"Why do they all look like unhappy rabbits?"

- All About Eve (1950)


A glistening city stands before them, causing an ache for home to grow deeper than before as familiar sounds of training warriors and laughter press against Diana's skin as a cool, nostalgic breeze. Distant shores ring through her ears, late nights of shining stars and salt water air reminding her of her own origins as Thor talks for the both of them at the guards. They eye her, but she pays them no heed - her attention stolen both by what is and isn't in front of her.

She wonders a question she will never have an answer to.

However, her purpose now lies beyond those reclusive shores and in universes far beyond her imagination and temporarily to two men she has left behind - one permanently gone to the past, and another whose mind is trapped in only what-could-have-beens. Returning her attention to the interaction transcending before Thor and the guards, Diana steps forward and effectively cuts off their argument.

"I'm sure you have more important duties than to delay your prince," she says. To even have the guardsman ignorant of who he serves - Diana wonders if a warm welcome is amiss from their future.

The golden horned helmets gleam at her - blind her from proceeding. "Yes, sera, but you both must -"

"Enough!" Thor frowns as he resumes his position - in front of her. Diana frowns but allows the Asgardian to continue his order for the sentries to allow them passage to his home. "I don't recognize you two," he begins.

"You have been long gone -"

"You are delaying me from my mission. All I wish is to go to the library, rest and pack for my companion and I's travels." Thor reveals, continuing his assessment of the guards before them.

Diana tilts her head to the side, to look past Thors ' frame and to gain a better insight into the two men before them. While no glamor or distortion is apparent on their visages, Diana begins to question the validity of their orders as well. Thor is a prince of Asgard and despite the nobility having to stand as examples for others, he could easily just walk past the two sentries if he so wished. Matter of fact, being a prince typically meant no questions of his lineage or presence. To be held back, and to allow himself to stay back…

Diana looks over the city once again. Peaceful...She did not know whether or not if Thor's people were generally amicable and quiet or a rambunctious replica of the prince's brash attitude, but the lack of heavy foot traffic littering Asgard's streets and dull echo of chatter has her doubting the display. Of all the people she has met, Thor stands to be both the most forthcoming and loudest; or maybe he is, secondary to Tony...she muses before returning her attention to the scenery beyond them. Holding out a hand to grab Thor's cape, Diana effectively inhibits him from broaching further into his home.

"I see when we are not wanted," she speaks, cutting down a returning reply with a sharp look. "We will depart as soon as we map out our next destination."

Tugging Thor away from the guards, she feigns leading them back towards the bridge until Thor sharply jerks away from her hold and throws them into a turn. Instantly, the sounds of alarm go off and without a word, they begin running towards the descending stairs allotted in the upcoming maze of streets beyond them; the path is narrow, cobbled roads leading towards a spiraling yet vacant alleyway.

"Here -" Thor pushes her through the nearest open doorway as the pounding of feet behind them grows increasingly closer.

"My pr -"

Thor snaps up a fallen pillow from a chair and launches it at the building's inhabitant as he guides Diana through a new set of doors. They are back into the alleyway, opposite of their original site. Glancing furtively both ways, Diana watches the cogs in Thor's head toss up and decide their direction. As much as she would rather argue about his method of thinking, Diana knows very little of Asgard and has no choice but to follow the sporadic turns of the god in front of her.

They duck under low-hanging clotheslines and dance between the errant crowd or two as they sprint towards a direction not of her knowing. Only when the streets grow larger and the stray civilian rarer does Diana finally make the connections in their direction. "Is this not where they would look for us first?" she hisses as they break into a garden of sorts.

"We need to get to the bedrooms." Thor avoids the evident main gates and steers them along a suspected housekeeping path dulled by eras of labor-driven feet.

"Which is where they would look for you first." Diana points out again.

"Then we take the risk." The beaten pathway steers them away from the main halls of Thor's grand home, instilling a sense of bitter nostalgia in Diana as the white stones of the palace scream nothing but the memories of her own troublemaking childhood. Silenced by the wave of recollections, Diana keeps the rest of her remarks to herself as Thor finally gets them to the hallway of his room. She doesn't have much to compare Asgard with, but she suspects that more foot traffic is expected.

