17170/i defteri irioki epochi

i defteri irioki epochi
Date of Scene:	13 February 2024
Location:	Sandy Beaches
Synopsis:	Queen Antiope of Themyscira returns from the dead inexplicably. She journeys back home to find her niece Diana can fly and thousands of new Amazons live on the island, including one called Troia and another called Aikaterine. The Lasso of Hestia confirms she is who she believes she is. The Queen has returned.
Cast of Characters:	Antiope, Donna Troy, Caitlin Fairchild, Diana Prince

---

Antiope has posed:
1918

"SHIELD!" Antiope charged toward her sister in arms and with a great leap launched from the shield in to the air. Three arrows in hand, knocked, she twisted and shot the three German soldiers hiding behind the rock. Each arrow pierced their heart and the soldiers fell as one.

Situational awareness is what makes a warrior great on the battlefield. Young Diana had not yet achieved that for she was not yet an Amazon. Antiope had great hopes for her. The German soldier had momentum on his side, his rifle drawn up to take aim upon the young Princess of Themyscira.

"NO!" The words still echoed in her mind as she charged forward and dove between Diana and the bullet.

2024: Day 1

"No..." she spluttered and coughed up sea water as she heaved upon the sandy shores of Artemida. A buffet to the head was something she had felt many a time - your speed at recovering from the confusion is a test the Amazons must pass if they are ever to be truly one of them. But this injury was greater than that and it took her several moments to become coherent of mind once again.

A thump to her bare chest and she coughed up more sea water. Drenched she stumbled to her feet and took in her position, a full 360. The war was gone and the night had fallen. There were no dead bodies here. A small campfire illuminated four men drinking merrily.

This was not Themyscira.

"Khairete," Antiope called out. Her hand had found the wound. Healed her finger tips could feel the rim of where the bullet had pierced her chest. The men took notice of the call and turned to see the naked warrior upon the beach.

A bit of booze, a bit of night time air, a bit of a hot naked woman, the men felt emboldened. Approaching their leader advanced first, "You're in the spirit of the night. Come lay with me." His hand was in offer but the gesture was not a true greeting. She smirked. Modesty was not high on her priorities.

"Not on a first date," she replied and took his hand. As he tried to yank her in she slid on the sand just a touch as he stumbled. She stepped out of the way and let him fall. He spat out the sand that met his mouth and jumped back up quickly. "You bitch!"

Antiope watched as the men surrounded her. They wore armor of sorts. It was not effective looking. Simply leather on their torsos with the front undone and jeans upon their legs. "Let's keep this civil. Tell me where I am and provide me with clothes. It's only neighbourly."

One of the four men drew out a small flip knife. Their leader held up his hand and said, "No. She's right. It's only neighbourly. To put yourself on display like that and get up a man's hopes. It's only neighbourly to-"

Antiope lent forward as her foot thrust back in to the man's stomach. "I'm going to hush you now before you say something you'll truly regret in the morning."

The other three felt their blood boiling. They were part of a biker gang and their jackets stated so. They weren't going to have their righteousness challenged like this.

Their attacks were sloppy. Unfocused. Unified. Whoever taught them how to sling a fist about was worse than an amateur. She batted a punch aside as the man with the knife circled. The fourth of them pushed in a kick and Antiope did a slopped side step and slammed in to his body sending him sprawling to the sand.

"I'd drop the knife now before I take you seriously," she warned him. It was only fair. He was drawing S shapes in the air with it. If this were a form of martial arts it was not one she was familiar with; nor one she would put much stock in. He made his move and closed distance with a double stab. Antiope drew back her body just past where the knife would cut her flesh. "You're leaving yourself undefended in pursuit of your narrow minded goal."

Antiope has posed:
The man smirked as the other three joined him once more. "No? You're intent on doing this? Very well, may the Goddesses have mercy on your bruises...." A smile lit upon her face. This was like playing with children. And not even the good kind like Diana had been.

A punch she ducks behind blindly as it moves over her shoulder. She catches the wrist and pulls down on the elbow joint enough to hear the man cry out in concern for his limb. She does not break it. Instead she shuffles to the side with an elbow in to the ribs of the second man moving in on her. The knife stabs in once more and she flips over the pair tangling the first two up in to each other. She pushes them in to the third guy and then jumps off their tumbling backs to kick the man with the knife in the head.

The four of them topple to the ground. The groans emitting from them tell her they are sorry. Possibly sorry they lost instead of sorry they started a fight they couldn't win. She curls her toes around the knife in the sand and flicks it up in to her hand. "How do you tolerate such a small blade?" She folds it back in to its casing. "I need your clothes, your boots, and your horse."

