Prologue
SirBearington
Well-known member
Prologue
She was Diana, Daughter of Hippolyta, Princess of the Amazons, and she had been spurned by her mother, "Why did she send me here!?" She asked angrily as she stomped on the sandy beach in outrage. Clenching her fist, she turned around and marched up to the nearest boulder and grabbed hold of it. Digging her fingers in, she growled as she lifted up the light rock before she heaved and threw it as hard as she could out into the sea. It sailed up in the air before it disappeared into the horizon, never to be seen again.
"Why can't she understand that I'm ready to defend the island! Ready to face any invaders and beat them back to the sea but nooo! I can't be trusted to do a woman's job! I need to learn how to enjoy my childhood! I would have if you just allowed me to prove myself!" She complained as she threw her hands up in frustration.
An Amazon must be strong, courageous, graceful, patient, and, most importantly, wise. Diana had all these qualities so she couldn't understand why her mother was so insistent on slowing her down. She could fight any of her sisters in equal combat, best them even from time to time, yet her mother kept babying her. She just turned 14 years old, plenty old enough to take care of her own Kanga, yet only now was she allowed to stand guard.
"Nubia fought back some invaders, why can't I join them… we're practically twins!" She grumbled as she paced across the idyllic beach of the Southern Cove. Yes, Nubia came from the wellspring of souls but that wasn't the point. The fact that Nubia got to fight back some invaders when their presence was starting to become more persistent just rankled her.
Here she was, relegated to guard the easiest and most relaxed outpost on the island while her sisters were risking their lives. When she asked her mother if she could join the border guards in protecting the coast, she thought she'd be with her aunt in guarding the desolate northern cliffs, watching over the sea while biting winds whipped around them but here she was, at the southern tip of the island, a hidden protected cove on which no outsiders have ever been recorded to land on.
"So much for a birthday present…" She muttered dejectedly as she picked up a large conch shell and half heartedly threw it in the air. She watched as it thumbled across the air before dropping down behind one of the tidal rocks dotting the cove. She expected the resulting crunch with the shell hitting the hard ground but she did not expect the cry of pain that followed.
"Poseidon's balls! Where the fuck did this came from?" An unfamiliar, male, voice asked out loud. She let out a squawk of surprise as she fell on her ass before she scrambled for cover. She felt her heart trying to jump out of her chest as she hid behind a boulder. A man, here? Why would a man of all things be here?
Slapping herself, she reminded herself that she was an amazon. Why was she hiding here when there was a threat to the island just a few feet away from where she was? Wait, if a man was here then that meant that she could actually show her mother that she was worthy of being trained as a warrior! She accidently found an intruder upon the island and now all that she needed to do was capture them. She could only thank the gods for the opportunity. She felt her heart race in excitement as a wide smile stretched across her face; she would not waste this opportunity!
Her lessons quickly kicked in as she slowly took a peek out of her cover. The intruder had yet to investigate, good, at least the man didn't see her kicking up a fuss. Taking deep, calming breaths, she then jumped out of cover and made a dash for the tidal rock where the voice came from. She made sure to keep her steps light and took great care not to cause too much noise as she stepped across the wet sands of the low tide.
With her back against the rock, she slowly rounded thet rock and peeked from its corner. What she saw had her gasping in surprise. Bedecked in scaled armor decorated with the jewels of the sea and wielding a trident, the young intruder sat there with his back turned as he rubbed the top of his head. What she found was no mere man but an Atlantean one at that, and he was in the middle of eating a strange fruit?
Shouldn't the atlanteans prefer the bounty of the sea than that of the land? It wasn't just one fruit, however, but a whole crate of them labeled… United Fruit Company? What a peculiar name, but they were not written in the Atlantean script she'd learned from Clio. Did he steal them from the ships that strayed too near the island? There were several crates of them bobbing up and down the tidal pools where the boy swam, each containing various exotic fruits. From the spiky fruit he held, to more familiar ones like those juicy watermelons and ripe pomegranates.
The pine cone looking fruit with its yellow flesh did smell sickeningly sweet and had her stomach growling, but she ignored it as she drew the blade that she was given along with a length of rope. She might have been relegated to the easiest post in the island but her mother at least made sure she came armed and prepared. Squinting and glaring at the intruder, she sneaked forward, intending to capture this wayward intruder to her home. How dare he come to the island when his people had promised to never return?
So intently did she focus on him that she did not notice a piece of wood that had once been the top of one of the crates. The wood snapped under her step and she knew her cover was blown. She froze as the boy turned and their eyes locked on each other. She felt her breath taken away as she beheld the bluest set of eyes she'd ever seen, but she snapped out of it as the boy squeaked out in panic.
In a moment of panic, the boy stuffed the large fruit inside his mouth akin to a hamster and grabbed as much as he could before diving down. She couldn't help but curse as she tried to catch up to the boy by jumping in the water but he showed just why the Atlanteans were the masters of the sea as he practically shot out of the pool and out into the open water, "Coward! Don't ever show your face on this island again or I will have your hide!" She shouted as she waded across the water only to stop as she reached the edge of the small pool.
She could attempt to swim after him but it would be a fool's errand. To fight them in their element would only cost her her life. This was her one chance to do something but she let it go! She screamed out in anger as she kicked a coconut at the retreating figure before she heard a crack as the coconut landed squarely on the boy's head once more. She could only blink in surprise as for the second time of the day, she landed another hit as the retreating figure stopped and surfaced to glare back at her before they swam just out of stabbing distance.
