Second Chances: Artemis

Chapter 18

A pulse of red and silver energy was actually released as the two avatars clashed, Ares/Anarky's sword clashing against Artemis's bow, since they were both using both their combat skills and their godly powers.

Artemis smirked as she was quickly able to take control of the battle and used her godly strength to send Anarky flying back with one powerful punch.

"I've been wanting to do that for centuries." Artemis said to her brother as she summoned one of her silver moon energy arrows and aimed at him.

"I don't understand why you fight for these humans? Why continue to serve our father's mission when he cast you out like he did me." Ares demanded as he got to his feet.

"Our father cast me out to protect me from you so that I could survive to stop you when you returned. Besides, you're an even bigger dick than our dad ever was." Artemis said as she let her arrow fly, only for Ares to charge his sword up with bloody red energy and sliced it in half, the result of their two energy fields clashing causing an explosion that both avatars withstood, but it did threaten the structural integrity of the building they were fighting in.

"Impressive." Artemis said, wondering how long Machin had been Ares's avatar, since she could tell that it was nowhere near as long as she had been connected to Artemis.

"Of course. I'll always be better than you Artemis. I'm older than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm more powerful and I'm a better warrior. Besides, unlike you, I prey on mankind's most natural instincts. Anger, hatred, war, these are all things that are a part of humanity down to their core. And they feed me. Why do you think I've survived so long?" Ares asked, right as Artemis charged up to him again.

"You might feed off the worst parts of humanity's nature, I also draw strength from them, but unlike you, I channel strength from their hopefulness, their strength, their ingenuity, their compassion, all the positive traits about humanity. Especially their ability to overcome their worst instincts. That's why I chose my vessel, someone who's the embodiment of those aspects." Artemis said as she and Ares continued to fight, their clashing strikes releasing all kinds of power as they did.

Zara Williams was currently trying to escort Anarky's newest recruit Takamura away from the fight, right as Wonder Girl landed in front of them.

"One warning kid. Get out of here." Wonder Girl said, though she couldn't deny that there was something familiar about this girl, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

"Yeah, not going to happen. This gang is my only to make sure I stay safe and off the streets. I'm not going to ruin that by letting you take our first willing recruit in." Zara said as she pulled out her guns and fired them at Wonder Girl, who used the braces that were identical to Wonder Woman to repel them before super speeding up to Zara and going to move her out of the way, only for Zara to grab her wrist and shoving her away.

"How did you do that?" Wonder Girl asked, since there weren't many people who could pull that move off.

"I have no idea." Zara said as she lunged at Wonder Girl and actually put up a decent fight against her.

"How do you know how to fight like this?" Wonder Girl asked, since even though she was holding back due to not wanting to hurt this girl, she felt like she was fighting one of her sister Amazons.

"I don't know. It's just instinct I guess." Zara said as she continued to fight Wonder Girl, only to be stopped when Aqualad jumped in.

"You really think you can take us both kid? You don't have to do this." Aqualad said, hoping that maybe he and his girlfriend could get through to this girl together.

"You have no idea what it's like to have to fight to survive literally everyday of your lives, but I do. Every day I've had to fight to survive and fight like it might be my last fight ever. This gang is my ticket out of that life and I'm not throwing it away." Zara said as Aqualad looked into the girl's frightened eyes and saw the truth. Zara didn't want to do this, but she was doing what she had to survive. But there was something more than that. The eyes he was looking into were familiar. And he knew why, since he saw those eyes everytime he looked in the mirror and she did look about the right age.

"Maybe we don't know what that's like, but we can make sure that you never have to feel like that again." Aqualad said.

"Yeah, I've heard that before." Zara said, right before a nearby fire hydrant burst, as if in response to her anger.

"How did I do that?" Zara asked, since she didn't know how she did it, but she knew that she had caused the hydrant to burst.

"Wonder Girl, look at her closely. Especially since she can fight like an Amazon and appears to have the powers of an Atlantean, not to mention how old she looks." Aqualad said as Wonder Girl understood what he was saying.

"No, that's not possible." Wondergirl said, not wanting to believe it to be true.

"What's not possible?" Zara asked, wondering why these two heroes weren't trying to stop her anymore.

"One minute." Wonder Girl said as she knocked Takamura unconscious.

"Sorry, didn't want an audience for this." Wonder Girl said as she removed her mask and Aqualad did the same thing.

"Let us help you." Donna said.

"Why do you care about me? And why should I believe you?" Zara asked.

"Because it's our job to care about you Zara. Ever since the day you were born." Donna said.

"What are you talking about?" Zara asked.

"My name is Donna Troy and this is Garth Bernstein. And Zara, we're your parents." Donna said, much to Zara's shock right before she passed out.