“The weather is unusually warm,” noted Mr. Fox as he pulled handkerchief after handkerchief out of his pocket like a magician and sneezed into them. “I wonder if this has anything to do with it. Poison Ivy, any idea where all this pollen is coming from? Achoooo!”
“I’m already on it!” she declared. “Watch Harley’s Greenhouse Hullabaloo tonight.”
Greenhouse Hullabaloo was amassing a huge audience and was one of Harley’s most popular shows. Most viewers tuned in to see what amazing, exotic, and wondrous plants Ivy would feature, like…a talking flower! Plants that turned themselves into famous sculptures! A tiny cactus that could hold hundreds of gallons of water! But there was an enthusiastic portion of the audience who watched specifically to cheer on Poison Ivy. Her flubs and flusters were winning her a new legion of fans.
That night, several Supers gathered in Wonder Woman’s room to watch the show.
“Dr. Akita-Janowitz,” Ivy was asking a jaunty-looking botanist whose vest pockets were overflowing with gardening tools, serious scientific implements, and lollipops, “what is your took—er, talk—er, take—take on the pollen saturation—er, situation?”
“Speak up, dear,” Dr. Akita-Janowitz chided her host. “I can’t hear you.”
Ivy blushed and blinked at the camera apologetically. “Sorry, sorry,” she said, then took a deep breath. “WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE POLLEN SITUATION??!!!!”
The botanist and the viewers covered their ears. “No need to shout, Ms. Ivy.” Dr. Akita-Janowitz lowered her voice. “It’s not good for the more delicate plants.”
She motioned to the ghost orchids and chocolate cosmos that were still trembling. When Ivy knelt and cradled the fragile flowers in her hands, you could practically hear the audience exhale a group “Ooooooh.”
“I’m sorry, Casper. So sorry, Luminus,” Ivy said, looking so concerned that some viewers got weepy.
As the interview went on, Dr. Akita-Janowitz admitted that even she, one of the top botanists in the world, was at a loss to identify the source of the pollen that was causing so many people’s sinuses to go haywire. At the end of the show, Poison Ivy thanked her distinguished guest and then, blushing, said, “So, um, from Harley’s Purple House, er, Greenhouse Hubba, Hubba, um, Hulla, Hello…”
Dr. Akita-Janowitz stuck her head into the frame and said helpfully, “Greenhouse Hullabaloo, starring everyone’s favorite plant pal, Poison Ivy!”
“And Casper and Quuminus, or is it Jasper and Luminus?” Ivy said as she nervously twisted her long red braid.
Bumblebee shook her head. “I told Ivy that there are just way too many plants there for her to name all of them.”
Wonder Woman, who was munching on popcorn sprinkled with shredded Parmesan cheese, nodded. Through a mouthful, she said, “Anyone else notice that ever since the show, Ivy’s been distracted?”
“It’s no wonder,” Bumblebee said. “She’s putting all her time into the greenhouse.”
“Well, it is the largest in the world,” Big Barda pointed out. She looked at Wonder Woman’s bowl of popcorn. “You gonna finish that?”
“Yes,” said Wonder Woman, defensively pulling her bowl closer to her chest.
“I’m here with more!” Supergirl announced as she passed out more popcorn. “I heard that Ivy was so busy with the greenhouse that she forgot a major assignment in Liberty Belle’s class.”
Eyes widened. The only times Waller allowed students to make up an assignment were when they were needed in a battle, citizens had to be saved, a crime had to be thwarted, or they had a note from the school nurse or their parents.
“Someone should tell her to ask more people to help with the greenhouse,” Bumblebee declared. “Us Supers helping is not enough. Plus, we all have school, just like Poison Ivy.”
“School, schmool,” Harley quipped as she tossed three empty popcorn bowls in the air. “What’s a little multitasking, anyway?”
“Not everyone is as good at juggling as you are,” noted Barda as she watched Harley add a bowling ball to the popcorn bowls and keep them all in the air at once.
“Well,” said Harley, “that’s true. I guess there’s money in the show budget for her to hire an assistant.”
“It’s settled, then!” Wonder Woman said. “Who will tell Poison Ivy?”
“How’s about her?” Harley said, pointing to Bumblebee. “It was her idea!”
“What are they saying?” Big Barda asked Supergirl.
“I don’t know,” Supergirl said. They were looking where Ivy and Bumblebee stood facing each other some distance away in the orchid section of the greenhouse.
“Well, you have superhearing. You can just tune in,” Barda insisted.
“It’s only for emergencies, to save lives, and when there is general danger and mayhem,” Supergirl explained.
Barda faced Miss Martian. “You can read minds,” she said to the shy alien from Mars. “What are they thinking?”
Miss Martian shifted uncomfortably. “I can’t tell you that,” she said softly.
“Sure you can,” Barda insisted good-naturedly.
“I only use my power for—” Miss Martian began.
“I know, I know,” Barda said. “It’s only for emergencies, to save lives, and when there is general danger and mayhem.”
Bumblebee and Ivy had their heads together. Both looked serious. First Bumblebee would talk and Poison Ivy would nod. Then Poison Ivy would talk and Bumblebee would nod. Then both were nodding.
“I can’t stand this!” Big Barda said. She ran over to the two of them and asked, “What are you saying?”
Bumblebee looked at Ivy. “Are you going to tell her, or shall I do it?”
Poison Ivy let go of a sigh. “I will,” she said. “Despite my reservations, I’m going to hire someone to help me take care of the greenhouse. The ad will go out tomorrow.”
“Look happy about it,” Bumblebee encouraged her friend. “None of us likes asking for help, but this will make your life easier, and that way you can focus on what we’re all here for—to prepare to be the best super heroes we can be!”
Reluctantly, Ivy nodded. “Yes,” she said. “But what if no one applies?”