Games of Ghosts and Ghuls [Ra's]

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"And after you've finished that, you may go home for the evening - I'll not need you," Aria says, finishing a series of instructions to Ami. The young woman simply nods, because it's not unusual for her boss to randomly not want her to drive her around. What she does instead is a mystery, especially since Ami is well aware that the woman doesn't seem to be fond of driving herself around, but that is one of many things that Ami doesn't feel she is in any position to be asking questions about - which in turn is why Aria keeps the young woman employed.

The reason why she doesn't need Ami to drive her this evening is because one of Ra's men is picking her up. Even before she became aware that a man she'd thought long dead was still alive it wasn't unusual for her to not ask for Ami - sometimes she's simply preferred to allow the transformation to take place at the office so that she could leave the traveling for that moment when she can move from one place to another instantly instead of keeping up with the farce of having to be slowly driven home. She could do the same to get to Ra's place instantly as well, but then again she has very good reason to arrive while she's still human if she can at all fit that into her schedule, and this evening there should be some time after she's finished up what she needs to do. Not enough time, thanks to the inevitable traffic lights, but some is better than none.

It's funny - here she is, for all intents and purposes immortal, rushing through her work as quickly as possible without doing a poor job of it, just so that she can spend a few extra moments with another immortal who won't be difficult to see as often as she likes over the longer term. But she is, because in the shorter term her time with him is precious - in a few years, when she shrugs off the identity of Aria, it will be much easier for her to see him as often as both of them could ever want, but that day is not yet.

Knowing that her employees will close up the office properly, when she's finally satisfied with the state of her work for the day she simply collects her purse and heads down the elevator to meet the waiting car. After a short drive - but not short enough - she arrives at the impressive Gothic building that houses his organization, nodding to this and that face that has become familiar as she walks straight for the elevators. Once inside, she tries to stop herself from counting the seconds it takes before it reaches the penthouse suite. The doors open, and she's already smiling as she leaves the elevator - Ra's surely knows that she's here already, so she suspects that he'll be there to greet her.

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From the panoramic window at the rear of the penthouse suite, Ra’s was able to watch the black Audi drive away into the distance as it travelled through the busy evening traffic to reach the woman who he had first met, two hundred years previously. The fading sunlight filled the room with a warm orange brightness that burst over the horizon. An advantage of this building was that it was larger than the majority of structures around it, so there is nothing to block his gaze when he looks down upon the City. This concrete jungle, with its block canyons of stone and metal, this haven for crime. Stroking his beard lightly while turning around, Ra’s was pleased that the approaching summer would allow for a longer period of daylight, thus allowing him to converse with Aria in her human form for longer.

Inspecting himself in the mirror outside of his office, Master Al Ghul straightened the onyx tie which fell down the white shirt, a tie which accommodated the tailor made crimson jacket and trousers well, while matching the dull tones of the surrounding room. Dark and mysterious colours such as black and green are oft the best choice for him but due to the pleasant heat of the approaching night, he thought it best to wear something slightly more noticeable. Any work that was to be done had been finished earlier in the afternoon, with it being a relatively quiet day. The only interesting point in the morning was the report handed to him, which described the recent surveillance of one: Charlotte Geier, the young ward that Selina Kyle had took under her wing. Since his meeting with the ‘Catwoman’, a great interest has been created, an interest in why the young girl was of such importance.

However everything had been prepared for Miss Lloyds arrival, as no doubt she had formulated a way in which the League could benefit her, while furthering their own desires. Upon his desk, a number of folders and files had been brought for reference if she wished to discuss her plans, but it would be best to save such a conversation for the night time, leaving what little sunlight they had for other activities. A vintage bottle of wine, dated 1793, had being brought up from Ra’s’ personal collection of beverages. Most alcohol irritated his taste buds but wine had a certain sophistication to it, which showed a great deal about the person drinking it. Hopefully she would approve of the choice, due to it being from the country in which they first met; France. In his opinion, the French made the best wine, as it would seem that it was a national staple of the country.

“Sir, Miss Lloyd has arrived.” The voice broke through the radio built into his office. Within the hour the car had returned with Dionisia, who Ra’s could see enter the building through the large doors. It would only be a few brief moments before the elevator reached the top floor of the building, with Ra’s just reaching the doors before the opened. A smile upon his her lips matched his own, though his was more of a light grimace as per usual. Lightly kissing her hand, he welcomed her into his own once again. “It is always a pleasure, Miss Lloyd.” Not using her true name was intentional, as he saw her ghost form as the true Dionisia.

