15466/Number One in the Hood

Number One in the Hood
Date of Scene:	26 July 2023
Location:	Red Cave (14th Street Garage) - Park Row
Synopsis:	Talia Jason and Charlie have a chance encounter. Jason and Charlie talk while Church puts Charlie through a feline trial.
Cast of Characters:	Talia al Ghul, Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe, Jason Todd

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Talia al Ghul has posed:
For whatever reason, Talia Al Ghul has been drawn to come over towards here. A check in, an invite, curiousity.. Whatever it is. She's taking off a set of headphones as she enters and is humming the final bars of some of the Final Fantasy orchestral arraignment theme and looks about. Not expecting anything in particular while wandering along. Was she supposed to be in the Red Cave? Perhaps. Perhpas not.
    Perhaps seeing if Jason had taken the motif to painting the hood of every single vehicle in the shop red.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Some people aren't breaking and entering. At least not really. The computers and Aux Cave Security systems would recognize them.

    Charlie is that type of people.

    Still she isn't popping by to snag equipment from the Aux Cave, not really, if she needs to borrow a cup of sugar she can get it from the main cave or the Clocktower as easy as stepping out for a starbucks. She has the urge to check in on Red and see how he is doing.

    Those urges, hunches, whims, almost never lead to total disaster, but they do often lead to interesting and unpredictable results. Such is the curse of being a Chaos Muppet.

    The teenager pops outside around the corner, and then humming to herself pulls her hoodie hood up and starts to meander around to the side entrance. She is being supes polite not just teleporting into the garage or the cave. Also well it might end with being shot with rubber bullets and those suck.

    Her hand reaches out and she raps knocking at the side door. See. Look. Polite.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd may play fast and loose with the Bat Family rules when it comes to himself. With others? Less so. When someone is considered persona non grata in the Bat Cave, well the Red Cave has the same bouncer's list of who does not get to come in. Talia is on that list but it doesn't prevent her from entering the garage. It's still 'kind of' a garage after all.

He's currently working on a '67 Corvette off in the far corner. It is currently in the middle of a down-to-the-frame restoration and most of the fiberglass body panels have already been taken off and carefully stored nearby. He is under the chassis at the moment, disconnecting a number of hoses and the exhaust so he can pull the motor.

It means he appears to be just a pair of camo cargo pants and biker's boots occasionally twitching and moving where they stick out from under the front bumper. The car's hood is, in fact, not red. Nor is that of his '69 Mustang. It's metallic silver.

Hearing the knock he grunts and curses under his breath before calling out, "Shop's closed."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would take a moment then to assess the area. Quickly glancing about to memorize the layout and where things are positioned. Her posture half twists over to face Charlie while glancing over at her. "So have you come to borrow something or to return it?" She's taken on the accent of someone more native to one of the neighborhoods in Bludhaven - presuming the Bats are keeping trakc of her movements, she had been spending quite a great deal of time there in the last couple of weeks.

"And if you're returning things does that mean that others of us can borrow them or are you having to take them back in broken bits so they'll need to be replaced?" She would give a light bow of her head to Jason at his rppaoch. Her expression neutral. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would hear the sound of Jason underneath the car, and purse her lips . "Ah, if I'm intruding I can be on my way." The Al Ghuls had.. A history with Jason. And a lot of unresolved issues that.. Were probably best left buried.

Then speaking out to the knocking at the door. "Dropping off or picking up?"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie cocks her head, that was definitely Jason saying closed for business. The other voice well that does sound familiar too. "Flarking for real." she mutters and then knocks lightly again.

    "Was stopping by to ask some questions, maybe get some car advice." she says clearly. Not giving anything away if she is wrong. She tries the door, turning the knob.

    Hell if it's open she steps inside, hood still up on her wonder woman hoodie. "Well not car really, bike, but I figure mechanic is a mechanic is a mechanic."

Jason Todd has posed:
Talia.

He'd know that voice anywhere. He heard it more than enough after she chose to revive him. Some part of him still feels like he should at least act grateful for getting his life back. Acting grateful, however, has never been a thing Jason Todd was good at.

"Talia." damn it.

"Charlie?" it's half question because he has only really had one conversation with her in recent months and he isn't certain that's who it is.

Pulling himself out from under the car using the bumper, he slides on the rolling crawler under his back until he can see the two women. He's not entirely pleased.

