325/Batwoman and the Friendly Ghost

Batwoman and the Friendly Ghost
Date of Scene:	09 May 2017
Location:	Gotham City
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	273, Batwoman

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Casper (273) has posed:
Crime never sleeps in Gotham. The city is always alive with both the throbbing pulse of life and the desperation of those who might take it in exchange for another day or another high. In the slums of Gotham there is little hope to go around and without hope the human spirit decays, twists into something dark. Batwoman would know this all too well.

In the alley between a veterinary shop and a pawn shop that's already closed for the night a group of men have cornered the vet as she started to lock up for the night.

The sound of yelling can be heard as they demand, "Open the door!" and another voice, "I can't believe the dumb skirt locked the door! What, you wanna get cut? Is that it?" and the voice of a woman, "I'll call the police! " she threatens which just makes them laugh, "You'd be dead before they got here and you know it." the leader of the gang, a tall, asian-American young man wearing a red leather jacket says, "Look, all we want is the K. Just let us in and we won't hurt you."

There is another voice, "Hey, you guys, golly that's just no way to talk to a lady, especially an animal doctor. I don't think you really want to hurt this swell lady." the younger voice says from the alley, "You may need her to save your dog one day and besides, whatever this K stuff is, it can't be worth her life. Can we talk this out?" Some fool playing hero in the streets of Gotham. They are going to get themselves killed, or worse, the doctor.

Batwoman has posed:
The shadows in Gotham are as alive as the rest of the city, though in very different ways. This one is just a blck figure, a tall, whip-thin wraith who darts among the rooftops as if they were her natural home. Occasionally there's a flash of crimson. Long, vividly red hair, the blood red of the inside of her cap. The crimson bat emblazoned across her chest. Kate Kane is Batwoman, a bat from the depths of Hell.

Right now the woman is perched on a rooftop listening to what sounds like the makings of a garden variety assault. A couple of thugs outside the door of a verinary shop screaming at a woman. She watches past the black Masquerade mask that hides her face, blue eyes bright. Kate fingers the gun on her belt, testing the safety and ensurign the clip is properly locked into place. It's a nervous gesture, really. The only tic she offers.

The woman is moving to the edge of the roof, preparing to drop down into the alley between the shops and enter the shadows when that new voice happens. Kate pauses, cocks her head. A new variable. She scans the alley for the speaker then, scowling.

Kate retrieves a smoke bomb from her utility belt. She waits a moment longer, eyes affixed to the door. If they start to try to break it down...

Casper (273) has posed:
Once she is in view of the alley she can see three gang members, small timers, one of them holding a knife, another a pipe but the leader, the guy in the red leather jacket with the dragon on the back, he's the big man on campus. He has a gun. They have a woman and.. A homeless teenager dressed in strange old military clothing cornered in the alley way,

"Who the hell " the thug with a knife says lifting his hands into the air making finger quotes, "Talks things out." he says sarcastically, "This isn't Dr. Phill. Unlock the blasted door!" but the young probably homeless man steps forward towards the armed men moving closer but a little more to the side so the gun is pointed at him and not the woman.

"L.T. always said I talked too much but listen, hear me out, what you want isn't behind that door. Stealing from this woman is just adding another mistake on top of a pile of mistakes that you've already made. The kind of mistakes that aren't working out so well for you." the young man says as he gets their focus on him. "You can change that. You can be better. I know it feels like the weight of your past is a chain on you, holding you down, but the past is the past, you can't change it and it only has power over you if you let it. You're not a slave to it, you can choose to do better. " he says with this voice that sounds so out of place in Gotham, a voice full of hope and forgiveness, a voice that carries a strange faith in humanity that has no place in these slums, "I believe in you, in all of you, you can do better than this. You don't have to keep making mistakes." he says and puts his hands over his heart.

