5426/Themyscirans Reunited

Themyscirans Reunited
Date of Scene:	04 March 2021
Location:	Art Studio - Themysciran Embassy
Synopsis:	In the aftermath of BadCassie's capture and Diana's recovery, Cassie declares it's vacation time. Diana agrees. Donna fails to disagree succesfully.
Cast of Characters:	Donna Troy, Diana Prince, Cassie Sandsmark

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Donna Troy has posed:
    It has been a tense and dramatic few weeks, apart from for Diana who slept through it all. It has been a tense and dramatic few hours since Diana's awakening for everyone. The T-Jet and Diana's invisible jet flew back from Cambodia together, and BadCassie has been delivered to a DEO high-threat holding cell, with a few extra protective wards added by Raven.

    Donna has been insistent that BadCassie is not going to be delivered to SHIELD's standard doppelganger relocation program, but that she will accompany BadCassie and SHIELD agent Truflight to return BadCassie to Alt-Themyscira, where she will join the former dictator of that Earth, Kara Zor-El's doppelganger, on the newly created Reformation Island there.

    The Amazons that have been tending Diana have relocated from the Hall of Justice to the Embassy, which is more populated by Amazons than it has ever been, and feels almost like a slice of home. In another room, Helena is being tended to by Epione, with a worried Cassie in attendance.

    Finally, after hours of noise and activity, Diana and Donna seek the one place in the embassy where a little quiet can be found, Diana's work room. Since that first joyful cry of "Diana!" when she had put in her surprise appearance in Cambodia, Donna has been oddly distant from her older sister, intensely focused and very business like. When the doors close and the two are finally alone, the facade crumbles and Donna falls into her sister's arms. "Diana. I... gods. It's so good to have you back. These last weeks have been a nightmare."

Diana Prince has posed:
Cassie had delivered the last blow to her dopple... and Diana had just stood there and watched, holding the dopple lasso'd up. She'd passed the dopple off to Cassie then and looked to the Titans who'd been surrounding her at the site of the fight. She'd been somber, quiet even, to the point some may have thought something might still be wrong with her, at least at first. But soon Diana had started to smile to the others, and assure them that she was herself... merely... still waking up to the world again.



Flashing forward to here and now, Diana is impressed by the lively atmosphere at the Embassy and the number of additional Themyscirans who've come to the mainland to provide assistance. She'd commented 'This is not how I wished to increase our numbers in the city, but I will take it.'

She had seen Donna's demeanor and decided to arrange this time in the Art studio for them to be together for a bit to decompress. She'd changed in to comfortable clothing, very dressed down for her normal style. Blue jeans, a loose white button up shirt over a black tshirt and the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Tennis shoes and a pair of glasses that don't really provide anything visual wise, but do help keep ehr from touching her face when she might have paint on her fingertips!

She smiles to Donna just before her sister comes to truly decompress and Diana is there to comfort and embrace her in return. An affectionate sound leaves the Princess, her familiar voice soothing for Donna's ears hopefully. "We are good now." Diana tells her. "We're on our way back to how things are supposed to be."

She'll wait a moment before she'd pull back and put her hands on Donna's shoulder, leveling her stare to her sister's eyes. "You did very good. I could not be more impressed with what all I've heard, Donna." And she flashes another soft smile for her oonce again.

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna holds Diana's gaze for a few moments before lowering it. "I did what was necessary," she disagrees. "And I nearly did the wrong things. When you were hurt -- Gala contacted me. Cait and I rushed over, but Cassie's double was already gone. I was... I was so angry. I wanted to kill her, Di. I asked mother to send the God-Killer sword. I was ready to end her life without pity or mercy, without giving her a chance."

    She sighs and steps away from Diana, sitting on the edge of a table. "Caitlin and Rae got me to calm down. To stop and think. There has been so much to deal with. The Titans were falling apart with the stress of all these doppelgangers. Since the news leaked out about your injury the embassy has been inundated. On top of everything, the Kryptonians have all left Earth for a pilgrimage to Krypton. I've been having to worry about what would happen if there's another major crisis while they are gone, without... without you. I've barely slept..."

