Hush2.0: Thanks! :D i did try to give Scarecrow the Arkham Asylum psychotic angle.
Athulis: Glad you liked this chapter, and thanks for the review! As for Scarecrow's lines, I'm trying to show how different he gets in killing. I've seen it in many of the comics and Arkham Asylum, he's nuts, he babbles, taunts his foes, etc...i dunno, if I did it wrong ill try to work on it. Anyways, the chapter was mostly filler setting up to the next one. It was an unavoidable translation. As for the incompetence of the Swat team...well, how many times have we seen inept officers in Gotham city against the villains? Or comics for that matter? xDD. If they had been unbeatable and they'd caught Scarecrow, it would have taken away from what will happen in this next chapter. Thanks again.
Keeper-of-the-Cheese: Thank you for appreciating my idea on Crane :D, it means a lot.
highland girl 1592: Thanks for all the reviews! Ill just address some of your comments here. I feel it makes sense to portray Crane as confused...im striving for a more realistic portrayal, rather then having the story go into predictability other fics have. I chose Michelle Pfieffer as the template for my Catwoman, but I've also mixed her portrayal with the comic book Selina, as you'll see. I like Edward, he's a great character, my favorite version being the Arkham Asylum Riddler. I wrote that Crane is weaker then Selina because, frankly, he is xD. Strength isn't his main thing, it's cunning. I can understand how you'd think he would develop muscles and whatnot, but he also spends a lot of his time in Arkham Aslyum, and focuses on mind not body. He hasn't been against Batman 20 years I don't think for this story...some of the details I haven't decided yet. As for his fight with Selina, I don't feel that Scarecrow worried too much about what Batman would do if he'd killed her, because honestly, he's a villain, the second or third most evil one in Gotham at that. It's his thing. Harley will come into play later on :), and yes, I was hinting that they are close. As for your comment that Batman doesn't kill ever: he has killed before. During the golden age of comics he killed people all the time, even using a gun sometimes. Michael Keaton's Batman from the Tim Burton movie's killed people and he was my favorite movie Batman. He set a henchman on fire and strapped dynamite to one's chest. I stated at the start that I've based my Batman on a bit of everything. I'm taking elements of the golden age and Burton movies because I don't feel Batman should be afraid to kill if he has to. That isn't to say he won't show mercy and not care for people, however. I drew inspiration from the animated series and comics too in that regard. More will be explained in this story. As for the 'Nolanverse' Scarecrow and everything, the 'Nolanverse' doesn't factor much into my story, I just don't care much for the portrayals in it. The Scarecrow of the movies did an ok job, but they demeaned him in making him young and overtly attractive, along with only wearing the mask part of his costume. He is beaten far to easily in the movie, and it doesn't feel true to the character. With the true Crane, I envision him being like Jeffery Combs in The Re-animator, who helped inspire my choices with Scarecrow. He's obsessive with his work, takes pride in it, will do anything to accomplish it, possesses insane intensity. He doesn't fuck around. Anyways, thanks again for the reviews!
AarikazZ: Thank you :), reviews like that mean a lot to me. Im glad you like how I portray him. It's important to get into the depths and intensity of a character, and one as interesting as Scarecrow is a perfect example. He is certainly an evil bastard, and I wanted to keep him as such, but there's more to him. There's a level of tragedy and sympathy in his origin that I feel sorry for, despite how many bad things he does. I feel it goes against the character not to keep them at their roots, and in Scarecrow's case, he's one of Gotham's most evil and demented. I wanted to get inside his rotting mind, to show how he might think, feel, etc depending on the circumstances, who he is with or the situation. I'm glad you also like the premise and the pairing. I chose it because not only was it original, it just seems to fit my interpretation. Catwoman makes a good foil to Scarecrow, She's physically strong, he isn't so much, she's a dominating, strong attituded woman, Scarecrow has never been that great with the opposite sex. She's the take charge type, the kind of woman who can open up Scarecrow to not being so alone. Things just fit. No need to thank me :D Thank you for reading :).
