Chapter Text
Artemis' mood was in the trenches, the lowest it had ever been.
But that was to be expected because somehow, Artemis had stumbled upon a cursed statue in the middle of her pursuit of the bow of Ra and was now a dog. No matter how she tried to get rid of this form, she couldn't turn back into human or communicate with others.
What made it even worse was that she was stuck in Gotham City of all places.
Gotham!
It would've been marginally better if she had landed in any other city or state, but her cursed luck had brought her to Gotham City, the land of the Bats and their prey, of all places!
She snarled to herself as she walked along the pavement, dodging bikes and people coming too close to her.
At some point, she had to bite through the hand of someone who tried to grab her, clearly some sort of animal trafficker.
"Fuck!" The man cursed. "You mangy bitch!"
Without hesitation, Artemis ran until she felt safe again, not smelling or hearing that man and his people nearby. She had found herself in some sort of alley that was in the middle of nowhere. She could smell a strange scent, one that was oddly pleasant and attractive, but she didn't bother to follow it. In fact, it angered her further that she was even smelling at all, completely unlike how a human would smell.
Instead, she could only hop around as a dog in futile rage at the fact that she was an animal that couldn't do anything else.
In frustration, she scratched at the ground with her claws. Her paws chafed and her fur felt sticky and gross after the man tried touching her. She couldn't even summon Mistress to her, so she, who was once one of the best warriors in Bana-Mighdall, could only be a defenseless dog.
Being a dog was the worst thing that could've happened to her.
She tried to shout and when it came out in a bark, the sound only infuriated her further.
"Bastet! Sekmet! Isis!" In vain, she called for help but it was useless. "Ra! Horis!"
No matter who she called, they would not answer her.
Artemis growled. "Tch! If I was human again, I wouldn't have to—"
Before she could continue her ranting to herself, a voice spoken in a canine language suddenly burst out in excitement.
"Did you say human?! You're also human?"
Astonished, Artemis turned around into the alley.
There, in the darkness, was a tall and large, black furred dog. It had bright, haunting blue eyes and a similarly colored ribbon around its neck. The dog jumped up and down in excitement before rushing over, nearly bowling her over, despite its much skinnier frame.
"You're a human like me, right?! Oh my gosh! I can't believe it! I thought I'd be alone like this for the rest of my life!" The dog cheered.
Artemis blinked in shock before she asked dumbly, "You were also human?"
She came closer, taking a few curious sniffs. The other dog smelled faintly sweet, her pheromones telling her that she was an adult and female. Frankly, she smelled delectable, which was odd because no other dog smelled like this to Artemis.
The other dog approached as well, also sniffing her. "You smell good," she said shamelessly, nose coming close to Artemis' midriff.
The statement was absurd enough that it snapped Artemis of her daze. She whirled back to the dog's face and asked, "How? If you were a human like me, how did you become a dog?"
The dog sighed, looking weary.
"It's a long story. A spell misfired towards me two days ago and I became a dog and I don't know where I am, either... I tried to figure out where Gotham City was, but it must not be a major city because I can't recognize it."
Artemis was even more dumbfounded.
Not a major city?
Gotham? Of all places?
Artemis voiced her confusion. "You do not know about Gotham City?"
The dog seemed a tad ashamed, her ears lowering as she pawed at the ground a little.
"I know most of the major cities within the United States for each state, but I can't recognize Gotham City. I don't know where it is, but I believe it's close to a body of water due to the sound of the rivers nearby."
Artemis stared at her with a confused expression for a long while before she said, "Gotham City is located on the coast of New Jersey. It's one of the major cities within the United States, almost on par with Metropolis."
The other dog froze.
".... I don't recognize that city either."
They stared at each other before the other dog then said, "Can you name a few more major cities? What place is this?"
Artemis could now see that something definitely wasn't right.
She began talking, "Well, there are major cities such as Jump City and Gateway City. They're both located in California and home to heroes like Troia and Wonder Woman. This city that we’re in is called Gotham City, home to the Bats, a group of human vigilantes who fight crime. Gotham City is especially infamous for its high levels of crime and insane villains."
Artemis wasn't sure how, but the other dog very accurately showed off a look of pure horror and shock as her jaw dropped and her eyes widened.
