Grass floated gently alongside the southern Kansas breeze. The sun had come to set upon the pasture fields of green, in the middle of the meadow sat a quaint and homely house. Paint chipped from its worn porches, wind chimes rang softly with every sway and the floorboards creaked all night long; but it was home, home for Cassie Sandsmark.
Two years ago her life was on a different path, spending semesters of college excellent abroad and exploring everything the world had to offer a fresh young mind. However her mother was injured in an expedition, suffering an event that stunted her mind to a point of seemingly no return. And just like that she dropped everything to take care of her mother, bringing her back to the only house she had called home. Some nights were harder than others, some nights the voices of everyone from her podunk town were all she heard; each one dismissing her dreams. It felt amazing to prove them wrong but now, she knew they had heard she was back. "Too big for her britches" she knew what they would say, what their glances meant. If it wasn't a look of arrogance it was one of pity, both seem to sting just the same way.
Lights flickered in a dusty garage, the young blonde entered the the messy room that was occupied by a string of power tools and an old 1957 cherry red Chevy truck. She lifted the hood, struggling with it at first, once propped she turned on an old television no bigger than a microwave. The screen was barely discernible, reception failing on all ends.
"This is Vicki Vale with latest news from Gotham! Is the city lost without Batman? Last night there was an incident in the museum of Antiquities. A group of armed criminals attempted to steal one of the items from the building while holding several civilians hostage. Thankfully another superhero was visiting and decided to show up just in time. Yes, Wonder Woman prevented them to take the precious artifact and saved the poor visitors. One of the eyewitnesses sent us this exclusive recording of Batwoman arriving at the crime scene with the note saying: 'You could say she was fashionably late and her skills were ridiculous.'"
"Way to go, Wonder Woman." An exhale escaped Cassie's lips, examining the engine before her. "Alright, let's get to work." A hard mask of steel came down over her face while she powered a tool with her other hand. Just as the fiery gadget was about to make contact the fire suddenly disappeared. Her head turned, checking the wire to find the solution and there she found the culprit-her friend, Heather.
Cassie exhaled, clutching her own chest. "You scared the bejesus out of me! Don't sneak up on a girl like that, damn, Heather." She lifted her mask, discarding her heat proof gloves in a bin. "How'd you get in here anyways?"
Heather's hands slid into her own back pockets, lowering her head in shame. "Well we are already on the subject of tools so i might as well tell ya.. Diesel picked the lock."
The blonde was outraged, disgust painting her face. "Jesus, Heather. I turn down one invitation to go out drinking, dancing, cow tipping or whatever the fuck you do for fun and this is your grand plan. To bring him around ?"
"Hey! It's been a year since you've left this stupid garage. Yeah it's not glamorous like France or Belgium or whateverthefuckstan but we're still your friends and for some fucking reason we still care about your depressing ass. If you want to wallow here in self pity, blame yourself or blame Diesel for what happened to your mom then go ahead, I'm.. done trying."
Cassie hung her head low, clenching her teeth before finally giving in. "Wait.. I'll go, okay? Just let me put on something nice."
Heather flashed her a smile, "Hey and wear those blue jeans that cling to your ass."
Eyes rolling, she folded her arms. "I'm not trying to impress, Diesel."
The brunette grinned devilishly, "Who said it was for him?"
♦♦♦
Cassie exited the old country home donning a red shirt with gold accents, her supposedly famous pants and a particularly fashionable belt. The trio piled into a truck, all but the blonde ignored their seatbelts.
"Where are we going, Wally's?"
Both Diesel and Heather failed to fight back a snicker. "We're not fifty, that place might as well be a diner."
"Unless I'm mistaken there isn't another bar in town." Her arms folded, staring aimlessly out the passenger side window.
"You're not wrong but where we are going is so much cooler than any seedy bar, tell her Diesel." Heather patted his arm, her finger framing his biceps while he gripped the steering wheel. Despite her disdain for him the sight of their apparent affection burned inside. "Well, there's these clown guys, The Jokerz, they do like a rolling through town thing; it's like a gang or group. Either way they put on a hell of a show with plenty of music, beer and.. amenities."
"Clowns and a good time? So we aren't fifty, we're ten."
The pickup truck pulled into an open field full of an assortment of cars and tents. Sound vibrated the ground, the party, or whatever it was, was going strong. Before they left the comfort of the car to dive into the crowd, Cassie grabbed two steel bracelets each baring a red star.
"Wow, nice arm cuffs, Wonder Woman."
"Ha-ha, my mother bought me these before, you know. Found them in her bag a couple months ago, guess she was planning something for my birthday...."
