Thread: Of Winter & Of Wonder [Tempt x insufferable]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Man's World Present Day The skies roared of thunder and hate, crashing through the skyline with fury, and not forgiveness. Paradise island would feel my wrath, and soon... so would Man's World. The shield known to keep Themyscira hidden now became to fracture. With an armored stallion at my mount, I grasped the reigns with intensity as I raced to the beaches of Amazonia. Without even the thought of a boat, the steed below me bellowed into the waters. As if walking on earth itself, it raced to the shores of the mortal world, stomping through the ocean as if it were ground. The cuffs on my eyes and the dark in my eyes flickered of red shine a statement of the power of my magic in the heat of the moment. A crowd of Amazonians awed at the unnerving sight of black skies and a gravity-defying stallion. The pain in my heart, now converted to pure violent vengeance, had unsettled even the most sound of Gods. The shield shimmered as I crossed its protective barrier. It flashes and cracked as I did so, the true sign that war was ahead... and the fate of Paradise uncertain. As I crossed its weakening borders, my magic-fueled rage would connect me straight to the waters of New York City Man's World. Approaching the shores at nearly one hundred miles kilometres an hour twice that speed of a normal horse my steed huffed and heaved, the power of the God-Killer, Princess Diana of Themyscira, flooding his system. With every pounding gallop, the water splashed around his hoof but did not sink him in. Even the skies of the mortal world would weep at my arrival lightning sweeping through the city, striking suddenly and without mercy. Within minutes the city had turned from shining summer to a dreadful daze. With fog descended in the city, humans around looked around in confusion. Uh... Steve... Sam Wilson also known as Falcon - standing at the mercy of his apartment's balcony, squinted his eyes at the fast-changing skies. Sensing not only its abnormality but also its supernaturalism, he brought his morning coffee mug to his lips. Taking one, last deep gulp, he continued. ... We've got a problem. Nearing the cruise ports of lower Manhattan island, to me, all that was known was that this was Man's World nothing more. My stallion galloped to the shores, taking a great leap at an abandoned sliver of wooden dock. Just meters from a neighbouring ship, my raging steed jumped to the platform, the weight of his strong body shifting the wood on its floats. With his reigns at the control of my hands, he continued his furious bolt towards the busy streets of New York City. Leaping straight into oncoming traffic, vehicles and buses from both sides began to honk and swerve to avoid us. I flung the reigns backwards, sending my startled companion onto his hind legs. Veering backwards, he kicked his front hooves up in the air, releasing a heated neigh that seemed to echo even among the chaos of the city. Fog weaved itself between the vehicles and depleted visual conditions, wreaking havoc. Several vehicles had collided, and steam sizzled from the hoods of their cars. The city streets around me had come to a complete halt, all but me and my stallion at the center of attention to blame. Humans gathered around the discord, shouting profanity as their exited their calls to blame the culprit. Though, as the fog and steam would begin to lift only barely enough for them to see, all that would be left in the middle of the stand-still road would be a lonesome black mustang, still, confused, and without rider. Clack, clack, clack. His right hoof would pound repeatedly against the cement. Clack, clack, clack. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Manhattan Island NEW YORK CITY With a cloak as black as the darkening skies, my face remained shadowed. Hidden in the abyss of my hood, I navigated the panicking streets of Manhattan . Little did people realize among the turmoil of the accidents, that a semi-God walked among them, and evil not far behind. Keeping my head low, I noted the major differences the years spent away had evolved the world into. Technology and architecture had surely advanced, but people - busy in their lives and oblivious to the world around them - had not. I maneuvered the hectic crowd with ease, making my way past a newspaper and cigarettes stand that caught my attention. Grabbing the paper from the pile, my jaw lowered as I read the headline. CAPTAIN AMERICA A FUGITIVE? Sokovia Accords wreak havoc with the Avengers My red eyes glowed as they read those words. CAPTAIN. AMERICA. Captain America. The last time I had seen Steve Rogers, he was dead - having sacrificed himself by sinking a bomb-ridden sky vehicle into the middle of the Atlantic. Looking over the paper with curious eyes, I took in the dandy Avengers logo printed in the front-page article. Lifting my head, I looked the vendor right in the eyes. Where is this ? I demanded, though the look on his face was that of fear. Seeing the shimmer of red in my eyes reflecting in his own, I realized just now fueled I truly was. Speechless, the man could say nothing. Before he could even muster up the breath to respond, I depressed my head and disappeared back into the crowd. The skies had begun to cry at my asperity, the storm growing in the mortal world as it was in Themyscira. Rain began to pour over the entire city, unrelenting in its ferocity as it drowned the streets of Man's World. Pulling my cloak further over my head, I ventured to find source of the unidentified A , allowing the hysteria of the rain to wash me away. