3075/A Visit from a Large Bat

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A Visit from a Large Bat
Date of Scene: 24 August 2020
Location: Level 4 - Recreation - The Roost
Synopsis: An evening of pool and socializing turns awesome when Batman shows up bearing gifts of new transport. Also, Hope shoots Batman.
Cast of Characters: Tim Drake, Laura Kinney, Bart Allen, Conner Kent, Rose Wilson, Carrie Kelley, Hope Summers, M'gann M'orzz, Cassie Sandsmark, Bruce Wayne




Tim Drake has posed:
Friday night! The first week of classes is out of the way for some of the Outsiders... those who are in college at least.. and the rec room at the base is actually fairly lively. One of the TVs is blaring music through the attached speakers, the pool table is open and probably in use.

Tim is holding an awful looking tiki cup that looks vaguely like C3PO. Most of those milling around have tiki cups off the bar in various terrible designs, some nerdy, some not at all. His cup is filled with coke out of the bar fountain. AHAB has brought out, on a table set up in the normally empty area, a selection of homemade pizzas, nachos, and other snack food.

Of course, there are a few bottles of dubious provenence in the bar. Tim doesn't pretend to not see them, but he doesn't volunteer their existance to the group, either. He's still in the same jeans and t-shirt he had worn to class earlier in the day, looking fairly laid back.

Laura Kinney has posed:
X-23 had heard the music. But, she had other things to do. Whatever those things were, they were done behind the closed doors of her room. Tim likely at least has some of the pieces of the puzzle as over the last few nights, bit by bit, Laura had been bringing in some 'odd' items. Several large rocks of various sizes and shapes. A fair number of bags of sand. Quite a few 2x4's. No doubt more was coming in the near future, but she'd not shared the purpose of these items with anyone, not yet.

Now, however, now that her own personal chores are done, she comes down into the recreation room to see what everyone else is doing, and then walks over to sit a single seat away from Tim. The rockdust, no doubt, as little as there is on her that is just on the bottom of her pantleg, would likely stick out to Tim.

"Is this a party?" She asks, curiously. She has heard of parties, just never attended one.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen comes into the room, and moves to flop onto the couch, feet over the back of it, and back on the seat. Murder Mittens comes over to Bart for Attention and he picks up the cat and sets him on his chest to pet him. He looks over to Tim, and says "How did all my teachers turn out to be versions of Ben Stiller, Bueller.. Buelller." He sighs a bit naming the wrong actor in the part.

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner has been waiting for this friday for a while. Hanging out with super-powered friends was something he had not realized he was missing until they started doing it again. Unfortunately it is mostly weekends. They are not children anymore (well, so he thinks) but college-age adults with responsibilities.

He has not even seen Megan, they don?t have classes together this semester. Too bad. Although in truth he was looking forward to see the one of the other redheads. Unfortunately it seems Hope is not around today either. "We can make it a party," he offers Laura.

He didn?t bring the suspected drinks, though. Just the extra-strong chilli (straight from Mexico) for the pizza and two dozen bottles of Mountain Dew. To make sure no one feels sleepy until they have watched all the movies they want.

Rose Wilson has posed:
Tiki cups are not exactly Rose's style, but she's humoring the others. In her hand is the plainest of the cups she could find, and she is heading for those bottles of dubious provenence like she knows exactly what they are.

The contents are poured generously into her cup, and then she takes that bottle right over to top off Tim's cup without asking.

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim gives Rose a long-suffering look, but just swirls his cup around to mix the soda with the... what even was that? Something dark colored. Rum? Maybe? ...before taking a swig. Look, he's being well trained, he doesn't even argue at this point. Or something. It's not like he can't just sleep off any hangover without having to really go far. He looks at Laura wryly. "Not exactly a party, but sure. Celebrating surviving the first week back to classes."

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura's features knit, thoughtfully, "That is something to celebrate?" It doesn't sound like it, to her. But, she doesn't belabor the point either, instead suggests to Rose, simply, "Do not pour me any. It would be wasted. Alochol is entirely ineffectual on my body." She doesn't need to know what the bottles are, specifically, she can smell the alochol already.

She looks over to Conner then, admitting, "I have been told about many kinds of parties. But I have never been to one," she admits, without any embarassement.

She nods to Bart, asks, "Your teachers are all clones of each other?" The pop-culture reference soaring right over her head.

Rose Wilson has posed:
"That just means you drink more, and develop a like for the taste." Rose points out to Laura, but she doesn't bother trying to give any to either one of the pair with the superpowered detox systems. More for her. More for her to get Tim drunk with, too.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen gives the kitten scritches and waves to the others "Hey guys." He shakes his head, and says "No not clones is a reference to this old movie where a guy does all kinds of stuff, and drags his friends along while skipping class, and there is this old guy who later was on a trivia game show, who talked slow, and I mean slower than normal, and it was boring and , makes ya want to run out of the class and grab a pizza while waiting on him to finish calling roll. " He looks over and says "Me either, I mean, I would be drunk for like 20 seconds a minute max, and then a minute hangover, and just imagine me with even less thought into what I am doing."

