9583/Knightfall: Long shadows

Knightfall: Long shadows
Date of Scene:	15 October 2019
Location:	Batcave - Wayne Manor
Synopsis:	Kitty shows up at the cave to find out what happened to Bruce, Babs is Batman, Misfit got a new groovey costume. Fin.
Cast of Characters:	Oracle, Shadowcat, Misfit
Tinyplot:	Knightfall
Tinyplot2:	Coventry Murders

---

Oracle has posed:
The Batmobile was suspiciously absent for most of the day.

Now it cuts through the hidden entrance that leads down into the Batcave like a bat... into hell where it screaches to a halt on the engineering platform with the roof sliding up, then back. From within the dark recesses of that multi-million dollar vehicle rises the shadowy image of the Batman. Head bent forward as it leaps over the side into a silent landing to the chorus of wailing bats clung tot he rafters far above.

"Computer, bring up footage from the Superman memorial." The voice is hard, deep, but definitely not Bruce's. "Access Batman 0010117." There's a beep from the computer, then the feed on multiple screens shows the memorial now ending.

Shadowcat has posed:
The next vehicle to arrive in the area doesn't go to the Batcave. Rather the 2026 blue Toyota Avalon parks up at the manor. It's still nearly without a scratch. There's a little tiny one down near the ground where Kitty drove it cross country to get to Damian before he bled out. But you have to REALLY hunt to find it.

Kitty obsesses over that car. She hunted.

Now she's descending to the Batcave from the manor, hurrying down the stairs because the elevator won't be fast enough for her liking. She hops off the stairs to free-fall to the ground, passing partway into it before popping back to the surface.

"What's Bruce's situation?" Kitty calls out as she jogs over.

Misfit has posed:
School was out, American Holiday and all that. Either Native People's day. Columbus Day. Postal Holiday.

Which means Charlie spent most of the day tooling around the Bat Cave.

She spent some time logged into the training simulator for the BatMobile and a Batcycle. I mean sure she can teleport but they are pretty much the best driving video game out there.

She currently has her new gear she got last night out on a work shop table and is carefully going through every pocket and piece, trying them on and getting use to the weight. The gear is heavier than her home made costume.

Charlie turns as the Batmobile arrives and someone who looks like Batmman gets out of it now. "Say what... oh...." squinting a bit at the voice. She pushes back from the work bench her goggles up on her forehead and her new gloves on her hands.

When Kitty arrives she squints "Who is that?" yeah she absolutely doesn't recognize the phasing person.

Pause

"Computer who is that?" pointing at Kitty.

Oracle has posed:
Batman makes her way over to the Computer and drops down into the highbacked chair before the long desk, but she is not oblivious to Charlie's question or Kitty's arrival. The cowl turns, first, in Charlie's direction. "It's a simulator, not a video game." There's a coldness to her voice that's not normally there, but it might be an effect of the armor she's wearing. Blue and black segmented plates, she's no Bruce Wayne in stature, but this costume was definitely designed to hide that fact.

"Kitty." Said to the phasing mutants arrival. One hand, then the other comes up to pull the cowl up and over her hair, and release her hair out of the bun. The red locks tumble down around the cape draping over her shoulders. "He's stable." Black smear makeup around her eyes, green gaze darting from the computer over to the medical wing of the cave.

"Come with me." Standing smoothly, Babs, ala Batman (because that is never not going to be fun to write), heads in the indicated direction.

Shadowcat has posed:
If Kitty doesn't really pay Misfit any particular attention at the moment, the brunette's expression of worry and concern would make very obvious it is because her thoughts are occupied with other matters.

"I didn't even realize," Kitty says in a tone full of recrimination, and shaking her head at herself in an angry way. "There's been... well, I shouldn't have lost that much touch," she says, frowning. Kitty follows over, moving quickly so that if Barbara isn't moving with a hurried pace, Kitty might pass the redhead once their destination becomes clear enough.

"I should have. I mean... Superman, right," Kitty says, She runs a hand through her hair, which has been left loose rather than in a pony tail as it so often is. "I'm spending way too much time in medical centers lately," she says softly.

Misfit has posed:
Well Charlie apprecates that everyone is acting super cold, distant, and odd. I mean which is why she doesn't take the whole video game thing personally. After all Bruce told her to train on the sims even if she didn't need them today.

Also being ignored. She can tell that Kitty is pretty upset and worried.

The teenager peels her gloves off leaving them on the table but keeps her goggles on as she follows along after both of them.

