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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2013 1:51:47 GMT -5
She'll be kicking herself about the cigarettes for awhile. There was no excuse for it, really - she just got greedy. She's not even sure if she really likes them, whether she was taking them for herself or to trade, and why did she even try that? Though she did almost pull it off, she knows better than to pat herself on the back about that - you either do it or you've failed and there's no in between. Today she failed. And she's... sulking about it, she supposes. The police are annoyed with her for refusing to talk, but she's not doing that just to upset them - she simply doesn't want to talk to anyone right now.
And she knows that she doesn't really need to, at least not yet. What could she possibly say that would help her situation anyway? She was caught with her pockets and waistband stuffed with items she'd clearly had no intention of paying for. And she's sure that they're going to have a field day of going through old security footage from plenty of other places too, looking for her face and adding to her charges. Shoplifting is the way she's been supporting herself ever since she went back to the streets, after all. Some of it she keeps for herself, and some of it she sells or trades with other people on the street for other things she needs or loose cash - not everything she needs to live on can be hidden in a pocket, after all. Her haul today would have kept her going for a few days, especially if she'd gotten the cigarettes. Why did she have to try for the cigarettes?
She'd walked into the convenience store very casually, looking like any other east Gotham teenager wanting to waste a few bucks of their allowance on overpriced snacks. After browsing down a few aisles, she eventually selected a can of soda from the case in the back and microwaved a burrito before returning to the register to pay for her purchases. Or at least, that's what it looked like she was doing. Upon closer inspection, though she seemed to return everything she'd picked up to look at back to the shelf - even from the perspective of the security camera most of the time - not all of the items made it there. And even when they did something on the shelf next to it usually disappeared in the process. Getting the can of soda out of the case was an opportunity to take two more, and microwaving the burrito proved to be an excuse to linger in that part of the store for a few minutes without it looking suspicious - disguising her movements as bored shifting around.
It was only when she got to the register that the cigarettes had caught her eye. They're a bit of a shoplifter's holy grail in a way - they put them back behind the counter not only to help keep them out of the hands of the the underage, such as herself, but also because they're a hot item to steal. But she saw that the closest was just within reach... if it weren't for the fact that the clerk was literally right there and there's no way to get it without an obvious grab. Yet as she put her money down to pay for the soda and burrito, one of the coins 'accidentally' rolled across the counter and fell to the floor next to the clerk. Naturally, he responded by bending over to pick it up, and she took the chance to make a grab for the cigarettes.
Unfortunately for her, he not only spotted the move but had much quicker reflexes than she expected. And though she quickly pulled her hand out of his hold, while she was doing so he'd gotten a much more secure grip on her arm. The ensuing fight was brief - the fact of the matter is that she's just not very strong and that clerk must lift weights or something. Still, she'd fought him ferociously until she knew the situation was hopeless, though it didn't take long for it to reach that point - one of the other customers decided to help the clerk get her properly restrained until the police arrived, and the team up changed the possibility of getting away from unlikely to impossible.
So now here she is, sitting in a holding cell while they do whatever it is that they're doing, kicking herself about the cigarettes. And wishing that they'd let her eat the burrito - she was hungry already when she'd gotten to the store, and she knows that they wouldn't be able to resell it. Watching as they'd searched through her pockets and carefully recorded what she'd almost gotten away with had been torture on more than one level for that reason. But she supposes that making sure she's eaten something recently isn't exactly high on their priority list. So she just tries to ignore that discomfort as she simply waits for something to happen - this isn't her first time being arrested, but that was something like two years ago and she doesn't remember all the crap that they did.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2013 19:06:15 GMT -5
Now this was a different sort of work for Selina, and in extension, Black Cat Securities. But for the price of 'free,' Gotham's finest wasn't going to complain about her methods. As she had started to go over the stack of paperwork, as well as what her computer was pulling for her, she knew she'd have at least an hour ahead of her of...reading. The videos for her viewing pleasure were being pulled as well, and would be put into the small room that she was already in. She'd given explicit directions to ready an interrogation room for when she was ready, the girl to be transferred there, in cuffs. So when she started to dig in to the information, it was quite clear what was going on.
Not that she was pulled in on purpose, but...one of the officers that would normally handle the case was gone, and well, another good officer had thought to call her. And in more ways than one, that officer was right. Selina had much of the same upbringing, even though they wouldn't know that. A stint in a foster home wasn't exactly the same, but similar enough. Selina had stole numerous times, but only had been caught once or twice before being shipped upstate. This whole situation would need to be handled ...carefully.
Jotting a few notes down, and bringing up her tablet, Selina prepared herself, sending an email to Liv as well to have a set of documents sent asap to her via the police station. There was a printer she could utilize to get the documents in hard copy, in case it came down to it. Another quick phone call was executed, before Selina left her small, makeshift office and went to the break room, where she'd stashed a few things, most notably a brown paper bag. Tapping the officer in charge on the shoulder, Selina let him know she was ready for Ms. Geier to be transferred. While that is put into action, she returns back to her room, gently closing her laptop and re-stashing it in her bag, as well as with her tablet, and the brown bag of goodies. She'll need nothing more than the tablet of paper, and pen at the moment.
Once the girl is in the room, Selina takes a moment or two and observes the teen. Rumpled, restless, and clearly hungry, she seems to be agitated by the cuffs. Selina doesn't feel threatened by the girl, but has a different idea in mind for them. And, after all, she has a sheet for juvie, and stealing. So why not?
