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When the Wayne family warned Danny about possible kidnappings, he expected something more dangerous, life-threatening, maybe a car chase or dramatic ransom videos with high-caliber weapons. Heck, he’d even take a villainous monologue.
But no. He was apparently snatched by the most boring group of nut-jobs.
Everything had been fine before Bruce’s press conference. Back then, when he was just visiting the Wayne family, no one batted an eye about his presence in Gotham, not even when some got wind about his connection to Vlad Masters. But when Danny caved in and accepted Bruce’s offer to become a part of his long list of adopted teens, the press went wild, putting an invisible target on Danny’s back and making him the ideal prey for every criminal in the city.
Sure, his new family had given him precise instructions of what to do if he was ever snatched as a civilian, which they seemed to forget was the only identity he used these days. Danny recalled Tim’s boring, but informative Canva infographic, because the insomniac dude was just extra like that.
The first step that had been listed was well underway: Call for help
Danny had pressed the alarm in his new Wayne-produced, Bat-approved watch, to let the others know their new brother was in trouble. He silently wondered how much more they would stall just to annoy him.
Step Two: Assess who’s the kidnapper.
These guys reeked of herbs and incense. Plus there were candles and weird signs everywhere. Probably a cult trying to summon some entity that would bring upon the destruction of— yadda yadda, you know the rest.
Three: Don’t be a hero.
Which, honestly, had been Danny’s whole deal after the Nasty Burger incident. But, while he didn’t want to go back to his work as Phantom, he was itching to do something with his powers. Probably mess with these weirdos in robes.
One of his captors had an air of arrogance that could only come from a so-called leader. The guy ordered his entourage around to take their positions in front of a few specific markings on the floor. They had barely said a thing to Danny during the whole process, which made this entire thing so mind-numbingly boring.
The attackers had been too silent even when a handful of their group had just grabbed Danny coming out of the library and caught him off-guard—which totally justified the way the teen broke the nose of one of those jerks in surprise. They had wrestled for a minute before the captors threatened to hurt Danny with a fancy knife. The boy knew he could take them blindfolded, but he couldn’t put any suspicion towards Bruce and the others now that he was so publicly related to them.
So, he followed Step Four: Wait for help.
Right, because that had worked out for him just fine after an hour with the cultists.
Danny’s wrists were starting to itch with the rope that held him to the uncomfortable wooden chair he was sitting on. They had even used the same rope for his ankles. Who knew these groups had a tight budget for the people they were sacrificing?
Yeah, Danny figured he was being used as some sort of offering for whatever they were trying to…invoke? Summon? FaceTime from hell? (Sam would’ve known the right terms; she also would’ve gotten out of the ropes already, with no powers involved but sheer spite). If he was going to be someone else’s meal, the least these guys could do was let him sit comfortably.
The jerks in robes stood still once they finished surrounding Danny at their spots around the circle, which didn’t look as threatening as they probably thought they did. There was a low collective whisper that grew until they started chanting. Some of the herbs used in the ritual tingled Danny’s nose, but he wasn’t sure if that was his ectoplasm reacting to it. Would his ghostly nature also mess up their ritual somehow?
The odd chanting stopped and the leader used a language Danny couldn't understand. Some words felt familiar, something in his chest resonating with them, but they were mostly gibberish.
Maybe Danny needed to take them more seriously. He cleared his throat and opted for the casual-not-freaking-out tone he had mastered during weird ghost fights. “Hey, uh, who are we expecting to show up here, anyway?”
Instead of replying, one of the disciples around him slapped him across the face. Still, not a word was uttered while the leader continued reciting his gibberish.
Danny laughed at the odd action. When was the last time he had been slapped? “Wow, rude much?”
When the same cultist silently motioned to slap him again, Danny held his hands as high as the restraints on his wrists allowed him to show a placating gesture.
There was a sudden shift in the air, something Danny was definitely familiar with began to fill his senses. Ectoplasm.How wouldn’t he recognize it if it flowed in every fiber of his very being?
A green light opened up from the floor, making some of the symbols glow bright green in the circle drawn around him as the Leader intensified his chant. Whatever was coming, it would be here any second now.
The light grew brighter, a rumbling feeling underneath his feet. An ominous wind lifted dust around Danny in a shimmering dance, making him close his eyes to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of dirt in his eyes. He braced himself for the creature they were summoning to just devour him whole. The chants rose in volume, the hum making his chest vibrate, horror crawling under his skin as he sensed the powerful presence getting closer, and closer, and closer...
Until it stopped.
Danny released the breath he didn’t know he had been holding and blinked slowly, trying to get the remaining dust out of his eyes. He turned his head to assess his surroundings but everything felt the same. His ghost sense hadn’t gone off either and there were no signs of any otherworldly creature. This had been ghost-related somehow, if the familiar feeling of ectoplasm, of the Ghost Zone itself, was any indication of what the cultists were messing with.
There was a beat of silence and none of the guys in robes moved. They just continued staring into the circle, expectantly, some even with confusion.
Danny felt awkward with the lack of banter from the others. Despite the possible slap he would get, he decided to break the uncomfortable silence. “So, since this didn’t work, do I use my ‘get out of jail free’ card now?”
One of the cultists took a step back and whispered something to the leader, who was just staring curiously at their hostage. When was the Bat club going to rescue him anyway?
The leader then approached the circle and looked at Danny. “My Lord,” he said slowly, making the teen perk up at the new title he was given. “We were not expecting a…body possession. We welcome you with our souls at your disposal to the realm of the living—” the leader made a reverence, followed by his entourage kneeling and lowering their heads in submission, “—and we hope to win your favor against the dark forces that keep us from fulfilling our promised new world upon Earth.”
Danny scrunched up his nose, looking at the odd scene around him. “Dude, just who the hell did you summon? I think you’ve got the wrong number.”
The Leader tilted his head in confusion. “We have called for the ascension of the High King of Ghosts, mighty ruler over all souls in the Infinite Realms.”
Danny blinked and then laughed uncontrollably. “Yeah? Good luck with that.”
Pariah Dark was safely guarded in the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep. The key Vlad had stolen was safely stored in the Watchtower, according to Bruce’s list of recovered artifacts, and there was no way some random guys in robes could get to it. Not to mention there were no more portals to the Ghost Zone.
Right?
The leader turned to look at his companions, who either shrugged or shook their heads. Why were they so confused, anyway?
“Are you not the King of all Ghosts?” the top cultist insisted. When Danny just stared in response, the man gestured at the boy’s head, keeping his movements calculated. “The crown has appeared above your host’s head.”
…The what?
No, hold on…
The Crown of Fire was in the Watchtower, one of the many things decommissioned from Vlad when the Justice League Dark got to him months ago. The crown was precisely what made Vlad’s capture more urgent, from what Bruce had told him.
Danny glanced above him to check if the crown was really there, but he could only see odd shadows and reflections around him, caused by some unknown source of light. Dread filled his gut as his head felt heavier with the implied burden.
“Your eyes reflect the fiery pits of the underworld,” the leader continued, breaking the half-ghost from his horrified train of thought.