Anarchy: Thanks for the review and idea :), but it doesn't fit into the story, you'll see what happens. I like Dark Knight, but most of my ideas come from elsewhere, though I might make some references here and there to it lol.
Count Nightmare: Thanks for the review and idea lol. Yes, I knew his origins during the writing of this story, and I've addressed it in chapter 4 :), and will address it further.
I'm glad to have finished the previous chapter, as I can now get to where i want in the story ;) certain others making their confrontational arrival. Thank you for all the reviews! It seems people are liking the story :). Without further ado, here you go:
The Scarecrow lurched tiredly through the metal fire door leading to the alley, holding his bloody chest with one sore hand. The horrible waves of pain was coming back to him again in huge doses as his adrenaline from the fight started to vanish. It washed over his bruised and aching body uncontrollably and he clenched his teeth.
He felt his thin body beginning to shake and shiver as the cold night air swept over his exposed, emaciated midsection. The icy water falling down overhead just made his wounds feel worse, the constant patter striking at his torn skin and running down, intermingling with the red.
There had been another pair of officers he'd encountered on the way down through the apartment halls who's missed bullets had nearly torn his head right off, had he not ducked. It had taken far too long to inject them with the fear toxins, so long in fact that he'd decided not to ream them to pieces with the scythe. Instead the chemicals would take care of them gradually, just like the pair writhing back in the apartment.
He stepped out quickly into the filthy garbage strewn alley and paused for a moment. A single long metal lamppost sat against the far side of the alley's brick wall, close to the trash cans. It's weak, flickering glow faintly illuminated that far left section on the alley The doctor turned back and carefully closed the heavy door behind himself, just in case.
Running the patchily gloved hand without the syringe gauntlet over the small railing to steady himself, he stepped down a trio of rickety iron steps, trudging over a murky puddle that sat in front of the last one and pacing towards the middle of the alleyway. The steady down-pouring of rain dripped upon him from above, soaking his dirty coat and mask as he moved.
On either side of the alley, dozens of posters and announcements had be pinned up, some torn, displaying their bright text in the faint glow of the alley. Most involved rock concerts and upcoming events in Gotham city. Scarecrow's dizzying vision made the words look distorted and sickening in appearance, adding to his bewildered state of mind.
One of the largest of these posters that Scarecrow could make out on the left side of the alley, stood out the most from the others. It was of an attractive, bright eyed young woman with long flowing raven hair who was holding out a black top hat and winking. She possessed a beautifully wide smile on her black lipstick covered lips as she stared back at the blood covered, raggedy villain.
Protruding out of the hat was a large white rabbit. The long legged woman in a pair of dark nylons also wore a black suit top with a buttoned up white dress shirt visible beneath, along with an equally bright bow tie.
The Gotham City Stage Company Proudly Presents: Zatanna Zatara, Mistress Of Magic! Live! Running From November 8th To 15th, Get Your Tickets On Sale Now!
Glancing away from the poster, Scarecrow's frantic heart was hammering away at his ribcage as he tried to clear his head of everything, including the sight of all the poster images spinning about his mind. Finally, he came to a stop about halfway through the alley. The long scythe he'd been holding shakily in his bullet struck left arm toppled out on it's own will, falling with a clang as the blood soaked blade tip struck the pavement. Scarecrow painfully fell down to his knees next in a puddle, soaking them with the ice cold water. He uttered a low yet clearly agonized grunt and his soaked coat clung to his pants, the tips of his gloved fingers falling into the water along with the sharp tips of the glowing syringes on the other.
His eyes snapped shut against his will while black clouds began to consume his racing mind. He was growing dizzy and shaky, as he had feared the blood loss would do soon, it's affect nauseating. The masked villain felt a fresh surge of vomit slowly rising from the pit of his stomach to his throat that he painfully forced back, swallowing the bitterness with a disgusted shudder that ran through his body.
I can't black out. I can't black out. If I black out, it's all over.
The voice, seemingly hearing his fearful mumblings in his mind, spoke up again. Crane welcomed it. It was good to have someone else who's existence depended upon his survival. Although he usually was content being alone, now simply wasn't one of those time. It uttered a cold laugh as it surface that could have made a Venom amped Bane cringe.