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As far as she's concerned, she's Dionisia at all times whether day or not, though it's true that there is quite a bit of difference between what form she takes by day and night. It's not unlike the transformation of many of Gotham's citizens undergo at night actually - hers is much more profound and involuntary, but she does have that double-life aspect and the change does affect how she relates to people to a certain degree. At night, for example, she's bolder and more powerful but more disconnected from the rest of humanity - she doesn't feel like she's one of them as much.

During the day, however, she feels very human. She's still Dionisia, but a variant, and usually behaving in ways that are an act - a false version of herself to fool the masses. How she is around Ra's, on the other hand, is real. Or... at least much more real than is her usual.

As he brings her hand to his lips, her smile grows. She responds by leaning forward and gently kisses his lips. "Always..." she agrees, before shifting her head to kiss him not as gently on the neck, her other arm shifting to rest on his shoulder. "...always a pleasure," she adds quietly, her eyes shifting upward to meet his. She genuinely enjoys being human around this man - though sadly the already darkening sky is hinting that this particular opportunity is short.

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It had been a few weeks since they had last spoken with one another, a relatively tiny length of time for an immortal but in Gotham City, a thousand plots and schemes could formulate with in such a brief length time span. Such a kiss felt like an eternity upon his lips, or at least he wanted it to last that long. If only his extensive life could have been filled with just love. As her arms rose up and her fingers fell down upon his deep scarlet shoulders, his own hands moved down to her waist, anchoring her close to his body. Looking down on her like a predatory bird, Ra’s al Ghul gazed deeply into her eyes as one of his hands left her side and stroked her cheek softly. “No doubt you’re here for more than just pleasure, my dear.”

He already knew the answer to that question. As she would soon become a specter once more, ending all physical connections, they would have to return to talking and discuss her future plans. But for now they had the sunlight on their faces for a few more precious moments. Backing into the main room, their footsteps moved from the cold wooden flooring by the elevator to the embracing texture of the rug, even if they were wearing shoes upon their feet. Finishing off another kiss, Ra’s took a breath and slid away from Aria towards the well appointed kitchen that was connected to the living room. Dark wood covered most of the spacious kitchen, giving it a very up to date yet formal feeling to it while keeping in line with the styling of the rest of the Penthouse suite.

Watching her from the adjoined room, Ra’s removed the chilled bottle of wine from the bucket of ice upon the bench. The ice had chilled the bottle nicely, numbing his fingers slightly as the tips pressed up against the frosty glass. With little effort, he removed the cork and poured the fine wine into two separate glasses. Once he had returned to her, Ra’s passed her the glass and sat down next to her upon the brown sofa, propping one leg upon the other for comfort. “I hope the wine is to your suiting, I’ve been holding onto it for a very long time and I can’t think of a better reason to drink it.” Bending over, he knocked his glass against Aria’s. Undoing his jacket’s buttons, he sat and watched her for a few moments before continuing with the conversation. “No doubt you’ve aided Mr. Luthor’s plans for Arkham Asylum. Seems like a waste of resources to me. Criminals get more funding than the poor these days.” Asylums and prisons should not be necessary, they’re a further drain on Governments. The sword is the only true punishment plus it’s a great deal cheaper than locking them away for life.

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When he pulls her close and looks on her that way, Aria can't help but smile. Due to her changeable nature, not even someone like him is capable of hanging onto her forever. But the temporarily illusion that he has her within his power - if only the power of his arms and his gaze - is quite erotic at times. "Perhaps, but I'm not here only for business..." she replies, confirming that she indeed has reason to be here beyond the simple pleasure of his company, but she intends to enjoy at least a bit of it while she's at it.

Drinking in one more kiss, she can't help but smile after him as he leaves her to go into the kitchen - she caught that breath he took and knows that she's responsible for it, and that certainly pleases her. Not that she's breathing normally at the moment herself...

Not knowing what he's getting but certain that it's worth the time to get, or he wouldn't be getting it now of all times, she seats herself on the sofa and watches him. Ah, wine! A good way to end the day and start the night. Presently he brings it to her, and after he seats himself she slides a bit closer to him so that she can partway lean against him as they sit. "I do like old things..." she replies as he speaks of the wine. Well, if it's good old, anyway - much like people, some wine ages better than others, and much of it reaches its peak when it's quite young while some is even better when it's well aged. Young wines are simple in flavor - sometimes it's simply awful, and sometimes it's simply divine - but it grows more and more complex as it ages, sometimes becoming better or worse.

