16773/Gotham University Lecture

Gotham University Lecture
Date of Scene:	05 January 2024
Location:	Gotham University
Synopsis:	A packed house of attentive students and amazing guests attend a lecture given by Ms. Clara Jennings on the topic of Mongolian epic poetry.
Cast of Characters:	Clara Jennings, Frank Noble, Stephanie Brown, Bruce Wayne, Ted Grant, Rogue, Damian Wayne, Phoebe Beacon, Cassandra Cain, Clea, Tim Drake, Richard Swift

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Clara Jennings has posed:
    While the topic of Mongolian epics might not seem the kind of thing to draw a large crowd, a most fortunate mix of favorable previous lectures, supportive teachers offering extra credit, and incredibly important people attending has led to a nearly packed hall. It is the first time Clara was scheduled for one of the larger lecture halls.

    She is not in the hall yet, though. She is talking on the phone in the hallway. Her half of the conversation is easy to hear for those passing by.

    "Thank you, ma'am. Yes, of course. I will give him your regards. I will go shortly, of course. Sorry, I know. A lady does not act like a mouse, no." She pauses in her conversation, screwing up the courage to ask. "I was wondering, ma'am. If I receive positive feedback, might I have tomorrow? oh! Oh yes! I love that library. Thank you! I will go now!"

    Clara hangs up her phone, letting out a sigh. Then she turns to stand near the entrance, where she knows she is to greet those in attendance. There are a few minutes to go, and it is clear from the bounce in her toes that she is feeling restless. But she is smiling. Excited.

Frank Noble has posed:
Frank Noble has a working theory on his curious affliction....if he is more useful as Frank, then there is less occasion to put on a tinfoil cape and explosive grenades to blow things up. As he makes inquiries, one name keeps coming up as an instructor; but when he arrives at Ted Grant's gym, he finds that he is attending a lecture at Gotham Unirsity. A curious thirst enters Frank's mind; it has been literally years since he set foot on a campus despite his multiple degrees...why not/ Plus, the odds were that random combat PROBABLY wasnt gong to happen. A quick trip home and an uber ride later,and he is wearing a white shirt, tie and pressed slacks. He finds a seat and listens with interest; curious about the nature of the lecture.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Extra credit. Those are hallowed words to Stephanie Brown. They rank right up there with "Hot Dumplings for lunch". And "Joker didn't escape Arkham this week".

The Gotham U coed is waiting at the door for Cassandra. Stephanie isn't sure if this particular lecture is going to be quite the right taste of college life that Cassandra wanted. Though she's come a long way, appreciating poetry might still be a mighty task for someone who is still learning to communicate with the spoken word.

Though Cass' progress is enough to make Stephanie beam a smile as she waits for her friend. Steph is wearing a pair of jeans and has pulled off her warm jacket, leaving her in a sweatshirt with the Gotham U sports mascot on it. A bookbag is over her shoulder as she leans against a wall beside the door.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
While Bruce Wayne spends most of his time out gallivanting as a philanthropist, sometimes he has to indulge in some time convincing people he is not just an idiot who inherited a ton of money. So why not attend a lecture on Mongolian epics to get people talking about how sophisticated he is?

It might be rare for him to show up at a social occasion without some sort of beauty on his arm, Bruce makes the sacrifice for the sake of academia and arrives quietly, on his own, wearing a simple black turtleneck and a pair of black pants. His usual attire, of course.

He arrives a bit early so he can find a seat in the back corner, quietly, without attracting any attention. With any luck, no one will recognize him.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant arrived a little late. The dance instructor finally found a suitable jacket and turtleneck for him. He manged to get them on and get away, some fashinable stubble on his chin. Clara's face lit up when he agreed to attend this poetry thing and trying new things keeps you young, right. You need more things Ted.He people watches the folks coming in, recognizing a few notables from his charity work. Good to keep up on who might be abducted. He was late and grabs a seat in the back, giving Mr. Wayne a nod. The seat is too small. They always are. He sticks his feet under the seat in front of him and relaxes. Maybe he should have worn the boots with the low heels?

Rogue has posed:
Being that Rogue is the poetry teacher at Xaviers School, this kind of thing pops up on her internet activity tracker. She didn't come out to Gotham very often, but had the day off all the same. After dressing up in a black sweater, dark grey slacks, black boots and a dark grey peacoat, the Belle drove to the good ol' city of Gotham in her Charger. Having found a parking garage, she walked the rest of the way to the site of the lecture, while admiring the aesthetic of the city that Gotham was famous for all along the way.

