Summary:Stephanie shows Bruce a new costume and gets advice. Dick and Helena join a discussion on the Batman murders. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Late afternoon has Bruce started on preparing for the patrols for the evening. While most everyone has the same patrol routes that he sends out on rotation - Bruce is currently working on the modifications of his own patrol route, marking locations of the recent murders that have been blamed on him, as well as a file up on a secondary screen for Victor Zsasz, his haunts and known locations being marked as well.
He's currently in his Batsuit, with the cowl pulled back, as he sits at the computer - a cup of coffee sits nearby, half-drunk so far as he works on some notes.
The sound of a bat-grapple gun zooming across the room is followed by it making a loud CHUNK! as it buries the grapple head in the rock up above. Soon after the line retracts, zipping a figure in black and purple through the air, black cape flapping behind her.
She hits the cave roof feet first, pushing off to let her momentum carry her to the wall. Her feet touch the wall only a moment, launching her into a back flip, body in full layout rather than tucked, to land gracefully on the ground several feet from Bruce. Stephanie's restractable staff extends so she can lean on it as she shows off the stylish new costume. When did this happen? It's very Batgirl, though with differnet coloring. And an eggshell equipment garter on the leg.
"Batbabe is here and ready for duty!" she informs Batman.
"Batgirl." comes the response. It's gruff and curt - and perhaps cuts into the momentary mood that Stephanie had worked herself into as she makes her appearance. "The full spread opens more of your surface to attack from below and from those with semi-automatic and automatic weapons." There's always room to learn - there's always room to train.
If she expected him to be surprised, that doesn't seem to be happening, or he's covering it well - "You and Barbara have reached an understanding then?" he asks her, a lift of a brow as he looks over the young woman. "It will be easy to tell the difference between the pair of you." he finally decides.
"You're going to be patrolling Fantasy Harbor and Midland Beach tonight." The /boring/ patrol. The worst she may find on Midland Beach is armorous crabs and bonfires. There's no reason that he gives for assigning her that patrol - he just assumes she will agree to it and prepare to head off.
"Well, yeah," Stephanie agrees at the commentary on her chosen flip. "But you have to admit, this way makes the cape flare more dramatically when you're going for shock and… awwwwwwww!" she says, putting just a touch of cute into the final word.
She gives her staff a tap on the ground with a flourish like she were Fred Estaire, retracting it on the lift and slipping it back into her belt with a smoothness that suggests she probably practiced it in front of a mirror a few times after getting the new costume. "Understanding. Right. She's pretty great. Mostly." Stephanie says, her voice revealing her affection for the more experienced Batgirl as she walks over to look at Bruce's screen of the patrol details. "I hope the lack of shorts like on the Robin costume means I don't get sand- Hey, if I finish early, want me to pop over to the rougher part of town?" she asks.
"If you finish early, you weren't thorough enough." comes Bruce's response to her request as he turns to face the young woman. "This isn't a game, Stephanie." It's a point he's been trying to drive home to the young woman. "With the reports of these murders, there will be those looking to take on any of those in the cowl to try to gain an advantage or try to collect a reward. You need to be prepared for any eventuality." he responds to her.
There's a frown in thought as he considers the young woman - just a year older than his own daughter. "Helena has adopted the persona of Blackbird. And she has started her own patrols - independent of ours. She has become more of a liaison to others. I want you to consider doing the same."
The blond-haired girl is paying attention to Bruce. She gets a little bit of a smile as he mentions what Helena is doing. "Good for her," she says. "You know I take it seriously. Just not acting seriously in the moments that don't need it," she tells him with the smallest shrug of her shoulders. Ok, maybe sometimes not in the moments that do need it, too.
"Liaison to others?" she inquires. "Which others?" Apparently Stephanie hasn't heard some of those latest happenings. Though she's been busy with final exams and so had two weeks of focusing on them, leaving her a little out of touch with recent happenings.
"There's been the appearance in the last two months of no less than six persons hailing of having Spider-like powers. It cannot be a mere coincidence. I do not believe it is the doing of the original Spider-Man - but someone may have gotten a hold of his genetic materials to investigate. It could be a coincidence." But has Bruce ever been one to buy into coincidences?