    She looks up again, shaking her head slightly. "I don't know what I'd have done if... you know. Without you. When I was lost in space I had to consider the possibility that I would never see you again, but even then, I knew you'd still be /here/. You'd still be you." She gives a rueful smile. "I can't be you. Your boots are too big."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana separates from Donna but remains standing there before her sister for at least a few more moments to judge the other's body language while she expresses all of this to her. Diana does decide to move though, and steps over to the small kitchen area in the workroom. She opens up the wall mounted frdge to get a couple of bottles of tea out for both of them, her eyes looking over to Donna while she speaks.

She keeps a mostly even toned expression through it all, but she does crack a small smile at the boots comment.

When she steps back toward Donna she offers her one of the bottles of tea, then will put that hand on to Donna's shoulder should she take and accept it. "Donna." She says. "You do not have to be me. You have to be you. The world needs you as much as it needs me, as much as it needs anyone who does what we do. You are a great warrior, and a great leaderr, and believe me... groups always feel like they are on the verge of falling apart during trying times. But when you believe in your companions, they will believe in you, and you will collectively find a way to stick together, to triumph over the troubles we face in any given moment."

She shows a light smile again before she takes her hand back to open her tea bottle. "How long have the Kryptonians been absent?' Diana asks, curious about that revelation.

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Uh... a few days?" Donna replies, looking slightly confused. She's lost track of time a bit. "A week maybe. It's not generally known yet. I've got Vorpal rabbit holing around the planet and projecting illusions of Kryptonians flying around so the occasional sighting will appear on social media. We're hoping we can keep their absence secret until they get back."

    She takes the tea with a grateful smile, but doesn't open it yet. "The Titans... the Titans are okay, now. We've got things sorted out. All four known doppelgangers dealt with, now. There was a lot of tension, but that's fading. Still a couple of issues to sort out, but I think things are working out there, I'm not worried about the team. I can handle that. I can handle being me. Trying to be both of us... that's..." she burst into a laugh, shakes her head, and opens her drink.

    "I'm a good enough warrior, and a good enough leader. I can even manage to keep an embassy running smoothly when you're not able to on top of all that. But you're an inspiration to people, Di. To the whole world. That's not me."

    She takes a swig before looking back at Diana. "I thought about... borrowing your armor. Dressing up as Wonder Woman, putting in a few appearances here and there. Just so the world felt that Wonder Woman was still around. If you'd stayed in a coma longer, I might have done it. But it didn't feel right. I worried I'd do the wrong thing, or say the wrong thing, and... you know."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Helena's recovery has been relatively swift compared to Diana's, despite her comparably mortal constitution. Some theories have been batted around: that the drain might have actually been more intense on more powerful beings, given the armor's purpose and design, or that it's lingering effect may have ceased once the armor lost a wearer and went dormant (and was possibly thrown into another dimension, on top of that!). Whatever the case, she's quickly recovered past the need for intensive care at the Hall, and has been content with bedrest and a great deal of Amazon fussing. Recently, she's even asked to have some of her work brought to her so she can do it in bed!

Naturally, her daughter visits daily, coming after her classes are over. "You heard Epione," comes the young woman's voice, moving out of the room and toward the studio. "You can work for an hour more, but then you have to sleep!" Is Cassie savoring the fact that the whole dynamic of who gets to worry over who has been reversed? Maaaaaybe just a little!

She's definitely in high spirits by the time she joins the others, with a certain bounce to her step and wide grin. It's just like Cassie to have bounced back from all of this rather quickly, once the actual dangers have seemingly passed. "You two gotta watch her! She had museum expense reports, some planning stuff for the next Embassy event, AND a grant proposal for a new excavation site. I dunno how she sneaks all of that stuff in!"

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana shows a quick grin at the talk of Vorpal projecting Kryptonians around the globe. "Deceptive, but... I can understand the motivation behind it." She says softly but lets that subject go as she steps over to the small seating area and takes a seat on the edge of one of the chairs.


She's sipping her tea and glancing down at some of the museum papers on the table in front of the chair... old work reports that she'd set down on that table almost a month ago.

