6828/Not as Nice as the Clocktower..

Not as Nice as the Clocktower..
Date of Scene:	09 March 2019
Location:	Gotham - Redcave
Synopsis:	Barbara and Jason catch up over the upgrades, and then Kitty shows up - and the mutual respect show starts with Jason as the third wheel.
Cast of Characters:	Red Hood, Oracle, Shadowcat

---

Red Hood has posed:
After Kitty informed him that she had made some modifications to the computers that Barbara had set up, Jason decided to call his expert, to make sure everything was on the up and up. It was a short conversation involving the suggestion of coffee and donuts.

While Jason's base isn't as vast as the Batcave, or as advanced as the Clocktower, he's working on making it work. The gear belonging to both Crimson Dynamo and Arsenal have been assigned to their own areas. Red Hood's gear is in it's own lock case.

As for Jason himself? He's sitting on one of the platforms in a lotus position. Incense burns around him as he's relaxed in a pair of plaid pajama pants and currently shirtless. Yet as he meditates, some of the scars and marks on his upper torso take on a strange design and start to glow. Okay, so Bruce doesn't know about the glowy marks yet.

Oracle has posed:
Babs actually does get out! Just not on patrols anymore. There isn't a lot of reason to leave the Clocktower, though, since it has basically everything she could possibly want. And in this everything to your doorstep generation, she barely even has to go out to get the shopping done. If there weren't a gym area, she might not be as petite as she is.

So when Jason invites her over she accepts. She arrives in a warm coat against Gotham's biting late Winter Cold, jeans, long sleeved shirt, and riding boots. Having come over on her motorcycle. "Jay Jay, you down here?" Descending with her jacket laid over her forearm as she clears the bottom step and sees the glowy marks on Hood's chest and back... pulling up short in a start, "The hell?"

Red Hood has posed:
"I'm meditating." Jason's voice may be chiding, but there's a hint of warmth to it. He also realizes that this is the first time. "What, never seen a guy shirtless before?" He's teasing her - he knows what she means, but that doesn't prevent just a little color in his cheeks. "Join me? I figure I owe you an explanation."

It's something that he wouldn't offer to anyone else - but Barbarba has earned it. There is the smell of fresh coffee - he did keep his word about a cop's favorite breakfast. He just thought he had more time before she showed up. Motorcycles tend to defeat Gotham's traffic woes pretty easily.

Oracle has posed:
"No, yes..." Babs isn't easy to fluster, but she's not been out in a while. Behind a computer screen it's easy to be the wittiest person in the room, "You know what I mean; you're glowing!" She points with both hands, but doesn't stand stationary staring. There's coffee in this hideout, she can smell it. She can smell it and she needs it, so she goes in search of it. "Please do because that looks a lot like iconography of the Demons Head."

She pours herself a cup, glancing over her shoulder at Jason, "I- uh.. I got the armor back to Dynamo. Not sure if she told you." If Bruce taught them anything it's not to let a single thing take up all the attention in the room. Multitask even when overwhelmed. "She seemed pleased by the upgrades." A pair of mugs in hand, one is held out for Jason as she settles into a cross leg position on the floor.

As she sips she's staring, unbashfully, at Jason's chest. Take it as he will, it's the elephant in the room. "Alright, talk to me."

Red Hood has posed:
There might be just the slightest uptick of a smile as he knows he caught Barbara flatfooted. It's been hard to do since the two first met.

There's a moment in the past. Bruce telling Jason that he's going out of town and that Barbara will be staying at the mansion. Jason made a quip about how he gets the top bunk and Barbara had the perfect retort.

"Thanks for the Crimson upgrade. Owe you one. The other one I was telling you about made some upgrades to the computer here. Thought you might want to take a gander at them." He's not deflecting, he's muti-tasking.

"You know after I came back - I wasn't exactly.. right." Everyone in the family knows. He was broken. Twisted. Angry. It was so bad that Bruce put him in Arkham for six months. After that, he disappeared for over a year.

"After I got out of Arkham, I still wasn't straight - then someone found me." he explains. "Talia al Ghul. She said that she could fix what pulled me out of my grave." he says quietly, thoughts focused on the eyes of the woman sitting across from him. "She took me to Asia."

