DISCLAIMER: I do not own Batman or Young Justice, they belong to their respective companies. This is a fan-based fiction with absolutely no profit. Please no suing.

The Banana Slug: After my small success (it seems) from my Professor Pyg fanfic, I think I might do another YJ fanfic.

This one is a "sequel" of sorts to it. As in, the Pyg fanfic is a fact in this fanfic, a fanfact or a factfic, if you will.

And yes, this fanfic's storyline might be similar to Arkham Asylum, but it's not unheard of for fanfictions to do this and it is a damn good storyline to rip from.

So, here is…

Young Justice: Halls of Arkham

By The Banana Slug

CHAPTER 1: Eat Me

BLUDHAVEN

September 29, 3:01 PM

Screams were heard throughout the Bludhaven hospital, patients and doctors running across the halls in fear. Screaming their lungs out and tearing at the wall and their own skin, digging away imaginary insects and trying to get out of this hell. Some have even resorted to attacking others with terror, their fists bleeding from both their own and their victims.

In one office, was a teenage woman, wearing gothic clothing with her black dyed hair and multiple piercings on her body, strapped to table as she struggled against them. Her eyes looking around erratically as she was sobbing uncontrollably.

"NO! Please!" she sobbed, "Help me! The centipedes are everywhere! They're going to eat me! Don't do this! Help me!"

"Help is not needed, Ms. Harold," replied a hissing voice from the shadows, "Only knowledge. Knowledge of fear. From what I can recollect from your ramblings and sobbing, you suffer from Chilopodophobia, a fear of centipedes to be frank. I would love to see the origin of this psychosis, perhaps sexual abuse or…"

"HELP ME!" she screamed, "SET ME FREE!"

"You are starting to annoy me, girl," hissed the voice, "Do I have to cut this session short."

A long arm reached from the darkness and rubbed her stomach, the sleeve was brown and torn, with a tan gloved hand at the end of it was on her. What she saw instead of a hand was a gargantuan centipede, snapping it's jaws as it scanned her pale body.

She whimpered as it scanned her body, and screamed as she saw it bite into her stomach. Blood gushed rapidly from her as she screamed and struggled. In real life, however, this was not the case. The pain, the wound, the centipede…all in her mind.

Suddenly, the door crashed down and revealed the Batman standing in the doorway. The figure looked at him with blazing red eyes, releasing his hold on the girl as he grabbed a scythe from the corner and pointed it at Batman.

"You should be dead," he hissed hatefully.

"Killing me isn't that easy, Scarecrow," growled Batman, "I thought you'd know that by now…but I forgot how unintelligent you are."

The Scarecrow hissed angrily as he slammed his scythe down at the Batman, only for him to dodge and throw a batarang at his forehead. Scarecrow growled as he fell on the floor, his scythe falling out his hands.

Batman stomped on his arm as it reached for the scythe, causing Scarecrow to hiss angrily. "You're better than this, Crane," growled Batman.

"Spare me the redemption speech," hissed a weak Scarecrow, "You know I don't need it."

"No, you would have more up your sleeve than this," added Batman, then demanding Scarecrow, "Tell me, what is your plan."

Scarecrow looked up at him with his dark red eyes, glaring into the Bat's soul, then hissing out, "Nothing…just a bad day."

Batman kicked Scarecrow in the face, sending him sliding across the floor and hitting the wall. The villain held his face in pain, seemingly crying in pain.

The Dark Knight walked to the girl strapped to the table, pulling out a tranquilizer full of blue liquid. He reached to inject her neck with the antidote, the girl looked and only saw a large centipede moving towards her, jaws chomping and saliva dripping.

She screamed in terror as Batman injected the antidote into her neck, but she began screaming and thrashing wildly. Batman pressed his hand on her shoulder, but she began to hyperventilate wildly. She let one final breath, before dying from heart failure…

Batman looked at her with regret, he reached and closed her dead eyes and closed his own in shame. Suddenly, the Scarecrow's sobbing began to sound contrived…sounding more and more like laughter.

