Beauty and her Beast: Subchapter 2

With baited breaths he wiggled the small hard sting loose disregarding the small hiss that came for his patient's side before removing the blood covered point inch by inch. Are you sure you don't need to go to a doctor? He asked removing the three inch barb from Harley's side.

Harley nodded clenching her teeth together against the slight sting when he dabbled more of the alcohol onto her wounded side. I'm sure, Im immune ta most toxins and all of the ones Red produces. She explained holding her shirt above her rib cage.

Seated atop a Save-mart store roof Batman wrapped a gauze around the jester's curvy side, he ignored the fact that she had broken into the store below them to get the supplies needed to doctor their injuries, they would pay for the stole items later. There. I hope you know what you are doing. He stated fastening the clasp.

Actually I don't, but I'm not the type who can just waltz into a hospital, get treated, and walk out with a lollipop. Now sit down so I can play doctor on ya. She forcefully parked him down where she once sat and moved the medical kit to her side easily within her reach.

Taking a deep breath he braced himself as she pulled one of the four shards of glass from his shoulder blade. Ow! Can you be any rougher? He demanded out of reflex.

Quit your whinin' ya baby. Harley hissed from behind him though her handle of his treatment became more cautions and tender.

Well since we're here do you care to explain to me how thatthing is Nightshade? He asked his long awaited question.

He felt her surprisingly gentle touch pause against his suit; she was frozen behind him that he could tell without even looking. He's like that cause of me. She spoke in a low tone that drew his head backwards to see the face that went with it. Within a blink of an eye the drooping expression plastered across her face was swept away into one of a small forced dark smirk. Ok, this all started when me and Chris were out at this bar plannin' our next job. She stated regaining herself and went back to the task at hand.

What the hell is it wit' people interruptin' me while I'm talkin'? Chris, Christopher Isely, better known to ya as Nightshade! Ya know my boy toy the green illegal South American native guy who controls plants and all that junk? Anyway, bout a lil' over a week ago me an' Red are out at this bar, ya know the one on the corner of Princess and Orange Ave, plannin' on our next hit when this guy in a fake Italian designer suit comes strollin' up to us. He causally buys us each a drink and talk 'bout a job offer. Now we were gonna just take the drinks and run but he made a pretty good offer.

He flinched as the third piece of glass was removed. What sort of offer?

What did I say bout interruptin'? Harley asked before pushing her thumb into one of his cuts smiling pleasantly when a loud hiss was drawn from his lips. All we had to do was break into this placeBiotech, Agritech, well something like that and get a sample of some stuff and deliver it back to him. Well the next night...Red and I break in, with minimal damage mind you, take the case of test tubes then leave just like that. She snapped her finger next to his pointy ear.

Um brace yourself. She warned seconds before a stinging sensation ran over his senses. Sitting down the bottle of alcohol Harley proceeded with her tale. So we go to this place to make the delivery, some old house up in the Eastside of town, we walk in and wham some bastard clocks me in the back! She had abandoned his back and began pacing about waving her hands in emphasis to her story. I wake up I-don't-know-how-many-hours-later strapped downon a table! The punks set us up! First they used us to get the stuff, then they were gonna use us for lab rats!

Lab rats?

Yeah, inside the box was bout four tubes of this chemical stuff. Ya see the guy who hired us, our own Bobby English, was once the head guy of this project involving this chemical at the place we had robbed. He develops this stuff and tests it and tests it and test it until finally he gets up to testing it on people but his funds were cut off.

So he had his own research department robbed so that he could test it on people illegally yet still remain in the clear. What was it meant to do?

Harley sighed taking a seat before him her vivacious eyes tinged with concern gazing into the whites of his. I think increase a person's body strength, like steroids but without the harsh side-effects, very hard to detect. But that's not important, back to what happened. Um where was I? Oh yeah the jackass is about to inject the stuff into me. I guess he was the ladies first type o' gentleman. But I'm laid out and strapped down frettin' like a baby when- Harley's eyes drifted slowly down onto her lap.

When Red- Her voice was as low as a whisper faintly carried by the gentle winds.

Nightshade told them to try it out on him first so youd be spared for the time being. He finished for her.

Yeah. But there was one thing they sorta overlooked. Red ain't no normal person! He's not even a mammal anymore! The solemn look on her face quickly passed on into one of livid rage. His body starts doin' funky things and the next thing I know all those plants starts growin' outta him like a frickin' chia pet, he started screamin' totally destroyin' the place! He kept getting' worse and worse, until he's that thing out there.

Batman sat still on his seat on the rooftop allowing the information to digest in his mind. The entire situation has turned making things all the more complicated. He couldnt just destroy the Beast now that he knew it was a human beingalmost. And with her going about she wasn't about to let anyone harm him even if it meant sacrificing the entire city so that he may live. He had to find away to reverse this, but that wasn't possible unless he could somehow get a sample of the chemical he was exposed to.

He asked taking a firm hold of her shoulders. This is very important, you said there were four samples right?

