Chaoticmistakes

Zombies are docile when adorned with flowers.

Settlements overgrown with herbs and flora.

Barely any banditry; everyone is focused on farming and gathering.

Different human factions and towns named after flowers like Lilies, Orchids, Roses, etc.

It’s incredibly risky to attack zombies. The scent of the attacker’s aggressive intent coupled with spilled pungent rotten blood drives other zombies into a frenzy.

Zombies given funeral rites grow flowers within their bodies, eventually bursting from their chest and head area. These zombies are naturally gentle and their presence tames other zombies in the vicinity. Due to their helpfulness, it’s taboo to harm “blooming” undead:

Sweaty summers are the worst and everyone hopes they have enough dried flowers to last the winter. 

It’s a colourful apocalypse! An overabundance of flowers in the world leads to plenty of dyes and busy little honey bees!! Scented candles are a thriving export.

Survivors who help spread flowers, look after “blooming” undead, cull the hordes, and herd zombies away from safe areas are affectionately called Florists.

Regular weapons such as guns and knives are still used but everyone prefers perfumed water guns, spray bottles, and incense.

A young woman nicknamed The Reaper lives semi-isolated on a small farm.

The Farm - a small house, a storage shed, and a barn with a long drive-in. Each spring, thousands if not millions of wildflower seeds are planted around the farm along with seasonal/regional flowers. The drive-in is protected by an arch hung with a flower curtain

The woman has a patch of personal flowers to harvest for drying. She knows just how much she needs for the winter and summer, and thus sells/trades the excess with little fuss.

Most of the flowers are dried or turned into soaps and perfumes, and she often provides free soaps/perfumes to those in need

The woman herself wears a dark cloak lined with drying/dried flowers to keep herself safe.

She carries a scythe used both for harvesting flowers and killing zombies that are not stopped by the flowers. This is how she earned her nickname. Her appearance - dark hair and eyes on darkly tanned skin - also played a part

Most people think she’s going to be mean or scary when they only hear her nickname, but she’s incredibly kind and even a little shy/anxious.

Idea #11

Warning! I use a translator, English is not my native language.

I was inspired by my previous #10 idea and the concept of forgetting.

Basically, Danny isn't a ghost king; he's simply become an ancient one, one of those powerful creatures that frightens even the dead.

One day, the book containing his summoning somehow traveled back in time, causing people from the past to begin summoning him. At first, there were only a few of them, but they infuriated him. His thinking had become slightly inhuman over time, so he decided that everyone who saw him would see the faces of the people they had lost. Since memory can fade these faces over time, the sight of the clear faces of the dead frightened the summoners.

A quick note, but if the person was present at their death, the effect can double. It depends on their strength of spirit and how the forgotten person died. Danny also tries not to further traumatize people, so he can comfort them if they break down in front of him.

And then one day, one of the mistranslated books, at Danny's behest, fell into the wrong hands, and then into the hands of the Justice League's sorcerers. And now Danny is among them, while the battle rages around them. And everyone froze. Some were cultists, some heroes simply froze in shock, others in utter amazement.

And Danny just blurts out: I think I need to write a book about "how to traumatize everyone around you with just your presence." Villains would buy it.

DC x DP but it's just Danny being the universe's punching bag (we're looking at you, Clockwork)

Edit: This is now posted on Ao3!! Enjoy!

--

"You're wondering why my parents are making deals with a well-known terrorist, anti-alien enthusiast, meta-human antagonist, and warmonger? Yeah me too," Danny said, pulling out something from the fridge. "Orange juice?"

Batman couldn't help the blink of surprise at the boy's lack of tact. "You don't seem surprised at their behavior."

"Nope," He said popping the 'p' and sipping his orange juice. "They do that a lot."

Once again, Batman blinked in shock. "Make deals with terrorists?"

This was a lot worse than they were expecting...

"Yup. Terrorists, villains, corrupt government agencies. You name it, they've done it."

Batman stared at the glass of orange juice Danny was holding out to him. Numbly, he took it. Then, "Why have you not reported them?"

Danny laughed. It was dry and humorless. "Report them? You're kidding right?"

