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L.L.A.P
~Laces
Chpt.12
When Athena woke up, she felt very warm. The warmth wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't the same warmth that the sun provided.
She slowly blinked her eyes open and frowned at her surroundings. Nothing looked familiar to Mt. Justice.
She was lying on a soft bed that was strewn with multiple pillows, and a warm thick blanket was lying on top of her.
What happened? She thought as she sat up. She felt a small stinging in her neck and brought her hand up. She winced at a small spot on her neck where it felt like a dark sunk into her skin.
Where am I? she slid out of her bed, and stood to her feet. The room was very extravagant, just like the bed, but at the same time it was empty. The bed had many warm autumn colors like dark brown, burgundy, deep orange, and tan. The walls were the same, and the fabric on the bed seemed to be soft silk and other types of expensive looking materials. And on the ceiling…
"Is that a chandelier?" she questioned in a whisper. Athena's eyes settled on the door, and she immediately made her way to it.
She didn't care where she was, she just wanted to get back home.
Athena easily opened the door, and stepped out into a dark lit hallway. One of Mal's Disney movies suddenly came to mind, and the halls reminded her almost of the castle in Beauty and the Beast. Dark and old, but still ornate.
"You're up earlier than expected." Athena jumped in surprise at the voice. However, she didn't come back down.
She floated in the air, and started panicking.
"W-what's going on? What's happening?" she questioned in a high voice, frantically kicking her legs, trying to get down.
"You are flying, young one." The voice that startled Athena stated calmly, and she felt a hand grab her foot, and pull her down.
Athena was shaking and she looked up at the man who pulled her down. He had dark tan skin, black and white hair, and a black mustache. His grip was so strong on her shoulder that she couldn't step further away from him.
"Who are you?" Athena questioned timidly. The man slowly released his grip on the girl, and took a bow.
"I am Ra's Al Ghul." He informed with a kind smile, but Athena still wasn't very sure what to think of him. "And currently, you are in my home."
Athena fiddled with her hands nervously.
"I noticed a dart mark on my neck." She stated. "Did you knock me out, and take me here?" she questioned, and Ra's nodded.
"I wasn't the one who personally knocked you out with the dart, but I did give the order." Athena was grateful that her kidnapper was so cooperative when answering questions. All his answers seemed very sincere.
"Why did you take me away from my home?" Athena inquired.
"Perhaps we should talk in the dining hall. You must be hungry." Ra's said politely. He turned around, and started walking off to the dining hall, knowing that Athena would follow.
She did, but when she reached her hand out to grasp his, she pulled it back. Athena had a gut feeling that he wasn't someone she wanted to hold onto. Her heart ached slightly when she thought of the people whose hands she did want to hold at the moment.
Conner, Dick, Cassie, Gar, Mal, Blue Beetle, Aquaman, M'gann, Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Wolf, Robin, Batman.
The names and faces flashed through her head and she immediately wanted to be back at Mt. Justice.
She wanted to pet Wolf again. She wanted to watch Disney movies with Mal, and learn random Spanish from Blue Beetle. She wanted to hold Cassie's hand and listen to music with her. She wanted to laugh at Gar's jokes and learn about all the crazy animals he could turn into. She wanted to take up Aquaman's offer to teach her how to swim. She wanted to hang out more with Wonder Woman and Black Canary. She wanted to cook with M'gann more. She wanted to follow Robin around and try to understand the random codes he used to hack into computers. She wanted to swing around on the trapeze again with Dick, and ride on his motorcycle. She wanted Batman to tell her that everything was going to be okay. She wanted Conner to just… give her a hug.
Athena reached the dining hall with Ra's. It was huge and seemed to match the same colors of the halls. Dark but decretive.
"Please, have a seat." Ra's stated, pulling out a seat for the girl, and she sat, feeling that it might be disrespectful if she denied the man.
He took the seat next to hers and a bald muscular man with a tight shirt and loose pants walked out and placed a plate of salad in front of Athena and Ra's along with two glasses of deep red wine.
"Excuse me?" Athena said in a small voice, looking at the strong bald man. "I'm sorry, but I think I'm not old enough for wine." She informed, and Ra's chuckled.
