15385/Ororo Goes to the Themysciran Embassy

Ororo Goes to the Themysciran Embassy
Date of Scene:	15 July 2023
Location:	Themysciran Embassy - First Floor
Synopsis:	Ending old scene from previous player.
Cast of Characters:	Ororo Munroe, Diana Prince

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Ororo Munroe has posed:
The trip to the Embassy is an interesting experience for Ororo, to say the least. It was, and was not, a bit of politics as a friendly gesture from Diana's 'friends' in Westchester. Ororo was coming as Diana's guest, but would be expected to greet and meet the Amazons-- who are so akin to her in so many ways, in bearing and appearance.

And, while this was officially a social visit between friends, there is the weighty element of one literal goddess visiting another in her home. Such visits are rarely a trivial thing.

Ororo drives an underwhelming grey minivan usually used for shopping trips and short visits to the city. It's registered to Westchester and has 'Xavier Institute' on it in modest script. Fortunately the Embassy was built with drivers in mind so she can park the car and debark without having to schlep through New York foot traffic. Contrary to last Diana saw her, in ratty gardening clothes, Ororo's attire is a shapely-fitting dress with a distinctly African design to it. Black with white floral printing, it hangs from her neck with a twist-yoke and flows into gentle layers atop one another down to her mid-calf. Serviceable but stylish white sandals with a slight heel have been added to it, and her plaited white hair has been let down in places to frame her face and be woven into the thick bulk of the glass strands.

Attired thus, Ororo makes her way to the front desk and smiles pleasantly at the Amazons on guard. "Excuse me," she says in her mild, understated way. "I am here to see Princess Diana, we, um, have a social visit scheduled." Held carefully in her hands is a bottle of dark wine with an old, peeling label on it.

Diana Prince has posed:
Ororo is met with kind greeting from the stationned Amazons, who are quick to let her be greeted in-turn by one English woman named Greta Candy. Greta being a third generation friend of the Princess, the grand daughter to Diana's first best friend after leaving Themyscira over a hundred years ago.

Greta is pleased to meet Ororo, complimenting her attire and her lovely white hair. The personal assistant of Diana escorts Ororo in to the beautifully decorate Embassy. Once a home of a New York City Mayor, the mansion within the city has been converted to modern mixed with Ancient Greek and Themysciran flavored stylings.

Greta ultimately escorts Ororo to the Entertainment Room where the pair find Diana speaking with the Captain of the Themysciran forces here in New York City. Diana is wearing a white sleeveless dress that is fairly slim to her fit form, while the Amazon Captain is wearing regal looking Themysciran armor of silvers and golds, leather and red waving cloth.

Diana approaches Storm with a ruby red lipped smile, offering a light hug before she motions to the Captain to make introductions.

Captain Eophi offers a armored arm to Storm to shake her leather wrapped hand, or wrist even!

"A pleasure, Miss Munroe." Eophi says before exchanging looks between she and Diana. "I won't get in the way of your dinner. Thank you for the chat, Diana. I will see you in the morning." The Captain says with a smile for both women, and a light bow too before she sweeps her impressive form out of the room and in to the main hallway where she walks back to the front of the building with Greta at her side, looking dwarfed in stature compared to the impressive brunette Captain.

Diana just shows a warm expression to Storm. "You look lovely. I am glad you could come by this evening. I told our Head Chef we were having a special Guest, so I believe he's preparing a special meal in celebration."

She motions to the bar inside the room, fronted by tall wooden-backed stools that offer possible seating. "Would you like a drink?" Diana asks then.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo flashes a smile at Diana's compliment, and inclines her head in a regal nod of appreciation for the compliment. Do her cheekbones look a little warmer? "I-- thank you. You look lovely as well," she bids the Princess. She smiles ruefully. "It is a little jarring to see you wearing 'civvies', as my friend Logan would say," she tells the Princess, and laughs apologetically. "Outside of your visit to the Mansion, we've always met in the field."

