A night to remember wasn't remembered. How does that happen? Throw liquor into the mix. Add a little more. A little more. Until a little becomes a lot. And a lot becomes too much. If the night wasn't remembered, the next day usually was. There's often a weirdly entertaining story about waking up in a stranger's house. A bed not your own. Opening your eyes to the person you've had a crush on for years or to the one you swore never had a chance. Something so risqué is an obvious hint to what went on the previous night.
It can be less obvious. Not so provocative or suggestive. Clues that offer little insight. What was a clue and what was your imagination? Diana would have to decide for herself, when she woke up in an unconventional place.
Cold and solid was the floor she woke up on. Inconsistent with the comfort she normally slept in, she was away from the soft bed and pillows she'd usually hug to sleep. She was in the kitchen inside of headquarters. The soggy substance she wiped off her face, was a piece of bread covered with mayonnaise. Looking around, she was surrounded by bread, meat, and cheese. Her head hurt trying to remember what happened last night. She remembered walking through town with Goku and that was it.
Speaking of which, "Goku."
She got up slowly. Whatever happened last night left her feeling woozy. Leaning against the counter with her hands covering her face, she waited a moment for her head to stop spinning. When she removed them, she saw the mess that had been made. There were finished and unfinished sandwiches everywhere.
If she ever saw a scene like this, she would be sure Goku was the culprit. But she was the one covered in ham and cheese. Grabbing the paper towels, she rid herself of the slimy food substance on her face. Feeling icky, she probably looked worse. She would avoid all mirrors until after she showered. Leaving the kitchen, she walked through the lounge area finding her Saiyan friend. He was sleeping on one of the couches. Half a sandwich resting on his chest, a plate of sandwiches on the table before him.
I woke up covered in food. So, we were hungry, or at least he was. I know he can eat, so that explains the sandwich buffet. Doesn't explain why I can't remember, though. Could someone had broken in and did something to us? Hypnosis? No, if someone was going to mind control us, it would probably be for something more sinister than excess calories. Could I have been sleepwalking?
She chuckled at the thought.
We take turns cooking, but I can't imagine having subconscious instincts to make him food…Or could I? Now that I think about it, I don't mind cooking for him. If anything, I'm starting to like it. I'm not much of a cook, but I'm learning. The cooking channel is a godsend. There's nothing he doesn't eat, so he's easy to satisfy. Makes me feel like I'm making progress. However, if I was sleepwalking, he would've been able to tell. He'd have to.
Some of the theories Diana had were more bizarre than others. Hopefully, when Goku woke up, he'd tell her what happened. As for now, she had some cleaning to do.
She would start by removing the half-eaten sandwich off her friend's chest, saving him from making a bigger mess upon waking up. As she got closer, she noticed bruises around his neck going down his shirt. Even stranger was the bite mark near his shoulder. The skin was broken, and there was dried blood.
What happened here? Did he get into a fight with a beast? He's going to have quite the story to tell.
As the hot water ran down his skin and through the drain, Goku began his shower. The Saiyan was in bad shape. He felt drained and had a massive headache. When he awoke, Diana asked about last night. He didn't remember any more than she did and trying to made his head hurt. All the air freshener she sprayed didn't help either. Apparently, they had made a mess of the place, that was cleaned before he woke up.
Goku felt the bruises and bite mark he'd received. He wondered who'd given them to him. Did he get into a fight last night? If he did, the confident warrior knew the person was in more pain right now than he was. The bite mark was kind of funny. He'd been known to use his teeth to get out of holds or catch enemies by surprise. Whoever put it there, came from the same school of martial arts. Do whatever it takes.
After his shower, he'd spend no more time on it. Whatever happened, they were alive and safe. It's not like the world ended. He closed his eyes, his mind drifting to an important matter he needed to discuss with himself.
It's been two months. Nobody's found me yet. What if they can't? What if I'm stuck here? When I was at Diana's home, I thought this was my earth. Even though, I needed time to recover, I felt like I was where I needed to be. Now, I feel so far away. Everyone put their trust in me, and I just disappeared on them. I wonder how they're handling Majin Buu. If Thaysei and the Namekians couldn't hold him off, it's likely they've been destroyed. Along with Planet Namek.
That leaves me here. It's the same earth, but it's different. I like what the Justice League stands for, but I don't know if I like being a part of it. I never cared to be the people's hero, righting every single wrong in the world. If it doesn't involve a universal threat or a strong opponent, I don't want any part of it. Maybe that has to change. I owe the league for letting me stay here, but how long will I stay here? I have nowhere to go, but I've lived on my own in the woods before. If I could do it as a kid, I can do it now.