Antiope has posed:
Day 2

The horse aka motorcycle turned out to be a useless piece of junk. She opted to simply walk. When the sun rose she could see those giant metal birds in the skies. The vehicles driving on roads were fast. Very fast. Not as fast as her but still a significant upgrade to the old horse and cart. The world of man had changed a lot.

"Excuse me," she said to a tour guide, "What happened here?"

The temple of Artemis on Artemidos port was all floor and broken columns. She had seen many ruined cities before but not bits of ruined cities amidst a sprawling modern metropolis. Even this small town was a gigantic.

"Oh," she had not noticed Antiope there. Her tour was in front of her not behind her. The people were curious too. "The temple Artemis Tauropolos was discovered in 1925. It dates back to 5th or 4th century BC." She motions for the good of everyone, "It had 13 columns along its side and 6 on the narrow sides." She smiles, "We believed it was destroyed some time in 1st century AD."

Antiope nodded quietly. "So that's where we are." Her eyes scanned out over the ocean and saw many small sailing boats as well as huge ones. "Thank you kind stranger." It felt strange to look down upon her fore arms and not see bracers. A symbol of her commitment to her sisters cause - gone. She had returned to this world with nothing but her birth skin. "What years is it?"

The tour guide is surprised by the question, "2024."

It was hard to put in to words in her own mind just how jarring it was to lose 106 years in death. She could not remember her time in the underworld but there is no feeling of relief from leaving it. Instead she finds her return to be one of confusion." Her wanderings took her down the beach and there she found a docking port for ships.

"You there -" she called out to a woman unmooring her single sail outrigger.

The woman looks up to see a statues blonde calling to her. She shields her eyes for a moment and smiles, "Can I help you?"

Antiope approaches and says, "That's a nice boat. I need a ride somewhere special. Could I persuade you to detour from whatever your plans are?"

The woman chuckles a moment. "...How about we start with names. I'm Daphne."

Antiope's smile grows again and she offers her forearm, "Antiope of Themyscira."

Daphne pauses and takes the offered arm. "As in - an Amazon? Like Wonder Woman?"

Antiope looks a touch confused, "Yes. But I know not of this Wonder Woman you speak."

Fascinated Daphne looks Antiope up and down. "She's in the Justice League. She's very famous. Well, Antiope of Themyscira. Where do you need to go?"

Antiope looks out over the sea before them, "Themyscira."

Daphne had begun to get her hopes up that this might be quite the day after all. But then it sank. "Oh I'm sorry. No one knows where that is. It's a secret."

Antiope's eyes lit up a moment and patted her on the shoulder, "Don't worry. I know exactly where home is. And if you'd indulge me I will show it to you." There was no more debating to be had. A deal was struck as far as the ex-Queen of Themyscira was concerned. She stepped on to Daphne's boat. Daphne still holding her mooring line felt the breeze of command washing over her. What just happened? Well, she has an Amazon on her boat that's what just happened.

Antiope has posed:
Day 3

Daphne was an able sailor but not at all like Antiope's command of the modern design. The sails were robust and the hull made of a modern material she could not begin to fathom. Everything in modern man's world seemed like it had been touched by a dementic demi-god trying to immitate their parents creations. Yet they were still better than the things of man's world she had remembered before she moved to Themyscira.

The storm, especially, had Daphne clinging to Antiope's side. Antiope was glad for it. It distracted her from the memories of her death that kept coming back again and again. There was no doubt in it though. She did what had to be done to save Diana's life.

When the sun broke through the clouds and the seas turned a brilliant blue the storm had finally abated and there in the distance a beautiful lush island. "Daphne awake. Themyscira beckons."

The small outrigger came to a landing on the beach and Antiope leapt from its hull to the sovereign sand of her people. The air was fresh and all felt right. Not the least of which was the group of Amazons that were training on the beach itself. Oddly though she did not recognise a single one of them.

Her hands rested upon her hips as she watched them assemble themselves to investigate the strange arrival of a modern boat in to their hidden waters. Daphne opted to hide on it for a little longer.

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Just look at those spear points. Does it look like a straight line to you? Even remotely? What do you think General Philippus would say if she saw you now!" Troia bellows. The women in the spear wall glance at each other sheepishly and shuffle about, straitening up, and Donna flashes a very quick grin to Caitlin standing beside her on the beach.

    There have now been 742 new Amazons to awaken from the Well of Souls in recent months. Just about enough to replace the losses the Amazons have suffered since the days that new replacement Amazons were a regular thing. There are, once more, ten thousand Amazons. Just over, in fact. The twenty-four women on the beach with Caitlin and Troia are from amongst the new batch. Part of the 15% or so of those new Amazons who'd lived their original lives and died during the twentieth century. In some ways they are the ones who have the most adjusting to do, and it has been decided that they should get regular sessions training with Amazons who have spent significant time outside of Themyscira to help them settle.