Shit.
So maybe that spell did something and his eyes were green now. He tried to picture how he might look to the jerks who kidnapped him and…okay, yeah, he probably looked overshadowed and unnatural with his “scary eyes”.
But maybe this could work in his favor. Maybe he could just play along.
If these guys thought he was a ghost using a human as a “host” or whatever, that gave him a way to explain the use of ghost powers and not compromise his new family.
Maybe Danny could escape and follow up with a new addition to the rescue plan.
Step Five: Freak out.
“Well, foolish mortals,” Danny said in the deepest tone a teenager could muster, allowing part of his ghostly echo to seep through his human voice. “It seems you have a strong will to see past my disguise.”
“All hail the Ghost King!” The cultists said as they dropped to the floor to show reverence.
“Silence!” Danny bellowed, trying to recall how Pariah talked. He glared at his seemingly loyal subjects. “I will now free myself from these chains.” With a touch of intangibility, he allowed his restraints to fall. Danny stood up from his chair, dusted himself off, and turned to glare at the others. He could’ve sworn he saw one of his captors whimper.
The teen eyed critically his surroundings, now that he was free to do so. Talk about abandoned warehouse. Everything looked covered in spiderwebs, dust, and grime, not to mention the disorderly state of the place. Which actually gave him an idea. “You might want to make this place more presentable for a king,” he ordered and walked out of the circle.
In a blinding flash of light, he could no longer see the crown reflected above his head, which could mean trouble if they thought he was no longer viewed as the king they invoked.
“Uh, my lord, your crown is gone, are you still there?” One of the robed creeps pointed out without missing a beat.
Danny gave the other a fiery glare to confirm his ghostly presence. “I am still here, you imbecile. I shall explore the world outside as you prepare this space to be fit for royalty.”
That got the attention of the leader, who approached the boy but kept a safe distance. “Your highness, this is a dangerous city and your face has become well-known in the past few days.”
This opportunity was golden…
The teen crossed his arms. “Why would you pick this host if he’s so inconvenient?”
The leader took a cautious step back. “He comes from the city that sought your defeat, your ghostly excellence.”
Wait, how did these bozos know that?
Just to confirm, Danny furrowed his brow. “Amity Park?”
“Precisely,” the leader hastily replied.
The so-called High King of Ghosts scoffed. “This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard. I will resume my path.”
The cultists hesitated for a moment before clearing the way to give their king ample space in his stride across the warehouse. Danny couldn’t blame them for being terrified, if they thought Pariah Dark was just there in front of them.
He paused, turning to growl at the cultists over his shoulder. “Start cleaning, fools,” he barked, making all of them scatter.
That should keep them busy until one of the Bats came to his rescue, right?
Danny had no idea how he managed to fool them that easily. He supposed these guys were always meant to follow more than take the lead. Though summoning the Ghost King must have taken plenty of initiative too.
The place these guys had taken him to, under the threat of stabbing him before the ritual, had been a warehouse by the docks. How cliché. But at least it was easy to hide away from them. He could try using his powers. Nothing was stopping him now that his captors thought he was under the control of their king.
Nah, he wanted to see how the Bats worked in cases like this.
He found a spot well out of earshot, no cameras in view. He pulled out his phone, which had fortunately survived without breaking for over six months now. Time to make a Bat call…
Before his call could connect, Danny felt a strong arm holding him in a headlock and dragging him into the nearest corridor between rows of large cargo crates. He wanted to resist, even bite the arm somehow, but as he focused on his assailant, Danny realized there was something familiar about the newcomer.
“Oh, finally, cavalry is here,” the half-ghost exclaimed in fake relief. Still, for some reason, he remained under Jason’s tight grasp. “So, uh, what took you so long, Hood?” he asked the vigilante awkwardly.
Danny had seen Jason in his full gear before. He knew he could easily escape him, but there was something rising under the older guy’s skin that almost made Danny sick. Jason was furious for some reason.
“What did you do to Danny?” the modulated voice ground out, sounding more threatening than Danny had ever heard him.
The ghost boy’s eyes widened. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Red Hood held him tighter, making it uncomfortable and almost painful for Danny to move. “The kid you were summoned into,” the vigilante growled. “Where. Is. He?”
Had Danny hit his head on his way out of the warehouse? Because this sounded like the most stupid thing he had ever heard. “C’mon,” he chuckled nervously. “You really fell for the eye trick and the pompous words?”
The grip around his neck didn’t loosen at the question. He could almost feel Jason’s glare under the red helmet, piercing into the back of his skull. “I can still see the crown on you.”
The words reverberated inside Danny’s head. He couldn’t have heard Jay right. The crown was gone after he left the summoning circle. He was probably just messing with Danny.
Except it probably was true because there were the odd shadows and light tricks dancing in his peripheral vision…
“Shit…” Danny muttered as he felt his panic rising.
“Show’s over, ghost,” Red Hood said and, where had he gotten that ectogun? “Leave Danny’s body. Now!”
Danny’s eyes widened. This scene gave him an odd déjà vu, recalling past encounters with the barrel of his ghost-hunting parents’ guns. The wave of nostalgia from that frightening memory was probably out of place, but Danny didn’t have any time to dwell on that.
“Okay, okay, hold on,” he quickly pleaded. He took a deep breath and tried to think about a way out of this and fast. “Look, Raging Gull, I have no idea what’s going on. I’m not the Ghost King or whatever invading this body. It’s just me. Danny.”
There was a tense moment of silence as Jason seemed to consider everything his captive said, his grip still keeping Danny in place. “Mind explaining then why you’re wearing that crown, Bill? And why do they think you’re the Ghost King?”
Danny sighed. “Dude, I have no idea. The king is—was?— a tyrant who ruled the Ghost Zone for thousands of years or something. He came to attack Amity Park last year and we beat his ass back into a sarcophagus.”
Red Hood released the chokehold, his expression a complete mystery hidden under his helmet, but Danny could sense the rising worry in his “Lazarus waters”.
“That’s where you said Masters obtained the crown and the key,” Jason mumbled. “How did these assholes get the crown anyway?”
Danny rubbed his neck. Jason sure had a mean grip. “Trust me. I know as much as you do from the sounds of it. All I know is these guys were trying to summon Pariah Dark and then the crown appeared.”
“How did Masters get that crown?” Hood asked after a beat.
The memories of the fight against Pariah came back in full force. The smug smile when Vlad revealed his plan before Danny passed out made him scowl. “He stole it after the fight. He didn’t even land a single hit and left me with all the hard work.” His scowl was replaced with a look of realization. “Hey, do you think the League can charge him also for child labor or something? Since he outsourced his muscles with Val and me.”
Red Hood sighed in exasperation. He hung his head and looked so done, despite Danny not being able to see if there was really an eye roll or a pinch of his nose about to happen. “Danny…”
“I don’t like the sound of that. What did I miss now?”
Jason put the ectogun in one of his many holsters and crossed his arms. “Have you never heard of the right of conquest?”
The teen thought for a moment. The fond memory of the late Mr. Lancer explaining a related concept in one of his classes came to the front of his mind. “Ah, like the whole colonizing thing?”
