Batman and Ivy

Finale: "In Tooth and Claw"

A/N: Whew, that last chapter was pretty intense, huh? I still can't believe I put something as violent as Batman ripping a computer mouse out of its port in the chapter. *Shudders.* By the way, sorry for the delay. I've gotten pretty lazy about writing, so I decided to adhere to a schedule again. Release dates will be on my profile page.

- Two months later, somewhere south of the equator -

The soft, warm light of the morning illuminates a motel room, casting gentle shadows across a desk, a chair, and a bed. Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune plays loudly on the desk, while the shower runs in the bathroom. Pamela hums sweetly to the tune.

Several broken bones, my legs, one of my arms, two cracked ribs, two dislocated thumbs, two dislocated shoulders, a twisted ankle, and multiple bruises and gashes in my skin. Pamela gently rubs her currently smooth, unmarred skin. It feels good to be whole in health again. Her gaze drifts to the corner of the bathtub as she remembers Bruce suffered the same. She knows he's not entirely healed yet. When I was released from the hospital, the doctor said I should take some time off and relax for a week before going back to work. Pamela inhales deeply (she has a few rare flowers in the bathroom with her).

"I needed to reconnect with nature, reconnect with you." Pamela smiles as her favorite part of the song plays. "Yes, it has been hard to find time to travel while I was working with Bruce. But now, I'm here. My lovely Thespesia grandiflora. Perhaps I should be thankful to the Joker in a way, that I was here to find you. Or to Woodrue, for the means of communicating with you. Nature is a much less stressful world than the big city."

Pamela smells something somewhat spicy and mellow. Just a hint, something an average human wouldn't notice. Almost like garlic. She knows what it is. It smells like a certain kind of chemical fertilizer. While she doesn't dislike the rich nutrients present in fertilizer (thank God it's absent of manure), something's not right if that's what's in her shower water….

"Master Bruce."

A chair electrically wheels its way in the direction of the voice. "I'm still tracking her, Alfred."

"You know in your condition, you can't stop her alone."

Bruce looks up from his wheelchair. "Gotham is in serious danger."

/

Pamela makes her way to the region's water treatment facility to complain to the manager. He says he's already gotten dozens of complaints and brushes her off. Despite the abhorrent situation before her, Pamela is confident it will be taken care of. What concerns her more is the surprising concentration level of the chemicals in the region's water. All over the region, there is fertilizer runoff, drowning plants in an overdose of growth chemicals and poisoning them, the chemicals then also poisoning the rivers. The biggest offender of all: Axis Chemicals. Spewing hundreds of gallons of chemicals into the environment, adversely affecting all life in the region.

She walks up to the plant, which is surrounded by yellowed and dying grasses. The stone walkway and the steps have dark smears. She asks to speak to someone in charge. Two men come out to meet her.

"I hope you realize what you're doing to the environment. I'm sure there are many companies and people that depend on your products, but you can't just dump this stuff wherever you want."

"Who are you? You gringa? Go away, this is a business."

"Do you know that if the world can't congregate to put a plan together to fight climate change by the end of 2020, there's no going back?"

"Listen, forastero. I don't have time for American politics. This is my job."

"Oh, so all you care about is money."

The man begins walking away. "We all need money." He continues leaving and makes a comment to the other man as he gets near the door. "Esta gringa estúpida." The pair laughs softly. Pamela looks at the ground… at the dead grass… in frustration.

/

Ivy pulls on a pair of gardening gloves, completing an outfit for herself. With it, she also wears her old Poison Ivy mask and what would be a stealthy black sweat suit if it weren't covered in leaves. Though, perhaps the ensamble would be better concealed outdoors.

A tall, but thin vine grows itself up to one of the windows. Off it drops the disguised Pamela Isley. She looks across the multiple floors and sees the entire area cluttered with machinery from top to bottom. She targets some of the centrifuges and cooling tanks. Out of her leafy sweatsuit grows long and thick vines powerful enough to crush the machinery from the inside out. After that, she destroys the power grid in several places for good measure.