    "No no no!" Troia calls out, striding forwards as the line reforms. "You think an enemy will stand by and watch while you figure out where to stand? NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Think! You're being charged by a force of zombie centaurs and...."

    "Zombie centaurs?" one of the Amazons interjects. "Now I know you're having us on. Okay after what I've seen these last few months I'll buy that maybe there's such a thing as Centaurs, but..."

    "AIKATERINE AND I HAVE FOUGHT ZOMBIE CENTAURS!" Troia bellows, storming towards the interrupting Amazon, pretending to be furious. The poor woman takes a nervous couple of steps back, but before she's gone far Donna grabs the tip of her spear and cracks the shaft. "Zombie centaurs are real, Lyudmilla! We had an army of them break out of Doom's Gate just a couple of years ago. And if I was one you'd now be DEAD."

    Several of the other newbie Amazons snicker at Lyudmilla's shocked expression as Troia strides back to rejoin Caitlin. "Now listen up! You need to be able to form a spear line instantly, without hesitation, without figuring it out, from a run. You watch the line! You follow the lead of the Amazon to your left and come to a halt so that you maintain the spear line with her! You do so instantly, without hesitation, and you practice this again and again until you do it /perfectly!"

    The newbie Amazons start walking up the beach to take their starting positions again. There are a few good natured grumblings, but mostly there is determination. The Five do not choose the souls that will be reborn as Amazons unwisely. These women are very well aware of how much catching up they have to do to reach the level of skill of Troia and Aikaterine, let alone their new sisters who have been at this for thousands of years. They'll get there though. They'll get this right and have Troia and Aikaterine singing their praises before the day is out, or....

    "SAIL!" The cry comes from Lyudmilla herself, a particularly sharp-eyed new Amazon. Soon the whole training group is peering out to sea where the white sails are visible against the brilliant blue of sea and sky, boldly approaching the sacred land of Themyscira.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Oh, that's gonna go on Instagram once they get home. Caitlin has a perfect shot of Donna's contorted face screaming 'Zombie Centaurs' and there will no doubt be animated refrains circling her in the future meme.

Caitlin turns with the others when the sail is called, narrowing her eyes to focus. The redhead's eyesight is exceptionally good; she can already make out two figures on the ship and make out the rigging heading in their direction. "Small ship," she reports to Donna. "You two. Aeilla and Fareeh-- take the horses, ride to the guard tower on the promontory. It's two kilometers along the coast," she says, and points in that direction. They hesitate and Caitlin claps her hands together, loudly. "Now! Quick, like bunny! Go go go go go!" She chases them along with a rapid tattoo from her hands and walks to the head of the spear formation.

"We're going to move in formation and form a beachhead. Squads, face to me!" she calls from the front of the column. They awkwardly turn and shuffle, most of them stil un-used to maneuvering in their light armor and with a kit of weaponry. "You will be required to run as an Amazon. Your sisters can reach any part of the island from the palace garrison at a dead sprint, carrying all pack and gear to repel any invaders. We will run as a unit to the beach and form a battle line. Anyone who falls behind will spend the night on the beach building palisades and defensive formations."

And just to drive the point about physical fitness home, Caitlin picks up her heavy backpack and her battle-maul, carrying it in one hand. "With me!" she shouts, and breaks into a jog that soon turns into a run that pushes the newcomers past their mental limits, teaching them what their reconsituted bodies are actually capable of doing if they have the willpower to achieve it.

In short order they're on the beach and Caitlin directs them on how to form skirmish lines while Donna gets to tell them all that they're doing it incorrectly.

Antiope has posed:
Antiope watches the rag tag group of new Amazons awkwardly assemble in to lines that might vaguely resemble someones idea of a shield wall. The expression on her face is one that is not impressed. She looks at Caitlin and then Donna whom appear to be the two in charge.

Taking a few steps forward she approaches. Her eyes fall upon Euthalia and she places a finger on the flat of her spear tip. She adjusts it so that it lifts up and points at her own left eye. "Here. I should not see the length of your spear if you are pointing it at me."

A kindly smile is given to her and then her attention goes back to Donna and Caitlin, her eyes flitting between the two. "The well of souls has re-opened? what war brews that my eyes fall upon strangers training new Amazons."

There is an expectation about her posture and words that she is surprised she is not known. But it has been over a hundred years. "I am Antiope..." She pauses a little longer lingering on Donna. "And you-" There is a subtle look of doubt. Confusion. A strange flash of a forbidden memory.

