The Trouble With Curia 2

Somewhere just outside of Queen City, at one of White Owl's training facilities:

White Owl opened the door and let out a gasp.  "Curia!"

Strewn around the large training room were a dozen or more robots, all clearly incapacitated.  Standing in the center was Curia, in her full Wonder Woman outfit, hands on her hips and smiling.

"I thought I asked you to take it easy on my training bots!  I can't afford to keep replacing them every time you come by for a visit!"

"I WAS taking it easy on them!  It's not my fault your robots aren't very powerful, Theena."  Curia shrugged as she surveyed the wreckage.

"Well I matched their power to my own, Curia.  SO I'd say they're plenty tough."

"Theena, I didn't mean to... It took everything I had to defeat them!" Curia declared.

"Look, I get it, you don't have to worry.  You ARE the most powerful heroine on Earth.  And I should be helping reinforce that, not try to compare you to me.  After all, power isn't everything.  I am wiser." 

"That's right, power isn't everything," a voice chimed in.  They both turned to see Chryseis, the former Amazon Arrow, with her bow under her arm.  "I don't have the power of the Light Rings anymore but I still just shredded all of your targets in the archery room."

"NO!" Athena grimaced.  "Stop it both of you!  Do you have any idea how expensive those targets are? You may be my best friends but you're going to bankrupt me!"

"If it makes us readier for battle, it's worth it, isn't it?" Chryseis grinned.  

"I need some fresh air," White Owl proclaimed.  "The air in here is suddenly getting thick," she added with a laugh.  She walked out the door, into a clearing on the west side of the facility that was bordering the woods.  Curia and Chryseis followed.  "Ah, that's better.  What a beautiful day, nothing but peace and qui-" She was interrupted by a beeping sound.

"What's that?" Curia asked.

"It's the radar sensors.  There's unauthorized activity somewhere on the...over there!"  She pointed to the edge of the woods where three figures had seemingly materialized out of thin air.  One of the figures had green skin and red hair; the second had blonde pigtails and a very colorful outfit; and the third was unrecognizable with the hood it wore over its head.

"Looks like Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn!" Chryseis exclaimed.  "But where did they come from?"

"I don't know, but they can't be up to any sort of good.  There's three of them and three of us - let's take them down!" Athena barked.  "I'll take Ivy."

"Sounds good, I'll take Harley!" Chryseis exclaimed.

"Guess that leaves me with our mysterious stranger," Curia smiled as she approached the hooded figure.  As the three heroines got closer, their targets began to run into the woods in three separate directions.  Undaunted, the heroines gave chase.


Harley was laughing as she somersaulted past the trees, while Chryseis ran full speed trying to catch up to her.  Finally she thought better of it and reached for an arrow; letting it fly, it struck one of the trees a second before Harley reached it, causing the mentally unstable villainess to stop in her tracks.

"What are you doing here, Quinn?  What are you and Ivy up to, and who's your friend?"

"Wouldn't ya like to know, toots?"  Harley turned to face Chrys, holding her bat over her head.  "I hear you're not so tough no more without your pretty rings.  Wanna dance?" And Harley took a swing at Chrys's head; the Amazon was just able to roll out of the way before it connected.  As she regained her footing she sent another arrow at Harley which struck the handle of the bat, sending it flying out of the Clown Princess' hands.

Chrys wasted no time in jumping on top of Harley and taking her to the ground, pinning her arms over her head.  "Now tell me why you're here!"

"Well look at you hot stuff, getting right down to it.  I heard you Amazons was kinky! Tell me toots, do you use a feather? Or the whole damn chicken?"  Harley started to laugh hysterically.


Meanwhile in another part of the woods, Ivy was weaving through the trees, trying to lose the Nocturnal Knockout; but White Owl was faster and leaped through the air, catching the back of Ivy's head with her fist and sending the green-skinned villainess sprawling.  Ivy quickly rolled onto her back and waved her hands; before White Owl could react, vines appeared in the forest floor and began weaving their way up her legs.

