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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2013 22:29:31 GMT -5
As Selina explains about Bruce, Iris nods easily. Born and raised in the middle class, she's now somewhere in the upper middle class and once she gets her license and a bit more experience she can expect to shift just barely into the upper class. Therefore she's not exactly familiar with 'high society', yet even though she may very well be included on guest lists for such events in the future she strongly suspects that she wouldn't really enjoy the people there very much. Well, except in the way she tends to enjoy anyone that she doesn't really like: by mocking them mercilessly behind their back.
So when Selina admits that she and Bruce Wayne do the same, Iris is very quick to break into a smile and laugh lightly as she comments, "Oh, I don't blame you!" She grows quiet again as Selina finishes, nodding her understanding of why it's being kept private. Except perhaps in her youth, she's never dreamed about being in the limelight. Mostly because it's somewhat unrealistic given her career goals - about the best she can hope for is to write a really good book or testify in court as an expert witness in a high profile case, and either of those would only give her the standard '15 minutes of fame'. Then again, if she'd wanted to be famous very much in the first place, she would have chosen a different career.
When Selina is quiet again, for a moment Iris says nothing just in case it's an overly long pause since the part of her question that remains unanswered seems to just hang there for a moment. But when Selina laughs to herself instead, Iris gently prompts, "And what about Batman?" Though she can understand why Selina would hesitate to tell her even about Bruce Wayne, for fear of the paparazzi being informed, she's willing to bet that however Batman fits into the picture it's even more sensitive than that. The upper class of Gotham may have it's secrets, sure, but they're nothing when compared to the mystery surrounding the Batman. So she wouldn't be shocked if Selina balks at the question, though it doesn't hurt to ask.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2013 4:02:04 GMT -5
"Human nature, no?" Selina adds with a hint of a smile on her lips. If she is one to point fingers, well, those same fingers are going to be pointed right back at herself as well, considering she tends to talk, albeit with a smaller group, but talk just the same. She's glad that Iris understands the scrutiny, and how it can affect your entire world. She must understand, considering she's a doctor, and there is that line between patients, friends, and medical confidentiality as well. Several lines.
And now, Iris asks the question she was following up with. How does she go about answering it, and being truthful? To bare herself as well as Bruce, and Batman? How does she even start to unravel the mystery that surrounds...well, all of it. Biting her lip, she looks down. It's not that she's trying to hide anything, it's more just..not saying too much. Shifting slightly in her seat, she fusses with her soiled, tear-stained tissues. "I don't know where to start, on that one. Batman..." Her words are initially quiet, as the whole topic is very dear to her heart. "He was here, when I returned to Gotham. It was a sort of...blind-siding in the course of my career." That is a good way to put it, as she's not exactly describing which career she's referencing.
"We've just...interacted a lot over the past several years. He's...something else. I just don't know how to describe it, to be honest." She waves her hands slightly at the comment, a bit flustered on how to describe him. He's utterly something else. And to really tell her therapist about Batman, she'd have to divulge a bit much about who she is when she interacts with him, as well.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2013 22:44:52 GMT -5
Naturally, Iris's mind is absolutely swimming with the questions that she'd like to ask, though honestly most of them are those she wants to know purely for her own curiosity and not because she wants to help Selina. Mentally scolding herself for that, she quickly sorts out the actually useful ones and shoves the others off to the side of her mind - if she doesn't need to know, it would be unprofessional of her to ask. "And I presume that he's one of the main sources of all the complication," she comments with a nod. Selina did mention the man that she's involved with in her initial summary of her problems, and perhaps it's a little judgmental of her but she suspects that the notorious Bruce Wayne wouldn't be the one - she actually feels that she knows a lot about that particular man's psyche because so many of his important life events are know publicly: the loss of his parents at a young age, the years spent traveling the globe, the return to Gotham and his... behavior since. Not to mention that he seems to keep finding stray boys to take in. No, Bruce Wayne has got to be a pretty simple man to figure out.
Pursing her lips slightly in thought, she asks, "What is he like as a person? I know very little about him, even compared to your average Gothamite: I'm not native to the city, and I don't keep up with the news - mostly I know him as the man who returns our escaped patients." She gives a slight smile at that last part, as she actually finds the whole revolving door of costumed criminals somewhat amusing in a way - though from her perspective as long as they keep ending back in the asylum then there's still hope. And this question has a lot of her own curiosity behind it, but at least she can justify asking it easily - how is she supposed to help process a relationship unless she knows how the two people involved in it interact? Even if the complexity of the interactions is too complicated for Selina to explain, she's quickly coming to know Selina and if she has some understanding of Batman then she still ought to be able to get some sense of what the two of them are like together.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 5:14:24 GMT -5
Selina's brow furrows. Is Iris refering to Bruce, or to Batman? As she offers more of a springboard to start with, Selina has to stop herself from nearly gushing about Bruce Wayne. The Bruce she knows. And Batman? Well...how exactly to talk about that? Her cheeks darken for a moment as she fiddles with the lock still in her lap, averting her eyes from the other woman's gaze. She has never really..discussed this much with anyone, be it Nina, even, or ..well, anyone.
"I'm guessing most know...Bruce as a person. I guess I know him a bit differently. The same, well, for Batman, I guess. I feel like I'm more myself, with Batman. We banter back and forth, he's quite..the stickler for right and wrong, as you have more than likely seen in your own workplace. He's very cut and dry, black and white. And has little sense of humor, if I may say so myself." She smiles a bit, a private memory crossing her mind that she doesn't know quite want to share. "But...I know him...other than the mask. It's funny, and sad in a way, to say that I know the man who is behind the mask, as the mask." It's a bit of a conundrum, but it's..what is truth. Batman is the real identity, and Bruce Wayne is just a mask. Somewhere in between...is the real Bruce. A man that has been defined by tragedy, and found a way to cope, to live, and to thrive, in the most extreme, yet disfunctional ways he could.
