"An effective way to blend in she (Diana/Wonder Woman) supposed. One must do what one must do." - Nancy Holder, Wonder Womanmovie novelization

"What is this place?" Diana asked as she looked up at the building they'd stopped in front of, One that had a very opulent looking display inside, she thought. It was called Selfridge's, according to the sign above the door.

Antiope, however, just raised an eyebrow as she glanced in a window. "I believe this is where Captain Trevor has brought us to get some clothing to blend in, DIana." She looked at the man. "I must say, though, I would have thought you'd be taking us to a less noticeable place."

Steve Trevor looked uncomfortable. "I thought about that. But decided that it would be better to be in a more public area at the moment."

Diana just blinked, puzzled. Antiope's expression, however, stiffened. "I see," her aunt replied coolly. "In that case, let us get started. Are we meeting with someone here? I saw you talking into that strange device in the glass pillar."

"It's a communication device called a telephone," Steve replied. "And yes, I did. She should be inside and will help you pick something out that will be a bit less eye-catching than those...uniforms you're wearing."

"Then we should not keep her waiting. Come along, Diana," Antiope said as she stepped into the large, brightly lit building.

As they walked through the store, Diana couldn't help but stare. Themyscira had a market place, but nothing like this. She found herself wondering what the purpose of some of these items were. The odd device that looked like a very small pair of telescopes made no sense to her, anymore than these brilliant lights above did. She was sure they had some kind of use to the humans if they created them, but for the life of her, Diana couldn't figure out what.

"Diana, you are attracting attention," her aunt stated in a low voice. "We must keep as low a profile as we can for now."

"But Antiope," Diana whispered back, "I've never seen anything like these objects before. What do you suppose...?"

"You can find out once the battle we are about to fight is over, Diana. There will be plenty of time afterwards, after all," Antiope replied severely, her voice still pitched low.

Diana flinched at the reminder that she was forever barred from Themyscira now. Even though she had accepted that it was necessary, it would take some time for her to accept that loss, she knew. "I understand," she whispered.

Her aunt just nodded, and no more was said as they approached a part of the building that seemed to be full of odd looking clothing that matched what she had seen the women on the street wearing. In the front of that section stood a woman with reddish hair wearing a gray hat with flowers on it. She was wearing what seemed to be a cloak with sleeves with a longer skirt than Diana was used to seeing, along with boots. She was shorter than Diana and seemed slightly plump, she thought.

As the woman caught sight of them, she called out, "Thank God you're not dead!"

Diana and Antiope both glanced at Steve Trevor as she approached, Diana confused and Antiope slightly amused. The elder Amazon asked wryly, "I assume the misadventure that landed you on our island is not a one-time event, then?" .

As the woman approached, she said in a scolding tone, "It certainly isn't. But this time, I really did think he was dead. Not a call for weeks! Totally unlike him not to try and get in contact during a mission. I hope there wasn't too much trouble getting him back here."

Antiope just smiled pleasantly (at least it would have seemed that way to those who didn't know her, Diana thought) and replied in a slightly blander voice, "Nothing we couldn't handle."

"Good," the woman said with a nod. "And let me introduce myself. I'm Etta Candy, Captain Trevor's secretary."

Diana felt very puzzled. "What's a secretary?"

Before Etta Candy could reply, Antiope stepped in. "Before you answer, you should be aware that my niece and I come from a part of the world that is...very different from how things are here."

Diana felt a brief twinge of annoyance, which was quickly extinguished as she remembered once more that Antiope had once lived in man's world. Of course she would realize that their different behavior would need clarification.

"Ah," Etta replied, with a shrug, seemingly accepting the explanation she was given for the odd question. "Well, I do everything. I go where he tells me to go, and do what he tells me to do."

Diana felt disgusted. "Where we're from, that's called slavery."

Etta just blinked, then looked back at Captain Trevor. "Ooh, I like really like her. I do, I like her."

Antiope smirked, then stated, "I am called Antiope, and this is my niece, Diana. It is good to meet you."

