Anastasia's POV
I stand record breakingly still as I watch my mom disintegrate no emotions taking over like one would expect. Instead I just stand there, but everyone else is doing the same almost like we're dead. I can't explain why, but I do keep latching on to this feeling of security. Somethings telling me things are not what they seem.
"We are Earth's heroes now" Aqualad speaks up acting just as emotionless, and I'm not sure if I should be worried or relieved. "So what are we waiting for a theme song?" Conner demands probably more eager to fight after witnessing what just happened.
"A strategy, Earth's weapons have proved ineffective, and it has been made clear a direct attack will not succeed." Aqualad explains even though we don't need it. I scuff my boot against the ground lost in my thoughts
Why did I have to be the one to survive?
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Anastasia's POV
I crouch behind the ice opposite of Artemis both of us checking to make sure we're in the clear. I pluck my tiara off my head tossing it like a frisbee right in front of the ship as a distraction giving M'gann enough time to disable the communications and ground it.
I sink farther into the ground once it starts firing until Artemis blocks it from seeing because I already know my bracelets can't absorb the impact. My mom found that out for me the hard way...
"Divine, Artemis you're on look out. Anything comes knock it out of the sky" Aqualad instructs and we nod knowing fully well what it could mean especially since our mentors couldn't do that.
"Two ships to your left" I shout in my head taking my stance praying to Zeus my divine energy can do something against these things. "Athena give me strength" I whisper feeling like a coward whispering a prayer I abandoned once we moved, and here I am begging for something I don't deserve.
Still the divine energy engulfs the ship blowing it up immediately ricocheting off of the one Artemis hit that is now falling to the ground. She takes off running, and I zip through the sky.
I can't believe we thought we were in the clear...
"Artemis!" M'gann cries and something latches onto my mind almost forcing me to look down to see my friend is no longer racing behind me. Now all of a sudden it's like I'm seeing everything in a different light. Aqualad races to the edge hitting the water causing a domino effect and as the ship shoots up I cross my arms tearing it to shreds making sure not a single piece of it is left.
"Every single one of them is dead" Wally seethes everyone else seeming much more alive than earlier, and I look to Wally hoping I can convey all of my apologies with a stare.
"I'm sorry..." I sigh giving him a tight hug that he quickly returns. "I am too..."
After that everyone silently boards the bioship still in a state of shock that our snarky blonde friend won't be joining us, but I hang back looking down at the spot where she died because I was too busy saving myself.
"Ahhhhh!" I scream punching the ice hard enough that the entire side breaks off, and I feel like I could punch through a hundred alien ships and I still wouldn't be satisfied.
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Anastasia's POV
I drop out of the bioship with Superboy both of us landing on different ships, and I take out all of my anger that's built up on the ride here on the ship leaving a decent dent. As it starts to tip downwards I tear the gun off, and fly the rest of the way to the hall Superboy already waiting.
"Superman And Wonder Woman?" A soldier pipes up hopeful but I can tell they're all extremely confused. "Divine, warrior and princess of Themyscira." I explain going down the polite route since Conner took the other more demanding one.
"I'm not sure who you are, but right now I don't care. You where the uniform, and you got the job done" the man, who I assume is the general, adds looking rather joyous for the situation we're in. I can only assume it's because he's seeing some familiar emblems, so hopefully we don't disappoint them. After all they're placing their lives willingly in our hands.
Then again what other choice do they have?
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Anastasia's POV
I stand in front of my mother's statue Robin next to me, and I wish I could see how much he was suffering under that mask because I'm sure it's more than he would ever let on. Still there's that feeling, that feeling of falseness still lingering in the air. Maybe I'm just in denial.
"They're really gone aren't they?" He finally speaks up, and I'm about to say I'm not so sure when M'gann throws her uncles stone torso past us to reveal him hiding under it looking around as if lost.
"Uncle J'onn!" She lunges for him, but Aqualad holds her back clearly having doubts since we saw him die. "Read his mind" he instructs as I come help hold her back too.
"It's him, he's real and alive." So I reluctantly let her go still unsure, but I can't hold her back or put her down when she looks so relieved. "But we saw you get disintegrated with Superman... And everyone" Conner insists letting his temper down for M'gann, but if it comes to it I know none of us would hold back.
"I remember but... I don't remember how I got here" he sighs looking around at the hall his eyes drooping as they drop on his fallen friends. "Maybe you were density shifting" M'gann counters and I guess that makes since.
