9198/A Day in the Life of Bruce Wayne

A Day in the Life of Bruce Wayne
Date of Scene:	15 September 2019
Location:	Interior - Wayne Manor
Synopsis:	Zachary comes to Wayne Manor to experience 'A Day in the Life of Bruce Wayne'
Cast of Characters:	Batman, Talia al Ghul, Zachary Zatara, Robin (Wayne)

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Batman has posed:
When the organizers at the Wayne Foundation asked Bruce what a day in his life would contain so they could better describe it for the auction, he didn't really have much to tell them. A little business here, a little recreation there. The key element of being a multi-billionaire is that there is precious little one needs to do. Almost everything, ever, is an option.

When his assistant came back to Zachary about a time and place, he was asked to meet Mister Wayne at Wayne Manor. The estate itself is truly tremendous and the house itself is the largest in the United States, looming four stories tall at the top of Crest Hill. A car - Mister Wayne's own Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud (https://tinyurl.com/y3ne7wac) - was sent to fetch Zach from Shadowcrest and deliver him in style. The palatial mansion looms as the luxury car rolls up the gravel drive.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul is with Bruce as the word comes of the car's approach, while it is still in the driveway. She's wearing a pair of charcoal slacks and a white silk blouse, both of which fit as if they were tailored despite Alfred having picked them up for her.

The exotic Eurasian woman looks over to Bruce, the slight cant of her head the only indication, other than her words, that she thinks her presence is a bad idea. "You realize if they wished into the house, winning the auction would be the perfect way to go about. Or are you hoping this will suss out a lead on those hunting me?" Talia al Ghoul asks the reclusive billionaire.

She glances towards the stairs. "If so I should really have at least brought the sword down to be nearer at hand." Of course she hid that bow she was using the other day within a nearby closet. Bruce probably knows that, and she probably knows he knows that.

Zachary Zatara has posed:
Style, indeed. Zachary's preferred mode of travel is teleportation, but the car, the chauffeur...it feels grander than the magic he dabbles with day-to-day. The driver opens and out comes the Zatara himself, thumbs moving a mile a minute on his smartphone.

"Before you go," He waggles phone and brows and puts on his most disarming smile. "A picture of this sweet ride?"

He walks up the driveway as he figures out a caption for the post that's definitely going up (#InstaCar). His head lifts when he's about calling distance away from the Waynes. "Mr. Wayne. It's an honor to be back..." Talia gets a quizzical smile. He was not aware there was a Lady of the House. "Zachary Zatara." He holds out a hand for shaking.

Robin (Wayne) has posed:
     Damian tisks his tongue at the proposition his mother mentioned. He stood outside the manor with Bruce and Talia, dressed in a white dress shirt, emerald tie, grey vest and charcoal slacks. "Not likely, he is related to Zatana. Even without vetting, he doesn't fit any profile to be an assassin."

  As Zach exits the luxurious car, Damian stands as tall as he can without getting on his tiptoes, nodding to the other teen as he starts his day in the life.

Batman has posed:
"You don't need a sword," Bruce tells Talia, his tone flat - the one reserved for Batman, more than public occasions, "I know him. Vaguely. I studied under his uncle. If he has ties to your enemies, I'd be very surprised."

Not to mention Bruce vetted all the auction winners heavily. The money going to the GCPD had to come from immaculate sources - the Wayne Foundation would by no means act as a front for crooked cops laundering dirty money. His research had brought up no red flags he felt worth chasing, and so here they were. He gestures to Damian, nodding at his son's assessment.

As they step out of the main entrance to the house and onto the short flight of steps leading up from the drive, Bruce puts on his best smile and steps towards the auction winner. He makes a 'go ahead' gesture as the young magician takes the photo of the car and then reaches out to intercept the hand offered to Talia. A safety precaution. He knows well enough that Talia can behave herself, but her attitudes towards the whole notion of the Charity Auction are well-documented.

"This is Talia," he tells him, releasing the hand and heading back up the stairs, "I thought you'd might want to meet the whole clan. Talia is Damian's mother."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul hadn't gotten the information about who the auction winner was. The mention of Zachary's relative brings a slight raised eyebrow from Talia. The same gesture is repeated as Bruce reveals studying under Zachary's uncle. "Of course. Is there anyone you haven't studied with, Bruce?" she asks, tilting her head slightly as she looks towards the man. Though as she's turning her gaze back to Zachary's arrival, there is a faint bit of a smile at the corner of her lips.