By the time morning comes, any crew that comes to maintain the operation of the facility is now too late. The workers marvel with each other in confusion. Surely the plant was sabotaged, but what could possibly destroy in such a swift and powerful manner, and why? The work of Pamela Isley is now done.

"This is getting out of hand, Alfred."

"My word, look at all the damage she's caused in just the past week!"

"She's an international terrorist, Alfred."

"Master Bruce, I know you don't like it, but you have to. There's only so much you can do in your current condition."

/

Pamela Isley struts her way through Star Labs, greeting everyone in the halls without stopping for small talk. She drops off a health-conscious lunch at the break room and makes her way to the botanical labs.

"Hi, Ginger and Meredith! My, how you've grown!" she says to the plants beside the doorway.

"Isley, you're back! I heard about Joker. Are you alright?" Alisa asks.

In the back of Pamela's mind flashes a grinning face, a skittish, brute shadow whacking away at her friend and her, destroying the very splendor of heroism.

"I missed work," she blurts.

The composed woman of color smiles a smile of somewhat irked reverence toward Pamela. "You do love your Monday mornings. Don't tell me you spent your recovery time working." Pamela begins to stutter, failing to come up with something to say. Alisa sighs. "Of course. Who am I talking to?"

"It's just… big… and small businesses and their pollution, and their total disregard for the environment…"

"Mm-hm. You can't expect to save the world in a day."

"I know." Alisa gives Pamela a skeptical look. "I know." Pamela reiterates.

Alisa chuckles. "What did you do?"

"There was this company in South America: Axis Chemicals. I shut them down. They were destroying the ecosystem and the community, and I couldn't let that happen."

"So… what? You had the local government interfere?"

Pamela shrugs the idea off with her shoulders. "I interfered. A factory can't work without its equipment in working order."

Alisa is shocked speechless for a bit before she can think of something to say. "That's—what about the people who work there? Their jobs?"

Pamela looks at Alisa with absolute confusion. "They… there's other ways to make money. It's not like anyone got hurt. What's the matter with you, Alisa? Now come on, I'm dying to get back to work."

Pamela walks past a security camera and caresses her plants, talking to them, admonishing them, encouraging them. Alisa works in silence for the rest of her shift.

Alfred calls Pamela's cell one more time. He's standing by the wall clock in Wayne Manor that is the entrance to the Batcave. Pamela enters the room and walks past without greeting him. She arrives in the Batcave.

"What's it going to be this time, Bruce? Another reprimand? Look, I'm sorry what happened to you two months ago. And I'm sorry we don't see eye to eye. I know I'm not the hero you want me to be."

"This is not about that." Bruce comes out of the shadows in a wheelchair.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but shouldn't you be in a full-body cast right now?"

"Wayne Biotech has its uses. There's a lot of prototypical equipment I get to use before it goes into development."

"Of course. You have a healing drug for yourself. Otherwise, how could you save a city all on your own?"

"And you believe you can save the planet on your own. I guess we're both delusional."

"You need me." Pamela smirks.

"There's someone in Gotham right now who is extremely dangerous. She has a tendency to rob big cities all over the globe, but especially in America."

"So, she's a thief, like Catwoman? I heard she's on parole, by the way. Maybe you two could date."

"It takes months for the local governments to recuperate. New York, Chicago, Star City, London. And that's just to name a few. She usually takes hostages, demands a ransom or valuable goods, then destroys everything. Red Claw has murdered hundreds of innocent people."

"So… Red Claw."

"I'm going to bring you up to speed on everything you need to know. Knowledge is power and we can't stop her without it. I've analyzed all her previous attacks, her primary targets, her methods, and you're going to commit it all to memory. You have until 17:30."

"17:30? That's not even half an hour from now."

"Checkmate is deployed in Gotham right now following leads on Red Claw. Whatever's happening is happening tonight. And I'm not about to let a war break out in my city."

"Checkmate, Bruce?"

"They're a division of the U.S. government that has international ties. Currently run by Amanda Waller. But they are not your concern. The only thing I need you focused on is stopping Red Claw quickly, before this becomes a complicated mess, before any other parties interfere."

