At least you seemed to have understood what rebelling meant.
Who: Kitty and Diana What:Meeting the mother Vacation in Greece When: 4/6ish Where: Greece Rating: Pg-13 Status: complete
Kitty had never actually been to Greece. Plenty of other countries. But never Greece. So she was looking forward to this. Maybe less looking forward to meeting Diana’s mother.
Come to think of it, Kitty tried to remember the last times she’d managed to actually meet the mother. Jean didn’t count for Rachel, of course.
She hoped this was a good time of year for swimsuit weather. Not for any reason. At all. Really.
If she wasn’t so excited to see the sights she’d probably keep Diana in the hotel room the entire trip. Kitty always had a strong libido but Diana brought it out in her constantly.
Crete tended to be good for swimsuit weather given it was an island. But mainland Greece could depend on where they were. Diana was more than happy to show Kitty around her home country. And, of course, they couldn’t get away with visiting Greece without stopping to see her mother.
Their hotel on Crete was in Diana’s home city of Sitia, though she had a feeling her mother would invite them to stay with her. It’s not like the house she grew in wasn’t big enough. Her mother did have money and lived in a rather large house littered with artifacts and artwork depicting the ancient world.
“Alright, what shall we do first? Stop by my mother’s so she does not kill me, or go see some sights?” Sitia was right on the ocean on the east end of the island. It was also a port city.
Kitty danced out of the bathroom after freshening up and wrapped her arms around Diana from behind. She was even wearing, gasp, a sundress. It was a rare Kitty in a dress, something to cherish and appreciate.
It made her look younger, more carefree. She’d cut her hair to shoulder length, having not wanted to go as short as her more recent dreams. “Well it depends on if your mom will keep us busy for too long.”
Diana smiled, leaning back into Kitty. She felt worlds better than she had in a couple months. Steve had cast a shadow on her after she’d dreamed of his death. But right now, she felt better simply getting away from it all and being with her girlfriend.
“That depends upon how much she likes you.” Diana said in bemusement. “Though she’ll most likely try to feed us, so it would be dependent upon your appetite as well.”
The idea of just the two of them had been high on Kitty’s want list. She loved her friends and hte kids, and Pyrrha was nice. But yeah. Just the two of them.
But she could make an allowance for mothers. “Lets go meet her first, if we say we have plans that gives us a ready made excuse not to stay all day.”
Diana chuckled. “Sounds good to me. It gives me an excuse to get you out before my mother tells too many embarrassing stories of me as a child.” She turned around in Kitty’s arms and leaned in to steal a kiss from her.
“Oh no, once the embarrassing stories come out we’re,” Kitty started to warn, but she was distracted by the kiss. And she giggled into the kiss. “...what was I saying?”
“I think you were saying something about the trip?” Diana responded playfully. She gave Kitty a hug, more than thankful for this. She really needed this trip to try and shake off her dream self’s unending mourning period.
“Something about never leaving so she can regail me with all the stories that make you cringe.” Kitty pulled away after the hug, threading her fingers with Diana’s. Tucking some hair behind her ear, she said, almost shyly. “Guess you should meet my dad at some point.”
Her mother? Would never happen. Though Kitty wouldn’t mind seeing the look on her face at her current girlfriend.
Diana chuckled and shook her head. “I will drag you out if she does start on those stories.” She squeezed Kitty’s hand. “I would love to, when you are ready to introduce us.” Diana was ready to introduce Kitty to her mother, even if part of it was coming to Greece meant she had to visit her mother lest she suffer her wrath.
Keeping hold of Kitty’s hand, she led the way out of the hotel room, after ensuring she had her purse and the room key with her. Diana was wearing a tanktop, her hair was in a ponytail, and she was wearing shorts. In other words, her muscles were on full display, which her mother would probably be surprised by.
“You’d have to.” Kitty wanted to hear all the best stories, and see adorable Diana in picture and hopefully video form.
She’d have to hide all the photo albums at her dad’s, though.
Kitty thought it was weird at first, being the less athletic one. But even in her sun dress she was toned and athletic. Just not to Diana’s extent.
