2012-08-08 Stairing Contest

Museums. Suck. That's pretty much the expression that's on the face of Jason Todd, right now. He has no idea why he's even out here. Oh wait, yes he does. He's smoking. He's got a cigarette in his mouth as he's sitting on the steps of some random museum that is probably full of priceless and useless junk that he doesn't care a thing about.

Talia al Ghul on the other hand, well, let's just say that she may appreciate a few things from inside. Right now, though, Jason's casing of the joint -- er, I mean, smoking a cigarette. He's just smoking a cigarette!

Helena Bertinelli walks along the sidewalk toward the museum, having taken some time out of her day to come down here and get the exhibit listing and autumn schedules. It always helps to plan field trips for the students well in advance. She's currently in her 'teacher' attire -- hair pulled back into an almost-severe bun and her slacks and blazer-type jacket almost downright stodgy in the Gotham standard smoke grey.

Kate Kane is heading up the steps to the Museum entrance, standing out as she is used to doing. With her flaming red hair and sapphire blue strapless dress, its hard not to in a place like Gotham. Turning to smile at a pair of students who seem to be on a date, she spots Helena at the bottom of the steps and grins. Considering their last meeting, this could be fun, indeed.

Know who likes museums? Nerds. That's who. And worse than a box of the watermelon and apple flavors, it's Rain. She probably even has a calculator in her pocket /right now/. The horror! But this whole science, library and gardens thing? Totally got her name on it. At least, her first name. The rest of it is unspeakably embarrassing and makes bystanders cringe in sympathy. Or at least shrivel up and die of shame. Regardless, she has opted to look around in the nearest museum first and move in an efficient, oval shaped pattern. Freaking engineering students. Her path takes her past Helena, who gets a polite smile. And a guy smoking on the steps, who also gets a polite nod. Although, stairs are her natural enemy, along with cheetahs, badgers and possibly flying sharks. She looks horrified as one of her shoes just barely catches the edge of a stair and slips. There's a moment of birdlike flailing until - ta da! Still standing up. Shiftyeye. No one saw that. She resumes going up the stairs like nothing happened. Or at least, looking around to make sure no one saw that. Right?

Its a dangerous business, eating seafood in Gotham. If anyone reads the news, they would know that the rivers here...tend to catch on fire. Still, one of the sources of food on the sly is a group of intrepid fishermen who still play their trade in Gothams rivers and lakes, and one Frederick Jager (Also sometimes known by the sobriquet of Dragnet) is currently nibbling on a trout that has been lightly seasoned, dipped in butter, and wrapped in parchment. Sea-folk, regardless of how close they may be to an ocean, seem to like feeding the vagrant. Fred savors this rare treat as he walks through the Museum district, pausing to examine the museum thoughtfully, nibbling on the tender, just-right cooked morsel. You don't get fresh seafood much on the streets. You don't get fresh seafood in Gotham period usually, at least if you have any sense. Still, even in this contented state though, his hackles are up, and he watches the movements of people, their interactions, where they linger. Much like a terrified rabbit on the freeway with just enough sense to get out of the way of the car. He pauses in particular to watch the flailing, before he nods sympathetically. He hates stairs too, but he dislikes elevators more. So, the gradual elevation will have to be endured! He salutes the girl (Rain's) noble righting of herself and continues to walk up the steps.

Well it's a good day so far, not having to be at the rec center today but having gone anyway to check on a few things. Jynn has found his way to the museum, why he is here, well he's found out that there was an Japanese and Chinese exhibit which has been something he wanted to find out more of. Granted anyone who would look upon him would note he doesn't look Japanese or Chinese, but his caramel complexion may inform them of his mixed heritage. But still, he is wearing a pair of baggy blue jeans, with a black and white Chicago Whitesox baseball jersey with a white long sleeved shirt underneath it. His baseball cap turned to the side, Jynn walks along until he comes to the steps. Looking around for amoment, taking in one person smoking, a woman with some vibrant red hair. Even he has to perk his eyes up a little bit. Though if anyone gets a good look at his eyes, the blacks of his eyes would be the first thing that they would notice followed by the crimson red pupils which at this point Jynn moves his cap about so that the lid of his cap moves down over his face a little to keep them covered.

