[05th February 2011]
[Hall of the Council, Themyscira]
"Thank you Mother" her daughter murmured, accepting the goblet of wine from Hippolyta's hand before moving to sit at the marble table with the others. She herself gazed out at the gorgeous sunset a moment as she filled her own goblet, idly listening as Philippus respond to a somewhat vulgar joke by Senator Orana upon their current situation with bemused, and weary, familiarity. Word of Zeus, and the Hera's latest spat had spread like wildfire upon the island since Diana and Donna's return and, more irritatingly, from the Priestesses of Aphrodite, Artemis, Hermes, Athena, and Hestia who'd all visited in rapid succession to give differing interpretations of events.
'Oh, and of course that WE must pay the tithe due to the newest drama amongst the Gods, because Zeus is Zeus, and Hera has not changed either in responding to his infidelity' she thought to herself taking a sip from the goblet and enjoying the brief moment of relaxation. It was truly vexing the problem presented by the idiocy on all sides, and despite Diana's best efforts it was going to cause...was causing...significant ructions amongst the rank and file of her island. Not even by the cost of the tithe itself, but through the talk and gossip that would occur where she would not see.
"It is hardly a laughing matter Orana" she chided gently turning away from the dying sunset sky and giving a tired smile to the small group assembled at the table "...unless you are volunteering to leave for Man's World now?"
Orana gave a grunt, arms folding across her toga clad chest "An 'honour' I must turn down, I'm no good as a magic user and we all know it. Unless you're ordering me of course, then I'll go...grumbling all the way"
"Do not worry Senator, we won't be doing that, you are too important to the island to risk sending when your voice will be needed to aid me in maintaining order. Though, let us be honest, sending one of our sisters who wields sorcery will require sending another, or a small number of others, to act as her guards" she answered with a chuckle, hiding a shudder at the thought at sending her friend anywhere..
[...Orana reared up over the bloody faced man, having stopped short of killing him thanks to her 'restraint' as a Senator "He insulted me by implying something about my breasts/accent/something-random-that-irritated-me! I demand compensation! Now send me his wife and daughters so I can free them and show them what a real life of battle is like!"]
...near Man's World. She sat between Diana and Philippus as her informal council rested after a long council session explaining all that had occurred, and then the long, depressing, and confused, questions that had followed in its wake. Granting a day of rest and festivities tomorrow would grant a little more time to plan what they were going to do, but it was digging up issues long buried that had been further held down by sending Diana, and in the future Donna, as Ambassadors to the savage lands beyond the island. Something at least her ever loyal Philippus seemed to recognise.
"Which brings us back to we are to send. Diana, skilled as you are, cannot fulfil such a purpose while also fulfilling her other tasks. And while I can admit Donna Troy has grown, she is angered recent events, and is best allowed train with Diana. So...we return to the issue of who to send, as teacher and as guardian? Derinoe..."
"No" Hippolyta answered simply as the groaned emerged in unison from several of those at the table. Sending her former lover, now drained of her youth...
[...Derinoe cackled happily as the clouds caught fire and the wrath of the Gods began to form "Great News My Love! I have trained these young males, weak as they are, and raised a mighty army to punish Sparta and Hecate for their crimes against me...us I mean! Please ignore the angry Gods coming after us in vengeance!"]
...would be a bad idea. Something Phillipus admitted spreading her hands and looking apologetic "I merely state an extreme, just as sending Persephone will be brought up"
[...a dozen naked males of varying ages lay spend upon a grassy vale. Persephone lay back in her nakedness, hiding the injury on her face with her hair and giving her Queen a confused look at Hippolyta's anger "What? You said make friends? I made LOTS of friends...also I maybe pregnant and restarted that GIANT PROBLEM again! Is that not great news?"]
"Let's...not, if possible" Hippolyta grumbled as the others, apart from Diana who gave a confused look, chuckled amongst themselves darkly "...the same reason as, No Diana we are not sending Artemis. Not unless we find someone to hold the leash"
[...blood flowed everywhere as her sister and subjected murdered her way through the various boys, men, and women who'd gotten between her and whoever had managed to insult-her/see-her-naked/say-she's-pretty - / - ...Artemis was naked surrounded by blood, corpses, and shattered armour "You have defeated me brave Man/Girl and now you have proven yourself worth of me!"]
"A wise choice my Queen" Magala agreed "...and while I know my skills are as user of magic qualifies for the role I would suggest one younger and less skilled. Knowledgeable as required by the Gods Orders, but not ones amongst us who would possess other secrets that could be sought after..." her friend, one of the older amongst them smiled softly "...and best ones with less anger or regrets. Perhaps Alexa"
Hippolyta frowned in thought at that, with Orana giving a snort and rolling her eyes in response "Oh, send the weakest amongst us of course! Why not? She might not even notice she's in Man's World if there is a library placed before her!"
"If she even knows what a man looks like...probably ask to see what his sword looks like" Phillipus muttered into her goblet, but Hippolyta ignored the comment and sighed, rapping her knuckles off the table gently.
"Now, now, she would qualify as knowledgeable enough...without being too knowledgeable either. We shall add her for consideration, but I do wish to see a divide emerge as has in the past. So I need suggestion from you, my advisors, how who best to set to the task at hand without causing factions"
Because it'd taken a ridiculous amount of effort to put an end to the 'raids' out to ships several centuries ago to seek partners for a night, or the dreaded 'Dolls' she had been forced to ban before it consumed many of her subjects in madness. Isolation had kept them safe for a long time, and yet again the world attempted to surge in on it as in the times of Rome, and before that the monster Heracles. Diana appeared confused, though before Hippolyta could reply Phillipus interjected as she reached for some grapes or fruit from the bowls on the table before them.
