19699/Gotham Clocktower New Years Party

Gotham Clocktower New Years Party
Date of Scene:	29 December 2024
Location:	Barbara's Penthouse (Clocktower - 25th Floor)
Synopsis:	It is New Years 2024 at the Gotham City Historic Clocktower. The champagne is flowing, the tunes are tuning, and the blimp is offering free rides. Would you like to know more?
Cast of Characters:	Barbara Gordon, Gwen Stacy, Kate Kane, Valeria Richards, Jaina Hudson, Cassie Sandsmark, Audra Meridian, Miles Morales, Cassandra Cain, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Zinda Blake

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Barbara Gordon has posed:
New Year's Eve in Gotham City is always a spectacle, and tonight the energy is electric. Around the base of the iconic clocktower, a massive crowd has gathered to await midnight. The air buzzes with excitement as revelers anticipate the fireworks show that will light up the skies above the tower, a yearly tradition that Barbara Gordon oversees with her usual precision. This year, as ever, the entire event is orchestrated by the Clocktower's state-of-the-art computer systems.  

While the plaza below thrums with life, the penthouse at the tower's apex is an exclusive oasis for invited guests only. Barbara's party has become a coveted New Year's tradition among Gotham's finest, offering a perfect blend of revelry and refinement. The penthouse, once a raw, industrial space, has been transformed into a stylish haven that reflects Barbara's character-modern, elegant, and full of subtle nods to her double life.  

Tonight, the living space has been completely reconfigured for the festivities. The usual furniture has been cleared out, replaced with open spaces for mingling and dancing. A sleek bar has been set up in the kitchen, where a bartender expertly mixes cocktails for the guests. In the main room, a string quartet plays softly, their music mingling with the sounds of conversation and laughter. Beside them stands a towering Christmas tree, still glowing with white lights and ornaments from around the world-a final nod to the season before it gives way to the new year.  

The massive clock faces dominate the penthouse's walls, their muted glow casting a golden hue over the room from above all of the guests. Outside the glass doors to the balcony, Gotham sparkles like a sea of stars. Guests occasionally step out to take in the view, bundled in coats against the chill, before retreating back inside to the warmth.  

Barbara moves through the party with practiced ease, her black gown a contrast to her fiery hair, which has been swept up elegantly for the occasion. Her jewelry catches the light as she greets guests with soft laughs, genuine warmth, and a hope that everyone will enjoy the evening.

The countdown to midnight draws near, and the anticipation builds both inside the penthouse and on the plaza below. For a few fleeting moments, Gotham feels lighter-connected not by crime or chaos, but by celebration and hope for what the new year will bring.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Gwen Stacy apparently doesn't need alcohol to have a good time. The music, the lights, and the buzz of people mingling through Barbara Gordon's stunning penthouse are enough to keep her energy high. She's leaning against a railing near the loft, the glow of Gotham's skyline and the clock face casting a golden halo over the room. Her hands are idly playing with Dick Grayson's tie -- well, the loosened remnants of it, anyway.

"You know," she says, a playful grin tugging at the corners of her mouth, "for a guy who spends so much time chasing down bad guys, you clean up pretty well."

Her tone is teasing, but the way her fingers linger on the fabric speaks of the warmth and ease she feels in his presence. Gwen's pink-streaked hair is swept back in a way that only half-tames her usual punk-rock edge, and her purple dress sways lightly under her waist-length leather jacket every time she shifts her weight. She even has it belted around her waist with a black leather belt, adding to the punk edge, along with a leather coker and some longer necklaces. The piercing above her right eyebrow glints in the light, as do the earrings that dangle from her ears. She's comfortable here, surprisingly so, even in a room filled with Gotham's elite.

The buzz of conversation mingles with the beat of the music, punctuated by the occasional cheer from someone returning from a GGE Blimp ride. She doesn't even need to look to know that's where the wilder guests are gravitating, but she seems content to stay grounded tonight.

"Well, I'm not saying I want to live in a clocktower," she says, nodding toward the massive gears still visible near the loft. "But it's got serious aesthetic appeal. Like something out of a steampunk fantasy. I half-expect to see a dirigible crash through the window any second now."

Her fingers finally release Dick's tie, but she doesn't stray far. Instead, she hooks her arm through his, her head tilting up toward him. "So, what's the protocol here? Do we just stand around and look pretty until midnight, or is someone gonna light fireworks off the roof?"

There's a mischievous glint in her eye, but it's clear she's happy just to be here -- with him, in this moment. No spider-suit, no Nightwing, no Gotham crime bosses, just the two of them in a sea of glittering partygoers, ringing in the new year together.

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate Kane might have grown her hair out a bit, the dark crimson hair cascading over her shoulders now, but she's still definitely dressing as she normally does for these things. No gown for her, as she instead wears an elegant black tuxedo. A crimson tie and vest complete the ensemble, along with perfectly tailored black pants. Though she does wear black heels in a concession to fashion, or else she's just looking to show that she can.

Currently, she's nursing a martini, definitely not her first, though she still seems perfectly sober. Or at least, she's not drunk enough to let it show just yet. Her lips curve into a bit of an impish smile, as she seems to be waiting for something. Or quite likely, someone...

Valeria Richards has posed:
Champagne flute in hand, slinky, long slitted shoulder less dress that depends on the light hitting it reflects either metallic blue or silver, Valeria Richards made herself an appearance, easy enough when HERBIE piloted Fantasticar makes a commute a snap. Sure she's ready to party and have fun, but somethings she never quite gets rid of. A pair of rings on her middle fingers, a single bracelet in silver that is totally her wrist computer because she's still a massive nerd. Though at least it matches the bangles on her right arm and the hinged plate choker on her neck and around her waist.

benefits of being loaded. The boots she wears, a shin high zip up pair in white faux leather. With some stainless steel spike heels making an already tall blonde positively towering oner six feet.

Though she does sometimes wobble instead of gracefully step. She's not that practiced with heels. Because she's a massive nerd.

And already a little buzzed.

"It's Gotham. It's on the bingo card." the young woman from Manhattan jokes towards Gwen with a chuckle.

Jaina Hudson has posed:
Jaina Hudson has, indeed, been here for quite some time tonight. And by 'quite some time', I mean, like. At /least/ the past hour or so. Which is a long time, when you're a playgirl trust fund nepo baby-turned philanthropist socialite. Doubtless there are many different parties, and places, and spaces that she could be spending her New Years at. This one, then... well.

It must mean something to her.

And to Barbara Gordon's delight, she is absolutely already a little loaded. There's something special about limitless champagne, after all, and she's just finished exchanging an empty flute for one filled with something sparkly, and bubbly, and a little blushing pink. Kind of like her own cheeks, as she sits with some wealthy businessman nodding along and smiling to something about... assets, liquid and non-liquid. The tax-loopholes one gets for chartering private jets to Milan. In all honesty, Jaina looks a little bit impatient as she lounges, like she can't white wait for the man to get to the good part.

"Yes, Mr. Woodrow -- that is quite astute of you," Jaina intones.

The man's moustache wiggles. He rather agrees. "Ah, and... do you know what else is a tax writeoff, Miss Hudson?" he asks.

Jaina smiles. "Charitable donations?"

"Charitable donations."

The two clink flutes, and Jaina doesn't even make it obvious she'd caught him looking down her neckline.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie definitely hangs out with Barbara more than JUST on New Years. Probably! Almost certainly.

But she totally can count on her Gothamite acquaintance to throw a hell of a bash, so it is the go-to location for this special yearly event. And yes, Diana is probably having some kind of elegant gala at the Art Center or something, but that crowd definitely trends older and stuffier and generally less fun. This is the place to be for the younger segment of the off-duty hero set!

(Which also tends to make it disasterous for Cassie because she sucks at codenames and secret identities and half these people she knows as one, half the other, and another half as both. She sucks at math, too.)

All the same, she's got a drink in hand and has made saying hi to the hostess her first priority. As usual for these events, she's taken a rare break from her constant casual dress and athleticwear to don a proper party dress, a red halter-neck backless gown. She cleans up pretty good!

"So telllll me, who do you have lined up for the big musical act this year?" she plies Barbara. The prior year had been a particular treat!

Audra Meridian has posed:
Audra Meridian makes a face when someone in the gathering mentions airships crashing through just as the blimp tour is making another circle outside. "Lets not give fate any ideas how to break up a good party," she murmurs under her breath and takes another swig of the drink in her hand.

All in all though it's been a pleasant party. Especially for someone that doesn't get to see as many higher society affairs. But it was hard to beat getting to see the inside of a proper clocktower that's been turned into a swank living space. Though maybe she'll take the blimp ride later when she wants some fresh air.

The view out the clockface front is spectacular, Gotham doesn't look nearly as dreary when you're looking down at it light up against the last evening of the year.... But her drink is running low and she could probably use a few snacks so Audra turns away from admiring the city and returns to mingling through the crowd.

A black blazer worn over a red dress and hair properly done up and back into a high ponytail at least doesn't stand out too much, even if she doesn't have the fancy wardrobe to one party and be done with like many of these people do.

Miles Morales has posed:
Having dressed up in a tuxedo, a classic cut with blue panels and polished black shoes, Miles Morales had arrived with Cassandra Cain. They had spent most of night together, sharing in dancing and mingling and drinks on occasion. The night was passing far faster than Miles had expected, though he was still feeling cautious. Not because of his spider senses warning him of anything.

