3600/Flashback: A Less Formal Theymsciran Greeting

Flashback: A Less Formal Theymsciran Greeting
Date of Scene:	28 September 2020
Location:	Palace - Themyscira City
Synopsis:	This one time, at bandcamp...
Cast of Characters:	Donna Troy, Cassie Sandsmark, Caitlin Fairchild, Diana Prince, Hippolyta

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Donna Troy has posed:
    The day had been filled with ceremony, tours and feasts. The city of Themyscira of course has far more to see than a single day could allow for - not just the temples, scriptoria and state buildings, but the everyday architecture of homes and public spaces is unique in the world, and thoroughly beautiful. Countless statues and fountains fill the city, a glorious waterfall descends from the top of the mountain in a series of spectacular steps, channeled into numerous pools, marble friezes depicting scenes from myth and history abound. There had been rites at the enormous Temple of Athena, which shames the Acropolis. Then there was the palace, splendid and sprawling, filled with artworks of extraordinary beauty, lore lost to the World of Men for thousands of years, and a glorious evening feast.

    Helena had been in heaven.

    Perhaps it's possible to have too much excitement, though. There wasn't really time to stop and breath, conversations had been too rushed for Cassie to really get to know anyone, and it's all just /so much/. Worst of all, even in the city, Cassie's phone still showed no bars. So much for posting updates.

    After the evening feast, attended by a hundred Amazons, Cassie and Helena had been taken to their rooms in the palace. Large, airy, beautifully appointed, with marble, gold, richly carved hardwood furnishings, silk drapes, statues everywhere. This hotel will definitely get five stars. Windows open on to the great palace courtyard and pleasantly warm night air blows gently into the room, a bit of a relief after the heat of the day. Moonlight shines through the windows, and glowing orbs provide extra light to the room.

    It's late, but does the day really have to be over? This is THEMYSCIRA! Land of mystery and adventure. So much to see, so much to explore. Are they really expecting poor Cassie to wait until morning to see more and do more?

    Perhaps not. There's a muffled whispering outside Cassie's room, followed by a gentle knocking, and a soft voice calls in "Cassandra? Are you awake?"

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
The first thing Cassie had done when she got to her room, of course, was flop overdramatically into her bed, throwing herself backward and laying spread eagle, with her legs just barely dangling off the edge. It's comfy, for sure, but despite the long day, she's not really in the mental state to just fall into the arms of sleep. Physically, maybe, it would be a good idea, since her day tomorrow will be busy. But there's too much nervous energy, excitement, adrenaline, whatever one wants to call it. She's just buzzing, and the last thing her brain wants to do is shut off.

She lays there, staring at the ceiling for a bit (which is no less spectacularly decorated than any other part of the place), swings her legs, and... yeah nothing.

Soon, she sits back up. Compulsively, she checks her phone again, but there's no luck there. Looking around, she realizes there's not even a charger. Such horrors! Finally, the leg-swinging creates enough counter-momentum to pitch her forward and she hops from the bed to wander and explore the room a bit, grabbing her backpack somewhere along the way and unpacking a few things onto a side table. She didn't bring a lot, just a couple changes of clothes, mostly summer and sporty stuff. Finally, she goes to the window, and just stares out at the mysterious paradise beyond. It's cliche, but she does have to wonder if it's all real.

And Cassie is still standing there, in that bit of a reverie, when the knock sounds at her door. She looks back over her shoulder, and then hurries over. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep. I feel totally wired."

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
The door swings open to admit Donna first and Caitlin right behind her. The two shuffle into Cassie's room before anyone overhears, moving quietly as they can. "I totally know how you feel," Caitlin tells Cassie sympathetically. "I think it's why they train us so hard when we're here, it's too hard to sleep otherwise." Caitlin's changed into a comfortable white cotton tunic with a modest fit; clothing she wouldn't wear on the mainland, but embraces while on the Island.

"Here, I figured you might need this," she tells Cassie, and offers over a portable solar-powered battery with various cell connector ports. "It's impossible to get a signal off the island, but I snuck my phone in with me and there are some movies on airdrop you can watch if you want. And music, too, it's mostly classical pieces and some rock'n'roll."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "I'm getting satellite internet sorted out next time I go back to America. I may have to hide it from Hippolyta, but it's got to be done." Donna breaks into a grin and shows her own contribution - a bottle of the golden Themysciran wine and three glasses.

    With all the rushing about of the day, the reasons for the presence of two members of the Titans on Themyscira may remain slightly unclear, though Cassie will have picked up that Donna is a member of the royal family by now. Cassie probably knew enough about the Titans to have heard the story that Troia had come from Anatolia and was a warrior of the mystical order of the 'Knights of Ilium' - clearly that wasn't the real story after all, and really this kind of makes sense.

