Chapter 11: Wonder Woman
Superman and Diana started at each other for almost a minute before the centurion broke the silence.
"Are we going gawk at each other all day?" The centurion said.
"Oh of course, greetings warriors I am Diana Prince of themyscira, greatest warrior of the Amazons! Yes it feels good to be able to tell this to worthy warriors again." She said full of spirit.
"Nice to meet you Diana, you can call me Superman, or Man of Steel if you'd like."
"It is an honor to meet a worthy warrior such as yourself, Man of Steel, and you too Roman."
Superman turned to the centurion.
"Wait why are you wearing roman armor?"
"Like she said, I'm a Roman. Or at least I once was." He said as Superman took a closer look at him with his X-ray vision.
"Wait I remember you! You were that army ranger major I worked with!"
The centurion transformed his outer armor into the ranger battle uniform armor he wore the last time Superman saw him.
"What is your name Roman?"
"You can call me, The Ace of Spades."
"What drew the two of you to assist me?" Diana asked.
"I heard the calling that the false gods were on the move, it is my duty to stand against the enemies of the Lord."
"I saw what was happening on the news, I rushed over."
"Well I am most grateful, without your help this could have been far worse." Diana said.
"This isn't over yet isn't it?" The Ace asked.
Diana gave a troubled look.
"No. Ares will return after me."
"I must prepare myself for when that happens. I suggest you do the same." The Ace said before he left.
"So uh, will you be departing now?" Diana asked slightly nervously.
"Not yet, there are still a lot of people here who need our help." Diana looked around and saw people hurt, or trapped under debris all across the city.
"You're right, we should help them."
Superman and Diana made their way across Athens, helping however they could. By the end of the day they were both floating over the city.
"Many people died today, but we were able to save the city from disaster." Superman smiled as he turned to Diana.
"I saw you protect those people, it was very brave of you."
"I am a warrior, it is what I do. I was very impressed with your skills as well, you help up that Airplane, you were able to unleash blasts from your eyes, and of course your flight."
"I was just as impressed with your skills, I didn't think there was anyone else like me out there." Superman said.
Diana gave a bit of a smile, but not looking at Superman as she did so.
"I didn't think there was anyone like me either. Of corse I'm not a human."
"Neither am I." Superman said.
Diana gave an interested look as she turned to him.
"You know, we had a large battle today, and we spent a long time helping in the aftermath. How do you feel about maybe getting some dinner?" Superman asked.
"You wish to feast with me, I haven't feasted with another in a very long time." Diana said a bit nervously.
"Maybe we could go and find a restaurant here."
"Eat among the humans? How will we do that? How will be go among them. I have had to hide myself, keep myself locked in my apartment."
Clark smiled and took her hand.
"I've found a way that might help. Let me show you."
Forty minutes later, Clark was wearing normal cloths with glasses on. Diana sat on the other side of the booth they were in wearing her own normal cloths and now a pair of glasses.
Diana looked confused as she noticed the people weren't looking at her with judgement or fear.
"This actually works, I had adorned their attire, but kept myself hidden away. I had no idea I could come out among them like this Superman."
"U'm you shouldn't call me that here, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves."
"Oh right."
"So, if you're not a human, what exactly are you."
"I am an Amazonian, we are, or were I should say a great race of super beings. An all female society of warriors hidden on the island of Themyscira. Far above the world of man. There we dwelled for thousands of years. Unaffected by time. My mother Hippolyta was the queen, and I was born twenty six years ago, making me the youngest of my kind. But I was also the greatest of our warriors."
"What happened?" Superman asked.
Diana gave a painful look.
"Ares, the god of war. He has always hated the Amazonians. His love for violence and conflict made him seek us out. He wished to challenge our greatness and power. Themyscira was hidden from him for a long time, but he found us a hundred days ago. He came at us with his demonic army. We fought him off with everything we had, but there was too many of them. Ares killed my mother before my eyes as all my sisters were slaughtered and themyscira destroyed. I, I was the only one to escape. Making me the last of my kind, alone in this world." Diana said trying to contain her grief.
Superman gave an understanding look as he stared at her with sincerity.
"I know how that feels. You see, I'm not a human either. My race are called Kryptonians, our world Krypton was millions of miles from here, but was destroyed in a disaster, but my father saved me by sending me to earth."
"You're kind were all whipped out."
Clark gave a heavy expression.
"Not yet, eight months ago I discovered some of my race survived. But they came to earth and tried to kill all humans to rebuild our kind here."
Diana's eyes widened.
"I couldn't let it happen, so I destroyed their ship, and then killed their leader with my own bare hands, I killed the last of my own kind. I am the reason I'm the last Kryptonian."
"Super, I mean. I can't believe the burden you carry."
"I am curious though, how do you masquerade yourself as one of them like this all the time? How do you acquire means to provide sustenance for yourself?"
"If you mean a job, I'm an investigative journalist."
