11851/A Lap Around The Quarry

A Lap Around The Quarry
Date of Scene:	02 July 2022
Location:	An abandoned quarry
Synopsis:	Barbara and Stephanie head to an old quarry to test out a new Batcycle, and catch up on happenings.
Cast of Characters:	Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon

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Stephanie Brown has posed:
The wind sweeps across the mostly flat stretch of southern New Jersey land. Stirring grass and leaves, until suddenly the ground drops off beneath it. The air currents drop into the old quarry from which quartz, calcite, agate and even amethysts were once mined, years ago.

Passing the ring of roads that circle about the outer edge repeatedly to connect the top and bottom, the air flow eventually reaches the bottom where it stirs the cloaks of a pair of costumed women. Stephanie Brown is sitting astride a Batcycle, the first one that she's done the majority of the construction of. Engines weren't the easiest thing for her to work with at first, but of late she's started to enjoy it. Even to the point of tinkering with The Compact, the little souped up compact car bought for her by Roberto da Costa to use in an underground racing circuit.

But today? Today is about testing out the Batcycle. She's already made a few runs back and forth across the quarry floor, running along the edge of the lake. For the moment she's stopped, pulled back up alongside her mentor. "Handling pretty well. No more of those little hiccups it was having before," she says of the electric engine.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara still rides a more 'classic' Bat cycle, one with beefy wheels and a lot of horse power. It's the kind of bike that would barrel right over most anyone who dared get in her way. When she comes to a stop ahead of Steph, she reaches up to pull her cowl off, moving to run a hand through her long wind swept red hair. She looks over to Steph as the other arrives.

Babs' green eyes drop down to the cycle that Steph is on and she stares at it for a moment. "You've come a long way with that stuff." She tells the younger woman. "It sounds good too, not making that noise it used to... I think you still should swap the exhaust on it for something that creates a more menacing sound though." She says with a little grin for the other.

When she settles back on the seat of her bike, her cape flows in the wind behind her, giving hints of its yellow underside as it waves. She looks out over the quarry and then exhales sharply.

"What is your goal for that thing anyway? More speed? Sharper turns?" She asks then, looking back to Steph once more.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie pulls one foot up, resting a boot on the seat, knee bent and her arms resting on it. "You could have left off the 'with that stuff'," Stephanie says with a smile and a soft chuckle. Her life is so very different now than it was before Barbara brought her back in from the cold of Bruce's exile from the group and began to train her. Not just different in her skills, but now with college nearing the end, and a fiance to boot.

She reaches down and runs a gloved hand over the bike. "I actually want the silence though," she says. "I'm working on modifying that extra quiet exhaust system that Lucius' people designed, to work with it," she says. "Though I agree hearing the engine rev is wonderful, being able to zoom in at high speed without Joker's men hearing me coming has its advantages. But yes, right now, I'm focusing on maneuverability. Which, I know your reaction is probably, wait, Stephanie worried about not hitting stuff over going fast? What, am I Clayface in disguise!?" she says, chuckling warmly again.

"This is a good place for testing. Those roads," she says, glancing up at the roads that spiral up the sides of the man-made canyon, "Have so many bends and bumps and dips. Taking it at any kind of speed and you're constantly catching air too."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
"Both have their advantages." Babs replies about the noise level of Steph's bike. "So I certainly don't fault you for going with stealth over noisey.... Well. Maybe I fault you a /llittle./" She says with a smirk cast over to her friend. She adjusts something on her cowl helmet, then raises it up and shakes her head a little before she drops it back on over her head, her red hair extending out behind it. She adjusts it over her nose some before she looks over to where Steph is indicating, the distant roads.

"Your driving skills have improved a lot in the last few years too." Babs notes, her green eyed gaze going back to Stephanie again. "I used to worry about you going any measure of speed. Motorcycles are not exactly known for being safe to drive, especially for people who have easily shaken nerves." She grins some at the younger one then. "But, I guess you're changing in quite a few ways... Damian told me recently that he was worried he'd never see you, or your betrothed anymore. How cute is that?"

