"The media certainly didn't miss the opportunity, he had the outward appearance of a pop star, the backstory of a rag-to riches hero of the people, and the charisma of an inspirational speaker, young and powerful, arising from the obscurity of the American heartland to save the world"
"And that's the killer isn't it"
"Charge up any wind-key long enough and it'll snap eventually"
Sheyera Hol wrote a small annotation in the margins of the old file. " It's not as if we haven't seen something like this before"
"Batman…this is your responsibility" Wonder Woman turned her eyes over to the Caped Crusader, not expecting much in terms of a direct response.
Bruce Wayne was inscrutable as usual, mask hiding his gaze. It would seem to her that the excessive formalities would have ended years ago, but Batman maintained a wall of divorce from their more congenial familiarity with each other that hadn't changed since day one of the Justice League, seeming to be more immortal than the rest of them-even Clark had changed with the twenty years of the business, and it was one of those frustrating moments when they needed to read him the most that he was outwardly the most indifferent of them all.
"I'm resigned to your discretion on the matter"
His tone, also to be expected, was definitive. The Justice League visibly slumped in their seats. If Batman didn't make up his mind, none of them felt quite confident in their decision. It didn't matter if he was the weakest strength wise of the seven of them, it was his determination of will that was the driving force behind the entire framework of the League. When Batman was at an impasse, they all were.
"This ain't right" Green Lantern, John Stewart began "you told us again and again that you were 'taking care of this' and now you just leave us out in the cold?"
"Batman…" Clark Kent folded his hands and stared at his colleague, trying to impress his seriousness "this is League business of the highest order, breaking all the rules, and would set up a bad example, and its now that you just decide to leave it to us when we haven't so much as touched this case"
"its not characteristic of you to shirk something that you took personal interest in" J'onn was barely half way through the sentence when Batman spoke again, in a thin voice that ended any comments.
"I was referring to Robin, and then you, come in"
All eyes swiveled to the pneumatic door, usually locked until their conference was over, that slid open to reveal Batman's charge, who nervously stepped across the threshold along with the subject, Danny Phantom, in tow.
There was a great deal of apprehension that filled the room's atmosphere abruptly. The Flash had been silent, uncharacteristically so, but he looked up and raised an eyebrow. "You didn't say that this was a trial" he spoke so slowly that the rest of them had to wonder whether he was about to crack a joke of some sort. None came, only the low tone in his voice suggesting his mood: deep resentment.
"Uh…hi" Robin said sheepishly. "Danny, welcome to the core team meeting of the Justice League"
"Hello" he said in almost a mumble, before Robin showed him to a chair and sat him down there. He was in his human form, eyes pinned to the floor, movements slow and depressed.
"This isn't part of procedure" Green Lantern protested. "we are not the inquisition and it was not on the agenda!"
"Everything right now is out of the books, so just watch" Sheyera snapped "besides we have a guest"
"Guest or not, this is not what we do" Green Latern continued to protest
"come on John just drop it, this meeting has gone nowhere anyway, I don't even know why we're here!" Flash's simmering frustration finally broke through the usual etiquette. "let's just let him in and be done with it! You guys are more suspicious than a pack of wolves"
"Can it Flash!" Superman responded "we've been firm almost continuously that we stick to the rules without exception, so this needs proper treatment"
"You and rules" Superwoman muttered, earning her a glare of censure from both Superman and Green lantern. J'onn muttered something in his own language while Sheyera sighed and leaned back in her chair. "here we go again, back to the discussion of rules for, let's see, the one hundredth and seventeenth meeting"
Robin cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentlemen…"
"drop the snobbery just talk!" Flash shouted.
"Actually, I'm going to let Danny do the talking"
The room fell silent and Danny, looking sorely out of place in his plain sweatshirt and jeans against the Justice League's gaudy uniforms and Robin's own business suit, raised his head and for the first time, set eyes on the famed superheroes, suddenly finding a knot in his throat that almost ruined his dim prospects right from the start, but he swallowed hard and took a deep breath.
"Well…I suppose I should start back at Phantom Planet"
