19418/Introduction to Amazons 101

Introduction to Amazons 101
Date of Scene:	01 November 2024
Location:	Themyscira City
Synopsis:	Diana shows Mary and Monet around, and Mary has a guest house for the next few days on Paradise Island.
Cast of Characters:	Diana Prince, Mary Bromfield, Monet St. Croix

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Diana Prince has posed:
Diana made regular trips, to and from, Themyscira these days. It was quite common for the Invisible Jet to make troop transfers from the island, to the rest of man's world. But, it was also more common for it to deliver guests to the island too. Vetted guests got to come to the island, to experience its rich culture, and deep history. Diana had brought friends, and colleagues from her work as a public super hero, to her life as a member of the museums throughout the mortal world. Historians had been researching all manner of aspects of the island, and today, she had brought a number of people to the island, for a plethora of reasons.

One such person was Mary, and Mary was now getting a guided tour of the city, after several of the others that had come with them, have already taken their leave to enjoy the offerings of the island's grand library.

Diana walks with Mary, through one of the busy streets of the city, to their right, the eastward view of the distant ocean is visible over a viewing balcony ledge, while to the other direction the city sprawls, large and vivid. A bridge lies just up ahead, along a curved turn in the cobblestone road, that leads over a flowing waterway that spills its way down a series of waterfalls through the heart of the city.

The weather is idylic, the sun is shining, and the local women of Themyscira are milling about on their daily chores, offering waves, and greetings to both Diana, and her latest guest.

"Have you done much traveling?" Diana asked, of Mary on her left side, the Princess wearing a white skirt, and a leather bodice, with sandals on her feet, and her hair tied back in a tight braid by golden ropes that glint in the brilliant shine of the sun from above.

Mary Bromfield has posed:
For this trip, Mary was in her Thunderbolt persona, mainly because she's a little more of a similar stature to Amazons this way... and well, her attire blends in pretty well with the Amazons when she's like this.

And well, Mary has been to the stars and back, but Themyscira is a first time for her, so when asked by Diana if she wanted to visit the Island? It didn't take long for Mary to answer with an excited YES! followed by an explosive "SHAZAM!" as she flew over to the Embassy at about Mach Three.

Now, she's just looking around the city in wonder, head rotating around as she spins slowly in place, shaking her head, "Oh, me, not too much... I mean, for business I guess I have. You know, going offworld and stuff, but never actually done too much for fun." She smiles, wearing her typical white and gold blouse and skirt, the golden lightning bolt rampant on her blouse as her short cape flutters behind her. "This is just amazing." Her brown hair flutters loose and free as she doesn't keep it braided or constrained at the moment.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
She hadn't been to Themyscira in some time. Not since the influx of new Amazons had come and she had spent a short period assisting with their acclimation and then some time later to have met the General and the Queen. Coming here again was a chance for her to focus. Diana had told her she needed to calm some and learn to fight for something larger than herself, and to not throw herself into things with no thought or expectations of coming out.
    So here on Themyscira she had a chance to temper herself some. To meditate. To get away and renew herself. It was as good a time as any, and for the Morrocan mutant, here was perfect.
    Time to get to go along the island once more, have a time to relax, to train, and to see life amongst the Amazons. And to hopefully get something out of it.
    The appearance of Mary is announced more by her arrival at super speed that Monet's slightly better than normal senses pick up, and she goes to give the girl a curtsy while heading towards Diana along the way. "A pleasure to see you." She would speak in THemysciran Greek, her pronunciation slightly stilted.

Diana Prince has posed:
The arrival aboard the invisible jet had come with a fair bit of fanfare, something that had become common place when new arrivals came to Themyscira. An entire landing structure had been built to specifically welcome the jet, and its passengers back to the island, every time it touched down upon the stone platform. Mary had gotten to experience this warm welcome first hand. Flags waved on tall poles, held in the hands of horse mounted Amazonian warriors, with gift bearers offering welcoming sundries to the newly arrived. Mary? She had gotten a whole host of local garments, trinkets, and baubles to take with her when she left, and she had gotten to meet a number of Amazon warrior women from the welcoming party alone. It was there, that Mary had been told she would be staying in a small villa near the eastern river way, a common place for outsiders to find a bit of personal space while on their visit to the island.

Diana, smiling at Mary's exuberant expression of enjoyment, was about to reply to her, when Monet arrived. Monet, a more common sight on the island these days, got a warm smile from Diana, who nodded her head once. "Monet, Mary." She made her introductions, even if the two already knew one another. "We are just having a bit of a stroll. Mary is experiencing her first trip to the island," Diana said with a bit of pride on her visage, her own facial features exuding her own happiness in this little moment.

To Monet, Diana asked. "Do you have any advice for her?" Her tone suggested she was being a bit playful with the question.

