A Mandatory Vacation part - 1

Words 3,2k

________________________________________

Your transfer is a surprisingly mundane affair, it turns out the only way to the home of the Amazons was through a teleporter housed on the space station, so while Wonder Woman departs to make arrangments for your arrival, you're left at the front of the room.

The League members eye you warily as if waiting for you to lash out like a wild animal, bodies tense and ready for a fight. At least they didn't try to handcuff you this time.

On the other hand, you remain what you consider to be remarkably composed for the situation, easing into a seat and drumming your fingers against the table to a mindless tune.

It would have been natural to vent and rage, and by god - were you still supposed to say that? - did you want to, but what good would it have done? They expect you to act like that, to justify their decision, so the best and only thing you could do is throw them off balance.

"Before you ship me off to misandry island, can I get a phone call?"

More than one jumped in their seats at your sudden remark reaching for weapons. When they realize you hadn't gone postal, they relax minutely.

The Thanagarian, Hawkman, scoffs, not lowering his mace. "This isn't a county prison."

"Of course not, I'd expect more from a county prison than you."

The League members exchange silent, tense looks before Batman finally nods. "One phone call, five minutes."

"Who does he even have to call?" Green Arrow mutters.

You're sequestered into a room nearby with only the looming form of Hawkman to accompany you.

You expect to be given a normal phone, hell, maybe even one of those futuristic communicators the sidekicks had. Instead, you're handed an anachronistic block of plastic that looks more appropriate for the age of VCR's and Blockbuster - are those buttons?

"What the fuck is this?" you ask.

He holds his arms in irritation, eyes narrowing beneath his mask.

"A Nokia. Now make your call."

"Can I get just a bit of privacy?" you snap.

The Thanagarian glowers but steps out of the room.

The hairs on your neck stand on edge. You stare pointedly in the direction of the conference room, just knowing one or all of them are watching you. The uncomfortable feeling subsides.

Satisfied that you made your point, you begin punching in the number of Rose's burner.

The phone rings once, then twice. You start to wonder if she'll even answer. You have no idea what state she was in at the end of everything or where she was. If she escaped, hell, if she was even alive.

"Hello?" her voice is instantly recognizable even through the slight crackling.

"Rose, it's me."

"Cadmus?" Her voice is filled with a strange mix of worry and relief.

"Just some bumps and bruises, I'll be in no time."

She snorts in a very Rose-like manner. "This really isn't the time for puns."

You can't help but smile slightly and enjoy even the smallest reprieve from your situation. "You just made one yourself."

"Idiot," you imagine her rolling her electric blue eyes.

You can hear her about to speak but you push ahead. "Listen, I've got some bad news. Tell your dad I won't be able to go fishing with him."

I've been captured.

You hear her take a sudden breath before going quiet. "When should I tell him you'll be back?" The voice on the other side is noticeably more colder and clinical than before.

You sneak a glance through the glass where the League members remain gathered around their table failing to hide their interest in what you were saying. "I've got a bunch on my plate but maybe in a few weeks?"

Indefinite.

"What's got you tied up?"

You think carefully about your response. "Thinking of taking a trip abroad, San Torini is supposed to be nice this time of the year."

I'm being taken to Themiscyra.

"Try to remember you're already in a relationship while you're there," you can hear the scowl in her voice. That isn't code for anything as far as you remember, except the threat to your manhood if you didn't take her seriously.

"As if I could ever forget." You mean that both literally and metaphorically. "Hey," you pause to gather your thoughts. "I'm not going to be able to see you for a while..."

"God, you're fucking terrible at this," she says but there's no bite to it. You can't tell if she's talking to you or herself.

You shake your head, laughing softly even as a knot of tension forms in your stomach. "Don't worry, I know."

"Come back in one piece," she says softly. "I love you."

Your heart catches in your throat. Three simple words is all it takes, for your thoughts to gutter out and go emptier than the victim of a botched lobotomy.

An invisible and impossible force suddenly seizes the phone, wrenching it out of your grip. Martian Manhunter materializes from nothingness, rising up out of the ground and his shimmering form coalesces into his trademark uniform.

"I love you too," you say aloud, hoping she could hear.

He stares at you with impassive crimson eyes before turning to the phone in his hand. His face betrays no emotion as disconnects the call with a soft click.

"I believe your call is over."

"I never could have guessed," you snap. A piece of the ceiling suddenly starts flaking off in little pieces.

The Manhunter's brow furrows. "The arrangements have been made, come with us."

The 'Us' being Hawkman and a new figure, an imposing man made from metal with a maple leaf displayed prominently in the center of his chest.

You take a slow deep breath to silence the voice in the back of your head demanding you reduce the three to ash. It takes more than a couple of tries for it to disappear.

You're led into a wide room with sterile walls aligned with a number of transporter pods.

The Manhunter presses a series of buttons on the nearest teleporter's panel and the machine hums to life, emitting a soft golden glow. You recognize in the back of your mind you should feel scared, hell even terrified, it would make a hell of a lot more sense than the almost serene feeling that's overtaken you.

