章 42: Chapter 41: Scavenging
(A/N: I had to delete my previous progress here because I simply didn't like how I portrayed Poison Ivy here. I really cranked up the effects the general cold had on her body and essentially made her into a damsel, which if anyone ever saw or heard of her, would never describe the Poison Mistress herself as one. This should be more in line with both how she is often depicted as in media and so far in this story.)
'Green Beans, Sweat Peas, Carrots, Corn….' Albert absentmindedly thought while noting every item down in a notebook. While he hated the idea of looting in general, these could be considered extenuating circumstances. With the city wide lock-down, food was quickly becoming a problem even for his small group of four (five). Just because it could be explained away, he still wanted to at least keep note of everything in hopes that he could come back and pay for everything. It didn't matter if the store were insured or not, his own conscious was more important than any momentary cost.
"Here catch."
Ivy's bored voice drew his attention to the outside world just in time to see a small can come hurdling through the chilly night air. The ambient street lights flicked across the small metal surface and with a fumble, the teen barely caught the small can with both hands.
He was just ready to huff out another complaint at the woman, until his eyes caught on the cartoonishly smiling cat plastered across the surface. It was holding a knife and fork in both ha-paws while wearing a bib that had the word 'Yummm' scrawled across it.
"That's the expensive stuff." She said with a nod," I'm sure she'll like it. Also should keep her out of the food for awhile."
"Thanks." Albert replied that sensation of annoyance simmering down to low hum," Do you see anymore over there?"
"A few cans." Ivy said between audible crunches that made him flinch with every bite," But other than that? You might as well leave the rest, she'll probably scratch the shit out of you if you try to feed her anything worse."
He had to agree with the human-plant hybrid there. Despite being an alley cat, she had for sure made it clear she wouldn't just accept any kind of slop without vicious retribution. Whether that was just how all cats acted or just her, it didn't matter.
But what did matter was the sound of teeth crunching through bone echoing endlessly in his ears. Everytime he heard that crunch, it sent a shiver down his spine as the level of ease the woman achieve such a feat.
"Are you sure you don't want any?"
Pamela asked while waving around a half eaten drumstick in the air and by 'half eaten', it was meant quite literally.
"I'm sure, thank you though."
He denied quickly again and got another shrug from his companion. While they were scavenging for supplies, the woman had found a ready to go box of chicken in the employee lounge area. A great find for her, but no so much for him. Why is that? Simple, he had no idea how long that chicken had just been lying around in the open. Maybe if it was in the fridge that was literally two feet away, then and only then would he risk eating such suspect food. If that was all, he figured it wouldn't have unnerve him so but with the way she actually ate the chicken, it caused him reason to be concerned.
Very concerned.
Instead of eating the piece of fast food like a normal human, she instead bit right into everything. Skin, flesh and bone. Absolutely nothing was left behind after her feast. He knew chicken bones weren't all that durable, but still it was extremely disconcerting to witness such an inhuman way of eating.
It took him all his self control not to such observe the strange creature's ruthless eating patterns, he figured she wouldn't like being looked at like some of zooanimal.
Shaking his head, he gentle hefted the tightly packed backpack filled to the bring with a variety of small boxes and canned goods. Just thinking of some of goodies he found nearly made him want to starting drooling a bit.
'Canned peaches and some sugar?' He thought hungrily,' If only we could actually cook the pie filling, but it should be good enough.'
"So what's your deal?"
Ivy asked suddenly and despite her somewhat casual tone, Albert got the feeling that this wasn't such a simple question. While she had confessed to the idea of him becoming friends with Harley, such a protective friendly of course wouldn't just let anyone approach. Who knew if he had alternative motives?
"I'm going to need you to be a bit more clear." He joked lightly, despite the feeling of unease that welled up inside of him," That is kind-of a loaded question."
"Why did you come to Gotham?"
She said after a beat of silence.
"I-" While Albert knew the red head didn't give a damn about money in the slightest, he found it after hard to tell just anyone about that book left for him. Especially after finding out how important it was for him and the trouble that would surely fall on his head due to his momentary stupidity. "I had an inheritance left here in Gotham but some complications occurred and I had to wait two weeks to actually get it."
"Why haven't you left?" She asked, those inhumanly green eyes burrowing a hole in the side of his head. Maybe getting stared at by such a beautiful would've made any male feel a bit bashing and their egos inflate a bit, but the way she just so easily tore though that suspect food easily tempered his teenage hormones. "I know for they're are better cities than this dump. Safer too."
