'We've only been here for an hour and I already want to rip my hair out,' Prince complained to Mayhem through thought communication as Ivy walked cheerfully around her new garden.
"Pink or purple?" Ivy said growing the corresponding colors around her throne made of a large flower at the end of a pond. Prince was playing with magic bubbles as he laid on a rather large lily-pad. Mayhem was at the edge of the pond near his feet in the water relaxing.
"Does it really matter?" Mayhem complained, Prince gave him a warning look but Mayhem ignored it. Ivy turned slowly, "Shouldn't you be singing or something?" She asked, "I made the plants able to play the song on repeat, he'll only need to sing every few hours." Prince explained, "Well why don't you two go play with some of those young justice brats."
"Those weren't our orders," Mayhem said standing and crossing his arms. "Well they are now," Ivy said, "No we were told to stay in the main hideouts until told otherwise, we only helped you take over Gotham because Morgana needed the hero's distracted." Mayhem said as Prince got up to stand next to him glaring at Ivy. "He's right we're only a part of your plan because we were told to be."
"Ugg and this is why I don't like working with brats. Hopefully, we can get our final piece soon so I don't have to work with kids anymore, or with the rest of that anti-league." Ivy complained, "Yeah, yeah you'll have your patch of the forest soon enough." Prince sighed, he hated that the older league members didn't treat them like equals.
This is why they only bothered listening to Morgana she at least treated them like they were human, and she was the woman with the plan. No one else would have been able to get so many villains together like this and for one purpose.
"Oh speaking of forests, we seem to have a new flower in our neck of the woods," Ivy said her eyes glowing green for a second. "Get ready boys, we have company coming."
Prince and Mayhem both rolled their eyes but got into position.
"Next time we call dibs on Mr. Freeze," Prince whispered and Mayhem nodded in agreement.
***
"Her power is everywhere, I don't think I can shrink them not when hers are mixed with swamp things powers," Lilith said softly trying to focus, she and Batman thought it would be best to sneak in through the back. It would have been a really good idea if all the windows weren't covered in the thickest vines Lilith had ever seen.
The city had basically been turned into a rain forest, scary dark, and dangerous. Everything from the people to the plants were all ready to kill you. Lilith liked flowers but Ivy had grown most of them with teeth.
"Well, then the hard way it is," Batman said just as Green lantern joined them.
"Cut into this as far as you can," Batman said and Lilith stepped back as Green Lantern basically made a giant chain saw with his light. As he started doing this more vines tried to cover what he was doing. Just as he was thrown back Batman threw a bomb into the cut just as vines grew over the damages. Green Lantern had a shield up and ready as it exploded. Leaving a giant hole in the side of the roof.
"There goes our element of surprise," Lantern sighed, "Knock knock?" Lilith joked with a half shrug, they both jumped to follow Batman into the hole before it closed itself up.
They ended up in a far corner of the building, it was so densely packed with plants it felt more like a maze than the open floor plan Batman had shown her. Walls of vines and Ivy surrounded them. Just as Lilith was thinking it was a bit dark in there the halls basically lit up. Glowing moss and luminescent flowers bloomed around them like someone had turned on black lights all leading the way.
"Think she knows we're here?" Lantern joked, Lilith didn't bother answering as she followed them slowly, she didn't want them to know that it wasn't Ivy's powers that grew them. Even without asking she could feel it. Her powers had somehow grown again, she was stronger so much so that she felt nearly every plant in the place. Why she didn't know but it wasn't the first time, the powers seemed to come in waves even more so now that she was getting closer to her mother. Batman had said perhaps the serum Lilith had been injected with had amped up her powers, and even with it out of her system it had started something. Her powers had been forcibly unlocked, whether on accident or not. It was happening.
Lilith sighed slightly as every last root around her lead her to her mother. Where she sat waiting for them on her flower throne, swamp thing at her side. It was scary and yet comforting, her powers growing stronger. Lilith felt as if she was maybe almost as strong as Ivy at this point, maybe.
"She's this way," Lilith said as a path of glowing plants. "Screams 'trap' to me," Lantern said and as if to his words all open paths not currently glowing grew a new wall blocking their way. Lilith however hadn't been the one to do it, it was a trap and her mother wasn't going to let them out so easily. She walked slowly behind them holding back any plants that threatened to attack. Not that either of the heroes noticed. To them, it was just an annoyingly long hallway of plants.
