The first punch nearly knocked Kara off her feet.

She had expected it. Diana moved fast. The Amazon's fist struck her square in the chest, sending her stumbling back through the dirt. Her boots dug trenches into the training ground before she finally caught herself.

A mistake. A stupid one.

Training with Diana had been going on for days now, stretching into the week. Even after Kara's first frustrated outburst. After she had shouted, scowled, and burned holes into the sky with her heat vision. Diana hadn't held back. She didn't soften her blows. She didn't change the lesson. If anything, she hit harder, pushed further.

The focus wasn't on winning. It wasn't even about becoming a great fighter.

It was about control.

Strength had never been Kara's problem. She could bend steel, lift mountains, tear through the sky faster than sound. But strength without control? That was dangerous. That was reckless.

That was not the way of an Amazon.

And Diana. Goddess-blessed warrior, unshaken and unwavering, made sure Kara understood.

Kara scowled, rubbing her sternum where the punch had landed. The hit didn't hurt, but the fact that it moved her at all. That stung. She was stronger. She was faster. Yet somehow, Diana kept her off balance.

Diana stood firm, arms at her sides, watching. Always watching. Waiting.

"Again," she said.

Kara gritted her teeth.

Fine.

She charged, fists clenched, moving faster than any normal person could react. She threw a punch with enough force to shatter steel. Diana barely moved. A small shift of her stance and Kara's fist sailed past harmlessly.

Another strike. A twist. Kara's own momentum sent her sprawling to the ground.

Dirt bit into her skin. Her vision blurred with red-hot frustration. Why? Why couldn't she land a single hit? Why did her strength feel useless?

A growl slipped out before she could stop it. Frustration burned hotter than her heat vision.

Diana's voice cut through the haze. Steady. Unshaken. "You're thinking like a hammer. Strength alone means nothing if you can't stay on your feet."

Kara pushed herself up, her breath sharp. She clenched her fists. "I am strong," She grumbled, the words thick with her Kryptonian accent.

Diana raised an eyebrow. "Then prove it by standing tall."

The lesson continued.

Hit after hit, Kara forced herself to hold her ground. Not by fighting back harder, but by adjusting. By learning where to place her feet. By predicting the angle of the next strike. By resisting the instinct to meet force with force.

Diana's attacks were relentless. The Amazon struck like thunder. Precise, punishing. It would have been so easy to lash out, to move faster, to strike harder, to win.

But that wasn't the point. So she endured.

One week turned into two.

Diana was better. Still a thousand years ahead. But, every hit that missed her, no longer resulted in a crash into the dirt. Every frustrating dodge and parry, no longer added to the heat behind her eyes. And the occasional spike of pain when Diana landed a blow, no longer sent her body reeling.

Control.

That didn't mean Kara hadn't picked up on any techniques of her own.

The Amazon fighting style had several different ways to throw a punch. Yet Diana seemed to favour the Ano Pankration form of striking and grappling. Effective against most opponents, not made to counter someone capable of flight. The moment Kara recognised the patterns, she hovered several feet off the ground.

For the first time since they had started training, she saw something different. The briefest flash of surprise across Diana's face.

A tiny opening.

Kara struck. She didn't think. She moved. Her fist slammed into the Amazon's shoulder, knocking her backwards.

Diana rolled through the dirt. The impact shook the very ground. Dirt billowed into the air, forming a cloud that settled back down across the field.

When the dust settled, Diana sat upright.

Her eyes shone. A proud grin spread across her face. "Good," Diana nodded, brushing herself off and settling back into a combat stance. There was a fire in her eyes that told Kara she'd just unleashed Pandora's box. "Now again."

Kara stood, shoulders squared, ready to face the storm.

-

Every muscle ached.

Kara staggered down the stone path leading from the training grounds, each step heavier than the last. The soreness had become familiar over the past week, but today… Today was something else.

Diana hadn't just ramped up after Kara's successful strike. She had doubled her efforts. Each hit had been sharper, each lesson harsher. The moment Kara had proved she was capable of adapting, Diana made sure she had no chance to rely on the same trick twice.

It was exhausting. It was frustrating. But it was working.

