17085/Clash and Slash

Clash and Slash
Date of Scene:	03 February 2024
Location:	Courtyard and Arena
Synopsis:	A bit of training and conversation takes place at the Themysciran Arts Center. It is a Sunny day.
Cast of Characters:	Diana Prince, Mark Grayson, Sunny Harlow, Cassie Sandsmark

---

Diana Prince has posed:
On a cool day in Manhattan, the sounds of combat echoes through the halls of the surrounding Themysciran Arts Center. At its heart, in the arena complex, a large gaggle of Amazon warriors do as they do best. They clash, they slash, they bash and dash. The arena floor is separated in to a number of different divisions of martial levels, and is currently open to a public sessions with many civilians signed up and participating in the dance of ancient combat arts. Why does the island provide this service to the people of New York? Because to learn to fight, is to know when, and how to avoid fighting. A trained mind, and body, begets a peaceful life.

The Amazon warriors are an impressive sight to behold, too, dressed in their armored leathers, they demonstrate for the public participants various form of combat and physical exercises to keep one's body in top condition.

This is what the handful of people in the lowest bracket of experienced combatants is going through today. Having been tested with running, jumping, climbing and even the most basics... of situps, pushups, and chin-ups, the Amazons have no qualms when it comes to seeing what the newly joined are able to do, and able to push themselves through. Many of the new signups are not in the best of condition, which is to be expected, as to live the life of an Amazon warrior is not to live the life of your typical young American.

Diana is in attendance today, though she has been spending most of her time in the upper training level sections of the arena floor. She's wearing her iconic attire, what she's best known to be in, and with most cheers and reactions from the audience coming from the combat spectacles taking place in the advanced class section, Diana has taken a moment to separate herself and join the lower beginner levels. She's standing off to the side as the 'green' signups have just been tasked with climbing a rope wall, up to a platform where they are asked to then climb a singular hanging rope to grab hold of colored ribbons, and bring them back down to the ground level. It is not a race, but many of the worn-out newbies are treating it as such, with what energy they have left at least!

Mark Grayson has posed:
Mark had arrived near the end of practice, with plans that they would go out for dinner when Sunny was done with her training. Moving to settle on one of the benches in the spectator seating, the young Viltrumite gives a low whistle of appreciation at the training that some of them are going through.

He's assuming that Sunny is not letting on that she's alien as well, his grey eyes scanning the crowd to find the blonde bombshell as he settles his hands in his lap.

A soft breath comes from him in the form of a sigh and he grins slightly. "This is good for her?" he asks, mainly himself, but just setting that out there.

Dressed down for being a civilian, he's wearing a dark hoodie, with blue jeans and tennis shoes. Not something his mother picked out for him, as he finally is fully branching out on his own.

Sunny Harlow has posed:
The viltrumites were considered a terrifying species of vicious and powerful warriors that made some of the worlds among the stars shake in fear...but Sunny Harlow? Well, the closest she'd come to combat training was being a varsity cheerleader. Some of those routines could be savage! Still, some of the more brutal battles with heavy hitters like Brainiac, Juggernaut and Omni-man himself? She needed to learn how to fight.

She'd signed up, she'd joined the class...and wrapped in her sports halter top and shorts with her hair tied back in a ponytail, she was clearly not dressed like an Amazon even if she might have otherwise been able to pass for one.

Did Diana recognize her? As Indestructibelle or from the WW2 Victory Dance? Hard to know, but so far the fact that she seemed to be having little issue making the climb without tiring out? Well...that might be a little bit of a tattletale sign.

Diana Prince has posed:
A pair of Amazons flank Diana on either of her sides, while the Princess stands with her hands holding her arms across her stomach. She's watching the climbers, watching their progress and the trouble that some of them are having with the last large task for the beginner level class. Some of them really are worn out by now too, as it is quite common for people to join up with higher expectations than what their bodies are able to meet.

But Sunny seems to be one of the top of the new class, and it is quite apparent from the get-go from the Amazon women who are running the class, and to Diana who is simply watching the near end of it.

Two of the youngest members of the class fail to make it up the rope ladder, getting tied up inside it, one of them even being dumped back down on to the soft sand (sand brought directly from Themyscira no less, how impressive! For sand)

When the colored ribbons get grabbed, and the participants make it back down to ground level, they're greeted by their class leaders, the tall Amazon women who had been barking out the orders throughout the training session. They offer a few last words, before they encourage everyone to keep up the exercise, keep up their conditioning, and to return for the next class, if they wish to continue onward.