"If you can see yourselves the way I see you, if you can just -believe- in the potential I see, you would know that you can be forces for good in this world." Casper says to them and for a moment the one holding the knife looks like he's starting to believe it like the heartfelt words actually made him start to rethink his life but the one with the pipe speaks up and asks, "I should break his jaw now, right?" and the guy in red laughs, "Oh, fuck yes, shut the pipe sucker up. I can't take any more."

Batwoman has posed:
That's when the hammer falls. There's the whisper of the air being disrupted as the red capre spreads and a woman leaps out of the shadows in a striking display unfurled crimson that would almost seem to blot out the resto f the sky should they look up. 5'11", slender, and utterly deadly, Batwoman descends upon the man with the gun so that her feet will literally plant between his shoulder blades to knock him to the ground.

Kate is ready to fight, and an instant after she glides through the thugs she is between them and their target. "Get back against the wal," seh calls in a soft, deep sultry alto voice. "Stay back, I'll handle these clowns." She is ready, too. If anyone goes for a weapon she's ready to charge into the fray. The time for talking to them is almost past but somehow... The teen's words inspired her. "This isn't really like me, boys, but I'm feeling generous. Get out of here. Now."

Casper (273) has posed:
"Holy shit! It's the Bat!" the one with the pipe says and turns to say something to the one with the knife but he's already running, fuck this noise! He doesn't want to be here any more anyway and he's not even going to tangle with The Bat! No honor among thieves he's already halfway out of the alley before his pipe wielding friend realizes what's happening. A moment later he starts to run too, "Wait up!"

Like she suggested the young man in the old bomber coat moves back over to the woman and says quietly, "Back here, behind this." getting her to hide behind a trash dumpster to she'll have some cover. The guy with the red jacket and the gun stands up getting a closer look than the others, goes wide-eyed then takes off as well.

Later on tonight there is going to be an interesting conversation about Batman getting a sex change where the two of them call him crazy.

The young man comforts the woman where she hides, "It's ok. The.. um.. Who ever that is will protect you. Don't you worry, toots. This kind of thing happens all the time. Just keep down until the constables arrive." he says but he's kneeling right out in the open himself. "I know this has been traumatic but just focus on your breathing. This moment will pass and it will be drowned out by a thousand more moments of happiness." he says smiling at her as he knees in that dimly lit alley, "Those young men shouldn't bother you again, but just in case I would call the constables twenty minutes before you leave your store and ask them to come watch over you for a couple of days. I'm sure they'll be whiz on the idea and those guys will learn it's just not worth it." he says cheerfully.

Batwoman has posed:
"The kid has a good head on his shoulders," Barwoman calls in a lilting drawl. She takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders, long crimson hair falling across them. At this distance she is a crimson and black spectre of advancing doom. tall, pale, flawless in enigmatic black and stark red. The men go streaking from the alley way and it seems that Batwoman is about to pursue them when she pauses. An eyebrow lofts and she slowly shakes her head.

Katherine turns around slowly. The cape closes with a whoosh, leaving her a dark figure, albeit one with a crimson bat on her chest. "They usually call me Batwoman," she notes with a thoughtful frown on her lips. "Are either of you injured?" She akss then, cocking her head slightly. "I'll be watching for you both," Kate adds casually. "In case the police aren't close enough by when they come back tomorrow night."

Batwoman is preparing to disappear into the night without a trace. Batman is famous for it.

Casper (273) has posed:
The woman is shaken but ok. The young man oddly doesn't reach out to help her out but keeps his hands in his vintage looking World War 2 leather coat with the hawk symbol on it. He stands up and moves back giving the lady room. "We're ok, Ma'am " he says then he looks at the shaken lady, "We're ok, right?" she's a little shocky more from things happening so fast. "Y..Yeah.." she says taking her keys out and tremblingly unlocking the door. She doesn't look at the Batwoman or the boy she just focuses on getting inside to her safe space.

Casper lets her escape and once she is safely inside he turns to look at the batwoman, "Thanks for helping and for sparing them. I'm sure she's very grateful. She's just shellshocked, you know how dames can be." he says as he listens for the door to lock behind her. Once she's safe he says, "No offense."

