Owner	Pose
Samuel	Word spreads around the school pretty quickly. Some had noticed Bear wandering around looking lost the evening before, others might have even noticed that it was Shannon who took him for his evening walk and filled his bowl in the morning. Where was Bean?! Last seen getting into an identikit agency car, there is some speculation that he's not coming back. Imagine the surprise when he /does/ come back, the day after, looking like he crawled out of his own grave. Covered in dust and dirt, clothes ripped and ruined, and looking at the same time tired and angry. That kind of expression that warns people to stay out of his way.     It's now a few hours later and the sign 'Not in the mood, go away' is still up on his door, a repurposed highway hazard indicator. But when there is a knock on his door, it opens after only a short interval, revealing a sleepy Bean in comfortable sleeping clothes, complete with ruffled hair... and a Bear dozing on the foot of the bed.
Kitty Pryde	Kitty Pryde is standing there at the door. Though Samuel, if he's awake enough to be aware, would know that as she has one of the few phones in the school that doesn't lend itself to getting into easily. The thing has encryption that the military would love to fold into their own technology. "Hey Sam. Sorry to wake you. But we need to talk," she tells him. "Throw on something warm. Cap would lbe a good idea," she says, looking and seeing his bed head. Though Kitty's demeanor is fairly normal, there's also just enough to it to suggest this is something he should do now. Kitty gives him time to get ready, before walking out with him to the stables. She's wearing boots and jeans, a sweater and a jacket overtop. A Chicago Cubs hat with her pony tail sticking out. Kitty takes a look around the stables, assuring no one else is there, and then takes a spot near the door where she can see anyone else approaching. "So, you have an idea what I want to talk to you about?" she says. The tone makes it a question, but only barely, just the tiniest bit of inflection past it being a statement.
Samuel	The presence of that phone outside his door is the reason the door opened at all. And that could be deduced easily enough... he hadn't opened the door for anyone else. Clearly he was expecting this talk, because a jacket, a pair of skater sneakers and his anonymous and unmarked baseball cap are already waiting by the door. All he needs to do first is shrug into a new hoodie, and then he joins Kitty out. Towards the stables... of course, where else? It's a spot he would have chosen himself.     His first sweep of the stables takes in the obvious blind spots and the rafters. His second sweep is even more thorough, and includes senses that not everyone is born with. Sure that there is nobody else lurking around, and nobody is trying to electronically snoop in on their conversation, he sits down, facing Kitty, and thus facing the door. The most serious indicator that he knows this is a talk that's going to be just between them? He hadn't woken up Bear...     "I do. And I figured you would have known I'd have sensed your particular brand of phone security."
Kitty Pryde	Kitty nods her head in reply to him as she leans back against the frame for the large swinging doors. "Yes. I was quite surprised to find you there. I wasn't expecting to be there myself either, truth be told. A case of fortunate, or unfortunate timing," she says. Kitty crosses her arms, eyes watching Samuel and his expressions. "So what brought you there?" she asks him. Though that's not really the part of the conversation she wants to get to, it's a good place to start. The sound of some students can be heard, but they are up by the school, and yelling at each other pretty hard to be heard here. Even Logan probably wouldn't be able to hear them at this distance. There might be one or two students who could, but they'd have to get lucky to do so.
Samuel	"My chain was yanked." Bean mentions cryptically for a moment, and then continues in a far more open tone. "An agency needed an expert on criminal organisations, thinking HYDRA were behind some unusual activity in Metropolis. That's all I got out of them, we never got to the briefing. But you know that when someone like that comes knocking, I have to go. No choice in that matter." It was, after all, part of his parole conditions. He's in the rolodex as a 'consultant' for practically every letter soup agency in the US.     "We were getting close to the cemetery when that magic hit. Things got a bit hectic in a confined space, the car crashed, I decided to stretch my legs." There is a distinct feeling that he's skipping over some parts here. Parts he might not want to talk about just now.     "Did a tactical analysis, decided that the immediate threat was dealt with, but the flank was in peril with that gaping hole in the ground. And, let's be honest, when the Batmobile is parked somewhere, you know there's going to be an issue. Figured I was there, what the hell, I'll help out. Then everything blew up."