She looks away from that though, and back to Donna. Another smile shows. "I am sure it would've helped offer a sense of comfort to people, had you taken up the armor. So should something like this happen again, you certainly have my blessing to do so. But remember... you are building an iconic persona of your own design, one that people will come to have hope and faith in as they do in the idea of Wonder Woman. What people in this world truly want, is to just feel that we are here to help them, that we are here to help fight back against the great evils that are ever crashing against the shores."

"As for the Embassy, welll?" Diana shakes her head and lightly and shortly laughs a moment. "I am not looking forward to my e-mail."

When Cassie appears, Diana looks up to her and shows a large smile to the young woman. "I don't know..." The Princess says. "That kind of work might help relieve the stress of which we've all been enduring the past many weeks."

Uh oh, Diana is on Helena's side!

Donna Troy has posed:
    "I appreciate your faith Diana," Donna says with a slight grin. "But I have been doing this in the public eye longer than you have now, and I didn't make Terry faint when he first me me. Actually he was a little rude and hostile, but to be fair he didn't immediately recognize me. It's not just doing what we do that makes you... you. Wonder Woman is a symbol in the way that Troia isn't because Troia is just a warrior and people appreciate that, but Wonder Woman is an inspiration as much because of how you speak with and deal with people as it is because of your strength."

    "I visited the Outsider's place. The Roost. I love what they are doing, it reminds me so much of the Titans back in the early days. I went there to bring Phoebe to your bedside, to see if she could help. You had been recovering, but the recovery had slowed. I think it is her power that made the difference. She was recovering from some wounds of her own, and I had to insist she took at least one day to recover before rushing to your side. She adores you, Diana. You really do inspire people."

    Cassie's arrival gets a smile from Donna too, but she follows it up by getting to her feet and giving Cassie a hug. "Cass... you've been great through all of this. Thank you. I know it has been hard on you, and I know I've been hard on you too. Maaaaybe a bit over-protective. Thank you for your patience."

    She takes a step back, looking the youngest Amazon over. "And do you have your powers back now? If Helena has any doubts still that it wasn't you who... well. I will talk to her anyway. She needs to know how well you've handled all of this. She should be really proud of you."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Yeah I guess," Cassie allows as Diana takes up Helena's defense, glancing back over her shoulder. "But she's still supposed to get some rest. She could, like, maybe just do two of the three of those and save the rest for tomorrow." While this nitpicking may take the convenient form of the child getting to tell the adult to 'go to bed early' for once, there's no doubt real worry behind it.

She pauses when Donna gets up to greet her, giving a sort of embarassed smile over the amount of a fuss shown her way. No sooner than she's loose, though, she does lift up from the ground to do a little mid-air twirl before settling back to her sneakered feet. "Yeah, I'm fine now. One-hundred percent! My mom said, well-" Sha pauses here, and shakes her head. "No, no. She knows it's me. It's not important, really. I think she feels bad about getting tricked in the first place, you know? I told her that these doppo-creeps have fooled a lot of folks and pulled off all kind of stuff, but you know how it is." Actually, they might not, and Cassie certainly doesn't, lacking a parent's perspective, to imagine failing your child.

Yet like most things, Cassie breezes past it without to much deeply-considered worry. Other than, it seems, rethinking Diana's earlier point. "I guess maybe that's why she's so keen on getting things back to normal." Then she shrugs. "I didn't do much, really." She might challenge the point about her patience, too: she was perfectly well -ready- to go without Diana, if she hadn't woken up, in just the borrowed artifacts. "Everything worked out pretty well in the end, anyway, so no reason to worry too much about it."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana doesn't like hearing that Donna just feels that Wonder Woman is more influential than Troia simply due to Diana being more 'likeable' or some such explanation, but she doesn't want to create a back and forth on the subject. She loves Donna, and believes in her, she believes that the title of Wonder Woman is... not where it counts, but, she lets it go. She smiles at Donna and just softly nods her head a couple faint times to the other's logic, as there is merit to be had within it.

"Well." Diana does say as she leans back in her chair aned over on to the right arm of it with her elbows and her drink between her hands. "I do not plan to return to a coma any time soon, so in the here and now... we can all work together to keep the world safe, yeah?" She lets a grin grace her lips for a mere moment before she regards Cassie again as she and Donna exchange words.

