Bats And Green Arrows

Soooooooooooooo. . . I came across a sound on TikTok that had a lot of animatic potential. Particularly angst potential. So until I get that done enjoy a neat gif.

The final chapter of “The Ghost King” is now up! The story is complete. The series has one more story left to tell, however…

Series Link: “The Captain and the King”

Chapter 3 Summary: After the big reveal, John and Danny share a meal. Life moves on.

“So tell me, how did you find Billy in the first place?”

Danny thoughtfully looked out into the courtyard, before turning back to face John. “I was on my way back to Sam’s place from classes, and I happened to see him transform in an alley. I was shocked, so I invisibly followed him home. When I saw that he was living alone in an abandoned apartment, it broke my heart. I watched him that night as he ate a pitiful bit of leftover food from somewhere, and carefully stashed the rest in a hidey-hole. Then he climbed on his bare mattress and covered up with a threadbare blanket to sleep. It reminded me so much of the days before my high school graduation, when I lived like that; I just couldn’t let it go. I couldn’t bear to see another child hero suffer like that. He just reminded me so much of myself.

After my parents found out that I had died, and that I was the ‘hero’ protecting the town from their mistakes, they kicked me out of the house. I lived on the streets for almost two months and didn’t tell anyone because I was so ashamed, and I was afraid my secret would get outed. I’m sure Billy feels the same.”

“Damn, kid. That sounds rough. Now I can see why you took to the boy. You said you were a child hero before your parents discovered your secret. If you don’t mind me asking, how long were you were a ghost before they noticed?”

Danny’s face clouded. “Three and a half years.”

“How did they miss that their kid was dead for three and a half years?!?”

“They cared more about their work than they cared about me and my sister. It was that way my whole life. My sister was the one who practically raised me. It doesn’t matter anymore…” Something told John that it did, but he wasn’t about to call out the Ghost King on personal matters.

“….Besides, I have the ability to pass as a human when I want to. It’s how I finished high school and got into college.”

“I thought you went to some kind of ghostly college.”

“No way, dude! Didn’t you read ‘Harry Potter’?? Dead teachers are the worst. They are soooo boring. That’s one of the few things the books got right.” A polite cough sounded from the side of the room. “Uh, ghostly mentors, on the other hand, are fantastic! It’s just…ghostly learning institutions that I don’t care for.” Danny’s hand went to the back of his neck and started rubbing it sheepishly. Now he looked more like the ghost that John had met in the park.

***Read the rest on A03***

One (1) New Reply

I finally wrote my prompt I sent to @stealingyourbones back in November! well part of it. This is just chapter 1, so this gets a summary @dpxdcshipweek

Edit: forgot to say that I got help with the usernames from the wonderful @tourettesdog and @half-dead-ham! (If I'm wrong it's bc I'm not at home rn to look at my notes)

Ao3 link: Here

Summary: Danny has always had more internet access than a child really should have had. He tended to spend that time on game forums and different websites dedicated to space. Everyone once in a while he'd venture onto one about heroes and villains. That's how he met Tim Drake-Wayne or BatShadow as was his username back then.

Chapter 1: Blorbo Supplier

Danny just wanted to see uncommon pictures of Superman. It really shouldn't have been this hard. He's an alien, there should be a lot of pictures of him. Frustrated with his lack of results he resorts to looking for the pictures through unpopular social media websites that should have new pictures. His first look didn't meet his goal, and before he could even think of trying again he was distracted by a post. It was a picture of a figure swinging between skyscrapers, backlit by neon light all against a smog filled sky. It was stunning and made all the more captivating by the identity of the subject in the photo. A picture of Batman, The Batman, taken in a way that you couldn't deny it was him. That was impressive on its own, but the quality is what made it shine. Danny had to see if the account had more pictures of Batman, or even other heroes. Looking at the blog, hoping it wasn't a deactivated user, he finds the posts of BatShadow. 

