Bloggity

Tim gets sacrificed in a ritual to summon "the ALL powerful conqueror, Phantom". And by sacrificed, I mean Tim really dies and Danny is forced into his body forcefully.

Feeling the weight of his stare, one of them hurriedly spoke: “Your Majesty! We’ve not dared to hope that you would answer our request, but you have graced us with your presence. For that, we are humbly grateful. We have—”

“This was a child,” Phantom noted. His voice was hoarse, the vocal chords repairing themselves as he spoke. He knew that the body was young, fresh and soft in a way that spoke of inexperience. It was nothing about a physical feeling—the actual physical state of the body, but it was a feeling nonetheless.

The cultist blinked. “Ah, we do not know the exact age of Red Robin. But, surely you are pleased, Your Majesty? The younger the vessel, the more time you may have to guide the world.”

“A vessel,” Phantom repeated, rolling the word around in his mouth, tongue feeling foreign. In the back of his mind, he thought he heard a tinny amalgamation of voices. He forgot how limited hearing was. (Forgot how quiet it was when the Infinity in his head was muffled.) “Vessel. Ves-sell. You have given me a child for a vessel.”

There were shifts among the cultists. “We are aware it is not the most dignified vessel for you, Your Majesty,” a new one said. They faltered for moment as Phantom turned his gaze towards them. “But he is one of Gotham’s most significant vigilantes! Surely, his body is fit enough to contain you?”

“You slaughtered a child. . . to contain me.” Phantom’s voice was cold, a quiet danger in his voice. “You thought you could contain me, the High King of the Infinite Realms? The audacity you have rivals the king before me. I do not require a vessel. You slaughtered a child for something I did not need.”

The air grew heavy. Out of the corner of his eye, Phantom saw one of the cultists fall limp. A flinch went through the rest, and multiple people started quietly gasping as it got harder to breathe. “Your—Your Majesty,” the first cultist choked out. Phantom made sure to keep his own breathing level, consciously keeping track of every breath the body needed. It would not be good if it died just because he forgot to breathe.

Phantom continued: “The only reason this body has not died is because I am now inhabiting it.” Distantly, he realized that all background noises had stopped. It was now only him and the quiet wheezing of cultists. “To assume that I, the High King of the Infinite Realms would require a vessel, would condone a child vessel, is a crime worthy of death. This child’s blood stains your hands, and so your blood will pay it back in full. Only out of respect of this child, I do not use my own hands to do this.”

The average human body was not able to withstand a high level of power. The most it could take would be the power of a Being. Frost started to cover the floor, and the cultists began pleading Phantom to stop. He did not; the child probably pled for his life too. The cultists did not stop, and so neither would he. Just as the last person dropped to the floor, hair frosted over and blue in the face, Phantom heard a window shatter. He did not look away from the cultist, but he did hear a deep voice start to talk.

“Red Robin.” More footsteps from the window area, all different levels of noise, all different people. “Red Robin, report. What happened?”

Slowly, Phantom turned to look at the people who just came in. All were regarding him with caution, the closest being a large man in an all black vigilante suit. After Phantom took note of their outfits, he looked at the body he was inhabiting, seeing the suit he had ignored earlier. He looked back up. “You are his team,” he said. After a moment, he corrected himself: “You are his family.”

“And you’re inhabiting my brother’s body,” a man with a black and blue suit stated, smiling. It was not a nice smile. “We heard over the comms.”

“Comms,” Phantom said slowly, rolling the word around like he did with ‘vessel.’ “Comms. Comm. Com-mun-i-cation. C—”

“Who or what are you?” a man with a red helmet harshly interrupted. His hand rested on a holstered gun that Phantom eyed in idle interest.

“I am Phantom, of the Infinite Realms.”

“Why would they summon you? What is your purpose here? Is Red Robin still in there?” the black-clad man from earlier asked. On the last question, a note of desperate urgency bled through. Ha. Bled through.

“Red Robin is your son?” Phantom asked.

There was no hesitation. “Yes.”

Phantom looked at him. Looked at the sweat lining the man’s exposed jaw; he could easily imagine the man running towards the warehouse as he listened to his son bleed out. “I am keeping his body alive.” He tilted his head up, exposing his neck and therefore the blood caked slit of his throat. It was wide enough that they could see a sliver of muscle throbbing beneath. “My ectoplasm is bonding to the body, accelerating the healing. Once the body is fully healed, I will leave.”

“You will not!” a child demanded. Another child, his mind crooned, a young one.

Phantom paused and looked at the people staring at him with grief barely hidden in their eyes. He took in their ready stances, the determination filling their frames. Oh. “You misunderstand,” he soothed. “Once the body is healed, your Red Robin will inhabit it again. While I heal this body, I will have Fright Knight search for his soul. It might take a while.”

“Fright Knight?” the child asked.

“A friend.” Phantom smiled at him. It only seemed to anger the child further.

“Why?” the blue-clad man asked. It was not a question. “How long will it take?”

He thought for a moment. “The body can be healed relatively quickly,” he informed them. “Red Robin’s soul will be the real determinator. Newly departed souls are. . . fragile. Some do not form at all. The time it takes relies entirely on their willpower, resilience, purpose. What is the time dilation here relative to the Realms?” Phantom mumbled the last sentence to himself.

“Red Robin has high levels of all three,” the black-clad man informed him, clearly wanting Phantom to give them a specific time frame.

“Mm. Then, at most—considering the time dilation—three months. At least, two weeks. Time here moves faster,” Phantom politely told them.

“And how do we know you’re not just trying to save your own skin?” the red helmet demanded.

Actually, the bats are here. They can see Danny call Frighty in the first place! Lemme noodle in here for a minute 😈

—————

The newcomers didn’t look particularly convinced by his reassurances, still very tense and aggressive. It’s almost cute, really; little creatures rallying around a wounded pack mate.

Like they seriously believe they’re a threat to him.

Phantom smiles, careful not to let it spread too wide. This body is human, young, and he’s already putting it back together.

“If I did not wish to return your Red Robin to you, I wouldn’t still be here,” he reminds them gently, inclining his head.

Honestly, in more ways than one. Nothing but his own desire to protect the child keeps him in his flesh. And if he did want to take this body and go, there’s nothing they could do to stop him.

This also doesn’t seem to reassure these people, the smallest gripping his sword like he’s about to attack. It’s the blue one that speaks though, smiling in spite of his tension.

Maybe because of it? Phantom can dimly remember adrenaline. There’s probably a lot in this body right now. It’s hard to tell, when everything is still so much smaller, slower, duller than he’s used to.

“We’re not that easy to escape,” the blue and black one says confidently, and Phantom’s smile turns fond.

Well, once his new halfa is ready to be himself again, he’ll have people to look after him. (Danny’s really not letting himself think about what a new halfa will mean. How that will change things.)

He decides to give them just… the faintest indication. After all, if they keep up this posturing, keep pushing for a fight, they’ll only run the risk of hurting this body.

If they could force him out too early, they’ll only kill Tim. Best they at least believe that he is staying for his own reasons and those alone.

It’s been a while since he’s done it in a human shape, but the feeling comes with a wash of nostalgic familiarity. Phantom turns invisible, flies across the room before the humans can complain.

Stands behind the blue and black one. To prove his point.

“I’m not that easy to catch,” he says simply, switching invisibility for intangibility as the man swings.

The batons sing with electricity as they pass through him, leaving a bitter taste on his tongue, but no further damage. He raises his hands, the same calm smile still on his face.

“I promise you, I mean you no harm. I will heal this body, and keep it alive until Red Robin can return. Then I will leave.” He stops for a moment, considering, a slight frown on his face.

It might not be quite that simple. He remembers dimly that being a fresh halfa is… a learning curve.

“I will leave his body,” he decides, the smile returning as he looks between them, “but I will remain, should he wish it. There are… complications when coming back from the dead.”

They all jerk at that, and Phantom belatedly realises a woman has joined them. She’s above, in the rafters, dressed in black and silent as a shadow. He barely notes her before the red helmeted speaks, bitter and angry.

“The fuck are you doing to him?” He growls, the mechanical stripping of the helmet not quite taking the worry past what Phantom can hear.

Phantom blinks, surprised.

“Healing him,” he explains again, and then he understands. Death-touched, but probably not familiar with the Realms. They haven’t even worked out who he is.

Hmm. How best to explain.

“Red Robin died in the ritual that summoned me. In his last breath, he left this body and I was forced inside, unnecessarily but… I am glad. My true summoning requires no sacrifice, and certainly not the death of a child.” His voice drops to a growl, low and rough through the slit throat, and Phantom clears his throat, forcing himself to remain calm.

The temperature dropped several degrees, and several of the new children are now looking at the frozen cultists like they’ve put something together.

“For this offence, those performing this abomination have been punished. But by placing me here… there is a chance for me to right this wrong. To give your brother his life back, should his soul return. But there is a cost.”

That seems to settle them, oddly, as none of his reassurances have. Well, Phantom won’t judge.

“He is steeped in my power, and what it takes to heal him will leave its mark. So will his death, and his transformation into a ghost. This body is his and he will be able to rebind to it, but he will be conscious before he is strong enough to do it. It will be a strange experience for him.”

Off the top of his head, Phantom can’t think of any that would rival it. Even ghosts who form normally don’t do it while watching their own body walk around.

The all black clad man doesn’t look appeased, exactly, but the explanation has worn down an edge. He is still gruff.

