anyone could ever hope for.

Queen Hipployta stood outside the Royal Palace & gazed in wonder at the island which is her treasured domicile. Wearing her lavender dress, purple cape, brown sandals, golden earrings & crown, she stands proud at the marvel of her sanctuary she shares with the rest of her Amazon sisters, her golden staff in her right hand.

As if she was hypnotized by its beauty, Hippolyta recalls in her mind of the peaceful life she & her sisters have lived since their escape from Heracles thirty centuries ago. After Zeus' son was defeated, Hippolyta parted ways with her sister Antiope & arrived on Themyscira. There, the Amazons under her wing had their immortality restored & began work on constructing a habitable city, with the forest being populated by animals for hunting, clothing, & food. Sealed off from the rest of the world & secluded in what became known later as the Bermuda Triangle, Hippolyta & her Amazons have lived serenely for all that time, never seeing the changes taking place in the world outside their domain.

But being immortal did have its price. Not only did the Amazons each wear silver bracelets as a reminder of their enslavement by Heracles & his men, they were assigned to protect & guard Doom's Doorway, the 'Pandora's Box' of Paradise Island & make certain that the evils never escape & wreak unspeakable havoc upon the world. For Hippolyta, however, it had a price even she couldn't bear: loneliness. In her previous life as a cavewoman, she had been barbarically killed by her mate when he swung at her with a thick, wooden stick. Her soul was then taken by Gaea into the Well of Souls like all women whose lives were unjustly cut short. But unlike her sisters, at the time of her murder, Hippolyta had been pregnant with her yet-unborn child. Receiving instructions from the oracle Menalippe, the Queen of Themyscira molded a baby out of the island's clay. Gaea releases the final soul from the well & brings the baby to life in Hippolyta's arms. Transforming from clay to flesh & blood, the baby is named Diana, after a brave fighter & warrior named Diana Rockwell Trevor, a World War II pilot who crash-landed on Themyscira in 1945, the same year America dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, followed by Nagasaki three days later. Diana Trevor helped to stop the multi-armed monster Cronus from getting free of Doom's Doorway & ultimately lost her life, but not before giving Hippolyta her name. Eternally grateful for Diana Trevor's heroic sacrifice, the Queen named her newborn child Diana in her honor, even donning a costume based on Trevor's American flag patch she wore on her sleeve after winning the contest to be Patriarch's World's ambassador when it was confirmed that Ares was planning to bring chaos to the Amazons and mankind.

Hippolyta, however, never intended to send her only child out to Man's World. In fact, she forbade Diana to participate in the contest, for fear of losing the one thing she cherishes the most in her immortal life. She received the shock of her life when she saw that her daughter had participated in the games, her face concealed in a gold helmet. Much as she wanted to, Hippolyta could not defy the God's will, & thus Diana was sent out to Man's World to bring Ares' plans to a halt & promote the peace & love of the Amazons onto a world riddled with crime, poverty, & mistrust.

The Queen of Themyscira once believed that life for the Amazons would be improved once Diana (being dubbed in Patriarch's World as Wonder Woman by the late publicist Mindi Mayer, who had died of a drug overdose) set off to embrace their ideals. She soon learned how wrong she would be: the evil witch Circe teleported the entire island to a dimension swarming with demons in a scheme to pit the two Amazonian tribes—the Bana-Mighdalls & Hippolyta's own sisters—against each other before returning safely. One of the worst incidents to take place on her beloved home would be when the lord of Apokolips Darkseid attacked Themyscira in an attempt to find the location of New Olympus, leaving over 1,200 Amazons dead after a brutal conflict between her sisters & his Parademon Shocktroopers & Apokoliptian gunships.

But probably her most guilt-riddled moments on her peaceful home was when she received a vision in her head of Diana dying before her eyes. To prevent the prophecy from coming true, Hippolyta called for a second contest & choose a new Wonder Woman in Diana's place (& to fix it so that her daughter would lose). Ultimately, the Bana-Mighdall Amazon known as Artemis became the victor & was rewarded with the Sandals of Hermes for flight/speed, along with the Gauntlet of Atlas for increased strength/stamina. Despite losing the contest, Diana still functioned as Wonder Woman in different attire, wearing an outfit skimpier than what she previously wore. Artemis was killed by Thomas Asquith Randolph, a.k.a. the White Magician, a demon in human form conjured up by Ares Buchanan, who was actually Ares in disguise. Artemis was sent to the underworld, briefly joining the Hellenders before escaping with Diana's assistance. It still did not mean that the Amazon Princess was out of immediate danger: shortly after, Diana had died as Hippolyta feared, killed at the hands of the demon Neron. When even the Justice League failed to resurrect Diana, the Amazons decreed that Hippolyta should serve Man's World as Wonder Woman, taking her daughter's place as penance for causing Diana's death. While filling in her daughter's shoes as Wonder Woman, Hippolyta not only fough injustice in the present but also in the past: pursuing the villainess Dark Angel, she was transported back to the days of World War II when Adolf Hitler reigned supreme. There, Hippolyta met & joined up with the Justice Society of America, with members consisting of Atom (Al Pratt), Flash (Jay Garrick), Johnny Thunder, Green Lantern (Alan Scott), & Hawkman (Carter Hall). During the war, Hippolyta & her friends in the 1940s JSA battled not only Hitler & his Nazis, but other threats of the second World War. Foes such as Baroness Paula Von Gunther, a Nazi scientist, Armageddon, a Nazi 'Superman' employed by Hitler himself, & up to & including its own Villainy Inc., with members consisting of Hypnotic Woman, Zara, a mistress of the Crimson Flame, Dr. Poison (Princess Maru, a Japanese spy), The Cheetah (cat-burglar Priscilla Rich), & original member & leader Queen Clea. When Hippolyta returned to modern times, her role as Wonder Woman was rewarding her so much, she wished to continue as a super-heroine in her own right, even after her daughter Diana was resurrected & brought back to Earth by the Gods of Mount Olympus. She joined the current incarnation of the JSA, with both old members (Alan Scott, Carter Hall, Jay Garrick, Sanderson Hawkins, a.k.a. Sand, Ted Grant, a.k.a. Wildcat) & new recuits Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt), Dr. Mid-Nite (Pieter Anton Cross), Atom-Smasher (Nuklon), Dr. Fate (Hector Hall), Stargirl (Courtney Elizabeth), Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance), & Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders).

Fulfilling as it is for Hippolyta, she is constantly reminded by her daughter that her actual place to be is here at Themyscira, to serve her people & tend to any & all of their needs. Difficult as it was, Hippolyta did that (albeit grudgingly) when the children of Ares—Eris, the Goddess of Strife, Phobos, the God of Fear, & Deimos, the God of Terror—invaded Gotham City, the home of the Batman, & inhabited the bodies of three of the Dark Knight's rogues—Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, & the Joker. Diana took her place, & with help from Batman, Huntress, Robin, Nightwing, Artemis, Troia, & Wonder Girl, Ares' children were forced out of Batman's rogues & literally sent to Hell. Presumably the only major casualty in that cataclysmic battle was of deranged gang leader Maxie Zeus, sacrificing his own life to Ares.

She confesses to missing the thrill of being a super-heroine like Diana has become upon entering Patriarch's World, but knew her daughter has a point: her place is to her Amazon sisters of Paradise Island, because as Hippolyta had so often told Diana herself, these are her people & Themyscira is her city, & they should always come first.

They were both right in every conceivable way.

Staring out at the island's city & horizon, Hippolyta doesn't even acknowledge that she has company until she hears her guest's voice from behind her.

"No matter how many times you look at it, our home never ceases to take your breath away, doesn't it, my queen?"

Hippolyta looks over her shoulder to find two of her Amazon sisters standing sixteen feet away from where she stood. The first was black with brown eyes & hair that was braided partially in strands, wearing a white ceremonial gown & tan sandals. A sword hung at her left hip in a brown sheath. Her companion, standing at 6 feet, one inch, about the same as her partner, wore a black, sleeveless top accompanied by a translucent pair of bottoms & black boots that cover almost her entire legs. She possessed blue eyes, a golden choker around her neck, & long, fiery red hair that was in a ponytail, reaching nearly to the palace's marble floor.

The black woman in white is Phillipus, longtime general of the Amazons & one of the Queen's most trusted friends. Her companion is the Bana-Mighdall Amazon Artemis, high-skilled combatant, master of the bow & arrow, & the only Amazon worthy enough to bear the title of Wonder Woman, next to Diana & Hippolyta.

"Phillipus. Artemis", Hippolyta greets her sisters. "As for the answer to your question before, Phillipus, yes, it does. Any of our sisters would undoubtedly say the same about our beautiful haven."

The black Amazon takes a few steps forward before speaking. "You seem…troubled, my queen. Is there something weighing heavy on your mind that Artemis & I should know about?"

Hippolyta was about to tell her new arrivals it was nothing to concern them over, but she has known Phillipus far too long to try & fool her. As for Artemis, she was just too stubborn for her own good, & would probably taunt her until she gave in.

So give in she does.

Hippolyta heaves out a sigh. "I simply miss my daughter, that's all. It's been over a whole year since I've last seen & spoken to her. While I pray to the Gods of New Olympus to keep her safe in her time in Patriarch's World, it would surely be nice if Diana wouldn't wait so long to come home, even if it was for the briefest of times."

"I feel for you, my queen", Artemis says. "But you shouldn't worry yourself so much about Diana. Like you, she has her duties to fulfil in Man's World. Plus, she has a fine number of friends who fight atrocities & injustice at her side. Surely that should account for something?"

"I think what Artemis is trying to say, my queen", Phillipus cut in, "is that Diana knew what she was getting herself into when she secretly entered the contest to serve as ambassador to the outside world. It is a mission not to be taken lightly, & it requires her to be away from home for a period of time—sometimes for long periods at a time. As your daughter so often says, 'you've got to have faith', my queen. It's times like this where you need to believe in it, even for something as waiting for a loved one's return home."

"Then, Phillipus, the faith my mother currently flows through her is surely serving her quite well!"

Queen Hippolyta, Phillipus, & Artemis grin gleefully even before they look up & see Diana, Donna Troy, Cassandra Sandsmark, & Koriand'r descend from the sky & land five feet from the Queen of Themyscira & her two associates. Without a word, Hippolyta rushes to Diana & embraces her in a warm, motherly hug that lasts for a full thirty seconds. Troia & the rest stare at the reunion in silence & smiles, giving mother & daughter their tender moment together.

"Diana", Hipployta says, taking only one step back from her daughter but with her arms still around her waist. "Once again I praise the Gods that you've made a safe journey back home to Themyscira after a long absence. How I've missed seeing your lovely face." She then turns to Donna & her group. "The same goes for my other daughters, Donna, Cassie, & Kory. Welcome back to our island, girls."

"It's good to be back, my queen", said Troia.

"I am honored to call your island my home, Queen Hippolyta", Starfire says. "It is a safe haven for me, second only to Titans Tower in San Francisco."

"Same goes for me, Kory", Wonder Girl says. "Titans Tower & here on Themyscira are really the only two places I can call home. It's been rather tough for me to settle down since…"

Artemis gently places her hands on Cassie's shoulders. "Ever since the second Silver Swan, Vanessa, attacked you at your school in Gateway City. I know, Cassie. We all feel for you, but please know that you are always welcome here on Themyscira, & can share your problems & grief with any one of us to help you cope with them better, no matter what the situation might be."

Cassandra lets out a sigh. "Thanks, Artemis. It's…good to know that. No wonder you were chosen to be my tutor."

The Bana-Mighdall Amazon flashes her teeth at Cassie's remark. "Think nothing of it, Cass. I told your mother I'd teach you well, & that's precisely what I'll continue doing." Artemis turns to Diana, & her smile disappears. "Diana, if I caused you any harm by bringing up Vanessa just now, I wish to apologize for it. I know it was painful to witness her transformation firsthand…"

Wonder Woman raises her hand, cutting her off. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Artemis. While it did hurt to see what was done to her, I made a solemn vow to myself & her mother Julia to help Vanessa & bring her back to her normal, wonderful self. I will not rest until that happens."

Everyone stayed silent upon mentioning Vanessa Kapatelis. She & her mother Julia, a well-known Professor of Archaeology & Greek Culture, were among the first people Diana had met & befriended after her victory in the contest at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. Julia was the one who gave Diana sanctuary at her home in Boston's Beacon Hill district, teached her to speak English, & unfortunately, got caught in the crossfire with many of her foes all set out to kill her: Decay, who can turn anyone or anything to dust with but a mere touch; Doctor Psycho, Circe, Ares' children, Ares himself, & Ixion, the stone giant which the god Hermes had imprisoned in Hell eons ago. But the worst tragedy of all between the Kapatelis family was when Vanessa—a pretty teen with a troubled past—was tortured not only by Wonder Woman's foes, but by her own personal demons, beginning with the suicide of one friend & the death of another. That alone made Vanessa ripe for the metamorphosis of becoming the new Silver Swan, a role given unwillingly to Valerie Beaudry, a girl exposed to radiation from her parents & taken under the wing of billionaire industrialist Henry Armbruster. It was Vanessa's role as the Silver Swan that caused Cassie to reveal her superhuman abilities to the world when Vanessa attacked Gateway City High School right after she had first struck the Gateway City museum where Cassie's mother Helena works. Both escaped serious injury, but the assault on Cassie's school left a student dead & many injured.

Lost in her own private thoughts of Vanessa's transformation, Diana hasn't a clue yet as to who was responsible for her friend's conversion from sweet to savage, but she will one way or another, & when she does, those involved will pay dearly for what they've done.

It's a promise Diana will keep, no matter how long it takes to find the culprits.

Starfire intervenes to break up the somber moment. "Cassandra, please don't forget that we have brought guests here to present to the queen."

That was when Cassie became fully aware of the brown pouch hung around her shoulder, & it brings Diana & Donna to its attention as well, becoming giddy once again.

"Oh yeah! Thanks for reminding me, Kory! I nearly forgot!", said Cassie, carefully reaching into her pouch.

"Guests?", Hippolyta wondered.

"What kind of guests, Koriand'r?", asked Phillipus.

"Yeah, all I see are you four", Artemis added. "Who else are we expected to stop by?"

Wonder Girl chuckles. "Artemis, they're already here."

Hippolyta & her two Amazons are as confused as ever: why would Cassie be going into her pouch to introduce their 'guests' to Themyscira? Furthermore, what kind of guests would need to be placed in a pouch, of all places?

"Whatever do you mean, child?", the queen asks.

Now it was Donna's turn to chuckle, for the charade was too much for her to contain. "Are you three ready for this? Show them, Cassie!"

"My pleasure, Donna", she says, lifting her hand out of the pouch with as much caution as she used when placing her hand inside. At first, they figured Cassie had found a new pet & wished to show them. But when she withdrew it, it held a surprise neither Queen Hippolyta, Phillipus, or Artemis could have imagined or anticipated, & their eyes widened with fascination: in Cassie's palms were two women who stood only six inches tall! These women were identical in just about every aspect, from their Hawaiian-style dresses with flower designs to their pinned-up hairstyles, reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn's own from the 1961 movie 'Breakfast At Tiffany's'. Atop their heads rests a ring of flowers, & a pair of tiny sandals are placed on their feet. The identical girls stare at the Amazons & give a friendly wave as they smile.

"Queen Hippolyta, Phillipus, Artemis, say hello to the Shobijin twins!", Troia said happily in introducing them.

"Troia, they're simply adorable!", said Phillipus, approaching & bending down for a closer look at their small guests. The twins showed no fear in the Amazon's approach, even when Queen Hippolyta & Artemis get closer.

"They are quite the beauties, Donna!", said the queen. "I've never known there existed a race of people like them! Diana, where in the world did the four of you find these two lovely ladies?"

"From a place known as Infant Island, located in the Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii & Japan", she says.

"Infant Island?", a wondering Artemis asks. "I've never heard of such a place, even during the time when the mantle of Wonder Woman had been mine briefly."

"To be perfectly honest, neither have I, Artemis", said Diana. "Of all the times I've crossed the Pacific, I was completely unaware of that island's existence."

"It's sort of ironic when certain things can go unnoticed for quite a period of time until circumstances say otherwise", Starfire says.

"You're right, Kory", said Wonder Girl. "Had we not taken off in Infant Island's direction after saving those six ladies from slave traders near Honolulu last week, we never would've met & rescued the twins from death."

"From death?", Phillipus repeated. "Were the girls in some sort of trouble?"

"You could say that, Phillipus", Troia says. "But thanks to us, that danger has long passed, & here the twins are, safe & alive."

"I'm delighted to see & hear it", said Hippolyta. "Come. Let us head inside the Royal Palace so that our guests—as well as the four of you—can rest & enjoy a fine-cooked meal. I'm sure you all must be quite famished after your ordeal & experiences from the last few days. On top of it all, I'd love to hear about how you managed to save the Shobijin twins, & the island in which they inhabit."

"We'll be glad to do that, mother", Diana said. "Have Penelope set up a feast in your throne room, & we'll relay all the details about the rescue of the twins & the culture of them & their people while we dine on a fine cuisine."

"It shall be done, my daughter. Phillipus?"

"I'll get Penelope right away, my queen", the black Amazon says.

"Before you do that…", Hippolyta says, stopping her.

"Yes?"

"I'd like for this to be a private gathering in my chamber. Let's keep the Shobijin twins' presence here confidential for right now. I don't think it would be good to have our Amazon sisters crowd around them like crazed fans running after their favorite movie stars, as I'd learned when I claimed the Wonder Woman mantle."

"Do you wish to keep it that way for the entire time that they're here, your highness?"

Hippolyta smiles. "Of course not, general, you know that. These ladies just need time to settle down after a harrowing experience & a long trip from their island to here. So for the meantime, I only want to keep this between the seven of us."

Phillipus nods. "I clearly understand, my queen."

"Thank you, general. Therefore, aside from Penelope, tell none of our sisters about the Shobijin twins' appearance. I wish this to be a surprise when I finally introduce them tomorrow morning to both our tribes."

"You wish to share the twins with my Bana-Mighdall tribe along with your own, Queen Hippolyta?", asked Artemis.

"Absolutely, Artemis", she answers. "I would not dream of denying the Bana-Mighdalls an opportunity such as this, despite the past our tribes once shared."

That past which Hippolyta mentions is when long after Antiope took her vengeance-crazed Amazons & went their separate ways, two civil wars between Hippolyta's sisters & the Bana-Mighdalls had erupted. The first was caused by the witch Circe, when she gathered the 'lost tribe' & had turned them loose upon Hippolyta as she was making a peaceful speech at the United Nations in an attempt to disgrace the Amazon's good name before sending them to Themyscira. The second one was stirred up by Magala, a sorcerer who lived in solace on Paradise Island, gaining little or no attention from her sisters. Unfortunately, Circe did, & not with love. By placing the soul of the vengeful Ariande within her, she caused Hippolyta's Amazons & the Bana-Mighdalls into a bloodier civil war than the first. Only by mother & daughter settling their own differences aside & persuading the two tribes did this terrible ordeal come to an end & form unity between them.

For all her temperament (much of which was settled after experiencing death at the hands of the White Magician & resurrection), Artemis nods in approval of the queen's proposal.

"Thank you, my queen", she says. "It's an utmost honor to be part of what could be quite an accomplishment for Themyscira & those on Infant Island."

"Artemis, are you thinking about an allegiance?", asked Troia.

"Why not, Troia? We've already had visitors from Patriarch's World in the past, such as the Kapatelis mother & daughter, for instance. Having one with inhabitants from a sister island is no different. I vote we should try it. Who seconds it?"

"I think I speak for us all when I say we should!", Wonder Girl exclaims. "Themyscira has been in seclusion for too long, & it should be time to try & expand & be more part of the world it resides in. Aren't I right, Hippolyta?"

"As any Amazon could be, child", the queen said. "Now, let us delay no further in preparing our feast."

Phillipus nods & races to find Penelope, with Artemis following closely behind & are gone from sight. Hipployta casually enters the Royal Palace as Diana & Donna accompany her inside.

"We hope you girls are hungry", Cassie says to the Shobijin twins, "because Themyscira makes the finest meals your taste buds have ever experienced!"

The twins nod, retaining their picture-perfect grins but say nothing.

"Let us enter the palace, Cassandra", Starfire says. "Since we are basically residents of Themyscira ourselves, we should assist in setting up this feast Queen Hippolyta has planned for tonight, plus we need to set a spot for the twins at the table, as they are our honored guests."

"I know what you mean, Kory. Leave that chore to me!"

Twins in her palm, Cassie slowly & carefully floats an inch or two off the ground & heads for the palace, providing the smoothest ride possible for her small passengers. Koriand'r simply walks to the palace's entrance, traveling right beside her fellow Teen Titan parallel on her left.

Even though the day on Paradise Island is halfway done, there is still much to do & say before it comes to an end.

For Cassandra & Koriand'r, it meant no rest or relaxation just yet.

For Diana & Donna, it was a small price to pay for a warm welcome home.

CHAPTER IV

A white & blue Coast Guard patrol boat anchors itself near an island which is marked clearly by streams of black smoke rising in the air like ghostly snakes, somewhere below the Equator & parallel to Australia, near Tahiti but not so close for one to see with the naked eye. The patrol boat—a large, roomy vessel that can house close to 100 men—is alive with personell, as men & a few women officers go every which way, carrying equipment, hurrying to their next assignment, & so forth. The captain of the ship, a tall man with a salt & pepper beard & wearing an officer's hat, stares at what remains of the island through his binoculars: a barren wasteland of charred earth & rocks, still red-hot in a couple of places. Looking around, he can make out numerous birds & other animal life lying on the desolate surface, lifeless as fallen statues. Some of these animals even have their inner organs & skeletons exposed all too clearly.

Lowering his binoculars, the captain slowly shakes his head, clearly disgusted at the callous disregard for life.

Even if those lives belong to animals.

"Captain", said a female officer whose brunette hair is tied up on top. Dressed in a white radiation suit, she stands at attention but offers no salute.

"At ease, lieutenant", he says to her as she does so. "So tell me, have you found survivors of any kind on that island?"

The lieutenant shook her head. "Nothing, sir. The only thing we did find are exactly what we all have been seeing since our arrival: multiple corpses of animals scattered around, & a whole area of ground that was no doubt caused by explosions of some kind which left it so barren, I doubt that even Oscar the Grouch would want to call this place home."

"Any human casualties to report?"

"None, sir. We've searched this island thoroughly & found no traces, let alone evidence, that it was ever inhabited by people."

"Well, it must have been once, lieutenant. Call it instinct, but I doubt that this island didn't go & blow itself up, killing its inhabitants of wildlife. It had to have been occupied once."

"You are right about that, captain, which is why I'm here."

The lieutenant paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before presenting them to the captain.

"Proceed, lieutenant. Don't keep me in suspense", he urged.

"Of course, sir", she says. "After getting a readout on our computers, we found no lava beds beneath the surface of the island, so a volcanic eruption was not the cause for its demise. We've also scanned the area with our Geiger-counters & found no traces of radiation anywhere, & I do mean anywhere, sir, meaning nothing atomic or nuclear was used."

The captain nodded. "Is there anything you did find, lieutenant, that can help us find the cause for its destruction?"

"As a matter of fact, sir, we did. The men & I found traces of potassium nitrate, sulfur, carbon monoxide, nitroglycerin, & hydrogen. Any of these—even a fraction of these ingredients—can be used to create a blast, or series of blasts, to do the damage at a place like this."

"So what do you think happened here, lieutenant? Terrorists? Fanatics? Environmentalists who want to send us a clear message? Or maybe even someone with a warped sense of humor?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, captain. But what I am sure about is that this wasn't caused by a lone individual, even though some very powerful explosives were used. I'm surmising that a group of people used numerous deonators containing all those lethal ingredients, placed them in different areas all around the island, got on their transportation, & watched as the fireworks went off everywhere. As to the motive for this callous & malevolent act, like I said before, I regret to say that I cannot even guess."

Again the captain nods, but somberly this time. He was just as stumped as his lieutenant: who in their right mind would commit such a heinous act on a piece of land that wasn't even on any known chart? What could they have hoped to accomplish from this? What kind of people were these animals, more so than the ones which lived here?

It made no goddamn sense whatsoever. Worse, innocent animals who were doing nothing except being themselves paid the ultimate price for their atrocious act. The captain had always loathed & abhorred people who gave a total disregard to innocent life. It was one of the reasons why he became an officer, & one for the Coast Guard. It may be a different beat than what regular police do on land, but he knows that there are as many felonies being committed in the water as there are on shore.

One might ask if that was really true for an officer who patrols the water.

The answer he/she would probably give them is, 'you'd be surprised'.

But whatever the reason behind their vicious act on both life & environment, the captain has sworn in one way or another to make the perpetrators pay for their crime, uncharted island or not.

"So, what do you wish to do from here, captain?", asked the lieutenant, breaking into his thoughts.

He lets out a sigh before answering. "Have everyone withdraw from the island, lieutenant. I doubt we can do much more here,anyway."

"Are we departing, sir?"

"Yes, we are. We'll let the Navy handle the clean-up, like they radioed in & told us that they would. Have the men kept the samples of explosive traces which they've found?"

"Absolutely, sir. You said anything that could prove useful in what happened here was to be brought back on board."

"Good work, lieutenant. Have them take those samples down to the forensics lab below deck. If we're lucky, we'll be able to pinpoint where the hell they got the materials from."

"Right away, sir", she said, nodding.

Without hesitation, the lieutenant got on her radio & instructed the men on the island to come back aboard while the captain himself headed for his quarters, his facial features filled with undisguised iration. He simply cannot wait to meet those responsible for the island's destruction & genocide to what lived there. He's no judge, but he senses the perpetrators will no doubt receive the death penalty for what they did.

He may even pass judgement himself, should he run into them before anyone else.

Why the hell not?, he thought. For committing genocide, they more than deserve to meet their maker by my hand.

With that thought running through his head, the captain enters his cabin with a sly grin on his face.

Unfortunately for him, those who caused the island's demise along with its inhabitants are at this moment halfway around the world, getting within close range of their goal, which as of right now is just over half a day away.

Soon they will have a new home to call their own.

Dining wasn't the first thing which Diana & company did upon entering the Royal Palace in Themyscira, famished as they were. Like any other fancy & important dinner, one needs to get washed up & dressed for the occasion. Hippolyta, Phillipus, & the Shobijin twins from Infant Island bathe within the queen's private chamber, while Diana takes Donna, Cassandra, Koriand'r, & Artemis to The Grove, a place in the city Diana views as her favorite area where she can find sanctuary when she needs some private time, similar to her friend Superman's Fortress of Solitude, which was located once in the Antarctic, now residing in the South American rain forests. As one, the ladies bathe casually in the large pond in complete seclusion, away from any prying eyes as Diana had ordered her sisters to provide them with privacy.

None of her sisters asked: whenever Diana wishes to be alone in The Grove, whether by herself or with a few friends, she gets it.

Penelope herself washed from head to toe in her own room, & once she dressed in formal attire, joined Hippolyta & everyone else in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace. In the center of the room, a marble table was set up with the softest cushions acting as seats around it. Everyone was wearing white robes except for Queen Hippolyta, who wore her custom purple robe. Cassie, Koriand'r, & Donna wore their perspective uniforms underneath their white garb, saying it was customary for a superhero/heroine to always kep their 'working clothes' nearby, for one can never tell when one might need them. Only Diana hung up her Wonder Woman garb for the time being, as she doubted she'll be needing it anytime soon. Plus, since she's home, she feels it's natural to follow custom to her Amazon sisters & not to behave like she's above any of them, despite the fact that she has been gifted extraordinary abilities from the Gods themselves. Should any trouble erupt unexpectedly, Diana can stand ready to face it at a moment's notice like any Amazon, so she wasn't worried in the slightest, godly gifts or not.

Above all else, she didn't want to behave like a certain obsessive billionaire from Gotham City, who keeps his own 'special clothes' with him at all times, something Diana has no intention of copying.

My apologies, Bruce, but I can't be like you on that notion, she thought.

She wonders what Bruce Wayne would think about that had Diana actually told her.

Or even Clark Kent, for that matter, as he has the same motive, keeping his costume neatly hidden under his traditional demeanor.

Brushing it aside, Diana focuses on the scrumptious food placed upon the table prepared by Penelope: a well-cooked deer with meat as tasty as any kind of poultry Man's World could ever offer; fresh vegetables & greens that make for quite the salad, coupled with fresh bread; for dessert, a bowl of fresh fruits picked from the Themysciran gardens consisting of neatly cut & whole strawberries, bananas, apples, & grapes. For beverage, Queen Hippolyta requested the finest wines for everyone except for Cassie & Kory (as they are underage), getting a cup of clean water instead. A very small cup of H2o was provided each for the Shobijin twins, who sat on a doll couch with soft padding near Hippolyta, as they ate small but satisfying tidbits of Penelope's finely prepared meal. The small doll cups, couch, & utensils were all provided by Cassie herself, making a quick detour to her house in Gateway City to pick up these mundane but necessary items she had in her attic which she used to play with when she was little. Like the others at the table, the Shobijin twins enjoyed every bite of what was placed on their doll-sized plates.

When their food was consumed heartily, the Shobijin twins, in unison, thanked everyone around the table for their hospitality toward them. After a while to digest their food, Queen Hippolyta began giving the twins Themyscira's & the Amazon's history, going back 3,000 years ago to the present day. She explained how the tyrant Heracles betrayed the Amazon's trust & enslaved them all before rising against their captors & rediscovering their ideals & purpose, being sent to Themyscira & living in seclusion for thirty centuries before Hippolyta had given her daughter Diana life with the Gods' assistance & becoming ambassador to Man's World when she secretly entered the contest against her mother's wishes. Hippolyta also told the twins of the perils they've faced on the island, such as Doom's Doorway & when Diana had died temporarily, enforcing her to fill her role as Wonder Woman.

Both Artemis & Diana themselves had stories of their own to tell the Shobijin twins, compiling from the forming of the Bana-Mighdall Amazons to when Artemis had been given the role of Wonder Woman, being killed & resurrected as Diana was. The twins were also informed of the time (by Diana) when the tyrant from Apokolips called Darkseid invaded Themyscira & had killed half the Amazons on the island, searching for the location of New Olympus after the old one was destroyed by the dark lord, in spite of Diana's & Superman's attempts to prevent its destruction.

The last piece of Amazonian history was the two civil wars Themyscira had been involved in, both of which were ignited by the Aeaean witch Circe, Diana's greatest foe. Hippolyta didn't go too much into the details because, by this time, the Shobijin twins had melancholy looks upon their faces, giving the queen the message to cease & desist.

Queen Hippolyta couldn't blame them, & neither could anyone else at the table.

Diana quickly changed the subject by suggesting as to how she & her friends met the twins, something Hippolyta, Phillipus, Penelope, & Artemis are all eager to know.

"So", Hippolyta began, "now that we've given the twins a wonderful meal & a history on Amazonian culture & events of our lives, we can no longer hide our curiosity. Diana, how in the world did you & your friends meet such small yet glamorous people?"

"That does deserve an explanation, mother", Diana said with a smile. "It's one of the most fascinating experiences of my life, & Donna, Cassandra, & Koriand'r can attest to it."

Resting her hands & elbows on the table, Diana begins her tale.

"It all began a week ago after the four of us saved half a dozen young ladies from a bunch of slave traders near Honolulu…"

Wonder Girl raced across the Pacific Ocean like a living rocket as Starfire raced by her side, wearing grins on their faces & the smell of the ocean hitting their noses in a fresh aura. Twenty yards behind the Teen Titans, Wonder Woman & Troia were rushing after them, striving just to keep up.

"Wonder Girl! Starfire!", Wonder Woman shouts to the young heroes from afar. "What's the big rush all of a sudden?"

"Yeah, where's the fire?", Troia called out.

"Come on, you slowpokes!", Cassie says sarcastically. "Kory & I want to get there as soon as we can!"

"Get to where?", Troia asks, clearly lost.

Wonder Girl & Starfire turn their heads to the two women, never breaking stride or even slowing down.

"To Japan!", they say simultaneously & face forward again.

"Japan? Why?"

This time, only Cassie faces them. "Come on, Donna! It's summer vacation, & I need a place to unwind for a while!"

The two older Amazon sisters look at each other.

"If you need a little vacaton, why not just relax at Honolulu?", Troia asked as she & Diana get closer to the meta-teens. Now they were only eight yards behind.

"Because Japan holds a special place in my heart, & this is the perfect time to go & check it out!", Cassie says, turning her attention forward once more.

It took a moment, but then the realization struck Diana, & she began to laugh a little guffaw.

"What's so funny, sis?", Donna asks, more lost than she was before.

"I should have realized it before", Diana said. "When I was living in Gateway City, Cassandra had shown me on her television through her DVD player the many animated movies & TV programs that were made in Japan. I believe they call it anime. Cassie's quite the fan of it, & we should also assume that Kory is, too."

That's when it finally hits Donna, & she smiles. "Oh, now I get it!", she says. "Cassie & Kory wish to see the source of where it's from!"

"Precisely!"

The two Amazon sisters share a laugh that would make Santa Claus proud. There were so many customs to Man's World that Diana & even Donna need to discover, both perilous & pleasurable. At least for today, the women can get a taste of the latter, especially after the malevolence Pedro & his mercenaries had put Marie & her friends through, including herself.

"All right, sis, they've convinced me", Troia said. "If truth be told, I've wanted to visit Japan myself after hearing many fascinating aspects about it."

"I'm sure you'll enjoy it there, Donna", Diana says. "Japan is a very hospitable country, with people to match its mood. Plus, after weeks of tough, valiant battles from mercs, criminals, & super-villains alike, we can all use some 'R & R', as they say in Patriarch's World."

"'R & R'? What's that mean?"

"Rest & relaxation."

Donna Troy enjoyed the sound of that. It was another custom she had learned from Man's World, & it was like music to her ears. Like Diana, Donna has a lot more to know about the world she is sworn to protect aside from its history, ranging from life in the sea to the current war in Iraq & everything in between. Donna will take any kind of knowledge she can get about Earth, even if it's nothing more than abbreviations or popular slangs.

"Diana! Donna! Look!"

Starfire's sudden calling caused the two sisters to look straight ahead, thinking they must've reached the Land of the Rising Sun already. Diana didn't think it was possible: yes, they were going at a fantastic speed, but it wasn't anywhere close to the velocities in which Wally West or even Bart Allen, a.k.a. The Flash & Kid Flash, could reach.

She was right: while they were approaching a great mass of land, it certainly wasn't Japan.

"An island?", Troia wondered.

"It has to be", said Diana. "And this is unlike any island I've known about in the Pacific."

"Whatever kind it is, I say it's worth checking it out", said Wonder Girl. "Who knows what we might find."

"But Cassie", Troia cut in, "I thought you wanted to get to Japan in a hurry. Why the sudden change?"

"Yes, why not leave it until after you visit Japan?", Diana asked.

"Let's just say we're curious, Diana", Starfire said. "If this is an uncharted island like you claim, maybe an investigation is in order. Besides, this could be enlightening."

"She may have a point", Diana said. "I've learned from experience that uncharted islands are often the forefront of criminal activity."

"Are you saying there could be an organization preparing to cause harm to the outside world even now?", Troia asks. "Come on, sis. What are the odds of that?"

"You'd be quite surprised, Donna. But even if it is nothing to worry about, it's still worth an investigation. Truthfully, I'm just as curious as Cassandra & Koriand'r."

Troia smiles, seeing the veracity in her sister's words. "I suppose you're right, sis. Besides, I love exploring new regions!"

"Somehow, I knew you'd say that!"

In no time, the super-heroine quartet reached the island shore, a rocky & sandy plateau with a lush jungle in the foreground. Traveling as one, the ladies enter the jungle, pushing green aside & watching out for anything that seems unusual for its surroundings. They also keep a keen eye out for anything poisonous, like snakes & spiders, so as not to get bit: just because they all have incredible stamina & can withstand a great deal of pain, it doesn't mean they can't suffer the venom of either black mamba or a tarantula, for example.

On an island lush with green, it was highly possible for such dangerous animals to exist, including various insects that carry numerous diseases, so the girls take extreme caution.

But from Cassie's point of view, so far so good.

"What a peaceful place", she says. "I wonder if anyone lives here in such a serene environment."

"Kinda reminds you of the jungle back home on Themyscira, doesn't it, sis?", Donna asked.

"I do see resemblances between here & there, Donna", Diana says. "The only difference I can, or rather, can't, see, is the lack of wildlife. In the enchanted forest back home, it teems with game in which my sisters can hunt for food when necessary."

"Unfortunately, it also houses Medusa's lair", Troia grimly adds. "No wonder you told us to keep a sharp lookout for arsonists of any kind. If Medusa can live within the forest of your own home, who knows what—or who—we'll meet here."

"This is exactly why I mentioned that an investigation is worthwhile", said Starfire. "If an evil scheme really is being hatched here, then all the more reason for us to step in & grind it to a halt. Think of it as stopping a cancer from spreading."

"Wise thinking, Kory", Diana said. "And I think we'll cover more ground if we split into two groups. Donna & I will head north. Cassie, you & Kory…Cassie?"

Cassandra was barely listening to Diana, as she was concentrating on something else, putting her right hand to her ear, listening to something which only she can hear.

"Sorry, Diana, but I think I hear someone in trouble!", she says. "Two someones!"

"Are you sure?", Troia asked. "Where?"

Wonder Girl held up her hand, urging silence from Donna. It took a moment for her to focus, but Diana can hear the distinct sound of a pair of people calling out for help. Neither Diana's nor Cassie's hearing is as acute as Superman's (who can hear an ant's footsteps), but they were acute enough to know people in trouble when they hear it, even from a sizeable distance.

"You're right, Cassie!", Diana confirmed. "I heard two females crying out, & it sounds like they're caught in a raging current of a river or stream!"

"That's what I heard too, Diana!", Cassie said. "Let's get to them & pull them free before they drown! Follow me, everyone!"

Wonder Girl took to the air even before she finished speaking. Wonder Woman, Troia, & Starfire took off after her, forming an airborne train, with Wonder Girl as the engine leading the pack. Flying above the island's greenery, the quartet home in on the sound of rushing water, & it wasn't long before they hear it getting louder in volume.