"But he's driven," she continues, "and not prone to compromise, even thought while I deal more in ...grey areas, he's learning. It's just...hard to explain to someone..who doesn't don a mask, how it is, to live a double life, to a degree. To understand that the face without a mask, is sometimes the false identity, while the one with the mask...is the true persona." With a sigh, she shifts her one-focused gaze from Iris, to the walls to look for a moment, and then back to her hands. She's flirting with the truth, divulging a bit at a time. The phrasing of her words gives way that she, herself, Selina Kyle, has a mask. And that she, has an alternate persona, and that that persona knows who Batman is. And does love him, mask, or no mask. In either guise, the two compliment eachother.
"It's so fucking complicated sometimes." She breathes out quietly, her eyes chancing to look at Iris, and hoping the woman isn't already filling out paperwork for her own personal 'suite' in Arkham.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2013 3:48:42 GMT -5
That it's hard to understand what it's like to wear a mask if you don't is right. For most people, that is. Iris isn't most people. True, it's not the easiest thing in the world, but as she listens carefully to Selina's words as she describes what Batman is like, she thinks that she understands what the woman is trying to say about him.
"Hmm," she says thoughtfully, "There is great power in anonymity. When you don't have to worry about facing the full consequences of all of your actions, you're free to act exactly how you wish. Sometimes, yes, people use that as a means to make it easier to put on a false persona, but at times - and especially when the mask is there for an extended period - it's also an opportunity to instead be much more genuine than you normally are. When nobody knows who you are, then you're free to be completely and totally raw because you don't have to face what everyone will think of you. Exposing yourself to that degree when there is no mask involved is simply too risky, because at any moment you may do something that you can never take back by something so simple discarding a piece of clothing. So in a roundabout way, putting on a mask allows you to take off all of your usual masks. Or at least, that's my understanding..."
It's not like she hasn't considered these ideas before, after all - she's a psychologist living in Gotham. In fact she got her doctorate in psychology from the local university only a little over a year ago - naturally, she's discussed the subject of the mentality behind masks and costumes at length with some of the most brilliant minds there. And a lot of extremely educated but actually quite stupid minds, but she believes she was able to tell the difference.
"That said, how Batman behaves as Batman probably says more about him than whatever he does at any other time - and that you say he's such a black and white thinker is quite interesting from a psychological standpoint, actually," she adds thoughtfully, her expression somewhat distant as she tries to piece together everything Selina said, "It explains a lot more than you might think."
But though she may seem to have become somewhat lost in psychology-land, those pieces that hint at Selina's own activities aren't neglected. They're filed away neatly along with everything else that Iris knows about Selina, but are only recognized more on an instinctive level for the moment since her attention has been drawn to this new insight into Batman's psyche. Iris, like anyone, is not immune to being distracted by the proverbial shiny things.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2013 15:12:50 GMT -5
"There is a great freedom in acting, as well. Even if you are not wearing a mask while doing so." She adds with a smile. They are delving into a lot of metaphor, and similie, and so-forth, but even as they circumvent the actual issues that are bothering her, it's still a balm to the ache in her chest, and in her head.
"But what if the mask...isn't even that. It's just an act, well, of preservation?" She isn't quite sure what she's trying to say, because a few of Iris' own words are ringing true, the emphasis behind her own therapists' words...hinting that she herself has donned a mask before. She could be mistaken, but in life, everyone seems to wear a hat, or several. Or in her own case..several masks. "I just...it seems that it's hard to be able to share all of these...sides, without compromising another person. Or identity, and when they are drastically different, and then the realization of one is meshed with another..it's a bit of a mess." She states, turning the lock over in her hands.
But for her, it's not as difficult. As Selina Kyle, she is a rather wealthy socialite that runs a prosperous company, is a philanthropist, someone seen shopping. Catwoman? She steals, has class, is a bit more bold. Even as Selina Kyle, she's done unsavory deeds, but it's done...politically. Her nose scrunches up at that word, because she hates the politics in anything. And they're quite present in Gotham's social arena, as they are in Catwoman's.
"I agree, though. I just...I don't want to hope, because you have mentioned confidentiality, but....he is a rather straightforward man, in his thinking, but he also....he needs what he does for a reason. And if someone does eliminate the Batman, who would take his place? I know there are viable other options; Nightwing, Robin, Huntress, Green Arrow," the other Vigilantes names run off her tongue a bit too easily, "Even Superman....Gotham is deserving of it's own ...Hero, in a way. I just...as for involvement, I don't know if he, or I..can ever overcome..our differences, to make something work. And despite our history, it would take...well, I believe it would take a lot of talking and working out the finer details, or him joining me, here, to 'talk' about it. And honestly, Batman is more of an action sort of man, than ....a talker."
Unless he's lowly stating something like 'That isn't your's, Catwoman,' and she's smoothly taunting him with 'Well, that's the point, Stud.' but that isn't exactly meaningful conversation. It's just....flirting. And to reconcile the fact that they're both..wealthy, that's no issue. If anything, it frees them to both genuinely be with one another, as their public personas,without the worry the other is after their monied resources. But as for the Bat, and Cat? That is a whole new story.
So as Selina takes a moment, and is quiet, she nods to Iris, continuing on her train of thought. It's quiet black and white. He fights crime, she commits it. Licking her lips, it seems there is no compromise in that situation. She is a grey area, he is black and white, clean cut. And even though they may have 'teamed' up prior....they were doing nothing of the sort lately.
