Fear's Famine [Ra's]

[Jonathan Crane - Scarecrow]

He would have never said it to anyone….The words would have never left his mouth. The weight of his chest fatigued him, the taste of Edward on his lips distracted him. He’d been a wreck for at least a week now and he knew he looked it. Alone tonight, he should have taken Miss Glass with him but he didn’t want her to see him like this either….No, he didn’t care how she thought of him, she just didn’t need to be here. His supply had run out completely, he didn’t have one petal left. Of course he still had vials of fear toxin left but that was going to run out. Eventually we wasn’t going to have anything left to use. The thought caused his chest to ache further.

The reality of what he’d done was beginning to weigh on him, but what could he do? He moved down the alley way, several people coming to his mind. He needed anything to come to his mind to have a distraction. Tonight he didn’t want to focus on what he needed to do next. The only thing he could think of to do would be to try and win his favor again, but that wasn’t so simple. The man would be more likely to lock him up for a century. No, he couldn’t go back, not empty handed and not like this. There had to be a better way.

Edward’s offer came to his mind once again. The night it had all happened he had offered to free him of Ra’s personally. If it hadn’t been Edward he would have never believed him but Edward wasn’t one to suddenly take up lying. Was it possible that he found a way to grow them out of their natural environment? The thought was sobering as the truth came to him. Even if it was, the deal was certainly off the table now. The night he had offered was the very same night Dr. Stenet came in to wreak havoc upon him. He was an accomplice in that act, but he didn’t expect what would happen. How was he supposed to know what the woman could truly do unless he’d seen it for himself? He’d tried to correct things, but everything got out of hand so quickly.

He shook the thought from his head and wrested against a cold wall in the ally. These distractions weren’t helping him any with the pressing thought that wouldn’t leave his mind. He had to do something and that something had to be soon. With as closely as Miss Glass followed him, eventually she was going to notice something was wrong. He had already been spending enough time out of the lab as it was and that was odd for him. Eventually she would catch on and start to inquire. He didn’t care what she thought, he told himself. It was what he should have been occupying his time with that mattered most.

The doctor found a corner that opened into the street. It was a turning section on to main with two buildings surrounding it and a long ally that divided between them. Across the street was a lone streetlight, not much different from the one he was under now at the corner of the alleyway opening. He let his back lean against the corner and slid down it. The rough brick from the walls scratched his back through his shirt, but he hardly felt it. He’d lost the ability to feel in his back so long ago. It would take a deep cut for him to even notice something had happened. He slid down until he was able to sit on the sidewalk. He put his arms over his knees to hang loosely and opened. His mind continued to churn thoughts of what could have been.

[Deleted]

"Jonathan." A voice spoke from the shadows, the voice of the demon.
"You have failed me, dear boy." He said. "You sent that....enchantress to my home, to my sanctuary and now she holds what you require so." He says, suddenly a sound of a sword exiting it's sheath can be heard.
"I could kill you, you know how our work is, Jon. I'd give you the petals, the flowers and you would use them to make the toxin, giving me a quarter of every batch in case I require it." With that, the shadowy voice came face to face with the scrawny man.
"You have failed me, to think I could ever consider you my successor." He says, without a warning he wraps a firm grip around Jon's throat.

"Now, Jonathan. You have disobeyed me and given my name, endangering the both of us." He says, with his other hand he strikes Jon's stomach, he squeezed harder on his throat. Ra's felt the urge to just snap his twig of a neck. He knew he could. But Jonathan was one of his informants. He would give petals, in turn he would receive information and a small batch of toxin delivered to him. But after Poison Ivy, Ra's had lost all respect for Jonathan.

He lets go of Jon, the force of it almost enough to force Jon against the wall.

"I trusted you, and you took away my trust. Now I must take something of yours." He says, pulling out his katana. "What about that sidekick you've been carrying around? How much does she mean to you?" He asks.
"Or would you me take a limb?" His lips were forming his signature devilish smirk.
Ra's was slipping in and out, thanks to the Lazarus. It's effect, especially on his mental side was getting stronger.
He seemed more bloodthirsty, more violent.
But to Ra's, he needed to be.
"Your choice Jonathan."
He delivers another punch, but this time to Jon's face.
He couldn't stop it, the Lazarus was taking control of Ra's.

[Jonathan Crane - Scarecrow]

His eyes widened as an ominous voice came from the dark. For a moment he thought he might have slipped into a dream, which was even worse for him. The doctor never slept, with good reason. Losing the waking world wasn’t a good idea for him as his past filled his mind when he slept. But that voice was far too close to the present to be anything from the past. His heart pounded in his chest as he listened to him. Enchantress? The doctor started movement now, trying to leave. He needed to run, he had to get away from him. He was going to kill him and there was no other option.

But before he could stammer up Ra’s came out of the dark and grabbed him by the throat. The doctor struggled in his grip, his frame betraying him to be heavy enough. Ra’s was able to lift him with ease. From the years of malnutrition and lack of sleep his body was skinny and light. Even when he was young he was never able to gain much and he suffered under the constant barrage of insults because of it. He had been thrown around plenty since he became an adult. There were very few Vigilante or Professional that couldn’t throw him across the room if they wanted to. Ra’s was no exception to this and he showed his power over him with ease.

The doctor choked in his grasp and tried to pry his fingers off his throat. Any more pressure and he was sure the man would lift him from the floor and hang him on the wall. Even if he wanted to speak he couldn’t, the man’s grip on his throat was tightening, but he didn’t dare try to interrupt him. He knew about what he had to tell Poison Ivy, but that wasn’t a surprise to him. Ra’s usually knew about everything he did, the man stalked him by some means. He knew that he’d probably placed a tracker in him, one night that he was passed out in his dungeons. Most of those nights and days were a blurr. All he had of them were flashes and winces.

