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]

"Aw, it's not that bad. I hope not, anyway."

[campanas]

"Been in a truck one time. Bleah."

[manofmyword]

He closes the window behind them and, for a change, goes to where there is a door in the middle of the roof. It's locked, but not for long. Inside, there are stairs; he takes her down the stairs into the dimly lit parking garage, and from there all the way to the back, where there is a dark blue minivan. He extracts the keys from his pocket, unlocks the vehicle, and rolls open the door for her. Inside, the backs have been removed from the middle row of seats.

[campanas]

Pen examines the vehicle, apparently determines that it's not going to eat her, and sits on a backless seat.

[manofmyword]

And Cindy closes the door, gets in the driver's seat, and starts driving.

[campanas]

Pen fidgets, and peers out the windows.

[manofmyword]

Soon they are out of the parking garage; after that, they are on the streets of Gotham, at such an hour of the morning that hardly anyone else is. Still a few cars, though.

[campanas]

"This not so bad as truck," Pen eventually concludes.

She watches the other cars they pass.

[manofmyword]

"Good," he says cheerfully. The car has a radio; he turns it on. Someone is forecasting the weather.

[campanas]

"Ick weather," pronounces Pen. "You need angels. No Jovah here to sing though."

[manofmyword]

"Then I guess we'll just have to live with a little rain."

After weather comes news!

"...Wayne Enterprises was publicly embarrassed yesterday when unknown vandals disguised as window cleaners spray-painted a crooked smiley face on the front of Wayne Tower."

The Joker giggles.

[campanas]

"Paint sprays?" asks Pen.

[manofmyword]

"Spray paint does. It's fun," he says happily.

"...associated with the tragic events of June 2008, but there is no indication that the Joker is making a public return."

[campanas]

"That you!"

[manofmyword]

"Yep," he says. "That's part of what I was up to when I went out yesterday."

[campanas]

"You paint a wall. I draw a wall!" she adds conspiratorially.

[manofmyword]

"I saw!" he says. "Do you want some more things to draw with?"

[campanas]

"Yes."

[manofmyword]

"I'll get you some later," he promises.

[campanas]

"Yay! I draw wall because of bored," she adds. "You bored, paint wall?"

[manofmyword]

"Mm, not exactly. Remember I told you I might be making a friend?"

[campanas]

"Yeah?"

[manofmyword]

"Well, we haven't been sending each other letters exactly. We both know a lot of people, and we're kind of playing a game where we each try to figure out who around here knows the other one. All very secret 'n stuff. He got some people I know arrested last week, so this week I found somebody he knows who works in Wayne Tower and I had some guys paint the outside of the building like my makeup, with a little extra bit of smile right where that person's office is. So now my maybe-friend knows I've found that one, and it's his turn to do something."

[campanas]

"Ooh. What if he finds me? You know me!"

[manofmyword]

"I bet he won't," he says, "'cause you're particularly hidden. As hidden as I am, and it's been four years and nobody's found me yet."