After a bit of time, Selina finally enters the room, the attending officer introducing her as 'Ms. Kyle.' She doubts the girl is aware of who she is, and all the better. If she is aware, all the better. Luckily there are no rumors pinned to her at the moment that would point to her background, and she's done nothing publicly to point to such, either. So when she enters into the room, the click of her heels, the sharp cut of her prim and proper suit-skirt, the deep, rich color of her purple, button down blouse, she is nothing but a consummate professional at this point, even her jewelry is understated, but not gaudy.
Grabbing a chair, Selina slips into it, her shoulder-bag set beside her on the floor, pen and paper slid to the tabletop. The room is stark, bare, and ripe for echoes. She's aware of hungry, near-feral eyes on her from the teen; they're watching her every move. And just because she's in heels doesn't mean she can't wrangle the girl. But Charlotte is blissfully unaware of such, and thankfully so. Her behavior here, will determine where she spends the night.
So when Selina, parading as 'Ms. Kyle' at the moment, pulls the brown bag out and sets out several items between them, her face not unfriendly, but not quite stern, either. Between the two are an apple, two tall cans of some sort of energy drink, and a home-made sandwich. Turkey, lettuce, cheese, so forth. It's time to start.
Licking her lips, Selina offers a hand to the child. "Selina Kyle, and you are....?" she offers. If Charlotte at least shows a few manners, this will go well, even if it is embarrassing to be handcuffed. Afterall, if Selina were in the girl's shoes, and she has been, she wouldn't trust a damn thing put on the table, even if she were starving.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2013 23:30:04 GMT -5
As much as she'd like to, Charlotte doesn't complain when she's told that she's to be handcuffed and taken somewhere. She's been very well aware since the moment that she lost the tug-of-war over her arm with the clerk that any claim to freedom that she'd had before is now pretty much gone. Well, she's heard about people escaping from police custody before, but from what she gathers that takes either skill she doesn't have or luck she's unlikely to experience - this isn't like being grounded where you can sneak out of your window or something, this is jail. So instead of wasting her time and energy trying to fight that fact, she instead prefers to spend it all hating every minute of it.
When she's brought into the room, her eyes drift over the minimal furnishings with total disinterest. This is one of those rooms they put you in when someone wants to talk to you. Great. She slumps into one of the chairs simply because they'll probably have a problem with it if she doesn't, though she looks rather uncomfortable in it and not merely because they don't mean for these rooms to be comfortable. Instead she twitches in her seat, restless, and idly fiddling with her handcuffs - she really does hate the things. She'd rather have her jaw wired shut than wear handcuffs.
Though the moment that the room is invaded by someone else, her fidgeting stops as she observes the woman. Her expression hardens a little, not shy about showing her instant and intense level of suspicion she has, even before knowing who in the world this could be. For all she knows, it could be someone ostensibly 'on her side' but that wouldn't make any difference to her at all. Aside from her eyes that follow the woman as she takes a seat and then glance at the things put on the table, she doesn't move a muscle - though her eyes do linger a bit longer on the food, she forces them away and instead looks at the woman.
Who isn't impressing her at all. The professional clothing simply screams of someone who not only expects to be taken seriously, but also someone whose life has gone far too well to understand what it's like to be her. The food and drinks she automatically assumes is some sort of a bribe or power play to either get something from her or try to win her over - it won't work. She may be hungry right now, but it's not like she's never dealt with an empty stomach before. Besides, she knows that even if she eats nothing here they'll feed her eventually. Heck, if she went on a hunger strike they'd probably force-feed her.
So when a hand is offered, Charlotte looks at it, then looks back at the woman and quietly says, "You know who I am." After all, she knows that she was identified before they brought her in, and they're not just going to let some lady come talk to her who doesn't know who she is. And she's not going to participate in any friendly pleasantries - they're not sitting down to a picnic together or something. Then again, she's also not doing any of the long list of vindictive but pointless things that she sort of wants to do either. And, given her present mood, this counts as 'best behavior'. "Are you a lawyer or a social worker?" she asks, assuming that one of the two is the most likely as the lady doesn't seem to be a cop. Not that she really cares which it is, aside from the fact that it would forewarn her about exactly which way the impending conversation will annoy her.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2013 0:02:44 GMT -5
Charlotte's reactions shoot her back at least 15 years in her mind. When she herself was at a table, cuffed, non-pleased, and clearly a bit more vulgar. If anything, it brings a bit of a smile to Selina, inwardly, as smiling at the teen wouldn't be a help at all right now. The food gets a reaction, which is good, but the chance at manners is clearly lost. "I do." Selina fires back nonchalantly, "But I don't think you know who I am." Deftly, Selina slides a rather thick sheaf of paper over to the girl, the paperclip not quite straining. Reaching to pop the tab on one of the energy drinks, she takes a sip and sets it beside her on the table, popping the next top and sliding it to the girl. "You read that, drink. Then we'll continue. And fuck no, I'm neither a lawyer, or a social worker." Selina doesn't offer anything else other than a vehemently adamant refusal to either of those horrid occupations. Even though she's had to deal with both more than she'd ever want to in her lifetime.