At Batman's silence, Danny continued.

"Not kidding, then. Sir, with absolutely no respect, the Justice League hasn't helped in worse situations in the past. Why would I expect help now?"

Well. That.

Batman will have to raincheck on Dick's insistence on family movie night.

If Danny had been paying even an ounce more of attention to his surroundings he would have noticed a figure poking out of the alley way in front of him. He wasn’t though, so Danny was completely caught off guard when said figure pulled him into the alley, knife being pressed against his skin with demands that he hand over his wallet. 

This honestly wasn’t that big of a deal to Danny; more of an annoyance if anything as the only thing he wants to do right now is go home and eat his takeout. Before he can make that known though with a snarky comment another person, Red Robin he notes, is dropping from the sky and pulling the mugger away from him. 

The altercation is over before it even begins, saving Danny his energy, time, and having to reheat his food. 

The whole event was put behind him by the time he woke up the next morning. Danny probably wouldn't have even thought more about it if it hadn’t been for the fact that a week later he found himself in the JL space station due to a summoning for the Ghost King. 

At first Danny thinks that maybe his run in with Red Robin somehow led to them connecting his human side to his ghost side. Luckily, that wasn’t the case though and they were only needing some help with a ghost that was causing problems in one of their cities. Which he was gladly and easily able to help them with. 

The only point of conflict is when the JL refuses to accept a “free favor” from him, and demands that he ask something from them. Danny really doesn’t want anything from them though, and so in a moment of genius locks eyes with Batman and tells him. 

Phantom @ Green Lanter(Hal): This is you, talking and looking like an idiot. *points to a circle*

Phantom @ GL(Hal): This is you shutting your mouth and looking less like an idiot. *points to a different circle*

Mar'i: Uncle Damian! *runs up to him, her teacher, Danny, trailing behind with her backpack* Please get married! I want to be a flower girl too!

Damian: I beg your pardon?

Danny: *clears his throat and hand's Damian her bag* It was show and tell, and one of Mar'i's classmates showed off her flower girl crown from her aunts wedding last weekend.

Mar'i: Yup! The crown was sssoooooo pretty!

Damian: I see, however I am unsure who you think I would marry.

Mar'i: Eh uhhhh um *looks around frantically before pointing at Danny* Mr. Danny! Yeah! You can marry him!

Damian: Pardon?

Danny: Excuse me?*squeaks and face goes red*

Mar'i: Yeah! Uncle Damian loves animals, and helping people! And Mr. Danny loves animal and helping people! That's a-a um com-on inch-int-imper eh

Danny: In-ter-est

Mar'i: Yeah! Commons Interest! Daddy said thats good for people who get married!

Damian: That is not how relationships work.

Mar'i: You don't like Mr. Danny? *eyes start to water* But hes nice, and he helps me with my maths and he likes the stars and he has a puppy...

Damian: *panicking* I do not dislike him- but- relationships are difficult to-how do I say-

Danny: Mar'i, *Mar'i turns to look at him* When two people get married, it means they're going to be together for a very long time. You need to be very close with that person, and love them a lot. Your Uncle Damian and I don't know eachother that well, so we can't get married, do you understand?

Mar'i: So its like how I gave Lucy a friendship bracelet but not Conner because I'm not good friends with Conner yet?

Danny: Exactly!

Mar'i: Okay, I understand. Mr. Danny if you do ever get married, can I be your flower girl?

Danny: Sure! But that probably won't happen any time soon though.

Mar'i: That's okay! I'm patient!

Damian: *clearing his throat* I appreciate the assistance in explaining the complexities of marriage to Mar'i. I am afraid such situations are *grimaces* not one of my strong suits.

Danny: Don't worry about it! You'd be surprised how many children try to set me up with their family members. It happens to me a lot for some reason, which is weird because my coworkers don't have this problem?

Nightwing, sweating: tha-Thats unrelated to the situation at hand...

Dani: Hi!

Damian: *tied up, and words muffled*

Dani: Awe, missing Papa? Missing rich daddy? That's okay, he knows you're here with me. *turns on a large screen, showing a video of Bruce and Dick*

Bruce: I don't know, we just got this in the mail and- Oh my god, Damian?! Damian are you okay?