Helena Bertinelli isn't really paying a lot of attention to anyone else on the museum steps. She starts up the steps past someone eating something actually rather tasty-smelling and a young man in baggy clothing, manages to refrain from frowning and waving the cigarette smoke away from her face, then has to slow as other pedestrians are in her path. The RED hair ahead catches her attention, but only very briefly as she glances down at her wristwatch.

Jason's already getting annoyed. And the girl didn't even fall down the steps. Now people are just ruining his fun. That would've been hilarious. And now that it wasn't, he's going to have to entertain himself. "Take two." is whispered from his lips, before he hooks the cigarette on the end of his finger and flicks it off in the general direction of Rain. He's hoping that it'll burn or scare her or something enough to have her slipping. Whatever. He hasn't really paid too much attention to anyone else around himself. But he does know that there are quite a few possible targets for his boredom fixery.

Kate doesn't wait for Helena to notice her. As soon as the woman has gotten far enough up the steps, she moves closer, slipping through the crowds until she is right next to the woman. "Meeting someone?" She asks, glancing to the watch and then back to the woman, "An school event, maybe?" Hopefully not a date. Not in /those/ dourly grey clothes!

Shiftyeyes. Look left. Look right. Eh heh. Rain smiles weakly, a sheepish expression as ... Dragnet salutes her. Weakly, she salutes back. And a little smile, too. Welp. And her eyes are purple, so it must be strange eye color day. Purple like the prose of - okay, the last time that came up, at least 3 thesaurii were immolated in a horrific crime that could only be described as incredibly wordy and awkward. Deep breath. There's a curious look as Jynn wanders up. And unfortunately, it's just enough not to notice the cigarette flicked off her way. Eek! Flail! It didn't just go down her collar! While some pinball wizards would kill for aim like that, Rain's trying to shake the cigarette out the back of her shirt. Yeow! SHe has a horrified, alarmed expression on her face. Brains are funny sometimes. While paying attention to one set of limbs, sometimes the others go south and she ends up slipping back down the stairs looking like she's running. Whoa. Happily, the cigarette long since fell out as she lands roughly on her backside at the bottom of the steps. Her eyes are wide. "... don't tell me Gotham's pigeons crap fire." Ohgodno. They've come for revenge. It's revenge for immolating all the pigeons. NOooooooooooooo.

In a non-cigarette tossing, non flaming red hair sort of mood, Frederick likes gray. No one pays attention to gray. Black, people think you are trying to be edgy, white people think you are trying to proclaim something. Gray makes people ignore him, ignorance makes Fred feel safe. Thumbs hook into his pockets as he rolls back on his heels, sort of meandering with no place to go in particular. Though he might be close enough to straighten out his pull Rain up, as if hearing her plea for....well, not assistance, but perhaps an attempt to limit the sheer amount of shame and physics-related distress. "Hellfire or magma, more like. The courts are corrupt, criminals are everywhere, so the stupid rats with wings shit burning penance upon the unworthy of Gotham." Yeah, some might call that a judgement. The way Fred says it though, is somewhere between straight man humor and utter resignation. It wouldn't surprise him. The Batman, he doesn't allow metahumans, but apparently incendiary crapping feathery bastards are okay. Somehow, Frederick lost the train of thought on that.

Well everyone is looking all dressed up, Jynn just shakes hsi head it's only a museum. Sighing the man begins walking up the steps moving away from the people who are moving al ittle slow on the steps, though as he moves up the steps he notices someone looking at him, he shakes his head, it's always the eyes, but as she begins flailing about, his eyes quirks slightly as he she screams about the pigeons crapping fire, "Hey you ok?" he asks as he tries to move closer to see if he can help, and hoping the woman isn't going to beat him.