When they rounded the final corner they were lead into a large open area. Most of the floor was split between baths, half of them were filled with blue water. Water lilies and lily pads covered the water sections as were vines and flowers with teeth covered nearly every wall. Leaves seemed to give the ceiling a fake canopy treetop look. Ivy sat on her throne of flowers on the other end of the long room. The Swamp thing was next to her holding a tray of fruit for her to pick from. She however was ignoring it and him her green eyes trained on Lilith's.
"At least two of you have good taste, Batman you should really try going green some time," Ivy said, and suddenly Batman was hanging upside down in a cocoon of leaves and vines.
Green Lantern wasn't so lucky as vines from the pond grabbed ahold of him and he was suddenly being dragged towards the water. Lilith grabbed his hand practically playing tug-a-war with the vine to keep Lantern's head above water. Lilith was untouched by the plants, either by accident or because of her powers she didn't know. She assumed the ladder when she glanced at her mother and saw her eye twitch ever so slightly in irritation.
"Well hello again Jewel Weed," Ivy said seeming entertained at the struggle Lilith was having. Lantern tried using his ring but ended up chopping through the vines almost as fast as they grew back. Batman was trying to cut through his own vines and barely was able to pull them from his face to shout. "Behind-!"
Lilith didn't get a chance to move as hands appeared out of literal darkness and grabbed her dragging her into it. She didn't even see Lantern enter the water but with a splash and a scuba helmet, and he was dragged under.
***
Magical darkness enveloped Lilith but she didn't panic at first. She felt as if she was being dragged through a place with no gravity and yet she could breathe. Whoever was holding her was dragging her away from the portal opening and down into a dark realm. She couldn't do more than flail about in the darkness. She only started to panic when she realized that she couldn't even feel her plants anymore.
Lilith had never been cut off from plants before. Even when flying she could feel something, the vine around her waist and the leaves on her face slightly glowed. Trying to calm her, giving her an ever so slight amount of light to see as the portal closed leaving her in the strange dark.
Reminding her that she could never truly be cut off from nature.
"Hello Jewel welcome to the party," Prince whispered into her ear his voice magically changed, like Batman's voice changer did to her own voice.
"You don't have to do this-" Lilith said, "Oh but I do," Prince said as he reached for her again. She tried to fight him off but she was suddenly wrapped in magic chains. Once immobile Prince paused looking her over as if seeing her for the first time.
"Please don't, you don't have to play the villain." Lilith pleaded, he smiled at her or she thought he did, his face was still blurry thanks to his magic. The longer Lilith looked the more she thought he had to be wearing an enchanted mask. The thought reminding Lilith that she and Zatanna had yet gotten a chance to talk to anyone about what magic he was using to hide his face.
As her feet seemed to touch a floor Lilith took a second to glance around the dark that was enveloping them. It wasn't as empty as it looked at first glance. Rocks and Large castles were floating around in the darkness. She and the Prince had landed on a platform covered in ivy. Ivy that Lilith couldn't feel, it was like it wasn't really there.
"You don't get it, Jewel. I'm not a hero or a villain. Just like you," Prince said, "I am a hero," Lilith argued, "No you're playing hero, we're all playing something." Another voice said, Lilith, glanced over his shoulder a Ring Meister appeared from the dark. One by one the team was there. Sphinx and Mayhem both stepping out of the dark, surrounding Lilith.
"I thought you all were helping the villains, Ivy and Freeze." Lilith blurted, "No they can lose against the false heroes without us," Ring said cheerfully, "We were just using them for a bit, we're not with them." Sphinx said, "We're not bad guys," Mayhem said, and Lilith looked at him giving him a disappointed look that made him look away.
"What are you all playing at?" Lilith couldn't help but ask, "Jewel Weed we're here to offer you a spot on our team." Prince said, "Your team? The young injustice league?" Lilith asked, "Aaaa it's a working title," Sphinx shrugged, "Why would I ever become a villain!?" Lilith shouted, trying to break free of the magic.
