A/N: Hello everyone, I know I said this in the last chapter, but I just wanted to give you another heads up. We're back in preset time now.
The beginning of this chapter is like a recap of the past few days up till now.
The past several days had been awful or seemed to be as she realized she was avoiding the brooding and depressed state she'd entered since her squabble with Superboy.
She'd done everything she could to drive the thought from her mind to asking advice.
She spent the first four days trying to get advice and doing activities that would distract her. All throughout, she received nothing from Superboy, not even a mindlink on a mission they shared.
The first day she'd gone to Gotham City and hung out Sean as he took her on a tour of the area. He even showed her his school, Gotham Academy, and she was impressed by it of course. He even suggested that she apply, and she said she'd think about it - "living" in Star City would prove tricky to explain of course, but there might be hope.
They chatted and he even explained some of the sayings he meant in his insults that he'd used on Bradley back at Jitters. Apparently she'd gained a teacher in the use of inappropriate language, but he knew how to use it in a sophisticated manner, so kudos to him.
They parted ways near his condo and she left to go to Star City, hoping Ted might have some advice.
She and Ted sparred for the rest of the day and she stayed at his apartment, in a spare room, which he deemed hers. Shortly after checking out her room, she explained what the whole name situation had caused.
He'd basically told her to let time handle it and not to push or it might make things worse.
The second day she'd decided to spend the day in Star City at Ted's place and research different schools that she might be able to go to. She didn't have the slightest clue as to what would be so great about school but assumed it wouldn't be bad to experience, especially if she got into the same one as Sean.
It hurt a bit, because she'd wanted to go with Superboy, but she felt as if she shouldn't push that when lately it seemed like it wasn't going to happen.
The rest of her day was spent training in Ted's gym with Gregory, and helping him keep the gym in check.
Even he noticed her mood, but she wouldn't explain much of it, feeling the matter would depress her even more.
The third day she spent with Black Canary taking a counseling session with her at the cave, when she was feeling more downcast about Superboy's everlasting silence towards her.
All Dinah told her was to let time pass and that this situation would have to be between Superboy and Superman, and that it didn't involve her, that she was just caught in the crossfire.
In the afternoon the team even noticed the distance between them as they went on another mission to Salt Flats, Colorado.
They were able to stop one of the two villains, Physco-Pirate, from stealing a canister of plutonium. The second assailant, Atomic Skull, arrived to help, but was able to escape when he was starting to be overwhelmed.
The Team didn't count it as a loss because they able to capture Phsyco-Pirate and get the canister of plutonium.
Even in the end asides from using the Miss Martian's mental link on the mission, he didn't speak to her mentally or otherwise, during or after the mission.
She used up the rest of her day sparring with Black Canary to try and push away the frustrations.
The fourth day she left to go visit Atlantis.
She spoke with Aquaman and explained her problem when he stopped their stroll about the kingdom, asking what was troubling her. She wasn't as energetic as she had been - emotionally and mentally speaking - and he was worried about some of her silence.
The only advice she received from him sounded just like the advice Ted and Black Canary gave her.
She tried working with Mera to get a better hang on her water manipulating powers. They stopped halfway through when Ephyra had let out a cry of frustration at failing to get a move right.
The Queen had actually been more understanding, but her advice had been close to the same as the others.
She needed to wait until Superboy was calm, and she shouldn't push for him to get over it.
She'd spent the night in Atlantis before leaving for Themyscira the next morning.
It wasn't that she didn't appreciate their advice or understand it; she saw the logic in it. Ephyra just didn't want to wait that long. It had been about a week almost, and Superboy hadn't shown any sign of changing his attitude towards her.
It was possible she could gently prod a bit, and try to apologize or get him to talk, but knowing him it might just aggravate him.
She was just feeling more downcast with each passing day, if not hours and didn't know how to cope with it.
She missed her friend and wanted him back, and hated that she'd need patience to get him back. She just hoped she could find the patience needed to get her friend back, before she lashed out and screwed up even more, making the matters worse.
She'd spent all yesterday pondering Kaldur's words and Superboy's trying to put herself in his position and found it a little difficult, but easier than she had thought it would be.
She'd tried to bide her time by spending yesterday thinking, reading with Athena, or sparring with Artemis - anything to get her mind off her fellow clone.
Diana had tried telling her to build her spirit back up because she wasn't quite the same.
Artemis had helped bring her spirit up just a little bit more, but not to its full strength. She just told herself she'd be back to normal in a while.
Athena and Diana had suggested thinking of new battle strategies and if she finished that, perhaps what school she'd wanted to go to.
Thus being why she now sat on her large bed, with her Nemean lion cub in her lap.
The cub was purring softly in her lap with its closed, and its soft fur moving in motion of the direction her fingers ran.
It must be nice, she thought looking down at Ithaca. All Ithaca would ever have to worry about is maybe learning to hunt, getting faster, stronger, when her next petting might be, and what times she'd sleep. And since she was an animal and Ephyra a human, she'd never have to worry about offending her over some nonsense as simple as forgetting to tell her what her real name was.
A knock sounded lightly on her door before Diana opened it and walked inside. "I thought you might be here."
Ephyra just shrugged and kept her head lowered as she pet her lion.
"Ephyra you're not still allowing the incident with Superboy to plague your mind are you?"
The young clone just shrugged.
"Ephyra, you can't let this - "
"Why do you accept me so easily," she asks, looking up to meet her mentor's eyes which looked a bit surprised. "Is it a genuine choice or is it just the 'right thing' to do?" She asks making sure to use quotation marks with her fingers, on the last couple words. "Did you do all this to stop yourself from feeling guilty or feeling scrutinized by other leaguers, like Superman?"
