View source for 3751/Don't ever speak to me or my son ever again!

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2018/01/27
|Location=Gotham City
|Synopsis=Colette comes to Gotham to speak with Batman about Damian.
|Cast of Characters=104, 42, 1220
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:104|Batman (104)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The clouds hang ominously over Gotham, the storm that had brought them over the great city has already blown itself out, leaving the city's streets glistening with the moisture of the rainfall and the puddles reflecting the many lights from above. The cars continue to roll through the streets, occasionally splashing as they pass through the water and lending that sibilant sound to the ambiance of the streets.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Distantly, over the river, the clouds continue their slow departure from the city, most likely heading towards Manhattan to bring the rain there. The smell of petrichor is strong even as the rivulets in the streets wash away the dust from the day and the few remaining bits of snow that had lasted these last few weeks. Yet almost all of this goes unnoticed by the citizens of the city, for even the hawk-eyed protector known as the Batman is distracted as he stands upon the edge of one of those rooftops looking out across the river even as the storm clouds drift off.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;His cape gleams with the rain that had fallen even as he gestures to the side absently waving away the words that she hurled at him moments ago. "I do not have the luxury to approach things the way you and Superman do." His voice is that steady rumble, stern as he growls those few words and turns away from her, casting his gaze back towards the dockyard below.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"There is nothing you can say to convince me otherwise."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Diana Prince (42)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Strange, those were the words I would have said to you," Diana murmurs. Her tone is firm but controlled, not angry as she continues to discuss the situation at hand. "You cannot convince me that this course of action is the proper one. By pursuing this, it could antagnonize them. It could alienate our friends, as well. Our teammates." She shakes her head negatively as she watches him closely, not looking off to the distance but keeping her eyes on the man she has to convince. He needs to reconsider his position.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He's too stuborn to do it.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Batman," she says in a softer tone, using his codename since they are in a public location and one never knows when they might be seen or heard. "This level of paranoia is concerning. Did something happen that has brought this up so suddenly? Is there a Lantern that has caused you to take this path suddenly?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1220|Colette (1220)}} has posed:'''<br>Gotham at night. The natural habitat of those who lurk in shadows. Even here, in one of the nicer parts of Gotham, the city's darkness pools in every dark corner of the streets, in every rooftop, and in the hearts of all too many of its citizens. The Gotham night is reflected in its vigilantes too. No bright colors and star-spangled costumes here, on the home turf of the bat. Both good and evil lurk in the shadows here.<br><br> Which is why, if you are hunting bats, the best technique is to be able to fly, and have some kind of night-vision equipment. Stardust's logic here is impeccable, surely. Except that as it turns out, tonight there is a star-spangled costume accompanying the Bat. Diana does not do shadows. They melt away at her touch. Well, that turned out to be waste of a good pair of light-enhancing binoculars. She returns the binoculars to the small backpack she has slung over one shoulder, and drops noiselessly out of the sky.<br><br> Stardust lands on the rooftop behind the pair with a slight splash, her feet hitting a puddle. "Who'd have thought it," she calls out. "Wonder Woman lurking on a dark roof top. He's teaching you bad habits. He could at least have picked a drier night for it." She waits for them to turn before waving. "Hi. I'm Stardust. Titans. I uh... wanted to have a word with Captain Grimdark here. Regarding one of his Robins." Her eyes lock in on the cowl. "I know you like to collect them. The smallest of them. Might be a certain amount of past catching up to him and I think it needs discussing."<br><br> She sniffs slightly, then looks from one to the other. "Am I interrupting?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:104|Batman (104)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"This matter is not urgent," Batman says as he rounds away from the edge of the roof to look at her levelly. The cape curls around him almost entirely, shrouding him in the dark that is so antithetical to the woman to whom he speaks. "I brought it up when I did as this is a course we should take with any extra-terrestrial..."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then his head turns slightly to the side as his brow furrows slightly behind the cowl. His white eyelets narrow faintly, and then he turns to consider the approach of the woman known as Stardust. He shifts his stance slightly, though still seeming like nothing more than that dark spectre of which the city's tabloids often write about.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Stardust." He says in that low growl of his, but then he hold up a hand as if to weather the rest of her words and to hold them off. "Robin splits his time with the Titans." He mentions sidelong, most likely for Diana's benefit.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then he tells the young vigilante simply... "Report."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Diana Prince (42)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the sound of the splash, Diana turns to see who might have arrived with a moment of tension through the lines of her body. Upon seeing the young hero, she relaxes. While she has not met her personally, she does have some information on the Titans and their members. She considers the woman a moment then hears the 'greeting' from Batman. It is eyeroll worthy yet she does not do so. Instead, she smiles and gives a brief shake of her head. "You are not interrupting, Stardust."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She glances to the dark shadow by her side, the man who is the very opposite of everything she represents in so many ways yet is one of her greatest allies and even a friend. Strange how such things work.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Would you prefer if I remove myself so you may speak in private?" she asks Stardust, prepared to remove herself.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1220|Colette (1220)}} has posed:'''<br>"Report?" Stardust repeats. "Going for the casual approach I see. I shoulda brought hot cocoa and cookies." Her eyes flicker towards Diana and back. "I'm not sure how much you'd want said in company, no offense Wonder Woman. But it's regarding his parents. But no, please don't let me drive you off. I'll keep it vague for now. Um..."