Spitting out the fruit stuffed to his mouth, he waved his fist at her as he shouted in outrage, "What the hell did I do to you! I was just eating my loot and you came at me with your sword drawn. Like, who does that?" She almost did a double-take at how fluent that boy was in Classical Greek, but she didn't let it distract her.
She smirked back as the boy refused to run away. Maybe she could actually catch him if she taunted him long enough, "Your loot? Aha! Not only are you an intruder to Themyscira but also a thief as well!" She fired back in equal ardor before she turned to the crate of fruit that he brought with him. If she couldn't capture him she was just going to take these as compensation for all the trouble he caused her, "I shall be confiscating these ill gotten goods then," she then declared as she ran her hand across the top before plucking a fruit from the bunch and eating it in front of him, daring him to take it back.
The boy's cheeks burned red as the boy argued back, "Thief! I'll have you know that I paid for those fair and square!"
She merely raised a delicate brow at him as she questioned him, "Where did you get them then?" The box being made of freshly cut wood definitely did not look like it was made by the Atleateans. That along with the fact that it contained not a trace of Atlantean Script, the original language or so the Atlanteans claim, made it all the more suspect it was merely stolen.
"I grabbed them from the deck of a human ship when no one was looking." The boy easily admitted only to backtrack as he realized what he just said, "I paid for them ok! I left them a whole bag of pearls and everything!" He quickly added as he gesticulated wildly. From how he acted, she might have believed him, but that didn't excuse what he just did.
"Mhmm. Definitely a thief. How would you know the price of this produce if you didn't talk to the crew?" She lectured him about his misdeed and the boy fidget and turned away from her. There was silence between them and it soon became clear that no amount of heckling would get him out of the water. With a sigh, she shooed him away and commanded him, "Well, go on then little thief. Enjoy your freedom while it lasts, but let it be known that if you ever show your face here again, then I, Diana, princess of the Amazons, shall have your head," She made sure to threaten him and remind him that while he was allowed to get away, he wouldn't get off scot free if he was ever to return.
The deadpan look he gave her however had her fuming. The gall of this boy! It only got worse when he opened his mouth and replied, "Righttt. I'll definitely believe the random Amazon who jumped me when I was just minding my business," How dare he accuse her of lying! He was the one that was in the wrong here and now he's making her look bad? The gall of this boy had her seething in anger.
"Hell! I haven't stepped on the shores of Themyscira. I didn't even know this was Themyscira!" He then added which made her confused. How could he have not known this was Themyscira? They had a large shark guarding the waters around the island.
"I-! Well, You should have encountered the guardian of the island!" She fired back lamely as the anger and confusion warred inside her heart. How did this boy make her all confused? She hated it!
"You mean Bruce? He's a nice shark and he told me it was ok to stop by this island if I didn't ever step on the land. Not like I ever could." The boy gushed out, making her stare long and hard at the boy but he remained unapologetic and even serious looking as he recounted his tale of meeting the guardian shark or rather, Bruce.
"Even if you personally didn't set foot on the island, you still broke the spirit of the law," She argued and, surprisingly, the boy relented.
The boy sighed as he reached up and scratched the back of his head before he apologized, "Ok, ok, I didn't mean to intrude on your island. If I say sorry, will you atleast give me back some of my fruit? I really wanted to eat some of those and I'm a long way from home," All her anger soon melted away at the boy's tale yet she remained cautious. He might be telling the truth or he could be lying to save himself, but she had yet to see any falsehood from him so she reluctantly gave him the benefit of doubt, "I'll even share some of my loot with you.~ What do you say?" he then offered, tempting her and her traitorous stomach grumbled in turn. She growled in warning as the boy giggled at her misfortune.
"Fine! But promise me you'll never step foot on Themyscira, got it?" She warned him as she sheathed her sword and hanged the length of rope she had on her belt once more.
"Pinky promise," The boy replied with a bright grin stretching across his face as he raised up his pinky finger. She couldn't fathom why her cheeks started to burn once more. It was definitely this boy's fault but she was hungry and the only thing she had was a loaf of bread, some cheese, and olives…
And so Daina found herself chatting away with the Atlantean she found on the beach. There, in one of the shallower tide pools, they sat together as they enjoyed the fruit he'd brought with him.
"By the goddess, these are so sweet!" She gushed out as she dug into the sweet succulent flesh of the mango the boy gave her. There were mango trees on the island, but they scarcely grew this sweet. It was as if the very fruit itself was infused with honey. She moaned out in delight as she ate as much as she could.
"If you think this is sweet, just wait till you get the chance to actually eat the ones that grew in their homeland," He chuckled as he cracked open a coconut before drinking the water inside and she looked at him in disbelief. How could something so sweet taste even sweeter?
"I don't know if I can even imagine these being any sweeter," She replied as she took one last bite and sucked on the large pit, making sure not a single bit was wasted, before tossing it into the growing pile of refuse, "How did you even come across the ship where these fruits were being carried? You said that you're far away from home."
"I have a super secret sea mount hideout nearby! I didn't know that I'd be this close to Themyscira of all things. I just wanted a place far away from my family," He boasted before he trailed off at the mention of his family. His cheerful demeanor melted away as he gazed off out in the sea with a look of melancholy and sadness. Now they were sitting right to each other, she noticed that he actually sported a large shark like tail along with a back fin to complete the look. He definitely did not look like the classical Atlantean with his aquatic features, but he did their language in a way that only a native speaker could.
