Izzy Sylas belongs to my best user friend and collaborator Alvaxerox. The Gotham Grimtales (Harry/Hatty, Evan/Scarecrow, Greg/Techno-Tune, and Pauline/Moth Queen) are co-owned by Alvaxerox and me. The rest belong to their respected owners of the DC Comics universe. Whether Green Lantern Animated or Batman Brave and Bold.
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It was another day in Gotham City. Sixteen-year-old Harry T. Lewis was around some old neighborhood to pay some silent respects there. Although it was dangerous to be alone, it didn't scare Harry. If anything, thugs and lowlifes should be afraid of him especially when he is secretly the next Mad Hatter.
He stopped in front of a building that had seen better days. The dirty blonde boy placed a caring hand where the rails of the stoop were. While it looked like a broken-down area, there was meaning to the place for Harry.
'Can't believe the anniversary is already here. Practically eight years since...that night,' Harry thought to himself, bringing his hand away to look at it slightly shaking...until gripping it into a fist to stop. 'I promise you both that I won't rest until I expose the truth for everyone knowing their vigilante savior is a lying crook...if not worse.'
After he was done, Harry left a small bouquet of pink and white carnations on the steps before leaving. Even kept two of the flowers for himself. While walking, the young man heard sobbing not far from him. He kept his guard up while proceeding with caution. For all Harry knew, it could be a trap set up to mug him or around those lines. It is Gotham, after all.
Soon, Harry checked the other side of the alley to see a little girl with pink hair sitting on a bench crying. He's never seen anyone like her around before.
'Doesn't seem out of the ordinary. But even looks can be deceiving,' Harry thought deeply. 'Still, I can't just ignore a sad little kid all by herself. She might be lost. I better give her company until her family finds her...at least, I'm hoping that's the case.'
The little girl was leaking tears from her purple eyes, as she cried. She then opens a photo and couldn't help but cry more. She rolled into a ball, sobbing. So, no one can hear her whining.
"I miss you so much!" She muffled to herself. "I don't wanna feel alone."
"Hello there. Are you okay?" Harry asked, being friendly while making sure not to scare her.
The girl moved her head slightly to the left and she rolled up her eye, looking at who was talking to her. She tried to calm down a little. "Oh," She turned her head away. "I'm... fine. But I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. Who are you?" She asked.
"I guess we never formally introduced," Harry stated, putting his right hand to his chest with a small bow. "Harry T. Lewis. And what may I call you?"
"Izzy. But if we're going to go by last names. Izzy Sylas." The girl introduced herself, still looking away from Harry.
"Izzy. Short for Isabelle, correct?" Harry asked, very intrigued. "In Greek, Izzy means 'gift'. The 'Belle' in Isabelle means 'beautiful'. You seem to match the qualities."
Izzy turned her head, facing Harry. He was just a young kid like her, but a bit older since he was a teenager. "Yeah. My full first name is Isabelle. Is my name really that special to mean those things?"
"Of course. Even your last name has a few meanings," Harry stated, smiling lightly. "Sylas originates from the Latin that translates 'of the forest'; which promotes a sense of strength and independence reflecting a connection to nature. So, in a way, your full name means 'beautiful gift of the forest'. It suits you very well. Describes your strength and beauty not only from the outside but also from within."
Izzy was surprised. All of a sudden, she felt...special. But then her face turned sad. "The last person to tell me that...was my mom." She said, before shedding another tear from her eye.
Harry crouched down to be leveled with the young girl, looking concerned. "Forgive me for what I may ask further, but...do you have any home or shelter currently?
"I live at an old orphanage, and I hate it there. But every Sunday, I come here to see my mom and dad." Izzy said.
"...I see," Harry responded, having a bad feeling about where this may lead. "And your parents? ...Where are they now?"
"They're over there." Izzy pointed at a nearby tombstone at the corner of the sidewalk. "They're gone and sleep there forever. I see other kids my age with their mommies and daddies. I hate the fact that my mommy and daddy are not here with me anymore."
"Yeah...me, too," Harry muttered, feeling his heart break from hearing what Izzy's been through. "Do you know what caused this to happen?"
"My parents were running away from a bad man. We were set to go to a new home in Metropolis. But then, the bad man arrived and chased us through this neighborhood. My dad tried to fight him but the bad man shot something from his hands and grabbed my dad. My mommy covered my ears and I couldn't hear what was happening. The bad man then shot his sticky stuff from his hands again and was about to grab my mom. I tried to save her, but he kicked me to that corner of the sidewalk where I was hurt and everything went black. All I saw last was my mom scared, as the bad man laughed crazy before I fell asleep. When I woke up...he was gone. My parents were on the floor, but they were not moving. My mom looked at me being she took a deep breath out and gave me a little necklace. She said I was her favorite gift..." Izzy paused a moment, hating to say what she remembers next. "My parents were not moving. They were not breathing... They...we're gone. And I was alone. So, I cuddled with them so I wouldn't be alone...until some police officers arrived and took me to the orphanage so I wouldn't sleep on the streets."
