Wonder Woman ✧ T'CHALLA¹ [✓]

26 - Smaller Asgard, Bigger Thor

Bruce only grinned wider. "Ah, Valkyrie! Great to see you, Angry Girl."

The woman, Valkyrie, looked at Bruce, noticing his change of appearance. "I think I liked you better either of the other ways."

Diana raised an eyebrow, realizing that Valkyrie must've known Bruce and seen him as the Hulk prior to his transformation. That meant they had known each other for a long time, which was most likely why Bruce had known where to find her.

Bruce chuckled and motioned to Rocket and Diana. "This is Rocket, and Diana."

"How you doin'?" Rocket greeted.

Diana dipped her head respectfully. "Nice to meet you."

Valkyrie eyed the two before addressing Bruce. "He won't see you."

"That bad, huh?" Bruce asked.

Valkyrie nodded. "We only see him once a month, when he comes for..." She looked over to a pile of kegs of stout and other beer on the side of the dock. "...supplies."

"It's that bad," Bruce said.

Valkyrie sighed, nodding again. "Yeah."

"We still need to see him," Diana said. "We might have a way to bring back what we've lost, but we need as much help as we can get."

Valkyrie met Diana's eyes for a moment before smiling. "Well, I'm not going to argue with an Amazon. I'll take you to him." When Diana's eyes widened in surprise, Valkyrie chuckled and explained, "Yes, I know who you are." She jerked her head in the direction of the edge of the town. "Come on, he's this way."

She led the three over to one of the houses, then stopped, gesturing to the door. "He's in there," Valkyrie said. "Good luck."

"Thank you, Valkyrie," Diana said gratefully. "We really do appreciate this."

The woman simply smiled and nodded before walking off.

Rocket looked up at Diana, frowning at her. "Damn, are you always this polite?"

Diana shrugged. "I try to be."

"Why?"

Diana sighed, looking down at him. "It's a matter of respect and human decency. Every human being deserves some sort of respect."

"You're obviously delusional, then, Princess," Rocket replied with a scoff. "I've spent enough time here on Earth to know that giving and receiving respect to everyone you meet is impossible."

Diana met his gaze steadily, not even batting an eyelash as she said, "If the prospect of living in a world where trying to respect the basic rights of those around you and valuing each other simply because we exist are such daunting, impossible tasks then what sort of world are we left with?" She cocked her head at Rocket. "And what sort of world do you want to live in?"

Rocket stared at her in surprise, staying quiet for a moment before he said, "Y'know, you're a lot wiser than you look." Then he turned and opened the door, allowing himself, Bruce, and Diana to enter... and were immediately met with a horrible smell.

"What the..." Rocket said, grimacing at the smell. "Woo! Something died in here."

Diana nodded in agreement as she scrunched up her nose in disgust; how could anyone live in this?

"Hello?" Bruce called out. "Thor?"

"Are you here about the cable?" came Thor's voice from another room. Then, he walked into view, and the Diana's jaw almost dropped.