021

— no one is excluded from fear —

April 4, 2021

IT WAS QUIET, NOT THE KIND TO RELAX IN, NOT THE KIND THAT RAISES ANXIETY BUT THE KIND THAT FELT SO UNCOMFORTABLE. She spun the slim metal of her rings around her fingers, staring up at the ceiling above her, listening to the sound of the soft ticking of the clock, the only sound beside that being the sound of cars outside.

Nina had kindly let the Titan's sleep at her house until their trip to San Francisco was ready. The sun had barely risen when Hazel had slipped out the front door, stepping out onto the damaged streets of Gotham. A man had walked past Hazel, handing her a bottle of water, a breakfast sandwich and a pack of cigarettes for a few extra dollars. He wished her a good day before walking further through the streets, helping anyone else sitting alone on the street corners.

Hazel sat against the brick wall, the cigarette she quickly lit blowing thick grey smoke into the air. Shops, cars and homes had been destroyed or vandalised, and the ones that were not had been boarded up from the inside. Hazel took another drag of the cigarette, her eyes dropping as a sense of guilt engulfed her.

The door beside her opened and Hazel looked up at Dick standing beside her. "Didn't think anyone would be up before me," He laughed, trying to get Hazel to talk but she just hummed in response. He groaned and sat next to Hazel, stretching his legs out in front of him. He looked at her once more before grabbing the cigarette from her lips and tossed it away. Before she could argue with him, he had grabbed the sandwich and tossed it at her. "Talk now."

"I was just thinking about something," Hazel muttered, pulling back the foil of the sandwich to bite into it. "It's been a hectic week if you hadn't noticed." Dick laughed at Hazel and shook his head. "Hey, can I go to the Manor with you?"

Dick sighed and dropped his head against the wall, "Haze, I know Jason helped us-"

"Dick c'mon," Hazel huffed. "Don't make me do the whole I can take care of myself song and dance, we're past that."

Dick took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright come on, we're stopping for coffee first."

"Also I need a new phone," Hazel added as they stood. "GCPD took it and smashed it."

"You blew your budget by 200 bucks," Dick said with a shrug, walking around to the parking garage.

"Dick!"

He laughed, "I'll think about it."

Hazel grabbed the last of her things from the manor, even finding Gar's Toji animation shirt. She now sat at the kitchen counter, the sound of glass scrapping the marble echoing through the room as she spun the glass of whisky. She silently flipped through the pages of one of Dick's old training books, her eyes speed reading over the pages.

Hazel looked up at the sound of footsteps. Dick walked through the entrance of the kitchen, dropping his bag on the counter. "I'd give up now," Dick called, wincing as he saw the book in her hands. "It's not very good."

Hazel chuckled softly and read the first point on a list of lessons, "Never allow yourself to get attached to things that are not permanent. A clouded mind is a wasted mind." Hazel closed the book and looked up at Dick who looked extremely uncomfortable. "It's not very good.

"No, no it is not," Dick shook his head and pulled out a glass, setting it on the counter in front of Hazel. "What are we drinking?"

Hazel grabbed the whiskey bottle, reading over the label, "Sullivan's Cove French Oak Whisky."

Hazel began to pour the drinks and Dick furrowed his eyebrows, "I thought you drank bourbon."

"Hank drank bourbon, so I drank bourbon, but whisky is superior," Hazel said matter of factly, pushing the glass toward Dick.

He sipped the drink and scrunched his nose up, "This tastes the same."

Hazel chuckled and sipped her drink, "No one said it didn't."

"I didn't have nightmares," Dick said softly and Hazel furrowed her eyebrows. "You said you had nightmares after you died, I didn't have any. So neither did Jason." Hazel nodded, smiling softly. "You can always talk about it if you want, how dying makes you feel."

"I've learnt to deal with it, but thanks," Hazel said. "But I could use a favour. Or ask for one." Dick nodded and grabbed the whisky, sliding it back into the cabinet. "I wanna see Scarecrow. You and I both know Arkham won't be able to hold him. And he shouldn't be able to get away with everything."

Dick took a breath and turned back to Hazel, "What are you suggesting?"

"I can make a venom to hold him, basically make his body brain dead," Hazel explained but Dick still looked reluctant. "He can't get away with this."