Which isn't unlike the two of them - simply living tends to shape a person, and both of them have experienced much more shaping than most. Have they gotten better with age? Or did they peak long ago? Smiling as he taps his glass against hers, she takes an experimental sip - allowing the drink to flow across her palette. Pondering it's flavor for a moment, she finally nods and simply says, "It does suit me." And having declared that, she takes a second, longer sip - this time with the intent of actually drinking the wine instead of merely tasting it.

What he says next causes a quick smile to spread across her face. "I have. But just because I lift a finger to help someone doesn't mean that give a damn. Sometimes it only means I want people to think I give a damn," she replies. Sighing lightly, she adds her head to parts of her currently leaning against him, adding a single word: "Politics..." A profession whose advantages and disadvantages are difficult for her to weigh - she's not sure if she likes it, or if she'll ever use another life to get into it again. The strings she can pull from her position also tie her hands...

"And what have you been occupying yourself with?" she asks, as she has no idea. It wouldn't be hard for her to find out without asking him, but if he's willing to answer such a question she'd rather find out that way than by any subversive means.

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A politician through and through. Although usually Ra’s acts through people, he has came into contact with one or two government officials in his time and they all reek of the same self serving stench which boils his ancient blood. Politicians and bankers, the true villains of the World. They cover themselves in facades of honesty and trustworthiness but their only dedication is to self preservation and improvement, qualities which stain the World with further decadence. “Are all democrats so cynical?” A wryly smile shone at his guest, a smirk which carved its way over his sharp face. His jagged features beamed in the setting sun as he took another sip for the glass perched between his fingers. The predatory bird of a man that he was spied down upon her with suspicious eyes which hid many a mystery in their swirling emerald complexion.

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” Somehow, his tone gave the impression that he was not joking when he said that. Feeling her head upon his chest made Ra’s tense up slightly, due to the fact that it’s rare that anyone can become so close to him, usually he is prone to such relationships. Love is often the death of duty, but this romance is well under his control, or so he thinks. Like the true chauvinist that he is, the Head of the Demon believes that all women are weak willed and this one is now different. True she may be set in her ways but with some effort she may come to adopt the League’s views as her own, with any luck.

“I’ve had one or two distractions lately, nothing as interesting as what you seem to have in store for this cess pit of a City.” A part of him did not want to discuss recent work related events, specifically the desertion of Dr. Crane and his new employment with Lexcorp. A slight loss but a loss all the same though it was a necessary gamble. A team of Assassins have been following the notorious criminal, Harvey Dent aka Two Face, reporting upon his activities. Ra’s had plans for the former district attorney and a meeting would need to be organised even if the thought of meeting a criminal such as him did make him ill. They are all tools to be used, as there is a tool for every job imaginable and the job that was the removal of crime would first require the controlling of crime.

Lost in his own thoughts for a moment, he quickly returned to the conversation. “So far my attempts against this City have been mere feints to test its strength and defences. I have attacked with a heavy hand in the past and I unfortunately failed due to the Detective’s fruitless efforts. Now I shall use a different method of invasion, a more subtle form of attack. This City cannot be saved in its current state, so I will require people like you to rebuild the foundations from the debris.” Perhaps he was speaking metaphorically, with there being no imminent physical threat to Gotham. The City’s main weakness was its corruption and economics, a path which would be easier to strike. Control and subjugation is the only future in which this City does not destroy itself.

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If you were to ask Aria, she's not actually a politician at heart - she merely knows how to act like one. Then again, the same could probably be said of most politicians - to be good at it, one needs to gain the ability to promise one thing to one person and a completely different thing to another person, have neither find out about it, and then break both promises without either of them getting too unhappy with you. "I haven't met them all well enough to know, but of those I have: yes," she answers, adding, "But the republicans seem to be even worse." In so many ways, it's a truly odd profession - but Aria is thriving in it. So many of the skills that she developed in the past play right into it.