The sounds of crying distress also get louder, telling the heroines that they were definitely heading in the right direction, praying it wasn't too late for a rescue.

"There!", Wonder Girl shouted, diving down to the open patch of raging water like a hawk diving to snatch a mouse to devour for its dinner. When Wonder Girl gets close enough to the two females caught in the water's current, she couldn't believe what she was seeing—the two females were no more that six inches tall, no taller than the dolls she used to play with when she was only a toddler. It didn't deter the fact that they were still living beings, though; small as they are, they'll surely drown like anyone else if they're not saved.

Cassandra has no intention of letting them drown: in the wink of an eye, she grabs the two literally little ladies as gently as she can & takes them out of the water's inescapable grip. Floating down on the river's edge, Wonder Girl turns her hands into a living cup & examines the two girls at a closer distance. The girls wore Hawaiian-style dresses & sandals, their hair braided up. They looked exactly alike, from clothing to facial features.

Unbelievable!, thought Cassie. They're just half a foot tall, & they're twins, of all things!

"I see you have saved them in time, Cassandra!", Starfire said, descending down to her side with Wonder Woman & Troia. As soon as they see the twins themselves, they, too, were astonished by their size.

"X'hal!", Starfire says in her native Tamaran tongue.

"Great Hera!", said Diana.

"Whoa!", was all Donna could muster out to say.

"You all said it. This is weird!", Cassie says, but she brushes off the bizarreness of the situation. "But it doesn't matter. They're human beings, & needed assistance in dire circumstances."

"You are correct, Cassandra", Diana said. "Regardless of their nationality or even their unique height, they were women in trouble who required help. Praise the Gods we were in time."

The four heroines smile sincerely at the twins as they smile back, nodding their heads, undoubtedly grateful for saving their lives just now.

That's when they all heard a rustling of leaves, putting Wonder Woman, Troia, & Starfire on guard, forming a protective circle around Cassie as Wonder Girl literally has her hands full.

"What is it?", she asked.

"We don't know yet", said Troia, "but whatever it is, we can't let the twins be harmed—not after going through all this trouble to save them."

"Maybe I should fly them to safety…"

"Wait a moment first", Wonder Woman instructed her. "Let's find out what their intentions are. If they're malevolent, we'll all fly away & take them to Themyscira for safety."

In unison, a group of brown-skinned natives dressed in loincloths & faces painted like American Indians emerge from the foliage of the jungle, each one wearing jewelry made from bones & holding a spear in one hand. One of the natives was older than the others, possessing a snowy white beard & wearing a top made entirely of feathers. In his right hand he holds not a spear, but a staff made of bamboo.

To the heroines, they predict that he must be the chief of this particular tribe.

What they can't predict, however, is what their motives are: will they attack the quartet, along with the twins? Are the twins even part of this tribe of natives, or part of one of a different culture, like the Bana-Mighdall Amazons on the far side of Themyscira once were? Or will the twins, sweet & innocent as they are, order the natives to attack their new saviors as punishment for arriving on their island unannounced?

Too many questions raised right about now, & with hardly any time to answer them.

That's when the natives, including the chief, do something the heroines never expected.

They all get down on their knees & bow, leaving Diana & her friends confused.

"What's going on?", Starfire wondered. "I don't understand their motive in all this."

"They are all praising you for rescuing us just now", a pair of female voices said, originating from the twins themselves.

"Oh, so you girls can talk", said Cassie.

"Yes. We learn languages from telepathy", the twins explain. "That's how we're able to understand you."

"I see. Well, my name is Cassandra Sandsmark. I'm also known as Wonder Girl, but you can call me Cassie, if you'd like."

Starfire introduced herself next. "On my home planet of Tamaran, I was known as Princess Koriand'r. Here on Earth, they call me Starfire, but you can call me Kory."

Then it became Troia's turn. "I'm basically known as Troia, but my friends call me Donna Troy. It's a pleasure to meet you both, along with your tribe."

Finally, Diana was up at bat. "In Patriarch's World, I became known as Wonder Woman, but my mother named me Diana, after a very brave warrior who once gave her life to save my beloved Amazon sisters from a great evil long ago. I bid you all our warmest greetings."

The natives all rise to their feet, as the chief (or rather, the elder of the tribe) stepped forward & began to speak. "On behalf of myself & our people, we all bid you welcome to our home here on Infant Island, oh mighty gods of the sky!"

Diana chuckles at the notion of being called gods. "Oh, we're really not gods, good elder, in spite of the fact that we can take to the air. We've mostly been given gifts from the Gods to use to help people who are in trouble. None of us have ever claimed to be anything else."

"But you do worship them as we do?"

"For giving us life among other things, yes."

The natives of Infant Island look at one another & grin in satisfaction. From the cover of the jungle's foliage, they've seen Diana & her comrades in flight which made them nervous & scared, not knowing what their intentions were, as it was the opposite just a moment ago with Diana & company. But after witnessing their selfless deed of rescuing the twins from a drowning fate, their fears were all dissipated & have come to honor their new arrivals.

"We are all in your greatest debt for saving our beloved Shobijin twins", the elder said. "In gratitude, we would like to show you four a very special God we worship here on our island. It will honor us if you could come with us & meet her."

"Your God is a female?", Troia wondered. "Is it by chance Demeter whom you worship? Or maybe Hera, Aphrodite, Artemi, Athena, or Hestia even?"

The natives let out a laugh before thr elder speaks. "No, I'm afraid you're mistaken…Troia, is it? No. While they & the other Gods of Mount Olympus are known to us, we have our own God, & she is among us as we speak."

Wonder Woman, Troia, Wonder Girl, & Starfire eye each other. What kind of God could the natives be referring to if it wasn't any one of the Gods of Mount Olympus? In fact, what kind of God could it be that Diana or her friends has never even heard of before?

"You girls have nothing to fear", the Shobijin twins say. "Our God is a peaceful entity, & she will be most gratified to meet the four of you."

"Well, when in Rome…", Wonder Girl says, making up everyone's mind for them.

"Why not, Cassandra?", Starfire said, turning to the natives. "It would be a pleasure to meet your God. Please, show us the way."

"Excellent", said the elder. "Our God's humble abode is not far from here. Follow us, my friends."

The journey took only fifteen to twenty minutes through the jungle. All the way, Cassie held the Shobijin twins in her cupped hands, keeping them safe & secure. The elder & the natives led Diana & her group to their destination: it was a gigantic cavern deep within a mountain. The cavern's entrance was wider than three aircraft carriers lined in a row. Inside was an area as wide as four-five city blocks, & had a height of a forty-story building. The ground inside the cavern was a plateau of stone, but the most incredible sight of all was what lay upon a giant podium of rock: it was long, measuring 120 meters in length, having a segmented body of ten. Its tail had two forks, with a pointed spike sticking out in between. Its head sprouted an insect-like mouth that opened & closed horizontally, with small feelers etched on either side. A pair of glowing blue eyes resides each within a crater on its face.

"By the Gods!", Wonder Woman said breathlessly.

"X'hal!", Starfire repeated.

"Whoa!", Troia & Wonder Girl said simultaneously.

The four super-heroines couldn't believe their eyes: they were staring at a giant caterpillar!

Artemis interrupted Diana's story.

"Whoa, hold on a second here! Are you telling us that the God those natives on Infant Island worship is an overgrown garden pest? A caterpillar?" The Bana-Mighdall Amazon turns to the Shobijin twins with an apologetic lok on her face. "No offense, ladies."

The Shobijin twins didn't look offended in the slightest. "None taken, lady Artemis", they said. "But just as you & your Amazon sisters praise & worship the Gods of Mount Olympus, such as Zeus, Poseidon, & Hera, for example, we do the same to our God & guardian. She goes by the name of Mothra."

"Mothra, huh?", Penelope wondered. "If she's anything like a normal caterpillar, will she turn into a butterfly in due time?"

"I've no doubt about it, Penelope", said Donna Troy. "Just before the four of us had left the island to bring the twins here, we witnessed Mothra encasing herself in a cocoon of silk. After two or three days later, she broke out & blossomed into a beautiful butterfly right before our eyes. It was one of the most wonderful things I've ever seen in my life!"

"I wished we'd videotaped it for all of you to see for yourselves", Cassie said. "I feel pretty bad about not having any of you there."

"Yes, I, too, regret that none of you were there to witness that phenomenal metamorphosis firsthand as we did", said Koriand'r.

"I don't think you two have anything to feel guilty of", said Diana. "Right, mother?"

"Not at all, my daughter", Hippolyta says. "I can easily picture your words in my mind as if I had been there, & it's nothing short of breathtaking. From all we've heard, your island is all but identical to our Themyscira in many aspects."

"Thank you, Queen Hippolyta", said the Shobijin. "But, like your island, ours has had a rather difficult past."

"What do you mean?", asked Penelope.

"Our island was subject to many atomic bomb testings, chiefly caused by the Rolisican empire. In the year of 1961, a group of scientists came to our island to find out why a bunch of Japanese survivors who arrived on our island were unaffected by the radiation from the nuclear fallout. While most of them were honest & sincere, there was one man among them who we knew was evil from the moment we saw him. His name was Clark Nelson, & he was a very bad man: he kidnapped us from our island along with a bunch of his henchmen, killed several of our people in his attempt, & took us back to Tokyo to perform on stage for his own personal endeavors. Despite the efforts of Dr. Shinichi Chujo & some well-meaning friends, Nelson wouldn't release us, let alone allow us to return to our island. Sensing us in danger, Mothra headed for Tokyo, causing much destruction in her path. Upon reaching Tokyo Tower, she spun a cocoon & emerged as a butterfly, leading her search to New Kirk City. It was there that Clark Nelson was finally found & shot dead by local authorities. Later, thanks to the assistance of Dr. Chujo, we were reunited with Mothra, & returned to Infant Island."

The ladies listen to the twins' tale, & while it had a rather happy ending, the body of it filled them with abhorrence, as it became another tale of being enslaved, one Hippolyta & her Amazon sisters are much too similar with.

The poor little souls, thought Hippolyta. The twins have been through something we Amazons have experienced 3,000 years ago with Heracles.

How awful it must have been for the twins then, thought Diana. What they went through with this Clark Nelson fiend was a lot worse than what my mother did; imagine—being kidnapped by a cold-hearted business tycoon & put on display like circus freaks, & all so that Nelson can make a profit!

I feel for the twins wholeheartedly, Peneolpe thought. Had Diana, Queen Hippolyta, or even Artemis had been around as Wonder Woman in 1961, all that death & destruction chiefly caused by Clark Nelson would never have taken place, as any of them would've prevented the twins from being kidnapped by this fiend.

I've always loathed the kind that pick on those weaker than they, Artemis thought bitterly. I wished I'd had a word or two with Nelson! He would've practically begged me to take the twins back home!

Another pair of unfortunate souls taken for slavery against their own free will, Starfire thought. I know exactly how they feel.

Since the days of Heracles, Phillipus thought, man has always believed to be the greater sex, dominant over their female counterparts. It's one of the reasons as to why we had sent out a champion as an ambassador to Man's World, to place an end to such an abomination. Praise to the Gods that Diana was chosen, for a better choice could not have been made.

No wonder Julie said that it was important for us, especially Diana, to continue fighting the atrocities of those who think they can make others their servants, as Xerxes did in ancient Greece, Donna Troy thought. And judging from what she & her friends went through last week, Diana's mission is just as essential as ever.

Boy, what nerve!, Cassandra thought, her arms folded across her chest. If this Clark Nelson jerk was still around, I'd kick his ass all over the place, seeing how well he fares against some who's more his own size! That would teach him a thing or two!

Queen Hippolyta can sense that everyone has rather unpleasant thoughts going through their minds upon hearing the Shobijin twins' story, even if she's no psychic. To disconnect their train of thought, she brings another subject to the table.

"I'm sure everyone's quite exhausted from such a long day, so why don't we all retire to our quarters for a good night's rest. Tomorrow morning, we shall call for a gathering right outside the Royal Palace & introduce the Shobijin Twins to all our sisters here on Themyscira."

"Good advice, mother", Diana said, rising from her place. "I, for one, can use a peaceful slumber. Penelope, could you provide sleeping quarters for Cassandra & Koriand'r, as well as the Shobijin twins?"

"Already taken care of, Diana", she says.

"It was I who asked Penelope to arrange it once we knew you brought home guests", said Phillipus. "In fact, she had arranged it even before preparing our feast for tonight."

"And for that, Penelope, I thank you wholeheartedly, as do the rest of us", Hippolyta said.

"I am humbled by your words, my queen", Penelope responds. "I could do no less, especially when we have such…interesting guests in our tranquil home."

The Shobijin twins bow in kindness with a grin on their faces. "We are pleased to have been your guests here", they said. "We look forward to meeting the rest of your Amazon sisters come daybreak. If just half of them are as humble as you eight are, I think this can be the start of a wonderful companionship between our peoples."

"That is our goal, ladies", said Artemis. "If Hippolyta's Amazon tribe can bring unity to my Bana-Mighdall sisters, a once savage tribe, then we'll have no problems bonding with your people from Infant Island—or with Mothra."

"Speaking of whom", Cassie wondered, "it would be great if she came to Themyscira, being the peaceful creature the twins say she is." She looks down at the twins. "Do you suppose that's possible?"

"Yes it is, Cassandra", said the twins. "In fact, while we were preparing for this wonderful feast you made for us, we sent a telepathic message to Mothra, asking her to appear in Themyscira. She is on her way now as we speak, & should arrive sometime at midday."

"That would be perfect, ladies", Hippolyta said, turning to Wonder Girl ."Cassandra, why don't you escort the twins to your chambers, since you've grown quite attached to them? Penelope will lead the way."

"Sounds good, Queen Hipployta", Cassie said, cupping her hands for the twins to board, which they gladly do.

"Follow me, fellow sister", Penelope says, taking Cassie (twins & all) to her quarters as they exit the Throne Room.

"Now, let us all retire for the evening", Hippolyta said. "We have a rather glorious day ahead of us tomorrow, with some monumental news abound for all of Themyscira."

"Good night then, mother", Diana says, with Donna, Kory, Phillipus, & Artemis wishing their queen the same before departing, as Phillipus asks Starfire to follow her, for she, like Penelope, knows where her sleeping quarters is set. Diana, Donna, & Artemis need no such aide, for they know just where to turn in when ever they come to their peaceful abode.

It may be hard trying to get a nice beauty rest on Paradise Island tonight, what with the big day ahead of them, but they will sleep soundly knowing that Themyscira will be heading towards a bright future, even if it's only a small step in starting.

But as Neil Armstrong can attest, a small step can lead to a giant leap.

It was past time Themyscira took it.

CHAPTER V

The other day:

The natives of Infant Island were all on their knees & bowing to Mothra, praying to their giant Lepidopteran God, speaking in their native tongue as she rests comfortably on her rocky perch inside the cavern in which she lays. Mothra's large membranous & colorful wings—in patches of black, red, yellow, white, brown, & orange—flap up & down in a leisurely & slow pace, being careful not to cause a strong gust, else her followers be swept off their feet by a gale force her wings can generate, especially since her wingspan has reached a distance of one hundred & eight meters from tip to tip, measuring thrice her own body length. Her head, thorax, & abdomen was furry & white, having light brown patches in spots. Like any insect, her three pairs of legs were on her thorax's tan underside, & her abdomen tip has a dark brown point. Mothra's head had a pair of antennae in between her blue, multifaceted eyes, with a much smaller pair on either side of her proboscis (mouth) that opened sideways. It was black in color, same as the strip of fur that ran down in the center of her face.

While the natives prayed, Mothra opened her proboscis & allotted herself a high-pitched screech not in pain, but something else. In her head, Mothra feels a buzzing that she cannot ignore: it was the Shobijin twins, her two tiny soulmates, calling out to her in telepathy:

Mothra, we are here on the island which the inhabitants called the Amazons is named Themyscira. They have asked for us to form an allegiance between them & our people on Infant Island. It would honor us greatly if you would come to Themyscira, also known as Paradise Island, & serve as a second ambassador, next to us. Will you come to Themyscira & greet the Amazons, including the ones who rescued us the other day? It would please us greatly.

Again, Mothra cries out as she raises her head & looks straight ahead, past her worshippers, all of whom rise from the stone floor of the cavern. They watch her in awe as Mothra flaps her wings just enough to get her off her perch & moving forward, making her way out of the cavern. The elder native & the rest follow Mothra's sudden departure, keeping her in their sights until she completely vanishes from sight a couple of moments later, leaving her tranquil home & people.

One of them—a young female—approaches their leader.

"What is it?", she asks. "Why does Mothra depart so abruptly, great leader?"

"It could be by chance, but…", the elder began.

"But what, great leader?", a male native urged. "Is there something we do not yet know?"

As one, the natives started gathering closer to their leader, giving him barely enough elbow room. He looks at their faces of desperation, concern, & in some cases, fear. With al this being brought upon him, he sees he has no choice but to spill the beans.

"Last night, shortly after the four women left our island with the Shobijin", he explains, "I had seen horrible visions in my sleep. It showed me terrible images of destruction & a blazing holocaust, with people running for their very lives, all screaming."

The natives gasp in fear of the elder's description of mayhem.

"What unbearable images, great leader", said the young female. "It must've been some nightmare for you."

"I'm not so sure if those images were a nightmare. It felt more like…a prophecy."

"A prophecy?", asked the male with trepidation in his tone. "You mean to tell us that what you saw in your dreams the other night may come true?"

He pauses for a second or two. "It might. I felt the agony deep in my soul."

Again the natives gasp in fright.

"Is this why Mothra took off so suddenly just now?", asked another male. "Is she attempting to prevent the catastrophe from occurring, great one?"

"There can be no other explanation for it", said the elder. "All we can do is pray to the Gods & to Mothra herself that she will be successful."

"Great elder", a young boy no more than ten years of age says, "did your vision tell you of where this disaster will happen at?"

The old man hesitates for a minute. "It wasn't made too clearly to me about the location. Therefore, I cannot even guess."

Murmurs of worry echo the cavern as the crowd slowly but surely disperses away from their leader. The elder only got these visions in his sleep, & a lot of times when a person dreams, he or she cannot recall everything completely of what they see when they're asleep. Most people don't even remember any of their dreams, but the elder of Infant Island isn't 'most people': he knows what he saw he not only remembers, but knows it will more likely than not come true.

Unfortunately, he is not a true prophet, or else he would've had all information on whatever comes to him in dreams.

For all his praying & worshipping to the Gods, it seems even they aren't able to offer in any assistance of halting the holocaust yet to arrive.

Like his fellow islanders, all he can do is hope that Mothra will be enough in stepping in & fight this menace before it can consume the world, if that really is what he saw burning in flames in his visions.

And if even she isn't enough, then perhaps she'll be getting some assistance from the one called Diana & her friends.

Whatever the case may be, it was out of his own hands.

Like his people, all he has left is a prayer.

Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, approx. 3 a.m.:

Private Jack Donner fought to keep his eyes open in the radar room. He had about only three hours left before his shift was over, & he needed to be on alert for anything his screen might display. Even at this late an hour, Donner knows anything can happen, & it wouldn't look good for him or his superiors if something slipped past him that shouldn't have & he wasn't alert enough to have seen it. Such a lack of vigilance could cost him his job, or worse, lives if what slipped by him were terrorists aiming to harm civilians in the vicinity, or even the base itself.

So, to avoid such a heavy burden on his shoulders (a luxury hr cannot afford), he strained to fill out the remainder of his watch.

Fortunately, he had an ample amount of black coffee at his disposal to help him accomplish his task.

Just as he was about to take another invigorating sip, his radar screen bleeped.

Getting alert in an eye's wink as all Army personell are trained for, Private Donner fixed his eyes to the screen & practically glued them there. It wasn't long before the screen bleeped again, & Donner saw what made the sound. He immediately checked his readings, & after looking them over twice thoroughly, he decided to call for his superior.

He picked up the phone next to him, dialed a number, & spoke into it.

It took the Colonel only seven minutes to get up, dressed, & arrive at the radar room where Donner was still checking the screens. The private remained seated even when the Colonel entered, but did turn his head to face him.

"Colonel Krass!", he said.

"At ease, private", Krass said. "You have something for me tonight?"

"Yes I do, sir."

"Let's have it, son. What is it that you've got?"

Donner turned back to the screens. "Colonel, at approximately 3 a.m., my radar picked up a foreign object in the sky at an altitude of 20,000 feet, if not more."

"It's not a commercial aircraft?"

"No, sir. I've tried radio contact right after I phoned you, but got no response. If it is, or if it's one of ours, I would've gotten one already."

Colonel Krass nodded. "What's its trajectory, son?"

"Sir, it's due to pass right over us in about twenty minutes, give or take. Your orders, sir?"

"Are any of our jets in the air at this time?"

"Yes, sir. Two F-16s—Hawk 1 & Hawk 2—are patrolling our sector as we speak. They're only ten minutes away from us, sir."

"Contact them. Get them to those coordinates you received of the object, & inform them that neither is to fire upon it unless I specifically order it so."

Private Donner didn't answer Krass. Instead, he simply nodded & put on a pair of headphones which lay to his left on the console & began speaking into the mike that was attached to the garment. Colonel Krass came closer to the console & gripped a thin silver microphone, placing his mouth near it.

All right, let's find out what this joker's story is, he thought before speaking orally.

"Attention. Unidentified aircraft, you are in restricted Texas airspace. State your business & acknowledge, over."

Fifteen seconds go by with no response.

Krass tries again, more sternly. "I repeat, unidentified aircraft, you are residing in restricted Texas airspace! Identify yourself & state your business here! If you do not comply with these orders which have been given you, you will be met with harsh resistance unless you reply immediately! Over!"

This time the Colonel only allows ten seconds for an answer, & still gets none.

From Private Donner, that's another story.

"Colonel, Hawks 1 & 2 are en route", he says.

"Good. Have them get behind the target & issue a final warning. If they still get no answer by then, tell them that permission is granted to shoot it down."

"Roger that, sir."

Above the cloud-cluttered sky over San Antonio, Hawks 1 & 2 race parallel to each other. Piloting Hawk 1 is known as codename 'Fire', a man known for his fierce & fearless demeanor in battle, hence his name. Hawk 2's pilot is African-American, known as codename 'Ice', a man who is known to keep his cool, even in the most dire situations in battle. Racing to meet the coordinates of the bogey, both men get the Colonel's instructions over the radio, courtesy of Private Jack Donner.

"Message received & understood", Fire replys.

"Affirmative. We will carry out the Colonel's orders ASAP", Ice replied.

Cooking on all burners, both F-16s reach their destination in just under nine minutes. Even in the cloud's thickness (& a little help from the full moon shining overhead), the two pilots can see some kind of movement in the clouds, confirming that their bogey has stuck around & hasn't hightailed it out of town.

It was Fire who gave the third & final warning to their 'visitor'.

"Attention, unidentified aircraft! You have been warned twice before about stating your name & business here over restricted Texan airspace! This is your final warning: if you do not comply within the next ten seconds, we will bring you down by force! Do you understand? Over!"

Neither pilot had any better luck in getting an answer from their bogey than Colonel Krass did: the ten seconds given were filled with nothing but silence.

All right, fella, have it your way then!, thought Fire, flicking a panel on his flight stick as Ice does the same on his.

"Ice, prepare to engage!", said Fire over the radio.

"Roger", Ice returned.

Fingers on the buttons which will activate the machine guns, both pilots get a lock-on with their guidance systems, ready to start firing at a moment's notice.

Fire begins the countdown. "Ready to fire in 3…2…1…what the hell?"

Before either Fire or Ice can press their trigger fingers, something bursts from the thickness of the clouds.

Something membranous.

Something colorful.

Something big.

Their eyes widen to their limits as something in full rose out from the cover of the clouds & filled the views of both F-16s. It had a long slender body with white & tan fur covering it that measured about 36 meters. Attached to its sides was what looked like a pair of giant, multi-colored wings that flapped at a leisurely pace, reaching an estimated 108 meters wide. In the moonlight, Fire & Ice can make out a pair of long antennae at the front of the thing.

Neither pilot could believe what they were witnessing—a giant moth, or more precisely, a giant butterfly has entered San Antonio!

Its sight must have put the pilots in a trance, because neither man fired his weapons, nor did the butterfly make any sudden hostile moves to urge them to. In fact, Fire & Ice not only saw no hostility from the thing, they actually felt none of it. What they did feel was a soothing feeling not unlike that of when one steps out of a hot shower, amplified a hundredfold, which they felt all over from head to toe. They started getting this balmy sensation from the moment this creature showed itself to the pilots; it was as if the creature was trying to communicate with them, saying 'Please do not be alarmed. I am no threat to you'.

That's when Colonel Krass' voice entered their eardrums.

"Hawk 1! Hawk 2! Acknowledge! I neither see nor hear any gunfire on your behalf! What's the story up there, dammit?"

Even if Krass' harsh, stony tone hadn't snapped them back to reality, Fire couldn't give any kind of answer right away to their superior. Even Ice, who always remained calm under pressure, had difficulty trying to respond.

"Uh, sorry about that, Colonel", Ice said. "Target is non-hostile. I repeat, target is non-hostile."

"If it's not hostile, soldier, then what the hell is it?", the Colonel fumed.

"It's, uh, something we best tell you about when we get back to base, sir", said Fire in a tone different from which he uses frequently. "See you in thirty. Hawks 1 & 2 over & out."

With that said, communication between base & aircraft cease & desist. Fire & Ice watch as the giant butterfly suddenly disappears back into the cover of the clouds, hiding even the flapping membranous wings from within.

Three minutes later, Hawks 1 & 2 begin their descend. When they get back to base, they'll have one hell of a story to give to not only the Colonel, but to the General & the board. Neither of them liked the idea, but knew they didn't have much choice in the matter. Who would swallow the fact that they saw an overgrown garden pest over San Antonio? And would it grab if they told their superiors that it spoke to them in the most peculiar way? If they're lucky, the worst they'll get is a dishonorable discharge, along with severance pay for their many years of service in the U.S. Army for telling such a tale.

And that's if they even believe them to begin with.

Themyscira. Now:

As usual, a bright sunshine greeted the morning on Paradise Island, bustling with life all around. The only difference today is that the teeming life on Themyscira is located at one particular area instead of all over. This activity resided at the Royal Palace, where all the island's Amazons, both Hippolyta's & the Bana-Mighdall tribes, have gathered. Just before she retired the other night, Phillipus was asked by her queen to inform her sisters of the 'special news' Hippolyta has for everyone once the morning sun breaks. The General/Chancellor told a few Amazons before they helped to spread the news to everyone else, even going so far as reaching the Bana-Mighdall tribe on the far side of the island on horseback. The news spread as quickly as malaria, & by the time midnight rolled around, there was not one pair of ears that didn't get Hippolyta's invitation.

Now, like spectators at a rock concert & attired in battle armor with their weapons at their side, both Amazon tribes wait patiently outside the Royal Palace's entrance for their queen to deliver the news they've all been longing for since last night.

From within the Throne Room, Diana, Donna Troy, Cassandra, Koriand'r, Artemis, Penelope, Phillipus, & Queen Hippolyta prepare in making their presentation to their fellow Amazon sisters. All are dressed in ceremonial robes, & this time, Diana had on her Wonder Woman garb underneath at her mother's insistence, same as Donna, Cassie, & Kory. Even the Shobijin twins were wearing the white Amazonian robes, custom-styled by Penelope herself, looking quite grand as they sit comfortably on a silver tray with pieces of cloth underneath. Artemis had on her traditional lavender/purple attire under her robe, along with her trademark bow & arrows, but not by any request from the queen in any way. For Artemis, it was as natural to her as a person having breakfast in the morning in Patriarch's World. Like all Amazons on Themyscira, she is a warrior, first & foremost, & is always ready to spring into action at a moment's notice, even at times of peace.

It may seem unlikely for any atrocities to take place during this occasion, but no Amazon was willing to take an unnecessary risk in that.

As any Boy Scout—or even Superman himself—will say, 'Always be prepared'.

"Looks like everyone's present & accounted for, Hippolyta", said Donna, looking out the front. "I take it Phillipus' message spread like wildfire last night."

"That's what Hippolyta wanted, Troia", said Artemis. "This is something no Amazon on Themyscira should miss out on. Hell, I would've made sure of it, had I been the messenger instead of Phillipus."

The African-American Amazon chuckled. "I think that's why Hippolyta chose me to spread the word, Artemis", she says. "Your way may have seemed too…ornery or cantankerous for our sisters to deal with."

Cassie & Kory put a hand to their mouths & stifle a laugh, being only partially successful.

Isn't that the truth!, Wonder Girl thought humorously.

Artemis smirked. "My sisters wouldn't have complained about it, General."

"Yes, well, I was never a Bana-Mighdall", Phillipus said, & immediately regretted it. She slammed her hand over her mouth as the whole room went silent, fearing a full-scale assault could erupt because of Phillipus' remark, destroying everything the Amazons have accomplished since the eruption of the second civil war.

Phillipus turns to Artemis, who stands there, staring back. She does so for what seems like an eternity before Artemis guffaws.

"That's what I like about you, Phillipus", she says. "You've always been quick with a good comeback response. No wonder Hippolyta has kept you her General for all these centuries."

Everyone breathes out a sigh of relief, knowing the Bana-Mighdall Amazon was only joking. They even let out a little laugh of their own, glad that Artemis can deal with tomfoolery, as well as dish it out.

"You sure had us worried there, Artemis", Koriand'r said. "I thought a rebellion was going to occur here & now because of a simple misunderstanding."

"Don't sweat it, Kory", Artemis assures her. "My temperamental state of mind has been cooled off for quite some time now. I guess you could say that Amazonian humor has somewhat rubbed onto me by Hippolyta's group, among other things."

Hippolyta smiles. "Yes, well, before we go all vainglorious on each other, I believe it's almost time to introduce our guests—the Shobijin—to our sisters, so let us take the time to finish up in preparing for this monumental occasion, shall we?"

"Of course, mother. Leave it to us", Diana says, as Hippolyta approaches the opening where Donna had been, looking out. Seeing all her Amazon sisters as a unitary whole gave her a sense of prismatism & joy that words couldn't match. It was no different from attending a family reunion, & in some ways, it was.

Hard to believe we were at war with each other not once, but twice, she thought. Now look at us—we are united & strong, the way all Amazons should be. Antiope would be so proud right now.

It was then the Shobijin twins started to speak. "This is a very good day for both of our people. We're so glad that we could make this unity happen."

"As are we, girls", Cassie said. "This is one piece of Amazon history I'm glad to be a part of. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Neither would any of us, Cassandra", said Penelope. "This unity can only strengthen us even further, & who knows? Perhaps Patriarch's World will be sharing us in this wondrous occasion, assisting Diana in her goal of global peace."

"That could be part of my mother's intentions, Penelope", Diana said. "Why stop with the inhabitants of Infant Island when we can extend our unity to all of humanity?"

"All in due time, my daughter", Hippolyta says, turning to the group. "A unity on a global scale doesn't happen overnight, as they say in Man's World. Our mission is to accomplish such a feat, true, but we must take it one step at a time. Today, it will be Infant Island. Now, let us go out there & greet our sisters on this glorious morning, shall we?"

Smiles emerge from ten pairs of lips in the room.

"Showtime, girls", Cassie & Kory say together as the latter places a white covering like a circus tent over the twins' platter, & the former takes the platter by its side handles & carefully balances it as they make their way toward the entrance to greet the Amazons.

As Cassandra & Koriand'r said before, & to quote a famous phrase from a particular Michael Keaton film, 'It's showtime!'

Phillipus was the first of the group to emerge out of the Royal Palace, with Penelope right behind her, followed by Artemis & the rest. As both ladies face the huddle of female warriors & diplomats, Phillipus begins to address them.

"Good morning, fellow Amazons! First, let me say how merry it is to see both of our tribes united as one, especially for something in which our dear queen has in store for us. And on that note, my sisters, I'd like to proudly present to you…our majesty, Queen Hippolyta!"

A thunderous, blaring applause erupts fom the Amazons as Hippolyta steps out from the Royal Palace's ingress & into view of everyone, all eyes locked upon her, staff in hand.

Raising her staff to incite silence amongst the crowd, Hippolyta speaks.

"Greetings & salutations, my sisters. I have called you all here for an event which will take our beloved Paradise Island in a whole new direction. As you already know, for 3,000 years we have isolated ourselves mainly on Themyscira, cutting us off from the rest of humanity since our humiliating & devastating capture by Heracles. As for the Bana-Mighdalls, they went their separate ways, eventually ending up on the far side of Themyscira, shunning & rejecting their peaceful brethren. So different were our cultures that we all got involved in not one, but two civil wars, both caused by the foul witch known as Circe, but had divided our tribes, widening the gap when it should have been the opposite. Not since the second civil war did we realize the error of keeping our two groups of Amazons apart. Despite their violent nature when Antiope had split us up after Heracles' defeat & their numerous blasphemies to my peace-loving sisters, I never gave up on the hope that one day our tribes might be reunited. And now, since the second civil war has ended & our Paradise Island has been rebuilt, making us stronger than ever, I believe the time has definitely come for us to expand our peace-loving ideals to lands beyond our own, much in the similar manner that my daughter Diana has been doing tirelessly since winning the contest to serve as our ambassador to Man's World as Wonder Woman, making such remarkable friends & even discovering that she has a twin sister who assist my daughter in carrying out her ideals. My sisters, with us today are two inhabitants of a place called Infant Island, located in the Pacific Ocean, who wish to share unity with us."

Hippolyta turns to Cassandra & Koriand'r, giving a silent remark that it was their cue. Both Teen Titans nod & slowly walk towards the crowd, stopping ten feet away from Phthia of the Bana-Mighdalls & Mala of Hippolyta's tribe. Koriand'r removes the cloth covering the silver platter & reveal the six-inch twins to everyone, all of whom gasp in amazement as Hippolyta & the others had the day before.

As before, the twins smile & wave to the awestruck Amazons.

"My fellow Amazons", Hippolyta continued, "it is my great pleasure to present to all of you …the Shobijin twins!"

"Greetings, Amazons of Themyscira", said the twins. "We are both very honored to be here with all of you on this wonderful island which is called your home. We have never known of such a tranquil, beautiful place on this Earth. Your island is not dissimilar to our own. While our home has a more primitive aspect to it, we on Infant Island are a peaceful race, & live our lives frivolously without any hatred or war. In fact, your ideals coincide & are compatible with our own, so we have no doubt of a harmonious co-existence between our islands. We, like yourselves, believe that by forming this alliance, the message of peace & love which Diana & her friends help to spread will be accomplished at a greater velocity than if either of our people does it alone. We are all a part of this beautiful Earth, & must each do our fair share if we are ever to reach our goal & fulfil our dreams in making them a reality. Along with ourselves, our people from Infant Island will certainly look forward in helping to spread our message. They will be quite happy to finally be joined by such kindred spirits—to meet a race whose ideals match their own. Even Mothra will rejoice from this."

Murmurs from the Amazons suddenly fill the area, uttering her name.

Diana, Donna Troy, Cassandra, Koriand'r, & the Shobijin twins look at each other & smile like children, wanting to giggle but repress the urge.

The Shobijin twins clear their confusion.

"Mothra is our God & guardian on Infant Island. She protects us & our people from harm, much like your Gods do with you. Similar to you Amazons, she can be a very fierce fighter in combat, but she is really non-aggressive & peace-loving in nature."

Mala raises her hand. "Is there a chance we'll be able to see your Mothra, ladies?", she asks.

"Mala!", Phthia fumes, gently elbowing her on the arm.

"What?"

This time, Diana & company did giggle.

"People of Themyscira", Starfire announces, "the Shobijin twins have assured us that Mothra will be making an appearance here later today, so you will all ge your chance to marvel at her beauty when she arrives."

"You mean you actually saw their God, Koriand'r?", asked an Amazon from the rear.

"I did. So has Diana, Donna Troy, & Cassandra here. Believe me when I say that her appearance will astound you beyond words, as she did to us."

"And believe us when we say that Mothra is as eager to meet you Amazons as you are in meeting her", said the Shobijin twins.

"Why ladies, you're all talking about forming an allegiance with other nations, & you didn't even bother inviting us? Where I come from, that's downright rude!"

A voice—a male voice—sounded from behind the crowd, loud enough for everyone to hear.

As one, the Amazons, including Artemis, drew their weapons—spears & swords—and turned to where the voice came from. At that time, Diana, Donna Troy, & Koriand'r tore off their robes, revealing their heroine garb. Cassie does the same, only after giving the twins to Penelope.

"An intruder?", Phillipus wondered, though the answer was quite obvious.

"Who's there? Show yourself! Now!", Hippolyta demanded.

"You'd better do as she says, whoever you are!", Artemis says, her bow & arrow at the ready. "I'd hate to have to be in your shoes if you force us to locate you on our own!"

"Do it, creep!", Wonder Girl said sternly. "Trust me, you don't want us coming after you!"

"No need to get in an uproar, young lady", said the male. He steps out from behind one of the buildings of the city in full view. The man stood a good, solid six-&-a-half feet high, adorned in gray body armor, with a red cape draped on his shoulders. He held a golden rod that had a cobra's head at the top, coupled with jeweled magenta eyes, & his helmet resembled that of Leonidas' & his Spartan warriors. The top of it sported a crescent moon, having its points facing forward. Like Leonidas, he stood proud & defiant, despite being terribly outnumbered. On his hip rested a pistol of sorts, one none of the Amazons or super-heroines has even seen before. A sword rests in its sheath on the opposite side of his firearm.

"Who are you?", Troia said, more a demand than a question.

"And how did you get here?" That came from Diana.

"You mean, how did we get here?", said the man. "Come on out, boys! We've been made!"

At the man's command, men in gray battle armor & helmets with a feather sticking out on the side suddenly appeared from the cover of the buildings. Like the first man (who the Amazons can sense is their leader), these males had a small cache of weapons hanging from their belts, including a pistol & sword. These men surrounded the Amazons from all sides, forming a tight circle. All of them unsheathed their swords, ready for battle. The Amazons stay their ground, forming a tight circle of their own around Penelope & the Shobijin twins, for their first concern was for the safety of Infant Island's little ambassadors, & that duty was passed to her from Wonder Girl.

"Easy, boys", said the man, pointing his staff. "We don't want to have to resort to a senseless onslaught if it can be helped."

