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meadowlarklogs2019-06-06 06:56 pm
monomachy) wrote in meadowlarklogs2019-06-06 06:56 pm
i'm just a believer [open]
WHO: Diana Prince & various.
WHERE: Several locations around NA.
WHEN: The first two weeks of November.
WHAT: A week in the life of an Amazonian princess. May include: crime fighting, nerding out over art, glowering at buggy food, selfies, a minor shopping spree, and other such shenanigans.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: TBA.
i. i've never been that lucky [the safehouse]
[Diana is no stranger to starting her life over.
It was easier, a hundred years ago. Simply moving from one city to another, even just a few dozen miles away, was enough. People didn't travel so widely back then. She could spend a decade or so in one place before anyone began to notice that she didn't age as they did. Before they started to notice other things about her, too. Then, all she'd have to do would be give a smile along with a few goodbyes, pack up whatever belongings she could carry, and simply move on. Nobody questioned it, not even when she'd been a woman alone, back when things like that were more likely to rouse suspicion. She had a way of making people believe she could take care of herself, and that was no lie.
But as the world continued to modernize, starting over became more difficult. Money had to be moved, documents had to be altered just so. Even references for work had to be chosen carefully, with the utmost discretion. It was a game she'd been playing for decades now, and one she'd thought she'd mastered--at least until Lex Luthor had pulled her image from who knew how many cameras from across Europe with her none the wiser, shattering her belief that she'd been so careful, so clever. To be sure, he had more resources at his disposal than most, but if one person could do it, there was nothing to stop another.
That had been part of her decision to go public, in the end. There was no use hiding what the world would find out eventually anyway.
In New Amsterdam, she hadn't needed to put any of her usual meticulous effort into creating a new life; Morningstar had done it all for her. And while she's grateful, it had put her a little out of her depth. She'd had no choice in her arrival, which was the worst of it. Always, before, she'd picked her destination with care. But now she's living in a safehouse with a varying number of occupants, and she couldn't be much less enthused. Diana has always valued her privacy, and between the communal sleeping and bathing arrangements, the safehouse doesn't even pretend to offer it.
Still, she makes the best of it. She rises early every morning, going through a set of stretches before starting her morning jog around the city. She's always willing to let people join her, enjoying the company when she thought she might not. Her evenings are spent in the common area more often than not, chatting with the other inhabitants amicably despite how badly she wants her own space. She sleeps lightly, always waking if someone comes in late, rolling off her cot and to her feet the instant the door opens, ready for whoever--or whatever--may come through the door.]
ii. i've never tasted fame [cuyp markt]
[The market is a delight. Diana has always enjoyed open-air bazaars and the like, and even if the Cuyp Markt is located underground, it has the same energized feeling. The little money she sets aside to spend is usually run through in the marketplace, and she never regrets a credit of it. She often enthuses about produce, picking up fruits and exclaiming about how good it is to see something fresh despite all the processed foods here. She's a shrewd bargainer, and has no qualms about standing for a long while arguing about the price of something-or-other until a compromise is reached.
Today, she's decided to browse a stall selling cosmetics. Diana doesn't wear a lot of makeup, but it's always good to have some on hand. She'd quickly learned the effect a bit of color to her lips or a bit of kohl around her eyes could have, and the abrupt nature of her new life makes her grasp any advantage she can with both hands.
Diana holds a tube of lipstick up to the fluorescent lights, eyeing it dubiously.]
This isn't made of bugs too, is it?
iii. i'm always looking for something [lilly&moki art gallery]
[Since arriving in New Amsterdam, Diana had spent most of the free time (which she now had in abundance) around the arts district. Her latest job at the Louvre had been one of her favorites, and she had seen no reason not to continue in the same line of work here.
Except that the art so so vastly different from what she knows.
That had been what she'd spent the first few weeks learning. Digital and virtual art are the trends now, which is no surprise considering the lack of paper. Even canvas is hard to come by, as far as she can tell. Sculpture, at least, has remained. The physical expression of art is where her expertise lies, but she's a quick study. A few days browsing the internet and visiting every gallery she could possibly find had given her an idea of recent trends and what the upper echelons wanted to see displayed in their homes.
