Chapter 37: Curse of the Cheetah

Three Years Ago…

At the Themysciran Embassy, Diana was going over some paperwork in her office. As she finished going over a few papers, a knock came at her door that prompted her to look up. The door opened and a minotaur stuck his head in.

"Your Highness? There's a Barbara Ann Minerva here to see you."

"Thank you Ferdinand," Diana replied, rising from her seat. "I'll be right there."

Ferdinand ducked back out as Diana went to follow him. The two of them went downstairs to see Gretta chatting with a red-haired woman at the secretary's desk.

"Oh, I adore working for Diana," Gretta gushed. "My mother and my grandmother all had positions with her and they never had a bad thing to say about her. Frankly, neither do I. She treats me like a friend, listens to everything I have to say, and always has legitimate reasons when she denies my time off requests, which only happens every once in awhile. Honestly, I feel like part of the family rather than a secretary."

"Sounds wonderful," the woman responded before looking up and seeing Diana and Ferdinand coming down. "Ah, the woman of the hour. It is an honor to meet you."

"Thank you. So, what can I help you with Ms. Minerva."

"Doctor, actually. I have a doctorate in archaeology and mythology. I've been working on my thesis about the truth behind popular myths, the biggest being the Isle of the Amazons."

"I would be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have."

"Thank you. Do you want to do it here? I do know this lovely coffee shop downtown if you're interested."

"Sounds lovely."

The two of them went to the coffee shop and Minerva just bombarded Diana with one question after another.

"So, have you ever actually met any of the Greek Pantheon?"

"No, I'm afraid not. The closest I've come is keeping guard over Ares."

"Amazing. And you said that your tools were gifts from the Gods, correct? Like your Lasso of Truth is from Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth."

"That is correct. They were given to the Amazons to help them in their duty to aid mankind."

"And yet, they've confined themselves to their enchanted isle. Why is that?"

"To be honest, I have spent many years wondering the same thing."

Minerva saw Diana's face drop a bit, causing her to take a breath before speaking again.

"There is… one last thing I wanted to ask you."

"Of course. What is it?"

"Well… I was wondering if you would be willing to let me walk around Themyscira. I know that the number of historical relics and ancient historical records kept there would greatly aid me in my thesis. I am aware of Themyscira's no male policy, but as a woman, I should be fine."

"I am… sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do that."

Minerva was taken aback by this.

"What? Why not? All I want is to look around. What's the harm?"

"The harm is if anyone, man or woman, learned the location of Themyscira, the enemies of mankind could use your work to find it themselves. I can't risk the lives of my mother and sisters like that."

"I won't disclose location! I swear! Please, you are the closest link I've had to proving my theories right!"

"I am sorry, but I just can't take that chance." Diana got up, pulling out some money for the coffee. "I appreciate you taking the time to come meet me. I hope you have a good rest of your day."

Diana then got up and walked off, leaving Minerva alone and dejected. She sagged back in her chair, looking down at all her research in depression before a look of determination began gracing her face.

Present Day

On a sunny day at the Natural History Museum, Diana stood before a group of reporters to dedicate the newest exhibit on WWI.

"Thank you all for coming out today," She spoke. "It is my sincerest hope that this latest exhibit will help inspire a new generation of heroes. Some of the greatest men I ever knew didn't wear capes or masks. They wore colors of every nation, and marched for the freedom of everyone. Each and every one of them were just ordinary men, ones blessed with extraordinary courage and valor. That is why I dedicate this exhibit to honor a small handful of those men, ones I had the honor of fighting alongside."

Once she was done speaking, a cavalcade of questions erupted from the crowd.

"One at a time, please. Yes, you sir."

"Clark Kent of the Daily Planet. How well did you know the men you served with back during the war?"

"They were some of the first men I met when I came to Man's world. I will admit, my first impression of them was not flattering, but as we fought together, I saw true valor in their hearts.

More questions immediately sprung up as soon as she was done speaking.

"Uh… yes, you sir."

"How many other wars did you partake in?"

"A fair number. The second World War was a conflict I couldn't turn away, but others such as the wars in Korea and Vietnam were wars I could not in good conscience pick a side. I did my best to help all civilians though.

