15238/When in Glass Houses...

When in Glass Houses...
Date of Scene:	26 June 2023
Location:	Old Greenhouse, Wayne Estate
Synopsis:	Talia and Phoebe have a conversation during a storm
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Talia al Ghul, Bruce Wayne

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Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Gotham City, on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, had a curious meterological issue where it seemed to rain an awful lot, making to drizzly cold nights and grey mornings. Overhead the brilliance of lightning struck the sky, illuminating the rises and valleys of each rolling cloud before thunder made its rumbling rounds over the grounds of the Wayne Estate.

    Phoebe, in her wanderings, had found an aged greenhouse to the edge of the grounds. It had colorful stone built into its foundation, copper accents long since greened with age, glass cloudy in some places and clear in others. The timbers that had formed beds inside had been rotted away or pulled out by hand and their remains were outside, piled neatly and hosting a variety of different fungus and slime molds, along with spiders and a few rodents. Inside the sides were banked with white stone, and a grassy area left in the middle, indecisive. A small pond had been excavated, largely by hand, and was hosting an immature lotus plant.

     And luckily, most of the glass was left intact even after neglect -- the roof especially had been tended to and cleared, and while the thunder rolled and the rain pattered down noisily, beneath its shelter Phoebe was laying in the grass, looking up and watching the chaotic geometry of the falling water.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
And for some reason, as the rain and thunder rolls in, Talia Al Ghul is in the same area. One hand has a large, gothic styled umbrella up and overhead. Meanwhile Talia is wearing something close to her norm but just a little distinct to stand out. A long, flowing, pure black dress. Her hair has been tied behind her head over in a bun as she goes to walk through the puddles falling in high boots.

Over in one hand is a rose.. Or rather, the stem of one that had the flower cut off, and just left it with all the thorns on that she would be twirling between her fingers.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The greenhouse isn't entirely for display. Various different plants with both poisonous and healing properties are grown here for use in case of emergencies and to be studied as necessary to help extrapolate evidence found at crime scenes. Bruce has whatever the opposite of a green thumb is, but they hire a gardener to come in frequently, much as Bruce is loathe to let anyone outside of the family onto the grounds outside of regimented occasions like charity balls or home invasions from psychotic maniacs.

He's wearing a simple black t-shirt and slacks, sunglasses tucked into the collar of the shirt by an earpiece. His hair is a little long for him, he's overdue for a haircut, so he's combed it straight back. It's a little Patrick Bateman but he's never minded being a little spooky.

He closes his umbrella as he comes in, setting it beside the door and raising an eyebrow to fidn the place already occupied. "If you want salad, ladies, I'm sure Alfred would be happy to accomodate."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks over to Talia and raises a hand in greeting, giving a small smile. "Hey, Tals." she greets the assassin, unbothered as she looks up to the rain pittering on the glass roof.

    "What has you out jumping in puddles today?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would glance over at Phoebe, "Merely thinking. About where I am to go from here. And merely repeating going through circles, coming to the same conclusions that I have each time."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "And which conclusion is that, Talia?" Phoebe asks, eyebrows rising as she motions to the grass nearby her. She doesn't seem inclined to even sit up.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would sigh, "Merely that things will be in stasis. Until I wish to go far in any direction, the likes of which I do not wish to yet."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Aah. Right now you're in a Hanged Man situation. No movement until you figure out where you want to go, and you're paralyzed because you need to figure out where you wanna go before you can get movement and momentumn?" Phoebe questions.

    "And I'm not saying that it has any answers, but have you tried meditating with watching the rain? I remember doing this when I was real little. During the year after the flood."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would mm, "Yes, that is part of why I came out here. I do not think that things will resolve itself, but it is peaceful. I find the rain relaxing." she doesn't mention the things that she's been trained to do in the rain.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "It is peaceful." Phoebe states softly, her eyes half-closed as she looks up to the graying sky.

    "Do you ever miss your old life, Talia?" she asks quietly.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would dip her head over to Phoebe, "Immensely." She would be completely honest. "And if my father had not banished me or whatever his current scheme is, I would still be in it."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Do you like your current life?" Phoebe questions with a soft voice. The rain lightens, slightly. A dragonfly alights on the side of the wall, sheltered from the storm outside.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would shrug softly, "I do not know. I know that if my father were to approach me cleanly and offer to take me back, I would strongly consider accepting it. HEre I am with my son. But no one trusts me with good reason. And I shall always be.. On the outside."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I can understand that. No matter how much I work for Bruce, no matter the 'adoption', I'm always going to be different than everyone else. And it feels different. No matter where I go I'm always walking a fine line... and it makes people uncomfortable." she gives a soft sound.

    "You need to make a choice, Talia. The longer you don't, the more 'outside' you'll feel of both groups, y'know?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod over, "Oh, and I must also deal with the rest of my life and my own failures. That is something I shall never escape from. And I will never be forgiven for. But you are correct. In time, I will have to make a choice where I lie. Before it is taken from me>"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Sometimes you gotta accept the failures. They're part of the past. Unless you ask a Speedster really, really nicely, you're not going to change them." Phoebe peels back the sleeve of her shirt, showing the white circlet cattooed around her wrist.

    "And sometimes you can turn them around and into strengths. Just takes a little re-engineering."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would smile a bit, "Mine go somewhat further than those, but thank you for your faith and yoru advise. I do know that one can look back on what was done with regrets and with understanding. But one cannot go back."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe dryly responds "Yes. Yours definitely go farther than letting a demon in a meatsuit tattoo adopt you, fascinate you and force you to mourn for their absence. You also have, what, eighty, ninety years on me, Talia?" she questions, giving a small shrug into the dirt. "I've got time to make some really good cork-ups."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would smile, "There is a difference, Phoebe. Your's were not of your own doing and initiative. You were tricked and manipulated into them. Many of mine were done out of malice. You do not deserve the guilt that you have put upon yourself." she would go to if allowed rest a hand on Phoebe's shoulder.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe does not let Talia rest her hand on her shoulder.

    "And you were trained from birth to obsessive obedience to Ra's al Ghul. Religious fanaticism. You can't even separate him from yourself most days because he *formed* you into what you are, same way an artist forms marble. He chipped away at unhewn rock until he got what he thought he wanted, and the moment you show your own initiative," Phoebe holds her hand up, one finger pointing skyward as she twirls it around like she was stirring the air "he threw you away."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would laugh softly, "Perhaps. you are right. You are a very wise woman, Phoebe. You have experienced much and had more suffering than anyone should ever deserve. In turn you are a good woman, that has made a great deal of difference and saved many lives. And you shall continue to do so."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Oh, thank goodness you laughed." Phoebe tilts her head back, and looks up at Talia. She looks to the empty stem of thorns, and motions to it for a moment, holding out her hand.

    "I figured I had a fifty-fifty chance of expressing my thoughts."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would smile, "I laugh as you are right. And it is hard to express them. If we cannot to ourselves,then how can we to others? It is a difficult thing."