Work Text:
Phantom is trying very hard to not let the beauty of space around them distract them from their mission. His core craves to just float in the void of space, take some time to relax and heal itself before the next fight, but he can't. Not yet.
His people need this meeting to go well so they can get the help they need or… call for a war that goes against everything a Protector Spirit stands for. It would tear his core apart to do it, but if that is what it takes to save his people, so be it. This has already cost him his civilian life, his ability to feel safe in his own home, his arm …
Phantom shakes his head to not get lost in it. If he gets lost then his emotions will come from his core and scare his companion with how strong and dark they are. They are already scared of meeting the heroes like this and don't need Phantom's issues on top of that.
He feels the Baby Ghost burrow into his side under his cape and gently reaches over to pat their head. It's a bit awkward crossing his non-dominant arm over his body to do it but the physical therapy Frostbite has them doing is already helping him adjust.
He could try shapeshifting something like a tentacle to replace his arm, but all his ecto is going into regrowing it and holding his more 'regal' form that he has as High King. If he had lost the arm as a ghost it wouldn't be a problem, but major human injuries need a lot longer to heal or risk them being permanent. He learned that the hard way when he had to not be Phantom long enough Tucker could get a virus on the GIW ecto-scanners to lose his signature, the scars from his short capture remained in his human form even after they healed as Phantom.
The looks on his friend's faces after they saw the first real scars he ever got after the portal accident… being trapped as Phantom for however long this takes is worth it for them to not look like that again seeing his arm. Or, the lack of one, at least.
Phantom sighs, spying the Watchtower he is looking for up ahead. He gently slows to a stop about a ½ a mile away and taps the Baby Ghost twice to let him know they have arrived. He patiently waits for the Baby Ghost's trembling to calm and to get a tap in reply before he flies forward the rest of the way. The Baby Ghost may have volunteered for this, but Phantom will call for Wulf to take him back to the castle if it's too much in the end. But, the Baby Ghost shows the same bravery as before and eventually taps back in the end.
Phantom takes a breath before flying up to the window he can feel the most life behind and knocking.
Batman is this close to losing his mind at this meeting, and it's not Hal's fault this time despite it being his Lantern presentation right now.
No, that honor goes to the completely undetected intruder that none of their sensors picked up before he knocked on the meeting room window as if they weren't in space ! Cyborg has checked every scanner that should alert them from miles away if something enters Earth's zone and it's all coming up blank except some glitches on cameras when the intruder passes.
A giant of a being whose crown almost touches the ceiling when they sit up straight and that resembles a mythical Naga with their human upper half and long void black, snake-like lower half coiled under them. Pointed ears, fangs (venomous?), floating snow white hair, and glowing green eyes give them an otherworldly feeling as they look upon the heroes before them. Batman notes their long black cape doesn't sit right over both their shoulders, so they might be missing an arm on one side.
They claimed to be royalty before a white clawed hand dropped a file and rolled up scroll on the meeting room table, casual as can be, before stating one is information if they are going to help him and his people and the other is a war declaration if they aren't. (Batman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman, are silently impressed at how he doesn't beat around the bush about this. The confidence and power it takes to enter a room full of heroes and just state to their faces you aren't afraid to fight them all is impressive.)
Batman lets the more diplomatic members of the League deal with this, for now, as he taps on his arm computer to find everything he can about this so-called 'High King Phantom' and the American government agency mentioned. There are some impressive firewalls trying to keep Cyborg out, but they at least have a location for a base and what looks like a full media blackout on a small town to investigate already.
The tapping on his arm pauses when Phantom's voice gets slightly more serious in response to something foolish said.
"How do we know any of this is real?" Hal asks, ignoring Diana's glare to be quiet. "You expect us to believe ghosts are real this whole time and a government knew about this before we did?"
"I was aware this would be asked at some point," Phantom admits, "and despite the fact several of you have been involved in death enough to be considered 'Ecto-contaminated' and targets yourself, I have a volunteer with me to show the GIW does not care who we were before or after death. Even if they were a hero."
This gets everyone's full attention as Phantom appears to be alone. Are they about to see one of their fallen comrades again? Who? Could this be a trick?
"Please keep in mind," Phantom says. "that this is a young ghost. We refer to them as 'Baby Ghosts' and they often do not remember their life from Before very well. This one could only remember they were involved in heroics, flying, and vaguely what their name was themed after. They do not know their civilian name yet, they do not know if they know any of you , and asking a ghost about their death is forbidden as it can force them to remember it."
Batman tries to remember any flying heroes that have passed, but none come to mind as being recent enough to be a 'Baby Ghost'. The only recent death was-
…no.
Batman freezes, hand hovering over his arm computer as Phantom looks down to his closed cape and tail coil.
No, it can't be him. Not him. Not J-
"You can come out, Little Bird." Phantom says softly. "It's alright."
Batman- Bruce feels like his heart falls right out of his chest when the cape lifts to show a 14-15 year old boy lifting it up and peeking out. Hair the same snow white as Phantom and his mask/suit colors are inverted, but he knows who that is.
How could he ever not recognize his own son?