[Edited July 28, 2022]

[June 25th]

Momma Ivy's POV

It had been several days since she had seen or heard anything about Nico-- or Ghost for that matter-- and that wasn't sitting well with her. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Ivy knew that leading a double life, especially as a demigod, took a lot of time and effort, so she understood that Nico wouldn't often be able to spare the time to come and see her, but she had hoped that she could ask him what had happened after he had gotten picked up by Batman's little pet project. Hopefully, he hadn't gotten into too much trouble. She hadn't seen his name in the news recently as she would have expected to if he'd been reported to the authorities for being seen with her. That was a blessing, at least.

Then there was the bigger secret that could have been spilled that night. Nico's other separate life. Certainly, the team hadn't figured out that Nico di Angelo and Ghost were the same people? Ivy didn't think they were nearly that clever. They didn't have the mystical senses that she did, after all. She had known from the moment she stepped into the same room as Ghost that he was a son of Hades. Death and decay radiated from him, just as it did Nico. Children of Hades were a rare breed. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together.

What had he wanted to tell her that day? Was it important or was he just stopping in for a chat? Ivy knew that the latter was just wishful thinking. Nico didn't 'chat'. Ivy, deep in thought, took her coffee out on her porch. It looked like it was going to storm today-- though it usually did in Gotham. There was so much pollution in the sky that Gotham looked hazy and cloudy most of the time. How Ivy missed clear skies and bright sunshine. She'd cover the whole city with plants if she thought they would clear the city of pollution.

Cover the city... She mused, now there's an idea. That would all have to wait until after the storm, however. The rains would be good for her babies, but it made a battlefield treacherous, and she had little doubt that Batman would put up a fight to keep his precious city in the filth. Maybe the rain would help with that. Ivy liked to imagine that the rain cleansed the air a bit as it fell, picking up pollutants as it fell to Earth. She loved the rain. The sound it made on her roof and the asphalt outside, the fleshbags running for cover with their umbrellas and raincoats, and the clean smell in the air that lasted a few hours after a good downpour.

Ivy imagined the thunder and lightning lighting up the sky as she sipped her coffee in her fluffy, pastel green bathrobe. She stretched languidly, as a strong gust of wind snatched at her robe and blew her hair from her face. When she went to do a toe touch, she noticed something peculiar. There was a tiny corner of something poking out from beneath her doormat. She knelt gently on her rotting wooden porch and pulled up the mat that was being overtaken by moss. Underneath it, hidden from the elements except for the darkened corner, was an envelope addressed to her. The villainess frowned, finding this more than a little suspect, but brought the letter inside nonetheless.

She ghosted through her plant-infested apartment, hardly making a sound. The only noise came from the bubbling of the filter in her aquaponics container in what used to be a sitting room. Ivy made straight for her kitchen, settling herself onto a barstool and setting her coffee on the counter. She gently opened the envelope and extracted the letter. The left edge of the letter was a little water damaged, but luckily she could still make out what it had said. As she read, she became more and more distraught. It was from Nico, and he had written:

Dear Ivy,

I want you to know that I appreciate everything that you have done for me. I can honestly say that I wouldn't have gotten this far without you. Thank you.

I am sending this letter because I have found myself in a situation that I don't expect to get out of. Don't worry, it has nothing to do with the Wayne family. They're really good people. They've done so much for me and I will be eternally grateful for that.

This problem has to do with my father's side of the family. They want me-- and all the people I care about-- dead and I can't let that happen. In this situation, my best option is to take one for the team even if that means giving up my life.

I just wanted you to understand that I know what I'm doing and that I'll see you again someday. You know, if you believe in an afterlife. Goodbye, Ivy. Thank you for reminding me of what it's like to have a mom again.

Nico di Angelo

Ivy was stunned. She read the letter through twice, set it down, then swiped her coffee mug off the table and onto the floor where it shattered. Hot coffee and clay shards scattered everywhere, but Ivy couldn't find it in herself to care about the mess. Her fern curled in on itself as a shard of glass brushed against its sensitive leaves. Ivy knelt to console the plant, though she knew it was more of a physiological reaction than a sign of an emotional response. She felt like she had just stepped on a puppy's tail.

"I'm sorry little one. I was just so angry and... sad." Ivy sat back on her heels and watched numbly as the leaves folded in a chain reaction, a folding leaf brushed up against another which folded into another until all of her ferns, who had overgrown her dining room wall, were hiding. They looked how she felt. It was true that Ivy wasn't sure what the letter had meant exactly, but one thing was obvious: Nico was in trouble. Clearly, his father's side of the family referred to the gods, but why would they want him and his friends dead? Was it something he had done?

