Chapter 68: Sisters of Paradise

Disclaimer: All things Supergirl/Superman and Wonder Woman belong to DC. No infringement is intended.

Kara couldn't help but smile as she watched Kona soar through the sky beside her. It had taken a few weeks, but the shadow that Brainiac had cast over their family and Kona especially had finally begun to fade. Right now, seeing her fly through the azure-blue Mediterranean sky with a carefree look on her face, it was as if the whole affair had never happened.

"I can't wait to see Paradise Island," Kona cheered, flying circles around her. "You and Diana told me so much about it."

Kara had actually been somewhat surprised to realize that she had never taken Kona to Themyscira so far. Somehow there had always been so much to do, never mind that she had wanted Kona to get used to living with the Kents first. Then there had been her education regarding her Kryptonian heritage, the whole thing with Luthor and Brainiac, and so the months had passed.

Now, though, they finally had some time on their hands and with Clark stuck at home due to his being grounded, she decided to ask Diana and Lyta if it was okay to bring Kona to the island. Her Amazon friends (family, she corrected herself) had enthusiastically agreed. Apparently, everyone was already looking forward to meeting the daughter of their Kryptonian sister.

"I hope you are ready for this, Kona," Kara told her, smiling. "Thousands of women on that island and they haven't seen a child since Diana grew up."

Kona frowned. "Didn't you take Clark to the island a few times?"

"I did, but... well, he's a boy. The Amazons tolerated him as a favor to me, but they were never really comfortable with it. I expect it will be a bit different with you, baby girl."

Her words turned out to be prophetic, for the moment Kona and she set down in front of the palace of Themyscira, a hundred and more Amazons gathered around them. All of them stared at her golden-haired girl.

"Mom?" Kona asked, looking somewhat intimidated by the many stares and smiles.

"I warned you," Kara simply said, grinning.

"Welcome, sister," Hippolyta intoned, coming down the steps. "And a special welcome to you, Kona, daughter of our sister. I am glad to finally meet you."

The queen of the Amazons looked as regal as she always did, Kara thought, and Kona stared at her with wide eyes. When she failed to reply, Kara nudged her gently with her elbow.

"We are glad to be here, Queen Hyppolita," Kara replied. "Aren't we, Kona?"

"Uh... yes, yes of course. I... thank you for having me, ... your grace?"

Hippolyta maintained her regal façade for a moment longer, then broke into a smile. "You can call me Hippolyta, dear child, or Lyta. For you are the daughter of the woman who is sister to me and sister to my daughter as well. We are all family here."

Hippolyta's words seemed to be the signal for the other Amazons to approach them and soon Kona found herself surrounded by devastatingly beautiful women who all beamed down at her in admiration and affection. Laughing, Kara motioned for her to fly up into the sky and quickly joined her.

"Thank you for your hospitality, sisters," she said to the Amazons while wrapping an arm around her somewhat shell-shocked daughter. "Please be a little patient with my daughter, though. She is not used to being around so many people."

"Mala, Paula, why don't you show young Kona around the island?" Hippolyta told two Amazons who stood nearby. "I would have some time with Kara."

"Just enjoy yourself," Kara told Kona, pressing a kiss to her head. "And if it becomes too much, just fly up and find me, okay?"

Kona seemed a bit hesistant, but finally gathered her courage and went to the two smiling Amazons. Kara touched down besides Hippolyta as Kona was led away.

"She has no idea, has she?" Hippolyta whispered with a smile.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Kara replied. "Thank you for doing this, Lyta."

"She is already an Amazon simply by virtue of being your daughter," Hippolyta reminded her. "Tonight's ceremony will simply make it official."

The two women shared a hug.

"Philippus asked me to apologize on her behalf for not being here to greet you," Hippolyta told her. "She is busy organizing the cemerony for tonight, but she promised to see you as soon as possible."

A warm smile spread across Kara's face. That was another thing she hadn't really found much time for recently.

"And where is Diana?" Kara asked as they walked into the palace. "I was a bit surprised that she wasn't out here to greet us."