If the girl goes through and reads the paperwork, she'll note it's a rather long, extensive rapsheet of a girl much like herself, who has more than three pages of theft busts, starting in smaller venues, and making their way up to more serious theft, bordering on larceny in one shop. There is then the boarding schools. If she reads through the first record fully, she'll get the -undocumented- more fun part; the undocumented thefts, that some account on millions of dollars worth of felonies, as well as grand larceny. But baby steps for now.
As Selina waits, she sips her own carbonated drink, and tinkering with her charm bracelet she's wearing, and makes several notes on her notepad. A light knock at the door brings about the paperwork she had been waiting for from Liv, and Selina receives it with a smile, tucking it beneath some other papers she has as well.
Before she can ask her questions, Selina offers a few more things. "Let me know what you think of that. And feel free to eat the food. No strings attached. I'm not police, and I work in the private sector. Security, you could say. I have my own company, small." Not that those details are going to make any sense to the girl right now. But they will in time. It just depends on her reactions.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2013 1:12:55 GMT -5
Whether that's the intention or not, to Charlotte's eyes she's being bribed with the drink to read the papers. She seems to pause to consider that for a moment, before she picks up the drink and starts to read - even if it is a bribe and the very idea rubs her the wrong way, she seems to be getting the better end of that deal. Just because she reads a thing doesn't mean that she has to care about what it says, after all.
When she sees that it's a rap-sheet, at first she assumes that it's her own. But though she hardly remembers the details about the vast majority of what she's stolen since not much of it was that important to her, she doesn't get very far enough into it before she notices the signs that it was someone else. That actually makes it seem a whole lot less interesting at first - why should she care then? Obviously it has nothing to do with her. She finds herself skimming it instead of really reading it for a bit until she gets to one where whoever it is seems to have taken it to a level that she's never tried, personally. Okay, so that is interesting enough, she supposes. But though her expression shifts from bored to more thoughtful, she doesn't show much of her thoughts about it on the surface.
Eventually she gets to the end of what's been placed in front of her, though when she looks up as if to signal this her expression is more simply puzzled about why she was asked to read all of that. "I don't know," she says with a shrug, "Someone knows more tricks than me." Well, either that or they were simply more brazen than she is. She suspects that she herself could have probably gotten away with more than she has: the difficulty with stealing rises depending on the size and location of the item, not it's value, and she's guessing that there's plenty of places in Gotham with small items of more value than the relatively cheap things that she's mostly stuck to. But cheaper things are safer for several reasons, and Charlotte prefers a conservative approach. She'd need to know more than she does to have felt comfortable trying it - that's the same reason why she's never tried to pick anyone's pocket. Better safe than sorry, especially when getting arrested isn't the worst thing that could happen to you.
Having given those minimal statements, she looks at the lady as if asking what she wants now. But though she keeps sipping her drink, she doesn't seem to be in a rush to reach for the offered food. Just because someone says 'no strings attached' doesn't mean it's true, after all, and it's going to take longer for her to be certain of that. Maybe she'll reconsider when her drink is gone.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2013 13:07:28 GMT -5
If anything, Selina cracks a smile as the girl states the obvious. Yes, someone knows more tricks than her. And has her own years of living as experience, but that's not the point. When those pages are read, Selina then replaces them with a new sheaf; the undocumented crimes, no name attached. It's the apathy, the sense of no hope that gets her. By the time she, herself was 16, she already had most of her 'nest egg' hidden and ready to withdraw. Then again, especially in East Gotham, it's hard to acquire hope. And to keep it in your grasp, more than a day or two.
"So," Selina tries to start. "Tell me about yourself." She needs to get the girl to talk, one way or the other. There is a certain barometer that she needs to use to gauge her, and that requires words. Her actions are already speaking loudly on their own, and it's not helping that much. "Maybe why the stealing, other than the need for food, a shitty lack of a home life, and...well, the fact your brother got the good deal, and you're restless, and can't find a way to settle down, especially to go to school." In one fell swoop, Selina mentions almost the entirety of Charlotte's back story, a slight glimmer of hope to eke some sort of response or reaction out of the teen.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2013 22:54:22 GMT -5
When she's given more papers to read, Charlotte can be heard sighing quietly - more stuff to read? As she shifts to look at them, she pauses first pick up the apple as if to indicate that she believes that she deserves it now if she's going to have to read all of this. She doesn't eat it, though - instead it disappears into a pocket and she sips her drink, though the can is emptying fast.
Selina's right about the difference between Charlotte and herself at that age - she's doesn't have a 'nest egg' stashed anywhere. She has no plans for the future. It's relatively rare for her to plan ahead any further than perhaps the next week, aside from a few odds and ends. She'd started saving up a small amount of cash recently in anticipation of the fact that it might help her acquire something warmer than her jacket for the upcoming change of seasons, and that probably represents the most foresight she's had in months. There is no plan to better her situation, and surprisingly little desire to do so, actually.
This new list proves to be more interesting than the first one. She still puzzled about why this lady wants her to read it, and isn't very sure what she makes of it herself. It's progressed past being about crimes similar to her own and ones she thinks she might be able to pull off if she was that daring, and now they're getting into things she'd never even consider trying because she knows that they'd be outright impossible for her. How is she supposed to feel about that? Impressed? She's not sure if she is or she isn't, actually. Her expressions shift between curiosity, surprise, confusion, and a sort of brooding thoughtfulness.
