Chapter 1 - Chapter One

How many teens ever got to go to space?! Not many, probably. That thought was spinning through Courntey Whitmore's mind as she stood in a waiting room at the Justice League Watchtower, gazing through one of the windows down to Earth below. It was still a little difficult to tell just why her belly was feeling wobbly - it could've easily been because of the experience of getting teleported from the surface the very first time, but much more likely it was due to the fact that this was the single most important moment of her young life. An interview with the Justice League. The Justice League! Superman and Batman and Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter, and--

"Eaaaaasy, Courtney, deep breaths, deep breaths," the girl pressed a hand to the window, lifting her shoulders as she struggled to take her own advice. While she leaned forward, her other palm tightened against the hilt of the Cosmic Staff - that marvel of technology that allowed her to access her powers. It was as much a part of her identity as bat-shaped gadgets were to Batman, and when she finally lifted her head once more she caught sight of its reflection in the window. With a boldening breath, the fifteen-year-old stepped back, taking one last opportunity to judge her appearance before someone came to meet her. "All right, let's see...hair? Check. Staff? Check. Outfit?"

"Check," the voice that entered the room was feminine in tone, playful and even teasing. Upon hearing it, Courtney practically yelped as she spun around, moving so swiftly that her teenage rump bumped against the Watchtower window. With cheeks red and the butterflies in her belly firmly asserting themselves, the girl looked at the nearby open door and stared in awe at the woman that stood before it. "W...Wow."

Wonder Woman, in all of her glory. She was even taller and buffer in real life! The raven-haired Amazon stood with a hand gently resting on her hip, a pleasant smile on her face and her eyes kind and inviting. She was dressed exactly as Courtney would've expected from all of her appearances on the news - from the armored magical bracelets, the red, white and blue uniform that tightly gripped the perfect figure, to the tiara that sat upon her head giving her the royal bearing she deserved. Even the golden lasso was present, hanging from the hero's hip and swaying gently as she took a step further into the room. Every piece of armor and clothing was clean and crisp and practically sparkling, and every bit of visible flesh was toned and cream-colored and seemed to exude strength. Even those copious breasts practically pouring out of her snug-fitting chest piece looked like they were impervious to bullets...probably because they were.

She was everything that a young teen girl from the suburbs imagined her to be. A celebration of beauty, kindness, and heroism all rolled into one.

"That...that door is really quiet," Courtney just barely managed to squeak out, pointing to the silent, sliding door that allowed Wonder Woman to sneak up on her. "I...I wasn't talking to myself! I was talking to, uh...uh...my staff! Yep! The Cosmic Staff!" She suddenly pushed it forward, slamming its butt on the floor. "I do that sometimes! It helps me stay focused on...on being a better hero!"

Already she knew...she was blowing this. The talking to herself. The rambling. The staring at Wonder Woman. As she stood there, the blonde managed to catch one glimpse of her reflection in the nearby window again, though this time it only made every insecurity she had flare to life with greater intensity. Compared to Wonder Woman she was...scrawny. Nearly two feet shorter, with a slender gymnast's body that lacked even an ounce of the well-sculpted muscles that Wonder Woman possessed. Her curly blonde hair combined with her cute, star-spangled outfit certainly gave her the aesthetic of a hero, but...that flat chest, that exposed teenage midriff, the fact that she was wearing shorts?! Ugh! Why did she go with shorts?!

Thankfully, before Courtney could fret for much longer in silence, the soothing, relaxed voice of Wonder Woman filled the air once more. This time it was offered up in a much less teasing fashion, and as she spoke she began to approach - moving with a gentle grace that was downright surprising considering her incredible power. She moved to stand within a few feet of the young woman before offering her a pleasant smile, and even gestured to the reflection that Stargirl was clearly staring at.

"Relax, Stargirl, there's no need to be nervous," she offered in calm, collected fashion. As her head turned to study the reflection, her smile intensified in its mature and comforting fashion. "Look at that. Two heroes in nearly-matching outfits. Is it any wonder that I volunteered to be the one to show you the ropes, considering how you're already dressed like my sidekick?"