Kara exhaled, rolling her shoulders as she walked. The warm ocean breeze brushed against her skin, carrying the scent of salt and wildflowers. At least the air here was nice.

The path led her deeper into the city, where Themyscira breathed with life.

Amazons moved about with purpose, but never in a rush. Every step was taken with grace, every action performed with ease. Blacksmiths stood outside their forges, hammering weapons against anvils, while craftswomen sat beneath shaded awnings, carving intricate designs into marble and wood.

Kara passed through the markets. Not markets in the way she knew them, but something far more communal. There was no money here. No bartering, no competition. The Amazons simply gave.

A woman offered freshly baked bread to those who walked by. Another passed out vibrant, woven fabrics to a group of warriors. A sculptor lined her stall with delicate wooden carvings, free for anyone to take.

Kara had started collecting them. Small tokens of the island, reminders of a world so different from Krypton. In her satchel, she carried a handful of carved animals. An eagle, a lion and a wolf. Today she picked up something called a turtle.

A small part of her wondered if she should feel guilty, accepting such things without giving something in return. But when she had tried to offer some of the human money Kal had given her, the Amazons had laughed and pressed the gifts into her hands anyway.

Children ran past her, laughter echoing through the streets as they weaved between armoured warriors. Looking so out of place, she was sure those kids were two out of the only five on this island.

Kara still wasn't used to that.

There were no elders here. No fragile bodies slowed by time. The women of Themyscira were eternal, their strength unyielding. In a way, it was strange to see children at all, knowing that most Amazons had lived for thousands of years.

Her steps slowed as she neared the central plaza, where statues lined the open square. She had passed them before, but now, after weeks of living in this city, she recognised them.

Zeus. Tall, thunder in his gaze, his hand outstretched toward the heavens.

Athena. Armour-clad, a spear in one hand, an owl perched upon the other.

Hera, Ares, Artemis. Figures of legend, rendered in marble and gold.

Krypton had gods too, Kara thought. Not in the same way, not with giant temples and statues, but myths. Stories of Rao, the red sun, and the goddesses who wove the stars into the sky.

She wondered if they belonged here, among these figures.

If Themyscira honoured warriors and legends, would they honour those from Krypton as well? Legends of other cultures?

Her gaze flickered to a newer-looking plaque, one she had not noticed before. It did not depict a god, but a collection of symbols. Most of the symbols made no sense to her, they were not a language, and the meaning was lost on Kara.

A few of them, however, she did recognise. A lightning bolt. The winged symbol on Diana's armour. Another winged creature, but darker and sharper. A green circle that reminded Kara of something on the edge of her memory. And most surprisingly to her, the house of El.

Kara furrowed her brows, making a note to ask Diana about it later. With a sigh, she moved on. It was just another reminder of how much she still had to learn.

For now, her feet carried her forward. Away from the statues, past the city streets, toward the one place she knew would bring relief.

The bathhouse.

-

Kara had been introduced to the public baths after her first day of training. At first, the idea had seemed strange.

Diana hadn't scolded her when her frustration had boiled over, when she had shouted, stomped, and nearly set the sky on fire with her heat vision. She hadn't lectured or pitied her.

She had simply taken Kara by the wrist and led her here.

Kara still remembered stepping inside for the first time, breath catching at the sight of the vast chamber carved from smooth stone, steam curling through the air like ghostly tendrils. The architecture was stunning, with high archways, engraved pillars, and water flowing through natural channels that fed into several pools of varying depths. Heated by either magic or volcanic springs, Diana refused to explain which, the baths shimmered and their surfaces rippled with soft waves.

It was peaceful. Beautiful.

And utterly horrifying.

Because the moment Diana had stripped down without hesitation and stepped into the nearest pool, Kara had nearly died on the spot.

An open space where people simply bathed together? No stalls, no curtains, no privacy?

It had taken every ounce of Kryptonian willpower to keep her eyes trained on the walls, her face burning hotter than her heat vision.

The first few dips had been awkward, to say the least. Even after Diana had left her to soak alone, Kara had never felt so exposed. Earth bathing was already a far longer experience compared to what she was used to, but this? This was something else.