Ororo wordlessly follows Diana's invitation and settles onto one of the barstools, letting it pivot a little to get a feel for it. "If we are drinking, I will have whatever you are having," Ororo tells Diana. "Oh, and--" she lifts the bottle in her hands and sets it on the bar. "I am not very expert in wines," she apologizes. "Charles recommended this vintage. It is old, French. And of course, if your chef has wines planned, I shouldn't want to impose." Long, slender fingers flex in apology and interlace on top of the bar. "Is this the usual first stop on the tour, or are we forestalling the walk-around for another time?" Her blue eyes dance mischeviously at Diana, waiting for the Princess' response.

Diana Prince has posed:
As the tall Amazon Princess walks around the bar to gather up some glasses for them, she hears the talk of her attire and what she's normally seen in. This has her glancing down at herself, with her hands going to her trim stomach level to lightly grace fingertips across herself there. "Yes, I guess I do tend to get seen in only one thing, really." She notes in her naturally husky-hued voice. Her heeled shoes click softly on the hardwood floor behind the bar as she moves to garner those glasses. "You know, that armor that I wear... it was crafted for my Aunt." Diana explains as she picks up two long stemmed wine glasses and turns to face Storm across the marbel counter top of the bar itself. "She passed away just before I left Themyscira, and ... I took the armor to wear it in her honor. I still feel as though it belongs to her, even if I have been utilizing it for the past century in hopes of putting it to good use. I know that many would say that after all of that, it has passed on to me, but..."

Diana softly exhales as she places the glasses down with little 'tinks' of glass on polished marble. "I do not think it ever quite will feel that way to me, inside my own mind."

She shows another smile over to Storm before she reaches for the wine.

"We will try it and see how it goes." She says of what Storm had brought along with her. "Our Chef... Ferdinand... is a unique experience all his own, but I am sure he would expect us to already be at least one bottle in by now." She states in good humor, voice light and laced with casual happiness.

Storm will see Diana quite easily pull the cork from the wine bottle, getting a satisfying pop by using on her hands alone. She'll let it breathe for a moment before she'll begin to pour them both a glass too, both glasses side by side on the counter's top.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo rolls a smooth shoulder and nods in agreement at Diana's assessment of the nature of heirlooms. Her smile returns and widens as Diana reaches for the wine, though the casual feat of strength Diana displays by removing the cork with no effort does make Ororo's white brows go up in mild surprise.

"You're convenient to have around if one is missing a bottle opener," she tells Diana with an amused tone in her rich, accented voice. The weather shaper waits patiently for Diana to pour the wine out, and when invited she accepts one of the glasses. It's swirled lazily about and she takes a quick, inexpert sip of it. Still, it meets Ororo's approval, which she nods to Diana. "That is... very good," she remarks. "I hope you like it."

She shifts her weight to cross her legs on the stool, and rests one elbow on the bar to support her chin in her hand. "I know how it feels to have an heirloom like that," she assures Diana. "One of my favorite necklaces-- I wish I wore it tonight, now-- it belonged to my mother." Ororo touches the necklace she *is* wearing, polished agates linked by brass chains. "It is mine, and has been for many years, but I still think of it as 'hers'," she explains. Her bracelet and bangle are of a similar design, relatively unsophisticated but made with care at the hands of an artist.

"We are not diminished by such attachments; they strengthen us. I think of her when I don it and when I take it off at night. I imagine your armor reminds you of your Aunt the same way." She ventures a smile at the dark-haired Princess. "It is said that no one truly dies as long as they are remembered."

Her expression flickers to a thoughtful one and she tilts her head at Diana, plaits running over each other and tinkling like water. "May I wonder-- I was under the impression the Amazons live forever," she says, and from her tone is treading very carefully. Ororo's sense for the wellness of others around her leaves it not even a question, but so open-ended that it can be easily shrugged off if she's venturing too near a raw nerve.

