Welcome to Gaia! ::

(This is a continuation of the same space visit as [Professional Lesbians]!)

Poor Galena's head must have been spinning with all she was now witnessing. Antiope easily took up the front, but when she felt that the Captain was lingering too far back, she slowed down long enough to grab a hand with her sleeve and start dragging her along like an excited child leading a caretaker to her favorite swing in the park.

Once they passed the training grounds, they encountered a classic palace one might imagine seeing in Ancient China, though the building was not nearly as well maintained with over a thousand years of neglect.

Rather than stop and see every sight to see, the Mantis senshi pointed instead towards one building.

"The hallway has a bunch of armor and weaponry on display... I don't think it is an armory, but maybe more like a series of war trophies? All the armor was made for women though!"

Another building passed by.

"That one looked like it was a dining common or something. Looked like it could seat a lot of people, though they didn't have any chairs from what I remember."

As they approached an archway, the Mantis senshi glanced back to Galena. "...so... tell me... how do you feel about hot springs?"

On a typical, Jun, and by association, Antiope, was not a deep thinker. Many deep soul-searching questions would go ignored for lighter topics that usually indulged the little Mantis senshi.

However, with the most recent topics on war and side swaps, the little senshi seemed to actually hear the question.

"Hmmmm..." Her already squinty eyes seemed to press into a more solid squint as she pressed a sleeved hand (with a pointed finger no doubt) upon her forehead. It was very classically Winnie-the-Pooh.

"I don't know all the details in all honesty... but from what I have learned... I don't think people of this place even really wanted to venture out. It seemed as if they were happy living simple lives..." Even Lan, who had been given the opportunity at vast riches seemed more content with leaving to settle down. "...obviously they still fought, but I don't know the circumstances so much other than they attacked men..."

With a small frown, and seemingly discontent with her own response, she offered something rare for the senshi.

An apology.

"I'm sorry..."

The frown and the mood didn't seem to last though. With a sigh, she heaved herself back up, hiking the gym back up against her body a bit, then trotted forward again. "Anyways... hot springs... apparently they have them here! Very relaxing..." A pause. "...Well... if you can at least get undressed!"

It was a curious thing that Galena pointed out, however, Antiope seemed perfectly okay skipping the subject to talk more about the hotsprings.

"Well, if it is any consolation, I've enjoyed the springs a couple times now... well, as much as I could!"

Rather suddenly, she shed the gym bag, dropping it to the ground with a heavy thud. Within moments, it was almost like the little senshi was legitimately doing a strip tease, just minus the tease aspect of it. Off came the little slippers from her feet, and she began to work on removing her jacket.

"See, every time I try to undress, it just doesn't..." When the jacket started to separate from her body, the full uniform started to glow a bright white and just like that, Antiope was fully dressed again, shoes back on her feet, jacket buttoned up as if she hadn't been trying to undress in the first place.

"...work..."

Having made her point, she extended a foot out and rolled her ankle to emphasize the appendage.

"Most I can really do is dip my feet in the spring... my feet haven't fallen off yet, which I think is a positive sign. I do have towels if you think you'd be able to undress though and don' have to deal with such weird magics!" Hopping on her other foot, she leaned down and grabbed up her gym bag again, preparing to move forward again.

"Oh... wait! Not quite yet... let's at least get to the hot springs before you remove your shoes! Don't know if there's debris on the ground or not!" Packed up again, she once more reached for Galena's hand and dragged her along.

Soon enough they approached a building with a large archway with decorative Mantises looming over, seeming to survey the area with their golden gazes. They slipped past a large dining area with plenty of silk cushions, worn with years of neglect. They went down a hallway with rough wood, no longer smoothed with polish or wax. Eventually with a turn into a room that had ratty silk draping down, clearly to offer a bit of privacy for any patrons. Antiope, in all her manners, lifted the aged silk out of Galena's way as she followed in.

"This is a room I have been using when I come by... I sleep here, keep my things here, and out the other doorway is one of the springs!"

There was an aged futon upon the side of the room, and with a fierce toss, the little senshi had unloaded her gym bag for another time.

"...I forgot to ask... are you hungry? I have some of those protein bars... different flavors... not sure what you like though!" Scurrying over, the mantis senshi started to unload her bag. Various protein bars, bottles of water with tea-powder packets, and a large towel with Bruce Lee's face on it were the first items pulled out.

"Go ahead, help yourself!" she said as she continued to dig for other items.

As she continued to burrow through her gym bag, Antiope easily answered Galena's inquiry on the sleep issue. "I've only been here a couple of times... I can only come every so often, not like every day! I tend to use this place for hardcore training! It is good to ensure one gets proper rest, even when training!"

Her face scrunched up as she was clearly not finding what she was looking for. She practically dove into her gym bag at this point, grumbling something along the lines of "I know you're in there!"

With a bit of squirming as her bag attempted to consume her, she eventually popped back out, a battery-powered lantern in her hands.

"It can get dark outside... nice to have some lighting! Didn't know that the first few times... but now I know, so I try to be prepared!"

Oblivious to the impression she had left upon Galena with her towel, the small girl gathered a few bars, a bottle of water, and a packet of tea powder, and began to make her way to the other door.

"I suppose you can take off the boots now! I'll meet you outside!"

With a big grin, the girl scampered off, clearly setting up the area to be a bit more hospitable. Eventually a warm glowing light seemed to radiate from outside, the light even lingering into the bathhouse door and windows.

The little Mantis senshi seemed absolutely relaxed, even if she couldn't fully enjoy the hot spring like she wanted to. Occasionally she'd roll her ankles through the waters, but overall she remained still, gazing up to the starry sky above.

"...it's a shame it's dead... I couldn't even imagine how lovely place this was back when things were still alive and kicking!" It was a lie, since she had seen a couple odd scenes that were picture perfect examples of what life had been.

"So... you mentioned... knights earlier... I think? What are those exactly?"

Antiope seemed to ponder the notion of weapon wielding individuals, and found herself sorely lacking in this department.

"I met a giant man before I became a senshi... but he didn't really have a weapon, more of a giant toy. I don't think he was a knight though." Lowering her gaze to Galena, she smiled.

"So I think the answer is no, I haven't met knights!"

A logical question for the mantis senshi would have been about her own memories if she took the plunge. However, she instead asked "If all it takes is a weapon to be a knight, could I be a knight if I pull out some of the sickles I found here?"

People being exasperated with her was not new. It was actually a common reaction to all of Jun or Antiope's antics. Such a reaction from Galena was ignored. Her observation about not being able to become a knight with weapons at hand did cause a momentary frown.

"I would like to think that things can still be simple! Isn't this world... Well... Not this world... Maybe more this life... Isn't it what we make it?"

With a shrug, the mantis senshi mused "... Either way... Those sickles are pretty nice pieces of weaponry... Very ornate! Maybe after we finish pampering and relaxing a bit I can show you!"