“When do we not?” She asked wryly, and she went so far as to smirk. She could not quite help herself, and after two days of rest and something of relaxation, Diana was returning to herself somewhat. It had been… stressful, in the sense that they had been trapped here, but not the worst place she’d ever been trapped. And hardly the worst company. That part had been kind of nice, actually. They seemed closer now, more aware of each other in ways they had not been before, and Diana treasured that.
Still, she did not want to remain here any longer, and she would be most pleased to continue getting to know Thor as well as he’d like back at the hotel, and not out here in fake New York. Or fake virtual New York with a twist, or whatever was happening here. She had fallen into step with him on the stairs and stayed that way, and she followed along with the conversation just as easily.
“Someone, we can kill. Something, perhaps not. I like this news.” Diana shrugged, because she liked it better than she’d liked most else in the last two days, and besides, at least it was a plan. She didn’t have one, considering she had no weaponry and now the clothes she were in were borrowed from some virtual human, from the closet they’d found in the apartment they’d broken into. Leggings and a tee-shirt, because Diana had literally just grabbed clothing to replace her bloodsoaked and sliced outfit.
She fell back gladly as Thor pressed forward, already raising his axe, and it turned out that that was the biggest regret she had to this day. Stormbreaker flew, a shape twisted in the air there to avoid it, and the illusion fell away, revealing the rest of fake New York, and a person that Diana did not know. They clearly had been holding the illusion, but that was not at all what drew Diana’s attention. In fact, that person might as well not have been there at all, because Diana’s focus had narrowed entirely to the mildmannered white businessman perhaps a block away, and closing in.
“Oh, no.” Barely a whisper, almost voiceless, and the color had gone from her face. Diana’s face was a rictus of pain and terror as she realized as then, now, yet again. She and Ares on a battlefield, and someone Diana cared about between them. Steve Trevor had been in the sky between them when he’d died, and now… Thor was on the ground. It took a God to kill another God, but lucky for Diana, they were all Gods here. She felt sick, and nearly sank to her knees, but her pride would not allow it, and she kept her feet, and the steel in her voice when next she spoke. “Hello, brother.” Grave, and serious. Not at all happy to see him, yet Ares smiled anyway.
“And to you, sister. Most welcome greetings. I like this companion you’ve found. Not the brightest, I’ll admit, but neither was the other, was he?” Ares laughed, and Diana’s face twisted yet further in fury. “At least you’ve seen some sense about the humans. Imagine letting one sully you with his hands, sister.” Ares’ shuddered dramatically, for effect, and Diana growled.
But she did not move to strike, and instead waited, a marked difference in her general approach to a fight.