4551/Let's Define 'Technically Adopted'

Let's Define 'Technically Adopted'
Date of Scene:	30 December 2020
Location:	Historic Clocktower - Penthouse
Synopsis:	Kate and Charlie have a quick talk. Babs helps mediate.
Cast of Characters:	Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe, Kate Kane, Barbara Gordon

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Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Life has been twisted and turned upside down.

This definitely isn't suicide slums. It has taken a lot of adjusting to get use to the fact this has all been real. Not just the whole meeting her idols, crime fighting in Gotham, being trained by them. Oh no. The fact that Batgirl, one Barbara Gordon scooped her out of the burnt out tenament she was squating in where her family died and took her in. That is the real hardcore adjustment.

The hardest part past the whole realization that this is actually happening, is the fact there are rules and conditions. She has to go to school again, do her homework, and keep up with all the training if she is going to go out and patrol and keep all of the above happening.

Definitely worth the cost of admissions.

Right now she is in leggings and a comfy if bulky sweatshirt as she sits on the floor by the coffee table doing some catch up work so she can actually not drown when school starts up again after Christmas break.

Kate Kane has posed:
    There is a soft alert on the Babscomputer that someone is approaching, an identity that has unfettered access to the clocktower, even in situations like this: Where Barbara is away. The rooftop duct opens up, and its security measures deactivate, as barreling down its confines comes the red and black suited Batwoman.

    When she hits the ground, it's as calm a landing as can be, and for a moment her attention is on where Babs -should- be, sitting at the Oracle desk. "Babs, I figured I'd-" she pauses, realizing that Oracle isn't here, Charlie's presence isn't missed, and she turns that way.

    "Oh. It's you."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie perks up a bit and looks around then over to the computer. She squints a little bit at the setup then honestly she turns back to her homework. It isn't any of the red alert invasion in progress get the gear alerts after all.

When the red and black suited Batwoman barrels down into the facility through the secret roof access though she does glance up from the math homework once more. Watching alert.

"She had to duck out for something, not in uniform or anything though." yeah Charlie isn't entirely sure what Barbara is up to but seems safe enough to share that it wasn't a clandestine Batgirl thing.

Pausing a beat then blinking. "Oh hey.. we met, I was the one who bounced the server out of that one facility on the mission." a friendly smile.

Kate Kane has posed:
    Kate's expression is stony, and almost predetermined to annoyance rather than any sort of joviality. It's the same sort of trained casual scowl that a certain Wayne has, and it cuts to the core pretty quickly.

    "Yes. I figured." she regarded, noting Babs' lack of presence. The other woman has alerts set up for everyone arriving at the Tower, and Kate is no different. Even if she were asleep, she'd have been here- unless she was not at the clocktower at all.

    "And, yeah, I recognized you. You're the one that almost blew our cover and could have gotten several people shot." Oh, yeah. Right.

    "I'd heard Barbara was letting someone stay here. I figured it was you. I'm surprised she's letting you out into the field, but I guess that's not my decision."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie is pretty hard to cut to the core with scowls and all, especially from the Batclan. Harsh criticism could but the look. Well that is iconic. They are always scowling and oh so serious and she is so damn happy to be here. Almost to a fault.

The words though do get her a bit, the teen blinks and then tilts her head slightly confused. No one seems to have given her any negative feedback about that mission. They just leaned into training and trying to corral some discipline into the muppet.

"Oh, yeah she uhm invited me to stay on the condition I train and go back into school. It seemed like a good deal." a great one really, but Charlie is a little squeamish about explaining why it is a good deal. "I mean I usually go out buddied up with someone, training patrols right now or groups like that mission. Sometimes when she is running overwatch I solo.. but you're never really alone with her on comms and with the drones."

Yeah she missed the point about being allowed into the field at all yet really vs. with teamwork.

She is also still watching Batwoman closely. "So your not married to Batman just fighting the bad guys in theme. Did you pick the name or did he give it to you like the new Batgirl mantle passing?"

Kate Kane has posed:
    There are a number of things you just... Don't say. You know. For your own safety. Charlie was really, really doing great. Kate's scowl hadn't softened, but she wasn't heckling much anymore, and she might have even been edging towards good graces.