Treading carefully, Thor signals her to remain quiet, ignorant to how loud his own movements resonate throughout the empty corridor. Stepping towards what she assumes is his bedroom, she lets the man push open to opulent white doors, and while he has been absent for some time - she frowns at how recently lived in it looks.

The scent of musk, sweat, and summer heat permeates from every crevice of the room, as the messy bed sheets and haphazardly placed books and weapons further mark the area as Thor's. Visibly, the god's shoulders drift down, but Diana remains taut and paces towards the attached balcony. Peering out, she sets her sights on the increased security and looks back over at Thor's lingering movements.

Understanding that more than material ghosts haunt him, she places a heavy hand on his shoulder to jolt him out of his memories. "If you have something of importance here.."

Thor takes a few moments to reacclimate to the present, but nevertheless, her words have breached into his mind enough for him to listlessly move towards his desk. With a grand sweep, all the clutter falls to the floor. His machinations earn him nothing but a quirk of her eyebrow, but with one nudge on a dented surface reveals that Thor is more privy to keeping secrets than she had originally thought.

"Here," he claims, as his desk parts reveal a collection of old notes and tarried books. "Loki used to mess with my adventures when we were younger by changing all the words in my books," he explains, as he produces a leather bound book. "And when one of the stones appeared…"

"Don't tell me you wrote down where you had it put," Diana says. Albeit, she should not be surprised, but when Thor flips through his book it takes a bit of willpower from her from snatching it and pushing them back to the bridge.

"Here! Yes…"

Again, Diana strays from his side and returns to the window. The sudden dissipation of noise from the scouting guards makes her heart beat faster as she quickly heads over to the nearest dresser and begins pushing it against Thor's door.

Too immersed in his literary perusal, Diana faces the tension alone as she continues to pile more furniture against the door. The rumbling of marching footsteps is unmistakable now, but fortunately, Thor has closed his journal.

"Ragnarok," he says, eyes wild with unshared realization. Diana stares at him.

"Ragnarok," she tests the word on her lips. "Is that a person?"

Thor shakes his head, just as the soldiers begin pushing against his door. "No, it's The End."

With how cryptically Thor answers , Diana can only lament on the scarcity of clarification . But her temporary fortifications against the wall have fallen and she and Thor instinctively fall in line by each other, sword and hammer drawn for the guards swarming into his room.

Although, Thor has a different line of thought than her. As the guards fill the room, Thor reaches for her hand instead as his other hand begins spinning his hammer. With no warning, he aims his weapon at the balcony door, effectively throwing both of them out of the room, flying them out of the tight enclosure. Fighting against the winds, Diana looks up to see him redirecting them back towards the bridge.

"Thor…" her voice trails off as they are suddenly thrown into a blinding waterwall of pearlescent light. The travel is short, like before, but their landing this time is worse. Losing Thor's hand in the landing, Diana feels the sharp rocks and soot prod at her as she rolls over the new terrain.

Breath temporarily gone, she stops on her back and looks up to see a dark, cavernous ceiling.

"Where are we?" She mumbles as the vertigo is replaced by a sudden, intensifying heat.

"Thor! Son of Odin!"

A wave of lava rises over Diana, hiding the precariously dangling rocks overhead. Her eyes widen as she scrambles to her feet. Unfortunately, the travel still has her disoriented and her knowledge of the terrain is all but limited. Her foot slips in her effort to evade the massive tidal wave of lava and in return, something hard whoops around and knocks against her head.

The next time she catches consciousness, Thor is hosting a silent monologue in a cage opposite of her.

"Diana!" he grins at catching sight of her awakening.

Her eyes flutter close again and she presses the back of her head against the cage.

Maybe she really should have stayed with Steve. However, regrets aside, she has all but to wait for the creature to finish his monologue before Thor makes his grandiose escape and breaks through her brittle cage. The two of them gracelessly fall from her small spot in the air and crash into the ground. Diana coughs, pushes the large man off of her, and finds that the creature is too, getting close to finding its bearings once again.

