Memory Lane

Chapter 10

Swimming to Themyscira did not work out so well. Diana coughed up water from her spot on the beach and looked around. Her bag was not far from where she had washed up and nothing around her looked familiar. She groaned and stood, then collected her bag.

"Miss, are you alright?" Someone called from far away with a clear American accent.

Diana stared at him, trying to look a bit frazzled. "I was on a boat..." she started. the man jumped the fence between her and was soon by her side, helping her. Diana swallowed the bile that rose in her throat at the thought of him touching her.

"Do you remember the name?" She shook her head.

"Do you have any papers?"

"I think they were destroyed," she lamented. 

"It's alright, I'll help you to a station. My name is Jack Thompson, you'll be fine Miss..."

"Prince."

"Miss Prince," he concluded with a smile. 

Diana smiled, rolling her eyes back and pretending to faint a slight bit. He caught her and helped her stand back up straight.

"Thanks," she said quietly, hoping she had not overplayed it.

Thompson took his jacket off and wrapped it around Diana's wet form as the two of them walked off to a station.

~~~~~

Peggy stared up at the queen. She removed her sword and stood straight, holding her breath.

"I let you stay on my island, prove your worth," the queen ordered, her shadow casting over Peggy.

Peggy blinked. Slowly, she widened her stance and her sword-hand rose. The eyes of a million Amazons burned into her back as she held their queen's icy stare. Peggy breathed slowly as she bowed with her sword, formally accepting the challenge. The Amazons swarmed around them, forming a tight circle. Her heartbeat quickened as the heat of hundreds of bodies made itself known. There was nowhere to go.

The queen struck first, a simple blow to Peggy's left side that she easily deflected, but it left Peggy on the defence as Hippolyta bombarded her with blow after blow. Peggy soon felt herself tire. The sun was setting over the water with its perfect mirror being reflected back at them. Her limbs were burning as the fight soon got technical and brute strength was thrown out the window. They circled each other in the tight circle, drowning out all noises with the clang of their metal.

Peggy tried to strike at the queen's left but stumbled as her sword fell through the thin air. Suddenly the pommel of her opponent's weapon struck her back. She cried out as she stumbled head-first into the soft ground. Quick as she could, the agent scrambled back to her feet. Panting, she faced her combatant.

Hippolyta lowered her sword. "You fight well," she concluded with an approving look. With nothing else, she turned. The Amazons parted and bowed as their queen passed them by and Peggy watched, her limbs shaking with exhaustion and her legs threatening to give out. She wiped the sweat from her brow as she collapsed to the ground, wondering at what had just transpired.