8Another crappy day at Gotham City High for Devon. Let's see what went wrong today: he stayed up all night assuming the role of Moon Knight, he completely forgot he had a mock exam, some bullies stole his backpack and hid it, Devon spent 30 minutes looking for it, now that the situation with Pamela had calmed down, they had started bothering him again. He had to resist using his alter-ego to traumatize them.
And finally, although it wasn't really a problem for him, the mayor of Gotham was making a speech later that day. And if Devon had learned anything from his previous encounters, it was to stay away from these things. As he unlocked his locker using his usual combination. He let out a sigh as he closed the locker and a jock knocked him over with a shoulder.
"Be careful, Levin." He shouted as the group laughed.
"I need a break." He thought to himself as he picked up his bag. "Me, Pam and Barbara always liked the park, maybe I'll go for a little walk."
Devon took a long, relaxing breath as the fresh air filled his lungs. The sun was shining, the grass was freshly cut, the sprinklers were watering the plants with cool water, and this was where the mayor was making his announcement.
"Why me?" The teenager thought before walking out of the park. Before he could, a policeman stopped him, his face terribly happy. Almost as if it were forced.
"You don't want to miss the mayor's big announcement, do you?" He said as his voice was so full of joy it was scary, but still sounded forced. Reluctantly, Devon walked over to the wooden gazebo where the mayor was holding his speech.
"I love this park as much as you do. So believe me when I tell you that Gotham Park is never going anywhere." Said the mayor before the crowd let out a loud cheer. Devon was quite happy with this news, previously there had been discussions to turn the park into a new hospital, he was happy with this turnaround.
"If only Pam were here to see this." He thought solemnly.
"In fact, this will be the first site to benefit from my new program." Said the mayor as he pointed upward and a banner came down from the gazebo. The color of the banner was a unique shade of yellow, with green text indicating its slogan.
"GREEN UP GOTHAM." Announced the mayor with great delight in his voice. "We'll tear up the sidewalks to plant more grass." Began the mayor, waving his arms. "More tress, and MORE FLOWERS."
Devon thought the mayor was starting to sound like a zealot.
Devon noticed something, as the mayor finished, his right eye twitched, very slightly.
As Devon finally climbed the stairs to his apartment, he lazily pulled his tangled keys from his pocket. He fumbled with the keys and pulled out the right one, but he noticed something. What appeared to be a rose in a flower pot left outside his door. It was a beautiful shade of purple, but there were what appeared to be a few swirls of rose mixed in on the petals. Devon gently picked up the rose and sniffed it lightly.
The smell was intoxicating, a mixture of something else. It was if he was transferred to a luxurious garden at that very moment.
"Wow, you are something special." He said as he slowly moved the rose away from his face. He managed to insert the key into his lock and push open his door.
Almost by instinct, he filled a small glass with water and poured the contents into the rose's pot. Pamela had always taught him that too much water will kill a plant, and too little will kill it, it takes the perfect amount for a plant to live long.
Turning on the TV, Devon was of course greeted by the news about the mayor's announcement. Almost every channel was talking about it.
"Oh geez, give me a break." He said before pulling out his notebook and a science book. "I better get to work or Mr. Ward is going to have an aneurysm." He said aloud as he wrote notes in the textbook.
Devon shook his hand violently as he just finished his sixth page of notes. He needed to take a break, get out and do something. As if the universe had responded, an alert appeared on an old police radio that belonged to Devon's father.
"All units please respond, a mystery vehicle has been spotted in Gotham Park." Said a female voice over the radio.
"Oh, thank God." Devon sighed, grabbing his jacket and pulling it on. He always preferred to go in civilian clothes to places where the police were mobilized before seeing if he had to intervene and change into a Moon Knight if he deemed it necessary.
In Gotham Park was a mysterious dark silver tanker with the words Ag-I printed on it. Judging by things, Batman has already started investigating. The tanker was spilling the Ag-I under the gazebo and the attacker was... the Penguin?
"Can't say I'm in the mood for rain Penguin, I just washed my car." Said the Dark Knight menacingly to the villain who scoffed at the vigilante's presence.
"Wait a second, the Penguin's big plan is to make it rain?" Thought the teenager as he hid behind a vehicle.
Twirling his umbrella, the Penguin pressed a button on the side of the gazebo.
