14477/An Exchange of Tactics

An Exchange of Tactics
Date of Scene:	17 July 2022
Location:	Themysciran Embassy - Manhattan
Synopsis:	Sarah pays a visit to the Embassy where she find Diana training. After a bit of conversation a challenge is offered!
Cast of Characters:	Wonder Woman, Sarah Connor

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Wonder Woman has posed:
It was one of the days in Diana's week that she found welcome in particular because of their increasing rarity. An afternoon without any meetings, in person obligations, or even a global crisis to respond to with the League. It was, effectively, her own to enjoy.

To that end, she has come to the spacious ballroom that has been converted to a training space for she and the other Amazons helping to secure the embassy. She is not wearing her iconic armor, choosing to go with a red sport top and blue cotton pants that flow loosely and provide similar freedom of movement as a Ghi does for marial arts training. The difference is the lasso secured to her right hip and a xiphos blade strapped across her back. It would seem she intended to participate in more aggressive training today.

Sarah Connor has posed:
Sarah wasn't exactly haunting her, it merely taken her sometime before she was comfortable to let herself approach Diana's abode and go in. This was the third time she had stood out, and turned and walked away.

Well, two times. This time she went in.

Of course she went through the security. And had them take away her gun - no, not the ones that she used on terminators. Just a regular glock. It made her feel dressed. With that done, Sarah refused to take off her jacket, and wandered down the corridors that led to the training space - where there was no doubt that Diana would be there, or at worst immediately after her.

Just as she thought: Diana was there.

Leaning on the door jam, she watched.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince still wears her bracers and tiara. They are as much a part of her as they are a reflection of her station with the Amazons. She is barefoot as she pads toward a row of training dummies. These have been brought directly from Themyscira where they are made to be strong enough to withstand the power of Amazon attacks. Even so, they do not usually survive most attacks from Diana.

She steps up to the first and begins to slowly unleash a series of punches and blows to the inanimate torso. The speed begins to increase as does the complexity of the strikes. It becomes more of a practice in dexterity than simply a review of how to properly strike the dummy.

The dummy bounces and sways as the blows continue to rain down upon it.

Sarah Connor has posed:
Sarah couldn't hit them quite as hard as Diana could, but she noticed some similarities between the two women. After all, Sarah was an *excellent* street fighter (if John said so himself!)

Still she watched. Her body tensing *here* and *there* as she watched Diana go through her training cycles. Rarely did she get to watch someone who was undeniably better than she was. Then again she cheated too. She didn't think the Amazon woman did.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince continued the barage of blows for another minute, the look of concentration clearly written on her features. Those clear, peircing eyes bore right through the dummy before a final fist impacts the sternum and the dummy's wooden spine that it stands upon shatters, sending the dummy tumbling violently across the floor.

She wastes no time moving on to the next dummy. As she draws close, she has somehow drawn the xiphos blade into her right hand and gathered her lasso into her left, a tail of the glowing lariat dangling like a whip.

The blade slices down on the dummy, then inflicts a back-slash using its second edge. Spinning away with the motion of the second cut, she draws the lasso up with a flick of her wrist sends the lasso whistling through the air like a bullwhip to rip a long gash along the dummy to join the two the blade had already inflicted.

Sarah Connor has posed:
Taking off her jacket, and leaving it on a nearby bench, Sarah looks at the first dummy more carefully - no doubt Diana was aware of her.

Tracing the wound patterns on the dummy, and walking around that one, Sarah made feints at it. Trying to mimic Diana's blow without actually having the weapons.

They were.. beautiful. Each strike was precise. Concise. No extra movement. For a woman like her, they were even better than chocolates or flowers; a nice romantic dinner at an exclusive restaurant; jewellery.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince was aware. She had come to train, and her mind was focused. It was time to work, not time to be social. She permitted Sarah to watch because there was a place within both woman that shared a kinship as warriors. Not cut of the same cloth but Like Recognizes Like. Diana found Sarah's immense loneliness and isolation sad. She did not see a reason for it. But there was respect for the woman. She was doing what se believed to be right.

As Sarah watched and then approached to inspect the damage Diana already inflicted on the dummy, Diana had moved on. There were a series of training dummies and the Amazon was slashing, whipping and punching her way through them like water carving through purest granite. Each dummy fell, snapped from it wooden support as she fought past until there was only one left.