Crane saw and felt it's murky appearance in the depth of his ravaged mind, surveying his bodies weakened state through a pair of pitiless and sinisterly glowing yellow eyes.
I Can't...
Look at you doctor, It rasped mockingly. Bleeding to death from more wounds then I can count. How's the arm feeling?"
It laughed wildly, and Crane's eyebrows narrowed.
I...need to get up. Get everything fixed up somehow.
And how will you accomplish this?, the voice asked, making him work for the answer.
I'll look for one of Sionis's underworld connections. They surely have the proper supplies to fix me up, and a fellow doctor. You know how many of his men get injured. I can pay him back with a favor.
A foolish idea doctor, born of desperation... owing Sionis a favour is never exactly intelligent. He almost makes you look sane.
Scarecrow glanced down at his wounded body, the claw mark running down to his stomach and torn costume, the tourniquet wrapped around his shoulder.
My options aren't exactly numerous. Doing a some work for him would be better then bleeding out.
The cold inhuman voice laughed dryly.
So you say. You'll change your tune soon enough, if you succeed. Now get your incompetent self back up and leave this disgusting alley. They'll find you in no time if you stay here much longer.
Over the course of his inner chat with the other, the fog in his mind began to dissipate. The company of the other strengthened his resolve and drive. When he felt well enough, assured he wouldn't black out yet, he forced himself to slowly open his eyes. The villain found himself staring down at his own oddly distorted reflection in a puddle under his feet, breathing hard as the pain wracked over his thin body.
Never...been this bad...
That mask reflecting back, so horrible to others, yet so welcome to him, grinned. It told him to keep going. It gave him a reason to. Why should he keel over and pass out? He would be like every other weak wretch in the city...and he was neither.
Lightning flashed, and his malicious face grew white for the slightest moment. Pure. It was gone before he could blink behind the mask. He breathed unsteadily through the filters.
That was all it took. Using every ounce of the effort he could muster up from his body and mind, Crane reached over to his fallen scythe and scooped it up, climbing unsteadily to his flat sole covered feet, stretching his syringe covered hand.
Slowly, he turned his sore neck and glanced down each end of the alley, exhaustively surveying his possible options. One side, the one to the left, stopped at a high brick wall, trash cans littered in front of it. There was no possibility of going out that way. The other led into the paved, well lit street, around which led to the parking lot of the building the swarming pigs were stationed in.
Not many options.
If I move quickly, I can probably slip through the street unnoticed. They would have sent up another, larger team to the apartment by now, maybe my destruction on the fourth floor will distract them for long enough, what with the toxin filled subjects they'll undoubtedly need to attend to. I'll need to watch out for any citizens who spot me and undoubtedly will give away my position.
The whine of sirens and police choppers had died slightly, as the alley was on the opposite side of the building where they were focused. Aside from this, only the rain was making a steady sound. Due to this lessened background noise, he could have sworn he heard something make a faint rustling noise from somewhere up on the building. He cocked his head to the side, listening carefully.
Scarecrow peered upwards, but saw only the illuminated windows of the apartment building, it's brick side empty of the familiar shape he'd expected to find.
It had been a noise with a purpose, intentional, not bumbling or accidental.
He was alone in the alley from all appearances... and yet he could oddly feel a pair of penetrating eyes staring down upon him from somewhere close by. It was a feeling that he'd come to experience quite a few times now. The doctor smiled as his cloudy mind finally caught up and realized what this was.
It was over for him now, and he knew as much. Despite all the wounds lining his body, the blood loss and the swarms of police, he wasn't about to go quietly. At least, not if he could help it.
"Ahh", Scarecrow rasped loudly, closing his eyes. He laughed bitterly, then coughed as a sharp jolt of pain shot through his injured chest like a solid kick.
"You're right on time... just as you always have been. Aren't you now?"
There was a sudden whistling through the air to his left that he knew wasn't the wind, followed by a loud bang as something hit one of the closest trashcans and knocked it right over on it's side. Scarecrow snapped his head to the noise's direction, but otherwise wasn't fazed. He gripped his scythe tightly and moved down the alley towards the trashcans, searching for the familiar small shape.
