A question of power (Invite)

[Pamela "Poison Ivy" Isley]

Ivy had a spring back in her step. She had remembered that the world outside the Asylum wasn't such a big and bad place after all. She had no idea why she had been so paranoid.
With her edge back her, she was positively blooming - but this rose had found her thorns too. Her thoughts lingered on the person she not so long ago had been scared to see. Now she wanted to see him, now she wanted her revenge.

Whilst tending to her beloved flowers she mused over why he had overpowered her, and how he had been triumphant. He had allies... he was never alone.... the young boy was his friend. Perhaps she could do with more allies? She preferred to work alone, but maybe a mutual beneficial agreement could be put in place....?
But who? There were so many villains in Gotham. She hadn't seen her girl Harley in quite some time, but she knew where there was a Harley, there was a Joker, and she wasn't quite ready to get mixed up in that. The Penguin was repulsive, the Scarecrow gave her nightmares. The was posing more questions than she had thought.

She stopped mid-prune. She'd had her "Eureka" moment, and not a minute too soon.

She finished tending to her plants, though her mind was now racing with other thoughts. She hurriedly made herself look presentable before heading out to find him - it shouldn't be that hard to locate him.
She tried the last place that she had known to be one of his hideouts; a small green question mark on the door frame betraying the owner. She had been contemplating barging in and making demands, but she tried the low key approach and knocked on the door instead. Whilst she was back to her old self she figured she should humour him and his games, at least to begin with.

[The Riddler]

Hmmm….Why was it that very few things in this world could keep The Riddler amused for no longer than a moment?

Besides a rather unexpected visit by Harly Quinn, things have been rather quiet on Nygma’s life, But Nygma always quick to turn a negative into a positive he reasoned to himself that the loon of activity only meant for uninterrupted plotting…uninterrupted concentration and when your dealing with a man with the particular skill set of The Riddler, Giving him time to think was more dangerous than any kind of weapon or army you could put at his disposal…

However his intense meditation in the mists of one of his many hide outs was interrupted by the unmistakable sounds of his front door sensor detector being trigged. With an irritated grunt Nygma got out of his chair and walked toward his computer and pulled over the images giving out by his hidden camaras embedded in the dot of the question mark of his front to behold the unmistakable figure of Poison Ivy. With an eyebrow raised in surprise pondered this sudden appearance.

“What has leaves of three, and should be let be?

So…the rumours were true indeed, The Riddler had heard Ivy was back in town and lo and behold he was the proof on his door step...but what business did she have with him? That entrance may look like an ordinary door but it was backed up by cold hard steel…nobody was getting through that door without his say so. With a curious expression on his face he lent in to a mic imbedded the wall which was connected to an intercom on the outside of the door, without talking his eyes off the image of Ivy. He slowly spoke into it

“As usual Ivy, your reputation proceeds you….however in today’s volatile climate a man in my position can afford to give private audiences. Please state your intention and then I’ll decide if I should grant you access to my lair.”

[Pamela "Poison Ivy" Isley]

She gave a small, wicked smile as she heard his voice crackle through the intercom. There was no doubt in her mind she was being watched, she was very aware of every move she was making, not wanting to give too much away.

She pressed the button in with one short, but perfectly manicured green fingernail. She leaned in with a slight pout before speaking into the intercom in a low voice
'The enemy of my enemy is my friend, so guess what,' she paused hoping to create a little suspense '... you're my new bestest buddy.'

She pulled back, removing her finger for the briefest second, before adding to her previous statement, wanting to make sure she had done her absolute up most to bring him round.
'I'm not great at riddles, though I have one for you my dear Riddler. Who flies but has no feathers, who sees without looking and who has by luck rather than judgment defeated the pair of us on more than one occasion?' She felt no shame admitting she'd been defeated... but she always made sure that she learnt from her mistakes.

She took a step back, waiting for the hiss of the intercom with whatever clever answer the Riddler had for her, the door to open, or nothing.... She knew deep down that if he didn't let her in, she'd be walking away empty handed. If that was the case it'd be back to the drawing board for her.