    Donna enters the room and puts the glasses down on a small table, pouring out modest measures into the glasses and offering one each to Cassie and Caitlin. "We do actually have electricity here, you know. Just not in every room. It's kind of unnecessary, I guess." She gestures up towards one of the glowing orbs. "Minor enchantments. More environmentally friendly and no need to change the bulbs. You wave a hand in front of them to turn them on and off, in case nobody remembered to mention that to you."

    Donna leans against a table and grins at Cassie. "So. You probably have a million questions. We thought you might like to have a chat in peace, without all the crazy. Also it's just really cool having someone else from the World of Men visiting! Welcome to Themyscira, Cassandra."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie definitely brightens when the two other women are revealed behind the door, and as they (wisely) creep in, she can't help but shoot a furtive glance down the hall outside, toward the next door from hers. Mom. Although who knows if Helena's even in there. Adults don't have bed times, and this definitely seems like a 'stay up drinking wine and chatting up Amazons into the wee hours' sort of evening.

Eagerly and a little hurriedly waving them both in, Cassie steps back to let them by then carefully closes the door, before turning back to follow them in, a bit more relaxed once they're all safely inside. And naturally, Caitlin with her technological offerings is treated as the immediate hero of the moment. "Ohmygod, you're a lifesaver," she declares, accepting the little charger and -immediately- going to hook her phone in. Even if she can't post anything, she's been taking a lot of quick pictures all over, and the battery had run down pretty far. Of course, it still feels way more important, that broken tether to the outside world, than it may in time.

"Oh... cool, I'll check it out," she adds, for the entertainment, though her music tastes might be obnoxiously modern.

With the tech sorted, she turns to the magical equivalent, walking up to one of the lights as as Donna points it out and, perhaps predictably, immediately starts waving her hand back and forth. Off, on, off, on. "Haha, awesome." It probably amuses her more than it should!

After that, though, she turns a little quieter, giving a soft 'mmm' at the questions Donna suggests. "Well, I guess, yeah. You're both Amazons too, then? Diana always kind of made them sound like a kind of separate thing, like she was the only one running around." Then she wrinkles her nose a little. "'World of Men?' I mean, I get the sentiment, but that kind of feels like they're ... missing half of us, there." She also reaches for the glass, but looks a little uncertain, lifting it and taking a bit of a sniff first.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin hastily lifts her hands at Cassie's question. "Me? Oh no no," she clarifies quickly. "I'm totally a guest here. Donna's the real deal, she grew up on the Island." *Technically* correct, if not still an omission. "This is where I came to recover after the, uh," she coughs, "Doomsday thing. I was pretty busted up. Donna helped pull me back together. Diana, too," she amends.

Caitlin looks for somewhere to sit, and claims a low stone ledge as the sturdiest perch available. Her skirt is carefully tucked behind her knees and her legs folded to the side, leaving her looking up at the others. "I think they mean 'World of Man' because, like, most of the rest of the world is patriarchal and has been for a long time. After a few thousand years of that, I don't think it's something they're gonna change up on a dime, y'know?"

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana ascends the steps to the segment of the palace that the room designated to Cassie is located at. Wearing a golden armored bodice, with a leather harness that wraps around her body and beneath her bust line, along with a short white skirt of pleated soft fabric, trimmed in shimmering gold, and leather corded sandals lined with small golden rings, Diana is dressed rather nicely!

Accenting her attire, her dark hair is tied back in a tightly braided pony tail, with golden ropes woven through the braids, crimson red lipstick upon her lips and a pale sterling silver tiara that graces her hairline across her forehead.

In her hands, are a folded set of clothing, leather, with white cloth and shimmering armor attachments...

She approaches the door, hearing voices inside, and comes to lean against the door frame now, just smiling in at the three of them. From the hallway, a set of double windows allow the sun's natural light to shine through and illuminate Diana's form across her right side, giving her light upon that side of her body, while the other drifts into shade.

"Your cellular devices will work in the Invisible Jet." Diana's smoky voice chimes in. She'd heard much of what they'd said as she'd been ascending the staircase, her advanced hearing making that possible after all. "Cassie, I have a gift for you." Diana steps in to the room then and offers the attire she's holding. "Your first set of training armor. I have asked for this particular piece to be made just for you." She hands the set over, then picks up the small shoulder pauldron, it shines in glimmering gold. Diana strokes her thumb across an engraving in ancient Greek. "It says 'Wondrous'."

She smiles to her 'sidekick' and offers that piece as well.

Diana reaches her left hand out then to touch Caitlin's shoulder. "World of Men, or Man, represents the Earth beyond our borders. It is a name given to a world that has been largely ruled by Male overseers. Yes. It is... not a name a particularly like, but it is a fitting way to describe the world past our territory. Someday, I hope that its value fades, as the planet continues to evolve toward a more balanced place of equality for all." She shows a hint of a smile. "Strides are being made, after all. Even if slowly."