"Ha! Wonder! I get i--" Courtney blinked as she processed the rest of the older woman's words, and then yanked her staff close. She held it with both hands, hugging it against herself with knees shaking and her belly doing flips, eyes wide and a sudden, intense blush sweeping over her face. Though half of it was covered with the patriotic blue mask, her cheeks were nonetheless a vibrant, visceral red at the prospect. "W-Wait, what?! Show me the ropes? Sidekick? Volunteered?! Does...does that mean I'm really in?! I thought this was like...like an interview!"

"Your 'interview' was us watching all the good you've done on your own, Courtney," the kind smile of the older woman continued, and Wonder Woman stepped a bit closer. When she stretched out a powerful hand to close it around Courtney's shoulder, Stargirl practically crumbled right then and there. There was just enough pressure to force the fifteen-year-old to straighten her legs and make an effort to stay standing, a small trial of her might applied by a kindly - but still teasing - older woman. And while she forcibly made Courtney stand tall, her words served to inspire her to do just that. "The Justice League is always looking for new, brave heroes. As soon as we saw what you could do, we knew we wanted you on board."

"R...Really?" Stargirl still couldn't quite believe it, swallowing nervously as she shuffled her feet and tightened her hands against the hilt of the Cosmic Staff. She could feel her cheeks darkening anew - something she fully expected when teleporting up to the Watchtower, but not quite so much as this. With Wonder Woman's hand on her shoulder the blonde offered a tiny nod, doing her best to stand upright and put on a brave front as she did so. "I...I won't let you down, Wonder Woman! I mean, uh, Ms. Wonder Woman!"

"Call me Diana," the reassuring voice continued, just as she allowed her hand to leave. Her force of presence was such that Stargirl could still faintly feel the lingering impact, the weight of the older woman's grip hanging against her flesh. It seemed all the heavier considering the trust Wonder Woman was putting in her, up to and including when she slowly turned on a heel, only to cast a glance over her shoulder with a smile. "I've got faith in you, Stargirl. You're clearly very mature for your age."

And with that, Wonder Woman gestured for Courtney to follow, casually walking to the door leading to the hallway. The rest of Courtney Whitmore's day would be filled with meeting new heroes, touring the Justice League Watchtower, and preparing for a whole new stage of her life. A junior member of the Justice League...and Wonder Woman's personal protege.

How lucky could one girl get?

***

Two months in, and Stargirl was still a junior member of the League, but according to Diana? She was destined for stardom for sure. Two months of fighting big name villains beside even bigger name heroes, two months of rubbing elbows with the likes of Black Canary and Supergirl, two months of soaring high and learning from the very best. With Wonder Woman taking the curly-haired blonde under her wing, Courtney was learning more and more every day. Not just about how to be a hero, but what it actually meant. The importance of being a symbol that people could look up to. The critical degree to which the public had to put their trust in them. Courtney hung on the older woman's every word during their long and lingering talks late at night after returning from a mission, and it wasn't even all that uncommon for the fifteen-year-old to doze off mid-conversation in Diana's office, only to wake up tucked-in back in her quarters.

And...and she had her own quarters! Even now, she could barely think about it without giggling. Her own room in the Justice League Watchtower, and even though it wasn't very big, it was more than enough for a young fangirl-turned-hero to treat as a second home. She had a single-sized bed and a large dresser for her clothes and hero equipment, and a full length mirror on the far wall which she spent countless hours posing in front of and trying to improve her "game face." She was doing just that one lazy afternoon at the Watchtower, with no assignments on the docket and the teen simply waiting to be called into duty.

"Not so fast, Captain Cold!" Courtney glared at the mirror, spinning the Cosmic Staff before jutting the point of it outwards. She knit her brow and scrunched her nose, trying her best to emulate how Diana looked in moments of intensity. "I think it's time I put your villainous schemes...on ice!"

She paused, pursed her lips as she gazed in the mirror, and quickly shook her head.

