DC: A Cop in Gotham

Chapter 76: Bargain and Poison Ivy's Plan *

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"Poison Ivy, how big is your secret forest?"

Poison Ivy and Ivy hugged each other, like a pair of twin sisters. Meanwhile, Dean hovered alone in the air, his gaze scanning the endless emerald canopy below, trying to measure the vastness of this mystical terrain with his eyes.

Poison Ivy, still wary of him, especially after witnessing his terrifying transformation into the Dimension Demon, crossed her arms, her expression cold but her eyes betraying a flicker of unease. "It's probably the same size as Gotham… No, to be precise, this forest is a reflection of Gotham. It was created based on the city's blueprint, but instead of steel and concrete, it belongs entirely to the plants."

Dean whistled, impressed by the scale. The area was nearly 9,000 square kilometers, an entire city replaced by a thriving, green dominion.

"Poison Ivy, don't you think it's boring to have all this land covered by nothing but trees?"

A sharp glint flashed in Poison Ivy's emerald eyes, and the vines around her rustled slightly, as if agitated by Dean's words. "This is a secret forest. It should be filled with trees. What exactly are you trying to say?"

Dean smirked inwardly. He understood exactly how to talk to environmentalists. Instead of directly opposing her, the best way was to use her own principles against her, let environmentalism challenge itself.

"A real forest isn't just trees, Poison Ivy. It's an ecosystem. Animals and plants live in balance, intertwined in a cycle of life. But this place?" He gestured toward the silent, suffocating greenery below. "It's too quiet. There's no movement, no birdsong, no insects, no natural cycle of predator and prey. Just an overwhelming, stagnant green. For something that represents the 'Green of All Things,' don't you think it feels… lifeless?"

Poison Ivy sat on the blooming petals of a giant flower, her long legs elegantly crossed, completely unbothered by the way the soft glow of the plants highlighted her exposed skin. Her voice remained calm, but there was a slight edge to it. "I inherited all of Ivy's knowledge. We know more about botany than you ever will. The formation of an ecosystem isn't as simple as dumping a bunch of animals and plants together. We've tried transplanting ordinary species here, but the enchanted trees are too dominant. Nothing else survives for long."

Ivy, despite her usual composed demeanor, nodded in agreement. This wasn't an easy problem to solve.

Dean tilted his head, making a chopping motion with his hand. "Then wouldn't the easiest solution be to clear some of these enchanted trees and make space?"

The moment he said "clear," both Ivy and Poison Ivy's expressions darkened.

Ivy sighed, keeping her emotions in check, but even she couldn't fully suppress her distaste for the idea. "It's possible to trim some areas, but it won't solve the problem. When plants lack nutrients, they expand aggressively to claim more territory. If we just cut them down, they'll only grow back stronger, unless Poison Ivy can fully regulate the forest's expansion."

Dean slowly descended from the air, landing softly on the thick vines below. "Exactly. In the end, the problem is simple, it's a lack of land."

Poison Ivy narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "And?"

Dean smirked. "For the long-term survival of a civilization, humans expand. They claim land, whether it's from nature or from each other. Plants do the same thing. But…" He let the pause linger, watching her reaction. "Who says we have to settle for what already exists?"

Poison Ivy blinked. "What?"

Dean grinned. "You two just reminded me, I'm in control of two fundamental forces: the earth and the sea."

Poison Ivy stiffened. Ivy sucked in a breath.

"Groudon and Manaphy," Dean continued, "together, they shape continents. They may not be able to create an entire planet, but creating new land? That's entirely possible."

Poison Ivy's hands tensed against her legs. She immediately understood the implications of what Dean was saying. If he could expand the world itself, creating new land beyond the current limitations of Gotham, then he held absolute power over the future of plant life.

The Green of All Things couldn't survive without land and water. If he chose to limit their expansion, if he chose to withhold his power, then…

Poison Ivy gritted her teeth. Her legs crossed and uncrossed repeatedly, an involuntary gesture betraying her frustration. She absolutely hated the idea of being controlled.

Dean saw through her struggle and pressed on. "So, what do you think? You cooperate with me, and I expand the land. In exchange, I want usage rights over half of the new territory."

Poison Ivy's breath hitched.

Ivy looked between them, uncertain.

Dean's smile was calm, but his eyes were sharp.

Poison Ivy had expected some level of exploitation, after all, she was dealing with someone who had just backed her into a corner using the fundamental forces of nature themselves. Yet, when Dean proposed an equal division of the land, she found herself momentarily taken aback. Was this guy… really a good person?