A strange look passed over Hippolyta's face. "Diana is... well, something... unexpected has come up."

Kara raised an eyebrow. "Nothing bad, I hope?"

"No, far from it. As a matter of fact, why don't you go and visit her in her rooms, Kara? I believe she could do with some... friendly reassurance right now."

Kara was mystified, but clearly Hippolyta would not say anything more on the subject. So Kara walked the familiar paths of the palace until she arrived at the rooms reserved for the princess of Themiscyra and knocked on the door.

"Diana? It's Kara. Can I come in?"

Diana opened the door. She was as beautiful and radiant as ever, but looked... out of her element. As long as Kara had known her, Diana had always been confident and self-assured. Even in the midst of seemingly hopeless battles, her friend and sister had never seemed uncertain.

"Hello, sister," Diana greeted her. "I am sorry for missing your arrival."

"Lyta said that something unexpected has come up?"

Diana nodded wistfully. "You could say that, yes. Please, come in."

"So what's going on?" Kara asked as she entered.

Instead of replying, Diana motioned towards the far corner of her private chambers in the palace of Themyscira. Kara had often visited Diana's place, she was familiar with the rooms, but there was something new today. A small bed was standing in the corner near the window. A bed with a tiny occupant inside it.

"I would like to introduce you to someone, Kara," Diana said, lowering her voice so as not to wake the sleeping occupant of the bed. It was a girl, Kara saw, roughly two years old she guessed. "This is Donna. She is ... she is my daughter."

Kara blinked. "Uh... what?"

Diana knelt down beside the bed, her fingers absently brushing a lock of dark hair out of the sleeping girl's face.

"It… it happened two weeks ago," Diana told her. "There was a fire in Boston, a run-down apartment building. I was passing by, sheer chance, and heard someone crying out on the uppermost floor. There were two bodies there, already dead and burning. This girl here was the only one left alive. After getting her out I inquired with the authorities in Boston, but they had no way to identify her. The apartment she was in wasn't rented and the two bodies, probably her parents, couldn't be identified. We only know her name because it was written on the leg of her doll.

"They... they wanted to send her to a foster home."

Kara crouched down besides Diana, putting her hand on her sister's shoulder. "And yet she is here."

"She... she wouldn't let go of me," Diana replied. "When the social worker arrived to take her with her, she simply refused. And I... I couldn't..."

"I understand," Kara told her, squeezing her shoulder. "So what happened?"

"I... you know I have diplomat's status in Man's World, right?" When Kara nodded, she continued. "I invoked an old Amazonian law, the Hiketeia."

Kara frowned. "I don't think I am familiar with that one."

"It is an ancient custom where one person supplicates themselves to another in exchange for sustenance and protection. Usually it requires the supplicant to recite a ritualistic plea, but I... liberally interpreted her clinging to me."

Kara smiled. "So you... adopted her on the spot?"

"In effect, yes. Donna is now a foster child of the Amazonian nation and I am her primary protector and legal guardian." Diana looked up at her. "Am I mad, sister?"

"Hey, you are talking to an alien girl who was adopted on the spot by a pair of Kansas farmers, remember? Mom told me that there is no minimum time requirement for falling in love with someone and she is right. It was the same with Kona and I."

"I just hope I am doing the right thing," Diana said, looking down at Donna again.

Kara sat back, almost overcome by a memory.

Sixteen years ago

"Hello, Kal," Kara whispered, looking down at the sleeping boy in his crib. "It's me, Kara."

She sat down in the chair beside him, watching him sleep. There were no worry lines on his young face, no sign of nightmares or torments. How she envied him.

"I should really start calling you Clark," she said after a while. "That will be your name from now on, you know? Clark! Clark Kent. And I'll be Karen Kent."

Leaning forward, she softly brushed back the little tuft of black hair that always fell onto his forehead.

"And Karen will be Clark's mother," she finally said, sighing. "I will be your mother from now on."

Leaning back again, she stared at the ceiling. "Martha and Jonathan figure it's the best way to ensure that no one will try to separate us. Which is why, as far as the humans are concerned, you are my son, not my cousin."

