New fiends.
Someone knocked on Raven's door, dragging her out of her dreamless meditation.
,, Miss Scarecrow?" someone, a keeper, said.
,, Scarrow." Raven grumped and sat up on the bed, rubbing her eyes. The guard, dressed in hospital white and green, looked at Raven with bored eyes.
Whatever they said.
,, Lunch is ready." he announced and opened the door. Raven was starving, so she grabbed her white sneakers and pulled them on. They were completely blank, no logo or anything to indicate where they had been fabricated. She got up voluntarily, knowing if she didn't, the keeper would get physical.
,, This way." he said and led Raven out into the empty dorm. He led her to a huge, white room, where Arkham's finest collection was having lunch. Some were eating with their fingers, scooping up the grey stuff and stuffing it into their mouths, some were being fed by nurses, sitting with plastic spoons and forks and helping the drooling creatures munch down every little bit. Some just ate normally. Raven looked around, desperate to find an empty table, but they were all filled up with basket cases. Except...
,, Can I sit down there?" Raven asked her guard and pointed to a six man table down in the corner of the room, furthest away from the viewless windows. The guard shrugged and began to walk down the rows of oddities. Almost all of them looked up from their trays and watched as Raven walked by. The walk from the door to the empty table felt like a dessert. But finally, she sat down on the white painted bench and rested her elbows on the table.
,, Thanks." she said to a nurse, who passed by with a steel cart filled with trays of... "food" and a plastic cup with water. The cutlery was of plastic, a piece vaguely like a knife and a fork with the points filed down, so no one could cut himself or any other. Raven looked down at the stuff; it could be pasta, it could be porridge. She picked at it and sighed heavily; great food for a great place.
A tray came sliding over the table, slowing down and stopping just beside Raven's. A person sat down on the bench and slid down to where Raven sat, placing his elbows on the table and resting his head in the back of his interlocked fingers. Joker.
,, So, how's your first meal in the nuthouse?" he asked and fluttered his eyelashes at her. Raven just concentrated on her food, shaking with a burning need to punch the clown face. She scooped some of the mass up on her fork and took a bite and almost choked. She moved her hands up to hold her hair back so she could spit the paste out, but Joker interrupted her.
,, I wouldn't do that if I were you." she glared at him with her amber eyes.
,, If you spit it out, they'll think you can't eat on your own.
And then you're on the force feed pony." he wasn't lying. Raven gathered the bile in her mouth and swallowed, with the greatest force. And coughed from the slime in her throat as the thing ran down her stomach.
,, Attagirl." Joker said and patted Raven on the head. She shoved him away and went back to her food, deciding mentally to eat the stuff, just so she could muster enough strength to keep her hands off Joker's throat. She took another bite and chewed a couple of times and swallowed again, feeling her eyes water.
,, What the hell is this?" she asked and almost drank half of her water in one gulp.
,, Well, it's a special, high on fibre mass, made by professional chefs in high-tech kitchens in Japan, made to cover our every need as a human being."
,, Or maybe it's some homogenised crap, made to make sure that no one drops dead from allergies or anything like that." she pushed Joker away, as he had moved up close while they talked.
,, 5 feet at all times, Scarface." she said.
,, Aw, c'mon sugar lips, throw me a bone."
,, Either shut up, or I'll throw you a bone from your insides...!"
,, Ooh, that sounds fun." he leaned closer to Raven. She took her tray and tried to stand up.
,, I'm leaving." she said, but Joker grabbed her arm and yanked her back down on the bench.
,, Aw, we were just getting to know each other." Raven tried to tear free, but Joker had a grip like a vice, and all she managed was to feel her bone creak.
,, Let go...!" she hissed. He did, so sudden she almost fell backwards to the floor.
,, Leave her alone, Joker." one of the keepers walked up and looked down at the two persons. Joker grinned up at the guard.
,, Just getting to know our new friend." Joker said and folded his hands in his lap, smiling at the guard, who narrowed his eyes but turned and walked back to the wall.
,, I'm still leaving." Raven announced and stood back up. She took her tray and managed take some steps, before Joker grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back to the table, Raven almost dropping her tray.
,, Joker!" a keeper shouted, and Joker pushed Raven down on the bench, held up his hands like he was being arrested and sat down across from her, smiling ever so sweetly and insane.
,, What the hell did I ever do to you?" Raven asked, eyes dripping acid at Joker.
