Chapter 28: The hunt for Scarecrow (Part 3)

When Jonas Cane arrived at One Gotham Center Cinema, the people at the cinema were still awake. They were crying, screaming, and fighting their fears.

To his surprise, he found a vigilante that has somehow become familiar to Jonas. A vigilante also knows his true identity. The vigilante Ragman found him the first day that he came into this world and possessed the original Jonas Cane's body. It feels like a long time since then. But truthfully, it's not even 2 weeks since it happened.

Ragman was currently sprawled on the ground and there is something wrong with his costume- the rags are going wildly.

Ragman is unconscious but Jonas could hear the suit screaming or crying.

' There is indeed something magical about him. '

[ The Great Collector Artifact is made from the souls of evildoers and sinners. ]

Jonas gulped behind his mind when he gained the information from his Eye Fear God. Glancing to the other side, he could see an unfamiliar vigilante with her gas mask attached to her face while she subdue the people dose with fear gas with her martial arts skill.

Said fear gas hasn't still stopped pouring out and continues to form in the cinema. If it hasn't stopped, the people will all die.

The unknown vigilante who was fighting the people dose with fear gas attacking her and making them unconscious finally noticed his presence.

" Are you the backup? You're fast. We heard the voice of Scarecrow earlier through the speakers. He was hiding here in One Gotham Center Cinema. Unfortunately, Ragman is severely affected by Fear Gas. I have no choice but to knock him out. "

Jonas was confused at first by her statement. But guessed that she had probably mistaken him for one of the regular Gotham Vigilantes.

But since his mission involves hunting down a scarecrow and sending him back to Arkham Asylum - A vigilante-like work. Then it is his first day as a Gotham Vigilante.

( Being an urban legend or creepypasta around the Bristol Township didn't happen and a black history that shall never happen again )

Shrugging, he stepped forward to help the Vigilante. The latter seems to have activated a communication device on her ear and talk to someone.

The Vigilante we're related to Huntress and the stabby child. With the communicator, there seems to be someone working behind the scenes for them in charge.

[ A massive amount of fear is detected. Do you want to collect it and sacrifice it to the Fear Gods? ]

' Yes. '

[ Starting to collect fear... ]

Despite not needing to breathe, the continuous supply of the fear gas entering this cinema is starting to bother Jonas. It would later develop to become a fog-like fear gas here inside the cinema.

Turning her communicator off, Jonas notices the sudden hostility coming from the vigilante. He was kicked on his stomach and flew a distance away and through the cinema chairs.

' Why? How strong was she? '

Even though he can't feel the pain in his body, he heard the sound of broken ribs and bones. Marionette Henchman is a marionette henchman. After all, it was a puppet. It has a very weak body and was easy to break.

Thankfully, consuming fears can take care of the weakness of this body and his current main meat sack.

" You're not wearing a gas mask... You're unaffected by the Fear Gas. Oracle told me that the vigilantes working with the network haven't still arrived. You're not my backup. Who are you? Are you a Gotham Rogue? "

While his body was healing from the broken ribs, Jonas get up from the chairs and answered.

" Lady, thanks for the kick. You have broken my ribs. You're so violent. No, I'm not a backup of Oracle. "

Arching her eyebrow, the vigilante replied.

" Then if you have broken ribs you shouldn't be standing up. You didn't even defend yourself against me and I can see that you do not know any martial arts. "

" It is unexpected that a Vigilante would suddenly attack me. How can you know that I don't know martial arts? "

" You look like a twig with your body. I don't see any sign of training. "

Since Theodore Morris is the one behind the mask, one who was supposed to be a timid and wimpy nerd, Jonas was indeed a twig compared to the Gotham Vigilantes. Even the one in front of him looks like she has lifted several dumbbells. A fit body and there was even an outline of muscles in her stomach beneath her medieval-esque inspired costume.

There was a kick incoming from the vigilante again, this time it was her left foot. Jonas barely dodged it by lowering his body and tilting his head to the left side but he didn't expect the rear uppercut from his right hand. Jonas left the ground again and then gravity pulled him back to the cinema chairs and had them destroyed.

" Seriously, how are you so weak? Do you seriously want to become a Gotham Villain when you can't even defend yourself? "

This time his neck broke. Jonas chose to get up away from the broken chairs again. It was a little odd looking at the vigilante with the bone on his neck broken.

" Lady, you have made a mistake. "

" Wait!?! How are you?.. "

The vigilante look disturbed as Jonas talks with his neck tilted to his right side.

" Are you even a human? "

Thankfully, as she asked that question. She didn't seem to have the urge to break him again with her surprisingly strong body (or is it his fault that this body was very extra fragile) and martial arts.

He took this opportunity to explain the misunderstanding.

" I'm not an enemy. This is my first day as a Vigilante, lady. If I'm an aspiring villain, do you think I would just get my ass kicked? "

" Every villain always ended up having their ass kicked by Vigilantes and Heroes. "

" Uhh. I don't know how to answer that but I just want to hunt some scarecrow and sent him back to Arkham Asylum. "

Sighing, the vigilante then observed Jonas and apologized.

" If you are indeed a vigilante. Then I apologize for ruining your first day and for your injuries. "

" I'm glad that we cleared the misunderstanding lady. "

" My Identity is Squire. Have you already thought of your identity? "

Jonas smiled when he notice his broken neck started getting better and the pain in his ribs is gone.

" Yes, I'm Archivist. "

" What kind of name is that? It sounds cool but... "

Squire trailed off while she narrowed her eyes at him looking up and down at his body.

" With your body....you are indeed aiming to be an archivist. You fit in the library and books. "

" How rude! "

" I'm just telling the truth. If you want to become a Vigilante you should have trained your body. "

Squire then finally noticed that his posture was normal again.

" You're body healed. You're a metahuman? "

" I don't have the meta gene. "

" Alien? "

" Something like that. "

" Ahem..as I said before even if you are a metahuman, you need to train your body if you want to become a proper vigilante. You can't just rely on your metahuman powers or alien body in your case. "

The vigilante reprimanded and asked Jonas several questions. Eventually, they found the source of the fear gas which was coming from the front vents near the screen wall and in the backroom of the cinema room. There was a huge amount of fear gas spewing out of it.

[ All of the fear from the people in the Cinema has been absorbed. ]

[ Do you wish to sacrifice the fear you collected to the Dread Gods? ]

' Yes. '

Entering the room, they found the scarecrow unaffected by the fear gas while he was watching several monitors. The monitors for One Gotham Cinema we're showing the people dropping one by one. Jonas has all of the fear generated by the people inside the cinema of One Gotham Center absorbed so they were exhausted and went unconscious once the adrenaline went down.

Turning his rotating chair, the Scarecrow face them looking at Jonas who wasn't wearing a gas mask.

" Interesting. You're Immune. "

After the Scarecrow said those words, the Cassette Tape appeared in front of them. Glowing eerily and static sounds are coming from it.

Jonas can feel himself becoming sleepy with the static sounds coming from the Cassette tape.

[ All of the Dread Gods demands the story of Jonathan Crane ]

From behind his mask, when Jonas's opened his eyes again, it glowed brightly. It was an eerie shade of icy blue staring at the Scarecrow full of hunger.

" We're Hungry. Tell us your story. "