Jason huffed. He definitely would’ve liked Lancer. “No, like in the Middle Ages, where kingdoms fought to take control of territories to expand their rule.”
Danny stared quizzically at him. “So what does that mean?”
“Some cultures chose their king or leader in a fight. And since you’re who apparently subdued this Pariah jerk…”
Jason let the words hang there, allowing Danny to process the weight of what it meant for him.
The half-ghost’s eyes widened as the implications dawned on him. “No, no way,” the kid denied as panic began to crawl into his nerves. “I can’t be king!”
“You might not be,” Jason conceded. “Unless those fucking cultists ensured it in some way. Do you remember the ritual? We can probably ask Zatanna. Or Constantine, I guess. Never liked that asshole, though.”
Danny tried to snap out of his panic. Focus on something else. Right, the ritual. He could try recalling everything in the small ceremony. The smell of incense, the uncomfortable chair, the taste of blood after the slap, the eerie chants, the words spoken…
He blanched. “They mentioned some rites of ascension—”
Jason froze and Danny could see concern making a number in his corrupted ectoplasm before he began to laugh heartily. The whiplash the teen got only made anger begin to flare in his chest.
Danny glared, his eyes turning green. “Stop laughing! This is a huge problem!!”
Red Hood clutched at his stomach and continued cackling. “Damn, kid, just when I think you’re overpowered enough, only you manage to stumble upon more ways to beat our asses.”
Danny paced in front of Jason, his fingers grasping at his hair. “Shit, what am I going to do? I told Bruce I retired from the whole ghost business! What if he makes contingency plans to deal with me?” He paled even further as his eyes grew comically large. “What if the Justice League starts a file about me or someone else tries to summon me as the Ghost King? And what if it works?”
Jason, unhelpfully, continued to find hilarity in Danny’s misery, the laughter almost eerie as it was distorted by his modulator.
The boy tried to ignore him in favor of finding a way out of this mess. “There has to be a solution. I mean, I can’t even access the Ghost Zone. So, bummer, right? I can’t be a king of something that’s out of my reach.”
Hope began to fill his chest with calm. He could find a loophole. He always did. This couldn’t make a difference.
Jason sobered up and tilted his head to look at his newest adopted sibling. “Sounds like you finally figured a way out,” he said with a more reassuring tone. “Let’s just get you home and we’ll sort out the details.”
Danny furrowed his brows and pointed his thumb behind them. “Aren’t you going to, you know, beat up the annoying Pariah stans who kidnapped me?”
Jason sighed and brought out a pistol, the regular kind this time. “Yeah, sure. I’ll do the whole show. Though I think you already got that covered, your majesty.”
Danny gasped. “Oh, crap… they’ll still think Danny Fenton is hosting the Ghost King or whatever. Can you get them to undo it or something?”
Red Hood crossed his arms, the gun making the posture look more intimidating. “What a fucking great idea. Let’s just trust some dangerous cultists, who apparently know what they’re doing, to perform a ritual that won’t backfire.”
The teen rolled his eyes. “Super helpful there, love the support. I’ll keep it in mind whenever you need my ghostly help.”
“Lighten up, Casper. Let’s first scare the shit out of these weirdos,” Jason said as he resumed their path towards the warehouse. “You know? We could stage your defeat so they back off. Maybe I can fit the requirements. I’ve already had experience ruling over my territory.”
Danny placed a hand on his chest in mock dismay. “Oh, no, can you imagine?”
Hood stopped and turned to face Danny, his gloved hand moving to squeeze his shoulder in a supportive way. “If it takes the burden off of your shoulders, I could give it a try.”
There was a moment of silence as Danny tried to process Jay’s words. “Ok, that was actually wholesome. Damn it…”
Red Hood laughed as he took out another pistol when they were closer to the place Danny escaped. “C’mon, Casper. Let’s spook the fuck out of these assholes.”
The headache Danny began to develop earlier that day only grew stronger as he stared at his reflection in his bedroom. He didn’t feel any different. He didn’t look different. Sure, there was something dark, pointy, and glowing in green flames above his head. Something apparently humans couldn’t see but other ghosts could?
At least the cultists thought he was back to normal. Good thing they were mere mortals who—
Wait…
Mere mortals? Where had that thought come from?
This was totally getting to his head.
“What up, Spooky Bat?” Jason’s voice called from the room’s entrance, now dressed in his civvies. “Finally got to freak out less?”
Danny turned to face him and sighed. “Came to laugh at my expense some more?”
Jason entered the bedroom uninvited. Rude. “Nah, just stopped to see how you’re holding up, kid.”
“Oh, you know, awesome! It’s only been my first kidnapping since Bruce announced my adoption, which was yesterday. What should I try next? Being dragged by Scientologists? Pastafarians? Fanfic writers?”
Jason chuckled. At least their sense of humor had gotten more in sync. “And here we thought you would get the most normal experience out of all the black-haired boys he has adopted.”
Danny stared at him with a deadpan look. “Me? Normal?”
Jason rolled his eyes. “Or as normal as you can ever hope to be. The crown is distracting, though.”
Danny stared at Jay and then turned to look in the mirror again, cringing at the horrible sight. “How come you can see the crown and no one else can?”
Jason shrugged as he paced by the windows, staring off into the distance. “Undead privilege?”
They had discussed it in the past. Jason had something closer to ectoplasm running inside of him. Danny could feel it, but Jason had explained it was called Lazarus waters from a pit that could even make Damian’s grandpa immortal. Oh, had that been a fun story...
But did this mean Jason was closer to ghosts than they thought?
“You don’t really think you’re part ghost or something, do you?” he tentatively asked. Maybe Jason already had an answer and simply hadn’t told Danny. He did have weird connections beyond those in the Batcave.
That sure was some help Danny would have found useful when he was protecting Amity Park.
Jason walked to the other side of the room to take a seat in Danny’s armchair. The jerk lifted his feet, leaving his heavy boots fall on Danny’s desk. “I’ve seen weirder, kid, but don’t sweat it. I’m not turning into one of your loyal subjects.”
Danny couldn’t help but snort. “Right. So, uh, can we keep this whole king problem between us? Until I figure out what’s going on?”
The heavy glare he got in response was all the answer Danny needed, but it seemed redundancy was taught in Bat-school. “I’m not playing this game again. Been there, screw that.”
Danny turned a pleading look. It must’ve looked so weird and less effective with the creepy crown on his head. “Oh, c’mon! For old time’s sake?”
Jason looked so unimpressed, Danny knew there was no way to bribe him this time around. “No,” the older vigilante replied. “You will tell Bruce everything and talk this through. Like normal people who actually use words and ask for help.”
“Since when are you advocating for that kind of thing?” Danny asked as he felt his annoyance rise.
Jay smirked. “Huh, must’ve been some weird kid who wouldn’t talk unless he froze hell over. Almost literally.”
“Fine,” Danny grumbled. “But if I’m really the king and you turn out to be one of my people—“
“Your people?”
“—I’ll make sure to give you the most annoying job ever. Like… babysitting Youngblood or keeping Kempler happy.”
