Hey guys! I'm back, and I have a huge chapter to show for it. Been really busy with school. It's my senior year after all :) Though it's spring break, and my birthday. Yay! I'm an adult now! With adultly issues... And college in the fall... Yeah, I'm not gonna have too much time coming up. I'll try to keep updating though.
"Alright, wake up Bruce!" Barry called, flinging open the door. "Iris made pancakes, I hope that doesn't mess with your ninja diet or whatever."
"I don't have a ninja diet, Barry," he groaned, sitting up.
Barry burst into a laughing fit at the sight of him. His hair was sticking straight up, and his scowl just made it all the more comical. "You, my friend, need a shower. After breakfast, or Iris would kill me. I've got some spare clothes when you're ready."
Instead of responding, Bruce just sent him a glare as he got out of the bed, flattening his hair as best as he could.
"Well then, breakfast?"
"Is Dick up yet?"
"No, I haven't checked on him yet. You could do it, you know, wake him up. Kids like that right? Their dads waking them up," Barry suggested awkwardly.
"I wouldn't remember."
"Neither do I, Bruce," he said with a pained smile. "That's why we've got to keep going, right?"
"Yeah, that's right," Bruce responded as they walked through the door together.
Bruce shoved his hands in his pockets as they walked, trying to keep his straightest face. Something was bothering him. Instinct. "We can't stay very long. I have a bad feeling," he said, walking into the living room. "Dick? Wake up Dick."
I couldn't move. Luckily everything just started going kind of numb after a while. Probably sometime after the broken nose. Meg actually started crying after a bit. I had never seen her cry before. Strange. Blood was leaking from everywhere, but I wasn't sure exactly where from. I lost track after the third hour.
"I'm starting to lose interest Freaky," Joker complained. "And you really don't want to see me bored."
"Just hit one of the family, but I told you, Phantom's mine," Freakshow said.
"You don't get it, do you? I was looking through one of your old books. You know, bathroom entertainment, but I did notice one thing. Hurting the object of a ghost's obsession heightens its power…"
"But destroying that object destroys the ghost. I know, I wrote the book. But what has that got to do with this?"
"Not too smart, is he Mr. J?" Harley cut in.
"No, he isn't Harl. I'd say blaming someone for your death sounds like an obsession. A reason to cling around…"
"I see. Well, what do you want me to do about it?" Freakshow questioned.
"I want to clip the bird's wings. I know you can get him."
"Of course I can, but your Bat may stop listening to my orders if you kill all of his partners."
My mind was racing, even though it was fuzzy. Thinking straight was hard. "Dad," I coughed.
Joker's head perked up and he slipped over to stand in front of me, keeping his face in my viewing range. "What's that Casper?"
"I'll… call you… dad. You can… kill me. Just don't hurt… Robin," I begged. Begging. More of a loser than I thought you were Blake. Shut up. Anything for Family.
"Would you be willing to pay a bone for it?" he questioned, tapping my arm.
I took a shallow breath and pressed my head into the grass. A sob cracked up my throat and I couldn't stop shaking, but I wasn't going to let them hurt Dick or Bruce like that. "Yes."
"Ask for it, and make sure you use the magic word."
"Oh god, stop, hasn't she had enough?" Braden cried. "Christ… little sister… not fair…"
I only heard half of his words. He was mumbling mostly. I tried my best to ignore him, though. "Break my bone… please."
"Please what?"
"Please… Dad," I squeaked, clenching my eyes shut.
"That's better," he purred, stepping his fingers down my arm like some twisted game of Little Piggy. I started crying, hard. I was terrified. I really didn't want this. I didn't want it. My only solace was that I was saving my littlest brother. His hand settled on my middle finger, and I about lost my nerve. I pulled my bowstring with that finger. He knew it too, and he was playing it up, taking his time.
"Just do it. Please just do it," I pleaded, flinching violently as he flicked it back, but not far enough to break it. "Oh god, god… Ah!"
I think I registered the noise before I registered the pain. It was worse knowing it was coming, I think. Just an instant and I had been totally disarmed. I was a complete mess. A useless mess.
"That should save the birdy for… hour and a half say? That's fifteen hours for Batsy to come save the day before I have to start breaking bigger bones."
"Bruce?" Dick mumbled, getting up groggily. "Man, and I was having a great dream."
"What about?"
"Flying, isn't it always?" he said with a tired smile.
