10385/Ivy Island: No time for no heroes

Ivy Island: No time for no heroes
Date of Scene:	10 December 2019
Location:	South Channel Island, Nantwich
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Poison Ivy, Stockholm
Tinyplot:	Ivy Island

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Poison Ivy has posed:
Things on Ivy Island have become routine for those survivors who remain.. All resources that were left behind have been used, horded by the gangs, or taken by Ivy's personal security force headed by one Stockholm stationed out of Xanatos Building. While the spire above the Isley Gardens has sprouted into a tree of truly epic preportions over the course of a month.

Seated beneath it, in the darkness of the tall standing roots, the Queen of Namwich resides quietly amidst her beloved plants, stroking a budding flower curling out from the under brush to reach needfully towards her outstretched pale-green fingers. Some soulful melody humming from rose red lips, haunting an enchanting as the barely clothed vixen rules without ever really having to do a thing.

Stockholm has posed:
Julia seems to have fallen right into that role as the head of Ivy's security.

She recruited heavily from the gangs as well, because who doesn't want to be in the 'gang' that has some favorism from the Queen of the Island.

Just one thing though, while at the start of all this the gang Julia recruited was a mixed ensemble at this point there are zero men in it.

Gotham's own little slice of Paradise Island as far as Stockholm is concerned even if she doesn't consciously understand it all.

Men just can't be trusted.

Making a visit to the Queen would probably scare a lot of the Island's inhabitants shitless but Julia seems to be in great spirits as she makes her way to the Gardens, hmming to herself and strapped with the best scraps of gear the Island has to offer.

Carefully picking her way along without hurting or stepping on any plants that could be fragile.

When she gets into view she just beams, almost a goofy smile having spotted Ivy before schooling her expression and waiting for be acknowledged not wanting to interrupt anything.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Ivy, of course, knew Julia was coming before she actually reached the garden and glances up just as the limber young woman begins to scale the limbs that, for all the world, look like a ladder specifically for her.. along the same route she always seems to take, as if Ivy has specifically fashioned them for her ease.

She'd heard that men had been excluded from the Security gang and had taken no small amount of pleasure from it, her own disdain for the rougher sex was unquestioned and well documented... so it is that when Stockholm arrives and is within view, Ivy beckons her to come closer with the curl of her long, pale-green fingers.

"Hello my love." Reaching out absently, fingers extending in the same fashion as do the budding plants towards their mistress, only in Julia's direction. One long leg lifts to cross the other, shapely leg visible beneath the red silk button up shirt that is trying, god it's trying, to stay buttoned despite being several sizes too small for the task.

Stockholm has posed:
Whatever else Stockholm is, she is easily influenced by strong personalities. Honestly she would have had trouble with Ivy even if the other didn't tend to cheat with pheromones, touches, and kisses.

Honestly at this point even though Julia knew Arkham had very specific protocols for Ivy, she is pretty much completely screwed if she had even wanted to not be a smitten little kitten.

At the beckoning Julia prowls over to Ivy and her beckoning outreached hand, reacting for all the world like one of Ivy's plants. "Hello my Queen." yeah Julia likes the whole Queen of Namwich business. "thought I should report in about an incident earlier today." which she is sure Ivy probably is aware of but better safe than sorry.

In the predawn hours there was a small incursion by a paramilitary security group, hard to say if they worked for Xanatos or were just military without any identifying traits. Small spec ops with drones and what seemed to be scouting.

Julia's crew pounced and dealt with them, though they do have a couple of prisoners, which she didn't bring with her. They aren't talking yet.

Poison Ivy has posed:
With Julia reaching out in the same fashion as her plants, Ivy curls her fingers in an affectionate stroke of the young womans jaw. The tips of her fingers brush against the line of her jaw like budding flower pedals, urging her closer, arm lowering to lead, through connection and a desire to keep it, Stockholm down to the side of her throne of vines.

"I would delight in hearing it from you, my love." She barely glances away from the plant, which has wrapped steadily around her wrist and encircled her long neck to fix itself in her bound hair held in a sloppy bun. Once it has settled, she does turn her green eyes down upon Stockholm, smiling in a way that is toxic to most, and sickeningly alluring to others.. pheremones strengthening as one leg moves to uncross, then switch to cross the other.

