7948/It's Your Birthday

It's Your Birthday
Date of Scene:	23 September 2021
Location:	Luigi and Bros Italian Eatery - Gotham
Synopsis:	It's Barbara Gordon's birthday! Her father takes her out to dinner for the evening at her favorite restaurant. Good food and times are shared, a gift is given, and an attempted robbery is foiled! Just another Gotham Night. NOTE: For this scene, Harper Row is not ICly present. Jim Gordon was portrayed as an NPC by Harper Row's Player.
Cast of Characters:	Harper Row, Barbara Gordon
Cast of NPCs:	Jim Gordon
Tinyplot:	Gotham Days and Gotham Nights

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Harper Row has posed:
It's the evening of September Twenty-Third. Jim Gordon is standing in the customer waiting area at the front of Luigi and Bros Italian Eatery. He's waiting for something but his relaxed demeanor and lack of GCPD officers gives the impression that this isn't a crime scene or otherwise related to any sort of official investigation. Rather, he gives the impression that this is something he's accustomed to on this date more than any other.

Establishing Flashback: Earlier in the week Jim reached out to his daughter and asked her out to dinner at her favorite resturant. Naturally, as this is to obserrve her birthday, she agreed. Based on the time they discussed, his waiting in the present isn't because she's late... rather that he got there early, wanting to see her arrive just like he did at the moment of her birth twenty-nine years ago.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
    It's her birthday. All the people at the office gave her congratulations and gifts. It's a small operation with big dreams and she's been in the 30 under 30 list twice already because of it. Green technologies are the future and with Wayne Tech partnerships running pilot programs... well, her days have been as busy as her nights.

    Tonight the city does without Oracle. Well, not just the city - Oracle's interests extend to New York and Metropolis and Blood City and really anything on the Eastern seaboard.

    Still in business clothes, a peach skirt and matching jacket and a white blouse underneath. Black shoes with heels and her purse, she arrives and her relaxed demeanour meets her father with a kiss on his cheek. "Daddy," she says with utter affection and delight.

    "Luigi and Bros must count on our repeat business right?" She loops an arm in to his. Since 2017 she regained the ability to walk thanks to some state of the art medical technology.

    It was a struggle to relearn how to put one foot in front of the other, then to jog and run, to dance, and in secret, to move like Batgirl once more. "Come on, I'm starving."

Harper Row has posed:
The proud father smiles as his daughter appears at the door and this only broadens as she greets him with a kiss with he returns happily. He's come from work also, a trench coat is worn over his own suit of browns (but with a splash of color in the format of a subtle but still vibrant blue tie with aa pattern of red thread which, while new, matches the theme he always wears on Barbara's birthday: there's always something with that shade of red in his attire on this day of the year).

"I'm certain they do. When I called to make the reservation I was told 'Of course, Commissioner. Do you want your regular table?'" he explains as he takes her arm and leads her back. The resturant is occupied as if it is any other night but that one table is laid out already, no host guides the pair as they were expected and Luigi himself is standing by the table ready to introduce them to their waiter.

Even after four years, Jim is especially gentle as he adjusts the chair for Barbara. It could seem insulting from some people but it's quite obvious it comes from a place of concern and love, done almost without thinking. The gesture is one that he's done for years (other than those when she was wheelchair bound) and one that she'd likely have vague recolections him doing for her mother as well.

He removes the trenchcoat and lays it across the chair next to his before he sits down. "I took the initiative to order our usual, unless you'd like to mix it up and have something different prepared?" Jim says. Luigi and the waiter await the response.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
    "Luigi," Babs says with delight and gives the old Italian chef a hug. Settled in with the help of her father she smiles to the waiter and shakes her head to her dad, "Oh no it's fine. Us Gordon's are pretty predictable like that.." She looks slightly amused at her dad for a moment and then nestles her purse down between herself and the wall.

    With glasses at the table, she goes to pour out the wine but Luigi moves in quicker than she was willing to to grab the bottle and pour a glass for each of them. "Thanks Luigi," Babs says and then takes a sip of the wine. A small breath of relief escapes her lips.

    "So.. how was work today?" She asks Jim and in her mind she flashes past the numerous police call outs and arrests that flowed past on her computers in the privacy of her office. "Anything exciting happen?" Perhaps the jewellery store robbery and the high speed car chase down Jefferson SW.

Harper Row has posed:
"I would say it was uneventful but you know better than that," Jim replies with a smile. "Nothing extremely major beyond a car chase. Turned out to be some boys with asperations for hoodlumhood. I got one of my CIs to help out and put them in a cell with him so he could help me scare them straight. I think it'll take for at least one of them. More would be nice but we have to go for the small victories also, right?" he explains.

The waiter has headed to the kitchen to get the order started and after pouring drinks for the Gordons Luigi graciously accepts Jim's thanks and steps away to let the pair talk.

"How about you? Everything going well with your business still?" he asks before taking a sip of the wine.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
    She smiles and runs a finger to draw her red hair back behind her ear. "It's all the small victories that add up," Babs agrees. "Actually. I'm meeting with a start up company that is looking to revolutionize skyscraper air conditioning. It could completely remove air conditioning units from the power equation."