"He is going to be fine. He is Batman." she sounds absolutely one hundred percent certain, unshakable faith there.

Oracle has posed:
Once the mask is off, Babs slides blue gloved fingers through her hair and gives it a violent shake. Turning at the base of the stairs leading to the medical wing of the cave to smile weakly at Charlie, mouthing sorry... Motioning at the costume she's wearing as a way to explain, it probably doesn't.

What with her green eyes moving to Kitty, then to Bruce laid in the advanced madical facility built into the cavern where Dr Thompson has been taking care of the critically injured patient. She isn't currently here, she can't put her practice on hold completely, "She's right." Nodding to Kitty, with Charlie.

"He'll be fine.." His vitals are all stable. her arms slide across her chest, glancing down and over at the burnette haired woman. "Have you met Charlie?" Nodding backwards towards the young girl with them. "Charlie, this is Katherine Pryde. She was engaged to one of my brothers... who I don't think you've met yet... She's family. Kitty, this is Charlie. She's staying with me.."

Bruce always did like taking in strays, aparently the habit carried over to Babs.

"I saw you at the memorial." To Kitty.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde slumps down at the edge of the bed, her hands coming together as she murmurs a quick, softly-uttered prayer. Anyone who speaks Hebrew might pick up it consists largely of words of gratitude.

When Kitty's eyes open there are tears leaking out of them and down her cheeks. "Robin said he was dead and..." Kitty says, her voice trailing off as she shakes her head. She wipes at her cheeks as she stands up, but softly touches Bruce's shoulder. As if needing the contact to further assure her. To assuage those fears that had gripped her heart, frozen it in ice.

Kitty turns back to Barbara, and Charlie as she joins them. Kitty wipes at her eyes again. "Sorry. Charlie. It's nice to meet you," she offers, trying to get back to something of a normal tone, though really not very successful yet as the rushed release of pent up emotions still has Kitty in its grip.

"I couldn't make it before," Kitty says, and they might or might not deduce she meant to what turned out to be the lockdown. "Someone was poisoned with a neurotoxin. And then... we had a shot to destroy the Friends of Humanity's means to make Sentinels," she says, trying to explain why she wasn't there. Though there's still guilt in Kitty's voice that she wasn't there for Bruce.

Misfit has posed:
Charlie seems pretty focused, the sad smile from Babs and mouthed sorry gets a nod. I mean she does kind of get it. Batman stuff. Right.

"Why would Robin say he is dead... " puzzled there. "Just to mess with people.. I mean.. yeah he kinda almost died and all but he will be okay." still positive sounding.

"Nice to meet you to Ms. Pryde.. .and I hope the Sentinels were stopped and the neurotoxin fixed... those machines are really messed up and do need to be stopped I think..."

Oracle has posed:
"Could you have changed anything?" Babs asks with a glance at Kitty, head tilting a little. "We knew you were here in spirit, Kitty. You don't have to physically be at bedside to prove that.." Her green eyes settle back on Bruce, connected to every kind of medical equipment under the sun, "We're not that kind of family."

It leads her eyes settling on Charlie, "I'm sure Tim thinks he has a reason. He's a thinker." While Babs, at least right this second anyways, is a smirker. She looks back to Bruce, reaching out to lay a gauntlet on his arm. Just a touch, if he's aware, and she knows that he has to be, that they're there.

Then it returns to her crossing over the symbol on her chest and gazing at Kitty. "Neurotoxin? Is this related to the Sentinels or something different? I heard you were injured.. I meant to call..." Apparently the guilt train goes both ways. "A lot has been happening Gotham, though."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty looks down at Bruce, and she finally shakes her head. "Not unless I'd been at the fight. And... I don't know. I wouldn't have put it past Superman to find some way to affect me," she says. Kitty draws in a cleansing breath and lets it out.

The rush of the emotions is ebbing finally. Kitty has been at this a long time, since her earliest days as a team. She doesn't let the guilt get in the way once the shock of it is passing. "Damian. He was angry. Got up on the mike, called Superman a murderer. Ripped the head off his statue, though it was repaired after, magically," Kitty says.

Kitty lets out another breath. "Not related to the Sentinels, the neurotoxin. But, I think it's going to be ok. And, we had some major victories. The cyborg from the future was destroyed. We aren't done, we need to make sure there aren't any of his design being made out there still. But, the source of that information is gone now."