Kitty Pryde	Kitty rests her head against the door frame to the stables as she listens. There's a little movement of her eyebrow at the mention of the magic. Or perhaps at what goes unsaid. "It was pretty powerful, those emotions. I haven't heard how far it spread, or how many it affected. But I expect it was probably bad if it made it out past the cemetery very far." Kitty was in the parking lot, so it at least made it past the cemetery's walls. Her eyes student Samuel for a few more moments. "So, what is your analysis on my presence there?" she asks him, arms still crossed, and voice calm and quiet. She glances back towards the school, and off to either side, but there's no sign of anyone coming. Lockheed is keeping an eye from the roof as well, making sure no one comes from the other direction without them knowing.
Samuel	Bean looks up, gathering his thoughts. Normally he has an answer ready for most things, or he stalls with some kind of verbal shrug. This time... this time he visibly thinks, a sure sign he wants to get this right.     "I know three things for a fact. One, you were in disguise, meaning you didn't want anyone to recognise you. Two, we're having this talk in the most remote part of the school, so nobody here knows about this. Those two combined make me conclude that your presence there was for reasons of a personal nature, or at least something completely disconnected from the school. Since you were in an area of relative danger, and appeared entirely collected, you were there by choice. The conclusion must be that you have a crime fighting career."     So much, so obvious. The bombshell? "Three, you are allied with the man in the dark armor suit, which easy deduction leads me to conclude was the vigilante known as Batman. Tell me if I'm wrong about any of this."
Kitty Pryde	Kitty continues to lean against the doorframe as she listens to Samuel. She was expecting to hear pretty much what he said, which of course is exactly why they are talking there. She also realizes that her asking him provides confirmations in its own way, and perhaps might spur more thoughts. But she puts her trust in him that dealing with the matter head on is the best way. "Yes, you're mostly correct," she tells him. "I wasn't expecting anything of the sort as what happened there. Though, that isn't why I wanted us to talk, as you no doubt can deduce," she tells Samuel. Kitty finally pushes off her leaning spot, giving a little nod. She glances about outside before walking over a little closer to Samuel. "I'll be straight with you Sam. Yes, I am allied with Batman in a fashion. It's not like with the Avengers. But our paths have crossed before and we've cooperated. And partly as a result of that cooperation, he's directly saved the lives of a number of people from the school." Samuel may or may not have heard about the Moon incident. Kitty continues, "Though it wouldn't be easy, I have no doubt if you cared enough you could find an account or two of a hero with a similar costume having been active in Gotham. However that isn't something I share with the school. Batman has shown he's trustworthy when it comes to myself, and the school. And even if I don't know as much as he, I mean to show him the same in return. So you can see why I wanted to speak to you about this."
Samuel	"I'll be blunt." When Bean says that, you know what's coming is probably going to be either very short and to the point, or somewhat... controversial. But he doesn't move from where he sits, still appearing tired but as alert as ever. Whatever he's going to say is not a figment of fatigue. "I appreciate the Batman. I like his style. It's... easier for me to understand than the thought process of someone like Captain America."     "And what you do when you're not at the school is entirely your business. I can understand why you don't want anyone here to know, and I'm sure you had already guessed that I wasn't going to share that secret with anyone. In fact, you pretty well know for certain that I'm the last person to ever betray secrets of such a nature." Now his eyes wander, away from Kitty, but he held that gaze long enough to show his sincerity. Looking away seems to indicate that he doesn't consider her to be threatening.     "If anything, I was hoping you'd offer an introduction."
Kitty Pryde	That certainly took Kitty by surprise. Which her expression shows. "I didn't think that you were likely to say anything. But, you also might have assumed others knew. And... well I had to make sure," she says, dealing with the first bit first. And the last, surprising bit last. Kitty paces a bit. "Batman is... ah... I'll just say really complicated. Which is like pointing out the first pebble of a mountain. And, way more complicated than I even grasp. Not the easiest to deal with. Why do you want to meet him?" Kitty asks, her head tilting to the side a bit.
