Ultimate Wonder Woman #18:A Wonderful Xmas Special

[jackalope]

Ultimate Wonder Woman #18
The Wonder and the Vision: A Wonderful Christmas Special

Diana's eyes flicked side to side trying to keep track of the movement of the people that swarmed Aria's apartment. Gulping down the delicious liquid that had been given to her, she put the glass down and licked the creamy liquid from her lips. She felt uneasy, sitting on the couch with the TV blaring, whilst Aria, Iris, Etta, and half a dozen others from the apartment block, that she hadn't been able to catch the names of, seemed to run about carrying trays of food and drinks back and forth from the kitchen to a huge table that had been set up. Every time she had attempted to help, they had turned on her, telling her strictly to sit back down on the couch and relax. Diana had never experienced such a scary kindness.

She turned back to the TV to see the end of some sort of religious festivity. Thousands had gathered to pay homage to the God in red, who was being carried aloft by statues of deer, accompanied by a number of captured tree nymphs, wearing green. The fat god was smiling, laughing in fact, at the crowd of noisy children. He had a huge sack, obviously enchanted, as it seemed to carry an infinite number of brightly coloured gifts that he threw into the crowd. She couldn't shake the feeling that his coat was bathed in blood. She shivered, even though she was snugly encased in an oversized jumper (red with a triangular green tree in the centre of it), and used her foot to change the channel.

The news was reporting on a number of animal attacks. People found with their hearts removed, experts couldn't understand it. Diana bit her lip. She could still see the red headed cat woman in her memory, she should have stopped her then, but she hadn't. It had happened so fast. She closed her eyes, and flicked the channel again. She opened an eye as Superman was pulling a bus up back onto a bridge. She smiled. The flying hero waved, gallantly and flew into the distance. “And thanks to Superman, these families will be able to enjoy a very Merry Christmas of their own. Back to you.”

“Thanks Mary, and a Merry Christmas too you,” the journalist said, smiling at the camera. Dropping his grin, he became serious, “In international news, tensions rise in Bialya after claims that the nation state has its own “Super” weapons program, and is refusing to budge in letting outside investigators into its borders. The U.S. Delegate to the U.N. is currently trying to pass trade sanctions, limiting the economic aid to the country. As tensions rise and Bialya's leader refuses to comment, many experts believe that any catalyst could set this country in an all out war.” Diana frowned, switching the channel again. The Brave and the Bold, she grinned, she loved this show. Someone handed her another eggnog, which she took and said thanks. Kaldur was on, her personal favourite, he was a poor fighter, in her opinion, but he was getting better. He seemed to wield water like it was a weapon, which impressed her to no end. Plus, he had a nice smile.

Someone knocked on the door, Iris raced to answer it. Diana turned to see Iris taking a turkey from a pretty looking girl. Iris smiled at the seated Amazon, “Hope you don't mind, I just invited them.”

The girl came in, moving her hand in a small wave, “Sorry, we don't have a lot of family, so we thought... I just wanted to meet you.” Diana smiled politely, but unsure what she meant until the man in a bright coloured green and red knit jumper nervously stepped in, holding a few presents.

“Mike!” Diana leapt up, spilling her drink slightly. Putting her drink down, she hopped over her couch until she stood in front of him. She smiled, holding her arms behind her. “You look heal...”

He nodded, “Start back in full swing in the New Year...” He lingered, smiling, eyes caught on her, until his sister cleared her throat. “Oh, yes, uh, this is my sister, Jodie. Jodie, this is Diana.”

“Or is it Wonder Woman now?” Jodie said staring at the Amazon. Diana shrugged. All of a sudden, Jodie was hugging the tall woman, who awkwardly remained still, with wide eyes. “So you're the woman that saved my brother.”

“Uh. I, when, there wais...” Diana tried and stopped.

Iris took the cue. “Jodie, would you mind helping us in the kitchen?”

“Sure,” Jodie agreed. “But I'm coming back for you, this isn't over.” The smaller woman quickly joined the buzz of the kitchen, leaving her older brother and the Amazon alone. For a moment a silence built.

“Looks like we have the same stylist,” Mike tried, pointing to her jumper.

Diana laughed. “Yes we are dressed alike!” Mike laughed also at the joy she seemed to compel into the space between them. Once it died down, Diana took a breath and looked at the presents he was still holding. “Come,” she waved him into the room. “This are the sacred grove of Christ-mass,” she pointed to the huge tree that was hunkered, bent into the corner of the room, covering the side of the stairway. “I carry tree in here myself,” she smiled, pleased. Mike nodded, he could imagine. “Please put gifts under grove. Iris has telling me all of tradition, of this festivality of the God-Baby.”

“I see,” he said, unloading his gifts.