Instead it was his own sense. He had seen plenty of people that are here in the society page of the Gotham Gazette. Barbara he had known from the time she bought him a hot dog and they had mingled before. So he's trying to be cool and seem like he's in his element, but a case of nerves is being had nonetheless.

Returning to Cass with a couple of flutes of champagne. "It's almost midnight. Figured out your new year's resolution yet?" he asks with a flash of a smile. "I'm still considering mine, though my mom suggested 'working on my grades'." With that, he offers one of the flutes to her.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
It wasn't strange for Cassandra Cain to be around Barbara, after all she was a member of the Birds and of Bats both...what -was- strange was for her to be in an event so social. The black dress she wore was probably picked by someone else, but it flattered her form while still not showing off her back for risk of revealing the scars that marred it.

Hair tied back in a presentable clean bun and pinned while still leaving a tasteful bang loose to enhance her look, she looked up as Miles arrived, reaching her and offering the drink her way.

"Get better at talking to people," she offers, perhaps deadpan enough suggest the resolution was genuine.

Dick Grayson has posed:
While the party might be buzzing with all manner of people, it is a pretty safe bet that Gwen will not be alone in her sobriety.

At the very least Dick Grayson will be joining her. Not that he has anything against a drink or two in the right circumstances - and New Years Eve is certainly festive enough for it - but this is still Gotham City. This is a night when large crowds gather together, when police presence on the street is at one of it's highest. Certainly the hope is nothing will happen. But if one of the crazies that populate this city takes it into their head to cause trouble, this is certainly one of the more likely nights of the year to do some.

So while Dick's beverage is of the sparkling variety, it is ginger ale and not champagne that fills his glass.

He's not sure just how he got talked into wearing a tie to this thing, though he's no longer sorry that he did as his date for the evening idly plays with it, but the rest of his assemble is a little more intact still. The dark slacks and shirt are topped by a white tuxedo jacket that hangs open, the cool air enough to make the heat of all the gathered people rather pleasant in its own way.

This is way better then running over the rooftops, chasing down crooks. No doubt that will come before the evening is up of course, but for now this is a rather nice way to ring in the New Year.

"You're not looking so bad yourself," comes the dark haired man's retort to his blonde date, a little grin curving the line of his mouth. "You know, for a biochem doctoral student," he counters with a low laugh, winking Gwen's way.

Then his gaze follows hers about the Tower penthouse, with it's mix of modern touches and the old, lingering remenants of that industrial past that add a touch of character to the place, a reminder of what the place once was.

Not unlike Gotham itself in so many ways.

"It has it's pluses. I'm sure it's nice sometimes to live in the heart of the city," he concedes. Though there is something to be said for the quiet and comfort of a more isolated living space. He might be just a little biased however.

Her question makes the corners of his mouth quirk slightly and he gives a small shrug. "I think you can count on protocol being dispensed with on this particular evening. Our hostess usually has a surprise or two up her sleeves, but we'll have to see," he admits before gesturing towards the dance floor. "In the mean time though, if you need to be entertained..." he suggests with a slow grin.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"It's a great party, Barbara," Bruce Wayne pauses in his own journey through the party and its attendees. He's dressed appropriately for the evening, even if he's loosened his tie just a touch. It lends itself well to the longtime persona that is Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy. It's clear though that he can handle his liquor rather well. There's nary a slur to his speech, nor a sway to his stride. He does look tired though. The sort of tired that one experiences by the end of the week; unfortunately it's only Tuesday.

"Thank you for the invitation," he concludes with a smile cast toward Barbara. A raise of his flute finds it sending a faux salute her way and then Bruce is on his way toward the balcony. It seems he's destined to brave the cold for a view of the city, a breath of fresh air, and a desperate attempt to locate just a little peace and quiet. Little does he know: it won't even be found out there.

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim Drake is nursing a mixed drink. The trick is to always refill before it's empty, that way he can pace himself and still not look like a bore. Though he's leaning lightly on the bar, he's glancing past to watch the Gotham City skyline. His inner musings about 'do petty criminals celebrate the new year too' are pushed aside by the sound of the bartender mixing a drink in a cocktail shaker.

The young man glances down at his drink and throws the rest of it back, sliding the glass towards the bartender. "I'll have one of whatever you're making right now." he requests cheerfully. Never let it be said Tim Drake isn't the adventurous kind. Or that he won't be paying the consequences in the morning. Or afternoon, most likely. At least his car can drive itself back home.

When he hears the cocktail shaker rock up again, Tim's attention is fully on the process. He's going to learn how to do all that himself sometime soon.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Steph's been around since /before/ the party. Not because she was planning to show up early, but because the party was several floors above her room, and she'd headed upstairs to torment Babs a little, only to help with decorations and party setup.

And if you're going to help set up the party, you need to sample the offerings.

And while she's been sure every flute of champagne was better than the last, she's not /too/ far gone by the time the party's in full swing.

She's dressed up in a slim strapped club dress, a shimmering purple a little lighter than a certain costumed vigilante's entirely unrelated crime fighting gear.

Indeed, she's keeping a low profile, not quite 'Stealthily maintaining the perimeter in case of trouble' low, but 'Running the party like a marathon, not a sprint' low.

Not that she'd trust herself to run a marathon /or/ sprint at this point. But as she wanders and mingles and lingers, something keeps itching at the back of her head. Something about the guests is familiar, and something about the champagne has her giggling to herself about how of /course/ they're familiar.

But still. Something. Hm.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
The Gordon Green Energy Blimp glided smoothly toward the balcony docking area, its sleek frame illuminated by the city lights below and the occasional bursts of fireworks lighting up the sky. The hum of its eco-friendly engines was a faint background note as the gondola gently aligned with the docking station, its wide glass doors sliding open to reveal a group of smiling party guests stepping out onto the platform. Laughter and chatter filled the crisp night air as they were greeted warmly by attendants, while a new group of eager revelers prepared to board the blimp for its next scenic tour of Gotham?s skyline. The gondola's elegant interior, visible through its large windows, promised a luxurious ride as the crew efficiently handled the quick exchange, ensuring the evening's festivities continued without a hitch.

Barbara was raising a glass up in the direction of Jaina, trying to catch the woman's eye, noting the man that she was speaking to, and casting her a grin over the rim of her glass.

Cassie, near her side, got a soft laugh, and a gentle touch to the small of her back from Babs' right hand, before she leaned over to speak softly to her. "The real music starts at just after midnight. Don't tell the string orchestra players that though." She said, not quite answering the younger woman's question.

Babs, watching the Blimp's exchange of passengers through the large balcony windows that viewed the docking station, glanced over to see Kate, who got a big grin from the redhead. "Love the suit, as ever." She called out the short distance to her close friend.

MIles, and Cass, got a wave of Babs' right hand, when she spotted them. "If you need any hotdogs, Mr. Morales, just let me know." She had to say, as she clearly remembered him.

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate tosses a wink over towards Babs, giving the fellow redhead a grin, then she sees someone she actually recognizes and wants to say hello too. Well, not that she wouldn't want to say hello to others here, but this is someone that she doesn't see terribly often.

And so she meanders quietly through the crowd, gliding easily through and seeming to not draw much attention. Odd for someone that's just over six feet in heels and dressed as she is, anyway, but then Kate reaches her destination.

Which is to say, right behind Valeria Richards, and she says, "Hey Val, glad to see you made it." Her lips quirk in a grin, "How have you been?"

Miles Morales has posed:
After handing over the flute, Miles hears Bab's comment towards him. "As if you didn't have enough set out!" he calls back, looking down a bit. To be remembered for a hot dog is a tiny bit embarassing, as his attention returns to Cassandra. "Well, we can work on that now, if you want?" he suggests with a gesture of your hand.

"Or if it's something you want to do alone, I can totally go with that as well, as he gives a little sway with the beat of the music as he watches the passengers switch out with interest.

Jaina Hudson has posed:
Jaina continues to chat with the man on the sofa for a few more minutes -- the pleasantries and the pageantry that comes with securing a sizable donation to ones nonprofit. It's not polite to just get up and go, afterwards. That's how you make the other party feel terribly used, after all! But amidst their cordial conversation, Jaina's eyes do indeed catch the look from Barbara across the way. She doesn't immediately rise, nor excuse herself, but she does offer the woman a toothy smile, and a little lift of her champagne flute in her direction.

It's an expression that says: 'I'll catch you in a minute'. If a look can communicate that much, anyway. But it's when she begins to lower those eyes back to her conversation partner that they settle on something else -- and Jaina's expression briefly cracks.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Hudson?" asks Mr. Woodrow.

"Oh, no... nothing. Just.... thought I saw someone I recognized," Jaina says, her smile returning. She reaches forward and touches his hand -- as young ladies often do to older men who just paid them handsomely. Thanks for the scratch, ya old coot!

"It's been so good catching up. We'll need to do this again soon, in the new year. Excuse me."

Jaina rises, and makes her way through the crowd...

The crowd, through which moves another woman. Shorter. Long blonde hair. Pretty blue eyes, and wearing a blue dress. She seems to be wandering through the crowd with a sort of awe-struck expression -- like she can't really believe she's up here! In a blimp! Actually, her eyes are so big, she might actually be on drugs. But her feet carry her towards Stephanie Brown, as fate would have it, where she stops, and blinks, and her lips break into a big, toothy grin.