The Amazons had no shame when it came to their bodies. They bathed freely, laughing, chatting, scrubbing each other's backs with no hesitation at all. Kryptonians weren't exactly prudes about there bodies, but they had a culture of privacy when it came to hygiene, one that Kara had assumed humans also followed.

She spent the next several days here sneaking in at odd hours, trying to find a moment when the place was empty.

It rarely was.

Even now, she peeked cautiously inside before stepping through the entrance.

To her relief, the bathhouse wasn't as crowded as it usually was. A few Amazons lounged in the larger pools, their voices carrying through the mist, but she found an empty bath in the farthest corner.

She stripped off her sweat-stained training gear and slipped into the water.

The heat enveloped her instantly, sinking into her bones, washing away the ache of battle. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as her body sagged against the edge of the pool.

For a moment, she simply existed.

No fighting. No training. No proving herself. Just warmth.

Her thoughts drifted.

Everything still felt unreal. She had landed on Earth, lived among humans, learned to fly, learned to fight, learned to hold back. And now?

Now she was on an island hidden from the world, training under a Warrior Princess. Like some childhood story come to life. A small smile tugged at her lips.

Then she heard voices. Loud ones.

Her eyes snapped open as a group of Amazons entered the bathhouse.

Oh no.

Kara instinctively shrank deeper into the water, willing herself invisible. No such luck.

Several Amazons spotted her almost immediately, their faces lighting up. They strode toward her, their toned forms cutting effortlessly through the mist, and before Kara could react, she was surrounded.

They called out to her in their native tongue, voices overlapping in a wave of unfamiliar syllables.

"Kara!"

Kara swallowed, face burning, unsure of what to do. It wasn't that she disliked them. Far from it. The Amazons were kind, patient, welcoming. But being surrounded while completely bare, while they spoke to her so openly?

…It was new.

The woman all took their seats around Kara. Either oblivious or uncaring of the way she immediately looked away from all of them to instead admire the carving on a random pillar.

Their speech still got through to Kara. Questions upon questions were bombarded at her. A few of the women re-enacted the punch Kara had given Diana, no doubt asking where and how exactly Kara pulled off the feat.

When it became obvious that the women were not going to leave her be anytime soon, Kara resigned herself to her fate. Looking back down to meet their gazes.

And only their gazes...

Kara exhaled. She could do this. Amazonian. Small words. No nervous babbling.

-

Training was not just about power. Not just about fighting.

Diana made that clear from the start.

Kara expected combat. She expected bruises, exhaustion, the relentless push to be stronger. What she hadn't expected was to spend hours bent over thick books, tracing unfamiliar symbols with her fingers, mouthing strange words under her breath.

Reading. Writing. Language.

Even Kal-El hadn't taught her how to read English yet. He had meant to, of course, but between learning to control her strength, hiding her powers, and adjusting to Earth's strangeness, it had never been a priority. She had gotten by through listening, mimicking, picking up words through context.

Now, on Themyscira, she was being taught properly. And despite everything, despite her initial frustration with twisted sounds and unfamiliar grammar-

She loved it.

Even with her view of books as primitive technology, she had forgotten how much she craved reading, craved learning. It was another piece of herself she hadn't realised was missing.

Amazonian was easier than English. She learned far faster than last time.

The letters looked similar to those she'd seen in America. But they were also different. Strange, curved and slanted, but once she understood the pattern, it clicked. The rules all suddenly made sense.

Then, they gave her books.

Tomes filled with history, philosophy, poetry. She sat beneath shaded archways, brow furrowed, sounding out words under her breath. At night, enhanced vision strained over pages until her eyes dropped.

Speaking was harder.

Words twisted in ways that made no sense. Some changed meaning depending on how they were said. Others had no direct translation to anything Kara knew. She fumbled through phrases, tripped over sounds that refused to sit right in her mouth.

But the Amazons were patient.

They spoke slowly, repeated phrases, corrected her gently. Some laughed, not in cruelty, but in encouragement. They clapped when she got things right, nodded when she strung a full sentence together.

By the second week, she was speaking back. Not perfect. Not fluent. But enough.

Once Kara could speak, even a little, the Amazons' friendliness doubled.

