Chapter 17

Tangled Vines

Inside the underground bunker Bruce was transforming himself into Batman. He already had pulled on the tight fitting under armor that would serve as his last line of defense when in combat if any blade was to puncture a hole into the Klevar armor. He then pulled on his armor plated chest piece that protected his heart. His arms slipped through the holes and then rested under thick light weight shoulder pads. Then followed by his thick soled stealth boots that were waterproof.

Diana was sitting on the ledge of the computer desk looking at the handsome dark haired man put on his warrior, he reminded her of the Greek warriors that served for the gods during the endless blood baths that the god of war and the lord of the dead created because of the new rules that Hera stated. To Diana he was her warrior that she had respected deeply.

Bruce pulled on the sharp razor gauntlets and then the light black cape that clipped into place in the slits on the chest armor.

"Does it always take you this long to change into your armor?" The princess asked with a playful grin.

"Sometimes even longer if I have injuries, "Bruce replied. "This armor is very complicated to change into put it serves its purpose by protecting the weak points of my body. I made modifications to the suit over the years thanks to the battles with Bane who almost broke me in half. I made sure that the cowl wasn't pushing on my skull because the other one that I started out with gave me a headache. I couldn't even turn my head when in combat."

He picked up a pair of black gripping gloves and pulled them over his hands.

Diana was fascinated.

Bruce walked over to the mirror, and dabbed black camouflage war paint over his eyes giving him the raccoon effect to make him for intimidating. The princess walked over to him and handed him the belt.

"I remember when Lex Luther wanted to open this belt to get your Watch Tower key so that his team could deliver the bomb."

He smiled.

"Yes, it took him awhile. My belt only opens with my biometrics or DNA." He replied clipping the belt into place.

Finally he walked over to the workbench and lifted up his cowl, he looked down at the face that criminals feared and then pulled it over his head. He walked to the parked Batpod and slid his sleek bulky body on the hard seat.

"Aren't you forgetting something, Bruce?" Batman turned around and saw Diana standing behind him with her arms crossed.

"I don't …think so…" Batman thought that he had everything he needed; he had the lock picks, chemical light stick, grappling hook and smoke bombs.

Diana smiled and bent down. She pressed her lips against his.

"There now you're ready."

"I want you to go to my summer penthouse." He said handing the key to his massive apartment. "You'll be save there."

"I don't need protection."

"Princess, I would feel a lot comfortable if you follow my orders. You have everything you need, there food stacked in the fridge, a guest bedroom that is yours. I'll meet you there in a few hours."

Diana nodded.

Inside her uptown apartment on Faith Crescent Street Rose Red was sitting at her vanity dabbing on green lip stick that contained poison blow fish mucus on her curved lips. She sat there looking at her reflection in the mirror and practiced her lines for her first encounter with the Dark Knight.

"What do I owe with a meeting of the dear Dark Knight?" She asked in surly voice looking at her ice green eyes. "No, that's not right." She shook her head trying to figure out the perfect words. She looked at the newspaper clipping of Batman that was pinned to her mirror with a piece of tape. "The Batman," She purred using a seductive tone not noticing that Aphrodite was standing right behind her.

"What are you doing mortal?" The goddess asked with a powerful tone.

Rose turned and looked at the goddess.

"Practicing my lines, it's always good to be prepared when meeting a man for the first time."

Aphrodite showed no interest in that topic instead she looked at the vial sitting on the dresser.

"Have you decided what his new form shall be?"

"I don't know yet?"

"It will come to you my dearest. Remember it's just one simple word the name of the beast he shall be cursed to become. Whisper it once in his ear while the potion drips down his throat, burning his insides until he finally gives in to the fact that he is become weak. Once the potion is in him, it takes three days to take full effect. At first he will become sickly looking; all his nutrients will be drained out of his body. Then after the third day his bones will twist and turn. His blood will boil as he becomes human no more."

Commissioner Jim Gordon was lifting the trash can lid off in the back porch of his town house when he heard fluttering.

