3990/Cleanin' House

Cleanin' House
Date of Scene:	31 October 2020
Location:	Sunny Rose Antiques <Closed>
Synopsis:	The Bat trio of Batman, Spoiler and smol Robin visit Harley when she is doing clean-up chez April's store. The hyenas are disappointed about no caramel chew though apparently Harley is somewhat different from the past. Is it for real though?
Cast of Characters:	Harley Quinn, Stephanie Brown, Bruce Wayne, Damian Wayne

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Harley Quinn has posed:
Harley has been on a bit of a rampage where it comes to crazyness as of late. Crazy parties with mages, dimensional trips (or just being too high, she isn't sure), being inducted back into the Suicide squad (much to her dismay) and more ... And a clownette needs her resting time too! So she is taking advantage of a lull on all the crazy to actually help out at April's place.

The Sunny Rose Antiques has been closed for a long time now but recently it's become a project to renew it. Mostly April's. But Harley is chiming in and helping where she can. And tonight she decided to put her hands into getting this all ready for consumption, cleaning some of the divisions. Basically being as mundane as mundane can be. No french maid outfit though! (Because she couldn't find one), instead she dressed in plain old overalls, large goggles on her eyes and a rag about her mouth. Almost like a thug? A thug in search for dirt that is.

"Alright, boys! Time ta get this goin'" She says to her two hyenas who sniff about and helpfully lounge about like the lazy bastards that they are. As for her, she whistles on to "Living on a Prayer" as it's going out on a radio she has nearby. It's quite loud though so she will certainly be receiving Ms. Pippins complaining about the sound again. PFffttt.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
There had been zombies in New York City last night. Some demonic DJ who had used music to cause the dead to crawl out of the ground of the area graveyards, number in the thousands. Orphan and been in New York, for reasons no one knew, and had contacted Robin and Spoiler who had come up to help her, not knowing what they were in for.

After the event, Spoiler had caught her breath while some of New York's finest had helped with the cleanup in the area. As she had, she'd caught a bit of conversation.

"Yeah, Harley Quinn," one of the cops had said to another. "You know, Joe, guy from the 75th precinct, the one that shows up to my poker games sometimes? Yeah, said she seems to be living there now. Seen her going in and out of this antique store at Beaumont and 5th. Thing is, haven't heard of any trouble from her, he said. Still, I figure it's just a matter of time. That's one thing we don't need, Gotham exporting their crazy up here."

Spoiler had let out a double-length sigh. One, that Harley is about New York. Two, that even the New York cops have no idea who Spoiler is to not be talking about Gotham like that in front of her.

But she also passed on word of the Harley sighting to Batman and the rest of the team."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
It's hard to say if Gotham City is really any safer -- or saner -- with Harley Quinn's recent absence. It's still Gotham and while the Dark Knight and his many allies may have devoted themselves to making it a better place sometimes it's difficult to tell if they have truly had any success. Regardles, the crusade remains the same. It's hard to imagine any of them walking away, regardless of the circumstances.

For his part, Batman has been rather silent on the matter of Harley. It's doubtful that he objects to her absence. It is also doubtful that he hasn't made any effort to keep tabs on her. He keeps tabs on his friends and allies, of course he is going to do his utmost to keep tabs on a loose cannon that has caused countless difficulties in the past. It's part of his charm. Though plenty of people -- allies and enemies both -- might have a more appropriate description for it.

Either way, upon receiving word from Spoiler the Dark Knight made the fairly short trip to New York. He dislikes leaving /his/ city. Particularly at this particular time of year. Particularly with recent troubles. But sometimes an ouch of prevention is worth a hundred pounds of the alternative. So here he is, the leads, the sightings all pointing to one place. He perches on the rooftop of the building opposite to the almost cheery looking antique shop, peering through a pair of electronic binoculars. "The heyenas," he says lowly. "She's there alright," he notes flatly, rising from his crouch and glancing towards his companion. "Lets go."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian hadn't heard about the planning on dropping in on Harley until it was almost too late.

  He had taken Goliath to approach the antiques shop, the bat dragon keeping to the sky as Robin dropped in on the roof of the shop. His light touchdown was gentle, hoping to intercept the other two bats as they make their ingress. "She has helped the Titans during our...trying times." He warns, a softness coming from the normally aggressive and violent teenager.

Harley Quinn has posed:
It's getting to the high point of the music now, and of course that the hyenas howl in to accompany the music. Which is a rather scary, disjointed sound. But they are on the days of Halloween. Everything is weird!

"I sweah... It's like someone died in heah!" Windows open that give an ample view of the clownette from that perch on the nearby building. She coughs out, dusting her hands off a little. "Man, I should get some serious cleanin' detergent goin' to wipe all this away. Did ya know it doesn't leave a spot o' evidence behind?" Whatever is she talking about?!

