15944/Light the Phoebe Beacon

Light the Phoebe Beacon
Date of Scene:	25 September 2023
Location:	Second Floor Landing - Wayne Manor
Synopsis:	Talia catches up with Phoebe.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Talia al Ghul

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Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    It's been quiet for Phoebe. Sophomore year in college. She hadn't been out seeing her charming loverboy for a while, and she'd brought home an additional dog, who aptly was named Potato and is about as smart as one.

    At current, the pajama-pant clad Phoebe is chilling on the second floor balcony overlooking the ballroom, listening to the sounds of her guitar bouncing off the covered fixtures of the ballroom that protects them from getting dusty, just tuning her guitar against the changing weather around the manor as fall settles in.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia has spent much of her recent weeks away from the Mansion. Not interacting with anyone. A report or so of Stephanie noting her presence in an encounter with what was likely the Hand, but little more. This is the first time she has been present in at least a month, perhaps.
    So she's up in the second floor, her legs crossed in a lotus position and her arms resting over her thighs.
    Meditating and almost like a statue.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Potato makes his way over to Talia, who was in such a position that Phoebe couldn't see her. Pheeb immediately pauses her tuning of her guitar, and leaning over she spots Talia in a state of meditation.

    She purses her lips, and gives a soft rap on the ground to get the white pitbull's attention, and gets up to leave. She's not about to pester an assassin in repose -- that seems rather dangerous.

    Potato, on the other hand, attempts to lean against Talia for pettings.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would let out a sigh over as she would focus back on reality, "Phoebe." She would go to uncurl her legs, twisting them about cleanly nwo to be sitting fully reclined on the floor. "YOu appear to have been somewhat occupied as of late. Have you been shifting your focus over to your schoolwork?" She would inquire. Not that she necessarily kept up with what was going on with the Bat-Family.
    It seemed rather impolite to do so. And might ruffle the bat-wings.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    The white dog looks up as Talia comes out of her meditation. Phoebe reaches and gently guides the white dog away, giving some scritches and a soft 'Good boy Potato.'

    "Talia." she greets the Assassin, and she raises her eyebrows.

    "Well. Back to school. An invitation to view the Hellfire Club. Trip to review some environmental safety holdings in Brazil coming up, it's a busy life." she comments breezily, not bringing up the night life as she sits back down. "I apologize if Potato was bothering you. I didn't catch you at a bad time, did I?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would ah over, "Ah, the Hellfire Club." A tone of very, very faint irony in her voice. Given ehr position within the organization. "Merely be aware if you are invited upstairs, very politely decline the request and say that it's inappropriate for someone of your social class to go up there. Be extremely polite in it however."
    There was sincerity over in her tone - if not quite a warning edge to it. "Your latest.. Acquisition? And no, it wasn't a bother. It's a very bad idea to let onself be so absorbed in meditation as to leave yourself vulnerable."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Acquisition?" Phoebe asks, and her ears turn a little dark.

    "I met Shaw at a charity function. I've been to the club, in its Purgatory section. Not my thing." Phoebe states quietly as she plunks herself down, guitar to her side and then scritches the white dog.

    "He followed me home. The dog. Not Shaw. Pretty sure if Shaw followed me home there'd be a different set of issues."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod, "Ah, lovely. And one probably does not want to stir up Shaw's interest to the point that he's following you home." She would allow that tone a rather respectful one. That was rather rare to hear after all from her.
    "And I take it given the name that he profers the same sort of capabilities as a Spud?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Already caught his interest that he wouldn't leave me alone about visiting his club. I really had no interest, but if I visit once, maybe he'll let it be if I'm so horribly awkward that no one else wants me there." Phoebe remarks with a small smile.

    "His full name is Chimkin Snuggets and Smashed Potato. So yes. There's like, two braincells in his head and sometimes they spark." Phoebe gives a wry smile.

    His tongue lolls out of his mouth to the side, as if to confirm yes, he has the IQ of potato.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod, "Yes, good to be polite. The man is quite well connected and well to do financially. He is a great source of knowledge on many subjects." The Club had it's own games going on and had a hand in many, many pots.
    "So has his head spouted fire yet while he was putting on a clown mask? If so, don't put him in an ice cream truck." That seemed a very, very strange and random comment to come over from Talia. Her actually making a pop culture joke?