The retention rate isn't great, even amongst self-proclaimed 'die hard Themyscira fans.' Exercise is a lot of work!

Diana shows a smile at the end of the class, her eyes scanning across the group who had made it, a smile given to each of them. She steps closer then, greeting some of them, before she ends up near to where Sunny is, and offers her a hand to shake. "Well done." She tells the blonde. "You seemed to be somewhat experienced in this manner of workout?" She asks.

Mark Grayson has posed:
Watching the class go through the motions, Sunny was never really hard for Mark to spot, as he gets out his phone to take a few shots of her in action to share and save for later. With her heading up after the colorful ribbons, he can't help but to smile in pride at her.

"Way to go, Sunny!" he calls out, before realizing that was rather... loud and he clears his throat. "I mean, they all did great." A flop back into his seat.

And yes, that embarassed silence only gets more awkward when he realizes only now that Diana was approaching and he decides that hey, great time to check out his hands. They look great.

Sunny Harlow has posed:
Managing to navigate the climb and not dump herself down on the authentic sand, Sunny was outright beaming as she made her way down with the ribbon, breathling more like someone who had been for a jog than the human-adjusted attempt at Themysciran workouts. Odds are, there might be one or two patrons who might be wondering if Sunny was a plant in the class.

The blonde herself however didn't have time to worry about that. Turning to flash a smile and a little wave of the ribbon Mark's way in a clear 'Look, I did it!' moment, she finds herself turning back to be addressed by Diana, immediately forced to push back the fangirl excitement to instead offer a beaming grin. "Yeah, kinda. I mean, I've not done this -exact- thing, but I do my best to keep fit."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
The courtyard is, as courtyards tend to be, a central place at the Arts Center where many other parts of the building intersect. It's not uncommon for there to be sounds of battle (or training - they can sound similar!) coming from the arena, and many who work here might pass by without much notice. Cassie, herself, is fairly exceptionally oblivious at times, especially when she has her big clunky headphones on and phone out at the same time! And so, humming to herself, she strolls idly past, on her way from some of the outer part of the Center toward the entrance to the Kanga stables. She's a big Kanga fan.

Cassie makes it most of the way without noticing the ongoing trials in her peripheral vision.

But, in the last moment, something catches her out of the corner of her eye and she pauses and turns to look over. "Oh." Pausing a moment, she stands on the sideline, looking unsure if she actually wants to go over and bother Diana in the midst of her apparent outreach class. After thinking a moment, she hits something on her phone, and holds it up. The footage might be good for the Art Center's social media page!

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana had caught the look from Sunny, up to the stands where Mark is seen. this draws a small smile from the Princess, who looked back to Sunny there-after. She held her light smile throughout Sunny's response, and capped it with a single nod of agreeing. "Clearly so." She states, her eyes going toward the leader of the event today, an Amazon named Gelda. Gelda was quick to catch Diana's stare, and joined her on her left side, bowing her head gently to the Princess before regarding Sunny.

"You did well today." Gelda tells the young blonde.

"I agree, she did. I observed between my own events." Diana adds. "I think we can advance her up to the next tier, should you wish to keep attending classes?" Diana asks of Sunny then, earning an agreeable nod from Gelda, who crosses her muscular arms over her stomach encased in boiled leather. "We have no issues with pushing those who have clearly kept up physical exercises forward in training. There is no reason to shake off the dust, if there is little to no dust to shake off to begin with."

A pair of horse mounted Amazons trot by behind Diana and Gelda, holding banners high in the winds rolling through the arena, as they are ceremonial mounted warriors, here to keep the audience a little more entertained between sessions.

Mark Grayson has posed:
When Diana glances up at him, Mark offers a grin, quick and easy. Nope nope, pay no attention to the Viltrumite in the stands. Though they are no longer alone on that front, and with Cassie, a fellow Titan arriving, Mark sits up a little more.

There's a small upnod to the younger Amazonian as he greets her - she should know who he is. Maybe. He's more a reservist Titan and focused on the Young Avengers. It won't kill his ego if she didn't. Too much.

When Sunny is offered more training, he makes a small fistpump. "Yes." he mouths to himself, excited for the other Viltrumite.