“You won’t object if we verify your claims?” He asks, aggression tempered but not gone.

Phantom shrugs, moving to sit on a box.

It’s been so long since he had muscles, he almost forgot they tired. He’s got to be careful with this body. It’s still missing most of its blood.

“Not at all. Please, summon any magic users you trust. In the meantime, I must call my knight to set him to find your son. The sooner he begins the search, the sooner he will be safe.”

Not that anything would happen to a fresh baby ghost, even if he had gotten sucked into the realms as Danny was pulled out.

He pauses for a moment, watching them. Still armed, still tense, still looking for any excuse to make this a fight. Thinks about Fright Knight.

“He, ah… he’s a little alarming. You may wish to prepare yourselves,” he adds, and as expected, they all tense further. The black and blue one approaches, slowly, carefully.

Like Phantom might spook. Or bite him. He hadn’t planned to, but now…

“How about we just get confirmation on your story first? It shouldn’t take long, they’re on their way now,” he adds when Phantom cocks his head.

Ah. The comm-unications again. That might be the source of those tinny voices he’d been hearing too.

Phantom takes a moment, tests the ectoplasm in the room. There’s enough that if the Red Robin soul is here, it will be able to grow. Not enough to tell for sure where he is.

“I would say… an hour before Red Robin can be tracked,” he decides, nodding. Gives the young man a gentle smile. “It will not matter before then.”

Of course, if they’re all extremely lucky, the poor kid’s soul will be right here. Phantom makes sure to leak a little more ectoplasm than usual, nourishment in case he has not been taken further.

The odds aren’t great, active summoning to the Realms and all, but they’re there.

His agreement at least takes the edge off, the others all returning their weapons. The ceiling woman doesn’t come down, and they don’t look up, but they know she’s there. He can taste the knowledge on his tongue.

And blood.

He’s kinda gross right now.

He turns intangible again, this time more focused, and the dirt falls through him to the box below. Phantom shifts to a new box, frowns down at the blood still caking him.

It’s his, the body’s, and it comes with him. Annoying.

The black and blue one, still the closest, notices. Gives a strained smile.

“Do, ah… do you need to wash up?” He asks carefully.

The others are talking. Hushed whispers, conferring. Planning.

Phantom just hopes they won’t try anything foolish. He’ll take Red Robin’s body somewhere safe if he has to, but… his family should know. Have the chance to accept him.

He refocuses on the blue and black one, nods.

“Please? I’m not usually sticky,” he adds, regaining solidity and frowning at his bloody hands.

The blue and black one nearly laughs, high and more adrenaline than humour, and nods. Pulls a pack of wet wipes from a belt pouch.

It takes Phantom a while to remember how they work, but the blue and black one helps, and they at least have his hands clean before the practitioners arrive.

Things promptly get loud, overwrought, and tense again, but Phantom pays it little attention. Everything he told them is true, and at least those magic users know who he is.

No matter how upset they are that he’s here, they won’t find any lies.

There’s a pretty woman, long dark hair and a fancy top hat, who approaches him with cautious respect in her eyes. She asks what he wants, what price he expects them to pay to return Red Robin.

Phantom explains again. No price; it was a stupid, botched summoning, so he’s just cleaning up the mess.

She isn’t happy with that, and nor is the trenchcoated man behind her. So Phantom thinks of a price.

A warning. Spreading the word to all magic users, at least in this world, that you do not fucking sacrifice children to summon the High King Phantom. Preferably not sacrificing anyone, but he knows what cults are like.

It’s just not fun without a little blood sacrifice, is it?

They go back to reassure Red Robin’s family, and Phantom decides it’s time. They know he’s telling the truth now, their own friends are with them, and it’s been most of that hour.

Calling the Fright Knight is as easy as breathing. The body isn’t his, doesn’t hold any of his possessions, but the Ring of Rage appears on his finger the second he wishes for it.

The blue and black one, Nightwing as he’s asked Phantom to call him, has stuck close. Keeping an eye on his fallen brother.

Phantom likes him. He makes word jokes, more when he’s nervous.

So when he asks what the ring is, what Phantom is doing, Phantom smiles.

“Calling my knight. He will find your brother, and keep him safe. There are very few more skilled.” More skilled in nightmares and fear, but there’s no need to specify.

The Fright Knight has only grown more powerful with an active King to serve, and he is an excellent guardian. He will find the forming ghost, should there be one, and keep him safe.

Phantom raises the ring to his lips, Nightwing watching curiously but not interrupting the others. They’re still in heavy debate.

That ends when a glowing green rift tears through the warehouse and the Fright Knight, atop his beautiful black Nightmare steps through. The sword isn’t in his hand, but his burning hair flares hotter when he sees they have company.

The magic users are swearing, scrabbling, the other heroes (Nightwing calls them that, at least. Phantom thinks they may be a little young for heroics) reaching for weapons.

Phantom clears his throat, and once more the Fright Knight has eyes only for him. Even a prison of flesh cannot disguise the King from his subjects.

The Fright Knight dismounts his steed, ignoring the panicking humans (since that is his favourite kind), and kneels before Phantom. His head dips, awaiting command.

Nightwing manages a shaky laugh, the only human not holding a weapon and primed to attack.

“So…. You weren’t kidding about him making an impression,” he offers weakly, and Phantom smiles.

He remembers, just dimly, the terror his knight used to evoke in him. Fright Knight remembers too. It’s the bar of how far they have come.

“You should see him when he’s angry,” he remarks idly, then nods to his knight. “The boy whose body this is. His soul will be forming soon, becoming a ghost. Find him and bring him to me, that I may return this body to him.”

Simple commands, the kind the Fright Knight likes best. Not quite his usual mission of spreading order, but he has always liked a hunt. Which does make Phantom pause.

“Try not to scare him,” he adds, aware the Fright Knight is terrifying without trying to be. The kneeling knight hesitates for a moment, gleaming black armour unnaturally still.

Not even breath to cause movement. He’s thinking, probably how best to obey Phantom’s order. It’s really, really hard for him not to scare anyone.

An idea strikes, and Phantom turns to Nightwing.

“Is there something of your family he could take? A symbol to soothe your brother and know he’s a friend?”

Nightwing’s still staring, awestruck and unable to look away from the massive kneeling knight.

It’s the father, black clad and tensed who steps forward. Reaches into the innumerable pouches on his belt, and pulls out a yellow cape that should not have fit.

The red helmeted one stops breathing when he sees it. The smallest hisses between his teeth, backing away.

Their father ignores both, stepping slowly, surely towards Phantom and his kneeling knight. Offers the cape.

It’s made for a child, and as Phantom takes it he notes that it’s just too small for the body he’s now wearing. Wouldn’t be half bad as a blanket though.

“This. This will be… he will know who gave it to you.” It’s the most emotion he seems capable of, and Phantom nods, taking the cape with the reverence that deserves.

He passes it down to the Fright Knight, who takes it with a gentleness that still surprises Phantom on occasion. Such a large, spiked figure seems like he’d always be rough, but he can be delicate.

Then the Fright Knight nods and stands, turning to survey the room, and even the humans at the other side of the warehouse take another leap back.

Red Robin’s soul isn’t here, as Phantom expected, and it’s confirmed when the Fright Knight remounts his steed and turns, spurring her back into the Infinite Realms.

Phantom smiles at the humans.

“So. That’s that sorted out.”

"Yeah, you're possessing my little brother's fucking corpse. He-fuck!" The red helmeted one (he should probably ask for names) snarled and kicked out at the wall.

"Hood-" the one in black and blue tries to speak, but is ferociously cut off.

"No, don't you DARE tell me to fucking calm down! He's dead! Tim fucking died! Another Robin died alone and in pain in a warehouse, help just a few minutes too late and- fuck! Motherfucking," Hood let out an incensate noise of raise, half cry of anger half sob, "We heard our little brother die, and you ask me if there's a fucking ISSUE?!" It was at this point that Hood turned violently and accusatorily to Phantom.

Phantom paused. He... rarely dealt with the bereaved anymore. He remembered guilt. He remembered grief. He knew that in each moment of intense grief, he imagined that it had felt like dying. Again. He knew better now.

But he also knew it was distant. It had been so, so long since he was human and felt things the way they did. He had long gotten over that, but every so often it panged back into him. The feeling of other. The feeling that though he may command Space, there was still so much between him and others.

Phantom slid off the box he was sitting on and approached Hood. The beings around him scrambled; to get out of or into his way, he didn't know. Hood refused to move. Phantom stopped in front of him.

"I grieve with you," He spoke through still healing vocal cords (deadaloneafraidpainnononoIwanttolivenonoIwantmyDad-) and let the tears he had hardly noticed holding back began to fall. "Your grief is mine, and I grieve with you," And then Phantom began to Sing.

It wasn't in any human tongue. It didn't use vocal cords so it wouldn't strain the child's (a child) body any further.

It echoed and reverberated through the warehouse and heard as others began to sob underneath its weight. It was loss. It was grief. It was despair and pain made into a noise and driven into the soul in horrible, haunting melody.

But there was hope. Of course he added hope, this wasn't the end. Trauma and memories would remain, as would scars, but healing would be found in time. A new joy of lost loved ones coming back because they would not truly rest until they did. It wasn't the end. Not a goodbye, but until I see you again.

Death was not the end.

His Song tapered off in one final warble that rang through the warehouse until silence returned. The people within stared at him. The pretty magic user sniffed heavily before lowering her head. Good, she knew the significance of a Song delivered by one of the dead.

