Becoming Harlivy

Chapter 1

It was a melancholy moment for Dr.Harleen Quinzel. She had been expecting something exciting inside her dream career job. Graduating at the top of her class at the University of Gotham, she earned herself a Doctorate in psychology. No one could believe that the young innocent prevailing blonde who had all the different opportunities landing on her lap, had decided to go to one of the most gruesome places that not even the most experienced of psychologists would dare step in, Arkham Asylum.

Harleen Quinzel was well aware of all the risks that come with the special kind of insanity described inside the infamous Arkham Asylum. In fact, she would say she was terrified about that place, but she couldn't help feeling as if she was supposed to be there. She has always been fascinated by how the human mind reacted towards emotion. Not only do the variables involve the environment, but it involves the subject itself. It involves the person. What mostly convinced Harleen was its patients, especially one known as Joker. Her whole thesis paper was based on that man, or whatever he was.

She was sure that she would be able to at least crack him to get something, anything, about that monstrous brain of his and to see if maybe there could be a bit of sanity left. But as she sat on her desk, filing some paperwork that Dr.Lee had requested her to do she sighed and felt a tinge of nervousness about her decision coming here. That was until she heard a loud bang outside her office.

¨FREEZE FREAK! WE GOT A CODE RED!"

She immediately ran outside to the hallway to see 4 guards pointing flamethrowers at a woman.

The woman had strikingly red hair and was wearing an orange jumpsuit.

¨This is for that tulip you stepped on earlier¨ she said. A thick vine came from the wall and grabbed one of the guards by the ankles and hanged him upside down.

She saw the guards about to pull the trigger on their flamethrowers

¨WAIT!¨

All 3 guards turned to see blue innocent eyes behind black squared glasses with a white lab coat. Speed walking as fast as she could in her heels, clipboard in hand.

¨MA'M STEP BACK, SHE IS DANGEROUS¨ a guard yelled.

Harleen stepped towards the woman confidently unaware that she was one of Gotham's most dangerous villains known as, Poison Ivy.

Poison Ivy saw as the young blonde-haired woman walked towards her, ignorant to the presence before her, she couldn't help but smirk.

'She reminds me of a daffodil' she thought to herself

¨Hello I know you don't know me but let me introduce myself. My name is-¨

¨Dr. Quinzel.¨ the red-haired woman stated

Dr.Quinzel looked at her bewildered.

¨How did you-¨

Poison Ivy pointed to her left breast where the words ¨Dr.Quinzel¨ was stitched in blue on her lab coat.

¨Oh yeah, right. Well I must advise you that under the current situation your in-¨

¨Let me stop you there daffodil. I am not going to take advice from someone who looks like she just graduated from high school.¨

Dr.Quinzel pursed her lips.

¨By the way, I got the situation under control. It was nice having this little chat but youŕe wasting my ti-¨ she got cut off by a dart hitting her in the back of the neck.

¨Aw crap¨ Poison Ivy said, as the drug darted into her neck was put into effect.

Harleen smirked as the red-haired woman gave her a murderous glare as she fell asleep on the ground.

Did she call me daffodil earlier?

One of the guards walked up to her with a smile, ¨Gee lady, you were brave to walk up to Poison Ivy like that.¨

Harleen felt her face go slack. THAT was POISON IVY?! HOLY SHIT!

What the hell was she thinking? She could've gotten hurt, she definitely could have died.

She felt her heart start racing. She was too focused on trying to calm herself down that she didn't hear her name being called.

¨Dr. Quinzel? Is everything all right?¨ a nervous Dr.Lee said to the young doctor.

She regained her composure quickly.

¨I'm fine just great¨ she said with a smile.

Dr.Lee smiled back ¨Well I don't know whether I should be upset that you acted so carelessly or happy that you prevented an outbreak."

Harleen gave a sheepish grin. ¨Yeah I apologize I just didn't want anyone getting hurt.¨

Dr.Lee chuckled, ¨Love that compassion Dr.Quinzel but don't go wasting it on patients like Pamela Isley or as everyone refers to her, Poison Ivy. They just see it as a sign of weakness, theyĺl pity you, I had to learn the hard way that all they want is to see you hurting¨

Harleen cocked her head, ¨Isnt it obvious Dr.Lee? They pity compassion because of the lack of compassion they never receive and most definitely because they had once shown compassion but instead were pitied and hurt.¨

¨Yes I came to the same conclusion the first time I interviewed them. But there is never any progress. I have been here almost 10 years Dr.Quinzel, and the farthest I have ever gotten was getting Pamela to say her real name. Most of the time she just goes on about how the plants are better than humans, Joker always changes his story, Mr.Nigma keeps speaking in riddles, and the list goes on. I had compassion but these patients just seemed to have drained all of it out of me and I wouldn't want to see the same happen to someone so full of life as yourself.¨

Harleen was taken back by Dr.Lees rant but she replied with a small smile
¨Thanks Doctor. Call me crazy, but I feel like I'm supposed to be here. I feel like my being here is going to change this place forever.¨

¨Lets hope whatever change that is, that it will be good because God knows I'm tired of all this insanity.¨ Dr.Lee replied.