She nodded grabbing his hand, and pulling him through to the dining room, where the food was being set out. “The people of your old land feast in this day, as it shortest of winter, and then people of the Christ-baby take day as celebration of birth of new god.”

“It was originally the birthday of Mithras, a Roman god,” Iris added as she carried a bowl of roast vegetables to the table.

Diana moved to the corner of the room and crouched, pointing to a small diorama of the manger scene, carved out of wood and painted. “This is Christ-baby, born in horse stable.” She cupped her hand to her mouth conspiratorially, as if she did not want the figures to hear. Mike leaned in. “The husband-carver was not the father, it was a god.” Mike nodded and half smiled. Diana delicately touched the figures, moving them slightly closer to the small carved infant. “Other half-gods have near same birth story, Iris tell me.”

“It's true,” Iris confirmed as she placed the plates. “Buddha, Horus, Krishna, Zoroaster, Dionysus... all born of a mortal woman and the divine.”

Diana pulled the off-duty cop to the window. “Look, there.” She pointed down across the road to a man in a Santa suit ringing a bell and holding a bucket for charity. “That is the father of Christ-mass, the Santa with claws.” Mike found her arm wrap around his back as they looked out. “He a remnant of pagan wild-gods reinterpreted to fit modern capitalist consumer paradigm, and sell coke.” Mike snickered at Diana's straight face, and he looked back at Iris.

The red headed university student shrugged. “Well it's true.”

“Come on Iris,” Aria complained, bringing in the sweet-potato. “Don't ruin the holiday for her before she even gets to enjoy the fun parts. Christmas is supposed to be happy.”

“I didn't want to lie to her!” Iris said melodramatically.

The old woman walked to her granddaughter and smiled, kissing her cheek. “Never change Iris.” She turned to the others, “Shall we eat?”

* * *

In the background a strange movie played, featuring a claymation snowman and a red-nosed deer, which two of the young children from the apartments upstairs were watching. Between hungry bites, Diana glimpsed back, occasionally meeting the gaze of the children who gazed back at her. Diana would smile and wave, though sometimes it was to get them to move out of the way of the television. She tried to limit this, as the others at the table seemed keen on asking her questions.

“Where are you from Diana?” asked Tina, the mother of the two young children who were now giggling.

“Themyscira,” the Amazon answered, cutting at her meat. At the tables' questioning looks, she continued, “It island of paradise in middle of ocean, cannot be see by outside eye.”

“An invisible island in the middle of the ocean?” Alan, another renter, asked. Shovelling the turkey into her mouth she nodded.

“Why did you come to America?” Paula asked, an older lady who lived on the top floor.

“Dream,” Diana said, in between portions. “There was dream that took to here.”

“Ah,” the old lady nodded knowingly, “the American Dream.” Etta rolled her eyes.

“Who are your parents?” Jodie asked, only to be met by her brother’s glare. “...if you don't mind me asking.”

“Hyppolyta, Queen of Amazons, make me from clay,” Diana said matter-of-factly. “Great Goddesses bring me living.”

Iris suddenly sprayed lemonade from her nose. “Sorry, I'm so sorry...” Both embarrassed and compelled, she tried to dab her plate clean. “Did you say you were made of clay and brought to life? You're joking right?” Diana shook her head.

“Maybe she means metaphorically, like she was raised by a single mother..?” Alan offered.

“I don't think it's crazy,” Tina said, “we got people flyin' around, lifting buildings and such like. There was a hawk-guy with wings just the other day.”

“I think that was a costume,” commented Darryn, Tina's husband.

“The girl can leap as high as buildings and can probably throw an elephant, who's to say she's not a statue, brought to life,” Paula added.

“God made Adam out of clay, so technically we all are.” As Tina said this, Diana smiled with wide eyes.

“Come on, really?” Iris near shouted. The table looked at her and she suddenly felt ashamed. Diana, especially, seemed a little taken aback. “Sorry?”

“Crackers!” Etta announced.

“Crackers?” Diana asked, as Iris sighed gratefully.

The foil wrapped tubes were distributed around the table. People held the ends and pulled, sending small plastic toys flying around the room. Diana got a small horse, which she refused to trade with anyone, Iris got a pencil sharpener. Aria made them all read the small bad jokes from the tiny pieces of paper, of which Diana laughed heartily at about half of, and remained in thought at the rest. They were all forced to wear the paper hats that fell out. Diana's was red. Mike's pink. Desert was brought out and the table cheered. Looking around the table, at the people talking joyously, and sometimes a little angrily, but always with an easy freedom, Diana felt for the first time in a long time, homesick. It all reminded her of the feast days of the Goddesses, when the warriors would put aside their arms to drink and laugh, and her mother would seem, for small moments, less like the stern statue she was forever imitating, and more like the mother she wished she was always.

Leaning into Mike, Diana asked, “Waire is your brother of battle?”