Striding in with others, the young woman has her hair brushed back, the dark chestnut locks laying in straight strands down her back, with one long streak of pure snow-white striped down the very middle, ever catching glances because of the oddity of it, but such glances are only met with a small smile from the Belle herself, at least in the now.

With one hand in her peacoat side pocket, the other on her phone, Rogue taps a text message away to someone on the other end of the conversation, her hand gloved in black leather.

Damian Wayne has posed:
Arriving shortly after his father, it may be a little hard to tell them apart. Damian is dressed in a dark sweater turtleneck and blue jeans, he at least sports a different build and height, and the green eyes. But he shares many of the other facial features of his more famous father.

Going to take a seat next to Bruce, he gets out a phone. "I'm taking notes." That said to Bruce to hopefully railroad any lectures. "It's what all the college students do these days."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "And this is the lecture hall, where sometimes traveling lecturers will come in and talk about the items they have expertiese in -- and it appears Miss Jennings hasn't started herse yet." Phoebe states, pausing a moment as she looks to the compainon she was walking around campus.

    "Look, there's Steph... And Damian... aaaand Bruce." Phoebe blinks a moment, and then turns over to Cass. "Let's go get seats and listen into a talk about Mongolian Epic Poetry, shall we?" Phoebe smiles.

    She's wearing the same outfit of leggings, a skirt, a leather jacket open to reveal a gray Avengers symbol, and the black-to-yellow hair wrap.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra was in the wrong building entirely.

She's gone the wrong way, reading numbers on walls until her eyes were spinning. She'd gone left when she should have gone wright (that's how it's done, right?) and ended up auditing half of a paleontology lecture.

To be fair, was was interesting, but it wasn't why she'd come. When she finally figured out that none of her friends were here, she'd gotten up and wandered some more. She got something from the cafeteria, checked out the washrooms, and eventually been offered a job doing some janitorial work. All in all, quite an adventure!

However, eventually it had to come to an end, and Phoebe found her, and that is how she was brought to Stephanie and the lecture! You just can't know it all because she isn't speaking, but she is wearing a very snazzy janitor's tag now which might raise an eyebrow or two.

A little wave, and she kisses Steph on the cheek before him-bumping Phoebe and heading inside. I wonder if all college is this interesting?

Clea has posed:
Clea is not a centuries-old being masquerading as a senior and neither does she sparkle. A lifelong scholar, yes. She takes a keen interest in the seminars and talks happening in the academic circuit, and Clara's topic clearly draws in a diverse, fascinating crowd. Attired in a violet wool pencil skirt and silk blouse might pass muster in all but the fanciest venues in Gotham, especially with the iridescent black raincoat with a belled skirt that she carries over one arm.

A tablet stashed securely in a small bag provides the means to actually take notes instead of just settling into the audience for show. Her pearly-white hair practically glows under the dim light. Perfectly natural as she seeks a seat comfortably centre but not in the front rows. From such a grand spot she can take everything in, including a few outside the Gotham U set.

Is that Bruce Wayne?

Tim Drake has posed:
    Technically Tim isn't a student any more, but he still has his university ID and it's easy enough to blend into the crowd, dressed casually in jeans and a hoodie (there's a heavier coat thrown over the back of the chair he's sitting in, owing to the cold weather) that don't obviously announce they're worth a lot more than the wardrobes of most of the other people his age here.

    He's here purely for his own interests, given the work his birth father was involved in prior to his death often crossed over from pure archaeology to some of the more mythical and fantastic aspects of history, both he has clocked several of his adopted family also in attendance. If people look his way, he flashes a smile and a nod, but he's definitely chosen his seat up front for a reason. He even has a moleskine journal laid out in front of him, ready to take notes.

Richard Swift has posed:
Perhaps it is because of the walking stick, but Richard Swift is very late, nearly too late, to get into the lecture. But he files in nonetheless and finds a seat towards the front and the side, moving carefully into it.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    When the time comes for the lecture to begin, an elderly professor with a kind face comes to retrieve Clara from the hallway. "Ms. Jennings, I believe you have kept us all waiting quite long enough!" The admonishment is playful.