    She takes another sip of the wine and explains, "It's a big specialised nano-material structure on top of the skyscraper that during the night will freeze water. Then during the day the ice evaporates and cools the building structure. The evaporated water goes back up in to the tank - hot air rises after all, where it then cools and freezes again over night. A completely closed loop."

    She sounds as enthused by it as she actually is. Her green technologies company isn't just a cover - she takes it as seriously as her vigilante work. Every little bit helps Gotham escape its cycle of self destruction. "Break bread dad, this wine is feeling lonely."

Harper Row has posed:
Jim Gordon smiles again, something that his underlings might be surprised to see from the normally gruff Police Commissioner, as he replies, "You get a glow about you when you discuss your work. I'm glad that you've found something that excites you again." He doesn't say 'and is safer' but it's clearly implied while remaining totally obscured from anyone not in the know of Barbara's history.

"Yes ma'am," he replies to the 'order' about the bread. After getting some for himself and putting a slice on Barbara's bread plate he reaches into a pocket of his coat and slides a wrapped cubical box a few inches on the side towards her. It would require an obtuse person to not conclude that this could contain a mug... and if not it could be concluded that whatever is in the box, the box likely originally contained one.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
    Bread joins her lips for a moment and then she sees a gift being presented. A mystery box. Babs gives him cute-eyes and says, "Dad you shouldn't have. I'm 29 years old you know I don't need gifts.." She reaches out and takes his hand, giving it a squeeze, "Thank you." Because who is going to say no to a gift?!

    "Is it a mug?" she lifts it to her ear and gives it a small shake, "That says Worlds Best Mom on it?" She grins a moment, dropping a huge hint to something she wants to talk to him about. Charlie Gage.

    Enough teasing herself, she reaches down to her waist and from her belt draws out a small inch long dagger and cuts open the box. Safety first. She might not be Batgirl any more but she sure as heck isn't going to be unarmed. And that tiny knife is the least of her carefully hidden surprises. Especially since it appears to be ceramic and thus wouldn't set off metal detectors.

Harper Row has posed:
Inside the box is a white mug. On both sides, flanking the handle, is a picture of two hands fist bumbing. Above the picture in red are the words "Father & Daughter" while below it the mug reads "True best friends for life". Inside the mug is a note stating "You are the recipient of the Internation Gormet Coffee of the Month Club. Go on line and redeme this gift using the following code" with a URL and the requisite code.



"I know it's not necessary, Barb, but thank you for humoring me on this," he says. There's no comment about the knife. Barbara's the quintessential policeman's daughter and the blade length is legal of course. A slightly raised eyebrow at the composition of the blade but, knowing her history, it makes sense to him.

"I wanted to get you something you'd find use and enjoyment from while also having it remind you of me everytime you saw it." He may not always seem to be the sentimental type but where his daughter is involved he makes no attempt to hide this from the world.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
    Babs slaps a hand over her mouth as it drops open and she lets out a small confused noise of sighing appreciation and chuckle of delight. It's a noise he's heard plenty of times before and perhaps was hoping to hear again tonight. "It's perfect."

    She grins and takes out the note, "What's this. A bonus gift?" She unfolds it and reads over it, raising an eyebrow and then smiling at her dad, "Now that.. is very thoughtful." Which also means she'll need to vet the company before she can accept the gift - but he doesn't need to know that.

    The blade goes away and she reaches out and squeezes his hand again. "You spoil me, you know that right?" Because it's always been the two of them against the world.

    Even though they argued intensely when he first found out she was Batgirl.. words were said, but forgiveness was given on both sides. They are both willing to do what it takes to make Gotham a safer place. She'd have to be braindead not not to respect and love his policeman side.

    And, well, she was Batgirl. A force to be reckoned with when Batman and Robin were the big names in the city. She paved her own way and earned her place in the hearts of the citizens.

    "Dad, I love it. Thank you so much." She smiles and tucks the note away in to her purse for safe keeping. The cup she inspects and then offers her fist to her dad, "Don't leave me hanging.."

Harper Row has posed:
"Like I'd ever," Jim responds as he returns the first bump. It may seem a bit awkward to an outside observer with him being in his sixties and this being such a modern thing, but this is his baby girl and there's a sense that there's nothing he wouldn't do for her in the gesture.

Knowing his daughter, Jim did some research into the coffee club company. They are known to source their product carefully, avoiding farms that don't make a strong effort to be humanitarian and green but there's always the depth of research Oracle can give it that he'll be unaware of. It will be clear that he made the effort at least.

Before they know it their appitizer is delivered to their table by the waiter who advises them that their main course will be coming out as well in a short while.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
    Appertizers - Aubergine Parmigiana with Napoli sauce, fresh mozzarella and parmesan. She moves a on to her plate and takes another sip of the wine. "Oh the smells. Why do I not come here every night," she opines knowing full well just how much extra exercise all these calories would require.

    Babs catches the sight of the guy in her wine glass as she lifts it up. A man unsure he wants to go through with it - but needs to anyway. She's seen that look a hundred times before, Jim many times more.