"Hi!" she exclaims.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
The evasiveness of Barbara's response doesn't pass Cassie by unnoticed. She gives a bit of a hmph. "Fine, fine, keep it a surprise! I don't think you can top yourself from last year, though."

With that, she lifts her drink toward the other woman in a bit of a mock toast, and then knocks it back (a little less elegantly). "Alright, seems about I need a refill... Catch you later, Red!" And just like that, she's off!

And not without a destination in mind, it seems.

"Yo." This is her rather informal greeting as she all but pops up behind Tim, being that he's haunting the bar and she needs a refill. "Look at you, Mr. Life of the Party." She sets down her finished glass and looks rather authoritatively to the bartender. "Vodka Appletini. And don't go light, I'm a big girl." And a possibly immortal demigoddess with superhuman stamina.

Then it's back to harassing Tim. "It's a good turnout, bunch of people we know, too. Like- oh, did Dick get a new girlfriend?" She's only a part-timer when it comes to the Gotham circuit so she may be a litlte behind on the newest bat-gossip. "Oh wait there she- you know what, nevermind. How _you_ doin'?" That one comes with an exaggerated fake New York accent.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Gwen glances at Valeria's shimmering dress, then at the champagne flute in her hand, and can't help but crack a grin. "Don't get my hopes up," she laughs. "I've already got 'rubbing elbows with the Waynes' and 'being in the middle of a diner robbery,' and I've only been here a few weeks. At this rate, if I haven't filled up the card by March, I'd be _shocked_."

"I'm Gwen, by the way." Her free hand comes up to her chest.

It's Audra's comment about not giving fate ideas that brings out a sincere laugh, Gwen's blue eyes shifting in her direction. "Come on! Where's your sense of adventure?! It's not a Gotham event unless there's at least one dramatic plot twist, right?"

That smile, fringed around the edges by pink-streaked blonde hair, is infectious. But her gaze returns to Dick a moment later, eyes narrowing playfully after his biochem crack.

"You know, you still haven't introduced me to anyone you know. At some point, you're going to have to admit to the world that you're dating a nerd..." She flattens her hand on his chest, eyes rolling. "But if you're going to tempt me with a dance, we can totally do that some other time." And then that hand slips down into his.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
A shrug, non-commital, though Cass doesn't seem offended. The flute was taken, but the 'baby bat' doesn't drink of it, instead holding it in hand as if it were a prop for a part she was still working out how to play. The wave her way from Babs actually does bring a smile, a lift of her other hand in more natural greeting and the exchange with Miles draws out a little quirk of her brow her attention oves towards Kate and she does give the other woman a little nod of her own. Batgirls/Women in kind after all.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Before Bruce is able to slip outside, his wrist is given a grasp by one of Barbara's hands. She'd caught him, just after he'd greeted her. she cast him a sparkling stare with her emerald hued eyes, before she had leaned in to speak softly in to his ear. "I'm glad you made it." She said, before leaning back again. "I need to come by the house sometime, and see Alfred." She told him, a warm expression on her face, for the man who'd changed her life more than anyone else in the world. She had an adoration for Bruce, and though she had to keep it low-key for social reasons, she was still more than willing to let him see how much he matters to her.

A drink is taken from her glass, she released Bruce's wrist, and turned back to the interior of her home, filled with so many familiar faces, and otherwise.

From the main elevator entrance, a new entourage arrived, the Gotham City Mayor, with his wife on his arm, and several companions that spread out around the well occupied party already. Babs raises her hand, offering a wave toward the Mayor, as she went to personally greet him, and his wife.

Audra Meridian has posed:
At Gwen's response Audra turns to smirk in her direction. "My dear, I get plenty of that chasing storms for a living... And other shenanigans." Followed by a laugh as she shifts through the crowd and finally finds her way back to the bar.

She gives a polite nod to Time who's already there, then empties the glass she has and sets it on the bartop. "Another gin and tonic, please." Once the bartender has worked through his queue to get to her at least.

Valeria Richards has posed:
If there was an aircraft that hovers and floats about to crash into a building. It was probably going to be a Fantasticar. Thankfully that won't happen with Val's ride probably already heading back to Manhattan till it's needed again.

Even sober, Val is a horrible driver so it's for the best. Luckily she's also not too bad a dancer. Even if it's more just how to not fall over while at a club or party so hips sway a little when she can hear the music over the ambient conversations all around her. Though a redhead greeting her does get the blonde looking back over her shoulder to flash a smile before turning with a pivot to further greet Kate Kane.

"Hey, I am doing fantastic. Pun semi intended. This was one of those things worth tearing myself away from the lab for." the smile is kept bright for Kate with a raise of that champagne flute half full in hand. The smile even stays bright for Gwen as well. "Well, you can probably pencil in one of the Richards family as well but bumping into the Fantastic Four is probably blase for New Yorkers. I'm Valeria, and this lovely friend is Kate Kane." she offers in introductions.

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim perks up when Cassie pops up behind him with that casual 'yo'. Turning, and catching his fresh drink in an open hand on the way, he asides to the bartender, "Light on the apple, heavy on the 'tini." before turning his full attention to Cassie. "Been a while, Cassie!" he starts, a smile on his face that's either there because he's happy to see her, or because this isn't his first, second or third drink. Or, like a running theme, a mix of both.

Tim glances at the crowd for a moment when Cassie mentions them, nodding and shrugging at the follow-up question. "Probably. I don't think I've met her. Maybe I will tonight." He's being a bit non-committal, but that -thick- New York accent makes him laugh. "I'm really good. WayneTech's got some R&D going that I'm involved in, and I'm excited for the public reveal. It's a bit hush-hush now, though, so.." he trails off with a grin, then swerves the conversation back on Cassie. "So how about yourself? Still living the influencer life?" he asks, a finger coming up to pull his necktie away from his collar some. He's loosening up, finally!

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Steph's mid-sip of... okay, she's not going to admit to herself she lost count... sooooo... her fifth. Fifth flute of champagne. The best one yet.

It definitely makes the smalltalk go down easier with various movers and shakers and philanthropists of the fine city of Gotham.

And then, suddenly, there's an attractive woman in front of her! Saying hello! With a level of enthusiasm that screams 'I'm so happy to see you again!' and...

Oh. Oh dip! Oh /double/ dip!

Eyes narrow slightly, widen slightly... really, anyone watching Steph is going to get a whole lot of expressiveness from her face. It's a stream of consciousness of confusion that erupts from her lips suddenly as

"Oh! Oh, it's you! I... uhm... hhhhhiiiiii!"

Dick Grayson has posed:
Taking another sip from that chamgapgne flute filled with ginger ale - a little known Gotham City tradition - he flashes a brief smile Audra's way at the mention of the blimp crashing and her profession. "I'm fairly certain that is one event our hostess would not pull given her fondness for dirigibles," he says quietly, gaze flickering out into Gotham's night skies and the airship hanging out there above the crowds gathered in the square below.

Then he chuckles quietly, casting a wry look towards Gwen. "It's a hard shame to overcome, but you're worth the effort. You are just such a prototypical nerd," he says with a faint grin. The pink highlights, the longing to be in a band again, total nerd creditials there.

Admittedly somewhat offset by that big science brain. Still, he thinks his point is fair.

Sliding his fingers through Gwen's, Dick once more lets his gaze roam over the crowd, lips pursing in amusement. "Actually, introducing you around probably makes more sense. I don't know how many we'll get to before midnight - I don't know that there is almost anyone here that I don't recognize," the dark haired man admits.

Between working for the GCPD, his work with the Wayne Foundation, his association and Bruce and, of course, certain noctural tendancies that will go unnamed in mixed company, there are not many people that he doesn't run into in Gotham sooner or later.

"Come on," he says with a smile, taking his date by the hand. "Lets see how many we can get to before the clock strikes midnight. Then we can hit the dance floor," he suggests, making an almost immediate beeline towards Bruce and their hostess for the evening.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"You're always welcome and Alfred would be joyed to see you," Bruce answers warmly and with a smile to accompany it. By the time that his wrist is released from the companionable embrace, Bruce offers a playful wink and a lift of his flute in final acknowledgment of Barbara's kind words. Soon enough Bruce is on his way to the balcony doors. He does spy Richard - Dick - which results in an acknowledging nod from Bruce. Though if he has an inkling that Dick's seeking to make introductions, he doesn't seem clued into it.

Bruce takes a glance around himself; more than likely making certain that no one is about to feel the frigid brush of chill winter air suddenly blasting over them when the door opens. Satisfied, he opens the door and slips through without much fanfare. Most of those meeting him for the first time had the opportunity to get it out of their systems. Now they have an opportunity to enjoy the company of one another, Bruce makes himself scarce. As scarce as a balcony shared with others can allow, anyway.

The champagne's given a once-more as he tilts the flute up, but soon enough he's sans champagne and planting his shoulder against a section of the building that juts outward, creating a buffer against the wind and a suitable place for Bruce to enjoy the view. He takes in a long, long breath and soon exhales it as steamy breath that puffs at the air. While it may seem as though he's simply taking in the night; he's truly watching for anything of note. A light, perhaps.

For now he stands, one arm shrugged from his jacket and hidden away beneath it while he enjoys the brisk night air.

