12980/Return of the Music

Return of the Music
Date of Scene:	06 October 2022
Location:	Level 4 - Recreation - The Roost
Synopsis:	An accidental party occurs when Phoebe's voice is returned, Stephanie Brown gives Phoebe a touching gift (completely unknowingly) and everyone enjoys the swirl sugar cookies she hasn't made in months. Phoebe and Gab find out about Bart's break up and console him, and the two cats named for Odin's ravens.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Gabby Kinney, Jason Todd, Bart Allen, Stephanie Brown

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    The kitchen was used and the rec room had the distinct air of fresh cookies that clung to it, and fresh cookies there were! Lavender-Honey swirl with soft purples and golden dough, Strawberry-Lemonade with swirls of pink and bright yellow, blueberry with green and blue swirls, each hand-cut from her sugar cookie recipie.

    And in the middle of it, Phoebe Beacon was sitting on a bean bag chair, her hair wild and poofy and extending maybe five inches from her head, a cookie in each hand as she sings along to the music coming from the speakers:

    "I NEED A HERO! I'm holdin' out for a hero 'till the end of the niiiiight! He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight! I NEED A HERO! I'm holdin' out for a hero 'till the morning light! He's gotta be sure, it's gotta be sure, and he's gotta be larger than liiiiiife!"

Gabby Kinney has posed:
The scent of cookies lures Gabby into the rec room. While her time was split between here and New York, and even Happy Harbor lately, she had opted to be here the past few days. Which was perfect for her because COOKIES. Usually those only happened when Miss Martian was around (she rarely was anymore) or Phoebe was in a good mood. Sure enough it's the latter.

Pausing in the door a moment she grins broadly watching and listening to Phoebe sing to her heart's content before finally making her presence known. "Hey Pheebs," she greets with a hopeful look cast toward the swirly cookies.

Jason Todd has posed:
The final show down with the demon was last night. It was.. unpleasant. It was effing gross and terrifying. But it was successful. Now? Now that all has ended well, word has traveled fast among family in friends. Jason stops over at the Roost to check in on Phoebe and enjoy a bit of relaxing time with her and the others now. Steph has Come With. Parking his Mustang he gets out. Unless Steph beats him to it, he actually will get her door.

Entering the Roost, it is an easy thing to Follow His Nose!

"Cookies. Hell yeah." A grin to Steph and he wanders in, "Hey hey hey.. no more heroes. We heroed you last night. We came. We saw. We kidded its /ass/" he quotes. "Sounding good, too Pheeb.. voice feeling okay then?"

He nods toward Bart and a wink is aimed at Gabby. But now? Cookies.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen comes in at speed, but after in he slows down. He has two canvas pet cases with him, and he moves to one of the couches, and starts unzipping the first bag. He does take time to wave to the others "You ok if Muninn and Huginn run around a bit? Trying to get them a bit more time with people and other animals." He explains. He offers a smile to the others, those who know him well maybe able to tell it is a bit of a forced one.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown starts to open the door but sees Jason hurrying around to it. She grins and lets him get it. "Bruce did raise you guys right," she tells him with that warm grin. "Thanks."

Stephanie has a wrapped present with her, something thin but about the size otherwise of a large book. She follows Jason up, not familiar with this part of Tim's place. As they enter and she smells the cookies, Stephanie lets out a happy sounding groan. "Oh those smell delicious," she says. She beams over to Phoebe. "I heard your laryngitis was better," she tells the other woman, and hands the little wrapped gift over. "Figured maybe it was time for this then."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe gives a grin, and she hops up to her feet, wearing a T-shirt stating that she would in fact vote Obi-Wan Kenobi in 2020 as she wobbles a moment.

    "Hey Gabs -- help yourself. It's been so long since I felt like baking, that I had to do it. Kinda used up the rest of my lavender extract... the last bottle of it's buried somewhere in the rubble." Phoebe explains, and she turns, looking to Steph and Jason as they come in, and she rubs the back of her neck again.

    "Yeah, you guys did kick its ass. Checked over the area again this morning." Phoebne shakes her head "Not a sign. The binding worked. She's gone. Which meeaaaaans --" Phoebe reaches over to pick up a plate of cookies "My epiglottis has completely regenerated to the point where I'm no longer at high risk of choking on dry, crumbly food items or bubbly drinks! Do you know how *awful* it was to go through strawberry flavor season and not be able to eat strawberry crumble cookies from Nan's bakery because I could projectile launch chunks of them through my *neck*?" Phoebe asks, a cookie halfway to her mouth as she pauses.

