DC: The Shadow Monarch's Chronicles

Two days passed in the strange Black Family in dysfunctional peace. The sun had barely crested noon when the doorbell rang.

Amazo, dressed in his usual human form and casual attire, opened the door. Standing outside were two women: one in a red and black leather jacket with blonde pigtails and a wide grin, and the other in a leaf-patterned green bodysuit, her red hair cascading like ivy itself.

Harley Quinn's eyes widened. "Ashy?! You got younger!"

Amazo blinked once, then replied in a polite monotone, "You must be referring to Father. I am Amazo. And you must be Harley Quinn and Pamela Isley. Please, come in."

"Oh!" Harley had an amused look on her face. "You are the son, got it. I must say I didn't know Ashy had a son."

They followed Amazo through the halls until they reached the living room. Inside sat Ashborn, Ace, and Tea. Poor Rex had been left back at Shadow Corp to take care of work, as Ashborn decided to take time off at home and wait for his visitors.

The moment Harley saw Ashborn, she lit up, her grin widening.

"Ashy!! You didn't tell me you had a son that old!" she cackled. "You were a very naughty boy!"

Ashborn smirked, arms crossed. "I was actually quite well-behaved. Amazo is adopted. He's also the most advanced android in the world."

Harley raised a skeptical brow at Amazo. "This? An android?"

Without hesitation, Amazo shifted into his towering three-meter golden form, radiant and imposing. Then, with a soft humming sound, he reverted to his human appearance.

Harley let out a long whistle. "Now that's a son worthy of adopting!"

Ashborn grinned. "I know, right?"

His eyes turned to the woman beside Harley. "Dr. Isley. It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard of your eco-terrorist work for a very long time."

Pamela gave a small smile, composed and elegant. "Nice to meet you too. Harley's spoken about you a lot."

"I hope all good things," Ashborn replied with a raised brow.

Pamela glanced sideways at Harley. "Depends on the perspective. But from what I've seen so far…" She offered a small nod. "She wasn't wrong."

Ashborn gave a small chuckle, then gestured toward Ace. "You probably know her, but no harm in a reintroduction. This is Ace."

Harley gave a sheepish wave. "Sorry about the bad stuff I said when we were with the Joker. Wasn't thinking straight."

Ace shrugged. "It's fine."

Then Ashborn motioned toward the quiet blonde in the corner. "And this is Galatea. She prefers to be called Tea."

Tea gave a bored nod. Harley, however, stepped closer, staring at her as if trying to place a memory.

Tea arched an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

Harley tilted her head. "You look familiar. Very familiar."

Ashborn, still in his seat and tone flat, said "She's an aged clone of Supergirl. And be careful, she has all the powers and the temper."

Harley's eyes went wide, then flicked back to Ashborn. "You adopted a clone of Supergirl too? You've got an impressive adopting streak."

Tea groaned. "Again?! I'm not adopted! Why does everyone assume that?!"

Harley looked back to Ashborn, silently asking for confirmation.

He simply shrugged. "She's not suited for adoption, she is…. peculiar. Ended up becoming the chauffeur. Drives Amazo and Ace to and from school."

Tea's eye twitched hearing him, she knew that peculiar was going to be something else.

Harley blinked. "The android goes to school?"

Ashborn nodded with a chuckle. "Top of his class."

That sent Harley into a fit of giggles. She nudged Pamela. "See? Told ya! It's fun around here. Where else do you find this strangely functioning family?"

Pamela just sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I genuinely don't know."

Harley's grin grew even wider. She turned back to Ashborn, mischief brewing in her eyes. "Hey, can you adopt me too?"

Ashborn tilted his head. "Why?"

She shrugged. "Sounds crazier that way. I dunno. Fun."

Ashborn leaned back thoughtfully, tapping his chin.

Tea let out a deep, dramatic groan. "Please… no."

Before Ashborn could say anything else, Pamela cleared her throat and stepped forward. "Can we not go into the adoption thing now? We came here to talk about a business."

She gave Harley a sideways glance. If she let her clown girlfriend keep steering the conversation, they'd never get around to business.

Ashborn raised an eyebrow.