Diana Prince has posed:
A playful expression toauches Diana's visage as she gathers up her own glass to take a sip from it. A few seconds later she lowers it, and gently nods her head two small times. "I do like it. I am a fan of the sweet flavors like this... I have to... sometimes tell myself not to drink a bottle of this type of thing every night. I would not suffer any inebriation from it, only the optics that come along with it." She states with another short grin that comes and goes.

Her eyes are soon going to the adornments that Storm is wearing, listening closely to what the other says with regard to them before she just has a light smile expressing her thoughts on what the white haired woman says. "You do look lovely tonight though. You seem much more... prepared than when I barged in on your hobby time the other afternoon." She adds another little grin on to what she says there.

As for the question about the longevity of the Amazons, Diana glances toward the other side of the room where the wall is lined with large windows that look out on the Embassy's central courtyard-- which contains many statues of Amazons and Greek Goddesses.

Her eyes soon dart back to Ororo's own though. "My Aunt, Antiope, died defending the island from foreign invaders who happened to discover our home by happenstance. And instead of a peaceful arrival, they chose one of violence instead... They were stopped, summarily, at the cost of several of my sisters, sadly. But, such is the nature of Humanity when it is faced with the hate, and loathing that was so very prevalent in that era of Man's world."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
A grin crosses Ororo's face at the mention of her 'hobby time', and she even lets a delighted laugh slip her lips at Diana's teasing. She manages to tame it to a smile, hiding behind a sip from the oversized wine glass.

When the commentary turns to Antiope, though, her smile falls away, and becomes something deeply sympathetic. Somewhat impulsively she reaches out and puts a hand on top of Diana's, giving her fingers a squeeze. "I grieve for your loss," Ororo says, and something in her voice suggests she's translating something more poetic in her native tongue. "You know at Westchester, we understand better than most the hate humanity can have. Even for itself," she says, and exhales wearily.

Realizing she's still squeezing Diana's hand, Ororo glances down, then extricates her fingers from the Amazon's-- but makes no move to fully withdraw it unless Diana does. "I should not have brought up such a maudlin topic, I apologize for letting my curiousity get the better of me."

Her gaze flickers and she ventures an encouraging smile. It's an infectious sort of thing that feels not unlike sunshine parting clouds. "You know something of my hobbies, but I do not know of yours," Ororo informs Diana. "What is it the Princess of Themyscira does with her free time? I am aware such a thing is often in short supply. Is it all--" she gestures at the arms and armor around them. "Warfare in all its forms, or are there more gentle pastimes you observe? These side pursuits, they are good for the soul," she assures the warrior woman.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana just turns her own hand over on to its side to accept the offered touch of kindness. She's an experienced woman when it comes to social behaviors, especially acts of kindness, and this one earns a counter squeeze from her own right hand. She smiles too, but doesn't comment on her lost loved ones any further, instead she simply nods to the bit about hatred displayed toward Mutants. "People yearn for the opposite of Hate, but they need help being shown out of its dark depths. They yearn for the light of Hope, and Love, but sometimes they just need to be reminded how to achieve it."

Those words are said quietly before Diana has another smile return to her red hued lips at the questions of her own hobbies. She glances toward the doors to the hallway again before she returns her eyes to Storm's own.

"I have a few. I tried cooking a few times, but ... now I am not allowed near the stove." She says with a little laugh escaping her before her head shakes side to side.

"Art is my passion though. Especially restoring ancient pieces of art. To try and bring them out of the dark and back in to the light too, so to speak. I have a studio here in the Embassy where I often spend what free time I have. I will show it to you after we have our dinner, if you would like to see it."

She indulges in another sip of her drink before lowering it down to the counter again. "My mother, the Queen, did everything in her power to get me to find other avenues of expressing myself other than combat training when I was a little girl. She had moderate success with art, painting and sculpting, but ultimately... we are drawn to what we are drawn to after all."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
"Well, you certainly are *the* Champion of Themyscira," Ororo tells Diana with good humor. "But it is good to hear of your other pursuits-- and yes, I would like to see your work if you have any you are ready to share," she says, with another implied diplomatic evasion for Diana's benefit.