Dani: Nobody ever asked me how I'm doing.

Dick: Let him go!

Dani: Okay, but first give me control over Wayne Enterprises for a bit.

Bruce: What? No way!

Dani: Aww

Bruce: Now tell me where-

Dani: *turns off the screen* Danny can you believe- Whu- Danny! You're always on that phone Danny!

Danny: *not looking up* I'm booking my vacation.

Dani: *floats over to lean over his shoulder* Oooo where are we going-

Danny: No.

Damian: *starts wiggling towards the remote and turns on the screen again*

Dani: Is there gonna be Dolphins? Cause I kinda have beef to settle with those bastards.

Bruce: Damian! Tell me where you are!

Dani: *holds a knife towards Damian* Ah ah ah! Careful! You know I've killed more people by mistake than intentionally.

Damian: *starts blinking in intervals*

Dani: You blink weird.

Danny: *still not looking up* That's Morse Code.

Dani: Oh wow, thats so cool! Oh wait no! Hey hey hey-

Bruce: I know where he is, let's go there's no time to waste!

---

Batman, and Nightwing: *carefully sneak throw Dani's hideout*

Damian: *sitting with his back turned towards the door*

Batman: Oh my God, Damian are you okay-

*door shuts behind them as the hideout goes into shut down mode*

Damian: *starts floating and turns around, revealing it's Dani, and she just had a wig on as she grins mischievously at Batman, and Nightwing*

Dani: Hi Dada~

Batman: Wheres Damian Wayne?

Dani: With Danny! He dies if I 'die'!

Danny: *at WE with Damian, he touches his ear peice* We're in.

Dani: Ooookay! Now defund Gino's Pizza!

Danny: Cause of the moist crust?

Dani: Yes because of the moist crust!

Batman: . . . What?

Damian: Can you also defund my school?

Dani: Hey! No! Damian, you're getting your education.

Damian: Damn it.

Danny: *clicks a button on a computer* Defunded.

Talia: Timothy, I can't understand what your husbands trying to tell me.

Tim: Hey-Look, first of all, thats like way down the line, okay?

Danny: Woah, "down the line"? *hands on his hips*

Tim: Yeah, "down the line"! What? You wanna be them? *motions towards Bruce and Talia*

Danny: We'll talk about this later.

Tim: What do you mean "We'll talk about this later"?!

Danny, gritting his teeth: Not now Tim.o.thy.

Tim: We don't need to "discuss this later" alright? We need to handle the task at hand!

Danny: Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne.

Tim: Woah!

Danny: You need to star-

Tim: First of all, how dare you use my full government-

Dick: Let me try- *reaches out but gets his hand smacked* Ow! Stingy!

Jason: You have your own food. *eats more* Oh my God, I would marry whoever made this fudge!

Dani, popping up from seemingly nowhere: Really~? Because hes single!

Dick: *snorts loudly and chokes on his cake*

Jason: Woah-uh I was exagger-

Dan: Dani get over here and help me fill the display!

Dani: Make Danny do it! I'm trying to get him a boyfriend!

Jason: Wai-

Dan: He's making the Smith's 9 layer wedding cake! He's only one with the patience to decorate that monstrosity, you have to help me!

Dani: But Danny's going to be alone forever if I don't help him!

Tim: Wow. *munching on some chocolate-expresso candied popcorn*

Jason: Look, kid, what I said was just an exaggeration! I don't actually want to-

Danny: I heard yelling. *walks out of kitchen with flour on his apron, hot pink icing on his cheek, and really bad eye bags*

Jason: Ooooh wow *blinking rapidly*

Dan: Dani isn't helping me set up the display cases!

Danny: Okay, Dan, you don't have to get angry, deep breaths bro. And Dani, please help Dan? I'll give you an extra week off as soon as wedding season ends, I promise.

Dan: Fine.*starts doing some breathing exercises*

Dani, immediately cowed: Sorry Danny, I'll get to work.

Danny: Thanks. *gives her a greatful smile before heading back into the kitchen.*

Dani: Sorry for bothering you sir-

Jason: Whats his name? His phone number? How do I get to know that God of a man?!

