Summary:Phobos catches up with Batgirl with news. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Phobos has a message to contact Batgirl. Which is probably good, because he needs to talk to her. The redhead Bat has arranged a meet. Not on a rooftop this time, perhaps much to Phobos' relief.
But in a back alley in downtown Staten Island.
She's also sent out a request to someone else to meet her - whether he's got that message is a good question.
She's waiting now.
Habit can breed complacency, even when that habit is riding atop a hurtling train while dressed in a combat suit. It's something he knows he should be aware of, the young son of War with his hand holding upon the edge of the train car and his legs spread to brace against the hurtling vehicle. It's a steady ride, and one he's made many times before. And yet despite the warnings his father had granted about coplacency… the youthful Olympian fell prey to it.
For he missed his stop, going past it a fair ways before realizing. His head snapped up as his eyebrows lifted behind that mask. He'd been on autopilot, traveling to that building that he so often would meet Barbara and Orphan and Ken at. But the coordinates were different, as his cellphone vibrated angrily at him about it from its place in his upper shoulder pocket.
A leap took him clear of the train, then he hit the ground running, darting across a few rooftops to try and make up the time and close the gap… only for him to be three minutes late. Not good for a prospective vigilante.
This time Batgirl is alone, or at least Ken isn't there. But there is something. A feeling of creeping dread that Phobos will likely find familiar. That should tell Batgirl that her message was answered and the person to whom she sent it is on hte way. But he's not there quiiiiiiite yet.
Technically the dread is also late. But large world eating wolves are never late. Neither are they early.
"Your late." Batgirls modulated voice fills the alley when Phobos finally makes his appearance. "Is everything alright? You've been absent …" Oracle could probably tell Batgirl, Phobos' activities over the last little while.
The feel of the dread in the air, has the masked womans chin rising. "And my other guest will be here in a moment … " It's frustrating Oracle can't track him but there you have it.
"I've been around," A bit. Off and on. Making an appearance across the rooftops and picking up the occasional call on the OracleApp when he's been in the area. Not the same as when he rushed around with a partner, but running solo he didn't have quite the same urgency. Though when tasked he'd meet those tasks with a professionalism that might be surprising for one of his age.
He adjusts the hang of that half-mask and then tells the Batgirl calmly, "Though that is going to change soon. And not sure for how long." A beginning of a tale or an explanation. Or both.
It's because the Oracle isn't designed for tracking whatever the large wolf actually IS. And also because he's not always a wolf. And also because he cheats.
The feeling intensifies just before a truck sized wolf appears at the corner and shrinks into a person. Which is less visually intimidating though the dread does not go away.
"Fear. Batgirl. Hello."
"I thought you might be busy with finals. Though it's been a while since I was in school… " The redhead answers, hooded face turning to study Phobos' half masked one. "What do you mean?"
It's an invitation to share but that's halted temporarily.
"Hello Fenris." The woman draws in a breath, not unaffected by his aura "Thank you for coming to meet us. I need some help and I'm not sure where to turn. There is a magic afoot in Staten Island and none of us are equipped to deal with it."
A gloved hand is lifted in greeting toward Fenris, a small wave followed by the uttered, "Sir." Before he turns back toward Batgirl to relay the information he has as he steps back to instinctively allow room for Fenris to join their small conversational circle, or triangle as the case may be.
To Barbara, "I am bid to return to Olympus, there's a ceremony that I must be present for." Likely there's more to it than he's saying, though he does spare a glance for Fenris, just a quick askance look, then back to Barbara. "I am allowed to bring guests if they're inclined. So if you'd like to come along you are welcome. But I know your efforts take up much of your time and time passes strangely in the realms of the Gods, I could not guarantee when you would return."
A beat, then he adds, "Though other Pantheons may well be in attendance, in part." He offers that as if it were a selling point. Though he again looks at Fenris, as if perhaps expecting him to say something about him already having an invite.
"A ceremony? Are you ascending?" Fenris MIGHT have an invite, he'll have to check his messages. And he might look in on that just to watch. Phobos is someone who has been flagged in his studies of fate as potentially important and the young godling has been more helpful than most of his kind in recent days.
"I may be able to help you. Both of you, in fact. But it sounds like you first have business with one another. Why don't you…" He gestures.
He's got time. A few minutes - even a few years - isn't much by his standards.
"You're leaving us." Batgirl says. The modulated voice quiet this time. There's not indication as to her emotions in that regard. "It was bound to happen." There's a breathe as she indicates Fenris' question. It's a good one.
"When is it to be?" Getting away now will be difficult, if not impossible. She's dedicated to the Batfamily and to Staten Island. With the current threat, not knowing when she might return - it might be minutes or it might be years, she knows the legends and myths well enough - isn't likely going to going to be possible.