"Other than that - two weeks ago, there was an attempt by the Klenmach race to kidnap several hundred teenagers. Among them was a disjoined group of teenagers with powers that were able to prevent the abductions. I approached the oldest of them.." he reaches over and taps on a console, bringing up the SHIELD file of one 'Kori Anderson'. "She's a member or the Tamaran race. Powerful energy thrower, flight, nigh-invulnerability." The orange skinned, flame-haired woman's image comes on screen. "I don't know if Helena has approached her since the first time I talked to her - as she is busy with the Spiders." Is he giving her an opening? Perhaps.
"I gave her a starting fund. She hasn't used much of it as of yet." He brings up the account and it's activity. He gave her a small gift of 50K, it seems.
Stephanie Brown's propensity for jumping in feet-first leads to the inevitable, "Well, I don't want to step on her toes. If she's already busy and it would help her out, I could go and make contact." Stephanie shifts a little bit, reaching down to tug at her costume as if she's still getting used to the different feel of it.
"So… Klenmach race? Tamaran race?" Stephanie asks. "What are they, some kind of mutant offshoots or something?" she inquires. She reads a bit more of the file. "Wait. From space? Are you kidding me?" she asks, turning to look over towards Bruce, the brow of her mask going up, mimicking the movement of the face beneath. Darn that Barbara is good with costumes.
There's no change in Bruce's expression. However, there could be what can be thought of as a brief chuff of amusement from him as he watches her reaction. "The Tamaran is who you will be making contact with." That's Kori. He brings up her current address, a run down apartment not neccessarily in a good part of town. "Her current cover is that she's a high school student in Queens. I'm not sure how much longer that would hold up, considering that she should be graduating this year."
"Speaking of - how are your studies coming?" he asks her. He knows she took time off after.. everything with the pregnancy, and he gave her space and time and to get everything back on track. But she can't be Batgirl forever, and like every other child that has passed through this cave, an education is paramount next to training.
Stephanie Brown's eyebrows go way up this time. "Ohmygod you aren't kidding. Aliens are real!?" she says. "I totally knew it. Though. I mean, Tom Cruise? Way too obvious." Stephanie glances at the Batcomputer. There are surely going to be searches run now for 'tom cruise planet of origin' and the like.
But that will have to wait until later.
The mention of school brings a soft sigh from Stephanie and a shrug of her shoulders. The pregnancy and adoption is a couple of years in the past. Convincing her to go to college took a little bit, but she did. "Well, I passed all of my classes. So that makes a success, right?" the blond says, eyes casting about to avoid looking at Bruce directly.
Stephanie's weight shifts, body language expressing her discomfort with the topic. "I struggled," she says more simply and in a more glum tone. "But I made it through the first year. I have no idea what major to go into or… or anything, really," she says, with a sigh. Stephanie looks around the Batcave. "I mean, this is what I want. This is waht I want to major in," she says, eying the crime-fighting secret lair before finally turning back to meet Bruce's steady gaze.
"Dick went to school. Helena is going to school. You're in school. Jason.. would have gone to school." The only one that Bruce didn't have a say on in any of those is Barbara - but she went to school as well. "I don't expect you to be perfect in school. But I expect you to succeed." comes the response after several moments of though. "But this.." he gestures, "This does not pay bills, or make for normalcy. And someday, you may want to put away your cowl and become something else. You should be prepared for that." There's a frown at that, but the eyes show the support - he's going to give that to her. "You passed. It's what I expect of you, Stephanie."
There's a shake of his head as she goes on about aliens, and he tries to keep her focus on task. "Start with the alien you know before you delve into the unknown." he points out to her. "There is also those that are working on the missing children and Plokta." First aliens, now magic. "There hasn't been much contact on that as of late, but currently Captain America is looking into it with his team."
Stephanie Brown looks around the cave again, a little glumly. Though the emotion is not for the cave and what it entails. "I'm kind of better at this than I am at the 'normalcy' part," she says honestly. "But, yeah, I know what you mean, Bruce. You're right."
When she gets that bit of praise at the end, it might not be the most glowing, that she did what he expected. But it's still praise. But it means something to the blond even if she tries not to visibly let on too much.