But then she is back inside and working, the sound of furniture being pushed here and there, abit more coughing mingled with singing..

If anything she does seem happy enough now. But it's hard to tell considering what used to make her happy in the past.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown looks up, spotting Damian coming in on the flying creature. "Maybe she found some good medication," Spoiler murmurs into her comms. "Seems almost too good to be true though if she's turned over another leaf. Not to mention how long will it last until a certain clown shows back up in her life?" she says. Her tone suggests she's having a hard time buying a change of heart.

Spoiler follows Batman's lead, checking the streets which are empty this time of night, before dropping down to dart across to the corner of the antique store. There's a vent that could be used for entry from the looks of it, though she's not sure that Batman doesn't have a more direct entrance in mind.

"Property belongs to an April O'Neil. A reporter, inherited it from her parents," she shares over comms. YEs she's done her homework apparently.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"We're not here for a fight," comes the Dark Knight's quiet reply. Which is nice to say of course, but fights do tend to break out when they're around. Which is not to say that it is their fault. Most criminals are not the brightest lot and a surprisingly large number of them don't seem to be able to learn from experience either.

Like the others, he drops from his perch, the decel jumpline slowing his rapid descent at the last moment so that he can land in a crouch, rising slowly. His masked gaze does dart about the street, sweeping it for any obvious dangers, and tell tale security that might alert their target to their impending arrival. He gives the faintest of nods towards Spoiler as she offers her update, his impassive visage giving no clues to whether or not it was something he already knew or not.

He puts a great value on information. But he doesn't always share so well, at least not unless he feels it's necessary. Besides, the process is important, something he has embedded in all his protegees. Being able to find information on their own -- and more importantly, make use of it -- is core to all that they do.

Rather then circling the shop, going for a back entrance or trying to slip through a second floor window, Batman simply steps up to the front door, dealing with the lock swiftly if needed before simply pushing it open as if they were customers. One's that either can't see, or don't care about the closed sign.

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian at least respects Bruce's approach, the least Damian owed Harley was a bit of courtesy considering she had helped the Titans.

  Robin knew Harley trained the hyenas well, at least enough that they would alert her to people coming in. Damian made his way in the same as Batman did, covering most noises he made as they went further. <<I did not believe it either, but she did.>> He comments on subvocals. For now, he would let the others take point, and be there to smooth anything over.

Harley Quinn has posed:
When the door is worked on and opened up the hyenas snatch up to attention, snarling and growling. It's right at the end of the song too so Harley just peers at them.. "Woah, no need to be so upset at the song endin'. Theah's moouh Bon Jovi ta come!" she tells her little babies. But that's when she notes the door is open and she shouts out. "Ms. Pippins it wasn't that loud!" she is beginning to make her way over to the door until she notes the sillouette of the dark knight along with his proteges. Well ...

She stops, frozen on her tracks and the broom she was holding clattering down to the ground. She is silent for a time, almost as if her voice had been robbed of her until EVENTUALLY she says. "Uh, we awhe closed..." it's a bit lame. Good impression she is making!

She lifts the large goggles she had on her head up, lowering her mask too. She swallows, perhaps a bit scared. Are they here to take her back?

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Spoiler waits out of sight, watching the roof and windows for any signs of activity while Batman gets the lock on the door. No pianos being pushed off the roof. Or maybe Harley would go for a gigantic weight with 10,000 lbs painted on it in big letters?

But no such traps await, just the hyenas and the woman herself. Spoiler waits for Bruce to enter before slipping in through the door behind him. Her hands are near to her utility belt but she doesn't pull anything out for the moment. After a quick look at Harley, Spoiler moves to where she can keep an eye on the hyenas, guarding Batman's flank so he can focus on the woman herself.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
See? Even when they don't just suddenly manifest out of the shadows or drop in behind people seemingly out of nowhere -- and disappear just as fast -- they can still manage to make an unexpected entrance. It probably helps that Gotham's Dark Knight almost never seems to use a door if there is any other means of entering a room. But every once in awhile he doesn't mind mixing it up. It keeps people on their toes.

He's certainly not the most reassuring of guests -- but then welcome visitors don't usually pick a door's lock and just let themselves in. Nor are very many people likely to ever use the word 'reassuring' to describe Batman's sudden appearance in their midst. Still, he also doesn't bull rush her and tackle her to the ground, so that says something too.

"Harley," he offers up quietly, apparently as pleasant a greeting as he's likely capable of. "Interesting life you're carving out for yourself here," he says, gaze flickering over those hyenas and around the rest of the shop. He keeps his distance, just barely inside the door -- though whether it is to give him time and room to react or to try and put her a little at ease is more difficult to say.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian's face had softened, he had felt wrong about this. Which in of itself was a little miracle. Who would have thought he was capable of feeling like that?