Conner Kent has posed:
"That is what I thought, too," comments Conner to Laura?s allegadly alcohol invulnerability. He glances at Robin, not sure if he wants to know about the tracking down of the ?magical? drugs from a certain now infamous rave.

"Anyway, some alcoholic beberages just taste pretty good," he points out. "Nothing with whisky, though, can?t fathom why people drink that," adds the half-Kryptnonian.

What? He has been doing ?research?. Isn?t that one of the reasons he goes to college. Anyone that gets bored at college is doing it wrong.

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim drunk is really only fun for Rose, though he can't for the life of him figure out why. Drunk Tim tends to be broody and less inclined towards his more sociable mask. Tim returns Conner's look with a shrug. "You'd know more than me," he replies with a smirk. "Though whiskey isn't... bad." That's generally what Rose has been topping off drinks with when she is determined to get him inebriated. "It grows on you after a bit." He takes another swig of his drink, and slides his arm around Rose's waist. "Laura, have you ever shot pool? You should get Conner to teach you." Not that the half-Kryptonian is tricksy with his telekinesis or anything.

Laura Kinney has posed:
"No," admits Laura to Tim, shaking her head in negation. "I have not. I have observed it several times." She looks over to Conner, then, rises from her seat to manuever over to the pool table, apparently taking Tim up on his volunteering of Conner to teach her the magic art and game of pool. She has, afterall, comitted to trying new things and 'having fun', exploring herself.

This is just another step towards that process. Slow steps. But, steps nevertheless.

She offers to Tim, conversationally, "I am, however, extremely proficient in raquetball."

Rose Wilson has posed:
"Raquetball?" Color Rose mildly confused, and whatever her next move was about to be is brought up short by that statement. Clearly, she's trying to think about what raquetball EVEN IS...honestly.

Either way, there's a shake of her head, and she moves to give Tim's cheek a kiss, and while doing that adds more booze into his tiki cup.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley wasn't really expecting to come in on a bunch of drunks when she gets through all the security scans to finally get inside. She pauses in the doorway taking in the sight of everyone here, and the array of drinks in their hands. Even for a regular old nose like hers, it was impossible to miss that little whiff of alcohol in the air which causes her to give a lopsided grin as she leans her shoulder into the doorway.

For a few moments she just watches everyone interacting. Drinking, hugging. Playing together. Old friends and new... Yet most so new to her to begin with that she starts to feel just a bit like an outsider in more than just teamname. Rather than dwell on it she clears her throat lightly.

"Should I even bother to ask what's up?" A light chuckle comes along with a shake of her head. "Please tell me there's soda around here somewhere."

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner blinks as he gets appointed pool instructor. He glances at Laura and hehs, "okay, sure. You are going to be good at this game. It is a lot about calculating distances and force, so sharp senses help a lot."

Telekinesis does too, but Conner doesn?t cheat. Usually. Certainly not as much as Tim thinks.

"Now, there are a lot of billiard games, but this is a six pocket table so..." actually the rules are simple, and Conner can explain eight-ball in five minutes. "... this is the cue, or cue stick. Supposedly you have to hit the white ball with the tip."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks over and waves a hand and says "Yea, we got them in the mini fridge, and if there is not one you like I can go get you some. Conner brought the Dew not sure if he brought different colors or not. He will look over as the cat jumps down to head over to inspect Carrie.

Tim Drake has posed:
"Ugly tiki cups on the bar and soda in the fountain behind it," Tim replies to Carrie with a half-grin. "Celebrating the first week of class being over. Or something." The extra top-off to his cup gets a lifted brow as he glances to his girlfriend. "Are you trying to increase my tolerance, or are you trying to get me to pass out?" he asks, a light teasing note to his tone. He returns the cheek kiss gently, while swirling his cup around to mix in the additional alcohol. He doesn't take another drink yet. He has learned to pace himself, somewhat, especially with Rose handling his drinks.

He watches Conner begin to teach Laura pool with a grin.

Laura Kinney has posed:
"Yes," is Laura's precise answer to Rose, as if she only needed to confirm it, and every trained assassin knew how to play raquetball.

Then, her attention is taken by Conner. The intensity with which she focuses on this 'lesson' from him is impressive, to say the least. No doubt, Bart's teachers would love a student like Laura, nearly fixated on the lesson as if her life depended on it, or would depend on it someday. She nods at the proper points, as the instructions are given and, overall, they seem simple enough.

When all is explained, Laura offers, "You go first. I wish to observe before I begin my turn." Less out of politeness, more out of wishing to see the practice of the art of pool, a demonstration, one she thinks she should not have too much difficulty replicating.

