A/N: My first fanfic. Enjoy, and please review. I need constructive criticism.
Chapter 1: Q
One week following selection day
"Don't be afraid of change, for it is leading you to a new beginning." -Janice Adrien
Athens, Greece
Acropolis Museum
22:02 EEST
Saturday, March 15th
Her eyes were locked into the casing ahead of her. She sauntered slowly over towards the glass artifact. Her black dress slightly dipped over her shoulder and the back of her dress was wide-open, I watched her head fixate onto the necklace protected by glass.
"Is this the most recent addition?" A slender-looking man asked the woman. They stared at a silver necklace, with a blue gemstone right in the middle. The necklace of Harmonia. "I believe it was Aphrodite—"
"And Ares as well." My presence interrupted the man's dialogue. I placed my hand on the woman's back, leading her away.
"Fancy meeting you here. I thought you were going to arrive at the same time as I was. Let me guess, Janice was keeping you occupied?" Diana asked me.
"Yeah. Mom kept fiddling around with my hair. She couldn't decide what she wanted to do with it." I replied. "Also, I couldn't find you in this crowd of people. Where are you keeping your sword? and your shield?"
"If anything happens, I will protect you. I have my sword and my shield." She reassured me. "You look handsome, for once." She forcefully linked her arms through, and onto mine.
"For once? Touché, princess."
"From now on, I want to be addressed as aunt. Or auntie D."
"Never."
I wore a slim black suit, alongside a black button-up underneath, and a black tie. This accompanied with tapered black pants, and black dress shoes.
"You look good as well. Only compliment ever." I replied. "But seriously though, when are they going to reveal the new addition?"
"In about twenty minutes." She answered. "What, you don't want to be my date anymore?"
"It's getting a little chilly in here."
"Of course." She answered, turning. We slowly ventured through the museum. We passed by the golden fleece, Apollo's bow, and Hermes' hat.
"Most of these are fakes." Diana admitted. "A lot of these relics are buried, or simply have not been found. It is important to not try and distort the natural order of things. Especially when it comes to history. We should let it play its own course."
"So what about the shield?"
"The reason so many people are here, is because it is real." She ironically spoke.
"Fair enough."
"Look, it's Queen Hippolyta." I pointed to a painting of Diana's mother alongside, two other women.
"There was Hippolyta, and there was Antiope. And her" She pointed to the final woman. "That's Phillipus, mother's advisor. They battled the forces of Heracles together alongside the rest of the Amazons, and then mother and Antiope ended up departing from each other."
"Why did they split?"
"Heracles did cruel, and vile things to all of them. Antiope wanted revenge, my mother knew that it was not to continue the bloodshed. So Antiope took the Amazons who agreed with her, up to Athens. They settled, alongside Antiope's lover, Theseus, and her adopted daughter, Pythia, despite their complaints. Their tranquility would not last long though. The witch Circe allowed Theseus' first wife Ariadne, to stab and kill Antiope, and Pythia was blamed for the death of her mother."
"Wait, why?"
"Theseus caught Pythia standing over her mother's body, and so he believed she killed her own mother, and banished him and every single Amazon. They came to form the Bana-Mighdall tribe, under Princess Pythia."
"Oh, Artemis' tribe. You know, she's scary, right? She has a ponytail that goes down to her legs. That's horrifying. She scares the life out of me." Diana unusually shorted. She placed her hand over her mouth. Her shoulders bounced back and forth.
"Wow, that was a good laugh." She took a deep breath.
"Now, can everyone gather around, for the revelation of our newest relic." A voice shot from a microphone.
"Finally. Then we get to eat." I exclaimed.
"From Achilles' honorable performance in the Trojan war, we found this beautiful shield, that belonged to him." The interpreter spoke.
He gripped the cloth, and dramatically unveiled Achilles' shield.
The shield was beautiful. A perfect circle, the shield had four layers, and the colors and designed greatly resembled that of stained glass in a church.
"The first layer, represents the earth, the sun, the sky and the moon." He began. "Followed by the people, the vineyard, the cattle, young men and women, Achilles himself, and finally the ocean. A more detailed-explanation can be read here." He stated. And followed by a translation in Greek.
"It's quite lovely." Diana whispered.
"Indeed it is." I replied.
