A/N

You guys thought I was lying when I said I was sticking to a schedule didn't you?! Guess what, I'm really not lying. This is it guys, every Saturday and on a Wednesday every fortnight. If I feel the story is getting a bit more love from you guys, maybe even an extra one thrown in there too.

Hope you enjoy!

Episode VII: No Mans Land, Part II

This isn't how the tournament was supposed to go down. Artemis was supposed to do a few heroic things, maybe beat up an Amazon or two and then walk away with her arms raised high and a new accomplishment under her belt. Turns out, this tournament was more geared towards a different kind of competition - these ladies really want to win.

In school, competition generally means that everyone gives it a try at the beginning and the one who pulls away as the best makes the other ones give up. Although this is definitely not the school yard, she didn't expect everyone to be so rough.

Wiping the mud from her face as she attempts to make sense of the free-for-all, she gets more of the filth flicked onto her face as an Amazon lands directly in front of her, fists raised and ready to smash down on Artemis from above.

Barely dodging as the woman crashed down at ridiculous speeds, the impact still sends her flying into the dirt a few feet behind her. The landing wasn't exactly a comfortable one, but by the way she can still move, it probably wasn't as bad as she first thought.

Who would have known Amazons would create a competition which is supposed to include Amazons and their superpowered abilities - Artemis certainly didn't take that into account when she signed up.

It more than likely wouldn't have changed her opinion on joining, but it certainly would've aided her preparation. Not like she can prepare for this much, but its the thought which counts.

Managing to spot M'gann in the middle of the frenzy, she acknowledges that the Martian is having a much better tournament than Artemis is, using her own powers - excluding the obvious telekinesis - to hold her own against the Amazons around her. Still, M'gann is having trouble keeping up with the sheer ferocity of the warriors around them, and Artemis thoroughly understands why.

Having spent their whole lives on an isolated island with only other similarly gifted individuals to train with, its no surprise they don't pull their punches. They probably didn't need to, if Artemis hadn't thrown her own human body into this situation in the first place.

Spotting a chance to get the upper hand on an Amazon which had just sent one of her sisters soaring into the crowd, Artemis rushes forwards and drives her elbow into the back of the woman's head with as much force as she can muster.

Although it knocks the warriors head forwards, the woman quickly turns around, shaking her head. So, it might not have been the best idea to ambush someone who just launched a super-powered being a massive distance away.

At least Artemis can admit when she's made a mistake. Most of the time, anyway.

Just as the Amazon was about to take her fury out on the poor archer, M'gann barrels into the woman at superspeed, knocking the Amazon to the ground and delivering a final, powerful punch straight to the Amazon's face. The woman slumps fully to the ground, and M'gann looks at Artemis with a cheeky smile.

Not such a good ide-

The Martian's gloating was cut short as another Amazon arrives out of nowhere and does to M'gann what M'gann had just done to the other one. There's no room to sit and relax, that's for sure.

Feeling naked without her bow, she remembers the moment right before they entered the hastily-erected arena when she realised there will be no weapons after all. After all, Amazons can actually be harmed through the usage of sharp weapons, and what can be sharper than one of Artemis' arrows flying into your body.

So, blunt force trauma it is. Certainly a much better option for actual Amazons, but it leaves Artemis in a very dangerous situation.

However, one which she has found herself in multiple times; pretty much anytime she steps into a mission, she's up against villains which would split her in half if she didn't move as quickly as she does.

The trick is simple: always stay one step ahead.

One of Robin's tips which actually became useful.

Teamwork with Robin is a lot easier when she came to terms the he is the only other one in the team who has to put in some effort in order to make themselves useful. With Superboy, all someone has to do is give him something to fight and there he goes; M'gann is what soldiers might call support, providing everything we don't have, including flight and communications. The infamous Kid Flash is the de-facto sweeper of the team, getting rid of every piece of trash which either gets past the others or doesn't stay down.

But Robin, he comes up with a good piece of advice every once in a while, and she can definitely appreciate it.

At this point, she kind of wishes she wasn't such an ass and could ask Robin for some help, both with her current ordeal and the one outside of it.

Black Canary believes the thing about being apart of a team is that you can't escape your problems, or they actually become the team's problem. Canary always has a few good pointers as well - a solid advantage to having her as a den-mother.

Have I become the team's problem? Artemis wonders to herself as she clambers up the arm of an Amazon who tried to punch her, wrapping her legs around the Amazon's neck and squeezing.

Managing to hold off the Amazon's desperate attempts to rid herself of Artemis, the archer drops to the ground with the now unconscious Amazon, elegantly rolling to get back to her feet.