"I just....could a thief..and a crime fighter ever make things work? I know it's such a cliche on tv, and in the movies...but what...even brings the two to attraction in the first place? The drive, and commitment, despite being on the other sides of the fence, or is it just...human nature?" Now she's quietly surrendered, the thoughts of it never working flooding her mind.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2013 3:59:48 GMT -5
They've now dived so deeply into speaking so vaguely about what they really mean, that Iris is finding it actually more useful to pay attention to what Selina means by her words instead of trying to keep track of what she's actually said. But that's not too terrible of a problem for Iris - she can adapt. And keep up with what Selina's saying, in spite of the fact that she's never worn a mask herself before - outside of the occasional Halloween, anyway. No, she's simply has a very profound understanding of how people think - not simply due to her training for this profession but also because she just plain has the instincts. She doesn't need to have to wear a mask to know what sort of an effect it would have on a person - then again, to say that she's multi-faceted without need of a mask would be putting it mildly.
As Selina continues to ramble over her various thoughts on masks, Iris realizes, "Ah, so a part of the complication is that you now know him with and without the mask and there's a huge difference." Though if Selina is at all worried that Iris would be overly eager to know who the Batman is herself upon discovering someone else knows, she can be reassured by the fact that the statement is said merely as restatement of Selina's thoughts to show that she understands and isn't followed up by additional questions. Though Iris has a certain interest in understanding the psychology of Batman, it's not that obsessive. And she's not pieced together that Selina had mentioned Bruce Wayne - while Iris may have some talents in her field, they're not quite to the degree required to not be fooled by Bruce Wayne's playboy act. She'd be quicker to believe that Selina has an interest in both men than she would believe that they're the same man, at least without being told otherwise.
Listening carefully to the rest, Iris's expression immediately becomes deeply thoughtful at Selina's question. It's such an easy question to state, but such a hard one to answer - especially if you want your answer to be very clear and understandable. Though she smiles slightly as the other questions on the same vein are about the attraction involved. That being the easier concept, she decides to tackle that one first. "Oh, attraction is actually fairly simple: someone who is similar seems more likely to understand you while someone who is different seems exotic and exciting. Attraction tends to form when there's just the right blend of the two - a thief and a crime fighter have their similarities about just how hard they're willing to push to get what they want and so forth, while at the same time their different reasons and goals in doing so add that hint of exciting strangeness," she explains easily.
"But there's a world of difference between attraction and compatibility," she adds, now tackling the harder question, "The former brings two people together, while the latter keeps them there. Whether or not a thief and a crime fighter are compatible depends on the two people involved - if they both just do it for the money or the thrill, for example, then it would be nothing to both of them to simply ignore that they're technically at odds with each other. But the crime fighter in this case is Batman, and you describe him as a man who not only believes in what he does but one who specifically has an extremely difficult time compromising his beliefs. Meaning that he'd have an extremely difficult time truly accepting a thief, period, no matter how attracted to her he may be." Though Iris certainly knows how to not put it that bluntly, she figures that now is not the time to risk that the seriousness of her point will get lost if she couches it in words intended to spare Selina's feelings.
Yet once she's said that, her hand lifts slightly as if to warn Selina against being too hasty to draw conclusions from that blunt statement and she adds, "But it also depends on the thief. There are many reasons why people steal - some easier for a crime fighter to swallow than others. And when two people really want to be with each other, it's sometimes remarkable just how much they can bend in the hope that their lives can meet - so 'difficult' does not always mean 'impossible'. But in this case, the question is: why is Catwoman a thief?" Because, yes, she's pieced that one together by this point. The list of female thieves in this city who have never been unmasked and are prominent enough to have had a long association with Batman has only one name on it, after all. And once Iris realized that, it's all too easy for her to notice all the little personality traits inherent in the woman in front of her that seem to confirm that she's the type of person who might have that particular hobby.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2013 18:36:33 GMT -5
No, that wasn't it.. And Selina's face showed her confusion. "No, not like that at all, to be honest. I knew him...as his mask...which is...the face he shows without it; the one alternate that isn't Batman. And oddly, we mesh quite well, even though he is ..playing another facet, a true mask, and myself, well, I am always myself, it seems, be it mask, or not, with just a few tweaks. I just..subvert what I do during the night, to make it more....mainstreamed during the day." Was she really that different as Catwoman? No. It was just during the day she ran a legit business, and at night, she wore...all black, and was more brazen in how she took things.
"We work well outside our night lives. Even if he is a fraud. I've seen the glimpses of the man beneath all the layers. Far and few between, but hell...it works." She's frustrated, slightly, but continues to listen to Iris, a slightly chuckle coming from her when attraction, and compatibility come into the conversation. "I guess you could say that is how it works. Pushing, pulling, but enough of a difference..." She muses, thinking aloud. "I believe we have that attraction. It's just..I doubt he's ever going to fully....agree with what I do. Unless somehow, I can still retain what I do, but change the reason behind it? The motivation? I guess, in a way, there is a difference between flat out theft and acquiring ...well, whatever, for a higher good, right? Then again, that's just words. " Shrugging, she didn't quite like the idea of giving up everything entirely. But if there was still the option of the thrill, of the idea of stealing, then she could adapt. But if she were to give up everything? That would not be a good risk, just for the chance at a happy life.
"I think that while I could...adapt, it would be in my nature. I tend to think less in black and whites, and more in shades of grey. But him...I doubt, that he could ever....really compromise. Even if his own happiness were at stake. If a viable relationship ever falls through, he'd always have his 'mission,' his crimefighting, and that life and family to fall back on. So it's a large risk, and mostly on my end. And while all of my being, and my heart says do it, I can't fully commit, because logic says no. No to it entirely."
