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Cass perched in the rafters of the old warehouse, making herself alert. It was one of Penguin's locations for backroom deals - but she wasn't here for him. Not tonight.
After the incident with the Scarecrow, Cassandra had been experiencing... visions. Not nightmares, not exactly... but there were memories that had resurfaced. Not buried or suppressed, just... little details from her childhood that were from so long ago they'd simply faded. Something about a purpose. A schedule. She could remember the old place from her Nightmare in more detail - it was some sort of temple or fortress that she'd spent a little time in when she was young. Something about a Demon... and in all of her memories, a woman who looked like her that she only had faint memories of.
Cass had never really thought about her mother before. She hadn't had questions about her. She had a family. She hadn't cared. But there was something important she needed to know, and she knew that only her mother could tell her. And that had to lead to her search.
The hard part had been hiding it from Bruce and Barbara. She loved them, but this was personal. This was something she needed for herself. She didn't really want them involved. So she had gone through Bruce's database, searching for known assosciates or... companions... of her father. Most were easy to discount out of hand. Some... less so. But when she'd seen the Assassin known as Lady Shiva... something had just clicked. She wasn't sure, but she suspected. And now, she was pursuing that suspicion.
She stood in the warehouse below, wearing a red and black outfit that looked elegant and fashionable, but would allow for total freedom of movement. In front of her were Cobblepot and about a dozen armed goons. Shiva was entirely unaccompanied - no back up waiting in the wings, either. Cass had checked. And yet... she almost looked bored.
"So this is a very generous offer." Cobblepot said. He had a thin, nasal voice. An accent like Alfred's that seemed... affected. Fake. Like almost everything about him. He wore a tuxedo with coat-tails and a long top-hat that added to his diminutive height... though, not much. His men were dressed the same, with the addition of porcelain eye masks - the sort fancy people wore to costume balls. In contrast... each of them carried an assault rifle. More weapons hidden under their dinner-jackets. She could tell. "Very generous. One might even suggest suspiciously so." Cobblepot continued. Shiva was glancing at him with a well hidden look somewhere between revulsion and amusement. "So dear lady - might I ask the catch?"
"No catch, Mister Cobblepot." She spoke with just the faintest trace of an accent. Soft and calm... but with just a hint of the predator that hid behind her polite mask. Cass felt uncomfortably reminded of herself. "You will accept the shipment. You will... do whatever you do. Sell your drugs, run your guns..." She could barely contain her boredom. She wasn't even looking at Cobblepot. Her eyes were scanning the room. And then stopped. She was looking at Cass. Right at her. But... that was impossible. Cass froze. Shiva's eyes glinted, and her lips curled into a devilish smile. She turned her attention back to Cobblepot. "Continue you your operations as you will. Expand. Grow! And when the organization I represent begins operations in Gotham in earnest, we ask only that you keep on with business as usual. Don't interfere with us, we won't interfere with you."
Cobblepot seemed torn between his greed and his anxiety over the way she was looking at him. "...and you really won't accept payment for the shipment?" He asked, hopefully. She smiled.
"The organization I represent does not need your money, Mr Cobblepot. Only your cooperation. Although..." She theatrically tapped her chin. "If you really wished to return our good will, there is a personal favor you could do. Just for me." She said.
Cobblepot looked apprehensive. "And that would be...?"
Shiva extended an arm, pointing a finger. She lazily trailed it across the room - stopping to point at one of the nameless henchman. "You. What is your name?"
The man looked at Cobblepot. Cobblepot practically snarled at him. He stood to attention. "B-Bill Loggins, Ma'am."
Shiva lazily looked over her shoulder... right at Cass, again. She smiled, as if at a private joke. Then turned her attention back to the man. "William. Do you have a family, William?" She asked.
Bill looked at Penguin again. "Answer her!" He snapped.
Bill jumped. "Y-yes, Ma'am. A Wife. M-my son Roger... he's four. S-she's expecting. I-it's going to be a girl." He said, visibly terrified.