"A wise choice!", said Hippolyta. "Now, to reiterate Troia's question, who are you?"

"Why, Hippolyta", said the man as he removes his helmet, revealing his stylish, sandy hair. "I take it you don't even recognize the brother of Heracles himself? I must say, your highness, I'm quite crushed."

Hippolyta & the other Amazons didn't respond to his remark right away, for they were all stunned by the shocking revelation of the day. For thirty centuries, this piece of knowledge had remained hidden from all Amazons, & right out of the blue it comes before them, hitting them like a punch to the gut, & it was a punch which hurt, in spite of the fact that it wasn't a physical one.

"I-I-Impossible!", Hippolyta stammered. "Heracles had…a brother?"

"You bet he did, & you're staring at him", he said. "The name's Galamyr. This fine young gentleman right beside me is my second-in-command Elios. As for the rest of my men's names, well, let's just say you'll get to know them soon enough."

"Sorry, Galamyr, but I think that's an opportunity we'll pass on, thank you very much!", said Wonder Girl.

Galamyr snickers & turns to Elios. "Nice kid. A bit short on manners, though."

"Don't worry about it too much, my lord", said Elios. "She'll be taught some."

"Excuse me, but I can hear you!", Wonder Girl fumed, her hands tight fists.

Wonder Woman placed an arm in front of her. "Easy, Cassie", she says calmly before making it firm. "Enough with the introductions, Galamyr! What do you want from us?"

"Only what my brother wanted from you ladies thirty centuries ago, is all", Galamyr explained. "From what I understand, it worked out for some time before things got a little…haywire between our races."

"That's because your brother drugged & took us prisoner as their own personal slaves & playthings!", Hippolyta fumed. "Worse, he & his men took the utmost pleasure in seeing us suffer the way we did! As queen of the Amazons, I vowed never to allow such an abomination to befall us again!"

"That's obviously why you men are here, isn't it?", Phillipus asks. "To pick up where your barbaric brother left off?"

"You've got it all wrong…Phillipus, is it?", Galamyr said.

"Then why arrive at our island dressed fully in combat?", Artemis asked, her bow & arrow pointed directly at his heart. "Or is it always formal for you to be in such garments wherever you & your men go?"

Galamyr points a finger in her direction. "Artemis, right? I don't see how it's any different from any of your fellow sisters. I mean, here you have a gathering for a unity between another nation, & you're all attired in armor with weapons at your sides, like you expect intruders to arrive."

"It's only customary to be prepared for such a contingency, Galamyr!", Troia said. "Amazons are naturally trained to be ready for anything at a moment's notice! It's the same as to why police officers in Patriarch's World carry a gun in their holsters!"

"That's one aspect our tribes have in common", Elios pointed out. "Theirs is much our cultures can share. All you need to do is give us a chance. Believe me, our lord & master Galamyr is not like his brother."

"You'll forgive us if we don't share your confidence!", Penelope said. "We Amazons have gone through a harrowing experience once with Heracles! None of us are anxious to go into a relay of being in the company of an all-male tribe!"

"If you'd only listen to…hello. Who & what have we here?", Galamyr says, looking straight at the Shobijin twins on the platter Penelope holds. The twins hold each other close in fear, for they can sense the hostility in Galamyr & his men they have not felt since first meting the vile man known as Clark Nelson on their island so many years ago.

Noticing Galamyr's wolfish stare at the twins, Wonder Girl & Starfire throw themselves in front of Penelope, providing both protection & sanctuary for the twins.

"Eyes off the prize, creep, & forget that you ever even saw them!", Cassie growls.

"That's right!", Starfire said, her fists & eyes lighting up with orange-yellow energy. "Like myself, these twins were once held captive by evil men, & forced to live as slaves, albeit for a brief period of time! I speak for everyone here on Themyscira when I say that it shall never happen to them again under our protection!"

"Trust me when I say that the small girls will be treated with royalty by me & my men", said Galamyr. "Neither of them will ever endure what those other 'evil men' had put them through. I'll personally see to it that they'll be well-treated with the love & respect they rightly deserve."

"I'm sure we can handle all that & more for the twins ourselves, Galamyr—without assistance from you or your men!", Mala stated.

"Come on, ladies. This is a most generous offer we're handing you. Heracles was a fool for attempting to make slaves of you ladies. He & his tribe obviously didn't know a good thing when they had it. But we do, & I can assure you, none of you will regret it should you accept. You'd all be a fool if…"

Galamyr took a few steps forward, but stopped short when Artemis' arrow landed at his left foot, only a quarter of an inch from it. The Bana-Mighdall Amazon readies another arrow in seconds flat, & aims it at the man again with cold & narrow eyes.

"You're the fool, Galamyr", she says, "to think that your barbaric culture & way of life will ever be accepted here among my sisters! Now I suggest you take your troops & leave our home! Do it quickly—before my next arrow goes in your black heart!"

Galamyr stares the archer Amazon down, not giving an inch, even as he faces possible death at any second. Artemis can sense the hostility within him & the rest of his men, as can everyone else. Diana approaches Wonder Girl & Starfire, all the while keeping her gaze on Galamyr.

"Cassie, Kory", she whispers, "our first priority is to ensure the twins' safety. Take them inside my mother's Temple & find a safe place to hole up in. No matter what happens, stay with them at all times. We don't want any harm to come to them."

"I was thinking the same thing, Diana", said Wonder Girl. "Will you, Troia, & the rest be able to handle Galamyr on your own without us?"

Diana gives her young protégé a little smile. "Have faith that we will."

"Then it's agreed", said Starfire. "Cassie & I will head inside the Temple with the twins, while you provide the cover should they start attacking, which is a very high probability."

"An excellent plan", said Penelope, handing the twins to Cassie as she takes the silver platter with them on it, nods, & heads for the Temple, with Starfire right beside her.

With the Shobijin twins out of harm's way, the Amazons move to end their standoff.

"Queen Hippolyta, I see no point in prolonging this preposterous argument!", said Troia. "I say it's high time we brought this to a close!"

"You are correct, Troia", Hippolyta says in full agreement. She stares at the instigator. "Galamyr, this is our island, & neither you, your men, nor your ideals are welcome upon it! As queen of Paradise Island, I hereby order you all to leave immediately—or face the consequences!"

"What's it going to be, Galamyr?", asked Phthia, her weapons at the ready like all her sisters were. "Will you retreat & continue to live? Or will you be foolish & meet the same fate as your brother did 3,000 years ago?"

Galamyr lets out a heartfelt sigh, as if he just lost a longtime friend. "A pity: I really was hoping for both our people to form an unbreakable allegiance & live as equals, but now I sense this cannot be. Very well, then." He puts his helmet back onto his head & turns to Elios once more. "Elios, it would seem our first plan for negotiations has failed us. Will you be a gentleman & initiate negotiation plan B?"

Elios grinned wickedly. "Of course, sire", he says, raising his sword above his head. "Men—forward!", he bellows, swiftly lowering his weapon halfway, punctuating his order. As Galamyr's forces race ahead, Hippolyta's decision was made crystal clear.

"Amazons attack!", she shouts, pointing her staff.

In no time, an all-out assault between the battle of the male & female sex erupts, just like it did thirty centuries ago.

Which sex will triumph is anyone's guess.

CHAPTER VI

History always has a way of repeating itself.

Case in point: Washington D.C. (or Congress, as some people call it) had been attacked on more than once occasion. In the year of 1814, during the War of 1812, the White House was attacked & burned down by British forces, causing President James Madison & his wife Dolley to flee before President James Monroe had it rebuilt in 1818. On September 11, 2001, a group of terrorists from Afghanistan hijacked a quartet of planes, sending two of them to America's capital. One plane crashed into the Pentagon, killing well over a hundred people. Another would've crashed into the White House, were it not for the bravery of the passengers aboard, who fought against the hijackers & forced the plane to crash in Pennsylvania, killing all aboard.

New York City is another example: in 1993, a group of terrorists attempted to bomb the World Trade Center but failed to bring it down. The only thing they succeeded in doing is killing six people in the basement where the bomb detonated. Again, on September 11, 2001, two hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers, & unlike the '93 bombing, they were successful in bringing down both American landmarks in a heap of rubble & thick smoke.

The island of Themyscira was no different: the home of the Amazons has endured attacks by the Aeaean witch Circe, the tyrant from Apokolips Darkseid, & even the mythical monsters from Greek mythology—the Chimera, a monster with the head of a lion, goat, & dragon, the Scylla, a four-legged scaly lizard with six snake heads, the Minotaur, a humanoid beast with the head of a bull, to name a few.

Now they face an invasion of an all-male group of warriors not dissimilar to the forces led by Heracles thirty centuries before the Amazons even came to Themyscira. In a clash which all but shook the island like an earthquake, male & female warriors engage in brutal battle which, by far, has left only one or two dead on either side. Spears & swords clang as neither side refuses to yield to the other. Some of Galamyr's men even use their pistols to bring down their enemies, firing thin but powerful beams of red energy that has scarred a good portion of the surrounding buildings, leaving holes & craters the size of a softball, if not a little bigger. Smoke rises up from various places, & more than a few fires start burning: it was like Hell itself was beginning to settle in paradise.

Inside the Temple from Hippolyta's bed chamber, Wonder Girl & Starfire can hear & feel the battle raging as warriors from both sides shout orders & cries of help & anguish. Both wish they could be out there now, lending some super-heroine assistance to the Amazons instead of being couped up like naughty children sent to their room for a misdeed. But they were in here for a reason: to keep safe & protect Infant Island's Shobijin twins, girls that are no more than six inches in height, who have been brought to Themyscira to form an allegiance between their two inhabitants & branch out beyond their shores to the world.

Neither expected a full-scale attack to occur, & they stay cuddled together in trepidation, unsure of what the next couple of moments will bring.

The whole room shook as another blow from outside struck the Temple, raining down a stream or two of dust.

"Dammit, this battle's been going on for over two hours now!", Wonder Girl says. "I know Diana asked us to watch over the twins, but we still should be helping them right now! I feel so useless not being able to!"

Starfire places a hand on Cassie's shoulder. "Cassandra", she begins, "we are helping Diana & the others as we speak. Believe me, guarding the Shobijin twins isn't feeling useless. Do you think Diana or even Donna would ask us of a chore if she didn't believe us to be trustworthy of it?"

Cassie sighs. "No, Kory, of course she wouldn't. It's just that…"

"I know how you feel. Part of me wants to join the battle, same as you. But our small guests & their safety do come first. Please try not to worry too much."

"It's hard not to, but I will give it a shot. I only wish that Mothra were here now to help even things out in our favor."

Cassandra's mentioning of Mothra stirs the twins into action.

"We have thought of the same thing ourselves, Cassandra", they said. "We do know that she is on her way over, but doesn't know of the danger Themyscira is currently in."

"Is there any way to warn her of it?", Starfire asked. "If she somehow charges in blindly without knowing what to expect, Galamyr & his troops can take her down easily, despite her size."

"And judging by the tremors from their weapons, they could succeed in short order", Cassie added.

"Do not worry, friends. We shall give Mothra an early warning, so that our enemies will have no chance of catching her off-guard", said the twins.

Wonder Girl & Starfire nod, hearing the veracity in their words.

"Do it", they say in unison.

The Shobijin twins nod themselves & rise from the bed on which they lay. Still dressed in their custom-made white robes, they stand side-by-side & perform a little dance that required little movement, basically the arms mostly. When they break out in song, they sing in a melody that's a combination of Malaysian & Japanese.

Wonder Girl & Starfire stare in silent & wonder as the twins start their chanting:

Mosura ya, Mosura

Dongan kasakuyan indo muu

Rusuto uiraadoa,

hanba hanbamuyan

Randa banunradan

Tounjukanraa

Kasaku yaanmu

The twins do a scond verse & repeat their song. This time, not only does Cassandra & Koriand'r hear it, but so does Mothra herself, who is now flying over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, flapping her large & colorful membranous wings as the late morning's sun shines down on her body, giving it a rapturous glow. Mothra listens to the twins' enchanting tune in her head, along with further information as to what is now transpiring over at her destination.

Message received from her tiny twin guardians, Mothra lets out a chirp of confirmation & continues on her quest unperturbed, heading in the direction of the Bermuda Triangle.

Another blast from the men's arsenal of weaponry—these caused by bombs the size of marbles—explode near a cluster of Amazons, causing them to scatter, the force of the blast sending them airborne before hitting the ground & bruising their arms, sides, & legs.

"Sisters!", Diana cried, rushing over to her fallen comrades like a locomotive, plowing through & knocking down several of Galamyr's warriors like bowling pins. These were dealt with by Amazons who drive their spears & swords down upon them quickly & mercilessly, their blades stained with blood. Arriving where her sisters fell, Diana blocks a barrage of laser fire with her silver bracelets, deflecting them harmlessly skyward. More & more deadly projectiles bombard Diana, & soon she's faced with more blasts than she can possibly stop.

Sooner or later, she'll be hit, & judging by the power of the blasts, she may not survive a direct hit by one should it make contact with her flesh.

"Diana! My daughter!", Hippolyta cried, seeing her child under heavy attack, even as she disposes of another of Galamyr's men with her staff by fatally cracking his head on his side. He falls dead, making a sick crunch as he does.

"That's it, men!", Galamyr says to his troops. "Pour it on Wonder Woman & don't let up! If we can eliminate her & Troia afterwards, the Amazon's defenses will lose its integrity by a great percentage!"

Not if I have anything to say about it, Galamyr!, thought Troia, tossing a defeated male to the ground. She soars over to a large piece of white, sculptured stone which once served as a post to one of the buildings before getting blown off in battle. Using her super-strength, Troia grabs the piece & hauls it over head & rushes to Diana, who was now on her knees under the volley of laser fire. Troia places the stone slab between her sister & the lasers, acting as a shield.

"You okay, sis?", she asks, taking cover behind their new barrier.

"Thanks to your quick thinking, Donna", Diana said. "I don't know how much longer I may have lasted had you not put this stone to good use."

"The shield is only the first use I have for it! Help me push it, & it'll serve us another good purpose!"

Immediately Wonder Woman nodded, for she knew what Troia means by 'another use'. Using her own enchanted strength, she assists her twin sister in pushing the log-like stone slab. Even partially drained, she pushes it with not too much effort, & like a runaway log, it rolls over to Galamyr & his troops who were shooting their pistols at Diana, rumbling like a hungry beast & picking up speed.

The eyes of Galamyr & his men were agape.

"Break away!", Galamyr shouted as he & his warriors disperse from the oncoming stone. One soldier wasn't fast enough, & he ends up getting crushed beneath the massive weight, crying out in pain & blood, as his stains the white of the slab, making it seem like a grotesque candy cane of sorts. The slab of stone finally stops when it crashes into a building not too heavily damaged in the battle, scattering more of Galamyr's forces & giving an opportunity, one that gets implemented by Artemis.

"Now, sisters! Strike them while they're down!"

Those with bows & arrows launch a volley of projectiles that soar through the air & slam into their targets with the force of driving a nail into wood with a hammer, piercing even the armor with ease. Over a dozen of Galamyr's men fall prey to Artemis' archer sisters, & many more fall to the fighting skills of the Amazons, weapons or not.

Galamyr sees his troops quickly fall like dominoes in the battle, despite the intense fighting skills he put his men through for years. It seemed he has greatly underestimated the Amazons a bit too much, & if something done soon, he'll lose not only his troops, but his own life, & he isn't ready to lose that as of yet.

It pained him to do so, but he must call for a withdrawl, or everything he & his men have worked for for so long will be all for naught.

"Stand down, men!", Galamyr orders, holding his staff up high. "Stand down now! That's an order! Regroup at once!"

At their leader's command, Elios & the others follow the man's orders to the letter & regroup to where he stood, some cut & bleeding still but otherwise fine. Even though their souls still wanted to keep battling, they obey Galamyr's order without question; to them, his word is law.

"Stand down & regroup as well, my sisters", Hippolyta instructs, "but keep a close, keen eye on Galamyr's men! If any of them tries any trickery on their part, do not hesitate to kill them!"

"Understood, my queen!", Phthia said, her outfit stained with the blood of her enemies.

Both male & female forces withdraw on opposite sides of one another. Even Wonder Woman & Troia regrouped to their sisters, soaring down on either side of Queen Hippolyta. All are prepared for anything that resembles a trick or a double-cross, but they only witness a regrouping on Galamyr's part, same as the Amazons.

Their groups were a mere forty feet apart from each other.

"Very wise, Hippolyta", Galamyr said, clapping his hands slowly. "It looks like we both did the smart thing in withdrawing our troops. There's no need to spill any more blood when it's utterly not necessary to begin with."

"You're the one who started this assault in the first place, barbarian!", Hippolyta barked. "My sisters & I were merely finishing it up! Now, you & your men can either leave our home right this instant, or…"

"Or we can continue fighting until we all kill ourselves, with no clear winner", Galamyr cut in. "How about we settle this in a more…traditional manner?"

Hippolyta paused for a moment before she answered. "What do you have in mind?"

"Not much. Just a simple one-on-one between you & me, like they did it in the old days. If I win, you share your island with us for better or worse, like one big, happy family."

"And if I should claim victory?"

"Then we'll find some other island of paradise to call home, & you shall never hear from us again for all eternity. Sound fair?"

It only took a second for the Queen of Themyscira to make her choice. "Very well, Galamyr. Our brothers & sisters will step down as you & I duel. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Galamyr turns to his men. "Boys, under no circumstances are any of you to interfere in our scuffle. Understand?"

Elios & the men nod wordlessly.

Hippolyta faces her Amazon sisters. "The same goes for you all, Amazons. The honor of the Gods demands that I face my opponent solo."

The Amazons nod, but Phillipus issues a word of warning. "Be careful, my queen. He's quite formidable at hand-to-hand combat."

"Never fear, my lifelong friend. I've beaten Heracles all those centuries ago, & I'm sure I'll defeat his brother as well."

"The Gods be with you, mother", Diana prayed.

"Thank you, Diana. As always, I'm most humbled by your words. "Hippolyta faces Galamyr, & her demeanor goes from motherly to that of a combatant. "All right, warlord, let us do this!"

"Yes, by all means, let's", Galamyr says.

The two leaders run into the playing field, their staffs in hand. Galamyr takes a mighty leap at Hippolyta & comes down upon her with his weapon, but the Queen of Themyscira uses her own staff to block the oncoming blow. Metals clang as both warriors remain on their feet & use their strength to push the other back a few feet, putting some space in between them. Hippolyta uses the break to swipe at her foe with her staff, but Galamyr anticipated as much & counterattacks by first blocking it, then rams his weapon into the midsection of the queen. The blow felt like she was hit by her friend Wildcat of the JSA, & she hits the dirt hard, fighting to get her wind back into her lungs. Galamyr raises his staff high & brings it down swiftly in a strike that surely would've knocked his opponent unconscious had she been a split second slow in avoiding geting clobbered by turning her head to one side. She avoids Galamyr's staff again & again as the male warrior raises & lowers his weapon repeatedly with such force that he causes mini craters where his staff's cobra head strikes. He slows down just long enough for Hippolyta to get a hold of his weapon & use it against him by jamming it into his own solar plexus with a surprisingly powerful thrust. Then, with a swift & mighty kick from her right leg, she buffets her enemy in the face with enough force to actually make him see stars. Hippolyta gets to her feet as Galamyr fights to eradicate the white flashes from his vision. He does this in the nick of time when she thrusts her right fist at his face, hoping to repeat the attack. But Galamyr blocks the blow with his forearm, & does it again when Hippolyta swings her other fist. The Queen of Themyscira delivers strike after strike with clenched fists & even giving her legs the ultimate workout with swift & decisive kicks, but unfortunately for her, the male warlord either blocks each attempt at buffeting him or avoids it with precise timing, never hitting him once in a vulnerable area. Phillipus did warn Hippolyta that Galamyr was a formidable opponent when it came to hand-to-hand combat, & she is seeing the indisputable proof right before her.

If she doesn't take the offensive soon, he'll defeat her in front of her daughters & sisters, something she has no desire in giving her foe the pleasure of; she'll be damned if she lets another man defeat her shamefully as Heracles had done.

Hippolyta lets up on her assault, enabling Galamyr to now exchange a strike or two against the queen. Little did he know is that was exactly what she wished of him, & after a few failed swings, Hippolyta snatches Galamyr's left wrist in a crushing grip, surprising him. She then attempts to take a swing at him with her own left, but Galamyr got wise & does to Hippolyta what she has done to him just now.

Once again, the two combatants are locked in a Mexican standoff, staring at each other with determination, a grudging respect, & hatred.

"Did you witness the deaths of a few of your Amazon sisters before?", Galamyr says with a sly smile. "That, my dear, is your own fault! They'd still be among the land of the living if only you & your people would've simply accepted our offer! Instead, they've gone to the land of the dead, & you alone are to blame for it!"

"You are wrong, Galamyr!", Hippolyta hissed. "Even were I not here, none of my sisters would be foolish enough to allow such barbarians to co-exist upon our tranquil home—especially if they are led by the brother of one of our most hated enemies! My sisters & I would gladly give our last dying breath to defend Themyscira & the ideals we uphold against monsters like you!"

"And my men & I would gladly do the same for ours! A pity, my queen: all those years, & you & your brethren haven't gotten any wiser than this!"

"No, Galamyr!", Hippolyta said, getting to her knees. "It's you who hasn't! And one more thing—I AM NOT YOUR QUEEN!"

Even as she shouted out her last statement, Hippolyta rose back up on her feet, hauling her opponent over her head as she does. Galamyr was taken by surprise, along with Elios & the rest of his troops, who gasp at Hippolyta's amazing strength. Before Galamyr can do anything, his foe hurls him forward with all her might a good fourteen feet before crashing into the ground on his back, feeling like his whole skeleton was shattered from within, his body numb from the blow as if he had an overdose of novocaine injected into him. Amazingly, he had his staff in his hand the whole time.

Diana & her Amazon sisters grin in seeing their queen triumph over the male warrior's leader, raising their fists in victory. Even Wonder Girl, Starfire, & the Shobijin twins feel the glory of victory coursing through them, watching from the Royal Palace.

"Yes!", Cassandra & Koriand'r say together as the twins simply smile proudly, holding each other's hands with glee.

Hippolyta stands over her fallen foe & places her staff underneath Galamyr's chin, who looks up at the one that has bested him.

"Whoa, I suppose I stand corrected", Galamyr says with a surprising grin on his face. "I must say, well done, Hippolyta! It seems I misjudged you!"

"That was the same error your brother made when he thought he was triumphant!", the Queen of Themyscira said sternly. "But then, the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree, does it? At this rate, it's hard to tell just who is the bigger fool—Heracles for tricking & enslaving us in the first place, or you for attempting to repeat his sins? In any case, like your brother, you have failed to best us, & you shall pay dearly for your virulent actions!"

"You're right, Hippolyta. Perhaps Heracles was a fool for what he attempted with both you & your sisters. Then again, 3,000 years ago, my brother didn't have this in his possession!"

His staff in hand & the cobra head facing up, Galamyr presses a small button near the middle & the twin magenta, colored jewels which served as the snake's eyes light up. Before anyone can make out what happens or respond, twin beams of gold energy streak skyward, hundreds of feet above Themyscira. Hippolyta backs away as she & every living person, male & female, look up to witness the energy gathering into a massive ball, fifty meters all around. After a few seconds of inactivity, it starts to distort like a living blob.

"What's happening to it?", Troia wondered.

"It looks to me like it's taking on some kind of form!", said Artemis.

The Bana-Mighdall Amazon was correct in her assumption: the golden orb completes its metamorphosis in fifteen-twenty seconds, taking solid shape. When all was said & done, the Amazons, Starfire, Wonder Girl, & the Shobijin twins gasp & stare in utter horror at the newly formed object hovering above their beloved island.

"Oh my god!", Cassie says just above a whisper.

"X'hal!", Starfire says.

"By the Gods!", Hippolyta said with undisguised fear.

"Great Hera!", Wonder Woman & Troia said.

The form in which the energy orb takes shape in is that of a huge golden creature, measuring a height of more than sixty meters from top to bottom. The monster had two massive legs with four clawed toes on each foot. A pair of tails lashed out from behind, both ending with a jagged, paddle-like rudder or fin. Its massive body had no arms, but a set of huge bat-like wings that spread to about eighty meters when fully extended. The most peculiar thing about this creature are the trio of snakelike necks, all with a head that resembles a Chinese or Japanese dragon's, complete with a pair of long horns behind each head. Their three sets of eyes were red with yellow irises & black pupils, like any reptile's, & their mouths were equipped with ivory sharp teeth & blood-red tongues. It hovered over the sky like a servant of death, & each of its three heads made a sound that resembled something like a savage, animalistic banshee.

"My dear Amazons!", Galamyr says, rising to his feet & raising his staff. "Say hello to our giant friend—King Ghidorah!"

"Good heavens! Where did this thing come from?", Phillipus asked, unable to take her eyes away from the terror in the sky.

"Oh, let's just say that he's a present from our anonymous 'employer'. He's a most highly impressive weapon. Allow me to demonstrate. King Ghidorah—attack!"

Responding to Galamyr's words, the three-headed dragon lets out another cacophony of its hideous roar before unleashing a bolt of yellow lightning from each of its mouths. The beams strike the island with the fury of Zeus' own bolts, hitting both earth & structures & causing plumes of smoke, dirt, rocks, & rubble as Hippolyta, Diana, Donna, & their Amazon sisters quickly disperse like roaches caught in the dark after the lights were turned on, screaming in terror & shouting to get to safety as five more buildings get pulverized by King Ghidorah's lightning-like gravity beams, scattering the remains in every direction.

"Everyone take cover!", Troia shouted over the sounds of destruction & chaos. "Head for our shelters, quickly!"

Troia calls out for Diana, unable to make her out amidst all the confusion.

But she does spot Queen Hippolyta, & rushes to her aide without pause.

"Hippolyta!", she cried. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, my child!", she says. "For the moment, at least! But where's Diana? I can't see her anywhere!"

"I'm here, mother!", said Diana, also rushing to her side. "Listen, help our sisters get to the shelters! In this confusion, they're running like a herd of stampeding cattle, & are likely to get hurt or worse!"

"What are you going to do?"

"Isn't it obvious? To stop that thing before there's no Themyscira left to save!", said Troia.

"Are you mad? Even with your god-given powers, neither of you would be able to stop a creature that big! It's suicide for you both!"

"We must try, mother!", Diana argued. "This is our home, for Olympus' sake!"

Somberly, Hippolyta nods. "The Gods be with you, my daughters, but please take the utmost caution in dealing with this monstrosity! Now go!"

A nod later, Wonder Woman & Troia were off, rocketing towards King Ghidorah, who unleashes another volley of its yellow gravity beams from each of its mouths. Dozens of Amazons get flung like rag dolls as the beams destroy two more buildings the Coliseum & the Necropolis, slamming into loose debris & each other, breaking a few limbs n the process.

Seeing Wonder Woman & Troia head for King Ghidorah, Galamyr chuckles.

"This should be fun to watch!", he cracks, turning to Elios. "All right, my friend, now would be a good time to initiate phase two of our plan. Get to it!"

"Yes sir!", Elios says, grinning wickedly & signaling the men. With their pistols in hand, they spread out themselves, going in groups of two, three, or even four.

Over at the Royal Palace, Wonder Girl & Starfire had brought the Shobijin twins into the room as soon as King Ghidorah began attacking the island, remaining in the center of the queen's bed chamber so as to avoid any debris that might be blown their way, giving them (or the twins, basically) some protection. But both heroines know that the room—or even the palace—is no solid safe haven with King Ghidorah bombarding bolts of lightning from its mouths, & that it was just a matter of time before the place itself receives the same punishment as the other buildings on Paradise Island.

They need to do something other than stay where they are with the twins. Soon.

"Man oh man!", Wonder Girl says. "Just when we thought this scuffle would be over, that creep Galamyr had a hidden ace up his sleeve—a really big ace!"

"Yes, none of us could have anticipated that he would have aid of a creature such as King Ghidorah to use upon Themyscira like this!", Starfire says.

"You are correct, Starfire", said the Shobijin twins. "But you mustn't try to despair. You, too, have a giant ally at your side, & she will be here very soon to help in defeating this King Ghidorah creature."

"My apologies, ladies, but Mothra can't get here soon enough. Themyscira is getting trampled by this monstrosity, & I don't think that the combined might of Diana & Donna Troy will be sufficient in repelling it, despite their incredible might!"

Starfire starts to head for the window, but Wonder Girl grabs her by the arm, stopping her.

"Wait a second!", Cassie said. "You're not thinking of tackling that monster with them, are you? You don't know how resilient it is! King Ghidorah looks like it can take a lot!"

"Would you rather I stay here & did nothing while Themyscira gets destroyed? Think, Cassandra: would Diana or Donna just allow an atrocity to happen, just because their opponent looks like it's more than capable of killing them? Would the Kryptonian, were he here now?"

That caused Cassie to release her hold on Kory, as she didn't know how to respond to her last statement. No, Superman would never allow such a hideous beast to cause such mass destruction to occur on Themyscira or anywhere, if he can help it, even if it claimed his life, such as when he fought Doomsday to the death that first time in Metropolis. Even then, he did not yield to the Kryptonian creature. Cassandra Sandsmark is no Kryptonian, but would she be able to yield if it were only her standing in Doomsday's way, knowing full well that she would be killed?

The answer: no, she would not. She would stay & fight until she defeated him, or fell in battle.

Starfire places her hands on her shoulders. "I know you're worried. You have good reason to be. But until Mothra gets here, Donna & Diana will need assistance, & right now, I am best qualified to offer them that. Meanwhile, keep guarding the twins. I'm counting on you, Cassandra."

With a nod for an answer, Starfire flies off & exits the room through the window, leaving her & the twins alone.

Godspeed, Kory, she thought.

Their wishful praying got interrupted when the door leading into the queen's bed chamber gets kicked off of its hinges & crashes to the floor, the entranceway revealing two of Galamyr's men, each with a pistol in his hand.

"Well, well, what do we have here?", one of them said.

"More slaves for Galamyr, that's what!", said the other one.

Their hearts froze.

Wonder Woman & Troia unleashed their full strength once they got within reach of King Ghidorah, neither super-heroine pulling their punches. Wonder Woman began by slamming herself into the golden dragon's chest in an attempt to drive the monster away from Themyscira, even if she was only partially successful. Troia does the same, only she pus her might in ramming the beast in the side, getting the same results as her sister. From behind, Starfire ignites her fists & points them forward, unleashing a most powerful blast of orange energy that strikes King Ghidorah in the back. The attack leaves hardly any foreseeable damage to the monster's person.

But it does get its attention, & focuses it on her.

Unbelievable!, Starfire thought of her blast's ineffectiveness. I put everything I had into that blast, & King Ghidorah doesn't even seem fazed by it in the slightest! What manner of creature is this?

For what it's worth, Starfire might as well be throwing water balloons at it.

Starfire almost gets clobbered by a trio of King Ghidorah's yellow beams, had she not gotten her head cleared & focus, and had she been a split-second slower. The Tamaran doesn't know if even she is resistant to its deadly beams, & she wasn't all that anxious to test that theory. King Ghidorah fires more of its beams at Starfire, & again she dodges each one, if barely, for they all had come within an inch of making contact with her alien skin. Even though she avoids the blasts, she can feel the heat they generate, giving her all the more reason to not get hit by them.

The barrage abruptly ceases when Wonder Woman & Troia suddenly use their might to ram the two outer heads into the middle one, causing King Ghidorah to see white patches in its vision & enabling Starfire to join her companions in the confusion & get to a safe distance.

"Dammit, sis, this isn't working!", Troia said with frustration. "We've been hitting him with our most powerful blows so far, & he's still unfazed! We're like flies to him!"

"I know, Troia!", Diana said. "We need a new form of strategy to take him down for good, or render him unconscious!"

"Then may I suggest a three-way attack?", Starfire said. "We hit King Ghidorah in three different areas, & hopefully that will at least slow him down to put even more damage to his thick hide!"

"Then we should concentrate on the heads!", said Troia. "Each of us hits them all at once, & if we're lucky…"

Wonder Woman nods. "It may not be much", she says, "but right now, it's the best chance we've got! Let's do this!"

Troia & Starfire nod themselves, & the heroine trio get airborne, literally heading for their three separate targets, who even now release a new barrage of its yellow beams, raining down on Paradise Island & destroying another row of buildings, all the while throwing around Amazons trying to escape the monster's wrath. Using the speed of Hermes, they fly up to Ghidorah's heads & streak right for each one—Troia aiming for the head on the left, Starfire for the right, & Wonder Woman heading for the one in the middle.

Just one hard blow with all the strength they can each muster simultaneously, & it could be all over before it gets any worse.

If only it were that simple.

A hidden sense tells King Ghidorah of his three fast-approaching foes from three different directions, & is keenly aware of their presence. He can somehow tell what the heroine trio have in mind, & acting on pure instinct, Ghidorah takes flight & heads up with a speed that belies his own size, causing Wonder Woman, Troia, & Starfire to head directly for each other. All three women halt their high-speed charge just short of crashing into one another, avoiding a mid-air collision. Had they hesitated a second longer, they would've caused a living demolition derby of people instead of automobiles.

It didn't mean they were out of danger, though: using the same speed he used to avoid their charge, King Ghidorah lashes out at the girls with his twin tails like striking snakes & slams into the trio with the force of Superman or even his foe Doomsday. With the wind knocked out of them & their vision darkened, the three heroines tumble & fall from the sky, crashing into the outskirts of the Necropolis, but not before crashing into the structure itself, creating a hole in the side which goes all the way through & slamming into the earth, debris piling up on them from the hole their impact created. For good measure, King Ghidorah rains down his yellow gravity beams on the spot where Diana, Donna, & Koriand'r crash-landed, bringing down more rubble from the Necropolis on top, making it their grave.

The triple-domed terror allows himself a roar of victory, & Galamyr, watching the carnage from afar, shares his feelings.

"Alas, poor Diana. I knew her well!", he says, chuckling with a few of his men.

A situation goes from bad to worse in a heartbeat: just when Hippolyta, Queen of Themyscira, defeated Galamyr in a one-on-one brawl, the slippery slug summons a golden, three-headed monster named King Ghidorah & brings a reign of terror on this most peaceful of places one can ever hope for. Wonder Girl's friend & fellow Teen Titan, Starfire, heads out & assists Wonder Woman & Troia in bringing the beast down, only to be unsuccessful in the attempt.

That's the bad news.

The worse news is that shortly after Starfire takes off to assist, a duo of Galamyr's troops bust in the queen's bed chamber where they were both keeping Infant Island's Shobijin twins in a state of sanctuary from his clutches.

It didn't work, & now Wonder Girl—the lone protector of the twins—puts herself in front of them to prevent either of Galamyr's men from laying so much as a finger on her two tiny, six-inch-tall friends, placing her arms in front of her & forming an X.

"So, you're the two little beauties Galamyr had his eyes on before!", said one of the men.

"Don't even think about it, you creeps!", Wonder Girl barked. "I told your boss to forget about these two, & you both better do the same! Get out!"

"Not gonna happen, little girl!", said the second man. "Galamyr's taken quite a shine to those two, & we aim to see he gets his treasured prize!"

"You'll get these two ladies over my dead body!"

The two men eye each other & smile.

Then they turn back to Cassandra & chuckle wickedly.

"That can definitely be arranged, child!", said the first man.

Like a pair of cobras, the men strike without warning or a word by firing their well-aimed pistols at Cassie. The beams hit her bracelets & she manages to deflect them away, but the force of the blast was a bit too much for her to handle, & it throws her backwards toward the rear, & she slams into the wall, making a crater in it. Between the beams & the wall, Cassie felt like she was placed in a metal crusher in a scrapyard.

Her vision blurry & disoriented, she falls to the floor in a painful moan.

"Cassandra!", the Shobijin twins cried, seeing their guardian go down. Turning back to her aggressors, the twins cuddle each other in fear, knowing they were outmatched.

"All right, you two", said the first man, extending his hand in an attempt to grab. "Don't try to resist or run away, & neither of you will be hurt."

"You're right about that part!"

A voice from behind causes both men to turn & face the newcomer, forgetting the twins. Neither could make out who it was for more than a second: the moment they made a 180 degree turn, both were struck in the throat at the same time by two well-placed arrows. The men collapsed to the floor, gurgling on their own blood, dying seconds later.

The Shobijin twins tore their gaze away from the dead men & looked to see who it was that rescued them from being taken captive in Cassandra's place.

"Artemis!", they cried.

The Bana-Mighdall Amazon only had time to nod happily before rushing over to Cassie & her face turned somber. By the time she got to her side, Cassie moaned & started to move, her vision clearing.

"Artemis", she repeated.

"Glad to see you're not too badly hurt, Cassie", she said, helping her young pupil back on her feet.

"It's…nothing, really. Those creeps just got lucky, that's all."

Artemis smiles. "That's why Diana wanted you to complete your training with me before going off to join a band of heroes your age."

Now it was Cassie's turn to smile. "Ha ha. Very funny."

The moment gets interrupted when a screeching was heard outside the palace. The noise was alien to Artemis, but it was all too familiar to both Cassandra & the Shobijin twins.

"It's Mothra!", the Teen Titan said, grinning.

"Are you sure?", asked Artemis.

"Cassandra is correct, Artemis", said the twins. "Mothra has finally arrived to your island."

"That's wonderful news, girls! While Mothra helps Diana, Donna, & Kory battle King Ghidorah, Cassie & I can fend off Galamyr's men from taking our sisters prisoner."

"What do you mean, Artemis?", Cassie asked. "What's that fiend doing to our fellow Amazons out there?"

"My apologies, Cass, but there's no time to explain right now! You still have your pouch which you had the twins in, don't you?"

She nods.

"Good girl. Place them inside & follow me! I'll explain on the way! Let's move!"

Galamyr & his men laughed heartily upon seeing Wonder Woman, Troia, & Starfire getting buried underneath a ton of rubble after King Ghidorah gave them quite a brutal hit. Their guffaws died out when they first heard & felt a rumbling from where the heroines fell, followed by a shattering of debris by a combo of Amazonian fists & alien beams, blowing their burial rubble in all directions. The three heroines stand bruised & battered, but alive.