“Believe me, I will. And no cheating and using your power to get out of my grasp,” Diana lightly chastised. She headed out to the car and got in. Yes, her mother’s house wasn’t all that far away, they could’ve walked, but given they had sight-seeing to do later, might as well just drive there so they could head out when they were ready.
“Maybe you’ll have to pin me down sometime, “ Kitty joked. Or did she. She really should bring up her interest in being tied up. This WAS Wonder Woman, after all.
She held Diana’s hand in the car, perhaps a bit too tightly. Okay, so she was nervous. It was fine.
“Perhaps I will. We’ll have to have another go at wrestling sometime?” Diana suggested with a smirk. As she drove, she felt the way Kitty was holding onto her hand, and she gave it a little squeeze.
“It will be alright. At least this version of my mother is not the queen of the Amazons.” Unless she moved to Orange County and started to dream, of course.
“That would be pretty intimidating, I mean not everyone can date a princess.”
Wait. She was dating a princess.
Holy shit.
Kitty shook her head. “Okay I’m intimidated now.”
“I’m not a princess in this life. Just someone with a rich mother.” Diana squeezed Kitty’s hand again. “But do not worry, my mother is not stuck up. I happen to think that she’ll love you, once she gets past the initial cold shoulder stage. She does that to everyone else I dated in the past.”
“Same difference.” Kitty resolved she’d be on her best behavior around Diana’s mother, but also not be too … stiff. Maybe she should just be herself. Being herself usually worked really well or the exact opposite.
“I’ll try to make her smile. This may not end well.”
“Just relax and be yourself. My mother will love you.” She pulled into a driveway that wound around a little before coming up to a rather nice-looking house. She parked and looked over at Kitty. “Ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be. Should we have let her know we’re coming? Or does she have mom-senses and is already waiting for us. Coiled. Ready to strike.”
Kitty kissed Diana, then got out of the car and smoothed her dress down. “Okay, lets to this.”
“My mother will know we’re here.” She kissed Kitty back, then got out of the car. She smiled at her and sure enough, before Diana had even come around the car to head towards the front door, the door was open and a tall woman with long blonde hair came out.
“Diana!” She exclaimed with a wide smile as she came up to greet her.
“Mother!” Diana grinned and went over to hug her mother.
“It is so good to see you. You are looking well, and...rather muscular.” She noted, speaking in Greek. Diana laughed.
“I’ve been upping my workout regime. I could probably draw a heavier bow than you could now.” Diana responded in Greek with a smirk.
“Is that a challenge?”
“Perhaps.” Diana chuckled, before she turned to Kitty and switched to speaking English. “Mother, I want you to meet Kitty, my girlfriend. Kitty, this is my mother, Hippolyta.”
Hippolyta turned her gaze to Kitty. She was roughly the same height as Diana, perhaps a little shorter. She looked her up and down. “Kitty, it is a pleasure to meet you.” She extended her hand in greeting, though she was obviously sizing Kitty up with the kind of look only a mother, or an Amazon Queen in another life, could give.
Kitty had been working on her Greek, but she only caught a bit of that. She’d always been good on languages, and one of the things she wanted to do on this trip was get better at Diana’s native language.
She waved her hand a little, then took Hippolyta’s hand. She had a firm grip, with callouses from her active lifestyle, but not the kind of firm like she was trying too hard. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Part of her wished she’d been introduced as Kate. It was more mature. Oh well.
Hippolyta could appreciate a firm grip, she had one herself. “Diana has spoken much of you. Please, come in.” She waved them both inside.
Diana smiled, taking Kitty’s hand and heading inside. It was probably like walking into a museum of the lived-in sort with the artifacts. It was only then that Diana realized it reminded her more than a little bit of Themyscira and some rooms in the palace that they’d lived in. She hoped that her mother never moved because she didn’t know if she could handle her mother dreaming as well.
Though there were things Diana needed to have out with her, but only under the circumstances of the dreams.
“Now, are you both hungry? I can feed you.”
“You know I will eat anything you give me, mother.”
“Oh, that’s scary, she talks about me,” Kitty quipped. She looked around the house. It was beautiful, and also felt very old. If she couldn’t walk through walls she’d worry about breaking something. “I’m starving! Diana’s an amazing cook, so she must have gotten it from you.”
