This is a story I thought up sometime after seeing Batman Begins (Super awesome movie!), anyway the scarecrow is this little one-shot would be modeled after the one seen in the movie. I guess I could make this a chaptered story if people like enough, oh well, I leave it to you. Enjoy.
You can't scare me
The shadowy silhouette of a girl flew overhead above the darkened rooftops of Jump City. Starfire zoomed across the maze-like form of city blocks to the city's diamond exchange. That night they had received tips on multiple hits on various locations throughout the city, forcing to the team to split up. Robin took the first national bank, Cyborg was assigned to the Jump City center for mechanical research, Raven was sent to the art museum, and Beast Boy was ordered to secure a foreign embassy building. Starfire landed on the roof of a building adjacent to the diamond exchange and observed the surrounding area. She spotted to masked guards at each of the points of entry. She drew her communicator and flicked it open.
"Robin this Starfire, please respond." A moment's silence.
"Go ahead," came Robin's voice.
"I have arrived at the city's exchange of diamonds; it does indeed seem to be in a state of disturbance."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes; the security personnel certainly do not appear to be employed there," she reported. Robin sighed.
"Alright, move in. I've taken care of the bank so I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Understood."
"And Starfire…" She paused. "Be careful, if it's really who I think it is in there..." She smiled and nodded.
"I will Robin, Starfire out." She pocketed her comm. Link and scanned the building for the best way inside.
A man walked swiftly past scattered groups of people sprawled out on the floor. Many of them lay twitching and breathing madly as if they had just received a violent electric shock. He stopped in the middle of the room and checked his wrist watch.
"A little speed would be most appreciated people," he whined. He stereotypically masked henchmen carried away bags and bags of seized diamonds into the back room. The man looked up at the ceiling impatiently and was about to make another comment when a loud thud was suddenly heard outside. He set his gaze on the door leading in and in the next second it was blasted open by a green ball of energy. The man casually stuck a piece of gum in his mouth and motioned for two of his men to take care of whatever was going on out there. They disappeared through the smoke but promptly returned by flying back threw and slamming up against the back wall. He looked back at his two men with raised eyebrows. He turned back just in time to see Starfire glide into the room and light her fists and emerald eyes.
"You are Dr. Crane yes?" He gave her a nod of the head.
"You're a Teen Titan, Starfire right? I've read all about you, you're really pretty."
"While that is flattering and…frightening in the same instance, I am afraid you will find no more success than you did in Gotham city." Crane put a hand to his ear.
"I'm sorry did you mention something about being frightened?" Starfire swallowed but stood her ground.
"I have been told of your ways, you cannot scare me!" He took off his glasses and polished the already clean lenses.
"Pretty girl I've been studying fear my entire life." He put his glasses back on and took a step towards her. "It surrounds us; it penetrates us at the deepest level; bringing our most ghoulish and terrifying nightmares to life. It is almost hypnotic in the way it works its magic on our minds. The truth is we are all completely controlled by our worst fears." Feeling extremely unease at the moment Starfire held up one of her charged fists.
"That is quite enough, I am asking you now to surrender and come willing." Crane cocked his head and narrowed his eyes.
"You truly don't think I can scare you?"
"I do not," she replied with resolve. He nodded.
"That may be true, but we both know who can. The Scarecrow can frighten anyone he wantsssss."
"You are indeed mad."
"Hmp, I know, I can also see you have a thing for guys with masks. Have you seen mine?" He pulled a brown burlap looking mask out of his back pocket and placed it over his head. His eyes were covered with two black see-through patches and the mouth piece was raggedly sewn together with black thread. "It's really spooky isn't it?" Starfire began moving forward.
"That is quite enough; you will come with me now please"-
"You will breathe deep!" He reached forward and a puff of smoke shot out from his sleeve and into her face. She staggered backward coughing and hacking along the way. With her hand on her chest she looked back up and the suddenly the Scarecrow's mask was all she could see. An unearthly screech poured out form it making her cover her ears and crawl back as far as she could. Her whole world then began to spin and all she could see his face and a myriad of terrible shadows bombarding her.