    "It was *Seriously* Awful--" she smiles, and with her other arm she accepts the package from Steph.

    "Thank you! SHould... I open it now or is it a secret?" she asks, conspiritially.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney responds to Jason's wink the best way she knows how: By sticking her tongue out at him and grinning in amusement. Striding further in she moves to Phoebe to give her friend a quick one-armed hug. Just a catch and release so that she's not hogging her in the process. "Heck yeah we beat it's ass. Glad to see you're healing up all ready. We could always find some strawberries from some fancy greenhouse or something for you?"

The suggestion is made while she moves to snag a cookie, one of the lavender ones. A little hip-check is given to Jason as she scoops it up to ensure she does indeed get a cookie, though she holds one out for him too.

It's Bart's question that causes her to pause. "Okay, what are Huginn and Muninn? Penguins?"

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd snorts playfully at Steph. "Bruce? You're about to be part of this family and you think Bruce raised us?" He smirks. "/Alfred/? Yes. Yes he did."

Then they're inside and he is grabbing three cookies. One is good. Two is better. So.

Looking to Phoebe, he nods, "Good. If anyone deserves to move past that shit, it's you." Then he pauses, "Does this mean an end to all of my 'fridge pineapples?" he almost sounds disappointed.

As Gabby sticks her tongue out he shakes his head. "...brat.." is aimed her way playfully. Seeing her offer him another cookie? Four is best. He pops the first in his mouth and now he still has three. Score!

He munches contentedly."Ferioufly, Pheeb. 'm glaf ith worked ou'.." swallowing he is now in search of a drink. He grabs one of those lemonades and takes a gulp.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown gives a warm smile to Phoebe and says, "Oh you can open it now, no need to wait," she says. "Had to figure out what was an appropriate gift for the particular moment," she says with another chuckle.

A small wince is given, "Yeah that would be a real pain to go through, maybe worse than not being able to speak," she says of Phoebe's swallowing issues. "Well, definitely a good time to make up for it now. I imagine Alfred could probably track you down a bunch of fresh strawberries. He seems to be able to find just about anything, whether it's the right season or not."

Stephanie gestures towards the cookies, making sure with Phoebe it's ok for her to grab one, and then assuming it is doing so. She nibbles on it and lets out a sigh. "Oh that's good," she says.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen unzips the other bag, and when he turns he has two black cats, one in each arm, each cat has one eye one has his right eye and the other has his left eye. They look like they were born this way. He lifts his right arm with the right eyes cat "Huginn" and the left arm with the left eyed cat "Muninn" He explains to ones in the room. He does smile a real smile at Phoebe talking "Sweet, congratz, Phoebe."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I actually have no idea about the fridge pineapples. It's really unusual that normal spirits would retain enough energy to transfer anything sizable, even the copying behavior over such a long period of time is unusual -- oh! Right, please! Help yourself to the cookies. I felt like baking today, and we always have to make enough extra for --" she pauses a moment "Impulse!" she pauses, and she turns on her heel, and looks to the Speedster, and she looks to the Cats, and she opens her mouth, then closes it.

    "Good to see the kitties again --" she replies, wriggling her fingers a moment to one of the cats named for Ravens.

    "I'm glad it worked out too... I mean, that demon's only been haunting my family for a while. She was responsible for Leksandra's madness." Phoebe explains, split between the gift and the cats and -- Phoebe draws her dark eyes up to Bart, and her head tilts a little.

    "It's good that you've got 'em out for fresh air."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney doesn't try to stuff quite as many cookies in her mouth as Jason does, though she's amused by the sight of it. More importantly though are the kitties coming out which causes her to crouch down to wiggle her fingers in their direction in silent offering of pets. "Just make sure Mr. Murder Mittens isn't around," she reminds Impulse. "Otherwise that'll be cat fight central. Hi cuties!"

Curiously she tips her head back toward Steph and Phoebe eyeing the box but not outright asking. It wasn't her place to ask about the gift even if she was curious. Talk of the pineapples, and the demon again though causes her to pause in recollection.

