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Post by Countess on Aug 18, 2024 19:18:14 GMT
Diana nods. "I agree- it takes more than time, however. I feel this, between us, can be the start of that," she says, reaching over the table to gently squeeze his hand, then let him go. Once more, her motions call to the bond they share, the one they are bringing back to the surface, instead of burying it. "I hear your hesitation. You are not the only one with it. I hope to assuage it, make us all stronger for the break that has happened," she says, but lets that settle. Once more, she has said her piece, he has said his, and the two have been able to move through it without the world shattering beneath them. Progress. Good progress.
More empathy blooms in her chest. "You have hit the nail on the head... Even if I could get to that place... I don't think I could stop. How could I? It is a vicious cycle, needing everyone and everyone needing me. We shall work ourselves into the grave, if we aren't careful... where will all those people that need us be, then?" she asks, a quandary she has worried about when she should be sleeping. What happens if the world needs her, and she isn't there to serve it? Usually, on nights like those, when the moon is at its highest and the weight is at its heaviest... she finds herself walking the streets, seeking... something. She has not found it, yet.
Diana has a sad smile at the jest of Constantine. "We will have to disagree there, friend. yes, he surely gets laid but-" she starts, then shakes her head. "He doesn't let anyone in," she murmurs, sipping at the now refilled glass. Her eyes dart away from Strange, worried for her friend. He was worse than Bruce, pushing people away fort their own "safety". It worries her more, because he was right to do so... even his friends had a knack for being horribly hurt or cursed in some way.
Diana raises a glass. "To love, deserved and undeserved, platonic and romantic, fleeting and everlasting."
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Post by Beriadan on Aug 18, 2024 19:43:43 GMT
Strange dwell on her words. They weren't exactly new to him, but always swimming just below the turgid waters of his mind, rising to the surface in the long nights and lonely dawns. Sure, it wasn't just him, and he wasn't so egotistical to believe that. Diana, Constantine, a vast swathe of heroes who shouldered the burdens of the world themselves all felt it too.
It made him sad, yet also full of happiness that he had a friend like Diana to share it with. He raised his glass, clinking the rim to hers and smiling wide.
"To old friends, here and gone, and the memories made."
Strange finished the last glass of red, as the water silently brought over another bottle. This wasn't red wine, but a clear liquid accompanied by two squat shot glasses. Strange filled them both, even as Diana was finishing her wine.
"Sake, and some of the finest stuff you won't find in this dimension. What better way to celebrate a reunion of allies?"
He waited for Diana to finish her wine, of course, out of manners. Strange was tugging on his goatee lightly, as he did when worry began to fill his mind.
"I would like to return, for a moment, to Sun Nao. You spoke of him being hunted by demons. It is not something he mentioned to me, nothing more than the issues with his father, the Monkey King. Is it anything I can look into, while you train the boy? Perhaps he told you some details I could use to go straight to the source?"
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Post by Countess on Aug 18, 2024 22:15:44 GMT
Diana finishes off her glass at the toast, slowly savoring it as she knows it is the last of it. Her eyes close for a moment, and she commits this moment to memory. It warms her, beyond hope. If she could she is sure she would be glowing from the happiness of it all. They are talking, well and truly talking. It means so much to her.
"You certainly know how to spoil a woman, Stephen," Diana says, chuckling. "A celebration indeed! Though, I will not go as hard as our last celebration," she says, a knowing look shot in his direction. They had gone all out, many years ago, perhaps for the last time in both their lifetimes. It takes a great deal to get the Amazon buzzed, let alone drunk enough to swerve while flying. No one had ever been in danger, of course, so it was nice to let just a little loose, feel... normal.
Diana sees him tugging at his goatee, and her eyebrow goes up in question. Nothing needs to be said- they know each other well enough by now. When he provides illumination, she starts to track his line of thought. "He made it seem like something that had multiple occurrences. In one instance, a demon had disguised themselves as his teacher, and he had resorted to physical violence. He mentioned they are aligned against his father, so to get at the Monkey King, they focus on the easier target, the Prince," Diana tells him, then sighs. "I fear I may have scared him. When he told me this, I responded as a warrior would- what is he doing to protect his family? These demons, they know who he is, by extension they know his family. Once they realize he is not so soft as they initially thought, they will move on to those they can hurt."
Diana pauses very briefly. She thinks so quickly- it is little time at all to Strange before she continues. "I asked him to speak with you on their protection. Wards, perhaps? Something to keep them safe, at least while I am training him, and he no longer needs our help. If they are well and truly demons, Constantine might be the one to dispatch. If we need a catch all, there are others within the community who can provide robust protective magics."
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Post by Beriadan on Aug 19, 2024 16:22:59 GMT
Strange nodded at Diana's wisdom. Matters of the multiverse were one thing. Gods and Demons fell more within the remit of his friends and allies. If Sun Nao had a demon issue, then who better than the likes of Constantine?
"The boy's family will have as much protective magic that I can spare, don't worry about that. I had planned on visiting them personally, but I can do so sooner rather than later. As for the demons themselves... Perhaps it is something that we can ask Constantine about. He may even know some of them personally!"
Strange smiled, but it was more likely than not. Constantine was a man who travelled in many social circles, overlapping with the demonic and the cursed. Sometimes it was of his own free will.
"Sun Nao couldn't be in better hands than your own. I have given him plenty of magical training to defend himself, but a bit of Wonderwoman's kick-assery would make any enemy think twice about crossing him."
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Post by Countess on Aug 20, 2024 20:56:04 GMT
Diana rolls her eyes, but holds her tongue at the joke of Constantine knowing the demons. In all truth, the mage would know them... and then some. He has eclectic tastes in bedpartners. "Everything you can spare, anyone you can pull, would be most appreciated by him. His family is soft- untrained- I worked with his mother about... twenty years ago, long before she had children. I recently had them over, his mother, father, brother, and him. They have no clue what is happening... Sooner or later, they will. As long as there is time for our little Monkey Prince to mature, grow in his abilities, have confidence in his identity... this can maybe go smoothly."
Diana takes a deep breath, letting it all settle. "For now, we celebrate... then we shall work. Just for a moment. Surely, the world can spare us a moment, yeah?" she says, knowing the truth. Sometimes, if timed just right... yes. Diana raises her sake cup, the ceramic cool on her fingertips. "Kanpai!"
[End Thread]
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