"Too bad Bat breath." He said before something escaped from the wooden floor of the gazebo, something that puffed up with the sound of a balloon. "Because my forecast calls for a 90% chance of showers." The gazebo was then blown to pieces. The strange device then had metal parts emerging from the ground. "And a 100% chance of me kicking your butt."
The Penguin charged at Batman, waving his tried to try to shoot Batman, to which the vigilante easily avoided the blows. Batman kicked the Penguin, to which he was thrown against a tree. Eventually, the object expanded, revealing it to be some sort of airship with propellers on either side.
While Devon was distracted by the strange craft, the Penguin and Batman had been fighting the flying object. The two exchanged blows as it flew away. Devon was content to watch the fight, until things took a dark turn. Penguin fell into the propeller, Devon and Batman were shaken, and Devon rushed to what was left of Penguin's body which now fell to the ground.
He rushed to Penguin's body, and it turned out that Penguin was... made ... of plant?
It looked like a perfect replica of the Penguin's body but made entirely of grass. He ran like he was in the Olympics, his breath coming in and out of his body quickly. He didn't look back as such, it was getting too weird for him. He quickly arrived at his apartment and quickly ran water over his face to pull himself together.
"Well, here's something very peculiar." Said the 10-foot bird-skull man, now sitting on the apartment couch with his scepter resting against the wall. "Considering that it seems to involve plants. I'd say it's signed your girlfriend."
"Pamela is not my girlfriend, Khonshu. And how could she do that? It hasn't even been a week since I last visited her in Arkham." Devon retorted.
"It must be a copy. Probably made by the Sphynx or the Joker, or someone like that." He said pacing back and forth as Khonshu disappeared, without anyone noticing anything.
The rose he brought into his apartment began to have legs, stubby little legs. It slowly pulled itself out of the glass and walked along the kitchen counter. Out of the stigma, the rose began to release a chemical that slowly calmed the teen. Devon then slumped back on his couch, calmed and taking it all in.
"Why would it be these two? There's only one person who can control the plants in Gotham, and that's... no it can't be. Like I told Khonshu she's in Ark..."
Just before Devon could finish, he noticed the flower, which was now standing over the TV. "What the fu..." Said the teenager, turning his head in confusion. Just then, the rose leapt across the room and attached itself to Devon's face.
The petals slowly locked around his face, especially his mouth and nose, as he began to panic, remembering the Facehugger scene in Alien. He tried to pull the plant out of his face but the thing had super strength and it wouldn't budge.
His screams and struggles were now muffled, for all he breathed now was the chemicals from the plants. His eyes became heavy now, as he slumped back against a wall as he began to fall asleep. Before he passed out he heard his door open, with what little strength he had left he looked up. His eyes would have widened but he didn't have the will, he saw Pamela enter his room. Her eyes fixed on him like a cat stalking its prey.
"You look like you could use some help, honey." She said as she crouched in front of him, her eyes now completely closed all he could see was darkness.
Devon woke up with a start, finding himself sitting on his couch with the Mortal Kombat movie on the television. He looked around, seeing his warm and vibrant apartment. The walls were lush and looked full of life.
"Devon, are you okay?" Asked a concerned voice, he looked to his left and saw his friend Pamela Isley. Her beautiful red hair was loose, and she was wearing her classic glasses. She was dressed casually and wore a baggy green sweater.
The teenager then began to rub his eyes as he stepped forward slightly.
"Yeah, sorry, I must have fallen asleep for a second." Answered Devon as he closed his eyes tightly, gathering his senses.
Pamela chuckled lightly.
"I don't blame you for that, after all you saved me from that toxic sludge, that must have taken a lot of strength from a tough guy like you." She said as she rested her head on his shoulders. Devon smiled as he watched the television.
"Yeah, it's a good thing Batman distracted Temblor." He said as another fight scene began.
"Forget Batman, you did it all by yourself, who needs him?" She then wrapped her left arm around him. "Sometimes we can make a difference together, we showed that to Chlorogen." She said with a small laugh.
Later, they walked together through the halls of Gotham High, preparing for their geography lesson. As Devon reached into his locker combination, he felt something big hit his shoulder, knocking him over slightly. As Pamela came to his aid, they both looked up to see the jocks again.
"Leave him alone." Pam shouted in protest, but in an act of pure violence, she was knocked over and collapsed to the ground.
"Look, geek love." Said one of them with a smile as he looked at the duo. Devon had enough, however, standing up in defiance.
