Daughter of Ivy: Interlude - The Batman

[Pandarve]

As promised the next installment of the Panda story. This is not however the first chapter as I had hoped to make it, but after a conversation with Beta and a few others I realized that I had no clear connection between Panda and Batman to explain why he would chose to save her. Therefore this interlude is written to explain and enhance the story already started and that shall be continued with the next installment once I am able to take time to write it. Thank you all for your encouragement and enjoyment of my tale.
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Interlude - The Batman

His name is Bruce Wayne to his friends, but to the villains of his city he is known as Batman and is feared by many. He knew from almost that first moment that he had seen the girl about his city that she was different. She did not attack the innocent, but seemed more curious to understand them. He did not approach her though knew that she had seen him watching, because he had allowed her to see him, when she made no move to attack him he decided he must know more about who she was and where she had come from. He assigned Robin to keep an eye on her and tell the others to leave her alone for now. They were only to watch her and report on what she did when she was out roaming the city.

It was Batman himself that trailed her back to Ivy’s hidden base, again he chose the path of observer in order to learn. He had suspected the connection to Ivy from the first moment he had gotten a clear view of the girl. It was apparent to him that she at least looked like one of Ivy’s thralls, but was more independent then them. He also saw a resemblance in the girl to Ivy herself, perhaps Ivy had created some kind of plant clone to use to trick him into some trap or perhaps it was something else altogether. Naturally he simply had to know the answer to his questions because knowledge was not only power, but could give him that edge he would need in any encounter against the girl.

He was not far from the chemical plant when he heard on the batwave that Ivy had sent some of her minions to destroy it. He was just wrapping up taking down some of Jokers goons, and knowing the GCPD was on its way as well, he finished up with the goons and dropped them by the local PD before moving quickly to the chemical plant arriving in time to see Ivy’s thralls milling about within the plant. Something seemed very strange about their behavior though and as he continued his observations he realized that this was because somehow the girl had control over them herself. Quickly reaching into his utility belt and pulling out the bat-ear he was able to listen in on the girls’ conversation with the thralls. It seemed she was Ivy’s daughter, or at least considered Ivy to be her mother, and had just discovered Ivy’s betrayal of her.

Before the Batman had a chance to warn the GCPD that there might be a more peaceful resolution someone opened fire on one of the plant beasts that had wandered out of the plant. Within a matter of seconds the air was filled with the sound of gunfire and cries to take down the plants and capture the thralls. Chaos ensued at it was all Batman could do to keep his eye on the girl as he quickly assessed the situation. As it was apparent that the girl had some ability to control the mob of thralls and beasts he felt the best choice of action was to get to her as he suspected knocking her out would return the mob to their original state of mindlessness. However before he was able to get in close enough the plant started to erupt with explosions leading him to suspect that someone must have hit something with a stray bullet.

Seeing the girl in trouble now and having collapsed from the heat of the flames he swooped in to recover her from the burning exploding plant and carry her off to the batcave, fully aware she had slipped into a coma… Once Batman had determined that there was little more he good do for the girl he moved her from the batcave to one of his many safe houses spread thought Gotham city. He suspected this coma like state was not a normal coma and so called in the aid of two allies in order to better determine the truth of the girl’s condition. The first was Jason Blood, who as the world’s leading expert on the occult and demonology should be able to provide insight into whether the girl’s condition was magical in nature. The other was the Swamp Thing, formerly known to the world as Dr. Alec Holland and whose knowledge of science and connection to the Green should help determine not only what may be causing this coma like state but also just what type of being she is.

This first to come calling was Jason Blood whose examination of the girl involved several mystic incantations as well as a brief visit by his alter ego the demon Etrigan. Upon finishing Jason told Batman that he could find no link to the occult and magical realms within or around the girl, and that Etrigan confirmed this as well as adding that she was no demon or creature from the hells. Jason was however able to detect a connection within the girl to the elemental planes and believed that his friend that Batman had made a wise choice in calling upon the guardian of the Green known to many as the Swamp Thing. It was not long before that aforementioned guardian made his appearance, once known to the world as Dr. Alec Holland the Swamp Thing was wise in both science and things of nature, while he was not truly Alec Holland he held within him all the memories of the man that gave birth to the conscious being that the world knew as Swamp Thing.

“I have come.” Was all he said as he entered the safehouse and was guided to where the young girl rested. Without speaking further he moved to her side and placed his large mossy hand upon her temple. Small root like tendrils slid from his hand and seem to sink into the girl’s skin as his eyes closed and what could only be called a look of serein peace came over his face. Later Batman would be told what had occurred during the communion between the Swamp Thing and his young charge.

Floating in the green was where she was found, lost and confused and unsure how to return to her body as her consciousness floated within the elemental plane. He spoke to her. “Child…you have…lost your…way.” His slow form of speech was at first confusing to her, but as she began to regain her focus she was able to understand and realized this strange creature was here to help. “Where am I? Why am I here?” She did not understand what had happened as the last thing she remembered was the explosion and the heat of the fire around her. “You…are in…the green…child.” The creature identified himself as Swamp Thing guardian of the green and explained to her what the green was and why she herself was there; as a living plant being also called an elemental this was a home to her as was the earth upon which she was born.

He could sense in her the human connection as well and aided by his memories of science was able to determine exactly what Ivy had done to bring this young life into the world. He was surprised to discover a part of himself within the girl and realized that this made her as much his daughter as she was Ivy’s as well. After what seems liked hours the two were ready to leave the Green behind and return to the world of man having found in each other a family they had not previously known existed as well as providing the young Pandarve with insight into what she truly was and was capable of.

Over the course of the next five years the young Pandarve found herself in a world she did not truly know with a desire to learn all she could about it. She was not yet ready to become a hero like her father or the man that most knew as Batman but that she had come to know as friend and mentor. It was not easy getting him to open up as he was still very suspicious of her in the beginning, but in time he did and when he did he told her much about her mother and about the city she would call home. He would introduce her to a man he called friend by the name of Bruce Wayne but she knew the truth, she was a genius after all, but she said nothing as she had come to understand the this man guarded his secrets carefully and did not reveal them easily to anyone.

It was Bruce Wayne that gave Panda, as her friends would call her, her first home. The very safe house that she had spent so much time in was to become home and base of operations for her. Panda would venture forth into Gotham to learn of its people and its ways. She spent most of the day in hiding and only came out at night but to her night was when the city was most alive. The sights and sounds of its inhabitants where amazing to behold and yet she was ever cautious as she knew well the dangers that lurked in the darkness of Gotham city. After a time she began to make rare excursions into the daylight hours at the insistence of her friend and mentor Batman who told her that it was best to be seen if she ever had the desire to become a part of the world she now called home.

It was during one of these ventures that Brainiac invaded the earth and began to bottle the planet. Panda joined the battle with her fellow heroes to save earth from this invasion, though her powers where limited she did know how to fight and helped in any way she could. Then the rain came, the shower of exobytes raining down upon the planet and bestowing powers to humanity also caught Panda as she was working to save some children from a burning building. She could feel the nano technology invading her system, while her own body’s defenses moved to repel this invasion she was overwhelmed and captures by one of the Brainaic invaders and carried off to a nearby ship with several other captive humans…

[Beta Babe]

This is very good Panda. I am curious to see in the future her interactions between her father and mother. It would appear that Batman is slowly becoming a mentor?

I look forward to more of your story!