Briefly, her eyes turn to regard Carrie. "Conner is teaching me pool. Tim and Rose are drinking. Bart is complaining about his teachers calling roll," she lists. "It is apparently a celebration about school being over for a week." And, with Carrie's debriefing complete, she moves her attention back to Conner and the pool game.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley reaches down when the kitten nears to ruffle its' ears a moment. Then she rights herself again, one hand stuffing into the pocket of her jeans as she strolls over to the bar where the cups were. A nod is given to Bart, and she smirks as she passes by the lovebirds on the couch. "Keep that up and you two are gonna need to get a room," she quips even as she reaches her destination. A clean cup is procured only to pour herself out a large dose of caffiene and sugar in liquid form.

"Yeah? It's a good game. Works on angles and the spin of the ball where it impacts." A glance is cast over toward the table to watch Conner and Laura curiously as she starts to take a long sip. "I've played a time or two. We've got a table in the manor."

Tim Drake has posed:
"We have one," Tim quips back, actually taking a drink and making a slight face. Wew, okay, that's a bit strong now. Also both hoping Rose doesn't take that as a challenge and slightly hoping she might, but he's not going to encourage that. At least not publicly. "Yeah. Pool is really a game of applied math," he starts, taking another drink.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen watches as the cat ends up on the top most of the cat tree after the scritching. He does a flip off the couch and walks over to the soda fountain and puts a couple pickle slices under his ice, and then a bit of each flavor of soda at the fountain topped off with a lemon slice and another pickle slice, and grabs a straw to drink his concoction through.

Conner Kent has posed:
It is a little weird how Laura gets so focused at learning. He has seen that kind of expression at college. Some students get it when learning something that they find super-interesting. But this is just billiards.

So, okay, he will open the game. Only it is not really a game, he just wants to show Laura the most normal positions to hit the white ball. He opens with a hard stroke that sends all the balls bouncing. By raw chance one of the stripped ones goes into a pocket. "Now, the first thing is try to locate other stripped balls that I can easily sink. Here is one," he points to the blue one, and then to a pocket. An easy shot and he doesn?t miss. "Then this would be another." Hit. Pocket. "As the number of stripped balls becomes smaller, easy shots becomes scarce, obviously. Things get harder. Usually the first player will miss one before he can pocket the eight ball." He tosses Laura the cue stick. "Go ahead and try."

Rose Wilson has posed:
"Keep up what?" Rose glanes at Carrie, a brow arching upwards before she drains the contents of her cup, moving to set it down before adding the bottle down next to it. "Everyone is dressed, hands are visible, and it was a kiss on the //cheek//. I've seen softcore with more excitement."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"Keep feeding him alcohol and I'm sure you'll see," Carrie points out only to shrug indifferently. "He's my brother, I've got to tease him some times. It's part of the sibling contract," she says matter-of-fact as she takes another sip.... Only to pause at Bart's bartending with a scrunched up face. "Okay. Not judging. But okay."

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura catches the pool stick, observing, as if trying to make small talk, "These make excellent weapons, if you are ever in a situation where you need an improvised tool to attack, or fend off an attack." She seems to be speaking from experience. Perhaps that's where she had watched the game before?

At any rate, Laura moves to take up the stick, considering her vantage, and shot as Conner instructed. And, as he instructed, she moves to aim for one of the striped balls. She mimics his stance, and the way he held the cue stick perfectly. The ball is hit nearly perfectly, at least from the stance of the connecting point, but like most rookies she hits harder than would be needed, causing the calls to bounce all over the table rather than any to sink into any of the pockets.

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim actually grins at Carrie at that last bit, then leans over and kisses Rose firmly on the lips. Then he drains half his own cup, though he does set it on the coffee table just out of Rose's reach to prevent an immediate refill. "Hate to admit it, but she knows exactly what she's doing, Carrie." Though he does lean over to murmur something in Rose's ear... and then noting Conner //right there// with his superhearing, actually stops right after the 'you know...' part and simply... decides not to say anything.

Hope Summers has posed:
"I think," Hope declares as she joins the others, her latest experiment in firearms in her hands, "I've done it! It took a couple of tries to get the focusing mechanism right, but I'm //pretty// sure that it'll do a good stun now. I might need to borrow a guinea pig later."

Because that's the sort of thing you can get around here.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    After a moment, another redhead appears at the doorway from the kitchens. This particular one seems to have a handful of Oreos in the left hand, while the right appears to have just partaken of an Oreo. It seems that M'gann had decided on a snack...and was not fully aware of the get-together in the recreation room. Most likely....a good student? It would explain the lack of knowledge of the impromptu partying.

    Because....using telepathy to do homework is cheating. At least...in M'gann's mind.

    The Martian wanders into the room, in her 'Megan' guise. Which...means a random gamer t-shirt, shorts...and human skin tone. "Well...looks like everyone's having fun in here. Sorry I was missing out!"

