Waking up, I kept my eyes closed, feeling nothing. For a few seconds, I dared to hope that I'd died. But then pain reminded me I was very much alive, rolling over and falling onto the pavement below.

"Fuck."

Crawling forward, I kept moving, determined to not get captured today. I just had to find someplace to hide out and heal up.

Finding an open sewer drain was a godsend, sliding down and falling to the concrete, baring my teeth in pain before I kept crawling, falling this time into the water, too tired to keep moving.

When I closed my eyes, I was sure that this would be my grave, floating in nasty ass water and bleeding heavy. My whole life was wasted, and it was going to end here, with rats waiting for me to die.

Slowly, I felt the pain leave me, all feeling leaving me, and I made my peace with it, as much as I could, but I didn't seem to be dying, no matter how much of my body I couldn't feel. In fact, my energy seemed to be rising, opening my eyes now to see the top of the tunnel inches from my face.

"Ew, gross." And I realized that if I was up this high, something was off.

Tilting my head, the ground was feet from me, my body suspended in air.

"Woah, okay, Izuku, you can figure this out later. Right now, get back to the hideout and fix yourself."

Taking the time to figure out how to move like this, something messed up, my body spreading, seeing from every angle, footsteps coming my way, Red Robin down in the sewer with me.

"Looking for me, Birdy? I won't let you find me yet, but I'm alive."

I tried to confuse him, my voice coming from different angles, but I knew I couldn't keep myself together much longer, parts of me spreading still until I couldn't stop it, green gas erupting around the hero. It didn't take an idiot to know it was me, but how?

"Izuku? Izuku, if you're okay, just come back with me. The most you'll do is a year, assuming any jury wants to even prosecute. You were manipulated by Joker of all people, but you're a good person." He begged, but I knew I needed to leave. That gas looked too much like the same I'd suffered through, I didn't want him to get hurt because of me.

Once outside, I managed to get ahold of myself, struggling to keep moving, but as long as I kept to the alleys I could escape, making it back to the hideout and screaming at anyone working to leave.

Once the door shut, my body spread out again, gas filling up the place. But It didn't matter. I needed to figure out how to control it and fix my solid self up.

Days were spent figuring out how to use my new powers, and once I managed to patch myself up, I had a new goal. Harley was locked up in the asylum, and I could literally just float right in. That meant being careful, so I didn't accidentally get injested. I was still lethal gas.

Getting inside was easy, just slow, so I didn't set off any alarms, a few leaves blowing in with me. Whatever. What was the worst thing a leaf could do?

Poison Ivy. Poison Ivy was the worst thing. She managed to make the leaves into full-grown plants, using them to escape, freeing everyone else in the process.

My mess. This was my mess. I had to clean it up and make sure my city didn't get sent spiraling.

I spread myself to the limit, the entire island covered in my gas until all but two people were unconscious. As hard as I tried, Ivy was Immune, and Harley was too.

Both women were escaping while I stayed, slipping into Jokers cell and breaking his arms. Chained or not, I didn't feel guilty at hurting the clown prince of crime, leaving the asylum on a high note. A whole jail break, and I'd only released one inmate by accident? Nice.

Getting back to the mainland, I fell to my knees, weak and tired. The entire thing took everything I had, but I wasn't done, following the plant trail as far as I could.

"Fuck, where does a plant woman go?" I complained, spreading out and searching as much as quickly as I could, the downside being much slower than being solid or more closely bundled.

Gas slipped under the door, a plant spewing a pink gas into me, but it didn't do anything but tell me I was close, regrouping myself as close to the hideout as I could.

I called out to the plants around me, unafraid of what she'd do to me.

"Ivy, I know you're close. I know the plants are telling you where I am. I just need to find my mom, and I know she escaped Arkham with you."

Seconds passed, plants pulling back and revealing a hole in the ground. No choice but to walk down, patting a root on the way down.

"Plants. You don't scream, or pollute, or hurt. You just want to live and grow and be at peace. If I didn't know any better, humanity was your polar opposite."

I laughed, heading further down into the bowels of God knows where and stumbling over my own feet, vines catching me.

"Poison Ivy. How's it going?" I asked, the vines wrapping around my arms and legs, suspending me in the air.

"Who are you?" She questioned, blowing more dust in my face.

"Izuku Midoriya, son of the Harlequin." I told her, a half smile growing on her face.

"Is that so? Why don't we ask her?"

"She's here?"

She had her vines set me down, and I held out my hand to the plant, letting it curl around my arm before pulling back shyly.

"Follow me." Ivy spoke, bringing me out of my thoughts and back to the moment.

She led me up this time, to an abandoned building on the outskirts of town, nature slowly taking back the structure.

"Harley, you have a visitor." Ivy spoke, knocking softly on a door numbered ninety-two.

"Go away." Harley told her, and I shrugged, looking up at Ivy.

"You heard the woman. Guess she's not in the mood for a visit."

The door opened so quickly that If I didn't know any better, I'd say she teleported.

"Izuku?"

