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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2013 8:47:47 GMT -5
“Perhaps I love you so much, because I hardly know you.” A warm smile appeared on his face, a rarity for a man as cold and as calculating as Ra’s al Ghul is. Although before he continues, as he blinks for the briefest of moments, all of his previous love and care is replaced by shock and surprise. Perhaps it was his weary eyes, but she looked different, felt different. She was no longer the Woman he was kissing mere moments ago. Upon his lap, he feels neither weight nor warmth. Her lips, no longer the rosy ones that his own had just touched; they were now a darker, rougher shade. One hand over his mouth, a gesture of shock, for the first time in a while, he was completely lost. Reaching out, he touches her arm lightly. Her skin felt like glass, cold to the touch and fragile beyond belief.
The fire besides him no longer provided any decent heat, as if had been covered with a shroud of winter. In fact that was what she felt like, winter. Cold, bitter and dark. Slowly, he eased her off of his lap as he stood up from the chair. It was like lifting thin air, so easy. Throughout his long life time, Ra’s had never experienced anything quite as haunting and supernatural as this. Stepping away slowly, his mind begins to race even as he is at a loss for words. The words from her mouth cut through him like a knife. Even her voice was different. “You don’t fear death. You fear life. This is how you did it, how you stayed alive for so long. And as you can see that I haven’t changed, you now know that they key to my immortality must be something else.”
There’s always been whispers of magic being used in the World, but ever a practical and logical man, Ra’s never believed them until now. How could he not believe his own eyes? Was she cursed or was this of her own doing? He didn’t know. Perhaps he didn’t want to know. However seeing her in this form once the shock had been worn off, he noticed a certain calmness to her as if she now had nothing to fear. Between Lazarus and the magic that she was using, he was glad that he was not plagued by a ghostly physique such as her’s. “I don’t understand…What are you?” Honestly, he felt scared to slight degree. That was a feeling he had not felt for hundreds of years. All of his years of training was nothing compared to her unnatural abilities. If she wished to kill him, she easily could.
For a brief moment he considered calling for help, but what could his Assassins do against her now? She has shown him a great secret, one he would never have shown her if he were her position. Does she trust me? If he desired to, he could use this against her, but who would believe him? He’d be carted off to the Mad House in an instant. Slowly approaching her again, he moved closer, his eyes running all over her body in wonder. Stopping, he turned and looked into a mirror upon a wall. Grey hairs stood all over his head and chin. It had been some months now since he had last used the Pits, so he was starting to look a bit old. His beard no longer had the darkness that it previously did. “Dionisia, I wish to also show you something.” Taking her by the hand, her cold deathly hand, he led her over to the lift. “Don’t worry, no one will see.”
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2013 12:12:04 GMT -5
This isn't the first time that Dionisia has allowed someone to see her change, so she knows somewhat of the range of reactions she might get. And generally speaking, it's the more extreme ones that she finds troublesome - panic, terror, or aggression are simply annoying when you don't want people to feel that way. A more composed reaction such as his, on the other hand, is actually a rather amusing thing to watch - all the little expressions suddenly appearing on such a proud face. She laughs lightly when he touches her arm, the sound echoing strangely, but allows him to feel that yes, she is really still there, but no, not in the same state she was in moments ago.
As he gets up, she allows herself to drift somewhat away before she stops herself, giving him some space - she floats quite naturally in this state. She straightens but her feet don't rest on the ground. She's not a very tall woman, and since it's all the same to her either way, why not float high enough to look at who she's talking to in the eye? "I knew it had to be at least somewhat different from the moment that I saw you. You've aged - I never do," she comments, a slight smile still on her face as she watches him trying to wrap his mind around what just happened.
But though it had been her intention to show him from the moment she mentioned the sunset at the party they left behind, she's not about to offer too much explanation as to what happened - he can learn from it what he will by simply having seen it. All the little details he can't know from that, however, is something that she's more inclined to keep to herself at the moment. His question prompts a small laugh as she states what should be obvious, "I'm a ghost." But, willing to clarify, she says, "Not an ordinary one, of course - I'm not always a ghost. But when I am, I'm like any other." And as she says that, she allows herself to drift to one side, passing right through an end table on the way - just a slight demonstration of that fact.
Does she trust him with her secret? In a way - she trusts that he, like her, has learned in his long life that one must be very careful with what you do with such information. A ghost can be very, very dangerous - he must realize this even if she's the first he's met - so she expects him to handle her carefully regardless of anything else. As, indeed, she is doing in return. She knows that his secret is not the same as hers, but he has one and it could prove to be something she needs to be careful about herself. On the other hand, if he knew the art of using magic then she would have sensed it - and that's the primary thing that she has to fear she can be quite confident right now. So she's not worried about his intentions as he takes her hand, and she allows him to pull her along. Though his reassurance gets a laugh and she comments, "I'm only visible when I want to be."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2013 10:15:24 GMT -5
Even inside the elevator, Ra’s keeps his distance from her, compressing himself into the corner of the small metal box. During the time it takes the lift to reach its destination, he doesn’t utter a word although the movement of his eyes speak his most inner thoughts. What Ra’s doesn’t know scares him and how magic such as this has been kept a secret for so long angers him. Surely the League should have known about this, so they may have used it to their own means. That being said, many would consider his Lazarus Pits to be supernatural, even though they are quite scientific in their origin. Six hundred years ago, before the minds of men were open, the discovery of his Pits would have been deemed an act of heresy, as God may only give life, not some unknown substance. Still the World must never know of his key to immortality.