Whether he sounds like he's joking or not, she can't help but laugh at the threat to her life. "Oh, that's not a problem..." she replies, as being killed isn't as consequential to her as it would be to most others. It's a bit of a steep price to pay for information that's unlikely to be very useful except to satisfy her curiosity and perhaps give her some more insight into this rather interesting man, but at this time of day especially she can afford to end her life for any number of reasons - she'd only be dead for a matter of minutes.

In spite of the tension she notes in his body, she doesn't take it as a sign that she ought to act any differently - instead she takes the fact that he didn't push her away as a sign that she's welcome to remain where she is. She's met plenty of men like him before - not exactly like him, of course, as it's hardly common to find immortal warlords - but so many of his personality traits were shared by men she knew in the past. Many of whom she ended up being with for a time, in fact, so in a way she's already very much used to it. That superior attitude is no longer as common among modern men as it used to be, but unlike your average modern woman who wouldn't stand for it she knows how to work with it - not merely tolerate being thought of as weak, but both being about to work around it and being able to use it to her advantage.

Enjoying the wine as she listens to him talk, she can't help but smile when he calls what he's doing uninteresting - it does sound like it involves a rather large amount of preparation work and arrangements to be made in the background, but she's done enough of her own large plans to know that while such activities can be rather tedious they're also very important as the main plan can succeed or fail based on one tedious detail of what was prepared beforehand. "I am quite good at handling people," she remarks as he mentions a need for her - not a very humble thing to say, but it's the truth. At least if by 'handling' you mean accomplishing goals with them, without factoring in whether or not the people so handled were treated well or not.

Turning more toward him and shifting herself a little so that she can speak to him a bit more directly, she comments, "This city may fight and resist you, but even Gotham can't resist your strength forever." And based on the lingering kiss she applies to the side of his neck after saying that, she's not very good at resisting him either.

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Republicans and democrats, two opposite parties who obviously prefer to slander each other and further their own preservation than actually represent the people. Democracy was an illusion six hundred years ago as it is now and anyone who claims it has changed is being unrealistic in their assumptions. Free will, liberty, democracy, all ultimately lead to anarchy and disorder. Once, Ra’s had high hopes for the newly founded America, but now it has become a glutinous nation which tears the planet apart for resources while fooling its people with dreams of wealth and glory, trapping them in a maze of poverty and crime. Gotham is the perfect example of the American reality, a City which is corrupted by hordes of criminals which force the people to trust vigilantes such as Batman.

“Democracy is a lie, as we both know. We have experienced countless forms of government, each of them falling in one aspect or another. The problem with democracy is that it’s controlled by the rich, as those with power influence the results. Unfortunately most people are too stupid to realise this simple truth, accepting their position without question.” The majority of people lack the intelligence to make decisions, requiring a strong hand to guide them, to make such decisions for them. One regime, one people. A benevolent dictatorship is the only form of government which will have any impact upon this World, for the better at least.

Kissing her knuckles lightly before rubbing them with his thumb in an affectionate manner, Ghul noticed the falling sun’s orange beams slowly dying away. Soon she would return to her true form, throwing off this ‘mortal’ coil to become a spectre once more, even though her human form may be considered her original body, as she was not always cursed. He doubted that given the choice, she would choose to lose her abilities in favour of a normal life; she seems to enjoy it too much for that. Anyone with a conscious might act differently, jumping at the chance to remove this curse but Dionisia has managed to accumulate great wealth and power thanks to her ‘gifts’. An immortal life allowing you time position yourself in high society while removing any opposition with her supernatural skills. Although it seems that she is only motivated by greed, she can be beneficial if her goals are the same as the League’s.

Amongst her array of talents is perhaps one of the most useful for a woman, flattery. No doubt she has perfected this to an art, inflating the egos of many men across her extended life. Unfortunately for Ra’s, he is susceptible to such praise due to his own self absorbed manner, smiling as she supported his plans. Sifting through her hair, his finger tips ran softly through the hazel locks as they spoke. “You are correct. We have time that this City does not, soon it will fall one way or another.” Another kiss landed upon her forehead as his muscular arms continued to wrap around her small waist.

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The summarization Ra's gives of the current state of American democracy causes Aria to get a rather vague smile on her face. After all, her current occupation puts her in the thick of all that. "No matter how you package it - the power always resides with the powerful, not the weak," she comments, "Though I do think that most of the people do realize the truth, but they accept the situation anyway simply because they don't know what to do about it." Her own solution to that problem was very simple: she became one of the powerful.

