Smoke lingered in the alley where the red-masked villain had just vanished. The night was quiet now—eerily so. A flicker stirred the still air, warping the shadows near a cracked brick wall.
Suddenly, a black ripple tore through space, and out stepped a tall figure, his coat fluttering slightly as the portal sealed behind him.
Unknown had arrived.
The sleek black mask shimmered under the dim moonlight. He pulled it off with one hand, revealing tousled White hair, sharp features, and tired eyes.
Michael Sean.
He exhaled slowly, his breath fogging in the cold air. "Too close…" he muttered, dusting frost from his sleeves. "She was there. Of course, she'd be there."
A moment later, the air beside him shifted again. From the shadows, a woman stepped out, hips swaying with a natural confidence. She leaned against the alley wall, one boot crossed over the other. Long emerald-green hair tumbled down her back, and her tight violet bodysuit shimmered in the moonlight. Leaves trailed along the seams like creeping vines.
Poison Ivy.
"Took you long enough," she said, eyes narrowing. "I've been standing here like some rejected sidekick."
Michael didn't turn right away. "I didn't expect you to wait here."
Poison Ivy stepped closer, her boots making soft taps against the pavement. "I knew you'd come. You always teleport to the same spot when she's involved."
Michael gave a soft, bitter chuckle. "You always see through me, huh?"
"I do," she said with a half-smile. Then, without warning, she reached out, grabbed the collar of his coat, and kissed him.
Michael froze.
Her lips were soft, warm against the night chill, but her grip was firm—like she was claiming something that was already hers. After a few long seconds, she pulled away, her face close to his.
"I know you still love her," she whispered, "Ice Queen. Don't try to lie to me, Michael."
He looked away, silent.
Poison Ivy touched his cheek gently, her voice softer now. "It's okay. I'm not angry. I know what's in your heart… and I've already made peace with it."
He met her gaze.
"I don't care if you love her," she continued. "I don't care if you kiss her, hold her, dream about her. But I want to be the one you never forget. The one you put above."
Michael's lips parted, but no words came.
"I was there when no one else was," she said. "I stitched your wounds. I covered your escape. I followed you into this madness." She placed her hand over his heart. "I'm not asking for everything, Michael. I'm just asking for something real."
Michael slowly reached out, taking her hand. "You are real to me."
"Then prove it," she said, her eyes shining.
Michael leaned in, this time kissing her slowly—no longer frozen, no longer hesitant. When they pulled apart, Ivy smiled sadly.
"I don't want to fight her," she said. "But if I have to, I will."
Michael's eyes darkened. "You won't need to. I'm not letting either of you fall."
"You can't have it both ways forever," she warned. "One day, your secret will come out. She'll know. And when that happens... where will you stand?"
Michael looked toward the city skyline.
"I don't know," he said quietly. "But I'll protect you both. Even if it breaks me."
Poison Ivy rested her head briefly on his shoulder. "I'll take that for now."
The moment lingered. Cold wind passed between them, but neither moved. Then, Ivy stepped back, her eyes hardening.
"Unknown isn't supposed to love," she said, her voice laced with irony. "Yet here you are… heart split between a rose and a snowflake."
Michael turned away, slipping his mask back on. "The world doesn't care who we love. Only who we betray."
With a flash of black energy, he vanished once more.
Poison Ivy stood in the alley alone, her hands clenched.
"If she breaks you, Michael," she whispered, "I'll destroy her with my own hands. And you'll still come back to me."
Poison Ivy stood still in the dim alley after Michael vanished, the shadows wrapping around her like a second skin. Her green eyes narrowed as her expression shifted from tenderness to steel. She exhaled slowly, her breath swirling in the air like mist.
From the deeper parts of the alley, the sound of footsteps echoed. Three silhouettes emerged from the darkness—hooded figures, each wearing different emblems on their cloaks.
"About time you rats crawled out," Poison Ivy said coldly, not turning to face them yet. "You were watching, weren't you?"
The first figure stepped forward. "Yes, ma'am. We saw it all."
"Good," she said, turning around slowly. "Then you know what to do."
The tallest of the three, a man with glowing red eyes under his hood, stepped up beside her. "You want us to clean the trail?"
"Exactly. Every trace—burn it, wipe it, bury it. I want nothing linking Unknown to that bank robbery. Not tech. Not magic. Not even a whisper."
She stepped closer to the three of them, her heels clicking against the cracked concrete.
"I want the people to think it was just a stray lunatic. Nothing more."
The second figure, a bulkier man with a jagged scar running across his cheek, scoffed under his breath. "We're doing all this clean-up for *him*? The so-called Unknown? He's only been in the association for what—six months? Why'd you give him the leader seat so quickly? We don't even know his face."
Everything in the alley went silent.
Even the wind stopped.
Poison Ivy tilted her head slightly, her long green hair brushing her shoulder. Her expression didn't change. Then, in one fluid motion, her fingers snapped.
*Shhhk—!*
A burst of green mist erupted from her palm. Before the scarred man could move or even gasp, the poison engulfed him. He screamed for half a second—then crumbled. Flesh, clothes, bones—*all gone.* In his place, only a pile of grey dust remained.
The other two froze in terror, staring at the spot where their comrade once stood.
Poison Ivy turned to them slowly, her eyes glowing like wildfire.
"Does anyone else have something to say?" she asked in a voice like a dagger wrapped in silk.
The air around her thickened with bloodlust so heavy, even the walls seemed to shudder.
The remaining two men dropped to their knees, trembling.
"N-No ma'am!"
"We wouldn't dare question you or Unknown—never!"
Poison Ivy walked closer, towering over them as her heels clicked with every step.
"Good," she hissed. "Because the next fool who opens his mouth out of turn will get the same fate. I don't *care* what you *think* about him. He's our leader now. He's the one holding this house of monsters together. You don't have to like it—you just have to obey."
They nodded quickly, still kneeling.
"I don't care if he's new. I don't care if he hides his face. *I* trust him," she added, her voice now low and dangerous. "And if I trust him, that means he has *my* authority. Anyone who doubts him… doubts me. And trust me, I don't handle betrayal well."
The two villains frantically shook their heads, eyes wide with terror.
"No, ma'am. We're loyal—truly!"
"Then what are you still doing here?" Poison Ivy roared suddenly, her voice sharp as a whip. "MOVE! Clean it up before I change my mind!"
"Yes ma'am!" they shouted in unison, scrambling to their feet and dashing down the alley.
Poison Ivy stood in silence again, her arms folded, gaze cold. She turned her head slightly, watching the ash of the disintegrated man get scattered by the night breeze.
"You were a fool," she whispered, "and I have no room for fools."
Then, her voice softened as she looked up at the moonlit sky.
"Michael… I'll keep your secrets safe. But I'll also burn the world if anyone tries to turn on you."
She stepped back into the shadows, disappearing into the city's underbelly.