Her lips curled slightly, a mix of wariness and surprise flashing through her vibrant green eyes. "I can cooperate with you, but I can only give you a quarter of the land at most!"

Dean's expression darkened almost instantly.

He had merely softened his stance for a moment, and this sapling, because that's what Poison Ivy was, despite all her arrogance, had already tried to cut his share in half.

His face grew slightly cold as he lifted three fingers. "Now I want three-fourths of the land. And if you dare to bargain again, I'll take all of it."

Poison Ivy stiffened. A small wave of vines trembled behind her, as if the entire forest itself was reacting to the shift in power. It wasn't just his words that made her uneasy, it was the tone. Dean was not negotiating.

She was reminded of a painful truth: she was not in control here. She pouted, lowering her head slightly like a child who had just been scolded. "Fine… Half, then. That's my final offer."

Ivy, who had remained silent up until now, observed the exchange with complicated emotions. She had been watching Poison Ivy closely, and… despite Poison Ivy's best efforts to imitate her mature and confident demeanor, there was an undeniable childishness to her.

Because that's exactly what she was. Despite possessing all of Ivy's memories, Poison Ivy had only been "born" for a month. She was, for all intents and purposes, a child imitating an adult.

With a sigh, Ivy reached forward and wrapped her arms around Poison Ivy, holding her close. She wasn't sure when it happened, but Dean's words had stuck in her head.

'Ivy, we're technically her parents.'

A ridiculous thought… but one that now felt strangely real.

Poison Ivy, confused by the sudden embrace, blinked before burying her face in Ivy's shoulder. Dean, watching them from a short distance away, felt uncomfortable under Ivy's gaze, her emerald eyes now filled with a mix of resentment and helplessness.

He cleared his throat. "Fine. You get half. But I have additional conditions, you need to tend to the plants on my land the same way you care for your own."

Poison Ivy lifted her head, pouting again. "Hmph. So demanding."

Dean ignored her whining.

He wasn't a hero who went around preaching redemption, nor was he a villain who sought destruction. Gotham wasn't the place for charity, but change? That was possible. And change led to points.

The key to accumulating points wasn't just saving individuals, it was altering the course of their lives. Saving one person got him a few points. Saving a city got him thousands. But if he could fundamentally reshape the fate of an individual?

'That's where the real profits are.'

Orm was a perfect example. By offering the former king of Atlantis a new path, he had secured a steady flow of points, because Orm's entire fate had been rewritten.

Now, he saw the same potential in Poison Ivy.

His first ever points came from buying Barry Allen a meal, back then, he had joked that if he were as rich as Bruce Wayne, he could just sponsor the entire Justice League and farm points forever.

But now?

He didn't want to just support a team. He wanted to sponsor the entire world.

His voice hardened, carrying an unexpected weight. "Every day, over 300 million people worldwide suffer from starvation. My goal is to end hunger on Earth."

The forest fell silent. Poison Ivy's playful attitude vanished as she processed his words. She had assumed that when Dean spoke of "farm tools," he had been mocking her, trying to establish dominance.

But he had been serious.

Most spellcasters who gained access to the Green of All Things sought power, dominion, or enlightenment. Dean's first instinct?

Agriculture.

Poison Ivy stared at him.

'This idiot… actually wants to farm?'

This wasn't some noble heroic goal. Dean wasn't trying to play Superman or Batman. He wasn't saving the world for justice. No. He was looking at the Green of All Things… and seeing an opportunity.

"…Seven harvests a year," Ivy muttered, realization dawning on her. "That's what you're thinking, right?"

Dean grinned. "Exactly."

Under his "coercion and persuasion," Poison Ivy eventually grumbled and signed a series of unequal treaties. But despite her complaints, she found herself subconsciously inching closer to Dean, her attitude toward him softening in ways even she didn't understand.

Groudon was already working for Batman, shaping Gotham's new district. Once it was completed, it would attract investors, create jobs, and completely revitalize the city, all of which would earn Dean another massive influx of points.

But this, Poison Ivy's magical demiplane, was part of his bigger plan. If he kept developing it, kept investing in it, bringing Arceus to DC wouldn't just be a dream anymore.

However, there was still one problem.

"Poison Ivy, is there a way to teleport here more quickly? I don't want to keep risking my life every time I visit."

Ivy had literally sacrificed herself to return to the secret realm, becoming a villain again just for the chance. Dean didn't want her to go through that ever again.

If this risk was necessary, then he was willing to give up the plan entirely.