Before, they had been kind, patient. Now, they were interested. Everywhere she went, they found her.

In the library, bent over a history book? An Amazon would settle beside her, asking what she thought of the stories within. Did her people have myths like these? Did she believe them?

Walking through the city, stretching sore muscles after training? A weaver would wave her over, offering a seat beside her loom, asking if she had ever made fabric before. When Kara admitted she hadn't, they handed her threads, guiding her fingers with warm amusement.

Meals were the worst… No, the most intense. She barely sat down before half the table turned to her, rapid-fire questions launching from every direction.

"What is your favourite food?"
"Does Krypton have festivals?"
"What were your warriors like?"
"How does your flying work?"
"Does it tire you, or is it as natural as walking?"

She tried to answer, she really did. But there were so many voices. So many people.

Kara wasn't used to this.

Back before Themyscira, she barely spoke to anyone but Kal-El and his family. She had never blended in. It had been safer to stay quiet, to observe. Even among humans, she was alien. And humans, despite their kindness, feared what was different.

But here…

Here, people wanted to know her.

Not just as the girl who fell from the sky, not just as Diana's student. They wanted to know Kara.

It was overwhelming, yes. Exhausting, even. But it brought no end of a smile to Kara's face, feeling so welcomed by this community.

Even if she had no escape, like right now, in the bathhouse...

"You trained hard today," One noted, voice warm.
"Diana pushes you because you are strong," Another added.
"You punched her good!" A third laughed.

Then the questions started.

"What was your home like?"
"Did you have warriors, like us?"
"Do you Supermen have their own fighting style? Can you teach us?"

Kara sighed, sinking deeper into the water, letting the heat soak into her bones. Her face burned and not just from the attention. Still, she answered.

Slowly, carefully. Her words weren't perfect, but they understood her.

"Home was… beautiful. Different. Many city… or, um? No, few city. Very big." Kara explained, relaxing her blush as she focused on her words. "Have warriors, yes. But no fly like me. Get power from yellow sun here. Warriors use…" She fumbled her hands before miming a gun. "Krypton had many fighting style. But I no warrior back home. So I no teach. Sorry..."

And even as she struggled, even as she fumbled her way through conversations, she realised something.

She liked this.

It was new. It was loud. It was a lot. And she was a part of it.

-

Another week passed by. The sun was high, casting long shadows across the training grounds, as Diana called Kara to the entrance of the arena. Her tone was calm, but there was something in her gaze that made Kara feel the weight of what was coming.

Kara stood before Diana, tension tightening in her chest. The morning air was cool, but it did nothing to steady her nerves. Something about the way Diana watched her, measured and unwavering, made her stomach twist. This was different.

"You have come far," Diana said, her voice carrying the weight of authority. "But there is one final trial."

Kara straightened. "What kind of trial?"

Diana's expression gave little away. "One that will test more than your strength. You have the Strength of Zeus, but power alone is not enough. The Wisdom of Athena must guide you. The Speed of Hermes will mean nothing without the Discipline of Ares. This trial is not just about winning. It is about proving that you understand what it truly means to fight as an Amazon."

Kara's brows pulled together. "So… what I do?"

Diana's gaze flickered past her, toward the training grounds. "You will enter the arena. General Philippus will be waiting."

Kara blinked. "Philippus?"

A nod. "She will command a squad of Amazonian warriors. They will be your opponents."

Kara's stomach dropped. "Wait. "I thought I be fighting you."

A low chuckle left Diana's lips. "I fear not even the arena would survive if we battled at full force." A hint of mischief lit her eyes before her expression turned serious once more. "Trust in your instincts, Kara. They will not lead you astray."

The reassurance should have been comforting, but her mind still spun. Philippus's wasn't the most friendly Amazonin on the island, but her intimidation factor plummeted the day Kara found out the average Amazon was nothing like Diana.

A squad of Amazons sounded impressive, but also, underwhelming. After so much combat with Diana.

Swallowing hard, she gave a firm nod. "I ready."

Diana studied her for a moment longer before gesturing toward the arena. "Then go. Your trial awaits."

