Hunters of Justice (RWBY/DC)
Chapter 6: Paradise Island
Diana awoke with a start. Groaning to herself, she sat upright and let the bed covers fall off of her, while she herself closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She knew why she had woken up the way she did, as it had not been the first time it happened. Even after a century, it still hurt just as much now as it did then. Admittedly, she had thought she had finally gotten over it, finally moved on, but seeing Scarecrow's horrid gas brought his memory back to the forefront of her mind.
"Steve…" she muttered as she got out of bed and threw open the blinds, revealing the still slumbering Parisian landscape, the Eiffel Tower standing tall. Opening the window, she sighed as she took in the sights and sounds of the city, the smell of freshly baked bread wafting in from the bakeries below. As the aroma reached her window, Diana allowed herself to relax. Something about Paris always seemed to soothe her. With the window still opened, she walked back to her bed and turned on the TV, only to frown as the news station displayed a still recovering Gotham City.
"Due to the quick actions of Batman and the Gotham City Police Department, Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow, was able to be apprehended and reinstated into Arkham Asylum," Vicki Vale, a reporter for Gotham City News, said into the microphone. Behind her, police cars and men wearing HAZMAT suits walked around, checking buildings for any remaining pockets of gas and preventing people from coming close. "It is currently unknown how long before the affected areas of Gotham will be—"
Diana shut the TV off and threw the remote on her bed. Sighing once again, Diana sat down on a wooden chair and began to think. It had been two days since the attack on Gotham City, and it was still the hottest story around the world. Attacks by supervillains often were, especially on a scale large enough to shut down a major city. Current estimates say it will take weeks to get the city back to normal, prompting Batman to take a temporary leave of absence to keep his full attention there. The FBI, CIA, and other organizations were currently working on trying to figure out just how Crane managed to pull off an attack of this magnitude, but the insane man wasn't talking. Every attempt to interrogate him ended in utter failure, and they were no closer now than they were when they first apprehended him.
That didn't mean they didn't have a lead. It wasn't from anything Crane had said but what he had used. After Ren managed to catch him, beating him into unconsciousness as he did, Batman was able to acquire a few of his grenades for analysis. The results confirmed what she had already suspected, especially after Commissioner Gordon managed to find Crane's base of operations. As it turned out, the gas grenades Crane had used were based off of mustard gas, only modified to deliver a dose of fear toxin. What was most horrifying, however, was the particular type of mustard gas the grenades were based off of. Somehow, for reasons Diana did not have an answer to, Crane had managed to get his hands on the same modified mustard gas created by Dr. Isabel Maru in the closing months of the first World War, one that was built on hydrogen instead of sulfur.
That should have been impossible, but before she could ruminate further she heard the sound of creaking wood. Diana sharply turned around, pulling out her sword from underneath her desk, only to stop once she saw exactly who was in her room.
"Donna," Diana greeted her sister with a smile, sheathing her sword and relaxing herself.
"Diana, have your senses been dulled after spending so much time in Man's World?" Donna asked as she placed her hand on her hip. Diana didn't deign to answer and merely laughed, prompting her fellow Amazon to laugh with her before the two embraced. "It's good to see you again, sister."
"It's good to see you, too, Donna." Diana let go of her sibling and stepped away, her expression turning more serious. "Something tells me that you aren't here on a social visit."
"No, unfortunately." Donna shook her head. "I bring a message from Queen Hippolyta."
"And?" Donna smiled faintly at Diana's question.
"Your request has been approved."
Watchtower, Earth Geosynchronous Orbit
"RAAGH!" Yang shouted as she pummeled the last hologram into submission, the man disappearing in a red flash. At once, a loud klaxon blared through the training arena, marking the session as complete and causing the cityscape around her to disappear. Yang panted and felt beads of sweat drip off of her before standing upright. "Again."
"Yang, I must advise against this course of action," J'onn responded to her request over the intercom.
"Noted. Again."
"Yang, listen to him," Ruby pleaded. "You've been in there for almost two hours straight. It's time for rest."
"And I told you—"
"No, Yang. Before I was asking nicely. Now, I am ordering you to come out of there and rest." Ruby's voice was much sterner than before, sending Yang slightly aback before she relented.
"Fine." The brawler sighed and moved towards the now opening door. Ruby was on the other side, a concerned look on her face and a bottle of water and towel in her hands, a couple of their friends lounging with some off-duty heroes in the common room behind her. Yang met her sister in the other room and took them graciously, gulping the water down and wiping off the accumulated sweat on her body,
"Gods, Yang!" Jaune turned in their direction and scrunched his nose before waving his hand in front of his face. Yang looked at him for a moment before lifting up her arm and sniffing, only to recoil at what she smelled.
"Uggh, that is nasty," Yang called out. "Gonna hit the showers real quick."
"Smell you later!" Flash joked while waving at a nearby door. Yang flashed a grin at the man and walked over at a brisk pace before disappearing behind the steel doors. As she disappeared, Ruby turned to look at the others and saw that Pyrrha was already heading inside, Jaune remaining content to stay in the lobby this time. The doors closed behind her and Ruby released a sigh.
"You okay?" Flash asked as he noticed the girl's forlorn expression.
"I'm fine." Ruby waved him off, but Flash remained unconvinced. He sat down on the large sofa, patting the seat down next to him and beckoning her to join him. Seeing how he wasn't going to take no for an answer, Ruby sighed and sat down next to him.
"Now, tell your Uncle Flash everything," Flash lightly commanded, concern evident in his voice. Ruby sighed and looked down at her feet before beginning to speak.
"Well… Flash, I messed up," she revealed.
"I wouldn't say that…" Flash began, only for Ruby to cut him off.
"Really, then what do you call dragging your team down to Gotham City and getting them gassed?"
"An unforeseen development," Flash suggested without hesitation. Before Ruby could object, Flash held up a hand. "Look, Ruby. Yes, you guys shouldn't have gone down there. Not yet, at least. But, you guys went down there with the best of intentions and were as prepared as you possibly could be. Had things gone as expected, nothing bad would have happened. None of us expected Scarecrow to have a gas like that, so you can't blame yourself for it catching you and the others off guard."
"But…" Ruby stopped as Flash put a hand on her shoulder, and she sighed once again. "Look, I know that it wasn't my fault, and I'm happy that we were able to help bring Scarecrow down. If I'm being honest with myself, I'd probably go down there again. But…when I remember the faces everyone was making, how…afraid they all were, I can't help but feel that had I not dragged them down there, they wouldn't have gotten hurt."
