3672/Being Squishy isn't a Virtue

Being Squishy isn't a Virtue
Date of Scene:	04 October 2020
Location:	Sublevel 2 -Training Facilities - The Roost
Synopsis:	Being squishy may not be a good thing when you're a superhero, but having a good heart certainly helps!
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Conner Kent

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    The training facility was occupied this evening by the team healer, who was intent on keeping up with practice outside of the practice.

    Pheobe Beacon, AKA Balm, was wearing the lower part of the armored costume Red Robin had created for her upon her entry into the Outsiders. Her feet were bare as she moved around a mat, a training staff in hand. Her coily hair had been mercilessly pulled back into a pair of Dutch braids on her head, and she wore just a sports top that clung to her frame. She was focused, moving through Aikido kata, rolling the staff over the back of her neck, over her shoulder as her body got used to the different weight against her legs.

    Oh, and the soundsystem in the training room was on and playing happy sounding EDM music as she went.

    By the door, she's put a backpack, and 'Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles' is half spilled out of it.

    (music playing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNA9A3bqHII)

Conner Kent has posed:
It is Saturday and no one is around. Weeeeird. Conner rarely comes to Gotham the weekdays, but he has been regular every weekend. Where is everyone? Hello?

The music draws him down to the lower level of the facility. Of course, he could hear it all the way from the upper floor living area, but he had to check the kitchen, rec room and the movie theatre first.

No one he knows trains with this kind of music. So, he is not particularly surprised to find Phoebe. He waves vaguely, trying to draw the girl's attention, "where is everyone?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe swings herself about, and then gives a pause, seeing Conner coming in, and she gives a slightly embarrassed look, turning the music down a bit before she leans on her practice staff. She looks odd in half her costume.

    "Hey Conner; is the music too loud for upstairs?" she inquires, rubbing the back of her neck as she breathes out. "Ah, I think Tim's on patrol, M'gann is tending to something with the ship -- maybe there was a function at the Embassy, ooooor Cassie forgot to wash the dishes and got grounded from superheroing -- Bart's probably still at the zoo, maybe doing fright nights..." she trails off a moment, and she gives an embarrassed smile. "I finished my rounds early. Someone with an icepick managed to poke a hole in th e side of the armor, so I'll have to have Tim take a look at it."

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner shakes his head. "Music is fine, I think only I could hear it from upstairs," he comments. "Tim is not supposed to be on patrol this early. I hope he is not having zombie owlmen troubles again."

Phoebe's list still leaves Cass, Hope, Roy, Laura and Rose unaccounted. He pulls out his cellphone and frowns. He has none of those in his social media. Well, Rose. But she rarely checks. "Meh, want to watch a movie while I worry about the others? I am afraid we can't train together much."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Yeah, it'll probably end up like the one time I took a punch from Cassie. Ended up on the third floor of the embassy," Phoebe gives a wry grin. "On the outside."

    She stretches her shoulders a little, and looks back to Conner. Then at the mention of the zombie owlmen, Phoebe frowns, and rubs the back of her neck.

    "... I don't know. I only encountered them once; I don't go into the Undercity much, but one of the men I kept an eye on, Paul, he's... been missing for a while. One of the others in the camp mentioned he might have wandered down there -- ran into one of those zombie owlmen myself." she growns.

    "... I don't think I'd been more scared in my entire life, to be honest. Managed to make my way out all right, but I suppose Red Robin and Nightwing were both patrolling the area, and Nightwing was in a bad way. Have you ever gone up against one of those things?" she inquires, turning to Conner curiously.

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner shakes his head. "Batman doesn't like me fighting crime in Gotham," he huffs. Makes no sense to him! "It is silly, they are getting hurt unnecessarily, if Cassie, Megan and myself were helping with the patrols we could beat those guys pretty easily."

Instead he has to wait and hope none of them returns badly banged up. Or fails to return.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... well, I can see why, kinda. The crime element in Gotham? Mostly human, thugs, crime syndicates, gang warfare, mafia stuff. If you get super-powered people who can, y'know, leap tall buildings in a single bound without a grapple? You start attracting bigger and badder things, and suddenly Tim's in more and more danger every time he heads on patrol." Phoebe explains. "I just... bring sandwiches to homeless people and make sure they don't die of sepsis. Pretty sure that's the only reason I was allowed to patrol on my own, I don't go looking for trouble."

    "... except that one time on the docks. I was looking for that." she mutters.

Conner Kent has posed:
"That is like blaming the police for the existence of crime," protests Conner. "Superman does not endanger Metropolis for being there, and the Avengers are not a endangering New York City either."