  Then Batman's comment had him wondering how exactly he was going to play this. But then again, there were hyenas to say hello to. Which is exactly where he was going, slowly, he approached stopping some feet away from them to allow them to get closer if they wanted. Of course, if they did come close, he'd give a pet or two.

  "I told them you helped the Titans, Quinn." He offered, truth in his voice. "While we wait to see if our friends come back."

Harley Quinn has posed:
Poison gas, Spoiler! That has the most guaranteed effects, according to Mistah J.. But she is out of that life right now! No more thinking about ways to kill Bats, or people or .... Harley continues to follow the trio as they walk in, still fully still. Maybe if she is still for a while they will go by. She saw that on a documentary, those that hunt by motion.. And Bats are blind right?!

"Hello." She then finally says, taking in a breath and then puffing out her chest. "Look, if this is cos o' me gettin' a Batman costume foh this Halloween I can explain..." which really, she had even tried it out with April already. April would of course be Robin. Old-school Robin with the shorty-shorts.

"And oh, theah's Shorty. Heya.." She waves at Damian with a little smile, "I will let ya know yoh Titans friends awhe abit weihd, but not bad. Any news on Vorps?" she asks, eyes then going to Steph. "Spoilah, been a bit too. Huh, so do ya guys wanna sit somewheah?" lots of crates to sit on! "I am helpin' Apes in cleanin' this space up.." She explains.

As for the hyenas, they sniff on suspiciously but do not move in to attack. At least not until their mistress says so. Not that they approach for pettings either. They are ferocious hyenas. Raaaa!

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Spoiler doesn't say anything, just keeps a wary eye open. Though as Harley addresses her by name, the purple-clad girl gives a nod of her head in Harley's direction. The greeting doesn't make Spoiler relax though. She's still not used to going up against the A-listers in Gotham very much, and so she's not likely to let her guard down until she's back home in Gotham, in her bed, with a mug of hot cocoa in hand.

And even then, not until she's checked each of the marshmallows for poison gas capsules.

She glances about the store, noting without needing to think about it things like exits and security. Things that the girl who started putting on a cape years ago would never have probably not thought to check on, let alone done it as second nature. The tutelage of Batgirl definitely rubbing off.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
If his intent is to haul Harley back to Gotham and a waiting cell in Arkham he is certainly going about it in a strange way. Which suggests that maybe that is not what he is here for.

The Dark Knight is genuinely trying to be a little more... family friendly then he has sometimes been in the past. Less cutting people off, less playing everything so close to the vest. Fewer efforts to discourage everyone but his chosen few from trying to make a difference in his city. It is still a work in progress. To put it mildly. Maybe it always will be. But there is an effort. That doesn't mean however that he shares everything. And more often then not, if he's not explaining chances are he's trying to make a point -- or teach a lesson.

"It's not about the costume Harley," he says, that voice still a low, gravelly growl. Even when he's not issuing threats, there's really nothing about him that seems designed to reassure. "I wanted to see things for myself," he offers up flatly, still unmoving, still frozen in place by the door. That cape drapes around him like a sheath though. "Consider this a courtesy call. You seem to be staying on the straight and narrow."

Or at least whatever version of that one could expect from the infamous Harley Quinn. Sometimes things are relative. The Dark Knight can work with shades of grey when he needs to.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian shrugged. "So is Vorpal." He added, before he watched the hyenas. Crouching down to get to their level. "They will be back...sometime." That's really all he had in terms of the other Titans.

  Then Batman says his part, which gets him to turn around and a little surprised. "Well..." He was honestly at a loss for words. "There you go."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Vorps ain't weihd. What ya talkin' about?" Harley gives Damian a strange look, shaking her head at him. He is just a normal Cheshire cat! But Harley's attention quickly returns to the Dark Knight, biting on her lower lip, considering the words.. She is .., surprised to say the least. She didn't really expect it. Almost as if he cared! Awww! Her baby blue eyes soften a bit and she finds herself relaxing just a tiny bit, because there's never any true relaxation near the Bats after all their time fighting one another. But it's a start at least.

"Well, wouldn't really go and say I am really straight.., because ya know .., but.., thanks.." she rubs at the back of her head with a dusty hand. "I am tryin' ta make my own name, away from you know who. I have found some people who really care for me and so .., not really wanna disappoint them." she blurts out.

"Think we still got pizza upstairs. Pineapple free." She says in ways of offer. She can play the hostess too. She probably has some marshmallows for Steph too!

The hyenas start to tentatively move forward, one of them sniffing out at Damian's hand since he got down to their level. As for the other, it circles around, nearing Spoiler and sniffing at her. Where's the food, human?!

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Spoiler considers getting out the special caramel chew she'd brought in case Harley had the hyenas. Wondering if she made it enticing enough they couldn't resist, and if it would gum up their teeth and mouths for as long as she was hoping.

