Fear of Scary Things and Broken Relationships

Chapter 7.

"Dude, are you telling me that Batman - of all people - was here? I mean, c'mon, it's Batman we're talking about! He's freaking awesome!"

"Man, how many times do I have to say it? Yes, Batman was here, inside the Tower, with Robin and Raven, to give you and Starfire the antidote for the feargas!"

"No way man! I still can't believe that the big bad Bat was here!"

"Friend Beast Boy, who is that Big Bad Bad you are talking about?"

Starfire's innocent voice made both Cyborg and Beast Boy turning to her direction who walked towards the boys. "Starfire, I'm glad ya show up. How're ya feeling?" Cyborg asked as he got on his feet.

Starfire hold her arm. "Confused if I must be honest, but I do not have the horrendous feelings of being haunting any longer."

Cyborg went to the Tamaranean Princess and placed a hand on her shoulder with a warm smile on his face. "I'm glad y'all getting better Star. We've to thank Robin and Raven for that. Especially Robin, he's the one who's solving the problem from the beginning."

A smile formed on Starfire's lips. "Thank you friend Cyborg." Her eyes scanned the room for a few moments. "Where are friends Robin and Raven? And where is Silkie? I cannot find him in my room."

Cyborg pointed to the right end of the couch. "Silkie's on the couch, sleeping," Starfire's face lightened up as she flew towards the couch and carefully picked the oversized larva up to hold it close to her chest. "As for Robin and Raven, well..." Cyborg exchanged looks with Beast Boy for a moment. "They're in Gotham City, hunting down the one who makes all the troubles to you and Beast Boy."

"Yeah, and they're not doing this alone, cause the Big Bat's helping them," Beast Boy added with a wide grin.

"Who?" Starfire had no clue of what Beast Boy was talking about and placed the sleeping larva back on the couch.

"Batman," Cyborg answered. "He's the one who trained Robin."

Starfire cocked her head. "I do not understand, Robin is all good, kind and brave, how can he be trained by this Bad Man?"

Cyborg smiled. "Not Bad Man, it's Batman. He's a crime fighter who's somewhat dressed like a bat."

Starfire's eyes light up. "Oh, how glorious! I suggest that we must introduce ourselves with the Batman who was training Robin and assist our friends with the hunt of the criminal."

Cyborg and Beast Boy flinched at the suggestion. Beast Boy cleared his voice. "Uh, Star... I think that would be a bad idea. I mean... c'mon, didn't you ever heard of Batman? Look, he's great and awesome and all, but I've also heard that he's all dark and scary and creepy and stuff."

"I think BB's right. You think Raven's scary when she's angry, then you've to image a very big guy all in black, large cape and a cowl with pointy ears, scary looking eyes and a very deep voice."

Starfire was shocked at the reveal and shook her head. "Please do not tell me that Robin has been trained by such an evil."

Cyborg laughed at her innocence. "Don't worry Star, He ain't all that bad, he's just a bit scary, that's all."

"But, why can we not assist our friends in the hunt of the trouble? Do they not wish us to accompany by the hunt?"

A yelp made both Cyborg and Starfire turned around to face a scarred looking Beast Boy. "Dude, no way I'm going to that place! Streets are filled with tons of gangs, it's suicide! And it's all dark and creepy down there! It's even worse than Raven's room!"

Cyborg shook his head. "Star, Gotham City's all across the country, and from I've heard, it's a big, dark and nasty place. The criminals over there are different and more dangerous because they're wearing guns and use it all the time. It's not like lasers or other high-tech stuff we all know, but old-fashioned guns, and unlike Robin we ain't trained to face that kind of threat. Even without all these killing criminals it's still nothing like Jump City, Gotham's much bigger and full with older and darker skyscrapers, bridges and other buildings. We also won't have any clue where to look at while Robin knows the way around. Besides, you and Beast Boy are just recovering from the feargas, you're in no condition to go to a place like that."

Starfire understand what Cyborg was trying to tell. She was still a bit anxious but then she was getting more worried about the safety of her only female companion. "Then what about friend Raven?"

