Ivy learns more about the mysteries of Wayne Manor

As soon as they couldn't see the light of the bike anymore they looked at each other. Ivy and Harley both looked as if they still couldn't believe it. Bruce Wayne was Batman. Batman was Bruce Wayne. That was just too unreal. There were videos where both could be seen at the same time. Or was it just Nightwing in Bruce Wayne's suit? It all kind of made sense now that they were thinking about it, but who would have thought Playboy was such a tough fighter like Batman?

Harley looked a little into the passage where Bruce had disappeared and then made a pirouette. Shortly afterwards she ran back into the darkness to take a closer look at the cave. But while Harley was guided by her instincts, this was not the case with Ivy. She may have been an inhuman lunatic, as the press called her, but she was just as well a scientist. And that's why she was more logical about this whole thing than Harley was. She wanted to get to the bottom of the whole thing. But here in that cave she would need a lot more time and a lot more concentration. She didn't have a clear head for that at the moment. That's why she would take a look around upstairs. After all, there was a huge cave under the mansion, so there was no reason not to have more secrets waiting for you above.

When she had left the cave and walked through the long dark corridors of Wayne Manor, she first noticed how huge the estate really was. She had never cared about Wayne as he was one of the few who tried to make the world a better place and by that also cared about the flora. Furthermore, she immediately realized that Bruce Wayne's faithful servant was not present. However, in the light of the latest findings, this also seemed logical. Bruce was because of the werewolf blood immune against her Poison but the same was probably not true for the butler. Probably he had sent him away so that he would not accidentally come into contact with one of her contaminated objects. But the longer she walked through the property, the greater the feeling that she was being watched. Who could have guessed what Bruce Wayne had hidden in this property? However, this feeling was very unpleasant. It was as if something was scurrying back and forth right on the edge of her field of vision. Something that was gone when she tried to focus on it. She felt fear rising inside her as she felt persecuted. She could feel her heart start racing faster and throbbing in her chest. She whirled around because she was sure that someone or something had been behind her and yet she just stared into an empty hallway.

Her fear was now overwhelming and she felt her clear mind let itself be overcome by the fear. Her heart almost threatened to explode in her chest as a violent pain shot through her body.

"That's how it feels."

She was still going through her head as she rebelled and screamed. She could feel her heart beating like a steam hammer and her ribs starting to break just to sit back together again and again. Her clothes began to tear as her muscles stretched. One bone after another began to burst and expand in her body. She could feel her body slowly changing and being put into an intoxicating state. Her instinctive behavior became so powerful that her rational mind was completely suppressed. She felt her fear turn into sheer hatred. She would tear to pieces whatever she was persecuting! She would tear it apart until there was nothing left! Then she would come out of this cramped room and go hunting! SHE WOULD HUNT!

She reared up screaming loudly when the transformation was completely complete and rammed her muzzle right into the ceiling. The burning pain right in her nose made her howl and she fell to the floor. With both claws she rubbed her sensitive nose and tried like an injured dog to rub her aching nose. Only very slowly did the throbbing pain subside and the young werewolf looked around. The pain had driven away the panic fear and now she was sitting in the hallway looking around curiously. In this form it was rather instincts that drove her and without danger she was now just curious. On all fours she trudged somewhat awkwardly through the passage, which was clearly not made for a being of her size and weight. She looked around in horror as she saw a vase falling from a small platform behind her. While trying to turn around and sniff at the thing, she knocked over another flower vase with her tail. Shocked by the sudden noise she jumped forward and howled angrily at the evil thing. With bared teeth she growled at it angrily and so she waited a few seconds but of course there was no reaction from the broken vase.

But then she finally saw it. Thanks to her unique connection to the umbra she was finally able to really perceive it. A woman and a man in fine evening dress, who with a proud step disappeared into another corridor. Curious as she was, she sniffed briefly in the air but could not absorb any scent of the two, which only made her even more curious. She strained her powerful muscles and tried to follow them as fast as possible. Unfortunately she was then a little too strong and so she shot from the waxed ground at the crossing past. Helplessly with all four paws on the ground, searching for hold, she slipped and turning around her own axis, through the passage. When she had finally stopped, she stepped carefully over the floor. If Harley would see this, she would surely have died laughing. Curiously looking around the corner, the curious she-wolf followed the two figures until she arrived in the east wing. There the ballroom and the library were accommodated. Without being able to rely on her nose, she had to look into each of the countless rooms to find the two people again. Finally she entered a truly gigantic room which was probably meant for larger celebrations. Inside she saw the two figures again. They stood in front of the big fireplace and only looked at her briefly. The older man pulled up an eyebrow and looked at it curiously without the slightest trace of fear or anything like that.

Finally able to stand upright again, Ivy stretched out and growled at them curiously. Her nose still refused to perceive these two creatures. This irritated Ivy straight massively. She could see them clearly standing in front of her and yet it was impossible for her sensitive nose to pick up even the smallest part of their scent. And since she, like any other werewolf, was very focused on her smell, she could not assess this situation or see if they were enemies. However, the two of them seemed to be watching her a little more closely now. The man smiled at his wife and pointed to Ivy. The two turned to her and smiled friendly at the werewolf. This friendly gesture only confused the wolf even more, who however could classify the friendly gesture and sat down on her ass and wagged her tail.

And suddenly the room expanded for a few seconds into infinity only to return to its real spatial limits again. But almost everything had changed. A warming fire was burning in the fireplace and Ivy had transformed back into her human form. However, she was not naked but wore a dress that was no longer up to date. It looked like an evening dress from the early 70s or 80s. Also her hairstyle was corresponding to this time and she could suddenly perceive the pleasant perfume of the older lady. The two smiled at her and stood hand in hand and seemed to be waiting.