“It is good to see Diana listened to something I taught her,” Hippolyta quipped, giving Diana a little look before heading to the kitchen.
Diana rolled her eyes a bit once her mother’s back was turned and shook her head. She followed to the kitchen.
“Why don’t you show your girlfriend around while I make food?” She gave Diana that knowing mom look that she’d picked up on the whole eye roll thing.
“Of course, mother,” Diana responded, then gave Kitty a smile before she headed out of the kitchen.
Kitty took Diana’s hand once they were out of the kitchen. She was still nervous, practically vibrating from it. In a low voice, she asked, “Did that go well? I thought that went well.”
At least for now. She didn’t think Hippolyta cared Kitty was a woman, but she also didn’t know if Diana had ever brought home a girl before.
“Yes, that went well,” Diana responded in a low voice as she led Kitty around the house. She squeezed her hand and gave her a smile. “You’re doing well so far.” She pointed out the rooms of interest, and in all of them there were photos of Diana at various ages, photos of her and her mother and another woman who presumably was her aunt given the resemblance to Hippolyta. There were no pictures of anyone who could be considered Diana’s father, and it was rather obvious Diana’s dark eyes and dark hair must have come from him.
Eventually, they ended up at her room. “Now, this is my room.” Diana announced, opening the door. It still had some childhood mementos in it, artwork and school projects she hadn’t taken with her when she’d moved out. There were also several trophies for archery contests she’d been in. Most of them were first place achievements. A couple of her old bows were hanging on one wall.
Child Diana was adorable, and Kitty imagined having a kid with her, which was frightening so she banished that thought to the bad place.
She stepped into Diana’s room, looking around and smiling. “So you were a sports kid.”
“Somewhat. My mother taught me archery, and I learned how to ride horses. Though I never competed in equestrian events, only archery.” Diana moved into the room, going over to the bows on the wall. “I had a chance to compete for a spot on the Greek Olympic archery team, but I wanted to focus on academics, and not put them on hold to train for the Olympics.”
She smiled a bit, taking one of the bows off of the wall. “This was my first bow my mother gave me. Back then, it wasn’t easy to draw it. Now, I could snap it like a twig with no effort.”
“You were still a jock.” Kitty ran her finger along Diana’s bow. She’d fired them on occasion, mostly in her dreams. Dani had shown her hers once, and Xavier’s had had an archery range. But she’d never been much of a ranged fighter.
“Lets not break it. It’s pretty.”
“Perhaps I was,” she mused. Sometimes Diana missed those days, but given her dreams, she had knowledge of several different weapons and fighting styles. Though she didn’t need weapons given she herself was a weapon.
“Definitely not. This was always my favorite bow.” After some more moments, she returned the bow to its place on the wall.
“Are you all right?” Kitty put her hand on Diana’s back, rubbing in a slow, hopefully reassuring circle.
Coming home again was never easy, and Kitty was pretty sure this was the first time since Diana had left - with the added weight of her dreams.
Kitty knew how that felt. Part of her never could go home again,at least not to her mother, or her childhood home. She’d gotten that in the divorce. But knowing that Diana had left her mother in her dreams, and might never see her again there?
It must hurt.
“It is bittersweet.” Diana took a breath and looked at Kitty. “All the artifacts and art pieces my mother has here, when I first walked in, suddenly struck me how much they looked like things on Themyscira in my dreams. I suppose I have not really thought about how I can still visit my mother and my aunt here, but in my dreams...my aunt is dead and I may never see my mother or Themyscira again.”
There was a part of her that hoped she’d find her way back there someday. But rationally, she knew the likelihood of that was rather low.
It made sense. The Amazons were a Grecoroman myth (though there were similar myths all around the world). Their entire aesthetic was apparent in this house. Coming here must be like a double whammy.
“Is your Aunt on the island? We should visit her. Might do you some good to see her in person.”
That was the worse thing about the dreams. People you could never see again. People you knew but you didn’t know.
It was definitely a double whammy, one that Diana had attempted to ignore until Kitty had asked. But it was what she needed. Maybe being back here, visiting her mother and her aunt, would be cathartic and help her shed the bleedover from her dream self. She may not be able to see Steve, but seeing her mother and aunt should certainly help.
