The Adventure of the Speckled Band [invite]

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Since Rose and Ink really seemed to want to catch up with each other, it left ample time for Robin and Naga to discuss whatever. And it seemed the boy wonder was somewhat impressed with his slapped together reinforcement to the warehouse. The snake slid closer to the young titan as he spoke. "In total, about sixty hours. In fact I had not finished long ago when we had our little run in......" It had taken him nearly three days to get the warehouse sturdy enough that he felt it was safe to have Rose be left alone for a little bit. With how the welcome he had received not too long ago went he wasn't exactly eager to have his daughter be caught in the line of fire again. "While I despise my mutations form, I can not help but enjoy the benefits it has granted me" His eyes lingered on Rose and Ink for a moment, a small smile crossing his scaled lips as the two bonded. "There were plenty of materials left behind, but since my hands are much to large to work with any of the tools remaining I had to improvise." A closer look at the sheets of metal and beams holding them in place revealed that some had been crudely cut to fit while others looked like something had just torn them like a sheet of paper.

Meanwhile with Rose and Ink, the little girl complied with the Scotts request. Although Ink was free of her vice grip she was not free of the girl herself. "How did you get here? Did you find dad or did dad find you? We're you okay after what the police did? Have you been okay? Who's that? Do you want something to eat? Also, I wanna show you something!" The girl pounded the poor red-head with a near relentless torrent of questions, all the while trying to lead her to the office she had come from.

[Silv]

The Boy Wonder nodded mutely when he learned that this creation had taken about three days to build. It was pretty impressive for someone who couldn't use conventional tools anymore. The guy could rend metal with his bare hands. It was kind of weird to be talking with a monster when he was used to them gnawing on lamp posts and scaring people instead. The boy's masked eyes swept around the room curiously before watching as the little girl began to drag Ink off, probably to show her something. He couldn't help but grin.

“We're already set up for your daughter,” he told the snakeman as he pulled his gaze from the girl and his teammate and turned to look at Naga. They lived in a tower full of kids. Rose would fit in just fine. “Everything in our tower is...well, built for people our size,” he gestured vaguely at himself and then at Ink and Rose. “What I need to know is what we need to build for you.” the boy squinted up at the monster as though doing measurements in his head. “It shouldn't take long. We've got an entire team and Cyborg is brilliant at tech. But the sooner I know, the sooner we can get started.”

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Ink sighed theatrically "Ets nice tae bae able tae breath again." she said before the tide of questions tried to wash her away. She laughed and waited for Rose to take a breath so she could answer everything she asked. In the background she could hear the boys talking shop but she didn't really listen or care that much.

Then she had her chance to get a word in as she was being dragged up the stairs to the small office Rose had come out of. "Ah walked here with Robin, and we all kinda found each other by luck." she started, leaving out the bit about Bido. She didn't want to tell the girl that she had been sold out for the baubles in her pocket."Ah've been worried sick aboot the two o yea since ah last saw yea, but other then that ah've been fine."

"And ahm nay hungry but thamk yea fer the offer." she laughed "Oh and that es Robin, hes the leader o the Titans." she added so that all of the questions were answered before they got to the top of the stairs.

"We all have some big news fer yea, but first... What were yea going tae show mae?" she asked clearly excited about both the surprises.

[Deleted]

The serpent gave a small nod to the boy wonder. "Then thankfully my living needs are few, I will mostly require easy access to the ocean so I can hunt. And maybe a heating system for the winter if it gets cold enough here, I am quite literally cold-blooded." The serpent gave a small sigh, hating that he had such a glaring weakness as the cold. "Other then those two needs, maybe information on those that you wish to have kept from the tower?" The serpent questioned, before looking at how his daughter was dragging poor Ink around their for-now home. "If you wish to go forward with miss Kaies' plan of having me guard the underbelly of your building that is......"

Meanwhile with Ink, and Rose dragging her/leading the way to the office. The excited girl quickly opened the door and quite literally leaped at the desk covered in multiple sheets of paper, books, and pencils of multiple colors. The majority of the desk was covered in drawings, scribbles, and what seemed like writing and math as well. To the side of the desk there lay some old and worn school books that seemed like they had been thrown out a week ago, laying under them were a few coloring books. However these things we not the strangest things in the room, in the corner strait from the door was a small mattress and blanket looking brand new except for what seemed like claw marks on the edges. And on the opposite side of the room was what seemed like a slightly crushed hot-dog cart, steam still coming from it signifying that it still worked. "Here it is!" Rose suddenly squeaked out happily, grabbing one of the many sheets on the desk and scattering most of them in the process. When the small girl turned to Ink, she revealed what she had dug up. It was a colored drawing of herself and Ink standing on top of Naga's head, all three with smiles. And for a small girl it was a good drawing, although it was a little cartoony (Drawn in Teen Titans Go! style) it was still a show of skill. "What do you think Kaie?" The girl asked with excitement, her eyes lingering on the Scottish artist as if seeking her approval.