"We are honoured," She spoke tremulously through her own tears.

Phantom inclined his head in return. "The honour is mine," he replied. Then paused. "Hood?" He asked.

"What?" The man asked, voice warbling and broken through his helmet. There was a sharp burst of static that might've been a sniff.

The edges of Phatom's vision through this body was darkening and blurring at the edges. He had forgotten a lot of things about blood loss. Like the dizziness that came with, lightheadedness, and fainting.

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Phantom shook the obsession away, taking breaths to make sure his mind quieted. Focusing on the task at hand, he made sure to clean the boy's wounds that still needed attending before deciding a shower would unfortunately be required. The boy's body chose the temperature it liked, and he stepped in to clean himself up. Somehow, by the time he was out of the shower, the boys body was shaking.

Weakness? Pain? He ran a mental checklist through but couldn't find anything to match. Even the distant idea of hunger wasn't quite what was needed. Dressing himself quickly, he set out to find someone who might know what was happening. Gratefully, the one who had called himself Nightwing was nearby.

"Nightwing." The dark-haired man jumped, and Phantom mulled over the idea he was in his civilian identity. He'd have to keep names straight in the future.

"T-Ti- I mean, High Ki-"

"Phantom is fine here. You are not my subjects, even if Hood is a tad liminal." He waggled his hand at the end of his sentence and got a bit lost in the moment at the sensation of talking with ones hands. Had that come from himself, or the boy? He didn't remember to listen to what Nightwing was saying, and zoned back in to him having seemingly asked a question.

"I apologize, I came to find you because of an issue I'm unable to find with the boy." Horror crossed over the taller man's face, and Phantom continued. "He seems to be shakey, but I don't believe hunger is what is causing it, though I'm positive he will need to eat soon, yes?"

An incredulous laugh fell out of Nightwings mouth, stressed and genuine at the same time.

"Let's get some coffee in your system. That should help."

Phantom sat at the table of dressed-down team members with all eyes on him. Oh well, at least the shaking had stopped after his second cup of coffee. He never liked the stuff when he was alive and couldn't help but fight the body of the boy that craved it. The smallest's glare never left him, and Phantom tried not to find amusement in it. In the end, he couldn't help but push his buttons.

"Isn't there a kids' table for you to be sitting at?"

The boy bent the fork in his hand, and the one who had been dressed in purple snorted at the end of the table, trying to hide it with choking noises.

Danny felt himself smile as he looked down at the toast in front of him. He understood the idea of eating gentle foods on an empty stomach, but after forcing himself through the coffee, he didn't know if he could do /toast/.

"Something not to your liking Master Ti- Phantom?" The butler, Alfred, he picked up, stood beside him as Phantom cleared the grimace from his face.

"Is this what the boy typically eats?"

"Define 'eats'." Nightwing asked, and Phantom tilted his head. "Tim didn't... doesn't." He clarified firmly. "Eat very often. He usually just runs on the coffee." He nodded to the empty cup in front of Phantom. He mulled around his options, not wanting to be picky, but taste really was bothersome.

"Maybe something similar then. A can of soup?" The woman who'd almost slipped Phantom's attention scoffed.

"Don't insult Alfred's cooking like that. He makes all his soups from scratch!" Phantom sighed.

"I will not request labor to be done at my personal expense. If this is what the boy eats, I will oblige."

The next day, they made eggs for him instead. Phantom was positive the amount of caffine being requested by the body was absolutely absurd, and spent most of the first day in the boys' room trying to outlast the shaking. He had four cups of coffee by the end of the day. Nightwing, Dick, had explained he was about 2 short. Mission accomplished so far.

He hadn't heard from Fright Knight yet, which was what he expected, but he could feel the unease as each day went by. After a week, he made sat down to talk to Bruce, the father, to make sure Tim's absence wouldn't have any repercussions. The man assured him they were used to keeping up appearances, and just asked him to focus on keeping his boy safe.

"Right, vi-g-il-antes. I remember the balance of keeping up appearances." Danny tapped his chin, reaching to find a memory before smiling with whimsy. "I never was good at that when I needed to be." Bruce gave him a look of surprise and suspicion, but Phantom left to give the boy more rest. He felt like he needed to catch up on sleep but was determined to keep a skeep schedule similar to the others so the boy didn't come back out of sorts.

"Do not confuse yourself for one of us 'Phantom.'" Damien, the littlest, was outside of Bruce's office as he left. He stopped and tilted his head at the child. He continued.

"/You/ are not a vigilante, Red Robin is, /is/. And the sooner we are rid of you, the better off we will be."

"How old are you?"

The child seethed with anger at the question.

"What does that matter to you!"

Phantom did not answer.

"....13."

Phantom laughed, and some ghost speak rolled out with it. The boy covered his ears at the nails-on-a-chalkboard sound.

"I was about your age the first time I died." He said before walking off. At the end of the hall, the one called Hood punched a wall before stalking off.

"He's playing us dammit! I heard him talking to Damien, calling himself a vigilante, talking about when he died. He's using us to take Tim's body." Jason was pacing in front of Dick who was leaning against the back of the couch.

"Bruce trusts Zatanna and Constantine, and they said everything checked out on their end. All we have to do is wait."

"And what if he changes his mind?" Dick didn't have an answer, and Hood stalked off. Phantom, sitting invisible in the corner of the room, took into account the frustration still lingering in the boy's family. He'd have to find something to get Tim home as fast as possible.

The next morning, Danny woke up to decor around the mansion. He hadn't stepped outside since being brought to the manor and was surprised to realize it was December. His rage boiled inside him all over again at the idea that this child might miss a Christmas due to the cultists. Dick was the first to check on him when the temperature of the manor dropped to as cold as it was outside. He had to break the door open with his shoulder to get through the ice.

"I let my emotions get the better of me," Danny explained, "I meant no harm. I just want this halfa to get home safely." Eye twitching, he hardly registered Hood's question, who had rushed up almost as quick.

"Half!? I thought he was coming back fine. You lied to us!" Hood jabbed a finger into Phantom's chest, and it amused him.

"Halfa is a term for a half ghost, half human. There's only been a handful in existence in the history of time. Like I said, it will take him some time to adjust once he returns."

"But he will return..." Dick asked, and Phantom sighed, smiling as honestly as he could.

"He will."

In fact, even Phantom was getting impatient with his own timeline. He wanted the boy home for Christmas, even if it meant little to him. Cass found him bouncing his knee incessantly in one of the many sitting rooms and sat with him. They let the silence hang a moment until she urged a conversation.

"I thought you'd gotten Tim's caffine addiction under control?" Phantom laughed and steadied his knee, pausing to find the right word.

"I'm... frustrated, that's all."

"You don't trust your knight?"

"I do, I'm simply being impatient. But I do not want to call upon someone who could make things worse." Cass shifted in her seat, on edge.

"Who could make things worse? More cultists?"

"Worse. A trophy hunter."

He decided to leave it to a vote. Bruce gathered the team for him, and Phantom proposed Skulker.

"Unfortunately, he will come with a price, one I'm willing to pay, but his demands can be very... specific."

"Will he hurt Tim?" The father asked, and Phantom had to be honest.

"There's a possibility. His weapons on a newly formed Halfa are brutal as is, let alone one separated from his body." Danny shuddered, and a glance was shared between the family.

"We can wait then."

"Bruce-" Hood objected, but Bruce stood.

"We trust your knight to deliver my son back to me." Phantom nodded.

"It will be done."

It was two days before Christmas, and the vigilantes seemed as busy as ever. While some of their more friendly denizens laid low during the holiday, others seemed to ramp things up. Phantom had taken to wearing the "comms" the boy usually wore and stayed with Oracle in the batcave to monitor. Something about the body needing to be where it was meant to be, or whatever Danny told them when he worried about their safety.

"Even the infinite realms have a treaty for the holidays!" He'd complained once after they got home from a particularly rough night. He wasn't equipped to deal with their combat, though, and didn't join them on any patrols. Not his ghost-monkeys, not his ghost-circus. Until it was.

"What is with these guys and rituals lately!?" Red Hood's voice crackled through the comms, sounding about as pissed off as always. Phantom smiled, amused. Oracle was clacking away, giving them intel to get them into the building, and Danny glanced at the monitor. Cass was first inside, so Danny watched her feed.

Wait... why did that look familiar? Phantom ran through his own mind and realized where he'd seen that before. "Shit."

Oracle did a double take before telling everyone on comms to hold.

"What!? Oracle, what's going on!" Nightwing said, others joining in on the sentiment.

"Phantom, what is this? Don't tell me they're running into a trap."

"Do you want me to lie then?" His eyes shifted to her, then continued. "Whats the fastest way to them?" They glanced at the snow storm whipping around on the monitor, even flying he'd never be able to see his way through the storm.

"Take the batmobile, the spare has self driving disabled at the moment, but it's the fastest way, and you'll be able to follow the roads on the map. Everyone should be off the streets in this weather." Phantom, who had started walking immediately, suddenly faltered, muttering.

"Drive myself? Of all the things...." Danny growled before hopping into the car and getting on comms. "Everyone, ditch the stealth. Disrupt the summoning at all costs. I have a backup in case I'm unavailable to be summoned, but he doesn't exactly play nice. Stop the ritual, I'm on my way in case you cannot."

Looking around at all the buttons and wheels, Danny groaned.

"Why oh why did I never learn to drive."

