AN: This ended up being more of a filler chapter than anything containing proper story stuff, but it sets up and establishes some things. It also provides a couple of instances of Nova interacting with people and being reminded that she isn't as all-powerful and invincible as she thinks. I've taken some liberties with the layout of Arkham Asylum - it's mostly based on the game's version - but I've added some things here and there to make it work better with the story. Don't worry, we'll be seeing Ivy again soon! For now, enjoy the mayhem.

I had it all,

But not what I wanted,

'Cause hope for me was a place uncharted,

And overgrown

The island has devolved into an inevitable cesspit of mayhem. Inmates swarm about, breaking, killing and destroying whatever or whoever they can get their hands on. Nova navigates her way through the dark, winding corridors that the signs along the way tell her should lead her to the main entrance to the building she's been incarcerated in for the past year. As she goes she is followed by echoing screams, laughter and conflict - but her fellow inmates know who she is, what she is - and so they grant her a wide berth, pushing their comrades out of her way as she strides past them.

There's an office in the little vestibule-like area that houses the entrance to the Intensive Treatment Centre. The door's locked, but Nova can see a comprehensive security system inside and a lever that looks like it might unbar the grand doors in her way. She wrenches the door to the office from its hinges, tossing it off to the side and paying no mind to the random lowlife that gets pinned under it when she does so. They yell and their fellow thugs come rushing over to help them. It's of no concern to her, she's in - immediately to the left is that lever - but what catches her attention is the large map pinned to the wall above the computer. It looks to be an overview of Intensive Treatment, different areas given codes and colours for the sake of categorisation. Nova's eyes are drawn instinctually towards the newly implemented Maximum Security wing where she had been held until just recently; it's coloured a deep red and written over the outline is a code.

MS: 167-183

Her brow furrows, eerie green eyes scanning over the rest of the map as she ponders the logic of this code-based system. Towards the bottom right is a small note that reads: NEWBIES: CODES = AREA + PRISONER NUMBERS.

Nova hums a single disconcerting note as she bends over the computer and takes her time to type a random code into the program that had been left open on the monitor when the guards on duty had presumably run for their lives. Hitting the enter key takes her to a file that corresponds with the string of numbers, displaying a picture of a person she recognises.

Prisoner #167: Emilia Lopez

Oh, hello puppet. Nova disregards the rest of Emilia's file, having gotten what she'd needed from the woman days ago. Instead, she ponders what her own prisoner number could be from between 168-183, eventually just shrugging and typing the numbers in sequence until her own mugshot appears on the screen. She grimaces at it, scrolling down to read the rest of her file - it's the expected stuff - murder, attempted mass genocide, possession and distribution of illegal substances, illegal use of bio-weaponry (she supposes that she must be the bio-weapon in question) and boring old assault. It does please her to see they've labelled her danger level as high - it's nice to be recognised once in a while.

With a little of her pride somewhat restored, Nova goes to reach for the lever but remembers a certain debt she still owes to The Riddler and his right hand woman. She groans, reluctantly returning to the computer and the horrible sensation of the gentle hum of electricity in her fingertips as she prods clumsily at the keyboard.

But where is Dead Switch even being kept? It can't be anywhere too far from Nova's own cell, because the two of them always arrive within quick succession of each other for Sidekicks Anonymous meetings - it's Harley who gets wheeled into the room last, having been carted over from wherever it is they keep the real lunatics in this place. So, by that logic... could Dead Switch even be in the same building? She's definitely not in Maximum Security - Nova knows that much to be a fact - but then the question is where... and even if she does figure it out, who's to say she and Nygma haven't been freed already? The Joker had made it sound like he'd just let everyone out, set them all free to roam as they pleased.

Nova tries to remember if the last she'd heard, Riddler and Joker had been on good terms or not - thanks to the embargo on any talk pertaining to the Sidekicks Anonymous members' bosses, that sort of thing was never touched on - so is it likely that Joker favours general pandemonium and mischief more than his own unchecked pettiness? Perhaps it would be easier to just find Harley and ask - Joker had said during his little broadcast that she would be running around the island with a certain list - and if she can find out if Ivy's name is on that party-list... she'd be killing two birds with one stone.