It was enough to get her a job at Lilly&Moki. She hasn't been a gallery attendant in a long, long time, but she'd given more than a few private tours of the Louvre in the past few years, and knows how to talk to patrons. She dresses casually but professionally, immediately setting aside a portion of her earnings to begin rebuilding the wardrobe she sorely misses. If she's going to start rubbing shoulders with the social elite, acting the part won't help her if she doesn't look it.
The permanent pieces in the gallery were easy enough to memorize descriptions for, and she'll add her own interpretations more often than not. Escorting potential buyers through the rest of the gallery, where the local art is displayed, is her favorite part, though. The pieces change often, keeping her on her toes. When she describes them, it's obvious that she holds respect for both the art and the artist themselves. She pauses before the façade of a small house set against one wall of the gallery, the two windows of which are set with stained glass. The designs on the glass seem more abstract than not, but Diana launches into her description without hesitation:]
Tonina Wolfe is a local artist, and this is her first piece to be shown at Lilly&Moki, titled Oblivious Earth. According to the artist, this work resonates with the conflicts that inhere in postmodern urbanism, which is reminiscent of the gap between necessity and desire, practicality and fiction.
iv. but i hate changing [new amsterdam after dark]
[If someone were to tell Diana she'd gone out tonight looking for trouble, she would have been offended--even if they would be absolutely correct. This is a big city, and big cities always run rampant with crime. She'd made a promise when she'd agreed to start the League with Bruce and Clark, and even if that's been taken away from her, she isn't going to just let it go. She wants to get a feel for the darker parts of the city, to gauge how much she can do without breaking the trust Morningstar has afforded her as a member of the displaced population.
At least trouble isn't hard to find.
The sound of wood creaking and splintering beneath the force of a crowbar, followed by muttering voices, catches her ear, and adjusts her course to investigate. There are three of them, and the thieves have just managed to force the door in as Diana rounds the corner, and their surprise at seeing her affords her a moment to address them.]
Go home. You don't want to do this.
[She says it as a simple statement of fact, not a plea. One of them laughs, and motions for his companions to continue into the store while he deals with her. She hears the familiar sound of a switchblade flipping open.
Apparently, criminals stay the same no matter the universe.
He rushes her, but she's ready. One arm comes up as his knife swings down--and she catches his wrist without so much as flinching at the blade. Surprise throws him off guard, and she pushes the flat of her palm against his chest; the blow isn't hard enough to break anything, but it sends him flying back against the brick wall of the building with a loud thud.
No, trouble isn't hard to find at all.]
v. time fades, there's no space as life breaks new ground [wildcard]
[ooc; this is just a general mingle for diana! she'll be all over new amsterdam, so if you'd like me to write a starter for you, just let me know via pm or on plurk at![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
watchet. she's a regular at powers and combat training, and eats at food stalls and small cafes near the safehouse. additionally, here is her cooltalk, and i made a fashion board for her, because i could.]
WHERE: Several locations around NA.
WHEN: The first two weeks of November.
WHAT: A week in the life of an Amazonian princess. May include: crime fighting, nerding out over art, glowering at buggy food, selfies, a minor shopping spree, and other such shenanigans.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: TBA.
i. i've never been that lucky [the safehouse]
[Diana is no stranger to starting her life over.
It was easier, a hundred years ago. Simply moving from one city to another, even just a few dozen miles away, was enough. People didn't travel so widely back then. She could spend a decade or so in one place before anyone began to notice that she didn't age as they did. Before they started to notice other things about her, too. Then, all she'd have to do would be give a smile along with a few goodbyes, pack up whatever belongings she could carry, and simply move on. Nobody questioned it, not even when she'd been a woman alone, back when things like that were more likely to rouse suspicion. She had a way of making people believe she could take care of herself, and that was no lie.
But as the world continued to modernize, starting over became more difficult. Money had to be moved, documents had to be altered just so. Even references for work had to be chosen carefully, with the utmost discretion. It was a game she'd been playing for decades now, and one she'd thought she'd mastered--at least until Lex Luthor had pulled her image from who knew how many cameras from across Europe with her none the wiser, shattering her belief that she'd been so careful, so clever. To be sure, he had more resources at his disposal than most, but if one person could do it, there was nothing to stop another.
