Home sweet...umm... [Open to the Compound]

[shard_bishop]

((This post is open to anybody who lives at the 'Compound', aka Shard's place. If you want a scene with ickle!Shard at the Compound, please post to the OOC contact post or prod me on AIM))Shard's memories were pretty muddled, all said. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on, only that where she had found herself was most definitely NOT the camp

Comments

[icklebats]

Just as startled, Bruce dropped his book, jumping to his feet and away from the noise. "Jesus!"

It's probably a good thing for Shard that his first reaction to screaming is defense and recon rather then attacking. It gives him time to look the girl over. "Who?"

[batbutler]

"Oh dear." Alfred poked his head in, half expecting the compound to be faced with some menacing intruder.

The scene which greeted him was not one he was particularly prepared for, and he found his face twisted in surprise. "Master Bruce?"

[shard_bishop]

If they look quick, they'll probably have a pretty good clue as to who it is. The dark skin and blonde hair aren't all that common, after all. It's just that the person who has them is...small. Not quite three and a half feet tall.

More than that and an impression of wide, white eyes (no pupil, no iris) will have to wait, though. As the small girl goes scrambling behind a chair, trying to hide from them both.

[icklebats]

Bruce slowly bends to pick up his book, placing it on the table. "I'm sorry, Alfred, we were surprised by one another."

He clears his throat, maintaining a straight, calm face. "Shard?"

[batbutler]

"She does bear a distinct resemblance."

"But might I remark, Master Bruce, that Madam Bishop would likely be more familiar with the premises?" Alfred has yet to be exposed to many LOL's.

Though the few he has seen have certainly been... drastic.

[shard_bishop]

Welcome to another drastic one, Alfred.

At the use of her name, Shard peeks out from around the back of the chair. The M-tattoo is on her face, even at this age, and is at least several months healed, if not longer. "How do you know my name?" she asks, eyes still wide. "Where's Bishop?"

Then she pauses and ducks behind the chair again. "You...you're not gonna report me to the Sentinels, are ya? 'Cause I didn't mean to leave the camp. Jus' happened."

[icklebats]

Bruce barely smiles at Alfred. Barely. He's a little freaked out. "I have a feeling this is more a LOL then my ....situation."

He crouches, cocking his head to peer under the chair. "We can certainly contact Uncle Bishop but you aren't going to remember him as he is now. And I would not contact any, er, Sentinels on you, ever."

[batbutler]

"Nor would I." Alfred puts on his best comforting smile, and then crouches (slowly, his joints are getting old) to be more at her height. "You may rest assured that you are in excellent hands, ma'am."

[shard_bishop]

"Uncle Bishop?" She really couldn't sound more confused if she tried. She peeks around the side of the chair again, staring at them both. "But...you're human, right? You're not branded, so you must be." It's still Shard's way of working things out. "Why wouldn't you report me, though?"

She does come out a bit farther, though. Her clothing isn't in the best of condition and definitely not what she left wearing today. And it's clear that she's a good bit shorter than Bruce, too.

[icklebats]

Bruce settles down on the floor by the table, now that everyone is nice and calm and Alfred is on board to take control over any childish problems that Bruce has no clue about at all. "Well, I won't because you're under a false impression."

He's going on the assumption that Shard will take weird well, whatever age she is. "You've been de-aged, I think, Shard. It's currently 2007 and you're my caretaker."

[batbutler]

"And my employer. Goodness, this could take a bit to explain properly..."

"I hope it suffices to say you are in good hands?"

[shard_bishop]

Shard walks over to Bruce, since he's closer to her height and seems a bit safer. She plunks herself down beside him, chewing on her thumbnail. "Nuh-uh," she says, shaking her head. The ponytail is smaller, but still there. "Grandma says that time travel isn't possible. And it's 2062." A pause. "I think." Calendars weren't of much use in the camps, after all.

"What's de-aged mean?"

[icklebats]

Augh, closeness with someone not a grown, mature Shard or Alfred or EBB. "I-it means you've been sped back through your own personal timeline while the rest of us remain untouched."

ALFRED COME GIVE HER MILK AND COOKIES AND A NAP AND TAKE CARE OF HER SO I CAN GO BROOD ABOUT THIS Bruce's expression practically screams. "I think, anyway."

[batbutler]

"It is not unlikely."

"It is, of course, quite impossible. But not unlikely." Alfred cannot do that unless she will come over to see him, Master Bruce! It is up to him to comfort her, it would seem!

[shard_bishop]

Apparently, brooding is not on the list of things that Bruce is going to be able to do. Because Alfred is an adult and therefore kind of scary. And even if Bruce is bigger than her, he's less scary.

She blinks at them both at that explanation, then looks back to Bruce. "I...I'm not sure I get it." Of course she doesn't. She's five and doesn't have the knowledge of physics and the Nexus that her adult self does. Instead, she pulls up her legs to her chest and wraps her arms around them. "I want Bishop. An' Grandma." At least she's not crying. That's got to be a help.

[icklebats]

Bruce considers. "We can call Bishop, if you wish, but he'll be an adult and very large. Would that be alright to you?"

Bruce is so bad at this thing, dammit, he hasn't been a real parent in years. He wasn't even a real parent when he was a real parent, for heavens sake. And never to a girl.