"Ladies," Steve spoke up now, sounding a mixture of tired and exasperated. "Etta, I apologize, but we need to get moving soon."

Etta nodded towards Steve as she spoke to Antiope, "It's good to meet you too. Thank you for keeping him alive," she said breathlessly.

She eyed the two other women. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us. This way, please."

She led them through one of the brightest rooms Diana had ever seen. Scents floated around the room heavily, and there were more mirrors in this place than Diana had ever seen before in her life. Certainly the palace had mirrors, but not so many. She found herself wondering what the purpose of all of them was.

Her aunt seemed to be taking all these strange things surprisingly well, Diana noticed, after glancing over in Antiope's direction. Her features were calm, with an air of determination. She was focused, the Amazonian princess realized. She decided to do the same thing, stopping in front of a mannequin. It had a piece of tight fabric stretching from chest to mid-thigh.

"Is this what passes for armor in your country?" she asked.

Before Etta could reply, Antiope did. "Such pieces of clothing existed among noblewomen at one time, Diana. It was to make them look thinner. It is not armor." Once more, she sounded quite amused by her niece.

The Amazonian general then turned to Etta. "Is there an area where we can change in private?" she asked. "Speaking of armor, some of the clothes we are wearing under these cloaks is likely to attract attention that we don't need right now."

"There is," Etta confirmed. "But first, we should pick out some outfits before heading over there."

"Of course," Antiope agreed. After looking around briefly, she continued, "I have an idea of what I should wear, judging by what I am seeing here. Diana is likely to need your assistance more than I will. She has never had to blend into another environment before."

"Antiope!" Diana felt more than just a little embarrassed by her mentor's words.

"Diana," her aunt replied as she raised an eyebrow. "You're drawing more unnecessary attention towards us with your behavior than I am. Need I remind you that there will be time enough to ask questions once we're done?"

"No, Antiope."

"Good." Antiope replied. Looking back at Etta, she said, "Shall we get started, then?"

As Antiope thought, it hadn't taken her long to find a proper outfit.

She was now wearing a deep navy skirt and gray blouse that matched the boots she was wearing. Further, it fit comfortably over her armor, concealing it from anyone who glanced her way. A dark gray fedora hat covered the crown she skirt did constrict her freedom of movement slightly, but it could not be helped, Antiope thought.

Glancing in the mirror of what Etta referred to as a dressing room, Antiope frowned as she realized this outfit matched the one she had seen in her dream earlier, minus the hat. And she hadn't been wearing her crown in the dream either.

The people of Helias put great stock in dreams, Antiope remembered. Many believed they could foretell the future. She herself had never truly believed in that notion...And yet she had unconsciously chosen the set of clothes that her dream had shown to her. Oh, yes, she was still wearing her crown, but still...

Antiope shook her head. No, she was just being foolish. Menalippe would be amused if she could know that Antiope was finding herself worried by a dream.

It was just a dream, she told herself once more as she stepped out of the dressing room. Nothing more.

"Oh, you're done," Etta said. "That didn't take you too long."

"I knew what to look for," Antiope replied. Noticing that the other woman's expression seemed exhausted, with a tinge of exasperation mixed in, she continued, "I assume Diana hasn't chosen anything yet?"

Etta motioned to a rack filled with clothing. "She's on outfit twenty-five right now."

Antiope heaved out a sigh. She could remember well how Diana could make things difficult as a child for her tutors. Some things never do change, she thought wryly.

Since they had to wait, however, a diversion might prove to be a welcome distraction for the woman, whose patience Antiope couldn't help but be mildly impressed by. When it came to dealing with Diana, it was a very necessary trait to possess.

"Might I ask where Captain Trevor has disappeared to?"

Etta chuckled. "He went to get himself a change of clothes of his own. Didn't want to go in front of his superiors looking like he'd just crawled out of the trenches."