Good to see ya were payin' attention. Harley sighed. What bout it?

How many did they use? He asked his fingers gripping tightly onto her shoulders, his anxiousness visible both in his usually stoic face and body language.

Harley's brows came together with curiosity. That night, only one. But I think another one was destroyed when Red was bustin' free.

So where are the other two? He asked.

Harleys eyes drifted upwards as she tapped her index finger lightly on the side of her cheek. English had kept them in his jacket pocket. But sticky fingers me, She reached into her sleeve removing the narrow containers. Stole them when he was bolting.

Batman carefully released her, his eyes focused on the pink liquid in each unmarked tube clutched between her gloved fingers. He said, I think we may have a chance for a cure.

Harley smiled broadly before flinging her arms around him in a bone crushing hug that lifted him off his feet. I knew I could count on you! She squealed in a high pitched voice squeezing her arms tightly around him. Oops sorry, old habits.

After the spots had ceased to dance before his vision he reached within a small compartment of the utility belt clasped tightly around his waist producing a small ash colored rectangular device. This is a communicator, He said holding it up for her to see. Be careful its very delicat-

Harley interrupted him by snatching the communicator from his fingers. With careless curiosity she inspected the contraption shaking the small thing roughly in her hands before biting down onto the corner. Whatcha givin' me dis for? She asked bouncing it up and down as she flipped her hand from palm up to palm down.

Batman sighed; in all the years he had encountered her she would always remain the same. For me to contact and find you. I am going to see if I can come up with a cure from the liquid in these, He stated holding up the test tubes shaking the mysterious substance within before pocketing them. You look tired, go home and get some rest. We'll meet tomorrow night Nine PM, or if the Beas- I mean Nightshade should attack again.

Harley nodded in agreement, for a moment he though this was the most cooperative he had ever seen her since meeting her almost four years ago when suddenly he found himself staring once again at the barrel of her favorite toy.

Her usually cheerful demeanor faded into one of grave solemnity as a deep foreboding voice seeped from clearly her mouth. Ok then, I'm trusting you to help me save my Red. But if you should fail me I swear I will hunt your miserable bat want-to-be carcass down and blow your damn knee caps off from beneath you. After that I promise I will slowly torment you until you are within inches of death before shooting you in the head and feeding your bloody corpse to the sharks down in the aquarium. I hope that I have made myself perfectly clear.

Just as quickly as her dark disposition had appeared it vanished into Harley's trademark grin. In a graceful series of tumbles she landed, balanced in a headstand on the roofs border. G'night Batsy. She called before falling over the side of the building vanishing from his sight.

The blush of morning was just beginning to break over the horizon when Terry McGinnis, free of the suit for the night, stood looking onto the stoic face of his mentor. The silence between them was awkward and unsettling, as if they were in a standoff in some old spaghetti western. Oddly enough they had been like that since he took off the mask twenty minutes ago.

Taking one deep breath Terry, unable to take it any longer shattered the silence with his voice. Ok, go on and say it. I shouldnt have allowed her to get involved. I shouldnt have trusted her as must as I did and I really shouldnt have let her into the jet.

I don't need to since you really have the general idea of what I'm going to say. But be careful, Harley Quinn taught her so you don't know what she will not do. Bruce warned from his seat before the large computer screen.

I don't know, Jest isn't really like Quinn. I mean comparing those two, Jest is more independent and she isn't gaga over the Joker. Terry pointed out.

Bruce sighed looking over the vials he had been giving to convert into a cure for the flora based criminal. You're wrong; she's very much like Quinn.

How so?

She's in love. He stated quiet shortly. And she'll do anything for him, even at the cost of her own life. I should have something ready by tonight.

I'm counting on you. Terry stated before heading up the narrow stone stairs leading out of the dismal place known as the Batcave.

The red digital numbers flashed from 4:59 PM to 5:00 PM, Beep-beep-beep. Beep-beep-beep. A rapid pulse chimed into the shell of the sleeping woman's ear. Slowly one eye cracked open in a murderous glare at the inanimate object disrupting her much desired sleep.

It is a know fact that many of people in the world are not morning persons; usually they awake slowly in a grumpy and irate state until they had somehow rid themselves of their groggy state. Harley Jest wasn't an exception. She wasn't just grumpy and irritableshe was homicidal. Something, the buzzing timer was soon to find out, she did not discriminate in.

Before another sets of beeps could be let loose the small timer was clasped in a delicate hand that squeezed together crushing the plastic body silencing the accursed wail. Pitching the digital timer carelessly over her shoulder she sat up from her curled position bumping her head roughly against the wooden seat edge. She didn't even notice when she had fallen asleep in the botanical garden's gazebo but she knew she must have really needed it. Her search to find her beloved partner in crime in the only place she could think of finding him thus far had proved fruitless and her fatigue state was only hindering her efforts. Finally she had convinced herself after a long talk to her own reflection in a public restroom mirror; which drew many of confused stares, she decided on an hour's worth of sleep.

