Damian and Mar'i Demonfire

Meeting (Part 1)

Everyone was really quiet. There was a really solemn atmosphere hanging in the air. Bruce seemed more brooding than usual, Tim was double checking his utility belt weapons, and Steph's usual grin was replaced with a frown (which is seriously weird, since she's always so laid-back). I couldn't read my dad's expression, but he certainly didn't look happy. In fact, he seemed a bit worried. Not that I couldn't blame him. The whole bat-family is having a meeting with Talia al Ghul today.

The request (no, command) was rather unexpected.  Alfred had found a letter pinned (sorry, stabbed) to the batcave's main computer with a dagger a few days ago.  It didn't say much.
___________________________________
Saturday.  Dusk.  Pier 8C.  Bat-family members only.

- Talia al Ghul
LoA
___________________________________

Gramps hadn't been very happy when he saw the letter.  He had ripped it up, and threw the pieces into the fireplace.  If Talia wanted the entire family to come, this couldn't be good.  It seemed like such an obvious trap, but Bruce concluded that Talia wouldn't do something like that.  Despite the batfamily and al Ghuls being enemies, we had a mutual grudging respect for each other.  Both families were rich, powerful, and deadly.  If Talia sent us a formal request, she wouldn't strike unless we struck first.  Hopefully.

The only person who was angrier than Bruce with the letter was Damian.  When Alfred called him about the letter, we were at his apartment when we found out.  Damian paced around the apartment and cursed in Arabic for a while.  No matter how many times I tried to calm him down, his anger didn't go away until an hour later.  He didn't sleep at all that night.

Damian was just standing really still, almost like a statue, alert and tense.  It was so unnerving to see him like that.  Only this afternoon, he had been pacing around the apartment like crazy.  And before that, this morning when I had woken up, he was glaring murderously at his katana while sharpening it.  It was almost as if he was going to snap mentally, but he hadn't.  Yet.

Of course he would be so frustrated.  This was Talia, his mother.  This meeting would probably be the most personal for him.  After all, Talia had put at $500,000,000 bounty over this head the last time they had spoken to each other.  And that was almost ten years ago.  What a great mother.

Bruce, Steph, dad, Tim, Damian, Cass, and I came. Mom was in Bludhaven. Alfred was back at the Wayne Manor, and Barbara would be monitoring our meeting through cameras along the pier from her apartment as Oracle. I was a bit surprised, yet glad that Jason decided to come.  He hardly showed up around us, except for Christmas.  Katherine Kane had also shown up.  I've never talked to her before, but Bruce seemed grateful.  Turns out that Katherine had encountered Talia and the League before, with my dad, Bruce, and Damian.  She seemed okay to me.  The only person who wasn't here was Selina, since Bruce had convinced her not to come.  Not that Selina couldn't protect herself, but Bruce didn't want Talia to be near her.  Selina was fine with that.  She even said, "Great, have fun with your ex."

The sunset looks really pretty from the pier.  The sun's last light was just starting to fade away from the horizon.  Funny, we're all going to die on such a pretty day, I think to myself.

"Talia should be here by now," says Tim, breaking the silence.  He's right.  Dusk is almost over.

"She'll come," says Bruce.  He doesn't seem concerned.  "Talia doesn't make idle threats."

"Indeed, beloved," says a woman's voice. I think my blood just went cold (which is really weird since my Tamaranean blood gives me an above average body temperature). It's coming from behind a couple of cargo boxes. We all immediately react by reaching for our weapons. My right hand creeps over the handle of one of my eskrima sticks.

Talia emerges from the cargo's shadows.  It's impressive, and kind of creepy at how stealthy she is.  Suddenly, several assassins in black ninja clothing surround us.  We're not going anywhere.

Bruce still doesn't seem concerned.  Instead, he just walks right up to Talia. They stand facing each other, not saying anything for a while.

"Talia," Bruce says tersely.

"Beloved," Talia responds. I've never met Talia before, so it's a bit surprising seeing her in person. She's rather beautiful, but in an aloof and cold way. It seems that Damian has inherited her cold, dark eyes, as well as her haughty posture, as if she owned the world (or maybe just a vey large criminal empire, which she does). It's as if she demands everyone's attention in the room (well, not really, since we're not in a room). Still, her presence is kind of intimidating. Like being around Gramps.

Talia's eyes glances over at our hands on our weapons. "That is not needed," she says uncaringly. "You all know I am smarter than that, to attack without provocation." We still don't let go of our weapons.

"What do you want Talia?" Bruce asks bluntly. Talia doesn't seem offended.

"As a matter of fact beloved, I did not come to Gotham for you. I came for our son."

Oh X'hal.  I was hoping that this wouldn't happen.  Damian.

This can't be good.