Leaving Home

[able_cain]

Cassandra had gone to see Steph, like she does most nights. This time, she'd even remembered to go to her home, instead of the cemetary first. She'd finally adjusted to her best friend being alive again

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[uncommon_sensei]

And when searching for a parent who's hard to find, her oldest associates are a good place to start.

Richard Dragon has no idea about what has befallen Gotham's dark knight, of course - his evening exercise routine carries on, unabated.

[able_cain]

When Cassandra arrives, everything is wrong. She looks it. She moves it. And when Dragon hears the light sobs coming from just outside his dojo, he hears it.

[uncommon_sensei]

When he hears the noise, he stops the exercise, moving to the back door of the dojo - it opens onto an alleyway perfect for the comings and goings of costumed vigilantes who might visit.

He is a little surprised to see the source of the sobs, though.

"Cassandra? What's wrong?"

[able_cain]

She was hoping to have gotten this out before going inside, not wanting to be seen like this when she doesn't even understand the tears herself.

She climbs to her feet, forcing herself through the tears. "Bruce is dead."

[uncommon_sensei]

"Bruce..?"

Dragon is genuinely puzzled - though he might be able to make some inferences.

"I didn't know you had any friends named Bruce. What happened?"

[able_cain]

Stupid. Let your emotions get carried away, and now you've let it slip. He's going to be pissed at you.

Oh. Right.

She ignores his request for details, for now, trying to focus herself back on the task at hand.

"I need to find my mother."

[uncommon_sensei]

"Shiva's been in town, lately. She visits from time to time - how quickly do you need to find her?"

Dragon reaches out to hug Cassandra, offering whatever comfort he can.

[able_cain]

It's a sign itself that she doesn't pull away. She doesn't know how to react to it, but she doesn't try to fight back either.

"Soon. I need to see her."

[uncommon_sensei]

"I've got some numbers that can sometimes reach her. Should I have her meet you here?"

[johns_demons]

From the shadowed rear of the dojo, a voice answers before Cassandra can, a voice full of sibilant malice and the faintest trace of a British accent.

"Oh, I should think so, wouldn't you say, Mr. Vandemar?"

A second voice, and the speakers come into view - a short, almost rotund man, accompanied by a much taller man. The men have the mundane appearance of office drones - or perhaps morticians. Yet their physicality belies the malevolence they fairly emanate, a sickly feeling that Dragon and Cassandra, trained chi users both, can sense instinctively.

"Aye, Mr. Croup." the giant grunts. "Except they won't be alive to see her soon."

"Oh, yes, that's right. Thank you for reminding me, Mr. Vandemar."

[uncommon_sensei]

"Heh. Well done, gentlemen. Waiting almost two minutes for the perfect entrance line opportunity."

Dragon turns to them, smoothly adopting a combat posture.

"Never let it be said I don't have an appreciation for showmanship."

[johns_demons]

Croup smiles, revealing a maw full of yellowing teeth.

"We know all about your appreciation for showmanship, Mr. Dragon. After all, it cost you your life when you fought Lady Shiva, didn't it? Messy business."

"Unfortunate, too." leers Vandemar, withdrawing a wickedly curved dagger from his coat and picking his nails with it.

"You may remember that you were resurrected under a caveat. Our employer has found you guilty of failing to meet your end of that bargain."

A glance between Croup and Vandemar, and for an instant Croup has the head of a fox, and Vandemar the head of a wolf...

"So we're here as... repo-men." grins Croup widely, shifting his focus to Cassandra as Vandemar tosses his dagger from one hand to another lazily, advancing on Dragon.

[uncommon_sensei]

"I guess demons lie even to other demons. Neron brought me back because he sought to bargain with me again - our original arrangement was fulfilled with my death."

He smiles.

"Not that I expect the truth to deter such dedicated gentlemen as yourselves."

[johns_demons]

"You would be quite right." Croup is unusually frank.

Vandemar continues to toss the knife from hand to hand, catching the blade without really looking at it. His metallic bird-skull rings glitter ominously in the dim liight.

He stops just outside of Dragon's immediate combat range, sizing up the veteran warrior. The he grins, revealing teeth stained yellow with age and red with the blood of some recently-consumed meal.

"Dragon, huh..."

Vandemar's musing is abruptly punctuated as he throws his knife with uncanny precision, straight at Richard Dragon's throat.

[able_cain]

She moves fast, and the palm of her hand strikes against the flat of the knife without leaving so much as a scratch on her hand. The knife, meanwhile, is ricocheted harmlessly to the corner of the room.

She has no words for these two, whoever they may be, and even though her every sense tells her that these are predators through and through, Cassandra will stand her ground.

[uncommon_sensei]

Dragon smiles and nods in gratitude to Cass for the deflection.

"It's all in the reflexes, gentlemen."

He leaps forward, crossing the distance to Vandemar in an instant, lashing out with a leaping knee-strike towards the demon's jaw.