Crazy Eyes ✧ Gotham [2]

chapter twenty

"Bruce?" She breathed out. Her eyes fluttered to Jane. "W-Who are you?"

"Jane," She answered plainly. "Nice to meet you, Ivy."

Ivy nodded but continued to talk very airy. "You two have to help me. I didn't kill those men out there in the vines, you have to believe me."

"You'll forgive me if I find it hard to do so," Bruce answered. 

Ivy weakly sat up. "It wasn't me. It was the park."

Jane frowned. "The park?"

"The trees, the plants, the roots underground." She weakly stood up, with the help of an empty fountain." They're speaking to one another. When those men came to kill me... the plants came to my protection."

This was Jane's first interaction with her, but even she found it hard to believe her. The woman standing in front of them didn't look like she would just be a weak little damsel. Her face was too rough for that. 

Bruce, who wasn't as good reading people, slowly lowered his flashlight, seeming to believe her words. "Then maybe we can help each other. I have a friend... who was shot. The bullet severed her spinal cord. The doctors can't seem to help her. But a woman at the hospital said that you might be able to help."

Jane watched Ivy's face very carefully, watching every slight reaction she had to the words. The woman did a good job faking sincerity, however, her eyes sometimes came her away. 

Ivy kept her voice weakly and panting. "Normally, I would say no. But this park.. ever since we were cut off from the rest of the world, it's been behaving differently. There are things growing here I have never seen before."

There was a knock at the door. Jane's head whipped towards it. "You guys okay in there? Our friends are on their way. Time's running out for you, witch!"

When they looked back towards Ivy, she was pressed against the wall. "There's a seed. It's growing under the oaks. It's said to have magical qualities. When digested, it heads for damaged tissue and bone, healing them. If I help you find it.. will you protect me from those men out there?"

Jane found the whole thing very hard to believe, yet somehow a moment later, Jane found herself walking out with Bruce, Ivy staying behind them. When the men noticed Ivy, they held up their weapons, ready to fight. "Push her back inside! Lock the door."

"Stay calm," Bruce told them. "Okay, her name is Ivy."

"She's a witch," one spatted. "And will burn for what she's done."

"I take full responsibility for her." Jane admired how strongly naive he was. "If she's done what you say, she will pay for her crimes, but-"

Ironically, cutting Bruce off, Ivy attacked the three men, killing them instantly by slashing their throats. Jane whipped out her knife easily. She had a feeling this would happen. 

Ivy gently wrapped her hand around Bruce's throat and pouted her lip slightly. "You are so utterly naive." 

Bruce glared. "You didn't have to kill them."

"I wanted to." Ivy glanced at Jane. "And don't speak down to me. Not when you have Jeremiah Valeska's killer sister with you." Jane glared as Ivy looked between the two of them. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here for my friend," Bruce spoke simply. "Our friend. Selina."

Ivy's face softened slightly. The first true emotion Jane had seen from her tonight. "Selina's the one that's hurt?"

"She's paralyzed and has lost the will to live."

Ivy's mouth slightly twisted in a smile. "Good. That bitch destroyed the last of the Lazarus Water. Let her suffer."

"I don't believe that." Bruce shook his head. "You two have known each other for a long time. You grew up together on the streets."

Ivy smirked and looked around. "You know, I wasn't lying when I said this park is changing. I'm feeding the earth with these wretched creatures. It consumes them, and then it flourishes. I think I shall plant both your bodies in the ground. What will grow from you, I wonder." She glanced at Jane with a smirk. "With all the people you've killed, I'm sure it'll feed these earth for decades."

"Those men you killed were right." Jane glared. "You are a witch. A murderous, callous witch."

"You trying to bait me?"

Jane shrugged. "I wouldn't waste my breath. There's good left in you, I saw that the moment I walked into that room. If you were trying to help this park flourish, it would be full of beauty and color. Instead, it smells of death."

That seemed to tip her off. "It's a work in progress. Besides, what would you know of beauty, circus girl?"

Jane ignored that comment. "It's a nightmare. Just help us help Selina. And we'll get out of her hair."

"For good?" Ivy questioned. Jane nodded, although felt uneasy. Why would she want to left alone for good?

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Follow me."

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The sun was starting to come up as Jane and Bruce followed Ivy through the trees of the park. She went towards the ground and stuck her hands in the dirt gently. Jane watched carefully, extremely intrigued with the relationship Ivy had with the earth. 

Eventually, Ivy grabbed what she needed and pulled out a seed. "Here." They got closer. Jane examined it. Was that blood on it?

Bruce grabbed the seed from her hands. "Is that human blood?" He echoed her thoughts.

Ivy chuckled under her breath. "If Selina ingests this, it'll find its way to her wound. It's roots will wrap around her spine, fusing the nerves and cartilage together."

"It'll cure her?" Bruce clarified. He seemed skeptical, as was Jane.

Ivy shrugged. "Maybe. Everyone's different. Depends on how strong she is. One thing is for sure though- the seed will alter her forever."

Bruce's attention increased even more. "How?"

"Some say the darker angels of our nature are unlocked and set free." Jane gulped, thinking about when hers had come out and played. People could do the unthinkable when their dark natures are released. Jane's anxiety started increasing. How would it affect Selina?

"Can she live with that?"

ok i know this chapter is two days late! but! this chapter is extra extra long to make up for it :)

i hope you guys enjoyed it. im very excited bc fun things are happening soon! also! theres only a couple chapters left :( next chapter is kinda the start of things being wrapped up and finished which is sad but im so happy with jane's journey :)

please continue to comment and i will see u all next week!