The group of jocks let out an "ooooo" as they treated it as some sort of game. Devon felt something inside of him, something he hadn't felt since... he beat up Tremblor.
And what he did to them was pretty much the same thing. He beat them up, even smashing their heads against the lockers, leaving big bloody marks on the metal crates.
But to his surprise, everyone around was not horrified by what he did. On the contrary, they were encouraging and congratulating him.
"Wake up..." Said the voice of Khonshu seeming to reason from far... very, very far.
Then suddenly all he saw was, red?
Devon's eyes widened as he now found himself in a pod of sorts. A veggie pod filled with a strange red rose liquid, even stranger was that rose from before that hung over his face like a hospital breathing mask.
Devon began to squirm, he completely peeled the rose from his face but it seemed to make his situation worse. This strange liquid began to fill his lungs as he struggled in the capsule, he had drowned before he could get his costume to appear as a grayish white bandage similar to a mummy. He then took the crescent moon that served as his logo on his chest to cut the capsule and get out while his costume disappeared.
Devon began to cough violently as he tried to get the strange liquid out of his body. He began to pound his chest to get it all out. Just as he looked up, he let out what little breath he had left in his system as he looked up to see what was around him.
It appeared to be an underground sewage system, but the only thing he could notice were the plants that covered the floor and ceiling. Vines hung and wrapped around pipes, you could barely make out the rusted metal underneath the layers of green. What really caught Devon's attention was that several people were being held in plant pods identical to the one he was suspended in.
"Holy shit!" Shouted the teen out loud, clearly confused.
Civilians, police officers, Commissioner Gordon, Penguin and even Batman and Batgirl were being held in these pink capsules.
"In view of all the plants. I guess I was right. It's your girlfriend's doing." Said Khonshu as he observed the capsules.
He glanced at the collapsed pod he had escaped from, it was clearly different from the other pods as his was more red.
Suddenly there was the sound of rushing water, preparing to bring out his suit to fight in case plants were about to attack him, he was surprised to see that it was Batman. His mask was emitting electrical shocks, which must have somehow freed him.
As Batman stumbled to his feet spitting out this pink liquid. Batman immediately got up and used some kind of laser to pierce Batgirl's capsule.
Batgirl fell out of her pod, her body sinking to the ground with that strange pink flower still attached to her face. Batman gently peeled the plant and his sidekick's eyes slowly opened.
"Five more minutes." She groaned as she slowly rose to her feet.
It was then that Devon decided to reveal himself to the duo, he held his hands above his head in an "I surrender" manner.
"Hey, uh I came in peace." He said loudly alerting the two heroes to his presence.
As Batgirl held her still recovering head, swaying slightly to the side, Batman prepared a Batarang to defend himself.
"Wow calm down, it's me, you know the guy Pamela kidnapped when she became Poison Ivy, and who later was kidnapped by the Penguin." He said, hoping they were real people and not people made of weed.
Batman slowly let his guard down and slowly walked over to Devon.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, shining a small light directly into Devons eyes, causing the boy to blink rapidly. "Do you see the world differently?"
Devon shook his head and stepped back slightly.
"Yeah, I feel like someone just shined a light directly into my eyes." He answered as he began to rub his eyes, trying to regain his normal vision. "I also feel like I've been wrapped in a plant." He then began to wipe the liquid off his clothes. "What is this place?" He asked as he turned his gaze to the other people trapped in the capsules.
"Ivy has kidnapped some of Gotham's most influential people, modified their brains so that they love plants as much as she does, and while she's at it, she's replaced the originals with copies made of plants." Declared the vigilante as he began to free the commissioner.
However, Ivy's name started ringing alarm bells in Devon's head, having confirmation that it was her friend's fault.
"Wait, Ivy? Poison Ivy? Is it really Pam doing this?" He slowly came to the conclusion, but he finally got there. It was then that Batgirl finally returned to her usual senses and joined the conversation.
"Yeah, but unlike us and the others, she had a different view of how to handle you." Commented the young vigilante, which made Devon slightly confused. However, before he could say anything, the commissioner came to, rubbing his head slightly.
He was out of breath just after Batman pulled the flower from Gordon's face.
"You okay, commissioner?" Asked Batgirl.
"Yes. As long as I never have to pick a daisy again." Said the Commissioner as he slowly stood up.