The dirty blonde boy couldn't believe his ears. So many emotions were running through him. Sadness, disgust, and above all...anger. All this chaos and the Dark Knight was a no-show to someone who needed help most?! It was an injustice Harry did not take lightly.
"You said this man shot some sticky stuff during the incident," Harry noted calmy, keeping it together from going off. Especially in front of Izzy. "You've probably been asked before from the authorities, but do you recall anything else from him? What'd he look like?"
"The bad man looked like a dark purple monster with a scary mask and lines," Izzy said. "This is the first anniversary of my parents' graves. And I hate it because...I am...alone." She then starts crying.
Seeing her in distress, Harry got out of his crouching position to sit next to Izzy and comforted her in a warm embrace. He didn't say anything. Just rubbed her back while waiting for her to let it all out.
Izzy didn't want to feel too sad; she was feeling cared for. "I hate being alone," Izzy said, as she was about to calm down. "I hate the orphanage... And I hate this place. I wish I could escape into my dreams where my parents are still alive."
After hearing Izzy cry less and calm down, Harry got out of the hug while putting both hands on her shoulders and not lose eye contact.
"Izzy, I want you to listen carefully," Harry responded, his eyes sincere. "I understand what you're going through. I know what it's like to lose a family and end up stuck somewhere that feels unfair. So, believe me when I say...you're not alone in this. Not anymore."
Izzy didn't know what to think of Harry's words. "I'm...not alone? But my parents…they're gone. And I'm left in this big scary city."
"Your parents loved you enough to protect you, Izzy," Harry stated. "To know you survived a scary experience while honoring what your parents did shows the kind of strength you have. You're braver than how I started after a year without my family."
"Harry…You said you lost your mommy and daddy, too, right?" Izzy asked.
"It was a long time ago. I struggled and mourned the same as you," Harry explained, letting go and facing forward to see the streets in remorse. "And I seriously didn't enjoy staying in an orphanage either. Especially not the headmaster who was as insufferable as the other families I got away from. It took me a while to find someone who accepted me for me and did not change me as something that they wanted. What I'm saying is ...You shouldn't give up hope. Things may seem hard now but they will get better soon."
Izzy understood, but she felt nervous while looking into the view of the streets of Gotham. "I don't know what's out there. How do I start?" She asked.
"Well, for starters, you have someone who can level with you," Harry said, waving his left hand to have the two flowers he kept earlier appear out of thin air. "And hopefully, a friend to give support whenever you need it."
Izzy was in awe as she saw the flowers appear in Harry's hand. "Are those roses?"
"These aren't roses. They're carnations," Harry stated, giving the two flowers to Izzy. "They have a lot of meanings that depend on the matter. For me giving them to you means I give you my appreciative gratitude and wish you good luck."
"Wow. They are beautiful," Izzy said, looking at the carnations in her hands.
"The carnations that are white and pink also can be used for sympathy," Harry added, smiling gently. "The white carnations represent purity and innocence while the pink carnations bring out thoughts of remembrance."
"Remembrance?" Izzy asked. "I didn't know that. What should I do with these flowers?"
"Give these to your parents," Harry replied. "It shows how much you love and remember them."
Izzy looks at her parents' tombstone which has a photo of her parents, and the inscription reads, 'Ken and Penelope Sylas, beloved parents, special people.' She then walks up to it.
"Mommy, daddy... I don't know if you can hear me while you are sleeping, but... I have something for you. I hope you're watching over me, and I'll never forget you." She then places the flowers on the tombstone. "Thank you for keeping me alive. I'll...never forget you." She then sheds a tear before kissing the tombstone. "Sleep tight."
Harry watched and heard everything that involved Izzy. The moment made him think back on how he felt years ago. While he originally wanted to keep the carnations as a reminder of his parents, Harry was more grateful to give them to someone who needed them most.
Izzy then sees her mom's phone, looking at the time. "I have to go back home to the orphanage. But I hope to see you again." She then hugs Harry again. "Thank you, Harry, for everything."
Smiling kindly, not to mention taken a little by surprise by the hug for a second, Harry hugged her back. "You are very welcome, Izzy. I look forward to seeing you once more later in the future. I'll come back next week on Sunday. Even bring more carnations for both our parents and still see you before that day, if you'd like."
"I would really appreciate that. Goodbye...friend," Izzy said, walking back to the orphanage.