"WAIT WHAT-"

The screeching in his comms had no time to react before Danny floored the car, definitely hitting a rock on the way out. He didn't bother trying to look out the windshield. Everything was pitch black, but he was able to follow the map on the screen well enough. Now, was the dial on the right speed or RPM? He decided it must be RPM since it was maxed out at a thousand. How did he used to know /rocket science/ and yet a car baffled him. Huh. Speaking of baffled, the little marker on the map was getting very very-

"Oh shit-" was all that came through the comms before a large explosion on the first floor of the building, making the foundation shake. Ten floors up, the cultists brought more muscle this time, and it was even harder than before to get to the ritual.

Nightwing and Red Hood were able to break through the ranks first, but not in time to stop the shockwave of energy as the ritual was completed. The entire room filled with darkness, spare pin sized lights like stars, and two giant glowing red eyes.

"Your Majesty! We have succeeded where our brothers did not! No sacrifice was made in a human attempt to contain the High King of the Infinite Realms."

A haughty cackle reverberated throughout the space.

"Your flattery is welcome, but I am not that bastard king. He's pleasantly unavailable, which is lucky for me." A ripple of muttering and fear rolled through the cultists, and Nightwing and Red Hood readied their weapons. Where was Phantom!?

Their movement brought attention to themselves, and the red eyes shifted onto them.

"Do you dare raise your weapons to me, human and death-touched? I am Nocturn, the ghost of sleep, I am the king of dreams, so please. Give me a reason to start my harvest."

"You will do no such thing, Noct." Phantom proclaimed as he flew to stand with Nightwing and Hood. The being hissed and spit at him, shrinking down to a being still well over twelve feet tall, with ram's horns and a body made of stars.

"The bastard king himself, my my, it's been a while since I've seen you in a human body. Playing pretend are we?"

"Silence!" Phantom commanded, but the being didn't back down.

"You command me while parading around playing puppet, leaving me to clean up your messes." Nocturn gestured at the cultists cowering, and the ones captured by the rest of Red Robin's team as they joined the room.

"I defetead you like this once before Noct. Will you make me do it again?"

The two glared at each other, trying to assert some kind of dominance until the larger of the two hissed and looked away.

"You have done what you were meant to by coming here, take these cultists, and do what you wish with them. I have already disposed of part of their organization, so you will tell me if you find out there are more as you pick through them." This seemed to please the demon, and an army of green horned creatures with eyes sewn shut appeared to cart the cultists away. Phantom seemed to sneer at their presence. "Sleepwalkers..."

In they blink of an eye, they disappeared. Leaving Phantom alone with the heroes.

"My apologies for how he acted. We have not gotten along in the past." As they started to head back, Danny reluctantly apologized again. "And for the car."

Stephanie hadn't stopped laughing since they hit the first floor. Bruce had tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. There were a lot of buttons. But Damien couldn't let it go that the button was very clearly labeled, and that the windshield shield was in fact, meant to be opened while driving. He sort of wondered why it was pitch black instead of white.

"N-Not to interrupt but ah... is that normal?" Dick pointed to the mist pouring from Phantom's mouth, and it was then he felt the tug of Fright Knight.

The Wayne mansion came into view, breaking through the snow that Tim could see but couldn't feel. They phased through one of the second story windows and landed with surprising gentility in the living room, right in front of Alfred.

"Hello, Master Drake. Welcome home," Alfred nodded towards the pair of them without so much as a flinch. "Master Wayne and the others will be returning shortly. Please make yourselves comfortable."

"What, Alfred, not going to offer any tea? No cookies?" Tim tried to joke, but he sobbed slightly on the last syllable. "God, I'm never going to have coffee again, am I?" Tim looked at his translucent hands, which somehow managed to shake despite not having any muscles to pull bones back and forth.

"Fear not, Master Tim," Alfred said, stepping forward, trying to catch Tim's eye. "This, ah, condition of yours is only temporary. A great deal of effort has been put forth to ensure your body's safety. You will be back to your caffeinated self in short order."

Tim tried to believe Alfred, he really did, and at least he appreciated how the old man was trying, so he nodded and settled a bit further onto the Night Mare he rode, his silent and terrifying, uh, guard, behind him.

Some time passed, but Tim didn't feel it. It was almost as though he was on night duty, awake and aware but just off-kilter enough for time to move quickly. He noticed everything but didn't clock any details, which was for the best, since trying to feel anything at all would send him into another panic. This stasis worked for him, and eventually he heard a combined clamoring of WAY too many people bursting up from the tunnels below the mansion.

Damien and Dick ran through the door first, and Dick skidded to a stop while Damien hopped to the side. They weren't sure what they were expecting, but a green, translucent Tim straddling a flaming skeletal horse with the Fright Night holding him by the back of his neck was definitely NOT it. "Way to go, klutzes," Tim made a second attempt at a joke, and he was pleased it worked a little better this time.

Oracle, Bruce, and Cass followed at a much normal pace shortly after, and did a better job of holding their faces somewhat neutral, though Cass did stare maybe a bit too long, and Bruce was wearing his full Batman getup so it was actually pretty hard to tell how he was feeling. Everyone was in their fighting suits, actually, and a couple of them looked like there might be some bruises forming underneath the dirt and melting snow. "WOOOOW, I'm gone for a couple weeks and you're already out kicking ass without -"

Tim's body filed in at that moment, the eyes strangely flat and green and moving with an almost robotic jerkiness. It looked at him coolly, then looked above his shoulder.

"O-oh. I guess you weren't kicking ass without me." Tim finished, but no one responded.

"You did well. Release him now, you have done your duty," Tim's body said.

The Fright Night picked Tim up by his neck and dropped him unceremoniously on the wooden floor (which Tim promptly fell halfway through and had absolutely NO idea how to get back out). The Knight and his Mare bowed to Tim's body before reaching his sword behind him with a silent swing, and rending a gash through the fabric of the world that he then hopped through. Tim felt the green light of the world he jumped into, an almost magnetic pull that whispered 'follow me, follow me, you belong here now.' before the gash healed, and Tim was left halfway between the first floor and the wine cellar of his own house.

"Are you fucking serious?" Tim sputtered. He flailed like a toddler, trying to grab onto the floor to push up, or down, or anything at all. All the panic he had felt for the past who-knows-how-long burst back into the forefront of every thought he had, and he began kicking. Kicking, swearing, "HolyfuckingshitwhatthefuckdoyoumeanmybodyhasjustbeenWALKINGAROUNDWHATTHEFUCKISGOINGON CAN SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE????" Several of his siblings moved towards him to try to help, but none of them could touch him.

"Be at ease, you will not be able to control yourself if you continue to be riled so," Tim's body said, standing perfectly still by the door. Bruce whipped around to him in response "Aren't you gonna help him?" The rest of his siblings bristled. Tim could tell some deal had been struck here, and all of them were waiting, maybe expecting, the deal to go south.

Tim's body stood completely still, watching Tim and ignoring Bruce and everyone else. He waited, and waited, as Tim tired and stopped thrashing. He felt the need to breathe heavily, like he had just gone ten rounds in the gym downstairs, but he didn't actually need to breathe. He chose to stop instead, letting his arms fall to his sides in the subfloor.

"Good. Now, hold in your mind what solidity feels like. Remember what wood feels like- the grain, the temperature of this room when you have resided here before. Once this is ingrained in your memory again, attempt to rest your palms on the wood and push upwards."

Tim leered at his body, but nodded. He remembered the feel of the wood under bare feet, and what it felt like to do a pushup. The wood should smell like THIS with me being so close to it, and that scratch there is from THIS event that felt like THIS.... Tim began to feel the wood tighten inside of his chest- as if he was being cut in two. He lifted his arms, pressed his green palms against the floor (prompting a "holy shit, I can touch it!" under his breath), and with a quick shove upwards, he was solidly in just the living room.

So this starts with Danny becoming the ghost king on his 18th birthday and almost immediately every power-hungry ghost in existence starts proposing to him. At first he just ignores it but after the 10th time someone tries to kidnap him to marry him Greek god style, he’s fucking sick of it and goes to Clockwork for help.

He’s not much help. The only way for other people to stop trying to marry him is if he’s already married. What’s more, because he’s the king of the infinite realms, it has to be someone that’s considered a citizen of the Infinite Realms. (Like he can marry someone that’s still alive but they wouldn’t count and people will just keep trying to marry him) CW also warns him that people will try and kill anyone he marries if they can so a living person isn’t really ideal. The only bit of real helpfulness he does provide is a list of non-evil non-power-hungry citizens so he can have an easier time finding someone.

So Danny takes the list and starts crossing of names (like Johnny, even tho the guy won’t abuse the power of being the ghost princess, kitty would kill Danny for good this time) when he comes across the perfect candidate.

Jason Todd (Robin/Red Hood)

He’s been to Gotham before, knows the Robins all do good work and knows the Red Hood is already a good and fair ruler of his criminal underground. Plus the guy could definitely fight off any ghost trying to kill him even without the power boost and some helpful weapons Danny would give him if he agrees. Plus he has the perfect bargaining chip to get the guy to help by offering to fix the corrupted ectoplasm in him (not that he wasn’t gonna do that anyway when he had the time to but Hood didn’t need to know that)

So Danny hops over to Gotham and after quickly getting permission from Lady Gotham (she’s very protective of her Knights) heads over to crime ally and pitches the idea to Red Hood.

