The old British guy made it sound so reasonable.
Just a simple request: “I’d like to see how my son and grandkids are faring after my funeral. It’s been three months since I died, and while I know that isn’t long I want to be sure my family aren’t too tied up in grief to tend to their own needs. I did a lot for them. They were all taught to look after themselves, of course, but a short visit would ease my mind that those lessons held. This old man still worries.”
Danny didn’t have it in him to say no. Lots of new ghosts came to him with the same request. Making sure their loved ones didn’t wallow in grief or fight over the will was the most common thought for the freshly dead. After they came to terms with their new state of being, that is.
This kind old man in a suit and gloves seemed stable and sure of himself. Not trying to return to the living realm for revenge, pride, or obsession. Seemed like an easy afternoon.
So Danny set the time and date, opened the portal to the coordinates Mr Pennyworth gave him, and stepped through to make sure it was safe.
Only to trip over himself backtracking.
“I think you gave me the wrong coordinates,” Danny wheezed. Eyes darting between his portal and the Butler that had been nothing but calm and collected since meeting him.
Before Danny could answer a Batarang shot out of the swirling green oval - and Mr Pennyworth’s hand shot out just as quickly to catch it five inches from Danny’s face.
Danny whimpered. Alfred smiled at the custom ninja star like it was his favorite pet learning a new trick.
Too late, the butler had stepped through the portal. Danny should have closed it right away, but he’d kind of had a big shock. Was still in shock. But he couldn’t leave the new ghost alone - just because the old guy seemed in control didn’t mean he had the strength necessary to hold shape in the mortal realm. It was obvious he had a strong will, but staying corporeal took practice.
Danny stepped through the portal again (going intangible just in case of more batarangs) and quickly closed the portal behind him, plunging the Batcave into an eerie twilight rather than the bright green lighting he’d first given it.
The Batcave!! Yep - still in shock. It was massive. He couldn’t count the number of stalactites. And those were actual living bats hanging in colonies between them! There were several levels of platforms holding artifacts and suits, the Batmobile was parked on a rotating track, and there was a dinosaur?!
The level they were on had a huge computer - Tucker would gnaw his own arm off for that - and people standing around.
Some in their hero costumes, some not but still wearing masks like they’d hastily stuck it on their faces when the portal first opened, all staring at Alfred Pennyworth like -
Well, like they’d seen a ghost.
And Mr Pennyworth was absolutely beaming. That fresh-ghost glow that still held the memory of life. He looked so happy. It was honestly beautiful. Danny loved granting First Requests for this reason.
And then Alfred shuddered, his visibility flickered.
Batman gasped and reached out, hand passing through.
Aaaannnnd that’s what Danny had been worried about. Holding shape was hard. In the Ghost Zone you were entirely surrounded by ectoplasm. Like a fish in water, you didn’t know you were wet. And that fed new ghosts until they became strong enough to utilize their own cores for energy outside the zone. But take a new ghost out of the water? They still needed an outside source to fuel them or they would fade.
Danny flew quickly over to the butler’s side, ignoring the vigilantes tensing to fight, and set a hand on his shoulder. The touch transferred enough energy to stop the flickering visibility, and his form sharpened around the edges as well. Alfred wasn’t as strong as he pretended. His calm demeanor hid it well, but blurring like that wasn’t healthy.
“Thank you for bringing me here, Phantom,” Alfred said with a small smile. Then looked back at Batman with longing. “If I may ask, can I have enough energy to hug my son?”
Danny mind tried to go in three directions at once.
SON?! BATMAN WAS HIS SON?! Oh no was this all a trick to cause problems? Giving a fresh ghost enough energy to become corporeal was a gamble. What if they used it for swift revenge? Or to act out their obsession? New ghosts didn’t have good control over their obsessions. What if his kindness was all an act? He was confident enough this could definitely be an act. OKAY BUT BATMAN IS HIS SON??!! And the Birds are his grandkids! What would they do if Danny just left? Opened a new portal and dragged their grandpa back to hell (kinda) right in front of this galaxy-class hero family? That could not be good for Danny’s continued existence. Whether or not this was a trap, Danny had 100% been manipulated. He didn’t like that.
Batman’s lip was trembling. Does Batman cry? What a wild thought. The man’s arms started to lift before he forced them back down. He wanted the hug too.
Ah what the hell. A First Request was often the same as a ghost’s Last Request when they were alive. If he really just wanted to hold his family one more time…
Danny sighed. His eyes darted around the cave at the other vigilantes that had gathered closer. They all seemed wary and hopeful and scared and longing. They all seemed like a family grieving.
Danny leaned closer to the butler and whispered, “You know, you could have given me some warning your family was Batman.”
A mischievous little smirk was quickly hidden, but that didn’t stop the twinkle in his eye. Batman huffed out a single breathy laugh and finally relaxed.
“Fine,” Danny nodded. “But you gotta promise me you won’t use my energy to hurt anyone.”
“As it is your energy, I shouldn’t be able to.”
Danny blinked. Had Mr Pennyworth actually done his research before approaching him in the Zone? Did he really know Danny was a protector spirit, and choose him for that reason to grant his request? Okay maybe he was starting to like this guy after all. Even with the manipulation. Maybe he could get lessons after this. A course titled: Manipulate Your Way into Making Friends.
“You got me there,” he shrugged. “But still. Promise.”
“I promise not to use your power to hurt anyone who doesn’t attack me or my family first.”
He couldn’t help but laugh a little. The addendum was perfectly reasonable. Danny floated a little higher and made sure to meet the eyes of each person here - they’d all gotten close now, paying attention to every word and action. Waiting to see if this was real.
Danny smirked at Nightwing, who was wearing a loose hoodie over his costume, “You’ll wanna zip that up. The old tale about ghosts and cold spots is about to be very real.”
Then he pulled in a deep breath and blew freezing air right from his core over Alfred Pennyworth. It solidified the ghost enough to stand on the ground rather than float. Enough for gravity to hold him. Enough to lunge forward into the arms of the hero he raised. Enough to be held in return, by his son and grandkids.
Danny floated away from the huddle of crying heroes to let them have their moment in private.
He really did love granting First Requests.
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