She pulls Thor up from his arm -who with one lopsided grin thrown her way, meets the creature's attack with an answering roar and tidal of thunder. Diana sighs as she wipes the sweat off her forehand. From her vantage, Thor is more than capable of bringing down the monster, but unwilling to be a bystander, she provides some help: redirects boulders, prevents lava from murdering the Asgardian prince - the likes. It takes less than an hour to bring the monstrosity down, but the searing temperature of the cave makes it feel like an eternity.

Villains and their lair - Diana meets Thor's grand grin with a smaller smile.

While Amazonians had their own fun with conquests and victories, Thor had a special flair for making it more enjoyable than it should have been.

"And that is how we end, The End!" Thor gloriously shouts as they saunter over the gliding, colorful bridge once again. Diana rubs the soot off of her clothes as he continues, uninterrupted, in his exciting ramble about closing one loose end in their long list of issues, and briefly wonders what the guardsmen would do next upon their arrival.

She hopes that Thor's reclamation of the crown would absolve any issues they initially had with the prince's arrival, but upon finding no guards to delay their entrance into his kingdom, a different unease begins to delay her steps.

"Hm." Looking up, she sees her gaze redirected to the event capturing Thor's attention. A crowd has formed on the horizon, just a little beyond the main palace.

"What is it?" Diana asks, her fingers reaching and slipping through the torn edges of what had been the hood of her traveling cloak.

Thor frowns, a look of familiar disdain crossing his face. "An imposter."

However, before they can breach the perimeter of the gathered crowd, a bow-legged man stumbles into their path. He looks at her with curiosity, but his attention is primarily captured by the god of thunder beside her.

"Who are you?" Thor questions, not making the same connections as the man in front of them.

Said stranger brandishes his arms outward and mockingly spins around. "Don't you remember?" he asks in the following silence. He leans forward, giving both of them a better view of the tattoos streaked across his head. "I'm Skurge. We fought together on Vanaheim."

Diana glances over to see if the introduction clears Thor's memories, but nevertheless, the name does not bring memories of recollection or significance on his face. Keeping his brows furrowed, he cocks his own head towards the bridge. "Right. Where's Hemidall?"

"That traitor?" Skurge heaves out a breath of warm air. He has good instincts to ignore the blatant dismissal from Thor. Although, Diana scrunches her nose at the abhorrent scent brought upon them as he leans away again. "No one knows," he shrugs. "He's a fugitive of the throne."

"A traitor?" Thor repeats.

"Yeah," Skurge continues, deaf to his disbelief. "You see, Odin charged Heimdall with negligence of duty, but he disappeared before the trial. Hard to catch a guy who can see everything in the universe."

"I'm sure," Thor reaches down for his hammer as Diana keeps her eyes trained on the man before them.

"Hold on - hold on!" Skurge exclaims, quickly realizing their next motive. "I'm supposed to announce your arrival!" But before his dirt-laced nails can reach them, Thor has already spun Mjolnir enough to take them away from his reach.

They sight their destination quickly by the vast crowd formed around the theater adjacent to the palace. Thor lets go of his hold on the back of her suit as he strolls towards the farce playing for everyone. Instantly, the crowd parts for him, and subsequently, facilitates Diana's tailing of the princeling.

"-I will tell Father what you did here today," an actor speaks, dressed in armaments not unlike Thor's. A quiet has spread through the audience, but everyone is too enthralled by the play again to note the true prince's presence among them.

Standing by his side once again, Diana feels Thor's skin simmer with heat at the atrocity before them. However, she remains silent and watches on with everyone else.

A new actor enters the fray, hair gray and mismatched to the youthful cheeks on his face. "And so Loki died of his wounds, giving his life for ours. He fought back those disgusting dark elves. He brought peace to the realm."

A boy, painted blue, runs into the actor's arms as a woman beside the real Thor starts stifling her runny nose.