Then there's Diana. She threw away her life for me. Now we're both stuck in a new world trying to find our place in it. She's adjusting better than me. She was born to be a hero. She belongs in the Justice League. Do I? I was treating this like a vacation that would eventually end when it was time for me to go my own way. If that doesn't happen and I'm stuck here, is this what I want my life to be? Taking orders from Batman and Superman? Trying to earn the trust of people who will never truly trust me?
I'm only here because of her. Diana sacrificed the trust of her people for my safety and comfort. I can't just leave. What kind of friend would that make me? She always talks about how I changed her life. How I showed her the good in man. That I prepared her for life off the island. Saying she learned more about the world from our talks than she ever had from anyone else. I can't leave the Justice League when I talked her into joining the Justice League. I owe it to her to try to make this work.
"Sounds like you two had a good time."
Wonder Woman and Green Arrow had returned to headquarters after another day of serving justice. Goku, who wasn't feeling well, stayed home. While chatting in the lounge area, Diana told Oliver about their unusual morning.
"What do you mean by that," questioned Diana.
Oliver walked around her, elbow bumping her arm, "You know what I mean. Outside of the food fetish, waking up next to a woman or two after a night of partying with no memory of what happened the previous night is nothing new to me."
Diana was shocked, "You think we got intimate?"
"Uh, yeah…That's not a surprise is it? Aren't you two a couple?"
Diana was frozen. Her face. Her silence. Spoke volumes.
Oliver, who was leaning against the counter, stood up.
"Oh my…You really are surprised. I thought you were feigning ignorance on purpose. Telling me you had a special night without going into detail. Wow, I'm not sure how you couldn't come up with that unless…you two aren't a couple. Well, if that's the case, surely the hickeys and love bite gave it away."
Hickeys…Love bite…
Diana was in a trance, taking in his words.
Could we have? No. I don't like him that way. Do I? We're just friends. Right?
For the first time, Diana questioned if she wanted Goku to be more than a friend. She was embarrassed. Not of him, but of the idea that she had these feelings and didn't know. If this was the case, how obvious did she make it? Does he feel the same way?
Oliver woke her from the stupor she had fell into, "Remember Diana, this is just my theory on what happened. No one really knows, as long as you two can't remember. You could've done anything and who knows how many people were involved. Hell, it could've been another woman sucking on Goku's neck."
Diana had a terrified look on her face. That look turned into rage.
Another woman
Her eyes narrowed.
Another…Woman
She squeezed her fist so hard they started shaking.
Another woman with my man.
And in an instant, every muscle relaxed.
Did I just say that?
Diana felt the fury. The envy. The pain of another woman catching his eyes. And in that moment, it was clear. She knew how she felt about the Saiyan. Her feelings were deep and intense. This revelation scared her. She had the power to change the world. Yet, with all that strength, she couldn't make him love her. He could feel the same or he could not. It's possible that he didn't and that was frightening.
Both heroes turned their heads as Batman walked in.
"Where's Goku?"
Looking over the city, one half of the Justice League were ready to take action. Goku and Wonder Woman were helping Batman patrol Gotham. Batman initially only asked Goku to join him. He wanted to get a feel for the warrior. What he was capable of. Where his thoughts lie. It bothered him that he didn't recruit the alien. A Saiyan? Batman could find no info on such species.
Diana trusted him. But what did he do to earn that trust? Could she be blinded by an attraction to him? Of course, she was. The love marks on his neck revealed the true extent of their relationship. Batman wouldn't get the quality time he wanted. When he asked Goku, Diana insisted she come as well.
Diana knew Batman was rather aloof. He valued the league but didn't usually seek help with Gotham. He knew that city like the back of his hand and had been fighting crime for years. Why out of the blue ask Goku to come? Whatever the reason, she didn't want him to spoil Goku's feelings towards the Justice League like he initially did for her. Besides, she really liked being by Goku's side. Now that she was honest about her feelings for the Saiyan, she knew why.
Batman lead them to the circus. It had closed for the night about two hours earlier. He had got a tip that since the circus had been in town, many crime lords had been doing business with the owner. Apparently, this circus has two ways of making money. They'd come into town, perform during the day, and at night, do deals with the mafia or whoever was interested in drugs and firearms.
