Terra Firma

Cosette

I'm not completely certain what he was doing--some odd form of pinning me down, dragging me up, shaking me and hugging me at the same time. He was smiling in his odd way again. It was then, being shaken like some kind of flavored drink, that I realized--despite being reunited with the man I had a deep rooted crush for--how deep I was in this. The stare in his eyes was primal, pure killer, relaying nothing but blind obsession for another redheaded woman.

(that's all you are a riddle a question mark something he wants to CRACKle pop rice krispies skull CRACK)

"I knew it! I knew it! Do you know how long I've been searching for you? Do you?"

He babbled excitedly, ruffling my hair and saying everything twice. He chuckled that deep, darkened chuckle, face flirting with mine as I could only stare at him awkwardly, instantly regretting I'd ever said anything, feeling awfully uncomfortable with his body pinned to mine.

Oh, tables turn. Tables turn and spin fast, whirling and winding on their pedestals.

I pushed him off and he seemed very hurt for a few seconds, stumbling on his uneven leg as he reached for his cane on the ground. But he regained his ultra-sense of pride and ego in a fluid movement, running a hand through his hair and straightening out his clothing. He then cleared his throat,

"I'm sorry. I just..."

"It's alright." I said quietly, "It's been... a long time."

"Old friend."

I looked up, "Yes. Old friend."

He got close to my face again, inspecting it with this odd look in his crazy dark eyes, making me feel weird, "I see it now. The eyes... the nose, the mouth... the scar. But the voice. How?"

His staring eyes, though terrifying, made me want to relay everything. So I went off on a rush, letting the words jump from my mouth hurriedly, "I honestly don't know. It was that night, I got it back. I went nuts. I was screaming, blindly making my way downtown. There were the ferries, the falling... the metal thingy... I deactivated it for them and things got better. Ivy--"

Suddenly, I heard a shout from the angry man outside. It was barely audible down the long endless hallway.

The Riddler

(Happy Marius what was I supposed to call him?)

stiffened, turning his head slightly. His mouth formed into a tiny line and his prim nostrils flared. I saw his fingers wind around the head of his cane like a snake, his burning eyes whirled. They settled back on me and he seemed to instantly show ecstasy on his face again. His grim mouth widened into that typical madman's grin, and he winked at me. I blinked, confused.

He did something strange then, something I couldn't get out of my head for the next few days.

He took off a glove and slowly, deliberitely, traced a smooth, cool finger along the awful scar that I kept hidden. It felt like a hair dryer hitting the bath water, and I instantly felt some form of electricity as he did it. I wondered if he felt the same and leaned forward, but found only disappointment again as he broke the strong and unspoken bond swiftly by backing up and turning to the door.

"I'll be just a moment, dear."

Two-Face

"Ivy, you can't leave like that."

"Ha! Watch me." Her voice sang tauntingly off the walls.

I went through so much trouble. ...I just wanted a bit of a sign. But what did she give me? Nothing but her little observations on life and blunt words. I wanted a way out of my hell. I thought this Goddess could give it to me. But she left me with nothing but WORDS. Stupid empty hollow words. I was done with words. I wanted results. I wanted Rachel. I wanted to be free, I wanted revenge.

My angry side grew, simmering in my deadened brain. I scowled. Why should she have the love? Why was I the one to lose everything in one single sweep? Why couldn't Rachel...

"COME BACK!" I heard my voice bark. That bittersweet laugh resounded back to me, crawling into my ear with a sweet poison only my little ex-employee's voice could possess.

She didn't even turn. She was almost out of sight before I turned at the sound of a high-priced cane's rhythmic clacking down the hall. The kid was beaming. Beaming like a boy who'd discovered a bright red bicycle underneath his christmas tree. He nudged me gently out of the way, muttering a polite and seemingly geniune 'excuse me' before violently swinging the heavy cane against the wall, creating a hole and a loud crash.

"What the--" I began, but soon quieted, for she finally turned around at his quick-thinking movement.

"You." She spat and extended her forearm out, getting ready to strike. But he acted more quickly, producing a gun from the inside of his jacket. Her eyes went from lit with hatred and rage to becoming concerned.

"That's right," my comrade smiled, "You're too weak to have this happen again. And believe me, old friend, I don't want to do it. I won't have to, if you would be so kind as to accept my pal's hospitality."

"I can't believe you. What's happened to you? How could you threaten me--"

"I grew up!" He chuckled and I looked from one to the other, not understanding, "Isn't it grand, what we become Ivy, when we get something taken away from us?"

