Chapter 20: One To Go:
On the way the Gotham Orphanage to confront Nygma, Batman roared through the streets of Gotham in the Batmobile with Ivy in the passenger's seat in the back.
Ivy could hear the sounds of the electricity from the car shocking the thugs, their screams and agony. Ivy was secretly enjoying every last second of it. These animals were treated far to good by the Gotham justice system.
Eventually, Ivy felt the Batmobile coming to a halt. This must mean that they were finally here.
"We're here." Said Batman, as he helped Ivy out of the Batmobile.
"So this is where Edward's hiding? Looks run down, like some creepy serial killer's shack. You'd think for a man claiming to be more intelligent than everybody else, he'd be more cleanly."
"You get used to it. Especially with Nygma..."
Ivy pointed out another fact. "And by the looks of things, he hasn't taken the time to place traps at or around the entrance of the building either."
"He must've figured that I'd never survive past most of his death traps and race tracks."
Batman took a moment to scout out the front of the building. Ivy didn't know why he did it, but she figured she should do the same. Afterwards, Batman spoke up again, "I have an idea for taking down Nygma, Ivy."
"What is it?"
"You'll see soon enough, hold on tightly."
Ivy did as instructed and held on to Batman, who in turn pulled out his grappling gun. He then grappled the two of them up to the roof of the Orphanage. The rush of the wind was felt by Ivy. She definitely enjoyed being held closely in Batman's arms.
Once the two of them were on the roof, Batman told Ivy the first part of his plan. "Here's where the element of surprise works, I'll go through the front door and confront Riddler, while you sneak in through the roof and wait for my signal, got it?"
"Crystal." Said Ivy.
Batman then jumped off of the roof to enter through the front door while Ivy remained alone on the roof. Eventually she began looking for a way inside as well.
After a while, she finally found an old sealed off accessible area on the roof and had finally found her way inside. To say it was clean, was well an understatement.
The place was dirty and had a bad smell. And judging by the state of it, this area hadn't been used in a few decades, probably more. But then again, Ivy couldn't really complain being that this was Gotham City, and a lot of its buildings and structures needed much more work.
While making her way inside, Ivy began to sense and detect something: Plant life inside the orphanage. This was a good sign for Ivy.
She could now use these plants to help Batman take down the Riddler. Just as Ivy made it inside the orphanage, the battle between Riddler and Batman had just begun.
"Well, Dark Knight, it seems you have earned the right to die at my mechanical hands. But let us be clear, we do not meet as equals. In fact you literally have not a hope of victory."
Ivy then saw a bunch of blue colored robots appearing out of the ground. Not long afterwards, Batman immediately engaged the robots in combat.
Ivy loved how fast Batman was moving. No man should be able to move so quickly. But Ivy knew this wasn't just any man. He was Batman.
"Oh, I wish I could say that I have found this one-sided rivalry of ours intellectually stimulating. But in truth I grew bored of you long ago. Killing you here will finally liberate me to engage in more edifying pursuits. Goodbye, detective. You will be neither missed nor remembered."
Ivy scoffed at this very thought. With all that has happened, she forgot how annoying Nygma to could be.
Riddler even changed the colors of one of the robots so that Batman could not destroy it.
"I wish I could say that I have found this one-sided rivalry of ours intellectually stimulating. But in truth I grew bored of you long ago. Killing you here will finally liberate me to engage in more edifying pursuits. Geodbye, detective. You will be neither missed nor remembered."
"Oh please, he'll be more remembered than you ever will." Said albeit mentally. She almost wanted to laugh at what Riddler had just said.
One of the robots even managed to grab Batman from behind, but he easily countered this by using the momentum of another nearby Riddler Bot to flip out of it and rip it apart.
"Riddle me this: what's mechanical, homicidal, and RED ALL OVER?" Riddler taunted Batman as he fired his beam and turned three more of the robots into an inaccessible red.
Soon more almost all of the robots were now red, which meant that Batman was in trouble.
"You have failed detective!"
Ivy could only watch on with worry. Part of her wanted to ignore Batman's orders, and immediately jump and aid him. But she knew that'd only irk him and had no choice but to watch.
"This is the end! My apotheosis!"
Batman destroyed the last accessible robot. He could now only helplessly jump and dodge to avoid electrocuting himself.
"You are BESTED. You are CONQUERED. And you are MINE."