Dani: *shoots Dan a smug look* Well~

Damian: *angrily throwing his window open, glaring down at his freind*

Dick, and Jason: *leaning over Damian's shoulders, also glaring*

Jon: You guys go back to sleep, I'm just trying to serenade Danny!

Damian: Jon you-

Danny: *sleepily opening his window and looking down at Jon, only to blush and smile shyly at him with a small wave*

Jon: *waving back with a big grin*

Damian: *slowly starts pulling out a katana*

Dick: Damian stop! Let Jason get him, he has guns.

Jason: Way ahead of you. *taking aim*

Green Lanturn: Phantom can you please tell Flash-

Phantom: All of you be quiet! Flash, he's mad because you said "Awesome sauce" instead of "I love you too". Green Lanturn, he loves you, stop being a child. Batman you're obviously at fault here, blaming Superman won't save you. Superman, we both know you called Lois instead of keeping an eye on Robin. So Everyone Apologize to Everyone Else!

Jazz: Dan, this is actually a door not a wall, Regards-Society

---

Dani: Follow your dreams!

Danny: I litterally only have nightmares.

---

Tucker: Question Everything!

Valerie: Why?

---

Dash: Yo girl on a scale of one to America~ how free are you too night?

Danny goes full eldritch mama cat on the batfam after they somehow end up hurt in the Infinite Realms. Absolutely enormous and completely nonverbal, just chirps and static filled purrs as he wraps his tail around all of them to make a nest.

With each pass of the beach towel-sized tongue, Jason gets sleepier and sleepier. It's as if the rough tongue has buffed away all of the little aches and pains, all of the crawling sensations, and all of the agitation. There were worse ways to be captured.

He looks over at the rest of the family, curled tails of darkness and space tucking them into burritos, each slowly calming down. Tim is already asleep in the fetal position, drool pooling on his cape. Duke is getting a sign language lesson from Cass (their hands are the only ones free). Damien is talking about cats and info dumping on Steph who is yawning and nodding along.

And Bruce- the mighty Batman- is pinned under one massive paw, with a dead pan expression that said "This might as well happen. At least we aren't being attacked."

A lot of them are overtly aggressive (this is their friendly hello but he doesn’t know that), talk about wanting to hunt his children, but the monster that has captured them is… defending them

It might well just be possessive, and have bad intentions for them, but for now he can’t deny this is the safest place to rest and plan

And it’s so hard to stay tense and paranoid with those soothing hypnotic rumbles - which is clearly what they’re for, it’s a trap of some kind, but he can’t tell how to fight it yet

So he rests for now, conserves his energy, watches his children and prepares

The creature is fixated on Jason and like hell is Bruce gonna let his son go again, but… when was the last time he saw Jason that happy? That peaceful? He isn’t even struggling

**

Danny meanwhile is quite content now that the big ones have settled down and really gets to work on his dirty new kitten

The others are playing nicely, and occasionally he makes little chirps so they know he isn’t ignoring them, he’s just dealing with their dirty dirty brother

(The bats are disturbed at how quickly they begin to understand the unnatural chirps and meows of their giant host, the most liminal first;

Jason picks it up after the first couple times and is so offended he almost sits up telling Danny to fuck off calling him dirty

This befuddles everyone but Damian, who snorts and tells Jason he’s dripping in drool and that isn’t the worst of it, the creature’s cleansing him

Cass is the next to understand, then Bruce, Dick, Steph. Duke and Tim are befuddled for days, not understanding both Danny’s noises and how the others seem to know exactly what he’s saying)

After a week Earth time a pair of human kids come, which is fucking wild because the Justice League should be looking for them but from the bats’ perspective it’s been hours

Danny is happy to see Sam and Tucker and show them his new kittens one by one, all but his dirty boy who is not fit for company

(Jason is offended again Danny has mentioned more than once that Damian is also dirty and so are Bruce and Cass this is bullshit)

Sam and Tucker try to gently explain to Danny that these are in fact superheroes and have families and Danny is just

The snootiest siamese

Stares down his nose

"Please, please can you return to your humanoid form?"

