akathegirlonfire started following you
“I terrorize a city on a daily basis, read, watch old films, play poker. Oh! And exterminate bird and bats.”She smiled “So, Joker what do you do exactly?”
“Not very well, the latter. A terrible success rate.”
The Cat's Meow: @riddlersden: Contact
Selina smirked at Edward’s unusual enthusiasm to spending money on someone besides himself, though this was to do with a plan so he might have just been thinking about it like that. But if that were the case, it made her wonder why he’d included her in the first place, he didn’tneedher to make his plan work, he was smart enough to find a hired girl who could easily distract Bruce. That didn’t mean she wasn’t happy that he’d asked her, of course. Turning to the woman, she smiled, resting a hand on her hip.
“What do you have in black?” she asked, immediately the boppy woman was off, expecting the would be couple to follow her. Selina kept up with the shorter woman easily, Edward just behind her as they walked through the entire store. All the way in the back, the woman paraded along an aisle of black brides maids gowns; Selina shook her head.
“Mmmmno…do you have something a little less…” she searched for the right word, “bridal?” Behind her she could have sworn she heard Edward snort, whether it was in amusement or in detest of her choice of words, she didn’t know.
Once again the woman was off, this time down the side of the store, she pointedly avoided the middle where bridal gowns were on display because of the coming warmer months. Spring weddings, there was nothing so cliche in Selina’s mind. Following the girl deftly, they came to an isle of long evening dresses and Selina grined upon entering the isle.
The woman turned to speak and gave her a questioning look, Selina stepped past her. The gown that met her eyes, was beautiful, completely black with a high necked top and no sleeves. It was tight til just at her hips and it fanned out in a ruffled ball gown like skirt. There was a sash along the middle with a simple emerald and diamond ornament, she loved it.
Waving the attendant away when she started talking about the dress being an older model, she completely ignored her and picked it up to inspect it. A smirk crossed her lips when she found it to be just her size. How convenient.
Five minutes later she was standing in the dressing room, zipping up the side with Edward waiting for her to emerge with a verdict. A moment was spend inspecting herself, brushing her hair behind her ears before deeming that she was presentable and stepping out to show Edward.
When she stepped out, he immediately straightened and a surprisingly unreadable look came over his face.
“What do you think?” she asked.
(Source: msselinak)
Edward’s eyes widened momentarily as he looked at her. She was… beautiful. He had seen her in her burglar suit a million times and a million outfits besides but… she was beautiful. It was a detail he seemed to always forget or, at the very least, push to the back of his mind.
He looked at it for a moment before he regained his words. “Nice… emerald. You have good taste in jewelry. It’ll do the trick for this evening. You’ll be able to fulfill your role in our evening chicanery.”
betterwords.Pick. Better. Words.
“I mean… I think well of it. You may have to be able to switch to something more nimble as the night goes on, but as of right now you may or may not look like the first gleam of starlight on on a wonderful night.”
His eyes moved up and down the dress before turning to the attendant. “Well? It fits her perfectly, her date approves, obviously we are purchasing it.”
The attendant stood anxiously, unsure of what to say next. Edward’s face twisted into a smile as he watched her uncomfortable shifting.
“What’s your name?”
“Susan, sir,” she said slowly.
“Is there a problem, Susan?”
“It’s just… you… she… who’s paying for this, sir?”
“Why me, of course.” he scoffed. “My card number is zerooneonetwothreefiveeightonethreetwoonethreefourfivefive… eight.” He waved his hand and turned back to Selina and winked.
“She’s still here, isn’t she?”
He slowly looked at Susan before sighing in mock despair. “I forgot processing such things isn’t common for you lot. Here.” He removed from his pocket a wallet and card, tossing it in her direction.
“Don’t you feel that bringing up money during such a moment is a tacky thing to do?”
Susan looked at the card. “Yes, Mr. Pisa. I’m sorry, sir.”
“Please,” he crowed, “call me Leonard. We’re all friends here.”
Thoroughly distressed, the woman excused herself from the dressing area.
“Where were we, Selina? Oh yes, starlight. Absolutely. Few capture a moment in beautiful nature quite like you do. Excellent. I’m glad you found it.”
The Cat's Meow: @riddlersden: Contact
One minute before the time when she was supposed to be there, a cab pulled up and Selina produced herself from it. She casually stepped out and dug into her pocket before leaning through the cab window and handing off a small fold of three or so bills, it was little more than the man charged and far more than he deserved with how rude he’d been when he’d picked her up.
Stepping back, she watched as he grumbled, obviously realizing that he wasn’t getting a significant tip before pulling away. It was then that she turned towards the shop and she was caught off guard by the man standing in front of it. It was Edward of course, but it didn’t really look like him and she decided that was probably due to the fact that his hair was nigh to black, much much darker than the crisp auburn that she remembered.
“You clean up well, Edward, love…” she said lightly as she came to a stop in front of him, the high heels of her boots clicking on the pavement; oh how she loved that sound.
“I feel absolutely muzzled,” he lamented, running his hands through his hair. “My true features obscured by this shoe ink. It’s disgusting. In fact, I’m having second thoughts about this entire affair. The idea of robbing a Gala without my face on the forefront of my efforts? It seems like a waste.”
He opened the door for Selina, nodding as she walked through.
“Flanagan’s Finest, my dear Selina. The very height of fashion and class for the dignified of Gotham. People need a small fortune just to be allowed through the door. Come now. This time, it’s on my card.”
Holding out his arms widely, he exclaimed. “Get whatever you want! Tonight will be a night to remember!”