[Silv]

Robin noted all these things in his head- they would go on paper later -as he listened to the snakeman rattle off his own needs. Access to the ocean would be harder than rigging a gigantic heat lamp like the kind a person would put in a snake's aquarium. Then the man mentioned needing information on the people Robin didn't want anywhere near their tower. His expression, which had been some semblance of pleasant, turned grim.

He nodded, a single curt nod, “I'll give you the information when we get there. There's the remains of an old computer in the space you'll be inhabiting. I'll see if my team and I can get it up and running so you have access to the files,” he wondered if the snakeman could even type. Regardless, it made sense to show him at least the few facts they had about the villains that might try to attack their tower from the underbelly.

“If you or Rose need anything let me know and I'll do my best to provide it,” Robin could understand why Ink liked these two. Despite his initial reservations Robin had decided this actually was a good plan. “I know you two have been on your own for...a long time,” he had no idea how long, and struggled a bit with the wording. “But you're not alone anymore.” it was as much an affirmation as it was a warning not to do anything stupid.

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Ink surveyed the room she was dragged into, and was fairly impressed at what they had managed to scavenge without being noticed to much. How had they gotten a whole hotdog cart without being seen? She shook her head slightly, at least they wouldn't need to scavenge now that they were part of the family. The first thing they would do is get Rose some real books and clothes, and when she was ready maybe even her own furniture. The thought made her wonder what Naga would need, and she smiled at the mental image of him in a huge stone recliner.

She watched as Rose scrabbled about looking for something that was on the desk. As she did so Inks beasts came up the stairs, nosing their way past her to fill the room with their curiosity. She let the adder wolves go pack to their page but kept hunter out since she was clearly begging for one of the hot hotdogs with those big cute ferret eyes. Finally Rose found what she was looking for and held the picture up for Ink to see.


The artist beamed "Rose that es lovely! Thats yea, and mae and Naga." she said pointing to each of them in turn. "Yea have quite the skill lassie, would yea mind terribly ef ah frame et and hang et up when we get home?" she asked, incredibly touched that she had made it into the family portrait. When Ink and her father had fled their home she had lost any such childhood drawings, though she hadn't realized how much she missed those doodles till she saw herself in Rose's picture. "We can start a hanging portfolio fer yea." she offered.

[Deleted]

The snake man nodded to Robin as he informed him of the computer. "It'll be a little tricky to use a computer with these hands, but doable. It's a start, but it's much better then we were here....." Then the Boy wonder continued on, saying that he'd do his best to aid them, and that they would not be alone anymore. The serpent seemed to pause for a moment before he spoke again. "Two years..... Two years since my daughter has been able to have a stable home.... You have no idea how much this means to me....."

Meanwhile Rose was just beaming from Inks praise of her drawing. "Thanks Kaie! That would be awesome!" The girl giggled happily as she put the picture down, noticing the big begging ferret eyes of Hunter. The girl quickly scurried over to the cart and opened the lid to where the hot-dogs stayed steamed. "Is it okay if he has one?" She mumbled out, her head turning to reveal she had a half-eaten hot-dog in her mouth, the other half sticking out comically and wobbling as she spoke.

[Silv]

Robin's masked eyes narrowed and studied the serpents hands as best he could. "We can modify it for your use," he told the man sounding confident in his team's abilities. He was glad to give the serpent a real home. The man was brilliant at fortifying a warehouse, but it wasn't quite the same thing. And a stable environment would be good for the girl. Robin knew how important family was, and the Titans were easily a little family of their own. Maybe Rose would even get to meet and become friends with some of the youngest Titans, Melvin, Tommy, and Teether.

"Most of us come from broken homes and families," Robin told the man softly, his smile pained. "I understand better than you would imagine," his attention then turned towards Ink and Rose, who were still out of sight, before he glanced at Naga. "You and your daughter want to move in today?" he asked as he pulled out his communicator to radio Cyborg.

Ooc:
Deus, what do we want to do with this thread in light of recent events?

[Deleted]

Ink laughed at Hunters begging and little Rose with half a hotdog sticking out of her mouth like some comical cigar. "Aye she can have wan but yea gotta make her sit and take et gentle first." she answered showing her the hand gesture she had trained her beast to use, a simple fist with the thumb on the outside, and tucked under the pointer finger, so the you could see the fingers curled into the palm. Hunter made a sound that was half squeak half bark as she begged, even going so far as to roll over and wiggle on her back while still giving the little girl her big begging eyes.

"Yea are so pathetic Hunter." The Scottish lass said to her beast with another laugh. "After yea treat her we should go and talk tae yer dad, he still has that surprise fer yea!" she added realizing that she had slipped up before by saying 'when we get home'... Maybe Rose would think the 'we' was just her and Robin, and that she was protecting the portfolio by taking it home. Then again the girl was awfully smart to fall for that kind of loop hole logic but Ink had yet to confirm anything so even if she was hoping that she was coming home with them, she didn't know for certain that she was. So some of the surprise was still there for Naga to share.

