NYSSA AL GHUL
Origins-1
Present Day
It's been six days.
"Aaghhh!" I screamed as I punched another one of my punching bags out of it's socket.
"Fucking helll..!" I shrieked in pain too, along with bag.
It has been six days since I killed Vincent Miller.
My choice? Yeah.
But do I regret it? Abso-fucking-lutely.
Maybe...I could have let him live.
"NEVER LOOK BACK!" dad-Malcolm's voice kept echoing in my mind throughout my workout.
A little out of my breath, I took out the towel to get the sweat and with it, maybe some of the frustration off my forehead and quietly proceeded to sit back on the chair.
None of it made sense.
Malcolm's evil organization 'Tempest' in which my 'dad', Robert Queen, also participated was dissolved by Oliver and his team.
Unidac Industries too. Everyone was killed. And the earthquake device, which unleashed hell in the Glades, was supposedly created by a Dr. Brion Markov. Dead as well.
Then, why would Vincent claim all of that? Why lie when you have the advantage?
I guess that secret died with him.
And with that thought, my eyes glanced across the salmon ladder.
Oliver's. I wonder how quick he would have been.
I grunted as I pushed my upper body strength to one step higher to reach my personal best.
Taking in a small breath, I used my muscle strength to push myself more to be just one more step short of the top, when I heard the alarm go off.
Someone was in a 200 meter proximity of my room.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Mom.
I swirled around from my position, jumped and landed safely on the floor on my feet.
I ran through the stairs in time to open the wall opening and close it behind me.
Wooh. Close.
The sensors in my watch, though, revealed that mom was still in her room.
"How then...?" I thought, before I realized..the truth.
I was not alone.
A shadowy figure lurked behind me and I kicked the person from my behind and back-flipped...well, front-flipped to face him in his direction.
I looked at a black costume-laden figure with a hood and face mask standing in front of me.
"I hope your arm doesn't hurt anymore..." the voice said, confirming my own intuition. The body shape and skinniness were a dead giveaway.
"You.." I grunted in my teeth.
I couldn't see her but could still sense her smile.
"I can't believe you were trained by the great Malcolm Merlyn. I beat you in 5 seconds.." she said with a laugh.
"That was then. This is now.." my right hand fingers, drawing her in for a rematch.
"Happily. But before that, let me ask you something. You don't know who I am, do you!?" her question.
"Should I?" I replied.
"Your dad must be so disappointed.."
"Well, that's actually true in his case," I smirked with a kick lashed towards her.
She caught my leg mid-air with her weak hand and held my throat by her right, her long nails clawing into my neck.
"He sent me here.." her words.
"Dad!?"
12 months ago
Malcolm
She didn't understand.
"She told me last year. But you probably forced her or tricked her into it. Mom would never.." her sweet innocent voice tried to defend her mother's virtue.
"Mom would never what? Huh? What?" I almost let her have it.
"Sleep with another man?" I continued.
"Just like she didn't take all those lives, Thea? She knew what she was getting into.."
"So, you slept with her at a weak moment. Doesn't make Robert Queen any less of my father.."
"You know, Moira didn't even tell him.."
Another distraught look from my daughter followed my words.
"My daughter"
It still doesn't feel real.
"Thea.." I said as I placed my hands on her shoulders.
"I'm not saying you have to call me 'dad'...right now or go on camping trips with me, all of a sudden. I'm just saying.."
Her wet eyes looked to me for answers.
Answers, I knew couldn't convince her of.
"..I..." I stopped.
I just couldn't.
"Don't cry.." I embraced her in a hug with me laying on my knees to meet her, who too, was sitting on her legs.
It was unexpected.
Her hugging me back. Never thought I would feel like a father again. Not after Tommy died.
"T-Thea.." I mumbled.
Her tears weren't over me, though. That much I aware of. The video was probably too much for her.
Neither was the hug.
It was only a matter of time, I knew it. Before it all faded away.
"Get..get away from me.." she said soon enough, pushing me away.
I didn't force her. I would never force her. How could I?
"I would never have kept this from you if I knew.
I'm the victim here..I don't know what I can do now, except apologize that I didn't know about it sooner.."
Still nothing, except for fear in her eyes for the man who destroyed half of her beloved city two years ago.
"You know..Tommy? Last Christmas, he put a gun to my head. He was sure that I was wrong.." I said while standing up and turning away to face the high-tech computers a certain blond set-up in here for what feels like ages ago.
"He was sure that I was lost. That I was..mad. That my crusade was a lie. He didn't get it."