“Not on this island. She lives on another of the Greek islands, but it wouldn’t be hard to go visit her. Unless my mother decides we need a family dinner while you and I are around here, of course.”
“Why don’t we make that a day trip tomorrow,” Kitty suggested. She pulled Diana’s face to look at her, and stroked her cheeks. “Cuz I think your mom will kidnap us for the day. And you could spend more time with your aunt than trying to cram it into one day, babe.”
She turned her attention to Kitty when she pulled her face to look at her. Diana smiled gently. “I like that idea. I’ll give her a call and see if she’ll be around tomorrow.” She slid her arms around Kitty’s back and held her close. She leaned in and pressed her forehead to Kitty’s and closed her eyes. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“I love you,” Kitty said, her grin enthusiastic. She kissed Diana’s cheek, then her nose. “It’s okay. No matter what, it’s okay.”
“I love you, too,” she responded with a warm smile. “I’m already feeling better being here with you.” She meant that in regards to her mood as it had been lately, and not in regards to the current feelings she was having over being back in her childhood home.
“I know you’ve been having a hard time lately.” What was it like, to live through two World Wars and a century of horror? Just the tastes Kitty had had were enough to make her ill. She’d fought, briefly, in the second. She’d been barely fifteen. She’d seen so much, it was amazing that she was as well adjusted as she was. She looked at Diana with eyes much older than she was.
Maybe Kitty could understand.
“It’s really hard trying to shake my dream self’s period of mourning off. But I’m trying. I just know that I would probably be as closed off as she is if I did not have you.” Diana smiled gently at Kitty. She lifted a hand and gently caressed her cheek, gazing into her eyes. Kitty wasn’t the only one with eyes that looked much older than she was. Diana was 5,000 years old, give or take a few decades or so.
“Guess I’m good for something.” Still, she was glad she had Diana, too. Too many broken relationships and lost friendships, and dreams that just didn’t stop. The only thing that had kept her going some days were the twins. Not even Logan, or Rogue, sometimes.
Now, she had Diana, who was sweet and kind and stubborn and she brought out the best in Kitty. And Kitty hoped she brought out the best in Diana.
“You are good for more than something,” Diana replied. And she both meant and believed it. Kitty was a good woman, and she was lucky to have met her. She leaned in and kissed Kitty, a little more emotion behind her kiss this time.
Kitty made a pleased sound, wrapping her arms around Diana’s shoulders and returning the kiss with gusto. With her libido, she’d already managed to initiate Diana into the mile high club on this trip. Who knew where else?
Diana would’ve been more than happy to add her childhood bed, or bedroom, to the list. However, as she kissed Kitty she felt as though they were being watched.
“Well, lovebirds, food is ready if you still have an appetite for that.” Hippolyta commented. She didn’t have a smile on her lips, but there was definitely a cheeky look in her eyes.
Blushing, Kitty pulled away from Diana. Not the worst thing she’d been caught doing with someone but it wasn’t usually by their mother. She rubbed her hand through her hair. “Definitely hungry.”
Diana couldn’t help the little look she gave her mother after Kitty pulled away. Hippolyta barely batted an eyelash as she gave Diana a pointed look in return. She then turned her attention back to Kitty.
“Then come and eat and tell me what you both are up to while you’re here.” Hippolyta said and led the way back to the kitchen.
Diana shook her head, slipping an arm around Kitty’s back and headed after her mother. “I think she wants to pinpoint our location at all times while in Greece,” she murmured.
“She’s a mother,” Kitty replied quietly. “They have built in radar at all times. I should know, I’m one now!”
“We also have superior hearing,” Hippolyta commented. “Now sit,” she gestured towards the table which was already set. There were a couple different food items on the table. There was some lamb for gyros, baklava and a couple other Greek dessert type things. Taking a seat, Hippolyta looked at Kitty. “You say you are a mother?”
“I’m still working on the hearing thing.” She was nervous, so falling back on quipping. “Their names are Leong and Nga, they’re my late wife’s twin siblings. They’re almost sixteen now.”
God, she wasn’t ready for them to be teenagers and they’re already teenagers.