"Ugh, does he ever shut up?" At this point, Ivy grew tired of the Riddler's arrogance and taunting. Especially towards the man that she had feelings for.
Batman continued to jump and dodge, ignoring Riddler's taunts and growing frustration.
"So many Riddles, there's no way you solved them all!"
Eventually, the robots began overwhelming Batman. Sooner or later, they'd eventually capture and destroy him, and Ivy knew this.
Suddenly...
"Sorry Eddie, but it looks like you're cheating to me."
Ivy saw what everyone else in the orphanage saw: Catwoman.
Ivy saw her fellow Gotham City Siren on the other side of the building's roof. She leaped down into the battlefield and immediately took out a Riddler Bot upon impact.
Riddler was beyond irate. "NOI What are you doing herel? This is not your fight, Cat."
"Selina?" Ivy was still a bit surprised to see her friend. Not nearly as much as Riddler. Ivy knew her far to well. She knew that if there was one thing Selina held more than stolen goods, it was grudges.
"Eddie, sweetie, you invited me, remember?" Said Catwoman, purposefully taunting Nygma. "...And then you tied me to a chair."
Ivy could also hear Batman's voice. "You didn't have to come."
"And you act like I'm ungrateful."
Soon, Batman and Catwoman began taking down the robots with ease. Ivy was impressed (and slightly jealous) by the excellent teamwork between the Bat and the Cat.
Catwoman used her whip to yank of the head of one of her color coded robots while Batman used brute strength to tear off some of their heads.
The Riddler was beyond infuriated. "Hi diddle diddle, answer THIS riddle!" Nygma fired his laser beam and changed the color of multiple robots in an attempt to keep Batman and Catwoman from taking them down together. "You shouldn't be here! You shouldn't have got this far! Your head should've been all over the orphanage walls, and Batman should've been suffering and destroyed EMOTIONALLY!"
"Eddie, you seriously need a girlfriend." Catwoman retorted.
Eventually, much to Ivy's relief, the pair finished off the last of Riddler's robots.
"Get up you damn machines!"
The energy shield that protected Riddler from physical harm was briefly disabled long enough to provide Batman with an opening.
He leapt into the Riddler Mech, directly in front of Nygma himself and began repeatedly punching him in the face. This brought Ivy a little bit of joy.
"No no no, my plan. My Plan!" Riddler moved one of his mech'a arms in an attempt to Grab Batman, but he easily dodged and jumped back on the ground. Riddler then restored his robotic minions to aid him once again. "You cheated! I will forcibly extract a confession!"
Batman and Catwoman immediately began fighting with their equal share of robots once again.
"Go Batman, Go Selina." Ivy said to herself, internally cheering on Batman and Catwoman. With each punch, with each smash, the robots were destroyed, one by one.
"Which Color do you prefer?!" Riddler changed the colors to the Riddler Bots again, forcing Batman and Catwoman to switch and fight each other's former Metal enemies.
Ivy watched the pair perform multiple tag team takedowns on the robots.
"You solved all my riddles?! How! Over two hundred riddles, just like that! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! I WILL BEAT YOU!"
The duo ignored him as they continued their onslaught against his robot army while Ivy patiently waited for her cue to come into the the forefront.
"This color suits you better!" Said Nygma, as he once again changed the colors of some of the robots, forcing Batman and Catwoman to switch places again. "You are both, MORONS!" This time, Riddler tried a smash attack from his mech, but like before failed to harm either one on the vigilantes.
"Says the guy who fails every time." Catwoman retorted.
"You think you can defeat MY creations?!" Riddler once again inadvertently disabled his mech's energy shield. This gave Catwoman the opportunity to leap onto it. Like Batman had done prior she repeatedly punched him hard in his face.
"Hey Eddie, this is for not knowing how to treat a lady!"
"NO! No. It was perfect. my perfect victory." Riddler like he did before, tried to attack Catwoman with his mech's arms, but she quickly dodged it and got out of the way.
Ivy rolled her eyes. Nygma's arrogance was probably why he was alone. Plus his clear insanity.
"You shall be ashes!" The Villainous Genius fired a laser beam at the duo, whom narrowly avoided being disintegrated and killed.
Meanwhile, Batman had punched a hole straight through the torso of a riddler bot while Catwoman ripped off one its heads.
