Chapter Text
Spotify song of this chapter: "Control" by Halsey (Song)
Face of Insanity
Chapter 1
Insanity (noun): mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot conduct her/his affairs due to psychosis or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behaviour.
5 a.m/ Arkham Asylum
A normal day in Arkham, lights turned on at 5 o'clock in the morning. The blinding fluorescent lights waking up the inmates. Jonathan Crane stood in his cell already awake. He sat on his cot waiting for the guards to bring him the mud they called breakfast. Every morning their schedules would be the same.
-Wake up
-Breakfast
-Fresh air (for inmates with good behaviour)
-Cells
-Group Therapy
-Lunch
-Therapy
-Dinner
-Bed Time
Therapy or as Jonathan would like to call it "hell". Sitting there, answering questions about "What went wrong in his life." That was the problem. He didn't think anything was wrong. Yes, he was kept in an insane asylum that was a problem but he couldn't see anything bad about acknowledging the true power of fear and using it. That wasn't even the worst part. He would meet and see people that are too dumb to understand his motives every day. The worst part was standing there being questioned by a psychiatrist. Sitting in the very same chairs he used to sit and ask questions. -What did they think? When he went mad he would just forget all the tricks he would do to his own patients? - That thought of being taken for a fool was the actual hell in therapy sessions. Being treated like he doesn't know what the doctor is about to ask. Like he's just a stupid, mad man there to be cured. -Idıots- he thought. -There was nothing to cure about him.- He just understood the necessity of fear on the human natures better than everyone else. But, a little sane part of him, deep deep inside, so small that you couldn't even see it, knew he needed help. Not about his passion for fear, no. He was absolutely right about that. Needed help, to stop him from hurting himself. -He- that teensy little part of him thought. -The Scarecrow-
He kept staring at the cold floor of his cell. Silently arguing with himself over how boring this day would be on a scale of 1 to 10. The answer didn't matter since it was gonna be the same every day. He decided to go for 10 since every single day being the same was more than enough to make him put the scale on the highest level.
Heavy footsteps were heard in the hall. A really buff guard going around the cells making sure everyone was awake. Jonathan grunted silently, obviously annoyed by the inmates' screaming and talking as the guards tried to wake them up. Tough, he wasn't surprised, they always screamed in the morning, every day, always the same. He has been in Arkham for 5 weeks now. They removed him from special surveillance after a month (to make sure he wouldn't escape as easily as the last time). He has been forced to join group therapy for a 1 week now. It was pure torture. Since the more elite and special rogues of Gotham were in the streets when he was left in the Asylum with the clown.
Batman had brought the Joker in after a few days he brought in Crane. His face was all blue from bruises after a fight with the Bat. His bruises were turned to a more yellowish tone after a few days. They still really hurt. -That annoying rodent. Normally he would be thrilled to have all the attention and being chased by him. But this time he was just trying to get his hands on some special... tool he's been searching for all week. He had to come and ruin all his fun.- Because he and Crane were the only notorious villains of Gotham in there, (even though he would never even compare himself to someone like Crane) the rest of the patients were the normal crack-head citizens of the city. So, they had to attend to group therapies with them. Joker and Crane didn't agree at all usually. But they both knew these sessions with less insane and more normal patients would be boring as hell. And without any words spoken, just with a sinister glance between them, they agreed to try and scare these normie patients every session. Which they were sure would be pretty easy.
In the first session when they entered the room with guards around them and guns pointed to their heads when the others were already seated around the table. The presence of the Clown Prince of Crime and The Master of Fear was enough to make most of them gasp with surprise or horror, mostly both. They shared another glance that reassured them this would be easy. They sat down in their empty chairs. Joan Leland sat in the middle. "Good morning everyone. As you can see today we have some new friends to meet." She said and smiled towards them. "Let's greet them right?" she asked the rest of the patients. She spoke as if she was in a classroom of kindergarten students. A blonde, big, blue-eyed, short man stood up and said. " 'Ello new friends." with a heavy British accent. You could see he was scared and uncertain about this action but he was still trying to be friendly. After him, followed the other inmates, greeting them. The short man continued. "My name is Jervis, n-nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, Jervis. I'm Scarecrow."
"Scarecrow? Who would ever name their child Scarecrow, that's horrible." he said in the fastest way a person probably can. "I mean, sorry sir. If that's your real name that would be sad but, I didn't mean to hurt you- I- I mean ... Ohhh boy..." he said fastly again. Joan Leland helped him out of his pathetic speech:
"I think Mr Tetch wanted to ask if that's your real name, right?"
