10984/Themyscira: The Truth About Donna

From Heroes Assemble MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Themyscira: The Truth About Donna
Date of Scene: 01 May 2022
Location: Palace - Themyscira City
Synopsis: Caitlin and Diana fly to Themyscira for an emergency meeting with Megala and Hippolyta. Their objective: to learn the truth about Donna's origins, once and for all.
Cast of Characters: Donna Troy, Caitlin Fairchild, Diana Prince, Hippolyta




Donna Troy has posed:
            Themyscira, 27 years ago...

    A cool, light rain falls on the beach, stirring the sea into low foaming waves that break on the rocks of the ancient island with a constant hissing. On a low promontory Queen Hippolyta stands waiting, Phillipus and Magala flanking her, whispering amongst themselves. The high priestess Menalippe stands a few steps closer to the water. They have been waiting a while, but the request to be here was from someone you don't say no to.

    Eventually, in the distance, a cloud of sea-spray comes into view, growing ever closer. Philippus visibly tenses, but Magala seems to relax. Before long, at the center of the spray two figures come into view, a pair of Oceanids, one carrying in her arms a small, swaddled figure. When they reach the beach, they come to a halt with their feet still in the surf.

    Two more women rise up from the water, figures familiar to the Amazons more from the statues of them that can be found in temples and palaces around the island than anywhere else, Aphrodite and Hekate. A third figure takes from out of the sea mist -- humanoid, crowned with golden light, but ghost-like, never fully resolving.

    Aphrodite gives Menalippe a nod of acknowledgement, but looks past her, to Queen Hippolyta. "You understand the deal then, Queen of Themyscira?" Aphrodite asks. "She is to be raised here, as an Amazon, to learn your ways. Let her be brought up to know us, to know Olympus, as the patron of her people. Let her learn our teachings, and that we are your friends. Let her be one of your people, as long as she can be. Let her grow up to adulthood not knowing where she comes from and who her mother is, so that if one day she does discover that, she sees Olympus as a part of herself, and never as an enemy."

    The Oceanid holding the baby reaches her arms out towards Menalippe, offering her the child to carry back to Hippolyta, but the mist-like, glowing figure holds out an arm to hold her back. "HER NAME IS TROIA, the figure says. "AND SHE WILL GROW TO BE WHAT SHE WILL BE. LACHESIS' WORDS CAN NOT BE GAINSAID; THE THREAD OF HER LIFE IS WOUND THROUGH THE FATE OF THE TITANS. WE PUT A GREAT DEAL OF TRUST IN YOU, QUEEN OF AMAZONS. DO NOT DISAPPOINT US. AND THOUGH YOU MUST DECEIVE HER, DO NOT LIE TO MY DAUGHTER. I HAVE GRANTED HER A SHARD OF THE POWER GAIA PLANTED WITHIN ME TO KNOW THE TRUTH. I WILL BE WATCHING, QUEEN OF AMAZONS."

    The figure turns, placing one ghostly hand on the child for a moment, before the light within the form vanishes, and the mist falls down suddenly into the surf.

    Aphrodite rolls her eyes. ""Hence the Oceanids, she says with a sigh. "Deniability. Children brought to you by the Oceanids are not so very unusual a thing, after all. Olympus thanks you for this, Queen Hippolyta. It is a way out of a needlessly... awkward situation."

    Aphrodite glances at Hekate beside her, who replies with the slightest of nods, before the two goddesses start to fade from view.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
There are too many questions and not enough answers. Troia's confusing history, the missing element that is Donna-- the coterminate existance of Titan's Tower and the empty throne room of New Kronos. And there is only one person who has the answers: Queen Hippolyta.

Caitlin and Diana take her legendary Jet to travel to Themyscira. The mighty vessel makes short work of the transit, and their instinctive draw towards Themyscira leads the two women to plunge fearlessly into storm clouds that would make most mortal pilots hesitate.

There is little time for ceremony beyond the basic observations. The guards are greeted and the two women make a direct path for the Palace itself.

