LadyStormDancer

I would have to go with Lousy_Day... That piece is just so capable in invoking emotion in me....

Glad to see you start this thread, DA!!! Told ya your artwork belonged on here...

The feeling was as of a feather across her mind, but she felt no threat. Indeed, it was rather refreshing to feel another's friendly thought skitter across her own. She herself had no ability to project her thoughts or emotions; rather, she could only receive those things. But she was grateful to who she was sure had done it (Lady Almira), and did her best to make it known that the gesture was welcome.

She was entranced by the telling of how their island came to be the way it is... True, it was sad, that such awful events had caused it to be the way it was, but she was also taken in by their personal accounts. She had the feeling that Falcon Kitiara might be feeling the same way; even she seemed to be a little surprised at how this conversation had come to pass. She had never been with a group outside her own order that had been this open with strangers, and so willing to welcome them. Yes, this was a special night, as they'd been told...

(((OOC: Yes, a very good thread! I'm SO glad I wandered onto the forum page and found it, especially now! )))

She did not take the statement by Lady Cinque as a rebuke; she understood what she was trying to say. She knew the offer made had been genuine, to both her and Falcon, and she'd known she didn't have to respond, but had felt the need to...

"Forgive me... I am not so good with words sometimes. I know we are all of different faiths, or follow our own paths in life. But... Sometimes I run out of words, and have no way to express my thanks. Among my brethren in the temple, if we have no way to express ourselves, especially in thanks, we do what I have just done... I ran out of words..."

She paused; she knew that Falcon had been touched by the offer as well, and that she had shared some of her story, as well as several of the Sisters. She felt the need to share some of hers as well, in kind...

"I did not know my parents very well... When I was young, I was hated by them. They thought they had been cursed, that they would have been given the burden of having a child that looked as I do. So they kept me locked away, so that others would not know of their disgrace. I was the "evil half"; my twin looked as they did. They told all that I had died at birth, that I was not fit for life, but that I had instead taken all the imperfections that were meant for my sister into myself..."

Here she paused, and took another sip of her drink... This telling should not affect her anymore, but it still did, even after all these years. And even though her mentor and all at the temple had taught her otherwise, it still was something that ate at her.

"My parents were not able to kill me themselves; they were afraid that since the curse had been given to them, as some sort of pentinance, they must keep me alive. So they did, but I didn't see the light of day for many years. When I could fend for myself, they took me to the city, where they left me, and they went home to their lives and their other daughter. After some time, I was taken in by one of my order... Took a while, though..."

Here she smiled a little... Her mentor had tested her in so many ways before revealing who he was and what he wanted of her. She had disappointed him many times, falling back into her old habits of thievery. She had met him by trying to steal from him, in fact. Her complexion had made it so easy to be a thief at night, and to hide from society during the day; survival had been day to day, but it had been fun, in a way, depending on no one. She still relied on no one but herself for her survival, but understood the very human need for companionship and emotions.

"My order taught me that all life is special, and that it should be taken care of. They managed to eventually make me see myself as something other than a nothing, that I had some worth, and that I might just have a destiny in this world. And so, I have ended up here, in this city... I do not think I have a grand destiny, but I think that if I can do for just one other what was done for me, then I will have done my order justice."

(((OOC: Yes, I like the contrasts between Falcon Kitiara and Hand of Ma'at myself! I also like the differences between them and the Sisters as well! I've never done any RP quite like this before! lol)))

As Lady Tre spoke, she listened, and looked at the one called Lady Almira. Yes, she was a kindred spirit, in that she enjoyed the healing of life rather than the taking of it. She herself fought only to defend herself and others, but did not every really enjoy it. When Lady Anvil and the Sisters paid both her and Falcon Kitiara such a high compliment, she had no words... Instead she stood, and bowing low, placed her crossed hands, palms towards her, on her chest. She understood what kind of people these were, and to make an invitation like this was something rare indeed, and a high honor. She only regretted that she could not make such an invitation herself; she was only a Hand, not one of the Elders, Priests, or Beloved of her order, so she could not speak for them, but she believed that if they were to ever meet these people, they would find them much as she did, and would be welcomed in her home.