"You didn't drag us down there, Ruby. And if we hadn't gone down there, then Scarecrow probably would have gotten away to hurt more innocent people," Jaune called out from his seat, directing the speedsters' attention towards him. Getting up, he walked over to them and sat down across from Ruby, a comforting expression on his face.
"I won't lie, Ruby. What happened down there was, frankly, terrifying. I… He made me see you and everyone else die because of my incompetence." Jaune's expression was grim but he continued. "But never think that you dragged us down there. We could have stayed up here and no one would have blamed us, especially after what happened. But you didn't. You chose to go down there because it was the right thing to do, Ruby."
Jaune smiled and put his hand on Ruby's shoulder. "You didn't make us do anything. What you did do is let us follow you. And I promise you, that will never change." Ruby smiled at Jaune's encouragement, as did Flash and a freshly showered Yang, currently leaning on the entryway door.
'He's a good friend,' she mused to herself just as the intercom blared to life.
"Teams RWBY and JNPR, please report to the hangar bay immediately," Mr. Terrific's voice rang out over the intercom. Looking at each other, the Remnantians shrugged, gathered their equipment, and made their way towards the hangar. The doors to the training room opened just before they left the lobby and Pyrrha joined up with them. By the time the quartet arrived at the hangar bay doors, Ren, Nora, Blake, and Weiss were already waiting for them, along with Diana and a younger woman they did not recognize. The woman looked similar to Diana in many ways. The long, raven black hair, similar facial structure, and a pair of silver bracers on her wrists. She was wearing a set of red armor with gold trim, a white star emblazoned on the chest and lining the sides. A single short sword was holstered at her hip, attached to a golden belt with a W on its center, and she had a curious expression on her face as she looked at them. For a moment, everyone stared silently at each other before Diana moved to speak.
"Everyone, I want you to meet my sister, Donna Troy," Diana revealed, directing everyone's attention to the Amazon. She waved at them with a reserved smile, her posture slightly stiff and formal under everyone's attention, only to step back slightly as Nora enthusiastically thrust her hand out towards her.
"Hi, I'm Nora! Pleased to meet you!" Nora smiled brightly, and after a moment Donna relaxed. Her smile grew into something more genuine as she took her hand.
"Hello, Nora. I'm happy to meet all of you as well!" Nora smiled at that, and as the others introduced themselves to the Amazon, they turned to face Diana, curiosity on their faces.
"So, what is it that you called us all out here for?" Weiss asked, putting her hand on her hip. "I don't think it was just for introductions. No offense, Donna."
"None taken, Weiss." Donna shook her head before straightening her shoulders and puffing out her chest in an apparent attempt to regain the official atmosphere that Nora had thrown off so easily. "Actually, I'm here to extend to you all an invitation!"
"An invitation?" Pyrrha raised her eyebrow. "To where, exactly?"
"To my home," Diana revealed, sending Weiss aback.
"Wait, you're inviting us to Themyscira?" Weiss asked Donna, who nodded in affirmation.
"Uh, us? As in all of us?" Jaune piped up as he awkwardly pointed between himself and Ren. "I didn't think we were allowed to uh, y'know…"
"I'm guessing Flash has been having some fun at your expense." Diana rolled her eyes with a smile. "Don't worry about those tall tales. Men are not forbidden from stepping foot on our land, not anymore at least. As long as you've received proper permission to enter, which you just have, you're as welcome as your friends." Diana smiled warmly as fond memories of her youth entered her mind. "It's been several years since I've been to my home, and I figured you all would enjoy seeing it as well."
"Well that sounds grand!" Pyrrha spoke up with her usual warm smile. "After everything you've told us about your homeland, it would be an honor to see it with our own eyes. When will we be leaving?"
"We can depart whenever you're ready. Our transport is prepped and can leave at any time," Wonder Woman responded, causing the group of teenagers to scan the empty space around them in bafflement.
"Um… What transport?" Blake flatly asked what they were all wondering.
"Why, this transport of course!" Donna indicated the thin air around her with a theatrical sweep of her arm while sharing a conspiratorial grin with her sister.
"You mean it's on the other side of the hangar?" Jaune asked as he shrugged and started walking past them. "Well, it's not like we have any real luggage right now, so there's no reason to—" Before Donna could reach out and stop him, there was a dull clunk as his blond head suddenly rebounded off the air, sending him sprawling to the ground and clutching his head. "Owww…."
"Jaune!" Pyrrha rushed to her partner's sprawled and groaning form before catching herself from repeating his misfortune. Emerald eyes narrowed at a faint distortion in the air, and the red head cautiously reached out before pushing against a large, solid obstacle that felt faintly metallic. "What is this?"
"I'm so sorry!" Donna fretted as she offered the grumbling boy a hand up. "Surprising people with the Invisible Jet is usually pretty funny, but I didn't mean for you to get introduced to it quite so…directly."
"Did you say, 'Invisible Jet'?" Jaune paused in rubbing his aching forehead to gaze up behind the apologetic Amazon. Now that he knew what to look for, he could see the faint outline of a large aircraft, one that was sleek and elegant looking. The more he looked, the bump on his head and honestly more wounded pride became completely forgotten as his eyes sparkled.
"That's so cool!"
It took another ten minutes before any one of them could stop poking and prodding the Invisible Jet and allow the Amazons to open the hatch. Any hope that the action would calm them down was dashed once it was revealed that although the exterior was invisible, the interior was not.
"This is so awesome!" Jaune exclaimed as he poked his head in and out of the hatch.
"I know!" Ruby agreed as she did the exact same thing Jaune was doing. The two were geeking out the most over the aircraft, and while the others all agreed that it was cool, they were all itching to move out.
"Will you two sit down already?" Weiss demanded, any trace of patience gone and replaced with irritation. "You two can marvel at this thing once we get in the air."
Ruby and Jaune looked at Weiss before sighing. "Fine…" they both droned and reluctantly stepped away from the hatch and towards their seats, the hatch closing behind them with a hiss.
"Pressure is sealed. We are ready for takeoff," Diana revealed as she finished her preflight checklist. "Everyone strapped in? We're going to descend through the atmosphere, so things will get a little bumpy."
A series of clicks answered Diana's question, and with a smile she turned her attention fully to their craft. The jet began to rumble and shake as it rolled forward towards the hangar bay doors, the sound of a turbine jet engine starting behind them. Then, at a moment's notice, the plane rocketed forward, throwing the teenagers back against their seats. The roar of the engine was deafened by the plane's hull, but that didn't mean that they missed the sound disappearing once they broke though the force field separating the hangar from the cold vacuum of space. As they moved further out, the effects of the station's artificial gravity generators lessened, allowing everyone's hair to steadily float upwards.
