12915/Blondes Booze Better

Blondes Booze Better
Date of Scene:	28 September 2022
Location:	Swordfish Bar (SHIELD)
Synopsis:	Mary Jane, Red Sonja, and Zinda Blake spend a few hours swapping stories in a bar.
Cast of Characters:	Mary Jane Watson, Zinda Blake

---

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson is settled over in the Swordfish bar. There's a jukebox that's playing over in a corner that she's near and listening to with a tap of her fingers. It's playing 'I Hope that Something Better Comes Along' as she would be humming along to it

Zinda Blake has posed:
It only takes Zinda three tries to remember the password to get into the Swordfish bar, and the blonde looks a little flustered from the effort. Shortie-short skirt, go-go boots, a well-fitting white t-shirt and a 'vintage' Blackhawk flight jacket makes her stand out more than a little. Giving the bartender a jaunt wave, he smiles back and starts filling a pitcher. She points towards MJ's table. "Better bring a couple glasses." she declares, in that thick accent.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
It's not 'shave and a haircut'? If she knew Mary Jane would be eternally disappointed. She would lgance over at Zinda, taking a moment to try and see ifs he recognized the woman. There's nothing familiar about her so Mary Jane gives a wave. "HEy." She would chirp and wave in invitation.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake saunters over like she owns the place, pulling a chair out and reversing it to settle in a very unlady-like straddle. "Hey, y'all. I'm Zinda." The name on the jacket reads 'Blake' and the Blackhawk logo... Leaning in a bit, she whispers loudly. "You must be one o' them spy-types, I'm gonna bet."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh, "Uh, I suppose! Nice to meet you. I'm Mary Jane. You're a pilot, right?" she would deadpan, as if having to reach mentally to come to that awareness. "I do like the cat. It's very jaunty."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake tilts her head at the 'pilot' question and she laughs. Not in a mean way, but in a pleased-and-amused kind of way. "Nice to meet you, too, Mary Jane. An' yeah, I'm a pilot. You ain't never heard of the Blackhawks, I take it. Mercenary squadron during the Second World War."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would ooh, "I have to say, for a woman that should be nearly a hundred, you definitely don't look the part. And that's not something I'd know anything about. Well pleased to meet you then, Ms. Blackhawk. Or should I call you something else?"

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake chuckles. "I technically ain't a day over 20-somethin'. That how y'all say it, with the '-somethin'? An' thanks. Zinda works jus' fine. Lady Blackhawk of we're bein' formal. Which we ain't." The bartender brings over a pitcher of beer and 2 glasses on a tray. Zinda pours one for each of them.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would huh, "So you're like Captain America then? Or something not quite that complicated?" She would err, "And thanks. I'm not 21 though." W ait, someone in a spy agency was saying they were underage and couldn't drink?

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake blinks at that, glancing around before pushing the beer over to MJ anyway. "Far as I'm concerned, if you can get in here then y'all can drink. Military rules, an' all that." Wink. "And not quite like Cap. I flew into some sorta time rift an' skipped a few decades when I flew out the other side."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would just blink over at Zinda and shrug, "Well.. It's more like it's.. complicated.." There would be a twitch in her face as she would murmur, not to Zinda, "Like -hell- not Sonja. Just as you can doesn't mean I can and.." An annoyed roll of her eyes. "Sorrya bout that. And.. Wow. Time rift. Is it bad that we're at the point in existence where those seem normal?"

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake raises the mug to her lips, drinking deeply and licking the foam from her upper lip. "Honey, there's a lotta things that seem normal now-a-days. Last think I remember was 1945, an' although I've had 3 years to sorta get my head on straight It's still sometimes a bit fuzzy."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod and huh, "I suppoes there's a few folks who have similar experiences that you could chat with on them. Which you already have, right?" She would sigh and shake her head, red hair waving. "So, you likethe planes you fly now or the planes you flew back then?"

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake tilts her head, shrugging a little. "The ones right now are some of the best at what they do. Pilots rely a bit too much on the electronics t'suit my taste, though. But I got a pretty good collection an' I take 'em out regularly. You ever ride in a MiG-29?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh, "That's a.. One seater Soviet jet, right?" She tries to search her memory. "Can't say I have. I've only flown commerical or where they shove us into the back of a Quinjet and deploy us to the ground."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake brow-waggles. "I got me a 2-seater trainer, actually." she replies with a sly grin. "Oh, I've put a few Quinjets through their paces, too. Maneuverable as all get out. An' enough room for a picnic in back."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would chuckle, "Yeah, they're troop transports. Those are supposed to be sitting ducks. So if you can fly them around to survive beyond dropping down, that's amazing."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake slowly head-shakes. "They got guns, missiles, an' vectored thrust. A Quinjet is FAR from a sittin' duck. I put on a lil' flight demo with some of th' boys a little while back. Jus' to give 'em somethin' to think about."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would huh, "Vectored thrust is.." The girl takes a moment to put the unfamiliar term in her mind. "How it can kind of go straight up and down in midair like a helicopter can, right?"

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake tilts her head. "Ever wonder where they got the name 'Quinjet'? There's 5 jets that can be aimed in different directions. Means you can hover an' go in unexpected directions."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would go to laugh, "That makes sense. And I'd never thought of that before. I was never quite good at.. Engineering. Used to have a friend that lived next door to me that would have loved this. He'd have tinkered with them and made it work better."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake continues working steadily on her beer, topping it off while they talk. "Always room for tinkerin'." she replies. "I'm not only one of the deadliest aces of th' war, but I'm also a certified mechanic. Already gave SHI-... the bosses... some suggestions."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh, "I'm sure they like it. And I don't think that he'd like working for SHIELD." She dismisses the thought over from her mind while grinning over at Zidna, "I'm really not.. Great with the whole tinkering bit. I let someone else hit the things."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake shakes her head a little at that. "Not a lotta people do, or so I hear." she replies. 'Technically speakin', Blackhawk Aviation is still a mercenary operation." She swirls her beer, then asks. "So what IS your thing, honey?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would smile, "Uh.. Field agent that tends to do a lot of melee end things. It's.. Complicated and ancient history as to hwot hat specialty came about. So you'r eon the contractor's roster then?"

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake squints a little, considering for a moment. "So ya' like to hit people, then? An' yeah, on the contractor roster. Full security clearance, leastwise as 'full' as they actually let ya' believe." Wink.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh, "Well, that means you probably get paid alot more than I do and likely get better benefits as well. I think mine covers dental if someone punches me in the face and knocks out all my teeth."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake chuckles as well, nodding. "I'm sure I do. But that's jus' as much because I'm the last survivin' member of Blackhawk Squadron. They gave me a lil' plaque on my door that reads 'C.E.O.' or something."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod softly, "I'm sorry that you coming here did end with you losing all of your friends." Her tone is gentle and sad. "I'm sure they would love to see you flying around here with everything that can get off the ground."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake's expression softens at that and she nods once. "Thanks for that, hon." she replies softly. "Durin' the war, Blackhawk set aside a bottle that was supposed to go to th' last survin' Blackhawk. When Wu Cheng died, it came to me. He called it a 'tontine'."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod softly over at Zinda, "And it's there to be appreciated for the memories. And the stories that were told over it." She would go on quietly, "They had something similar for the Doolittle Raiders."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake nods slowly to that. "Lotta different groups did that sorta thing." she replies. "Smoothest scotch I ever tasted." Zinda looks thoughtful for a moment. "It's sorta a double-edged sword, y'know?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod gently, "Yeah. But you were having it in their memory. And all of them were there with you waiting for their own sip. And memory's a powerful thing. So you saw it through to the end."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake smiles at that, looking up to meet MJ's gaze. "Yeah. That I did." she replies softly. Suddenly feeling the need to refill her glass, she tops it off and takes another long sip. "Same reason I visit VA hospitals on holidays like Veteran's Day. For th' memories."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would smile, "I'm sure it's appreciated on both." She would make her face go a little more amused. "I'm sure that they all love having a girl in a short skirt and blonde hair going to visit them too."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake's eyes brighten and she laughs at that. "Oh yeah, they do! It's all full regalia, an' I sign pictures until my pen runs dry. 'Cept my skirts's a BIT shorter than them pictures from the 40's. That's one think I -don't- miss. Girls gotta let her legs breathe, y'know?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh. "I'm sure they appreciate the length of it. THey might offer to help you shorten the hem personally. I bet it's good for them adn also for you. Knowing that you're helping a bunch of veterans enjoy themselves."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake smiles again at that, nodding. "I've never had a bad visit to the boys at the Veteran's Home." she replies. "An' I've never been treated as anything less than a lady." She considers, then points to MJ. "Y'all should try it sometime. Pretty gal like you would be real popular."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh, "Yeah, but I don't quite think I would fit in as a candystriper. And I'm not a soldier. I have no real experiences that would lend themslf to feeling like I could fit in with them."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake leans in a bit closer across the table. "Put you in a short skirt an' tight blouse, then jus' say yer with me. Easy-peasy." Her expression softens a little, then. "But lotta them boys have been there a long time and they're probably gonna die there."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod with a frown, "Yeah. After everything.." She looks down over at the table sadly as well. "After everything they've gone through." But almost everyone ended up that way in the end.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake nods to that, lifting her beer. "To the lucky ones." she offers, taking a long, steady drink. "Lotta folks think of me as this invincible pilot, y'know? They forget I was shot down 3 times, once even sent State-sides fer head injuries. That's when I did most of my photo-ops. An' even after I flew through the time rift, I'd splashed 3 but lost one engine."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh, "Here I'd think that if you hit the ground you'd do more damage to it than you would your head. And you don't have to be invincible. You just have to think you are and be good enough at it that you convince everyone else you are too."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake's smile returns, but it's a wry one now. "I kept tellin' myself that for th' longest time, honey. You don't become an ace pilot by thinkin' yer second best. Little bit of nerve, a lotta skill, an' throw some luck in for good measure." Refilling her mug again, Zinda offers. "Beggin' my pardon, but y'all don't really look much like a bruiser t'me."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh over, "Well, I'm not. At least, I try not to be. Bit more focused on the skewering and stabbing side of things. Well, err.. Sonja is, I'm mostly here as just the moral support and to make sure she doesn't go too far." Sonja?

Zinda Blake has posed:
Sonja indeed. Zinda pauses mid-sip, brows lifting at that. "Sonja? Who's Sonja?" And with that she looks around as if Sonja were somebody invisible.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
There's a sudden shift over in the body posture of Mary Jane. Where had been a teasing, relaxed figure enjoying banter with Zinda now the girl is coiled up tight. Aggressive. Eyes scanning each facet of the room. Evaluating targets. Cover. Readiness sof those agents within. The position of every s ingle object in the room that could serve as an improvised weapon.
    If the girl was an actress, she must be -amazing-. But it did seem rather real..

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake doesn't change her posture, but her gaze narrows at the change in the redhead. Zinda's been in more than enough fights to know when someone is being serious. She slowly reaches for the beer mug, keeping both eyes fixed firmly on MJ. In a low, calm voice, Zinda offers. "Easy there, sugah. Ain't nobody here gonna do anythin' stupid, right?" Including the redhead.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would grin, "Since you asked." Her entire body language changes. Where had been easy nonchalance now there is the presence of a predator, always on alert. A hand moves to immedaitely grab the nearest mug of beer an dgoes to drain it without coming up for air before Zinda can take it out. "And I have no plans on it."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake grins at that, refilling Sonja's mug now. "That's real good to hear, now." Zinda refills her own as well, reversing her chair more normally and settling. "Yer sorta... two people in one, then. I heard of that, really. Been brainwashed myself, so I sorta know a little."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would smirk, "This girl and I share a body." Her speaking of 'this girl' for the woman that's body it was. She would just as immediately go to take the other mug. "Whelp, she thinks age has anything to dow ith her inability to consume." ALcohol.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake laughs at that, looking over at the bartender and raising the rapidly-draining pitcher to signal a refill. "See, I told her that right off. I come from a family of moonshiners, so there ain't really ever been such thing as a drinkin' age for me."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would nod, "They need to start early as soon as they can drink to build up tolerance for it. This /body/ hasn't the slightest capacity and the girl refuses to work on letting me build it up."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake sniggers, smiling wryly. "Awww, leave her alone, now. She's a good kid." A pause as the next pitcher is brought over. "Not that you ain't, of course. But you sure as hell ain't a kid. Goes along with sharin', I suppose."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Red Sonja would tsk, "How can she have a tolerance if she starts so late? Such things have to be done gradually. And she is hardly a child. Times have not changed -that- much." Wait, times?

