They decided to give it a try on Dani’s next day off, so there was some time between the initial conversation and D-Day, so to speak. Plenty of time for him to heal, and for them to slowly come to accept the decision that they made together about this whole thing. There had been other little, passing conversations. Just wondering, mostly. Questioning what might have changed, and how much stayed the same. What happened to their old contacts? Who was still around? Who had given up? Who’d been lost to the war? Or, perhaps worse…lost to the other side?
Dom preferred not to think about the latter much, it being so very close to his own fate had he not come to his senses just in time. And it was a personal motivator to at least try and save as many people from winding up on that path, whether by choice or by force.
So when the day finally came for them to give patrolling together a try, they posed as a happy couple just taking a stroll through the park. Which…wasn’t hard to do, mainly because they were all of those things, except instead of walking a path that naturally had them circle back around to head back home by the end, they made their way to a secluded, off-the-path section of the park. Once they were comfortably out of sight, Dominic glanced over at her and gave a little smile.
“Ready?”
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"Ugh," came the noncommittal grunt beside him, red eyes glaring down at the ring on her right hand. She'd found her signet ring, though she still wasn't overly enthused about it all. Part of her was almost amused at how cynical she seemed to have become over the years, versus the very… very jovial, devil may care sort of way she approached being a knight in the past.
She'd loved it, been thrilled that she was pretty much stepping into a superhero role of her own. But she hadn't considered the full weight of that, not till things actually hit. She just thought of everything like the comics, or at least some versions, where the 'good guys' always win.
At least now she knew what a dangerous mindset that was, not to mention childish--
Danika sighed and rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. "I think I just need to rip this bandaid off, y'know? One of those things that aren't as bad as what the mind makes it up to be, or whatever."
She kept in touch with Chris. With Alex. So she knew they were alive and well, though she didn't ask questions about that other side of life. Any other updates, any goings ons, losses… she had no idea. It occurred to her they'd probably need to find a Mauvian or something to get some info on whatever's happened, or at least the cats always seemed to have a general idea about what was going on. Or, hell, maybe when they powered up, they'd sense a bunch of nearby Order signatures or something. Parks usually were the pretty popular spots for patrols and such, or at least that's what she remembered.
Dropping her hands to rest on her hips, she forced out a heavy huff and smirked to Dom. "Count of three?"
She'd loved it, been thrilled that she was pretty much stepping into a superhero role of her own. But she hadn't considered the full weight of that, not till things actually hit. She just thought of everything like the comics, or at least some versions, where the 'good guys' always win.
At least now she knew what a dangerous mindset that was, not to mention childish--
Danika sighed and rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. "I think I just need to rip this bandaid off, y'know? One of those things that aren't as bad as what the mind makes it up to be, or whatever."
She kept in touch with Chris. With Alex. So she knew they were alive and well, though she didn't ask questions about that other side of life. Any other updates, any goings ons, losses… she had no idea. It occurred to her they'd probably need to find a Mauvian or something to get some info on whatever's happened, or at least the cats always seemed to have a general idea about what was going on. Or, hell, maybe when they powered up, they'd sense a bunch of nearby Order signatures or something. Parks usually were the pretty popular spots for patrols and such, or at least that's what she remembered.
Dropping her hands to rest on her hips, she forced out a heavy huff and smirked to Dom. "Count of three?"
Her nerves were palpable, but that was understandable, and Dom gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Probably a good idea,” came his reply, because he recalled his own experience of powering up for the first time after so many years, and how it very much mirrored hers. And even after that first time, for a while all he did was just power up once a week and go to his wonder to talk to Alya, treating her almost like an ancient therapist of sorts since there was no therapist on earth (or at least not one that he knew of) that could help him process anything he was feeling within the context of being powered and involved in a magical war.
Dominic moved so he was standing across from her, returning the smirk with one of his own, raising a hand to start the countdown. One…two…and when he lifted a third finger he called forth his weapon, took hold of it and closed his eyes as he felt the familiar power surge through him.
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One… two…
Danika lifted her hand when he hit the finale of the countdown. She could feel that thrum of energy, of magic, just beyond the edge of… well. Her. Like a shadow, it existed alongside her. Easily ignored, easily avoided. But still there.
It'd been years since she last reached for it, that coil of chains that served as the Squire's weapon. She felt a flicker of something, a memory of cool metal passing against her palm, there, but….