"Scrambling your brains along the way." Okay so that does make sense, but at the same time that was hours ago why did he not leave, and how did someone not see him sooner? "Possibly I feel like I had something important to tell you..." He sighs and I can tell he's not completely convinced with the theory either even though everyone else has accepted it.
"Hello Wally, come on." I tilt my head in confusion because I left his side just a few minutes ago unable to see him in such a distraught state, but now it's like we just reversed everything. "Did you just do M'gann's thing?" I ask nicely following him outside despite our lack of cover.
"Yeah... To much?"
"Just a little, but what's got you so excited?" I ask peeking behind me to make sure the team followed, the last thing we need is to be split up. He zips up onto the crashed ship and Robin follows, but I hover in the air not wanting to be on it in case it turns back on somehow.
He doesn't respond buzzing with nerves tapping Robin every three seconds but he doesn't seem to mind as he continues to pull up his holographic scanner. "I knew it, it's giving off zeta beams the same stuff we use to power our zeta tubes..." He continues to rant, but I tune him out focusing my eyes on Rob as Wally embraces him and he flinches, something very out of character for him.
No one else notices, but it's just not that he's ashamed, clearly he's hiding something from Wally because nothing else would make Robin feel something like that, and I can see it in his creased brow. Our eyes connect and I'm sure my glare is enough to tell that I'm on to him, but of course I'm not going to force it out of him. Especially since I don't know what he's hiding, but it's obviously related to our fallen friends and family.
Wally really cared for Artemis whether he realizes it or not, and I would hate to put him through that pain again especially since I care for him...
A beam passes right by me snapping me out of my thoughts, and I dive behind the crashed ship pulling Robin and Wally with me not thinking twice. "We're on our way..."
"Negative, we can't win this." Robin argues mentally, and I wish we were all together. "Miss. M the bio ship..." But I'm cut off as a beam strikes the ship cringing as Manhunter and M'gann cry in pain. The general that was stationed outside with us ushers us in Wally obviously sprinting ahead of us as I jog beside Robin not wanting to leave him like I left Artemis.
"That didn't sound like teleportation" I whisper looking down at Robin with expressionless eyes. If he doesn't want to tell me then I won't pressure him, but if he needs someone to be on his side then I'll extend my hand. "That's because it wasn't." And before I can respond we're already on the inside, and to many listening ears are around.
"We can zeta to the cave..." Aqualad shouts so we can hear him in the back, but the pounding of everyone's feet cuts off the rest of his plan. Robin and I usher the lingering soldiers into the room finally catching up with our teammates. "Send the soldiers..."
"Negative you seven are assets we cannot afford to lose" the general argues and while Manhunter starts the process I take my stand next to him. "I will stand beside you for as long as I can." And sensing that he cannot argue with me he silently nods.
Our barricade busts down and I jump into action dodging beams left and right, and I managed to destroy one ship. I was going for the next one when a sharp metal pierced the back of my shoulder. "Anastasia!" I hear Wally faintly cry as I sink to the floor not wanting to be caught in the cross fire as I compose myself.
Just as my feet graze the floor Wally picks me up sprinting to the zeta tube. "I'm fine..."
"You need to get that bullet out so it can heal..."
"These men need my help... You see how terrible their aim is..." I try to argue gesturing to my shoulder all while easily breaking free of his arms, but Conner immediately takes over our strength cancelling the others out. "I can't lose you too..." He whispers and before I can say the same goes for you Conner's tossed me into the beam.
"Wally..." But once his name leaves my lips I'm on the other side Robin and M'gann picking me up carefully as to not disturb the wound. "I'll have it out in a second, but it's going to hurt." All I can do is numbly nod keeping my eyes locked on the zeta tube as she telekinetically pulls the bullet out it's metal sides tearing through more of my tissue as it moves.
Then once the bullet is out exposing my wound to the cold air Wally rolls through the tube at the same time. I release a breath I didn't know I was holding, but seeing him all disheveled and worn makes me wonder if it should've been me that died and not Artemis.
Maybe losing me would've been less of a blow than losing her because I can tell he likes her and she likes him, but he's got to many things going on to sort it out himself.
Now she's gone, and it feels like it's my fault.
"Where's Aqualad?" I ask sharply once J'onn appears, and I have an odd feeling that Kaldur's not following. No one answers because none of us truly know, but we all have a feeling and we're to afraid to say anything.
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Wally's POV
"Our next mission is clear, if we believe the aliens are teleporting..."