Mary Bromfield has posed:
Mary gives Monet a warm smile, "Any advice would be welcome, but... well, everyone's been terribly welcoming here. It's been honestly a bit overwhelming, in a good way." She chuckles a little, extending a hand towards Monet as she looks quite happy to be here.

And she looks quite eager for any sort of advice, as she's been answering in the same Themysciran Greek that Diana and Monet are using, as another benefit for her being here as Thunderbolt. Not that she's terribly worried about her secret identity here. After all, the Queen of the Island grants her Strength, so she's not really concerned about that. She does, however, look at Monet with a bit more of a curious expression, as if wondering what she'd say.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Remembering very well the things she had last time she was on the island, Monet gives a smile over to Mary. "The libraries here are incredible. You can sit in them and read for hours on end. The Temples here are lovely if you wish to go to the abode of Athena, to go riding in the island and go hunting like Artemis.." She would chime over and then go on. "To meditate in them is relaxing."

But she does rmeember one very specific thing now of the previous times she had been here. "The Amazons are also very regimented and find ways to train themselves. You should definitely ask Phillipus for a spar. I'm sure she would be more than willing to help you focus that way." Phillipus, the bully. The relaly, really big bully.

Diana Prince has posed:
As the trio spoke, they came up to a viewing balcony beside the corner of the arching stone bridge. Diana directed their path to take them on to it, and past the small benches where citizens of the city would rest to view the shoreline in the distance. Diana approached the stone railing, and placed her hands upon it, her Amazon bracers glinting in the sunlight, as she looked over to the two, and showed a slight grin to what Monet told Mary. "Yes, the library was the main destination for the academics that accompanied us on this trip, but... most always rush out there, first..." Diana raised her hand up, and pointed to the ocean, where the white cap waves were visibly breaking on the long white sand beaches. She glanced to Monet, and Mary, and showed them both a grin. "Even after all my time, I do always think back to the warm sand, when I am feeling the need to think of home." She spoke with affection in her voice, a love for her place of origin.

"While here, though, Mary, you are given full guest status, and are free to visit any of the shops, and eateries. While there, you are welcome to sample anything you would wish, and take home the outfits that you like most, from our clothiers, or anything else along the market row. Consider it a shopping spree, with a very high spending limit." The Princess explained, a grin shown for the young woman. "It is very good for gifts, for friends, and family back home."

Mary Bromfield has posed:
Mary laughs softly, "Oh, I can definitely think of some gifts to take home." As she definitely thinks Darla would appreciate some Amazonian outfits, to say nothing of Jennifer or Marie-Ange. And she absolutely wants to hit the libraries, the beaches, and... well, there's really quite a bit to look at for the first. She does glance back at Monet, and smile a bit, "Did you want to come along? I must admit, we've crossed paths a little bit but I don't know that we've ever really talked before, Monet." She flashes Monet a warm smile, giving her a friendly expression.

Then she looked back at Diana, "And your hospitality is... well, beyond anything I'd hoped for. I don't even know where to start, but I'm sure I'll find a place to begin and go from there." She grins a bit wider, then laughs a little, "I think there were a few from the welcoming committee when we arrived that were more than happy to help guide me along."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet would look in the direction of the ocean, "Yes, it is very peaceful." She would note softly. "And a good place to spend time." Not that she had much herself being training on it a few times. She had spent most of her time on Themyscira when not directly involved with the assisting of the new Amazons in the libraries and learning the language.

She would turn to gaze over the ocean along the shore, "I presume the swimming is just as lovely if you are to dive. And do your patrons include Hera?" It wasn't directly in the 'Shazam', but this was an island under the aegis of Hera, so perhaps for Mary there was some influence from that aspect as well.

"I always appreciate going along the island with the Princess." she would have gone with them unless Diana had explicitly requested she not, after all! "I may want to get some things for myself but I can pay for them on my own."

Diana Prince has posed:
"Well, our goal here, and now is to ensure you are familiar with the lay of the land, so to speak." Diana offered, as she shared a look between Monet, and back to Mary. "We do not have a currency system in place, like that of the mainlands. Our economy is one rooted in share wealth of services for each other. We provide each other with what we need, and it creates stronger bonds than that of trading with coin alone. The very last thing that Themyscira needs, is the woes of seeking coin over the betterment of everyone else around you. Your presence here now, as an honored guest, is the currency that you are offering in return for what gifts you wish to take home with you."

Diana looked to Monet, and put a hand on her shoulder gently. "While Monet here, offers her stand-up comedy routine, to garner what she needs in return." Diana said, a slow grin creeping across her red lips, as she was, of course, playing with Monet.

