16944/Outcasts Incasts

Outcasts Incasts
Date of Scene:	17 January 2024
Location:	Wayne Estate - Bristol Township
Synopsis:	Talia speaks to Cassandra on something the two share. Life built to be weapons.
Cast of Characters:	Talia al Ghul, Cassandra Cain

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Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia has waited until Cassandra has been around the manor and not in one of her flighty periods. The girl has much to prove and amend for in her own head, even by the standards of those under the patronage of Bruce. So Talia has bided her time, whether it be for weeks or months until the girl has been around the Manor for some time, seems satiated, and not -bored- enough to wander around into the city.
    So in one of the lounges in Wayne Manor, Talia sits in a lotus position. Going to setup some incense candles around her, and arranging a small tea set and other things. Time to bait her hook and see if Cassandra is curious over as to what she's doing to prowl on over.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Well, it might cause some form of curiosity to note that, as Cassandra walks in from the bus (she took the bus???), she has something in her hair. It looks like straw, though that would mean that she'd been someplace that HAS straw. Odd given the time of year, but not impossible.

Pausing to pull her head to the left with her neck muscles til the spine pops, Cassandra glances about. It's a habit, one where you check the area in an unobtrusive fashion to identify potential threats. The fact that she'd likely spotted Talia the instant she'd entered means that she is letting Talia see that.

Well, not the best of starts. But Cass strides over, raising an eyebrow thoughtfully. Eyes meeting eyes, she waits for either a greeting or an explanation.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia would glance over at Cassandra, her posture relaxed, her presence indicative of an invitation to Cassandra to join her. Curiousity in the eyes of the woman reflective of the state of Cassandra, but it is suppressed. The girl doesn't particularly enjoy giving long explanations, and Talia's posture indicates that she presumes this would involve it.

Her eyes tilt forwards, then to the ground across from her as she goes to relax. She goes to light a few of the incense candles around her in a welcoming position as Cassandra would slide down.

After a moment, passing over a match to let Cassandra do to some of the candles that Talia would be moving forwards to surround the girl as well.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra looks the table over. Well, it couldn't hurt, her shrug says. Her eyes look Talia over more than the table, her brain racking itself to find a reason for all of this. It's not forthcoming. So, given no other real reason not to, she does in fact sit down.

Properly, of course she's learned how to do this much. She lights the match, eyes looking down to the candles. When she's not attacked over them, she reaches to light them. But her everything is asking, why? What is this about?

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia's posture is relaxed. Even as she goes to tip her hands together in greeting. Then she moves to take two cups. setting one in front of Cassandra, the other in front of herself. THen a tea saucer is given over towards Cassandra for the girl to pour. It's not quite a formal tea ceremony, but the way that Talia is holding it forwards is ritualistic.

Hands held in a tight way, body posture formal and held very, very specifically. Her hands draw together over as if cupping something, even as she goes to bow her head over towards Cassandra.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra frowns. Slightly, barely at all, but still there. She lets her eyes flick about the room, just in case, and then she leans and pours herself tea. Then, without missing a beat, pours for Talia as well. Both from the same pot, the tea shared. She notes the symbolism that is trying to be gotten across, but wishes that she didn't know ways this could still be very bad.

Still. This is clearly an attempt at something. Cass chews on her lip thoughtfully, having less access to Talia than to most people. Damn her for learning to control her body. Grumble grumble.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia can't quite hide the amusement coming off her. It's almost cattish. She can pick up on Cassandra's unsureties well enough. The girl is surprisingly expressive. She's also inwardly smug - Cassandra can tell that Talia is luring her in for something, which is hopefully enough to get Cassandra to fully commit to it.

Saucer given to Cassandra's left hand very purposefully. Talia goes to take her own left hand to make a fist, cupping it in her right. Then putting her shoulders straight, rising her fingers upwards to the air, and taking in a breath.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra's response is to tink the glass, gently, with her fingernail. She knows that she's expressive; it's part of how she talks! This is intentional, and she is fully aware of how it functions. Still, the way Talia's eyes crinkle when she thinks about it annoys her. Making fun of a person because of who they are is not nice, not even for Cassandra.