The thought of World Leaders living forever turned his stomach, their nations dragging on for an eternity. If it came to it, he wondered if he had it in him to destroy the Pits, if they ever came under the control of the enemy. He found it hard to think about such an action, had he become addicted to life? Addiction was a sign of weakness, something which could be used against him. For a brief moment, he changed his mind upon what he was about to do. Then he remembered how she just revealed her secret to him, and how it’s only fair that he repay the trust that she’s placed in him. The ride down felt much longer than the one going up, as the floor icon ticked downwards. Ground floor flickered onto the sign, but they weren’t stopping just yet.
A few more moments passed until the lift slowed to a stop, and even then with a slight jolt as it hit the floor. The temperature had rocketed, opposite to the cold night outside of the building. When the doors opened, they both entered a long corridor made from a dark rock material. “Follow me.” His voice bounced off of the walls in this gloomy underground mystery. Torches along the walls provided the only light source, with them leading visitors along to the wall at the end. Ra’s’ footsteps echoed as he paced along to the large wall at the end of the corridor. Adorned with various markings and carvings, the door was the most impressive item of the hallway. With his long fingers, Ra’s pressed various parts of the wall, while turning other parts. Once he was finished, a loud noise echoed as the door’s lock opened. Taking a step back, he let the door swing open, allowing them entrance.
Gesturing her to follow him, Ra’s continued through the dimly lit area until the corridor opened up into a large room. The walls had various gargoyles and demons on them, all watching those who entered. In the centre of the room lay a pool of smoking green liquid. The air felt heavy, like a light fog filled the room, fog which came from the pool. “When I found this Pit, Gotham was still in its infancy. Thus I built my outpost upon top of it, to protect it from those who would steal it. While in Gotham, this was been what has kept my alive for so long.” As he talked, he walked around the pool with his hands behind his back. His face was lit up by the bright green Pit by his feet. “For six hundred years, I have lived thanks to these pits, which I call…Lazarus.” Now he was on the other side of the pool to her, his eyes matching the color of the water. A dark smile stood upon his lips.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2013 19:13:51 GMT -5
Elevators are a bit... interesting from a ghost's perspective. They operate under the assumption that the occupants will move with the floor. Normally Dionisia doesn't bother with them since she could simply travel through the floors without one, but since she doesn't know where they're going she compensates by reaching a hand above herself and allows the ceiling to push her along - which is a lot easier than trying to match how fast it's going when it changes speeds.
She's silent as they go, but she watches him and smiles to herself at his expressions. It's clear that he's still stewing about her unexpected transformation, though she's not bothered by that - she's beyond used to it herself, but she can imagine that it's quite the surprise. Especially since he seems to be more of a man of science than magic - otherwise she's sure that she'd be sensing much more magic about the place.
When they reach the right floor - which is some ways underground, apparently, she follows him into the corridor, looking around herself with some interest. The door especially, as it all reminds her of things made centuries ago - like she said, it's easy to get caught up in nostalgia. Of course, even such an intricate mechanism wouldn't stop her from passing right through, but she's patient enough to wait for him to lead the way.
The room that they've reached is even more fascinating, so many things vying for her attention, though of course the strange pool gets most of it. "Interesting..." she comments, floating over the pool so that she can get a close look at it. But she's wise enough to not be solid as she does so - though there's no trace of it being magical, it's clearly very unusual and if it does something as extraordinary as preserving Ra's life then there's no guarantee that it wouldn't do something to her. As far as she knows, only magic can harm her, but then again she knows that even she doesn't know all there is to know about ghosts. Just because she is one half the time doesn't mean that she's felt the need to study the subject in too much depth, and she's not about to start experimenting. As far as she's concerned, even with the drawbacks of changing all the time, she has a good thing going and doesn't want to do anything that might ruin that. In fact, she thinks that the fact that what preserves her life is inherent to her is a much more secure thing than having to rely on access to some liquid.
Unfortunately, even upon closer inspection she can't tell much about this Lazarus stuff. And she's never cared very much about chemistry and the like so she's not sure how to go about finding out more. Or, more importantly, why she'd want to - she has her immortality already, so it would be more of an exercise in curiosity than anything. Besides, she's inclined to treat his secrets just as carefully as she expects him to treat hers. So her attention shifts away from the liquid and back to him, and she regards him for a moment before saying, "You don't have to be afraid of me, you know."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2013 5:28:24 GMT -5
“I’m not afraid of you; I’ve just got more reason to be cautious.” A reassuring smile appeared on his face although it quickly disappeared amongst the smoke rising from the Pit. Continuing to walk around the room, Ra’s moved to the dark walls that surrounded them. Running his fingers along them, his hand traced the many carvings as he slowly moved by them. At the rear of the room stood the largest marking of a Man being torn open by a form of demon, his whole body being torn apart by this monster. For a few moments, his vision was focused upon the painting before he turned away from it, partially out of shame. The flames casted his shadow across the wall behind him, with it looming over all in the room.