The goddess Persephone showing her a flower in her hand. Then a memory of Donna, a memory of her sister. It flits away from her mind as quickly as it came and she offers her hand to her. "Have we met before?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    Troia wouldn't dream of telling them they're doing it incorrectly at this point, not after Caitlin has given the orders. Caitlin can do that herself later in the debrief. The purpose of this may be to train these women in the basics of being an Amazon, but as far as Troia is concerned a chunk of it is also about getting Caitlin more used to leadership, and Troia is not going to undermine that.

    Which is not to say she doesn't give Euthalia a playful whap around the back of the head when her form is corrected by the /very person she's supposed to be pointing the spear at./

    Troia pushes through to confront the stranger with the manner of one used to leadership. It's all so familiar to Antiope -- the way the woman moves reminds her very much of General Philippus. Must be a student of hers. Perhaps the Well of Souls has been open for quite some time then, for there to be new Amazons who have studied long enough under Philippus' guidance to be trusted with training those even more raw new Amazons.

    She's the shortest of the Amazons here. Definitely young, though what does young mean to Amazons? Before Antiope had... died? only Diana of all those on Themyscira could justly be described as young. This one does look a little like Diana had, long ago. And there is that strange sense of deja vu.

    The momentary look of confusion on Antiope's face is reflected on Troia's. "Who are you?" She demands of the newcomer, for all that she had already announced her name. It's taking a while for it all to sink in for Troia, because it's not /just/ the name. It's the portraits. The statues. And a dream. Troia knows who this is, and it's impossible.

    Troia doesn't take the offered hand, nor salute with bracers crossed as she really should. She pales visibly, and takes a couple of steps back instead. "Cai... Akaterine. Amazons. Guard this woman, do /not/ hurt her, but do not let her leave this place. I will be back in a few minutes.

    And then Troia does something that will be perhaps an even bigger shock to Antiope than finding new Amazons on the shores of Themyscira -- she takes off into the air with a burst of speed that blows the capes of the warriors wildly and momentarily fills the sails of the outrigger. These days there are three amongst the Amazons who regularly fly around the island, and the Amazons are used to it by now. Oh they'll still look up at the sight of Diana, Troia or Cassie flying overhead, but it's no huge novelty. Prior to Diana's return to Themyscira it was not something that Amazons ever did.

    At the speed she is going, it takes very little time for Donna to return to the city and locate her sister. "Diana," she says, looking very disturbed. "No questions. Just come. I... can't explain. You have to see this for yourself."

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
"Donna, wh--"

*BOOM*. She's off like a shot. It leaves Cailin in the incredibly, SO awkward situation of being on the beach with a total stranger, while also nominally in charge of the women she and Donna have been training. Field leadership among the Titans is one thing but Caitlin is struggling mightily with the concept of military seniority; all she knows is that one isnt supposed to look uncertain or confused in front of the new recruits.

"Uh..." She looks at Antiope, and then just deflates a bit with a weary exhale. "Well. I'm sorry, this is very awkward," she apologizes to the newcomer. Since Antiope is obviously not a threat given the way Donna reacted, Caitlin dithers for a moment then offers a polite wrist-clasp. "I'm Aikaterine. It's nice to meet you, Antiope," she bids the newcomer. "I'm sorry for Donna's behavior there. She doesn't always explain everything to me, either."

Caitlin digs around in a leather pouch on her belt and comes up with some strips of fruit leather. One is torn in half and she offers two pieces for Antiope and Daphne if she wants some. "You're not in trouble, anyway. At least I don't think you are."

Diana Prince has posed:
"I've got it, stop worrying!" Diana's voice sounds off from where she is located within the palace. "No, I already did that one. You're still worrying too much!" She counters further to the woman speaking frantically to her, trying hard to be patient. "It will be great, I promise. Stop looking at me like that, it will be!" Diana further states, mere moments before Donna finds her...

In the palace's kitchen.

Diana stands beside the main prep table, completely covered in flour and various sauces from the food she was preparing for the feast tonight. Had she been put in charge of the feast? Most certainly not. But she'd wormed her way in to the kitchen anyway, and promptly placed a shawl over the plaque that specifically said 'Do not allow Diana to cook' that hung on the wall beside the door.

She'd been insistent that she would learn, and provide everyone in the palace with a wondrous meal tonight.

It didn't look like the head Chef was quite so sure of this though, as she stood off to one side watching over Diana's work, and trying to offer advice, only to be shushed, or shood out of the way of the Princess, who was on a mission here today!

Diana was in the process of wiping her hands upon her clothing, when Donna rushed in, and spoke with a clear urgency that drew Diana's mind out of her cooking clouds, and brought her back down to Earth.