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna greets Diana with a broad smile. "Hello Diana! Joining the after-party? I'm afraid I only brought three glasses. And one bottle. But I can fetch some more!" She takes a sip of her own wine for emphasis.

    "'World of Men' isn't the best translation, really," Donna admits, backing up Diana's comments. "We call the world outside 'kosmos ton patriarkioi', partriarch's world. It may not be as true as it once was, but there's still a lot of truth to it." She grins a little. "Especially compared to here. But the phrase dates back a long time. Before the Amazons retreated to the island of Themyscira. Three thousand years ago women had a lot less freedom than they do these days. The Amazons were created to redress that balance. For several hundred years, we were... well, a political superpower, I guess. There was a lot of kickback though. Including from certain of the Olympians. Even the city of Themyscira was razed. The Amazons today are the survivors of that era, who withdrew from the world beyond on this island, the new Themyscira." She pauses a moment. "Though it seems kinda silly to call it 'new'. "

    She glances towards Diana, then Cait, and tilts her head to the side. "We're the latecomers, though. Diana was born in the twelfth century, more than two thousand years after the Amazons came to the island. Compared to even her I'm the baby of the Amazons, I'm only twenty-three. Also I'm adopted, but as Cait says, I was raised here. Cait's as American as you are, but she's an old friend."

    "As for Diana being the only one running around..." Donna gives Diana a mock glare. "I was in the public eye before Diana was, but I wasn't /allowed/ to say where I was from. Of course when big sis decides to go public, the world must know!" Her glare gives way to an enormous grin. "Actually Diana was out in the world of men and being a hero decades before me, but she's uh... well. Probably a bit better at keeping things quiet than I am. " She gives Caitlin a knowing smirk and gives a short, slightly guilty laugh.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Right, sure, I get that. I just mean, I don't know, it seems a little... defeatist almost? Like they've basically conceded the whole darn planet as unsalvagable, and abandonned the rest of us ladies as acceptable casualties," Cassie is going on as she chats with Caitlin about Amazonian politics, not realizing Diana is on her way, let alone listening in on the whole thing. It isn't the absolute first time she's heard this stuff, but she's had little opportunity to discuss it seriously.

Or, for that matter, with anyone other than Diana. It can be hard to argue with your idol!

So when Diana does appear at the door - and not just appear, but pose there like she's stepped out of a freaking fashion editorial - the whole thing comes to a sudden halt, missing only the actual record scratch on the soundtrack. Cassie quickly sets down the yet-untried glass, and turns, grinning to cover up a more sheepish or embarassed expression, toward the door and her mentor.

"I understand why they'd see it that way..." she answers as Diana adds her own explanation, and soon Donna's with it. "I just think, hmm, that you guys have ended up a little out of touch, somewhere along those however-many hundreds or thousands of years. Things have changed a lot. They're not, like, perfect, but if you read some of the stuff online I do..." Oh god, is Cassie going to introduce the Amazons to tumblr? "I just think... well, if there was ever a time when people like this could show up and totally turn the system on it's head, it's now." See? Even proto-Cassie was eager and ready for the day the Amazons finally Attacked!

Ahem.

Mostly, she's happy to move on to any other topic. And between Diana's magnificent entrance, armful of gifts, and Caitlin's carefully artful perching, 'clothes' seems a nice safe option. "Really?!" She's suddenly very interested, moving to take hold of the bundle. "I really like your outfits. All the stuff people wear here is so pretty." She quickly takes them over to the bed and starts sorting through them. "Should I change now? Or, I guess, is the armor for tomorrow?"

And while distractedly digging through the pile, she listens to Donna describe their odd history. "Right, you were with the Titans all that time, yeah? Di, why'd you stay hidden anyway? Like, imagine my surprise, finding out my mom's friend from work is like the biggest superhero in the world." Not Superman? Well, in /Cassie's/ world.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin passes Diana her glass when Donna laments the shortage of cups. It's not like the redhead was going to drink more than a sip anyway. She sticks out her tongue at Donna with a fond petulance when she gets a smirk from her friend.

"Donna was one of the very first Titans," Caitlin explains for Cassie's benefit. "It was her and Richard at first, and Donna knew me already so she asked me along. But Donna couldn't tell us about Themyscira either, for a long time. I didn't find out until a few years ago when Di finally brought me to the island." The redhead gestures at Diana and Donna both, passing off the conversational baton to the actual Amazons to explain how and why Hippolyta elected to keep the island secret for so long.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana accepts the glass from Caitlin with a smile and moves to sit down on the edge of a chair within the room. She sweeps her skirt about and crosses her legs at the knees, sitting with her back straight upon the chair. To the subject of the 'World of Men', Diana shows a soft smile. "I intend to retire phrases like that, in my lifetime, if I am able to do so. But it will take time... I have confidence it will happen though as I can already see elements of it coming to be so." She glances down at the drink then and raisese it up to sniff the contents. Her dark elegantly sculpted eyebrows raise up then. "Someone brought the party drinks, to be sure." She states then, looking up with a slight grin before she raises the glass up to take a sip.

