9724/Diana visits Asgard

Diana visits Asgard
Date of Scene:	23 October 2019
Location:	Asgard
Synopsis:	Diana visits Asgard, and Thor shows her around.
Cast of Characters:	Thor, Wonder Woman

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Thor has posed:
Asgard is the city of legends. Unlike Olympus, which sits on a mountaintop, Asgard is much, much more spread out. A proper city of the 9 realms, with a Palace and everything. There are, of course, athletic competitions, and tournaments of skill of arms. In other places, such things happen every 4 years. Here, they happen every day. They're always competing, always bettering themselves. Such competitions of athletics and martial skill. Instead, men and women compete against each other, and may the best person win. Don't underestimate the women, either. It looks a lady just won the tournament of the einherjar. Equally noted, none of the guys who lost appear to feel emasculated by that, and she actually has her pick of the bachelors at the moment.

It's the same with the craftspeople. There appears to be an even distribution of men and women, and it appears completely random who's doing what job. The idea of 'men's work' and 'women's work' is nowhere to be found.

And then there's the structures themselves...they gleam like crystals, and the light from the sun reflects like a prism every which way. Well, they do call it 'the rainbow bridge.'

And this is the magical realm to which Thor has taken Diana, "This is the home Loki has restored." However misdone the methods were...Asgard is still a beautiful place.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana was able to come and bring six of her sisters with her, so seven Amazon women all on Asgard as of today. The six with her were enjoying the ceremonies and competitions quite visibly, applauding and interacting with other Asgardians who approach them to speak or comment along with them.

Diana, with Thor, smiles to his statements as her eyes roam the land and the structures that have been restored along with it. She spares a moment to then look over upon Thor. "I do not know how he did it, nor if there are any ramifications for utilizing such magics to such extremes... but, in this moment, and for what all I have seen thus far." She glances to the Asgardians who happily have their home restored, then she looks back to him.

"I could not be more happy for your people, for you, and even for Loki." Diana glances to her sisters then before she nods softly once. "This is quite an event, it is good to see so many smiling faces... It has been dour of late, back home."

Thor has posed:
Asgard may be the happiest of the 9 realms right now, with light and hope of the eyes of everybody walking around. It's like somebody just told an entire race of people they collectively won the lottery, and they're acting like it.

The 6 Amazons that came with Diana are invited by the lady who won the Einherjar competition and now wants to compete with them, along with 5 of the runner ups of the tournament. Apparently she figured out Diana has rank...or maybe she estimated that pulling Diana in wouldn't be a contest anymore.

"Strange thinks he has things under control. If he suddenly does not, he'll call on me and others to get things back under control. But for now...all is well." Upon her comment on dourness, "I, too, hope you get to see your people living like this. This is what everyone wants for their people...to live and love and feast and compete and enjoy themselves." All of which appears to be happening. "If you see anything from the craftspeople, let me know. We could also visit the Palace, if you like."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana had not spoken to Strange since he'd gotten his home back and, she assumes, wholely repaired. She'd gone to his veterinarian clinic--prior to storming the Sanctum--to try to rouse him into action, it was the last time they spoke 1 on 1 and she felt it was best to give him time rather than become a nuisance to the Sorcerer Supreme. Besides... Superman and Batman had been taking up her time of late for their own... reasons.

"I very much want to see the palace, and as much else as we can." She tells Thor, smiling toward him. "To get to know a little more about the King of Asgard who I have seen only in his Avengers workplace up to now? This is a whole new level of enlightening." She's teasing, just a little though to be playful and fun.

Her sisters gladly enter into the competition with the winner of the earlier event. They'd come to Asgard donning their warrior armor and had brought much of their equipment in anticipation of this such a thing. Diana is in her armor as well, though its covered over by the dark blue robe with the gold lining, patterned after an Eagle's feathers on the exterior fabric. Her golden tiara likely gives away her royal status to those Asgardians who may not know her story that well.

Diana's eyes wandered the craftsman's area, she saw so many splendid things and would step toward individual crafting displays to talk and interact with the artists behind the work. Though she spares a look to Thor. "Have you brought any others here to see your home yet? Any of the Avengers?" She asks then.

Thor has posed:
The Asgardians gleefully start up a new touranment tree, with each of the 6 best Einherjar warriors lining up with an Amazon opponent, and then putting together tournament elimination rules to lead to a fair conclusion and a fair winner. It's worth nothing none of the losers of the last tournament have scars, so some sort of magic must be in place to let the warriors go all out during training while somehow preventing damage to those who compete.

On to the crafters! "Not since the restoration. Bringing the Avengers up here is a little trickier. Instead of accounting for one person with 6 others on the same schedule, I'm accounting for close to a dozen with different schedules, and I wouldn't want any of my dear friends to miss such a trip. Perhaps as the Midgardian holidays approach, we'll find enough time off for everyone to bring them all up here. Then there shall be a mighty feast, and great competitions. My people will put them to the test as quickly as they did your sisters." Pause, "If the worst happens, I shall have to bring them up in 2 groups. But I would rather see their reactions as they play off each other and off of all we have here. Their camaraderie is amongst the best parts of it all."