"Ubu, can you please get our guest a glass of water?" he questioned, and with a bow, the man quickly went to do so.
"Please, eat." Ra's smiled, and Athena looked down at the salad timidly, but looked up to see that Ra's had taken a bite out of his salad. A shaky hand took a fork and she took a bite of a tomato and a piece of lettuce.
"Thank you for the food." Athena said with a small smile, but she felt like the smile was forced. She was truly frightened about what was going to happen to her.
"I trust that it is to your liking?" he questioned, and Athena nodded.
"Yes, Sir."
"You want to know why I took you here?" he added, and Athena nodded again.
"Yes, Sir." She felt so formal, but she felt like she needed to be due to the fancy meal, elaborate building, and the way Ra's spoke.
"I originally had my men take you so that I could bring you to Dr. Milo for you to be killed, and I could make a handsome amount of money." He informed, and Athena felt her hair stand on end and immediately wanted to run and hide. Instead of doing either, she started to float off of the seat.
Athena grabbed the seat to keep herself down, but she was shaking more now.
"P-please. I can't go back to Dr. Milo. I don't want to die, Mr. Al Ghul. I haven't done anything wrong." She whispered frantically.
"Settle down young one." Ra's said calmly. "I thought that I'd be giving Dr. Milo the failed project that he wanted to kill. However, you seem to not be such a failure now." He stated as he looked at her hands that were tightly gripping her seat to keep her from floating to the ceiling.
"You have purpose,Project Power. I cannot give you over to be killed now that you have purpose." He informed, and she flinched at the name.
"Athena." She whispered, and Ra's raised an eyebrow.
"Athena?" he questioned.
"My name. It's Athena. It's not Project Power. It's Athena." She informed quickly. Ra's smiled slightly.
"A young Goddess." He stated. "A Young Goddess the partial daughter to the Detective." Athena didn't know what he was talking about, however, she was too concerned about getting home.
"Mr. Al Ghul?" she questioned. "Am I ever going to go back home?"
"Back home? You never had a home. A home is a place where you can call it your own, and be completely safe." He stated.
"But…"
"You will be staying here, to practice your abilities, since you obviously have no control over them." Ra's informed, and Athena shook her head.
"Abilities? All I can do is float. And I don't want to be here. I want to be home with Superboy, and Blue Beetle, and Nightwing, and Batman…"
"Do you honestly think that any of them really cared for you?" he questioned calmly, despite how Athena was close to hysterics.
"Of course they did! They are so nice! They care for me and keep me safe!" she exclaimed, and Ra's cocked his brow up.
"Like they kept you safe from me taking you?" he questioned.
"They- they couldn't help it! They were busy with a mission, saving people!" she exclaimed, standing from her seat, but having no idea where to go.
"But if they really loved you, at least one of them would stay behind to watch you. Isn't that right?" Ra's questioned, his voice dripping with innocence, but behind it all, he knew that he was slowly getting to her.
"It… they… it's not their fault! They're busy!" Athena sputtered.
"Too busy for you? Someone they claim to love? You haven't even met the rest of the league, have you? They have been too busy, right?"
"They need to save the world. It's not their fault." She stated firmly, but it was in a whisper.
"Not even a phone call from outer space. For people who apparently care for you, they seem to neglect you." Ra's said calmly, but Athena shook her head.
"There is no neglect! They love me! It's not their fault they're busy! I've talked to them! Not all of them, but they care for me! I know they do!"
Ra's saw his opening.
"They have talked to you, have they? Like how your bear talks to you? I think you do not understand that it is all in your head. You are mentally unhealthy, young goddess. None of them ever said they loved you. The entire time you spent with them, you have been completely alone."
"No!" Athena shouted. "They love me! They care for me! It's not in my head! It's not!"
"Then why are you crying?" Athena brought her hand up to her face and felt her tears. She was silent then, as she quietly sobbed, sinking to the floor.
Ra's stood from his seat, bent down and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Come along, Young Goddess. You should rest." Ra's stated, but Athena didn't move. "Or, you could stay here." Ra's nodded. "Whatever makes you happy." He whispered. Ra's walked out of the room, but he couldn't hide the pleased smile on his face.
It was a smile that someone would give when they made the right move in a chess game.
But Athena saw it.