    "Training is good. It's what you damn well need. The problem is that when you're on a mission, you start as a liability. Even if you have overwatch, you should be following, not leading the charge. You don't -know- enough. I don't think you should even be out there with us until you've had more training." The statement isn't -angry-, it's just plaintive. She's -trying- not to just aggress the poor girl, because she knows that Charlie's trying.

    Then, Charlie made mention of being 'married' to Batman. -That- causes Kate's expression to sour further. "We don't know each other well enough to even -begin- to -think- of making remarks like that. -That's- your problem. How little you -think.-" she begins, laying into the young woman as if she was getting after an adult. "None of this is granted by nepotism, regardless of how your situation might feel. Everyone that's out there has earned their title, and earned the right to wear the bat."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Of course Charlie has no idea what she stepped on with that at all. She has no idea what landmines there are she is just sort of trying to find something to talk about that isn't the whole getting people shot thing.

Honestly that could be on her tombstone someday. Here is Charlie, she tried really hard.

"I know." she agrees about the whole not leading and following. "I'm trying to train and learn. I spent all day yesterday with Orphan working on sparring and the uneven bars. How to land without hurting myself. Been doing stuff like that every day, all day, over school break." she has too, she is trying very hard.

She glances down at the homework. "Sorry was just curious how it worked and I never meant to say that the mantle was passed down and not earned.... I mean I assumed Spoiler earned it and all, not related or anything. I mean she is blonde." a light shrug. "Not a red head like Barbara" she nips her lip. "Sorry I pried..." okay less chipper.

"But I don't expect any of it to be given... I didn't even get a belt until I could load and unload it eyes closed by memory after weeks of work... I know there needs to be a lot of time and effort... and I will do it. I have to help people.. and that means not getting anyone hurt doing it."

Kate Kane has posed:
    Landmines are exactly the sort of thing you don't see coming. Sadly, that's kind of the point- and it applies to conversations as well as the real world.

    Kate sighs. She's being hard on the girl, but there's a part of her that understands that Charlie's still a -kid.- She's not like Batman. She doesn't like people as young as Charlie being involved. It's just something she has to accept. Most of them started young. Batwoman started after she left West Point.

    "Listen. You have to focus on your homework. You have to -think.- Before you say -anything- you have to think. You're being trusted now with secrets that place peoples' lives at stake. You can ask us how this all works, but you can't just -assume- that whatever comments come to mind are good to go."

    Kate sighs, taking a few steps from where she'd landed. "Just... Try and take a back seat. I'm sure that you're really eager to help people, and do what you can, but you have to earn that. You have to work towards it. Harder than anything you've ever worked at before."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie looks up and watches, listening. The movement got her attention really but she wasn't ignoring the words either. It is true as well, she isn't the youngest to ever start down this road. She is a Junior in High School after all.

"I know. I'm doing my homework" she gestures. "But the talking thing.. I mean that is the hardest part though... filtering my thoughts. The training with Orphan is easier than keeping my mouth shut." which is ... saying something.. I mean the training with Orphan is brutal. "Hecks I am doing it right now...." just looks exhasperated at herself.

ADHD maybe. Head injury. Her stream of conciousness is chaotic. It could give Vorpal in full cat mode a run for the money really unfortunately.

"I.. do know though and I am working on it harder than anything I've done before. It is important." she makes eye contact. "I'm not going to fail the people who are counting on me again."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Out somewhere can be very nebulous.

Babs was actually out on getting groceries as it's exceptionally difficult to feed two high metabolism adult women (not to mention everyone who visits) without a constant and steady supply line of food items. Nevermind toiletries.

She really didn't have to physically go to the store of course, but allowed a rare opertunity for Babs to be wearing something other than Pajama pants:

Leg warmers, black Uggs, a thick sweater, a heavy coat, and ear muffs.

Her redhair is pulled back, she's doing the Loveshack walking down the sidewalk.. the song playing into her headphones. A perfectly radiant beam of light in the historical district of Gotham City.

Obviously her antics are drawing a lot of attention.