Staring down as if there's nothing else at all in the garden or world beside the woman beside her, which is every bit the trick of her toxins spread from that budding flower against the fingertips now stroking Julia's bare cheek... She likely knows it's little need now, muddling the young impressionable woman's mind, but...

She's a horrible person.

"Tell me what happened."

Stockholm has posed:
Julia's eyes drift closed for a moment at the affectionate stroke of her jaw, just soaking it in, and all the chemicals in Ivy's touch.

Her eyes flutter back open but she is moving at the urging closer, keeping contact until she is settled on the ground curled against the throne, like a good and loyal hound. Jaw resting against the vines that form the arm looking up at Ivy, expression both serious because serious business... but eyes dopy only for Ivy as she is petted like that on her cheek.

"Some men." there is a lot of venom there. "Invaded the Island earlier today.... we caught them though... military or paramilitary.. hard to say really. Well equipped though with top notch gear." in fact Julia is wearing some of the weapons now having upgraded her pistols.

"They killed a couple of the girls and wounded a couple more but we managed to kill them all for fertalizer... except one I managed to subdue. He has been silent though resisting my attempts to get him to talk so far... so I don't know yet who sent them..."

Poison Ivy has posed:
Ivy listens with undivided attention, or so it might seem. The chemicals she's spreading along Julia's jaw twist things to suit her whims, certainly, but her eyes stay fixed upon the good little hound craddling up against her throne recanting the information of the invasion..

Throughout she remains stoic, as if the information barely illicits much of a response. It was dealt with and though some of their angels were killed in the process, their bodies have been returned to the earth where their memory will be immortalized with sentinel plants to aid any further attempts to invade.

Something in her expression twitches, a snarl curling the corner of her blood red lips, and the hand formally stroking Julia's cheek instead curls tight around the bottom of her jaw. Not so tight as to draw blood with her slightly clawed green nails, but enough to dimple the skin beneath them...

"You should bring me this man.. and I will make him talk."

Stockholm has posed:
Julia inhales sharply when the grip changes, not scared though of course, Ivy wouldn't hurt her is all that crosses her mind.

The fact this man has made Ivy angry though makes Julia really mad, and if Ivy didn't want him brought in a state where he could talk... well then... she would be shooting him in his face the moment she returned to the base of operations.

It is soft, due in part to the grip but she murmurs. "I will go and bring him at once."

Poison Ivy has posed:
That savage anger sooths near instantly, as if Ivy is unstable, which she is... that's why they send her to Arkham, that's why there's an entire protocol in place at the Asylum specifically for dealing with her. She'll smile in one breath and stab you in the next..

She's a monster.

A monster in delicate clothing, once more stroking Stockholm's jaw rather than clutching it. "You're such a good girl.." Also older than Ivy by a few years, the statement is not demeaning however.. at least not overtly so. "Run along and fetch this fuck and bring him back to me.. we'll have fun breaking him together, how does that sound my dearest?"

Stockholm has posed:
Honestly it is monsters like Ivy that make Stockholm a monster. She isn't exactly known for her stability and is just as likely to shoot a henchman when things go off kilter. To be fair she has probably survived this long with the other monsters because she adapts to the whimsical and scary minds of those monsters which is usually disarming and pleasing to most of them.

The praise even if it had been meant as demeaning probably would have sounded lovely to Julia right now, but in fact it isn't and still sounds lovely.

"That sounds absolutely fantastic Ivy." she means it to tilting to nuzzle her cheek to the stroking fingers before reluctantly pulling away to stand.

She has her orders and with just one look back to Ivy she heads out to fetch the man and bring him back. As soon as she is clear of the garden she pulls out a walkie talkie, set to a secure channel and radios home base. "Hey Hummingbird, coming back atcha, meet me with the groceries at the corner of this and that." naming a spot halfway to homebase.

Once there she takes possession of the prisoner, who looks frankly beat to shit because Julia's methods of interrogating earlier today are not as ... delicate as Ivy's and she brings him back with her to the Garden, leaving Hummingbird outside.

That chick is a gang banger with a pixie cut and bright colored hair.

Heading the rest of the way with the bound and gagged soldier, only his feet really free, Julia enters the Garden for a second time today ... like a hound fetching a bone.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Ivy bends her hand up and settles her chin in the curve of thumb and index finger running up her temple into the short tufts of red hair just before her ear. A slow turn of her head follows Julia to the vine barricade, watches her scale out and then moves away as easily to spread her particular brand of affection to one of the plants now reaching out for her attention.