Somehow, Batman managed to hack through one of the robots and turn it into an accessible robot for both he and Catwoman. The Dark Knight then proceeded to aggressively kick the robot towards Selina.
"You're to kind." Said Catwoman as she destroyed the machine in mid air.
Riddler was getting angrier by the minute. "I'll atomize you! Both of you!" The Riddler fired a very powerful laser shot at Catwoman and Batman. This time, the blast was far more deadly than before. Batman narrowly managed to grab Selina and grapple up long enough to avoid being killed.
Ivy was very scared and concerned for the safety of them both.
But once again, Riddler in the heat of the moment disabled his mech's energy shield...
Seeing this opportunity Batman and Catwoman nodded at each other. The two proceeded to jump at the Riddler's battle mech, surprising him greatly.
"NO!" He yelled.
The two of them then repeatedly punched him in the face, so hard that Ivy was almost certain that he had a broken jaw. Ivy was happy that the battle as it seemed was over, but also slightly disappointed that she wouldn't be able to do anything meaningful to help.
Suddenly the Riddler snapped, in a way that they hadn't seen before. "ENOUGH! I'VE PLAYED AROUND WITH YOU TWO BOTHERSOME GIMMICKED MAMMALS LONG ENOUGH! TIME TO DIE! GOODBYE MISS KYLE, GOODBYE DARK KNIGHT, YOU WILL BE FORGOTTEN, FOREVER!"
Nygma aggressively tossed both of them off of his battle mech. He once again restored his robots, but with twist. This time, the robots were now frantically flashing multiple colors. And they could no longer be attacked by either Batman or Catwoman.
Selina, not realizing this tried to use her whip to take down one of them. But instead of being taken down, the robot used her own whip against by using it to Transport dangerous amounts of electricity.
"Selina don't!" Batman quickly threw a Baterang at her whip. It cut her whip in half and ultimately saved her life.
Nygma laughed maniacally, "Riddle me this: What's dressed as black mammals and will soon be extinct? A Batman, A Catwoman or both?"
"Hey, that's cheating Eddie!" Selina then looked at Batman. "Now what? How the hell are we gonna take down those damn things?"
Batman said nothing.
Riddler continued frantically taunting, "All those years, all your other costumed foes, and not one of them has found the perfect way to defeat you, Dark Knight. Scarecrow, Joker, Quinn, Croc, Dent, Cobblepot, The Arkham Knight, The Falcones, The Pyromaniac, The overly funded assassin Deathstroke, the Militia and elsewhere. None of them mentally challenge you as much as I do. I am superior than all the rest, including you. I am always prepared Dark Knight. I have finally found the one riddle that kills you! I have pulled out an unbeatable ace from my sleeve. At long last, i Edward Nygma, the Riddler, have finally outsmarted and defeated the not so great Batman."
"Not necessarily." Said Batman. Even Selina was a little curious.
"WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! YOU HAVE NOT AN OUNCE OF HOPE OR CHANCE OF VICTORY!"
"It's simple, Nygma. From the very start, I knew you wouldn't resist the urge to cheat and make things more difficult for me. I planned ahead of this moment long before you even finished your first deathtrap."
"What are you babbling about?!"
"Your not the only one with an ace in the hole Nygma. NOW!"
Realizing this was her cue, Ivy finally made her presence known by mutating the plant life inside the orphanage. "Hello, Edward. The pleasure is all mine." She said, In her intimidating alien and zombified like voice.
As a result of her mutating the plants inside the orphanage, large vines began to sprout out from under the ground like flowers.
The mutated vines easily destroyed every single robot of the Riddler's being that he had never programmed them to combat plant based attacks.
Riddler was beyond shocked. To shocked. The vines Ivy mutated went straight after Nygma and snatched him out of his battle mech suit with little effort.
Catwoman was more so shocked that her fellow Siren was alive as she had heard the story that Scarecrow's fear toxin had killed her. "Red? She's alive? How?"
Ivy used the vines to smack Riddler around, though she had to restrain herself now that she's no longer allowed to kill. With Riddler no longer piloting the mech, all his robots would now remained destroyed once and for all.
Selina turned to Batman, "You know, I saw this in a movie once. Except that it was a superhero film with a green monster smashing the skinny over the top weird space prince around."
Batman as stoic as he was simply replied, "Funny."