"No pressure or anything."

"I will be assisting you from the Batcave. But I'm going to need 110 percent from you."

Pamela takes a deep breath. "I won't let you down, Bruce."

Bruce does not respond to her promise. They get to work immediately.

A pair of Checkmate agents pass by in a white van. Elsewhere, a pair of men in trench coats slink to an electrical panel in front of the Gotham Museum of Antiquities and disables it. Inside, the lights go out.

"What the hell?" a security guard blurts before being knocked out from behind by another security guard.

Iron gates in the hallways come down. Iron gates at all the exits, too.

"All emergency exits are unyielding?" Red Claw checks. One of the thugs nods.

Outside, at the top of the structure, thugs climb in through the windows. But they do not go unseen. A Bat-drone detects the anomalous activity from three miles away.

Men with trench coats and flashlights walk through the staff areas of the museum. And behind them, out of the shadows appears a muscular Russian woman in red with a white streak in her hair and a red claw tattoo on her shoulder.

"Drop down and plant the explosives. I want no corner of the exhibit unscorched."

A bat gliding in the night sky is seen on the reflection of a Checkmate agent's sunglasses. He looks up and sees the drone approach the museum. A vine promptly creeps up one of the windows.

/

Red Claw and her henchmen drop down on ropes amid a large, brightly-lit three-story area occupied by about forty visitors. Security personnel draw their weapons, but they are taken out with deadly precision before the thugs even finish touching down. The crowd bursts in screams.

"I have come to rid Gotham of its most valuable possessions." Red Claw signals as the men start smashing glass and taking antiquities. She nods at another thug. "Of course, I do not envy the sacrifice I require of you to atone for Gotham's sins." The thug begins planting one of several C4 explosives.

SMASH! A giant, purple, bulbous flower droops down from the window and opens, bringing forth Poison Ivy. Several vines loom overhead and snatch the explosives away, taking them to a safer location outside.

"I can use my Bat-drone to defuse the bombs. Also, seven o' clock, third floor."

A vine snatches an assault rifle from the thug before slapping him in the side of the head, flinging him several feet and knocking him out. Ivy sees more thugs with assault rifles and raises a thick wall of foliage in defense, which bursts through the floor. Smoke grenades fly in from the windows, blocking Ivy off from their view.

"You're covered. Go for Red Claw."

Ivy heads straight for her when a security gate blows open, admitting a couple of squads of Checkmate agents.

"I want Red Claw taken out ASAP!"a female voice orders over radio.

A firefight breaks out. Red Claw orders one of her thugs to aim an RPG above the agents' entryway. The grenade is launched and an upper level collapses on top of them, leaving two remaining agents out in the open to be gunned down. Red Claw searches the chamber.

"How could Checkmate have ascertained our target so quickly?" Red Claw ponders. "Open fire on everyone here. Any one of them could be a Checkmate agent."

The thugs fire on upon the crowd. Ivy screams in protest, while attempting to take out the gunmen. Batman launches more smoke grenades. One of the forty visitors in the crowd draws a weapon and is immediately taken out by a gunman on the top level.

"Quickly, direct your attention to every possible access point. Windows and vents, too!" Red Claw orders. "They are not coming in." She keeps an eye on Ivy as she is approached by her.

They both hear the distinct sound of bone and flesh being pierced. One of the thug's helmets flies right off, containing a fresh, new hole in it; the owner of the helmet falls immediately after. Another one falls. Then another. On a building three hundred feet away, there is a sniper wearing a white mask with a red eyepiece over the right eye. Red Claw quickly makes her way to an area safe from the shooter, Ivy pursuing.

Red Claw throws a pair of cross punches, both of which Ivy blocks. Ivy blows a green mist into Red Claw's face, causing her to cough. Ivy kicks Red Claw in the stomach, causing her to fall backwards. Red Claw draws a submachine gun and fires at Ivy. Ivy dodges and wraps a vine around the gun, snatching it out of her hands. She punches Red Claw square in the bridge of the nose and wraps a vine around her throat.