Making his way back towards her, Ra’s stood with the pool behind him. Bubbles began to pop upon the surface as the liquid remained still with only his footsteps disturbing it. Taking her by the hand, Ra’s looked into her cold eyes as his fingers rubbed her soft hands. How strange it felt to him, to hold a ghost like this. Raising his hand, he stroked her cheek lightly. “Even like this, I still love you. Perhaps even more. You have shown how unique you are as I will now show you in turn.” Taking a few slight steps back, Ra’s drew closer to the edge of the pool. The heels on his shoes stuck slightly over the edge before he raised his arms into the air and a suddenly through himself back.
His body hit the green liquid with a splash and slowly floated beneath the surface. The heat in the room rose quickly as the pool returned to its former calmness as if nothing had happened. For a few moments, all was silent in the room. Then in an instant, Ra’s shot up from the pool, shouting loudly as if he were in pain. Standing in the centre of the pool, the liquid dripped off of Ra’s. Only his head stood out of the pool, the rest of his body was hidden under the surface. The grey hairs in his beard had gone and the hair upon the top of his head had become darker. As he began to walk out of the pool, Aria could notice that his clothing was strangely dry to the bone.
Standing before her once more, Ra’s tightened his black tie quickly before smirking through his rejuvenated lips. In a flash, he was half the age he was mere moments ago, with the vigour and strength of a younger man. “And like that, the magic of Lazarus has worked once more.” His voice also was different, having a higher tone than previously. Stroking his beard, he felt the now more pointed goatee with his muscular fingers. Both of his eyes flashed like lights, being unnaturally green like the pool water. The flashes of silver through his hair were also now more prominent. They were both physical side effects from using the Pit, although they were the least of his worries. “Like yourself, I am now rejuvenated. My strength has increased with my new found youth.” He still sounded like an older man.
Walking from the pool, Ra’s entered the corridor the came in through. Now however, a row of men stood on either side of it, all of them armoured in a black garb with swords latched in their hands. As he approached them, they all suddenly stood to attention, holding their swords with both of their hands. "The Demon rises!" They all chanted in unison, their voices echoing through the dark.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2013 12:44:10 GMT -5
Though he claims that he isn't, Dionisia isn't sure that she believes him. He certainly seems to be acting different about her now that he knows more of what she is. Even so, she's not worried, as she suspects that he'll be more reassured about her when she's once again in human form - though she avoids letting most people know about her secret, there's been a number of them who she's shown so she's used to the fact that many of them come to be quite comfortable around her by day while still remaining more wary of her at night. There is perhaps some actual sense to that, actually - she does tend to be more mild-mannered in human form, if only because she knows on a somewhat subconscious level that she's more vulnerable at that time. As a ghost, on the other hand, she's practically indestructible and powerful too - as if she were... well, not quite a god, but close.
As his attention turns to the carvings on the walls, this prompts her to give them some of her attention as well. But as she's now seeing them for the first time, she can only guess about their significance and true meaning. She's somewhat surprised when he turns to approach her a moment later, curious to see what he'll do now after having cast so many wary glances in her direction. When he takes her hands, she smiles and wonders if he's now out to prove that her accusation of fear is false. It is, after all, a comparatively rare thing for someone to purposefully touch her while she's in this state. She has no idea what she feels like to anyone - to her, his touch is almost like a thick foam: heavy and just a little warming, but with a sense that she could easily force her way right through it if she wanted.
It still seems strange to her as he speaks of loving her, because though they've technically know each other for centuries, the actual time they've spent together is perhaps a few hours. And while she's loved before, it certainly took her much more time. Then again, her own experiences have taught her to be very careful about her heart - she can hardly say that she loves Ra's or is anywhere near to feeling such a thing, actually. But, on the other hand, she can't say that she wouldn't if given more time. Right now she can only say that she finds him rather fascinating - which is a different, but not unrelated feeling.
And she watches with great curiosity as he enters the pool. Which turns to only very slight alarm when at first he simply sinks and then reappears with a shout, though she quickly reassures herself that if this is what has kept the man alive then he's surely done this before and come out of it just fine. And when he starts to walk back out of it again, she notes the rejuvenation - again she finds herself more pleased with her own way of achieving the same end, but it does seem to be highly effective his way. "Remarkable!" she says, floating over to meet him at the edge of the pool, and gently stroking his cheek. As she is renewed twice every day, she's not used to seeing such a drastic change in appearance - many years restored in one moment. And while she certainly didn't mind the age he appeared to be before, she'd be lying if she said that she didn't consider the man who came out of the pool to be an improvement upon the one that entered it.