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate grins warmly at Gwen, "Charmed. I'm surprised Dick hasn't warned you about me, though I should say in advance that it's all lies and flimflam. Well, unless it's positive, then it's absolutely true." She chuckles, and then tosses Dick a wink as she grins a bit wider, looking like she's about to say something else...

And that's when Cassandra's nod gets the redhead's attention. Giving the younger woman a warm grin, Kate tilts her head, signaling for Cassandra to come over and join the group as she sets her now-empty martini glass on a passing waiter's tray, snatching a flute of champagne with the practiced ease of someone that's done far too many parties like this, regardless of how much alcohol they may have imbibed.

As Dick and Gwen vamoose off, she turns her attention back towards Val, "So, how have things been with your family? Everything going okay?" And Val is sharp enough to probably notice that despite the alcohol, the party girl act is pretty much precisely that.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
To reach the balcony that gave access to the outside terrace, Babs stood atop the stairs, having separated herself from the Mayor, and his wife. She took a moment to clink her glass with a small metal spoon, garnered from a nearby member of the serving staff.

Once she was able to get most eyes on her, Babs offered a wide smile, and a look across everyone. "Hey. I just wanted to thank everyone for coming out tonight. We're... getting close to the turn of the main event hour here, so I wanted to catch you before I wouldn't have a chance again..."

"After a moment of pause, she continued. "Gotham City has had a year to remember, in every imaginable way possible. I wanted to say that... well, we've survived it, through good and otherwise. The city is changing, I can feel it. It is a good feeling too, I think. I won't gush past the turn of the hour, I promise. I just wanted to let you all know that, in having you here, I am expressing a measure of love for all of you. We... we're all in this together. We made it through this year, and we'll make it through the next too. We'll make each one better than the last, and we'll make a world better for those who follow us. So, Happy holidays, Happy New Year, and... find someone good to smooch here in a few minutes, okay? Maybe find more than one person, if you're adventurous."

She gave another grin, before she offered a wave, and a raise of her glass in a cheers motion for all to react to, should they wish.

Several, of course, did, along with a round of audible cheers to go with the gesture. The music resumed, and Babs stepped down off of the high horse, right toward Dick and Gwen. She gave them both a grinning expression. "Having a good night, you two?" She asked, all measures of happiness able to be seen on her face. She reached out to offer Gwen's hand a soft squeeze, before her eyes went to Dick's. "Bruce is here." As if he didn't know. "Has Gwen had a chance to speak to him?"

Valeria Richards has posed:
There's enough of a flushed red tone to Val's features that yes she is buzzed and a distance from sober. "It's been a thing. Kinda tied up in end of the world stuff. Plus Mom dying and coming back from that. I think rollercoaster probably describes it. Though I'm wondering if I can threaten Galactus with siccing my big brother on them. If it can work on the alleged Devil himself. Maybe we can go cosmic on that." so now she might have some wheels churning on possible ideas. "In the mean time, mental note, consider possibly a means to siphon Galactus' power for myself. File under what would Uncle Doom do." she mutters and probably looks a little scary when she flashes a more evil looking grin than a young woman should ever have.

She probably needs to get out more so she's not on the ledge of falling into super villainy.

Jaina Hudson has posed:
Jaina Hudson stops in her tracks when the blonde woman in the blue dress approaches Stephanie Brown. Her head tips delicately to the side, brown eyes raking over Stephanie with cold consideration, before she raises her champagne flute to her lips and tips it delicately back. Champagne bubbles pop on her tongue, and she turns, giving one last glance over her shoulder... before moving away.

...With purpose.

Her feet carry her in the opposite direction, high heels clicking on the floor as she approaches Barbara Gordon, fully intent on making good on her earlier promise of catching up.

But she stops short, seeming to have lost track of Barbara... only to see her reappear on the balcony, to address the crowd! She pauses, and lifts her gaze where it holds on Barbara.

...And as for the blonde girl?

"Oh, um, uh..." she stammers a little, catching, it seems Stephanie's own hesitation mixed with excitement. She takes a step back, and lifts her hands up, bent at the elbows. It's a strange sort of hesitant retreat. The young woman manages to make herself seem a bit like a fish out of water, despite looking as if she belongs in a place like this. Her lips twitch and she lowers her eyes.

But then she lifts them again, and nods a couple of times.

"Yeah. It's me."

Miles Morales has posed:
Like Cassandra, Miles has yet to take a drink himself. Possibly, he's saving it for the new year's toast, as his attention turns to Cassandra's nod and who it's directed at. When Kate makes the sign for Cassandra to join him, Miles gives her a quick grin and tilt of his glass. "Shall we?" he asks, before Barbara makes her own toast, and Miles grins widely. "Here here!" he calls out, lifting his own glass in a salute as he lowers it back down again.

Once the toast is complete, he sets the glass down on a passing waiter's tray.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Chasing storms for a living?! ... But just like that, Audra's disappearing, swallowed up by the party on her way to the bar.

Gwen can't seem to help tugging on Dick.

"Did she just say she's a _storm chaser_?! How do you just drop something like that on someone and walk away?" Gwen complains, grinning, though her attention is quickly back on Val and now Kate, that mirth in her expression softening.

"It's really nice to meet you both. God, I really wish I had more of a chance to pick both of your brains..."

She doesn't really give off the impression that 'fancy socialite gathering' is among her normal hang outs, either in dress or in general demeanor. There's nothing pretentious or even.. well.. particularly sophisticated in the warmth of that grin. There's a brilliant intelligence in those eyes. But social refinement? Not so much.

But she doesn't really have the time. And, probably, neither do they. Who really wants to get fan-girled at New Years Eve party, anyway? So, soon, they're both being saved from Gwen playing three-thousand questions by Dick dragging her off, and she gives them a little wave.

"Catch up with you soon! I hope.."

She gives Dick a squeeze, fingers curling pleasantly through his as she looks up at him. "Do you really know _all_ of these people? I don't know that I know this many people _total_, much less in one room..."

It's not even that far, though, before they're running into Barbara, and she reaches out to squeeze her hand back with a warm smile.

"Thank you, so much, for having me. It's.. well.. it's incredible. It's a fantastic party, and I _love_ the ambiance. Total steampunk vibes. It's fantastic." She already said fantastic once. Ugh. The mention of Bruce, though, gets a little shake of Gwen's head and a glance up at Dick.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie's grin practically shines at the follow-up Tim tacks onto her drink order: he's got the idea! "Yeah, kinda. My uh, other job has been keeping me busy so I haven't been doing a lot with the-" Ah, here's one of those 'I know and you know that I know but we can't talk about it' things, and this time she manages at least not to blather about X Team or Y Team in semi-public. "-well, you know."

"We could just go over and say hi. That's how these things work. It's called mingling. Wouldn't think I'd have to explain that much to a Wayne-adjacent, but here we are!" She knows very well that Tim is, well, not quite like Bruce or Dick. So she can poke fun! Eventually, the bartender returns to put down the mildly green looking drink and she reaches to snag the glass. "Well, I'd say tell me about your new job thing but it's a secret so I guess that's out. Sounds cool, though. I always go back and forth on whether WaynePhone or StarkPhone is better... Some people really care about those green bubbles, y'know?"

"Oh, and well, I'm doing a lot of work for the Embassy and the Arts Center now. Like I run their socials too. Plus some outreach stuff. All the stuff that Diana doesn't have time for, pretty much. And I'll finally be finishing school," a year delayed, compared to most, for the full one she spent on Themyscira, "so, I gotta figure out a real job but... yeah it'll probably just be something like that."

With Babs speechifying, she turns her attention that way to listen, and gives a bit of a whistle cheer at the end of it.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Steph is, at least, conscious enough of the party and its goings on to applaud Babs and her speechifying (And sober enough after running into an unexpected face to not yell about Babs's good speechifying, or whistle for her. It's all very polite applause.)

But she keeps finding her eyes wandering back to Jaina like she's seen a ghost. She fidgets with her glass, eyes darting about. Maybe there's a passing waiter she can hand it off to so she can cross her arms and stare more intently at Jaina.

"You're not planning any trouble are you? I remember you being very troublesome!"

Audra Meridian has posed:
Maybe if she had realized someone would actually take an interest in her pursuits Audra would of lingered longer. But 1) she needed a refill and 2) Gwen had a date to occupy her. And the general nature of such large parties to drift around in motion.

Speaking of the refill, Audra gets her gin and tonic just in time to turn around and listen to Barbera's speech. Insightful. She's worked in Gotham enough to get the general reference to the city's somewhat infamous reputation and trying to correct that. It's only going to happen when people try, so the sentiment is there.

Enough that at the end of the speech Audra holds her glass overhead and chants out a heardy "HEAR HEAR!"

Then glances around. But not really seeing any faces she recognizes, so where she shrugs and gives her gin&tonic a swirl in the glass. "At least this year it's not -entirely- alone." And takes a long drink. She's here for the party, even if she doesn't have anyone personally connected to to spend it with.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Entering the party from the Terrace is a blonde wearing all black; a leather flight jacket over a crisp, white tee, a pleated skirt that would have been daring for the 1960's, and black gogo boots to match. The patches and emblems on the jacket make it look like Blackhawk squadron memorabilia, except it looks to be comfortably worn. And very likely authentic.