"Loki, my boy," the "Father" actor continues, (Odin, Diana realizes) "'Twas many moons ago I found you a frost-bitten battlefield. On that day, I did not see in you Asgard's savior. No," he shook his head, forcing his wig to slightly shy off to the side. "You were merely a little blue baby icicle that melted into this old fool's heart." His head drops, signaling the end of the scene, and thus, the play. The crowd around them blows out into full applause, cheers, and for some like the woman next to Thor, hysterical weeping.

However, Diana's and Thor's true sights were on the man laying across the chair. He claps the loudest, showering the actors with compliments, but when he finally sees them - sees Thor - he stops and curses. Diana does not know Odin, but from her encounters with other gods, she has come to associate regality and poise with them. This Odin - this stranger - lacked all the finesse and command they usually had. Comically, he rigidly rises to his feet.

"It's an interesting play," Thor's voice booms across the clamorous applause. The audience finally silences. "What's it called?" he takes a step close toward the false Odin.

"The Tragedy of Loki of Asgard. The people wanted to commemorate him," he easily supplies.

"Indeed they should," Thor plays along. "I like the statue better. Makes him look a little less weasley and greasy."

Odin's face sours, but Thor pushes on. He raises the skull of Sutur and passes it onto a nearby guard with the instructions to lock it in a vault and ensure that the end of the world does not occur. Diana belatedly thinks to intervene with his decision of easily relieving the item, but realized that Asgard was most likely a place beyond the norms of both her home island and Earth itself.

The perpetual line on Odin's face dissipates as he nods towards Diana. "So is it back to Midgard for you and your companion?" he asks, assessing her with an unbecoming gaze.

Thor stops watching the back of the guard disappear and turns back to him. "No, Father. I've had a recurring dream lately, I see Asgard fall into ruins," he unveils, causing the plebeians around them to gasp simultaneously. It would have been comical, but Diana is now questioning the veracity behind their reactions. Loki, from what she can recall, is acknowledged as the god of mischief. The people around them could just merely be brainwashed by some spell or plague Loki had concocted.

"That's just a silly dream. Signs of an overactive imagination." Odin counters.

"Possibly," Thor amidst. "But then I decide to go out here and investigate. And what do I find but the Nine Realms in complete chaos. Enemies of Asgard assembling, plotting our demise, all while you, Odin," he emphasizes, "the protector of those Nine Realms, are sitting here in your bathrobe, eating grapes."

"Well, it's best to respect our neighbor's freedom -ack!" Diana has had enough with their evasive banter and has locked her lasso around the false Odin's arm. Almost instantly, the illusion vanishes and gives light to the caster - the trickster, Loki. Thor throws his hammer away as he makes quick work of the bodyguards that had previously surrounded him.

"Call off your hounddog!" Loki grimaces, tugging at his arm.

Diana frowns and lets go as Thor replaces her lasso with a hand enclosed around his brother's neck. "You know that nothing will stop Mjolnir as it returns to my hand," he threatens. "Not even your face."

"You've gone mad," Loki seethes, but upon seeing his brother's unmoving hand, he squeezes his eyes shut and shouts his defeat.

Thor drops Loki and Skurge bursts through the audience.

"Behold! Thor...Odinson!" he heaves.

Loki looks up at him as he rises to his feet. "You had one job! Just the one!" he seethes before dismissing the man. Another unwelcome glance towards her makes Diana frown, but Thor commands all of his brother's attention again.

"Where is Odin?" Thor interrogates.

"You just couldn't stay away," Loki mutters, throwing Diana another lucid glare as he rubs his sore wrist. "Could you? Everything was fine without you. Asgard was prospering - you ruined everything. Just ask them-" he gestures towards the angering crowd.

Thor frowns. "Where is Odin? Did you kill him?" Did you kill father?" he presses on, leaving Mjolnir against Loki's chest.

Overwhelmed by the intense pressure on him, Loki futilely shoves against the hammer. "Ow-ow-ow! Fine! I know exactly where he is!"

And in a blink of an eye, they are back on earth.

Thor, unphased by his brother's actions, turns around to find a nursing home's walls being demolished.