But though many would consider seeing such a thing to be frightening or at least disturbing in a way, she certainly doesn't - while she hasn't studied such things on purpose, she's nevertheless come across many strange things on accident before and this isn't too far out there from some of them. After all, her own condition is quite unusual. As he heads toward the corridor they'd traveled through when they arrived, she follows him, but when he actually enters it he may notice that she seems to have disappeared if he turns to look at her.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 17:42:57 GMT -5
Walking to the end of the corridor before he notices that she’s gone, Ra’s continues speaking as if she were still visible. “Yes it is quite remarkable yet I chanced upon finding the substance to my own luck. Before I was worked towards something greater than myself, I led quite a simplistic life in a country now forgotten. Once I found a similar pit, everything changed for me.” A part of him saw Lazarus as a curse. If he had not found it, then he would not have been employed by the City’s King to save his Son, and perhaps his wife would not have suffered such a terrible fate. Shaking off the thought, Ra’s continued to walk past his men.
Each one of his Assassins would gladly kill or be killed for the League. However Ra’s does not rule through fear, knowing that those who serve him are as passionate about the cause as he is. Fear is used when a people are rebellious and dissident, not when they willingly pledge themselves to you. That being said, all of them knew of the strength and skill Ra’s possessed, knowing of the consequences if they betray him. Many younger Assassins have tried to take the mantle of The Head of The Demon. None have succeeded. Still, a fight now and then keeps Ra’s on his toes while allowing him to still prove his might.
Reaching the elevator and placing a hand upon the door, Ra’s turned back to Aria only to be surprised that she was no longer there. “Dionisia? Come out; don’t make me look for you.” No response came so with a click of his fingers, every one of his assassins turned around and extinguished the nearest flame to them. If she was to play, then at least now it would be on an equal playing field in Ra’s’ eyes. “Shadows are an Assassin’s greatest tool; they provide sanctuary from which we may strike our enemies.” The only light source now came from the glowing green pit in the distance, which Ra’s slowly made his way back towards. Re-entering the room, Ra’s’ eyes bounced around for any sight of her.
“Six hundred years of life, I hope you’re prepared for the likes of me.” His haunting laugh echoed throughout the cavern as he walked around the corners of the Pit. Like walking on thin air, his footsteps made as little noise as possible, perfect for dark conditions such as these. Removing his black tailored coat, Ra’s threw it down upon the floor as he reached the other end of the room. “I never did see how you handled yourself all those years ago. Would you give me the honour of a decent fight? You know how these mortals can be.” It’s true that since he had met her again, his mind had been focused upon the fight that they almost had. He was sure that he would win; now he was not so sure.
It is a rare thing to find a woman with natural fighting skills, but from what she showed him during their last encounter, she has the potential to be a worthy foe. That is if she maintains a physical form during the fight. Even with all of his skill, Ra’s doubted that he could win a fight against a being who can achieve feats such as ghost. Still with his newly rejuvenated body, Ra’s had high hopes for a victory against her. Without his sword, he was still a brilliant fighter. Memories of when he fought the Dark Knight returned to him, due to the acclaim that is Batman’s fighting skills.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2014 2:37:52 GMT -5
Though she'd made herself invisible, Dionisia is still following right behind Ra's as he continues down the corridor. When he turns to look for her, she nearly says something, though his words upon discovering her apparent absence causes her to smirk to herself and decide to remain invisible and silent - just to see what he does. There's something about having the ability to disappear that brings out a little bit of a prankster in anyone, after all, even if such games grow tiresome if engaged in too often. But her amusement only increases as he orders the lights to be extinguished and she follows him back into the room with the pit.
Though she's more than a little bit surprised by what he says then. Though she's quickly telling herself that perhaps she shouldn't be - after all, if she's the first ghost he's ever met then of course he wouldn't have any idea how ridiculous what he's asking for is. Still, she can't help the laugh that escapes at the very idea, and the sound reveals her location - she's behind him but not very close. "Surely you must be joking!" she says, beginning to drift around him while maintaining her distance - still invisible but that matters less in such dim light and it's not that difficult to follow the sound of her voice as she moves, "But you're not - because you don't know what you're asking... I can see I should teach you a few things about ghosts..." Otherwise she's liable to offend him with her laughing - but she really can't help it.
"You've seen that I only appear to be halfway here, even when I'm visible. Have you asked yourself what the world looks like to me, then? I'll give you a hint - the dark doesn't hide much from me," she comments, the large grin on her voice evident in the tone of her voice, "I'm practically a shadow myself, after all." The darkness is her home in this form, and not simply because she's accustomed to being a ghost at night. All ghosts are more likely to be around at night, and there's a reason for that, after all.
"Other ghosts are people with unfinished business - and their business is usually finished relatively quickly. Often they only want someone to join them in death - a beloved spouse they don't want to part with or they wish to see the death of the one who killed them. So most don't stay around for more than a few decades. But the longer a ghost exists, the more powerful they become, simply because they become more used to all the abilities. I have had six hundred years. Part time, yes, but still - even three hundred years puts me far ahead of most..." she explains, because she's not simply a ghost but a particularly skilled and therefore powerful one.