When Stockholm returns, she finds the gates open so she needn't try to get the beaten man up through her usual entrance. The lights inside ar dim, lit only for Julia's convenience, and illuminates the ground beneath their feet writhing with a network of constantly moving vines like a snake ball... It's off putting to some, when the underbrush clears to show the strange grounds disturbing visage.

It is, however, the woman seated on the throne that likely causes the spec ops agent the most terror. Half lit from behind, the shadows cling to her features save along one slant across her face to reveal a forest green eye staring at him, but even in that gloom it's hard not to see the glent of mallice in her posture. One leg crossed the other, vines coming up over the back of her chair like the Iron Throne bending forward over her shoulders.

"Ahhh what a lovely gift you've brought, my love..." Waving Stockholm closer, along with the agent. "Make it easy for us, hmm? Who sent you.. you'll tell me eventually, but testing my patience will /not/ prove advantagious for you."

Stockholm has posed:
Julia has a grip on the bindings, done up to keep him from really fighting her and also abel to be twisted to cause him pain. Not just cuffs but a loop up around his neck like a noose if need be.

She steers him with the bindings down the path.. she is easily agile and with good enough reflexes to not step on any vines as she walks him along.

The spec ops definitely makes a muffled noise of alarm when he sees Ivy, it is the only break in his demeanor, though it also shows through in his eyes.

When Ivy reacts so pleasantly to her gift Stockholm beams and shoves him along the last little way. "I didn't have time to go out and get a bow for him..." she notes sounding agrieved, and for a moment a bit like Harley. A good bit. That maniac is also kicking around in Julia's subconcious after all.

Julia reaches up and removes the gag, then delivers a sharp kick to drive the man down to kneel in front of Ivy.

The spec ops just stares, trying to not breath honestly, except a little through his nose... he was definitely briefed.

"Oh.. reminds me... I took these off them..." Julia holds up a small baggie with filter nose plugs in it. "They also had respirators."

Poison Ivy has posed:
Ivy watches the agent like a hawk watches a mouse crawling out of its hovel. Her head moving only enough to keep him square in her sight, eyes shifting the rest of the way so that at no point does her gaze not bore into him.. His attempt to breath slowly, controlled and measured, amuses her though... and she pushes up from her throne with a suddenness that betrays just how agile she is.

She's a woman who doesn't /have/ to move quickly. A lair spider who knows their pray is dead long before it needs to strike... the way she moves is an orchestra of motion, swaying her hips in such a manner that few men (and some women) wouldn't take notice. Even her clothing was designned for a singular purpose..

The hint of nudity while completely decent. Navel visible through strained buttons, low cut V showing plenty of cleavage as she kneels down infront of the bound present brought to her.. Even without a bow, she couldn't be happier with this gift. Gazing up at Julia with a sinister smile, flicking her fingers for the woman to join her, rubbing that hand down against the ground just beside her.

"So you think these will protect you... how quaint.." Leaning towards the man, practically straddling him now, with her fingers combing across his shaved head, and down his stubbled jaw. "It could be so much easier, you know? Just tell me what I want to hear... what I have to know.. and it needn't even be painful. It might even be pleasurable..."

Stockholm has posed:
The spec ops soldier tries not to inhale sharply in surprise at just how fast Ivy can move when she feels like she wants to. He knows he is pretty well and truly fucked in the lair of Poison Ivy surrounded by her plants and ... well Julia is no slouch and has a pretty intense record as well. Just not as dangerous as Ivy on anyone's list.

When Ivy gestures Julia gives one last little twist of the bindings and then slinks around from behind the soldier, moving to settle herself by Ivy's side, leaning to touch the woman with her shoulder as she watches the spec-ops soldier in front of them. She has notably kept her draw very clear and could have that gun out of it's holster or one of her knives like a snake if he makes one false move. Her eyes make contact to make it very clear she knows he knows she can do it too.

Meanwhile the soldier is mostly fixated on Ivy. Especially when she starts to touch him and spread her toxin. He read the bio and files, he knows he is likely dead and plant food. He also knows nothing his body is about to start telling him is going to be real. "I'm dead either way." he finally grunts. His eyes already dilating a bit.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Ivy truly has moved to straddle the Spec Ops, pushing his head back with the splayed fingers of her hand running up across his head, tugging in a way that she might if she could grab a fist full of hair that's absent from this scalp. "It's all a matter of how long it takes to die." She murmurs quietly, "There are certain medicinial plants that can sustain life long after the body has given up all hopes of doing so itself... preserve a persons mind in a prison of constant paralysis save nerves so that a near infinite amount of pain can be applied while robbing you, completely, of the ability to do anything to prevent..." Leaning in, whispering with ruby red lips so close to his ear as to have the words like a breath blown against his skin.