"And you expect me to?" she finally raised her voice.
"No," my reply.
"Then, what do you want from me?" she asked while standing up too.
"I want nothing, Thea. The only thing I want to do is give. Give my love to you. Be a father again. Make up for lost years.."
"You're. Not. My. Father.." she said with not a moment's hesitation in her voice.
The words broke my heart. But I've never been one to lay down and accept defeat.
"I will be, then...in time."
"What are you doing here?" she asked. The confidence growing in her voice.
"I don't know. I come in here sometimes. To think. To look at that tape. And many more like these. To see, how much your brother meant to you."
"Why?"
"Because, he meant so much to you.
And also, for the fact that he was my rival.
A rival, whom in the end, I understood. His motives. His..crusade. His family. We were not so different, you know.."
"My brother was nothing like you.."
You could smell the disgust in the words.
She didn't want to understand.
"Oh, wasn't he, now?" I said while pointing to the green suit decorated in the glass cage.
"You have to understand, Thea. Moira didn't tell me. I spent a lifetime. Without you in my life. A lifetime.
My Tommy..your Tommy deserved a sister."
"This is making me sick, Malcolm. Stop..it. Please.."
"No. You have to hear this," my voice raised.
"Your brother with his Robin Hood complex messed with forces..he didn't understand.
He barely survived me. How was he supposed to win against an army of super soldier maniacs?"
"You..you know who did it? Slade Wilson?"
"Deathstroke...you mean."
Her eyes closed in pain on hearing the words as if the memory was of yesterday's and not a year ago's.
"The League has been following him for 3 years now.
He's strong. Stronger than anyone on this Earth. So much so, that the League of Assassins, the most fearsome warriors on the planet trained by an ancient immortal guru - Ra's Al Ghul, who they call 'The Demon' by the way - has refused to intervene in his rein of terror."
"What do you know about him?" her next question.
"The first time I heard of him, he butchered an entire village. Monsters and innocents alike. Simply because he couldn't understand the difference.
He wanted the location of a scroll. Or whatever, it was. I went there. Merciless. A piece of paper worth a hundred lives. And that's just where the story starts."
"Where can we find him?"
"To do what?" my eyes raised at her recent query.
"Kill him.." she looked me right in the eye as she said the words. Right in the eye.
"That sounds more like my daughter. But I can't kill him. No man can."
"Maybe a woman, then," her reply.
"You?" I laughed. "With what training? It'll take him 10 seconds to slit your throat and that'll be before you can even feel it. And that's him being kind.."
"Then, together. Both of us and maybe some help from Team Arrow."
"They're all dead. And what do you mean by 'us'?"
Her shocked expression told me she wasn't aware.
She swallowed the lump building in her throat and continued, "Then, just us. You train me. How hard it can be?"
"The League's head isn't willing to send his daughter, whom he personally trained, over her entire life, to take him down. What can I teach you that'll overshadow that?"
She looked for a second at me and then walked right past me to grab hold of his brother's bow, staring at it for the longest time.
"You want to be my dad, right?" she asked, turning to face me.
"At the cost of sending another one of my child to their death. No, thank you very much, 'Malcolm' will do."
"Come on. Consider it..as self-defense classes. Who knows when that asshole loses it and he decides to attack me and my mom?"
"I said no.."I drew the line in the sand.
"Please.." her hands held mine with her eyes looking for some hope from her old man.
Isn't that what fathers are for? But what road will this lead to?
"Are you sure? This isn't one of the things that your Queen family fortune can let you just skip through."
"Yes, I'm sure.." she said. "Yes. I want to."
"I won't hold back."
"I don't want you to."
"Alright, but on one condition," I told her.
"What?"
"We have dinner together once a week, in process giving me a chance to be your dad.."
Her eyes widened.
"Is that really your condition?"
She doesn't think I am capable of love.
Just rage.
Maybe...she's right.
Present Day
"Hide," I somehow whispered to her as I heard another alarm go off.
"What!?" she didn't budge at all but left my throat alone, allowing me to speak more easily.
"My mom's coming..! HIDE!" I said quickly with a cough."A League of Assassin commander-in-chief hiding from a girl's mother? No, thank you very much.."
Getting my leg out of her hold, I took some distance.
"If my dad sent you, then, surely you aren't the villain I think you are. Now hide..!"
"Ugh..!" I said as I threw an arrowhead at her in anger.
But before I could to anything substantial, the door flung right open.
"Fuck," I whispered to myself as I turned.