She looked back at him in concern as she asked him cautiously, "You… you ran away?"
He blinked in surprise as he turned to her and replied with a grin on his face, "Ran away? Nah. More like… I just wander off for a bit before I go back home. It's not like they'll miss me with these things," For the first time, she knew he lied. The smile he had felt hollow and the joy he showed did not reach his eyes.
"Oh," She replied. She probably shouldn't pry too closely on such matters and she quickly changed the subject? "Say… what's it like out there?" She then asked him.
"Hmmm?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Man's World. You seem like you've been all over. You have all these trinkets that I've only seen from some of the Amazons from more distant lands," She clarified before pointing at the various trinkets he had tied to his armor and his cloak. "Like this jade pendant that looks like it came from China and that armband of tusk like shells that looked like it came from the Great Lakes of the New World," She pointed out. He had many more attached to his person, from coins to jewelry to simple things such as feathers and sea shells.
"For an Amazon, you're surprisingly well read," He noted with a hint of awe and respect.
She preened at the praise and puffed her chest out, "I am a princess, after all, and I have to learn about the world of man if I'm ever to succeed my mother," She not so subtly bragged. The lessons were daunting but, for the good of her people and to make her mother proud, she endured. The fact that she could go up to any of the amazons and ask them about their experiences before they became an amazon helped a lot. It was easier to remember a good story than the dry and boring text of her lessons.
Stroking his chin, he hummed and gave it some thought, "Hmmm… man's world huh. I mean, it's violent, brutal, and crude, yet strangely beautiful if you take a step back. It's a land of extremes where cold reason often clashes with the heat of the heart. You will see the greatest beauty and the most horrifying of things out there," He told her.
"Must be exciting," She replied back with a soft smile on her face. Most of the Amazons born from the wellspring of souls told her the same thing. Even her own mother told her so, but as much as her curiosity ached to be sated, she knew there was a reason why they must always be on the island. The invaders wishing to claim their piece of paradise was all she needed to remember. It did not mean, however, that she was going to remain ignorant; knowledge was the best way to fight against the unknown after all.
"Definitely! There was one time I encountered this large steam ship, big metal ships powered by water and fire, and…" He recounted tales of wonder and fancy. From mechanical wonders that would make Hephaestus proud to great natural wonders that Demeter had brought forth into the world, and she couldn't help but stare transfixed as he told her his tale. He might have intruded on the Island of the Amazons but she had to admit that she was glad that she actually found him.
Before long, she noticed the waters of the pool were already up to her chin and the sun had long set, "Oh, it's getting late," He spoke up as he brought out one of those timepieces that had been making rounds in the market thanks to the influx of passing ships. The hands in this one, however, glowed an ethereal blue, showing both of them what time it was even under the moonlight, "It's past 8 pm already… we really should get back to our homes…" He yawned out.
"Huh? I didn't even notice that," She admitted as she pulled herself off the tide pool and stretched. Her limbs felt heavy but it quickly wore off as she stretched and limbered up. The trek back home would be long and best not cramp up on the way back. Turning to her companion, she then said, "Hey, thanks for the food. I'm sorry about the head thing. I didn't know you were there when I threw that shell," After giving it some thought, both of them were in the wrong as their mistakes came from ignorance rather than malice.
"Nah, it's not a big deal." He waved it off as he started gathering his things. There were still several crates full of fruit, but it seemed like he was going to leave them as stacked them up for her, "Oh yeah, this was a pain to carry so have this as an apology!" He added.
She shook her head and smiled back. Despite the misgivings they had earlier, she found that the boy was growing on her "How about we start over?" She offered as she introduced herself once more, "Hi, my name is Diana. What's yours?"
"My name is-!" He replied but was quickly cut off as the sound of horses galloping and shouts of her fellow amazons rang out from the forest behind them.
"Diana! Diana! Where are you!" Her mother called out and Diana felt a pit of dread settle on her stomach. Her mother was out looking for her and Diana was currently with a man. She wasn't just going to metaphorically kill her but all kill him literally.
"Oh no! Mother!" She cried in alarm as she whirled around, "Quick, Hide-! Where did he-" But before he could even warn him, he was already gone. All that was left was the timepiece he had as it wobbled on the ground beside her. She quickly grabbed it and stuffed it in her pockets, just in time to hide from her mother as she trotted to a stop before her.
"Diana! There you are. Where have you been! It's been hours since you last reported to the nearest guard post. I thought something happened," Her mother shouted in worry as she got off her horse and grabbed her, checking if she had any injuries or marks.
"Mom! I'm not a baby ok. I'm a grown girl!" She protested as she fought her off. Her cheeks burned as the amazons that came with her mother giggled at her. Even Nubia was here and she laughed along with the others; that traitor! She hated how much her mother treated her like she was just some mere helpless child.
"Oh? Then you should explain to me what you've been doing all this time?" The older woman then asked as she sported an amused smile across her face. Diana felt color drain from her cheeks as she scrambled for an answer to satisfy her mother as well as cover for the Atlantean boy she met.
"I… Uh… Fruit! I was eating these fruits from the crates that washed ashore!" She lied as she grabbed a mango from one of the crates and offered it to her bewildered mother.
