Welcome to the 2022 April A to Z Challenge! Each day (minus Sundays) in the month of April will feature a short work of fiction based on a random word beginning with the corresponding letter of the day. Those random words will be provided by various friends and family members throughout the month. Today’s word, photosynthesis, was provided by my sister, April. Each story is loosely connected to the one before but will make more sense if you read them all in order. To go back to the beginning to see where this madness began, click here…

It had been a week since Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy had agreed to take in the Penguin as a stray. He finally decided that he felt well enough to leave the greenhouse two days ago, promising to deliver another $10,000 in payment for the ladies’ hospitality, once he got back into a comfortable position at the Iceberg Lounge.

The greenhouse was beginning to look more and more like a respectable hideout for two proper villains. Ivy had been able to use her plant control powers to enhance the growth of the plant life, both inside and outside of the glass walls. She covered the outer walls with climbing vines, an attempt to hide herself and Harley from prying eyes. But she left the glass ceiling free of growth, allowing plenty of sunlight to flood their hideaway.

“Photosynthesis hard at work,” said a familiar voice from an open skylight.

Harley looked up from her coloring book and shouted, “Kitty!”

Ivy looked over at Harley and asked, “Is there anyone in Gotham who doesn’t know we’re here?”

Catwoman dropped to the floor. “Pretty sure the Bat doesn’t know you’ve moved in here.”

“Please,” said Ivy, “Batman probably knew we would move in here before we did.”

“Fine. The Bat doesn’t care that you’ve moved in here,” Catwoman said as she dropped a stack of envelopes on what passed for a kitchen island. “Got your mail.”

“Mail?” asked Ivy, confused.

“Mail!” shouted Harley, excited.

“Well, it’s someone’s mail,” Selena said, “Probably for the previous owners.”

Harley looked at each piece in the stack. “Junk… junk… ooh! Coupons! Junk… junk…” And then she went silent.

Catwoman and Poison Ivy noticed Harley’s sudden silence. “What’s wrong?” asked Ivy.

Staring at the final piece of mail in her hands, Harley found herself unable to speak. She couldn’t find her voice.

Selena looked over Harley’s shoulder. “Oh, my God.”

Harley handed a postcard to Poison Ivy. The image on the front was a familiar shot of the Metropolis skyline. On the back was written the words, “BIG PLANS!” And it was signed with a stylized J.

“Seriously,” Ivy said, legitimately frustrated this time, “is there anyone who doesn’t know we’re living here?!”

“What do you think he means, Harl?” asked Catwoman, putting an arm around Harley’s shoulders.

A single tear dropped out of each of Harley’s eyes. “I don’t know.”

“I thought he was in Bludhaven, anyway…” said Ivy. “What’s with the Metropolis postcard?”

“Do you trust me?” Selena asked, holding her hand out to Ivy.

Harley nodded her head but Ivy just said, “Sometimes.”

“Let me take the postcard to Batman. He’ll be able to tell where the card was sent from.”

“I can look at the postmark and tell that,” Ivy stated with some significant attitude.

“Yeah, but he can tell what corner newsstand the card was stolen from,” said Selena, snatching the card from Ivy’s grasp. “Keep your heads down but be watchful. Who knows what that maniac is up to.”

These characters are not my own. Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, and all related characters are the property of DC Comics. This is a work of fan fiction and is just for fun. Please don’t sue me.

Feature Photo by Stefan Steinbauer on Unsplash