Which basically goes like-

Danny: so I give u, the title of prince, access to the Infinite Realms whenever u wish, a sweet private wing in my castle, any of the op ghost weapons in the castles armoury and a fix for ur rage problems and u marry me so I stop getting people trying to propose to me in increasingly more annoying ways :)

Jason, a literature geek with a secret desire to be the protagonist in a shitty YA romance: u had me at Prince

So the two of then jump over to the Infinite Realms to get married thinking it’ll take 30 minutes top only to learn that CW left out that a Royal wedding has to take at minimum a week otherwise no one will consider the Marriage valid. So the two, not backing out at this point, join in on the week of parties and celebrations without putting much more thought into it.

Meanwhile back in Gotham, after not having Red Hood check in after his patrol, Oracle searches CCTV and finds Jason having a conversation with a figure that is glitching out the camera to much to identify them, then the figure seemingly grabs Jason and drags him into a portal and the two of them disappear.

So obviously the Batfam comes to the conclusion that Jason was kidnapped by some sort of magical being and calls in John. He identify the magic as that of the ghost king’s and has been hearing that the king had been looking for a bride so comes to the conclusion that Jason has been kidnapped Persephone style to be be married and is under the (wrong) conclusion that it will mean Jason can’t leave the realm of the death after.

It had taken nearly a full week to get the necessary items. And by this point Bruce had to admit he may be ... Fretting. But they were close! Everyone was as well rested as they could be. Fully suited up. And ready to go save Jason.

Meanwhile. Danny and Jason found they actually got on really well? Like. This was definitely a marriage of convenience. But, well. They were definitely gaining at least friendship out of this. It was going great. Jason had gotten to meet so many amazing beings!

Pandora was amazing! The original Amazon! What was not to love! Ghost Writer! His library was amazing! And, he offered to let Jason visit as he pleased! Clockwork was odd. But he was a time god. That was pretty much to be expected. And Frostbite had completed cured the pits. No more rage!

And then their was his husband to bed fraid. Sam and Tucker were hilarious. And Ellie was a riot. He wanted to set her on Dickie bird sometimes. See what happened. Jazz was kind. And she approved of the match. Which, thank fuck!

And, today was the last day. Soon they would be officially married. And he would be a Prince. Which! Fuck yes. And he got to meet Lady Gotham. The spirit who had been helping him all these years. She formally titled him even before the wedding apparently. He had been knighted by her for years. Which was mind boggling.

Jason was loving his wedding suit. It was extremely comfortable. But also well armoured. And easy to move in. A perfect warrior wedding outfit. They chose red for it. In various shades. With a symbol Lady Gotham gifted him. To signify his status as a knight of Gotham.

He was kinda, a little, hoping something dramatic happened. Like, this was already so ridiculously cliche. And now, during the final moments. thematically, someone should do a love confession, or rush to destroy the wedding for evil plot reasons right? That would just be amazing! Him and Danny could kick ass together. Say their I dos. And just. Perfection!

Danny knew he was grinning a lot these last few days. But his new fraid mate was kaput fun! And generous be married to him soon! Jason was great to talk to! And he knew he wouldn't have to protect him! Best husband to be ever! They got on so well!

His wedding outfit was a bit too formal for his tastes. But he let the others design it. Easier not to argue. At least it wasn't white. He argued for blue. And got blue. And he could move properly. Which was another bonus. And the nerves were starting to hit. He would be married in less than an hour. Ooft. At least he got on with Jason?

As the wedding ceremony started there was a sudden ruckus outside. A fight was starting. Jason and Danny shared an amused glance. Of course. It wouldn't be a royal wedding without a problem right?

Only, when the attackers got into the hall, Jason could only feel shocked. What the fuck was his family doing here?

Batman had fought his way to the doors. And was breathing hard. This place made little sense. But the compass Constantine made was pointing to those doors. So he would go through those doors! He slammed the doors opened.

"I object! I do NOT give you permission to wed my son!"

Jason just couldn't stop it. He had to laugh. He started to laugh so hard Danny had to hold him up. As he giggled as well. Jason just looked over trying to stop laughing.

" how the fuck did you ever get here B? And why do you think you have a say? "

Danny just grinned and waved.

"Sorry Batman. Last Gotham agreed. No take backs! You should take a seat though."

Batman was confused. Why was Jason going along with this?

"What did you do to my son!"

Danny just grinned and shook his head fondly.

" We'll talk after ok. Just be glad Clockwork let you in on time for the ceremony. "

Lady Gotham grabbed Batman and sat him next to her.

"Sorry not my knight. Our boy is entirely willing. King Phantom asked before he even brought him to the Realms. It is a good match. Calm yourself."

She held him still and silent with her shadows. Her knight would be angry for now. But he would understand in time. And he could hardly miss the fact that the boys did get on well. Entirely naturally.

The wedding was soon concluded and once Jason and Danny could get away they headed to where Lady Gotham was holding Batman. Jason leaned on for a quick hug from her and shook his head.

"Lady Gotham. You can let him go now you know."

Lady Gotham just poured at her young knight.

"Only just Prince Consort and already giving orders. I see how it is!"

Jason leaned into her side playfully.

" Mama G. Please? "

Danny was no help snickering behind them. But he did shake his head.

"My Lady. Please release my Father in law before he has an aneurysm?"

Lady Gotham pretended to pour but did let her knight free.

"You should listen my knight. They chose freely"

Jason nodded.

"Yeah. Danny was getting constant offers from power hungry morons. Only way to avoid it was to already be married. But. He couldn't choose uh, anyone 1 00% alive. "

Danny hugged Jason from behind and leaned his head on Jason's shoulder.,

"As a Revenant Jason has the necessary credentials so to speak. As one of Lady Gotham's knights he has status. It's a marriage of convenience. Jason gets full access to the Realms. As many weapons from the armoury as he wants. "

Jason laughed again.

"Don't forget, access to medical. They cured the pit rage. And, I'm a Prince Consort now."

Lady Gotham grinned at the boys.

" my knight, I think we both know that as soon as the deal was offered Jason took it freely. A chance to live out one of his stories yes?"

Bruce just sighed.

"And you couldn't have told us? Do you know how worried we were! "

Jason raised an eyebrow at him in question.

"About that. How'd you even find me?"

Bruce glared at his son. The brat had him running ragged for a week.

" We saw you dragged into a portal!"

That was when Danny had a thought. And started to giggle.

"Oh! Oh no! I think! Clocky! He intefered! To make it more fairy tale! For you! "

Jason thought it over... He would as well.

"That would explain the perfect timing...."

He reached out a hand to Bruce.

" come on B. We have a first dance to do. You should at least enjoy the party. Where are the rest? "

Bruce grumbled a little. Rammed brats the lot of them.

Danny grinned and bounced a little.

"So. Fright Knight got them all. He'd put them in the dungeon. I asked him to bring them to the ballroom."

Jason just smiled fondly.

Batman: But you can't come home?

Danny and Jason share a glance and crack up at that. Danny is floating from how hard he laughed, and Jason is leaning on a wall.

Danny: Oh! Man, who told you that? Cause he doesn't have to stay here!

Batman: hm?

Jason: Nah. No. Use your big boy words.

Batman: Hm?

Danny: Don't speak mumble sorry!

Batman: Constantine. Said Jason wouldn't be able to leave.

Danny: Well, if he was just some random human no. Because I'd have to protect them 24/7. But Jason is a Revenant. He can come and go as he pleases.

Jason: Aww, they thought you were playing Hades!

Danny: Hades is a fucking simp. I mean, Persephone is worth it. But ooft. But then thinking I would do a Hades? Pretty big compliment for you my Persephone!

Jason blushed slightly and punched Danny in the arm.

Jason: Wait. You know them?I

Danny: Yeah. They are here. Wanna go meet them?

Jason is overwhelmed by all the historical and mythological figures he is getting to meet due to his husband

He gets to meet Pandora? And Hades? And Persephone? Queen Dorathea is a what now? Host Writer has all the books? And I get to see unpublished works from my favourite recency authors? And ones they wrote in the Realms?

sorry Bruce, I'm going on a honeymoon. Yes, I am planning to stay with my new husband for a while. No I don't know how long it will be. I'll call you when I reach Gotham.

Bruce: What anti Ecto acts!?

Danny: The ones saying me and Jason are non salient threats to be eradicated with extreme prejudice!

And now, well no Bruce has a new objective. To see if those acts are real. And in the mean time, he supposed Jason can stay here. Just in case.

And hoo boy. Batman when he finds the acts? He is going to go on a rampage so he can go back to Phantom. And be like, here. Fixed it! Give me back my son!?!?

Only to find them making out like teens on the beach. Sorry Bruce. Jason took one look at what he could get and decided this was going to be a proper marriage. He is not wasting his chance at all this.

But on the plus side. Now the laws are him a Danny is more than happy to split his time and live in Gotham with his hubby. Bruce will just have to deal with having eldritch royalty as a son in law.

"Uh boss? Who's the twink? "

Jason just grins, really soft and happy.

"My husband! Ain't he sweet?"

2 IC is now confused.

"Didn't know you was dating boss?"

Jason " Oh I wasn't! It was entirely political. He was sick of power hungry assholes trying to force him to marry them. So he asked me. Cause he knows I can look after myself. "

2 IC is now even more confused.

"Boss? Why do you look like you're over the moon happy then? If it's just political?"

Danny leans over and winks.

No one really knows where it came from or why it spread. People outside of Gotham just shake their heads about it, like they do with everything else Gothamites do strange.

