Happy Readers! My holidays are over with. Sad face. But, I'm onto a new semester and another whole week away from school! Oh the joys of senior exam exemption. The few perks my school offers to upperclassmen. More time to work on my lovely story for you all.
P.S. – I'm glad the Rapture didn't occur at midnight New Year's Eve. The world can't end. I have plans.
Live long and prosper.
"Ivy, you know why we're here," Batman affirmed in his bass voice.
"Oh, come to blame something naughty on my plants? Oh they're only children Batman, they will learn eventually."
"He's talking about that chemical in Ace, you green witch."
"My plans are secret and most assuredly exclude you, although if you wish to be allowed a pass, I'm sure we can work something out." Ivy threatened.
"Don't leave me out of this," Josephine interceded.
Batman narrowed his eyes at his most dangerous foe's daughter. "Josephine, I didn't know you were a part of this."
"Oh you know how it is, always nice to work for the family." Her eyes flew to Ivy.
Robin stepped forward and away from his protector. "You little bitch! I knew you were up to something."
Josephine cocked her head and grinned mockingly. "Boy Wonder! So difficult to take you seriously in all that pigment. You may want to ease the color palette. My father wouldn't be too happy to know someone else is challenging his style."
Robin too another step forward with a fist. He growled at the Clown Princess. "Don't challenge me again or I will beat your wild mind back to sanity."
"Honestly? Is that truly a promise?"
Robin nearly sprang onto her before his mentor interrupted.
"Enough! Josephine, you stole guns out of the armory at the Falcone docks and from Gotham's private armory in upper state. You have ten seconds to tell me what Joker's planning."
Her eyes widened. The upper state guns? No one with a sane or insane mind would try to touch those! It was far too risky. "I may have touched some dock guns, but never the private armory. That's a death wish."
"There is evidence to prove otherwise."
"What? I've set foot near it!"
Batman did not take lightly to it. Either way, she was coming with them. "With or without your consent, your crimes have extended past tonight. You both are coming with me."
"Oh it's back to me again, Batman," said Poison Ivy in her low tones. "How thoughtful. However, there's not going to be a rendezvous tonight. You see, once you take that chemical from that factory away from it, it becomes a dangerous device that can control the senses and physical movements." She gasped. "Maybe even their minds. Ever heard of that, dark knight?"
Batman narrowed his eyes. "It's not going to work, Ivy, don't even try. It's been isolated."
"Oh, but you see, it's not the isolation that makes it work, it's the contact. Once a human has touched the chemical, I can control them all I want. Watch it work." She gestured to Robin who in the events of conversation had elapsed into a seizure.
He shook greatly, unable to control hos movements any longer. His limbs vibrated as if struck by lightning. Foam trickled down his mouth and onto the gold "R" on his chest plate. Josephine found herself grinning uncontrollably at the sight of her foe as his protector knelt by his side and tried to restrain him. It was to no avail. But then, he stopped. Batman tried to wake him but Ivy decreed her plants hold him back. Unable to fight their strength, He collapsed in their embrace.
Josephine observed Ivy as she held out her hand, as a ready puppeteer and waved her hand up. Robin stood, legs wobbling. A dull expression covered his face, mouth numb from the toxins. Josephine watched him as keen as a child watches a puppet show. Now, the magic would begin.
"You see, Batman," Ivy moved her hand forward and the boy walked toward her in his zombie like state, "he is under my control. Not even a poison kiss needed to do this. There is nothing you can do to stop him."
"Only stumble around, Ivy? That's hardly going to help you in your work."
"Oh, but you have to wait for him to ripen. You cannot pluck a rosebud from its stem before it blossoms." Her visage darkened. "In fact, you should never pluck it at all."
Robin collapsed onto the mossy ground again. The two smirked. The men of Gotham were helpless. As much fun as she was having, it was time for Josephine to take her leave. Plus, she had to remember to gather her little souvenir before she left. She turned away.
"Why Josephine, you aren't staying for the show?"
"No offense Ivy, but somehow, someway, the Bat is going to escape and I'm going to be long gone before it happens. I have faith in you to keep him tied up though. I cannot say for how long. You may want to take that vacation sooner than planned. Oh, and hats off for giving me the cheering up I needed with Robin's little performance."
Poison Ivy stood with a smile spread across her face. It swiftly changed to contempt when her gaze wandered back to the Bat. Her eyes went cold with feminine scorn. There was a great deal of surprise as to the Bat being able to stay in one piece and not melt under the fixed stare. As much as Josephine might like to stay, under the circumstances, she thought it best to leave as speedily as possible. Reinforcements might be at hand, and she did not want to stick around for that brawl.