Sunny Harlow has posed:
"That'd be amazing," Sunny offers, her smile and modestly contained excitement still clearly matching her namesake, indeed lifting her hands in a little silent shake of mimed excitement before clearing her throat and returning them to her side. These were Amazons after all, born warriors...she probably should show a little more decorum. "I would love to learn more, if you're willing to teach me."

Cassie hadn't been spotted yet, another face Sunny might recognize from the party she'd attended with Bunny...but that was probably to be expected, given Diana and Gelda were right in front of her.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie may be lost in her own little world to a degree, but... not that far. Walking nearer, she's still holding her phone, although as it seems she's arrived more on the tail end of things, it turns out there's not as much interesting footage to capture. Oh well. It isn't like they don't do this stuff all the time here! Reaching up, she pulls the headphones down off her ears to hang around her neck. There's music still playing for a moment, before another tap on her phone turns everything off.

Spotting Mark's little nod hello, she fires back similarly: "Sup. You're the new guy, right?" Vague enough to get around whatever kind of mixed crowd they might be dealing with. Which is saying something for Cassie, as she's mildly infamous for being terrible with remembering who's identities are secret and not when she's in public!

"Here for the training too? Or you got something to bug Di about?" For her own part, she seems in no rush to go over and bother her mentor, letting her conclude things without sidekick-ly interference!

Diana Prince has posed:
Certainly on display this evening is a great look at a wide variety of skill level training classes that are going on. Throughout the beginner's class, the other skill levels were in full swing as well. From hand to hand close quarters combat training, grappling and striking, to weapons training with sword and shield, javelin and even mounted combat. Sunny would have gotten a full look at what was potentially on-offer for her to get in to here with the Amazons, and their endless cycling of keeping ready for the dangers of the world, let alone beyond it!

Gelda spoke up again. "I would like to know what you're hopes are for your training, Miss Sunny." She states in her accented English. "Where you would like to advance toward. Be it hand to hand focused, or a focus on something with a bit more distance in mind. Archery, thrown weapons. I am curious what your initial inclinations might lean toward."

Diana glances over toward Cassie when she sees her arriving out of the corner of her vision, seeing her greeting Mark has her smiling for a moment, before she puts her stare back upon Sunny. "Yes, we do try and aim our sights on what appeals most to new members. Though, as we have discovered, that can change drastically as one is introduced to new fields of martial training that they had not considered before-hand."

Gelda nods two small times to what the Princess states, as the advanced classes are still going on the far side of the arena floor, with combatants striking bladed weapons against one another, and a group of archers taking aim with their powerful longbows, the sounds of loosed arrows striking braided archery targets soon to follow.

Mark Grayson has posed:
When Cassie comes over to join him, Mark laughs. "Not so much the new guy anymore. More been working with the locals than the international crowd." So that it's narrowed down a little for her, as he offers his hand to her. "Mark Grayson. Nice to meet you."

But when he's asked about his purpose, he shakes his head. "I could probably use the training, but I'm more in need of fine tuning than anything." he admits. "Not bugging the Princess either." A gesture to the blonde that Di's talking to. "That's my girlfriend. We grew up in the same neighborhood." Code for 'she's the same as me', hopefully not too vague.

"What about you? Working the social media angle? Heard the Center's Tik-Toks are generating all types of buzz." He keeps an ear and eye out on when Diana is presenting options to Sunny and he grins slightly. He's pretty sure the Princess recognizes her, but can completely appreciate the approach she's taking.

Sunny Harlow has posed:
"Uh...most of the world isn't super keen on letting us walk around with swords and shields and stuff so..." Sunny begins before lifting her hands up lightly. "I'm looking to get better at defending myself with hand to hand, against people bigger and stronger than me."

Not exactly an uncommon desire in those that wanted to develop martial skill, even if 'stronger' was a higher bar than the average girl her size. "But all of it looks amazing, and I'd love to try anything I can."

Diana's advice is certainly taken, even if she was very much here with a specific purpose beyond her own enjoyment.

If Diana did recognize Sunny? Well, she wasn't outing her...and most of the world knew Diana, so her own excitement was hardly going to be abnormal.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Hey, everything's relative," Cassie answers breezily. "If Donna gets to pull seniority on me for all eternity, I gotta find someone I can do it to, too. Y'know?" With a big silly grin, it wouldn't seem like she means any of it terribly seriously. She gives him the non-phone hand to return the greeting. "Cassie. Though I figure you know..."