"Heh, your hair looks funny," Ruby chuckled at the sight of Weiss' ponytail sticking straight up. Weiss merely rolled her eyes and huffed while the others laughed faintly at her expense.
"Laugh it up, Xiao Long. Your hair's doing the exact same thing," Weiss pointed out, a ghost of a smile on her lips. Indeed, Yang's hair was acting as though it was in water, flowing upwards in a multitude of directions. Yang looked up to see that Weiss was correct and then laughed.
"Uggh," Jaune gulped as his face turned slightly green and his breathing became ragged. Pyrrha looked at him in concern, only for him to wave her off. As he did, his face and breathing went back to normal. "I'm fine, don't worry. I can handle it." Pyrrha nodded at her partner's reassurance then faced forward.
"Brace yourselves," Donna announced. "We're about to hit the atmosphere. This part's the worst of it."
Everyone braced themselves as tightly as they could, feelings of apprehension in all of them. This would be the first time they would actually have to descend through Earth's atmosphere. Before, they always went down via teleporter, and they had seen enough Earth media to know just how rough and dangerous reentry could be.
Once they entered Earth's atmosphere, the friction became obvious immediately. The aircraft began to shake violently, the intense friction causing fire to erupt across the hull. Although the aircraft itself remained stable on the inside, Jaune couldn't help but close his eyes and clench his straps tightly, forcing himself to keep the contents of his stomach down as hard as he could. The others were doing the same to varying degrees for the entire experience, except for Nora who was excitedly looking at everything as if she was on a roller coaster.
"This is awesome! You guys should check this out!" she exclaimed as she looked through the window. The others didn't deign her with a response while they kept themselves steady, until finally the rumbling stopped and the flight became smooth once more. Opening their eyes, they saw white, billowy clouds passing by them at great speed, and a nod from Donna gave them permission to unlock their seats and stretch their legs.
"Man, what a rush!" Yang exclaimed as she fixed her messy hair. A quick glance told her Weiss and Blake were doing the same thing, although Weiss was the more focused of the two. Occasionally, Blake's fingers would brush against her exposed cat-ears only to continue on with her brushing. Had Yang not been paying attention, she might have not even noticed it, but she did. It was then that Yang was reminded of a sobering thought. For all Blake and them knew, she was potentially the last Faunus in existence. Sure, there were still the ones trapped inside Brainiac's bottles, but that was of little comfort if they couldn't get them free.
Yang put those dismal thoughts aside for the moment, content to merely put her hand on her partner's shoulder in silent comfort. Blake looked at her friend in brief surprise then smiled, appreciative of the gesture and said nothing.
"So," Donna began as she got out of the co-pilot's seat and walked towards them, "we should be arriving in Themyscira shortly. If you want, I can answer any questions any of you may have about my home and my people."
Donna's offer was met with murmurs among the huntsmen and huntresses, something that the Wonder Girl had come to expect. Many of the people she met often had questions regarding the Amazons and how they lived, and it came as no surprise that people from another world would be in the same boat. As they discussed among themselves, Donna stood upright, puffing herself up to look as regal and strong as possible, something her sister did effortlessly.
"Um, I have one," Ruby asked with a hand raised. "How did the Amazons," she paused, looking for the right word, "…come about?"
"You mean to say, how did a race of immortal women come to be and live on Themyscira?" Donna asked, to which Ruby nodded. Donna nodded her head and sat down on a nearby chair, a warm smile on her face. "My mother told me this story once when I was young. In the beginning, the gods of Olympus ruled over the world. Zeus, God of the Sky, was king among them. He made beings in his own image, beings for the rest of the Olympians to rule over. This race became known as man. At first, man was good, peaceful and just. They were in harmony with one another.
"But, one Olympian, Ares, the God of War, grew jealous of his brother's affections towards his creations and sought to destroy them. To do so, he poisoned the hearts of men, made them fight amongst each other, made them wage war." Diana frowned slightly at this statement, something that Blake, Pyrrha and Ren noticed out of the corner of their eyes, but said nothing. "In an attempt to stop this, to teach man the value of love and peace, the goddesses Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hera, and Hestia created the Amazons to guide them. For a time, the world became peaceful once more, but it was not to be."
"What happened?" Yang asked, enraptured by the tale albeit with a healthy dose of skepticism. It sounded a bit too picture perfect for her, but she wasn't going to voice that.
"We were deceived," Donna revealed with a frown on her face. "Under the leadership of my mother, Queen Hippolyta, and her sister Antiope, Themyscira prospered in what is now known as Greece, keeping us safe from the threat of Ares. He hated us, viewed our efforts to calm man as a threat to his ambitions, and sought to destroy us. To that end, he ordered the strongest hero of Man's World, Heracles, to obtain Hippolyta's girdle as one of his Twelve Labors. At first, he attempted to do so by force, only for him to be defeated in combat. Still determined to obtain her girdle, he feigned acceptance and seduced my mother, making her lower her guard long enough to obtain her girdle. When he finally accomplished his goal, the rest of his army stormed Themyscira and…enslaved us." Donna clenched her fist tightly, a scowl forming on her face, but quickly calmed herself and carried on. It wasn't hard for the others to figure out exactly what had happened, and anger at the injustice inflicted on the Amazons washed over them.
"After a fierce struggle," Donna eventually continued, "my mother and Antiope were able to free our people when the Gods of Olympus came to our aid. They were beset by Ares, determined to finish us off once and for all, and one by one the Gods fell to his blades until only Zeus was left. With the last of his strength, Zeus struck Ares down and created Themyscira to protect the Amazons as well as what the island stored: a weapon capable of killing a god. After that, the Amazons retreated from the world for centuries, never venturing outside of the protective magics that surrounded our island home. We stayed that way for thousands of years."
"What changed?" Jaune asked, curiosity in his voice. Donna looked at Diana for guidance, to which the Wonder Woman sighed, activated the autopilot, and stepped towards the Remnantians.
"A century ago, a man crashed onto Themyscira's shores. His name was Steve Trevor," Diana spoke, captivating her audience. "He was a spy for the United States, and his arrival marked the end of Themyscira's isolation from the world. Steve revealed that the world was embroiled in a Great War," RWBY and JNPR perked up at this, something the Amazons noticed. Diana then remembered the history of Remnant, and a sorrowful look crossed her face. "It was indeed much like the Great War of Remnant. It spanned the entire globe, consuming entire countries and generations in needless violence. By the time Steve crashed onto Themyscira, the war had already consumed millions of people, and no end was in sight."