And just like that, the tone began to shift.

Ashborn waved his hand casually, gesturing toward the chairs surrounding the coffee table in the middle of the living room. "Let's hear your business," he said, his tone calm, inviting, yet held undeniable authority.

Pamela sat gracefully, legs crossed. "I have a new project, It's called The Green Spine," she began. "An eco-arcology that will be entirely self-sustaining. It will clean air, recycle water, generate its own power through bioengineered plant systems, and even house food farms and green-tech startups."

Ashborn listened in silence, his fingers interlaced.

Pamela continued. "There will be a cash return, but the real value lies in the long-term gains. Public relations, exclusive biotech patents, and access to a new field of influence. It could become a recruitment hub for future scientists, green engineers, even metahumans who care about restoring the environment."

Ashborn tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "And what made you think I'd agree to something like this?"

Before Pamela could answer, Harley leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees and grinning. "I did," she said. "You don't care if someone used to be a villain, so if they're not stabbing you in the back and Pam's not, I figured you would agree. This is a fair trade. She gets resources, you get return and benefits. Sounded like something you'd go for."

Ashborn chuckled. "Very well," he said. "But let's do it the proper way. Dr. Isley, take your time. Draft a formal proposal and plan. I want specifics, exact goals, projected timelines, required funding, everything. We'll decide after I've seen that."

Pamela gave a small, relieved smile. "I was already working on one. You'll have it in two days."

Ashborn nodded approvingly "If you're working for me, I guarantee I won't allow any hero to interfere due to your past. You'll be under my protection. But…" His smile vanished, and a subtle shift in the room's atmosphere made everything feel heavier. His next words were delivered evenly, yet each syllable was laced with power. "If you try to start some plant kingdom under my nose, or decide humans are good only as plant fertilizer... you won't like what's coming your way."

His smile returned instantly. "Just a warning. I sincerely hope we can work together without trouble."

Pamela's heart stuttered. She wasn't new to threats, or men who postured for control. But something about Ashborn was different. He didn't move. He didn't raise his voice. And yet she felt colder than she had in years, as if his presence alone pressed down on her lungs. She swallowed and stood slowly. "Thank you," she said with a strained voice.

Harley blinked, watching her girlfriend with mild concern. Her eyes flicked between Pamela's stiff back and Ashborn's pleasant and relaxed smile.

"Welp," Harley said, hopping to her feet with a bounce. "We should totally go drinking sometime. Shake off all the formalities."

She gave the others a cheery wave and followed Pamela out the door, glancing back just once at Ashborn.

Once they were gone, Tea asked "What did you do to her? She looked scared by the end."

Ashborn remained seated. "I did nothing."

Tea rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. Right." She stared at him for a moment, then asked bluntly, "Are you really going to fund Poison Ivy?"

Ashborn shrugged. "Why not? Worst-case scenario, she backstabs me." He paused, eyes gleaming faintly. "In that case, I'll take over her work and get rid of her."

Tea gave him a sidelong glance. "You're messed up."

Ashborn just smiled. "I am not."

Ace, who had been silent, finally spoke. "Why would she choose plants over humans?"

Ashborn glanced at her, his expression softening slightly. "Poison Ivy… or Dr. Pamela Isley, believes plants are pure. Uncorrupted by greed, malice, or war. She sees humanity as a virus to the Earth, polluting, overpopulating, destroying. To her, choosing plants isn't betrayal… it's loyalty. Loyalty to the Earth."

Ace looked down, thoughtful. "But aren't humans part of Earth too?"

"She doesn't see it that way," Ashborn replied. "To her, we're invaders on a host body. She used to think wiping us out was the cure. Now she believes in wiping the bad apples among us"

He leaned back in his chair, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Funny thing, if you really think about it… we're the ones who need protection from plants. They give us oxygen to grow, keep us alive long enough to thrive and when we die… we rot and feed them. It's the long game."

Ace gave a slow, curious nod. "So… they keep us alive just to eat us in the end."

Tea paused mid-sip of her drink, her head turning slowly toward Ashborn. She squinted. "Yup. You're messed up."

Ashborn chuckled, not the least bit offended. "Just a little perspective."