THE QUEEN´S DAUGHTER.
CHAPTER VIII: THE BOUNTY HUNTER.
FIRST. Bruce and Diana were born to be together and Clark belongs to Lois. Period.
NOW that is settled, THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS AND THE FAVORITING! :D You will really keep me writing if you keep up the comments ^^ All of them made me very happy.
Okay, I´m introducing a character here that has not been shown before in this story in a complete AU, so I hope that´s okay with you all :P
Also, I introduced a more… modern use of the kryptonite. I did a lot of research, but if I got anything wrong, please let me know.
So, as Sheldon would say, I informed you thusly! Enjoy! :)
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"What do you mean?" Lois asked him.
Clark didn´t answer. Pieces of the shattered wall cascaded over the group and a woman any of them had seen before floated into the room. She leaned against the remaining part of the wall and stared at the three of them unimpressed, with boredom in her eyes. Her stare finally fixed on Superman with obvious disdain.
"So this is you." Her voice wasn´t too treble, either was it too deep. The sound flowed melodiously out of her lips as if it was just another weapon under her control.
The silence created by the lack of response forced Sophie to speak. "Who are you?"
The plump lips pursed under the crystalline sapphire eyes. Every gesture seemed impeccable and clean, framed by the sunny blond strands twirling down behind her ears. There was no doubt the woman had been trained endlessly and that her methodical habits were imperturbable. Everything about her was flawless.
"I am Sor-El. But everybody calls me Zora."
And Zora was the only one who heard Clark´s heart skipping a bit. "Where are you coming from?"
The leather covered legs moved closer to him and the hands rested on her silver belt. She had a gun, a dagger and several compartments. It resembled Batman´s utility belt. Her voice tone made clear she found the questioning utterly bothersome.
"The same place I´m taking you to. Apokolips. Even though I´m not here as a Fury, but as a bounty hunter. I must say it´s a very amusing and profitable hobby."
Lois was the first to react and her arms snarled around Clark´s.
"You are not taking my husband!"
"Oh, I want to see you try and stop me, little skunk. I´m taking the baby amazon too. I wasn´t so sure about her, human DNA it´s worthless, but since she has got kryptonian blood too… Granny Goodness will be delighted to have someone to cover Big Barda´s place… and give the bitch a pay up."
The movement was so swift she didn´t see it coming. A small yet powerful foot in a shimmering black shoe collided against her chest, tossing her trough the wall.
"I am NOT a baby."
The steely blue eyes fumed. "Too much bravado for a petty bug I can squeeze so easily. If you make this hard, you will both end up at the Preserver´s Zoo. He wants a kryptonian so badly." She chortled. "Of course, he can´t dare mess with me."
"You are not taking me anywhere!" The princess's fist speeded towards the bounty hunter, but it crashed against her palm and five deathly stout fingers immediately squeezed her fingers. The only person that strong Sophia had faced before was her own mother, and that was just sparring.
"Your arrogant attitude doesn´t fit your disadvantageous position, Princess…" The word was hissed with disrespect. "And it won take you anywhere good. I don´t do things by halves and I won´t walk off empty-handed. How great, these bracelets will look terrific with my belt…"
"Guess what? Amazon´s don´t do things by halves either."
"Let her go!" Clark yelled, grabbing Sophia by the shoulders and pulling her back towards him.
"This is not about you yet, Superman. Don´t mess where they didn´t call you."
"It is about me. You came to get me, let her go. I won´t back down and watch you take her."
"Really? Can we try and find out where your heart is really settled?"
Lois gasped quietly behind them. She thought the previous events ruined her day completely. It was about to get worst. Much worst.
The reporter stood behind her husband quiet and motionless, fully aware that Superman and the Amazon could stand up to the intruder, but she would be completely defenseless. She was brave, but she wasn´t stupid. Sometimes, hiding isn't cowardice and it doesn´t make you fainthearted or pusillanimous. Sometimes, wits are what it takes for survival.
So when the black and silver blurry shadow gusted towards her, grabbed the collar of her fancy jacket and held her up like a magician´s bunny over the huge empty space above the street, she was taken completely by surprise. The woman squealed feebly and her eyes enlarged with fear, but her lips didn´t let out the panicked scream. Even so, her highly increased heart rate didn´t remain unnoticed by the blonde. She gulped and looked upwards, away from the emptiness under her dangling feet. The last thing she wanted was to be used to manipulate her husband.
"Don´t you dare!"
"Don´t… do… something… stupid… Kal." She groaned slowly, with a creaking voice.
"Oh, you don´t want me to let her go? She´s so scared…" She pouted as her grip on the redhead loosened and she fastened down heavily. "Sorry."
"No!" Clark became a fuzzy figure of red and blue rushing behind the reporter.
