12311/Equipment Checks with the Bats

Equipment Checks with the Bats
Date of Scene:	08 October 2020
Location:	Batcave - Wayne Manor
Synopsis:	Cassandra, Barbara, and Dick conduct gear inspections. Dick is plotting. Cassandra seemingly approves. Barbara remains clueless. Cassandra's opinions on Phoebe are sought after.
Cast of Characters:	Nightwing, Oracle, Batgirl (Cain)

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Nightwing has posed:
There are perks to doing this exercise. Not only is it important and prudent, but Barbara and Dick brought treats. It is easy to see which of them made which, though. Barbara's treats have a more refined look. They are more like what one might see on a magazine cover. Dick can actually cook, but he trashes the kitchen to do so. Barbara's poor kitchen must have been demolished. Dick has one recipe he has refused to share with Alfred (though Alfred has it figured out). It is a recipe his mother made for young Dick Grayson, a chocolate Romani cookie.He even keeps this recipe secret from Barbara, who would almost certainly do better with them.

They are in a word; delicious. They are also, in Dick's case, misshapen, slightly lumpy, but still delicious morsels. He only busts them out occasionally; it is always a labor of love for the others but they invariably make him a little sad when he makes them; but he quietly loves his new family and only the best for them.

Dick and Barbara come downstairs, arms laden. Even though Barbara is perfectly capable of hauling things on her own, Dick has most of the heavy stuff and she has the treats and odds and ends. Even laden with gear, the pair or quiet on the stairs. Like ghosts. It is not until they are in the basement that Dick gives a soft whistle to see where Cassandra is. He starts over towards the tables. "We brought cookies?" It is said tentatively, as if he knows how silly it is to attempt to coax a grown woman with treats.

Oracle has posed:
The fact that he won't share that recipe always makes Barbara both amused and maybe just a little sad. She's never said so to anyone but Alfred, but she hopes that someday Dick will have someone to pass that recipe to. As the redhead carries the two tins with treats in them -- not just for Cassandra but also for Phoebe and Tim if they roll through the cave later -- she's balancing those on top of several utility belts and a folded weighted cape that needs repair, a backpack slung over one shoulder containing canisters that need either refilling or checking, batarangs whose edges need to be checked, and jump lines that need to be safety checked. Gear checks are the thing that saves lives.

Moving to set the gear she's carrying on one of the long bench tables specifically for this purpose, she's also glancing around the cave. It's too early for Bruce to be ready to roll, but sometimes he's also down here this early researching or otherwise doing gear checks as well. His absence is neither good nor bad, just an automatic check.

"Hey Cass." Barbara calls out the greeting loud enough to carry but there's no shouting about it. She's just assuming Batgirl The Younger is down here already.

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
From the training room comes Batgirl the Younger. Also known as Cassandra to those that get to come in this cave. She's already mostly dressed. Outside her cowl is hanging down instead of hiding her face. She is finishing adjusting one of her gloves as she looks around, spotting the duo and the goodies they carry.

Her feet are silent as she walks the metal gangways that lead to the others, though the metal itself makes a little bit of noise as is their nature. There is a clang as she reaches the platform they are on, boots a bit heavy on her landing from the steps.

She gives a little wave of her hand as a greeting, because that seems to be how people like to be greeted. It's silly. It's not like they can't see she is /right there/. Yet, that is the nature of people. Grabbing one of Dick's cookies, she shoves it in her mouth and then begins munching using a no hands method so she can pull her utility belt off her shoulder where it was resting and start going through the pouches one by one, making sure everything is there.

Nightwing has posed:
"Cassie." Dick greets Batgirl the younger with a warm tone. Her popping the cookie into her mouth brings him great satisfaction. As he lowers things to the table to get his hands free, he casually puts his back to Barbara for a moment to sign at Cassie. <Need advice. More fun if we do it under her nose.> Dick's signing is a little harder to read than normal because he's keeping it confined. Clearly, he is practicing, and he could use the practice. He pulls a couple of bags off a dilapidated white cardboard carton. The writing of a little boy, still clear and crisp plainly leads 'Tony Zucco' on it. The box gets picked back up and slid under the table. That business is for later.

"Are we doing your gear while you work on the computer, or are you doing your safety check too?" There is no tease in Dick's tone at the question. He can't do what she does. So he will pick up any slack she needs him to while she does what she must.

Oracle has posed:
"I have a little research that you asked for," Barbara admits. "And I'd like to check in on the Titans briefly as well." The assassination attempt on Garth has made Nightwing a little itchy, so she's been keeping tabs on the Atlantean's recovery. "If you focus on the lines for me, I should be done in time to manage my canisters and check the balance of the 'rangs." She winks at Cassie. "Don't let Bruce catch you with those -- every time he saw me eating them, I got extra detail that night," she laughs.

