Gotham City's Own Paris Hilton

[not_a_wonder]

[Nessie isn't surprised that there wasn't a lot of turnout for this "Be a Big Sibling" sign up event. Although everyone in Gotham City knows that crime affects the children of the city, there aren't a lot of people willing to help fix that.]

[Of course, the stringent background check required for it might also scare some people off.]

[She hands off a copy of the brochure and says,] "I hope you'll consider being a Big Sibling for one of our foster kids in need! They could use more good influences in their lives."

[The woman smiles at her, and moves on to Nessie's boss for the presentation.]

[Nessie hears another person step up to her table. She holds up another brochure, and says again,] "I hope you'll consider being a Big Sibling for one of our needy foster kids!"

[[OOC: (Added 23 July 2022) Although this particular scene was written beforehand, chronologically it comes after scenes that are being played at this time.]]

Comments

[iamthenightwing]

[Dick smiles back at Nessie, and humors her by taking the brochure.] Well, I do have some experience with that sort of thing...

And I've heard good things about this program... it's Ms. Kapatelis, right? [He waits before introducing himself to see if she'll recognize him.]

[not_a_wonder]

[Her name tag says "Vanessa", so hearing her last name puts her on guard. She looks up, focusing on Dick's face... and when she recognizes him, she relaxes again.]

That's right, Mr. Grayson.

[iamthenightwing]

I see my reputation precedes me! [He flips through the brochure idly.] And yours you. [He looks back up.] Do you remember Cody Kahon? One of the Wayne Foundation gymnast scholarship recipients? He kept talking about this program and how much it meant to him. So I thought, well... [He glances around.] I thought maybe I'd see if there was anything we could do to help?

[not_a_wonder]

[Nessie smiles, but it's a little cool.]

We're rather well funded, Mr. Grayson. What we need are people willing to give their time to these kids.

[iamthenightwing]

[Dick's smile falters a little.] I... guess that's a little tougher.

Are volunteers really that hard to find?

[not_a_wonder]

Yes, indeed. People have a lot of preconceptions about the children in our foster programs, despite the assurance that they have counselors like myself to help them.

And aside from that, asking for people's weekends seems to be too much.

[iamthenightwing]

Preconceptions? [He seems startled at that, then wonders why he hadn't considered that aspect. It's not like he hasn't seen that type of attitude before, but he somehow hadn't really thought it would affect people's willingness to sign up.]

[He pauses, thinking, and then ventures-] I know weekends come at a premium, but... do you think it'd help if we could get rid of some of those preconceptions? Get some attention around what the kids are really like?

[not_a_wonder]

[Interesting. Nessie would have thought that Dick would know the sort of things people say about foster children, given that he was once one himself. Then again, maybe people didn't gossip so much around a rich man's ward.]

[Nessie arches an eyebrow.] Sounds like you have a proposition for me, Mr. Grayson?

[iamthenightwing]

Weellll... [And oh, this is a terrible idea, but he can't seem to resist. There's more ways to do good than just punching people in the head, after all, and as busy as he is, it's not like there's not a glut of other heroes to help pick up some weekend slack.] Do you think maybe some... positive media coverage might help? Say, if one of 'those Wayne kids' volunteered for the program?

[iamthenightwing]

[The walk to the coffee shop is fairly short and uneventful, Dick quickly ordering his usual - a coffee with sugar, whipped cream and cinnamon - when they get in. In short order, they're at a table in the back, Dick sipping his drink idly as he looks Nessie over.]

So how did you get started doing all this, if I can ask?

[not_a_wonder]

[Nessie has a large coffee, all sugar and no milk.]

Heh. You get right to the difficult questions, I see. [She sips at her drink.] The easiest response is, after Diana got Dr. Anderson to remove the cybernetics of the Silver Swan, I finished college. I wanted to do the most good possible with my social work, so I picked Gotham City.

[iamthenightwing]

[Dick nods, acknowledging the comment - he hadn't been sure how to raise the subject of the Silver Swan (Bats do their research, after all), and he's glad she's comfortable addressing it herself. He doesn't know that he needs to draw attention to it, though, so instead he says,] Most people would set their sights on something... a little less daunting.