-

The strikes came fast. Measured, disciplined, relentless. Kara pivoted, twisting away from a sweeping kick, feeling the rush of air as it narrowly missed her. A fist shot toward her ribs. She blocked it with her forearm, absorbing the impact without effort.

Her instincts screamed at her to counter. To strike back. A single, well-placed hit would send her opponent flying. She had the power to stop this fight in an instant.

But that wasn't the trial, Kara worked that out immediately.

Philippus stood at the edge of the arena, watching with the keen eyes of a commander, arms crossed over her chest. She had not spoken since the match began, but Kara felt her presence like a shadow over the battlefield.

Kara grit her teeth. She wasn't losing her footing, wasn't even struggling. The real challenge wasn't surviving the onslaught. It was choosing how to end it.

Another Amazon leapt at her from behind. Kara reacted instantly, shifting her weight just enough to spin out of the way. Her foot caught the ground at the last second, stopping herself from moving too fast, too strong. The Amazon landed, recalibrating, pressing forward without hesitation.

The others seized the moment. A strike clipped her shoulder. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to remind her that she wasn't untouchable.

A lesson.

Philippus nodded approvingly from the sidelines, speaking for the first time since the trial began. "Good. But tell me, Kara. What is your strategy here?"

Strategy? Kara barely had time to think between deflecting blows.

She ducked beneath a swipe, her mind racing. The trial wasn't about overpowering them. But it wasn't about endurance, either. If it were, she could stand there and let them attack until they tired. But that wasn't what Philippus wanted.

She needed to engage. To fight as a warrior, not a brute.

Another strike came for her midsection. This time, instead of simply dodging, Kara redirected it, catching the Amazon's wrist and twisting. Just enough to shift her balance, to send her stumbling without harm.

A second warrior lunged. Kara sidestepped smoothly, raising her arm in a controlled block, forcing her opponent to retreat rather than crash into her.

Philippus watched. "Better. But hesitation will cost you."

Kara's breath hitched. Hesitation?

A sharp, yet muted, pain suddenly jolted through her leg. Another Amazon had swept low, catching her off guard. Kara staggered back, for the first time losing ground.

Philippus's voice rang out, calm but firm. "You think restraint means passivity? A warrior does not run. A warrior reacts."

The squad surrounded her again, their eyes like those of hunters testing their prey. But Kara was no prey.

She exhaled sharply. Think. Not strength. Skill. Not dominance. Control.

This time, when the squad moved, Kara moved with them. Not just defending, but leading. She didn't need to overpower them. She needed to flow through them.

Her next step was deliberate. She blocked one attack, then twisted her opponent's momentum against her, sending her off balance. Another tried to grapple her, Kara ducked low, sliding out of reach instead of breaking the hold with brute force.

The squad adjusted, but so did she. It became a dance. No longer was Kara simply dodging and deflecting. She was fighting. Not with overwhelming strength, but with precision.

An Amazon lunged, aiming a strike toward Kara's midsection. Instead of sidestepping, Kara caught the warrior's wrist, twisting just enough to send her off balance. With a controlled movement, she swept her opponent's legs out from under her and pinned her to the ground, pressing just hard enough for the Amazon to yield before releasing her.

Another came at her from behind. Kara sensed it. The shift in the air, the movement in her periphery. She turned, her arm raising in perfect timing to block a high kick. Instead of retaliating with brute force, she matched her opponent's strength, pushing back just enough to knock her off her footing. A firm grip on the Amazon's shoulder, a swift maneuver, and she guided her down to the ground without harm.

One by one, the warriors fell. Not in pain, not from overpowering force, but through skill. Kara adjusted her strength with each strike, controlling every movement, ensuring that she never hit harder than necessary.

She pivoted, meeting another opponent mid-strike. Their arms locked, muscles tensed against each other. The Amazon gritted her teeth, pushing forward, but Kara no longer fought with raw power. Instead, she redirected the force, stepping aside and using the Amazon's own momentum to send her into a controlled roll across the ground.

The final warrior charged, spear in hand, the metal tip swinging toward Kara's side. Kara embraced the attack, letting the blow smash harmlessly into her ribs. Before her opponent could recover, she grabbed the woman with a swift, fluid movement. Pulling the warrior into a grapple, locking her arms in place.