As he limped closer to the end of the alley, past the rickety iron stairs, he saw it laying there. A black, sharp metal object with the shape of wings protruding on either side and a pair of hornlike ears. Scarecrow lowered painfully to one knee, picked the object up carefully and stared down at it. Drops of water rolled steadily down it's bladed sides and dripped to the pavement.
Unknown to the doctor, four stories up overlooking the alley, a giant black shadow stirred. It was perched on the side of the of the apartment building like a great creature of the night looming over it's prey. If one were to look closely enough into the shape blended to the building, however, they would see a pair of glowing white slits had flickered on and were staring back down at them. Long, solid black wings seemed to extend from either side of the flowing shapes back.
It pushed off from the building, swooping eerily through the rain filled skies and down towards the raggedy villain below. Like a predator bearing down on it's prey.
As it glided soundlessly closer to it's target, the shape came to a stop. It landed with a forward somersault in the alley, the wings folded around it's body, and possessing an almost supernatural silence. Still unheard by the kneeling man in the torn costume over the rumble of thunder, as it began to rise upright, it methodically gripped the pair of handles firmly and folded it's wing's down. The midnight black wings and handles disappeared in a flash back into the sweeping black cloak that hung from around it's shoulders all the way to it's boots.
"No need to hide, Little Bat", Scarecrow rasped again, standing back up and adjusting his long, dirty coat painfully. "You made it here on time to get me, but I still thought you'd arrive far sooner then this".
The rippling thunder overhead was the only reply, along with the patter of rain as it fell all around him.
Scarecrow let go of the Batarang and it clattered back down on the pavement. He turned his head back down to the other side of the alley, but his eyes came to a stop on the hulking figure standing upright not four meters away. A cold grip of fear seized his heart as he surveyed the giant black shape's appearance closely.
Rain dripped slowly down Batman's titanic body as he glared back silently, his massive jet black cloak fluttering in the chaotic winds. The bright slits of his white lens covered eyes pierced through the raggedy Scarecrow. The pitch black, armored costume covered the night creatures body from his head to boot. It was intricately weaved, and looked like it was his actual body rather then straightforward armor. Rippling muscles covered the costume, and Scarecrow had little doubt they were his own. The suit was neither bulky looking or too tight, seeming to fit his massive body perfectly.
Batman's powerful arms were visible slightly thanks to the gap in the front of the cape. They rested casually at his side. Sitting and protruding on the arms of the large gauntlets, three vicious fin looking blades were grouped close in a row. They dared Crane to move.
The only colors that stood out on the costume's black background, apart from the sinisterly glowing lenses, were the bright yellow oval emblazoned on batman's large chest, a yellow utility belt attached onto his waist, possessing numerous slots and pouches, and the exposed lower portion of his face poking out below the cowl. In the center of this yellow oval sat a symbol of a pointy eared black bat spreading it's wings out on either side, similar to his Batarangs.
Walking bulls-eye, Scarecrow found himself thinking randomly, his mind shaking around in his own head frightfully. Walking bulls-eye, Little Bat the walking bulls-eye.
The exposed lower face on the Caped Crusader was set in a grim, serious expression, lips tightened together firmly. Droplets of water ran down his cowl in streams. Scarecrow could make out traces of dark, wet and rough stubble sprouting on his chin and cheeks. On closer examination, he spotted that a long bloody cut was slashed across Batman's chest, directly above the bat symbol. Batman's black cowl seemed to blend perfectly together with his face, stopping right at his covered nose. Two long and pointy protrusions sat on either side of his cowled head, almost more like sharp horns of a devil then bat ears.
The yellow utility belt secured around the waist was exposed on the front, but the cape hid most of it. From what the doctor could see, various pouches and slots were all over it, along with what looked like his frequently used Grappling Hook connected to the side.
Batman's narrowed white slits flickered off suddenly, revealing the dark and serious eyes that lay beneath the lenses.
"Well... it's about that time again, isn't it Little Bat?", Scarecrow heard himself rasp out sardonically. "So soon?"