Diana paused to collect herself then continued, a sorrowful look on her face. "But what was worst was that a peace treaty was being negotiated. This treaty would end the war, but a German general had created a weapon that, in his eyes, could bring his nation to victory. Steve stole the plans for it, and had it been deployed, the war could have carried on into perpetuity."
"And you wouldn't let that stand," Donna declared with awed pride in her voice as she looked up at her sister. Excitedly Donna turned towards the others, only to quickly recompose herself as she saw the mirthful look of recognition on Yang's face. Diana merely chuckled before continuing. She moved to speak, only for a red light to begin flashing on the jet's controls. Diana calmly turned and walked to her seat, a warm smile appearing on her face. Curious, the two teams moved to peek out the windows, only for Diana to press a button and make the jet's interior translucent. They gasped as they saw the clouds wisp by, accumulating in a large mass in front of them.
"We're here," Diana declared just as they entered the cloudbank. The world became white as clouds covered them, only to suddenly break as they left them behind. The two teams gasped as the island of Themyscira came into view. Diana had previously described her island home as a paradise, but that seemed to be an understatement. The island itself was covered in lush, green forests, with tall mountain peaks elevating the landscape. As they passed the mountains, the travelers could see stone buildings blend into the land around them harmoniously, mostly in isolation. As they grew closer and closer to a large circular bay at the far end of the island, the buildings grew closer and closer together before finally revealing a bustling city of white marble. Columned square buildings rose along the hills the city was built upon, white spires reaching into the air. At the top of the highest hill, overlooking the city, stood a tall singular tower that shone in the sunlight.
"This is…incredible," Weiss marveled at the pristine architecture passing below them. The jet began to slow and steadily descend, aiming towards a circular pad a short distance from the tall tower they had spotted earlier. An assortment of women, a few on horseback, were already awaiting them. Most of them were wearing armor, similar to Diana's and Donna's, only less colorful and appearing lighter. Each of them carried a round shield in their left hand, their right hand holding either a long spear or a short sword. A few more women were standing apart from the others, equipped with bows and standing at the ready.
The jet finally landed with a soft hum, the interior materializing once again. Smiling to herself, Diana prepared to turn around and welcome the teenagers to their home, only to be greeted by the sound of gagging and the sight of Ruby, Yang, Pyrrha, and Donna assisting a green-faced Jaune.
"There, there," Pyrrha comforted him as he struggled to keep his breakfast down. Donna was currently fishing through the jet's cabinets, pulling out a crystal vial and handing it to the boy.
"Here, this should help," she said as Jaune wolfed the contents down. At once, the greenness of his skin began to subside and his breathing returned to normal.
"I…am so sorry for that…" he gasped as Pyrrha patted his back and the others looked at him in slight concern, Yang taking a few noticeable steps back. Embarrassed, Jaune rubbed the back of his neck and looked towards the two Amazons. "I get airsick. I was able to hold it in until the jet went completely invisible, then it…"
"There's no need to apologize," Diana interrupted him with a raised hand. Seeing how he was obviously self-conscious about it, she smiled warmly and patted his shoulder. "There's no need to be ashamed. Lots of people get airsick."
"Thank you!"
Outside of the Invisible Jet, the large group of Amazons stood ready at attention. They were focused around a single figure, a woman wearing regal gold armor with a helmet that covered her long black hair. While on the surface she appeared calm and collected, on the inside she couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. But, as Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta couldn't afford to show that feeling. However, she could afford to let out a warm smile as the hatch opened to reveal her daughters, their guests following after them.
"Hail!" her Amazonian Guards shouted and snapped to attention, keeping a wary eye on the outsiders behind them. Diana and her entourage ignored it, although Jaune and Ren couldn't help but notice the annoyed and suspicious looks several of the Amazons were giving them. As none of them made any moves towards the boys, and knowing the likely reason why they would be suspicious of men on their island home, they were willing to let it be. The group finally stopped as Diana kneeled in front of Queen Hippolyta, prompting the others to do the same.
"Rise, children," Hippolyta commanded. At once, they all rose to their feet, RWBY and JNPR making sure to display proper respect to a monarch, only to relax as Hippolyta smiled warmly and clasped Diana on the shoulder. The two then hugged one another and smiled. "It's good to see you, Diana."
"I missed you too, mother," Diana replied as they broke away. She and Donna then stepped to the side, the Wonder Woman throwing her arm to the side and gesturing towards the two teams of ex-students. "I'd like to introduce you to my new friends." At being referred to, Ren and Jaune bowed while the others curtsied. Well, most of them did. Ruby couldn't seem to decide which one she wanted to do, and ended up with an awkward combination of both, somehow managing to keep herself from tipping over in the process.
"It's an honor to meet you, your Highness," Weiss declared as she rose from her curtsy. Hippolyta nodded at her formality then stepped forward.
"The honor is mine, Weiss Schnee. Any friend of my daughter is an honored guest of Themyscira." If Weiss was surprised that the Queen knew her name, she did a remarkable job of not showing it. A sympathetic look then crossed Hippolyta's face as she put her hand on the heiress' shoulder. "Diana informed me of what happened to your home. You have my and Themyscira's deepest sympathies."
"I… Thank you," Weiss said with a somber expression. The pain of losing Remnant, despite everything they gave to defend it, still ached in her heart. The League was helping in dulling it, especially with what could only be described as group therapy sessions with Diana, but it was still there. Weiss took the time to look around to see that, as the Queen described, the Amazons were looking at her and her friends with sympathetic looks. Hippolyta then stepped back and adopted a more regal posture, directing everyone's attention back towards her.
"As honored guests, the ancient and sacred right of hospitium is granted to you. You are welcome to partake in Themyscira as you please. Donna," the Wonder Girl perked up at the mention of her name, "will be your guide during your stay. Please ask her any questions you may have."
"Thank you," Pyrrha bowed again then turned to face Donna. Straightening herself, Donna smiled and looked over the huntsmen and huntresses.
"Please, follow me!" Donna declared as she began to walk away, the teenagers excitedly following after her. The assorted Amazons could hear their excited chatter as they descended into the city before finally fading away, leaving only the Queen, her guards, and Diana. When Diana turned to face her mother, her happy expression turned into one much more serious, and Hippolyta sighed.
"Leave us," she ordered to her guards. At once, the Amazons thumped their fists to their chests as a salute and marched away, leaving Diana and Hippolyta by themselves on a seemingly empty air pad. A moment of intense silence descended between the two women before Diana began to speak.
"Is it still there?" she asked tersely.
"Yes," Hippolyta answered immediately. "I checked it myself personally as soon as word arrived."