Unfortunately, The Joker's very nature means that wherever he or Harley is may also be where Batman happens to be. By design, it seems obvious that this whole thing is just another game that Joker's envisioned to be played by the two of them - greatest nemesis and all that - but the question remains...

A figure in the busted out doorway to the office catches her attention in her periphery. Nova tenses, straightening from where she had been leaning over the computer to face Batman himself. He simply stares at her, gaze probing and untrusting in equal measure.

"Get back in your cell. I won't ask again." It's an order Nova has no intention of following. Batman remains in the doorway, a solid blockade between her and the double doors that lead out onto the island. She places a hand very slowly on the lever, not daring to break his gaze.

"Have you seen Harley?" Nova questions, disregarding his previous order entirely.

"No. Get back in your cell, or I'll do it myself."

"I don't think you have the time right now." She muses, airily, inspecting the nails on the hand she doesn't have hovering over the lever.

"I'll make time."

"Fine, if you won't tell me about Harley, then how about Ivy? Have you seen her?" Batman just stares at her by way of response, evidently done with humouring her now. Nova sighs, knowing she'll either have to bluff spectacularly or fight. "Well, what makes you think Joker won't just let me back out again? Lock me back up all you want but without access to the main security system there's no way of knowing whether I'll just be set free again."

Surprisingly, this actually seems to work. Batman turns his focus to the ground in thought for a second before returning his stormy attention to her with a new scowl on his face.

"You associate with Quinn. Did she tell you anything about this?"

"No, you know how she is... the only time she won't blab on and on about something is if it's one of Joker's big plans. I had no idea this was coming - might have been nice if I had. Wouldn't have... accrued certain debts trying to escape on my own." Nova muses in response, not really caring if she's giving too much away given the current circumstances.

"Then you're of no use to me." Batman growls, surging forwards suddenly to take up a bruising grip on one of her wrists and yanking her away from the lever - her hand slipping from it easily in her shock. She attempts a counterattack but he's too quick - producing a pair of reinforced handcuffs from... somewhere - and wrenching both of her arms painfully behind her back. He drags her over to a sturdy looking pipe that runs from floor to ceiling in the corner of the room and loops her arms around it, locking the handcuffs around her wrists where they meet on the other side of the pipe. Nova struggles furiously, shouting "no, no, no!" - but it's too late, and Batman withdraws from her unscathed, unfathomable eyes watching as she panics and attempts to wrestle her hands out of the cuffs behind her back.

"You can't leave me here! What if-" She begins to beg but he cuts her off.

"I'm going to block off the doorway. I'll be back once I've dealt with Joker."

With that, he's gone. Vanished. True to his word the open doorway is promptly blocked off with debris and various objects in the area.

Nova struggles to get free for what feels like hours, eventually sliding down with her back leant against the pole to sit on the ground. There's no point - even if she does break the pipe out from it's place she'll be forced to drag it around with her until she can get the handcuffs off. She doesn't know what they're made of, but it's strong - stronger than she is, for sure - Nova has no choice but to stew in misery and wait.

Eventually, she hears a voice. It's unmistakable, and it's close.

"I'm tellin' ya, sugar! I don't know - she's not... no, hon, I know you said-" It's Harley, her shrill voice getting closer and closer to the shitty little office that Nova's stuck in.

"Harley!" She yells, a newfound energy surging through her at the new promise of escape.

There's a brief patter of running footsteps and Harley's face appears on the other side of the nearest window, grinning widely. "There you are!" The glass is bulletproof, so it's no surprise when Harley swings her bat at it only for the attack to rebound uselessly against it. "Gee, that's impractical. What if there's a fire, huh?" Harley tries to hit the glass harder and fails.

Nova knows that tone. "Don't start a fire."

