"Ice I'm home," I announced staggering inside.
"Have you been drinking what you shouldn't have been?" she asked cautiously.
I couldn't answer and noticed all too well that I my whole body felt numb. After two steps, I collapsed.
"Oh sheesh!" Ice cried and ran over to me as I coughed, "You breathed in cyanide gas?!"
"How did you know," I murmured. So in turn, Ice treated me with some kind of neutralizer in the first aid kit. I think it was called sodium nitrate. "You should stay on the couch for a while," Ice spoke, "Did you complete the serum for Red Hood? He's not breathing now."
"What?!" I exclaimed jumping to my feet but immediately regretted it. My head swam and I leaned against the back of the sofa trying to catch my breath.
"Hey!" she grabbed my arm just before I could get up again, "I didn't finish. He's breathing every 30 seconds. Not bad right?"
"Listen," I said, "Nightwing has the serum right now and currently, he's chasing Cat Lady. Now since you don't allow me to simply walk from one room to another, I ask you to find Nightwing and get the antidote." The door slammed open and a haggard Jason slugged out, his head and arms hanging down limply. Ice's hair spiked as we stared.
"Oh boy this is bad," she groaned as we watched him shuffle to the door. His hair dangled over his face in such a way that neither Ice nor I could see it.
"What is it?" I glared at her. I then followed her gaze and found drops of blood on the floor.
"He's suffering from ruptured organs," she noted, "and he's pretty much bleeding to death."
"How do you know that?" I asked her suspiciously as Jason fumbled with the locks on the door.
"I can SEE it," she pointed to her eyes. I still stared at her with skepticism. "Plasmas can sense the chemicals released in one's body," she explained, "And while I'm telling you that, I guess it's a good time to point out that his blood pressure will drop too low."
"And that's bad?" I raised my eyebrow.
"Dead bad," she grinned sheepishly. And plasmas can somehow be better doctors than most humans. I pushed myself to my feet and chased after him. By the time I got out, I found Jason facing what appears to be a girl in a clown suit.
"Hello tushy pie!" she called, "Mr. J wants to have a word with you!"
"You have no business here," I spoke to her calmly and then said in my mind, "Who is this girl and how did she find this place? And what does Jason have to do with this?"
"Honey dear, you got to stay back on this one," she beamed and motioned me to scoot back into the door. Ice came out with me and asked what was going on.
"I've seen you before," she cried as she stared at the girl, "You're the Joker's girlfriend isn't it?"
"Very good!" she beamed, "Now pretend I'm not even here and go back inside. I just need a word with your bird boy."
"How about we escort you out," I rushed at her, "I don't want anything to do with that two faced clown."
"No wait!" Ice cried.
Wham!
At first, I didn't know what hit me. The only thing I know is that well...I'm sprawled face down in the dirt and my head is not just throbbing, it's exploding with pain. I opened my eyes and then shut them again as my skull reverberated a complaint.
"You alright?" Ice ran to me and then turned to the clown girl, "Get out of here!"
"Someone's in a bad mood," she waggled her finger. I gazed out from the corner of my eye and saw her carrying a giant hammer thing over her shoulder, something that you see in the fair where people ask you to test your strength. It was blurry...just like everything else but luckily, it was coming into focus. With more observation, Jason was standing in front of me blocking me from any attack that could be thrown from the lady. I pushed myself up to a sitting position and rubbed the back of my head. Didn't that hurt. I made a move to stand up but swayed as stars floated in front of my eyes. Ice supported me as Jason motioned me to step back.
"You're in my way," he said.
"I can't just..." but Ice pulled me back gently toward the door.
"He can handle himself," she assured me, "The spell you gave him should keep him alive no matter what circumstances for a couple of hours." I tried to take her word for it though, but I couldn't help noticing the possibility that Jason might be captured if he wasn't careful. "I'll look out for him," Ice said after she glanced at the worried look on my face.
"I'd prefer you to find the serum," I murmured. She sighed and then obeyed. Jason stumbled forward and leaped toward the clown with still the amazing speed. She swiped at him with a hammer and he dodged. Please stay strong Jason. I pressed against the door and gripped the side so hard that it splintered. He whirled around and threw something at her as he slid back. It was a net and the girl got tangled up in it. She laughed and at that moment, a vicious bloodhound (more like a smaller version of the werewolf) leaped out of nowhere and tackled Jason. I can barely discern what exactly was going on at my line of sight, but I heard teeth sinking into flesh and spotted a glimpse of blood dripping to the ground. The dog managed to snag his forearm. Jason grunted in pain and ripped himself out of the dog's mouth. While at that time he fought the beast off with his knife, the clown lady got herself free. Jason finally succeeded in flinging the creature thirty yards across the dirt and the dog yelped before scampering away. He stood up slowly, and his left arm was drenched in blood. Sweat beaded his face as he barely managed to stay upright.
"Jason..." I murmured. Joker's girl smiled sweetly and then smashed him right off his feet with her giant annoying hammer. Jason hadn't completely evaded it and the impact sent him slamming into the wall. Instantly, my grip on the door completely shattered the thing. He coughed and staggered back to his feet after a couple of seconds passed. As soon as the clown girl came charging up again, I raised my arm and blasted the weapon right out of her hands. It hit a tree and brought it toppling down.
"Get out," I demanded, "Go back to whatever carnival you may be from."
"Mr. J's sweetheart doesn't take no for an answer!" she called. Suddenly, this thing shot at me and pinned me to the wall. I tried to pull my arms out to break the metal bracelet things but in my weakened condition, I could do no more than crack the plaster. She ambled closer to Jason who was panting heavily.