"Jump City and Gateway City? Villains?! Vigilantes?!?"
Artemis felt disgruntled and a tad irritated by the dog’s shock. She didn’t have time to wait and soothe this ignorant person, but the dog suddenly dropped to the ground and buried her head in her paws, whimpering.
"Oh Toto, we're definitely not in Kansas anymore," she mumbled to herself in despair.
Artemis blinked. "Can you please explain your thoughts to me?"
"I don't think I'm in the right dimension anymore! Unless you're lying to me, this isn't my world! My world doesn't have places called Central City, Jump City, Metropolis, or Gotham City at all! And I also know that my world only has one hero! An entire group is too much and doesn't exist!" She said in a rush, standing up to pace around the area.
Artemis watched her panic for a moment before she said, "Where are you from? What's your name?"
The dog paused and then she said nervously, "Oh, I'm sorry, it was rude of me not to introduce myself. My name is Jazz, and I'm from Amity Park in Illinois."
Not a city that Artemis recognized, but she cared little for American lands.
"I am Artemis, from the Amazons of Bana-Mighdall. It is located in Iraq," Artemis said with a little bow of her head.
"Hello, Artemis," Jazz said, far more demurely now.
Artemis observed her closely, inspecting her.
Jazz was some sort of long limbed dog with thick black fur and droopy ears. Even her snout was long, making her look like a mix of both silly and elegant. Her tail was long and it wagged behind her slowly.
"Hello, Jazz," Artemis replied after a moment. "Shall we compare notes to what happened to us? Maybe it will calm you down."
"Oh! Err, yes please!"
She fumbled with herself, stumbling over her own feet before approaching Artemis almost shyly. Her long tail swished behind her, wagging back and forth.
No matter how much Artemis looked at her, she looked like a silly dog.
She couldn't help but be reminded of Akila.
Strong, noble, brave Akila who would've already made a plan for the both of them. Akila who would've reassured her and then brought them both to safety before breaking the curse over her. Akila who would've never lost the Bow of Ra in the first place.
Artemis was pulled out of her thoughts by Jazz snuffling near her again. Artemis reared back with a sharp snap of her jaws.
Jazz whined softly, ears drooping as she also pulled back. "Sorry," she said, "the instincts get kind of strong after a while."
Artemis snorted contemptuously. "Please step away from me."
Jazz slowly took a step back and didn't say another word. She gave off the feeling of being upset, but Artemis did not care enough to console her.
She had no time.
However, the silence was truly uncomfortable and she didn't wish to make an enemy of the other cursed woman just yet.
Artemis huffed and then said, "I am almost unsure of how I was cursed. I was searching for something in one of the museums here in Gotham when I stumbled upon an old statue. I believe it was cursed and turned me into this, but similarly to you, I was in another place before I was teleported here."
Jazz was quiet for a moment before she said aloud, "So our methods of becoming dogs are different. What did the statue look like?"
Artemis did not think she would be able to identify it, but she still said, "It was on the smaller side, silver, and with a female hunter attached to it. There were various half circles all around.”
Jazz was quiet before she said, "It may be a statue of a goddess. But I am unsure if the gods we share are similar." She shook her head, being very careful to avoid getting close to Artemis again after she had snapped at her.
Artemis was annoyed by her waffling. "Out with it. Who do you think it is?"
Jazz was silent for another moment longer before she said slowly, “If it's a woman with a bow and several half circles, then I might be able to guess. In my world, there is a Greek goddess named Artemis or Roman Diana, who was a huntress with hunting dogs. She’s associated with the moon and dogs are one of her prized animals, alongside deer. She is also known to curse those she dislikes into animals."
Artemis couldn't hold back the bark of laughter she released.
How ironic.
Artemis or Diana was the one who had cursed her.
Jazz made a confused noise. "Does she not exist in this world?"
"No," Artemis said, somewhat bitterly, "the Greek pantheon and their Roman counterparts exist here too. It sounds similar as to what you described."
Jazz just tilted her head.
Artemis felt even more antsy and uncomfortable with those words. Her skin felt tight on her, as if caging her in and she desperately wanted to be human again, to have Mistress in her hands and to feel strong.