Jason’s smirk didn’t falter. If anything, it only looked more feral.
Danny was not petty, no sir.
The only reason he pushed Jason’s boots off his desk was that he wanted to keep it clean, that’s all. And if there was a little bit of intangibility to do so, he could always blame the fiery excuse floating over his head.
Having no one but Jason notice the crown on his head was kinda awkward at first. Especially since Danny had told the whole family about what had gone wrong with the kidnapping, the summoning, and only how it did affect his ectoplasm somehow.
Bruce had known the whole story but agreed to only inform the rest on a need-to-know basis. The old man had been extremely worried (his stoic face and occasional grunts in response after Danny answered his questions were a dead giveaway, of course). The seasoned vigilante said he would look into it, making Danny promise to be with a member of the family at all times and report any changes. He also made no promises about keeping Danny’s former ID secret from whomever he would ask about this.
Which he interpreted as being viewed as a threat again.
But so far, it didn’t seem like they had to worry too much when the crown wasn’t really doing anything. There were no side effects, unless he counted the weird bursts of anger or power crave, but he handled them quickly enough. He had already seen that nasty side of himself and he didn’t want to repeat that path to the cursed future.
The crown itself was unmovable. He had tried taking it off, using his transformation to hide it, even asked Jason to shoot the ectogun he somehow managed to find from some unknown source (Danny suspected either Valerie, the Watchtower, or some sketchy underground ghost market).
But nothing worked. The crown always returned to its place.
Why had it been different with Pariah Dark? Did this have to do something with whatever the cultists were chanting? Did the ascension have any implications?
Whatever this was, it got out of control soon.
It all started with random letters appearing in his room. He thought it was some kind of prank by Jason, a way to tease him about the Ghost King part. The mysterious envelopes, sealed in a very official and glowing manner, appeared out of nowhere on his desk or during meals at home. They all were addressed to The High King of all Ghosts in a way Danny perfectly understood what it said even if the others claimed to only see scribbles and gibberish.
The contents of each letter were the same, requiring him to go to the Ghost Zone (or, well, it said Infinite Realms but it was probably the same thing, right?) and make his formal introduction to the Ghostly Council, whatever that was.
Of course, since Danny had no way to access the otherworldly realm, he ignored the letters completely, burning them with an ectoblast in the comfort of his room. He would’ve written back, but he didn’t have any return address, after all. Oh, well.
All the Batkids who had gone to the manor had bombarded him with multiple questions about the implications of said mail, at first concerned and then amused when they didn’t see any major consequence to the burnt ghostly papers in the following days.
“Where did that come from?”
“Is that some sort of royal seal?”
“No, wait, didn’t you say we wouldn’t be able to see any more ghosts?”
“Why are you getting these?”
“This is obviously a prank.”
The whole thing wasn’t that bad, really; the questions and letters were mostly annoying but nothing Danny couldn’t handle. But everything changed when he went to school a few days later.
It was like any ordinary Tuesday at Gotham Academy when all went downhill. Danny was sitting at lunch with Tim and Steph in one of their rare moments together at school when everyone quieted down suddenly. The half-ghost stopped talking when he noticed the concerned faces of his companions and realized the rest of the students in the room were staring in the same direction behind Danny.
Oh, it had been so long since someone sneaked up on him like that and the telltale mist escaping his lips confirmed the presence of a ghost nearby.
The Fenton kid’s breath hitched as he turned around, noticing for the first time the swirling green portal that opened up in the middle of the cafeteria. Everyone held their collective breaths at the uncanny sight, while Danny’s sense clued him in advance of someone or something already coming their way.
Seconds ticked slowly in utter silence until a new presence emerged from the vortex, revealing a giant…eyeball? Yep, definitely a huge eyeball substituted the head of the ghost wearing a long white and golden robe, bony green hands poking from its long sleeves. And it was now floating into the cafeteria right in front of the Amity Parker.
Danny had the odd feeling of a sense of déjà vu again, now from his time at Casper High. Except now he was the newest adoptee in Wayne Manor and not the son of two ghost hunters to the eyes of his classmates. And he didn’t have an alter ego running around Gotham to come face this new ghost, anyway.
The giant eyeball at least wasn’t immediately attacking. Maybe Danny could play dumb if the ghost didn’t have a mouth to speak or, hopefully, wasn’t able to see the crown looming above his head.
“Your…Highness,” the ghost spoke in a very haughty tone, striking down the two hopeful routes Danny desperately needed to get out of this mess. “We must speak.”
Steph’s mouth opened and closed before settling on a low. “Highness?” reminding Danny how neither of the teens at his table had full disclosure of his current dilemma.
Tim pulled Danny toward him, trying to look threatening to the creatures. “Leave him alone,” he almost growled.
The eyeball dude gave the two fully human teens a passing look before its pupil settled directly to focus on Danny. “You have not replied to our requests,” the ghost insisted.
On the one hand, Danny was finally meeting one of the ghosts responsible for the letters he was receiving. On the other, there was no way he would have any semblance of a normal life at Gotham Academy again.
Danny figured he’d wing it and hope for the best as he sighed. “You mean the creature that possessed me the other day when I was kidnapped?” he asked with a pointed look. Surely, this giant eyeball would know how to interpret heavy stares that were vibing to the tune of ‘please get the hell out of here before you get me in trouble you’ll regret’. Actually, he felt that exact tune reaching out from somewhere deep in his chest. Huh…
The creature tilted its eye and seemed to appraise the situation. “Very well,” the ghost replied with a hint of irritation before going back into the portal, both disappearing from sight once he went through.
The silence in the cafeteria was deafening, all human eyes attentive to whatever the new Wayne kid had to say. The expectation deposited on his shoulders made Danny anxious. He didn’t even know half of the teens in the room but now everyone certainly knew him. Even Tim and Steph refrained from saying something, maybe too shocked by the strange ghostly interaction to talk.
At least no one ran away screaming. He supposed Gotham’s unique brand of horror had everyone too used to crap like this.
Finally, Danny broke the uncomfortable silence by clearing his throat. “Uh, what can I say?” Everyone kept staring and hanging to every word he said. “I got the short straw on the weirdest kidnappers yet?”
The response began with a few whispers and grew into full chaos as students Danny was more familiar with began to approach him and ask what that creature was, and whether it was all real or just a massive hallucination, and did Danny had a pact with some demon; had he sold his soul like that one guy whose scribbled contracts people exchanged like trading cards at lunch…
Danny didn’t even understand half of the questions he was being asked. He certainly didn’t have a chance to respond either as Tim dragged him out of his seat and they both left quickly with Steph in tow.
“You’re going home to lay low,” Tim told him with a concerned look.
For someone who had not exactly been among his Top 4 favorite new siblings, the determined look on Tim’s face, plus the way the guy stood tall against the unknown ghost, had Danny slightly raising the dude’s rank to a solid 4.5 at least.
Though it all depended on what Tim told Bruce during their debrief once they got home.
“Bruce, I swear I’m not trying to keep things from you,” Danny said exasperated for the umpteenth time that night as the two talked behind closed doors in the manor’s study.