Meanwhile, the craftspeople gleefully ply their wears, from the cape maker to the weaponsmith to the armorsmith to the helmet smith to those who fashion dishes to those who bake or cook food. Asgard is evidently self sufficient, mostly, and there's craftspeople for everything a functioning country where everybody has a side job as an einherjar would need.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Everything that is said of the schedules causes Diana to softly nods her head to him in response. "That makes sense, yes. They are all very busy people with their own lives, this is something I have come to understand greatly with the Justice League. Though they have come close knit since the Superman event, they... are still a challenge to all find together at once." She softly shows him a smile before she steps away to one of the cape dealers.

Diana's eyes were caught by a lovely silken cape of black with intricately oven gold inlay, she reaches out to touch the garment and feel it cross over her finger's tips. "This is beautiful." She tells the person who steps over to admire her admiring it. But Diana's eyes note many over the other pieces as well. "You are are immensely talented." She tells the crafter then as she releases the gold and black cape to let it settle against the garment's stand.

The Amazon warriors are all eager to fight and compete, to show the best of their people to these foreign warriors who seem very worthy. Whats remarkable is just how well they're getting along with the Asgardians, its like they've fit right in and returned to a part of Themyscira in fact.... even if they're competing against a number of men as well, they welcome tehat. Of course all the Amazon warriors to wish to go to the United States to stay with Diana, are the more open minded amongst the Themysciran people to begin with.

Diana looks back to Thor then from the crafting tables. "I had no idea there was so much lovely clothing amongst your people. You need to wear more things like this." She says, holding up a big white shirt with puffy sleeves, something Thor would never be caught dead in assuredly.

Thor has posed:
Perhaps one of the most uplifting things for the warriors is the respect the Asgardians show the visitors and their skills. When one of their own gets beat, they applaud, men and women both. It's like everyone truly just wants to see who wins, who's the best, and while everyone has a drive to win, everyone also appreciates the skills of those around them. Because they know, when bad things happen, the person standing next to them is their brother, or their sister. And their life is in the hands of the person next to them. Thus, each strives to be the best, to not let their siblings down, while equally pushing their siblings to be the best, so they themselves aren't let down. And so it is, the competition never seems to stop, and everybody is pretty happy about it. More than that, the people who didn't do so well in the tournaments are being advised and given technique adjustments by their peers. As usual, it goes back and forth between men and women with no discernable pattern.

On the inside..."If you like the cape..." Thor has a money pouch, and while the craftsman protests, "My Liege, I couldn't possibly..." Thor shakes his head. "None of that. Your family feasts tonight, for you've pleased our guest." And with no more effort than that, Thor pays for the cape, and leaves a pretty generous tip, and offers the cape to Diana. "And now it's yours."

When she points out the puffy sleeve shirt, he takes one look at it and says, "Balder. God of light and purity. This is right up his alley." The craftsman says, "Good guess. He just put in an order for that, he's picking it up later."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana watches Thor step forward to make a payment for the garment that she'd been drawn in by. She liked it because it was voluminous and appeared as though it would fit well over her armored form with a bit of gear on her leather harness perhaps even as well. With a hood and a soft lining, it'd stood out to her. So she smiles warmly when she sees Thor insist with the merchant who was all too eager to let the item go free of charge, which she never could've settled for either... but she doesn't have any Asgardian coins!

When he turns and presents it to her, she takes it within her leather wrapped hands and she lifts it up near to her chin. "Thank you." She says to him in a honest and caring voice. "It is sweet of you to do such a thing." She glances down to the cloak then and folds it some so she can more easily hold it against her lap.

Her eyes raise up to the puffy shirt again and she has a grind spread across her red hued lips. "Balder?" She asks. "That is a brother of yous, is it not?" She's done her research, at least as much as she could. "I would very much love to meet a man brave enough to wear such a shirt." She jests, her eyes going to Thor. "It must mean that he has a sense of humor as wide reaching as those sleeves are puffy." She's in a good mood, which tends to leave her telling more silly jokes as such.

As they step onward then, Diana considers some of the food being sold, especially the sweet treats she eyes (she has a sweet tooth after all), but she seems to pointedly avoid approaching them and instead looks back to Thor. "When you were a young one here, what was your favorite part of your home?" She asks. "Mine was the beaches... or the forest pathways ventured down upon a favorite horse."

Thor has posed:
"I try." But hey, if the lady wants it, well, he's not gonna run out of Asgardian coin. He's just not. Thor is generous because he is, though...whether here on Asgard or on Midgard. Once somebody told him what tips were for, he always left big ones. The nice thing about Asgardian gear...it's universally designed to be worn with armor and weapons. Because everyone here seems to be carrying a sword, a hammer, a spear...even a craftsman like this has a fairly large battleaxe on the wall. And he makes clothes for a living.

"Yes, he's my brother. He's the youngest of Odin's sons. And according to most, the prettiest. Everyone can't help but love him, he's such a nice guy as it goes. Still...there's a doom on him. So long as he lives, everything is fine. But if anything happens to him, Ragnarok starts again. So we're all very protective of him, even though he's among the toughest of us." Falling in line with her humor, "He's so tough he even dares to wear such puffy sleeves. He can pull it off without looking ridiculous. Alas, I am not so blessed." Also, not so slender. Balder, like all Asgardians, is pretty big, but Thor is straight up ripped, and that particular shirt wouldn't fit on Thor's broad frame, so he can't put on a shirt of that size without ruining it.