Danny responds with a series of meows, grills and chrips.

( not till they are clean)

which, gets a series of indignant responses.

Tucker looks up, hoping for patience.

"Well. What if we took the to Frostbite. He could give the kittens a health check as well!"

The bats watched, dumbfounded as that worked. Their kidnapper/ guardian picked them all up, with the two new humans and started to troy off somewhere.

Batman: Who are you, who is this, and where are we?

Sam: I'm Sam. That's Tucker. Mama cat is Danny. we are in the Infinite Realms.

Tucker: Free space between afterlives. Home of the restless dead, neverborn and embodiments of cosmic forces.

Tim: How are you here?

Sam: We came through the portal in the Fenton's basement duh.

Jason: I'm sorry. Your home town has a portal to hell inside it?

Tucker: Yeah! Did you not know that? Huh. Would a thought someone would have mentioned it during the calls for help last year.

Batman: Calls for help?

Sam: Yeah. Our home town is only still standing cause of Mama cat here. Since the Justice League ignored the hundreds of calls from Amity Park.

Batman: I see. It looks like I will have to check the call logs when we leave.

Tucker: Oh. Oh no. Sam... HE probably opened a portal in front of Danny so we'd all learn this!

Sam: HE would as well. At least we know now? Oh! Far Frozen up ahead! Get ready, it's cold here.

Damian knows his animals and has been the most calm out of all of them, which nobody understood why until Sam mentioned called Danny "Mama Cat".

(Who is a cat owner here? I don't really know cats that much lol)

Edit. Also here's tags from my old repost hahaha I didn't notice this is my second one till later

John sighs. Ok. Protective fine.

And I love the idea of Superman actually agreeing to it lol. Cuz, yeah he would. John probably didn't even have to convince him that hard. Supes agrees right away after hearing it's to help the bats.

(and you can not tell me he didn't figure out what the lazers are for. I headcanon that Clark does this all the time to alley cats he finds and plays with.)

At this point, the Bats are resigned to their fate lol. Especially since they're actually getting more space to move (but not too far or Danny will drag them back) after Frostbite's check up on them. Tim is finally getting some sleep. Duke, Steph, and Cass are getting "how to care for an injured cat" lessons from Damian as he's chilling with Ellie in his lap. And you can't tell me that Dick isn't trying to flirt with Dan. Even Bruce is starting to relax after he heard that Jason's rage can be helped.

No. Really. IMAGINE IT.

Even STRONGER then in life, somehow SMARTER then in life. MORE single mindedly determined to Do The Thing(tm). Can phase through you and just IGNORE you.

Might have Ghost Powers now.

Can Fly.

Full size elephant. Nyooming along. Fuck your physics.

Asian Elephants live about 48 years. Less in Circus environments. Even if you take good care of them, it's just NOT a healthy environment for an elephant. Sitka, in all likelihood, would ALSO not have been a juvenile while Dick was a kid.

It's entirely likely Sitka died before being reunited with Their Human.

Elephants are on record as reacting to humans the same way we do Small Cute Animals. Where is Sitka's small cute child? The one who likes to sit on Sitka an sneak them treats and scratch their itchs? Where is Sitka's baby?!

Sitka is Upset(tm).

Sitka decides Fuck This Noise. No, they SHAN'T be dying. They are returning to THEIR BOY, thank you. Move. They have been patient ENOUGH. The baby gets upset without Sitka. Lonely!

This is unacceptable.

So IMAGINE. Literal Flying Green Glowing Circus Elephant in FULL Circus Regalia. Over Gotham. It's Tuesday. People would LIKE to say they are surprised but... yeah, this tracks, this might as well happen too.

Dick and Damian are VIBRATING with joy. Bruce is... Not. There is a HIGHLY VISABLE, Day Glow Green Elephant on his lawn. A DEAD one last time he checked. But that sure as SHIT, is Sitka.

Now there is an out of breathe TEENAGER... ALSO on his lawn. Also glowing. Asking about the Elephant. Is it THEIR Elephant? Are they aware the GOVERMENT wants to MURDER Dick's Elephant? The teenager spots Jason.