Sensing it is time to go to the table, Ororo rises and collects her wineglass and waits for Diana to indicate the direction. En route, she puts her hand in Diana's elbow with a deceptively casual gesture. "To be honest, we fight for our people, but I do not see myself as a warrior," Ororo confesses. "In Kenya, the tribes learned that involving me in their concerns often meant ruin was to be visited upon all the battlefield. Rarely would I take a side, except where grave injustice was presented. I nurtured the lands, instead. I made peaceful leaders powerful with generous rains and healthy livestock. And I ensured the warmongers found their troops mired in mud, or their lands in need of labor more than warfare."

"Of course it is different for us, every tribe stands apart and we make much of our own things. I sewed this dress, for instance," she explains, and flickers her fingertips against the dress to bring out more of the pattern and cut. "A friend of mine made my jewelry. I can make a few things in the kitchen, though it is not my strongest suite," she confesses with an easy laugh. "And I would go and deliver babies and calves, or tend the soil, and in exchange we trade our services for what we need. One year, the school in Nairobi was in desperaete need of school supplies, so I ensured all the tribal chiefs knew to keep pencils and pens and paper in stock for if they needed me to come visit. It worked out rather splendidly."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana does gather up her glass of wine, and the bottle it came from, as she ends up back around the bar where she joins up with Ororo. Together the two women move through the entertainment room toward a archway that leads in to the dining room itself. Along the way, Diana simply listens to what Storm says, smiling softly to it as she once more observes the other woman's attire. "It is very lovely." She states, putting her eyes back up to Ororo's as they reach the table that has been setup for them, prepared by the house staff.

"I know quite a few fashion designers in Manhattan, and am often wearing various outfits created by the lesser known ones in order to help them get a little better known, if possible. I would love to have something from you some day too, if ever you feel up for such a project." She shows a slight smile then before depositing her glass down on the table, and the bottle of wine between their two place settings.

"You know..." Diana says as she stands beside the chair she was seemingly claiming as her own for the evening. "In all my time away from Themyscira, Africa is the continent I have gotten to experience the least of. I have had a fair amount of time spent in and around Egypt, the Museums in particular... but the vast majority of the land itself? I have sadly not gotten to experience. I am fascinated by all of it too."

She's about to speak further when a rather unusual sight presents itself... in the form of the Kithotaur Head Chef who comes lumbering in from the kitchen archway on the other side of the dining room. Pushing a nice food cart loaded with silver platters of something that smells delicious, the Kithotaur smiles big to the two women.

Diana averts her eyes from Ororo to Ferdinand and with a big smile she motions to him, then to Storm, and begins to introduce the two before the dinner is served.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo is about to reply when Ferdinand walks in. She's accustomed to some wild-looking individuals but the giant of a minotaur is a bit of a stopper. To her credit though, Ororo's reaction is contained to her eyes widening in surprise. By the time Ferdinand's paying her any attention, she's calmed herself to match Diana's relaxed demeanor, and instead flashes a pleasant smile at him. When Diana makes the introductions, Ororo puts her hand in Ferdinand's rather fearlessly. "Hello, Mister Ferdinand. It is a great pleasure to meet you," she informs him.

The two settle in their seats and Ororo rests her hands atop her lap to keep from disrupting the dinner service. "I'm sorry, you were saying about a trip to Africa?" she queries. Once confirmed, she nods gratefully at Diana. "I was intending to say, I can recommend a great many landmarks and restaurants in Nairobi that you would enjoy. It is a very cosmopolitan city," she says, rolling the word around in her rich alto voice. "And of course, the Masaai tribes of the Seregenti would be greatly honored to meet you. They preserve the traditions of a nomadic lifestyle that stretches back into dim antiquity." Fingers lift and flex, settle. "Of course there is no pressure, either. National Geographic captures our story well, but alas, cattle are a little more... fragrant than most tourists are ready for." Her lips curl into a subtle, teasing smile for the Amazon princess.

