+...Okay, I'm pretty sure he knows we had sex,+ says Brilliance.

"'Kay," says the Joker.

+I dunno. I mean, I wouldn't, and he's me, but he's not exactly specifically the same person that I am, so... I dunno?+

"Rainbow?"

+...Uh, 'cause you asked me not to?+

"So you did," the Joker says agreeably. "Slipped my mind."

+Both.+

"Nope!"

"Cool. Are all the known worlds worlds with mes or are there others?"

"Ooh, there's tons more. There were about seventy linked to Downside, and only a sprinkling of 'em had Bells - they checked. Queenie's from one of those, and Ghosty's from another, unconnected one. And Milliways is always fulla people and most of those don't turn out to be from the same worlds if you ask."

"Wow. There is so much stuff to do," marvels Bella.

"Is that, like, a catchphrase or something?" laughs Bella.

"Nah. But only a Bell would hear about hundreds of new universes and see her to-do list unrolling down the hall." He makes an illustrative gesture that sends an illusionary scroll bouncing across the floor, trailing incomprehensible scribbles.

Bella laughs. "What do other people do when they hear about new universes? Knit?"

"And maybe, if they're feeling adventurous, decide to go visit one someday."

Bella chews her lip idly, trying to process this minute droplet of ambition. "Huh."

"Me, I like Milliways, but I don't feel like taking a great big tour of the multiverse."

"I'd argue with you, but while I'm confident of my ability to share the multiverse with eleven others of me - ten if we can't fix the one Brilliance found, I guess - I think maybe it's best if we stay unusual in our motivations."

"You're not gonna convince me," he says. "The Bell game just ain't my cup'a tea."

"Which is good, because it sounds like you have an awesome symbiotic relationship worked out."