An attendant approached the apparent couple. “Ma’am, can I help you?”
As she waited for a response, Edward picked a stray hair from his sleeve. “Don’t keep the lady waiting, dear.”
The Cat's Meow: Contact
Laughing and rolling her eyes, she set the advertisement down on her desk and placed a paperweight on it. She hated to admit it, but she’d missed him on more than a professional basis, she’d missed their talks, the playful banter, sneaking into his hide out just to annoy him. Looking at the clock, she noted that she had only half an hour before the allotted time and moved to get dressed. Nothing particularly impressive, jeans, a turtle neck blouse and a cropped jacket, but for some reason she felt dressed up.
Normally she was wearing a skin tight leather body suit and a mask around Edward, to be wearing street clothes to go find a dress really was strange. On the other hand, they might have been going there to steal anyway, so she undressed and put the bodysuit on beneath the plain outfit. Then she was off.
At the front of Flanagan’s Finest, Edward stood quietly. His hair was dyed black, the same color as his suit. He frowned and pulled back his left sleeve, checking his watch. She would be late in ten minutes. Unusual but not entirely surprising.
After a moment, a representative of the store stepped outside.
“Excuse me, sir?”
Edward turned his head slightly and raised an eyebrow at the man. Silence hung for a moment before the employee continued.
“Is there something with which I may help you?”
Raising a gloved hand, Edward pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. After a moment, he spoke slowly, emphasizing the first word of each sentence.
“Call me crazy, but I was under the impression that I could stand where I wanted. The nation is free, after all? Police states don’t run this ruin just yet, do they? Before you say anything else, listen closely. I have no need of your inferior clothes and am only here for a friend. Rob someone else’s time. Your assistance isn’t needed today. Store your idiotic mumbling for someone whose class is low enough to be interested in your business.”
The employee’s face twisted before he let out a sigh and walked back inside.
Once more, Edward checked his watch. He couldn’t bear hiding his identity as if the drooling drones of Gotham had any right to judge him… as if there were any legitimate reason to hide.
If he couldn’t show off his true face, however, he was going to drain every drop of satisfaction he could get from outwitting each and every person he found. Bitterly, he checked his watch again and considered other ways he could find outlets for his intellect…
The Cat's Meow: @riddlersden: Contact
Selina read the article over three or four times before deciding to go through with it. She trusted Edward, she really did, but there was a reason that she’d never robbed Bruce before, she knew who he was and exactly what kind of surprises that his mansion held for unknowing thieves. As it was she and Edward were going to have to deviate from their normal routines, Bruce would smell her coming from a mile away.
Ginning as an idea bloomed in her mind, she flicked on the light and hurried to her desk on the other side of the room. Paper was pulled out, as well as a pen, nothing so personalized as what Edward had sent her but it would do.
The note that she wrote then read as follows:
“Some careful planning is going to have to be taken in this matter, I think the best approach is the direct one, would you care to go dress shopping with me?” Putting the note into an envelope, she sealed it, put on lipstick and kissed it before handing it to Isis.
“You know what to do” she said with a smile and taking the envelope, the cat was off.
The next day, Selina’s mail would contain an advertisement ripped from its magazine. The page contained the image of a woman in an emerald, strapless dress, low cut in the front. Next to it were the words:
“Done. But what will you wear?”
On the back was an hour and address, the latter being to Flanagan’s Finest, the store front of Gotham’s foremost fashion deisgner.
msselinak asked: She is sleeping when the cat brings her an emerald green envelope, Isis set it down and meowed at her, making sure she was awake before nudging the letter to her. Selina's sleep soaked eyes fall on it and she yawns as she picks it up, inspecting the light green cursive on the dark emerald envelope. There is no question who it's from and as she hadn't heard from the sender in weeks, she drug herself from her bed, sat up and opened the envelope. "Edward..."
Edward sat at his desk, his green jacket hung on the coat rack behind him. He considered what to write. It had been weeks since the heist. Weeks since contact with her. The plan had gone well. She had her reward and his name was once again known in the Gotham underworld, and yet…
… the unwritten letter would be addresed to her. He didn’t know what to say. A thank you? He owed her no gratitude. It was his genius that had completed the plan. “I miss you”? Submissive, weak, and mewling. Unacceptable.
He looked around his room as he considered what he was doing. Writing to her? Why? What purpose was there in it?
No, it was irrelevent. He put his pen down, as he had many times before. Lunacy had almost overtaken him. Relieved he had stepped away from the paper and returned to clarity, he began to read the newspaper.
Old news. Some mysterious unknown something or other. “Boring,” he yawned. “It’s obvious who stole the diamond… cops can be so blind…”
An article about homeless rates increasing in Gotham.
“Darwin’s validations get no pity from me.”
And then one article… one that was decidedly different. A smirk curled up on Edward’s face. He had his race. Taking scissors to the paper, he looked down at Isis who contentedly drank from a saucer of milk.
“Isis, you disgusting flea smuggler, you may have a mission…”
——
As Selina opened the envelope, she would see no words from Edward. She would, however, see a very direct and unmistakable offer from the Riddler. An offer in three pen strokes.
In the Local section of the Gotham Times, front and center, was an article on a party being held by billionaire Bruce Wayne. The word billionaire, specifically, was underlined three times in green ink.
“This is more important, tomorrow is my day off anyway…”
Is there a situation where I’m not more important? I leave you alone for just a while…
Selina.
Hello.
excellent
And how are you this evening?
find her. she is not where i left her. find her.
deliver the message.
you know who you are and you know what the message is.
say it.