The crowd erupted once more, with Diana seeing a larger woman in what looked like a crocodile skinned suit raise a gloved hand.

"Yes, you ma'am?"

"This Memorial… it means a great deal to you, yes?"

"Yes… it does."

"And these men, they are like family?"

"In a sense, yes."

The woman grinned, revealing a too-wide grin with a row of needle-like teeth.

"Perfect."

All of a sudden, the woman began to grow in size, her scale coat fusing to her body. Her pencil skirt elongated, tapering off to become a massive snake tail. Long, tentacle-like dreadlocks spilled out from her head as yellow eyes blinked sideways like a lizard.

"Great Hera!" Diana exclaimed. "Echidna!"

"Greetings, Diana! For too long, my children have suffered at the hands of you and the Amazons! Now you will taste my vengeance!"

Just then, a creature crashed through the window, revealing itself to be a lion-like creature with the heads of both a goat and a dragon on either side of its main head, giant scaly wings, and a scorpions tail.

"The Chimera…" Diana dreaded.

Everyone started fleeing towards the exit as Diana stared the creature down. She instantly charged towards it, punching it across the face. As she continued to battle the beast, Clark managed to slip into the men's room, where he quickly changed into Superman. Back with Diana, she quickly drew her sword and swung it at the beast's tail, severing its stinger and causing it to cry out in pain.

"How dare you!" Echidna swore.

"You are not welcome here, Echidna," Diana declared, aiming her sword at her. "Return to Tartarus before I send you the hard way."

"I think not."

Suddenly, the Chimera's tail shot at Wonder Woman, wrapping around her and tightening as to try and suffocate her.

"This is your end, Diana," Echidna swore.

"I think I might have something to say about that!"

Suddenly, Superman arrived, punching the Chimera and causing it to release Diana.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you."

"No, no, no, no!" Echidna howled. "Don't tell me this is another Champion of the Gods!"

"Just a man who doesn't have patience for those who pray on the innocent."

Both of them charged at the monster, punching it at the same time and knocking it out. Echidna tried to slither away, but Wonder Woman shot out her lasso, ensnaring her instantly. Diana then pulled her in close before grabbing her and slamming her into the ground.

Suddenly, the ground cracked open, red light emanating from it. Dark chains came flying out, wrapping around Echidna. From out of the dark pit, Hades rose up, shaking his head.

"What a mess you made, Echidna," he muttered. "I do believe the terms of your parole were to stay away from the Amazon."

"She deserves to pay! She's slaughtered dozens of my children!"

"That you sent to harm innocent people," Diana added.

"Indeed," Hades agreed. "Now, we'll discuss this parole violation back down in Tartarus. I am sorry for this, Diana."

"It is quite understandable," Diana reassured.

With that, Hades took Echidna down to Tartarus, sealing up the hole behind him.

"Does that sort of thing happen often?" Superman asked.

"It's happened once or twice."

"Well, let's get this place cleaned up."

Superman and Wonder Woman got to work, unaware of a feminine figure in a trench coat and fedora watching the pair. Her eyes narrowed as she slipped deeper into the museum, fists clenching.

Three years ago…

Still determined to complete her work, Minerva continued her work to find Themyscira. She had taken visits to the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, the Historical Society in London, and everywhere else she could think of to look. As she did her research, she came up with the idea of examining the original flight path Steve Trevor took back in 1918, and cross referencing that with the path of the ship Diana and Steve hitched their own boat to when arriving in London. She traced lines along her map, tracking the movements of both instances, looking for any place that they might intersect. As she ran along the lines, she saw that one of the lines she had drawn had crossed paths with another, prompting her to circle the location with a marker.

"Gotcha."

She got up and turned around, coming face to face with a stunningly beautiful woman. She had long, silver hair that was reminiscent of moonlight, tied in a loose braid that cascaded down her back. She was wearing a long, silvery toga with a pin that was shaped like a crescent moon. She had a quiver on her back filled with shimmering, silver arrows, and a pristine bow that glittered like stars in her hands. Her eyes were like that of a predator stalking its prey, and there was an edge to her smile.