Antiope frowned at the term "trenches", one she'd never heard of before when it came to warfare. "I see," she replied. After considering for a moment, she asked. "I am aware that the question I have may sound odd, but I ask you bear with me. Seeing as Diana and are from a place one could call...isolated, I don't suppose you could explain what you mean by trenches, could you?"

Etta just blinked; the look on her face could be best described as shock, Antiope decided. However, she did recover quickly enough, and the next minute or two was filled with muttered unflattering comments about Captain Trevor and his propensity for never telling her anything.

When the other woman had finally finished, she did prove to be forthcoming about what she meant by the word "trenches". It seemed that at the beginning of this war, four years earlier, both sides had dug trenches to fight from. They were considered a defensive mechanism of sorts, and stretched hundreds of miles long on both sides. To climb out of those trenches made one a target, as the land between, referred to as "No Man's Land"and was a death trap in more ways than one. Distance between the trenches varied, depending on the location. However, it seemed to have proven too strong a defense on both sides, as there had been almost no ground gained during the time they'd been in existence.

Antiope hadn't been expecting Etta to have as much information as she did, but was grateful for it regardless, as it gave her more of an idea what to expect when they headed for the battlefield.

Even so, the weapons that Etta described sounded eerily similar to the projectile weapons those other soldiers ("Germans", Etta called them) used, only they discharged much faster. It sounded like as destructive a weapon as Ares could ever hope for.

All of this certainly made the situation more challenging, to be sure, but Antiope was never one to back down from a challenge.

Even if it killed her, she would help her niece reach her destiny.

Thanking Etta, she turned her attention back to the dressing room, only to notice that Diana had tried on and discarded at least five more outfits over the duration of the conversation.

"Diana! Do pick something out please," Antiope called, a hint of exasperation in her tone. "Captain Trever would like to speak to his superiors sometime today, and he can't if you keep finding fault with whatever you try on."

"Not to mention that if she damages another outfit like she did the first one, it'll wipe out all of Steve's savings," Etta muttered. "How is it that you picked out something so quickly and she can't?"

"Her lack of worldly experience, I would guess," Antiope replied dryly. Not that she had had much of that for many centuries, but she at least had had some, unlike her niece..

Etta grimaced, but before she could reply, Diana stepped out of the dressing room wearing an outfit very similar to the older woman's. It wasn't unflattering, Antiope believed, but Diana didn't seem to agree judging by the way she was yanking at the collar.

"It's itchy," she complained. "And it's choking me."

Etta muttered something under her breath that Antiope couldn't quite catch, though the irritation came through loud and clear, she thought.

"Diana, we are short for time," Antiope reiterated her earlier point. "It matters not if it is a dress made for a princess. Just find something that is presentable. And do make it the next outfit, please."

Diana sighed. "All right, Antiope." She ducked back into the dressing room, just as Captain Trevor returned. He seemed to have cleaned up his own outfit, the Amazonian general noticed. He was no longer wearing the clothes he'd had on Themyscira, but was now wearing a gray hat with a wide brim, with at least three layers of new clothes as well.

It seemed a little much to Antiope, but she wasn't going to comment on the ridiculousness of wearing so much. There were better battles to fight than that. Besides, it was something she would need to get used to as well.

"Where is she?" he asked, as he came up next to the two women.

Etta just motioned towards the dressing room. "Trying on what one hopes will be her last outfit," she said, making an effort to hide her exasperation.

It was at that moment when Diana stepped out of the dressing room, and Antiope found herself biting back a laugh at the expression on Captain Trevor's face.

Her niece had selected a gray-colored dress and jacket, with a black hat with a medium brim. Her hair was pulled back in a way that Antiope could remember Hippolyta doing before with her daughter.

She looked rather striking for a young woman, and it wasn't hard to figure out that Captain Trevor was very likely thinking along those same lines, judging by how his mouth was hanging open and his eyes had widened like he was seeing her for the first time.

He must have noticed her amused expression, because he then turned towards Etta and said sternly, "Miss Candy, the whole point was to make her less distracting." He then walked over to a nearby counter and after scanning it a moment, picked up an odd contraption, a pair of circular pieces of glass held together by metal wire. He stepped back over and placed it on her niece's face with a look of satisfaction.

