fandomhigh | Practical Mythology, 1/25/12, Period 2, [Class Session 4]

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practical mythology

Practical Mythology, 1/25/12, Period 2, [Class Session 4]

Today the class... met in a classroom. It was odd for Hercules to do so, but he had special plans.

"There are many cultural images of the Amazons, the often noble warrior women of their own nation. I have encountered them many times, and admittedly none of those encounters went quite as well as the first. Now, some images paint these women as men-haters, as cruel women who would kill any male child they would bear, and these images are of course made almost exclusively by men." Hercules shook his head.

"The Amazons can be cruel, just as any nation can be cruel dependent on their leader. Often, they are fighting for respect that they are often not given, fighting to claim power that others would deny them. Their philosophy is based on wanting that which they deserve."

Hercules passed out a little informational handout. That he may or may not have printed off directly from Wikipedia.

"My personal experience with the Amazons first came during my labors. I had to get the Girdle of the leader of the Amazons, Hippolyta. Now, as opposed to what some versions of that story would say, I was handed that girdle under no false pretenses, with no coercion. And Hippolyta gave me another fine and amazing gift. Unfortunately, her honor guard heard her screams and I was left to flee out of Amazon country carrying Hippolyta's girdle and... completely naked."

He chuckled a bit, but he also looked actually embarrassed.

"Now years later, I encountered the Amazons more recently when they came up with a plan to hold Poseidon hostage in an effort to get a reality-changing artifact. Their new leader, Artume, wanted to create a world where men were enslaved to women. And no, I did not defeat her. That honor went to the new leader of the Amazons, Delphyne Gorgon."

Hercules switched on a TV behind him, that was hooked up to teleconferencing equipment. The screen showed a woman with green skin, snake-like eyes, and snakes for hair. She looked no older than late teens. And she was definitely dressed in a punk-goth mix.

"Took you long enough," Delphyne said, smirk on her face. "Are you sure this won't get you caught by the Olympian police?"

"Ahaha," Hercules said, looking embarrassed again. "Well, students, ask any questions you like of the new leader of the Amazons! And if anyone tries to make fun of her looks, I will throw a stress ball at your head. Which is better than what she would do."

"...true," Delphyne said, smirk still on her face.

[ooc: ~~OCD A-coming.~~ Class in session! Woo!]

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Action pose!

Karla

Lex Luthor

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce

Gabrielle

Cassidy

Luke Castellan

Andrew Wiggin

Percy Jackson

Loki Laufeyson

Billy Kaplan

Bruce Wayne

Darcy Lewis

Discuss how lame it is to meet in a classroom...

Gabrielle looked like she was having a hard time not speaking up today, which was because it was true; she was hiding a bemused smile behind her hand for most of the period.

Percy didn't really mind the classroom too much though he hoped his attention wouldn't wander as it was wont to do. He was pretty attentive for the moment though while trying to think of some good questions.

Edited 2012-01-25 23:01 (UTC)

Through the wonders of Technology!

Gabrielle couldn't pass up this opportunity; she knew there were different tribes of Amazons in her world, but in ancient times networking wasn't what it was now.

She walked up to the screen and offered a salute in the style of her own tribe, one Amazon Queen to another. "I think we may have a few things in common."

"You do?" Delphyne said, arcing a brow. The salute didn't exactly match anything she'd ever done. "Wait, you must be the one who's the Amazon in your world."

Hercules had given her a heads-up.

"You've heard of me?" Gabrielle grinned a little at that, in surprised gratification, but glanced Hercules's way.

"I was told you were a terrible dancer," Delphyne said, a bit droll. She tried to put on a happy face, which not-so-coincidentally happened after a hand came into frame and poked her in the arm.

"Hercules didn't share your name, though. What is it?"

Gabrielle laughed. "That much is true. When I was a little girl, the villagers in Poteidaia told me not to dance at the festivals, because they were afraid I'd bring a bad harvest." She inclined her head. "Gabrielle, queen of the Greek Amazons in my world. It's a pleasure and an honor to meet you, Delphyne."