"I will go spend time with Helena here in a bit as well. I care a great deal for her and I want to make sure she knows that her contributions in all of this are considered just as valid and valued."

The Princess takes in a breath then. "On that note..." She starts, her eyes going between Donna and Cassie. "How do we thank Phoebe for her efforts? As far as I am concerned... she is indeed the reason I am here now, awake and lively again. We should celebrate her for this. She has earned it, yes?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Epione has made it clear to me already how we thank Phoebe for her efforts. She was dubious about Phoebe at first, but now she's Epione's new favorite, and it has been made clear to me that Phoebe is to be brought to Themyscira as soon as possible, and there can be no arguments." Donna gives a grin. The three all know how good Epione is at refusing to be argued with.

    "Talking of Epione, and Melantha's guards... I have asked Gala to prepare to return them to Themyscira in your invisible jet, and take word of your recovery to mother. I hope that's okay, Diana. Perhaps you'd like to talk to a Melantha about some of the guards staying here with us a while, as we're going to need a few more Amazons for the opening of the Arts Center anyway."

    Donna sits back down on the edge of the table again, and gives Cassie a nod. "You're right, Cass. Everything has worked out well in the end. We can stop worrying, at least for a few days while the universe conspires to send us our next big problem. If you think it will help Helena feel a little less guilty, I shall regale her with stories of all the times other doppelgangers have tricked people. Lest we forget," she raises her drink to Diana, "Our dear sister got fooled by your opposite number too, Cassie."

    "As for your emails, Diana -- don't panic. It won't be as bad as you fear. I have kept on top of embassy business and actually been able to work through some of the back-log too. You'll find your restoration work has backed up a bit, but not as much as you think. Raven has been helping me out at the embassy and it turns out she's got a decent knowledge of Helladic and Classical period ceramics. You're up to date on identification and classification work, at least."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Well, we'd talked about her doing some training, and she was one of the people I was talking about bringing to the island before all of this-"

But it seems like Donna (or perhaps Epione by Donna proxy!) is way ahead of Cassie on this line of thought about how they might thank Phoebe. "So, right, yeah, I'm sure she'd love to go. In fact... thanking anyone aside, or even forgetting about training," *gasp* "I feel like, after everything recently, first you going missing, and then Diana getting hurt and my mom- and plus what's been happening with Phoebe's family and everything, we could all use, you know, a little bit of a vacation or something."

Her attention darts quickly from Donna to Diana and back, guaging their reactions to her proposal of non-heroic laziness.

"Of course, like, it would LEAD into some training and stuff too, and between the jet and some of our abilties, its not like we couldn't respond if the world did happen to need us for anything. But we've talked about it for a bit and it feels like this is a good time for a retreat of our own, just not quite so far as Krypton." Someone was listening in!

As for reassuring her mom, that idea causes her to quickly lift her hands and shake her head. "No, nono, I don't think- better just to leave the topic be, I think. She knows perfectly well -what- happened, now. It's not, like, the technical details that are bothering her." Which she promptly segues into back up for her other idea: "All the more reason for her to get a nice break, too. She loves it there, y'know? Probably appreciates it more than I do, haha."

Diana Prince has posed:
The talk of additional Amazons being on site here at the Embassy, and subsequently the soon to open Arts Center, has Diana mulling over all involved there-in. The Arts Center... "Yes." Diana says to it. "I still intend to make a push to have the Queen herself come to the grand opening." She says in a tone that suggests that conversation will be hard, because of course it will be.

Diana leans forward then and gathers up the museum work orders off of the table and she rises back up to her full height to fan them out in her hand so she can read the top lines on each of them while she walks out of the seating area toward the windows where all those projects are lined up with white sheets draped over their tops. "I am impressed then." Diana says of the work being handled here at the Embassy and the art projects. "Perhaps Cassie is right, it is time for a long vacation." She grins back at them both.

"Then we make it happen. Phoebe to Themyscira where she can receive training amongst our sisters in the heart of the island. If this is reward enough for her, then it will be."

