𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐃𝐨 𝐖𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥?

"In her eyes, the weight of the world,

Yet in her heart, a spirit unfurled,

For beneath the webs, a mortal's plight,

A life intertwined with a balance of light."

As soon as Penny Parker's bare feet hit the ground she began to run. Her speed was not on par with the Flash, but it was evident by watching her that she was in no way an ordinary human. There were very few people out on the streets, but those that were did not spare a glance in the teenager's direction. The pitch-black sky was void of stars. The only light was from the flickering street lamps. Penny knew she needed to find a place to reside for the rest of the night, at least until the sun rose and the chances of her being mugged lessened. The teenager skidded to a halt before what looked like an abandoned building.

It was an old tailoring shop. The windows were boarded up and the space where the door once was completely covered by slabs of wood. Penny could faintly read the sign hanging above. 'Needlework Nirvana' was written in what she could only assume was once blue paint. With a brief glance around to make sure none of the remaining people on the streets were watching, Penny began to climb up the brick wall where there was a gaping hole. She scaled it with ease and crawled into the second story. The floorboards creaked beneath her weight, causing Penny to panic that they may give out beneath her. She froze, waiting for the inevitable ‘crack’. It never came. The girl breathed a sigh of relief and took some time to look around. There was essentially nothing there, save for an empty desk, a beat-up radio, and a sewing machine. It did not matter to Penny. It was a place for her to safely sleep and that was enough.

She stepped over to the corner of the room and sank down until she was on the floor. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and her arms were wrapped around her legs. She closed her eyes. She was no longer in the dangerous Gotham City in an abandoned tailoring shop. She was in her and May's apartment in Queens, engulfed in one of Mr. Stark's MIT sweatshirts.

Sleep enveloped her fast.

▀▄▀▄ ••••••••• ▄▀▄▀

Gotham City Public Library was an Elysium to Penny. It took her approximately one hour and thirty minutes before someone pointed her in the right direction and another half hour before she reached her destination. The building was vast, with lion statues carved out of stone in front. Penny clambered up the dozens of steps and inside. The warm air had the teenager breathing a sigh of relief. Thousands of books were stacked on wooden shelves, the sight causing Penny to broadly smile. Until she remembered the task at hand.

Find the computers.

Penny glanced around, stopping when she saw a woman seated behind a desk. Her hair was red. Not Pepper Potts red, but Natasha Romanoff red. She was also confined to a wheelchair, one that looked entirely too expensive for someone living on a librarian's salary. Penny brushed away the thoughts and approached the woman.

"Excuse me?"

Barbara Gordon had been working for hours on end. Only a few people had entered the library throughout the day. None stayed long and none initiated a conversation with her. She was startled out of her trancelike state by a meek voice. She looked up to see a teenage girl, no older than 17 years, standing there, wringing her hands nervously. Her clothing was the first thing that Barbara was drawn to. The trousers she wore were tied around her waist by a piece of rope and looked leagues too big for her. Her white T-shirt was stained with dirt and what she could only assume to be blood. And her shoes. They were a pair of black dress shoes, obviously designed for a man with much larger feet than the teenager before her. There was a hole in the front, covered by what looked like spider-webbing. Barbara managed to get over her shock relatively fast and flashed Penny a kind smile.

"What can I do for you?" She asked, shifting her attention from the girl's clothes to her face. Penny was pale, not so much so that Barbara was contemplating calling an ambulance, but enough that she was worried. A stark contrast to the white skin was the dark purple and yellow bruise on her cheekbone. Barbara's worries only increased at this sight.

"I was wondering if you have computers that I could use?" Penny questioned, noticing the librarian's eyes flitting between her poor excuse of clothing and her wounded face.

"We do!" Barbara confirmed, her light tone slightly calming Penny's nerves. "They're right over there." She pointed over to the corner where a row of computers were lined up.

"Do I need a library card?" The mutant queried, hopeful. Barbara saw the almost excited look in Penny's eyes and sighed.

"Look, I'll cut you a deal." Barbara began. "I'm going to give you my card to use, but you're going to have to promise me something, okay?"

Penny nodded her head.

"After you're done you and I are going to head down to the lost and found and try to find you some warmer clothes." Barbara negotiated. Penny faltered at this.

"But that's someone's stuff. What if they come back for it?" She asked, causing Barbara's smile to soften.

"If someone comes looking for their things I'll remind them to be more careful in Gotham." The woman said. Penny with some hesitance, agreed to the terms. At that, Barbara handed over her library card. "You'll need to use the code on the back to sign in."

