4834/Germination: Meetings

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Germination: Meetings
Date of Scene: 06 July 2018
Location: Gotham City
Synopsis: Poison Ivy shows off a new weapon in the war against the oomycetan.
Cast of Characters: Superman, Poison Ivy
Tinyplot: Germination


Superman has posed:
The park has seen better days. It is clean enough, some faint hint of neighbourhood pride, but the benches need paint and the city landscapers seem to have given it a miss for a while. Though perhaps they could be forgiven.

The north side of the park is barred with temporary fencing, the same kind used at construction sites. Beyond the fence is a mikly white mushroom stalk, about 10 feet tall. The ground under it roils with some kind of mould. Every once in a while white blobs can be seen in it, with masses of tentacles. Then they disappear into the ooze. The whole thing reflects the street lights in an unnatural way.

Kal descends quietly through the muggy night air and lands outside the fence, looking pensive.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Standing on the end of a tree branch, with a pair of binoculars, is the unmistakable form of Poison Ivy, with her grass-green skin and firey-red hair. She is murmuring softly to herself as she watches the proceedings, shaking her head. "There is no elegance to it, is there?" she murmurs softly. It's just hunger, madness, and wildness. Typical of the Gray. But it's a potent hunger. She has felt the park groan as the fungus took hold. She is watching, considering countermeasures that she could do, as she continues to talk softly to herself.

Superman has posed:
Kal looks over at the noise and turns to look up at Ivy. The red cape hangs to the ground in the still air while he considers her. He has heard of her, of course, but never met her. And in light of recent news, her presence might even be alarming.

"I can think of other words for it, but not elegant," he says, taking a step closer. "You're Poison Ivy."

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley nods. "And you are Superman. But I have no time for fighting heroes. I am contemplating this emissary of the Gray. Considering what to do about it." She shakes her head. "The Gray is a wild force. It has no pattern, no speaker. It is hunger and growth at any cost. The Green is _much_ more civilized..."

Superman has posed:
He regards the mushroom then looks back up at Ivy. He considers his words for a moment. "The Gray?" he asks, floating upwards towards her. "Have you seen this kind of thing before?"

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley just gazes at you. "Long ago, the Green and the Gray - the elemental forces of plant and fungus, were at peace. But the Gray was treacherous - always hungry. They made war. Their lack of focus was the key to their defeat, but there was no stopping it forever. I do not know why the Gray has renewed their assault, but as speaker for the Green, I will..." She sighs softly. "I will..." She just shakes her head. "I don't know. I just got out of Arkham where there is little connection to the Green. This is... painful to watch."

Superman has posed:
Kal considers the mushroom again as she talks, not quite following her personal connection to this. "I don't really understand," he admits. "But I can see it bothers you."

" They're all over the world," he says sadly. "So that's why I'm here tonight, to help push back the... Gray. Why are /you/ here?"

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley frowns. "The suspicion in your voice - it hurts. Believe it or not, we have the same agenda. I want these things gone as much as you do - they are eating my friends." She sighs. "I am considering what measures I can take. But those things are insatiable. I need one of their little saprolings. Preferably dead. I can come up with a solution once I can study one."

Superman has posed:
"Your reputation precedes you," he points out, but his tone is not unkind.

"I'm not sure I can let you take one of the creatures," he says, then considers. "I'm not sure I can stop you either; they're everywhere. Are you serious about studying these?"

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley grins ferally. "Before I became what I am, I was one of the leading toxicologists around. If it lives, I can create a poison to make sure it doesn't live anymore. I plan on creating the world's most potent fungicide. Ideally, one that also serves to strengthen plantlife. I don't know if I can - considering the alien origins of this stuff, but that is my mission." She smirks.

Superman has posed:
"There would be buyers," he says and crosses his arms. He looks at Ivy searchingly.

"There are some very large stalks on the south side of Gotham. Maybe I should deal with those," he says finally.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley Pamela Isley shrugs. "Well. I could try to do this mission myself. But I might have to compromise the containment fencing to obtain one of the saprolings. Who knows what could happen to the people that live nearby..." She ponders, clicking her tongue. "But helping me helps you and this planet so... why not?" she asks, eyebrow raised.

Superman has posed:
Kal thinks a moment longer.

"If I settle this and leave you a sample, we won't have any trouble tonight?"

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley nods. "By 'sample' I'd prefer an intact one of those little creatures they spawn to go get more food for the bigger stalks." She smiles faintly. "I can try to do what I can - but until I know how these... things... work, I won't know what countermeasures I can take."

Superman has posed:
Kal nods. "They will follow sound and attack anything that threatens the stalk, and try to pull it into the mould. We haven't seen anything survive going into that," he says and floats over the fence towards the stalk. "And they hate the cold."

He gives a loud, wordless shout and stomps. Two, two foot high blobs climb out of the mould on their tentacles, heading straight for where Kal is standing. A blob drops from the underside of the mushroom's canopy and sprouts tentacles, also making its way toward Kal.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley just watches curiously, as she stands. She throws some tiny objects from a pouch. Once they land on the ground, then rapidly start sprouting into... cacti. Very spiky cacti. They're still behind Superman as he faces the fungal saprolings as she waits to see what's going to happen. "Alright Pam - let's play Plants Vs. Zombies... well... call it the sequel."

Superman has posed:
Kal takes a deep breath and blows on the two squiddlings come at him. They freeze in place.

