Christmas is a holiday that unites peoples from all corners of the globe. This bright and kind holiday, which doesn't discriminate between beliefs and convictions, draws everyone without exception into the atmosphere of grand celebration. On this day, people take a break from worldly cares, spend time with family, and light candles.
They feast on delicious treats and sip aromatic wine. But there are exceptions... Our mad scientists from Babylon don't even notice the captivating atmosphere of Christmas, or at least pretend they don't. For them, research is everything!
At the Nidavellir forge, things are a bit simpler. Toyman and Riri, with their characteristic teenage curiosity, plunged headlong into the celebration. Lana Lang kept up with them and, putting aside her work for a moment, happily joined in the carefree merriment.
I decided it wouldn't do to ignore the holiday, so I personally brought the Christmas spirit to our luminaries of science...
"I... hm, that's quite unexpected," Kavita Rao lowered the eyepieces of her magnifying device slightly on the bridge of her nose and, expressing bewilderment, looked over them. She looked from me to the guest and from the guest to me.
"Hello, beautiful lady," I tried to speak as expected, slowly and in a deep baritone, "who did only good deeds all year and deserved on this magical Christmas day to have one of her cherished wishes come true." I said, stroking my white lush beard. "Oh-ho-ho! My dear, which wish do you think it is?"
I appeared before the doctor as a portly, ruddy old man with a beard, dressed in a red suit with a white fur trim and a substantial belt. It seemed this introduction was too unexpected for Rao, and she didn't immediately understand what I wanted to say. I had to properly introduce my guest, emphasizing her distinctive features.
"Oh-oh-oh! I'm delighted!" The scientist finally understood, and with wild glee, ignoring the kindly Santa Claus, she rushed to Alice and hugged the poor girl up in her arms.
"Hi, I'm Kavita, very pleased to meet you," she introduced herself, vigorously squeezing and shaking the stunned girl's hand.
"How exactly does your mutation manifest itself? Are there any external manifestations? Can we take your DNA right now?" Rao smiled, already holding an empty syringe and needle in her hand. Poor Alison, as if seeing something unprecedented and akin to something otherworldly, became frightened and hid behind me. I can understand her: I get goosebumps every time I see the mad scientist's fierce grin.
"Kavita, please slow down a bit..."
"Um, sorry, I got a little overexcited, ha-ha," apologized Dr. Rao, putting away the syringe. "I honestly never expected to have the opportunity to research the mutagen. I don't know how long I tried to persuade Pamela to give me even a drop of her blood - all to no avail. I was ready to give up and never expected to receive such a valuable gift for Christmas..."
"I'm already starting to regret my decision," whispered Dazzler. Her feelings were hurt by the fact that here she was perceived only as a potential carrier of the X-gene, and not as an individual.
This didn't escape my notice, and I didn't hesitate to lightly chide the fanatical doctor for his inattention. The professor realized her mistake and tried her best to make amends with the girl. I decided to leave them alone for a while so they could mend their relationship and get to know each other better.
Ivy, as Kavita said, was back in her flower lab. I went to see her. Our relationship has become very complicated lately. We had been drifting apart ever since that failed kiss. What exactly happened then? Maybe she decided to isolate herself from me because she felt something more than just friendship? I know how her past crush changed her life...
The professor to whom she gave her heart not only took advantage of the feelings of an innocent student, but also conducted a series of inhumane experiments on her. He turned her into Poison Ivy, whose thorns were capable of killing with just a touch.
Ever since then, Isley has hated all males with all her heart. And that's only natural... Perhaps she decided not to tempt fate a second time and nip her budding feelings in the bud? Ah, I don't know what to think or what to do... Well, simple thoughts won't help matters. We absolutely need to talk! And now is probably the best time.
It doesn't matter how, but I can't let her continue to erect this impenetrable wall around me. Reaching her workstation, I, as before, encountered an obstacle in the form of vines. If there was a stranger here, he would instantly find himself engulfed from head to toe. But upon seeing me, the plant snakes parted, opening a passage wide enough for one person.
Pamela stood near the table, continuously peering into the eyepieces of the microscope. Noticing me, she stopped working.
"Hello, Ivy," I smiled at her, trying to put all the tenderness I was capable of into this gesture. "Merry Christmas."
"Same to you." she nodded noticeably belatedly.
"Do you remember our last conversation? You asked to give you time... I'm sorry, Ivy, but I can't wait any longer. We need to talk and first of all, I'd like to know what exactly you're researching here?" I asked, glancing at the mountain of transparent vials filled with chemicals unknown to me.
What alarmed me most was the fact that, among other things, there wasn't a single drop of Lazarus Pit liquid. If the girl isn't studying the mystical vein, as Kavita had mentioned several times, then the question naturally arises... What is she cooking? The beautiful dryad remained silent, but her eyes answered for her.
She was looking at a small vial containing an unfamiliar liquid substance, blood-green in color and varying densities. It stood apart from the others, and it was clear Poison Ivy had carefully tended it.
The glass vial was entwined with slender stems adorned with thorns like roses. I was fairly certain that if anyone had attempted to steal this object, the sharp needles would have instantly pierced the hapless thief's hand. And knowing the girl's nickname, I doubt they weren't laced with poison. What kind of substance did this vial contain, that the Mother of the Forests herself treasured it so dearly? I hesitated to continue the conversation, silently watching the girl as she grabbed the flask and plunged into the depths of her mind.
I didn't know what thoughts were racing through her head at that moment, but I only hoped she wouldn't withdraw into herself again and would reveal what was troubling her soul.
"As soon as I became who I am," the former Gotham villain began in a flat, emotionless tone, not taking her eyes off the precious flask, "I was incredibly glad that, in addition to my predisposition to Chlorokinesis, I also had the power of Toxikinesis. I considered the power to kill with a simple touch the greatest gift for all my suffering and humiliation...
From now on, I could be sure that no man would defile my body again. A simple touch was enough to banish all desire from them forever. I even considered the deadly kiss to be divine punishment. Back then, I was convinced that every lust must come at a price. "Death for a kiss," the ivy smirked, running her fingers over her scarlet lips. "With them, I killed the one who never deserved them... It was his last kiss," the dryad concluded sternly and fell silent, then tore her gaze from the flask and looked at me."But what I didn't expect was this feeling of doom and fear from the power that I had previously considered the highest blessing."
"Ivy…"
"Alex, that time when I wanted to kiss you, I was scared. Never in my life have I experienced such fear as I did that day. The thought that I could so recklessly kill you haunted me. In that moment, what I considered a blessing turned into a curse," her voice trembled slightly, but she tried not to show it. I came closer and held her tightly in my arms. She trembled and, removing my hands, took a step back, "No, it's dangerous…"
"I can't leave you like this."
"And I don't want to," she admitted. "Ever since that day, I've tried to get rid of my fear. But I soon realized that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't succeed. I distinctly remember the death of every man who perished at the touch of my poisonous lips."
"You're afraid that a conditioned reflex might kick in and you'll accidentally kill me..."
"True..."
"But what should I do? I want to kiss you so much," I said, not hiding my own happiness. She distanced herself from me not because she had decided not to have any more dealings with a man, but because she feared for my safety. This news is the best Christmas present ever.
"In that case, we have only one option left," she handed me a vial with that same mysterious substance. "You asked about my research... Well, it's time to tell you about it."