Oracle has posed:
That explains so much and, as odd as it might seem, puts her at ease. There's no love lost for the culprets that put Jason in the grave or brought him out of it. Barbara is glad to have him back, so it's a point of contention, but she can only imagine how horrible the experience must have been for him. Which is why she never gave up, why she refused to forget the little boy she'd practically helped raise.

"She was pretty excited about it. I may have a recording of her dancing. Blackmail for later." Teasing, also multi-tasking.

There's a lot of information coming across the pipeline just now and her eyes shift over the intricate designs of the formally glowing tattoos with a quirk of her lips. "And these help you stay in control?" The inclination to think those tattoos could be used for ill is part of their Bat-programming and Babs deliberately shoves it out of the way trying to be positive.

Red Hood has posed:
"You're as bad as Stephanie." Jason chides, smirking slightly. As she continues, he starts to come out of his meditation, and the glow subsides - as does the tattoos. "I was in the Lazarus Pit." he continues, as he sets his hands to his sides. "And while part of that made me whole? It also didn't leave me complete. She took me someplace. Somewhere and nowhere. It was called the Hundred Acres of All. Don't bother trying to look it up, Travelocity doesn't know it exists. There were these monks there. The All-Caste."

He lets out a breath and continues, "They don't help me keep control. They help me commune." he explains. "The leader of the All-Caste was a woman known as Ducra. She took me in at Talia's request to train me. That's where these came from as part of my training."

Talia stands to the side. She's speaking to Ducra. Jason's on the ground having just been taken down by Ducra.

"Before he was murdered, Jason had the potential to be a great man. I believe that with the proper guidance -- that could still be the case. I believe he deserves that chance."

Ducra frowns. "You are wrong. He's going to be the death of us. The death of many."

"So no? You will not train him in the ways of the All-Caste?"

"Of course I will. The thought of leaving him to the rest of the world -- leaving the world at the mercy of him -- is unacceptable."

And as horrible as the experience may have been for him - he at least had the sweet mercy of death. Barbara didn't get that option, and it leaves Jason at a disadvantage. He considers his words.

"The All-Caste teaches that you can't hide the darkness within you. That you can't just shove it down, bottle it and pretend it doesn't exist. It'll only get worse. You have to search it out. You have to seek it. And once you find it, you have to meet it and commune with it."

Oracle has posed:
In so many ways it is a merger of the same practices they were instructed in under Bruce. Don't run from problems, but don't let others see that there are problems. Face them, but only alone. Is it any wonder they don't have pictures from their childhood lining the walls like normal adults?

Babs sets her coffee off to the side and turns up to her feet to absently look over the upgrades preformed by Jason's mysterious friend while he explains the nature of the tattoos. Even as she's doing so, she glances back in his direction and nods, but for the most part remains quiet. "Does it help?" Sitting down at the computers to boot them up and get a look at the systems with a few quick keystrokes.

"It's hard for me not to think of Talia and immediately assume there's a ploy involved. She's dangerous and manipulative.. I-" There's a brief pause to run a tongue along the inside of her bottom lip, "I'm glad she helped you." What can she honestly say? If it brought Jason back, how can she be angry?

Red Hood has posed:
"I'm sure she did it to try to get Bruce's favor." At least it's what Jason tells himself. That it wasn't a kindness to him - it was a gift to his dad. "You know how she feels about the old man." There's a smirk at that as he moves to get up and grabs a gym shirt to pull on.

Somehow, whoever this friend of Jason's is, she managed to get past Barbara's security, and install the latest in dark web technology and updates. Black Hat, iOS, it's all there.

"It does. Most of the time." he manages to give a little on that. If it looks like the Demon's Head - it's the same principle. Talia was grooming me to take over the League of Assassins - I guess that was before she decided to take it in her own hands.. and you know. Damian."

"It's a struggle, Babs. I want to be this.. person that Bruce, Talia.. others want me to be. But that goes against everything that feels good. Feels right." he says with a frown.

"It's like being an alcoholic. You want that one more drink. You convince yourself that you can control it - it won't control you." Jason lets out a breath as he pads over to the computer. "But you know, that's the great lie. It's a constant fight. The meditation, the control. It all tries to help. When I'm at my worst though? When I feel that things are never going to go right..?"