"Good to hear," Bruce responded. "Come on, Iris made breakfast."
"You've got bed head," he said, getting up.
"So do you, Richard," Bruce sighed, fussing with Dick's hair until it stopped sticking up like it belonged to a cheap anime character. "There, less ridiculous."
"Pft, ridiculous? I was thinking about styling it that way," he joked.
"Not in my lifetime. Let's go."
"Fun hater," he mumbled, walking into the kitchen with Bruce. "Awesome, pancakes!"
"Alfred's going to kill me if he finds out about this," Bruce muttered. "I'm not supposed to give him too much sugar, apparently."
"Aw, how cute. Spoken like a true dad," Iris cooed, nudging up next to him. "The butler usually handle the day to day?"
"He handles the day, I handle the night. Of course when they're not at school or staying over with friends, or running off on their own. They like doing that, running off."
"You're rambling Bats. That's my job," Barry said, nudging him before heading up to the table.
"Sorry, sorry. I just need-"
"Coffee?" Iris offered.
"Yes, that's definitely the answer," he half-sighed, half-laughed.
"Robin's fine, I'm fine. Robin's fine, I'm fine," I repeated as Joker prepared to break my third finger. The sun was starting to rise now, and most of the others had gone to sleep, waking up every once in awhile to one of the three captors getting bored and kicking me or Joker breaking a finger. Every time he managed to increase the suspense and torment. Now he was twisting the already broken fingers for a good laugh first. Dick.
At this point, I could mostly get away with not screaming, and I was dehydrated enough that I couldn't cry. It was really down to whimpering and the occasional unconscious plea for help. Normally, it was for Bruce, but sometimes it was Mom, rarely Meg when I could hear her voice. She listened to me well, though. She stayed mostly quiet. I was thankful for that. It hurt when she was afraid. This time it was Sam who decided to speak up.
"Leave her alone. There's no point to this. It's not going to make them finish things faster," she said.
"Oh contraire Wednesday, the point is that it's funny. That's the only point to anything. The meaning of life is laughter! And believe you me, I'm laughing."
"I know, you have been, for hours straight. Doesn't laughing get boring? What are you really trying to prove?" she badgered.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm sure Casper knows, isn't that right Casper?" he questioned, grinding his heel into the back of my head.
"I'm nothing like you Joker, and I never will be," I stated, getting his meaning. Yes, you are. "Shut up."
"What was that last part?" he asked, perking with intrigue.
"I… I don't know," I sighed, trying to hide my face. Where's it coming from? Normally I don't slip up and talk to it out loud. If it's slipping out this much…
"Tell me who you were talking to and you might fend off a finger for another hour."
"It's nothing," I argued stubbornly.
"Come on Shadow, would you rather have a few minutes of embarrassment, or have to learn how to write left-handed?" he threatened, grabbing both my pinky and ring fingers.
"For Christ's sake, I don't know," I shouted. "I hear it sometimes when I'm stressed. It's just a mental reflex."
"OoOh, voices in the head? Too many bats in your belfry? I know that feeling all too well…"
"I'm not crazy!" I argued, trying to push him off of me, but failing miserably.
"Kira, what are you talking about?" Danny asked with concern.
"I… I don't want to talk about this," I muttered. "It doesn't matter."
My fingers started moving in a direction they weren't supposed to and I cried out for him to stop. Oddly, he did. "When did it start Kira?"
"After the pit!" I cried. "Martian said he put everything back the way it's supposed to be, but something's wrong. This voice nags at me and tells me I'm shit every time I screw up. I tried talking to Martian again, but he said I shouldn't worry, some manifestations are bound to happen. Please, just don't hurt me again. Please."
"So," he said, letting go and taking a few steps away, "we are alike after all. That was the first voice I heard too."
"You're making that up. You always lie about your origin story," Braden spoke up. "That's part of your character."
"It might not be true, or it might be. I'll leave you to figure it out, Casper. Proof will probably show up in say… six months? Good luck."
"God, I'm such a freak."
Bruce stepped out of the shower relieved to not be covered in dirt and sweat. It helped him unwind his muscles, which had been in a knot for the past two days. He did a quick shave before throwing on the clothes that Barry had put out for him. They were a bit small and clung around his muscles a bit too much for his liking, but he managed. Batman may be smaller than Superman, but there was no way he was tinier than the Flash.