Zinda wastes no time making a beeline for the bar to get a beer. Taking a deep swig, only then does she really start looking around to see who she knows.

Tim Drake has posed:
Oh, yeah. -Other- job. "Yeah, I getcha." Tim replies brightly, not needing to hear any team names to realize what Cassie's talking about. He grins at her and leans back against the bar, an elbow resting on top and his glass in hand, the brown liquid inside only brightened by the presence of alcohol and ice cubes.

"We could. Or they'll get thirsty and come here. Or we'll do both and miss eachother again." Tim points out with a grin, before raising a finger to correct her in mid-drink. "Mm!" he manages, before swallowing. "Not Wayne-adjacent. Full Wayne. Adopted. There's paperwork and everything."

He holds his glass up for Cassie to clink hers against, tilting his head. "Obviously you should get WayneTech. Get a WaynePad too. Tell your followers to get WaynePods so they can listen to their favorite tunes." He started in earnest, but somewhere along the line his voice changed to sound like an advert. Likewise, his face was straight before, but broke into a grin by the time he got the word 'tunes' out.

When Babs thanks everyone for showing up, instead of applauding like most others, Tim simply raises his glass and cheers for her.

Dick Grayson has posed:
There are a whole lot of people to get to. And no way that they're doing it all before midnight. Honestly, it will be lucky if they get to everyone before the party breaks up.

But there are at least a few people that Dick should really introduce Gwen to before the night is over, assuming that he can keep track of everyone in the crowd. Which is, admittedly, no easy thing. Barbara's parties are definitely popular, and the New Years blowout in particular is somewhat legendary. Even with the furniture cleared out to open up some space, the crowd is definitely tightly pressed.

Still, there is at least a good opportunity to start when Kate presents herself and Dick pauses for a moment, that rush towards Bruce and Barbara interrupted at least for now. "Gwen, this is Kate Kane. You could consider her a cousin," he says with a faint grin. "Technically Bruce's cousin actually. And yes, I have a number of stories I could share," he agrees, that grin quirking upward once more. "But then she has a few she could share too, so I think I'll behave and not give her an excuse to start doing just that," he admits, winking at the redhead. "Good to see you Kate," he offers up.

Then it is back into the ground, circulating through it, hand still wrapped around Gwen's. "Well, not all of them," he admits, glancing around. "But most. Barbara and I travel in a lot of the same circles," he says wryly, catching just a glimpse of Bruce nodding in his direction before he slips out into the cooler evening air.

He doesn't immediately change course to follow - he can't really, not as Barbara takes center stage and offers up her toast for the evening, the crowd packing even more tightly together to listen, offering up their applause and approval.

Besides, saying hello to their hostess first does sort of make sense.

Greeting the other notable redhead with a grin, Dick nods his head. "You know Gwen," he says quietly. "Yeah, I think I saw him slip outside. Probably not a bad idea to get a quick break while he can," he admits with a wry smile. "Assuming that nothing has pulled him away, I'll see about tracking him down and making introductions," he says with a nod.

He's fairly certain that there hasn't been a disaster. No signal in the sky, no aides rushing the mayor away. So far it would seem that Gotham might actually ring in the New Year without a disaster.

How rare is that?

Jaina Hudson has posed:
The Blonde Woman's expression remains as it was when she first sensed Stephanie Brown's hesitation around her. It's a combination of confusion, embarrassment, and maybe something resembling hurt, or rejection. She looks like how someone might look when they made some grand effort for another, only to have that gesture be turned away. She remains quiet when Stephanie asks her if she plans on causing trouble.

And still, when she indicates that she remembers the blonde woman being trouble. There's another step back. She isn't paying attention to the speech.

"I came here to see you," the Blonde Woman says.

But when applause breaks, the blonde woman makes a quick, subtle retreat. A slip through the crowd, intent on disappearing. She'd be so much easier to spot, were she wearing her rabbit ears. Alas.

Jaina Hudson, on the other hand, has been watching the entire exchange from the corner of her eye. As she finishes clapping for Barbara Gordon's speech, her own expression settles into something a little more calm and contemplative. There's a nod of agreement, and then another sip of sparkling rose from her champagne flute. Jaina's dark brown eyes track the movement of the blonde girl effortlessly through the crowd -- as if she knows her intimately. As if she can intuit each and every little corner she'd turn. Anticipate every panicked bend and bow in the rabbit hole.

Which is why, when the Blonde Woman finally finds herself alone in the women's room to catch her breath from the embarrassment -- she isn't alone at all. Jaina Hudson is there, waiting for her. And when the door shuts behind the Blonde Woman, it's preceded by a low, mechanical click in the bathroom door as Jaina slides the mechanism into place.

"I told you," Jaina murmurs, to the White Rabbit, as she sniffles a bit teary-eyed in the mirror. Not surprised, it seems, to have been joined by her counterpart.

"They'll never love you like I do."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The toast shared is indeed met by Cass, but when Kate signals for her after the celebration is given (which Cass doesn't verbalize to), she instead smiles as best she can and then finally sets her own glass down with a nod to Miles.

"Yes. It's very...noisy here."

Of course, it wasn't the auditory Cass was talking about...there was a lot of body language for the girl to pick up on.

Kate Kane has posed:
When Valeria starts to go into Villainous Monologue Mode, that gets her a sharp nudge in the side from Kate's Elbow. "Ahem, young lady, none of that. Otherwise, I /will/ make you drop and give me twenty. And that's a hell of a thing to try and do in that dress and heels." She grins cheerfully, giving Val a wink, "Now come on, there's someone I want to introduce you to, and I don't want you taking after your godfather when I do."

When Cassandra approaches after the toast (which Kate, of course, returns), Kate gives Cass a warm smile, "Hey, Cassandra, this is Valeria Richards. Val, this is Cassandra Cain. She's a good friend." She nods a bit at the mention of the noise, "Yes, definitely. Did you need to step out for a bit, we could definitely get some air on the balcony?" She looks at the younger woman with a bit of concern.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
The Gordon Green Energy Blimp slowly lifted from the docking station, its large, glowing silhouette silhouetted against the backdrop of Gotham's sparkling skyline. As the gondola gently pulled away, the hum of its eco-friendly engines grew louder, sending a soft breeze across the balcony. Guests gathered at the edge of the platform, watching as the blimp began its final tour of the night, gliding gracefully toward the horizon. The city below seemed to pause in awe, the faint sounds of excitement and the promise of midnight in the air as the blimp soared higher, ready to offer its last view of the city before the new year began.

As the Blimp's running lights cut through the night sky, fat white flakes of snow could be seen passing through their conical beams, as a dusting of snowfall began again over a city that had seen a healthy amount of snow this week already.

the people gathered around the clocktower plaza below were starting to audibly sing familiar songs, while the party upstairs was still quite warm and inviting against the cold anticipation outside.

Barbara afforded Dick a soft smile, and a slight nod. "I want Bruce to have a good time, when he puts the effort in to trying to." She told him, though Dick has heard it all countless times by now. she showed another look to Gwen, another smile given. "I'm very glad you guys made it, though. Stick around after the turn of the hour, since that's when the real fireworks tend to start." She stated, as she separated from them.

"Zinda," Babs said, finding her pilot friend, and offering her a quick embrace. "Made it on the last trip in?" She asked with a sly grin, as Babs sipped her drink, and sent a look around the busy penthouse, as they stood close to the twenty foot tall Christmas tree that sat in front of the balcony windows.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake quickly downs her first beer, then orders another for walking around. That's when Babs catches her, and the blonde flashes a broad grin. "Somethin' like that, Skipper." she replies. "I'm tryin' out a new little VTOL hotrod for Ted Kord, and figured I'd park on the blimp and ride it in."

She sips more slowly, looking around the party for a moment. "Helluva shindig you got goin' tonight. Sorta looks like a Who's Who of Gotham. Not that I'm surprised."

Miles Morales has posed:
Accompanying Cassandra over to Kate and Valeria, when Kate introduces Cass, Miles gives a polite nod of his head and a smile. "Hi. I'm Miles Morales. Cassandra and I met on campus." he explains, as his attention goes to Valeria. "Dr. Richards and Sue's daughter?" he asks, just to verify. "She mentioned you to me once, I was helping her with directions to a coffee shop in Gotham." After they had defeated a villain together. "She said you barely looked 21." Amusement tinges his voice.

"Anyway, it's nice to meet you both. Any big plans for the new year?" he asks, then stops himself. Cassandra /said/ she wanted to work on communication and she can't do that if he's talking.

Valeria Richards has posed:
She might have to grab a fresh glass, but toasts are joined by Valeria. At least she's out of villain mode. "I get enough of that gym teacher stuff from Uncle Ben. You I might be able to convince to avoid that kind of physical exertion. Or maybe at least some that's a lot more fun." Val says with a grin and sip of her drink, standing casually though with the tilt in her hips.

It may or may not be too much information for Cassandra Cain. The blonde turning that smile and pose to Cass probably doesn't help. "If ya want I can have a Fantasticar here in a few minutes, get you anywhere ya need to go. HERBIE Chauffeur Services at your disposal!" she offers.

"If we can figure out where roof or balcony access is in here. Beats stairs in these heels." she adds much more playfully playfully.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie considers the propsed 'just wait at the bar, they'll have to come to you' gambit. And then promptly rejects it! "No dice. C'mon, it's time to get out and circulate...."