She spared a glance toward the head Chef of the palace, then back to Donna. Quickly, Diana removed her apron wrap, set it aside, and moved toward her sister. "What has happened?" She asked. "Show me."

After the two leave the kitchen proper, the Chef mutters under her breath, and begins to clean up in the wake of the Hurricane Diana.

Antiope has posed:
Antiope watches with astonishment on her face as an Amazon -flies-. FLIES. "Goddess how is that..." She shuts her mouth and realises she has seen so many astonishing things in the last three days. There are questions that must be answered. Daphne pops her head out of the outrigger and calls out to Antiope, "Is it safe?"

"Of course it's safe. This is Themyscira and you are my guest." Antiope has the confidence of legends and she smiles with welcome to Caitlin. She accepts her hand, "Aikaterine. You are new to training Amazons." She looks over the concerned recruits.

"Chins up. Even if you are afraid you must project confidence. Each one of you should imagine how you might take me down where I a threat to you."

'do not let her leave this place' - she is already moving amongst the trainees as if she owned the place. Like inspecting a line of students she offers small corrections to posture and attention. "Discipline is the mother of success," she quotes to the group. "Discipline of mind, discipline of body, discipline of spirit."

Seeing the unsure nature of Caitlin she approaches and places a hand on each of her shoulders. "Though our weapons and body take space our mind does not. The blade of thought is both infinitely sharp and thin. Thus, any strike may be cut with the will of our actions."

She holds up a finger and turns back to one of the trainees. "Thrust," she says and pats her neck. "Like you mean it." The first thrust is anything but meaningful and Antiope bats it away. "Like you -mean- it."

The Amazon in training gets a determined look upon her face and thrusts firmly this time. Antiope's hand shoots out toward the trainee and deflects away the spear thrust just behind her neck and over her shoulder. "First the mind," she re-iterates to Caitlin, "Then reality."

Donna Troy has posed:
    Troia's not going to say anything about what Diana is up to when she finds her. Mainly because she has bigger concerns right now, but also because no good comes of it. On the way out of the kitchen she glances around at the culinary disaster area and gives the head chef an apologetic shrug. The head chef in return gives a sigh of relief and grateful grin to Troia for finding a reason to remove Hurricane Diana from her domain.

    The flight back to the beach does not take long, particularly as Troia sets a more rapid pace through the air than would normally be the case for a flight around the island with Diana. Clearly something has the young Amazon worked up, but she absolutely refuses to explain what. "You'll just have to see this for yourself," she repeats tersely on the way to any questions Diana has.

    ...And then there are TWO flying Amazons. Donna hangs back just a little, letting Diana take the lead. There's no real need for explanations. There's a boat pulled up in the surf and an Amazon too many amongst the group. Diana will figure out where she's meant to be investigating for herself and Troia isn't going to prejudice Diana's reactions to this woman by saying anything. She does however stay very close to Diana. After all if this is who Troia thinks it is... who Troia /knows/ this woman at least believes herself to be... it's likely to be a considerably bigger shock to Diana than it was to her.

    Let's face it, the queen's dead sister returning is sus as hell and that concerns Troia deeply, but the possibility of her sister needing emotional support concerns her even more right now.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
When Donna arrives, the look on Caitlin's face clearly expresses her uncertainty and irritation. Yes, she's new to training Amazons. Yes, this is all very weird. And she's not entirely sure if she should be keeping Antiope back from the new Amazons or under close guard, but she's -very- sure it's not a good look for the newcomer (possible prisoner) to be handling weapons and giving the new Amazons pointers about weapons and life philosophy.

Still, she is overwhelmingly relieved by an Adultier Adult showing up, and yields the floor quickly to Diana when the Princess lands. Out of habit she drifts back to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Donna, and gives her a thin-lipped recriminating glance before turning her attention back to the newcomer.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana was an unusual flyer in her style and patterns. She often seemed as though she was jumping a long long way, more than actually flying, especially if she knew precisely where it was she was flying to, such as now. She'd literally leapt up in to the air, with a curving arc that had her coming right down to the beach, making her flight style somewhere between Superman and the Incredible Hulk...

When she lands at the beach now, she does it about fifteen feet away from the group of Amazons, her sandaled feet rapidly padding across the fine grains, kicking some up in her wake as she came to a rapid stop, her eyes going to the main group, to Caitlin, then toward the new arrival. She'd seen the ship in the air, and did not recognize it as one of their own... but upon arrival, she didn't need long to start recognizing some aspects of who it had been who stood before her sisters now.

Covered in flour, spices, dried sauces, Diana looked a mess, her white skirt and flowing white top as covered in disasterous cooking attempts as the rest of her, with some even up in her dark hair that was tied back behind her shoulders in a braided ponytail.