"Who else has a mug this pretty?" I joked before getting pulled in a hug so tight I thought she was going to break my ribs. But I didn't let go either, holding on as long as she needed.

"I thought you were dead." And I heard her voice break before she sniffed and pulled away, looking me in the eyes.

I felt so happy, joy filling me up in a way I'd never met.

"I'm sorry I worried you, but I had to patch myself up and get a grip on my powers before I sprung you."

I turned to gas, slipping through her touch and moving inside the apartment.

"So you were our mysterious helper? Makes sense how plant life was able to get passed now."

Harley grabbed my arm, and I solidified myself for her.

"To be fair, that was on accident. I just meant to free my mom. But it worked out, and no one got hurt. Well, most people didn't."

A small giggle left my lips, and I remembered how good it felt to hurt the person who hurt my family. Maybe I'd lose if it was a fair fight, and what I did was cowardly, but I'd do it again.

Ivy cleared her throat, looking at me a little cross.

"So, are we gonna talk about the whole kid thing, Harls? I mean, I see the resemblances to Joker, but when did it happen?"

Harley laughed, and Ivys' face softened, moving a blonde curl out of the woman's eyes.

"He's not mine. He's adopted." She explained to her green friend, looking happier than I'd ever seen him.

"Blood or not, you're family. And like it or not, Gotham is our home. I know Joker planned something big, and I know he was using his toxin to do it."

I ripped that bandaid off, watching a mix of emotions cross her face before she gave me a little sigh.

"I don't know for certain. He didn't tell me too much about it, but I do know he's stored most of it at the hideouts across the city."

It wasn't a ton to work with, but I had to get this information to people who could do something about it.

Ivy wasn't dumb or ignorant. Unlike Harley, I knew she could sense what I was planning. It didn't stop her from looking cross with me again as she questioned me.

"What are you going to do?"

"What I was made to do."

"And that is?"

Harley looked concerned, making me look her in the eyes.

My voice almost cracked, but I managed to keep it together long enough to answer.

"I'm going to do what I was born to do. I'm going to be a hero."

She looked at me, laughing softly, differently from how I'd heard it before.

"You deserve better. You'll always deserve better. But I won't ever stop you from being happy." She told me, and I knew right then and there, I was the luckiest kid in Gotham.

A laugh slipped through, then another, and wrapped her in a hug, too happy for words to get across what I needed to tell her.

Ivy crossed her arms, rolling her eyes as a vine with a beautiful red fruit came down.

"I'll have my babies looking for toxin. Eat this."

I reached for it, but I felt bad. Her plants weren't like normal plants. I knew these were more sentient.

"Am I gonna hurt it if I do?"

She gave me a weird look, shaking her head before I took the fruit.

"And what is this going to do? Do I eat it, keep it for later, plant it?"

Her weird look turned into one of annoyance, sighing longer than I thought necessary, but I was kind of annoying.

"Jesus, he's really your son, isn't he? You eat it. It'll make you immune from my toxins and touch. It'd be a shame to kill you so soon after your miraculous revival." She told me, giving a half smile to Harley, who slapped her arm gently.

The fruit was sweet, then bitter, making me shake with disgust with every bite, but I didn't want to disappoint Harley or Ivy now, finishing the awful tasting fruit quickly.

"You know, a single bite is all it takes to get the effect." Ivy told me, both she and Harley laughing at my watery eyed glare.

Then it happened, voices crying out, and I didn't know where they were coming from until I zoned in on one, the vine that I'd gotten the fruit from.

"I think I ate too much, Miss Ivy." I muttered, my eyes twitching as I held out my hand, gently petting the vine, listening to it coo peacefully.

"So this is why you do it? For the innocent plants? It's amazing. All I've ever heard, and I missed out on a million voices." A small laugh left me, and I realized how happy I was now. Did I want to ruin that being a hero?

"You can hear them too?" Ivy asked, practically squealing in excitement. A change from her normal stoic self, to say the least.

"I can. And they'll guide me. But for now, I have to go."

Harley hugged me one last time, and I smiled, wondering when the next one would be.

"Miss Ivy, when I get back, would you help me explore this? I mean, you're the only plant talking person I know."

"Of course. We'll explore the green together." She told me, and giving it a name made it feel so much lovelier. Green suited it best.

"Bye, mom. I'll be home as soon as I can."

I left through a cracked window, out into the night, a soft rain accompanying me to the GCPD, waltzing in like I owned the place.

I grinned, giving a little bow before jumping up on a desk and tapping calling out.

"Alright coppers, where's the commissioner?"

They raised their guns, and the game got good. This was more fun than I'd had in days.

"Go ahead. Shoot!"

One gun rang out, the bullet hitting the wall behind me.

"Good work officer, you sure showed that wallpaper who's boss."

Stepping forward, I fell, turning into gas and going right up to the commissioners door.

"Hey Gordon, we're gonna call Batman!" I yelled, reforming as he shouted back.

"Why on gods green earth should I trust you!?"

"Because if you don't, Joker is going to destroy Gotham. Despite everything, this is my home home too."

