13495/Visitation Rights

Visitation Rights
Date of Scene:	03 December 2022
Location:	Zee More Projects - Melville
Synopsis:	Damian and Bruce go to visit Talia. It goes about as well as any family attempt at a heart to heart can go.
Cast of Characters:	Talia al Ghul, Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne

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Talia al Ghul has posed:
It's late at night. It's one of the worst housing areas in Bludhaven. Not as bad likely as other areas.. Particularly the Narrows, but it's still one of the most roughshod areas of this section of town. Rotten, corrupt, in permanent decline and corruption. Which of course makes it a perfect area for Talia to have setup for herself to stay. She's taken one of the rotting apartments here and has put within it little more than a cot, a few spare outfits, and some concealed weapons around it. Nothing but a small lock constantly breaking protects the door, and a few wooden blocks over a broken window.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Robin was perched on the roof of an adjoining building, his hand pressed up against the temple of the BatTech mask, and zoomed in on Talia's habitat. "It is hard to say, Grandfather very well could have cut her off. He has done it before. But also, it would not have been the first time I have used the selfsame ruse to disarm my adversary. And she was the one who taught me that. " He returned his view mode normal again, crossing his arms and looking down to the street. "Feints upon feints, make your prey keep guessing." Deception was a core tennant of the BatFam and the League of Assassins.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
And in there is Talia. Observable through the window - what little there was. She was wearing a set of jeans and a hoodie. She was currently of all things washing clothes over in a bucket of hot water. It was something so mundane as to be beneath her. To the side, a television would be playing footage from afternoon games of the World Cup.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The Batman was near. While Robin examined the situation giving his own assessment he was listening in more ways than one. Both to Robin and to the building which he'd focused in on with a bionic ear tool. One he had modified significantly to be smaller and more accurate than the military grade it had started out as.

"Mm." A small tap to the radio in his cowl. "It's quite likely an attempt to disarm. She's doing laundry."

Even over the radio there's no way to disguise the slight incredulity to his voice as this news is passed on to Robin. It was such a mundane thing that it could only seem a means to make them pity her. The listening device is slipped back into the appropriate pocket designated for it on his belt while he stands back from the ledge he'd been leaning over to get a better grasp on the situation. Several heatbeats pass before he speaks once more.

"This is your call, Robin. No one knows Talia more than you. Proceed with caution."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     "She wouldn't harm you or I. We both know that." Robin states, before leaping off the building, and gliding towards the fire escape close to Talia's apartment. The black cape draping around him to camouflage as he approaches and taps the window.

  He was peeking in, just one white eyelet looking in under the hood, but she would know exactly who was there.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
There's a moment over as Talia Al Ghul goes to put down the wash that she had been working on, and then goes over towards the window. Peeking out from the boards, she would smile. "Hello, my son, it's good to see you." She would move to start to peel them away, giving Damian an opening to enter.

"I've missed you. I'm glad that you've come to check in. I.. Would have but I didn't feel like I had the right to swoop in upon you without your permission and you seemed to have a great many things giong on. How is your father?"

Her mouth halfway forms the word 'beloved' before it cuts off. That part of her life and her relationship has long, long passed.

For all it would look likeon her face it would be a long buried void. Whether it was still there or not remainded to be seen. Whether her facial features were geniune, faking..

Or yet another layer of a trap on top of everything else.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"I'm aware. However she's your mother." A moment of unertainty stretches from the Batman of all people. "I wasn't certain you would want me to interfere." It was difficult some times to know where to draw the line between being over protective or trusting your children. If it were anyone besides Talia he may not be so uncertain. That was always something she excelled at: Leaving him questioning himself.

Holding back for the moment on the roofotp across the way he looms visible to both Robin and Talia from the window Robin was entering. He was there. He wasn't leaving.

"If you want to speak to her alone-" He stops speaking there. The offer and unspoken question is left up to Damian to respond.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian climbs in, and most obviously stands as passively as possible. If she was looking for a disarming, there it was.

  He made his way inside just taking a look at how things were. "Keeping a nondescript living area, I see." He comments, though it isn't like there was a dagger in those words. "Father seemed slightly taken aback when you were at his party."

  <<You can join in, Father.>> He mentions over the sub-vocal com, there was, of course a part of him that yearned for Bruce and talia to work out, even if he is now on the cusp of adulthood.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
There was a sly smile from Talia, "I do have a reputation to keep.." Was she being coy? Showing an actual emotion here? It was always so hard to tell what was real, what was feigned.. erhaps even Talia didn't know anymore.

She tenses over as Batman enters, her lips forming, "Beloved, I.." Her pupils dilate in surprise. The words come out, then she goes silent.

For the first time in ages, caught completely by surprise.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Quietly relieved at Robins' response Batman moves. A step off the edge of the building and the cape catches the wind unfurling to descend. In one fell swoop he lands on the newly vacated window sill. Tight lipped he enters until Talia speaks her greeting.

