The Intern

Observation with Ivy

A stern lanky man with jet black hair and dark sinister eyes entered Arkham Asylum with a frown. He disliked giving observations and wanted it over and done with as quickly as possible. Passers-by glared at the man sensing a desire to leave the Asylum.

Warden Sharp glanced nervously around the office door. "Annie?" He called over to her. "Your tutor is here. Good luck." Approaching the tutor, he held out his hand. "Good afternoon. My name is Quincy Sharp. I am the warden here at Arkham Asylum. I trust you must be here to observe my daughter Annie."

"I am. My name is Mr Castle." He held out his ID. "Is she around?"

"I am here." Annie's voice echoed throughout the hall as she walked slowly up to them both. She took a good look at the person who was going to observe her and she wish she didn't.

"Ahem." Dr Blackwood startled them as they watched her. "Annie has chosen her inmate. Poison Ivy."

"Who is she?" Mr Castle commented.

The Warden looked a bit angry at the interruption but maintained himself. "This is Dr Blackwood. One of our experienced psychologists at Arkham and guide to Annie. Annie has been observing her for practice."

Mr Castle smiled at Dr Blackwood who smiled cheekily back. However when he looked away, she looked repulsed and made a face to Annie who giggled.

"Now Annie. Time to be serious." Her father whispered to her.

Dr Blackwood watched the two very closely and could practically see the tension between them. She wished Annie good luck.

"Remember to tell me how you got on after okay?"

Annie nodded whispering a thank you. She then lead her tutor to Ivy's cell. The walk was not long but felt like ages. Hallway after hallway loomed ahead and she wished that Ivy's cell did not seem so far away. Finally when they entered, Ivy was sitting on her bed looking calm and ready. Mr Castle took a seat and started taking out an observation sheet.

"Good morning Miss Isley. Pamela. How are you feeling?"

"Good doctor. Thank you."

"Let's try some word association. Isolation?"

Poison Ivy sniffed. "I always feel isolated in here." She then stopped herself sounding negative when she saw Harley's blue eyes appear behind the bars of her cell. "I mean I try to get involved in the activities that are offered."

"What kind of activities are you interested in Pamela? Annie asked noticing out of the corner of her eye Mr Castle scribbling down notes."

"Gardening is my favourite. Plants are my life Dr Sharp. Nothing else. Besides, humans are destroying themselves with technology and mechanics. I can't help but blossom like a flower when I hear of this. Their incompetent ways concern me yet I am not too worried. Nature always wins in the end. Take a plant for example. It needs water and sunshine like humans. Humans need much more. They yearn and fall for misguidance from others as long as it benefits them."

Mr Castle stopped scribbling and noticed Annie's body language looking a little uncomfortable.

"Am I making you feel nervous my little flower?" Ivy teased.

"No." Annie blushed.

The rest of the interview was a disaster. Annie could almost feel the shame on her father's face when Mr Castle told him of her failed result.

"I am sorry." The warden blubbered but Mr Castle held up his hand.

"Frankly Mr Sharp. I don't even know why I do this job. None of them are getting any better. I feel sorry for your daughter."

Annie felt Dr Blackwood's hand on her shoulder as her face scrunched up.

"It's okay sweetie." Dr Blackwood whispered glaring back at Ivy's cell. She heard that Mr Castle was staying to eat his lunch and thought up an idea.

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"Yes. Yes. I have done my last observation for the day." Mr Castle rolled his eyes as he talked to his colleague down the phone. "I am just eating my lunch at Arkham then going home. This place would drive anyone crazy." He noticed Dr Blackwood walk in. "Got to go. See ya." He grinned at her. "Why hello? I am sorry to hear that Annie had failed." He smirked looking not sorry at all.

"You live you learn." Dr Blackwood shrugged. "By the way I have something to show you." She laughed loudly and produced a little perfume bottle. "You see, I put this on me today but I cannot smell anything. Could you smell the bottle? I know it is a little weird." She gave a girly giggle which melted the tutor.

"Sure." He went to smell the bottle and got sprayed in the face instead with some sort of green gas.

"Whoopsie. I must have got the wrong bottle." Dr Blackwood grinned as she watched the doctor start to convulse. He started to laugh. Not a joyful, happy one that sounded like it was tearing his throat apart.

"Please make it stop." He giggled looking at Dr Blackwood who changed her voice instantly.

"Remember you live you learn. Have a happy." She laughed with the doctor. "Ahh sweetie, your making me laugh. I got to get out of here." She ran out and left Mr Castle to laugh himself to death.

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"It's outrageous really. Annie what happened?" Mr Sharp gazed at his daughter who looked crestfallen. She had lost a lot of confidence and did not want to see anyone just now.

"Rejection." She mumbled. "I can't take it."

"Well maybe if you tried harder..." The warden started but got cut off by his daughter's screams.

"I DID MY BEST."

Mr Sharp looked shocked but regained his stubborn attitude. "Now now, Annie. No need to shout. I am trying to help."

"NO YOU'RE NOT. YOU PUT ME DOWN ALL THE TIME. ANYTHING I DO YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE DAD."

Annie stormed off, her face full of tears. She bumped into Dr Blackwood who tried to comfort her.

"Annie sweetie." She glared at the warden who did not see as his head was in his hands. "Wait up." She followed Annie down the hallway.

Mr Sharp got up and headed to his office. He got a jump when three prison guards ran up to him.

"Sir. There has been a incident in the staff room."

"Incident, what incident? I'm in charge here." The warden sounded angry but nonetheless followed the guards to the staff room.

"By heaven." Mr Sharp did not expect to see what was in the staff room. Mr Castle was on his back. "Looks like he has fainted. Check to see if he is alright then." He barked harshly at his staff who nodded and turned Mr Castle over. A big wide grin was left on the tutor's face. His eyes were wide open but his face was still and white.

"Good grief." Mr Sharp's eyes began to worry. This would not look on Arkham. "What happened?"

"Nobody knows. We just found him like this."

"I want a full investigation. Nobody makes a fool out of me." Mr Sharp made a phone call to Commissioner Gordon. He was fully aware that Batman would not be involved. That's all he needed. Another freak icing the situation however it could not be helped. He had to find out what happened.

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