Full explanation at the end for the AU :)

For those who don't know, Marra is an OG character (and our core <3 technically a self-insert that grew into something more) who uses all pronouns, and becomes the Scarecrow in this DC universe (with a focus on Gotham). We made this AU with Kit! Gonna tag em in the comments :3

Happy reading <3

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[TW: Swearing, mentions of the kinds of things Joker does, crime, ect]

"Yeah Suma... Yeah, I know that's the fourth job this month." Marra sighed, one hand fumbling for their keys while the other held the phone to his ear. "Ever since the lab accident, no employer trusts me with anything."

"While I can see why... that spill really wasn't your fault." Xisuma said slowly, his voice barely heard over the phone's speaker.

Unlocking her apartment, Marra trudged inside, closed the door, and plopped down on their beaten up couch. "Well, turns out people don't want a scientist that deals- used to deal with fear-related hallucinatory drugs. Who knew."

Xisuma gave a little snort. "Good point. I gotta go, I think Alex is gonna be at some science thing and... I wanna see if I can talk with him."

"Oh... Good luck." They smiled softly. "Hope Alex realizes it's not your fault Uncle and Auntie are shit parents."

"Thanks?"

Hearing the call end, Marra picked up a remote and turned on the news. More robberies, more sightings of "the Batman". And more fear surrounding them.

What was it about the Batman that scared people? Marra had been wondering that for the past few months now. Was it the fact he had never been caught? The fact he had the ability to take down so many armed criminals without leaving as much as a drop of blood as evidence? Was it the bat gimmick? Or-

He shook themselves a bit. She told herself that he wouldn't go down this path. As fascinating as fear was....

"-and here we see the aftermath of yet another one of the Joker's crimes."

Marra looked up to see the Joker's victims: left with unnaturally pale skin (especially in the face), wide lifeless eyes, and an almost comically large grin with yellowed teeth.

What about the Clown Prince of Crime scared everyone so much?

There was the question again.

Why did fear fascinate her so much? Marra knew that the one lucky break to indulge in that interest was long gone, but he still wasn't satisfied. Not after pushing the rules to find out more, not after bending them more to make that fear toxin, not after likely breaking a law (for self-defense reasons, in fairness) by using the toxin...

She groaned a bit out loud, hiding their face in his hands. "What am I going to do with myself...?"

Low on money. Check.

Desperation? Check.

Sanity that was trickling away every day? Check.

Peeking up, Marra looked at the news again, now giving a list of criminals out and loose.

Riddler. Joker. Two-Face. Black Cat. Mister Freeze.

Rather a small list.

All of them scared different people in different ways. People feared Riddler for his manic love of riddles, usually deadly ones that involved complex traps no one but the Batman could hope to disarm. Two-Face, an unpredictable double-edged sword, who used to be a popular and kind politician (somewhat of an oxymoron, but Marra knew Pearl personally: she really had been quite kind before the... chemical accident). The Black Cat scared the police because he'd never been caught, not even by the infamous Batman. Mister Freeze can and has turned the entirety of Gotham into a winter wonderland on a whim, and frozen people solid on his way.

What would it be like, to truly be feared? That question had come up before, like the others, but this time... this time, this one stuck like it hadn't before.

What if she was feared? He knew what it was like to be the one afraid, many times. Perhaps too many. Maybe a part of him longed to have the roles reversed.

No, not maybe.

She knew they wanted to be feared. Fear always motivates people. If they could control fear itself... like the Batman.

It clicked. Posing as a nearly demonic figure, always attacking at night, never allowing himself to be caught or properly seen. He was doing it, had been for so long. And it worked. So many people, the corrupt rich morons that used to run Gotham for decades, stopped their bullshit because they completely and truly feared the Bat. Those that didn't (or claimed they didn't) quickly added to the Batman's growing list of those put away.

That's what Marra needed to do. To get back on their feet, to regain their passion, to live again!

He bolted up, dropping the phone on the floor carelessly and darting to their closet. Grian had once given them a scarecrow as a prank, something about fitting their aesthetic and build (yes, Marra was aware she was quite gangly), and now it could be of some use.

For two days, Marra planned and worked, hardly stopping to even sleep or eat. His mind was set: make a disguise, get some down-on-their-luck crooks to agree to work for her, wound and torment those that had kicked Marra to the curb, and go from there.

Once, they'd even gone to a tailor rumored to have helped Riddler and Joker. She was quite the odd one, but didn't ask for much pay up front. Hell, she didn't ask much at all, outside the vision for the outfit.

"Hah! Stupid Bat, guess he really is nocturnal!" A masked figure sneered, carrying a stolen purse.

"Honestly, I don't get the big deal around 'im! It's probably just an idiot in a suit." Another snorted, carrying a crowbar.

'Here they come... let's hope the improvements that weird tailor made don't make me look foolish.'

Hearing a thud behind them, the two criminals jumped, first thinking it could be the Batman. No... but who was there scared them even more.

"WHAT IN THE FUC-"

Marra didn't bother holding back their gleeful grin under the mask. Wearing a tattered, yet practical suit that resembled a scarecrow wearing a gas mask, they lumbered forward, holding a pitchfork and letting the end of the handle drag against the ground.

The two masked men stumbled back and away, staring at the glowing yellow and orange eyes behind the tears made for Marra to see, ones that were held together by a few threads to almost give the sense that she was in fact a living scarecrow. In an altered, distorted voice, he spoke, making orange and yellow fumes pour out of the gas mask.

"I hope you two boys weren't busy with something."

"N-No! Nothing at all!" One of them chuckled nervously.

The other dropped the bag at Marra's feet, visibly quaking. "You want that! You- You can have it!"

Marra barely glanced at the purse before kicking it back at them. "It's not the money I want. Heard a few street rats are looking for a job, and I can give ya one. That is... unless you're scared?"

Seeing the two fully grown people gulp and nod (then shake their heads) furiously, that made Marra smile even more. It was working, even better than expected.

"Good. Dockside warehouse, midnight. Tomorrow. Bring a few friends... as long as they keep their mouths shut. Wouldn't want any loose ends to cut." He turned around and discreetly dropped a smoke bomb they'd made herself, simply seeming to disappear into smoke that came from nowhere.

And leaving the two crooks to piss themselves.

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So that's the AU! Us and Kit worked on it together, and it's a mix of various lore and ideas. 

Like actually giving the Scarecrow a personality /hj 

The main inspirations are the comics, the Batman (2004, watch it on Netflix or look up some clips if you're not happy with Netflix right now), the Flash (show), and a few other shows and movies. 

If you have any question, please ask! Peace out! :D

(and have an amazing day, evening, and night! GOOOOOOODBYE <3)

- CinnabonSys (is learning more and more every day-)