"Show me." Had it been anyone else making demands of the Queen, the person would have been punished for the disrespect. But as it was her own daughter, Hippolyta easily accepted and the two walked towards the large spire, passing by a pair of guards who saluted as they passed. The two women descended down a large stairwell along the wall, descending deeper and deeper until they came across a large bronze doorway. More guards stood at attention in front of it, clad in a full set of armor and armed with sword and shield.
"My Queen," one of the guards said. "Do you require access to the vault?"
"Yes, I do," Hippolyta answered. The guards nodded then looked at each other. They then turned to face the bronze door, pulling out a pair of keys and slotting them into identical keyholes. Looking at each other one last time, the two turned the keys at the exact same time with a resounding click. They then grabbed hold of two handlebars on opposite ends of the vault door and heaved. The heavy doors groaned as they scraped the stone floor, the Amazons straining as they continued to pull. Finally, after considerable effort, the doors were fully opened, revealing the contents inside. Without saying a word, mother and daughter walked inside and examined the contents, finding a large assortment of weapons and magical artifacts. A lead box containing the head of Medusa, the sword Harpe mounted next to it, the Aegis mounted on the wall across from the Armor and Shield of Achilles, even Heracles' Club. Several of the most powerful weapons her people ever encountered, ones too dangerous to let loose on the world, but Diana ignored all of them in favor of a single book.
"Here it is," Hippolyta declared as she took the book in hand, carefully wiping off the accumulated dust and handing it to Diana. Carefully, Diana took the object and opened it, revealing the wrinkled pages of Doctor Maru's chemical journal. Everything was exactly as she left it when she entrusted her mother to safeguard its contents.
That only made her frown deeper.
"I've personally interviewed every single person with access to the Armory," Hippolyta revealed, "investigated any evidence of theft, and found nothing. No one had entered the vault before I had it opened."
"Then tell me, mother," Diana replied, closing the book as she turned to face her queen. "How did Crane learn about the formula Maru and Ludendorff concocted? I destroyed all of the other samples, burned the rest of Maru's notes except for her journal, so how can he have rediscovered it? The Americans and the Soviets tried to recreate it for decades, and they never got close. Crane, however, just shows up with it not only mastered but also changed to suit his own twisted ends."
Hippolyta sighed at Diana's pointed stare. "I do not know, Diana, but I am as alarmed about this as you are. All I know is that none of my Amazons leaked this knowledge to him nor anyone else."
"Are you sure of that? You and I both know that there are several who would be willing to strike back at Man's World." Hippolyta's face warped into a frown.
"I know that, which is why I interrogated them first. They were just as insulted as I am at the accusation."
"I meant no offense, mother." Diana quickly backtracked, regret on her face. After a moment, Hippolyta sighed.
"I know." Hippolyta then put her hand on Diana's shoulder in comfort, to which Diana clasped it with her own. "Is there the possibility of him simply rediscovering it on his own? He is a noted chemist after all."
"No." Diana shook her head. "The most anyone got out of him was that he did not discover the chemical on his own. Said he 'couldn't take responsibility for its creation, only its modification'. I would have gone to him myself and used the Lasso on him, but his lawyers prevented me from doing so."
"Hmm," Hippolyta frowned. "We must get to the bottom of this. Someone on this island gave Crane the contents of this vault. They must be found, not only for Man's World but also for the safety of Themyscira."
"We'll find them," Diana declared with absolute certainty. As they exited the vault, the doors being shut behind them, Diana couldn't help but wonder how RWBY and JNPR were doing. Hopefully they were having a better time than she was.
Ruby marveled at the large stone buildings around them as she and her friends followed Donna through Themyscira. The sounds of women working filled the air. Blacksmiths hammered away at bronze and iron tools, weavers and merchants bartered their goods with farmers and fishers. The atmosphere was serene and peaceful, and Ruby took in a deep breath to absorb it all.
"This is our main market," Donna revealed as they passed by a few more stalls. A starry eyed Ruby and Jaune looked at the swords and spears at a weapons' stand while Pyrrha looked among offerings of fruit. Blake was currently standing in front of a particularly large fish, her eyes wide and mouth wet, and Yang was checking out some armor. Nora had dragged Ren to a jewelry stand, happily trying on an assortment of gold and jeweled pieces while an amused Ren merely shook his head with a smile.
"Interesting," Weiss hummed and turned to face Donna. "I've been curious about something. Does Themyscira get everything it needs from this island, or does trade happen to make up the difference?"
"We do have some trade with Man's World," Donna answered, "but it is limited to specifically approved entities and in only certain quantities. Otherwise, we get everything we need here."
"How? I mean, you all have been on the same ten square mile island for the past couple thousand years. How have you not exhausted Themyscira's resources yet?"
"Well, for one we don't have the same over-consumption problem that plagues Man's World as of late," Donna replied with a smirk, "and our population is much lower. As such, we don't use much of Paradise Island's resources to begin with."
"I thought this island was called Themyscira?" Yang suddenly called out while trying on a pair of bronze braces.
"They're one and the same, actually. The island itself is called Paradise Island, but the city is Themyscira. The two names are used interchangeably."
"Ah." Yang nodded her head and continued to inspect the bracers, humming to herself in appreciation.
"Anyway," Donna continued, "Themyscira itself is rich in resources. Deep veins of ore run through our mountains, schools of fish swim freely within our waters, and our soil is fertile. Thanks to careful management, and the graces of the Gods, we've been able to ensure that our resources don't run dry."
"Hmm," Weiss hummed. As the daughter of Jacques Schnee, whether she liked it or not, she was educated on economics from a very young age as part of her training to become heiress. As much as she may detest her father, Weiss knew that he was a very good businessman, and that trait followed her. So, in her mind, what Donna was telling her did not make much sense. A society could not remain in complete isolation from the outside world and become as prosperous as Themyscira obviously was. Trade was essential, and with Paradise Island only ten square miles large, with double that in terms of surrounding sea, there simply wasn't enough resources to sustain a single city state for thousands of years. Part of her wanted to tell Donna this, but Weiss instead chose to move past it.
"Ooh!" she heard Ruby say. The excitable girl was still at a weapons stand, currently practicing with a few swords. The metal sung through the air, a slight whoosh marking its passage as Ruby swung towards a wooden practice dummy. "This is really well made! The weight is perfect, the handle fits into my hand flawlessly, and I can't even see a warp in the blade! This is really good, Io!"
