The Right Side of Wrong

Harley Quinn Highway: Part 1

{A/N: Photo above is Veronica's new super suit}

Veronica's POV:

It's been a few days since my fight with Harley, and Clayface has joined my and Riddler's gang. Yep, Riddler and I are officially partners in crime. I've also gone through a minor costume change to reinvent myself. Nothing big, just a tiny tweak in the color scheme. The others and I talk, but they're a little busy having the time of their lives on their 'fun-employment' vacation, except Ivy. I haven't heard from her since that night, but I'm sure she's ok. Today, Riddler and I are hijacking a live TV broadcast to announce where we've placed a bomb.

Riddler: "Hello, Gotham. Riddler & Mayhem here."

Me: "Sorry to interrupt your football match, but we've hidden a bomb somewhere in Gotham. But, don't worry, Batsy, we've got a riddle for you to find it. Riddler, darling, if you'll do the honors?"

Riddler: "Gladly, my dear."

Before Riddler can start the riddle, Clayface joins in.

Riddler & Clayface: "You throw away the inside and cook the outside."

Riddler: "Then, you eat the outside and throw away the-"

Clayface: "You're doing great."

Riddler leads me away from Clayface to continue, but Clayface joins in again, and Riddler calls him out on it.

Riddler: "What the hell are you doing?"

Clayface: "I just have one tiny thought. Maybe say, 'Throw away the outside'. Do you see where I put the emphasis?"

Riddler: "Did you just give me a fucking line reading?"

Me: "Clayface, maybe now's not the best time."

Riddler: "Yes, because we're live!"

Clayface: "Yes, this guy! Where's this guy when you're threatening Gotham with a riddle? Go, now, while you feel it."

Riddler: "All right. You know what? Screw it. It's corn. The bomb's at the corn factory. Cut the feed."

The cameraman does so when I turn to see someone I wasn't expecting.

Riddler: "Ugh! Look, angel, I know he's your friend. But this guy-Ronnie?"

Riddler follows my surprised gaze to see Harley standing a few feet from us and steps forward with his cane in front of me.

Harley: "Ronnie, listen. I know you're still mad, and after spending time with our parents, I get it. Dad and I have screwed up thousands of times. And every time, you and Ma always forgive and forget because deep down, you still love us. I'm not asking you to forget, but Scarecrow kidnapped Ivy. Please help me save her. I need my sister."

Riddler: "She's not-"

Me: "We save Ivy, and then, maybe, I can forgive you."

Harley smiles, but I stop her before she can get any closer.

Me: "Let's go."

Harley and Clayface walk off to find the others while Riddler gives me a look of concern.

Me: "I don't like this any more than you. But Ivy's still my friend. All I have to do is break into some abandoned factory, get her out, take down Scarecrow, and I'll be back before you know it."

Riddler: *sighs* "You'll call me if you need help?"

Me: "Don't I always?"

Riddler: *chuckles* "Fine. But if any harm comes to you on her watch-"

Me: "Then you have my full permission to do whatever you like out of revenge."

We laugh as I offer him a quick kiss before following after the others.

{Time skip}

The gang's back together for the sake of Ivy, and we've managed to sneak into the factory with help from Sy. We follow the sound of screams to find Ivy in a room, seemingly trapped within her subconscious.

Harley: "Oh, my, God, what'd they do to her?"

Clayface: "I fear they've poisoned Ivy."

Me: "The fear toxin seems to be destroying her brain. We need to do something now, or she'll be stuck like this forever.

Harley punches Ivy in the face.

Me: "Ok, that's one way to go. Everyone, you know the drill."

We all join hands, Sy staying behind to guard our bodies as we enter Ivy's mind.

Psycho: "Holy shit. The fear toxin activated all of Ivy's biggest fears."

Then, we see a giant wood chipper 'eating' a trio of talking trees.

King Shark: "That was incredibly violent. I did not realize there was so much stuff inside of trees."

The chipper chases after us, but Psycho tosses Clayface into it to clog up the systems before he reforms to his original self.

Clayface: "Good thinking, old chum, knowing I would clog its gears, but it wouldn't kill me."

Psycho: "Yeah, that was definitely a thing I knew."

Harley: "What the hell are we supposed to do now?"

Then, Frank appears.

Frank: "Does someone have a plot-driven question that needs a magical answer? Let me be of service. I wish I had that magical sound in the background."

Me: "Frank, magical advice, please?"

Frank: "Ivy's brain is warped by Scarecrow's fear toxin, which has activated all her biggest fears. To save her, you need to destroy the thing she fears most."

Harley: "And how do we figure out what that is?"

Frank: "Do you not see the creepy ass mansion right there? 111 Creepy Ass Street."

Frank points behind us to reveal a door leading to a spooky mansion. We walk through it to find Ivy as a little girl, crying as she sits in an empty dining hall with her dad.

Ivy's Dad: "Pamela, where are all your friends? I thought you had at least one friend, but Mother knew better. We should've hired those dwarves to pretend to be kids to pretend to like you."

Harley: "Of course Ivy's biggest fear is her cruel father. Oh, we've all got daddy issues."

Me: "Amen to that."

Ivy's dad turns to us with a maniacal laugh before turning into a giant head with a mouth opened wide to vacuum up Ivy.

Little Ivy: "You let me die."

Before Ivy's dad can do the same to us, King Shark takes a bite out of his tongue as we're shoved out of the room.

TO BE CONTINUED