He looks around and spots Phoebe's bag. 'Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles'? Hah.

"Fact is many super-powered vigilantes start their careers in response to crimes," he explains. "If there was no crime there would be far less 'heroes'. I guess there would be some involved in disaster relief and such." And maybe sandwich distribution.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "But far more serious threats coming to test their mettle against the newest heroes." PHoebe states as she sits down on the mat. She motions for Conner to take a seat.

    "Where I go to school, we actually have stuff like clown lockdowns, where if there's word that if there's a clown active in the area, the whole school goes into lockdown. No one in or out. Doors locked, lights off, everyone huddles in a corner in 'out of sight, out of mind'. There's people my dad worked with who'd claim that if Batman never came along, we wouldn't have such a weird city. Clowns and riddles and costumed vigilantes. I mean, you don't hear about this stuff happening in Boston or Chicago." she shrugs helplessly, and leans back on one hand.

    "But the thing is, Conner, if I'm like a two on the power scale, you're probably what, an eight? Nine? Eventually bad guys start showing up in Gotham that the Batman can't really... handle easily. An' that puts Robin and me in danger. Heh, I might be soft hearted--" she states, and then pokes at her own side in demonstration "-- but being squishy isn't something that works in my favor!"

Conner Kent has posed:
"You think bad guys won't come to Gotham thinking it is 'easy pickings'?" counters Conner. "Except Batman is not easy pickings for anyone, is he?" Clown alert, ugh. "Look, I don't know. New York has the Green Goblin, who is like the Joker but flies around in a weird flying drone, while laughing like... well, he is a crazy maniac. Now, if Batman drops by New York and punches the Green Goblin in the face, no one is going to complain."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... actually there's an argument that compares the city to an ecosystem with the amount of predators akin to something like wolfpacks in competition, but--" Phoebe takes a breath, and she goes 'bleeh', sticking her tongue out.

    "Most of the people in Gotham are still just humans in costumes. And New York has weird stuff too, but Gotham just kinda accepts its fate and goes 'welp, it's a thing, pass the mustard for the hotdogs.'" Phoebe shrugs. "Either way, that's not a call I can make. I'm not part of their group. Cassandra, Tim, Carrie, Nightwing... that red hooded guy..." she waves a hand, and then draws one leg up. "All of the redheads on this team are terrifying, by the way." she interjects, then continues: "I'm useful to the Outsiders and the homeless. An'... that's something I'll have to be content with. Just like not being able to just patrol Gotham at leisure is something you'll have to be content with. In the city? The Bat's in charge."

    She's quiet for a moment, and then conspiritally whispers to Conner: "To be frank, he scares me too."

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner ehs noncommittally at the Batman scare factor. He admits nothing! "We have a lot of redheads, uh? I don't really know Carrie, but Megan is very nice. Roy seems cool, too." He sits down at Phoebe's side. "And Hope is... uh, she is clever and hot, and I really want to know her better. I have no idea how to find her, though."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... I don't really know anyone particularly well." she frowns. "Hope is exciteable, but she has some interesting ways of dealing with post-trauma, I think. I gathered that where she's from isn't nearly as nice as Gotham." she jokes.,

    Gotham was a hole, but it was her hole, thank you very much. "We do have a lot of redheads, an inordinant amount of redheads." she pauses, taking one of her stiff braids in her hand and pulling it so she can look at it. "I'm not turning red, am I?" she asks.

Conner Kent has posed:
"You are totally turning red," replies Conner with a grin. "Soon you will be shooting fireballs from your fingertips and Batman will forbid you to ever give a sammich to anyone outside this building."

Conner has been poking fun at Gotham to tease Tim for three years. He is not going to stop anytime soon. "Why do you think Hope is dealing with post-trauma?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Fate worse than death! HAving to be confined to the Roost with firepowers!" Phoebe laughs out loud. "Poor Tim would never get anything done between my badgering."

    At the askance of why Hope might be having an issue...

    "... well. We went to the opening of some teen club in New York, one of those Hellfire things. I... managed to score a ticket from a contest. Pretty sure everyone else got in with someone more important." Phoebe gives a wry smile, but the smile falters as she looks down.

    "She has a lot of survival mechanisms I've seen along the homeless. Food abandoned at a table becomes yours. She never really... sits. She percches, like she's ready at any point to just get up and leave, because really, Conner -- if I'm saying someplace isn't as nice as Gotham, it's probably someplace very dangerous." she states quietly, balancing Hope's privacy with Conner's question.