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 890 Fifth Avenue, AVENGERS HEADQUARTERS Barrelling through the doors of the Avengers Headquarters , I stormed right for the Falcon himself, who guarded the transparent glass doors to the summit room behind him. What the- He would mutter as he watched a foreign, yet stunning, woman approach him with glazing eyes. Unsure of what I would do, he put his hand out to signal for me not to enter. Whoa, whoa, whoa Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-ve! Sam would call out, the utmost concern in the tone of his voice. Without so much as thinking, I grabbed his forearm and used the strength of the Amazons to twist him right upside down. He came crashing to the floor, becoming immediately winded as his back hit the ground. Gasped for air and with eyes nearly bulging from his sockets, he wheezed breathlessly, What... kind of... woman... Steve Rogers, casual in a leather jacket and jeans, would turn his head away from the conversation the serious conversation he was attempting to have with Tony Stark. Suddenly being interrupted by Wilson's unusual cry for help, Steve turned his head. His neck twisted twice as he whipped his gaze in a double-take. His mouth dropping in awe as I stood 6 feet tall in the glass doorway just feet behind him. Tony, who was muttering under his breath as he fiddled with the gadget watch on his wrist, had not even noticed me had it not been for Steve's unusual silence. Steve... My voice was exotic, harboring an unmistakable Amazonian accent, that which resembled most of Hebrew and Arabic. Steve immediately rose from his chair, moving slowly as his eyes widened. He looked to me in complete astonishment. Diana . Tony Stark, consumed with his technology, soon looked up at nearly jumped out of his chair. Although he had been born long after my disappearance, tales from his father of the Amazonian beauty stayed in his memories forever. Holy shit. He would gasp, Is that...!? Wonder Woman . Falcon would iterate, now standing behind me after being knocked off his feet. Though, the soft eyes I was known for had died on Paradise Island. Captain America would be met with intense eyes , the kind of gaze only witnessed in battle in war . Slamming a wad of several different newspapers and articles down on the glass table separating the two feuding men, I looked to Steve as I announced, Ares has returned . There was a chill in the room, the paper I clenched hard under the grasp of my palm was that of Bucky on the cover of Wakanda International news. The hair on the back of Steve's neck lifted as he came to realize my notions. Diana... He would jump to Buck's defense, his startled response holding too much delay to salvage the situation. No- Tony's eyes glanced over the papers, quick to read the situation and the depth of my understanding. Raising an eyebrow, he sunk back into the back rest of his chair. He's killed hundreds of innocent people. Tony would interrupt. No! Steve would retort. Diana! Steve would be quick to reach his hand for mine, trying to gain my attention as my mind scattered with Tony's words. Feeling my heart begin to race, Steve tried to reason with me. Listen to me, Bucky is my best friend. He fought with us in the war. He's not who people think he is. He's a murderer. Tony pushed. He's destroyed the lives of men, women... children . My eyes burned into Steve, a look of anger as I watched him try to defend the man I believed to be Ares. I don't need my Lasso of Truth to see the lies behind your tired eyes. Steve would retort, Diana, please... A desperate tone in his voice, Bucky is being controlled-! Yes! I raised my voice, By Ares ! He has taken the will of the God and has killed innocents in his name. He will not stop until he is dead. Hold up! Sam would wave his hands dramatically - Ares? As in... God of War - Greek Mythology shit? The sacred teachings of Ancient Man . I glared at Falcon, though returned my gaze to Steve again. Pointing to the many pages of papers I had scattered over the table I had reports dating from WWII all the way to Wakanda tracking the infamous Winter Soldier. Shaking my head, You defend an entity that is evil. I scoffed, The man you once knew, your friend, he does not exist. Just look at what he has done! It's over, Cap. Tony would fuel me, The Princess said it- Tony's manipulative ways would bring Falcon to an annoyed, nearly furious gaze. Ares that's his name? Right. So, he's returned. Hell is breaking loose. And guess who's at the center of it all? Looking to Steve, he did not even gaze to the finger he slammed down. Under the digit his hand was the face of the infamous Winter Soldier . Preying on my ignorance and naivety, Tony drove his point home. Makes sense a hell of a lot of to me . Stop it. Steve would grit his teeth. Bucky is my friend . I won't give up on him. He must be destroyed. I said firmly, backing away from the table. That is why I have returned, Steve. Walking over to him, I closed the inches between us to look him passionately in the eyes. I'm sorry . Lowering my head down, I pulled my body away, taking big strides as I exited the room. Steve would try to follow, Diana, wait! Stark and Wilson quickly acted to stop him. His eyes filled with fear, the first time in years Captain American would