She doesn't look up from the paperwork when the lady tries to make conversation. And it seems like she's not going to respond at first, until a few of her words prompt Charlotte to look up at her with a glare, "Don't talk about my brother!" That's a... bit of a touchy subject to her, to say the least. Though once she's said that, she seems to resettle herself quickly, looking back at the paperwork for a moment, but the fact that her eyes aren't drifting across the page indicates that she's thinking. "I steal because I'm hungry," she says flatly, as if to dismiss all the other reasons the woman was giving - though Selina's right that there are others, that's all that Charlotte is willing and able to admit to at the moment.
Still, the question seems to have triggered a few agitated feelings, which spill out only a moment later. "I'm hungry because I don't have a home, and I don't have a home because my parents are shit," she adds, her voice suddenly flaring with anger and she practically spits the last word. No, she won't say that the crap she's been through over the past few years is a direct cause of why she steals - rather, it's the reason why she's been living on the streets and the stealing was simply a practical way of supporting herself. Or at least that's the story that she tells herself. And it satisfies her enough that she resumes reading the paperwork without any further need to vent.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2013 13:04:54 GMT -5
It's not that she doesn't know what to do, it's the angle of attack. When Selina finally does, gently mention her brother, there it is! A reaction. Not the best one, but something other than the purely flat affect of hopelessness. There is some fight to her, it's just...nowhere directed in the right way. And unlike Selina when she was that age, there was no desire to rebuild a home-life. Especially one like the Geiers', sadly. The small outcry and anger speaks volumes on how she doesn't care to return to that, but has no other options. Foster housing isn't working out, despite it going wonderfully for her brother. Just like Maggie, and herself. Selina's lips purse together for a second, more at the thought of that, than Charlotte reaching for the apple and pocketing that.
"Eat that now. If you listen, and think things through, you're not going back into that cage. If you want to, you can. But I'd hope you wouldn't. Your brother has made things work for him, wouldn't you like to have somewhere that isn't a street, or what your parents are doing? A prison is nowhere for a teen, trust me on that. And yes, that's a damn good reason to steal, but where is it going to get you? Your diploma from high school, college, a job? I doubt there are enough," she glances to the can in her hand she has been drinking. "Exhilaration Engergy drinks to pawn, or even live off of for now." Selina pulls a small deck of card-sized device from a pocket, placing it on the table, and depressing her forefinger into the top. "And they have poor market value as well. Well, unless you're wholesaling to retail individually. But that's beside the point."
If Charlotte were a bit more savvy, she may have shut up right then and there. The object isn't a recorder, nor is it some bomb. It's a simple disruption device that will either mask the sound of them talking, or cut the vocal output completely, giving them privacy in plain view. Leaning in, Selina looks the girl in her eyes.
"Trust me, Charlotte. Things could be a lot worse. You continue down this path, and the rest of your life will be nothing but shit. Based on your record, if they even put you to the judge, again, your choice won't be juvie. Especially in Gotham. Take it from someone who flirted with the system, so I can understand why you don't want to be in it. But if you want to make anything of yourself, other than a miniature drug dealer/whore/thief, you need to eat that apple, take a few minutes, re-read that record yourself, and then maybe ask a few questions." One beat, then another. "Words here are your friends, otherwise that will be the last real meal you get before they drop you off at Blackgate."
Green eyes lock with the girl's, before Selina starts shuffling through some papers, re-aligning everything. It's a huge risk, but the girl is intelligent. Not dumb, just belligerent at the moment. And what sixteen something girl wouldn't be? Her passion needs to be redirected. And if need be, Selina knows what just can be done for that.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2013 15:02:55 GMT -5
If you were to ask Charlotte what she wants, she'd say that she wants to reverse time to back before her parents were arrested, before all the drugs, before her father's accident, and then just... do things again, but right this time. But she knows that's impossible - it's going to be an eternity before her parents are out of prison, especially her father. And she can't imagine an alternative to what she's lost that's good enough, so she's given up on life. Which is a pretty short-sighted position to take, especially at her age, but she's a teenager.
But just because she's a teenager and doesn't necessarily make the best choices for herself doesn't mean that she's stupid. No, she just has trouble seeing the big picture. So when the big picture is shown to her so that she can make better choices, that means she should be grateful, right? No - not at all. Instead she casts another glare at the lady when she mentions her brother again - she told her not to talk about her brother! But instead of objecting this time, she shifts uncomfortably in her seat and frowns at the empty air next to Selina, trying to make it look like she doesn't care. But she knows that her lack of a plan for the future at all is a problem, but she doesn't want to think about that. Until she was caught she was managing to survive day to day - that's what matters, right?
The device that the lady puts on the table gets looked at suspiciously, but she doesn't recognize it as anything. She's not paranoid enough to guess that it's a bomb or something, but it does cross her mind that it could be a recorder. Then again, it's not like she wasn't already assuming that their conversation is being recorded and/or watched already. So she's quick to ignore its presence.
Especially since the lady is still talking and she doesn't like what she's hearing. It rings true, though - she may have pretended to ignore what the judge said last time she was in court, but she'd been listening. She knows that she's in trouble now - perhaps not quite as serious as it would be if she was much older, but they'd only given her a taste of it before. They'd given her a second chance and she'd blown it completely. This time she's probably going to get the book thrown at her - she knows it. Before she was brought in here, she'd been thinking about Carl and how unlikely it is that Conor and Maureen would bring him to visit her. They'd always talked about not wanting to 'expose' him to certain things... perhaps they're right about that...