"Noooo, that's too corny. Diana'd never say that," she mumbled, tapping her chin until she worked out a new line. Again she posed, this time with the Cosmic Staff leaning to an angle, one foot lifted to rest against it in a flashier, more stylish pose. "Well well, Captain Cold! I'd better put you back in the freezer before you hurt yourself!"

Courtney nearly dropped the staff and made a wild yelp as there was a knock on the door, a split-second before it simply opened without the invitation. Sure enough, Wonder Woman stood there and simply let herself in, as she always tended to do. Teacher's privilege, Courtney supposed. That afternoon, the princess of Themyscira was dressed rather casually - a pair of long, loose-fitting dress pants and a tucked-in navy shirt, with every button secured save for the top two. She was still wearing her bracers but every other piece of her usual loadout was nowhere to be seen, most likely tucked away in her own, much larger quarters. Even without the tiara and the lasso, however, she still looked like she could beat down anyone from at least two galaxies away.

"Do we have an intruder?" the older woman spoke to her young friend, closing the door behind them with a tiny chuckle. "Something about Captain Cold in your room?"

"Uh...n-no, you...uh...you probably mishea--" Courtney bit her lips together as Diana arched her brow, before sheepishly kicking a heel and fessing up in a tiny voice. "I was just...working on my poses."

"Your...poses?" The smile that continued on Diana's lips maintained, even as she leaned back on her heels and gently hitched one hand against her waist. The look on her face was clearly more curious than mocking, and that followed suit with how she always treated Courtney. She never dismissed her. Never derided her. If her powerful young apprentice ever had a concern or even wanted to talk, the Amazon was immediately on hand to lend her ear...and a strong, toned shoulder to lean on, if needed. She took a few seconds to piece together just what it was that Courtney was doing, before offering a soft chuckle as she took a step closer. "I see! Your heroic condemnation of their villainous deeds! It truly is an important aspect of our work. What a clever protege you are, putting in the extra effort!"

"T...Thank you!" Courtney's blush emerged once more, and she could only barely contain the giggle rising up from the back of her throat. The girl was dressed in her full hero's outfit, just as she almost always was on the Watchtower - just in case. That blue midriff, long-sleeved shirt and adorable matching shorts, and her curly golden hair framing cute features half-hidden by her mask. Stargirl would always look more endearing than intimidating, which was why it was so important for her to practice! "Diana? Could you show me some of yours?"

"I'd be happy to," came the chuckling response, just as the towering woman closed the distance between them. Still standing nearly two feet over her young charge, still with a copious bustline that began well over Courtney's head, the Amazon turned to the mirror and took a long, deep breath. Even dressed in casual clothing, she still looked intimidating as she banged her bracers against each other with a fierce clang, her arms crossing just underneath her chin and her eyes narrowing with a brave fury. She went from an athletic-looking civilian to a hero in khakis in a split-second, and as she stared at both of their reflections in the mirror, her voice filled the room with a booming, brave tone. "Captain Cold, it looks like I have to put your evil plans...on ice!"

"That's what I said, oh my gosh!" Courtney couldn't help but giggle, but swiftly joined in on the fun. Spinning on a heel, she clutched the Cosmic Staff and pointed it outwards to the mirror, just as she squeezed her back against the side of Diana. Like a true sidekick, she gave the older woman the spotlight, but still did her own heroic best to accent Wonder Woman's pose. "You won't get away from Wonder Woman and Stargirl! Nobody ever does!"

The two stood in their impromptu poses for a few seconds, before smiles began to crack against their lips and they soon suddenly folded into a fit of shared laughter. Wonder Woman's voice filled the air with her typical booming nature, shameless in her mirth and moving to close an arm around her teenage sidekick. Stargirl's giggle was softer but no less genuine, and when Diana's hand came around her shoulder she was more than happy to be pressed against her, facing the raven-haired woman with a look of adoration on her face. Diana was just...so cool! Kind and considerate and fun, sweet and doting and always happy to help when she was needed! As the two stood in the mirror looking at their reflections, Diana allowed her arm to remain around Courtney's shoulders for a long moment, even as the girl settled in and the moment of mirth started to subside.