Batman didn't move. He stared down his nose at the heavily injured man before him, examining the bloody state of his scarecrow costume underneath the unbuttoned duster. The imposing knight spoke suddenly as his firm eyes stopped upon the familiar claw marks running all down the length of Crane's thin chest and stomach. His jaw tightened.
"It's seems she's already had her way with you, Crane", Batman's low and deadly serious voice commented. "And you've just fought and murdered most of a SWAT team as well. You're in poorer condition then usual".
Crane scoffed painfully, still gripping at his wounded chest.
"You sent her up here to distract and keep me occupied until you could get here... didn't you Little Bat?", Scarecrow spat furiously, his fist clenching around the scythe handle. It pained him to do so, but he didn't stop squeezing it. "Is that your new strategy? Sending Catwoman after the rest of the freaks to keep them occupied when you're too busy to arrive yourself? Tricking them, handcuffing them to a table and sending a swarm of those scum to pick them up? I can admit there is cleverness behind it...but it still makes you a filthy little..."
Batman's grizzled face didn't even blink at these words, nor the torrent of dark curses that followed. Eventually, the raging villain lost his breath for a few moments, overwhelmed with disgust, and Batman spoke again.
"I didn't ask her to do anything to you", He replied after Scarecrow was done, his tone even. "It was her choice to go after you in particular, as part an arrangement we made".
Crane could feel his rage reaching a boiling point all over again. His blood burned with hatred. His questions were rising again, his thirst for the truth running feverishly.
"What arrangement?", He hissed impatiently. "What is all this insanity Little Bat?"
Batman ignored his question and continued on.
"I didn't arrive sooner, because I was too busy dealing with Croc and Harvey's messes last night", Batman stated coldly. "The police went after you as I caught and sent the others back to Arkham".
The doctor's face began to twitch angrily, unable to control himself any longer, he exploded.
"WHAT ARRANGEMENT?", Crane felt himself scream angrily at the man's grim unchanging face. The events of last night were still a blur to him. So many questions were unanswered, and impatience was swimming uncontrollably though his confused mind. He wanted...no, needed answers.
Batman's expression remained the same as the shout echoed through the alley and slowly faded away. There was a moments pause before Batman replied.
"It's no longer relevant", Batman informed Scarecrow simply. His voice was quiet and unreadable, yet Crane could strangely feel there was something being carefully hidden behind it. "The arrangement will dissolve with your capture".
Crane stared back, his expression under the mask turning into splitting pool of livid hate. So, that was his sideways answer? So be it.
"If that's all you have to say, Little Bat, then I may as well carry out my part now then", the doctor rasped, his stance growing rigid. Batman on the other hand remained the same: stiff and upright. "And get this started".
"If that's your wish", Batman's squared, tightened jaw replied seriously, waiting for the villain to act.
Scarecrow hefted his scythe up slowly and grinned. In spite of the sheer hopelessness of the act and the extra pain this would bring, he went ahead with advancing. The doctor laughed maniacally and rushed down the alley at the motionless, huge black figure. He swung the bloody scythe across the air towards Batman, it's deadly point screaming for more blood.
Batman shot out his strong arms like a flash of lightning and grabbed the the Scythe's blade with a single gloved hands. Before he could rip it out of the doctors hands, Scarecrow jerked the handle up and down quickly and the blade managed to slide down onto the back of Batman's right hand.
The back of the armored glove was torn open slightly, spilling his fresh blood down it. He jerked the hand away and moved it over to the handle. Rather then reacting from the pain, Batman ignored it and carried on with the fight, a scowl forming on his determined face.
Almost like a parent taking a toy from a greedy child, Batman easily wrenched the scythe out of the doctor's hands with a tug, throwing Scarecrow completely off balance. Before the doctor knew what hit him, Batman had launched a powerful open handed strike aimed exactly where Scarecrow didn't want it to go. The hand smashed right into his mask with enough force to break his nose sitting directly behind it.
As the Scarecrow reeled back holding his masked face, Batman folded the metal Scythe in half like a twig in both hands. He tossed it over his cloaked shoulder without taking his serious eyes off the doctor. It slid across the rain soaked pavement and came to a stop in a puddle.