Samuel	"If people in the school knew, I'd have heard about it." It's a relatively easy logical step, but perhaps not everyone would have made it. Bean is fairly certain that there are very few secrets left for him in the school, and that if the teacher he seems to get along with best was known to have an independent crime fighting career outside of New York, he'd have found out by now. Since he didn't, it was possible nobody knew, and as long as that possibility existed, it was better not to say anything. Quid Ergo Demonstratum.     "A while back, there was a post on a message board, from someone named Robin. They talked a lot of sense. I managed to contact them, and there was a tentative agreement for us to meet. It never happened. Since then, I've been looking into this Robin, and their association with this Batman was fairly obvious." Them. They. Seems Bean isn't even making assumptions about genders. "There might be things I could learn from them."
Kitty Pryde	"I've taken a lot of care to avoid it happening. The best way to keep a secret and all," Kitty says with a slow nod to Samuel. She goes back to her leaning spot on the door frame, looking around and making sure no one is approaching, and then relaxing in that previous spot. "I can guess which post you mean," she says, definitely recalling Robin's Ask-Me-Anything that he did. She didn't get involved in that. But then she knew how Batman would probably react to it. "If you like I can reach out," she tells Samuel. "Perhaps Robin would be better though," she suggests. Kitty pauses then in thought, seeming to second guess herself, but not adding more.
Samuel	"You know them best, you know me well. Do what you believe is best." Bean glances about again, seemingly entirely comfortable where he is, despite the clandestine nature of the meeting. But then he might be used to this kind of thing...     "The secret is safe with me. No matter which way you decide."
Kitty Pryde	Kitty still seems to be considering. "Sam, what is it that you're hoping for though? What is it you want to learn? Fighting? Something else? What they face in Gotham is... it's very different. Rarely do those they have to stop have powers, mutant or enhanced. Sometimes they do. But those they oppose are capable of destruction and mayhem on the same scales as those who have powers that the X-men have to deal with," Kitty says. She looks Samuel over. "I just want to make sure you know what it is you want to ask for. And... you might be going down the rabbit hole if you do," she says quietly. Her expression, someone who knows.
Samuel	The answer is hard to put into words. Bean struggles, clearly struggles, to come up with the right phrase, hands tucked into the front pocket of his hoodie, head now firmly pointed down as he looks at the floor. His toes tap a few times, a sign of anxiety? Frustration with himself? The lack of a suitable expression in english?     "Utility." is what he comes out with in the end, looking up with eyes that literally glow for a brief moment. "Yesterday... the muscle memory came back. Instantly. It was chaos, it was unpredictable, it was dangerous. And at the same time, I felt more relaxed than I have in months. Like I was home, for just a few minutes. Do you remember what I told you, a few weeks back? About hope, and looking for the path of the hero?"     "It's pretty obvious to me that I can't be a hero like Captain America, or Thor, or even Clint. Fundamentally I can't. And I know that Gotham is a city with serious problems, especially since the incident with Superman. And maybe this is a self destructive side of me, but... maybe that's what I'm looking for? The school is teaching me how to behave, how to live. How to be normal. Something inside me... just gets more restless the longer it's ignored."
Kitty Pryde	Kitty's eyes sweep back out to check that the expanse of grounds between the school and stable are still clear as she listens to Samuel. The reason for the meeting out here, even apart from ears that are sensitive hearing, was knowing Kity would be unlikely to be able to keep some thoughts suppressed. Another person that is part of the Gotham scene that struggles with himself pops into Kitty's thoughts. As she knew he would at some point in the conversation. The similarities with Samuel are considered. "Sam... are you wanting a place that you can have an outlet where that kind of behavior goes on? It isn't... that's not really how Gotham is," she says with concern. Or maybe it is. It shouldn't be. It's a cesspool and a struggle and she's seen first hand what it does to the lives of those who try to deal with it.