She is literally writing up posts on a public Wonder Girl account, after all!

When he points out Sunny, her attention shifts back over toward the arena. "Oh. Like..." She points a single finger straight up. "Neighborhood, neighborhood?" Slightly -less- subtle, but still. "Well, that's cool. You should definitely try the classes, though. Amazon training's hard to beat." With a still-widening grin, the last almost comes across like a bit of a challenge.

With his question, her eyes flick down to the phone again, and she makes a few absent taps. "Yeah, I run the Art Center's accounts. The Embassy's too." It's not like there's that many people who could, out of a society that didn't have an internet connection until fairly recently... "It's important for outreach."

Then, overhearing a bit of the conversation in the arena, she raises her voice a bit: "Counterargument: Swords are super cool. And people who get bent out of shape about it are lame, especially if they're OK with every moron having a gun." Ohno, Cassie politics! "But yeah, it's tough in the city."

Diana Prince has posed:
The response that Sunny gives has Gelda nodding once toward her, and Diana simply showing a soft smile in response. "I will be sure to let Nioma know that she has another prospective student to her classes." She states, speaking of the hand to hand combat trainer on-site here at the arena.

"Thank you, Gelda." Diana tells the other woman, who once more bows softly to the Princess before excusing herself.

Diana returns her eyes toward Sunny then, smiling yet again for the young woman. "We do look forward to you returning, and hopefully becoming a regular." She notes just before Cassie shouts out about swords and other Cassie things. This earns a light smirk from the Princess, who quietly speaks to Sunny once more. "You will get a lot of such randomly voiced comments around here." She warns, playfully of course.

Diana is quick then to motion toward where Cassie is near to Mark. She'll start to walk toward them then. "The weapons training is beneficial beyond merely hand to hand combat, due to the nature of the training itself. It can teach you a whole new level of footwork, and how to utilize your body to overcome challenges. You needn't actually carry a sword with you, to still benefit from the knowledge of how to wield one, and the various combat elements that would get ingrained in your mind. But, I do agree, that grappling and hand to hand is most applicable for the average New Yorker, or otherwise, who joins up with us here." She says as they walk toward where Cassie and Mark are.

upon reaching them, Diana places one hand upon Cassie's shoulder, then smiles toward Mark. "Did you enjoy the session?" She asks him, "And your treat?" She notes, clearly having seen him feasting while observing from his spectator position!

Mark Grayson has posed:
Accepting Cassie's hand for a firm shake, there's a nod from Mark when she confirms with that upward point where the neighborhood is. "Yeah. That neighborhood." he comments, "Though it's not a very popular neighborhood at the moment." What with all that had happened recently, all swept under the rug neatly at topped with a fake funeral.

"I dunno." he offers when it comes to the classes. "I..." a small shake of his head. "I was told so often that I should rely only on myself I'm still working on how to do this all with others now. But I'll consider it, Cassie." he promises to the younger Amazonian.

There's a chuckle when Cassie yells about swords and with Diana approaching, he's explaining a bit to Cassie. "My father was hands down, her hero. She was so excited when he met her. And just... such a reaction to him. Then he turned out to be a huge jerk and she may have taken it harder than I did." he admits quietly. "I thought maybe if we came here, she'd find... I dunno." Something. Something he's having a hard time finding himself.

With Diana there, he gestures to the ball of paper. "Gonna throw it out when I get ready to leave. It was delicious though. A pleasure to see you again, Your Highness. The circumstances seem to be improving at least, from disaster to food to well, this. Thank you for talking to Sunny."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Yeah she still makes me do archery even though I hate it," Cassie tacks on the end of Diana's remarks about the benefits from learning various disciplines. Even among the Amazon arts, Cassie has her weakness! "But it's probably good for hand-eye coordination or something."

As for Mark's 'neighborhood' related problems, she gives a slight 'what are you gonna do?' sort of shrug. "Eh. It's not the first time we've had, uh, some interesting 'out of town vistiors' and had to deal with them, and ended up with some on both sides of the fight. Sometimes it works out and we all end up friends in the end, sometimes not, but I figure you'll be OK here, no one's gonna hold it against you."

No-one might be optimistic!