At Cassie's question, Diana's eyes look to regard her. "You can wear it whenever you wish. It is yours now to do with as you so choose." She glances to her left. "Though the cabinet likely has other attire for you that you may find more comfortable in the moment. More concealing, not quite geared toward so much agility, that which you will need in your training to come."

At Donna, Diana shows the hint of a grin to the right corner of her lips. "You were very eager to become the first Themysciran to be public, I am sorry if it seems as though I took that from you Donna. It was not my intention, I merely feared for your safety because of the whirlwind you were in the middle of, with all that was happening in your life. It took me time to build the confidence to join you in the public limelight. And well... my decision came in haste, at a moment of considerable... dramatics. A 'snap decision' as they say. You helped me get there though, for certain." She smiles to her sister then, before looking to the three of them as a whole.

"Well then, are the three youngeset women on the island headed out to explore the city for the evening?" She asks, a playful air about her to the question.

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna opens her mouth and turns to stare at Caitlin. "Oh em gee, Cait!" Yeah. If there hadn't been enough wierdness for one day, an Amazon just OMG'd. "You are so lucky we left the secret identity jar back at the tower." She breaks into a grin and nudges Caitlin.

    "Cait's underplaying her own role," she tells Cassie. "There was no Titans until Cait and I joined up with them. There was a small group lead by Nightwing that pretty much just hung out together. Cait and I were friends already when the Alliance Invasion happened, and I kinda dragged her into action, and we kinda met up with Nightwing's crew. After the invasion the League started up, but they decided Nightwing was too young, so the bunch of us decided to start our own team. So Cait was as much one of the first Titans as anyone else."

    Donna pushes herself up from the table she'd been leaning against and steps quickly over to Diana, wrapping an arm around her and leaning her head briefly on Diana's shoulder. "Di... you... you didn't take anything from me, ever. Mom told me I wasn't to reveal anything about Themyscira before I left. It was hard not being able to tell my friends the truth about my life before I met them, but I'm glad it was you who revealed Themyscira to the world. You earned it. And I was sixteen! Hera, I know how much easier mom was on me than she ever was on you. It's amazing she let me go into the World of Men when I was that young, but she never would have if you hadn't been there already. You were always so patient with me."

    The sisterly moment over, Donna steps away again, and nods to Cassie. "You're preaching to the converted here, really. Diana has lived in the World of Men for almost a century and seen a lot of those advances happening first hand. I spent a third of my life in America. Diana and I have both made the same points to mom, many times. But the Amazons have lived this way for thousands of years. It's hard for people to change their views on the world when they've lived with them so long. We're getting there, though."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Wait, she's got a whole closet? Cue Cassie dashing over to check -that- out. "Concealing? I mean, it's pretty warm here, dunno that I'd really need it," she says, voice echoing a little as she's basically speaking from inside said cabinet, now, the doors flung open as she digs through everything inside, occasionally tossing things over her shoulder to land on the bed. This is like an early Christmas.

And maybe it's a good thing she's so focused on the clothes. Richard who?

Eventually, she turns around and comes back, carrying the last item from the closet over one arm, examining the now fairly haphazard collection she's made on the bed. "Well, I always thought you were all pretty much the coolest," she offers magnanimously as the Titans history is discussed. "I guess I can understand there being a need for secrecy. Like, there's already all kinds of crazy stories about Diana, people wanting interviews and asking about the island. A mystery really sells, you know? Even without the 'island of women' angle to make it extra juicy. But it's not all fans, obviously."

As they chat, she finally decides on an outfit, and starts to change without much todo. Which means the answer to Diana's question about potential plans for the evening is muffled as Cassie tries to speak through a t-shirt around her head, before she pauses to get it all the way off and then tries again. "Well what does an Amazon do for fun around here?" Beat. "Uh, and like, what's the..." She holds up the tunic-dress she's picked. "... like, underwear situation, around here?"

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin gives Donna -A Look-. "Way to call attention to it!" she says under her breath, and swats Donna's knee perhaps a little harder than is necessary. Donna swats her back. It quietly escalates until a couple of short punches get thrown, and a sharp glance from Diana interrupts them before Cassie is likely to notice the misbehaviour. The two friends sit there sulking and rubbing red marks on an arm and leg, respectively.

Caitlin eyes Donna once more and politely turns away while Cassie gets changed, whether out of a concern for Cassie's modesty or a general sense of propriety.

"I always pack out extra shorts and support tops," Caitlin tells the wall. There's not really room for her to turn her back on Cassie but she's at least politely looking away. "If there is one thing they do not know how to make here, it is a good bra."