If she wanted she could probably search out a way to cure her present condition, but the fact that she hasn't done so in spite of the many centuries that she's existed should be ample indication that she'd rather be as she is. It's not merely the fact that she's immortal that gives it appeal, but the fact that the advantages of being a ghost a part of the time are innumerable - especially since she doesn't remain a ghost all of the time. She gets the best of both worlds that way.

And at the present time she's very much enjoying being flesh and blood, in spite of the setting sun threatening to cut that short. It's true that she has the gift of flattery, though that's only one of her methods. But it's also the easiest when it's effective at all, so if it works then that's what she uses more than anything. Besides, such pretty words are nearly as enjoyable to say as they are to hear - and not untruthful most of the time. "Perhaps soon even according to the timing of the masses," she replies, as the word 'soon' for people as old as they are means something entirely different than it does to the masses - years can flicker right past her and she'd still call it soon.

She would have said more, but the way that Ra's is holding her now is proving to be quite distracting. Perhaps it would surprise anyone who knows just how powerful she sees herself and in fact is, but when she's with a man she prefers to feel the opposite. It's all too easy for her to dominate and bully others, and pleasant to see them cower at her feet, but does she find that attractive? No. In the end she's a woman, who likes to feel like a woman, and a man who is truly a man ought to be able to overpower her - at least to a degree.

So even as the words that she uses to manipulate leave her lips, the feel of powerful arms around her body and the confidence with which he speaks reminds her that here is a man who is the complete opposite of those pathetic weaklings who she can get to leap to her every command. It's something she actually isn't very good at resisting, nor does she want to right now, so instead of focusing her present effort on her words, she focuses on his neck. Her kisses are slow but firm as she starts at the top of his neck and works her way slowly down, traveling the line down one side of his throat. She may be one who seeks first after her own pleasure, but at times it gives her pleasure to give pleasure to another.

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“The masses are like sheep, they require a shepherd to guide the flock, to protect it. We have been bestowed a great duty, to lead our fellow man from their base desires of greed and lust to more sophisticated and enlightened lives. However in their brutish manner, many will oppose the coming change, clinging to their past days of sin in opposition to the new regime. Gotham is an example of such ways, it breaths decadence, so it is the perfect example of all we wish to change.” Peering out the through the window onto the dawning sun above the City, a sigh burst from his lips as he looked into the distance, contemplating his words further, paying little attention to the woman by his side. It’s been said that when he looks at someone, Ra’s does not see a person but either a tool for his use, or a hindrance which will hamper his plans. And she was no different, a means to an ends. Or at least that was what he wanted to believe, what he forced his heart to think.

Thinking about the City which surrounded him turned his stomach and pained his head. Screeching horns, blaring sirens and the rumble of cars, he hated it all. The stench of pollution from the streets choked his throat, so much that he avoided walking through the avenues when possible, preferring to remain in a vehicle if he is required to leave the base of operations. Cities although a model of growth and expansion are often havens for criminals. Turning back to Aria, he gazes into her dark eyes with his own emerald irises, rubbing her brow softly with his fingers to move some hair over. “Masked vigilantes pose as guardians for the City, though I’d call them nothing more than just theatrical villains who delude themselves into taking the law into their own hands. People should put their faith in someone other than the Dark Knight, someone like yourself or perhaps even Mr. Luthor.”

Hopefully one of the problems which Aria Lloyd will tackle is the increasing number of vigilantes in Gotham City, idealists who support anarchy and oppose laws. In their own minds they defend those who cannot stand up for themselves. The weak must be removed so the strong should flourish, as the laws of evolution dictate. As harsh as it may be, it is a fact which should be respected. Criminals are weak, they’re parasites who live off others, and thus they will be forgotten as time goes on. Having noticed that he has finished his drink, Ra’s leans over and picks the bottle up, refilling the glass with the chilled crimson wine before offering his companion more to drink. “I despise having to live in this City, truly I do. Although everything serves as a constant reminder of what we’re trying to achieve. I don’t know how you’ve managed to stand this Hub for so long, though it would be quite appealing for someone such as yourself. First Paris, now Gotham, perhaps we are destined to meet on the eve of revolution every time.” Once or twice he had wondered how she had escaped revolutionary France, likely through the use of her abilities. Could she be resurrected even after being put on the guillotine?