"My my, just look at us, won't you?" The older hero asked, squeezing a little harder. "On Themyscira, it takes my Amazon sisters years to build up the sort of bond that we have after only just a few short months! You truly are something special, Stargirl. I'm honored to have you as a protege."

"I...g...gosh, Diana, I…" Courtney nibbled her bottom lip, face erupting into a heavy red blush upon the impact of Diana's words. "I...goodness, I just never know how to respond when you say things like that!" And Diana did, indeed, say things like that often. "I mean I...whew, it makes me feel so great when you do, but it's still almost like a dream. Like...I'm Wonder Woman's sidekick! If you told me this is where I'd be two months ago, I would've never believed it!" A small pause, before she practically squeaked. "I mean...I would definitely have believed you, because you're freakin' Wonder Woman and you're the coolest hero in the world, but…"

"Now who's the one quick with the compliments, hmm?" The older woman let a toying, playing look dance across her features for a moment, and in the same instant pressed Courtney a little harder against her. Enough so that Courtney could breathe in her aroma, feel her warmth, and of course, experience just how strong her mentor was. "Courtney, I am every bit as speechless to the kind things you say about me. On Themyscira we don't often call our sisters-in-arms...uhm...what was it you called me yesterday?"

"Amazeballs," Courtney murmured, almost shamefully as she closed her hand across her face. "It just slipped out. You punched Livewire into Cheetah and knocked them both out at once. I didn't know how else to describe it."

"Well, my brave young friend, you are rather 'amazeballs' yourself," Diana chuckled fondly, before her free hand suddenly stretched out. It crossed the distance over her body to slip one single, strong finger underneath Courtney's chin, forcing the girl's head to tilt upward and look at her. Holding the blonde within the firm shadow of her one-armed embrace, keeping their eyes matched and their faces a mere foot or so away, Diana Prince gazed fondly upon the features of her masked sidekick. There were a great many things present on her face, at least so far as Courtney could tell. Joy. Camaraderie. Pride. It was enough for the butterflies in the girl's belly to go wild, up until the point that Diana slid her palm upward to properly cradle the fifteen-year-old's chin, at which point the butterflies went absolutely berserk. With her thumb tracing back and forth across Courtney's chin just underneath her lower lip, with her fingers bridged underneath her jaw, Wonder Woman couldn't help but offer a broad, beaming smile as she spoke in a voice that was soft, yet preciously intense in tone. "The more time we spend together, the more I don't want it to end."

With that, Diana gently released Stargirl's chin, turning on a heel and humming casually as she made her way to the door. She swaggered with the sort of confidence that Stargirl could only hope to possess one day - a confidence that indeed, Diana Prince might even teach her. As she made her way near the exit, Diana lifted a hand and casually twirled a finger through the air, her voice chirping out once more just before she stepped back into the hall again.

"Keep up the posing practice, Stargirl! That's an order!" she paused, only long enough to cast a half-glance back to study the young woman one last time. "My sidekick needs to know the exact positions I want her in."

***

Another two months in, and things were going better than ever. Stargirl and Wonder Woman, practically attached at the hip, saving the day on a nightly basis! Thankfully, school was out for the summer, and Courntey's step-dad and mom weren't all that concerned about her staying out late at night fighting crime. After all, she was with Wonder Woman! What could possibly go wrong? Together, the two took down threats both pedestrian and cosmic in nature, beating down the likes of Poison Ivy, Felix Faust, and even an intrusion by the Red Lantern Corps! Together, the two worked wonderfully with Diana being the frontline muscle and Courtney flying about, shooting blasts from the Cosmic Staff or taking moments of opportunity to rush in for a sneak attack.

The lithe gymnast's body was certainly getting more toned thanks to all the extra effort, too! Her muscles were as taut and ready as ever, each one like a coiled spring waiting for the call of action yet again. With Diana overseeing her weight training and even being kind enough to spot her during workout sessions, she was in the best shape of her fifteen-year-old life! And never could she remember ever being happier.