"No, Ivy I think I'll be going," she did a once over of the greenhouse, finding the nightshade, "but before I do, I think I'll go ahead and take –"
Crash. The roof of the greenhouse cracked open more, allowing the chilly air to seep into the sauna like jungle. Josephine shivered, as did the plants as they lay on the ground, seeping in the warmth absorbed in their sweet earth. Two more figures emerged from the mossy sea they landed in. Josephine recognized them immediately as her own two guards. Happiness filtered away at the physical sight of their disobedience.
"Josephine, what are these two doing here?" Ivy's voice lowered an octave. Vines swirled around her protectively.
Fists gripped at her side. Here in front of Ivy? They made it look like she couldn't keep them under control. What was Ivy to think of her? She gnashed her molars. "I thought I told you two not to come in unless I gave you an order?"
As the two fought their way from the miniature bog, Ink summed up his reasoning in few words. "The Nightwing is here!"
The Clown's daughter dropped her anger. "Oh, that is a good reason. Where is he?"
"Coming down the last tower. He's almost here."
"Wonderful, back up." She rolled her eyes, very impolite, she knew, but it was certainly an excusable time, she told herself. Fingers unclenched but took to tapping her hip in anticipation for a plan. Improvisation was supposed to be a parlor trick but at these stressful times, it was difficult to summon such a valuable talent. What was she to do? She wasn't about to get thrown in Arkham Asylum, that was for sure, and not allow her two men to end up in their cells at Blackgate.
"If the first Boy Wonder, is on his way, let him. I'll take care of him."
"I know you could, but the problem is, numero uno is probably leading reinforcements –cops, detectives, you name it with him." When Ivy didn't seem too swayed with the police attempt, Josephine added, "Poison Control will also be among them. Do you want your babies to suffer because you wanted to take him on?"
Ivy stiffened. Her plants levitated around her, swaying with her emotions. She stroked and cooed to them. "What do you have in mind?"
"Why not let me give you some assistance. It's the least I can do since you let me see," she gestured towards Robin drooling on the floor, "that." She faced Ink. "You know, you could probably hold off a good many of those cops. But, your main precedence is to lure Nightwing away. As long as he doesn't get to the hideout, they won't know where Batman and Robin are. Do you understand?"
He swallowed loudly. "Perhaps, but if you want me to, mistress, I will." He gave a small bow. She nodded at him.
"Good. That's settled. Ink will help defend your boundaries. You're in luck, Ivy. I'm not giving you the one who could burn down all of your plants." Eyes flickered to Firetongue standing quietly near her. The green light bathed his face in its mystical glow. Small scars scattered over his face appeared more prominent. He diverted his gaze. She forgot he did not like to have the spotlight put on him. "I'll go ahead and leave then. Good luck, Ivy."
She and Firetongue walked towards where the hatch was. A quick glance behind showed Ivy directing Ink where to go to avoid killing any of her "babies." Swiftly, she snatched a pot of the Nightshade and issued her Firetongue do the same. With some hesitation, he picked up a pot and vigilantly followed her out of the greenhouse.
The two strode down the south end of Gotham without a care. Firetongue kept checking their backs for any followers but Josephine was dead set on getting the supplies to where it needed to be.
So, she thought, Ivy knows my secret now. She walked with certain rigidity, pondering over what have come over her to betray herself like that. Ivy is like an aunt to me. She's practically a sister to my mother. Why shouldn't I be able to trust her? Because you can't trust anyone in this town. You never know when someone is going to stab you in the back. She closed her eyes, sighing heavily, -praying that Ivy would have the heart not to relay anything that she held in confidence to anyone –not even Batman, especially not him, he could tell her father. Then what would happen to Professor Crane?
He would get the chair again, she decided. Yes, that would be his fate, and all thanks to her.
Her glance fell to her side. She was glad of the assistance by Firetongue. It was nice not to be so alone. Once in a while, there was a good henchman, and he was 'tongue. She admitted she liked him because of his silence but there was somehow a mutual understanding between him and her she could not lay her finger on. Whenever she was around him it was like he understood her. She wouldn't venture to say it was anything like a psychic connection; those powers may not exist between non-powered people. Although, there was that "plant empathy" Ivy had. She did have powers, though. Perhaps it was something similar. Anyhow, she was grateful for the company.
"It's not so wet out at the moment. Wouldn't you say?"
He blinked at her. Yes. She grew more and more competent with his body language. It was very easy for her to tell what he mind said in its silenced voice.
It was hazy if he or Ink knew her secret. She made sure to keep her life with the Joker and with Scarecrow, separate. She did not know how they would take her "betrayal" so to speak. They may not even care. They should not care. As long as they worked for her, they shouldn't give a damn about who her employer should be. Nevertheless, she was not sure of herself much anymore. One minute it was Joker, the next, the professor. It felt like morals were growing on her. She shouldn't care, but she did. Morals were not something henchmen were very well known for. Then again, she wouldn't consider Ink and Firetongue henchmen. A guard fit the bill for the title.