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner nods. "She was raised in a future gone bad". It is not a big secret since Hope told him within 10 minutes of meeting her, while dissembling Intergang energy handguns for spare pieces or something. To say the least, she made an impression. "So yeah, she has a few issues. Everyone I know well here had to deal with some major crap. Cassie, the normal-ish one, happens to be Zeus' daughter."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... it's weird to think that of everyone here, I'm the most normal." Phoebe states, grabbing up her bag and pulling a sweatshirt out of it, a beat-up Gotham U sweathisrt, and she gives a grin as she motions to the elevator.

    "Lower middle-class upbringing, only child, super normal parents..." she trails off with a grin. "And I'm sure you have your own difficulties to overcome, whether growing pains physical or psychological

Conner Kent has posed:
"Sure, normal," Conner chuckles. "I am trying 'normal' and I kind of like it, you know? Normal college student Conner Kent. That is me. Otherwise I am fine. No hang-ups or big trauma or anything," and denial is not a thing. Although he does seem normal on plain sight. "Well, I could use some help with the whole having a family thing. So I might ask you for advice at some point."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Well, first up?" Phoebe states as she steps out. "... there's two kinds of family. Blood, and by choice. All my family is by choice. My mom and dad adopted me. If someone says to you 'Conner, boy, you gotta love this person 'cause they're related' -- call bull, because /my/ blood family left me in a liquor store when I was two."

    She's not bitter about that in the least.

    "So -- Kent, after what, the university? Randomly assigned?" she questions, digging out the orange juice.

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner gets a soda for himself. As usual. It could be said he consumes truckloads of it, but actually it is about average for an American kid. He is also a lucky one that won't ever have to worry about healthy eating.

"I mean at some point, not now," he protests with a laugh when Phoebe starts. Although she makes an interesting point. His family is 'blood' related and not choice. On the other hand there are so few Kryptonians around they feel very important to stick together. Also, they are good people.

"ESU, in New York. Oh, I chose that one from those who would take me. My grades were not good enough for Columbia or Harvard," he admits.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe interprets his answer differently, and she gives a small laugh, and gives a nod. "Not bad. If I decide to go to college, Gotham U's where I have some scholarships, through the Firefighter fund and through a bunch of Wayne-backed charities. I was going to pursue anthropology, but now I'm considering premed, then maye onto medical school."

    she frowns a moment, and sips her orange juice.

    "... and yet no one thinks it's weird for sixteen year olds to have to think about what to do with the rest of their lives."

Conner Kent has posed:
"Ah, you are sixteen?" Conner didn't know that bit. "Well, I don't know how old I am, but my 'main' mostly fake id card says almost nineteen." He sips from his drink and finds a chair to flop down. "It is not weird to know what you want. Look at Tim. I am pretty sure he had his next fifty years of life planned when he was ten."

Then again, Tim is a little bit weird.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Sixteen. Yeah, I'm... suprirsingly mature for someone in their junior year of highschool." Phoebe grabs an apple out of the fridge, and spoons some peanutbutter into a bowl. "Well, Tim might have had his time planned, but the best laid plans a mice and men gang aft a gley." she replies, joining Conner in the dining area and not-quite flopping into a chair. She cuts into the apple, turning out a few slices to dip into the peanutbutter.

    "Which means, often times what we plan... doesn't go to plan. Though Tim does strike me as the sort who has plans upon plans." she smiles slightly. "So, after ESU, what then? Pro Superheroing? Going to do the secret identity dance?" she questions curiously.

Conner Kent has posed:
"Find a job, I am pretty sure my savings will be gone in three years," because yes, no scholarship for him. He might qualify for one if he keeps the good grades he is getting -now-, but he doesn't think he needs one. Besides, the rent in Manhattan is even more of a drain than college.

"Pro superheroing if needed, I guess," but he is not spending /that/ much time patrolling or going into missions right now. "I don't think anyone does pro-superheroing, though. Maybe Batman."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Mmm." Phoebe gives a smile. "I've got a trust fund, for when I get out of college, aaand was kinda-sorta saving up for a car, but I think I might end up getting a motorcycle instead. Y'know... to avoid traffic... and no one can really patrol well when you have to take a bus to the other side of town." she jokes.

    "Going to NYC is fun, though. What's there to do around ESU? Got a favorite food place?"

Conner Kent has posed:
"Oh, several," replies Conner. "And the ESU is in the middle of everything. New York is a good place. Far more historical buildings and museum than in Metro. Not as blindly shinny. It feels more honest and real. Oh, the people are blunt compared to Hawaii, but one gets used quickly."

It has also the highest density of villains and supers in the world. That is not a plus! But it keeps things interesting.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "OH no. Blunt people." Phoebe teases lightly, dipping another slice of apple into the peanutbutter.

