|
|
Post by Pamela Isley - Poison Ivy on Dec 16, 2013 6:38:48 GMT -5
Poison Ivy simply can't help the slight eyeroll - like she's ever going to believe that he can empathize with anything she's going through. At best he can hazard a guess at what it might be like, but he'd be wrong. He's a man after all - of course he can't understand. It would be like a rock understanding a tree. Which is the same reason why she doesn't believe for a moment that he actually cares about how she feels.
Still, it's possible for even him to accidentally say something that actually has some semblance of sense to it. And the rest of what he says... may have some truth to it. If you read between the lines enough. She shifts somewhat uncomfortably in her seat as if thinking about something she'd rather not before she gives a frustrated sigh and comments, "It's simply better for me to remain as I am. The only safe place for certain information is within my own head."
Being forced to acknowledge that her self-punishment is actually harming her cause means that she has to fall back to an even deeper problem - she doesn't trust anyone to not use the information about what's ailing her against her somehow. Perhaps not Dr. Arkham himself - oh, she hardly gives him enough credit to begin to know how to do that. But if she lets this out, there will be a record of it. Or he'll tell someone who will tell someone who is clever enough to use it to harm her. Better to simply keep such things to herself, even if it means that she'll have to feel this way until she's in a position to fix the problem herself.
|
|
Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask
"All my life... I have been dancing on the edge of madness."
Player: Jere ~
Registered On: Mar 26, 2012 22:05:58 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 314
~ Relationship Status: The More the Merrier
~ Character Profile
|
|
Post by Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask on Dec 19, 2013 14:22:41 GMT -5
Jeremiah lets the eye roll go. She’d made it clear that he’s not believable, even if he’s is honestly trying to empathize. He’ll let her have that right to not believe him; sometimes he just has to let it go, cut the losses. He has to let people think as they wish about him. Defending himself can have worse side effects than simply allowing things to be. Besides he knows the truth and her disbelieving him? That’s her loss.
While Ivy shifts in discomfort, Jeremiah relaxes. His breathing comes easier and his muscles loosen. “I wasn’t asking for you to reveal your information,” he assures, “but on the same token, I’m not going to agree with you in this circumstances.” He doesn’t comment on noting how he’d made her uncomfortable, why state the obvious. Of course he noticed it and while he doesn’t note it, it doesn’t mean he can’t take advantage of it.
“While it is clear how trustworthy you find me,” he states, revealing that he knows that there is zero trust between them, “if this information could help you recover both health and spirits, it’s more detrimental to remain your head. With the right information a solution can be found and I imagine you would feel better for it. Again, your hesitations are only harming you.” He lifted his shoulders. “I’m not hurt that you’re not telling me, but you are. And it’ll only continue.”
Keeping what’s truly ailing out of the light, that is her harm to herself, but yes, even if Jeremiah decided not to use it, there would be record. Someone would learn of it and eventually as information always is found. It’ll fall into hands capable of using it with the most damage. But still he’s not giving up.
“Is it simply me you don’t feel like revealing it to, and why not?”
|
|
|
|
Post by Pamela Isley - Poison Ivy on Dec 23, 2013 10:09:38 GMT -5
Poison Ivy's lips purse as he continues, feeling as if what he wants to know is now on the tip of her tongue and she has to consciously refrain from saying any of it. As much as she feels the need to punish herself, it really is unpleasant to feel the way that she does so there's of course another part of her that really does want it to end. And now that part of her is gnawing at her, insisting that she sees the sense of what he's saying - at least factor it into the equation. Why must this stupid man cause her to doubt herself?
Almost literally biting her tongue, she doesn't respond to his words directly until he actually asks her a question. One that she hesitates over for a moment as she tries to gauge whether or not she ought to answer it and if so what sort of answer to give. But eventually she sighs and says, "No, it's hardly you that I'm worried about. You don't have the necessary background to begin to understand the full implications. Very few people do, actually. But those few could use the information to... well, kill me." Which is a concern - it seems like she keeps on accumulating people who really don't like her over the last several years.