Dick took a breath, his fingers tapping against the countertop, "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," Hazel insisted, keeping her eyes on Dick's. "He's the reason Hank and Tim died, why Jason went bad, and he blew up half of Gotham. He deserves it." Hazel took a breath and sat back in her seat, downing more of her drink.

Dick shook his head, muttering something under his breath as he grabbed something from his bag. "You're pushing your luck," Dick mumbled, tossing Hazel the white box. She spun it in her hands, smiling as she opened it and found a phone. "We'll make a stop."

"Thank you," Hazel said with a grin.

"I gotta handle a few things. Hanger at 10," Dick said, grabbing his bag.

"Yes sir," Hazel shouted as Dick walked toward the hall. Hazel pulled the new phone out, placing it on charge. She skulled the last of her drink and walked toward the stairs, rushing up to Jason's room. He stood at one of the drawers, looking at a poster that had been torn down.

He heard the creaking wood and looked back at Hazel, smiling softly. "Let me talk first, cause we have to talk," Hazel started, taking a step forward. She looked up at Jason, taking a long breath. "You killed Hank, yeah you were on Scarecrow's shit, but you killed him and that was one of the worst feelings I've ever had. I will never be able forgive you for that. But..."

Jason's eyes lit up slightly, sparking with hope, "But?"

Hazel stopped in front of Jason, her hand moving to flatten a crease in his jacket. "You make it so hard to love you Jason Todd but for some fucking reason I do."

He smiled softly, his tense shoulders dropping, and Hazel smiled with him. He grabbed a pen before taking Hazel's hand and scribbling his number on her palm. "Dick asked me to get you a new phone on the way over," Jason said with a shrug. "You need me, just call. If you'll let me start making up for everything."

Hazel chuckled softly, shaking her head, "I thought you wanted me to stop calling you."

Jason sighed, "So did I." Hazel nodded, turning to step away but she spun and hugged Jason, her arms encasing his shoulders and his arms around her to hold her tight. Hazel dropped her head onto his shoulder, and he took a soft breath. "You gonna take one of my bikes?"

"Uh, yeah."

9:45 am

Hazel sped the bike to the airport, the Titans standing around near one of the jets. They turned at the sound of the bike engine, Rachel shaking her head. Hazel slipped off the bike, sliding the helmet onto the handlebars. Hazel started to walk towards the group and Gar crossed his arms over his chest. "You said you would be here at 9:30, its-"

Hazel cut him off as she tossed him a Zoro figure, still in the box. "Sorry, carrot top," Hazel smiled, patting Gar's shoulder. "Found your shirt too."

Hazel tossed her bag beside Gar's and sat on the floor, using his bag as a pillow. Gar sat next to her with a sigh, using her bag as his own pillow. "You go with Dick back to the Manor?" Gar asked, ensuring to keep himself quiet.

Hazel nodded, humming softly, "Talked to Jay too." Hazel cursed quietly and scrambled to pull out her phone. "I got a new phone," Hazel mumbled, showing it off. "Take a picture with me, I need a wallpaper." Gar shuffled closer to Hazel, and she managed to get a few photos before her necklace started to float. Hazel dropped her hands and groaned. "What are you doing Te?" Hazel called, pushing herself up to stare at Terran and Cole a few feet from them.

Terran shrugged, her eyes focussing on hers and Cole's necklaces. "Working on somethin'," Terran muttered, poking Cole's necklace. "I think now that the three of us are here, our gems want to combine."

Hazel grabbed her necklace, closing the petal coverings. "Hey!" Cole whined, throwing his arms up as he watched their neacklace drop.

"Whatever it is, give us a break for a while," Hazel huffed, leaning back on her hands.

"What's that meant to mean?" Terran scoffed.

"With your luck you'll summon a demon, or omen or something else horrible," Rachel spoke up, shrugging her shoulders. Terran's jaw dropped slightly,  and Rachel smiled softly, "No offence."

"With my luck?" Terran repeated, taking a step toward Rachel. "What's that mean?"

Rachel shrugged softly and fixed the collar of her dark green sweater. "Nothing sweetie," Rachel teased.

