|
Post by Barbara Gordon on Feb 6, 2013 0:38:41 GMT -5
Barbara had let her face fall into an open palm, elbow leaning on the arm of her wheel-chair when the last thing she'd heard before a buzzing silence was
"Stop! Stop conversing with her!"
And then a terrible muffling noise, and Stephanie was no longer in contact with her. Barbara released a sigh.
"Somefing wrong, Miss Barbara?" Alfred asked, kindly presenting a cup of tea on a tray. She gave him a kind, but tired smile.
"Not at all." she lied, taking the tea cup and resting it on her lap. "I do appreciate you tolerating my presence this early in the morning." she said, a statement she'd re-worded repeatedly for her duration here. It was very early, but a glance at her watch and she could guess that any member of the Bat-Family was prone to walk in any moment.
Dick was staying here now that Bruce was... gone. And it was weird, but she still had some stomach flips when she thought of him. The previous Boy-Wonder.
"I've got a very specific Oracle in mind that I need to talk to!"
Oh god no.
Damian burst into the room, fist in the air with something similar to a war-face.
"You! Accomplice of shrew number one!" he hollered. Babs looked up, innocently providing a smile and he continued, "I've got a few chosen words for you!" he growled, placing his fists on his waist when he finally stood before her.
Shrew number one, was likely Stephanie.
|
|
|
Post by John Blake "Nightwing" on Feb 6, 2013 0:49:13 GMT -5
His fuzzy dark brown head rose from the pillow it was resting on when he heard the commotion. His head pounded and throbbed. Though not from hangover like a normal young man his age should have after waking so early. No, John-Richard-whoever's head throbbed from the pounding it had taken the night before. He really had to get a cowl. The mask which covered his eyes wasn't protecting his head from the constant blows it was receiving. "At this rate I'm going to have more damage to the head than an NFL player," he muttered, rubbing his hair softly as his eyes adjusted to the light. He groaned, hearing the noises bellow. What the FUCK is wrong now? He groaned internally.
Loud yells were something the formally solitary young male was growing accustomed to.
Slowly he rose from the bed which had once belonged to Bruce and slid himself towards the door. He didn't bother putting on a shirt or a pair of proper pants, just a pair of black cotton pajama pants covered his body. He truly didn't care what the others downstairs thought of his image. Stumbling towards the door, Nightwing walked down the stairs and walked into the room. Creeping almost silently up behind Barbara, John placed his forearm on the back of her wheelchair.
"What's the little angel whining about now?" he asked gruffly.
|
|
Stephanie Brown "Batgirl"
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
"Relax, Boy Virgin. You're not the guilty party. A couple of make-out sessions do not a baby make."
Posts: 95
|
Post by Stephanie Brown "Batgirl" on Feb 6, 2013 1:08:38 GMT -5
Bed, sleep, if Stephanie missed one thing from regular life, it was eight solid hours of shut eye. She groaned, leaning her head back as Damian went storming out of the elevator. Dick move, Steph. Bane had killed his dad, and she'd used him as a bargaining chip. Dick move.
Oh sweet god of sugar coated heaven. Dick.
"Damian!" She called, rushing after him with her bag in hand. Her hand was actually bleeding from where he'd bit her, and as she heard his muffled shouting in the room beyond she came barging in shouting, "Whatever Boy-Not-So-Wonderful says, it's so his fault there's a hole in the garage wall. I was totally going to get the bike under control until he..."
She dropped off, staring at Babs and John. Wait - Babs?
|
|
|
Post by Barbara Gordon on Feb 6, 2013 1:16:37 GMT -5
Barbara gave a start, her tea sloshing when a voice came from behind. Part of her was relieved, and the other side of her was doing somersaults in her stomach. But Babs was good at playing it cool. She leaned her head back, looking up at him. God did he have to be shirtless? She was going to have to play it really cool then.
"Helloooo sleeping beauty." she grinned. Okay. Maybe kind of creepy. She played it down with a more sincere raise of her brow, turning her gaze back to Damian, and now Stephanie. But Babs had no where to interject, as Damian had retaliated on Stephanie at that point.