Sophie stared at the empty space where seconds ago Lois had been hanging, still struck by the stranger´s actions. I don´t want my father´s wife to die!
The hand clashing her stomach and sending her against the wall brought her back to reality. As she fell to the floor, the princess wished -not for the first time-, that she had her mother´s ability to fly. The Fury definitely had it. But despite that, she had been trained to fight upon the skills she actually possessed, so the Amazon grabbed her arch and shot an arrow straight to her foe. She didn´t know yet the woman was kryptonian, but she found out about her invulnerability. And she laughed. She guffawed in an amused, mocking way that pierced the Queen´s daughter´s pride.
"Too bad I know a thousand things about you and a hundred ways to overcome you, but you can´t gather a single fact about me."
Zora tried a kick aimed to Sophia´s head, but she rolled onto her stomach and got up to her feet before she was hit.
"You might. Too bad I can pick up new information faster than you can."
"You will pay for this, little spoiled brat."
A pair of twin red beams emerged from the bounty hunter´s eyes, directed to the princess. Sophia immediately deflected them with her bracelets. But they started heating up at a scandalous pace, until she hissed in pain and slid her right leg to the side. The movement caused her to drop downwards rapidly, and as her leg swept across the floor, she tripped down the intruder. The burning pieces of feminum were hastily removed and she rubbed her aching wrists. Hera, I didn´t know those could get that hot!
Suddenly, the woman´s iron fingers clenched around her damaged skin, digging her nails onto it with a satisfied delight. The sound was barely audible when she yelped in pain.
"Where´s your bravery gone, Princess? All the self-control in the universe can´t save you now."
"Let her go." Clark demanded, floating back into the room.
The blonde´s eyes moved back to the other kryptonian. Sophie wasted no time to take advance of the distraction. She gulped, swallowing the throbbing pain that was slowly becoming agonizing, and her knee ruefully speeded against her captor´s stomach. Sophia took a deep breath and closed her eyes in relief when her arms were released and the hurt submitted.
Superman´s hand stopped the blow that was directed against the Amazon´s jaw.
"I said enough!"
"I´m not going back without my quarry, I have a bargain. Another idea?" She raised an eyebrow, annoyed.
"You seriously want to piss off her mother?"
"The mythical Amazon Queen. Sounds like mere fun to me."
A vengeful wrath flashed through her eyes. She swiftly pulled him by the arms and strongly hurled him against the asphalt of the street below. The young girl, who had already replaced her bracelets, gusted down the stairs with her bag on tow and hurried out of the building.
She saw Clark surface from the hole the impact had cracked in the road to hit Zora´s ribs powerfully. Her body flew backwards until she crashed against a lamp post, sinking to the floor after breaking it in two. Getting a firm hold of it, she aimed the steel bar against Clark, but Sophie´s sack landed on the floor as she jumped high enough to grab the other end of the pole. The Amazon´s strength broke the bounty hunter´s balance and she crashed her against the floor, exactly were Clark had fallen before.
The princess put the post down and she saw Superman charging again against the Fury. A first blow hit her face, but then her heel crashed against his chest in a deft masterful move that set him off flying against a building. She landed softly on the ground and opened one of the compartments from her belt.
"Do you really think I would come here unprepared?" She smirked, grabbing a dark and slender, short blowpipe from the compartment. A soft, quick touch of her lips sent a thin shimmering green needle that buried into the Man of Steel´s neck. He screamed, covering with his hand the spot where he had been hit and squatted onto the floor. "One down, one to go."
Sophia´s face transfixed in horror. "What have you done?"
The princess turned around and ran to him, but the alien´s hands grabbed her hair, throwing her against the ground with furious strength.
The Amazon gasped as the air escaped her lungs and her eyes fogged. She took a second more than she should have to force the air back in and jump up. The kryptonian was already holding a car over her head and prepared to hit the youngster with the heavy steel.
"Try dealing with someone your own size!" The blonde turned around dumfounded to find a red haired thanagarian gritting her teeth at her. She didn´t see the mace that hit her head so badly coming her way. Zora crashed against a wall that stumbled down upon her.
"Are you okay, Sophie?" Hawkgirl asked, still holding the mace in her hands tightly.
The Amazon blinked stupefied. "Shayera!"
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to find my father! I left Themyscira on my own…"
Then, it was Shayera´s turn to gasp in surprise. "Did you find him? Where´s your mother?"
Sophie shook her head sadly and pointed to Superman, who was unconscious and held by Lois in her arms. "I don´t know about her, but he is right there."
The redhead shrieked in frustration and smashed with her mace the car that had been already wrecked by the other female alien. "Sophia, you can tell your mother that the next time I see her, I´ll strangle her with my own…!"