Her attention shifts to Sunny as he explains the larger impact it's had on her personality, and her prior nonchalant body-language eases a little. "I know a thing or two about jerk dads. Not exactly the same deal, but, yeah, it's rough if a person doesn't live up to expectations."

With Diana standing much nearer now, she shares a glance with her, brief but questioning and probably full of unspoken meaning that might exist between them. "It's a good idea, though, bringing her around here. This'll be a good place for her. We're all about that emotional support structure, mental health through meaningful living stuff."

Diana Prince has posed:
How much of what had been said prior to Diana arriving at Cassie's side is anyone's guess, but those who know her well know she rarely misses much of anything when spoken even remotely within her proximity. At Mark, Diana just smiles warmly before she nods two quick times. She spares a look toward Cassie, then back to Mark. "If Sunny does enjoy it, we truly do hope to see her here on the regular. I know that this place can be a bit hectic, and that the exercise levels do put a lot of people off, but I believe she fit in just fine, with what I observed. So I do hope that she finds it enjoyable." She states, kind hearted tone touching the edges of her words.

She spares a glance back to Gelda and Sunny, who was introducing her to Nioma, an intimidating Amazon, but one who is fiercely kind once you get to know her. Just be ready for bear hugs!

Another round of applause rolls through the audience observing the high end level class that is still taking place as two civilians are fighting with sword and shield, showcasing what they have learned since joining the training center's courses since the Arts Center opened. They may not have the strength, and other enhanced attributes common to Themyscirans, but the two are really laying in to each other, and putting on a good show as they vye for points from the trainers overseeing the clash of armored warriors.

"And if you are not interested in joining, you can at least enjoy the show, I hope." Diana says to Mark, before bumping shoulders with Cassie. "Maybe end up on some of the social media feeds too. Which reminds me... There is a fire arrow show tonight after dark. A few bonfires, and archers showing off some of their skill with a flaming arrowhead..." She grins at this. "It can be fun, if one has the time to stick around and enjoy it. Roasted marshmallows too... Mmmm S'mores. A new Amazon tradition that we are stealing from the mortal world."

Mark Grayson has posed:
"Punching things is pretty theraputic." Mark offers dryly, a small grin coming to his face - quick and you'll miss it. But yeah, Cassie's reaction has been pretty much his own lately. What can he do about it? He can try to take care of Bunny and Sunny - and worry about himself later - is clearly the route he's decided to take here.

"I might join." Mark offers. "If not for the sword and bows part of it all... but, maybe to try to deal with all this jumbled up emotion in my gut, the type that punching things isn't doing much to get out." It's a first step, and a tenative one. But for a young man that was just utterly betrayed by his father - it's a leap from what he has been doing to deal.

Which wasn't dealing at all.

"I haven't seen her this thrilled in weeks, Diana. I'm sure she's even more excited than she's letting on." A smirk. "She wants to be cool. I got my fanning out of the way while trying to help out, so I'm far more chill."

To the offer to stick around, he nods. "If Sunny's good for it, we'll make a date out of it. Some fellowship, a bit of a show, some melty goodness will heal all ills, right?" Rising to his feet, he dusts himself off as he scoops up his trash to throw it away. "The honey cakes were as delicious am I remembered them."

Sunny Harlow has posed:
Eventually Sunny returns, clearly nearly to bursting with excitement. Hell, she'd spent every year since her early teens scared of accidently hurting someone, but Amazonians weren't quite as fragile.

Yeah, she was almost certainly going to be coming back.

"They do smores here too?" she questions, clearly having caught that bit and moving up to the gathering. "This is amazing."

Not a hard sell for Sunny it seems. "What did you think Mark?"

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
The battle the two advanced students put on definitely earns interest from Cassie. All her modern zoomer sensibilities aside, she absolutely loves the high-octane swords-and-sandals stuff, and watching a pair of former 'amateurs' showing off like proper Themyscirans is a good show. The phone _definitely_ comes back out and up to capture that engagement, complete with a backing track of occasional cheers from Cassie. Though she'll probably edit in some high pace electronic dance beats slash battle music for the final version.

"They're really coming along," she asides back to Di, while watching, before the topic of the demonstration later comes up. "Yeah I actually got one of my friends from school coming over later for that. He's got a drone camera, we're gonna set that up, try and get some nice aerial shots. Real high production value stuff, y'now?" Not that Cassie couldn't just fly around with her phone, but presumably there's still some benefit to standardizing more practical methods so you don't NEED to have her do that.