Mike took a while to realise who she meant. “Harold? He doesn't do family holidays, I invited him, but he wasn't keen.”

“Bummer,” Iris muttered. Jodie smiled, patting her hand.

Mulled wine was distributed among the adults, Pepsi for the kids. As carols were put on in the background, Aria suggested that they open presents, which was met by huge amounts of excitement from the children and Diana. The adults sat down on the sofas around the living area, and the kids fetched the presents and distributed them, whilst frantically trying to hold out on ripping into their own. Everyone looked at one another curiously as a small heavy round disc was handed to each of them, wrapped in newspaper. Alan opened his and stared at it. “Holy shit, is this gold?”

“Sorray,” said Diana, “I did not know what was to be given...”

“We can't accept this,” Darryn said, offering it back.

His wife hit his side, “The hell we can't. We gotta' put the kids through college.”

“Really,” Aria said, with a concern look, “this is worth too much.”

Diana held her hands up, shaking her head. “Plaise, I have bag of it.”

“Thank you,” said Paula, sticking the ancient coin in her purse. Everyone else thanked her also, leaving Diana relieved and grinning. She ripped into her own presents, a box opened showed a Gateway University sweatshirt, showing the letters H C.

“Holliday College, the official name of Gateway U.,”explained Iris.

“I love,” Diana said, holding it up. Underneath there was a pamphlet for the university.

“We thought we could help you enrol,” Aria said, “if you want to, that is. You were telling Iris you wanted to learn more, and we thought... We don’t know how we'll get around to identity issue in enrolling but...”

“I think this might help,” said Mike, pulling out an envelope. “Tom Tresser said Checkmate wanted to repay you for returning the classified info.” He handed it to the Amazon.

She opened it. Inside it there was a Greek birth certificate, a passport, a prolonged visa- all under the name, “Diana Prince,” said Diana, now Prince. “Amaze.”

“I suggested the name, because, you know,” Mike handed her a thin box. “This is from me.” She opened it revealing a necklace, a brushed silver round shield with a star in the middle of it. “It's not much...”

Diana's face became slightly flush, but was unreadable. “Thank you Mike of Schorr.”

The other presents were opened. Diana also got perfume from Jodie, and a book called, 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus' from Etta, who gave a thumbs up to the Amazon's confused look. The kids got toys which made them ecstatic, and clothes, that they ignored. Iris got a box set of 'the Wire'. Aria got some new plates. Etta got a bottle of Whisky. By the end of the carol CD, and the second round of mulled wine, the guests were ready to leave. Everyone hugged one another. Diana agreed to lift each of the kids overhead by their chests one last time. The neighbours made their way back to their apartments.

“Thanks bitch,” said Etta, hugging Diana, “I guess I might see you in College sometime next year. Of course I'll be doing post-grad.”

Diana lifted her with the hug. “I see you then, bitch.” Iris laughed.

Thanking Aria and Iris, Jodie hugged them, finishing with Diana. “I approve,” she whispered in her ear. “But be gentle.” She winked and started carrying her presents out.

“Thanks for this,” said Mike to Aria and Iris. “Our Dad was Jewish so Christmas wasn't a big thing growing up, but this was nice.” He turned to Diana. “And thanks, you know, for everything.” She nodded, face still somewhat red. Aria and Iris backed away to the kitchen pretend to start cleaning.

“It is good.” Diana held her arm, nervously.

“Cool,” Mike said, instantly regretting it. He waved slightly and turned to leave. He stopped with a tug on his arm. Turning back she stepped towards him.

“Iris said of other tradition.” She pointed up. A plastic mistletoe decoration was stuck to the ceiling.

“Well we wouldn't want to mess with tradition now, would we?” Mike whispered.

They kissed.

* * *

Diana slept. For the first time in a long time she did not dream of running in a green field. Still in her bed, she heard a creaking downstairs. An unusual fear grew within her. Her eyes flicked open, and she sat up. Pulling on her Christmas jumper, she grabbed her sword. There was another creak. Tiptoeing, she quietly opened her door and made her way quietly downstairs. Moving past the tree she could see a tall figure in a hooded red coat hunched over the bowl that had contained the remaining mulled wine. The figure, with his back to the Amazon, leaned back and downed the bowl. Diana felt like a small child, seeing something secret that she shouldn't be, but couldn't place why.

“Santa?” Her meek question made the figure freeze. It slowly placed the bowl down, then its back started to move up and down.

A slow laughter started to grow, a deep “Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho...” The figure started to turn around. The man was large, but not fat like she imagined he should be. He was bearded, but instead of white, it was jet black, wild and straggly. His eyes were jet black, which disturbed her but not as much as the two huge bull-like horns that stuck out from under his hood, and ivy hung around his neck. “No child, not Santa Claus. But announce it to the world, I return...”

Diana awoke, panting.