"Please, we would ask everyone to enter the main hall, to begin dining, followed by a dance." He ordered.
"It's a lot bigger inside then out." Diana spoke.
"Seriously. And it's pretty damn big outside too." We made our way. over to the main hall. A grand hall, with very nice acoustics. It was dimly lit, a plethora of different food scents filled the air. I like to think it was beautiful.
My eyes bounced back and forth, searching for our table number.
We were on the right of the hall, mid-section. The male pianist played a rather large grand piano, and he was accompanied by a female violinist.
"Prince, D. Right here." We then headed to the food.
Soutzoukakia Smyrneikathe label read. "Food is food." I scanned the description for English, and caught meatballs. I stuffed my plate with it, some rice, cumin, I felt fancy, so added in some fried octopus. Diana filled her plate as well.
The food was magnificent, and the musicians set the mood for the soirée. Diana signaled for me to come and join her for a dance.
"I'll come once I finish this." I placed my hand over my mouth.
As soon as I cleaned my plate, I stood up to search for Diana on the floor. As soon as I located her, the slow, soothing jazz music began playing. Couples flooded the stage. Just my luck.
As I found her, someone stepped in front of her. Another man.
"Let's dance!" He asked her. They turned and met me.
"Shall we?" I asked her, holding my hand out.
"Sorry." She declined the other man, she reached out to my hand. "Do you know how to dance in this setting?" She whispered.
"Not in a classy setting like this. Mom always danced with Dad, not me." I answered.
"It's not hard. I'll guide you through it. Okay?"
"I don't know about this…" I told her.
"Don't worry. Just let go, and feel it. Don't think too much." She assured. "It will be just fine."
"Also, here." She placed two mints into my hand.
"My breath smells that bad?" I covered my mouth.
"You had garlic, you knew the consequences." She sneered.
"Is this what love is?" I questioned.
"You are the lead; I am the follow." She explained. She placed my right hand on the back of her right shoulder, and clasped her left hand into mine, palms facing each other and held them out diagonally into the air.
"I know you know how to follow rhythm, so it is essentially the same." We.
"Left foot forward, right foot forward. Side, then stop. Feet together." I stumbled a little bit. She caught me. "Left foot back, right foot back, side, and together.
"Perfect." Diana applauded. It wasn't too difficult.
"Now face me. Look at my feet as I direct yours. My body faced hers. "Left, right. Face." And we continued the other way. "Right, left, face."
"You are a natural. Now, we are going to turn. We always move counter-clockwise." She explained. "Again."
"Rock on your left, back on to your heel." I rocked forward on my left foot, back into my heel.
"Mimic my feet now."
Diana placed her left foot forward now. I moved my right back, and rotated. My left foot and Diana's right landed in unison. We brought our feet together perfectly. Diana's eyes sparkled. A smiled formed.
"Ready for a spin?" I nodded at my mentor.
"Face me, like you did earlier." She directed. My body faced hers, our heads both turned to the left. I brought my left foot to the side. I brought my arm up, and my right foot crossed my left, as Diana twirled, I released my right hand, and put it right back on. "I'm impressed. Janice hates dancing."
Acropolis Museum
01:21 EEST
Diana held her heels in hand, and walked out.
"Did you have fun?" She asked me.
"I did." I replied.
"So did I."
The blaring alarm went off in the museum. Diana pulled the sword out of her dress, and threw her dress to the ground revealing her Wonder Woman costume.
The individual with the hood on, placed the shield on its arm. The light from the intricate designs shone.
"Get the shield!" Diana shouted. I charged forward. The individual thrusted the shield forward, striking me in the stomach. The wind was knocked straight out of me. I fell to my knees.
I struggled back up. Diana swiped at the shield with her sword. The thief hid behind her new shield. Not even a dent was made.
"Legend is true." Diana stated. The woman of wonder retreated in a backflip. I ran in again. Again, the thief thrusted forward with the shield, this time I slipped to the left, and got in-between the shield and the individual. With my palm, I placed it to the thief's collar bone, followed by an uppercut punch. The individual staggered back, I pulled the individual back towards me, and pushed the shield out of its hand, and into the air.
Without a moment to waste, Diana flew in, and snatched the shield out of the sky with her golden lasso. She then launched the shield back at the individual's body. The thief's body flew backwards. Wonder Woman placed her lasso around the thief, and pulled her up to the sky.
