8801/Birds of a -- wait a minute...

Birds of a -- wait a minute...
Date of Scene:	24 November 2021
Location:	Kingston - Miagani Island
Synopsis:	Balm and Impulse make acquaintence of one Austin Reese on a rooftop. A bit of discussion goes on (for instance, why it's a bad idea to sneak up on costumed vigilantes). Reese now has a number in case he needs the Calvary to show up in Gotham.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Bart Allen, Austin Reese

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    It felt good to be on patrol again. To be helping again. Just to be out in the air and working on her free-falls and diving again, shoulder-rolling on a rooftop as she makes her way across. She feels the way her lungs stretch, taking in the cold air of the Gotham night. She was trying to make it feel like Home again.

    Balm skids to a stop on a rooftop overlooking a sports field to catch her breath, drawing down to a lazy squat as she looked out over the city, domino feeding her information through its HUD, giving her a run down of police activity.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen is out and about. He is trying some of the jumps and rolls that Balm is doing and he gets a couple of them, but probably about half of them he is having to use his speed to recover from. He comes to a stop with her and looks to her, "You know making those jumps are much easier when I am going 100 miles per hour.

Austin Reese has posed:
You know rooftops are usually a good place to be alone. Except in Gotham City.

Being alone had been Austin's plan initially when he had snuck up the roofs, but he had caught sight of SOMEBODY jumping between rooftops. It wasn't anyone he had recognized...Technically they were outside of the Falcon Street turf but he was never one to let that stop him before.

He crept, as best he could in boots and a hoodie, to try to get close enough to hear what they were talking about. Maybe there's some sort of nefarious plot he can stop. It's not his first run in with costumed people, on either side of the hero/villain spectrum.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Balm gives a grin over to Impulse as she takes a breath on the edge of the building, and she gives a slight shrug. "Mine are from many, many years of getting knocked over by bigger kids." she comments playfully to the other Outsider.

    It would be easy to mistake her dark visage for one of Gotham's more notable superheroes -- the Bat Family. Minus she's just got a hood and no cape. She's crouched down on the side of the building, and then just casually sits, one leg over the side as she reviews the information coming over her HUD.

    "Nice to be back home."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen smiles over at her, and is there and then not there a moment later, and then back again. He moves to sit down beside Phoebe, and sets a drink down beside her and a bag is set between them. Steam is coming up from it, and Impulse pulls some roasted peanuts out of it "It is good to have ya back."

Austin Reese has posed:
Austin takes his phone out of his coat pocket, taking a couple of notes. One definitly has super speed. The other, he's not sure. Looks like might be one of the heroes he worked with on Halloween? But he hasn't really had enough run-ins with them to confirm that. He also doesn't want to startle them. Last thing he needs is to piss off somebody who can shoot lasers from their fingers or something.

Still he moves closer so he can make sure he can overhear them. Once he gets closer he does recognize the outfit Impulse is wearing from the stuff he saw on social media with Beast Boy's animals. Okay, so they are heroes. At least that makes him less concerned for his safety.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Hmm." Balm makes an agreeable sound. She does try her best to stay on the 'downlow'. And her missing-in-action status for the last five months probably doesn't help her recognition levels, but she gives a soft sound, closing her eyes, and raising her left hand a little bit, and then she brings her right hand across her stomach. She makes one of the signs that Robin has no doubt made everyone learn: Being watched.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen hmms a bit and nods over to Balm, and says "So, it seems quiet tonight at least." He munches a few peanuts and tosses the shells back over his shoulder. The place they end up might just be in the path someone would have to step to get to them.

Austin Reese has posed:
Austin doesn't notice the peanut shells. Why would he? Who would throw peanut shells on the ground? He takes a few steps to try to get a better look. How does one introduce yourself to a pair of costumed heroes on a rooftop when you're just some nobody from the streets anyway? THey'll probably think he's trying to mug them, he's worried.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Balm draws her right hand a little closer to her stomach. Three. Two. One.

    She hops to her feet and she turns, an extending staff showing in her hand as she strikes a precarious position, balancing on the edge of the rooftop as her eyes narrow behind the domino, her fingers curling.

