"Computer. Auto-drive on fastest route to Robinson Park."
Within literal seconds of Batman's command his car immediately roared to life and sped off in the direction of the now abandoned park near the center of Gotham City. It had once been a luxurious place at one time where it gave the grimy and dirty city something to praise. Somewhere the light still shined brightly amongst the dreg.
Now it was just as decrepit as the rest of Gotham. Save for one important detail.
"ROUTE TO ROBINSON PARK SECURED. BEGINNING POTENTIAL BOTANIC COUNTERMEASURES."
The robotic voice of the Bat computer added another voice to Batman's cowl as he prepared for the inevitable. On a small screen on the dash near the gear shift was the face of his trusted confidant as well as personal butler to Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth.
"Sir, must you see Ms. Isley at this hour? Surely even she must need sleep."
Batman knew better. "The Gotham Reservoir was recently poisoned by a plant based venom, Alfred."
"And so you're going to bring her in?"
As simple as that might have been to assume, Batman wasn't finished. "It's more complicated than that."
The older gentleman might have rolled his eyes at the man in the driver seat but he was a sly one. "Very well then, sir. I will have your dinner ready...for breakfast."
"Thank you, Alfred."
"As well as rash ointment."
Batman reached for the button to turn off the screen, silently appreciating everything his friend did. "Good night, Alfred."
"And some bandages."
He turned the screen off and it turned to black. Batman cracked a smile for a millisecond before his stern and stone expression returned. He had to have it for what he knew was coming.
Ever since the return of Pamela Isley, more infamously known as the eco-terrorist Poison Ivy, to Gotham City she made her residence in Robinson Park. The locals cried and sued the city for such a move but, through corruption and some legal meandering, Ivy was able to buy her a new home and settle there. She did turn the park into a luxurious place, albeit off limits to all humans. Batman himself had spoken to Ivy a few times since her return but had allowed her stay as long as she kept to herself and not harm anyone.
So far she had kept her end of the bargain, but now she had a house call coming in the form of the Caped Crusader.
Parking the Batmobile a block from the park, Batman entered through the front gate which was left wide open like a Venus flytrap. It was if his arrival was expected. Still Batman didn't let his guard down and kept his arms under his cape within reach of his utility belt, just in case.
The center of the park, according to the blue prints he had memorized, was where a pond used to be and from the intricacies he saw along the way, there was also a small green house left over from the days when the park had been used for relaxation. And as Batman found out when he entered the house, it was where Ivy made herself at home. There was some tables with botany books and other scientific utensils and equipment laid out, but otherwise there wasn't much in terms of furniture save for a large mattress for a bed. The various scents of flowers permeated the air and insects went about their business.
Vines parted just beyond the bed, as if welcoming the man in black, "Come. I've been expecting you."
The sultry and inviting voice of Poison Ivy beckoned to Batman. His iron will prevented him from falling for that voice alone, and yet Batman took his steps beyond the curtain of thin vines and into what could only be described as an oasis. The pond had crystal clear water and flowers of varying sizes and colors, not to mention levels of danger as not all of them looked natural but potentially dangerous. Ivy always had plants ready to defend her if she felt threatened, but since she had allowed Batman to coming into her abode must be a way of her to show she did not feel threatened.
"Welcome back to my home, Batman."
Though his neck didn't move Batman's eyes scanned the area. The heads-up display in his cowl had sensors going all over, ready for a possible sneak attack. His heartbeat remained steady. Then he saw her in the pond. Up to her hips in that water, her forest green skin contrasting with the water. Her long red hair cascading like a crimson waterfall down her shoulders and back. She looked like the personification of the goddess Demeter herself.
Especially when those seductive green eyes found the Dark Knight, ensnaring him like a vine. "A late night rendezvous? To what do I owe the honor?"
"The Gotham Reservoir was poisoned, Ivy."
"So I've heard," said the woman as she strolled to the edge of the pond. Her hips swayed seductively with each step. Foliage covered parts of her chest and hips but she was mostly nude, and her voluptuous curves meant to bend men to her will were bare to all and she didn't care. She got out of the water and strode up to Batman. "And you suspect that I did it?"
Batman kept quiet. He didn't know for certain, but without prying, he could get her to confess of her own will.
Ivy could sense something was off. Despite her affinity to plants over humans she wasn't a fool. "I've been in Gotham for less than three weeks and only now you suspect me of returning to my old ways?"
"I've heard you wanted to turn over a new leaf."
She smirked at that, her full red lips making a seductive smile that even got Batman's attention. "Being away from this hell of a city opened my eyes. Well, that and Harley said she needed help, so I came back." She looked up into the Dark Knight's white lens eyes. "I've been a good girl since then, I assure you."
"I want to believe that, Ivy."
He wasn't lying. In all honesty, Batman knew Ivy had some humanity left in her somewhere but she had tried to hold it down or kill it outright in the years they had fought each other. When he had learned she had returned to Gotham after a year hiatus he had fully expected her to cause trouble the moment she arrived. He had visited her on the day she had taken refuge in the Park, where she told him all she wanted was peace and quiet, and that she wouldn't cause any problems as long as she was left alone. And in three weeks since she had kept quiet, just like she had promised.