"Hot damn!", Galamyr says, impressed. "They received all that punishment from Ghidorah, & they still live! I must say, they're a lot tougher than they look! But I doubt they can survive another attack on their person by our 'friend'! King Ghidorah, continue…"

"Galamyr…look!", said one of his men, pointing skyward.

He looks to where his man points & stares hard in the sky. Immediately Galamyr sees what it is that got his soldier's attention, & his eyes widen. He could not believe it—a giant butterfly with a 108 wingspan was heading toward Themyscira!

Its screeching caught everyone's attention, both friend & foe, as they look up to see the giant Lepidopteran getting larger the closer she gets. Even King Ghidorah stops his assault & stares at the approaching winged insect.

So that's the Mothra the twins were speaking about!, thought Hippolyta as she & Phillipus help a wounded Amazon to safety. If she is similar in nature to the Gods of Mount Olympus, then she will deliver us from this evil of men & monsters!

A yellow beam strikes the wounded Amazon & Phillipus from out of nowhere, & they fall down to their knees instantly. Hippolyta calls out their names, but neither woman can answer her, let alone stand, for both had a collar of yellow energy encircling their necks. The Queen takes a closer inspection & discovers that the yellow energy around her sister's necks somehow drain their strength upon contact. In her time as Wonder Woman, she has seen such blasphemous tricks of sorcery & science combined fighting countless villains from past & present, & this abomination has now come to her home.

She suddenly spots two shadows loom above her, & turns.

Ignoring the island & its inhabitants of two opposing sexes, King Ghidorah sizes himself up against his newest enemy—Mothra—for a fight. The giant butterfly does the same, flapping her membranous wings & screeching in protest. Her bellow sounded & felt like a dare to the triple-domed terror, & he responds with a barrage of his beams from his three mouths at Mothra, who flies up & above in a speed that rivaled Ghidorah's own. The three-headed dragon fires again at his aerial enemy, but was again unsuccessful at scoring a direct hit on her. Soaring overhead, Mothra flaps her wings & unleashes a cloud of yellow powder from underneath. It engulfs Ghidorah & as it makes contact with his tough, scaly skin, it begins to irritate & sting & he roars his displeasure in the powder's effectiveness. Enraged, King Ghidorah fires blindly in the sky, his vision partially obscured by the powder that still stings him. Mothra presses her attack by firing yellow beams of her own from her twin antennae, hitting Ghidorah in the faces of his left & right heads. In an attempt to rid himself of the powder that irritates his flesh, the golden dragon flies over Mothra & begins flapping his own giant bat-like wings, creating gale-force winds in Mothra's direction, aiming to give back the powder she endowed him with. Fighting the powerful force of wind, Mothra fires her twin antennae beams, this time hitting King Ghidorah's wings. The golden dragon screeches in pain & his wings get partly scorched, but doesn't begin to slow him down. Instead, he flies in her direction in an attempt to ram into & crush her like the insect she really is. Mothra does the same, & when they get within range, all they manage to do was merely give each other a scratch which doesn't even bleed; Mothra gets it underneath her abdomen, Ghidorah gets his on the top of his middle head's neck.

The only thing to come out of it was a small shower of sparks from the hits, as if their hides were made of metal. Both flyers do a 180 degree turn in the air, ready for another charge. Mothra launches her twin beams once she's in position, but King Ghidorah wises up & goes in that direction & smacks the giant butterfly with his two tails like he did to Wonder Woman, Troia, & Starfire before, sending her spiraling towards the water; if Mothra touches down in the ocean, she'll be unable to take off from it & drown.

Screeching in surprise & pain, Mothra fights to right herself out of her dive & barely manages to avoid splashing into what would've been her watery grave by flapping her wings to slow her fall & gain momentum, causing the surface to splash on each side of her. Spared instant defeat, Mothra circles to face King Ghidorah again, but gets a nasty surprise upon getting herself upright: a stream of three gravity beams rake across her back & wings that make her cry out. Picking up speed, King Ghidorah now tails his insect enemy like an officer in a high-speed chase. Worse, the golden dragon was gaining on her, & in her semi-weakened condition from Ghidorah's attack, the giant Lepidopteran could not avoid what came next—something that chilled the blood of the Amazons watching.

Now in range, the left head of Ghidorah bites Mothra on the underside of her abdomen, making her cry out in agony. Slowing to a stop, Ghidorah's right head bites down on Mothra's throat & immobilizes her; Mothra can neither escape, much less foght back, despite the furious flapping of her wings that batter the outer heads, which he ignores. Pinkish fluid begins to squirt from the bite marks Ghidorah has inflicted as the middle head finishes the assault by firing its deadly beam at the helpless butterfly at point-blank range, causing her to cry out louder than before.

"X'hal! We must do something!", said Starfire. "With the punishment Mothra is receiving, I doubt she'll be able to hold out for much longer!"

"Starfire's right, sis!", said Troia. "Once King Ghidorah's done with her, he'll turn his attention back to us, & we simply can't defeat him without her!"

"But we also can't abandon our sisters to Galamyr's tyranny!", Wonder Woman said. "I refuse to do so!"

"But you must, my daughter!"

"Mother?"

The trio turn to where Hippolyta's voice was heard, & see her being carried by Wonder Girl under her right arm & Artemis under her left, with her brown pouch hanging off her shoulder.

"Cassie! Artemis! Hippolyta!", Troia cried in relief. "Thank the Gods you're all okay!"

"Wait! Cassandra, where are the twins?", Starfire asked.

"Right here, safe & sound!", Cassie said, placing Hippolyta & Artemis down & opening the pouch to reveal the Shobijin twins alive & uninjured in any way.

"I am most relieved to see them well! Good job, Cassandra!", Starfire said.

"But you can't say the same for Mothra!", said Artemis, looking to where she & King Ghidorah were engaged in pitch battle, with the latter winning by a long shot. A great sadness consumes the twins in seeing their savior getting such brutal punishment.

"And that is why the five of you must flee Themyscira while you can!", said Hippolyta.

"Abandon our home?", Wonder Woman protested. "Never! I won't perform such cowardice, mother! Galamyr & his men are nothing more than mere thugs! We can take them!"

"It's not a matter of cowardice, Diana! It's a matter of being wise as opposed to being brave! In our current situation, our forces are being depleted, & Mothra—who has come to our aide—is being slaughtered as we speak! If this farce were to continue like it is, we'll all be trampled under Galamyr's feet! Do you want that for us, my daughter?"

"Come on, sis!", Troia pleads. "Even you can see there can be no victory here if we stay, as much as it pains me to say it!"

"Please listen to her, Diana!", Starfire pleads. "Sometimes, in order to achieve victory, one must first accept defeat!"

Wonder Woman closes her eyes, fighting back tears. "All right, you all win!", she says. "Above all else, you're all correct! Troia, Wonder Girl, Starfire & I will help Mothra escape King Ghidorah's clutches & get her away from here! Artemis, you take the Shobijin twins & follow us in the Invisible Jet!"

"Now you're thinking rational, little sister!", Artemis says proudly. "Cassie…"

Silently, Cassandra removes her pouch & hands it to Artemis, but not before giving the twins advice. "Ladies, Artemis is going to be your guardian for the time being. I'd like for you to do what she says to ensure your safety. Alright?"

"We understand, Cassandra", the twins said.

Without another word, Wonder Girl gives the twins to the Bana-Mighdall Amazon, & she places the strap over her own head & shoulder.

"Now go, my sisters!", Hippolyta instructed. "Flee safely, lest you can return under better circumstances & help us prevail over these tyrants!"

"Hold out until then, mother!", Diana said. "We shall return for you! Let's go, friends!"

Wonder Woman, Troia, Wonder Girl, & Starfire get airborne & head for the two battling creatures as Artemis—pouch & all—take off on foot to where the Invisible Jet resides at. It hurt to see ach one of them go & leave her & Themyscira to the mercy of Galamyr & his troops, but she knew there was no other choice in the matter. If they don't flee now, there may not even be a Themyscira left to save, at least not the way she & her sisters remember it, should Galamyr & his men reform it in their image, which they no doubt will.

Like the old saying goes, 'He who fights & runs away, lives to fight another day'.

Many super-villains do it all the time, but that doesn't mean that rule is void to heroes or heroines if & when the need arises.

From out of nowhere a beam of yellow energy erupts from the smoke & debris & wraps itself around Hippolyta's neck, forming a tight seal. Immediately she feels her strength ebbing away & she sinks to her hands & knees, unable to resist it.

"Look at who we caught, Lord Galamyr!", said Elios, emerging from the clouds of smoke as he, Galamyr, & two more of his men step into view.

"Ah yes, Elios. The catch of the day!", Galamyr says, laughing. "Hello again, my queen!"

Hippolyta looks up at Galamyr with scolding, hateful eyes. If she only had the strength, she'd spit in his face for his barbarism.

Unfortunately, she barely has enough to give him that loatheful look.

For now, it will have to do.

Mothra has thrashed her wings & squirmed repeatedly to free herself from Ghidorah's vice-like grip, but it was no use. Still bleeding from the bites, the loss of blood has made her slow & sluggish, & every attempt at getting free only drains her strength more. Her situation is made worse when King Ghidorah's middle head keeps firing its yellow beam at Mothra's undersection. If her torment continues, Ghidorah will be the very last thing Mothra sees before she expires.

From the rear, the triple-domed terror gets attacked in the necks by a powerful blast of Starfire's beams emanating from her clenched fists. As it did previously, it does no significant damage to the creature, but does distract him from Mothra & releases his hold on her, enabling the giant butterfly to put distance between her & her opponent, albeit sluggishly. In retaliation, King Ghidorah launches his yellow gravity beams from all three of his mouths at Starfire, Wonder Woman, Troia, & Wonder Girl, all of whom disperse & miss getting struck by the deadly projectiles: it was like trying to strike flies with bullets from a gun.

"Good! We have garnered its attention!", said Starfire, unleashing another blast of orange-yellow energy from her fists, striking King Ghidorah at the base of his necks.

"Now for pahse two!", said Troia. "Diana, you & Cassie use your lassos to assist Mothra in escaping, just like we planned! Let's hurry—King Ghidorah wounded her so bad, Mothra won't be able to make it home!"

"She will, with our help!", said Wonder Woman, unwrangling her lasso. "With me, Cassie!"

"On it, Diana!", Wonder Girl said, getting her own lasso ready. Breaking rank, the two Wonder Women fly to Mothra as Ghidorah unleashes another round of his deadly beams, once again avoided by Troia & Starfire. As they get closer to their butterfly friend, Diana & Cassie can see just how badly hurt Mothra really is. Pinkish fluid seep out from between her head & thorax, & her abdomen has suffered quite rigorously too. Her underside has sustained burn marks, as have her wings in spots. Mothra flaps her wings with what strength she has left, & the ladies can tell if she doesn't get to land soon, preferably her sanctuary of Infant Island, she'll drop like a stone into the ocean & drown.

Not on our watch she's not!, thought Cassie.

"Cassandra, I'll use my lasso to support Mothra's upper half, & you use yours to…", Wonder Woman began when Cassie cuts her off.

"I hear you, & it's a good plan! Let's get to it!", she says, diving for Mothra's rear as Diana does the same at her front. Forming giant loops with their lassos & twirling them in the air above their heads like cowboys/cowgirls wrangling runaway cattle in a stampede, both heroines lash out with their golden lariats & catch Mothra at both ends—Diana latching her at the neck, & Cassie doing the same at the rear.

"Got her! She's secure at my end!", Wonder Woman says.

"And she's secure at mine, Diana!", Wonder Girl says. "Let's get her out of here before King Ghidorah decides to take advantage of Mothra's bleak situation!"

Diana nods as she & Cassie now pull on their lassos to assist Mothra in staying airborne & get her away from the danger zone. It wasn't as simple as it sounded: Mothra was heavier than her frail appearance shows. Holding her up like this was like doing so to an entire city block, structures & all.

But neither Diana nor Cassandra would yield. Mothra has been their friend since their arrival on Infant Island a week ago, & has come to their aide when Themyscira needed it most. Despite her enormous ballast, Wonder Woman & Wonder Girl were determined to help Mothra in any way they can; if they had to carry two or three injured Mothras away from King Ghidorah, then so be it.

However, her massive weight was already beginning to take its toll on the ladies' awesome strength, & they start to descend slowly but surely to the ocean. If they don't get any leverage & soon, their rescue effort on Mothra will be all in vain, & Infant Island is on the other side of the world.

"Come on, Mothra", Cassie says softly. "I know you're hurt & all, but we could use an assist in getting you to safety back home."

Similar to reading her mind or sensing her feelings, Mothra does come to Cassie's aide & begins flapping her wings in a slow manner, ignoring the pain raging through her. The effort has made it somewhat simpler for Wonder Woman & Wonder Girl to lead her away.

It may not be much, but it is useful.

The sound of explosions & King Ghidorah screeching can be heard even from a distance, giving the two heroines all the more reason to speed up their operation.

Luckily, they receive some extra assistance in the forms of Troia & Starfire.

"Let us lend you a hand, for it looks as though you two need one!", said Starfire, grabbing Cassie's lasso while Troia grabs Diana's & both pull to help keep Mothra in the air.

"Donna! Kory!", Wonder Woman said, keeping the line taut. "Not that we're ungrateful for your help, but what about King Ghidorah? Shouldn't you two be…"

"Distracting him?", Troia cut in. "I wouldn't worry about that, sis! He's got another problem on his…hands…to be mindful of right now, & it's in the form of the Invisible Jet!"

"So…Artemis made it with the twins?"

"See for yourself!"

Glancing to where King Ghidorah was, Diana can see the triple-domed terror in hot pursuit of the aforementioned vehicle, which is translucent in all aspects as Artemis sits in the pilot's seat, with the brown pouch still slung over her shoulder, clearly meaning that the Shobijin twins were with her. The jet is really an alien life form from an interstellar race called the Lansinarians, a sightless people whose advanced technology eventually caused their own downfall. Diana befriended these benevolent beings & was granted a shape-shifting entity she calls the WonderDome. It has the ability to morph into any kind of structure or vehicle Diana chooses, ranging from motorcycles to submarines & even space vehicles. Currently, it has morphed into the Amazon Princess' personal favorite—the Invisible Jet.

And right now, it's getting the flight of its life.

To relieve Troia & Starfire of keeping Ghidorah's attention off of Mothra, Artemis flew in & bombarded the golden dragon with depth charges dropped from above. The tactic worked: not only does King Ghidorah pursue the jet, it was more than angry enough to forget about the two heroines & concentrate solely on its translucent enemy. Tailing Artemis, King Ghidorah launches a barrage of his gravity beams at his fleeing foe, a streak hitting the wing & causing a hole to emerge. It was of no cause for alarm for Artemis or the Dome—it merely closes it up, good as new & continues flying like nothing ever happened.

Still, Artemis knows it can't hurt to avoid getting hit by the creature's beams, as there was no telling how much the Dome can withstand; at least the twins weren't injured in any way.

King Ghidorah's next round of lightning projectiled were all dodged by Artemis' piloting skills, telling the twins to hold tight. She next tries a series of aerodynamic maneuvers to keep the golden dragon away from her friends & somehow break away herself so she can join them. Unfortunately, no matter what she tries, Artemis cannot shake King Ghidorah off her tail, as he stays with her like a guided missile, & should it hit, it's the end for not just the WonderDome, but for Artemis & the Shobijin twins.

Her distraction ploy was more than successful, but now it was time to break rank.

Gripping the jet's makeshift pilot's stick, Artemis pulls back on it & the jet's nose suddenly rises & the plane ascends in a straight line skyward as Ghidorah does the same. Once she reaches an altitude of 10,000 feet, Artemis pushes forward on the stick, causing the Invisible Jet to break out of its climb & make a 180 degree turn. Now it makes a beeline dive for the ocean, & as she had hoped for, King Ghidorah followed her every step of the way, their speed increasing with every second.

"What the hell's she up to?", Galamyr pondered, wishing he & his men on the now-conquered Themyscira had the answer to the Bana-Mighdall Amazon's wild flying. Wonder Woman & company wonder the same thing as they watch Artemis go into free fall, even as they keep carrying Mothra away from Paradise Island, never slowing or breaking stride.

That's right: keep following me, you three-headed freak!, Artemis thought, keeping the jet in a nosedive. You master the skies rather well! Now let's see if you can swim!

The Bana-Mighdall Amazon was now only a thousand feet from the ocean's surface, & the altitude was dropping fast as the water came rushing in. When she gets to five hundred feet, the jet drops more depth charges from its underside & plummet into the ocean. About three dozen of the charges were dropped from the jet, & Artemis grips the stick even tighter than before, waiting for exactly the right moment to pull up.

The charges splash into the water when the jet comes within 250 feet of it.

King Ghidorah still tails her, like she wanted.

Perfect!, she said to herself. Any time now…

At a hundred feet was when she acted, but not before issuing the Shobijin twins a warning.

"Hold on really tight, ladies! This flight is about to get rather rough!", she says, pulling on the stick like she did before, only mow it's to break out of her dive instead of going into one. Like a car making a simple left/right turn on the road, the Invisible Jet curves up & rights itself in a maneuver no ordinary aircraft can perform. Once it gets into a horizontal flight pattern, the depth charges detonate & create a man-made geyser, spraying a large fountain of ocean water just behind it. King Ghidorah was unable to avoid the rushing water, & gets caught in its aqua updraft. The triple-domed terror screeched in protest as the fountain struck him like a mass of land thrown in his direction, blocking his vision of the Invisible Jet.

The jet has problems of its own, as Artemis fights to keep it steady. When the charges went off, it created, like all explosions, a strong shockwave that rippled through the water & air, hitting the jet & causing its flight to get fidgety, rumbling from nose to tail. The Shobijin twins take Artemis' advice & hold onto the lapel of the pouch for dear life while the Amazon holds the jet stable as best she could, between the explosion's shockwave & King Ghidorah's thrashing.

Artemis finally gets the Invisible Jet steady & rockets toward Mothra & her four friends. As she arrives, the WonderDome goes underneath the giant Lepidopteran & morphs into a giant platform in Mothra's silhouette, supplying stronger & better support for her than Diana's & Cassie's lassos, alleviating them of the heavy burden & giving Mothra no reason to keep flapping her wings, feeling the benelovence of the strange substance now being her transport.

Grateful, Mothra gives a soft screech of approval.

Forming a tendril, the WonderDome safely reaches up & places Artemis & the twins upon Mothra's back, while Diana & Cassie retract their golden lassos & place them on their belts before joining the Amazon with Troia & Starfire.

"Artemis!", Donna said. "You're full of surprises! I never believed you capable of pulling off a most brazen stunt like that!"

"It worked, didn't it, Troia?", she says with sarcasm. "You needed King Ghidorah off your backs while helping Mothra get away, & that was where I came in."

"Risky or not, you did fine, Artemis", Diana said. "First, we'll get Mothra back to Infant Island to see if we can help lick her wounds."

"But…what if we can't?", Cassie said somberly.

"Please don't think like that, Cassandra", Koriand'r says. "One way or another, we'll get her well again. Don't give up hope."

Starfire watches as the three-headed fiend gets free of his water trap & rises to the sky, but oddly, he doesn't follow. All he does is hover in midair & watches his foe Mothra & her small but powerful friends depart the Themysciran shores & disappear from view, the WonderDome acting like a stretcher for Mothra & gaining speed.

Nine seconds later, they were gone completely; even King Ghidorah couldn't see them.

He roars out, either in triumph or anger.

On Themyscira, on what remains of the Diana Trevor monument, Galamyr, Elios, several of his men, & a captive Queen Hippolyta watch the defeated white hats retreat & vanish. While he savors the victory, Elios was somewhat puzzled & turns to his leader.

"Lord Galamyr, shouldn't King Ghidorah pursue & finish them off for good?", he asks.

"Why bother, old friend?", he responds with a sinister smile. "You've seen how badly wounded Mothra was. She's on her death bed, & in spite of their mighty powers, Wonder Woman & her friends are powerless against the might of King Ghidorah. They'd never stand a chance in Hell against him, even if they were foolish enough to return. No, Elios, it's time to move ahead. Kindly escort our queen to her former Royal Palace so that we can continue with our 'negotiations'."

Nodding, Elios calls over the man closest to him, & together they haul Hippolyta up to her feet, grabbing her by the arms. Before they carry out his order, Galamyr stares at the disposed queen, his grin unchanged as her loathing facial features remain the same despite the energy necklace keeping her weak.

"Savor your victory while you can, tyrant!", she growls. "We will defeat you & your men, just as we did your brother Heracles!"

Galamyr chuckles. "I admire your persistence, my queen, as well as your confidence. But I'm afraid there won't be any miracles for you or your sisters soon. Mothra is finished, & your daughter & her friends are abandoning their home & people."

"Just because they've retreated doesn't mean they've given up! When they come back…"

"And suffer King Ghidorah's wrath a second time? Clearly they're not that stupid. Face it, my dear—they're done for, & your reign is just as finished. But don't despair: you & your sisters will be part of a new Themyscira, one that will truly unite both sexes as one."

"By making us slaves, as your brother did?"

"Hardly, my queen. Heracles didn't have a big enough vision. But me, I have plans that will make both our races far more superior than we are now."

"And how do you manage to do that?"

"Patience, Hippolyta. All will be revealed in due time."

A nudge from his head was all that Elios & his assistant needed to get moving again, with Hippolyta in tow. Many thoughts raced through the disposed queen's head as she is being escorted: what did he mean when he mentioned of plans that will make her Amazons & his men far superior than now? What could Galamyr possibly be planning to achieve his goal, which she knows is twisted & malevolent? Most importantly, he mentioned an anonymous 'employer' of his, who gave him the monster that is King Ghidorah. Who could he mean by that? Who else is running the show being played out by Galamyr & his men?

Too many questions, & not enough time to get answers for before things get even hairier.

She may even be afraid to receive them, but she has the frigid feeling she's going to find out, & sooner than she realizes.

Or wants to.

CHAPTER VII

Infant Island:

The trip back to Mothra's home took a full day & a half to accomplish, as the WonderDome reduced its speed a tad once it was certain it & its 'patient' were out of harm's way, forcefully leaving a devastated & overpowered Themyscira behind. With Wonder Woman, Troia, Wonder Girl, Starfire, Artemis, & the Shobijin twins in tow, the translucent alien lifeform carried Mothra & her human friends & allies just above the stratosphere, keeping the heroines in an airtight mini-dome with breathable oxygen & the cool temperatures helping Mothra's wounds a little. The WonderDome didn't go any higher than that, for fear of killing its giant passenger with very low oxygen and/or zero temperature, as beyond the stratosphere's range is the vast vacuum of space. Not knowing if Mothra can survive in that region, the WonderDome kept its altitude close to Earth as it could.

When they finally arrived, the WonderDome gently placed Mothra down on an open field close to the shore & slipped out from under her, reforming itself into the Invisible Jet & staying dormant. Wonder Woman, Troia, Starfire, & Wonder Girl descending down off Mothra's back, with the latter heroine assisting Artemis & the twins, since they lack the ability to fly on their own. The natives of Infant Island come rushing over to the spot where they land, with the elder naturally leading them. They were all horrified to see their God & protector in such a pernicious & lurid condition, her wounds dried in dark pink scabs. Mothra was barely alive, & she moves her head with the grace of a sick, old turtle. She lets out a weak screech, indicating that she still has some life left within her.

As to how much before her wounds prove fatal, no one can tell, not even Diana & company.

The Amazon Princess explains the situation to the elder & the other natives, & their feelings go from dread to shock, listening to the defeat of her people & queen/mother.

"So it's true, then?", said the elder, staff in hand. "Your peaceful island—Themyscira—got conquered by barbarians, led by this 'Galamyr'?"

Diana looks at her group with a somber feature on their faces & her own. "I'm afraid so, elder", she says, turning back to him. "Along with the twins, we five were the only ones who escaped enslavement by these men."

"And as you can all see", Starfire explains, "Mothra didn't fare any better. The creature called King Ghidorah left her hanging on a thread, as they say on this planet."

The natives shake their heads in sorrow; the twins, placed on a two-foot-high stone, bow their heads instead, silently praying for a miracle but getting none in the meantime.

"This is very bad, elder", a male native says. "What should have been a glorious occasion has become an oppressive & strait moment for both our peoples."

"Indeed", the elder says. "Not only does Diana's home get pillaged by a hostile tribe & its people captured, but our God & savior Mothra receives wounds that are no doubt fatal, as she lays there, pallid & her strength spent defending what you hold dear most. Worse yet, she has no egg to carry out & continue her legacy."

"She…she's not going to die, is she?", Wonder Girl drawled lowly.

Everyone stared at Cassie like they were zombies, their faces like Golems & the color from them nonexistent. It was all the proof Cassandra needed for an answer, & she began to cry, shaking her head.

"No", she said, her voice rising, refusing to accept it. "None of you can mean that! Mothra fought valiantly to help save Themyscira, & this is how it's going to end for her? I can't believe that, & deep down, neither do any of you!"

Wonder Girl gets down on her knees & buries her head in her hands, crying. "This is all my fault", she sobs. "If I hadn't been so gullible as to ask the twins to have Mothra to come to Themyscira, she wouldn't be at death's door right now. It's my fault she's gonna die."

Troia confronts Cassie & gently takes her head in her own hands, lifting it up to make eye contact. "Cassie, honey, listen to me", she says soothingly with a little smile. "Mothra's condition is in no way your fault. If you remember correctly, all of us on Themyscira wanted her to come visit our home, not just you. As for her injuries, she fought King Ghidorah because she's our friend & wished to assist us to try & fend him off Paradise Island. It would be no different if the situation was reversed." Donna faces the natives. "Aren't I right, people?"

All the natives, including the elder & Shobijin twins smile slightly & nod their heads, concuring with Donna's assumptions.

Then the twins spoke, addressing themselves to the young heroine. "Cassie, please don't take any blame for Mothra's condition. Your friend Donna Troy is correct in every aspect: we would gladly have asked for your help were we in a dire situation as you yourselves have been."

"What's more", Diana added in, "the twins & her people know full well that we wouldn't hesitate to lend a hand to them should they need it."

"You are as wise as you are powerful, Diana", the twins say. Diana smiles wider, despite the circumstances.

Then again, she does have the wisdom of Athena.

Donna faces Cassie again. "You see, sweetie? The guilt for Mothra's wounds fall upon no one, let alone you. Please try not to worry: we'll help her get better somehow. Okay?"

Wonder Girl nods, wiping her tear-stained face. "All right, Donna. You convinced me that I'm not at fault, but now how can we help Mothra? I don't know squat about helping a big bug…I mean, butterfly, lick its wounds."

"Cassandra may have a point", Starfire stated. "Mothra is quite the big patient to treat. How do we even begin to make her all better if it's even possible?"

"Leave that to me", Artemis said as all eyes focus on her.

"What are you saying, Artemis?", Diana asked. "What can you possibly do for her to…"

"Come now, Diana. As you so often preach to others, 'A little faith would be nice'. Just sit tight, & don't do anything until you hear from me."

Artemis takes off before Diana or anyone can respond, making her way towards the Invisible Jet & enters. The Bana-Mighdall Amazon can be seen going into a storage compartment from within the plane, but at a distance, it was hard for any of them to tell what it is she's taking out of it, even if the vehicle is transparent. The natives murmur in wonder, trying to ponder on what the young female warrior has in mind as Diana & her friends do.

Exiting from the jet, Artemis can now be seen holding four clear, round glass bottles of blue liquid residing in each one. Heading over to a large cauldron the size of a tractor trailer with the height of a full-grown adult up to one's neck & resting upon a pile of thick logs of wood, Artemis peers over the edge, hoping to see if there's anything within.

There is: inside the cauldron is a concoction of a solid red liquid which smelled very much like a mixture of berries & wine; Artemis had no doubt that the berries were the same which are grown on Infant Island itself.

Diana can now see what her Amazon sister has in her hands.

"Artemis, are those…"

She cuts Diana off. "Yes they are, sister. I stored these in the Invisible Jet before taking off from home. I knew we would need them once we had the chance to use them."

Artemis turns to the natives. "People, this red liquid within this cauldron—is this stuff by any chance potable for Mothra?"

"Yes, it is", said the elder. "Young lady, what are you planning to do with those bottles? Are you going to pour & mix them into the pot?"

"To answer in reverse, yes, I do. What I have here are four bottles of Amazonian healing potions made by Epione. By adding these to this edible liquid…"

"We feed it to Mothra & it will heal her wounds!", Starfire cut in, the deduction raising her spirits & affecting everyone.

"That's brilliant, Artemis!", Wonder Girl said cheerful, showing no trace of her previous gloom. "Let's get started!"

"It is, child!", said the elder. He faces his tribe. "Come, people! There's no time to waste if we are to save Mothra!"

The natives smile & nod, hurrying over to the cauldron. Several of them begin rubbing the logs underneath firmly in order to get a fire going. Starfire speeds up the process by letting loose a controlled blast of her beams from her right hand, first warning the natives to step back so as not to receive any third-degree burns. In seconds, a flame burns bright as all the logs beneath the cauldron are set ablaze. Artemis hands over two of the potions to Troia, & both ladies pour all the contents into the soup, making sure every little drop is put in, as Mothra will need every drop if she is to be helped. Three of the natives point to a pile of five-foot long poles with red stains on one end of each. One native makes a stirring gesture with his fists, & the idea quickly comes to Cassie's mind. She & Diana both grab one & drop it into the pot, stirring the potions in the liquid by hovering & flying above it, going in swift but steady circles. The elder & his people watch in amazement as the two heroines tirelessly stir the contents for a good solid twenty minutes. The elder walks up to the cauldron with a small clay bowl, scoops up a portion of the liquid, & takes one little sip.

"Is it done?", Diana asks as she & Cassandra cease to hear his answer.

"Or do we need to stir the soup some more?", Wonder Girl asked.

"That is not necessary any longer, my friends", the elder said, raising his hands. "It is now completed! You may begin to serve it to Mothra!"

"Just what we wanted to hear!", Wonder Girl said, feeling like a child on Christmas morning.

She & Diana remove the poles & set them down with the others before they return to the pot, joined by Troia & Starfire.

"Ready!", the latter two said in unison.

Diana nods, & the four heroines grab the cauldron: Diana & Cassie take it by opposite sides, while Troia & Starfire get underneath to give it support from the bottom. They hover over to the giant Lepidopteran, who weakly raises her head & see her friends approach her. She can smell the contents of the pot,& screeches softly in approval.

"Here, Mothra, drink this", Starfire pleads. "It shall heal your injuries & make you better."

The heroines take the pot up to Mothra's mandibles, & she begins drinking from the cauldron, gulping it down like her life depended on it, which it did. The sounds of guzzling gave the girls a sense of relief, pleased to know that their giant butterfly friend is taking in the Amazonian potions along with her natural nourishment. At the same time Mothra was being fed, the natives began forming parallel rows, looking like they were planning to march in a parade. The Shobijin twins were placed in between the natives & Mothra herself, & after she had finished consumption of her nourishment/medicine, the four heroines place the cauldron down to the side & join Artemis, who stands on the sidelines of the natives.

"Artemis, what's going on with them?", Troia asks, stumped at their peculiar formation.

"They asked me to step aside so that they can perform some kind of ritual", the Amazon answered.

"You mean like a prayer of sorts?", wondered Koriand'r.

"Could be, Kory."

"If this is all a part of Mothra's treatment", Diana surmises, "then we should all remain silent while they execute it. Agreed?"

Artemis, Starfire, Troia, & Wonder Girl nod, just as the natives commence in a dance as the Shobijin twins start singing, this time in a slow & steady rythym not unlike a romantic ballad & sung entirely in Japanese:

Me o samashite, Mosura

Hana ga hirakuyou ni Mosura

Minna matte iru no

Aozameta soa e hikaru tsubasa de

Tonde okure Mosura

Me o samashite, Mosura

Asa ga akeruyou ni Mosura

Minna matte iru no

Namida no yotsuyu o hayaku hoho

Kara keshite okure, Mosura

Me o samashite, Mosura

Kumo ga utauyou ni Mosura

Minna matte iru no

Hatemonai yami ni sakebu inori o

Kiite okure, Mosura

When the twins finish their ballad, the natives all get down on their hands & knees & bow their heads. The twins turn to Diana & her friends.

"It is done", they said. "Our song is filled with enchantment, & thus will help Mothra to rejuvinate her strength & stamina."

"In short, it's all up to Mothra herself now, right?", asked Troia.

The Shobijin twins nod.

"What do that mean?", Wonder Girl asked. "What comes next?"

"The hardest part, Cassie", said Artemis. "The waiting."

Themyscira, four days later:

Since Paradise Island was conquered by Galamyr & his men, they have thus rounded up all the defeated Amazons—each with a yellow energy ring around their neck, leaving them too weak to resist or fight back—and thrust into what remained of the Coliseum, located east of the Royal Palace. Several guards stood & watched the Amazons 24/7, with orders to shoot on sight any one of them foolish enough to try anything funny, weakened or not. When the Coliseum was full to capacity, the rest of the Amazons were rounded & taken to makeshift prison camps, similar to those from World War II, Vietnam, among other great battles fought in Man's World. King Ghidorah sits atop the tall mountain behind the city, looming above it like a combination of a guardian & the Phoenix, the fabled bird which lived for five centuries before being burned to ashes & rose again in another period of time. It would not be impractical to think of King Ghidorah that way: his wings spread out & his menacing stare from his three heads would give anyone the impression of the ancient animal,but on a much larger & nastier scale.

Silently, the triple-domed terror watches over the island.

Not all the Amazons were placed in prison camps set up around the island: some were taken up to the Royal Palace, which miraculously still remained intact during King Ghidorah's assault upon Paradise Island. Those Galamyr deemed to be too much trouble were placed outside the steps of Hippolyta's former living quarters. The Queen, of course, was the first of this particular group, followed by Phillipus, Penelope, Euboea, Phthia, & Mala. These women were spread six feet apart from each other & closely surveyed by Elios & two dozen of Galamyr's men, even as they set up electronic equipment around the palace, including three cannons of yet-unknown origin.

Even though weakened like her sisters, Hippolyta still clutches the glowing yellow ring around her neck in a feeble attempt to tear it off. She, like her Amazons, is consumed with anger & rage: what was once the Amazon's home has now become their prison, taken over by a group of men led by the brother of one of the Amazon's greatest foes, Heracles. Like his brother, Galamyr has succeeded in doing what Heracles did 3,000 years previous.

That very thought of being enslaved twice only made Hippolyta angrier & double her efforts in removing her mystic bond, despite having numerous pistols aimed straight at her.

"Forget it, Hippolyta", Elios said with a sneer. "You'll never remove your necklace that way, so why not save yourself the trouble?"

"Because she's more stubborn than she looks, old friend", Galamyr says, stepping out of the palace & making his way to Hippolyta & her band of captive sisters, staff in hand. "For four days straight, she's pulled & tugged at it, thinking she'll get it off by brute force, when in fact, she'll only tire herself out in the attempt."

When Galamyr stares down at Hippolyta, her personal fires of rage & abhorrence burn anew. "No matter how feeble I may be due to this accursed contraption, I will never cease trying to remove it & defeat you, barbarian!", Hippolyta growls.

"Barbarian?", Galamyr repeats in a mock tone. "Ouch, my queen, that's a bit much, wouldn't you say?"

"No amount of words can ever fully describe what you are, Galamyr!", Phillipus spat.

One of the guards smacks the Amazon General in the face with the back of his hand.

"You keep quiet, bitch!", he snaps. "Address our leader like that again & you will be shot for your insubordination! Understand?"

Galamyr waves a friendly hand in his direction. "Now now, son. It's all right. They can't see it at this moment, but given enough time, they'll learn to appreciate us & our ways. In fact, could you keep some distance for us? I'd like Elios & I to share some quality time with the former queen & her friends here."

The man nods. "Of couse, sire", he says, signaling the other men to put twenty feet between the captive Amazons, Elios, & their leader.

"You'll have to forgive him, my dear", Galamyr says to Phillipus. "He's a good & loyal man, but a tad short on manners. I hope he wasn't too rough on you just now."

Phillipus bares her teeth at him like a wild animal as Galamyr & Elios chuckle before turning back to Hippolyta, the latter with his firearm ready.

"Now, as I was trying to get through to you these last few days, my dear", Galamyr explains, "I only want what's best for both your people & my own."

"My Amazons & I can thrive just fine without any assistance from you or your warriors, thank you very much!", Hippolyta firmly stated.

"Can you truly believe that you & your sisters can?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Come on, Hippolyta, think about it—like us, you Amazons are formidable fighters, trained in just about every aspect of combat imaginable. There's probably no one on this whole planet you ladies can't battle & defeat, & yet here you all are, living on an island secluded within what is known as the Bermuda Triangle, hiding from the world in which you're a part of, when in fact, you should be ruling it!"

"Is that what this is all about, Galamyr? You want us to join forces with your squadron of warmongering men so that we can invade the cities & civilizations of the world & bring injury & death to thousands, or even millions, of innocent people?"

"Whoa, you've got me all wrong! I'm merely saying that…"

"We know what you're saying, Galamyr!", Penelope interrupted. "You want us to join with your vile group so that we can do exactly what Xerxes had done to so many cities back in ancient Greece: conquer all the people & convert them to your whims!"

Galamyr points a finger to Penelope. "Bingo! Now you're catching on!"

"That is blasphemous to even think of such an act!", Hippolyta said.

"Is it?", Galamyr continued. "From what we've been told, the outside world what you ladies call 'Patriarch's World' is befouled with crime, mistrust, poverty, & other sorts of acts of treason. In no time, it will be nothing more than barren wastelands with the dead piling the streets & landscapes, & that's gonna happen sooner than even we believe it to be."

"And you think we could be their saviors, should we actually join with your men?"

"If we were to combine our armies, I'm sure we can save those poor souls from themselves before it becomes too late. Of course, there's going to be some resistance from the locals, but…"

"You're insane! All you plan to do is have us commit genocide on a global scale! What about all those innocent people? Do they matter not to you?"

"Nobody ever made an omlet without breaking some eggs first, my dear."

"There are more good eggs in that bunch than you might think, Galamyr! I should know: I've spent time in Man's World as Wonder Woman, & I have been with some of the kindest, gentlest souls this great planet has to offer, & it's not just the heroes I've fought side-by-side with! I've met numerous everyday people who have done such generous acts to help his fellow man, such as donating food & clothing to those less fortunate than themselves! All you wish to do is…"

"All I wish to do is set them straight, Hippolyta."