The word hands drowned in her throat as Zora kicked her back and punched her face, before holding her down with an arm lock. Sophia was young, but a brave warrior, and her mind didn´t stop looking for a solution. Her eyes lit up when she finally thought of something that maybe, and just maybe, could do the trick.
The young girl ran to her bag and recovered the golden lariat. She flung the lasso towards a fire hydrant and yanked it from the ground, causing the cold water to rain heavily over them. She watched Shayera hopelessly struggle against the bounty hunter for a few seconds, until they were completely soaked.
"Sayera, kick her away from you!" Sophia yelled, to be heard over the din the water was making. Freed from the arm lock, but now pressed against the floor and lacking of air as a result of her attacker's fingers clenched around her neck, the thanagarian stretched her arm a little more and got a hold on her precious weapon. She plunged it onto her attacker's side, and the movement allowed her to do exactly what the princess just said. Another blow and the woman was flung away from her.
Wasting no time, the Amazon grasped the woman´s shinning silver boots from the ankles and, after spinning her around twice, she sent her flying against the thick wires stretched to provide energy for the street lighting. When the completely drenched body impacted against the power cords, breaking them, a bolt of electricity got an immediate hold on it. The kryptonian shook and retorted, wrapped up in the deathly golden light, until she fell back to the floor unconscious. Sophia and Shayera immediately ran to Clark and Lois.
"Shayera, please contact the Watchtower. He needs help!" The reporter cried. Her eyes were pleading through the accruing tears and her faltered voice was weak.
The redhead brought her hand to her ear. "J´onn, four coming in. Can you teleport us, please?"
Everything disappeared in a blur, and suddenly, the four of them landed over an iron, chilly floor. Everything around them was built from the same steel and across the ample windows a sea of stars was glowing over the darkest sky. The beautiful sight was overwhelming.
"Where are we?"
"This is the Watchtower, the Justice League´s workplace and operation base." A man´s voice behind her responded.
The two heroines turned to J´onn, who didn´t say a word and stared into Sophie´s eyes.
"Welcome, Princess." He bowed his head in respect. "I would love to hear the news about your mother once this incident is solved; she is a very dear friend of mine."
The kind words made Diana´s daughter smile.
"That wasn't fair J´onn, she doesn't even know you can read her mind."
The smile faded and she grimaced.
"I'm sorry." He nodded in agreement. "But hers was the mind that held the information I needed. He will be fine in no time, but a time we shall not waste."
"Please, help him." Lois interfered and looked back at her husband. "Don´t you dare die on me when I´m mad at you…" Sheathed in her ragged suit and with the despair in her eyes crowned by the disheveled reddish tresses, she gave the strong impression of a woman completely out of her mind. She sobbed quietly and ran her hand through her hair.
"Follow me to the infirmary. I already have all the necessary data."
"Maybe you will need to know that she tossed that thing with a black blowpipe…" The girl informed.
"Thank you." The Martian said.
"Sophia, you go find Alex. Tell him what happened and keep him away until Clark reacts. He will be fine, don´t you worry." She paused a second in sudden realization. "I guess you already met him?"
The princess nodded and mentally thanked the thanagarian.
"Please tell him that and tell him to find me later." The boy´s mother interjected, not misusing the time to ask how did Sophia met her son. She could do that later.
The Amazon speeded away whilst the two other women carried Clark on tow. She was actually eager to meet him again. There was a big deal of catching up to do.
Shayera sighed in relief and looked up to her colleague, before she whispered loud enough for only him to hear. "Good, we really don´t need the youngsters fussing around."
.-.-.-
She was just a few steps away when a bleary red shadow swirled around Sophia and a masked man in a bright red suit with golden details halted in front of her.
"Hello, Di! I..." His expression became bewildered when he watched her closely and the Queen´s daughter sighed in resignation.
"I'm Sophia. Yes, I am Diana's daughter. Yes, she is okay and no, she is not here." The young girl crossed her arms. "Anything else you want to know?"
He cackled, amused. "Like mother, like daughter. How's old Di doing?"
Sophia chortled. "Don't let my mother hear you call her that!"
He smiled. "I won't... I don't want my neck broken. I'm The Flash, by the way."
"I can see why. I'm sorry Flash, it was nice to meet you but I really need to get going. Have you seen Alex?"
"He's in the next room. It will be great to see you later." Wally replied and raced away.
Sophia brushed with her hand the raven locks that had been tousled by the wind before she walked through the door. And what she saw was a LOT of people.
There was a guy in a medieval armor, a cowboy with a red scarf around his face, a dark skinned man dressed in green scolding the guy wearing a funny golden suit, a woman with green glistening hair and so many more. Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder and she turned around. Ryan was smiling widely at her, evidently happy to see the princess.
"Hello, Ryan."
"Hey, Dark Amazon. How are you?"
