16428/Spiders and Swords

Spiders and Swords
Date of Scene:	28 November 2023
Location:	Food Court: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Mary Jane and Cindy Moon catchup at SHIELD and talk over Spiders and Swords.
Cast of Characters:	Mary Jane Watson, Cindy Moon

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Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Currently Mary Jane is sitting over at a table in the cafeteria, where she's carefully laid out two large blades on a long blanket. One of them a basterd sword with jagged barbs along it that she carefully wipes down with a rag and grease. She's taking care to do it very, very slowly as she works over the blade with metal polish while going softly along the edges of it. The blade doesn't quite fit the standard form that a blade of that style would be forged as - it just seems off to anyone familiar with the lines of it.
    On the blanket is another one set a bit further apart that's of a more Asgardian style. Lighter, thinner, and with a smaller hilt than the bulky two handed one for her other blade. She's humming while occasionally taking a bite of a large oatmeal cookie.

Cindy Moon has posed:
"Well, this certainly beats school cafeterias."

No matter how many times Cindy actually walks around the Triskelion, she is impressed each time. Granted, she is a newbie, as the other agents so cheerfully like to remind her, so there is that. And this is like her second time in the food court, too. So there is that. Still...it is impressive. Just the fact that it is 24-7 and you can ask for nearly anything is cool enough.

There might still be a bit of impostor syndrome within Cindy as she picks up her food and wanders out to sit. Like...really? She is actually working for SHIELD? Well...at least some of the time. And...wait. Are those swords? Just laying out on the table like no one cares??

"That is so awesome!"

Oh...that last bit might have slipped out of Cindy's internal monologue. Oops.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would turn her head over in the direction of the voice. "Oh, hey Cindy." SHe would give a wave over and smirk at the verbal monologue interruptus. Reading the girl's expression to make a guess as to the contents of her internal conversation. "Care to join me? Just don't touch." Tapping the hilt of the Asgardian blade.

"How you been doing? Not had anything go really rough with the hazing, have you?" Not that there really was anything of the sort that happened. Mary Jane had the bad experience of working with Melinda May. Hazing was far, far less terrifying.

"And had to go on a field mission yet or still getting through training?"

Cindy Moon has posed:
"Oh, sure!" Cindy didn't need to be asked twice to join. Not when it involves the table with the cool swords. Though, she does take the precaution to sit her buffet offerings on an adjacent table, away from the medieval hardware. "No touching. Got it."

As Cindy sits, the first two questions asked are answered rather quickly. "Oh, I am good, Agent Watson. Or...it's okay to use first names, right?" Of course it is. MJ just used Cindy's own name just now. "And no hazing incidents to report, Mary Jane. Though, it could be because of the whole spider thing. I guess it makes me less of a target when they know I can hang them from the ceiling, I guess?"

Oh...mission talk. "Oh, I haven't done anything recently with SHIELD. I did go with the YA out on a thing, but that wasn't really a SHIELD thing. I am just here for training. Or exams. Whatever. Seems a lot of agents are going through annual exams and are a little stressed or tired. Or both."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would slide to the side to let Cindy go in to get a better look at the swords. "Yeah, just they're kind of.. Very, very sharp so if you're not used to them best to be on the safe side." She would laugh at the question of 'names'. "Yeah, those are when we're on duty. Now we're pretty relaxed. Unless an officer comes in or somtehing important is going on, rec areas tend to be informal." Not that she was ever that type.

Sputtering wiht a laugh, she would take a moment to compose herself. "Yes, that definitely would get in the way. Or everyone thinks you're with Jess, and Jess is very scary." Jess as in Drew. "And YA as in a Young Adults novel or something else?" The acronym confusing her for just a moment. "And training will do that to you. Just make sure you do't have a session with Daisy."

Cindy Moon has posed:
A wave of the hand and a shake of the head is Cindy's reaction to the 'scary' Jessica Drew. "Oh, she isn't scary at all! Though, I will take it if it scares others." There is a pause as MJ's confusion befuddles Cindy in turn. "Young Adult? Oh! No..but close. Young Avengers. Think of it as the Avenger's Junior Varsity team. Got our own comlinks and everything." Cindy takes a moment to tilt her head to the side. "Though, it gets confusing which comlink is which. The YA and SHIELD have pretty similar looking comms. I almost used the wrong one once. Good thing I realized it in time."

Oh..back to training sessions. "Oh, you mean Agent Johnson? I think I saw her around here. Looks like she was training with some other agent? About my height. Brown hair. Seems to be English, maybe? At least from what I heard. I haven't really seen her around before, but then again, still kinda new here." A beat. "But yeah. Agent Johnson does seem to be pretty serious when it comes to training. Though, not so sure she would do too much to me. What, with the agility and built in early warning system and all."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would 'ahh' at the explanation. "Got it. Guess I'm not really in that world." She was just a sidekick in the grand scheme of things when it came to the Spiderlings. "So does that make you more trainees or is it a full separate team? Or you more like the Titans?" At the 'wrong comms' she would grin. "Totally get that. I have to juggle three sometimes and I can never figure out which one is calling. No matter how different they end up. But.. Work phone, friends phone, life phone." For SHIELD, for the Spider-Comm, and for her life as an everyday girl!