"Heyyyy...mom..." I almost sang to her unsurprised face.
"Look, I can explain.." I frankly told her, attempting to calm her down.
"Explain what, Thea? And why are you so sweaty..?"
"What..?" I sensed around and felt that no one was behind me any longer.
"Uh..explain the sweat, I mean. I woke up early today. Went for a run," I said stretching a bit in process to get the lie across home.
"Uh..okay..I just wanted to see if you were awake because I'm going to work early today and last night you said that you had something important to talk about."
"Can I get back to you on that?" I asked as quickly and absurdly as I could in an half-assed attempt to get her out.
"Honey, you said it was important."My mother had to find this very moment to talk about that file.
"It is, but it's a long conversation and you seem in a hurry," I said.
Want to avoid a conversation? Put the onus on the other person. My dad really knew every trick in the book.
"Yeah, sure," her reply.
"I'll talk to you tonight then. I'm gonna go. Uh..just need to use the washroom..you know."
"Okay..but are you sure that you aren't just hiding a boy in there?"
"What..no.." I said, with my face making expressions that totally said the opposite.
She just laughed and walked off.
At least, she didn't check. Respecting my privacy. So cool, mom!
I almost forgot about the elephant in the room in all this hoo-hah.
It was just then when I heard someone land on the floor, behind me.
"Right. Do you want it in the face or in your ass?" I asked.
"What!?" her reply.
"This," I said as I swirled around for a kick again as she backed off this time.
"Wouldn't expect anything less from Merlyn's daughter," she smiled, her mask falling off in her defense.
"And who are you?"
"That doesn't matter."
"Then, what does?"
"The fact that I am an associate of your father."
"Why'd he sent you?" I asked her.
She moved to a fighting stance instead of giving me a reply.
"In a hurry, are we, Thia?"
10 months ago
Thea
He's not my father.
I grunted in my teeth as he hit my leg mid-attack and threw me across the floor in the opposite direction.
"I knew you couldn't do it. You just don't have it," he spit out the words.
I spit out some blood onto the floor in reply as I attempted to stand up.
Another one of his kicks hit me in the back. And another one threw me into the wall as I rolled up in my own pile of blood.
"How come you have two weapons and the advantage of my hands being tied behind my back..and yet, you still manage to lose?" he asked, with anger written all over his face.
"Why are you enjoying this?" I asked my.."father" as I coughed up some more blood.
"Because you're a failure. Just like your loser brother. Couldn't beat me. Couldn't save his father. Got his entire team killed in cold blood and left you all alone by not finishing Deathstroke when he had a chance."
The feelings that were bottled up till now got upto the brim.
I grunted some more, adrenaline rushed in and threw myself into him as I punched his stupid face over and over again till he bled himself.
"SHUT...YOUR...GODDAMN...MOUTH..!" I shouted.
"Is that it? Is this the level of your endurance? Two insults and you lost the entire strategy I asked you to follow. I couldn't hit back. Will Deathstroke too bind his hands behind his back for you?" he calmly replied.
"You..yo..you're right. You know exactly what to say to get in my skin.."
"So will he.
It's been 4 weeks, Thea. You may have begun to gain some upper body strength and reflexes but your mind..you're still just a child.
No amount of physical training can compensate for the blinding rage that you'll feel when you look upon your brother's killer."
"You're right..I guess."
"Am I not always?" he quipped.
"No, Malcolm, you're not."
"Ever given thought to calling me 'dad'?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I don't remember it being one of your conditions."
"Clever girl."
"Speaking of conditions, today's dinner night, you remember?" he asked, with a smirk.
"Huh..really, Malcolm? Do we really..have to? Twice I've been with you and it's just...awkward."
"Come on. Don't tell me that I'm not growing on you.."
"Fine. But I pick the restaurant this time."
"After you, Miss Queen" he smiled, making way for me."Yeah, yeah.."
After fifteen minutes of awkward driving, I parked in safely in the lot.
"Seriously? Your definition of dinner is Big Belly Burger?" he looked at me with concern.
"This is 2014, Malcolm. Wake up," I said as we went out and took up the corner booth.
"Fine. Whatever makes you happy," he said.
"Like you care," I scoffed.
He just looked at me. Said nothing in return.
Except for, "did you bring the bag?"
"Yeah. I did. But do we have to carry it everywhere?" I asked him.
"One day, that bag is gonna be the difference between life and death. Mine and yours too. I'm trusting you with it. It's a big responsibility.."