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
She pauses in her movements, glancing over at the signing by Dick. A tiny dip of the chin then she is back to what she was working on. A few smoke pellets need to be replaced. She heads that way, to the storage area for such supplies. Quickly the pellets are palmed and put into the pouch for later use. The pouch is secured. Next is opened.

Definitely needing batarangs. Off to the next bin where she starts pulling them out one by one. Hearing the words from Barbara, she glances over that direction. Half the cookie is still held in her lips while she is chewing. A bit odd but it works. A tilt of her head, brow furrowing, the confusion evident. She pauses in what she is doing to take the cookie out of her mouth, swallowing quickly then asking that one question. "Why?" The concept of it being a problem is foreign to her.

Nightwing has posed:
    "They go straight to her thighs." Dick deadpans back to Cassie. His eyes twinkle and he looks over his shoulder at Barbara for just a moment. It is a good thing she is moving towards the batcomputer because the look he gives her is for a moment completely without guile. It is just a moment where Dick shows just how far down the rabbit hole he is over Barbara. His chest rises and falls with a deep breath and he swings his gaze back to Cassie. He hastily signs back <She needs a rind on her finger.> As he signs, he talks. It makes his signs a little sloppy, but it is hard to sign one thing and speak another.

"We were younger than you. Our gear has improved a lot. We used to worry more about weights. Drag coefficients were a real concern. We had some concerns that you don't have. Also, I was very small when we started, a boy really. Discipline was essential. Things have changed." As Dick runs his thumb over the edges on Batarangs he sets them into two piles. Those that need sharpening, and others. "I am not going to say you have it easier than us. Not all of the changes are without drawbacks and challenges of their own. I remember teaching Barbara how to really soar on the lines. It was something new for her back then. She didn't have the training you had when you joined. She's had to work hard to get to where she is. She got a later start than either you or I."

There is genuine admiration in his voice. Dick being Dick, he has to quash that. "Of course her two mile long legs help on that front." Barbara's kicks are punishing.

Oracle has posed:
Oh, he should be *really* glad she's walking away. That comment would have earned him a smack were Barbara not already out of arms length. She *does* shoot him a Look, though. And then her expression softens, the memory of learning to fly on those lines apparently enough to bring a nostalgic smile forward. "When he was done yelling at me about how I barely missed tearing my arms out of their sockets, he made sure I knew the right ways to do it," she acknowledges. "Although I had to relearn all my trajectories after that growth spurt after high school." Ugh... her entire center of gravity shifted.

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
At the non verbal explanation from Dick, it's really a simple response from Cassandra. She waits until Barbara's back is turned then shoves the cookie back into her mouth so she can sign a single word. <Ask.>

Back over to the task at hand as she gets her explanation of why. It makes her tilt her head again, frowning a little and finally she turns and signs quickly. <Compensate for the cookie. Work harder. Why you had extra details.>

The concept of such things just doesn't make sense for her. Of course, she is one of the crew who has no other life. She just does this. It is everything. When she isn't out on the rooftops, she's training to be on the rooftops. She doesn't have a life outside the cowl in truth. She is what Batman would be if he didn't have to play his role. No double life, nothing to distract her from her work. It was far less complicated than theirs, which is why things seemed simple to her mind when they really were not.

Nightwing has posed:
Her simple sign actually touches Dick's heart. He gives her a firm nod that is full of some repressed emotions. "Have another cookie." Dick says to Cassandra, feeling closer to her in that moment than he has before. He hastily adjusts his hair, an affectation that lets him reset his demeanor. Barbara's tone makes him nostalgic as well. As he finishes with the throwing irons, it is good to see most of them are sharp. The point is to not let the equipment get degraded. AS he moves on to start reloading the various belts, he throws one over each shoulder and another two over his left arm. He starts refilling things from the dispensers. As he moves past Cassandra, his shoulder brushes hers in thanks. "I yell when I am angry, and being scared for other people? It pisses me off." His parents fell to their death. He's a drill sergeant on the lines and demands perfection. Cassandra doesn't need to know he still has nightmares.

"She scared me." He shrugs his shoulders. His eyes flick to the computer engrossed Barbara and he hastily signs. <Thank you.> He has to adjust the belts afterward, but it doesn't matter.

Oracle has posed:
A glance toward Cassandra has Barbara nodding. "Yeah, exactly," she replies. "Even with my height, I tend toward... we'll politely call it 'curves.'" She gives Dick a mock-glare. Then her expression softens once more -- she knows full well that he still has nightmares of his parents falling. Even of *her* falling. She's come off those lines a time or two only to find him Johnny-on-the-spot simply because he could see even before she released that she wasn't going to make it.

As she moves to settle in at the main computer terminal, she keeps one eyes on the two of them. "Have you met Tim's lady yet, Cass?" She's not been keeping up on Bat-gossip, clearly.

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
Glancing between the two, Cassandra is positive she is missing something. But honestly? That's not unusual. She can read people like a book but that doesn't mean she gets all the nuances. That takes a different sort of understanding. Their body language says one thing while their words may say something else.