Danika's eyes flew open, dark brows furrowed as she stared up at Ashur of Uranus, encasing Dominic in that glamor and magical mantel. But she wasn't Themiscyra of Mars.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying again, feeling a lick of panic growing in her chest. She could feel that power out there. That shadow. That lingering something that she ignored but knew was there if she just… reached for it.
So why wasn't she able to grab it?
It was like it lingered just outside of arm's length, there, alive for a lack of better terms, but… either unwilling, or unable, to move towards her. She couldn't touch it.
Danika wasn't even aware she was squeezing her hand as well as her eyes, nail digging into the palm of her flesh till slender, tiny crescents pricked from angry red to bleeding. As if she could somehow physically drag the magic to herself if she just willed it hard enough.
But she couldn't. It didn't move. Just beyond her reach, those chains, that power, refused her call.
She was just Danika.
Danika lifted her hand when he hit the finale of the countdown. She could feel that thrum of energy, of magic, just beyond the edge of… well. Her. Like a shadow, it existed alongside her. Easily ignored, easily avoided. But still there.
It'd been years since she last reached for it, that coil of chains that served as the Squire's weapon. She felt a flicker of something, a memory of cool metal passing against her palm, there, but….
Danika's eyes flew open, dark brows furrowed as she stared up at Ashur of Uranus, encasing Dominic in that glamor and magical mantel. But she wasn't Themiscyra of Mars.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying again, feeling a lick of panic growing in her chest. She could feel that power out there. That shadow. That lingering something that she ignored but knew was there if she just… reached for it.
So why wasn't she able to grab it?
It was like it lingered just outside of arm's length, there, alive for a lack of better terms, but… either unwilling, or unable, to move towards her. She couldn't touch it.
Danika wasn't even aware she was squeezing her hand as well as her eyes, nail digging into the palm of her flesh till slender, tiny crescents pricked from angry red to bleeding. As if she could somehow physically drag the magic to herself if she just willed it hard enough.
But she couldn't. It didn't move. Just beyond her reach, those chains, that power, refused her call.
She was just Danika.
Ashur expected another aura to manifest alongside him by the time he opened his eyes, so when he did but only caught sight of Danika…concern immediately washed over him. At first he was concerned that perhaps she had changed her mind. That while on their little walk between home and here, enough doubts or worries or reminders of their past had convinced her not to do this with him after all. In which case he would have been happy to power down and talk it out some more…
But the way she squeezed her eyes was telling.
It was subtle, but familiar enough that he had an inkling that she just…couldn’t. For whatever reason.
Having gone through something similar, he knew what that felt like. When he and his Wonder had been momentarily misaligned, and he couldn’t reach out for his staff, couldn’t take up his mantle. As much as he ignored this side of his life in recent years, he recalled there being a time that he felt so utterly broken and incomplete when he’d been unable to. The pain that struck him and served as a reminder of his mistake whenever he tried and was rejected.
He gave her hand a squeeze, doing his best to stay calm for her. Unlike him, she hadn’t gone and nearly crossed over to the other side so he couldn’t imagine what might be stopping her. If it was simply because she hadn’t powered up in years, then this should have also happened to him. Given that it didn’t, logic dictated that it had to be something else. The problem was…what?
And not just that, but where did they even start? Who could they even ask?
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That lick of panic was growing. Rapidly. An icy fire that made her pulse roar in her ears and dread weigh like boulders in her belly. "What the ********," she breathed, opening her eyes to stare down at herself. Her normal self. Not the Squire. Not her other self. "What the ******** voice broke, throat constricting as the panic surged, gripping Ashur's hand tightly but unaware of her fist bleeding from the force of her clenching it. Least not until she lifted it, unfolding her fingers and bloody crescents gleamed back in the moonlight. She didn't even really notice it, or the blood under her nails. She was only focused on the fact there was no chain there.
The signet ring felt like it weighed a ton.
The slender gold chain necklace she'd worn around her neck for years felt like it was strangling her.
Why had she lost it? Why? Was it because she hid too long from the war, had she abandoned her city? Did it go to someone else? Was there another Themiscyra out there--? The very notion drove a pained, choked sound from her throat. She couldn't register anything around her as her mind swirled and spiraled into dread and panic. She'd never meant to give it up forever. She just-- she just--
She didn't know what she'd wanted. She just expected it would always be there. Waiting for her.