The teleporter begins to whirr and through the golden light, a hazy image of an idyllic landscape of lush countryside and sparkling water begins to appear.

There could be a lot worse places for life imprisonment, you muse.

Wonder Woman stops to stand behind you.

"Shall we get going, warden?" you ask.

Her only response is a strong shove that pushes you through the portal.

For a moment, you're walking on thin air as the ground beneath your feet dissipates into nothing. There's a pause as the laws of physics are taken into a back alley and shot and then a feeling of weightlessness comes over you as you begin to fall.

It lasts for less than a heartbeat before the world returns in a flurry of color and sound grunt of pain as you suddenly make impact with solid marble, stumbling and almost falling into a crouch in a bid to balance yourself.

Wonder Woman, on the other hand, strolls through the portal effortlessly. Out of the corner of your eye, you see her lip quirk in amusement.

"You know, stabbing me would be a lot more therapeutic than glaring daggers into my back. Trust me, I speak from experience."

Wonder Woman purses her lips and adjusts her gauntlets meaningfully, her electric blue eyes never wavering in their intensity.

"Message received," you mutter.

You move to rise up but stop dead in your tracks when you look up and find yourself staring down an armed group of women dressed in old Greek armor, suspicion, and warning clear in their eyes. You eye the bronze spearheads pointed precariously close to your chest warily.

"So much for Greek hospitality," One of the spearheads prods just close enough to pierce the fabric of your tee but does nothing besides scratch harmlessly against skin.

"Princess Diana," a tall woman with bright red hair wrapped into a long ponytail steps through the throng of warriors. She holds a spear in one hand and an ornate shield bigger than your torso in the other. "Is this him? The Titanspawn?"

Her emerald eyes bore into yours with what you imagine would be an intense and intimidating glare.

You consider making another glib remark but you're cut off by Diana.

"Artemis, well met. Have you brought what I requested?"

You raise an eyebrow. Another Artemis, what are the odds of that? You pause for a moment in thought. Actually, pretty high actually considering where you are.

She nods before turning to the side and revealing another pair of Amazon standing behind her. They also wear armor of their white chitons but don't carry any swords, spears, or shields. Instead their arms are filled with gleaming bronze chains, the surface inlaid with dozens of runes that pulse and reek of power. The very seems to shimmer and warp as the two women step forward.

Your mouth goes dry. You have a feeling this won't bode well for you. Not at all.

"Just as you requested," she smiles arrogantly. "The chains of Lord Hephaestus."

Your eyes widen unbidden at the Amazon's words. Her words ring familiar and it's only a heartbeat for your mind to trudge up every bit of information about Greek Mythology you've collected.

You know what those chains are. The chains that Zeus used to suspend Hera over Chaos itself as punishment for her rebellion. Chains forged by the Smith God that were strong enough to imprison the Queen of the Gods with ease.

A single dominating thought crows the forefront of your mind.

Oh shit.

A cold sharp anger burns in the center of your chest, spreading like a wildfire through your nerve endings. It pools at your fingers and they twitch instinctively.

Destroy, a voice suspiciously like your own whispers in the wind.

The air turns a blisteringly unforgiving cold and the color of the world around you turns dull like muddled watercolor. More than one Amazon cries out in alarm.

A heartbeat later, the world lurches back into normalcy.

You plaster a small smirk across your face. "I think I'll pass. Don't get me wrong, I'm over the moon over this having a family business, but I'd rather not use my dear sister's second-hand bondage equipment."

The assembled Amazons flinch, at the sudden change before they begin to murmur angrily like a nest of very angry hornets.

"Hold your tongue, Titanspawn," Artemis. "you will not speak of the Queen of the Gods in such a manner."

You hum to yourself in mock thought. "My memory may be rusty, but isn't Hera a Titanspawn herself?"

You do nothing to hide your smirk as the Amazon's face turns an ugly angry red.

"Calm yourself, Artemis," Diana commands sternly. "He is trying to draw a reaction from you."

"I think I'm doing a fine job of it." You can't help but wince as Diana's hand tightens painfully around your shoulder.

"You will wear the chains of your own accord, or we will make you." she hisses.

You cock your head as though in deep thought. "You know, I wonder if this is how you felt when Heracles came to this island."

The hairs on your neck stand on edge. You lurch backward, letting Artemis's fist sail harmlessly below your chin. She stumbles forward, carried forward by her own momentum, muscles rippling and tensing to absorb an oncoming blow. But, you remain rooted to the spot, watching with visible amusement as she falls to the ground with a dull thump.

"You really should be more careful," you say with mocking poison dripping from each word.

The one downside to precognition is that when you're put into a position where you're unable to stop what's coming, it's like getting a nice little teaser of your future pain and suffering in 4k.

A heavy gauntleted fist comes crashing against the side of your head. The world goes black and spins and contorts on its axis.

The overpowering taste of metal drowns your senses. Your heart pounds in your ears. Ichor drips slowly down your nose, trickling down to the white marble. A burning biting pain permeates the left side of your face.

You glare up at Wonderwoman, smiling even as golden blood stains your teeth.

"Best two out of three?"