Of course, just because she has all of that running through her head now doesn't mean that she trusts this lady. Life has taught her to greet everything that sounds good with a large dose of skepticism, after all. So at first she shifts in her seat again and goes back to reading the papers without saying anything. Or at least looking at them - it's hard to read when you're thoughts are stewing around in your mind so much. But it isn't long before she seems to grow frustrated and asks, "If I have a choice, what's the choice then? And why are you talking to me anyway?" When she looks up this time, her expression is a mix of skeptical and challenging - she's quite certain that whatever this lady's agenda is, whatever she's talking about isn't as great as she's hinting at. Still, if it's possible that it's better than being locked up, perhaps she should inquire. Especially since that earlier comment about a cage seems to imply that the other choice is somewhere without one. And anywhere without one has got to be easier to run away from.
But she doesn't make any move to eat the apple. It's hers now, and she'll eat it whenever she damn well pleases.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2013 15:27:38 GMT -5
The girl clearly is conflicted. It's evident enough by her squirming, her body language, and her lack of words. And the fact that she is highly unaware of who Selina Kyle is, and even Catwoman, makes it all the more difficult. Name dropping is no big thing to a kid who cares only about getting her next meal, and not getting caught while aquiring it. So while Selina draws out another set of papers, she sighs. It's so frustrating, and as much as she tries to hope she wasn't; she bets she had just the same amount of attitude when she was Charlotte's age; if not more.
Sighing softly, Selina's fingertips draw back the papers that were clearly not being read, and replace them with a set of legalese. "I'm giving you a choice, just as you have one to eat that apple, or not. Temporary; with a chance to become permanent guardianship. Me. I know you're not quite aware of who I am, but this is a trial chance to help re-orient you in life. Out of jail, prison, and that track, and back onto something normal. I'm not going to act as your mother, your sister, aunt, or whatever. I'm going to mentor you. Hell, call it an internship, if you want. But there are going to be expectations. Not rules. Not difficult ones, but things I'd expect you to follow. The first, is respect. I understand it's going to be a culture shock, and a few missteps happen. But any outright disrespect, and you can, and will find yourself back here, but worse, for a failure at this temporary situation."
Sitting back, Selina reaches for the object on the table. "This blocks our conversation to the police. I can give you my reasons for being here, but I can't quite explain how I got here today. The standard Social worker is out, the female officer who usually handles these cases is out, and I was called in because I consult for the police, per Diem with my firm, pending the case. That is probably the 'how' I'm here. But for personal reasons?" She pauses again. Would her own story even crack the hard shell on this girl? Maybe. If not, she walks away, with at least trying. And that's really all she can do, sadly.
Tilting her head back, she utters a silent few words to someone up there. And then returns her gaze to the sad thing before her. "I was born and raised in Gotham. I had a family, once. A sister, younger. Two parents I loved. They died. My father also drank, and drove my mother to things I wish hadn't occurred. The reason I say 'had,' is because my parents died in an accident, car crash. My sister was sent to a convent, and I was shipped to a boarding school hell. But..I fought. And made my way to this. A new life..." She trailed off, hoping that a few of the words she has said trigger her memory of that paper. She can't outright claim she's Catwoman, because that would be a huge liability. But she's showing that she cares, and is willing to take a chance on the girl. Perhaps being raised with money, and going to nothing, and back is something to mention, but that's apples to oranges at the moment. It certainly makes her appreciate what she does have, but no money in the world, no shiny diamonds will ever bring her parents back, nor her sister.
"So. I've been there. And if anything, I believe in paying it forward. I never had someone...who understood what I was going through, to help me out. And all this?" Selina motions to her 'business costume' as she herself mentally calls it. "Came from hard work. Trust me, I'd rather be in jeans and a hoodie, but at times, you have to wear a different hat to get what you want. And if you do want, I can show you what I know." And more, not just how to apply eyeshadow, or walk in heels, but how to pick a lock with precision, or even run the books on a business. How to glance at a person, and read their body for lies, truths and uncertainties before they even speak a word. Selina may be rather stunning, but she's no airhead.
"Any questions? I can give you time to make your choice. Otherwise you'll have all the time to enjoy your apple, and that sandwich back in your cell." She states quietly. Charlotte really does have a choice, and and she'd be stupid to let it pass her by.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2013 4:05:53 GMT -5
Charlotte certainly doesn't object when the paper in front of her is removed. Well, it was kind of interesting, but given the present setting she can't say that she's overly invested in it. As someone who has her own toe-hold in the art of stealing and knows her stuff, at least at the basic levels she's stuck to, she can appreciate the relative difficulty involved in bigger heists with a bit more understanding than someone without that experience. However, in the present context she doesn't understand how it has anything to do with what they're talking about or her present situation, so concentrating on it is difficult.
What Selina offers instead, on the other hand, requires no effort to focus on. Her immediate reaction is a frown - this sounds like pretty much another foster situation, and she's so finished with trying that! Living on the streets is hardly pleasant, but she preferred it both times. Her expression eases slightly as the lady continues though - it does sound a bit different. Especially the part about not trying to make it like a family - that's always such a lie! The concept of having certain things expected of her isn't actually bothersome to her at all - so long as she decides that Selina deserves to have an opinion on what she does, anyway.