"Oh, Nico," Ivy muttered softly, "what have you gotten yourself into?" For the next fifteen minutes, Ivy cleaned up glass and coffee and set about watering and tending to all of her other babies-- the ones that she could help. All the while she was thinking. The villainess needed to come up with a plan to help her adopted demigod son, but first, she needed a place to start. She decided to start with the last people she knew that had seen him alive, and for that, she would have to do something to get their attention.

It looks like her plan to cover Gotham with foliage wouldn't have to wait until the ground was dry after all.

++++

A few hours later, Ivy was equipped with as many seeds as she could carry and dirt grenades for her babies to take root in. She would deploy the dirt bomb and seeds on everything in sight and cover as much of the city as she could with plants with a high carbon intake.

It was true that she prefers plants with more of a... bite, usually, but she couldn't afford to get herself thrown in Arkham or in a hospital at the moment so these harmless plants would have to do. She strapped the grenades to a harness that crossed her chest and back and looped around her waist. She had at least two dozen grenades. It was going to be enough to at least get the bat's attention if nothing else. She'd need a lot more if she were truly going to cover Gotham.

Outside, it had just started to drizzle and Ivy knew that it was time to make her move. She knew just where to start. If you wanted Batman's attention, you should start with the people who had him on speed dial. Her first target would be the GCPD.

Once she had reached the building she used the ivy that was already growing on the back of the building to pull herself up to the roof. She took a moment to inspect the industrial light with the black metal bat over it, wondering how much it cost the department to run the damn thing. It couldn't be cheap. Ivy wasted little time before she ducked behind an air conditioning unit and tossed the grenade onto the roof. She wouldn't have much time after it went off before batman would be there.

The bomb went off with a flash of light and a cloud of dirt, scattering rich dark soil across the rooftop. Ivy scattered a handful of seeds into the pile and willed them to grow. In an instant thick green vines shot out of the soil and wrapped themselves around anything within reach-- bolstered by the rainwater. The vines even grew over the doorway to the roof, which would buy her a little time.

Ivy used the vines to build a bridge to the next building, tossing another grenade and scattering more seeds. This pattern repeated five more times before the bat signal finally came to life against the cloudy sky. Ivy didn't pause, knowing her time was limited. She only made it to three more buildings before she heard the squeal of the batmobile's tires.

She had only a minute or two now. She deployed three grenades at once on the top of a warehouse. A few of the glass skylights shattered with the explosion and some of the dirt and rain spilled through the opening. Ivy scattered her seeds and used the vines to climb down into the warehouse where a dozen workers were shouting orders to each other or screaming.

Ivy pulled one of the sprinklers from a pipe in the ceiling, which triggered the fire alarms and sent a cascade of water dripping down onto the factory floor. The workers evacuated the building. That was perfect, this was a conversation she'd rather have alone. Ivy used the vines to lower herself to the floor, where she cast more seeds into the dirt that had spilled onto the floor. More vines overtook the room, climbing shelves and pipes, crushing lightbulbs, and smothering sprinklers.

The alarm cut off as the vines wrapped around the speaker and crushed it beyond recognition. The emergency lights still flashed red and water still poured down, but at least she could hear herself think. Unfortunately, that was all she could hear. Once the vines stopped growing, the warehouse lapsed into an eerie silence. The only sounds came from the rain on the roof and the water hitting the boxes and the concrete. There were no police sirens or anything else that would have given her a clue as to where Batman was. Surely he'd tracked her down by now. She wasn't even hiding.

Ivy stood still in the drizzle of the sprinklers and tried to steady her breathing. She could hardly hear anything over the pounding of her heart.

"Give it up, Ivy. I'm taking you to Arkham." Batman's gruff voice came from behind her. She whirled around to see Batman lowering himself from the ceiling with a grappling hook. At least he hadn't destroyed any of her babies yet.

"Ok," she licked her lips, "but first I have a question for you." Batman reeled back in his grappling hook and returned it to his belt. He said nothing, simply watching the villain in response. Ivy took that as permission to continue.

"Where is Nico di Angelo?" Batman stilled.

"Why do you want to know?" Ivy pulled out the letter he'd left her. She'd put it in a plastic bag since she knew it was going to rain. Batman's frown only deepened as he saw the letter in her hands.

"He sent me a letter and it suggests that he might be in danger. Your mini leaguers are the last people that I saw with him. I was hoping you could tell me whether or not he's ok." Ivy returned the letter to her pocket. She had little doubt that Batman knew what had happened to Nico. After all, he and Bruce Wayne seemed to be well acquainted.

An awful thought crossed her mind. He couldn't be... Bruce Wayne? The more she thought about it, the more sense it made. The same number of kids, the same number of proteges. Now Nico and Ghost. There was no other explanation. She knew the big bad secret.