    "Professor Adams, thank you for the reminder. I hope you were not terribly offended by my request. Your introductions have been very polite, but I worry that you may be setting expectations that I cannot meet. The flier was, well, quite complimentary of my abilities." She kept one in her room to read, but it still made her blush. She also finds it extremely awkward to figure out what to do when someone is introducing her. Where do her hands go? Which is why she will not be introduced at all!

    In short order, though, she enters the lecture hall and makes her way to the front. It may be at this point that a few things stand out. There is no dreaded screen in sight. No PowerPoint! There are just three chalkboards, the two-sided kind.

    Clara pauses to stand behind the lectern for a moment, looking over the audience. As she always does, she allows herself to memorize every face in attendance. It is a treat now, when it is so much more difficult! It brings several smiles. She managed to wrangle a few people here. They know who they are! She does a double take, however, when yes, she recognizes Bruce Wayne. For just a moment, she feels the intense pressure to perform.

    Clara has a way of looking smaller than normal in most situations. She is dressed in a white blouse and her usual long, black skirt. Nothing stands out. Until she begins.

    "You know, I have to speak to the faculty about how much extra credit is appropriate! You have all come out just to hear me talk about old stories of valiant kings passed down by Mongolian bards? I think not!" She beams and adds, "But that is okay. I promise that you are in luck, because any story that can last without the protection of print is worth hearing."

    And with that, she is underway. Nothing at all like she is away from the chalkboard, here she is dynamic, almost bouncing on her toes in excitement from tale to tale. Chalk flies as she writes, and yet every letter of her script is easily read. "Now you will notice many things are common in these old tales: Evil usurpers, noble parents, young babes that grow mighty enough to swing trees, and even-in a dream sequence of the King himself-we have what may just be the first ever known record of a training montage!"

Frank Noble has posed:
Frank Noble is rapt in attention; though he doesnt know why. He had two semesters of English as electives but it was his hardest class to take. He loved the poetry and the way it resonated Mongolian culture. There is something about the lecture that has him deep and thought in memory or lack therof. Something primal, something feral and natural, but he listens rather than takes notes. It is, to be fair, utterly fascinating. Finally, he takes out a notepad and begins writing words in free asscoiation, not entirely sure he is writing. Something seems Significant about this, but he cant discern what it is.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown greets Phoebe and Cass at the doorway, the blonde's eyes lighting up at the sight of the two of them. Cass gets a quick side-hug and a grin at the kiss to her cheek. "I imagine you might like the stories," she comments to Cassandra. Stephanie isn't actually sure it's going to have Mongols fighting and the like, but it at least seems like there's a chance of something martial to touch on Cass' interests.

Phoebe is given a big smile, but Stephanie spares her the hug. She's learning! "Hey Phoebes. I saw a couple of others drift in," Stephanie says. "Lets grab some seats before it fills up."

They enter the auditorium, Stephanie's eyes scanning about and noting Bruce who had gotten in before her. If she didn't recognize him just for a back corner seat, she'd probably be getting a lecture later about situational awareness!

Once settled into a seat, she gets out a tablet from her bookbag to take notes with for her write up for class. "Getting extra credit for this," she whispers over to Cass and Phoebe. She spots a few other familiar faces, Damian and Tim getting little waves from Stephanie. She also gives a small wave to an older woman with dark hair, sitting with some of the faculty in front, the woman waving back.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant picks his ears up at the mention of a training montage. Good thing something got his attention! To be frank this was not his thing but Clara knew about his career, he should learn about hers. As he listens he finds her enthusiasm palpable and contagious. He listens intently. Maybe he... should attend some classes? He did go to a little college. He was pre-med. Mr. Terrific never said he believed it. His attention returns to the lecture and he can't wait to surprise her. Some might wonder how he even found the University?

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Bruce manages to avoid displaying a reaction at Clara's reaction to spotting him in the crowd. For some reason, his presence seems to inspire people in all manner of directions. Usually, in situations like this, it is for the better. He much prefers these.

He turns and nods towards Damian when Clara takes a pause. "Tell me if you recognize any of these tales," he says quietly. "Or more accurately, the individuals within them."

With that, Bruce turns his attention back to the lecture in progress.

Rogue has posed:
Having come alone, to a city she knew basically nobody in, Rogue didn't expect to see any familiar faces here. She'd come for the experience alone. When she found her way to the lecture hall, she made her way inside, and was quick to find a seat on an aisle side. Settling in, she was quick to let her green eyes roam the hall, to take in the various architectural design elements of the room, as well as the faces that were equally settling in for the event.