Off in the corner the beat up old *Pod player rolls onto the next randomized son.

AC/DC. Highway to Hell.

"... ladies. What have I done to earn the favor of both of you at the same time?" Favor or curse?

He sits up, resting his forearms on his knees as he sits on the crawler still.

"Bike questions. Sure, I can do that."

He looks to Talia expectantly for her reasons of visit.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would fold her hands over behind her back, "Merely wandering. I thought I would familiarize myself with the layout of the facilities and locations of things. Nothing too particular. I didn't notice that you were here working or I would have stayed away."

Since when does the Daughter of the Demon not notice things? If this is a ploy of her's, it's a rather transparent one. A glance is given over to Charlie. "Is your primary method of transit not reliable enough that you have to seek alternatives?" She would inquire ever so amusedly with her own experiences with the Chaos Muppet.

"But, since I'm here anyways.. How are you doing, Jason? Damian says that you've been well." That's a rather roundabout way to give her a reason to make an inquiry herself.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    She does have her hood up she supposed, and it is true they haven't really been talking much. Still the conversation a few weeks ago was something the girl wanted to build on. Red was part of the crew, even if he was the red headed step kid of the crew so to say.

    She reaches up and pulls the hood down. "Yup." confirming her identity as Charlie. She eyes Talia for a long quiet moment then shrugs. "I can wait though since you already have a customer, if you don't mind a game of twenty questions and all." she still isn't dropping the customer act yet. She wants to see how this whole help the other customer thing goes.

    Sure Charlie knows that both of them know her, but she is curious how much they actually are familiar with each other. Jason did seem to know of Talia at least when they talked.

    Talia does answer some of this really with the inquiry of how Jason is doing, and mentioning Damian too. She tilts her head ever so slightly observing. "I still get around just fine, doesn't mean I don't own a bike." thinking about the last time she teleported herself and the bike using it like a high momentum weapon. Good times.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd arches a brow as he considers Talia's intentions. "Right. And..." He moves to stand up, wiping off his hands.

"... did the 'Access Denied' notification not give you a hint that... Dad.. doesn't like you around our clubhouses?"

He looks to Charlie then back to Talia. "Sure I've been fine. Keeping out of trouble." Not really.

He studies the woman. "What about you? I've heard you've taken it on yourself to train, we'll call it, some of the younger club members." His gaze turns toward Charlie another time then back to Talia.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would shrug, "I presumed they were more.. Suggestions. I've not been told explicitly where I'm not to go and I've not intervened in anything." At least at the Manor and the Batcave. Of course, that hasn't gone quite as well out in the field but she has made a rather serious attempt at staying out of the way of everything.

Talia would muse down to Charlie, "Better a bike than a scooter. Those things are ever so undignified." Then switching her attention back to Jason.
    "One thing I can do to.. Try and help." It was true, in it's own way. At least the attempts were sincere.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    This interaction. This is why she said she was totally fine waiting for Jason to finish with the other 'Customer' and all. She moves over to a work bench with a clear enough spot for her to sit on the counter and kick her feet as she watches the Assassin and the Hood talk.

    The look from Jason gets her to quirk a smile back at him and give half a shrug. Younger club member indeed. It seems to make her happy.

    "Trust me the bike I got for my birthday is anything but a scooter." yeah she is probably referencing a batcycle. I mean she is Bab's after all and that lady loves her batcycles.

    She is mostly trying to figure out the relationship and actual level of civility these two might have. She is trying to get past her clinical and mystical induced ADHD and be better at this sort of thing after all.

    The girl needs bat-fidget-toy.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd shrugs back. "You know how he is. It isn't what he says so much as how. Or what he doesn't."

He tosses the greasy rag onto a nearby workbench. "So yeah. Till I get something from him saying otherwise, you're as close to this clubhouse as you're welcome Talia. I didn't make the micromanaging rules. Sorry. But thanks for stopping by to see how I'm doing. You're the first to in months" he notes as he walks toward the bench he just threw the rag on. Picking up a fresh rag and a couple wrenches he walks back toward the car.

Toward Charlie, he asks, "Yah? What kind of bike, Charlie?" Not making the connection to Barbara as the gift-giver yet.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would glance over at Jason and shrug, "Very well, I can respect that." There she is, being told something and agreeing with it. "Veyr well, take care the both of you." Then going to simply wander out from where she came, going to head up and out of the garage as she had been directed.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Hey....I stopped by." she points out in protest. "Though. I guess she was technically the first." a touch of a sulk in her voice there.