"Don't worry about her, she know how to care of herself, and Batman and Robin will look after her," Cyborg reassured her.

Batman, Batgirl, Robin and Raven were on the rooftop of a warehouse, gazing through a roof light, watching the movements beneath them. They could easily spotting the homemade lab to create the feargas. It was basically nothing more than a simple table with bottles, tubes and vials. The table was surrounded by piles of crates. A masked hooded person dressed like a scarecrow worked on it. There were three more persons and it seems they were having a conversation.

Batman was looking for an opening of the roof light and after he find one he opened the window a bit, the four of them could overhear the conversation which took place below them. "... important it is to have our customers as pleased as boys with toys. If one of them are not content of the effect of the feargas, I would rather know why not!"

"But why boss?"

"Everyone is scared of something! But if there's someone who's resistible to my feargas, then we have to find out what I'm missing here! This gas that I have created have to be perfect!"

"That makes sense," the other person said.

"Off course it do. Now, leave me to my work, I'm expecting customers who are willing to buy my gas for a high price."

"Uhm, sure thing boss."

The heroes on the roof saw the goons leaving the Scarecrow with his feargas. Batman turned to the younger ones. "Wait until the guests has arrived. Then we'll take action."

The young heroes nodded.

It took almost half an hour when the sound of an approaching vehicle sounds through the area, in moments it came close to the warehouse where is stopped. One of the henchman went to the doors to check out the noise. "Boss, I think that your customers have arrived," he called after a few moments.

Scarecrow turned to the door. "Perfect. Let them in, so they can spread the fear!"

Batman turned to the youngsters. "I'm going in. Wait for my signal." The three of them nodded before Batman moved to another roof light, opened it and went through it.

The three young heroes turned their attention back on the criminals inside where they saw some of the man opening the doors, letting a van inside. Soon the van stopped and three man stepped out to meet Scarecrow.

"Mr. Reeves, how nice you have returned. I assume that my feargas worked as it supposed to do?" Scarecrow asked while meeting his customer.

A grin appeared of Reeves's face. "It worked outstanding. We had no troubles with the security guards of the bank."

A devilish grin appeared on Scarecrow's masked face. "That is very good to hear. I assume that you would like to have some more, correct?"

"It's the only reason why we're here."

"Good, just give me a moment, it's all ready to use."

"I don't think so," a dark gravel voice sounded through the warehouse.

Every person in the warehouse grabbed their guns, already knowing that the one who make their business very hard was already inside the building.

Reeves turned to both of his man. "Stay close, he can be everywhere," he said with a low voice.

Something hit the guns of three man, they let it drop on the floor by impact as they yelped out on pain and shock. A smoke bomb went off in the middle of the group a second later. Before anyone could react the windows on the roof light above them scattered in pieces as three figures busted through it. The combination of smoke and falling glass pieces made it nearly impossible to get their focus on the intruders.

Batgirl and Robin landed in the middle of the gang and started kicking the guns out of the closest goon's hands and start fighting with them while Raven levitated to the floor as she used her powers to deform two guns while it were still holding by its owners. She then used her powers to levitated several crates, hurled it into them and let them collide into a pile of crate halfway the warehouse.

Batman jumped out of his shadows and joined the fight by grabbing a henchman's coat from behind, swung him around and thrown him into two more man. He went to the pile of man, grabbed one men to hit him unconscious after the other. When he grabbed the third one he glared him straight in his eyes. "Arthur Reeves, it's been a while. I see that you've sink lower since our last meeting." Batman placed a powerful punch on Arthur's jaw before dropping him on the floor.

"Raven, look out!" Batgirl yelled as he kicked a goon in his guts.

Raven turned around and black fist met the man behind her. "You think I don't sense him?"

Robin was done with his last opponent as he went to Batgirl to assist her. "Don't worry about her, she can handle herself."

Once Batgirl and Robin were done they went to Raven who slowly moved to her last opponent. "I dare you, try to do anything stupid and you will regret it for the rest of your miserable life," the hooded girl darkly said.