She's still unsure of what to make of that though, so once again she's quietly lost in her own thoughts. At least until the lady starts to explain about the device. Wait, she's blocking the conversation from the police while in the police station? With that thing? Well, she'd said something about being some sort of a security person... Still, why? She frowns at the device with a confused expression for a moment, but then drags her attention back to listening to the lady explaining how she came to be here. And immediately decides that she's not really interested in that part so much - so apparently the lady just got dragged into this job because everyone is busy? Whatever...
Though she's just as quick to decide that maybe she is interested in why. Well, maybe. Of course she notices the parallels in that story to her own. Her parents may not be dead, but they might as well be for all the good they're doing her. Somehow her brother also became almost lost to her. Well, she can still contact him, but... Her musings are interrupted by the mention of the boarding school however - wait, didn't that paper she was reading say stuff about a boarding school? The second bit... Does that mean...
She's suddenly frowning, casting the lady a look of unvoiced accusation. Is she trying to say that she did the stuff on those papers? If so, she's sensing some bullshit. Because the kind of person who would steal like that and the kind of person sitting across from her... Well, they're just not the same kind of person! She'd be more inclined to believe that the whole thing was made up to try to get her to like her. Okay, maybe even she thinks that sounds a little bit far-fetched, but so does the idea that this fancy businesslady knows anything about her world. Unsure if she wants to be articulating any of these thoughts, she once again keeps her mouth shut.
There's a pause when she's asked if she has any questions, but it's a short one. What she says first however, is a quietly muttered statement, "You do not understand what I'm going through." Even if that story is true, she's not going to buy that those similarities are enough for understanding. Her parents aren't dead - they're in prison until she's a grown woman, and if you ask her that's worse in many ways. At least if they were dead she'd have some closure. And she doesn't care what happened to the lady's sister - there's no way that works out to be like what's happened with her brother.
Having said that, though, there's still this offer to consider. She doesn't have to think about it for very long - it's actually pretty straightforward to her. "So I'm some kind of a project to you?" she asks somewhat sarcastically, glancing up momentarily before sighing heavily to herself and looking at her hands when she adds, "Still better than here, I guess." There's another pause followed by another sigh before she says, "I don't care if you believe this or not, but I tried both times with the foster homes. I can try again." But she doesn't sound very hopeful. Still, hopeful or not, even if this simply delays getting thrown in a cell somewhere it's better to take this deal - it would indeed be stupid not to, and stupid is something she's not.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2013 14:26:02 GMT -5
"You're right, I don't understand. But I know enough of a similar situation to want to help. Or to try to help. Not quite like rehab, not quite like foster care, more like...catching you up to speed, getting you some skills that will help you flourish in life." She nods sympathetically about the girl trying, and she believes her. With what little she's said so far, there is no reason to doubt her, so far. Then again, she is a teen, and Selina was one...at one point.
"And no, you're not a project. If...you knew me, as much as others do, you'll realize that while I am an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, and tend to hold my cards close to my chest, I don't take on 'projects,' as you put them. I invest money, and time in certain people, in activities I believe in, and that's quite rare. Most of the time I go to these...functions, because it's pretty fantastic people watching." Maybe she didn't word everything exactly how she would've liked..but she is independent, and almost to a fault. She can count on almost one hand those that work for her, and those she trusts. That would be Craig, her IT man, Liv, Nina, Edward, Bruce. And then there are those she gains services from at her home, the doorman, the security, whomever else she needs to help her cultivate her 'image;' be it day, or night.
And to a degree, she does have a bit of leverage over the girl, even though she's not intending to use it like that. In such a tenouus, tentitive trust like this, it has to be built on respect, on something more than just promises that are usually empty, and failed actions.
"But, if it helps, I have a good psychologist, or hell, you can rant to me, but we're going to work on that angry. A feeling that I'm guessng was chalked up to a 'bad attitude' in your two prior foster homes." Selina looks down at the papers in front of her a second, her voice quiet as she states the next thing. "I'm sorry...those homes didn't work out. I know it's not the same, but my first boarding school...didn't work either. The girls were snotty, spoiled brats who didn't know what they had, or never even lost. I left." She's a bit tight lipped, the pain of the whole situation finally cracking her somewhat lighthearted, yet somber demeanor she's kept up so far, but it's not the right time...to explain why she left. Or how.
Raising her right hand, she uses her left to swipe the device off the tabletop and a few moments later an officer enters, after a police knock. "I think we've come to an agreement, right, Charlotte? We just need someone to sign these few papers, and she needs her things. Then...I'll be in contact." The man nods, and leaves the room for a few more minutes, as Selina holds her hand out for the rest of the papers detailing her own background back. Setting them to the side, she then shifts to tapping the guardianship paperwork. "You read this over. I know I'm asking you to go over a lot, but...if any of the wording is unsatisfactory, we can re-write it. Since you aren't quite 18 yet, I'm going to be your 'legal guardian' for now. " As she reads the paperwork, Selina sends a quick text to Liv, hoping she can make it in time.