show despair for the uncertain future that was to come. Steve... Falcon would sigh, walking up to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. Listen, I don't know about no hocus pocus and God of War, but... Sighing again, he looked down sadly to the piles of evidence against Bucky. Who ever he used to be... Who he is now maybe he's not the kind you save... He's the kind you stop . No. Steve would shake his head. Not like this... Turning to Falcon, he pleaded, We have to find him... before she does. Rogers would exhaust the desperation in his eyes, gazing over the plethora of information I had gathered in just hours, perhaps days, since my arrival. Stark would swipe the pen he had previously tried to convince Steve to yield to sign the Sokovia Accords. Knowing full well this would seal the fate of the rift in the Avengers, Tony hustled the pen into his inner vest pocket. Let the race begin . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Satu Mare, Romania WEEKS LATER With little to no paper trail, it was up to the power of my senses and the wit of the media that helped lead me straight to a musky and dilapidated motel. Entering the dingy territory, I came with nothing but a trench coat, a pocket full of cash, and a small rolling suitcase. The the ordinary eye, I appeared to be a travelling business woman . Perhaps not the most fitting for a run-down trash-house like this, but it was better than a body full of armour and a wielding lasso. Upon my arrival, no one not even the woman at the counter was even present at reception. Raising my eyebrows, I attempted to call for service in perfectly fluent Romanian. Buna? A vrea o camer... Buna? Hello? I would like a room... Hello? To no avail, the woman was gone, the faint sound of thudding and moaning coming from the office nearby. Bump, bump, bump. Da, da, da! Yes, yes, yes! Clearly preoccupied with other desires, I swindled my way around the counter and reached through the bars. Looking around, I took tabs on which rooms were currently vacant... and more importantly, which weren't. With just over a dozen rooms, only 4 weren't occupied, two on the second floor and two on the main. Keys for apartment 101 and 106 respectively seemed to be missing. Taking the key for room 107, I walked slowly down the outdoor hallway which leads each potential occupant to their dingy rooms. With each step I took, the sound of rolling wheels stirred the silence of the otherwise abandoned station. Though, as I passed Apartment 101, the sound of rolling stopped. I swiped my eyes over the window, looking for signs of life. Two lamps were illuminated within the apartment. Puzzled, I continued down the hall, the whirling of my wheels coming to life again. Approaching Apartment 106, I stared suspiciously at the room window that appeared to be empty and vacant. Thinking back to the reception, I noted that the key for room 106 was indeed MIA, therefore occupied despite the room's darkness. Raising an eyebrow, I continued to the neighbouring room, Apartment 107. Slipping my key into the hole, I turned it until it unlocked but then paused. Squinting my eyes, I turned my head to gaze upon the room next door. Something about the key being missing for 106 continued to irk me. Opening the door to my room, I looked behind me and down the hallway once more before shutting the door. Placing my luggage on the bed, I unzipped it to reveal a cloak, shinning armour, my tiara, shield, the Sword of Athena, the Lasso of Truth, Bracelets of Submission, and lastly, the Amulet of Harmonia the same amulet that had fallen from the cold hands of a dead child. Picking up the amulet, I closed my eyes, my mind flashing me back to the last breath Amena took. Opening the eyes again, a single tear streamed down my golden-skinned face. Clamping onto the amulet, I nearly crushed it in my holy grasp. Releasing a vicious exhale, I stared blankly at the wallpapered walls before me. I could smell you , the Winter Soldier. I could smell the fluid secretion, how the sweat rolled down your head as night terrors consumed you. It took only moments for my image to transform from business classy to warrior ready. Slipping the tiara onto my forehead and the cloak over my shoulder, I exited the room. Sword and lasso at hip, I stepped foot before my door and into the void hallway. Grabbing the shield on my back, I took a deep breath and launched it towards Apartment 101. The Amazonia disc flung in a curve like a Frisbee, aiming right for the handle of the door. The moment it impacted the handle, the force of its strike blew the door right off its hinges. Instantaneous, the grenade detonated, causing an immediate explosion and blasting the room to bits. The blast caused an array of discord including sprayed rubble coupled with a new, blazing fire as a result of a gas stove in the office next door. As the smoke began to clear, I stood confidently next to the vacant Apartment 106, waiting for your reaction. At a towering 6 foot tall, my blue studded cloak swayed at my voluptuous Amazonian sides with the eruption's heated breeze. Raised in arms to protect myself from the blast, the gauntlets at my wrists glowed as I lowered them from my striking brown eyes. The gleam of the sun kissed my forehead, seducing the eye into the Star of Amazonia embedded into the tiara I wore with pride. There was no mistaking my identity. I was she in the very flesh, back from the depths of divine mythology. I was Wonder Woman .