With fury, Batman glared at the Scarecrow, still against the wall…laughing madly at the Batman's failure…

MOUNT JUSTICE

October 26, 10:53 AM

The whole base was silent, not a word was spoken. Healing takes time, they say. It is true, but time, is never certain.

As the team continued with their lives, cooking, cleaning, sitting around…the scars have yet healed. Scars never leave, but they heal in time so that new scars can be made. New scars that don't overshadow the old ones.

Kid Flash walked into the room with a glad attitude, only to see everyone still in their state of trauma. He sighed and said out loud, "Look guys! Why don't we go out, get some burgers!""Nah, we're okay," let out Robin, who was laying on a couch.

"Artemis? Superboy? Aqualad?" called out Kid Flash, smiling, trying to get everyone out their shells, but to no avail. Superboy only looked away as he sat over at the kitchen, not saying a single word. Aqualad had his back against the wall, his eyes shut from the world. Artemis however was standing away from them all, glaring slightly at Wally. He sighed and looked over to Miss Martian, in the kitchen stirring a pot of pancake batter, "M'gann! Come on! You love hangin' out!"

"Oh…yeah," she said with a forced smile, "I'm…game…but not today, I'm a little tired."

He sighed and slapped his head, falling down on the couch. He had to grunt in pain as he held his broken arm, still in it's cast.

"Wally, we appreciate you trying to cheer us up," consoled Aqualad, getting off the wall and walking to him.

"Speak for yourself," growled Artemis.

"But unlike you…we are still healing," he continued, pressing his hand on Wally's shoulder, "Healing takes time…but we all can't heal as fast as you…"

Kid Flash looked down in shame, then looked at Kaldur and let out, "Bud…listen, I…"

"Recognized. Batman. 02. Black Canary. 13. Martian Manhunter. 07."

As the Zeta-Beam predicted, the three Justice League members walked out of the beam and into the living quarters, looking slightly uneasy.

"Batman," muttered Robin.

"I know this may not be a best time, but we need you to help on a mission," consoled Black Canary.

"If you recall from the incident of November 29, where you had to deal with Professor Pyg and I Scarecrow," explained Batman, "We were able to handle both villains, Valentin was sent to Arkham, and Crane to Belle Reve."

"Seems like everything accordin' to plan, eh?" joked Kid Flash half-heartedly.

"Not quite," replied Martian Manhunter, "Director of Arkham Asylum, Dr. Jeremiah Arkham, has demanded that Jonathan Crane be returned to Arkham immediately."

"Are you kidding?" exclaimed Robin, getting up, "He's not insane, he's…"

"Robin," demanded Batman, Robin quickly sat down, "Belle Reve has it's own problems with Jonathan Crane as well. He upsets the other inmates and guards to the point of paranoia. One instance was when he forced one inmate to eat his own fingers and toes…the inmate had no psychological problems until that day."

Miss Martian watched from the kitchen. She was uneasy with taking another "mentally-unhinged criminal", Professor Pyg was unhinged enough for her.

"Hugo Strange has demanded to keep Crane in Belle Reve, but Jeremiah has legal rights as Crane's psychologist to determine what is best for him," continued Batman, "And so, we agreed to escort Crane back to Arkham due to his intelligence, ferocity, and manipulative psychosis."

"Martian Manhunter and I will escort him to the transport from Belle Reve," explained Black Canary, "Batman will then keep guard on said transport, while you wait in Gotham Bay to escort him to Arkham Island."

"All this for some scrawny wimp?" asked Superboy.

"Crane is not someone you want to post as "scrawny" or as a "wimp", Superboy," replied Robin.

"He is a talented escape artist, precautions are needed to ensure he is kept in Arkham Asylum," reiterated Batman, then adding with a cold tone, "For good, this time."

"You will take the Bio-Ship to Gotham and wait at the docks to Arkham Asylum," commanded Martian Manhunter calmly, "Hopefully, we can be able to complete this mission with absolutely no drawbacks."

"Understood," replied Aqualad, "Crane will not escape from us, I give you my word."

"Glad to hear it," replied Batman, who quickly walked to the Zeta-Beam leaving Black Canary and Martian Manhunter alone with the Team.