"I do not understand?"
"You see when something like an event happens, I go and find out the true story behind it. Then I write about in a newspaper."
"You are one of the scribes in the parchment that delivers thee current status of the world?"
"I am"
"How interesting, I have found that I can hold my breath underwater for hours at a time. Using this skill I dive down into shipwrecks and find anything worth of value."
"A treasure hunter I see."
"I do it to provide for myself."
"Well I do what I do so I can stay on top of things going on around the world."
"You protect these humans. Why?"
"Because I like to believe I have these powers for a reason. Both my adoptive and real fathers told me that I could be something more, I could be a guardian, an ideal of hope for humanity."
Diana almost had stars in her eyes.
"That is amazing Super, I mean."
"Clark."
"What?"
"My name, my real name is Clark Kent."
Diana gave a slight smile as she moved her hand onto Clark's.
"I'm glad we met , Clark."
"You know, if this Ares is going to strike again, I should probably stay here for while. Make sure you have some back up."
"I'd like that." Diana said.
Later that night Clark was sitting in a hotel room on the phone with Perry.
"Kent finally! Where are you! We have monsters in Athens fighting a flying woman and Superman along side her!"
"I know Perry, I'm already here."
"What!? Oh who cares, this is good, you get the lowdown on this."
"Don't worry Perry I'll take care of it."
Elsewhere in her apartment, Diana was thinking about Clark. However, she also thought about Ares's children. If they were after her, then their father wouldn't be far behind. This not only put herself in danger, but the humans around her as well.
She dreaded the idea of the humans that had died today because of her, and those that might die because of her. She wanted a way to atone for this, but what. That was when she thought about what Clark said he did, being an ideal of hope for humanity. That seemed like a noble thing, something she could do with her own abilities.
The following morning Clark was at his hotel writing up the story on what happened.
He heard a knock on the window and was confused as he walked out to the balcony and saw Diana floating in front of the balcony in her red and blue battle attire.
"Diana?"
"There you are Clark, I was hoping to speak with you on the manner of your other work."
"Alright, but get in her you don't want people to see you." Clark said as Diana stepped inside.
Diana stepped inside.
"You want to know more about my work as Superman."
"Yes, I was inspired by what you said. Using your abilities to help others, I believe I should do the same."
"Well Diana I'm glad to hear that."
Diana then gave a slightly nervous look.
"I was, hoping that since you have more experience in acting as a guardian. You could instruct me on the basics of doing so."
Clark smiled.
"I'd love too, lesson number one. Secret identity, it's important to keep it."
"Secret identity, explain?"
"Well when I'm flying around as the Man of Steel I don't call myself Clark Kent. That's because I don't want people to know who I really am."
"Why not? Do you not deserve praise for your great work?"
"I do it, so I can live a semi normal life without people bombarding me every day. I also do it to protect those I care about, like my mother. But perhaps the most important reason is to preserve the ideal of hope. If Superman's real name is know, then he becomes more material, this way I stay an ideal, something everyone can aspire towards."
"That is a beautiful thought, but wait, simply wearing human attire and a pair of glasses masks you from being recognized?" Diana asked sounding confused.
"It's worked so far." Clark said almost laughing.
"But how can I not call myself by my name, I know no other title?"
"Well think of something that describes what you want the world to see you as."
Diana thought for a moment.
"The woman of wonder!"
Clark said nothing.
"I will think of another." Diana said looking embarrassed.
Several minutes later, Clark had changed into his Superman suit and was flying above the area near Athens.
"The first thing we need to do is understand your abilities. I know you can fly and have incredible strength, but what else can you do?"
"I am the greatest fighter in themyscira. I have the ability to see things from great distances and hear from great distances. I can heal very fast , and am incredibly durable."
"Sounds pretty similar to my line up. Since you're a warrior, you have clearly already honed these abilities."
"I have, but I also have weapons. My sword and my lasso of truth." Diana said showing a glowing golden lasso.
"I was wondering about that." Clark said.
"The lasso is unbreakable and when wrapped around someone, it compels them to tell the truth."
"It forces people to tell the truth?"
"It does."
"That's a strange thing, are you sure it works." Diana gave a sly smile before whipping the lasso around Superman's body.
"The Lasso command you to tell the truth, are you Clark Kent."
"Yes, but my birth name was Kal-El." Superman said against his will.
Diana then had another idea.
"Do you find Diana Prince to be physically attractive."
"I find her to be beautiful."
Diana smiled before pulling the lasso off him as Superman's face turned red and he looked embarrassed.
"Are you convinced?" She asked.
"I am convinced."
"Now what is the next portion?"
"I saw you fight in Athens, you clearly have the skills and the abilities, plus the training to use it. Now you just need guidance on saving people. Focus your senses and listen not just for cries of help, but other signs of of trouble, fires, natural disasters."
"Yes, all things that would be fatal to humans."