[The Riddler]

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, so guess what, '... you're my new bestest buddy.'The enemy of my enemy is my friend, so guess what,' she paused hoping to create a little suspense '... you're my new bestest buddy.'

Yawn.

Nygma must admit he easily grew weary of the idle chit-chat, Nygman was a very busy man and he detected having his time needlessly wasted, and from what seemingly was nothing more than his assistance in taking care of one of her “Enemies” Perhaps some kind of lumberjack? Or maybe a child who managed to walk on a patch of grass? Regardless the riddler’s interest was slowly waning… However just when he was about to turn off the monitor, when…

"I'm not great at riddles, though I have one for you my dear Riddler. Who flies but has no feathers, who sees without looking and who has by luck rather than judgment defeated the pair of us on more than one occasion?'

Nygma’s finger froze in place and his eyes widened in renewed interest. He didn’t need to be a criminal mastermind to figure out the answer to that particular riddle.

The batman.

If it was Ivy’s intention to grab Nygma’s interest, she uttered the magic words. What was Ivy’s business with the bat? Whatever it was, it was reasonable to assume that whatever was going on in Ivy’s head it was certainly of some reverent to her, after all if it wasn’t why come here?

Weighting up the situation in his mind, he slowly and deliberately spoke back into the mic.

“…One Moment”

With a flourish Nygma disconnected the communicator and expertly began to type commands into his master computer system, and soon “Protocol Green” was activated causing all the windows in the buildings to fly open all at once and the specially made venting system nygma designed for just such an occasion whirled into life, That should take care of any deadly toxins…

Nygma if nothing else was a calculating individual and spending as much time as he had exposed to Gothan’s rouge gallery only heightened that sense and even though it appeared that Ivy was coming in peace, The riddler couldn’t take that chance. The protocol system was created with the sole purpose of neutralizing any threat possessed by those’s who gain access to his hideouts, for example should Clayface break into his lair? Protocol Brown would be activated causing the room to rapidly fill with water, should Nygma be in the unenviable position of facing down with the clown prince of crime, Protocol Purple will be trigged causing a wall of bullet proof air tight glass to instantly raise up and a highly dangerous air bound poison will quickly fill the room, when it came to the joker Nygma wasn’t taking any chances.

You could imagine how eager Nygma was to trigger “Protocol Black”

Satisfied with his work, The Riddler sat once more behind his desk and pressed the button to allow the door to slide open.

“Please forgive the excess security measures, After the events of the last few months I try to avoid shark infested waters whenever possible…So let get down to business shall we? Riddle me this, riddle me that: What news do you bear of the troublesome bat?”

[Pamela "Poison Ivy" Isley]

Ah ha. That’d had the desired effect. She waited patiently while the Riddler did what he needed to make him feel safe in this situation. She realised how very, very sad this state of affairs truly was. Why was it that the villains were the ones so very frightened? … and of each other?
For Ivy, it just confirmed in her mind what she already knew: The status quo had to change.

The door slid open and she looked to the figure that she realised hadn’t altered in the slightest since she had last seen him… and even then that had been a picture in the papers quite a while ago, longer than she cared to remember. Longer than was right in her opinion
Without looking back she entered his lair.

‘What news?’ she said, almost laughing. ‘The same as always Edward, the fact that none of Gotham’s finest outlaws can defeat a certain caped-crusader. The fact that Batman walks around like he owns the place, throwing people like us into Arkham Asylum to rot….’ She idly examined her nails, but she did have to surpress a shudder as she thought of that place. She never wanted to go back to that hellhole.

‘I think it’s about time that there was a change in this city, don’t you?’ she asked directly, holding his eye for as long as possible, eyebrow arched.

'It occured to me, Batman has Robin. The closest anyone has ever gotten to taking him out is the Joker, and he has Harley. But what if we pooled our resources?' she had been thinking the two of them originally... but what if they included others? She suspected she was possibly getting ahead of herself.

She had also been working on a little somthing... she didn't want to put all of her cards on the table. Not yet.