"Oh, right! Phoebe, last night when the spell finished, just as the lights came back on there was a figure helping to set you on the floor. A guy about..." She lifts a hand to wave vaguely. "Blonde hair, looked like he was dressed like a fireman. He smiled at you then vanished."

Jason Todd has posed:
In Jason's defense he only stuffed one cookie in his pie hole to chew on and talk around. The other two he still held in his hand, adding the one Gabby procured for him.

After a few sips of his drink, he walks over to look at the kittens as well. "Church'd probably be scared of them at first. Then they'd crawl all over him."

He nods in agreement with the description of the disappearing man seen at the mausoleum. "Also something about.. Sarah." He shrugs. "I was more focused on making sure the demon was dead and gone to be honest."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie nibbles on the cookie, though gives a soft awww at the sight of the cats. "Beautiful little dears," she says. "They were born like that, their eyes?" she asks Bart as if she's guessing but not sure.

Finding a clear section of counter, Stephanie hops up on it for a seat, her legs hanging down. She's wearing blue jeans and tennis shoes, and has on an old worn deep green hoodie. It has a logo and lettering on it though it's so worn by now that it's nearly impossible to make out what it says.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen lets the kittens down and the one that was investigating Phoebe last time, Huggin, moves over to her, this time checking her out as more than just toes to pounce. Munnin, will head over to Gabby, seems the promises of petting will get his attention. He does brush against Jason's leg as he does. Bart looks over to Stephanie, and with a slight pause he says "Emiko, and I picked them out as others overlooked them cause of it. It is part of the animal preserve we started. Speaking of which I need to talk to D... Robin." He says, figuring the girl probably knows who Damian is, but erring on the side of caution. He does look to Phoebe "Think they would be ok with mostly free roam around the Curio?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... I know a lot of Sarahs. It's a popular name., but I don't know what... that has to do with anything really. I was kinda focused on my Latin and MIddle Egyptian...." Phoebe states as she sits back down on her beanbag. It's comfy and her butt groove is already in it. She crosses her legs in a lotus position, and regards Stephanie with a measure of suspicion, and then points at the gift.

    "If this contains any reference to Darth Maul, we can't be friends anymore." she states to the blonde bringer of chaos and laughter, and then she carefully begins to open it, using a scrap of paper to tease at Huggin as he investigates.

    "They should be OK to free roam in your apartment; I still need to go through the wards that were set up on the upper levels just to make sure everything's on the up-and-up. Luckily I very clearly remember the set up, in spite of being exhausted to the point of having to be carried to bed. I think that was the last night I slept in the loft, actually..." Phoebe pauses, and then she rubs the back of her head.

    "Huh. Well, I mean, there is a cat bed in the old library room in case one of them sneaks down."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    And Phoebe looks over to Gabby, and she takes a deep breath.

    "So... did everyone see him in the mausoleum?"

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney glances over to Jason questioningly when Phoebe asks if he, too, saw the figure there. She's just marginally distracted by the kittens though. At least until the talk turns to that name.

"Oh, don't worry about the Sarah thing. I asked it a question to try and trick it while we were fighting since it was going on about telling us the truth of what we asked." A simple, indifferent shrug is given without concern for the situation. "Did you see that man too, Jason?"

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd looks up and nods, "Well I can't speak for Tim? But I saw him carry you over and set you down like Gabby just described, yeah.. looked just as she said. Dressed like a firefighter?" He looks to Phoebe curiously. "Is that someone you knew?" It's asked quietly. He's curious but not wanting to pry if it's too painful.

He leans against the counter - near the cookies. He is down to one in hand at this point. It's going to be time for a fresh resupply soon.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown isn't really following exactly what's going on, from her expression. Though she smiles as Phoebe opens up the present. Inside is a little book, sheet music for piano along with the lyrics and notes to sing the song. Tiny Dancer by Elton John. Stephanie ventures, "I heard you liked the song. And I figured, you know, maybe you'd want to sing something now," she says, touching her own throat as she smiles over to Phoebe.

Steph goes back to eating the cookie then, breaking off a piece of it and chewing it with a happy sigh at the taste. "God I wish I was better at baking," she comments as she does.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen nods a bit hearing this story he is pretty sure he knows who the spirit was, but he lets the others deal since he was not there. As the kittens explore them pouncing the paper, and leaning into Gabby. Bart nods a moment to Phoebe, and then he is off in a blur. Just a few moments away and he is back, and there is a large gift basket on the counter, in it are fresh strawberries and a good dozen types of flavoring that Phoebe has made cookies flavored before including a large lavender bottle.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Yeah..." Phoebe trails off, and she looks at the piano book in front of her, for Elton John's Tiny Dancer.

