Great fear

[crusaderinacape]

He sits wearily at the supercomputer. Bathed in the incandescent glow of a dozen plasma screens. Upon each is a haunting visage, chalk white, green hair. A wicked grin splits the face in two as if it had been ripped at the seams.

Bruce Wayne, his head hung low, remains ignorant of the wound scored by a serrated blade some three hours earlier as his

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[phear_itself]

Professor Crane has been in the hospital for months now, ever since he was shot by Detective Chandler. He only woke up a few weeks ago, having lingered in a coma for months.

They came to him last week to see if he could help them discover who kidnapped Chandler. He knew who it was immediately, of course... That was obvious to anyone with any kind of psychological background. But he toyed with Montoya for a time... playing with her, drawing her along, before he gave her the clues she wanted. It's so boring in this hospital bed, after all. One must take one's entertainment where one can.

So it is that he's resting here, looking out on this unseasonal early morning thunderstorm, considering how he can escape from this intermitable prison -- after all, they wish to send him back to Arkham. And he does not belong in Arkham... that location, after all, is for the insane. And Crane knows that, while he is many things, he is not insane. He is a scientist.

And that's when the beam of yellow comes through the window.

//Jonathan Crane of Earth: You have shown yourself to be capable of instilling great fear...//

[lanternslight]

A flash of green light, and there are two others in the room, even as the yellow ring begins to spiral towards Crane's finger...

[crusaderinacape]

He'll never get used to travelling the Green Lantern way. Still, it saves on the petrol the batmobile eats.

"Crane."

[phear_itself]

The ring connects to Crane's finger, and he laughs as yellow light fills him. His medical robe shifts, transforming into something akin to his usual Scarecrow costume, but with a yellow ruff akin to Sinestro's.

//Preparing for transport to Qward for training...//

[lanternslight]

"Stop right there, Scarecrow..." Hal warns, sending out a beam of green light to capture Crane and hold him still.

[phear_itself]

The yellow ring emits a high-pitched whine... and as Hal and Batman watch, Crane is turned inside out and vanishes... into the Anti-Matter universe.

[crusaderinacape]

A yellow ring, a precocious colleague with indefatigable good looks, another of his enemies extricating themselves from the clutches of Arkham. This was not a good night for Batman. He turns to stare silently at Hal, hoping for once someone else had a plan.

[lanternslight]

The look is not lost on Hal... who seems surprised that Batman is looking to him for advice.

"He's on Qward now. Not an easy place to get to."

[crusaderinacape]

He had a file on it stored on the Batcomputer. Not much, just references Hal and the other Lanterns had made to it over the years.

"I wasn't planning on it. Qward can wait for the space rangers," he sighs sardonically. Still, it troubles him- Scarecrow is deadly enough without a power ring. Were he to return to Gotham--

"No doubt the Corps will be handling this."

[lanternslight]

"I was going to offer to help when he returns to Gotham... but I didn't think you'd accept it," Hal replies.

[crusaderinacape]

"I've dealt with Lanterns before. All it takes is a bucket of paint that corresponds with the correct emotional spectrum and an expendable safe house to drench it in," there's a flash of amusement in his eyes, "but it's your thunder the Sinestro Corps are stealing. I assumed you'd want my help."

[lanternslight]

"Not anymore," Hal replies. "Yellow's not the hindrance it once was."

He looks at Bruce with a new level of respect.

"I wouldn't turn down your help with this, Batman. You know Crane better than I do."

[crusaderinacape]

"Crane follows the same principle as yellow ever did," Bruce returns, "his gift is for uncorking bottled fear. Those who have already faced theirs have him on the back foot."

He wasn't underestimating Scarecrow- Hal had once been a man without fear, so Sinestro was forced to create it. And Hal was still here.

"But you know how to reach me."

[lanternslight]

Hal nods. "I should report this to the Oans immediately. Looks like Sinestro's gearing up for something. I'll be in touch, Batman."

Hal, as usual, isn't worried. It doesn't matter who he's up against... he always goes in assuming he'll win. This isn't much different.

But he feels better about this than normal.

Batman's actually willing to work with him again. That's something that hasn't happened in years now.

[crusaderinacape]

"And if you're planning on ditching him on my doorstep the next national holiday, give me a little notice this time."

He draws the cape around himself.

[lanternslight]

"Expect Crane on Arbor Day," Hal replies. "Need a ride back to the cave, or did you want to just vanish into the shadows?"