Chapter 78

Edward Nygma looked at the distant couple as they embraced. Even from across the square, he could see that Oswald was crying. Ruby, the wench, was doing everything to calm him down to little avail. He watched with a fusion of disgust, anger, and satisfaction. In a short while, they will both be in terrible need of comfort. And neither will be able to give it to the other. Oh, if only he could witness the entire affair!

The crunching of gravel had Edward's head turning. He smiled as a man in a fine suit walked towards him. Once his associate reached the car, Edward glanced at the trunk's contents. A bloody birthday boy, right next to a rotting corpse. Grinning, Edward held up his hands for emphasis. "A very good job."

His associate smirked before reaching up and covering his face. With a few motions here and there, a crack and a squish, the unveiled face proved younger. The eyes were now completely white, with only tiny dots for pupils. Sighing with satisfaction, Basil removed the wig. His hairless dome shone in the misty daylight like marble. "He bought it?"

"Hook, line, and sinker." Edward assured him.

"Great." Basil nodded. "Voice wasn't quite right, but, y'know..." He followed Edward's gaze, and his bland features twisted into a sneer. "She's with him."

"I'm aware." Edward answered curtly.

"You know the last time I bumped into her, she gouged out one of my eyes?" Mistaking Edward's disgust for curiousity, Basil continued. "I'm serious, look!" He hit himself on the back of the head. One of his eyes flew out like a bullet. Edward got out of dodge, but thankfully Basil caught the glass eye before it could hit the ground. He held it up. "See?"

"Yes, I do." Edward tried not to look at Basil's gaping black socket. "Now, please put your eye back in."

Basil sighed and complied. "I'll do a lot worse to her when the time comes."

Edward was about to protest when company arrived. Two women. One dark, one light, and both soaked in sin. One was stoic, while the other clapped. Edward straightened as Barbara spoke, her tone dripping with glee. "Bravo, boys. Penguin lost his mind on national TV, just like you said he would."

"It's all about the power of suggestion. Of whispering in the right ears." Edward was all too proud to go over the plan that he'd been putting in motion for nearly a month. Convincing Basil to dress up like Mr. Van Dahl and 'warning' Oswald. Breaking Oswald's framed release certificate from Gotham. Digging up the old man's body. Telling that stupid blonde man to recite a speech to Penguin.

It was all smoke and mirrors. Set up the stage and watch the actors dance about. And the play would soon come to a close.

"Why not just leave the bodies here?" Tabitha asked. "Have him arrested and his fangirl in mourning?"

"That would be far too easy, Tabby." Edward closed the trunk to further erase the notion. "I want this to be a slow, painful death. One of a thousand deep cuts." He glanced at Basil. "And Ruby plays a vital role in that. The final blow to send Oswald over the edge. So she is not to be touched until I say so."

Basil harrumphed. Looking away, he crossed his arms. "Party pooper."

Edward ignored him, instead looking back to his two enemies. Oswald had finally stopped crying, yet continued to wipe his eyes like a child. Ruby offered him a handkerchief, which he used to loudly blow his nose. Then, in a flash of light, one stood where there had once been two. Cobblair, hugging themselves, reclaimed their wings and took off. Edward watched them go, smirking in anticipation.

Ruby had told Mercury about Cobblair. About the fusion of her and Oswald, both physically and mentally. She had even described it when her friend had asked. Thus, Mercury had thought to have a fair grasp on the concept.

That is, until the creature swept into the open window like an eagle.

Screaming Mercury dropped his orange juice. The sound of breaking glass turned Cobblair's head. At first they settled on Mercury as if unsure of who he was. Then, with a smile, they shook their head. "Dude, I've told you: just drink from the carton. You're the only one in this house who drinks orange juice anyway." The voice was just high enough to be a woman's, but still odd and unfamiliar.

Mercury swallowed hard. "R-Ruby?"

"And company." Cobblair, who had since stepped into the living room, suddenly began to glow. Mercury was forced to cover his eyes for a moment. When he looked back at the fading lumiscence, two people were standing before him. Ruby was crashing in the couch, panting, while Mayor Cobblepot leaned against the bookshelf. Somehow, seeing the mayor in person was more shocking than seeing him and his friend combined into a single being. Mercury, wary of the broken glass, knelt before the older man. "Sir."

Oswald smiled feebly at the show of respect. He nodded, allowing Mercury to stand. Then, he hovered over Ruby. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ruby's fingers laced through his as Oswald checked her temperature. Looking up, she offered him a simper. "Just tired. You, make yourself at home. Really." She sighed, closing her eyes. Oswald nodded, pushing her hair back. Mercury's chest tightened. He swallowed. "Yeah, well, uh, it's getting late, so-"

"Merc." Ruby exhaled his name. Compelling him to wait. She forced herself into a sitting position. "Are you okay? And Beryl?"

Mercury cracked a smile. Saluted her. "Don't worry, sweet-cheeks. Beryl's A-OK. She's nappin'. and I'm..." Looking back at the pool of juice and glass shards, he chuckled. "Well, I'll probably be a lil' lacking in vitamin C, but I'll live."

Ruby looked relieved. Lying back down, she shot him a thumbs-up. "Awesome. I'll...I'll be down in time for my shift, promise."

"Good!" Mercury said, "'Cuz there's nine kilos of lapis lazuli down there that needs unwrapping." Pistol-shooting her with his finger, he said, "See ya then. Mr. Mayor." Dipped his chin at Oswald. With that, he left.

