Chapter 35
I'm the girl you've been thinking about
The one thing you can't live without
I'm the girl you've been waiting for
I'll have you down on your knees
I'll have you begging for more
If any of you listen to rock radio you know what this song is, for those who don't the song is Whore, by InThisMoment. The song is about redemption, and climbing out of the dirt that some man has thrown you into and showing him that you're better than him. So of course I'm going to use the lyrics for the next few chapters where Raven is climbing back to a new and improved self. Now, without further delay, ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!
It had been a few days since Raven had come to stay with Ivy and Harley. Since then she had made very little progress at getting better. Of course they were all being forced to stay cooped up in Toxic Acres. So perhaps it was only a matter of boredom that she seemed to be on edge. Either way, it was stressful. Raven narrowed her crimson eyes as she heard Cherie scream as he was chased by Harley's hyenas. She glared as Cherie yowled and jumped into her arms to protect his self from them. She hissed at the two hyenas, scaring them away as she walked toward Harley, who was balancing herself on her hands.
"Harley, your 'babies' have been tormenting my cat," She growled, lifting her hand as it glowed with power, "I'm warning you, one more time and they're cat-chow."
"Aw Lighten up, they're just playing." Harley said cheerfully, letting herself down onto her feet, "Besides, the little pussy could use some exercise. He's looking a bit chubby."
'I am not fat!' Cherie hissed, Raven rolled her eyes.
"Let's see how cheerful you are when the tables have turned." She growled, suddenly Cherie's body began to glow as he grew and contorted into his saber form. Cherie growled, and turned toward Harley's Hyenas. If cats could grin, he would have as he chased after them. Harley stared wide eyed.
"Hey! Cut that out!" She shouted. Raven grinned, placing her hands on her hips and dipping a bit.
"Aw, lighten up. Cherie's only playing." She said sweetly, mocking the tone Harley had just used. Harley let out a frustrated growl, making Raven laugh, "Karma's a real bitch itdnit?"
"Would you two cut it out?" Ivy asked, holding up one of her more tropical flowers, "Harley, learn to control your mutts. Raven, cool your temper. The last thing we need is for people to see a saber tooth cat on the prowl in Toxic Acres."
Raven huffed, blowing her hair out of her face as she crossed he arms. Meanwhile behind them, Cherie Curie shrank to normal size, but still managed to terrorize Harley's pets. Harley ran to them, petting the tops of their heads to calm them. she scowled at Raven who moved toward the plant side of the house. She looked down at Ivy who tended to a large sample of Amorphophallus Titanum*.
"I'm bored…" She grumbled as Cherie purred and jumped into a patch of catnip, that grew next to the stinking flower. Ivy looked up from her plant at Raven.
"Raven, I realize you're still adjusting to life here, and you're still getting over man's betrayal," She said in a forced sweet tone as she stood to meet Raven's gaze, "But let's not get too carried away with your anger."
"I got an idea!" Harley shouted standing up as she moved to her closet and pulled out a red mini dress, "Why don't we get all dolled up and go into town?"
Ivy made a face, "Two of the nations notorious female criminals and a scorned Witch-girl on a shopping spree. Honestly Harley do you think before you speak?"
"Actually, that doesn't seem like a very bad idea." Raven mumbled, "I'm game."
Ivy's gaze shifted between the jester woman and the witch-girl. Finally she sighed and held up her hands in defeat, "Alright. Alright!"
"Yes! High five Witchy!" Harley shouted excitedly holding a hand and moving towards Raven, who gave her an 'I don't think so look' and walked off. "Gee, talk about a party pooper."
"Oh, calm down Harl, let's just be happy she's finally talking." Ivy said, "Now, put on your best clown suit, tonight Gotham's not gonna know what hit em."
~0~
Meanwhile, Nightwing was out on patrol. Things were quiet, well as quiet as things could be in Gotham. There had been only one break in, and it had just been a couple of punks vandalizing. Yup, everything was pretty quiet, and honestly, very dull for the masked hero as he sped down the streets on his motorcycle. So to distract himself his thoughts shifted to Zatanna. She had calmed down a lot since Raven disappeared, and though she still worried, she wasn't so worried to the point of obsession anymore. Even Klarion had taken a slight disappearance since the Gothly dressed teen had gone missing, and whilst he wasn't complaining on that part, he did somewhat wonder where Raven had run off to, and for so long. However slight the concern was.