"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screeched and moved all the way into the corner. He grabbed her head and forced her to look at him.
"TELL ME YOU'RE GREASTED FEAR! Let me inside your mind! Youuuu-Cannnn't-Hiiiide-Frommm meeee," he tortured her in a sing song voice while continually cascading the bloodcurdling images upon her. She looked past him and saw of shadowy forms of her teammates being melted and pulled down below the ground. While trying to shield herself from everything else she frantically reached out to them.
"FRIENDS! NO! COME BACK!" Amidst her undying screaming and twitching Scarecrow stood over her in an ecstasy of pleasure.
"You cannot save them, you could never save them," he said in raspy voice. "You're allll alone here, allll alone forever and ever and ever." He heard the end of a struggle from the backroom and turned in its direction. He then heard the unmistakable sound of a throwing weapon. "Now this sounds familiar…" He walked away from Starfire who was still in the floor trying to defend herself from nothing. "Could he really have followed me here? Is it Mr. Batman?"
"No, but your close!" He wheeled around and Robin's fist connected with Scarecrow's face. The masked villain stumbled backward into a standing shelf and shook his head.
"Boy Wonder, long time no see." He raised his hand but Robin grabbed his wrist and punched the small tube up his sleeve shut. With an irritated growl Scarecrow swung at the boy wonder with a left and a right missing him both times. Robin whipped out his bo-staff and as he brought it around for a blow to the head his enemy sprayed him with his other hand. Robin was immediately met with never ending flashes of when his parents were killed or possible deaths for his teammates, Starfire in particular, anything that would drive him insane. Amidst the illusions Robin managed to convince himself that none of it was real for a mere second and knocked Scarecrow in the back of the head. The psychotic villain hit the floor and was out like light. His teeth gritted from the stress Robin quickly reached into his belt and gave himself the antidote. He took in a number of deep breaths and saw Starfire still waving her arms around and screaming at nothing but air. He ran up to her and as he approached she saw him but in the form of a winged demon.
"S-STAY BACK! DO NOT APPROACH ME!" She shot a few scattered starbolts in his direction making him roll forward to avoid them. In one swift movement he reached around her and injected her with the very same antidote. He world slowly calmed back to its actual form and her vision now detected Robin at her side. "ROBIN!" Without a second thought she hugged him tightly and surrendered to the tears that now streamed down her face. He gently put his arms around her and rubbed her back.
"Shhhh, its okay Star, it's all over now. Its okay." He slowly rocked her back and forth to try and ease back into a state of calmness. She continued to wet his shoulder with tears crying her heart out.
LATER BACK AT THE TOWER…………………….
Robin had waited with Starfire while the other Titans and local authorities made their way inside the building. When they arrive Starfire absolutely refused to let go of Robin and eventually had to be sedated in order to be brought back to the Tower for proper treatment. They took her to sickbay and left Raven to do one of the things she does best. The three of them decided to wait in the common room for Raven to deliver her diagnosis .Raven entered the common room while the Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy paced about in random directions. Beast Boy was first to notice her and tapped Robin on the shoulder. They all ran up to her.
"How is she," asked Robin.
"Aside from extremely high levels of adrenaline and serotonin she's fine…physically."
"I have a feeling there's bad news to this," said Cyborg. Raven nodded with a 'well ya think' look.
"Mentally and emotionally she's a wreck." They all let out breaths of despair.
"What did he do to her," asked Beast Boy. Robin responded…
"He gassed her with a panic causing hallucinogen. It's very poisonous and depending on the victim eventually kills them from insanity."
"Fortunately though Robin gave her the antidote with plenty of time to spare," added Raven. Robin however shook his head and frowned in self-frustration.
"It's my fault." Cyborg rolled his eyes.
"Oh come on Rob how can it possibly be your fault?"