Talia notes how much Bruce definitely does trust him then, even introducing her by her name instead of as one of her aliases. She gives Zachary a welcoming expression. "I trust you'll enjoy the experience," she says to him in a pleasant tone.

Zachary Zatara has posed:
Zachary's oblivious to Waynes' evaluation of him. Type type type. Once the picture's posted, he slips his phone into his pocket. He is dressed in smooth burgundy pants and a fitted white Ralph Lauren polo.

"Oh," He glances up, only for a moment, sifting through the ol' memory bank. "I didn't see you at the auction, I don't think. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs..." Pause. He'd know if Bruce was married unless he was hiding a wife in his huge mansion. "Talia."

As he follows Bruce's lead, he makes a note of Damian and lifts his chin in greeting. "Sup, lil' Wayne."

Robin (Wayne) has posed:
     Damian follows the group out, nodding slightly as Bruce introduces Talia as his mother.

  The boy raises his chin, but retorts. "I prefer Asheru, or Wu-Tang Clan." As if he didn't catch the reference.

Batman has posed:
Bruce chuckles lightly at Damian's joke, momentarily meeting Talia's eye. Yes, he used her name. Yes, that means he trusts the young Zatara enough to not pull a dagger on the three of them there and then. None of this is said outright, all of it conveyed in body language and subtle looks - the unofficial language of the Wayne Family.

"There's not a real set agenda here," Bruce tells Zach as they step through the vestibule, itself larger than some studio apartments, and then into the grand marble hall that extends a full two stories to an ornately decorated ceiling, "Like you were probably told, I don't tend to stick to a set regimen. But the house seemed like the best place to start. Most of it was off limits during the auction, but I thought we could start with a tour."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul shares the brief looks with Bruce and her son. Knowing that airs need not be maintained for Zachary, she reverts to her typical expression for such a moment, an observant gaze that seems intent on soaking in every bit of information that can be wrung from the visitor's words and body language. "Just a day in the life of the Wayne family," Talia comments more to herself than to anyone else.

Not a true such day of course. None of them are likely to try to kill, arrest, or commit another today.

Talia strolls along, drifting away from Bruce to let Zachary have his side, moving over to join Damian instead. She reaches over to rest a hand lightly on the back of his shoulder as she gives the teen an approving smile before letting her hand slip back to her side.

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"Oh, so like old school hip-hop? Gotcha. Staten Island, represent," Zachary touches his fist against his chest once, winking as he moves past Damian to walk with his father. That's probably the extent of his knowledge on those ancients. The Zatara's a performer, perhaps not so talented as his cousin, but it's in his veins. He's less skilled at calling out a performance right in front of him, however.

So he thinks nothing of the looks, though he casts a few back at Taila before asking, "How long have you lived with them?" He asks, referring to the Waynes naturally. "I took it Bruce was still 'Gotham's Most Eligible Bachelor'."

"A tour's cool," He chuckles. "Your home's amazing. That's probably going to be my reaction to every room."

Robin (Wayne) has posed:
     Damian's eyes flare slightly at Zach's reaction to his own performance. Keeping up the facade of public Damian Wayne.

  The hand on his shoulder is welcomed, if only subconsciously. He stops short of following the two, staying slightly behind with his mother.

Batman has posed:
"There are close to five miles of corridors in the house," Bruce says, playing the tour guide although it doesn't seem to quite come naturally to him, "So I'll show you the highlights, but I think we'll probably avoid stopping by every single room. Most of downstairs is old servants' quarters, the wine cellar, storage rooms and what-have-you. Useful to have but not all that exciting to look at."

As they step through the entrance hall and up to the staircase, a grand oil painting wider and taller than any person hangs above them. It depicts a man, woman, and young boy in oils. Bruce doesn't so much as look at it, nor does he make any reference to it as they go.

