Everything else flew by. The welcomed. The small feast to their glorious victory.
But what I truly cared for was the piece of history Themyscira represented. It had existed since ancient Greece. Their records alone were enough for most people to study for decades to come. It was a single walk to copy everything they had into my mind.
A part of my molecule manipulation power I uncovered long ago.
Yet, the truly magnificent part of my visit of their understanding of the Gods, and the magic aspect of being one. Especially their runes and the crafting process.
Thus, my brief visit was enough for me to digest for years to come.
And so, I did the only thing I could. It was to wait. Wait for their discussion was what was to happen for Themyscira. Honestly, I was anxious myself. Seeing the battle from the morning, and their extensive library, I came to realize, this was not the DCEU I had thought it was. Even when Steve was shockingly similar to Chris Pine.
Nor this was the barbaric version of the New 52. But their war-like nature, especially Diana's indifference toward the death she caused led me to think it was an alternate reality of the DC. Maybe, one that was not from any comic I had read.
Reincarnating the souls of tortured and abused women into Amazons, and giving them a second chance, a chance to live a life of love and care they deserved was something I had not read about.
Then, there was Diana. Aside from my obsession with her, an obsession I did not realize until I met her, she was something more than a stoic comic book character. Even with 5000 years of life, of training, she retained her child-like wonder of the outside world. And I would not have it any other way.
But it begged the question, what was going to happen? And more importantly, how much disturbance I had caused.
Was Themyscira going to introduce themselves to the world? Was she going to join the UN? Was she going to even leave Paradise Island? And was it Ares behind the war in this reality? Or was this the one where she waged war against the Atlanteans?
"So many questions… So little answer…"
"Questions about?"
A familiar voice asked, the curiosity laced within that voice was tingling. And when I felt her presence settling on the chair next to me as we gazed out onto the magnificent that was Themyscira, I almost felt my heart leaping out of my chest.
"About the future," I said.
"Don't you already know what is going to happen?"
"I wished it was like that, then I don't have to worry so much. But no. I saw countless futures. There are countless ways for the event of the future to unfold. And I could never tell which is which."
"You sound like Aunt Antiope." I saw she was imagining something unladylike, and her angelic chuckles only confirmed my theory. "Always worrying about the future. The what if."
"With my knowledge, it is impossible not to," I said.
Then, it was a comfortable silence that washed over us. Instead, there was only me and her, watching the night sky, gazing at the shimmering stars, bathed in the kisses of the gentle breeze. Wasting the night in each other company.
Only when our wandering fingers touched, like a teenager in love, I felt my heart quicken. My stomach churned as the butterflies danced with joy. And when neither of us moved away, I screamed internally like I won the lottery.
"Why am I like this? Even without considering my last life, I had lived for more than two decades. Then why am I feeling like this? Ah… Love. A part of love I could never get away from," My thoughts began to wander, asking myself questions I had no answer to.
Like, 'Why do people fear love? Why some don't love at all? Which is better lost love or never to find it?'.
"Xandros…"
Thankfully, Diana woke me up from my stupor, her voice calm, but I still managed to spot a tinge of fear. "My mother said you have something important you wanted to say to me. And I can make my decision afterward."
"What decision?"
"You first."
"You remembered I mentioned I had a partner?" I asked, stalling for time at this point. Or was it for the courage to hit me, like my impulse to join the war, to get closer to Steve? But when I saw Diana's nod, I had to push through. No matter the consequences.
"If I had not tempered with the event of this world, he should be the one landing on this island. Then, you would leave with him and save the wall. In most versions, you fall in love with him, then either the two of you settle down for a period of peace, or he sacrifices himself for the greater good. I stole his place, Diana."
"Why?" Was all Diana asked after what seemed like an eternity of silence.
"I was jealous."
"Of your partner?"
"Of his future, his chance of being with you," I answered honestly, not daring to even look Diana in the eyes.
And it was her gentle hands that guided me.
To my surprise, she did not hold any anger, sadness, or god forbid disappointment. I found amusement, and happiness instead. Emotions I had never once considered she would have once she knew of the full story.
"Why are you amused? What I did was horrible," I asked indignately.