They followed him to a large tent. The light that was coming from inside confirmed this was the meeting spot. The surrounding trucks and limos gave Batman an idea of how many men they were up against. The singular entrance with no way to view the inside would usually have Batman biding his time, capturing the boss and alerting the police to deal with the henchmen. Fortunately, he had two superhumans with him. Letting them start the fight and cleaning up the leftovers would make for a quick night.
A lot of grins could be seen inside the tent. The exchange had been successful. The circus owner had his employees collect the briefcases full of money, as it was about time to end the night, and rest for tomorrow's show. His employees were still in uniform. Mines who still had on face paint. Acrobats still in spandex. Elephant tamers in jumpsuits. They obviously worked for the circus and were all in on collecting overtime.
Opposite the circus team were the buyers. Gangsters who look as you'd expect. However, the leader stuck out, and if his colors were lighter, he could've been mistaken for one of the performers. A midget wearing a tuxedo, top hat, and monocle. His small chubby form could've fit in perfectly with a circus. Especially, considering he had a nose that was naturally shaped like a bird. He even had the perfect stage name, the Penguin.
He inspected his newly purchased Ak47, "Now this here is quality. Any ideas when you'll be coming back to Gotham?"
"Not for a long time. We still have lots of cities to visit on our tour. Besides, we're sold out on weapons thanks to you. However, if you're interested in drugs, we have plenty we're willing to sell," said the Owner.
"Maybe next time." Penguin was happy to hear they were out of weapons. It was his plan to buy them all, exhausting their supply for the remainder of time they were in Gotham. He was currently in a gang war with Black Mask and didn't want any other guns going into the enemy's hands.
When he heard of a circus that worked as a weapons dealer afterhours was coming into town, he knew he had to take this opportunity. A third party from outside of Gotham that couldn't care less what happened to this city. It was one of the rare times where he could do business without having to worry about being backstabbed or owing a favor. With both buyers and sellers satisfied, they were ready to move on when their night was ruined by the faces of two superheroes.
They didn't recognize Goku, but they knew of the power and heroics of Wonder Woman. Batman was hard enough to deal with, but Wonder Woman was on a whole other level.
Penguins goons were on edge. Some were downright panicking. For their business meeting to be interrupted by a Justice League member, it was likely that Batman wasn't far behind.
Penguin had heard about Wonder Woman's power, and with his luck, her spiky haired friend was just as strong.
Controlling his building anger, Penguin ordered his men, "Listen men, have you forgotten why we're here? We have guns, lots of them. Grab a gun and give are unwanted guests an early grave!"
More out of fear than loyalty, Penguin's thugs started shooting. Wonder Woman blocked the bullets with her bracelets while casually approaching and taking down Penguin's men. Goku ignored the bullets altogether, knocking the henchmen out with light punches and kicks.
To Penguin, this was just as expected. The circus owner and his workers had the right idea. They had used the commotion to escape. Now it was his turn. Upon exiting the tent, he saw them unconscious. The two heroes that were currently dispatching his men weren't alone. He then felt a familiar shadow loom over him.
The sounds of so many handcuffs clicking was its own orchestra. The Gotham Police had arrived, arresting Penguin, his men, and the circus employees.
"Good job, Batman. You can consider this their final act. Now, what are we going to do about the animals?"
"I'll leave that to you."
Commissioner Gordon is one of Batman's most trusted allies. In a city run on criminal activity and corruption, James Gordon's duty was to bring justice. Not just by title. It was in his heart. And so, tonight like many others before, Batman did his job, and Gordon did his, clean up.
Batman approached the two leaguers who were enjoying their time together as always.
"Good work, you two. We're done for the night."
"What about the animals," asked Goku.
"I'm sure animal control are on their way. There's no more need for us here."
"We can make it back to headquarters on our own. Goodnight, Batman."
Can you leave already, is what Diana really wanted to say.
Goku too, said his goodbyes, "Night, Batman."
Batmen went on his way, which probably means he'd keep patrolling Gotham. He also sensed and annoyance in Wonder Woman. He had become a third wheel on his own mission. Whatever plans the Amazon had, there would be no more interference.
She put a hand on Goku's shoulder, "Ready to go home?"
"No, you go on ahead. I'm gonna stick around."
"What for?"
"I'm going to care for the animals until whoever's picking them up gets here."
Diana grabbed his hand, "Consider this a date then."
They walked to the animal cages, seeing elephants, tigers, bears, etc. They were all awake. Some seemed frightened, likely due to the police sirens heard around the circus. Goku first opened the lion cages. He went inside, quickly befriending the big cats.
Diana watched him pet the animals softly. They enjoyed the tender strokes, rubbing against his legs, telling him not to stop.