"We do." I interrupt firmly Anastasia cringing as I do, but she tries to cover it up by rubbing her wrapped shoulder. "Then the only reasonable detention facility is here. The mothership atop what used to be Smallville" Robin explains diverting his eyes from us to the screen.
Maybe it's the idea of uncertain death hanging over our heads, but they're all acting odd. However I guess I am too it's to be expected when you lose two of your friends in only a few hours. Now I'm worried about Anastasia, I know she's strong and heals quickly, but you can't survive an alien invasion if you're not at your best.
It's not just the bullet wound, somethings taunting her upstairs, and she doesn't want to bother us with it when the fate of the world is at stake. However, and this might sound cheesy, she's my world and right now while no aliens are around I want her to be alright.
"Superboy and Divine will create a distraction..."
"No way, he's offering you as a sacrifice!" M'gann cries pulling at Conner's shirt, but he can't meet her eyes. "Dude don't you think we've lost enough?" I ask keeping my voice down, but making sure the sharp edge is there to get my point across. "You said it yourself KF, they'll be teleported inside."
I freeze my mouth dry and unable to put together a come back because he's right. They'll be teleported inside and we'll save them from there... Right?
"Wally, M'gann, it's what we signed up for..."
"Aqualad would never do that!" She demands cutting Anastasia off, and the more she disapproves the more weary I grow. After all she's the mind reader, shouldn't she be able to tell whether or not someone is dead based on whether or not she can connect? "You're right Aqualad would sacrifice himself a move that just cost us our leader."
"Once we're in inside we'll set them free with Artemis, and uh everyone else..." I soothe helping Robin, but at this point I think I'm just trying to convince myself that we can still save Artemis, the girl I like. While keeping Anastasia safe, the girl I love. To bad I can't tell her that now while the world is ending.
I would rather die best friends than ruin something within our last hours. Besides it's not worth it what would we be able to do other than say we got it off our chest, and at this point we can't let anything get in the way of our mission.
"I will gladly make the sacrifice if it means ending this, two lives is better than millions." Anastasia proclaims proudly, but for once I can see the flickering fear plain as day in her eyes. I grasp her hand willing to do anything to make that fear disappear even if that means putting myself out there just to pull back later for her own good.
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Wally's POV
"You have survived today, and you will survive tomorrow as long as you hold on to this hope. My mother fell I and I stood, if I fall someone else will take my place and so on as long as we continue to keep this hope alive. Only then will we see the end to this war." Anastasia projects standing tall and proud a regal side of her coming out that I haven't gotten to see that much of.
"You're really good at this type of thing" I admit smiling fondly as she blushes making me forget for a second that we're in the middle of a war. It's almost like any other day. "I've had tones of practice."
"How's your shoulder?"
"All healed" she weakly smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes.
"Are you scared? Because I am" I randomly blurt as we make our way to the borrowed ship something else that may never be the same if this doesn't work. "I am of death as selfish as that may be, but there are so many things that I haven't gotten to say or do..."
"Like what?" I interrupt almost to eagerly.
"Like..." She pauses our eyes connecting for a split second before she focuses on her boots. "Like not seeing my grandmother." She sighs pulling her leather jacket closer like the rooms temperature just shifted, but she doesn't get cold. "Why haven't you guys ever gone to visit?"
"Well... It's... Um... Complicated, nothing we should worry about right now" she states strongly shutting the subject down, and speeding as if she could lose me. "Just relax, or as Robin would say get traught." I force a laugh despite the sick feeling still growing in my stomach as I sling my arm around her shoulder a motion that will hopefully take her back to school where we could always just be careless teenagers.
"You're the only one that could make me smile during a time like this." She laughs, and at this point if either of us dies we can die happy.
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Anastasia's POV
"Please be careful" Wally pleads one last time, and I hug him finding it easier to hide in his neck than to look into his eyes. I pull away three words on the tip of my tongue because I'm scared I'll regret never saying them, but this doesn't seem like the right time.
I take off with Conner forcing myself away before I screw something up. We land on the top and he rips the gun off as I keep my eyes peeled. Sure enough at least two dozen ships deploy, and while Conner shoots a lot of them with the ray I catch three in a divine energy field blowing them up.
We're actually doing good, and I feel like we might make it out of this. Then the gun smacks me in the back throwing me down to the ground. I can't seem to focus on flying either because my eyes are trained on Superboy as a disintegration beam hits him, the whole ordeal going down in slow motion as I thrash against gravity and he vanishes.