He rushed down the stairs, throwing on a hoodie along the way. At least that covered it up a bit. "Are you ready Dick?"
"Good to go, Bruce," he said, shooting him a thumbs up. Iris had given him some of her nephew's clothes. They were hanging pretty loosely on him, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Dang Bruce, you look good. Barry might get jealous," Iris said with a smile.
"A prefer something a bit more… concealing. It's hard to play the part of the wimpy rich guy when people can see my abs," he stated. "Thank you, for letting us stay. If there's anything you need…"
"I think some flowers for the lady may be in order once you get this whole thing sorted out. Until then, we're friends Bats, think nothing of it," Barry offered.
"Well, don't be surprised if 'some' becomes an understatement, especially if Shadowrule or Batgirl hear about it."
"Stay safe you two," Iris said.
"And tell Kira and James that Uncle Barry says hi," Barry asked.
"Will do," Bruce said, sending him a hint of a smile.
"Good luck!"
"I so wish I had a Mountain Dew right now," Braden complained.
"Don't even say the word. The last two dimensions lacked any good substitute," I muttered from the ground. "Everything tastes like 7Up."
"How are you still breathing?" Meg gasped, completely over exaggerating.
"I don't know, I forget to sometimes…"
"What's Mountain Dew?" Tucker asked.
"The nectar of the gods," Brae, Meg, and I stated in practiced unison.
"It's a pop-"
"-Soda!" I interrupted.
"It's a pop," Meg emphasized, "that is the taste of sugary, lemon-limey goodness."
"Pure sugar satisfaction," Braden stated.
"How can you three honestly be thinking about some stupid drink right now?" Sam questioned.
"Blasphemy!" Braden called.
"A shame to your family!" Meg added.
"A disgrace to the name Sam!" I agreed.
"Well, Dean is definitely my straight crush," Meg said.
"Sam is better," I argued.
"No homo, Castiel is the best," Brae commented.
"I'm so lost," Danny muttered.
"It would take too long to explain," Meg said.
"I missed this," I sighed. "Minus the bleeding, of course."
"We don't have Ben here to complete the quartet," Brae said.
"Ugh, he's a dick."
Raising an eyebrow, I asked, "What happened with you two?"
"He got a girlfriend after you came out. Guess he finally realized he had no chance with you," she said.
"Oh, the dreaded girlfriend…"
"What's wrong with him having a girlfriend?" Tucker asked.
"Do you remember what it was like when Danny was dating Valerie?" I asked.
"Yes," Sam and Tucker deadpanned.
"It's like that, but worse."
"As Dad would say, his woman picker's broke," Brae said.
"Most definitely broken," Mom added in. "Remember that one he brought over to Kira's birthday party last year?"
"Don't remind me," I muttered.
"That girl was a bitch," Dad complained.
"I hear too much fun over here!" Freakshow shouted, storming over.
"Control freak much?" I groaned. It earned me a kick in the back of the head, but it was worth it.
"Eh, leave her alone. At least we aren't bored now," Tucker said, settling his chin on his fist with a bored expression.
"I was rather entertained," Alfred added.
"The butler agreed, therefore your opinion is invalid," Braden said.
I started giggling so much it hurt. Freakshow roughly pulled me up by the back of my undershirt collar, but all I said was, "Not even mad. You know how annoying it is to hear about nothing but bad guys and ghosts for months? I'll take another beating for that."
"I never thought about it like that before," Danny muttered. "Is that why you like jumping off of buildings so much?"
"WHAT?"
"I can fly Mom. I like forgetting about life sometimes. No ghosts, no monsters, just… feeling. You get that, right Freakshow? Ghost envy, that's what Jazz's thesis paper says. I tried helping her write it. I was good at correcting her grammar, but the theory was beyond me. All you want to do is control us ghosts, right? Because your family seemed to care about them more than you? I understand. Do what you've got to do. There will be consequences for every action, but do whatever you find… therapeutic. I can take it. Maybe that's my therapy."
I think I psyched him out with that because he threw me back down and stormed off without a word. Of course, that left me with no supervision… Time to start crawling.
"There it is! But… what did Mr. Haly do to the circus?" Robin questioned, looking out the window of the batwing.
The usually bright and chipper red big top was a widow's black, everyone there was dressed in black, and there seemed to be fire burning everywhere, but nobody seemed to care.