The whistle of the Lasso of Truth could be felt as much as heard as it was uncoiled and then lashed outward toward the dummy. The golden cord snaked its way across the distance before snapping tight as it wrapped itself around the rib section of the dummy in three solid coils. No sooner had the lasso entangled the dummy, Diana jerks on the lasso, causing it to instantly uncoil. The length traces around the center of the dummy as it is withdrawn. The result is not unlick a wire wood saw. It slices into and through the dummy, leaving it falling to the floor, severed across its center mass.

Diana espouses peace and understanding. But she is an Amazon warrior. Knowing how to fight and how to kill are no less a part of her duties than seeking peace. It was simply that violence or killing were the last resort for her.

Sarah Connor has posed:
Sarah did care to know why or why not Diana thought she was lonely. Diana had family, and kinships with her Amazonian warriors.

Not so, Sarah.

She'd made the mistake once believing that the terminators were gone. No. All she had done was to change their direction. And worse - by falling in love with someone, she had put him in danger too. How could she /really/ believe that she was safe.. that /John/ was safe when the terminator could mimic so closely anyone? Putting her and John in danger, but also putting anyone she cared about in danger too?

No. Sarah could not handle that.

By the second dummy, she was, again, trying to mimic Diane. Pretending to cut, and slash, and duck the dummy as it began to move with her motions. The second dummy was the last she could actually practise on, seeing the Diana had eviscerated the remaining one. That's all right - this one was fine.

Back and forth. Zig and zag. A few of her own strikes - a kick; a choke hold; a kick high and then a low one to take it off balance. Soon, Sarah was sweating at the effort she was putting out.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince finished with her gauntlet run through the formerly ready dummies. The blade is sheathed between her shoulders, the lasso coiled and hung at her hip. She turned and walked back toward Sarah.

Stopping perhaps three meters from the other woman, she watched as Sarah attacked the dummy. Diana's eyes studied each movement as the other tried to mimic her. Was she bothered that Sarah was trying to learn and adapt to using even basic Amazon techiques?

If so, Diana did not show it outwardly; there was only a slight smile as she attentively watched.

Sarah Connor has posed:
Sarah settled into a barrage of her own strikes, followed by Diana's. She definitely diddn't look like Diana, but, daaamn she looked mighty fine.

Finally she was finished, and catching her breath, leaning over her knees, she gave a grin. "Not bad. I don't do it enough." Street fighting exclusively. Usually the bulk of her practice is with guns.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince smiles. "You have more than the heart of a warrior, Sarah. You have formidable skill. Few there are who might witness the moves of another and be able to mimic their foundations so swiftly." She brushed her hair back from her cheek.

"I was right that you would make a fine Amazon."

Sarah Connor has posed:
Sarah shrugs with a half grin. "I've been doing this almost half my life. If you would have asked way back then, when I was starting? I probably could have a 20% chance I would make it through the first year. It was hard. But I didn't have a choice."

"For a long time I hid down in South America. Got really good." She doesn't say /how/ she got good. "Thanks though. From you it means something."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince listens with interest as Sarah shares even a little more about herself. There was not, yet, a picture she could fully understand. But little pieces were falling into place. One day.

She nods and smiles. "You are welcome, Sarah." It is the claim, however, that Sarah had gotten as she said, 'really good' that earns an upraised brow.

"Indeed?" A playful and mischievous smile is offered. "Perhaps you would like to spar against a live opponent rather than a dummy that can but sit there and take the punishment?"

Sarah Connor has posed:
For a moment, Sarah looks over Diana and does mental gymnastics to weigh the pros and cons out. It definitely had some obvious cons. Especially if Diana used the lasso on her. But the pros.. would they be enough to outweigh the cons?

Damn, though. Where would she ever get a chance to test herself on an Amazon? Even more this Amazon - Wonder Woman!

"And if I say yes?" Diana should be able to judge by the half shit eating grin on Sarah's face that the answer is yes.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince smiles, watching Sarah with some amusement. It was clear that the woman was running through the options.

When she asks what will happen if she says yes? Diana smiles "Then we clear the floor. Hand to hand only. I will not draw upon my speed or strength, only my training as an Amazon. I will endeavour to make it as fair as I am able." No weapons, no lasso.

She explains. "I would count it an honor to spar with another such as yourself."