Batman: Ivy's (Almost) Kiss

Ivy's (Almost) Kiss

Out of all the cities in America, Gotham had to be the most polluted one, and it annoyed to no end. Nothing was clean here; the streets were full of trash, Gotham River was an odd shade of green, and everyone coughed from smoke billowing from the factory smokestacks and into the air. But perhaps the most horrifying issue was this: no plants could grow. With a few flowers and shrubs in the park, and a few more trees lining the streets, Gotham could become a brighter place. It's dark, gloomy atmosphere was punctuated with tall, looming skyscrapers that could make anyone moody, and the smell of garbage trucks and sewage systems was enough to make someone want to barf. My plan ass brilliant. Now all I needed to do was get permission to do it.

I walked into the reception area for the mayor's office with a saunter in my step. The bright fluorescent lights washed over the ornately decorated furniture, and soft piano music floated through the air. I asked the secretary if the mayor was available to speak with, and to my surprise she said, "You can go right on in."

I stand in the doorframe and knock, even though the door is already open. The mayor nods, and I walk in.

"Good morning Mayor Garcia! Thank you for speaking with me on such short notice. I'm Dr. Pamela Isley, pleasure to meet you," I say, smiling and offering my hand for him to shake. He shakes it, but doesn't return my smile. Gotham must be in need of those flowers more than I thought.

"Dr. Isley, I hope this will be quick. I have a meeting in exactly ten minutes and I cannot be late," he replied, already sounding disinterested.

"Don't worry sir, I won't keep you. I was just wondering if perhaps you'd let me start to plant some plants around Gotham? Maybe just start small, a few flowers in the park, some tree-"

"Are you some sort of exterior designer or something?" Mayor Garcia interjected, his eyes wide with disbelief. I didn't understand what was wrong. What's a few flowers gonna do to the city?

"I have a PhD in botany, sir," I decided to say.

"Listen, Dr. Isley, I think Gotham is doing just fine without any flowers or shrubs. Besides, do you really think they'd grow here? I appreciate your concern for the city, but my answer is no," he said, a mildly sorry look on his face. I was about to let it drop when he checked his watch, stood up, and said, "Now that this is taken care of, I have an extremely important meeting to attend. Good day, Dr. Isley."

I stormed out behind him, slamming the door behind me. My mind was stewing with all sorts of ungrateful thoughts aimed at Mayor Garcia. How could he think a meeting was more important than the future of his town?

Something needed to be done, and something needed to be done now. I veered right into bathroom, which was surprisingly dingy considering that the mayor's office was so ornate. I peered into the dirt smudged mirror and watched as my usually brown hair turned auburn, with bright green vines as highlights. My eyes turned a celery green, and my skin became tinted green due to the chlorophyll running through my veins instead of blood. My suit melted into a leaf dress, and my transformation was complete, for I am Poison Ivy.

My plan was simple: sneak up on Mayor Garcia before he gets to that meeting, give him the kiss of death, and plant flowers and trees wherever I please. I slunk out of the bathroom, looking for a tall, pompous looking man. I saw his (ironically) green tie flutter around a corner, so I crept through the shadows and stayed near him until he approached his meeting room. He paused for a moment, and my arm was stretched out to grab him when a different, far stronger arm grabbed mine and pulled me down a sketchy looking corridor. I looked up at the figure who had grabbed me, and gulped. However bad I thought it was before, it was ten times worse now.

Because in front of me stood Batman, the number one crime stopping man in all of Gotham.