Diana Prince has posed:
Ferdinand introduces himself, his booming voice filled with kindness and levity. He's used to reactions like that from people, and often keeps to himself in this world. Rarely does the giant Kithotaur wander the streets of New York, rarely is he seen publicly. He came here to this world for his reasons, and Diana has welcomed him to the Embassy for a variety of reasons, non greater than his ability to craft an amazing meal... something she's never been too great at accomplishing herself.

She does cook a pretty mean grilled cheese sandwich, though, if one were to ever get that brought up!

By the time the two women are seated, served their dinner, and enjoying a bit of conversation, Diana sips a bit more of the wine that Ororo had brought. "I would love all of that." She quietly says back to the other as she sweeps her eyes from the meal that Ferdi had brought in for them, and returns them to Storm's eyes.

"One facet of traveling to places that I am wholely unfamiliar with, that has always been a draw for me, is simply getting a chance to learn the layout of a place. To learn how life flows within its circle, and to then forever have a mental image of the place whenever it comes up in conversation again. I suppose it's simply having a connection to a place, a personal sense of understanding some measure of it. I find that to be very fulfilling, even if I'm ultimately unable to stay in that place for as long as I might wish to." The Princess replies, showing another faint smile to Storm then.

"Cows do not bother me either. I have spent a few vacations in Texas, believe it or not." She states with a hint of a grin playing across her red hued lips.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo's smile deepens in appreciation of Diana's outlook on life. At the sly grin, the white-haired woman laughs, a brassy and uninhibited sound. "Cows I can believe, but I am skeptical of Texas," Ororo confesses, still chuckling mirthfully. She collects her wine and takes a careful sip, then sets it back down again.

"This is something I understand more intimately than most," Ororo says, modestly. "All life falls into patterns. Some of them are grand and complex, some are quite simple. Even something as mundane as the growth of plants and seeds, is governed by universal mathematics."

The last of the food is set and she beams a smile up at Ferdinand. "Thank you, Mister Ferdinand," she bids him with grateful humility. Ororo collects a fork and takes a few bites of the food, and lets slip a low hum of pleasure from her full lips. "Oh my, this is fantastic," she mutters behind her hand.

"Anyway--" she sips more wine. "I have come to realize that we are not states, or tribes, or even nations. We are all one and the same. Every part of the Earth is, one and the same. A hurricane in Florida has an impact on Morocco. Earthquakes in Russia resonate in Australia."

The fingers of her free hand daub seemingly random spots on the table, turning the fibers to catch the light. She starts drawing lines between them, and in short order a simple fractal sequence emerges. "And, the patterns that form are so similar, and yet every one is unique. People, like snowflakes, create complex beauty from the simplest of rules."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana is seated to Oror's right on the corner of the table. She too samples some of the finely prepared dinner, and a little more wine too. Her eyes remain on Storm as the other woman speaks further, and only drop to watch the patterns she draws with her fingers. When her eyes return to Storm's, she shows that pleased expression at the way the woman described those thoughts in such detail.

"I would certainly agree. One of the challenges that we face, is getting the world to know that we are all in this together. Countries fighting amongst one another, while we have hostile visitors coming from distant stars, distant galaxies, that care nothing about our inner squabblings. We have to be unified, we have to know that we are more than our country borders..."

She pauses then, stops herself from saying more as though she didn't want to recite some pre-spoken speech given at the UN. Instead she just shows Ororo another happy look.

"I believe we're making a real effort in that direction too. The Starport we opened in the Atlantic. The Moon Colony that is ever growing closer to breaking ground upon the Lunar surface... these kind of alliances will unite the world, and show Humanity's growth toward becoming closer to what we need to be, to really protect our wonderful home."

A second after saying this though, Diana grins softly again. "But, I ramble about such things quite easily. It is likely why many in this house wander by wearing little ear buds in their ears, piping music in... for fear of being drawn in to one of my 'causes'." She states with a little laugh chasing her words there.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo grins back at Diana and joins the titter at the end of her 'tirade'. "There are worse qualities to have, Diana," she informs the Princess in a kind tone. "Selflessness is the most noble trait to which one can aspire. It is larger than even courage, for it undertakes a great task to guard others from harm-- not just for one to survive."