The old man gave him a stern look, not that any of his ‘comforting’ and ‘worried’ looks were much different now that he had gotten to know him better, but at least Danny felt he could tell the small differences. “We’ve been through this after you told us your secret, Danny. Even if you don’t go out as Phantom anymore, you need to keep us in the loop when there’s a new ghostly development.”
Danny scoffed. How dare Bruce question him like that? What even gave him the right? The stupid piece of paper that now made Danny a part of his family? This jerk didn’t know a single thing about ghosts and now he dared treat him like some menace? As if Danny hadn’t fought hard to destroy his alternate future, even when he no longer needed to change the course of his life or stay out away from the vigilante life.
The ghost king felt his anger begin to rise, like an army of ants crawling beneath his skin and demanding him to punch this guy in the face and—
Whoa. Wait, what?
The half-ghost shook his head to dispel the growing tension. He took a deep breath, recalling the calming exercises Jason taught him weeks ago. Where had all that rage come from all of a sudden?
Bruce probably sensed something because he was giving him the same look that Danny now knew meant the man was worried and not mad at him. Had Danny been that obvious?
The boy licked his lips to prepare for his next words, trying to sweep under the rug whatever the hell had just happened. “I’m serious, I don’t know where that ghost would have gotten a ticket to Gotham. I don’t know of any other portals,” he replied in a calmer tone, hoping Bruce hadn’t gotten wind of anything.
Who was Danny kidding? He probably noticed seeing how he’s THE world’s greatest detective.
It didn’t matter in the end since the conversation had to be put entirely on hold as the library began to grow colder. There was the faint static of energy shifting that made Danny’s hairs stand on end and put his senses entirely on alert. Just like it had happened in the cafeteria, he felt the cold mist leaving his lips as another portal opened up.
“Your highness,” a nasal voice called from behind him. He noticed the moment Bruce’s frown turned into a dangerous and calculating look, preparing a discreet defensive stance, bringing forth the same strategist who wore a cowl every night to jump across the rooftops of Gotham.
Danny knew who the voice belonged to before he turned around from his seat. “Meetings that should have been a phone call…” he mumbled.
He turned in time to see the same ghost from the cafeteria—Eyesaac, Danny decided to call him since he didn’t have an official name for him. The newcomer floated out of the swirling portal at the center of the room and floated directly in front of the teen. “You have not replied to our request for an audience,” the annoying ghost told Danny. “We have much to discuss after your… unexpected ascension.”
Danny turned to glare at Eyesaac, eyes shining bright green. “Okay, one? How the hell did you even open a portal here?”
Eyesaac tilted his eye in what Danny wanted to interpret as confusion but didn’t get a chance to speak.
“Two?” Danny continued. “How am I supposed to send anything to the GZ if I can’t open a portal, Eyeinstein?” Oh, that should’ve been a better name.
“And Three! Why did I have to learn about the whole potentially being a king from some lame cultists who can’t hold a tune during their chants to save their nearly-sacrificed lives?”
If it was possible, the eyeball ghost gave him a cold stare. Maybe Danny was reading too much into the small glimmer in its giant eye, or maybe he had learned to read people better after living with Bruce and trying to interpret his many ways to hum in apparent disproval.
“As I have tried to explain,” Eyesaac spoke, the disproval no longer imaginary. “This can be addressed during the audience at the halls of the Ghost Council.”
Bruce, who had been silently assessing the situation behind his desk, had appeared out of nowhere to stand in front of Danny, in an effort to put some distance between the teen and the ghost.
“He is not going anywhere,” the old man spoke in his most menacing tone, his words sounding like they could materialize into gravel despite not wearing a modulator like Jason. “If you require an audience, you’ll have to pass through me first.”
The tension in the room increased tenfold. What was Bruce even doing? He had never fought a ghost before, how did he think he would win against one? Humans were way less durable than the ectoplasmic creatures from the other side of the portal. Or had he gotten any ecto-weapons like Jason did? How prepared were the Bats against ghosts anyway?
How much had they prepared to go against Danny?
Eyesaac stared at Bruce down with such arrogance that it made Danny’s skin crawl at the utter disrespect from the annoying ghost. The intruder crossed his bony arms. “And what authority do you think you have to make such a claim, mortal?”
The smug half-smile that appeared on Bruce’s face, a rarity as far as Danny was concerned, made the ghost’s posture falter slightly. The billionaire deliberately took his time to walk around his mahogany desk, open a drawer, and pull out a folder, which he opened on the desk for the ghost to see.
“I am Danny’s legal guardian,” Bruce replied, making Eyesaac’s whole eye tremble in surprise with each word as he picked up the offered document to inspect every page and line on it. “Since he is still an underage human, I can legally make some decisions for him.” The Dark Knight’s gaze narrowed at the giant eyeball in front of him. “And I’ve decided you will not talk to him until I’m certain you have no ill intent. And in the meantime, you can’t take him or bother him again.”
The ghost continued reading through the file now in his hands. “Being his guardian certainly does not entitle you to—”
“If I am really your king,” Danny interrupted, his voice as cold and sharp as the new ice powers flowing through his hand, a long blade forming to create a sword similar to the dangerous collection Jason had in his apartment; the icy blade was directly pointed at the ghost’s chest, “you will heed every word he says.”
‘Eyesaac’ turned to look at the sword and the two humans in the room. Danny’s eyes flared with fire and rage that he didn’t want to contain like before. Which seemed effective enough to make the ghost sniff, somehow, in distaste.
“Very well,” Eyesaac mumbled. “And how should we provide certainty of our intentions, my… lord?”
Bruce didn’t miss a beat. “As a first task, I want a detailed report about the succession and ascension process to gain the right to the throne,” he commanded, as if Eyesaac were another one of the vigilantes he asks to report after patrol.
“First…task?” the ghost asked dumbfounded and Danny raised an eyebrow to let him know he wouldn’t contradict his guardian. “I see… And how many of these menial tasks should we’ll be expecting?”
Bruce glared and crossed his arms. “You will be informed of each task after you have successfully completed the previous one.”
When Danny saw the ghost hesitate again, he got his sword closer to the eyeball’s neck. “That’s what you get when you let a teenager rule a whole dimension, eyesore.”
Eyesaac stared once more and began to retreat toward the portal. “You will receive this information as soon as we have gathered everything, my lord,” he said with a strained tone as he stepped into the door to the ghostly realm. “Until then,” he said with a small bow as the portal closed.
Danny allowed the sword to disappear and turned to face his guardian with awe. “Bruce, that was so—“ he trailed off when he looked at the smug grin that seemed to evoke a mixture of Brucie and Batman on the man. ”Thank you!” the teen breathed at last.
Despite the slight grin on the billionaire’s face, Bruce turned more serious as he placed a hand on Danny’s shoulders. “Don’t thank me yet. We have too much work to do.”
Danny had absolutely no counterargument to get out of this one. Maybe it was just about time (and his terrible luck) he had a chance to work with the Bats.
