whole new world

[campanas]

Pen wakes up at about four in the afternoon. It takes her a few seconds to remember why she's here, but then she remembers and starts looking for Cindy.

Comments

[manofmyword]

"Oh, I've got a buncha kinds," he says. "Wanna see?"

[campanas]

"Yeah."

[manofmyword]

So he shows her his books! They are many and varied and stored in diverse locations, including under several couches and in bathroom cupboards. But he knows where they all are.

[campanas]

Pen eventually settles on a book and starts reading it.

[manofmyword]

The Joker disappears into the dangerous room for a while.

[campanas]

Pen tries to sneak a peek when the door's open, but she doesn't touch it.

[manofmyword]

She gets a glimpse of a half-open cupboard. And then he closes the door.

[campanas]

Pen goes back to her book, and sings wordless tunes that she makes up in her head.

[manofmyword]

Sometime later, he emerges, looking cheerful.

"I'm gonna go talk to somebody," he says. "You gonna be okay here by yourself?"

[campanas]

"I come?" she asks.

[manofmyword]

He laughs. "Nah, you wouldn't like these people. They're not very friendly."

[campanas]

"Why you talk them then?"

[manofmyword]

"Complicated reasons," he says, flapping a hand to illustrate the inconsequential nature of the reasons. "I don't mind unfriendly people, anyway. Not all the time."

[campanas]

"I go anyway? Small in here. Ignore unfriendly people."

[manofmyword]

"Yeah, I know it's small," he says. "Hmm-mm... I could maybe take you someplace bigger. Not today, though. Maybe tomorrow. I'll see if I can set it up while I'm out."

[campanas]

"I fly there?"

[manofmyword]

"I'm gonna try to find you somewhere big enough to fly in, yeah."

[campanas]

"Good. Angel. Supposed flying."

[manofmyword]

"Yep."

He goes to the real bathroom to change and freshen up. When he emerges, he still isn't wearing the makeup, and he has his hair slicked back and a drab-looking jacket on over his cheerful purple shirt. (His socks are as colourful as ever.)

[campanas]

"I do your paint sometime," asserts Pen.

[manofmyword]

He laughs.

"You bet!" he assures her. "All right, I'm off." He puts on a battered baseball cap, tugs on the brim, and climbs out the window.

[campanas]

"Find friendlier people!" she commands as he goes.

And then she returns to her book.

[manofmyword]

He is out for a few hours.

[campanas]

Pen finishes the one book. She discovers aluminum foil, and wraps various household objects in it. She pokes a fork in an electrical socket, and leaves it there when it gets stuck. (Nothing happens to her.) She takes his fabric pen from the sewing area and starts drawing on the walls, not particularly well, pictures of her family. (With clouds of miscellaneous Samarian-style musical notes clouding around their heads.)

[manofmyword]

And then he comes back! Wearing the makeup, now, and carrying the jacket and hat.