Eventually, it becomes popular enough that there are big academic theories and debates about the origin of this phrase.

Popular enough to be studied in Gotham University courses about the linguistics of modern slang.

Every time he has to go back to the Realms for King stuff, he stops by and asks Jason if he wants to visit the Library or see what's new in the Armory.

It's not his fault everyone else assumes Danny and Jason are just shameless about their bedroom activities.

Actually, that's the joke for them. Getting to see everyone else react based on their assumptions about Danny's totally honest and innocent explanation.

ghosts have the natural ability to change their form in various ways. Not complete shapeshifting maybe. But, stretching? Changing the size and shape? Yup, those they can do.

Danny: Hey my Persephone. Wanna head to the Realms? I've expanded the library again! Wanna check if it's to your liking?

Nat heard that. And... No! We did NOT need to know that! Why would you! My ears! Why!!!!!!

Jason: Hey. I hear the armoury has some sweet new toys. Can I l go play?

Danny: Sure thing!

Danny: Oh my Persephone! Are you busy? Fright Knight and Pandora said they had some new toys for the Armory they want to teach us how to use.

Tim: *Misses a grapple jump physically flinching hearing that over Hood's comm line.* Why?!?!

Jason: Hello my Best Visa Husband. Think Ghost Writer is available to visit the Library today?

Steph: Ahhhhhhhhhh! This is worse than when Bruce forgets to cut his comm when Selina is out.

Damian: Todd. Were the new weapons in the armoury suitable?

Jason: They were downright perfect! And with how old Fright Knight and Pandora are? They've had SO much practise! I have learned so many new things!

Cass: have fun?

Jason, sweaty and disheveled and beaming after sparring with Pandora: yeah! It was great, got to play with some new toys and everything!

Cass: ☺️

Batfam: 😱🤢

Batfam: Cass why

Also hilarious if we run with Damian completely missing the innuendo and asking to see the armory. Que not-my-baby’s-virtue-panic from Dick. Even better if he finds out after the fact and Dami is just like ‘Todd took me to the armory to see his new ‘toys’ and demonstrated their use. Fenton even allowed me to try some myself.’

And Dick would just explode in righteous big brother anger because Jason and Danny did WHAT.

Damian of course does not understand the problem. It’s not any different from what they do in the cave???? Why are you make such a fuss, Richard?

This route of course likely means that the ‘truth’ comes out because Dick would probably kill Jason again if what he thought was happening was actually happening.

But then Jason and Danny can be innocently confused because ?????? They never lied??? There is an actual library and armory with actual books and weapons???? They never said anything about sex??? That’s on you guys. You’re the ones who decided all that junk was true, don’t try to pin that on them.

"He has to fund the Justice League. They often have a space program."

"But couldn't he do more good if he just invested-"

I want to see Bruce Wayne go off

For all his billions, for all his activity, for all his efforts, Gotham is a bonfire fed by the madness of mortal people, cultivated by dark powers and just existing there makes living souls like kindling for it. And left to its own devices,it’d become a breeding ground for supernatural unrest that no mere social service system or social awareness of activist campaign, no government program, no actions of a singular vigilante, could ever hope to undo.

by their very definition, they are gone forever

there are ones that were truly unique, like Polar Tropical Forests and Fern Prairies, that we just could not have today

but there were ones that have equivalents to today, as well, like the first savannahs and steppes of the Miocene - they just have earlier versions of the plants and animals

there were so many because there are so many today, and each one had its own flora and fauna and was glorious

There's the wetlands and forests of Hell Creek in the Latest Cretaceous

the bizarre Volcanic Lake Forests of the Jehol Biota

whatever the hell the Ediacaran Reefs were

the Scale Tree Swamp Forests of the Carboniferous

"Mesozoic 2" aka pre-human Aotearoa

the Western Interior Seaway dominated by Mosasaurs

that isn't what I mean by "Polar Tropical Forest"

I mean a tropical forest

at the poles

ie, the ecosystems present during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

we have fossils of plants that showcase how different tropical plant lifestyles had to be up at the poles because of the light weirdness

the important part is "tropical", not "wet/rainforest". those are two different things

it first evolved in the latest Cretaceous, but it didn't actually take over everywhere until the Miocene, when grasses that process light differently (look up C3 vs C4 photosynthesis) evolved and just took the fuck over the planet

before then, other plants formed the low ground cover over the earth, and in many places those plants were ferns - spread all over the ground and covering it, much like grass, but significantly less dense. Dirt would have been much more common everywhere.

Like the reefs of the late Devonian, which were made of stromatoporoids, which may have resembled corals but were actually a highly diverse extinct group of sponges!

This is one of my own reconstructions of a stromatoporoid reef off the coast of Devonian Australia (plus anachronistic underwater baited camera):

The Cretaceous also had some wild extinct reefs which are known as carbonate reefs and were dominated by a group of bivalve molluscs called rudists!

Danny's chosen for a space mission, along with a group of other astronauts. They're gonna rendezvous at Justice League Watchtower, and then go for a part of space as of yet unexplored as a part of a Justice League effort to map the cosmos.

But something goes wrong with the ship.

And one of the escape pods gets damaged.

So Danny tricks the Captain of the team into a pod and fires it away into space.

He then immediately turns around and makes sure that the ship won't explode, just turning off his breathing on the way.

Danny did this because, unbeknownst to his employers, he is the only person on the crew capable of surviving the harsh nothingness of Space. As a half ghost, he doesn't need to breath and his heart doesn't need to beat, even while in human form.

So when the Justice League sends out Hal for salvage and corpse retrieval, Hal get's the absolute shit scared out of him. Like, the dude almost legitimately shit himself.

It went a little like this.

He managed to pry his way into the dead ship; no oxygen, no gravity, no nothing. He checks the rooms one by one, noting along the way that the ship shows signs of attempted repair.

His head is filling with images of the lone astronaut, Fenton, desperately doing his best to save the ship.

All the rooms are empty.

So if Fenton was trying to save the ship, then that would mean the last place to check would be the engine room.

Hal goes to the engine room, and there, cradled in wires that had been pulled from the ceiling, is the corpse of astronaut Daniel James Fenton.

The wires show clear efforts from the man to anchor himself in place, probably when the gravity went, so that he could still try to save the ship.

With a heavy heart, Hal moves forward and starts to detangle Fenton.

Only for Fenton's hand to shoot out with inhuman speed and catch his wrist in an iron grip, and when Hal looks up he sees a pair of glowing, inhuman eyes staring at him from an impossibly pale face, the neck at a strange an unnatural angle.

Hal screams like a little bitch and runs to the other side of the engine room.

And not, like, your typical hero, like Phantom, but like the man who saved his whole crew at the expense of his own life. Who sacrificed himself for his captain, and fought for his life and got his ship until the end.

He is praised by his crew when they come back. They have nothing but kind words for him, the curious, intelligent boy with a fascination for the stars.

There are tears all around. From people who simply met with him in passing, who brought him coffees and received his smiles, who worked on tech with him and heard his brilliance.

Danny was just kind, and his death, his sacrifice, touches the hearts of everyone in the building/department he was working in.

Imagine this huge memorial for Danny Fenton. The brave, kind, brilliant astronaut who did his best in everything he could. Who, until the very end, shined just like the stars he so admired.

He gets his name engraved in something, his whole life story reaches the news (or at least what is publicly known) and even the Wayne's have like, a speech for him.

It's devastating all around, but the world knows one thing. Danny Fenton will be a name for the history books.

And then. Suddenly. He's back. Or, at least, there's news that maybe, somehow, he survived space.

People riot

And the public explodes

There are theories everywhere, and suddenly funding is skyrocketing, because everyone wants to get their hero back, wants to send out as many rescue teams as possible for him.

Now a government agency (?) is looking to organize kidnapping removal plans when they return to earth…

Damian, despite being 14, has been accepted to a gifted school as he had already been taught in the most subjects one usually learns at a slower pace.

(He still gets a headache over the fact his son won't get a normal childhood.)

Which is how he befriended the 17 year old Daniel, an overworked and sleepdeprived college student, getting dragged along and following with no complaint.

Bruce is, even if he wanted damian to befriend someone more around his own age, very welcoming of the student.

Alfred made sure the boy took enough food with him home, always leaving the mansion at point 4 pm.

It really shouldn't have been surprising when Bruce Wayne, yes, THE Brucie Wayne, summoned him to his office.

Danny entered the room fidgeting, giving a nervous smile to the man behind the desk and questioning what he did wrong to offend the patriarch of the family.

(Lies and slander, we, the readers, are fully aware that Alfred is the patriarch.)

"Uh— hi, Mr. Wayne." He sat when gestured to the chair, shitting bricks with how nervous he's.

The man nods in greeting, smiling. "Hello Danny–"

"Please don't kill me!" The teen in question blurts out, flushing in embarrassment once registered.

Taken aback and startled, Bruce snorts, stifling laughter by putting a hand against his mouth.

Shit.

"I don't know what I did! Very sorry if I offended someone!" He rambles, panicking and waving his hands around.

"Danny—"

"I must have done something! Why else would you call me? Oh god– I'm gonna be murdered by THE Brucie Wayne!"

At this point, the rich guy in front of him is barely restraining himself from laughing, trying his best to stay professional.

"Danny–! I- I won't murder you." He reassured, eyes crinkling from smiling.

"But–" he sniffs, both embarrassed and teary.