The blog is a gold mine of pictures of Batman and Robin with some villains the duo we're fighting. All with stunning quality, with each subject undeniable as who they were but still giving a sense of privacy. Sadly, Danny couldn't find any other heroes pictured, but Danny could live with that. Batman was his third favorite hero, he blames Sam and all her knowledge on the edgy and obscure. She would be ecstatic about these photos, too bad he wasn't going to tell her. He was being petty. Sam should have known better than to say he couldn't keep a secret, so this is his secret now! Pettiness aside, Danny was going to message BatShadow to see if they had pictures of other heroes they hadn't posted.

Messages begins with BatShadow

ConstellationCruiser:

(04-17-20xx)

Hey, sorry to bother ya

I just saw your posts and was wondering if you have any pics of superman

BatShadow:

I don't know. I would have to look. I don't usually go to an area with him in it much, so no promises.

ConstellationCruiser: 

Thanks!! And that's fine really, it's just that your pics are amazing

BatShadow:

Thanks! Sorry, I have nothing for Supes.

ConstellationCruiser:

Damn

It's fine 

I wasn't really expecting much

I'm just surprised at the quality and quantity ya got there

BatShadow: 

It's super hard to get them without being caught but so worth it!

Danny continued talking to BatShadow about pictures and superheroes. Eventually switching to personal interest. Danny learns that BatShadow skateboards and in turn he tells them all about the stars. By the end of their conversation it was well into the night, Jazz wasn't going to be pleased. It was worth it though.

—-----

Danny ended up messaging again the next day, and the day after that. The other user was interesting and he was just so broad. Especially during these long summer days where Sam was off at some gala trip and Tucker was on vacation with his family. His parents being busy in the Lab at all hours and Jazz working a summer job didn't help. Even with Jazz trying to get him out of the house but it never really was worth it. Not with Dash and his gaggle out. Not without his friends there.

It's not like anyone besides Jazz would care about what he was doing online. Their parents were too caught up in drawing out plans and blueprints for a ghost portal or something. He doesn't care, it's more of the same for him. Don't get him wrong, he loved his parents and they loved him. They just pay more attention to their inventions, and this one happens to be one Danny can't help out with.

He's getting distracted. Danny was supposed to be cleaning the lab, not thinking of long gone days. It was taking way longer than he thought it would. His parents really aren't as careful with their samples as they really should be. After cleaning spilled ectoplasm from the vent grates he will finally be done, then he can get on the computer and add BatShadow on Steam. They were going to play Portal 2 together later.

—----

Tim didn't think he would still be talking to ConstellationCruiser. It was unexpected, but not unwelcome. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, (if there was anyone to talk to in the first place), but he was lonely. So, sue him if he got attached to the other kid with too much free time on their hands. They may not have told each other their ages but it wasn't hard to figure out, they talked too similar.

It was nice to really connect with someone his age. ConstellationCruiser was smart like him, just in different areas. He had learned more about the stars and space travel in the last handful of months than he ever had in his 12 years of life. He knows he wasn't any better, going on about hacking and maybe the new murder mystery that came out. It was fun, learning about the other's interests and different things than what's normal for them. 

ConstellationCruiser's parents seem to have some type of lab in the basement of their house, which was cool in concept but concerning in practice. There have been times where they had to stop in the middle of a game they were playing together to check on an explosion they heard. It happened more than Tim was comfortable with but there's nothing he can really do about it. It's not like he was anyone better about certain aspects of his life either. He avoided the topic of food as much as possible, though it seems ConstellationCruiser is doing the same thing with the topic.

Tim just hopes the other won't worry over him not responding the next couple of days. He probably should warn them but this is time sensitive. Batman needs a Robin. The man is running himself into the ground. His new found grief choking him and by extension Gotham. He has to convince Nightwing to come back, no matter what it takes.

Vertical Limit Updated Babes! You Know What That Means! Meh Quality Meme Time!

As Always Link To The Beloved Fic Itself, Give It Some Love And A Read Of Ya Haven't Yet.