"Enjoying your night,"

Gordon looked at at the stairwell and saw Batman crouched down with one hand holding onto the railing.

"Not really. One of my detectives received a call stating at a lawyer named Franklin Stone was reported missing. When my officers arrived at the penthouse that discovered the break in was force entry and a another ivy leaf was found at the scene with a letter stating the location.

"Gotham Cement."

"How would you know that?"

"Call it a hunch."

Twenty minutes later...

Batman entered the warehouse; inside it smelt of decaying flesh and dirt. He entered the main level only to discover that the body of the missing lawyer Franklin Stone was sitting in a steel chair with a red rose pinned to his chest. Batman flicked on his lens that he used to detect body functions and scanned the body. There was no heart rate or pulse, the body temperature was low. He looked at the victims eyes that were sunken.

"The Batman what do I owe thee?" A female voice said from the shadows. Batman turned and saw a slender body standing near the door way.

"Who are you?" He asked with a defensive tone. "Come into the light!"

"Patience little man."

The ceiling lights switched on as his eyes gazed at a red haired woman with lips stained with a shade of green. She was curved and well portion.

"Who are you?"

The woman gave a small chuckle.

"I'm poison to all men that lust after me. I'm rare flower that can't be touched."

She circled around him.

"But you can call me Poison Ivy."

She circled around him and then lunged at him pushing him to the ground.

Batman fell onto his back hard as her chest touched his.

"Whatever should I do with you?"

"Get off of me!"

"I know, I think I'll give you a kiss to show that there are no hard feelings between us."

Ivy pressed her lips onto his and then pulled away.

Batman began to feel dizzy has all he could see was fuzzy images of the room. He coughed and then fainted.

'Much better," Ivy said lifting his head up and looking at his lips. "I always prefer the quiet on

Batman groaned as he woke to his head pounding.

He tried to lift his hands but to his surprise as he opened his eyes he saw that vines were holding him down. The horrid smell almost felt rotten flesh mixed with garbage decaying around him. It was making his stomach spin.

"Rise and shine, Dark Knight,"

Where am I?" He moaned trying to free himself from the vines. He could sharp pain in his right shoulder with impulse he looked down and saw blood leaking through his armor. The vines were cutting his circulation in his hands. He knew very well who held him as prisoner.

"It's a coward's game to taunt me in the shadows Ivy."

The cold presence made his spine shiver as Ivy placed her freshly manicured nails on his left broad shoulder. She slowly bent down beside him placing her crimson lips to his ear and whispered sultrily.

Hello handsome," She spat into his ear.

Batman forcefully shrugged his shoulder, pushing her away from him as she let out a playful laugh and stepped into the dim light where he could see her.

"What do you want Ivy?" Batman growled. "Why did you murder those people?"

"Why more murder of course." Ivy answered. "An immortal murder,"

"What are you talking about?"

"Those monsters needed to pay for theirs sin of destroying precious lives that had a great purpose to make this world a better place. But they had to go and build Black gate prison and tear up the good earth."

"Oh, so it's about plant. You're an eco-terrorist. A fanatic that cares for about plants than people."

She was taken back by the comment and grabbed his chin.

"I'll so show what happens to man that defile my quest." She popped the lid off the vial and made his mouth open. "You'll think twice about judging my motives little bat." Batman jerked his head trying to prevent her from pouring the potion down his throat but it was too late, she squeezed her hand around his throat and made him gulp down the vial. "Every last drop."

He spat onto the floor as she leaned her head closer to his touch the side of the cowl.

"Whatever shall I do with you?" Ivy whispered the name of his new form in his ear. His dark green hazel eyes went wide.

She pulled away.

"Consider yourself the first one to taste my wrath."

"What's...happening?" He choked as his throat began to burn.

Ivy put her nose into his and whispered, "You'll see. It's a surprise handsome."

She laughed.

"Now let's see who's the man behind the Bat," Ivy said sitting on his lap as she wrapped her legs around the down hero who was coughing. She placed her hands on his cowl and began to pull revealing more skin underneath. "You must be someone so good looking."