"...Mr. Drake-Wayne! Or whatever the heck it is. I don't pretend to follow the details or know how that whole thing works, and I avoid pondering the specifics too deeply on the odd chances I'll accidentally realize something I shouldn't or say something incriminating!"

Thay still may be CLOSE to saying something incriminating anyway, but she manages to skirt the line. Plus, everyone has booze. It's a surefire excuse. After clinking glasses, Cassie takes a good full sip to emphasize this state of being, presumably gather courage, and then pushes from the bar. "Let's gooooo." She, at the very least, will make her way in the direction where she last spotted the other of the many bat-boys, though she will fall just short of actually bodily dragging Tim.

"Babs, hold onto Dick!" she calls ahead, to preclude any mingling near-misses and... well, to get in another Dick pun, obivously.

Audra Meridian has posed:
Well at least the party has no shortage of people watching to do. Not quite as interesting as watching a storm trying to estimate when it will brew over into something dangerous or not, but it at least keeps Audra entertained between drinks.

She still resting at the bar with her drink when Zinda walks up to order a beer, giving the other woman a brief look over, and moving herself from less of a prop against the bar to more of a proper stance. "Nice jacket, miss. Those patches are kinda eyecatching."

Then Barbara also walks over, to which Audra lifts her half-empty glass to in a brief salute. "Great party and great speech, Miss Gordon." She tries to be nice and proper, and while hardly to the point of being drunk she's clearly had a drink or two, or three, by this point.

But then her attention flicks back to Zinda when she mentions a familiar name. "Oh, you know Ted Kord?"

Gwen Stacy has posed:
'Barbara and I travel in a lot of the same circles.'

"Huh," is all Dick got in response from Gwen at that comment... at least verbally. It also came with a hefty bit of amused side-eye, though whether it was a play at jealousy or her trying to put some other pieces together is harder to guess. At least for most people. She'd never come right out and quiz him about all of his Batsociations, but she wasn't above putting little pieces together as she went.

But when face-to-face with Barbara, there was nothing but warmth from the girl with the pink-streaked bob cut, a grin tugging a bit more firmly at the mention of sticking around for the 'real fireworks.'

"We'll do our best," she promises. Why does it sound ominous? Maybe because sleep was the only time she ever seemed to be able to stay in one place for long... and sometimes not even then. It's the bane of being a graduate student, genetics research assistant, and superhero all at once.

You guys get it.

"It was good to see you," Gwen manages when Barbara starts to slip back off into the crowd, but no sooner has she gotten that out than she hears 'Dick' being shouted in their direction. And instead of moving off into the crowd, she turns towards the source, rising up onto the balls of her feet to try to figure out who called out after them.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Shortly after his escape to the balcony, Bruce returns. He slips through the crowds with his chin down, eyes watching the paths ahead that weave through the throngs of people occupying the penthouse floor. He navigates a sea of people with the same ease one might travel through their home in utter darkness. Where he might bump into another, he simply dips to the side to avoid the collision. The flute that he carries is soon deposited to a flat surface and in the same motion his hand rises up to draw his tie tighter.

Judging by his lack of eye contact and the direction that he moves, it's obvious the those who might catch sight of him that he's on his way out. Along with a little urgency to go with it, though he does a reasonable job at avoiding drawing much attention to himself with hysterics or bombastic behavior. He's cool and calm as every, offering a handshake to one who briefly bars his path and a smile to another before he continues on his way.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake turns to Audra, giving a nod as well as an invisible hat-tip. "Thanks, honey, and there's a story with each one. Sometime when we got more time and a whole lot more beer, I'll hafta tell a few." The beer switches hands, then, and she offers the right to Audra.

"Zinda Blake, the *original* Lady Blackhawk. An' yeah, I'm sorta workin' with Ted on a new VTOL plane. She..." Zinda lowers her voice, then. "... Ted calls her 'Genie'... is an experimental little hotrod. I parked her on top of the blimp and rode it in for a drink or six."

Zinda pauses for another swig, then. "You got a name, honey?"

Dick Grayson has posed:
With the kind of lives that they lead, certain secrets are necessary.

Within those bounds, Dick has made a point of not keeping any secrets from Gwen. And she has done the same for him.

But just as he doesn't quiz her about her Spider associates, she has chosen not to do the same around the Bat Family. While he admittedly has certain advantages, just by being a part of said family - secrets are hard to keep from the World's Greatest Detective it seems - he has strived to walk that line of not giving away secrets that are not his own.

Not explicitly at least.

Sometimes trust is more then sharing everything. Sometimes it means understanding that there are a few things that can't be shared. At least not straight away.

While Bruce might do his best to be discrete in his exit, not a whole lot gets past Dick. Look who trained him afterall. He does purse his lips for a moment, gaze immediately flickering towards the Mayor and his entourage, towards Barbara and some of the others who might be looped in, but as others don't show any pressing concern, the dark haired GCPD officer doesn't seem to feel a pressing need to make his own excuses.

Instead, when he hears Cassie's voice ring out across the room, he glances her way, spotting the blonde along with Tim and lifts his own hand in response, grinning briefly.

"Looks like we're not even going to have to circulate. They're coming to us," he murmurs to his blonde date, squeezing his fingers around hers once more.

Tim Drake has posed:
"But this is where they're making the drinks!" Tim retorts, pointing at his own glass and then Cassie's as if he's making a valid point. "Alright, you win. Circulating it is.." he admits defeat playfully.

"Please, it's just Tim Drake. It's only 'Wayne' on the government ID and business cards, and only then because I think it's funny to be Tim Drake-Wayne from WayneTech." He admits with a grin. "I mean, I'm clearly an adult, did I really need to be adopted for half a year? I don't think so." It's true, he was only at the Manor for a few months before striking out on his own.

When Cassie pushes away from the bar, Tim follows. Because if he doesn't, she'd drag him and he'd feel it for a week. When Cassie calls out to Babs to 'hold onto Dick', Tim can't help but snicker. "Don't -say- that!" he exclaims, but his expression says something more along the lines of "Say more of that right now."

Jaina Hudson has posed:
When the door to the bathroom swings open, and Jaina Hudson exits, she does so alone. And when the door swings shut behind her, she's looking significantly less... tense than she was a moment earlier. At parties like this, it's usually a sign that the socialite had just finished packing some white powder into her sinuses, especially given that she takes an indulgent moment or two to tuck a clove cigarette between her lips and strike the Zippo lighter she'd retrieved from her handbag a moment earlier. It's a gaudy thing -- white, with a hot pink playboy bunny emblem on the side, and matching pink rhinestones that form the words: 'Bad Bitch'. She lifts it to her cigarette and flicks it shut when it's lit.

This is, like. Probably how the Hindenberg exploded, by the way. It's a good thing we're all not on Barbara's Blimp. Though perhaps Blimp Technology has advanced a considerable amount since 1930, or whenever the Hindenberg happened.

Anyway...

Jaina glances towards the balcony and steps in that direction, but not before exhaling a bit of that clove smoke on the interior of Barbara's penthouse. Blame it on the champagne, or the other c-worded-substance that rhymes with champagne and starts with 'coke'.

Audra Meridian has posed:
"Lady Blackhawk, that's an interesting callsign," Audra replies as she sets the glass on the bar and turns a bit to accept the offered hand with her own firm grip for a brief shake. Between the jacket and the comments she already picked up on the woman being an aviator, though the implications of 'the original' has filtered past her for the moment. Zinda's response on what she's working on for Kord just proves the connections right. And gets a laugh out of her. "Knowing him it probably stands for something and he's just saying it like a name. The name's Audra. Audra Meridian. Stormchaser, and inventor of sorts. We've been trading notes you could say, as despite working seperately we've developed a few similar styles of tech."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
"Well, I'm glad to see you made the flight in." Babs said to Zinda, as she gave the back of the woman's shoulder a soft touch, before she separated from her. Barbara found Stephanie, having quite the time, and after sharing a moment with the woman, she looked up to the balcony, where people were gathering near its edges.

As the blimp disappeared into the night, a soft cheer from the crowd below echoed upward, mixing with the festive hum of conversation and clinking glasses from the party above. The cold air outside contrasted sharply with the warmth of the penthouse, and Barbara couldn't help but take a moment to see that the hands of the clock faces were creeping ever closer to midnight, the atmosphere inside thick with anticipation. The city's hum seemed to match the rise of excitement, and even those gathered near the bar were starting to look up, feeling the weight of the year's final moments drawing near.

The singing outside, from the plaza area below, was great enough to reach 25 stories up to the penthouse balcony and terrace too, really showcasing the city's ability to come together on a night like this. Fireworks were already lighting up the sky, but they were sparse, and sporadic, indicating that they were coming from unofficial sources, merely citizens too eager to hold back to share their little addition to the city's revelry for the moment poised to come.

Inside the penthouse, the string instruments faded out, as the countdown began, with the sounds of countless voices shouting out the last seconds of 2024 in one of the country's most notorious cities.

And then it came, the clock struck midnight, and the fireworks truly began. The automated tower computer systems launched their protocols, and an endless torrent of streaming golden streaks lit up the sky, as bursts of multi-colored explosives blossomed out in and amidst the sprinkling of large snowflakes. The city hit midnight, and the cheers broke out in a cocophony of delight and hope for what was to come in the new year.