    "Hello There." she greets their new company, her fingers curling as she tilts her head, her expression hid by the shadows cast about by the hood.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen is there and then he is not, he has stood up and is moved to stand behind the person once he finds them. He stands there all quiet and arms crossed across his chest, and hmms. He will subvocal "Who is this?" to Balm's com.

Austin Reese has posed:
Austin finds himself suddenly surrounded, there was no way for him to track Bart's motions. He makes eye contact with Balm, and raises his hands up, phone in one hand and nothing in the other. Then he says the only thing he can really think of in response to her.

"General Kenobi."

Meanwhile thinking 'Please get the reference and don't kick my ass.'

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <No idea. But if he wanted to try to hurt us, he would have tried already.> Balm replies on the subvocal as Austin tries to decide what to say.

    And when he responds with the best thing to come out of the prequels -- she snorts trying to keep back her laughter.

    She relaxes, bringing her staff around and leaning against it as she breathes out.

    "Take it easy, Impulse." she states gently, and looks back to Austin in curiosity.

    "Got a name, or am I just going to have to address you as Grievous?" she inquires.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks over and says "Ok, this is not the first jedi I have met this month." He says. He does zoom back into sight and moves to get his peanuts and munches some more of them "Yea, what she said." He says adding to Phoebe's question.

Austin Reese has posed:
"Uh. Name's Austin." He replies. Not that that would necessarily mean anything unless they knew about the whole thing with Tim and Oracle on Halloween that he got himself roped into, "Sorry was up here kinda..Just hanging out and I saw you two land. Figured I'd see what was up." He motions to Impulse, "I recognized you from those informational videos about animals."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Grievous was a Jedi hunter who took it as a personal failing that he couldn't use The Force, wasn't a Jedi. Can totally appreciate being compared to Kenobi, though." Balm gives a smile. HEr face is still hidden in shadow, but it comes through her voice. "I'm Balm. That's Impulse. We're... friends of the local vigilante group." she states, and her head tilts again. "So you saw a couple of costumed vigilantes hang out on a rooftop, and decided you'd sneak up on them?" she questions.

    Meanwhile, her messaging system sends a picture of Austin in for identification. She gets a message back, and seems to give a nod.

    "Red's confirmed him; he's a good one." she states to Impulse, and offers Austin a strawberry soda-pop.

    "What brings you up to the rooftops?"

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen nods and will hold out the bag of peanuts in a peace offering "Sneaking up on folks in Gotham, not the smartest thing, but I take it from this you've done this before." He looks over to Balm, and says "Kid Flash has a friend who is a jedi."

Austin Reese has posed:
"Well, I am protective of Gotham." Austin replies, "So I see folks sneaking around on rooftops, didn't know who they were at first...I at least want to check it out." He says, "Just in case. But you're a couple of the good ones so it's alright in the long run.." He muses for a second, "Besides I'm not totally helpless. I can hold my own in a fight...At least against normal folks."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Jedi... aren't a real thing..." Balm states to Impulse, and she gives a little shrug to the speedster before she looks back to Austin.

    "I'm the same way. I grew up in Gotham." the domino'd girl gives a smile. "It's Home. Nice to know we have some capable allies out there." she grins.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks to Balm, and says "Oh unlike Fairies, Gods, and Speedsters?" He asks her. He looks over to the new guy and says "So, you doing the whole vigilante thing here in Gotham?" He studies the other for a moment.

Austin Reese has posed:
"Uh. I mean.." Austin considers for a second, "I mean I guess...I did sort of yell at the Joker and the Scarecrow." Austin considers, "But that was mostly because I seem to have this tendency to act before I think.."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Let's not split hairs, considering we personally know fairies, gods, speedsters..." Balm murmurs to Impulse, and she gives a slight smile, and she looks to Austin, and loos him up and down.