The mention of Plokta brings a look of distaste to the newly minted Batgirl. "Magic. Feh," she says softly, though the look is probably as much about how it is being used, as about the magic itself. Probably. "So anything in particular I should be angling this intergalactic meet-and-greet towards? Just introduce myself? I assume if you're funding her that she already has a way to get in touch with us?"
"She has one of my communicators, yes." Bruce responds to Stephanie as he leans back in the chair, turning from the computer to face Stephanie fully. "Noone should call this normal." Himself included, but for him, this is what it is. His normal. "You've each been prepared in your own way to have a life outside of this, and it is your decision on how you want to approach it. That includes an education outside of crime-fighting." he points out to her.
"As far as meeting Koriand'r," he uses her real name for the first time. "I will leave that to your discretion. She'll already know that you're affiliated with me because of your decision to use the Batgirl guise." He pauses for a moment. "I will tell you as I told Helena. There are going to be those that are going to want to share their identity. I cannot keep you from sharing yours in turn." She's not flesh and blood, after all. "…but do not share the identities of any of the others."
Stephanie had been Spoiler before turning in that costume to be Robin. That Stephanie showed up today in a Batgirl costume would have come as a surprise to everyone except for the woman who made it. "I won't let on anyone's identities," she agrees. "Which includes not sharing too much about others, period. That's how identities get figured out," she says, repeating what has been drilled into her.
"I am not planning to reveal myself, no," she says. "If I meet her as Stephanie I'll just have to win her over with my charm and personality," she says. Before Bruce can comment, she points a finger towards him haltingly as if daring him to offer said commentary. "Charm. And. Personality."
"I tend to make it a point to beg people not to tell my adopted father about my crime fighting antics when I let them know who I am. Act afraid of Big Daddy Waynebucks enough, and no one will suspect that my crime fighting partner is actually one and the same," comes the soothingly airy, but masculine voice from around a corner from one of the many secret entrances that lead into the cave. The young scion of the Bat is dressed in casual clothes, for the moment. Black jeans. Loose fitting blue t-shirt. Boots and a leather jacket complete the ensemble.
"Oh. Totally. Many charm. Much personality!" He quips as he looks up with arctic blue eyes to catch sight of Steph and Bruce. And then he stops on his tracks with a slight screech of his soles on the hard, waxed floor. Alfred is going to fuss over having just buffed the place.
"Whoah," He half sighs, as he resumes walking, his pace slow and methodical. He lifts one hand to his chin, rubbing it as thin, dark brows scowl, casting his eyes in shadow, as he looks the former Robin over from head to toe. He even does a once around, circling her to get a good look. "Digging the new threads, but… I mean… Babs and all. I hope she doesn't come down on you for co-opting her gimmick."
"It would be better if you just didn't share it at all." Bruce's own circle of confidence is probably the smallest out of all of them - maybe a handful of people outside of the Bat family know who he is. "Though yes, everyone has their own way of deflecting who I am in their own way - I'm sure Helena will probably take your idea to heart, Dick." he says, and draws in a breath. It's good to see his oldest, even if he immediately goes to scope out Stephanie.
"We know who the false Batman is now, and who is underwriting his actions." he finally tells Dick, perhaps to give him some good news, considering how the last few weeks have gone. "Clayface is the one carrying out the masquerade for Victor Zsasz."
Stephanie Brown turns to look over as the Original Boy Wonder comes into the Batcave. She flashes a grin to him as he looks at her new getup, taking on a few modeling postures to show off the costume in humorous fashion. "Isn't it glorious!?" Stephanie asks Dick. "I give you… Batbabe!" Stephanie says, with the extra flourish of a spokesman introducing a new brand.
"Actually Babs was the one behind it," Stephanie says with warmth in her tone. "No offense to either of you… but I already feel so much more like me in this, than I ever did in the robin red." She shifts a little bit, tugging on the costume along the back of her thigh. "Though I need to work on the chaffing," she says bashfully.
"Clayface… That… is… surprisingly stupidly obvious," Dick remarks as he finally turns his attention off of the new BatSteph and onto his adopted father. Without looking, Dick moves to one of the railings that line the platform before hopping up and taking a seat on it. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and steepling his fingers between them. His lips quirk to one side as he scowls in thought, his gaze drifting down. "For Zsasz, though? That's a strange alchemy there. Wonder what the end goal would be."
