5856/Magic in Gotham!

Magic in Gotham!
Date of Scene:	05 April 2021
Location:	Robinson Park - Miagani Island
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	Billy Batson, Phoebe Beacon

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Billy Batson has posed:
When you're in Gotham,trying to get a chance to take pictures of the local crime fighting crew, where better than to go than a well lit, well maintained, well to do park.

Billy may have not chosen the most dangerous of locales, but it is certainly an excellent view from the parapet of the small castle he has managed to sneak and scuttle through to stand and look out upon all of the Jersey skyline here on the... it's islands would we call it an Archipelago? Maybe.

Gotham.

The young man has his phone out, slowly panning, "Gotham City, ladies and gentlemen. I'm William J. Batson and we're on Knightwatch again, hoping to see glimpses of Caped Crusaders or one of the multitudes said to be found out here." not facing his camera to himself, just yet, "Sorry to say Freddy isn't here with me today, but he's likely not to be the one grounded when this goes online!" chuckling to himself, B-Roll, likely not to make it. But then agaaain.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    There's more than one caped crusader in Gotham.

    ... well. Some of them don't wear capes.

    ... or do much crusading.

    ... or are in costume all the time. But the young woman walking by in the evening watches with curiosity as Billy -- who had gotten up onto the parapet of the castle -- and apparently speaking to a camera. The young woman glances up, and calls out:

    "Make sure when you post it you tag the Gotham Tourism Authority! Otherwise they might block your video if you show the castle!" she calls up in warning.

    HEr hair was in bantu knots, her dark eyes behind a pair of glasses. She was wearing a white leather jacket against the chill of the evening and a pair of jeans.

Billy Batson has posed:
A slight jerk at the shout out as he turns, camera momentarily focused on the young woman below. Pausing and blinking while his brain and mouth try to put aside their normal differences. "Uhhh."

Good job.

Billy stares, for just another moment. Meanwhile negotiations have finally opened up, accord papers being drawn up as he pulls back the hood of the sweater under his jacket and a brief adjustment of the cuffs of his fingerless gloves (practical when trying to handle a phone... he wished he had his mittens on though for the chill.)

"Thanks!" There. Words. The peace treaty may be- "Your hair is really cool!"

Nope. Good job mouth, didn't check with brain first. Billy blinks again and realizes his phone is right on her still, lowering it and pressing pause. "Uhrhm... I mean thanks! I'm Billy!"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Thanks! Takes forever to get them up like this!" the girl calls back. "Phoebe. I used to do the Gotham Hope Blog." she calls back. She gives a big smile.

    "How'd you get up there? I thought they closed the gate after four?" she asks from the path side.

Billy Batson has posed:
"Uhhhhh." blink. Blink. Don't say you flew... "I'm pretty good at getting into places if I need!" raising a hand, "One moment!" and then comes the mad rush to figure out how to get down the stairs, opening a barrier locked from the inside... and through one of the glassless windows on the ground floor that results in Phoebe getting sight of a flailing tumble matched too a,

"WHAAAH!" thud.

Hopping up a little too forefully while pulling his slouchy back on and walking to where Phoebe is, "I'm still working on a name, my brother and I have gone through about three, but I think I'm gonna go with Super Focused." tugging a leaf out of his hair, "I remember reading the Gotham Hope, why'd you stop?" blink, "And I'm sorry if the hair comment was creepy. Mouth just going, but I meant it!" too enthusiastic?

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe watches as Billy disappears -- reappears -- disappears again -- and then tumbles out of a window. She makes a surprised face, and jogs over to where he took a tumble, looking to try and help him back up before realizing he's got it under control. So she tucks her hands into her jacket pockets.

    Billy may notice, depending on how the magic plays against him, that she's just got this warm and comfortable feeling about her. A bit like having a blanket wrapped around you.

    She holds up her hands when he starts protesting that his comment was creepy.

    "No, no, it's cool! Complimenting a girl's hair by calling it cool is a good opener 'cause it's something she has control over!" Phoebe replies with a smile, looking to Billy. "So you're doing a vlog about superheroes in the area? You should include Commissioner Gordon. Pretty sure 'runs on coffee and cigarettes' is his superpower."

Billy Batson has posed:
"I mean I've been doing it anywhere I can get to!" blinking at the sensations that are not quite hitting him, that's the wrong word. But there is a lot to learn about the functions of his present reality. He blinks again, then once more and there is the very sudden realization that he is staring.

"I guess it'd be more like a podcast with accompanying video? But I guess Vlog is a good term for it too, yeah." blink, messengers from brain to mouth running in special commentary switches, "OH! Opener! I... wasn't... I mean - not that you aren't like... but." lips a line, "I'm probably overthinking this. Why'd you stop the Gotham Hope?" Billy shoves his hands into his pockets, turning off his phone.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... you know, it's also a good opener for being friendly with someone rather than a flirt." she gives a smile to Billy gently, her hands still firmly in her pockets. "And yeah, you're over-thinking it, just a little. Take a breath, Billy." she replies with a little laugh.

    "Well. There's... not a lot of hope in Gotham. And there was stuff going on. House burned down. Had to couch surf with my dog."

Billy Batson has posed:
Blinking at that, his earlier concerns of coming off as an unintentional creep isn't going to be a concern. But there is one thing that ceases to be smothered out when she mentions what has happened to her. "Hey... Don't give up on that. There's always hope, Phoebe." no line, no disconnect between teen brain and thoughtless mouth.