Helena Bertinelli startles at Kate's abrupt approach, and she frowns at the woman, but only briefly. "Sort of a school event. I want to get exhibit listings and schedule information so I can plan a field trip this fall. Last year the..." Her attention is drawn to the minor spectacle of a young lady being rather ... spastic and then falling on the stairs. She'd love to just roll her eyes and keep going, but there's that damn teacher persona she has to maintain. So, she steps toward Rain. "Are you all right?" Wow, she even sounds a bit severe.

Laughter. Epic Laughter comes from Jason as he just watched some of the most funniest shenanigans he's seen in a while. He's actually cracking up at this moment, balancing himself on the stairs as he watches what happens to Rain. "Oh man, that was priceless. Yes!" He claps his hands and ends up having to sit himself back down on the steps himself, because he's laughing too hard. He doesn't want to end up like her!

Kate's eyebrows go up at the frown. They stay up when Helena's attention is drawn away, and when she also sees the reason. Cute girl in distress? She's all over that. Following the teacher back down, she glances at the girl's helper and is about to make a comment (or possibly ask a question) when laughter erupts from the stairs. Turning, she eyes the guy laughing so hard he can't even stand. "I think... we may have another crazy at the Museum tonight." She murmurs to the small group.

A pause as Fred/Dragnet gives his speech. She blinks and smiles a little. For all the humor in her existence, there's a good bit of soul lodged in there. She smiles faintly. "Well. I guess it's good to do penance once in awhile, even if you're not really that bad," Rain considers quietly. "But I'd prefer no floggings or fire popping birds, if it's all the same," A headshake. Regardless, she does accept Fred's hand and stands up. She brushes herself off. Mercifully, there's no beatings. She looks apologetic. "Yes'm. Sorry..." She frowns, eyes a bit wide at Helena's question. It's more embarrassment and realization of the spectacle. Oh boy. Her face goes a bit red. "I really shouldn't have been so loud." Awkward. She looks ready to shrink down and hide under a rock for about a week or so. Though, at the laughter, there's a weak smile. "... at least someone's day was made, I guess." She pauses at Kate's comment. "It's - okay. It was pretty silly, I suppose." Deepbreath. "Um. Sorry about that. I'm okay. Something hot hit my collar and I jumped..." She looks puzzled. There's a polite glance and apology to Jynn. "Yup, s-sorry. Thank you. I appreciate the concern," That last line is in general. Still. Tempted to shrivel up and die or something.

Jynn checks her to make sure the woman is alright, why the hell she did all of that and drawn such attention is beyond him. Maybe she is a bit slow and something just starteled her? Shrugging and giving a polite smile, "It's alright." he says to her simply as he does another once over, and when Helena and Kate comes over to help the girl, Jynn backs away from her. Listening as Rain speaks to them each in turn, "No worries, as long as your alright thats all that matters." As Jynn speaks the trio of women would notice him keeping his head down slightly allowing the brimm of his baseball cap to keep his face and eyes partially covered. He then turns away and starts up the stairs, at teh same time noticing someone laughing, obviously it wasn't funny but he just shakes his head and keeps on moving. Fred pauses to make sure she is fully oriented, perhaps fully convinced that she might fall over at the slightest provocation. It wasn't really a speech, just an attempt to pay lip service to the general aura of suck Gotham seems to cultivate, and try to display some sympathy. A pause as Kate and Helena crop up, but he just raises an eyebrow a fraction of an inch and betrays no sign of knowing them. To be fair, he doesn't, but they might look slightly familiar. An advantage for him wearing full body armor, one supposes. "Fire pooping birds might actually improve tourism, you never know. We should make that suggestion at the next town hall meeting, perhaps."

Crazy? Jason Todd is not even close to being crazy, right? Honestly, he's just a guy that's on the steps and thought a little stumble action was hilarious. "Man. That was awesome. You miss, should be the queen of YouTube." And then he's patting himself down and trying to find his... ah, there it is! Cell Phone. "Tell me you can do that again. I think I've got another cigarette on me." Okay, so maybe he is a little bit off his rocker. Just a tad.

