Summary:Barbara Gordon instigates Stephanie Brown moving on from the Robin identity, to following in Barbara's footsteps as a Batgirl Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Staten Island's level of corruption has been on a ever accelerating pace in recent times. The alleged framing of Batman has done little to slow that down, and probably helped it increase more. To that end, the Bat Family has included a number of those not exactly 'Bats' but trustworthy and reliable all the same.
Barbara had been considering one such possibility for recruitment for a while. Given the stubborn, plucky and near unflappable nature of the vigilante, Barbara was sure they would be able to rise to the occasion. In a way, it was difficult for her; but the needs of the city come before her on pride and gratification from doing this herself.
Countless hours have been invested in the Batcave when none of the others were around. She worked on her own private laptop so not even Bruce could catch wind of what she was doing; She just didn't feel like debating whether if it was such a good idea if it wasn't his to begin with - or whether the individual in question was really 'ready' for this. She'd never asked his permission to begin as Batgirl so it would be her decision in this case as well.
When her project prototype was completed and she had gone through all of the evaluations and integrity checks to be sure it was a solid foundation to work from, only then did she reach out to ask for the vigilante to make their way to the Batcave.
This moment in time finds Barbara dressed only in a tanktop, yoga pants and sneakers hovering over a number of displays near the 3d printer system. The kind of funds needed to something of this size and exceeding MilSpec quality was staggering. But oh so much fun to work with. She waited, making sure everything was perfect before her inveted guest arrived.
Stephanie Brown makes her way over towards the manor. She has a number of homes. An apartment she's sharing with others near to the university. Her mother's house. And then there's a room for her at Wayne Manor. And she has her adorable purple Compact, highly modified, for getting herself about town.
The Compact pulls into one of the vehicle entrances to the Batcave, rather than going to the manor itself. She drives in beneath a waterfall. Nothing like getting a fresh wash every time you go in and out of the cave! She pulls over into a parking space, climbing out and hitting the button on the system to top off the gas tank automatically. No pumping your own in the Batcave.
Stephanie walks with a quick stride over to where she spots Barbara. Quite familiar with the Batgirl. And in truth, Stephanie looks up to Barbara as much as she looks up to any of those that are in Bruce Wayne's orbit. "Hey Barbara!" the blond says in a warm, light-hearted tone. "What's going on? Penguin need to be put in place? Joker trying to yuk it up again?" she asks as she walks over.
Barbara Gordon heard the chime that alerted to when any vehicle, human, or animal neared the cave entrance. The huge Bat computer screens had one section devoted to the plethora of security cameras so she knew it was Stephanie even before she arrived inside the cave proper.
She continued tweaking a few of the routines for the project as Stephanie came closer. Still focused on the displays and streams of code scrolling in one window, she replied as she always did when multi tasking; slower and more deliberate.
"Hello Stephanie. No… not this time. This is… an entirely different sort of meeting I guess you could say?" Pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, she turned toward the blond and smiled. "A good meeting. But one that is, well, non-standard for what you're used to."
She studies the blond, perhaps considering whether it was the right time to go through with this or not, before continuing, "Stephanie. I have a serious question for you. Don't rush into answering until you've taken some time to seriously consider it, ok?"
A slight smile. "I asked you to join me here since Bruce and the others are busy right now so you could think without pressure." Standing up Barbara looked intently at Stephanie. "You're almost out of your teen years. Dick chose to step away from being Robin to develop his own identity as Nightwing. The role of Robin is important for obvious reasons. But it's not a position that tends to last past teenage years."
Looking around the cave then back, Barbara asks, "What are your plans for moving forward? Have you considered anything?"
Stephanie stops over near Barbara, arms crossing and eyebrows going up slightly at the mention of a serious question. Rush into answering, doesn't Barbara know who Stephanie is? Oh, right. She does. That's why Barbara realizes the need to point that out. Smart woman, that Barbara Gordon.
The comment does make Stephanie take on a slightly more serious look. Serious turns to pensive as Barbara asks the question about her future plans. "Oh, God. I mean, not that I never think about the future? But I can't say I have much of a plan, really," Stephanie answers.
She digs a toe of her shoe at the ground as she looks thoughtful. "I've really just kind of been glad to be accepted as I have here. Trying to soak up everything I can. And, you know. Not mess up /too/ much," Stephanie says, the last part in a sheepish tone for just how much she has messed up. Or if not messed up, at least done things in a more impulsive manner than Bruce advocates.
"It has felt a little out of place sometimes, being Robin. I mean, there's so much that went before with it. Him. And I'm not a him which also makes it sometimes a little weird I guess," Stephanie says. Though she holds up her hands as she adds quickly, "Not that I'm complaining. I mean, I'm damn lucky to be here and I know it," she says.
Barbara Gordon listens and nods. She understands. The future seems far off at that point in life. She hasn't been so far removed from it as to have forgotten how it was herself. "I understand. Planning is something grown ups do.." She smiles wryly. To the rest she nods in understanding.
"I know you're not complaining, Stephanie. Although it might be said you have some reasons if you chose to. Regardless, I have been thinking about things. I guess you could say it's on your behalf. And maybe partly on my own."
She turns to type into the laptop a few more instructions then looks back. "I'm asking because.. I think you're a very good Robin. I think you push Bruce in ways the boys never did. It was good for him. But now that Helena is getting actively involved? I think you could go from being a very good Robin - " she taps on the laptop keyboard again and the code being crunched brings up a rendered image of an armored uniform " - to a even better… Batgirl. If you like the idea."