Antiope frowned. While she understood what the man was trying to do, she didn't think it did much to change Diana's features all that much. Judging by the skeptical way that Etta was looking at Captain Trevor, it seemed that she agreed with Antiope.

However, she didn't feel inclined to argue the matter, particularly since they had more important matters to deal with. One stood out to her right away. "Diana, I think you should let Miss Candy take your sword and shield for the time being."

Diana frowned. "But I shouldn't be without them, considering where we'll be going."

Antiope nodded. "True, but I can conceal mine well enough underneath this cape. I am an older looking woman and it won't be questioned if I'm wearing something to protect me from the cooler weather. However, your outfit is not that easy to conceal weapons in Diana. Particularly not a sword and shield," she finished dryly.

Diana frowned, but did seem to be considering her aunt's words seriously. Finally, she handed the two items over to the secretary, who seemed uncomfortable with this interaction, but to do her credit, she agreed to take them to the Captain's office.

"Now, shall we be on our way?" Antiope asked, as she made sure her crown was concealed under the fedora, and refastened her cloak around her shoulders.

"That is a good idea," Captain Trevor agreed.

Diana gave some final admonitions to Etta about taking care of her weapons until she returned, and then started out with Captain Trevor.

Antiope, however, lingered for a moment. "Thank you for putting up with this situation," she said. "I know it was...difficult. And perhaps more than you bargained for."

Etta Candy just shook her head. "Just make sure he doesn't get himself killed and we'll call it even," she replied.

Antiope nodded. "Given his interest in my niece, it is in her interests that I do just that."

Both women were chuckling as Antiope turned and walked away, catching up with her two travel companions in short order.

As she stepped outside "Selfridge's" with them, however, she could feel a few more pairs of eyes watching than there had been earlier. Closer, and closing in.

Her features hardened.

Not much longer now.

They had only gotten a few blocks away from the store, heading down a street called Oxford, when Diana felt Steve stiffen next to her. This was soon followed by her aunt's footsteps becoming sharper as they walked.

"What is it?"she asked.

Steve didn't bother to respond, and quietly steered her towards an alley, her aunt following quickly behind.

"Why are we hiding, Steve? Antiope?" she said, now somewhat worried.

"Hush!" her aunt hissed softly.

Steve's spoke just as low, though she could hear the tension in his voice when he replied just as softly, "Come on."

Behind them, a clicking sound was heard. Steve tensed even further, and both Diana and Antiope stilled as a man stepped out of some nearby shadows with one of those projectile weapons pointed at them.

"Captain Trevor," he said, in a very thick-sounding voice, "I believe you have something that is the property of General Ludendorff."

Diana narrowed her eyes thoughtfully as she remembered seeing such a weapon used on Themyscira. And what it had done to her fellow Amazons as well as her aunt. A side-long look at Antiope told her that her aunt recognized it too, judging from the look on her face and how still she'd become.

Will she be able to help me? Diana thought, concerned. If her aunt was remembering how near she'd come to death. then it was possible that would affect her fighting ability. She'd told Diana stories of warriors she'd known who'd had that happen if they'd been injured by a particular weapon. They would falter if they faced that weapon again, often to their detriment.

It was up to her, she realized.

She knew what that weapon could do, so she knew it would be best to wait until she had the perfect opening to act. As the man waved the gun threateningly and moved forward, the three of them backed more into the alley, where there were four more waiting for them. Two of those four also were holding guns.

"Ah, it's the bad guys' convention," Steve quipped.

"Just give us the notebook," the first man snapped.

Instead of doing what he'd been ordered, Steve instead moved in front of Diana, blocking her from the gun pointed immediately in her direction. He was patting at his coat, muttering "Where did I put that thing?"

The next thing Diana knew, he was head-butting their original attacker. She started moving forward, only to have Steve try to stop her, calling out to stay behind him. Just as he said this, the gunman in front of them fired.

