8343/A Artful Introduction

A Artful Introduction
Date of Scene:	16 July 2019
Location:	Central Park, NYC
Synopsis:	Diana Prince attends a fundraiser, and raises the spirits of Vanessa who slipped into the regal affair
Cast of Characters:	Wonder Woman, Copycat

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Wonder Woman has posed:
It is about 7:45 on a nice summer night in Central Park. There's live music playing, with dancing on the floor setup on the Great Lawn. Tables and chairs are strewn about where people are enjoying food and drink.

Its a charity art show for raising funds for children's medicine. Diana Prince is one of the major attendees. Dressed in a sleeves and backless piece, it showcases her lovely form but isn't overly revealing, its tastefully alluring. Her dark hair is tied up into a bun atop her head and her lips are painted a deep crimson, whilst her blue eyes are surrounded by dark eye makeup to make them pop.

Holding a glass of champagne the tall Amazon Warrior woman is moving from conversation to conversation, just mingling and enjoying her evening.

Copycat has posed:
When Vanessa Carlysle spotted news of the event in the paper, and the mention of the celebrities that would be attending, she had at first give a soft sigh. The thought of getting to rub elbows with celebrities like actor Coby Ward, and superhero Diana Prince, made the sigh of a wistful one. Vanessa was just about to close the paper when she paused in thought.

Bidding on the paintings and other artwork? Not something Vanessa could afford. But just attending? Perhaps she could find someone to walk her inside? It wouldn't be her first time crashing a wedding, party, or other such event.

She had spent awhile looking in her meager closet. Most of her nice clothes were meant for working, but she ended up pulling out a little black dress that wasn't too revealing. After spending far more time on her makeup and hair than normal, she'd dressed up and taken a bus over to Central Park, but only after having stood staring at the dark entrance to a subway station..

Now the event is underway, and Vanessa wanders up. She strikes up a conversation with a trio on their way inside. When they stop to give their passes to the person at the entrance, Vanessa just keeps walking forward at a casual stroll as if she belongs there. Success! Now she's in. The brunette begins moving along the paths between the artwork. She pauses to look at a few of the pieces, but mostly she's looking for the celebrities.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana is none the wiser to the woman sneaking into the event, heck there's probably many people here who shouldn't be. That happens at Park Held events, they're much harder at maintaing a completely secure entry-level, of course its easier when you look like Vanessa and when dolled-up she seems to fit right in with the others, being a lot prettier than most of the people who DID have invites.

A matter of minutes go by, where Vanessa is able to skirt around the art on display and observe/take it all in, before she rounds a Greek statue and is almost run right into by Diana.

"Oh, I am so sorry." Diana says in her unforgettably smoky hued voice, with that accent that is very not-American in origins. A smile is summoned up and Diana glances to the statue they nearly collided because of, then looks back to Vanessa. She extends her hand to the woman who almost looks like a distant cousin, at least in some ways.

"Diana." She introduces herself.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle's eyes were on the statue, wondering just how much someone would end up paying for it. Probably more than she would make in five years. "At least it's for a good cause," she comments, and turns to proceed on when suddenly someone is there, about to bump into her, and be bumped into.

Vanessa's hands reach up to avert the collision, though Diana Prince's reflexes are more than up to the task. She begins apologizing, saying, "I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching-" and then Vanessa realizes who she's talking to. Vanessa's already large, clear eyes widen just a little bit as Diana introduces herself. "You're Diana..." Vanessa says, as if that hadn't just been clearly established. "I mean... Miss Prince. Hello," Vanessa says, shaking the woman's hand with both of her own. "I'm Vanessa Carlysle. It is such an honor to meet you," she says. A little bit of emotion even seems to choke up Vanessa's voice, not to a level most would notice, but Diana would.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana seems nothing short of pleased to get to speak to Vanessa too, one might think that the Princess of Themyscira would be weary of social interactions or meeting new people... but there's no shred of that here, she seems to smile brightly and with genuine sincerity.