Her mother grabbed the fruit before saying, "You, my ever so uptight and responsible daughter, spent the last 8 hours doing nothing but enjoying the beach and eating fruit?" She felt herself break in cold sweat as her heart hammered inside her chest. She had always been an awful liar, not when her mother could just lasso her but she did learn to omit some of the details to buy herself time.
"I was inspecting these," She assured her, hoping that the goddess Eris was watching and was willing to help her lie to get past her mother.
"Oh really? Then you wouldn't mind if we bring these to the feast tonight then?" Her mother replied and she breathed out a small sigh of relief but now, she had another problem. This crate of fruit was given to her by that Atlantean boy. They were so sweet and delectable that she didn't want to share it but her mother might prod her for more details…"Mmmm,~ mangoes are just divine," Her mother moaned out as she watched the older woman take a sniff at the fruit she gave her.
"...Fine," It physically hurt to say those words but she had to, not when the life of her companion might be on the line.
"Oh Diana, I'm merely making jest. Come here," Her mother laughed revealing that she was merely teasing her before she found herself enveloped in a bone crushing hug. Diana could only cry as she was once more embarrassed in front of the other Amazons. No! Not when Nubia was here! She cried out in despair inside her mind.
"Mom!" She protested as she tried to pry herself off but she found that she's unable to push her mother away. She eventually gave up as she realized that she had to just let her have it out of her system. Atleast now she wasn't prying how these crates just washed up on the shore instead of it being carried her by an Atlantean.
"Oh hush now. Let me hug you when you made me worry so much. For a second there, I thought you met a man, but here you were finally enjoying your time," Her mother replied and Diana felt herself wilt. She was close, yet she did not suspect her of lying.
"Y-yeah," She shakily replied as she was soon dragged back to the palace. There, she'd find a feast awaiting for her as the Amazons celebrated in honor of Hera, with it being one of her holidays.
Diana would find herself far too distracted to enjoy tonight's feast, however, for all she could think of was the boy that she talked to and the watch he left behind. She eventually managed to excuse herself from the feast and there in the privacy of the room, she could observe the clock without worry. She stayed up well in the night, watching it tick before sleep finally claimed her. She would, unfortunately, be unable to sleep for too long and had to spend most of the morning half asleep while training. She could only thank the goddess Athena for giving her the strength and presence of mind to not get too badly beaten up.
With permission from her mother, she was once more stationed at the Southern Coves. Her mother was uncharacteristically happy about her request, but she paid it no mind as she watched over the shore, waiting for her acquaintance? friend? to come back to reclaim his watch, the only proof she had that he actually existed at all.
The day went by as she sat there in the shades of the tide pool, waiting for him to return with nothing but the waves and the cries of seagulls as her company. Morning gave way to Afternoon and soon it was already Sundown. The tide was already creeping back in and it was time for her to go back. Dejectedly, she walked away only to perk up as a conch shell suddenly hit her on the back. Turning around, she found a dolphin chirping as it dragged another crate.
Immediately, she ran up to the sea creature and knelt down before it. It chirped happily, splashing her with water before it swam away leaving her with the package it brought along for her. She couldn't hold the smile that broke across her face as she opened it up and there she found another crate full of tropical fruits along with a note that had an extremely large clam shell attached to it.
"Couldn't go back to the island due to family drama. Will go back there on the next King's Tide. Please keep my watch safe, it's hard to find a waterproof watch that can take magical enchantments. Here's an apology for ditching you. '
-Theseus the Atlantean.
P.S. Mom told me to give you something nice for being a good host."
Diana snorted in amusement at the note in the end. It seemed that they were on the same boat when it came to dealing with parents. At least now she had a name to call him. Theseus, so that was his name. A rather unfortunate name considering the demigods' history with her people, but it was a rather apt one considering he's from the sea and left her wondering about him.
Prying the shell off the note, she held it up high and inspected it. Was this the gift that Theseus's mother had in mind for her? She shook it a bit and found that something was clattering inside its shell, "Oh, it was inside the shell!" She thought. She almost felt silly for not realizing that the shell only served as a container.
She immediately opened it and her cheeks burnt at the sight of what was inside. Slamming her shell close and screwing her eyes shut, she hoped that it was a mere trick of the eye and it wasn't what she thought it was. Cracking one eye open, she slowly opened it once more and there, taunting her was a small, finely made bracelet with a short string of pearls of all colors. She moaned out in mortification as she felt heat rise up to her cheeks. Theseus was definitely teasing her, he had to be! As much as she felt embarrassed about the gift, however, she still wore it on her left ankle to hide it from prying eyes.
A/N:
I usually post new stories over at my snippet but this one's just way to popular over at my patreon to not have its own post. Writing a young teenage Diana was fun cause she's still quite the little shit lol. She doesn't have the wisdom and experience of her older self but almost all the powers already. Hippolyta has her hands full trying to tame her unruly daughter and trying to give her the childhood that few Amazonian's ever get. As for the exact media I'm going to use as a base... I'm using JLU but, there's quite a number of changes in this story like the origin of Diana and the time line. Consider this an AU amalgamation of several sources that takes a lot of inspirations from the Comic.
With that out of the way, I'd like to thank vyor who is the reason why my shit is readable
. I'd also want to thank my Patrons once again. You guys are the best! Please consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me. It means a lot to me if I can keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star for those who do not like Patreon.