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As he continues to speak, Aria begins to see that she has far, far less of his attention than she'd hoped. Far less than she deserves even, and to say that it rankles would be putting it mildly. You do not just ignore her and prattle on about unimportant things while she's kissing you! Of course, this isn't the first time that someone has done so, and in fact she manages to keep her temper from showing on her face as she simply stops and pretends to listen to him.

Because she's not really listening to his words, merely the jist of it, while instead she's internally stewing. This is not satisfactory - no, not satisfactory at all! And that can only mean that she needs to discover why it isn't and figure out how to fix that. Sadly, there's not going to be enough time for that between now and when the sun slips beneath the horizon, but perhaps she'll be able to ponder the question more thoroughly after their business is concluded for the evening and they go their separate ways.

Business that could have waited until after sunset, but no...

When he stops talking she can remember he said something about not liking Gotham and not knowing how she can stand it, so she smiles as she holds her refilled glass and says, "You may see this city as a bit of a cesspool, and perhaps it is, but I see opportunity in it. The more corruption in the system, the more unequal the people are, and higher those at the top become. The higher you are at the top the more power you have, and the more power you have the easier it is for you to cause whatever you desire to happen. I'm therefore naturally attracted to places such as this - I'm meant to be a leader, so the best place for me is where the most followers are."

Though even as she says all that, pretending to be in a pleasant mood, her internal grumbling doesn't improve at all. Especially since when she finishes a glance at the setting sun tells her that time is up. "It's time..." she announces quietly, and a few moments later Ra's would feel the weight pressed against him suddenly become nothing. Feeling the lightness and loss of sensation that comes with the change, Dionisia sighs and sips her wine. She doesn't normally like to drink immediately after a change, even though she can actually eat and drink normally as a ghost (though she doesn't need to) but she's going to need it if she's going to forgive Ra's for wasting their time together any time soon.

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Seeing the obvious dissatisfaction in her eyes, he quietly hummed a sigh under his breath, placing a hand down upon her shoulder. Soon her warm flesh would become like the stone of this building, cold and hard to the touch. One of his weaknesses was his inability to open up emotionally with people, as his harsh past has often forced him to keep emotion far from his work. Even his own children have suffered from this detachment, this self-enforced detention of love or passion. Coldness was in his nature, a nature which kept everyone at arm’s length, a safe distance from which he could observe them. As if he was going to say something to her, to comfort her or remind her that he held her deeply within his heart, he motioned closer but stopped himself from saying anything as she marked that her transformation was to begin.

To be honest, he wasn’t in much of a social mood as of late. For a man who has an eternity to live, impatience often gets the better of him, making him agitated and perhaps even bored. Although his talent lies in planning, his thirst for action needs quenching. The last time he had visited Gotham, when he used the fear toxin to attack the Slums, all happened in a flash, there was no need for waiting around. Perhaps it was the wine speaking through him or the fact that this time around, the plan was not as straight forward as last time, though his allies have confirmed that this time, it shall be Gotham who will be in retreat, not the League. Physical threats are much easier to deal with than political ones.

“The potential that your powers hold. Imagine an army of beings with abilities such as the ones you hold. No defenses could keep them out, no secrets be hidden, no one could hide from us. We are the closest to invisible that any mortal man can become, within the boundaries of their creation of course but you are something else entirely.” In his mind, he wondered if there was a way to replicate her abilities, though it was more of a theory so he brushed it aside for now and focused on current events. An invisible and invincible army would be impossible to maintain and control, too many problems would arise with too few solutions. After a slight flutter of his eye lids, the hand that was positioned upon her shoulder experienced the shift in texture as she became more ethereal than previous.

He knew that she wanted to simply enjoy herself, but business had to come before pleasure. There would be plenty of time for that after Gotham was theirs, or rather his. Though she may claim to be a leader, she would no doubt serve her own desires over the people’s but she would still play a part in the coming events. The accusation of power which she lusts for is not an attribute which will survive into the new World, his only hope is that she will learn that before it’s too late.

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Actually, Dionisia hardly cares whether or not Ra's shows any signs of having any real feelings for her. In fact she could easily find herself questioning whether or not she prefers him to have them and whether or not she returns them. It's not that she doesn't believe in those feelings - she's been a party to them herself too much to dispute that - but she has had so much experience with love and loss that she could quite easily question whether or not it's worth it in the end.

