(originally done by Rdolan1272)
Wonder Woman sat at the apartment's small, round dining room table and stared out the window, her hulking frame dwarfing the chair in which she sat while her hardened blue eyes stared blankly out into space. A frown creased the natural beauty of her Amazonian features, an expression so deeply engrained into her face that it might as well have been carved in stone. She'd held the pose for some time—long enough for her coffee to run cold and her host to become concerned.
"Diana?" Zatanna asked quietly, not wanting to spook the Amazon princess because in the magician's experience, spooking Amazons, princess or otherwise, usually ended up in massive property damage. In fact, they'd just finished cleaning up some Amazon fueled property damage a few hours earlier. A small group of Amazonian dissenters had attacked downtown San Francisco because—well, neither Diana nor Zatanna had figured out why. They weren't even sure how much Queen Hippolyta knew about the attack. Or if she had possibly ordered it. The government forces that'd arrived to fight the Amazons were convinced that Hippolyta was behind the attack, and they were chomping at the bit to launch a counterstrike, especially one Amanda Waller. The resulting shouting match between Waller and Wonder Woman had grown so tense that Zatanna was afraid her friend might punch Waller across a few state lines. Afterward, and thankfully without any punching, Zatanna had asked her fellow Justice Leaguer to come back to Zatanna's apartment and chill, an offer Wonder Woman quickly accepted. "Diana?"
Wonder Woman, Diana to her friends, pulled her focus from the light morning sky and blinked at Zatanna as if noticing her for the first time. "What?"
"Where'd you go just now?" Zatanna asked, her concern building. "You started to tell me what was bugging you, then you just zoned out. Is everything all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Diana said. She cupped her mug and tried not to frown at its lack of warmth, but Zatanna noticed.
She reached over and took the cup from Diana. "You're a terrible liar," she said as she went to pour out the cold coffee and refill the mug. She came back and placed it down in front of Diana, who smiled in appreciation. "I think you want to talk about it. That's why you came over here. So talk."
Diana took a sip before saying anything, using the time to arrange her thoughts. "I guess…I'm just tired," she said at last.
"Tired? Tired how?"
The big Amazon fidgeted, turning her mug in her large hands and studying the coffee intently. "Just tired. I mean, today it's my Amazon sisters attacking. Last week it was a White Martian invasion. Week before that was Giganta and Cheetah and Circe and Ares. And then there's the constant fighting with mother, who still cannot accept my choice to protect the world beyond Themyscira's borders."
"Sounds like you've been busy."
"Yeah," Diana agreed, her shoulders slumping, "that's one way of putting it."
"Why not take some time off? Go on vacation. Somewhere quiet and relaxing."
Diana made a face. "Sure, a vacation would be great, but people like us don't get vacations. Last time I tried, I spent the week freeing an island from Egg Fu. Egg Fu!"
"Okay," Zatanna agreed, "you've got a point." She frowned into her own coffee. This was far from normal behavior from Diana, the stress was starting to mount on the princess, and Zatanna hated to see her friend so upset.
For a while the two warriors sat in silence, one feeling guilty for admitting to what she perceived to be weakness, the other feeling guilty that she wasn't being much help. Until a thought struck Zatanna. "What if there was a way you could take some time off, catch some R and R, without getting dragged into any fights."
Diana shook her head and laughed, a bit too bitterly for Zatanna's peace of mind. "If that were possible, it'd be nice. But I don't think even you and your mystic powers can make that wish come true."
"Do you trust me?" Zatanna asked, a smile on her lips.
"You're serious?"
"Yeah."
"What if…what if I'm needed? I can't just…"
Zatanna reached out and placed a friendly hand on Diana's. "There're hundreds of heroes on Earth that can handle the Egg Fu's for a few days." Diana started to protest, but Zatanna cut her short. "Look, if they need you, we'll have you back up and ready to save us all in no time, but you need a break. Everyone needs some time to recharge. To reenergize. So, what do you say? A little vacation time on me?"
"And if I'm needed…?"
"All I'll have to do is say the word."
Diana looked at her friend, reluctant to just up and abandon her post as protector, but on the other hand, Zatanna had a point. Everyone needed a break every now and then, even a princess of Themyscira. "Okay, fine," she relented. "Where're you sending me?"
With a sweeping motion fit for a stage magician, Zatanna stood and spread her arms out to the room around her. "You're already there, princess."
"Huh?"
"Here. If you agree, you can have a vacation here. Carefree and relaxed. You can let someone take care of you for a change." Zatanna took a theatrical bow. "If you'll allow me. If you trust me. Just say the word."
Diana folded her arms across her chest and looked around the apartment, amusement showing on her face. "Of course I trust you, Zatanna. But what do you have in mind."
"I know you. I know how you worry. And how well you can't not worry. So I want to take your worries away. I want you to have some fun. Let your biggest concerns be when you're eating and going to sleep."
"You want me to just sit around here eating and sleeping?"
Zatanna moved her hands in a flourish and produced a small bundle of flowers from seemingly nowhere. "And having fun."
Diana shook her head and chuckled at her friend's antics. "Okay then. Do whatever it is you're going to do."
The magician sat back down and focused on Diana's eyes. "If at any time you want to end this, just say, 'Return to normal.' You'll be able to say that phrase, no matter what."
Diana wasn't sure what that meant, nor was she sure she liked what that might mean, but before she could raise any questions, Zatanna's hands were moving, and a pink aura spilled off the magician as she said, "ssergeR rednoW namoW dnoyeb reh serac dna snrecnoc."
What age does Wonder Woman gets regress to?
indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
| Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |