15072/That Old Barbarian Spirit

That Old Barbarian Spirit
Date of Scene:	03 June 2023
Location:	Shadowcrest Manor - Bristol Township
Synopsis:	A picnic in a magical grove where Sonja and Mary Jane hold up under Zatanna grilling them about their life.
Cast of Characters:	Mary Jane Watson, Zatanna Zatara

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Mary Jane Watson has posed:
This place is definitely hard to wrap her head around. Or impossible- but it is an interdimensional paradox. So she's just being guided along, murmuring, "Just like the TARDIS, just like the TARDIS.." As she goes to meet the woman that's famous for wearing fishnets.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"It was good of you to come today, Mary Jane." Zatanna has met her on the steps of the mansion and asked her into the entry hall decorated with family portraits lining the walls. A large wicker picnic basket awaits on a side table under an ornate mirror.

"I thought we'd take advantage of the fine weather and have a picnic on the grounds of the house, if you're up for it?"

Zatanna is dressed for the outdoors in relaxed wide linen pants and a comfortable linen blouse with rolled back sleeves. Her dark hair is hidden under a finely woven straw hat. She never wears fishnets except on stage.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod over at Zatanna, "Yeah, this place is definitely creepy. I have some freinds that I knwo would love it. Don't quite think you'd like to have some of them dropping by though." SHe would take a breath. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind a tour." She would go to fold her hands and let herself be lead along.

"And pleasure to meet you. I don't get invited to places very often." She would smile over at her while looking about

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"We can tour the house after lunch if you're up for that?" Zee asks, closely watching Mary Jane for her reaction.

"It's so beautiful out in Gotham today I thought we wouldn't world hop unless you absolutely must see the Tuscany side of the house. Last I looked it was drizzling in the hills. Good for the grapes, not so good for picnics."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh, "Tuscany?" It would take her a moment to realize that Zatanna isn't kidding. "That must make going anywhere.." Then she realizes that's a dumb reply, and goes to laugh. "Well, thank you so much for having me. So, what would you like to know about us?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Come on, let's go into the woods. We can walk or I can hop us there. We can talk there and relax." Smiling faintly, Zee shrugs, well aware of the oddity of her proposal.

"I have to admit, I -am- curious but don't want to grill you. And only if you're comfortable with my questions."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would uhh, "That's fine. In Sonja's head, everything is transactional. You're inviting her here, so she in turn owes you a story." There's a twitch of her face, indicative of an internal conversation.

"You aren't asking her for booze." Quickly summarizing said conversation.

"Well, a long long time ago.. Maybe ten or twelve thousand years.."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Hold on." Zatanna draws a sizzling line of purple in the air and with a gesture, widens it as if pushing open a door. "Follow me. I'd like to hear more about the both of you." The mage steps halfway through the doorway then looks back. "It's very quick and doesn't make you dizzy."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would walk along, "Well.. The Hyborean Age is roughly ten thousand years ago, give or take. It was the darkest period in human history." She says that like it's a fact. A very, very hard earned one.

"There was no real civilization, just as anytime there was a city, it became crushed before too long. Overrun, enslaved, shattered." As Zee says to 'pause' she would.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The words concerning the Hyborean Age echo through the magical transition. The purple line fades out of existence, leaving them in a wooded glade straight from a fairy tale. An enormous Mingo Oak shades a circle of soft green grass, sprinkled with the bright reds and purples of wild anemones. The oak's enormous arms stretch in a 300 foot circumference around which smaller oaks grow. each creating their own private glade.

Before commenting, Zee sets down the basket and opens it to remove a large checkered cloth which spreads itself with a muttered command from her. "So you saw some of the most difficult periods of human history. Were you a soldier?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
The two would arrive, and then Mary Jane would look about. "Huh." Enjoying the view where the two would end up. "Uh. . Sonja tended to work for whomever paid her for a job and whatever she felt like doing at any given time. Most things would involve violence, stealing and looting, and frequent debauchery and wanton slaughter." There's a look in her that is for Mary Jane partial discomfort, and for the Sonja part of her revelment.

"I guess you could call her a mercenary with lower standards."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The mage catches Sonja's glee at wanton mayhem behind Mary Jane's dismay and raises an eyebrow. "There are not many people in this world who share your...ah, predicament, if you'll excuse the word. Has it been difficult for you at times? Even with my experience, I wonder at how it came about."

She stops herself and gestures to the cloth awaiting them, "I'm being rude. Please sit." Zatanna sits next to the basket and removes a wine bottle, followed by a corkscrew, dishes and large wine glasses. "And tell me if I am being nosey with my questions."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would sigh, "It can be.. Tricky. She's from an era that was very different. There was no civilization, it was very much survival of the fittest against a world of horrors." There's a shiver over from her. "Sonja finds this time period pretty.. Soft, honestly. But while she doesn't prefer it I think she'll admit that it's much better for everyone. There's peace and safety which.. Was nearly impossible in herw rold."

She would smile, "No, please do feel free. Sonja has no sense of decorum and I'm not much for secrets." Taking the wine goblet. "Thank you."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Silence follows, broken only by the soft glug of wine being poured and the raucous call of Stellar jays eyeing the picnic breaking over the softer chirp of chickadees. After pouring herself a glass, she raises it in a toast to her guest. "Thank you for gracing my home."

"Then you don't mind my asking how it came about? It's an exceptional story. I would love to hear it."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would err, "The Hyborean Era? Or Sonja in me?" She would smile. "I can't exactly tell you about the first one, it's a bit beyond my capacity to explain. That's probably something you would know more about than I was. The second.. I can sort of explain it, but a lot of the specifics are beyond both of us."

