Broken Trust

"Pamela, don't..."

Seeing Ivy leave her side and approach Damon, Catwoman hurried to stop her.

Too late.

Ivy put her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Caught off guard, Damon embraced her and returned the kiss. She seemed briefly surprised, then continued.

As the kiss continued...

A toxin began to enter Damon's system.

"Huh?"

He hadn't lost track of what was happening. The instant she released the toxin, he recognized it as a form of chemical mind control. Laughing inwardly, he copied her powers and continued the kiss.

Ivy's abilities were interesting. She could control every kind of plant, and her body could produce potent toxins and pheromones. She could kill with them or attract men and women alike. Her mind-altering toxins could even control people, though someone with Batman's willpower might resist. Ivy herself was immune to poisons, viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

Having copied those abilities, Damon no longer had to worry about her toxin.

After a while, Ivy pushed him away and studied him, catching her breath.

"You're immune to toxins, too?" she asked in surprise.

He smiled. "You can try again sometime."

"Pamela." Catwoman pulled her aside before she could do anything else.

Catwoman had known Pamela long before she met Harley. Eventually, all three had become friends. None of them was a particularly good person. Catwoman was a thief. Harley was a lunatic. Ivy was comparatively normal: a radical environmentalist.

She had originally just loved plants. Then someone captured her and used her in toxic botanical experiments, turning her into what she was now. Her interest in Damon came from an old joke with Harley. Harley had talked about him so constantly that Ivy grew curious. She had joked that, when they met, she would see whether he was really that impressive. If he was, she'd take him for herself and spare everyone Harley's constant praise.

"Let's get out of here," Ivy said.

Catwoman nodded and looked at the other prisoners. "We need to get these people out, too."

Ivy raised a hand. The ground split open nearby, and an enormous vine pushed through.

"That tunnel leads outside. If you don't want to die, you'd better move."

The prisoners hesitated. Then someone climbed in, and the others quickly followed. Not one seemed unwilling to take the chance.

"There. Can we go now?" Ivy asked.

Catwoman nodded and looked at Damon.

He opened another breach.

The three returned to Ivy's home. She immediately checked her plants. After a while, she sighed in relief. "They're all right. If I hadn't been afraid those things would destroy them, I wouldn't have let myself be captured."

Catwoman shook her head, at a loss for words.

She knew how much Ivy loved her plants.

"Who did this?" Ivy picked up the bra from where it lay.

The one Damon had tossed aside earlier.

Catwoman started to explain, embarrassed. Ivy smiled at Damon. "I hadn't heard you collected those. If you like, you can have the one I'm wearing."

Damon shook his head. Ivy laughed, put it away, and dropped the subject. She had only been joking.

Damon slapped Catwoman's backside.

"What the hell are you doing?" She turned on him, furious.

"Why so upset? That's hardly the first time I've touched you. I've done more than..."

"Don't say it!"

She kicked at him.

He caught her ankle. "Again? Doesn't this look familiar? Or is there something else you want from me?"

"Let go!" Catwoman shouted.

Ivy folded her arms and watched. "What are you two talking about? Have you already been with Harley's man?"

"Stop talking and help me!"

"Why should I?"

"I just rescued you!"

"I could have gotten out myself." Ivy turned to Damon. "Want me to leave you two alone? Just don't touch my plants. I don't care what you do on my bed."

"Sure." Damon smiled.

Ivy actually left, closing the door behind her.

So much for friendship.

Catwoman angrily cursed her friend as Damon forced her onto the bed.

She immediately sat up and watched him warily. "I'm warning you..."

"Shh." He used one of the abilities he had just copied from Ivy. Colorless, odorless pheromones began to spread from his body.

They filled the room.

At first, Catwoman remained on guard and resisted his approach. Gradually, the chemicals changed her condition. She grew feverish, and her resistance weakened as she felt compelled to move closer to him.

Outside...

On the rooftop, Ivy frowned.

"Pheromones? How can he do that? It's so much like my own power." First he had resisted her toxins. Now he could produce pheromones. She couldn't explain it.

The plants inside the room relayed what was happening. Ivy hesitated as she received their information.

She had been joking. Damon, apparently, hadn't.