[The Riddler]

Oh ivy…The riddler didn’t shy away from his follow outlaws out of fear but out of…necessity. Lets not be bib, most of the who’s who of Gotham’s underbelly were completely deranged social deviants (Except nygma himself of course…despite what those’s dime a dozen psychologists at the asylum claim) At best they were unpredictable, at worse they were violent psychopaths. Sure Ivy was civil now but if he produced so kind of potted plant and destroyed it in front of her eyes that could change quite abruptly, Nygma sometimes liked to muse that the Gotham underground was the world’s most dysfunctional extended family….


‘What news?’ she said, almost laughing. ‘The same as always Edward, the fact that none of Gotham’s finest outlaws can defeat a certain caped-crusader. The fact that Batman walks around like he owns the place, throwing people like us into Arkham Asylum to rot….’


As Nygma was listening he nodded in complete agreement with Ivy and when she was done nygma pointed his forefinger emphatically at Ivy.

“I couldn’t agree more, for far too long the bat has been a thorn in my side, masquerading as some kind of saviour to the unwashed masses when he’s nothing more than a liar and a scoundrel and most of all…a cheater, but you must realise miss isley, the batman is merely flesh and blood behind a mask and just like anyone else under the right amount of pressure he’ll snap…and I assure you he will snap.”

‘I think it’s about time that there was a change in this city, don’t you?’ she asked directly, holding his eye for as long as possible, eyebrow arched.

'It occured to me, Batman has Robin. The closest anyone has ever gotten to taking him out is the Joker, and he has Harley. But what if we pooled our resources?

Intriguing.

Could that be the one method he had overlooked for all these years? An alliance with poison ivy was certainly an attractive idea, with Nygma’s genius and the might of Mother Nature at his command they would be unstoppable.

“Your proposal has…merit, and with batman and the other hero’s preoccupied with the “merging” perhaps the timing is perfect to take Gotham from under their collective noses…but can’t help but ask: Why come to me? After all there are literally hundreds of crooks and vandals you could have approached with this offer…and yet you come to me, why? And less we forget the dismaying fact that the Joker couldn't take him down, The entire league of shadows couldn't destroy him, Bane even went so far as to paralyze him and even that wasn't enough to cast him down into the abyss… So what makes you so sure that we can triumph where so many others have failed?"

[Pamela "Poison Ivy" Isley]

'I do like the way you are thinking Riddler... what can I say, I too want to be involved in breaking the Batman.' She very much liked the thought of that, it sounded like her idea of fun.

She thought for a moment when he asked why she thought they would succeed where others had failed before them.
'Mr. Nygma, there are many things about you that I admire. But the quality that I find most appealing is how considered you are. You aren't brutish like the bully Bane for instance. Your plans and plots are well thought out, unlike the Joker who just seems to blunder his way through...' her words concerning the Joker were as if they were laced with venom. He was second to the Bat on her list of people she'd like to get back at, but that was for another time.

'Don't you find that there are so many of the villains in Gotham, who almost bring shame to being a crook? They're just so...' she searched a moment whilst she thought of the word. '...unsatisfactory,' she said with a slight smile as it came to her.

She bit her bottom lip as she considered whether or not it was time to share the ace up he sleeve. She was actually bursting to tell someone, but she didn't want share prematurely, that could spoil everything. She held his eye, looking up at his through the bangs of red hair.

[The Riddler]

If it was Ivy’s intention to sweet talk Nygma into agreeing to an alliance, she was going about it the right way, If Nygma had a large glaring weakness it was his ego. To be perfectly honest he wasn't really interested in Ivy’s answer. Nygma was fully aware of his qualities that made him far more effective than the average crock…but he waited to hear it from her…

Mr. Nygma...

Acknowledging him as a authority figure, good start…

there are many things about you that I admire. But the quality that I find most appealing is how considered you are. You aren't brutish like the bully Bane for instance. Your plans and plots are well thought out, unlike the Joker who just seems ..to blunder his way through... 'Don't you find that there are so many of the villains in Gotham, who almost bring shame to being a crook?