"Dark Amazon? What? I'm not dark."
"Oh, because of the Amazing Amazon and the Dark Knight. Your parents." He stated as a matter of fact.
"But he is not my father." She frowned.
The boy seemed to be shocked and embarrassed at once. "Right."
"Have you seen Alex? I need to talk to him." She pleaded, changed the silly subject.
He frowned, clearly unpleased and pointed some direction behind her. Sophia spotted them a few seconds later. "Thank you!"
He was wearing a pair of jeans and a blue T-shirt, with the same logo that identified her father's outfit. The young blonde was dressed in black and had fishnet stockings plunging onto her pretty boots. Sophia was surprised to see Amanda smiling and laughing with a glee she was lacking before. When Ryan called their names, they turned and their faces transfixed. Alex beamed, delighted to see her and Amanda regained her sulky demeanor.
And the guy says I am the Dark Knight´s daughter! Yeah, sure… She rolled her eyes. Am I imagining thinks or she's upset because of the way he smiles at me?
Alex sprinted towards her. "Hello, Soph."
She smiled wearily. "Hello, Alex. Can we talk, please?"
"Sure. You seem like you could use a hot drink. What about a cup of hot chocolate?"
"Sounds heavenly." She beamed too.
He slid his hand gently across her waist and guided her to the Cafeteria, unaware of the Queen sibling´s eyes following them. Sophie sat on a table and waited for him to get the beverages. Her eyes lazily scanned across the room until her gaze fell upon two women sat on another table, talking and laughing. There was a tall dark haired magician, with hat and everything, and a very attractive blond. The fishnets, the black uniform and the features seemed familiar. Too familiar.
"You guessed, that's Viper senior." Alex said, sitting down too and handing her the beverage. Sophia took a sip and closed her eyes in appreciation.
"This is good." She put the cup down. "Is there something going on between you and Amanda?"
His expression suddenly transformed and he responded in astonishment. "N…o"
"She likes you. And you don´t seem so sure either."
"Why would you say that?"
She looked down, to the hand she rested beneath the cup. "True, I have no right to ask you something so personal. I'm sorry."
"Hey, you can ask me anything." He said, placing his hand over hers, intending to intertwine their fingers.
When she looked up to meet his eyes, she knew he had felt the sparkles too. Taking a deep breath -for some reason her heart was beating faster- she removed her hand slowly and placed them both over her lap.
"We really need to talk..."
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A/N: Okay, that was HARD work! :O I hope you liked it. Please let me know, good or bad. Did you like Zora? All opinions, critics and questions are welcomed and useful. It helps me built up the story :) I will always reply to each review ^^
I was glad to discover, after watching JL Doom, that my concept of kryptonite was right. A small piece doesn´t have enough radiation to affect them unless it´s buried in the skin ^^.
Alex attire had been inspired by what I´ve seen of Action Comics New 52.
Thanks to M2J MandalorianJedi for the Dark Amazon suggestion :D It rocks!
Ozzy: First, thanks for taking the time to write down your opinion, it shows you think the story is worth it. I´ll try to make my reply as short and complete as possible. FIRST, where did I make Diana a Christian? O.O Where, oh, where? As for what they did, it wasn´t a great idea, true, but he reasons are there. She was curious and she felt inexperienced. I think it is possible, for a character like her who wasn´t raised with prejudices about it and can see it for what it really is… something natural. Of course, there must have been an encounter between them for Diana to think Selina is slutty (I didn´t think it was relevant, but the story will allow me to squeeze it in if the readers find it necessary). Besides, she didn´t say she was a slut, but slutty. And that is just… a stereotype, related to the way she dresses and acts, I suppose. It´s not exactly related with Diana´s morals (plus, it was only a bit of fun). It´s not just casual sex with a workmate (it would have been so if it was Flash, but Clark is the one she trusts with her life). I didn´t want to make her in love with Clark first because that would have made her feelings inconstant. Unfortunately, I barely know anything about Jerry Springer, sorry, but if you explain to me better what you meant I will reconsider it. I don´t think they are inconsistent, but maybe because I have the full picture :P And yes, there will be a good reason. He´s not a knight in shining armor but a dark knight and she´s not Cinderella, but a warrior princess, royalty. They are both proud as hell. I hope this clarifies it for you :) NOTE: NO SMWW. Diana belongs to Bruce. Thanks for your opinion; everything will be considered for future chapters.
GabrielTDO: Yes! Always and forever! :) YAY!
cew: Thanks for the comment! AND trust me, there WILL be. A LOT.
CrazyRenegade: Thanks for the comment! Yes, it correlates! Well, time will tell! There will be more drama and angst. Well, his coolness is justified by being Batman, lol. Thanks!
NOW, off to watch the Academy Awards and wait for the comments! :D Go on Meryl!