"Well," It took a moment to come up with both an answer that would satisfy her while also keeping some cards close his chest," That was the goal at first, just stay in the city for a few weeks before leaving town and never looking back. But then I had a goal or objective to complete first and I got the feeling I needed to stay here in order to complete it. Plus I also met some people, good people."
"What is your goal?"
She quirked a single brow.
"Don't laugh." He sighed before dropping his voice low," I want to open a Private Detective Agency.."
"Here? In Gotham? Really?"
Ivy asked, now with both her brows raised in surprise and he couldn't blame her for that reaction. Gotham was a terrible place to live and a lot of the time, many people didn't really have a choice living here. Property was cheap and with the ever rising prices from everywhere else around the globe due to the emergence of the Justice League, it was hard to move anywhere with a hero present. And plus besides, he wouldn't have found it strange if a lot of the private investigators in the past poked their noses in some mob bosses business only for them to turn into fish food the morning after.
"Yeah," He winced slightly," I know. I know. It's a dumb idea but it's still an objective of mine and I don't really want to quit at my first one. It'll be hard but I figured I could start off as an unofficial one first and slowly gain experience for me to become certified later."
"So what," She gulped another mouthful of flesh and bone," You wanna be a cop or something?"
Psychology positively screamed at that question, so loud in fact that he had to visibly work hard not to grimace at the trap laid before him. It was like he had stumbled upon some giant beautiful plant that simply begged to be picked only to notice the entire floor covered in a stick sap and the edges of sharp teeth around perimeter. A slight shiver of dread slithered up his spine, a silent promise of oblivion just a step breathe away.
"No." He said slowly, carefully," I want to be a Private Investigator. Maybe I'll work with the police on special cases but I primarily want to be an independent agent. There are a lot of advantages to not being tied down by corrupt higher ups and colleagues."
"Okay."
Those simple works nearly made him to collapse in relief as that lizard part of his brain finally stopped using his intestines as a speed bag. And he had to subtly wipe off the cold bit of sweat off his forehead. Albert knew that he had just dodged a near certain death flag. And honestly, he was more than content with keeping quiet long enough for his heart to stop feeling as though it wanted to jump out of his chest and go for a short triathlon.
As he shuffled the tightly packed items one more time, the teen swung the heavily bag over his shoulders. While it felt a bit uncomfortable, it wouldn't tax him too heavily. At least not for long anyway. Just as he was preparing to turn around to the store entrance, a firm hand gripped his shoulder. He immediately froze in place, the feeling of being some small prey animal being caught by it's natural predator made itself known.
Turning, he stared into those emerald pools of primal violence. They embodied the very nature of flora life, long lived and callous. An entire subjection of the globe's creature that had evolved to survive in any environment. To spread their influence across wide distances. It didn't matter how much they were cut, burned or uprooted. Plants would always endure. While humans had indeed conquer the planet, it was only temporary. That is what those eyes told him. Just like how plant life first started out, every evidence of man would be swept away sooner or later. They could wait. What is a few thousand years in the presence of eternity.
Just as he was prepared to open his mouth to squeak out a question from a suddenly dry throat, a single jade finger pressed against her own plump red lips in signal. It took a while to recognize the fact that the woman wasn't he looking at him, at least not fully. Most of her attention was on the street outside and without even letting him say otherwise, she dragged them both behind the counter.
If her vice-like grip prove to him her lesser known enhanced strength, the ease in which she move them in flash was more than enough. At first he wanted to ask her what was wrong, but then he felt the group rumbled softly beneath him and he shut his mouth with an audible click.
'A tank…'
The way the ground vibrated was familiar from all times they were forced to hear the constant rumbling from overhead. At first it was a bit unnerving to have a literal military grade vehicle so close but that feeling had dissipated as the patrols become more routine. But as his heart rate increased, he found out that it was an entirely different feeling when only some glass and wood was all the separated him from that machine of war.
Albert did try to slow his own breathing but as the rumbling got closer and closer, any effort on his part went out of window. Suddenly, he felt as though the room had grown much too hot. That his clothes were too restrictive. Even the dark store front started to feel as though it was spinning in the corner of his vision. It felt so hard to breathe, it was like he was trying to intake cotton. His lungs burned under the strain.