"Come on sweetie," the lady said, "We only need to talk." He mustered up enough strength to jump back and lob a couple smoke balls at her. There was this whirring sound and we quickly realized she blew it away with a giant fan.
"Alright! I'll play! Here's a hint. Batsie's first bird knows what this is!" she held out a bazooka. She shot it and a potato hit Jason in the stomach with such force that he tumbled across the ground. He pushed himself off the floor and propped himself on his elbows coughing blood out.
"Jason!" I cried.
"What is so bad with meeting such a sweet man as Mr. J?" the lady pouted. Jason forced himself back on his feet and drew a gun.
"Oh?" she frowned, "Somebody's getting rowdy tonight."
...
They faced each other off in silence. The girl looked awfully cheerful but on the other hand, Jason looked as if he was so drained that he would pass out. Soon he collapsed on one knee. Come on, you can do this. Send her running back home!
"You look awful!" she exclaimed with fake sympathy, "Maybe I can drive you there myself." She pressed a button and an ice cream truck drove up.
"Hop in Mr. Red!" she motioned. Jason shot the tires flat with his gun.
"Be a good sport," she frowned with her hands in her hips.
"N-Not even when I'm dead Harley," Jason groaned. The clown girl hurtled a pie at him and he rolled to the side. But it smashed right next to my head. The dripping stuff stuck there for some strange reason and began making this ticking sound.
"Honey, make your decision," the girl added as Jason whirled around to stare at me, "Don't worry, take your time. Your girlfriend won't be here long enough to stop you once it explodes." I attempted to yank myself free but couldn't break the bonds. He gazed at me for a second or two. Jason had a helpless look on his face, and I sort of felt the same. The girl walked up to my friend and stared at him carefully. Out of the blue, Jason collapsed into a fatal position.
"Oops," she looked down, "I must've sprayed him with my flower by accident. Oh well, Mr. J would love to get his hands on him again!"
"Forget it!" I shouted and in my rage, I activated my laser eyes and blasted her halfway across the forest.
"No more protesting!" Clown Harley folded her arms and pouted. Then she looked at her watch. "Gotta go!" she waved. I struggled to get myself free but she bolted off a second later. The bomb was just about the blow and I looked away. I couldn't help anyone now. This whoosh sound caught my attention and Ice, in plasma form smashed against the bomb. Nightwing swooped down and pinned the girl to the ground with his net. Spitfire snatched up Ice and rocketed to the sky. It was not a moment too soon.
Kaablooom!
"Ah!" I exclaimed as the two were blasted to nothing. Nightwing walked to me and checked the mechanical shackles attached to the wall.
"Hey! Relax," he said as I squirmed with fury, "They're fine. Didn't I tell you to stay where you were?"
"You took four hours," I answered, "I'd be dead by then."
"It's because I couldn't find you!" he defended himself. Nightwing then dropped the subject and took out some sort of small handheld device. "Are you alright?" he asked again as attached it to the shackles. They broke apart with ease.
"I'm okay now," I responded as I rubbed my wrists, "Thank you."
"How did Harley find you?" Nightwing asked looking over to his catch.
"She wanted Jason..." I trailed off when I gazed at my friend laying on the ground.
"Oh boy..." Nightwing stared. I ran over to Red Hood and kneeled down next to him. Nightwing silently followed me.
Jason was twitching and I stroked his back trying to get him to lie still more. He was covered in sweat.
"This...is not good..." Nightwing murmured wide eyed. Something bubbled up behind us which scared me more than it should. It was just Ice and Spitfire, very exhausted from gathering their atoms that flew all over the place.
"I'll try to not do that again," Ice noted as she leaned against the cottage.
"Harley," Nightwing shouted, "What did you poison him with?"
"Only Mr. J knows that for sure!" the clown girl replied. Nightwing narrowed his eyes.
"He's still affected by the Scarecrow's toxin," he told me, "Help me turn him over." I obeyed and got the Red Hood lying on his back. Funny, why is he drooling? Nightwing popped the cork out of the vial and poured a little into Jason's open mouth. Something seemed to be wrong. He started to choke and Nightwing quickly rotated Jason's head to the side.
"He can't swallow," Nightwing said as we watched him drool all over the floor.
"Why?" I questioned roughly. Nightwing didn't say a word for a moment and dug around in his compartments for a second.
"It has to be vaporized rhodondendron juice," he murmured and pulled up a sort of patch.
"Uhh...what?" I cocked my head. Nightwing rolled up Jason's sleeve and slapped it on his arm. He glanced at the other one which was maimed by a ravished dog.
"Wait a second..." Nightwing blinked a couple times, "Hey Jason. You awake?" You're kidding Nightwing, he's barely breathing!
"Gimme that," Ice pushed us to the side and snatched the antidote. Then she drank the whole vial of serum much to our astonishment.
"Wha-What are you doing," I stammered. She leaned over Red Hood and pretty much regurgitated the stuff into his mouth. Jason squirmed and we couldn't do much but stare. Even Spitfire couldn't take his eyes off the dramatic scene. Ice finally retreated, leaving most of us scarred for life. Red Hood lay there, breathing heavily through his clenched teeth. He looked wide awake now and maybe a bit jittery too. Ice, you definitely went too far with this one. I tried to mask my utter shock and disgust and revulsion…and the fact that it really looked like I kissed Jason. Poor Nightwing had to manually close his mouth with his hand. We simply stood there, paralyzed in time until Spitfire's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fainted.