Thor seems to notice which way she's directing her attention again, and once more treats her to the sweets of Asgard. As before, the merchant protests, "My leige, I couldn't..." Once more, he insists with, "No, your family feasts tonight." And there's another generous tip left behind.

"Loki and I used to sneak off on the plains down there. There was a special cave Heimdall couldn't see in to, so we used to hide out in there to play. We got away with it for 5 years before Odin finally got wise to it and followed us himself. He was furious...as it turned out, the reason Heimdall couldn't see in was because a foul monster was imprisoned deep within the cave that blocked his sight. And we were too young to acquit ourselves in battle, so Odin dragged us both home and grounded us." Smiling at memories, "800 years later, we were old enough and I had Mjolnir, so we fought the beast in a cave. We were still young, however, so we were wounded in the battle even as we slew the creature. That time Odin was not so furious, for a great evil had been vanquished, and we got a feast to celebrate."

Wonder Woman has posed:
And once again Diana watches as Thor acquires her something she'd been spotted eying, which makes her grin as its a sweet cake treat. She accepts it with a soft 'Thank you' uttered to him in return for his continued kindness. As they walk together, she listens to his story while enjoying the pastry which makes her-at first-react with closed eyes at the quality of it's taste and how very delicious it truly is.

But soon she's just simply enjoying it while also enjoying his story, which is partly why she'd asked it, she'd wanted to learn a little more about Thor, the person and less about Thor the King and Avenger. Diana tries to smile politely while she finishes off the sweet treat and once she does she just takes a moment before speaking.

"I love it." She says then and there, her smoky voice sounding very amused by what he'd said. "The Adventures of Young Thor and Young Loki... or How Odin's Children Caused Him to Age Rapidly with Worry." She states with a playful grin to the King beside her.

As they pass by an overlook above the competitions still going on she pauses there to look out over them, to see her Sisters still participating. She watches for a moment before looking back over to him. "I had a sister when I was young. My mother saw how lonely I was, so she created her in my very image. We got to play and laugh together for a handful of months before a... an exile of my people returned under cover, sought to kidnap me to get vengeance on my mother. Only... they kidnapped my sister instead. Having not known of her existence, they captured her and fled with her. It was only recently that she resurfaced and I got to see her again. Hundreds of years of time we lost due to such a terrible act..."

Thor has posed:
"We really did. Odin knew, I think, that when Loki is thinking clearly, he compliments me in battle quite well. He will use illusions and his lighter weapons to get into an advantageous spot while I take the creature head on. It is his differences that allow him to excel as a partner. Still...Odin's hair and beard were quite grey at the end there, even with the Golden Apples he was eating. When he got exasperated enough, there was even an Odinsleep. But still, mother was there. Frigga took care of us both...and took special care of Loki, for everything he knows of magic, he was taught by the Queen. He's learned more on his own, but the foundation of his spellcasting was built by her. It was also her who, while I was struggling to find the path for worthinesss, who would nudge me in the right direction to find the strength of character I needed to succeed Mjolnir." And given how picky that hammer is, it was quite the undertaking.

But then it was time for her story...and this one quickly turns to tragedy, as the kidnapping is mentioned. And he nods somberly. "...I, too, have a sister like that. Angela was taken by the forces of Heven, and didn't even know she was Asgardian anymore. Now...I do not know what has become of her, but I know that when Odin and I found her, her sisters among the angels rejected her. Where she wanders now...well, Heimdall has not found her. I yet have more searching to do to finish reuniting my family."

Down there, the contest appears to have reached the semi finals, two Amazons vs. the lady who won the last round and a tall man with a large axe. The contest rages on, to cheering and compliments...and technique work for those who did not win. They only offer such to the Amazons, who can accept or not as they see fit.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana's eyes are on the tournament while she listens to Thor's ruminations about he and his brother's combat prowess, specifically in regard to fighting together. She looks over to him and offers a light smile to that, and to the rest about his parents as well. "You have proven to be everything that that hammer of yours desires in the one who wields it. It has a good judge of character, and if you understand my meaning... I wish more could wield it as well. The more who could, the greater a universe we would live in."

The talk of Angela causes the Princess to show a faint frown and she reaches her non-cloak holding hand out to touch Thor's arm softly out of respect for his missing sibling. "She is of your blood, I believe wherever she is right now she is strong and capable of the challenges she is facing, if she's facing any at all. Perhaps she just wishes to live a peaceful and secluded life somewhere." A hopeful and romantic way of looking at the missing Odin offspring.

Diana's eyes glance back out to the competition, the two Amazons still fighting are Galatea and Adrastea, which doesn't surprise the Princess, she knows those two to be fiercest of warriors that she has amongst her entourage. "They will speak of this trip for a long time to come, I can tell." She says, with a broadening smile that is sent back to Thor, showcasing her happiness in this moment across her sculpted features. "This was a good idea."