"And keep those happy thoughts to the forefront of your mind and make sure that Daisy never hears them, whether they come from my mouth or anyone else's as she will find a way to make me wrong."

Cindy Moon has posed:
It's now Cindy's turn to drop some knowledge. "Oh, I heard of the Titans. At least, I think I have. It's pretty similar, from what I know. Maybe? I mean, I don't really have that much in way of Titan knowledge. But, it's a separate team. Though I would imagine it be easier to be called up to the main Avenger team if you was on the JV squad, ya know? It does kinda seem like a lot of training, though, now that I think about it."

A laugh escapes Cindy. "Well, I guess that's for the best. But okay. Note to self. Don't let Daisy know there is training to be had. Got it."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would laugh, "Fair enough. So you're gonna be the star in Who Wants to be an Avenger? If that's not a thing it should totally be a thing. I suppose Mister Stark probably has the rights lined up." She's not quite able to keep up with the quips despite years of practice. Some things didn't come naturally.

"You been doing okay, Cindy? I know things can be nuts most of the time, so you holding in there?"

Cindy Moon has posed:
"Am I doing okay?" The question is repeated, albeit with a more amused air about it than Mary Jane's sincere inquiry. "Oh, just ducky. Compared to what I could be...and where I could be...I am doing just fine." She seems rather well-adjusted, considering she's a young adult rookie in the middle of a government headquarters that doesn't believe in such things as 'windows'.

"Though...if I loose my grip, I will let you know."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod over at Cindy, "Fair enough. ANyways, you've been fun to chat with so you've earned it." She would gesture over at the blades. "Pick one, just be careful." Gesturing at the two. One a larger two handed, serrated basterd sword, the other a sleeker Asgardian blade. "Each of them has a style to them and a story. I'll tell you one."

Cindy Moon has posed:
Oooh...Cindy was not expecting this. "Wait. You mean I get to touch one?" No...that was not planned at all. At most, Cindy thought she would get to sit and admire them relatively close, but not actually physically touch. "You...you don't have to do that, you know. I'm good just lookin' at them, really."

But....if Cindy had to pick one. The hand hovers in the middle for a moment or two....before it gravitates towards the more lithe blade. The Asgardian one. Perhaps it is like Cindy, who is certainly strong like most spiders, but is definitely more agile than most. Perhaps the most, though she wouldn't brag about it.

Much.

"I like this one..."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would settle back over and watch as Cindy would go towards the blades. "I'm not worried about you with them. I'm worried about everyone else." Her tone flippant but also serious. The blades were very, very dangerous things - in the hands of someone that knew how to use them, or one that did not.

"Just be really careful. She sleeps, but when she awakens she'll go through almost anything. Anyone or anything." Mary Jane speaks of the blade in the literal sense in her tone of voice. It's own spirit, it's own volition. "Just feel her in your hand."

Cindy Moon has posed:
Slender fingers curl around the hilt...before Cindy picks up the sword. She doesn't lift it very high. She doesn't need to. The sword seems to just sit perfectly in her grasp, but Cindy shows it the respect it deserves. She knows she is no swordswoman, so she just lets the blade sit, holding it gently. "It's light."

Granted, the bastard sword would probably be light to Cindy as well. Gift of spider strength and such. But...the Asgardian blade just looks better in Cindy's hand. It suits her style.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Spider-Strength is the best! The blade is light - by Asgardian standards. It's even lighter to Spider-Silk standards. "It's the blade of an Aesir, a Valkyrie. One of the Shieldmaidens." Mary Jane would close her eyes. "One that fell in battle and now resides in Valhalla. Her blade is the memory she left upon Midgard. Her life, her experiences. The blade was at her side through thick and thin."

One can almost imagine. Monsters of myth and legend. Dark Elves. Dragons. Starbeasts.

Cindy Moon has posed:
"A Valkyrie. I believe it." Of course Cindy would believe it. After all, she's seen Thor. So valkyries are easily believable. And the fact that she is holding what is essentially a mystical artifact? Well, that's almost mind-blowing. Yes, Cindy can certainly imagine gods and goddesses, ice giants, and dark elves. They all dance within her imagination.

Cindy then slowly places the sword back down, on the table, just as she left it. "Wow. Just....wow..."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod and let Cindy hold it. "It's thousands of years old. Still looks perfect. Still has perfect balance, perfect edge.." The Asgardians took thier forgings seriously. Whether by their own smiths or by dwarven ones.

They live in a world of gods, magic, and aliens. You don't have to imagine. Everything is so real. So amazing. So terrifying.

"And I have to remember to treat her with the same respect that her previous wielder did." Not owner. Wielder.