[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/oA02Baq.png[/img][/center]

	[color=goldenrod][sub][u][b]Washinton, D.C.[/b][/u][/sub][/color]

	The banks alarms were blaring in the background, wailing long and loud into the early-morning air. The honking of traffic, the babbling of pedestrians, the rattle and shake of a street that had underground trains running beneath the tarmac, the shouts and calls of those late for work as they blamed others for their mistakes. Even grunts, groans and roars of a police blockade paled to an insignificant mumble when compared to that alarms damnable wailing.

	[color=goldenrod][sub]”I swear, by the love of Hera for her daughters, if someone doesn’t silence that infernal alarm soon I’m going to - .”[/sub][/color]

	“euurrgh.”

	Nike, daughter of Herakles and Princess-warrior of the Amazons, was cut off by the semi-concious mumbling of the two-bit bank robber that she had caught – and physically subdued – fleeing the scene of his latest crime. She was bodily carrying him, slung over her shoulder like the useless sack of offal that he was, back to the bank that he and his cohorts had raided. She didn’t appreciate her morning being ruined by this pest’s shenanigans, and nor did she enjoy his ravings cutting her off mid-sentence.

	[color=goldenrod]“Silence, dog-breath!”[/color] She snarled, hopping slightly so that the man’s flabby stomach was bounced painfully upon her shoulder pauldron. His tired, pained groan was like music to her ears, and elicited a savage grin from the young warrior woman.

	Up ahead, in front of the bank, she could see that her sister, Diana, better known here as Wonder Woman, had handily vanquished the other three [i]‘bank robbers’[/i], and had since used the Lasso of Truth to bind the whelps together, and place them outside the scene of depredations where all and sundry could view them, and mock them for their folly. Or perhaps it was so the guardians of this city, its [i]police[/i], could more easily apprehend them.  

	Diana was in talks with a tall man in a blue uniform, though smiled and waved her over. Nike dumped her conquest with his fellows, being rewarded with another pathetic groan, before moving to join her sister.

	“Nice work Wonder Girl.” Congratulated the man in uniform, Nike recognising him as one of these police officers, thinking that he may be a captain, though struggling to remember his name. “Didn’t think the getaway driver would get away from you … Though, I gotta ask, where’s the getaway car?” 

	[color=goldenrod]“About a mile back that way.”[/color] Nike turned and pointed the way she came. [color=goldenrod]“That fool crashed his little automated chariot into my midriff, so I flipped it onto his roof. He wasn’t wearing his ‘seat belt’. I think he came to regret that choice.”[/color] The police officer swore under his breath, and Diana gave her a stern look which was no doubt supposed to serve as admonishment, before the captain moved off to arrange a squad to pull the getaway car wreck out of the street, where it was no doubt now blocking morning traffic. He left the two sisters on their own, where they stood in silence for a few moments. Nike didn’t want to be the first to break it. She knew what would happen when she did, and she wasn’t looking forward to it.

	[color=darkgoldenrod]“Well?”[/color] Said Diana, in her gentlest tone. Seems she remembered what today was today. Damn it.

	[color=goldenrod]“Well, what?”[/color] Responded Nike, sounding every inch the petulant teenager. 

	[color=darkgoldenrod]“[i]Nike.[/i] Don’t ‘well what’ me. You know what. Today is the day. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, you’re going to be late. You should be in Midway already. Nightwing and Zatanna had a tour or your new home all planned out, I’d hate for you to miss it.”[/color]

	[sub][color=goldenrod]“I wouldn’t mind missing it.”[/color][/sub] Nike muttered.

	[color=darkgoldenrod]“What was that?”[/color]

	[color=goldenrod]“Nothing Diana. Just saying, if I am already late, surely there’s no point going now. I should just leave it today, and head over tomorrow morning, bright and early. Get the whole experience fresh! That makes more sense, yes?”[/color] It was Nike’s last, feeble gambit at putting off the undesired enrolment in the sidekick super team, one she doubted was going to work, but a woman must try. Diana’s throaty chuckle dashed her hopes surely and completely.

	[color=darkgoldenrod]“Nice try Nike, but you’re not [i]that[/i] late. If that was the case I could always fly you over.”[/color]

	[color=goldenrod][b]“No!”[/b][/color] barked Nike, quickly putting that notion to the dirt. She was an Amazonian warrior, her pride wasn’t made for the indignity of being flown by her sister, hauled like a frightened rabbit by a glorious hawk. No, if she was ever going to fly it was either going to be by her own power, or by one of the Pegasi, the flying steeds of her people. Diana, who knew just how much Nike hated to be carried, smirked. She had won the argument – again – and was inordinately proud of herself for it. If she wasn’t her sister, Nike could really learn to hate Wonder Woman.

	[color=goldenrod]“Well then. I suppose I should be going. Don’t want to miss out on all the [i][b]fun[/b][/i].”[/color] Nike practically spat the last word, though if Diana picked up on it, she chose to ignore it.

	[color=darkgoldenrod]“Ah, my little sisters first day of school. I’m sad to miss it. If I didn’t have my meeting with the UN, I’d come with you.”[/color] Diana’s had smothered a loose forelock of Nike’s hair, an unconscious movement of sisterly love. [color=darkgoldenrod]“It won’t be so bad. You’ll see.”[/color] The two embraced for a long moment. 

	[color=goldenrod]“If you need me …”[/color] Nike muttered into her sisters hair, her cheeks flushed as she fought to stop the tears running free. This would be the first time she’d ever been separated from her people, alone amongst the members of Man’s world, an Amazon alone. She hadn’t thought it would be so hard.

	[color=darkgoldenrod]“I know, sister. I’ll miss you.”[/color] Nike was somewhat surprised to hear that Diana’s voice had cracked with emotion. As they pulled a part she seen that her sisters brilliant blue eyes were red-rimmed with tears, though her face was smiling. Diana run a soft finger down the side of her face. [color=darkgoldenrod]“Now go, before my resolve crumbles.”[/color]

	One last tight hug, and the two parted. A waved goodbye, and Nike leapt high, fifty feet into the air, aiming in the general direction of Diana’s apartment, there where she would pick up her things. 

	And from there, Midway City.

[hr][hr]
[color=goldenrod][sub][u][b]Midway City[/b][/u][/sub][/color]

	Nike kicked open the doors of the Midway mansion, her bag of clothes and personal belongings in one arm, her shield and bow gripped in the other, still garbed in her Amazonian armour. She hadn’t gotten the memo that civilians were to be living with them – well, hadn’t bothered to read any memos that came her way – and so hadn’t measured her entrance, or appearance, accordingly. 

	Seems she [b]was[/b] late, as no one was present to meet her. Maybe she [b]had[/b] missed the tour. That would be annoying. She didn’t even know where she was too sleep, or where anyone else was. She sighed in annoyance, before taking a deep breath.

 	[color=goldenrod]“Anyone home!”[/color] She hollered. [color=goldenrod]“Nike of the Amazons has arrived!”[/color]