"Set them straight? By committing anarchy & chaos among them?"

"They're going to do that all on their own eventually. Despite the efforts of your daughter Diana, her sister Donna Troy, & even the young girl—Cassandra, was it?—mankind is doomed to extinction. You sent your daughter into Man's World for nothing. Face it, not even she can expunge all the hatred & violence she faces out there. For anyone to even think of accomplishing such a foolhardy feat in utterly crazy!"

"No, Galamyr!", Mala stepped in. "You're the one who's crazy, to think that violence is the answer to that kind of solution! That's why Diana was sent out to Patriarch's World—to promote equality among the sexes in all nations! Have you never heard of the old saying, 'Make love, not war'?"

"Perhaps you've never heard of another old saying: 'To invoke peace, one must prepare for war'. To think that a lone warrior can possibly make a cruel world a tranquil place on her own is nothing but a pipe dream, as they say."

"That dream can come true, Galamyr, but not by invoking war!", Hippolyta says. "Can't you see? With you waging a senseless war against Man's World, you'll only add to the violence you claim to bring a halt to & protest against! Of what Diana, her friends, & we Amazons all protest against!"

"And that's why I want you Amazons by our side, Hippolyta. To tell these people of the changes we wish to bring to them, so that we wouldn't have to wage war upon them. If they listen to your words, they can finally see the light in their lives & come out of the dark they've been residing in for so long."

"They're not machines, curse you! They're human beings, & they have feelings! More importantly, they have rights & free wills of their own! To force them to change their ways against their person is a heinous & sinful act—one we Amazons will not be a part of!"

Galamyr lets out a heavy sigh & shakes his head as if in sorrow. "You still can't see the truth, can you, Hippolyta? I've tried to lecture you on the veracity of things out in Man's World for four days now, & yet you still turn a deaf ear & a blind eye to it all."

"Perhaps, my lord, Hippolyta & her brood need a little…persuasion to see your point of view", Elios said.

Galamyr turns to him, smiling. "Precisely what I had in mind, good chum!", he says, laughing. "I believe a demonstration for our unwilling compatriots is in order! Position the cannon & fire when ready. You know where."

"Indeed I do, sire", Elios says, pointing to the three men standing at one of the cannons. They nod, & the first man sits in the seat behind it, which measured the length of a pickup truck & had a round barrel. Like the other two, it hovered six inches off the ground, making the rotation a breeze to perform. Tapping buttons on a console in front of him, he rotates the cannon a full 180 degrees, giving Hippolyta, Phillipus, & the other Amazons held prisoner at the Royal Palace a feeling of dread, thinking that Galamyr plans on obliterating them for their insubordination.

Instead, to their relief, the cannon's nozzle rises upward, pointing towards something else.

It's aimed at King Ghidorah.

Another man activates a holo-screen twenty-four inches tall & wide, showing a picture so flawless, it was like looking at an average TV set in one's own living room. It showed Ghidorah atop the mountain, unmoving from his perch even as the cannon fires up with the push of a button. A bright white beam is launched out of the opening & heads directly for the triple-domed terror.

King Ghidorah makes no attempt to defend itself, let alone escape the oncoming beam. As soon as contact is made, the beam's energy engulfs the creature entirely. The golden dragon roars out, but not in pain, & seconds afterwards, it vanishes before a stunned half-dozen captive Amazons. The vid-screen then shows a scene of a major metropolitan area, bustling with pedestrians on sidewalks & cars on streets & long & twisting freeways.

Galamyr turns to Hippolyta. "Tell me, my dear. Since you've spent some time in Man's World as Wonder Woman, do you by chance recognize that city?"

Hippolyta stares at the screen for a few moments, but the recognition hits her.

"Yes, I do", she said. "That's the city of Los Angeles, located in California."

Galamyr nods, seemingly pleased. "Quite right."

Hippolyta & her Amazons give the matter some thought, trying to pierce together King Ghidorah's sudden disappearance with the viewing on the hovering vid screen's showing of one of the largest cities in the world. When the realization hit them, their answer horrifies each of the six ladies, & their eyes went wide.

Phillipus was the first to speak.

"No, Galamyr, you can't!", she pleaded. "If you send King Ghidorah loose upon that city, thousands will perish!"

"She's right!", Mala said, her eyes tearing of the very thought. "Even you can't be that cold & sadistic! Don't do this, I beg of you!"

"Galamyr", Hippolyta addresses him, "do whatever you wish to us, but please don't let those people go through such a horror!"

"Easy, ladies", Galamyr says coolly, as if forthcoming mass destruction & death was an everyday chore. "This is all part of the lesson to be learned here today. Now, let us all sit back & enjoy the show."

If not for the yellow glowing necklaces, each one of the six Amazons would leap up & attack Galamyr & his troops before he can carry out his heinous plot. But, being weak as they are, the ladies can do nothing but watch the horror show to come.

May the Gods have mercy upon them—and us!, Hippolyta thought with a lump in her throat.

Los Angeles, California:

As usual, a dark nimbus cloud loomed high above the area of North Hollywood, threatening rain for the day. This did not deter the population, as most carried umbrellas with them at their side, ready to meet Mother Nature's sudden downpour. The people have no doubt read the local forecast for the day either in the newspapers or listened to it on the radio and/or television, so the majority was well-prepared.

But nothing could've ever prepared them for what came next.

At an altitude of six hundred feet, a bright flash of white light abruptly appeared in the sky, getting everyone's attention from pedestrians on the street to store owners to those riding in their automobiles. Even the local police had the light's attention, suddenly oblivious to their surroundings, a perilous act for them (or anyone) anywhere in California. The light dissipated as quickly as it appeared, & in its place hovered a giant three-headed beast with golden scaly skin, two legs & tails, no arms, & huge bat-like wings.

King Ghidorah is in North Hollywood, California!

At first the people were quite astonished at the sudden appearance of King Ghidorah, believing that Hollywood was by chance making an upcoming movie, possibly a sequel to the 2002 film 'Reign of Fire', which starred actor Christian Bale, a one-time American Psycho. The people were excited & enthusiastic upon the monster's appearance, thinking it was a neat special effect. It pleased the people quite thoroughly they even began to cheer & clap their hands in applause, with some crying out 'Bravo!' & 'Encore!'.

No one came close to knowing that King Ghidorah's appearance in the sky was in no part a movie prop.

Until it was too late.

The triple-domed terror struck swiftly & savagely by firing his three beams at the ground below him, ravaging & destroying many buildings as people's screams of excitement turned to screams of horror. Most of those who first laid eyes upon the creature never had a chance to run for cover once it started its attack upon the city. They were caught in the explosions the beast's gravity beams caused, throwing debris & trashed vehicles around everywhere like confetti, killing the people trying to escape.

King Ghidorah continued his destructive rampage from the air, heading south, going from North Hollywood to over the Ventura Freeway, Ventura Boulevard, Mulholland Drive, & making a stop in the movie capital of the world, Hollywood itself. All the way, the three-headed monster rained his yellow gravity beams down, turning fabulous picture-perfect scenery into landscapes of destruction & death, with streets littered with the bodies of hundreds of civilians, police officers, & firefighters caught in the monster's melee.

His rampage continues on for fifteen minutes in the air until King Ghidorah finally gets into the heart of the city & begins to descend, but not before plowing through some of the tallest buildings with his massive body in the center, causing them to crumble to the ground in a heap of rubble, killing everyone inside the monuments of glass, steel, & stone. Landing atop a twelve-story building & pulverizing it with his feet in a cloud of smoke, King Ghidorah lashes out with his gravity beams in three different directions, randomly hitting more buildings, highways, & civic areas, resulting in areas of scenery from a monster movie from the 1950s made real in the 21st Century.

As people ran to flee the creature's wrath, the U.S. Army's Apache Helicopters, twelve in all & loaded with Sidewinder missiles, race in the sky towards the golden dragon, accompanied by a squadron of F-16 Eale jets, also equipped with Sidewinders. On the ground cluttered with fleeing civilians, an armada of powerful M-60 tanks, followed by jeeps carrying Atomic Cannons in the rear. King Ghidorah's last victim to be pulverized into rubble before being fired upon was a tall, twenty-eight story building that felt the wrath of all three of his beams, blowing it apart like it had been a large stick of dynamite.

That was when the Army struck: a volley of Sidewinders from both the Apaches & F-16s rocketed through the air & hit King Ghidorah in his main body with tremendous force that a billowing cloud of smoke nearly engulfs him, making him cry out.

Unfortunately, the force wasn't nearly as powerful as the Army personell had hoped.

In retaliation, King Ghidorah strikes with his left head as it fires its beam at the approaching helicopters, hitting two & blowing them into balls of fire & steel. The head on the right does the same, aiming its beam at the swarm of F-16s, taking out only one,however.

Themyscira, the Royal Palace:

Galamyr, Elios, & the other men watch the action of King Ghidorah razing the city of Los Angeles for over twenty minutes since sending the creature there. Armed forces futiley try to halt the monster, & even when several members of the famed Justice League of America—Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, Flash, Green Lantern (John Stewart), Black Lightning, Captain Marvel, & the two world's finest, Superman & Batman, the latter in his armored Batplane—suddenly materialize out of nowhere as Ghidorah had done, they, too, are met with harsh resistance from the creature as they get slammed by it & its beams.

The men enjoy the carnage they are witnessing, but Hippolyta & her Amazon sisters bow their heads in sorrow, knowing their was nothing any of them can do, even if they weren't wearing their energy-draining collars. No feelings of hope were in the women's souls, despite the appearance of the Justice League members.

"All of those innocent people…dead!", Hippolyta weeped, her eyes filled with tears like her sister's were.

Galamyr turns his attention from the vid-screen to the disposed queen. "Yes, I know", he says in a surprising somber tone. "It is highly regrettable…but also necessary. Can't any of you see what it is I'm trying to get across here? Those people in the modern world are weak & utterly helpless against the creature's might, being caught totally off-guard. But under our rule, they would've been able to strike back at a moment's notice, no matter the danger or how abruptly it may appear. And why? Because we will train them to be, with us ruling over them as their only true masters!"

Hippolyta's head snaps up from her sorrowed bow & stares daggers at the man. "They are not weak, curse you!", she barks. "They are good people, & don't deserve what you've just done to them! Nobody has the right to give these human beings this kind of torture in their lives, let alone rule over them, especially a dictator with sick, twisted delusions in mind!"

"Why Hippolyta, you're acting like it was me who who's in Los Angeles right now, destroying buildings & killing all those people out there."

"You practically are, Galamyr!", Penelope snapped. "What in the name of Mount Olympus gives you the right to just step in & announce to the outside world that you're taking over their lives & cultures what they've worked hard for centuries—things like relations & freedom? Neither your people or ours have that right, for it is sacred!"

"Penelope is correct, Galamyr!", Hippolyta said. "What you're doing is both barbaric & inhuman! You're no better than King Ghidorah himself, in fact, you're a whole lot worse!"

Galamyr smiles at her insults. "Anything else you wish to add, my dear?"

"Yes! Not only are you a bully & a dictator—you're an animal!"

Hippolyta's last statement made Galamyr's cruel smile disappear & become an angry frown. He has just lost his patience with the Amazon queen. For half a week now, he's tried reasoning with her, proved points with her by having his creature destroy a major city, & he even tried bargaining with her, & nothing he's done can seem to convince her or her sisters to see things his way. On top of it all, he's been called an animal, something Galamyr loathes being said to him; he's punished a good number of his own men for it in the past, & now Hippolyta has the unnerving gall to say it & so near to his face. Being called a dictator or even a bully, that he can handle easily, but being called an animal…that was where the line was drawn.

"All right, Hippolyta", he says in his usual calm manner. "I've been patient with you & your sisters for long enough. It's a pity, really: I had hoped we could do this the easy way, but now I realize this cannot be. No matter—I can do things the hard way just as well as the next guy."

Like a striking cobra, Galamyr grabs Hippolyta by the front of her dress & pulls her up to his face, only two inches from his own. Mala, Phillipus, Phthia, Penelope, & Euboea call out their queen's name, but get pistols pointed at them by Elios & four other men, telling them to stay put.

His face more sinister than before, Galamyr begins to speak, but now his tone is totally void of his usual calmness, & has been replaced with one of malice. "Now you listen to me, Hippolyta, & you listen really good! Let me tell you something about King Ghidorah: he's invaded many worlds, ravaging & destroying their cities & killing countless lives!" He points to the vid-screen with his left hand without taking his gaze off Hippolyta. "You see all that death & destruction he just caused in Los Angeles? I can easily have him do that to the entire region of California, & maybe even the world, if necessary, & even your so-called 'super-heroes', including the Man of Steel, will be unable to stop him! All it will take is one word from me to do it! Is that what you want, Hippolyta? Can you & your sisters bear to have all those innocent deaths placed upon your own consciences? Because that's just what'll happen if you don't cooperate! I am out of time & patience with you, so you had better decide right now! What's it going to be: will you finally wise up & accept my offer, or be annihilated with everyone on this planet? Answer me, goddammit!"

Hippolyta stares at Galamyr with a gaze so cold she could freeze all of Themyscira, turning it into a new Antarctica. Since she was so close to his face, she wanted nothing more than to spit right at him, but didn't; or couldn't, for her throat was bone-dry like it was four days ago when her home was conquered.

Instead, she responded in a voice as frigid as her stare.

"Go to Hell!", she growled.

Her answer didn't faze Galamyr all that much, though it did surprise him a little. He knew Hippolyta would be difficult, although he never expected this much resistance from her. He can't believe how stubborn she really is: with King Ghidorah in tow, he can wipe out everyone on the face of the Earth with little opposition, & yet she still refuses to cooperate with him. With his patience exhausted, it did not bother him too much.

He throws Hippolyta to the floor in disgust. "Stupid, foolish woman!", he says. "You'd risk your own life to protect those ungrateful savages of this world? Beings who hold each other's lives in their hands completely without worth?" He shakes his head. "Like I said—foolish & stupid! Very well, my dear: since you seem so keen on making sure they're safe, you & your sisters can all share their fate! We'll carry out our plans without you!"

"Lord Galamyr!", Elios calls out, peering through a pair of electronic binoculars.

"What is it, Elios?", Galamyr answered without removing his sight from Hippolyta. "I am quite busy at the moment!"

"We've got company coming in fast!", Elios said, & this time Galamyr did take his eyes off the Themysciran queen. When he saw the direction Elios was looking in, Galamyr took his pair of binoculars & they zoomed in automatically. The binoculars caught sight of something he didn't expect to see again—it was Mothra, alive & well!

That's impossible!, Galamyr thought. Mothra was on her death bed! How in the world is she still alive?

And she wasn't alone: she was accompanied by seven flying humans, four of which Galamyr already knew as Wonder Woman, Troia, Wonder Girl, & Starfire. The super-heroine quartet & Mothra had a trio of extra assistance. Two were teenagers, probably no older than Wonder Girl herself. The first teen wore a white outfit, blue boots, blue gloves that reached her elbows, a red belt around her waist, & a red cape that dangled from her left shoulder. She had red lips, short blonde hair, blue eyes, & a pair of breasts that would put Dolly Parton to shame, which were partially visible at the front. The second teen had longer blonde hair, but was also equipped with blue eyes & red lips, with a red cape than hung from both her shoulders. Her boots were red, & her blue outfit was two parts: a skirt with a yellow belt, & a long-sleeved shirt with a red 'S' on the chest on a yellow background in the shape of home plate in a baseball game. The third newcomer was older by a couple of years, wearing a green & yellow outfit, red boots with a yellow stripe down the middle. A brown belt hung around her waist, & her forearms had thick bandages or cloth wrapped around them. She had a black, yellow, brown, & orange mask that highly resembled that of a hawk, with three green stripes on the top. But her most amazing feature was the pair of large, feathery wings hat protruded out of her back which flapped graciously like any other bird.

To their friends, these three are known as Karen 'Kara' Starr, Kara Zor-El, & Kendra Saunders.

But to the world at large, they are known as the super-heroines Power Girl, Supergirl, & Hawkgirl.

And they're here, along with Mothra, to assist the two Amazon sisters & Teen Titans in reclaiming the Amazon's beloved home. Hippolyta & her five captive sisters can clearly see the big butterfly's approach, even if they can only see her in silhouette. It was all they needed: if Mothra was still alive & on her way back to Themyscira, then surely enough her daughter Diana & her friends are en route with her.

The big butterfly flies in quickly with her seven heroine friends flying right at her side, giving Galamyr a sense of dread he hasn't felt before until now, & he even panics a little. But he had dared not to show it to his men on the outside, else their plans be a bust. Luckily, he keeps it together & puts his next move to action.

"Quickly, Elios, teleport King Ghidorah back here!", he ordered.

"Right away!", Elios said, rushing over to the controls of the teleporter cannon. Pushing away the one already seated, Elios takes the reigns & begins tapping buttons.

Los Angeles:

Annoyed by attacks from both the U.S. Army & members of the Justice League, King Ghidorah fled to Los Angeles International Airport, which resided in between Inglewood, Hawthorne, & El Segundo. Along the way, the golden dragon fired his gravity beams at the ground below him, causing continuous destruction like he did before when he first arrived.

But this time, while the carnage of scenery resumed, the death toll staggered to practically nothing, thanks to The Flash, who raced ahead & cleared out the areas King Ghidorah was ravageing of civilians who couldn't escape quick enough at blinding speed. The Scarlet Speedster kept up his rescuing antics when he reached the airport, clearing out everybody from within a three-mile radius. Once that was accomplished, Flash announced to the rest of the group—Hawkman, Black Lightning, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern (John Stewart), Captain Marvel, Superman, & Batman—that they & the Army can now cut loose on the creature without any worries on loss of life, news made even better since the airport was close to the Pacific Ocean itself.

That said, Hawkman—mace in hand—led the first charge on Ghidorah, with Martian Manhunter & Green Lantern backing him up, followed by what remains of the Apaches & F-16 jets, totaling six each.

"Let him have it, boys!", he called out, raising his mace & heading straight for Ghidorah's chest. Hawkman swings his weapon with all the power he has, striking the monster. The blow was enough to cause it to screech out in pain, but not even close enough to bring it down. It didn't surprise him too much: he suspected the thing to be highly resistant to even their strongest singular blows.

But a series of hits from the heroes, that's another story.

Immediately following Hawkman's assault, King Ghidorah gets ambushed by the Martian Manhunter on the side, along with a blast by Green Lantern from behind. The green energy from his ring forms a giant hand that pushes Ghidorah down to the airport's tarmac in the same manner a person would do to a disobedient dog. His body pinned, King Ghidorah lashes out with his heads & twin tails like angry snakes & unleashes his yellow beams from all three heads, firing wildly. The beams strike the tarmac & several buildings, creating craters & bringing great damage to the structures. Superman & Captain Marvel fly in to intercept the beams by blocking their path with their bodies, & while they succeed in lowering the damage, the force hits them like the planet itself had struck them.

Both heroes get pummeled through several buildings before stopping altogether.

From his hovering Batplane, Batman contacts Stewart by mini communicator placed in the ear of each member.

"Lantern, stop!", he said. "Holding him down only causes more damage to the city! Let it go!"

"I thought the same thing, Batman!", Green Lantern said, withdrawing his green energy. "There has to be a better way to…look out!"

Once Stewart set King Ghidorah loose, the creature unleashed a relentless barrage of his gravity beams. One nearly hits the Batplane & would've vaporized it, were it not for Batman's quick maneuvering (& thinking). Black Lightning had a close call himself, but avoided being fricasseed, due to The Flash, whisking him to safer quarters. One of the monster's beams heads J'onn's way, but the Manhunter from Mars remains where he is & turns transparent, allowing the beam to pass through harmlessly.

"You cannot hit what you cannot touch, monster!", he said, turning corporeal once the beam passes completely. J'onn unleashes beams of his own—twin red beams from his eyes that strike King Ghidorah at the base of his necks, knocking him back a couple of feet.

From where they crashed, Superman & Captain Marvel rise out of their beds of rubble & shake the cobwebs in their heads.

Not since I battled Domsday have I been hit that hard!, Superman thought. I'll have to remember to avoid those beams from now on!

"Captain! You okay?", he asks in his communicator.

"Just peachy, Superman!", he responded. "That creature sure packs a wallop! Any idea where it came from?"

"Not a clue! All I do know is is that it needs to be stopped!"

"No argument there! Let's try this again!"

The Man of Steel & the World's Mightiest Mortal get airborne & rush over to the airport where King Ghidorah gets bombarded by missiles from the last Apaches, F-16 fighters, & the Batplane itself. Martian Manhunter fires his red beams again to full capacity, Green Lantern launches green fireballs the size of locomotive engines, & Hawkman takes powerful swipes at the monster, striking it in the solar plexus. Nearby on the rooftop of a building that's been spared damage, The Flash & Black Lightning watch the melee unfold.

"All that punishment, & this thing still won't go down!", said Flash.

"I see what you mean, Flash!", Black Lightning said. "It was even powerful enough to knock two of our strongest members for a loop!"

"If it can do that to both Superman and Captain Marvel, then we need more reinforcements before this thing can raze all of California & everyone in it!"

"No time, Flash! We're the best line of defense L.A. has right now, & the Army's ground forces are fifteen minutes away! That's too long!"

"You got any ideas?"

Black Lightning smiled. "It's got powerful lightning bolts from its three mouths. Let's see how it likes receiving a taste of its own medicine!"

The man's hands cackle & glow with white lightning, staring directly at King Ghidorah.

"Nice bolts you got, creature! Try some of mine!", Black Lightning shouted, launching his own electric charge at the golden dragon. His powerful charge hits the beast in the chest, sending a surge of anguish through it as he screeches his protest. King Ghidorah has never felt such pain on any of the worlds he's demolished, & he was getting angrier by the minute.

Even as the other heroes & Army aircraft pummel him from all over, King Ghidorah's three mouths light up for another discharge of his prmary weapons, but before he can administer their release, Superman & Captain Marvel rush in.

"Oh no you don't!", they say together, ramming into King Ghidorah at full force, causing a tremendous shockwave which spreads across the city & shakes the foundation that gets felt by everyone close by. Under such a great hit, the triple-domed terror gets flung beyond the airport & city limits & crashes into a soiled plateau, skidding across the land on his back & making a ditch.

The F-16 jets & Batplane handle the shockwave with not much difficulty, but the Apache helicopters weren't so fortunate, as the heroes' attempt shook the whirlybirds too much & caused them to go out of control. Luckily, some well-timed tendrils from Green Lantern's ring prevents a catastrophe, & sets them down on the city outskirts, away from the battle.

"Sorry about that, gentlemen", Green Lantern says as the pilots emerge from their fallen birds. "Are you all okay?"

"We'll live", said one of the pilots—a black, shaven man by the name of Jurgens. "But that monster looks like it can take a lot of punishment! Seems like even you hero types can't put it down for the count!"

"It's got to have an Achille's heel somewhere! Listen—Jurgens, is it?"

"That's what the tag says, son! I'm the air squadron commander!"

"Better have your ground troops hang back for the time being!"

"You've discovered its weak spot?"

"Not exactly, but I believe I have a way to really rattle its bones so that it'll become too weak to keep up its rampage!"

Jurgens nodded. "All right, Lantern. I'll call off the F-16s & ground forces until you boys feel it's safe for us to intervene."

"That'll do, commander. Thank you", said Green Lantern, taking to the air as Jurgens gets on his walkie-talkie.

King Ghidorah lays motionless on the ground as the remaining heroes—Superman, Captain Marvel, Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, & Batman—hover in the air, watching the golden dragon like an actual hawk would a mouse, poised for any surprise attacks the monster might commit.

Green Lantern rejoins the foray.

"Don't tell me we got it already", he said, seeing the monster's fallen form.

"We can't tell yet", said Captain Marvel. "For all we know, it may be playing possum with us, so we'd better be careful."

"My precise words, Captain", said Batman over the mini-comm. "I doubt you & Superman want a repeat from before."

"That's exactly why we're going to check the easy way to get the details", Superman said.

"How are you going to manage to do that?", asked Flash with Black Lightning beside him.

"By performing a mental reading of its minds", said J'onn J'onzz. "If I detect even the slightest bit of aggressiveness in just one…"

"Be cautious in doing it, J'onn", Hawkman warns his ally. "This is a most unusual creature. Who knows what it's capable of, aside from causing mass destruction."

The Martian Manhunter barely hears Hawkman's words, as he probes into the three individual minds of the golden dragon, his eyes glowing as bright a red as a person's blood. He digs deep into each head simultaneously, something J'onn seldomly does, let alone on a non-human subject. He scans them with the utmost care, not wanting to get lost within the creature's subconsciousness that he won't be able to pull himself out of it. He digs deeper & deeper still…

And that's when he sensed it—big time!

"Watch out!", J'onn shouts. "It's about to…!"

Like Dracula rising from his coffin at sundown, King Ghidorah rises & strikes with his gravity beams, aiming directly at the hovering heroes. They scatter like ants to stay out of the beam's paths, hitting instead a set of already damaged buildings & causing them to collapse into heaps of debris.

Unlike last time, Batman wasn't quick enough to avoid Ghidorah's attack, as a stray shot hits the fuselage of his Batplane, piercing it through & almost hitting the Dark Knight within. It was a bonafide miracle that the aircraft didn't explode like the other choppers & jets Ghidorah hit with its beams, but it hardly mattered to Batman as he plummets to Earth like a duck that got shot & killed by a hunter in the everglades: at the rate he's falling, he'll crash & burn upon impact.

That is, if he crashes.

Running to his aide, The Flash spins under the Batplane when it drops to an altitude of only thirty feet, creating an updraft to keep the craft hovering steadily. The Scarlet Speedster releases wind pressure underneath little by little, acting like a wind elevator & lowering the Batplane & its sole pilot gently to the ground.

Finally, it touches down with only a scratch or two as Batman emerges from the smoke-filled cockpit, a portable breather in his mouth to prevent himself inhaling any smoke.

"Well, that could've been better", he said, removing his breather.

"It could've been worse", said Flash.

"Tell me about it."

"Batman! Come in!", Green Lantern said. "Are you okay?"

"I've been better", said the Dark Knight. "I do have a problem with my plane, however. I'm afraid I won't be of much use to you physically without it."

"Don't worry about it. This next plan of action we can handle on our own. In fact, it highly requires our strongest muscle."

"What do you have in mind, Stewart?", asked Black Lightning, staying at his haven.

"Let me trap this big boy again, & I'll explain it all."

"But G.L., doing that again will only cause it to…", Flash began as Stewart cut him off.

"Trust me, Wally."

Green Lantern signed off before Flash or anyone else could protest. While Superman, Hawkman, Martian Manhunter, & Captain Marvel kept King Ghidorah busy & focused solely on them by clobbering him in the necks & body while avoiding the thrashing tails & deadly beams, Green Lantern fires his ring's energy at the monster & creates large shackles attached to chains & clamps them tight on Ghidorah's jaws, necks, twin tails, & legs. A full-body harness was conjured up to prevent the creature from twisting free of his binds or even flap his giant bat-wings. The strain on John Stewart's mind was unbearable, for the ring responds to the wearer's thoughts & makes it real in the form of green energy. To create such large trinkets of this magnitude was no simple chore for any Green Lantern, no matter how good the wearer is.

Ignoring the burden, Stewart explains his course of action to his teammates.

"All right, listen up! You recall how this thing temporarily succumbed to Superman's & Captain Marvel's charge before? Well, if the five of us should all hit him at once, there's an outside chance we can render it unconscious! And we'll do it once I toss this gold dragon out over the ocean! Is everyone ready?"

"Let me accessorize for the job first!", said Hawkman, placing an overgrown metal glove on his left hand that had pointed black fingertips, a red jewel with an eyeball embedded into it, & green hawk wings above it.

"Your Glove", Martian Manhunter says, his eye catching the garment.

"The Claw of Horus. It draws energy from the planet itself." He smirks at the Martian. "Superman can tell you how it feels."

Very funny, Hawkman, Superman thought, recalling when he & Captain Marvel were assigned by then-President Lex Luthor to apprehend him & Batman for alleged crimes against humanity when a huge meteor of pure Kryptonite was headed toward Earth which, it was later revealed, was carrying Kal-El's long-lost cousin—Kara Zor-El—in search of him.

In spite of himself, he, too, smirks at the thought.

Hawkman's glove cackles with white energy. "All set, Lantern!", he said. "Do it!"

King Ghidorah uses every ounce of strength to break free of the Emerald Warrior's trap, but it was no use. He was as trapped as Hannibal Lector was in a straightjacket, & with all the willpower he can muster under the excrutiating circumstances, Green Lantern throws King Ghidorah like a jujitsu fighter would to an opponent. The triple-domed terror is hurled hundreds of feet away from the west coast over the Pacific, & seeing him far enough away from civilization, Green Lantern feels that the time to strike was perfect.

"NOW!"

As one unit, Green Lantern, Superman, Captain Marvel, Hawkman, & Martian Manhunter all race after & head for King Ghidorah, who still fights to regain his balance after being thrown so far a distance. Batman, Flash, Black Lightning, & even Jurgens & his squadron wait for the final impact that will hopefully put this creature out of commission for good.

With the power the five charging heroes possess, one blow should be all it will take.

Hawkman rears his left hand back, getting now only sixty feet from King Ghidorah.

Fifty…forty…thirty…twenty…ten…

Only two feet from making contact, a bright flash of white light catches the heroes off-guard & throws them off-balance, forcing them to shield their eyes with their arms. The luminescent flash lasted several moments before it completely disappears. When their visions clear & return to normal, the light wasn't the only thing that vanishes.

King Ghidorah was also nowhere to be seen!

"What happened to it?", Captain Marvel wondered.

"What can I say, guys?", The Flash said over the mini-comm. "That was some hit!"

"You three saw that?", asked Hawkman.

"Even at this distance, yes", said Black Lightning. "Remind me not to get you guys mad!"

"Uh, Wally, Jeff", Superman cut in, "not to spoil the celebration, but none of us ever touched the creature."

The two heroes were silent for a minute.

"You're joshin' us, right?", asked Flash.

"I have to go with Flash on this", said Black Lightning. "You guys must've done something to it. It couldn't have just…"

"I'm afraid that is the case with it, Jeff", said Martian Manhunter. "I can find no trace of its presence in the immediate area. It's gone."

"Teleportation abilities?", Batman wondered aloud.

"Either that, or someone did the teleporting for it", said Green Lantern.

"Which means someone is running the show. We should get the JSA's Mr. Terrific & Ray Palmer at the Watchtower on locating it. Anyone with a creature like that in their possession is likely to show up anywhere."

"I'll get in touch with Michael Holt & Ray Palmer, & they'll take it from there, Batman", Hawkman said.

"Agreed."

"In the meantime, the rest of us will help the people of Los Angeles get back on their feet after this ordeal", Superman said.

"I'll see to the wounded", said Flash & took off in the wink of an eye.

Superman, Captain Marvel, Martian Manhunter, & Green Lantern began heading back to the city to begin salvaging whatever buildings that weren't too damaged in the battle. Hawkman joined them shortly after once he put the message to his JSA teammate, Mr. Terrific. Black Lightning looked at Batman with a grim look, wondering the same things he was: who had access to such a large, powerful creature like this? What was the goal? And most importantly, where would it strike next?

Very rarely did Batman have no answer to such questions. He was as stumped as any of his fellow heroes.

For now, until Holt and/or Palmer had answers, he was in the dark.

More so than usual.

CHAPTER VIII

Themyscira:

Galamyr had to admit that he was quite surprised by Mothra's reappearance: when last he saw her, she was cut, scorched, & bleeding heavily in many places. Now she looks like she had never been touched by his own giant guardian, King Ghidorah; he had no doubt that Wonder Woman & her friends had something to do with her miraculous recovery. It didn't matter much to him, anyway: rejuvenated or not, she was still no match for Ghidorah, alone or with her so-called super-heroine allies (now with three more members added), & if they all need to be taught another harsh lesson on both 'size does matter' & 'might makes right' lecturing, then so be it. King Ghidorah will reappear in no time, & Galamyr will get to see his enemies defeated a second time, & this time, it's going to be for keeps.

That alone made Galamyr's wicked smile reappear.

Recruited with Supergirl, Power Girl, & Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, Troia, Starfire, & Wonder Girl head towards Paradise Island with Mothra leading the charge. With her wounds & scars healed to the letter, the giant Lepidopteran deploys a hearty screech, filled with as much confidence as any of her human allies.

How Mothra feels is exactly how the ladies feel.

"I gotta say, Troia, those potions we fed to Mothra worked miracles on her!", Wonder Girl said. "For a while, I didn't think she was going to make it!"

"That's why it's always important to have faith, Cassie!", Troia says. "Because sometimes it can be a very powerful weapon when all else fails, especially in situations like this!"

"I've scanned the area with my x-ray vision, Diana, but I see no trace of this King Ghidorah which you described to us anywhere", Supergirl said. "Where can something that big hide?"

"You'd be quite surprised, Kara", Wonder Woman tells her. "Galamyr brought him to my home contained only in his staff. He has more tricks than our good friend Zatana, so keep watching: he could show up at any moment."

From the Royal Palace, Hippolyta, Euboea, Phthia, Penelope, Phillipus, & Mala watch as their Princess & her friends return to Themyscira, with hope doing the same in their souls.

"Thank the Gods they've returned", Euboea says with a hearty sigh.

"I wouldn't praise to your superiors at Mount Olympus if I were you just yet, Amazon!", Galamyr says. "Aren't you ladies forgetting something—namely our giant friend?"

A bright ball of flashing white light suddenly appears in between Themyscira & the approaching super-heroines/big butterfly. The coming squadron halted their airborne charge, stopping at about a hundred & fifty yards of it. Diana, Donna Troy, Cassie, Kory, & even Mothra knew what to expect from this show of light, & they suspect that their three new allies knew it as well. As usual, they were right to trust their instincts: the flash of light dissipates shortly from when it appeared.

King Ghidorah stood in the flash's place, & has returned to Themyscira!

"So that's the creature called King Ghidorah which invaded your home, I take it!", Hawkgirl says, unbuckling her mace from her belt, which has a round, spiked ball at the end. "He's even more hideous than how you described him!"

"Whoa!", Power Girl said. "Now I understand just why you needed some extra muscle, Cassandra! King Ghidorah is huge!"

"He's that & more, Karen!", Wonder Girl says. "We tried getting some extra heavy hitters in assisting us, but you three were the only ones currently available."

We'll be enough—I hope!, Karen thought, not wanting to show any weakness to any of her companions, physical or otherwise.

Hovering in the air, King Ghidorah stares at the squadron of super-heroines & Mothra, all of whom remain where they are & return the loatheful glare. Neither Mothra or the heroines makes a sudden or reckless move, for they know too well that any unscrupulous actions on their part will result in a quick, & no doubt permenant, defeat. The first one for Diana, Donna, Cassie, & Kory was bad enough, & do not wish for a repeat performance anytime soon. So they wait patiently for the golden dragon to make the first move, which is a very high possibility.

Come on, dirtbag! Make a move!, Wonder Girl thought, daring King Ghidorah to do so.

The reappearance of his own giant ally gave Galamyr the same confidence in the exact way as Wonder Woman's & Mothra's return did for Hippolyta & her Amazons.

"I'll say this for Mothra", he says. "She's very persistent, & a lot tougher than her frail appearance shows. It seems I've underestimated her, along with Wonder Woman & her friends. I guess we should've finished them off before, Elios!"

"You should have is right, Galamyr!", Hippolyta said. "My daughter would never truly abandon her home & family to the mercy of the likes of you! You've had your triumph, barbarian! Now you face swift & utter defeat!"

"Don't be too sure, my dear! I may have misjudged your daughter & Mothra before, but rest assured, I won't make that mistake again!" Helmeted, & with his staff in hand, Galamyr raises it high above his head. "Go forth, King Ghidorah! Attack Mothra & those annoying heroines, & this time, beat them all mercilessly to death!"

Responding to his command, Ghidorah unleashes an animalistic roar from all three heads just as he lets loose a barrage of his deadly yellow gravity beams at Mothra & her allies.

"Everyone scatter!", Wonder Woman barked. Like ants, the super-heroines spread out in all directions, as did Mothra, moving with the grace of a cat, in spite of her gargantuan size. Ghidorah keeps his rays going, each head concentrating on specific targets; the middle head focuses on the big butterfly, the left head on the four young heroines, while the head on the right aims for Diana, Donna, & Kendra. He firs furiously at the white hats, but not one of his attacks comes close to hitting his targets, as they make like flying ants & makes it tough for even the mighty Ghidorah.

It does come with a drawback, though: sooner or later, King Ghidorah will get in a hit, & it will make it simple for the golden dragon to take them down. Even Mothra knew this, & she wastes no time in taking initiative action. From the underside of her wings, she unleashes yellow bolts of her own that strike Ghidorah all over his heads & necks. The three-headed horror screeches in agony as the assault feels to him like hot, boiling lava from an active volcano was poured down upon him in a temperature that was too sultry for even him to handle. Mothra follows it up with another underside attack by shooting a thick yellow beam from her thorax. This hits King Ghidorah square in the chest, sending smoke rising & raising his agony higher.

Happily seeing their three-headed enemy take severe punishment, the super-heroines see a clear window of opportunity.

"Perfect!", Supergirl says. "Mothra's really got Ghidorah on the ropes, & with us joining the melee, we'll up the ante & bring him down!"

"How true!", said Starfire. "Let's strike in different areas: Mothra's taking care of the heads, so we'll handle everything else!"

"Agreed! Go!", said Wonder Girl.

Like vultures diving in to feast on a carcass, the heroines streak across the sky at Ghidorah at various places, & as one they slam into the triple-domed terror with clenched fists & all their might. To the golden dragon, it felt like getting stabbed by large knives as Supergirl, Wonder Girl, & Power Girl ram the beast in the main body at three spots, while Wonder Woman & Troia bash on the creature's legs, leaving Hawkgirl & Starfire to wrangle with his wings; the former using her mace, the latter shooting her energy beams.