"Thank you. It's always nice to talk to others about my work," the blacksmith Io replied as she continued to hammer away at a glowing bar. The woman was large, even by Amazon standards, with short black brown hair constrained by a headband. Weiss could feel the impacts Io made as she struck the sword, even from where she was. When Io finished hammering the sword into the proper shape she wanted, she grabbed it with tongs and quenched it in a pool of water, releasing a large cloud of steam.
"What's it made out of?"
"Mostly enchanted steel and bronze," Io revealed while wiping away the sweat from her brow. "Our priests bless the alloys with the gifts of the Gods, then I and my fellow sisters work the metal into whatever is desired."
"Hmm," Ruby hummed as she put the sword away and inspected a spear. "How strong are they?"
"Very. They are more than a match for the weapons of Man's World," Io boasted with a proud smile. That smile then became more forlorn as she looked at an armor set across from her. "They're not always strong enough, though. For all our strength, we are still vulnerable."
"I know what you mean," Ruby stated, thinking back to how easily Brainiac had defeated her and her friends. She then looked at the smithy and began swaying back and forth, her head down and hands pressed behind her back. "Um… Can I…"
"Yes, you can help if you wish." Io laughed at the enthusiastic look on Ruby's face as she sped over in a burst of rose petals.
"Well, I can see Ruby's having fun," Donna remarked as she and Weiss watched the women work the forge. Looking around, they saw that Yang was following a group of Amazons to a nearby training ground, talking about proving which of them was the strongest. Nora had run off into the forest, dragging Ren along with her, while Jaune and Pyrrha were patiently waiting for Donna and Weiss to notice them.
"Hey, Donna," Jaune asked, "is it okay if Pyrrha and I check out your arena?"
"Go right ahead," Donna replied with a smile. With a happy nod, the two partners turned and left, talking among themselves like the good friends they were.
"I am so happy that things aren't awkward between them anymore," Weiss revealed as the two disappeared behind a building. Donna looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"What do you mean? They seem to get along perfectly."
"Well, you would be correct there," Weiss admitted with a chuckle. "But, as it turns out, Pyrrha…wanted to be more than friends, but was too shy and considerate to admit it."
"Oh." Donna thought for a moment then nodded. "Yeah, I can see how that could get awkward." She had direct experience with that. Seeing Dick and Kori dance around each other for years was a sight to behold, and the less said about Garfield and Raven the better.
"Yeah, but then Pyrrha accidentally blurted out how she felt out because of Diana's Lasso." Donna paused at Weiss' statement then winced.
"Hera's breath, what happened after that?"
"They practically ran out of the room, they were so embarrassed. Didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day. Couldn't even make eye contact." Donna cringed even more. Of all the ways to admit something that important, having it forced upon you via Lasso of Truth must have been humiliating. But, seeing how everything between them was well again, Donna was happy for them. She then looked around, failing to spot a familiar set of cat ears.
"Where is…?" she asked, just as Weiss noticed Blake's distinct absence.
"I'm right here," Blake suddenly called out right from behind them, startling the Amazon and heiress. They turned around sharply to see a smirk on Blake's face, holding a kebabbed smoked blue fish in one hand and a plate of leafy greens in the other.
"How long were you here?" Weiss asked, clearly annoyed while ignoring the muffled laughs of Ruby and a few surrounding Amazons.
"Long enough." Blake smiled triumphantly as she bit into her fish while Weiss sighed in exasperation and Donna laughed.
Yang crouched down and moved in a circle as her opponent, a long-haired Amazon who appeared to be the same age named Europa, did the same. Their bodies shone in a sheen of sweat, their breathing heavy and ragged while they watched the other for any signs of weakness. Europa's brown hair was covered in dust and sand, heavy with sweat, and bruises were visible along her arms and chest. Then, after a moment, the two women charged each other with a yell. Yang threw a haymaker at Europa, only for the woman to duck underneath and deck Yang across the jaw. She retaliated with a light jab of her own, striking the woman in the face and making her stumble back. Grabbing her across the shoulder, Yang began pummeling Europa's chest with her free hand, forcing the Amazon to bring up her arms to defend herself. After a few moments, Europa managed to grab Yang's oncoming fist and wrap her arm around it, bringing her other arm around Yang's hold and breaking it. Yang was then thrown off of the Amazon, sending her stumbling back and unable to prevent Europa from trying to tackle her to the ground.
As the Amazon made contact, Yang grunted as the air was briefly knocked out of her but was able to keep her footing. Her bare feet dragged sand as the Amazon pushed her towards the edge of the ring, but Yang twisted her leg and planted herself firmly. Seeing how she wasn't moving anymore, Europa began punching Yang's side with her left arm, each blow making Yang wince while she herself elbowed the woman's back in kind. After a few moments of mutual struggle, Yang shifted tactics and leaned forward, grabbing hold of Europa's waist and lifted her off the ground. Surprised, Europa's legs flailed as she tried to kick Yang, only for the effort to be futile as Yang twisted and slammed her on the ground. The wind knocked out of her, she was helpless as Yang grappled the Amazon from behind, leaving both of them lying on the ground and Yang wrapping her arms around the Amazon's arms and neck. For several moments, Europa struggled, trying to break free from Yang's tightening grip before sighing and tapping the brawler's arm twice. At once, Yang let go and released the Amazon from her hold, allowing them both a chance to collapse onto the sand and breathe deeply.
"I…win…" Yang gasped while throwing her fist into the air in victory. Around her, a small crowd of Amazons cheered at the warriors' performance while a few went to help them to their feet. Yang smiled at the Amazons and turned to face Europa, her face a mixture of disappointment and regard. The two stared at each other before they clasped their arms together in a show of respect, something the Amazons around them appreciated. Another Amazon tossed Yang a thick cloth, which she immediately used to begin drying herself off while she walked to a nearby stone bench. Plopping down on it, Yang felt a sense of relief wash over her.
"That was a spectacular match," she heard someone say. She craned her head to see a red-haired woman standing next to her, offering a cup of what Yang could only assume was either water or some of that famous Themysciran wine. Not caring what it was, Yang took it and saw that it was indeed water, which she happily began to gulp down.
"Thanks," Yang said as she wiped some excess water from her chin. "Have to admit, I haven't had a match that hard in quite a while." Her trouncing at the hands of Brainiac, in Yang's mind, did not count. That was less a match and more lambs to the slaughter, something Pyrrha agreed with readily.
"With what I can see, it's not hard to imagine why." The Amazon laughed and gestured towards the stone bench. "May I?"
"Sure." Yang scooted over and tapped the stonework, granting the Amazon permission to sit next to her. With a smile on her face, the Amazon did so and turned to look at the wrestling match going on in front of them.