Locking eyes with Iris, Selina is a bit shocked, but mostly bemused that the woman has pieced together enough to pinpoint that she, Selina Kyle, is Catwoman. As she nods, she has to wonder the same question. Why does Catwoman steal? Or maybe the question should be why doesn't Catwoman steal.
"I can see you've put two and two together, Iris." Selina says with a warm smile. "And I appreciate your approach to it, but the question should be, Why does Selina Kyle steal,"she adds with a bit of a sad laugh.
"Now that, is a bit of a long, involved narrative, if you really want to hear it." Selina states, setting aside the lock for a moment, and reaching into her bag for a bottle of water.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2013 5:02:07 GMT -5
Resisting the urge to tell Selina that it wasn't her that was confused by what was said but the other way around, Iris just smiles and says, "I understand." It doesn't really matter for the conversation anyway, and there's actually some insights to be gained from noting what gets misunderstood and in what way.
As Selina goes on to talk about the potential for unresolvable incompatibility, Iris is nodding easily. That's obviously the difficult part here - when one person commits crimes while the other stops crimes, how are they to avoid constant conflict that would wedge them apart? The only way to resolve that problem is if both people can come to a point where they don't feel that they're having to cross a line in order to be with the other person. "Well, to some degree, all couples must adapt at least somewhat in order to be with someone else - the real question is if they're willing to go that far, which is why it's easier if they're more similar to begin with. Though if, as you said, he's learning to deal with gray areas that's a good sign. But you're right that the focus is more on you - if only because you're the one here talking to me and not him. Though people change for each other, expecting the other person to change is a recipe for failure - what the other person chooses is outside of your control. What is in your control is yourself, so let's let Batman worry about Batman and we'll talk about you," she says with an encouraging smile, "And of course it all boils down to the question of whether or not the relationship is worth the price - which you can't answer until you know what the price actually is." And, naturally, figuring out the true price is not at all easy in a situation like this. It's actually just the sort of fiendishly complicated sort of problem that Iris enjoys trying to work out.
The surprise on Selina's face causes Iris to give a sort of proud smile - she knows that she's not unintelligent but has a rather humble viewpoint on her own intelligence - at least until she starts questioning the intelligence of the people who came up with certain psychological theories. Still, she has to admit that piecing together which of Gotham's masked set she's talking to was pretty good - though she has the huge advantage of being much more aware than the general public of those who have been previously caught. The ones who haven't she doesn't know nearly as well, but she does know of all the more prominent ones and never mixes them up with those that have - so that helped.
Though when Selina corrects the question she asked, Iris is quick to say, "Well, I asked the question I meant to ask - though if I need to understand why Selina Kyle steals to understand why Catwoman does, then I really do love stories." And it's doubtful that she could be more sincere about that - everyone on the world has their story about why they do what they do, and it's usually a very interesting one no matter how uninteresting the person seems to be. Of course, she suspects that Selina's story is far into the deep end of interesting stories, so naturally she's even more all ears than usual.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2013 20:12:37 GMT -5
If Iris was looking for a story, she was going to get a rather..interesting one. She smirks at how Iris phrases things, meaning exactly what she meant, as well. "To understand Catwoman, it would help to hear the prologue of a younger, less successful Selina Kyle." She quipped, leaning back into the cushions with a slight stretch. Where does she start in this sort of story? There were many places she could go, or how she could narrate such a thing. And how would a therapist pick it apart? Selina herself had done just as much, if not more agonizing self-actualizing, and could tell the doctor that was listening why she did what she did. Other than the reason for 'fun,' but that's beside the point.
Palms up, she shrugs again slightly, picking a point to start. There were so many places she could start, and loop around, but for now, she picks, and starts to talk. "This may take a bit, and feel free to interrupt me..ask questions....and so forth. I may gloss over some areas...and just...talk more on others,"she prologues nervously, shifting again on the couch, and studying the woman, well, that is studying her. A deep breath in, and Selina starts to recall her own...start.
"I grew up..rather well off. Maria and Brian Kyle...my mother danced; was a ballerina for Gotham, my father...was a businessman. I can't..recall a whole lot, but I knew I was never wanting for anything, be it love, or physical need. There were times that my parents fought, but nothing that I noticed too much. One night, they were out..and just never came back. I was told it was an icy bridge...an utter accident. But later on, from what I read, there was a bit of an issue at the party they were at. My mother had..tried to commit suicide, my father had been drinking quite a bit. So as they went to leave...well..the so called 'accident' occurred. Be it my mother's wants, or my father's neglect, I couldn't tell you. For the next few months, it was chaos. First we went to an orphanage, until I was too problematic. They sent my sister, Maggie, to a convent, and finally gave me an ultimatum. Shape up, or ship out. I finally left, and lived on the streets. After running with an unsavory group, a social-worker finally snagged me at the police station for stealing again, and with some of the money left to myself, and my sister, sent me to my god-mother's boarding school." Her nose cringes at this, as she re-tells her history in a quiet voice. "Miss Corinne's. It was a lovely school done in the pallet of grey, grey and more grey. The girls were bitches, spoiled, and knew nothing of want. The girls cried foul, and had gifts and ...everything sent to them. I tried to keep my noise down, and my head held high, but...well, girls at that age are nasty." Stopping for a sip of water, her eyes close as she recalls the first in a break of hardship.
