8766/Black Sun Rising: You Can't Sleep Either

Black Sun Rising: You Can't Sleep Either
Date of Scene:	12 August 2019
Location:	The Rhine, Germany
Synopsis:	Diana and Steve can't sleep, so musings over the state of the warring world itself must do instead. And chocolate was discussed and promised.
Cast of Characters:	Captain America, Wonder Woman
Tinyplot:	Black Sun Rising

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Captain America has posed:
Sleep has evaded him. Images flirt with his inner eye whenever he begins to feel his body relax and, for the final time, Steve jolts awake in his bunk. Running a hand down his face, he sits up and turns to place his feet on the tent's floor. Broad palms rub down and up his face, sleeking back hair already mussed by the pillow. His dog tags swing and bounce from his chest as he looks up, listening. The camp is quiet as it always is this time of night save for the rustling of tent-mates nearby and the invariably subtle sounds of rotational shifts at night-watch.

He ends up in the small open space of the sparring grounds, back and tucked off of the main drag of the camp itself. The spangled shield is nearby. Steve himself is in a t-shirt and his army-khakis, boots scuffing up dust as he boxes with an invisible opponent. He's trying to work himself up into a sweat because how else is his brain going to finally shut down?

Wonder Woman has posed:
What Steve will come to hear next is the sound of someone moving, not too far away in fact. Just around the edge of a makeshift structure amongst the others in the camp grounds. What he'll find upon investigating this sound is Diana backlit by the dim light from a dying fire just off of the edge of the open space that she occupies.

The Princess of Themyscira is alone and she's wearing her armor, her robe is shed and off to the side on a table. Since most people are asleep, she's found this somewhat secluded place to perform her training routines she runs while alone. Sword in hand and her own shield on her back, Diana is stepping, crouching, sweeping her sword and raising it up into fine high slices.

The fire light is dim, bright enough to showcase the 6'0" woman in her gleaming red, gold and blue armor as she runs through her practices. She steps here and there, her motions are graceful and well practiced, she is is elegant in her exercises of the arts of combat... like a dancer on a stage all by herself.

Captain America has posed:
Who else is //that// awake this time of night? Steve pauses in readying to throw another Brooklyn-right at his invisible foe and listens, panting softly as he does. With brows knitted, he walks over to pick up his shield smoothly and then makes his way around towards the pattern of what sounds like...dance steps?

Barnes would laugh. Barnes would laugh his ass off if he could see the expression on Steve's face right now. The Captain outright stares as he watches the silvery blur of her sword in its sweeping arcs. It is a deadly dance on display and something right out of a book of legends, but instead of his imagination, the warrior's might and prowess lives before the ruddy glow of the firelight.

His boot scuffs against a nearby crate and he jumps at himself, turning red at the ears. "Excuse me, m'am, I didn't mean to intrude," says the Captain earnestly. "I didn't think anybody else was up and about."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana... knew he was there. She heard him before he'd spoken and when he does speak she continues her motions through until they are completed, as that is how she was trained to do it and not let things break her attention in the course of the patterns.

But when she does finish her motions, she sweeps herself back up into a full height stance and turns to look toward him, her shield and sword lowering to alternating sides of her form and her hair gently blowing about her bare shoulders in the evening winds. "Hello, Captain." She says. "You could not sleep?" A breath is drawn in after she asks that question and her eyes cast about their general shared area.

"I did not think I would disturb anyone out here. I... only sleep for a few hours a night, if that. I thought this might help keep me ready for what is possible to come in the near future." Diana then flips her sword up and around so that it dives behind her back and is slid into the leather sheath mounted on the harness that is strapped around her torso, quiet steel on leather as its put home. Her shield is left gripped in her left hand.

"I will try not to be so noisy." The Princess the says, assuming she woke him up, perhaps others too.