Poison Ivy and Ivy exchanged a look.

And that told Dean everything he needed to know.

Poison Ivy glanced between Ivy and Dean, then casually formed two fruits on her body. The moment they fell to the ground, they rapidly decayed, their outer layers crumbling away until only two glowing seeds remained, each pulsing with golden light, exuding the unmistakable breath of life.

Dean's eyes widened slightly as he instinctively blurted out, "Golden tree seeds?"

Poison Ivy scoffed, rolling her eyes at him. "What golden tree seed? These are life tree seeds. They serve as a pass to enter and exit the secret realm of the forest. As long as you're in a place with plants, you can teleport here by holding one."

At first, Dean simply nodded, taking the explanation at face value. But after a moment, his mind rapidly connected the dots.

A place with plants can be used as a teleportation point… then, conversely, places with plants could also be destinations.

His pupils contracted slightly.

The Justice League's greatest advantage wasn't Superman's raw power or Batman's strategic genius, though both played critical roles. No, their most significant edge came from Cyborg and the Mother Box technology embedded in him.

The Boom Tube.

A technology that allowed instant teleportation across vast distances, ensuring that no matter how dire a crisis was, the Justice League could assemble in mere seconds. No other hero team on Earth possessed such an advanced system, and that was what truly cemented their dominance.

And now, right in front of him, stood a woman with a power eerily similar to the Boom Tube.

Poison Ivy could, in theory, provide instant travel across the world as long as there were plants present. If properly developed, this ability wouldn't just be useful for him, it could change entire battlefields. Entire wars.

Dean's expression remained neutral, but in his heart, he was already making calculations. This power was far too valuable to let slip away.

Not yet. Not now. But eventually, he would make it his.

With this in mind, he leaned in close to Ivy, lowering his voice as he whispered, "Find a way to build a good relationship with her. I believe in you."

The sudden warmth of his breath against her ear made Ivy freeze.

Her mind completely blanked out. She had no idea what Dean had just said, all she could process was the heat against her sensitive skin, her entire body momentarily stiffening before she instinctively nodded.

"Yeah… I know…"

Dean stepped back, satisfied with her response, oblivious to the fact that Ivy was currently experiencing a full mental shutdown.

After securing the tree seed in his pocket, Dean turned toward an open patch of grass. "I have some personal matters to handle alone. You two stay here."

Poison Ivy immediately raised a brow, and as soon as Dean walked away, her mischievous smirk returned. Her connection to the forest meant that she could see through its eyes. And right now?

She was watching everything.

"Oh Ivy~" Poison Ivy purred, taking Ivy's hand in hers. "Would you like to see something interesting?"

Ivy, still slightly dazed, blinked. "Huh?"

Without waiting for approval, Poison Ivy forcibly shared her vision with Ivy.

And the two of them watched.

Dean stood in the grass, peeling off his jacket and tossing it aside. Next came his shirt, which he shook out before dropping it. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, reaching behind his back as he continued stripping layer by layer.

Poison Ivy grinned, amused. As a pure plant entity, she had no concept of lust, Dean's actions were funny, nothing more.

But Ivy?

Ivy was not purely a plant anymore. The instant she saw Dean's bare back, the contours of his muscles shifting under his skin, something primal in her stirred.

Her mouth suddenly felt dry.

Her throat tightened.

She swallowed.

"…He really did something to you," Poison Ivy murmured, still watching Dean with an entertained expression. "You're not purely a plant anymore."

Ivy's hands clenched into fists. "…Shut up."

But Poison Ivy just giggled. She could feel Ivy's reaction as if it were her own.

And she found it… fascinating.

"So," Poison Ivy continued, her voice dripping with mischief. "You still have doubts. You're afraid your feelings are artificial. You think they're a side effect of some ridiculous human-made artifact."

Ivy said nothing.

Poison Ivy's grin widened. "Then… isn't the solution simple?"

Ivy hesitated. "…What?"

Poison Ivy leaned in closer, her voice turning into a whisper. "If you make him fall in love with you… doesn't that make your feelings real?"

Ivy's heart pounded.

"You remember our shared memories," Poison Ivy continued. "You remember the flower we created, the one that could make people absolutely devoted to us.""Modify it. Make the effects permanent. And then? Well… if he chooses you on his own, then your doubts will disappear, won't they?"

Ivy's fingers trembled.

Poison Ivy tilted her head. "Or are you too afraid?"

Ivy clenched her jaw. "…I'm not afraid."

Poison Ivy smirked.