"Diana, there's one more important thing." Superman said with a more serious look on his face.
"Even with all my power, I can't always save everyone. As a guardian you have to accept that sometimes you won't be able to do that. Sometimes you'll have to see innocent people die. You have to be ready for that."
Diana also gave a serious look.
"Clark, I have been to war before, I saw all of my sisters and my own mother die before my eyes. I can handle seeing people die." Diana said.
"Alright, follow me." Superman said as he flew up higher into the air until they were in the upper stratosphere.
After they arrived, Superman and Diana listened closely with her advanced sense of hearing.
"Help!" Diana heard.
"I heard it! I heard a cry for help!"
"Let's help them."
"Do you want to lead the way?" Diana asked.
"No, you're skilled enough to use your abilities. I'm simply here to guide you. I trust you can handle this Diana, I'll let you take point."
Diana smiled before she flew down towards the cry for help as fast as she could, with Superman beside her.
They flew down to an area in eastern Turkey where Diana saw a large accident on a highway overpass where a semi truck had fallen onto a car with a family pinned inside and another car teetering over the edge.
Turkey firefighters were trying to free them and save the car.
Diana landed in front of the fallen truck and lifted it off the car with ease before ripping the side of the car open, allowing the family to get out.
Superman flew under the car and lifted it up onto the overpass.
The people on the bridge were in disbelief as they saw the two.
"Greetings people, we are here to protect your lives and." Diana started before she and Superman heard another cry for help.
The two flew through the air and into a bay near Egypt where a storm was brewing and several boats rocking.
A sailor was about to fall out when Diana caught him and placed him back in his boat.
Diana lifted the boat, out of the water and placed it on land. She flew through the bay doing the same to every other boat, as Superman used his super breath on the water. The cold slowed down the energy of the waves.
Eventually all of the boats were safe and the storm calmed.
"Fear not, for your protects are." Diana started before she heard yet another cry for help.
All day Diana and Superman flew across the earth, helping people where they could. Diana a new sense of purpose and life in saving the innocents of earth. She also enjoyed the time she was spending with Superman.
Eventually they heard several cried for help in a forest in southeastern Europe.
A massive area of the forest was a ablaze as dozens of people below were caught in the fire.
Diana's eyes widened as she saw this.
"I'll get the fire." Superman said as he flew down and used Superbreath on as much fire as he could.
Diana flew down and tried to save as many people as possible, but the fire as so stretched out, that Diana had to bring them a great distance away.
She began to sweat from the heat as she tried to carry the people away.
She watched in horror as several people were burned alive by the fire. Even with her help, she was not able to save everyone.
As she saw people getting burned alive, she began to see flashes of her home burning, Ares standing over her mother's body.
Diana froze as more people cried for help and burned alive.
"Diana!" She heard before she saw Superman in front of her with his hands on her shoulders.
"Diana , snap out of it!"
She looked around and saw the people below.
"No!" She shouted before she and Superman continued saving them.
Later that day, she was sitting on top of a mountain overlooking Athens alone.
She was watching the clouds roll by as she was deep in thought.
"Diana." She heard as Superman landed beside her.
"I'm not ready to talk about it Clark."
"That's fine, whatever happened clearly happened for a reason. Something's haunting you, I assume it has something to do with your city and people getting destroyed." Superman said as Diana began to tear up.
"I saw my city burning, my mother being murdered by Ares. But worst of all, because of this, people died. Because of my weakness."
"Weakness. Diana grief is not a weakness, being touched by a traumatic event isn't a weakness. It means you can feel. That's nothing to be ashamed of. I feel it too."
Diana turned to him.
"It does?"
"All those people in Metropolis killed by the gravity weapon. Having to kill Zod." Superman gave a painful look.
"Watching my father die before my eyes."
"What?" Diana said.
Superman sighed.
"It's not something I like talking about Diana, but when I was eighteen years old. Someone saw me use my powers. The police tried to take me away because they thought I was a monster, my adoptive father tried to stop them, but was shot and killed right in front of me."
Diana gave a compassionate look as she came over to him.
"Diana, we both know trauma, pain, but it means we feel. A guardian should feel, it makes us care about those around us. What I saw today proves you are someone who cares, you're someone who puts others above themselves. Diana you're truly a wonder of a woman."
Diana smiled as she came forward and hugged Superman.
Her eyes then shot open.
"Huh." She said.
"What?"
"I think I have found an alias for myself."
"Fantastic, what is it."
"I shall be known as Wonder Woman!"
Author's note
Alright I'm going to address some of the criticism I've gotten
The lack of paragraphs, that's how I do all my stories, no one's ever complained before
If I made the same mistakes as Man of steel, please explain what mistakes in the future
I believe I improved upon the already good Man of steel and if you want my reasoning send me a PM
No this Ace of Spades is not the existing DC one, I know there is and this one is original to me I just like the name
So until next time, please review, comment, suggest, or ask(via PM)