"Who are y-" Her body vanished into thin air.
"It was a girl." Diana stated. "She was young."
Sunday, March 16th
Demeter's Forest
09:15 EEST
"Princess!" The cyclops shouted, his words slurred.
The cyclops was easily taller than fifteen feet. It was Takis, the cyclops commander, a little smaller than their general. He was one of the larger ones.
Takis is mine!" Diana shouted. So much for the stealthy approach.
"Well he's not mine." I told my mentor. "I'll sit back here."
Diana wasted no time. She charged the brute, as he swept his massive club slowly, hitting Diana. She crossed her arms in front of her, her bracers taking most of the impact. She sprung onto his large arm, and quickly sprinted, while drawing her sword. Diana, with both hands, thrusted her sword into Takis' eye, the one-eyed giant shouted painfully.
Diana climbed up onto the top of his head, while Takis was waved his club wildly through his visual impairment.
"Up here!" Diana yelled to the monster. She flipped off Takis' head only to pull her lasso out, and wrap it around his neck. While falling she stepped on her lasso, bringing the cyclops down as she landed softly. The lasso shone.
"Where is the smaller minotaur? The lasso of truth compels you to speak nothing but the truth." Diana questioned.
I was on higher ground. I lied down and put my hands behind my head. The sun smacked this section of the forest, the trees left an opening perfectly for the large orange ball to blind me. I blocked my eyes from the sun, and decided to close them instead. I yawned and...
My eyes slowly opened. It was still very warm, the tall trees of the forest blocked out the sun a small bit, and there wasn't a breeze. It was perfect.
"Great Hera, can you stop falling asleep in the sun?" Diana blocked my view. The sun smacked her black hair causing it to glow. Her blue eyes shone. Her metallic bracers also glistened. I groaned and blocked the gleam of her bracers with my arm. I flipped onto my stomach.
"You're the one that wanted to dance all night. I didn't sign up for that." I told her.
"Get up." She held her hand out.
"What?" I looked at her groggily. "What do you mean, 'get up'? I don't know what that means."
"You have-" The Amazon began.
"You know, I was thinking, it's my day off today. "I interrupted her. "Because two days ago, you said I could have a day off in two days, and if you look right here-" I pointed to a non-existent watch on my left arm. "It's been two days."
Diana pulled long piece of string from the back of my headband. "Fine, girl hair." Diana giggled like a kid. She pulled my hair, and I jumped up.
"How would you like it if I did that to you?" I pointed. She laughed loudly.
I pulled Diana's single long braid, as she walked away, and sent her to the ground, and I rapidly leapt up to top of the tree beside me, and hugged it. I stared at her. A grotesque look came across the princess' face. She jumped up, grabbed the back of my jacket and sent me downwards. I ate dirt.
"Challenge accepted, young warrior." I turned my head away from the dirt. Her blade met my eyes. It was a little too close. "Why do you do this to me?" I asked her. The woman of wonder grabbed my arm and launched me up to my feet.
"Let us depart, we have the minotaur next." Diana ordered.
The princess led us to another forest, I saw on a branch and watched from afar. It was the minotaur. As soon as he laid eyes on Diana, he saw red and rushed her.
He swung his axe wildly, Diana swiftly side stepped him. As he turned around Diana perfectly placed two hits to his head, the creature staggered. "Who is the god of metal?" Diana asked.
"Are you asking me?" I questioned her.
"Is there anyone else that can answer this question?"
"Well, he could. The god of metal is Hephaestus, though."
"And who is his wife?" she questioned.
"The goddess of beauty, Aphrodite." I answered. "Too easy."
She flew forward and laid a barrage of punches. Her final one was an uppercut, with a force that propelled him up to the sky.
"Who is his father?" She asked.
"Zeus."
"Good, and his daughter?"
"Wait, Hephaestus has a daughter? No way. She's not a god…who is she?" I inquired.
Diana had her lasso in hand and whipped it out. The never-ending rope latched perfectly onto his body. Diana put her arm over the lasso, and forcefully sent the minotaur crashing down. She flew over to him, and drew her sword. "Are you ready to submit?" The raven-haired princess asked him.