She then sat down again, and accepting the offer of food, began to eat a bit. The accountings of the Sisters and of Kitiara touched her; they all had so many different backgrounds. She accepted the compliment from Lady Almira, about honoring her mother and father, in the only way she could; her parents had cast her out as a child, when they could no longer hide her strange appearance. Instead, she honored her family in the Order, of her mentor, and of the others who had become closer to her than any other who shared her blood.

A smile touched her lips... Yes, this was truly a Sisterhood, even down to the wagers on odd things... She took a seat before speaking further; besides the fact that she knew her height made conversations somewhat awkward, she was still tired from her exploits earlier that day, although her mind was much more awake now than it had been. She gathered her thoughts before speaking...

"It is true; names are only names, unless there is meaning behind them. Those who follow the path I do strive to find the meaning, the truth, in all things. "Ma'at" actually implies two things; the name of our Goddess, and all that she stands for. "Ma'at" is what the ancients called justice, or order; it is what is right, and what things should be. The Goddess Ma'at is the Goddess of Truth, Justice, and Order. She wears an ostrich feather; at our death, our hearts our weighed against that feather on the Scales of Life. If our heart is light, we pass into paradise. If it is heavy, then we are condemned. All of the ancient Pharoahs strived to maintain ma'at throughout their reign."

She paused, taking another drink from the glass in her hand.

"But, it is what we do in life that determines our end, and so I, and my brethren, strive to learn what we can, and do what we can, so that we might help others and help keep the balance... Order, if you will. We are from a small temple, and those in our order come from many walks of life. As you can see", And here she made a sweeping gesture, taking in her whole appearance,"we are not afraid of strangeness, and instead embrace it. Most of us were considered cast-offs in our societies; the Order took us in, and if we were so minded, we could stay with them and learn. In return, we have gained a family, a purpose, and training in our chosen arts. I am a healer, and so have been trained in that fashion, so that I may help others."

She paused, then continued. "Perhaps that is what has brought several of us here to Paragon City; there is so much life, and yet so much evil. The need to keep the balance, to bring those to justice that need to be, is a driving force for us... I, however, have also come seeking truth; about myself, other people, and of what my ultimate purpose is..."

As she finished speaking, she looked around at the others in the group, wondering if she'd spoken too much. It was probably the most she'd ever spoken to anyone at any one time since she'd left the temple...

She bowed low in acceptance of the others' welcome, and gave a brief, although warm, smile to Falcon Kitiara; yet another who appeared to be an outsider of the Circle, learning as she was.

She touched the striking serpeant on her headdress with the index and middle finger of her right hand, and then formally introduced herself...

"Good evening, all. I am called a Hand of Ma'at, one who serves the Egyptian Goddess, and follows in her Path. I am most interested in your Sisterhood; call it simple curiousity, but I hunger to know of those with whom I might fight against disorder and evil with..."

(((OOC: My apologies; hope I"m not stepping on Kitiara's toes with this post!)))

She listened intently as Gertrude answered her questions about the Gathering... She herself had not been involved in the Rikti War, although several other members of her Order had been... They had lost several members during those days, and they were still spoken of with remembrance. But this sisterhood, The Sisters, their actions and overall bearing spoke well of them; it was hard to find groups or organizations such as they.

As Narshawn came over and took up the telling, she flashed a quick smile at Gertrude, who left to help out elsewhere in the bar. Then she turned attention back to Narshawn, as she explained the basics of The Sisters; the ranks, what they did, and even who some of their members were. When Narshawn spoke of being of a faith, motioning to her headdress, she nodded... Her mentor always chided her for being too curious about other faiths, but she thought that it was good to know the people that you have helped or may one day help. And being a healer, she sometimes helped a strange variety of people.