"We're not Villians," Prince argued, Lilith paused, "Then what do you call people who enslave others and hurt people to get what they want?" Lilith asked, "Sure our methods thus far haven't exactly been the best but we do our best not to hurt anyone. Mayhem sees to that," Ring explained, "Why are you stealing all those things? The gem, the reactor?" Lilith asked, looking at each of them the best she could while still being tied up.
"We're building a better future," Mayhem said, Lilith gave him her best confused look hoping he'd explain. Batman had always told her that it was best to keep the villains talking, hoping they'd give up more than they meant to.
"We just need one more piece, we need you," Prince said, "Why me?" Lilith asked, "Because you are one of us, you're a child of power and promise. You want to make the world better, so do we." Ring explained, "I think you're going about it the wrong way." Lilith said, "Change is never easy." Sphinx said, "No I'm not going with any of you, I'm not joining your team." Lilith said, and Prince sighed. Lilith could tell he was trying to think but she just wanted to try to figure out how to get out.
"The universe is in far more danger than anyone realizes Jewel Weed if you don't help us. Everyone will die," Mayhem pleaded, and his tone made Lilith pause. That and the fact that his team didn't look happy that he had told her what he did.
"What do you mean?" Lilith asked, ignoring the others turning her attention on Mayhem. "A dark magic is coming and will consume all life in the galaxy unless we can stop it," Prince said, Lilith listened carefully to each word he said wanting to not believe him.
"I don't believe you, if there really was such a danger Batman would have told us. We'd be working to stop it, you're lying." Lilith said, "I'm not lying to you, Batman is. The false heroes are lying to everyone, promoting false peace while they pretend to be all-powerful." Ring argued, "You're lying," Lilith spat, "And we're running out of time," Prince said, "Yes you are, because my friends are going to win this battle, and save the cities you're attacking." Lilith said, "We're not working with the villains just using them," Sphinx said with a smile.
"As villains do," Lilith said half glaring at him, "No one is really a bad guy or a good guy, Jewel Weed," Prince said, "Ask yourself, are you really on the good side?" Sphinx asked, Lilith wanted to argue with him but Prince snapped his fingers releasing her from the spell. It was enough to make her pause.
"Everything is almost set," Prince said waving his hand opening a portal. Ring and Sphinx were through it before Lilith could move.
"That's all we ask, just think about it and make sure you're on the right side at the end of the day." Mayhem said softly as another portal opening beneath Lilith, she reappeared in the Poison Ivys garden.
Batman and Green Lanter had gotten free, and had gotten help but so had Ivy. Superman and Lanter were being thrown around by the Swamp thing. Batman was fighting Harley Quinn and Ivy. The music that had been playing on repeat had stopped.
Ivy was angry yelling about not being able to trust brats. Harley was trying to convince her it was time to go. Lilith shook her head realizing Prince and Mayhem hadn't followed her out of the Shadow world or realm they had been in. She tried to focus on her mission releasing Swamp thing from her mother's control.
Batman didn't even notice Lilith had returned until Zatanna and Troia came bursting through the wall. Lilith took a moment to look at her new ally, this was the first time Lilith had seen Wonderwoman protege. Her strength was nothing to scoff at as Lilith watched a large chunk of the wall fly across the room hitting a rather large flower that had been trying to eat Batman.
In the issuing chaos, Batman hit Poison Ivy in the face with the power dampening stuff.
Zatanna helped Batman while Troia ran to help Lantern and Superman, the moment Ivy had gotten hit with the power stuff. Lilith immediately felt the plants all but to willingly give over to her power. With Ivy weak, every plant turned to aid Lilith. It took a second but Lilith even began fighting off Poison Ivy's control of the Swamp thing. Freeing him to catch Ivy and Harley in his hands.
"You can't do this!" Ivy shouted, "I think we just did," Batman said, turning to give Lilith a well-deserved nod of approval. Lilith sighed trying to stay focused on the plants and clean up as Superman took the villains away with Lantern.
"Back to Arkham for you," Superman said, "Ha, we'll be back out in a week!" Harley laughed, Lantern flew away before she could say more.
'Out in a week?' Lilith asked herself, 'make sure you're on the right side at the end of the day,' Mayhem had told her, and Lilith sighed. She had always been sure what she wanted, but as life unfolded around her the less clear cut it seemed to become.