A green Honda was forced to swerve wildly as a figure crashed into a two-lane road. As the driver glanced at his rear view mirror, he was surprised to see Wonder Woman rise to her feet.

It was sunny, with a few clouds high up in the sky. As Wonder Woman got back on her feet, tightening her grip on her shiny sword and shield, she eyed the smoke in the distance. She clenched her teeth before flying into the air. Thankfully, little damage had been done to the capital of America; there were only a few broken windows, with traffic having come to a complete crawl; cars were piled behind each other, unable to move anywhere. And the reason why came into Wonder Woman's field of vision moments later.

Thor was swinging his hammer through the air, while he himself levitated above the street. There were wrecked cars abound, with some pipe burts in the sewers and a fire spreading across a rooftop. They were facing two supervillains: Aleksi Systevich, aka The Rhino; a gigantic behemoth of a man dressed in all-gray armor, with two rhino horns on the top of his head and only his face being visible. And the other was a short and stubby telekinetic named Edgar Cizko, better known as 'Doctor Psycho'.

Doctor Psycho had wild black hair and bulging plate-sized eyes. With his mind, he lifted a car into the air and threw it towards Thor before the God of Thunder could deflect it with his hammer. Rhino seized the opportunity and charged towards Thor, lowering his head so that his horns would strike Thor in the chest.

Wonder Woman's landing caused a few cracks to emanate from the road and sidewalks, but otherwise did no damage. It did, however, cause Doctor Psycho to snarl.

"No! No, I will not lose to you again, you stupid whore!"

Wonder Woman ignored his insult. And she also did not dignify him with a response when he continued, "Women were just fine in the kitchen! Then they started thinking that they could be equal to men, and you have made them more deluded than ever!"

She did sneer at his remark, however. But she focused on the Rhino as the latter readied himself to charge at Thor again. But this time, Thor was prepared for battle. His face was grim, and as he swung his hammer once more, the sky began to darken. Thunder clouds gathered above.

"Your strength is nothing against the might of an Asgardian!" Thor shouted as he threw his hammer directly into the Rhino's face. When Mjlonir swung back to him, a war cry escaped from his chest, and lighting came roaring down from the sky. The bolt took seconds to strike the Rhino where he stood, before he could charge again.

Wonder Woman raised her arms and deflected a fire hydrant thrown her way by the mind of Doctor Psycho with her bracers. The Amazon then lunged towards Rhino alongside Thor. Rhino's armor was singed, and he held his head in his hand as he groaned.

"How did I get talked into -" Rhino began, before Wonder Woman cut him off by bashing his head with her shield. Thor struck him in the stomach with Mjlonir, and then Wonder Woman cracked her elbow into Alexei's face.

Then Thor flew away to deal with Doctor Psycho, while Wonder Woman lifted Rhino up. He was a bulky man, but the Amazon hardly broke a sweat as she slammed him onto the ground, knocking him out. By the time Wonder Woman turned around to face Doctor Psycho, Thor had already kicked him in the shin before he lifted his hammer up and brought it down on Doctor Psycho. Lightning crackled from the hammer, and Doctor Psycho cried out in agony as it struck him.

With bystanders evading the area, Wonder Woman ran over to the scene. Doctor Psycho was on his knees, coughing. He looked up at Wonder Woman, and spat at her boots.

"One day, I will defeat you, you cu -"

Wonder Woman wasn't having any more of this. She grabbed him by his hair and headbutted him, knocking him unconscious. She took a deep breath before eyeing the area around her. They had managed to contain the amount of collateral damage from their battle. No one was trapped in the wrecked cars, and the fire on that roof was small and could still be put out. The sky cleared as Thor called off the storm he had created during the fight. She would stay, and help clean up the damage. A few people applauded and thanked the heroes, but Wonder Woman did not bask in the glory, only smiling at those she had saved. She needed to get emergency services here, so they could help with the cleanup.

She dragged the unconscious Rhino over to Doctor Psycho and tied them both together with the Lasso of Truth. Then she flew off to get emergency responses here, as traffic had come to such a halt that it would be difficult even for the police to get here. Thor summoned a rain cloud to put out the fires, which drew loud cheers from the gathering crowd.

But right before she flew off, Wonder Woman couldn't help but notice a dismayed frown on her teammate's face.

After the damage was repaired, Wonder Woman did not waste a nanosecond. The first thing she did was go to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Then she used the Vanguard's teleporter to go to the United Kingdom, where she visited an elementary school in Liverpool to talk about the importance of building a better future. And finally, she went to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. There, she helped champion a fundraiser to help out the homeless who lived on the streets.

After all of that was done, she teleported herself to the Vanguard Tower one final time. Nightfall had now cast itself onto New York City. Wonder Woman looked up at the sky outside the glass panel windows. As a little girl in Themyscira, she loved to look at all the stars in the sky; there were so many that they filled her with awe. But in big cities such as New York, one would be lucky to see so much as a single white speck up there. All Wonder Woman could do was shrug that off and fly across the tower. She did so for a few moments, until she saw the clear-steel refrigerator, and the kitchen that it was a part of. It was a regular-sized kitchen; in addition the refrigerator, there were some cabinets, a pantry, a sink, and a dishwasher.

