He rubbed his eyes and stretched, sore from last night. He was finding it increasingly hard to fall asleep. Jonathan Crane never slept a lot, usually five or six hours a night. He had to much to think about. But after Batman forced a dose of his own toxin into his system, he slept even less. At least at Arkham Asylum he had medication to help him sleep and control the other side effects that came from the fear toxin. He had thought about telling Joker, he thought that possibly the clown would allow him to steal some meds from Arkham or at least send a few henchmen to retrieve the pills. But he didn't, obviously. He didn't like talking to the Joker, discussing the laughing gas for shot periods of time was bad enough.
After forcing his eyes to stay opened he stood up and looked at the clock.
"Ten o'clock," he mumbled, squinting at the digital clock on the microwave, "Damn it,"
Of course he no longer needed to worry about things such as oversleeping. After all, it was not as if he had any job to go to. It still bothered him though. He had always prided himself on his discipline. He had trained himself to wake up faithfully at six every morning. He sighed, just one more thing he was no longer in control of. He hated losing control.
Just then something caught his eye, a figure standing outside his window. He assumed it was possible that someone was simply standing outside the apartment building. After all he was on the first floor. But still, there was something strange about the dark figure facing his window. He couldn't seem to make out a face, it was simply dark, black and unmoving. Could it be Batman? No, not in broad daylight. It was obvious the man had some issues but he wasn't stupid. He would never take such a risk. Without the cover of darkness a giant bat is easily recognized.
Jonathan stepped towards the window with caution, in case it was really the Bat. But even when he stood directly before the window he could not see a face. No features at all, just a figure somewhat like a shadow. Slowly and carefully he unlocked the window. The figure didn't move. He let his fingers linger over the locks, this was a stupid idea. He didn't know what he was thinking. What if the person on the other side was dangerous, then what would he do? Jonathan slid his hands to the bottom of the pane of glass preparing to push it upwards. He had to do it, unfortunately he had an idea of what the figure really was. His heart began to pound. Quickly he thrust the window opened, preparing himself to slam it shut once again. But as he looked through the torn screen that lie behind the glass he became frustrated. No one was there.
"No, no," he groaned and closed the window before slumping against the wall.
He was hallucinating, another side effect of fear toxin. If the victim received a large and concentrated enough dose (which he did) they can experience the same hallucinations for the rest of there life. Though not on as great a scale as when a victim experiences the toxin for the first time but still quite frightening. Jonathan had realized this for himself in Arkham. Out of morbid curiosity he decided to see what would happen if started "cheeking" his medications. The hallucinations came on blurry and short at first, until they turned into full-blown living nightmares. Ever since that he took his pills.
But here in clown hell they were not available. Great.
At that moment Harley flung opened the door and bounced into the room, "Hi Jonny!" she exclaimed cheerfully, "How are you today,"
"Wonderful," he said sarcastically, not caring to explain himself.
She looked confused at him, "Why are ya sittin' over there on the floor?"
He sighed, "No reason, are you feeling better Harley?"
"Yes sir, nevah been bettah,"
"Good," Jonathan responded flatly before standing up, "You had better make sure you take care of those stitches. You do not want an infection and with Joker's knives I'm sure you're at risk for one,"
"No Jonny Mistah J's knives are clean,"
Jonathan rolled his eyes. He had a hard time believing that.
"But it's good ta know ya care," before he could react Harley trapped him in a tight hug.
Reluctantly, he embraced her in return.
"We should do somthin' taday Jonny," she finally let go of him.
"Like what?" he glanced out the window again.
"I dunno," she shrugged, "We could go shopping. I asked Mistah J earlier this mornin' he said I could if I wanted to,"
Jonathan scoffed, "Harley did it ever occur to you that we are both wanted criminals. Don't you think people will panic and call the police if we're wandering around the city in daylight,"
She giggled, "Ya so funny Jonny. I know that. That's why we gonna get disguises. Duh,"
"And dare I ask what kind of disguises?"
"Ta-dah!" she exclaimed opening the door and skipping into a vacant apartment.
It was just as messy as the other apartments in the building, if not more. It had was filled with the same ugly colored interior aside from a few pillows and lamps the tenant had owned. Instead they were pink. Harley led Jonathan into a cluttered bedroom featuring more sparkly, pink furnishings with the addition of a few leopard print ones. At the end was a closet stuffed full of clothes. Jonathan wondered how anyone had the money for so much clothing and not enough to rent a decent apartment in a better part of Gotham.
Harley began pulling hangers of gaudy, bright colored and animal print clothing.
"Aren't these great?" she asked Jonathan, "I found em' this morning. There's wigs somewhere in here to," she turned and began rummaging through the closet again.
He picked up a short, pink dress covered in sequins, "I suppose they'll disguise you well enough but what will I wear?"
She stopped tossing boxes of wigs out of the closet for a moment and looked at him, confused, "Whatdya mean Jonny, all the costumes are there in front of you. Pick whatchya want,"
Then it occurred to him exactly what Harley Quinn's plan entailed. He dropped the skimpy pink outfit on the floor, "No, most certainly not. I am not cross-dressing, especially not in public,"
"It's okay Jonny, if people don't know ya they won't know the difference," she smiled and stood up.
"Yes they will, someone will be able to tell," he protested.
"No," she picked up the pink dress and held it under Jonathan's chin imagining how it would look on him, "A little make up and nobody will know you're a man. No offense but I think you'll be very convincing,"
"Thanks," he replied sarcastically,"But I'm afraid I won't be going with you today," he turned to go.
"Jonny, wait, no, ya gotta come with me. Jonn-eey," he heard her whine as he left the bedroom heading for the front door.
How could she possibly think he would agree to such a ludicrous plan? What was Harley thinking? There was no way (former) Dr. Jonathan Crane was going anywhere in drag. It was bad enough what he was wearing on a daily basis here. An orange Arkham jumpsuit and a couple pairs of jeans and tee shirts Spades let him borrow. The jumpsuit was just plain ugly and Spade's clothes were way to big, which according to the henchmen, they were supposed to look like that.
Jonathan had enough of this, but most of all Scarecrow's patience was wearing thin. Suddenly a crow flew across the room, just before he reached the door. Sure it was just a crow, not very scary. But he hated birds. Besides there wasn't supposed to be a crow inside an apartment. He watched it carefully with widened eyes and trembling hands. His mind raced faster than his heart was now beating desperately trying to tell him it was nothing to be afraid of, that it was a mere hallucination. It failed to convince him.
The crow swooped at him before quickly disappearing. But it had not given up, it appeared before him once again, this time with a blood curdling "caw". It swooped at him once again threatening to peck out his eyes in that black, opened beak. He swatted at it but didn't manage to frighten the imaginary bird. It dipped in and out of his vision for a moment, disappearing and reappearing. Eventually he ran, he quickly made his way back towards the bedroom with Harley and slammed the door.
"Are you okay?" she asked taking notice to his heavy panting.
He nodded.
"Did ya change your mind or somthin'?"
He thought for a moment, he would hate to spend the day alone in a run-down apartment. Doomed to battle off what ever creature his mind involuntarily conjured up. He would probably end up tearing himself to pieces in fear if left unattended. That or wear a dress.
He wiped a cold sweat that was forming on his brow away and then reluctantly nodded a yes to Harley.
Kind of a weird chapter I know, but I was talking (er typing) to MK08 and was inspired by breakfast on pluto and the fact that cillian murphy makes an attractive woman. So I couldn't help myself. Plus it'll be kinda funny in the following chapters.