He glances over his shoulder, hearing the ground part as the cacti sprout, and looks up at Ivy, then back to the shroom. The third squidling, that had dropped from the canopy of the mushroom keeps coming forward. Kal floats up soundlessly and lands on the opposite side of the cacti, putting them between him and the third squiddling.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley nods. "Fair enough," she states. She snaps her fingers as all three cacti fire a barrage of thorns at the creature - long sharp dangerous thorns. They grow new ones. Hopefully enough to cause damage for they're also poison-tipped with some fungicide.

Superman has posed:
The squiddling staggers under the impact of the thorns shortly after it crawls out of the mould pit. It starts to keep coming, then seems to stumble, having trouble coordinating its tentacles. Then it rises again and keeps slithering across the grass. It reaches the catci and latches on, trying to wrestle the plant free of the ground. But as it does, one of its tentacles falls off, then another.

Poison Ivy has posed:
The one cactus being attacked unloads more and more spikes, seeming to have a large supply of them. Ivy grimaces at the assault, the other two cacti firing again. She is hoping this works... otherwise her three prototype Graybusters will be considered failures.

Superman has posed:
Kal stands by, watching squiddling grapple with the cactus.

The thorns are doing real damage to the little thing, which starts to resemble a pin cushion. And one by one its tentacles just slough off and fall to the ground, greying rapidly. Eventually all that's left of the squiddling is a greying, quivering white blob.

The stalk seems to react, and another squiddling climbs out the far end, heading for a nearby bush. Kal flies over, freezes it and then kicks it. It shatters.

"It's trying to feed," he calls over to Ivy.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley nods. "I know. I made these cacti to try to fight these things. I can only modify existing plants so much. She looks at the defeated saproling. "Think it's safe?" she asks, gesturing to the one by the three cacti. The one attacked is in bad shape as Ivy descends and goes over to it. "You did good, sweetie," she cooos, petting it without getting stabbed somehow. She frowns. "So - how do we defeat that thing without being overrun? I don't know how many spawn it can make."

Superman has posed:
Kal manages, just, to keep an impassive face as Ivy coos to her plants.

"Very... impressive," he grants and crosses his arms.

"I'm not sure how many more either, but they will be small. If you can, I'd like to see what those thorns do to the stalk."

Even as they are talking, more blobs are starting to form under the canopy.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley nods slowly. "Well... the one in the middle can't fight anymore. It's hurt. The other two..." She smiles faintly. "I will do what I can. But the genetic-engineered weapons I made - they might not be able to handle this." She kneels down and puts her hands on the ground, murmuring softly to hreself as the other two cacti begin to grow again, erupting up towards the same height as the fungus stalk, the spikes growing even MORE sharp and dangerous and long. She groans softly, shaking her head. "They won't survive this... but they won't have to." She then gestures and the two giant cacti unload on the stalk.

Superman has posed:
The stalk vibrates under the assault, thorns burying themselves in its flesh. The thing almost seems to... recoil. The bulbs, new creatures, that were growing under the canopy drop off half-formed into the mould under the plant. Some grey starts to spread out from where the thorns are embedded, but the spread of grey slows then stops. The stalk still stands and the mould continues to writhe.

"It /is/ doing something," Kal says, a small hint of being impressed in his voice.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley nods slowy. "Yes. My children are sacrificing themselves for their mission. They chose this, and I will grieve for them." A new barrage of toxic-tipped needles fire at the stalk. "Maybe some of that ice breath of yours could come in handy?" she prompts, patting the trunk of one of the huge cacti.

Superman has posed:
Kal nods to her, his expression carefully school. The plants obviously mean a lot to her and Kal is in no mood to provoke. "I'll end this," he says.

He takes a deep breath and blows on the stalk and mould. It shrinks back from the cold, drawing into itself. Gray bits of stalk flesh crumble and fall off around the thorns, bits of the stalk having died under the fungicide. Eventually, the stalk freezes solid. There is a blur, and one moment Kal is standing still, the next he has punched through the middle of the stalk and it shatters. The mould greys and crumbles and dies, leaving a pit of disturbed and fouled earth behind.

He walks back over. "That was easier than it should have been," he comments. "Whatever you did, it hurt it."

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley nods slowly as the two side-cactus are withering. She turns to face them. "Sleep in peace. May the Black take you into her tender embrace," she whispers softly, tears streaking down her face as the two giant cacti turn black and start to crumble. She turns to the other cactus. "I am going to take this back to Isley Greenhouse. Along with the dead saproling. I made these in a rush and I overtaxed them," she murmurs, her voice thick with sorrow.

Superman has posed:
"I'm... sorry," Kal says. "But thank you. You did do something good here tonight."

Kal starts floating up. "It was interesting to meet you, Poison Ivy," he says and pauses. "Good luck," he adds finally then is up, away and gone.

Poison Ivy has posed:
Pamela Isley nods as she just stays in the park for now. She should've asked Superman to carry the cactus. She touches the living but injured cactus and it pulls its thorns in, and starts to wiggle its roots. Ivy pulls it gently out of the ground, drapes the dead saproling over her shoulder, and starts to carry her burdens back to her greenhouse a few blocks away. Panting with fatigue, she arrives and puts the hurt cactus in a place of honor. "Your brother and sister did very well," she whispers softly. "Now to work on a cousin."