The officer returns, and lingers a bit at the edge of the table, his eyes wandering and falling to one of the papers Selina has. A wide smirk lights up his features as he lets out a truncated laugh, and stabs a finger to the 'resume.' "You threatening her with Catwoman's trail of felonies? It must've worked, Selina. Maybe we need to replace Carlson with you." He smirked, signing off his name on the paperwork when Charlotte was done. In kind, Selina only offers up a coy, "I have my ways, Marl. But you have to remember, I don't get paid, and I seem to get a better result." Winking at the officer, Selina feels her phone vibrate, and motions to Marl. "Liv has something for me, can you grab it?" She asks, hoping he will leave and get the rest of Charlotte's things, her mind running through what needs to be done. Clothing, a shower, school plans, a laptop...several other sundries. Expectations. And...how to keep Catwoman dormant from the girl, until time is ...ok, if it ever gets to that point. She's been planning on the fact that no one would ever believe that Selina Kyle, stand-up Gothamite would ever be that East-End whore Catwoman. Even though when she -is- Catwoman, she's much herself. Either way, Selina sighs a bit.
"I know it may be a bit overwhelming, but we can head back to my place, first. You'll be able to see your room, and I can orient you, and then, maybe a bit of shopping. Do you prefer online, or actually going to store? Sadly, we're going to need to redo the room. Bedding, toiletries, clothing, school sundries..." She ticks off, her mind searching to where she can get each item. Not all things can be purchased at Barney's, or Dior. Marl reappears, a small plastic bag with the meager things Charlotte had on her, as well as another white and silver shopping bag.
"Those are yours. I know it's not...the best, but with traffic right now, I thought you'd rather have something more comfortable to wear as we go." In the silver and white shopping bag, there is a pair of dark-wash jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt, and a soft fleece vest with a hood. A pair of chucks are also included. Selina doesn't often wear sneakers, or flats, but they seemed the better choice. If she likes to exercise, other ones can be purchased.
It's not that she's looking to just throw money at the girl; if anything, she will be earning her things, which will foster a sense of responsibility, and later on, pride as she meets each goal. "If you don't want them, well, then we can find you something of mine at the house. Either way."
She's not expecting Charlotte to change in the room, so once the remainder of paperwork is squared away, they will make a stop at the ladies' room, before they head back. [/i]
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 4:42:20 GMT -5
The thing about Charlotte and honesty is that she's completely trustworthy... if she thinks the person she's dealing with deserves it. And that can really turn into a problem when she changes her mind on that issue suddenly. In Selina's case she's... unsure still. Though she's smart enough to realize that she should be on her best behavior right now either way - if she's going to play this straight she should try to get off to a good start, and if she's not then it's best to wait until Selina's guard is down. A week at least, perhaps longer, and she'll probably have decided in the meantime.
She's still not too impressed by what Selina is saying, though. For something that's not a project, this still sounds a lot like a project to her. But again, it's still the better option. Of course, she can't appreciate how unique this opportunity she's being given is until she gets to to Selina better.
"I don't need a shrink!" she objects too quickly, trying but failing to not sound angry. Okay, so maybe she's angry - but it's totally justified! You can't go through what she's been through and not be angry - you just can't. Normal feeling. She goes back to her brooding silence after that. This is why she doesn't talk in these situations - it makes things worse.
At least this mood is fairly suited to the task of reading something as dry as legal forms. Or - lets be honest - skimming legal forms. She reads enough to make sure that she's not handing over her first born child or something, and figures that the boring details don't matter. Having dealt with the system before, she's had someone explain the concept of a legal guardianship before even though nobody has wanted that before. She supposes that she should take it as a good sign that Selina is doing things differently. She silently indicates her agreement to it by simply signing it where she's supposed to without trying to change anything.
When the officer returns and jokes about the papers Selina has, Charlotte frowns to herself. Naturally, she's heard of Catwoman. Was that really what she'd been reading? If so, now she's even more sure it's not this lady. Catwoman is a bit of a legend on the streets. Many of the rogues are, actually - some more than others, though. The crazier ones prompt more fear than idolization from Gotham's youth. But in spite of the fact that Charlotte is a petty thief, that doesn't mean that she's ever looked at a (stolen) newspaper and wished to be the woman who pulled off last night's heist. That would require ambition, which she is very much lacking at the moment. She's not sure what she thinks of the rogue. Except that she's not a businesslady. She'd have to be way more interesting than that! So she sits there in silence while she ignores the flirting adults.
But she's quick to start paying attention again when Selina talks to her. The question causes Charlotte to frown. "Um... I don't know..." she answers, looking somewhat out of her depth. She's kind of used to either taking things or having things just given to her at this point. Actual, real shopping is kind of a foreign thing to her.
When the officer comes back with her things, she waits only long enough for him to remove her handcuffs before she snatches the small bag with her personal items. Never mind that Selina seems eager to make sure that she has... pretty much everything, apparently, she is just off the streets and you get very possessive of your things in that situation. After the police sorted what she'd taken from the convenience store out of everything in her pockets, they'd been left with a small money clip (the visible bill is a $5), what's possibly a couple of dollars worth of random change, a lighter, a multitool knife, a comb, some chapstick, a travel-size package of tissues, and a small packet of gum. She glances over these items briefly as if to make sure it's all accounted for before she adds the apple from her pocket and scoops up the sandwich from the table too. At times she's not shy about claiming things.
But apparently, that doesn't apply to everything - she picks up the shopping bag full of clothes more slowly, frowning to herself as she rummages through it to see everything inside. She seems lost in thought for a moment - new clothes... so many memories are triggered by them. Some good, some bad, and all of them only held onto for a moment before she forces them all away and closes the bag. "They're... nice," she says, and for the first time in this entire conversation, there's neither anger nor suspicion in her tone. It's still a rather flat statement, but then again the somewhat awkward way she says it hints that she's not used to saying such things.