"I'm not gonna— danny." Bruce sighs, which sounds a lot like a choke, really. "Look, I just wanted a 1-on-1 talk with you about your friendship with damian and some concerns."

"Oh."

"Yes, oh."

Danny sighs in relief at this. "I can do some good old interrogation–" "it's not an interrogation–" "totally interrogation."

He huffs lightly, getting comfortable in his chair and preparing himself mentally.

"Alright Mr. Wayne! Shoot me!"

(Was that a pun? A joke to murder? Really?)

The man clears his throat, straightens his back and looks serious as he was before the accusations of murder.

"What are your intentions with damian and why become friends in the first place?"

Blinking, the teen brightens. "Oh, that's easy! Damian needs a friend. We just kinda clicked after I scared away a few pesky bullies."

Then he shrugs. "Besides, it's great training."

"Training?" Bruce asks, curious, tone light in the way that shows he's very interested.

"Yes. Despite his badly hidden murderous tendencies, love for knives, and slight lack of slang language and knowledge, he's still a kid." He nods.

"A young teen that goes through teen stuff that I barely remember going through and now get to relearn will be handy once Ellie becomes a teenager herself."

Batman was filing the information away, but Bruce kept going.

"Ellie?" He questions.

"My daughter– has damian not mentioned her? We always leave around 4 to get her from my sister. Sometimes, dami stays over for a few hours!"

Ah. Well. Seems like Alfred will have to make more food for the teen now.

"Would you like to stay for dinner today?" He asks, "Bring your daughter too. We won't mind you joining us." smiling and already planning for the new adjustments to make.

"On another note, what are your and your daughters preferences? Any allergies?"

Danny didn't even agree yet, not that he was gonna— mind you.

"No allergies, soft foods only, easy to eat." He answers, listing the stuff from the top of his head.

In a whirlwind of– of planning dinner?? Danny is out of the door and wide eyed.

"What just happened?"

(On the other side, Bruce face-palms, having forgotten to ask what age Ellie is. Damn in Bruce.)

—

On the fifth visit, Danny stayed for dinner.

Damian must know the age, for there are bowls with freshly cut fruits, yoghurt, and rice mixed with veggies and chicken.

On that note, where is damian?

Dick meets his eyes, asking the same quetsion with a look.

Just as Bruce was gonna ask, the door opened, and the cutest picture to ever exist was created.

(Dick RIPPED his phone out of his pocket, swiping a picture of the scene as fast as possible.)

Steph can't hold back the coos at the sight of Damian walking with a toddler into the dining room, her tiny feet propped up on his and in hand together.

She's wearing a Robin onesie and he is wearing his (stolen) Nightwing hoodie.

"Sorry, hope we aren't late!" Danny waves with a grin from behind the pair.

"You aren't, just perfect, in fact." Bruce reassures, waving the teens over to the free seats.

Damian leads the two to his seat, making sure they're next to him.

The conversation during dinner is one spoken fondly, Cass likes to make Ellie laugh with silly faces, Duke and Steph "secretly" feed her tiny pieces of strawberry and Dick is in a rather passionate discussion with both Tim and Danny.

Damian, once he makes sure no one is watching him, wipes the mess from Ellies face.

(Bruce was watching, looking away once damians face snapped to him. He wasn't aware his youngest had such a soft spot for toddlers.)

(It takes a while, but Danny and Ellie become family like every other person, while having not slept over yet, Alfred already has prepared a room for the two in the Family wing.)

(It's barely a week after that everyone bought and gifted him onesie's of their hero personas, with the excuse of them being the gotham vigilantes when questioned. After all, the Robin can't be a one man team.)

—

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Danny became a ghost hunter when he got out of Amity. It started out as a big joke, he accidentally said that he "captured" himself to the local vigilantes (as an excuse, he didn't wanted them asking where he had seen his ghost form), and the Bats frowned before accepting it. They welcomed the help of an expert, albeit grudgingly.

He really thought it would stay that way and everyone will follow their lifes as normal, like a fool.

He thought it was a one time thing but the bats kept showing up at the wrong time and he kept acting like he capture the "old ghost", again (Red Robin told him they appreciated his service after his last fake battle); on one occasion they even tried to get him a mentor!

Danny would appreciate a reason to stop pretending to hunt himself down, it was getting ridiculous. He had to fake a "rivalry" and it was getting more awkward every day.

Neither Constantine nor Danny had so much as twitched in a good minute or so, locked in place standing there, staring at each other. The cigarette hanging from Constantine's lips had burned down and held a head of ash set to fall any second now. Tim hadn't seen either of them blink once in the entire time they'd been standing there.

He tried clearing his throat to get their attention. Constantine flinched, ash falling from the cigarette and body lurching away from Danny like he was expecting a blow. Danny snorted and finally smiled, making Constantine swear impressively- even for him - under his breath.

"Johnny Soul Crimes!" Danny greated finally, flashing a grin. His canines looked...more pronounced then they had earlier. "What did you do this time? Said the 'w' word around Desiree? Try and steal a book from Ghost Writer? Flirt with the wrong entity and got yourself stuck in another marriage pact?"

Constantine took a long drag of his cigarette - which was almost impressive with how little was left - and shot Tim a scathing look. "I was told by a certain brain dead bird that there was some mortal that was in over his head with a ghost." Turning back to Danny his expression turned a bit more...contrite? Definitely nervous. Which was...a thing. That Constantine was nervous around friendly, cute, harmless Danny.

Wait, how did Danny know about the soul stuff?

"Instead, I get drug all the way down to this fucking shit hole - no offense -" He added, not to Tim, whose city he insulted, but to a particular dark corner of shadows that...why where they moving like that? There was no light source that could be causing them to move like that...actually, what light source was responsible for those shadows? "To find that it's not some stupid sod trying to play Ghost Buster, but you of all nightmarish little pricks."

Danny's grin widened, too many teeth and not enough amusement to justify them. "My friend Red Robin," The word friend had a strange....weight to it. Not bad, but heavy in a way that made Tim's cheat warm and made Constantine flinch again at the same time, "Was nice enough to call you down here to help me out, and you insult all of us that way? Awfully rude Shatter Soul."

"You guys know each other."

It wasn't really a question, more just a reminder to them that he was there. Maybe a bit of a distraction before Danny started throwing punches at the mess of a magician. Constantine was good at aggravating people but it looked like he was speed running the introduction to threats of bodily harm pipeline this time.

Danny flashed Tim a sly smile, warmer and less...fanged...than the one he cast Constantine. Tim did his best to ignore the fluttering in his chest as Danny gave a cheeky wink on top of the smile.

"We've crossed paths once or twice." Danny said, "Johnny Boy has a tendency to get in over his head."

Tim frowned. "It sounds like you've helped him out more than he has you." He glanced at the magician in question to see the man yanking a flask from his signature trench coat and seemingly to empty it in one go. "Is he not going to be any help with Phantom?"

A spray of cheap whiskey nearly splattered all over Tim as Constantine choked and sputtered. Tim shuffled away, not keen to spend the night smelling of bottom shelf rot gut.

"Phantom? You called me down here about Phantom?" Constantine shook his head, casting an annoyed look at Danny. "No, I don't know what game this is but I'm having no bloody part in it. I'm out you demented little shit."

And then he just...left.

Tim blinked at the spot Constantine had just teleported himself away from - noting the split second of surprise on the man's face just as the spell took hold and the tinge of sickly green that had crept in at the edges of his magic - before turning back to Danny.

He might have to re-evaluate his understanding of the situation.

"Wanna get gelato?" Danny asked, smile sweet and face hopeful as he looked at Tim, entirely unbothered by the entire thing. "We could split a cone, what'ya say?"

Getting a PHD in Gotham: Wow! Amazing! You're now on several Government, Civilian, and Bat watchlists.

So if any of the Wayne kids get a PHD, then the entirety of Gotham would be squinting at them suspiciously. They're rich, so resources, and most likely already insane with all the shit they pull.

What I'm saying is if Jason went and got himself a Doctorate in Literature, the whole city would anticipate the appearance of his villainsona called the Dead Poet(emphasis on the dead) or Bookkeeper or something else similarly nerdy and themed like that for sure.

I just know that it would turn into some Gotham inside joke with memes abound, and everytime Jason would, I don't know, give more funding to the neglected Arts Departments in Gotham University, or go to a school for read alongs to encourage kids to read, Gotham social media would go crazy and be like:

"The Dreaded Villain Dead Poet Reads Alice in Wonderland to Children! How Despicable!"

"Villain Dead Poet Lambasts Government on Banning Books! Leads Librarians to Riot!"

"Dead Poet Ramps up his Villainy by Establishing Educational Programmes in Crime Alley! Uplifting the Poor! What a Dastardly Villain!"

"Dead Poet Goes on Live Ranting About his Favourite Books! Favourite Author is Jane Austen! Is this the Feminist Agenda?"

And so on! It's a meme that refuses to go away. His siblings actively participate, and make the situation worse.

Dick held an online Gotham Villains and Anti-Heroes Poll and Dead Poet came out on top, over Red Hood. Jason is an actual Gotham crime boss, but his crowdfunded villainsona is more popular. No he's not salty about it at all.

Duke would create a montage of Dead Poet sightings.

Stephanie would make a Dead Poet meme compilation.

Tim would arrange Wayne Enterprises to donate to local libraries after allegedly being threatened by the heinous villain Dead Poet. (Jason did ask Tim to do that but not like that)

Barbara created an extremely popular Villain Watch account for Dead Poet.