[Deleted]

The serpent man nodded to the boy wonder below. "It would be best to move today.... Thankfully we do not have much to take with us." He would have to load the few things his daughter had grown attached too, unlike the many times before when they left everything behind. Having to pack light had not been easy on little Rose, but now thanks to Ink and Robin his daughter would have a home. A smile grew on the giant serpents maw as he turned and began to slither towards the office room that Ink and Rose were both in.

The small girl giggled at how Hunter begged like a little puppy-ferret, she made the gesture that Ink had shown her before feeding the now-probably ecstatic ferret-dog the meaty treat. "They're pretty good, so I see why he wanted one so bad!" She half mumbled, finishing the hotdog that had been in her mouth. The girl had been too focused on the praise she had gotten on her art to think on what the red-headed older woman meant by 'we', since until now she had only had her fathers praise for her work. "Okay... Oh hey daddy's coming this way!" She said, pointing out the small office window before bolting for the door with the exuberance and energy only a child could boast.

[Silv]

Robin nodded in affirmation that the move would be today and as the snake man went to talk to Ink and his daughter the Titan's leader called his second in command. He walked off towards a corner where he wouldn't be disturbed and pulled out his communicator. It didn't take Robin long to dial in the specific numbers to talk to solely Cyborg.

The boy waited until he saw his friend's face, greeting him before launching into an explanation. “Cyborg, I'm going to need your help. Remember the time Slade tried to sink the tower? I need you to assemble a team to help us renovate that space for a giant snake man.”

[Elenaphant]

Cyborg was brainstorming some new security upgrades while eating doughnut. They weren't waffles, or apple pie for that matter, but the soft sugary toroids were still sweet enough for him. They went well with coffee, too, which he wasn't a big drinker of but sometimes--

Aaand there went his communicator. "Cyborg here. What's up Robin?"

Remember that time Slade tried to sink the tower?

"Yup." Cyborg took a bite of his toroid treat and chewed. 

I need you to assemble the team to help us renovate that space for a giant snake man.

He had been half listening half looking over his notes. "Yeah sure I always wanted to do something with--wait." What he heard was finally catching up with him. "...Robin...?" He cast a suspicious eye to the face of his leader. "WHY would we need to do that?" Why in the world would they need to be bringing a giant snake man here? "HOW MUCH SPACE DO YOU THINK WE HAVE ON THIS TEAM?" 

[Deleted]

Ink laughed and followed Rose out the door to great Naga and Robin, her smile only grew when she listened to the conversation that happened on the com, and answered Cyborgs valid question with a laugh before Robin could.

"Just enough Cy." She beamed at Naga and put her hand on Rose's shoulder. This was a good decision.

ooc: I wanted to say skip my turn but decided to try and pull a force.... sorry :3

[Deleted]

The serpents eyes widened for a moment at the volume of the voice on the other end of the boy wonders communicator, the little device could be loud when needed apparently. The larger mans gaze fell on his daughter and Ink as the two emerged from the office. "Rose, I need you to pack your things. We'll be leaving here right away....."

The small girls exuberance seemed to drain away at the words of her father, they were moving again. She hated moving, more often then not moving meant not only a new place.

But a whole new city or town.

The girl had gone from happy to somber in moments, although the last of her fathers words shocked her.

"Our two friends here have graciously offered us a home with them."

The small childs head snapped up to look at her father, at first not believing him. But seeing not only his smile, but turning to see the smile of the red-headed artist as well.

Her face almost exploded with the smile that grew there.

"You mean it? This. Is. AWESOME!!!!!!!" The girl wooped out with nearly more volume then could be possible for something so small. The girl then glomped Kaie, then darting over to her father to give him a hug as well, and even dashing to the boy wonder and giving him a quick hug as well. The girl somewhat shouting "THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!!!!" The whole time.

[Silv]

Robin winced and held the communicator away as in a moment of cartoon brilliance Cyborg's head popped out of it and yelled at him. Robin looked frustrated, the spikes of his hair flattening by the sheer volume of his second-in-command's freakout. The young leader glanced over at Ink as she responded to Cyborg. While she played pose-like-the-Brady-Bunch he shook his hair back into it's normal spikes.

“We have plenty of space on that island, Cyborg, and that area has always been a weakness to us. Having Naga there as a second line of defense would be a benefit. He doesn't require much in the renovation. We just need to give him access to the bay, and a source of heat.” Naga was in the background explaining things to his daughter. The Titan's leader paused when he heard the girl shriek with delight. Suddenly he felt arms around his waist. Robin stiffened, but smiled down at the girl, watching as she raced off still thanking them.

“Besides, you want to be the one to tell that little girl she can't have a stable home?”