"You haven't finished choosing yet." Said Batman, looking up at everyone still trapped in pods. "They need your help." Said the vigilante as he and Batgirl took off towards the exit tunnel.
Deep in thought, Devon didn't know what to do. Khonshu was talking to him, trying to convince him to use the suit to go fight Ivy. But Devon refused. He didn't want to hurt Ivy, even as a Moon Knight.
Even though he knew his best friend had changed, he didn't want to hurt her.
He ran as fast as he could, following the two vigilantes.
He could barely keep up with them without the costume that not only ensured his anonymity, but also enhanced his physical abilities, as Gotham saw when he fought a Joker doped with Bane's venom.
The two vigilantes and the teenager quickly reached the surface, where they were just below Gotham Park. Where that strange massive propeller device from earlier was now starting to fly through the air. The surrounding area was swarming with cops who were most likely copies made from plants.
"Ivy's done." Commented Batgirl.
They stopped, however, out of the shadows and slowly saw a bat-like figure. Was this another Batman?
"There's your evil twin." Continued Batgirl as this other Batman held a smirk that looked evil, seeing that Batman's smirk was simply fake.
"This must be a plant copy." Thought Devon.
"Mine can't be far behind." Added Batgirl, and that's when her doppelganger appeared from the bushes giving the same evil smile as Batman's copy.
"I'm here." Replied the copy of Batgirl.
The two Bat-plants then dove at their real enemies. Engaging in a fierce battle, Devon blinked for a second and instantly lost track of who was who.
One Batman threw explosive pellets at the other, who in return jumped into the air avoiding the explosives and hitting the other bat.
The two Batgirls circled around the square, each landing minor hits and blows. As one Batgirl turned back, the other turned green, revealing that she was the plant's double.
As Devon prepared to conjure up his costume to help them, but he was caught from behind with a strange scream coming from his assailant.
He moved away from his attacker, there were several duplicate plants. He understood from the outline of the plant duplicate were supposed to be cops.
Devon had to change his mind about using his costume, and prepare to defend himself in civilian clothes. Luckily he had learned to fight from his father, and his day and night of crime fighting helped him practice.
As the lead cop rushed at him, Devon used his left fist to deflect the punch. He then delivered a kick that knocked the plant cop to the ground. However, the arms of the other two copies turned into vines that wrapped around the teen's body, which he struggled against, but the vines seemed to be made of steel.
"Our Mistress requests an audience." Said the three copies made of plant without emotion and in unison.
The first plant creature then stood up, wrapping her arms around Devon as the other three slowly carried her away. Devon tried to reach into his pocket for a crescent moon shaped Boomerang that he kept on him at all times in case of need, if he got kidnapped in civilian clothes.
"Don't fight it." Said the copies in unison once more. "Our Mistress requests an audience." They repeated.
Finally, he reached the place where Pam was, like the first time she became a psychopath, she sat on a rose bush. Her throne was high in the air, on the ground were several of the duplicate plants.
"Ah Devon my beloved." Said Pam still with that arrogant tone that Devon was not used to hearing coming from her mouth. "Did my special rose finally make you see me, as I see you?" She asked, looking at Devon with a smile. Her throne had not come down, it was still raised in the air.
"I got out in time. It's almost a shame I felt like we were a normal couple in my dream." Said Devon in a tone that was both seductive and joking.
Pam looked disgusted with her gaze turned skyward.
"Never mind, once these pretty flowers bloom all over Gotham, everyone will see nature as we do." She said, still clinging to the idea that Devon saw everything the way she did.
The strange propeller machine then made its way above the clouds and Pam held out her hands to the sky.
"Let it pour." She said.
According to Pam's words, the flying machine let out a strange dark green gas. A deep thunder could be heard around the machine, suddenly it started to rain, heavily. As the rain fell on the ground, these strange pink flowers began to bloom and appear everywhere. Every piece of land was soon covered with these strange flowers.
"Drink my babies." Ordered Pamela and by her command, more flowers began to grow and bloom. Devon noticed that next to Pamela.
Devon noticed that Batman and Batgirl were currently heading towards his current location. He guessed that they were the real deal since they weren't wearing that creepy smirk.
"Too late." Pam smiled. "GET THEM!" She ordered angrily as she pointed at the vigilantes towards whom a horde of plant creatures began to march.