Attacked from all sides, King Ghidorah couldn't possibly drive away his assailants by any conventional means, & yet knows he must. Fortunately, he has a new card up his sleeve he hasn't used yet: half folding his wings & ducking his heads in, the three-headed horror disperses an aura of tallow energy that acts like an electrical discharge. All around, the super-heroines get struck & highly jolted by this unexpected attack, throwing them off the monster & away a good distance. It also affects Mothra, as she backs away to avoid another possible charge. But another charge is what she gets, but not in the way she expects. Freed of any close-range hammering, King Ghidorah rushes toward Mothra at a high speed in an attempt to slam his full weight into the big butterfly, wanting to crush her like the insect she is & splatter her into a shower of body parts & bloody ichor. Mothra barely avoids Ghidorah's intention by dodging to one side, but the golden dragon gets the drop on her by whipping his twin tails & slapping Mothra in the thorax. The blow makes her tumble through the air at great speed, & the big butterfly is unable to correct herself before she crashes onto the Isle of Healing, a mini island just off the coast of Themyscira. She demolishes several buildings & makes the ground rumble from the impact.

Dazed & shaken highly, Mothra cannot rise off the ground, even though she landed upright.

Hippolyta & her sisters watch the devastation of Mothra receive a nasty buffeting by the enemy, along with the destruction of the structures on their separate isle.

Galamyr, of course, feels differently.

"Nothing like the perfect exterminator to get rid of your bug problem, eh Elios?", he jokes.

"And how, sire!", he answered, as both men chuckle at the crack just made.

Their joke doesn't go unnoticed by the captive Amazons, & their blood boils like never before. They vow to make Galamyr & his men pay for all their atrocities, from their assault on the island itself to the malevolent attack by King Ghidorah on Los Angeles to this current battle against their Princess & her friends.

One way or another, it will happen.

Queen Hippolyta & her sisters will see that it does.

"Mothra!", Power Girl shouts, seeing their giant friend clobbered by the three-headed horror as they recover from Ghidorah's literal shock. The heroines' feelings of sorrow & guilt converts into anger & a burning desire for revenge. This creature has caused so much mischief & death, & all the abhorrence the ladies have for it now bubble up to the surface; their next attack on King Ghidorah will be as vicious as ever, & Hawkgirl is the first to act upon it. Mace in hand, the Winged Avenger bellows a war cry & rockets herself toward Ghidorah's center head & brings down her weapon, which cackles with white energy. The hit sends a surge of pain through the monster, & he cries out as Hawkgirl shouts to him, "See how you like it, monster!"

Hawkgirl hammers the beast's middle head, & the other heroines rush in to join her.

"Kendra's got the right idea, troops!", said Troia.

"Are you suggesting that we concentrate on the heads again?", asked Starfire. "We tried to employ that tactic before, &…"

"True, Kory, we did", Wonder Woman said. "But now with almost twice the amount of warriors on our side, it could work this time! Kory, you & Cassie take the left, Karen & Kara take the right, & Donna & I will assist Kendra on the center! Hit him with everything you've got!"

"Copy!", said Supergirl & Power Girl.

"Got it!", said Wonder Girl & Starfire.

"Come on, sis!", Troia says with a cold tone in her voice. "Let's show this freak of a monster what happens when one angers an Amazon, epecially one powered from the Gods themselves!"

Be glad to!, Diana thought, reveling in the idea to dispense what Ghidorah was asking for, her eyes a menacing scowl & her teeth bared like an angry dog's.

King Ghidorah catches the approaching heroines out of the corner of his eyes, but cannot prevent their charge, as he was too occupied by the relentless assault by Hawkgirl on the middle head. Now she was joined by Wonder Woman & Troia, who waste no time in exacting their hate for the three-headed horror. The same goes for the other ladies, pounding on the remaining heads with all the power & strength each can muster. As Diana instructed, Wonder Girl & Starfire bash the creature's left head, & Supergirl & Power Girl tussle with the right. The surge of pain in which King Ghidorah felt just by Hawkgirl before now gets amplified by a margin of ten or more, making him see white flashes & bright stars in his visions. In all the many worlds he has invaded & laid waste to, turning them into barren wastelands & devoid of any & all life, the golden dragon has never encountered such harsh resistance on this planet, especially that coming from lifeforms much smaller than he is, & more than once to boot: aside from the ladies, he's encountered beings just like these when on his 'tour' of the movie capital of the world moments ago. The hits he's receiving was as if he were getting slammed by giant sledgehammers, with the pain beginning at the heads & coursing throughout his body. He even starts to draw blood—pinkish in color, similar to Mothra's—from the corners of his mouths, & his heads feel like they were about to split open & his brains splatter all over.

"Foul, filthy beast!", Diana screams. "Nobody invades my home & my family & gets away with it! Not even a malevolent creature such as you!"

Diana hits King Ghidorah the hardest, unleashing a fury she has not experienced or felt ever since Darkseid's siege on Themyscira, slaughtering half her sisters. Troia feels the same, being created by the sorceress Magala by bringing Diana's reflection in a mirror to life & a portion of her own soul, living many previous lives before becoming the second Princess of Paradise Island, being initiated by Hippolyta herself. That alone was reason enough for Donna to go berserk with rage like Diana, & pound on Ghidorah's middle head for all it's worth.

Getting numb from the pain he's receiving & unable to conjure up another jolt to drive his attackers away like last time, King Ghidorah was in big trouble.

From the Royal Palace, Galamyr shakes his head & grits his teeth, unsatisfied with the sudden turn of events, & it's something the Amazons can see & sense within him.

"It looks like the tide has turned in our favor, barbarian!", Euboea says. "Your guardian monster is succumbing to the might of Diana & her friends, & soon it will be your turn!"

Elios points his pistol at the defiant Amazon. "Hold your tongue, Amazon bitch! We're not finished yet! King Ghidorah still has plenty of fight left in him! Right, sire?"

"Of course he does, Elios!", Galamyr says, facing his captives. "You'll see: Ghidorah will triumph when all is said & done! And then we'll decide on whether or not to skewer you ladies where you stand instead of making you our future slaves!"

The Amazons wanted to ignore his threat to them, but decided against it. All knew that this man was capable of anything to achieve his goals—a point proven when he had King Ghidorah attack the city of Los Angeles, murdering multitudes of people despite the intervention of the U.S. Army & members of the Justice League.

Soon, Galamyr, very soon!, thought Hippolyta.

In the heat of battle, King Ghidorah was starting to lose consciousness as the super-heroines were hoping for, getting sluggish in movement & seeing black swirling in with the white of their visions.

"I think he's slowing down, gang!", said Power Girl. "Keep it up!"

Karen was half-right: King Ghidorah is slowing down, but little did the heroines know he was also getting angrier by the minute, even as his endurance was cut a great percentage. After a series of five or six more hits, that was when he cuts loose. Like a wild, injured animal, Ghidorah unleashes his yellow beams at his assailants, lashing out as only a wounded beast can. One beam hits both Supergirl & Power Girl squarely in the chest, sending them hurling across the ocean like runaway asteroids.

"Kara!", Wonder Girl cried.

"Karen!", cried Hawkgirl.

Their concern for their fellow teammates nearly cost them, as they barely avoided getting battered by Ghidorah's beams, almost joining both ladies on a tumble over the water, or worse, a date with death, had those projectiles made contact. They can't tell if even Power Girl or Supergirl had lived after a hit like that from the monster, & now was not the time to ponder on it.

King Ghidorah attempts to swipe at the heroines with his twin tails as he did to Mothra before with Troia, Starfire, & Hawkgirl caught in their path. The tails move with the grace of giant snakes like the necks do, & with such velocity for something so huge & gargantuan, there was no time for the trio to break up or dive out of harm's way.

Instead, they get pushed out of the way. By Wonder Woman.

Failing with the tails, Ghidorah's left head strikes with its beam at the girls, but now they have an ample amount of time to avoid the charge on their own. The left & right heads distract all remaining ladies busy while the center head concentrates on Diana, & does something no one, either friend or foe, had ever expected of him.

It snaps its jaws shut & gobbles Wonder Woman!

King Ghidorah has eaten the Amazon Princess!

Time seemed to stand still for all watching this horrendous sight that occurred before their very eyes: even with all the rigorous punishment he received, the triple-domed terror still has the grace of a cat & striking set of snakes & lash out at Diana, consuming her like an alligator would a chunk of fresh meat. For all their power, Starfire, Troia, Wonder Girl, & Hawkgirl could do nothing but stare, eyes agape & unable to move as if their bodies were solid blocks of ice.

The same went for Hippolyta & the others, refusing to believe what they've just witnessed: their Princess eaten by a creature that has destroyed other planets from the far regions of outer space as Galamyr claims.

"Diana", was all Mala could utter, her voice no more than a whisper.

"Princess", Penelope says in the same manner.

"My daughter", Hippolyta uttered as they did.

What was poison for the Amazons to view was perfume for Galamyr, Elios, & their guards.

"Bon appetite, my friend!", Galamyr says, enticing laughs from his men & does so himself. Even he couldn't have planned Wonder Woman's demise more fruitfully & with such literally good taste. With her out of the picture, Ghidorah's triumph over the other super-heroines should be as simple as taking candy from a baby.

Their laughter & victory was short-lived, however, & died as something even more incredulous occurs before everyone, surprising both friend & enemy.

"Look!", Starfire said, pointing.

Wonder Woman attempts to pry King Ghidorah's mandibles open!

Using all her Herculean strength the Gods of Mount Olympus has granted her, Diana makes herself a living, flesh-&-blood jack & raises the monster's mouth to free herself. King Ghidorah resists Diana's attempts & bites down on his intended victim, applying pressure that can crush & break in half petrified wood or even the strongest metal pipe used for transferring water or oil.

"Hera, give me strength!", Diana utters, feeling the pressure of Ghidorah's jaws resting upon her. Struggling to keep them apart, Diana now knows how Heracles must've felt when he was punished to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders. This was no different to Diana, & unlike the world itself, Ghidorah is a mobile entity: not as big, but not light either. Her predicament takes a turn for the worse when out of her eye's corners, Diana can see the right & left heads turning their attention to the Amazon Princess, lighting up their mouths in an attempt to fry her where she stood. The middle head does the same, increasing her immediate danger.

This horrendous predicament clearly does not go unnoticed by her friends.

"We'd better do something quick before Diana gets roasted alive by those beams!", Wonder Girl says, unraveling her lasso. "Even she can't live through what comes next!"

Troia grabs her arm. "Don't despair, Cassie!", she says. "Help is on its way! Look there!"

Wonder Girl looks to where Troia points to, & sees nothing short of a miracle: Mothra flies in after recovering from her last assault & shoots her twin rainbow beams from her antennae, hitting King Ghidorah in the back & forcing him to relieve the pressure in his middle head's mandibles, allowing Wonder Woman to escape before the three-headed horror can launch even one of his deadly projectiles.

With Mothra keeping King Ghidorah busy, the Amazon Princess regroups with her teammates, just in time for Supergirl & Power Girl to do the same, both of whom are all but pleased that Diana has escaped serious injury—or being digested by the golden dragon.

"Diana!", a relieved Power Girl says. "We saw what happened from a distance! We thought you were a goner for sure!"

"And how!", said Supergirl. "King Ghidorah's yellow lightning beams really knocked us for a loop! We apologize for not getting here sooner!"

"No apologies necessary, Kara", Wonder Woman says. "This creature is more than a match for even our combined might. But, looking at Cassie, there is a way to subdue his rampage."

"Me?", Wonder Girl says, wondering.

"That's right, sweetie", Diana says, removing her own golden lasso off her belt. "Our lassos. Yours is a gift from an old 'acquaintance' of ours, while mine is forged from the Girdle of Gaea by Hephaestus himself, & is indestructible. Even the animalistic fury of King Ghidorah can never hope to break them."

"You wish to hogtie this foul creature, is that it?", asks Starfire.

"Something like that, Kory. We'll start with lassoing the heads & legs together, & then we'll try to tire him out long enough to finish the job as a cowboy would to a young buck."

"I believe the part of tiring him out first will be Mothra's chore, sis! Look!", Troia says, as she again points to their giant butterfly friend & ally.

King Ghidorah unleashes his beams from all three mouths in an attempt to fricassee Mothra & cook her alive, but the giant Lepidopteran swiftly avoids each one & counterstrikes. She slightly lifts up her abdomen before slinging it forward from underneath her as far as it can go. Multiple dark-colored, cone-shaped stingers similar to those of bees & wasps shoot out from her rear body part & race toward Ghidorah like cylinder arrows. A few miss their mark, but the majority of them strike the monster's flesh in the chest, legs, feet, & the bases of his wings, tails, & necks. The projectiles pierce & puncture the skin, drawing more of the beast's pinkish blood, even if it's only in thin rivulets, but it was more than enough to make the three-headed horror screech loudly, as the pain of the stingers throb within his bloodstream, causing him to feel warmer than usual.

This was a highly open window of opportunity for the heroines, one which Hawkgirl spots first before announcing it to her companions.

"Perfect! We've got him right where we want him! Those stingers Mothra just attacked King Ghidorah with are causing him to bleed, & once we lasso him up, his attempts to get free will only cause his bleeding to intensify & become weaker the harder he tries!"

"In short, he'll merely bring himself down from blood loss!", Power Girl added.

"Bingo!"

Somehow Mothra knew this!, Diana thought. Does she also have the power of telepathy as the Shobijin twins do?

Wonder Woman had no time to ponder that thought. Their wondow may be wide now, but the longer they wait, the sooner it'll close, a luxury she & her friends cannot afford.

Not with their foe being King Ghidorah.

They need to put him down now.

"Let's move!", she says. "Donna, Kendra, & I will lasso the monster's heads! Cassie, the rest of you handle his feet!"

"We're on it! Let's hustle!", Wonder Girl said, leading her team of Starfire, Power Girl, & Supergirl towards King Ghidorah's lower half, while Wonder Woman leads Troia & Hawkgirl to the creature's three snake-like heads. Wonder Girl lashes her weapon at the monster's legs, magically circling itself around them not once or twice, but thrice. Wonder Woman does the same with her own lasso, encircling it around not just Ghidorah's heads, but also his necks & mouths, restricting both his movements by half & preventing the use of his yellow gravity beams, lest he burns the inside of his mouths. From behind the triple-domed terror, Mothra grabs the twin tails with her thin but powerful legs in a graceful catch.

Watching Mothra perform this, Wonder Woman gives the order.

"Everyone pull!"

With all their might, the heroines go in reverse from King Ghidorah's front, while Mothra does so from the rear. Their effort causes the golden dragon to go taut & stiff, being caught like a living circus tent. The monster screeches angrily & loudly, despite being pulled in three different directions by a giant butterfly & seven super-heroines. The creature thrashes wildly like a mad bull at a rodeo & even flaps his giant bat-like wings to create a powerful gust of wind to get the ladies to release their hold on him, but it was no use. No matter how strong the winds he generates or how much he struggles & thrashes, King Ghidorah is caught but good. And with the burning sensation raging in his bloodstream due to Mothra's stingers & the occasional blast of rainbow beams from her antennae, it was only a matter of time before he goes down.

Even Galamyr, Elios, & the other men can see & sense it.

"This looks very bad, sire!", one man—Daxos—says, turning to him. "King Ghidorah is losing to those heroines and to Mothra! Unless we do something, he will be beaten! We can't have that!"

"Daxos does have a valid point, lord Galamyr", said Elios.

The man couldn't argue with his second-in-command, let alone with Daxos. Though he loathes to admit it, he is right: King Ghidorah is two/three times the size of Mothra & many more times powerful than she, & the giant butterfly along with Wonder Woman & her friends are still kicking his ass. The golden dragon is his ultimate weapon to help him & his men in accomplishing his task. Should Galamyr lose King Ghidorah under any circumstances, it's all over. Nevertheless, he refuses to give in to defeat, or show any trepidation to his foes; he'd rather die first.

Being the level-headed leader he is, a contingency already runs through his mind.

"Never fear, gentlemen", Galamyr says with a reassuring grin. "You all know that we always have a trick or two up our sleeve. Men, we've been on the sidelines for long enough in this battle between babes & beasts. It's time we lended assistance to our giant critter, as Diana & company are doing the same to theirs. Daxos, Stelios, ready the two assault cannons up front. Daxos, you aim for the heroines, starting with the kids, & Stelios, you can concentrate your weapon on Mothra. As soon as you boys have a good, clear shot, I want you to take it!"

"Yes sir!", Daxos & Stelios say together, with the former heading to the cannon on the left as Stelios heads for the other at the palace's edge, surrounded by a multitude of other men. Sitting in the operator's seats of the weapons, both men press a button which charge them up as they hum to life. Peering in the targeting crosshairs on a mini screen at the main consoles, the men line up their cannons for a most deadly shot once they become set & good to go; Daxos gets his sights on Wonder Girl, Starfire, Power Girl, & Supergirl, & Stelios sets his sights on Mothra. All combatants were pulling still on King Ghidorah from front & rear, with neither side letting up.

The cannon operators watch the power gauges rise on their consoles, reaching almost at the top.

"We are nearly set to go, sire!", Stelios says with a big grin. "Just a few more seconds!"

"Excellent!", Galamyr says. "Fire when ready, boys!"

I heard that!, Daxos & Stelios thought separately.

Grabbing the firing sticks, both men watch as the power gauges are now just one notch away from being fully charged for shooting.

The gauges now read full.

Daxos & Stelios press the firing buttons on their sticks.

BOOM!

Before either cannon can fire a single shot, both weapons explode simultaneously in a fiery holocaust, killing all of Galamyr's men who were in closest proximity of them, destroying the teleporter cannon with them. Galamyr, Elios, & other men hit the ground & cover themselves with their arms, avoiding the flying debris & body parts that head their way. Hippolyta & her sisters do the same, in spite of their conditions. When the shower was over, Galamyr & his men rise up off the floor, most of whom have their pistols drawn & ready to fire.

All but Galamyr himself.

"What the hell just happened,sire?", Elios said as the other men ponder the same thing.

"It appears we've missed someone, old friend!", Galamyr said not too surprising, for he has a damn good idea of just who that 'someone' is.

"Really? Gee, what gave me away, barbarian?"

The newcomer appeared from around the corner of the Royal Palace's east wall, sendng a wave of alert to Galamyr's men but a surge of glitter & hope to Hippolyta & company.

"Artemis!", Phillipus says gleefully.

"Thank the Gods you've returned safely, dear sister!", Phthia said.

"In all the confusion, I'd totally forgotten about you!", said Hippolyta. "Forgive me for such a scolding thought, child!"

"There is nothing to forgive, my queen", said Artemis, her bow & arrows still in hand. "It is perfectly understandable, given the circumstances."

All at once, Galamyr's men crowd around their leader with weapons aimed at the party-crashing Bana-Mighdall Amazon like the President's personal bodyguards would do should he run unexpectedly into abrupt danger to his person.

"The protection is highly appreciated but won't be necessary, gentlemen", Galamyr says. "In fact, would you boys be so kind as to give Artemis & I some room?"

"Are you sure about this, sire?", Elios asks. "She is one of the deadliest of the Amazons."

"I'm well aware of that fact, old friend. And yes, I'm positive."

Seeing his leader has made his mind up, Elios turns to the other men & nods, giving them the signal to disperse & grant their leader his wish, leaving an area of open space thirty feet all around, creating a mini arena.

"You've gotta be joking, Galamyr!", Artemis says, disbelieving in what the man has in mind. "Let me guess: you wish to go one-on-one with me?"

"That's the general idea, Artemis", Galamyr said.

She scoffs. "You couldn't beat our queen last time! What on Earth convinces you to believe that you'll fare better against me?"

Galamyr smirks. "Let's just say I'm feeling mighty lucky today. I guess I should congratulate you, Amazon: you seem to have beaten my sentries in order to reach the Royal Palace unnoticed until you made your own Big Bang. I'm guessing stealth is a major factor with you people, am I right?"

"Most of what I've learned about it did come from our home, Galamyr, but if you want some real lessons on stealth, I suggest you head to Gotham City. Diana knows of a certain cape & cowled individual there. Oh, & don't count on those sentries interfering in our scuffle: they're all taking a well-deserved dirt nap!"

"Hmph. Thank you for pointing that out. It'll just mean more training for my men so that we won't be caught off-guard so easily next time."

"If you have a next time! Now, are we going to gab—or fight?"

Galamyr removes his red cape & throws it aside along with his staff, giving Artemis her answer.

"That's what I thought", she said, tossing her bow & arrows to the side. "Let's end this."

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Amazon."

"Be careful of him, Artemis!", Eoboea warns her fellow sister. "He's dangerous!"

"So am I, Euboea!", Artemis growled in anger not at her, but at her opponent she is about to tackle with. Add to that the fact that her hatred for him was the same as Diana's own, recollecting all he's done to her home & her sisters, killing some, injuring others, & taking the rest captive, which included Queen Hippolyta. Artemis secretly hoped she would get this golden opportunity to go & beat the living shit out of this male aggressor for all the atrocities he's caused, & now her ticket has just been handed to her.

Clenching her fists & grinding her teeth into an angry snarl, Artemis charges right for Galamyr, eager to take his head off his shoulders with one fatal strike & later save it for a trophy. As she gets within range, the Amazon thrusts her right fist forward with all her might toward his face, but to her amazement (& dismay), Galamyr blocks the blow with his left palm, clenching her fist tightly. Reacting fast, Artemis swings her left fist towards him, but the result is less effective as Galamyr blocks it with the armor on his right forearm. All she hits is hard, cold metal instead of flesh. She tries again & again with sheer ferocity, but each attack is the same as the first. Artemis tries a new tactic & reaches with her left hand going for his throat in an attempt to crush the breath & life out of him, but Galamyr puts a stop to that as well, snatching her wrist with his free hand just inches away from his neck. Even though he is the larger of the two, Galamyr can feel the amazing strength in his smaller opponent as Artemis still pushes forth for his throat which continues to strain Galamyr despite his own incredible strength, the male warrior feeling that he may have bitten off more than he can chew.

"Whoa! Struck a nerve with you, did I?", Galamyr gloats. "It seems you're one kitty cat who knows how to scratch rather vigorously!"

"Just let me get a little closer, barbarian, & I'll really show you how badly I can scratch!", Artemis hissed.

"No thanks! I think I'll pass on that notion!"

With the agility of the aforementioned kitty cat, Galamyr twists his body to one side, throwing a surprised Artemis roughly to the ground, skidding when she hits & kicking up a cloud of dust in the air. Immediately she gets to her feet & faces her foe, who stays where he is, gesturing with his hand to make another charge, taunting the Amazon.

This is something that truly pisses her off!

Eyes scowling, Artemis runs after him like an angry bull & throws a left fist at his face. Galamyr expected as much from her & casually steps to one side, but what he didn't expect of her was that she thrusts her leg forward just as she misses with her fist. Artemis kicks her enemy square in the chest with the force of a mule. Galamyr feels the impact even through his armor, & now it was his turn to hit the ground. Crashing on his back, he sees Artemis just above him. The angry Amazon pummels the man with her rock-like fists, but dodges (if barely) by moving his head to one side a milli-second before it can make contact. So powerful was Artemis' punch, she leaves a mini crater in the tile of the palace's outer floor.

Getting up & putting some distance between him & her, Galamyr had to praise his enemy.

"Wow! Now that's power, if ever I saw it!", he says. "You know, Artemis, with the strength & stamina you possess, your fellow Amazons should've named you Wonder Woman!"

Artemis gives Galamyr a wicked grin. "Funny you should mentioned that, Galamyr, because I was Wonder Woman for a time! Permit me to show you how I've earned that name!"

Artemis executes a flying kick so swiftly that Galamyr had no chance of counter-measuring or avoiding it. The blow hits him in the solar plexus, knocking a good portion of the air out of his lungs & causing him to fall earthwards again, this time flat on his ass & skidding as he does, gasping for air.

"Point…taken", he says between gasps.

The archer Amazon doesn't give the man any time to recover except to get back up on his own two feet, which he does, albeit groggily. She wasn't done with the man, not by a long shot. Artemis resumes her attack on Galamyr by landing several punches to both his chest & face, drawing blood from his mouth & nose, despite his helmet. Her assault on him is relentless, unleashing her abhorrence upon him as Diana had on King Ghidorah when she & her friends pounded the living daylights on the monster's heads. Hippolyta & her captive sisters, along with Elios & the rest of Galamyr's men watch as Artemis gives the male gladiator the beating of his life. Though they urge to help him, the men stay where they are, offering no assistance: should Galamyr need any, he will let his men know of it, but not before.

Even with the protection of his armor, Galamyr feels each & every punch/kick Artemis lays on him. Each blow feels like the man was getting pelted with softball-sized rocks, making dents in it. He highly felt that he was in way over his head with the Bana-Mighdall Amazon, & it turns out he was right; not even Queen Hippolyta was this rough with him in their scuffle days ago, much less this nasty with him.

Delivering her final punches, Artemis lays out a powerful karate kick to the man's chest like she had done before, with the results no different. Galamyr lands hard on his back, his staff only a foot away. Bleeding greatly from his face, Galamyr coughs up blood as he struggles to get up, until Artemis picks him up, grabbing him by the lapel of his chest armor & bringing him up to meet at eye level.

"So, barbarian, do you still think you're feeling lucky today?", Artemis spat at him through clenched teeth. "Or do you need to be taught some more discipline & manners?"

"I…don't believe…that'd be…necessary…young lady", Galamyr says, catching his breath. "You've fought one hell of a fight just now. That's a trait I respect in any warrior, friend or foe. Despite all atrocities against you Amazons, I don't suppose there's any chance of a possible truce between our races?"

"None in Hell! You & your foul band invade our home, destroyed our treasured structures, killed, injured, & captured my brethren, among other crimes, & now you wish to call a truce with us? You're even more insane than I first thought! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't execute you here & now, & don't think I'll hesitate to do it! If any of your men tries to stop me, they will share your fate! Well? I'm waiting!"

"Oh, I don't doubt you on that, Artemis, believe me. I know you would, for I sincerely deserve it after all I've done to you & your safe haven. Still, there's only one thing wrong with your decision, my dear."

"And just what might that be?"

Galamyr's bloody grin grows. "You should've done it sooner!"

Mala & Penelope call out the Amazon archer's name, but their warning comes too late. Unbeknown to Artemis, Galamyr's right gloved hand has sneaked itself over to her left side. Before she knew what happens, Artemis is struck by an electrical voltage shock, a hidden & insulated gadget within the man's glove. Upon contact, Artemis yells in agony as the electricity spreads throughout her body, locking her muscles as they feel like overcooked linguini. The Bana-Mighdall Amazon falls to the ground, her vision all blurry & her body feeling as heavy as an elephant. Picking up his staff, Galamyr stands over her fallen foe & points the cobra end of it at her neck before jabbing it in her throat. The thrust doesn't kill Artemis, but it does cut off her air passage. That caused her to get alert real quick, her hands grabbing the staff & her eyes going wide from lack of oxygen. Artemis struggles to pry his weapon off, but the electric shock he had given her left her all but too weak to do anything but choke.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen!", Galamyr gloats with a chuckle. "My men & I have got more tricks up our sleeve than even the greatest magician, Artemis! It's too bad you won't be able to learn that for much longer, let alone remedy your fatal mistake!"

He could be right about that simple fact, & Artemis knows it. No matter how valiantly she struggles & strains to remove his staff off & away from her throat, she cannot do so in her current condition, much less breathe. She had been totally unprepared for Galamyr's counterstrike, & now her lack of vigilance is about to cost her.

Big time.

Her face turns from red to blue, & her eyes start to go into her head.

The struggle against King Ghidorah reaches a boiling point: Diana's lasso is wrapped around the creature's necks, heads, & mouths & kept taut with Troia & Hawkgirl's help, while Wonder Girl used her lasso to tie his legs together & pulls with help from Starfire, Supergirl, & Power Girl. In the rear, Mothra took hold of Ghidorah's tails with her six legs & sends an electric current through, similar to what Wonder Girl does using her lasso & mere thought. Bleeding from numerous wounds caused by Mothra's stingers & the poison they contain, King Ghidorah frantically pulls on his reins & butterfly foe to free himself, getting more fiercely in his attempts than before, even with electricity & poison coursing through him.

It was like King Ghidorah was immune to it.

Seeing that he hasn't let up in his raging & thrashing in the slightest as far as they can see, the super-heroines fear the worst.

Son of a bitch!, Hawkgirl thought. He's got poison in his bloodstream, & electrical voltage from both Cassie's lasso & Mothra! Plus, he's bleeding from countless areas! What does it take to put this mad dog down?

"Dammit!", Wonder Girl pouted. "Doesn't this asshole know when to throw in the towel? I'm starting to slip here!"

"So am I!", Troia announced. "My arms feel like they'll be torn out from their sockets! By holy Olympus, this thing is powerful! I don't know how much longer I can keep this up!"

"Try to ignore it as best you can!", Wonder Woman pleads. "Please, for Gaea's sake, & for all of Themyscira, don't let King Ghidorah get loose, especially now that we've got him where we want him!"

As determined as Diana is to keep Ghidorah restrained, she knows she should take her own advice. Her own arms feel the same way Troia's do, & doesn't know just how long she can continue, or hold out. Like the rest of her teammates, each of her muscles strain & ache beyond belief, & before too long, either she or one of them will finally give out.

Cassandra is the first.

"I can't…hold on…anymore!", she says, releasing her grip on her lasso & cutting the charge from it.

"Cassie!", Supergirl called out, seeing her friend spent. She, Starfire, & Power Girl reach out with one hand to grab her, loosening the pull on Ghidorah's legs.

"Ladies, no!", Hawkgirl shouts. "Grab that lasso & pull before King Ghidorah…"

It was too late: feeling less pressure on the lasso than before, Ghidorah yanks his three heads backwards, forcing Wonder Woman, Troia, & Hawkgirl to let go, losing their game of tug-of-war. The golden dragon then shakes his heads & legs to rid himself of both golden enchanted ropes & whips his twin tails around to make Mothra release her hold on him hastily & gets flipped like a giant flapjack, going head over heels, but unlike before, she is able to stop herself from crashing into any land mass on Themyscira or splash into the ocean.

Both lassos go tumbling down to the water, far out of reach of Diana or Cassandra. Knowing full well that they'll still be needed against the three-headed horror, Cassie & Kara nod & dive down like hungry hawks to retrieve them.

"Hang tight, Diana! We'll get them back!", Wonder Girl says.

"Ladies, wait!", Hawkgirl pleads. "Ghidorah…"

Kendra's plea gets cut short when the aforementioned creature bellows a loud & vicious roar from his trio of heads, being finally free of his golden, indestructible bonds. The remaining heroines get alert real fast for any surprise attacks from their monstrous enemy, believing he will at any second spit his yellow gravity beams & fry them where they float.

Strangely, he doesn't.

At that moment, something else catches King Ghidorah's eyesight, making him ignore Wonder Woman & her allies. It was Wonder Girl & Supergirl, racing to grab both magic lassos before they hit the drink. The triple-domed terror watches the young heroines, almost as if fascinated by them, swoop down & snatch them. Wonder Girl grabs her own, while Supergirl nabs Diana's. They suddenly get a frigid chill racing up their spines, feeling like they're being observed. Looking up, the expressions on their faces go from determination to one with horror as they had momentarily forgotten the golden dragon, concentrating solely on retrieving the lassos. Already the monster's mouths light up inside, intending to roast them on the spot. Wonder Woman & her friends get the same chill up their own spines, knowing that none of them can reach either in time, in spite of their high velocity. Worse, neither Cassie nor Kara would survive a blast; Kara already suffered one from before, which made it seem to her like she had died, & has no intention of going through an experience like it again, & Cassie, despite being given her powers & abilities from Zeus himself, will possibly be killed should even one of Ghidorah's beams make contact.

Hera help them, please!, Diana pleads & begs, hoping her silent but desperate prayer will be answered by Zeus' sister or in any way possible.

Thankfully, it does, but not by Hera.

From above the three-headed horror, Mothra hovers silently & unleashes some kind of golden glitter from underneath her wings, sprinkling it down upon King Ghidorah like brightly-colored snow. This catches his attention, ignoring Wonder Girl & Supergirl, & extinguishing the beams from his mouths before one shot can be fired. Ghidorah looks up at the big butterfly as she continues raining the gold glitter on her foe, screeching softly as she does. Oddly,it doesn't burn or irritate Ghidorah like the powder Mothra hit him with days ago did. Undaunted by this new method of attack & getting really fed up by this frail creature's interference, King Ghidorah reignites his mouths to prepare launching his beams, ready to be rid of her once & for all.

Cutting loose with his primary weapon(s), Ghidorah's beams only reach out a fraction from his mouths, never touching Mothra, & the super-heroines clearly see as to why that is.

"X'hal!", said Starfire. "Did you all see that?"

"We sure did, Kory!", said Hawkgirl. "That glitter somehow reflects King Ghidorah's beams & sends them directly back to him!"

"Now that's a neat trick if I ever saw one!", Power Girl says with a smile.

"Ditto, Karen!", Troia says gleefully. "That big butterfly is just full of surprises! I've never met or seen such a remarkable creature!"

"Neither have I, Donna!", Wonder Woman says, clearly fascinated. "Mothra's weapons are great, but it's her own faith that makes her strongest!" She turns to her friends, smiling. "Does that sound familiar to any of you?"

Starfire, Troia, & Hawkgirl share Power Girl & Wonder Woman in placing smiles on their faces, because they know that Diana is right—it does sound familiar. Time & again, the Amazon Princess has been telling her friends that any battle can be won if one has faith in his/her soul, no matter how grim or hopeless a situation is; even someone like Batman can have faith in his soul if he digs deep enough (despite the fact that he'll probably never admit to that).

With the heroines viewing at a distance, King Ghidorah still attempts to shoot his beams at Mothra again & again, only to result in the same conclusion—each beam he fires gets ricocheted & reflected back into his mouths, each try more determined than the previous one. On his tenth try, the energy feedback proved to be too much for even him to handle, & the three-headed horror gets a very powerful & highly painful surge in each one of his heads, feeling exactly as if somebody had just set off a highly explosive bomb in them. Unable to bear the overloading pain, King Ghidorah blares out the highest screech he can before his vision goes dark & he begins to fall down like a boulder & splash into the ocean below him.

"YES!", Wonder Girl & Supergirl shout in triumph, watching King Ghidorah finally defeated & drop into the water, putting distance to avoid the gargantuan body & the ensuing splash that erupts from where the monster struck.

With their free hands, the young heroines high-five each other.

"One troublesome monster down…", Supergirl begun to say.

"And one to go!", Wonder Girl finishes.

They turn their gaze on Paradise Island.

King Ghidorah wasn't the only one to receive a painful surge running through his head(s); at that same time, Galamyr had triumphed over the Bana-Mighdall Amazon known as Artemis, who successfully infiltrated his forces & reached outside the Royal Palace, facing the madman in a mano a mano conflict, only to meet defeat by his hand due to a hidden trick from his armored glove & his staff pressed against her throat, cutting off her air passage as her face color turns from red to blue, & the whites of her eyes almost becoming all visible.

Suddenly, his own head feels like someone lit a raging inferno within it, & he clutches his head with his hands, yelling out like a banshee & falling backwards, his staff freed from Artemis' throat, enabling her to breathe again. The dictator warrior manages to yank off his helmet, which was now smoking & cackling with electric sparks just before he lands on his back, blacking out.

Galamyr didn't know how long exactly he had been out for: all he remembered was triumphing over Artemis, when a stab of pain hit his skull like he was stabbed. He still had a tremendous headache when he awoke, & his vision was all a blur. It took a couple of moments for it to get into focus again, but when it did, he somehow wished it hadn't, because what he was now seeing was an unpleasant sight.

His helmet & staff were at his side, but both were totally burned out & ruined, still cackling with electricity & smoking.

"No!", Galamyr cursed, seeing his beloved devices become broken toys. This is what the man had feared: with the helmet out of commission, there was no way for him to keep Ghidorah in control & not go wild. Galamyr's brainwaves helped to achieve that. Worse, since the staff has shared his helme's fate, the magical yellow collars around the Amazon's necks would vanish in an instant, returning their strength, stamina, & agility. Yes, it was their pistols that launched these little trinkets, but it was the staff which channeled their power, keeping them going & activated.

Now that it's gone, the Amazons could overrun him & his men in short order, if they haven't already.

As for King Ghidorah, he's either off running to places unknown or has met defeat.

"Oh yes, Galamyr!", Hippolyta said, pointing her own staff at the fallen madman. The Queen of Themyscira was the first of many unpleasantries Galamyr bears witness to, aside from his ruined trinkets. He sees Elios & dozens of his men gathered in a massive pile next to him & held at spear or swordpoint by countless Amazons. Nearly all the men—once the captors, who have now become the captives—have cuts & bruises on their faces & bodies, telling Galamyr that his men were doubtlessly caught off-guard when the collars dissipated & fell quickly in great numbers, if he could really believe that. He also didn't doubt that all this occurred when he was suffering a terrible migraine that put him out & under temporarily. On top of it all, the seven super-heroines—Wonder Woman, Troia, Starfire, Wonder Girl, Supergirl, Power Girl, & Hawkgirl—were standing right beside Hippolyta, along with Euboea, Phthia, Penelope, Phillipus, Mala, & Artemis, the latter group wielding swords & pointing them at their defeated adversary.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen!", said Artemis with a smirk, reciting what Galamyr told her before in their scuffle.

"How in the hell can this be?", Galamyr asked, stunned. "My men had you all under the strictest surveillance! Even though you lost you collars, they should've beaten you! Why the hell did they not?"

"Never underestimate the fighting skills or prowess of an Amazon, barbarian!", Phillipus said. "Your brother Heracles did, & it led to his downfall, just as it does you! You're no better than he was all those centuries ago!"

"And he's just as stupid as his brother, too!", Penelope adds. "He thought he can bend our peaceful nature & convert it to his destructive, malicious way! Worse, he unleashed it upon a world which doesn't need any more malcontent or malevolence than it already has!"

"Above all else, he was moch too arrogant for his own good, relying too much on his technology, rather than his own skills!", Mala states. "An inflated ego never does anyone any good: it can only become one's undoing, which is why he's lost this battle of the sexes!"

"And he will not receive a second chance to renew this conflict!", Hippolyta says. "Galamyr, for high treason & blasphemous crimes against not only our home but also against Man's World, I hereby place you & the remainder of your men under arrest, wheras you will all pay dearly up to & including the fullest extent of Themysciran law!"