Dean, meanwhile, remained completely oblivious to the dangerous conversation unfolding behind him. Instead, he was fully focused, his fingers brushing over his own skin, carefully checking for any hidden trackers.

If Poison Ivy's secret forest acted as a separate plane, that meant no electronic transmissions could pass through it. Not even Batman's surveillance technology. Dean wasn't an idiot. He had spent enough time around the Bat to know one undeniable truth,

Batman didn't trust anyone.

And considering the fight they had just a day ago, Dean had no doubt that the Bat had slipped some kind of tracking device onto him. His hands moved meticulously, scanning every inch of himself for anything that didn't belong.

And finally

A tiny, nearly microscopic device embedded near his left shoulder blade. A hair-thin tracker, almost impossible to detect without actively searching for it.

Dean smirked.

Nice try, Batman.

Dean wasn't taking any chances. He checked every inch of his body, clothes, and even his hair, using the Chicken Charm to scan for any hidden trackers. If he hadn't been avoiding dentists for the past two years, he would have considered knocking out a tooth just to be sure.

After finding the fourth tracker, he finally felt free. It was like taking off a weighted training vest, his entire body felt lighter, unburdened. For the first time in who knows how long, he wasn't under Batman's surveillance.

Dean smirked as he tossed the found trackers into his system warehouse. They might come in handy later. Maybe he'd plant them on someone else, let Batman chase a false lead.

Once dressed, he turned to find only Poison Ivy still present.

"Where's Ivy?" he asked.

Poison Ivy's lips curled into a sly smirk. "Are you so sure I'm not her?"

Dean didn't dignify that with an answer. Humans and plants were different. No matter how alike they seemed, he could tell the difference.

"Forget it, I won't tease you." Poison Ivy stretched, her vine-like fingers intertwining as she leaned lazily against a tree. "Ivy went back to the botanical garden first. And what about you? Where are you heading?"

Dean hesitated. Now that he was out of Batman's reach, he could go anywhere. Whatever he did next, the Bat wouldn't question him directly, he'd just investigate in secret.

And that was exactly what Dean wanted.

"I'm going home."

Poison Ivy raised a brow but didn't ask further. Dean took out the Snake Charm, gripping it between his fingers.

"Send me to Building 3, Chinatown, Central City."

A flash of golden light enveloped him, and in the next instant,

THUMP!

Dean materialized midair, directly above a tree.

He barely had time to react before gravity took over. He twisted in the air, kicking off the trunk at the last second, flipping onto solid ground just beside it. He looked up at the tree, recognizing it immediately.

"…This is the welcoming pine I personally moved here."

He turned his gaze to the familiar banners hanging in front of the shop.

"Authentic Chinese Food! Time-Honored Brand!"

And right beneath it, in big, bold letters:

"No. 1 Signature Dish: Tofu with Strawberry Jam!"

Dean deadpanned. "…I swear, every time I see that, I want to complain."

And yet, somehow, it had become the restaurant's most famous dish. With a sigh, he pushed open the door. The Lucky Cat figurine next to the entrance detected his movement, its mechanical sensor triggering a cheerful, pre-recorded.

"Meow!"

Behind the counter, a young woman with messy hair jerked awake from where she had been napping on the table.

"Welcome, " Susie mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes. ", Huh? No one's there?"

Dean chuckled under his breath but didn't stop. He ascended to the third floor, moving toward the one place he had been avoiding for a long time.

There, on a bamboo recliner, lay a middle-aged man, lazily fanning himself with a sunflower-shaped fan. He looked completely at ease, as if the world outside didn't exist.

Dean canceled his invisibility. He didn't need to sneak around here. Walking over to the empty recliner beside the man, he flopped onto it, exhaling deeply.

"So, you're back." The man still didn't open his eyes, but his tone was indifferent, casual, as if Dean had only stepped out for a few hours instead of years.

Dean folded his arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

"Dad, how does it feel to leave your wife and kid without saying goodbye?"

The man finally cracked open one eye, giving Dean a side glance.

"Hah. If you're trying to guilt-trip me, you've been spending too much time in Gotham. Your wings have hardened, haven't they? Trying to provoke your old man? What, you want me to cook you some braised pork?"

Dean scoffed. "I didn't come back to eat."

The casual air faded.

"I came to ask about Mom."

At those words, the man fell silent. The sunflower fan in his hand paused. A long, heavy sigh escaped his lips.

"I knew this day would come…"

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This chapter is a combination of 1 and 3/4 of a chapter (the other 1/4 was added on next chapter)

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