Chapter 29

Two days passed. In that short span of time, everything changed. Last of all for the video's star.

Ruby stood in an alleyway's mouth. She was dressed in a royal purple hoodie too sizes too large. Perfect for the five thousand dollars and map that she was hiding. Keeping herself out of sight, she examined the early morning marketplace. Located on the outskirts of the city, this place was a fine place to buy fresh, organic foodstuffs and second-hand gardening tools. Everything was in abundance, fresh, and cheap. Everybody knew it, especially servants.

Which was why she had picked this particular location for her meeting. If anyone besides a servant showed up, she would know. And everyone else would be so caught up in doing the groceries, ready to run back to their masters, that no one else would notice.

Ruby leaned against the wall. Drumming her fingers against the clammy bricks. She glanced at the clock and huffed. The sisters should have been here ten minutes ago. And they had no excuse: they could glide! Sighing, she decided to give them five more minutes. If they didn't want her help, fine.

Trying to fight the boredom, she eyed the market's activities. Everything was on sale, now that spring was upon them. Honey-melons were split open into star shapes, their seeds gleaming in their pale orange flesh. Cherries gleamed like polished rubies, paired off by strong dark stems. Grapes of both green and purple were draped across baskets' rims, dripping sweet juice. Dried herbs were crushed and poured into vials for customers to use, exhaling powder beneath the hammer. Every servant, evident by their tidy, yet humble attire, read off their lists obediently but occasionally bought a snack for themselves. The vendors had to argue with stingy buyers from time to time. But for the most part, their discussions were cordial.

Each stall was draped in weathered cloth, giving the market semblance to the kind one finds in Egypt or Jordan. But there was no harsh desert sun here. Thick, dark clouds drifted across the watery sky, accompanied by a lazy roll of thunder. Sometimes, the sun was visible through the haze. It was a steaming silver coin.

Three flea-sized spots whizzed past it.

Ruby snorted. "About time."

A moment later, three solid thumps resounded behind her. Without turning around, she reached into her hoodie's generous pocket. "Well, nice to see you're both so dedicated to your freedom."

"Cut the shit." The eldest sister snapped. "Where's our money?"

Ruby rolled her eyes. Great. She had to pull this shtick again. And her patience was already at its limit. Spinning around, Ruby got a look at the triplets. Separated only by a couple of hours each, apparently. Identical in every way, including attire, they looked like something out of Middle-Eastern folklore. They had fine caramel skin and dark hair, with form-fitting leather suits. Hmph. They'd probably taken fashion lessons from Tabitha. The elder one carried a broomstick with a knife taped to the end. The younger ones both weilded a dagger.

Ruby eyed them carefully, careful to keep her own expression blank. The younger sisters looked respectfully down. But the elder sister held her gaze, glowering.

"What was your name again?" Ruby asked. "Julie?"

The elder sister's jaw tightened. "Jubilee."

"Jubilee." Ruby echoed, smirking. "You look like an angry little boy. Don't presume to give me orders. I only allow my master to do that, and it's only because I respect him." She reached into her pocket and whipped out the cash. Waved it before her like a fan. At the sight of it, both pairs of eyed gleamed. Jubilee huffed and looked away, arms crossed. The second eldest sister - Janice, that was her name - inhaled. "Forgive my sister. What she lacks in diplomacy she makes-"

"Do shut up, dear." Ruby turned to the youngest sister. "Anything from you?" When the youngest sister just bit her lip, Ruby couldn't resist adding, "No? Good. Let the grown women speak." She turned to the two elder sisters. "Now. We've gone over this. Once you get on that bus, don't get off until it reaches the last stop. Then?"

"We walk five miles north." Janice recited. "Walk. Not fly."

"Walk, not fly." Ruby echoed approvingly. "And once you reach the farm, you...?"

"Say we know about his needing extra hands, and ask for a job." Jubilee muttered. Not looking at Ruby. "And we give false names."

Ruby nodded. "Very good. It's been a pleasure, ladies." She tossed the bag at them. The youngest sister caught it skillfully. With that, they swept past her. Ruby scoffed at the clouds of dust that they had left behind. "You're welcome." Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she shambled off into the market.

She'd already done all necessary chores before leaving, and she didn't want to stay in the mansion a moment longer than needed. The atmosphere was blacker than ever, and the regular killings Oswald orchestrated in the basement had nothing to do with it. The whole place just felt...cold. Frozen, even.

Funny, how a filthy city filled to the brim with crime could be preferable to one's own dwelling.