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Is... is that a Twisted Metal joke?" Phoebe asks, looking a little confused at Talia "... and pretty sure no one in the Wayne family's allowed to put clown masks on anything. Red Robin faced Joker a couple weeks back, you know." she breathes out, and rubs the back of her neck a moment.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would fold her hands together in a gesture that would be neither confirmation nor denial. Looking amused over until the mention of Joker would get a frown over on her face. "I'll save my opinions over on the matter for myself then."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Cool... cool. So what have you been up to?" she questions to Talia casually, dark eyes moving to look over the Assassin in curiosity as she does so.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would smile, "Such things the likes of which I would no twish to share with you, if only as it might lead to your cessation." Was that.. If she told you, she'd have to kill you? Whatever it was, Talia seemed much more jovial than usual.
    Or just putting up a near flawless appearance of it.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Grandelloquint way of saying 'none of my business'." Phoebe rolls her eyes. "You make it impossible to shop for your Christmas presents." she offers as a joke, finishing the tuning of her guitar, and she plays a couple chords.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would muse, "Oh, most of the things that I would enjoy having as presents are ones that would be inappropriate to have in mixed company. And do you play recreationally or to try and advance your skills?" She would gesture at the guitar.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's eyes go wide at Talia's comment, and she appears to get embarrassed, and coughs.

    "Oh uh... I picked it up in Church Camp when I was little. My adopted dad, Chuck, played guitar. I picked it up again after I was in New York again for a time, and now I play to just... relax." she strums a little. "I mostly play like, The Beatles. Some punk acoustic."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod, "Good. The best way to use it. Merely for one's own relaxation, and if so pleasure. I'm sure that you could perform sometime with it. You might get Ms. Cain to dance with you given some of her proclivities." with the ballet.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    ".. .when I play it makes me feel like I still have a connection to my dads. Chuck and John played guitar. I don't know what it's like to have the same legacy you have to live up to with your father. I don't know who my bio-father is. But somtimes... when I'm playing a song oe of them liked --" Phoebe's voice thickens a moment. And then she shaakes her head.

    "-- but you're right. Best when played for ourselves. And Cass listens in sometimes. But I don't exactly play classical music."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod and would rest her hands over on her lap. She hadn't heard Phoebe talk about her adoptive parents before. So there's a look of concern over on her face. But it's not something that she goes to ask about. Nor is it something that her expression turns curious over.
    "you play what you enjoy. And so far you've not had someoen throw a batarang onto it so it can't be minded that much."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "That's why I play far away from Red Hood. Out of firing range." Phoebe comments with a small smile, and she looks over.

    "I saw that concerned look. I'm fine. Chuck Beacon died when I was thirteen. The second turned out to be a demon playing house and the third was mentally coerced by the second. So. Don't fret about me on that front. Bruce being my latest 'adoptive father' is so someone can claim my body from the Morgue. As much as I respect him, kinda had my fill of 'dads'."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod over at Phoebe, "I understand." She had surmised as much - even if not heard it until now. Not bringing up the question of what happened to Phoebe's mother. That was something for the girl to say if she felt like offering it up.
    "And I don't have to fret. I'm sure that your little Spud does that enough for you."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's mother and adopted mom are an entirely different kettle of fish. And there is a reason why Phoebe has been REALLY hesitant to pick up female role models.

    "How can you possibly understand, Talia?" Phoebe questions, looking over to the Assassin. "You've been guided by your father's purpose for your entire life. I specifically don't want to be close to Bruce so that he doesn't get caught up in what must *surely* be a curse because the universe can't hate me so much." Phoebe pauses her strumming, picks out a few chords.

    "Potato needs three braincells to fret."

    Potato raises his head, and then bodily leans against Phoebe with a happoy but largely vacant expression.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would nod, "I have." She has no real room to judge in the matter. So she doesn't belabor the topic further. As Phoebe goes to question, her expression is entirely neutral. "You're right. I have no remote ability to compare myself to your experiences. Or to anyone's. I have a family and I have never been without it."