After all, the last time he had seen the demented girl she had A) killed off one witch-boy, and B) threatened another one with death. Knowing Raven for the short time that he did, he had expected to at least see a trail of destruction that led right to her.
'Nightwing,' Batman's gruff voice sounded from his helmet communicator, breaking Nightwing from his thoughts.
"Here." He said, swerving to miss a trashcan that had fallen over into the street.
'Gotham Mall security is reporting a break in.' Batman said, Nightwing groaned.
"It's probably just a bunch of punks trying to make a name for themselves. We can let Gotham PD handle it, can't we?" He asked. There was silence for a brief moment before Batman spoke again.
'Take care of it.' Then hung up.
"He said simply then just hung up." Nightwing monologued as he turned his motorcycle down an alleyway—a short cut—toward Gotham Mall. When he arrived, he noticed that the evidence of the break in, wasn't done by mere kids. The revolving door had been smashed with a great force, whoever it was had some strength, and upon closer inspection, massive claws. He took a mental bet as to who it was, his biggest bet was Killer Croc, he had the claw power to rip a revolving door off its hinges and leave the marks to prove it. Dismounting his bike, Nightwing went inside to further search for the culprits.
Meanwhile further inside the mall, Ivy and Harley were reprimanding Raven for how she handled opening the door.
"Why not just turn on the bat-signal while you were at it?" Harley growled, Raven placed a hand on her hip while the other scratched the top of Cherie's head as he rested on her shoulders. She gave a slight pout as she narrowed her eyes.
"Sorry, but your hammer was getting us nowhere." She grumbled.
"Still, having your cat go saber and rip the door from its frame is not the most subtle way to enter a building." Ivy said, then placed her hand on the top of Raven's head, "But you'll learn."
Raven shrugged, then mumbled something about going to a nearby clothing shop and walked off, leaving Harley and Ivy to ransack the ATM's in the walk way. Harley looked to Ivy as she tossed a couple seeds into the ATM's card slot.
"Why are you so lenient towards ol'd witchy Red?" She asked as roots sprouted out through the machine and money flew onto the floor, "She's been nothing but a gloomy brat since found her."
"Don't you remember when you were like that Harley?" Ivy asked, "Fact, if I recall correctly you were once just as bad, and still trying to cling to your feelings for the Joker. Hell, you still are."
"That's not true." Harley said, Ivy cocked an eyebrow but said nothing on that subject.
"Anyway, Raven is young and like the smallest of seeds she needs someone to nurture her. Help her grow, and give her the ability to bounce back." She explained, Harley raised her brow.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with your wanting kids would it?" she asked. Ivy glared.
"It doesn't." She hissed, clenching her fist and causing her root to grow even faster, "I just see a bit of myself in her is all. You should too."
"She's too depressing for me to see anything of myself in her." Harley grumbled, Ivy went to speak but was cut off by something whooshing past the two of them. The two fem fatales looked back to see Nightwing standing, boe staff in his hands.
"Well, this is a surprise." He said, "Judging by the claw marks on the door I would have thought Killer Croc was behind the break in."
Ivy smirked and placed her hands on her hips, "You can blame that on our new partner."
"Oh really?" Nightwing asked, "Maybe the three of you can have a nice block party when you go back to Arkham."
With that Nightwing charged at the two women. Harley and Ivy jumped apart, avoiding his attack and returning with a few swings of their own. Harley swung her hammer down, aiming for his head, he dodged and it ended up hitting the wall behind him. The force of the swing recoiling and forcing her to drop her weapon, while Ivy shot arrows from her wrist crossbow, the majority of which missed. Except for one that pierced his left shoulder, the pain of which caused Nightwing to fall over, allowing the two women enough time to run off.
Nightwing stood, gripping the small arrow-like dart, and pulled it from his shoulder. Ignoring the pain he gave chase to the crime duo. He ran until he found himself in the toy store—no doubt Harley's idea to run—he scowled as he kept on guard. There was no telling where Ivy and Harley were in this store, and there was no telling where—or who—their new partner was. A large stuffed animal, fell over to his left, catching his attention. He ran towards it as he saw Harley Quinn climbing up a large carousel-like statue. He followed her up the toy statue all the way to the top, when suddenly Ivy popped up holding a large boxing glove.
"Hello darling!" She shouted, swinging her gloved fist and nailing him in the face, knocking him off the statue. Luckily, he managed to catch himself before falling to the ground. He grunted in pain as he hoisted himself up as one of the toy's parts spun around, revealing Harley with her large Hammer.