Once the Riddler was beaten down into unconsciousness, Ivy walked over towards Batman and Catwoman. "I say we won't have to worry about Edward anymore. But what'll happen to...that?" Ivy gestured at Riddler's mech suit.
"I'll see to it later." Batman replied.
Ivy turned over to Selina. Normally this would've been easy, but they hadn't seen each other in a while, so there was still a bit of awkwardness in the air.
Sensing the situation, Batman moved over so they could talk for a bit.
"Hello Selina, it's been a while..."
"Hey, Red. What you been up to?"
Ivy thought of something to say. "Nothing much, I've mostly been semi retired from my plant based crime since Arkham City, you?"
"Same old, same old." Selina turned in an attempt to leave.
Ivy remembering a past encounter with the Cat Burglar asked her for more confirmation, "Selina, about my plant from Arkham City, do you know what REALLY happened to it, and please just tell me the truth, I promise you I won't get upset."
Selina had a slightly worried look on her face, "Uhh...i already told you Ivy, it was Strange, he destroyed your plant, okay. He did it to bug you and spite me I guess."
Ivy wasn't convinced, She knew that Selina was obviously lying, but being that there were more important matters at hand, she decided to leave it alone for now.
Outside the Orphanage, the three of them were preparing to go their separate ways, with Batman and Ivy going to the GCPD, and Catwoman off to do the things she'd normally do in Gotham.
Batman carried and placed the unconscious Riddler in the back of the Batmobile, which Ivy was standing next to, uncertain whether she'd be up front with Batman, or in the back with Nygma.
"Give me a minute."
Ivy nodded in response to Batman. Ivy saw him step aside over and begin to have a conversation with Catwoman.
Ivy sensed strong plant life near them and wanted to listen to what they were saying, but she begrudgingly refused to out of respect for their privacy. It killed Ivy on the inside.
She was well aware that Batman and Catwoman were perceived by Gotham as being romantically involved with each other. On and off, sometimes.
Ivy was really hoping it was the latter.
She saw the pair talking with each other, and judging by their facial expressions, the conversation was obviously regarding something very important.
Ivy even saw Catwoman attempt to swat Batman, who easily blocked it with little to no effort. Batman's expression looked more serious than ever.
Eventually, Ivy saw the moment between them get closer and a little more affectionate between them, mainly on Selina's part.
She had a hand on Batman's face. Eventually the Cat Burglar went in for a kiss. Ivy saw this and was still respectfully quiet. While she did have her own romantic feelings for Batman, she wasn't going to act like the jealous or petty type. If Batman and Catwoman had something going on, she'd let it flow naturally, and wouldn't get in the way of whatever it is that they're going through with each other.
Batman reluctantly pulled himself away from Catwoman, said his final sentence to her and began heading off towards Ivy and the Batmobile.
Catwoman was left standing there, with her thoughts. "What's going on with Bruce? And more importantly, what's the deal with Red working with him? I gotta keep an eye on these two for a while?" And with that, Ivy and Batman saw Selina climb up on the roof of the Orphanage and disappear into the night.
Upon reaching Ivy again, Batman told her how she'd be riding back with him. "Sorry in advance, unfortunately Ivy, you'll need to ride in the back with Nygma being that I no longer have a passenger seat upfront."
"I figured as much." Said Ivy, with a little disappointment.
Batman pressed a button on his suit's comms function and as a result, the passenger's seats in the back of the car opened once more. Ivy sat down in her seat. Once she was secure, Batman began heading for the GCPD.
Ivy felt disgusted being so close to the Riddler. Mostly because Riddler was one of the people that genuinely got on her nerves. "If he awakens, can I put him down again?" Asked Ivy.
Batman replied. "Yes...but don't go overboard with it."
Not long into the ride back to the GCPD, Riddler eventually regained consciousness. "W...W-Where am I? What's happening to me?"
"You're a smart man, Edward, I'm sure you'll figure it out."
Once Nygma had finally began realizing his current predicament, he took finally notice of Poison Ivy, who was seated next to him. "No! No! No! You cheated! Catwoman cheated! Ivy wasn't even supposed to be involved! She stole my victory from me!"
Ivy spoke up, "It's not cheating, Edward. After all, you cheat more than you claim Batman does. And that ultimately lead to your downfall."
"You stay out of this Plant Woman!" The defeated man focused his attention on Batman again. "You couldn't defeat me fair and square, Batman! I am therefore superior than you! Let me go! This time it'll just be one on one! No Catwoman, No Robots, No Ivy! Just me and you!"
