16814/Don't I Know You

Don't I Know You
Date of Scene:	07 January 2024
Location:	Themysciran Arts Center
Synopsis:	Diana reminds Logan of a history he had forgotten, and hints at helping him uncover even more lost memories.
Cast of Characters:	Logan Howlett, Diana Prince

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Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan's forays into the arts usually gravitate around his own sense of inner-peace, and the idea of taking classes for such things has never really been part of who he is. In fact, he's not come to the fancy building in Manhattan to do anything like that or even work out. Rather, he's there as a favour. Scout the place out. See how it looks. Maybe some of the older students could benefit from learning there.

" ... shoulda sent Rogue," Logan murmurs to himself, turning as a statuesque woman of clear Themysciran heritage strolls past him on some business or other. He's never felt tall in his life, but this place makes him feel decidedly short.

He foregoes stopping to ask for assistance or information. Instead, he moves towards one of the displays that offers a schedule for classes. He runs a calloused finger down the list, prodding at the inside of his mouth thoughtfully with the tip of his tongue.

He wears a suit. A little crumpled, as though it wasn't pressed properly. The tie has been undone and shoved into his inside pocket, leaving the collar of his white button-down loose and open.

" ... what the hell is Macrame?"

Diana Prince has posed:
Occasionally Diana can navigate the Arts Center with a bit of anonymity, depending on what she's wearing. Today she's dressed in business casual, a white blazer with a black skirt, her hair in large curls around her shoulders, and a pair of black heeled shoes that carry her up to about 6 foot 2 or 3. She stands out, but being not in her Wonder Woman armor, she doesn't immediately call out to people to move toward her.

As such, after a meeting upstairs, Diana is making her way down the main marble staircase toward the main hall. She spots Logan relatively quickly, and immediately remembers his face. Being a woman with a perfect memory, moments in time that took place countless decades ago in her life, can be recalled as though they just took place today. She remembers him, and as she draws closer, she uses her exceptional hearing to pick up his voiced question muttered under his breath.

With a smile on her ruby red lips, she responds behind his right shoulder, her scent of flowers likely drawing his attention before her response. "Knitted strings, creating interwoven knots that create a textile. Usually for decoration within one's home or office." She replies with a playful expression hinted on her beautiful facial features. "You should sign up for it. You might have fun." She tells him in a calm tone of her accented English.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan's own sense of hearing permits him to know he's being approached from behind, and though he tenses for a second he's relaxed again by the time Diana speaks. He doesn't immediately turn away from the board, instead opening his mouth in a silent 'ahh' and nodding his head at the explanation. When he does speak, his voice gruff and coarse but otherwise entirely unchanged even eighty odd years later.

"Not much of a knittin' guy," he tells her, broad shoulders undulating in a lopsided shrug, "Kanga ridin' seems more my speed. But I ain't here for lessons, unfortunately."

It's then that he turns around to face her. The strangest thing is that he doesn't seem to immediately put a name to the face. There's something, somewhere in the scarred webwork of his brain that tells him he knows her. A memory either obliterated or obfuscated by time and crude experimentation. There is a faint flicker of recognition there in his eyes, but it seems more taken by the frustration that he should know her yet doesn't.

"Logan," he offers his name, thrusting a thick hand in her direction, "Take it you're one of the proprietor?"

Because she's tall and beautiful like all the other Amazons around here. Though he leaves the latter unsaid.

Diana Prince has posed:
The Princess interlaces her fingers together in front of her lap as she watches Logan react to her approach. She hears the introduction, however, and offers him her right hand. "Diana." She tells him. "This Center was my idea, yes. Brought to life by the skillful hands, and minds, of many wonderful people." She says in her naturally husky toned voice. A moment's glance away is taken, before she regards Logan once more. "Kanga riding lessons are one of the Center's most popular attractions... there is quite a waiting list to get in, but if you get in soon you might be able to in February?" She questions, grinning lightly. "Though, I am sure I could pull a few strings..."

Someone calls her name out, and it gets Diana to look in their direction. She offers a big smile, showing off her pearly white teeth, along with a friendly waving wiggle of her fingers toward them as they stride on by to join their group. It's clear that she's a big deal around here?