"You are too young Diana to know of those times long past, but Donna's reaction to seeing a friend, slain or almost slain, is something many have experienced and it clouds judgement. Even now our sisters will be telling tales to each other and embellishing everything to fulfil their desires, even one unknown to themselves"
"I have lived here all my life Phillipus, I do know such"
Orana snorted again at that. Gods that woman was uncouth Hippolyta found, almost a Man at times "Maybe, but probably not I bet. Not everyone talks about their lives before being saved, and a few amongst our ranks violently objected to being isolated fully from Man's World. Or...other things later that had be stopped as they were foolishness"
'And vile' Hippolyta, and she suspected the others silently as well, added to that statement. Her daughter overlooked the obvious sometimes, such as where the younger sisters had arisen when they had –in theory- broken contact with Man's World almost two dozen centuries ago. So she had to balance to how this would work between the minority who had deluded ideas that some men were almost decent, and the lunatics that thought trying to kill every man they came across was a good idea somehow. Oh, and then there was the 'lonely' faction that had never truly accepted the lack of menfolk and adapted to seeking love amongst their Amazon sisters.
"Yes, truth sadly...you should have heard our dear Priestess of Aphrodite earlier when I met her. It is 'but the Goddess says I should go' all over again. So, further suggestions for the scholar who would fulfil the terms the Gods have set for us, and then who best to guard them and act as companions in..."
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[05th February 2011]
[Bunker, Beneath the Temple of the Shrouded Lord, Tropico]
It was funny the way Artemis glared at her Paula found as she slid between her daughter's and the young master's blows and landed her own in rapid precision. Shorn of his fancy magic and weapons, and her daughter of her bow, neither were in her own league...especially as she drew upon this strange magic of her newfound religiosity. Nothing compared to the fancy stuff she'd thrown around, but the simple spell called 'Guidance' seemed to give her mind a quicker insight into others immediate attacks...
Like now, as she slid under the young master's kick, jerking up between his legs to grab his arms...twisting them behind his back as she slammed back a foot into her Artemis's stomach. It was like flowing water, one down, the other's arms held immobile as he tried desperately to free them...but flailing then as immediately released them and used one arm to catch him in a chokehold from behind, and bring down on the equally gasping form of Artemis.
"I win" she stated simply to the gasping and grasping duo. Artemis giving the arms up 'surrender' sign after a moment's groan and wheezing. The young master continued to stuggle a little long, arms grabbing at the one she had around his neck...but swiftly ending she now used her other free arm to wrap around his waist, pinning his arms at the elbows, and lifting to his pinned firmly again her body. She grinned despite the sweat pouring off her and the tiredness in her limbs after all the exercise so far; the young master was such a sore loser sometimes she found as she whispered firmly into his ear.
"Nuh-uh, I win"
With one last struggle he gasped and went deliberately limp, finally admitting defeat. Grinning to herself she allowed him fall back off the tips of his toes into his feet fully, reaching down with one hand to help up her daughter while patting him on the head with the other "Good effort both of you. Good teamwork my little lovebirds, but you both need alot of work on your hand to hand...especially you young master"
She took it from the groans that both agreed with that judgement of their abilities, but she motioned at Jade sitting nearby "Jade, you and Artemis spar next after she gets a quick break to recover. I am going to try train some more with our team wizard here"
That should likely result in Jade winning the bout and continuing the competitiveness between the two after being cooped up inside this underground bunker together for several days. Paula could she admit they, she, wasn't great at the whole family bonding thing, but this seemed to be a good way of doing it compared to talking through the prison phones, or silence over microwave dinners. Even better her Artemis and the young master had decided to start dating, so that meant she slam them together like now, and in the more romantic sense too. They certainly commiserated each other with tired groans and a half-hug before Artemis stomped off towards Jade, sipping at a bottle of water as it thrown to her.
"Alright young master, show me your stances"
"You can be quite the slave driver you know that?" he groaned back, stretching a moment in his sweat soaked t-shirt and shorts before starting to do as asked. Paula shrugged, giving an easy grin back ignoring her own tiredness and urge to eat and drink.
"Oh, you're all mine while we are locked down young master and we have to get those skills up to the levels I want. You and Artemis go easy on each other, and you need some tough loving right now. So me, and Jade too, are going to beat it into you. Just remember...this was your idea"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm an idiot don't remind me"
Paula grabbed his arm, adjusting the stance and kicking his right foot out a little more "No, no, like this, your unarmed remember so be ready dodge not block"
"Like this?"
"Better. Now, with the fight, don't be so flashy with your kicks"
"I'll try, thought it was like yours"
"You're not fast and experienced enough to do that I'm afraid..." she answered having him repeat the kick, catching it and then, acting as his balance, guided him into a lower, tighter, effort "...body's not used to it, so keep it simple, don't be fancy without your armour or magic. Say that, how goes repairing your armour?"
"Wrecked beyond repair, it's more making a full new set based on the original"
"Well young master at the moment at least you have time to do so, and practice needed skills"
"I know, another week looks like"
"Of course...now, let's get staves and see how good you do with those this time"
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