"Kassandra," the Amazon suddenly said, extending her hand to Yang who gladly took it. They shook and then turned back to watch the match. "How are you enjoying Themyscira, Yang?"
"I can see why this place is called Paradise Island," Yang replied as she took another drink of water. "This place is perfect. Crystal clear water, perfect temperature, great food. I have half a mind to retire here one day. Build a little beach house where I can just lounge around with a little umbrella drink in my hand."
"That sounds lovely," Kassandra stated with a warm smile, which Yang returned. It was then that Kassandra turned to study Yang more closely, causing the blonde to raise her eyebrow in confusion.
"Something on my face?" she asked, and Kassandra shook her head.
"No, just trying to figure something out." Kassandra paused as she continued to look her over.
"And what is it that you're trying to figure out?" Yang asked, wondering exactly what the Amazon was getting at.
"Your lineage, actually. I'm trying to decide which of the Gods you are descended from. It's odd. You have the strength of Athena, glowing hair like Eos, and beauty granted by Aphrodite herself. I can't decide which one suits you more."
A pause descended over the group before Yang began to blush heavily, realizing exactly what was going on. Kassandra wasn't actually studying her; she was hitting on her.
"Oh, uh…heh, thank you…that is very… Whew, is it hot out here…?" Yang stammered while rubbing the back of her neck, an action that only seemed to make Kassandra smile wider. After a moment, Yang regained her composure and coughed. "Well, I have to say that I'm…very flattered. Much better than what I usually get, at least. Normally I get clichés like "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"…"
"Knowing you, you would land on your feet," Kassandra immediately responded, making Yang laugh awkwardly.
"Heh, heh… Well, Kassandra, you are a very beautiful woman, and I'm sure any girl would be lucky to have you." Kassandra beamed at the response. "But, I don't…really jump to dating someone I've just met…" Another moment of silence ensued between the two of them, one much more awkward than before as a surprised look crossed the Amazon's face.
"Oh." Kassandra stated before a look of shock crossed her face. "Oh, I am so sorry! I just thought…!"
"No, no! It's fine, really!" Yang quickly cut the regretful Amazon off. "I was just surprised, that's all. I'm more flattered than anything."
"Are you sure?" Kassandra asked, and Yang nodded. Sighing, the Amazon rubbed her forehead while closing her eyes. Yang took the time to look around and saw that a few of the Amazons had disappointed looks on their faces, not at her but more towards a lost chance. She was suddenly reminded that she was on an island with only women, and that realization explained a lot of the looks and sideways glances she had been receiving all afternoon. She then looked back to Kassandra, who no longer had a sad look on her face but one of acceptance.
"You alright?" Yang asked, and the Amazon nodded.
"Yes. Embarrassed, more than anything, but I'm fine. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable." Yang waved it off.
"Again, no problem at all." Kassandra nodded at Yang's words then got to her feet. "You don't have to leave."
"No, I have to get back to the docks anyway." Kassandra shrugged as she turned towards the docks, mumbling to herself about something called Clio's Treatises.
Yang watched her leave then turned back to the other Amazons, most of whom were continuing to spectate the spars before them. Shrugging to herself, Yang took another gulp of water and, when the victorious Amazon challenged her, got out of her seat and confidently stepped forth to meet it.
"Ren, come on!" Nora called out from high up on the cliff face, her boyfriend a significant distance below them.
"Why are we doing this, again?" he called up as he carefully climbed his way up.
"Silly Ren! Donna said that up here is the greatest view of the sunset, and you and I are going to see it!" Nora revealed as she continued to scale the cliff. "So, hurry up!"
"Yes, Nora." Ren sighed, a smile on his face as he carefully climbed upwards. They had been in the forests surrounding Themyscira for the past several hours, observing the local wildlife and basking in the island's natural beauty, as well as simply finding comfort with each other.
He thought back to how this latest development between his and Nora's relationship came to pass. If he was honest with himself, he didn't believe that it was the Lasso that pushed the two from 'together' to 'together-together', as Nora was fond of saying. No, it was something else. The loss of Remnant forced him to reevaluate everything he had, everything they had, and that introspection led him to the realization that he couldn't take the time he had with the most important person in his life for granted.
"Ren, come on! It's about to start!" Hearing Nora's shouting and knowing that she was likely already at the top, Ren pushed his thoughts aside. Grabbing hold of another handhold, Ren grunted as he continued his climb at a much faster pace. The sun was beginning to set, and he wanted to see the Themysciran sunset as much as Nora did. After a few more minutes of arduous climbing, marked by a couple of near misses, Ren finally reached the top. Nora was waiting for him, crouched down and holding out her hand for his. Ren took her hand with his own and together hoisted him up to the ledge. As he panted in exertion, Nora patted Ren's shoulder and took hold of his hand and walked him through a natural stone archway overlooking the surrounding sea. True to her word, the sun was indeed beginning to set, and the two sat down on the opposite ledge, their legs hanging off the side.
They sat together in content silence as the sun continued to descend, Nora resting her head on Ren's shoulder. Their hands were gently clasped together, and neither said anything. For there was nothing to be said.
They didn't speak again until the sun finally disappeared, the night sky quickly filling with stars. Bonfires lit up around Themyscira, both in the city but also in certain temples around the forest, telling the two of them exactly where they were.
"That was nice," Ren admitted as he and Nora stood up and stretched. He then looked down and hummed, wondering exactly how to get down, when he heard Nora cough. Turning around, he saw her basking in the moonlight while smiling at him, standing dangerously close to the edge. At once Ren knew exactly what she was suggesting they do to get down.
"Nora, no."
"Nora, yes!" With that happy declaration, Nora leaped off the mountain peak to the forest below, causing Ren to run over and look to the side. He saw her scraping her hand against the stone cliff, gouging a large line in the rock and slowing her fall. Shaking his head yet smiling to himself, Ren followed his better half and dropped down to join her.
Diana didn't rejoin her sister and guests until well into supper. Their meals were simple, cooked fish served with soup, bread, and cups of water. They were chatting loudly among themselves when Diana finally entered into the large guest house the queen had set aside for their stay.
"Diana!" Ruby announced as the others all waved her in, and the Wonder Woman smiled and waved back.
"Hello, everyone. How was your day in the city?"
"It was awesome!" Yang declared. "We toured the city, checked out the marketplace, rode some horses, sparred a bit, it was great!"
"I made a sword!" Ruby excitedly pointed to a pristine bronze sword leaning against the wall. Everyone smiled at her infectious excitement.
"I browsed Themyscira's library," Blake spoke. "I enjoyed myself greatly."