Oh, and ALSO HIS SON.

The government apparently wants to ALSO murder his Son. He hasn't even had coffee yet. His children are plotting gruesome death in their civies. There is STILL an elephant. Damian is now aware Supernatural Pets are an OPTION.

"Bats?!? Bloody 'ell, you only call me when shit's TRULY fucked."

"Mnm."

"Might as well rip tha' bloody thing off then. What kind of elephant shit hit the industrial fan today?"

"...apt."

"Tha' fuck you mean 'apt,' Bats? Ya know what, we'll do it your way. It'll be faster, much as I hate to admit it. Gimme yer bloody report. Start with the condensed version."

"A green elephant landed on the lawn of Bruce Wayne at 0937 this morning. Appearance and behavior are identical to that of a known circus animal confirmed dead 23 days ago with the exception of previously noted coloring. Possible identity further backed up by a known connection to one of the younger Mr. Wayne's wards, specifically a Mr. Dick Grayson. Abilities demonstrated so far are reminiscent of 'ghost' stereotypes."

"Christ alive... Or.. not I guess. Have ya' tried snapping a pic yet?"

"Entities appear resistant to known methods of photography and recording."

"And you said green, eh? FUCK!"

"Hn."

"Nope! Don't you dare, Bats! This is not for your bloody normie ass to fuck up. What you're dealing with sounds like a bloody realms ghost, and it sounds like that's still a good thing, but you make one mistake by not knowing what you're doing and send this tits up and we might be spending our lives and literal afterlives on the clean up. Ya need an expert on hand, and as much as I fuckin hate it, it's probably best if that's me. I'll be there in... Did you say 'entities,' as in plural?"

"Second entity appeared a few minutes after the first. Appearance is of a white-haired Caucasian teenager in a black and white hazardous materials suit. Speaks with a Midwest American accent."

"Dammit, Danny! I told the boy no heroing while he's grounded. Kid doesn't bloody well know how to take a break and let the court and his friends handle shit every now and then."

"Hn?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just brood tight for a sec, Bats. If my kid's there ya' got nothin' to worry over. I'll be over once I'm done with my coffee."

And Constantine hangs up before he can grunt anything else, leaving more questions than he had when he called in the first place. At least the man seemed to trust this Danny with the situation, although Batman would have to ask about the relationship between the two to update Constantine's file, and likely make one for Danny as well... His gut told him this was going to be a long day.

Dibs on not cleaning up after it

Why is it glowing

Sitka is that you

And he’s named it

New pet?

I am going to need a bigger barn. Goliath shall be pleased to have a playmate his own size

Has anyone seen an eleph- never mind

-sees Danny’s aura- My eyes are burning

-pulls out ridiculous Elton John sunglasses- here you go

Where did you- never mind gimmie

New brother?

We are not keeping him

Not without answers

Your not helping

Um, okay, I have been tracking a zombie ghost elephant for the last few hours and followed it here

Why is it here

How should I know, maybe you should ask the guy cuddling the elephant not the guy chasing the elephant

-sign- Yo Dick, what’s with the elephant?

Sitka is my bestest friend in the whole world, she ran away from the circus just like I did

Yeah I’m gonna need more context

I’m not giving her back

Greyson I shall defend this elephant to my last breath

And how we have a problem

New Pet?

Yes, Cass

No, Cass

You did hear me say zombie ghost elephant right.

This being has a point -turns to Danny- what are Sitka’s dietary requirements now that she has changed species?

-giving up- okay what you’re going to need is a source of clean ectoplasm, not the sewer water ecto you find around here, clean pure ecto with no additives.

Sewer water?

Yeah it’s ecto in a liquid state and bubbles for no apparent reason. Stuff is nutritionally like junk food, it will do in a pinch but can cause serious issues if you eat it constantly.

What kind of issue

Anxiety, paranoia, heightened aggression, violent mood swings and temporary insanity. And that’s just it can do to the undead, it’s worse on the living and dying.

You and I are going to have a long talk about this corrupted ecto later.

-finishing writing everything down- what kind of habitat and enrichment will she require

She’s staying in my room!