Shiva looked positively gleeful. "Oh, perfect." She looked at Penguin. "I'm going to kill Bill, here."
Cass froze. ...So did poor Bill. He snapped his attention toward Cobblepot, who simply shrugged. "Seems reasonable. My apologies, William." He snapped his fingers. "Gentlemen. Let's leave the lady to her work. Though might I say, it has been a pleasure doing business with you." He smiled at Shiva. Like everything else about him, it was utterly fake.
"Yes, yes, run along. You ridiculous little man." Shiva said, waving her hand to usher him from the room. Penguin bristled but said nothing as the goons filed out. A few stopping to apologize to Bill, who seemed like he was drowning on dry land. The doors shut behind them, creating a bang that echoed through the empty space.
It was the starting gun.
Shiva rushed at Bill. Cass had further to go and less time to make it, so she evened the odds. She threw a Batarang with one hand and shot her grapple into the ground with the other, yanking herself down. Shiva danced out of the way of the Batarang and stopped. Cass hit the ground hard, cape billowing out like a pair of wings.
"W-whatthefuc-fuck-?!" Bill whimpered.
"GO. NOW." Cass turned to look at him for barely a second - but Shiva was on her immediately. A fist cracked into the side of her head and sent her reeling. She blocked the blow that followed. Distracted. Bill ran for the doors. Shiva stopped her assault to pursue him, but Cass tackled her, bringing them both to the ground. Shiva caught herself, spinning in Cassandra's grip and breaking free. She was on her feet faster than Cass. Bill had the door open, just a little. Shiva's palm slammed it shut. Cass ran at her. Shiva's free hand shot out like a claw and grabbed Bill's throat. "No!"
"Dead." Shiva said. She was grinning straight at Cass, not even looking at the man. ...She opened her fingers. Brushed the man's coat down. "I think you'd better be going, now." She said. She pulled the door open. Even held it for him.
"...What the fuuuck..." Bill whispered, but didn't waste any more time. He escaped. Shiva let the door shut behind him.
Cass' heart was pounding in her chest. "What - Why -" ...she suddenly realised she couldn't read a thing from Shiva. There was just... absence. It was like she wasn't even there, wasn't even alive. Shiva's lips curled upward in another smile.
"I am very, very disappointed in you." She tutted, shaking her head. "I thought you'd be better. But you're just another silly little girl in a costume. So disappointing, so thoroughly disappointing."
Cassandra felt her blood boil. She reached for her belt, unclipped it. Tossed it aside. She unfastened her cape and tossed that aside as well. Shiva's glee returned. She removed her coat, tossed it in the same direction.
"Outstanding." She said. Cass dove at her. She loosed a flurry of blows. Shiva blocked every one, almost lazily. She kicked out, feinted, bringing her other leg out in a devastating Axe-Kick. "Very good." Shiva commented. "But do it like this." Shiva mirrored her move, bringing her heel down hard onto Cass' collar. If she hadn't rolled with the blow, the bone would have snapped. Cass threw out punches aimed at Shiva's midsection, and Shiva batted her hands away. "You're holding back." Shiva chided. She mirrored the punches - but two of the blows hit. Cass felt a rib crack. "You're fighting like them. Not like you. You are better than this."
Cass yelled in frustration and lunged at her. Striking out with everything she had. Shiva hit her, again and again, all while dancing around her. Cass felt like she was fighting smoke. She jumped up, spinning head over heel and aiming a blow at Shiva's chest. "Grayson!" Shiva laughed, easily avoiding the strike. Cass aimed a feral haymaker at Shiva's jaw. Shiva caught the inside of her forearm with the back of her own, batting it aside and striking the heel of her palm into Cass' chest. "Wayne!" She called out again. Cass snarled and just rushed her. Her shoulder collided with Shiva's stomach. Before she could leverage her off of her feet, Shiva's elbow slammed into her back. "Todd!" Cass dropped catlike onto her hands, flipping herself aside to avoid the next kick. She spun on the ground, sweeping Shiva's leg. She finally made contact - but Shiva used the momentum to cartwheel, spinning and landing on her hands - then driving her heel into Cass' nose. "Gordon! Weak! All of them, weak!" Shiva snapped. She rose to her feet and stood, not a hair out of place. Cass was down, on her side. Breathless. The inside of her mask was sticky and wet. She could taste blood. "Show me you. Show me what you are."