Captain America has posed:
Steve does not kick at rocks while he waits for her to finish out her practicing patterns. While the heat doesn't fade from his ears and threatens to crawl into his cheeks, he knows to observe and to mark what he can from her motions. If he ever does come into possession of a sword, perhaps these precious memories will offer him an edge beyond that of the blade alone. His own shield shifts on his arm as he straightens in place, nearly coming to attention once Diana addresses him. Mirroring her scan of the surroundings, he then shakes his head.

"No, m'am, it's just you, me, 'nd the next set of sentries. Couldn't sleep m'self. Lots to think about coming up here. That, 'nd..." He then blows a sigh and laughs at himself, his eyes rising before his face then follows from the momentary tuck of chin. "Brain's up 'nd running, might as well be doing something useful." His attention roves over her without any sense of impropriety. "Did want to ask you though, 'nd now seems appropriate. I've...got this shield," and the disc is lifted, firelight glinting from its painted surface. "Any tips?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
As Steve speaks, Diana's eyes are upon him and her slim pointed chin is lowering down just a little while her dark brows raise up... she listens and studies his face and mannerisms sometimes showing the faintest hints of amusement at bits of what he says as they strike a chord inside her, but fade just as fast as they'd appeared.

When the Captain's shield is presented, Diana's eyes fall upon it and its colorful array of circles, and the star. She moves to sweep her own shield back around behind her body where it is hung upon her harness along with her sword... She steps toward him and her armored forearms reach outward, with her leather wrapped hands extending toward the shield to gently touch the lower edge of that star spangled blocker.

She stares at it in the darkness, it glinting in what ambient light is present. "It is beautiful." She says then as she glances up to Steve and offers him a playful grin. "Might I hold it?" She asks of him then. "It looks lighter than my own..." Her voice is soft, her accent comes out more when she speaks softly like that, making her English a bit more foreign in its sound.

Captain America has posed:
The Amazonian warrior gets a small, half-smile from her cohort. "Don't see why not." The shield retreats in order for Steve to slip his muscled forearm from the interior strapping and then he offers it out towards Diana again. "It might be, I couldn't tell you. I haven't held your shield." Why-for-ever that statement, utterly true, makes his ears pink again is anyone's guess. Clearing his throat, Steve then continues speaking.

"It's made of vibranium. Howard -- Mister Stark -- he ended up with a sample of the metal. Told me it's the rarest metal on earth. Seems like it takes an impact and stops it. 'm not gonna complain, not when 'm running up on a gunner's nest 'nd there's an entire belt of ammo left." He seems to consider something for a second and adds, with an oddly sheepish note, "Agent Carter helped us test it initially against bullets."

Wonder Woman has posed:
"We may as well make this an official Shield exchange." Diana quips then as her left hand goes behind her and she once more removes her own shield and then exchanges it with Steve and his. The Themysciran shield is heavier, its probably twice as heavy as the famous Captain America disc. Diana's shield is intricately designed as well with a deep bronze-hued base to its metal and a golden 25-point start dominating the center of it, with more golden markings along the perimeter of the shield pointed inward.

"Vibranium..." Diana quietly says the word as he speaks of it, her eyes down upon the American-made shield. She puts her arm through its back and holds it on her left side, hefting it up and down a few times in an arm-pumping test of its weight. "It is... like air." She admits, showing Steve a slight grin. "I am not sure how I feel about that, to be honest. But, I am used to what my people make. Also bullet resistant... as I have discovered." She thinks back to the number of times she's been shot at in the past thirty years where here shield has had to deflect the bullets, of all sizes and caliber.

After a moment of lightly swaying his shield about, Diana shows a little grin and then offers it back to him, held in both of her hands again. "I have heard a great many things about what you have accomplished with this. It is impressive, to say the least. Have you ever considered a weapon for your off-hand?" She then asks with a curious look upon her elegantly featured face.

Captain America has posed:
With care, the Captain takes the Themysciran shield into his hands. His brows meet and separate, his lips parted as he looks it over. For its archaic appearance and different metal content, it does feel to have more heft. The pad of his fingertip traces the points of the celestial design in its center with an artist's interest. His eyes flick up to Diana and he nods.

