Branded by Fire
(Character Origins Competition Entry)
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the DC Comics franchise. I do not own any of the characters depicted apart from my own original characters, nor do I share any of the beliefs the characters in this story express. I am not profiting financially from the creation and publication of this story.
Although Ekaterina 'Katya' Deltora has no memory of her past life, a curious Calculator did some in-depth digging. When Katya was a child, she could manipulate fire. Fearing her, her parents, along with other experiments, cut her open and embedded dozens of tiny crosses under her skin in an attempt to 'bind' their daughters soul to her body but kill the demoness who had trapped her inside.
By the age of twelve, Katya's parents, so sure that their daughter was gone but unable to kill the 'lookalike' abandoned Katya in the Narrows. Forced to join a gang to survive she quickly learnt how to take care of herself. And other's. One day in a back alley, Katya came across a cold and starved child. Taming her to her touch, Katya bundled the child into her capes hood and took her with her across the rooftops of Gotham. Katya cared for this child, doing everything she could to take care of her. That child grew up to become Poison Ivy. After years together, on a job they ran across another. Catwoman. Since that first competitiveness the three's destinies became intertwined.
All the kids Katya looked after, as either side of her alto ego, never had to turn to prostitution and were never cold in the middle of a Gotham night. Katya built herself up to become a social worker and sent Ivy to school.
Years later in the destroyed city, Ivy has the opportunity to 'pay it forward' what Katya did for her as a child. She cared for Harley Quinn when she was left abandoned and near death by the Joker, the two becoming close.
When Katya loses all her memories due to Brainiacs exobytes Ivy and Harley take care of her, with cameras belonging to Calculator following her every move. Brainiacs machines gave her a minor healing factor and the ability to create fire, not just manipulate it.
Katya has no memory, no secret identity and no limit.