Cole looked at Hazel and she laughed softly, dropping back to lean on Gar's bag. "Did you see Dick?" Kory asked Hazel, her hands on her hips. "He said ten o'clock," Kory said, turning away again as she paced around the others. "He did say ten, right?"

"He said ten," Conner confirmed.

"I saw him at the Manor, he'll be here soon," Hazel said hopefully, stretching her legs out in front of her.

"Eventually," Cole muttered.

"He always does," Rachel muttered.

Gar perked up, his eyes flashing green for a moment as he heard something off in the distance. He sat up, looking over his shoulder at the large bus driving through the airport. "Hey, did someone order a bus?" Gar shouted. Hazel sat up, straining to look over her shoulder like the others, watching the black and silver RV blare its horn.

The RV stopped with a hiss of air, and the door swung open, Donna and Dick jumping out. Hazel furrowed her eyebrows and Kory tilted her head. Rachel looked over the bus and crossed her arms, "Hey Dick, uh, what is that?" She asked.

Dick looked up at the RV and grinned, "That's an RV."

"That's what you were doing?" Hazel scoffed.

He shrugged, "Yeah. I figured it'd be way more fun than taking Bruce's Jet."

The others looked back at the large jet behind them and Kory let out a long breath, "Why would that be more fun?"

Gar looked back at Hazel and grinned, "Roadtrip!" Dick clapped his hands in agreement. Gar scrambled to his feet, grabbing Hazel's bag and racing to the bus.

"Right, 'cause who would want to fly in the Bat jet?" Rachel scoffed.

"Exactly," Dick hummed. Terran sighed, rolling her eyes as she picked up hers and Rachel's bags, jogging after Rachel onto the bus.

A black jeep pulled up beside the RV, Komand'r stepping out. Kory turned and walked to her, Conner following a second after. Hazel went to join them but stopped beside Donna. "My advice is don't die again," Hazel teased with a laugh, "Pretty sure Terran lost her mind... Well, what was left of it."

Donna shook her head and laughed, "Yeah well, definitely not planning it. And if I can say this, Hank really cared, like he really cared," Donna said in a soft voice and Hazel smiled. "And when we talked, he seemed really proud. Now go make sure this lot don't get in trouble, especially Dick."

Hazel laughed softly and nodded, "I'll do my best."

Kory walked toward Hazel, and Donna, sighing softly, "You ready?" Kory asked and Hazel nodded. She looked up at Blackfire and gave her a soft wave. Komand'r traced a line with her two fingers from her forehead to the tip of nose before hitting her fist against her chest twice. Hazel copied the movements and Kory smiled, "Veaman greeting?"

"When did you learn that?" Donna questioned.

"You both knew?" Hazel asked, looking between them.

"I did," Kory nodded.

"I guessed," Donna muttered.

Hazel hummed and nodded, "Probably best I figured it out on my own. Now let's bounce." Hazel grabbed Gar's bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

"I got an idea," Dick called and the others looked at him. "Let's get the hell out of Gotham."

Cole huffed and picked up his bags, shouting after Hazel as he stepped on the bus, "C'mon Haze!" Conner waved to Komand'r once more before hopping on the bus. Hazel chased after him, tossing Gar's bag into a high shelf before plopping beside Gar. Cole furrowed his eyebrows and stuck his head out from the RV doorway. "Tim!" Cole yelled, waving him over. "Hurry up! I need someone to talk to while my sisters make out with people way hotter than them!"

Terran tilted her head up and a force shot out making Cole stumble, falling onto the concrete of the floor. "I will leave you here Martin!" Hazel yelled.

Cole turned and ran back to the bus and Tim moved his attention to Dick. "Are you serious?" Tim questioned.

"The question is, are you?" Dick asked, fixing his bag on his shoulder. "You got some nice moves, but you need proper training, if you're up for it." Tim smiled and ran onto the bus, throwing himself next to Cole.

Dick and Kory threw the last of the bags into the RV storage. Kory stretched her arms high over her head as Dick closed the storage door. "Right. Destination San Francisco. Forty-four hours," Dick relayed, resting his hand on the door.

"Forty-four hours?" Kory screeched, her arms dropping in shock.

"Yeah, I know."

Kory took a long breath and brushed her hair back. "Okay, fine. But I get to DJ," Kory compromised.