"It looks good on you, let's see if someone thinks so!" Heather took Cassie by the wrist, tugging her along as she danced into the raging crowd.
The two danced rhythmically to the violent beats that shook the earth beneath their feet. Bodies would press against another, strangers exchanging intimate contact. For a moment the young girl felt a weight lifted off, whatever stress that had been holding her down was lifted in this moment. However she was quickly snatched back into reality as her ex pulled her and Heather off the dance floor.
"It's time to go, ladies!" his leather jacket was disheveled, a few bruises now painting his smug mug.
Cassandra pulled away, somehow flinging the jock across the mud with enough force to separate him from his boots. "You don't get to manhandle me! What's wrong with you two, you drag me all the way out here for a good time then when I finally start to feel something other than sorry you pull the plug?"
A finger was dug into her chest, "Get it together, Cass. Are you off your rocker, stay if you want but we are gone, end of story." He quickly grabbed his boots, Heather following his lead as they made their way for the truck. "Can't believe she's still not over me."
Lightning and thunder began to stir above, clouds moved quickly in droves. Her jaw clenched, fists following suit. As Diesel sat down in the driver's seat the door was suddenly torn off, discarded like paper; the young girl was so consumed with rage she hadn't noticed her impressive feat, simply grabbing the man and throwing him across the ground. "Me? ME? Stuck on you?!" Vision narrowed as rage pumped through every vein. "I left you or did you spin that narrative in a way that best suited your sorry ass! I wanted more out of life, I wanted more than sleeping in every day and getting high! You brought me down and held me back in every way! You made me a thief, and because of you my mother's reputation never recovered-" Tears were now nearly blinding, "That's why she went out there on that last trip, alone, because of you.. because of what I let you make me." Her fist unclenched, falling to her knees with the revelation that was creeping in the back of her mind.
Members of the self proclaimed Jokerz surrounded the trio in their spat, all wielding a bat or something similar. Cassie saw the money spread out in the mud, the bruises on Diesel and his hurried behavior; he didn't come here for the music, it was another heist and she was caught in the middle of his plan failing. Before reason could be used to make them understand they decided to rush her, swinging and bashing her mercilessly without hesitation. Instinctively Cassandra flinched but upon opening her eyes she discovered her assailants confused, their bats and crowbars broken in half. Amazed by herself she charged them, most turning and fleeing, unsure of exactly what she was. A bullet soon struck her shoulder in the commotion, while she didn't feel it, it must've ricochet and struck Heather. Someone's going to die and it's not going to be me. Cass jumped into the driver's seat, leaving Diesel behind as she made an escape. A million thoughts were racing through her head but for now her greatest concern was navigating a stolen truck with one door through a nasty rainstorm with a gang right behind her. Tires skirted across mud, sliding near the porch of home. Heather slowly peeled herself from the passenger seat, a river of warm red coating her waist. The blonde helped her inside, hurrying as the Jokerz pulled up to the lot.
"This house can barely keep out rain, bullets are going to bring this place down. Heather you need to get my mom to the garage, please."
"I'll try," she winced in pain, her arm still bleeding profusely.
Without any further hesitation the young blonde charged through the front door, running into a hailstorm of gunfire. The more bullets that struck her skin, the more she began to feel. A simple jump took Cassandra into the sky, nearly flying by accident. A scream was let out before she dropped like lead into the hood of one of their vans; fire engulfed the area, a warped steel frame was all that remained. Like a Phoenix she arose from the ashes, her clothes burning away to reveal a suit of armor fashioned of red and gold. The onlookers clamored, stunned and awed by the reveal.
"Is that.. Wonder Woman?"
Cassandra feigned a smile after examining the suit bestowed upon her. "I'm no hero, just a really angry girl you decided to piss off.
♦♦♦
Almost a month had passed since that night, an awakening occurred like no other. Cassie wasn't sure of what she was but she finally knew who she was.. or who she could be. Heather was visiting again, she would stop by every now and then to help the young blonde take care of her mother. Diesel hasn't been seen since, as far as they know he either skipped town or the Jokerz took him; Cassandra wasn't sure which would be better. A sudden knock was at her door. Upon opening the door she was met face to face with a tall mysterious woman. The young woman's face lit up, shocked and surprised. "Are you Wonder Woman?!"
The woman chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. "Sometimes but I'm not Princess Diana, I'm sorry to disappoint."
"Anyone ever tell you that you are a dead ringer for her?"
"I believe that was the point, Cassandra."
Confusion was apparent in her look, "How do you know my name?"
"We've been looking for you for quite some time."
"Who's.. we?"