Kid Flash sighed and laid back on the couch, "I'll see you guys later…damn arm…"

"We'll be sure to bring you a souvenir!" replied Miss Martian happily.

Kid Flash winked and said, "Thanks babe!"

"Again, I am not sure if you are ready for this assignment," admitted Black Canary, "The effects from the simulation…"

"Black Canary, no offense, but we can handle it," interrupted Artemis bluntly, "We won't let the simulation hamper our abilities as heroes."

"…It seems so," sighed Black Canary in worry, then walking to the Zeta-Beam as well.

"Wait for me, I'll be there shortly," called out J'onn. Dinah nodded and teleported out, Manhunter looked over at M'gann, walking to her and resting his hands on her shoulders. She flinched slightly and smiled at him softly.

"M'gann, remember, if you are troubled, I am here to talk to you," consoled Martian Manhunter.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm fine Uncle J'onn!" replied a forcefully happy Miss Martian, looking up to him with a cool tone, "Don't worry, nothing will happen…I promise."

Martian Manhunter looked at her with heavy eyes, then smiled and nodded at her reassurance. "So do I, my dear M'gann."

BELLE REVE

October 26, 11:43 AM

Black Canary walked down the halls of Belle Reve along with Martian Manhunter as prisoners from the cells yelled and taunted at the heroes. At the end of the hall was Hugo Strange, a cadre of guards, and Director of Arkham, Dr. Jeremiah Arkham.

Jeremiah was a tall gaunt man, brown hair, strong chin, and a dark glare to him. He was pale as night, and looked haggard and tired. He wore a doctor's uniform, wearing rectangular glasses that haven't been washed for days.

As the two walked to the group, Hugo greeted with, "I am not sure if this is a wise decision."

"Hugo, don't make this any hard than it has to be," replied Jeremiah with his cold and a voice that sounds antagonizing even when he isn't trying to be, "You and I worked together in Arkham many years ago. Crane too. You of all people should know how dangerous he is here."

"There is no escape from Belle Reve, Arkham," argued Hugo with a hint of disgust to Arkham, "He is no danger to us."

"No, dangerous to those animals," growled Arkham with equal distaste, "Who knows how many he will have transported to Arkham Asylum if kept here." Hugo gave him a glare, then sighing with a slight nod.

"Is he ready to leave?" asked Martian Manhunter.

"He has been ready since yesterday," answered Hugo calmly, "He seems eager to leave."

"This is no environment for someone suffering from delusions of grandeur and a heavy messiah complex," added Jeremiah with a calm and caring tone, almost hidden in his antagonistic tone "In Arkham, his psychosis can be properly treated."

"Evil is a psychosis?" scoffed Black Canary.

Jeremiah smiled and said with an arrogant tone, "Black Canary, I assure you that despite his behavior, Crane is by far, not evil."

Hugo turned to the guards, nodding to them to open the cell door. They hesitated, but one did open it slowly. In said cell was Crane, sitting in the middle of it with the lights flickering on and off. He slowly got up and walked into the light, the prisoners growing more silent than before.

Crane was tall, lithe, and pale. He was covered in tattoos of frightening matter, from skeletons and corpses to demons and scarecrows. He had short brown scraggly hair that looked unwashed and greasy. He had a short brown goatee that was perfectly trimmed, in contrast to his hair.

He looked at them all with his dark grey eyes, and giving them a small smirk. "Canary, Manhunter. Just what the doctor ordered."

"Jonathan. Hello," calmly said Jeremiah as he approached Crane, "We are going to take you to the Asylum. You'll be safer there."

"No, my dear friend, they'll be safer," replied Crane, then moving to Hugo quickly as he is grabbed by the guards, failing to get a jump from Hugo, "You'll be safer. Until judgment day when hell comes knockin' on your door."

He was then escorted by Black Canary and Martian Manhunter as the prisoners stared at Crane, giving him hateful looks and jeers. Some would turn away in fear if he glanced at them, which only seemed to amuse him.

"Now, don't worry, Crane," consoled Jeremiah like a good friend, "In Arkham, you will get the care you truly deserve."

