Pamela awakens with the sun. She dresses in the dark and exited their room, finding her way up to the roof in order to sunbathe for an hour or so. It also gave her some time alone to think and consider what little they knew about whoever took Harley.
Whoever it was knew intimate details about her and Harley's relationship- the piercing, their shared friend, dream vacations, and the hideout that meant the most to them. Then, there was Diana, who had only one hint that related to her, but it was a place that was mentioned to Harley at least once.
It must be a person who knew Harley intimately. Maybe they could weasel most of those things out of her, but neither had told any of their shared friends about the piercings. The vacations and the hideouts she could see her talking about, but never the piercing.
This person was also apparently wealthy, having humanlike robots that were so realistic they fooled even her own senses while surrounded by nature for a few moments, and having access to high tech drones. She wondered if the person Diana saw in Germany was even a person as well.
She tried thinking through any of the villains that might have a personal vendetta against her, Harley, and Diana, and wasn't coming up with anyone that could even slightly fit the bill. Though it bothered her more than she'd ever admit aloud, she knew she'd have to be patient for this game.
She dozed in the sun until Diana found her and invited her out for breakfast. They found a small café near their hotel and began making some plans.
"Since we're stuck here until further notice, I believe we should focus on regrouping. I was thinking I could get some clothes for myself at least, and maybe some other supplies."
"What, are my clothes and soap not good enough for you?" Pamela couldn't help but tease.
"Your clothes look better on you, Ivy." Diana returned the banter easily. "And you'll be running out of hair wash in no time between the two of us. Is there anything you need to take care of, or anything you need?"
"Not that I can think of at the moment." Pamela took a sip of her tea. "Mind if I accompany you? I haven't much else to do today, and maybe we can figure out something to entertain ourselves with after?"
"Not at all, and I'm sure we'll find something that can occupy our time." Diana's smile is flattering in a way that Pamela hadn't noticed before. It makes her feel warm, and she returns the gesture with a smile of her own.
They spent most of the morning shopping around. Diana's style is far less elegant and flowery than Pamela's, but it fits the woman well. She picks up a black, faux leather jacket, some plain form fitting shirts, and a few pairs of jeans and dark, straight legged pants. Pamela does convince her to try on a few things outside of her comfort zone, but only convinces her to buy a flattering black bustier top when she suggests visiting a club during their stay.
Pamela does pick up a few things for herself, including a short but classy clubbing dress for later. After they return to their hotel to drop off their shopping and let Diana change into her own clothes, they find a nice outside restaurant for lunch and begin looking through some options for entertainment.
"There's a medieval castle close to us. If we leave in thirty minutes, we'll be able to do a quick walkthrough, and maybe something else before we turn in for the night." Diana suggests. "There's also a fine arts museum that could take up the rest of the afternoon."
"Remember, we're not sure how long we'll be stuck here, so we can also plan a few things for tomorrow." Pamela reminds her. "How about we go to the castle today, and then visit the museum tomorrow. This city's also known for its thermal spas. I'd like to visit one, and it would be a nice relaxer after walking around an art museum."
Diana nodded. "Sounds like a plan, but what else will we do today? The brochure says the walk through should only take two hours or so."
"Lets not overbook ourselves. If we still have time to do something else, there's a movie theater I saw near our hotel. We can just watch a film and relax for the rest of the night."
"That sounds good. Is there anything else you'd be interested in doing or visiting in the next few days?
Pamela pulled out her phone and did a quick look into any current events that caught her eye. "Well, what do you know? There's a band Harley and I like playing in the next city over the day after tomorrow. We might be able to snag some tickets. Are you a fan of rock music?"
"I haven't heard enough to take a stance, really." Diana admits. "I usually prefer classical."
"Same," Pamela is certainly a little surprised by that. "But Harley turned me. There's a few bands and singers I enjoy on occasion, and Concerts are a treat when the crowd is right."
Diana quirked an eyebrow at that. "When the crowd is right?"
Pamela gave her a knowing smile. "Shall I get us some tickets?"
