- Well I've give a short author's note because I feel entitled to. I haven't written a fanfiction in a few years, and this is my first Batman one so it might be abit shaky. I do come back and edit often though so hopefully it'll be in good shape before the story ends. This is purely for practice and as a fun sort of thing to occupy my time with. I enjoyed writing ffs when I did so long ago so I'm hoping I'll find them as equally enjoying now. Sadly the characters might be abit OC, I'm hoping that will get better when I get more used to writing about them.
I appreciate any critic on my writing style, but I prefer you not critic on my story or the way I portray the characters. I'm writing to improve my own style, and the way I depict the characters does not affect that. I do really appreciate your feedback and as long as you're not writing me a huge flame I encourage you to review, as short as it might be. So without further to do here's my fanfiction! I hope you enjoy it! By the way, to give you abit of insight on my story, I'm going to be adding my own flare to the Dark Knight theme. This is because as much as I loved the movie, I find it really fun to add in new characters and see what happens!
Btw. There are not nearly enough Crane fics on here / makes me sad. I decided I might as well add to the collection! And I suck at summaries…really badly.
Disclaimer: I don't own Batmany things…duh
Words:
2,532 (not including the author's note)
Ratings/Warnings:
T-Violence. But that's really all. /
Chapter One
Throughout His entire life Jonathan Crane been surrounded by fear and he could boast in the fact that he had been the main cause of such an emotion. He'd seen people of all sorts cringing in utter horror as they took in the dreaded toxin he had so carefully created. It had always given him a feeling of pride, and power, but all that was gone now. Now his opinion of that sensation was beginning to change. It felt so different when he was the one experiencing it. The thrill of watching someone scream out in terror as he approached them was now replaced by his rapid heart beat. It thundered inside his head, making him want to cover his ears with his hands and yell out to anyone that might be listening.
Fear wasn't so much fun anymore; in fact, it no longer provided him with any comfort or satisfaction. He wasn't powerful anymore, he'd been reminded of that the first time he'd felt himself giving into the emotions. He'd hugged his knees in a rather pathetic way to provide himself with comfort and nearly cried when it didn't come. Oh how he loathed his own human feelings. Surely, all of his enemies would have laughed hysterically at what he'd been reduced to. But, their opinions hardly mattered anymore. So shaming himself didn't feel as bad as it might have if given different circumstances.
Dragging himself out of his own little pool of self-pity, Dr. Crane did his best to sit up and scan the dark room. It was hard to see without his glasses, but he'd lost all hope of getting those back days ago. Obviously, he wasn't the only person aware of how blind he became without them. The fact that the room appeared to have no windows didn't help him either. He held one of his trembling hands out in front of him, gulping down a lump in his throat when he realized he could barely make out his fingers in the black.
He knew someone would probably be coming for him soon. He didn't have long, it seemed to be now or never. Clumsily, he made his way through the dark, feeling around in front of him with his hands and hoping to come across something he could use as a weapon. All his fingers touched was cold wood. Suddenly a flash of color burst into his eyes and he groaned. The door had been opened, from where he did not know, but a wave of golden and orange burnt into his eyes like the suns rays. He'd been in the black too long and his eyes had become sensitive to too much of any other color at once.
A small grin curled onto his bleeding lips as he felt something cool and smooth beneath his right hand. He grabbed it and pulled it close to him quickly, making sure the person who had just entered the room did not notice it as he tried to hid it behind his back. Some sort of pipe, whatever it was it would certainly prove useful. If he expected to get out of here; he definitely needed a weapon. However, these men most probably had guns and against fire power he stood little chance. On the upside, at least the bullets would put him out of his misery quickly. He mentally kicked himself for having such a thought.
He was tired, in fact, his whole body was exhausted. His captors had decided that playing around with him would be a great way to pass the time whislt they waited for Gotham's well-known Vigilante to show up like he usually did in situations such as this. But, Crane knew better than anyone that Batman was not coming. The fiend had left him here, to die. He just wished the people holding him here would get the point and either kill him or let him go. He had no way of telling how long he'd been in here considering what the dark and the cold were doing to his senses. His hands trembled constantly, probably from the adrenaline rush that came from all the dread this place was giving him. The numerous scrapes and bruises didn't hurt nearly as much as what they'd done to his face. Drawing his free left hand to his cheek and traced down the long cuts that now adorned his facial features. They still stung and continued to bleed but he had no way of stopping that. He'd barely said a word since the wounds had been inflicted considering the fact that it hurt like heck to talk.