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake head-tilts at that. Times indeed. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, Sonja? This whole pokey-stabby bit has me sorta curious. I'm more used to usin' my fists, maybe a bottle or two."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
REd Sonja would sit back, kicking her legs up on the table as there would be an internal war over her taking her third (or fourth) mug. But ceasing it. "I am Sonja. I am from the Hyborean Era. When there was but ceaseless war, slavery, carnage, and slaughter, and the lands were eternally ruined."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake lifts a brow. "Hyborean Era? I never did study history a whole lot. But I understand war all too well. There's parts of Belgium that still ain't right after the war they called the Big One."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would nod, "There is nothing left of it. NO ruins, no memories, no relics. No stories. No tales. No bodies."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake points to Sonja, keeping the mug close in her other hand. "See? That explains a whole lot, really. Musta' been one helluva war, then." She looks the redhead over again. "Except you, of course. You survived."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would shake her head, "NO, I did not. I am but a.. Remnant. A fragment. From however long ago. Tens of thousands of years, perhpas. Not even enough of it left to span a story."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake blinks, then she nods slowly. "That's why you gotta share bodies, ain't it?" she offers. "Cause the rest is jus'... gone. Sorta makes sense, but also sorta sad."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would shrug her shoulders,"Perhaps. But it was also an era that is best left forgotten. It had little of value. Merely slaughter, slavery, carnage, and indulgence of the worst parts of humanity. An era of barbarism."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake considers for a moment, then she lifts her mug. "To the past, then. The parts we remember an' the parts best forgotten."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would take a moment, "Nothing from there is worth remembering. Or recovering. Merely the tales of men at their worst and with little to show for it."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake purses her lips. "Amen, sis." she replies. "So how's it work out, with you and lil' Mary Jane sharin' the way you do?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would sigh, "It is the girl's body. We.. Cooperate with it. We have quite different views on.. How to best handle matters."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake stretches out her long legs, propping them up on an adjacent chair and leaning back a little. Zinda's blue eyes flicker at that and she grins. "I know when somebody's mincin' words, honey. Mary Jane's a... nice gal. And you ain't entirely. We'll leave it at that."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
There's a laugh from Sonja, "Very well, if you wish to consider it that, very well." She finds the reference hilarious, and by the look on her face as her posture would shift, so did Mary Jane. There's a change in posture of body language, indicative of Mary Jaen taking over.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake keeps her legs propped up on the chair, watching the shift in mannerisms. It's easy to spot, now that she knows what to look for. "Welcome back, honey." Zinda offers softly. "Can you... see? Hear? When Sonja's drivin'? Im curious now. When I was brainwashed it was like I could see an' here, but couldn't do anythin' else."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod, "Yeah, we.. Share everything as far as sensory details go. It's like we're taking turns going in the steering wheel while the other is riding shotgun. It's.. NOt disorienting at all. It feels natural. We tend to argue with one another a lot. She doesn't like it when I tell her she can't stab people."

Zinda Blake has posed:
"Again with th' stabbin'.' Zinda quips back. "Yeah, Sonja would really like if you drank more too, honey. Legal or not. But y'all know that." Zinda sips from her mug. "She's seen a lotta combat; a lotta killin'. Yer a lot less... experienced." She grins, then adds. "Probably in a lotta ways."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would sigh, "That's one way to put it. Sonja's place is.. Was.. Bad. Very, very bad." Mary Jane can't really put it more emphatically than that. "And I'd very much rather not have to do what she did. Leaving the bodies three corpses deep on a battlefield.."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake's expression softens and she nods slowly. "Don't worry, honey. That's her way, not yours. And I'm sure there are times when it's good havin' someone like Sonja on your side. No matter what else y'all think."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would sigh, "Yeah, thanks. And she doesn't have anywhere else to go." That bit is spoken softly, and sadly. The only fragment of anyone from that era of time left at all that survived.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake smiles a little, reaching out to give MJ's hand a slow, firm squeeze. "Yer a good kid, Mary Jane." Zinda may -look- only a little older than MJ, but there's something to say for experience. "I'm glad that y'all have it worked out."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh, "I wouldn't call it necessarily worked out.. But we compromise a lot and we're still theoretically not dismembered yet so I'll call that a win. Each day is a learning experience and unlearning."

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake eases back again nodding. "One mission at a time, as we used to say." she replies. "You gotta good attitude, there." Refilling her mug, Zinda adds. "I look forward to flyin' for you sometime. Whoever you're gonna be."