Stephanie Brown has posed:
A quiet, good-natured scoff is given. "Easily shaken nerves!?" Stephanie repeats in mock offense. "Yeah, life is definitely different now than it was. I've been thinking about Mom a lot. The whole time I've been dating Dick I've kind of found ways to avoid his money, you know? I mean, he bought the brownstone, and dresses for the charity events we had to go. But, I still eat Big Belly Burger and get the specials, I don't really feel free in buying things I might want," she says, looking down and fiddling with her gloves.

"But Bruce and Dick have both kind of, don't let it go to waste. And bringing up what I might be able to do to help my Mom. I think, well I don't know. I need to talk to her. I kind of think the job is good for her, keeps her focused. And she's working at a physician now, rather than the hospital. Not being around the pharmaceuticals like that is helping I think. But it's still kind of a stressful environment, if not as bad as the hospital was. I mean, she doesn't need to work, could set her up somewhere and take care of her. I just... it's weird to me, to not be so conscious of money. It feels wrong spending it."

Stephanie looks back up and chuckles. "Going to need to start having everyone out to the lake house more," she says, referring to the small lake house on the Wayne estate that Bruce made a gift to she and Dick. "Tim was out the other day, I couldn't get him to kayak with me, but we had some iced coffee by the water. It's nice and peaceful. You need to come out. Have a boat that is easy on the lake in terms of wake, can do some waterskiing too."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara just sits there with her gloved hands on her lap and her back straight as she straddles the bike beneath her, her cape continuing to gently sway in the summer night wind. She smiles softly at STeph. "Boat sounds nice. Kate has one, I think, but she has never invited me to it, can you believe that?" She asks with a tilt of her head and a judging headshake. "I'd be happy to come lounge on yours for awhile though."

"And you know your mother has a palce at the Clocktower any time she needs a change of living arrangements. The apartments there are mostly all unused still, so if she wants a place that is quiet, and nice... I mean, it's on the table, if its something the two of you want to explore."

Babs hears a ping on her cycle's computer display. She looks down to it to see a criminal readout back in the city, some GCPD cars chasing a robbery suspect. "Hmm..." She knows Steph can see the same display on her own screen.

"It never seems to get any better. I can see why Batman is like how he is..." She mutters then.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
"It's almost like, just catching the criminals doesn't change things if the conditions that lead them to commit crime don't change," Stephanie replies in a tone meant to sound ironic. "Though some people are just... bad," she says, and her face becoming a little more hardened.

Barbara knows Stephanie well enough to know that the younger girl is thinking of her father. Arthur Brown, the Cluemaster, escaped Blackgate during Bane's attack on the facility. And he has done remarkably well of lying low since. The prison psychologists had long ago cured him of his issues that led to his insatiable need to leave clues behind. And that was serving him well in eluding the daughter that he had, without knowing it was her, kneed in the head on his way out of prison, while she had fought Amygdala.

"So should I ask how things are going with Kate? Or, if they are going?" Stephanie asks, glancing over. She hasn't pried in awhile, but hasn't seen them out together either to know what things are like there. "Appreciate the offer on the Clocktower. Though I think something still in Bristol would be best. Keep her near as much of her support mechanism as she has. I don't know, I should probably just do something and start looking for a better place for her."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Babs just eyes the updates on the screen as they roll by while she listens to Stephanie speak. It's not until the questions about Kate cause her to look back over. "Mmmm?" She inquires. "Oh. Kate and I are not a 'thing'. No, not a thing. She was with... well... Ivy, last I heard. But that broke apart also when Ivy moved to Brooklyn. I... am enjoying the Bachelorette life style." She notes that last part with a dry smirk.

"Maybe get your mother OUT of Gotham all together? Take her over to Metropolis.... Get her some nice place by the park, maybe a little dog to run around and yap at stuff." She shows a light grin to the other woman then.

"What... are your thoughts on your father?" She asks, as she was there when he escaped... She got her ass whipped that night after a Neural failure caused her to lose control of her body again. "I haven't pursued any leads on him... myself. I thought I'd leave it to you to decide if we tried to or not."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
The breeze stirs Stephanie's hair, making her brush it back from her face as she's currently without her cowl. "My immediate reaction that idea was negative. But, yeah it took me all of a few seconds to realize that's from my not wanting her to be that far away from me. As opposed to, whether it's right for her," Stephanie says with a sigh.

