A New Generation (Complete)

Chapter Two

The cafeteria was packed as usual. Penny waist in line with Opal.

Opal gages and pinches her nose. "Ugh, I can smell the tuna from here. Nasty."

"You're a goof. It's just dead fish. No one is making you eat it."

"Good, because I won't."

The two get to the front of the line and each pick an egg salad sandwich. Penny would have grabbed tuna, but she didn't want her friend to vomit all over her.

They found a small round table by a window and sat there. Penny looked out to the courtyard; the flowers looked dead and unpleasant. No wonder no one wanted to sit here.

"So, want to come over after school?" Opal asks between bites.

Penny focuses on her friend. "Wish I could. I have scouts."

Opal groans. "Seriously? When aren't you busy? Between scouts and ribbon dance classes."

Penny giggles. "You're in my ribbon dancing class."

"Still. You're always so busy. You'd think your parents were trying to keep you out of trouble or something," Opal teased.

"Oh please, what kind of trouble could I get into?"

Two boys walk past the table, carrying trays of their own. One of the boys trips, and while attempting to regain his footwork, dumps his tray on Penny.

Penny's eyes widen as food and drink dirty her blond hair and soak her baggy white shirt. She looks up at the dark haired boy. His apology doesn't reach her ears.

"Do it." A voice whispers. "Punish him."

Penny grabs her bottled juice, opens the lid, takes a sip, and then spits it out at him.

Someone yells "Food Fight!" and the room breaks out into cayuse. Junks of food fly across the room.

Tuna lands in Opal's hair. She screams and ducks under the table. Penny follows. "Why'd you do that?" Opal demands.

"You told me to," Penny accuses, curling up small so she won't get hit again.

Opal picks chunks of tuna out of her hair, making a gage face. "I didn't tell you to do anything. You did that all on your own."

The principle storms in and demands that students stop throwing food. The room goes quiet. "Who is responsible for this mess?"

Penny peeks out from under the table to find nearly everyone is pointing at her. She stands quickly and points to the dark haired boy. "He started it!"

The principle's face twists into a scowl. "My office. Both of you."

Penny sighs, slumps her shoulders, and walks though the quiet cafeteria. She steps into the hall.

"All of you, get out of here," the principle orders before leading the way to his office.

Penny follows, her gaze glued to the floor.

The boy walks next to her, wiping his face with his shirt. "You have some temper, huh? I wasn't expecting you to retaliate." He chuckles.

She ignores him.

They walk into the principal's office. The brunette man sits on the opposite side of the room, behind his desk. "Don't bother sitting, this won't take long."

Penny scrunched her nose. They were a mess, of course he didn't want them sitting in his nice chairs.

"For your reckless behavior, you are both going to endue detention. Starting now, and ending when you finish cleaning the cafeteria. I want it to sparkle."

"But, our classes," Penny speaks up.

"Be lucky I'm not adding this to your permanent record, Miss Green." He leaned back in his chair. "Although I suppose your father could clear that up real fast, am I right?"

Penny bit her lower lip.

"I have soccer practice after school, how long will this take?" The boy complains.

"Depends how fast you work. Doubt you'll make it to practice." The principle picked up the phone, "now get to work, I have to call both your parents to tell them you'll be home late."

Penny swallows and leaves the office. She drags her feet as she heads back to the now empty cafeteria.

Opal waits outside. "Hey, how bad?"

"Have to clean until I die." Penny sighs. "I'll see you later." She walks inside.

~~~

Penny cleaned in silence. Even when the dark haired boy, who introduced himself as John, tried talking to her, Penny refused to speak. The custodians helped for about an hour before going to do their separate duties. It was after six by the time they finished cleaning.

Penny changes into her scouts uniform in the girl's change room, then goes to her locker to gather her books. She smiles at the note left by Opal.

Grabbed you your homework. You're welcome. See you tomorrow. –Opal

Penny sighs with relief. "What would I do without you?"

"Probably have more fun." The voice from before whispers.

"Hello?" Penny calls. "Is someone there?"

The halls echo her question. No one answers.

She takes a breath. "I need to get more sleep." She stuffs her homework into her bag and closes the locker. Penny leaves and heads towards her scout meeting. With luck, she might make it on time.

The city streets were dark, but far from quiet. Cars drove past, lighting up the dim streets for seconds at a time.

Penny walks past an alley, but stops when she hears a crash, followed by yelling. She looks down the alley, curious. Shadows move around in the darkness. Penny steps forward, sticking close to the alley wall. She ducks behind a trashcan and peeks out.

Penguin and Two Face stand in the alley with a red haired woman dressed in orange.

Penguin smirks, "We told you we'd get you out, Ivy. Now, where's the loot?"

Poison Ivy brushes a strand of red hair out of her face. "Loot? I haven't a clue what you're talking about."

Penguin jabs his umbrella at Poison Ivy's chest. "You promised diamonds."

"Oh, did I?"

A vine brushes up against Penny's foot. She looks down and watches as it grows towards the trio. Penny jumps out from behind the dumpster, "Look out!"

The three of them look towards Penny, but the vines jump out and wrap themselves around Penguin.

Two Face grunts and makes a run for it.

Poison Ivy hisses and walks towards Penny. "Little girl, how dare you interrupt the big kids when they're talking."

Penny straitens her back. "I-I'm not afraid of you."

The red haired woman leans in, her face inches from Penny's. "Oh, really?" dark green eyes travel Penny's face. She frowns. "Have we met before? You're eyes... They're quite familiar."

Penny swallows. "No ma'am. We haven't."

Poison Ivy smiles. "Ah, oh well." A vine lashes out from behind Poison Ivy and hits Penny, knocking her to the ground.