In fairness, Caitlin likely gets her undergarments from the same places that provide industrial fiber for the aerospace industry.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana lightly leans in to the embrace from Donna and smiles at her sweet words of reassurance. she doesn't comment on it any further as Donna puts that matter to rest. To Cassie, Diana glances and offers her a light grin. "Just in case your mother is a little concerned about some of the covering amount that the clothing you can find on this island provides, is all. And it does get somewhat chilly at night, some nights at least." She glances to the others, then back to Cassie. "There is also an ice cave on the island, where it gets very cold. But, on the positive side, you can ice skate there, so that's fun." She states with a growing grin.

Diana is seated o nthe edge of a chair in her golden training armor, with a white skirt and a happy expresison. Donna is not far, with Caitlin, playfighting? And Cassie is here! In her room, imagine ethat, asking about underwear.

"You can also explore the Enchanted Forest, though... some part sof it are off limits, as they are filled with creatures that do not wish to be disturbed. The Rangers of the Amazon can tell you all about that, however."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Underwear? Oh we don't bother with underwear here," Donna says airily. She raises her glass to her lips and takes a sip.

    A moment later Donna snorts and has to be careful not to spit out wine. "I'm messing with you. They'll have left you some underwear in one of the drawers. It's not that different from what you're used to, though generally a bit looser. Tip though, we have... well, basically bikinis for sportswear, you'll find that can be worn as underwear and is more what you're used to. And the bras are fine so long as you're not built like a rather top-heavy tank." Apparently the sparring isn't over, because Donna sticks her tongue out at Caitlin.

    "Entertainment... is not /that/ different really? No TV and no Internet is... huh. Well to be honest you'll be surprised how quickly you stop missing it, though I do miss Youtube. There are a lot of plays, live music, stuff like that. Places to eat, lots of bars, plenty of nightlife." She glances sideways at Diana, then shields her hand with her mouth and stage whispers "You won't get carded, we don't have drinking age laws here."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Changing your clothes while two girls beat each other up in the background is a fairly typical high school locker room scenario, so no, Cassie doesn't pay Donna and Caitlin any more mind for their sudden combat bout than anything else, if she takes note of it at all! "Noted," she echoes Caitlin's advice. "I brought some of my sports stuff so I think I'll be alright." Still, the fact that Donna suggests they do have some variety of it here makes her awful curious, and she turns back to go digging through another drawer, and comes up a moment later holding one of these Amazonian sports bikinis, such as it is, once piece in each of her hands, with a thoughtful, but mildly dubious look.

"I might be with Caitlin on this one still. Title nonwithstanding, Man's World has given us a few decent not-man advancements, and the sports bra is definitely one of them." Soon she'll have the Amazons in yoga pants!

For now, though, especially noticing Caitlin turned facing the wall, she doesn't expertiment with the wild world of Amazon underthings and after wriggling out of her shorts, just throws the local-style tunic dress on over her heathen man-land garments. "And my mom is concerned about everything I do, I try not to let it bother me, Di. Alright. Ice cave? Wow, that's cool." Well, yes.

"Enchanted forest... Ok so, maybe it IS really different here, but I meant more like, casual hang out with your friends fun than, go out on adventure fun," she explains. "I... figure I've plenty of that lined up the next few days anyway, right? I meant more-" Cue Donna. "Right! That! Maybe go sit in your equivalent of a cute bistro, listen to some music, that kind of thing." No comment on the drinking!

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin sticks her tongue out back at Donna, eyes narrowed. There's obviously no real rancore between them-- it's practically a set piece of motions they go through. "You're a... tank," she informs Donna, utterly failing to deliver a devastating counterblow to Donna's teasing.

"You could come with me to the library," Caitlin offers to Cassie as a timid third option. "It's really great. I mean, my Greek's still pretty rusty, I have to bring a dictionary and my translation matrix with me everywhere, but I'm figuring it out. And there's a bunch of great artwork, and the forges are *really* cool, it's like if classical blacksmithing had been improved upon steadily for thousands of years!"

Clearly the engineering nerd has her preferences for where to spend her recreational time.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana gives Cassie a side glance for a moment. "The clothing in that cabinet is all genralized in its fitting. Taken from your guessed measurements. You will want to go to the clothiers to have them size you properly, and then they can make you all manner of clothing items that will suit your needs and desires." She says with a confidence to her voice, as if she's had a lot of clothier work done over the years, and she has... she's a bit picky with her garments, and always has been. "I actually prefer the clothing on the island, to most of what the mainlands have. It is a better mixture of beauty and function, where the mainlands usually divide those two more harshly."

At the talk of entertainment, Diana lowers her glass of wine after another light sip. She cracks a grin and then laughs in a bubbly-sort've way. "Yes, I... found entertainment through exploration, more than I did through... libraries or otherwise. Though the live music is a wonderful way to end an evening, especially after a large feast. There are few memories here at home, more nostalgic in my mind's eye, than curling back in a soft seat, bundled up in a nice robe, and listening to the performers play their music. Especially if dancing is involved..." She smiles quite happily at that thought.