Cass tweeted out Jason's favourite books as the villain Dead Poets reading list telling people to avoid them 'wink wonk', causing a massive uptick in the sale of those books ala Bigolas Dickolas.

Damian of all people tweeted out a pic of Jason playing with Alfred the cat accusing the evil villain Dead Poet of attempting to kidnap his cat.

And thats not to mention all the shenanigans they pull in their batsonas.

~Well, here we go again, good old Ghost Hunger AU~

Description: The Ghost Zone is inherently a violent place. You can hunt or be hunted, there is no other options. However, for some reason the Halfa does not understand what is happening. And no one rushes to explain it. NB! ghost cannibalism is mentioned.

Prompt after memes

For it to be his fault he would have had to cognizant of the last 16 hours.

All he wanted to do was take a power nap in the nearest closest durring the Waynetech gala but nooo Bruce had to be taken hostage by the Joker.

So he did what he thought would work best and shoved uncle Clark into the nearest emergency bat storage and told him to suit up.

Maybe he looked a bit more confused than normal but they didn’t need a reporter they needed Batman!

That being said wasn’t uncle Clark supposed to be off-world?

Oh no.

———————

Jack honestly had no clue what was happening for the last six months so when he was told to be Batman he merely just shrugged as the frankly exhausted teen left him to his own.

With his son turning out to be part ghost to the government hunting down his said son and having to move shop halfway across the continent.

This might as well happen.

Grinning like a kid on Christmas, Jack plopped on the finishing touch.

“Oh Danno is not going to believe this!”

Raising a cloaked arm with a flourish Jack struck a pose.

“Alrighty Jack enough messing around! Time to save the party, Fenton style!

Joker is at the gala

Bruce is at the gala

They have to be

Tim shoved Jack in a closet at the gala, so he could change and save the day at the gala

Jack then jumped out the wall and fucking left to deal with the rest of the city

JOKER IS FURIOUS

SPITTING MAD

Chasing Jackman through town in a desperate bid to reclaim his attention

Possibly with Bruce in tow, having the most surreal experience of his life

Jack is a goddamn natural with the grapples too he flies like a bird and lands like a tank

The rogues he encounters are TERRIFIED of new Batman he’s somehow gotten even worse, he used the explode walls with explosives not just HIS FUCKING BODY

There is a petition among the bat kids to keep “new Batman” forever

Jack "can't hear you over the sound of his own excitement" Fenton would take any request to stop/slow down as concern for his well-being and be like "not to worry! I'm here to help!" because he was asked to be Batman and Batman doesn't stop until the AM. Unless the guy shows up to relieve him Jack is in it.

He can't just leave all these kids to crime fight by themselves!

Which means the batfam spends at least a few hours in a comm with Jack "incredibly verbally affection family" Fenton.

I'm just imagining Tim taking down someone trying to sneak up on Jack and Jack just pausing like "Good Job! I'm proud of ya son!" before barreling on to the next fight.

Just

“Hello! Now I know I’m not the mentor you’re used to, but I’m here to help! Let’s save this city from ghosts!”

They spend a good chunk of the night (every time a new rogue shows up) persuading Jack that the city is beset by humans, not ghosts, and trying to explain it’s weird when “Batman” compliments them in a way that doesn’t make Jack call CPS on them

But his dad encourages him to join in crime fighting, it's a bonding activity, I just want to get to know that part of your life better, and well. Danny's weak.

He steals one of Tim's old Robin costumes, and decides to be Robin for the night. The moment he spin kicks a thug shouting, 'batter up!' the batkids know: they have a new sibling.

So now rumors of Robin 2’s ghost returning from the grave are circulating

Tim is just happy somebody else has a greater claim to the “replacement” moniker than he does.

Jason is not sure how to handle this. First verbally affectionate Batman and then a kid who may or may not be his ghost. Maybe he should hit Harley up for some therapy.

Bruce is fuming arms crossed and pouting squished between two massive goons. He looks ridiculous he knows.

Jackman meanwhile is having a Blast! Danny!Robin Danbin? Ronny? Phantom? Robtom? Phanbin? Eh they'll think of something. Danny!Robin is enjoying playing lowstakes vigilante. Also his dad makes a pretty good Batman.

Danny punches a joker goon that tries to grab him, he goes through a wall. Everyone just stops and stares for a second. Jackman slowly turns to Danny, as he slowly lowers his fist.

"Son, did you just push a man through a brick wall?"

Silence

Then Danny squeaks,

"I don't like CLOWNs!" Ducking his head.

Jackman trying to stay in character for Batman just grunts. Then goes,

"Maybe stick to open handed strikes?"

Which SHOULD have fixed the problem.

It did not

No bow Danny delivered the backhand of GOD.

He's giggling and bouncing and he just goes around slapping the absolute SHIT out of people.

He's not even attacking anyone just bouncing around behind Jackman and slapping any who get within 3 feet of him.

(I'm thinking that meme video where that one dude just slaps everyone at a party one after another and they just DROP.)

Jason is losing it on the rooftop after seeing his replacement/ghost backhand the Joker’s goons through the nearest building and proceed to slap the shit out of this disgusting excuse of a clown (like those scenes where idiot protagonist tries to wake up unconscious friend by repeatedly slapping them back and forth until they come to, but in reverse). And the most insulting part is that Jack doesn’t even notice because he’s busy with the fight he’s in and fails to even see Joker (whom is lying unconscious with the most pissed off expression) until the fight is over.

Jack: “Son, I told you to stick to open-handed strikes!”

Danny: “I did! Look at the hand-shaped print on his face! That is obviously a slap mark.”

Batfam: ...

BUT. but the thing is. you how selkies/seal women was a pretty common variation of this? another really popular one was swans.

i just want you to think about that for a moment. swans. like…I get it, they’re pretty, graceful birds, certainly it’s easy to imagine them magically becoming pretty graceful ladies? but have you ever fought a swan. swans are awful. swans are the devil’s geese. imagine seeing a pretty magic lady and being absolutely enchanted by her, and stealing her magic feather cloak, and then you go up and say ‘hey i’m in love with you, let me make you my queen, it will be great, we’ll be so happy’ and she just looks at you for a moment and…

finally one day, a swan comes up to her and says ‘why don’t you come and swim with us? you always sigh so wistfully to see us on the water, and you would be most welcome to join our company, for you have always been a true friend to our kind’

and the woman says, ‘i can’t swim’

and the swan says, ‘we’ll teach you’

and the woman says, ‘literally i can’t swim, my husband stole my sealskin and should i venture into deep water i would surely drown’ 

and the swan says ‘your husband fucking WHAT’

the next morning the woman’s front yard looks like this. 

Also? Swans don’t have a lot of obvious physical markings that divide the males from females. So some idiot might be like, “damn, that’s a sexy bird, I wanna marry her” and then like. It’s a dude swan. You just transformed thirty pounds of angry aggressive bird into 200+ pounds of angry aggressive adult man, who will totally kick your butt. (Also I’m pretty sure that if you turned a lady swan into a human, you would not get a willowy little 5′0″ girl. You’d probably have a 6-foot amazon with biceps the size of your head. Swans are heavy birds and it takes a LOT of muscle to get them into the air. They are among the baddest bitches in the bird kingdom)

Seals are carnivores. They swim after fish & have a ton of blubber for warmth. A selkie woman should be stocky, strong, and fat, because that’s what seals are. (She should also probably like lying in the sun, possibly in the classic ‘banana’ pose, but I can’t draw so you’ll have to imagine that. Beach yoga?)

If you want a tiny little nothing, maybe you’re looking for deer woman–though deer aren’t to be underestimated either–or a much, much smaller bird than a swan. Perhaps a sheep.

But frankly I don’t know of any other vertebrate species where the females are as passive & ostensibly helpless as human women are expected to be (until it’s time to do all the child-rearing, at least), so maybe don’t go looking for a wife among the wild folk if what you want is someone to bend to your every whim.

“Coming!” Theo set his weaving aside and rushed to the door. I hopped quickly to the most shadowed corner, a space half-hidden behind a cross beam, where I was unlikely to be spotted. Theo opened the door, ushering in a big lantern-jawed human woman in a fur—no, a selkie with her mottled skin draped over her like a raincoat.

“There’s been another,” she said without preamble, sweeping the hood of her skin back.

“No.” Theo’s head and tail drooped. “Who was it?”

“James Murphy.” The selkie shook her head sharply. “Damn fool just had to go check on his boat in the storm. Little bits of him were spread all the way down the dock to shore, like chum.”

“Third humans in three days.” Theo covered his mouth with one hand. “How bad is it out there?”

“Well, it’s not good, I’ll tell you that,” the selkie said. “Those McConnell boys were out drumming up fear, until the weather drove them home, and that’s before they found Ol’ Murphy. This plays right into their hands.”

“I should be out there,” Theo’s voice was quiet but intense. “I should be helping.”

“Weren’t you going to be hunting tonight?” the selkie asked, chin jutting out combatively. “I didn’t expect to find you in.”

“I was.” Theo growled faintly. “The Spring-heeled Jacks have taken it into their fool heads that I’m involved. They’ve got me pinned down.”

“You!?” The selkie seemed positively affronted. “I’d give those bouncy bastards a piece of my mind!” She tugged her fur back over her head. “Well, I’m off. Someone’s got to spread the warning.”

“Be safe,” Theo said.

The selkie barked a rough laugh, flashing a disconcertingly wide mouthful of pointy teeth, and was gone.