A beat.
"Besides the obvious, "Let's break the Bat" gimmick."
Attention diverted back to Steph, Dick's pliant lips arc up at one corner, dimpling his cheeks and lighting up those blue eyes like noontime skies in summer. "Batbabe… you have some stiff competition on that one. Neither Kate or Babs are slouching in the babe department. But… hey. If you feel more… at home in that? That's good. That's great. I definitely understand. I'm much more comfortable now as Nightwing than I was as Robin."
He shrugs one shoulder. "It helped to ditch the cape."
"He wants me to feel what he feels when he murders someone." Bruce gives a nebulous shrug of his shoulders. So yes, it's the usual, it seems. The competition on the 'Babe' front seems to be missed on Bruce, not that he ever had an opinion on the whole matter.
However, he does offer to Stephanie. "Invest in some thigh-length underwear."
Stephanie shifts about a little more and says without thinking, "It's not so much the thighs as a pinching-" She stops. "Well, nothing a little adjustment probably can't fix," she says instead, clearing her throat. "But, yes, it just felt like I was wearing someone else's clothes before. If that makes sense. And, even if these are kind of Babs' clothes, they still… feel like me?"
Stephanie moves over to lean against a vertial I-beam as she says, "Clayface. Ooo. I read about him. I don't remember them being associated with each other, yeah," she says. "Maybe they did a stint in the Raft together or something?" she suggests.
Dick is given a smile as he seems ready to adopt the Batbabe moniker. One down. The rest of the world to go.
"Of course he does," Dick says with nothing short of pure, unamused sarcasm practically dripping like venom from his tongue. He rolls his eyes so hard that he should be able to see the back of his skull. He could be a walking meme at this moment. "Because framing you for murder is somehow going to make you go "You know what? Maybe murder IS what I actually want to do" and then you'll just go rogue, because… because people already thought you did? You have to love the psychopaths and their idea of what constitutes as logic."
Looking back to Steph, Dick tilts his head to one side. Those glistening ice blue eyes hold a glimmer of mirth as they widen, accompanied by a lifting of his eyebrows. Behind closed lips, he only murmurs a "hm?" when she mentions pinching.
"Talcum powder," Dick says, as he hops off of his perch on the railing, and instead begins to pantomime with his hands, bringing them down in a V shape on either side of his crotch. "On the inside of the suit. Get all up on the inside of the thighs. Heavy there. And underarms, too."
He turns around, presenting his rear, as he motions at the crease just below it on his jeans. "And where the butt meets the thighs. A little lighter on the backs of the knees and insides of the elbows, but basically anywhere the skin creases of folds. Everything else just kind of… needs some time to get broken in."
"No, but if Clayface is someone that can be bought for a price." Bruce responds to Stephanie. "His next target may be a reporter. I already have surveliance working on her." comes the comment as he turns his attention back to the screens. "I was just bringing Stephanie to speed on the various projects going on. With Helena working with the Spiders, I suggested that she may want to contact the alien that assisted with the rescue in Los Angeles a couple of weeks back. Kori Anderson, as SHIELD has called her."
Then the conversation drifts into .. other territory, and Bruce just lets out a breath, waiting for the suggestion to end, before returning to task. "I have her patroling the beach and Fantasy Harbor area tonight."
Stephanie Brown covers her mouth to help hide her laughter at Dick's explanation. "I know about talcum powder. I'm not a Rook," she says before grimacing at having said that. "That better not catch on," her inner voice manages to get her mouth to say before Steph stifles it.
As Bruce returns the topic to aliens, Batgirl looks over to Dick with a wide-eyed 'Did You Know They Exist!?' sort of look. Apparently she didn't. "I'm so on that. First Contact. Well, for me anyway. I should probably take her some Reese's Pieces too," she muses to herself.
Stephanie gives a sigh at the mention of her patrol right being the quiet area. "Might as well carry a trash bag and pick up litter. So, when I'm done, anything I can do to help hunt down Clayboy and the Zazz-man?"
"Alternatively, there's venting," Helena announces helpfully on the topic of costumes and chafing, skipping down the stairs with a grin. "But, you know. That's also gaps in the armor, so." She shrugs, giving Steph a good look over. "It worked out nice, though!" she approves of the costume, coming over to make the rounds of hugs. Never mind that they're talking about murders. It's important to take time for the little things, right?