By the time she had thought about how life is playing out for her so far and taken down the Amazon, the competition had been reduced to it's final dregs, with M'gann and two other Amazons locked in a stunning battle. For a second, Artemis doubts whether she should intervene and instead let M'gann either beat them or fall trying.

Yet, her better judgement was thrown aside as she leaps into the fray, foot extended and seeking a target like a missile.

Seeing her coming, M'gann smartly knocks one of the Amazon's into Artemis' path, so the move ends with the archer's foot slamming into a head. The blow wobbles the Amazon and Artemis takes the advantage, grabbing a helmet of the ground and whacking it across the woman's head.

Artemis' actions bringing the heated action down to simply three contestants, the two members of the team watch each other closely, barely focusing on the third party.

"Not today sisters, the glory is mine - the reward too," the Amazon left snarls, eyes flickering in between Artemis and M'gann.

"Reward, huh? Sound like mine actually," the blonde archer responds, making sure to give the Amazon a wink with the eye not completely focused on her teammate. "You can have runner-up though, I don't like this one much."

"The feelings mutual," M'gann snaps, charging at Artemis.

Instinctively jumping above, she feels a tremendous force on her leg and the ground rapidly approaches. She lands with a thud, and pain rattles through her body.

"You know me too well," Artemis mumbles, grunting as she gets up.

"Stay down," the last Amazon seizes the chance and attacks M'gann with a fury unlike any of the others. If anything, it comes from a place of malice rather than a place of competitiveness. She wasn't joking when she said the tournament was hers, as it definitely feels she will do anything to make it so.

Summoning up whatever strength she has left - and trying her best to ignore the pain soaring through her body - Artemis feels a great weight drop onto her back, slamming her back the ground. Whatever fell must be something heavy as Artemis' cannot even attempt to get back up, instead straining and causing more pain to take a train ride straight to her spine.

Neck directing upwards, her eyes fall on M'gann, who is staring back at Artemis with something of a smile on her face. From this angle, Artemis can't tell whether its a smile of friendly cheekiness or something more on the verge of disdainful gloating.

You feeling good about yourself? Artemis forces her thoughts on M'gann.

No, just glad that I got the opportunity to let you know how much your actions are hurting this team, M'gann responds, lifting the body off of Artemis as the crowds around them begin to applause and clap.

Glad someone enjoyed the show, Artemis' thinks, accepting the hand which M'gann has outstretched and getting back to her feet.

"Well done, sister, and now.. would you like to come with me?" the lead Amazon who had announced the tournament earlier arrives clapping herself.

"She should be back by now," Artemis' mutters to herself as she paces around the building they were placed in before the tournament had started. Thankfully, her bow had made it's way back to her custody and is seated on the chair, bowstring as taught and ready as ever.

"You can stop pacing, you know," Zatanna interrupts Artemis' musing from her own chair. "Or.. you can pace some more, as we still have no clue whether all hell is about to break loose at any moment. So much for recon."

"The other Amazon," Artemis begins to relay her thoughts to the magician, "why do you think she was so intense about getting this 'reward'?"

"We are on Themyscira, so my guess is that's its something important - maybe a mystical sword used to cut the head off Cerberus, or some other item used by a Greek hero at some point," Zatanna answers, shrugging her shoulders. "It could be anything."

Though she might not admit so out loud, Artemis knows Zatanna is correct. The reward might be something mystical, but that might actually be the reason for them being here.

"So.. if you were a supervillain, looking to cause as much chaos and evil and blah-blah-blah.. wouldn't you want the sword which chopped the head of Cerberus?" Artemis questions, and Zatanna's casual posture suddenly bolts forwards.

"I know I would," the magician nods.

A moment of silence breaks out as Artemis hurries up her pacing, willing her movements to spur some kind of explanation for them to understand. In the end, she decides it was irritating her more than aiding and she sits herself down on the chair beside her bow.

The thought-enticed silence in broken when Zatanna speaks up.

"Whatever is going on, it can't be good for M'gann. If they want whatever is the reward, won't that put her in their crosshairs? I say we take the recon mission and shove into a hole ten-foot deep, and then go save our friend."

"You know what," Artemis sighs, standing up and immediately feeling her stiff body erupt with a dull pain.

After the tournament, the Amazons gifted Artemis some form of cream which did some seriously magical stuff to her wounds. The bruises almost disappeared instantly, but she can't say for certain her brain has quite caught up with it yet.

Ignoring the pain and turning to Zatanna, her eyes look upon the young woman.

Examining Zatanna from top to bottom, it doesn't take the archer long to recognise what Robin sees in the girl, both in terms of beauty and a hero standpoint. She's got that little bit of guts in her which makes a hero great, and the little twinkle in her eyes which scream she wants to do some good in the world. Not that Artemis is an expert on what it means, but she can surely make a damn fine hero in the future.