Yawning, her squinting eyes looked about the waning sun in the distance, it would be dark soon, and something that went against her. She wanted to find him at rest, that much of her plan she knew, what was to happen after she found him.she'd work that out as she went along.

Before slipping away in the park she had made a quick stop at their home to feed her pet hyena before he took it upon himself to find it otherwise and also to change into something that wasn't battle-worn. Pulling on the jacket's hood over her head Harley walked hidden among the so-called normal people whistling thoughtlessly to herself as her eyes scanned about for anything that did not belong in the gardens, it didnt help that a large number of exotic plants were scattered about the entire grounds.

Dammit, dammit, dammit! She cried jumping up and down in an all out hissy fit drawing a few curious glances, I've circled round this stinkin' place twice and I haven't seen anything interestin

A small Harley Quinn figure with horns and a shot gun appeared on her right shoulder while a young nine year old version of herself appeared on the other.

Well seeing that pigeon fightin' a squirrel over a pizza crust was interesting. Her younger self argued in a soft innocent voice.

But I still haven't found anythin' and I know he's here! She whined stamping her foot in emphasis as she continued to mentally argue with herself.

The Quinn figure stretched looking about the park with fevered eyes and her fingers itching to shot at something. How do we know hes not down at a garden show eating up all of the flower freaks? She asked spotting an over fed pigeon. Curling her tongue over her top lip she fired.

Nice shot. He has to be here, he just has to. The park is Red's solace and he always end up here eventually. But I've looked everywhere from top to- Her words were slowly drawn to a cease as her eyes settled on the ivy covered storm drains.

The nine year old Harley Jest squealed before vanishing.

Quinn scrunched her face in a look of disgust. She has the right idea. I'm outta here.

Aw man, Red. Why do this to me? Harley wondered looking into the sky.

Night was less than thirty minutes from swallowing the day with its inky darkness, or as dark as it could possibly get in the city. And once the sun went down the Green Beast came out.

This was something that every once in a while made itself known in the mind of the jester as she walked through the foul smelling pipelines, the beams her flashlight cutting through the murky darkness catching sight of rats, trash, and graffiti.

The din of the world of humans above was muted by the dirt and cement, the only true sounds present in the claustrophobic space was the repetitive drips from the drains and her bagged feet upsetting the swallow waters. Of course Harley's deep-seated personality could only withstand it for two minutes.

Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew? Cover it in chocolate and a miracle or two Forgetting herself for the moment she jumped from foot to foot in an impromptu jig. The candy-man can, the candy-man can, the candy-man can cuz he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good. She sang twirling on one foot.

Who can take to-what the heck did I just step on? The beam of her light glowed down on an elongated object floating in the mucky water. She moaned with disgust trailing her light along the body of the unknown thing up along the pipe wall.

Her wondering eyes soon changed into one of relief as an impish passed over her darkened face. On the other side of the light secured on the wall in a Christ-like position by the limbs sprouting out of his on pale green skin was the one known as the deadly Nightshade.

Without a thought she ran deeper into the ivy like limb covered pipe, unaware to the fact that for some reason they did not attack her, until she stood face to face with her unconscious lover.

It was the worst she had ever seen him, his lovely bold red hair grown out to fall in subtle curls on his shoulders laid disheveled and plastered across his round dirty cheeks now a pastel color of lime. Though he laid at rest, gathering solar energy by way of his trailing attachments his chest rose and fell roughly in labored breaths.

She asked rubbing her hand lightly over his cheek smudging the dirt against his skin. Strawberry cheesecake?

For a brief moment weary eyes, an unsettling iridescent color of bottle green, opened looking beyond her as if she were as translucent as the air about them. Harley felt hope swell within her breast before deflating as his eyes closed once again.

Pooh? Man dingo? She asked her voice quickening with the impatiens as she called him by various pet names. Dammit Red git up! She hissed striking him hard against his face.

The sound of skin striking skin echoing throughout the pipeline was soon interrupted by the soft hiss of the outstretched limps withdrawing back onto the lethargic body of Nightshade. Harley stood watching as the once resting face looked up onto her, green eyes bleeding red as the inhuman scream she had come to know screeched from her beloved's mouth.

Whoops-a-daisy, guess I shouldna done that. She laughed nervously to herself.

Standing ankle deep in the foul murky waters she could do nothing else but stand helplessly and watch the limbs recoil around her lover's body hiding him from the world in a plant like cocoon surrounding him in darkness.

His mind ever confused relaying souly on an animal instinct he ever refused to believe dwelled within his being, he was unaware that as his branching vine like limbs returned his partner and love had became tangled within the web of his vines. He did not hear her cries or feel her struggles against him. All that he knew was an instinctive need to go topside and feed.

End Subchapter: 2

Harley: Next time of the Misadventure of Moi and Nightshade: Beauty and her Beast the final chapter ensues. Can Batsy and I get Red back to normal before English knocks off the both of us? I hope so.