Confusion was quick to settle in upon her face, the wrinkles showing between her dark eyebrows, indicating deep confusion... an expression those close to her would know well when she was trying hard to understand what she was seeing.

But it also quickly faded, and the first few steps toward Antiope were taken in hesitation, before suddenly Diana moved much quicker.

Thud!

Antiope was run right in to by Diana, thudding against the other woman, and wrapping her arms around her, placing her chin over the other's shoulder, and holding on for dear life itself!

Antiope has posed:
TWO! Two of them flying! ... it does not take Antiope long to realise the other one flying is Diana and her mouth drops open again. Her eyes wide. The mess that is Diana looks like utter perfection in her eyes. Before she can even react the Princess has her arms wrapped about her auntie. Antiope hugs her back.

"You're alive," she whispers to Diana. That last moment of her own life flashing through her mind once more. But now it has a conclusion, a happy ending. One where that sacrifice was not in vein. Diana lived. She grips her tighter.

"And somehow so am I," she adds. The leather jacket and jeans do not suit Antiope one bit. But then neither does all the flower and who knows how that bit of peach got in to the folds of Diana's gown.

"I thought we banned you from the kitchens,..." she adds with a small little chuckle. "Things have changed." Perhaps not that bit but how is Antiope to know. She can feel tears sliding down her cheeks. It might only get worse from here when she finally reunites with her sister.

She places a kiss upon Diana's forehead, "Sweet Diana. Look at you. You're all grown up. How did that happen..." Time passed her by. Leaving the world of the living. You're not meant to come back to it. Them's the rules.

Daphne is a little awestruck as she nibbles on the food Caitlin provided. "That's -- Wonder Woman!"

Donna Troy has posed:
    Troia flashes Caitlin a brief apologetic smile, but neither explanations nor assurances. She trusts Caitlin. She was going to be quick. She didn't expect anything drastic to happen. But mostly, Troia just felt that getting Diana here as quickly as possible was the priority. Caitlin's going to understand what's going on quickly enough, and apologies for leaving her a little in the lurch can come later.

    She twines her fingers with Caitlins and gives her hand a reassuring squeeze before stepping forwards to place a hand on Diana's shoulder as Diana embraces her missing aunt, a little extra support for her somewhat overwhelmed sister.

    "She's still banned from the kitchens, but there's no stopping her," Troia offers, trying to inject a little humor in to relieve the emotions. "You must ask her about the dough on the ceiling some time. Nobody has been able to remove it."

    Troia gives Daphne a quick once over, then a smile. "The woman who handed you that jerky is Caitlin Fairchild too, give her some respect!" She punctuates her response with a laugh to show that she's joking. "I think we should give you the opportunity to meet Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira too, she will want to thank you for bringing her sister back to us."

Diana Prince has posed:
This is not the kind of situation that Diana expected to find herself in today, let alone ever. The wounds of losing Antiope 100 years ago were not healed within Diana, much like they were not for other people she'd lost who are quite important within her heart. Diana had a flawless memory of every moment of her life, moments spent with so many people that meant the world to her, and through that there was a unspoken burden of having a much harder time letting go of people, even if a century had gone by. Those moments, even 100 years ago, still felt like they had just happened seconds ago to Diana...

The kiss to her forehead, the touch to her shoulder, Antiope's mere presence, and Donna's support... it all had Diana feeling a myriad of emotions. With tears touching the corners of her eyes, the Princess steps back from her embrace of Antiope, and stares right in to her eyes, her head shaking side to side.

"How are you here?" She asks, her eyes looking down at the attire that the woman clearly found from some place not of Themyscira, then a glance is given to the boat that she'd seemingly arrived aboard. Her eyes dart back to Antiope's own then. "You did not come from the Well of Souls, where... none of this makes sense." She says, now giving Donna a quick look, before she regards her aunt once again.

"Not that I am not... beyond words... but, I..." She trails off, unsure of what further to say.

Antiope has posed:
Daphne is a little overwhelmed. She nods enthusiastically as it suddenly clicks in her head. Caitlin Fairchild - Titans. Which also means - "Donna Troy." Her eyes are glassy. She is over the moon. This is better than comic con and alls she had to do was believe a hot woman who wanted to borrow her boat.

Antiope looks back in to Diana's eyes and she knows what's going through her mind. It's been going through her own too. "I awoke on Athena's beach. For me not a moment had passed since I died. Yet I know there is a vast gap in my existence between then and now. I drew breach and still felt my heart racing from the battle with those invading men on our shores."

A slightly amused look goes to Donna, "I'm sure we have met. Perhaps in another life. Donna Troia-" She pauses a moment as that strange out of place memory invades her mind again.