It's one of the hardest things for her even to this day.

The question about Phoebe gets a nod from Cassandra. She finishes up with the 'rangs then puts the belt on, adjusting the weight, shifting a pouch slightly to the left to compensate for the extra 'rangs she slipped in there. "Evaluated. Shadowed." Translation? She's not spoken to the woman but she's worked with her.

Nightwing has posed:
They are being watched now. That makes Dick flick Cassandra a little look. His lips quirk into a soft smile, then he adds. "I'd like you to give her a once over on hand to hand. She has a constant healing aura. It limits her effectiveness. It dawned on me that might not be entirely a completely bad thing, especially if she were taught to be a little more vicious than we usually are, as she is actually unlikely to cause real injury with that."

"Also. You two are closer in height. Barbara is very tall. I'm a little taller than even Barbara, and heavier by far." He still deposits pellets into the various compartments. He can do it by feel, no doubt just as they can. He nods at Cassandra. "She's a good person, and she has drive. She's? completely different than just about any of the rest of us." Dick's tone is gentle and not at all judgmental. He continues counting pellets in; there is a number so you know how many you have; not just 'until its full'. "What is your opinion on her, Cassandra?"

Oracle has posed:
Barbara is interested in that information as well -- how Phoebe is doing under the people who are working most with her. So she pauses what she's doing for DIck and turns to see Cass's signing more fully so she she can 'listen'. "Lord knows, she seems really good for Tim," she observes mildly.

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
It feels like she had this conversation. That was with Batman. Not this pair. <She has potential.> Which is high praise from the demanding Cassandra. <A lot to learn.>

At mention of her being good for Tim, it is going into foreign territory for Cass. <He worries about her too much. Need to be on different patrols.> Her summation in a nutshell. Then she looks at the two of them. <You have learned better. He is still new to his emotions.>

Yet again, an analysis. The softer side, the emotional side? She'll leave that to the rest of them.

Nightwing has posed:
"
"Trust. Age. Experience. Understanding." Dick rattles them off simply. "I can't leave a bad situation unless she does first. She knows that." His shrug is small, as he has belts to juggle. "She can trust me to be right behind her though. That sort of understanding does not happen overnight. There are levels of communication and knowledge of each other, and in a nonsexual manner, intimacy that need to be there. You are absolutely correct in your assessment."

Not that Cassandra needs his validation. Compartments appear to be sorted, so Dick moves on to the next task. The cables. He checked his stuff not too distantly, but for obvious reasons Dick is a hyper alert when it comes to cables. As he puts the belts down he gestures to Cassandra for hers. He trusts her, but he needs to personally check them all. He grew up with rigging after all.

Oracle has posed:
Barbara nods slightly, agreeing. "It took a couple of years of working together where we weren't involved romantically to even get past the ingrained 'gotta keep watch on the girl' or 'gotta keep watch cuz she's less trained' or whatever you want to call that." It was never because she was female, not really. Well, okay, it kinda was. But not exactly.

"It took us a few months after we were involved to... sort of redevelop some distance," Barbara acknowledges. It was harder to walk away when he was mid-battle after it was so much more personal. Not that it hadn't been personal before, but still. "At least, it did for me. Trusting him to *be* right behind me instead of 'oh let me get this one last hit in' was something I had to learn both times."

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
This is why she tries to get out before everyone else. And in after. She's gotten used to it though. If she's setting up with Dick, she has to let him look at her cables. Otherwise, he was all grumpy and pouty and fretting in the corner. Not literally. His body language wouldn't show to most of them but she can see it in the tightening of a muscle or the shifting of a tendon.

She passes over the gapple guns for him to double check all the cables personally without a word.

There is the faintest of smirks on her face as she turns to head for the vehicles. "Still babying. Strategic retreat, not who goes first." It's not really a negative the way she says it but a point that maybe they should phrase it a little different to not make it seem compromised.

Time to check over her bike. She does it every night when she goes out, even though she had done it the morning before when she came back in. She always has it ready to go yet it gets an inspection before she will head out. Wouldn't do to have a faulty wire leave her stuck and having to ask for transport from the others.

Nightwing has posed:
Dick is impressed by Barbara's honesty. "When I was young it was because you were a girl. Then I got older and hormones got involved, and things got complicated." Dick admits it ruefully. "Alfred is the one who explained it to me best. It was okay to be protective, but I had to be honest and right behind you every time, otherwise you would never disengage, and we would both potentially die. It was harder, later in my career as Robin to let that happen. I was angry and confused as my relationship with Batman fell apart."

Dick's eyes stray to that stowed box for an instant. "But we all managed to get through that together." Dick considers things. "Growing up is hard to do." His tone makes it sound as if he still considers himself working on that. He wordlessly accepts the cables and is his thorough self. Of course the gear will pass. It is Cassandra. Still, It needs to be checked. It is one thing to get beat. It is another thing to die because a line broke.