Batman merely responded in a manner of maturity, something Riddler was lacking. Ivy was getting a headache. "You programmed a fight I couldn't win. That doesn't even fit your definition of playing fair."
Riddler retorted. "It WAS fair! If you weren't able to bypass the robots' multilayer encryption, decipher their unique operating system and reprogram them mid-battle that doesn't mean you get to call in assistance! I MADE THEM PURPOSELY HACKABLE FOR YOU! AND YET YOU STILL CALLED IN THE SERVICES OF THAT MEDDLESOME CAT AND IVY!"
"You need help, Nygma." Said Batman.
"Agreed." Ivy added, for further emphasis.
Riddler then turned his attention towards Ivy and begun the berating process. "And you, Pamela Lillian Isley! What made you want to interfere in my battle? I've never done anything to you! Why do you surround yourself with an inferior mind like Batman's?"
Ivy wasn't bothered, "Because Edward, Batman is a man a true intelligence. His genius helps Gotham, unlike yours."
"How dare you degrade my genius, you meddlesome BI-"
Ivy cut off Riddler by using her sleep pheromones to render him unconscious before that potty mouth word came out. "With that kind of language directed at a girl, Eddie will never find a woman." Said Ivy, in a joking tone.
"Agreed." Added Batman.
Eventually, Batman, Ivy and company returned to the GCPD. Batman opened up the door to allow Ivy to exit the vehicle.
Then it was Riddler's turn. "Out you go Nygma."
"Ha! I could have brought me here twice as quickly!"
Ivy rolled her eyes, annoyed with the Riddler's overly confident ego. After walking past the cells containing the Militia soldiers and the crews of the other Gotham Super Criminals, Batman, Ivy and the soon to be incarcerated Riddler in the main area of the GCPD building.
And they were greeted by Officer Cash, who didn't look very happy to see Riddler. "Well well, riddle me this, what's green, proud and ass-kicked all over?"
"HA! How exceedingly droll. I won't be needing a lawyer you jumped-up security guard! I will represent myself!"
Cash just scoffed and allowed Riddler to be detained in the main cell with the others. Ivy just walked near Batman, unsure of what to do at the moment.
"You forget, you bothersome, Bat. Every time you overcome my puzzles I learn that little bit more about you. Soon enough there will be a riddle that leaves you dead! And you two Ivy, When I get out of here, I'll have special puzzles made just for you."
Ivy merely ignored Riddler. Batman and Cash did the same thing.
After being thrown in the cell, and hearing more taunting and ranting from Nygma, Batman left Ivy and Cash with another familiar task. "Ivy, Cash, ask Riddler for any whereabouts regarding Scarecrow, he's the last person on Crane's payroll, he's bound to know something. I need to talk with Barbara."
After Batman walked off, Ivy and Cash were left by the detainees cell.
Ivy was going to speak first, but Cash cut her off. "Don't worry, Ivy. I've got a plan that'll make that green and bruised bastard talking."
"Are you sure, Officer Cash?" Asked Ivy.
Cash grinned. "I'm sure, let me handle this." Cabs walked by where Riddler was standing in the cell and began the interrogation process. "Alright Riddler, I'm only gonna ask you this question once, Where's your disfigured best friend Crane at?!"
"HA! Do I look bothered by some washed up intellectually inferior security guard? You'll never get me to talk!"
"I was hoping your sorry ass would say that, I'll be right back."
Ivy saw Cash coming towards her. She knew that things weren't progressing. "I take it things didn't go well with Edward."
"Nope, but he made things more fun...for us, and not so much fun for him." Cash said, but in a serious tone. "Gimme a minute, I'll be back."
"Okay."
About two minutes later, Cash returned with something that surprised Ivy to a great degree: a small collection of plants. "Thats impossible, I thought Scarecrow killed every plant in Gotham! Where'd you find these?"
"I had one of my boys drive down to a plant shop a while ago. Fortunately these managed to survive that bastard's toxins." The two then looked towards Riddler. "Use whatever you need to get his ass talking." And with that Cash walked away, leaving Ivy to do the interrogation.