When it began, Rogue casually crossed her legs, one leather booted foot bouncing idly as she watched the stage presentation, occasionally glancing down to her phone that was resting comfortably nestled against her lap between her thighs.

With Clara's exuberance taking center stage, a smile showed on the young teacher's face, as she watches from the audience with rapt attention now.

Richard Swift has posed:
Having settled back into his seat, Richard sets the walking stick in front of him between his legs and idly taps at its head with his finger, but nearly silently, as he listens attentively to the tales spun by the lecturer.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Stephanie is offered a fist-bump in lieu of a hug, Phoebe is trying to meet her half-way.

    "YEah, we should grab seats, her lecture on Coptic Fiction was pretty awesome, even if the pronunciation was weird. But I think that might be dialectical differences. I don't speak Mongolian so this should be *good*."

    Phoebe picks a seat towards the back, and brings up her phone to the 'Family' chat. Hopefully everyone's got their phones on vibrate.

    >Clara is also a person of interest. Works for an org preserving history and ensuring artifacts are displayed and protected correctly. Has a governess, curfew, and director.< she sends to the Bats in the audience.

    >I think we also became friends over Greek Myths this afternoon.<

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian would already know the stories well. They are from a place where he was born and raised. They were part of his training when he was growing up. He is paying attention however. He opens the 'Oracle' app on his phone and masks it so that Barbara is in on the feed, as he moves his fingers, taking notes.

But he has the screen turned enough so that his father can see over his shoulder. Since he's too tall to be looked over his head now. He points out those he knows in the crowd, but he can't help but at one point:

> 'Oh, you might remember Stephanie? She makes deliveries for Uber to the Manor. Hangs out with Dick?'

And with that, he's back to his careful notes, and adds.

> I have information to add on her. Besides what's already known. CLARA.FLE attached.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The slightest touch on Steph's wrist betrays the confusion that Cassandra is experiencing; the university itself is such an odd place, nobody seems to be doing anything and yet everyone is so very busy! She knows the signs, but isn't sure how to react to any of them.

When she's spoken to, her eyes flick that direction so as to take in as much of the content of the speech as she can manage, but most of it goes over her head. Extra...credit? Copter Fiction?

Letting her eyes track up to the teacher herself, she is no less puzzled. She settles into a seat between her friends, but her questing expression remains confused. She has already mapped out everyone in the room, all the exits, and any potential threats. But this telling stories while dancing? This could be fun.

Clea has posed:
No PowerPoint, no projector? They've entered a new age. Clea folds her coat once more and sets the garment at the small of her back where it shall not take up another seat. Then the matter of arranging the tablet on her lap and waking up the screen follows, a last preparation before their lecturer delves into her topic.

Perhaps note-taking falls into the realm of a proper audience member, but Clara's kinetic energy and passion for her topic command attention away from the device. Only at particular points do the woman's fingers move, blindly conducting a path across a haptic keyboard. Feedback quivers when certain words form, and hopefully some kind of comprehensible shorthand remains after the fact. She has a few references to look up at a later time.

Clear, bright eyes flick occasionally to the audience to gauge their reactions. Her smile widens at times, especially references to dreams or unexpected surprises that come to riders or noble people. She pays very close attention indeed; there's no doubting that.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "Now you will forgive me for dwelling on a few points that will almost certainly be valuable for the less fortunate among us, who have to capture the fiery essence of these tales in something so drab as a class paper." Clara is having fun, and she enjoys poking fun at her topic as she goes. As much as she adores this, she will not let others take it so seriously as to lose the joy of it.

    "Professors will not doubt want you to know that the Epic of King Geser, as they often say in Mongolian contexts, or Kesar in Tibet, is remarkable in that is still passed on today. Which means that it may be that right now, the story is being told by those who know it best of all. This tale is not only of Mongolian origin but is also preserved in the oral traditions in China and Tibet. It is to be hoped that our shared appreciation of culture can bring us together, even if it is the culture of a faraway land."

    She does not get lost in the moment of reverie, but instead spirals further on, "While there are many things in this tale that are fanciful, the array of incredible abilities we see in humans today gives us right to hesitate at discounting everything these stories tell. It can be tricky, though, as these stories so rarely bother with clear indications of dates."

    With casual ease she relates historical evidence to support-where it does-portions of the tale, one gets a sense that she has no real opinion fixed in her head. Which parts of the stories are inspired by fact, and which are simply made up (or might be propaganda) are left to the audience to decide, all with proper evidence.