Thor has posed:
"That's a new way of looking at it. If more were worthy, if the souls of Asgard and Midgard were elevated...then yes, the 9 realms...well, 10 realms including Heven...would be better off for it. I never thought to encourage people to prove themselves worthy of Mjolnir. Perhaps I should." That's a whole new idea he just got there. Sending his people on quests to prove their worth, holding great feasts for anyone who pulls it off...that sounds like a great goal.

"That is the best case scenario. Odin made it clear that the door is open for her before he left, and even told all of 3 of us he loved us...which is rare for Odin...before he departed. So, if she has not yet chosen to return home, it is a choice. She knows what waits for her if she chooses differently." It's the not so best case scenarios that keep Thor worrying at night. He is not invincible. His family isn't either. They are super tough, though, so it's more likely than not she is fine.

"I'm glad you and they enjoy it. Would you like watch the fight being finished, or see the Palace?" Pause. "Your sisters will probably end up in the feasting hall, we can pick them up whenever you'd like." Right now, the battle is a hard fought contest, as Lareth and Valhyle give it their best against their Amazon opponents. It does not appear to be a battle to be finished quickly.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana's observations of the fight and tournament continue while Thor speaks but when he asks of visiting the palace she pulls her eyes from it and looks over upon him. With a soft smile she nods a single time. "I would be happy to see the palace." She says then, glancing back to where her sisters are down below. "I have seen many fights in my days, I am not needed to see another just this moment." Its a small joke, meant in good natured fun as she shows it with a hint of a smile toward Thor.

Diana turns then to walk with where he leads next, still holding the cloak he'd purchased her over her left forearm while her right hand lays gently atop it. "It must be a great relief to be home again." She says to him. "I really do wish to speak to your brother some time, to congratulate him on accomplishing this feat, even if... we were at odds with how it was accomplished."

Thor has posed:
"Then, to the Palace it is!"

The walk to the Palace is full of crystalline spires on every side, each refracting the light, creating that unique rainbow effect virtually everywhere. The two guards on either side of the main gate nod to the Odinson and his guest, and throw open the gates for him, as proper guards do. Inside is a grand feasting hall, with many tables and even more chairs...Asgard likes to party, for sure! Off to one side is the great kitchens where such feasts for so many people are prepared, and there's endless preparation going on for the feast to be held.

"The palace is rather large...but it's home." There's more doors off to the sides, and large double doors on the other end of the feast hall.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The Princess steps along side the King and she offers smiles to the guards who open the doors for them, the shifting air pressure from the doors swinging open causing her blue and gold eagle robe to gently sway around her body as she proceeds on inside of the feasting hall to let her eyes roam around within it. "It is all so beautiful." Diana calmly says upon taking the sights all in. She steps to the side of the nearest table and lets her gaze roam across it to imagine all the lively events that must go on here-in. "Is this where you ate every meal growing up?" She asks then as she turns back to face him. "With so many others around you?"

"Again, it reminds me of home." She shows a hint of a grin there. "I feel as if I have said that many times since coming here though today." Another glance is given around the feasting hall then, she can spot the corridors into the kitchens though there's only so much she can see from this angle. "Is this your favorite room within the palace? I would've thought you'd be more into an armor or weapons training room."

Thor has posed:
"It's true, I love training and I love my weapons. But every night...Mom and Dad presided over the feast, and we talked, and shared stories. Not just us, either, all of Asgard sat united at all these tables. It really brings the kingdom together, to know that everyone from the King to the guards to the craftspeople eat in the same feasting hall. It's a community, built around a shared meal. Now I preside over those meals, or sometimes my brother will if I'm on Midgard at the time. I try not to miss these, though. They're important."

Is there a training hall? You bet! He heads off to where that particular training room is. "This was the specialized training room I had. I was expected to defend the realms, so they didn't let off. I had to work harder than the einherjar you see outside. For every pushup they did, I had to do 5, or 10 as I got older." There's a lot of weapons in here. Swords, Axes, a 'practice version' of Mjolnir to get ready to wield it, also versions of Loki's weapons like daggers and such. There's also targets far away, "While I never used a bow, once I obtained Mjolnir I had to practice aiming that lightning." And he still keeps in practice, if the black marks on the targets are any indication.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana moves alongside him, leaving the feasting hall behind for now and progressing into this new training room. She lets her brown eyed gaze roam about it but is naturally pulled toward the weapons that are on racks and displayed, being that for 900 years she's been raised mostly holding a weapon herself, every day of those 900 years, she's drawn to them.

It only takes her a moment before she zeros-in o the replica of Mjolnir and it makes her slowly form a grin across her lips. Her hand wraps around its handle and she hefts it up with little visible effort. As she turns around to face the King now, she holds 'the' hammer now across her body, her right hand near the pommel at the base of its handle while her left is up near the apex of the hammer's block-shaped metal head.

"It is quite a training room." She tells him then lightly. "I always loved archery, myself... I find it to be very relaxing. Though I rarely carry a bow into combat, as I find them to be a bit cumbersome when pushing and shoving begins. A splendid weapon for support roles in larger fights, however, of course." Diana's eyes then look to the targets and she can see the burn marks from his lightning powers, it makes her smile.