"The girls mocked me. I once had the same things they had. Love, luxury, parents, a family. But now I was there as charity, and their constant bragging of this, and that, got to me. I would spend time outside...quite frequently. I had been a dancer when I was younger, I don't think I mentioned that...ballet, like my mother. I was skilled in stealth, in ....dancing. It was something I always loved to do. And the other girls didn't quite like the fact I had that grace. It took away from their notoriety to mommy and daddy, and thus cut off the steady flow of money, drugs, gifts they could pry from them. So..I spent my time sneaking out when I could. The stuffy, spoiled, narrow-minded and over privileged students drove me nuts, and it was nice to be somewhere quiet, and without their petty yammering, and their smoking. Oh boy, it was bad. The smuggled in cigarettes, joints..you name it. Not that being on the street hadn't...well, made me used to it, but they treated it as a joke. Being a 'rebel' as they saw it. Not sucking on a cigarette because you needed to suppress your appetite because you hadn't had a meal, let alone a morsel of food in three days." Her face tightens at the thought; of wanting, and needing food, and instead having to wander the crowds and throngs of people, not only for warmth, but to try and slip her hands inside another's jacket, or purse, to see what she could pilfer. Even speaking of this part of her past brings about the years-gone urge to smoke tobacco. She'd forgotten about the triggers, the images, sounds, and smells flooding her senses as if she's transported back in time. "I...laugh at these kids that I've encountered that try to ..either emulate me, or try to buddy up. I don't tell them..but I've been stealing, and doing what they're trying to do..for as long as they've lived. I started when I was around 11. It's a sad reality, but something..that I can't change, to be honest. But that's a side-note we can return to when I talk about my business." She grins, if only for a second, breaking up her rather seriousness she's been recounting her history with.
"But these girls. I started to resent them. And their throwing everything in my face. So when they'd mention this, or that, or forget where they'd stashed their weed, or money, I'd take it. They had no imagination on where to hide things. And they couldn't ever say a thing about the money, because it was usually..hidden. And it'd be a shame on them if their parents found out, those that were funding their education in the first place." She smiled faintly. "So..while not stealing items, or money from spoiled brats, I was outside. There were a few stray cats on the grounds, one black one I became friends with. He had the largest green eyes. I'd watch him stalk birds, and climb the trees, and I guess, after a while, I started to follow. That...coupled with me sneaking in my childhood home to watch my mother practice....gave me my stealth." She was throwing in more and more pieces of her childhood into her teenage years, the younger times of her life a bit harder to speak on so freely.
"But...I continued my studies, and my extra-curriculars. I amassed..quite a bit of money, and as soon as I was sick of it, I left. Went to Europe, Switzerland to be exact. I believe I was ..seventeen?" She couldn't remember all the details, but she remembered no loss felt at leaving the boarding school. "I went to another boarding school..where I was not..such an outcast. I didn't stay there long, acquiring letterhead from the school after-hours, and was able to enroll in another school near the Italian border. I had to forge a few things, but no one..cared, when you had the money. Money really does talk, when you have enough of it, sadly." A pause, and she continues.
"It was the same shit, different city, this time. But at this school..I met friends. My two roommates taught me a few things. They taught me the finer arts of 'seduction, theft, and pick-pocketing.' How to get a man to pick up your tab for your gin and tonic at the disco. How a laugh and a wistful smile could get you a new dress at a boutique. It was an opening..to try and reclaim...all that I'd lost."
This admission hold quite a bit of weight. It's the reason why she started to steal; to regain the security, and loss, and life she had with her parents, even if it was never all that it had appeared to be initially. It was still a home, a family, and a place she felt save. So she had fought, and scrambled, and stole, to get herself back to this..imaginary space that may never come back, no matter how hard she strove for it.
"It was fun for us. Thrilling. We were a trio of sisters, doing well at school, and of course, indulging in fun. One night out with the girls, I'd spotted this older blonde man. Had a gorgeous cigarette case. I thought I'd gotten away with it when he grabbed my wrist tightly. He'd escorted me out to the alley, and I thought I was done. My roommates, their names were Tasha and Emilie, they followed, scared, their faces sheet white. So as he looked me over, I could see the disgust on his face. We thought he was going to turn us over to the police, or even..just kill us all. But in shock, he spat out that we were just amateurs. Bungling things, do it all wrong. That theft was an art, a collaboration, with other artists. Not just a petty criminal act."
"To us, this was thrilling. The man introduced himself as Sean Dehaney. He too the trio of us under his wing, and sought to teach us how to make our petty crimes into something more. We all were able to excel at refining our already learned skills. Soon enough, there were three others. Six in total, us three girls, Tasha's brother, ad two other men our age. Sean taught us magnificently. Safe-cracking. Martial arts, but a form he never named. Krav Maga I picked up in Gotham, but he had is go rock climbing, and run. After we were all comfortable with each other, he paired us off for our heists, rotating until he found good partnerships. This is where I met Marc Francois Dahlmaine, Tasha's brother. It was great fun, that time. The adrenaline, the sensuality, the rush." Her words were full of fondness, her eyes glinting at the memories.
"I finally felt like I had family, had those who understood me. We lived in different flats, but close enough in need be. We eventually graduated from the boarding school, and moved on with Sean. I know that part is a bit out of order, but I'd thought you'd ask about the equivalent of 'high school.'" She laughed slightly at that, knowing that Iris was quite adept at details. "But one day I saw a flier for free lectures at Université Paris IV Sorbonne. The first lecture I attended was by some man from "the House of Cartier." Yes, the jewelers. It was entrancing. I learned why such items as simple as a letter open were inlaid with Lapis. How to tell rare place engravings, and so forth. It would be several weeks later when Sean would grab my wrist as we were tailing a couple near dusk. He told me quietly that an art student was a good cover. When I finally looked down, inside was his cigarette cased. And even more shocking, was the several thousand dollars inside for tuition, books, whatever he had deemed necessary for the cover." Quietly, she took a moment to think back on that man. An angel, in a way, that gave her such a gift.