Caitlin is perhaps a half-step behind Diana as they enter the throne room. Caitlin wears a loose toga and sandals, as her armor was destroyed not too long ago. At the appropriate distance, Caitlin drops a respectful knee and bows her head at Hippolyta. Diana is her senior here, and even as urgent as the situation is, she waits for the Princess to address her mother on their mutual behalf.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana is right there beside Caitlin, moving in to the throne room at a casual clip and pace. Though she's not wearing local garments. She's wearing black heels, a black skirt and a black jacket with a open front that shows a loose low-scooped white top beneath it. She'd been in meetings about the Starport when Caitlin had arrived on the Jet to come here today. She hadn't changed attire as she wasn't sure how long this stay would even be yet...

With her hair brushed smooth, laying perfectly behind her shoulders, and deep crimson hued lipstick on, the Princess looks quite nice... but very foreign to these lands.

As Cait makes a formal greeting, Diana offers a respectful bow to her mother. "Mother." She says softly in her dusky flavored voice. "WE have come with grave concern for Troia's well being. She is healthy, of body, but it would seem that perhaps something has occurred with her memories.." Diana gives a short rundown of the situation before motioning to Caitlin.

Hippolyta has posed:
The Queen of the Amazons grows more somber with every new detail of Diana's exposition. When she rises, she gestures for Caitlin to rise. "This is a day I knew would come eventually... but the fashion of its arrival leaves me disquieted." She glances at Diana, "This is not how I imagined my daughter would come to know of her heritage."

Stepping down from the throne to join the tow others, her garments gathred about her as if to ward of a chill wind that can't be felt on he island, Hippolyta turns to Caitlin.

"Aikaterine, you have seen Troia in this state as well. What have you gleaned from her present condition? Do you concur with Diana on the nature of what ails her?"

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin rises when bidden, and when the burden of the question is put to her, it takes the redhead a few seconds to find her words. When she does speak, it's with a somewhat uncharacteristic authority and conviction.

"I'm... not sure how familiar Your Majesty is with, uh, parallel universes," she advises Hippolyta. "I'm not as informed on them as I'd like to be, either. But Do-- the person in our Tower," she amends, "isn't /our/ Donna. She's someone who looks like her. Talks like her, but none of the same memories. She comes from a world where the Titanomachy led to rulership by New Kronos, as she calls it. Where she was .... raised by the Titans of myth."

Caitlin shares a look with Diana, directs her focus back to the Queen. "We need to know how much of that story is the same for /our/ Donna. Here. On this Earth."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana places her hands together in front of her lap. She looks to the Queen with a warm smile before she wills it away as the speaking begins. She gently lowers her pointed chin as she stares to the Queen, then over to Caitlin. "Aikaterine has the right of it, Mother." Diana expresses then before looking back to the Queen.

"This is not as dangerous of a situation, as what happened last year with the alternate version of Cassie. But I would say it is along similar lines. This.. Troia... is seemingly far from hostile toward any of us. But she is entirely removed from her experiences of being raised upon Themysciran soil. It is... obviously of great concern in this regard, though. If there .. " Diana gently shakes her head side to side once. "Any possible way to help her find her way back... this is what has brought us here today."

Hippolyta has posed:
Hippolyta remains silent for a few moments, pacing the length of the hall while lost in thought. "I am aware of the existence of other such existences, from a theoretical perspective. Several of our philosophers have spoken at length on the subject, although it has never concerned us much insofar as the realms of the Gods are concerned. But if this, indeed, appears to be the incursion of some other plane of being, with its own version of Troia, then it must stand to reason that some phenomenon may have caused it- or the interference of a third party."

She turns to the two Amazons, "The history of this Troia you have found is not unlike that of ours, in origin, but it appears that events happened otherwise there. Troia is, indeed, the daughter of the Titans. She was brought to our shores by the Gods in concerted agreement with the Titans of myth, that she may be raised among us with respect and love for Olympus, to avoid inevitable bloodshed and strife. Ignorant of her true nature, at least until the time that it would be revealed to her."

She frowns, "But it seems another party has seen fit to alter things- or something even stranger is going on."