"The Spiders have been duly warned to reach out rather than approach. If we're setting up a call and response system, I can read them in on that, too. That way none of us get mistaken if Clayface tries to impersonate us."
"Kori Anderson," Dick reiterates the name, turning it over in his head. "Oh. That was the tall bombshell with the red hair, right? I'd volunteer for contacting her, if you think Steph might not be enough. I'm a good person for making contact with… her type."
He frowns for a moment, as if he was thinking of something, and looks away as he mutters quietly to himself, "But I thought she was from Malta…"
Looking back to Steph, Dick gives a shrug, and says, "That's the best advice I can give you. Part of the job description is getting used to outfits that squeeze and ride up a bit. But it's always better than having loose flowy things that people can catch, or that might get caught on fences or fire escapes and stuff."
He might be giving her cape a long hard stare. He might be remembering leaping off a rooftop once or twice in a truly amazing display of aerial acrobatics only to damn near hang himself by his cape.
When Helena makes her appearance, Dick's head snaps in her direction and he offers a small wave, lifting one hand. After she comes round for a hug, Grayson says, "Knowing it's Clayface actually should make things a lot easier. We should be able to tune our masks to see readings like thermal imaging or sonar. Really, we just need to read biometrics. Since Clayface's body isn't really…. body…"
Dick shrugs.
"Look for the guy that doesn't have a heartbeat or skeleton."
Looking back to Bruce, Dick asks, "And we might want to stock up on some liquid nitrogen pellets. Give him the old T-1000 treatment! Hasta la vista, baby!"
Stephanie Brown grins as Helena comes down the stairs. She gets a warm hug from the blond costumed girl of similar age. "I know, right?" Steph says, standing upright from where she was leaning, and giving a little twirl to show off the costume to Helena. She says in a voice as if narrating for herself, "And tonight Batbabe is wearing a Gordon original, the ultimate night-wear for the woman on the go who wants to send a message to a man. That message being, 'crime doesn't pay, punk'!"
Stephanie grins and then extends a thigh to show Helena the equipment garter that is part of her costume, and the easiest way to tell at a glance she isn't Barbara. "Extra room for my trackers, and by shifting things there I can carry even more batarangs," she says.
The tips from Dick on Clayface get an enthusiastic nod from Stephanie. "Good ideas," she agrees. "Predicting where they might strike next seems like it would be our best bet. I haven't been able to follow what has happened too closely, as I had finals the last two weeks. Is there much connection between the victims that might point the way towards another?"
"Very nice," Helena nods approvingly as she looks over the costume, grin broad. "I'll have to show you mine, if you've got time. It's got all the bells and whistles. Including," she nods toward Dick, "Different spectrums. Haven't found a way to get full biometrics in it yet though. But ultraviolet, infrared, and night vision at least."
She moves toward one of the work tables, hopping up on the edge and letting her feet swing. "I've get a current built into my cape, but I didn't think of liquid nitrogen. Spiders were experimenting with cryo-webs apparently, though. Might be able to cross-research."
Neeeeeerd.
Dick stiffles the groan that wants to rise up from the depths of his very soul when Steph gives her narration. He bites his knuckle, wincing in pain as he swears that it makes his very liver hurt. Afterwards, he's just left grimacing and shaking his head. "And there… there we ruined the whole Batbabe vibe. Guess we're going with Bat-dweeb."
But, with Bruce seeming preoccupied with something on the monitors of the computer, for the moment, Dick, being the senior most BatFam member here, lets business mode settle in a bit more keenly. His playful demeanor starts to bleed away, and for a moment, one might almost think that he truly was the legitimate son of Bruce Wayne, as his features take on a stern, solemn look.
"The big guy mentioned that he believes the next target is a reporter. If anything, I'm willing to bet money that it's that Brant lady. Hasn't she been covering the story pretty closely?"
He looks to Helena when she mentions the Spiders, and nods his head. "I'm not really familiar with them. They're still pretty fresh faces on the scene, but if they've got any kind of science and engineering skills, the more we work with them, we might be able to get some good ideas from whatever they come up with. As for us, and our purposes… We've had more than enough experience with facing down bad guys who like to use cold to their advantage. We can suss it out."