Another burst of lightning flashed, illuminating the horrific scene in the alley in a terrifying white flash for a split second.
Scarecrow howled in pain as blood poured out the nostrils of the unnaturally crooked nose, swimming both over and into his mouth. His howling quickly turned into gargles, spitting and retching. Reacting instinctively now without any guiding thoughts, Crane raised his needle covered right glove and lunged, attempting to stab out savagely at Batman's cowled face.
Before the needles could make contact, Batman had already moved to the side faster then Scarecrow could have imagined. The five sharp tips of the syringes missed his body and tore down through Batman's billowing cape, leaving long claw-like tears. At the same time, Scarecrow felt a powerful arm come from behind and loop around his neck roughly, holding him on the spot.
As he struggled to break the incredible strength of the grip, another arm came down to his needles, easily ripping the entire glove off his hand. There was a snap as the metal holders fastened to his arm broke. Batman tossed the needled glove down on the pavement, where all the needles shattered. The syringes spilled their glowing yellow toxins, causing the doctor to moan.
"Not my samples...", Scarecrow wheezed painfully, struggling for air. His vision now swimming with familiar black dots threatening to consume him. "Wasted...You..."
Scarecrow continued to struggle with one arm. Although failing to break Batman's iron clad grip, he was able to hold it back slightly to buy himself a few more seconds. He had one last trick up his sleeve, however. With his free hand, he reached down weakly to the pocket on the front of his duster. It dug desperately until it closed around the smooth and welcome metal.
The doctor pulled out the dark handle of the switchblade and flicked it open with a snap. Before Batman could spot the flash of the blade, Scarecrow had reached down and was attempting to slash down a part of the Dark Knight's muscular leg.
Batman grunted quietly as the razor sharp blade dug into his skin and began to run down it slowly. Scarecrow grinned maliciously through his horribly blood drenched face. He guided it as quickly as possible, blood spilling from the growing wound. The powerful armor there, however, prevented the blade from getting too deep into the limb and slowed it's progress greatly.
Batman flipped the raggedy Scarecrow away from himself. Scarecrow stumbled backward, managing to keep on his feet despite nearly collapsing to the ground. Still holding the bloody knife, he raised it again to charge forward at the Dark Knight, his teeth clenched. However, before knew what hit him, a pair of twirling razor sharp Batarang's cut through the alley towards him and did exactly that: hit him.
One of the well aimed Batarangs sailed into his right hand clutching the knife, sticking into the palm and knocking the knife into muddy puddle behind Scarecrow. He howled painfully as it impacted, until the second razor sharp Batarang shut him up by striking his mask and sticking right through it. The tip punctured through one of the nozzle's and carried on right into his cheek. His head snapped back from the force and stars began to flutter over Crane's vision. He stumbled and lurched around confusedly in a circle, grabbing at the protruding Batarang, unsure where Batman had gone and where the next strike would come from.
The villain poked his tongue over to his terribly painful cheek behind his mask, feeling it run over something pointy that possessed an oddly warm and metallic taste. The tongue lurched back as if scalded by hot water.
His dark eyes bulged with horror as he realized what the well tossed Batarang had accomplished.
It...through my...
Without thinking Scarecrow gave a mighty tug and tore the bladed weapon out of his thin cheek as quickly as possible. He uttered a terrible scream of agony that echoed throughout the alleyway. The dark metal shape clattered down on the ground and a torrent of warm redness squirted out the small yet deep wound. It ran like a stream over the stitched mouth of his mask, staining the now punctured metal nozzle protruding from the side.
Desperately he did the same for the Batarang sticking out of his left, gloved palm, teeth baring together so tightly it hurt. God...what didn't hurt?
Out of the corner of the wild haze that was his vision, breathing and hearing, Scarecrow could make out a pair of rough gauntlet covered hands seizing his body. The back of one of the black gloved had been torn slightly and was stained with dripping blood.
Should... tried..spray...?