Kate Kane has posed:
    "Leading two lives is going to be harder even than it is right now." she states, "Even harder than the fighting, one slip, one clue, will lead someone -here-, to Barbara, and from Barbara to everyone else. It'll be the hardest thing you ever do. It'll ruin your life." she states, taking a step or two towards Charlie. "But in its place, you'll be able to do some good with the life you have, and the gifts you've been given. In time, -maybe-, you'll even have earned the costume you're wearing. Or something better, that can actually stop a bullet."

    "Working on it harder than anything you've ever done is a good start. A -start.-"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie considers Kate.. uh.. Batwoman and what she is saying. Pretty focused.

Luckily there is nothing shiny or noisy to distract her right now.

"Right." she thinks about that. I mean that Barbara could lead to everyone else. She hadn't thought of that and will need to later, unless she gets distracted and forgets to.

"I mean .. I wasn't living two lives until she brought me home and told me I had to go to school. I'd be fine living one life fighting bad guys really.. it is more important than the other stuff and I don't have anyone left that would miss me."

Well except for you all now.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Headed upstairs with the bag of groceries hanging from her shoulder by a hooked finger, Babs disengages the security with a tap of a button in the center of her phone. The Oracle Array makes a series of beeps to indicate the profile as Babs.

Entering, she glances around, sees both Kate and Charlie....

"Is this an intervention?"

Kate Kane has posed:
    Shaking her head, Kate responds swiftly. "It never stays that way. We're all human. We build connections. Make friends. Exist outside of the mask. If we don't, we tend to go crazy, but you can't let it stop you from understanding that every word could give you away. Even the uniform has to be perfect, or else someone will connect the dots. Easily."

    Her attention goes to Babs, who enters to Batwoman- not, explicitly, Kate Kane at the moment- practically dressing down a poor teenager for getting in over her head. "Yes. I'm making sure she understands that she's always going to be on thin ice. That she's dabbling in a world that's bigger than she could ever know, and that around every corner is more than a little danger, for more than just herself. Something she's just -now- coming to understand."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
To what Babs said. "Not for you." about the whole intervention business.

"I mean.. I know it is dangerous and I'm not a dabbler. I'm committed to this." she frowns just a bit then closes her mathbook, still sitting in front of the coffee table on the floor with her homework.

"I'll be careful and I am working hard. I get it."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Babs furrows her brow at Kates' explanation of what's going on and inclines her head thoughtfully at Charlie's reply. "Okay, hold on now..." Hands up patting at the air, "Let's not go throwing the kid under the bus, babe." The bag hooked on her finger is carried across the apartment towards the kitchen to put it all away. A delivery will be made with a great deal more sundries, but for now she's got the essentials:

Captain Crunch cerial and almond milk.

"I fully explained the difficulties and dangers of this life to her before I let her stay here. Besides, how old was I when I started? Fifteen, sixteen? Not to mention... the boys." She's not thrown out any names yet, careful not to reveal anything until the boys are ready to be revealed.

"This is why we train her, this is why we give her proper instruction and tutilage... is she going to mess up? Of course, that's the nature of this business we've chosen, but that's how you get experienced. Nobody, and I mean nobody, was good at this game right out the door.. Or should I show her a reel of YOUR first nights out? Eh?" Peeking backwards at Kate with a cocked eyebrow.

Oracle sees all.

Kate Kane has posed:
    The mask doesn't express it very well, but Kate's brows have already furrowed as soon as Barbara gets involved as anything other than support for her side. For Kate, it wasn't about working hard, it was about understanding that you were never working hard enough, and she is more than willing to explain that. "It's not about working hard, kid. It's about the fact that you'll never be working hard enough. One hundred and fifty percent isn't even enough."

    See?

    Her attention suddenly shifts to Babs. "It was different when you started. Back then, getting shot just meant it was -you-. When I started, if I was taken out, it was just some crazy girl dressed as a bat. But nowadays, we're all networked. We all know things. One domino falls and-" she sighs, "You might as well. I nearly died."