Oswald chuckled. "Nice fellow. A bit shlumpy, if I do say so myself, but harmless."

Ruby sniggered without opening her eyes. "'Shlumpy'? Jeez, Oz, who says that anymore?"

"I do." Oswald sat on the couch's armrest. But as he watched Ruby, some of his fragile cheer faded. She was still panting, and some damp hair was stuck to her forehead. He gently brushed them away. "Why are you so tired?"

Ruby shrugged. "Maybe it's just a combination of things, you know? Between taking care of Beryl and work, I haven't had to fly anywhere in a while. I guess that and the fusion wore me out." Sluggishly opening her eyes, she peered at him. How ironic. Unless he lost control, Oswald was a master at keeping his emotions hidden. No matter how angry he could get, he always hid it behind a tight smile. Yet here Ruby was, peeling back the lies and the half-truths until he was completely bare before her. It was both a wonderful and a horrible feeling. To put the cherry on the sundae, she said, "Now. Are you going to tell me what happened on TV?"

Oswald sighed. Looked away.

Ruby's hand, damp and cool like a seaside boulder, seized his. "Oz. I've seen you go on radio and more meetings than I can count. You're great at talking to lots of people. What happened?" Her voice softened. "Please."

Oswald turned back to her. At her gentle, compassionate gaze. It reminded him a bit of his mother's, whenever he'd come home bleeding and in tears. Sighing, he gestured for her to come closer. She did, with his help. Within minutes she had her head on his lap, looking up at him with those big, dark blue eyes. Oswald, smiling in spite of himself, rested a hand on her head. Then, he told her. Everything, from the corpse in the bag to the ghost in the room. At the mention of her dead Master, dug up from his grave and stuffed in a bag, filled Ruby's face with anguished rage. But she calmed down enough to allow Oswald to continue.

When at last he finished, Oswald was on the verge of crying. Yet he pulled himself together. "I know not what I saw," he said, "but the person who did this is dead. Justice is done."

Ruby pursed her lips, and nodded. "I still don't understand why he did it. I mean, where's the motive?"

"He wanted to throw me off-course, lest I look like a fool on television. He most likely wanted to look sane compared to an 'insane' mayor." Oswald shrugged. "I'm afraid I didn't ask for elaborations before I bashed his skull in."

"I'd have done worse." Ruby admitted. She looked up. Seeing Oswald's hazy eyes, she reached out and touched his cheek. It was like touching raw electricity, sending lightning buzzing down her arm. True, they had fused, but they had done it countless times. And true, she was currently lying with her head on his lap. But the two of them had taken on similar positions in the past, especially during movie nights. But touching each other's faces...that was different. So innocent, yet intimate. Oswald snapped out of his thoughts and met Ruby's eyes. "It's over." She told him. "Whomever you saw...it won't happen again. You avenged your father. So he won't come back."

Oswald nodded. "I'll admit, the prospect is saddening." When Ruby frowned in confusion, he explained. "I only knew my father for a brief while. Seeing him again, albeit in spirit form..." He sighed. Ruby nodded, pushing some strands out of her friend's eyes. "I almost envy you."

"Oh, yes. I humiliated myself on national television. I bet you're green with envy."

Ruby rolled her eyes. Then, she added. "You know the press is going to be at your house, right? After what happened, they'll be looking for a juicy scoop on the mayor's psychosis. So, if you were looking for a nice, quiet evening..." She winced.

Oswald leaned his head back. "I'll have my guards shoot them down. I've been meaning to obtain some more fertilizer anyway."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Or, you could spend the night here." When she saw Oswald's expression, she laughed. "Don't worry, Casanova. I'll have the couch ready for you tonight."

Oswald blinked softly at her. "Truly?"

"Truly." Ruby nodded with a gentle smile.

Oswald was quiet for a moment. Then, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. Once again, Ruby's cheeks caught fire.

The laboratory, once so glorious and hideous in its display, was in shambles. The tubes filled with formaldehyde, containing deformed babies, had been shattered. Test tubes had been knocked over. Posters and notes had been torn from the walls.

And Barker, the owner and father of it all, lay motionless in a pool of his own blood. A smoking hole sat between his eyes. The back of his head was a shattered, unspooling ruin.

Edward put down the steaming gun. Then, paying no heed to his latest victim, he began to leaf through the files labeled 'COBBLAIR'. He skipped the trivia regarding their fusion, though he was certain that it may come in handy later. But not now. He was searching for information on Cobblair's components. Or rather, one of them.

Trying not to look at the photos of Ruby prior to receiving Strange's cure, he skimmed through Barker's notes. When he found nothing of interest there Edward, pushing his glasses up, began to read Strange's notes. Or rather, photo copies of them. He read all about the skin condition and its origins. He read about the treatment, and...

Wait.

Edward stopped. Grabbing a magnifying glass, he held it over the sentence of interest. It stared back at him, bright as a star and dark as a black hole.

'During the experimental process, I've learned that poison shuts down Sinclair's new-found powers. Alerting an invasion, her body will focus all of its energy on deterring that rather than keep her abilities in check. Thus, until the venom is cured or expelled, she will have no powers of which to speak. At most, her advanced condition will slow down the poison's effects.'

Edward grinned. "Delicious."