When she looks back to him, she nods once. "You were with Captain Rogers, at the Shi'ar event earlier last year, yes?" She asks of him, knowing that he indeed was. "I had meant to speak with you, but it was a very busy day..."

Logan Howlett has posed:
"Ah, yeah," Logan answers, a wry smile crossing his features at the mention of the Shi'ar event, "You got me. I'm a superhero in my other life."

It might seem like he's joking or trying to brush it off, but he's telling the truth.

"Thought I recognized you. You don't look all that different outside the armor, truth be told. An' you sound the same."

Not just her voice, but the collective of bio-rhythms that allow him to recognize people.

"Hey, it was a busy day. You can't talk to every Joe Schmo you see walkin' around. Nice to finally meet you now, though."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana's hand returns to lace fingers together with her opposite as she smiles happily toward Logan at his response. "I was worried you had forgotten me." She tells him then, not aware of his memory issues at all. "It is not very common that you meet someone... quite so long lived, afterall." She keeps her voice a bit lower with that, so as not to make it overly odd to anyone who might overhear them, with people gathering about to check the same scheduling and info boards that Logan had stopped to read.

"When we last spoke, it was... goodness, a very long time ago. A harrowing encounter, but we did manage to save the artwork that had been stowed aboard that truck. I thank you for your help in that, too, even all this time later. Well over due, I might say."

Some of the people checking out the information board are indeed also checking out Diana, because of a number of reasons afterall! she affords them soft smiles, and even a light 'Hello' to one who speaks first to her.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan is quiet for a long moment as he listens to what Diana has to say. His brow furrows at first when she mentions being long-lived. The Shi'ar thing wasn't that long ago. But then it's clear she's talking about something else, and his features seem to draw into an expression of apologetic frustration.

"Ah ... yeah," he answers, looking towards the other people who are gathering to gawk at the Amazon Princess and shifting awkwardly on his feet, "I ... not sure how to say it, so I'm just gonna put it straight. Somethin' bad happened to me. I only kinda understand it myself. But when I came out the other side, I lost a lot. I still have bits and pieces here and there but ... mostly anythin' before ten years ago is just ... gone."

He sighs, one hand lifting to scratch the back of his scruffy head.

"Whatever you're talkin' about is one of those things. If you wanna ... I dunno, tell me more? I'd be appreciative."

Diana Prince has posed:
After another greeting is given to one of the others nearby, Diana motions for Logan to follow with her. She leads them on a stroll around the main staircase toward one of the long hallways that are lined with windows to the main courtyard and arena to the north end of the complex. "I am sorry to hear that, but honestly... You are still here, so that means something rather impressive has happened to you, as well." She states, as she walks on his right, glancing over toward him. "we last saw one another in the last few years of World War II." She explains.

The sunlight from outside casts shadows across them as they walk beneath the large windows.

"You were assigned to guard the truck that I was sent to retrieve. We were ambushed by enemy soldiers, and fled in the truck. There was... a fair amount of fighting, and in the end, we found a shelter to park the truck within. I stayed with it, and you went to retrieve help, but..." She exhales. "Reinforcements arrived some hours later, and we were forced to leave before you were able to return."

Logan Howlett has posed:
"Well, in that case, you're lookin' good for a broad that must be pushin' a hundred at least," Logan answers, following after Diana with his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his rumpled suit, "I just don't take to hurtin' all that well. Can't tell you how long I've been walkin' around, lookin' pretty much just like this near as I can figure."

He takes in the story in silence. His memory still far too patchy to find a proper place to fit this particular puzzle piece. But it's something, and he's quietly grateful for it.

"Wish I could tell you where I went or why, but I can't. Know a couple things from back then. That ... helps. Kind of. I appreciate it."

Diana Prince has posed:
The initial comment toward her age has her smiling knowingly. She has a response to that, but she keeps it to herself. When he explains some of his situation, she lofts her right eyebrow toward him with a curious edge. "I am sorry to hear that.." She replies with a sympathetic tone touching her voice.

"I have known others who have suffered memory issues, with unusually long lives. I have heard of remedies too, but it depends on the cause of the memory loss. We live in a strange world, afterall. So many wondrous things happening all the time, all around us..." She glances out the windows to her right toward the busy courtyard where Amazon mounted riders are putting on a little riding show for onlookers. "But, the world is also filled with very unfortunate events too." She notes, looking back to him then.