"That is somewhat of a lead," Artemis said. "Now we must find shelter first before night falls."
Jazz nodded and remained silent, her tail picking up speed slightly from behind her. Artemis felt something within her loosen at the sight, as if knowing that whatever dark mood that Jazz was in had dispersed.
She only huffed again and turned. "Come. Follow me."
"Do you know where we're going?" Jazz asked.
Artemis replied, "I have lived long enough on my own to know what to do. Just be silent."
Jazz huffed through her nose and her claws scraped against the ground briefly before she followed along silently.
Artemis' ears perked up at the sound but said nothing.
The two of them remained silent as they travelled through the streets of Gotham City.
The place smelled terrible but Artemis tried not to focus on her senses. Just thinking of how everything was so loud and smelly and different colors from her canine vision. Color was barely discernible beyond everything else. Everything seemed to be covered in a film of shades of gray and blue and yellow and she felt even more furious at the injustice of it all.
Neither of them spoke and Jazz followed her faithfully, her tail wagging gently as she occasionally lagged behind to sniff at something interesting.
Artemis ignored her and didn't bother waiting for her. She needed to find someplace to rest and use as a headquarters first before she could plan her next steps.
No matter what, even if she was a dog now, she couldn't forget her goal of finding the Bow of Ra.
They were passing over a particularly odorous alley when Jazz spoke up.
"Uhm. Artemis? I smell something—"
In order to ignore her, Artemis entered the alley.
Her eyes narrowed at the rain puddles on the ground and the piles of trash but she stepped over them regardless, determined to continue without any hesitation.
There had been plenty of times when she had been distracted, been uncertain, or insecure. It had always been Akila who guided her, and she would continue to guide her now, even if only in memory.
Behind her, Jazz called from a distance away, “Artemis! Art— Temy! I really don’t think this is a good path to follow!”
Artemis sighed and stopped. “Unless you have a better idea, either follow me or leave.”
There was silence before she could hear the soft scratches of Jazz’s claws on concrete following behind her.
Artemis rolled her canine shoulders slightly, feeling her hackles rise. The presence of another dog at her back made her feel uncomfortable, but when she tilted her head and spotted Jazz at the corner of her vision, following her obediently, she calmed.
She continued on without another pause. She had been deliberately suppressing her sense of smell as she walked through, so she didn’t catch the faint whiff of a familiar scent until it was too late.
“Artemis—!”
A grimy hand grabbed at her fur and Artemis involuntarily yelped.
“There you are! I got you now! You’re coming with me, dammit! A purebred looking breed like you will catch me a good penny!” The man snarled.
Artemis recognized the animal trafficker from earlier and she was furious.
How dare he touch her and insult her like this? How dare he catch her off guard? How dare she allow herself to wallow so much in frustration that she didn’t even notice this small-time crook hiding in this alley?
She ducked from his hand, feeling some of her fur being pulled off. She didn’t hesitate to bite into his wrist again, achingly hard, not letting go until he screamed satisfyingly in her ears. He had bandaged the wound from when she had bitten him earlier, but her teeth cut through it like butter, sinking into him.
He tried to shake her off but her fangs dug into his flesh like barbs, unrelenting. It wasn’t until he took his other hand to punch at her head that she pulled off with a faint whine, her skull pounding with a newborn headache.
Behind her, Artemis could hear Jazz gasp and snarl loudly.
The man tried to grab at her again, but even though Artemis was dizzy, she still snapped her jaws threateningly. Neither of the two women expected the bat that the man then brought out in righteous fury.
With a bleeding, mangled wrist, the man swung it at Artemis.
Artemis couldn't dodge in time. As a dog, she was still somewhat slow to react and the bat came full swinging at her, slamming into her chest. Flung back by the force, she smacked against the wall with a thud. She wheezed from the impact, flailing from the sharp burst of pain, but thankfully, her fur cushioned most of it.
Stars danced across her vision and she barely held back a whimper that crawled out of her throat like a thready whine. Her head was already hurting and now pain sparked through her back and ribs.
But before she could fully react and get her revenge, Jazz lunged forward and bit through the neck of her assailant, jumping impossibly high to snap her jaws around his neck.