Oh before I go, do you guys like danmachi? Well you're in luck cause I just made one about a Minotaur SI yesterday! It's currenly posted in my patreon as it has yet to be beta'd but it's free~ First one always is. Here's the link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/82143122
She was Diana, Daughter of Hippolyta, Princess of the Amazons, and she had been spurned by her mother, "Why did she send me here!?" She asked angrily as she stomped on the sandy beach in outrage. Clenching her fist, she turned around and marched up to the nearest boulder and grabbed hold of it. Digging her fingers in, she growled as she lifted up the light rock before she heaved and threw it as hard as she could out into the sea. It sailed up in the air before it disappeared into the horizon, never to be seen again.
"Why can't she understand that I'm ready to defend the island! Ready to face any invaders and beat them back to the sea but nooo! I can't be trusted to do a woman's job! I need to learn how to enjoy my childhood! I would have if you just allowed me to prove myself!" She complained as she threw her hands up in frustration.
An Amazon must be strong, courageous, graceful, patient, and, most importantly, wise. Diana had all these qualities so she couldn't understand why her mother was so insistent on slowing her down. She could fight any of her sisters in equal combat, best them even from time to time, yet her mother kept babying her. She just turned 14 years old, plenty old enough to take care of her own Kanga, yet only now was she allowed to stand guard.
"Nubia fought back some invaders, why can't I join them… we're practically twins!" She grumbled as she paced across the idyllic beach of the Southern Cove. Yes, Nubia came from the wellspring of souls but that wasn't the point. The fact that Nubia got to fight back some invaders when their presence was starting to become more persistent just rankled her.
Here she was, relegated to guard the easiest and most relaxed outpost on the island while her sisters were risking their lives. When she asked her mother if she could join the border guards in protecting the coast, she thought she'd be with her aunt in guarding the desolate northern cliffs, watching over the sea while biting winds whipped around them but here she was, at the southern tip of the island, a hidden protected cove on which no outsiders have ever been recorded to land on.
"So much for a birthday present…" She muttered dejectedly as she picked up a large conch shell and half heartedly threw it in the air. She watched as it thumbled across the air before dropping down behind one of the tidal rocks dotting the cove. She expected the resulting crunch with the shell hitting the hard ground but she did not expect the cry of pain that followed.
"Poseidon's balls! Where the fuck did this came from?" An unfamiliar, male, voice asked out loud. She let out a squawk of surprise as she fell on her ass before she scrambled for cover. She felt her heart trying to jump out of her chest as she hid behind a boulder. A man, here? Why would a man of all things be here?
Slapping herself, she reminded herself that she was an amazon. Why was she hiding here when there was a threat to the island just a few feet away from where she was? Wait, if a man was here then that meant that she could actually show her mother that she was worthy of being trained as a warrior! She accidently found an intruder upon the island and now all that she needed to do was capture them. She could only thank the gods for the opportunity. She felt her heart race in excitement as a wide smile stretched across her face; she would not waste this opportunity!
Her lessons quickly kicked in as she slowly took a peek out of her cover. The intruder had yet to investigate, good, at least the man didn't see her kicking up a fuss. Taking deep, calming breaths, she then jumped out of cover and made a dash for the tidal rock where the voice came from. She made sure to keep her steps light and took great care not to cause too much noise as she stepped across the wet sands of the low tide.
With her back against the rock, she slowly rounded thet rock and peeked from its corner. What she saw had her gasping in surprise. Bedecked in scaled armor decorated with the jewels of the sea and wielding a trident, the young intruder sat there with his back turned as he rubbed the top of his head. What she found was no mere man but an Atlantean one at that, and he was in the middle of eating a strange fruit?
Shouldn't the atlanteans prefer the bounty of the sea than that of the land? It wasn't just one fruit, however, but a whole crate of them labeled… United Fruit Company? What a peculiar name, but they were not written in the Atlantean script she'd learned from Clio. Did he steal them from the ships that strayed too near the island? There were several crates of them bobbing up and down the tidal pools where the boy swam, each containing various exotic fruits. From the spiky fruit he held, to more familiar ones like those juicy watermelons and ripe pomegranates.
The pine cone looking fruit with its yellow flesh did smell sickeningly sweet and had her stomach growling, but she ignored it as she drew the blade that she was given along with a length of rope. She might have been relegated to the easiest post in the island but her mother at least made sure she came armed and prepared. Squinting and glaring at the intruder, she sneaked forward, intending to capture this wayward intruder to her home. How dare he come to the island when his people had promised to never return?
So intently did she focus on him that she did not notice a piece of wood that had once been the top of one of the crates. The wood snapped under her step and she knew her cover was blown. She froze as the boy turned and their eyes locked on each other. She felt her breath taken away as she beheld the bluest set of eyes she'd ever seen, but she snapped out of it as the boy squeaked out in panic.
In a moment of panic, the boy stuffed the large fruit inside his mouth akin to a hamster and grabbed as much as he could before diving down. She couldn't help but curse as she tried to catch up to the boy by jumping in the water but he showed just why the Atlanteans were the masters of the sea as he practically shot out of the pool and out into the open water, "Coward! Don't ever show your face on this island again or I will have your hide!" She shouted as she waded across the water only to stop as she reached the edge of the small pool.
She could attempt to swim after him but it would be a fool's errand. To fight them in their element would only cost her her life. This was her one chance to do something but she let it go! She screamed out in anger as she kicked a coconut at the retreating figure before she heard a crack as the coconut landed squarely on the boy's head once more. She could only blink in surprise as for the second time of the day, she landed another hit as the retreating figure stopped and surfaced to glare back at her before they swam just out of stabbing distance.