Ivy was looking at the small selection of plants that were offered. There were some flowers, vines and thorny roses. The flowers were similar to the ones Ivy had in her hair before they were killed by Scarecrow. Seeing that they wouldn't be really helpful, Ivy decided to use them and replace her missing flowers. Instead of putting them in separately, she decided to make it into a headpiece like necklace, mildly updating her look. "That's much better." She said mentally. "Maybe Batman'll notice it." Ivy briefly blushed at the thought.
The only plants that where left was the thorny rose and the small vine. Ivy needed to figure out how she would get the Riddler talking. That idea soon came to her. She formed a small smile and grabbed both the thorn covered rose and the small vine.
Ivy then walked over to the main holding cell. And like before, she had to deal with the welcoming committee.
"Well well, if it isn't Batman's lil' minx." Spouted by Penguin. "Your bloody boyfriend sent you back for more?"
Ivy merely rolled her eyes. But while Penguin was trying to get to her the other detained villains were mostly silent either out of a fear, intimidation or both. But she didn't have time to play around with Cobblepot, she had business to deal with. "I won't even acknowledge you Cobblepot, I'm not here for you, little man. I'm here for you Edward."
"Ahhh yes, Batman has sent his loyal female companion to bask in my intellectual superiority on his behalf." Ivy saw smile on Riddler's face, but didn't care. "How convenient, Miss Isley. I find it very difficult as to how you went from hating man and the world to being the lapdog of Batman. According to my calculations and primitive logic, the only logical explanation is that you and the Bat are romantically involved." The Riddler laughed at the idea.
While Ivy would love for that to be true, so secretly Nygma was semi correct, however, she still had a job to do. "I'm not here for you to talk about my personal life, choices and my personal romantic life, I'm here for one thing Edward, and that's answers. And you are going to give them to me. Where is Scarecrow? Tell me everything you know, now."
The Riddler merely flashed a smile at Ivy. "It seems that Batman has rubbed off on you, Pamela. Primitive theatrics won't work on me. You may strike fear into the rest of these simpletons, but you won't get me to break."
Ivy was now getting very impatient. Maybe it was true, some of Batman's habits had grown on her. Not wanting to go on longer than it has to, Ivy threw the thorny rose and small vine into the cell. Some of the other criminals inside had looks of fear or worry on their faces because they knew exactly what was about to happen.
"What are you doing?" Said Riddler, confused.
Ivy ignored him as she began mutating both plants into one mutated hybrid plant creature. The other detainees in the cell excluding Riddler moved further to the opposite side of the cell to avoid Ivy's wrath.
Eventually the mutated plant creature was revealed to be in the form of a snake. The rose pedal acted as if were the head. The rosé pedal spread open to reveal a lot of thorns inside its mouth. Just like a snake's mouth.
Ivy then commanded the snake-plant hybrid to wrap itself around Nygma. "WHAT IS THIS?!"
Once Riddler was wrapped up and trapped, Ivy continued her interrogation. "Now, tell me where Scarecrow is hiding at!"
"NO! NO! NOOO!"
"Very well." Said Ivy. Ivy used her powers to evolve the plant snake creature even further. This time Ivy made thorns appear out of the creature's body. The skinny thorns than rapidly grew longer and longer. It was almost as if it were fungi growing out of something.
Ivy now had what looked to be at least one hundred or more incredibly large and sharp thorns coming from the mutated plant snake creature at her disposal.
Riddler finally began to show signs of fear. Ivy spoke up again, this time in a more threatening tone. "Now here's how this is going to happen. You're going to tell me everything you know about Scarecrow and his whereabouts, or you will experience firsthand what happens to weak and dishonest men when Mother Nature is angered."
"You wouldn't kill me!" Shouted Riddler, trapped and terrified. "Since you're allied with that treasonous Bat, you'll be bound to follow his no killing orders!"
Damn. While this was true, Ivy needed him to talk. So she knew just how. She summoned one of the thorns.
"ARGHHHH!" Riddler screamed as Ivy brutally pinned his hand against the cell's wall by impaling a thorn directly through his hand. Stagg, Penguin and Pyg saw the blood flowing from Riddler's hand and were terrified. So much so that they decided to move as far away as they could from the ongoing interrogation. "This can't be legal! HELP ME YOU PATHETICALLY OVERPAID PIGS! IM AN INNOCENT AND UNARMED PRISONER!"
Most the cops that were nearby had purposely heard Riddler's pleas for help and had ignored them by pretending to whistle or otherwise. Ivy decided to brutalize Riddler once more.