Batman had spun the nauseously dizzy Scarecrow around to face him, grabbed him by the front of his ragged duster and lifted him off the ground effortlessly. The Creature of the Night threw the thin man back down the length of the alley towards the trash cans. He impacted into the red and brown brick wall, his wide brimmed, heavily patched hat falling off and dropping down at his moving feet.
The stumbling doctor tripped backwards over a metal can and collapsed amongst the rest of the overturned cans. Scarecrow didn't move as he lay, coat spread out around himself.
There was silence once more in the alleyway beside the apartment.
For the first time in the past night, Scarecrow didn't struggle to rise up to his feet again. He didn't even make the attempt to squirm. The doctor merely lay wheezing in a limp pile amongst the garbage and spilled debris as a metal trashcan gouged into his back. Mixed blood and sweat dripped steadily down his overheated face.
The villain was aware that he could barely breath, but was too exhausted to rip the suffocating, dirty old mask off his own head. He'd surely suffocate to death laying right here. His breath became constricted, and he started to gag as the blood pooled in his mouth. The living shadow that was looming down upon him, however, took care of it.
Batman crouched low, grabbed the grinning, blood and water soaked mask by it's sewn up mouth and tore it off the doctor's face. The rusty metal clamps and seals at the neck of the mask, keeping it completely attached to his head, broke instantly as the mask gave way. Cold air rushed into the doctors lungs like rejuvenating medicine. He gasped weakly and spit out the mouthful of blood onto the front of his own already horribly ruined costume. The freezing, cleansing rain dripping down on his boiling, thin face was the most wonderful thing he could imagine right now. The droplets mingled with his blood, running down his body and cleaning his face up a little.
Crane took several deep, painful breaths. He could feel Batman patting down his coat now, searching for more weapons. His black gauntlet covered hands stopped upon Crane's shabby pant pocket, in which a small spraying container sat.
Batman's glowing white lenses flickered back on as he removed the fear toxin container and held it up, examining the nozzle carefully. After a few seconds, the white slits vanished back into his normal serious eyes. He placed the container in a front pouch of the bright utility belt on his waist.
"The Little Bat is a thief", Crane murmured wildly. It hurt so much to speak...but the words kept flowing out like the blood. "My work...my..."
The grim faced Dark Knight stared victoriously back down amongst the trashcans, into Crane's pained eyes. His magnificent black cape billowed around him in the wind, making it appear like it had a mind of it's own.
"Back to the asylum", Batman stated quietly. He still held Crane's mask in his left, clenching hand.
Crane coughed weakly, out of energy to even move an inch. He twisted his face into a horrible, bloody smile. Or something that seemed to pass for a smile. Blood flowed freely from his partially torn cheek.
"Why not just go ahead and finish up here, Little Bat? Earn yourself a standing ovation from the public gallery", the doctor suggested, not a trace of fear in his now deadpan voice. "I know that you want to... I know how much you hate Joker, yet don't kill him. I just murdered several police officers, not to mention the twit who owned that apartment. You've murdered henchmen and gang members indiscriminately all the time, but send the rest of us back to the Arkham... why not kill one of your fellow costumed freaks for once?"
The Dark Knight said nothing, his dark, shadowed eyes penetrating Crane's own dazed yet resolute ones.
"Perhaps I know why...you need us as much as we need you, isn't that right?".
Batman continued to peer back silently at the villain, surveying the shattered nose and small, yet gaping hole on his thin right cheek. Behind it, he could actually see a small tint of white...his teeth. He'd need countless stitches to close it back up, along with all the other wounds from Catwoman and the police.
This had to be the worst beating the villain had ever taken before, yet here he was gagging on his blood and asking for more, for him to finish the villain. Batman's expression remained unreadable for another moment. Slowly but surely, a faintly amused, yet respectful look replaced it, forming on lower portion of his face.
"It might happen", He replied quietly. Batman reached down to Crane's neck, grabbed his collar and pulled the limp man off the trashcans and back up to his feet.
"But not today".
Batman reached around his cape, dug into his yellow utility belt and removed a pair of high tech looking black handcuffs, with several glowing buttons on them. He locked both cuffs around Crane's wrist. After securing them, he grabbed the back of the doctors duster. He started dragging the limp, yet conscious, man, easily down the alley in one hand, while he held the Scarecrow mask in his other.