Kitty reaches out to softly slide her hand into Bruce's. "You're going to make it Bruce. Just rest and heal. We'll take care of Gotham," she says. Kitty looks over to Charlie. "Yeah, they are pretty bad. Appreciate the sentinment," she says.

Misfit has posed:
Charlie comments quite dryly for a sixteen year old who was so darn positive and upbeat a moment ago. "If you could have been at the fight then Batman would have found a way to affect you so you wouldn't have been." only a brief moment of sass but yeah she has it in her.

Then the bit about Damian sinks in "Holy crepes." yeah she said crepes. "Damian.. did... and then... gosh...." the teens eyes are very wide for a moment there. "geeze.... but... Bruce is going to be fine...." she just trails off blinking.

Oracle has posed:
Babs hand, clad in a gauntlet, slides onto Charlie's shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze, "He will be." Said just as meaningfully to the young vigilante, her green eyes fixed upon the prone form of Bruce, "He has to. Only so long I can keep up this ruse before someone figures it out." There are no other reasons, no not at all.

Babs is ... surprisingly calm given everything that's happened. Has she cried at all? Has she shed a single tear? Charlie knows, but few others can attest to having seen it. She's been a rock, even Alfred has broken down once and that man is an oak.

"Do you have a sample of the nuerotoxin? Maybe we can help." It's an offer, anyways, finally glancing away from Bruce to regard Kitty fully. "Is this the new guy you haven't let me meet yet?" Even Babs is Meta.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty tells Charlie, "People do stuff when they are hurting that isn't always for the best. And, well, Damian can be Damian on top of it." She gives a little sigh. "I'm going to stay with Bruce for awhile, I think. I'm really in a groove with the praying thing, might as well send a few more his way," Kitty says.

She moves over to give Babs a warm hug if allowed. "We need to get together and chat more. I'll make a point of getting out here more," Kitty says. She nods to Charlie then, and moves to pull up a chair closer to Bruce's bed. She sits in it, closing her eyes and saying a few prayers.

Misfit has posed:
Charlie just shakes her head there at the thought of Damian ripping Superman's head off like that. Well the statue. Then to Kitty "I know..." yeah she knows a lot about loss and people doing stuff when they are hurting. All about it.

Charlie edges back when Kitty starts to quietly sit with Bruce and murmurs to Babs "Did you see the gear that Bruce left me?"

Oracle has posed:
"Not yet." Babs says to Charlie, smiling sadly still until she looks away from Bruce's prone form, "You haven't said a single word about the gear he left me, though..." Nudging down at the Batman armor she's wearing. "Anyways, let's see what he gave you... and then later we can go on patrol?" Which the pair of them have never done.

Misfit has posed:
"Okay... I mean " she eyes Babs in the batman gear then nods. "Yeah... I can be the less angry and stabby Robin." amusement for a moment there as she heads back to get her gear and head into a spot where she can chasnge into it.

"Argh... I wish I could just...teleport into my costume or clothes..." there is some struggle as she works on getting into the new outfit and gear pouches.

Yes she tried it on last night. No she wasn't in nearly the hurry that she is in right now to show off.

Time passes...

There is a pop of smoke by Bat-Babs an Charlie is there in her new Misfit costume and throws her arms up. "Tada!"

Oracle has posed:
Babs climbs up the stairs back to the Batcomputer while Charlie is getting dressed up in her new and improved costume. So that's where the young vigilante will find her when she returns, plugging away at the keys where she's looking at camera feeds from what looks like a morgue at Gotham General hospital. The time stamp reads sometime during the memorial service.

Babs looks slightly troubled by whatever it is she's watching, but does turn in the direction of Charlie reappearing with a little grin. "Well look at you..." Swiveling in the highbacked chair to face the teenager with her hand still up tugging at her bottom lip to give the new gear and costume a critical once over.

"You look ready to kick some ass.."

Misfit has posed:
"Well on the bright side I think this stuff is designed to stop bullets .. though I know first rule is to not get shot at all.. but you know... definitely a step up from the t-shirt."

She gives this little twirl now letting the cape spin out there. "The cape pops off if yanked so it can't be used against me.. snaps are very clever... and the utlity belt is full of stuff I still don't know how to use... but that should be fun to practice with."

Then she peers at the footage "What's that?"

Oracle has posed:
"Bruce is always prepared." Babs agrees, leaning forward to give the cape draped over Charlie's shoulders a little, playful, tug, but her attention returns to the monitors when they're mentioned.