“It comes with practice.” Hippolyta cast a little look at Diana before turning her attention back to Kitty. She wasn’t quite certain what to make of the late wife comment. “Ah, teenagers can be tricky at times.”
“Mother,” Diana complained, having an idea of where Hippolyta was going with that comment.
“It’s been awhile, but I remember when I was one.” Kitty was older than she looked, and part of that had to do with a combination of dreams and the OC being the OC. But she could still remember what a little shit she’d been. “It’s why I’m so not ready.”
She thought she caught a glint in Hippolyta’s eyes, and leaned forward. “Is it embarrass Diana time?”
“This one had a habit of sneaking out at night and getting into places she should not be in.” Hippolyta responded. “She loved museums and ruins, and tried to sneak into some at night. The police caught her once and were kind enough to not put her in jail.”
Diana just grabbed some baklava and tried to pretend she wasn’t listening. But it was starting off pretty tame.
That wasn’t so bad, Kitty could definitely see that happening. “I didn’t really rebel until I graduated college at 18. Spent a couple of years in London, got in trouble a few times but not for trespassing.” She flashed a grin at Diana.
“At least you seemed to have understood what rebelling meant. This one’s definition was less opposition and more going where she wanted to.” Hippolyta sounded...almost proud of Kitty?
“I didn’t think you would ever get caught for trespassing.” Diana commented with a smirk. Kitty seemed to be more daring than that.
“It does help that I’m like a ninja.” Literally, but it also made for a good joke. “There was that time I talked a cop out of giving me a ticket. And ended up dating him.”
She laughed, rubbing her neck.
“Is that so?” Hippolyta questioned. “Sounds as though you can talk your way out of anything, like this one thinks she can.”
Diana just rolled her eyes and shook her head. “We both know that is not true, mother.”
Kitty took a bite of her food, taking the moment to enjoy it. Diana definitely got her cooking from her mother. And also her good looks. She wondered who her father actually was - it couldn’t actually be Zeus, not here.
“Most things. I’m better at it than Diana.”
“Hey!” Diana playfully pouted at Kitty.
“Diana was better at the doe eyes when she was a child. You should have stuck with those.” Hippolyta pointed out to Diana as she took some food for herself.
“You’re better at plenty of things, hon.” Kitty flashed another grin at Diana. Bench lifting cars, dealing with antiquities. “With your whole antiquities thing.”
She didn’t sound like that was a problem for her at all. Diana was smart, and Kitty was smart too.
“Diana always was curious and wanted to know more about the ancient world. It is good to see such desire has not dimmed as she has grown older.” Hippolyta had not been a fan of Diana leaving Greece, but she hadn’t really been able to stop her either.
“I do enjoy learning about history and keeping the ancient world alive in some small ways.”
“We met at the museum,” Kitty explained, expression animated. “I’d taken the kids and I guess I was a little distracted because they managed to slip her my number.”
Hippolyta eyed both Diana and Kitty. “Set up by children? Sounds as though they like to meddle. Or matchmake, depending upon how you see it.”
Diana chuckled. “It was rather a surprise to have been slipped your phone number, but I am certainly glad they did give it to me.” And she wouldn’t say which one had given it to her either.
“They like to do both.” Kitty decided to keep her trail of girlfriends to herself. She knew it wasn’t a good look, but she liked to think that this time was different. It was the kids that pulled the trigger, so to speak. “I probably would have flailed and crushed at a distance otherwise.”
“Sometimes a push is needed.” Hippolyta commented. “So long as you treat my daughter well and do not hurt her.”
Diana had to say, at least her mother didn’t make an overt threat of harm should the relationship not work out. Though there was probably an unspoken one there.
“That’s fair,” Kitty agreed. “But you don’t need to worry about that. Diana is a ray of sunshine and the last thing I’d want to do is hurt her.”
Besides, hitting her would be like hitting the Hulk, painful and ineffective, and Kitty wasn’t that kind of person anyway, unless Diana went all evil.
Hippolyta finally smiled, one that was directed towards Kitty just as much as Diana. “Yes, she is. She is my greatest love. I would not wish to see her light be diminished.”
