Chapter 6: The Miracle:
"Ivy, i need your help..." The words of Gotham's guardian made Ivy think she was going crazy. The Dark Knight, Gotham's brooding and independent savior was asking HER for assistance.
"By the looks of things, you look like you need a miracle." Ivy replied in a sassy and defiant like manner to the un-amused vigilante. The situation with Scarecrow had apparently grown rapidly worse since the last time Ivy had seen The Dark Knight, which was when he transported her to the GCPD.
"Why didn't the fear gas affect you?"
Ivy looked at Batman in brief shock before smiling in amusement. She decided to poke fun at the vigilante's apparent fear and desperation. "You really are afraid of him."
"You would be too if you knew even half of what he had planned."
Poison Ivy wasn't hesitating in showing her reluctance to work with Batman. She then made it known to the Dark Knight. "And just what would make you think that i'd trust you? Why?"
"Because without your help everyone and everything in this city will die...including each and every last last plant from Gotham City to its outskirts."
The botanist grew a more serious look on her face hearing the great danger Gotham's plant population would currently be placed in. Then without a second thought she slowly began proceeding to the door of the isolation chamber followed by Batman doing the same thing outside of it. Once outside of the isolation cell, The Dark Knight began speaking to her as they walked out of the building.
"Now...about that miracle."
The eco-terrorist began explaining to Batman the information he needed. "Some time ago, i created a spore to easily overpower the affects of Crane's toxin. It's pretty easy when you know how. It can also manipulate plants on a molecular level."
"Could it cover up and protect the entire city?" Batman asked.
"In theory, yes, but there's no way I can produce enough of it on my own."
"Then let's get you some backup."
Batman and Poison Ivy were now out of The GCPD building and in front of The Batmobile. Before the ecosystem based villainess could get inside, Batman needed to know the location Ivy needed to be in to aid him and their mutual alliance.
"Where to?"
"The Botanical Gardens. She's home to the oldest plants in Gotham. They'll tell us what we need to do."
After that, Ivy entered the passenger's seat in the back of The Batmobile. She could hear the sounds of The Dark Knight leaping into his trademark vehicle. Not long after that she felt the effects of the car speeding off to the Botanical Gardens. Ivy reminisced so much more about Harley. She flashbacked to a conversation she had with her after the events of Arkham City, Protocol 10 and Harley's hostage situation at the old Steel Mill involving Batman and some Gotham City Police Officers.
Flashback: 9 Months ago in Ivy's Arkham City lair
In the heavily abandoned, overgrown hotel and fortified lair of Poison Ivy in Arkham City, sat the villainess herself, surrounded by her hypnotized and brainwashed henchmen from the multiple rival gangs in Gotham City. Currently she was in no mood to be disturbed by anyone. She had armed and hypnotized guards outside patrolling the area to her lair. She had two of her brainwashed men guarding the door that would bring people to the main proportion of her lair.
She had heard through the grapevine that apparently Hugo Strange was killed during his final showdown with Batman. Ivy had no love song to sing for Strange as he was one of the more demented of the 'meat-sacks'. Another thing that she had heard through The Grapevine was that The Joker was now deceased as well.
This had been marvelous information for Ivy. Out of all of Batman's rogues gallery, The Deceased Clown Prince Of Crime was the fellow criminal she hated the most. The only thing that slightly disappointed the villainous botanist was that she didn't get the chance to kill the psychopathic man herself.
But despite how great this newfound information was, she thought about the one person that she knew for certain was gonna be affected by the Clown's death. She knew this person would most certainly be absolutely destroyed mentally and emotionally from his death.
And that person was her close friend...Harley Quinn.
Ivy thought about her best friend's current status and whereabouts. She was more concerned than ever about the female jester.
"Poor Harley." Ivy thought. "That madman's death is for sure gonna push her over the edge." As she continued to nourish her plant based throne and think about Harley, her zombified and brainwashed henchmen watched in awe of their 'leader's' stunning beauty. If this Arkham City nonsense ever ends, she's gonna check up on Harley the first chance she gets.