<br><br> Stardust's forehead creases slightly, as she looks ahead at what she's going to say, avoiding anything too revealing. "Well. He and I are involved in some stuff which seems to be... concerning the other side of his family. The even nuttier side. As you can imagine, I'm worried. He's a friend. And well. Basically I was wondering if there's any way you could like... not interfere, because that would be a bad idea right now, but kind of be ready. I feel like we should have some lines of communication between us on this."<br><br> She looks skyward, thinking over what she just said, and gives a slight nod when she decides it was vague enough. "Anyway. The details can wait, I really just wanted to find you directly. It would be advisable if I had a way of warning you if certain kinds of problems arise."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:104|Batman (104)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For a time there's nothing but silence, save for the clink of water droplets falling down a drain and the distant hiss of a car rolling over the glistening asphalt and through a small puddle of water. It's just the three of them there, and as she falls silent he looks at her levelly with his expression grim. A moment passes. Another, then his frown deepens and he gives a nod to her.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Give me what information you have," His cape parts slightly, one arm shifting to the belt at his waist as he undoes a clasp and a black clamshell device is removed from a pocket and flipped towards her with a casual flick of his wrist. A small phone-like device or data pad of some sort. It's bare of marking, black in color, and with little of remark to it beyond the number pad and the small display area. "Text it through the burner. You can contact me through it if needs be."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As he waits for her to perhaps familiarize herself with it, he'll hold his counsel until she meets his eyes once again. "I'll consider on whether or not to hold off, depending on what information is gathered."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Diana Prince (42)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Just the little that was shared, Diana feels it shouldn't be forced into vagueness. It's about one of his people. She makes a choice. Shifting her stance slightly, she takes a step away. "I should go. I don't feel this is something that should probably be discussed by text or in carefully coached words." She gives Stardust a tight smile and a nod of her head. "Hopefully we will meet again in the future in different circumstances."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She glances to Batman. "And our discussion will be continued later." Not off the hook. At all. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She starts to rise into the air, to give them the privacy they need.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1220|Colette (1220)}} has posed:'''<br>Stardust catches the burner, and gives it just the merest glance before putting it away in her backpack. No need to familiarize herself with it yet. It's pretty much what she was expecting out of the meeting. She returns her gaze to his face, and holds it there a few moments in silence. <br><br> "For now," Stardust says slowly, "...you'll hold off if you don't want to drive him away from you. Take my word on that. I'll give you what you need to know." Her expression is poker-faced. Was there a hint of emphasis, maybe even a hint of challenge in the words 'need to know'?<br><br> Stardust holds her expression for a few moments longer, then loosens up, smiles suddenly and reaches into her backpack. "It's okay, Wonder Woman. We're done for now. You know, searching for bats is thirsty work," she says, fishing out a bottle of mineral water. "Either of you want some? I've got a couple of spares," she offers. "So. Extra terrestrials? I couldn't help overhearing. Anything I can help you guys with? I know a few. Might have some insight."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:104|Batman (104)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Turning away from them both, his cape curling around him like the wing of a bat, he holds up a hand over his shoulder as he starts to stalk to the other side of the rooftop. "No time." Apparently the words are meant for not only Stardust but for Diana as well, since their conversation beforehand was not exactly the most positive one to be had. His footsteps are silent as he moves and then when he reaches the other side he'll stop there.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Looking over his shoulder he tells Stardust, "You have two hours, then I'll find out my own way." That said he frowns marginally and seems for a moment about to say something else...<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then nothing further comes and he reaches for the grapple gun at his belt. He brings the device up and takes aim, then there's the snap and hiss of the line being fired and unfurling behind the hook. It clinks into place at the corner of a distant building, then draws taut and shortly after...<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He's drawn into the air, cape snapping open to catch the wind. He's off, into the sky and for a brief moment is nothing more than a silhouette against the clouds. Then gone.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Diana Prince (42)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Floating in midair, Diana hesitates as the conversation is changed entirely. Then Batman is departing and she frowns after him before glancing to Stardust. "He's concerned. It makes him more terse than usual," she says by way of explanation, as though one is needed. It just seemed it needed to be said. "And our earlier discussion was a bit more than simply extra terrestrials. It is something that will require a bit more talk between Batman, Superman and myself, I fear." <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She gives an apologetic shrug of her shoulders. "Two hours. Hopefully that will be enough time for you." She starts to lift further into the air.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1220|Colette (1220)}} has posed:'''<br>Stardust watches Batman's departure with an expression of bemusement. "Dramatic," she comments when he's gone. "Do you think he practices those exits? I'm kind of imagining now that he has a list. Up there in his bat-head he's going..." her voice drops surprisingly deep as she attempts to imitate his voice. "This situation calls for an exit style 14 with option cape-flip."<br><br> She raises her hand to give Diana a wave. "Take care out there," she offers. "And the offer's open. Might have some insight." She takes a swig of water, staying on the roof as the two depart. After a few moments, she resumes talking, apparently to herself. "See what I mean?" There is a response, but only she can hear it. "Well, there's Starfire. And you, I mean you are like the Intergalactic Encyclopedia of Space, right? You'd probably... yeah, maybe. Well. Whatever." She takes another swig of water, yawns, and sits down on the edge of the roof to start typing out a rather long series of texts on the burner. "Fun day."<br> <br>
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