Spitting out the fruit stuffed to his mouth, he waved his fist at her as he shouted in outrage, "What the hell did I do to you! I was just eating my loot and you came at me with your sword drawn. Like, who does that?" She almost did a double-take at how fluent that boy was in Classical Greek, but she didn't let it distract her.
She smirked back as the boy refused to run away. Maybe she could actually catch him if she taunted him long enough, "Your loot? Aha! Not only are you an intruder to Themyscira but also a thief as well!" She fired back in equal ardor before she turned to the crate of fruit that he brought with him. If she couldn't capture him she was just going to take these as compensation for all the trouble he caused her, "I shall be confiscating these ill gotten goods then," she then declared as she ran her hand across the top before plucking a fruit from the bunch and eating it in front of him, daring him to take it back.
The boy's cheeks burned red as the boy argued back, "Thief! I'll have you know that I paid for those fair and square!"
She merely raised a delicate brow at him as she questioned him, "Where did you get them then?" The box being made of freshly cut wood definitely did not look like it was made by the Atleateans. That along with the fact that it contained not a trace of Atlantean Script, the original language or so the Atlanteans claim, made it all the more suspect it was merely stolen.
"I grabbed them from the deck of a human ship when no one was looking." The boy easily admitted only to backtrack as he realized what he just said, "I paid for them ok! I left them a whole bag of pearls and everything!" He quickly added as he gesticulated wildly. From how he acted, she might have believed him, but that didn't excuse what he just did.
"Mhmm. Definitely a thief. How would you know the price of this produce if you didn't talk to the crew?" She lectured him about his misdeed and the boy fidget and turned away from her. There was silence between them and it soon became clear that no amount of heckling would get him out of the water. With a sigh, she shooed him away and commanded him, "Well, go on then little thief. Enjoy your freedom while it lasts, but let it be known that if you ever show your face here again, then I, Diana, princess of the Amazons, shall have your head," She made sure to threaten him and remind him that while he was allowed to get away, he wouldn't get off scot free if he was ever to return.
The deadpan look he gave her however had her fuming. The gall of this boy! It only got worse when he opened his mouth and replied, "Righttt. I'll definitely believe the random Amazon who jumped me when I was just minding my business," How dare he accuse her of lying! He was the one that was in the wrong here and now he's making her look bad? The gall of this boy had her seething in anger.
"Hell! I haven't stepped on the shores of Themyscira. I didn't even know this was Themyscira!" He then added which made her confused. How could he have not known this was Themyscira? They had a large shark guarding the waters around the island.
"I-! Well, You should have encountered the guardian of the island!" She fired back lamely as the anger and confusion warred inside her heart. How did this boy make her all confused? She hated it!
"You mean Bruce? He's a nice shark and he told me it was ok to stop by this island if I didn't ever step on the land. Not like I ever could." The boy gushed out, making her stare long and hard at the boy but he remained unapologetic and even serious looking as he recounted his tale of meeting the guardian shark or rather, Bruce.
"Even if you personally didn't set foot on the island, you still broke the spirit of the law," She argued and, surprisingly, the boy relented.
The boy sighed as he reached up and scratched the back of his head before he apologized, "Ok, ok, I didn't mean to intrude on your island. If I say sorry, will you atleast give me back some of my fruit? I really wanted to eat some of those and I'm a long way from home," All her anger soon melted away at the boy's tale yet she remained cautious. He might be telling the truth or he could be lying to save himself, but she had yet to see any falsehood from him so she reluctantly gave him the benefit of doubt, "I'll even share some of my loot with you.~ What do you say?" he then offered, tempting her and her traitorous stomach grumbled in turn. She growled in warning as the boy giggled at her misfortune.
"Fine! But promise me you'll never step foot on Themyscira, got it?" She warned him as she sheathed her sword and hanged the length of rope she had on her belt once more.
"Pinky promise," The boy replied with a bright grin stretching across his face as he raised up his pinky finger. She couldn't fathom why her cheeks started to burn once more. It was definitely this boy's fault but she was hungry and the only thing she had was a loaf of bread, some cheese, and olives…
And so Daina found herself chatting away with the Atlantean she found on the beach. There, in one of the shallower tide pools, they sat together as they enjoyed the fruit he'd brought with him.
"By the goddess, these are so sweet!" She gushed out as she dug into the sweet succulent flesh of the mango the boy gave her. There were mango trees on the island, but they scarcely grew this sweet. It was as if the very fruit itself was infused with honey. She moaned out in delight as she ate as much as she could.
"If you think this is sweet, just wait till you get the chance to actually eat the ones that grew in their homeland," He chuckled as he cracked open a coconut before drinking the water inside and she looked at him in disbelief. How could something so sweet taste even sweeter?
"I don't know if I can even imagine these being any sweeter," She replied as she took one last bite and sucked on the large pit, making sure not a single bit was wasted, before tossing it into the growing pile of refuse, "How did you even come across the ship where these fruits were being carried? You said that you're far away from home."
"I have a super secret sea mount hideout nearby! I didn't know that I'd be this close to Themyscira of all things. I just wanted a place far away from my family," He boasted before he trailed off at the mention of his family. His cheerful demeanor melted away as he gazed off out in the sea with a look of melancholy and sadness. Now they were sitting right to each other, she noticed that he actually sported a large shark like tail along with a back fin to complete the look. He definitely did not look like the classical Atlantean with his aquatic features, but he did their language in a way that only a native speaker could.