Ruby spent the next couple of hours wandering aimlessly about. Stopping for some cherries and a melon, she ate them on the park's little bridge. Tossed extra bits at the ducks. Then, after the pits and rinds hit the bottom of the barrel, she window-shopped at some jewelry stores. Beneath the hood, her eyes glimmered at the sight of emerald brooches, jade necklaces, and amethyst rings. Alas, her payday was still distant.

At some point, a guy pinned her to the wall demanding her wallet. Discreetly, she sprouted an extra limb on her back. It cleaved through the man like an arrow through paper. She left him with a fist-sized hole in his chest.

That was when boredom began to settle in, along with an afternoon drizzle.

That was when boredom began to settle in. There weren't that many places left to visit, anyway - not if you weren't in the mood for a bar brawl. So, off to the mansion she would go. But not before fetching some reading material.

That was when it happened.

Ruby glanced from one newspaper to another as she took cover beneath the stand's plastic roof. Each pile of papers was kept still with a rock, but the headlines screamed out at her. All about murder and mayhem. Typical of Gotham.

That was when one newspaper caught her eye. And sank her stomach.

Ruby snatched it, holding it close to her quickly-blanching face. The title read, 'Viral Video: Truth or Lie?' The pictures were blurred, but she recognized them anywhere. One of the figures in question had been her mysterious attacker. Next to the blurry shots was a very clear copy of her driver's license.

"Oh, no." She whispered. "Please, no." Ruby began to read the article, hoping for some reassurance but getting none.

Two days ago, a video was anonymously posted on YouTube, Vine, and all media that include videos. The links were also sent to various members of both legal and illegal dealings. It featured two figures in a very heated battle, with one displaying abnormal abilities not unlike the creatures let loose from Arkham. The police are still analyzing this footage, trying to determine its authenticity. Furthermore, the person behind this video's publication claims that the being in possession of these morphing powers is Ruby Sinclair, aged 26 years.

"This can't be happening." Ruby whispered. In her shock, she didn't even notice the wind blowing the hood away from her face.

"Hey!" The guy behind the stand suddenly glanced at her. Ruby's head snapped up. He was holding the same newspaper as she. "You're that clay freak!"

Ruby bolted. She could hear him yelling after her. A clamor of angered, frightened voices rose after him like an echo. Before she knew it, she felt feet trampling after her. Why? Her frenzied brain screamed. What did they want?

A gunshot resounded. In the same instant, a hole appeared in the side of Ruby's hoodie. She shrieked in fear.

"Get back here, freak!" Someone yelled.

Fat chance! Ruby's eyes caught sight of an alley. She dived towards it. Into the shadows. The crowd followed her, only to find the alley empty save for some howling cats.

They never suspected the look up, or listen for the sound of fluttering wings.

The dying sun dipped behind the dark purple clouds, extinguishing the sky. Stars slowly awoke from their slumber, blinking sleepily in a tainted-orange horizon. Sirens mixed with crickets. In Gotham's seedy belly, hundreds of blinking lights shifted about like beetles. Out here, that was not the case. It was quiet. Solemn.

Tense.

Oswald stood before the window, draped in a black and purple robe. His feet, sore from so many hours of walking, rested in a pair of cozy velvet slippers. He sipped at his wine, pondering nervously. Even as he tried to focus on the outside, the inside kept finding a way to snare his thoughts. Specifically, something on the inside. Just a few feet away from him, reflected in the glass.

Oswald glimpsed at Ruby. She was cuddled up in one of the plush, evergreen armchairs. Garbed in a pale pink nightgown and polka-dot socks, she kept her eyes on the television screen while her hands busily prepared PB&J sandwiches. Without looking away once, she brought the sandwiches to her jaws and chomped mechanically away. The black-and-white screen flickered across her glazed eyes.

Oswald turned on his heel. Collecting his cane, he hobbled towards her. She didn't look at him. No surprise there. When she'd gotten home late this afternoon, she had greeted him with a nod before heading to her room. Locking the door behind her. Ruby was doing the same thing now, pretending that he wasn't there. For a moment, Oswald felt a whiff of entitlement. He was the master, and she, the servant. She had to give him the respect that he deserved.

Then, he remembered whom he was thinking about.

Oswald eyed the screen that currently held all of Ruby's attention. It was a mute, black-and-white film. No shock there, either. Tonight was a Georges Méliès marathon. Cinderella of the Glass Slipper was silently playing, with a small text at the screen's bottom heralding the next film, The Knight of the Snows.

Fairy tales. Ideals. Impossible to realize anywhere else but in fiction. Especially here in Gotham.

Oswald sighed. "I'd like to discuss this video with you."

"Well, I don't." Ruby's fingers trembled as she brushed the crumbs off her lap. "I just want to forget the world right now."