"I would offer help, to attempt to find some measure of solution to that issue, but I imagine you have settled in to your life as-is, and are not really looking to shake things up?" She asks, smiling lightly.

"What brought you here today?" She inquires.

Logan Howlett has posed:
"Hey, if you've got a lead, I'll take it," Logan explains, shaking his head, "I would say I've come to terms with not rememberin' who I was and what I did, but you know what they say about forgettin' the past and bein' doomed to repeat it."

A pause, coupled with a crooked grin: "Though, I suppose repeatin' it in this case ain't so bad."

But then they're moving on, and he pauses to look out the window at the riders.

"I'm workin' at a school upstate. Got a lot of facilities set up there, but someone had the idea that maybe some of the kids would benefit from off-campus learnin'. Just checkin' out the options."

Diana Prince has posed:
Another pair of people walk past them on their left side, both of whom offer Diana words of greeting, and waves, causing her to return them in kind. She then laces her fingers together again, and regards him to her left. "Well... I do not know how much you have heard about me... But, I have an item of great power. It has the ability to compell one to tell the truth, as they perceive it. It has, in the past, successfully... jump started one's memory, when they were unable to connect their mind to a moment in the past. It could have a similar effect on you, but the downside would be having to question you to specifically be directed to such memories. It might work, but it might not. The power of the divine is a complicated affair, afterall."

She shows him a warm smile then, before tilting her head. "Xaviers School for the Gifted?" She asks. "I am an acquaintance of Charles Xavier, and a fan of Jean Grey." It is a long shot, but the oddities around Logan are suggesting Mutant...

Logan Howlett has posed:
"Yeah, we're all proud of Jeanie," Logan answers, sighing faintly but offering nothing further on that score, "And the Professor is a man like none other I've known. Don't let 'em know I was singin' their praises. It's taken a decade to think I'm aloof and don't care about anythin'."

It's an odd experience to be open with someone he doesn't really know. Except, somewhere in there, he finds her familiar. Enough to accept what she's telling him as true, even if he's naturally skeptical about anyone from his past claiming to know him.

"But yeah, you got it in one. As for that powerful item of yours, if you're up for testin' it out on an old Canucklehead like me, then I won't say no. Though maybe another time. Jeanie probably knows the inside of my head better than anyone who isn't me. Might be good to have her there in case you wake up somethin' better off bein' forgot."

Diana Prince has posed:
They continue to walk casually along the long hallway, one side of it lined with impressive Amazonian statues and busts, while the other looks out on the fancy yard, and the show taking place within it. Up ahead is one of the main archways in to the courtyard, with a number of people coming and going through it as the show has drawn a large crowd outside on the veranda that encircles the courtyard.

Diana shows a light smile toward Logan, and dips her chin lightly toward him. "That seems like a very wise course of action toward approaching it. If it does seem like something you would enjoy, or at least... be interested in trying, we can certainly set it up. Ask Miss Grey, we will schedule an appointment at the Embassy across the street. It is a bit more of an intimate setting, might make it a more calm experience."

Diana pauses when they reach that western archway, and she turns to face him. She offers her hand once more toward Logan. "It is good to see you again though. I have to admit, I thought you were likely long lost, possibly even to that terrible war. I am glad to see otherwise. You fought with the ferocity of which I have not often seen, in all of my nine hundred years."

She grins lightly at him, finally giving him her true age, nine times longer than he guessed.

She draws her offered hand back, and smiles again. "I must attend to some business, but I look forward to hearing from you and Miss Grey." She states in a sincerely kind voice. With that, she turns toward the archway to venture outside in to the chilly air of the courtyard beyond, the sounds of applause rolling in as the riders perform a flourish with weapons and regal flagstaffs."

Logan Howlett has posed:
"Don't let her catch you callin' her miss and not doctor, you'll never hear the end of it. She worked hard for her poindexter crown."

Another small grin from Logan, but he nods his head all the same. He waits for a moment, watching Diana depart. He thinks hard, trying to remember exactly what happened between them.

But there's nothing. A blank, like so many other memories. A vague outline and feelings, but nothing beyond.

"Hmm."

And, with that, he turns and leaves.