"Something hot?" Kate frowns. She looks around, but other than the laugher can't see anyone who might have thrown something on purpose. She's ready to dismiss him, even, when he goes on to practically admit to the 'crime'. "Seriously?" She asks, straightening to regard the young man with a raised brow (and putting herself easily between Jason and Rain). "Don't you have something less annoying to do with your time?" Unfortunately, with all this going on, she doesn't have time to try and get a better look at Jynn. Soon, though...

Helena Bertinelli sees that the girl is all right, so she levels a GLARE on par with even the most stern of Catholic school mother superior types before turning to resume her trek up the steps to the museum. She looks at the red-haired woman questioningly. But, Kate's defending the girl from Hyena-man. She's got a time limit here. Back the woman or go get the documents she needs. Damned quandry.

Stopping as he hears the man begin speaking, calling the woman the 'Queen of Youtube.' and now taking out hsi phone to possibly record her. Shaking his head, "Put your phone away, it's not funny, whats happened to her." he says. Jynn doesn't allow his voice to raise, but before he is able to say anything, he hears one of the women who was helping Rain speak up as well, he would glance back, but that wouldn't be a good idea. "How about you move along and leave the girl alone."

Rain turns bright red, looking down to her shoes. Ahem. "Well, I'm glad er, it made your day. I'm not sure I could. I suspect part of the funny was me being startled," SHe notes quietly. "But I suppose it was pretty funny," She smiles weakly. A nod at Kate. "Yeah. I should've been paying attention." Awkward. Then a look to Dragnet. "... they could fight crime," She offers. Fire emitting birds. To fight crime... that's ... hm. "Still. It's really kind of you guys. Thank you." She is about to crawl under that rock right about now. "It's - fine." A pause at Jynn. "Ah... don't um, - go to any trouble, really..." She looks a teeny bit guilty. "...thankyou." Mumblemumble. She's not quite sure what to do now, her speech falling into repetition and shyness.

Fred reaches out, dusting Rain off lest she acquire acquire too much dirt from the road. "Only fair we warn the pigeons what they are getting into. Gotham's a mess. You clean up one street, you have to purge another. With fire and uh....dung, I suppose. Let no wicked soul be spared." He's deadpanning it, but even the normally terse and truculent Fred is getting a kick out of this. Besides, in spite of her terminal shyness, the girl seems to be handling herself just fine. He leaves the white knights to confront the fellow with the cigarettes, he...hangs back. Watching and observing.

At least the guy helping Rain is funny. Unlike Mr. Giggler. Turning away from the would-be youtube filmer she smiles encouragingly at Rain. And when she sees just how adorably shy the girl is turning, she once again takes charge. Slipping an arm through one of Rain's, she announces cheerfully, "Worry not, fair damsel. Your entourage has arrived to protect you. Now, I think we were all headed into the museum, right? Shall we proceed?" She looks to the group, aparently expecting them to follow, and starts up the stairs.

Helena Bertinelli sees several people are now defending Rain, so she takes a step back before turning to continue up the stairs. After she gets the paperwork she needs, then she can come back and be all disapproving on the young lady's behalf. Yeah. That works.

"Okay, first of all, everybody chill out. She didn't get hurt. It was a joke. A prank. Don't get so bent out of shape." Jason rolls his eyes and holds the phone up nice and high so everyone that's ganging up on him can see it. "Oh no. My dangerous camera phone is ruining Gotham City. Maybe I better put it away." The snark and the sarcasm are paramount at this moment, as he shoves the phone into his pocket. "Oh my. We are all safe now. Thank you, Fair Citizens. Thank you all." Rolling of the eyes.

"Tsk." is all that is heard from Jynn as he watches Jason for a moment. "It wasn't funny." he says simply. Now sparing a look behind him, looks like the others weren't laughing either. He shakes his head for a moment then begins walking up the stairs, the girl has many people watching her, they didn't need another. Also the fact that he heard her state to not get into trouble for her helped in getting him to move on. "Your welcome." he says as he looks back to Rain. Then up the steps he goes.