Galamyr, Elios, & the now-captive men knew what that meant: despite their peaceful nature, the Amazons plan to have them all executed for their barbarious actions, & they'll do it without any hint of clemency or compassion. They already know that some Amazons are killers at heart, preferably the Bana-Mighdalls, & Artemis in particular, seeing as how she had permanently taken out several of his sentrys before. Even Wonder Woman & her super-heroines would show no mercy toward him for his crimes against Paradise Island, their benevolence set aside. For Diana, it was understandable—she was actually born here in this tranquil place, & cherishes it as much as any of her sisters do, & she'll put aside her ideals to mete out the harshest punishment the Amazons have in mind for them.

Of course, always the trickster, neither he nor his men plan to stay around for their execution.

He looks at Elios with a small grin, who looks back & does the same, nodding.

"That's only gonna happen if you people can hold onto us!", Galamyr says with a grin that grows. While he spoke, he & Elios carefully but quickly snuck their hands into their pockets, grabbing a handful of the contents inside. Having what they wanted, they swiftly snap their hands forward, releasing multiple marble-sized silver orbs that hover above everyone. They remain steady in the air for full three seconds before exploding, the sound like someone popping balloons with a steady flame. The orbs release a near-blinding flash of light which stings the eyes of all the Amazons & super-heroines, the unexpectedness startling them. A full minute & a half passes before anyone could see again, & once their visions clear, they notice something terribly wrong & literally amiss.

"Dammit!", Wonder Girl, Supergirl, & Power Girl say in unison.

"Son of a bitch!", Hawkgirl spat.

"They're gone!", Troia says, stating the obvious. "Blast them to Hades, they're gone!"

"This is bad, my queen!", Phthia said. "If Galamyr & his men escape, all of what transpired will only be repeated, & we don't want that!"

"You are correct, Phthia!", Hippolyta said as she now addresses everyone. "We may not be so lucky by another attack from Galamyr & his men! All of you, spread out & search for them! Leave no stone unturned! They mustn't be allowed to escape, not after what they've done to our beautiful home!"

Supergirl suddenly catches a sound from her super-hearing which grows with each passing second.

"Hold on! I hear something!", she announced.

"What does it sound like, Kara?", asked Starfire.

"It sounds very much like…"

"Like the engines of our escape vehicles!", Galamyr calls out, now seen hovering just over the side of the Royal Palace in one of two floating, rectangular silver vehicles. Both looked like a convertible without any wheels or roof covering, but had a windshield at the front. They measured a good 15-20 feet in width, & about 50-60 feet in length. Galamyr & his men (whoever was left alive) all rested comfortably in their many seats, looking like they were out for no more than a Sunday drive through the park, with Elios at the steering wheel of the vehicle his leader was in.

"Quite the beauties, aren't they?", Galamyr continued, partly acting like a school jock showing off his ride to the girls who attend. "State-of-the-art technology, with speeds up to Mach 2, complete with invisibility & cloaking devices—totally undetectable by any of Earth's most powerful satellites, even by those with the most 'keen' of eyesights! You see? Technology does have an advantage over primitive customs! That's why we like to rely on it a lot—you can never tell when some trinkets like these might just save your life in dire conditions! Try it sometime; you might be surprised! Until next time, Amazons—and believe me, there will be one!"

Pointing his hand forward was all Elios needed to put the hovercar in motion, speeding away from Paradise Island with the second one following behind.

"No there won't, Galamyr! This ends today & now!", Wonder Woman barks as she, Starfire, Hawkgirl, Power Girl, & Troia take off into the sky in full pusuit of the escapees. Wonder Girl is about to join them, but Supergirl suddenly grabs her arm & prevents her from taking off.

"Cassie, wait!", Supergirl says.

"Kara, what…why are you stopping me?", Wonder Girl asked. "Galamyr's getting away!"

"I know that, but…"

"But what?"

"There's something you need to know first, & it's very important!"

Having her undivided attention, Kara Zor-El gives Cassandra the details.

The five heroines race after Galamyr & his fleeing band of barbarians, going full speed & getting about three hundred & twenty-five feet from Themyscira.

Until one of them explodes in a fiery holocaust.

The vehicle (not the one Galamyr occupies) gets struck by Mothra's twin rainbow beams from her antennae, hitting it & causing it to make a dive & plummet into the ocean as a pile of scorched metal & charred skeletons. It hits the water with a surprisingly big splash, probably due to the velocity of the drop. Mothra was behind Wonder Woman & the other heroines by thirty feet, & like them, could catch up in no time flat & carry out the same sentence to him, Elios, & the rest of his troops like she did to the first vehicle, or simply blast them from where she was like before.

But, being the ever so cool-headed individual under any kind of pressure, Galamyr finds a way out of his predicament, & he wastes no time in exploiting it!

He orders Elios to bring their vehicle to a halt & gets something from between his seat.

"Not so fast, ladies!", Galamyr demands, leaning partially over the vehicle's edge, his arms stretched out, his hands in fists. Neither the super-heroines nor Mothra comply to his command at first, but upon closer inspection, they can all see what—or rather who—the madman is holding in his grip, & they halt dead in their tracks with a chill.

The Shobijin twins are being held hostage in Galamyr's grip, each twin in each hand!

"No!", Troia said.

"Ah, so you can see who it is I have, then!", he says, his tone devoid of any cockiness, being all serious business. "Then I'm sure you all know that I can dispose of them simply by dropping them into the water below, or just squeeze the life out of them in my own bare hands until they're nothing more than a bloody, sticky mess!"

"Galamyr, you monster!", Starfire barked. "Only a coward would hide behind innocent beings & use them as living shields!"

"Maybe, alien girl, but it's a tactic that works in getting results!"

"Do you really believe you'd get away & escape punishment this way, Galamyr?", asked Power Girl.

"As a mater of fact, I do!"

"Let them go, animal!", Wonder Woman demanded. "Your beef is with us, not them!"

"If any harm comes to either of them, Galamyr, so help me I'll tear your head off & present it as a trophy!", Hawkgirl threatened.

"You ladies are in no position to give me orders, let alone threaten me!", Galamyr retaliated. "I'll be doing so, & I'm ordering you all to step back while we make our getaway! Should any of you even think of coming after us, my men & I will be deprived of two new slaves to do with as we please! At least they aren't in any position to defy us, unlike you!" He glances at the big butterfly. "That goes for you too, Mothra! Attempt to stop us, & these little girls are nothing but a bad memory! Understand?"

The heroines & Lepidopteran quickly rethink their situation: if they allow Galmyr to escape, he'll come back to Themyscira & deploy another invasion against the Amazons, & he'll no doubt have better weaponry or even another giant beast to aide him—ones that'll be more than they can handle. But if they get any closer to him, he'll kill the Shobijin twins without a second thought, something none of them would dare have on their conscience. Yes, they want justice for what Galamyr had done—but at what price?

With no other options, Wonder Woman makes the decision for everyone.

"Well, what'll it be, ladies?", Galamyr snapped. "My patience is at an end!"

"All right, Galamyr!", Diana snapped back. "You win!"

Her answer gives satisfaction to the male warrior but surprise & a little anger from her friends, hardly believing her words.

"What?", Troia says. "Diana, you can't mean to just let him…"

"I'm afraid so, Donna", she says, facing her sister. "Please, for the sake of the twins, let them go. I won't risk their lives in this manner, & neither should any of you."

The heroines look at each other. As badly as they want Galamyr to pay, Diana knows that not one of them was willing to risk getting the twins killed for any reason. Having the same compassion for the twins as Diana does, they nod & do as Galamyr forcefully instructed.

Seeing his enemies backing away, Galamyr grins widely, glad that he once again has the upper hand.

"Yes! Those are good girls!", he says maliciously, bringing the Shobijin twins to his face & have them meet his stare. "Say goodbye to your island, ladies! You shan't be going to see it ever again, & you're going to do just what we tell you to if you both wish to stay alive! But don't you worry—in time, you'll learn to appreciate us!"

Totally helpless in his grip, the twins look at Galamyr with a high degree of trepidation in their souls. Not since the Roliscan known as Clark Nelson have the little girls met someone so evil in mind, body, & spirit. Even if they weren't only six inches tall, the twins would've had no chance of escaping this man's clutch.

It would seem that, in the long run, the victor in this battle between the sexes is Galamyr.

Or so he thinks.

From out of nowhere, the end of a golden yellow whip slaps Galamyr in the face between the eyes, causing him to cover his face with his hands & cry out, thereby releasing his hold on & letting go of the twins, both of whom start to plummet down into the ocean for a fate of drowning like the first squadron of Galamyr's retreating soldiers. As scary as it was to see them go into freefall heroines—or even Mothra—were worried in the slightest, because their flight down to the water was abruptly cut short by one of two young saviors.

Wonder Girl & Supergirl!

On Themyscira, Kara explained to Cassie that she did an x-ray scan of the escaping vehicles when they were visible, & told her of the Shobijin twins occupying the one Galamyr was in. The Kryptonian teenager explained that the dictator could possibly use them as hostages & escape with little or no interference, or worse, Mothra, Diana & the others could attack without that vital knowledge, unintentionally killing the twins. So they took matters into their own hands by remaining out of sight as they approached Galamyr's craft & waited for the perfect time to strike.

That time was now: once Cassie smacked Galamyr with one end of her lasso & forced him to release the twins, Kara flew up & caught them both as gently as she could, not wanting to break even one of their small, frail bones. Cradling them in cupped hands, Supergirl heads over to Diana & company, with Wonder Girl right beside her.

"You can all rest easy! The twins are safe!", Supergirl said,showing her allies their little friends in Kara's cupped hands, both of whom smile at the sight of Diana & the rest, knowing they're once more in good, safe hands. Even Mothra can see it for herself, & she gives the young heroine a screech of approval & appreciation, happy beyond measure that her tiny twin guardians are still alive & well, all due in no small part to these extraordinary humans she has aligned herself with.

But now, that joyful feeling has dissipated within Mothra, turning it to anger & rage at Galamyr & his surviving men, who have dared to threaten the twins' lives. The same goes for Wonder Woman & company, & resume their pursuit of their aggressors. With no hostages to hide behind, Galamyr knows he & his men won't stand a snowball's chance in Hell of winning.

"Elios, go, goddammit! Get us out of here!", he says in a shaky, panic-stricken voice, the first time he'd shown it out in the open to his troops. Elios fumbled with the controls for only a milli-second before getting their escape vehicle moving again, wishing it could go faster than Mach 2.

Mothra flies past the heroines & leads the pursuit of Galamyr, intending to finish what she started, up close & personal. She gains on the fleeing warriors, getting within less than two hundred feet…

…when a huge splash erupts from below the water's surface, revealing the three-headed monstrosity King Ghidorah, battered & bruised, but still alive—and enraged!

"No way!", Troia said, disbelieving her eyes.

"After all that, & he still lives?", Power Girl says.

"Damn him, he just won't quit!", Hawkgirl growled.

King Ghidorah's sudden reappearance forces Mothra to forget about Galamyr for the moment & turn her attention back to the golden dragon, who races straight for the enormous butterfly.

"Excellent!", Galamyr says, grabbing the opportunity given to him,rather than conjuring it up like he always does. "While King Ghidorah & Mothra fight, we'll take advantage of the confusion & escape! Onward!"

The vehicle flies away unperturbed, something Wonder Woman & her allies will not allow.

"No! You're not getting away from us, monster!", she snapped, launching herself like a human missile after her hated foe. Starfire, Troia, Power Girl, & Hawkgirl join her in pursuit & race to a distance of a hundred feet before something unbelievable happens that makes them cease their rushed flight.

Mothra & King Ghidorah fly closer & closer to one another, with neither of them stopping in their charge, let alone slow it down. Both giant combatants get within striking distance as they finish their deadly game of chicken, with 'deadly' being the appropriate term for it.

That was when it happens.

The super-heroines were all wide-eyed & speechless.

Galamyr's craft was still speeding away from Themyscira, but at a more leisurely pace, his confidence returning at the sight of King Ghidorah's emergence from the ocean. He's fairly sure that his giant pet will finish off Mothra & her super-heroine allies, even though he's no longer under his control, what with his helmet kaput. As for Themyscira, it did shame him to lose a beautiful haven like that, but he learned that there are other fabulous places on Earth which he & his men can set up shop & resume what he started on Paradise Island. Besides, once King Ghidorah gets finished with his enemies racing toward & trying to catch him, he'll probably head over there & turn it into a barren isle, like he'd done to many planets. It's a perfect revenge—if he can't have Themyscira, then neither can the Amazons.

His pleasant thoughts get interrupted when three large objects fall from the sky & grab his attention & does the same with Elios & the rest. The ones closest to the sides of the vehicle look over—including Galamyr—and catch a glimpse of what fell past them just before they all hit the water, disappearing from sight.

Now it was their eyes that go agape.

"Ghidorah?"

Or more precisely, his heads: when the monster warriors clashed, Mothra somehow used the front part of her wings to slice & sever King Ghidorah's heads off near the stumps in one clean swipe, like a samurai sword would do to a melon. Galamyr couldn't believe it—the monster was larger & stronger than his adversary, & she managed to give Ghidorah the ultimate haircut for anyone or anything. His hovering craft suddenly turns dark despite the shining sun & grows, causing Galamyr & his men to look skyward. They get a chill all over, for the headless body of King Ghidorah gets dropped from above by Mothra, who grabs the carcass right after the beheadings & takes it over to Galamyr's escaping craft & dumps it right on top of them, much like a B-52 bomber would do to its arsenal to the enemy. The men had no time to speed ahead or dodge to one side to avoid the plummeting carcass. They didn't even have time to scream: King Ghidorah's body crashes & slams into the hovercar, & the ensuing explosion not only kills Galamyr & all aboard, but blows a hole in Ghidorah's chest, spraying ichor & pinkish blood everywhere. Men, machine, & monster all go down together in a heap of flesh & metal & cause a huge splash in the ocean, sinking faster than the famed Titanic did back in April of 1912.

Supergirl & Wonder Girl catch up to their friends, the former still carrying the Shobijin twins in her cupped hands, watching every second of the spectacle that just occurred.

"Ouch!", was all the young Kryptonian could say about it.

"That's gotta hurt!", Wonder Girl says, reciting a line from a movie starring Jim Carrey, where he finds an ancient mask that gives him extraordinary powers come nightfall; she even sounded like him a little bit.

"Could not have happened to anyone more deserving!", Starfire said, & meant it.

"I could not agree more!", Hawkgirl said with pleasure. "May he & his band burn in Hell!"

"A little extreme, don't you ladies think?", asked Power Girl.

"My deepest apologies, Karen", Starfire says, "but if anyone was to invade my home of Tamaran, I would retaliate in kind. No doubt Kendra would do the same."

"And I've no doubt that Hippolyta had punishment similar to that in mind for Galamyr & his men, regardless of her peaceful status", said Troia. "She can be pretty frightening like that, I have to admit."

"Tell me about it", Wonder Woman said with a smirk. Troia joins her for one.

"At least we can look on the bright side", Power Girl says. "The bad guys are beaten & both Paradise Island & the rest of the world is safe from Galamyr's tyranny and King Ghidorah's savageness. Let's be thankful for that."

"Actually, Karen, there's still a loose end we need to tie up", Wonder Girl puts in.

It took a moment for Karen, Kara, & Kendra to discover what Cassie was talking about, but it suddenly hits them.

"Now I remember!", Supergirl said. "On our way back to Themyscira, you mentioned to Karen, Kendra, & myself that Galamyr had a mysterious 'employer' who supplied him with all those fancy gadgets & weaponry, including the monster King Ghidorah!"

"But what good will that do for us now, Cassie?", Hawkgirl wondered. "We haven't a clue as to who that might be, & it's not like we can ask Galamyr, now that he's sharing space in Davy Jones' locker below the water."

"We won't need to, Kendra", Wonder Woman said matter of factly. "I have a fairly good idea of whom Galamyr was speaking of."

It struck Troia almost immediately. "Sis, do you mean…"

"Yes, Donna. Everyone, follow me! I know where to go!"

CHAPTER IX

The Grecian island of Aeaea:

She rests comfortably on her bed, with fluffed-up pillows & white sheets that were as soft as a cloud which provides her the best sleep she or anyone could wish for. Except for only a few snakes with legs, furry animals that resemble rats, & a horrid hybrid of a horse & a man (the legs & tail of an equestrian & the body of a bare-chested man), this woman was alone, lying on her stomach, watching some kind of giant crystal ball nearly the size of a gym's medicine ball, held up by a marble stand with four tentacles keeping it in place. Purple shades decorate her sleeping quarters, & like ancient Greece, the room had no doors or windows—only thick marble posts holding up the ceiling. Gazing into her glowing ball, she seemed pretty impressed by the show it was presenting to her, amused enough to make her smile. This woman had a height of 5 feet & 11 inches, & wore a green dress which resembles something an Egyptian belly-dancer would wear. Gold, jeweled bracelets adorned her wrists, while thin necklaces lay across her chest. A gold belt was around her waist, & a gold choker on her neck. She had ancient gold earrings, red eyes, & a wave of long & beautiful purple hair. Despite the natural beauty & graceful appearance of this female, she was anything but in nature: for thousands of years, she has lived on the island of Aeaea, becoming immortal after making a pact with the witch-goddess Hecate. She has wittingly led men to their deaths by luring them to her island using a sweet swan song. The lucky ones were killed immediately; those unfortunate enough to have survived were met with a fate worse than death, becoming what are known as 'beastiamorphs', abominations that are half-man, half-beast. This woman had acquired this power when she discovered alien remains in the same place as what the modern world now calls Qurac. It was this woman who also had her agent Ariadne to successfully kill Antiope, the sister of Themyscira's Queen Hippolyta long ago.

Now, in this day & age, she has caused torment to her child Diana, better known to the outside world as Wonder Woman; she has attempted to turn the Amazon Princess into the enchanted clay she was 'born' from, spawned a calamitous War of the Gods, causing the universe's most powerful entities against each other, & even tried to pit the two tribes of Amazons to battle amongst themselves by sending the whole island of Themyscira into a dimension occupied by demons. She has even once joined the Injustice Gang, a group of the Justice League's vilest villains—a group which had Ocean Master, Mirror Master, Doctor Light, The Joker, & the Metropolis Mogul known as Lex Luthor, the one who brought the band together for one goal: to eliminate the League.

Her hatred for Diana & everything she holds dear knows no bounds, & would gladly cause so much as global genocide in order to be rid of her, or simply to torture her peace-loving soul to the brink of insanity.

This woman is evil incarnate.

This woman also has a name, one Wonder Woman screams as she approaches her living quarters & flies in, with Troia, Starfire, Wonder Girl, Supergirl, Power Girl, & Hawkgirl all acting as backup, all of whom were no more happy to meet this person as Diana is.

"CIRCE!"

The snake, rat, & half-beast creatures begin to converge on the super-heroine intruders once they touch ground, snarling with animalistic fury, but a quick & vicious blast from Starfire's beam & Supergirl's heat vision makes them pause in their tracks & rethink their situation.

"Get out of here!", Kara Zor-El & Koriand'r shouted as the Beastiamorphs do exactly that.

As the abominations exit Circe's living chambers, the purple-haired witch calmly sits herself upright on her bed like the heroines' appearance was no big deal. In fact, she even wears a pleasant smile on her face, like she was an old friend of the family which she had expected to show.

Truth be told, that is precisely what she had expected.

"Diana!", Circe began. "How nice of you & your friends to come & pay me a visit to my humble abode! Gee whiz, if I'd known you were all coming on such short notice, I'd've baked a cake! Oh wait—I did know you were coming!" Circe chortles a bit. "So how about it, kids? Name your favorite flavor, & I'm sure I can conjure it up for you!"

"Skip the pleasantries, witch!", Wonder Woman snapped. "We don't want anything from you except answers!"

"And since you told us you were expecting our arrival", Troia adds, "you obviously know as to why we're here, so spill it!"

"Or what, dear Donna? You think any of you are a threat to me? I can vaporize the lot of you without even breaking a sweat! This isn't your beloved Paradise Island! You're in my domain, so I advise you all to go & watch your tongues with me!"

"We are more of a threat to you than you might think, Circe!", Hawkgirl tells her. "Before we arrived, we've been enchanted by a good friend with an aura of the moly herb! I take it you're quite familiar with it?"

Circe frowns, giving Kendra & the rest the answer to her question. The moly herb is the only weakness—and protection—against the witch's magic spells, giving the seven heroines complete immunity to her sorcery. Aside from this setback, Circe's smile returns, even praising the ladies' resourcefulness.

"Bravo, girls", she says, clapping her hands a bit. "I'm quite impressed, spraying yourselves with the one thing my magics have no effect on. Nice. Now then, you mentioned I know the reason why you're all here?"

"Damn straight you do!", Wonder Woman said firmly. "The firearms which Galamyr & his men used to drain the strength & stamina of my mother & fellow Amazons, the staff he used to conjure up the monster King Ghidorah, the orbs he used to escape punishment at my home—did you really think I wouldn't have felt the sorcery from those gadgets? Sorcery which I know came straight from you?"

"Oops! Looks like the cat's out of the bag!", Circe said. "I guess you could say I had a hand in all this. Let me tell you a little story, Diana: centuries ago, after Heracles met defeat at the hands of your mother, Hippolyta, & the Amazons split into two groups to go their separate ways, the son of Hercules' younger brother, Galamyr, wanted to avenge him, but I knew he would've only suffered the same humiliating defeat by their hands had he tried. So I did what any dear monk would do a bunch of stray travelers who had no place to go & no pourpose in life—I took them under my wing. Of course, I had to make them into Beastiamorphs so they would fit right in, but I doubt they would complain as I had them 'dressed for the occasion', you might say. They fit right in my society, serving me at my every whim whenever the need for it came. Then, after 3,000 years, I learned that Queen Hippolyta had a child—you—who eventually became Wonder Woman. So, after a few words with Heracles' younger brother, I sent him & his squadron back to the island where they resided for thirty centuries previous, transforming them back into their normal selves. In private, I told Galamyr that the time for his revenge against your Amazon brethren would come soon, once I had supplied him with the proper 'equipment' for the job."

"So Diana was right: you did mastermind the attack on Themyscira!", said Power Girl.

Circe's eyes went wide as if in surprise, which, oddly enough, she was.

"Mastermind? Moi?", she says, placing her hand over her heart before blurting out a boisterous laugh.

"What the hell's so funny, Circe?", Wonder Girl spat.

"Oh, this is too rich!", Circe said. "Dear child, I merely supplied the magics & weaponry to Galamyr's men. The rest was someone else's idea. All I did was sit back & watch with joy as things unfolded, taking utmost pleasure in seeing Paradise Island get what it deserved."

Diana wanted nothing better than to pound the stuffing out of Circe, as her anger was starting to consume her upon hearing her words of blasphemy, including that of her beloved home. Donna sensed it within her, & grabbed her wrist before she could act out, shaking her head. Diana takes her sister's advice & simmers down, knowing that violence wasn't the solution to the problem right now.

At least not for Circe, as difficult as that sounded or seemed.

Instead of lashing out, Diana presses on for more answers.

"So you mean to tell us that someone else was pulling the strings & orchestrated the invasion of my home?", she asked.

"I'd give you a cigar if only you smoked, Diana, but—bingo!", Circe says. "You hit the nail right on the head, like I knew you would!"

"Then tell us, Circe, because we're in no mood for riddles!", Power Girl demanded. "Who's the real instigator in all this if it isn't you?"

"Why bother to tell you when I can just show you who I mean? Give me one minute, & it'll be presented to you as clear as day. Fair enough?"

"Just get on with it!", Starfire said sternly.

Circe didn't comment on the alien princess' harsh comment, turning to her crystal ball instead. With a wave of her hand, the ball at first showed a vague fog of grayish white, swirling like a river of air. Although eager to discover the actual perpetrator of Galamyr's heinous assault upon Themyscira, the seven super-heroines wait patiently for the crystal ball to reveal the true mastermind behind their troubles the last few days. They give Circe the minute she asked for, & a minute was all that was needed to show a picture.

What they saw gave them a stunning feeling which affected their entire bodies, & their eyes widened as the kingpin(s) were revealed.

"So folks—do they seem familiar?", Circe gloated, guffawing wickedly.

"X'hal!", Starfire said.

"Great Krypton!", Supergirl said.

"Yowza!", Wonder Girl & Power Girl said together.

"Great Hera!", Wonder Woman & Troia said in unison.

"Them?", Hawkgirl said.

When the numbness wore off, it got replaced by a burning sensation, one of abhorrence.

Time to pay them a little visit!, Diana thought, scowling with rage.

The planet of Apokolips:

The fiery furnaces of the bleak planet burn bright & fierce like volcanoes sputtering their contents in protest after being dormant for so long. A dismal orb in the far regions of outer space, this world has been spawned after the home of the Old Gods had been destroyed eons ago by a conflict mainly known as Ragnarok, giving birth to it & its sister world called New Genesis, the exact opposite in nature to the vile Apokolips. Unknown to the inhabitants of either planet, the destruction of the Old God's home that created the twin planets, torrents of hugely destructive power spread across time & space, with one searing bolt eventually reaching Earth, creating the fabled Gods of Mount Olympus. The ruler of Apokolips has twice attempted to capture the New Gods & use their power to his own ends. The first was when Wonder Woman & Superman were summoned to the Gods' domicile in an attempt to prevent his conquest of it by performing a battle against ech other to catch him off-guard. It was later revealed that the Gods of Mount Olympus could not be so easily conquered. The heroes' plans were only half-successful: they may have prevented the tyrant from obtaining the power he seeked, but failed in saving Olympus itself, as it had been primed to explode shortly thereafter.

Mount Olympus wasn't the only place in all the universe to have suffered under the heel of this cold-hearted ruler: New Genesis, of course, was another, enduring conflict after conflict for untold years, if not centuries. Their wars came to an uneasy end only after each ruler—that from New Genesis & Apokolips—had traded their sons to be raised in each other's care. But it didn't end there for Apokolips' king. He soon set his sights to Earth, believing that his search for what is known as the 'Anti-Life Equation' is a clue to its whereabouts. Time & again, he has targeted Earth for its location, along with that of New Olympus, in order to rule the entire cosmos & reshape it in his image, despite interference from the planet's super heroes & heroines.

He is known to few as Uxas, the son of Queen Heggra.

But many others know (& fear) him better as Darkseid, a tyrant with charred, gray skin & wearing blue armor who stands 8 feet & 9 inches tall, & no hair. His eyes glazed a most menacing red, which were capable of firing what he calls the Omega Beams, a pair of highly deadly projectiles of unequalled & limitless power that can disintegrate, annihilate, resurrect, or even transport anything it touches. Sitting on his gargantuan throne made specifically for him in a room with orange-yellow walls & measuring about a dozen bedrooms or more & twice/three times high accompanied by double doors wide as a person's height, he is joined by two others: one is a man who stands 5 feet & 11 inches tall, has a face with craggy features, & wears a dark pink robe, complete with hood. His other 'guest' is a being who sits Indian-style & floats in mid-air. This being measured at only 3 feet & 9 inches when standing, & wore a golden yellow suit, black belt, purple boots & gloves, with the arms bare. His eyes were blue, & aside from a mane of hair that circled the side & rear of his head, he was completely bald, a small purple hat with a blach stripe circling the rim rested on top. In the left corner of his mouth was a lit cigar he fired up using only the tip of a finger & puffed on it gingerly. The robed man is Desaad, a mostly loyal servant to the ruler of Apokolips, who savors in seeing others suffer immeasurably & specializes in torture. The floating mini-man is Mxyzptlk (pronounced 'Mix-yez-pit-lik'), an interdimensional imp. Hailing from the Fifth-Dimensional realm called Zrfff, he is an all-powerful entity despite his small size & comical appearanc, & his abilities are practically endless, ranging from bringing inanimate objects to life to making things appear out of thin air. One of those is a magical floating oval that has just finished screening the carnage Galamyr, his troops, & the monster King Ghidorah had caused to Paradise Island & the city of Los Angeles, & what led to their eventual defeat.

When all was said & done, Mxyzptlk snaps his fingers which makes the oval disappear & puffs on his lit cigar with glee, like the downfall of the black hats didn't matter much to him at all.

"The fools!", said Desaad, clearly displeased with the results. "They were supplied with the technology & sorcery by the witch Circe, while we did so with the monster King Ghidorah, & yet Galamyr & his squadron were still defeated by the Amazons, including this creature in which they call 'Mothra'!"

"Excuse me, grandpa", Mxyzptlk cut in, "but least you forget, it was I who supplied this King Ghidorah sap, & I don't hear any praise of, say, gratitude for my efforts on your behalf!"

"You expect gratitude from us for this failure? Consider yourself fortunate Lord Darkseid doesn't evaporate you with his deadly Omega Beams, you mischievous little scamp!"

Mxyzptlk simply grins while taking another drag from his cigar. Desaad was about to take a step toward the magic man, when he was halted by Darkseid who has remained silent throughout the show—until now.

"Enough!", he barks with force to wake the dead, silencing & halting Desaad indefinitely. He turns to the little magic man. "When I had agreed to this scheme of yours, imp, I did not do so for your personal enjoyment of seeing Wonder Woman or any of the Amazon's allies getting trampled by the golden dragon which you did indeed grant us with. My mission in this was to…"

"Yeah yeah, I know!", Mxyzptlk interrupted, an instant death sentence for any lesser being by the Lord of Apokolips. "You wanted to subdue the Amazons in order to know the location of New Olympus & seize their infinite power, blah blah blah! Like you didn't explain it to me for the umpteenth time!" He softens his tone, but not for Darkseid. "But hey, even you gotta admit that it was quite the blast in seeing the Wonder-babe & her friends getting trampled by Ghidorah! And my personal favorite—seeing ol' big blue himself getting walloped! Ha!"

"But my lord did not receive what he had wished to accomplish!", Desaad reminds him.

"Well, look at it this way—he almost had! Surely that should count for something!"

"Unfortunately for you, imp, Desaad is correct", said Darkseid. "In my book, 'almost' doesn't cut it with me. When I concoct a scheme, either solo or with a partner, I expect nothing less than the total domination of my enemies in order to obtain what it is I seek. While Galamyr had been supplied with the weapons & sorcery from the witch known as Circe—one of Wonder Woman's greatest foes, next to myself—and the creature King Ghidorah by you, Galamyr became too arrogant for his own good, which in turn, caused his humiliating defeat. A lesser being could've done a grander job with the supplies granted to him, & be totally dominant over the Amazons."

"And this 'Mothra' creature, my lord?", asked Desaad. "Do you believe…"

"That she poses any threat to me? Hardly, lowly Desaad. She is a mere insect, who was lucky enough to avoid being crushed underfoot. But rest assured: like all of Earth's subjects, this Mothra will succumb to the will of Darkseid when I become the sole victor in the war with Earth—a war which I intend to win."

"Great!", Mxyzptlk says cheerfully. "A sequel should definitely be in the works! Let's see—you know, I think I saw another big beastie which could assist you even better than that Three Stooges knockoff! I caught juuust a glimpse of it, but it looked to me like it was half-bionic, with a buzzsaw on its chest, a forked tail, hooks for hands, had a singular red cyclopsian eye, & a metal beak with teeth! So, when do my people call your people?"

Darkseid looks at the imp with burning red eyes. "We will not require your assistance for our next plot in achieving my goal, imp! Not unless you can assure us absolute & total success in anything you wish to provide us with! I will not tolerate anything less, as I've said before!"

"Whaaat, this cyborg monster isn't good enough for you, o mighty one?", Mxy asked, spreading out his arms in mock surprise. Watching the less than pleased facial expressions on Darkseid & even Desaad, Mxyzptlk frowns & crosses his arms at his chest. "Hmph! That's gratitude for ya! Help a guy & his butler to get him what he wants, & what do I get? The cold, ungratifying shoulder, is what! Fine—remind me not to send you people cards this Christmas!"

A sudden tremor rocks the room a little, getting the attention of the three occupants.

"W-What is that, sire?", Desaad asks. "Are we under attack?"

"Hardly, Desaad", Darkseid says. "I believe we have company."

The double doors of the room get kicked open from outside with such force, they were nearly knocked clean off their hinges. An angry Wonder Woman stood at the entrance, tossing away a pair of Darkseid's parademon troops—green-armored monstrosities with red eyes & sharp teeth who only pourpose in life is to serve the ruler of the bleak planet. Even armed with powerful lances, these troopers fell before Diana's might in seconds, leaving several more laying outside the room, failing in her attempt to reach the tyrant.

Like the coward he is deep down, Desaad cowers behind his master.

"YOU!", she shouted, unraveling her lasso & lashing it out like a whip, snagging Mxyzptlk by the waist & pulling him towards her. When he was in reach, Diana grabs him by the lapels of his outfit & stares at him with an irate glare.

"You're the one who brought King Ghidorah to be used by Galamyr so that he can trample on my home of Themyscira & bring injury & misery to my sisters!", Wonder Woman bellowed, shaking the imp violently. "Aren't you?"

"Hey hey, hands off the material, Courtney Cox!", Mxyzptlk said, pulling away from the irate Amazon.

"Answer the question!"

"My, aren't we in a fix!", said the imp, floating as he was before in a relaxed manner. "All right, doc, you talked me into it. Yes, it was I who found that triple-headed monstrosity that went & laid waste to your humble abode. I also confess that this whole harebrained ploy was all mine to begin with, if that makes you feel any better—your highness."

"Why, Mxyzptlk? I can understand Darkseid's involvement in this, but you? What's the point to you becoming a part of it? Usually you torment my good friend Superman with your mystical antics & pranks!"

"That's just it, Wonder-babe! Giving ol' big blue an abysmal headache on my quarterly visits to him is fun & all, but I've been looking for a little…variety in my diet! I mean, for example, how can a single person eat just one particular brand of food each day before he decides to try something different for a change? It's the same with me—and you, for that matter!"

"Meaning what?"

"Like Supes, you've tackled villains from other heroes' rogues galleries, right? There's that one time when you mangled with the Joker in Boston when your sister Artemis filled your shoes for a time. And let's not forget when you tackled Sinestro & Doomsday in Gateway City. You know, I think I also recall when…"

"I do not need reminding of whom I've quarreled over the years by one such as you, imp!"

"Ouch! Okay okay, sheesh! There's nothing wrong with your memory, I get it! The point is, Wonder-babe, I was bored with my usual routine, so I decided to try a new approach. In short, all I wanted was to have a little more fun in life. Is that so bad?"

"Fun?", Wonder Woman fumed loudly. "You think having my sisters & the innocent people of Los Angeles suffer King Ghidorah's unrelenting wrath & fury fun? Many of my sisters got injured on Themyscira, but many more perished in L.A., & for what? To amuse yourself? Have you no shame in what you've done, Mxyzptlk?"

"It's no different from what I would do, Amazon", Darkseid said in a normal tone. "To achieve what I seek, I would gladly slaughter an entire planet to obtain it, regardless of the obstacles such as the Kryptonian or yourself in my path."

"At least you have reason, Darkseid, though neither Superman nor I would ever allow you to commit global genocide on Earth! It seems that our last encounter has taught you nothing! I have told you—the information you seek in the whereabouts of New Olympus cannot be found on Themyscira! How many times must you be told before it finally sinks in?"

"It would also seem that you yourself has been taught nothing. While your humble home may not withhold the evidence of New Olympus' location, I am still confident that you alone are the key in unlocking the door that will lead me to ultimate power. With King Ghidorah's assistance, I had hoped that by holding your beloved Amazons captive, I could force you to submit to me its whereabouts. I probably would have this day, were it not for Galamyr's clumsiness & stupidity in that one, simple task."

"Yeah, well, all's well that ends well, right?", Mxyzptlk says. "Like it says in the super hero code book, the bad guys were defeated by the good guys, & so everything can get back to normal & we can all be happy again. No harm, no foul, right?"

"Wrong!", Wonder Woman snapped, stepping toward the imp, who backs away. "You've committed genocide on a high level, demolished two cities to mostly rubble, & aided & abetted a loathsome tyrant in his scheme which converged with your own! Magical imp or no, I vow to see you pay for all atrocities on your behalf!"

For all this time, Darkseid has remained seated in his throne until now. Upon Wonder Woman's approach towards Mxyzptlk, the Apokolitian ruler rises from his seat in all his 8-foot-9-inch-tall glory.

"That's far enough, Amazon!", he says, making Diana stop in her tracks. "Irritating & a pest the imp may be…"

"Hey! I resent that!", Mxyzptlk interrupted.

Darkseid ignored him & continued. "He is still a guest in my domain, unlike you! Therefore, I would highly advise you not to do anything foolish, lest you become a pile of ash at my whim!"

Wonder Woman smirked. "You mean like come here alone? You don't have to worry about that, great ruler!"

In unison, a series of holes were abruptly blown in the room from the outside, raining & showering it with debris & dust, forcing Darkseid, Desaad, & even Mxyzptlk to shield their eyes with their arms. When the dust settled, they were all gifted with an unwelcome sight.

"What?", Darkseid says, seeing his throne room occupied by an armada of super heroes & heroines: Martian Manhunter, Troia, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Flash, Power Girl, Black Lightning, Green Lantern, Starfire, Wonder Girl, Captain Marvel, Supergirl, Batman, & finally, Superman. The Caped Crusader, Scarlet Speeder, & Jeff Pierce came in through the open doors, while everyone else made the 'grand entrance' to the tyrant's throne room. All of them, however, had a defeated Parademon in his/her hands which they toss away like garbage bags in a nice, neat pile.

"Hello, mighty Darkseid!", Hawkman says.

"I take it this filth belongs to you!", said Hawkgirl, referring to the Parademons.

"Oh mama!", Mxyzptlk says, realizing he was vastly outnumbered even by his standards. He checks his wrist as if he was looking at an invisible watch. "Well, gee whiz, look at the time! My, it really does fly when you're having fun! You know, I think I hear Dipsy calling me, so toodles, au revoir, sayonara, & all that!"

Before anyone could stop him, Mxyzptlk recites his name backwards & disappears in a poof of purple smoke, leaving Darkseid alone with his servant Desaad, the latter still taking refuge behind the former.

