Bruce Wayne smiled wanly as the young woman tugged on his arm, begging him to follow her. "Oh, please, Bruce, we don't have to be anywhere for another hour. Don't you like this place?"
"It's a carnival, Sarah. Why do you like it?"
"The frivolity, of course! Purely pleasure-seeking fun! I guess it reminds me of my childhood."
"Ah. A memorable time of life."
"Course, course. Just one more stall, Bruce, then I'll go wherever you want. Here! The fortune-tellers tent."
"Fine…I'll wait out here."
"Oh, no you don't, you're the one getting examined today. Go on, get in there!" After a brief tussle outside the purple tent, Wayne ended up unceremoniously pushed inside, with Sarah Gallagan following close behind. Silently glaring at his companion, Wayne straightened to face the presumed fortune teller.
To his surprise, instead of the wizened crone he pictured, a young girl perched on a Oriental pillow, cross-legged in a pose of meditation. With her eyes closed, she addressed the two adults.
"Go on, sit down."
"Should I-ah, do you-"
"I don't care whether you stay or go, but the one you want 'read'…make sure he stays."
"You heard the girl, Bruce. Sit."
"Alright, alright. Here I am. What is my fortune?"
Opening her cerulean eyes, the girl looked at Bruce Wayne with a slight smile. "A cynic. Good."
"You intend to prove me wrong?"
"No. I just appreciate those who don't take the world for granted. I'm one of them."
"Then-"
"Just wait a second." Pausing, the girl unfolded her legs and hunched over her knees, staring into Waynes' eyes. After only a second, she snapped back to her original pose and shook her head.
"Bruce Wayne. It's not all good."
"Just tell me whatever it is you 'saw'."
"Okay, I was lying. None of it is good."Closing her eyes, her voice took on a deeper, richer tone. "You will never find love as long as you are on this earth, and all happiness shall be a fleeting smile. As you look back, you will see your past selves feebly covering your inaction with business quotes and charity. There will be nothing left at the end."
"Cheery sort, aren't you."
"But…"Opening her eyes, she quirked an eyebrow at him. "There will be things you have done…results no one will know about…mishaps prevented…crises averted. Some have already happened, and some…well, no one knows quite what they will be, but some think you've done quite enough already."
"Well…should I go now?"
"You are free to go." Impatiently, she waved him away and closed her eyes again. When she remained silent for a few seconds, Sarah stood and beckoned Wayne to follow her out. Once back out in the sunlight, Wayne shook his head and adopted his familiar thin smile.
"Well, Bruce…that was different. But I keep my bargains. We'll go wherever you want."
"Different, Sarah? To say the least."