She looked back at him in concern as she asked him cautiously, "You… you ran away?"
He blinked in surprise as he turned to her and replied with a grin on his face, "Ran away? Nah. More like… I just wander off for a bit before I go back home. It's not like they'll miss me with these things," For the first time, she knew he lied. The smile he had felt hollow and the joy he showed did not reach his eyes.
"Oh," She replied. She probably shouldn't pry too closely on such matters and she quickly changed the subject? "Say… what's it like out there?" She then asked him.
"Hmmm?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Man's World. You seem like you've been all over. You have all these trinkets that I've only seen from some of the Amazons from more distant lands," She clarified before pointing at the various trinkets he had tied to his armor and his cloak. "Like this jade pendant that looks like it came from China and that armband of tusk like shells that looked like it came from the Great Lakes of the New World," She pointed out. He had many more attached to his person, from coins to jewelry to simple things such as feathers and sea shells.
"For an Amazon, you're surprisingly well read," He noted with a hint of awe and respect.
She preened at the praise and puffed her chest out, "I am a princess, after all, and I have to learn about the world of man if I'm ever to succeed my mother," She not so subtly bragged. The lessons were daunting but, for the good of her people and to make her mother proud, she endured. The fact that she could go up to any of the amazons and ask them about their experiences before they became an amazon helped a lot. It was easier to remember a good story than the dry and boring text of her lessons.
Stroking his chin, he hummed and gave it some thought, "Hmmm… man's world huh. I mean, it's violent, brutal, and crude, yet strangely beautiful if you take a step back. It's a land of extremes where cold reason often clashes with the heat of the heart. You will see the greatest beauty and the most horrifying of things out there," He told her.
"Must be exciting," She replied back with a soft smile on her face. Most of the Amazons born from the wellspring of souls told her the same thing. Even her own mother told her so, but as much as her curiosity ached to be sated, she knew there was a reason why they must always be on the island. The invaders wishing to claim their piece of paradise was all she needed to remember. It did not mean, however, that she was going to remain ignorant; knowledge was the best way to fight against the unknown after all.
"Definitely! There was one time I encountered this large steam ship, big metal ships powered by water and fire, and…" He recounted tales of wonder and fancy. From mechanical wonders that would make Hephaestus proud to great natural wonders that Demeter had brought forth into the world, and she couldn't help but stare transfixed as he told her his tale. He might have intruded on the Island of the Amazons but she had to admit that she was glad that she actually found him.
Before long, she noticed the waters of the pool were already up to her chin and the sun had long set, "Oh, it's getting late," He spoke up as he brought out one of those timepieces that had been making rounds in the market thanks to the influx of passing ships. The hands in this one, however, glowed an ethereal blue, showing both of them what time it was even under the moonlight, "It's past 8 pm already… we really should get back to our homes…" He yawned out.
"Huh? I didn't even notice that," She admitted as she pulled herself off the tide pool and stretched. Her limbs felt heavy but it quickly wore off as she stretched and limbered up. The trek back home would be long and best not cramp up on the way back. Turning to her companion, she then said, "Hey, thanks for the food. I'm sorry about the head thing. I didn't know you were there when I threw that shell," After giving it some thought, both of them were in the wrong as their mistakes came from ignorance rather than malice.
"Nah, it's not a big deal." He waved it off as he started gathering his things. There were still several crates full of fruit, but it seemed like he was going to leave them as stacked them up for her, "Oh yeah, this was a pain to carry so have this as an apology!" He added.
She shook her head and smiled back. Despite the misgivings they had earlier, she found that the boy was growing on her "How about we start over?" She offered as she introduced herself once more, "Hi, my name is Diana. What's yours?"
"My name is-!" He replied but was quickly cut off as the sound of horses galloping and shouts of her fellow amazons rang out from the forest behind them.
"Diana! Diana! Where are you!" Her mother called out and Diana felt a pit of dread settle on her stomach. Her mother was out looking for her and Diana was currently with a man. She wasn't just going to metaphorically kill her but all kill him literally.
"Oh no! Mother!" She cried in alarm as she whirled around, "Quick, Hide-! Where did he-" But before he could even warn him, he was already gone. All that was left was the timepiece he had as it wobbled on the ground beside her. She quickly grabbed it and stuffed it in her pockets, just in time to hide from her mother as she trotted to a stop before her.
"Diana! There you are. Where have you been! It's been hours since you last reported to the nearest guard post. I thought something happened," Her mother shouted in worry as she got off her horse and grabbed her, checking if she had any injuries or marks.
"Mom! I'm not a baby ok. I'm a grown girl!" She protested as she fought her off. Her cheeks burned as the amazons that came with her mother giggled at her. Even Nubia was here and she laughed along with the others; that traitor! She hated how much her mother treated her like she was just some mere helpless child.
"Oh? Then you should explain to me what you've been doing all this time?" The older woman then asked as she sported an amused smile across her face. Diana felt color drain from her cheeks as she scrambled for an answer to satisfy her mother as well as cover for the Atlantean boy she met.
"I… Uh… Fruit! I was eating these fruits from the crates that washed ashore!" She lied as she grabbed a mango from one of the crates and offered it to her bewildered mother.