"Do you truly believe, Princess, that the sudden arrival of your companions & disposal of my foot soldiers would entice me to cower like my servant?", Darkseid said, undettered by the sudden departure of the magical imp from the Fifth-Dimension. "Already the rest of my loyal Parademons are on their way to this very location upon your intrusion! Even if you all unleash the full might of your powers, I doubt you could battle, much less defeat, the thousands upon thousands of soldiers I have at my disposal!"

"We knew that upon arriving here, Darkseid!", said the Martian Manhunter.

"So we had taken a surefire precaution beforehand!", said Captain Marvel.

"What do you mean, mortal?", Darkseid demanded.

"What that means is", Batman explained, "we've set up an impenetrable barrier circling this entire complex of your palace, compliments of Big Barda herself! Should your Parademons so much as touch this barrier, they will only succeed in vaporzing themselves, as it is set to their genetics preferably! It will remain active until we completely & safely depart Apokolips!"

"You dare to outwit the mighty Darkseid in his own domain?", he bellowed.

"We do, & we have!", said Green Lantern.

"But we're not really here for battle, Darkseid!", said The Flash.

"We've come to deliver a message to you—one you'd best take to heart!", said Black Lightning.

"What kind of message?", asked Darkseid.

"This kind!", Superman says. "Ladies…"

In a near-blinding instant, Troia, Hawkgirl, Starfire, Supergirl, Wonder Girl, & Power Girl all speed toward the ruler of Apokolips & ram into him with the force of a hundred speeding trains. Desaad barely had time to dive out of the way from behind to avoid being crushed by his ruler's immense size & weight, as the heroines slam into Darkseid with a deafening impact, sending him into his throne & demolishing it to rubble before crashing him into the wall behind it. The half-dozen heroines keep Darkseid pinned in place, enabling Wonder Woman herself to mete out her punishment to the Apokoliptian tyrant. Her fists as hard as rocks, the Amazon Princess punches & buffets Darkseid in the face over & over again, using the same rage she had for King Ghidorah, & being not nearly as big as the three-headed horror, Darkseid immensely felt every blow Diana was laying out to him, even causing the humanoid monster to bleed badly from his nose & mouth. Desaad can only stare at the rigorous punishment his lord & master was receiving, having no super abilities of his own, let alone any courage to bring it to a halt. Even if he had, he would not be foolish enough to take on all the heroes of Earth in the room with him now—unless he wishes to receive what his master is.

Diana's fury makes even her companions fearful of her, for they have never seen their friend so unhinged before in all the time that have known her. One moment she was calm & collected, & the next she attacks like an injured, enraged animal. Even Batman feels a pinch of trepidation in him, seeing one the most beautiful, intelligent, & peace-loving beings he has had the pleasure of encountering go berserk like this. He'll never confess this to anyone, but he'd hate to have Diana as an enemy, whether it'd be him having to bring her down should she go rogue, or vice-versa.

Then again, King Ghidorah didn't attack Gotham City, Metropolis, Keystone City, Fawcett City, or any of the heroes' perspective homes.

Wonder Woman relents her punches, breathing heavily, before planting her face in front of his, gritting her teeth so hard, one fears she might break them.

Her eyes temporarily devoid of any passion, she delivers her message.

"You foul, evil beast!", she spat. "This is the second you've had my precious home invaded & caused harm & death to my sisters in your twisted search for New Olympus! Read my lips & heed my warning well, tyrant: the whereabouts of New Olympus cannot be found on Themyscira, & I am not the key which unlocks its door to it! And if you dare to attack my home or any one of my sisters a third time, indirectly or not, you will deeply regret of ever hearing our fabled Gods & their haven—or me, for that matter, for I shall not be as lenient! Do we understand each other?"

Battered, bloodied, bruised, & beaten, Darkseid coughs up bit of blood before giving his answer to the Amazon.

"You have come crashing into my palace", he begins, "beaten my foot soldiers, sealed us off from the rest of Aopkolips with your allies' assistances, beaten me bare-handed, & threatened to claim my life afterwards. Any lesser beings who would dare even think of such a feat would suffer unimaginably at my hands. You, on the other hand, have bested me on every whim & succeeded. Therefore, I take no shame to say that you are the victor this day, however hollow it appears to be. Until next time, Princess of Themyscira, I bid you…adieu."

"Oh no you don't, Darkseid!", the furious Amazon yelled. "You're not getting away this…"

But he does: in a blinding instant, both the Lord of Apokolips & his lowly servant are engulfed in a shell of light before vanishing from sight. Darkseid's disappearance wasn't the heroes' only concern; just after they had left, the throne room began to shake & tremble violently, causing cracks in the floor, walls, & ceiling to open up.

"What's going on?", Flash yelled.

"A failsafe!", said Batman. "Darkseid must've activated it once he vanished!"

"Everybody out! Now!", Superman yelled, swooping down & grabbing Batman & Black Lightning & exiting the room as Flash simply zoomed out just before a boulder the size of a luxury sedan could crush the life out of them. The rest took off & joined the Man of Steel by making themselves torpedoes to flee as quickly as humanly (or inhumanly) possible. Once a head count was done to make sure everyone was alive & accounted for, the heroes & heroines all entered a Boom Tube—an Apokoliptian device of teleportation in the form of a white light in a circular fashion which was carried by Martian Manhunter—to reappear safely back to Earth.

When that was accomplished, the force field vanished & was no more, leaving the multitude of arriving Parademons with no targets to attack, let alone a master to rescue.

Watching from the bowels of Apokolips' underground chambers—a place not dissimilar in appearance to Dracula's Castle—Desaad & a bloodied but defiant Darkseid see the heroes' safe departure, the disappearance of the shield surrounding his throne room, & the confusion of the Parademons.

"Blast them!", Desaad says, not hiding his disappointment."They did depart safely, as they said they would, sire!"

"Let them", said Darkseid, sounding not too disappointed, unlike his servant. "I did say this day was theirs, & have earned their freedom."

"You don't seem too…displeased by this defeat, Lord Darkseid. Mind I ask why?"

"While I failed to acquire the location of New Olympus, I have gained something more valuable—knowledge. I had no idea that there existed a creature such as this 'Mothra' on Earth. It would seem, Desaad, that there is still so much about my acquired target planet which even I am most unaware of. Judging by what we've seen due to the imp's 'broadcast', Mothra is much more formidable an opponent than her frail appearance shows. If the butterfly is capable of beheading a vicious beast like King Ghidorah as she did, one should never underestimate her fighting prowess or abilities. Do you not agree, Desaad?"

"I do, most astute Darkseid. I, too, can see that Mothra is a deadly fighter when circumstances push her to it, much like the Amazon herself, if I may."

"And like the Amazon, Mothra has her weaknesses, namely her compassion. They can be exploited & used against her, a tactic which is no different than if I were to carry out such a plan to any of the Earth's defenders in my conquest of it. That day will come, I assure you. It is…an inevitable conclusion."

"Of that I have no doubts, sire. Only, how long will it take until Earth is finally yours?"

"As long as it takes, Desaad."

Aside from his hammering by Wonder Woman, just the thought of conquering his enemies, human, superhuman or otherwise, is always a comforting one to the Ruler of Apokolips, for he knows that inevitability as well as he does his own name. Despite the setbacks & past failures due to the heroes' interference, he is solidly confident that the ultimate victor in the long run will be him, & him alone, regardless of the sacrifices he needs to make to achieve his goal.

An eerie smile from his lips grew on his face like a weed, & his eyes burned a crimson red.

The JLA Watchtower, the Moon:

Wonder Woman & company ended their trip to Apokolips at the one place they can feel safe & secure at. Upon arriving, they were greeted by The Atom & Plastic Man, both of whom had shared monitor duty with one another. Wonder Girl, Starfire, Power Girl, & Supergirl have all never seen this highly impressive stronghold, & were in awe by its appearance. Even Hawkman could not contain his curiosity of the place, being similar to his own headquarters in the JSA, if not more. Atom & Plastic Man requested a guided tour of the place, which they wholeheartedly agreed to, as an opportunity like this would probably not be presented to them at anytime soon, so when it came knocking, they didn't knock it away.

The only downfall was that only The Atom was going to give the tour, as Plastic Man had to go & fulfil his share of monitor duty like they'd agreed upon. Disappointed but loyal & true to his word, Eel O'Brian left for the Monitor Womb to perform his duties, but was cheered up when Ray Palmer told him that they'll be stopping by later to view the room during the tour, joined by most of the other returning heroes.

Not all of them would be going on this tour of the heroes' lunar stronghold, as they had more pressing matters. They were Batman, Superman, & Wonder Woman herself, who have retreated to the Amazon's room in the Living Quarters area. The Dark Knight & the Man of Steel see their friend retreat to her room, seeing (& sensing) that something was troubling her greatly, & it doesn't take a Dark Knight Detective to figure out what it was.

When they arrive, they see Diana sitting on the edge of her bed, burying her face in her hands in sorrow.

"Diana?", Batman asked softly.

Tears running down her face, the Amazon lifts her head to address the two heroes, whose methods & philosophies are as different from each other as night is to day. While Batman stayed where he stood, Superman approached his super heroine liaison & sat on the bed next to her, placing a compassionate arm around her.

"Will you be all right?", he asked.

"I…don't know, Clark", Diana said somberly. "My home was attacked brutally by hostile forces, & it wasn't the first time. I've seen half of my brethren killed by Darkseid not too long ago when he first invaded Themyscira to pry New Olympus' location, & now he attempts it again, this time aligning himself with Circe, Myxzptlk, & a man who was the brother of Heracles, one of our oldest enemies who once enslaved my mother & her sisters. Worse, they were enlisted the help of a remorseless creature that had laid waste to not only most of my home, but including one of the world's largest cities, killing & injuring thousands. Worse still, while I was unleashing all my anger at Darkseid & company, punching him like there was no tomorrow, I was happy about it! Look at me: my mother sent me to Man's World to be an ambassador of peace, & I lost control when I discovered who was responsible for what happened, & I was glad to have done it! That isn't me, Clark!"

"You're not saying that you feel responsible for all the deaths, are you?"

"Maybe I am, Clark. Galamyr wanted to do what Xerxes did in ancient Greece: enslave all & bend them to his will, or face annihilation. To prove his point, he unleashed King Ghidorah on Los Angeles to devastating & catastrophic results! How can I not be held accountable for it?"

Superman looked Diana straight in the eye, but with a stare of clemency. "Diana, I'd be lying to you right now if I said that it was your fault. But it isn't. Galamyr was a monster & a tyrant, & like any tyrant, they will meet their demise. Don't forget: in ancient Greece, the Spartans stood up against & defied Xerxes with every inch of their beings, leading to his inevitable defeat. Your mother, Hippolyta, did the same to Galamyr because she wanted no part of his rule any more than you or your Amazons did. Yes, there were casualties, regrettably, but how much worse would it have gotten had Galamyr succeeded? As I've been often told, Diana, you can't save everyone, despite your amazing abilities. It's a burden we have to bear sometimes, much to our dismay. And as for losing control like that, there's no shame in letting your enemies know how you feel. If this happened in Metropolis, Gotham, or anywhere else, we'd behave the same way. And we'll always be there for each other in case it becomes a problem. Yes, we all lose control at one time or another, even the most noble of beings, especially when we know we can't save every living soul in danger."

"But it doesn't mean we have to like it, Diana", Batman adds. "Believe me, I know."

Batman, or rather Bruce Wayne, does know: he's had his own share of tragedy in his lifetime before & after he had become the Dark Knight. He saw his own parents, Thomas & Martha Wayne gunned down in an alleyway when he was only eight years old, ending his life of innocence. Even when he trained to respond to danger in record time as Batman, Bruce suffered one tragedy after another, most notably the death of Jason Todd, the one to proceed Dick Grayson as Robin when he outgrew the role, who traveled to Ethiopia to find his real birth mother Sheila Haywood, unexpectingly running into the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker. He had been beaten to death by the Joker with a crowbar before detonating a warehouse with mother & son trapped inside. Batman was too late to save either of them, & the burden of their deaths (preferably Jason's) still lingers upon his conscience even now.

But as he said, while he & other heroes have to burden the bear of not being able to pluck every living soul out of harm's way, it didn't mean they have to enjoy it.

The veracity in their words struck a chord within Diana, as she her self is an agent in nothing short of the truth, & she nods. But the events of the horrendous conflict with Galamyr, King Ghidorah, & finally Darkseid has taken its toll on her, more so than the Apokoliptian tyrant's first appearance at her home. She has hardly ever unleashed rage such as when she was pummeling the ruler of Apokolips, & it scared her beyond words; just thinking about it made her shiver.

Unable to contain her sorrow, she buried herself in Superman's chest & cried like a child.

Neither the Man of Steel nor the Dark Knight said anything.

They just allowed her to let it all out.

EPILOGUE

Los Angeles:

The heroes & heroines returned to the City of Angels to attend & assist in the cleanup & rescuing of innocent victims who were unlucky to have escaped King Ghidorah's wrath during his attack. With their assistance, the rescue workers, firefighters, & police officers have all saved a good amount of people buried under rubble & collected the dead in just under a day. When asked to attend a memorial service for those who weren't so lucky in the monster's surprise attack, the heroes & heroines did not hesitate to agree. It was held three days later, with everyone attending as they had promised to do, on & around the areas where they perished, ranging from North Hollywood to the Los Angeles International & friends of the victims were eternally grateful to the heroes for attending the services, & even received signed autographs of mostly each one.

After search & rescue was over with & done in Los Angeles, their next stop was Paradise Island itself. The Amazons have done a terrific job of helping the injured & clearing the rubble of their beloved home, but when Diana & her friends got there, the work got done as quickly as it was in L.A.. Mothra had remained on Themyscira along with the Shobijin twins, the former resting atop their tallest mountain as King Ghidorah had done, while the latter stayed with Queen Hippolyta in her bed chambers, with guards placed right outside. When the male heroes laid eyes upon the giant Lepidopteran, they were astonished by her size, grace, & beauty, as much as Diana & her sisters had been when they'd first seen her arrive, even if the circumstances were less than inviting. Those feelings remained the same when they met the twin, six-inch ladies in Hippolyta's room. Once the rubble had been cleared, the injured treated, & the several killed were cremated to the Gods to rest eternally with them, the Shobijin twins retold their story to the male heroes from nearly five decades ago, & of their peaceful Infant Island & its inhabitants. They also informed them of the allegiance to Themyscira, & how they wish to spread their message of peace to the world as one.

Thrilled by the unitary of both islands, Superman & the others couldn't wait to head over to Infant Island & personally greet the natives there & share their enthusiasm. Hippolyta agreed with the Kryptonian, & in an instant, Themyscira was magically transported to the shores of Infant Island, for Paradise Island exists primarily on a different plane & can appear anywhere the Amazons choose, saving everybody a trip halfway around the world (Batman grumbled under his breath, slightly jealous of the island's ability to transport itself from one place to another, unlike his spare Batplane, which he came to Themyscira in). Green Lantern carried Batman's flying vehicle off of Paradise Island & onto the beach of Infant Island, where the elder & all the natives were praying at, wishing a safe return for Mothra & the twins, totally astonished by Themyscira's sudden appearance off their shore. The heroes set foot on Infant Island, joined by Mala, Phthia, Euboea, Phillipus, Penelope, & Queen Hippolyta, with Artemis landing the Invisible Jet on the sandy shore, the twins in Cassie's brown pouch slung around the Bana-Mighdall Amazon's shoulder. The natives cheered & praised Diana, her friends, & their God Mothra, flying off Themyscira's mountaintop & down to her native soil, landing several yards away from everybody. Paradise Island vanishes from sight as suddenly as it appeared, leaving only Infant Island standing in the Pacific Ocean.

During a fine meal of finely cooked meat & fresh fruits, Wonder Woman introduced the rest of her friends to the natives, all of whom were as satisfied with meeting them as it was vice versa. Diana explained what happened to Themyscira after they had left to reclaim it from Galamyr's clutches, & while the story had a happy ending (the defeat of Galamyr, King Ghidorah, etc.), the response from the elder native was anything but a happy one—one that was a more disappointing one.

"Are you sure you people won't reconsider?", Hippolyta asked. "Couldn't you go & give it at least another chance?"

With the utmost sorrow, the natives shake their heads. "We're very sorry, Queen Hippolyta", said the elder, "but unlike you Amazons, it seems that we are not quite ready yet to be a part of the violence, mistrust, & hate the outside world has to offer. I don't know if we ever will be."

"But elder, while the modern world does has those indecent traits", Martian Manhunter explains, "it is also filled with more decent people than you believe. There are those, like us, who risk their lives every day of the year to put a stop to those who mock society & wish to do it the greatest harm or save the lives who have fallen victim to them. Even though they have no special powers or abilities as we do, they do it because they feel the need—because they wish to."

"These people also aide one another in times of need, such as food, medicines, & other vital supplies when they need it the most", Captain Marvel says. "And this doesn't happen in just one body of land—they do this overseas to countries which are less fortunate than others. This is how prosperity grows & hatred dwindles. This is what the average man & woman does on a daily basis to make it harmonious all over the planet. Won't you people help be a part of making that factor a reality? You can't do it alone any more than Themyscira or any of us can."

"And the twins did tell us that you wish to spread your message of peace & love across the planet, like we wish to do", Penelope said.

"But you can't do it if you isolate yourselves on your island instead of reaching out to those who need to be taught this message", Flash says.

"And this is what you share with the Amazons, yes?", asked Hawkman.

"You are indeed correct on that assumption, Hawkman", said the elder. "But upon hearing what happened to Themyscira & the outside world in a place you call Los Angeles, & what nearly happened to the twins…"

"Elder", Artemis interrupted, "I did not want to take the twins back to Themyscira during the battle, but they did insist that I bring them along, & I wished to apologize to you & them for placing their lives in danger."

"There is nothing for you to apologize for, Artemis", said the twins, sitting on the top of a stone. "Mothra is our guardian, & we felt compelled to accompany her wherever she goes, regardless of the danger we might find ourselves in. But you must understand, all of you—we have no hatred within us. To randomly expose us to it would be a total violation of our nature, one we cannot possibly bear in our souls."

Black Lightning nods. "We do understand", he says. "It's a pity you'll still keep to your island, but no one's going to force any of you to do something if you're not comfortable with it."

"That's right", Green Lantern said. "When you're ready—if you'll be ready—to open yourselves up to the modern world, please know that we'll be here for you."

"And please know that you people are always welcome to Themyscira", Troia says.

"And you to us", said the twins.

"All in all, it's not a total loss, everyone", said Hawkgirl.

"Far from it", said Power Girl. "We've gained as much as we've lost, like new allies & friends who have earned our trust. That alone is worth more than all the ideals in the world."

"Thank you, Power Girl", said the twins. "But please don't despair—like Diana & her Amazon sisters, we here on Infant Island will continue to spread our message of peace & love to the outside world, although we prefer to do it our own way, without having to resort to violence."

"That, ladies, is something we all wish", Superman states. "But as I once mentioned during an interview with a friend, 'Violence is the price we pay for the greater good'. I wished it were different, though. Believe me."

The twins & the natives all nod in agreement.

"Like Diana, you are as wise as you are strong, Superman", said the twins. The Man of Steel smiles in gratitude, pleased to know that there are those who don't believe he is all brawn & no brains; Batman is another, though he is reluctant to confess to that.

Speaking of the Dark Knight, it was time he put in his two cents, which he does.

"Whatever path you people wish to take from this point on, do keep in mind that the world is not all that black & white", he says. "Every night in Gotham City, I've encountered those which spit on everything that's decent & throw it to the wind, but I've also met some of the most noble & bravest people who do what it takes to find the wrong & make it right. One day soon, I hope you all can see past the grime & get to the true beauty which is the world we live in."

"We hope that day comes soon too, Batman", the twins say. "We know as well as you do that there is good in the world, & would like very much to help extend it when we're fully ready."

"Until then, natives of Infant Island", Hippolyta says, "we wish you success in all your future endeavors, & may we see you soon. Right now, we must return to Themyscira to repair all the damage & tend to those still wounded."

"Dear Queen of Themyscira", said the elder before anyone could depart.

"Yes?"

"We would very much like to come with you to your home & assist you in any way possible", he says, getting anxious nods of approval from the natives.

Wonder Girl turns to Hippolyta. "I think we should allow them, Hippolyta", the Teen Titan says to her. "They seem real eager to help, & besides, they didn't get the chance to see Paradise Island, unlike the twins."

"Cassandra has a point, mother", Wonder Woman says, agreeing. "We helped them by saving Mothra's life, & the twins before that. They owe it to us to return the favor. Would we deny these peaceful folks the chance?"

Hippolyta smiles. "Not at all, my daughter."

"Then it's settled!", Phillipus says excitedly. "You're all coming to Themyscira!"

Smiles & happy nods from the natives erupt, pleased that they will be having their fondest wish granted by such noble people.

"Then everyone get aboard the WonderDome!", Artemis says. "It will transport you all comfortably inside for a nice, smooth flight!"

"But Artemis, what about us?", Penelope asked. "Unlike Diana & most of her friends here, we can't fly."

"Oh, I have an idea about that, Penelope", said Supergirl with an innocent smile.

Artemis flashes one of her own. "Is your idea the same as to what I'm thinking of, Kara?", she asked, possibly knowing the answer.

"Could be."

The two ladies share a laugh.

The WonderDome flew over the Pacific, holding all the natives of Infant Island inside, which included the Shobijin twins, resting on comfortable morphed seats like Artemis promised. The Batplane flew alongside it by thirty-six feet, while Mothra herself flew below both aircraft at a leisurely pace, & for good reason—Diana & company were riding upon the big butterfly's back!

Hippolyta, her five Amazon sisters, her daughter Diana, & the remaining heroes sat on Mothra's back as she flew through the air, flapping her membranous wings. Soaring through the open skies, they all feel the breeze in their hair & on their face, savoring the ride.

"Now this is a good idea if ever I heard of one, Kara!", Koriand'r said.

"It wasn't just mine, Kory!", Kara said. "Artemis had a hand in it, too!"

"Who cares, really?", said Karen. "This is the only way to fly!"

"I'll say!", Cassie says, giggling. "Just wait till my friends hear about this!"

"I doubt they'll believe you, Cassie!", said Donna, giggling herself.

"Aw heck, Donna, I don't believe it myself, & yet look at us!", said Flash. "How many can say they've ridden on the back of a big butterfly?"

"How many would believe it without any proof, Wally?", Martian Manhunter asked with a smile. "Consider that."

For that, Flash had no response except a smile of his own.

"Don't worry, Flash", Penelope says, looking back. "We Amazons still have that camera that Julia & Vanessa Kapatelis left us during their first visit to Themyscira. We'll take some pictures once we reach home.

"And after we attend to our sisters", Hippolyta tells her. "As they say in Man's World, 'Business before pleasure', Penelope."

"Yes, my queen."

The Amazons laugh a little as Phthia cuts in. "Fret not, dear sister. Once the rebuilding of our home is complete, we'll be capturing this moment & more. We shouldn't let them pass us by, should we?"

"I should say not!", Hawkgirl said. "How often do we get to ride on a benelovent creature like Mothra?"

"Or even go into battle with one?", Hawkman said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Point taken."

"It's nice to let someone else do the flying for a change, yes?", Captain Marvel asks Superman, smiling.

Superman returns the gesture. "For a change." He goes on his mini-com. "You sure you don't want to join us, Batman? Mothra's quite the ride."

"Not that I don't trust her, Clark", Batman says, "but I'd prefer to fly something I know I can control. But I gotta admit this—she's quite the beautiful sight from up here."

"Kinda reminds you of someone, doesn't she?"

"Of Diana? Could be. She & Mothra share many traits, other than the fact that they're both females."

"Now that you mentioned it, I couldn't agree more. We may be seeing her again in the future. In fact, I'd count on it."

"I believe that's something we can all agree on, Superman", Captain Marvel says.

Overhearing their conversation, Cassie gets closer to Diana.

"I think big blue could be right, Diana", she tells her. "Mothra's one helluva team player, & she has a lot in common with you & your sisters. Do you believe we'll be seeimg her again after this? I sure hope so."

Diana puts her arms around the young heroine. "I hope so too, Cassie", she says. "And I believe we will. Do you know why?"

"Let me guess. Because you have faith?"

Diana flashes her teeth. "Good girl. Yes, that's the reason why. I had faith that Mothra would get better when she was gravely injured by King Ghidorah & defeat him, & it seemed I was right on both counts. As did you, Cassandra: you had faith that she would recouperate from her wounds, & you've gotten your wish."

"Actually, it was Artemis' potions that did it, but I confess in having faith that it would work. I think we all got what we wanted."

"See, Cassie?", Donna says. "All you need is little faith. As long as you hold onto that, there's nothing that's impossible."

"Thanks, Donna, Diana. It's good to have you both as role models."

Cassandra rests her head on Diana's chest as the Amazon Princess comforts her in her arms. For most of the flight home on Mothra's back, she falls into a much-needed sleep, thinking about what Diana & Donna said about having faith. She admits to herself that she feared Mothra would not have recovered from the wounds King Ghidorah gave her in their first encounter, as they were very severe & almost impossible to treat. But seeing as to how Artemis, Diana, Donna, or Starfire wouldn't give up on her made cassie feel that she shouldn't either, & having that faith, coupled with Amazonian medicines, made Mothra primed & ready to face her three-headed foe again, eventually triumphant in the end when it semed hopeless. If her faith can do that, then Cassandra has no reason to continue having it whenever the going gets tough, whether she fights alone, with Diana and/or any of her Amazon sisters, or with her Teen Titan companions.

Feeling her emotions, Mothra chirps softly, wishing her & the rest of her passengers the best of luck in the future.

She flies graciously over the ocean as the sun now sets, converting it into a beautiful, starless night.

Mothra chirps softly a second time.

MEMORIALS

2003 Memorials:

Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Former U.S. Senator, 76 (1927-2003)

Edwin Starr, Motown & Soul Singer, Best Known for 1970 Hit 'War', 61 (1942-2003)

Paul Stojanovich, Creator of 'Cops' Television Series, 47 (1956-2003)

Suzy Parker, Model & Actress, 69 (1934-2003)

Robert Stack, Actor, Played Eliot Ness in 1960s 'The Untouchables' TV Series, 84 (1919-2003)

June Carter Cash, Country Music Star, Wife of Johnny Cash, 73 (1929-2003)

Richard Cusack, Head of Family of Actors, 77 (1926-2003)

'Classy' Freddie Blassie, WWF Wrestling Star, 85 (1918-2003)

Johnny Hopp, Played for NY Yankees/St. Louis Cardinals, 86 (1917-2003)

Nina Simone, Jazz Singer/Civil Rights Activist, 70 (1933-2003)

Ferdinand Facey, News Announcer for NBC-TV, 72 (1931-2003)

George Wyle, Songwriter, 87 (1916-2003)

2008 Memorials:

Carmine Bronzo, A Longtime Friend & Neighbor, 76 (1932-2008)

Albert Hofmann, Father of LSD, 102 (1906-2008)

Gordon Bradley, North American Soccer League Coach, 74 (1934-2008)

Buzzie Bavasi, Manager Who Led L.A. Dodgers To 4 World Series Wins, 93 (1915-2008)

Mona Hinton, Wife of Jazzman Milt Hinton, 89 (1919-2008)

Ted Key, 'Hazel' Cartoonist, Created Mr. Peabody & Sherman Characters, 95 (1912-2008)

Irvine Robbins, Ice Cream Magnate, 90 (1918-2008)

Jerry Wallace, Singer of Pop & Country Music, 79 (1929-2008)

Eddy Arnold, Award-Winning Country Music Star, 89 (1918-2008)

Irena Sendler, Social Worker Who Saved 2,500 Children from Warsaw Ghetto, 98 (1910-2008)

Robert Rauschenberg, Major American Artist, 82 (1925-2008)

Will Elder, Cartoonist for 'Mad' Magazine, 86 (1921-2008)

Cornell Capa, Pioneer Photojournalist, 90 (1918-2008)

Thelma Keane, Inspired Mom Character for 'Family Circus' Comic Strip, 82 (1926-2008)

Dick Martin, One Half of Comedy Team in 'Laugh-In', 86 (1922-2008)

Earle Hagen, Composer for Film & Television, 88 (1919-2008)

Harvey Korman, Movie & Television Comedian, 81 (1927-2008)

Alexander 'Sandy' Courage, Composer of 'Star Trek' Theme, 88 (1920-2008)

Joseph Pevney, Director of Several 'Star Trek' Episodes, 96 (1912-2008)

Yves Saint Laurent, Legendary Designer, 71 (1936-2008)

Bo Diddley, Guitar Hero & Rock Legend, 79 (1928-2008)

Roger Ginsberg, Professional Golfer, 69 (1939-2008)

Mel Ferrer, Actor, Audrey Hepburn's Ex-Spouse, 90 (1917-2008)

Jim McKay, Pioneering TV Sports Announcer, 86 (1921-2008)

Dino Risi, Italian Comedy Film Director, 91 (1917-2008)

Edith Derby Williams, Granddaughter of Theodore Roosevelt, 90 (1917-2008)

Eliot Asinof, Sports Author, Wrote 'Eight Men Out', 88 (1920-2008)

John Rauch, Coached Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl, 80 (1928-2008)

Tim Russert, Professional Newsman for NBC, 58 (1950-2008)

Danny Davis, Musician & Songwriter, 83 (1925-2008)

Dody Goodman, Actress & Comedian, 93 (1915-2008)

Scott Kalitta, Pro Racer for NHRA, 46 (1962-2008)

Cyd Charisse, Actress & Dancer, 86 (1922-2008)

Stan Winston, Special Effects Maestro & Creature Maker, 62 (1946-2008)

Charlie Jones, TV Sportscaster for ABC & NBC, 77 (1931-2008)

Bob Anderson, Actor, 75 (1933-2008)

Dwight White, Former Pittsburgh Steeler, 58 (1950-2008)

Bruce Foss, Firefighter Helped at Ground Zero, 53 (1955-2008)

Tony Schwartz, Adman for 1964's 'Daisy', 84 (1924-2008)

Kermit Scott, Inspiration for Kermit the Frog, 71 (1937-2008)

Gunther Stent, DNA Pioneer, 84 (1924-2008)

Bert Shepard, Amputee who Pitched in the Major Leagues, 87 (1920-2008)

George Carlin, Influential Comedian, 71 (1937-2008)

Jim Plummer, Mets' Employee, 56 (1952-2008)

Charles Dryden, Tuskegee Airman in World War II, 87 (1920-2008)

Ira Tucker, Lead Singer of Dixie Hummingbirds, 83 (1925-2008)

John Pont, Indiana Rose Bowl Coach, 80 (1928-2008)

Clay Felker, Co-Founder of New York Magazine, 82 (1926-2008)

Frank Szuzina, Middleweight Boxer, 77 (1931-2008)

Joseph Sarcona, Veteran of World War II, 86 (1922-2008)

Larry Harmon, Bozo the Clown, 83 (1925-2008)

Ned Kellogg, Dollhouse Craftsman, 73 (1935-2008)

Jesse Helms, Former Five-Term U.S. Senator, Nicknamed 'Senator No', 86 (1922-2008)

Eric Lieber, TV Producer, Best Known for Producing 'Love Connection', 71 (1937-2008)

Dorian Leigh, Model for Revlon Cosmetics, 91 (1917-2008)

Michael DeBakey, Cardiac Pioneer, 99 (1909-2008)

Tony Snow, Conservative Writer & Commentator, 53 (1955-2008)

Bobby Murcer, Longtime Baseball Player & Sportscaster, 62 (1946-2008)

Sue Alexander, Author of Children's Books, 74 (1934-2008)

Evelyn Keyes, Movie Actress, 91 (1937-2008)

Les Crane, Late-Night Talk Show Host, 74 (1934-2008)

Claudio Guzman, TV Producer, 80 (1927-2008)

Lloyd Kraus, World War II Veteran, 93 (1915-2008)

Joseph Miceli, Welterweight Boxer, 79 (1929-2008)

Jerome Holtzman, Hall of Fame Baseball Writer, 81 (1927-2008)

Gladys Nederlander, New York Theatre & TV Producer, 83 (1925-2008)

Sid Craig, Co-Founder of Jenny Craig Inc., 76 (1932-2008)

Estelle Getty, Actress, Played Sophia on 'Golden Girls', 84 (1923-2008)

Jo Stafford, Jazz & Pop Vocalist of 1940s & 1950s, 90 (1917-2008)

Charles Wick, Longtime USIA Chief, 90 (1917-2008)

Larry Haines, Soap Opera Star, Starred in 'Search for Tomorrow', 89 (1919-2008)

Paul Bentley, Police Detective Who Arrested Lee Harvey Oswald, 87 (1921-2008)

Earl Lee Nelson, Wrote R&B Song 'Harlem Shuffle', 79 (1929-2008)

Chuck Stobbs, Gave Up Mickey Mantle's 'Tape Measure' HR, 79 (1929-2008)

Harriet Burns, Creator of Disney Rides, 79 (1928-2008)

Charles 'Chuck' Johnson, DJ Turned Politician, 80 (1928-2008)

Anne Armstrong, Former Presidential Ambassador, 80 (1928-2008)

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Nobel Prize-Winning Russian Author, 89 (1918-2008)

Robert Hazard, Songwriter & Musician, 59 (1949-2008)

Nicola Rescigno, Conductor, Co-Founder of Dallas Opera, 92 (1916-2008)

Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon University Computer Scientist, 47 (1961-2008)

Vincent Mroz, Secret Service Special Agent, Foiled Attack on Truman, 86 (1922-2008)

Elroy Sites, Electrician Apprentice, Witness to Attack on Truman, 77 (1931-2008)

Otto Fuerbringer, Commanding Editor of 'Time' Magazine, 97 (1911-2008)

Perez Celis, Prestigious Muralist, Painter, & Sculptor, 69 (1939-2008)

Skip Caray, Famed Sports Broadcaster, 68 (1940-2008)

Luther Davis, Tony Award-Winning Writer for Stage, Film & Television, 91 (1916-2008)

Lou Teicher, One Half of Movie Theme Team Ferrante & Teicher, 83 (1925-2008)

Robert A. Maheu, Former CIA Operative & Howard Hughes Confidant, 90 (1918-2008)

Michael Dorman, Longtime Newsday Reporter, 75 (1933-2008)

George Tomov, Renowned Dancer, 75 (1933-2008)

Bernie Brillstein, Hollywood Power Broker, 77 (1931-2008)

Bernie Mac, Award-Winning Comedian & Actor, 50 (1957-2008)

Issac Hayes, Academy & Grammy Award-Winning Soul Crooner, 65 (1942-2008)

Mahmoud Darwish, Palestinian Poet, 67 (1941-2008)

Anthony Hart, Brother of Reality TV Star & Motocross Rider Carey Hart, 21 (1987-2008)

Sandy Allen, Deemed World's Tallest Woman, 53 (1955-2008)

Darren 'Bo' Taylor, Brokered Gang Peace After L.A. Riots, 42 (1966-2008)

George Furth, Actor & Tony Award-Winning Playright, 75 (1933-2008)

Lee Young, Legendary Drummer, 94 (1914-2008)

Don Helms, Guitarist for Hank Williams, 81 (1927-2008)

Jerry Wexler, Legendary Record Producer, 91 (1917-2008)

Thomas Murphy, Hero at Pearl Harbor, 86 (1922-2008)

Leroy Sievers, Commentator for National Public Radio, 53 (1955-2008)

Andre Darnell Mitchell, Army Specialist (age confidential)

Joseph Valerio, Former Vice President for Radio Liberty, 87 (1921-2008)

LeRoi Moore, Saxophone Player for The Dave Matthews Band, 46 (1962-2008)

Maudie White Hopkins, Confederate Widow of the Great Depression, 93 (1915-2008)

Hua Guofeng, Successor of Communist Founder Mao Zedong, 87 (1921-2008)

Stephanie Tubbs Jones, 5-Term Republican, 58 (1950-2008)

Mark Lundberg, Versatile Opera Singer, 50 (1958-2008)

Manny Farber, Influential Movie Critic, 91 (1917-2008)

Gene Upshaw, A Major Force in the NFL, 63 (1945-2008)

Buddy Chernow, Longtime Newsday Veteran, 88 (1920-2008)

Charles Nuzum, FBI Agent Who Probed the Watergate Scandal, 85 (1923-2008)

Larry Hennessy, Villanova Basketball Star, 79 (1929-2008)

Dottie Collins, 1940s Woman Baseball Player, 84 (1924-2008)

Buddy Harman, Drummer Extraordinaire, 79 (1929-2008)

Fred Crane, Actor, Best Known in 1939's 'Gone With the Wind', 90 (1918-2008)

Dave Freeman, Co-Author of '100 Things to Do Before You Die', 47 (1961-2008)

Jabir Herbert Muhammad, Longtime Manager of Boxer Muhammad Ali, 79 (1929-2008)

Del Martin, Lesbian Rights Activist, 87 (1921-2008)

Yuri Nosenko, Ex-KGB Agent Who Defected in Cold War, 81 (1927-2008)

Wolfgang Vogel, Facilitated Cold War Spy Swaps, 82 (1926-2008)

Abie Nathan, Israeli Peace Activist, 81 (1927-2008)

Jack A. Weil, Tailor Favored By Celebrities, 107 (1901-2008)

Kevin Duckworth, Former Player for the NBA, 44 (1964-2008)

Akemi Negishi, Japanese Actress, Best Known in 'King Kong vs. Godzilla', 73 (1934-2008)

Walter 'Killer' Kowalski, Professional Wrestling Pioneer, 81 (1927-2008)

Dr. Hugh R. Butt, Physician Who Discovered Vitamin K's Role in Clotting, 98 (1910-2008)

Barbara Warren, World-Class Triathlete, 65 (1943-2008)

Hazel Warp, Hollywood Stuntwoman, 93 (1915-2008)

Richard Kassebaum, Filmmaker, 47 (1960-2008)

Edwin Guthman, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist, 89 (1919-2008)

Ike Pappas, Longtime Newsman for CBS, 75 (1933-2008)

Tommy Bolt, Won Golf's U.S. Open in 1958, 92 (1916-2008)

Ken Campbell, Maverick British Actor, 66 (1942-2008)

Phil Hill, Formula One Racing Champion, 81 (1927-2008)

Morris F. Sullivan, Started Animation Studio, 91 (1916-2008)