Her and Sonja.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
With a smiling shake of her head, "Not that I wouldn't like to hear about the Hyborean Era. No, I meant how did your, ah, partnership come about? Was it forced on the two of you?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would rub her ehad, "Well.. At the.. Metropolitan Museum of Art, a few years ago. There was an exhibit on some few items that had been recovered from the Hyobrean Era. Including a sword that we.. Think Sonja used at one point? It wasn't special to her, it wasn't imbued with anything. From what she can recall it was just a blade she had for awhile. She can't even tell me how long."

Taking a breath. "I touched the blade when ther was some chaos going on to grab something to defend myself. Some D List supervillain . Then she came into.. Possession of me and we were both struggling for awhile. She was empowered by.. The Goddess, Scathach, whom she was sworn to."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna nods several times as Mary Jane's story unfolds, encouraging her with soft exclamations. After a thoughtful pause, "Ah, that explains a lot." She is quick to add, "Though I make no claim to being an expert on the Goddess. Did she imbue the sword with Mary Jane's essence, waiting for someone to pick it up and be possessed, I wonder? How was all that time for Sonja?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would shake her head, "Not that either of us is aware of. We.. Think that Sonja's just a fragment. A piece of her soul. She's a lot weaker, a lot.. MOre ethereal. She doesn't have a lot of her powers, her memory is spotty.. Like a reflection, a mirage. Just part of her."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"It sounds like Sonja served the Goddess well and was rewarded with a sort of immortality." She considers Mary Jane for a moment before asking diffidently, "Do you mind if I ask Sonja directly? I don't want to impose."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would smile, "Go for it. I don't think it's a gift though. Seems a bit.. Random for something from Scathach. Scathach wanted a guardian, a defender, a savage. Just leaving her inert for millenia.."

Mary Jane goes silent. Then there's a shift in her body language as she sits up straighter - her hand on the wine goblet going to lift it and throw it back, swallowing it in one go. "Weak, but it shall suffice."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Smiling, Zatanna lifts her glass to acknowledge the 'new' presence, "All the modern standards require wine to be weaker than perhaps it was in your times. The price of safety and modernity, I imagine. Still, it's not half bad."

Head cocked to one side, she contemplates the woman, "Would you say it was a reward or a sort of punishment, Sonja?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would pffsh, "Nothingness. I am a shell of myself and this world is soft. I slept in that blade for eons and missed all the conflict between eras. This new realm is soft. There is little glory, little conquest. There are those charged with what I was once dedicated to." In other words, rather ambivalent.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Nodding thoughtfully, Zatanna unpacks food from the hamper, bringing out salami, a few wedges of cheese, roasted red peppers drenched in olive oil, followed by slices of Italian ham and rare beef. Much more food than the hamper could possibly hold. After placing a knife with in easy reach, "Please, help yourself."

Nothing bothers them or the food in the magical glade, nodding with flowers under the clear blue skies.

"Yes, undoubtedly soft compared to your previous life. Though it depends on where in this world you're living. I wouldn't say that the Sudanese or Ethiopians live a life of ease at the moment."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would glance at Zatanna, "Perhpas. But nothing like the way that it was. While there are areas of great misfortune and misery.. They do not cover the entire planet. There are areas that are mournfully horrid in a way that approaches that of the world at it's most vile.. But they are limited in their scope. The world entire being starving, slaughtering, every acre covered by monsters, beasts, and humans.."

She goes to simply take out the salami in a hand, and takes a heavy bite of it.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Politely stifling a smile, Zatanna spears a few slices of ham and peppers, adding freshly slice tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella dressed with basil and balsamic to her plate.

"That, is an acute observation. So, it seems you are saying we have traded honor and glory for the price of safety and satiety. Am I mistaken? Less excitement for certain. Though I imagine there are mothers who would say otherwise."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Sonja would consider for a moment, and then nod, "For the most part. My era was not one that should be suffered anew by the planet. It destroyed culture. It destroyed society. It destroyed memory. It is best left forgotten. There is little record of it because the devastation was so thorough that very little survived. Only those few that lived through it."

Wait. Lived thorugh it?

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
With a chuckle, Zatanna agrees, "Thank all heavenly beings that they did or we wouldn't be here. How has it been living so closely with someone else? I can't imagine it is easy all the time."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Red Sonja would muse for a moment, "It is. But she tolerates me, and I tolerate her." That seems about as far as she'll grant the other woman. But it's more playful than jibing.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Thank you for sharing such a rare and precious thing. You both have to be careful not to be put under the microscope of zealous anthropologists, wanting to make the next research coup. No one else is a living eyewitness of that age. Would you say you both benefit from your situation?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would grin over at Zatanna, "Of course, my lady. So is this a mere social outing to satisfy curiousity or is it an attempted romantic engagement?" She's teasing here. That doesn't seem to be Zatanna's thing.

There's a switch as Mary Jane takes over. "She helps me a lot. She.. She's the only reason I can fight effectively and defend myself. She's why I'm in SHIELD." Mary Jane can handle herself.. But not against supervillains.

"She provides me with somewhere to stay." In the case of Mary Jane's head as Sonja takes over once more.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Snorting softly, "Not that I'm not flattered. I appreciate your humor. And, of course, you're with SHIELD. My friend Angelo worked with them for some time, I understand." A brief shadow passes over her face. "He would sometimes tell me about some of his adventures. Not much, mind you. Most of it was classified. I suppose you knew each other?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod, "I worked with him a number of times in the field. He was a valiant warrior, stalwart, cunning, and very skilled. It is always a pleasure to see him fighting. Few are as efficient as he was. He will be missed."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"So he will," she adds in a low voice then raises her goblet and finishes it.