Carrying Diana in his arms, Malrick soared across the Atlantic toward Gotham. Layers of clouds drifted below them as they chased the fading sun. The light that had sunk beyond the Black Sea reemerged as they flew westward, the sky gradually brightening once more.
The dark horizon softened into streaks of orange and gold, then deepened into blue and finally, pure white.
Breaking through the clouds, Diana opened her arms with a joyful laugh, letting the high wind rush against her face. It had been a long time since Malrick had flown this slowly. Usually, he traveled in an instant — opening portals or moving at the speed of light, reaching any point on Earth in a heartbeat. But this flight was different. This time, he simply wanted to hold Diana's hand, to share the sky with her.
It felt almost like walking a girl back to her dorm — a short trip made endless by the warmth of her company.
Malrick held her hand gently, surrounding her with his bio-field as they glided through the clouds. Sunlight painted the mist around them in shifting shades of gold, crimson, and violet. Diana's eyes sparkled with wonder. Despite years of divine power, she had never truly learned to fly. The clouds she had once only admired from afar were now within her reach.
She extended her hand, laughing softly as the cool mist slipped through her fingers. Then, she cast her Lasso of Truth, looping it around a mass of clouds. To her delight, the cloud — though only a thin vapor of water — clung together like cotton candy.
Diana cradled it in her palms, turning it to catch the changing light. Her expression glowed with the innocent joy of discovery.
"So this is what clouds really feel like," she said in amazement. "It's beautiful, Malrick!"
Everything beyond Themyscira was new to her. With Malrick beside her, the world above the clouds felt like a dream.
"It's incredible," Malrick replied, smiling. "But I think your lasso's even more amazing. It can even bind something intangible."
"That's divine power," Diana said proudly, her eyes bright. "It can do more than fight." She shook the lasso playfully, and the cloud in her grip rippled like a soft wave.
"Then try using it to fly," Malrick encouraged. "Ares could when he came to Themyscira, remember?"
"I've never really tried… Do you think I can?"
"Of course. I'll teach you. First, get used to the air — to weightlessness. Let's dive into the clouds."
Diana looked at him, curiosity written all over her face. She trusted him completely.
Malrick grinned, mischief flashing in his eyes, and pulled her into the thick white mist. The clouds shuddered and rippled, thunder-like echoes rolling through the sky.
Hours later, they reemerged. Diana hadn't mastered flight — at least not yet — but her lessons had only just begun. Holding her close, Malrick teleported them above Gotham.
"Is this Gotham?" she asked softly. Her body was tired, aching even, but her face radiated happiness. She gazed down at the city — the glimmering streets, the endless flow of cars, the towering skyscrapers that pierced the clouds.
Compared to Themyscira, Gotham was a world beyond imagination. The island's population was small enough that every warrior knew the other by name. But this… this was vast, alive, and ever-moving.
Malrick descended slowly, letting her take it all in. Even the gray tones of Gotham glimmered with color through her fascinated eyes. When she spotted Wayne Tower, its glass walls reflecting the rising sun, she craned her neck to admire it — only to be distracted by the sprawling greenery of Robinson Park.
"So this is the world of man…" she whispered. "It's beautiful." Her voice was filled with awe. Despite her exhaustion, Diana's excitement never dimmed. She leaned in and kissed Malrick's cheek.
"Will our home look like this too?"
"Not quite," Malrick replied thoughtfully. "Where we're going, it'll be even livelier." Compared to Gotham — a city tamed by Batman — New York pulsed with chaos and color.
As they hovered, a blur of blue and red light streaked toward them. Malrick focused, and recognition flickered in his eyes.
"Kara?"
"Kara," he called as she stopped midair.
"Malrick!" she exclaimed. "You've been gone all day — Tony's been looking everywhere for you. He hasn't slept all night."
---
While Kara spoke, memories of the previous day flickered through her mind. She hadn't slept either.
After Malrick left, she stayed in the hotel, sitting by the window where he usually stood. She watched the city lights fade into dusk, waiting. Even as night fell, she didn't move. The world outside, warm and bright as it was, meant nothing to her without him.
When she'd told Tony that Malrick was missing, he'd waved her off. "That kid's probably chasing some girl," he'd said. Kara's fists had clenched. If he weren't Malrick's brother, she might've punched him through the wall. In her mind, Tony Stark was the definition of an unreliable sibling.
Even JARVIS, when he heard of Malrick's disappearance, immediately began scanning satellites across the globe. But even the AI came up empty-handed after a full day of searching. Kryptonian systems, Kara thought, were far superior.
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