Diana smiled a bit shyly. Lately, she’d been more subdued, but that was all the fault of her dreams. She’d done her best to keep that from her mother, not wanting her to assume it was because of Kitty. “I am just thankful to love and be loved in return.”
“If anything her light burns away my shadows.” Everyone had their dark spots, the bad things in their lives, and Kitty had had her own moments of grief and bitterness and anger. She’d never dealt with it. Diana had found a way to understand.
“Light has a way of doing that, especially where Diana is concerned. Perhaps I should have named her after a sun god instead of a moon goddess.” Hippolyta mused.
“There is nothing wrong with the goddess of the hunt and the moon, you know.” Diana corrected. “I think we both compliment each other very well.” She said with a smile, looking at Kitty.
“The moon reflects the sun,” Kitty pointed out. “They share the same light, just shining in different ways.”
She glanced at Diana. Hippolyta’s words made Kitty think on that a little bit. She’d always been more comfortable in the shadows. “Moon goddess and the Shadowcat. I like it.”
“Quite true. You are a smart one.” Hippolyta commented. And she did like smart people being around Diana.
Diana smiled warmly at Kitty, reaching over and setting her hand over Kitty’s. “I like it, too.” Of course, if her mother asked the meaning of Shadowcat, they’d have to make up a response.
It was a geek thing, honest. Kitty had never actually told Diana the meaning behind the name. Why she’d chosen it and when she’d chosen it. The X-Men had given her so many names to choose from but in the end the one that had stuck had been the one that had come from deep within her heart, after a particularly traumatic experience.
“I’m just naturally inquisitive.”
“Very good. People need to be more inquisitive. After all, how could anyone learn anything if they did not ask?” Hippolyta posed.
While Diana didn’t know the story behind the name, she didn’t pry about it either. It was probably one of those things that if Kitty wanted to explain it, she would, and if not, it wasn’t Diana’s business.
She would eventually. Maybe even after this. But for now, Kitty contented herself with good food, and nudging Diana’s foot under the table. “So do you do the whole curation thing too?”
“Yes, I do. I own a museum as well. I had offered Diana a job there, but she wanted to make her own way, which I understand.” Sometimes working for a parent didn’t make it easy to get out from under their shadow, especially if said parent had name recognition in the industry.
“I wanted to be known on my own merit, not because of who my mother is.” Diana confirmed, nudging Kitty’s foot back.
Kitty nudged her again, smirking mostly to herself, then blinked at Hippolyta. “Huh… Yeah that makes sense. I never had to worry about that, I didn’t follow either of my parents into their fields. My mom was always disappointed I stopped taking ballet.”
“What did you do instead of ballet when you stopped?” Hippolyta asked.
Diana remained silent on the matter, letting Kitty explain what she wanted. She ate some more baklava as she nudged Kitty back again.
"Computer sciences. I used to do white hat hacking type work. Even broke into the Pentagon once. They paid us, but still. Right now I'm in an information position with a local agency back home."
It was kind of like Nat calling her own work "HR" for all intents and purposes.
Hippolyta arched her eyebrows at that. “The Pentagon is not easy to hack into, I would think.” Of course, nothing these days seemed to be immune from hacking. “You certainly are an intelligent woman. I respect that.” Intelligent tended to mean the person wouldn’t do things that were overly stupid.
“She is quite a computer genius. She is much better at computers than I am.” Diana chuckled. She knew how to work computers, of course, but she just used them for the basics of communication and making her job keeping artifacts sorted and properly catalogued far easier than doing it all by hand.
“I’m even better with the hardware end of things. I’ve always liked putting things together with my hands.” Kitty knew she was inviting herself into being international IT, but she didn’t really mind. She liked Diana’s mother and wanted her to like her.
“Is that so? Are you good at fixing computers?” Hippolyta asked, a bit curious about that.
Kitty nodded, “Yes I am! I started out self-taught, then got the certifications and did the classes for my degrees. I finished high school at like, fifteen.”
“Perhaps you could fix a computer for me,” Hippolyta said.
“Mother, we are here on vacation,” Diana interjected.
“It is her choice if she wants to or not, Diana.” Hippolyta reminded in that mom tone.
Laughing, Kitty shook her head, “I can take a look, I don’t mind. I just can’t guarantee it’s fixable.”