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie arrives through the least guarded of the doors, which no doubt has still too many locks for her preference. No extra shopping bags of snacks this time, since they stocked up pretty well before and no doubt she's still a little wary of the kitchen robot chef that is also a pirate for some reason. "Hey guys," she greets, keeping it general since they've got a whole room full of people.

Of all the activity, the pool game catches her attention immediately, since it's something a little less generic than just lazing around on the couch watching TV. And Laura is playing, it looks like. Or trying. Which is certain to be interesting! "Huh," she notes, catching her apparently first shot. "I guess it's not any surprise she'd be good at that right away. Just uh, angles and math, right? Like setting up a sho-" Well, maybe she shouldn't compare it to their recent sniper incident. "I should add pool to the list of things to introduce the Amazons to from Man's World. They'd probably enjoy it. 'Contests of skill' and all."

Conner Kent has posed:
"Good angle, but too hard," comments Conner. One of the reasons he is good at pool is because he had to learn to control his strength perfectly early on. "Now it is mostly practice. There are also some odd ways to handle the cue, but they come infrequently. There is also giving a spin to the cue ball. But that going to fail most times you try, so it is really for the shots that can?t be done in absolutely no other way."

Beat. "And no fighting with cue sticks. Well, not here." Pause, "unless it is for fun." and... there is a redheaded girl flood, so Conner shifts his attention to greet and smile to the newcomers.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks over to Carrie, and says "It is called a witchdoctor and it is good." He tells her taking a long sip. He waves to the new arrivals as well. and says "Hey, how are you guys doing, come in join the fun."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"No. To effectively fight with cue sticks, it's best to break them in half. It gives you a weapon in either hand, similiar to escrima sticks but also quite different. They are not nearly as durable. However, the ends are both jagged and blunt, providing you with a variety of options in choosing the lethality of your attacks, or they can be used to bolster your defenses," she tells Conner, practically. "I have no desire to either attack anyone here, or to ruin the equipment. This is one of my homes. I will protect it," she vows, with a certain amount of gravity to that 'oath'.

She looks up as the others enter, "Hello, M'gann," she greets, nodding to geek-girl. Then, "Cassie. We are partying. I think." She still isn't sure. Still, for Laura? She seems glad to see the other girls.

She recognizes the other girl - but only marginally. Hope is given a more studious, considerate gaze, only a nod - she is here, and therefore must be an associate of Tim's or a team member she hasn't met yet. So, Laura merely observes for the time being.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley lifts her cup in greeting toward M'Gann, Cassie, and the other redhead. She'd seen her before but not quite caught her name at the time... That or she was getting forgetfull in her old age. "Hey guys. Soda around." A glance toward Tim and Rose as she adds, "And other things if you're inclined. I'm okay with caffiene myself," she adds with a grin. The game at the table has her attention as well while she leans her hips back against the bartop/countertop area where the drinks were located.

"It's a tricky game. Kind of like throwing knives. You have to get just the right spin on the ball as well as just the right force behind them to ensure they hit their mark properly."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
No alarms sound, whether it's because Tim furnished Batman with overrides himself or Batman just made sure he had some anyway. There isn't even a non-threatening "visitor" or arrival notification on anyone's communicators or monitoring systems as he makes his way in through the skylight in an unoccupied dorm room to gain entrance to the Roost. There's a very expensive lining in his cowl that partially shields surface thoughts and mental presence. Not a complete masking, but likely allowing him to get much closer than he otherwise might before being detected. He even gauges the vents and the air currents in each room as he moves through the relatively few spaces he needs to to reach where the others have gathered, endeavoring to insure that his scent is not carried into the room until he's near enough where he wants to be. Sound dampers mask his footfalls (which are timed to concide with ambient sounds and things like the clatter of billiard balls as well to further mask them), as well as his heartbeat. Respiration he has to handle on his own, but he's had practice.

And to be clear, that's what this is for the Batman...practice. Having those with extraordinary senses present is an opportunity that shouldn't be wasted, at least this once. It's not really a test of their ability so much as his own, and of the reliability of the gadgetry he's using to assist his covert arrival.

It takes him considerably longer to make his way the relatively short distance from the dorm rooms to the rec room than any normal pace, but if all goes well, he'll arrive in the entrance to the Rec Room riiiight about the time at least three of them will be close enough that the gadgets aren't of any further use. Which is just as well, as spooking them may be an inevitable side-effect but this isn't truly intended as an ambush.

So hey, Batman's here! Did anyone save a slice of Pep?

Rose Wilson has posed:
"Maybe." Rose replies to Tim's unfinished thought, maybe taking a guess as to what it is that he might have been about to say. Maybe she's just saying things to say things. Either way, she looks at Carrie, eye narrowing just a fraction at her and then she starts to get to her feet, reaching for the bottle that she'd recently set down.

To share, right?