"Y-Yes ma'am," mumbled Jervis. Jonathan hesitated for a moment if this could mess up their plan of scaring the patients. But he came to the conclusion that it wouldn't matter if he said his name, he could still scare them. "My real name is Jonathan," he said in a very deep and slow tone. "And what's your name mister?" said Joan to the Joker. He looked expressionless and slowly said, "Isn't it obvious?" a smug smile grew on his lips. Joan was a clever woman and a good doctor, she knew as long as she pushed him he wouldn't say a word and that smile on his face would only grow. So she said nothing and kept smiling.
The session was surprise-surprise soo boring. The other patients kept telling their tragic backstories that the clown only rolled his eyes. They were just too easy. Not even trying to play hard to get. -That's how you become interesting.- he thought. Nobody knew how he became this, it was mysterious. Now, That was interesting. How he got the scars... This little man though, he didn't tell his story at first. Joan asked him politely to tell something at least. The man didn't say anything. Maybe he was just too scared to talk after his failed attempt at communicating with Crane. He was looking at the floor. He slowly lifted his head and looked at Joan he said "You have a really nice head miss, I would love to make a hat for you someday." and kept looking at the floor. -wtf- he just stayed still. The clown was too surprised to stay still and he burst into laughter. His high pitched, unsettling for some laughter. It really was funny. He managed to say "I'm sorry what did you say, Mad Hatter?" between his laughs and he continued laughing. The man lifted his head slowly and he tried to hide the anger in his tone "I would like you to not call me with that name. I already told you, my name is Jervis." The clown couldn't believe his ears. This little man he could just bash his brains right there and then was speaking up to him. He couldn't hold himself from annoying him. He hasn't annoyed anyone for a month except dumb orderlies. This was his chance. "Why, does it annoy you Mad Hatter?" he said looking at the little man waiting for a reaction. "PLEASE DoN't CaLl Me ThaT SiR!" he almost yelled. His voiced cracked, he was obviously trying hard not to hit him. -Hah. He could try-
Jonathan actually liked this little man. More like, appreciated his bravery by speaking up to the clown. He was also very amused seeing Joker in surprise. When he went too far by annoying him, he saw a glimpse of fear in the little man's eyes. He was interested now, very interested. He looked at him in the eyes, didn't realise he was leaning forward to have a better look. Jervis looked at Jonathan. The moment he realised he was analyzing him he immediately went back to his chair and lifted his head. "You're scared" he commented. "That is very interesting. I would be pleased to learn why? What is it you're scared of ha, Jervis?" he was leaning forward. That wasn't him, Jonathan was gone. In the very first but little hint of fear had turned him into that monster. Hungry for fear, hungry for control, hungry for power.
Joan saw what was coming she got between them to stop this nonsense. "I think we can end our session here. It was fun today wasn't it?" she said awkwardly and told the patients to leave the room when the nurses came to get them. Right when the clown stood up and was ready to go, Joan told him to stay. She kept both of them waiting in the room, she sat down quietly.
"I'm very disappointed in you two."
J just rolled his eyes, as if what she felt was important for them. After no reaction from the two criminals, she continued. "I thought a little socialization after 1 month might do you guys some good but I see you just want to be sent back to your cells." She looked at them, stared would be a better word. Waiting for them to answer. "And you Jonathan, I see you weren't able to control yourself." Jon lifted his head and looked her straight in the eyes. He was hiding his face from the moment he demanded answers about his fears. It was because of his eyes. They weren't his. His yellow eyes were brighter than ever and the whites of his eyes were turned black. He didn't want to show that. He was ashamed of his lack of control. When he lifted his head Joan saw his eyes. The very patient, calm doctor stumbled back but, she found her balance and kept staring at him.
"Jonathan isn't here," he said with a deep, creepy voice. "ONLY SCARECROW!" he threw himself at Joan and tried to choke her but forgot about the guards standing in the back of the room. They rushed at him and tried to get this lanky tall man off of Joan Leland. Joker was far too amused by this he started laughing. His infamous, classic, creepy laugh. The guards managed to hold Jonath- sorry, Scarecrow back. The other guards called nurses to make sure Joan was okay. Her throat was already turning red from Scarecrows long fingers and his tight grip on her windpipe. Guards hand-cuffed The Scarecrow. The others rushed to the Joker to make sure he doesn't cause any problems too. One of the guards hesitated to stay so close to the clown at first, you couldn't blame him you know. After all, he was the most dangerous man in the city. Hell, probably in the world. But as the other guards rushed at him, he joined them. They hold him still and tight, he couldn't resist since he was laughing at the unfolded event in front of him. They hand-cuffed him too and held them at gunpoint just in case. They led them to their cells.