When Narshawn made the offer to introduce her to her Mother, Lady Gemini, she jumped at the chance... Perhaps today was getting better; having to be rezzed twice in one day had made for an awful beginning, but the opportunity to learn more about The Sisters, and being able to meet people like she had found in this place, was definetely turning it to the better.

"Yes, please. I would be honored to meet your Mother, Lady Gemini. And, yes, I too am of a faith... I am called a Hand in my order, The Path of Ma'at."

She smiled at Narshawn as she placed the tray with the shot glasses in front of her, but the other woman seemed a bit distracted as a group of women came into the bar. There was an air that they brought with them, and air of Sisterhood, and it brought her back to the days of living with her Order, and the bonds they made there. Her Order was not one of just one gender, but of both, as her mentor was one of the Fists of Ma'at, an older man whom she regarded as her father.

She looked down at the card that Narshawn had so kindly put under the shot glass... hmm... this would be one she remembered. A brandy, from the sounds of it. She moved on to the next shot glass, still watching the group in front of her. Apparently, the full moon carried a significance for them; judging from what the one lady said, this was a type of Gathering for their Circle. She could appreciate that; her Order place special significance on the moon as well, and although they all felt the full moon's significance, their Gatherings took place at the new moon.

She finished her third shot as the group before her broke of from the formal part of their Gathering and began talking freely. Curiosity overcame her... She went up to the bar where Gertrude had apparently taken over as bartender for a spell.

"Pardon me, Gertrude... but I simply must know. What is the name of this Gathering? I mean, are they part of an Order?" She paused, realizing that this must sound so forward... "I am sorry... but, I make a study of different groups in society, and I'm not talking about the typical stereotypes. I am interested in the societies within societies, if that makes any sense at all..."

She trails off, suddenly a little uncertain as to if her questions would be welcomed here. She realizes that this group is always welcomed here, as some of the women that worked here were part of it, whereas she is a newcomer... She quickly finishes off the fourth shot, not really feeling it as it goes down, and deciding that it would not be a favourite of hers... (Alcohol was never really a problem for her; her metabolism made it so that she always had to drink very large quantities in order to make an obvious effect on her.)

She raised her eyebrows upon hearing that the table was alive and growing... She definetely wanted to meet someone who could coax trees to grow into tables, and such nice ones at that! She also paid attention to what Gertrude was saying, as she mulled over what type of drink to bring out. She was grateful for this; there were so many varieties out here, with so many different names... The idea of something warm and smooth sounded just fine, for both food and drink, and she nodded her acceptance of Gertrude's decision.

After Gertrude swept past her into another room, she leaned back in the chair a little and began to eat the warm bread, tearing off small chunks and dipping them into the oil. Now that she had a chance, she began to look around the room at the other patrons. She saw several up at the bar, one of whom was engaged in a conversation with the woman she had been told was Narshawn. Another young woman had come in behind her, and she seemed about as worn out and battered as she herself felt. Yet another young woman had entered, although this one seemed as full of nervous energy as her arms were of papers. This one seemed to be on a mission, and things weren't going as planned... Well, hopefully she'd be able to relax in here.

It was the table with the young lady in blue that drew her attention now, though. She had appeared to be waiting for someone, and as Martin led two other young women into the bar, her wait apparently came to an end. Still eating the bread, she watched as they performed a ritual of greeting. The two appeared to be a team; looking, standing, acting very much alike. The three of them appeared to be members of an order of some kind, much like her own... She had a hunger for learning about other religions, cults, orders, etc.; her mentor said it would be a downfall for her one day. She didn't care, though... Perhaps Gertrude or another member of the staff here would know, and possibly shed some light for her...

She felt the eyes of the woman in green pass over her, but she didn't pause in her eating; she figured that if someone wanted to get her attention, trying to make eye contact with her was not a good idea. Her glowing white eyes tended to make that difficult, and even those she considered her friends really didn't even bother anymore...