"Diana, would you please fetch Magala? I believe we will hae need of her knowledge in this."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana draws in a light breath as she hears this from the Queen. She spares a sidelong glance toward Caitlin before she looks back to her mother. "Perhaps members of the Titans themselves have pushed a option ... of sorts ... to lead Troia in to this state of being?" She quietly offers before the request of Magala is given.

"Yes, of course." Diana says to the pacing Ruler. She gives Caitlin another glance before she turns then and starts back the way she'd come, her heeled shoes impacting with quiet soft clicks upon the polished marble floors.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin inhales a breath as the Queen divulges Donna's most well-kept secret. Having it intimated is one thing, but to hear it declared so authoritatively by Hippolyta herself-- it's a bit of a stopper. She shares a look with Diana as the princess leaves, and in the moments when it's just her and Hippolyta, she focuses her attenton fully on the Queen.

"You kept that from her?" The words are blurted out in defense of her absent friend, offended at the secrecy on Donna's behalf. The accusatory tone is tempered slightly by lowering her voice so the palace doesn't hear Caitlin upbraiding the Queen. "If she had this big destiny as a peacekeeper, why not prepare her for that? She's been absolutely convinced she's a mortal like the rest of us." A beat passes, Caitlin's jaw tensing and flexing. "What's it gonna do to her when we eventually get her back and drop this bombshell on her?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    Responding to the summons, and with the benefit of a quick update on the situation from Diana on the way, Magala enters the hall, nodding her head to Caitlin and Hippolyta, and walks over to stand next to the Queen. "Diana has explained the situation to me," she says.

    She stands almost to attention, her hands folded in front of her, her face half-hidden beneath her hood, as is her normal mode. "It was something she was always going to discover one day, Aikaterine. The question you ask is one those of us who have known of the situation have struggled with for some time. She will question herself, and question us. But this was unavoidable."

    That seems to be all she really has to say on the subject for now, because she instantly moves onto another subject. "Aikaterine, I notice you are not wearing your proper bracelets."

Hippolyta has posed:
"An oath to the gods was made, Aikaterine. As you are aware, my duties as Queen to my sisters exists in tandem with the obligations that we all share to the Patrons," If the Queen bears any anger for being upbraided, she doesn't show it, speaking in a calm and measured voice. "As Magala says, we knew it was inevitable- we merely ignored the means through which it would be revealed, but our oath determined that /we/ would not be those means. Troia was to be raised seeing the gods not as enemies but as benefactors. When she endeavored to follow in Diana's footsteps, I may have let her go reluctantly, and not without much convincing first," she casts a glance at Diana, "But ultimately I decided that time among mortals would help ground her, so that even if she were to come into the knowledge of who she was, she would do so from a different point of view than that of a born goddess..."

She trails off and glances at Caitlin after Magala's question, her own silence adding to it.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
"Huh?" Caitlin looks down at her wrists and the bronze bracers in place. The casual observer might not note the difference, but to an Amazon, that familiar gold-hued metal is distinctive for its luster and durability.

"Oh. Yeah. Uh... I kinda got into it with an Archangel," she admits. "Last time I saw him, he grabbed my bracelets and destroyed them both." She removes the bracers to reveal heavy scarring on her forearms that doesn't seem to be healing quite correctly. "I found a few fragments. Maybe a couple ounces total. With Donna gone, it... well, getting them repaired seemed really low-priority."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "It is a high priority," Magala disagrees. "The bracelets are both protection and symbol. That you fought with a being capable of destroying them and survived the experience speaks well of your strength and skill, and of your suitability to be an Amazon. It is good that you sought a temporary replacement, so the symbol would remain in place. However it is not fitting that you go into the world without being properly equipped. I suggest that while you are here, you call on Pallas to find replacements. She will make it a priority."

    Caitlin's bracelets may not seem the pressing question to Diana or Caitlin, but apparently it seems to be the pressing question for Magala. Of course Magala has known about Donna since the start, and if she had not been told she would undoubtedly have figured it out for herself. She's too well-versed in these things not to. The circumstances of the revelation, and the problem that this is not simply Donna with new information, but in some way apparently a new Donna, she does not seem to be jumping to address.