As more time passed, the botanist had more thoughts while making changes to both her lair as well as her mind-controlled faction as well. Lovely flowers had now grown and were hanging from the ceilings like Birthday or Christmas decorations. She had modified her henchmen's weapons to where their bullets were now poisonous. If someone was hit by them, even if they didn't die right away, they would eventually succumb to the poison's effects. Only she knew the antidote that could cure the host if treated in time.
Just then Ivy heard screams and an explosion outside, and in the distance of her lair. She was immediately alerted to what could possibly be danger. The two brainwashed henchmen that were guarding the door began training their guns at the door, ready to shoot and kill the first thing that walks through.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Suddenly the door was kicked open by a raged and crazed Harley Quinn, who quickly took down the henchmen. The ex-girlfriend of The Joker looked like a mourning mess with her black makeup smudged all over her face and the messy state her hair was in.
Ivy was quite shocked to find out that her friend was the one causing all this ruckus. Her earlier predictions about Harley were correct as judging by her appearance, she had been busy mourning The Joker. Before the sadistic botanist could say anything to her friend, more of Ivy's brainwashed faction jumped out of hidden plants inside the lair armed with riffles ready to kill the mourning clown and protect their 'master'.
"I'M NOT GOING DOWN UNTIL I SPEAK TO RED, YA HEAR ME?! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU BRAINLESS BOZOS!"
Before the henchmen could put the clearly delusional clown out of her misery, a familiar female zombie-like voice spoke.
"STAND DOWN! LET HER THROUGH!" Ivy yelled, to which the mind-controlled thugs complied, putting down their weapons.
"Red?"
"Harley?" Ivy then used her powers to summon a vine to transport Harley over the wide gap in her lair. "What brings you here? are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Tears began flowing down the jester's face after saying this.
Ivy being the supportive friend she was, made space on her throne so Harley could sit, then she used the vine she summoned moments prior to sit her on the throne next to her. She comforted the mourning former sidekick by hugging her.
"Let it all flow...let it out." Ivy said. "Now tell me, what brings you here?"
Harley briefly stopped crying and looked up before answering Ivy's question. "I just needed someone to talk to...I miss my puddin so much and it's been crap ever since B-Man killed him." The clown growled upon hearing herself reference Batman.
Ivy in her mind immediately knew that Harley's accusation either sounded odd or was downright incorrect. "Harley are you sure? That's quite the accusation, we all know Batman doesn't kill criminals."
"BUT I WAS THERE RED! I SAW B-MAN CARRYING MY JOKER'S BEAUTIFUL CORPSE!" Harley began crying again, but this time it was at the thought of seeing the Dark Knight carrying the corpse of The Joker. While Ivy had her curiosity and beliefs on the matter, she hugged her friend tighter. "He ruined everything Red! Mister J was supposed to become an immortal person! We were supposed to get married!"
Ivy rolled her eyes at the last thing Harley said since that was another one of Joker's lies. She had really wanted Harley to see how Joker being dead was a good thing for her. "Harley, I've told you so many times that was just another one of that maniac's lies. He only said that so you'd keep blindly following by his side like a lost puppy."
"NOT TRUE!" Harley yelled in obvious denial. "He loved me Red. He really did! Now that B-Man and his family of costumed goons took him away from me, I'm all alone now..."
"Harley, you're not alone, I'll always be there for you."
"Really?" Harley sniffed.
"Really."
After Harley vented, the two criminals hugged each other. Harley was slightly in a better mood thanks to a light pep talk. Ivy was secretly happy at what she thought was Harley starting to see the light, but instead she said something that greatly frustrated the eco-terrorist.
"Thanks Red, I needed that."
"Any time Harley."
"Now I gotta go plan another big plan to avenge my Joker and end Bat-Brain once and for all."
"Ugh Harley, are you forgetting that you recently tried that?!" Harley was surprised by the annoyance and irritation in her friend's voice. "That ended with Robin apparently stopping you and rescuing Batman."