Batman with impulsive reflex pushed her off of his body and fixed his cowl. "Sorry, but I'm not one for showing my face." He quickly wrapped rope around her and licked his lips tasting the potion that was sweet almost like sugar.

"In a few days you won't even be a man."

She laughed trying to wiggle her body through the ropes.

"That should hold you until the police arrive."

"You think you're so powerful, don't you Batman but when the potion takes affect you will be nothing."

Batman glared at her clenching his mid section and walked through the door.

"Nothing!"

The time was 3 AM when Bruce unlocked the door of his penthouse apartment, he smelt of sweat and plant juice that covered his skin. He walked up the stairs and headed for the master bedroom that had a water fountain on the foot of his bed. He entered feeling exhausted by his battle with his newest foe Poison Ivy.

Quickly he undressed pulled off his shirt and climbed into the bed.

"What no good night kiss?" Diana asked standing in the doorway wearing a short nightgown; her long hair was tied back in a thick pony tail.

Bruce sat up leaning his back against the head board as she climbed onto the bed.

"Sorry princess,' He calmly said. "I guess I was preoccupied."

"How was your patrol?" Diana asked resting her head on his bare chest.

"Surprising. I battled with a new criminal of the Gotham. I think she is the one that murdered all those people including Judge Whitehorn. I'll have to do some more tests in the morning, Right now I feel so tired."

"Well it is late."

Bruce shook his shook.

"Late, it's early for me. Now I must be coming down with something," He ran his fingers down her back as she closed her eyes. Inside Bruce knew that something wasn't right with his body functions whatever Ivy poisoned him with was starting to take effect, he felt light head and his stomach was turning inside making vile rise up into his throat But of course knowing him he knew that it had almost the same effects of the Scarecrows fear toxin, he would just have to sweat it out or ask Leslie to take a sample of his blood in the morning.

He kissed Diana on the head and then pulled the covers off of his warm body.

Silently he got out of the bed, pulled the covers over the woman he loved and pulled on a rolled out sweater that was lying on the floor by the bed. He dialed Leslie's cell phone number and told her that he was infected with some kind of blood toxin.

Diana opened her eyes and sat him. "Where are you going now?" She asked knowing that she could never stop him from doing his missions.

"Seeing an old friend. I shouldn't be long. Go back to sleep princess."

He looked at her beautiful form in the moonlight and then left the room.

Bruce Wayne was sitting in a chair in a white room looking at photos of his father and mother on the wall while Doctor Leslie Thompkins was looking over his blood results. "There appears to be nothing wrong with you Bruce, it might just be a common cold. I warn you about paroling the streets in the rain." She walked over to a cupboard and pulled a pack of antibiotics. "Take this every four hours with plenty of rest . You should be back to your old yourself by tomorrow if you follow my instructions for once."

"Thanks Leslie," He said giving the old woman a hug.

"Just be more health wise Bruce. Even the Batman needs rest."

When Bruce returned to the penthouse it was nine in the morning. He entered the kitchen and found Alfred making breakfast with Diana.

"Bruce," She said giving the billionaire a hug. "Thank Hera that you're alright."

"I'm fine Diana. I just needed to see Leslie for a check up."

"And?"

"She said it's nothing just a common cold." He could smell the sweat the drenched his body. "If you don;t mind I think I'll hit the shower."

"But breakfast is ready?"

"It's alright , I'm not one for breakfast princess even ask Alfred."

Diana turned and looked at the butler.

"It's true."

While in the shower Bruce was letting the steam take care of his aches and pains. He thought about what Ivy said to him what did it mean? Was it a code name or a decrypted file? Or was it something that he should be worried about?

He turned off the water , stepped onto the tile , wrapped the cotton towel around his body and moved to the mirror. He wiped the steam off with his hand and looked at the reflection.

Or some reason his skin seemed to be the color of vanilla pudding. He looked drained and sickly.

"What's happening to me?"