"It was indeed quite enjoyable," Weiss admitted with her typical formal tone. She had spent most of her time in the marketplace, interacting with the traders and simply learning about life on Themyscira. Occasionally, an Amazon would try to flirt with her, but the heiress made sure to gently shoot them down. The fact that it was never the same admirer more than once helped to mitigate her customary cold shoulder. From what she had heard, Blake and Yang had the same thing happen to them.
"I spent a lot of time in the arena, actually," Jaune stated as he finished chewing on a loaf of bread. "Got my butt kicked a lot, so all in all it reminded me a lot of Beacon."
"I participated in there as well," Pyrrha declared with a warm smile. The spars in there ended up attracting a substantial audience by the end, and it reminded her of her tournaments back in Mistral. As much as she grew to hate the attention they gave her, she always enjoyed the act of participating in them.
"Participated?" Jaune laughed. "Pyrrha, you did so well in there that you got invited to a tournament being held tomorrow! You and Yang both!"
"Is that so?" Diana asked with an amused look on her face.
"It's true," Yang admitted with a confident shrug, nodding her head while Pyrrha merely let out a small smile.
"I'm sure that you two will have a wonderful time in there." Diana turned to Donna. "Who else will be participating tomorrow?"
Donna tapped her chin in thought before nodding her head. "I heard that Artemis will be participating, actually."
"Artemis? Who's that?" Nora asked.
"Artemis," Donna began to explain, "is the greatest warrior on Themyscira, second only to Diana. She's actually from our sister city of Bana-Mighdall, which only recently reintegrated with us over the past few years."
"Oh, you mean that there are multiple Amazon cities?" Weiss asked with no small amount of curiosity.
"Two, as a matter of fact. We only rediscovered each other a decade ago, when I came across the Bana-Mighdall while trying to find the Bow of Ra." Diana paused while looking to the side before looking back at them, a regretful look on her face. "Unfortunately, the city was destroyed during Darkseid's invasion, and as such I led the survivors here."
Everyone looked up at the mention of Darkseid and shivered. Superman had described Darkseid intimately with the huntsmen and huntresses, as well as the world he hailed from. A New God from the planet Apokolips, Darkseid was the living embodiment of evil and tyranny. He had invaded the planet almost a decade ago in search of something called the Anti-Life Equation, and it took the combined militaries of the world along with Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman working together to drive him off. That was when Diana became Wonder Woman once more, and afterwards set the stage for what would eventually become the Justice League a few years later.
"Diana, tell me," Ruby asked tentatively. "The Mother Box that brought us to you… Darkseid made that, right?"
"Yes, he did." Diana nodded grimly. "How Brainiac got it, I do not know. What I do know is that it brought you here instead of to him, and for that I am eternally grateful."
"Same here," Ren said with a frown. From what he knew, if there was anyone that could be considered worse than Brainiac, it was Darkseid. Then a thought sprung to mind and he turned to look at the Wonder Woman. "Where is the Mother Box, actually?"
"We gave it to S.T.A.R. Labs, actually. Part of the agreement the Justice League has with the United Nations in exchange for us continuing to operate." Diana then sat down at an empty seat, a meal already waiting for her. "Well, enough about subjects like these. Let's eat, shall we?"
The others agreed with her in gusto.
A few hours after supper, everyone but Diana was safely tucked into bed and asleep. As much as she tried, Diana couldn't shake the dark feeling that had overcome her. The search to find who had leaked the formula to Crane had proven fruitless. Even with the use of her Lasso, they found no culprit. It didn't make any sense. It was obvious that Crane didn't discover the formula on his own, which meant that he had to have gotten the information from someone, yet the only place he could have gotten it was here.
"How did he get it?" she asked herself before sighing. Down on the street below, she saw a few Amazons on patrol around the guest house, many of them saluting her when they noticed her gaze on them. Diana saluted back before turning back inside, dousing the guesthouse's fires as she went with a jug of water. Pausing over the last one, she sighed to herself yet again then moved to pour.
"Oh, Diana. Even now, you are still so naïve," she heard a voice call out to her. A cold child went up her spine.
'It can't be,' Diana thought as she turned around to the entryway. She was greeted by a dark silhouette of a man, his features obscured by shadow. He was wearing thick armor, topped with a spiked helm. A cape billowed behind him, and glowing red eyes stared at her from the shadows.
"Ares…" Diana muttered. The figure said nothing, which only served to enrage the Amazon. With a shout, she wrested the sword Ruby had made from where it leaned against the wall and charged at the figure, only for him to disappear into smoke as she neared him. She looked around frantically, trying to see where he had gone. Behind her, she heard the sound of running feet as Donna, RWBY, JNPR, and a handful of guards rushed towards her.
"What is it? What happened?" Donna asked while clutching a sword. Diana said nothing, instead looking down at her feet in trembling fury. Everyone's attention drifted down towards it, and the Amazons gasped at what they saw.
Lying at Diana's feet, burned into the ground, was a burned visage of a circle with an arrow emerging from it.
[~][~]
Hello, everyone! Here is the latest chapter of Hunters of Justice! The gang is now in Themyscira, and they are having a blast there, but dark clouds are on the horizon. What will happen? Well, you'll have to wait and see. Now, onto the Q&A:
NRF: Thank you for the praise! I do hope that DC makes a one shot crossover comic between DC and RWBY as well. Hell, there is precedent for it. They did it to the Ninja Turtles and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, so finger's crossed!
Masso 2010: Happy you're here to join us! I hope you continue to enjoy!
doom2099: Thank you! I actually based that off of the Arkham games, if you couldn't tell, and I'm glad that the attempts came off well. And yes, I heard of Stan Lee's passing. We've lost a legend.
meeyaaargh3412: Yep, this was their first true supervillain fight. Before they only fought the equivalent of gangsters and criminals, but Crane is a whole other beast entirely. They did let their guard down, which almost screwed them but then Ren saved the day. And yes, this version of DC is a tad lighter and more positive than other protrayals. I don't like grim-dark comic books. Not everything needs to be Watchmen. And yes, I took some ideas from the Wonder Woman movie, probably the only good thing to come out of the DCEU as of late. Here's hoping on Shazaam and Aquaman. And yes, Joker is a twisted monster.
Blacksmith Omniverse: Thank you. I aim to try and release a chapter once every two weeks, but I can't make whole promises. Tim is in his Rebirth costume, only with a hood over his head.
xhope14x: They'll go down eventually, don't worry. Think of this arc as the "get to know DC" arc for the RWBY characters. They won't just be thrown into the deep end immediately, they have to wade in slowly. Hopefully, at least.
That's it for this chapter. I hope you all enjoy!