"It's an honor to meet you, too," Delphyne said, though her expression was a little puzzled.

"...what year are you from, exactly?"

She had to ask, Herc hadn't warned her of anything like this.

~~THAT IS AN EVIL QUESTION TO ASK OMG.~~

Gabrielle told her the year, quickly adding, "It seems like my world isn't quite like yours. The Hercules I know isn't anything like him, and you wouldn't have happened to hear of Xena, would you?"

At this point, she might do cartwheels of joy if someone actually said yes.

"Well it's 2012 here," Delphyne said. "I don't recall any Xenas in Amazon history, but its very possible there was one. I'm one of the... younger queens that we've had recently."

Hercules chuckled. "Well, given how old Hippolyta and Artume were, that is putting it lightly," he added.

Delphyne's hair hissed a little.

"Xena isn't an Amazon," Gabrielle said reflexively. It was a pretty common mistake, but neither Xena nor most of the older Amazons were particularly fond of it. "She's my best friend, and an incredible warrior, but she's not part of the tribe."

She grinned, though. "It's good to know that in some worlds, at least, the sisterhood is going strong to the current day. Can I ask -- how did your vision of the tribe differ from Artume's?"

Artume struck her as a little like Velasca, actually.

"Well mainly I didn't want her enslaving all of mankind," Delphyne said.

"And thank you for that," said an off-screen voice.

It was hard to tell, but Delphyne blushed slightly, then pulled a face and punched someone off camera. In the arm.

"The Amazons aren't to be used as an army for personal gain. We're proud ad have a long history. She murdered her mother for the chance to rule us, and that made her a traitor to us all."

Gabrielle blinked for a moment, absolutely caught off guard by how familiar that sounded.

"I assumed the mask when Queen Melosa died," she explained to Delphyne. "Her adopted daughter returned to the tribe shortly after her death -- we thought it was an accident -- and challenged me for the queenship. She wanted the tribe to be more militant . . . she believed the world should be ours to conquer, and she wanted to be the one to lead it."

She chewed on her lower lip. "And yes, as it turns out -- Velasca murdered Melosa for that chance."

Delphyne looked surprised, but not unpleasantly so. "That sounds very familiar. Even as Artume's handmaiden I was not entirely aware of what awful things she intended until they played out."

"And then I challenged her under Amazon law and defeated her in single combat for the right to be queen. Did you have to fight this Velasca?"

"I --" Gabrielle's face took on a half-bemused, half-surprised look. "Ultimately, yes, but it wasn't the traditional single combat. She had her own faction of supporters, and it turned into civil war among the tribe. She, um -- had a scheme to steal ambrosia and become immortal, and we thought we had her beaten, but . . ."

She shook her head.

"Let's just say we defeated her in the end, but it wasn't that easy."

It had been a fight, and a vicious one full of morally grey choices, and recounting it wasn't such a savory experience now.

"Oh, a scheme to become immortal and it didn't end well. Surprise," Delphyne said, a little droll. But her glance at those words was not at Gabrielle.

"And true victory is never easy. If you take the easy victory, you are not an Amazon."

"Couldn't agree more. I don't remember what the easy way is for anything any more." Gabrielle's smile turned wistful. "Ephiny would like you."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Delphyne said. "I..." Well, to be honest, Delphyne though Gabrielle didn't look entirely militant enough to properly fit in with her Amazons. "I'm sure you're the best queen your Amazons could hope for." She even smiled an honest smile.

Delphyne would be well within her rights to look at Gabrielle askance for not looking like an Amazon; she'd never been the most hardened warrior of them even when she had been willing to fight, but then she'd come into the life late.

"I do my best for them," she told Delphyne. "They're in good hands with my friend Ephiny --" who was a seriously kickass warrior -- "while I'm here at school."

Actually she hadn't seen them since before the trip to India; she had no idea what they'd think of her now. ~~Wait until she'd been frozen in ice for 25 years and then ask Varia . . .~~

Through the wonders of the human voice!

Well, I'm prepared for the weekend. *uses icon of awesomeness*

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Practical Mythology, 1/25/12, Period 2, [Class Session 4]

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