"No!" I scream my head finally smacking the ground the sweltering pain from my head not even comparing to the pain in my heart. I slowly stand my head pounding, but my raging anger overpowering the drumming that I would usually find obnoxious.
"You're going to pay for that." I seethe now to myself since no one can actually hear me. I station myself in a corner built within the structure blasting any of the ships that come close. The tactic is easy cross, blow up, come back, repeat. It's so repetitive and tiring I find myself yearning for some hand to hand combat, but I sadly can't sucker punch these guys.
There's about eight left and they're slowly getting closer, and if I'm cornered I'm doomed. "Well if you're going to die do it with style." I sigh flying right under a beam landing behind it, and pushing the ship into the corner frying it's circuits as it collides with the control panel.
I take two long strides up the side of the crashed ship, backflipping over another beam, and landing on top of it. I crouch ripping the gun out, and turning on my knees to shoot another ship. The last four start showering me in rapid fire, and I drop the gun dodging each shot through the air.
I land on one ship catching the others attention, but I use the gun to swing off missing the beam as the ship vanishes. I fly under the second one picking it up my entire body flexing as I do so and I throw it at the third one both of them crashing to the ground in flames. Tired I fly to the last one simply tearing the gun off using it to shoot any of the remains not taking any chances.
"Anastasia help this world is not real, it's a training..."
But then J'onn's voice vanishes as quickly as it appeared, but I guess it was long enough to telepathically remind me of the truth because I remember everything like he simply turned on a switch within my mind.
I spot M'gann crying in front of the now blown up mothership, and I can only assume she doesn't know. I'm not sure why, heck I'm not even sure why we all forgot, but I can't argue with her if she's internally convinced herself. "M'gann what happened?"
"Uncle J'onn and I were density shifting through the wall, I was already out but he was still halfway inside when one of those drones shot him. They're all gone..." I tune her out taking several steps back as it feels like her mind tries to reconvince me that this is our real world.
She must've been the one to do it originally without even realizing it, and now I have to figure out how to get us out of here. The obvious option would be to kill her, but I don't think I'd be able to survive the emotional damage that would cause me let alone her.
Then I remember the weakness Hephaestus built into my armour, and I nervously slip my beloved bracelets off gliding several feet into the air so I have a good view of the horizon. I close my eyes channeling my mind like I do when I usually cross my arms instead this time I don't focus on controlling it instead letting it go. Slowly my body starts to heat up.
I hope you're proud mom...
"Anastasia?" M'gann distantly shouts in worry, and I open my eyes leaving my thoughts to see I'm encircled by a warm energy and it's reaching out destroying everything around me. I force my eyes off of my scared friend finding this to be harder than it looks, but I can't leave a single part of this allusion untouched. It won't disappear even if a single tree is left.
I'm sorry team...
Slowly the sky fades and the ground cracks, but it doesn't bust. So flying downwards like a bullet I land a solid punch the surrounding ground rupturing and everything following but in a domino effect. Slowly my world turns black as well even though I'm the one doing it. Somewhere I can hear some one crying but seeing as M'gann is already gone I can only assume it's me...
I love you...
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Wally's POV
I grip my head trying to sit up, but who I assume is Captain Marvel holds me down. "You're all alive!" M'gann exclaims and I wince hearing her sharp tone. I look around startled but grateful that all of my friends are around me...
Except Anastasia...
I stand up my eyes clearing as they land on her lifeless form still lying down. "Why hasn't she woke up?" I scream trying to lunge for her, but Marvel holds me back. "Get Diana down here now!" Batman demands sharply turning to Manhunter as he too holds his head.
"What happened?"
"She tore the reality apart with her divine energy, I can only assume her body is not used to releasing that much power and has now shut down into a coma to see if it can regenerate." He explains both of them jogging over to her checking her out, and it looks like they're right.
"J'onn, What's happened to my daughter? What's..." The words die on her lips as she sees Ana lying like a rag doll, and she sprints over the two men retelling the story. None of us can peel our eyes away from the unfolding scene as fat tears fall from Wonder Woman's eyes something none of us ever thought we'd see, but we're all to speechless and scared to say anything about it.
"My baby... Oh my baby..." She wails and finally I force myself to turn feeling like I'm intruding on a private moment. I kick the table I was on in anger Captain rubbing my back, but I hardly notice to caught up in my own world.
That world was fake, but this is real. At least there we didn't have to see the other like this. I "died" and she didn't know until moments later, but now I can't get that haunting image of her limp pale hand out of my head.