"Good Afternoon Doctor," Crane's grip on the pipe behind him tightened as he heard a sadistic voice speak his name. White knuckles clutched the weapon, ready to slam it into the other man's head when the perfect time arose. He dared not speak, the pain in his mouth keeping him from making a sound.
"I'm sure you found your accommodations quite…comfortable…"Just a few more steps and he'd be within striking range. Crane's heart pounded as he heard the rising and falling of each step. The voice continued to go on but he couldn't concentrate on the words. Only a few more now…three….two….one!
Without warning he lunged forward at the shadowy figure and swung the pipe in his hand as hard as he could manage. His daring plan was put to an end quickly though as the pipe was caught in the hands of the person it had been aimed to hit. The man gave a blood-chilling cackle. The pipe was wrenched from Crane's shaking hands.
"Did you honestly think," He mused in his usual lazy voice,"That would do you any good?"He was shoved back onto the ground by a harsh kick. Refusing to cry out and cause himself even more pain he bit down hard on his already bleeding lower lip. The blood tasted salty and metallic in his mouth.
"Now now," his enemy teased, "No need to get all worked up just yet!" He sounded excited, that couldn't be good. As if by que, the light's suddenly turned out. Their intensity made Jonathan close his eyes tightly.
"Lookie what I've got here." He didn't want to. He didn't want to open his now watering eyes. He wanted this to all be some sort of dream, one that he could wake himself out of. A sharp stinging sensation in his face made his eyes bolt open. Standing in front of him was none other than the Joker with a small digital camecorder in hand. He wore the same malicious smile as usual, one that Crane knew was not a good sign.
"We're going to send a little something to our dear batty friend today." He declared in a sort of sing-song manner. Crane's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the batman. He was sure by now that Bruce was just fine leaving him to die in this place. After all that had happened he'd expected abit more…but that was a story for another time. Right now he needed to focus on the Joker who was now setting the camcorder up on a stand while humming a tune to himself.
"Allright now…try not to act too… serious." Crane would have rolled his eyes but more lights suddenly shot on. The room was practically white from the light golden colored hue that was shining down from all areas of the ceiling. His hands flew up to shield his burning eyes.
A rough hand grabbed a fist full of Crane's black locks and pulled his head in front of the small camera screen. He groaned
slightly as he noticed the green button shining, proving to him that these men had found even more ways to torment him. His body shook violently, his scalp was beginning to burn but the Joker did not let him go, instead he just held him there, face to face with the recording device. Utter Humiliation.
"Action."He grinned and laughed.
--
Bruce Wayne was sitting in his study room, reading through the Gotham newspaper and searching for anything interesting when his butler interrupted him. He set the newspaper down as the older man walked over to the TV screen and searched out the remote.
"Master Wayne I think we best be turning on the TV now." Bruce raised an eyebrow.
"Is something wrong Alfred?" The butler did not reply. Instead, he pressed a red button with his finger and shocking scene came into focus on the tv screen. Both were completely silent as the watched the broadcast screening on their TV with horror.
"Hello there Batman," Bruce shuddered as he heard a familiar voice. But how did he know…how did the Joker know to send a tape to batman here? Bruce's thoughts of the batman were all but silenced as the Joker laughed and pulled something into the area being show on the TV. His heart skipped a beat. There was Jonathan Crane, the man who had been missing for the last week and causing him quite a lot of worry and concern. He'd disappeared out of the blue so quickly that Bruce had known something had to be up.
Blood dribbled down Crane's forehead as the Joker continued to hold him by his hair, but, that wasn't the part that caught Bruce's attention. The first time he saw it he had prayed it was only a trick, make up or paint perhaps but when his eyes got a better look he knew what he was seeing was not false.
"The Doctor here was always so serious," The Joker mused," I decided I'd give him abit of a more…happy…face." Too long slashes started at the edge's of Jonathan's mouth and continued in an upward curve across his face. Crimson dripped madly from the deep cut's. Jonathan moaned under the mad man's grasp and Bruce could have sworn he say him shaking. Big blue eyes stared into the camera screen with a mixture of shame and utter fear. They begged for release.
Bruce slammed his fist against the coffee table but Alfred did not jump. His eyes remained glued to the screen.