On the other hand, her sense of just how many of those people there are and just how strongly they want her death is more than a little bit overinflated. As is her sense of just how big of a risk it is to let this secret out when it would actually be much easier for someone to just shoot her.
|
|
Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask
"All my life... I have been dancing on the edge of madness."
Player: Jere ~
Registered On: Mar 26, 2012 22:05:58 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 314
~ Relationship Status: The More the Merrier
~ Character Profile
|
|
Post by Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask on Dec 29, 2013 23:58:10 GMT -5
Jeremiah places one elbow atop the table as she hesitates to answer his actual question. He follows it with the other and regards in complete and comfortable silence. He wants her to see the sense of his words. He doesn’t want her to punish herself in revealing the answer he wants. He also doesn’t want her to doubt herself. In fact, he doesn’t even believe he holds that honor. He just wants to know. It’s that simple because if he knows maybe he can help. And if he can’t, maybe he can find someone who will. Of course he doesn’t know the exact information she’s withholding nor its weight, but he won’t know he can’t help if she keeps it locked up. So until then he assumes he can.
This is why he endures her hesitation and her previous lack of comment on what else he’d said. He can see her mind at work. He knows is making her decision on whether or not to should gave him an answer and a complete one at that. He feels relief when he is not considered a threat. He doesn’t even take offense to what else she says about his lack of background to be threat. She is probably right. He studied psychology and that is his expertise. It’s likely he’s not going to be threat to her.
The rest he understands on some level, but he has to press further and the question may seem rude, but it’s necessary in his mind nonetheless. “And just why do you think someone would want to kill you. Obviously you believe there is a motive for it and this information would give them that.” Yet he has to agree that perhaps this is overkill on her part. If someone wanted to kill her, all the natural ways seem plausible if they want to simply end her life. But this information, he’ll agree it is probably dangerous if someone wants to make her suffer even if he is no closer to knowing what it is.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pamela Isley - Poison Ivy on Dec 31, 2013 10:40:22 GMT -5
"Oh, many reasons..." Poison Ivy replies at first, her mind flickering over some of the people she knows would certainly not be sad to see her die. "I suppose you could say that I've been a bit unkind to a number of people," she says, figuring that's the best way to summarize all of their motives. She's killed a large number of people, and most of them have friends or relatives who are unhappy about that. And she certainly doesn't avoid stepping on anyone's toes when it's convenient, even if they're someone supposedly very dangerous like one of the other rogues. She's arrogant enough to assume that she can handle them, after all.
"But that isn't my fault, really - I simply do what I have to. If I went around worrying about upsetting people, how would I ever accomplish anything that matters?" she justifies with a shrug. "But no, the information wouldn't give them a motive - merely a hint at the means," she says, her lips pursing at that. And she likes being able to almost not have to think about whether or not anything around her could be tainted by something that might do her harm.
But then again, what is even more likely than her death is that Dr. Arkham may finally realize just how pointless it is to be giving her any medication. And she likes all the credit she's given for happily swallowing any pill he tells her to. Then again, perhaps that would encourage him to try and find something that does effect her, which would be amusing - right up until the point where he thinks of something that would, anyway.
|
|
Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask
"All my life... I have been dancing on the edge of madness."
Player: Jere ~
Registered On: Mar 26, 2012 22:05:58 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 314
~ Relationship Status: The More the Merrier
~ Character Profile
|
|
Post by Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask on Jan 15, 2014 23:53:52 GMT -5
Many reasons. After seeing what she’d done to the doctor in the Medical Bay, he has little doubt that she’s made enemies. He gives a nod of understanding, after all it wasn’t secret knowledge anymore about her involvement with the FBI. That’s what put her on the map as a Rogue in the city anyway. Her continued talking only serves to reaffirm his suspicions.
“And this upsetting of people, what does it involve? Did you do them the same way you did the doctor you poisoned? I don’t how and I don’t know why, but you can produce toxins at the least to secrete. There wasn’t much to find in the woman’s system, but you spit on her and she just happens to get sick and die less than an hour later?” He lifted a brow. “That’s too much coincidence, but I digress.” He waved a hand, but then stops, “Or perhaps not. The fact you are capable of that, whatever causes it could have something to do with it. Obviously there is something special about you and given any hint, a person could figure out something.”