Inside the penthouse, streamers, balloons and confetti began to rain down from the ceiling high above, as the string instruments picked up against with the famous chords of the only song to ever be played in these moments.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake's smile broadens at Audra's comment, her grip firm and the handshake vigorous. "Didn't know you were workin' with Ted, but I ain't surprised. That man's got probably a hundred projects runnin' in his brain all at once." Blonde brows lift and Zinda takes another drink. "Stormchaser? Yeah, I heard about folks doin' that; flyin' planes through storms on purpose. Gotta be one helluva ride, that. We'll hafta catch up on the specifics sometime." Zinda pauses for a moment, then adds. "I flew with Blackhawk Squadron during the war. Atlantic and then Pacific theater. The jacket's as authentic as I am."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The concern? It was noted, refused with a shake of the head but noted all the same. The scion of the Richards family? Well, Cass would nod her head, she'd even mouth the word 'Hi', but that was about as much as she got before her brain had defaulted back into analysing body over sound. All the humor, all the excitement, all the mirth at Dick jokes were all picked up to the point Cass almost missed she was being addressed.

She'd actually start to answer, but the timer began and the countdown was announced, silencing her as she instead look up to the sky in anticipation of the display to come.

Audra Meridian has posed:
Audra Meridian glances at the patches again after Zinda elaborates. She hasn't had enough drinks to stump her brain enough to not finally click the connection into place, and then "Ooooh" softly. "That's about as authentic as you can get. And yeah. Vehicles specially modified for the matter. We'll have to get together and chew the fat over the subject sometime.... looks like the show is about to start."

Sure enough the clock begins it's chimes. Streaks light up the sky while party balloons drop within the room. Audra picks up her glass to gulp down the rest of her drink to join with ringing in the new year.

Miles Morales has posed:
With the clock striking midnight and the celebration beginning in earnest, Miles grins. It's a great way to start off the new year. And his hopes to become more helpful to Gotham. To be to them what Peter is to New York. It's important, at least to him.

For now though, his attention turns to his date. As Cassandra takes to looking to the sky, Miles clasps her hand for a momentary squeeze before pulling it away. "Happy New Year, Cass." is offered with warmth as he follows her gaze skywards for the fireworks.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
'...They're coming to us.'

"That's going to take some getting used to," Gwen murmurs just loud enough to carry to Dick over the crowd.

It's the whole 'people actually wanting to talk to you' thing. She was used to being a loner, even before she got sucked out of her home dimension and dropped unceremoniously into this one -- with no family, no home, no friends, and no way back. And, yeah, over the last four-plus years, she's made some new friends... and re-made some old ones (those are always the most awkward), but this is different on a whole new scale.

Historically, she's never really been the most social. Or the most reliable. Or the most open about her feelings. Or the most patient when listening to others talk about their feelings. Or... well... many of those other qualities you need in order to be 'friends.' Much less someone's girlfriend.

Seconds pass, however, before the fireworks are going off, before the singing is rising up into the crowd. And as the countdown began, it was hard to ignore that building excitement -- the promise of a new start, a new year, new traditions, new habits. A new home.

She squeezes Dick's fingers again, slipping easily around in front of him as those seconds dwindle, blue eyes gazing up in warm anticipation as she starts to mouth the countdown herself...

'Three.'
'Two.'
'One.'

And then she's up on her toes, freeing his hand just so that she can slip her arms over his shoulders and pull herself up against him.

"Happy New Year," she whispers, brushing her nose gently against his before leaning up for that kiss. So what that it's in the middle of a crowded room full of people she barely knows.. but most of whom know the man she's kissing? Should she be intimidated by that? Well.. yes. Probably. But she isn't. Because in that moment, that man is the only one who seems to exist for her.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Don't ask me. I don't know how rich-people families or corporate ownership work, and my dad is a deadbeat ruler of a divine Pantheon," Cassie deadpans back at Tim. Superheroes aren't allowed to have normal family dynamics!

From there, there is only more laughter as she's not-really chided for her phallic punnery, as both of them do their best to find Dick quickly. And even if Babs is caught back up in her official duties as mistress of ceremonies, it seems at least that the man in question has caught sight of the approach. So they don't have to worry about Dick slipping out!

(I can do this all day.)

And so they just about make it to find the couple in question. "Hi! I was bothering Dick's little brother over here and we realized neither one of us has met you, so we thought we'd come over and say hello..." Except they've made it just in time for the actual countdown to start. "...so hi, hello, I'm Cassie, and also hold that thought, I guess."

You sort of have to put aside conversation for the actual count-downing, because everyone's wanna get in on that, and Cassie's no party pooper! "Ten! Nine! Eight!"

...

"Three! Two!" In the last moment, she looks side to side, as if searching for potential options, and then shrugs, and rounds right back to pounce Tim. "C'mere!" She's pretty much the opposite of shy, and he'll find her going in quite boldly so that he doesn't miss out on the opportunity for the New Year's smooch.

Besides, they can't let Gwen be the only one having fun kissing her-

Yeah, ok, nope!

Dick Grayson has posed:
Given just who he was raised by, it's probably a minor miracle that Dick didn't turn out to be a loner.

Oh, he's had his moments of course. He's still a Bat. He can brood with the best of them. But such moments have been relatively few and far between. All in all, given a choice, his natural inclination lends itself more towards socializing with others. He's never had a problem making friends, never had a problem putting himself out there. He actually likes other people.

But then it was never just Bruce that raised him. There was always Alfred as a counter-balancing influence. Alfred who made sure that he was never just Robin, the Boy Wonder. But Dick Grayson as well.

It likely helped that he had good friends to help shape him and influence him too. The early days might have just been him and Bruce, but that didn't last very long in the grand scheme of things. It might have taken a few years, but the Bat Family became a family in truth. Even if a very different sort of one.

With Cassie and Tim sneaking over just before the countdown reaches it's crescendo, Dick flashes a brief grin their way. "Happy New Year," he offers up to the pair. "Well... almost," he adds, the noise from outside already building. "Tim, Cassie, this is Gwen," he offers up quick introductions before the big moment arrives.

As the noise grows outside, enough to reach even the penthosue at the top of the Clocktower, Dick can't help but let a slow grin slide over his face.

In a few hours they will likely be out on the streets of the city, hunting down the various predators that always prowl Gotham City. Tomorrow might have any sort of looming disaster, just waiting to be inflicted upon the citizens of the city by the various and assorted lunatics that seem obsessed with this city and it's protectors. There is no telling just what the New Year will bring, what assorted crises, what sorts of pains and joys lay just around the corner.

But for tonight at least all of that can be put aside. He's surrounded by friends, by loved ones, but most of all here with Gwen. His fingers tighten around hers, his voice joining that countdown that rings out across the room and as she leans in close, rises up onto her tiptoes, his arm is already slipping around her, drawing her in. Fingers are already tracing across her cheek to slip into that blonde hair.

"Happy New Year," he murmurs in reply before his lips are on hers.

Maybe there's a better way to get the year off on a good footing. But if so Dick Grayson can't imagine what that would be.

Tim Drake has posed:
"Not gonna lie, sounds kinda nice. Apart from the deadbeat part." Tim shoots right back at Cassie as she all-but physically drags him along.

Tim just kinda raises his hand in a little wave to Dick and Gwen. "It's me. The little brother." he says, mainly to inform Gwen and as a bit of self-deprecation. He just manages to get in a quick "I'm Tim!" as people around him start counting-- at fifteen, because they're so eager. At 'Ten!' Tim joins in enthusiastically, not really thinking about a New Year's smooch at all, and when he turns to wish Cassie a happy new year, her lips press against his. Tim's eyes go wide for a moment, but then close. His hand finds Cassie's hip and before long he breaks into another grin. "Happy new year, Cassie." he whispers in her ear, keeping her close for just a moment longer.

Turning to Gwen again, he finally gets to say "Nice to meet you." Did the moment pass? Are they still paying attention to anyone but eachother?

Cassandra Cain has posed:
There were plenty of villains to worry about, criminals that would take this moment to act, not to mention the madness that was Calender Man...but for now they were taking the peace where they could, the company where they can...and even Cass seemed to make the most of it. Her hand finds Miles', not for violence, but comfort, as Cassandra returns the squeeze and lightly leans into the company of her 'date'.

No kissing here, but hey, it was still a noticable step for the young woman!

Barbara Gordon has posed:
The fireworks outside rained down sparks of reds, greens, golds, blues and many more hues of dazzling displays. Mixed in with the snowfall, it created quite a view for everyone down on the ground, who sang to the music of the moment, their cheers and chorus reverberating through the windows of even the penthouse so high above.

Babs was out o the terrace now herself, without a jacket, she stood in the chilled weather, and watched the display as it unfolded.

But as the fireworks continued to shine down upon the city, the beats of music resumed, fro the small stage setup on the penthouse terrace.

A rather famous band began to play a song widely known for its anthemic beats, as were almost all songs from this particularly iconic group. The music was loud, catchy, and fed through the building's impressive speaker system to the crowds in the plaza down below. It was an exciting moment, one that Barbara was proud to have pulled off again, with the help of the Clocktower's extensive technology built in to its every level.

However, not every moment could be given to peace and hope for a peaceful future, as another noteworthy shine claimed a corner of the sky. To the east, the glow of light flashed across the clouds, one mixed with the angular edges of an infamous shadow in its core.

