A Scary Deal

Gotham is an absolute mess.

This place is even worse than I had imagined.

So, I was attempting to find a jewelry shop where I could exchange some money for a small chunk of gold.

I mean, I'm not foolish enough to walk around carrying kilos of gold, even if I could.

But here's the thing, despite my disheveled appearance covered in dirt and grime, I had this gut feeling that someone was tailing me.

It felt like I was being followed, watched... quite creepy.

There were so many messed up aspects about the whole situation, you can't even fathom.

I didn't know if I was going to get ambushed, who knows?

Fortunately, I had one trick up my sleeve to defend myself.

You see, I'm a metahuman – or at least, I like to believe so – so regular folks can't do much to me.

Well, not unless I'm caught off guard.

The real problem would arise if I encountered other superpowered individuals. Then things could become truly interesting, or should I say, dangerous.

So, I had a few theories about how to utilize my power in a fight. But they were merely ideas, nothing concrete. I figured I'd need some actual battle experience to see if they could truly work.

And if things continued in this manner, I was going to face an actual battle.

Anyway, with that in mind, I made my way towards what appeared to be a decently sized jewelry shop.

Mainly because any larger jewelers would dismiss me simply based on my attire. And I really didn't want to go through the hassle of explaining how I acquired the gold.

"Ozzy's Jewellery." It sounded intriguing. "Quite the name."

But with the watch in my pocket and a desperate need for money, I didn't think much and entered.

And believe me, despite its moderate size, the shop was bustling with a crowd rarely seen.

Without a clue as to where to go or any indication of a seller or buyer section, I had to approach the man with the fewest customers.

"How may I assist you today, sir?" he asked, wearing a professional smile. "Are you interested in making a purchase today?"

"Well, I'm actually here to sell something, if possible," I replied, and he nodded in understanding.

"Of course, sir. We buy gold and silver at competitive market rates. And if it's an item that can be sold without melting, it can fetch an even higher price depending on its craftsmanship and condition," he explained. "So, what are you looking to sell today, sir?"

Reaching into my pocket, I retrieved the watch I had enchanted.

"It's an old watch that belonged to my uncle. It may not be a high-end brand, but it's made of gold," I extended the watch toward him. "I was hoping to have it appraised and possibly sold."

"Of course, sir," he maintained his expression quite well for an extended period. "I will have it appraised. Just give me a moment."

To my surprise, the man was skilled. He not only appraised my watch but also explained its specifications to me.

"Watches are typically appraised based on two factors: brand value and material value," he performed a basic magnet test, and the watch did not attract the magnet, which seemed to puzzle him a little. "That's interesting..."

"Is something wrong?" I asked, a bit worried that I might have made a mistake during the enchanting process.

"Not really, but would it be alright if I performed a basic acid test? It won't harm the watch at all if it's made of gold," he inquired, and I nodded.

"Sure, go ahead," I assured him, confident that it was indeed gold.

With a smile, he tested the metallic strap of the watch, which yielded a positive result.

"It is gold," he confirmed. "For the purity test, we'll be using an electronic method."

As he proceeded, he seemed shocked. "Sir, if you don't mind, may I open the watch? I'll put it back without causing any damage once I check a few things about the parts."

This piqued my curiosity about his intentions.

"Of course," I agreed without much concern.

As he opened the case, I realized something.

A small miscalculation.

"I knew it..." he displayed an intriguing smile as he examined the purity of the components. "18k again..."

I had forgotten to account for the material of the parts.

They were also made of gold, 18k gold for every single part.

"Typically, watch parts aren't entirely made of gold, not because it would be too expensive, but because some parts simply can't function if they're entirely made of gold. Especially 18k gold, which is quite soft. And this watch is purely made of 18k gold," he expressed his surprise. "This is the first time I've seen a watch made entirely of gold, excluding the glass, which weighs around 17 grams. The total weight of the watch is 124 grams, and at today's market value, that amounts to around $5,800."

"Okay?" I knew that this wouldn't be the price he would offer me. After all, the buying and selling prices are different.

But while I expected the price to be lower, it turned out to be quite the opposite.

"However, since it's entirely made of gold and it's from Seiko, a brand known not only for its watches but also for its jewelry... this has to be a custom order," he chuckled. "Since there's no similar product on the market, it becomes a collector's item."

