The Archivist of Gotham (The Magnus Archive × Batman Fanfic)

Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The hunt for Scarecrow (Part 4)

      " Statement of Jonathan Crane, a Gotham Villain who was also known as a scarecrow of Gotham City making a statement about the events of his childhood and the most important lesson in his life.. Statement Begins. "

The sound of statics..

" I was born out of wedlock. My great grandmother and grandmother were angry that my mother have stained the Keeny family name. "

Distorted voices..

" When I was born I was told that it was a spindly little spider. "

" My grandmother suggested that I should be buried in the Atrium. It wasn't out of pity that I was saved. "

" My great grandmother did her best to maintain me... Could you even call it maintaining? "

" Great Granny named me Jonathan after the boy she never had. She clothed me, she fed me and she raise me. When she deemed it appropriate, she punished me. "

" Corporal punishment, bed without dinner, the ongoing hell of working in our old cornfield. We had little money. Granny was old.. me working in the cornfield was more of Granny's sadistic delight than a necessary punishment. Watching my frail young body work under the merciless intense light and heat of the Georgia sun and the biting flies, Granny was insane.. You see? "

" I still remember a word that Granny told me when I was young. It resonated with me. “ We don't pray for this money in this house, we wait for the sign of the Lord. ” At that time, I just wanted to go in Halloween so that I could alleviate my hunger with the candy that I would gathered. But Granny wouldn't have it. She seen the Halloween as the Devil's Holiday... "

" It wasn't granny who takes a sadistic delight in my pain. The kids always gang up on me. Bullying and calling me handrail, freak and Scarecrow. They have taken my favorite when I was a child, threatening me to burn the book. I manage to save it from them. But Granny discovered it and shamed me when It was found under the bed. "

" She then decided we go to the church. The old and dilapidated church with broken roofs. She made me wear my best sunday clothes. Going to the church so she would have me cleansed because of what she thought as a perverted book. She left me there alone and locked the door. I can still hear her singing Amazing Grace. I hated that song so bad. Then from the skies..  My nightmares began. Lot of crows from the sky started swarming inside the church and started flocking towards me. Hurting me with their beaks. I screamed for help, I begged granny, I prayed for the Lord that she worshipped. None of them came as I was attacked by hundreds and hundreds of crows. "

" Those crows were part of my whole childhood. I then discovered something awful. Those wild flock of crows? She trained them. She have my clothes dose with a blood of vermin, home-grown herbs and other chemicals. Simmer for 4 minutes with low flame. That's the recipe for creating a pheromone that would attract those flock of crows whenever I entered the church or aviary. "

" It was the defining moment of my life. A lesson learned from my Granny. The two most powerful forces on earth. Fear and Control... and anyone could used them. Even me, the little spindly scarecrow Jonathan Crane. "

Beneath his mask, Scarecrow was gasping for his breathe. Trying to control his out of control breathe as he continued on telling his life story.

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" I apologize for forcing out your life story out of you Mr. Jonathan. "

" What did you do to me? Answer me, boy! "

" I am hungry, Mr. Jonathan. That's what happened. I should be full... Why? Oh, Squire. Are you alright? This is looking bad for my resume as a isn't? My first night as a Vigilante but I am already acting as a villain.. "

" You should have became a villain, boy. "

" You recover fast Mr. Jonathan.. "

" Don't call me by my name! "

" Oops! Sorry... I made a blunder. So Mr. Scarecrow, how about I deliver you to Arkham Asylum now. "

" I have no interest on accepting your offer. "

" Well, I guess I have no choice. The Painting it is.. "

There was a sound of something rustling as the Archivist rummage through under his cape.

" What are you doing boy? Do you think a horrible and ugly painting woud–"

Scarecrow's voice was mocking the Archivist before it became distorted and the Scarecrow was gone.

" What did you do?! "

" Don't worry, I just pulled him into the painting then I would later release him once we arrive at the Arkham Asylum. Oh!.. The Cassette Tape is still working huh.. How I would turn it off? Ah! Thanks Eye Fear God. Statement Ends. "

All of the vigilantes frowned after listening to the audio through their communicator. The audio was from Squire recording the entire whole thing at the One Gotham Center cinema. Oracle have managed to retrieve the audio. Even it has a lot of missing pieces and there were the sound of statics and the voices would become distorted.

" As Archivist have promised. He have released scarecrow from his painting and sent Scarecrow back in Arkham Asylum with Squire. "

Oracle told everyone through the comms.

" Is everyone disturbed from what they heard? It's creepy. Nightmare inducing even. So we have a new vigilante.. He was looking more like a new Gotham Villain by what he pulled. "

Night Wing muttered in the comms which was heard by every vigilante which have their communicators on.

" He wasn't human. Is he related to Sinestro? The things that he have done, it makes me remember the yellow lantern rings. "

Black Canary said. Everyone thought that her suggestion seems plausible.

" He haven't hurt Squire. "

The Knight told everyone. While everyone has opinions on the new budding vigilante or Gotham villain, Huntress then decided to asked something important.

" So, where is little D now? "

There was a sound of groan from Robin through the comms followed by sighing.

" Oracle you have confused us earlier with your message. But, we understand it now. To answer your question Huntress, the gremlin is back here in the Batcave and brought back the body with him. "

" Body? "

The batgirl asked.

" His classmate's corpse. "