Fire and Ice [Slow Updates]

Chapter Eight

I'm really sorry about the sudden lack of updates, but I've been so busy right now that I have hardly any time to write.

There will probably be no more daily updates, but I'm thinking about weekly updates, which will probably be a bit more manageable.

-

There was a moment of silence after Batman spoke, and I struggled to comprehend why exactly my sister's name came from his mouth. However, his next statement gave me chills.

"I thought that you were dead."

I was dumbstruck, but I did my best to recover, choosing to play the amnesia card. I wouldn't usually lie, but I wanted to know why Batman thought that my sister was dead, without scaring him off.

"Sorry, amnesia. Refresh my memory, please?" I did my best to imitate Penn, down to her little unconscious movements.

Batman nodded. "That makes sense. That fall..." he shook his head as I stared at him. "Hopefully you won't have the same reaction as last time."

"Last time?"

Batman nodded. "Yes. You see, your boyfriend got between myself and a few thugs, and things... didn't turn out so well. When you found out, you were absolutely furious. The next time you saw me... well, you attacked me, and I didn't realize who you were, or why you were attacking me. The fall killed you... or so I thought."

"Fall?" I copied Penn's move, tilting my head.

Batman nodded. "I... attempted to stop you by sweeping your feet out from under you, but we were on top of a building... and you fell. I thought for certain that the fall had killed you."

I was silent for a moment, struggling to comprehend what I had just been told, and then it hit me. Batman killed my sister. My insides felt as if they were both melting and being frozen inside of me. I didn't know how to feel, but I completely hated the man before me.

I felt sick, and furious. Slowly, I looked up to meet his gaze. "You asshole," I hissed, taking a step forwards. "You killed my sister."

Batman took a single step back, and I could tell that he was realizing that Penn was dead, and that this was her fraternal sister. The only difference between us was our eye color, which was why everyone called us fraternal.

I launched myself at the man, my fists pounding against what unprotected skin I could find. "You killed my sister!" I shrieked, tears coming to my eyes. "You asshole!"

Over my sobbing and punching, I heard a voice behind us.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

I spun around, my cheeked still wet. At the flash of green hair, white skin, red smile and tattoos, I immediately knew who it was.

I wasn't sure if I should be scared or in awe. Behind me, Batman stepped forwards, attempting to push me back with his arm, but I shoved him away. "Don't touch me!" I didn't want his hands on me at all. I despised the man that everyone praised.

The Joker clicked his tongue in his mouth. "You heard the girl, Batty. She doesn't want to be touched."

Batman glowered at him. "Stay back. You have no business here."

The man with the green hair shrugged, tapping his index finger against his chin. "Well, nothing else seems to be going on, so..." He gave us jazz hands, smiling. "Here I am!"

Batman took a step forwards. "Leave, before we fight in front of this girl."

"I'd like to see that," I snapped.

Batman turned to face me, his face stony. "Leave, Penelope."

I turned on him. "I'm not Penelope, that's my sister, who you killed." I spat the last few words as harshly as I could, hoping that he would feel the effect of the damage he had caused.

Batman turned back to the Joker, who stood in front of us silently as we had talked. "Leave."

However, the Joker chose to ignore his command. "So, let me get this straight... you killed this girl's sister, Penelope, and continuously mistaken her for Penn?"

Batman opened his mouth to reply, but I cut in. "Yes, that's exactly right. And, he killed my sister's boyfriend too. That's why my sister attached him, and he never thought to see why she was attaching him. I guess he attacks first, and asks questions later."

Joker nodded, his face sympathetic. "Yes, I know how that is. Every time I come into town, he attacks me, without even asking why I'm here or what I'm doing. Doesn't seem like a good guy anymore, huh?"

I shook my head, agreeing with a man I shouldn't be anywhere near, let alone calmly conversing with. "Not at all."