"I sent her after that nutcase even when she clearly didn't know what she was up against, not fully anyway. I ordered her into a situation unprepared, and she could've been killed."
"But she's not Dude; you did save her didn't you?" Robin thought for a moment then nodded his head.
"Well, yeah I guess I sort of did"-
"Sooo that would make it…not your fault," concluded Beast Boy. He gave Robin a crooked smile, of which Robin could only smile back.
"Right, I'm just glad she's not hurt."
"Yes I'll bet you are," said Raven. "But she's company right now; she's in her room on her bed and wide awake. If she hears so much as a fly sneezing she lets loose a starbolt or two. You need to help her get it back together before she goes completely bonzo." Robin nodded and headed out of the common room. Raven went over to the couch and took up where she left off in her latest book. Cyborg and Beast Boy stood around for a moment.
"So," said Cyborg. "How'd things go at the embassy?"
"What? Oh they went fine, they were great. I got there and I was all like 'Hey! Bad Dude! Better Stop in the name of the law!' And he was all like 'No way die man!' and after a tooth to claw fight I finally took him down." He finished his story with a nodding smile.
"So he got away right," said Cyborg with an unimpressed expression. Beast Boy opened his mouth to argue but found he just couldn't come up with a single thing. Cyborg led him over to the game station. "Hey don't worry about it man, these things happen. I know what'll cheer ya up; I'll beat you a couple times on Dinosaurs for Hire."
JOINING ROBIN………………
He approached her door and began rehearsing some of what he was sure he was going to say. He stopped before the entrance barrier labeled STARFIRE and gave her sure knocks. Inside her room Starfire's head snapped in the direction of her door. She sat on her bed and hugged a pillow tightly to her side.
"W-Who is there?"
"Its me, Robin."
"Please Enter," she replied her voice almost sounding like a plead. He walked in and watched her sitting stiff as a two by four. He took a few more steps inside and the door closed behind him with a snap.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"I am, adequate." She gave him a weak smile.
"Adequate? Star you aren't trying to fool me are you," he asked sitting down next to her. "Listen I know he scared you and I want to help, please, what's wrong?" Starfire sighed and looked around her room with new apprehension.
"Things have not been the same since after my battle with the 'Scarer of Crows' everything now seems to have its own malevolence about it. I feel like it is slowly but surely descending upon me, especially in my slumber. Oh Robin my enemy succeeded fully in his endeavor and even more so, he frightened me most…adequately and he is continuing to do so." She let herself sink down to her pillows and she stared straight ahead. Robin set a hand down on her shoulder and her eyes slowly closed.
"You don't have to be afraid of him, none of what he said or showed you was real."
"Robin, I do not believe I will ever be able to resume my duties again. I have become a liability to this time; I ask permission to be officially relieved of active duty." Robin shook his head.
"Permission denied Star." She looked back up at him with perplexity. "You can't let a bad experience keep you from carrying out your responsibilities."
"Had you experienced it yourself I believe you may have a different point of vi"-
"I did experience it!" He made her jump slightly. "Not just back there but many many times before that. Each time I thought I was going t go nuts, but each time I got back on my feet faster because I grew to realize that none of it was real. I understand what you saw Star, it was probably indescribable in its ugliness." He held her face and brushed a tear away with his thumb. "You don't need to be afraid; we're all here for you. I'm here you. I'll always be there for you."
"You will promise?" There it was, 'promise, the one thing he had tired t avoid. If it was one thing Robin hated it was disappointing Starfire, he never wanted to make a promise he wasn't sure he could keep. He was then met with two large green eyes pouring into his; they begged him to understand their apparent love. He nodded.
"Okay, I promise." A smile spread across her face and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you Robin, so very much." It was from there that their special bond could only grow into something even more deep and intimate than passing friendship.
SO! How'd you like it? It was my first one-shot so go easy on me alright? The problem I've always had was I could never think of anything that would last only one chapter. It seems no matter what I do all of my ideas go to at least six or seven chapters, at the minimum.