"Come, we'll head to your villa. It will be your base point, and hopefully quite comfortable for you, while staying here." She said, grinning still, as she started for the bridge, with the sound of the rushing water setting a bit of lovely ambience in the backdrop. She started up the arched stone bridge, her sandals impacting softly on the smooth stone. "But hopefully not TOO comfortable, as you do need to see as much as possible, before we leave in a few days, right?" She asked the young visitor, as she walked, her flowing white skirt moving around her thighs as she advanced up the bridge toward its sloping opposite side.

Mary Bromfield has posed:
Mary smiles over at Monet, "No, not Hera, well... not directly. I suspect she was one of the agents directing the others. Selene, Hippolyta, Athena, Zorya, Artemis, and Mnemosyne." She mmms, "And I definitely would not object to taking a swim later, that's for sure. There's not much of an opportunity to do that in New York."

She chuckles at Diana, "Well, I can probably teach the Amazons here how to make a wicked cheesesteak, or maybe Mother Vasquez's Chili, if they have proper peppers around here anyway. I'd be shocked if they weren't, though." She grins back at Diana, the Amazon's cheer infectious as she follows Diana along, nodding a bit, "And I definitely want to take advantage of my time here. I suspect that however much time it is, it's going to be too short. So best to make it count."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
She could get the teasing. It was appreciable from Diana. It was also part of etiquette as far as Monet was concerned as part of societal norms. Where she was from, not on Themyscira. Noblesse oblige, one did not take advantage of such an offer without firmly counteringwith a fair exchange first. "Very well, are there things instead that I could do to offer for cultural exchange? Plants from other parts of the world? Music or academic manuals that would be appreciated having here?" That the Amazons didn't directly have already, at least.

It was just part of the etiquette that Monet was trained for and was expected to behave by. "I will very much enjoy discovering things." Shopping was always cathartic. And she wouldn't have to haggle and bargain. But that was always part of the fun of things. "And you must ride the kangas. They are part of the experience. Even if you've done it at the Embassy, they're the ones that are trained to be better around the normal public. The ones here are trained to go far harder." A trained war-roo as opposed to a rider-roo.

Diana Prince has posed:
"Oh yes, we have proper peppers, I assure." Diana replies, a smile on her red lips, as they cross an intersection in the road, and move toward a smaller pathway that winds through a very well cultivated garden, a sign marking it as the Garden of Harmonia. "The Dragon Pepper. It might burn your tongue right /off/ though, so do be careful." The Princess says, though the tone of her voice suggests she might be playing some, as her mood is quite good at the moment.

They move through the garden, past statues of various Goddess' of the pantheon, and toward the city street on the other side, where the Temple of Athena rises high in to the sky, a glimpse of the main statue of Athena visible through the gleaming marble columns that line its facade.

"Monet, you offer your services to the island through protection of me. You need not offer anything else. You are a known element, a known warrior to the woes that we endure on a day to day basis. Do not fret about offering more, you need to take comfort in knowing that every bruise you have sustained, every gash you have survived, and every beating you have dished out to those who would wish Themyscira harm, means you are already 'paid in full'." She told the French woman, showing her a smirk, as they passed by a fountain trickling water down out of a complex series of metal spheres that gently sway, and swirl around one another, fueled by the motion of the falling water, that splashes down in to the reflective pool itself.

Mary Bromfield has posed:
At the mention of dragon peppers, Mary gets a look that clearly conveys 'challenge ACCEPTED' at the thought of the burn, but she doesn't comment directly just yet. But some of those might make it back to the Vasquez's kitchen for further use. She grins a bit at the statue of Athena, looking up at that and shaking her head, then she looks over at Monet as Diana mentions her as a protector.

"Oh, is that what you do? I'm impressed." She smiles, and genuinely means it as she regards Monet, not thinking Diana really would need a protector, but all the same gives Monet a more respectful and appreciative glance. Her eyes flicker back towards Diana, "Not sure what exactly I can offer there, beyond what I have already, but you know I'm more than happy to help with whatever I can."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would look over at Diana and blink for a moment, caught by surprise over at her words. Well, the 'protection' bit. "Than-thank you Princess. But you have never needed any protection." Diana was the best of them all. The wisest, the most cunning, the most skilled. There might be others who were smarter, stronger, or more powerful but they all paled in her mind to the perfection that was the Princess of Themyscira.

She would take her hands together and claps them to give the best formal bow she could to the Princess at the highest of compliments she could be paid over. Her face bright in a 'this means the world to me' and her cheeks flushed. Diana being one of the few on the planet that Monet was fully open to with her emotions.