She was a blur as the two then staggered from the collision and their combined weights slamming into each other.
The man screamed and dropped the bat but Jazz didn’t hold back.
Her long snout snapped closed around the man's neck, blood gushing through as Jazz snarled loudly, her paws scrabbling for purchase as both of them then tumbled backwards. Together, they teetered but the man was unable to grasp at Jazz accurately as she bit down over and over again.
Artemis watched in shock as the seemingly pampered girl-turned-dog mauled the man with her jaws, her claws and teeth ripping into flesh and veins. Blood spurted everywhere and the man gurgled in protest, his struggles weakening as Jazz bit into his throat. Crimson pooled underneath him but Jazz didn't let up.
It was complete and utter carnage as man and dog struggled against each other.
When she was done, the man was still twitching in silent agony and her face was covered in blood, making her black fur stick together.
The sounds of heavy breathing filled the air of the alley, alongside a sweet, metallic scent that Artemis could practically taste through her tongue.
Artemis was shocked into speechlessness.
When she pulled back, Jazz wobbled on her legs before she shook herself off, the action looking almost innocent like a dog being wet from water rather than blood, and then turned before she approached Artemis again. Artemis was silent as Jazz stopped in front of her, looming over her limp body.
Her heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.
How had she never noticed how big Jazz was as a dog?
Jazz tilted her head, staring down at her. Her bright turquoise eyes, which only highlighted the unsettling nature of her body, peered down at her from above like a vengeful goddess.
Covered in blood and black all over, Jazz looked particularly like a jackal ready to bring her down to the underworld.
When she bent down closer to her, Artemis couldn't help but flinch.
Then Jazz gave her a gentle lick.
Artemis blinked.
Jazz pulled back and asked, "Sorry, was that weird? I thought maybe our dog brains would find it comforting or something."
"Should I be worried that your first method to comfort me was by licking me?" Artemis asked dryly.
She resisted the urge to shudder as her body relaxed every so slightly.
She tried to get on her feet but her chest felt heavy and it ached like a sharp stone had replaced her heart, digging into her ribs.
It was perhaps a bone fracture or a break, but Artemis had no idea what a dog would feel like. Not to mention, her head was still throbbing with a dull pain.
She lowered herself back on the ground and Jazz promptly licked her again.
It did, unfortunately enough, feel comforting.
Artemis sighed. "Thank you for protecting me. Truthfully, I did not expect you to have the fortitude to kill."
"I've done it before," Jazz replied nonchalantly. "I don't like doing it, but I'll protect you. And he was the jerk who would hurt a dog in the first place."
Those carelessly said words made her pause.
Artemis looked at her, feeling ashamed of herself. As an Amazon, should she not have more faith in her fellow women? After all, to survive in a world ruled by man was already a feat. There was no weak women in this world, and Jazz was a perfect example. She should not have forsaken her simply because she was confused and unsure of herself, while being a dog in an entirely different world.
Artemis blinked slowly up at her, her ears drooping.
Jazz stared right back, tilting her head, which made her ears flop to the side. It was silly, but honestly adorable.
Jazz had not needed to defend her, but she still had. Even though it was Artemis that had invited disaster and was even rude to her before, the other woman-turned-dog did not leave her behind.
Artemis made a soft sound, unable to encapsulate how she felt. "Still.... thank you."
Jazz must've understood her underlying meaning because her tail wagged and she bent her head down to lick over Artemis' face again. Artemis allowed it with grace and ignored the fact that her own tail was wagging, making soft sounds against the ground.
Jazz was not like Akila, but it wasn't a bad thing.
Jazz eventually stopped licking her to turn back to the corpse.
She trotted over to it and stopped. She then stared at it for a long moment, circling the body. She seemed to be thinking of something, but must’ve given up on the idea because she only bent down to bite into the corpse’s arm and drag the corpse away into a different alley. The smell of bloody flesh followed until it was a bit of distance away.
Artemis watched it all in silence until Jazz came running back, immediately licking her again, as if to clean her.
Artemis' tail resumed its wagging, making soft thumping sounds on the concrete. She also gave into her instincts a bit too, pressing her nose to Jazz’s and inhaling the smell of blood and deliciousness, licking her and tasting the metallic tang.