The Amazon struggled for a moment, then relented.

Silence fell over the training grounds.

Five warriors lay at Kara's feet. Disarmed, subdued, but unharmed. Each one breathed heavily, their gazes filled with something between respect and quiet acknowledgement.

Kara stood tall, heart pounding. Not from exertion. From something else.

Excitement.

Philippus stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the fallen warriors before settling on Kara. Arms still crossed, she nodded, her expression unreadable.

"In our tradition," She began, voice steady and commanding, "An Amazon must prove her strength before she is recognized as a true warrior. Typically, this requires a great feat. Something to rival the labours of Heracles himself."

Kara listened intently, her breathing slowing as she absorbed the weight of Philippus's words.

"But you, Kara Zor-El, already possess the strength of Heracles," Philippus continued. "You did not need to lift a mountain or wrestle a beast to prove it. That was never the question."

She took another step forward, eyes sharp as she studied Kara.

"Your trial was of a different kind," Philippus said. "It was not a test of raw power, but of restraint. Of control. And most importantly, of mercy. The mercy of Eleos."

The murmurs among the watching Amazons quieted. Kara blinked, the name unfamiliar, though she understood its meaning well enough.

Philippus turned to the five warriors who had faced her. "Are you satisfied?"

One by one, the Amazons rose. Each bore bruises and sweat, but no real injuries. Their expressions, once steeled for battle, had softened with respect.

The first warrior to stand placed a fist over her heart. "She fought with honour."

The second nodded. "She did not humiliate her foes, nor did she allow herself to be beaten."

The third wiped sweat from her brow before grinning. "She read our movements like an oracle. I've never been thrown so gently."

The fourth smirked. "I expected Kryptonian strength. I did not expect skill."

The final Amazon hesitated, then sighed, shaking her head with something like exasperation. "Kryptonians are terrifying..."

A few chuckles rippled through the crowd. Even Kara couldn't help but smile.

Philippus inclined her head. "Then it is decided." Her gaze returned to Kara. "The trial is over. You have passed."

Kara exhaled slowly, a strange warmth filling her chest. Since coming here, she had been hesitant about turning into a warrior. Soldiers dealt in death and Kara had wanted no part in that.

Now she understood. Like with every profession in the world, not all warriors were made the same. Kara still had her heart set on science. To pursue her family's legacy. But that did not mean she couldn't also use her strength for good.

She just had to learn what kind of warrior she wanted to be.

-

Celebration roared below. Laughter, song, the clatter of goblets raised in cheer. Kara had assumed they were simply enjoying another feast, toasting her hard-fought trial, but she didn't feel much like celebrating. She had quietly slipped away, retreating to the highest rooftop she could find.

The air was crisp, carrying the scent of roasted meats and spiced wine, but she had no appetite. She sat cross-legged, arms wrapped around her knees as she gazed at the waves. The sky burned with deep oranges and purples as the sun dipped closer to the horizon. Themyscira was beautiful. A paradise.

Yet, even here, in a place full of warriors and legends, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was… between things. Between worlds. Between places she belonged.

A soft gust of wind swept past her, carrying with it the faint rustle of movement. Kara didn't need to turn to know who had joined her.

"You always do prefer solitude over feasting," Diana said, landing lightly beside her.

Kara glanced up, offering a small smile. "Loud. Many people." She tapped her ear. "Too much noise in head."

Diana chuckled, settling beside her. "That, I understand." She glanced down at the revelry below. "Still, you should let yourself enjoy this moment. It's not often my sisters celebrate like this."

Kara smirked at that, gaze drifting back to the ocean. The two sat in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the waves lap against the cliffs.

"You did well today," Diana said eventually, her voice laced with genuine pride. "You have passed your trial."

Kara exhaled, letting her head rest against her knees. "Still not as good as you."

Diana arched a brow. "And yet, you bested five of my sisters without a single injury among them." She gave a knowing smile. "That is not an easy feat, Kara."

A shrug. "Not same. You-" She hesitated, searching for the right words. "You master. I still... learning."