The first time Danny heard about the Watchtower, he was maybe in middle school and he figured it would be an incredible place to look at the stars. When he realized he wouldn’t be able to meet the physical criteria to become an astronaut, the tiny hope that had burned in his chest for so long turned into a sour reminder of everything he had lost to his powers.
But now that he was living surrounded by vigilantes who got in and out of the Watchtower as they pleased, he could have a chance to dream again. And he wanted to enjoy this visit by taking a moment to contemplate the infinity of space from such a unique spot beyond Earth. Like a dream come true.
But first, he needed to wake up from his latest nightmare and find a way to get rid of the crown.
Danny realized after a few days that the cursed object above his head was definitely messing with him somehow. The more time passed, the more he could feel a foreign sensation creeping its way inside of every thought and feeling.
It started with simple things, like getting into fights with his newfound bullies at school, who instead of being terrified about the display at the cafeteria the other day, felt the need to make a statement. Or when he got caught glaring with bright, green eyes at any of the Batkids whenever they annoyed him, something Tim had told him reminded everyone of Jason’s worst moments back when he had been more…violent. There was also the boiling sensation Jay told him he now felt under his skin whenever Danny got angry.
No matter how many breathing exercises he tried, or how many relaxing, red duck candles Jason gave him, nothing seemed to calm the unexpected rage trying to break free from his mortal constraints, burning from within and demanding to release its fury.
“Batman, we need to have a word about— oh,” a woman dressed in a black and white ensemble reached the room where Bruce had left Danny, while the vigilante went to talk to some of his legal-versed teammates about the information they received from the ghosts who called themselves the Observants.
The half-ghost could probably recognize the founders of the Justice League just fine, but most of the additional heroes in the roster were totally unknown. Like this dark-haired woman who for some reason irradiated power like none of the other Leaguers had to Danny.
“Uh, hi?” the teen greeted as he tried to identify her. “Batman went to one of the conference rooms. I think.”
The woman stared at him with concern, her shoulders tense as she took a step back. “And you are?” she asked.
Danny turned away from the large window looking out to space and offered his hand in greeting. “I’m Danny Fenton, Bruce Wayne’s newest addition to the family. Batman is helping us with a special mission,” he said, but the woman still hadn’t offered her hand in return.
She continued to eye him curiously and raised an eyebrow. “You reek of death,” she stated bluntly, her tone reminding him of Sam for a moment.
Danny snorted. “Okaaay, nice meeting you too, I guess,” he said while he lowered his hand.
Her blue eyes analyzed him and stared at the top of his head. Could she see the crown? What else was she able to see or detect?
“I heard the rumors but wasn’t sure about them,” she spoke and started walking slowly around the small office. “They said you were possessing one of the Wayne kids. How did Bruce fail to see you’re not entirely human?”
Bruce had told him— no, he had promised he wouldn’t say a thing about his powers. But he never said a thing about others being able to detect him. He shuddered at the idea of going back to his old routine as Phantom, being the only one able to do something about ghosts, if they were going to start popping out of nowhere in the living world.
Danny didn’t know what to reply to her. He was tempted to just keep quiet, let her draw her own conclusions, and wait for Bruce to return from whatever he went to ask the other members of the League. But all plans left the building when a new person suddenly materialized next to her.
“Whoa, Zee, where’s the fire, love?” a blond man in a long, beige trench coat said, standing next to the woman (Zee?) and giving Danny a really bad vibe. The man’s blue eyes turned to stare at Danny, then above his head. “What in the bloody hell…”
There was really no point denying it now, Danny supposed, seeing how the two probable members of the occultist division of the Justice League were staring in utter horror at the crown burning in green flames above his black-haired head. “I have this feeling you already noticed how bad I am at accessorizing.”
“You’re the Wayne lad,” the blonde guy said in his heavy British accent. Danny had the suspicion this was the John Constantine guy Bruce and the Batkids had mentioned a few times. Was Zee short for Zatanna then?
“Oh, you’re the jerk who tried to steal some of Vlad’s stolen artifacts,” Danny replied unimpressed, crossing his arms over his chest for good measure.
The Brit leaned in a little and winked. “No crime when stealing from a thief and all that, kid.”
“John, please don’t antagonize the Death God,” Zatanna exclaimed, pulling the man to the side.
Danny paled and blinked slowly. “I’m sorry, the what now?”
Constantine looked at Danny, then at his companion for a silent exchange that looked like he was making a bad decision and she didn’t approve. “Something tells me you have no bloody clue about what this whole shit-show is about, am I right, kid?” he declared in the smuggest voice Danny had ever heard. And he had spent enough time with Vlad.
Using the full power of his teenage skills to piss off entitled adult jerks, Danny rolled his eyes in the most obnoxious way. “Duh, that’s why I came here with the big Bat.”
And because Bruce had a knack for theatrics and perfectly-timed entrances, the Dark Knight came into the office at that precise moment. Danny wouldn’t put it past the vigilante to just lurk around the corner to eavesdrop and wait for the right moment to appear.
Batman looked at the two League members, his expression unreadable under the cowl. “Zatanna, Constantine.”
“Batsy,” the Brit replied. He then pointed an unlit cigarette that appeared out of nowhere towards Danny’s head. “Is there anything you wanna share with the class, mate? Perhaps why you’re meeting the other Leaguers and not those who actually know what they’re doing. Considering a certain missing Crown of Fire we got from Masters’ slimy hands weeks ago, it sure would’ve been nice to get a call.”
“It’s a matter of a legal misunderstanding. We are looking into it,” Batman replied with a scowl.
The occultist pinched the bridge of his nose, his expression almost begging for a drink to avoid handling nonsense sober. “Look, mate,” he began slowly and Danny had to wonder if he was trying to Batsplain Bruce how to do his job. “We’re not telling you how to raise your kids, and I’m totally not judging you for managing to adopt too close to the bloody sun—”
“I said I’ll handle it,” Bruce interrupted, his voice a tone lower.
Zatanna sighed and stepped between the two men. “Bruce, if you could only listen,“ she pleaded, a quick glance directed toward Danny before it turned back to the Bat, who wasn’t surprised that his identity had been discovered by the two occultists. “We just want to help.”
Batman looked directly at Danny, as if the teen had the answers the vigilante needed. Danny could do many things with his powers, but reading minds was not one of them, but he could see the faint lines of worry on the man’s slight frown. “How do you think you can help in this particular situation?” he asked in the same low tone.
Constantine scoffed. “By preparing you to face the fucking Ghost King, for one.”
Danny glared and he could feel his eyes turning bright green. “I am right here, jerkface.”
It was something really stupid, Danny rationally know it. But that didn’t stop the anger that began to burn under his skin, making his aura cast a warning sign to the others in the room. He knew he couldn’t let the rage control him. Jason had guided him through it, explaining how he had learned to reel in the fiery Lazarus water coursing his blood. Breathe, Danny repeated like a mantra as he closed his eyes, counting the different sets suggested to take in, hold, and release his breath.
Constantine began saying something in a language Danny couldn’t understand that rang with ‘danger Danger DANGER’ in his chest. He turned to look at the blond man, who had made bright circles of light in front of him. The venomous words at the tip of Danny’s tongue died before being spoken as the spell was cast.