Tim Drake has posed:
"Hey Cassie, M'gann, Hope." Tim gives them each a greeting, though he doesn't get up from where he is... he's fairly comfortable and watching the pool game. He reaches forward to grab his drink--

And spies a familiar tall cowled form in the reflection of the TV. "Ah. Uh."

At this point, he is springing to his feet, turning around towards the Rec room entrance with a carefully blank look on his face. He reaches down to pull Rose up off the couch. "Batman, sir. Ah... what brings you here?" He's totally cool, guys, and not at all surprised, really. (Yes, he is.)

Hope Summers has posed:
"Boy, you want to talk the geometry of pool, you should talk to Scott," Hope smirks. "But make sure you //really// want to talk about it. And don't put money on the game if you like your money."

She sets the gun to her shoulder, sighting down the barrel as she tests the weight of it. "No volunteers for test-"

The thing is, there was no Batman in Hope's timeline. And he's a little bit picture shy, so it's not like she's...seen a lot of him. So there's a caped, cowled, large invader in black walking in without warning.

So...she pulls the trigger on him.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen is totally surprised, but he gets over it quickly. He id a blurr of lightning for a moment, as he looks around to see if Batman is here by himself. When he realizes he is, he is back at the bar a bit of a sad frown on his face as he sips his drink.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura seems about to take another shot, when, just before the door opens she calls, "Intruder? Someone else -," and she's turning, a martial arts stance taken from with which she can either attack or defend as that door opens.

Still, as Tim seems to recognize the 'intruder' as Batman, and while surprised, is not feeling endangered (necessarily), Laura slowly lowers her guard, and stares intently at Batman with an unexpressive face that so often might be associated with Batman and his stare.

Laura isn't nearly as good at as Batman, but then it's a tool of his arensal he's honed to perfection while hers is more just a natural focus to observe, understand, and be able to react. Assessing the Batman.

She watches Hope aim, shoot. And, she waits to see the results without acting herself, yet.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    There is a moment of pause, as M'gann freezes. "Hmm...there is something we..." M'gann holds on the e, rotating around just in time to catch the presence of the Dark Knight in the doorway, at about the same time that Tim picks up the silhouette in the television screen. "...eeird. Oh....hello!"

    Well....it appears that the massively expensive thought block material worked well enough. For he is definitely close enough to everyone now...and M'gann only had a moment's more notice than the rest.

    Still, the Martian treats it like any other day. Even bothering to hold out her left hand, with the stack of chocolate sandwich cookies within.

    "Would you like an Oreo?"

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Partying, huh?" Although sauntering up to the pool table to get a closer look at the game, Cassie casts a curious glance about as she makes her way through their overly-large teen crash pad, and seems... maybe mildly unimpressed by the level of said 'partying'? "I dunno, compared to some of the recent stuff, this all seems pretty chill. I guess maybe that's for the best, hmm?" For now, she wanders around the table, eying the shots from different angles as Laura does. "Planning to take her out sharking?" she wonders when she gets near Conner. "Figure, give her about an hour or two of practice and she'll be able to run the table with her eyes closed."

It only then seems to get to her notice that Hope is -carrying a gun-, which is also not exactly normal for a party. But not -totally abnormal- given this crowd. Still. "Uh, don't we have like, a lab for that kinda-"

She's not especially super-sense-y, high speed acuity aside, so she doesn't notice Batman while checking out Laura's pool game, and it's only her focus on Hope's BFG - and subsequently pointing it and FIRING it that leads her attention over in his direction. "Wait what are you- ohshitdon't that'sRobin'sboss he'snotanen-" She does jump toward Hope to stop her, just to get her to lower the barrel, but not THAT fast.

Conner Kent has posed:
"Who is Scott?" Asks Conner, who was about to volunteer to get shot by the supposed stun setting. But look, it is not necessary. Because Hope just shoot Batman. Creepy, sneaky Batman. Good reflexes, too.

So maybe Conner is in love now.

Except ooops. That was the stun setting, right? Just in case, he goes to check the big Bat?s health.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley stiffens at the sight of that little shadow in the corner of her eye. Surely it wasn't... By the time her head snaps over to stare with a carefully schooled poker face, Hope has already reacted. It's like slow motion: Boss. Oh shit. Act cool--WAITSHIT.

There's a moment of that instinctive urge to leap in to help before it's squashed down. Batman would be prepared. He snuck in. He would be prepared for anything. He always was. "Hey Boss."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Well, time to test the armor too, it seems. Hope's aim is true, and while Batman was well aware that there were at least three people here who were possibly going to react in like manner, he doesn't make a motion to avoid the shot. This is either going to be very embarrassing, or totally badass.

Energy crackles around the outside of the suit and cloak, and Batman is not surprised to see his HUD flicker out. That'll take a few moments to reboot. He certainly feels the blast, even with the insulation and protection of his armor, enough that he does half-stagger a step back...but he keeps his feet, and as the last few crackles of energy sizzle across the contours of his form, The Dark Knight straightens and twists his head back and forth, and one can almost imagine (or doesn't need to if they have the hearing for it) the neck "cricking" with the move. He exhales a deep breath, and notes, "2.7 more amps and this would have been a very embarrasing introduction for me. Not bad, Miss Summers."