Jeremiah simply shrugged at this. He doesn’t fear that whatever is making Ivy weak will kill her, but that doesn’t mean he’s not concerned and even he’s not aware of it, he begins to go over what he could try with her to see if she’s affected in anyway. What answers will that give him? Probably not the ones he’s looking for, but interesting ones indeed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pamela Isley - Poison Ivy on Jan 16, 2014 1:25:58 GMT -5
What he says now causes Poison Ivy to lift a brow herself, as if momentarily unsure of how to respond to that, but then she smiles and laughs as if mildly amused. "You think that she died because I spit on her?" she asks, shaking her head, "To answer your question: no - normally my methods are far more sophisticated. My knowledge of organic chemistry is such that, with the right equipment, I can cause anyone to die precisely any way I want them to. Assuming that I don't simply strangle them - that's also an option." She smiles to herself about that before she continues. "Though in the case of the good doctor, of course without equipment I had to be very creative. But she did not die because I spit on her," she says, a certain smugness behind her eyes as she says so - he'll certainly never figure this one out.
On an impulse, she holds out her hand and says, "Give me your hand, please." And when she sees his hesitation she's quick to roll her eyes and say, "If I was going to harm you in any way today, you'd have been harmed already. Give me your hand."
|
|
Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask
"All my life... I have been dancing on the edge of madness."
Player: Jere ~
Registered On: Mar 26, 2012 22:05:58 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 314
~ Relationship Status: The More the Merrier
~ Character Profile
|
|
Post by Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask on Feb 12, 2014 22:31:42 GMT -5
Jeremiah’s first response is a deadpan stare. He squares his shoulders and doesn’t directly respond to her amusement. Instead he shakes his head. “I do not think she died because you spit on her, what I do think is that whatever you spit on her killed her.” He rolls his shoulders and then relaxes. “I say that exactly because you have such a knowledge of organic chemistry and apparently enough of it to know that we’d not find anything in enough amounts. Really everything I’m saying is my own hypothesis, but I know the symptoms of poisoning, Ms. Ivy, make no mistake of that.” Nothing he had seen had said she wasn’t anything, but sophisticated and so at her remark of strangulation, it’s his turn to be amused. “Strangling? You would strangle someone? Doesn’t that just seem too frenzied for a woman like you? You don’t seem the type to want to get her hands dirty. I imagine you’d rather use your knowledge of chemistry.”
If he has any hesitation of giving Poison Ivy his hand, it’s not out of suspicion of her plans. He’s just as aware as she is that had she wanted to harm him he’d been in trouble already. Instead it’s surprise that halts him, but he gives her what she wanted. He places his hand in hers and without some remark about not being frightened. He’s not in the mood to give her ammunition—even if it’s nonexistent.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pamela Isley - Poison Ivy on Feb 14, 2014 3:45:17 GMT -5
His denials cause Poison Ivy to watch him with half-lidded eyes, both amused and disbelieving. "'Whatever I spit on her'?" she asks, "Well, what pray tell did I have? I'd been strip-searched, and woke up tied to the bed!" She can't help but point that out, as it's quite clear from her amusement that she's very delighted with her own cleverness. Here she's given him a mystery that she's quite certain that he'll never solve, and she's enjoying every minute of it.
And that's not the only thing that she's quite happy to be mysterious about. Because when he rightfully questions the idea of her strangling anyone she says, "Well, of course I wouldn't use my hands to strangle someone - I might ruin my manicure..." But she leaves it at that, idly examining her nails. Which happen to be rather perfectly manicured right now - Selina had been kind enough to give her the supplies and she's done her own nails often enough to make them look professional. So even here and now she's sporting a most perfect French manicure.
Which is quite easy to see when he so willingly takes her hand, which is soft and smooth (thanks again to supplies from Selina). Though how nice her hands are is something that Poison Ivy is sure won't be on his mind for long, because after he takes her hand she grips it firmly just in case he thinks to change his mind at the last moment. But much like the traditional gesture of respect, though usually from a man to a woman instead of the other way around, she brings his hand to her lips and kisses it. Though it's readily apparent that she's not doing it to be respectful, as it's clearly a kiss that's intentionally quite moisture laden.