"Barbara Ann Minerva," the woman's voice was like velvet as she spoke. "You are quite the dedicated hunter."

"Uh… thank you? Who are you?"

"I am Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and of the Hunt. I have come to you with a warning."

"What warning?"

"End your hunt for Themyscira. The enchanted isle is under the protection of Athena, Aphrodite, and myself. Continue to seek them out, and you will feel the Wrath of the Pantheon."

All of a sudden, Artemis suddenly disappeared right before Minerva's eyes, only the faint light of shimmering stars left in her wake. Minerva blinked in response before turning back to her maps.

"Come on Minerva, we have an enchanted isle to find."

Present Day...

As Superman and Wonder Woman worked to get the museum back in proper shape, Diana couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

"Something wrong?" Superman asked, putting a display back into place.

"I'm not sure," she admitted, carefully replacing the glass case. "I can't shake this uneasy feeling."

Concerned, Superman started looking around the building with his x-ray vision, trying to find anything out of the ordinary. Suddenly, he saw the woman in the trenchcoat fleeing from the WWI exhibit.

"There's someone by the World War I exhibit," Superman informed. "She's heading towards the exit."

The two took off after her, hoping to stop her.

As the figure made her way outside, she was suddenly greeted by a bat shaped silhouette on the ground. She stopped short , rolling to the side as Batman came swooping down.

"Trust me, you really don't wanna do this."

The figure seems to laugh, straightening up.

"You think you stand a chance? Better hunters than you have tried to catch me."

"Doubtful."

Batman then lunged forward for a punch, only for the figure to block it. The figure then swiped at Batman, causing him to leap away. He looked down at his cape, seeing that part of it was slashed at somehow. He looked back up to the figure, only to see that she was gone.

"So that's what that feels like," Batman lamented.

Just then, Superman and Wonder Woman came bursting through the door, only to find Batman standing before them.

"Batman?" Wonder Woman let out. "Did you see-"

"A mysterious figure in a trenchcoat? She got away."

"Looks like she's long gone," Superman noted, scanning around for her. "Any idea who she was."

"No idea. But she left a calling card."

He held up the damaged cape, causing the two heroes to become slightly worried.

"Oh my…" Wonder Woman dreaded before thinking of something. "How did you know to show up, anyway?"

"I heard that someone was going to try and attack the exhibit today. Considering our company, it might have been more than one someone."

The three then went back inside the museum and went to the exhibit, seeing that it had been all but demolished. The statues were all defaced in some way, but Wonder Woman's was utterly demolished and disassembled.

"Oh no…" Diana lamented. "Who could have done this?"

Batman looked at the display, then found a tuft of hair that didn't seem to match any of the destroyed figurines. Using a pair of tweezers, he deposited the hair into a small bottle.

"Let's find out."

Two years ago…

After nearly a year of work, Minerva set course for Themyscira. She had saved up enough money to charter a boat and set sail for the fabled Paradise Island. Unfortunately, the weather during the trip was taking a turn for the worst. Feeling sick to her stomach and having her entire body aching like crazy, Minerva retreated to her cabin to try and sleep it off. As she laid down on her cot, she fell into a fitful slumber, where she was pulled into a surreal dream.

She found herself in a massive forest, trees towering higher than the eye could see. It was dark, the light of the moon barely illuminating what was around her. She could hear the sounds of several large predators stalking in the distance, the sounds echoing all around her. A sense of dread and the feeling of being in an unwinnable situation washed over her. She tried running away, but her legs were like lead. She was utterly frozen.

"I warned you..."

Minerva turned in shock to see Artemis riding up to her on a large, snow white stag. She was now wearing an armored breastplate on her chest and had grieves on her legs. Her eyes were cold, sending shivers down Minerva's spine.

"You…" She realized.

"I warned you to abandon this hunt! I warned you Themyscira was under our protection! Now, you will feel the wrath of the pantheon!"

"No! Wait! I didn't mean any harm!"

"It is too late!"