He then turns his gaze to Conner as he moves towards him, noting matter-of-factly, "I'm fine." He reaches to his belt, extracting a small device, but then actually popping open one end of it to remove and re-seat the battery. "Though hopefully this didn't lose any data."

Rose Wilson has posed:
"I want you to notice, //I// didn't shot him."

Rose is weirdly PROUD of this fact. Maybe proud of Hope. Maybe proud that she doesn't have to explain to Tim why she was trying to kill his Batdad tonight. And because, just to prove she's not completely reformed, she takes a swig from the bottle in her hand before holding it out to the adult in the room in offer.

Hope Summers has posed:
The sea of 'WAIT' from the rest of the team means Hope is lowering the gun before Batman even really responds, cheeks flaring as red as her hair. "Sorry!" she says quickly, though it seems to be more directed toward the team than toward Batman. The guy snuck in! It was fair game!

"But hey, good news is now no one else has to volunteer?" Sheepish, she flips the safety and very pointedly and carefully sets the gun aside out of the way. "I tried the higher setting, but it gave off too much heat for anyone who's not armored," she admits, grimacing. "And, you know. I kind of figured adding burns defeated the purpose of a stun setting." Rose's comment gets a quick, not quite hidden grin, though.

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim actually slides one arm around Rose... and the other reaches for the bottle, his face a bit flushed from both embarrassment and the drink he's imbibed. Gently removing the bottle from her grip, he places it behind them on the coffee table and grimaces slightly. Whoo. Uh, yeah someone shot the boss, that's... something. He glances towards Hope, then responds to Rose, "No, you didn't," which he's weirdly proud of too, though he's not really going to point that out right now. But then he realizes that in Rose-speak, that means she's pretty sure she COULD have shot him, which means she's armed-- of course she is, she's Rose--, so the hand around her waist moves lower...

And yep, there it is. He tugs the sidearm from where she has it concealed, stifling a sigh, and puts that on the coffee table too. Not that it's really far enough away to be a real deterrent.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura watches all of this play out. And only when the situation is diffused, does she state to Batman, matter of factly, "You masked your scent." It's not an accusation, merely an assessment. Laura may not know much about social settings and interaction, or how to deal with people. But, infiltration, tactics, approach, and strategy are her specialities. "You have either taken precautions due to previous entanglements with others who had enhanced senses, or you've been debriefed on my abilities." If it's the latter, Laura doesn't seem upset in the least; afterall, the man she was cloned from was quite infamous in many circles and his abilities are well known. And Laura hasn't exactly been secretive about her talents.

She does not move from her position, still holding the pool cue, still standing next to Cassie who is having a small panic attack about Hope attacking Batman with a stun-gun shot.

Conner Kent has posed:
"Couldn't you find the doorbell?" Asks Conner once it looks Batman is not injured. He turns to flash a smile to Hope. Then an amused glance to Rose. "Hey, she used the stun setting," because he is quite sure Rose?s guns don?t have a stun setting.

He slides to stand near Tim, who might be somewhat drunk. Conner is not sure. "So, uh... I guess he is not here for the party," he murmurs to the other boy.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Well, Hope didn't blow up Batman (that's not really so surprising, but still, it would be a bad mark for the team), and so Cassie looks a little less panicked in the aftermath. She hovers at Hope's side a moment, then relaxes (sort of). "Well, no harm done and he did kinda break in. But uh, next time you want to do testing, just ask m- Conner." Volunteered!

Despite the apparent resolution, as she heads back over to Laura, a bit of a 'WTF?!' look is shot back at Tim. Because, while they've apparently cleared the hurdle of 'we didn't just murder Batman,' that doesn't actually resolve the larger implied question of 'Hey Tim why is Batman breaking into our house and thus getting shot at?' And she definitely looks at HIM for an explanation, even more than at the man himself.

"He /really/ likes sneaking up on people, even his friends," she whispers to Laura, as if that should explan all the various preparations. "Leaving without them noticing too. Diana is /always/ talking about it."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley watches it all unfold with a small sigh of relief. In spite of the poker face at reacting in this situation, she really was a bit tense in response to just, everything happening at once. Pushing away from the counter she stakes a half step further into the room with an eyebrow arching slightly. The removal of the object to check the battery was a bit surprising. It's Laura's statement that earns a nod though.