Batman went to the youngsters and noticed that there were only two criminals left, a henchman who had already surrendered and was about to be cuffed by Batgirl, and Scarecrow himself. Once Batgirl was done the four heroes stood in front of Scarecrow who stood next to his table.

"It's over Scarecrow, give up," the Dark Knight said.

"So it seems, but when I flipped the table over you will face your worst nightmare!"

"So will you. The high concentration of the gas will be too much for your mask to handle."

Scarecrow knew that Batman was right. He didn't had any desire to be infected by his own gas once again, but he also had no desire to go back to Arkham. All he could do was to bluff and talk himself out of there. He turned to the strange cloaked girl. "It come to my attentions that you are Raven right? How ironically that you, of all bird are here to stop the Scarecrow. Don't worry Raven, you will learn your place, and that is the way of fear!"

Raven give him a look. "Really, and how exactly, extending your arms like a straw man on a cornfield while waving with your cane? I'm petrified."

"Interesting choice of words young girl, but you will."

Raven and Robin exchanged glances for a brief moment which didn't go unnoticed by Batman and Batgirl. Raven sank through the floor, giving Scarecrow a questioned expression while Batman and Batgirl exchanged looks. Scarecrow didn't like the way the strange girl had disappear as he glanced around him. "How did she do that? Where did she go?!" He demanded.

Raven reappeared behind Scarecrow. "I'm right here."

Scarecrow spun around as he took a step backward. "What? No one can do that to me!"

Raven's eyes glowed white as she levitated from the floor while her cloak seems to grown underneath her. "You like fear?"

Scarecrow looked surprised at the dark girl who was growing right in front of him and the white glowing eyes under her hood did scare him a bit. He was able to get over with his fear and surprise as he glared at the stranger. "What do you think you can do, scare me?"

A devilish grin formed on Raven's lips. Black tendrils shot out underneath her cloak, engulfed Scarecrow within seconds and pulled him under her growing cloak. He cried out in fear when darkness surrounded his vision.

Batman, Batgirl and the cuffed henchman were stunned at the scene on front of them while Robin placed his hand on his face as he grunted, having a strong sense of déjà vu and knowing that Scarecrow asked for it.

"What's the matter Scarecrow, afraid of the dark?" Raven grinned with a dark undertone in her voice.

"No! Stop the darkness! I surrender! Please, stop it. Don't kill me! I'll do anything you want but please make it stop!"

"Anything?" Raven demanded with a dark undertone.

"Anything! Please stop the darkness!"

Raven retreaded her powers as her cloak shrink to its normal size while levitating back to the floor. Her eyes went back to normal and she glared down at the curled up victim, who was shivering out of fear and mumbled words like surrender, darkness and make it stop. She looked up at the others, seeing their expressions. "What?"

Robin shook his head as he let out a sigh, remembering the incident with Dr. Light. "I guess It's gonna take months for him to recover."

Batman and Batgirl were surprised at Raven's actions. He pressed a button on his belt while she made a huge mental note not to challenged Raven like Scarecrow did, or at all. She didn't knew what Raven really was and the dark undertone in her voice alone makes her shivering. "Alright, that was one of the most scariest things I've ever seen."

Batman turned to Robin. "You know that would happen, don't you?" It was more a statement that a question.

Robin simply shrugged. "Not really, but when he ask for it, well..."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Thanks a lot Boy Wonder, it really feels encouraging."

Batgirl got over her nerves and grinned at Raven's sarcastic comment. "Well, at least you give him a taste of his own medicine."

Raven turned her glare to Scarecrow. "After what happened to Starfire and Beast Boy, he deserve it."

Batgirl gazed at Scarecrow, who didn't stop shivering and mumbling on the floor. She almost feels sorry for him. "Yeah, I guess so."

Sirens appeared from a distance as it became louder. Batman grabbed a terrifying Scarecrow by his collar, lifted him off the floor. "Let's go, the police has arrived." he pushed Scarecrow to the exit followed by the younger heroes.