Her lips twitch down a moment and she looks back to Diana. "It's okay." She holds out her forearm in offering, "Bring Hestia's gift. I need to know too. If I am not who I believe I am then I must know before I put you and Themyscira in danger."

"Bind my arm and ask me who I am," Her jaw lifts up a little. She will accept nothing but confirmation from the gods themselves that she is who she believes herself to be. Because if she is not, she is enough Antiope to destroy herself before some cruel trick can be played upon the Amazons.

Donna Troy has posed:
    Troia gives a wide grin to Daphne. "Call me Troia. That's how I'm known here." She gestures to Daphne to come closer rather than holding back, and the somewhat bemused Amazon trainees step aside to make a path for her. Perhaps self-conscious of their previous failings, they step quite crisply into line.

    "Just Troia," she says to Antiope, repeating herself. "Donna Troy is the name I use in Man's World. I... we have not met before in this life. I was born some seventy six years after you..." She stops herself, and shakes her head. It seems like such an absurd thing to say, but how else can you say it? "After you died. Every year of my life, I have accompanied your sister to visit your tholos tomb. But I do not know why you might think you know me, other than that people often say I look like Diana.

    The shock for Troia is much more practical than it is for Diana. She has no emotional investment in Antiope, has only ever regarded her as an abstract figure, a person other people talk about a lot but who she has only ever known through the words of those close to her who had known and loved Antiope well. The one thing Antiope is to Troia is /gone/ -- yet here she is. As far as Troia knows, no Amazon has ever died and come back to life, beyond that first resurrection. How is this possible? Another gift from the patrons, as was the gift of opening the Well of Souls once more?

    Troia gives Diana a nod. "She does truly believe herself to be who she appears to be. It would be wise to confirm it though, before we bring her to the palace.

Diana Prince has posed:
Once the situation had started to settle in, that Diana's eyes were on the face of her mentor and trainer, her aunt and most beloved friend from her youth... she wasn't entirely sure how to process all of it. Having Donna here to offer some words between moments of Diana needing to speak, needing to make decisions, helped too. She had her lasso, it was looped to a belt around her waist, tucked back behind her right hip, where it avoided most of the shenanigans in the kitchen, its length of golden rope glinting in the sunlight here upon the beach. With a glance toward Donna, and this Daphne person, Diana looks back to her aunt, and softly nods her head.

The lasso is retrieved, with a simple loop quickly formed with the most gentle of strokes of Diana's fingers, hinting at her experience with the rope having gotten even further than when Antiope had seen Diana train with it ages ago.

She pauses before placing it over the other woman's wrist. "Mother is going to be beside herself..." Diana quietly says, in a tone that is somewhat neutral between happiness and concern. With her brow only a bit knitted, Diana extends the rope to drop it gingerly over Antiope's wrist, a glowing golden light slowly growing brighter across the coiled rope, battling back against the light from the sun above.

"Who are you?" Diana finally asks, her voice low and smoky in flavor. "Where do you come from? Why are you here?" She asks further, her sandals shifting upon the sand slightly as if in preparation for answers she doesn't want to hear.

Antiope has posed:
Antiope watches the way Diana handles the lasso. She is not disappointed to see her skills have continued to grow. But given her incredible speed and ability to fly she wonders just what league of combatant her niece has become. The very idea of what Diana might be capable of makes her excited. The moment for that joy must wait until the more dire question of identity is settled.

Before the gods themselves she grips the lasso of Hestia as it glows against her skin. She can feel its magic, its energy, its presence. "I am Queen Antiope of Themyscira, Daughter of Queen Otera, Sister of Queen Hippolyta, General of the Amazons, Queen of Athens, Guardian of Doom's Gate. I awoke on the beaches of Athena before that I only remember here." She looks out to the sea a moment, "When the men arrived with their new weapons of war." She nods her head, "And I return home because it is where my family is, my heart is, my place and purpose."

If only she could have said Champion of Themyscira but not long before she died Diana rightfully took that title from her. It was an extremely proud day for her. She stares challengingly in to Diana's eyes now because if the lasso declares her false she intends action.

But no pain comes. Hestia's blessings upon her, the truth has been told. "...and I am so relieved to see you happy and hearty my most precious niece." Her eyes a little glassy.

She looks toward the city where the palace buzzes with activity. It is over the horizon from here but she knows the way like the back of her hand, "I must see my sister and I must hear of all that has transpired while I was ... dead." She doubles takes at Donna, "My what now?" Of course she has a tomb. Thankfully no one mentioned the statue. The flood gates open a little as she laughs, "So many new faces. Of course I am but mere stories to most of them."