"It is an honor to meet you, Vanessa." She says in response to the woman's two handed shake of her hand and she means that as well. She doesn't know who this woman is, but its an honor to meet anyone who is of good mind and spirit, of which Vanessa shows no signs of being anything but at this early stage.

"Are you enjoying the evening, I hope?" Diana is then quick to ask to keep the conversation flowing, letting her hand fall down to her side while he rother still holds a champagne glass with only a few sips taken from it. "Shopping around, I hope." Diana says with a slight grin then, since whatever money is raised goes to the charity.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa had hoped she might spot Diana, just get to see her. Actually speaking to her one-on-one already has the evening exceeding anything she'd considered. She manages to keep most of her poise, letting go of Diana's hand after the shake. Vanessa stands as tall as Diana, and has a certain quality to her, an almost elegance. Though beside the Themysciran it is like turning on a light bulb beneath a full sun.

"I am enjoying it, very much," Vanessa says. "I was just getting a look at some of the artwork," she says. Standing in Diana's presence, Vanessa feels fully just how large of a gulf exists between Diana and someone of as lowly a stature as herself. But it doesn't stop her from basking in the rare moment. "I doubt I'll be able to bid what these are likely to go for," she says. "But they are quite beautiful. And its so good of you to give up your time for a charity event like this," she says.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The statue that they are both beside is of a woman warrior on horseback, riding into battle with a javelin held up, ready to throw and a look of frozen 'battlecry' upon her visage.

"Well, there is no pressure of course. It is a treat just to get to share some of this with the public in any fashion, and the event has already had great success in the few hours it has been going on thus far." Diana says, taking her eyes off of the statue and then looking back over to the woman beside her.

"What line of work are you in, if you do not mind me asking?" The Princess then inquires as she has a calm and casual expression on her own face. This is where it might get a little tricky for Vanessa, since she'd snuck in, the 'questions' from others here in honesty.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa's heartbeat had quickened when she first realized it was Diana Prince. That probably is not unusual for the Amazonian princess to note. Though at the question, the sound of the heartbeat quickens further as often happens when some is stressed, or lying. "I'm in entertainment," Vanessa explains, having encountered the question enough in places she couldn't be frank as to have an answer ready. Though even saying that much to Wonder Woman leaves her wanting to wipe her hands on her dress.

"I don't know how you manage to do what you do," Vanessa tells the superhero. "I can't imagine if I'd faced any of the things that you have, even wanting to leave the apartment again." And she hadn't. It had taken a day and a half for Vanessa to leave her apartment. The thought of going down into a subway station again left her palms clammy.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana listens to the woman's response, smiling lightly to it and nodding once. She assumes she's a model, she has the looks for it after all and the vague response would seem like she's a little bashful toward such a title in today's age of political correctness.

The rest of what Vanessa says just makes the Princess lightly shift her smile lips into a little grin. After a second, Diana spots a server walking past her and she sets her champagne glass back down onto the tray he's holding and thanks him quietly.

Its then that she makes sure that Vanessa is with her and she steps around the horse rider statue toward a display of three Amazonian weapons. A sword, a javelin and a bow. They are all ornately crafted and utterly gorgeous when viewed up close.

Diana reaches out to take hold of the sword. She raises it up and turns to offer it to Vanessa. "Hold this." She tells the woman of equal height. "Like this." She'll help her to make sure she can grasp it properly, as a warrior should.

If done so, Diana will look to Vanessa and hold eye contact. She speaks softly and evenly then, her tone is that same husky flavored voice, soothing to many's ears. "We train for it." Diana says. "We learn how to prepare for it. So that when it happens." She tips the sword in Vanessa's hand up so the point is upward in a slightly more aggressively pointed angle forward. "We are ready for it."

Diana then raises her left hand up and motions to Vanessa's forehead. "Here." And then down to her hands on the blade. "And then here." Then she cracks a soft smile again.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle follows Diana over, more than willing to stay at the woman's side. When Diana takes up the sword, Vanessa's first instinct is her eyes widening and she wants to say something about how they probably shouldn't touch those.

Oh yeah. Wonder Woman.

