Lies and Deceit

Aikaterine hadn't exactly been fully truthful. That wasn't how the night had ended, but more how it had started.

She and Barbara had had a nice long dinner - pizza again - laughing and chatting the whole way. Aikaterine didn't think she would ever feel so comfortable in the World of Man and yet, when with Barbara, all that discomfort melted away, leaving her open to enjoy herself.

And enjoy herself she did.

She walked Barbara home again - she wanted to spend more time with her, and felt better about Barbara not walking alone. This was especially true since Diana told her she had helped Barbara fend off an attacker.

When they reached Barbara's apartment, they stood staring at each other in the doorway.

"Thank you for walking with me."

"Of course."

"Would you, um, like to, come in?" Barbara asked.

Aikaterine didn't hesitate. "Yes, okay."

Barbara smiled and unlocked her apartment, leading her inside. "I'm sorry for the mess - but you've seen the state of my office, so you've seen worse."

"You have a lovely home."

"Thanks."

They resumed their silence staring at each other.

"Can I get you anything? A drink?"

"Oh, no thank you."

Suddenly, they both came together at the same time, like a magnet drawing them together, and met in the middle in a passionate embrace.

"Oh I've been wanting to do this for a long time," Barbara admitted with a sigh. "But we always seemed to be in public."

This statement confused the redhead. "Why does that matter?"

Barb seemed surprised but also impressed at her lack of worry over this. "Well two women kissing? People aren't exactly so receptive of that."

"Why not?"

"They think it's wrong. Not everyone, but lots do."

"Well then this world is wrong. Where I come from, women fall in love and marry and raise families together. Are equals and leaders."

"Wow, I'd love to see this place."

Maybe someday I can show you... Show a human Themyscria? Barbara was definitely making her lose it. But honestly, she didn't care.

They continued with their embrace and suddenly, Barbara had her pressed up against the wall.

"Wow, you're strong." She didn't think mortals usually had such intense physical strength.

"I know, I don't know what's happening, but suddenly I'm stronger than I know," Barbara cried.

"You were always stronger than you knew. And strong is wildly sexy." Aikaterine flipped them so that now she had Barb pressed into the wall.

"Speaking of strong," Barbara laughed. Then she moaned as Aikaterine kissed her.

And that was only the beginning.

When Aikaterine awoke the next morning, she was in Barbara's bed, Barb next to her.

But suddenly, it wasn't Barbara in bed next to her, but instead Diana. Diana smiling warmly and blissfully back at her, Diana reaching out to touch her cheek.

Aikaterine blinked - no, it had just been her imagination. It was Barbara next to her. Had she been imagining Diana in Barbara's place?

This only confirmed her fears: Barbara reminded her too much of Diana, and too much of her unrequited love for Diana.

"You okay?" the blonde asked.

"Yes." No. Suddenly, she jumped out of bed. "I just realized I have to go!"

"You don't have to rush," Barbara protested.

"No, no I do."

"What about our meeting with Babajide?"

"Oh, right - I'll meet you there!" With that, she flew out the door.

Following the deception of her heart, part of Aikaterine was dreading seeing Barbara later that morning - it just meant facing her fear of another heartbreak. But she had promised she would come investigate their last lead on the stone.

"Hey, you okay? You left really quickly earlier," Barbara said.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay," she lied.

"Okay." Barbara seemed confused. And concerned. But instead of pushing the other woman further, she walked up to the door and knocked a few times. "Babajide?"

"Hey."

The two women jumped slightly when suddenly, Diana and Steve were with them.

"Oh, hi. That was fast," Barbara remarked.

The door opened and Babajide ushered them inside the dark room.

"So you're a Mayan?" Diana asked him.

"Well I'm a citizen of the world."

"It says your name is Frank."

"Yeah, most of what I know is a past-life thing. But to answer your question, yes. My great-great grandfather gave me this-" He held up a thick, old book, bursting at the seams. "I don't know everything about it, but I have been warned that I'm better off that way. What I do know is, is that it destroyed our people in a matter of months. The few survivors, they buried the stone never to be exhumed under any circumstances."

"May I see that?"

"Be my guest."

Diana poured over the book. Suddenly, she gave a grave gasp.

"What is it?" asked Steve.

"Dechalafrea Ero."

"What's that?"

"A very bad God."

"The God of Lies," said Aikaterine.

Diana nodded. "Dolos, Mendacius, Duke of Deception. He's been called by many names. But if he is the one who empowered that Stone, there has to be a trick."

"What do lies have to do with granting wishes?" asked Barbara. "Seems more like a Dreamstone to me."

"Wishes with a trick. 'The Monkey's Paw,'" said Steve.

"What do monkeys have to do with it?" asked Aikat.

"No, not actual monkeys. Beware what you wish for. It grants your wish but takes your most valued possession. Diana, your powers..."

"No, that doesn't make any sense. What's more precious than what you wish for?" asked Barbara.

"How do we stop this?" Diana asked Babajide

"The legend says it can only be stopped by destroying the stone itself or to give back what was given. My people couldn't do the first thing and refused to do the second. Now the culture's destroyed, wiped from the face of the Earth."

"No one renounced their wish?" cried Steve in disbelief.

"But the stone is already destroyed," said Diana.

"What? When?" cried Barbara.

"'You're looking at it', that's what Max Lord said to me. Maybe it's him, he's become it somehow."

"But how would he do that?"

"I mean, if he wished for... No, no, that's crazy, no."

"So if we destroy it, we destroy him," said Aikaterine.

"Yeah, and if we destroy it - him - then all the wishes go back," Steve worked out.

"No, I'm not gonna be a part of that, no!" cried Barbara.

"Or if everyone renounces their wish." Aikaterine looked at Diana and Steve.

"No, no, there has to be a better way," cried Barb.

"She's right. We don't know enough, we just don't know enough," agreed Diana. "But what we do know is that we need to stop him before he grants any more."

"There's no telling how many he's already granted," Aikaterine sighed.

"She's right," Steve agreed, surprising her. "Stopping him might not be enough, Diana. Wishes have been made."

But Diana called, "Barbara?" But she was gone.

Aikaterine turned to her friend. "Diana, if that's what it takes-"

"I'm Sorry, Aikaterine, but this really isn't your place," Diana cut her off firmly, on the edge of snapping at her. "This is between my boyfriend and me."

"Yes, because it is not as though I have ever lost the one I love." Perhaps her point wasn't exactly fair in the context of their conversation, but she was past the point of caring. With that, she stalked out of the room, ripping off her stupid mortal clothes to reveal her armour underneath.

Lord Maxwell's workplace was overly crowded - no doubt people coming to ask for their one bestowed wish, which he more than happy to grant.

Well now it's my turn.

She jumped up onto the balcony of his office, startling the man himself.

"Lord Maxwell, I hear you can grant wishes."

Thanks so much and I hope you enjoyed! :)