"Why do you have the notion that what you did was not meant to be?" Diana asked a simple question. Yet, it shook the foundation of everything I believed in. "Why do you treat yourself as an outsider, when you were born, and grew up just like anyone else? And why do you think that the knowledge and power you had acquired was not meant to be? Maybe this is your reward? Or maybe, it is your mission."
Did I consider myself an outsider?
Yes, I did. Clearly so in fact. But why?
Was it my inflated ego I had acquired from my intelligence? All of which was crushed by the Lasso of Truth when I realized how useless my control was when came face to face with the power of a god.
Was it the thought that everything was a comic book? I understand how people would like how easily I manipulated Steve into doing what I wanted. But the real question was, was it manipulation?
And the way the Amazons acted around me, the way Diana seemed to be more than just an 'I need no man' symbol of power. To me, sharing a bench with Diana, hearing a chuckle, and staring into her mesmerizing gaze, she was more than just 'Wonder Woman'.
She was Diana.
"I never thought of that," I said.
And when I heard Diana's angelic laughter, my heart warmed. However, when it did not seem to stop, I felt my cheek redden. Most men would lose it from shame and embarrassment. I, on the other hand, got lost in her endless laughter.
While my cheeks thanked Diana for stopping, my heart burned with desire to hear it again as if her laughter was the most addicting drug ever.
"Thank you," Diana said after regaining her composure.
"Can you tell me your decision, now?"
"I made my decisions," Diana stated with confidence. "I will leave Themyscira with you to visit the outside world to stop this World War, and to face Ares."
Before I could say anything, Diana continued, "And I will accept your courtship."
"It would be my pleasure, M'lady." I pulled out the best knightly act I could think of. "To celebrate, would accompany me to a dance?"
"And who would be playing a song for us?"
"Ah, let me introduce you to the magic of technology," I created an object that had not existed yet. Honestly, I thanked myself for being a curiously destructive engineer, where I had practically broken down and dissected every piece of technology I had my hand on, including some very old music player. A costly hobby I might add.
Using that knowledge, I conjured a vinyl record player, and of course, the 'Songs in the Key of Life' by Stevie Wonder to accompany us through the night.
When I saw the confusion slowly shifted to shock as Diana listened to Stevie Wonder's hypnotizing voice.
Not long after, we were in each other arms, slow dancing the night away. We cared for nothing else but the calming melody and each other presence.
And like the age-old saying, 'All good things must come to an end'. Once the music stopped, and I had vaporized the machine into molecules, we stood there looking over Themyscira, and its majestic background, lost in our world.
Drowning in emotions, I did not even think and leaned forward. My heart beat wildly and I saw Diana meet me halfway.
There, our breaths met.
At that moment, I was addicted to her scent. She was like a warm day at the beach, sprinkling in passion and shockingly vanilla. Pure. And when our lips touched. Her lips were soft as marshmallow, and she tasted like the demigod that she was.
It was the spark that lit a raging fire within me. My emotions ran wildly throughout my body, as I melted into her, and she into me.
And when it became something more, something primal, none of us bothered to stop it. Instead, we let go of the distraction.
Our tongues wrestled for dominance. With each passing second, we lost to the pleasure. Lost to the bubbling emotion.
The passion and hunger only ended when we separated for air.
If you were to ask me, then it was a heart-stopping ending to the night. Even when Diana returned to her quarter, her scent lingered. I still tasted her. I still felt her emotions.
"I am hopeless…" I said, lost in thought.
Even when the sun had shone its light onto this peaceful land, bringing life to the inhabitants. The birds chirped happily, and the Amazons laughed with joy.
Unlike the outside world, there was only peace.
Yet, instead of taking in the eternity of peace, now that my departure was near and the thought of war resurfaced, I saw it for what it was masking. 'Ignorant'.
Blissful ignorant.
It was truly a detriment to progress.
"I wondered what would happened if Themyscira opened up its border. It would be a crime if the world don't get to see this place." I said, feeling a sense of wonder.
"Opened up the border? What are you planning?" Diana asked as she stepped into my view.
"I forgot she had Godly power."
"I heard that." She said, leaning even closer, her breaths tingling in my ear, "Are you going to explain yourself?"
"I will explain it later. For now, we have a war to fight. And an Ares to stop."
Those were the last words before we set sail for England. Finally embarking on our quest.