Hippolyta has posed:
"Let it be done, I will not have a daughter go back into the world without the protection and reminder that all of Themyscira is with her," Hippolyta says, looking at Caitlin, "You should also speak with Apollonia so that she makes a full record of what happened. Any Amazon and chosen daughter of mine who goes against such a force and comes back unscathed is a credit to us all. Not that I ever doubted you would give the world reasons to marvel at."

She grows quiet, then, and turns her attention to the sorceress, taking in her lack of perturbation or alarm, inscrutable in her ways. "Your counsel, Magala. You do not appear startled, which is a comfort, but nevertheless the nature of things as they are would benefit from the lucid thoughts of one well-versed in things invisible and impossible."

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin looks down at her wrists, rubbing her thumb against the scars on her left arm. "Yes'm," she tells Hippolyta with a proper defereence in her tone. "It's a bummer he turned out to be a jerk. It was pretty fun being able to fly around on my own power." She smiles ruefully for a beat, then lets it drop into a more serious expression.

"So-- with Donna. Troia." She moves her hands back and forth over each other. "I guess the big question to ask is, if Troia is in Titan's Tower, where is Donna? Or, if they're both Donna/Troia, how do we make Donna the dominant personality again?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    "I am far too old to startle, my queen," Magala tells Hippolyta, with a slight inclination of her head. "There is no doubt that is a strange affair, and not the manner any of us predicted by which Troia would come into the realization of her heritage. I hold out two observations however, which I hope will bring some degree of relief to the worries of those here present."

    "Aikaterine, she is your friend and for that reason you worry. You stand with Troia's sister and her mother -- they too are no less worried for her. I have more than a little fondness for her myself. However I remind you all that what Troia is discovering of herself is nothing greatly unprecedented. Diana and Cassandra have both, in their times, discovered a similar truth about themselves. Neither has suffered too great a disturbance by the discovery."

    "Though in the short term Troia may indeed be hurt and confused by this, I have no doubts she too will come to terms with this. The greater hurt will be that some she cares about have kept a secret from her, but time has taught her a great sense of duty. She is no longer the Troia who raged against her mother for not calling her back from her sacred duty at Doom's Gate, when news reached these shores of the death of two of her friends. Duty is an argument that will hold great weight with her."

    Magala shifts her stance slightly, moving her weight from one foot to the other." I wonder too..." she begins slowly, "... if this might not wholly be a surprise to her. She has not failed to notice her abilities are far closer to Diana's or Cassandras than they are to her other sisters. The fact alone that she can fly. She has made excuses to herself to explain this. I suspect the biggest shock to her will be realizing the degree to which she has hidden things from herself. A divine nature, such as that of Diana, or Cassandra, or Troia, is not something that will sit idly and allow itself to be suppressed. It will find a way."

    "The second observation I make is this: Raven knew of Troia's nature already; she had sensed it. She will want, desperately, for the Troia she knows to be restored to her. Yet she has not come here to seek more information. This fact I find reassuring. It means that Raven believes she already has enough information to deal with the situation. She is a proud woman, and not one who would easily countenance the idea she might need help, but Troia is important to her in ways you all may not entirely realize. "

Hippolyta has posed:
"A proud and very unusual woman," Hippolyta muses quietly, her gaze somewhere else for the moment. "She left Tartarus in the company of Hekate Astrodia, which is significant. It takes an extraordinary soul to attract the attention of The Overseer. You should seek her upon your return, as Magala suggests- she may have thoughts of her own on this matter."

The Queen takes a slow, measured breath, "In time, Troia shall forgive. Or, at least, I earnestly hope she will. She will know that my heart was bound to the promise made to the gods- and that in my heart, I shall always regard her as my daughter, even while acknowledging that she was entrusted to my care not in an act of abandonment by her mother, but in an act of love to preserve both her life and spare the world from a terrible conflict."