Every bit of sound was too loud, every sensation too sensitive and even the little beams of light that entered the store was too much for his expanded pupils. The cold metal of the gun felt like it was burning a hole under his jacket, that forgot knife nearly jabbing itself into his leg.
He didn't know how long they stayed there, him frozen like a deer in headlights and the ever lounging Poison Mistress still chomping away at mouthfuls of, possibly old, chicken. Albert would've nearly laughed at the sight of the woman being completely unconcerned if his own chest didn't feel it was going to burst wide open. But by the time the rumbling had gone far away, he suddenly felt exhausted. Like he had run a couple miles uphill, like he had tried to bench presses beyond his means.
[SAN: 38/45]
'At least my SAN didn't drop from that..'
While the fear itself was real and he suddenly had to urge to pee, he was just glad that his slowly recovery Sanity hadn't taken a hit.
"I think they're gone." Ivy spoke in a hushed manner," But let's stay here for a bit just in case."
"Agreed."
Albert croaked, his throat feeling as though he had just gargled shards of glass. The teen wouldn't complain about having some time to rest after the nerve wracking ordeal. At least there was something to keep his mind off the idea of actually falling a sleep.
'Her breathe…' The woman had been close the entire time and normally such a beauty would've ignited his hormones, making this into a situation that he could never live down. If he even survived. But alas, it was hard to find anything attractive when that smell made itself known. 'Definitely spoiled chicken….'
It made his nose hairs curl up on themselves at the mere whiff and he wanted nothing more than to get as far away as possible from her.The green skinned woman only smirked slightly at his watering eyes in reply before continuing, obviously not bothered in the slightest.
***********************************************************************************
"Where are ya two?" Harley's voice asked from his phone," Didya elope or somethin?"
'Please don't joke like that…'
Albert prayed internally, infinitely glad that he had the foresight to not put the trickster on speaker.
"We had a bit of a hiccup," He coughed slightly," But we're on our way back now."
"Okay!" She replied cheerily," Lemme talk to Red!"
Looking over at the heavily bundled woman, he handed the phone over to her gloved hands with a puff of fog escaping his lips. The heavy bag did weigh heavily on his back and shoulders, sapping further at his energy as they trudged through the eerily empty streets with only the overhead lights to guide their way.
After that little of excitement, they had unanimously agreed to cut this trip short and return to the shelter. He was cold, tired and hungry. An excellent combination to make the worse decisions possible.
"Hey Harley." Ivy paused for moment before rolling her eyes," No. We're fine. Just a tank came….No I didn't make it go 'boom'….I will not get you a souvenir….No.."
He could just tell that from this side, that whatever the blonde was saying was probably something wild beyond imagine. He was just glad that he didn't have to deal with it currently. That's just how the next few minutes with, him trudging through the streets with an overflowing backpack and a heavily bundled woman repeatedly shooting down everything her hyperactive friend suggested.
"Okay." She sighed heavily," Love you to-"
"Hey!"
A sudden and loud voice nearly caused Albert to trip over his own feet.
"….I'll call you later Harley."
Ivy sighed in exasperation before hanging up. Turning, Albert saw a group of three dirty looking people slowly stepping forward. Each of them had the looks of a survivor, ripped and slightly dirtied clothes and all of them carried some of pack on their backs. If that was it he would've thought they were just scavengers like them but the way they so easily brandished their weapons told him they participated in one of the oldest professions. Banditry.
None of them looked like anything of note, maybe their cheeks had a slightly hollow look to them but other than that, they were just people. Desperate people sure, but still people. The leading man stood slightly above the other two and brandished a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire in one hand. His pale skinned glisten sickly under the overhead streetlights, beady eyes looking at the pair with obvious greed.
One and all, their gazes were locked hungrily on the teen's bulging backpack like hyenas catching the scent of downed prey. Their eyes were so heavy, that Albert took a step closer under the invisible umbrella of safety known as Poison Ivy. But while that did make him feel safe at first, he noticed the slight bulge on each of their sides.
'A gun…' Maybe the human-plant hybrid would be fine if she was shot a couple times, but he sure wouldn't,' Well….'
[HP: 20/20]
Maybe that was false, he could for sure take at least one bullet without dying immediately.
'As long as it's not a crit..'
Just in case, he slid his hand into the side of his trench coat. Warm sweaty fingers met cold, indifferent steel in a glorious union of potential violence.