"The downstairs is mostly for entertaining," Bruce explains on the landing, "The ballroom, which you've seen. The dining hall is in the opposite wing. There's some sitting rooms, a music room, the winter garden. Upstairs is more for living - bedrooms, breakfast room, bathrooms."

He pauses a moment to let Talia answer the question proffered in her direction, hands in his pockets.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul follows along, the woman walking with an easy, strolling gait that manages a grace to it. She seems natural enough in the odd family setting, which might surprise her the most of all. She answers Zachary with, "I have only been in town for a brief time. But, far more rewarding of one than I might have hoped for," she comments. She waits for the words to be done before the woman's exotic brown eyes go to Damian and then Bruce.

Talia moves off a bit as Bruce speaks of not visiting every room. "I was about to say, I thought it was only a day that he won," she says with a faint wry smile given. "Shall I leave you to it then? I doubt you'd find as much interest in my day," she comments.

Archery practice. Sword practice. A vigorous run and then more workouts. She's fallen into a routine that might place her in Nanda Parbat again.

Zachary Zatara has posed:
The Shadowcrest is a manor in its own right but still doesn't hold a candle to sheer space of the Wayne home. It's streamlined through magic, though, with unseen and intangible servants that have no need for dormitories and summonings that provide for the needs of its occupant. And, above all, it was not fashioned for guests or visitors.

"I'm betting you didn't paint that..." Zachary asides quietly to Damian, as he looks up at the oil painting, though without pausing since Bruce keeps moving. He looks to the woman and nods, "It was nice meeting you, Miss Talia." He didn't know she existed until a few minutes ago, so he's not too fused with her departure.

"Where do you spend most of your time, Mr. Wayne?" Green eyes find Bruce again.

Robin (Wayne) has posed:
     Damian follows the group and as Zach points out the oil painting, Damian stifles a small scoff and expression of surprise. "No, that was painted much before I was born. The boy in it is standing in front of you." It was Martha, Thomas, and young Bruce of course.

  With that little faux pas, Damian'a pale green eyes, his maternal grandfather's eyes simply watch the situation unfold in front of him. How is Zach going to handle this? How will Bruce? Where is the popcorn?

Batman has posed:
"Here and there," Bruce answers airily, waving a hand, "There are some projects in the basement that I pass some of my time on when I'm not at the office. Most of the house is cordoned off under dust covers, honestly. We don't see as many guests as my ancestors did, and Alfred is the only member of staff still on the roster here."

There's always been the occasional, bandied about thought that the Manor should be opened to the public. At over a century old, it stands as a monument to Gilded Age extravagance and of historical import. But there's too much beneath the surface that would be at risk with tour groups passing through during the day. Not to mention many of the Mansion's occupants are not exactly diurnal.

The mention of the people in the painting does not get a reaction from Bruce, and instead he pushes on by changing the subject.

"I saw you admiring the Rolls," Bruce says to Zach after a moment, "If you like cars, we can end the tour in the garage. There's a 1962 Ferrari GTO that I'll let you look at if you promise to keep your eyes in your head." The car itself worth millions, "Or if you're a bit more refined, there's the Duesenberg. They begged me to auction her off but I just couldn't part with the old girl. She belonged to my great, great grandfather - Alan Wayne. That's him, there."

Bruce gestures to an oil painting on the wall as they pass of a dour, sunken-eyed man in Edwardian era garb.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia's eyes flit to the painting. She's spent some time looking at it since she's been here. But never in Bruce's presence. His avoidance of it brings no reaction from her. "I'll leave you to your day. I hope you enjoy it," she says. "I'll make sure Alfred has something special prepared for lunch," she offers.

Her eyes go to Damian, as they often do when he is around her. There's a moment's soft smile for her son and then Talia al Ghul is moving away from them, walking off into the rest of the manor to continue about her own day.

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"Projects, huh?" If Zachary senses a touch of secrecy hidden somewhere in Bruce's breezy response, it does not show in his flashing grin. "Nothing too scary, right..." The young magician has nooooo idea.

At Damian's mention of the people in the painting, Zachary's initial response is a look of confusion. After all, the boy in front of him right now is Damian. Then his eyes flick to the painting again, then back to Damian, then to Bruce and - Oh. Ooooooh.