There was a loud crack of thunder that had Minerva shooting out of bed. Her entire body was burning, her ears ringing from the thunder as lightning flashed across the sky. She rushed out onto the deck to see the worst storm she'd ever seen. She gripped onto the side railing, looking out at the ocean. A massive wave began to rise up. She didn't know if she was delirious, but she swore she saw a bearded face in the water. The face's mouth opened wide, swallowing the ship with a massive splash.

Present Day...

Up onboard the Watchtower, Batman had placed the fur sample into a DNA analyzer to see if it could yield any results.

"It looks like… animal fur," Diana observed.

"Then it's possible our assailant has had some genetic manipulation done to her body," Superman remarked.

"I'm not sure," Batman corrected. "I've dealt with mutated genetics before. This is… different."

"Different how?" Wonder Woman asked.

"I'm not sure… I'll need to keep looking."

"Could it be one of Echidna's monsters?" Superman suggested.

"Doubtful," Diana answered. "None that I've encountered have been this… human."

"Also, the rest of the museum was untouched," Batman added. "They were targeting your display personally. They were calculated and driven, something no monster can pull off."

"So not a mutated human, but not a monster," Superman surmised. "What does that leave us with?"

"Nowhere," Diana replied. "I have no idea what could have-"

She then cut herself off as she thought about it.

"Wait… yes I do… I think whomever this is, they're suffering from a curse."

"A curse?"

"Like Medusa, or the Minotaur. Magically bonded to an animal after they crossed one of the Gods of the Pantheon."

"And are taking out their frustrations on you," Batman deduced.

"Can you think of anyone who might have done anything to get on their bad side?" Superman asked.

"They are rarely active these days, at least when it comes to mortal affairs. The only way to gain their ire now is to either attempt to cheat death, or…. Or… "

"Or what?" Batman inquired.

"Or by attempting to enter Themyscira with ill intentions."

"Someone tried to get to the island?" Superman questioned.

"Of sorts. Many years ago, an archaeologist named Barbara Ann Minerva came to me hoping I could take her to Themyscira. I told her that it was impossible, but she didn't want to take no for an answer.

"You think she went anyway and got transformed into this… thing as a result?" Batman deduced.

"It appears so."

Just then, the DNA analyzer went off, prompting Batman to check the results.

"Strange… There are human elements in this DNA, but there doesn't seem to be a match in any database."

"What?" Diana let out. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Whoever this is… is a ghost."

Curious, Superman went over to one of the Watchtower computers, doing a search on Minerva. He got several Barbara Ann Minervas, but Diana shook her head.

"No… None of these women are her."

"That's odd. It's as if this woman doesn't exist."

Diana's face suddenly became pale.

"Wait… Batman, when you confronted her, did she say anything?"

"She mentioned being hunted," Batman replayed. "Does that mean something?"

"Yes. Artemis. Minerva was a hunter of sorts, and would have ended up under her gaze. She is known for turning those who wrong her into rare sport for the hunt, erasing who they used to be."

"And that's what she did to Minerva?" Superman asked, dreading the answer.

"Yes… I'm afraid so…"

Two years ago...

Slowly opening her eyes, Minerva woke up to find herself on an unknown beach somewhere off the coast of Africa. She struggled to pull herself to her feet, her entire body feeling strange. She looked down at her hand, only to see that it was covered in yellow fur. She gasped in horror, looking at her arms to see similar fur, as well as dark black spots. She ran back towards the water, looking at her reflection and seeing that her entire body was covered in fur. Even worse, her face was now more like a cheetah's snout than a human face. The only trace of her humanity was her humanoid torso.

"No…. NO!"

She slapped the water repeatedly, roaring in anger and grief. After finally calming down, she held herself in anguish as tears fell down her cheeks.

"I- I have to get out of here. I have to get home."

After stowing away on a ferry boat, Minerva remained out of sight, discovering her new heightened senses and hunting abilities when she caught the occasional mouse for food. She found the whole thing revolting, yet necessary. After many weeks of travel, she finally returned to New York, stealing a coat and hat to hide her appearance. She made her way through the streets of the city until she reached her apartment building. Using her new found agility to scale the fire escape, she made it to the window and gasped. There was a young family in her apartment, two kids playing with legos on the rug and a couple watching them on the couch. She backed away slowly, resisting every impulse to burst in and demand answers. Instead, she leapt away, running down the back alley.