"So while I learned, I became the art specialist of our group. Marc and I started dating. One night, without letting the others know, we eloped, thinking that our common love and dedication to theft would warrant a life together. I finished my stint at school, and the group broke up, parting ways after a while. It was..pleasant, to be married, but I wanted to see if I could make it on my own. Do it alone. Marc wasn't happy with this. He wanted to come with. We were good as a pair! He'd scream at me, as I would calmly shake my head as he ranted and raved. He was a deeply passionate, yet controlling man. It was us, or nothing. When I tried to explain why I wanted new employment, he'd..balk. He enjoyed the life of luxury and thrill we'd built. Well, I'd built. His family had pulled him back into their winery, so I mostly....stole." Shrugging this off, Selina took another sip of water.
"A few weeks later, I had packed a few of my things that Marc hadn't taken, or sold. He had moved some of my mementos and rings..somewhere. He'd left our flat, but it didn't take long to track him. He'd come across some new sort of safe, and he knew I'd a-find him, and b-find the safe. He hadn't been planning on c-which was me actually cracking the safe. I can still remember that awe; the chill slipping down my back as I set about cracking it. My things were inside, of course, but I still was able to get in. I can still remember the model number. But I left. Divorce papers on the table. I had built-in a safeguard in case he never signed them. So..that was that. No regrets, I guess. We had fun, but he was always a bit too controlling. And I wanted, desperately to see how, and what I could do on my own. Team work was never my forte, even now."
"I chose to move back to Gotham. There was a bit of detour between Europe and Gotham. His name was Fabrizio. It wasn't love, but it was fun. I learned about the joys of living on a yacht. And the ins and outs of offshore banking and numbered accounts, which certainly do come in handy," she said with joy. "And I learned rules. Not their rules, but my own. There are things I won't do. Not can'tdo, but just won't. I left Fabrizio as well. Didn't take a thing. I don't think it fazed him, for he knew me to an extent. Even if it wasn't love, we were good together for that time. And to turn around and steal from him? No dice. He hadn't pulled what Marc had. I wasn't going to mix work and play. Love was love. Theft was theft. And never the twain would meet." And for that time, she was right. He'd been a balm, for a time, to heal her. "But I will say I felt on fire. Alive. And once I was back home, in Gotham, it didn't take too long to settle back in. I found that safe I'd cracked, made a few friends, started running in the socialite circuit, and started my company." She beamed at this.
"Now, here is where I come back to all that. I run a security firm. Black Cat Security. It's a consulting firm, which allows me...flexibility. The tagline is 'We've never had bad luck," Which..we haven't." She adds with a grin, and a hearty laugh.
"We specialize in security loopholes, be it computer, physical, or internal. It was a good day job, but I wanted to get back to my roots. I also started a Cat sanctuary upstate. I go there at times to escape the city. And most know I donate to charities, philanthropy, that whole boat." She moves to shift about again in her seat, the talking making her a bit restless as she moves to sit cross-legged.
"Before I officially debuted as Catwoman, I'd heard..these stories of a 'Batman.' It was always an interesting rumor whispered with trepadation. I was curious. One of my first nights out, I was going after these gorgeous wall hangings. Something that could be rolled, and tucked away. I was in all black, of course. But it seemed someone had beaten me to the chase. A man in this obnoxious green, and question mark themed. We bantered for a bit, and I was curious about his attire. He told me he wanted to be known for his intellect. I snorted, and nodded incredulously, I admit, at his aspirations. It was the Riddler, and that night, he asked me if I would ever considering wearing green. Thinking outside the box, you know. I laughed, apologized, and stated I wasn't a team player. As I went to leave through the window, he whispered a name to me. Somewhere I could get my own suit made, even if it wasn't to be green." Smiling, Selina thinks of how far she and Edward have come from those first days. "So, I went to this man. Picked a color. Purple. Royalty. It felt natural, automatic. And that, well, is the start of Catwoman. I change my mind at times, going between purple and black, depending on what I'm doing. But since those days...well, I've grown to get to know Mr. Nigma quite well, as both Selina, and Catwoman. And Batman? Well..that was another encounter. But...I suppose I should pause here, and let you ask a few questions, before I tell you about meeting Batman, and Bruce, and how those came about."
Sitting there, she reached into her purse and withdrew a small, playing-deck size object. Showing it in her open palm, Selina smiled, showing off the still-well preserved case, her thumb depressing the size button that would allow it to swing open, several papers and other assorted items inside. "Marc is quite wealthy, now. He's somewhere in France, running the family winery, probably in Bordeaux, or somewhere." She sometimes notices his name in the papers; international of course, and has to smile at how well he is doing. Even if she does get a bit curious at how he is living, the man she knew when she was younger always gives her cause to shy away, slightly.
After Iris asks a few questions, Selina nods, responding, before going into how she has met both Bruce, and Batman. "Batman, well, of course it was at a heist. I was trying to steal, and there he comes in, like he was borne of a shadow, all crabby and tall and ...just..intense. He said something asinine and blatant, like 'That's not yours,'" Selina imitates in a gravelly voice, "And I said something like 'Well, that's a profound observation, Detective,' and we went back and forth a few times, I evaded him, and the rest is hisotry. Several years of this back and forth, and the chemistry, well, has given the two of us quite a reputation. We banter, we flirt, we've kissed several times, it's a conflict, like I've mentioned. I steal, he ...fights crime." Shrugging, her eyes hold a different, softer sort of gaze when she speaks on Bruce Wayne.
"Bruce is... something else. Just..he puts on such a face for the public. But I can say in the times we've talked, met, danced, he's something else when it's just you and him, softly whispering back and forth about whatever. We mesh well. We both have money, so that eliminates any sort of security and gold-digging issues. We both work, he's quite involved in a lot of projects..and we both just have fun. I think, at some point the press will force a response from us about what is going on..but I can fully say that we're seeing eachother right now. I don't quite know if it will 'hurt' his image as a playboy, but hell, he certainly could've picked someone with less assets, and less press-time, you know." She laughs, at ease with everything she's said.