    She watches Taliua leave the garage, lifting a hand to wave to her in depature. Then her attention shifts to Jason. "Oh hey one sec."

    She moves to hop down off her makeshift work counter seat, vanishing with a slash of spilling pinkish purple shimmering smoke.

    About four seconds later there is a much bigger slash and she is back, sitting on a batcycle, well a batgirl cycle, tuned out with the slightly off metallic colors of her costume more than the traditional Batgirl colors that Steph uses. "I figure you are all mechanicy and a good person to get the 411 on maintenence?"

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd looks from the car to Charlie as Talia excuses herself.

"Wasn't a slight on you... kid..." and she's gone.

And then she's back..

"...holy..."

He looks at the bike, walking over to join Charlie beside it. "Cars are more my specialty but I can tune a bike, yeah. Something going on with it right now?" he asks curiously as he looks at the gauges and controls, expecting any number of Bat-Whatzits and gadgets to be kitted out all over the cycle. Because that's what he'd do.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie kicks the kickstand out and then eases off the bike so Jason can get a better look at it. She laces her fingers together behind her back as she watches him check it out.

    "No. I just didn't want to ask Babs about maintenence. I figured you could give advice and maybe some pointers on how to keep it tuned so I can impress her later.

    A Shrug. "I mean sure there is youtube and manuals.. but I learn a lot better with hands on training than I ever do with books or manuals.... I get too easily side tracked reading.." she admits that with a sigh.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd walks around the bike.

"Didn't want to ask her? But she gave it to you?" He looks at her oddly. "If she gave it to you, and knowing just how fitted out the clocktower garage is, I'm going to say she expected you to ask her for input. Bruce may like to toss everyone into the deep end to learn how to swim. Barbara? That's not really her style." Thankfully.

"Regardless I can show you how to wrench on your bike, sure. We can set up a time. If it goes well after a time or two we can talk about doing it more regularly if you like."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Birthday present and I plan to also ask her for help... but I'd like to be a little competent when we start." she smiles. "She plays five dimensional chess with .. like everything." she sighs "I don't. I want to have a primer before she starts teaching me about the equipment if that makes any sense."

    She grins though. "Also I want an excuse to hang out and get to know you too. You're the mystery person really... and like you said no one has checked up on your lair or you in what months. I figure we can fix that and you can show me how to not blow the bike up...?"

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd nods. "It does. That's why I'm willing to teach you, kid." He then stares at her suspiciously. "Get to know me?" He considers that and then he snorts. "I'm no hero, kid. I failed at being The Perfect Robin after Dick. I was dead. Now I'm not. But I've got a lot of baggage most of the others don't understand or won't try."

Also: Anger issues.

He looks at her, "I'll help you learn about your bike. But this whole 'help me by helping you'?" He shakes his head. "I don't need to be your project. I am who and what I am, now, and I don't need fixing. I like being alone" he mutters. It wouldn't be hard to tell he's lying.

Just then, as if to prove how full of it Jason probably is, the long fluffy furry form of a Maine Coon cat that looks more like a baby tiger than a domestic cat lazily saunters around the corner of the Corvette Jason has been working on. Church pauses and sniffs before looking up at Jason, then expectantly at Charlie.

Effortlessly the large cat jumps up onto the frame of the car and tippy toes his way across like an acrobat on a tight rope. On the other side, he bumps against the front tire, laying claim to this thing as his, before leaping down as he saunters directly toward Charlie. All visitors must meet the Inspector General and pass muster.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    She snorts and makes a pffft noise "I am distinctly not at all qualified to take anyone on as a project Jason, sorry if I gave that impression. I want to get to know you because we work on the same problems in the same city." she shakes her head. "I'm a vessel of chaos magic... my mom and kid brother died in a fire in front of my eyes.. I'm not about to throw rocks at others glass houses."

    She grins though watching the cat come into view "oh man he is gorgeous.... she.. he?" head tilting as the cat makes its presence known. "Also do you think I'm a perfect Batgirl... hell I auditioned ... got the name Misfit and a mantle askew.. sure I picked it.. but Steph got Batgirl and deserves it.. I'm not that and I've accepted it ..."