Her face twisted, "That's what this is about? I gave her life..."

"Yes! Yes! You did. But in order to do that you had to take something away. And that created what you see here! And, as you know my dear friend, we're always responsible for the things we create."

She glowered and his smile widened. He moved closer to her, watching her arm closely and gripping the gun with a tense confidence.

"This is bullshit." Ivy proclaimed, "Go ahead and try and shoot, boy, it'll be your head when I wake up."

"Oh, oh, I don't think that's nessecary."

She cocked her head

(like cockatoos)

and he continued, waving his arm with a dramatic flourish.

"I have something very important to you. And if you don't listen to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde over there... this time... I'll take her away from you."

Her eyes turned to emerald slits, "You wouldn't dare."

"You'd be surprised. Oh, and, by the way, if you even attempt making contact with her, I'll make you watch."

He tapped the cane against the wall again, as if to underscore what he meant. Boy this kid really was sick. I thought he had developed feelings for the girl over the past couple of days... they way he would saunter off to his room repeatedly. But I suppose it was just for show.

Ivy looked at him, eyes and face still set plain and emotionless, hair now becoming lank and frizzed around her defined cheek bones. Hatred still burned in her, but she passed us without a turn of the head, turning back into my spare room in stubborn silence. I suppose the other girl was hiding out in the bathroom across the hall and at that point I only cared a little

(maybe she's intriguing so quiet there's something)

about her.

Right now I was just amazed at this kid.. this man... taking charge like that and merely talking her into staying. With words.

Stupid empty hollow words.

"Why?" I asked then, shocked he'd come to my aid.

"Oh, don't consider it a favor, buddy." He sensed the shock in my voice, "It's all for my next act. This is to get to The Batman."

"But what would the Bat--"

He jumped giddily, "Oh, riddle me this. Riddle me that. Who's the one guy in this town, the original guy, Battyboy chased but never could catch? The one man, if he had the clear shot, he would make a move for?"

"...The Joker."

"BINGO! We have a winner! And tell me, Two-Face, the one thing our purple-coated friend is certain to go after in an impulsive rage, if given the chance. The puzzle, if you will?"

"Poison Ivy!"

He smiled happily again, "Exactly."

"So to get to the Batman, we need The Joker."

Two short nods, "And to get to The Joker, we use The Goddess herself."

Penguin

I rubbed the back of my scalp, covered in horrific burn marks. They were not completely healed--not that much time'd lapsed over from that night in Gotham Memorial Park.

But I was here, I'd run from the scene, I was alive.

And I had to make my money somewhere, didn't I?

So I turned back to my days as a young kid, dabbling in criminal affairs. 'Cept now I wasn't a runt, I was top guy. So I'd knocked one of the big mob daddys around here, big deal. I was mad, I was in pain constantly, I was hungry for the money I'd worked so hard to get but lost in one firey pit.

Little sonofabitch Riddle boy. I'd catch him. I knew he was out there and goddammit I was going to catch him.

But right now, something else was distracting me.

There were yells out in the bar, not the usual ruckus of men roughing each other up, but panicked yells. Fearful yells. The kind of yells right before turning my back on being a legitmate member of society, instead becoming something unwavering and feared.

A boss.

A voice calling for me now, barging into my 'quiet room', dragging a body with him. I got up immediately.

"Benny! What--"

"I found him outside, Penguin. He wasn't even dead yet. Face was bleeding like crazy. Kept saying, 'I gave him directions. He said he might let me go.' I shot him and put 'im out of his misery..."

I approached the heavy body of one of the pimps working for my network, eyes widening at the carved grin in his face, slowly dripping blood on my expensive carpet, staring at a knife perched solidly in his back. I bent, pulling it out and wiping the blade on the back of the hustler's bright coat, picking up the card lodged carelessy between flesh and blade, rubbing my face in horror and turning my back on Benny at the merrily dancing joker in the middle of the thing. I hardly heard the quiet little strangled sound he made as I stared at the red words complimenting dripping blood, hardly heard his body slip to the ground with a thud as I read the message aloud.

"OH NEW NEIGHBORS!

SORRY I COULDN'T BRING YOU ANY COOKIES

HOPE THIS HOUSE PRESENT WORKS

OOPS FORGOT MY KNIFE HAHAHAHAHAHA."

I stared at the infamous weapon in horror and fascination as a gloved hand came into my view, plucking the knife out of my shocked hand with a swiftness.