,, Oh, you're the only fresh blow of air around here. I wanna know what's moving outside..." he leaned in over the table, like they were girlfriends.
,, So... Did you cheat on ya' boyfriend?" Raven was about to fly over the table and tear the Joker's head off, but a bell rang somewhere and the keepers all stepped forward.
,, Aw, lunch is over." Joker said and stood up.
,, Time for recess... See ya' later, sweetheart." Raven didn't stand up, she just glared at Joker when he walked away. A new keeper walked up to the table.
,, Miss Scarecrow?" he asked and Raven rolled her eyes.
,, Scarrow." she sighed and got up.
,, What's happenin' now?" she asked and walked alongside the guard.
,, Well, depending on your dormitory, you're going to have a little break now. Some goes outside and gets some fresh air, some goes down and have a story read... Which dorm are you?"
,, The one with scary ass Scarface in it." she said and crossed her arms over her chest.
,, Oh, you mean Joker... Let's see..." he looked on the papers of his clipboard.
,, You're going to the 'playroom'." Raven stopped dead in her tracks.
,, You're fucking kidding. Please tell me you're kidding...!" he laughed slightly.
,, No, but it's not like it sounds. You'll see." Raven noticed the guy was the first friendly she had met in a very long time.
,, What's your name?" she asked. The keeper was about a few years older than her, with gingery hair and freckles. His eyes were green and he looked like he knew Raven wasn't a mental case.
,, Billy." he said. Raven reached out her hand.
,, Hello Billy. I'm Raven." they shook hands and Billy led her down the halls to a bolted door, with a guard on each side. One of them opened the door and Raven walked in; a couch, comfy chairs, a bookshelf and two tables. More like a living room than a playroom, even though the walls, ceiling and floor were all white and there were no carpeting or any other thing to make it homey, with six guards patrolling it by the walls. And it had a window. A real window. Raven walked to it and looked out; Gotham city stood and looked back at the little island. Out there and over the hills, freedom, just out of reach. Raven could almost feel the fresh air.
Someone walked up and smacked Raven's butt, making her fly in the air. She turned around with fists ready for a fight, facing Joker once more.
,, Hiya, cupcake." he said. Raven bit her teeth together so it hurt and edged around the grinning guy and sat down at a table. She wouldn't like to get in a fight on her first day; tomorrow, Hell in all its burning pain would rain down on Joker. She leaned back and looked at the books on the shelving; big, colourful picture books, and brainless women's digests. Nothing of interest, but to drive away boredom, Raven pulled out a copy of Matilda and flickered to the first page, trying to ignore the other people around her. Raven's plan was simple; keep away from the crazies until she was given a cell at a regular prison. Joker's arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind and he rested his head against hers.
,, Wanna watch Dr. Quinn with me?" he asked.
Fuck the 'no fighting' rule, you're going down! Raven wrestled free and lurched herself at Joker, sending him to the floor and landing on top of him, sending a shower of fists down over his face. Joker didn't put up a fight, which was very strange. Then, as a pair of keepers grabbed Raven by the arms and pulled her of the clown, she understood why; now, she was going to be in trouble for starting a fight.
,, Miss Scarecrow, we wouldn't like to see you get isolated on your first day here." one said, fighting to keep Raven at bay, even though she fought to wring free.
,, So we're going to give you another chance, if you promise not to get in another brawl with anyone." the other said. Before them, Joker got up and grinned at her, before slumping down in the sofa beside the red haired man with the question marks. The guards dragged Raven back to her chair and almost threw her down on it.
,, You just sit here and read your book." the first one ordered and yanked her arm one last time, before letting go. Raven wanted to jump back up and fight, but even though the guards here didn't carry guns, Raven had already been tased twice in her life, and she wasn't going for a third. Furiously, she grabbed the book and wanted to throw herself down the pages, getting lost in a world of childish justice.
Someone walked over and pulled out the chair in front of Raven and sat down, Raven concentrating on the book and the book only, expecting it would be Joker.
,, That wasn't a very wise thing to do." the person said; he had a soft voice, calm and cool, like he knew everything about everyone. Raven looked up from the very bright Matilda and found herself gazing into a pair of penetrating blue eyes. The guy from the opposite wall, the one who had smiled as she was dragged by.
,, No kidding?" she said sarcastically and turned the page, only to find it ruined by drool, crayons and something she hoped was blood. She closed the book with a sigh and threw it aside on the table.