On the other hand, Diana finds herself taking a few moments to adjust to the sudden change in both scenery and clothes. Unfailingly, Loki has adorned her in tight-fitting jeans and a corset top not unlike that of her armor's style. She supposes it could be worse, but as she catches the edges of a Chesire's grin, she can only guess at what other illusions he has adorned her in.

"Could you -"

Loki sighs at her demeanor and snaps his fingers. A leather jacket begins to form around her shoulders as he returns his attention towards his enraged brother.

"I swear I left him right there," he tells the other Odinson.

"Right here, on the sidewalk? Or right there, where the building is being demolished?" Thor's patience is thinner than hers. But Diana has shamefully submitted herself to the strange antics and entertainment of the two brothers; for once, Stark's tales had more truth than exaggerations. " Great planning, Loki," he says shortly.

"Well how was I supposed to know? Can't see into the future. I'm not a witch." he retorts.

"Then why are you dressed like one?" Thor snaps back.

"Hey." Loki throws back, just as a group of girls, all giggling, begin approaching them.

Inattentive, Thor paces the sidewalk. "I can't believe you're alive. I saw you die. I mourned for you, I cried for you."

"I'm honored," Loki merely replies as the girls surround Thor and only Thor.

Quickly figuring out their motives, Thor orders Loki to figure out where their father is as he plays idol to the girls around him.

Loki huffs and expectedly ignores him in favor of Diana. "I believe my dearest brother has failed to acquaint us. Loki," he puts a hand out, as if to take hers in greeting. "Odinson, Rightful King of Jotunheim, God of Mischief."

Diana keeps her arms crossed. "Diana."

"It's proper to give last names too, dear," Loki beseeches, dropping his hand.

"Of Themyscira, daughter of Zeus and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons," Diana begrudgingly supplies, making Loki's grin broaden.

"Oh, what company my lovely brother keeps. Tell me, how are the Amazonians? Doing well?I did try and find your little island a few times, almost made it into your cute fortress too -"

Diana's eyes widen. "What?"

"I am the god of mischief, illusion, deceit, dear," Loki speaks down. "I have lived longer than you both as a man, woman -"

"-most times as a snake, Loki," Thor cuts in as he points at the glowing circle spiraling at his brother's feet. The fans have left and the amicable smile on Thor's face is once again replaced by lines of irritation.

Loki raises his hands up. "That isn't me," he admits before he drops out of sight and is substituted by a business card.

Thor pokes it out of precaution before picking it up and reading the address scrawled across it. And like brother, he too is encompassed by a golden circle and Diana has only a second to react and grab hold of his sleeve to follow him.

They drop into a dark, archaic building. Thor grabs the nearest weapon to them as a stranger dressed in muted yet grand clothes floats down to approach them. Diana can only raise up her arms to prepare for whatever fight will follow as her faith in Thor's ratty umbrella is nonexistent.

"You can put that down." the stranger speaks.

"So earth has wizards now?" Thor retorts as Diana examines the main chamber of their new location; ill-lit corners, stacks of moth-scented books - she imagines Loki would benefit from living in this sanctuary as much as the man in front of them seems to be.

"I prefer the term, Master of the Mystic Arts," he says monotonously, belaying now mirth in his reply. "Anyway, my name is Doctor Stephen Strange and I have some questions for you and," he looks at Diana.

"She stays," Thor demands before Diana can cut in.

"Of course," Dr. Strange allows and gestures for them to follow him. With little choices available to them, they do and find themselves seated in high-backed chairs with different drinks in their hands. For Dr. Strange, tea - for Thor, a full stein of beer, and for herself, a glass of wine. As the man in front of them begins to explain his actions, Diana temporarily zones out in favor of nursing her drink. In the past twenty-four hours she has been to three worlds, and been introduced to two strange beings. Having been thrown around everywhere both physically and mentally, she wondered briefly how she could have imagined herself to ever be on par with these gods. They not only experienced extravagant and outwardly events frequently, but calmly too. The bickering Thor and Loki play with before her - she wonders if it is a coping mechanism for their tumultuous lives or if it is just another addition intrinsic to their eclectic world.