She looked up as Gertrude approached and introduced both herself and Narshawn. Like Martin, both women fit in here, felt right with this place. She decided that she would most likely be coming back here, and she wasn't even going to base that on the food or drink, just the atmosphere. She cocked her head to one side as she considered... Then answered with a smile, albeit a tired one...

"Evening, Gertrude! I am the Hand of Ma'at, although you may call me "Hand" if you'd like. I know I would like the whatever-it-is that smells so good of onions...", she shrugged a little, "but as for the drink?" She paused; she really didn't know that much of alcoholic beverages. Having spent most of her life living with her Order, this was not something introduced to them until they came out to do their Mistress' work.

She looked at Gertrude again, and her smile turned a bit sheepish. "Could I leave that up to you? Something to help me relax? I will say that I have had a rough day, and have had to be resurrected twice today... And I don't care how much it costs, just nothing too harsh, please..."

Now it dawned on her what it was that Gertrude had said, and while you couldn't see it with her complexion, she was definetely blushing a little. 'Admire her'? Why? She was a little dusty, more than a little tired, and just another hero in this bar... As she finished speaking, she snuck a look around the bar, and noticed that she was getting noticed... Ah well... She was too tired to care, and she was rather used to her looks and height getting some attention, anyway... But to be admired? Once again, she realized just how much she had to learn about this outside world...

(((OOC: In case anyone's wondering, due to the way of her Order, she has taken on a title, "Hand of Ma'at", and has forsaken her own name. She also understands the need to be called something, so she accepts "Hand". This is why I don't use her name in the posts... She doesn't think that way!)))

As she was led to the hallway leading to the bar, she inclined her head to Martin, acknowledging his compliment. The smell of the food really was distracting her... And did she smell onions?

"Thank you, sir! I do not know who Narshawn is, but I look forward to meeting her tonight."

Martin left her at the entrance to the bar and headed back to the podium. She looked after him; older he may be, but definetely a breath of fresh air to someone who was quickly becoming a bit jaded in this city. She turned and took in the bar itself, noticing the rather small woman hovering behind the counter and the other patrons as well. A small table that seemed out of the way was what she made her target, though; she really wanted to sit and relax at an actual table, just stretching her legs and back out.

Taking a seat, she looked around and decided that, so far, she really liked this place. She leaned closer to the table examing the wood, and decided that she really had no clue what it was, although it was beautiful. She leaned back in her chair, doing a sort of cat-stretch (and not really caring if anyone cared; they were all heroes, or used to being around them with all of their kinks and aches) before settling back down. Looking over at the bar, she waited to catch the eye of someone on the staff...

(((OOC: I know you said we could do some action with the NPCs; however, I don't want to step on someone else's storyline! lol)

Sighing to herself, she trudged up the road in King's Row, barely noticing the condition of the neighborhood around her. She'd fought so many villians here that she tuned it out now. Something new caught her eye, though... A sign, for a restaurant and bar, that seemed out-of-place in this run-down area.

"Ladies of the Lake?" Well, she figured she could stand to use a drink, and possibly a snack before she turned in.

She walked up to the door, pushed it open, and entered. Immediately she was caught by the aura in this place; calm, friendly, and definetely smelling of good food. She also noticed someone standing at a podium, so she turned to him to find out more about this place...

"Greetings, sir. I was wondering if the bar is open now, and if so, could I get a drink and possibly a light snack?"

Her speech is rather cultured, as is her appearance. She stands about 7 feet tall, with a slim build. Her Egyptian-style headdress adds to her height. She's wearing a long-sleeved tight top, flared pants, a long flowing cape, and boots. Her coloration is the most striking feature about her, however; everything is white, with fading black stripes running in bands around her. Her skin is pitch-black, with glowing white eyes that seem to see everything around her.

As she speaks with the man behind the podium, she automatically takes out her ID and presents it; although still rather new to the intricacies of society, she has learned that whenever asking for alcohol, she must show this card. The name on the card reads "Hand of Ma'at"...