And now, ladies and gentlemen, here we are. The final battle between Becky and Friitawa is here. The fate of both Gotham and Jonathan's fate hangs in the balance. Let me tell you, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I loved writing it.
By the way, minor change in Scarebeast's height. Having only read the As the Crow Flies wiki page, I didn't know his relative scale to Gotham's structures, so I made up my own. So if it kinda seems like Godzilla, that's because that was the best thing I could compare that form to.
Becky Albright was dying. All around her lay broken shards of glass, the chemicals covering most of her body as they seeped into the cuts and scrapes left from the blast from earlier, which had reopened while she was fighting Friitawa. She was barely conscious, not even having the strength to move any part of her body.
The chemicals burned like fire on her wounds, inflaming them into a sickly blotchy red. She would have screamed from the pain, if she had enough strength to scream.
And as she heard the roar of the Scarebeast, all she could think about was how she had failed. Everyone had depended on her to fight off Friitawa, and yet she couldn't. She could barely get a hit in. She could barely even stand her blows, as the woman hit with strength that far surpassed her own and with a speed she could barely avoid.
I'm so sorry, Jonathan, she thought, a single tear sliding down her cheek, her chest only barely rising and falling as she struggled to breath. I did everything I could. I just…wasn't strong…enough.
And with a final sigh, Becky Albright found herself falling into the dark depths of oblivion.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Suddenly, a finger twitched.
Then another.
Her heart started to beat
Her chest started to rise and fall as she started to take in little gulps of air.
And then, her eyes opened.
And only one thought, like a newborn phoenix, burned through her mind as she rose to her feet: Vengeance
Becky Albright was no more. All that was left was her silent Scream.
Friitawa looked up as the overcast skies poured down rain, thunder booming in the distance as the rain put out many of the fires that had been caused during the Scarebeast's destruction.
She smiled savagely, the rain pelting her skin, and she welcomed it. Now, the Scarebeast's greatest weakness, fire, was useless against him and nothing, short of a bomb, could stop him now.
Her sensitive ears picked up the sound of a foot splashing into a puddle of water. She turned, and her eyes widened in shock as she saw Becky standing before her, her formerly hazel eyes glowing a vivid poisonous yellow-green, eyes the same color of Crane's fear toxin, her scythe held in front of her, ready for the scientist to make a move.
But she only showed her shock for a moment, before masking her shock with contempt. "Hmph, so you survived. I'm impressed. It seems that Scarecrow didn't just chose you because of your pretty face."
The only response she got from Scream was an animalistic snarl as she stepped forward with her left leg, her emerald eyes glaring into the rubicund eyes of Friitawa.
"But still, there is only room for one Mistress of Fear. And unfortunately for you, that title is mine!" she roared, surging towards the woman with the speed of a thunderclap, her scythe slicing through the air, aiming straight for Scream's neck.
Only to strike empty air as Scream seemed to vanish from her previous spot and struck Friitawa in the back, sending her falling forward.
"You dare!" Friitawa snarled, her eyes filled with fury as she rose to her feet, now on the defensive, as she now knew how much power Becky held now that she was consumed by the primal fury of the serum.
Scream roared, her teeth bared as she attacked Friitawa, her scythe a flurry of motion as she whipped it around, her arms a blur as she swung with the speed of a miniature tornado.
This time, it was Friitawa who was barely holding off the woman's attacks, the ferocity of the blows causing her to slowly retreat from her position as the scientist struggled to stand.
Then, with a swift leg sweep, the albino fell, and found her neck just inches from the blade of Scream's scythe as the woman stood above her, her eyes burning like the lava from an erupting volcano.
But Friitawa just started to laugh. "What are you waiting for, plucky Becky? Go ahead! Kill me! Strike me down!
Scream raised her scythe, and Linda lashed out, cutting her across the chin as the albino leapt up. "So much for the 'no-kill' rule. Is justice not enough for you anymore?"
Scream hesitated at her words, her hesitation allowing Friitawa an opening as the scientist slashed her across her midsection, blood coating the edge of the blade. The woman fell to the ground, panting for breath.
"Don't you see? Your morals make you weak, Rebecca. Why can't you let go of all those tedious burdens and submit to the fear that you feel? I can sense it in you. You may hide it behind that mask of yours, but I know that deep in your heart, you're terrified. So, come on. Unleash it! Let everybody know that you are not to be trifled with! I know you have it in you. He wouldn't have chosen you if you didn't have that anger and resentment," she said, frustrated. Why wasn't she trying to kill her? She knew that the girl was holding back, unwilling to let the true power and influence of the serum take effect. If she had, she wouldn't have had enough time to lash out and hit Rebecca before the blow was dealt.
"No!" Scream growled, slowly rising to her feet, her hand leaving her wound to reveal that the otherwise fatal blow had healed.
As Friitawa slashed at her again, Scream parried with her scythe, throwing the scientist a few feet as she pushed back, forcing the woman's strength against her.
Friitawa's eyes widened. "That's impossible," she gasped, barely avoiding Scream's counterattack. That weak, pathetic girl couldn't possibly have the strength to not only stand up to her strongest blow, but to push her back. The serum by itself couldn't do that. The Scarebeast formula could, but that would mean that she would have to give in to her rage and fear, fear especially. She couldn't do that and still remain that calm and in control to keep herself from killing her. "The serum can't do that. It can't."
But then, that's when she saw Scream's arms shaking, a common sign of fear and anxiety. And suddenly, she connected the dots, and for the first time in over seven years, she felt herself stricken with fear. "There's no way… that's impossible! One person cannot have that much willpower."
With a snarl, Scream lunged forward, grabbing the handle of Friitawa's scythe and forced the scientist down, curling the handle until it wrapped tightly around her arms and torso.
Friitawa struggled and twisted, only to find that she couldn't break out. "So, what are you going to do to me? Kill me?"
"Never….kill…"Scream growled before yanking the mind controller off of her wrist and smashing it in her hand.
Instantly, the Scarebeast stopped, finding himself able to move again. With a roar, he charged towards the warehouse, ready to finally end the one person that had caused him so much pain and suffering.
Scream turned away from Friitawa, staring straight into the furious eyes of the Scarebeast as he charged her, his eyes blazing with fury.
She raised her hand out in front of her, her stance firm and her face calm as she faced the charging behemoth.
And the Scarebeast slowed down, coming to a complete stop inches from her outstretched palm.
"Scream," he rumbled, his feral eyes locked on to her as she stood before him, her long, curly hair, free from its mask, blowing behind her.
She smiled, her eyes looking up at him trustingly as she reached out to touch him.
Turning his head, the Scarebeast suddenly spotted the albino scientist and growled, causing Becky to push herself backwards as he lifted his massive, wooden arm.
Only for a batarang to fly out and hit him in the eye causing him to roar in pain as he scrabbled to get the sharp, irritating object out.
Scream looked in the direction that the batarang had come from to find all the members of the Justice League with their weapons drawn, all aiming towards the Scarebeast.
It roared, its massive tongue slithering out of its mouth as it lunged at the superheroes, its teeth gnashing in anger as they scattered around him like flies, attacking him left and right with either their superpowers or weapons to stop him.
Scream shook her head. It was futile to keep attacking the Scarebeast. The creature couldn't be stopped that way.
That was when she spotted Batman, his black form weaving around the other superheroes as he dodged the Scarebeast's attacks, his hand clutching something shiny and metallic. The woman recognized it instantly.
It was a syringe.