She feels weird, later, when she's changed her clothes. For several reasons, actually. These things are similar what she's used to but... not. A look in the bathroom mirror informs her that she looks a lot better in them than what she was wearing before though. And it's not just that her old clothes weren't in the best condition; they weren't that great when they were new either. Of course, the clean clothes also remind her of how long it's been since she was able to properly wash her hair, among other things. As a result she's visibly self-conscious when she rejoins Selina after she's finished, even though she tries to shrug off the odd combination of physical and emotional sensations. She suspects that she's going to have to adjust to five bajillion new things today - she might as well just get used to it feeling weird.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2013 23:29:29 GMT -5
Raising a brow as Charlotte finally rallies some sort of emotion into an outburst, albeit small one, she has to smile. "Oh, no one really ever needs one, but you're going to see one anyway. I don't -need- a therapist either, but I have been to one. And trust me, it's good to talk to someone that is a stranger. You have choices on who you'll go talk with. Therapist, or me. But you don't have to live with the therapist, so if you want to bitch to them about me, it might be the easier choice. Your pick." With a serious, yet joking smile, Selina motions to the girls hands. "Better get this done before you have to change. Unless you think you can change with the cuffs on? That would be impressive, but wouldn't quite explain how you didn't get away with your little earlier endeavor."
After Charlotte has gone over the papers, it's not too hard to isolate the ones that need signatures. One the cuffs are presented to her, inwardly she shakes her head. They're barely on tight enough to hinder the girl, especially with her wrist size. But either way, Selina takes her own key and opens one, then the other, easily releasing the teen's wrists, as well as neatly re-hooking, and setting the cuffs on the table.
As Marl jokes, Selina plays the part, Charlotte's reactions not quite acknowledged, but not forgotten either. In the girls' shoes, she can just hear the thoughts 'that woman can't be Catwoman, she's..too...suit like. Catwoman is...not that put together, not...anything like this!' But only if she knew how much thought went into a heist, and how much 'business' actually was in the job, it would color her vision a bit more. And right now, Selina is playing a part. Boring on the scale of things, but not so boring that it's not important.
Nodding once Charlotte gives her another rather hesitant answer, she understands. "Well, we can figure that stretch out when we get back to the apartment. Well, it's more...a flat?" She stumbles, shrugging at what to call it. It's her home, and it's on the 17th floor. "You're ok with heights? And maybe a bit of walking?" It's a lot of change, very quickly. And while she doesn't want to overload the teen with so much newness...she's going to need to get used to it, and the sooner, the better. The quicker she can suss out of her intuition is right, the smoother all of this will be. So as she shakes hands with Marl and gathers her things into her shoulderbag, she smiles at Charlotte, waiting for her later to come out of the the other stall in the bathroom. Applying a layer of lipstick in the mirror, Selina takes a lengthy gaze at herself. If she's going to do it, she's going to go all in.
Later on she waits for Charlotte to fully emerge from the restrooms, holding out a grey backpack. "It's not much, but it is better than lugging your stuff around. And considering traffic, do you mind walking? It's a bit of a trek, but worse in a car right now." And yes, she's going to walk in -those- heels. Opening the bag for Charlotte, she hope's she'll use it, as it's only temporary right now, and a bit easier to carry along her things, and the sandwich, and apple.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2013 2:58:09 GMT -5
Heights and walking? Charlotte shrugs and just says, "Yeah..." She can't say that being up high has ever bothered her - especially in an enclosed building. Well, as long as she's not worried that whatever is holding her up will break or something. Then again, that's probably a universally disliked thing. Of course, right now she's not picturing an apartment that high up, and that will take a little getting used to, but it won't be a problem. Charlotte can be pretty adaptable, especially when she has to be - her dissatisfaction with the foster homes she ran away from was never due to a failure to figure out a new set of surroundings. No, it was the people.
After she's changed, Charlotte hesitates for half a moment before she puts her bag of things inside and takes it. She doesn't really like just being given all these things to use, temporary or not. Then again, it's better than carrying the bag. Then again, just because it's better and she's choosing that option doesn't mean that she fully likes it. Still, once she's taken the backpack she's quick enough to slide it into place over her shoulders. "Walking's fine," she replies without even thinking about it.
Without even wondering how far it is, actually - she's noticed Selina's shoes and figures that even the most hardcore fanatic of heels wouldn't suggest walking as far as it would take to bother Charlotte. Walking is normal for her right now, after all - it's been either that or the subway since she left her last foster home. And even the subway she avoided because you either pay the fare - expensive on her 'income' - or jump the turnstile and hope you get away with it. Walking is free. And she hardly had anywhere that specific to be anyway. The only place that she'd maybe want to go is to visit Carl, but Conor and Maureen wouldn't have hesitated to hand her over to the police, knowing that she was a runaway. Other than that, the only real difference between different parts of the city is how dangerous they are (either from the standpoint of not wanting to get arrested or not wanting to get stabbed) and what sort of, well, 'resources' are available.
Yep, there's no way around it: it's going to be weird living like a normal person again. Totally different mindset about a lot of things. Even if she's pretty sure that it's only going to be for awhile. Figuring that they're probably done now, and really quite eager to be out of this police station, she waits for Selina to lead the way.
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