She was doing what she loved. Doing something that helped thousands of people. And she was doing it not in the shadow of one of her heroes...but right at her side. Every time she and Diana were put before a news camera she couldn't help but smile from ear to ear, giving two big thumbs-up as the quirky, cute sidekick to the most prominent heroic woman in the world. She was absolutely living the dream, and when she and Diana returned to the Watchtower late that night, she was about to take yet another step into the bigger, wider world that was opening up to her.

"You did wonderfully today, Stargirl," Diana beamed, clapping her sidekick on the back as they teleported back to the tower. The process didn't make Courtney woozy anymore - but that didn't mean Wonder Woman's arms didn't still give her butterflies. "Solomon Grundy didn't know what hit him. Once again, I'm left beaming in pride at how far my young warrior has progressed."

"G...Gee, Diana, thanks so much," the praise came from Diana often, and Courtney never got tired of hearing it. Walking with her Cosmic Staff clutched close, she kept pace with the older woman as they moved across the landing platform and to the halls leading to the residential area. She assumed that it'd be like any other night - coming back from "work," heading to their own individual quarters to unwind. "I'll see you tomorrow morning? I don't have to be home until Monday, so...so maybe we could have breakfast together! Ohh! I know how to make the best pancakes!" A pause. "I know how to make pancakes!" Another pause. "I can learn how to make pancakes!"

Diana, as she so often was, found herself delighted by the young woman. Her arm remained tight around Courtney's shoulders while they walked, finally reaching the hallway leading down the hall to the League's quarters. Courtney's tiny room wasn't far off, and the girl was left with a curiously raised brow when Diana simply walked her right past it. She smiled kindly as she did so, gesturing with her free hand as she swept Courtney's gaze further down the path ahead.

"We can certainly join each other for breakfast, but I have no intention of ending our time together this evening," she spoke in her bold warrior's voice, like she was about to summon them to battle once more. The voice of an Amazon of Themyscira, always eager to rush to the side of her sisters-in-arms. "I believe I'll be taking a shower, Courtney, to wipe away the sweat of battle. Perhaps you would care to join me?"

"What?!" Courtney said the word so loud that her voice nearly boomed through the halls, and she had to cling her staff to her body before she accidentally dropped it. Her face went instantly red and her eyes took an enormous look, knees going weak as she gazed at the larger woman. "You...you want to...do what?!"

"Hmm? Why, shower, of course! Why, yo--ohhh," Wonder Woman paused mid-word, her free hand moving up to idly rub at her chin. She was swift to clarify, but even as she did so she continued walking, moving them further down the hall towards her quarters. "You misunderstand, Stargirl. On Themyscira, bathing with your fellow Amazons is a way to bond after a long battle! We scrub the sweat and dirt from one another, pay homage to the scars our enemies left, clean each other's hair as a sign of our fond respect! It is something I have only shared with a rare few here at the Watchtower, and...I would be honored if I could count you among them."

Courtney was still trying to wrap her head around everything by the time Diana stopped in her tracks, turned to face the young woman, and gave her a choice. Her smile was gentle and understanding just as the finger tilting underneath Courtney's chin was soft and sweet, even though by her sheer presence she served as a strong, intimidating figure. Some things couldn't be helped.

"Well, Courtney?" it was rare of her to use the girl's real name, another sign of respect. "I can count you among my most trusted sisters-in-arms, can't I? Won't you join me?"

Nervously, Courtney shuffled on her feet and nibbled her lower lip. She fidgeted with the Cosmic Staff and let her eyes dart down the hall Diana was leading her through, admittedly curious just what her mentor's quarters looked like. There was no way that her mom and step-dad would approve of her showering with anybody, let alone a certified hero that was more than twice her age, and yet...Diana had been nothing but kind to her. Understanding. Accommodating. Supportive. She worked to nurture Courtney as a hero and as a budding young woman, and there was nobody that the curly-haired blonde trusted more than the impressive, flawless hero that had been so endlessly good to her.