He whipped around, throwing a finger up in her face- well, as much as he could at the height difference from where he was standing.
"LIIIESS!" he hissed loudly, cutting her off, then turning to pledge his case to Dick, "She was stealing! She was stealing from the Bat-cave and who knows what she could have made off with if I wasn't there to stop her! And she blew a hole in the wall!" he snarled.
Barbara sighed, rolling her eyes and lifting the cup of tea to her lips for a sip, taking in their noise as if it were tranquil music. She didn't seem bothered, but it was likely the same couldn't be said for Dick.
It sounded like they'd torn apart the whole cave...
|
|
|
Post by John Blake "Nightwing" on Feb 6, 2013 1:26:40 GMT -5
Blake raised an eyebrow down towards her and tossed her a casual grin. "Thank you," he said with a huff, "I'll take the beauty part and reject the rest." He turned his head towards Damien, still leaning on Barbara's chair for support. Stephanie appeared as well and...wait...
"WHAT?!" He stood, pushing weight onto his left foot, moving slightly away from Barbara. His eyes were wide, shocked until his eyes dipped towards the kids. Kids. Ugh. Stephanie was 10 years younger than him and Damian's age made him feel old as dirt. He groaned dramatically, rubbing his palms in his eyes as if rubbing his pupils would make whatever damage the two troublemakers had tossed at the Bat-Cave.
Damnit Bruce. If I'd known I was being thrown into parenthood taking on this house...
He shook the thought from his head before turning back to Stephanie and Damian. "Okay," he said raising his hands slightly, "Hold on. Why is there a hole in the wall of the Batcave this f-freaking early in the morning? Could you not have waited until...11am at the earliest?"
He rubbed the bridge of his nose once more. "I don't even..." he turned to Babara, "You didn't see what happened, did you?"
|
|
Stephanie Brown "Batgirl"
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
"Relax, Boy Virgin. You're not the guilty party. A couple of make-out sessions do not a baby make."
Posts: 95
|
Post by Stephanie Brown "Batgirl" on Feb 6, 2013 1:34:27 GMT -5
"It's not a lie!" Stephanie shouted back at Damian. "And I was getting myself some armor, not stealing the giant penny to sell it on eBay!"
Her attention went to Blake, mouth opening in a buff noise almost like, "Oh."
She'd hunched down to yell in Damian's face, so she straightened and lifted her bag slowly. "Well, I was burning the five in the morning oil, realized - hey! All the stuff my suit needs is in the Bat-Cave, why wake everyone up? And Babs had already said I could borrow her bike, so I was just going to leave in that, then Damian comes at me like the Tasmanian Devil as I was shutting down the security on the bike..."
"It's a tiny hole - really." She laughed uncomfortably, lowering the sack to her side. Then she added, "Also Damian's biting again."
|
|
|
Post by Barbara Gordon on Feb 6, 2013 1:42:28 GMT -5
"Me?" Barbara chuckled nervously. "No. I was.. having tea with Alfred." she nodded, lifting her cup and inclining it to Dick, before taking a sip and looking away. That was uncomfortable.
"It's not tiny!" he yelled back, "The fact that you blew a hole in the cave at all is outrageous!" Damian then released a noise of objection as she out-ed him on his biting.
"She also defiled one of the cases holding the suits!" he added, grinning triumphantly and crossing his arms across his chest. "With lipstick" Damian growled, in a perfectly grim and cryptic hissing tone.
Barbara snorted a laugh into her tea.
|
|
|
Post by John Blake "Nightwing" on Feb 6, 2013 1:55:13 GMT -5
"He's BITING? I don't even know what that...is he like, a dog? What is happening?"
The stressed out young man just stared towards the pair. Batgirl and Robin. With no Batman here and just he and Barbara to control the brood...Gotham was in deep shit as far as he was concerned. "So, let me get this straight." John dramatically placed his crossed fingers and index fingers on his lips as he closed his eyes, trying to regain composure. He opened his eyes again, shot a quick look at Barbara before turning back to the duo.
