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It's a typical Saturday night in Chinatown. Passerby are walking into restaurants or mingling on the sidewalks, traffic is jammed as normal. And ninjas are chasing a gorgon across some rooftops.
Okay, so maybe it isn't that typical…
The gorgon in question is currently wearing a black jumpsuit, the ninjas are clad in red. She has a messenger bag slung over her shoulder, moving quickly as the ninjas get closer and closer. Occasionally, one of them throws a shuriken, but the woman manages to tumble or weave out of the way as she parkours across rooftops, the ninjas starting to close the distance.
Actually, ninjas? Maybe it IS a typical night for Chinatown…
Doing her usual thing, Lara's flying along over the city. She's got a bit of a smile on her face, though, as she flies along this night, about two stories above the rooftops of the taller buildings in this part of the city. Still, with her superhuman vision and hearing, she's able to see and hear what's going on below… well enough to spot the chase in progress… and to see who and what's being chased!
After realizing the woman in black is a gorgon, Lara dives down out of the sky, a blurred streak of black, red, and silver as she combines superspeed with flight. Just as another shuriken is being thrown at Delphyne's back, there's the ringing sound of metal on metal as it deflects off one of Lara's bracers into the rooftop over which she hovers. She then stiffarms the 'ninja' who threw the weapon, causing him to suffer a -very- sudden stop, his own momentum doing all the hurt to him that he's certain to feel.
In the ancient greek that's spoken on Themyscira, Lara calls out, "Seek cover! I will tend to these!"
Well, it takes a fair amount to make Delphyne pause, but having someone fly out of the sky to save her… and be addressed in the language of her people? That catches Delphyne's attention as she stops and rolls forward towards Lara, picking up the fallen ninja's katana. She then grins over at Lara, answering her back in the same language, "Well, appreciate the save, but you know Amazons don't flee from a fight."
Good thing too, since now there's a dozen ninjas on the rooftop, various melee weapons being drawn by them as they look at the two, thinking easy marks.
"Well, then… let us fight!", Lara says with the grin only a real warrior shows when battle presents itself. Catching the stiff-armed ninja as he loses his feet, she hurls him off to one side and into two others, leaving all three sprawled on the rooftop. She then lands and comes to a combat ready stance. Her most extended hand makes a 'come get some' motion to the nearest of the ninjas.
The ninjas don't hesitate, running straight at the two women. Delphyne then unbinds her snakes, letting them free as they hiss in anticipation. Then she springs at the closest ninjas to her, ducking the clumsy blow and slashing him with a wicked cut. Continuing the swing, she parries a strike from another sword, snapping her leg back to crunch the knee of a third that was looking to get behind her. "Got any of our sisters backing you up?"
Lara simply catches one blade in her bare hand, snapping it apart with a quick twist as she grabs its wielder by the front of his shirt with her other hand… and does what she did before — throws him bodily into two of his buddies. Then she's a blur of motion, deflecting another thrown shuriken as she gut-punches another ninja, covering Delphyne's back. "I am alone", she replies. This isn't an ordinary amazon warrior-woman… and what she's able to do is making that clear. The only other Amazon with powers like these… is the princess herself, and this clearly isn't her.
Well, since Delphyne is officially Diana's bodyguard, even though she hardly needs one, she does notice that, even as she takes out the ninja in front of her, "Okay, apparently you don't need the backup." She grins a bit, her snakes lashing out and biting a ninja that gets too close to her flank. then she says, "Don't think I've seen you on the Island before."
Lara flits through the air to deflect several more shuriken thrown by a pair of ninja who'd hung back as the others all charged in… then, in a blur, she's right in their faces, slamming their heads against each other and letting them crumple to the rooftop. "… the reason for that will be much to tell, as will be how a gorgon is in the world of men", she says.
Delphyne smiles and looks over at Lara, "Long story. I was sent to learn about the World of Man, and also make sure the Princess was okay." She tilts her head, looking at Lara, "I'm Delphyne, of the Royal Bodyguard." Sure, she's not a Kryptonian, but she did have pretty good moves in the fight there that's suddenly over. "And you are?"
Lara lands in front of Delphyne and … bows, the way any other amazon warrior would bow i recognition of Delphyne's rank as a royal bodyguard. "I am Lara-El", she replies. "We should leave. I can hear others coming… not ninja, but likely gunmen. If you do not mind, I'll carry you and fly us away?" She extends a hand to Delphyne as she offers a ride.
Delphyne grins, "Well, you're an Amazon, so you aren't a stranger." She takes the hand, placing her other arm around Lara's shoulders, "Let's get out of here… they weren't supposed to notice the artifact was missing this fast. Must've been a hidden alarm." Okay, so she's doing a little B&E for a good cause…
Lara takes to the air as Delphyne gets a good grip… and gains altitude quickly. Levelling out, she covers distance quickly, too… and eventually lands, gently, on the rooftop of the Asgardian Embassy.
Lara goes home.