Thor has posed:
"Indeed. We actually have quite a contingent of archers here...many of the craftsman who prefer not to go into melee specialize in the bow. We also have several einherjar who specialize in the bow as permanent archers. Cover fire is essential to winning wars when it's available. It's also a fantastic choice for anyone who got wounded or otherwise doesn't want to engage in melee for one reason or another. It keeps many in the fight who might not otherwise be."

He has to smile as she grabs the hammer. "It draws a lot of people's attention. Then again...I wonder." He unhooks the real Mjolnir from his belt, and just...sets it on the ground. With an encouraging smile, he adds, "You did say it'd be a good thing if more people were worthy."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana continues to simply stand there as he speaks and moves on to set his hammer down in front of them both. She'd been thinking about his spoken words on war and archers, but the action of setting THE hammer down makes her just pause and consider this moment literally laid out before her while she continues to gently turn the 'fake' Mjolnir around inside of her grasping hands before her.

"Mm..." Diana gently emits, her eyes going back up to Thor then as she takes a step forward toward the real McCoy, she stops before it though and looks down at it. After a moment of continued thought, the Themysciran Princess then just grins to Thor and says in a warm and alluring voice. "Sometimes it is good to live with a little mystery in our lives..." And with a positive air about her, she elects to step around the actual Mjolnir and walk past it on toward the other items on display here-in within this training center.

Apparently she doesn't want to know, maybe just not in this moment, or if ever? Who's to say.

Thor has posed:
Thor smiles himself, and recalls the Hammer, and puts it back on his belt. "Mystery can be fun. There's so many things in this world we'll never know."

He does gesture at another axe on the wall. "That was my first weapon, before I was worthy. It is called Jarnbjorn, and many a foe has been slain by it." He goes other weapons...swords, some of which Sif used to use, there's daggers Loki used to use, and other weapons used by other members of the family...even the spears Odin used to use before Gungnir.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana continues to walk the rows of weapons and eyes them closely. "I love the craftsmanship. There's a smoky beauty to the design of the Asgard armaments. They're elegant, but have an inner soul that is clearly rooted in generations of combat and experience." She glances back to him and smiles softly before they end up back to where the faux-Mjolnir had come from and she steps toward its resting place to return it to where she'd found it. "I would enjoy fighting with one of your people's weapons someday. I have had my sword a very long time now and though it serves me well, I am always up for trying new types of weapons."

Diana's eyes go to some of Loki's daggers then and she moves toward them to reach her right hand out so that her bare fingertips can gently touch the edge of one of their blades, experimentally. "Though I am not sure I would ever wield a dagger for a main weapon. Still though, it is very lovely. It has a 'swift' feeling about it's design." She glances toward Thor then. "Which I assume was your brother's intent for them." She states, a small smile upon her red hued lips.

Thor has posed:
"Well. I can't have an axe made overnight, but I think an axe or a hammer might come your way in the near future." There's good craftsmen here, but they're still not instant. "My brother has a specific style...daggers are small and easy to hide, so they work better with illusions and misdirection. They come out of nowhere, and frequently his enemies never even notice the daggers are even there until they've been pierced. This is in addition to the fact he likes create illusionary clones of himself that make it difficult to tell which one is real." He half smiles, "It also suits him to appear unarmed most of the time, and daggers are easy to hide."

From the armory...there's also the vault, "This is where we keep the Tesseract, among other things." It looks like Loki didn't decide to hold on to the thing. So there it sits, under guard in the vault. There's actually 4 guards on duty at all times. Also in here is the cask of ancient winters, and other things like that.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"Yes, I much prefer to fight up close and with clear intent." Diana replies about subterfuge and trickery to win a fight. "I like my enemies to know that they have chosen to take a poor course of action that will have sealed their fates. I - of course - give them every opportunity not to forfeit their lives, but... when they make the choice, then their fates are indeed sealed at the edge of my sword." With that said, the Princess lets her hands settle in again beneath her cloak.

Once the faux-Mjolnir was returned to where it came, Diana moved to follow along beside Thor again. When they breach the vault where the artifacts of Asgard's safe keeping are, her eyes are of course attracted to the Tesseract, she stares upon it with a curiosity deep within her... but she also doesn't speak on it. Instead her eyes go to the Cask.

Her right hand emerges from her coak again and she motions to it. "What is the tale behind this?" She asks then of Thor.

Thor has posed:
"The Cask of Ancient Winters was usually the property of the Frost Giants, and their greatest weapon. It does exactly as the name suggests...creates bitter cold that none can withstand. If left opened, it would create weather colder than the poles of Midgard on their worst day, and it would keep it that cold indefinitely. This was particularly effective for them, for their entire race is immune to cold, so they can fight at full strength while their enemies suffered. When we got it away from Laufey, he was dealt a blow in terms of armament he has not yet recovered from."

There's also a golden gauntlet here, but it's not the REAL one, so Thor leaves it alone.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The tale of the Ancient Winters chest is listened too and it makes Diana's dark eyebrows lower gently above her eyes in a show of dismay at the power that that relic possesses. She glances to Thor then to speak on it. "Something with that great of a magical effect needs to be truly removed from any possible hands that would seek to use it for ill-intent." She states quietly. "This is also why Doctor Strange's home was so important for us not to let a rogue element take control of it." That rogue element being Thor's brother of course. "The home contains too many powerful objects..."

