7545/Kane family reunion

Kane family reunion
Date of Scene:	25 August 2021
Location:	Penthouse
Synopsis:	Bette comes to the penthouse where Kate has returned home. They discuss the future and hope.
Cast of Characters:	Kate Kane, Bette Kane

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Kate Kane has posed:
It's been a while since Kate had libations in the middle of the day, but as the song says It's five o clock somewhere. Sitting on the couch in the living room of the pent house, she has a class of her fathers expensive scotch resting on her thigh. It occationally rattles with a little turn of her wrist, shaking the ice around inside before taking a small sip.

It's dark for the hour.

Likely more to do with the blackout curtains she's got closed across the big windows over looking Gotham proper to keep the last rays of afternoon out of her face. Counting down the minutes until she can suit up and head out to work. Beside her, a cellphone rests face-down with a number of missed calls. Business stuff she's not interested in dealing with... and a conversation with her father that she's avoiding.

why weren't you at the funeral, it looks bad that you didn't make it, Kate. One of his political friends here in Gotham had died a few days prior, the funeral was yesterday, and Kate had missed it... nominally anyways. She was there, she just didn't bother to make her way up to the procession to be paraded around.

Those things never end well anyways.

Bette Kane has posed:
Bette Kane is in the building, of course she did attend said funeral in her service dress uniform. When she comes up in the elevator she looks abnormally drained in her red and gold tennis outfit. She had been rather busy really between things. And of course, while Kate had been out of town, Flamebird had watched over the gear. Nothing touched, well, except Kate's tracker would have told her Bette barrowed the bike one night. The rout taken straight to the Batcave, and a roundabout way back. That was likely the worst of the choices. The bike had however only to show for it an extra coat of wax.

As she spots Kate she gives a wave, grabs a glass and walks over, "How was the trip Kate?" Her voice having to try at her usually natural tireless cheerfulness. "Things have been pretty tame for Gotham." Though that is a huge qualifier.

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate's been back for a week now, keeping her head down, avoiding being seen in public. Batwoman on the other hand... She was visibly seen helping put down a riot at Arkham, including saving a guard from Jenna Duffy... The Carpenter of the Mad Hatter Wonderland Gang.

When the doors open she glances over her shoulder and raises her glass to her cousin, "It was fine. Lack luster, had to get out of the city for a few days. Clear my head." Unspoken you know how it is, but she's not sure she does. The two couldn't be more different.

The remnants of her drink is drained in a single swallow and set aside.

Compared to the cheerfulness, Kate sounds like a grouch ready to club a child just for looking at her... which isn't necessarily true, but when put against that tirelessness? It's hard not to sound like you'll hurt someone.

Bette Kane has posed:
Well, Bette knows how a lot of things are, she had been Kate's biggest supporter, looked up to her cousin through it all. It came closest to getting her trouble. But, for Bette, doing her own thing was always more challenging. After the West Point mess. She had thought about not going herself. But family pressure was heavier on Bette. Save for coming close but failing every record Kate had set. Yes, she was everything for the family and the army they expected Kate to be, and Bette knew of no person she admired more than the red head.

"Oh, naturally." Bette filled the glass up with Scotch, rather than that traditional half way or less. She winced a little as she sat back on the end of the sofa. "Well, umm, maybe if you are feeling better, after the Open.. We could, possibly try a little more training. And.. I hate to ask this really silly minor thing.. But, do you think you have an extra or old grapple-gun?"

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate's fingers slide back through her hair and shakes it, really just enjoying the feeling of her nails against her scalp. It's not difficult to see where the questions are going and even harder not to grin, then smirk, when it finally gets there. "Sure." She says to both, leaning forward to rest her arms across her bent knees.

"Could have used you a few nights ago in Arkham. All the crazies tried to break loos at once. God damn nightmare." It really wasn't as bad as she makes it sound, though it definitely would have been good to have the assistance. Even if most of the bat-clan had been present.

"I noticed you went by the cave, did you run into any of the boys?"