Diana steps over to her largest work station where she sets the papers down on one of the tall tables beside it. She pulls the white sheet up over the marbel bust that is sitting on the bench. A quick once over is given to the face of the statue to refresh Diana's mind on the work left to do on it. She looks back at the two of them to smile. "In the now, I think we should invite everyone we can over for dinner either tonight or tomorrow night. A bit of calm time together, without the stress. I will make sure that a 'No Dopplegangers' sign is placed out side too." She adds that last part with a big big smirk. "I imagine Ferdinand would be eager to cook for a large gathering again as well."

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Count me in. For the dinner, and for the vacation." It's a mark of how stressful things have been that even Donna thinks that taking a vacation is a good idea. Of course forgetting about training isn't on the agenda - Donna never stops training, and a relaxing week on Themyscira will probably include a relaxing eight hours a day training with the palace guards, too. At least she won't try to force anyone else to join her if they'd rather be drinking in some Themysciran taverna or relaxing on the beach.

    "But maybe we should wait until the Kryptonians get home," she adds reluctantly. "I kinda promised Batman the Titans would be there if the League needs any support while the Kryptonians are away and Diana was... you know. Taking a vacation the same time they are would be -- well, no Kryptonians /or/ Amazons. We don't want to encourage the bad guys. Besides, I was kind of hoping to take Kara to visit next time we head to Themyscira. Kate needs to come, too."

    Donna gives Cassie an nod and a smile. "Themyscira will be good for Helena. If you think giving her too much detail is a bad idea, I'll try not to bother her with doppelganger stories. You know her best, I'll follow your advice."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Ooh, dinner!" The promise of food is always a way to sway Cassie, energetic youngster that she is, and the young woman is particularly fond of Ferdinand's cooking. So even just that exclamation can probably be taken as agreement on her part.

And while she seems equally encouraged by both Diana and Donna's reactions to her proposed retreat, the latter qualifier on the timing of the plan does have her pause and wonder: "Do we have any idea when they're coming back?" She waits a moment, frowning slightly, and then goes on. "'Cause it's always sort of 'later, when there's not an emergency,' and you know how that tends to go. But all that stress isn't going on break, people kinda need this now."

And while Cassie is often the poster child for reckless youth, she's seemed to have given this more thought. "It's not like I'm talking about leaving the way they did. Themyscira is still ON EARTH, you know, if there's any kind of aliens-invade level of problem, we're no further away there than we would be anywhere else. And it would be far from all of the Titans. You can't let Nightwing or a Robin be in charge on their own for a while?" The last is leveled more squarely at Donna, challenging the need for HER to handle any of it specifically.

"Like I said, it's not like it's a long way by the jet," she finally declares, holding her arms apart. "Anyway, that's just my thinking. 'Sides, Diana said I can take the jet myself, now, so if you -really- need to be there for everything, maybe I can just grab some of the gals and get the party started early..."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana hasn't been at her workstation for essentially a whole month now so she's already starting to pull out tools and supplies to get them refreshed and resorted to having her back. She's listening to the two of them as she does this though and she has mixed expressions appear across her visage while she sets things up on the work bench in front of her.

"I have to agree with Cassie here on this one, Donna." Diana comes to say. She then looks over to Donna. "The world is safe right now. The Avengers are strong. SHIELD is reliable, if a bit mysterious. We are in good hands, even without the Kryptonians. And as you said... even Batman is out there somewhere." She has to give them both a grin at the dig at Batman, she hasn't seen him in some time... but she trusts him to be there when needed.

"A trip to Themyscira is not a stretch for us. We have all earned it. It is time to let your shoulders relax a little, Donna. You have done well, but now is a time of peace. We should enjoy it,." Diana holds up one of her favorite brushes and stares at the bristles.

"This is the way." She distractedly says... because she's seen the Mandalorian. At least season one anyway. Blame Galatea who has fallen head first in to sci fi since coming to the US.

Donna Troy has posed:
    "Robin isn't ready," Donna answers Cassie quickly. "Kate could, but I'd want her to come along. Nightwing... the problem is more that we'd be taking away half the Titans' firepower at a time when..."

    Donna sighs and her shoulders slump. "I really wanted to take Kara along. She's... they were thinking they would only be a couple of weeks or so, but I'll be surprised if they're back in less than a month. Maybe Rae... I don't think the Barrier would stop her from teleporting us back /out/ of Themyscira. Maybe... maybe a few days..."