Dick nodded and motioned Kory inside, "But first, one more stop."

Dick drove for a little under an hour, stopping at the large Gothic prison, the gates stretching higher than the walls of the building itself. Cole furrowed his eyebrows as he looked out the window, but it was Gar who spoke up, his voice slightly shaky, "What are we doing here?" His eyes stayed glued out the window on the Arkham Asylum sign.

Dick unclipped his seatbelt, "Stay here. We'll be back in 10."

"We?" Kory questioned.

Dick moved from the seat and opened the door. Hazel hopped up and followed after him, the cold air hitting her skin. Dick led her through the gates and to an office building where they sighed in. A guard led them to the long hall where he let the pair continue on by themselves. They walked to the very end of the hall and down a small left hall, the only cell being Cranes at the end of that hall.

Dick paused by the door and motioned for Hazel to stop. He sighed and looked down the hall, "Let me talk to him first, you'll know when to come in." Hazel nodded and crossed her arms, leaning against the wall.

Dick used the keycard to open the door to the cell, standing in the entrance to the cream coloured, padded room. Crane stood in the centre, his arms confined in a strait jacket and his body held in place by a thick chain. "Welly, welly, well," Crane hummed and then scoffed, tilting his head as he looked at Dick. "We've come full circle, haven't we?" Dick let out a soft breath and Crane chuckled. "Have you come for some more crime-solving advice? You know I'm off their payroll now? Although I bet you and I could work out some sort of a private arrangement."

"Be kind of hard to smoke with your hands all... tied up," Dick pointed out.

Crane hummed and nodded softly. "Yeah. You got me there. But, see this, all this, it's just a temporary problem. This house has many doors, and they all revolve. You know how it is. Gotham is never going to change, and I'll be back out in the fields before there's frost on the pumpkins."

"Not this time," Dick said, shaking his head.

Hazel rounded the corner, and a smile overtook Crane as she stepped through the entry. "Oh. hello, there little Venom," Crane chuckled.

Hazel took a breath as her eyes scanned the room, catching the small camera in the right corner. "Ten minutes," Hazel requested, looking up at Dick. "I don't want any to affect you. I won't be long." Dick looked between them once more before listening to Hazel, giving her a small nod before leaving the room and walking back down the hall.

Hazel turned back to Crane, and he scoffed, chuckling softly as he spoke, "Are you here to scare me?" Crane scoffed. "Give me some venom to make me afraid? Or burn me, Icarus? A lotta options there."

Hazel nodded softly. "It was the plan." A smug smile overtook Crane. Hazel turned and closed the door, a click-sounding signalling it locking. Hazel raised her hand, a small light rising in her hand before racing across the room to smash the camera, "But now I'm here to kill you." Crane's smug smile dropped as he eyed her closer.

Hazel turned back, resting on the wall. "I thought to myself, giving you some toxin is ironic but you're one for poetry, metaphors, those kinda things, I mean I spent half a day reading a boring poem no one actually likes." Hazel pushed herself up as she started to pace, "And then it dawned on me... I never got to see you with your mask. And I always wanted to know if you looked like a scarecrow."

Hazel's eyes flashed green. The chains shattered and a vine slit the binds around his arms, tearing his skin as they did. Crane stared at Hazel with confused eyes before he started to violently wheeze as vines began to push at his throat. A gurgling sound echoed from his throat and a hunk of hay spilled from his mouth as he coughed. His hands reached up to his throat, trying to pull the hay from his mouth.

Crane screeched, his voice muffled as more hay spilled. Retches and gargles tore from him as his eyes started to roll back, pain coursing through him as the vines and hay spread through his body. "You murdered one of the most important people in my life," Hazel hissed. "No one is excluded from fear, especially you." He coughed and sputtered as the hay began to take over the skin on his face.

He shook his hands and tore at the hay that sprouted from his ears. His screams were drowned out by hay filling his throat, just muffled groans of pain. It pricked through his skin and sprouted from his eyes. It changed the colour of his skin and blood leaked from the burning pain in his body.

Crane wheezed softly as vine picked him up and spread out his arms. Hazel walked to him and laughed at his face. "Huh. . . You do look like a scarecrow."

— rage —