Fear of Scary Things and Broken Relationships

Chapter 8.

Detectives Bullock and Montoya saw the terrifying Scarecrow as lots of questions raced through their minds. They exchanged looks before gazing back at Scarecrow who was guided inside the prison truck by two officers. "I wonder what happened to him," Renée said.

Harvey took a quick glance at Batman, who was talking to Commissioner Gordon. "So do I, but you know what? I bet that the Bat was behind this." He then turned to his partner with a sly grin. "Let's ask him nicely." With that he took a step to the couple but was stopped by Renée who put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hold on Bullock, I don't know if you have noticed yet, but Robin is back in Gotham. Besides, we know nothing about that girl."

Harvey took a glance at the three youngsters who stood at the back of the whole scene, with Robin between both Batgirl and a mysterious dark blue cloaked girl. "Jeese, like we don't have enough of that freak show already."

"Let's questioning them." The both of them went to the trio and once they met each other, both detectives took a closer look at the strange cloaked girl and noticed that the visible part of the face under the hood seems to be ash grey. "I'm detective Montoya and this is detective Bullock. We have some questions. At first, we would like to know who you are."

Raven raised an eyebrow, she wasn't used to be questioned by the authorities. "Seriously, we captured Scarecrow and make things easier for you and now we need to answer your questions? This is a pointless waste of time."

Harvey didn't care about the words of the strange girl. "Oh yeah? Then explain me what happened to Scarecrow!"

The three young heroes exchanged looks. Robin shrugged as he turned to Harvey. "Scarecrow challenge Raven to scare him, so... she did."

"Alright Raven, how!"

Raven glared at Harvey. "You don't wanna know."

Batgirl saw that Harvey didn't buy it so she decided to speak before the overweight detective could. "Bullock, you don't. For once, don't question her any further because you really don't wanna know."

Harvey was taken aback at the words that came from Batgirl who seems to have aged years since they met last time, which was nearly two weeks. "Fine, have it your way." With that he moved away from the youngsters. "At least we got a birds' name," he muttered.

Renée watched Harvey moving to Commissioner Gordon and Batman before turning her attention to Robin as she grabbed a notebook and a pen from a pocket. "Robin, I would like to know why you reappear in Gotham City, we all thought that you quit working for Batman and moved to Jump City."

Robin sighed. "I did, but someone used Scarecrow's feargas against my team, so I had to be here to make sure that it won't happen again."

"That make sense," Renée muttered as she wrote on her notebook. "I assume that Raven is one of your teammates?"

"Yes."

Renée continued writing for a few moments. Once she finished her glance went to robin. "That's all I need to know, thank you for your time." She turned on her heels only getting face to face with the Batglare. A gasp of shock escaped her throat. "Seriously, you need to stop scaring people like that." She moved around the Dark Knight and headed for Commissioner Gordon and Detective Bullock.

Batman didn't pay attention at Montoya and he gazed down at the trio. "Bargirl, you keep an eye on the city. Robin, Raven, you come with me." He didn't wait for any replies as he moved to the Batmobile.

Raven watched Robin following Batman as she rolled her eyes, knowing that she had to share the passenger seat with the Boy Wonder once again. "Looks like there's no way to have a decent conversation with him."

Batgirl shrugged. "He isn't that bad, you just have to look through his mask to understand him better."

"How convenient." She went behind Batman and Robin, leaving Batgirl with her own business.

"Seeing Robin back in Gotham and you at his side would give the inmates an idea that I'm not alone. Even if they will never see you again, they have their suspicions that there's always someone who will look after the city. Besides, when they see Scarecrow in his current condition, they will think twice before they try to escape."

"Now I'm part of your psychological warfare, what an honor," Raven deadpanned under her hood as she and Robin followed Batman trough the dark halls of Arkham Asylum who was holding a shivering Scarecrow by the collar. Robin couldn't help but grinning at Raven's comment which didn't go unnoticed by the dark empath. "What?"

Robin shrugged. "Nothing really, just glad that you remain yourself when Batman is around. Most people are getting nervous by hearing his name, let alone being within ten feet of him."

Raven realized that Robin had a point, even the guards of Arkham didn't dare to cross the Dark Knight. "I've noticed."

They entered the restricted area and Raven noticed that the cells were different than the ones in the other areas. It has large windows to observe the patients from a safe distance. Raven took a glance inside a few cells, wondering what kind of people these inmates were.

The first person she saw was a man of whose left side of his face was sickly blue colored and maimed, like his skin was melted away. Even his hair was half black and half white. He flipped a coin with his equally sickly blue colored left hand. He didn't say a word, but Raven could easily sense that anger and rage ruled over his split personality.

The next one was a bold man, who seems to be an ordinary person but his level of arrogance was way beyond healthy. "It seems that Batman used some help to solve the riddle of the Scarecrow," he grinned. "Very unusual."

"Well, if isn't that the Scarecrow! What happened, having too much fun of making fear? Did you test it on yourself again?" Raven turned to the cheerful voice, seeing a pale clown laughing behind the yellow glass of his cell who had a sick combination of humorous and sadistic aura around him.

"So dark, can't stop the darkness," Scarecrow muttered as Batman continued to guide him forward.

"Sure you will Crane," Joker grinned. He then saw Robin walking right behind Batman. "Gasp! Look who's find his way back home, Bird Boy! We haven't heard of you in, well... forever! What happened Birdie? Getting homesick? Did Batsy call you home?" A laugher followed for a moment till he spotted the cloaked girl. "Ow, and what do we have here? Another addition to the Bat Family? Sure it doesn't look like one, unless the Bat produced a vampire," he muttered the last words with a dark grin.

Raven stopped with her movements, glaring at the clown who's grin took place for a dramatic sad one. "Aww, what's the matter, have you lost your tong? And why so serious, can't take a joke? Have you already been that long with that party pooper?"

Raven ignored the clown and continued her way through the hallway. Joker's evil grin appeared on his face as he followed her movements. "I think you are," he darkly chuckled. The laughter became louder and soon his maniacal cackle sounded through the halls, sending even her the shivers down her spine.

Once Raven kept up with Batman and Robin, the latter slightly turned to her. "That was Joker, just as bad as Slade, if not worse. He can turn your life into a living nightmare."

"With a sick addition of humor I assume," she uncomfortably muttered.

"Yes. To him, everything is one big joke, and that is exactly his point." Batman said.

"Yeah, and if you're wondering, he's the reason why I hate clowns," Robin added.

"And I thought that Beast Boy's jokes and pranks couldn't be worse."

"Give him some time, he'll grown up." Raven gave him a look. "Well eventually."

"I have my doubt."

The group met two doctors in the hallway, an older male and a younger one. "Batman, Commissioner Gordon had informed me that you are successful by capturing Mr. Crane," the older doctor said.

"Yes, with some help. And that's only because Crane sold his feargas to anyone who're willing to pay for it, even when they're operating all across the country."

"I see," Dr. Bartholomew said as he glanced at Robin and Raven. He then took a better look at the shivering Scarecrow who was still mumbled words like surrender, darkness and make it stop. "Looks like he got infected by his own feargas once again."

"Not this time. This time it's Raven who is responsible for it. Don't blame her, he asked for it."

Dr. Bartholomew and his assistant took a quick look at the mysterious dark hooded girl. "May I ask how?"

"Honestly, you don't wanna know," Raven simply said, surprising the doctors.

Dr. Bartholomew let out a disappointed sigh. "Very well." He then turned to Batman. "I assume that you won't tell me either." There was no response. "Well, let us hope that Crane will get over with his obsession of fear this time. He had caused enough trouble already."

"Just make sure you keep an eye on him."