,, It seems to me that you have some issues with your anger." the guy went on, Raven not knowing if to tell him to fuck off or not. He seemed... sane enough, even though he was living in the 'closed' corridor.
,, No..." Raven shook her head, making her hair follow the movements.
,,... My anger's doing just fine. It's smiley face over there I got issues with." she said and nodded in Joker's direction. The guy gave the softest trace of a smile and held out a hand.
,, I don't think we have yet been properly introduced, miss... Scarecrow, was it?" Raven crossed her arms and lifted one foot, placing it on the chair beside her, leaning back and glaring at the guy.
,, Listen, pal, I don't know who you pissed off to get in here, but I don't need to get to know you just because we're sharing the same boat. I'm not like you and I'm planning to leave in a hurry..." she turned her head to the window, to indicate the conversation was over, but turned back almost immediately.
,, And it's Scarrow. Not freaking Scarecrow, Scarrow." the guy chuckled.
,, No, of course you're not insane. In fact," he leaned closer, as if to share a secret.
,, no one here is." Raven made a sound, a tired and loathing go away sound and turned her gaze back to the window.
,, Let's see, Caucasian, female, late twenties, middle class..." Raven turned her head slowly back to face the lanky guy; he was... analysing her, that goddamn freak!
,,... anger issues, hostile, knows a trick or two in fighting, sane..." he thought her sane. Not that stupid, after all.
,, knows her place and hates it." he finished and looked rather pleased with that.
,, That leaves... What was it, arson, armed robbery, manslaughter and... murder." Raven shifted her position again, leaning in over the table on her elbows, one leg still resting on the chair.
,, Wauw...!" she growled in a low voice.
,, That was fucking amazing...! Can you do magic tricks too?" he chuckled again, making Raven want to aim for his more valued parts with her shoe.
,, Cute.
I twist minds, not balloon poodles." he looked at Raven.
,, But with you, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyway." Raven gathered the mucus in her throat and spat the guy in the face, hitting his one eye and making it look like he was shedding a solitary white tear. He twitched.
,, Intelligent." he said and wiped the slime off his face with the back of his hand. He was actually quite cute; Raven couldn't help notice, even Joker had once been pretty. But this one possessed another kind of handsomeness, the kind that made him look like the ideal couch partner, the one you could snuggle up against and watch an old horror movie with. He was thin as a stick, but not in an ugly, anorectic manner or like a model; it suited him. Raven shook her head, what the Hell was running through her head?!! First day in an asylum and she was already going crazy!
Jonathan Crane, on the other hand, stopped a moment to remember; sometime ago, he had been the owner of Arkham, been able to do whatever he wanted, whatsoever. Now, third-rate criminals used him as a spittoon.
,, Miss Scarrow, I feel it is only fair to let you know, that I am in these seconds restraining myself, and I would advise you to stop your behaviour whilst you still can." Raven sniffed.
,, And you know, I'm really scared. So please, Mr. big dangerous psychologist, don't hurt a weak and feeble middle class female Caucasian like me...!" she got up from the chair and walked back to the window, looking at Gotham with dark eyes.
,, What are you gonna do? Analyze me to death?" then she was grabbed by the shoulder and forced around and felt two slim hands around her neck, pressing and squeezing with a doctors knowledge, making it hurt as much as possible.
,, Not yet...!" the smooth voice of the blue eyed guy spat, forcing Raven up against the window. Then he stopped, muscles went into a spasm and cramped, eyes rolled, and he let go of Raven and fell to the floor, unconscious. Behind him stood one of the guards, taser clutched in his white hands, the other keepers standing and making sure none of the other psychos got too excited over the scene. Joker was sitting backwards in the couch, grinning widely at Raven.
,, Did the mean old Scarecrow frighten the little Raven?" he asked as two additional keepers walked in and collected the body of the keeled over... was he the infamous Scarecrow? None of the keepers bothered about Raven, she still stood, so she was free to walk over and fall down a comfy chair. She pulled her legs up and made a mental list, her neck still sizzling with from the connection with the soft, killing hands;
Raven Scarrow's survival guide to Arkham Asylum;
Don't talk to anyone wearing the orange uniform.
Keep away from Scarface. That was just common sense, but still...
And, for the next few days, until he was cooled off
Keep at least 30 feet away from Scarecrow...