"I guess...I came from a tragic beginning, and took charge. Forming it into something, and ...even now, I have a legitimate company, and while it might be a bit baffling that I do security, while I steal, elsewise, it really does help me see other aspects to my job; the firm, that others would overlook. It's a rather small company, me, my assistant Olivia, and a few others, but I adore it. I am already consulting with Wayne Enterprises, and Lex Luthor and I are in discussions about a new project of his, as well. I'm quite content with it. Oddly, I haven't stole in a while, which hasn't had me in a tizzy, either.." She muses to the therapist, her own mind whirring about why that is.
"But feel free to ask me whatever you need." She invites Iris, already feeling a weight off her shoulders, but..a different, clouding feeling as she realizes the information Iris has on her, and how that may complicate things. Even if she has transformed from a juvenile delinquent, to a well-off socialite, philanthropist, and CEO, she still can never shake those street-wise gut feelings, nor would she want to.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2013 3:07:56 GMT -5
Iris simply nods her understanding as Selina invites her to interrupt if needed. She's actually not very inclined to do so, as she feels that one is more likely to get a more genuine story if the person telling it doesn't become self-conscious about they're saying due to repeated interruptions - better to save all but the most critical questions for the ending, if there are any.
As she listens, she leans forward thoughtfully and nods periodically, as if not wanting to interrupt the story by making sounds of her own. She has to admit, Selina is a good storyteller - she makes it very easy to picture the events in her mind. Her forehead wrinkles in a mild sign of sympathy as Selina describes the harder portions of her life - what happened to her parents, the girls at the boarding school. Things like that always leave their traces on the mind, no matter how well a person learns to cope with it or how long ago it happened - an emotional scar. Her expression clears as Selina remarks upon the younger generation and their emulation of her, nodding as she gets back to her narrative.
When Selina continues by describing how she stole from those girls, the cats, moving onto a new school, and the girls she met there, Iris's features almost hint at a smile as she listens, though eventually the expression fades into a sort of deep thoughtfulness. Most people would look at this story more on the surface level, but Iris listens deeply - rather than just listening to the raw events, her mind is naturally picking out how those events shaped the mind of the woman now in front of her. There's the traumas, the various coping strategies - some of them more healthy than others. Not that any one person can be reduced to a simple collection of psychologically significant events, but the perspective of a psychologist is certainly not the same someone without that training would take.
The thoughtful look deepens further as Selina starts explaining her past relationships, perhaps to the point where for a moment it may look like her mind has wandered into itself completely, but then she seems to snap right back out of it again. Though that look quickly changes into mild surprise as the return to Gotham and the meeting with the Riddler are described. Interesting how all of that worked out...
Her thoughts are almost interrupted as Selina directly asks for her questions, which she's kept to herself. She almost laughs at that before she asks them. "I'm wondering why, after you left your aunt's boarding school, you decided to enroll in another? Many teenagers aren't exactly 'sold' on the idea that an education is important, and would look at that instead as an opportunity to drop out of school completely," she asks - though of course there are those who are wise enough to know better as well, though the answer to that question could be quite telling. And she also asks, "And was there anything beyond a simple desire for more independence that prompted you to break things off with Marc? Or was there anything else that made you unhappy in that marriage?" Because any way she answers that question, it would be extremely telling. But those are the only questions that she has, at least for the moment. The amount of detail Selina's giving makes many others she might have asked unnecessary, though there's always the possibility that there will be more once she's had a longer chance to digest the tale.
Of course, as Selina continues on to explain about how she met Batman, naturally that very much grabs Iris's attention, but once again her face betrays very little but thoughtfulness. Her reaction to the explanation about Bruce is about the same - this is, at least to Iris, basically a restating of what she's already said about the man, though a hint of a smile appears on her face as Selina comments on the reaction of the media.
Though it fades away again as Selina seems to summarize the jist of her life. If it were Iris doing the same thing, she would have said it entirely differently. But then, the way people think about themselves never does match up to how someone else would see them. When asked again for questions, Iris smiles this time and says, "You paint such a detailed picture, it's hard to find any important gaps." Though after a moment more of pondering, she asks, "How does it make you feel when you go for a long period of time without stealing something?"
If Selina has any concerns that Iris would react to her story, the fact that she appears to be completely unphased and neutral about it is probably reassuring. She has, after all, heard many worse stories over the course of her career, as short as it's been, and it's not exactly her job to go run to the police about everything she hears. Nor is it in her nature to try to exploit anyone because of what they say to her, so she only takes this information as a puzzle to piece together in order to complete her understanding of Selina and therefore be able to work out how to best help her.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2013 10:13:56 GMT -5
Iris always has intelligent, thought provoking questions for her. As the woman queries her on her background, it's crystal clear she was listening through all her babbling. "My parents were both lifelong learners. Even though I never saw...their darker sides, they always encouraged me to learn, and I guess that sparked the quest for knowledge. So...while the first one was a lackluster experience, the second was...my choice." She says after a moment of thought. "And after I was minorly established there, I was able to move on...to what I really wanted. I guess I wasn't your standard teen, either. I had goals born out of necessity, and a want to..recreate what I had lost." Even as she utters those words, it's a mild enlightenment on why she does what she does. It's a grasping to rebuild what she lost in that tragic accident, even if it's not the best way to go about it.
"I did love studying, and just absorbed what I could. It seemed that as soon as I was able to...reclaim the standing I once had...and the fact I was a 'Gothamite,' it was...novel to them. I wasn't some charity case. I was ...exotic to the other girls." And she had been. Chic, yet still in want of where to go, she'd made fast friends with several girls as they bonded over petty theft and shopping.