"A fair amount of us have started masking our scent. I had my identity revealed by someone with enhanced senses not long ago. It's a precaution."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen 's eyebrows raise a bit as Hope shoots Batman. He winces a bit and grabs a bottle of water and a marker, and draws a bat symbol on it real quick like and is over next to batman, offering the bat-water to the man "Would you like something to drink? We have water, and soda, or milk if ya want." He wonders does Batman drink milk, an get a milk mustache or does he give it the bat stare and it turns to cheese instantly. Either way he is offering the bottle to the man.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    Ever the helping sort, M'gann wanders over towards Laura, offering a nod. "Oh, he was debriefed. Certainly. His thoughts were mostly blocked." An Oreo makes it to M'gann's empty right hand, which means it is not long for the world now. "almost completely...but not quite. I only met one person I could never read....and that was when I was at Happy Harbor."

    Still...no other explanation is given as M'gann watches the exchange with the adult in the room. "reminds me of Cassandra. Almost sensed a bit of amusement. Maybe. Kinda hard to tell."

Rose Wilson has posed:
It probably isn't the only weapon on her, either. But Rose doesn't probably need to point that fact out to Tim, or anyone else at the moment. Nope. She just glances at the gun removed, and there is a shrug for Conner. 'cause he's probably right. Her guns don't have stun settings.

"He's an okay sneaker." It's rather not the truth, honestly. Batman is an A-class sneaker.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The battery back in place, Batman nods to Laura, "Both. And this provided an excellent opportunity to test myself and my gear against people that weren't -too- likely to do too much harm if I were caught. So thank you for being my unknowing test subjects, but that's not the main reason I'm here." He starts towards the pool table, pausing as Bart approaches him with the...bat-water. He stares for just a moment, and the corner of his mouth just might tic upward a tiny bit as he reaches to accept it.

"Thank you, Mr. Allen."

He even uncaps it and takes a sip before replacing the cap and continuing his journey to the billiards table. He's actually careful not to disturb the placement of the balls as he sets the device down and presses a tiny switch on it.

If the Batman is relieved that the device functions properly, it's impossible to say for anyone but M'Gann (there is a flicker of satisfaction more than relief). In any case, the holographic image that appears in the air above the micro-projector is that of...well, some kind of aircraft. Sleek, clearly state-of-the-art (or even a bit beyond the traditional sense of the word), and not of any immediately recognizable make or model.

"SST-XS7, the last aircraft designed and prototyped by a no-longer-extant European Aerospace company. Top speed of Mach 6.5, with a sustainable cruising speed of Mach 4.5, full VTOL capability, and extensive electronic warfare and stealth capabilities. One-of-a-kind."

A beat, before Batman adds, "And now yours."

Hope Summers has posed:
The 'thoughts were blocked' comment from M'gann causes Hope's brows to go up, and her gaze sharpens on the suit. It's not hard to follow the pattern of her thoughts on //that// matter - she's just itching to take it apart and see what makes it tick. But she's getting the impression that a Batman visit isn't exactly a casual event.

Especially not when it comes with a plane!

Her brows climb higher at that announcement, and then, ever practical, she looks up and turns a circle as if reminding herself of the footprint of the place. "Where are we parking it?"

Laura Kinney has posed:
As Laura has the same question as Hope, she does not ask Batman further questions just yet, waiting instead for his answer to where the rather expensive stealth-jet will be left, somewhere no doubt where they can get easy access to it. But, that makes it tricky.

She looks aside to Cassie, noting, "It is not difficult to sneak up on most people. Most people," she says quietly, "Are easily distracted, otherwise occupied, and have tuned out the natural sounds of their enviornment long ago. All one needs to do is blend with those sounds, understand them. Sneaking up on someone with my training, however, is an entirely different matter."

Then she looks over to Carrie, nods again. "Practical. However. Let us hope our opponents do not take the same precautions. It gives me an edge that I prefer to take advantage of and makes me that much more effective."

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    "Well...Certainly not the roof. It isn't big enough for that." M'gann pops the cookie into her mouth as her green eyes shift to red irises, looking over the hologram intently. "I mean, that's where my bioship is now, and it looks like this doesn't have the same sort of camouflage capabilities as my ship. Though....certainly looks to be bigger."

    Did M'gann ever tell anyone else she had her own ship? No....probably not. So the news may come as a surprise to some...and just confirmation of information for others. Namely of the Bat persuasion.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen will walk over to stand beside Hope, and stage whispers to her "You seen anything like that where your from? I mean the shape is sorta familiar on some ships, I have seen but only vaguely.

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim blinks. "Oh." The conversation about where to house it, however, is also of interest to him, though he looks at Batman, knowing he'll have that answer. "Thank you, Batman. This will be very useful, especially for some of our upcoming missions." He doesn't look surprised at the bioship comment. ...because even if no one else was informed, Tim had been. That's why he didn't give the extra vent on the roof much of a second glance. "Where can we expect it to be stored."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Yeah, I suppose that's true," Cassie admits, thinking about how Laura explains the whole 'most people are oblivious idiots' thing in slightly more professional terms. "Of course, he practices sneaking up on like, Superman and Wonder Woman and stuff."