    "... I've never been to Hawaii. Lived pretty much all my life in Gotham... aside from visiting the Themyrican Embassy in New York and trying to help out in Brooklyn during their crisis." she comments quietly.

Conner Kent has posed:
"Hawaii is great," comments Conner, finishing his soda. "I miss it, but I needed to move on," he adds, thoughtful. "I wanted to take you guys there for a weekend, but things kept happening. Still thinking... I will take Hope there, if only for a weekend," he grins. "And you, you need to do some travel too. I mean, not just in missions for the team. It is something I recommend everyone. It changes people for the better."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... that I don't know about." Phoebe grins. "What if I don't wanna come back to Gotham from Hawaii?" she jokes, giving a shrug of her shoulders. "I mean... sunshine, sandy beaches, tropical birds -- a moderately healthy ecosystem?" she inquires, "What would I even do in Hawaii? I'm not exactly... I don't really have the same opportunities as some of the others." she gives a sidelong look. "You should totally invite Hope though. Secluded beach, picnic lunch... maybe even get her to unwind a bit."

Conner Kent has posed:
"That was the plan," admits Conner. Until she got a phone call from the X-Men twenty minutes before departure. But that is typical of superhero dating. She still seems interested. "We might try again next weekend," he hopes.

Yes, maybe Phoebe won't want ever return from Hawaii. However, "you still have some opportunities. I mean, you could get the hyperloop and hit a nearby city every weekend. Just that would be pretty enlightening."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... but... I can't." Phoebe gives a small smile, and she rubs the back of her head. "I took on responsibility when I decided I wanted to help Gotham. My life revolves around dancing between schoolwork and my night patrols. The camps I go to, to stop infections among the homeless, to ease pains. I might not have all the skills that Tim has, or the powers that everyone else in our group have -- but... that I can do. And if I can make Gotham that much more hopeful? That much brighter?" Phoebe gives a small, sad smile.

    "... then isn't it worth not being able to travel?"

Conner Kent has posed:
"Maybe," admits Conner. "It is something I did think about for a long while," he adds, "but even Superman is not Superman 24/7. There is always something to do, someone to save, but we can't save anyone. And we may go insane if we try to. See? Humankind has done okay without Superman for thousands of years. It will do okay without Balm for, say, a weekend a month. In which you can clear your head, expand your mind and be a little happier."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    The younger-looking teen feels her shoulders draw up, and she looks down a moment. She stirs the peanutbutter with a slice of apple, and she drops her gaze.

    "I... can't just up and leave like that. They don't have anyone else. My not being there for a weekend, that could end up with someone in Gotham Mercy, dying alone. And I'd never know what happened to them. It's not just faceless humanity. The homeless camps, they all have names. Pasts. Some of them just got a real bad day. Some of them were victims of cuts to our mental health budget. I've got my way to clear my head. I've got my garden. I do patrols... just... don't fight much crime."

Conner Kent has posed:
Uh huh. Maybe Phoebe is like Mother Theresa. But Conner suspects something else from the supposedly least traumatized girl in the team. "And maybe they need you -now-," he points out, "but you are eating an apple. But eating is needed for survival. As it is mental health."

He shrugs. "And maybe there is a supervillain attacking New York right now and coincidentally the other hundred or so heroes of New York are busy, so I should be there, but I am here. You know what? It is not my fault. I am not the guy attacking, and I can't see the future."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Surely the least traumatized girl. Normal parents. Normal life. Just has random healing powers.

    "... it's.. that's not..." she frowns, and she rubs the back of her neck.

    "... I can't save everyone." Phoebe states, bitterly. It doesn't match that fealing aura around her.

    She goes to stand up, carrying half of the apple, the bowl of peanutbutter and the knife she was using, trying to juggle the items as she moves.

    "I've lived all my life in Gotham. I am /surrounded/ by poverty and humiliation and murderous clowns. I go to school and we just have to not think about what'll happen if someone attacks our school. Or if someone attacks where my mom works near The Narrows. The city is an ever-looming shadow, but, I'm a Beacon. I'm a little light. I have to beleive that what has happened to me, has happened for a reason. That Tim recruited me for a reason. That I have these powers for a reason... I have to trust there's some sort of Plan, that I'm just a thread in a tapestry that I can't see, but there is Purpose."

    she turns back to Conner. "I don't expect others to understand, that there is a Call. And I answer it even if I don't know words."