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Cycle shorts," Donna says, adding to the list of Man's World inventions that Themyscira could benefit from. "When it comes to something for wearing under your armor, they can't be beat. Changed my life."

    She looks sidelong at Caitlin, blinks a couple of times and then smiles fondly at her dear, hopeless friend. "I mean yeah, the libraries... we do have a lot of amazing stuff in the libraries if that's your thing. I'm working on a translation of Homer's comedy masterpiece, Margites, which as far as I know now only survives on Themyscira. But I mean that's not exactly nightlife. Thing is Cass... okay to call you Cass? Well, it may look like you've gone back in time to ancient Greece, but we do have thousands of years of development and it's not all dusty old texts. Diana's all set on introducing the World of Men to our ways and the wisdom of Athena, but honestly my ambition is to share TDM with the world. Themysciran Dance Music. It's not all airy kithera and aulos pieces around here!"

    She may be kidding - but then the Amazons have had thousands of years to learn how to party, too.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Personal tailoring? Contrary to Miss Born an Actual Princess, such a thing is pretty posh-sounding to Cassie, so she's a bit surprised by it. "Personally fitted? I'm sure all of this is fine for now, my measurements are pretty average." Well. On normal Earth. In the land of giant Amazon women? Notsomuch. "It is all really pretty, though."

She's not gonna argue with Diana even if clearly her, Caitlin, and Donna are all on a wavelength here, when it comes to the advantage of modern synthetics.

But, entertainment! And, woo boy, is that a WHOLE 'nother thing. Caitlin's round of far more nerd-oriented suggestions get a look from the new Amazon cadet that can only be described as 'oh, honey, no.' Sympathetic but... well, yeah. Maybe a little too sympathetic. Still, elements of her look aside, she doesn't do the mean girl thing, and quickly changes tacts: "That stuff all sounds interesting, Cait, and you can show me around later, OK? Maybe..." and she drops her voice to a whispered mutter, "...after my mom goes home." Resume normal volume! "But we're -celebrating- now, yeah?"

Which she also turns a look on Diana to reinforce. Celebrating. Not monster hunting! "Great, so it sounds like music is something everyone can at least enjoy," she notes, seizing on what common ground there seems to be.

She also clarifies for Donna: "Sure, Cass or Cassie- only my mom ever calls me Cassandra, and only when she's mad about something." After that she holds up her hands. "I'm sure the libraries are great, but like, I just finished a semester of school and all, I'm sure there'll be plenty of time for that stuff later." After her mom has to go back!!!

Hippolyta has posed:
And the door swings open to reveal the Queen of the Amazons herself steps into Cassie's room. She pauses for a second at the threshold and, with a slight raising of her eyebrows and a smile, she proceeds in. "I thought I heard voices," she speaks in her melodious contralto, "I see everyone is still brimming with energy, should I request Antipatha to prepare a night run to ensure a good sleep?"

Her bearing is the same as always, but Diana and Donna would easily detect the small telltale signs that Hippolyta is teasing. The Queen is wearing a crimson peplos encircled by a scintillating girdle, and a complementing sash. Although normally impeccably attired, it seems that the peronai at her right shoulder are nost as symmetrically applied as they normally are. She reaches up with one hand and smooths back a stray lock of wavy hair that had fallen across her right temple, setting it into place with practiced ease. "I hope you are not having too much of a shock in accustoming yourself to these new surroundings, Cassandra."

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
"What is it with you and plying newcomers with liquor and jazz?" Caitlin asks Donna. Her question might as well be rhetorical; it's right then that Hippolyta enters, and Caitlin gawks for a half-second before remember her manners and swiftly rising to her feet. Then a second later, an awkward curtsey. "Your Majesty, I-I'm sorry, we were just helping Cassie get acclimated," she apologizes with an uncharacteristic stammer.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana is just smiling at the younger women. "If all else fails, Cassie, I will take you to the Harpy cliffs, and show you where to scale them in a secret route that will let you steal one of their eggs. They make a delicious cake after all." She takes another sip of the wine, and it's hard to tell if the Princess is being serious, or just having a little fun. She was a bit of a scamp in her early years, especially once she started to excel in her Amazon training, as it made her arrogant... it wasn't until her middle years that she began to make her way out of that mindset.

For a variety of reasons.

But when the Queen enters, Diana's eyes go to her mother and she smiles at the mere sight of her. She lets the others answer the questions posed, then moves to rise up from her chair. "I would be happy to go on that run." She says, because of course she would. "I believe the young ones here are planning other ways to find exhaustion through the city's entertainment venues however." She glances to them, then back to Hippolyta.