Bette Kane has posed:
r Draining down the rocks glass to the two thirds level when the bike is mentioned, Bette blushes and coughs. Worst drinker in the family. "I ah, yes, Dick and Tim, and Bruce and Stephanie. Sorry about that.. It is just, embarrassing to have to, walk into the cave. But, not a scratch. I promise. You were still out of town. They say if you don't drive a vehicle, you know it is bad for it." The blonde looks down at the amber liquid, with her tolerance, she will certainly be buzzing after the glass is drained.

A look over and she actually makes eye contact. "I don't know, I am getting a little nervous about all of it recently. I.. I box, you went off and learned so much more. Boxing is just so little, against one person, in the range of my size, great, even two maybe.. But, for street fighting, it is the worst style for multiple opponents."

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate cants her head at the apologies, "Why? It's like putting a kitten in a room full of catnip-" She says with a grin, "It's only a matter of time before they start scratching at the wall. I didn't do it expressly for the purpose of seeing what you'd do, but it's good to know that you've got drive. Drive is important. Drive will get you through a rough patch. Determination is the key to all of this. It's why I went out and learned, it's why I figured ways to funnel money into making it all possible."

With that said, she pushes up. A hand on each knee.

"Boxing is a good base. It teaches you breathing, cardio is everything in a fight... most of the time there's more of them than you, so you have to be able to fight longer. It's chess, not checkers."

She's not pulling out the punch mits or anything, but every moment is a teachable one. "You know body mechanics as a boxer.. you know creating angles and foot work. We'll build on that, show you how to capitalize in more aggressive ways to the angles you're making with foot work you've already got."

Bette Kane has posed:
It could not be fear of her opponents, Bette was about as fearless of anything as they came. Anything that is, but failure and disappointing others. She just nods, absorbs it all. There is a brief sigh. "It is, and I have become quite proficient, won my weight class at college." And if there is a feather weight class, Bette surely belonged in a dust bunny class. Bette never says West Point by name in Kate's presence.

Another too hard sip. "I really need something that is more about disarms, silent take-down. I .. I almost got overwhelmed the other night. If Huntress hadn't showed up."

Then there is a head shake, the smile pushes the worry from her face. Well, hides it from all but those closest to her. "Where did you go? Meet anybody exciting?"

Kate Kane has posed:
"A man who can't breath can't point a gun." Kate points out with a cant of her head, "You chop someone in the throat hard enough or kick him in the nuts with enough force... There's no pistol in current circulation that will remedy that kind of pain." There's more to it, of course. It's an over simplified version of truth, but also nothing Bette doesn't know from combat training.

A lot of what Kate utilizes is modified Army training anyways.

The later question has her sucking in a breath and shrugs, "Some." exciting people. "Tibet most recently." Monks often study a form of kung-fu unique to them. Non-lethal. Useful in Gotham. "I met Power Girl. But that was here."

Bette Kane has posed:
A few more timely nods, and Bette accepts the words. "That works sometimes. I think my magic number is three though. Disable one at range, and maybe take the other two. This was a dozen." She offers, "But, that is for another time. I would really appreciate it, Kate." And being as she is, Bette shifts the topic back off her self to stay with Kate's Always trying to cheer her cousin up.

The grin restores. "So, Power Girl.. Come on, tell me more. Is she really as," Bette makes the curvy motion hour glass figure in the air with her hands, and manages not to spill the booze. "Super. Did you get her number or whatever?"

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate is on the way to the liqour cabinet when Bette, not surprisingly, turns the conversation back on her. There's the ghost of a grin on her face while pouring more into her glass, replacing the half melted ice with another cube. "She's something, yeah." Super. That's a word. Not even needing to see her cousins pantomime to know exactly what it is she was talking about.

"No, I didn't. I asked though..." Which is probably more surprising. Kate is pretty bad about that, for obvious reasons of course. "She said she doesn't have a phone, but I could just shout and she'd hear me." After a hard sip, she laughs and rolls her eyes. "What's worse is I'm pretty sure she means it... and that should bother me more than it does."

