12879/Rooftops in Chelsea

Rooftops in Chelsea
Date of Scene:	25 September 2022
Location:	Chelsea - Miagani Island
Synopsis:	Phoebe and Talia meet on the rooftops over Chelsea.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Talia al Ghul

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Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    There was always a storm rolling in over Gotham City it seems. Sometimes from inland, coming off New Jersey and the Appliachian Mountains, other times from the sea. The rumble of thunder is menacing, promising to drop rain on the city that doesn't sleep for its constant nightmares.

    And above it, Phoebe Beacon was sitting on the side of a building. She had gone out to try and get some work done on a group porject, but found she couldn't concentrate on a public speaking class when -- surprise, surprise -- she was having trouble finding her voice.

    The dark-haired teenager had scaled the building from the side, walked along the narrow edge, and perched on one of the ornamental stone pieces, vines and leaves meant to call to mind the Art Deco history of the building after its brutalist exterior went through an update. Her hair was short, but growing back, hanging about her head in loose cottony curls. She wore a gray jacket over a dusty pink shirt, thick wool tights and a pair of well-fitting pumps, enjoying the feeling of the cool, damp air compared to the teen-centric hang out spot inside of the building.

    It also bothered her that she was expected to pay because *That Bruce Wayne* adopted her. She did, in fact, pay and was going to, but it was the principle of the thing.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul is currently sitting high up and over in the rooftops. She's over in a stance with her legs curled underenath her in a lotus position. She's wearing her normal catsuit while resting high up, with a broad eye view throughout the area. She has no weapons over on her that are visible, at least.
    A folder is open in front of her that has pictures in it that she is gazing at. Pictures of a young, scarred girl. An older woman. That have such similar cants to their faces and body posture. The quiet sounds of someone going up the building she was at were acknowledged. Their speed did not indicate they were stlaking her or hostile. So, Talia al Ghul, the Daughter of the Demon, goes to fold away the file and it vanishes to somewhere over on her body. She would head towards the dark haired teenager..
    Musing over and speaking, announcing her presence, "You seem rather frustrated." The woman of indeterminable age yet deadly and dangerous origin would go. Presuming there was no defensive maneuver in response to it, Talia would walk on over, a casual sort of sway in her hips as she would look over the horizon.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    -That describes most of Gotham.- Phoebe responds to Talia, trying not to show that she was surprised (and a little peturbed) about her own introspection being shook up. She leans back against the building, looking to Talia as she decends from on high, and she breathes out, and runs a hand through her hair before she looks back over the city.

    -Should I have picked another building? You're not going to throw me off, right?-

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would shake her head, "Oh, no, not in the slightest." She doesn't go to call her 'darling'. She gestures over with her fingers in a 'may I sit' before going to approach and slide on down next to Phoebe. "You appear to have a great deal of pain in you that you seem frustrated over." She would gesture at the girl. "You do not have to speak of it. Merely understand that it is recognized."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe motions to Talia to take a seat, and then looks back out over the city. She trusts the Assassin about as far as she could throw the building, but hey, she's being nice. Maybe Phoebe could inspire her to live a life of righteousness and give up killing people for Ra's's Vision...

    And, in the immortal words of Wayne Campbell, goats *COULD* come flying out of people's butts.

    Phoebe has perfected her Wet Cat expression, that flat-lipped-pressed-together look of resignation, and she looks over to Talia as she signs:

    -I find it hard to speak of anything at the moment.-

    At least her humor's intact.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
    It's rather easy to read facial expressions. So Talia can get a good vein of the meandering that is going along the girl's face. At least to get some gist of it. For perhaps reflection ora musement over as she would ease over.
    "Then perhaps you should find other ways toe xpress yourself. I've been told that interpretative dance is engaging. You could do it and perform over with the one that has claimed your heart as her own. The two of you could find meaning in motion that way."
    She would go to fold her hands togehter and casually look around the rooftops.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
     ... and that just caused poor Phoebe's ears to darken, her cheeks also getting hot as she looked out over the city, and then shook her head. One, she didn't recall mentioning to Talia about her love life. And that was disturbing a fact.

    But she breathes out, and signs: -bad idea. I have two left feet. Is that how you make your reports? Interpretive dance?- she questions to Talia.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would add lazily, "It was rather simple to figure out. No, I haven't been investigating you. It is important to have one that is your beloved. That has a meaning to your heart. And dance, no. semaphone yes. Among the odder things one does them on occurence."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe shrugs her shoulders, trying to pass it off, she's certain Cass could take care of herself. She's smart, capable, a great fighter, stealthy, smart...

