16118/For the Dogs

For the Dogs
Date of Scene:	19 October 2023
Location:	Library - Wayne Manor
Synopsis:	Damian confronts Phoebe about hiding the fact that Idu is a talking dog, and learns about her past.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Damian Wayne

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Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    The Wayne Estate Library was one o Phoebe's favorite places to hide when she didn't want to be out in public, when she didn't want to wander down to the clearing where she sometimes had a fire to clear her mind. When she didn't want to go out to her apartment at the Curio. A

    And so here she was, in the library, in front of the fireplace with the rain pelting against the window. She's wrapped in a blanket, and from either side of her knees there is a dog butt. Idu's curly tail coming out of one, and Potato's whack-capable tail out of the other. There appears to be snoring going on, while Phoebe balances a book that doesn't look like it's in the Wayne collection.

Damian Wayne has posed:
Phoebe may be able to hide from the public in the library. But she cannot hide from family in the library. Especially when that family lives in the house and is actively looking for her.

Having come in from patrol with his mother, Damian has showered to warm up and is wearing a pair of nice pajamas with a comfortable robe over the top of them and warm moccassins.

He takes in the two dogs and the young woman. And he heads over to the trio. And it is not /Phoebe/ he addresses. Nope. Instead, right next to Idu, he takes a seat and gently coaxes the dog to wake it up. "Did she tell you not to talk?" he asks Idu, "If you had told me you did not want to carry a stuffed animal, I would not have not burdened you."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks up as Damian enters, and she gives him a small wave. She doesn't seem to mind that he focuses the affection on the canine -- that's normal. Idu snuffs, shakes his head with his ears flopping, and then appears to settle momentarily into dejected dog mode, ears flattening back.

    "It's fine Idu." Phoebe states, reaching over to scritch Potato so that he's not left out.

    "... I am not supposed to talk around humans." Idu answers. HIs tail gives a brief wag.

Damian Wayne has posed:
When Damian speaks to Phoebe, finally, there's no heat. No anger. Instead, it's a disappointment. Really, it sounds a lot like when his father sounds disappointed. "You know of Goliath. And that I am one that holds secrets better than most." he starts, petting Idu and then moving to Potato. He is going to love on both dogs equally.

It's just how he is.

"I do not understand why you would withhold this information from me. Is this a result of your abilities and skills in magic? Is Idu a magical beast?" he asks the young woman, a frown coming to his features.

"Did you think I would not be impressed?" he asks of her, a shake of his head.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "To be fair, there are few things that impress you. Mostly because your experiences of high expectations are catestrophically high." Phoebe replies to Damian, and she sticks her tongue out.

    "Idu is desher-iwiw" - DEH-shur-ewe-ewe "-- the 'red hounds' of my ancestors' past. He was the last gift my village gave me, after helping to kill my cousin Leksandra. He came to life out of the sands of the meeting hall in the village I was born in." Phoebe explains. "And as my powers grow, so do his."

    And she looks over to Damian, her dark eyes looking to his green.

    "I was also concerned that you would stop being affectionate to Idu if you knew he was as smart as some humans... or worse. Not trust him if you knew he could talk."

    "I am an exceptional creature!" Idu wags his tail, and he lifts his head so that Phoebe's hand is placed on it.

    "And as far as I know, he's the only desher who can actually talk So I'm not sure if that's a by-product of magic, if it's some odd mutation, or if it's something in the water."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"He is a canine. A smart canine. That makes him superior to many humans I know." Damian responds dryly as he listens to the story of how Idu came to be. "Does Father know?" It's not like Damian is going to tell, he's more curious if Phoebe's hidden this from everyone or just him.

"You are a very exceptional creature!" Damian agrees with Idu, a smile offered to the hound as he considers the dog and then his mistress.

"And you will always be exceptional." he promises Idu, before his attention returns to Phoebe. "You have spoken little on where you came from and how you came to be. It is not my place to ask. But it does not mean that I would not be curious and want to know more when you wish to share."

"You are not someone to be interrogated. I would not want to force information from you, as Father has determined you are not a threat to the family, that shown by his adoption of you." A gentle sigh as he sits back, his hands going into the pockets of his robe as he thinks and considers, green eyes cast to the lower left in thought. "You know the story of how I came to have Goliath." At least, he assumes she does. "I thank you for sharing Idu's tale with me."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "You told me how you spared Goliath. Proof that my little brother has a good heart." Phoebe gives a bright smile, and then she considers a moment, and she shifts her weight.

    Well. Tim knew. He was there when Phoebe found out some of it.

    "I am superior to almost all other life on this planet!" Idu ^n_n^'s, and POtato gives a pitty grumble, rolling onto his belly with his two braincells bouncing off one another.

    "... no. Bruce adopted me because I was a danger to myself, and a danger to Tim." Phoebe admits, and she closes the book she was reading, and takes a deep breath.

    "And it is your place to ask. Between you and Talia, I roughly have your past figured out. It's not my business only so far that you're happier here, because no matter how old we get -- or how tall you get -- you're my little brother." Phoebe gives a bright smile, and she breathes out.

    "... gods, where do I even begin with this?" she considers.