"Can we help you?"
Albert asked after taking note of his companion's lack of enthusiasm. It seems like he would need to be the one to talk these people out of doing something stupid.
"Whoa there." The leading man, that he decided to call Goon Leader, said with a smarmy smile on his face," My friends and I were just out scavenging when we noticed you two. We're in a trying time. In order to survive, we must set aside our differences and work together to survive. Are you with a group? If not then do you want to join ours? If you are, do you think you guys would want to merge our groups?"
Despite the man's seemingly friendly way of speaking, Albert didn't need Psychology to sniff out the malicious intent in the his actions and words. Not only hadn't any of the man's companions put away their weapons but even the barrage of questions was just a way to distract them. Judging from those greedy eyes, even if he gave up the backpack without a fight, they would still find some reason to inflict a maelstrom of violence on him.
As for why they thought they had a chance to ambush them despite losing their prime moment?
'At least one more…'
He thought as the barely audible sound of scuffing shoes against concrete made itself known to his senses from the alley behind them. It was a dirty but smart move. Pressure a smaller group with the power of numbers and ambush them from behind if they still refused to give up their supplies. Pincer attacks were very effective against even the most trained individuals.
'But..why don't they recognize Ivy?' Albert thought,' They couldn't be so desperate to not realize her skin is green..right?'
Despite how well covered the red head was, there was nothing anyone could do to hide away her extremely odd skin color. He was sure their own survival instincts would've known better than to pick on them with her strange appearance. But whether it was because of tunnel vision or confidence, he didn't know.
What he did know was that there was no way in hell he was just going to give up the supplies they scavenged for. Not only had the walk been kind of grueling, that tank appearance had added a new sense of urgency to the whole situation. The urge to hide away like a gofer getting ready to hibernate for the winter, had consumed his whole being.
He knew for sure that if it came down to fight, Ivy would be the primary repelling force while he would be downgraded to a mere supporting role. As minor as that might be, he could for sure hold off at least one person. Especially at range.
'I'll give them one chance.' The teen thought grimly, his palms growing more sweaty under his quickening heartbeats that thumped louder in his ears. While these people most assuredly had malicious intent, he still felt it was prudent to at least them a chance to back down.
"Listen," Albert said cautiously," We don't want any trouble. There are plenty of supplies left in the city, there is no need to do this. We just wish to be left alone. So please, just turn around and walk away."
Think of it like some hesitation to actually fight other humans, a wish to preserve that part of himself that wouldn't immediately leap to using violence to solve all his problems. After all, there would for sure be situations where doing so would only lead to his sudden and possibly painful death. Or worse, him forever being labeled a villain and hunted by literal gods among men.
Who wanted to used as a bunching bag by a spirited princess, rich orphan or a godly farm boy?
"Who do you think you are?!" Goon Leader face suddenly reddened under the teen's words," This is the problem with the youth of today! Thinking just because they got a little something that was provided to them off the back of MY generation that they're automatically better than u-"
Albert blinked slowly under the man's sudden and explosive tirade, he hadn't expected that him trying to reason with the man would result in anger. The leader obviously had some kind of problem with younger people in general and with his refusal, had most likely ignited some long suppressed frustration.
'Maybe it would've been better for Ivy to speak..'
"-hy your generation is the fucking worst! Always complaining about 'social injustices' and other type of bullshit! I'll tell you what's unjust! Hearing a bunch of sniveling children talk about something they know nothing about! Back in my day, we would've been beaten with a stick if we even thought of talking back to older folks!"
At this point, Albert was only half listening to the man's rant. While he could feel actual anger in his words, that wasn't it's only purpose. He could still hear the sound of skin running across the rough surface of bricks, like whoever was waiting in the alley was just itching for something to happen.
'Maybe a signal?' He theorized as the man spat out what must've been years of built up resentment to a pair of complete strangers. But judging from how the man's two companion were eagerly eating up his rant like some kind of holy book, figured the leader wasn't alone in his evident dislike for 'disrespectful' children.
"You should be happy!" The man continued, face bright red in fury," Glad that you can continue doing nothing as us adults do all the work! You're all useless! And disrespectful at tha-"
"Are you done?"
Ivy's cold and indifferent voice dowsed the heated tirade, suffocating that anger with casual ease. Then looked over at the heavily bundled woman in shock as though he hadn't even realize she was there. But Albert could see the exact moment when everything clicked in his head as his eyes ran across the exposed green skin.