    This goes on without a stop for a full 90 minutes. Clara never loses her energy, and in the end, she realizes, with a soft laugh. "Oh dear, I forgot to mention. I am Clara Jennings. Well, that is not so important! I appreciate your attendance! I fear I have run over our time, though. If you do have questions or need help with proof of attendance, please let me know. I will be available. And truly, thank you all. I am flattered, even if half of you only wanted to get a 2% boost in a class." She laughs softly at this as she steps off the stage.

    And then, just as soon as she started, she finishes her lecture. The chalkboards have been filled on both sides, and they remain available to any who need to capture notes, or (more likely) snap pictures on their cell phones.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Leaning over slightly to the side to whisper to Damian after the exploits of King Geser has been fully relayed, Bruce offers a bit of insight on the topic.

"His name is Vandal Savage," he murmurs almost inaudibly to Damian, and surely outside the range of anyone with the closest person to them a few rows away at least. "I will tell you more about him sometime if you would like."

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant hehs. Neat, responsible, obedient, and humble. A little uncertainly Ted makes his way to the lecturer. Ted moving uncertainly is a rare thing. He had been described unfairly as Herman Munster without the grace. But he moves slowly through the crowd to Clara, careful not to hurt anyone. His craggy face is cracking almost with a rare smile. He tries telling himself he has no right to be proud of this girl, he recently met. But he is.

Damian Wayne has posed:
As he's taking a few pictures with his camera, Damian becomes more serious, focusing on the Ge-sar poems. Onto the Bat channel, he's sharing his own thoughts. To everyone else, he's a young man making absent notes on his phone.

> Father is right about this being possible Vandal Savage. Grandfather shared some of these same stories when telling me of his allies. And to answer the question, more should be known of Vandal Savage.

There's a firm nod to Bruce from the younger Wayne, before he comments. "I am always ready to learn, Father. And it would be good to spend time with you."

With that, back to the typing.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
During the lecture, Stephanie pulls out a little bag of fruit roll ups. It's quiet snacking, and Cass might actually like it given the fruit taste of it. She offers them over to Phoebe and Cass before pausing to take more notes.

In a moment she can manage it, Stephanie points the screen of her laptop towards Cassandra. The blond coed prepared a few things to try to help Cass follow along, though Stephanie knows it can only do so much without knowing what the lecture is going to be.

There's a map illustration, which zooms out to show the globe and then spins to show Mongolia. And also a graphical illustration of a timeline of history. Having been one of the people who is helping Cass to learn to read and communicate with spoken words, Steph has a very good feel by now on how to impart some of these concepts to Cassandra in ways she picks up well.

Stephanie does her best to try to keep Cass in the loop as the stories are told, but she probably falls short there.

Of as much interest are the little communications from Damian, Phoebe and the others which Stephanie only pulls up with a filter enabled to prevent viewing the screen from anywhere but directly in front. She doesn't respond though, quickly going back to note-taking, and trying to help Cass follow what's being said.

Rogue has posed:
Throughout the lecture, Rogue keeps her eyes trained on the speaker. When she finishes up, much like others, she offers a bit of clappping, her gloves having been removed and draped over one of her legs. She doesn't record anything with her phone, though, unlike so many others. Instead, Rogue merely rises up from her seat, and retreives her coat from the back of her chair.

She shares a few words with the person who'd been seated beside her, as she slips her coat over her shoulders, leaving it open in the front. Her gloves are slipped back on over her otherwise bare hands, and her phone is given a glance, with another quick text sent out following some graceful thumb strokes across the mirror finished screen.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Off stage, Clara kinda just fades into the crowd. One might say it is a talent. Sadly, she is not trying. But Ted finds her. She laughs happily and blurts out, "Daddy Ted! I am so happy you made it!" She is impressed. "I hope it was not too boring. Everyone has been so polite, though. Not a single person falling asleep yet!"

    She looks past Ted off to where Mr. Wayne is sitting. "There is someone I must say hello to, though." And at that point, the diminutive girl is doing her best to drag Ted off towards Mr. Wayne. It is like a kitten pulling on a lion.