Diana then passes by one of the guards and offers them a warm smile, never afraid to offer a bit of kindness, even to those at 'work' and doing their job as diligently as these Asgardians warriors are.

She regards Thor again then after passing her eyes over that golden glove, not knowing what it was either though. "We have similar items under guard on Themyscira, things that my mother never even bid me to see myself..."

Thor has posed:
"Well...there are many concerned with the state of the Tesseract in particular. But, so long as it remains here in the vault, it is...as safe as it's going to be. Very few can prevent my brother from sneaking into a place he is not allowed to go. It is unlikely anyone else is likely to get in." He does, however, find it odd Diana's mother didn't show her things. "Unusual. When I have heirs, I will certainly show them everything in here, what it does, and how it's used. It does no good to keep secrets from those you expect to guard the weapons of your enemies, or other very powerful artifacts like these. While these are all very dangerous things...it is important to know how they operate, so the danger is not taken lightly." It's a more open format, up here.

"Doctor Strange has quite an assignment himself. He must remain forever vigilant. It's why we try to get him out of the Sanctum once in a while. He rarely has time to relax. This is on top of watching for threats only he can sense." He seems to have quite a bit of empathy for the good doctor, even if he's not as schooled on magic as some. The principle of how he must use that power isn't so different.

Wonder Woman has posed:
A soft laugh is released with regard to her mother's strict nature when it comes to guarding some of the items on Themyscira. She glances over to the Asgard King then. "Prior to my leaving Themyscira for the rest of Man's World, she felt that I was too young and too naive toward the dangers that the island and our people are protecting. But... after leaving? I think she is still holding some anger toward me for not being there, as she is. You... know how parents are. They want us to be precisely the mold that they envisioned for us. In my case? In a much more literal sense I suppose as well." She smirks a bit of a sculpted-from-clay joke at her own expense.

As they progress onward at a leisurely pace, she looks forward again and lets her eyes roam this way and that. "Stephen Strange is as odd and peculiar of a man as they come. But he has a good heart, and for that I admire him and enjoy working with him." She states, glancing back to Thor. "We even tried dating, two years ago. It did not end well. I believe our last evening together was spent trying to get one another out of a magically entrapped television box where we were being transported between television programs." She huffs out a soft laugh. "It was... not pleasant."

Thor has posed:
Thor laughs, "That...sounds entirely like the sort of thing Dr. Strange would get involved in. Trapped in one of those picture boxes they have in Midgard..." Of course, for all the says it wasn't pleasant, "It sounds funny to hear the tale told now, but I imagine it was harrowing to live through." As many such tales are. "Great battles are like that too...they can be hilarious in retrospect, but when you're actually fighting them, it's not funny."

The next room on the tour is his own. "...I still think of this as my parents' room. In reality, though, it's the king's room. So when the time came, all of my stuff had to be moved in. Still...the memories I have here are of my parents...and the worrisome times of the Odinsleeps, and my times with my mother and father and..." Sigh. "It might be my room now, but I think of my parents every time I'm here. I am going to have to make some new memories before it feels like it's mine."

Wonder Woman has posed:
A soft laugh is had about the memories of her time in the television, gracing the air waves of both an episode of Cheers and an episode of Star Trek before they managed to find a way out of the predicament. "Yes, it was one of those experiences... Never woudl I hae imagined myself being flirted with by Captain Kirk." It was actually Commander Riker, but Diana doesn't know her Star Trek that well.

Once they reach the prestigious royal suite she smiles at the look of it all along with the story that tells of having to move his things within it. "Is it truly a requirement for you to stay within it?" She asks then. "I understand, ceremony and everything that goes along with it... but i would think you could simply slink off to slumber in a room you are actually comfortable within." She shows a half smile then. "I suppose it might be more healthy to just overcome those uncomfortable feelings, as you said though. But, I do not thinkg I'd stay in my mother's room, for likely the same or similar reasons."

Thor has posed:
"Well, the way I figure it, Odin must've once felt like this himself, when he took this room from Bor, my grandfather. It is...a recent thing for me, and because it's so new, I haven't gotten used to it yet. The other side of it being the king's room is the weight of being king. All that responsibility is here when I sleep. I have to get used to that too. It's not very comfortable. When I first moved in, I'd sometimes sneak back to my old room, and it felt like a great weight was off my shoulders. Like the responsibility wasn't mine anymore, like dad could take care of it like he's done for millenia. But...it's an escape. It's not the truth. The responsibility and the room are mine. And I have to adjust. I seriously need new memories in here though." Well, eventually.

"As for you...well, your mom isn't any more, or less, likely to go anywhere than Odin himself was. She isn't going to die of natural causes, so if she does, it'll be in a great battle. And...we can never know exactly when the next great battle will be upon us. And then you would be Queen, and your people would come to you with their concerns and their worries and their fears. It's a heavy weight...and it's no fun bearing it alone. Yes, you have advisors the way I have mine, but sometimes you need more."