"All you have to do is learn here. Immerse yourself however you desire. Open your mind. That is what the Amazons will find the best offering that can be made. To teach one that is willing."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana could see the reaction on both of their faces, as she spoke of Monet as a protector of herself. It caused her to smile again, as they made their way out of the park of Harmonia, and up the marble stairs to the outer concourse of the Temple of Athena. "Protection means that you guard things that matter to me, as much as they mean you provide an additional hand to aid me most, when it is needed, Monet. Everyone needs a helping hand, at some point in their life. There have been many situations, where I needed additional blades behind my back, to ensure that those blades were wielded by someone not wishing to stab me with them. We all face immense challenges out there, be it a fight in the stars against the henchmen of the World Eater himself, or just that you watch over those who mean something to me here, on Earth as a whole. There is a lot more to the role of a Protector, than who can best whom in a battle of brawn and brains." She shot Monet a small smirk, as they made their way around the outer perimeter of the temple, though as they passed by the marble colums that encircled it, they could bare witness to many Themysciran residents in mid-worship of the deity, making offerings, or just meditating in small alcoves.

A look was given to Mary, and with it a small smile. "I will make sure that the Chefs in the Palace kitchen know that you are coming, and that you wish to help them with possible new recipes. They will most assuredly do the same in return, and see to it that you have a few recipe books added to your luggage for when we are ready to depart."

Once they made it to the other side of the temple, they started down another staircase, a few citizens strolling past, offering them all a wave, and a few words of greeting.

"Your villa is just up ahead." Diana casually explained, as they came across a smaller market street where women were carrying baskets of clothing, or bolts of brightly colored fabric.

Mary Bromfield has posed:
Mary smiles over at the passing women with the baskets, giving them a bit of a wave, and perhaps blushing a little as some of them smile and wave back. Then she shakes her head and looks over at Diana and Monet, "Ah, yes, well, I'd definitely like the chance to bring home some proper recipes. I'm sure they'd go over great with the family." She mmms softly, considering things a bit as she considers.

"And I know my little brothers would like some of the sculptures here, plus Darla would /adore/ the outfits. Honestly, I think she'd love one of the bows. It's definitely something I could see her really wanting to try." She smiles a bit, thinking of Darla taking a bow out to the archery range.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Diana had much of a point at Monet, whom tended to take the most direct route when it came to conflict and protection. And something that much of her recent time with the Amazons had been spent trying to help her grasp the numerous ways that one could go about such a thing. She had so much relearning to do. But it was part of the course of her life and having to change herself, to improve herself. She took in the words of the Pricess,and would nod firmly over at her with her head bowed. But yes, Monet was definitely a 'brains and brawns' and 'fist first, talk later' when things couldn't be resolved with mind control.

"Yes, Princess. Thank you." One didn't need to be so formal all the time, but this was how Monet was traine and instructed. Diana was the Princess, and Diana was her teacher. As they would walk around the perimeter of the temple of Athena, she would look over the rows of Amazons worshipping quietly.

Following along towards where she was leading Mary, she would muse, "I would ask, Princess, if I were to speak to those at the Temple might some of my questions be appropriate or would they be somewhat rude?" In other words, would Diana hear the questions and tell her if they were allowable or not.

She would nod over at Mary's words lightly. "You could also spend time here cooking and teaching. I'm sure the Amazons would learn much, as would you. They might not have the things to make cheesesteak, however." She would ntoe lightly in teh form of one tryin to make a joke but not quite managing it. "Does your wisdom come with the knowledge of such traditions?" How to use bows, how to fight in their style, how to ride.

Diana Prince has posed:
The women were more than happy to smile back, though some a bit brighter than others. Not everyone in the Themysciran populace was thrilled to welcome outsiders, as it was to be expected, that some more hardline types would wish to preserve the island as they have known it for so long. The push was to blossom the inclusion of others, beyond Themyscira's shores, and beyond the great barrier, but some feared what new troubles that may bring. Few would expect troubles to come from Mary, though, and they all showed a kindness for her.

"We will stop by the Ranger training grounds, and we will get her a bow and a quiver of arrows. It was always my favorite weapon to train with, actually, though I believe I excelled at the sword more." Diana explained, as they continued down the small market street. "Your villa is on the edge of the Artisan's Quarter, and just beside a rather lovely outdoor theater, where I think a few performances are taking place, both tonight, and tomorrow. But tonight? We are headed to a feast in honor of the new arrivals, the new guests, such as yourself." She stated, showing a sly grin.

As they proceeded out of the market street, and toward a residential section of the city, Diana regarded Monet, and showed her a small smile too. "Of course. Once we give Mary a bit of time to settle in, we can stop back by the Temple, and you'll be free to ask the questions you wish. I am sure they will be fine, Monet, as you are often your own worse critic."

Diana lead them onward, and eventually they came to a two story home with a bedroom on the second level, and a balcony positioned above the main entrance. It is a lovely home, with flowers hanging from garden boxes along the edges of the small front porch, and a little green space in the back. It was here that Diana would show Mary around, before giving her a bit of peace to relax on her own.

"Welcome to Themyscira, Mary. Hopefully, the first in a series of many visits." The Princess said, on her way back out of Mary's villa.