That had been part of her decision to go public, in the end. There was no use hiding what the world would find out eventually anyway.
In New Amsterdam, she hadn't needed to put any of her usual meticulous effort into creating a new life; Morningstar had done it all for her. And while she's grateful, it had put her a little out of her depth. She'd had no choice in her arrival, which was the worst of it. Always, before, she'd picked her destination with care. But now she's living in a safehouse with a varying number of occupants, and she couldn't be much less enthused. Diana has always valued her privacy, and between the communal sleeping and bathing arrangements, the safehouse doesn't even pretend to offer it.
Still, she makes the best of it. She rises early every morning, going through a set of stretches before starting her morning jog around the city. She's always willing to let people join her, enjoying the company when she thought she might not. Her evenings are spent in the common area more often than not, chatting with the other inhabitants amicably despite how badly she wants her own space. She sleeps lightly, always waking if someone comes in late, rolling off her cot and to her feet the instant the door opens, ready for whoever--or whatever--may come through the door.]
ii. i've never tasted fame [cuyp markt]
[The market is a delight. Diana has always enjoyed open-air bazaars and the like, and even if the Cuyp Markt is located underground, it has the same energized feeling. The little money she sets aside to spend is usually run through in the marketplace, and she never regrets a credit of it. She often enthuses about produce, picking up fruits and exclaiming about how good it is to see something fresh despite all the processed foods here. She's a shrewd bargainer, and has no qualms about standing for a long while arguing about the price of something-or-other until a compromise is reached.
Today, she's decided to browse a stall selling cosmetics. Diana doesn't wear a lot of makeup, but it's always good to have some on hand. She'd quickly learned the effect a bit of color to her lips or a bit of kohl around her eyes could have, and the abrupt nature of her new life makes her grasp any advantage she can with both hands.
Diana holds a tube of lipstick up to the fluorescent lights, eyeing it dubiously.]
This isn't made of bugs too, is it?
iii. i'm always looking for something [lilly&moki art gallery]
[Since arriving in New Amsterdam, Diana had spent most of the free time (which she now had in abundance) around the arts district. Her latest job at the Louvre had been one of her favorites, and she had seen no reason not to continue in the same line of work here.
Except that the art so so vastly different from what she knows.
That had been what she'd spent the first few weeks learning. Digital and virtual art are the trends now, which is no surprise considering the lack of paper. Even canvas is hard to come by, as far as she can tell. Sculpture, at least, has remained. The physical expression of art is where her expertise lies, but she's a quick study. A few days browsing the internet and visiting every gallery she could possibly find had given her an idea of recent trends and what the upper echelons wanted to see displayed in their homes.
It was enough to get her a job at Lilly&Moki. She hasn't been a gallery attendant in a long, long time, but she'd given more than a few private tours of the Louvre in the past few years, and knows how to talk to patrons. She dresses casually but professionally, immediately setting aside a portion of her earnings to begin rebuilding the wardrobe she sorely misses. If she's going to start rubbing shoulders with the social elite, acting the part won't help her if she doesn't look it.
The permanent pieces in the gallery were easy enough to memorize descriptions for, and she'll add her own interpretations more often than not. Escorting potential buyers through the rest of the gallery, where the local art is displayed, is her favorite part, though. The pieces change often, keeping her on her toes. When she describes them, it's obvious that she holds respect for both the art and the artist themselves. She pauses before the façade of a small house set against one wall of the gallery, the two windows of which are set with stained glass. The designs on the glass seem more abstract than not, but Diana launches into her description without hesitation:]
Tonina Wolfe is a local artist, and this is her first piece to be shown at Lilly&Moki, titled Oblivious Earth. According to the artist, this work resonates with the conflicts that inhere in postmodern urbanism, which is reminiscent of the gap between necessity and desire, practicality and fiction.
iv. but i hate changing [new amsterdam after dark]
[If someone were to tell Diana she'd gone out tonight looking for trouble, she would have been offended--even if they would be absolutely correct. This is a big city, and big cities always run rampant with crime. She'd made a promise when she'd agreed to start the League with Bruce and Clark, and even if that's been taken away from her, she isn't going to just let it go. She wants to get a feel for the darker parts of the city, to gauge how much she can do without breaking the trust Morningstar has afforded her as a member of the displaced population.