People don't seem to understand how truly terrifying the third Robin was. Sure, the current one runs around with a sword sometimes and has unprecedented levels of anger trapped in a too-small body, but he will never be scarier than his predecessor. The one who managed to keep a grieving Batman in check. The one who can destroy you without ever laying a finger on you. The one with a speedster, the daughter of Zeus, and a Kryptonian on his side. He leads them. He keeps up with them. He outpaces them.

They love him, respect him. They call him for backup. It is rarely the other way around. He can keep up with Impulse, go toe to toe with Wonder Girl, overpower Superboy.

If you ask the Red Hood or Spoiler, the third Robin can outsmart the Batman. If you ask Batgirl, he is the only one she truly views as challenge. If you ask Nightwing, he will tell you the story of the first time the third Robin ever saved his skin. Before he'd even been Batman's partner, when he was just a stubborn kid with a stolen mask.

He flies without wings and scales buildings on human legs. Gothamites will swear up and down that he can bend steel and break concrete. Even Metropolis respects him, cheers him on. No other Bat has that privilege.

And yet he has the gentlest hands. The softest smile. There is nowhere safer than in his shadow. Nowhere better protected than in his care. Nowhere as comforting as under his watchful gaze.

Danny bit back a sigh from his place on the throne as two young vigilantes fell from a portal in his throneroom. He peered at him through his long white veil as he straitened himself. He knew what to do. He had done this song and dance sixty-two times now and he was about to do it again.

He watched them bicker from the cold floor of his ice castle, something he made from his own ice so that the observants couldn't see or hear what was happening inside or pop in without his explicit permission. Something that angered the nosey creeps to no end. Ah, he's getting lost in his thoughts again. Its time to start the test.

"Why have you come to my Realms mortals?" He felt almost silly calling them that, but it worked in getting the two to stop arguing and pay attention to him. Ah, the younger one has a sword. Cool. Won't help him here, but he gets points for ascetic if nothing else.

"State your names."

"I am Robin!" The smaller one yelled, fierceness of his voice to match the fire in his soul.

The older seemed more hesitant, taking a moment to assess the situation before answering, "I'm Red Robin. Sorry for dropping in so suddenly-"

The younger cut in, needlessly destroying his partners attempt at deescalating the situation, "We were not at fault! A portal opened underneath us and we were transported here!"

Danny knows that. Thats why he was testing them, "Are you saying that fate brought you here?"

Robin looked pleased before confirming.

"Then you shall stay here, as those who enter the Lands of Lazarus are never allowed to leave."

They both bulked, one trying to argue and the other trying to reason with him. Danny tapped his fingers on the armrest of his throne, pretending to think. "I will be merciful and allow one of you to leave. I will allow you a moment to make your choice." Danny barely got his words out before the older one declared that he would stay behind, putting himself between the king and his companion. Good. He passed the test.

He turned his attention back to the younger, "And you are fine with this?" This is the part where the companion adamantly refuses and offers themselves as sacrifice and the two bicker about who will get to sacrifice themselves for the other. The king becomes "moved by thier bond" or whatever and sends them both back to the land of the living.

"Of course! He's useless anyway."

...wat.

The older one made a wounded sound that made his core ache with the need to care and protect. This was not how things were supposed to go. Were ten year olds supposed to be this cruel? At that moment he made an admittedly impulsive decision and sent the child back, keeping the older of the two in the spirit would with him.

Leaving the comfort of his throne he walked down the steps towards the young man, his snowy robes fanning out majestically as his crown of stars bobbed around at his movements, some even going so far as to float around him as if showing off.

"I've made a decision. For this day forth you are my royal advisor." He stated before grabbing the other guys hand and pulling him along down the hall, "You're going to help me rebuild my kingdom from the thousands of years of war and political neglect it has faced. You will aid me in political endeavors as well as help the people in any way you see fit." He paused long enough to open the kitchen door and sit him down at the counter,

"But first, what do you want for lunch?"