Harley giggles, shaking her head exaggeratedly at her through the window. "Don't be silly, not a fire! Just a little... explosion, that's all! A teensy weensy explosion, just to show this stupid glass who's boss."

"No! If you're going to blow up something no matter what, make it all the shit in the doorway. The stupid Bat blocked it up to keep me in here. He's more annoying than that glass, right?"

Harley makes a hmm sound, finger tapping against the side of her head as she thinks. "Yeah. He is more annoyin' than glass! Let's just... do this..." Harley disappears, heels clacking against the ground as she walks over to the obstructed entrance to the office. There's a brief quiet wherein Nova swears she can hear something mechanical whirring.

There's a short tinkle of music and then a high pitched maniacal cackle - Nova recognises it as one of Harley's little music boxes - and then the far side of the office explodes. It takes out a lot more than just the doorway, the blast fully decimates at least a quarter of the small structure and all Nova can hear is a prominent ringing sound for a minute. Harley skips through the smouldering archway of rubble created by the "small explosion" she'd promised, dressed from head to toe in what looks to be a modified take on a nurse's uniform. She looks... really good and Nova finds herself distracted by Harley's long legs for a second before she regains the sense to shake it off, inching her way around on the pole to present her hands to Harley.

"What's Joker doing, by the way? Is it just general mayhem this time or is there some sort of bigger goal here?" She mutters as Harley examines the special handcuffs.

"Hah! Can't tell ya that, Flo - my lips are sealed on this one - but I'm sure Mistah J will be happy to spill the beans over tea! I've been lookin' all over for you, y'know... he's thirsty and he don't like waitin'." Harley's whole demeanour is good natured and bubbly but nothing she's saying makes any sense.

"Tea?"

"Sure! J wants to have a nice chat with you over a cup! You're lucky, y'know... he's never had tea with me." Harley stands straight, hands on her hips as she glares at Nova's hands. "This is so typical of that maniac - where does he even get this stuff? I swear he used a pair of these on me last month and the only thing that- oh!" Harley suddenly scampers off, leaving Nova alone in the ruins of the office. Once again, she's left no choice but to wait.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Harley skips back into the room brandishing a chainsaw. It's decorated in the way all of her personalised items are - black and red with various little obscure details added in gold marker or in stickers plastered all over the non-lethal end.

"Oh, no." Nova breathes.

"Relax! I ever cut any of your limbs off before? No, that's right! Mistah J wants you to be able to lift a teacup when you get there so don't you worry - I'll make sure you're all present and accounted for. Now keep still." Harley revs the chainsaw as she approaches and Nova resists the prominent urge to whimper - there's an aura of pure mania exuding from Harley in this moment - and Nova's completely at her mercy.

It takes them another fifteen minutes to realise that not even the chainsaw is going to be able to break the handcuffs, and their only option - subsequently - is to cut out a section of the pipe that Nova's attached to, and work from there.

Harley's surprisingly careful with the whole process, though she does giggle dementedly as she wields the offending weapon - but Nova remains unscathed as she'd been promised - and eventually Harley's able to cut out a section of the pipe and slide it out so Nova can get free. Her hands are still cuffed behind her back but she's able to walk around now and roll her shoulders. Stiff arms protest against the motion but her back thanks her, some of the tension rolling away as she stretches despite the contortion it requires. Harley watches proudly, chainsaw held casually on her shoulder. It occurs to Nova that she's probably expecting some gratitude of some sort, and though it physically pains her to provide any, there's no doubt she would still be stuck in this dingy little office for hours without Harley's help.

"Thank you, Harley." Nova forces herself to say.

Harley beams. "Don't sweat it, kid! Now get that lever- oh wait, you can't... I'll pull the lever, and then we're off to tea! Come on!" She does so, unbarring the huge double doors to freedom and leads the way, dancing ahead as Nova does her best to keep up with her arms forced behind her back.

Open your eyes like I opened mine,

It's only the real world,

A life you will never know,

Shifting your weight to throw off the pain,

Well you can ignore it,

But only for so long