Before the plant creatures reached the pair, Batman pulled out a strange gauntlet and pointed it into the air. A strange device then shot out of the gauntlet and flew directly at the flying machine.
The projectile then hit the flying machine directly, causing it to explode and more of that glass to fly out. Moments later, it was still raining as if the projectile did nothing.
"It's still raining." Said Batgirl to Batman, it was clear by her tone of voice that she was as confused as Devon.
"The projectile was filled with a highly concentrated herbicide." Batman clarified. That's when Devon and Batgirl came to the same conclusion.
It was raining weed killer.
Slowly, the flowers and copies began to die and collapse, melting into the ground.
Devon was slowly lowered to the ground as the duplicates holding him were dissolved. Pamela's throne began to collapse, and not being able to call a plant because of the rain of weed killer began a great fall.
Devon didn't waste any time and brought out his costume and jumped to catch Ivy and land while making it disappear. Luckily for him, Pamela couldn't see the suit, too shocked to realize the presence of the Moon Knight suit for a few seconds, although Batman and Batgirl did notice.
"My babies." Pam whispered, her voice filled with sadness.
Devon couldn't take it anymore, he hugged her as much as he could, even though he was already holding her, trying to comfort her.
"It's okay, Pam." He told her softly, it was like old times. "You did your part, you made Gotham greener." He said, doing his best to comfort her.
A few hours later, Devon was back in his dilapidated apartment, somehow Pam's second rose had survived and so he brought it home. He gently placed it in a vase half-filled with water. He couldn't leave Pamela like that anymore.
A little later, Devon in his Moon Knight costume, was now standing in the old Chlorogen building, now closed that he had bought back with the money he had stolen from the mob and kept for himself.
At his side was a frail and pale man with white hair, dark pink eyes and a tired look. He was wearing a white shirt with a tie and loose jeans that were held in place by a belt, over which was a white blouse.
"Uh, excuse me, but what are we doing here?" Asked the man a little lost.
Without saying anything, Moon Knight guided the man into a room where was found a lot of scientific material of all kinds. As well as a case containing all the toxic material that had changed Pamela Isley into Poison Ivy.
"I need your help to create an antidote to save Poison Ivy." Finally answered the white-clad vigilante.
"What?" Asked the surprised man.
"See that crate?" Asked Moon Knight, pointing to the one that contained the toxic waste. "It contains what made her a meta-human. I want you to find a way to reverse the process. And to reproduce the phenomena of growth of the plant of which it is capable. He specified before handing a credit card to the man. "If you need anything, use this. All I ask is that you remain as discreet as possible. Once that is done, you can do whatever you want. However if you try to betray me..."
To complete his threat, the vigilante simply hit a wall so hard that he left a prominent mark where he struck.
"Y-yes of course. And don't worry about it. I'm done with Man-Bat and any other illegal activity." Clarified the man as he nodded.
"...Thank you, Doctor Langström." Said Moon Knight before turning to leave. "In the next room, I've set up a couch and some food. Take time to rest if you need to."
And with that he was ready to leave.
"Wait!" Said the scientist, as the vigilante turned around. "Why are you doing this for her. After what she did to the city and its people.
"...Have you ever been in love, doctor?" Asked Moon Knight.
"...Yes...I was married. But she left, because of an illness." Answered Doctor Langström.
"So, you must know why I want to save her." Answered the vigilante before leaving without turning around leaving the former super-villain alone with his thoughts and the task that was entrusted.
Outside the building, Moon Knight found himself facing Batman.
"I hope for your sake you know what you're doing, Devon." Said Batman without wasting any time.
Moon Knight's cape, hood and mask then disappeared to show Devon's face with a neutral expression and a serious look on his face.
"I don't trust Arkham. I don't trust Arkham, and I don't trust anyone who's been locked up there and just walked out and started all over again. I will prove to Pamela that there is an alternative to destroying humanity. And I will cure her of her mutation if she wishes. Unlike some of our other enemies. She still has a chance." He said did not care that he spoke to his idol. Now they were ego, two people wanting to make this city a better place. "But as long as the powerful don't try to change things. As long as others continue to pollute and slaughter nature. Then his crusade will continue. So I'm going to try this method. We'll see if it works."
As he finished his speech, his cape, hood and mask reappeared and he used a grappling hook to reach the top of a building, and his cape to glide.
He didn't know it, but his statement made Batman think, maybe if the rich made an effort, things would change for the better.