"One of you-probably Damien- is at fault for blowing a hole in the side of the Batcave. The Batcave. Which is a-wait for it- SECRET HIDEOUT for vigilante superheroes. And also-HOW?! It's made of STONE. How did you..." He facepalmed, placing his balance on Barbara's chair.
"Master Blake," Alfred chimed in, "Can I offer you a robe perhaps?" John finally looked down.
"Oh...right..." He rubbed his hair again. "Uh...sure...thanks Alfred." With that, the elder male bowed out towards the closet. "You two-SIT."
|
|
Stephanie Brown "Batgirl"
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
"Relax, Boy Virgin. You're not the guilty party. A couple of make-out sessions do not a baby make."
Posts: 95
|
Post by Stephanie Brown "Batgirl" on Feb 6, 2013 2:07:07 GMT -5
"Rabid." Stephanie contributed, wrinkling her nose and sticking her tongue out at Damian as John suggested he was the likely culprit. She moved over to one of the chairs gladly, letting herself drop. "If it helps, it really isn't so bad. I mean, it's still inside the cave, not like we added a window to the great outdoors."
She did feel a little guilty. If Tim had been present, she would have been humiliated. As it was, she was mostly just feeling bad she'd woke John up. He looked like he needed the sleep. "And it was the Batcycle - by the way, who does all the naming? Why can't it be like - The Bullet, or the Justice Joyride or hey, how about the Batgirl Bike?" She smiled at Alfred as he brought around tea after delivering John a robe. "Thanks."
She dropped in a spoon full of sugar and grabbed a lemon slice, then took a gulp of the tea, grimacing as it scalded down her throat. She let out a cough, touching her neck. "Sorry, I'm using my outside my head voice again aren't I?"
|
|
|
Post by Barbara Gordon on Feb 6, 2013 2:15:51 GMT -5
"She-" Damian pointed swiftly with a straight arm to Stephanie's face, "was tampering with a vehicle! It backfired on her and sent out explosives, highly dangerous explosives, for an inexperienced, girl to be playing with..." he sniffed, sending a sidelong glare to Stephanie.
"The biting was self defense..." he added with a grumble. There was no denying that one. He'd punctured her hand. But Damian had obliged the order, and dropped down onto a couch, crossing his arms and pushing out his lower lip as he glared at an empty spot on the floor.
There was the ten year old coming out!
"I uhm-" Barbara cleared her throat, raising a hand as she lowered her cup to her legs, "I did say she could have the bike." she added in the most un-accusing voice she could manage. Damian was a spite-fire, she should have fore-seen that he'd get involved. It was only natural.
"This is my fault I suppose then, we really should have just told you Stephanie needed some stuff..." Barbara offered an apologetic smile to John, but there was an anxiousness. He very well could have just turned his rage on her at this point.
Damian seemed to have busied himself by rotating some knife he'd pulled from his costume between his gloved fingers.
|
|
|
Post by John Blake "Nightwing" on Feb 6, 2013 2:30:35 GMT -5
"Thanks Alfred." John took the robe gratefully and placed it on as he spoke. It was a black thing, something that someone rich would indeed wear. "I don't really care that she took the bike," he remarked, placing his arm through the left sleeve, "In fact I applaud it. It's better if we get some firepower against these psycho criminals. Anything we can have one up on them is a plus." He hadn't exactly seen the Scarecrow or the Mad Hatter riding around on anything like the Bat-Cycle. It was a good thing and he gave Barbara credit for giving Stephanie the bike.
He rolled his eyes. "My issue," he scoffed, "Is that you blew a freaking hole in the side of the cave wall. A hole. A hole that could let in anything from rats to hard-core gangsters." John upturned his nose at the tea. A hardened cop, he much preferred coffee. Plus secretly he hoped to return to bed once this discussion was over. His head was still throbbing. Positive there was a bruise forming, he took a casual glance into a nearby mirror. Sure enough, a little red spot as just under where his hair was beginning to grow out.