Cass couldn't remember ever feeling so... so angry, before. She clenched her hands into fists, slamming one into the ground and rising to her feet. She leapt forward and struck out. She ignored her training. She did exactly what her body told her to. "Yes. YES!" Shiva beamed. Cass blocked a jab and countered, catching Shiva in the stomach. Shiva landed a kick to the inside of her knee - Cass felt something come loose, but she didn't hesitate. She brought the knee up into Shiva's gut. Shiva staggered for barely a moment before responding with another blow. Cass caught her wrist and twisted, darting a fist into the woman's face. Shiva's head snapped back, but before she even looked back down at Cassandra her elbow came up and collided with Cassandra's nose. Blood was filling her mask. Shiva's hand went flat and straight as a razor, slashing out. Her fingernails bit into Cass's cheek - but sliced open her mask, tearing the stitches and ripping away the fabric that covered her mouth and nose. It was accompanied by a splatter blood. "You should really just take that silly thing off." She said. She adopted a guarded stance, stepping slightly out of Cass' reach.
Cassandra tore the mask away, tossing it aside. Her eyes met Shiva's. Burning with fury in response to Shiva's look of utter delight. Cass' cheek was swollen. There was still blood running from her nose in a thin, warm stream. Shiva's eye was bruised... but she looked better off. In many ways. "I hoped that we'd meet like this." Shiva said. "I wouldn't have it any other way." She rushed her. Her hands moved so fast they seemed to blur. Cass guarded - but a few of the strikes slipped past her defenses. Catching her hip, her stomach. Cass responded in kind, landing a heavy blow on Shiva's jaw that actually sent her reeling. Cass dove at her again - but Shiva's leg shot out, her foot catching her in the stomach with enough force to throw her to the ground. She crumpled, clutching her stomach. She opened her mouth and tried to inhale, but couldn't. She couldn't breathe. It hurt so bad... she couldn't remember anything ever... hurting, like this. Shiva stepped toward her, kneeling at her side. She touched her hair, almost tenderly. "Don't feel too bad. I certainly didn't expect you to be perfect. I didn't want you to be perfect. Not when I have so much left to teach you." She said.
"B- B-" Cass gasped. Choking with the effort.
"What's that?" Shiva asked, leaning a little closer.
"B- Brown..."
"Hmm?"
Cass swung her fist up, with every bit of force she had left. It slammed into Shiva's chin with enough force to throw her head back and bring her body with it. She toppled over backwards, landing hard and flat on her back. "Brown." Cass wheezed. She felt like someone had run her guts through a blender. She remained curled up, holding her stomach. Shiva didn't rise. Just slowly lifted a hand up, touching gingerly at her head. She laughed... a little pained, now.
"Must confess... I forgot her. Your friend. Perhaps I should pay her a visit..." Shiva said. Cass growled ferally, ignoring the pain it caused when she pushed herself onto her hands and knees. Throwing herself on top of Shiva, grabbing her throat.
"Don't... touch... them!" She croaked. Shiva laughed again.
"Oh, please. So dramatic..." Shiva hit her in the stomach. Not as hard as before, but with the way it felt, she didn't have to. Cass crumpled. "I have no interest in your friends. Only you." She said. Cass pushed herself aside, lying on her shoulder beside the woman. "I assume you know what I am to you?" She asked.
"...My mother." Cass replied. Shiva nodded.