"I remember a snarky young woman that was always quick with a smile. Always trying to get me to do right. Someone that believed in me when noone else wanted to. Even now - I know that Bruce isn't exactly sure of me. I know my brothers sure as hell don't know what to do to me. Even my girlfriend doesn't know the whole story."

"But when I need that spark of inspiration - that thought that gets me through the day?" he glances towards Barabara, blue eyes taking her in. "I don't need to look any further than my own Gotham knight in curvy armor." Okay, he had to tease her just a little.

Just to keep him from confessing anything further.

Oracle has posed:
Babs might seem to be absorbed with seeing what this mysterious friend has done to her own expert security and in part that's true. She's going through the various program files with a practiced ease and growing increasing amounts of respect for whoever it was that had the talent necessary to breach her ironclad security. It's professional respect, though, because there's a competative streak in all of the Siblings of Batman and Babs is no different in her own sphere.

Oracle is the best and will have none prove otherwise.

"They're good." Said with a point at the computer with a little nod and a tongue drawing across her bottom lip, "I'm kind of impressed.. I mean, they worked on it for a while and they left their foot print all over it, but I never got any alerts back in the Clocktower." Everything links back to her Aerie.

Still scouring the database, she smirks over her shoulder at Jason, "I have a soft spot for stray dogs." She teases in return, temporarily turning away from the inspection to look in his direction. "So she's your girlfriend?" Thumbing over her shoulder at the computer. It's kind of obvious, really. She may not be Batman or Tim as far as detective work goes, but she can put a pair of observations together with the best of them. "I think you found a keeper. How does Bruce feel about it?" As if Jason cares.

As if any of them do, at least in their love lifes.

"You know, you're the second person in two days to mention my curvy armor. I'm starting to get the impression I should pull it out of the closet. If only to keep myself sharp in the field." It certainly would make it easier, but it might interfere with her other work coordinating patrols for the various groups opporating in Gotham. She also recognizes a tease and smirks wider in response.

Red Hood has posed:
"Yeah. I'll give you a name if you want it - but I know how you feel about a good mystery. And I promise this one isn't imaginary." Jason gives a smirk, before he quips, "Woof." in response to her comment about strays. "What can I say, I have a certain scruffiness to me that girls just find irressistable."

"Bruce has met her." That's a big step. Usually the love lives are kept far far away from the professional side. "She wants me to meet her mom. Thought it'd be only fair. Apparently she earned his approval.." Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a small diamond and ruby promise ring. "Belonged to Martha, said he wanted me to give it to her when the time was right."

"So yeah - no pressure there." He rolls his eyes a little, before he goes to grab a donut to snack on it from the box. "Mmm, still warm." he comments playfully, before he turns his attention to the womand.

"Kidding aside? It might be good to see the Batgirl take flight again. I know there's Batwoman and all that? But honestly?" His attention turns to Barbara. "Carrie? Stephanie? They grew up with news stories of the Batgirl saving the day. I think that they've seen too much of the dark of Bruce, Damian, Batwoman.. myself." he points out to her. "They could use a beacon. They need their inspiration. That spark of creativity that made them put on the costume in the first place."

Oracle has posed:
Babs eyes fix on that diamond ring with her jaw dropping nearly to the floor. Bruce isn't much for sentimentality, but there are certain items that he does apply a great deal of emotion. Momentos from his parents? His mother's ring? Barbara sees it for what it, "Wow.." She manages, settling back in Jason's seat with her arms laid over the rests with a shocked expression slowly turning into a smirk. "That really is a lot of pressure. You know it's probably a test right?" Because everything is.

It's also amusing to tease Bruce when he's not looking.

Even though he's probably still looking.

"Is it that serious?" Nodding to the ring, leaning forward after a moment of relaxing to actually look at the stone while Jason gives his motivational message as to why she should done the cowl again.

"It's been too long, I think. Those ladies are Knights in their own right, they don't need me out there inspiring them when they're doing better than I ever did." She's clearly thought this through, "Don't get me wrong, I still feel that pull, but what I'm doing now? It's good for everyone. Without needing to go out there and punch anyone or get shot at.. which was never my favorite part of the job anyways." She is //not// scared of those things, however.