When she cuts back to reality, Dr. Strange is making an amusement out of Thor - teleporting him to and from different places in his office. She only moves to intercede once her companion's patience begins to show signs of wear.

"We are looking for his father," Diana finally speaks up, stopping Thor from attacking their host.

The strange, Dr. Strange, raises an eyebrow. "And so she speaks."

Diana frowns. "If you could help us find him," she asks beseechingly.

Dr. Strange seems to shrug in reply. "He never asked, and he does not have a phone," he gestures to her friend. "However, the great Odinson was adamant on not being disturbed in his chosen exile."

"Well tell him his exile is over-"

"-the adults are talking," Strange waves a hand and to both their alarm, Thor falls into a portal not unlike the one that had claimed Loki.

"You know where he is," Diana decides to believe that her host has not put Thor in harm's way. "Please tell us and we will be on our way."

"With the infamous Loki, as well, correct?" Dr, Strange asks.

Diana nods her head and simultaneously, another portal glows above her and drops the said trickster at her side. He is seething - but Diana quickly reacts and stops him from going after the wizard.

Dr. Strange smiles at her and a wave of goosebumps rises across her skin. "He is in Norway," he informs her before teleporting behind her and Loki. "Take care to keep them from destroying the planet again, Diana." He reminds as he nonchalantly plucks a hair off of Loki.

"He-"

Waves.

Frigid and uninviting to both her and Loki. The trickster smothers his annoyance as they both survey their new surroundings - Diana just a little too put off with Dr. Strange's unwelcome familiarity with her name. With a small comfort, Diana spots Thor not too far away from them as well. However, before theycan acknowledge each other, a more important figure in the distance calls the brothers' attention.

"Father." Both of them speak in tones laced with different variations of relief, worry, and for one - contempt.

Thor is the first to rush to his side while Loki follows at a more apprehensive pace. Seeing the great Odin dressed in humble civilian clothes, Diana remains behind to allow the brothers a semblance of privacy and possibly, familiar intimacy.

"My sons -" Loki's back straightens just a little at the sudden declaration. "I've been waiting for you. Your mother, she calls."

Thor shoots his brother a look, but Loki can only dismiss the accusation with a shake of his head. "Father," he repeats. "We've come to bring you home." and then, growing more irritated at his father's lack of jubilance - he orders Loki to cease his spell.

But Loki makes no sign of casting or maintaining one.

Diana can hear the warmth in Odin's following comments on Loki's prowess with his magic. "My time is limited, my sons - come sit with me."

"Father -"

The Allfather once again invites them to settle down. With hesitation they do. Crossing her arms, Diana looks down as Thor resumes the trodden lines of survivors: "I know that we failed you, but we can make this right. Father -"

"I failed you," Odin speaks over Thor. "I failed both of you, and it is upon us, Ragnarok," he remarks.

Thor shakes his head. "No, no - I've stopped Ragnarok. With my and Diana's hand we put an end to Surtur."

"No," Odin continues to deny. "It has already begun. She is coming," he elaborates over the settling silence. "My life was all that held her back, but my time has come. I cannot keep her away any longer."

"Father, who are you talking about?" Thor's quiet voice comes back.

"The Goddess of Death," Odin tiredly answers, appearing to shrink more with the knowledge of millenia of grievances and mistakes. "Hela. My first born," he pauses. "Your sister."

"...what?" Thor whispers.

"Her violent appetites grew beyond my control. I couldn't stop her, so I imprisoned her. She draws her strength from Asgard and once she gets there, her powers are limitless." Odin explains.

Thor shoots up. "Whatever she is, we can stop her, we can face her together."

"No, my child," Odin takes his second born's hand into his. "We won't. I am on a different path now. This you must face alone," he gives his hand a squeeze. "I love you my sons."

Diana's gaze rises again just in time to catch Odin dissipate in shower of stardust. The Allfather has died; his sons lie in his wake - a picture of grandeur and opulence and mourning. Diana doesn't offer comfort, recognizing the estranged Loki's grieving silence as strength and comfort for Thor's trembling beliefs.