At least trouble isn't hard to find.
The sound of wood creaking and splintering beneath the force of a crowbar, followed by muttering voices, catches her ear, and adjusts her course to investigate. There are three of them, and the thieves have just managed to force the door in as Diana rounds the corner, and their surprise at seeing her affords her a moment to address them.]
Go home. You don't want to do this.
[She says it as a simple statement of fact, not a plea. One of them laughs, and motions for his companions to continue into the store while he deals with her. She hears the familiar sound of a switchblade flipping open.
Apparently, criminals stay the same no matter the universe.
He rushes her, but she's ready. One arm comes up as his knife swings down--and she catches his wrist without so much as flinching at the blade. Surprise throws him off guard, and she pushes the flat of her palm against his chest; the blow isn't hard enough to break anything, but it sends him flying back against the brick wall of the building with a loud thud.
No, trouble isn't hard to find at all.]
v. time fades, there's no space as life breaks new ground [wildcard]
[ooc; this is just a general mingle for diana! she'll be all over new amsterdam, so if you'd like me to write a starter for you, just let me know via pm or on plurk at
ii
I'd not be surprised.
[ He's inspecting a jar of black goo, not at all concerned that anyone would think less of him for inspecting cosmetics. He looks over. ]
It is a fine shade though.
no subject
Diana frowns at the lip color in her hand, nodding in agreement even as disappointment takes her features.]
Pity. I put enough insects into my mouth without wearing them as well.
[She casts a sideways glance at the jar he's holding, reaching out to place a finger on the lid and giving it a tap.]
Not that one, it'll smudge the second you touch your face.
[Or, knowing him, the moment someone else's fist does. But the end result will be the same: raccoon eyes.]
no subject
The market for anything fight-proof is as limited here as it was back on Earth.
no subject
At least that gets a slight smile to curve her lips.]
My people have a knack for that sort of thing. [Amazons are a warrior people; they'd learned to make almost everything fight-proof a long time ago.] They might even have welcomed you to the island to see it.
[Maybe. Her sisters had tried to kill Steve, but he'd washed up on their shores with a small army on his heels. Thor would be a guest, and even Hippolyta would be hard-pressed to find a reason to be anything but hospitable.]
ii
After a moment, she steps in closer, and adds under her breath:] It's probably better if you don't ask that, though. They might think you're rude. [Or wildly unaware for saying it out loud. She offers it as advice, believing that Diana truly needs it. Clarke wants to help.
Of course, there is a ninety percent chance that Diana does not need the help at this time. Well-meaning but still a know-it-all Clarke in action!]
no subject
So she gives a polite note of acknowledgement at the information--but her brows raise at the addition of the advice. She can tell that it's coming from a good place, but that doesn't make it any less unsolicited. And, as someone who has spent a very long time purchasing items from markets like this, Diana doesn't need it.
But she's never been able to dislike anyone for trying to help someone else. So she tilts her head slightly, actually considering what Clarke has said, but still ends up at the same conclusion. So she raises a brow, turning her dark gaze fully on Clarke.]
I don't think it's rude to want to know what's in a product I may buy. Why would it be?
[She's genuinely curious about that.]
no subject
I think it's less that, and more that it might be that you're implying that you think that could be in there? That's the impression I've gotten before. [No one in this world is likely to think that bugs are a problem, but they might if it's a sign of poor quality. Navigating this is hard for Clarke, too, and she's likely all too concerned about how she comes across in the process.]
no subject
Usually, pretending to be someone other than she is doesn't pose a problem for Diana. Then again, she's always had the backdrop of her own world for context. Lacking that, it's actually fairly difficult.
The Amazon drums her fingers along the side of the lipstick tube, gaze drifting slightly, considering.]
Just asking what's in it in general would be a discrete way to answer my question without giving offense, using the right tone. There's nothing odd about being conscious about that.
[She's speaking more to herself than to Clarke, but she hasn't forgotten the other woman's presence. Her eyes focus once more on her, and there's genuine curiosity in them.]
What would you do? Ask, or leave it alone?