It was a bit morbid if she thought about it too hard, but as a dog, it made sense and felt like grooming a cat, even if she didn’t have a barbed tongue.
Jazz eventually pulled away and said, "I should go get help. Can you wait here for a little while?"
Artemis blinked. "How will you get help?"
"I'll convince someone to follow me and lead them back to you," Jazz said matter-of-factly. "You said there were heroes in this city, right? Maybe I'll find one!"
Artemis nodded slowly.
She didn't like it, but she was injured and currently a dog. Even if Jazz was an unexpectedly valuable ally, they were still only a pair of animals, unable to resist against guns or blades.
From what she knew, Gotham heroes were smart and rather strong, capable of standing beside Princess Diana of Themyscira despite being mortals. Even if they couldn't help them with their transformations, they probably wouldn't be able to abandon a helpless animal.
Artemis decided what to do and then nodded sharply.
"Alright. Be careful. Gotham heroes are known to usually have symbols of bats and R-shaped signs on them somewhere. There is also another hero from Blüdhaven that has blue birds on his chest, but he only occasionally visits Gotham," Artemis said. "I do not know all of the heroes in Gotham City, but Batman, Nightwing, Robin, and Batgirl should be most familiar."
Jazz nodded, licking over Artemis' face again. She seemed a bit addicted to it.
"I'll definitely bring back help! Just stay put, okay?"
And with that, Jazz immediately ran off with a dizzying speed.
Artemis focused on breathing and laid her head in between her paws, focusing on the pain and trying to meditate on it. The pain soon dulled into an ache. Time passed slowly, and the sounds of gunshots and screaming filled the air.
Gotham City was a toxic city, and as a dog, Artemis could not help but see it even clearer through the smoke and smog. The smell of fear and pain was very prominent in the air.
She continued taking deep breaths until her heartbeat slowed and the pain was almost unnoticeable.
It didn’t take long until the sound of barking reached her ears and Artemis looked up, just as Jazz skidded into the alley, tail wagging happily.
"I found someone! He has a bat symbol on his chest and he was calling someone named Red Robin!" She said, slowing down to trot over to Artemis' side and check her over.
Artemis tilted her head, curious to see who it was.
By the description of a bat on his chest, did Jazz somehow find Batman...?
She froze at the sight of red.
The Red Hood stood at the end of the alleyway, his helmet hiding any and all emotions. Guns were sheathed by his side and he looked menacing and tall as his shadow fell over the alley.
Artemis' hackles rose and she growled, baring her teeth.
She almost scrambled to her feet but her limbs felt weak, so she could only shakily scramble back.
"That's the Red Hood! He's a crime lord within Gotham!" She growled.
Jazz froze in place before quickly moving to block Artemis from view.
"I'm sorry!" She immediately cried out, sounding upset, "I thought he was a hero! I should've checked him more or something, I'm sorry, I'll take care of this—"
Artemis wanted to reassure her that it wasn't her fault for not knowing, but before any of them could react, the Red Hood knelt and presented a hand. Both dogs paused and the Red Hood then swiftly took off his gloves before presenting his hand again, fearlessly showing his bare fingers to them.
It was a vulnerable gesture, one that was usually made to a feral animal to calm them.
Jazz glanced at Artemis for a moment before she crept forward carefully.
Artemis did not stop her, even as a low growl came from her throat and the fur on her back rose.
If this Red Hood hurt Jazz, then her injuries be damned, she would tear his metal face out!
Thankfully, Jazz came to no harm. She sniffed around the Red Hood's hand and the man just watched her, still on one knee with his head lowered.
"Sorry, boy," the Red Hood said, his voice soft but mechanical through a filter. "I didn't mean to scare your friend. I'm a good guy, promise."
Jazz pressed her snout against his palm and sniffed delicately. Her tail wagged behind her and Artemis eyed the Red Hood more critically, as he allowed Jazz to sniff.
The Red Hood reached out with the other hand to ruffle her fur and then pulled back after a moment, red smudged all over his hands.
