Son of Wonder Woman

Shadows of Regret

The following day, the Young Justice team gathered at their base, the hidden cave nestled beneath the Gotham skyline. The atmosphere was charged with purpose as they debriefed after their recent mission, but Artemis felt the weight of her earlier actions pressing heavily on her mind. The punch she threw at Percy had been a rash decision, and now she was determined to make things right.

As the team dispersed, she made her way to the training room, where Dinah Lance—known to the team as Black Canary—was preparing for their daily training session. The room was spacious, with high ceilings and walls lined with weapons and training dummies. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, illuminating the dust particles dancing in the air.

Artemis began her warm-up, but her focus was fractured. Each kick and punch felt hollow as her mind wandered back to Percy. She could still see the bewildered look on his face, the way he flinched as her fist connected. Guilt gnawed at her, disrupting her rhythm.

Dinah, observing Artemis from the corner of the room, noted the lack of intensity in her movements. "Artemis, let's focus on form today," she called, her voice firm yet encouraging. "Concentration is key."

"Right," Artemis replied, attempting to shake off her distracted thoughts. She resumed her practice, but every strike felt off. The usual satisfaction of hitting the target was absent; instead, she felt a gnawing anxiety.

After an hour of training, Dinah called for a break. The other trainees dispersed, but Dinah motioned for Artemis to stay behind. As the room quieted, Dinah approached, her expression a mix of concern and understanding.

"Something's bothering you," Dinah stated, crossing her arms. "You've been off today. Is everything okay?"

Artemis hesitated, her resolve wavering. The walls she had built around her emotions began to crumble. She took a deep breath, the weight of her actions pressing down on her like a physical force. "I... I messed up," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dinah moved closer, her demeanor softening. "What happened?"

Artemis looked away, the guilt threatening to overwhelm her. "There's a kid at school, Percy. He asked me out, and I kind of... reacted badly." Her voice trembled as she recounted the events. "I punched him in the face."

Dinah's brows furrowed in surprise. "You punched him? That's quite a reaction. What led up to that?"

"I was surprised, okay?" Artemis said, her frustration spilling over. "He caught me off guard. And then when I tried to explain why I was busy, I felt so stupid. I said I was just swamped with school and my mom... but I was really hanging out with you guys."

Dinah listened patiently, her expression shifting to one of sympathy. "It sounds like you feel guilty for both the punch and not being honest."

Tears welled in Artemis's eyes as the weight of her emotions became too much to bear. She let out a shaky breath. "I didn't mean to hurt him. I just—he looked so confused, and I felt awful. And then I saw him at work last night at Big Belly Burger. He was just... trying to make a living."

Dinah stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Artemis in a comforting embrace. The dam broke, and Artemis found herself crying into Dinah's shoulder. "I hate that I hurt him, Dinah. I didn't want to be that person."

Dinah held her tightly, letting her emotions spill out. "It's okay to feel this way, Artemis. We all make mistakes. What matters is how you choose to move forward from here."

Artemis pulled back slightly, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "I want to apologize, but what if he doesn't want to hear it? What if he hates me?"