"Talia. What brings you to Gotham this time?" From habit he steps to the side so his back is to the wall instead of the window. Even in a place like this he had to ensure he wasn't snuck upon by someone. Like League ninjas that might be secretly guarding Talia.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     He made himself open to Batman's ingress, nodding to the man as he steps in. "There was also that..."

  Damian knew that she was here and had been asking about him. But if there was any ulterior motive, he had not uncovered that. "Did Grandfather do anything untoward?" Legit question there, family both meant everything and nothing to Ra's, and the man was known to be cruel at times. It was one of the reasons why Damian had grown to appreciate the candor of the Wayne side of things. Even if Batman was stern or strict, it was not out of cruelty.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would go to shake her head and then go to speak slowly to Bruce, "I came to visit my son. I have been.. Neglectful. And he has.. Been doing much better away.." From the League. "I thought I would come and.. See how he was doing." The words come out slowly and tentatively. Her tone sincere and yet unsure.

"I thought I would.. Stay awhile rather than vanish again. I have not done anything here." She had not, actually. Nothing with the League, nothing on the local crime bulletins.. "I have not spoken to my father in some time. I do not know what, if anything his current agenda is. I'm sure that when he has something he requires me to do that he will have me perform it."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The question posed by Damian was an excellent one that hadn't immediately occured to Batman. Something which he quietly chides himself for not thinking to ask. A faint nod is given toward Robin in clear approval that he was concerned over the potential treatment of his mother.

Even if that mother was Talia.

"I know." He intones gravely at her response. Of course he knew. "That's why I've let you stay in Gotham." Reluctantly he continues. "For everything else you may be, you are also his mother. He deserves to have you in his life if he wishes."

There's an awkward shift of his weight from one foot to the next. Not retreating yet though prepared to. This was the most awkward of conversations. "So long as you continue to do nothing you can stay."

A bit softer he adds for both her and Damians' benefit, "Not here though." Withdrawn from his belt is a business card which is extended toward Talia. A Wayne Enterprises logo embossed on one side. "The Gotham Royal has a room waiting for you. No questions asked. Just show the card."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian took in her words, and analyzed them, for as long as he knew her, he could tell when the truth was stretched, Of course, there was no desception he could notice.

  He was silent during the exchange between his parents. One thing that Batman that stuck with Damian over the last three years was the belief that people can change. As opposed to the al ghul belief that people do not. The yin and yang of philosophies was somethign he wrestled with many times.

  "Unless there was another reason why you decided to live in this area." Of course, he'd been trained to live in stark conditions, never meant that he liked living rough like that. "This place reminds me of when Grandfather sent me to the Corto Maltese." The assassination of the president that eventually placed the small island nation into civil unrest, to which it still has not gone back to normal.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod over at Damian, "It has it's uses." For her, this area is rather peaceful. Then she would go on wistfully. "It reminds me of where I grew up." That sounds.. Odd, and highly contradictory to everything about Talia ever. Raised from birth in riches, trained to be a weapon and dispatched everywhere with barely any time spent not being assigned to an operation. SOmething wistful and very, very contrary.

"And I.. Appreciate that." Her tone pauses for a moment. "I.. Want to be a part o fhis life." As Damian's mother. "But I do not.." Deserve it? Her tone goes a little harsher. On herself. There's a rare showing of intent. Failure. Loathing. It's sincere before it's buried over in her.

"I.. Thank you, beloved." Her voice cracks.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"Mm." It was still difficult hearing her call him that even though it was what she usually did call him. In front of Robin no less. The fact that both recall instances in their lives where this was normal for them can only further put his own spoiled upbringing to light. The only time he 'roughed it' in such a fashion was when he was training under Ras or another mentor. It was all his choice. The words to respond to her now are impossible to say.

"You still have patrol tonight, Robin. You have an hour."

The cap snaps around him with a quick whirl back toward the window. Just as he's about to leap out again into the night he pauses. "Let me-" No. Wrong. "Let us know if your situation changes. Ras is not welcome here."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     There was a bit of a smile forming on Damian's face, right up to Batman reminding him of patrol. "Yes, sir." He added, looking to the man as he mentions Ra's not being welcome. The last time Ra's sent a formal League occupation into Gotham was when Damian was sent here three years ago, something that the young man kind of held in high regard. Even if it was his League life.

  He turned himself to Talia again, with his eyebrows raised a little. Just a non-verbal hope in his eye for the two.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia would give a low nod of her head to Damian, "Be well, my son." She would glance over at Bruce, "I understand." Her tone is firmer now, even as there is no mention of 'Beloved' now as she's taken firm emotional control of herself.

Whatever the Detective's insistence.. Ras would never listen to any of them.

Her back to him, Talia would finally work out.

"I'm sorry I was never a good enough woman to be worthy of you."