    "Did someone give you 'the talk' already?" she questions to Austin as she sits back down on the ledge of the building. "Because leaping before you know what you're jumping into is bound to get you turned into something I can't recover you from."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen nods a bit and says "You need to be cautious running around Gotham can be dangerous more so than some of the other cities I hang out in. I mean, do you have abilities, your trying to learn to fight villains, or are you trying to be the normal guy who trains and helps people? I mean doing good, is a good thing, but trying to do it without knowing what your getting into can be dangerous."

Austin Reese has posed:
"The talk? No.." He says, "I mean, I guess no? I've honestly not been /trying/ to get into situations where i face off against super criminals or weird otherworldly horror movie monsters. It's just sort of been happening."

He looks back at Impulse, "I don't really have any powers or uh..Training? I've been on my own for a long time so surviving in the Narrows is the only training I have." Which isn't the worst kind of training, really.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "No, no, I spent time as a kid in the Narrows. That's pretty solid Hard Knocks." Balm admits, and she leans back, teetering on the edge.

    "I used to run around in a re-enforced wool jacket. Spent some time picking bullets out of my arms. I am not the best one to give the talk -- Red Robin is far more qualified. Nightwing, Batman. We're just the part-time help." she jokes. "One knight can change your life in the worst ways." she smiles, pulling her hood back a little more as she takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. She turns her gaze out and over the city, her lips ticking downward.

    "You going to keep running into danger?" she asks of Austin.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen frowns a bit to this and looks over at Ausin "Well that is dangerous and a lot more, you need to be more cautious, up here on roof tops, it looks like your looking for trouble." You need to think before you act." He stops and looks over to Balm and makes an face of shocked understanding.

Austin Reese has posed:
"I mean. If it keeps Gotham safe, yeah. Somebody has to do it and...Well to be honest the cops don't have the best track record." And he speaks from personal experience, "There's this biker gang that's been pushing meth in my part of town. I managed to break up a deal they were doing a while back." He says, "But that's you know, the kinda stuff I expect to run into."

He looks back at Bart, "Yeah admittedly I like to come up onto the roofs to clear my head. Especially on nights like tonight when it's cold but not cold enough to freeze you to death. But I can see how it would send the wrong signal."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Hypothermia is no joke." Balm confirms "Especially with the winds coming off the coast. Brr." she recounts, and she is very, very glad her armor is heated. Because she's spoiled.

    "Anything we can help with?" she inquires, eyebrows rising up behind the domino as she regards Austin with curiosity.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen nods and will run off for a moment and runs back handing a bag to Austin "Well this may help some." He offers. Inside the bag is thermal underwear. He hmmms a bit and says "Have you thought about working to become a cop and helping them be more effective?

Austin Reese has posed:
"Geeze. I would love to know how you do that." Austin says, as he takes the bag offered by Impulse, "You know my dad was a cop." He says, "Member of GCPD SWAT. I figured that's what I'd end up doing but I've kinda got a record now, I don't think cops take folks that have been to juvie. So I suppose I'm just looking to help out in my own way like my folks used to."

In response to Balm, he considers for a moment, "Well I know after I broke up their last deal they're planning on probably doing another one...I know where their clubhouse is but I don't know where they make the meth at."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "You wouldn't love to see our take-out bills." Balm counters playfully to Impulse, and she looks over to him. "If you were in Juvie, must have been something pretty bad if it wasn't wiped from the record."

    Says the girl with criminal trespassing on hers.

    "Well. Could always arrange a barfight. I know a guy." she considers a moment. "I mean how many can their possibly be in a single bar, twenty?" she might be joking.

    Might not be.

    "If you find out whre they're making it, what's the next step?"

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen nods, and says "We know some folks who maybe able to help with the bad guys and maybe the record as well. I mean there has to be some ways you can get it expunged or something unless ya killed someone or something.

Austin Reese has posed:
"Well, liquor store robbery. I got caught, wouldn't roll on the other guys and Dent got me convicted when he was just a prosecutor. You know, before he went all big shot." Still, it's not like he harbors any ill will towards the D.A. Austin DID do the crime after all, "Been doing my best to keep my nose clean...Ish." He replies, "And uh, honestly I didn't think that far ahead.." Which he realizes now is dumb, "I know I can't just blow it up, that stuff's dangerous."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Tends to blow itself up." Balm confirms quietly, and she tilts back. Dangerously close to falling off the edge. "I don't mind DA Dent. He's not so bad. Hates red tape with a passion." she recounts quietly, and she breathes out, then reaches up and appears to rub her left shoulder through the armor.