"With people like you," blurted out Canary. Scarecrow smiled a bit from that remark.

"Like you?" he would ask nicely. He didn't get a response.

They lead him through the hallways and elevators, he tried no attempt to escape. He would just stand and walk, smiling. They would scan and check him, x-rays and cavity searches, no evidence of fear toxin weaponry in his person. Completely clean.

They lead Crane to a large grey helicopter on the rooftops of Belle Reve, with Batman waiting at the side of the helicopter. While Crane gave a welcoming grin, Batman gave a despising glare. As Crane was being stopped and checked by security again, Canary walked over to Batman and began to voice her opinion.

"Take a look, Batman," she voiced with slight disgust, "That doesn't seem like an insane person, just some evil manipulator. You have to agree with that."

"Perhaps, but it's out of our hands, Jeremiah has full rights to Crane's well-being," replied Batman, with Jeremiah and Jonathan walking past the two and into the chopper with two of the guards, "But with Arkham, they have guards who deal with freaks like him regularly."

"Batman?" called out Jeremiah. He turned to see the doctor already in the helicopter, with Crane looking at the slowly rotating blades tiredly.

"I should go with," explained Black Canary.

"You have done your part," replied Batman, "Let me do mine. I can handle Crane, I always could…" She sighed and nodded reluctantly, backing away as the Dark Knight entered the chopper quickly. It soon took off and flew across the skies away from Belle Reve, to a Serious House on Serious Earth…

GOTHAM BAY

October 26 11:48 AM

It was foggy in the bay, Arkham Asylum would sometimes be seen from only a mile way, but it was blurry and obscured. Miss Martian stood at the docks near the ferry, looking at the tall dark buildings from far away into the unknown. She felt someone on the other side, looking at her. From that person, she felt sorrow…and anger.

"M'gann?"

She turned around and saw Superboy, looking down at her with a smile. She smiled back and hugged him. Meanwhile, Robin, Artemis, and Aqualad were on the ferry waiting for the Scarecrow.

"All this commotion for some nutjob," grumbled Artemis.

"Don't take Scarecrow lightly," informed Aqualad, "Even I have heard of his atrocities, he rivals the Joker in cruelty and insanity."

"So, this…Scarecrow," called out Superboy, "How is it that he's so terrible?"

"His Fear Toxin," explained Robin, "It's this compound that causes these horrifying hallucinations. It makes your worse fears come to life, I know. Been hit by blasts of it before, ten tons of W.T.F. the enth degree."

"That all?" asked Miss Martian.

"Other than impaired judgment, increased agitation, and throat troubles, yeah, just that!" said Robin calmly with a shrug and a smirk.

"So, all he has is this fear toxin?" asked Artemis carefully.

"No, he's a psychologist, and one hell of a good one. Demented too," continued Robin in slight boredom, "He gets in your mind. Makes you confused and paranoid. Just don't talk to him and everything should go smoothly. Don't. Feed. The Crow."

EASTERN SEABOARD

October 26, 11:49 AM

Crane sat calmly on a seat with one guard beside him and Jeremiah Arkham on the other, he looked around curiously and glanced over at Batman, who was facing away and looking at the pilot's progress, ignoring the Scarecrow.

"Lovely weather, Batman," mingled Jonathan Crane, "Ebony Harold would've loved this time of day…poor girl, don't you agree?"

"You don't get to talk," replied Batman calmly.

"Oh?" chuckled Jonathan Crane, "How totalitarian of you, Batman. Is this what you call bedside manner?"

"Crane, if you do not stop talking, I will have you put unconscious," replied Batman, not even looking at Crane, "With or without Arkham's permission."

"Might be for your own good, Crane," added Arkham, "I will not have people add to your delusions through conversation." Crane cracked his neck and smiled widely.

"Yessss…delusions…"

GOTHAM BAY

October 26, 12:55 PM

The five members of the Team continued to wait in the fog, which did not clear at all during their long wait. As they waited impatiently, Miss Martian's attention was once again to the island.

She kept on feeling the presence of someone on the shores of Arkham looking at her. She felt his emotions, but couldn't read his mind. It was as if it was a blank slate. All she felt was his sadness and his rage.

