nysalogs | ( closed )

[ True to his word, he's there ten minutes before, chatting with the receptionist about some orders that came in this morning, and the guard she's got her eye on. He scrolls over a few other things in the post out of interest, largely, he pockets his phone. The sense of urgency that followed him in Gotham is dim now, more of a scientist's curiosity than a detective's drive. ]

[ He's not sure how he feels about magic, really, but he'll find out soon enough. Seeing someone enter the door and look around as though they're being expected, he waves the man over. ]

Nightingale, I presume?

[ Bruce is dressed in his own clothes, casual office wear and coat with the Institute's emblem. ]

[ nightingale strolls into the institute precisely on time. strolls is the right word for the seemingly casual nature of it, every appearance of him a quiet and contained but confident man, certain of his place in the world. the bespoke three-piece suit speaks of wealth, as do the handmade leather shoes, but while those items speak, they do not shout it. there's a walking cane, or what seems like one in one of his hands. he doesn't appear to need it, not really.

he seems confident, but he doesn't necessarily feel it. in truth, he doesn't feel much at all besides grief, but he has experience in going through the motions, in carrying on. the famed stiff upper lip of the british has served him well since the war, since the last time he'd lost nearly his entire world. (this time, there was no "nearly" about it.) ]

Quite. A pleasure to meet you. [ his accent is her majesty's finest english. he holds out a hand. ]

[ Bruce shakes his hand. Poise and elegance speak for themselves. Educated, self-possessed. These are inculcated, mastered over many years. Bruce himself doesn't look dishevelled in comparison, but there are signs of one more interested in his work than bothering to be as immaculate. Alfred would usually have his head for a dirty collar or unclean cuffs — Alfred's also not here at the moment. ]

Likewise. Have you been here long?

A few days. [ and nightingale could leave it at that, but this man is going out of his way to offer him information and a tour. that deserves something more. and so he clears his throat, features arranging into something not quite sheepish but giving the air of it. ]

I'm afraid I'm still very much getting the hang of things.

[ His look in turn is sympathetic, the we were all there. Bruce isn't sure of the truth of this place — some collective delusion, an actual alien world... he tries to keep an open mind. ]

Well, let's not waste any time fixing that.

[ He plucks a visitor's pass cheerfully from the receptionist and hands it to Nightingale. Bruce's own ID is pinned to his breast pocket. ]

This way, please.

[ nightingale has always considered his mind more open than that of most individuals on earth, given that he's aware of the existence of magic when so many are not. he's never outright rejected the possibility of aliens, though he'd hardly expected to encounter any.

this isn't a mystery he is desperate to solve right now; all his energy is eaten up by grief. it's practice and iron will that keep him going, that have him offer a nod of thanks to alan foster and pin the visitor's pass to his suit jacket. ]

Of course.

[ he moves where ~~bruce~~ alan indicates. ] In what function do you work for the Institute?

I'm one of the scientists.

[ The pass says chemistry and engineering, both staff members on each respective wing will react to him pleasantly. Bruce didn't care for social niceties at home, but here, it's good to have people willing to talk. A little social lubrication always helps. ]

The library first, or laboratories?

The laboratories, if you don't mind.

[ mostly because— ] I'd like to spend a little more time in the library after, if it's permitted. [ without necessarily taking up too much of bruce's time, but nightingale won't mind being supervised, if bruce would prefer that. ]

It is. I imagine you'd find a lot to your liking there.

[ He gestures, and they have a leisurely walk through the biology and chemistry wing, with the assistants scurrying to and fro. Some labs are open, separated only by glass from the corridor, others are stiffly closed and locked, with the inhabitants sometimes poking their heads out into the corridor to shout for some fresh equipment. There aren't yet guards like there will be after the bombing, but there are occasional checkpoints, and some very obvious closed off areas even Bruce can't go. ]

They have demonstrations outside, on occasion.

Is the work so controversial?

[ or dangerous. nightingale knows a thing or two about dangerous experiments, about unethical experiments, too. he's seen the results first hand, on english soil. he's gone to war to prevent the germans from continuing their experiments, too, and to this day he guards what houses too many secrets, experiments with terrible consequences. ]

It always is to someone who doesn't understand it.

[ Or those who ignore caution and run to extremes. Isley, Langstrom, he knows too many names. ]

What are you used to?

Ah, yes.

[ that is something nightingale understands. it's at least part of the reason why magic is kept quiet, why it isn't public knowledge that it exists. the other part, of course, being elitism. he understands that now.

at the question, his lips twitch. it's almost a smile. ]

Relative obscurity.

[ He huffs a sound, almost like a laugh. ]

Magic is a secret where you're from?

From the general public, yes.

[ not from government, is the implication. though it's really only the higher echelons of government that know, these days.

that knew. ]

[ Not from government or specialised agencies. ]

I imagine it'd be the same in mine, given that I had no exposure before coming here.

I'll admit that I don't know how things were done in the Americas.

[ bruce's accent makes this an educated guess. ] But it isn't unlikely.

[ He nods — most people here are from some version of Earth that it's not likely. Although he seems to be running into a lot of Brits. Only Alfred would find this amusing. ]

If it exists — and I won't suggest it doesn't — they've kept the secret well.

[ nightingale inclines his head. ]

That was certainly the way of it England. [ a sigh. ] At least of late.

[ He opens the next door for Nightingale, gesturing him through. ]

Why's that?

There's not many left capable of the art.

[ a simple answer for something that still feels monumental to nightingale. ]

[ Bruce was raised by a Brit, it tells him everything. He seems to be spending a lot of time amongst survivors, recently. ]

With any luck you'll enjoy the material here. We have this wing left before the library.

[ nightingale wasn't the only survivor — but in the end, he was the only one capable of carrying on, duty and stubbornness providing the means. the others had been dead or too injured, in body or in mind or both. nightingale still spends too many nights sleepless. ]

And what does this wing house?

[ Duty and stubbornness are one's bread and butter, honestly, but Bruce has learnt the value of making a good friend. ]

[ He's not used to it. But effort is better than none. ]

The physics labs. Nothing theoretical, I think that's one of the restricted areas.

[ whatever sense of duty nightingale has left here in the absence of the folly and his official tasks is those still in stasis, to peter who is his apprentice and subordinate, and to molly, who was a servant of the folly for so long and still is, in many ways. ]

Then I think the time is ripe for the library.

( closed )

NIGHTINGALE.

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