"Not even scream..."

Her eyes flick to Julia, smiling sadistically in the half shadows beneath the tall roots towering avoe them from the Tree Spire reaching upwards towards the clouds... The weight of her leaning in with her shoulder drawing those sickly inhumane eyes, "Or I can have her go find your family... bring them here to my island. And watch you kill them all, slowly, while you are trapped behind a barrier completely aware of what you're body is doing..."

Her eyes now on Stockholm, lips twitching back from her teeth, flicking her tongue out to brush against her upper lip as she casually, almost conversationally, threatens horrors upon this man.

Stockholm has posed:
Right now well Julia is there for it. If Ivy told her to infiltrate off the Island and take a shot at the mayor, her dad, the pope... Well Julia would be there for it.

The spec ops, despite all his training, has his heart going a million beats per minute as he starts to sweat. Resisting torture in some prison of war camp is one thing, this is another entirely. They didn't send robots after all but flesh and blood soldiers. It was a scouting mission that was never intended to get anywhere near Ivy's Garden.

Julia helpful adds. "I'll do it too. I'm very good at finding things." what a good girl.

"Don't..." he finally says, enough of the toxin in him from the touch and the pheromones that he isn't even thinking quite straight. Like if he doesn't talk how would they find his family for instance. Probably he is assuming Ivy will get enough out of him, which isn't a bad assumption.

"Xanatos Industries hired us to check the damage on Gen-U-Tech and see what is recoverable." something about that answer... doesn't strike genuine.. he is still doing a real admirable job or handling his breathing and seems to be trying to hold out.

Poison Ivy has posed:
"Now was that so hard?" Ivy says to the spec ops, though her eyes are fixed upon Stockholm, the good little hound, throwing all in.. Slowly, so slowly, she returns her attention to the man, fingers slipping forward to craddle the man's chin in the curve of fingers running up eitherside of his face to grip him almost affectionately save the white dimples of her nails digging a little painfully into his skin.

"Giving me what I want to hear... telling me what I need to know..." She leans forward as if she intends to kiss him, but wriths upwards away from that salaicious, toxic, touch to rest her chin upon his forehead with her eyes sliding closed. "If only you were being honest with me..." So much sadness in her voice, leaning back to rest upon Stockholm with the agent held out at arms length.

"Julia, my love... do you know what I hate most of all?" The question is obviousy for the woman beside/behind her, "Dishonesty.." Such terrible an expression, "When the truth is so much easier and so much more rewarding..."

Her fingers claw down the agents face, lips twisting out of the teasing grin into a sinister snarl, "Now you've ruined the trust between us... I cannot believe anything you say.. Now I have to send my lovely, darling, homicidal pet out to find your family and bring them back here to me..." Sucking at her teeth behind ruby red lips.

"And I won't even be able to trust your pleas... promises... and shouts of what information I request because..." Her finger taps the end of his nose, expression no less dangerous or promising of violence, "You're a god damn liar."

Stockholm has posed:
Okay well shit. He wasn't expecting her to see through him so easily. He was honestly hoping she would buy it and just kill him quick after all.

Julia watches it all raptly and as Ivy declares herself lied to well she straightens some in anger herself, feeding off Ivy's anger there by her side. "Fucker." she hisses lightly.

When the question is directed to her the anger moderates, hard to be so biting angry when she is staring into Ivy's eyes. "Liars." she spits out, not literally but the word like it is something foul. Her angry gaze returning to the agent there.

"Wait." he says strained, not a plea really but gritted teeth. He knows Ivy will root it out of him who his dearest are and whom he works for. Quick death plan didn't work so there is just all the more to lose now. "Wait. Petty Officer, first class, Navy Seals. We came to just set up some monitoring stations and see how the people who didn't evac were. Just quick in and then quick out before that sociopath found us." which really does explain how he was doing so well holding his breath. He is honestly hoping for a quick death and didn't give his name, family threats and all, but the rest seems true.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Ivy grins, but it's hardly the kind of expression anyone sane would be pleased to have direct at them. Certainly not someone in her clutches, she almost admires his strength in a cruel sort of way, it hasn't swayed her decisions in the slightest, but breaking someone with such a profound willpower always gives her the modicum of thrill that is sorely lacking in her existance anymore.