"Nico di Angelo is missing. We're working closely with Bruce Wayne and Police to determine his whereabouts." Batman returned simply.

I'm sure you are. Ivy thought to herself.

She wouldn't let on that she knew his secret, fully understanding why it was so important for him to remain anonymous. If not for himself, then for his company and his kids. Wayne Enterprises did more for Gotham than anyone else with charities, donations, scholarships, relief funds, and more. Ivy wasn't about to ruin that or endanger Nico's new family. Bruce's secret would be safe with her.

"I'll help you look for him." She blurted out before she could properly think it through. Batman eyed her with passive interest. She could tell that he didn't know what to make of her offer.

"And why would you do that?"

"Nico is important to me. I want him found. Safe and alive. Please, let me help." Batman glanced pointedly up at the vines and then back at her.

"That was just to get your attention. They aren't hazardous. In fact, with enough of them, we could make a dent in Gotham's air pollution."

"And the explosions?"

"The grenades are faster than spreading the soil by hand." If she didn't know better, she would have thought she saw a bit of amusement in his eyes.

"I see. Remove the vines and I won't arrest you. This time." Batman shot his grappling hook up into the air. It wrapped around a support beam and he began to leave.

"I'm going to search for him myself! With or without your help!" Ivy called after him. He left wordlessly through the hole in the roof and Ivy growled in annoyance. She surveyed the room, her eyes flashing dangerously in the red emergency lights.

"If he won't help me... I'll find someone who will."

++++

Late that afternoon Ivy found herself down by the docks, staring down into the water and thinking. Maybe not arresting her had been Batman's way of giving her permission. Maybe he wanted to find his adopted son badly enough that he would accept help from the enemy. He never said that she couldn't search for Nico. Deciding to take it as permission, Ivy called in a few favors. Let Batman search the legal way. She'd ask people he'd never go to.

"Ivy?" Her favors had arrived. Ivy pulled her eyes from the murky waters of the bay and they landed on none other than Selina Kyle.

"Selina, It's good to see you." Ivy made her way back up the dock towards the cat-themed thief.

"You too, though I can't say that I was expecting your call." Catwoman eyed Ivy with a careful eye. The woman had a nose for scandal and was usually the first to know things. Ivy was pleased to have surprised her.

"Yes, well this is somewhat of a personal matter."

"Oh?" Selina's eyes sparkled with interest.

"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if this didn't get around, you know?" Ivy was counting on Selina's need to be in the know, here. If something juicy or profitable was going on, she wanted to know about it. Just enticing her with the idea that she would get to know something personal about Ivy may be enough to get her on board.

"Your secret is safe with me." Catwoman purred, curiosity shining in her eyes.

"Glad to hear it. We're just waiting on one more and then I'll fill you in."

"Who--" Selina started, frowning.

"Ivy baby!" A thick Brooklyn accent carried by a high girlish voice pierced their ears. Selina wrinkled her nose, though Ivy ignored her.

"Harley! I'm glad you could make it!" Ivy smiled tolerantly. Harley could be a bit much sometimes, but that was what Ivy found endearing about the girl. Harley was unapologetically eccentric.

"Are you kiddin'? I wouldn't miss it for the world!" Harley snapped her chewing gum and leaned on her massive hammer, "so what's all this about anyway? You didn't say on the phone."

"I need your help, ladies." Ivy started.

"With what, exactly?" Selina narrowed her eyes. She wasn't going to be all in unless there was something in it for her. Ivy knew she would have to make it worth her time.

"Nico di Angelo--" Harley cut her off.

"Oh! That new Wayne brat? Did you catch him?" Harley asked excitedly. Ivy held up her hand to silence her. Apparently, she hadn't been told what happened between her and the Joker when he had tried to take Nico himself. Typical of Joker to leave her out of the loop.

"No, nothing like that. Actually, the boy is very important to me. He's missing and I want to find him."

"You want our help to find a Wayne Kid and then what? Return him?" Harley frowned. Selina, on the other hand, seemed intrigued.

"Yes, I want to help find him and return him to Mr. Wayne. But imagine how grateful he'd be to us. He might even offer a reward! And think about how it would look if we found him before Batman did." Ivy pressed. She could tell she had Selina's attention when she said reward, though she wasn't sure if the woman was thinking about money or romance. Both left a gleaming look in her eyes.

"You mean we'll humiliate 'im?" Harley smiled wickedly. Ivy indulged her. She really had no interest in humiliating Bruce, but she knew it would appeal to Harley.

"Definitely." She agreed.

"I'm in." Harley hoisted her hammer up to her shoulder.

"Me too." Selina coiled her whip in her hands.

"Excellent. Let the hunt begin."

[I know this isn't the Birds of Prey, but I hope you all like it anyway!]