"Are you doin' ok right now? Is your family ok?" Rosa and Victor wouldn't be upset, "If you need a place to stay, I'm sure my foster parents can help, we've got extra bedrooms, so real beds and no couches?" genuine concern there, no pity, no scheming. An adulterated wish to help.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "What -- well, yeah. My mom got third degree burns, but she was moved from Gotham General to a hospital up North where she's recoverin'. One of those super kids -- Impulse -- he raced into the fire while Wonder Girl rescued my dog from the top floor."

    And she gives a small smile.

    "You're a nice guy, but right now I'm crashing with some friends, it's all good. Thank you though." she states.

    "... foster family, huh? Are they looking at adopting you yet? I remember my adoption day, but my mom and dad were only my fosters for three years, and I was too young to remember anything else.

Billy Batson has posed:
"I think it works out tax-wise or something if we remain fosters... I forget, but with our oldest sister having moved out there's five kids - but Rosa and Victor always have their eyes out to take in more who need homes. They're really good people. Don't need ink and paper to call them mom and dad, you know?" one corner of his mouth a little higher at that part.

"But I..." blink "Oh uh." drawing out a notepad and pen to jot down numbers, "There" tearing free and holding it out, "Call or text if you need some help, for real." said to a near complete stranger. "Sorry again if I'm bein' weird. I've been homeless, it sucks. So I thought I'd offer and all. Sorry." Billy chuckles a bit, nervous once again.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... you definitely aren't from Gotham." Phoebe gives a wry smile, but accepts the number, looking it over a moment before she folds it, and tucks it into a pocket of her jacket.

    "My mom's recovering. THere's a townhouse she's going to be moving to once things settle down, but thank you. I'm pretty sure my friends would be a bit sad if I left. They're really attached to my dog." she jokes.

    "And yeah... being homeless is tough, but I'm very fortunate that I've got a good group of friends who are helping me out." she gives a grin.

    "You're... not being weird, Billy." she states. "You seem like you just wanna help everyone."

Billy Batson has posed:
Hand up to adjust how his hat sits, Billy shrugs embarrassed some, "We're up in Happy Harbor, from Phily where they had our first house when I came to the Vasquezs. Definitely not from Gotham." eyes on the ground for a moment, "But I've been reading about Gotham, since I got to the east coast. City seems like it needs hope." looking up again, at last Billy looks to Phoebe,

"If you lost all your equipment in the fire..." an idea striking him not unlike the lightning bolts that can change his form. "I'll see if I can get a crowdfund going. Hope for Gotham Hope." perking up some, "That's ok, right?" head canting to the side.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Oh, well, I don't have a lot of... you know, time." Phoebe states awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head as she breathes out, and gives a little bit of a smile. "You know, between school, part time work, catching up with missed classes..."

    Healing the Outsiders, protecting Gotham, trying not to cross the Bats or get shot...

    "Typical Gotham hoodrat stuff." she jokes. And then she brightens a moment, and she takes out a business card from a beat-up wallet with a bunch of brightly colored cartoon bears with tummy symbols on them.

    She takes out her own pen, and writes something on it, and then hands it over to Billy.

    It gives her phone number, her online handle (With @GothamHope crossed out, and @GothamBeacon scribbled over).

    "Tell you what. We could hang out some time, and I could show you some great views of Gotham that you might get the occasionally pass-by of one of the Bats." she gives a smile.

    "... or get picked off by a gang. You know, six of one, half dozen of the other."

Billy Batson has posed:
Taking the card with the look of the highschool kid who has likely never gotten a phone number even by accident before. "Yeah! That'd be great. I can pop over here a lot easier than you'd expect!" shut up... Billy. Pausing and chuckling nervously as he takes out a beat up wallet with various super hero sigil patches stuck to it, tucking the card away with a touch of care to keep it getting bent or scrunched.

"And I don't think we'd have to worry to much on the gangs... I mean you know the area and I'm good at knowing the bad parts in a bad town." hand coming up to scratch at the back of his neck, "And I couldn't think of a better tour-guide." pausing, was that... Blink. Go with it.

A bit of a shrug and another small roll of a laugh, "Well you know." a bit of color rising "But yeah, and the same - if you wanna come up by Happy Harbor... it lacks the big buildings, but it's quiet, which I bet might be a vacation." a tone coming from his pocket. "OH! Holy moly." holy moly... "Oh man! I've gotta run or I'm going to catch heck." the phone is out for a moment and checked as if to confirm. "I'll shoot a text soon! Okay?" the cell tucked away and mittens pulled out so he can warm his hands back up.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Sure thing. I know my way around Gotham pretty well, so I'll steer you out of trouble." she gives a bright smile to Billy -- and then he has get going -- IMMEDIATELY!

    She takes a couple of steps back. "SUre thing, shoot me a text next time you want to come to Gotham. I'll show you around." she states with a bright smile.
    "Last ferry leaves in about forty minutes -- head straight down this street and hang a left. That'll take you to the ferry stop. You'll be able to get to NYC and then catch the loop there."

Billy Batson has posed:
"Right! The Ferry." resisting the urge to look to the side, Billy fumbles and holds still, for just a little too long, "I'll definitely text next time I'm coming to Gotham, too. I wouldn't miss it!" bouncing on his feet and taking off at a run, putting on speed like he was expecting to miss out on the ferry despite the time and distance... A look thrown over his shoulder once before he disappears behind a dip in the trail.

Maybe a minute later, when one might be good and distant there's a crack of thunder in the air and a flash some ways off in the depths of the park... and a giggling man flies low to the ground until he is sure he can be lost in the Gotham skyline, a crimson streak into the sky and headed north.