She's just smart enough to realize she doesn't have to do them to help the crusade.

Red Hood has posed:
"Shit. Everything's a test. It's why I'm holding onto it. Because this isn't a rush thing." Jason gives a shrug of his shoulders and a chuff of amusement as he tucks the ring back into it's place. "You tell me. Is a Jewish girl offering to introduce me to her mother considered serious?" comes the teasing question.

"It's not just about the inspiration Babs." he points out as he leans against the computer terminal and folds his arms over his chest. "You've locked yourself in an ivory tower of your own choosing. Do you know how long I wondered if I asked you to come here if you'd insist I'd come to you? I actually have to thank Kitty in a way for her hacking so that you would come out." he points out.

"I know being up there in the Clocktower, overwatching all of Gotham is a good thing. The question I have for you, Barbara is a simple one.."

"...is this good for you?"

Oracle has posed:
Babs furrows her brow at Jason when she's unable to dispute the facts he's laid out in front of her. Does she go out? Sure she does, but it's not frequently and results vary as to whether an invitation will be met with agreement on any given day. She has her reasons, of course and not all of them are as altruistic as she might wish them to sound.

To have her reclusiveness laid out before her like this, "That was a low blow, Jason Todd." She says with a little frown, once more dropping backwards into his chair to stare up at the ceiling. "I-" Does she really have an argument? No. Nothing that would suffice a brother like Jason who's literally returned from the dead after being man-handled by the same Clown that nearly ended Babs' career forever. //Almost// killed her.

Her mouth ticks a little and she rubs her palm across it to hide the nervous motion. "You're probably right, but I don't know that I'm ready yet." The rehabilitation after her spine was repaired was brutal. Batman would never release her to patrol if he wasn't absolutely certain she was ready.

And he has.

So the only thing stopping her from it, is her.

That's a painful thing to internalize.

Red Hood has posed:
Way to go, Todd. Your high ground is 'I'm dead, you weren't. Neener.'

Smooth. Real smooth.

"Look. It's not like that. I'm just worried. Even Barbara Gordon, daughter of the police comissioner has disappeared from the radar." he points out to her, as he slides the box of donuts towards her.

Delicious glazed carbs.

"Selina Kyle's holding a masquerade tonight. I'm planning on going and bringing the beau with me. You should totally find one of your Policeman's Ball gowns, get yourself a mask and make an appearance. If anything, shut up all these tabloids about you being a recluse."

"More importantly, you'll be doing me a favor." he points out as he considers and sips from his coffee.

"After all, I think I'd value your opinion of her more than anyone else's." he points out.

Oracle has posed:
Babs offers up a dry laugh and rubs at her neck with the palm of her right hand, "I read in one of those tabloids that I got married and have secretly been pumping out children for the last few years." She jokes without any humor in it, head lulling forward a bit so she can stare down at the floor between her boots.

"Alright." She manages in a quiet, kind of reserved, tone. "For you, I'll go out, but you have to get me the hell out of there if I start fidgeting. Crowds make me nervous." What a stark contrast to the woman she use to be, confident and commanding in the middle of a group. Somewhere that woman still exists, but there never been anyone there to offer them guidance on how to deal with the emotional scars except each other... Who was she going to ask? Dick? Tim?... Damian?

Bruce?

"I do want to meet her, though. Anyone who can capture the ever so cold heart of my little Jay Jay has to be a special person." That, at least, has her genuinely smiling. "I'd say you look happy, but what the hell does happy have to do with anything in Gotham?"

Red Hood has posed:
"She's from Chicago. Totally doesn't count." Jason responds with a quip. "And she's a counselor at a school in Westchester. Considering what he told her about phasing, and what she does - Jason doesn't need to guess at //what// school. But that's Kitty's secret to share."

"And I don't want any of this third wheel nonsense." he reminds himself to add. "If I have to, I'll threaten to beat Dick within an inch of his life..." like he wouldn't do that anyway. "Heard he's dumped the Princess and is currently single anyway." Plus Dick is a safe bet. Barbara won't feel anything after all that heartache. Right?