All three of the Vanguard's residents were in here. Steve, J'onn, and Banner were all sitting down at the kitchen table, all three of them clad in pajamas. J'onn was helping himself to some of his personal Oreos; he ate out of one package, while two other packages lay empty on the table.

"It's so weird seeing you eat so many in one sitting," Steve said, his hands clasped onto the table. "Humans could never eat that many and stay in good shape."

Banner shook his head. "J'onn's been like this since you've known him. You gotta get used to this, Cap,"

"Now, now," J'onn stated, raising his hand up while smiling. "Rogers has a right to be perplexed. As he says, such an excess of Oreos would be far too unhealthy for the average human."

Then J'onn noticed Wonder Woman enter the kitchen, and called her over. "Diana, come, listen. Here's a fun little story."

The Amazon had nothing really to do, other than finish reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, so she walked over to the kitchen table to listen to J'onn's story. "I remember, it was 1974 when they invented double stuffed Oreos. I already loved regular Oreos, and one day I was walking into a grocery store, on my lunch hour as John Jones. Then I see these larger versions of the cookies, and I knew I had to try some right away. I bought a pack, tried some right out of the door, and…well, let's just say I had trouble paying the bills that month."

Wonder Woman let out a small chuckle to that. "You should make friends with Cookie Monster the next time you appear on Sesame Street."

Banner piped in with, "Oh, I don't know if he can top the appearance you, Steve and Clark all made on it last month."

"Martian Manhunter and Cookie Monster shoveling their faces with cookies? It could definitely work," Steve added on, standing up and stretching his arms out. He looked over at Wonder Woman and asked, "So, Diana, I'm gonna ask this again."

Wonder Woman jolted up, and wagged her finger while shaking her head. "No, Steve, don't you dare."

Steve ignored this and walked over to her. "How is…He…doing right now?"

Wonder Woman slapped his shoulder. "You know I hate it when you ask me that!" she said, though a visible smirk still crossed her lips.

"We're teammates and friends. I won't tell anyone."

"It's just that, even as warriors such as Thor and myself make ourselves known to Earth, He still doesn't want to show Himself to mankind. Given what strong debates the world has had over His existence, it's understandable."

Steve threw his hands up into the air and began pacing away. Wonder Woman groaned before catching him with the tap of his shoulder. "Okay, Steve. Because we're friends, I'll tell you one thing about Him."

"Save your breath, Diana!" a voice cried from behind. It was Thor, almost charging his way through the kitchen. "You know how He is, trying to work in mysterious ways to somehow benefit humanity! What a waste!"

Thor bore the same scowl that Diana had noticed on the Asgardian after their battle with Rhino and Doctor Psycho. Wonder Woman frowned, looking over her shoulder at the other three. "I think we'll need a moment."

The three obliged, and Steve, Banner, and J'onn all left the kitchen, leaving Wonder Woman alone with the God of Thunder.

"I'll cut to the chase, Thor," the Amazon stated, looking him dead in the eye. "What troubles you?"

Thor sighed, relaxing his shoulders. "Aye, much troubles me, Diana. Funny that you had just mentioned your appearances on that puppet show."

Wonder Woman raised an eyebrow while tilting her head. "Why do you say that?"

"Take this from someone who was once cast away from his realm for his arrogance and hubris," Thor replied while swinging his hammer. "Doesn't it seem pointless to be making appearances on Midgard shows? And to speak at schools and charities? What does this achieve besides stroking thine own ego?"

Wonder Woman's face began to burn up, and she shot a fiery death glare towards the Asgardian. "I beg your pardon, Odinson! Have you forgotten who I am?! You think that I went to visit dying children who may not see another day just to feel good about myself?! It never occurred to you that maybe I just wanted to bring them hope?!"

"I didn't mention the sick children, Diana. I too have seen their eyes light up at my visits."

Wonder Woman tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and breathed in. "When I give a talk at a school, I do it to inspire the kids and to give them hope that they can make a difference in the world. When I go to a charity, I am also trying to encourage the next generation to make their world a better place than it was. To make them realize that people can lead better lives and don't need to suffer any more than they already have."

The Amazon walked over to her teammate. "Was this really on your mind when we were battling Rhino and Psycho?"

Thor shook his head. "That is another thing, actually. I am a god. You are a demigoddess. I carry the blood of Odin through my veins, while you carry the blood of Zeus through yours. Foes like them, they should be left to one of Earth's many other heroes, and not to us."

Wonder Woman's mind was boiling at an even more intense pace now. She had to control her temper so as not raise to her voice, and keep her cool. "Washington, D.C. doesn't have that many superheroes. Someone had to respond to the situation quickly! Rhino and Psycho could be dangerous if they truly wanted to be, and I was not going to let them claim so much as one life just because of pride!"