No, what she cares about here and now is Ra's complete failure to respond to her kissing. Especially because she knows for a fact that she's quite good at it - she's had six hundred years to learn and refine that skill, and she spent a surprising amount of it perfecting her technique. So it had to have been extraordinarily pleasant, but he'd rather talk about the cesspool than enjoy what she was doing to him. He could have at least been a little bit distracted from his pointless rambling - it has nothing to do with human attachment and everything to do with human desires he has no reason to ignore right now. They have business, yes, but it can wait.

Or at least it could have waited, but now it's too late for that thought. She stands, or at least floats as if getting up from the couch, commenting, "I am an army. I could singlehandedly slaughter people by the thousands every night if I was properly motivated. It's not a matter of simply having the powers, but in knowing how to use them. Most ghosts are harmless enough, because they only linger for a few years, perhaps a few decades. Mastery takes longer than that. I'm very good at being a ghost." Floating over to the window, she observes the darkening sky - still lit by the light of the sun but fading fast now that it's below the horizon.

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There are no man made creations which could act as a defence against a supernatural being, or at least none that Ra’s was aware of. “If that is so, why do you require the services of my of organisation. We are one of the most lethal groups on the planet, each member a pinnacle of execution and stealth yet none of us can move quite like you can. You could kill anyone you desired yet you prefer others to do your work for you, how curious.” No doubt she had skill when it came to murder, to further her own personal desires. Husbands, lovers, disobedient servants, just a few types of people she would had to have removed to keep her secret intact, or to acquire more power and wealth. Furthermore, as she does not age and must change lives to maintain the charade, she would have had to fake her own demise many times, giving her more knowledge.

Watching her move over to the window, her feet not even scraping the floor, it sent a shiver up his spine, making the hairs on the back of his hands stand on end. Even before he became the Head of the Demon, Ra’s was never a religious man, he always believed in what he could see and touch, faith didn’t apply to him. But seeing her defied everything that he’d believed in, that there is a supernatural world beyond this one. Ironically however, over his extensive life, many a myth and legend had sprout up about the Demon of the Shadows, often portraying him as having abilities not of this world. Theatricality and deception are useful tools which are able to strike fear into the hearts of the enemy. Such stories are often spread intentionally by the League to increase their influence over the minds of their foes.

Moving slowly behind her, he took his place besides the spectral being with his arms folded over one another as they both looked out at the fallen sun which now had fell out of sight. At night Gotham becomes a warzone between the criminal classes and the vigilantes. Battles are fought every night, small or large, skirmishes which seem to never end, largely because the heroes and heroines who fight do not do all they can to finish their enemies. Either because they are shackled by some misguided idealism or sense of ethics, that they are better than the criminal so should not drop to their level, or they are addicted to the thrill this life gives them. Secretly perhaps every one of them is in love with their nocturnal hobby so much that subconsciously they will want the criminal to return so they too can continue. A strange notion which intrigued Ra’s but entirely useless, as it posed no answer to how he could stop them once and for all.

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Looking back at him, she answers his question very simply by saying, "I don't." But that's hardly the whole answer, so she continues by saying, "I've lasted six hundred years without any help from anyone but those I was able to convince, and I'd last another six hundred without your help. But by having your organization involved, it could be easier - I could achieve my goals faster. And help you with yours in exchange, of course."

Knowing that he'll want a bit more than that, she nevertheless hesitates for a moment before she continues, being sure to word the rest of it just so. "And I may be quite powerful, but I have my limitations and weaknesses. I'm quite vulnerable to disruption during the day, for example, and even at night I can't be two places at once. And I have enemies who I don't want to find me, and when I do my own dirty work I risk attracting their attention. Believe me when I say that I can afford that far less than you could," she says, trying to remain very vague. With great power comes great weaknesses, but she doesn't necessarily want to list them off for him. In fact if she was more paranoid she'd not risk mentioning that she's trying to keep herself hidden at all, but that bit of information is not too much to trust him with.

The nighttime is an odd time for Dionisia. It's when she's the most powerful, but also when she's the most disconnected with the world. If she let it she'd be so easily overwhelmed with the purposelessness of her life - she has her goals, yes, but in a world where everything is so temporary and everything she does has an expiration date then what is it all for? Even though she knows that she's changed history at a point or two, though never while being recognized for doing so, it's far too easy to feel completely unfulfilled when she stops and thinks about it. So she doesn't stop and think about it - instead she lets herself dive right into the present day and live in the moment, because in the moment she's able to feel like she's done something that mattered.