    Regardless of her struggle, she is making her way and once she is close enough, she glides into a curtsey. "Mr. Wayne! I am so honored you could come to see my lecture tonight! I umm." The whole order and control she had on stage seems to vanish quickly. She wanted to say something though. "I wanted to say something, though, if we met. I have met two of your children, and well, some say that great men do great things, but I think that the greatest men help cultivate great people. Damian and Phoebe have been really kind to me, which is not always easy. So, thank you for helping me make friends."

Richard Swift has posed:
When the lecture ends, Richard remains in his seat for a few moments. Either to absorb the lessons, or just to avoid the crowd as it files out.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cass looks at the fruit roll-up, but she has no idea how it was made so she doesn't partake. She had some grapes eariler, and can go for ninety minutes without a meal. Most times, it really depends on h ow physical she's being.

Like now, when she's trying to sit patiently for NINETY MINUTES without getting up and doing something. Anything, any exercise at all. She's twitching after thirty minutes, which is about when Stephanie takes over.

It's not so bad. Once Cass is clear that this is A: a training moment and B: not time for other things, she's okay. She watches, but how much is actually getting into her noggin is anyone's guess. When it's over however she stands with an audible creak of bones, and stretches -really high-, both arms over her head.

The look in her eyes suggests that she's not sure this was worth the time. We could have been doing THINGS, people!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe digs into her bag a good twenty minutes into the lecture, and she pulls out Henry. Henry is a jointed, 3dprinted, silicone slug. He is bright, colorful, and great for keeping hands busy when you need to fidgit. She offers the slug to Cass in the middle of the lecture, provided Cass hasn't escaped and ninja'd her way out of everything.

    After the lecture concludes, she draws herself up, stretching a bit.

    She watches as Clara makes a bee line towards Ted, and gives a small 'hrm', and then a face of confusion at the greeting.

    Others begin to file out, and she stands off to the side to check replies on her phone.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant is a little shocked by Clara's admission it isn't easy to be kind to her. Since when? His hand finds hers and swallows it, hopefully giving her confidence with a careful squeeze. "Mr. Wayne, Ted Grant. We met in passing a few times at the various fund raisers. So... she knows her stuff, doesn't she? I'm kinda taken her under my wing." Big smile.

Tim Drake has posed:
    Sat up at the front, Tim has a responsibility to look like he's invested. And judging by the multiple pages of his journal that he fills in with notes, it's definitely not just an act. He's not the first one to leap out of his seat at the end though he does swiftly make his way over to where Phoebe is hanging out, and it's only then that he pulls out his phone and checks his texts from the fam.

    The infodump that follows is mostly about his birth father's research, which is tangentially related to some of the prose Clara shares, and may indeed have crossover with one Vandal Savage. But truly who is to know for sure.

    Probably whichever hero gets time-warped into the past next. Tim's hoping it's not him, he'd much rather go into the future.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
There is a moment where those who know Bruce well can recognize in his face as Clara comes racing over. It is barely there, though, and he has nothing but a smile for Clara when she arrives.

"I am glad to hear that, but I promise you, it is not anything that I have done, other than recognize the greatness in each of them and given them the opportunity to grow it for themselves."

He rises slowly from his seat and takes Ted's hand first, giving it a firm shake. "Of course, Mr. Grant. Your training skills are legendary, from what I hear." He smiles. "Perhaps I should have you come out and show me some self-defense tactics in case I ever find myself in need."

Then, to Clara. "I found your lecture to be incredibly insightful. The way you connected those stories together as part of a greater narrative, and showing the context of each, was really quite remarkable. Not only in making the material more entertaining, but showing how that web of narrative has a life of its own. Truly fascinating, and I know I learned a considerable amount."

He looks to Damian. "And I am glad to hear that my son is being a good friend to you. He has a considerable amount of empathy in him." A pause. "_That_, perhaps, I shall take credit for, over his mother." His lips twist as if that were some sort of private joke.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown smiles over at Cassandra and Phoebe as the Asian young woman makes it through the lecture. No stabbings, broken bones, and Stephanie is pretty sure that Cass even stayed out of the heating ducts on this particular trip. "And now I get to do a write up on this to turn in for my class," she says as she shuts down the laptop and returns it to her bag.

She rises and does a little stretch of her own, if not quite as large of one as Cassandra's. "So you've met her before?" she asks Phoebe of the lecturer.

Stephanie steps out of the way of someone else moving down the row of seats exiting. This bring her over nearer to Richard Swift. Meeting eyes, Stephanie flashes a smile over to the man. "What'd you think of it?" she asks him when she has his attention.