Vanessa grins a bit and then takes the sword, mouth hanging open for a moment as she does, before she closes it to avoid looking like some slack-jaw. She doesn't have the musculature of an Amazon, her build more lean and slender, but definitely has the height.

Vanessa looks ahead of her, holding the sword as Diana shows her, and listening. There are moments that Diana's words seem to bring Vanessa confidence. But then her expression slides a bit. Jaw and throat tensing as she swallows. Remembering a machete sliding into a man's chest, and it having little effect other than to enrage him. It casts the blade in a different light.

Vanessa looks over to Diana, confidence waning. "I guess I would need to go through the training," she says, though inside she knows she never could endure such. She doesn't have in her to be what a Diana Prince is. She's had that proven to her, time and again.

Wonder Woman has posed:
To get a reprieve from the typical hobnobbing that goes on at these sorts of affairs, and get to speak to a young woman who reminds her of one of her own in some vague ways? Is a way to make one of these events feel even more enriching, at least to Diana.

She watches the woman's expressions throughout what she'd said to her and then just holds a light smile as she places her hands together in front of her lap and lets her fingers interlace between one another.

Diana looks down to the sword still in Vanessa's grip and then back up to her. "We train every day." She says to the other woman. "We all do. It is no secret that we all strive for the next day to be better than the last, yes?" She lets her slim pointed chin lower just a little as her dark eyebrows raise above her staring eyes. "What we train to do to make those next days better, that is the difference maker. It decides what skills in our lives improve, and what skills in our lives linger in-wait, hoping to someday get their chance to grow."

Now she shows a light grin, she's clearly in a good mood tonight. "What skills do you want to improve upon, Vanessa Carlysle?" She then asks of the near-stranger.

Copycat has posed:
The faint bit of color in her cheeks that result as the kind of skills used in Vanessa's trade flit through her head, could hopefully be confused with just reacting to meeting the famous superheroine. "I guess I have put some time into training for protecting myself. I took some classes, gun safety. Though I don't know that having one has ever really made me feel that safe, to be honest," she says.

Miss Karn gets up and doesn't seem to mind the bullet holes in her chest, Vanessa's large, clear eyes suddenly get larger. "April, what the f-" she starts to say.

Vanessa gives a little shake of her head as she bites down on her lip. "No, not the safest," she says softly and clears her throat. Vanessa looks back to Diana and puts a soft smile back on her face though. "You really are an inspiration though, Miss Prince. I can't imagine how many little girls have had better lives for the example you've set for us."

Wonder Woman has posed:
"I certainly do hope that that is the case." Diana says with regard to being an inspiration for little girls, but she is a humble woman and doesn't really dilly dally on that subject for more references to it.

She shows a little lopsided smile then for a second, an expression she may have picked up use on since being exposed to it more from a certain Wakandan King recently. "Guns... are a tricky item to keep in our possession and even trickier one to speak to the average American citizen about." She now shows a momentary larger grin before she reaches out to take the sword back from Vanessa to return it to its place on the weapon display stand.

"We can train all of our lives on a specific weapon, but it does not ensure our safety. The greatest tool to keep ourselves sfe... are our own wits." Diana then lets that grin return as she looks back to Vanessa's gaze.

"Our wits sadly do not sell as well in the name of a charity auction, however." She draws in a breath just as a pair of people approach Diana, an older man with white hair and a slightly younger man (his son).

What Vanessa will bare witness to now, is the two men (both in tuxedos) speaking to the Princess. It becomes quite clear in a matter of moments that the father is trying to set his son up on a date with Diana. She's a known bachelorette after all, many have courted here and none have stood beside her for long, for whatever reasons... few of which are ever publicly known, but many are gossip often shared.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa seems to consider the comment about wits. More recent memories tumble through her head. "Well, I just hope to not be in the kind of situations that you place yourself in for the rest of us. But thank you for doing it," Vanessa says in a very heartfelt tone.

She moves aside just a bit as the two newcomers move over to greet Diana. Out of a sense of not wanting to monopolize Diana's time, but also there that is implicit understanding that Vanessa does not quite belong in these surroundings. As much as she might have poise and bearing to pull it off, down inside that realization will always be there.