Speaking of the heaviness of responsbility, the next room on the tour is the throne room. There sits a majestic throne upon the dias...the dias that clearly has space for two thrones, and in fact is more meant for a two throne setup, but at the moment, there is but one. Because there is just a king. "I always wanted to sit there when I was young. Dad told me I'd regret wanting to sit here. I never understood what he meant till I sat there."

Wonder Woman has posed:
As they leave the King's suite behind, Diana looks to Thor and she offers him a soft and caring smile. She even reaches out to pat his arm beside her softly. "You can hoist the mightiest of hammers in the known universe. I believe you are capable of hefting the weight of this kingdom's throne as well." She tries to provide him with a bit of extra inspiration, able to tell that he needs that kind of support, even if just a little. "As for my mother, well..." She grins then and glances down. "I believe she is fighting harder than ever to see to it that nothing ends her reign on the Themysciran throne - which of course is entirely fine with me, as I would wish nothing to ever harm her - But. I think she fears my rule in her stead. That I would 'dismantle' Themyscira and its traditions, to instead merge it with the mainstream of the rest of Earth."

Whether thats true or not, Diana doesn't answer as they're reaching the throne room and her eyes are upon the Asgard throne which makes her smile softly. "I can picture you as a boy, staring up at it with wonder in your eyes." She says over tohim now with a sly and playful grin. "But I also see the man now, who yearns for the days where it was not yet his...."

Thor has posed:
"The balance between tradition and change...that happened up here too. Bor and Odin had very different views on what Asgard was and what it was to be...and when the inevitable happened, change occurred. How else? The sun sets on one King and rises on the next. And now here I am. Change comes to every people, whether they wish it so or not. It will always be slower with lands like yours and mine than it is with those of Midgard, but change still comes all the same. It cannot be avoided. And now Asgard will change again, to reflect the way I view things. It is among the most terrifying parts of the job, as I still want the best for everyone." But actually making the best occur? That requires wisdom and judgment, and Thor may be the strongest of the Asgardians, but he has not exactly been to the well of Mimir the wise.

"I believe it is the same for everyone. We all seek responsibility till we actually have it, then we regret ever looking for it in the first place. Even on Midgard, a boy wants his father's tools...and then comes to regret it when he must fix the house." It's more for a prince and a king, but the principle is the same.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana allows her eyes to wander the great hall of the throne while she listens to Thor's response, but they only wander for the first few moments of what he says before they return to him to watch him as he speaks. Slowly she smiles again. "Your wisdom on this subject will likely lend itself to wisdom on many others. This is why you are clearly ready for that." She states, her eyes going to the Throne itself and her head gently nodding toward it before she shifts her gaze back onto his own.

"I believe your father likely saw that. He saw that you were finally ready - or ready enough - to bare the weight of it all." She grins a little then "He likely knew the bedroom would probably be the hardest part for you to claim too, or so I would guess." She has a playful smile then and punctuates it with a little melodic laugh that is only a second or so long. "You have your kingdom in a good place now, Your Majesty." She says. "It is born anew and it awaits for the legend of King Thor to now be told. I believe it will be a legendary tale as well..." And now her smile is again simply soft and caring.

Thor has posed:
Thor smiles ruefully, "I have often been told the best kings don't want to be. Perhaps it's easier to keep perspective when you don't want it." He looks off to the side, "I planned on resurrecting my father. In part because, as you well know...our friends on Midgard do not live forever. We have but a few decades to spend, and then they are lost to memory. I am not looking forward to bidding any of them goodbye." Pausing, "Superman, even Batman as far as Midgard knows...we will bury many good friends. But it's equally easy to miss their lives if we get too involved in our other duties. Midgard changes by the second, and it's too easy to get out of the loop."

But there sits that throne, beckoning him to do what he must for his people. "...There's even more parts of the crown for me to claim. I have not claimed father's power. The Odinforce, the official title of Skyfather. In truth, I am King by crown, but Crown Prince by power. I will eventually fix that." Thor doesn't even sound like he's looking forward to claiming the power of the King. Even though he's entitled to it.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana's hands come out from her cloak and she places them together with her left hand holding on the back of her right in front of her lap. She dutifully listens to the King before her and she shows a hint of a smile at his spoken words. Slowly she shakes her head a single time. "It says a lot about you that you are not sitting upon the throne, just to rush toward such a power level increase. As if you truly needed such a thing. But still... others in your place would make that their paramount desire."

Another glance is given sidelong to the throne, where she stares at it and the regal surroundings that encircle it. "I see it being some time before you are comfortable upon such a gilded piece of furniture as that." She shifts her gaze back to him. "But yes.... In my century of being apart of the rest of Earth's people, away from Themyscira, I have known and loved a number of very dear friends who have had to grow old and pass on into death. I would say that that has not been easy for me to witness, but I think many of them would much rather be in my place than in theirs. It feels best to simply speak highly of my memories of their existence, rather than lament their absence. If that makes any sense..."

"But, I am an Earth-born citizen who is in a fairly unique situation, amongst the majority of that world's populace. Which thusly adds to my duty to helping those who are not quite as fortunate in that regard."