Batwoman has posed:
When Casper makes his comment about dames Kate rolls her eyes and then turns to look up toward the roof. She is frowning for a second, lookign as if she might take off. there's a tension to her stance that suggests hse isn't completely comfortable. If Batwoman can ever be truly comfortable when standing in front of a person, revealead to their senses..

"You weren't afraid of the guns, were you?" Kate asks then, tilting her head slightly as she does so. Blue eyes shift back to Casper. "No body heat. Just what kind of a game are you playing...?" It's a simple question. Batwoman hardly even moves as he asks in a soft voice akin to a whisper.

Casper (273) has posed:
No body heat? Huh? She's cold? He's unaware of the technology of thermal vision. "Nah, that guy wasn't gonna shoot me. If he was going to shoot he woulda done it and just pinched the keys." he says explaining why he wasn't afraid but it's not really enough and who says pinched any more? The kid in his old style military boots and pants shuffles his feet and shrugs with his hands still in his pockets, "He was just bein a wanker because he's desperate. He's probably got a good reason for doing what he does. Nobody starts off a bad guy and no one has to stay one. We just have to give them a chance."

It all sounds nice and reasonable but thermal, even echo location will show the kid just isn't there, in the EM spectrum he's a manifestation of energy like a hologram only more organic and less orderly. He has an aura like a human but not a body to go with it.

"I'll go have a talk with them. They can do better. I'll put them on the path. It's kinda my thing." he says smiling that optimistic, happy smile. No one should be that happy in Gotham. It's just not normal.

Batwoman has posed:
"You're... a hologram?" Kate sounds confused because that doesn't quite match the readings she is getting. Kate is frowning more severely now but rather than turn away she keeps those blue eyes affixed to the boy. Long seconds past as she gives a slow, almost imperceptible nod.

"Alright. What's your name?" Batwoman asks in that low, sweet voice of hers. Like silk and incense for the aural senses. She licks her red, full lips lightly and draws herself to her full height. "Talking to them might work out. It doesn't seem like you have a lot to worry about," she obseerves then. "I'm not really much for talking."

Casper (273) has posed:
"Casper McFadden, Ma'am." the boy says growing a little uncomfortable, he's not sure what a hologram is "I'm a Private. Not an officer." he says thinking maybe she is confusing his rank because of the coat, "The coat was given to me by a friend." he explains reaching one hand out of his pocket and toying with one of the overly large buttons nervously..

"I'm just a soldier, Ma'am. I go where I'm needed." then he stops and thinks about it, "Wait, I thought I must be here for those bruisers but maybe they aren't the ones I was sent to help. Maybe it's you? You got something on your mind, toots?" other than the way he talks he does seem to actually be worried about her well being. "Weight of this whole hero gig grindin your wheels? Family being Clydes?" he asks as he takes a step closer ready to listen to whatever problem she has.

Batwoman has posed:
Both of Batwoman's eyebrows raise. She looks nonplussed, an impressive feat for a woman in a mask which obscures half of her face, from belwo the eyebrows to her upper jaw. "Don't call me toots. 'Ma'am' is fine," the woman responds in a harsh tone. She has the manner of an officer actually, including the military bearing. Kate takes a deep breath then, blue eyes staying deeply focused on Casper.

"What do you mean?" Batwoman asks then. "Sent here to help people...? Explain. And no, I like the hero gig just fine." She pointedly does not acknowledge the question about family. "The biggest thing bothering me right now is who you are and- what all of 'this' is." She gestures vaguely to Casper. Archaic clothes and mannerisms, his unusual presentation. The garbled EM signature. "I don't have problems."

It doesn't take an empath to suggest she's lying.