Her only response is to free the Lasso of Truth from its place at her hip. The golden material gleams in the sunlight and in a single smooth motion she brings it in a wide arc wrapping t tightly around your midsection.

It's almost like a spell is cast on you, and you're immediately overcome by a pleasant heavy sensation as if you'd just overdosed on dopamine.

Your thoughts are smothered and muffled, slowly rising up out of the murk before just as quickly dissipating into nothingness. Lethargy settles in your arms, turning them as heavy as lead. The Lasso's magic is potent and old sinking deep and holding fast like the constricting grip of a python. You try to fight against it, but even then it's like trying to stop an onrushing river with just your bare hands. You feel an almost furious sense of desperation simmer and boil, just like what you had felt when Miss Martian had tried to break into your mind.

You push back and the magic of the Lasso lashes out with equal force. The tug of war continues for what feels like hours with no end in sight. Something's going to give, and you're sure as hell not going to be the one to blink first. There's a sharp crack, and if you don't know if it's you or Wonder Woman who lost. You hear a faint gasp somewhere far away and the pressure suddenly dissipates into nothingness. You hunch over, taking a deep rattling breath. Looking down, you see the Lasso of Truth settled in a heap at your feet, the once shimmering gold reduced to a dull pulsing yellow.

Wonder Woman's face is twisted into a deep frown, ruby red lips pursed tight together. The Amazons edge just slightly back, and keep their spears just a bit farther out.

Even in your weakened state, with your blood still dripping out of the open wound, you still manage to form one last caustic remark.

"You don't need to use the lasso for me to say that you're a massive bitch, Diana."

You've been told all your life that you have the uncanny ability of pissing off the wrong people. It's something you've always taken pride in. And, even when the first signs of real anger and rage break through Wonder Woman's facade letting loose the flood gates she'd been holding in, you can't help but think it was worth it.

She jerks her head roughly towards the assembled Amazons and you find yourself grappled by half a dozen of them. "You don't have to get so rough, there's more than enough of me to go arou-"

The air flees your lungs from a heavy punch to your gut, but you're able to stop yourself from keeling over. "Quiet, Titanspawn," Artemis snarls.

You study her features committing to memory the fierce green eyes and burning red hair, and the implacable scowl. You'll remember this Amazon.

The Bronze chains are thrown around your shoulders and tightened around your chest and immediately its magic takes hold. The innumerable runes that inlay its surface glow a bright pale blue. There's no fighting it like the Lasso, this magic brooks no opposition, and crushes any attempt to fight back. This is no simple lasso, these chains are strong enough to contain the queen of the gods indefinitely. The world turns dull, not like when you use your powers, but as if the world had lost its depth. You feel weak, exposed.

Is this what it's like to be human?

You hate it, this feeling of powerlessness that festers in every pore, you hate it with every fiber of your being, knowing how much is taken from you by these chains. Not just your powers, but the very was you see the world.

No wonder in the myths Hera begged every day to have them removed. And it spoke more to your dear elder brother's proclivity for cruelty that he refused to day after day.

"This is him?" a new voice suddenly asks from beside you. Turning, you look up to see a girl with raven black hair and blue eyes roughly the same age as you, an almost identical and younger Wonder Woman. She's dressed in an all-black costume dotted with shimmering stars, and a lasso just like the one Wonder Woman has hangs at her hip.

"Aw, you dream about me too?"

She wrinkles her nose in distaste.

"Donna, go back to your training." Wonder Woman says sternly. "He is far too dangerous for you to be around."

Donna's face reddens in indignation. "Dangerous? I can help, Diana, you trained me for this!"

"Oh, a sidekick," you laugh before spitting ichor onto the marble. "Do you do playdates with Robin? Oh, you do!" you can't help but cackle at the recognition in her eyes.

You see the tell-tale frustration building in her, one more comment and she wouldn't be able to herself from lashing out.

Wonder Woman steps forward, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders in an almost motherly way. "Enough, Donna. Listen to me when I say when you're not ready for this yet."

Conflict rages in her eyes before the girl finally sighs, drooping her shoulders in acquiescence. "Fine," she says bitterly, before crouching, and digging her heels into the ground, and shooting off into the sky without a word, leaving cracked marble where she once stood.

"Trouble in Paradise?" you ask. You get no response and are roughly foisted up to your feet by a pair of Amazons and dragged forward, the other Amazons following close behind, shields and spears at the ready. Wonder Woman takes the lead of the group, walking directly in front of you. No matter how much you hate the bitch, you can't deny it's a very fine sight.

Amazons peek out in the periphery of your vision, stopping their spars or work to openly stare and point. You ignore them, focusing on the many shrines and pale buildings that dot the land, and taking in the smell of incense that wafts from the burning braziers and freshly tilled earth. You see a gleaming amphitheater in the distance and great temples in the honor of the gods, and even a hippodrome.

You can already imagine it all lit up in a brilliant inferno, hear the cries of despair of the Amazons forced to their knees in submission, and you standing above the ashes.

They soon disappear behind you and the marble paths give way to rolling hills, dirt roads, and wild uncut grasses. The shadow of a cave begins to loom in the distance, far from where you arrived.