"Why do they call us terrorists, who exist as heroes to our cause?" Red Claw struggles to ask. "Your 'Land of Liberty' is a threat to my world. A society corrupted by greed. Barbarians who torture on my kind. I take for my people." Amanda Waller enters the chamber. "You lousy Americans, people like her."

Waller speaks up. "One of my assets has cleared the room of all hostiles. This woman has murdered hundreds. I think you know what has to be done. I'll not waste time with you. If you won't take care of Red Claw, I'll just remove her now."

Ivy witnessed Red Claw and her men firing into the crowd. She remembers the trials the Joker had put her through. What he did to her, Bruce, the children. The bombings, the trees. Two-Face and Firefly working together and burning down City Hall. Scarecrow bringing all of Gotham to its knees. What would she have to gain from saving Red Claw from someone like Waller? What does anyone have to gain by sparing monsters like these? It's monsters that doom the planet with their recklessness. Violence. Apathy towards the workings of the environment, apathy towards society.

Ivy pulls Red Claw nearer to her, increasing her grip on the vine around her neck. Encouraging thorns to pierce her vulnerable flesh. The only way to cultivate peace, or achieve any goal, solve any problem, scientific or otherwise, is to eliminate the problem.

SNAP!

/

Batman finishes defusing the last bomb. He doesn't hear anymore gunfire. He can only hope the right side won.

"Ivy. Come in, Ivy. What's going on in there?" The Bat-drone flies back into the museum chamber. He sees the Russian woman's body lie lifeless, her neck ensnared in Ivy's vines, as Ivy releases her and drops her to the ground. "Ivy…"

"Save it, Batman. Letting these killers get away with their lives is almost as bad as killing innocent people ourselves. I've always wanted to save the planet. I've always wanted to turn a city as corrupt and filthy as Gotham into a better place.

"What you've done is murder!"

"I don't care what you think of me anymore, Batman. If you wish to stick to your damn code, fine. I'm not coming back to you this time. I'm not apologizing for doing the right thing. I have all the training I need from you, anyway. Thank you."

Ivy turns and walks away. Waller has a crew come in to take care of the bodies.

A couple of hours later, Pamela brings Alisa into one of the labs to talk to her in private.

"Right now, Batman seems to be obsessing over these Checkmate people like he obsesses over supervillains. I swear, Alisa, anyone who doesn't operate the exact same way he does is subject to intense scrutiny."

"All I've ever heard of Batman is how he saves the day. It's fascinating to see him from the point of view of someone working so closely with him."

"No, not working. Not anymore," Pamela clarifies. "We've had this same fight before, but this time, I'm standing my ground. I'm fighting for what's right. People like Joker deserve to be killed. I don't care what he thinks, I'm doing something about it. I'm taking action. I'm going to go straight into Arkham and kill Two-Face, Scarecrow, and Firefly. And I'm going to make damn sure Joker knows he's next."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Alisa seems stunned. "Hey, look. I totally agree with you, but I don't know, isn't that going a little far? Ever since you fought the Joker again, you've been different. What did he do, Isley?"

"Do you remember what Scarecrow did to this city?" Alisa's drop eyes down for a moment. "You know I'm right, don't you?" Pamela asks her.

Alisa shakes her head. "I'm a scientist. How do I know what's best for a city's moral wellbeing? I know that even though everything we experienced that day wasn't real, Scarecrow's toxin can do a lot of long-term damage to people's psyche. Maybe you're right, but I'd strongly urge against hunting criminals down like that. There has to be a better way."

"A better way." Pamela nods and briefly smiles sarcastically. "Now, you sound just like him." Pamela starts toward the exit. She trails her fingers along the stems of the plants nearby. "Look at these humans," she says to one of them. "So afraid to take action. Afraid to put an end to the evils that plague our world. Maybe no one else agrees with me, but I'm never alone. I fight for our way. A better way."