Realizing she's staring a little too deep into Diana's eyes, she quietly clears her throat and settles back in the chair. "The technology of the Western World must have come as a deep surprise for your sisters," she ventures. "I would not have pictured Amazons wearing earbuds but I suppose you must love music no less than anyone else. And," she getures at Diana smoothly, palm up, "you have been around for a century now. To you the march of technology must play out quite vividly. It is one thing, I am certain, to play music and listen to it, but I suspect you have a rather deeper appreciation of technology that went from an infancy of simple radios into--" she gestures vaguely around them, eyes searching the ceiling. "A world constantly full of energy and noise."

Diana Prince has posed:
Throughout what Storm says, Diana is indulging in a bit of the food again, nothing ravenous of course, just lightly enjoying the meal while listening. She shows a wide smile at the talk of her age, and the technology rise she's seen throughout it.

"Well I can say there is a stark contrast to how technology has risen in the wider world, compared to how it worked back on my people's island. Back home... it evolved more like a circle, fanning out in every direction. Searching for new ideas, new approaches to the ways we do things, and never being afraid to break the mold and start over fresh again. That approach has, as you can imagine, lead to a much slower measure of progress, but one that I think is still worth being very proud of. And... as for the greater world, I would say my time within it has allowed me to bare witness to what I'd call a much more linear pathway of progression, but one that is yielding a tremendous amount of results. I am not sure which one is better, admittedly. Sometimes I fear the wider world is advancing so rapidly now, that we are bound to trip and bloody our noses because of it... But."

She fades off there, to smile once more toward Ororo.

"We will have to find an opportunity to introduce you to 'Paradise Island' as you refered to it." She says with a bigger grin, knowing full well that is a common alias for the island amongst those who have read about it in the media, or heard stories of it from others.

"But yes, my sisters have had quite a crash course in technology since arriving to the United States. Some of them embrace it whole hearted, while others... well, they are staunchly against it. Calling most of it 'mere distractions' from their duties, and training."

She grins again then, before lowering her voice to a near-whisper. "Do not tell them, that I agree with both sides of the argument."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo's eyebrows lift in total surprise at the generous offer of a trip to the island. She hesitates in her response and elects to let Diana continue speaking, spearing a few bites of food on her fork and enjoying every nibble.

"There is no shame in being a neutral party," Ororo suggests to Diana. "One of my dearest friends is a weaver," Ororo says with a small shrug. "She lives in one of the tribes near the western border of Kenya. And she has a little fan-powered, hand-crank radio that she plays music with," she explains, making the gestures with her hands in an illustrative path.

"Some of the elders disapprove, of course, but then again, I have seem then spending much time under her window in particular when the music plays."

"But what is life without some frivolities?" she inquires, a little rhetorically.

She hesitates a beat, eyes dropping down to her plate before flickering back to Diana. "Your invitation is surprising and... most welcome," Ororo tells the Princess. "I do not think Professor Xavier will object to me taking some personal time. I am more concerned about the ... goddesses. Hera, and Athena, yes? There are... some..." she says, evasively, "who venerate me as a goddess. This is technically correct and proper, but I fear a misunderstanding with the mistresses of your Island. I do not know if they will look upon me well, playing the 'tourist' on their most holy land."

Diana Prince has posed:
When Storm suggests a clash of the Goddesses upon her visiting the island, the Princess was sipping her wine again. She lowers it down to rest it upon the table surface once more. She exhales a soft laugh, then glances down before shaking her head softly side to side. Her eyes bounce up again. "I do not think that would be a problem. We have done much in recent times to prove that our actions are worthy of the respect of those that are worshipped upon our shores. They should be so ready to have faith in my decisions. My mother has come to have faith in them, and she's made sure that the Senators feel the same."

She grins lightly again.

"Besides, if such a problem were to arise, it would give quite a lot of insight in to a number of things. Both related to our deities, and to you, no less."