Everything felt frozen in place: time, his thoughts, his rage, his breath… he choked on the sudden lack of air in his lungs, falling on his knees as he gasped to recover.
“What did you do to him!?” the sound of Bruce’s anger reverberated in Danny’s ears along with a thud. He glanced in the man’s direction only to see him pinning Constantine against the wall.
“I’m helping him, you idiot!” a thick British accent replied. “Do you think I want to hurt a kid? Of course not! He was being consumed by the crown’s raging fire. It would’ve killed him!”
The silence that followed chilled Danny to the core. His head throbbed at the same time that his chest began to settle into a calmer thrum, almost as if it hummed with renewed peace. He shook his head to dispel any remaining confusion from the blinding rage that had suddenly taken over mere seconds ago.
“Bruce, he’s telling the truth,” Zatanna added before she kneeled next to Danny, her eyes searching his in concern. “Are you alright?”
All three pairs of eyes stared at the teen expectantly, Batman still pinning the annoyed occultist against the wall. Danny took a deep breath, the air coming into his lungs easier now. “Yeah, but what the hell was that?” he asked and stared at Constantine. He had so many questions, but he needed to check the license plate of the truck that just ran him over first.
Huh, he was starting to feel more like himself now.
Constantine glared at Batman and the vigilante begrudgingly released him and stepped closer to Danny, his almost concerned expression present, even if the man kept his distance in his trademark emotionally-constipated ways.
“That was a binding spell of sorts,” Constantine replied. “We never figured out from Masters where the Ring of Rage was hidden, but consider this the next best thing. You should be as sound as a pound, for now.”
Danny frowned, the words not computing right. “The Ring of Rage?” he echoed.
The half-ghost would probably regret this. He was already regretting it and he hadn’t even said it yet. But these guys probably knew how to help and what was wrong with him and the blinding rage. It wouldn’t hurt to leave the door slightly ajar to his secrets in that case.
“Wasn’t that supposed to make the king more powerful?” Danny got up on his feet with a little help from Zatana as he asked.
The woman’s eyes widened in surprise. “So you’re aware of all of this?” she asked. Danny gave her a so-so motion with his hand. “You met Pariah Dark,” she suddenly blurted.
Danny nodded softly. He turned to face Bruce, his brooding face hinting at worry and tension again. ‘It’s fine’ he tried to convey with a meaningful look. Bruce could totally interpret those, right?
While Constantine cursed under his breath, Zatanna gave Danny a supportive squeeze on his shoulder. “You’re right. The Ring does make its wearer more powerful. But it’s also a lock with a deceiving name.”
Danny’s eyebrows furrowed in concentration. “So if the name is deceiving, it’s meant to lock the rage?”
Zatanna eyed him curiously. “Yes, and the crown was giving you a lifetime supply of fury. We felt the surge from your outburst—”
“And then you crown-blocked it or something?” Danny asked.
Constantine shook his head and gave a soft backhanded slap on Bruce’s chest. “It’s almost like you’re a teenage smartass magnet, Batsy.”
“How long will this spell last?” Bruce asked with an edge of wariness, always preparing for the worst-case scenario. Maybe Danny should see if he wasn’t living in a world of gloom thanks to secret visits to Spectra.
The Brit played with the unlit cigarette in his hand as his eyes squinted in concentration. “I’d say three hours tops. Want to walk us through your brilliant contingency plan, mister dark and broody?”
Batman couldn’t possibly scowl harder, but Danny was sure Bruce would find a way just to spite Constantine. He gave a tired dad sigh and walked towards a desk in the office they were in, sending a few commands on the attached keyboard to display some of the files Bruce had been working on to show the League. “The Ghost Council is an ancient order of ghosts who are—“
“Appointed to keep order in the Infinite Realms,” John interrupted. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know who those bastards are. Met them a few times. Very observant group, right? So, anyway, what’s your angle to save your kid?”
Danny was thankful right then and there Bruce wasn’t the one wearing the rage-inducing crown.
“A legal loophole,” Batman replied shortly.
“You’re playing with their own rules,” Zatanna said, walking closer to the screen to see Bruce’s findings from the ancient scrolls he digitalized somehow. Danny wasn’t going to question it at this point.
“Nothing’s better than some malicious compliance,” the half-ghost added with a feral smirk, shooting finger guns at Constantine.
Zatanna turned to look at the teen with a frown on her face. “Compliance would imply keeping the crown. So many things could go wrong if you do that.”
Was she concerned about Danny? Why would either of them be? They didn’t even know him.
Constantine looked with curiosity at the boy. “Keeping it or getting rid of it, it won’t go quietly, that’s for sure,” he said while he stared at the crown from all angles. Danny knew he should be more annoyed at the scrutiny, but the fire was just not there as strong as before. “As soon as more ghosts catch wind of whatever you try to do, all kinds of creatures from the Infinite Realms are going to want that kind of power for themselves and all the goodies with it. And those guys are nasty fuckers.” The Brit paused and stared at Danny directly in the eye. “We’re talking about ancient beings and worse fiends than anything we’ve ever dealt with in this world.”
Maybe this guy wanted Danny to cower in fear and beg for help. Maybe he wanted to use the crown to trade for something valuable, as he heard the guy often did. Maybe he had no idea what Danny really was, and that was enough to bring a smug smile to the teen’s face.
Danny shrugged. “Sounds just like any regular Tuesday, to me.”
Batman walked closer and put a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to share.”
The teen responded with a smile to the gesture. “I think it’s kinda necessary in this case.” He turned to face Constantine. “And I’m also kinda curious to learn how this guy would get away from a mess like this.”
Zatanna took a nearby chair and motioned Danny to sit on the one at the desk. “Why don’t we help brainstorm for other solutions to that little problem.”
John tapped on his chin. He looked at the old texts displayed on the screen. When he turned to face the rest of the group, his face radiated mischief. “Maybe I do know a way or two we could nail this and get those bloody eyeballs to piss off.”
That certainly was more in tune with what Danny vibed with. Not the legal route to break contracts, but the utter chaos that would make the Observants regret ever looking to meet with Danny in the first place.
“What do you have in mind, John?” Zatanna asked skeptically while Bruce looked at the interaction in his silent assessing mode.
Constantine turned to face Danny with a hint of amusement. “Ever made any good friends during your chaotic Tuesdays, lad?”
From Zatanna’s horrified glare at John, which had the damning accusation of ‘bad idea’ etched all over it, Danny figured maybe this Constantine guy was onto something. Maybe he wasn’t that bad after all.
Bruce had never considered that being a father would be a role that would become so prominent in his life when he decided to adopt Dick. He assured Alfred it was his way to help a boy who had experienced loss just like Bruce had at his age.
When Jason came along, he reasoned it was the kid’s potential that could be pushed to shine with the right help.
Tim put a claim on a spot the kid decided needed to be filled, even if Bruce hadn’t realized it at the time.
Damian was more than a biological bond; he was someone who looked up to him to receive not only training but also the nurturing any child his age should have received before, however short Bruce felt in that task.