Courtney's answer danced across her tongue before she even truly processed it, rocking forward on her toes and giving a happy, enthusiastic nod.

"Absolutely!"

***

"Wow," Courtney whispered to herself a few moments later, nibbling her bottom lip and looking from side to side. "Her bathroom is...way nicer than mine."

It truly was. As a founding member of the Justice League, Diana's entire room was more like a suite in a five-star hotel, and that included a bathroom that was larger than the top floor of her house. It was styled in a way that was clearly meant for Diana to feel at home, with Greek pillars and architecture, a marble floor and a large, regal bathtub that could easily accommodate a small group of Amazons. While Diana was one room over getting ready, Stargirl had been tasked with stripping down and preparing to join her mentor in the shower, something the young woman was still nervously nibbling at. Taking up a large corner of the room, Diana's shower was closed off with a large glass door with an opaque tint, though Courtney could still see overhead that there were four separate nozzles ready to bathe whoever stepped inside. It was big enough that the two women could both stand on either end and not be able to reach each other, and Courtney didn't quite know if that gave her some level of comfort or disappointment. Before she allowed herself to fret too much she turned to face the mirror sitting above a massive sink, taking a long, deep breath as she gazed at her young figure.

"This...this is really weird," she whispered to herself, hands lifting and her thumbs hooking underneath the lip of her mask. As she slowly pulled it up and over her head, looping her curly blonde locks through the hole, she swiftly tried to shake out the cobwebs and wrap her thoughts around this new change in routine. Would Diana be asking to shower with her every time they returned from battle? Was this some kind of a reward for helping take down a threat as big as Grundy? She'd have countless questions in the future, but for now...for now, she had a simple job to do: get undressed. "It..it'll be fine, Courtney. Just take it slow. Deep breaths. And don't stare."

The last one would be particularly difficult.

Working with trembling fingers and a racing heart, Courtney went about her duty, peeling away her costume bit by bit. The gloves. The boots. A small wiggle of her hips to free her of the shorts, and then a small stretch to squeeze out of the tight-fitting chestpiece that usually kept her looking so patriotic. A blush appeared on her face when she gazed in the mirror only to realize just how boring her undergarments were - plain white cotton?! It looked like her mom picked them out! She was so taken aback by the bland look that she stripped out of her underthings almost immediately, not even giving a second thought to the fact that she was officially naked in Wonder Woman's room. That particular thought didn't dawn on her until she took a half-step back and finally looked at herself, a gasp escaping the back of her throat and one hand immediately shifting forward, covering the tiny patch of blonde hair that sat nestled above a teenage slit.

Butterflies rolled inside of Courtney like they never had before. Her body was lined with tremendous goosebumps that she wasn't sure would ever fade, and the blush that dashed over her face seemed absolutely intent on creeping all the way down to her tiny bust. Her breasts were genuinely modest, especially compared to Diana Prince's, and though she had always told herself that they'd grow in eventually, it hardly seemed to be the case. It only made the girl all the more nervous, with feelings of inadequacy slowly starting to creep into her mind.

She wasn't given a chance to think about such matters, however, for it was only a few seconds before the bathroom door finally opened. Like so many times, Diana simply invited herself into a room Courtney was sitting and dwelling in thought, though this time her entrance was more eye catching than ever. When Courtney looked to the older woman she nearly gasped in surprise, eyes widening and her throat tightening, a small squeak escaping the back of her throat.

"Courtney. Are you prepared?"

Diana Prince - the Wonder Woman - stood in the doorway of her bathroom, wearing nothing but a long, fluffy white towel tied around her chest that kept the most tantalizing parts of her flawless physique hidden. Her eyes remained locked on Courtney's own, refusing to stray to the fifteen-year-old's own naked form. After all, that would be inappropriate. Diana stretched a hand forward with a kind smile, and gestured to the shower with a tiny bob of her head.

"Come." The older woman cooed, inviting Courtney's fingers into her palm. "I'll show you how the Amazons celebrate their sisters-in-arms."

End of Chapter One.