But as Iris mentions Marc, Selina gets wistful. "He was a fantastic man. Loving, caring, affectionate, driven, talented. But he was just as possessive, angry, and spoiled, too. His family....made him work, but they also showered him with unrealistic standards at times. We were good as a team, but as soon as I showed signed of wanting to even try things on my own, it was like I was personally slighting him. I didn't need him, I wanted him. And he never seemed to understand that I needed my alone time. That those earlier years, had almost driven me to a certain level of solitude, and need for my own space. But he seemed to have...grown out of that, I do hope, since we've parted ways. If anything...Bruce..in a way, reminds me of him." She adds quietly, looking down at her hands. Both men, rich, fantastic looking, smooth, debonair, and with a hidden side. Maybe she really does have a 'type,' if anything. "Marc was always a collector," she adds, not quiet explaining the comment.
Laughing at Iris' next question, she throws her hands up in reaction. "Fine, actually. I haven't done that in quite a bit. If anything, I've done more...alternate theft work lately. Recon, but more..breaking and entering, rather that straight up theft. When the FBI was in town, I helped Batman place a few surveillance toys here and there. And I've been working more...with my company, instead of the opposite. It's a new turn in life, but I think it may have to do with..the current, newer developments in my life." Those meaning the fact she is finally somewhat content in her life, even if it is a bit shaky with where she stands with several people. The return to home, in a way, she thinks.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2013 2:28:56 GMT -5
It's a very difficult thing sometimes, trying to really understand another person. The human mind is very much like a puzzle - so many interconnected pieces. And while there are some personalities that are so open and so stable that the puzzle is a relatively simple affair like those designed for young children, others are so complex that you could spend a lifetime studying that one individual without even being completely certain that you even know what the whole picture is showing. Most people, including Selina, are in the middle of those two extremes - though she certainly leans to the more complex side.
But the real challenge to understanding a person is that it's very rare for you to get all the pieces at once. Instead they're usually handed out one to a few at a time, though in a productive therapy session they're given handfuls. Then again, just because you have pieces doesn't mean that you can connect them or have a complete picture - sometimes you can connect a few but the others don't seem to make a lot of sense. Sometimes there are pieces that just can't be found no matter how sincerely the other person is trying to give them to you. Sometimes the person has an incorrect understanding of themselves and gives you pieces that aren't even a part of themselves - that can be particularly hard to determine if the person is complex. Sometimes you can get most of the pieces, you're able to fit them all together neatly, and yet determining exactly what the underlying picture is still eludes you.
Though with Selina, Iris thinks that she's getting that sense of the overall picture. Just a rough idea of it, really, but the pieces seem to be fitting together neatly and without any unexpected turns. The answers that Selina gives to her questions allows her to gain an even fuller view of the picture, and she's very grateful for that - even though she's willing to try to do her job based more on guesswork, the less she has to do that the better and easier. Though she says nothing to the first two answers except to nod when Selina makes the comparison to Bruce and she comments, "I can see that."
The answer to her last question gets more of a reaction, though at first she's simply very thoughtful before she asks, "Hmm, and how would it make you feel if you weren't doing the 'alternate theft work'?" Because, after all, she can tell that it's a very important thing for her to understand if she's to understand Selina's situation - both with and without the mask.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2013 11:07:57 GMT -5
"I believe I'd still be working, probably doing my company work, consulting, still..doing what I am doing, minus the theft." Even as the words leave her mouth, she's surprised. Has her life become that 'stable,' in her own definition, that she doesn't see the need to pilfer anymore? Possibly, but she honestly doubts she'll be able to purge the habit from her blood. It's beyond a habit, but never quite approached need to her. A means to an end? Yes, but never one of those compulsions, or have to's that she has heard of that land in Blackgate. If anything, it's the thrill, and the joy that she can do it, and do it well, that brings her back.
Iris brings about an interesting avenue of thought. And a surprising clarity to her own ventures, be they with men, or what she is currently doing in her life. "I'm guessing you'd never have thought to have Catwoman as an outpatient, or to expect she's so..normal, to a degree," she teases with a smile. Most of her own counterparts are...a bit more coarse. Eddie is more on her level, as well as Pam, save for her....vanity. But even Harley, Joker, and a few of the others, especially those that are scarred in one way or another, seem to have...bias toward those who can near seamlessly fit into Gotham's day-to-day life.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2013 23:19:26 GMT -5
Selina's answer to her question causes a slight lift of Iris's eyebrows. She seems to mull it over for a moment before pointing out, "Hmm, but that's what you'd do - I asked how you'd feel." Not that she minds getting the answer to the former question - again, she takes misunderstandings between them as being meaningful in their own right. Even if that's Freudian enough to make her feel a little uncomfortable about it - it does seem to hold at least a little weight.
Though what Selina says next causes her to blink in surprise before she bursts into an amused laugh, "Normal? Oh, I don't even believe in that word! All of us are... unique. Some of us are more unique than others, admittedly. But science has yet to find one solitary thing you can define as 'normal' among people without someone objecting. But as for you, I think that you're..." She pauses, as if debating within herself about which word to use. "...fine. You're perfectly fine," she finishes the statement with a smile. Of course, for Iris, the definition of 'fine' roughly equates to 'not crazy enough to be in the asylum'.
"Excepting perhaps that you're currently carrying a very heavy stress load, though that's hopefully only a temporary state," she adds with a thoughtful pursing of her lips, reflecting that she's gotten so absorbed into their conversation that she briefly lost sight of the presenting problem. Which isn't something she's really concerned about, actually - she knows that she'll get back to that either way.
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