Thor has posed:
Thor sounds regretful when he says, "It is only true I do not need it yet. But father fought many battles far from earth where he actually did need every bit of power he had to win the war in front of him. I am in no hurry, but sooner or later, I am going to need it. I am no longer as alone as my father was, and that is a great boon to me. I have many mighty allies of Midgard I can call on that my father never thought to have. You, your people, the Lanterns, what few Kryptonians are left...Midgard and Asgard would present a united front against such threats now. Still...I cannot help but remember the terrible battles that were fought, and what father had to do to keep his people safe."

"...That, I suppose, depends on the afterlife they lead. Those in Valhalla are full of feasting and training and live happy existences. I'm told there are other paradises for those who are worthy in other lands. I recall, for the Olympians, it is the Elysian fields. Others speak of a place called Heaven, which most of the people in Midgard believe in now. Consistent among all, though, is happiness and rest for a life well lived. It is not so bad for mortals, though as you say, few would see it that way." So many cling to life, and that is well, for that is whence strength comes.

"It may be a while before I am comfortable on that throne, and comfortable with the power I must obtain to make it mine, but...I owe it to the people of Asgard to do both of those things. Even if I could wish to put this off for 100 years or so to enjoy what time the Avengers have as a team." Once again, not happy about what he must do, but...it has to be done.

Wonder Woman has posed:
All of that is taken in stride and Diana softly exhales before smiling. "Earth alone has thousands of religions. I find all of them to be fascinating as well, even if some a bit more... entertaining than others." She smirks lightly then before she draws in a breath, her right hand raising up to brush a strand of her dark hair off of the side of her face.

"But in your case? I think you have done enough for your people for the time being..." She motions back the way they'd come from originally. "You and your brother have given all of this back to your people." Her eyes return to his. "I think it is now time for you to relax and enjoy what you have for awhile now. You know, as they say 'live a little'." She then shows the slightest of grins.

Thor has posed:
"It's amazing what mortals believe. I'm surprised there isn't a religion built around Superman. On the face of it, he was just as much a god as I ever was. Any Kryptonian would be. But...somehow, he managed to avoid that sort of thing. It's amazing how he did it. How he managed to be a hero without ever getting cults and religions and all the rest."

He smiles, as they head back. "One more thing...I had a room prepared for you." And he shows her a room, and it's actually pretty well appointed. "This was my old room, before I was King. Now...I use it for my esteemed guests. You're welcome to it, if you'd like. If you prefer to stay with your sisters, that can be arranged too."

Wonder Woman has posed:
"Oh, make no mistake, there are religions for all of us on Earth." Diana responds to that as they walk again and she looks over to him. "Superman, myself, even for Batman... Sometimes a fan because a real fanatic, and sometimes that fanatic... finds a way to go another step further with it. Sometimes it is good natured, other times? It is not." She shows a faint smirk then for him.

As they come to the room he offers she looks within it and shows him a small smile. "That is very kind of you." She states. "I will happily accept it. I am sure that my sisters will be quite happy with what is set aside for them as well." She looks around for a moment within the room since it had belonged to him he'd said but she's soon to regard him again. "It is beyond lovely. This trip has been splendid, truly, I thank you for setting it all up. I now have a much more vivid mind's eye on the people of Asgard, which I think will be very beneficial."

Thor has posed:
Thor seems pleased as well. He kind of unloaded a lot of his worries on Diana, but...it kinda felt right. Like he was comfortable talking to her about the sorts of things he can't bring up with advisors, or his brother, or, well, anyone really. It's just nice to be able to keep things balanced. "Ah, so they did get all of you with it. I had hoped they would not, but...well, that was too much to hope for." Sometimes, a positive attitude falls to reality.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Spending time with you is always enjoyable." And, then he decides to give her a good hug. It's a very warm thing from the Thunderer, and rather relaxing for him too. It suddenly occurs to him he should do more hugging when possible. He does not hold on too long, though. Just enough to feel much warmer inside.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana returns the hug to Thor then after laughing softly. "Yes well, there are a lot of people on Earth, there are bound to be some that go in their own direction with how they feel and what they believe. With that man, it is impossible to not have a wide variety of... interesting reactions."

After they part from the hug she gives his elbows a soft and caring squeeze then she lets her hands drop again to her sides. "Likewise, to be sure." The Princess states back to the man. "Shall we head back and find out how the tournament has gone?" She then asks of him.

Thor has posed:
"Indeed! We must know who won! They should be at the feasting hall by now, celebrating whoever won." And when they head back that way...sure enough, the feasting has begun! And there's meat, Asgardian Mead (of course), veggies, cakes, sweets of other kinds, and many other wonderful food and drinks that celebrate, well, the whole community. Not just the victors in the battle, or their Amazon guests, but, well, everyone! There's plenty of food, too...plenty and to spare. And yet, nothing goes to waste. Asgardians have crazy appetites, as it appears, and everything will eventually be finished.

How do they know who won? Well, she's sitting at the head of a table, and being plied with food and drink and tales of her prowess. It appears one of the Amazons won! And the Asgardians all seem to be eager to learn the trick with which she took down the Einherjar she bested for the crown. These people ever strive to get better.