After just a few days of casual travel, Arias's yacht docked in Metropolis late on a Wednesday evening at a rather shady-looking port. After its most recent incident, the city was in a terrible state. Besides the millions in damages, countless lives had been affected in one way or another.
People no longer slept soundly, knowing their Man of Steel wasn't as invincible as they once thought. The man responsible for this was now back in the city to unleash yet another unfortunate but necessary turn of events.
Arias, along with Cheshire, Poison Ivy, Raven, and a nervous Dr. June, could be seen walking toward a large warehouse with two figures draped in black standing guard.
Upon seeing Arias and his group, both guards saluted and stood at attention. Arias said nothing to them and simply walked into the dimly lit warehouse.
Once inside, the group was greeted by a strange sight. As far as the eye could see, countless plastic containers holding mushrooms were stacked throughout the warehouse.
With the exception of Ivy and Arias, everyone was unsure of what they were looking at.
Before anyone could voice their questions, a voice spoke out. "Great, you're finally here. I was beginning to think this was some sort of joke. Just why would you recall me from my mission to smuggle shrooms into Metropolis?" Rose muttered with a perplexed expression on her face, approaching Arias and the others, her gaze fixed on the containers.
"A strange request, I admit, but a very important one. But before I proceed, Dr. June, kindly let out Enchantress for me."
Dr. June, already perplexed, looked a bit hesitant but simply let out a nervous sigh and muttered, "Enchantress."
As her voice echoed ominously, the familiar sight of the Enchantress emerged. She too looked at the sight before her strangely, muttering in a hoarse and echoed voice, "*medicine...?*"
Arias gave a nod. "You're not wrong. If processed properly, this ancient species of mushroom could showcase quite profound medical uses. However, we're sticking to its more primal state in order to make a dangerous spore cloud."
"A what cloud?" Rose asked, looking even more confused than before.
Arias didn't answer and instead looked at Ivy, causing the others to follow suit. She frowned at the lack of knowledge the others had about plant life but reserved her comments and explained.
"A spore cloud is a dense concentration of spores released into the air. In this case, Arias plans to unleash a spore cloud made from these mushrooms that will have a specific effect on the people of Metropolis," Ivy said, her voice calm and composed.
Arias stepped forward. "The spores from these mushrooms have a unique property. When inhaled, they target the brain and cause temporary neural blockages. Some may wake up blind or deaf, others unable to feel anything below the waist—or perhaps even the neck."
Cheshire raised an eyebrow. "What's the point of that?"
A sinister smile curled on Arias's lips. "To show people how truly vulnerable they are and grow their fear of loss. But more importantly, it presents a unique opportunity to acquire a certain asset. After all, what would be so strange about an eco-terrorist like Ivy doing this?"
Hearing Arias casually say this, Ivy narrowed her eyes, realizing one important point wasn't being mentioned. "What happens if I get caught by the League? I take it you have a plan for that?"
Arias looked at Ivy and gave a nod. "Simple, you'll get trailed and sentenced. At most, you'll be put back on Stryker's Island or some other high-end prison."
Ivy immediately showed anger at this casual response. "What the hell? That wasn't part of the deal. In what world do I put myself back in prison just so your plan works?"
"In a world where I own your freedom. Last I checked, that's the world you're living in… unless you want to change that status?" Arias replied almost immediately, his eyes beginning to shimmer ominously.
Ivy gritted her teeth, her fists clenched tightly. She knew Arias had her cornered. He had leverage over her, and he was using it to his advantage. The thought of going back to prison made her blood boil, but she couldn't deny that Arias had the power to make it happen.
Taking a deep breath, Ivy tried to compose herself. She knew she had to play along for now, bide her time, and find a way to turn the tables on Arias.
With a forced smile, she said, "Very well, Arias. I'll do as you ask."
Arias's sinister smile widened as he nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent. Now that we're all on the same page, let's get to work."
He turned his attention toward Enchantress. "Enchantress, your task will be to teleport Ivy to whichever locations she needs to best spread the spores. Oh, and you might encounter a little opposition, so play along, okay?"
*"Tsk, fine."* Ivy grumbled, unable to fully hide the anger she felt toward Arias.
Enchantress's expression was far more difficult to read, but it wasn't hard to see that she too greatly disliked being ordered around. Arias, however, ignored their frustrations and turned his attention toward Cheshire and Raven.
"Let's leave these two to their work. We have other matters to attend to."