Donna Troy has posed:
"Many new faces," Troia confirms, still a little uncertain what to think about any of this. "Just over a year ago, the Well of Souls opened once more. For every Amazon who has died since the Well was last active, there is now a new Amazon. The goddesses remain silent as to why. It is much debated. There are those who say that it is intended as a reminder to us that Themyscira is our home and our source. There are other who believe it is a message that the five approve of the minor change in course we have taken in recent years." She glances at Diana. "But perhaps it is best we explain that later."

    Troia gestures towards Caitlin. "That is not the only source of new faces, Antiope. This is Aikaterine. She was born in Man's World and became a hero there before she came to Themyscira. She has adopted our ways, and just three years ago she journeyed to /naos pantheion/, and was accepted by the five. There is also myself and Cassandra, but again explanations can wait. Hippolyta will...."

    Troia breaks away with a small, disbelieving laugh, and shakes her head. "It seems absurd to say she will be pleased to see you. The words are not enough to express how she feel. But /how/, Antiope? How is this possible?"

Diana Prince has posed:
The questions receive the answers that Diana's heart was hoping to hear. She hesitates for only a moment, likely due to the very nature of this situation being further out in to the realm of unbelievable than even the Well of Souls belching out a new crop of Amazon citizens had been... This defies most logical scenarios in Diana's mind, and she's traveled to other worlds far from Earth's embrace...

Speaking of embraces, shortly after Donna introduces Caitlin, Diana leans in to hug Antiope again, holding on to her for several seconds before she pulls back once more, her face still lingering with dramatic emotions playing within the places just beneath the surface of her soul.

"We will take some of the horses. We have to get back to the palace, and see the Queen." She says in few words, still mentally reeling from this, and still glancing toward Antiope as if she expects her to disappear, and all of this to have been a dream, or some manner of illusion. She hasn't moved in to the phase of explaining much, let alone covering the events of the past century.

Antiope has posed:
Antiope considers Donna words carefully. The well reopening is quite the portent. She also heard Daphne exclaim that Diana was 'Wonder Woman' - there must be some fantastical story behind that. "I have a lot of new and wonderful people to meet then."

Antiope readily embraces her niece once more and there is a brief moment of relief. This was not some cruel trick after all. She really is herself. How is still a very good lingering question. "I do not know how Troia. For the moment I will take this gift. Later I will seek that answer."

There are murmurs growing amongst the new trainees. 'Queen of Themyscira? but I thought Hippolyta was the Queen' is the general gist of it. She gives Diana a gentle pat on the shoulder as she draws back once more. The bewildered faces of the young Amazons before her are a different kind of confused to Diana and Donna and Caitlin.

To them she brings up her hands and salutes them. "I will get to know each and every one of you in time. Return to your training. Do your teacher proud," she says with a nod of confidence to Caitlin.

As she walks toward the horses she can't help but feel like the sands have shifted beneath her feet. It was mere days ago the world ended for her and in an instant she was in another time. "Diana and Troia," she leans in and whispers as she looks over the horses, "does everybody fly now?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    Troia gives a nod to Diana and sets to organizing things at once. "Fatima, Helen, Sarah, Euthalia, Seo-Yun, ready ten horses. You are coming as honor guard. Jamila, go with them and take a horse yourself, go to the watch tower and bring Aeilla and Fareeh back from the guard tower. The rest of you will stay here and continue to practice this drill until SUN DOWN. Lyudmilla, you are in charge of drilling, and I expect to see the lot of you doing it perfectly when we reconvene in the morning. Step to it!"

    Lyudmilla, who only a few minutes ago was on the receiving end of Troia yelling at her, is a little shocked at her sudden field promotion. "Me?" she asks in slightly nervous disbelief.

    "WAS I UNCLEAR? DID YOU HEAR ME STUTTER?" Troia yells at Lyudmilla. Blame the Titans -- Troia has seen too many American movies. "Move move move!"

    The Amazon trainees clash their bracers together in a firm salute and cry out "/Anagke, basileia!/" which causes Troia to wince slightly as she'd not intended to rush into introducing herself to Antiope as a member of the royal family. The trainees make up for it by moving quickly and professionally about their appointed tasks, which makes her feel much better. These trainees aren't as bad as they might have appeared at first to Antiope! They're clearly just not yet at the stage where surprises don't throw them off their game.

    Troia gestures to Daphne to join the party heading to the horses. "Come. We'll give you a little tour and a gift or two as a mark of our thanks. If you're not comfortable riding, you can double up with Fatima.

    She gives a quick squeeze to Diana's arm on the way to the horses, and shakes her head to Antiope. "No, just the two of us and Cassandra." She glances Caitlin's way and lowers her voice a little. "Aikaterine did for a while, but she lost the trick of it. I believe she will recover the trick at some point in the next thousand years, but couldn't say when."