"His daughter is a nymph, named Thalia. He also has five other children." She explained. "Come. Let us return home." Diana gracefully flipped into the air, and transitioned into flying, right towards the middle of the trees. Eight out of ten though, she could have worked on the leap.
"Can you slow down? You know I can't fly!" I yelled into the sky.
"But you can run!" She called back. "Hephaestus is waiting for us at Olympus. And so is Janice."
"Hold on!" I called out. She lowered herself to my level.
Mount Olympus
11:42 EEST
"What took you so long?" Diana asked me. Her legs were crossed, and she was polishing her sword. "Were you not following me?"
"Well. Sorry we can't all fly now can we. I got lost, but found my way here." I panted.
"Nice hair. What happened to the headband?" My mother added. My hair was everywhere, obstructing my vision, and worst of all; it was wet. "First off, ask Diana about my headband. And second, I'm sweating." I carefully explained.
"Ew." She answered.
"Well then. Shall we get to it?" Diana looked over to Hephaestus.
Hephaestus was bulky man in his mortal form, he wore a welder's helmet. It honestly looked like he didn't have a face, fire kept sparking out from the slits of his helmet. He wore very large overalls, and had black hair. His hands were abnormally massive, and he was always dirty.
"Have you figured it out yet?" Mom asked.
"I think so. The staff." I replied.
"And you do not want to accidentally hurt anyone with a blade. Weak!" Diana yelled. "Foolish warrior, you should have kept the tradition of the blade."
"Agreed." My mother laughed.
"You two should not be allowed together, ever." I scolded.
"We've been together longer than you we-"
"I was ever born, this is a best friend pact that will never be broken blah blah blah, longer than decades blah blah, we know."
"Would you like to hear it again!" Diana began laughing hysterically.
"Hold on." Athena halted, putting her hand up. She walked over to Hephaestus and whispered a couple things. Hephaestus began nodding, and complying with everything the goddess was saying. "You owe me this Hephaestus."
"Give me one hour. Also, you are in possession of one of the lunar crystals from Janice, correct?" The forger questioned.
Mom tossed a small teal crystal and she handed it to the smith.
1 hour later.
"I thought Hephaestus took his time, when he made important weapons." I asked Athena. "It takes him more time to gather the materials, than to actually create the weapons." She answered. "I have already provided him with all the necessary materials."
"Lift your arms outwards. Height: one hundred and ninety-eight centimeters. Wingspan: two hundred and eight centimeters. Therefore, staff height, two hundred and thirty-seven centimeters."
"Have they always been like this?" I asked the hulking god.
"They have." The god's shoulders rocked back and forth, and a distorted, scratchy voice came out from the mask. "But I will say, I have never seen a stronger pair of ladies in my life. The two of them together rival the strength of even Artemis or if they are at their very best, Athena." He shared. "Choose your battles carefully against those two. There will not be many times when you will come out victorious." The blacksmith explained.
"Here you are young warrior." Hephaestus handed me the custom weapon. "I had to make a couple more adjustments to the height.
"I present to you, the spear-staff, Dimiourgia." Athena spoke.
"Is that the new Dimiourgia? I haven't seen it in so long! It has changed. I was going to use it, then Diana persuaded me to use choose the lovely Lepida instead." She placed her hand on the hilt of her black sword.
I observed my new weapon. The spear-staff was massive. A lot taller than I was, but I liked it like that. Athena tossed it. The two faded-teal spearheads at both ends, glowed now. Dimiourgia looked matte black, and with teal lines. On both ends before the spears were faded teal half-moons. It was incredibly light, and thin; I loved that about it. Mom quickly snatched Dimiourgia out of my hand. She climbed over the gate and Diana followed her into the skies.
I observed the princess draw her sword, and give it to my mother. Mom lit the tip of the blade, and held the sword like it was a pencil. She began making careful incisions into the staff.
When they were done they threw it back to me. I carefully scanned the incisions made. On one end of the spear-staff, were gold Japanese kanji, and Chinese letters. On the other end, Greek letters. I hovered my fingers over the incisions. They were fully engraved.
"What do the Greek letters say?"
"Dimiourgia." Diana answered.
"And the kanji and letters?"
She paused. A small moment of silence loomed as my mother's gaze was focused and Diana's, and now finally met mine. Intensity and passion filled her eyes.
"The fifth."