"I do not walk, breathe, or even have a heartbeat. The air is disturbed by my movements when I move quickly..." she continues, before suddenly he'd feel a slight breeze and hear the rushing of air as she briefly picks up the speed of her circling, traveling much faster than a man can run but for no more than a second, "...but only if I choose to be solid when I do it. So I can be completely silent if I wish. And visible or invisible as I wish. And solid or not as I wish. And as far as I know I have no scent or flavor, so I'm capable of defeating all of your senses, no matter how acute they are." Well, not if he had any ability to sense magic, but she's hardly going to explain her weaknesses to him.
"Another thing..." she starts, but then her voice is suddenly on the other side of him as she finishes, "...I can teleport. And I do not get physically tired. I also can't feel pain, and the only 'injury' I can suffer is to get 'bent out of shape', so to speak. And that lasts only until I have a moment to straighten myself out." Unless she's facing something enhanced by magic or something similar, anyway.
She finally stops circling ending when she's directly in front of him and still several yards away, where she finally reappears, "So do you really wish a fight with someone who you can't sense, who moves much more freely than you, who is only solid when they're striking you, who isn't harmed even if you do manage to hit them, and who could continue even after you're long past the point of exhaustion?" To her credit, she's managed to reappear with a more curious expression on her face rather than the more amused one that had been plastered on her face while she'd been invisible. Then again, she's not sure just how visible her expressions would be to him with so little light anyway.
"If you wanted a 'decent fight', you should have asked me before - right now it wouldn't be any contest. Though if you really want to be reminded of what it feels like to be knocked to the floor, I can oblige..." she offers with an amused smile, though at least it's not one that she directs at him so much as the situation. It isn't everyday that she meets someone at a ghost who challenges her to a fight. Most of them run.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2014 9:43:42 GMT -5
Suddenly, the idea to fight her wasn’t such a good one. Ra’s had no idea of the extent of Dionisia’s abilities, with him previously believing that it was just her appearance that was different. Her laughter sends chills down his spine. Telling himself that he feared no living creature, Ra’s suddenly realised that he wasn’t dealing with a person who was alive. Still, the description of her powers greatly intrigues him, formulating many uses for them in he were to persuade her to join him. An Assassin who is literally invisible, who can strike through supernatural means and can leave a scene in a flash. So many possibilities for such a Person. The only problem would be to persuade her to work for him. "You're right, I'm not used to fighting supernatural beings."
During daylight hours, she could be Ra’s’ soldier deep within the political infrastructure of Gotham. And by night, an Assassin who can remove any enemy he sees fit. But how can one control a being as powerful as this? With ease, she could kill him and take over his League, seeing that his body is never rejuvenated again. She’d have power and control, everything she seems to long for. “You have power far greater than my own. Never in my life, have I seen a being that has abilities such as the ones you speak of. Teleportation, invisibility. Until this conversation, I had never fathomed that they could have existed, yet you’ve proved me wrong.” With another click of his fingers, light returned to the room and the Assassins were gone once more.
Taking a step towards her, Ra’s approaches the Ghostly Figure which floats before him. Still in awe and wonder, his mind still raced to think of how he can use her to his own benefit. But perhaps his own goals may be in line with her own. He doubted that she has the same moral responsibilities as he does, and that she wishes to further mankind over her own personal gain. However, if there were benefits for her if she helped, then perhaps she might aid him. Having walked closer to her, Ra’s once again took her hands in his own, looking deep into her eyes. They weren’t her own eyes, they didn’t suit her. Like a pair of black holes, they seemed to absorb all the light. When looking at her, his own eyes were drawn to her own.
Feeling her was like something he'd never tried before. Upon touching her, she felt cold to the touch, better ever so slightly with her temperature being a little less than his own. Yet somehow it was a feeling that he enjoyed. There was a sense to longevity to her, that unlike any other person he’d loved, she was not going to wither away and turn to dust before his eyes. But her ambition may consume her, so how their relationship may continue depend upon it. His hands moved from her’s, up her pale arms to her shoulders. Finally, his hands cupped around her face as he brought her closer. Kissing her lightly upon the lips, Ra’s at first felt slightly sick at the thought of embracing someone who is essentially dead, but soon he remembered her graceful self during the day, and that feeling fled from his body. If he would, he’d have her in her day time form only. Then she could be beautiful and strong without being a floating spectre.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2014 21:01:35 GMT -5
Actually, whether or not Dionisia is alive right now would be an interesting philosophical debate. Because while she's taken the form of someone who is dead, hours from now she'll be most definitely alive. And since, at least in layman's terms, the very definition of someone who is 'dead' is someone who can't be revived, is she really dead now? Or does she die every night? It's so much easier to simply say that she's a ghost right now and leave it at that.
"There is much about the world that those unfamiliar with magic simply do not know," she comments, smiling as she adds, "Though I don't doubt that you could handle a younger ghost. Or even a vampire, for that matter..." Because, yes, those exist too. And while she's never been one to seek out the secrets of the world - even those pertaining to ghosts - when you spend your nights as a supernatural creature you have so many opportunities to discover things. Especially if you get bored easily, and she often has that problem.