She had the mutant rose pedal sink it's sharp thorny fangs into the Riddler's leg.
"AHHHHH!"
"That's no way to talk to Gotham City's finest men and women." Ivy had The Rose Pedal-Snake Head apply more force and pressure into its bite. Nygma of course screamed in agony like before. "This can go on all night, Edward."
"NO PLEASE! MAKE IT STOP! STOP YOU C-CRAZY WOMEN!"
To permanently ensure that she meant business, Ivy had one of the hundreds of large size thorns impale Riddler once more through his other hand to pin him on the wall.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The intelligent super criminal now had a mutated plant nearly crushing his leg with an ungodly amount of force and both of his hands brutally impaled and pinned against the cell wall.
They didn't know for sure, but by the looks of some of their faces, the Riddler's fellow detainees were almost certain that Ivy was going to murder this man in front of their very eyes.
Not all of the villains were as shook though. "I remember my first torture and interrogation experience." Said Deathstroke. "Pain defines endurance...and separates men from boys."
"Fate agrees," Said Dent. "Fear and pain separates men from the weak."
Ivy ignored Two-Face and Slade and continued her interrogation of the Riddler, who was now injured and probably in need of medical attention. Batman would've been proud. "This can all end with your cooperation Edward." Ivy then pointed all of the large mutated rose thorns at Riddler like it was a medieval torture device. "Talk, or I'll have every last one of these thorns laced with poison. Do I need to tell you how badly this'll affect you?"
"OKAY OKAY!" Nygma was frantically panting and out of breath. "I'll talk! Now, I don't know exactly where Doctor Crane is as of right now, but I do know that he primarily used a safe house in Chinatown and sometimes a secret location on Founder's Island. That's all I know, I swear!"
Unfortunately for Ivy, Riddler was telling the truth. Even more unfortunate was that these were locations that Batman had already cleared out earlier.
Without a single piece of useful information on Crane, Ivy decided to end Riddler's torment. She released the grip from the Rose-Pedal Snake head and the mutated thorns pinning his hands against the cell wall. Once the mutated plant snake creature began to die out, an injured and terrified Riddler fell to the ground, hoping for immediate medial assistance. Ivy walked away from the cell leaving behind awestruck detainees, and a smiling Officer Cash.
Unfortunately, when Ivy went back to Batman and Barbara, she didn't have any good news. "I'm sorry to say, but Edward doesn't have any clue as to where Scarecrow is either."
"Nothing?" Batman asked, sounding almost shocked.
"I'm afraid not."
Barbara suddenly spoke up, getting the attention of Batman and Ivy. "Oh no, Dad's voice was just used to gain access to your secret 'lair'." Barbara saw the look on Ivy's face. "Oh yeah, forgot to tell you earlier when Batman rescued me, dad was taken instead."
"Your in the hands of that madman scares me," Ivy said.
"Damn it!" Barbara now sounded worried and desperate. "I can't get a hold of Robin. You left him in there, didn't you?"
As he was the one who cut the link, Batman was now deeply worried for Tim's safety. And Ivy saw it, no matter how much he tried to hide it.
"He'll be fine." Ivy whispered in his ear, in her best attempt at comfort. Batman said nothing.
Barbara then spoke up. "What's the plan, Batman?"
Ivy merely stood there and hoped that Gotham's hero had a plan.
About half a minute passed before Batman eventually spoke up. "Ivy, you're coming with me."
Ivy figured she would've been used to the unpredictable nature of Batman's line of work, but it still caught her by surprise once more. "Should I expect combat to be involved?"
"Just be ready for anything, Ivy. But that's not the main reason I'm bringing you along for the ride."
"It's not?"
"No, I've currently got Harley subdued at my base, I figured it'd be good for you to talk to her in person, there's an even higher chance that she'll be persuaded to let go of her life of crime for good." Furthermore, with Harley still locked up in there, he decided it's necessary to take Ivy with him. After all, she would be needed to help further influence Harley.
Ivy was now more ready than ever. "Okay, I'm in. I feel like it's been forever since I've spoke to Harley and it's only been a little while since we've last talked."
"Good, we're leaving now." Said Batman as he gestured for Ivy to follow him.
Barbara wished the duo luck. "Good luck you two, give them hell."
And with that, Batman and Ivy headed for the exits to leave for the Movie Studios...