"You see I have abit of a proposition to make," Joker smirked as he pulled out something shiny from the pocket of his pants,"Little Jonathan here is getting abit…unentertaining." Crane's blue eyes darted from the skinny blade that the Joker now held ad the camera screen. He tried desperately to struggle against the firm grasp. The Joker let out another chuckle as he leaned down and drew closer to the terrified man.
"And all I want to do is have a nice little chat, between men as decent as you and myself. So how about it? I'm sure the three of us would have quite a chummy little time together!" Jonathan's left hand came up to push the Joker's face away but he drew back quickly as it was slashed.
"See I have such a hard time making him smile." Bruce's eyes filled with horror and his butler appeared to be both concerned and disgusted at the same time, both watched in utter silence. Jonathan let out a whimper as the razor was placed at the corner of his mouth right where one of the healing scars lay. Bruce suddenly shot up in his seat, eyes blazing with anger.
Try as he might Jonathan was easily overpowered, he let out a blood curling yelp as the blade reopened the gash across his cheek, making it even bigger this time. The Joker twisted and turned the razor, making it as slow and painful as possible. He couldn't scream…no…if he did it would hurt too much. He had to keep quiet but it was so hard. Each grueling second seemed to take so long to pass by. He could still see the green light shining, oh poor Bruce having to watch this. And then suddenly he heard a scream that made his heart race. It was so painful.
"Turn it off Alfred!" Bruce barked, not wanting to watch anymore. The butler did as he was told and looked at Bruce crossly as the tv screen turned black. Both sat in an awkward silence for a moment. Neither was sure of how to respond to what they had just seen.
"What do you intend to do sir?"Alfred asked the now trembling Billionaire. Bruce shook his head, looking at bit hopeless. He had just realized that he had ordered the tv turned off before the Joker had finished making his proposition. Not to say he expected him to tell them much of anything. Surely that madman wouldn't have given them much information anyways. This was probably just another one of his games, the type that made everyone but the Joker himself miserable. Bruce didn't expect a man who loved fun and games so much to make it easier for his enemies to win.
"I don't know Alfred…what should I do?"Bruce replied honestly, admitting defeat with a frown.
"Well with all do respect sir this is Batman's mess to fix and I think he should do just that." Bruce gave him a puzzled look as he plopped back down on the soft couch. He leaned his head back and gave a small groan. He was frustrated. Tired of all the people whom he cared about getting into situations like this one because of his other half. Nothing about his life felt secure anymore. It seemed like Batman was always messing things up for Bruce Wayne, or Mr. Wayne was making things harder for Batman.
"Master Bruce,"Alfred's voice interrupted his angsty thoughts," I believe whatever you choose to do, it should be done quickly." What?
"And why is that Alfred?" He was looking him in the eyes now, giving him a sort of friendly but challenging stare. Alfred never lost his clam and seemingly omniscient composure.
"Because sir, if they knew to send that recording here than they must know Batman's real identity." Bruce's heart sunk. Up until now, he hadn't put much thought into how the madman had been able to reach him. As much as he wanted to deny it, his true name being revealed was the only possible answer. Suddenly he was beginning to feel even more poorly. Crane knew his true identity…had he told him? Bruce shook his head. Everything was turning from bad to worse. Moments ago he had been peacefully reading the newspaper; things had changed so quickly it was almost hard to grasp. He pressed his hand against his forehead, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Sir I might be of some assistance…"Bruce looked up from his moping, "I believe I recognized the building they were in."
"Are you serious Alfred?" He nodded, Bruce found it hard not to get his hopes up. If only just a little bit.
"Yes. When your father was building that public train they were in need of something that I went to that warehouse building to obtain." He stopped, as though his memory was foggy.
"What was it?" Bruce asked impatiently, wondering how this would help him get to the Joker faster.
"Explosives, Sir, I went there to buy…explosives."
--
BOOOOOMMMM! No jk, that's the end of the first chapter. It gets better - I wrote this before school started, so it's been about a month. It took me that long to post it! I'm such a perfectionist when it comes to what I write. There are a few sentences that I felt were out of character, but sometime's it's hard to find more "manly" words to replace the wimpy sounding ones! xD
As a side note. I don't enjoy writing fanfics that are focused around one character so you guys can expect to read about a lot more characters soon! Batman is one of the few series where I actually do not hate any of the characters. So you'll probably be seeing an equal amount of everyone! Oh and I also love writing about romance…so yeah…watch my stupidly violent story develop into something gushy!