Followed by her seat to face it fully. "Earlier today, several dead people got up and walked out of the morgue." She explains it matter of factly, "I hacked into the medical examiners logs and.. they all died within an hour of each other, the day of the Metropolis fight... I'm cross referencing it against the footage from the Batcomputer, but... it looks like it was right about the same time.."

The computer beeps quietly and confirms what she was about to say, to which she nods, "Exactly the last time... within a handful of minutes anyways... that Bruce coded on the table."

Misfit has posed:
"Um." says the chaosbatling with wide eyes as she leans to peer at the footage and watches it now. "Wait. No way." looking to the computer monitors now.

"I don't get why it is connected with Bruce coded on the table... that means almost died right... I mean..." she stares a little and then reaches to tap a key and replay the hosspital footage. "Do we have a zombie problem?" she sounds really worried.

Zombies are gross.

Oracle has posed:
"I don't know." Babs confides with a little frown, "The time just stuck out to me..." Charlie likely realizes by now that Babs has an eidetic memory.. she might not remember everything, but she remembers enough to fake knocking everything flawlessly. Small details people lapse over.. like the exact time of someone coding.

Her hand comes away from her mouth, "I don't think they're zombies though.. Look at this." She brings up another feed, this one clearly from secure cameras that... really aren't that secure when Babs is involved.. of one of the victoms in a verbal spat with security, then fighting and walking out to meet he other two victoms in a vehicle.

"Zombies don't talk.. and they certainly don't drive."

After a second. "Want to come investigate it with me? You can be my Robin."

Misfit has posed:
"Of course I do." she salutes and then reaches up and pops her goggles down over her eyes.

"One question though... they got in the same vehicle. Were they connected at all before they died or are they just acting .. like together now that they came back from the dead."

"Also how many zombies have you met... maybe they all talk?"

Oracle has posed:
"At least two... Solomon Grundy said stuff, but it wasn't conversational and he damn sure didn't drive." Babs points out with a little frown, "Nor do I guess he's really a zombie..." Either way, she shrugs and smirks at Charlie. "So I have to kind of work under the information I /do/ have, which is that A. they had traumatic brain injuries including skull fractures and spine fractures.. B. From a purely biological standpoint, the nature of the motality of death on all three patients should have rendered them... not just dead, but unable to do a whole lot of /anything/ if they became undead.. and C. They aren't zombies."

Which leaves only one thought.

"So someones doing magic.."

Batman stands up from her seat and begins twisting redhair into a bun on the back of her skull. Once it's pinned, the cowl is pulled back up and over, once more clading the full costume of the Bat.

"Get ready. I know who we need to talk to."

Misfit has posed:
"Oo.. Magic." is what Charlie says next.

I mean her question about if they knew each other since they are now cooperating is pinned for later since right now evidently they are going to go talk to someone... about... Magic.

Magic.

She heads down towards the batmobile. "Where are we going?"

Oracle has posed:
Babs shuts down her remote access to the Oracle Array and turns to regard Charlie a moment, "They were all involved in the same accident." Having missed a part there, likely unintentionally, while addressing the potatoes of the conversation which was obviously about zombies. "Otherwise, it doesn't look like they were related in any meaningful way." Her voice is just a bit cooler beneath the cowl, that part is likely very intentional.

"We're going to see one of the Justice League. Zatanna Zatara." Moving away from the computers towards the Batmobile, which is notiably smaller than the original. "That is, if she'll see us. She might not."

Misfit has posed:
Has been in the main one, which is now a junker, so well that won't happen again until the MK228th Batmobile is fabricated.

Being in Bab's personal batmobile is still pretty sweet so Charlie is somehow managing to now bounce a bit as she stands there waiting to be let in.

"That is soo cool." pause "wait why wouldn't see see us.. I mean... this is official Justice League business right?" everything Batman does is official to Charlie.

Oracle has posed:
"Because she's a busy woman." And not logged on. Babs says it matter of factly, stepping up onto the wheel-well, up onto the back of the vehicle, and then down into the seat as effortlessly as a hop. "Controls are your side." She tells Misfit. "This isn't a simulator. Drive like you mean it."

Misfit has posed:
Misfit mutters something about people being busy.

Then there is this squeak, the stolen dog upstairs probably heard it.

Not an undignified squeal though or anything that annoying, just one squeak.

She grabs the controls and nips her lip. "Okay.. but if I scratch it.. please don't ground me." this .. yeah this is the first time outside the simulator really. She doesn't even technically have her learners permit.

Damn Vigilantes.