Oswald's paitence flittered like rice paper caught in the wind. "I'm afraid we don't always get what we want."

"I never got what I want." Ruby replied dully. She was still staring at the screen. Her voice was flat. But her eyes were glistening. And, for the first time, Oswald noticed that they were pink and puffy. "A loving family. A normal life. Friends. A job in geology." Ruby gulped. Then, shakily brought another sandwich to her lips. "But I guess it just wasn't in the cards for a freak like me."

"You had one of these things." Oswald tersely pointed out. "A friend."

"Had." Ruby noted with melancholy. A tear rolled down her cheek. In the television's glow, it shone like a moonbeam. Oswald fought the urge to catch it. Ruby swallowed. "Please. Tell me." For the first time, her head tilted towards him. "How can I make you forgive me?" Her tone was calm. But the desperation was just beneath the surface. Oswald's jaw tightened. "You can't. You lied to me. You need to learn that there are consequences to your actions."

Ruby's grip tightened on the sandwich. "I'm sorry. I really am. But it wasn't exactly the sort of thing you can bring up during the commercial break."

Oswald slammed his fist against the wall. Hot pain roped around his hand. "I don't want to hear your excuses!" He hissed.

Ruby was shaking now, but she held her ground. Dropping the sandwich, she turned to face him. "But it's true. No matter how hard I try to pretend to be normal, I never will be. I never would have been normal, even if I'd never been left at Arkham." She gave a small, bitter laugh. "But in the condition I was, I wouldn't have reached my twentieth birthday. At least now I'm a functional freak."

Oswald stared at her. Recognizing her words for the revelation that they were. A widening gap of the door behind which her secrets resided. He wanted more. "What are you talking about?"

Ruby hesitated. Opened her mouth to answer-

-when a vase beside them exploded. Ruby and Oswald both jumped. Oswald's swift eyes caught the bullet-sized hole in the wall. Another shot shattered a window pane. A third knocked over a paperweight. Then, a flurry of bullets marched across the wall. Peppering it with holes. Bleeding plaster. Straight for them.

Ruby tackled Oswald. They both hit the ground just as the wall above their heads rained plaster. They both coughed as gunshots echoed all around them, shaking the very air they breathed. Ruby clung to Oswald both out of fear and protectiveness. Oswald clung back.

Until at last, the metal rain ceased.

Ruby and Oswald lay there for a second, breathing heavily, before sharing a look. It was only then that Oswald noticed the position they were in. He was lying on his back, his cane just out of reach and his limbs spread out. Ruby was spread on top of him, her hands resting on his chest. Their faces were centimeters apart. Their hearts beating as loudly as drums. In sync.

That second only lasted for, well, a second. A sixthieth of a minute. Then, Oswald rose in a sitting position. Breaking the spell. Ruby handed him his cane. He took it, their fingers brushing. He got up, wincing at the pain this caused. Now standing, Oswald saw what was left of the front door. It looked like a giant, wooden cheesegrater. Growling, he began to march towards it before stopping. Turning back to Ruby. Offered the shadow of a smile. "Thank you."

Ruby nodded. Mirrored his expression.

Oswald spun back to face the door. Wrenched the door open. Practically all of his neighbors were gathered in the front yard, gossiping and eyeing the damage. A police car was already grinding to a halt, its red-and-blue lights flashing blindingly. Oswald sighed. Dropped his hands to his sides. "Great." He limped down the steps, where a policeman met him. "Hi, Mr. Penguin." He greeted. "Did a business meeting go wrong or something?"

"Not that I know of." Oswald replied. "All of my foes have distinguishing characteristics. This was-"

"What the fuck're you doing, Penguin?"

The dark-haired man turned to the third voice. It belonged to some jerkoff who worked for the Todd family just a few houses down. Jeffrey, his name was. His ugly face was lined with anger. Oswald stood on his tip-toes to appear taller. "Excuse me, cretin?"

Jeffrey jabbed a meaty finger at the house. "Why the fuck are you keeping a monster like Sinclair around?"

Oswald's temper flared. He inched closer. "Watch your tongue, or you shall lose it."

"She's a menace!" Jeffrey yelled in his face. "Just like all 'em Arkham monsters!"

"Yeah!" A few voices chorused. A single voice added, "She ain't one of us!"

"Lock her up!"

"Throw away the key!"

Oswald tried to speak out, but it was pointless. He may as well have tried yelling against the roar of ocean waves. Shaking his head, he turned back towards his mansion. "I've had enough of this madness. Clear out, all of you!" As he looked up, though, he froze.

Ruby was watching from behind one of the laced windows. Tears ran down her face. Then, she vanished. As though she'd never been there at all.