Her next stop was to the University she worked at, hoping to find a safe place. However, her office window showed someone new having taken over, working on a different field of research from the Amazons.

"What?" She let out, instinctively popping out claws from her fingers.

She looked down at them, surprised, sheathing them immediately. She stuffed her hands into her pockets, backing away.

"Calm down, Minerva. There's a logical explanation. You were gone for God knows how long. They probably thought you were dead. You just need… to go home. Yeah. The folks can help."

Looking around, Minerva found a payphone on the street. Instinctively, she ran over to it and dialed home.

"Minerva residence," her mother answered.

"Hello, Mom? It's Barbara."

"Huh? I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong number."

"What? Mom, it's me. Barbara Ann. Your daughter."

"I'm sorry sweetie, but I don't have a daughter. I think you have the wrong house."

Before Minerva could say anything more, the line went dead. She just stood there dumbstruck, having lost everything that made her who she was. Her entire life seemed to be gone in an instant. She dropped to her knees in anguish as tears started to form.

"Excuse me, miss," a man spoke as he approached. "Are you alright?"

Instead of answering, her grief quickly gave way to anger. Her claws then extended from her hands as she spun around and pounced at the man.

Present Day…

At the Themysciran Embassy, Gretta was enjoying a nice lunch with Ferdinand the Minotaur. He brought out some freshly made ham sandwiches, as well as a cobb salad and some fresh squeezed lemonade.

"Hungry, Miss Candy?" he asked politely.

"Oh yes, thank you," Gretta replied.

She took one of the sandwiches, munching happily at her desk. About that time, the front door opened.

"Oh, Diana," Gretta greeted turning towards the door. "Back alre-"

Minerva stalked through the door, standing on her hind legs as she gave a cat-like snarl.

"Hello again, Gretta. It's been awhile."

Back on the Watchtower, the three heroes were still going over the situation when Diana suddenly got a call on her communicator.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hello Diana," a familiar voice responded, causing Diana to straighten up.

"Minerva."

Both Superman and Batman perked, the former using his super hearing to listen in on the call.

"Of course, you remember me. You're probably the only one that does. I suppose being a demi-god, you're immune to the curses placed upon us mere mortals."

"Minerva, I'm sorry. I can only imagine what you're going through."

"You don't have to, Diana. I'm about to put you through something similar. To lose everything that you have."

"Minerva, please, I can help you, I can-"

"Oh, NOW you want to help me? You couldn't turn me away fast enough back then, but now? Well, it's too late. The curse took everything from me. My home, my career, my family. So, I'm taking yours."

Diana's blood ran cold.

"Minerva, where are you?"

"Your precious Embassy. Come alone if you want your friends to stay breathing."

The line went dead, leaving Diana concerned and afraid for her friends.

"Go," Batman told her. "We'll be right behind you.."

Diana nodded before jetting off to the hanger, with Batman and Superman following behind.

At the Embassy, Diana walked up to the door, fearful of what Minerva might have done to her friends. Steeling her resolve, she opened the door, revealing Ferdinand and Gretta tied up on the floor.

"Gretta. Ferdinand."

"I wouldn't get much closer," Minerva's voice cautioned.

Diana looked up to see Minerva, now dressed in some sort of jungle attire, balancing on the railing of the floor above them. She stalked across it like a cat, looking down at Diana with contempt and predatory hunger.

"Cats can get pretty testy when denied their food."

"Minerva…" Diana shuddered. "What have you become."

"What you made me," Minerva replied, leaping down to the ground. "You turned me away and allowed me to become this… monster."

"I warned you Themyscira was protected. You are the one who went against my warning. I am sorry this happened to you, but attacking my friends will not change your fate."

"No, but it will make me feel better. Knowing you've suffered a small portion of the pain I've enured."

"Minerva. Barbara, I'm begging you, don't do this."