She closed her eyes. "This will take some getting used to. I hope I'm doing the right thing. I mean, you are my little cousin. Aunt Lara is your mom, not me. What do I know about being a mom? Especially on an alien world?"

Leaning forward again, she looked down at Kal... Clark. Her lips spread in a smile.

"I'll do my best, though. I'll be the best mom I can be for you. I promise."

She pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Sleep tight, Clark. I love you."

"Does it feel right?" Kara asked softly. "When you watch her sleep, when you brush the hair from her face, when you know she is safe and sound, does it feel right?"

Diana nodded, smiling. "Like nothing else ever has."

"Then congratulations, Diana, you are her mother," Kara assured her. "And Donna will grow up with the most wonderful group of aunts to protect and spoil her."

Diana looked up at her. "That she will. And hopefully the world's most powerful woman will agree to be her godmother."

"Of course I will," Kara assured her.

Watching her best friend and sister smile down at the child, Kara couldn't help but shed a tear of happiness.

"Does that mean," she asked a moment later "you have finally accepted the fact that I am more powerful than you, dearest sister?"

Diana's gaze snapped up to her, but her smile never broke. "That has yet to be proven, baby sister!"

As her new mother and soon-to-be godmother playfully argued, Donna continued to sleep.

Kona was smiling so broadly she was sure her cheeks would cramp before the day was out. Themiscyra was the most amazing place she had ever seen, probably the most beautiful place in the entire world. Okay, granted, she had yet to see that many places, but this one certainly had to be in the top five at the very least.

How many places had giant kangaroos you could ride on, after all?

After being shown around the island by Mala and Paula for a few hours – which had included a change of clothes from her usual jeans and T-shirt into an Amazonian toga – she met back up with her mom, Diana, and Diana's mom at the palace. Kara had also shed her super suit for a toga and was wearing her gleaming Amazonian bracelets on her forearms, too. Kona briefly wondered what she would need to do to get a set of those as well, but then she was distracted by being introduced to the cutest little girl she had ever seen. Diana had a daughter, that just blew her away.

"You are so cute," Kona grinned at the little girl wearing a miniature version of the Amazonian toga.

"You cute, too" Donna replied, pointing at Kona.

"Why thank you," Kona replied with a little curtsey, causing the girl to giggle.

"Look Diana," Kara said, grinning as well. "Our children are playing together."

Kona briefly considered whether her mom was making fun of her, but then dismissed it as unimportant. This was such a great day, such a great place, and she was having so much fun. All the worries of the last few weeks seemed to evaporate. This truly was Paradise, she figured. And Diana's eyes were practically sparkling as she watched her daughter play and laugh.

"It is good to see her so happy. The first few nights here on the island she was having nightmares all the time."

Kona could imagine. Kara had told her about Donna's parents having died in a fire and Diana rescuing her. It made her think of Clark, actually, who had also lost his home and parents while still a little child. Hopefully Donna would no more remember that tragedy than Clark did.

"When you're a bit bigger," Kona told Donna, the young girl listening attentively, "you'll join me in the Teen Titans. We can call you Wonder Girl!"

"Wonder Girl!" Donna repeated, apparently liking the name.

Kara laughed. "Kona, honey, by the time Donna is a teenager, you'll be in your twenties."

"Well, technically I'm only about two and a half years old myself," Kona said, smiling down at the girl beside her. "So we're not that far apart, aren't we, Donna?"

The sun was slowly beginning to set over the ocean and torches were being lit all over the palace and city.

"Hello, goddess," someone said.

An incredibly beautiful and tall Amazon walked up to them and immediately wrapped her mom up in a hug. Then there was a lot of kissing, causing a blushing Kona to look away.

"Your mother will be busy for a bit," Diana told Kona, walking over to her and Donna. "She and Philippus haven't seen each other in a while."

Kona nodded. She had been told about her mom's relationship with one of the Amazons, but this was the first time she was seeing it with her own two eyes. It was clearly evident that her mom was very, very happy to be here.

"Besides, there is something that you need to get ready for," Diana told her.

"Uh, what?" Kona asked, looking up at her unofficial aunt in confusion.