    "That -- might be one to pull bigger guns in on. For the neighborhood's sake." she adds, looking to Impulse.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen hmms and nods his head a bit to Phoebe, and frowns a bit at Austin's words. "Well, I dont know if you can make amends, get it sorted out, but I am sure if you put your mind to it there are plenty of ways to do good for those people here."

Austin Reese has posed:
"Yeah that's what I was thinking too...I don't exactly know how to call in the cavalry though. I figure I could call the cops with an anonymous tip or something. But I know they always tend to have like, rules where they have to check it out and stuff first." A pause, "Not that I don't think you guys have rules too. Maybe not ones written down or anything but you know, clearly you guys do the kinda work the cops can't."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    At the idea of doing the work the Cops can't, Balm takes a breath, and she rubs the back of her neck a moment, and gives a sort of nod in acknowledgement, so then she brings up her right hand, and snaps her fingers -- gloved as they are -- near her ear, and magically (no doubt through some sleight of hand) produces a Nine of Hearts playing card, which she then brings down and taps against her left hand, and it has just a phone number written on it, in incredibly neat handwriting.

    "Here." she states, handing it to Austin.

    "Number for the calvary -- or, at least, a medic who has numbers for a lot of other people."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen lets Phoebe call the shots on this one. He does make a few mental notes to look up Austin and what he did in the future. He may have to try to find a way to help the guy or make sure he aint getting into more trouble who knows.

Austin Reese has posed:
He's never been great at tracking sleight of hand, but shen she pulls out the card and then puts the phone number on it before handing it to him, he takes it and takes a moment to look over it, "Well thanks." He slips it into his hoodie pocket for the moment. He also at that time realizes that he still has the earbud Red Robin left for him that Oracle had added him to the local comms for. He'll have to remember to bring that if he does end up calling Balm for help, "I do appreciate the concern. Trust me, if there's one thing I have learned it's not to half ass stuff. So if I'm gonna do this, I'm all in."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Good." Balm gives a smile, and she motions her head to his pocket.

    "That's my number, don't lose it. I've only got the one." she jokes, and she takes a small breath, looking back over to Bart, and then back to Austin. "So. When you're not hanging out on rooftops trying to sneak up vigilantes?" she inquires, slipping her hands behind her back.

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen will offer Balm some more peanuts and finds himself a place to have a seat and listen for now. "Having a life outside of the hero thing is important to do."

Austin Reese has posed:
"Oh well I tend to hang out in the bodega near where I live and pet the cat. It's not much but it's honest work." Austin replies, though the look on his face shows it's very clearly only partially a joke, "I mostly do odd jobs for folks in the neighborhood. It's the Narrows, somebody always needs help and a lot of folks can't get out of there."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    There might be an eyeroll behind Balm's domino about having a life outside the hero thing. She doesn't have much of one outside the hero thing.

    "Well. I know a couple of people in the area, I can see if anyone's got need of a hand around a place." she offers. "Two sets of eyes looking are better than one." she offers with a little bit of a grin, and then she straightens a moment, and she turns.

    "Gunshots." she states, and she looks to Bart. "We should probably see if any assistance is needed. Four blocks over, two up."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen will looks over to Phoebe start to say something and then at the gunshots, he will nod to her words "See ya Austin, get warm and keep your head down." With that he moves to scoop up Phoebe, and is off down the side of the building and heading towards the gunfire. The bag of peanuts and another soda is left on the rooftop for austin.

Austin Reese has posed:
Austin soon finds himself alone on the roof. Which admittedly is what he had been seeking in the first place. Still, he had an interesting encounter and a couple of potential allies for stopping those bikers. It wasn't the worst outcome.

He takes the other soda and sits down on the edge of the roof, to ponder things a while longer. Or at least until he gets too cold and has to head back inside.