".... hmm." He went back to petting Jazz and Jazz's tail wagged into a blur. Artemis noticed that he was checking her over for injuries as he petted her and after he was reassured, Red Hood then stood up and approached Artemis, who growled lightly.
He placidly knelt some distance away and then presented a hand again. "Sorry, boy, I should've thought about your boundaries. Your friend led me to you, so something is definitely wrong, hmm? You both seem smart. My little brother loves animals, I'm sure that we can get you two help."
As Artemis didn't react, the Red Hood slowly reached out and patted her head. Artemis butted his hand away with her snout and another snarl.
She needed the help but she refused to be treated like a toy.
Jazz paced back and forth nervously in the background, watching them with wide eyes.
Red Hood quickly pulled back. Then after a moment, he presented a hand again and said, "Can I help you, boy? I think you're injured."
Artemis wished she could still speak so she could reply back to his stupid observations, but she only huffed and pressed her wet nose into his palm, which smelt faintly of gunpowder, Jazz, and blood from petting Jazz.
But underneath, an instinct rose within her and she knew that this was a man that could be trusted.
Artemis pulled back and barked once.
Red Hood laughed softly. "You two really do seem smart. C'mon, boy, I'll bring you to somewhere we can get you checked."
He reached out to grab Artemis but she yelped in pain as his arms wrapped around her chest. He froze, pulling back in confusion.
Jazz growled, moving over to butt her head into his arm furiously, despite how she only looked adorable. She nibbled on his arm, anxious but still wanting his help.
"Be careful with her!" Jazz scolded. "Be gentle!"
Artemis huffed a laugh and this time, Red Hood seemed to get the memo and picked her up more carefully. Her ribs still twinged, but she held in her groan. The Red Hood gingerly rearranged her and then held her to his chest with his arms.
The Red Hood then used one hand to press a button on his helmet.
"O, can you check if there are any shelters available for 2 large dogs?"
Both Jazz and Artemis perked their ears up as they listened to the faint voice in the comms.
"Checking right now. Pulling a Robin, Hood?" The other person said.
"Oh, shut up. At least I didn't pick up a possum family and then hide them in my sock drawer."
"Pfft— hahahah! Don't mention it, I don't think we'll ever let B live it down for not finding out for two whole weeks!" There was a pause amidst the laughter and then, "Bad news, Hood. No shelters are currently available. All of them are full."
"All of them?! How are all of them full?!"
"... Robin has been rescuing so many animals that he's filled up all of the animal shelters."
There was a moment of silence before the Red Hood cursed.
".... that fucking brat."
The Red Hood sighed to himself before he shook his head. "Never mind. I'll handle this myself. Inform Robin that he's going to have to make it up to me by helping."
"Got it. I think this will absolutely make his night."
"Whatever. Hood out." With that, he stood up, carrying Artemis with him, who yipped involuntarily.
The Red Hood began walking with Artemis in his arms and Jazz quickly followed after them, her tail wagging.
Artemis sighed through her nose, already feeling her ribs ache as the Red Hood carried her surprisingly carefully. Jazz quickly walked to catch up to them, standing on her two hind legs to rub her nose against Artemis' and give her face another lick. Red Hood froze, which allowed them both an opportunity to reassure one another.
"He will most likely take us somewhere to care for us. If he does anything... I expect the both of us to help one another, alright?" She asked carefully.
Thankfully, Jazz nodded eagerly, hopping up and down and nearly bowling them all over with her height.
As Jazz tried her best to comfort her, Artemis couldn't help but relax, blinking slowly.
"It's okay, Temy! If he does anything to you, I'll protect you!" Jazz barked. She hopped up and down, licking any patch of skin on Artemis that she could. "Don't worry, I’ll protect you."
Artemis replied softly, "And I you," as the Red Hood allowed them their moment before he began moving again.
"God, you're both so cute," he muttered to himself.
Artemis rolled her eyes but kept her gaze on him, knowing that Jazz was protecting her as the Red Hood, decapitator of humans, led both of them out of the alley and somewhere else to help.
Even if Artemis wasn't happy with her situation, being both injured and a dog, at the very least, she had Jazz by her side, who she could tentatively trust to protect her.
No matter what, Artemis would get through this. For Bana-Mighdall. For Akila. And for herself.