"'tongue, I'm going tell you something that you may not really like, but I may not care if you do."
He kept staring forward as they walked.
"The Joker's hold over me in my life in wearing thin." She paused. How to say it… "I honestly don't know how much longer I'm going to be under his control." She waited or some kind of facial response. When she got nothing, she continued. "But, there is someone else who may be better for us. Someone who might give a damn about whether or not we live or die. Someone like…"
Someone like whom?
"Someone like Professor Crane."
His eyes leveled on hers. He squinted at her and cocked his head, like he wasn't sure of this. Then his head set straight and he nodded profusely, lips pinched together in stress.
That is why you made me collect the plants. It's for the Scarecrow, is it not?
She nodded and turned away. "Yes, that's why we appropriated the plants. It's for the fear toxin formula. I agreed to get some for him." She waited for another response. His lips stayed in that stressed position. His face did not move at all.
Josephine decided that she didn't care that he cared about blood loyalties. She stepped forward, the same grim expression overcasting her face and took the plant from him.
"I might have thought you'd follow me anyway I chose, 'tongue. I suppose I can allow myself to be wrong, regrettably in this instance." She slowly nodded a goodbye to him.
She backed away from him and began her walk. There were still some things she needed to get and she was going to take them with or without Firetongue.
Her pacing echoed down the dampened streets. It wasn't until the third block she reached, that a frenzied pattern of footsteps followed her. Looking behind, there was no one. That knowing feeling of dread chewed away. Someone was near and it may not be a well-meaning assistant. She listened to the sounds of the night. Where she was, there were not many people out. Signs over dirty bars buzzed with electricity of pictures. The lights surrounded pictures of cheap beer, wine and whores. These were the streets she grew up on. It was a moment when she thought to herself, is this really where I want to be in twenty years?
Being in Gotham with new sets of clown goons every day for her to slaughter week after week, although it was one of her fondest passions serving under her father, did not come off as glamorous as her twelve year old self once though it to be. It was fun with her father, mother and herself taking on the bat head to head, but now that it was down to two, and…Jack, she never thought 'three is a crowd' to be a more accurate saying. She was not even sure if she wanted to compete with him. It seemed easier to just walk away and never come back. Then again, that wasn't her nature. She wasn't sure if she could do just that and be one hundred percent okay with it. Nevertheless, she was tired of thinking in the same circles.
The rustling happened again. Whatever it was, it was footsteps. Someone was following her. She whipped around, a slight hope igniting that he might have changed her mind. She shouldn't have cared, but she couldn't deny the simple fact that she did. Firetongue was nowhere to be found. Her hand slipped into the knife holder. Whoever it was, was going to be extremely sorry they every messed with Josephine Quinzel tonight. She winced at the pain that ached in her head from over-analyzing everything.
A shadow scurried overhead. Josephine neared the building and waited for another sign of the tailor. He would make another mistake; it would be his last. She crouched down and waited for another sign before she launched herself on the gutter drain toward the roof, but before she did, a loud thud beside her happened and two men grabbed her from nowhere. The attack was so sudden, she dropped her knife. The men were burly, muscled, the perfect candidates for mindless henchmen. She thought if she were to sneak a hand near a throat if she could manage. She twisted out of reach but they only slid a leg beneath her and held her on the ground. There was apparently no escape. These men were not the common crop. They were specially trained. He squirmed under their hold but they had her legs pinned down too. She feared the worst.
They spoke to each other in Italian. Bits she could make out. She was proficient in the language. All that time with the Falcones paid off. "Scusi, scusi!"1
"Chiudere su e non dovremo dolerla."2
"Chi l'ha assunto? che ha assunto lei? Mi risponde!"3 She kicked and kicked but they had a strong hold over her.
"Essere tranquillo, la principessa di pagliaccio!"4
They lifted her and began to carry her off. But, surprises came in heated packages.
A ring of fire burst forth, knocking down the men and Josephine with them. They sat up and patted their flaming legs, wincing and cursing as they did so. She saw Firetongue around the corner walking her way, mouth lit up. She dodged the men's grasps and went for her knife, slicing the arm of one as she did. He screamed in pain.
"Teaches you to mess with the mistress of a fire breather, huh boys? Carnies don't take too kindly to messing with their kin." Josephine's bragging was not entirely called for, but she did not care. She was glad to see him again. Even though he may only do it out of service for himself.
The men stood, one yelled at the other, who was cradling his arm. "Prendere la ragazza. Uccidere il ragazzo. Il capo ha detto che abbiamo bisogno di suo vivo."5
"'tongue, I don't think they're in the giving mood. Take the second one. I'll finish off Bright Eyes."
He nodded and sucked in as much oxygen as he could and blew are hard as he could right to left.