[All perspective is worth having.]
no subject
But Diana does ask her approach. It's curious, because as much as Clarke admonished her, she doesn't know what she would do in this situation. Would she even think to wonder about what's in the lipstick? That's probably true: as much as she may have looked in askance at much of the Grounders' culture and philosophies, there were some things she would leave alone. Food wasn't often one of them, but their clothing and their makeup? She understood how they came about it, and didn't think about it.
She looks thoughtful.]
If it was something I was worried about, I might search for it through my implant. [She offers a sheepish smile to Diana.] But I wouldn't normally worry about what's in lipstick. It's not a thing I'm used to being able to think about back home. I guess that might be why it stood out to me more.
[Perhaps Clarke had it wrong.]
no subject
Still, she nods, accepting the point. Despite having the implant for several weeks now, she still isn't quite used to the immediate access it gives to, well. Everything.
But Clarke's other statement is far more interesting than what may or may not be in this lipstick. She's been gathering bits and pieces of information about other worlds since the day she arrived, and she recognizes the opportunity for learning more when it presents itself.]
And what is your world like, where you can't think about what's in lipstick?
[She asks it with open curiosity and not a hint of mockery. Since arriving in New Amsterdam, she's had to come to terms with how much she took for granted in her own world, and it's humbled her more than she would have reckoned. But it isn't a bad feeling--just one she's still getting used to.]
no subject
The world I come from is a little like the world outside of this city and all the other megacities. It had the chance to heal, but it lost a lot of the dressing to get there. We have makeup, of course, but it's generally made from what we can find. Everything around us now existed before, but it doesn't anymore. [A harsh, ruined world.]
For all I know, we do have bugs in our lipstick, [she adds with a hint of humor, trying to soften the explanation, even if it's vague as it is.]
no subject
Even with so few words, it sounds like a harsh world, a broken one that had a hard time trying to fix itself. A few things about Clarke fall into place in her mind, and Diana files them away.
When she focuses her gaze on Clarke once more, there's an ancient sort of understanding in her eyes.]
And how do you find this world?
[Her tone is nearly the same as before, simply curious, but there's an undercurrent of gravity she can't hide.]
no subject
Clarke knows it's hard to be away from the people they care for, but claiming it's a struggle ... she can't abide by it.]
I think you can argue that people are wasting it, but it's not as if they did this to the world. They were all born into it, and it's not so different from us arriving here. They've just experienced it for longer. But it's still—[Full of people. Alive. Thriving, at least in some ways.] ... I guess you could say it has the foundation to be something truly good.
no subject
When you've known something all your life, it can be difficult to think about what could be beyond it. For many, even others like us, this could be what truly good is. And for them, it is enough. I don't think I would call that wasteful.
[In her long years among mankind, she's learned that not everyone feels the need to strive for more. They live perfectly ordinary and content lives with the hands they've been dealt. She did it herself for a while, simply settling in one place and leading a quiet life. It hadn't lasted, but it had been nice. Change and advancement can be wonderful, but there's also a certain simple beauty in acceptance.]
no subject
But I don't think we should see it as something to fix, so much as improve. It's easy to lose sight of the people of this world when we're always talking to each other. When we have no choice but to do that.
[And there are people in this world in need. Clarke knows that, even as she doesn't join Morningstar. But her involvement still feels better elsewhere.
And she is training to become a doctor.]
For now? I can just do what I can to help. To improve what I know. Like I said, this world has the foundation to be something truly good, but I don't think that's the same as it being there. Social classes still persist, and they still enforce the divide. That's something even I'm familiar with. [Oddly enough—to Clarke, likely not to anyone else—it's something that the Grounders were good about avoiding with their militaristic style of handling things.]
iv
If some punks break into a store, that really isn't his problem or his business. He doesn't owe this place anything, and he's not interested in intervening.
That remains the case until he realizes who has decided to get involved. 76 watches from the mouth of alley across the street for a few seconds, observing the way that Diana handles the guy with the knife like it's all old news to her. So that muscular build of hers isn't just for show.
76 hadn't missed the fact that two other criminals had weaseled their way into the store, and so he crosses the street in a flash, moving past Diana and her target for now to deal with the other offenders before they get away. Who knows, maybe they can tell him something useful and this won't just be about fulfilling a curiosity.