Diana nodded. "Then learn. Keep training. Grow stronger with every battle, with every lesson." She turned her gaze skyward. "Experience is the greatest teacher of all. No mentor, no trial, no training regimen can replace it."

Kara's gaze flicked down to what Diana was carrying. A carefully wrapped bundle, the gleam of metal peeking through the cloth.

Diana followed her look and smiled. "I have something for you. Two things, actually."

Kara sat up slightly, curiosity sparking in her chest.

Diana unwrapped the bundle with deliberate care, revealing the first gift. Kara's breath caught.

Armour. Crafted for her.

Unlike the simple training gear she had worn before, this was hers. Forged with her in mind, made to fit her and her alone. The breastplate was a golden-bronze, polished to perfection, its surface sleek and contoured. At the center, carved with precision, was the crest of the House of El

Accompanying it were bracers of the same material, reinforced yet elegant, and a finely shaped shield, sturdy but light. Alongside it rested a sword, its blade gleaming under the setting sun, the hilt wrapped in deep red leather. The design was unmistakably Amazonian, yet something about it felt… hers.

Kara reached out hesitantly, running her fingers over the armour's surface. "Mine?"

Diana nodded. "A warrior should have armour befitting her strength." She smiled. "Though you may find it more ceremonial than practical, compared to most."

Kara turned the bracers over in her hands, marvelling at their craftsmanship. She pressed her thumb against the edge of the shield, testing its strength. The metal took significantly more force to start bending under her Kryptonian grip, she released her thumb before any real damage was made. Whatever it was made from, it was meant to endure.

And then there was the sword.

Kara carefully lifted it, feeling its weight, or trying to at least. The edge was razor-sharp, made for battle, yet Kara knew she would likely never use it.

She wasn't a swordswoman. Not like Diana.

But the fact that it had been made for her stirred something warm inside her. She traced the House of El sigil again, feeling a quiet pride settle in her chest.

"Is beautiful," She murmured. Her lips curled into a small, genuine smile. "And strong." She tested the shield in her grip. "Like Themyscira."

Diana's expression softened. "As are you."

Kara glanced at her, startled by the sincerity in her voice.

She felt her face grow warm, the unexpected compliment catching her off guard. She turned slightly, shifting to hide the faint blush creeping across her cheeks.

Diana was… difficult to place in her mind.

At times, Kara saw her as a mentor, someone who carried the wisdom of centuries. Yet, despite her age, Diana still had a youthful presence, a kindness that didn't feel distant or unattainable.

Some of the Amazons, women who had lived for hundreds, even thousands of years, felt closer to Kara's age than they had any right to. A strange paradox.

And yet, Diana had always felt… steady. Someone who guided, protected.

Not quite like Kal, not quite like a sister.

Something more… maternal?

Kara pushed the thought away before it could linger. She busied herself strapping on one of the bracers, testing the fit. It was perfect, of course.

She cleared her throat. "What is, second gift?"

Diana leaned back slightly, a teasing glint in her eye. "The second gift has already been given. You simply haven't realised it yet."

"What mean?" Kara frowned, tilting her head.

Diana gestured to the island below. "This was not merely a trial of control, Kara. What you took part in, was our rite of Olympian Blessing. A formal trial we give all women who come to train on our island."

Kara blinked, processing the words.

"My sisters are not simply celebrating a victory or a spectacle of combat you performed," Diana's voice took on a formal tone, steeped in tradition. "By the rites of Olympus, you have earned the right to call Themyscira home. You are, by our laws and customs, an Amazon."

Kara's breath hitched. "I… I Amazon?"

Diana smiled, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Yes. You may stay here, train here, live among us. Themyscira is yours, should you wish it."

Kara turned, looking down at the celebration below with new eyes.

Before, she had assumed the Amazons were simply being polite. That they were honouring a guest, nothing more.

But now?

They weren't just celebrating a warrior's victory. They were welcoming a sister.

A home.

She thought of Krypton. Of the world she had lost, the one that would never be hers again. But Earth… Earth had given her new places to belong. The Fortress of Solitude, a piece of her past preserved in ice. Smallville, where she had felt the warmth of family. Metropolis, where that family had extended.

And now, Themyscira.

Another home. Another family.

