Professor Fear (the sequel) - Jonathan Crane

Chapter 29

Scarecrow strode beside Ivy, heading towards the destination she'd suggested.
Separately, Daria was grouped with Edward and some of his 'workers' on the block parallel to them. The Joker was most likely having an 'easy' night – no crime. Most likely planning whatever he wanted Scarecrow to be in on.

"What happened to your boys who were working for you?"
Merely months before, Scarecrow had six muscled men who did the heavy lifting and drug-laundering for him.

"They all get the laboratory treatment unless proven worthy."

Edward, his men and Daria could be occasionally seen as small walking figures through the alleys.

"What a waste," Ivy sighed. Despite her prejudice against men (excluding the joyous company of Jonathan and Edward), they could be very useful as extra arms.

"Yes, they were a waste, of my time and resources. I'm always in need of testers," Ivy couldn't see his expression due to his mask but his blue eys met with her green ones. "Unfortunately... that was during the faulty batch, They were gone before I could get my notebook out!" By gone, he meant completely insane. Some had died from heart attacks a few weeks later. That was why Jonathan felt it important to monitor Daria in case the toxin stayed in her system for longer than usual. It was dangerous. 

"When did you get addicted then?"

"What?"

"Did Edward show you it first or did you show him?"

"How did you-"

"I'm a psychopharmacologist, Pamela," He used her first name to talk seriously.

"Do you even know what it is?"

"I'm curious," Jonathan spoke on behalf of himself and Scarecrow. "Give me three days' time in the lab with it and I'll know a bit,"

"It's not detrimental like your stuff," Ivy defended, "If you care about others taking mere 'enhancers' then you would do well to avoid hurting Daria more than you have already,"

The two looked again at the group in the distance.
"I know," Jonathan sighed, "I don't want to lose her like that again, not even for a few hours."

"You smell funny,"

"You're always so sweet Daria, first I repair your rocky relationship, let you stay at my house, and then you say I smell," Edward feigned upset in his voice.

"Ivy smells the same way,"

"I am not in a relationship with Dr Isly," Edward pushed up his glasses to punctuate his words.

"Ooh if Ivy wasn't struck by Harley, you two would make a great green inclined pairing," Daria began picturing their imaginary matching couple outfits. "But no, you just both enjoy the same gross tea,"

"You didn't try it did you?" Edward's sentence was like a bullet train out of his mouth.

"Ooh what is it?" Daria jumped a bit, "Sounds dangerous,"
The Riddler watched as Jonathan's girlfriend behaved more and more typical to a Gotham Siren as the hour progressed.
"We can probably rule out depressants because you would be caught dead before you'd want your cognitive abilities slowed down..." She thought aloud.

"Listen Daria," Edward sighed, "To quote the Cheshire Cat; 'we're all mad here', and thus we all need some sort of agent to make us feel 'stable' or even 'alive' and – ARE YOU LISTENING INTO MY PRIVATE CONVERSATION?" Daria was pushed aside when Edward whipped his head around.

"N-n-no Mr Riddler Sir, Sorry," One of the Riddler's pathetically green dressed men took a step back and held his hands up in surrender. The others watched him get told off. Hardly satisfied, Edward turned around and gently held Daria by the arm, so they could walk slightly ahead.

"Scarecrow micro-dosed them so they would be anxious if I yelled at them," He seemed happy with this small power.
Daria had to give Scarecrow a mental hat-tip for [villainous] cleverness. Edward continued his talk; "As I was saying, we all are not at all normal – for what is normal?"

"Certainly not me!"

That was the Joker's voice- albeit more mechanical. Daria stiffened and turned to the source of the voice. Two of Joker's men had randomly appeared, holding a photo of the Joker stuck on the screen of a cell phone on loudspeaker.

"I didn't realise I'd be having guests this evening, I forgot to set the dinner table!"
"We could just be going on a late -night walk," Daria defended lamely.

"After your walk you should come pay me a visit Daria, we could have a... nice chat," He giggled. "How's home life treating you these days?"

Daria lunged at the laughing phone. One of the large men slapped her. The sound echoed.

Jonathan and Ivy heard the faint echo of what sounded like a slap or a clap. Daria and Edward were nowhere to be seen. Closing her eyes, Ivy sent vines down the building sides and got her plants to check on their friends.

"Joker," She reported, "Not himself, but his men and he's on speakerphone,"

"They haven't seen us yet so we can still try to –"

"Either Daria is unconscious or she's just lying on the ground for a bit,"

Jonathan began running towards the source of the sound. 

Ivy's eyelids began fluttering rapidly. Her skin felt cold. She'd dumped more powder than intended in the cup and it was giving her minor side effects. She had about an hour or two to do some damage before it wore off. Whilst Jonathan and the others were preoccupied, she could get to Joker first.