Crane's stick-like legs slid helplessly against the cold pavement, soaking them. He made no attempt to shrug off Batman's iron grip as the blood continued to spill off his face and arms, dripping down onto his gloved hands.
Done. Just like that.
Batman raised a hand to his pointy ear and keyed the sub-dermal communication device connected to his Batsuit. There was a slight clicking sound as it connected to whoever was on the other line.
"Oracle?", his low voice inquired.
"Go ahead Batman".
"We're done here. I've apprehended The Scarecrow with no problems. You should go rest. You've more then earned it"
Over the communication channel and heard only by the Dark Knight's ears, the young woman's voice sighed with relief. Three super-villains would be back behind bars where they belonged.
"Copy that Batman, great job. I'll let Alfred know. Yeah, I'd better get some sleep or something... I'm exhausted over here. I don't want dad getting suspicious when he get's back home.".
"Agreed", the low voice of Gotham's knight replied. As he neared the halfway point of the alley, he spotted the same alley hung poster of Gotham's most famous magician that Crane had. The corner of his tightened mouth seemed to soften slightly as he passed it. "I appreciate the assistance. Batman out."
With those last words to his assistant, stationed miles away, Batman keyed the sub-dermal communication device again, switching off the channel with a quiet beep.
The Creature Of The Night continued to pace purposefully over the puddles. Ignoring the dull throbbing pulsing in his injured leg, he started to leave the seemingly endless, dank and silent alley. Dragging the nearly unconscious super-villain beside him, he moved in the direction that led towards the buzz of noise on main street that lay just ahead
From somewhere high above at the same time, a slender, powerful dark figure crouched on a roof of an opposite apartment building. Rain slowly dripped off it's sleek black suit. Long white stitching's ran across the body, along with blood covered rips now and then, particularly the long slash across her stomach. In one hand it tightly held the long bullwhip, coiled on the rooftop. The figure peered over the side and watched for a few moments before tapping a button on her goggles with a glassy black hand.
The bright flash of the red, night vision goggle covered eyes zoomed her vision forward to the pair below. It gave a much better view in the weather, albeit, adding a glowing green color to everything she saw.
After a moment of watching it, the gaze moved away from the large dark green figure's cloak and stopped on the ragged man it was dragging across the pavement and through the numerous puddles helplessly.
Another flash of lightning lit up the black skies, illuminating the normally dark, Gothic architecture of the numerous buildings that stretched off into the distance of the city, and the helicopters and blimps hovering at the front of the apartment.
An unreadable expression slowly formed on the lower exposed portion of Catwoman's ghostly pale face. She surveyed state of the blood covered man, whose head seemed to be lolling back and forth, miraculously still conscious from the fight. What the young woman was pondering at that moment was anybody's guess. Her blood red lips pursed inward, reflectively.
As she watched, Crane weakly raised his neck, turning his head and searching the buildings above the alley. He seemed to pause on a spot over her head or maybe even directly on her glowing red eyes. The fierce rain and darkness made it too difficult to determine, combined with his broken glasses that would likely restrict some of his sight.
Catwoman tapped the same button again, their zooming night vision turning off. The slender, sleek figure stood up again slowly, taking her time. She raised a gloved hand to her lips and blew the thin, raggedy figure a soft kiss. After another moment of hesitation, she reluctantly moved out of Crane's hazy sight. With a snap of her long bull whip, it latched onto a distant railing. With a graceful leap, she disappeared off somewhere into the stormy night.
Back down in the alley, Crane's head slumped down weakly as the oddly familiar shadow on the building vanished from his vision. He sighed and closed his eyes tightly, hearing only the steady beat of rain on the pavement, the rough sliding of his legs on the ground and the solid footsteps of the grim vigilante dragging him by the collar, and he was unsure if he'd hallucinated the outline or not.
:) And there you go! Chapter 7, Batsie has finally arrived and Crane's going 'home'. Now even more characters will be appearing ;). Thank you for reading, it means a lot you all enjoy my vision. Any reviews, comments, suggestions are much appreciated!