That...

Was probably the best mistake I could have made.

"Unfortunately, we don't have the ownership documents, and unless you can confirm it with Seiko, we can't give you the price it might have been initially sold for."

Of course, it was too good to be true.

"So, how much can you offer me without the documentation?" I wondered.

After staring at the watch for a few seconds, he responded, "Around $17,000."

Damn.

...

...

[Jonathan Crane, Scarecrow]

Having spread his newly developed toxin for mass chaos in a recent event and barely escaping from the Bat, Scarecrow realized he needed to refine his toxins even further.

He needed them to be potent enough to penetrate the protective gear worn by the Bat.

And to develop such toxins, he required money.

And how did he plan to obtain it?

By robbing the nearest jewelry store, of course.

"Don't move if you value your lives!"

His henchmen were skilled in this line of work, as he didn't even need to give them orders. They swiftly pulled out their guns, threatening the people in the store.

"Get down! Get down! Get down!" they bellowed. "If you don't want to get shot, get down!"

Fear was a beautiful thing.

In his mind, these pathetic individuals had to submit just because a few guns were present.

But the guns were merely tools; the true cause of fear was the people wielding them.

There was no guarantee whether they would keep their word, whether they would pull the trigger or not.

Scarecrow reveled in such fear.

The very goons who terrified the crowd were themselves terrified of him.

"It's... It's the Scarecrow," almost everyone recognized him, and it felt fantastic.

"You have nothing to fear," he lied. "As long as you surrender everything you own, you have nothing to fear."

But not everyone would comply with everything he said.

"B-But I need this for my daughter's wedding," an elderly woman pleaded. "Without it, we'll have nothing to pay for the wedding—"

"Hush," Scarecrow crouched down to meet the old woman's level, "Trust me, your daughter will value your life more than—" he glanced at the necklace she clung to, "that little golden chain of yours."

Her expression revealed her hurt. "It was a gift from my late husband..." She felt the pain of her necklace being disrespected. "It is the most valuable thing our family owns—"

This made Scarecrow sigh.

"I don't think you understand, lady," he grinned behind his haunting mask, a smile that sent shivers down the spines of onlookers. "Let me show you why this necklace holds no value."

And as he said that, a green gas emanated from his mask, engulfing the old woman's face and causing her pupils to contract.

Those who were familiar with Scarecrow felt overwhelming pity for the old woman, while those who were not, witnessed a scene of absolute horror.

Tears streamed down the old woman's face as illusions and nightmares infiltrated her consciousness. Her body turned cold, her eyes reddened, and a horrifying scream escaped her throat.

She screamed in a way that caused her vocal cords to bleed, a bone-chilling cry that made the spectators shudder and step back.

The woman experienced the most nightmarish and fear-inducing visions imaginable.

All due to a particular man, who stood grinning before the wailing woman.

Fear, such a beautiful thing, Scarecrow thought, looking around. "Don't you all think so?"

"Hurry!" the henchmen shouted. "Drop everything valuable that you possess!"

And did the people have any choice?

Absolutely not.

The horrors they endured were not something anyone wanted to experience.

And so, they began to comply.

"This was meant for my mother..."

Scarecrow smiled as he witnessed them whimpering and surrendering everything they held dear, despite its significance to them.

It was truly wonderful to behold.

Everyone obeyed his commands.

All because of a single element: fear.

"I SAID DROP YOUR WATCH!"

This caught Scarecrow's attention.

"IF YOU DON'T WANT TO END UP LIKE THAT WOMAN!" the henchman yelled. "DROP THE DAMN WATCH!"

Scarecrow turned to find a young man staring directly at him. "Oh, what do we have here? Another one resisting?"

But as he said that, the man looked down.

"No," he stated, "I apologize."

Scarecrow grinned. "That's a good boy."

"FUCKING TRASH!" The henchman struck the man's head with the back of his gun, causing him to bleed from his forehead.

But there was nothing anyone could do.

If they tried, they would end up like the woman.

Snatching the watch from the man, the henchmen proceeded to collect the other items.

All while Scarecrow reveled in their fear.

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[[A/N: Read ahead on Pat reon: Pat reon.com/Greedyfrog

Edited by: Shiro

Next chapter, dead 💀 Scarecrow.]]