"Barbara Ann Minerva is dead! You and the gods saw to that. Now there is only… the Cheetah!"

Cheetah then sprung forward, forcing Diana to leap towards her and tackle her away from the others. The two tumbled to the ground before Cheetah kicked Diana through a door, leading into an adjacent hallway. Diana barely had time to get to her feet as Cheetah came running in on all fours, leaping at her and swiping her claws. Diana quickly brought her bracelets up to block her attacks.

"Barbara, I don't want to fight you! Please, let me help you!."

"The only way you can help me is by lying dead on the ground!"

Cheetah tried kicking Diana, but she quickly grabbed the foot and shoved her back, causing her to fall over. Cheetah quickly wrapped her tail around Diana, pulling her downwards as Cheetah rolled back onto her feet. She lunged at Diana again, barely scratching her shoulder as Diana tried to move out of the way. Diana winced in pain as she grasped the wound.

"So, you bleed. That means you can die."

"It doesn't have to be this way. I can appeal to the Pantheon. I can get Artemis to revoke her curse on you!"

"Do you honestly believe false promises can save you now?! Have the gods ever rescinded a curse?! Never!"

"They will make an exception for me! I am the daughter of Zeus. I can-"

"Enough!" Cheetah called out, kicking her aside. "The time for talk is at an end. Now, it's time to end this!"

Before she could perform another claw strike, a batarang struck her hand, causing her to recoil. She hissed, turning to see Batman standing there, reclaiming his batarang. Superman was in the process of freeing Gretta and Ferdinand, much to Cheetah's fury.

"No!"

"It's over Minerva," Batman told her.

Cheetah just snarled and charged at Batman, swinging her claws wildly at him. He did his best to dodge them, but her enhanced reflexes were too much for him. She got him several times before Diana grabbed her, pulling her back and trying to pin her.

"End this, Barbara!" Diana insisted. "This assault will gain you nothing!"

Cheetah just headbutted Diana, quickly knocking her back as Superman came up from behind and grabbed her arms.

"That's enough. You can either come quietly or-"

Cheetah then dug her claws into Superman's arm, causing him to cry out in pain as she spun around and slashed him across the chest. She tore through his suit and left gashes on his skin.

"Magic..." he cursed.

Cheetah smirked, moving into slash at him again. Superman used his super speed to dodge the rampant strikes, looking for an opening he could use. He tried taking a swing at her, but she quickly caught the fist and flipped him over her head. He stabilized himself in the air as Cheetah turned towards him. She hissed at him, ready to attack again, but that's when Batman intervened.

He threw a small canister at Cheetah, which exploded into a spray of what looked like dried herbs. Cheetah's nostrils flared and she coughed, stumbling slightly. She then shook her head, looking somewhat dizzy and disoriented. Diana took the opportunity to punch her as hard as she could. Cheetah went flying hard into the wall, rebounding off and falling to the ground, unconscious.

"Forgive me Barbara…" Diana lamented. "I hope one day I can help you."

Superman placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I know you will."

Diana smiled a little in response.

Later, Cheetah was collected by the authorities and carted off. She snarled, her instincts kicking in as she tried to free herself from her restraints.

"Don't bother, sweetheart!" one of the guards in the transport truck called out. "Those restraints were made to hold stronger freaks than you."

Cheetah snarled at the guards in response. As the truck rounded its next corner, it suddenly ran over some spikes discretely planted on the road, causing its tires to blow. The truck then swerved before crashing into a lamppost, causing the drivers to get taken out by the airbags, and the guards to go on alert. Just then, there was a knocking at the door. The guards looked at each other in confusion before slowly approaching the door. They opened it, and were almost immediately shot in the head. Once the guards were dead, Cheetah looked outside and saw Mercy Graves holding a smoking gun.

"Barbara Ann Minerva?" She asked.

Cheetah was stunned.

"How… How do you know my name? No one knows my name anymore."

"Lex Luthor has his resources. In fact, he's wanting to offer you a job."

"A job?"

"It's got some great fringe benefits. Including using Wonder Woman as a scratching post."

Cheetah smirked, then held out her cuffed wrists.

"When can I start?"