Delphyne blinks a bit, "Whoa… what are we doing here?" She grins at Lara, "This is the wrong 'A' I think, we don't have an Embassy or anything yet, anyway."
"I am a guest here, and the hospitality of Prince Thor will grant us safety from those who pursued you", Lara explains as she sets Delphyne down. "Also, here I have private chambers where we can speak without fear of being overheard", she adds, leading the way into the building. She's recognized by guards as she goes, and she indicates that Delphyne is a guest of hers… and the guards allow the women to pass.
Delphyne ahs, "Well, that's nice." She looks around a bit, and whistles, "Pretty impressive architecture. I haven't had much dealing with the Asgardians here. Suppose I should remedy that, now that I'm here." She glances curiously at Lara, "How did you get to be a guest here?"
Lara says, as she opens the door to her private chambers, "I was flying overhead one day, and saw Prince Thor in training with one of his guardsmen. They were shirtless, and I stopped to enjoy the view. Later, after introductions were made, questions were asked and he learned I had no other place to stay. At that point, he extended his hospitality to me."
Del chuckles at that, "I bet that was a nice view." She grins slyly, giving Lara a wry expression. "That was polite of him, though. From what I've read, he seems like a trustworthy individual."
"He's shown himself to be quite trustworthy, yes", agrees Lara. She sits herself down on the edge of the…. very large bed that is in the room. "Please make yourself comfortable… and ask what questions you have of me."
Delphyne sits down on a chair, "Sure, well… first one is, who exactly /are/ you Lara-El? I mean, that's not an Amazonian name, and I know most of my sisters, and you aren't among them. You do things that I've only seen Diana attempt." Her eyes study Lara intently, and while she can't turn someone to stone, there's a definite intensity in that gaze.
"It is a kryptonian name. My father was of the planet Krypton… my mother was of Themyscira", Lara says. "Much of what I know, I was taught by… various people. Something you should know is that… while I was born on Themyscira, it was not the Themyscira you know. I was forced to accept Thor's hospitality because I had nothing to my name save the suit in which you see me, because I am from another reality and time altogether. This world is… a century or more younger than the one I knew, and yet what I know as history isn't how things are happening. I've never been to the Themysicira you know."
Delphyne narrows her eyes intently at Lara when she explains, though she doesn't look suspicious. More that she's processing all that, "So, a different… reality? A different time?" She absently binds her snakes back behind her in her scrunchie as she ponders that, "That's… interesting. I mean, I'd argue some of that, but you're obviously here, you have powers far beyond my ken, and you're definitely not from the Island. Yet you know of me and you know our language."
"It is my language, the language of my home, of my mother, of my sisters. I know of you, yes… but I do not know -you-. I'd met all the gorgons in Themyscira… in my Themyscira, but you were not one of them", Lara says. "I haven't even attempted to go to Themyscira since my arrival in this world. I … I fear I would not be welcomed, treated as an outsider. No one there would know me."
Delphyne shakes her head, "We might not know you, Lara-El, but we'd welcome you. You are one of us, even if you aren't from here. You know the ways and you know our tongue, that would be enough for most of us. And for the ones that it isn't… to Hades with them." She then grins a bit.
Lara smiles a bit at that. "There are other reasons for me to stay. I've met others here who are of the planet Krypton. Others who are of Earth… and even of yet other planets, as well. … and there are people in this city, normal citizens, who often are in need of help, especially when those with powers like ours choose to use them for evil. Even were I to go to Themyscira, I would not stay. I am needed here."
Del nods, "Yeah, me too. That's why I stay here. Well, that and a couple other people in particular." She smiles a bit, and looks at Lara, "But if you ever go to the Island for a visit, don't be afraid. You can even bring me along if you want."
"If I choose to visit, I would welcome your coming with me. There are other reasons I worry of going there. There are answers to certain questions that I would prefer not to give. I fear that some of the knowledge I have might have dangerous repercussions, should I speak it into the wrong ears", Lara says, gesturing to her head when she speaks of her knowledge. "I feel as if I am being untruthful when I say some things, even though the reason I find myself forced to say them, even as true as those things might be at their very heart", she adds, lowering her eyes to the floor and clasping her hands together. "I would not like to feel as if I were being untrue before the Queen or Princess."
Delphyne nods, "Yeah, a different dimension… and a different time. There might be things we shouldn't know about, because otherwise it go for the worse." She hmms, "Not sure how exactly that would work, though."
"I'm unsure how these things work, as well. My learnings were in the realm of languages and, of course, combat. I know nothing about…. 'temporal anomalies'", Lara says, the last two words said in English, and in a way that makes it clear she heard someone else say them.
Del hmms, "Well, I wouldn't know either. Not exactly something that they teach there. Perhaps some of the scientists here would know more."
"There is one person I've met who is of scientific bent. I have already discussed my situation, although only in brief, with her", Lara says. "Have you more questions for me? I would not like to have you tarry with me overlong, when you have other duties to which you likely should attend", she adds.