"I can't imagine any modern ammo penetrating this," Steve agrees as he fits the buckler to his arm. A testing lift or two of his own brings an honestly pleased smile to his face. It's so...different. The time comes to exchange shields once more and still, while Diana's shield was novel, the vibranium disc feels right at home on his forearm once more. He glances up at the woman again and shrugs before going on to explain,

"It's been a case of being able to do more with the shield than I initially thought. I've got a sidearm when I need to use it. Haven't had to very often. A gun runs out of bullets. A shield's right here." It glistens as he lifts it on his arm.

Wonder Woman has posed:
When the Themysciran shield is returned to Diana she rests it at her side held by one of its grips on its back. "Guns... yes." Diana quietly says then before showing a faint grin. "I have been told that I should adapt to the modern world and wield one myself... but... I have yet to find a situation in which I needed that kind of weapon to make it through a fight. Perhaps if I ever do though, I will rethink my ways... maybe." She holds her grin for a second longer before it fades.

"A sword in your opposing hand would not just be there to be used for... delivering harm to someone, it would also offer you more counter balance to your body's motions. It might make you more stable on the battlefield, is what I mean. If not a sword, perhaps a spear, or... a club. But." She then flashes a quick smile and a soft shake of her head. "I do not like to suggest things to a combatant who has shown no signs of needing suggestions, that is rude of me." She glances away then toward the bulk of the camping tents where the soldiers are all mostly sleeping. "Everyone here cares a great deal for you." She says as she looks back to him. "We all want you to stay safe and secure, to keep spirits up and to keep others safe as well."

Diana is well aware of Captain America's growing fame throughout the world, by the actions that he's performing as a front line 'hero' in the war. Compared to she, who's still relatively unknown and keeping herself out of the forefront of recognition through 'heroic' actions.

Captain America has posed:
Steve listens to her suggestions as to battle tactics, including that of a free hand utilized. His half-smile lingers on his lips at least until she comments about the wishes of the camp and the world as a whole. This brings a twist to his lips and he ducks his chin, reaching to rub at the back of his neck for a moment.

"Don't like bullies, m'am. Doesn't matter if it's a back alley in New York or a rue in Paris: 'm not gonna stay down or retreat if someone's gonna threaten innocent folk. Besides...I bounce," he quips, glancing up at her again with the flash of a boyish smirk. It fades back into a more sensible professionalism. "I'll take your suggestions to heart though, maybe start practicing with something a little more accessible -- standard -- not that your sword isn't standard, it's just..." He gestures with his free hand before himself, wincing a little at a passing worry of sounding dismissive of her less-than-modern weaponry. "More likely to find a crowbar out there than a sword."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana half turns then as he speaks and she steps toward her black robe which is draped over a wooden wall on that makeshift tent with supplies inside of it. She rummages through it for a moment while he speaks and she grins. "I know, I know. Swords are... archaic in this 'modern world'." She glances over at him with a grin and her dark hair falling about her shoulders as she draws out her lasso then, it a long length of coild-up golden rope, which might look even more odd to Steve than a sword. "But it also means no one in this world, or very few, are trained to fight against one any more." She points out, as she turns back to step toward Cap once more.

The coiled-up rope is offered to him then, extended outward in her hands.

"If we are to fight along side one another, you should know what I will bring to the fight." She clarifies once she has that item offered. "This is the Lasso of Hestia... it is a gift from the gods. A divine weapon of justice." She allows him to take hold of it if he so desires.

"When you grasp it by its grip, it will be prepared to compel anyone who comes to be wrapped within it its confines to tell you the truth as they perceive it. They are unable to resist the desire to speak the truth when you ask a question of them. If they resist? It will make them very uncomfortable."

Should Steve take it and do as she says, the nearly twenty-foot length of rope will come to life, as bright as the core of one of the nearby campfires itself. "It is also indestructible. A divinely graced instrument."