"There's always a sequel Red." The defiance in Quinn's tone could be heard.
Ivy was growing impatient with her friend's obsession with destroying Batman. This was more due to how badly it was making what was left of Harley's sanity to deteriorate. Ivy definitely wasn't about to let a lost cause destroy her friend. She decided to use some hard facts to dissuade her from what she would ultimately fail at.
"How many 'sequels are there Harley? It's the same song every single time. Plot, execute, failure and finally be thrown in jail."
Harley thought momentarily about what Ivy had said before speaking once more. "Mister J would've wanted me to do this!"
"Oh really? The way it seems to me, you've only gathered this newfound independence and creativity after The Joker died. You're only proving my point that The Joker was just holding you back."
"I CANT HEAR YOUUUUUUUUUUU!"
Ivy was growing very annoyed and impatient with her mourning friend's obvious denial. "Ugh, Harley, you realize that this only makes Batman better than you. Look at all of his pupils. Robin, Batgirl, whatever happened to her. Each and every last one of them has defeated both you and The Joker together, and on rare occasions by yourself. This only proves how when Batman doesn't keep them on a leash, they are capable on their own."
"But I at least captured B-Man RED! I nearly killed the bastard! That's gotta mean something!" Harley was getting frustrated due to the botanist shutting down all of her points. All Harley was doing was proving Ivy's point about her and Joker.
"Poor Harley...even in death The Joker still has you on his leash, making you lie down and roll over." Red put her hand on her face in frustration and annoyance. "No wonder his allies get the job done over you."
"There's nothing wrong with a loving woman fighting for the honor of her man!" Harley said sounding insane in Ivy's mind. "I Gotta go Red, I've got plans that need planning, idiot goons that need killing and a shrine of Mister J that needs to be attended to." Harley proceeds to jump off of the plant throne. "But thanks for the confidence boost Pammy."
"No problem Harley." Ivy said, with clear sarcasm and annoyance. She then summoned the vine she used earlier to get Harley over the wide gap. Harley then exits the lair of Poison Ivy.
"What am I going to do with her?" Ivy thought as she wondered what would become of her friend in the near future...
End Of Flashback
While Ivy was lost in her thoughts in the back of The Batmobile, she suddenly felt the car come to a screeching halt. This must mean they've arrived at the gardens. Suddenly the door to the passenger's area opened and Batman stood before her.
Once she was out of the car, the unlikely pair began walking towards a massive tree. "We're here. What now?"
Ivy began explaining the background of the plant to Gotham's guardian. "Isn't she beautiful? She's been here long before the man even sniffed or walked the earth. But do not be fooled, she still holds great and unimaginable power. Unfortunately, she's weakened by the long lasting decades of pollution. With her current state, she stands little to no chance against Scarecrow's toxin. Especially by herself."
"Then we need another one."
Ivy was annoyed with Batman's tone. But she let it pass on due to much bigger issues concerning her plants and Batman at the moment. "There aren't anymore like her left. Not anymore in this day and age."
"What happened to them?" Batman asked in his usual brooding demeanor.
Ivy, once again was annoyed before answering the question. "The answer is you. You men. You all cut them down, built over them and stopped the precious little ones from reaching the sun."
Batman was un-phased by her light ranting. He thought hard and found a possible solution. "If i can locate the roots, would you be able to revive them?"
"Impossible." Ivy went on. "They're buried beneath this horrendous concrete cesspool of a city. How will you.-" She was cut off by Batman.
"The bigger the plant, the deeper its roots." Suddenly Batman pulled out a communications device with a crack in the screen. He gave it to Ivy. "It's a communication device, anytime you need me, call. Wait here, don't stay out in the open unless you want to deal with The Militia. I'll set the plants free."
Then Batman walked off towards The Batmobile, while Ivy used her powers to open and go inside her plant. Following this, the plant began blossoming with mushrooms and other large plants.
"He sure is something else." Ivy thought, curious and fascinated with how Batman was going to pull this off...