How exactly do you plan on getting an elephant in the mansion?

Well it’s not impossible, I’ve seen ghost animals that can size shift before if … uh what’s her name again?

Sitka

If Sitka can shrink you could get her in the house easily

-dreamily- eternal baby elephant

Is this kid okay

No, no he is not.

Why is there an elephant on our lawn?

…

Duke

Danny

Damian

Tim

Dick

Cass

Stephanie

Koriand’r sighed as she watched the monitors.  Her shift on the Watchtower had another 45 earth minutes to go and...well, she was torn between boredom and worry.  Just last month, Dick had received the devastating news that his childhood friend, Sitka, had passed.  As he had been working with his family for a long, LONG time try to legally purchase the elephant so she could spend her remaining years in peace (and for some unknown reason they had been blocked at every turn), this was devastating to her beloved.  She looked at the clock again to see how many more minutes remained...and her phone buzzed at her.

She TECHNICALLY wasn’t supposed to answer personal calls while on shift, but, damn it, that was Dick’s number and he probably needed her.  So she took the call.

“Kori!”  She had to pull the phone away from her ear at the excited shout.  “Sitka came back!”

Kori blinked several times, then frowned slightly.  “You mean the reports we got of her death lacked accuracy?”

“No, no, no!” Dick was apparently torn between joy and hysterical giggling.  “She died alright!  But she came back as a ghost and came to find me!”

Oh, no! she thought, and started trying to come up with words to talk him down, but that was quickly quashed by his next words.

“And, no, she’s not a grief induced hallucination or some illusion sent by our collective rogues gallery.” Now he did give in to the hysterical giggling. “Most of my family were here when she found me!  And another ghost showed up to let us know what was going on!  This is legit!  She’s actually here!!!”

More blinking in confusion before she cautiously answered,  “So, your best childhood friend, the elephant Sitka, died, came back as a ghost and tracked you down?”

“Yes!”

Kori felt a grin stretching across her face.  “Dick, that’s wonderful!  Pretty strange but wonderful!  I can finally meet your Sitka!”

“Actually,” the shift of tone from ecstatic to awkward suddenly had her mind’s eye conjure an image of him rubbing his hand on the back of his neck with a wry twist of his mouth. “I don’t think you’ll have a choice in the matter.  I mean, Sitka and I could communicate pretty well before but...since she came back...it’s gotten...stronger?  More clear?  I kinda mentioned you and...she really wants to meet you.  I mean REALLY wants to meet you.”

Kori found many elements of Earth culture hard to comprehend, but, by some weird coincidence, the concept of the “shovel talk” had an equivalent on Tamanran.  And...well, even before they were “together” she and Dick had talked so much about his childhood friend that she had taken it upon herself to research elephant behavior.  And elephant matriarchs...

“My shift is over in,” she checked the clock, “35 minutes.  Give me an hour and a half and I can be at the manor.”

***

Sitka’s person waited anxiously in the back garden of Wayne Manor with her lounging regally on the ground beside him.  

“Trust me, you’re going to love her.”

Sitka responded with a skeptical elephant snort.

“Oh, don’t be that way, Sitka!  She’s really, really nice!  And she was here for me when...well, when I lost you.  I don’t know what I would have done without her!”

The elephant ghost’s expression softened some, then gently reached out with her trunk to stroke his cheek.  Her human grinned hopefully back at her, then he saw something out of the corner of his eye and turned toward it.  “That’s her!”

Indeed, there was something flying toward them.  Sitka climbed to her feet (my, my!  This had gotten much easier since she shuffled off that dratted mortal coil) and adopted her most imposing pose.  The red-haired, orange skinned person dropped to the ground a short distance away with a large basket in her hands.  Red-hair took a few steps forward, then bowed low.

“Greetings, Lady Sitka!” she said formally.  “I am gladdened beyond words that you have found your way back to Dick, whom I love more than life and light.  I hope to prove myself worthy of courting him, and bring you a gift to show my regard.”

Red-hair opened the basket...and Sitka’s nostrils widened at the scent.  Little Flying Red-hair had brought rice balls mixed with tamarind and pumpkin!