[He smiles.] I'm glad you didn't. It seems like you're doing good work here. [He takes another sip of coffee.] Have you been... having any trouble settling in? [Okay, maybe he can draw a little attention to it. It's not a lot of people who go through something like Nessie did and come out of it still fighting - he wants to make sure no one less sympathetic is hassling her.]

[not_a_wonder]

The occasional bit of hate mail still finds me, but I have good friends here and elsewhere. I have a therapist of my own, as well.

The worst thing was a few weeks into my move to Gotham, really. I was the target of a mugging.

[She drinks from her coffee again.]

[iamthenightwing]

[Dick frowns a little over his coffee.] I'm glad it's been mostly going well - are you all right, though? Did they ever find who did it?

[not_a_wonder]

[Nessie smiles, a touch smugly.] I kicked their asses.

[iamthenightwing]

[Dick chokes slightly, and laughs.] Well, that's good to hear. The Bats can't be everywhere. [A little ruefully, he adds,] And I think a social worker in Gotham needs to be a bit tough.

How are things there, by the way? With social services? The Wayne Foundation has put a lot into it, but it's a little hard to get an... insider perspective, sometimes? Is there anything more we could do to help make it better? [Shaking his head, he says-] I'm sorry. Just... I like to make sure we're doing the most good we can, too.

[not_a_wonder]

Diana asked some of her teachers to teach me. And my mother was very supportive, that I learn how to defend myself.

Well... you know how things are. Sometimes it seems like we're baling out a sinking boat, but every life that we improve makes it worth it. What you did today is the sort of thing we need more of... ways to make what the everyday regular person can do look more appealing.

And, I won't lie. The Wayne Foundation's money helps a lot, too.

[iamthenightwing]

[Dick tries not to react to the flashing cameras trained on him as they walk out, holding the book and being sure to warmly thank Nessie for the information. Hopefully that will keep the rumor mill down at least somewhat.

It takes a little while, but eventually, they manage to lose the cameras, ending up on a quiet - of course - rooftop lounge not too far away.]

Okay, so. I guess you know about the... [He mimes little bat ears.] SO the question is... what do you know about Jason Todd?

[not_a_wonder]

[Nessie crosses her ankles and folds her hands together over one knee.] I know what everyone knows. That Jason Todd was adopted by Bruce Wayne and was tragically killed along with his birth mother in Ethiopia.

[She tilts her head to catch Dick's eye.] You've already guessed that I know Jason didn't stay dead.

[iamthenightwing]

So I'd guessed. [He ducks his head, quiet for a moment.]

He... he went out in search of his mother. That was how it happened. He had a fight with Bruce and went back to his old neighborhood to cool down, I guess. He found his birth certificate, realized that... that the woman who'd raised him wasn't his biological mother. So he went searching for her, alone. And the Joker...

[Dick squeezes his eyes shut.] Why did he go out alone? Even if he was fighting with Bruce, he should have... he should have contacted the Titans. He should have contacted me. If he had, things could have gone differently. And I just... I don't know why he didn't.

[not_a_wonder]

[Nessie frowns slightly.]

Who told you that he didn't?

[iamthenightwing]

[Dick... does pretty much the mother of all double takes, staring at her in shock.] What??

[not_a_wonder]

Think back, [Nessie says quietly.] When did you find out about Jason?

The Titans weren't on Earth when he ran away to Ethiopia, were they? All except one.

[iamthenightwing]

[Dick reels.] I... Danny was there, in case anyone needed to... are you saying that he- he called? That he spoke with Danny?

[not_a_wonder]

When your private line went unanswered, he called that hotline the team set up. He asked to speak with you, and Danny told him what was going on... and he decided not to go into detail.

[Nessie sighs, and looks away, over at the city skyline that is slowly gaining its nighttime glow.] Can you imagine? Taking that call, and then realizing later that you're the last person who spoke to him? Wondering if maybe you could have stopped him? Poor Danny.