    Her voice gets very soft.

    "That's my dad. The first one. He died, when Bernard Smiths torched the Heavenliner apartment complex adjacent to the Narrows, five years ago. He and I would sing Elton John and Beatles songs at each other when we made breakfast before church." Phoebe explains, holding the piano book. She takes a deep breath. "Well. Looks like I'm going to have to make friends with someone who knows piano. I can get the guitar chords and we'll jam." she jokes, leaning back heavily against the cushion as she feels the WHOOSH of air as Bart moves -- and she looks over at the gift basket on the counter. She takes a breath.

    She lets it go slowly.

    "... thanks, Impulse! I'll be sure to make another round of the lavender-lemon cookies. with this. This might be enough to cover a batch that might even have leftovers from you." Phoebe gives a gentle smile to her second oldest friend in the Outsiders, and then looks back down at the book.

    She takes a deep breath,a nd she wipes at her eyes a moment before looking up to Steph.

    "Thanks. I don't... often get signs that things are going to be okay. This past year has been kinda horrible. But I think maybe things are going to be all right." she states, looking down and running her thumb against the book.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney lets out a quiet breath as she gives the kittens one last scritch, and then rises to her feet. The figure of Phoebe sitting there is regarded with a broad smile as she watches her friend a long moment. "So it was your dad... Your birth dad. Guess he's still watching over you when he can." Which was really heart warming. Enough so she has to look away a moment taking a swipe at her eyes. Stupid onions.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen starts to correct Gabby on which Dad it is, but he has learned to have some patients and self control, so lets Phoebe do it, it is her family after all. He smiles to Phoebe and says "Just wanting to make sure you have supplies if the urge hits you. Least this time, I got oils and extracts and not just flowers for you to have to make yourself." He offers her. He does take four of the cookies, and moves to the couch. The cat brushing at Gabby, but seeing she is done ends up moving back over towards Bart.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown slips off the counter she's been using as a perch, and moves over to offer Phoebe a gentle hug if allowed. "I hope they will. I know how it feels to have things going downhill and feels like nothing is going to stop them, ever. But, yeah. Things can work out," she says warmly.

Stephanie's phone buzzes and she checks it. The message comes from the Batcomputer but just looks like a text from a friend. But it's an indication the searches she's had running nonstop might have had a hit for one Arthur Brown. AKA Dad. "Ah, I need to run," she comments. "Jason I can call an uber, thanks for bringing me," she says. She waves to everyone and heads off.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd listens to Phoebe's explanation. He nods to Gabby's assessment. "It makes sense. And it's kind of cool really." He leaves it at that. He munches at his final cookie and decides it is time to cut himself off. It's not cool to eat all the cookies himself.

"Thanks for the cookies, Pheeb. Tasty." He pauses, "I should probably head out anyway, Steph. I can give you a ride back. It's no problem." As he walks past the sniffly (but not) Gabby, he lightly bumps her shoulder. Then over to Phoebe, "Glad to have you back, whole. Let's keep it this way for at lest the next year. Longer if you can arrange it." The smile is light hearted but meaningful.

"Take care Bart. Good to see you again."

A half wave tot he group and he'll follow Steph out.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe gives a smile up to Gabby.

    "We'll have to talk about the difference between bios and nonbios sometime, Gabs. But that was as close as I get to it." Phoebe replies, and she permits Steph to give her a one-arm hug, with Phoeb leaning into it lightly, until the phone buzzes. She draws her eyebrows up,a nd then gives a nod with a 'Happy hunting' stated in a gentle breath, and gives a wave out to Stephanie and Jason before she leans back, and she looks up to Bart, and she gives the 'sup' motion of her chin.