Right?

Okay, so maybe he doesn't know how the heart works as he waffles his hand and practically nudges Barbara's elbow with the donuts. "This is not a downer session! No browbeating, no melancholy looks around." he gives her a smile. "And yeah - she makes me smile. Then again, you've always had that same effect on me. And not just because you could be a total jerk." There's a wink at her.

"Also, it's hosted by Selina Kyle. I get the feeling not everything tonight is going to be on the up and up about the ball. But that's between you, me, and the coffee pot. Oh. And these /totally delicious/ donuts you're letting go to waste. Think of their little orphaned donut holes."

Oracle has posed:
"Yeah, I'm not asking Dick." Babs shakes her head vehemently, "We tried that, remember? There's not but wolves down that road." Heartache is as heartache does. Dick is her brother, "Maybe Damian. Or Tim." She's far less likely to have any strings attached to the younger siblings than their eldest.

At the mention of these unfortunate donut orphans, however, she comes out of her seat and makes her way over to the box to grab one, "Fine, I mean if you're going to play on my soft heart for unfortunate 'holes'." The Assholes in the world know what this joke is about, "Selina? Really? I'm sure she's completely on the up and up and has no intentions of robbing everyone there blind." She would never. Babs almost doesn't sound sarcastic when saying so. "I'll go, I'll go.. date or no date."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde stood in the park near the church for a few minutes, debating whether to text ahead, or just show up. He might not even be in there. If he is in there then, what's he going to tell her? No, drive back to Westchester. If he's not, then he'd feel obligated to come over there. And really she just wanted to check on the new circuit boards she'd installed. Custom made for use with her easy-to-use hacking, spoofing, sniffing, searching and scrubbing algorithms.

But she -wanted- him to come down. Wanted to see him.

Well. Hardware first and then she'd text him if he wasn't there.

Kitty made her way to the stairs and down. "I forgot to ask about that other door," she comments to herself. It would have been nice to just drive in. She didn't feel right leaving Rogue's car parked in Gotham unattended, so had to dish out money for a valet somewhere nearby. All the more reason for Kitty to get herself a Honda Civic or something else lower key.

Kitty emerges into the subway station, looking about as she does. "Jason? Galina?" she calls out, not wanting to startle anyone. Not with as many firearms as there are in the place, surely. She's wearing a faded sweatshirt that has the Oxford crest on it, and jeans, with dark boots peeking out beneath the cuffs.

Red Hood has posed:
"Can I still threaten to beat him within the inch of his life?" Jason asks hopefully. "Because you know, it's a day that ends in y." There's a wink towards Barbara, as he considers, and adds. "I think Damian has a date." he says conspiratorly. "I mean, he's actually willing to go. You know how that works. You can always join Kitty and I. But you know, I'd totally bail on you when.."

And then there's a familiar voice that enters the station. "Well, speak of the devil. Or angel. I'm still debating on which." Lifting his voice, he calls out to Kitty. "Down here, Kitty! At the computer." He glances aside to Barbara, his voice lowering, "If you want to get on a mask or something, I have a couple of spare uniforms.. and helmets. And the you know.. mask." Robin mask, that is.

He's not sure if Barbara is ready to meet her as Barbara or if Oracle would be the safer option.

Oracle has posed:
"Stop." Barbara laughs quietly at Jason's teason of Dick and reaches out to slap his shoulder good natured, "I don't see why you need my permission, anyways." Teasing Jason, teasing Dick. She smirks, but it's shortlived when he mentions Damian having a date. "Seriously? The little psycho has a date? He's not bringing a sword is he? That's not a date, that does not count.." An accusatory finger which has no real accusation behind it. "Wow, I really need to get out more."

Even DAMIAN has a date.

If not for the voice up the stairs. At first Babs instincts kick in and she's shrugging out of her jacket so that it drops down on the floor around feet to remove any restriction to her movement. Three quick rotations of her hair has the ponytail twisted into a tight bun to prevent it being used as a grip. In the span of time someone takes a breath, she's gone from conversational ease to ready to fight... until Jason calls out to the other person.