Having done that, she lets his hand go and comments, "But in case there's any question about my spit - there you are. Watch, you won't even get ill." She sits back and smirks at him, guessing that he won't appreciate being her proof even if he is as convinced as he sounds about just how dangerous her saliva is. But she's not lying - it won't do a thing to him. In fact it probably wouldn't even be that interesting if he decided to run off immediately and get that saliva sample tested.
|
|
Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask
"All my life... I have been dancing on the edge of madness."
Player: Jere ~
Registered On: Mar 26, 2012 22:05:58 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 314
~ Relationship Status: The More the Merrier
~ Character Profile
|
|
Post by Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask on Feb 23, 2014 21:05:19 GMT -5
There is no denial from him. He’s not denying anything. Still he says nothing to her even when he wants to. Yes, whatever you spit on her, he seethes in his mind, but neither the words nor a partner expression crosses face. All he gives her is a silent shrug as if to say, you tell me. He’s not intimidated, perhaps at the beginning of her treatment or even session, but now he’s simply unimpressed and definitely going to be immovable. She can have her mystery, after dealing all day with patients who value their cleverness he’s not feeding into in this manner.
He does raise a brow at her next set of comments, however. No, he’d not she’d strangle anymore. Too unladylike for her. Or at least, if she did, she’d deny it. Honestly, Jeremiah can’t tell what she’s capable of and is doubtful to believe her. She examines her nails as he’s dull and he looks around the room just as idly. He’s unconcerned and perhaps that’s dangerous, but at the very moment he can’t really find the space in him to care. He doesn’t mind the mystery and why not? Because eventually all mysteries are solved and why make it harder by forcing such a hand?
Speaking of hand, now that she has his she again has his attention. He offers her an expression of subdued curiosity, which turns into amusement when her grip tightens ever so slightly. He has no intention of changing his mind. That could be bad for him someday, but he’ll face the error of pride when that time comes. He watches as she kisses his hand and his lips twitch when he realizes it’s a wet kiss. He only grunts, there’s no fear because something in him tells him there’s nothing to fear. He simply takes back his hand once she’s released it and looks it over as she speaks.
“I believe you,” he says to her, “I don’t think I will get ill.” Because he doesn’t. Of course he thinks her saliva had something to do with the female doctor she had before he’d come to take her, but now? No, he knows she’s up to something and if he were to test this, he’d find nothing of great import. They’d not found anything traceable in the dead doctor’s system too, but as he looks at Ivy and her complexion he knows there is something very interesting about the woman that wants to be called Poison Ivy.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pamela Isley - Poison Ivy on Feb 24, 2014 8:12:43 GMT -5
Now leaning back in her seat, Poison Ivy watches his reaction rather carefully. And what she sees amuses her slightly. "You do," she states, seeing that for herself. After all, in matters so important and personal as the continued state of being alive, one simply can't be false - if he weren't confident that she was telling the truth, he couldn't help but react to that.
"Which leads to a very interesting question: Why do you believe me?" she asks, her amusement growing to the point that she can't help but grin, "At what point did I become worthy of that much of your trust?" Because she clearly has it - the evidence of that is right before her.
Truth be told, she is actually remarkably new at manipulating people for someone with so much skill at it. It's mostly because she's intelligent and has always had a talent for it, wasting away until her transformation into what she is now. So there are times when it honestly does surprise her that she's succeeding so well, and this is a perfect example. If Dr. Arkham knew half of what goes on in her head, he'd probably have run off screaming to the hospital wing, demanding every antidote they have in the hope that one of them could save him.
Not that he's incorrect in his belief that she's not lying, but given the sheer number of ways and reasons this could have gone differently... Is he really that unaware of just how much fire he's playing with? And she's really able to deceive him so? How interesting!
|
|
Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask
"All my life... I have been dancing on the edge of madness."