"My daughter." She said. "You want answers, I take it?"
"...Yes." Cass croaked.
"No." Shiva said, a devilish smile appearing on her face. She sat up, crossing her legs. "Not all at once, anyway. You have to earn them. Consider it a continuation of your training. One question, each time you pass one of my tests."
"Screw... you..." Cass said. She didn't want to play her game. "Not... killing anyone... for you."
Shiva rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I know that ship has sailed. Your heart isn't in it anymore." Shiva waved her hand, dismissively. "Another way in which Cain's idiocy damaged you."
Cassandra frowned. ...That really just raised more questions. "Then what... do you want?"
"An equal." Shiva said, simply. "Not a successor. Not a replacement. An equal."
"...Why?"
Shiva just laughed at that - a short, derisive chuckle. "Because I am the single most dangerous human being on the planet. I live to fight. To kill. To win. But it is just so easy. Always so easy." She said. She almost seemed melancholic. "It has been so long since I have had a fight that is worthy of me. You could give me that. You are already well on your way."
Cassandra glared at her. "And then... I kill you." She said, derisively. "No."
Shiva rolled her eyes. "I am not your Father. I do not live by some ridiculous code. I do not find strays and bring them into my home hoping to create a legacy. I don't crave martyrdom in pursuit of something as vague as lineage. I want a challenge. A genuine challenge. If you choose to try to kill me, fine. If you don't, fine. So long as you aren't boring."
Cassandra fell quiet. She didn't want to admit she'd felt the same urge. She was just... better. Than everyone she fought. In any straight fight, she knew she would win. And... it could be boring. But when she'd been fighting Shiva, behind all the anger and frustration? She'd liked it. She'd enjoyed herself. Even though she'd lost. And that... scared her, a little.
"...Yes." Cass said. "I... I'll do it." The scariest part was that suddenly her questions almost felt... secondary. Shiva smiled, deviously.
"Good. We will meet once a month, from now until the end of the year. You should be ready by then. We will spar. And then you'll get your test. And then, I'll answer your question. Oh, and of course you know..." Shiva said. "When we reach the end of the year? I will try to kill you. With everything I have." She stared down at her.
"I know." Cass replied. It was obvious. Her restraint wouldn't be mutual... it might spoil her Mother's fun. "What... is the test?" Cass asked. Shiva looked pleased.
"Oh, a simple one this time. I want you to stand." She said, grinning cruelly. Cass glared at her. "Oh come now. It's a simple request."
Cass' stomach was still burning, and tight. Her training had taught her to ignore pain. So much so that she hardly even registered it any more. She had suffered more wounds than she could count over her life, she had the scars to prove it. But this was the first time she had ever felt... hurt. Actually, badly hurt. But she refused to let it stop her. She refused to fall at this hurdle. If for no reason other than she didn't want to give Shiva the satisfaction. She turned onto her hands and knees, still curling her stomach, and forced herself upright. She grit her teeth. Pain lanced through her stomach and her back - she collapsed onto all fours again.
"You have experienced worse." Shiva said, matter-of-factly. "But you have forgotten pain. So you are helpless against it now. Feel it now. And beat it."
Cass balled her hands into fists and forced herself up again. Her stomach felt like it was ripping apart. Her body shook. She rose from her knees and stood. Her legs shook so hard she felt like she was going to fall - but she didn't. Shiva rose to meet her, her smile turning oddly tender. "Don't fall, now." She said. Before Cass could react, Shiva's fingertips jabbed into her stomach, curling up and feeling as though they'd gone under her ribs. She gasped in shock - for a moment, it felt like Shiva had stabbed her. But when she moved her hand away, the worst of the pain was gone. Down to a dull ache below what she could easily ignore.
"How did you - what was that?" Cass asked. She could breathe easier again.
