Ra's Al Ghul

Gets A

Dose of Reality

Disclaimer: A little something I thought up recently, even if it is likely to get Nyssa into a crap load of trouble. And as always, I own nothing but what you see here! Takes place in 3x16 when Nyssa learns about being replaced as the Heir during a conversation with her father.

Once Nyssa had been told that Oliver had survived her father's sword, she couldn't help but turn away with a noise of disgust coming from her. She knew exactly what that meant courtesy of the prophecy that was part of the mantle of Ra's Al Ghul. But to allow Oliver Queen himself to become the next Ra's Al Ghul? It was utter madness! Did her father have any idea how unfit the man was for such a position? Regardless of prophecy? Nyssa was quite sure that she had never felt so insulted in her life until this point. She knew she had to provide solid reasons for why this was a horrible idea to do. As in her mind's eye, she saw the ruination of the League with Oliver Queen at the helm of it all and it frightened her greatly. A capable warrior he may be, but his leadership skills were in considerable question in her mind. She had to make her father see reason, not just so she could remain Heir as is her right, but so that the League itself would not be ruined. Turning around, she looked at her father in his classic pose of calmness and hands behind his back. "Father, I know part of this relates to Sara but that is a fight I will deal with at a more appropriate time. As for now, I have a more pressing concern. One I ask about with as much respect as I can give in this situation. Have you fully considered the consequences where Oliver Queen is concerned?"

"I do not believe there will be much in the way of consequences, my daughter." Replied the man calmly.

Wondering where she was going with this whole thing and a bit surprised she wasn't pushing the issue of her Beloved. A Beloved he had once met in the distant past and had the feeling that the one in the present times had yet to travel to the past. Making him consider restoring her life in order for his daughter to be more willing to accept her replacement as Heir now that prophecy has come to pass. He watched as Nyssa gave him a skeptical look. "Then consider this, the man never finished at any of the higher institutes of learning he attended."

"I am unconcerned of that my child. He will learn what he needs to in order to ascend that those institutes could not teach."

"Then I will continue to persuade you. Instead of facing the consequences of not fully stopping the Undertaking, he ran and hid for months, more out of shame then a need to heal. Until he was essentially dragged back to civilization. Where he then allowed the likes of Isabel Rochev to eventually take over the company his father built cause he did not fully think his actions through. An action that cost him and his family nearly everything in the end. And I am not sure about you, but the thought of him doing something similar with the League frightens me a great deal just because he can not deal with things when they are most difficult."

Nyssa paused for a moment to collect her thoughts to continue on and noticed that her father actually seemed to be seriously giving thought to her words. Which she thought boded well in her mind. "His lack of providing adequate information when it came to Slade Wilson resulted in his mother's near death experience. An action that could have been prevented had he done so and perhaps taken more effective means of ending that man's threat to Starling City. His decision to keep Roy Harper's actions a secret from his own sister saw her foolishly falling for Al-Saher's manipulations at a time when she was vulnerable. And ending up becoming his tool to eliminate Sara for whatever plan of his that ultimately benefits him. Al-Saher, who Oliver Queen has foolishly refused to do anything truly effective about and essentially dishonoring the 502 lives lost in the Undertaking. Thus, preventing them from knowing true peace in death." And that was a rather appalling thing in her view.

And she knew the others in his circle likely agreed with that line of thinking too. Ra's frowned, as the more he heard, the more he came to dislike. And it wasn't something he necessarily liked either. Prophecy had to be answered too but he began to wonder if it was wise to answer to it where Oliver Queen was concerned. "Then there is his mental faculties to consider. PTSD is something he no doubt suffers. Nearly committing suicide just cause he could not see a solution when it came to Slade Wilson. And if it wasn't for Laurel Lance, he very well would have and the city of Starling would truly be gone for a certainty, father. There is even the possibility he has Dissociative Identity Disorder when it comes to the work he does as the Arrow and his civilian persona. Is that a man you truly want in place as Ra's Al Ghul?"

"A man who would more than likely bring ruin to this ancient League through foolish decisions when he can't handle something at that point in time?"

Stealth and conversations she had had truly paid off for a certainty where Oliver Queen was concerned. "The man may have a glimmer of leadership qualities within him, but its clear he still needs time for it to shapen up and learn to better effectively use the resources available to him. Such as Laurel Lance's willingness to join his crusade of protecting Starling City as her way of honoring Ta-er's memory."

Ra's waited for her to continue on but when he saw that she wasn't going too, he began to think quite seriously about what he had been told by her. And then looked at her once again. "And this is not some ploy of yours to remain as my Heir?"

"No, father. What I do here is merely to protect the future of the League of Assassins. A future that would be bleak were Oliver Queen to ascend as the next Ra's Al Ghul."

He stared hard at her in an attempt to see any sort of deception and finding none much to his slight annoyance. Something then came to mind for the centuries old man. Something that the Ra's Al Ghul before him had told him. That only a true fool would allow another fool a position that gave them great power. For it could only lead to troubling times. And if said true fool was warned about it and ignored it, then he deserved to face a most excruciating punishment that would send him on his way into Death's Hands. Ra's would choose to ignore prophecy this time as he would not be the reason the League would end up destroyed. For such a notion greatly bothered him more then he cared to admit or even think about. And only hoped this move would be forgiven in the end. "You have given valid concerns my daughter. Concerns I can not ignore even with prophecy looming over us. I will leave Oliver Queen be as he is clearly unfit to lead the League of Assassins."

Nyssa had to refrain from allowing a pleased smile to appear on her face over this victory. Her father then walked closer to her and leaned in. "Return to Starling and inform him of this and while you are there, I wish two things of you."

"Your will is mine to do."

"If he can be found, end Al-Saher's life for he is too much of a threat to be allowed to remain. And when you return, bring his not only his head, but also Ta-er's body so that she may be restored to life through the Lazarus Pits." Commanded the man and honestly surprising the Hell out of her!

Of course she knew Oliver would take issue with her killing Malcolm Merlyn but she could not care one bit about it. As the man needed to be ended for a certainty. Thea on the other hand would not care about his death as she had chosen to forsake him after learning of his manipulations. Manipulations that saw Sara's death occurring. "I will gladly do it. And even if I can not find him while I am there, I will keep looking even after I return Sara's body here."

Ra's nodded. "Excellent. I look forward to your safe return."

Giving a nod and a small bow, Nyssa made to leave but was stopped in her tracks by her father's voice. "However, I will warn you to tread carefully around me in what you say around and to me, daughter. For I will not tolerate another occasion like this again. Am I clear?" Asked the man with a dangerous undertone in his voice that made his warning very clear.

"I understand completely, father." Nyssa replied with another bow and then left.

Unable to prevent herself from feeling pure joy over her victory upon this day. And knowing she would likely never get another like it again. But finding that acceptable as she'd gotten what she wanted. Along with an unexpected bonus where her Beloved was concerned.

Author's Notes: Special thanks to Dante 101 for pointing out an issue that was seen here regarding the Undertaking dialogue. Hope those of you read this will have enjoyed it. And because of the events of 'Tommy's Dose Of Reality', things between Laurel and Oliver would see them eventually re-uniting as lovers with Tommy's blessing until he fled in the aftermath of the Undertaking. Tommy's also still alive but walking around with a cane due to his leg getting badly injured while helping Laurel escape CNRI and trying what he can to get his two best friends back together. This fic will also nicely tie into an idea I have for a multi-chaptered fic featuring Laurel and Thea kicking ass while Oliver and Felicity are on they're little get away.

Which I'll try and have out when I'm able too. R and R!