She lost her attention to the man when she heard the helicopter come to the area, landing on the helipad before them. As soon as it landed, Batman walked out with Scarecrow, roughly escorting him with a firm yet harsh grip to his arm.

"He's all yours, Dr. Arkham," Batman said to the man.

"Thank you, Dark Knight," sighed Dr. Arkham, "I'm sure your young wards can help from here on in…Correct?"

"Ain't no thing, Doc," replied a calm Robin.

Jonathan Crane smiled a bit and looked at the team. "I am to be escorted by children? I wonder what you all did to make Batman hate you so much?"

"No talking, Crane," growled a guard, tugging at the Scarecrow's shoulder. He was replied with a sneer and a cold glare.

"Don't take us likely, freak," growled Superboy, "One word, and you're history."

Crane just smiled at Superboy and nodded pleasantly, being escorted to the ferry as Batman walked to the Team.

"Don't speak to him, don't reply, don't even touch him," warned Batman, "He will try everything to get into your head, make you frightened, paranoid, and angry."

"Robin gave us the rundown of his MO, Batman," replied Aqualad, "We won't let him delay the mission in anyway."

"Understood, and careful," warned Batman again, "Arkham is not a safe place for people like you, most of my enemies take residence here…don't give them an inch. They will kill you."

Aqualad nodded as he lead his team on the ferry with the guards and Jeremiah Arkham, Scarecrow sitting on a seat closest to the water. He looked at the waves, watching the dark water splash against the sides of the ferry…

The ferry drove across the murky waters, with Jeremiah sitting at the captain's deck with one guard steering the ship and the other keeping lookout from the deck down at Crane's location.

He sat as the Team stood around in guard, keeping a close watch on Scarecrow as he fiddled with his thumbs in boredom. He sighed as he squinted at the little light the fog allowed.

"Lovely weather, hm?" he asked, he was given no reply. He looked at Aqualad and smiled, saying, "Feel right at home? Eh? With the water splashing around you? Although, it makes me wonder. How useful are you? Swim good. Talk to fishes. All the powers of Spongebob."

"My abilities are not limited to that, Crane," replied Aqualad, "Those are just a few, my abilities are much more…"

"Aqualad, remember," interrupted Robin.

"Sorry," sighed Aqualad as he looked down.

"Some leader," scoffed Crane, wiping his nose as Aqualad walked away, not giving the man anymore to work with. Jonathan Crane looked around in boredom, tapping his foot in a rhythm.

He noticed Miss Martian looking at the island with concern. He took this opportunity and spoke with her.

"Like it?" he asked her, she only glanced, but did not respond, but he kept on talking, "Maybe you can stay over and I'll give you a tour of it's bloody history. The murders, the rapes, the screams…"

Superboy walked over with his fists clenched, glaring down at Scarecrow, "Shut up. You've said enough."

"You only reacted when I spoke to your green friend," observed Crane out loud, "Does she hold importance to you? Are you afraid I will harm her in sick and deranged ways? Because I will."

"I said shut up!" growled Superboy, raising his fist.

"Superboy!" called out Miss Martian mentally, "Don't let him get to you. He's just trying to get your goat."

"Do not give him the satisfaction," added Robin. Superboy just glared at Crane, but eventually stood down, walking to Miss Martian and putting his hand on her shoulder. This action only seemed to please Scarecrow.

"We are here!" shouted out Jeremiah Arkham.

They all looked to see the decrepit place know as Arkham Asylum. The walls of the tall asylum were dark, gaunt, and covered in vines. From inside the walls could be heard screams and laughter, from the inmates inside. All of them mad. All of them home.

"Mi casa es su casa," chuckled Crane happily, getting everyone's attention, "This is where I belong, with my children…Welcome…to Arkham Asylum…"

The Banana Slug: Yes, I agree. There are simularities with Batman: Arkham Asylum. But I am trying my best, it's hard to not dive into that storyline, hell, it's a good storyline. I'm more trying to get into the actual comic book, A Serious House on Serious Earth.

I'm tryin', but being serious hurts!