3136/A Clash of Cultures

A Clash of Cultures
Date of Scene:	15 November 2017
Location:	Central Park, New York City
Synopsis:	Artemis and some of the Bana-Mighdall Amazons meet Matt Murdock.
Cast of Characters:	Daredevil, Artemis

---

Daredevil has posed:
    In Autumn you can see the wind. The leaves dancing across the park and the streets, the trees in Central Park having changed colors to the bright oranges and reds and browns that shift the tableau to that of one heralding the coming of Winter soon in the future. Many of the leaves are still on the trees, though there are bare branches as well that speak of that transition. So many leaves are on the ground that all it takes is a stiff breeze to send them dancing across the paths and the sidewalks of that beautiful park.
    Not as many people are out and about there, however. With the weather dropping down to a brisk chill, only a handful of people are out and about at the old fountain that has had its water turned off for this time of year. But there are still a few people there. There's a couple walking their child along the nature path. A group of old men are sitting around the stone chess boards that at times are the source of much wagering, though today not a game is played with the temperature so low. And on one of the benches near the fountain, a younger man with a white cane sits and enjoys his lunch with a small smile on his face.
    Those people are at ease there. The couple happily wandering along. The old men, war veterans it seems with some limbs lost between them, all enjoying their time chatting together as they have for the last dozen years. And the blind man indulging in a fresh bratwurst as he seems to smile to the world in general. A normal looking scene for New York...
    But for visitors from another country that is cut off from the world, it might be something entirely strange.

Artemis has posed:
    Although there are only three of them, the women in that group still stand out. All three are quite tall, my the average female adult standards. Each is dressed in garb that practically screams they aren't from New York City. They are beyond fit, their bodies strong and powerful with toned muscles that shift with each movement.
    "I will never understand," the blonde says. Her hair is cut extremely short, standing up in a short spikey style. She is wearing a pair of form fitting pants with knee high boots. Her upper body is covered by a vest laced tightly up the front with no shirt beneath, leaving her muscular arms visible. "Why don't the men and women just live seperately?"
    "Chloe, you know they don't follow our ways. Here, the men and women are considered equal. They are raised together," Artemis says as they walk down the path together. She is wearing black pants and a black top with red accents, also sleeveless. Her long red ponytail is pulled up high and falls to her backside.
    A loud snort comes from the brunette in the bunch, her dark hair about shoulder length and left loose. "Equal my ass. Everyone knows men are inferior." That earns a chuckle from Chloe who nods in agreement.
    "You will have to agree to disagree with them on who is and isn't equal," Artemis says, trying to avoid an argument.
    "And look at those over there! Why do they even let those live? They must be a burden," the brunette adds, stopping and looking to the older men and the man with the cane. "If they are lame, they should've been eliminated."
    Artemis glances over, seeing the cane that prompted that statement. "I believe he's blind, not lame."
    "Then he definitely should've been killed."

Daredevil has posed:
    In New York one hears a great many things. Conversations considering politics, sports, philosophy, music, anything. Anything that a person can agree or disagree with another about are heard rather often all throughout the city, because if there is one thing that the average New Yorker enjoys... it's the sound of their own voice. But upon hearing the words of the trio of tall women, some take notice, but none choose to offer a rejoinder or a response. At least at first.
    Those old men look over towards the Amazons and some of them grin a bit. A comment is made that causes them all to chuckle, but it's assuredly not something said loud enough to draw attention. The couple might well be oblivious of their discussion, though they do continue on along with their walk.
    But it's the man with the crimson glasses who speaks up, that white cane held in one hand across his lap while he takes another bite of his bratwurst, chewing for a bit. He folds up the wrapper around the last bit that's left and then leans over to the side, finding the trash bin that's next to his bench and tosses the trash inside. He clears his throat, then lifts his voice loud enough to carry the small distance to the trio of warrior women. "In a suitably robust culture, roles in a society can be filled with people of different capabilities."
    He's a man with an easy smile, a faint curve to his lips that might almost herald something akin to laughter unspoken as he adds, "It's only when you exist in a very narrow way that you'd view people with challenges as entirely undesirable. I always thought that was sort of the lesson of Thermopylae."

Artemis has posed:
    Three heads swivel in the direction of the man. Artemis is the only one not frowning. Unfortunately, she isn't the first to speak.
    "No one was speaking to you, worm." That from the brunette.
    "I believe he just insulted us, Alala," Chloe comments, folding her arms over her chest.
    The redhead is a bit out of her element being the peacemaker but she tries anyway. "He didn't insult anyone. He is simply offering a different viewpoint. One that is quite valid if you remember your history."
    "And no one asked him. If I wanted his opinion, I'd give him one," Alala says as she glares at Matt.
    "Alala, Chloe, we are in the Patriarchal world. He has a right to his opinion and to speak, even if you don't like what he has to say. Particularely, since he's right. If Ephialtes of Trachis had been treated differently, that particular military lesson might have had a very different ending."
    Chloe shakes her head. "I don't give a damn about that. I think he owes us an apology for interrupted our conversation. He needs to be taught his place."