"Not that Metropolis is that far, mind you. Just it's not easy to just drop by with a pot of lasagna - bought from somewhere, no I wouldn't subject her to my cooking - or to see if she's ok."

She chuckles. "Until I consider I could be flown there in a helicopter, one without a Bat logo on it. But, yeah like I said, I still look for the cheapest option at Big Belly. Just doesn't come easy to me, thinking of living life like that."

Maybe that was just delaying getting back to the other topic. "Mainly thinking about how many times I can hit him in the face without actually doing lasting injury," she says, voice laced with anger. "I've run down all the leads. Dick has been helping. Nothing so far. The crimes that seemed like his style or MO, even ones that maybe he was just playing planner for another group, didn't pan out as having any connection to him. Nothing with his old associates," she says, frowning. "Well, he'll show up sooner or later. So, speaking of fathers, and maybe ones far better than mine. How is the Commissioner doing?

Barbara Gordon has posed:
When the Police signal that they caught the fleeing criminal, Babs just relaxes some on her seat a bit more before she looks back over to Steph. She smirks softly at her. "You don't need to be eating at Big Belly. That stuff is gonna catch up with you someday, right around the time you're having kids." She idly chides the other woman. Her eyes look away then as she exhales, her head tilted back softly to let the breeze fall across her half covered face. "Yeah, and if you need help with any of your parentage situations, just let me know."

A smile shows on her face when her father is brought up. She lowers her chin down again and shakes her head side to side. "I haven't talked to him a lot lately. We haven't spent time together since Christmas... He's been busy, and so have I. I did do a Face Time chat with him on Father's Day for an hour or so. We're going to meet up on the 4th, I think. Him and a bunch of his Cop buddies, who have practically raised me. I enjoy hearing their stories, even if I've heard them all a hundred times over..."

She shoots a look over to Steph then. "They're all on me these days about being married and having kids though, before it's 'too late'. So that part I don't care for as much... but it's part of the 'experience' of getting old, right?"

Another faint smirk is shown to the other then.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie listens to Barbara and smiles as she sees the expression that the mention of Jim Gordon brings to his daughter's face. For someone with Stephanie's past, seeing that love for a parent is something that resonates with her.

"I can imagine the kind of fireworks they must get into," she says. "Oh, maybe we could do something like that at the lake, a little gathering with family. I don't know if Dick had anything specific in mind, otherwise."

She gazes out into the night. "Haven't even thought about kids. Just getting through college and... all the other crazy around us enough for right now. I can't believe I'm as close to graduating as I am," says the girl who is pursuing a degree in Forensics. "I never thought I had the grades to make it into Gotham U," Stephanie comments. "I'm really grateful that I've had this opportunity though."

Stephanie has never come out and directly said to either that she thinks Barbara or Bruce, or both, had a role in getting her in, and the scholarship that materialized. But not the first time she's relayed that sentiment in their presence.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara looks back over to the other then after hearing her speak about her schooling. She just stares for a few seconds after the words are spoken. "You have achieved every goal you've set out to do. Especially once you've really put your mind on it. All that you're achieving, is you, Steph." She tells her friend in a quiet, warm toned, voice. A smile shows a few seconds after that, and Babs shakes her head as she looks forward again. "You don't have to worry about kids just yet either. We're not TOO old yet!"

Babs turns the ignition on her bike back on, and revs that super loud engine toward her friend with a big smile on her lips. "Come on, lets put that calm little kitten of yours to the test some more!" She says before gunning the gas on her own bike, causing the back tire to shoot dust and rock out wildly behind her before she shoots off, with her cape, and red hair waving rapidly behind her shoulders!

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown dons her cowl, leaving the night vision off so she can practice without the extra optics. She hits the button to start up the engine. Other than the slight vibration she feels, there's almost no sound to indicate it is on.

Patting the bike, Stephanie comments to it, "Going to have to think up a name for you. Alright, let's do this!" She leans her weight forward as she hits the throttle, against the bike's desire to pop a wheelie. She takes off after Barbara, the two Batgirls racing across the bottom of the quarry, zig zagging around old bits of equipment and mounds of crushed rock or large boulders as they heads towards the ramp that leads up onto the ever-circling road up out of the abandoned facility.