"Professor Xavier is lucky to have you amongst his ranks, or amongst his friends... however it is best put. I have heard of your abilities, Ororo. They are beyond impressive." She tells the other, casting another warm expression to go with it.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo ducks her head modestly at the praise from Diana. She even manages a bashful smile. "You are kind to say so," she tells Diana. "And yes, I consider myself a friend of Charles, and he is one of my dearest in return. You have met him; you can see how highly I value his friendship."

"To be honest," she says, exhaling a weary breath, "I try not to dwell on my abilities. When I was in my teens, the tribes would petition me. Rain in one valley, winds in another. Sunshine on crops, clouds over dry ground. They did not come to me for help with laboring mothers, or sick cattle, or starving and uneducated children."

Ororo turns her head to look out the window, a little soulfully. "I did not want to be defined by my powers. Even under Charles' tutelage, his own people fixate too much on them. I am not a mutant, I am a /person/ first and foremost," she says, firmly, and looks back at Diana with an expression that shows some uncompromising strength in Ororo's regal features.

Diana Prince has posed:
When Ororo speaks of the tribes using her as a tool to their own people's needs, Diana just watches the other woman's face to study her expressive accents to those words. She can tell the emotions are genuine, and feelings that she's felt for a long time now. Honest and heartfelt. It gets a pair of light nods from Diana, a gesture of understanding the notion of what the weather Goddess was admitting.

"I cannot imagine the weight that must have put upon you. On one hand, the benefits of that would be vast for the people involved. But on the other hand... it goes against the natural world's plan for the course of weather patterns. Mmh, plus, the more you give in to their requests, the quicker those requests become demands."

Diana shakes her head gently from side to side, before she offers an understanding smile toward Ororo. "I am starting to see why you are here now, rather than still there, though I am sure there is much more to it than simply that alone."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
"There is, yes, but..." Ororo looks back at Diana and smiles, a small and grateful thing. Her feet shift under the table and she pushes her near-empty plate away, a lone bite suggesting she's eaten as much as she possibly can-- and that therefore her host has served her very well! "I imagine you understand better than most, the way duty divides the persona from the person."

Ororo holds Diana's eyes a few beats, then smiles again, and rests her elbow on the table between them to prop up a hand under her chin. Again, those clear blue eyes meet Diana's Aegean gaze, with a curious fearlessness that few can maintain under Diana's watch.

"What about you, however?" she inquires. "I do not imagine I understand the intricacies of life on Themyscira, but it must at times be a lonely existence to be the princess on an island. All the obligations of pomp and ceremony at court, the demands on your time and your freedoms. Was it a frustrating existence marked by distance and quiet contemplation? Or were you permitted to go on adventures and chase stories? To see company?"

Diana Prince has posed:
The windows in the dining room look out upon the central courtyard where there is a pair of Amazonian guards walking down the middle pathway, wearing a mixture of their native armor, and modern world attire beneath them, clearly indicating that there are a melding of cultures taking place in some aspects.

Diana glances out at the two guards before Storm asks those questions, and it causes her eyes to return to the white haired woman before her and to her left. She smiles again.

Her head shakes side to side as she gathers her thoughts. "I could never speak ill of my upbringing, in any capacity. I could share agitations rooted in my naivity of those days back then, such as having no one my age to play games with, tell stories with, get in to trouble with..." She says, now grinning in thought of some such moments. But she refocuses her stare on to Ororo here and now again.

"I would not trade any of it for the world." She says, whether that's true or not. "I do think it would have been much easier to be the only island's child today, than it would have been in my time. But that is likely a result of our pushing for a sliver of change to the island's culture. My sisters and I, Donna, Cassandra... We have been pushing for the opening of the island... which is why I suggest a visit any time you would be able to. That /is/ an option now. Which is likely wholely related to my youth of feeling so isolated amongst my elders, who are now my dearest friends and family. It is an odd experience to age up to those who were once your elders, there is always the sense of them still holding some measure of authority over you because of it. But, I try not to let them know that anymore..."