Conner Kent has posed:
"Now you are getting religious," replies Conner, smiling faintly. He has to bite his tongue not to say something sarcastic that would really hurt. "Well, I can't argue about matters of faith," he offers instead. "I don't believe much on things like destiny or an orderly universe, to be honest. I just like to help a little when I see someone that needs help."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks like she was going to say something, but instead she takes a breath. She lets it out slowly, and looks down at her knife, her apple, and her mostly empty bowl of peanutbutter. She opens her mou th to say something, and then apparently thinks better of it, and goes to bring her dishes to the kitchen.

    "Well. No matter what. I hope you and Hope get to go to Hawaii and enjoy a nice weekend away. You both deserve happiness."

Conner Kent has posed:
"And you don't?" Conner shakes his head. "I am not waiting for fate to give me anything nice. I'll get it myself for me and my friends. Oh, as long as it doesn't interfere with our duty. Hope was pretty strict about it, and she is right."

But no, they can't save everyone. But they can make plans to save some and still get some nice things. Some balance.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I have my garden, my power, my city. What more do I need?" Phoebe gives a grim press of her lips, and she goes to wash out the remainer of the peanutbutter and wash the knife.

    "I don't need much to be happy. I get to see other people happy... like Cassandra -- the shorter one -- she has a beautiful smile when she allows herself to feel happy. Tim seems happiest when some gizmo he's working on finally starts working, or when he's figured out a puzzle. Some people want bigger things, but they're material. Clothes. Fancy shoes." she gives a smile, and she looks to Conner. "What makes you happiest? What makes your heart skip a couple of beats and then slow down?"

Conner Kent has posed:
Kryptonite. No, really, Kryptonite sucks and causes cardiac arrest. But that is not the right answer.

"Eh, it depends," admits Conner. "Happiness? I guess... hang out with my friends. Helping people. See a new and cool place." Then there have been some girls that had that effect on him, but that is also not a good answer. "I suppose most of the same things that would make anyone else happy."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Girls are an entirely appropriate answer. After all, Phoebe listed one!

    "There you go then. You've got what makes you happy. Helping others, new places, hanging out with your friends." Phoebe states to conner, counting on her fingers. "And those are your happinesses. People can't take them away. They'll change, I mean, what, if you really, really like bowling for instance, could be the sound of a strike."

Conner Kent has posed:
"Bowling is fun with friends," but Conner can't do it seriously. No one likes to bowl with a half-Kryptonian. It is just not fair. "I also like to try new things, but yeah... I get it." Phoebe is happy wandering in the Gotham's most dangerous neighbourhoods during the weekend healing homeless people.

That is probably going to end up badly for her. But fighting super-criminals does not lead to a long life either. He is not one to talk about healthy lifestyles.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Well, I was going to go with Japanese Flower Arrangement, but that's way more my wheelhouse than yours." Phoebe puts a smile on. It's as real as any smile in Gotham at this moment.

    "... new things are always fun... admittedly not a whole lot of new things to do in Gotham right now... and besides... being here, more training, studying... doesn't leave... a whole lot of time for other hobbies."

Conner Kent has posed:
"That is always gonna be your choice," comments Conner. "Keep doing what you always do, or try something new. It is. Your choice." He stands up, paces around the table. "I am always trying, because hey, who knows if I can find happiness somewhere else. Someone else. Somewhere out there are new friends, the perfect girl for me, the sunniest shore. But if I don't try new things I will never know. Like... I want to get to know Hope better. Maybe she is the one. If she isn't, I will try again."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe watches Conner pace, almost amused at it. She returns, and sets another soda down ont he table for him -- on a coaster, of course. She's not a barbarian -- and she watches him pace a few moments more.

    "And have you given thought to what if she is 'the one'?"

Conner Kent has posed:
"Of course," Conner grins. "But I have no idea what we will do, that is going to be a new and exciting life, hmm?" And yes, there is a bit for running forwards there. He has done that all his (very short) life. "So I guess we are pretty different. But hey, we can still be friends, right?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... well, yeeeesss?" Phoebe states, her eyebrows rising up. "Who said we couldn't be friends?" she asks. "... you're part of the team. Not sure if you've noticed, but I spend an awful lot of time here making myself available to help you guys too. I mean, I might be on the Outside of the Outsiders...." she trails off, and rubs her arm. "... but I'd like to think I have your backs.,"

Conner Kent has posed:
"Because we are not going to agree much about important stuff?" Offers Conner. Although really, life choices are a private thing. And only important at an individual level. "Well, nevermind." He sips from the second soda and then heads out. "I am going to see if I can get some response from texts. And if not, get back to New York. I'll see you next weekend."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks a little taken aback, and she rubs the back of her neck. "All right, then. Take care, Conner." she calls out after him, and then just... sits at the table alone for a few moments, before going to head back down to the training area.