Everyone in Gotham knows the story of the tragic murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Zach may not be a citizen of the city in the traditional sense, with his home not being fully of this dimension, but he's a student at the academy. And for a moment, he doesn't know how to respond. Especially with Bruce's non-response. Is this too touchy of a subject? Is it rude to just pretend he didn't hear him?

He takes a breath and meets Damian's gaze. "My uncle was really close friends with your grandfather. His death...it really messed him up for a while. Good man, I am told."

Moving on. He catches up with Bruce and nods effusively. "Promise. You don't drive them often, I take it. How about a spin?"

Batman has posed:
"Oh, from time to time," Bruce answers on the subject from cars, "It's mostly a collection, though. My family have been squirreling away the very best in automobiles since they existed. If you take a walk through there, it's everything from the Model T to the Bugatti. Again, we should probably get around to donating them one day but they have a lot of sentimental value." To Alfred, if not to Bruce himself.

About the basement, Bruce simply lifts his shoulders, "Nothing interesting. Sometimes I just like to take my work home with me. I kind of flitted from school to school, so it's always nice to tinker here and there. A little mechanical and engineering work."

"So, tell me," he continues, heading down another stretch of corridor, "Why exactly did you want to win this? Was it the helicopter ride? For me, it'd be the helicopter ride. It'll be picking us up on the north lawn later, by the way."

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"Damn," Zachary lets out a high whistle, letting to echo off the walls of the garage. The kid doesn't quite have working technical knowledge on automobiles, but he certainly has an aesthetic appreciation for most things, fancy luxury cars included. "Buyers would line up. It's something to think about."

He takes Bruce at his words when he describes his basement activities. "Do you do a lot of that sort of work for Wayne Enterprises?" He smirks, following closely behind the older man. "You play the idle playboy well, but if you're taking your work home with you..."

He considers the question and offers a faint shrug. "Like I said before, it was for a good cause, yeah? And meeting you, seeing all of this -" He gestures vaguely around the current hallway, no doubt littered with paintings or costly vases. "It's a bit of a dream for any guy. Something to brag about to Zee when I get home, at the very least."

Batman has posed:
Bruce shakes his head with a slight smile, "Nothing that the geniuses at WayneTech couldn't come up with themselves. I'm much more of a hobbyist than anything. I'd hardly even call it work, really. Just a hobby."

That said, he opens the door to a particularly well-appointed room with an oil painting hung over the fireplace and what looks like gilded trim around the fixtures, "One of the guest rooms. Solomon Wayne had an interest in contemporary artists of the time, and several of the bedrooms in this hallway are themed after the works of those artists. This is the Degas Room."

He turns away from the door again, "I'm sure she'll be jealous. Though I wouldn't mind showing her around, too. I don't think we've spoken in years."

Zachary Zatara has posed:
"Her schedule is packed these days between battling demons, roaring audience, and whatever creature of the week the Justice League has to handle. I live in the same house as her, and we see each other sparingly," Zachary explains, with a hand wave. That's not all on Zatanna, though. Zach's got his stuff too, and for the most part, doesn't like to include his older, more popular cousin in that stuff.

"I'll let her know you mentioned her, and maybe that'll prompt a visit," He looks over the artwork and the room. "This house must have so much history. Degas is, like, the mid-1800s? You know, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a Wayne somewhere down the line that dabbled in the occult."

Batman has posed:
Bruce can't help but grin a little at that: "Well, the Justice League do good work. I'd hate to draw her attention away from saving the world just for the sake of a chat. Maybe I'll buy tickets to her next show."

As they continue to walk down the corridor, he raises his shoulders in a shrug: "I wouldn't be surprised, either. There's a long story about how my great, great grandfather designed Old Wayne Tower as a protection against all forms of evil in Gotham. He wasn't a magician so to speak, but he did dabble in the occult. We're heading there later, actually. I'll show you what I'm talking about."

Outside, sounding very distant indeed through the walls, the rush of rotorblades and the roar of wind can be heard: "And that sounds like our ride. We'll have to cut the tour short but believe me when I say it'd just be more of the same. Besides, I have us booked for lunch at one of Metropolis' best izakayas."

That said, he turns on his heels and leads the way to experience the rest of a day in his life.