"What say you, mother?" Diana asks. "What are your favorite ways to be entertained in moments of relaxation?" Diana likely knows the answers to this question, but it's more fun to hear her mom say it, and to prod at her to speak on lighter subjects as often as she can get the Queen to.

Donna Troy has posed:
"Cassie, then. I like that." Donna beams a wide smile. She seems to do that a lot - something that her media presence as the fierce warrior-woman of the Titans had never really conveyed.

    "You gotta remember that Themyscira is small, Cassie. Like think ... I don't know, Martha's Vinyard. You're not ordering from a catalogue and we don't really mass-manufacture things. Made to measure is standard, don't worry about it. Have a word with one of the palace attendants and they'll send someone to get you measured up. If there's anything particular you want, just ask. Word of warning, don't go too far off base though. I asked for a pair of jeans about a year ago and it's still being worked on. Apparently someone got really excited by the idea of pants with rivets and decided to improve the design. Last I heard they were consulting with the Cyclopes of Hephaestus' forge on differential annealing techniques for some reason. I'm expecting the first pair of Themysciran jeans to look amazing, be magical and bullet proof, and be delivered in about two hundred years."

    It's hard to know when she's joking - she can be pretty deadpan. Themysciran dance music? Themysciran jeans? It's not that it isn't plausible, but there seems to be a bit of family theme here - Diana is of course /still/ a scamp, and so is Donna. There is a subtle difference in style between the two sisters' jokes though - maybe the consequence of Donna having spent half her teenage years in America.

    That influence is keenly felt in her reaction to Hippolyta's arrival and her suggestion of night runs: "Moooom!" The complaint is not too serious either. Hippolyta's own teasing finishes off the picture - there's little question where Diana and Donna had learned their habits.

    Donna looks at Hippolyta, and blinks curiously a couple of times. Her eyes go wide and she smiles a fixed smile of greeting to her mother. She falls silent, letting Diana respond to the queen. If anyone happened to be looking closely, they might notice her eyes defocusing a little and a hint of pink entering her cheeks when Diana asks Hippolyta about 'being entertained'.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Well, ok. Doubt I'll need anything fancy, anyway. Although bullet proof magic jeans sound pretty cool. Probably worth it." They'll all soon become familiar with Cassie's rather less than formal preferences when it comes to heroic attire, after all!

Diana's Harpy tale, on the other hand, earns a wide-eyed look. Although she's gotten to know Diana pretty well, it was mostly in the very mundane context of her secret identity, and the 'crazy mythical nonsense' stuff is still pretty new. She can buy that there's actually harpies here. But... "Wow that sounds, like, uh... a pretty dangerous cake recipe. We always just used Betty Crocker instant mix."

Like the others (or Caitlin, at least), Cassie is taken a bit by surprise by Hippolyta's arrival, and while they're not up to anything more than discussing general entertainments on the island, she still reacts a little like she's been caught at something. Maybe just staying up late! Because that threat of sending them on a run seems to land pretty well, causing a nervous expression even as she tugs here and there to adjust the local garment she's just put on. "Your Majesty, we were just talking about seeing a bit more of the city, since I'm sure I'll be doing -plenty- of jogging through the countryside. A little of the, uh, culture I guess?"

Also, Diana gets a look: OMG don't encourage her with the running bit!! And again, Donna is a better ally when it comes to these youthful moments.

"I don't think it's a shock so much," she continues, answering the Queen's inquiry after giving things another moments thought. "More that it's just exciting having all of this to take in, so much to see. If you have recommendations," she wonders, tag-teaming with Diana, now. "I'd really appreciate them. You must know this place better than anyone."

Also, for anyone keeping count, that's now another mom that calls her that!

Hippolyta has posed:
"Caitlin, there is no need for such formality, but the deference is greatly appreciated," Hippolyta's smile turns to Caitlin and gestures for her to resume her seat. She is familiar with Diana and Donna's ways, and she perhaps has been guilty of encouraging them in her own way. She does not touch upon the nocturnal jog again, to Cassie's relief, and she seems amenable to the topic at hand.

"That would depend entirely on what the source of the need, of course. If it is a boredom of the body, such as it is when it manifests itself in restlessness, I often prefer to swim, but of course sparring is never out of the question. One can learn a great deal from those around you once you have seen them put their minds and their bodies to a purpose in concert with yours. Some from your world, Cassandra, might misconstrue the Amazon respect for the martial disciplines as an unhealthy reverence for war- of course, by now you know this is not so, but rather it is but one of the many ways in which we grow closer in our sisterhood."