Josephine ducked and dodged the cut man's reaches. His face was set on intimidation, but it wasn't fooling her. Years of training with the bat had taught her that punks were punks and could always be taken out. She dodged and faked, dodged and faked. It was a dance. And someone always lead, someone always fell. She faked right and the man dodged out of reach long enough for her to nail the blade into his gut. He inhaled sharply. Taking no chances, she twisted the blade cruelly. The man bellowed out, blood spewing from his mouth as he fell over, hands wrenching at his stomach trying to close the wound that could never be closed.
She breathed out. Blood smeared all over her hands. She did her best with her pants, but the denim was not exactly looking too pretty when she raked it over her palms.
She looked over to find Firetongue leaning above his man, unforgiving amber eyes staring, sucked in deeply, and exhaled all over the man until he was a screaming pile of flames, and soon, silenced. Firetongue sucked in and repeated it again and again until the man was nothing but a hissing pile of ash. It was an exhilarating sight. Never had she seen him so violent in this way, the flames all over this man with such determination. She admitted she had underestimated him. It also frightened her. He was so capable of all that power and pain…and so willing to use it. It was nothing compared t a mafia hit man or assassin. It was pure rage.
She stared at that pile of grey ash. Not even bone survived the intense heat. She sucked in, a little overwhelmed. It was nothing like she was used to seeing.
Her trance was interrupted when a hand laid itself on her shoulder. She jumped a step away. Her eyes wild with fright when she same him, a hand over his mouth trying to control the heat coming in and out.
She shivered, whether from the cold or fright, she didn't know. She pulled her jacket closer around her and tried to breathe in but of course the air was filled with the stench of smoke and burning skin. Her nose wrinkled.
Firetongue stopped his post-flame ritual to blow some fire into his hands, warming them. It looked so inviting, yet, she took some steps away from him, walking over to where the plants were. As she was about to gather up some of the loose dirt and repot them as best she could, he was by her side and took her hands.
Josephine nearly pulled out her knife but he held them very carefully. One hand was full of flame and he held it under her hands, taking them and allowing the blazes to lick them. The second hand was added to increase the flame. He held her frostbitten fingers over the white flame, permitting heat to seep through her chapped fingers.
She watched the flame, not knowing what else to do since staring at him felt a little…awkward. Soon her ears traced over each little quiver as licked over his hands, stretching out to her. It was like a living thing. She had never really watched fire spread over someone as it did that one man. But this was something very different. It was…playful. The closeness caught her breath, something that did not –rarely, –happen. He moved closer. They were nearly shoulder to shoulder. He leaned his head down –not to kiss her! No, never would he do that. He just…she did not have an excuse, but edged away. She did not take personal interest in him. She never did. He made her curious, but now he was pushing the borders.
And she did not like it. Chapped hands, or not. She shoved them in her pockets. Besides, she felt emotion for another. What was she saying? She didn't even know what he was doing. It could have been purely for body heat since it was borderline freezing out. She was doing it again, being presumptuous, and being –rude. He just…needed to keep his distance.
Josephine….
She could feel his gaze eating away her back. Sensing it was like being burned by the flames he breathed. She turned around, hoping her final thoughts were realized over her first.
No matter what you decide, let me go with you. The Scarecrow…his gaze intensified. He's dangerous and can be just as manipulate as the Joker.
So he didn't think highly of her father. "I don't need your protection." She took a step back. "And I can take care of myself."
He looked to the slashed body and ash sinking into the concrete. No infraction on your skills, but how do you know that Crane did not send these men?
"Because Professor Crane couldn't…would not do that. I don't have to justify myself to you! I can do as I please."
Josephine walked over to the plants and began repotting them, since her scuffle had knocked them out of their places. Hopefully, they were not calling out to their mother for help. The last thing she really needed was for Ivy to show up with a thousand angry vines ready to prick her until she bled to death; but, the small joys of having two guards to offer.
She looked over her shoulder, still bitter. "Come along if you want, but I'm not enforcing any sort of law say you have to. But know this. Remember all I did for you the past few years. The least I should ask for is some faith."
She did her best gathering the plants into the cracked pots. They would keep, for now. All she had to do was deliver them and be done with it. But, what was she to do once she reached the apartment? She hadn't any of her belongings. They were all in the factory. The professor may not wait for her.
He needs the plants. If he has to wait, he has to wait. Fate be kind tonight. I'm going back to the factory.
She trudged forward, carrying her herbs, with a discontented circus man close behind.
A/N: Translations – Sorry that the numbers might have disturbed the reading process. They were superscripted to begin with.
1: Excuse me!
2: Be quiet. Don't make us hurt you.
3: Who are you working for? Who is it? Answer me!
4: Shut up, Clown Princess!
5: Take the girl. Kill the boy. The boss wants her alive.