The Queen grows quiet again. After a moment, she speaks, "I have thought about it, and I have decided that I should accompany you back, briefly. I wish to see my daughter, even if I may not be able to help her, it is my wish that I should see her, even if she will not know me." She tilts her head slightly up, "And should there be need of an official reason for my brief deplacement, an impromptu inspection on the progress of the Embassy's teleporting equipment can be arranged."

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
"Ah--" Caitlin makes an interruptive sound and slashes her hands through the air. "Hol' up. Raven *knew* this whole time?" she demands of the other two women. "She sure didn't feel like sharing that with the rest of us. And if you think that's a good thing, you don't know Raven. Like, at all."

Lips press into a thin line, looking from Megala to Hippolyta. "When we were lost in outer space, Donna told me she had a vision from Raven. Raven was going to rip a hole in reality to rescue Donna. She didn't care for the consequences or the cost. Just that she was going to get Donna back. I love Raven," she says to them. "She's my family and I'd do anything for her."

"But if she starts getting a mind towards fixing this problem without anyone else's help, we are all in really, really serious trouble. Like 'shop for a new planet' trouble," she says with a grim expression. "And frankly, no one on the team has the horsepower to actually stop her if she decides going Dark Side is the solution here."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Aikaterine... Raven is not someone who something like this could be long hidden from," Magala replies. "I don't know how long it took her to understand the nature of who Troia is after they met. But when she came here to visit, she knew, and I believe she had known for a while. We did not discuss the matter in any detailed way, but I made it my business to determine this much at least, and to determine that she understood the seriousness of the situation. She was wise enough to know that if Troia herself did not know, there must be a reason for it. There are some things that must happen in their own time."

    Magala looks to Hippolyta a with an expression of curiosity, but doesn't comment on the queen's decision any further than that. Magala rarely does comment on the queen's decisions unless asked.

    She turns back to Caitlin with a nod. "Then perhaps you should see to it that Raven does not act entirely alone. And perhaps most importantly, that she does not /feel/ alone./ But I don't think you need to worry about her finding some dark solution to this problem. She would not want to alienate Troia."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana had returned with Magala, though she'd stepped off to the side to quietly confer with another of the Amazons in the throne room. She places her hands together in front of her lap as she leans over to listen to the response that she gets from the other woman. Diana shows them a light smile that leaves her red lips quickly before she starts to walk back toward where Caitlin is, moving to stand alongside her to show her support.

The Princess, in her civilian clothing, continues to just diligently listen to the discussion as its had.

Hippolyta has posed:
"Do you suppose, then, Magala, that this may be some sort of manifestation of her divine nature? Perhaps some truth might be gleaned from speaking to her... or this version of her, directly."If the Queen notices Magala's gaze, she doesn't show it. "Then it is imperative, as Magala says, to ensure Raven does not find herself alone. Aikaterine, you will arrange to have your bracelets replaced at once, and once Pallas is finished we will depart."

She glances at Diana, "This should also prove to be a good opportunity to visit the Embassy and become acquainted with some of your new associates. It is long overdue."

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin rubs her hands over her scars with a mindless reflex, listening carefully to the other two women. At Hippolyta's command, she ducks her head in a respectful acknowledgement of the implicit commands. "I'll get it done, your Majesty," she promises the queen. "One way or another. With your permission I'll swing through the library and scan some scrolls to study on the way home. Maybe there's ...something that can help. A way to remind Troia that she's also Donna at heart."

Caitlin looks over to Diana. "Might not be a bad idea to talk to Dr. Strange, either," she suggests. "And if they don't hate me, I could ask the Dark League. They're pretty clued into this magical stuff. Anyone else we should approach?"

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana places her hands behind her back now as she listens to her mother's response. She nods her head a single time to what is said. "You are the guest of honor that everyone has been hoping to host, Mother." She says back with a reserved smile.