"Thank you," Penny spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. She then retreated to the computers, taking the first open seat. She began to rapidly type on the keyboard, quickly signing in and immediately going to the search bar.

Spider-Man

0 Results

Avengers

0 Results

Penelope Parker

0 Results

Penny ran a hand over her face her anxiety rising with every single search. She was aware the multiverse existed, especially after her escapades with the two Peter Parkers and Dr. Strange. When she asked the master of the mystic arts to erase everyone's memories of her she was not expecting to be thrown out of her universe and into another. Yet, here she was. In Gotham City with no money, no home, and no suit.

Pulling herself from her panicked state, she focused on the task at hand. Her most important job at the current moment was to make an identity for herself.

Ned had taught her everything he knew about hacking over the years of their friendship. And, at this moment, she could not be more thankful he did. Breaking into the Social Security Administration was entirely too easy. It took her just over ten minutes to create an identity for herself. She took a deep breath before going to the search bar once more.

Penelope Parker

1 Result

And just like that, Penny Parker was born.

▀▄▀▄ ••••••••• ▄▀▄▀

It was closing time when Penny was finally finished with her research and hacking. The Parker girl now has a birth certificate, social security number, and email. The sun had long since set and the streets were dark once more. The teenager noticed that the red-headed librarian was beginning to pack up her belongings and quickly shut off the computer. She was hoping to escape without being noticed. This hope was swiftly crushed like an ant beneath a heavy boot when Barbara's voice rang out.

"Don't think I've forgotten about our little agreement."

Bashfully, Penny turned around to face the woman. She suddenly blurted out a question that had been on her mind since the negotiation was made.

"Why are you helping me? You don't even know my name."

"Because you're a kid," Barbara stated, dragging the lost and found box out from behind her desk. It was filled to the brim with belongings from a water bottle to a flashlight. "And no kid should have to live in Gotham without at least a winter jacket."

She tossed said red winter jacket over to Penny, who caught it with ease. Before she was given the chance to protest a long-sleeved shirt, pair of shoes, and knitted hat were piled up in her arms.

"Barbara."

"What?" Penny asked, confused.

"My name is Barbara." Said woman introduced herself as she shoved the box back to where it belonged. Penny looked between the pile of clothing she was given and the librarian.

"Mine's Penny."

"Well, Penny," Barbara began, rolling towards the door with the teenager chasing after her. "What brings you to Gotham?"

"Is it that obvious I'm not from here?" Penny questioned with a light blush on her cheeks Barbara would be the second person to ask her that question in the span of 24 hours.

"Definitely," The librarian confirmed with a serious nod of her head. "And besides, school isn't out for winter break for another three weeks and you're here in the middle of the day."

Penny's curiosity got the best of her.

"What schools do they have here?" 

"Well, there's Brentwood Academy, Gotham Heights, and Gotham Academy," Barbara listed off as though she had done it a million times. "If you're looking for somewhere to go I would recommend Gotham Academy."

"It sounds expensive," Penny muttered. It did not matter though as Barbara easily heard. The woman's eyes lit up as she remembered something.

"On Wednesday there is going to be a test for the Wayne Scholarship. It would cover tuition, uniforms, supplies, and even lunch."

Penny paused. Going to school would ensure safety for at least during the day and if she were to get the Wayne Scholarship she wouldn't have to worry about a meal. With a decisive nod of her head, she looked at Barbara.

"Do you have an address?"

▀▄▀▄ ••••••••• ▄▀▄▀

Bruce Wayne was rarely confused. They did not call him the world's greatest detective for nothing. Yet, at this current moment, he was exactly that. There were no leads on what stopped the Joker that night and the only thing anyone had been able to get out of the clown was that dreaded nursery rhyme.

Dick Grayson was completely and utterly terrified. With webbing like the one they saw it could only mean a spider. And a giant one at that. Ever since he was a child in the circus he was fearful of the 8 legged creatures. This fear in no way disappeared with age.

Tim Drake was excited. Before the webbing dissolved he was able to run a few tests on it. The tensile strength was off the charts. Just the small bit that was brought to the cave was able to stretch across the entire table. Not even a knife was able to cut it. Whoever, or whatever, created this was someone Tim wanted to meet.

The three vigilantes all knew one thing, however. Whatever was strong enough to take down the Joker was a threat. And threats must be dealt with, one way or another.