    "You OK? You're not your usually high-octane self, my man."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney takes a playful swat at Jason as he goes by after that little shoulder bump, though she doesn't say anything. Another quick swipe or two comes as she regains her composure to turn and head for the cookies. Come on she was gonna get a few more of those at least. "Well. I'm glad it's finally over with that demon at least." For now, she was tempted to add, but thought better of it. That might be a jinx for everyone involved. "And okay not bio dad then, my bad. You've had a lot."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks around a moment, as he decides if he wants to answer the question and says "I am moving back to the Curio and here full time." He says and decides to add "Emiko left." He does not explain more at least not yet. He pets the cat as it climbs up on his lap. His shoulders slump some as he lets go trying to hide his depression.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Yeah. No one knows who my bio-dad is, Gabs. Given what I've learned about the village, there might not be an answer I'll ever find." Phoebe admits, and then she pops up to her feet, and she looks to Bart.


    She moves over next to him, and sits down next to him, carrying the other cat in her arms, and scritching it gently.

    "I'm sorry, Bart. That's a new heartache."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney nods in agreement with Phoebe at Bart's remark about moving back. "Sorry to hear that. If you need help with anything..." She pauses a moment only to think on it. "Shoot did I just sign up for moving furniture?" The thought is considered only to end up shrugging as it didn't really matter. It'd be a first, but she'd still help.

One last cookie is snagged before she flops down into a chair herself, drawing her legs up to sit cross legged. "Fair enough. I mean, that's how I tried to trick the demon. I asked her who my mother was." The cookie is munched thoughtfully.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen smirks a bit and says "I appreciate it, Gabby, but I got most of it done already, Most of the stuff there was hers, didn't want to mess with the look with my robot couch or anything, so just have a few things to move back in. " He pets the cat on his lap, and says "Yea, I thought she was my lightning rod, I guess I was wrong." He says "Talked to Irie, she may take care of the boys here, think they would get more attention with her, and the tower. With work and such I want to make sure they get the attention they are used to."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Way to make me feel guilty about Idu, Hazelduck, and Theodore B Bitenly." Phoebe gently grouses, and she cuddles with the cat in her arms a little, but from her place on the floor she leans against the speedster's legs. "IF you think that's for the best, Bart, they're your cats... and if you ever want to launch into a diatribe about exes I can tell you about how Haunt ghosted me."

    And then Phoebe looks to Gabby.

    "And she replied a woman named Sarah. I'm confident my bio dad's never going to be found. And at this point? I'm okay with that."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney just looks faintly amused at that as she nods in agreement. "Yes, she responded Sarah. Except..." Here she holds up a hand to point a finger toward the ceiling as if she's about to bring up an excellent point.

"I'm a clone. I don't have a mother. Or father technically, but Logan's taken me in so I call him that." The last few bites of cookie are tucked away into her mouth to chew. "I'd join in on the ex thing but I only have the one, really, and currently not ..." She trails off quietly, eyebrows drawing together while chewing. Maybe she had to think on that mother thing some more.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks over and says "Well Idu is around you most of the time, and Hazleduck, I am pretty sure you give her a kiddie pool and bread crumbs and she is happy. Bitenly, well I am note sure about how much attention he would want or even be given." He admits. "Plus think they might help Irie out too, she is still stuck in her 30s." He explains. He adds "My dad died before I was born, and Mom had to send me back to this time, I have got to meet her a few times, but spent more time with my grandma and the other speedsters who are either real family or adopted into the family.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Set referred to The Other One as my 'father', Sandalphon and Michael referred to Chas as my 'father'. Gods, angels and demons don't know shit about family." Phoebe gives a rueful snort.

    "I've gotten to talk to my biological mother briefly, but she died as I entered the world. It is *really* weird watching a memory of you being born, bee-tee-dubs." Phoebe remarks, looking up at Bart.

    "Stuck in her thirties, huh?"

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney goes quiet while the other two talk. She's listening but this was kind of out of her wheel house. Mothers, and grandmothers too young for you. Fathers she kind of new, but mothers wasn't a situation she'd gotten herself involved in.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen nods, and says "Well, you know she has came back from the future like me, just not as far in the future, while I was born sped up was aging rapidly she has been having spurts of when she uses her power she ages, but as long as she does not use it she is ok. I think in her head she is a bit younger than Gabby, but with folks who speed age it gets confusing.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I dunno. One of Zatanna's friends, Angelo, says there's a chance I might not age too much longer. Because of the healing factor and that Light. THere's an interest in keeping me young and hale that my ancestor occasionally lets me know that I should have six kids by now and a man-harem." Phoebe gives a small smile, and she leans back, taking a breath and then giving a long yawn.