Without another word, Diana swung her arm up, not even thinking twice about it. It felt automatic, instinctive somehow, and it stopped the bullet from reaching its target, instead ricocheting off of the bracelet she wore with a loud cracking sound. Steve was staring down at his hand, where a piece of bullet landed in his palm.

Their attackers just stared in shock over what they'd just seen, as did Steve Trevor. Antiope's features, however, sported a small smile, unseen by everyone else.

Steve was the first to break the silence. "Okay, I guess you didn't need to stay back," he said, in a tone of disbelief.

Diana wasn't listening, her senses focused on the men around her. The one who had fired checked his gun and then fired another shot, followed by one of the other gunmen doing the same. Just as quickly as before she lifted up both her arms, and once more both the bullets flew in separate directions.

One of the remaining men yelled and this led to the last man with a gun to start firing along with the other two. Diana just felt herself move swiftly, without thinking and deflecting every bullet. They fired wildly as they became more desperate, but she just spun and each projectile was deflected away. She moved in a blur, not even noticing when her glasses fell off of her face. She felt a sense of exhilaration as she fought, paying almost attention to what was happening around her.

As the sound of the bullets finally stopped, the world began shifting back into focus for Diana, and she became aware of a man with a beard pointing now at Steve. Without even thinking twice, she grabbed the barrel and twisted it up just as he fired. The man then started to reach into his sleeve, but before he could grab whatever he'd been reaching for, Diana hit his head with one of her bracelets, causing him to slump to the ground.

Diana then looked around her, only to find all of their attackers laying unconscious on the ground. Steve stood over two of them, and Antiope the remaining two. Steve was just staring in disbelief at what he'd witnessed. Her aunt was smiling. "Well done, Diana," she said calmly, stepping over the last man with the gun. "That was impressive."

"I'll say," Steve said. He shook his head. "Is there anything else you want to show me?"

Diana just smiled in reply.

Antiope felt a sense of pleasure as she watched her niece fight, moving with a speed and grace that the Amazonian general had never been able to match in her younger years. A speed and grace that she knew well came from no mortal source.

You truly are Zeus's daughter, Diana. He would be so pleased to see you coming into your own, she thought with a sense of pride.

She soon lost herself in her own battle, moving to take down both her opponents with sharp kicks to the head for each of them, stepping on the hand of the remaining gunman for good measure. Once she was sure they were both unable to create more trouble, she turned to see her niece had managed to bring down the man she had been fighting.

She kept half an ear on Captain Trevor's words as she cast a glance around at each of the downed men. They were all still breathing, but they would be unaware of their surroundings for some time, if she was any judge.

It was time to move, while they still had the opportunity.

"We need to go, Diana. Captain Trevor," she stated firmly.

"No," Diana said, just as firmly. "I need to free these men from Ares' control."

"There is no time for that," Antiope said grimly. "We have larger matters at stake now."

"Your aunt's right," Captain Trevor said, just as grimly. "And not only that, we don't know if they have any allies around. Best to leave while they're out of it."

Diana's expression became mutinous. "But..."

"Diana, you can't save everyone," Antiope said, more gently now. And some don't want to be saved, she thought but didn't say aloud. It was a lesson her niece would have to learn for herself. "Our enemies know that Captain Trevor is here, and it is imperative that we get the information to his superiors."

Diana looked torn for a moment, but then nodded. "Very well, but Ares will be made to pay for twisting these men."

Antiope smiled sadly. Still innocent, but for how much longer? "As you say, Diana."

The three of them made their way out of the alley, running into Etta who had seen one of the attackers following them and had come, thinking she could help.

After calming the woman, they began moving away, more quickly than before.

As they departed the battle site, Antiope glanced quickly back, then up at the iron gray sky.

Soon now, she thought.

It will be soon.

A/N: Must say it was quite fun doing research on how the Ancient Greeks viewed dreams along with trench warfare.

And I will say right now that the dream that Antiope had last chapter is indeed significant.