She walked into the cage, joining him. "Have fun tonight?"
Goku watched a lion gnaw on his hand. It wasn't trying to hurt him. Just get his attention. Goku smiled at it, knowing it had to be wondering why he wasn't showing any discomfort or irritation.
He gave in and started petting the impatient creature, "I am now."
"I liked the maniac mission more," said Diana. "No grumpy Batman…Just the two of us."
"He's not so bad," responded Goku. "Besides, we just finished talking about how we need to be careful. And I wouldn't be much of a team player if I turned him down."
Diana didn't want to talk about Batman. Goku seemed to miss the "Just the two of us" comment.
She wouldn't let him miss it again. "Teamwork will be very important in the future. You and I work great together, don't you think?"
Goku looked at her, "Yeah, you're something special, Diana."
Diana blushed, but was able to return the compliment, "As are you, Goku."
Goku left the tiger cage, moving over to the elephants.
Diana followed, "It's not only your martial arts prowess that makes you special, but who you are as a man."
Goku got on one side of an elephant, rubbing its head, while she got on the other.
"I get it, and I meant the same. You're a good person with a strong sense of justice. Your strength just makes it obvious."
Staring at the handsome warrior increased Diana's heartrate. It was time. Time to see if he would let her have him.
"Yes, my strength is easy to see. What's in my heart is what you've been oblivious to."
Diana. The little girl that was too afraid to speak her true feelings. That little girl that was afraid to take the next step. The little girl that would rather run away than tempt fate. The little girl that was now frozen.
She said it. He heard it. She started. But she couldn't finish. And she couldn't take it back. She was melting. She was nothing.
Goku looked at her, now. His black eyes piercing past her blues eyes, sending a shock to her soul. That jolt to her spirit brought her back from oblivion. As something new? No, she wasn't reborn. She's what she's always been. She wasn't a little girl. She was a woman.
A woman who never backed down. A woman who feared nothing. A woman who would always speak her true. She was Diana of Themyscira. And as she looked back into those charming eyes, her desire to have him grew too powerful to keep hidden inside.
"I can't blame you. It's been speaking and even I've been deaf to it. I've spent as much time as possible by your side. Fighting together. Eating together. Living together. And I've loved every second of it. I love it so much, it's no longer enough... And I need more…I need what comes next."
Diana put her hand over her heart.
"This is what I want. Please…give it to me."
Diana closed her eyes and went in for a kiss. It was rough and sloppy. Maybe the Saiyan had never kissed a woman before, but even then, his technique was awful. She didn't know if he was trying to kiss her or eat her face. It went from sloppy to comical as she felt him go along her cheek to her nose, over an eye, down her hair. She giggled at the sensation and at how tragic a kisser he was, before his lips settled back over her own. While the Amazon wasn't a pro, she had more of an idea of what she was doing than he did. She knew, they'd have a lifetime to perfect their skills and she was looking forward to it.
When she opened her eyes, it was evident that she knew less about the art of kissing than she believed. She didn't know how it was supposed to feel any more than he did. She hadn't kissed a man in her life, and tonight wouldn't be the first time.
The kiss that she thought she was sharing with the man she loved, was being shared with the nostrils of another mammal. Slowly ending the romantic embrace between Amazon and elephant, Diana blushed with embarrassment. Embarrassment that only got worse when she looked at the Saiyan who was just as red as her, trying desperately to hold in his laughter.
She turned her head, crossed her arms, and pretended to pout. Goku saw through her faux frown, seeing the beginnings of a smile. For such a moment to end like that, she had to see the humor in it. Unable to hold it any longer, Goku laughed so hard he startled all the animals.
His laughter subsided, with Diana still refusing to look at him, "Now that you've got that out of your system…"
Goku grabbed her arm, placing it on his chest, "Do you feel that?"
She turned to see a calm seriousness on his face, "Yes."
"It doesn't beat just for me. It beats for you. And the day it stops, till the end of time, my heart will always be yours."
She got the confirmation she needed. Now able to claim him as hers, she set her eyes on his lips, "So…I can kiss you now."
I'm going to enjoy this.
Before Diana could lock lips with her man, that elephant, once again, began poking his nose into her affairs, literally. It started moving its long snout through the Amazon's hair and around her face.
Goku laughed once again. He had too. The dead expression on Diana's face as she stood there and let herself be fondled by the elephant was a comedy skit gone right.
"Maybe we should wait until we get home. Wouldn't want your friend to get jealous."