It was lunchtime but because of Jonathan's bad behaviour, he wasn't allowed to go to the cafeteria. Instead, he waited in his cell. The guards brought his food. Little did he know Joan Leland was a very liked person in the asylum. Her black, bob hair and dark skin. Her, brown big eyes. She was a pretty woman after all. The orderly that brought his food to his cell was pissed at his behaviour in group therapy. He threw his lunch tray on the floor. The mud was all over the cold floor. He just looked at it, didn't say a word. "Lunchtime freak!" the orderly yelled at him and left. Jonathan wasn't a big fan of eating you might say. You could see that clearly when you looked at him. He was far too concerned about how Scarecrow took control of him. How he was helpless inside his own body. He didn't eat the food he just sat on his cot and looked at the floor absentmindedly.
After lunchtime, it was time for therapy sessions. Joan was supposed to talk to Jonathan. It was essential to talk to patients after outbursts of violence to talk to them and prevent it from happening again. But she was the one that just had been attacked. But, Joan wasn't Jonathan's doctor. She wanted to actually. The last doctor that had sessions with Jonathan was murdered right after their session, where the doctor asked questions about his childhood. Joan was a good woman and she really wanted to help her patients unlike most of the doctors that worked here. But she wasn't supposed to go into his sessions after all his new doctor was coming today. Harleen Quinzel. A favourite student of hers. Joan had known Harleen for a long time. She became her mentor and teacher. Also a very good friend.
Harleen was a very beautiful woman, with her blonde fluffy hair, her pale skin, round symmetrical face and big, shiny, sky blue eyes. She had been working here for a long time. She had just finished her PhD that year and started working at Arkham. She was doing tests and was talking to less dangerous patients. But she had proved herself to both the Warden and to the other doctors about how successful she could be. After Joan's confirmation, she was moved to a higher level. As she always imagined. She was assigned to be Jonathan Crane's doctor. She had known Jonathan for a long time before that.
Jonathan used to be a psychology professor at Gotham University. He was her teacher, a role model for her. Not only was he a really good teacher but he also appreciated Harleen's intelligence. How she actually understood his lessons and asked him questions that most advanced psychologists couldn't think of. He had hope in her. But after his career, as a teacher ended he became the warden of Arkham Asylum A.K.A The Looney Bin. He used the patients as lab rats. Used them in his experiments in the labs of the Asylum. No one knew of this for a long time. But as patients started to disappear from his failed experiments and loud screams of terror would be heard ever night some doctors started to wonder. And soon Jonathan's schemes were exposed. He was arrested and locked behind the very same walls he used to be a doctor in. It was easy for him to escape since he knew the asylum very well. He got out and started his life of crime, continuing his researches and experiments about fear's strong power on the human brain. He didn't know that his favourite student he hasn't seen in years was going to be his doctor that day. He knew he was supposed to talk to someone about the incident with Scarecrow and Joan Leland. Though he could have never guessed it would be Harleen Quinzel.
After lunch, Harleen went to the bathroom to be sure she looked professional. She wasn't nervous, just excited. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. "It's simple, I'm gonna go easy on him on the first day," she said to herself. "I'll ask him about the reason for his attack, and be friendly. He knows me after all," she said pointing a finger at herself. She tucked her hair behind her ear neatly and left the bathroom. In a few minutes, she would be sitting in the session room, in front of his mentor and asking him why he attacked Joan Leland. But she had to talk to Joan first about this if she was available and comfortable talking about being attacked of course.
She went to Joan's office, It was a surprise how she didn't even go home. She was just sitting at her desk holding a bag of ice on her throat. When she saw Harleen she invited her inside. "Oh Harleen, please come in."
"Hello, Joan. You feellin' any better?" Joan shrugged. "Better than anyone right after being choked to death."
"I'm glad you're alright. I wanted to ask you some questions about it if you're okay with it of course."
"Oh sure darlin' go ahead," she said with a smile. "I thought maybe you could tell me your ideas or observations about Jonathan's actions." Joan hummed and looked at the ceiling. She thought about it for a while. She turned back to Harleen and her eyes were bright as if she just came up with an answer. "His eyes" she said holding her gaze. "His eyes?" asked Harleen. "Yes, his eyes went black when he became... you know Scarecrow."
"Like a physical reaction of his body when he changed to his other persona?" she asked amazed by this prospect. "Exactly!" Joan confirmed. "His body might have got used to him changing personalities without control. Maybe, it's because black eyes are a scarier detail in general. So, his body changes into the scarier version of him to adapt to his Scarecrow persona." she actually said that to herself, analyzing the situation. Joan looked at her and nodded.