Damian Wayne has posed:
Tap tap tap. Finally, Damian is done with his notes and puts his phone back in his pocket. When Bruce rises to greet the pair, Damian does as well... if a few seconds behind. A small wave is offered to Clara. "Hello again." he offers to her, before his attention switches to Bruce asking for boxing lessons.

"Oh, yes please. My father is starting to... well, you know. A man of his age. He should find the time for exercises that work unique areas of his body that would otherwise go unattended, and boxing is great for that, so I read!" he offers with a small smile.

Clea has posed:
The last bits of information stowed away and Clea slips the tablet back into her bag. A thoughtful look passes over her countenance, but she hangs back for a few minutes to watch and consider the other audience members and Clara. She isn't in a rush to go down and thank the woman, but the time will come.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "A couple of times now." Phoebe states dryly, looking side-eye over to Stephanie. "Person of interest, after all." Phoebe states as she breathes out, and rubs the back of her neck a moment, scrunching her nose. "We had a very nice conversation this afternoon. She's ah... apparently in some sort of conservatory agreement --" she explains, and then looks over.

    "She was at Bab's party and... think we should rescue Bruce?" she questions.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant leans over to Clara, and down and says, "You have other fans want to speak to you, sweetie. Go sic 'em and I'll wait here for ya." He gives her a slight nudge like now. She's overdoing it with the rich people and with luck she can see them later at the gym anyway.

"Mr. Wayne, you and your family have an open invite to Grant's gym. She's, a shy li'l thing but damn she bonds quickly." He rubs the back of his neck.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Having said what she meant to say, Clara finds herself in that place she really struggles in. Is she dismissed or is she meant to say something else? Her eyes flit over to Damian, and she smiles and waves back. A moment of hesitation, waiting, and then she decides on it. Dismissal.

    "So, you are all very busy, but thank you again." She pauses just a moment before she leaves, "I will see you around, Damian?" It sounds like a question, but she does not wait for a response if it is. A second curtsey before she flees the conversation.

    Clara makes her way towards the front of the lecture hall once more. She will not drag Ted along so insistently this time. She is not completely rude! But once she arrives, she sits down on the edge of the stage and lets out a sigh.

    "I must have a vivid imagination," she murmurs to herself. "If I can imagine that might have been more clumsily done." Her mind goes back to a gift in her bag, that she had meant to give someone at New Year's. She is muttering something or other at herself about that, too.

Richard Swift has posed:
Blinking with surprise to find himself addresed, Richard turns in his seat to regard Stephanie. He fixes her with a bright smile as he adjusts his walking stick, and slowly stands.

"I think that the attention to detail was incredible, given the age of the stories. One would think that such things had wavered with oral retelling, and stories have a way of metamorphosizing over the generations." He looks towards Clara. "So she has a great deal of confidence for one who is going based around assumptions, but of course, whatever conclusions we have drawn are as good as any others, because it is not as if anyone from the era is around to call our conclusions into question."

He turns his attention back to Stephanie. "And what lessons did you come away from this with, young lady?"

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra places Henry back where he belongs, in Phoebe's bag, with any luck entirely without Phoebe even noticing. She looks where Stephanie is talking, looking Richard over, but as is her wont she doesn't speak. It's just a look, as if she'd noticed him for the first time.

Which would be untrue, she inspected every single person in the room at some point or other. She just likes to be thorough.

Clara coming closer gets her attention, and she tilts her head thoughtfully. Rather as if inspecting a wren that's fallen and needs a hand getting back on her wings. Poor kid, what did she want out of this? Seems like she got mostly fear.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant notes that Clara adopted her stealth mode. Also that last sigh weighed about 11 pounds. He waits a bit until he realizes she is doing that thing she does where no one notices her and excuses himself.

Ted walks over to the stage, shrugging out of his jacket. When he gets to Clara, he sits beside her and throws the jacket over her with a quick motion and peers at her, seeking some evidence of a smile. The frown is terribly enacted and a caricature, especially given the arm he outs around her for a hug. He regards Cassandra for a moment longer. "She done good, right? I'm Ted. I... look out for her. break a few legs when she tells me." He holds out a hand and smiles.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
"That oral storytelling is better than rhyming couplets," Stephanie quips to Richard Swift. "But seriously, it was interesting. My professor for Asian studies suggested this and it was definitely better than reading it out of a book would be. It really comes to life a bit more with someone telling it." Stephanie taps at her noggin. "Helps it sink in and take hold you know? Now I have to write up a summary for it."