    "Everybody be.. cool... ahh shit this is a robbery!" The man in the mask says with a gun in his hand and a bag in the other. Clearly he didn't intend to accidentally quote Pulp Fiction but he did anyway.

    Barbara's expression sours immediately. An extra unintended birthday gift. How fast can she handle this without her dad noticing? Her hand dips into her purse and she taps on her phone blindly. To the Birds of Prey app, since it's her special flavour of crime fighting.. and the lights go out.

Harper Row has posed:
He's off duty but also a career policeman so of course Jim Gordon is still armed. Before the lights go out he is descretely reaching for the .38 Special he carries as a backup weapon when on duty and that Barbara knows he has on him anytime he's out of the house.

Then the lights go out and he softly says, "Barbara," in a concerned tone that won't carry past the table. While it is nothing more than her name, the way he says it carries a number of implied questions and statements: "Are any of your 'friends' here?" "Do you know what's going on?" "Be careful."

"Be careful," is naturally the strongest part of the implication in the way Jim says his daughter's name.

The gun remains held in his hand, but he doesn't move to aim it because shots in the dark are an /excellent/ way to harm innocents. He just has to hope this desparate idiot takes that into consideration also as he reaches for his phone with his other hand: he has dispatch on speed dial naturally.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
    Her phone splits itself in two and ejects two folded up bat-a-rangs in to her hand. Her fathers single spoken word speaks volumes to her but... this is and always has been her job. She's a lot faster than most people she faces - with the rare exception of trained killers.

    From the buckle of her bag she draws out a small metal rod and tosses it behind her. It heats up rapidly and with a flash lights up the room. No bang, but the flash is more than enough. The would be robber is covering his eyes, as are most of the guests.

    Babs rises up out of her seat and throws the first bat-a-rang at the gun, the second at the roof. They're linked by a line and as the first wraps about the gun, the second yanks the gun up in to the air and out of his grip. The gun fires in to the ceiling harmlessly and he finds himself unarmed.

    Babs slides back in to her seat; the lights flicker back on and she clears her throat. "Yes Daddy?," she asks playing the innocent card, even as a locke of red curly hair falls down over her face and she tucks it back behind her ear..

    Certainly, bat-a-rang's have been found at plenty of crime scenes. But Jim is a fine detective and no obvious capes are around at the moment. The guy is looking around in confusion and then jumps trying to grab his gun from the ceiling but it's out of reach for him. "You'd better cuff him before he realises he should be running dad..."

Harper Row has posed:
Momentarily blinded by the flash-nonbang, Jim has gotten his phone in his hand by the time Barbara's speaking. With an underhand toss to the owner of the restaurant (after pressing the quick dial for dispatch of course), The Commissioner says, "When they answer tell them what happened, that I'm here apprehending a perpetrator and need a detective and unis here ASAP, Luigi," in that easy commanding tone that only comes from years of experience.

His hand freed from holding the phone, Gordon covers the confused and now unarmed criminal with his pistol while retrieving a pair of cuffs from his pants' back pocket. Once he has the perp's first wrist in the cuff he switches on the gun's safety and slides it into his pocket as he completes cuffing the young man and proceeds to read him his rights after identifying himself as an officer of the law to all present.

Naturally, off to the side, the restaurateur is talking to dispatch and relaying the information as he was told to, sounding only a little bit shakey as he does so.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
    Deja vu. She's not sixteen years old running around beating up criminals trying to get Batman's attention any more. But the same kind of white lies he knows all too well. Without a doubt, that was her doing. May be she just has the gear left over from her time all those years ago. Either way, she's in fine fighting form once more it seems.

    The flash bang and her speed hid her action completely. With food in her mouth and wine to her lips she is acting non chalante about the whole ordeal as the restaurant patrons are in whispered conversations with each other. Several people are clapping for the commissioners brave and quick actions.

    By the time uniformed officers are on the scene, so too are their mains. She's certainly going to do her best to dodge any pointed questions about 'what just happened'.. it could have been anyone in a mask, cape, or cowl after all. It was definitely one of the bats though, they're the only ones who use bat-a-rangs.

Harper Row has posed:
Once the dectives and offers are on the scene, Gordon gives them a quick rundown of what he observed (descretely omitting any thoughts of Barbara's involvement, simply letting the bat-a-rangs speak for themselves). His request to let his daughter come in the next day do give her statement is accepted immediately (who's going to say no to the boss on his daughter's birthday after all) allowing the Gordon's to return to their meal and pretend that the distrubance didn't happen.

The meal is enjoyed. There's no talk about police or vigilantee work though it. Proud father that he is, Jim encourages Barbara to discuss projects at her work as much as she is willing and actively explores information he doesn't understand enough to show he truly cares about her interests and activities.

Towards the end of the meal, before desert arrives, Jim drops a brief, "Anytime you want to discuss anything else you are doing let me know, I'll make the time," into the conversation.

After desert, as the evening has progressed into early night Barbara calls on a car in which the pair go to Jim's home. Another brief visit where they talk about little things that family always end up discussing is wrapped up with hugs and cheek kisses. Jim says, "Happy Birthday" to Barb again before they officially good bye/night and she departs to go home (or maybe the clocktower?) herself.