The Amazon takes her challenge quickly. "If they're bad, I will judge you."
"I wouldn't expect anything less."
Pamela finds herself a little unfocused while they tour the museum. She wasn't the greatest fan of history unless it came to the natural world, but Diana is completely taken by museum, and they end up stalking an English tour group so she can hear the guide talking about the castle's history.
It's strange to see the woman so bright and excited about something. It was clear that she deeply enjoyed touring the Karst Caves, but it was more of a quiet pleasure while this was an almost childlike joy. She was pointing out objects, quoting other historical events during certain time frames, noting the differences she's seen between artistic styles in different cultures, and almost dragging Pamela all over the castle.
Her happiness was contagious, and Pamela couldn't help but smile along as Diana rambled about anything and everything that caught her eye. She tried her best to take in everything the Amazon was bombarding her with, but most of it went in one ear and out the other, and while Pamela tried desperately to stop that from happening she'd end up missing even more information.
Is this how Harley feels when I go on tangents? She'd have to remember not to always be so gung-ho about her passions in the future.
Diana had said the walk through should only take two hours or so, but it ended up nearly taking four. Pamela didn't mind. After just accepting she was just along for the ride for this event, she was able to just sit back and enjoy Diana's excitement second hand.
They eat an early dinner at a restaurant next to the Danube, and Pamela finds the conversation guiding more towards herself again. Diana is easy to speak with. She's blunt but never intentionally rude, curious but not nosey, and seems genuinely interested in her life.
"So the Parliament of Trees made up of the former elemental guardians of the Green, and the Parliament of Flowers is the collective consciousness of the plantlife itself?"
"Yes, that's the sum of it." Pamela takes a drink of her water, nodding as Diana thinks over her words.
"And you are one of these guardians, so you are a part of the parliament?"
"Not… officially." She confesses. "The Parliament of Trees is made up of the Champions that have essentially retired from tending to the Green and have become one with nature. I guard the green as best I can, but I have never been chosen as its champion. Regardless, I have no designs to join the Green anytime soon."
Diana nods. "I see. So, who is the Green's champion now?"
"I'm not really sure, actually. Swampthing was up until recently. He… well, he was fired technically. The Parliament of Trees chose another, the King of Petals, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of the guy since Swampthing was given the boot. There's also a strange disturbance within the green… I haven't been able to make heads of it."
The Amazon's brow knits together for a moment. "I would have thought you would become the next Champion of the Green after Swampthing."
Pamela let out a small huff of a laugh. "You and me both. The Trees choose their candidates, but the Parliament of Flowers choose the Champion. I know I've been put in the running a few times, but I am apparently not ready. I don't let it concern me, though. I have time to spare when it comes to waiting."
Diana cocks her head to the side at that. "How do you mean?"
Pamela curses herself slightly, struggling to find an excuse for her slip up. She didn't need anyone in the League to find out about the recent discovery she made about her body. "It's just that I have a whole lifetime ahead of me. Alec became Swampthing in his forties and has been the green's Champion since the seventies. Time won't be a problem for me. I can wait however long they'd like."
Diana hesitates before nodding. She opens her mouth to speak just as a near deafening crash shakes their table. They look down a nearby road and see an animal-like form jumping across car roofs. It takes a moment for Pamela to recognize the creature to be Cheetah. She and the Amazon exchanged a look.
"Ellenőrizze, kérlek, (check, please.)" Pamela flagged down the waiter as Diana bolted towards the commotion.
She takes her sweet time covering the bill, even ordering a small fruity desert to go as she heard the hero and villain tussle, crashing into the sides of buildings and cars. She gathers up their things, collecting Diana's disguise as she heads towards the carnage.
Diana is having an easy enough time fighting the animal woman. Cheetah was taking her blows like a champ but seemingly was more interested in fleeing than fighting. Police officers were blocking off the streets and pulling citizens away from the fray. It seemed as if the villainess had just robbed some place, given the bag tied to her back was occasionally sparkling around its zipper.