    Then she crouches and holds her hands out for large cat and coos softly. "But I'm happy. I have a new family that seems all right with the fact I'm an utter wierdo. Most of all I get to help make the world better for people like my mom and brother...." another coo at the kitty.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd eases up as Charlie clarifies. Everyone's got their own troubles of course.

As Chruch shows up to pass judgment on their visitor, the one who stayed at least, Jason watches and shakes his head.

"Every one of us has some sort of chaos" he observes. "He. His name is Church. He's also a traitor" Jason mutters without any real bitterness.

"Yeah, that's the thing about codenames. There are only so many to go around. Not sure that Misfit works for you but I don't know you well enough to say it doesn't." Then he shrugs, "There was only ever one Perfect Robin. Or Perfect Batgirl. The originals. The rest of us are each measured against their shadows." Turning to walk over and set the wrenches back down having given up on working on the car more, he shrugs. "The rest of us just had to find a way to make it out of their shadows. Some succeeded." Steph. Tim. Cass. Presumedly Charlie. "The others?" namely himself, "Just stubbornly keep going. What else is there?"

"Being happy? That's a good start whatever the case."

Church takes a moment to decide the visitor is okay to approach. Once he does, he walks up to her and sniffs at her hand before rubbing his fluffy cheek against her. Muster has been passed. The General has given approval. He then moves closer to rub against her ankles and calves, marking this human as someone okay to be around. Other cats be warned!

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie holds her hand still for Church to inspect, then deftly and gently passes her fingers across his cheek in return and down his back as he rubs and marks her up like that. She seems to like cats. Also thankfully not allergic to them.

    "You would probably laugh if you saw the Batgirl outfit I was wearing when I teleported in on Barbara trying to declare I was Batgirl... I'm just lucky she didn't yeet me out a window." A deep breath and a sigh.

    "I'm Misfit, it fits, really confuses the villains but I'm proud of what I've done in town and with the League. I've punched demons and faeries. Stopped rapists and muggers. Everything in between. I help and that just has to be enough right."

    "I think my mom would be proud of me. I know Babs is proud of me. It's good and I'm happy." she isn't the brooding member of the clan. She keeps petting Church while he lets her.

    "I imagine you're helping and it's enough too Jason." not trying to fix him, also she isn't a philosphy major. Though she stands. "Also not saying I have some chaos around me, I have chaos in me... it's the kind of magic I do.. gives most of the wizards and magi the heebie jeebies because usually it's a villain thing."

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd watches as Church judges Charlie to be Good People and that seems to be enough for him. As the large cat greedily accepts pettings and scritchings galore, Jason moves to lean against one of the work benches while they talk about actions having to be enough, or not.

"Yeah. Probably." He shrugs and just focuses on watching Church.

"Too many good guys thing that everyone has to be completely good to do good. Or they ignore that they're not as good as they project to the public." Hypocrisy in action.

"Most look down on excessive violence or killing, too." He shrugs. "Seems to me that it'd stop a lot more crime if they didn't." Then again, he has always maintained this sort of philosophy.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    "Probably. Too many people see things black and white. Most of my world is tipped askew or me to think it is that easy these days" she agrees softly. "But people can and do change. Also complicated by why people do crime in the first place. I'd rather punch a purse snatcher and let them try to find another way while protecting their victim than do permenant harm. They are probably snatching the purse cause they are poor and desperate I figure." she moves to sit on the edge of the work bench. "Also I know you probably don't mean excess violence or killing for purse napping... just illustrating my point and I'm not good at that." a smile, wan.

    "I save ending things with epic violence for the things that aren't people... like demons... those farking suck and can take a one way trip back to the hells... but yeah I'm not into killing people and I think that's okay. I've seen what happens when I use my power on people and I like sleeping at night."

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd listens and just nods along. Magic isn't something he knows a lot about. The more recent experiences he has had with magic and sorcery and the supernatual have been dubious. He still has pineapple reappearing in his 'fridge no matter how many he throws away or how many he eats. He's almost gotten to the point of accepting it but it's still unnatural.

"Not saying everyone should kill." Then again he isn't completely sure what he -is- saying and just shrugs. "Nevermind.."

Looking at the bike, it's a less complicated topic.

"So your bike. It's obvious you know how to put gas in it. What about checking or adding oil?"

And so he tries to pivot back toward the reason she came over to begin with.