"Ephyra what is bringing this on..."
"Sorry, it just occurred to me that Superboy's mentor treats him like utter crap, but none of you seem to be doing anything about it. He's suffering more than any of you know, but you don't seem to give a damn," she said her tone become sharper. "So why can you accept me so easily? I'm a clone just like him. I was created for the same purpose as him. So how am I any different?"
Diana eyes Ephyra levelly her eyes seeming to understand. "This is about Superboy more than you isn't it."
Ephyra just huffs and looks back down at her lion.
"Ephyra, why Superman won't accept Superboy is his own inner turmoil. To be honest, I can understand his viewpoint." At Ephyra's sharp look, Diana continued. "He never knew he had a clone, probably never even had the notion of ever having children as far as I know. Even if he did consider it, he'd never know how to - "
"He doesn't want to be his child! And if he did, of all things he just wants to be noticed! Treated as I am! Black Canary took me out on my first day and had shown me around Central City! She helped me to experience what the world was like! Why hasn't she done that for Superboy yet?!" She shouts, now on her feet, leaving Ithaca to let out an annoyed hiss at being jostled out of her sleep and onto the sheets. "None of you have! All he has is the Team and he used to have me, but now he thinks I'm like the rest of the leaguers or something, because I want to experience some normalcy and he isn't able - at least he feels he isn't able - to participate because he doesn't have guardians! And is he wrong?!" she yells throwing her hands up in exasperation.
"I immediately had two guardians who were my donors - you and Aquaman - and you both accepted me - that hurt him I'm sure, after being treated coldly in front of everyone by his own donor. Then next day I have a new guardian-like figure when Black Canary whisks me away to a shopping trip and fun day out in Central City! Surprise that same day I make a friend. Then before you can believe it, I met Wildcat on the same day! That's four people in the span of two days!" She shouts before holding up two fingers, "Two!"
She sucks in a breath not realizing she'd been straining her voice on several sentences and rarely taking breaths.
"He can't even get one person to care - not counting the team."
She takes a breath before sitting on the bench in front of her bed.
"He used to think I cared; that we were on the same level of understanding what our situation is. Now...it feels like he sees me as a different person...like I've..."
"...Abandoned him," Diana finished.
Ephyra looked up to meet her eyes all the fire gone from her eyes now feeling lost and sad. "Yeah...and I didn't - wouldn't. I was just excited and my new friend is pretty cool and I've been learning so much from him, Wildcat, and you, even Aquaman and Black Canary. And...I just lost track."
Diana sat next to her protégé. "Your mind has been allowed to open because you didn't have anything troubling you so deeply it would distract you from other opportunities and chances to experience life. Superboy is missing those moments, mostly due to the fact because he's probably asking himself 'why'. 'What's wrong with me that would cause Superman to treat me so badly'. That's all he wants answered. He doesn't see anything wrong with being a clone completely I'm sure, but he misses the fact at how Superman may feel."
Ithaca crawls over the edge of the bed and eases her way into Diana's lap and she begins stroking the pale heather-colored cat gently.
"And if he already realizes what Superman might be feeling, he's trying to figure out why he can't see that he's trying to be something more than what he was designed - created - to be. But each time Superman neglects that fact, it causes Superboy to doubt himself. It's nothing you did wrong, Ephyra. His envy is probably just overwhelming him. He was in control of it at first, but he now sees that at any time, you have options. You can live in three different places at any time - five if you count your visits to your friend, and the cave - and you could literally fit in like any other teenager if you wanted to." She scratches Ithaca behind the ears. "He thinks you'll abandon him now that you practically have it all..."
"...because that's what Superman did." Ephyra finishes. "Superman is...well...Superman. He has everything and fits in perfectly with the civilian world, so he had no need for Superboy and now that Superboy is here he feels something else...or some other turmoil, like you said. So now Superboy thinks that I have everything in a way and he's scared of losing one of the only people who can relate to what he's been through," she concludes looking at her mentor, who nodded with a grim smile.
"Sadly yes; something of that aspect anyways. Superman won't go into detail about what he truly doesn't like about Superboy, but I think it's partly due to the fact that his clone was made to destroy him or replace him. That's kind of hard to digest and then invite them to stay in your home." She says rocking the lion a little.
"Don't worry," she adds, "He'll forgive you, it will just take time. Just don't shut him out."
Ephyra nodded hoping it was true, but she stiffened a bit considering her past words.
"So...how come you don't think like that? Of me, I mean."
"I believe in allowing others to prove themselves first, and then judge them by their actions, not their origins." Diana says warmly and Ephyra smiles a little. "Also, my home is Themyscira: Home of the Amazons. Half of the women here are Goddesses to normal people, most of which are warriors as well. So clone of me or not, you don't have a lot of our training yet and it's you against all of us."
She gives Ephyra a friendly nudge with her shoulder, "I'm sure we won't have to worry about any of that until you get a bit older and have more years of training and experience."
Ephyra laughed. "Won't be that long; we're learning more on each mission, getting more experience, and training isn't a problem. I have the Princess of the Amazons to teach me, not to mention the actual Artemis to spar and train with in various weapons, and the actual Athena to give me advice on battle strategy as well. That's not counting my straining sessions with Wildcat and sometimes Black Canary, and the Atlantean training I receive from Aquaman and Queen Mera."
Diana laughs, "Well then perhaps let us test all of this extra training you've been receiving."
She set Ithaca aside who protested before curling up again.
Wonder Woman floated across the room before flying into the sky with Ephyra following suit.
Diana spun around before facing her with a grin, "Let us begin."
Ephyra, feeling much better, shared a grin with her mentor, before letting out a war cry as they flew towards each other and their fists clashed.