Alexander turns a little more to look fully at Fenris, wary, or perhaps more curious as if knowing that this God of the Apocalypse might well have information he doesn't in this matter. "My father hasn't said…" He lets the last syllable hang there for a bit, cagey.
But then he looks back to Barbara as he addresses them both, "But I think it might be something like that. Since I'm supposed to be… presentable to the other pantheons." He doesn't go into what that entails, or what efforts are required to reach that criteria.
Then fully back to Batgirl as he looks between the eyelets of her mask as if trying to find some way to get a read on her, but fails. "I'm not /leaving/ you." A hint of his age leaks in there as he says that a little more sour than he'd like. But he takes a breath and then says, "It's hard to schedule things with Olympians. They tend to speak in broad terms. It could be in a few days, or a month. And I could be gone for just an hour or two, to like… a few months? But I told my uncle it was important that I be back before next semester."
There's a pause then he adds, "Just there's also, m'not sure how things are going to change? Be changed? After that?"
"That's sort of the definition of what you're doing." Batgirl offers, putting a hand on Alex's shoulder. "I'll say congratulations, and hope that it's true and that you're not being summoned to Olympus for other reasons." She could think of a few.
And yes, he's young, she knows that. Many of the ones that she works with are.
"When you return, if you want to, I would love to keep working with you. If you can't, then that's the way things are." She's pragmatic at least. "I hope, at least, you might consult with us. One of the reasons I asked Fenris to see me, is that we're out of our depth."
"Until I get swooped off, I'm still here." Alexander says with a slight smile that causes his mask to shift a touch. He does briefly look past Batgirl for a moment at the shadows beyond her, but then looks back and straightens up a little. "But when I get back I should hope I'll remember who my friends are."
A glance is given Fenris' way, as if expecting the other deity to have some insight, before he looks back toward Batgirl and adds with raised eyebrows as he asks, "Right?" As if she'll agree with him.
"I don't see why you wouldn't." Batgirl answers. She's frowning behind her mask at his words though. "Swooped off? They didn't give you exact dates for that either. They're on what, Olympian time?"
"If you don't remember who your friends are, we'll remind you."
She's quiet for a moment before continuing. "Do you think you would have time to do some research, Kitty?"
The youth flares one hand to the side, the black kevlar and plastic armor catching the light slightly as he makes that gesture just before he answers with, "Apollo is in charge of organizing it, and Hermes shall make himself known when the time is right. And they… don't always get along."
It must be strange to have an extended family who are all in a seemingly perpetual and flowing state of inter-familial feuds with one another, with each deity remembering so many slights from years and years ago. "One or the other of them might drag their feet at points and it's…" He starts to explain more but then he decides just to answer the question, "But yeah, no exact date yet."
Then he bobs his head once, "And sure, what kind of research?"
"Try to send me a message when the time comes. I don't think I will make the celebration, though I might wish to." Batgirl sighs. "Things are getting bad here and we need every hand we can get."
Maybe she's not used to inter-familial feuds, but she's seen them.
"Oracle, project that sarcophagus." From her suit, an image of a sarcophagus is displayed - but it's not egyptian markings on it. It's Minoan and the Bull motif is strong. "This was being recovered from a wall cavity in the newly renovated Staten Island Bank and Trust. We want to know what the markings are and what the coffin might be for."
"Oh hey," Alexander's first response is a positive one, "That seems… familiar." He tilts his head to the side as he lifts his other hand as if to 'touch' the image but then realizes that's a touch pointless and so checks the movement.
"I mean," Alexander looks back toward Batgirl, "I can't tell you how or why, just it triggered that vibe." From something in passing most likely.
"Can you get me some of the images? All of a sudden with this ceremony coming up the family's returning my calls and stuff, maybe I can see who knows what about what?"
"I can do that. I'm trying to get access so we can examine it properly." Batgirl answers. Currently it's in the evidence locker with the Staten Island PD. She needs to speak to someone else to help with that. "They'll be on your phone. I was thinking, if not family, then maybe someone at your school? Do you have a researcher that might specialise in this type of thing?"
After all, it's possible that coffin is a bastardisation.
"No harm in asking," Alexander lifts a hand to the shoulder pouch with the plastic window where he keeps his phone when running around being daring. A quick swipe across the surface lets him realize that indeed the information has been passed so he nods and turns back toward her.
"Sure, I'll do the rounds and talk up the people who might be in the know. If nothing else maybe they can point me in the right direction. If I find something and I have to run off to Olympus I'll be sure to leave a message before I leave this plane of existence."