Well. That will have to wait for another day for a live action test. Or hopefully, never need to be. Spoiler's blue eyes watch the hyena warily as it comes over to her, but she extends a hand down, letting the animal sniff it more easily but not making a move towards him yet other than that, watching to see how the hyena reacts.

Her eyes dart back and forth between the animal and Harley. It seems a little much for Stephanie to believe the woman has gone straight. Or, less bent? But she doesn't question it if she has quiet doubts.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Does Batman actually believe that Harley Quinn has forsaken her crazed, criminal ways? That seems like... a stretch. But it would hardly be the first time that he has given a former foe the benefit of the doubt. For all the fear tactics, for all that he can be a brutal adversary, for all his lack of a trusting nature, at his heart the Dark Knight believes in redemption. Right? Because if not what is the point of locking up the mad in demented in an Asylum that apparently has a revolving door? What's the point in taking to the streets of a city to deal with the dregs of humanity?

Of course that doesn't mean that he's gullible either. Trust but verify. And besides, it never hurts to give someone a subtle reminder that he's watching, right? Always watching.

"I can't stay," he says lowly. Which shouldn't be a surprise. There are bad guys to catch, a city to patrol. And he has to get back to Gotham sooner rather then later.

Or maybe he secretly likes pineapple on his pizza. No doubt she could do wonders evaluating his mind if that little nugget happens to be true.

He does not however speak for Spoiler or Robin, though neither one looks entirely comfortable with the hyenas taking such an interest in them. Even if it is a whole lot less bitey then is normally the case when they have these little get togethers.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     "They're all weird." He comments, before he turns to pay attention to the hyena, the hand is allowed to be sniffed, and Damian definitely couldn't get enough of their ears. Hyenas were cool, Dangit!

  Robin took something out of his belt, it was a small piece of jerky, nothing extravagantly spiced, it was mostly something he used to distract guard dogs. He put the nugget on the ground, allowing the hyena to take it when it wanted. "I need to get back to the tower." He added, standing up, and approaching Harley. "From what I understand, they should be back soon."

Harley Quinn has posed:
Caramel? The hyena with Spoiler seems specially interested! Perhaps it has sniffed it out on one of her belt pockets! It's tongue lols out and there's an hyena-like grin on it's expression. As for the offering of jerky? The other hyena snaps into it, picking it up into it's mouth. Of course that it then starts into a contest between the two hyenas, with each starting to pull on one end of the jerky. "BUD.. LOU YA ALREADY HAD DINNAH! YA SPOILED SONS O' A GUN!" Harley then suddenly says in a strident manner. The two hyenas calm down and hunker down to a corner..

Harley then clears her throat. "Ahem.., anyway. Thanks foh .., checkin' in? And not takin' me back ta Arkham.." she murmurs, looking between the trio. "If ya need anythin'.., ya know wheah ta find me. I live heah." she leans over to pick up her broom again.

"And ok.., take care guys." She offers a little wave in farewell. Truly, she still looks somewhat intimidated with it all, even if she does perk up a little in the end at Damian. "Let me know when they do. I wanna go theah."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown watches the hyenas tussle over the treat, her eyes finally going back to Harley. There's confusion there to be read in the blue eyes, on whether to believe this is for real or not. It's so easy for the daughter who grew up without a father because of his criminal ways to pigeonhole someone like Harley and never let them out of that space.

She clears her throat. "Thank you for the offer of the pizza. And for help Robin's friends," she says, though doesn't seem like she's planning to accept the offer. She moves towards the front door then, moving to slip back out into the night, the experience still striking her as surreal.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Maybe he will explain the method behind the madness later. Perhaps he will give the pair a couple of days to ruminate on the matter and come to their own conclusions.

Did the Dark Knight receive some sort of insight from this particular trip? Some confirmation that Harley is no longer a threat -- or that she is? It seems difficult to fathom. And there aren't exactly a ton of absolutes in this line of business as is. Either way, he seems to have gotten whatever it is that he came here for at the very least.

Turning without any further word, not even a thanks for the offer -- apparently good manners are not part of the Dark Knight's suite of tools -- he steps back out the door and into the night. Does he sneak a quick peek at the young duo that accompany him? Is he more interested in their reaction then in Harley's? Whether he is or not, he simply pulls a grapnel from his pouch, aimming it heavenward as a titanium tong launches itself, accompanied only by the soft hiss of releasing compressed air and the faint flutter of the trailing line.

Then, in a blink of an eye her is out of sight of the shop, ascending back towards the rooftops of New York.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     "I will." Damian gave a small smile before he made for the exit. He was surprised to say the least, that this ended up so easily.

  Robin closed the door behind him, and spotted Goliath waiting in an alley, good boy.

  Those large leathery wings get going and he's off back to Metropolis. Things seemed to be going right tonight. Maybe he's growing soft.