Cass and Duke came along as well to help them cope with broken families and find their own place in the world.
And as he reviewed all his reasons for taking each of his kids under his wing, he realized they had all been looking for someone who understood. Someone who could offer the protection and companionship of a kindred soul they never had. But in a way it had also been all the other way around. Maybe all his kids had adopted Bruce, too.
Danny was no different and, despite all of it, he was in many ways.
The boy had lost everything, but now instead of looking for a way to fight back, he slowed down. He didn’t want to keep the same path and decided to try something different that kept him from hurting. The boy wanted protection from himself and the memory of those he lost, a promise Bruce was sure Jason knew more about.
As he worked silently behind the Batcomputer, for once alone as everyone was out at Barbara’s house for a movie night, he decided to work on Danny’s file. The latest developments required an update, even if he was locking this document for his eyes only.
Well, his and Jason’s. If there was someone Bruce trusted more than anyone to take care of Danny’s needs and stand strong to make important decisions concerning the boy, it was his second eldest son.
Batman had kept silent with the Justice League. Even Clark and Diana were left in the dark, and he tried to ensure everyone believed any lingering oddities in Danny were merely a result of his time with the cursed crown. Even in the previous months when he had already known about Danny’s life as a ghostly hero, it wasn’t something he wanted to bring to his teammates. The boy had enough loss and hurt to last him a lifetime. If the League became aware of him, all hope for a regular life would be impossible.
For once, he found a boy who didn’t want to jump into the vigilante life and now he had been forced again to face his otherworldly powers. And it was all because he gained notoriety as Bruce Wayne’s new adoptive son.
Bruce knew he was responsible for this boy and for what had happened to him. He wouldn’t let him down again.
He couldn’t bear letting another son down.
“Uh, Bruce? You down here?” the unsure voice of the newest addition to his family echoed in the cave.
Bruce still wasn’t sure if the echo came from the cave or the boy’s ghostly side. The detective switched documents on the screen; when he turned around, he was met by the black-haired teen walking in his direction, a soup container in his hand. “Danny, I thought you were with Barbara and the others.”
Danny shrugged. “They thought a Ghostbusters marathon was the best idea. I got bored after the first one,” he said while rolling his eyes.
The father of almost a dozen kids smiled knowingly. “I’m sure they had a bet running to see how far into the marathon you’d get annoyed.”
The teen snorted. “Their loss, I’m not the one losing money or wearing Dick’s old costumes.”
Humor and chaos, as Bruce had learned in the past several months of knowing the young man, were Danny’s preferred coping mechanisms, a way to disarm others around him and ensure enough distraction from anything. His inner struggles, a difficult problem, a life-threatening challenge… “Why are you here, really, Danny”
Danny’s eyes stared at the thermos in his hand and turned it from side to side. The cylindrical container was coated in metal and had buttons, some of its structure was dented but it seemed sturdy otherwise. “Look, I know you’re always looking for contingencies. I’m not entirely sure you know how to deal with someone like me.”
Bruce recalled the document minimized in the Batcomputer and decided not to give any information on that particular topic. “It’s not something we have to talk about. I understand there are risks and we have John and Zatanna to help us now.” The man’s lips curled into a small smile despite himself. “You left quite an impression on them after your visit to the Realms.”
The usual joke Danny would’ve responded with was entirely gone, replaced with a frown. “Yeah, but… I’m not sure they’re enough, you know?” he said softly. “So, seeing as the others aren’t here to argue or anything, I wanted to give you this.”
Danny gave him the container without much explanation, allowing Bruce to commit its details to memory, adding the logo for FentonWorks to the mental image filed.
“It’s a thermos. An empty thermos. You can contain even powerful ghosts in it,” the boy said with a pointed look. Bruce was terrible at interpreting all of Danny’s non-verbal cues but he had imagined this one meant that he trusted the vigilante to do the right thing if it was ever required.
Bruce sighed. “You won’t be required to work with us as Phantom and we will ensure nothing comes out of the changes you ensured in the Realms,” he replied to reassure the teen. The last thing he wanted was for any of his kids to feel like they couldn’t be trusted, even if many of them believed that was the case.
Danny sighed tiredly as he sat against the desk next to Bruce. “You already saw how the whole king part went even while I wasn’t Phantom. C’mon, Bruce, I was a C student, not an idiot.”
The man stared at the container and figured he could find a way to understand how it was built and how to create a spare just in case. He would ask Lucius to study it without Tim being involved in the process. He hoped he never had to use this tool, but with so many things he had faced in his life as a vigilante, he knew nothing was guaranteed.
“Thank you,” said softly.
“Yeah, well…” Danny looked away and shrugged. “Use it wisely.”
Before Bruce could begin to process the trust Danny was depositing in him, there was a small shift of energy next to them. An instant later, a familiar nuisance materialized in the cave, eliciting a tired sigh from Bruce and a smirk from the boy.
“Constantine,” the vigilante acknowledged, fully aware that any attempt to scold the Brit from waltzing into his territory would result in a headache. “What brings you here?”
“Why, hello to you too, Brucie,” John replied, he turned to face Danny and made a mocking bow. “And to you, your ex-royal highness.”
“Hey, Con-man,” Danny greeted with more enthusiasm, bringing back the sparkle he was missing mere minutes ago. “Is it time already?” he added with a groan as he slouched where he stood.
John nodded. “If you want to keep your peace of mind, you better take that pupper to visit those insufferable eyesores.”
Danny let out a loud sigh. “Fine,” he replied before turning to face Bruce, the light that announced his transformation shifting the boy before him to Phantom. “I’ll be back before curfew and all that. Royal duty calls.”
John blinked a few times before he began chanting and gesturing in the air to open a portal. He blinked a few more times before glaring at Phantom. “Remind me to bring my sunglasses when I’m out on babysitting duty. Fuck, are you bright,” the man grumbled under his breath.
With a loud laugh and a jab Bruce could no longer hear from the boy, Danny and John went through the portal into the Infinite Realms, to keep an eye on the new king Danny had lost against and was now in charge of. Cujo still seemed like an unusual name both for a dog and for the king of the realms.
Bruce remembered he needed to add that to his report, which he opened as soon as Danny had left the cave. So much for giving the boy a chance to live a normal life, but he was thankful to Constantine, as much as he hated to admit it, for finding a way out of this mess. All it took was finding the right process to give the throne to a new king, making sure Danny had a way to be declared the king’s knight, and setting up the right protection spells in Constantine’s arsenal to ensure Cujo would not be dethroned easily.
He knew changes of this magnitude didn’t come without a price. While it was an ingenious way for Constantine to keep his hands close to otherworldly artifacts that could pose a future threat, it also meant keeping Danny attached to a realm he wanted to steer away from.
He turned to look at the thermos Danny gifted him, the sign of trust and respect Bruce couldn’t contemplate minutes ago. Even if all the adults in Danny’s life had failed him in the past, even if Bruce had also failed to provide the boy with a normal civilian life, he could still make sure he was safe. That he never failed another son again. And hope, beyond all hope, no contingencies were needed if he did things right.
THE END