"I appreciate it, Kitty. They wanted this for some reason and it was installed in the bank during the refurb. I want to know why. It has something to do with what's going on here …. and what's going on here …"
The redhead turns to the tall dark haired man who has been remarkably patient while they talk.
"I know you don't want to get involved. I might even understand why … but I need someone who understands magic. I have some things for them to examine and tell me how to destroy them. Or disable them."
Arms folding over his chest, Alexander looks thoughtful as he ponders Batgirl's words, nodding along at the end as he hrms to himself. He offers some small bit of conjecture, "Implanting something like that could be a thing about trying to pass off qualities from one thing to the other. The coffin to the building, if the building's location isn't something remarkable." But that's all just a half thought out idea.
Then when she addresses Fenris he falls silent and steps back to not step on their conversation now.
"Destroying them usually isn't very hard." Fenris says. "The trick is knowing what will happen when you do. All magic is energy. Things that project it usually have a lot of it concentrated in one place. releasing that energy all at once can be a touch hazardous. But I might be able to assist you with that."
Now that Phobos and Batgirl seem to be winding up their discussion of matters between the two of them the Old Wolf looks at Alexander. "If you still wish to continue your good works here on Midgard later I may know of some situations that could do with the attention of one with your power and potential. And you may find them… educational."
Batgirl nods at Fenris' words adding softly for Oracle "Display the footage of the crystal…" From her suit, their last experience is shown - Alex will recognise it as something similar to the field he experienced at the conference.
The footage runs showing the crystal and field pulsing out from it. Everything is static for a while and then the room is back. "This … transports us to something else. I was .. Maid Marion, complete with pointy cap." The redhead explains. "It seems to be emitted by that crystal. We wanted to destroy it but I didn't let that happen. I wasn't sure if it would be dangerous or not."
She's asking for help with the crystals.
"I can try," Alexander replies to Fenris, "I don't have any intention of staying away too long." He seems far off and away from being like some of his family, the ones that find little draw of the earthly and with little reason to be amongst mortals. "Though not sure what my responsibilities will be, prior obligations might step in the way." Much like he said the first time they spoke when Fenris requested the aid of the youth.
When Batgirl speaks he looks at the projection, watching the imagery displayed about the crystal and the happenings. His eyebrows lift but he says nothing for now as the other two speak.
"Mmmmm. No. It doesn't transport you to something else. That isn't a teleportation spell. It's a transfiguration spell." Fenris says after looking at it carefully. "It transforms everything caught in it's area of effect. The crystal itself looks like it's fortified by magic. You should be able to just smash them, but it will probably take a lot more force than it normally should."
Meaning they may need specialized equipment or weapons to do it, problematic when the crystal turns anything caught in its effect into something from the 13th century.
"Of course. I do understand obligations. But in my experience there is a lot of things that Midgard has to teach, and you of all people seem to be open to learning them."
"Transfiguration." Batgirl looks at the image and then at Fenris. Giving Alex a look as well - Fenris' offer was a good one and from what little she knows of the walking apocalypse he's not supposed to be that approachable.
Maybe he's taken a shine to the lad.
"That's problematic, given we can't really get near them with modern equipment. I'll have to think on our approach but knowing that they can be destroyed without much fall out is a relief." beat "I don't suppose either of you know a mage who would want to work with us?"
In response to Fenris, Alexander bobs his head once and replies. "Kinda, yeah." A beat, then he adds a little quieter. "I suppose." As if not entirely sure on that point, but he then takes a step back, looking between the two of them.
At Batgirl's question he answers her, "Maybe one I was on a team with, but they're kind of a tremendous flake, but I can ask." He offers that as he looks between them.
"I'll go and start to run those pictures up the flag pole and see who salutes," An odd expression for him to evoke for whatever reason. He takes another step back, "Did you guys need me for anything else?" A glance is spared over his shoulder as if making sure nobody is drawing up on them, then he looks back to Batgirl and Fenris.
"Not at present, no." Fenris nods to Phobos. "If you like my raven or myself or both can be 'round at your ceremony." Though Batgirl might possibly want to be if that's an offer. "In any case good luck. I know how dealing with family can be."
The Old Wolf looks to Babs. "If his contact cannot help I might be able to offer some. I know a bit about the Arcana." He is, after all, very… experienced in this sort of thing. "Was there anything more, Batgirl?"
"If you could, Kitty." Batgirl nods again, the display from her suit dying. "I'll take any lead I can at the moment." He knows how to get the contact details through.
"Thank you Fenris, you as well. I won't leave the innocents of Staten Island to suffer because of this." With a shake of her head, the black clad woman draws her rappel gun. "I have nothing more, gentleman. Be well." When they leave, she will too. "And thank you. Both of you."