Though right now, she certainly isn't bored. All of this is a truly unique experience, after all. And once again she finds her hands being held in his as if her current state means nothing. There have been others who have done so, but usually only after much reassurance on her part. Perhaps he, like her, is simply more bold in knowing that he's risking far less than most when dealing with things that he's unfamiliar with - if you don't stay dead, you are far less concerned about accidentally stumbling into something that might kill you.
Her eyes, which were brown, are now more of a dusky gray, most of the color washed from them just as it is from the rest of her. Like she said, she's practically a shadow - the blackness of her irises is even deeper than it was before. But there's a sense of age to her gaze - she has seen so much more life than most. Of course, so has Ra's al Ghul, and as she looks back at his eyes she almost wonders how she missed that the first time they met. Then again, she'd spent most of that time wary, angry, and keeping her distance from him - it only seems obvious in retrospect. And neither of them look nearly as old as their eyes seem to indicate, especially since he walked back out of the Lazarus pit - and there's something comforting about the idea that centuries more may pass with both of them still existing.
But what isn't especially comforting is the feeling of his lips against hers. If he were a ghost himself she certainly would have enjoyed it more, but as things are he still feels more like thick foam - so much of the normal sensation of lips against lips is destroyed. He simply isn't solid enough. Of course she still appreciates it on a mental level, so she kisses him back and her fingers find their way into his hair. Still, she pulls away only after a moment, feeling unsatisfied - a feeling that she's guessing that he shares. Because in spite of the popular notion that the physical really doesn't matter in comparison to the mental and emotional, the physical piece of it really does have its importance in the end.
"If you want, I can go... and return in the morning?" she asks quietly, "We could watch the sunrise..." Because she's beginning to suspect that they're running short of things to talk about - or at least things that wouldn't be easier to discuss if she weren't in her present state. But then again, as he suspects her goals are very different from his, so her way of thinking about things is also very different. For example, though she may crave power, does the idea of having an army of assassins at her beck an call appeal to her? Yes, actually, but only a little bit. It would be like a cat having a school of goldfish - nice, but also completely unnecessary. If anything, having to manage them would take more time than they'd be worth to her.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2014 11:08:38 GMT -5
Ever a practical man, with firm beliefs in seeing his believing, Ra’s had never thought about what supernatural beings might inhabit the World secretly. The potential that these creatures had to do great good or evil was immense, although there is always the chance that this potential might be channelled by the League in some form. After this conversation, Ra’s would no doubt order an investigation into supernatural beings, with the intent of harnessing their power. For hundreds of years, the League had changed and morphed with the World around it. Long gone are the days of open battles, with everything now being cloak and dagger. Creatures with unnatural abilities could play a large part in the future.
His train of thought is broke when she mentions returning in the morning. “Perhaps that would be for the best. I need to think about all of this, about you and what you have shown me.” While speaking, Ra’s didn’t look at her. His eyes were focused upon the pool of Lazarus by their feet. Like the Pit, his eyes seemed to bubble and fizz, as if they were linked to the liquid. For a few moments, he continued to look at the green glowing Fountain of Youth, seemingly lost in its power that it has granted him. “I will see you at sunrise.” Without another word, he walked from the room to the corridor. His footsteps echoed off of the walls, the sound bouncing from the ceiling to the floor and back again.
Leaving in the elevator, he knew that now she could simply float out of the room, so he wasn’t required to wait for her. The journey back to the top floor was a quiet one, with the only words being uttered with in his mind. A Woman such as her has obviously killed before. Or at least he wouldn’t put it past her. Then what does it make him, if he were to love a killer? Shaking his head, Ra’s paced in the elevator. Usually the League would terminate someone who had committed murder, but how does one kill the indestructible? “Rehabilitation might not be beyond her.” If she were to help the League, to aid something greater than herself, then perhaps her past crimes may be forgiven.
As the doors opened into his Penthouse, Ra’s approached his personal office and closed the doors behind him. Like the main area, the office also sported an impressive view of the Gotham Skyline. Lights flooded through the glass from the opposite buildings and the cars below. For all its beauty at night, Gotham was still a hive of crime and pollution. A hand upon the glass window and his eyes looking down upon the City, Ra’s took a deep breath and shook his head. In the past hour, his concept of realism has been shook. Now ghosts, vampires and other beings from fairy tales inhabit this World. And worse, they have been around for as long as he has, if not longer, and the League has had no knowledge them.
To some the League of Assassins is a myth, a Legend like all of those creatures. For hundreds of years, The Demon has stalked the Earth from the shadows, striking without mercy against those who attempt to destroy the peace of the World. It actually sounds somewhat like a tale you’d tell your children, to scare them by their bedroom light. Every Legend has some traces of truth to it. Turning from the window, Ra’s went back to his tall black chair that sat behind the large wooden desk. The desk was immaculate, with everything ordered and kept in pristine condition. Everything seemed to be symmetrical, with nothing out of place. Not an inch of dust lay anywhere. Sitting back to his chair, Ra’s knew that he would have many hours to wait before his next meeting with the Spectre called Dionisia.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2014 23:08:20 GMT -5
His words prompt a silent nod from Dionisia. Perhaps she ought to spend some time thinking as well. Though perhaps not as much as he may have to - she doesn't, after all, find his method of immortality to be any particular shock. After all, though she finds it somewhat surprising that someone found a way to restore himself in such a manner so long ago, the very idea that it could happen is not something that far-fetched to her. The sheer fact that she's the obvious manifestation of some sort of outright magic, which seems to be something he's not yet encountered before, would take some getting used to. Though now that he's aware that it exists, she suspects that he'll begin to see it everywhere - because there are elements of it everywhere when you look for them.