No wonder Bruce slipped out early.

Babs, looking toward the horizon, drew in a breath, as she raised her glass up to her lips, and took a measured sip from the contents of it, as she glanced skyward to her right, where two of her black automated drones took flight from the peak of the tower, headed toward the spotlight shining on the clouds above the Gotham City Police headquarters.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
If this is the most awkward of the 'meet the family' moments she has, Gwen can probably count her blessings. It could have been so much worse. And maybe she should be especially thankful it wasn't Bruce who walked up on them just before she started making out with Dick in the middle of the party. Dick's 'little brother' and his girlfriend couldn't possibly be as bad as deciding to go through with the kiss in front of his... dad? Right?

That thought would have to wait just a little bit to surface, though. She doesn't rush that kiss, even if she can feel the pressure of every second that ticks by, and even when it breaks, she's still smiling up at him what that kind of... lost, smitten gaze that leaves no doubt about how she feels.

...And then, all of a sudden, she remembers there were people introducing themselves, and when she lowers herself back away from Dick, there's heat crawling up the sides of her neck and into her cheeks.

"Hi! Sorry... that was... timing..."

Clearing her throat -- which does nothing for the blush -- she lets the sound slip into a nervous laugh and offers her hand to each of them, starting with Cassie.

"It's really nice to meet both of you. And, yes! Right. What he said. Gwen. I'm Gwen Stacy."

There's such curiosity in her eyes as she looks between them, mind finally getting out of the fog of the kiss an spinning back up again.

"Okay, so you're.. Tim Drake! And you're... I mean... you're..."

Gwen's eyes shift, and she lowers her voice conspiratorially.

"You're Wonder Girl, right?!"

As if she's afraid she's not supposed to be saying it out loud, even though she definitely heard it on the news.

"Wait.. are you two together? Sorry. Is that forward?"

Miles Morales has posed:
No new years kiss. Does that mean that Miles will be cursed this year? He glances aside at Cassandra for a moment.

Can't be worse than Parker luck, right?

He was about to say something when the loud excitement of Gwen calling out Wonder Girl outloud gets his attention. Glancing over in the direction where the group is all meeting up, he gives a wave to try to catch Gwen's attention.

While explaining to Cassandra. "That's Gwen, we're friends from a while back." he explains. "She helped me out with school things."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie is smiling by the time she and Tim pull apart, albeit in a mildly feline way, like she's just gotten away with something, before slipping back into one of her usual broad grins. "Oh good, you didn't die of shock. Happy New Year."

In the aftermath, she pivots back around to face Gwen. "Oh, yeah, that's me." She lifts one arm, the one now further from Tim; even in the red statement dress, she's still wearing her bracers, and the metal gleams with distant firework reflections. Is it an Amazon rule that you can't take them off? Or is she just worried about exactly that kind of 'interrupting Bat Signal' stuff happening at ny moment? Always be prepared, or something.

Then she blinks briefly, before glancing over at Tim, smile bright, but decreasingly serious. "Nah, haha. We just, um, go way back? I know him from-" There's a pause here, as Cassie's brain immediately starts doing 'do I need to come up with a cover story' stuff. "You see, uh, Diana does a lot of, like, big fancy fundraiser events and stuff? I think her and Mr. Wayne are friends from that whole charity circuit? So, yeah, I just lucked into knowing a bunch of cute rich Gotham boys by chance."

Nailed it! Totally a coincidence! No guilty over-explaining here or anything! "Oh yeah, Babs too. That's how I got my invite." No other reasons!

Yet, as the Bat Signal DOES in fact make a not actually that surprising appearance, she glances ever-so briefly back over to Tim, and takes a further step to disengage from him. "If you two wanna catch up or something, I'll leave you to it. I should go uh- those aren't usually for me, but I'll give Di a text or something just to make sure." There's some irony in pretending to go answer a crime-fighting signal as an excuse to try and let someone ELSE secretly answer said signal.

"Have fun, all!"

Dick Grayson has posed:
Their family is definitely a unique one.

Bonded together not by ties of blood, but ones that run even deeper. A shared purpose. A driving goal, a dream for a better Gotham City. A better world really. One far safer then currently exists.

But to be sure, there are definitely worse members of 'the family' that Dick and Gwen could have had the misfortune to share their rather public display of affection in front of. Not that the dark haired man would be likely to be embarassed or lose much sleep if it had happened to be Bruce mind you.

Nor does he seem in any more of a hurry to rush the moment then her, even as the swell of the crowd picks up outside, even as music begins to blare out over that impressive sound system. Only when Tim's 'nice to meet you' registers does he reluctantly let fingers slip from the blonde's hair, casting a grin to his 'little brother', looking entirely unabashed. "Now it's a happy New Year," he says lightly.

It's probably nice that they got that moment though. Because this is Gotham City. And nice moments are sometimes few and far between. As the first of those fireworks goes off, as Dick's attention is drawn to the skies above the city he catches a glimpse of that familiar signal in the sky, that smile dimming just a little.

It certainly explains Bruce's early departure. How does the man always seem to know before anyone else? It's like the fact that he can just disappear the second someone turns their back. It's practically magic.

It's not like Gotham doesn't have plenty of vigilantes. Indeed, there is a good chance that Bruce is already well on his way towards whatever emergency has prompted that signal to appear in the sky. It would probably be perfectly safe to linger, to pretend he didn't see it. To have the rest of the evening, just anormal, pleasant evening.

But that isn't really who he is. It really isn't who either of them is.

Still, glancing towards Gwen as she has the chance to come out of her shell some, to meet some of the important people in his life he hesitates, glances over his shoulder, back to the signal in the sky partially obscured by the exploding fireworks.

Maybe just a moment longer.

It's not like it will take them long to get ready. Of course the Nightbird is parked discretely nearby, costumes included. This is hardly Dick Grayson's first rodeo.

Tim Drake has posed:
"..Happy New Year." Tim replies to Cassie, grinning as he shakes his head. "If that's what you were trying to do, kiss me again when there's no countdown." he retorts.

Tim watches Cassie with an amused smirk on his face, occasionally turning his gaze on Grayson, a wordless question. 'How much does the new girl actually know'? He never actually asks it, though, letting Cassie talk about Diana and how she got her invite and why she knows Tim, and, and, and then there's the Bat Signal. Again there's a look shared with his predecessor, his brother, but Tim's eyes lower meaningfully to the glass in his hands. Batman had been doing this stuff alone for years before either of them came along, and even now it's likely Damian is with him.

When Cassie makes to leave, Tim tilts his head. "You got me to mingle, and now you're abandoning me? This is cruel and unusual treatment, Cassie." he calls after her. Maybe she'll even come back!

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Oh!"

Is Gwen more surprised that they aren't actually together? Or is that just the sound she makes when she realizes that she doesn't have a well considered cover story for how she met Dick? Somehow, going around telling people she fell into this world from another dimension seems like a genuinely bad idea. Especially considering her 'father' in this dimension doesn't even know. God, that's a long, complicated story...

Just when she's squarely in the middle of nodding along, hoping to God they don't ask her how she and Dick got together, she catches Cassie's attention shift and follows it to the infamous signal.

So much for sticking around... See? This is what happens. This is what always happens.

Blue eyes shift back up to Dick, a silent question in them, but it's when her gaze is on its way back to Cassie and Tim, the expression on her face clear that she was about to plainly accept Cassie's excuses and maybe even make her own, that she spots Miles. And... freezes, eyes going wide.

"Miles?!"

Whatever pretense of 'poise' (of which there was very little) was gone. It was like she completely forgot she was in the middle of some fancy, big-wig party all together. With one last squeeze of Dick's hand, she let it go to rush over to Miles, literally colliding with him as she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Miles! What are you doing here?! I mean, I know why you're in Gotham.. I mean.. _here_ here! I had no idea! You mean we could have been hanging out this entire time?!" Not that she's really had time to 'hang out,' given all of the introductions she's been having all night. "Are you good?"

It's only then that she loosens her grip on him, leaning back.

"Listen, I should introduce you to Dick, but we were actually about to head out.. you know how it is." He really does know how it is. "Out late, up early. Can we catch up? I live in Gotham, now. I moved in with Dick.."

And finally, Gwen's actually backing up to stand by Dick's side, nudging gently into his side.

"Dick, this is Miles Morales. Um. And.. Tim.. and Cassie.."

Yeah, quick introductions, and an apologetic smile flashed between all of them.

"I'm sorry, everyone. But I really should get Dick to take me home. It was so nice meeting you all.."

Miles Morales has posed:
As Gwen makes notice of him, Miles was ready to make with a wave and let her go on her way. After all, he had seen the signal as everyone else had, and was watching the party wind down as people were presuambly heading for cover. Or wherever. Instead, his eyes widen as Gwen rushes and hugs him and the Gothamite makes a surprised squeak of noise before returning the hug.

"Long story short? This is Cassandra." he offers in way of greeting Cassandra to Gwen. "We met when when she was in dance practice and let me draw her and we've kinda seeing each other sense?"

"I'm good, we can hang another time. I get that it's past your curfew." he teases, "Anyway, was about to excuse myself. Don't want mom and dad getting all fussy at me with my staying up late." He shows his phone with aloready like five messages from his parents asking him if he's still awake.

"Was just going to see Cassandra out and then be on my way..." To that glow off in the east.