Captain America has posed:
Feeling sheepish once more, Steve rolls his eyes at himself and glares off to one side once Diana turns to walk away from him. What comes out of her robe, however, has him intrigued once more. It does look as a standard length of rope but for the gilded gleam. His regard flicks to her face from considering it.

Eyebrows rise at the offer. With even more caution than granted her shield, he takes the limp coiling across his palms. This thing, make someone tell the truth? Once Steve does grasp at the lasso's grip, he blinks at how it seems to shine from within, as if sunlight itself were captured and confined in its twining.

"Wow," he breathes. "So, you wrap this around somebody and they fess up? That's...that's a trick." He laughs, looking up at Diana with open wonder on his face. "Bet it's tempting to use it if you think someone's walked off with your chocolate bar. Not that you'd do that, but...y'know." There's a glance back towards his tent, where Barnes is no doubt sleeping nearby. He never did figure out which Howling Commando poured anchovy oil from a travel tin into his boots those months back...

"This's amazing," he still notes, giving Diana another awed grin. "You bring some baffling things to the table, m'am. 'm glad you're on our team." He then offers the glowing Lasso back towards Diana.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"Thank you." Diana offers in response to his last words then as she accepts the lasso back and moves back to her robe to once more clip it to the leather straps that are inside of the finely crafted garment. "And I might use it for that very purpose." She says while doing so before she looks back to Steve and flashes him a friendly smile. "I do like chocolate quite a bit..." She certainly has a playful air about her when she wants to and it shows on her expression offered.

Her right half-wrapped hand raises up to brush some of her hair out of her face as she glances back to the fires on the other side of the practice area she'd adopted and then looks back to him. "I hope to help keep those with us safe, though I do have reluctant thoughts about pushing myself too far in this fight. My goal, in being here, is to acquire the items that we were told about, but also to keep everyone with us protected. I... do not wish to be a public persona in this world, I do not want to see myself faced with the hardships of so many expectations... Thought of the world's eyes upon me are, intimidating, I suppose is the right word."

After 30 years of being in 'man's world' Diana is still not confident in her acceptance in this world, that she would be welcomed with open arms. She thinks people would fear her, in fact, fear what she's capable of and fear where she comes from. Thus by removing herself from the public's eye, she thinks she's keeping them safer by keeping her away from them.

Captain America has posed:
"Happy to share next time I have chocolate," the Captain offers in a reaction nearly knee-jerk in the face of her smile. Whether or not that will be anytime soon is another matter entirely, especially in light of the upcoming mission into what will be no doubt a state of great risk to all. His smile fades as he considers her words; again, his regard travels to his tent and to where his oldest friend sleeps.

Boot-soles scrape quietly on the scuffed turf of her practice ground as he shifts, then glancing up towards the sky above. The stars are strewn myriad and bright, pinpoints in a velvety-black blanket from horizon to horizon. "World's getting smaller," he thinks aloud, his voice quiet. "Don't think you have to bring yourself into the limelight if you don't want to, m'am, but if you end up in it after all? The world'll be grateful for what you've done, if I have anything to say about it. I've been up on stage. Sometimes...sometimes, all they need is hope: hope 'nd somebody to stand up 'nd tell 'em, 'You stand up too.' Don't need a stage to tell 'em that." Diana is given a small, understanding smile.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana reaches for her robe now while he speaks and hse folds it over the bracers on her forearms, holding it against her body lightly as she listens to him and steps over toward his side. She then draws in a light bright and its clear she was about to say something, but decided against it just before the words had started to leave her lips.

She corrects herself and then speaks. "Hope is a powerful asset. I certainly am one to wish for it to spread to all of those in need, especially those effected by this conflict."

Another light smile is shown to Steve then and Diana takes another step past him now. "I should likely take my leave for the night, as I do not wish to disturb any of the troops while out here like this." She knows all too well what her armor and style can do to soldiers who see her in it, its amusing, but also troublesome in moments where she's not fighting enemies all around them.

She shows Steve a grin as she takes a step back once more. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, Captain Rogers." She tells him softly then and there.