"Nerve cluster. I displaced it. And then I put it back where it was meant to be." Shiva said. "You could learn to do the same thing... although the shock of something like that kills most people, so. Perhaps not." She shrugged. "You know, I could be cruel and count that as your question..." Shiva smirked. "...But it's no fun if we're not playing fair. What do you want to know?"
Cassandra hesitated a moment. ...What did she want to know? What had she really been hoping to gain from this? "...Why didn't you train me?" She asked.
"I was meant to. Your idiot father was meticulous about how you would be raised. He would have you learn the fundamentals from various masters until you made your first kill. And then I would finish your education." Shiva said. There was genuine disgust whenever she spoke of David Cain. But Cass still couldn't read anything from her. Couldn't tell why. It was maddening. "But he got overconfident." She continued. "You weren't supposed to kill until you turned fifteen. He had you do it at ten. He failed to take into account what your abilities would do to you before you had a chance to fully understand them - to contextualize them. And in doing so, he ruined you." Shiva said. Suddenly genuinely regretful. That just made Cass' temper flare.
"He didn't - I chose. I chose to be better than him. Than you." She spat. Shiva paused for a moment. She reached out, touched Cass' cheek.
"...We'll see, my daughter. We'll see."
Cass made it back to the cave relatively quickly, though she'd nearly passed out on her bike more than once. She was again grateful for the autopilot. The pain wasn't much worse - but her exhaustion was a little concerning. She had pulled up to the cave to find the Batmobile already there. Tim and Bruce were up by the computer - but both froze for a moment when the saw her. She froze too. Caught in the act.
"Holy shit - are you okay, Cassie?!" Tim called. Cass gave him the thumbs up. ...She hadn't stopped to consider how bad she looked. She also hadn't stopped to consider how bad she felt. Her body decided it was done working for the night. Her legs came out from under her and she slowly fell forward, landing flat on her face.
She blinked... and suddenly wasn't on the floor anymore. She was laying in the Cave's medical bay, most of her costume gone and replaced with bandages. Tim was at her side, along with Bruce and Alfred. ...Tim had been a lot less nervous around her lately. She appreciated it.
"Hey..." She grinned. ...Dick had said something once, in a situation like this. It had made her laugh. "...You should see the other guy."
Alfred raised an eyebrow. Tim seemed a little relieved, grinning down at her. Bruce looked stoic as ever. "Give us a minute." He said. He... was not pleased. Alfred ushered Tim off and out. Cass looked up at Bruce. He stared down at her. "Your injuries. What happened?"
"Fell off my bike." Cass lied. Bruce stared at her for a long time. "What?" She asked, irritably. Bruce looked slightly startled.
"Don't lie to me, Cassandra." He said. Cass balled her fist.
"None of your business, Bruce." She replied. He stopped. For just the briefest moment, he looked hurt. And then went stone-faced again. She felt... awful.
"I know you went after Shiva tonight. Alone." He said.
She suddenly felt defensive again, just... shrugging. "So?"
"She could have killed you. She almost did. So what the hell were you doing?" He said. His voice raised just a little. ...He was afraid. Just a glint of it. She tried to force herself to stop. Take a breath. Relax.
"She... is my mother." Cass said. Bruce seemed a little taken aback, but not exactly surprised. "I had... questions. It's private."
Bruce was silent for a while. "You're benched. Two weeks, until you recover." He said.
"What?!" She tried to rise and felt a pang in her stomach. ...She ignored it, and rose anyway. Bruce seemed startled now. "You can't - that isn't fair!"
Bruce put a hand on her chest and pushed her down. She wanted to fight him off... but the strength wasn't in her limbs anymore. "You're benched." He said again. "But if you insist on... working the Shiva case. You can use the time to look through the database." He paused. "Less sloppily, this time." He added. Cass' lips tugged upward for a moment, but she didn't quite manage a smile. Bruce squeezed her shoulder, gently. "Get some rest. And... talk to us. When you feel up to it." He said, drawing back and turning away, leaving her in the med-bay.
She felt guilty for wanting to be alone.