The Archivist of Gotham (The Magnus Archive × Batman Fanfic)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Behind the Scenes

        

After their classes, Jonas, Luke, and Damian were assigned again by the Principal to another task at Gotham Academy as their detention and punishment. Different from where they have cleaned a classroom yesterday, they were in the greenhouse of Gotham Elementary which belonged to the Gardening Club.

They need to cut out the grass, broom the leaves and petals that have fallen, water some plants, and remove pests without using pesticides.

Once again, Damian refuses to help them. Opting to just stand and watch them do their tasks. Luke tried his hardest to calm down and avoid the urge to attack Damian. Although, he was glaring at Damian the whole time. The latter on the other hand was boring his green eyes at them while he wore a lofty attitude.

For a little killer, Damian was acting like a spoiled brat. But as Jonas carefully thinks about it... The kid's demeanor was different from other typical spoiled brats.

If he would compare it to an animal, the other brats are like pigs while Damian was a fierce and dangerous little lion cub. But Jonas was also starting to find his impression lowering again towards Damian since he refuse to help them...

He would compare Damian's attitude to a grumpy and unapproachable wild feral cat.

After a little while, Luke also started to lose his patience when Damian would occasionally say some insult directed toward Luke. Jonas decided to have Luke just remain to the side just like Damian before his temper erupts.

" Are you sure that you would be fine on your own? "

Luke asked as he felt a little guilty leaving all of the remaining tasks to Jonas.

" I'm fine. You can just rest like Damian. "

" I'm sorry. "

" Don't worry about it. You look tired, so take a rest now. "

" How about you? Are you not exhausted? "

Luke asked while frowning. He was staring at Jonas up and down as if discerning if there was any trace of exhaustion and tiredness on his body.

" I'm not. "

Jonas then went back to continue watering some of the plants. Jonas was indeed telling the truth that he wasn't tired. For a few days, Jonas hasn't been sleeping since the day that he started going out to the Cane Manor and collecting fears around the people. Until now, he doesn't feel sleepy or tired at all.

He was certain that as long as he can continuously fuel himself with fear then Jonas could continue without sleeping and not feeling exhausted.

He was really glad that he was dropped in Gotham which was saturated with fear. He wondered what would happen if he was dropped off in a happy-go-lucky city full of happiness and hope.

He would probably starve himself and die.

When he was all done with the task, they all then went to inform the principal that they were done with their task in the greenhouse.

3 more days of after-school punishment and then they are free to go. He could also use the hours for more productive results instead of being stuck at Gotham Elementary with Luke and Damian.

Jonas then decided to go to the library after he watched Luke and Damian left Gotham Elementary. Using the library computer, he searched the internet and occasionally wrote in his notebook using a pen for his plan for the web ritual.

Eventually, Jonas came up with his theoretical Web Ritual. A story that Jonas would direct behind the scenes. A story playing out in real life while Gotham City serves as the stage. He would cause his 8 potential major characters to have their life manipulated unknown to them.

8 people with no connections to each other and their life intersecting like a web.

And then...

Jonas sighed. He has no clue or vision of what would happen at the end of his story. Eventually, Jonas hoped that he could come up with something when the time comes.

Now, it was time for him to start searching for his actors.

Jonas is aware of the fact that the Dread Gods aren't exactly benevolent and kind beings.

He is aware of it since the day that he has become not human.

Based on some of his memories that he hasn't forgotten about his past life. Jonas wasn't exactly the perfect textbook role model of the pinnacle of Goodness.

He follow the norms and rules of society and establish them because it was convenient to just follow them and become one of the masses.

He choose to become a sheep so he wouldn't be alienated.

But he wasn't also borderline evil or so very depraved that he takes pleasure in committing illegal acts or deviant behaviors.

He was a normal person who occasionally told lies, cheated a few times on his quizzes, stole a little, and occasionally make fun of some people.

Little acts of sins for a selfish person who only cares about himself.

But sometimes, selfishness and greed know no bounds. These little acts became more and more until you touched the bottom line and broke them.

Jonas fears gods are inherently evil.

They are greedy and selfish beings who only cared and act about their self-interest. And most of them are driven by their primal need to feed themselves.

That is the fact that Jonas has discovered since the day he becomes the avatar. Their little lynchpin and connection to this reality.

With his nature and the dread gods, the temptation to become evil was so easy.

Gotham City has already brimming with a lot of Gotham Rogues, Evil, and Corruption despite the work that the vigilantes have done.

Jonas thought that he didn't need to be added to the list of additional Gotham villains that the vigilantes need to defeat in the city.

So as he saw Jonas's parents, he decided to cling to them and use them as an anchor or guide.

Acting as their dutiful and beloved son. Living and pretending the life of a child. He was clinging to the rules of a society that he remember and used to follow. Clinging to the remaining traces of humanity that he has in this world.

But it was his choice to abandon his humanity because he was selfish even though he was clueless about the situation from the start.

With the statement that he has heard through the memories of the original Jonas Cane regarding his death during that time as a literature subject, he was now more determined to find the killer of the original.

He morbidly wonders if the last dregs of humanity that he clung to would be broken.

It was fascinating and terrifying concept.