There's no physical cash to steal in a world like this, which must mean the criminals are after something else; some of the tech that the store carries, maybe. Either way, it doesn't take 76 long to chase one of them down inside the store and shove them up against a wall. ]
Get lost if you don't want your jaw broken.
[ His voice comes out even rougher than usual, but if there's one thing that he's good at these days, it's intimidating people. ]
no subject
By the time she registers that someone else is here and has, to her great dismay, walked right into the scene of the crime, it's too late to stop him and the man she shoved into the wall is staggering to his feet, knife still in his hand.
Cursing under her breath, she bobs left as he swings for her again, clumsy with the aftershocks of being pushed so hard into a brick wall, and it's easy enough to knock the blade from his hand. The Amazon slams the flat of her hand into the side of his head, and he crumples. He won't die from it, might not even have a concussion, but at least he's out of the way for now.
It isn't until she steps past the threshold of the store that she realizes--maybe he doesn't need her help. He's got the two other thugs in hand, and even she's a little impressed with the tone of menace in his voice. Still, she closes the distance between herself and the others in a few long strides, cocking an eyebrow at the clearly terrified burglars. Her voice, by contrast, is mild, her words lilting and slightly accented.]
He sounds like he means it. If I were you, I'd drop my weapons and scatter while you have the chance.
no subject
They don't even stop for their unconscious friend, which gives 76 an idea. Whether or not Diana will go for it, he doesn't know. They're still basically strangers, though it seems like both of them have already taken some steps toward getting settled in this place.
If scaring off some would-be criminals counts as "settled," anyway. ]
Wouldn't have expected to find you in a place like this.
[ He looks around the vacant store, still not sure what the burglars could have been after. They could search the place, but instead he glances back toward the still-open door. ]
He probably doesn't know anything, but it might be worth questioning him to see what he was after.
no subject
Diana's gaze finally settles on him in earnest, and her brows raise.]
This is actually how I spend most of my nights.
[She doesn't mind telling him--there's actually a sort of comfort in it, a relief she'd barely gotten to experience in her own world. She knows he's another displaced, and she's already resolved not to hide who she is from any of them. There isn't any point, not when they're all in the same boat.
As her eyes follow his, Diana crosses her arms loosely. Not exactly closed-off, but not entirely open, either. After a brief moment of consideration (and wishing she had her lasso, which would make this a hundred times easier), she nods in agreement.]
It could at least be something to give the NAPD.
[With that, she strides across the store and back into the still-deserted street to stand over the unconscious thief. She cocks an eyebrow at 76, gesturing to the man's sprawled form.]
Would you like to wake him, or shall I?
no subject
She doesn't oppose his idea, and while Jack has no intention of interacting with the police department, he can leave that part to her. He gets the feeling she won't have any problem keeping him out of it, as he'd rather not be on the radar of law enforcement.
He follows her out, eyeing the passed-out hooligan with distaste. While Jack has been labeled a criminal by some, he's pretty sure that this guy's motivations had been little more than petty greed.
At Diana's question, he looks to her and then shrugs one shoulder. ]
Be my guest.
[ He positions himself off to one side, ready to intercept the thief if he tries to make a run for it. Between him and Diana, there's no way this guy is getting away until they decide to let him go. ]
no subject
When given the go-ahead, she crouches for a moment to fist her hand in the back of the thug's shirt. When she stands, she lifts him with her as if he weighs nothing at all. Thanks to her height, she only has to angle her arm a little bit to get his feet off the ground. When he groans, waking, she gently pats his cheek with her free hand, her voice firm as she speaks.]
Wake up.
[And once she can tell he is, she turns her wrist, stepping forward to press his front against the brick wall, still holding him aloft. She doesn't seemed bothered by the whimper he chokes out.]
We have some questions.
[Finally she looks to her companion, gesturing for him to ask what he wants. Holding a full grown man with one arm doesn't seem to bother her in the least.]
so sorry for the wait on this! i was waiting on a plot engagement reply
Diana herself tells him a lot with the way that she jerks the guy up and holds him against the wall as if he's feather-light. There's definitely nothing ordinary about her.
As soon as the thief is awake and realizes the situation that he's in, he begins to thrash around in a panic, trying to get out of Diana's grip (to no avail). 76 steps up to him, growling in his face. ]
What were you trying to steal? And who do you work for?