"Let me go, Ivy!" Athena shouted, while at the same time reaching into her belt.

"Not a chance.  You're an Owl, after all; you belong in the forest.  And I've always wondered what it would be like to have you in my thrall," Ivy purred as she got to her feet and approached the struggling heroine.  "Just a kiss and you'll forget all about everything else..."

"Never!" Athena palmed one of her bop balls and let it go.  "Let's see how you and your plants handle some industrial-strength Round-Up!"  The ball exploded and a liquid chemical fell over both Ivy and the vines holding White Owl; the vines instantly began to wither as Ivy started choking.

"What have you done!" Ivy gasped as her hands went to her throat.  Her eyes widened as she saw what was happening to her vines. "My pretties!"

Athena lunged at Ivy the instant she was free and slammed her against a tree.  "What I had to do.  Now tell me, what are you and Harley Quinn doing on my property?"

"Oh honey," Ivy grinned as she stroked Athena's cheek, "we were just a distraction..."


Curia was running full speed after the hooded figure, but wasn't making up any ground at all.  Not only was the mysterious visitor fast, but seemed exceptionally agile and at home running over roots and rocks.  

"Stop, whoever you are!  Don't make this any harder than it already is!"  But there was no response and no sign of slowing down from the speedy stranger.  "Okay, you've left me no choice!" Curia twirled her lasso and sent it flying; it dropped neatly over the hooded figure's shoulders as Curia pulled it tight.  "Gotcha!"

As Curia held the lasso tight she approached the still figure, who turned to face her, letting the hood fall away from her face.

Curia gasped.  She'd never met her but Diana and others had described her so many times that Curia knew exactly who she was.  "Barbara Minerva..."

The redhead with the signature markings all over her skin hissed.  "Barbara Minerva is dead.  You can call me Cheetah."  She looked down at the lasso that was tight around her shoulders and upper chest and reached with both hands to grab it.  As she did, the long hooded robe fell completely away, showing off Cheetah in all her glory.  "I haven't had the pleasure, Wonder Woman."

"I know you fought Diana many times, and yet she never gave up hope that she could bring Barbara Minerva back.  And neither will I.  The power of the lasso flows into you, the truth will be made known!"

"The truth WILL be made known, Wonder Woman."  And Cheetah gave the lasso a yank, almost pulling the surprised Curia off her feet.

"Cheetahs NEVER win!" Curia declared as she regained her balance and pulled on the lasso with all her might, expecting to send her opponent flying.  Instead Cheetah held her ground and kept pulling.  "I knew you were strong but you're not as strong as me!"  And Curia pulled even harder.

"Don't believe everything you hear, Amazon.  I bested your predecessor many times.  She said the same thing, that I wasn't as strong as her.  She never learned, and it looks like you're just like her."  Cheetah pulled harder and began to back up, pulling the shocked Wonder Woman with her.

"Hera give me strength!" Curia shouted as she channeled the power of the gods.  And for a moment it seemed as if she had stemmed the tide.  "I can do this all day Cheetah! My lasso is indestructible, so if it's tug-of-war you want, I will outlast you!"

"Silly girl.  I haven't even broken a sweat yet.  And I know your lasso won't break.  As a matter of fact, I'm counting on it."  And a large glowing circle appeared behind Cheetah.  She pulled even harder as she backed up into the glow and began to disappear into it.  "Circe was right - you are deliciously predictable, Amazon."

"Merciful Minerva!" Curia exclaimed as she dug in with everything she had but Cheetah was pulling her along the ground, Curia's boots sliding on the forest floor.  "What does Circe have to do with this?"

"This trap was her idea, of course," Cheetah smirked as she disappeared farther into the glowing orb.  "You thought you had me, but it is I who have you.  You're coming with me...unless you let go of your lasso, and then, oh then what fun I will have with this.  What evil acts I will commit with Wonder Woman's own weapon!"

"I will NEVER let you have it!"

"Perfect."  And as Cheetah disappeared from sight she gave the lasso one mighty yank, and Curia left her feet and was pulled through the portal with her...