Bette Kane has posed:
"What surprises me as your voice really doesn't sound all that hoarse. You know, experimenting for Science and all." Bette says with a tease, and it takes two tries with the last of her Scotch to get it down, now that she is less tense. "I am proud of you though, Kate." Bette comments. It is Bette talking, and since she finally outgrew her obsession with Dick there has been no dates but those arranged for her to family publicity events. Every one of those a one time for the camera and done thing.

"Oh.. You don't have to, I know you are busy, but I got you some tickets for the Open. In fact I got two.. Maybe, you have a need now."

Kate Kane has posed:
"Oh shut up." Kate says it good natured, draining her glass in another gulping swallow. Far more use to the bitter burn than Bette is, she sets the empty glass away and rolls her eyes. "I'll ask her if she wants to go, but I doubt it. Wouldn't look right for Power Girl to show up to some public function with me." It'd look great for Kate's public image though, right?

"What about /you/... who are /you/ having come and watch? Eh? Don't make me play match maker, Bets, you know I will and you know I will royally fuck it up."

Bette Kane has posed:
"I have plenty of fans, some even propose sometimes. Lots of suitors really," A cover of Sport Magazine swimsuit issue tends to make those. Bette hates the ones 'the family' tries to fix her up with. That is where she has drawn one of her few lines. Kate is family, not 'The family' though. "No time for anything else, really. I am not even sure what I want. If I go out, I always have to look my best for the army and 'the family.' I'll worry about that later? Maybe one day when I can enjoy it, and not worry about being judged for having fun." Yes, even to Bette that sounded pathetic.

She watches Kate move around a bit. "I know.. I just. Obligation and fun don't always get to be compatible."

Kate Kane has posed:
"You're telling me." Kate may have served at the END of don't ask, don't tell, but she still felt it pretty keenly. She crosses back over to the couch and drops down into it with a huff, "Don't worry, we'll find you some hunk to shack up with. I got this, cousin Kate is on the case." This is all said teasingly, of course. She can barely manage her own weird uncompromising lovelife, the fuck she know about dealing with someone elses?

"For now, let's get you in fighting shape." For vigilantism, of course, "And ready for that US Open. Can't have Dad and Uncle being disappointed." That might have seemed like a jab at her, but it wasn't. It was, if anything, a jab at them.

Bette Kane has posed:
Bette smiles at the mention of finding her someone, but it was that softer smile of gratitude, one that meant she was at a deeper level of thought. A final up turn of her glass to let the sticky last sink to her tongue, then she is up. "Maybe, if.. you, know. That is even the thing I am looking for." She states, but she heads to drop off the glass, and start the coffee pot in the set of getting to water, grinding the beans.

It might have been aimed at them, but it was absolutely true that the blonde did not want them to be disappointed, or anybody else.

"Thank you Kate.. I always feel like I am the worst out there. And I worry so much about it. Someone getting hurt because I cannot cut it when they are counting on me."

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate watches Bette move in the reflection from the television, eyes having adjusted to the darkness by now. She bobs her head in a clipped nod, smile twitching into a line across her face, "For the time being, I want you focusing on smaller cases. Don't go out there looking for The Riddler or trying to bring down the Penguin, alright? Those guys play by a whole other set of rules." She'd bitten off a lot more than she could chew when she started too.

Someone who knew her way too well.

It almost cost her her life.

"You'll get there though, I promise. We'll start working on your training now that I'm back. Get you ready for the big leagues in no time."

Bette Kane has posed:

     "Nothing to worry about there Kate, I hate riddles." Bette said as she worked at the final steps and waited by the maker to steal an early cup from it. "First tennis though." She comments, starting to get her cup, no sugar, just a little milk to make it less hot. "Then fight training. See, no time left for dating.. Or even deciding about who it would be."

Kate Kane has posed:
"Clever girl." Kate says, immitating a line from Jurassic Park. She once more pushes up to her feet when her watch beeps and nods to Bette, "I'll be down in the cave getting suited up. A couple things I've got to look into before Gotham loses it's mind later. You going to be on comms in case shit goes sideways?"

Bette Kane has posed:
Bette finally gets that cup, "Always." Like anybody would ever call out 'Save me, Flamebird,' but hope springs eternal. Not that she wants someone to be that desperate, but that they might be generous enough to call her when it was lighter work.