Player: Jere ~
Registered On: Mar 26, 2012 22:05:58 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 314
~ Relationship Status: The More the Merrier
~ Character Profile
|
|
Post by Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask on Apr 6, 2014 2:08:24 GMT -5
One leg becomes balanced on the other as Jeremiah as well sits back. He matches her thorough observation, and as he sees the amusement, he gives her an easy smile. “I do,” he repeats and the words come with the same ease as his smile. And why is it so easy? Because this wasn’t a true matter of life and death. They’re not playing with those stakes yet, even if he could foresee such a time coming. No, they’re not playing with those bets yet. Right now they’re playing chess or maybe even checkers. Each one of them moves a piece and it’s careful and strategic, but only they know that. Anyone looking from the outside would not see the concentration put into their words and reactions. As far as reactions go, though, there is no need to react.
“Now, Ms. Ivy,” he drawls very slowly, the pads of his fingers rubbing together on his leg, “if I told you that, I’d be telling,” his smile grows as he watches the one on her face, “and why shouldn’t you be worthy of my trust? You’ve given me all the evidence yourself. If you wished me dead at this particular moment, you’d have done so already and I would say with much more delicate grace.” His explanation holds nothing to point to dishonesty. “You do call yourself Poison Ivy. It’s such an unassuming plant unless you know what to look for in those three leaves. I imagine your methods are the same that’s how you’ve evaded capture for so long.”
Jeremiah isn’t new to manipulation, either being giver or receiver and he’s aware that she’s attempting to manipulate him into something. He recognizes her natural charm, her degrees and manner speak of her education, and so it’s not a hard leap to know that if one were to wish she could very easily manipulate just about anyone she chooses too and if his observation of the guards around her are any indication, he also knows she has other tools. This is why he isn’t screaming. Why panic? He had always walked such a dangerous slope and he has no reason to turn back just yet. While he doesn’t know half of what she is thinking, the same is true of her. She cannot even fathom the thoughts that are going through Jeremiah’s head. Equal footing? Maybe or maybe not, but he’s not going to give ground prematurely.
The fact, however, is that Jeremiah isn’t unaware of how many ways this could have gone differently. He’s actually not even that confident of her respect of him. He doubts there is any. There’s no love lost at all. But he’s not fooled. He knows he’s playing with a dangerous inferno and he is not deceived. Not in the least.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pamela Isley - Poison Ivy on Apr 8, 2014 2:04:16 GMT -5
If they're playing a game, Poison Ivy would say that they're playing nothing more complicated than tic tac toe. A short, simple game that results in a draw if neither player makes any mistakes, which is easy to avoid as long as you know what you're doing and pay enough attention. Of course, that's merely this one session - what's chess is how she plans to escape from the asylum. A game that they started playing the moment she arrived, though on a level subtle enough that she questions whether or not he even knows which pieces are hers, let alone see how they're poised for the final victory. Ah, but he'll see when it's already too late.
Though Dr. Arkham doesn't seem to be taking her seriously, she's not offended. If anything, that only makes her more amused. She can give all the little warnings that she wants, and she doubts that he'll really take it seriously until his eyes become opened to what she can really do. But men are idiots like that - it really shouldn't surprise her.
"That's the point exactly - I'm the one who has given you all the evidence. And I'm the most biased source you could possibly have for any information about my motives and how I think. All, part, or none of what I've said could be the truth - you can't tell and therefore you can't be sure you know me. And because you don't know me, you have no idea what I would and wouldn't do. Perhaps I don't want you dead, or perhaps I enjoy toying with you first. And perhaps that," she nods towards his hand, "Won't kill you until tomorrow. Or perhaps it won't but I did it to make you more complacent in the future. But if that's the plan, why am I telling it to you?" Her eyebrow lifts slightly at the question, amusement still in her expression but otherwise she appears to simply be relaxed. Yes, she's manipulating him all right.
And while it's true that she doesn't know half of what he's thinking, it's not as if she really cares to get to know him. She doesn't need to know that much about him anyway - just a few key things is plenty enough for her purposes, and the rest doesn't matter. Because he doesn't matter. Yes, he has a certain amount of power and authority because the asylum is his, but there are so many more important things than this little asylum.
|
|
Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask
"All my life... I have been dancing on the edge of madness."
