6638/Meeting a Padawan

Meeting a Padawan
Date of Scene:	20 June 2021
Location:	Central Plaza - Happy Harbor High School
Synopsis:	Charlie comes to Happy Harbor to find answers. She finds a Padawan Jedi instead. Also this school is totes amazeballs.
Cast of Characters:	Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe, Madison Evans

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Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
So. Charlie probably should have just asked Robin what his message about Happy Harbor all that was about.

Not that Robin is the most expansive when it comes to explaining what he is doing. Where he is doing it. The whole bag of yarn.

That said no. She didn't ask. Well more than once.

Also the magic Teen Morgan also mentioned Happy Harbor was where she was where she was going to school.

While the school isn't as secretive as it once was, it is still a bit low key right.

Charlie meanders onto the quad in "Wonder if people are doing summer school.." on a Saturday afternoon. Her blue eyes scanning the campus curiously.

She does look to be a high schooler age wise, red hair tucked under a wonder woman hoodie now, jeans, stompy combat boots, the works.

"Gosh... I hope it isn't a school uniform sort of place like mine..." she should have looked that up on the internet.

Madison Evans has posed:
    Madison is currently seated in a corner of the quad - her back up against a wall, an honest to goodness paper book in her hands. She seems thoroughly engrossed in her reading - so engrossed she's utterly unaware of Charlie's arrival as she turns the pages slowly, and reaches blindly for reuseable water bottle at her side to take a drink. (Of course it's reuseable - her mother was an early adopter of such things.) The cover of the book shows two figures clashing glowing laser swords - one is red, and one is green. Because of course she's reading a Star Wars book...

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie could have also done better asking Morgan before she bailed questions too. But she was so running on adrenaline about how excited she was about the prospect of adventure.

She stuffs her hands in her hoodie pockets and looks around the quad again slowly, then spots Mads reading a book. Huh an actual paperback. Not a kindle. Not a phone. Wild.

She meanders over there "Hey." glances around acting nonchalant. "Starwars. Nice. So uh... do you know any students named Morgan?

May try that angle.

Better than asking if they teach magic here.

Though the bat computer did mention metahumans.

Madison Evans has posed:
    'Star Wars' seems to be the magic words - because Madison's gaze lifts as soon as Charlie says that, a broad smile immediately breaking her features. "Oh! Hi. Yeah, I love Star Wars. Umm-" She glances around, as if expecting 'Morgan' to appear out of nowhere, before looking back to Charlie again. "Actually, I just transfered to her - over the summer. My mom has me enrolled in some summer classes - to get to know some of the kids - and sent me on the school summer trip but- uhh... gosh, was there a Morgan?" She gets a thoughtful expression on her features, before giving a helpless shrug of her shoulders. "Are you looking for her? ... him? ... //them//?" I mean, maybe they're gender queer? You never know these days.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
"Pretty sure she is a her. I mean I didn't ask and she ...."

Thoughtful pause. "Well she wasn't the most chatty but she did say she went here." Charlie rubs the side of her jaw. "Was the school trip the one to Malta?" she looks very curious about that. "I heard that one didn't go exactly according to plan." she smiles her best disarming smile.

"To be fair she was a bit aggro, but we are goingto be going on a thing later..."

Madison Evans has posed:
    "...the trip was to Rome," Madison says in a quiet voice (she finally found her quiet voice!) - her gaze suddenly much more intent as she studies Charlie. "What- what did you hear about Malta? What do you mean it didn't go to plan?" she asks. Had it happened already? What about the boy? And the Headmistress? And Doctor Pym? And Bo and the other ants? What about the big red dude, and the man with the temper and Batman's little buddy?

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
"I... honestly am not entirely sure. One of my friends went after them though." not with them after them. "I mean... I am sure they are all fine. It was only a few days ago that he left..." she nods.

Crap.

"So you went on a class trip to Rome... Okay. I guess since I ran into Morgian a few days ago she wouldn't be on the current trip or this trip either."

There is a big sigh from Charlie. "I should have got more information from her... so how do you like Happy Harbor?"

Very odd kid.

Madison Evans has posed:
    "A few days ago, your friend went after them to Malta - because things went wrong? But you think things are okay?" Madison doesn't understand. Should she be worried? She feels like she should be worried. She sure hopes everyone alright...
    "Umm... I mean, Happy Harbor seems cool. I mean... well, here." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a phone. After a few moments, she hands it over to Carlie with a video loaded up. The video, when played, shows her sitting on top of the admin counter - with a //giant ant// beside her. And sitting on top of the ant? A tiny Doctor Henry Pym. Both Maddie and Doctor Pym speak into the camera, talking to Maddie's friends back home in California, before the video ends. "How cool is //that//? There are giant ants here! And my science experiment for the science show will be trying to calculate the bite strength of different sizes of ants. It's going to be epic!"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie considers "Yeah. I mean I am sure they are okay. My friend is very good at stuff. I am sure they are fine."

She sounds a bit sure, no where near one hundred percent sure though.