She takes a leaf from a bush as she enters a darkened alleyway and stows away their thing. She grows several long vines from the leaf, letting go of her control over her skin tone and allowing it to become its natural green color again.
Using her vines, she lays her trap before leaving the alley again.
Diana had just attempted to snag Cheetah with her lasso, but had missed, instead catching a street sign and giving the beast woman a chance to run.
"Cheetah, this way!" She called out.
Golden brown eyes lock onto her, and she sees the woman make a split-second decision. Pamela knows she's snared her prey before the trap has even sprung, and she turns back towards the alley and runs.
Like a good little hunter, Cheetah follows quickly, catching up to her in mere seconds. "What are you doing here, Iv- hguk!"
The woman is clotheslined by a vine, completely swept off her feet as more tangle around her limbs. Diana is on them in an instant, and as Cheetah calls her every name under the sun, the Amazon smiles at her.
"Nice work, Ivy." Pamela knows the praise is sincere, and it almost makes her swell with pride.
"Rogue's code, Wonder. The enemy of my enemy and all…" She responds flippantly, gagging the villainess with her vines. "Too bad she didn't know we're not enemies."
Diana's eyes sparkle at that, but she does shoo her away when the Police arrive. Pamela simply takes up their things again and goes to wait for the hero at their hotel, picking at the desert she ordered while she looked up available movies at the neighboring theater.
There's a knock on their window eventually, and she opens the blinds to find Diana waiting to be let in. She looks a little worse for wear from the fight, especially now that it's dark out.
"What's that saying about vampires? That they must be invited in?" Pamela teases as she works the window open.
"Vampires are a Romanian thing, not Hungarian." The Amazon chides with a smile. "Besides, I don't bite."
"A pity, truly." She sighs when she gets it open enough for Diana to fit her fingers through the bottom and pull the rusted window open the rest of the way.
"Romania's just a few hours away. We could skip the museum tomorrow and take a day trip?"
"We'd better stay the course for now, but maybe some other time."
They take turns showering, and then settle on a movie as it still was far too early to turn in for the night. It was a late viewing of an old, black and white film.
"Are you sure you don't want to just stay in?" Diana asked as they got in line for their tickets. "It will be in Hungarian. You won't understand it."
"I don't need to understand words to enjoy a film." Pamela reassures.
After they get their tickets and a bag of popcorn and drinks, they find their theater and settle down.
"Thank you, by the way." Diana begins as the rest of the audience finds their seats. "For your help with Cheetah."
"She's never going to forgive me for that." Pamela chuckled, remembering the look of shock on her face as she fell flat on her back.
"No, she won't." There's something in the way she says it that tells Pamela there's a history between the two.
"You know her?" They had delved into her life today, so it was only fair Diana got a turn.
"Her real name is Barbara Ann Minerva. She was a friend when I first came to the outside world. She… blames me for her transformation." Diana tells her the full story in the time it takes for the sneak peaks to roll, and Pamela can't help but feel this story sounds familiar.
A hero and a villain, friends before some tragic accident that turns one of their lives down a dark path… Yes, she had heard this story before. And she had heard the tone of accusation punctuating the end of the tale as well.
"She may blame you for not saving her, but her transformation was not your fault." Pamela takes up one of Diana's hands, which is closed into a tight fist. "Her greed put her in danger, and circumstances were beyond anyone's control by then. You couldn't have saved her."
Their eyes lock together for a moment, and for a split second she is tempted to look away. But Pamela holds strong, wanting to reassure the Amazon that her friend's fall from grace is not her fault. Diana gives her a light smile just as the movie's intro credits begin to roll.
"Thank you, Ivy."
Pamela only nods in return, and they turn towards the movie.
She wasn't lying when she said she could enjoy a movie she couldn't understand, but something keeps her distracted.
How coincidental was it to have Cheetah, one of Wonder Woman's greatest adversaries and emotional hang ups commit petty theft not ten blocks away from their hotel?
No, it wasn't suspicious at all.
Not in the slightest.