Thor turned his back away, but Wonder Woman continued on. "And you showed up as well! If you felt that they were beneath you, then why bother at all? I know you are a good person at heart. You clearly understood that the lives of those people had to come before your pride, so why only balk at it now? Now, Thor, you are a trusted comrade and friend of mine, but what are you actually trying to say right now?"

There was a long silence. Thor cupped his chin and paced around. He realized he wasn't being clear with the point he was trying to make to Diana. He pursed his lip as he pondered it some more. Finally, after a deafeningly quiet few minutes, he turned to face Wonder Woman.

"My father warned me against spending too much time on Midgard. He told me it was unwise for a god such as myself to be at humanity's beck and call. For the most part, I did not heed the All Father's words because I believed the mortals needed my help. But as more mortals have emerged with powers of their own, I have begun to see what Odin has been trying to tell me. I would lay down my life for any mortal of Midgard, just as you would. But we need to remember our place. We are here to protect them from mystical and cosmic threats that even their superpowered beings could not hope to vanquish.

*INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! ENEMY PERSONNEL ON VANGUARD PROPERTY! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT*

This conversation would have to wait. Thor and Wonder Woman raced over to the monitor to see which one of their foes would be stupid enough to walk towards the Vanguard Tower's property. Wonder Woman activated the Vanguard's CCTV footage, and the trespasser was revealed to them. It was the Asgardian Loki.

The Norse God of Mischief was just standing there. His shoulders were relaxed, and the smile on his face seemed warm. He eyed the security camera directly, waving his arm as he did so. Wonder Woman looked over her shoulder to see Steve, J'onn, and Banner all standing there, fists forming as they readied themselves.

"Let me and Thor go out there and see what he's up to," Wonder Woman said to get the three to stand down. "If it looks like we will need help, you know what to do."

It was only a few moments later that Thor and Wonder Woman were outside the Vanguard Tower, standing face-to-face with Loki. Loki looked over to the Amazon.

"It has been too long, Diana," Loki stated, extending out his hands as he did so. "I respect you, you know. Sometimes I wish you were of Asgard. You'd certainly make for better company than the ruffians that dwell there."

Wonder Woman narrowed her eyes and tightened her scowl. "Dispense with the pleasantries, Laufeyson. What do you want?"

Thor had his hammer pointed towards his adoptive brother. "Loki, you've been getting better. You really have. Whatever trick you are trying to pull -"

"I don't think he's necessarily trying to pull a trick," Wonder Woman interjected. There were several factors at play that made her think otherwise. "You must admit that this is very peculiar behavior for your brother to appear at the Vanguard Tower at random, undisguised."

Wonder Woman then turned her head over to Loki. "Now, we will hear you out. But I warn you, no lies or deceptions, trickster. My lasso will see through any of that."

Loki chuckled. "And that's why I like you. If only my brother had your intellect, Diana. And I shall tell you why I am here. As soon as your sister shows up."

Donna Troy? Wonder Woman's mouth went agape. What was her sister doing with Loki? As far as she knew, they had only crossed paths once or twice, and Donna had never spoken of Loki to her. But then, the Amazon could see a small figure in the sky. A figure that drew closer and closer to the Tower. It wasn't long before Wonder Woman recognized her sister.

Donna landed softly onto the grass. She was not quite as tall as Wonder Woman, but she was still statuesque and stunning. She wore a black ensemble, with shining silver boots and shoulder pads. Her belt bore the same hue of gray, and she had stars planted across her outfit. The sisters watched each other for a second, then smiled.

"My goodness, Donna," Wonder Woman said as she and Donna lunged towards each other for an embrace. "I honestly hadn't realized how long it had been. I am so sorry about that!"

When they pulled away, Donna's grin hadn't disappeared. "It's all fine, Diana, I promise," she said. And it was at that exact second that her lips formed a harrowing frown in the blink of an eye. She no longer looked at Wonder Woman, but rather at her own two feet. "And I sincerely wish that I was seeing you again under better circumstances. So I'm sorry about that."

Loki showing up and just standing there. Donna Troy warning that she bore unpleasant news. The two of them, side-by-side, standing together opposite Thor and Wonder Woman. All of this had the Amazon almost dreading what could possibly be happening.

Loki clasped his hands together. "Before we deliver this rather major news, I wanted to offer my congratulations on the Joker's death. What an irksome pest he was. And I won't have an opportunity to say it again, because Ares and Amora have allied together."

The Greek God of War who persecuted the Amazons, and the Asgardian enchantress who tormented Thor time after time after time. Either one was a major threat alone, but together…

Donna continued on with, "Athena and Heimdall are missing. They were the only ones in Olympus and Asgard who had learned of their intentions. And as for the rest of the realms…Ares and Amora…they've…"

There was a brief pause, before Donna finally looked Wonder Woman in the eye. "They've turned them against one another. And now, Olympus and Asgard have just gone to war."