However, she's quickly distracted from spreading Diana's latest gossip by the display set up on the table, turning and walking a short ways to get a closer look, arms folded across her chest. And, compared to some, her reaction is a little more on the stereotypical side: she whistles, like it was an expensive sports car on the lot. "Wow. That's fast." She even has context for the speed and uh... yep that's fast! This provokes a glance back at Tim next, with a bit of a cheeky grin. "I guess there's some advantages to hanging out with various Robins, huh? Some of the Bat-swag finally rubbed off on the rest of us."

But then there's a glance to M'gann, surprised as everyone else. "Wait, we have -two- ships? Is yours like a -space- ship?" Did... Megan just upstage /Batman/?

Conner Kent has posed:
"Woah, cool," says Conner, looking at the plane. "I miss the Super-cycle, but we are too many for it," even if they manage to find it again. Others might be thinking where they are going to store it, Conner is thinking about who is going to pilot it (and how hard would it be learning to pilot it). "Upcoming missions, uh?" He asks Tim.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"It's in a hidden hanger outside the city limits. I previously used the space as an auxiliary Batcave during the No Man's Land period." Tim would be familiar with the location, even if that was before his time. Batman used it as a staging area prior to starting the "Takeback" of the city in earnest.

"Whether you ferry yourselves there under your own powers or remote-pilot it to a convenient location for pick-up is up to you. The Hangar has a fair selection of spare parts and the capability to fabricate more. Not unlimited, but hopefully enough to keep it running for as long as you'll need it. The damage control systems are impressive, but it can't be replaced if destroyed so...try to take care of it." There's a glimmer of a wry expression on his lips for but a moment, before he adds, "I will coordinate with Tim to make sure you have simulators here in the Roost to allow you all to become proficient at piloting it, if you so choose. Tim should be able to manage in the interim, and I imagine Miss Morse will not have great difficulty adjusting to its' technology."

This may betray a bit of how much he does and doesn't know about the various members of the team as Hope is not mentioned as a potential pilot.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    Cassie gets a smile as M'gann actually blushes. "I...only told Tim about it, didn't I? Ooops?" That smile grows apologetic as M'gann shifts into an explanation. "Oh...my ship is only an adolescent....so, it isn't capable of interstellar travel yet."

    Yet, she says. As if it is just a minor thing.

    "But...yes, it can hold about 8 people and responds to my thoughts. So...maybe I'll take you out for a ride sometime." Of course, M'gann doesn't necessarily mention that it can disguise itself by changing its shape. A girl has got to keep some secrets...    

Hope Summers has posed:
"Growing up, not so much," Hope murmurs to Bart. "Everything was kind of...scavenged together. Including two spaceships. Those were...definitely not spaceworthy by any normal standards except for, you know. Dying planet." She tilts her head as she gives it a closer look, gaze flickering back to Batman when he lists pilots. Interesting.

"Wait, your ship is //alive//?" she looks to M'gann. Sure, spaceship, not that surprising. Living ship? More interesting. "Now that's cool."

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura finally sets the pool cue on the pool table, and takes a few steps towards the rest of the group. While she certainly did not know about the bioship as she hadn't gone on the roof to detect perhaps an odd smell (or lack thereof) from the '2nd vent', she also isn't surprised. Afterall, how else is an alien going to get to Earth? It's logical, and so she doesn't give it a second thought.

Instead, she agrees, "It will be of great use to covert missions," after reviewing the jet intently. "I can provide instructions on skydiving and parachuting if anyone needs," she says to the more mere mortal types who do not have the capability of flight, or built-in gliders to their costumes. "But I would be glad to learn piloting skills. Those I were not taught."

The comment about the ship being -alive-, though? That does catch Laura's interest as well, and she looks to M'gann now for an answer, all the while keeping a side-eye on Batman. Not because she doesn't trust him. Tim certainly does, so she does. Perhaps more, still assessing. Perhaps also learning by observation.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks over and says "Might be something good to learn, I mean, I have seen the videos of Flash doing the whole arm spinny thing to levitate some, but don't know how well that would work from a plane's height. He makes minor hand spinny motions but not fast enough to lift off.

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim nods when Batman explains where it's located. "I know exactly where that is," he responds quietly, looking serious. But at least not broody, because hey, new ship! The question Conner has about missions gets a head tilt. "Tell you later, Con," he notes quietly. He flashes Cassie a grin. See? We have a ship! This is great! He looks back to Batman, serious again, and nods gravely. "Thank you, Batman. We'll keep it in one piece, and I'll get everyone on simulators as soon as possible." Hey look guys: homework.

That seems to be what Batman needs to hear, because the Dark Knight isn't long in leaving after that. Once it's just the team left, though, Tim does grab his cup back up. "Well," he says wryly, "this is better than just a week of school being gone. I think 'new airship' qualifies for a real party."

And hey, it's basically a co-ed frat house here. Party!