[ "W-Work for? No one! I swear! Me and my buddies were just trying to grab some parts to resell!"
It's not like 76 expected it to be this easy. He glances to Diana, raising an eyebrow at her to gauge if she wants to keep questioning him or if it's time to cut him loose. ]
no worries!
A slight frown curves her lips, and she looks sidelong at 76. His expression seems to indicate that he doesn't believe there's anything more to tell, and she's leaning towards agreement. He's frightened enough that she has the sense he's telling the truth. Still, better safe than sorry.
She leans close, holding the thief against the wall and bringing her mouth close to his ear.]
I know your face. If you're lying, I will find out. Then I'll find you, and I'll have more questions.
[Without another word, she releases the back of his jacket, shrugging slightly at 76. There are worse things than striking out with questioning. At least they stopped the theft, and that's worth something to her.]
no subject
The criminal doesn't waste any time. As soon as he's released, he skitters away down an alley, gone in a flash.
Which leaves the two of them on a quiet, dark street. 76 heaves out a sigh. It would have been nice if they could have actually learned something of use, but he'll just have to keep at it. ]
So, you make a hobby of chasing down petty thieves?
[ Diana had implied as much earlier, and Jack can't help but be curious to learn more now that he's seen some of her skillset up close. ]
no subject
She shrugs, looking down at the broken glass on the alley floor with an almost contemplative expression.]
It isn't so much a hobby as a... calling I answer when the need arises.
[That's the easiest way to put it. There's no simple way to explain the sacred duty of her people to an outsider. She'd learned that about a hundred years ago.
She turns to look at him finally, cocking an eyebrow.]
Do you make a hobby of helping others chase down petty thieves?
no subject
Not usually. [ He shrugs one shoulder in response, then begins to lead them away from the shop. Their work is done here and he'd rather not have someone come across them and then get the wrong idea. ] It was just an example of right place, right time.
[ That, and he'd been curious about her. He still is, for that matter.
He allows them to walk in silence for a few moments before speaking up again. ] You held him up like it was nothing. [ That's not a typical kind of strength, and his question is implied. It takes one to know one, but he isn't going to play his card just yet. ]
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After the slightest of pauses, she matches his stride. There's no reason to stay; she isn't a detective like the Batman, and she's fairly certain that thief won't come back around here for a while.
She doesn't mind the silence, but when he finally speaks, he says what she'd been expecting several minutes ago. A slight smile quirks her lips, and she gives him a sly look.]
I work out.
[Which is not a lie. But she still can't let it stand as such, and eventually shrugs.]
I come from a long line of strong women.
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It runs in the family, huh. [ She wants to be cagey about this and it's not like Jack can force her to tell him everything, especially when he's so prone to being cagey himself. He dips his hands into the pockets of his pants as he walks, though he's still keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings. It's a habit he can't just drop. ]
Is patrolling the city at night to put petty criminals in their place part of the family business, too?
[ This would all be much easier if he would just outright ask her if she's enhanced in some way, but Jack's not sure how Diana would take a direct approach. ]
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Her smile doesn't leave her lips, and she even legs a quiet laugh slip.]
No, it isn't. There isn't a lot of crime where I'm from.
[There isn't any, actually. Everyone on Themyscira was always able to get anything they needed; there was no reason to steal or kill. She hasn't been there in a century, but she can't imagine it being any other way.]
You could say I'm the black sheep of the family. [Mostly because she ran away to... well, not patrol cities at night to put petty criminals in their place, but that's what she's ended up doing for now, isn't it? She can imagine the looks she'd get from her sisters if they saw how she was trying to uphold their sacred duty.]
What about you? You clearly have experience doing this.
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Getting the questions turned around on him, though -- that's just aggravating.
Jack realizes that he's going to have to give her something if he expects her to trust him with any more information, though. If nothing else, he can tell that they're on the same page, walking almost in sync, their eyes traveling to the same places on this mainly empty city street. ]
I was on a mission to uncover some information, back before I got dragged into all this. [ Before New Amsterdam, before El Nysa. ] I got used to skulking around places I wasn't supposed to be.
[ And sometimes even helping people in need, if it was a matter of wrong place, wrong time. Like with Alejandra. ]