That got his attention, the door opening, his gun raised hesitantly.

"Commissioner, you think I'd be here if it wasn't that serious? But if I go up to the roof and call for Batman without you, I'm going to be jumped by a grown man and his child soldiers. Take this as my... temporary surrender."

Gordon thought about my offer, putting the gun away.

"I'm gonna put faith in you, kid. Don't waste it."

I snatched a map and a soda from his office, marking different places I knew Joker had hideouts in. They were good leads to start with.

One elevator ride later, and we on the roof, the honors all mine. I had to admit, using the bat signal was pretty freakin' cool.

Popping the can open, I made small jokes with Gordon, laughing at my own humor and sipping my Zesti Cola and waiting.

The legendary bat cave had to be pretty close. Otherwise, how could Batman get there so quickly?

"Wow, it's true. Flip the switch, and he's here in less than five whole minutes. Impressive Mr.Batman." I joked, my eyes focusing on the Red Robin. I was man enough to admit I liked what I saw.

"You're going to do the time for your crime, Izuku." Batman told me, but I shrugged.

"Normally, I'd agree. But there's a problem with that. See, Joker had a plan, one that he has the answers to. I asked Harley, but she didn't know either. All I do know is that it involves a shit ton of his special gas." I moved quickly, laying on the side of the edge of the roof as I reformed with a sigh.

"And unfortunately for us, it turns out all the work Joker did on me activated my meta genes. I knew I should have taken WayneTech up on the free testing." I laughed, my whole body turning into the green gas and moving in the air, over the city.

"You freed Quinn and Ivy." Batman deduced, and I shrugged again.

"See, I only meant to free mom and beat the hell out of Joker, but I managed to blow in a leaf, and boom, Ivy got free, and then the power went down, and it all went south from there. I managed to keep the other inmates from escaping. Ivy was immune to me. I couldn't stop her. Sorry, my bad." I explained, walking on air and waving my hands like a lunatic.

"Let me get this straight. Joker plans something with his gas, and you just miraculously turn into it? It's kind of suspicious." Red Robin pointed out, and the smile on my face faltered.

"I was trained for months to withstand his gas until I could breathe it like air. I can't help it that the clown uses gas in like, thirty percent of his plans. Give or take a little."

"Impossible." Batman told me, which was ironic since he was a grown man dressed like a rubber bat fighting crime.

"Those inmates got micro-dosed and lived." Red Robin reminded him, holding out his hand to the me. God, could he be any more corny?

"I swear on my parents' graves, whatever it is Joker has planned, I'm not a part of." I told him, taking off my mask and taking his hand. I liked the way it felt when I solidified, stepping back on solid ground.

"When I was a child, you came to me when I needed it. Now Gotham needs me, and I'm willing to do my part. After that, I'll take whatever punishment I gotta."

Batman listened, thinking about the situation, probably weighing his options. I was a supervillain, technically. I was also trying to make things right, too.

Unbelievably, it was Robin who spoke up first, looking straight up at the bat like he wasn't afraid.

"I believe him. You saw the footage. He could have killed Red Robin and I, but he just tied us up. And if he's telling the truth, then we can't afford not to listen."

"Robin's right, Batman." Gordon told him, handing him the map.

"Here's all the hideouts the kid knows about and a few properties Joker managed to get his hands on."

I looked at Batman, ready to do whatever I needed to. I didn't want to be the bad guy, but to keep my city safe, I'd be the worst.

Batman finally gave in, looking at me and making himself look like fear itself

"We do this my way. If you get in the way, I won't hesitate to take you out."

"Sure, but I'd rather take Red Robin out." I replied, trying so hard to look like I wasn't scared, but my hand tightened around Red Robins.

He let go, clearing his throat and leaving me wondering if I messed up.

I just smiled pleasently up at the Dork Knight.

"I get why Catwoman keeps coming back. The mask, the mystery, the muscle~. It's all so... inviting. Isn't that right, Red?"

I turned my head, and I saw his mouth open, sputtering like he was trying to say something, but i had him wrapped around my finger. I liked this. Pretending to be aloof, flirting shamelessly. I hoped he liked it,too.

Batman was annoyed, and his patience spread thin from my jokes. Oh well, I was a freakin' clown for God's sake.

"Enough. Red Robin, with me. Robin, keep Izuku in line."

I rolled my eyes, turning into gas and floating over the city again.

"If he can keep up, he can come." I solidified, falling ten and a half stories with a cheer before turning back into gas and flying off.

Robin caught up quickly, taking the lead and headed for one of my favorite hideouts. This one had plenty of space to skateboard in and plenty of rails to grind on.

"Welcome home, Izu, now let's save the city." I mumbled, trying to hype myself up as the door opened on its own, Joker gang members walking out with guns and clubs

"Well, well, well. If it ain't the clown kid. Joker ain't here to keep you safe now!"

A small giggle left me, growing as I let his words sink in. Joker, protect me? No, Joker wasn't here to protect them, and I was going to make them see just how funny they were.