    Kate turns from Babs and folds her arms. "I'm not saying she has to be perfect right out of the gate. I'm saying that she's not ready yet, and she damn well might need much more work than any of us did when we started."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Okay so Charlie's eyes get a little big. I mean. She isn't entirely sure she wants to be in the middle of it. Then again it doesn't blow up like the Millers across the hall in her old home but .. whew.

She nods. "You sound like Orphan." about the whole hundred and fifty isn't even enough.

She tilts her head though at the last part Kate says. "uh.. I am pretty good at this for a noob. I mean I know I am no where near as good as any of you now but I am pretty sure I don't suck that much worse than when you all started out green either." in her own defense, not just backing down there. A bit indignant. "I mean.. we can't all be Orphan and I am pretty sure she didn't start out as wild as she is now either."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
"I'm not disagreeing with you." Babs clarifies to Kate, glancing over at Charlie with her head tilt to one side, "I'm just saying that we can teach her... We, you, me, and the birds, can train her to be better.. but I remember the hard love approach. It pushed me to defy and be counter to what Batman intended.. It definitely set me a part, but it was my own failures that defined Batgirl."

Hands up, she shrugs and glances between the pair.

"But that's just my approach and I value Batwoman's. I guess it just comes down to having multiple parents."

Kate Kane has posed:
    Kate sighs. "I know you're not." she offers, not necessarily conveying in anything other than tone that she and Babs are, well, as they are.

    "I just feel like she shouldn't be on the street yet. Maybe she won't be ready, at any time, but we can at least make sure that she doesn't charge into a hallway we haven't cleared, okay?" Kate seems to have given up that she's not in charge, but all the same.

    "We're... We're not her parents. Wait." The slits of the mask narrow, "Did you do any paperwork? You didn't, right?"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Oh.

It finally dawns on Charlie that Batwoman is upset that she teleported into the stairwell without letting someone else clear it first.

Okay that is a fair thing to be mad about, she just got so excited to be on the mission and... Oh. Well okay this all makes more sense finally.

"I'll wait for the all clear and listen for instructions better, promise." she offers. Having just not sluethed out why the whole lecture probably got started. Honestly she will never be the Master Detective that Bruce and Dick and the others are. Her skills are elsewhere.

The whole right turn into parents and paperwork though has her squinting at the old people. Cough. Older people.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
"No, I haven't done the paper yet." Babs assures Kate with a smirk, shaking her head slowly with a side glance at Charlie. "I wanted to involve her in the conversation before I moved forward with anything like that... Her and you." Glancing between the pair of them. "My decisions don't chain you to it." She says to Kate, canting her head to one side, "But.. it affects you. Indirectly."

Kate Kane has posed:
    Kate breathes a sigh of relief. She just nods, at that point. "Well, we'll have that conversation when it comes to it. On both sides." she states, arms certainly folded somewhat indignantly. Kate was not ready to be a parent, it seems. "But if this is the decision you're making, both of you, I'll support you." Noting that, She reaches up and pulls the mask off of her head, the long wig coming with it, and she hooks it under her arm.

    "Make no mistake, I'm not going to let up, even if you're learning your lessons."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie looks from one of the adults to the other adult and back again very slowly now. Papers. Okay they are definitely up to something. She has an inkling. But that is outrageously ridiculous so isn't really being considered.

The mask removal also derails everything. Charlie gets it is a super big deal after all. Eyes widening a bit as she watches Kate.

Her head tilts a little bit there as she studies her a bit longer now. "A wig... well it was so red... " then she shakes her head. "You look a bit familiar, but I know this is a big deal." about the uncowling, and she does too. Charlie just is about as far from Gotham social scene as one can be growing up as far as she is aware in the Metro slum. She is pretty aware of the Hero/Villain mythos of Gotham but not the Socialite strata.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Kate revealing herself /is/ a big deal.. Babs recognizes it just as Charlie does, but unlike her young counterpart, is touched by it.. A little grin plays across her face, hands linked behind her back as the wig comes off with the cowl, "There she is." Murmured kind of quietly, not in a comical fashion so much as an endearing one.

She takes a few steps towards the other vigilante and starts to reach up and touch her cheek, but stops short. Squeezing her upper arm instead. "I wouldn't ever expect you to let up. Not for one second."