Samuel	"No." The lie comes easily, too easy, and he corrects himself. "Possibly. It's not exactly something I can talk to my therapist about." The similarities between Bean and that other teenager might be quite pronounced, despite their other myriad differences. "I'm not looking for some place where I can assault someone at will. But... it's... hard to explain."     Still, he tries, after a few seconds of silence. "With the New Mutants, I have to watch myself. Constantly. Most people have an idea of what I can be like, but nobody has seen me with the brakes off. I don't want them to see me like that, ever. At the same time, I can't hide that part of me for the rest of my life. It's... I talked to another former HYDRA agent a few weeks ago. We're both pretty much in the same situation, and we're coming to the conclusion that it's a latent control mechanism. At least I am, I should say. With the New Mutants, with the X-men, with the Avengers, even with SHIELD, that's a problem."     "In Gotham it's less of a problem. Force is more accepted as a part of crime fighting."
Kitty Pryde	Kitty's lips purse a little bit. "It is... sometimes more used. I don't know about accepted, Sam. You have to understand too, the stuff that goes on there? It messes people up. I mean it messes up those who oppose it. I know it might seem like a spot you can find that release that part of what you have inside. But it can come with a terrific price," Kitty says. She turns to look away from him, not wanting him to see the haunted look that she knows is going to come to her eyes. All of the times she's seen Jason hurting. Seen what he's dealt with. No, not dealt with. Tried to deal with. Until it broke them apart. Can she really send a sixteen year old into that? Isn't that what Bruce has done? What she's part of anytime she calls Robin to help? Kitty draws a deep breath and turns back around. "They also aren't very fond of others coming into the area. I won't go into what it took to get even the level of acceptance I did." It won't be where Sam's thoughts might lead, but that's what she wants.
Samuel	"I might have a bit of a head start there." Bean manages to say in a full deadpan, although humor was clearly intended. Given that he already struggles with PTSD and anxiety attacks, deals with depression and fights his own violent tendencies on a daily basis, it might be said that he's overqualified for the job. "But I know what you mean. And I do know what it's like."     He waits patiently while Kitty needs to look away, understanding her emotional turmoil. What happened by chance the day before is probably putting her before an impossible choice, where two worlds collide with no warning. He certainly knows /that/ feeling all too well.     "I'm aware they are protective of Gotham. That's why I've never even gone anywhere near the city. And I won't ask you to do something you feel you cannot do in good conscience. But I would like an introduction. My particular skills might be useful in Gotham."
Kitty Pryde	Kitty visibly looks perplexed. "Let me think about it Sam. I'll... probably try to get word to one of them and see what they think. They might tell you no in the first place. Even if they don't... I'm not sure if I should let you go through with meeting them," she tells him. "It's not that I don't trust you. But I don't know that anyone, including you, should be subjected to that if they don't have to be. And I don't know that it would help you, as opposed to just making matters worse. But, let me think about it, ok?" she tells him.
Samuel	Bean holds up a hand and nods, showing that he understands completely. "That's all I ask. As I said, I don't want you to think this is a condition to me not talking about what I saw yesterday." And so his hands are returned to the front pocket of the hoodie, and he breathes out a deep sigh. "I'll be honest, I'm glad that's over with. That's the second uncomfortable talk in less than twelve hours."
Kitty Pryde	Kitty nods slowly and lets out a sigh. After a moment she asks, "Should I ask about the other one? Or one of these that's best kept under wraps?" she asks him. Kitty whistles and Lockheed comes flying down from the roof and in through the doorway to perch on her shoulder.
Samuel	With the uncomfortable part of the talk out of the way, Bean visibly relaxes more and leans against the wall, rolling his eyes in very typical teenager fashion, and therefore a bit odd coming from him. "Two unconscious agents in a crashed car, shots fired, an explosion and my fingerprints on a federal handgun? That took some explaining. You'd be surprised how often 'magic did it' doesn't go over well in an interrogation room. No sense of humor, I can tell you." Which might explain why he got back more than twelve hours after the end of the incident.