Stephanie Brown takes one of Helena's hands to squeeze it before letting go a she says, "Totally want to see your costume. I bet you you look amazing in it." Stephanie grins at her friend and then looks back over to Dick as he groans, and Steph loses her lone adherent to the new 'Batbabe' moniker. "Darn it. Dork Knight strikes again," she says in a soft voice of self-flagellation, but not managing it soft enough they might not catch it.
Stephanie lets out a sigh and then refocuses on the serious matters at hand. "So take turns providing her protection, make up a schedule?" she says. "Maybe put her home and place of work under surveillance in case they show up planning anything?" Knowing her, Stephanie is probably about to go plant some cameras without waiting for an answer. Through another matter keeps her from leaving.
"Helena, Bruce mentioned this alien girl. Ohmygod there are real aliens. Anyway, he said you'd be been busy reaching out to the Spiderlings. I said I'd be happy to go meet the… Tamaranian? Is that how you say it? Anyway, I'd be willing to make contact if it's not stepping on your toes," Stephanie offers.
"I thought Brant was the reporter? Or is there another reporter?" Helena ruffles a hand through her hair, nodding to Dick. "There are a couple of them with some skills. You should see the tech Spider-Man can make. On a shoestring. It's really…Honestly, it's great." They both know it takes a lot to impress Helena when it comes to tech, but the other note in her voice is a new one. Does Helena have a little bit of a crush?
"Not stepping on my toes at all," she shakes her head quickly to Steph. "She's fun, I think you'll get along with her. The last round I had with her was going over the uses and functions of a credit card, so you'll probably be more fun than I was," she chuckles, rueful.
"That's what I'd do. But you two have school and lives and all the… girl stuff. And I've got my "day job" with the NYPD, as well. I'm sure I could find some reason to have Detective Grayson of the 122nd Precinct fall into the radar of an intrepid reporter like Miss Brant. Otherwise, we should keep close watch with drones and cameras," Dick half muses to himself more than anything as he engages his thinking cap. Rubbing his chin, he scowls in thought and adds, "Just don't neglect anything. If the Batman has an assignment for you, that's your top priority. Even if it sounds boring and uneventful."
The talk coming back around to this Kori Anderson, Dick lets loose a sigh and looks between the two young girls, before smirking. "Well, if either of you need help with that one, just let me know. Definitely would not mind meeting her. For now, I think we've got a solid plan of action. I'll take first watch on the reporter."
Stephanie smiles to Helena as the other girl is fine with Stephanie's involvement. "Good. I admit I'm so curious. I half want to just meet her as myself, but I should probably stick to Batgirl I'm guessing. If we want to be able to interact with her on cases and have her familiar with me."
Blue eyes twinkle a bit over towards Helena as if she noticed that tone in the other girl's voice. There are likely to be questions later about a certain Mr. Parker.
Stephanie looks back to Dick as she listens, but at the end she looks to Helena and motions with her thumb towards Dick. "Turn him into a working stiff and he forgets about summer vacations," she says. "I'm done with the semester, Dick. So have extra time I can spend on it. But happy to trade off with you, not like I want to be watching her 24/7."
She glances over at the time. "I should probably get to my patrol. There could be small /campfires/. Burning. On a /beach/. Oh the humanity!" she exclaims as she heads off towards where her motorcycle, The Ricochet, is parked. Guess who drew the quiet beach patrol tonight? That's right, this girl!
"Hey, I have taken my final final," Helena grins, hopping off the table to take an extravagant bow. "You are looking at a high school graduate. But yeah, shifts work. I'm staying busy, for sure. I'd stick with Batgirl, yeah," she nods to Stephanie. "I'm Blackbird in the field. In case it didn't get around yet. Just so we're all on the same page."
"I took summer courses. Graduated early," Dick replies to Steph's comments about him forgetting summer break. He shrugs with a smirk, as he heads towards the stairs that lead up into the den, behind the old grandfather clock. "Alright, Blackbird. As long as you don't keep me up singing in the dead of night, we're good. I'm going to get to work with Brant. I'll have open coms, so if you need anything, just let me know."