The offering up of the phone has her looking though and stepping even closer now. She watches the video and then ooohs. Her eyes getting way bigger now. "Okay that is so fricking cool. Like.. Dr. Pym.... I mean the ants... " she stops and looks around here. "Holy crackers... is he a teacher here. Why the heck did no one ever tell me ..."

She stops. "I am going to a dumb school ..."

Madison Evans has posed:
    "I think he's one of the science teachers," Madison confirms, a broad smile on her features. "And he's real nice. I mean, honestly, I feel like all schools are dumb compared to this one, now. I was mad at my mom for moving us across the country, but... well. It's kinda hard to be mad, now, with what she's seen of the school so far.
    "...maybe your parents can have you transfered in?" she suggests in a cheery voice, beaming at Charlie. "I mean- well. I don't... really have many friends yet, being so new, and I could- umm... Well. I'm sure there's room for another student, is what I'm saying."
    No. It's not what she's saying.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie turns nimbly and plops down by the other girl and leans against the wall.

"I mean. Maybe. Not sure if it would be okay. The ant though. Very compelling."

She grins and looks around. "So. I'm Charlie. Who are you?" sidelong look. "And what are you hoping to learn at Happy Harbor... I mean... ants and Avengers instructors. I wonder if there are special classes for the meta kids."

Madison Evans has posed:
    "The ants give rides, too," Madison adds - pulling up a second video where she was filming one giant ant carrying a bag from the local bakery - before the camera pivots towards the sky as she's lifted up and carried off by a different giant ant she'd never seen coming. There's a lot of squealing, and shaky cam, and a terrible photography of the ant that was carrying her...
    "I'm Madison," she adds. "And... umm... well. Normal high school stuff, I guess," she remarks. "...and maybe how to be a Jedi," she slides in, before adding quickly, "But I'm really not sure if they have classes for, you know, the metas. And learning how to- you know."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie's mouth falls open at the second film with the ant carrying the bag and then carrying Madison there. "Jeepers..." who talks like that. Yeah she is gaping though wide eyed.

"Holy cow I mean... uh... dang..." she leans back with a thud against the wall they are leaning on.

"Wait. What." she blinks and looks at Madison. "Learning to be a Jedi.. and it seems disappointing if it is just normal high school. Though I imagine the other students are at least interesting..."

Madison Evans has posed:
    "I mean - normal high school science projects to involve giant ants," Madison points out. "It's not going to be a //normal// High School. I just don't think 'super power training' fits in on, like, High School credit rubric, you know, for graduating, and getting into colleges and stuff." She gives a shrug of her shoulders, and shifts a little uneasily, not quite sure what to say about the Jedi thing.
    Even though she brought it up herself.
    "...do you have powers? I mean- gosh, I don't even know if it's rude to ask that. Maybe it is. I don't mean to be rude, you know, it's just sometimes- well..."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
"I do."

Very mysterious Charlie.

Which is the effect she was going for really.

She grins sidelong. "Okay if it is like... high school curiculum but with giant ants and Avengers teachers.. I am so totes in. I mean gosh." she just shakes her head.

"I'm still not entirely sold on the whole college thing to be honest. Also I don't really need like... super power training or super hero training or anything." she looks towards the main building staring at it now.

"Is your power like jedi stuff or something else then?" rudeness fair play.

Madison Evans has posed:
    "My mom wants me to go to college. But super heroes don't need college, do they?" Madison asks. She glances aside at the other girl then forward again before deciding - why the hell not?
    "The Force is my ally, and a powerful ally it is," she confirms - lifting her hand. It takes only a moment's concentration for the waterbottle to float into her hand. And then - for the cap to pop open on its own so she can take a drink and let out a satisfied, 'ahhhh.'
    "I mean. I know size isn't supposed to matter, and I'm supposed to be able to affect minds and stuff but- well. It's not like I have a Yoda to train me. I've been figuring out all this stuff on my own, and it's confusing, and hard."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
"I mean I keep trying to make the case that superheros don't really need college. They keep telling me about all the superheros with college degrees though." she sounds pretty resigned to those lectures.

"She watches the whole levitating water bottle and cocks her head a little bit as it floats in front of Mads and then opens and she drinks from it. "Okay that is pretty rad. You can do bigger stuff like .. X-wing from the swamp sized stuff?"

There is a pause though.

"Well. I mean. I think Yoda isn't ...real probably. I am sure there have to be opportunities to practice and train though right?"

Madison Evans has posed:
    "Parents can be the worst," Madison commiserates. I mean, //who else// would be telling Charlie that sort of thing?
    "I should be able to - but I can't yet," she complains in an annoyed voice. "And - well. Who knows? Maybe he //is// real out there, somewhere, you know? Aliens are real - right? I mean- I met one! He's a student here! Maybe Yoda visited George Lucas in the 70s and gave him the idea. And that's how he knew the Force was real and everything." She sighs before adding, "I try to train. But it's tricky. It's just me trying to figure out how it works, and not letting my mom know, because she's worried I'm gonna get myself hurt or something."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie has a flash of sadness at the whole comment about parents can be the worst.

She buries it though at the continued talk about superpowers. "I mean... that is true. Aliens are very real. I had no idea any were students and I haven't actually met any. But I mean the Kryptonians.. aliens. Martian Manhunter is like from Mars or something. Alien." she manages to stop herself from rattling off all the alien heros.