    She purses her lips and leans back against the sandstone exterior of the building, looking out over the city in silence.

    -If you say so.- she signs back. It is definitely odd to be sitting again in the company of Talia al Ghul. Bruce would probably not approve.

    -What is it like to grow up with purpose?-

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would muse over then and think back as she would sit down and read the signs of the other girl. "It makes everything look different. Feel different. Everything you do in life is for a goal. Something better. To serve the world. To improve it. All my life I have been driven. Focused."
    She would add after a moment's thought. "It reassures me. That no matter what happens, no matter if I fail, that I want to make the world better. And that I shall do all in my power to guarantee it. If I fail.. Then it is not without having given it my entirety."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe listens to Talia, not having to watch her mouth or watch for hands to understand. Her dark eyes look over the city, and she curls her fingers slightly.

    There is so much she wanted to ask. So much she wanted to know, but there was definitely Problems with sitting and talking life with the League of Assassins in the middle of Gotham City.

    -Did you ever Doubt?-

Talia al Ghul has posed:
    Talia has no capacity for doubt. Not in her purpose. Not in her methods. Not in her goals. She has faith. She has fantacism. And in the end.. She is what her father made her to be. She has as much independence as he thinks she needs.
    She is her father's daughter. Her father's weapon. And she cannot deny him. It is..
    In her blood.
    "I do not." She says this after a few moments. "My purpose? No. The setbacks, the failures.. Those make me falter. but I do not lose faith. One sometimes takes steps backwards on the path of progress."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    -Do you know who I am?- Phoebe asks, and this time she turns to face Talia, her dark eyes settling on the Assassin. Her face was... sad. Her shoulders sagged with great weight on them, her face briefly lit up by a passing ambulence as she watched Talia's reaction to her question, trying to find the breaks in the armor.

    And she was telegraphing it to the point where it could be questioned if she was telegraphing with the intention of doing so. Bats are tricky.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would lean back over, "I have not researched you extensively. Most of your story is your own. It is not my place to read into it so much." She would offer kindly while listening. "I do not know who you are, nor what you have been through. Merely that you started out with almost nothing and grew up surrounded by pain. And that the family you have now means the world to you and you will defend it with all you have and never let it go no matter what happens."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe gives a nod, that sounded good. Decent. Of course it could be a lie.

    -Last year at this time I had Purpose. Now there is nothing but Doubt and shadow. My family is all I have.- she replies in sign, and she looks over to Talia.

    -Including your son.-

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod over to Phoebe, "Then you are a better sister than I was a mother. And it is well past hte point that I could be such a thing. I have left too many wounds upon him to start over." She's honest on that bit.
    "A family then. Protecting them gives purpose."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe hears that phrase, and there's a funny reaction from her. Talia would see the way her shoulders square. The tightening of those muscles in her jaw. The shining of the eyes as the red and white lights of the abulence disappear down the block. Her stomach tenses, her legs draw, and there's a split second that it appears that the adopted daughter of Bruce Wayne might launch herself off the side of the building, as if she were getting ready to j ump.

    And then she's blinking. Tears touch her cheeks, and she wipes the back of her hand across her eyes as she looks upwards, as the storm rumbles.

    -You should get out of the rain.-

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would look over at Phoebe for a moment, having been ready to spring over her as the girl might jump along. "And you should not be along now. If you do not feel comfortable with contacting one of your family.. Then let me stay with you for a time. I will go out of the rain if you will stay with me." Her tone firm. Talia knows well the form of someone in extreme emotional trauma. And knows that the girl needs to be watched until she's safe.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    -I'm fine.- Phoebe lies, and she pushes herself up. -I have a place to get out of the rain.- she adds, adn she leans her head to the side, as if trying to decide if she really wants to go.

    -Be well, I guess.- she forces a smile to Talia as she signs, walking along the ledge of the building, pushing open a window, and sl ipping back inside.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would glance over at Phoebe for a moment. "I do not mind the rain." As it looks like it's about to pour, she goes to merely return to the position she had been on the top of a building, and goes to return to her sitting position with her legs curled underneath her.
    What is the rain compared to the snowstorms and the rages of the winter in the mountains?