"Back in your penthouse then - 7:20," she says with a smile, already knowing when that celestial event will take place. When so much of your life hinges on that schedule, you know what it is. And having said that, she disappears. Though this time she doesn't simply make herself invisible, but teleports away entirely - back home, actually. Everyone but Anastasia would be gone now, so the large mansion is quiet. Then again, it's rarely very noisy at any time of the day - though she's very sociable she doesn't often entertain guests here. This is her sanctuary.
And the first thing she does is find Anastasia, who is cleaning something in the great room, and tell her to bring some tea to her study. She doesn't need to eat or drink as a ghost, but she finds that the activity nevertheless helps her mentally at times. She doesn't need to eat or drink as a human either, actually, but that's merely because she's never one for long enough to die from either - she still gets hungry and thirsty during the day.
Settling in, she tries to take her mind somewhat away from Ra's al Ghul for awhile. It's not that she doesn't want to think about him, but the night is still quite young and there's still productive time to be had that she ought to use. But during the hours of the night when everyone expects her to be asleep, even though she doesn't sleep, she'll have more than enough time to think about the man. In fact it seems like no time at all has passed when she's finished with the work that she'd planned for that evening and is finishing off a few things that she's able to do for the next day - she'd have normally saved them for the next day, but if she's going to spend very much at all of her morning away then she needs to find more time for her schedule. The amount of daylight this time of year is very small, after all, so the time is precious - not that she begrudges spending some of it with Ra's al Ghul. It's simply a matter of prioritization.
And when her work is finally finished, she glances at the clock and sees that she indeed has hours left. A part of her half wants to return early and invisibly spy on him to see what he's doing, but more of her is content to leave him alone. Instead she leaves her mansion for awhile and decides to let herself idly drift over the city, invisibly looking down upon it. It's relaxing in a way - almost like laying on a raft while it floats down a river. And her thoughts then easily drift back to Ra's al Ghul.
Unlike him, she has no troubling questions about him. Partly because he's hardly told her anything about what he does with himself, but also because that doesn't much matter to her. Not because she simply doesn't care about his life, but because she'd easily tolerate almost anything. She has a certain moral code of sorts - though it's one that he'd probably consider to be inadequate - but she doesn't necessarily mind the idea of spending time with someone whose views are very different.
What prompts much more thought was his statements of loving her. Even after much thought, she's uncertain of how she feels about that. Though she does know that she doesn't return his feelings. Of course, that's merely because she's come to be very careful with those particular emotions - they're powerful and so easily turn to pain. In fact she's practically sworn off love entirely, except that was because of the pain caused by loving men who were doomed to die mere decades after she met them. Here she suddenly finds a man who doesn't have that problem. And even one who she suspects that she could love back if she allowed herself to do so. But dare she do that? Just because he's not going to die is no guarantee that there won't be pain, after all. In fact, past experience has taught her that there will be pain regardless. The real question is whether or not the pain would be worth the pleasure - that's a trickier question to answer. And she finds herself still without an answer when a slight lightening of the sky indicates that her time for thinking has run out.
She still has a little time though, so she types up a quick series of emails to her staff, telling them what to work on this morning until whenever she arrives. Then she's second guessing what she's wearing - she'd changed out of the gown she'd been wearing at the party in favor of something more practical and modern, but she reassures herself that she's surely just as pretty in a dress meant for the office as she is for one meant for a formal party. It's still a bit before sunrise when she finally teleports back to his penthouse, arriving in the main room with the large fireplace. If he's not there, that's where she'll begin looking. She could easily pry into any room, but just because she can doesn't mean that it's polite.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2014 12:42:03 GMT -5
The hours passed slowly for Ra’s’ with his mind constantly focused upon the Woman, the ghostly woman. For a few of those hours, he spent his time in his office, working upon regular League matters. Before he began work though, Ra’s spent a few moments running the events of the evening through his mind, recounting all that was said and implied. Hopefully his ploy had worked upon her. Although he had feelings for her, he understood the power that she held. Abilities such as hers cannot be stolen from him and used for other means, he must have her. There is undeniable potential in her but she is obviously not willing to serve another knowingly, so a more deft plan will be required.
However that could wait, he had all night for her return, giving him enough time to fathom a strategy to deal with her. For the next hour, Ra’s was in conference, via an uplink through his computer with three regional leaders for the League. The Heads of operations in Southern Eastern Asia wished to give their report to him, detailing how any mission in their part of the World was being achieved. One spoke of how, under Ra’s’ orders, a CEO of a large conglomerate had died in his sleep, due to his recent plans to pollute a vast area of ocean in the Pacific, with waste from his factories. Disregard for the environment as serious as that was a crime with a greave punishment as Ra’s believed greatly in maintaining the World they fought so passionately for.