Caitlin gets a look on Diana's right then. "It has been a long time since I spoke with Stephen Strange. I am willing to, of course, especially considering the situation. I would like to Included Zatanna Zatara though. She has been a immense help to the affairs of the Justice League, of late, and her ability with the art of magic is practically unravaled. As for the members of the Justice League, Dark, well... Phoebe Beacon helped bring me back. Perhaps her abilities could do similarly for Troia."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "I caution you to speak to Raven first," Magala tells Caitlin. Her eyes hold their gaze on Caitlin's for a few moments, and then find Diana's to do the same "And consult with her before bringing in any other... experts. Raven is a cautious young woman, and not unwisely so. A sorcerer can have reasons other than those you might consider for being reluctant to have another sorcerer they are unfamiliar with closely involved with their own affairs."

    "You know what Raven is? Then perhaps you can understand why she might prefer to hold herself apart. And perhaps you also understand why Raven has a more than usual interest in Troia's welfare, even for lovers. Or perhaps you do not. There are things that she hinted to me on her visit here, when you brought your friends for their vacation. Bringing in other sorcerers, unless it is absolutely necessary, may have an unlooked-for impact on this situation."

Hippolyta has posed:
"I think it is wise to follow Magala's advice on this. It is never wise to bring too many sorcerers under one roof without the proper consultation. Especially not until we have established what... exactly the Key Holder saw in Raven. The Goddess of Magic's attention may be a boon, or a warning."

The Queen nods and smiles at Caitlin, "You do not need my permission to go to the library, Aikaterine. Sure I do not need to remind you of your place among us?" she says with some warmth, but her voice fades after a moment, returning to her contemplation. "I believe we have spoken at length of all that we might know of this situation- without seeing Troia directly. Let us make our respective preparations. There is little I need to bring with me for this occasion..." a pause, and then a thought that comes to her, seemingly out of nowhere. "With the exception of a small thing." Something that she kept in the chest by her bed.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
"I'll figure out what I can with Rae before I bring anyone else," Caitlin promises the others. "And I know I have the run of the library," she reassures the Queen. "But 'I wanna read some scrolls' doesn't get quite as much assistance as 'The Queen has sent me here to do research."

She takes a heaving breath, exhales slowly, and nods at the others. "Right then. With your Majesty's permission--?" she inquires, and aims a shoulder briefly at the door. When she is given leave to withdraw, Caitlin bows respectfully to the Queen, then clasps hands with Diana and Megala. "I won't take any longer than I have to. We should be able to fly home tonight," she promises them. "Hopefully we can come up with something Raven might have missed."

Diana Prince has posed:
A look is shared with Magala before Diana hears the tone of her mother preparing to leave for the mainland with them. This, of course, gets a smile upon the Princess' lips. She nods her head once before adjusting her gaze to that of Caitlin. She reaches out to grip her young sister's wrist and offer it a firm squeeze. "Take what time you need." She tells her before looking to the Queen again.

"I will be showing the Queen how to pilot the Jet." Diana notes, because this will be the first time that Hippolyta will have flown within it, let alone be at the controls, so it seems.

Of course, this has Diana grinning at her mother profusely.

Donna Troy has posed:
    "One thing I wish to say to you all. A word of caution, about your instinct, and about your worries." Magala nods her head slightly to Hippolyta. "It is something I said to the queen, twenty-seven years go. I now tell you all this. "

    "I am old. The time of my mortal life was long before any other on this isle. A time that was known only to myth even in the days of Queen Hippolyta's youth, before the ascendancy of Olympus. Troia was brought amongst us to guarantee that she was raised to feel loyalty to Olympus, not the Titans, for fear of renewing old loyalties. You three share that bias; you serve Olympus, and the Titans were the enemies of Olympus."

    "And yet even in Hippolyta's time, my era, the era in which Kronos rather than his son Zeus was ruling over us, that era was known as the golden age. Troia's mother, Troia's uncles and aunts, they like most gods had in them things you would criticize and things you would admire. They are not demons. They are not evil. Their time was a time of peace."

    "Do not judge this 'other' Troia harshly because she is of the Titans, of the rivals to our patrons. She will be wary because of who you serve, but it is likely she can also be reminded that those she fears are her foes are also her family."