When he finally let go the doctor gasped for air only to be pushed back into the wall. He squirmed again this time holding his head just off to the side. The threat hit his ears. Poison Ivy had caused this, how had she upset him so? Was he reacting simply because he said his name? or was it worse? He knew what he had done to betray him but to take Miss Glass from him? That was his research! He opened his mouth but it was suddenly struck closed. The next time he went to speak another blow hit him. His hands went up to defend himself and he tried to shift away from him. “ I need both…” He choked out, just trying to catch his breath from the first assault on his body. He couldn’t part with any of those things. Miss Glass was a part of his research and he needed his limbs to conduct that research. “I wont fight!” He rose his hand over him in defense again, trying to protect himself. He needed to gain Ra’s favor again, he had no other choice. It was this or death. He lowered his arms when he was given the chance, not to say anything further unless prompted. A glutton for punishment? He wiped the thought from his mind. He thought he could split from Ra’s, everything was going to be perfect…Instead he’d ruined everything and now he was here…

[Deleted]

Ra's always enjoyed how submissive Jonathan was, he always had ground advantage.
He readied his hand, chuckling at the thin stick of flesh & meat that was Jonathan Crane.
"You will then handle this battle yourself, taking on that plant enchantress. Then when you have acquired the flower, you MUST bring me a raised percentage of your toxins. I will need it for something later that you will be my supplier for. Are we clear, young Jonathan?"
He said, gripping the jaw of Jonathan. He honestly did not care for Jonathan anymore. Jonathan had sent the green lady into his private fortress, AND given out his name. As soon as this was finished, he thought he might  as well kill Jonathan. The thought of that made his devilish grin a bit wider.

He was in love with how weak Jonathan was, it reminded him of the weak children back in his nomadic children. Those children were outcasts much like anyone who barely had any strength left in that society. He remembered how if you could not hold your own or benefit the tribe, you were likely killed or sent to the harsh deserts in the Arabian outskirts. But suddenly, his thoughts turned on him. Ra's was becoming an unstable living bomb, ready to explode with every dip.
He tightened his grip on the chin, moving his head very close to Jonathans, replacing the demonic grin with a aggressive scowl.

"If you betray me again in any way, shape, or form again. You will kiss your research, and your life goodbye as they both go up in flames. So do not fail."
With that, he harshly let go of Jonathan's jaw and turned the other direction, his cape gracefully following him.
"When we meet again, you best have the flower." The demon said last. "and if you wish to give me an apology or tell me anything more. Do it now or save your tongue for later"

[Jonathan Crane - Scarecrow]

His eyes widened at his demand that left no room for argument. He had to get one flower back from her to prove his worth? Dealing with her the first time was hardly worth it. He’d tested her and she only proved over and over again that she wasn’t ready for what she was dealing with. Of course the woman made it a point to make things difficult for him after he had tested her. If only she could see what he was really doing, but he couldn’t put that much pressure on her for it, she would never understand. The woman simply didn’t possess the capability of it. Instead she wrapped her mind around pointless endeavors. But this…. Taking something that was his was something she’d somehow gotten accustom to.

His price was steep but before he could answer his jaw was gripped tightly. A flash came before his eyes of so many nights at Ra’s mercy, locked against some terrible device, being tortured over and over. He remembered the conditioning; it was an experience he didn’t want to live through again. The doctor had used its practices several times on others, but used upon him was a different story, he wasn’t meant for that. His eyes snapped their attention to Ra’s when his jaw was gripped. “Yes.” He agreed without further question. It wasn’t as if he had a choice in the matter. He listened to him without interruption, his body only twitching from the position he was held from. It wasn’t until his jaw was tossed that he gained his senses back.

He lifted back up and rubbed his jaw, he was going to have bruises for sure, but it wasn’t anything he wasn’t used to by now. The word made him twitch. The doctor had never been one for please, thank you or sorry. Those words had no meaning and were only there to cover the fear of your true self not being accepted. He had no problem with no being accepted by others. Saying that you were sorry for behaviors you clearly did didn’t mean anything in his eyes, you did it so you meant to do it. It was the same with the words that left your mouth. There was no such thing as “I didn’t mean what I said” If you didn’t, you would have never said it. But the truth was frightening to most. It was only until they dropped the façade and embraced their fears that they’d truly understand.

Ra’s was no exception to this but he wasn’t going to apologize for what he did. Though he was certainly beginning to regret the choice. “I’ll do it..” He said softly. Not going any further on any word of apology. “The woman is a waste of time.” He tried to inform him.

[Deleted]

Ra's smirked, facing Crane once more, his lazarus green eyes glowing from the darkness.
"The woman, dear boy. Is not a waste of time. I need her, much like I need your toxins." He shot.  "If I could ask one last favor, get her on my side. She is a valuable ally that I will need to require for something gigantic, something astounding. Something that will benefit me, and you, something that will benefit this unbearable city as a whole." He says "In time you will see, in time. We will meet again at this spot once you have acquired the flower and the assistance of Ms. Isley." With that, Ra's vanishes like the very air that he breathes. Into the darkness in the corners, into the shadows. Ra's knew that Jonathan would not disappoint him. Jon knew his consequences, he knew of Ra's enormous power. So why fail the very man that can snap you like a twig?

Ra's was rising, there was no doubt about that. He had no want to come out of the shadows and face the detective or his gang of teenage boys. He wanted one thing, and that was to watch Gotham burn, or so the Lazarus had told him.. Things were going to change.