The conversation was quickly over, with few updates upon current operations. By the time he was finished with that, it was still relatively early in the night so with nothing else on his agenda, Ra’s began to delve into the life of Aria Lloyd. First investigating her background, he looked into where she was born and who her parents supposedly were. Clearly she had her mother’s looks, obviously due to the fact that they were the same person. After six hundred years of changing identities, she seemed to have changing her appearance down to a fine art although unlike anyone else; Ra’s knew what he was looking for. “Herbert Lloyd, self-made millionaire killed in fire.” How fortunate for Dionisia. He imagined that he wasn’t the first to die due to her. Next her political career was the topic of his investigation.
Somehow Ra’s was finding it hard to imagine that this was the same woman he knew all of those years ago. A Woman based solely on class and focused upon her position in society, now working for the people she once stood over. How time has changed her although he knew that there was method to her madness. Once he was finished with his research, the large clock in his office chimed as the first hour of the morning had passed although there was still six hours for him to wait before her return. Now seemed like a suitable time for him to sleep for a few hours, so with a yawn from his mouth, Ra’s climbed the few steps to his bedroom which stood above the rest of the floor. The interior to it was bare, with few luxuries found yet a large bookcase adorning a wall and a painting of a knight on another.
Usually waking up on time was not a problem for Ra’s but now he found himself opening his eyes as the hand on the clock turned to seven. He had hoped to wake slightly earlier to ready himself but now there seemed to be little time. Standing from his bed, he placed a black robe over his body, with a pair of trousers covering his lower area. As he descends the stairs, Ra’s finds that he is just in time for Dionisia’s return as she stands by the fire with the view of Gotham behind her, with most of the city still being dark. The Sun had not yet rose in the distance. She must have teleported to the Penthouse using her abilities. “Good morning, Dionisia.” Hands behind his back in a formal manner, Ra’s kept his distance as he watched her float before him.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2014 3:33:57 GMT -5
Just as she's about to start looking, Dionisia sees Ra's coming and smiles. "Good morning!" she replies, lingering by the fire. "Did you sleep well?" she asks, noting how he's dressed. Though as far as she's concerned he certainly didn't need to go to any more effort to make himself presentable enough for her than he did - she does recognise that the hour is early. That, and she strongly suspects that he'd have been up late on top of that. If anything, she ought to be flattered that he's probably losing a little sleep now in order to wake up in time to catch the sunrise.
Drifting over to the couch, she idly comments, "I should probably put this down now while I'm still remembering." And as she's moving a rather large handbag suddenly just appears in her hands. And though it seems as ghostly as the rest of her when she's holding it, when she puts it down on the couch it proves to be rather ordinary. Well, except that it's a rather expensive Louis Vuitton, but Dionisia is willing to bet that Ra's al Ghul doesn't know enough about handbags to care.
Having done that, there's a pause before she looks up at him again and confesses, "I spent much of the night thinking about you." Which made for a rather long night, actually. And though she really quite enjoys being a ghost, aside from the fact that she can't choose when she's a ghost, she found this night in particular to be more burdensome than enjoyable. Fortunately, the impending sunrise will cure that problem. Then again, it seems like she never wishes to be a ghost more than at times while she's human - it always seems like she's in the wrong state for whatever it is that she wishes to do at all times.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2014 11:04:22 GMT -5
Walking towards her slowly, he attempted to keep his distance from her. The gas-powered fire still burnt away, due to it not having being turned off by him during the night. Ra’s was too used to having only a fire for warmth, often forgetting about the central heating that ran through the Penthouse. “For what little time I did sleep.” While speaking he attempted to stop himself from yawning, successfully. Although he didn’t want her believing that he’d been awake all night thinking about her. Imagining that she’d not slept at all due to her ghostly form, Ra’s noticed the lack of fatigue or tiredness.
Why she had a hand bag with her was beyond Ra’s, in fact why Women have them in general baffles him. The only use for them in his eyes is for concealing a weapon but even then he still sees little need for such a large object. Not knowing exactly how long they had until sunrise, Ra’s judged that was only a few moments away before rays of sun would burst out over Gotham. When she touched upon thinking about him, he found it hard to deny that he had not also thought about her to great lengths. Still he found it best not to mention the research that he had done upon her. “And I have thought about you and I am still lost in the enigma that is Dionisia Wood.”
The origins of her ghostly abilities will likely elude him for some time, although hopefully she will let it slip at some point. No doubt she was born as a ghost. Ra’s always held the belief that first one must be living before they return as a ghost. “Only a few moments until the sun rises.” He could only imagine living a life ruled by an affliction such as the one she must have suffered. The minds of men were not always as enlightened, so if she was ever discovered the consequences must have been dire. However she must have developed great skill in hiding herself, as up to now the League had no knowledge of her existence, which is a rare thing for someone with powers like the ones that she has.
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