"Great." The man sneered," A freak too. I'll be doing the world two favors now: Teaching this disrespectful brat a lesson and ridding the world from another no good freak. Get them!"
Albert more than figured that Ivy could certainly handle those three and quickly spun around to the heavy set of foot steps that clomped there way closer. The cold metal suddenly felt as though he had put his hand in a searing hot pan, his palms sweat and unsure. But despite that, he still whipped the grand equalizer out of his pocket in the footsteps direction.
'Two?!'
The teen had only noticed one set of foot steps, but after turning around he saw two dirty looking people with weapons raised in kind. Their looks of shock quickly overtook any hints of resolve they once held. It was a pair, one man and one woman. The man held a large bat in hand while the woman had a gun also pointed in his direction. They all paused in unison.
He could hear the conflict from behind him, but didn't dare to turn around to see. Else his inattention completely shatter this stalemate.
"Drop the gun kid." The woman warned, her eyes hard and sure. She had a rough look about her, someone downtrodden by life and sick of it. That grip didn't pause or ease in the slightest and Albert knew for sure she wouldn't hesitate to pull that trigger. Unlike him, she wouldn't hesitate a bit.
"Yeah," The man snarled, his companion giving him the courage to continue charging forward," Just listen to her! We just want the bag!"
He wasn't stupid. He knew that any leverage he might've had was quickly diminishing with every heavy footstep and just throwing his only form of protection would only seal his fate. In that moment, he truly hated this city. It's venom dripping fangs slowly closed in on him as indecision consumed him. The man only picked up his pace as the teen froze in place, a lascivious grin plastered across his rough face.
A sudden and loud bang thundered through the street that caused the trio to freeze in kind. Albert's hands lightly shook under the force, arms and shoulders aching in kind.
"Stay still." He said in as cold of a manner as he could, despite his nerves beginning to fray under the stress," Or the next one won't be a warning."
The man turned quickly when the woman's cry of pain made itself known, she had collapsed to the ground holding a bloodied hand up to her ear. Crimson flowed freely from her fingers as it matted the side of her head in a thick, sticky coating. Her eyes looking up in shock that was mirrored by her companions' expression.
But soon that look turned churned into a seething hatred that threatened to consume the man, his hands turned white under his tightened grip. And Albert knew in that moment, that if the man could he would've splattered his brains across the pavement.
"Good job." Ivy said from behind him," Didn't think you had it in you."
He nearly jumped at the red-head's sudden words, the cold metal nearly slipping from his trembling hands. His throat felt dry, eyes slightly watering. Turning, he noticed the eerie silence that followed the woman. Her footsteps sure and sensual in a way he didn't think someone could be while wearing multiple layers of winter clothing.
The three men from before now laid in heap on the ground, all evidence of their violent nature hidden under calm and serine expressions. Only the slow rising and falling of their chest told him that their greed hadn't killed them just yet.
The sound of wood clattering, followed by a body hitting the ground caused him to whip his head back around to scene before him. The bat wielding man had slumped into unconsciousness just the same as his companions, Ivy walking lazily around the his body and towards the woman who had frozen up like a deer in headlights.
Leaning forward, the human-plant hybrid draped her red locks over the woman's face. Obscuring his vision from whatever occurred and suddenly, the woman fell back into an undignified heap. Her gun clattering away a few inches away.
"Come on." Ivy said casually, picking up her stride," They'll be out for a few minutes."
"Won't they come after us?"
Albert winced at how pathetic his voice came out but he couldn't help it. The teen winced again under the feel of the hot barrel singeing his skin as he slid the gun back in place, before he too walked forward making extra sure to give the collapsed thugs a wide berth.
"Nah." She denied, her bright lips spread out in a wide malicious smile," They would have to remember us first."
(A/N: I didn't plan for this chapter to get so long! Almost 5k words! I just wanted to showcase exactly how terrifying Ivy truly was! I decided not to just cut up the chapter and take this as a lesson learned. I hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you next week! Should be a real doozy!)
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EldritchFictor
EldritchFictor If you guys are enjoying the fic, wish to support me and/or want to read ahead the public, I do have a patreon: EldritchFictionFan! There you will have early access to my fanfics and EXTRA early access to my original! Thank you all for reading!
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