Player: Jere ~
Registered On: Mar 26, 2012 22:05:58 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 314
~ Relationship Status: The More the Merrier
~ Character Profile
|
|
Post by Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask on May 11, 2014 19:03:50 GMT -5
It must be said that Jeremiah Arkham and his “little asylum” may not have been important to Poison Ivy, Jeremiah knew it, and he didn’t care. He didn’t care that she doesn’t even bat an eyelash at him or think him any sort of threat. He’s really not trying to be. He’s not trying to stop her from escaping and perhaps not even trying to discover the exacts as to how she’s going to do it, not that he does or doesn’t know. Jeremiah wants to be unassuming and underestimated which makes it so much easier when his opponent is Ivy, who already does so simply because of his sex.
Yet they are playing chess, because Jeremiah is taking into account not just this session, but their entire list of interactions. Yet it isn’t a game that Jeremiah is trying to best her at, no. He wants to lose. His aim here is not to overpower or stop her. He wants to observe. He wants to see all the pieces fall into place, review, and see this like a flower blooming. Jeremiah Arkham isn’t after victory, he’s after results and sometimes you had to lose or appear to be clueless to get them.
Yet despite his demeanor to seem like a threat, he’s doing nothing but taking Ivy completely seriously. Whether she believes that or not isn’t his concern. She can think he’s underestimating her and be entertained, but he’s not underestimating anything about her. He takes all her warnings seriously, even if on the outside it doesn’t appear to be so. What he isn’t aware of is what she is truly capable of, but it’s not that he’s doubting anything about her. He’s simply waiting, but thinking her weak? No.
He’d learned early on not to ever underestimate anyone. That got you killed in this field or seriously harmed. Sex and gender are just labels and they will never reveal to you true nature. They are unreliable and should not be assumed to predict anyone’s behavior.
“I’m not assuming motives or how you think, I wouldn’t know anything about that. Like I said poison ivy, unless you to know to look for those three distinct leaves, appears just like any other tree climbing plant. You appeared just as any other Gotham citizen until you decided to show yourself. I know you’re cunning and that whatever you’re planning will be impressive.” He leaned forward. “I’m not underestimating you or your threat. Until I’m sure you will be a high level danger in my book. As for my faith in you?” At this he shrugs. “Forgive me for a gesture of trust towards you. You could kill me tomorrow, weeks, or even months from now be it from this,” he waves his hand, “or something else. You will tell me what you want, what you think I want to hear, and maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. I’m not here to call you a liar.”
And he’s ever aware of being manipulated.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pamela Isley - Poison Ivy on May 18, 2014 6:34:52 GMT -5
No matter how seriously Dr. Arkham may think that he's taking her, Poison Ivy is quite sure it isn't seriously enough. Oh, he may or may not believe her when she says, for example, that she's going to escape, but can he appreciate the depth of what that means without knowing what she's capable of? No, of course not. Only when he's faced the cold, hard reality of it for himself will he know just how seriously to take her. And by then it will probably be entirely too late for him - it's very rare for her to show that much of herself to anyone and allow that person to live.
But that is why she must resign herself to the fact that she'll forever be underestimated - though as horribly irritating as that is, at least she can comfort herself in the fact that it makes winning easier. And that's also why Dr. Arkham's words get a vaguely amused scoff from her, as she comments, "It's adorable how you seem to think that you understand." He's just so... stupid. He actually seems to think that he knows what he's talking about. Either that, or he has absolutely no concern for his own well-being at all. Ah, well, he's a man, after all - she really ought to stop expecting anything more from him.
And it's with that thought in mind that she smiles at him as she adds, "Though at the rate you're going, perhaps you might someday." Which, though that certainly sounds like a compliment, and will probably be taken as one since literally nobody can tell the difference between a genuine smile from her and a false one when she's not intentionally making it more sinister - perhaps because the former may not in fact exist - though those words are actually a veiled threat more than anything else. One that she's not really sure that she'll ever actually live up to, though - she may or may not actually get around to following up with it.
Having said that, her eyes shift over to the clock as she asks, "How much time do we have left?" An innocently phrased question, though the only answer she wants to hear is 'None'. She was ready for this conversation to be over an eon ago.
|
|