Still, she lifts her chin slightly in a proud pose, her body mentioning that she is strong enough for this, and lifts the cup in both hands as directed. She then sniffs the tea, blinking at the scent. She removes it from her face for a moment, her nose crinkling. Then she brings it back experimentally, as if to try again. Hmm.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
The tea is relaxing. A hint of mint and jasmine. Talia goes to breathe in and out, matching her intake to the way Cassandra would take a small sip. The incense in the candles is honeysuckle. A rather interesting combination. Talia would bow her head over. "This si something my mother did with me when I was a child." Her tone is contemplative.

"It si one of the few memories I have of her."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra lets Talia explain, waiting. She is, if she is anything at all, an excellent listener. Doubtless nobody's ever argued that point, and she waits for Talia to speak, head tilting just slightly. She takes in the knowledge, as she listens always, and tastes it on her tongue. Finding it...bittersweet. She sips the tea in thought.

Her eyes glance about, but she finds no way to speak her piece without words. So she waits, holding the tea. She inclines her head slightly, the mood having changed without her noticing. Go on?

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would incline her head, "It is not something I have done with Damian." She speaks this rahter than show it with her body. "Because there is no need for it." Her attention shifts to Cassandra and Talia would incline her head slightly.

Cassandra is alone. She is here, and here is her family. But ultimately she is alone. In a house of orphans and those abandoned, the girl is alone if only as no one else can quite understand wehre she is from. How hse was raised. What her upbringing was like.

They could see it, they could grasp it logically.. But they had not been there. Not been her. And that.. That is something that Talia can get.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
That Cassandra is the only person in the house who is not, in some way, family, has not gone unnoticed to the girl. She is self-contained however; she is strong enough.

She misses her daddy. Wait, where did that come from? The little motions of Talia make her think of family, of course, but she's not saying anything like THAT. THe look on Cassandra's face is one of thoughtful distaste, perhaps surprise at something she's discovered.

Then she looks back at Talia, and blinks. She shakes her head, no, no, not about you! She makes a 'go on' rolling motion with one hand, hopefully to keep Talia sharing.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would incline her head, reading Cassandra's expression of discovery, thoughtful in her own contemplative way. Happiness in a sense that Cassandra had her father - in a sort of way. Talia has her son. Different. Cassandra abandoned by her mother. Talia abandoned her son.

Her expression shifting to one of centering. "You are strong enough." But survival is not enough. Cassandra might have been raised as a weapon. She is not a killer. But she is still a weapon and little else. Focused on the crusade of the Bat-Family. But still a weapon. Just with a different target.

Not so different. "I was made the way I was. And ultimately it was my own choice. Still is my own choice." Ultimately she has decided that when her father comes for her, she will yield. Because it will draw too many others into the conflict. She has brought enough suffering already with her. She will not bring more upon the rest of them for her own failures.

This is all gesticulated by small shifts in her face. YIelding.

Because that is the lessons that life has taught her.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The sound of the cup being placed back on the saucer (or appropriate location, I don't know tea very well) intrudes on the thoughts. Cassandra may not get all the context, not from the clues and cues that she takes in, whatever they are. She may not get quite enough, but apparently she picked up -something- there.

And her eyes are on Talia's own. The expression has changed. There's defiance in it. Hesitant, HESITANT support. But support nonetheless. She doesn't gesture to the manor nor those within it, but she does not need to. Not with Talia.

What Talia takes of it, that's up to her.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
And that is something that Talia shares with Cassandra. That concern. That vulnerability. That fear. And that is her sharing a secret with Cassandra. Her opening up on something. Cassandra likely does not have many that yield such things to her. A weakness that si given freely. A sign of trust?

Or one of understanding. Cassandra can grasp it in ways that only Damian can. Talia has shared a weakness with Cassandra. An opening that could be exploited that did not have to be taken or observed.

She bows her head over to Cassandra in thanks.