2017-09-19 - Window to the Soul

Security in the Clocktower is always tight. Even the people who have passcodes for the security still set it off; nobody gets in or out without the resident knowing. Barbara would be alerted no matter what if someone arrived. You never know when a friend will be a problem in this business.

Given recent events though, it's a bit surprising to find a particular passcode being used. Cassandra Cain enters through one of the roof access points with her almost-perfect stealth, landing like a cat. She looks a little tired, and isn't wearing any Bat gear.

Cass stands up, looking around like she's seeing the place for the first time.

For someone in a wheelchair, Barbara is surprisingly stealthy sometimes. She says to Cass. "Picked you up on the heat sensors. Rough few days, I've heard."

Cass doesn't jump in surprise. She turns like a normal person, looking at Barbara. She's really looking, almost so intensely it might be uncomfortable, like she needs to be sure that Barbara is really there. Cassandra hunches down a little, butt to heels, and tilts her head a little. "Expected...things be different. Not sure why."

Oracle smiles a little. "I think you could use a little stability. Want to talk about what's happened?" Not that Cassandra was ever particularly talkative... but Barbara did tend to get more words out of the girl than most people.

Cass raises an eyebrow. It's true, Barbara did. So she tries to relax a little, but looks away. Something Cass never does, she's always looking intently so she won't miss any cues. A sign of her mental state. "You know," she says, not asking. "Feels like...new world."

Oracle rolls over. "Cmon... I'm going to make you some hot cocoa. I've been checking up on you, but I think you need to tell me what you're feeling right now."

Cassandra stands up. She's never turned down a cocoa in her life and isn't likely to start now, and it manages to bring a smile to her eyes. "Well.." she starts, considering arguing. Then decides to go along. "Need help," she says, as the cocoa is begun.

Oracle puts the cocoa mix in the kreuger and waits a bit while looking over at Casandra. She wheels over and brings the cocoa with her, putting it on the table before being next to where Cassandra sits. "Need help with what? The investigation about what happened to your father? No.. um... something else I'm guessing?"

Cass looks away again as her father is mentioned. Guilt makes her cheeks red, but she takes a breath anyway. Which brings in the scent of chocolate, and the fight for her attention is won. Sips immediately, letting the warmth help. Also chocolate.

She looks back to Barbara, then says, "Teach to read. Am smart, can learn." She knows that she's been trying for years, but this intensity is not something she's brought to the table before. She's always avoided the lessons like they were torture. This is new.

Oracle nods a little. Barbara had been trying to help Cassandra learn to read since she first found her on the street and learned about her history. "It'll be a big challenge, but I know you're up for challenges. And I know you're smart. You've always resisted when I've tried to teach you to learn to read. Or write. Or say prounouns. I know it's the same as knowing how to fight and dodge bullets, but I'm happy to see that you're realizing reading will be useful. Can I ask what made you decide you wanted to?"

Cassandra Cain supposes it had to come to this. She's going to have to explain. So she takes a moment to get her words in order in her head and to figure out what to actually say. And for once has trouble saying it, not because of a lack of words but because it's just hard. "World is more complicated than I am. Must grow to fit into it, and..." she motions to the walls full of knowledge. Oracle has it all here. "There is so much to learn. Simple me is not enough anymore."

Then, looking at Oracle, she adds, "Made a bargain with father. He played me like infant...but still was me."

Oracle peers at Cassandra. "What sort of bargain?"

Cassandra shakes her head. "Refused to kill for him. Obvious," she says. Of course he'd know that, Oracle could have warned her. if she'd asked before going. "Told me he would help me...if I watched him one time. Wanted to learn so badly...thought I could stop him before killing. Idiot." "He did not kill. He wanted me to stop him."

In the footage Barbara was able to find, she saw Cassandra move to stop David from killing a fighter in an alley. And Cassandra stopping him from the strike...letting the other fighter take him down instead. So she was forced to watch a kill, but not of the target. Of her dad.

Oracle nods a little. "He wanted you to watch the target kill him, actually, but you figured the other way around." She pauses. "It's not your fault, you know." She then shakes her head, then just goes onto the former question and nods. "I'll do it... on one condition. I want you to promise me that you won't quit on the lessons I teach you, even when it gets difficult. It's going to be more difficult for you than the physical training you've had, because of how that training has affected your upbringing. I know you're not a quitter, so that should be an easy thing to promise. And I know that you keep your word, so I know you don't take keeping a promise lightly. But I want you to be as dedicated to this as you are to the training that Bruce has given you in being a hero. Can you do that for me? Promise me that you'll treat this mission as important as how you treat your duty to Bruce's mission?"

Cassandra Cain nods. Quietly, listening to Oracle's words. "More," she says, realizing that she's not kidding. She's got a lot to think about, and that includes her mission. But when she looks up at Barbara, she's not sad. Just giving things more scrutiny than before. Actually thinking before she acts. "I promise this."

Oracle reaches to stroke Cassandra's hair a few times. "Okay then. We can start tomorrow." She smiles a little. "Want to get some sleep after the cocoa, or are you planning on going out for the night to knock some heads?"

Cassandra Cain glances outside. The weather and the height aren't normally a worry, but she shivers a little. And for once, chooses to stay in.

Cass looks around the clocktower, knowing that she isn't patrolling tonight. She has so many questions in her head that want to come out, and Barbara is the one she's always trusted. "Barbara...what is...a soul?" For some reason, she's thinking about these things. It's important tonight. Cass asks it as she sits, sleepy. Needing comfort for once.

Oracle pauses as she rolls with Cassandra to her bed, which Barbara made sure would be there for Cass on the off-chance that she came back tonight. Wonder how she knew that.

"What's the soul?" She thinks as she waits for Cassandra to get into bed. "Well that's a really philosophical question there that people have been wondering for a long, long time." She tilts her head. "Okay... the soul. You know at the end of the day, when you close the door and you're all alone... and you strip off your armor and lower your guard and peel away the mask..."

She pulls up the cover over Cassandra. "When there's nobody watching and nothing to hide... and you no longer need to be strong or clever or pretty or brave... there's just YOU?"

Cassandra curls up, listening. Sometimes she knows what a person's going to say. Not tonight. Now she needs to know. She puts her head down on the bed as she talks, closing her eyes. Not on purpose, but she's just so tired.

She drifts to sleep listening to Barbara's voice, so small now that she's not acting brave. It might be her first ever bedtime story.

Oracle nods a little at her description. "That's it." Barbara says as she gives the assassin turned Gotham superhero a kiss on her forehead.

"That's the soul."