"Ugh," he groaned, "Okay, here's what's going to happen. After everyone finishes their tea, everyone's going to take me down and show me this hole. THEN we're going to repair it so nothing gets in. Then...I'm probably going to go back to bed."
|
|
Stephanie Brown "Batgirl"
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
"Relax, Boy Virgin. You're not the guilty party. A couple of make-out sessions do not a baby make."
Posts: 95
|
Post by Stephanie Brown "Batgirl" on Feb 6, 2013 14:37:25 GMT -5
Stephanie was feeling downright giddy as both of them backed her up, turning in her chair to grin at Damian and hook a finger in the older Bat Family's direction, mouthing "See."
She sat back as John continued with the issues. "Like I said, no ones getting in! You just have a nicer view from the lift to the Batmobile is all. It's an improvement, really." She tried to catch Bab's eye, wiggling the sack victoriously. She was on her way to one fine suit.
"So, how do you propose patching the hole?" She asked, pinky up as she took a deliberately dainty sip. She put it down the set it on a table, standing and pulling the bag over her shoulder. "I'd really rather deal with it now - bed would be really nice."
|
|
|
Post by Barbara Gordon on Feb 6, 2013 14:44:03 GMT -5
Damian stared at Stephanie with an alarming amount of contempt that suggested he was seriously fighting internally with himself about stabbing her. The wench. He had a more pressing detail to bring up that she had apparently forgotten. But he'd allow them to have their glory speals before he rained all over them.
Babs only offered a grin to Stephanie, in her victory of holding a bag of scraps. Then, finally there was an opening.
"I think we have a bigger issue at hand." Damian cleared his throat purposefully, in a very befitting pompous frown. He looked very unimpressed, and waiting until attention was grasped before continuing again.
"Bane is back in Gotham. Who knows how much sooner we could have known about it if somebody" and he threw a scathing look in Stephanie's direction, "Didn't want to play the hero so bad."
|
|
|
Post by John Blake "Nightwing" on Feb 6, 2013 15:01:18 GMT -5
John silenced immediately on the mention of the name. The broken Batcave, the hole in the wall, the squabbling children were all forgotten with that one name. That one destructive force. Eyes on the youth widened as he breathed in deep, squeezing the back of Barbara's wheelchair tighter to keep himself from falling over. He rubbed his hair again and let out a deep breath.
BANE.
"ENOUGH out of both of you," John said sternly, eyes glaring towards the two, "I want answers. How did you find out he's loose? How do you know he's back?" His voice was strained a bit. The last thing he needed was another incident with Bane.
|
|
Stephanie Brown "Batgirl"
Junior Member
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
"Relax, Boy Virgin. You're not the guilty party. A couple of make-out sessions do not a baby make."
Posts: 95
|
Post by Stephanie Brown "Batgirl" on Feb 6, 2013 15:25:44 GMT -5
Sleep, I miss you so.
She slid the bag back off, dropping it on the floor by the chair. Stephanie hadn't said anything about Bane because somehow she didn't feel it was her right anymore. She'd carried the secret, hoping to drop it in order to impress the others with what she knew, but after telling Damian, somehow she'd relinquished hr right to be the one. She'd given it to Damian, and his choice whether or not to tell. Of course, she'd hoped it wouldn't be in the 'This-is-all-the-shrew's-fault' context, but she probably deserved it.
"I was out patrolling, heading back home in the Narrows." She folded her arms, the childishness gone again. "I saw this guy, clearly doing something, and he kept looking back so I traced it to Bane. There were these two girls, he had his hands on one. I couldn't just leave them, so I went in, had a little scuffle - got thrown into a bunch of trash bins, I'm fine thanks for asking. I wasn't stupid enough to think taking him on solo was a good idea, so I got the civilians out and ditched."
In the space of a few minutes she'd gone from sticking her tongue out to stiff muscled stubbornness. "I'm not sorry for attacking him. That's the bastard responsible for killing Bruce. So I hope we have a damn good plan - because Bane doesn't deserve to be breathing, even through that mask."
|
|