She turns back to check on Cassandra and Phoebe. At Phoebe's question about Bruce, Stephanie glances across the room but says, "Looks like he's ok. Now people aren't tripping over Damian, he could hide behind him at least," Stephanie adds. Just wishing Damian had been there to hear that!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "On Damian's behalf, please insert a devestating blonde joke here. You're devistated and want to punch me, a little bit." Phoebe states with amusement, and she leans against a wall, giving a smile to Swift and watches Clara quietly.

    "Good pick on the training montage though."

Clea has posed:
Clea slips down the steps after reaching the aisle, particularly quiet in a way that makes it a bit easier to pass by others unnoticed. Interrupting conversations is hardly a problem when you don't click your heels.

While Ted speaks with Clara, she hangs back in a comfortable aura of patience.

Tim Drake has posed:
    The back and forth has Tim's head doing the whole tennis match thing: left, right, left, right. He's definitely keeping up with the conversation but he isn't participating, for his own reasons. Though he does snort underneath his breath at Phoebe, flashing her a quick half-smile before he looks back at his phone.

Damian Wayne has posed:
"I have met my quota for humor for the evening." Damian deadpans as Phoebe makes her joke. Straightening up and clearing his throat politely. "I think I may need to get back home and turn in early for the night." he offers to the others politely.

"Father, I would like to speak with you soon on some birds I have discovered." he offers with a small smile. "Sister, it is good to see you as always." And across the Battext. > I appreciated seeing everyone here.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Ted has a knack for detecting Clara's social invisibility. If only she could vanish so easily when her life was in danger! She is almost lost in that jacket, though. Yet it makes her more noticeable. It must be the opposite of an invisibility cloak.

    If not for Ted's insistence, Clara would have held on to a rather morose expression. She manages to make a braver face and says, "I get a library day next week now. I am sure that Professor Adams will be pleased with the presentation. So.. that is good." She smiles at this.

    Noticing Clea, though, Clara perks up. "Hello. May I help you?"

    Clara can never be sure whether feedback will be positive or not, or if a question will trip her up. She does not tense up exactly, but there is a sense of considerable mental preparations going on. She is scripting at least twenty different possibilities in her head already.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra Cain looks past Ted's outstretched hand to Clara, be-coated and be-worried. She seems to make a decision, extending a hand to grasp Ted's own, which makes her pause. She looks him over then, a deep and thorough investigation that makes one thing of a full-body scan somehow. Then, a slight nod and she releases his grip.

Only to turn those eyes on Clara. For all her intensity, it softens quickly enough. She nods more gently then thumbs back at the room, grinning a little bit. No words, not even a pretense at them, she just nods and then gets out of the way.

Weird kid. But Clea is waiting to speak, and Cassandra is not rude.

Richard Swift has posed:
"Well. Do not work on it too hard. Takes the fun out of it." Richard raises his walking stick and taps it to the side of his head. Once Stephanie turns her attention elsewhere, now that the crowd has largely filtered out, he begins to make his way towards the exit.

Clea has posed:
"I wanted to congratulate you on an outstanding lecture. The topic was fascinating and your passion for your work shines through. Thank you for sharing this with the general public." Clea gestures lightly to the chalkboards caring the lion's share of explanations. "Rarely do I hear scholarship regarding the cultural heroes and folk traditions from northeast and north-central Asia, at least those not associated directly with Buddhism or Chinese imperial patronage. What drew your interest here, if I might ask?"

She keeps the praise and the inquiry short, since Cassandra and Ted await an answer of sorts.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Clara does not sigh in relief, exactly, but she is relieved. A question she has prepared for. But even those are sometimes convey a bit more information than others might really want to know.

    "Thank you so much! I appreciate it. It is difficult, sometimes, selecting a topic. My governess arranged for a tutor for me when I was ten on this subject, actually. I was rather fascinated, and the language was so utterly unlike what I was familiar with. I was rather rusty frankly, but after a few weeks of research I felt grounded in the tales again. I love books, you see, and when I encounter a story that can survive without them, well. I just respect it so much. It must have meant so much to the people, and still does."

    She lets out a sigh and smiles. It is a bit forced, but it is clear this is not too stressful. She notices Cassandra and looks at her curiously. After a moment's uncertainty, she bursts into a warmer smile and offers a shy wave.