She whispers that last part again, and lets a smile accompany the words too.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
"Of the women of my tribes, there is only one I can think of who I could never be equal," Ororo admits. "Ainet took me in when I was a lost, mewling child. She raised me when I was a petulant and wild teen. As I grow older and wiser, I came to respect her breadth of knowledge all the more. Losing her was a great sadness," she exhales, and there's a flicker of old, deep wounds in her eyes. "But even in dying, she taught me of the importance of duty and self-sacrifice."

The weather shaper exhales a breath and looks up at Diana, flashing an apologetic smile. "I am sorry. Yes, the offer of a visit would be well-welcomed. -If- I can get time from the Institute. I shan't think it would be a problem for Jean to cover some of my duties, but I must make sure my flowers will be maintained before I take a holiday."

Ororo scoots her chair back and rises smoothly, shaking out her skirts to make them hang properly and then loosely interlacing her fingers in front of her hips. "I do not wish to intrude overmuch on your evening, we have talked late into the night," Ororo tells Diana. "I feel... comfortable, with you," she admits with just a bit of shyness. "It would be easy to steal your entire evening away. But, even Wonder Woman needs sleep, does she not?" she asks with a whimsical humor.

Diana Prince has posed:
What Ororo says gets a myriad of little micro expressions on Diana's face. She shows various forms of amusement, endearment and otherwise as Storm gives a little more insight in to her past, and who it has made her in her present. She gently nods to her before the other moves to stand, as does Diana with her.

"Some." Diana simply says with regard to sleep, being that she only really sleeps for 3 or 4 hours any given night, and truly wouldn't even need that if it was pressed upon her to avoid it.

"I have enjoyed having you over." She tells the other as she motions toward the doors to the hallway. "Come, I'll see you out to the drive." She offers to escort as well, moving then to step around the table toward the exit to the dining room. "You are most certainly welcome back any time too, if I hadn't made that abundantly clear already." She adds with a little laugh.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
"I assure you, it has been my pleasure to be here," Ororo informs the Princess. She falls into step with the Amazon, her stature sufficient to keep easy pace with Diana's stride. Her sandals peak out from under her layered skirts with each step, the fabric rolling and swaying in time with her hips. "And I reciprocate the invite to the Mansion, of course, you are... something of a celebrity," she reminds the princess. "The children would be grateful to meet you, and I am sure there are many gaps in our History class you could help address."

Ororo's van is there waiting for her, and the contrast between the African goddess and the well-worn student bus seems painfully disjointed. She comes to a stop near the door and faces Diana, hands still curled around each other at waist level. "I must confess, Diana, this was... not entirely a diplomatic visit," Ororo informs Diana, and smiles apologetically. "I had some elevated self-interest in mind. Would you, erm..." she hesitates just a breath, covers by ducking her head to tuck a few braided plaits back over her shoulder. "Would you like to do something together, sometime? Social, just... the two of us?" she offers. "A... movie, or a, er, dinner out, sometime?"

Diana Prince has posed:
The driveway of the Embassy has two gates to access a small circle drive area in front of the backdoor, and the garage entrances. It's a nice and private little space with more side gardens around the circle drive, and a series of lovely statues sitting on a stone base at the center of the circle.

Diana stands at the doorway, atop the few stone steps that lead down to the circle drive, she faces Storm, and smiles when the hesitant question is asked. She reaches a hand out then to offer to take one of Ororo's own.

"I would be happy to do that." She says softly to the other. "I am... I am not good at personal connections, you will have to forgive me for that. I have... some inner issues I have yet to overcome. But, that is not to say I do not like to spend time with people I enjoy. You being someone I enjoy, i would be most happy to get out, and about, when we have the time. Feel ever free to simply text me and ask, and I shall do the same. Perhaps bring you as a 'plus one' to some of these endless boring social events I attend." She states, having to throw out a little joke there at the end too, of course!


Diana will lean in then to give Ororo a peck on the cheek. "Drive safe back to Westchester." She offers in a warm tone of her naturally husky voice.