Frederick shrugs. He wasn't really picking a fight with Jason, or trying to enforce his standards. He is just making sure that the girl is alright. He steps back from the crowd, letting them enter or leave the museum as they will. He has fish to nibble on, and he doubts his lemony buttery fish will go well with paintings or expensive parchments, so outside he stays. No white knight he, just a fellow trying to make things a little less crappy for folks. He then moves to sit on the steps, watching the comings and goings with a shrug of the shoulders. Ah, to be a fly amongst the manifold throng. It is a blissful thing. Still, pondering pigeon justice does make him laugh a bit inside. Its good to have a bit of silliness to hold onto.

Rain is bright red by this point. She chuckles softly at Fred's joke. "Um. Thank you. I appreciate it. And that's uh, true. Probably budget friendly, too..." Fidget. Deep breath. "Ah. It's um. Okay. No harm, no foul. I should... pay attention where I walk. But I'm glad ... you're all really kind." Smile. "I appreciate it." She seems grateful for the help and more than a little surprised when there's an arm through hers! Eh! Her eyes widen, mouth falling open a little. She closes her mouth and smiles faintly. "Um. S-sure. Thank you again..." Her words. She's gotta use her words! But they're slipping away from her like she's grasping at spilled water. Her brain just - *bloooooop*. She pauses at Jason. She isn't too sure. A smile at Jynn. "Appreciated. No worries... it happens. At least nothing caught fire." Small favors, right? Always look on the bright, not immolated side of life? "I hope I didn't interrupt anything." Still, she seems appreciative, if surprised and clamming up. A look to Fred and a faint grin at him and his fish.

Kate heads into the museum, rolling her eyes in turn at Jason as she passes. "Right." She laughs, "Because you get to throw cigarettes at girls like some overgrown teenager, and then take the highground." All in all, she's not angry. But defence mechanisms die hard, especially when you still use them on a nightly basis. She continues laughing as she leads Rain to the entrance and buys each of them a ticket, wondering as she does so, "Did you see that guy with the hat, by the way? Curious, how he kept his face hidden so well."

Helena Bertinelli skips the ticket counter, moving toward the administrative offices and talking with someone there for a few minutes. There is an exchange of documentation, and then the administrator there leaves briefly and the dourly dressed woman stands there and waits.

Fred meanwhile continues to nom on his fish. He would no doubt love cultural enrichment, but the fact remains that he has his priorities. Food must come before. Besides, he can always visit later at night under cover of stealth. Not to steal, just to look, to learn...its amazing how little fighting the AIDOS actually sees. So much of it is just observation, learning, accessing an education one could barely hope for if one were not even invisible to the shadows.

Jynn walks up to the map which shows each of the exhibits, finding what he was looking for Jynn starts to walk into the museum. But he stops and looks back behind him, scanning the area for a moment his head lowered still. Sighing and shrugging his shoulders, he turns around and moves into the museum.

Awkward. Rain blushes and smiles. "Yeah, he seemed nice, though," She offers quietly. She does seem a bit curious about the shy hat guy (Read: Jynn). She tilts her head a bit, watching. At Kate's laughter, she lets her smile linger a bit. She waves to Fred then, in passing. She doesn't seem to bear any sort of grudge or anger over having the cigarette flicked at her. She'll walk with the others for now, looking quietly grateful and apologetic. "Um. By the way... I don't know your name, but you can call me Rain or Winter if you'd like."

"Rain or Winter? Hmmm, which to choose... " Kate thinks about this for a minute as she head inside, arriving with Rain at the map not long after Jynn has left it. "I'm Kate Kane. And its nice to meet someone in Gotham who doesn't know that already." She grins as she scanns the map. "Did you come to see anything specific? I heard there was an exibit of Japanese and Chinese pieces that sounded interesting."

The administrator returns to where Helena is waiting, and offers her a folder of documents. She accepts the paperwork, glances through it quickly, then thanks the museum worker and turns to walk right back out of the building. Busybusy.