"Welcome, sisters," the voice of queen Hyppolita boomed out over the packed stadium. Practically every single Amazon living on the island was in attendance.

"Tonight we celebrate as we welcome two new sisters to our island."

The queen, resplendent in her ceremonial garb and gleaming crown, motioned for her daughter to come forward. Diana was dressed to the nines as well and carried a somewhat confused-looking Donna on her hip.

"Tonight we welcome Donna, chosen daughter of your princess. Know her, love her, and protect her from all harm that would come to her, for she is your sister, your daughter, a fellow Amazon!"

"HOLA!" the crowd thundered, thousands of Amazons crossing their bracelets above their heads.

"It has been 3,000 years since we last welcomed a new Amazon into our midst," Hyppolita continued, even as Kara walked up beside her. "Kara came to join us, having fought and bled besides us against the menace of Steppenwolf. And today, Kara's own daughter, young Kona, has come to follow in her mother's footsteps.

"Step forward, Kona!"

Kara smiled encouragingly at her daughter as Kona stepped into the middle of the stadium, where a small group of Amazons was already waiting for her. It hadn't really been 3,000 years since she herself had been involved in this particular ritual, at least not from her perspective, but it still felt like it had been an eternity ago.

Kona held out her arms and two Amazons fastened bracelets around her forearms. Then half a dozen Amazons formed a circle and aimed their weapons at her.

It was a ceremony, nothing more. And not a single one of those weapons could actually hurt Kona, Kara reminded herself. Still, she had to clamp down on her impulse to rush to her daughter's defense. Philippus squeezed her hand, though, reminding her that there was no danger.

Two Amazons loosened arrows at Kona, and her daughter deftly deflected them with her new bracelets. Her technique definitely needed work, Kara observed, but given her super speed no one but her would ever notice it. The next two Amazons shot crossbow bolts at her, but once again Kona easily parried them.

Then the final two Amazons stepped up. Kara smiled, remembering how surprised she had been the first time she had realized that the Amazons actually had firearms. To the casual observer Themyscira seemed frozen in time, unchanged since the time of ancient Greece, but the Amazons had not been idle in the last 3,000 years.

Two shots rang out and Kona moved. The bullets that flew towards her were not made of lead and not propelled by gun powder, but the projectiles still broke the sound barrier as they flew. Here, too, Kona could just as easily have let them break against her invulnerable skin, but that wasn't the point. Moving at blinding speed, she intercepted both bullets with her bracelets and let them harmlessly ricochet into the ground.

The ceremony finished, Kona looked up to her mother and the queen, uncertain what to do next. Kara smiled, motioning for her to raise her arms and cross her wrists. Grinning, Kona did as she was told.

"HOLA!" the crowd thundered once again.

"Tonight you are an Amazon, Kona," Hyppolita announced happily. "May the blessing of Athena and Aphrodite be with you for all of your days."

In her new mother's arms, Donna watched the events around her and smiled. She did not truly understand what was happening here, but she felt safe, loved, and happy. And looking down at the young girl in the stadium, the one who had played with her earlier, she immediately thought of a word she had heard quite a few times today. One that seemed utterly fitting.

"Sister!"

End Chapter 68

Author's Note: Donna Troy aka Wonder Girl aka Troia is a strong candidate for the comic character with the most origin retcons ever, but personally I liked her original Earth-1 origin best (read New Teen Titans (Vol.1) #38 for the full story). While the Earth-1 version of Donna was technically the legal ward of Diana, she grew up with Hippolyta as her mother and basically became Diana's baby sister. It will be a bit different here in my story. The Hiketeia ritual is (to the best of my knowledge) not a real thing, but rather something created by Greg Rucka for the excellent Wonder Woman graphic novel "The Hiketeia". It's not really an adoption ritual as such, but I really liked the concept and wanted to include it here.

Originally this chapter was supposed to be all about Donna coming into Diana's life, but somehow Kona snuck along for the ride and ended up playing a large part here, plus a little flashback to the early days of Kara and Clark.

Up Next: A Day in the Life.