Chapter 2: Halves of a whole
"Secret" The King called, getting the attention of a young girl who was wandering in the castle. She looked at him with a questioning look, awaiting his demands.
"Could you go into the human world for me and check on Vlad? I wouldn't want him to get caught again. Who knows what humans – or aliens – could do to him."
The young girl, known as Secret, nodded and walked away.
"Are you a halfa?"
Vlad took a long pause of thinking before answering that question, all mockery gone as he pondered how the Dark Knight came to know of the existence of his 'race'. He most likely found the files of the laboratory he was in, he thought without much surprise. But now, he had to found a proper answer. He didn't want to reveal who he was and be forced to stay with Batman and his team "For protection reasons". Even if he was old and had nowhere to go since Maddie and Danielle's deaths, he still yearned for freedom. His freedom. In his life, be it has a friend, father or foe, he had always been allowed to do all he want, even more so since his house was burnt down and he wasn't mayor of Amity Park anymore – since roughly a hundred years.
He, too, would die one day, and perhaps that day wasn't so far away. But he aged slowly, and would enjoy the last dozens of years he was gifted with.
"Yes. I am the halfa."
Batman studied the older man's face closely, watching his expressions change in thoughts.
"I am guessing you are also the man who was captured and taken to the Light's laboratories?"
"Well, if that's how they're called."
An awkward silence settled between all four people – Batgirl had joined them in the meantime.
Batman found himself unable to find proper questions. It was as if the man had a sort of confusing aura that meddled with his thoughts.
"But... What are you exactly?" The Dark Knight secretly thanked God for Robin's existence.
"I think the name speaks for itself. I am a halfa, half ghost and half human."
"But how is it possible to be half... Dead?"
"I have no idea, young man, but I know what I am."
And so the silence creeped back, thousands of questions about life and death ramming in the back of the three heroes' minds.
Nightwing woke up with the unpleasant feeling of having been left out of something.
It had been a few days since he transmitted the decoded data from the Light to Batman and since then, he hadn't heard of him. Had it been anyone else Dick would've been surprised, but it was the Bat. Still, that feeling didn't leave him.
He was deep in thoughts as he got to the Mount, entering the Team's base.
"Hey there Nightwing" The young man was greeted by M'gaan and Impulse, who were apparently chatting about hair dyes and pranks.
"Good morning." He answered. He then asked: "Any news of the Bat?"
"Oh, yeah. I heard he had a mission for us soon. Something about dead people?"
"D-dead people?" A creeped-out look stuck itself on the resident Martian's face.
"Yeah... Weird, huh?"
Miss M was plunging straight in her thoughts, her empty gaze fixated on nothingness. Impulse, lover of bad jokes, decided to slip behind her, hands above his head, and suddenly rise with a "BWAH!", effectively surprising the woman. But instead of just scaring her, he also got a beautiful "Impulse, stop that crap" thrown at him by a just-awoken Superboy.
"How long have you been awake?"
"Enough to hear that we're getting a mission soon."
The King had decided to take a flight around his "Kingdom". His first landing was a small house planted on an island not so far from his castle. On a small sign was written "S & E", and with added with what seemed to be a fluorescent green marker was an "and F".
He knocked on the door three times and waited. It opened and he was greeted by a very small person almost shouting: "King Phantom!". Said King bowed to ruffle the hair of the smaller, younger ghost.
"Hello, Fyrebird. Could you tell your parents I am here? I'd like to speak with them."
"Yes sir!" She said cheerfully and ran into the house, earning a chuckle from the King.
Half-long white hair, tired toxic green eyes, and an ever burning crown. Not to mention his scary amount of power. What was not to scare a child? The first time they met, Fyrebird had felt an urging need to cry, and she would have had it not been for her parents here to soothe her. Said parents had heard him conversing with their daughter just now, and decided to come check.
"Hey, babypop."
"Good morning, Ember. Don't you think the nickname is a bit outdated?"
"Never is, never will. Skulkey, be polite."
"Morning, King." He said, a small tone of sarcasm felt.
"Good morning to you too."
If he hadn't known, he didn't think he'd have been able to guess that the rock-lover woman and the green blob on her shoulder is a couple, and even less that they had such a cute daughter. Said little girl was hidden behind her mother's legs, grinning at the King.
"Well, you can guess that I didn't fly all the way here for nothing. May I get in?"
Shadows. Not much more could be seen in the lightless halls of the labs. They were embracing him, whispering dark words in his mind. He was going crazy, and knew it well.
It seemed nothing would make the fire burning in his veins flee. He closes his eyes...
And never again did he open them.
Chapter II: Complete.
Lots of reviews and feedback, and I love it! I also like getting my misspells and typos in the reviews. Helps me see them. Also, English is not my primary language, so I could use a beta reader, if anyone wants!
Yes, the pace is pretty slow. And no, I won't reveal anything in these A/N. Juicy details are left out for a reason!
Till then, peace! (Just send me a pm if you feel like beta-ing this fic.)