Still, she can't help but look down a bit and smile when she realizes what the conversation is about. She is behind the men where they can't see her, allowing Vanessa to look up and over them, to flash a commiserating smile to Diana.

Wonder Woman has posed:
It only takes a few minutes of banter and chatter before Diana has the two walking away together again. She was elegant and eloquent with her deflections of the father's desires to put his boy off with that of Diana.

With a light exhale, Diana turns back to where she'd last seen Vanessa and makes her way back over to her side. "Sometimes I wish that I never had to do one of these ever again in however many years of existence I have ahead of me." She confides in Vanessa, before looking over to her and showing a light smile. "Please do not be an undercover reporter looking to print that out as tomorrow's headline."

Diana's eyes then sweep back across the charity event's attendees and she offers a wave to another couple who are on their way out of the event, it would seem.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa breaks out into a soft grin. "You handled it quiet delicately and well, I thought. And no, I'm not a reporter. Actually, April O'Neil has come to be a kind of good friend of mine. But I don't imagine she'd report such about you. And I'd probably beat her with a dead catfish if I thought she was about to," Vanessa says with a soft chuckle, and an unusual turn of phrase.

Vanessa turns to look around the place, with people dressed to the nines, and where decorations abound. A quartet playing soft music nearby, and waiters and waitresses with expensive drinks and snacks at hand. "I suppose you've probably attended so many of these, the wonderment that can be found here might start to pale after awhile," she concedes, looking back to Diana. "Do you find that you are ever in a rut? Just needing to go out and try something new, with as many years as you have seen pass?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
"April O'Neil..." Diana says as though she's repeating the name of a long lost friend. "I believe her office called my Embassy at least twenty times in the past six months, trying to setup an interview." She acts like this is a huge bother and then flashes a grin. "I will have to speak with her soon, she has managed to reach out every time while I am busy, which is some luck there."

At the rest of what Vanessa says, Diana turns to look back upon the other woman of the same height. "I... do find ruts, now and then. Though less lately. My life is very busy and what I do I find to be very rewarding. A 'rut' though is what lead me to leaving my homeland, which has lead me to being here. Quite happy with the life I have now. It is not perfect... mind you... but perfection is a goal always sought, not likely to ever achieve. It is a good goal, but one that is a lot to ask for."

"Are you in a rut?" Diana then asks of the other.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa manages a soft, genuine laugh. The sound has a warmth to it, particularly when it isn't part of some witty barb. Which it certainly isn't while talking to Diana Prince. She lets out a breath and says, "I think I've spent so much time in ruts that I don't know what non-rut looks like."

Vanessa manages a small shrug of her shoulders though. "But we all get by the best that we can, right?" she asks. "And coming here tonight would definitely be a good example of getting out of a rut if that's where I've been dwelling," she says after a moment's realization on the subject.

Wonder Woman has posed:
This seems to please Diana, to help this woman find a bit of happiness tonight a change of pace sort've relief. "Well then, I am glad to have helped you with that. Maybe even if just a little."

A moment later and Diana is offering Vanessa her right hand. "Come." She says. "Let me take you around and introduce you to some of the finer people in attendance. Maybe that will help you as well, for once you return to your home tonight you will be able to look back on this evening as a well rounded endeavor and be able to smile about it, knowing that coming here was the very most right choice you could have made."

"If you'd like, of course. No pressure." Diana shows her best charming smile then as she punctuates it with a little enticing wiggle of her offered fingers to the other woman.

Copycat has posed:
Some people go through life never really doing anything for others. Then there are people who have discovered the joy that comes from helping another. The warm benny that can come from seeing a smile that you had a hand in causing. And tonight, the small, treasured smile that Vanessa gives in reply is the kind of thing that would leave the latter sort of person knowing they had done good.

Vanessa slips her hand over into Diana's to let her lead the way. "Thank you. Thank you so much," she says quietly. The young woman has a tranquil beauty to her in this moment. Though Diana might not know that she's given Vanessa a rare moment, lifted her out of the streets where in her heart, Vanessa knows she belongs.

But not tonight. Not for this moment.

They go to meet the other guests.