Casper (273) has posed:
Casper gives her a knowing look like she's not foolin nobody but he lets it slide she can talk when she's ready pressing the issue just makes things worse, "Yes, Ma'am." he says about not calling her toots, "It's simple really, when I was a kid." he says and he kneels down holding his hand above the ground showing how little he was, "I died but I didn't die like normal. Most ghosts they just want to haunt their house or maybe scare a few people now and then. Me, I had a family, I stayed for them and when they passed I had other people I stayed for and over time I found I could almost come back to life." he says then he kicks at the garbage dumpster but his foot goes through it and back out, "Got recruited for the war, it was suppose to be the last war." he says putting his foot back down and shaking his head, "You'd think people would learn but we keep being cubes and making the same mistakes." he says getting off track, "After the war, I went to visit my family on the other side and whamo!" he says smacking his ghostly hands together,"I wake up in a new city. I wander around confused, find this old lady who was cryin in the park because her grandkid was hurt. Car accident. They didn't think he was gonna make it. " he explains as he slides his hands back into his pockets again, "She was such a nice dame, probly was wa real doll when she was younger, I couldn't let her be sad like that. No dame should outlive her kids and he was the last thing she had left. So..." he looks a little embarrassed, "I cheated and fixed him. " he says, "I was so tired afterwards I crashed and when I woke up, again, new place, new problem. I've been traveling, helpin best I can since then."

Batwoman has posed:
"So... You're some kind of a friendly helper ghost?" Kate asks in the most drily droll fashion imaginable. Her eyes remain lofted but she listens carefully nonetheless, arms remaining crossed. A foot taps and her eyes are surveying the young man's form intently while she considers these words. She's obviously skeptical. There's only one thing to do to solve htat. She punches him.

An abrupt movement follows and then Kate moves to give him a gentle punch to the shoulder, those blue eyes narrowing as she does. "Enough to make someone go 'ow' but not to cause real harm. If he's not an illusion, after all, that will solve the question pretty quickly. "That's- quitthe story. What on earth could cause a ghost to behave like that?"

Batwoman keeps talking as she moves, as if she isn't trying to hit him in the arm.

Casper (273) has posed:
ecause he's not concentrating she passes right through him as if he isn't there. A blue energy tingles through her hand and spreads into her body as she accidently steals some of his essence by passing through him. It's hope. He's made of hope. She feels.. Nice as the world becomes more... less shit.. For a few moments while she's got her hand inside him and the power of hope is flowing into her. He isn't like most ghosts with their dark green corrupt, negative energies he legitimately is a spirit of hope.

Looking down at where she punches through him he smirks, "Told ya, Ma'am." he says then he shrugs, "I don't know why I'm different. I like to think it's because I keep making the right choices. I try and be better. I like to think that if we all try and be better we could make the world better. The world wants to be better, the world wants to heal us. That's why it sends me, to help people. " he says then he chuckles a little, "It's actually kind of pushy about it. If I was sent to help you then it'll just send me again. It may not be tomorrow or the next day, it may be weeks from now, months, maybe years but we'll keep running into each other until you get whatever is weighing you down off your heart." he says smiling that annoying peaceful smile. "I'm just along for the ride. It's really up to you to let yourself heal."

Batwoman has posed:
"I don't... I..." Batwoman takes a couple deep breaths and then nods slowly. She blinks once, shakes her head, blinks again and then looks down, eyes wide. She's flexing her hands, in the red gloves witht he spikes along her forearm. There's a soft sigh and then she is licking her lips gently and tilting her head. Crimson tresses cascade over her shouldr. "I almostfeel ike you have to be right. You're defintiely different. I never thought Iwould meet a ghost. Intellectually, I knew that ectoplasmic phenomena had been recorded by Egon Spengler, but..." A pause. "Anyway. That's different. Thank you." She's forgotten to deepen her voice to that seductive alto she prefers now. "We should talk again. Some day."

Some part of Kate is still skeptical. For now she suppresses it. Forcibly. She hopes thati t's ture... And hope is the order of the night.

Casper (273) has posed:
Seeing that she isn't ready Casper says, "Of course, Ma'am. See you when the wheel turns." he says then just walks off down the street being his cheerful, friendly self, saying hello to stranger and being a bright, horribly out of place spot of spiritual light in the dark streets.