"Sure, why not," I said as my hands shook off that BS, with my eyes looking here and there for someone to take our order.
I was staaaarving.
The waitress walked towards us, prompting him to ask, "What's good here?"
I got hold of the menu she handed us and was about to give an unhealthy order for the assassin and his new apprentice when my eyes fell upon her.
She..she's gorgeous.
Like..not gorgeous-gorgeous..but gorgeous-gorgeous.
If that makes sense..? I think...not.
I blinked rapidly thrice or more times as I just stared at her, dumbstruck as to what..now?
"Daughter?" Malcolm intervened. Thank god!
"Hmm?" I looked around, looking for the voice.
"Yeah, da- I mean, Malcolm."
Yikes.
He smiled at the reaction and his eyes pointed at the menu.
"Oh, right."
"How about two extra large cheese burgers and some fries. Two drinks...and maybe a sandwich. The one with the onions and cream? You know, with the cheese dipping? Then, maybe add in some mozzarella in there."
"Is that it?" she laughed.
"You know..for my old man here. He's really into it.." I smiled through my teeth.
Sorry-not-sorry.
And as she took the menus and walked away, Malcolm hit me with his leg under the table.
"Ouch..What the f- what the hell Malcolm?"
"The entire League of Assassins don't have that much fat in a year than you just ordered us."
"Fine. I'll eat yours too."
He stared at me. Just for a second. Before bursting into laughter and shaking his head.
He's not my father.
But..maybe he doesn't have to be.
Present Day
As I dodged another one of her punches, I asked again, "How did you know him?"
"Well, we used to.." she said as she kicked me right in my chest.
I fell unprepared across the floor, on my hand as I heard a crack on the left shoulder, the same side which was still healing from an arrow through the arm.
"Is this the daughter of the great Magician..or a joke?" she laughed, drawing out her sword with that.
"I hate swords.." I said as I flipped myself up from the floor, only to push myself back at her constant jabs at me.
Ever single one, right for the kill. I could feel the difference.
"What the fuck do you want?" I managed to mumble in between.
"That's the thing," she said, stepping forward, bending below and kicking me off my feet.
"Absolutely nothing.."
"In fact, I have two things for you.."
"What's that, now?" I screamed at her as I tried to stand up.
"Well, I thought, we'd dance first.." was her reply.
So, we did.
I stood up and she hit me down. Again and again until my back was behind to her with her arms across my throat.
"So, where were we Thia Malika..?" she said gracefully in Arabic, from what I could make it.
"We were.." I said, as I kicked her in her foot as hard as I could and turned her around to resume the commanding position.
"..talking about the two things you were here to give me."
"Oh, yes, of course.." she said, trying hard to get out. With a smile, of course.
She was from the League. Of course, she was enjoying this.
"Now, now..stay in position.." I said, straining her neck even further.
"What are you doing here?"
"I have a message for you," she said.
"Well, what is it?"
"Wilson. He's in Russia."
"What?" I said, loosening my grip.
"Moscow. Your father asked me to find him. Couldn't find him then. So, I came here when I did.."
"And who are you?" I asked further.
"I'm Nyssa al Ghul. Heir to the Demon," she said with a smug smile I could feel without even looking.
"Wha-?" I said in dismay as she took advantage and in a split second, her hand was across my neck.
"Sorry.." she continued.
"For what?"
"For the injuries.." she whispered in my ear, almost touching it, as she snapped back my shoulder in it's place.
"And, for the second thing.." she said just before doing the act.
As I shrieked in pain, she turned me around to face me and quickly put her lips to mine as she held me tight, probably to keep the voice down from my eyes popped up for a second and my body frozen in it's spot, not knowing what to do.
The height difference didn't affect her at all as she bent down almost automatically and her hand went from my shoulder to my back to my naked sweaty waist and before it went any further down, I opened my surprisingly closed eyes to move away, with which she quietly obliged.
Her red cheeks followed mine as she asked, "are you sure you're not into girls?"
"Uh..amm..what?" was my response as she smiled some more and handed me a piece of paper.
"His address. My advice. Don't go in alone. Even I can't face him."
"So, you're supposed to be my ally, then?"
"I won't go that far. Your father promised me something. That's not possible now. But a trade's a trade."
"So, you enter my house and..kiss me, of all things and that's that?"
"What can I say? Girls are my weakness."
And I was beginning to think...they were mine too.
Author's notes:-
Next update: January 2020. (edit: pre-COVID times, aah. seems forever ago!)
Happy New Year in advance. And also, apologies for the long wait.
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