However, the moment cannot last despite Diana's wishes to have them reconicilate in their own time; one did not lose a father so easily. But the skies darken over them and the biting wind picks up again. Initially, Diana thinks it is the aftermath of lost that brings this change of weather, but upon hearing the crackle of thunder emanating from Thor - she realizes that his sorrow has misplaced itself into anger. He turns to his only family left, Loki, with rage.

"Brother," he steps closer. "This is your doing." Electricity spikes from Thor's hands as he transforms his forgotten umbrella back into his Mjolnir. Instantly, both brothers are adorned in Asgardian armor again and Diana's suit replaces her commonplace clothes. She reaches for her lasso, surprised to be unsure of whose side she should protect.

Although, before either brother could make a move, a black dimensional rifts unveils itself and releases a woman clad in the colors not unlike Loki's.

"So he's gone?" the woman speaks softly, false desolation coloring her voice. "Huh," she smirks at them. "That's a shame. I would have liked to seen that."

"Hela." Thor realizes. "I am Thor, son of Odin."

"Really," the sister smiles. "You don't look like him."

Loki approaches her with more apprehension than his brother: "Perhaps we can reach an agreement."

"You sound like him," Hela merely observes. "That aside - kneel." she commands.

A heartbeat pause ensues.

"Beg your pardon?" Loki frowns.

Hela manifests a pitch black blade into her hand.

"I said kneel, before your Queen." she easily repeats.

"I don't think so," Thor responds instead and hurls his hammer at her.

To everyone's surprise, Hela easily stops its path with her palm.

"Impossible," Thor stops midway in his follow-up charge.

Hela can only grin wider as she wraps her fingers around it; tiny spider-like cracks begin to crawl across the weapon. Thor dejectedly begins to shake his head.

"Darling, darling, darling," Hela closes her fist - breaking Mjolnir, "You have no idea what is possible." The destruction of the hammer sends waves of energy through all of them; Thor and Loki brace against the shockwaves as Diana flies forward as a counter attack.

A terrifying battle headdress materializes onto Hela's head as she counters Diana's attack and creates a new dark blade directed at her abdomen. Diana evades, pushes the offending arm and weapon down with both palms to push herself over the other woman: she raises her right gauntlet up in time to stop another blade from cutting her open. "Interesting." Hela looks down at her.

Diana pushes back against the blade and tries to sweep Hela's feet out from under her - but the action is more to deter the woman from getting any closer and she uses the time to leap back towards the brothers. Stupefied, Thor is nothing but short of a bystander to protect in this new fight. So Diana turns to Loki, prays that the other brother has more tact and solutions to their new problem.

However, wide eyes dispel any hope she has and Hela's ominous presence serves to put more pressure in the air - attempting and in some cases, slowly bringing them down to their knees. "Loki.." Diana starts as the other woman positions herself to start running towards them.

His eyes wildly dart about before he settles on looking up and shouting for the Bi-Frost to bring them back.

Back?

Diana can only try and stomach the sudden surge in energy enveloping all of them as the familiar celestial beam of light absorbs and begins to wrap them back towards Asgard. Although, their travel is not unaccompanied. Hela is there with them.

Trapped and unaccustomed by the speed and intensity of the Bi-Frost, Diana can only manage to evade her grasp. Thankfully, Loki is better prepared and throws two daggers at her. While they do find their mark, Hela is negligent to the pain and throws him out of the Bi-Frost.

Gone.

Thor shouts his brother's name but is quickly taken up by Hela's attention again as she projects black grappling hooks to bring Thor closer to her. Diana's eyes widen.

"Thor!" the god grunts in reply as he, rendered weaponless without Mjolnir, can only kick himself free from Hela's grasp. He is successful, but he too - becomes lost from the Bi-Frost, leaving Diana with their sister.

They meet eyes.

Diana takes her chances with luck and, too, struggles out of the Bi-Frost's realm. This causes a wormhole to take her instead and drop her cold into another world she doesn't know of.