Men always disappoint.

She remains settled back against Julia, using the older woman as the throne she'd abandoned to kneel before the navy seal, an arm running up each of her loyal killers thighs with her wrists dangling off the ends of bent knees. "What do you think, Julia?" Eyes turning to the side, gazing up at the woman behind her. The sounds of nature as audible here in the garden as if it were a rain forest, the scent of her hair is like fresh lavinder and rain.

"Should we believe the liar?" She wonders, reaching a hand up and back to run the tip of a green claw down the side of Stockholm's cheek, "Grant him a quick an easy death... a heroes death I'm sure... a folded flag for your widow.. a sad hug for your children left fatherless..." Head canting to the side, tongue clicking against the roof of her mouth.

A soft clucking sound.

"Or should we bring his family anyways and /really/ get to the heart of the matter?"

Stockholm has posed:
Julia's eyes close lightly at the stroke to her cheek and the questions. She knows that Ivy isn't really wanting an answer right now. Not until she is done talking and scaring the ever loving hell out of the soldier at their mercy there. Her head just tilts into the touch and she smiles happily. It is pretty clear she is both supporting Ivy physically there, a makeshfit throne, and also loyally as a killer in her control. Hands moving up to gently wrap around Ivy from behind .. not at all restrictive... just supportive.

"I'm telling you the truth. You took over an Island in the United States of America. They will not let you keep this place without a fight even if it just Gotham."

He is probably right. No administration could stand for this. I mean push comes to real shove they could just flatten the Island. Dump an Agent Orange equivilant. Say that any hostages who died were already dead and killed by Ivy.

That is above his paygrade though, that is Checkmateo r other organizations terroritory.

Julia finally murmurs. "He is probably right though there... maybe they want to get you to send your forces away and then they will act." she looks at the man lazily from behind Ivy. "We should probably just get the information he knows and then .. do that thing where he dies slow and aware of everything anyhow.."

Julia really doesn't want to leave Ivy alone and 'unprotected'.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Ivy doesn't specifically like the answer, but she doesn't break away in what could amount to a fit of anger, rather regards the man kneeling before them as she's supported by her ever so loyal killer... "I.. suppose." She murmurs with a dramatic sigh, not speaking to the man anymore, her eyes cant upwards as she rises from her kneeling/lean agaisnt Stockholm, Fingers drawing along the womans neck as she passes, hips swaying like a pendallum as she moves back towards her throne, clearly tired of the game with the navy seal..

From amidst the vines, a single flower sprouds to be plucked up between her fingers. It's a dark sick looking green and smells foul even from a distance that only grows more so as she returns and drops it down to brush along the soldiers cheek just beneath his nose. "You are not going to enjoy what comes next, I'm afraid..."

The toxin needn't be inhalled and quickly acts to work upon the neurons, blocking specific pathways to and from the brain to prevent fine motor movement. "Julia, my love... show him precisely how slow and painful death can be, hmmm? Then feed him to the plants.." As she steps back, it's with a turn towards the aforementioned woman and leans over to kiss the top of her head. Hand around to craddle her hair slightly, "You've done very well, dearest."

Moving away, swaying as she goes, to return to her throne.

Stockholm has posed:
Julia stays where she was left, sad Ivy left her, and keeping her eyes on the soldier no matter how much she would rather be watching whatever Ivy is up to. She knows she shouldn't take her eyes off him even if he is bound like that.

When Ivy returns the bound soldier tries to flinch away from the dark and foul smelling flower but ... he is restrained and there is no where for him to go. It also doesn't help that Julia reached out like a snake and grabbed the front of his shirt to hold him still for it.

When Ivy murmurs her praise and kisses the top of her head she makes a pleased noise. "As you wish." is her response before sliding up to her feet and eyes the soldier.

There is a snckt of a drawn very sharp set of knives, ambidexterous. She then steps closer and sets in, using all the techniques she picked up from people being around her like Zsasz. She was told to do this by Ivy and doesn't hold back at all. She also wasn't told to take him away. Just show him a very slow and painful death and feed the plants.

The plants here are Ivy's favorites after all.