    With Diana out of action and the Kryptonians off world, the last few weeks have transformed Donna's overactive sense of responsibility from feeling responsible for the Titans to feeling personally responsible for the safety of the whole world. It's not exactly easy to put that aside, but her sisters are being persuasive.

    And she's no fool. She knows she needs a vacation.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
As they discuss the whole thing, Cassie turns to follow after Diana toward her tools and work, peering over with a touch of curiousity if not expert understanding. Yet it's more a symbolic shift of battlefield location. With Diana on (and now, physically at!) her side, she strengthens her position. And even while Donna continues the verbal argument, seeing her body language shift, the younger hero can begin to feel the weakening resolve, feel victory within her grasp! Her grin is bright and sunny.

"They'll be fiiiiine," she insists, in an almost sing-song fashion. "And when Kara gets back, the Island will still be there waiting for her." HOPEFULLY. No one tell Cassie about the island's usual life expectancy in the comics!

"We all need this." And to make it extra Amazon: "Morale is part of an army's fighting strength too!" Cassie looks back to Diana, then, as if to solidify it all, then forward again. "So it's decided! I'm gonna go tell mom, then text the gals. Ooh, then I have to go and pick out some bathing suits-" There's a lot to do! But she's eager to get under way, racing off down the hall before Donna has time to change her mind!

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana finishes visually inspecting that old brush she has. It was a gift from Etta Candy, and though it was entirely fine by all rights, the Princess still valued it a great deal because of her friend's connection to it. She sets the brush down near some of the bottles of solvent and cannot hold back a grin at hearing Cassie's verbal battling with Donna.

"I will place a call to Carol Danvers to see if she is around on Earth currently too, if that will help ease your nerves as well, Donna." Diana states with a glance to the other dark haired sister within the room. She darts her eyes to Cassie then who is already writing our a mental list of things to do.

"Let me add on to that as well, young Cassie." Diana states as she continues to futz with the items on her workbench. "Stop by the kitchen and speak to our beloved Head Chef, let him know we are considering a dinner, for tomorrow to give him more time to prepare." Her eyes go back to Cassie to sparkle at her for a second with shared happiness before Diana looks back to Donna.

"Invite any of the Titans you'd like to come for the dinner too, yes? Oh, and anyone else who was a reliable source of help during... this 'coma thing'." She says those last few words with no small amount of distate on her voice.

Donna Troy has posed:
"I..." The final objections die away on Donna's lips. Cassie's enthusiasm is catching, her declaration that all is decided is too final to be gainsaid. Donna knows she's lost the argument, and it's not exactly an argument she was /eager/ to win. As Cassie charges out of the room, Donna watches her go with a shake of the head and a wide grin.

    "Cassie's..." She thinks carefully about how to finish the sentence, but finally gives up. "I was like that at her age, wasn't I?" she asks with a soft laugh, instead. Ah yes, all those long years ago. To Diana it probably feels like last week. "It was really hard for her, all of this. Not being able to do anything about it herself. I felt really bad about leaving her behind when we set off to Cambodia to rescue Helena, but it was the right thing to do. I hated to have to be the one saying 'it's too dangerous. It's not my... ah it doesn't matter. She's right, it's done now."

    Donna puts her drink down and stands, walking up behind Diana and hugging her around the shoulders. "I'm glad you found her, Di. Unlike her doppelganger, she's good for you. I think she's good for me, too."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana's back is to Donna when the other comes up to offer those kind words and the embrace. The action and words draw another smile from the Princess who was moving the items around on her bench before she raises her head up and glances back behind her shoulder. She raises her right hand up to hold on to Donna's arm and takes a second to enjoy the moment.

"Well. Yes." Diana starts her reply. "But, all the same, I will be much more cautious about random Cassandra invites to go on car rides together." The Princess jokes with a calm tone.

"Like I said, this is a time of peace, the sort of times that we do all that we do to achieve. So we should enjoy it. Together." She turns enough to give Donna a direct look, a smile, and then turns back to her work so she can immerse herself in it and thusly unwind a bit herself...

Old hobbies are always the most comfortable to pick up again after stressful experiences after all...