Ivy looked around confused. Something in this place just seemed completely strange to her. It took her a few seconds to realize that she couldn't feel any plants. As she turned around her eyes widened as she saw a werewolf right behind her. It took a moment for her to realize that it was her own werewolf form. Her gaze wandered admiringly over this body and she wondered for the first time how Harley would have to be. She claimed that she could control this incredible body. It had to be an overwhelming feeling to have such a power. But why was she now outside her body? And why did the wolf not move. As she tried to touch it her hand just slipped through the body waiting frozen in front of her.

"Did I die?" she asked herself as she turned to the two people still waiting for her. "Good evening" she asked uncertainly in the direction of the couple.

The woman smiled gently and pressed her partner's hand as she answered.

"Look my dear. Our son finally brought a lady home with him".

The man just nodded and smiled friendly while Ivy's mind raced. The woman had mentioned a son. Was this supposed to be the famous Martha and Thomas Wayne? But the two were dead. Since decades! And yet they stood here in front of her, just as they could be seen on some of the pictures in the house. Was it all just a crazy dream? Or were they perhaps ghosts? Everything in her refused to believe in the existence of spirits, but she had thought about werewolves 2 months ago and about vampires this morning. So why shouldn't there be something like ghosts? But the voice of Thomas Wayne tore it from the thoughts.

"My love. Now you have embarrassed her. How rude of us. May I introduce ourselves? This is my charming wife Martha and I am Thomas Wayne. We are Bruce's parents. Could we perhaps learn what your name is, young lady?" he smiled politely.

"Of course. I am Poi..." She said before she bit her tongue. Both of them had been killed long before she was born and also it was perhaps not very wise to say who she really was. "Forgive me. Pamela Lillian Isley is my name. Forgive my astonishment. I wasn't expecting to meet you..." she stammered all of a sudden because she didn't know how to say they were actually dead.

To their surprise, however, the two smiled amusedly.

"We had also not expected that a werewolf could see dead people." Martha smiled and Thomas smiled understandingly.

"Don't trouble yourself, Miss Isley. We know that we are ghosts and died many years ago. All the more pleasing that we finally have the opportunity to have a conversation with a living person. Don't we want to sit down?"

She followed him in amazement and sat by the fireplace with the two of them.

"You know that they are dead?

"But of course. In the beginning it was quite disturbing but we got used to it and will stay here for some time until our son is safe. Right now he needs us more than ever" Martha said with a serious sound in her voice and Ivy hurried to say.

"I'm not going to hurt him! I am not here to hurt him! He's the only man I feel alive with."

"Don't worry, Miss Isley, may I call you Pamela? I wasn't referring to you, I was referring to another guest who was here at the estate some time ago trying to kill our son. We could barely fend him off but it will probably be impossible for us to repeat that." Answered Thomas friendly his smile seemed reassuring to Ivy, whose gaze wandered briefly to the werewolf body.

"May I ask questions like you ....became this?" He asked when he noticed her gaze.

"I was bitten. I strongly suspect that it is not supernatural, but a specific type of infection. My first hypothesis would be a spontaneous mutation of the DNA triggered by an impulse in the brain". Ivy thought out loud and stuffy ghosts looked at her in amazement.

"You sound like a doctor," Thomas was pleased and pressed his wife's hand.

"I am a doctor of botany, but in the last few years I have also been very much involved with chemistry and genetics". Nodded Ivy and found it extremely reassuring not to be treated like the crazy one. She also enjoyed the friendly smile they gave her.

"Impressive. It's very good that our young son has found a woman as beautiful as she is intelligent. Is it then something serious?

"I... am not sure yet. It's been a long time since I felt anything for a man or was with one." She admitted and sighed sadly. The loss of his parents had probably ensured that Bruce had become Batman. But what would have become of this young man if he had had such parents. He could have achieved anything.

"What... what is it like to be dead?

"It was very depressing in the beginning. But we decided to stay with our son. And together." The two smiled at each other before they continued. "There is a veil outside the property. It called for us... we cannot see what is on the other side but we are sure that it will go on there. But we do not want to leave until our son has found his peace. I fear it is our fault that he goes out night after night." Martha said in a sad voice but Thomas patted her hand and said immediately.

"Not our dear one. Mine. If I had been stronger then all this would not have happened. We only hope that one day Bruce will give up his desire for revenge.

"It's not revenge." Said Ivy very definitely and reaped confused looks but she only nodded seriously. "Now that I know his secret and understand his background a little better, I think it's more the desire for justice. He had innumerable possibilities to practice revenge. The Joker... and many others he could have taken out of the game forever. But he decided never to go this last line. He always knew that a person could never judge another person's life. At least not if he plays according to his own rules. But now he has to fight twice as hard because he is no longer himself".

"Something tells me that you are mistaken Miss Isley. You have something around you that I neither saw with Bruce nor with the young wild lady who is here. A kind of aura. And you are the only one who can see us. Maybe you' should reconsider your point of view. Even the great Gandhi realized that everything has a limit. And at a certain point you have to act. But I'm afraid it's not completely over yet. Gotham is a dark city. It always has been. And yet it became darker a few months ago. I can't describe it any better but sometimes I get the feeling that I hear a laughter."

The loud beating of a ghostly grandfather clock made Ivy startle.

"Oh my God as time passes. I fear you must now go Doctor Isley. Say hello to our son from us". Were the last words she heard and in the next moment she shook her head to get the perception clear again. Everything was suddenly so incredibly sharp and colorful. She felt invincible...until she realized she was in the werewolf's body...and at least a small part of her mind was still there! She had to show it to Harley!