"On the other hand," she waves a hand, the bracelet glittering even at night, "If the boredom results from idleness of the mind, perhaps coming to know Themyscira and its surroundings can sate your thirst for knowledge. Of course, our library is exemplary, as well as our homes of the arts and music. And one cannot be remiss in recommending conversation and company, which is always a restorative of the soul. In fact, your mother and I engaged in conversation tonight, Cassandra, and I believe that she is now more amenable to the idea of you two remaining here a while longer." She smiles, "I thought that might be news that might please you."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana is quick to show Cassie a grin at the tale of the Harpy Cake, but her eyes are also quick to snap over to her mother. It took almost a hundred years for the two of them to see each other again, and in that time, Diana had grown a new found love for her mother, and through her absence on Themyscira, she satiated her desire for Adventure abroad, and now found a great deal of pleasure in being home, with her loved ones. Some part ofher even desired to stay much longer than she was able to... but also over the century that she'd been gone, she'd grown roots in the mainlands, she always had to leave Themyscira now, at some point.

"Well then." Diana says, after hearing Hippolyta's suggestion. "It sounds as if the library, and the artistic endeavors have won out. Harpy Cake and Adventure another time." The Princess says in her smoky voice, offering a quick smile.

She then, offers her mother the rest of the glass of wine, as its still over half full. "I think we have quite the night planned ahead of us." Apparently she intends on tagging along with the younger women too!

Donna Troy has posed:
    At the start of Hippolyta's answer, Donna's eyes had already been slightly defocused. By the time she reached the word 'sparring' she had entered thousand-yard stare mode. As the queen went on, that point of focus just continued to recede. By the time she reaches 'your mother and I', it's probably closer to a thousand stadia.

    "Yes! Planned ahead of us!" Donna agrees with Diana, slightly too loudly. "Some music! We're going down into the town to find some music, maybe a little dancing... don't worry, /matera/, we won't keep Cassie out too late. See you later!" She puts her glass back down on the table and starts trying to shoo the others out of the room. "Come on! Let's get going, don't want to miss the band! The night is still young but it ain't getting any younger!"

    If she's loud and urging everyone on, then hopefully nobody will think too much more about what the queen had said.

    Or notice the fact that her hair and dress are not currently as immaculately in place as she normally wears them.

    "I know a place! The house band is great. Let's go! Let's go!"

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
While her daughters may be quite familiar with all the wonders of the island, every form of entertainment, exercise, and intellectual stimulation (among other kinds), Cassie is still new to the place, so she does listen to Hippolyta's description with more intent interest. Plus, she's not so familiar and comfortable as they are, to be lax or inattentive with the /Queen/. So she pays heed, and nods seriously in parts, particularly as regards the martial disciplines and sisterhood-in-arms that the elder Amazon speaks of.

She is totally down for all of that!

... just maybe not tonight.

No doubt, she takes the other younger Amazon's DISTANT LOOK as mere boredom at hearing the same speech, and finds nothing strange in the 'conversation' Hippolya speaks of. She just, like Donna, appreciates the urge to get out and have some fun! And so, politely, she offers:

"I'm glad to hear she's having a good time. I knew she'd like it here." It's a rare thing, admittedly, to hear Cassie speak positively of Helena. But despite the fact they obviously fight quite a bit, her happiness seems genuine. "Like, all of this was way more -her- thing than mine, y'know? So I'm glad she's enjoying it, too." Beat. "Now maybe she'll get off my back." Annnnnnnd we're back to normal. And if there's a subtext to /how/ Helena is enjoying herself, she misses it... or doesn't care? No, probably misses it. She's a /little/ new to the whole 'island of only women' concept, still.

She continues, in that diplomatic tone, "Anyway, if it's alright with you, I'd love to go out with Donna and take in a bit of music. I promise I won't be so late I can't make the start of my training in the morning." She looks over at Donna, smiling, though that look may turn just a little quizzical with how desperate Donna seems to be to get going! Oh well! "You'll both come too, right? C'mon!"

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin steps over to Cassie while the First Family of Themyscira engages in a lot of Significant Looks that escape easy interpretation. A hand rests on the blonde's shoulder and Cait offers her most encouraging smile. "I'm not as much of a partier as Donna, but if you just want a wingmate to go with you, I'll keep you company," Caitlin offers with a homegrown sincerity. "I know the island well enough to not get lost and I promise I won't be a buzzkill."

She thinks about that. "I promise I will /try/ to not be a buzzkill," she offers, amending her blanket statement.

Hippolyta has posed:
"But of course," Hippolyta says, "Please go ahead and enjoy the music- you will find it different from that of your home, but I hope you will grow to appreciate it for its own qualities."

She gives Diana a glance, "I entrust you into Diana's hands- Diana, if you go by the Kapeleia, do see that Troia is not the one to order the libations. Last time, Amargosa sent an inquiry to the palace on the whereabouts of several rhytons of her special vintage." There is a slight teasing glance at Donna, before nodding. "I hope you have an enjoyable evening. Normally I would also be inclined to appreciating music, but it has been a long and tiring day, and I will retire to my chambers." And, with a final acknowledgement, th Queen exits the room, to leave the younger women to their entertainments.