Eyes jump from the stairs to Jason, finger pointing in that direction as she mouths That's her?.. immediately trying to decide whether she's ready to let herself be known. Ultimately, however, she decides to trust Jason and scoops up her jacket to lay across the back of his computer chair. One elbow rests against it as the other hand pulls the clip holding the bun in place sot he ponytail falls into a cascade of orange/red hair. This isn't a cohort in crime-fighting, this is Jason's girlfriend.. so Babs puts on her best smile and tries to look as little awkward as possible.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde makes her way over to the computer, her step light-hearted as if the sound of the man's voice has buoyed her up physically as well as emotionally. "If you weren't here I was going to call to meet up with you-" Kitty says as she rounds whatever was obstructing her view of the computer area and sees Jason isn't alone.

"Oh, hello," Kitty says, just a little self-consciously, but not enough to remove the warmth from the smile of greeting she gives towards Barbara. Kitty moves over to join the two of them.

Reaching them the brunette's eyes swing back to Jason. "Hey," she says to the man, a little softer and with an extra undertone of warmth. She stops over at his side and says, "I just thought I'd come by and check on, things," Kitty says. Being a little vague for the moment as if she's not sure what Jason might or might not want to be said in the particular moment.

Red Hood has posed:
"Could be worse. Could be his 'dragon'." Yeah, Jason refuses to believe that Damian actually has a dragon until he meets the blasted thing. Until then, he's played too much Dragonball Z. When the new voice approaches, he gives a warmer smile.

"Hey." he greets Kitty casually. "Got donuts, coffee, and company." As Barbara didn't go running off into the darkness to hide, there's a small breath of thought. "So. Have someone you want to meet. You know I have a lot of brothers - this is the closest thing I've had to a sister. She's a childhood friend, and a long time confidant. Kitty, this is Barbara. Barbara, Kitty. I may have just been gushing about you." he comments dryly.

Then he offers Kitty the box. "Donut? I was just telling her about your computer skills and you have like a gajillion degrees and supposed to be way out of my league."

Oracle has posed:
At the introduction Barbara raises her hand in a sheepish wave, tight smile in place, "He was, actually gushing about you." Confirmed with a little ease slipping into her expression as she moves away from the chair to close the distance with Kitty and offer her hand, "This isn't how I wanted to meet you, for the record. I'd planned it for dinner or something, but Jay Jay had other ideas." Giving him a conspiratory side eye, not entirely convinced this wasn't his doing all along.

It's good natured though.

"Also..." Thumbing back at the computer, "That's your work?" Even if she'd tried she couldn't keep the respect out of her voice, "I am impressed. Seriously."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde's eyebrow goes up briefly in curiosity at the mention of a dragon. Because, you know. Someone having a dragon sounds so far-fetched. Especially if it were like, a purple dragon and small enough it curled up on your shoulders and about your neck.

That is a conversation - and introduction - still to come, though.

The look of curiosity disappears in the wake of the introduction. As she hears Barbara is like a sister to Jason, Kitty shines over a smile filled with warmth. "Really nice to meet you, Barbara," Kitty says as they shake hands. The mention of gushing puts just a small amount of color in Kitty's cheeks, but earns Jason a dart of her eyes his way to direct a smile to him that one glimpse of is enough to tell the brunette's warm feelings for him. "I'd say same league, and one I'm really happy with," Kitty counters playfully to Jason.

Kitty looks back as Barbara mentions the computers. "Yes, and... oh, so you're the one who set this up?" Kitty says. "Wow, I am impressed too, Barbara!" She shakes her head. "What I expected to be a quick job, was all night. Despite having physical access." Kitty shakes her head, respect showing in the gesture. "I avoided poking into areas I didn't need to do the install. But I am -so- curious about a lot. The way you have the buses routed was genius. I went back and redid a few of my systems to incorporate it. And..." Kitty pauses, glancing to Jason. "I have questions," she says, laughing. "Though I'll avoid glazing Jason's eyes by asking them now. But I would kill to get together with you to talk," Kitty says.

Red Hood has posed:
Jason's eyes totally glaze over like the donut he is eating. However - he know when he's on to something. Surely he didn't set this up to introduce them. No, Jason totally didn't send his girlfriend a text saying he was having breakfast at the cave.