Let her enjoy some s'mores.

"You always feel better after a good workout," she opines to Mark, in further encouragement or approval. Ups those endorphins, dopamine, adrenaline and endocannabinoids..." As usual, she tosses in some modern science and fitness thinking to her Amazon warrior ethos. Although, after saying it, she seems to realize something and pauses, thinking, before glancing over at Mark.

"... in humans, anyway." She says it quietly, promise!

Then a big grin for Sunny as she joins them. "We do -awesome- s'mores. I've taught the Amazons all kinds of awesome modern-world stuff." Though not every modern fascination of theirs is _actually_ credited to Cassie, she does like to push things!

Diana Prince has posed:
The two combatants continue fighting, continue their footwork that has them dancing around the circular battle zone, raoped off and surrounded by a number of other students of similar skill level, along with the trainers themselves. It culminates in the fighter in black getting dropped on to their back, while the fighter dressed in white and russet leathers coming to rest sword aimed down at their chest. A pause, applause sound off, and the sword is retracted by the warrior in white, and a hand is offered to help their combat partner rise up again. Soon, both combatants are stepping off to the side to speak to their respective trainers.

"I am glad to hear it." Diana states to Sunny when she joins them. She lets her eyes dart between the three of them, before she places her right hand gently upon Cassie's shoulders. "Why don't you take Sunny to the staging area, so that she might get cleaned up, and then perhaps show them both to the wardrobe area? If Sunny does decide to join us, it would be best to be suited out in a set of clothing fit for what is in store in her lessons to come."

Diana turns to Sunny to offer her hand toward the young woman, before she'll move to offer it toward Mark as well. "I best return to the lessons myself. But, I do look forward to engaging with you soon, Sunny." She tells her, smiling with a sincere warmth for them all before she'll move to make as she does, and immerse herself in the training as it continues to progress.

Mark Grayson has posed:
Leaning in to give Sunny a light kiss on the cheek when she joins them, his arm moves to give her side a quick and affectionate squeeze. "You did great, babe." he offers to her warmly, releasing her as Cassie is tasked with helping her out with the kitting.

Accepting Diana's hand, Mark offers a slight bow of his head and a grateful. "Thank you." He doesn't need to say what for, just a glance to seeing how excited Sunny is is enough for that.

Turning his attention to Cassie, he chuckles, "Maybe next time that Sunny comes, I'll take you up on that offer. I'm sure I'll show off exactly how woeful I am." A playful smile, though apparently he's accepting the challenge that was presented to him.

"Go ahead, I'll be around when you get back!" he promises as he waits for the others to leave before he goes to toss away his trash.

Sunny Harlow has posed:
And to think she was getting an outfit out of it too? The day was simply getting better for the blonde viltrumite who was all smiles, nodding her head at Diana's words and farewell. "I can't wait!" she calls after her before turning back to Cassie and Mark. "She's gonna kick my butt, one-hundred percent."

"I mean, I kinda want to see what Amazon movie night looks like now..." she muses before looking back to the training floor. "I'm glad you brought me here Mark."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"FINISH HER!" shouts Cassie, as the winner of the amateur bout stands over her defeated partner.

...

A 'really?' glare from Gelda and Nioma.

Cassie laughs, holding up her hands. "Kidding! Nice match!" Fortunately, the two competitors, being outsiders, do get the joke! The Amazons, on the other hand, are at least accustomed to Cassie's shenanigans.

Turning back, she grins at the re-united couple, while facing Mark to give him a firm: "You're on! Anyway, I'll take you and show you the changing areas. This place, despite the uh, theme, is all brand new so we got really nice facilities. Not that like, the Amazon baths aren't super great but uh, you know, for our more more modern audience, we got showers and stuff."

Beaming at them both a moment longer, she then does a rather abrupt about-face and starts off. "Oh yeah, movies have been a big hit with some of them. They love anything with a good battle scene of course, Lord of the Rings is a big winner. Though I try and switch it up. We did Mean Girls the other night - I wanted them to see the original before the new one." Clearly, they're getting a thorough education in modern cinema...

"We got some time, so I can show you around a bit before the ceremonies, too. You ever seen a Kanga?"