When she comes to again, it is to silk sheets and cool air. Luxury and finesse, it takes Diana a moment to realize that her legs are bare of her boots and aside from the soft linen caressing her torso, she is naked. A small gasp leaves her as she shoots up from the strange bed and gathers the blanket around her body.

"Sleep well?"

And while she has not been with him long, Diana easily associates the sordid voice with Thor's brother, Loki. Correct in her association, she finds the other god seated across from her dining on some plump, purple delicacy.

"Where are we?" she asks, letting her eyes trace every inch and corner of the room. The marks of wealth halt at the bed and furnishings as nothing but mismatched metal serve for walls in their new setting.

"I was told that this barren place is called Sakaar," Loki humors her.

"And how long have we been here?" Diana mournfully gives up the privacy of the bed and drags her legs over the edge to better inspect and search the room for her armor. She ignores Loki's grazing eyes on her exposed skin as she walks toward the only closet in the room. She had been on display before, to both men and women, but something about Loki's being steals that indifference she had so confidently possessed.

"For me, a few weeks," Loki unashamedly looks on. "For you, well - you were an interesting find, but fortune and my manners saved you and brought you here to me."

"Answers, Loki." Diana closes the closet, finding nothing but replicas of Loki's own clothing. Knowing better to show hesitation, she takes the seat opposite of him and procures her own piece of the foreign fruit.

Loki's eyes trace the inevitable juice escaping from her lips. "I am providing them, princess," but then his eagle-eyed stare finds her own dark orbs. "A few days. But you only came to now," he sighs, and abruptly stands up. "Your armor I know not, most likely absconded by the petty thieves of this planet and bartered for meer nothings. I have not found Thor, yet, but I expect he will make an appearance soon enough."

Diana takes another piece of the foreign fruit, rediscovering her hunger after what might have been days of starvation. "We left the Bi-Frost at the same time."

"Yet here we have arrived at different times," Loki spins on his heel and fixes her with an instructable gaze. "You would do best to stay here, princess, the Grandmaster's favor is as finicky as mine's and his curiosity knows no bounds. He knows of you.." his voice trails off.

"But?" Diana prods on.

"But he has not set his eyes on you," Loki steps forward, much too close for her comfort, and raises a hand to bring her face closer to his. "You. Are. Perfection, Diana. Please don't play the fool and think otherwise. More base men would tear you apart in your sleep." He drops her chin and Diana turns her face away, grimacing, both disturbed and upset at his words.

"Stay here," Loki repeats again, sauntering towards the only set of doors in the room. To her chagrin, it has no locks. "I will find Thor on my own."

And in her isolation, Diana finds her head falling to her palms. She questions her predicament again.

She doesn't expect an answer from Loki but she also does not expect to be neglected by the god either. He has what she supposes are servants, drop off clothes and food in his wake - but the room is never graced by his presence again.

She paces, memorizes the four corners of her confinement in the time he has left her alone and has picked up on a few things.

One, there lies an arena not too far away - the sounds of continuous bloody altercations not too distant from her room and that two -

Loki is not too troubled by their current predicament.

With maids and servants tending to her needs, he has made himself scant and precious to their new environment. She shouldn't be surprised by his coyness and overindulgent wiles but she has someone waiting for her and an evil that still lurked in the corners of their world.

Oh Steve, what have I gotten myself into, she ponders as her bedroom doors are abruptly pushed open and a woman brusquely demands her obedience.

"And you are?" she asks the shorter warrior.

Wild, bright teeth meet her skepticism. "Loki did say you were an untrusting one."

But of course, Diana dejectedly subjects herself to follow the woman's orders. Where Loki is and where her ticket home and salvation lay. "Show me to him." she concedes.

The woman eyes her up and down. "He also said that you are pretty demanding."

Diana closes her eyes and prays that there exist other gods to curtail the trickster's irritable tendencies.


A/N: I missed Diana. I missed writing her.

Some overdue content and fluff - Loki's show has inspired me.

I'm not sure how long the next chapter will take me - hopefully not years. but we are reaching Infinity War Era.