Her mother grabbed the fruit before saying, "You, my ever so uptight and responsible daughter, spent the last 8 hours doing nothing but enjoying the beach and eating fruit?" She felt herself break in cold sweat as her heart hammered inside her chest. She had always been an awful liar, not when her mother could just lasso her but she did learn to omit some of the details to buy herself time.
"I was inspecting these," She assured her, hoping that the goddess Eris was watching and was willing to help her lie to get past her mother.
"Oh really? Then you wouldn't mind if we bring these to the feast tonight then?" Her mother replied and she breathed out a small sigh of relief but now, she had another problem. This crate of fruit was given to her by that Atlantean boy. They were so sweet and delectable that she didn't want to share it but her mother might prod her for more details…"Mmmm,~ mangoes are just divine," Her mother moaned out as she watched the older woman take a sniff at the fruit she gave her.
"...Fine," It physically hurt to say those words but she had to, not when the life of her companion might be on the line.
"Oh Diana, I'm merely making jest. Come here," Her mother laughed revealing that she was merely teasing her before she found herself enveloped in a bone crushing hug. Diana could only cry as she was once more embarrassed in front of the other Amazons. No! Not when Nubia was here! She cried out in despair inside her mind.
"Mom!" She protested as she tried to pry herself off but she found that she's unable to push her mother away. She eventually gave up as she realized that she had to just let her have it out of her system. Atleast now she wasn't prying how these crates just washed up on the shore instead of it being carried her by an Atlantean.
"Oh hush now. Let me hug you when you made me worry so much. For a second there, I thought you met a man, but here you were finally enjoying your time," Her mother replied and Diana felt herself wilt. She was close, yet she did not suspect her of lying.
"Y-yeah," She shakily replied as she was soon dragged back to the palace. There, she'd find a feast awaiting for her as the Amazons celebrated in honor of Hera, with it being one of her holidays.
Diana would find herself far too distracted to enjoy tonight's feast, however, for all she could think of was the boy that she talked to and the watch he left behind. She eventually managed to excuse herself from the feast and there in the privacy of the room, she could observe the clock without worry. She stayed up well in the night, watching it tick before sleep finally claimed her. She would, unfortunately, be unable to sleep for too long and had to spend most of the morning half asleep while training. She could only thank the goddess Athena for giving her the strength and presence of mind to not get too badly beaten up.
With permission from her mother, she was once more stationed at the Southern Coves. Her mother was uncharacteristically happy about her request, but she paid it no mind as she watched over the shore, waiting for her acquaintance? friend? to come back to reclaim his watch, the only proof she had that he actually existed at all.
The day went by as she sat there in the shades of the tide pool, waiting for him to return with nothing but the waves and the cries of seagulls as her company. Morning gave way to Afternoon and soon it was already Sundown. The tide was already creeping back in and it was time for her to go back. Dejectedly, she walked away only to perk up as a conch shell suddenly hit her on the back. Turning around, she found a dolphin chirping as it dragged another crate.
Immediately, she ran up to the sea creature and knelt down before it. It chirped happily, splashing her with water before it swam away leaving her with the package it brought along for her. She couldn't hold the smile that broke across her face as she opened it up and there she found another crate full of tropical fruits along with a note that had an extremely large clam shell attached to it.
"Couldn't go back to the island due to family drama. Will go back there on the next King's Tide. Please keep my watch safe, it's hard to find a waterproof watch that can take magical enchantments. Here's an apology for ditching you. '
-Theseus the Atlantean.
P.S. Mom told me to give you something nice for being a good host."
Diana snorted in amusement at the note in the end. It seemed that they were on the same boat when it came to dealing with parents. At least now she had a name to call him. Theseus, so that was his name. A rather unfortunate name considering the demigods' history with her people, but it was a rather apt one considering he's from the sea and left her wondering about him.
Prying the shell off the note, she held it up high and inspected it. Was this the gift that Theseus's mother had in mind for her? She shook it a bit and found that something was clattering inside its shell, "Oh, it was inside the shell!" She thought. She almost felt silly for not realizing that the shell only served as a container.
She immediately opened it and her cheeks burnt at the sight of what was inside. Slamming her shell close and screwing her eyes shut, she hoped that it was a mere trick of the eye and it wasn't what she thought it was. Cracking one eye open, she slowly opened it once more and there, taunting her was a small, finely made bracelet with a short string of pearls of all colors. She moaned out in mortification as she felt heat rise up to her cheeks. Theseus was definitely teasing her, he had to be! As much as she felt embarrassed about the gift, however, she still wore it on her left ankle to hide it from prying eyes.
A/N:
I usually post new stories over at my snippet but this one's just way to popular over at my patreon to not have its own post. Writing a young teenage Diana was fun cause she's still quite the little shit lol. She doesn't have the wisdom and experience of her older self but almost all the powers already. Hippolyta has her hands full trying to tame her unruly daughter and trying to give her the childhood that few Amazonian's ever get. As for the exact media I'm going to use as a base... I'm using JLU but, there's quite a number of changes in this story like the origin of Diana and the time line. Consider this an AU amalgamation of several sources that takes a lot of inspirations from the Comic.
With that out of the way, I'd like to thank vyor who is the reason why my shit is readable
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Oh before I go, do you guys like danmachi? Well you're in luck cause I just made one about a Minotaur SI yesterday! It's currenly posted in my patreon as it has yet to be beta'd but it's free~ First one always is. Here's the link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/82143122