"Also all those alien invasions. Very real."

"Well. I mean. If I had stopped training and superheroing when people told me I should stop. ... well... uh... I would have stopped... to be honest not sure where I Was going with that."

She grins though. "I didn't let anyone make me stop though, I just kept doing it."

Madison Evans has posed:
    "Aren't you scared, though?" Madison asks, looking towards Charlie. "I mean... The most I've done so far is get a parrot out of a tree." No, not a cat. A parrot. She studies the girl next to her before asking curiously, "What kind of stuff have you done? Like - saved lives an everything? I know I'm supposed to be able to do stuff like that - Jedi always seem so powerful - but I think I'm still just a padawan, so... I don't know."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
Charlie nods "Okay that makes sense, padawan. I mean you definitely need to train and figure out all your powers and how they work before you put yourself in the line of danger. Because it is totes dangerous right."

It is.

To the other question. "Scared. I mean not really. Helping people is the right thing to do and I'm pretty good at it... not to humble brag. I've stopped so many muggings and carjackings. Also some real villains... Felix Faust.. he is a super bad wizard guy. Oh hey I have met an alien... that was the time Superman threw me into orbit. That was not as exciting as it sounds."

She thinks about it.

"I was pretty scared that time to be honest with you..."

Madison Evans has posed:
    "I'd be scared. Getting thrown into orbit would kill a Jedi," Madison points out - before rolling her eyes and adding, "Whatever the //sequels// might have you think." Of course she has to jab fun at it.
    "I ran into Spider-man you know. I mean, I didn't tell him I had powers or anything. But he said - he told me if you have power, you have an obligation to help others. So... so I want to do some good. But I'm not sure how. And I really don't want to get myself killed," she admits, rubbing one foot into the ground.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
"I mean spiderman is right." she grins. "I managed to get back to Metropolis before I left the atmosphere.. to be fair I wasn't in my body I had accidently swapped places with a demon. Superman wouldn't throw me into orbit on purpose."

"I want to meet Spiderman sometime." she muses.

"Well. I think we would need to figure out if you can do more than waterbottles Madison. Because that probably isn't enough. I mean if you can deflect bullets that would be solid."

Madison Evans has posed:
    "You- swapped with a demon?" Madison repeats in bafflement - before Charlie brings up the bullets. "I don't want to test that!" she says hastily, shaking her head desperately. "I mean- well. Maybe I could. If I had a lightsaber. But I don't have a lightsaber. I'd need a flawless crystal, and a ridiculously powerful energy source - but compact, you know? And the emitter, the focusing lens - it's pretty complicated stuff, and I don't know how to build things really, and- well. I guess we could start with rubber bullets?"

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
"I mean... I was thinking of starting you with like hacky sacks.. or maybe tennis balls." she nods though. "You have the right idea though... rubber bullets are definitely something you should practice deflecting before live fire drills... for sure. Clever."

She considers. "I mean... I am not sure you need a lightsaber to do it... you totally force levitated the water bottle. Why not just focus and push the bullets way the same way?"

Madison Evans has posed:
    "But... you never see the Jedi doing that in the movies," Madison remarks in a dubious tone. "...you think because of the laser blasts and all?" she asks. She's silent for a moment. There's no reason she can think of why a Jedi //shouldn't// be able to do what Charlie is suggesting.
    "Huh."
    "Well, I mean, I can also jump higher and further than most folks. And I'm stronger than most folks. And I can- you know how Luke 'trusts in the Force' and then makes that impossible shot into the Death Stars reactor? I can do that too."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
"Okay those are pretty solid force powers. I don't see why they couldn't deflect bullets or shield themselves. I imagine they use the lightsaber to deflect lasers because laser sword and all... not like there are a lot of glocks in star wars right."

There is another sideways grin though. "If you want I can come back and we can practice. I can show you some self defense too." she glances at the quad then cocks her head blinking "Oh.. uh yeah I can be there." it has the faint air of her not talking to you though.

A closer look might see a very subtle earbud tucked in her ear.

"So uh.. I need to bounce but maybe we can swap numbers?"

Madison Evans has posed:
    "I'm still trying to figure out what else I can do. None of the mind stuff seems to work, though..."
    Still. Madison waves her hand in Charlie's direction before intoning solemnly, "You want to go to Happy Harbor High School." She pauses a moment to see what effect it has - before pulling her phone out once more. "Okay. Charlie, right? What's your number."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
There is a good natured snicker. "Well I mean. I already think I did Madison." she notes.

The young woman offers up a number, to her hero phone one, that is Oracle'd. "It isn't trackable or anything... I mean I'm trusting you but wow the system that would catch anyone trying to trace that number." she rolls up to her feet. "Drop me a text though and we can get together and see what you can do. I mean as long as I don't have a patrol.."

She gives you this jaunty two fingers against her temple sort of salute. "Catch you later Mads."

There is this slash of pink and purple smoke and Charlie is gone.

Already back at Gotham and The Clocktower "Look... not late to dinner even. I was checking out a school I might want to go to.... noooo not colleges.. gosh.."