17284/Signups

Signups
Date of Scene:	26 February 2024
Location:	Gotham University
Synopsis:	Talia helps Cassandra sign up for University. Why? hard to tell, but maybe Cass is lonely.
Cast of Characters:	Cassandra Cain, Talia al Ghul

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Cassandra Cain has posed:
Gotham U. It has many other names, but that's the one on the paperwork that Cass is staring at. She's been pushed to one side, her lack of responses making it hard for her to interact. This is not going well, not at all. She'd mentioned looking into schooling, but the fake ID that Bruce set up got her in the door.

Past that point, she's supposed to do ...things. Fill out papers, explain what she's here for. Staring at the University rep spookily isn't enough. So, she instead is given a stack of papers.

This would be a very good time for someone else to walk in, and offer to help. Since Cass is not gonna be able to do it alone.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
She's taken her time with Cassandra. Attempting to build up a rapport with the girl. So when no one else going with her, Talia has arranged to go with her. An ID quickly worked up that she's Cassandra's cousin, and she's done just enough makeup to make the two look a litlte more alike. She would join Cassandra, glancing over the forms.

"So much paperwork. Almost like someone's developed a sense of fetishism for it." The words designed to put up an air of jocularity. The exact joke intent there might not span the gulf.

But the attempt is clearly designed to give her something to help relax her in something that will be a long exercise in repetitive frustration.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cass was not sure about Talia coming along, but now that she's seen all the stuff she has to wade through she's almost edging into glad. She sighs, then plants her face into the stack of papers in her hands. It's as eloquent a body language as you get, and nigh unto screaming.

Lifting her face off of it, she flops the stack onto Talia's hands, assuming that she'll catch. Pointing several times at the desk, then at the papers, she's being watched avidly by the Uni representative, who frowns and coughs politely.

"Excuse me, are you two related? The young lady seems to have some educational barriers, or am I misunderstanding?" The guy seems to want to help...NOW. He wasn't looking helpful at all when he thought it was just Cass being weird.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia goes to smile over at the guy, "Yes, she's my cousin. She's autistic. She's really been pushing herself hard to get out there and try and get a normal life." Tone of flattery, just enough of a nudge to let the man draw his own inclusions from that.

"I'll need the paperwork to file an IEP for her as well." Individual eductional plan. To get Cassandra things to help her classes be managable.

"Thank you." Enough of an explanation given to impress the man over with what Cassandra was doing and her drive but also leave it to his own imagination to fill in the gaps. Looking dwon at Cassandra reassuringly.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The person says, "Oh, there'll be a few more forms then," and turns away. Which makes Cass give him a glare behind his back that almost burns his clothing. She shakes her head, then looks at Talia before motioning to her mouth and shaking her head. I'm not talking, she says. Maybe there's a reason, but if she never talks then they won't expect her to?

Well, she shrugs, seeming to calm down as fast as she angered. But she is wringing her fingers a bit, clearly nervous. As the guy comes back.

"We do have student resources for those with disabilities. You'll find it's a good campus, especially with proper support for anyone in need. What are her chosen pronouns?" He's not super-helping, but this is part of the process. "Once you get the basic information down, I'll have it put into the computer for you both. Part of the assisted education service, we normally make the students do it themselves but they get their parents to do it anyway most days."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Autistic types can tend to be non-verbal, so that covers most of the immediate issues. Talia goes to give the man a flat look a moment later. "Disabilities? Really?" Playing the role of being ready to charge in there to represent the younger girl. But, as the man goes through the pro formas, she goes to relax.

"She/Her. Looking to help get her established in the support network here and let her expand based on her needs and what's available." Keeping it all very vauge as she would take the pile of papers over from the automoton of a student handling things. No sense in needling the man for a job that paid ten cents an hour more than minimum wage and him going through variations of this routine a couple hundred times a week.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The guy nods, not noticing the reaction. He's barely here, more thinking about other things than his job. But he's what they have to work with, so he gets it done. "Alright. If you both would like a guide, are you her helper? Does she need a helper? If so, we can have someone assigned, there are student volunteers on campus."

Cassandra shakes her head, but the guy lacks the sense to look at her when she does so. He's fixated on Talia, it's probably a good thing that he's not a teacher or Cass would alrady have failed her first semester.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia would just smile sweetly. "I'm her helper while she gets adjusted here. I may or may not be on hand depending on what she's comfortable with." Her giving the man over a flat smile. "And I think that we can find our way around easily enough." A light tug over on Cassandra's shoulder to pull the girl along as she gives the man a glare that's hopefully enough to get him to back off the pair.

Then looking to Cassandra. "I'll help you with these forms, then we can wander around the campus and explore some? And I'll take you for ice cream." Positive reinforcement.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra presses the palms of her hands together, glancing from Talia to the papers. It's begging, and she's not ashamed of it. The ice cream doesn't get her eyes sparkling, but she's never really been much for sweets. Not yet anyway, give Stephanie a few more years corrupting the girl.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia doesn't sigh as she goes to get the two over to a table underneath a tree with the sun hitting them. "All right. What I'm here for." She goes to move on the rather banal sorts of filling out the forms on autopilot. Very, very quickly and efficiently as she would watch the girl.
    Her expression inquisitive. In relation to the forms, the frustration, thestress radiating off the girl.. What was the point? Not in th enegative sense, of course.
    But what was Cassandra's interest in going to college? All of this open to a response in a non-verbal way.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cass shrugs. She sits at the table, but overall she glances around, eyes explorative and thoughtful. She doesn't look like she knows, exactly. Which is an answer in a fashion. Many students do exactly that. Arrive, and then figure it out afterward. In her case she just watches people walk past, people she's never met before, and seems to wonder.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would give a nod of understanding and acceptance. Relaxed and gesturing over the campus. Sit, relax, enjoy the sun. "Do you want to talk or not?" Small talk was not Cassandra's thing. So Talia was more than happy to stay quiet and do the paperwork while Cassandra people watched and probbly was figuring out the best places to ambush from.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
"Nobody to ...fight," Cass says. She's looking around, and she said words! So they must be important. There's nobody here to fight. And that's a big deal. Maybe that's what she needs in life right now. It's probably all the dancing affecting her, if she wants to not be in a place of danger, for a while. To be fair that sounds kind of nice.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
That Talia can understand. "FIrst orders of business. Find where are the good places to climb up and get the best views. Then which dining halls have the best food. Best little corners in the libraries that you can settle in and take a nap."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
But Cass is quiet now. She's got her own priorities, and those seem to be simple. Watch people go by. That's it, that's what she seems to want out of this moment. Be normal, for a little while. And watch people go by. Maybe, just maybe, make a couple of new friends? hey, you never know.