Harry waved goodbye to Izzy until she was already gone where it was safe for him to walk back and look troubled.
'How can that Dark Knight be so careless!? He truly is insufferable to make someone like Izzy go through this much pain and sorrow than I did years back,' Harry thought in anger, before calming down. 'I got to get the others. We got a lot of work to do.'
Izzy, with little knowledge about her mom's phone, just sighed in relief. She feels something she hadn't felt since her parents died... Hope.
"Someday... I'll find that bad man... And he'll be sorry for taking you away from me, " She mumbled to herself.
Seeing the orphanage household again, Izzy sighed before walking back inside.
Soon, Harry returned to his secret hangout/headquarters with his friends around; Evan Hitch aka the next Scarecrow, Gregory Sanders aka Techno-Tune, and Pauline Hanksaw aka Moth Queen. The dirty blonde boy explained what happened earlier and the others did not enjoy hearing what Gotham's vigilante detective failed to do.
"Are you serious?! A deadly assassin showed up around town and the Dork Knight didn't bother to prevent this murderous crime from happening!?" Evan exclaimed, equally livid about the news as Harry.
"The man faces deadly assassins all the time! How could he not save that little girl's parents on time?" Greg questioned, seriously dumbfounded. "What could have been more important than this?!"
"Probably went somewhere off-state or planet with some other excuse of a mission," Pauline shrugged, very chill yet annoyed with her hand under her chin. "That's Batman for you. Claims to protect Gotham yet doesn't worry about the small stuff."
"Well, this injustice will not stand!" Harry stated firmly. "I'll worry about the Dark Knight when the day comes. Right now, I have a better mission for all of us."
"Oh, yeah? And what do you have in mind?" Evan asked.
"For this week, we're going to plan a very special event for Izzy Sylas where she can get a break from all the horrid stuff going on," Harry replied, before looking at the fashion-forward friend of the team. "Pauline, can I count on you to do a special outfit or two?"
"Awww, she would look so cute in one of my outfits," Pauline said, liking this plan already. "You can count on me."
"Good. Evan, Greg, see if you can find a good place for us to hold our little event that Batman won't be able to look for," Harry said. "Once you do, we can discuss special effects and specific music playlists later."
"Copy that," Greg said. "And what about you?"
"Leave the favorite subjects to me," Harry assured, going with Pauline. "I'll be sure to provide what we're missing and have them ready next Sunday night."
"Quick question, why are we even doing this?" Evan curiously questioned. "No offense to the little girl, but aren't we supposed to be like the next generation of the bad guys or something? Why would we do this just for someone like her?
"Because Batman ruined her life," Harry stated, glaring while explaining; causing his crystal staff to go from red to purple back and forth in his pocket. "The same way he did with mine years back. And if we want to prevent her from going through that dark road but way worse where she has no one, then it's best we handle it as soon as possible. Do you really want the news going around that Izzy is found a goner like her parents because she lost the will to live life? Do you?!"
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" Evan said, raising his hands in defense while already imagining the scenario. "Of course, I don't want that to happen. From how you're putting it, the next thing you'll be saying is that she'll be joining our little team." He sarcastically commented.
Greg smacked Evan's arm from that last part. "Dude! Don't give him any ideas."
"Huh? What makes you think that I would do such a thing?" Harry questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing!" Evan quickly responded as he left with Greg.
"Pffft, boys," Pauline scoffed, before looking at Harry curiously. "But really, you're not suggesting that we recruit a random orphan girl we barely know to our team, are you?"
"Don't be absurd, Pauline," Harry said, waving a hand. "I know better than to make a young girl like Izzy be part of what we do. It wouldn't be fair for her to be included when she needs time to figure things out on her own. We thrive on mischief and danger to make our mad destinies in honor of our mentors. She isn't suited for this gig. All I want now is to give her something better. Better than what I never had years ago before meeting all of you."
Pauline rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Harry. Let's just focus on some ideas on what I can create for your new little friend."
Nodding, Harry went with Pauline to help develop some ideas that Izzy might like.
To be continued…
A little continuity behind Harry's past and his motives. Something most of you barely know or were aware of.
For those who know Alvaxerox's work as much as his spider character, this isn't Miraculous Spider-Tsundere. This is the DC Comic version of Isabelle Sylas. Nicknamed Izzy. Unlike Isabelle Parker, Izzy Sylas is an orphan who lost her parents to the diabolical Black Spider. And for those who watch Young Justice, Black Spider is an assassin and a member of the League of Shadows. In summary, he's an evil Spider-Man but for DC Comics.
Rest assured; Izzy will play a big role in the future.
I hope you enjoyed this story. No flamed or fake reviews, please.