"After I saw his eyes I made some researches. I found out there's an eye disorder called "aniridia". It's when the person's iris is so thin, it's almost invisible and their pupils grow larger than usual. It makes the whole eye look black." Harleen was amazed by this information. "But I couldn't find any information about changing eyes from black to normal." Joan said with concern. "So, it's a new case?" Harleen asked. Joan was unsure but she nodded again silently. "Harleen, please be careful. Don't let your guard down just because you used to know him. He isn't the same man anymore." she advised her. Harleen nodded twice and stood up to leave. "and keep eye contact Harleen." she said. Harleen turned around and thanked her for the advice and left Joan's office.
1:30 p.m /Arkham Asylum/Session Room 6
"Good afternoon Jonathan, how are you feeling?"
"Good afternoon Harleen, long time no see."
"Yes, I'm guessing you already know why I'm here to talk to you?"
Jonathan nodded once.
"Are you comfortable with talking about it?"
"Sure."
"Very well then," she gave him a soft smile "Let's start simple shall we? Why did you attack Joan Leland?"
"Hmm I didn't," he said slowly. Harleen understood what he meant. He was referring to The Scarecrow.
"Was he in control?" she asked cautiously.
Jonathan didn't move for some seconds and then nodded.
"You were always a successful student Harleen." he said trying to avoid her gaze.
"Thank you, Professah Crane, but we're here to talk about you." she smiled briefly.
Jonathan sighed. "Umm- Jarv- no. Jervis Tetch"
"Jervis Tetch? What about him?"
"What do you know about him Harleen?"
"Well, we had some sessions, doctor/patient confidentiality. But you might have seen him on the news once or twice. He calls himself the Mad Hatter."
"Interesting" Jonathan mumbled quietly
"Why is that?" Why is that indeed. "He was very annoyed, scared when the Joker called him Mad Hatter." he explained.
"Well, he's rehabilitating, don't you think it's normal to not want to be called by that nickname when you aren't the same person anymore?" she used those exact words intentionally. Knowing how he didn't like to be called Scarecrow when Jonathan is in control. "What's his problem?" Jonathan asked.
"Well, according to my analysis, he is obsessed with Alice Pleasance A.K.A his Alice. He's heartbroken after her rejection which is why we keep him in special surveillance and in the special cells. He's obsessed with the character Alice from Wonderland. Kidnaps little girls that look like her." She was giving waaay too much information. She would never have done something so unprofessional like this if she didn’t know him.
"Suicidal?" asked Jonathan knowingly.
"Suicidal." she answered. "Why are you so curious about him?"
"Well, When the clown was trying to annoy him... I saw a glimpse of fear in his eyes."
"I see" She knew what was coming next, she had to play this steady. She couldn't mess this up.
"A different kind of fear though, he wasn't scared of the clown, he was scared of ... himself. Scared of what he can do to him if he lost control. He feared losing his temper, not having control over his actions. And that was very interesting. Don’t you agree doctor?" His voice was starting to go to that deep tone again. Harleen stood up dragging his attention on herself.
"Look at me, Professor. You don't have to lose to him, you're stronger than that!" she was trying to keep him under control. His eyes were growing black but stopped when she talked to him, he was embarrassed,this was her former student. His eyes went back to normal. When he realised what happened he locked his eyes to the floor and didn't break his gaze, avoiding to look at Dr Quinzel from his embarrassment."I think this is enough for today" he managed to say, still not looking at Harlee She stood up and left the room. Jonathan stayed there, unable to move until the guards came in the room and cuffed him. They dragged him to his cell. He didn't resist. He was left in his cell, once again.
He heard laughter from the end of the hallway. The laughter grew and grew louder. It was irritating him. He realised he hasn't eaten anything that day. He was wondering when will they bring him dinner. (Not that he would eat that disgusting mud, he was just curious) When he was deep in his thoughts he heard footsteps getting closer to his cell. It was Sammy Boast, one of the orderlies that worked on the high-security floor. He was polite and kind towards the inmates, unlike the rest. He was one that Jonathan really liked in fact. He brought him his food. There was that awful mud on his tray and ... a bag? Yes, a small paper bag was on his tray with the mud. He tossed the tray inside "I heard you had some problems today Jonathan, I hope this cheers you up." He opened the bag to find some french fries in it. Confused as he was he asked the orderly why he gave this to him.
"Doctor Quinzel told me to bring you something good to eat." Sammy answered. Jonathan smiled and thanked him. Sammy walked away to the elevator. Jonathan sat on his cot eating his french fries, his back against the glass to hide the fries. As he waited for the lights to turn off for bedtime, he thought about how wrong he was.
This day wasn't "supeeer boring" after all.