For now, its time to take her first baby step.

"I like that plan, new girl."

"Just a few more steps," Artemis gasps, checking behind her to make sure Zatanna is still trailing behind her as they run up the side of the mountain.

Just because the path leading upwards is amazingly well-crafted and designed to make travel as easier as possible, it doesn't mean these two aren't going to have some serious struggle with sprinting up as quickly as possible.

It was a breeze until what seemed like the hundredth step, and then there was a few hundred more after that just to make sure Artemis gets her cardio in.

Surprisingly, Zatanna has a kept a solid pace throughout, managing to keep up with the archer somewhat which was a bit astounding. Artemis didn't expect the daughter of a magician to keep up with a hero which has been doing this for quite a long time now.

"That's what you said a few steps down," Zatanna gasps back, sweat running down her forehead. "I always thought this is what superheroes don't do."

"Do I look like I can fly to you?"

"You have an arrow which can fire rope, don't you?"

"Let me know when you find a piece of rope which can scale a mountain, I'd very much like to know where you get it from."

Zatanna has the mouth of a hero to match too. At least one of the less-irritating superheroes anyway, and coming from Artemis its a compliment. Spending time with Kid Flash makes anyone a bit more tolerant to annoyance, and he's even turned Conner into a relatively normal person.

The end of the trial eventually comes into their view and the end for them signals a whole new challenge. As they jog over to a massive open courtyard, Artemis takes the chance to analyse their surroundings as she pants to regain breath. Greek architecture all around, as expected, with busts of all the famous Gods and Goddesses, all apart from one in particular.

Guess the hard feelings between the Amazons and the God of War haven't yet been forgiven.

"Artemis?" M'gann's familiar voice enters as she and another woman enter.

Standing beside the Martian is a tall and proud Amazon, armour gleaming with the sunshine and crown stamping her authority onto anyone who dares look at it. Her sword burns bright which as much energy as her armour, and is definitely heavy enough to warrant the large muscles of the wielder, who's arms also tell a tale of battles through the various scars and marks across them. An impressive warrior no doubt, and one Artemis reminds herself not to cross at any given point.

"This is Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons," M'gann introduces, "I've already told her why we are here."

"Hi.. I'm... Artemis," the archer greets back, struggling to get out her words as she regains her composure. "Queen of archery, I guess."

"Zatanna, queen of nothing," the last team-member to introduce themselves waves.

"Well, Artemis, Queen of archery.. and Zatanna, Queen of nothing, you have nothing to fear - nothing has or ever will managed to conquer Themyscira, both inside and outside," the Queen politely returns, before her face shifts to one of surprise and she ducks, an arrow knocking the crown off her head and throwing itself off the mountain in act of failure.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," the Amazon they had fought in the competition lowers her bow, an evil smile on her face. "I hoped to win the tournament and slip a dagger into the back of the Queen that way, but the old-fashioned way will have to do. I'm sure you don't mind, your grace."

"Not at all," Hippolyta responds, carefully picking the crown up off the floor and passing it to M'gann to hold.

Just when the Queen was about to engage her would-be assassin, a few more Amazons drop into the courtyard through a portal, though not one which Klarion uses. Whoever allowed them into Themyscira obviously has bad intentions as the Amazons are armed and ready for action, closing in on the Queen.

The team moves forward to intervene, but the Queen waves them off with a shake of her hand.

"I'm afraid not. I need to deal with Circe's traitors personally," the Queen refuses, and the team backs of, Artemis reminding herself she made an internal promise not to cross the Queen.

The ensuing battle was brief, to say the least. It was a thoroughly decisive victory for the Queen, who dispatched the women with a quite frightening ease, placing the crown back on her head and turning to the girls as though she had just taken it off to brush her hair.

"I guess you were right," the Queen admits, looking at the girls with focused eyes. "Although I do not believe you understand the seriousness of the situation. It appears you are making enemies of our mortal enemy, Circe, and that is something not to be carefree about."

"Yet another evil supervillain joins in to beat us down," Artemis groans. "Great job."

"We'll get past it," M'gann smiles at Artemis, casting no elusions that the Martian is a bit more friendly towards the archer again. "We always do."

As the two exchange a brief hug, the Queen stands and watches. Though she doesn't make a move to leave, Hippolyta watches the group in earnest approval, nodding. If only she knew they aren't exactly operating inside of normal Justice League operations.

Shaking her head in confusion, Zatanna looks at the two.

"Hang on.. no-one ever said anything about more than one villain being after us."

A/N

Thanks for reading guys... wow, I enjoyed making this chapter for some reason. I guess it was the interactions between Zatanna and Artemis, combined with where I know everything is going. I hope you enjoyed it too, so please REVIEW if you did, and REVIEW if you didn't as well.