“I can tell you I have not physically damaged it.” It was probably a good thing Hippolyta wasn’t a Dreamer, otherwise the computer probably would have been beaten up. “Eat first, then you can take a look at the computer.”
Kitty glanced at Diana, “Do you mind?” She did like a computer challenge, even if she sometimes really hated the beasts. She hoped it was something she could fix easily, “My phone is a custom OS I programmed and I always include diagnostic tools.”
Among other things that would make Natasha proud - and that she’d been meaning to set up for Neena and some others.
“Not at all,” Diana responded with a smile. Knowing her mother, it was probably some update that was buggy and caused some issue or other. Sometimes it was amusing to watch her mother struggle with some modern technology.
In no particular hurry, Kitty finished eating, nudging Diana’s foot with her own absently as she did so. “When did it start up?”
“It has been going on for a while now. Maybe about a month or so? I had installed an update and things have not worked how they are supposed to.” Hippolyta’s frustration with the matter was apparent in her tone of voice.
“Ah. Yeah, sometimes updates don’t play well with others.” It was a concept that frustrated Kitty to no end. There was a reason most of her devices ran a custom OS. But she couldn’t convert everyone to her special brand of Linux so she just had to deal with the quirks both apple and microsoft had. And to be fair, a lot of linux variants sucked. “I’ll try a few things.”
“Thank you, I appreciate that. If it can be fixed, at least I can stop trying to find workarounds and not get a headache from such things.” Hippolyta commented.
“Or calling me or aunt Antiope at odd hours for help,” Diana added in a playful matter.
Kitty grinned. She just hoped she could fix it quickly, there were things she still wanted to today. But unless Hippolyta was one of those people that was drowning in malware, it would probably be okay.
Probably.
Hippolyta just shook her head. Luckily the problem wouldn’t be too complicated, so it wouldn’t take all that long to fix. And once everyone was done eating, Hippolyta showed Kitty the problematic computer, and left her to work on it as she cleaned up, with Diana’s help, and had a little talk with her. In Greek, not because she was trying to keep anything from Kitty, but simply because it was their native language.
“Okay, lets see what’s up.” Kitty plugged her drive in before booting it up. If there were any hardware problems it would pick them up on boot up, but everything seemed to be clean.
Sluggish, but clean, which confirmed it was an update issue. Kitty ran a registry cleaning tool and then some updates. Between that and reinstalling the chipset driver the computer came back to life. She left it running a harddrive optimization program of her own design. “Okay, when that finishes, just close the window and it’ll be good as new!”
When Kitty made the announcement, Hippolyta went to take a look. “Well, I’m impressed. Thank you for your help.” And Hippolyta actually smiled.
“Any time,” Kitty replied. “I can even put in a backdoor to remotely help you if you want.”
And that’s where Kitty lost Hippolyta. “If you think it will help, I am not opposed.”
“She actually has no idea what you just said.” Diana commented with bemusement. She knew that look on her mother’s face all too well.
Kitty laughed. “I’ll do that then.”
She glanced at Diana, not sure whether she was ready to go or not yet, but not wanting to be rude.
“Thank you, I do greatly appreciate your help.” Which she did.
Diana smiled, glancing to Kitty, then deciding they better take the opening and leave before Hippolyta decided to keep them forever. Or give Kitty more work to do. “As much as we have enjoyed seeing you mother, we should be getting on. I promised Kitty an adventure and sightseeing.”
“Got any recommendations?” Kitty figured that might easy the pain of their leaving, making Hippolyta part of it. And she was genuinely interested in what she might consider worth seeing anyway.
Hippolyta nodded and rattled off several places. It was probably more than Kitty expected, and several of them had been on Diana’s list of places to take Kitty to. “Just remember to call your aunt. She will not forgive you if you do not at least tell her you are here.”
“I will, mother. We were planning to visit her as well.” Diana was just going to leave off the part that such a visit was partly driven by the emotions of her dreams. Talking to her aunt on the phone was one thing. Actually seeing her in person was very much another.
“I insisted,” Kitty said, turning her head back to Diana and grinning. “Diana likes to talk Antiope up.”
And Kitty liked to show off she knew how to pronounce their names.