Never.

"Actually, you know, I still haven't gotten my outfit and mask for tonight. I should take care of that!" With that, he's edging away, but not before kissing Kitty quickly. "I'll be right back!"

Oracle has posed:
"As it turns out, I need to go find a dress as well." Barbara grins at Jason and shares the same with Kitty, "I tell you what, you let me tag along with you two tonight and I'll let you ask all the questions you want?" She leans over to snag Jason in a forced side hug just because she can and then bobs her head to Kitty, "Deal?"

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde smiles over to Barbara and tells her in a warm tone, "I'd be upset if you didn't join us tonight. Looking forward to getting to talk." Kitty looks back to Jason and says, "When I mentioned my degree, your father had mentioned there was someone I should meet. I wonder if he was thinking of Barbara as well?"

She finally partakes of one of the donuts then, and gets herself a cup of coffee. "I don't know if you had a chance to look things over as well, Jason? The instructions should be pretty good on walking through the hacking, scrubbing, and other routines. But we can walk through some of them together if you want. There's some options for like... if you want to be able to take over a network feed and control what goes in and out? Creating a gradual shift in their latency over time so that they don't notice a sudden change that a really sharp digital security person might think to investigate."

Red Hood has posed:
All the talk of tech is going right over Jason's head. "Uh. You kept all my games on there, right? I had almost collected all the soul gems in Infinity Wars, and just totally unlocked the World War II Captain America armor in Call to Duty." he offers with a glance to Kitty.

What. He does investigating out it! But even 'CrimsonHelmut47' needs to have his fun online now and again.

Oracle has posed:
If it were painful to see someone roll their eyes. If it was at all possible to physically attack someone with an expression so pained, Barbara's eye roll at Jason sits high upon the roost. "Oh, my, god.." She start laughing and motions from Kitty to Jason and back again, "You know, nobody would blame you if you cut and run now, right?" She teases with Kitty at Jason's expense. Then again, he knows who taught him to play video games and it wasn't Bruce.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde joins in with soft laughter. She slips her arms around Jason and hugs him, adding a quick peck to his lips. "I love you," she tells him, shaking her head and then resting it against his shoulder. Kitty looks back to Barbara before responding, "Oh no. If I leave him it'll be because I'm just finding out he hasn't even gotten all of the soul gems yet." Kitty grins and takes a bite of her donut, shaking her head but smiling still.

"The games are all there, you dork," she says lovingly. "I actually didn't touch, or look at, any of your content. I just did the sys admin stuff needed to install the new circuitboards and memory." Her tone gets a little more serious. "I was doing it without asking, though I thought you'd appreciate the surprise. But, I know you might have all sorts of things that aren't meant for my eyes. I know enough to know that sometimes, not sharing isn't a matter of trust towards that person. It's a matter of not breaching the trust of someone else. I didn't want to poke my nose any further than I had to," she tells him, glancing up to make sure Jason is ok there.

Red Hood has posed:
It's still strange to hear someone tell him that she loves him. There's a glance at Barbara as to confirm she heard those words as well. Because surely it was a mistake, right? "It was a surprise. Not complaining. Just not used to it." he says with a sigh. There's a shake of his head, and then he ohs!

"While you were working on Galina's base armor, I had Barbara do the checks on the Airstrike armor. She was anble to get it updated. I don't know about the so-called.. Ultra armor yet." he says, rubbing the back of his head with a sigh.

Then he considers something, and decides to address it. "Kitty.. Barbara knows.. probably more about me than anyone. Well. Most everything." Yes, there was still some things he's hiding. As she found out today. "But she knows.. about my death and all."

Oracle has posed:
Babs hears those three little words and all the teasing in the world cant keep her jaw from dropping. It's kind of a strange thing to hear, honestly, but not in any kind of a bad way. Instead of saying a single word she slips over to side hug Jason and grab his jacket off the back of his computer chair, "I'll see you guys soon. I need to pick up a dress short notice and not show up looking like a thrift store princess." Toodling her fingers in a curling wave, she takes a few awkward steps back with both arms tucked beneath her jacket, then spins makes for the stairs.