“First and foremost I don’t consider myself a crook ivy, I consider myself more an artist if you will, much like Picasso or Copernicus I am unfortunately unappreciated in my own time…for now, but I do find a certain amount of those in our circle of business…distasteful, not the least of which is being the Joker. But I intend to deal with the clown once and for all after I dispose of the bat…But I digress, so tell me Ivy: if you’re so impressed with my intellect as you claim…Than why do you insist on treating me like a fool?”

The tone of Nygma’s word suddenly turns dark as he fixes Ivy with a cold glare.

“Every since we began this discussion, you’re breathing more rapidly, your pupils have dilated and your Physical expression has been limited and stiff, with few arm and hand movements. All telltale signs that you are concealing something, Come now Ivy, I would advice not trying to keep secrets from me as it is quite impossible I assure you. So, you’ll either tell me what you’re hiding or I’ll be forced to wish you a good day.”

[Pamela "Poison Ivy" Isley]

Busted...
Her natural instinct was to inhale sharply, but she fought it and kept her breathing calm and even. She pouted for a moment, she was not overly fond of not getting her own way. She narrowed her eyes, she was also not a fan of his tone.

She contemplated what to do for just a moment before proceeding. She reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out one small vial.
'It was nothing personal Edward, but you must be aware that we all have to be a little cagey sometimes.' She admired it briefly before placing the small bottle on the side.

'This liquid contains the extract of the herb Valerian. Quick botany lesson... this herb is known for its sedative qualities and is used in modern medicine is say your average over the counter sleeping tablets but mix with something such as... rhododendron you can mix the sedative effect with a loss of vision, a burning sensation, weakening of all the muscles and potentially even fatal heart irregularities. Whilst in this small dose it wouldn't do you too much harm....' She hoped he would catch her drift.

'I can make this in plenty, but how do I catch the Bat? Two heads are better than one. Think about it Edward and let me know, but I won't be waiting forever,' she commented as she readied herself to leave, making her way towards the door.

'And FYI, I don't think you a fool, however one of the things I like about you, is in itself the very thing I was wary of. You're unpredictable. Whilst this quality does have its charm.... don't speak to me like that again.' She turned on her heel and abruptly left, unsure how successful she had been.

[The Riddler]

It was nothing personal Edward, but you must be aware that we all have to be a little cagey sometimes.

The Riddler smirked inwardly secretly pleased with himself for being able to discover Poison Ivy’s misdeeds but that quickly turned into intrigued as Poison Ivy produced the mysterious vial of liquid. With keen interest The Riddler picked up the bottle and closely examined the bottle.

Clear liquid…obviously of biological descent, curiouser and curiouser…

'This liquid contains the extract of the herb Valerian. Quick botany lesson... this herb is known for its sedative qualities and is used in modern medicine is say your average over the counter sleeping tablets but mix with something such as... rhododendron you can mix the sedative effect with a loss of vision, a burning sensation, weakening of all the muscles and potentially even fatal heart irregularities. Whilst in this small dose it wouldn't do you too much harm....'

“…but in large supply it would almost certainly be fatal.” Nygman finished the sentence almost to himself clear excitement in his voice. Well, well, well this worth his interest…The Riddler danced with the concept of something so small causing that much damage.

“A marvel…Truly a marvel”


'I can make this in plenty, but how do I catch the Bat? Two heads are better than one. Think about it Edward and let me know, but I won't be waiting forever,'
'And FYI, I don't think you a fool, however one of the things I like about you, is in itself the very thing I was wary of. You're unpredictable. Whilst this quality does have its charm.... don't speak to me like that again.'

The Riddler barely noticed Ivy depart as he too busy considered this new development.

So many possibilities...

What would be the best course of action. How could he best use this valerian? Maybe he could drop it in the water supply? But what would that achieve? Perhaps he could some how use it against the bat? On the surface Nygma thought it was the obvious solution, but he would imagine that Batman being as cerebral as he would have no doubt The bat had certain defenses put in places in case of poisoning, It would take a certain amount of clear thinking to think of a reasonable solution to this problem. But as he always did he would persevere, adapt and cause mayhem.