Alisa watches as Pamela passes all the plants and then the security camera before the door. Pamela seems to have a furious look on her face. Alisa logs onto a computer and visits the Arkham website. She looks back at where Pamela was moments ago and ruminates.

Down in the Batcave, Alfred brings a meal down to Bruce.

"I'm going to need you to fill the Batwing with as much herbicide as it'll hold."

Alfred raises an eyebrow. "Sir? I understand your concern that Miss Isley may behave recklessly, but now that Checkmate is in Gotham, I would have presumed you would take the opportunity to investigate Miss Waller."

"Prep the Batwing, Alfred. Whatever happens next, I will be ready for her."

/

Poison Ivy drives through the gates of Arkham and parks in front of Intensive Treatment. Before leaving her car, she snatches her purse off the seat next to her. She sees the guards on either side of the door. Before approaching, she sprays herself with pheromones. She will need persuasion on her side if she is to do what must be done—something she hasn't had much luck with lately. She walks up to them.

"You and Batman working a case?"

"There is no me and Batman."

"In any case, I'll go ahead and tell 'em you're coming."

"Oh, that won't be necessary." A puff of purple mist escapes Ivy's lips as she speaks. "I need to get to the maximum-security wing. And… let's keep this our little secret," she says as she trails her fingers along one of the guard's chins.

/

The guard goes into the security office and approaches the guards at the monitors connected to the security cameras. He plucks a small bottle from his pocket and sprays the other guards with it. They fall unconscious immediately. Poison Ivy's handiwork. He disables the cameras and informs Ivy. She dazes every guard she passes with her pheromone trick. At last, she reaches the cells.

Two-Face mutters to himself as he paces in his cell… to the right… and to the left. He turns to find Poison Ivy leaning on the wall in front of the cell. She opens the door and walks in.

"You here to make sure I keep Bruce's little secret?"

"Where are they keeping Firefly?"

"So, that's what this is about." Ivy patiently waits for her answer. "You won't find him here. And now that Blackgate is gone, I couldn't tell you even if I did decide I want to."

"You've got a lot to answer for. Say good-bye to Two-Face for me, Harvey." Ivy approaches the prisoner.

/

Killer Croc sits in the corner of his cell nearest to the door. He hears commotion: Thudding, and a man screaming. He peeks out of the barred window of his cell door to see Ivy leaving Two-Face's cell, heading for Scarecrow's. Killer Croc grins widely as he watches in anticipation. But before she can get to Scarecrow, Dr. Strange stops her.

"Pamela, what is the meaning of this?"

Ivy stops dead in her tracks, unprepared for his appearance. She lets out a sigh. "Some of these people are mass murderers, serial killers. They're a danger to society."

"That is precisely why we are keeping them here!"

"It's not enough! It's never enough! They always escape."

"Our patients at Arkham are here to be rehabilitated. They are patients. They are helpless. And they are under the protection of the law. You don't get to decide who lives and who dies. That… was Harvey Dent. He was very dear to many and he was very important to everyone who stands for the law. He was a good friend of Commissioner Gordon. I'm sure he would have been a good friend of Batman. It puzzles me why he was so obsessed with capturing you and Batman. Now, we may never know the maladjusted thoughts that plagued his mind. If we cured Two-Face, what more could we achieve to make Gotham a better place?"

"I'm sorry, but you're wrong."

Ivy's security guard hits Strange in the back of the head. He nods at her. She nods back. The guard leaves and Ivy kicks Scarecrow's cell door open. She sees him lying on the floor, face-down. One of his hands is visible. It's pale and lifeless. She turns his head to see darkened skin around the eyes and blood smeared across the corner of his lips. It's not Jonathan Crane. It's not Scarecrow.

The door slams shut behind her. The lights in the room go out in an instant. She sees the dark, lanky figure, his eyes dimly illuminated behind a gas mask. There is a hissing sound as plumes of some sort of smoke come out of a hose in his hand. She begins choking.

