Not Alone || Batman: Arkham Knight

Chapter One

WARNING: MAJOR ARKHAM KNIGHT SPOILERS! (Even in the next few sentences)

Author's Note:The story starts out right where Batman is about to confront Scarecrow in Stagg Airship. I've changed the timeline quite a bit to fit a little better, but really just in terms of information, not events. So just for clarity, at this point in this story everyone knows that the Arkham Knight is Jason and everyone knows that Bruce is Batman. By the way, it's much more fun to read if you can imagine Scarecrow's voice from Arkham Knight in your head (all of their voices, really, but especially Scarecrow's). It's pretty epic. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter One

It was turning out to be a long night. Batman was standing near the front of Stagg Airship. A door blocked his way, but it wasn't going to be a problem since he had already synthesized Stagg's fingerprints. And he couldn't stop now. Not when Scarecrow was just on the other side of the door. He had to stop him. If Scarecrow got a hold of the Cloudburst device, there was no telling the amount of damage he could do to the city and its people. Batman placed his palm to the center of the door and pushed, triggering a mechanical voice:

"Identity confirmed. Welcome, Mr. Stagg."

Once through the door, Batman met a sight he couldn't quite understand. There were two Scarecrows standing in front of him, both with their backs turned, too occupied with their own computer terminals to notice his entrance. The sight itself might have once confused him, but he had been seeing a lot of strange things lately. He knew it was some trick of the mind. Joker had been haunting him all night. Seeing two Scarecrows wasn't all that outlandish by comparison. But that still left a choice and he would only get one shot at it. Acting on instinct, he silently approached the figure on the left, figuring that if he chose incorrectly, his right-handedness would give him a better chance at defending himself if the real Scarecrow attacked from the right.

He was wrong on both accounts.

As he spun the left Scarecrow around to face him, he was greeted not by Scarecrow's masked face, but by Joker's corrupted one, which proceeded to cackle maniacally inches from his own. Before Batman could turn, the real Scarecrow was on him, injecting his fear toxin into his chest. Immediately, Batman could feel it spreading through his body, leeching into his mind. He could deal with the fear. But there was something new to Crane's formula.

"Pain, Batman. My new toxin causes immeasurable pain. I've been wanting to test it on a proper subject. And here I find a willing volunteer. That dose represents the last of my new formula. You should be honored," Scarecrow said with a sadistic smile.

Batman fell to his knees, clutching at his chest where he had been injected. He struggled to stand, but simply didn't have the strength. He groped around on the hard floor, his world spinning around him. Finally, he collapsed onto his back, allowing himself to focus solely on breathing, the only thing he could willingly force his body to do. Then it hit him.

A wall of agony crashed into him like nothing he had ever felt before. And he had been through a lot. He'd been shot, been stabbed, had broken nearly every bone in his body at some point in his life. But nothing like this. Anyone else would have passed out from the pain within seconds. Probably wouldn't even have survived the dose. Batman merely gritted his teeth, not giving Crane the satisfaction of knowing how much pain he was truly in.

Scarecrow had been circling Batman, observing the effects of his toxin. Now he edged closer, bending slightly to lean over Batman's prone form. "Give in to the pain, Batman. Give in to the fear."

Batman's resolve was wavering. He arched his back in response to a sudden crack of pain, his fists clenching. A grunt escaped his lips.

Seemingly pleased by Batman's response, Scarecrow slowly resumed his circuit around him. "I quickly discovered that pain alone is bearable. Unpleasant, perhaps, but bearable." Scarecrow spoke as if his toxin were a mere pinprick. As if it hadn't reduced Gotham's Dark Knight to a writhing mass on the floor. "You see, it's the fear that is necessary to break someone. Even you, Batman. You fear that the pain will not end. That it will tear you apart until death finally appears as the most merciful option. As the fear creeps into your mind, slithers into your soul, your body revolts. Hope gives it a reason to keep living, but fear... fear drags it down to the bottom of the ocean until you are drowning in your own misery, devoid of any reason to keep fighting, for your heart to keep beating. Give in to that fear, Batman."