Stephanie gets a soft grin about planning. "Well, I am going to college at least. Though Bruce had to kind of browbeat me to get me to accept it was a good idea. It's been tough though, I won't lie. But I'm almost done with my first year. My last final for the semester is tomorrow. Still on pace to pass everything," Stephanie says. "Er, I think. Damn Economics 101."
Stephanie falls silent then so Barbara can explain what she's been thinking about. The blonde has an interested look, and the comments about what she's accomplished as Robin bring a soft, shy smile at the praise. If she had any thoughts on where Barbara was going though, they seem to have been wrong as Stephanie's mouth falls open at the sight of the Batgirl costume design.
"You… you mean me… as… oh, that's so… Barabara, I mean. Damn girl!" she says, breaking out in a big smile. "Wow, that looks amazing. And, what is that? is that an equipment belt, but a garter? I love that!"
Stephanie bites her lower lip as she looks at it. "I really like it. I mean a /lot/," she says quietly. "Do you think Bruce will be ok with me wearing his logo though? I mean, it's… it's special and all," she says, blue eyes swinging from the armored costume and back to Barbara.
Barbara Gordon is probably just as nervous about this as Stephanie. She lets all the questions roll out and laughs. "I mean as in - I'm not retiring from Batgirl myself. So don't get any ideas" she teases, "but I think there is room for another Batgirl in Staten Island. And that isn't a Batman symbol - it's a Batgirl symbol. And I give you my blessing to wear it. Bruce will come around in the end. He likes to bluster a lot. But he can't out bluster the two of us. Or we'll just talk to Selina" she says with a knowing wink.
"I have it ready to prototype for you but I was waiting to see if you liked the idea. We'll need to get final measurements anyway."
Stephanie Brown smiles and reaches over to rest her hand on Barbara's shoulder. "Good, I didn't think you were. But, I know to the people on the street, wearing that they are going to look at us as… well, different than they looked at Spoiler. Different than Robin," she says thoughtfully.
Stephanie breaks out in a big gri then. "I love it. Thank you so much Barbara. I mean it's not even out of the computer yet, but just the thought… feels a lot more me than Robin ever did. You know?"
Stephanie turns back to Barbara from the computer and flashes her a grin. "Besides, I can go with a different name. I've got it!" she says, and then uses her hands in a ta-da sort of gesture to make the unveiling of the new name all the more grand. "How about… Batbabe!"
Barbara Gordon listens to Excited Stephanie Talk and laughs. "I'm glad. I wasn't sure. But the colors seemed to work for you. The purple from Spoiler's color palatte, the yellow from Robin and the graphite just seemed to work to tie them together without it being too dark." Then she blinks. "Batbabe….?" She looks at Steph and without a hesitation shoots right back, "I can delete this project and all supporting files in under five seconds. Three if I'm inspired. That name.. is inspiring me.."
Stephanie Brown winces at the response. "Or, you know, Batgirl is a perfectly wonderful name too. I'm quite fond of it really. Like to doodle it in my notebook during classes," she says, laying it on thick and then peeking down with just enough humorous intent to make it amusing. She hopes.
"Can we spring it on Bruce though? I'm thinking… just kind of flip into the room and… ta-da!" she says holding out her hands like she's just stuck a vault landing at the Olympics. "Because really, he's too dour and needs a few pleasant surprises in his life, am I right?" the gregarious blond suggests. "Besides if I'm airborne when he first sees it, he can't say no before I've made it into the room." She gives a big smile that shows a flash of white teeth.
Barbara Gordon pokes Stephanie if the ribs. "I'm joking, Stephanie. But that name.. isn't going to earn respect I am going to guess. That's why I offer to let you also use Batgirl. It helps establish you." She then listens to the idea of how to show it to Bruce.
"Oh yes. He'll be so happy with the surprise that I expect him to blow up my comms, my phone and my door coming to talk to me about it…" she grins. "But it isn't about him. It's about you. I think that's a great idea. You should do something like that." Looking to the blond she asks one last time. "You're good with this? If so we need to get you down to your Robin-Tighty-Whities and get a full scan so the suit fits properly."
Stephanie looks back over at the computer and says, "Oh yes. I'm definitely good with this." She turns back to Barbara and then warps the redhead in a big, tight hug. Best to do it now before she's stripped down for the measurements, after all. "Thank you so much, Barbara. You are just the most wonderful," she says.
After Stephanie will facilitate the measurements. After a peek towards the entrance that comes down from the mansion, making sure no one is coming down now. She gets down to her undergarments for the measurements, and after will slip her clothing back on before peering at the rendering to look at all of the different things built into the suit. "Wow, nice graphics on it too," she says, talking about the visual sensory ranges the mask can handle, not the rendering itself.
Barbara Gordon wasn't expecting the hug but returns it. "You're welcome Stephanie." A laugh. "okay. Let's get this done before anyone else gets home." She brings up the scanning program and sets it up. Having Stephanie move into position, she starts the scan." The invisible beams quickly sweep across, taking accurate measurements needed for the tight fitting armor. It only takes around three minutes for the process to be completed.
Barbara nods, "all done.. It should be ready to try on tomorrow and you can put it through its paces. Range of motion, fit. All the good stuff. Then we can add in the good stuff and get you kitted out." She smiles.
Stephanie Brown stood in place for the computerized measurements, and then once clothed again, peered over Barbara's shoulder, watching with open curiosity as she does her magic on the computer. That is one area that Stephanie does not seem likely to follow in Barbara's footsteps. She's managed a B- in her computer class so far. And that was half-because of the socially awkward girl that Stephanie was nice to on the first day who later helped Steph with her homework.
"Wow, you are such a wiz," Stephanie says when it is finished and has begun fabrication. "Thank you so much. The was… unexpected. Awesome. And… and awesome," Stephanie says, her vocabulary put to the test and failing.