"I was prepared for you, Poison Ivy. There is not a soul on this planet who cannot be controlled by fear." Scarecrow leans in towards Ivy as he says this. They both look at the body on the floor. "It merely took pulling the right strings to get him to do my bidding." He grabs one of her arms and pulls it behind her back as he moves around her. He speaks in her ear.

"What do you fear, Poison Ivy? Do you fear the world devolving into chaos day by day? Does it hurt knowing that the very citizens of Gotham cause more harm than people like me? That it's their fault devils can thrive by manipulating the system?" He moves his head to her other ear. "Are you afraid that Batman perpetuates immorality, that he allows the balance of nature to be defiled?"

"I'm not Batman."

She jerks her head back, butting him in the face. Scarecrow readjusts the aim of his hose. She spits in his goggles. Scarecrow stumbles back as the poison blocks his view and dares to penetrate his mask. Ivy grabs the hose and his mask. She rips the mask off and plunges the hose in his face. She drags him to the door and opens it to breath in some fresh air. She continues to hold the hose to his face until he suffocates. She lets go of his body. His head thuds onto the floor.

Ivy leaves the room. She is dizzy from the herbicide, but triumphant. The entire cell block bursts into commotion, a lot of which are cheers. She makes haste to leave the building.

A security guard checks for eavesdroppers, then puts his watch up to his mouth.

"I saw Poison Ivy. She just killed Scarecrow."

- The man pauses for a response.

"I'm sure ol' Croc was happy about that one."

"Yeah." The guard nods solemnly. "Harvey, too."

"What do you mean, you'll handle it? Are you sure about this, sir?"

"Well, then… she's all yours."

/

Ivy hears the alarms go off. She knows she's in trouble. She knows it's different this time. There won't be anyone to side with her. But it doesn't matter. They may not view her as a hero, but she's a hero nonetheless. She's too far gone by the time anyone can stop her.

She drops by her home to pack up some things. She sees the red and blue lights before she sees her house.

Of course! Damn it, Pamela! While you were busy obeying the rules of the road, the cops were running reds! But that means—

Ivy sees the black silhouette of a Bat crossing the sky.

No. It can't be!

She backs up, turns around, and accelerates. The silhouette chases her. She's being hunted by her ex-mentor. And the police. And this time, she's out of excuses. She leaves the suburbs and goes back to the city as soon as possible, ignoring traffic. The higher the buildings, the less room it leaves for him to maneuver. She turns a corner into a tight alleyway. She quickly gets out and rides a vine to one of the top corners of a six-story building and hides behind a billboard.

The whirring of engines grow louder and she feels intense winds. She thinks of running, but a searchlight illuminates her. The craft lands. Ivy's heartbeat quickens. She knows not what to expect. But Bruce is in a wheelchair. What could he possibly—

A back panel opens and a ramp lowers. He is dimly illuminated from behind as he rides down the ramp. He's obviously no match for her. But that's not the real issue, is it? Why does she fear him now more than ever? He stops only a couple of feet in front of her. He says one word.

"Pamela."

Ivy waits for him to say more. She nods. "You want me to turn myself in."

"You're an outlaw now."

"And you've come to turn me over to the police."

Bruce doesn't acknowledge her question in the slightest. He waits but a second and responds with "You killed my friend."

Ivy's eyes widen. Two-Face. Her eyes dart to nowhere in particular. She stands in silence in front of him. Her mouth opens a bit, but nothing comes out. Ivy looks at Bruce in astonishment.

"I'm not the hero anymore, am I?"

"You can be." Bruce says to her.

"No… I can't. I'm just a monster. I'm just like the rest of them." Ivy shakes her head. "I never saw it until now."

Bruce leans forward in his chair. "You're not like the rest of them. Alfred and I both knew you had the potential to do a lot of harm. But I always knew you were a hero from the very start."

Ivy shakes her head. "No. No. Before I came and asked to join you on that rooftop, I was ready to kill a man. A man whose greed was harming the environment. I just—if I hadn't seen you on the news that day, I would have turned out for the worst, and I know it. I'm a failure of a hero."

"Pamela." She lifts her head to look at him. "Do you trust me?"