Had it given up waiting?
If she shook and trembled or inched closer and closer to hyperventilating, she didn't notice. Her mind was too focused on what wasn't with her and confusion of only why not.
The signet ring felt like it weighed a ton.
The slender gold chain necklace she'd worn around her neck for years felt like it was strangling her.
Why had she lost it? Why? Was it because she hid too long from the war, had she abandoned her city? Did it go to someone else? Was there another Themiscyra out there--? The very notion drove a pained, choked sound from her throat. She couldn't register anything around her as her mind swirled and spiraled into dread and panic. She'd never meant to give it up forever. She just-- she just--
She didn't know what she'd wanted. She just expected it would always be there. Waiting for her.
Had it given up waiting?
If she shook and trembled or inched closer and closer to hyperventilating, she didn't notice. Her mind was too focused on what wasn't with her and confusion of only why not.
He could sense the panic growing in her, his own jaw clenched as he tried to come up with something, anything, to say that might ease her, even if only temporary. No thought came, though, and at the sound of her voice breaking he felt a growing ache in his own chest. Worry and uncertainty gripped him, and he was lost in his own sea of scrambled thoughts about what could possibly be happening when he caught sight of her bloodied ********,” he murmured, immediately letting her hand go and grabbing his sash. He tore a strip off and quickly wrapped it around her hand, then tried is off and let it go in favor of gently cradling her face in hands.
“Hey,” he said, gently coaxing her to look up and meet his eye, thumbs brushing her cheeks in a small gesture of comfort. “Hey, come on. Look at me. We’re gonna figure this out, okay? There’s an explanation for this, I’m positive. We just have to find it. But I need you here, okay? We both have to focus, put our heads together… Y’know, typical partner stuff, yeah?”
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Why, why, why, why---
The spiral of thoughts skittered and paused, like someone tossing a blanket over a horrid sight, suddenly cutting off her perception of it for at least the brief moment. Ashur's gentle touch, first on her hand, then her face, drew her back into the moment, even if in that moment she still felt her heart racing and blood iced.
She wound her hands around his wrists, clinging to him, though her wrapped palm was looser. "What explanation could ever be okay for this happening?" Her voice was a croak, a warning of tears and probably more that had yet to arrive. "I know I stopped for a long time but I-- I didn't--" Danika wasn't even sure how to finish that. She still didn't know what she had actually expected. That it would just be there, forever, without her doing anything to maintain the connection?
"Why won't the chain come to me? I can feel but it just won't... why?"
They were jumbled questions, a mess against the grounding logic Ashur was trying to console her with, or at least to push back the panic. The part of her that knew he was right, that they just needed to figure it out, things would be okay--all of that was heavily outnumbered by the internal screaming.
But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. It certainly counted as a moment of extreme confusion and a very necessary question to be answered. A knight in distress, a knight with a very important question.
The moon above, though not full, seemed slightly brighter as Danika clung to Ashur, something briefly tugging at her senses…
…before they were pulled away from the Earth entirely.
The spiral of thoughts skittered and paused, like someone tossing a blanket over a horrid sight, suddenly cutting off her perception of it for at least the brief moment. Ashur's gentle touch, first on her hand, then her face, drew her back into the moment, even if in that moment she still felt her heart racing and blood iced.
She wound her hands around his wrists, clinging to him, though her wrapped palm was looser. "What explanation could ever be okay for this happening?" Her voice was a croak, a warning of tears and probably more that had yet to arrive. "I know I stopped for a long time but I-- I didn't--" Danika wasn't even sure how to finish that. She still didn't know what she had actually expected. That it would just be there, forever, without her doing anything to maintain the connection?
"Why won't the chain come to me? I can feel but it just won't... why?"
They were jumbled questions, a mess against the grounding logic Ashur was trying to console her with, or at least to push back the panic. The part of her that knew he was right, that they just needed to figure it out, things would be okay--all of that was heavily outnumbered by the internal screaming.
But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. It certainly counted as a moment of extreme confusion and a very necessary question to be answered. A knight in distress, a knight with a very important question.
The moon above, though not full, seemed slightly brighter as Danika clung to Ashur, something briefly tugging at her senses…
…before they were pulled away from the Earth entirely.
Kaefaux
Fin~! ♥