Then the poisoning of the water in the reservoir had raised a few eyebrows, and even the GCPD were calling for Ivy to be locked back up in Arkham right away. Only when Commissioner Gordon asked Batman directly to ask Ivy if she was involved did the Dark Knight do anything about it.
There was a bit of hope in his sentinel like exterior for the woman to have become a better person.
"I didn't do anything about the reservoir."
The tone in her voice didn't seem to be hiding anything. Amazingly, Batman felt she was telling the truth. Yet that wasn't the end of it for him. "Then you can help me fix it. If you've really turned, help supply me with an antidote."
She peered down at the titanium plated bat symbol on Batman's chest and touched it lightly. "I'll do that, but I must ask you for something in return."
Here it comes, Batman thought. "What is it?"
"A kiss."
The Dark Knight remained steadfast. "Why." That wasn't a question but a demand. His nerves steeled themselves. The last time she had kissed him, if he remembered correctly, was when he had stopped her from killing the mayor when he ordered the destruction of the Park. That was over a year ago and she had been more vile in her approach then. What could she be up to this time?
Her head ran slowly over his chest, tracing the outline of the bat symbol, "Over a year away and I will admit there are only two things in this city that I absolutely missed. Harley is one, but the other..." Her hand moved to side and, to the surprise of batman himself, rested her head against his chest. "Was you."
His cowl didn't notice any change in the air despite the sweet fragrance she was giving off. He also didn't feel any vines moving on his limbs nor any unusual plant movement beyond his peripheral vision. Still he remained still.
"This hell of a town is like an addiction I fought the entire time I was gone, yet the drug I couldn't get enough of was seeing you again." She looked up into his eyes, "So please, let me have one. Just one."
Again her voice didn't seem to hide any ill-intent, nor did it contain any of her sultry tone she was used to using.
Was she telling the truth? This was not a trick?
Batman decided to take the chance. He temporarily lowered his guard. Ivy sensed it and put her arms around his neck and pulled him to her waiting lips. The heat in her lips surprised Batman for a moment, but he felt their softness and he didn't flinch. In fact, deep down, he enjoyed the sensual feeling. The fact that the kiss of this woman often spelled death for many a man and woman over the years went through his mind, but he hadn't dropped dead yet so she must not be into killing him.
Yet.
Her lips weren't the only thing he felt. One of her legs wrapped around his knee like a vine and her chest pressed against his. To help steady himself, as well as her, he put his armored hands on the small of her back. They so wanted to travel up her skin and it took all of his might to not let that happen.
Yet she had said she wanted a kiss; she had added more in the fine print of the agreement as she continued to kiss him long after the first one. She'd pull away to catch her breath and open her eyes, expecting him to say something but when he didn't respond she returned to doing what she had long wanted to do.
The second time she pulled away however, was when Batman finally lowered his hands and let her slowly side down his muscled frame. "That's enough, Ivy."
Her facial expression was obvious disappointment, if not a bit saddening, and though she lowered her leg she kept her hands on his chest. "If you say so..."
"The antidote."
While she had been indulging herself in her Dark Knight Ivy's plants had done the work of mixing the concoction cure any venom it came into contact with. A vine brought the glass vial to Ivy carefully and she took it in her hand.
"Here you are. A deal's a deal."
The woman put the vial into Batman's waiting gloved hand. He inspected the item carefully and didn't want to doubt Ivy's newfound honesty. Yet he couldn't help but have a tidbit of hesitation. The idea that she might try to kill him at any second was somethign he was mentally ready for, no doubt. He was overly cautious to the point of paranoid in most people's mind, but that was one reason he was still alive and kicking after all these years.
"Thank you Ivy."
She backed away slowly, her facial expression showing some of the sultriness and yet there was a lust in it as well, lust for the Dark Knight as she licked her lips. "No, thank you, Batman."
If there was such a thing as the perfect opportunity to spring a trap it would have been now, and Batman would have been ready for it. But it never came. He had expected Ivy to gloat or talk about something, instead she retreated back to the pool behind her.
"I am glad i got to see you face to face," she said with honesty in her voice. Maybe her words had reached his mind earlier, and while she hoped they did she didnt press for an answer. All she expected was the cold attitude the Caped Crusader gave to pretty much everyone who spoke to him, especially those he considered his enemies.
"Just stay out of trouble, or i'll be back to take you to Arkham."
He turned away from the woman, his cape covering him like a barrier.
When he was out of ear shot Ivy sighed in content. While she had the Dark Knight enthralled, she had done something she had never done before, especially for a man. Seh secretly hoped he appreciated her gift.
Batman returned to the Batmobile, antidote in hand and ready to go the resovoir. He opened the hatch to get into the driver's seat when he saw it. A single thornless red rose in a pot in full bloom.
He almost smiled, "Women..."