    "My ancestors are from Egypt. At one time, they were demon hunters, healers, caretakers of the dead, and exorcists. Scholars and warriors. My mother was an Oxford-educated doctor-to-be, when she had to return to the village to have me. But she was killed when I was born." she looks over to Damian a moment. "By her niece, Leksandra. Her name was Paisi. It means 'Bright Light'." Phoebe gives a small smile, and she brings her hands up, showing the glow of her own light, her fingeertips lighting up.

Damian Wayne has posed:
"What my father decides. What business he makes it. It is not mine. I will only react if there is a threat." It's pretty matter of fact, but Phoebe knows of the underlying heart that may be there as Damian looks thoughtful.

"Of course you are." That to Idu, a quick scratch between his ears as he smirks, his attention back to Phoebe.

"You sound like Stephanie. Do not be like Stephanie." He might be teasing. He might be serious, sometimes he's really hard to read when it comes to his height.

And then she begins her story, Damian shifts and situates himself, tucking his legs beneath him so that he may use them to sit upon, his hands in his lap as he listens.

He frowns, and asks. "Why would your cousin murder your mother during your childbrith? Were you considered that much of a threat?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Because... some of my abilities... the power that brought you back from bleeding out from four rounds to your stomach once. The powers that make me such a great healer, that enable me to speak seven languages perfectly without study?" Phoebe looks at her fingertips, and their warm glow.

    "There is this... Shard. A Spark of creation that was supposed to be gifted to one of my ancestors by the god of magic, Heka. And it's passed down along my biological-family's line. I'm the current holder. She wanted it. My mother could have used it to save her -- or save me. I was premature." she replies.

    "Leksandra was driven to extreme lengths by a demon."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Jealousy." Damian sums it up in a single word. "She believed herself the heir to this Shard and she thought by preventing your birth, she would recieve it." he recaps the story, mainly so that he can make sure that he understood it well enough.

"And your Egyptian needs work." He might be teasing her again. However, when she finishes the story, his attention comes back to a piece of it so that he may ask.

"Leksandra, you said her name was. Is she still in the thrall of this demon? Is there a threat to you from her still?" Because if a demon possessed woman is hunting Phoebe, he wants to make sure he's prepared.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Which of the four dialects?" Phoebe replies to Damian, giving a small smile as she pauses, and closes her eyes.

    "By killing my mother, and me in utero, she stood a chance. She almost got her wish." she muses quietly, and then she frowns.

    "No. Leksandra is dead. She was dragged to an unpleasant afterlife by the demon Volroxach. Two years ago now." Phoebe comments quietly, looking to Damian.

    That name might be familiar. Last year, for a good six months, Phoebe had no ability to speak -- thanks to that particular demon ripping out her larynx. That was a messy time.

    

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian nods, finally drawing on the memories of what was happening at the time. It was a chaotic time, complete with fan girls yelling about marrying him.

It seems like it was a past life. Or lives. Maybe it's the whole avatar thing.

"I am glad that you have shared this information with me, and I will be able to react properly in the future." He clicks his tongue, looking thoughtful.

"The one with the mask. You knew him." It's not an accusation. "Has he been addressed on what is expected of him in Gotham?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Caleb? He's not a Hero. He's on a mob hit-list." Phoebe explains, and gives an embarrassed sort of smile.

    "He keeps running into us in various manners, he got caught up in a portal and Speed Force and ended up with Impulse and me in Iceland." Phoebe gives a small shrug of her shoulders. Potato heaves a siiiigh, and wriggles on his back.

    "He hates Gotham City. I reckon he was being overprotective of his identity so that they don't see him."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"He apparently does not realize what happens if you wear a mask into Gotham and try to be mysterious, it does not end well." Damian says, however. However. He's realizing something. "Caleb." he turns the word around over in his head and when she mentions the mission in Iceland.

"Dykstra. I went to school with him." A frown. "He did not make much of an impression on me. Less so when I came across him with Mother today on patrol as he was meeting with the one Mother called Shredder."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Shredder? The same sort of person that Vorpal's family deals with?" she questions, and Phoebe looks over to Damian,a nd gives a thoughtful sound.

    "That's curious, considering he said The Foot attacked the warehouse he was living in. His traps are deadly. I don't like that he's brought his little sister in on killing people with traps."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"I may have to look into this." Which means Damian will definetly look in on it. "If the Foot are attempting to create a hold in Gotham, I would rather gather as much information as possible to prevent it from happening."

He does not mention the fact that Talia was actually fearful of the Foot leader. That's not something he is going to share with anyone.

But the information about the traps and the warehouse are filed away, as well as the information on Vorpal's family. "Hnh." he decides finally. "Thank you for the lead, Phoebe."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Glad to help, Damian. Any time I can help on an investigation, I'm glad to help." Phoebe arches her arms up over her head.

    Idu has curled back up and is snoring again.

    "As a head's up, I've got a lead on a metahuman crime ring. Probably could use your help on it. Would be nice to have your advice."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Of course. Whenever you need my assistance." Damian promises. He gives Idu and Potato each one more scritch before he just springs to his feet, landing from that kneeling position that he was in.

"Have a good evening, Phoebe. You should stay here tonight. No telling when this rain will let up."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Thanks, Dami. Have a good night." Phoebe gives a smile, and she looks out "Yeah, I think I might make a patrol tonight." she considers. "I don't mind the rain."