Daredevil has posed:
    For a moment he mouths the word 'worm' to himself as his eyebrows lift behind those red glasses. But then he stands up slowly, setting the tip of his cane down upon the ground with a faint click as he turns his head fully towards them, looking somewhat past them and beyond the shoulder of the one closest to him.
    "Well," He bites his lower lip slightly, resting his hands upon the pommel of his cane even as the old men start to display a bit more wisdom than the blind guy with the cane. They start to gather up their gear and bags, though sparing a glance now and then back towards the other people who are building a bit of tension between them.
    "I wasn't passing judgement, really. I was just meaning if you're from a culture that has a narrow social model, it's likely you wouldn't appreciate people who conduct their culture in a different way. This is just... a matter of scale." He smiles pleasantly and then says, "I mean, Themyscira is only a few thousand people, right?"
    But then, as if he didn't know what an impact such a declaration would have he then shifts his cane to the other hand so he can extend his right hand. "Sorry, rude of me. Matt Murdock." He tries to introduce himself.

Artemis has posed:
    There is a sharp intake of air from Chloe and Alala. He might have slapped them and gotten a lesser reaction.
    Artemis even frowns a little at that one as she starts to respond only to be cut off by Alala.
    "How /dare/ you!" And just like that, she's standing in front of Matt and glaring down at him as Chloe moves up on her flank. "We are not Themysciran." Chloe spits on the ground to punctuate that point as Alala continues. "We are Bana. From Bana-Mighdall. While our city may have been moved to that island, we are not those weak willed, tolerant of supidity, followers of Hippolyta."
    The frown from the redhead is turned on Alala. "We look to the Queen now. You would do well to remember that."
    Alala glances over at her. "You remember it. You are the one she adopted as one of her own. We don't give a damn about them and their ways. We did just fine without them for two hundred years, we don't need to kiss their asses now."
    She looks back to Matt and swings her hand down toward his. Not to shake it. She intends to slap it away.

Daredevil has posed:
    "Oh." The man known as Matt Murdock smiles easily, as if it's part of his nature even as he spreads his hands open as if embracing his faux pas. "I'm sorry, I've never heard of Bana-Mighdall." Though the way he pronounces it, mirroring their inflection rather perfectly, it might seem like he's not being entirely truthful. Though he is.
    But what might stand out all the more is when he makes that gesture and shifts his cane back to the other hand it just ever so easily seems to slip aside from that arrogant slap aimed at his hands, so that the woman Alala might even seem to overbalance a touch, leaving herself vulnerable...
    As Matt turns back and lifts his cane to point in one direction that just so happens to connect with her ribs faintly, almost as if he were counting coup. Yet he covers it by saying, "I've lived over that way..." /tap/, "Oh, sorry. Didn't realize you were standing so close."
    And as he says that he takes a step back, smiling, then adjusts his glasses with a knuckle as he offers that harmless smile all over again.

Artemis has posed:
    He just waved a red cape in front of a bull.
    Alala lets out a sound very like a growl. "Apologize."
    "Alala, he owes you no apology. Move away from him," Artemis snaps.
    It's too late. The brunette's temper is flaring ever higher with every passing second. "He owes me an apology for hitting me. He owes me an apology for calling me Themysciran. He owes me an apology for speaking to me without being asked for his opinion. You know what? He owes me an apology for letting him beathe the same air as me." She looks at him again and reaches out a hand, trying to catch the front of his shirt to pull him in for a bit of nose-to-nose intimidation time. "You should've been put down at birth, blind man."

Daredevil has posed:
    The young man's brow furrows as he seems puzzed by her words. "I thought I did, twice. I mean, does Bana-Mighdall have the words I'm Sorry in their language? That would explain a lot if they didn't." As he says this he turns back lowering his cane back to the ground, the tip of it making a faint 'click' upon the ground.
    But then Alala seems to get on a really good tear a she demands an apology for quite a few things. And, to his credit, Matt keeps up. "Oh but I did already. That too..." He adds for the next, but when she reaches to the point demanding an apology for him breathing the same air as her he shakes his head.
    "Now see here, that's just rude, I won't..." But then the cane /clatters/ to the ground as he drops it, losing it from his grip in the same moment the Amazonian woman grabs at his shirt, only to leave her grabbing at air as he recovers his cane, then stands back up quickly...
    For the top of his head to /thwok/ right into her chin rather painfully. For her.
    "Oh... ow!" He steps back, rubbing the back of his head.