"And Goodbye, chump!" She grinned, and slammed her mallet atop his head, sending him back toward the ground. He landed on a pile of plush toys. Harley and Ivy stood over him smiling until Ivy gave a slight pout.
"Aw look Harley, you broke our new toy." She said, then the two took off again.
"Bye-bye birdboy!" Harley shouted, twirling around and grinning as she followed Ivy toward the exit. Nightwing groaned and stood up, reaching for one of his birdarangs, she threw it at one of the cord that kept a large plush bird hanging from the ceiling. The cord severed in half, sending the gigantic plush toy ontop of the duo, rendering their movement. Nightwing walked over to the two and gave a triumphant smirk.
"Looks like your goose is cooked." He said with a sigh of relief. Ivy narrowed her eyes at him and smirk evilly back at him.
"I wouldn't be so quick to declare victory just yet Bat-brat." She said, Nightwing scowled, when suddenly he felt his body flew into the air, then slam to the ground, and pin him there. He groaned and looked up just as a familiar mope of dark blue hair walked up to him.
"Well, aren't you a sight for sore, and bleeding eyes?" Raven growled her voice sounded like gravel. She smirked evilly as she wove her free hand towards Ivy and Harley, lifting the large stuffed bird and releasing them from their bondage.
"What took you so long? Didn't you hear us?" Ivy shouted, Raven frowned and shook her head.
"No, I was listening to music at the sound exchange." She mumbled. She then grinned and raised her hand into the air, and Nightwing along with it. Her curled her fingers into a claw-like manner and Nightwing let out a yowl of pain as he felt an invisible force begin to crush him. Raven's crimson eyes deepened in color.
"Can I kill him now? I'd love to see the look on Batman's face when he find him dead in the mall" She said darkly not taking her eyes off of Nightwing., "How bout I subject you to the kind of pain I went through while because of you men?! Or maybe I should make it quick and brush you right here and now?!"
Nightwing said nothing, not that he could, Raven's aura was crushing his body, making it hard to him to breathe. He saw the look in her eyes, pure rage and hurt. She was willing to end his life without a second thought. He cringed as she then let out a sick, almost childlike little giggle.
"I wonder how Zatanna would react, if I sent you back to her as nothing as a bloody pile of flesh! Do you think she'd cry? Would she hunt me down for revenge?! Or would she be better off without some lying dog of a man like you!? Huh!? What do you think Nightwing!? Do you think I should do it!? Well!?" She screamed, her voice bordering on insanity. Suddenly he felt his body drop, painfully to the ground. Nightwing strained to pull his head up, every part of his body screamed in pain. He saw Ivy grip Raven's shoulders and yell at her.
"Control yourself Raven!" She shouted, she was scolding her. Raven glared up silently at first.
"Why? Why shouldn't he suffer like I have?! Why shouldn't he just die?! He's just like the rest! He was going to hurt you!" She screamed, "Killing him would be an act of justice! Every man dead is one less that'll hurt someone!"
"We're better than that." Ivy said sternly, gripping Raven's shoulders tight. She'd seen anger, and hate for men, but this was beyond anything she had seen before. Raven sounded more like she wanted to eradicate the male populous, one slow and painful death at a time. "You need to control yourself Raven, otherwise you're no better than they are."
Raven glared at Ivy for a while in silence, then suddenly, she broke into tears and hugged her tight. She just wanted her pain to end, she wanted revenge for what Klarion and the other men in her life did to her. She just wanted it all to end. Ivy held Raven close and ran her hand through the young woman's hair gently. She then looked over her shoulder to Nightwing and narrowed her eyes at him.
"Next time, darling." She said coldly, then looked down at Raven who was sobbing. She then said softly, "Let's go home."
Before Nightwing managed to pull himself to his feet, Raven had engulfed herself, Ivy, and Harley is a cloud of black smoke. When he was finally able to stand they had disappeared. He stared at the spot Ivy and Raven had once occupied in disbelief. Raven had nearly killed him, and not because she was angry at the team, but just because he was a man. Raven had cracked, and it was going to take more than the Team to bring her in again.
Would you believe me if I said I finished this in a night?! I did in fact do just that. I started this at maybe 9, 9:30 pm, and I am finishing at…HOLY CRAP 6:38?! I was up longer than I thought! Holy haberdashery batman! Haha ah well (*) It's time to play, Guess That Plant! Anyhow who guesses will get ten points! Here's a hint, also the largest flower in the world. See you later armadillos—unless I see you first! HAHA!