Later that hour, the two of them board the Batwing.

"Pamela Lillian Isley, what is your plea?"

Pamela looks behind her into the court and sees her Mom sitting among the spectators. She lowers her head in shame before once again facing the front.

"Guilty."

Judge Vargas picks up the gavel. "Now, despite your significant service to the community, I'm afraid I have no choice but to sentence you to four years in a state prison. Court is now—"

"Your Honor, wait!" the defense attorney cries. Alisa Adams and Dr. Strange enter the courtroom. "The defense has come into possession of new evidence and we urgently request Miss Isley be classified as temporarily insane."

Gasps arise from the jury and the spectators. Bruce throws his arms down onto the arm rests of his wheelchair in an attempt to get up.

"The court recognizes Doctor Strange. I assume this is a witness?"

Alisa Adams walks up to the bench. "I have on several occasions noted Pamela talking to plants, especially recently. As a biologist who specializes in plantlife, while plants do have the ability to communicate, they simply do not have the brain capacity to do so on a higher level, regardless of Pamela's metahuman abilities. I'm sorry, Pamela, but you haven't been the same after the Joker tortured you and Batman and I'm afraid it has affected you psychologically, to the point that it has affected your ability to make rational decisions."

"Thank you, Alisa. You may step down," the judge says. "Doctor Strange, I assume you are to give the defendant a proper psychological screening?"

"Now, just wait a minute!" Pamela objects. "I don't plead insanity. I'm not going to Arkham!"

"Unfortunately, Pamela…" Strange sighs. "Those who are insane often believe themselves not to be. You are not fit to make that decision. And actually, the results in my possession are quite conclusive."

A gate opens. An armored truck is let through. Out of it steps Ivy, accompanied by three guards. They lead her through the halls. The cameras watch her every step. From behind a security monitor, Dr. Strange watches. He is in some sort of basement with Clayface in captivity.

"Welcome back, Poison Ivy. We have much to discuss."

Ivy looks at the other patients' cells as she passes them. What if all the criminals I help put away all decide they want to kill me?

"Hey, Rick and Frankie, I'll take 'er from here. I know your shifts are officially over for the day."

"Thank you, friend."

"You're the best, Charlie."

The two of them leave. Charlie looks behind him. He looks at Ivy.

"This way."

He takes her through the hallway she had been through the previous night. A hallway of killers. He takes her to the singular, dark cell at the end of the hall, which is blackened and covered in mold. He opens the door and pushes her in. He wastes no time closing the door behind her. The atmosphere is moist and stinky. She can hear the quiet flow of water.

"You smell pretty."

The voice seems familiar, but all she can think of is—

"Only an animal with superficial values would say something like that," Ivy responds.

"Yeah, they call me an animal."

Behind her emerges a large figure. She sees the shadow on the wall, and despite recent feelings of worthlessness following her killings, she suddenly feels the overwhelming pang of certain doom. With all the willpower she can muster, she slowly turns to face him. Killer Croc. Tall, scaly, baring sharp teeth, and dripping water.

"I hear you used to be friends with the bat," he says to her.

Ivy tries to speak, but she can't.

"The others would eat a do-gooder like you for breakfast."

"…But you won't, because I'm poisonous?"

Ivy tries to release pheromones from her pores. She doesn't know how effective it'll be.

"I also know you killed Scarecrow. He made my life hell ever since he came here. Some guy named Bruce said I should thank you in person. I didn't know you still had friends."

Ivy nearly faints from the chemical changes in her metahuman body as she went from absolutely terrified to intensely grateful.

"Bruce Wayne is the best friend I've ever had."

"Can Croc be your friend too?"

"Yes. Yes, I would like that."

- End Batman and Ivy -

A/N: Congrats! You've made it to the end of the main story, but wait, there's more! There will be a new story coming soon called Arkham's Keepers. I'm not yet sure how many chapters it will have, but I'm sure you can guess what the main focus will be. Anyhow, thank you very much for reading. Please leave any thoughts and impressions in a review, cuz that would be awesome. Ciao!