Kara held the armour tightly, running a hand over the engraved crest once more. It felt strange. Having something new, made just for her, something that tied her to this place, this people.

She was grateful. Truly.

But she also knew she couldn't stay.

She had Kal-El and his family waiting for her. A world outside of Themyscira that she had barely begun to understand. She still had so much to learn, so much to experience. And, if she were being honest, she wanted to spend more time with them. With him.

She thought of her cousin, of the way he had welcomed her to Earth with open arms. The way he had tried to guide her, even when she resisted.

She belonged there, too.

She looked up at Diana, her expression soft yet resolute. "Thank you," She said at last, voice quiet but full of emotion. "This… means much." She exhaled slowly. "But I cannot stay. I have family. I… belong there too."

Diana nodded, unsurprised. "I expected as much. But you are welcome here always. Themyscira is as much your home as it is mine. You may return whenever you wish."

Kara nodded. "I come back. Promise."

Diana smiled, then shifted slightly, as if remembering something. "As for me, I must also depart."

"Leave?" Kara frowned.

"The League needs me," Diana explained, her tone calm but firm. "There is always work to be done in the world of man."

Kara felt a pang of disappointment. She had grown used to Diana being here. Her steady presence, her wisdom. It was strange to think of Themyscira without her.

Still, she understood. Diana was Wonder Woman. She had responsibilities beyond this island.

Diana placed a hand on Kara's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Enjoy the celebration, Kara. It is not every day an Amazon is born." Then, her lips curled into a small, teasing smile. "And when you next see Kal-El, give him my regards."

"Give… what?" Kara blinked.

Diana chuckled. "My regards. It means to pass along a greeting."

Kara's brow furrowed. "Strange way to say hello."

Diana's laughter was warm and full. "You will get used to it."

Kara brow furrowed harder at that dreaded saying, but she smiled again at the woman.

Stepping back and lifting into the air with effortless grace. The golden light of the setting sun caught the edges of Diana's armour, making her appear almost otherworldly for a moment. A figure of legend, returning to the world where she was needed most.

She hovered for a moment, looking down at Kara one last time.

"Until we meet again," She said.

Kara raised a hand in farewell. "Until then."

With that, Diana pressed a button on a small device near her ear. A deep, resonant hum filled the air as, suddenly, a brilliant circle of crackling energy burst into existence before her. Golden light surged and pulsed within its core, forming a tunnel of pure energy. A gust of displaced air rippled through the space around them as the portal stabilised.

Kara's eyes widened. She took an instinctive step forward, staring at the strange phenomenon.

"What kind magic is this?" She asked, awestruck.

Diana turned slightly, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Not magic," She corrected with a knowing smirk. "Technology."

Before Kara could question further, Diana stepped forward, vanishing into the glowing corridor in an instant.

With a crackling boom, the tunnel collapsed, its energy folding in on itself before disappearing entirely.

Kara remained frozen in place, staring at the now-empty sky.

"Technology?" She muttered under her breath. "...Definitely magic."

Shaking her head in disbelief, she turned back toward the festivities, still wondering just how that worked.

Kara took a long moment, feeling the weight of everything that had just happened settle inside her.

She looked down at the feast below, the flickering torchlight illuminating the figures of Amazons as they sang, laughed, and celebrated.

Before, she had thought they were simply honouring a guest. Now, she knew the truth.

They were celebrating her. They were welcoming a sister.

Kara smiled to herself.

Then, with a slow breath, she stepped off the rooftop, letting herself drift down into the festivities below.

The Amazons greeted her with cheers and open arms, pulling her into the heart of the celebration. The rhythm of the drums thrummed in her chest, the sounds of laughter and joy surrounding her.

Someone took her hand spinning her into the dance. Kara hesitated for only a moment.

Then, she let herself be swept up in the moment, laughter spilling from her lips as she moved among her newfound sisters. For the first time, she let herself simply be. Not as a warrior in training, not as a Kryptonian learning restraint, but as an Amazon among Amazons.

Tomorrow, she would say her goodbyes. She would return to Kal-El, to his city, to the life that still awaited her beyond this island.

But Themyscira would always be here. And no matter where the future took her, she would always be a part of it.