Artemis has posed:
    The force of the impact makes Alala's teeth snap together sharply, the pain radiating up from her chin into her jawline. She reaches up a hand to her chin in surprise. Her eyes narrow as she draws the hand back dow, fingers curling. "You did that on purpose!" she roars.
    For her part, Artemis is trying to hide a smirk at the accidental impact. "Of course he didn't. He can't even see you. Don't be stupid, Alala."
    "Don't call me stupid!"
    That's when Chloe decides she needs to join the party. The blonde moves closer to Matt's right side. "You should go home, cripple, before you get broken."
    "He's not going anywhere," Alala announces as she crosses that line. She takes a swing at the blind man.

Daredevil has posed:
    When the tall blonde Amazon steps up to his side, Matt shifts his attention towards her and holds up his hands, the cane held lightly in the right. "Hey, I'm not meaning any harm or insult or anything. I was just saying..." He turns back towards Alala even as the woman is drawing back her fist to take that swing at him...
    Only for his cane to catch between his legs and send him staggering back partially into Chloe as he catches at her arm with one hand shifting her to the side almost imperceptibly even as his feet skitter upon the gravel and one shoe /smacks/ hard into Chloe's ankle...
    Timing it just right as he goes down to get out of the way of one object hurtling at another. "Agh. Wait a second, my glasses!" Which, to be fair go skittering across the ground as he crawls forwards out of the way at the worst possible moment.

Artemis has posed:
    Chloe staggers, letting out a yelp of surprose at the kick to her ankle. She stumbles in the direction of Alala.
    Alala was in the middle of a swing, putting her full force into the blow as she tried to clobber Matt. Only to have him not there. Instead, Chloe stumbles right into her path and it's too late. She punches the other woman in the face, sending her falling off to the side. "Chloe!" Alala cries out, horrified that she hit her own Amazonian sister instead of the man who has caused all these problems.
    Chloe's anger is not at Matt, it's at Alala. "You klutz! What is wrong with you!"
    "It was an accident. He's doing this on purpose!" Alala turns to see the man on his hands and knees. She takes a step...
    Artemis puts herself between the brunette and the man, eyes narrowing. "Enough. You are making a fool of yourself. Go now. Both of you. Back to the hotel and I will meet you there later."
    "But he..."
    "...did absolutely nothing wrong. Go. Now. Or do I need to make you?" There is steel in her tone.
    The two women have fought her before. They know who will win. With much muttering and grumbling. Alala helps Chloe to her feet and they head back the way they came.
    Artemis bends, picking up the glasses that are near her foot. "Mr. Murdock, I have your glasses here," she says, hoping that will help him pinpoint. She actually suspects Alala is correct. He seemed to have known what was coming and reacted. It makes her suspect he isn't actually blind but why pretend to be?

Daredevil has posed:
    The lawyer, for his part, had crawled forwards with a hand out as he searched for the fallen spectacles. But then at Artemis' words he frowned and shook his head. Slowly he planted his hands and one knee, then started to push himself back upright.
    As he rises to his feet gingerly, Matt faces in Artemis' direction, his brow knit in consternation as he extends his hand and opens his eyes towards her... only to reveal the milky white irises and the criss-cross latticework of scarring that mar his features. "Please," He gives a nod as he opens his hand towards her, "If I could just have my glasses."
    He does hold that cane still, however, resting the tip of it upon the ground with a faint click. Once the other Amazons are far enough away he offers a small apologetic smile towards her, "Would you convey to them my apology? I didn't mean any harm." Perhaps not harm. Mischief? Maybe.

Artemis has posed:
    He wasn't faking it. Artemis tilts her head slightly to the side, that long ponytail whispering across her back with the movement. "You owe them no apology. They owe one to you," she says simply as she takes a step forward to close the distance between them. She places his glasses in his outstretched hand. "Here. Actually, I owe you the apology. I should have intervened before it reached that point. Alala is a good warrior but she is rather intolerant of this world. You were on point about the narrow viewpoint of a society. Being apart from this world for all of our existence has not allowed for much tolerance." She's just as guilty although not to the level of her sisters.
    "I have to admit I was suspecting you were sighted. You avoided every move perfectly. It was really rather impressive."

Daredevil has posed:
    Accepting the glasses, Matt does not hesitate at all as he places them immediately over his eyes and gives her a single nod. Once on, however, the tension seems to slip away and his small smile returns albeit a little more guarded. "Luck and happenstance are wonderful things. I suppose then that I'm fortunate she didn't lay one on me. I'd probably be picking up my teeth as well as my glasses."
    That said he gives her a nod, "Still. I don't want there to be hard feelings. Or, you know, to be afraid of an angry tall woman following me back to my office with murder on her mind." That said he steps back a step, but pauses as he tilts his head to the side slightly, "But thanks, appreciate you making sure nobody was really hurt..." Then he adds with a faint smile, "Beyond their pride."