"Suit up. This seems too wrong to be safe."
"Agreed."
Five minutes later, their plane was touching down just outside of the camp. Robin threw on a cloak over his uniform, covering him in enough black to blend in with the crowd. Then they slipped in.
Nobody seemed to find the two dark figures out of place. No one even turned a second glance at Batman. As a matter of fact, the patrons seemed to just move in blind wandering.
"This is creepy," Robin whispered, shooting Batman a concerned look.
"Stay focused. This has to be the effect of the last gem."
They left my gear pretty close, and not well guarded. Guess they didn't expect me to get up, or for any of us to escape. Too bad for them that letting me simmer for too long was a horrible idea, especially after Joker started threatening Meg after his last visit. Nobody messes with Meg.
The familiar metal of my belt was in my hands. I couldn't use my bow at this point. Every necessary digit for using it had been completely wrecked. Good thing I could throw batarangs with both hands. Mostly. And my wrist ray could work without my fingers.
Bye bye, Lydia.
A bat by trade, I grabbed my cloak and mask. Shadowrule did not run around naked.
I took a deep breath to compose myself. I didn't stand a chance, but… I can do this.
Pushing myself to my furthest extent, I climbed up to the top of one of the train cars and waited.
"Where do you think the gem would be, Robin?"
"Um… how about we ask?"
"That's a terrible idea."
"Doesn't hurt to ask for directions. Hey! Has anyone seen an odd ghostly gem laying around?" Robin shouted, making the darkly clad wanderers spin and face him.
A low hiss rose up from the crowd, and their eyes turned black.
"Uh-oh."
"Uh-oh is an understatement," Bats growled, shooting Robin a glare. Sharp teeth were starting to grow out of the hostiles' mouths. "Not vampires again."
"Again? Woah!" Robin cried as Bruce pulled him away from a set of teeth.
"We can't hit them, they're civilians, and we can't get hit by them. I'd give anything that that gem is under the big top. We have to get in there."
"I know a way. There's a vent at the top."
"Good, then let's go."
"Where is she? You were supposed to be keeping watch Freakshow! You can't let a Bat wander off. They'll always wreck your fun!" Joker shouted.
"How was I supposed to know that? The last time I saw her she couldn't even stand on her own feet!"
"Looks like you were mistaken. When I get my hands on her, she'll be lucky to ever walk again!"
"Hate to break up the lover's quarrel, but I'm ready to get some payback now," I said, standing up from my perch. A bit too fast, ouch.
"Do you honestly believe you can fight the three of us and Lydia? I doubt you could even fight us on your best of days, but with no powers and one handed?" Freakshow mocked.
"I believe the quote is 'We may stumble and fall but shall rise again; it should be enough if we do not run away from the battle'," I said, readying a batarang in my left hand. "Besides, I am f***ing sick of your ability to breathe you green-haired bastard. It's about time to remedy that."
"God she's sexy when she's pissed."
"Meg!"
A smirk curled on the edge of my lips. I can do this. Distract, acid cap the car locks, get Danny's help, beat bad guys. Simple. Right?
Keeping the high ground, I quickly threw six batarangs down at the trio. Four hit, two missed. Of course, it was poor Harley that got hit twice. I was hoping it was one of the boys. Thinking fast while they were thrown off guard, I raised my wrist ray and got a few shots on Lydia. Seizing the moment, I swung down to the door of the cage Danny, Al, and Meg were in and smashed an acid capsule on the lock.
"Have a present," I said, throwing Danny's belt down by the door before running at the clowns, twirling Danny's collapsible bo staff. It was his favourite, but I couldn't throw punches either.
"My birthday is still a couple months off, but I'll take it," he said, throwing on the belt and pulling out a small ectogun to hold off Lydia.
Joker stood up, the typical smile turned upside down in a terrifying growl. "That's it, no more funny business. Time to die Bat-brat!"
"Great, I'm done joking!" I shouted, swinging my staff his way. He jumped back just enough to avoid my hit and I was on him. Swing, swing, jump, downswing.
"Hold still!" he shouted.
"Over my molecularly decaying ectoplasm!" I yelled back, hitting him with a leg sweep before moving on to Harley.
"Danny Phantom, the ever powerful half-ghost boy. Not so powerful, not a rarity anymore. Just another freak in the show."
"I'm not a freak, and I'm still more powerful than you!" Danny stated, punching the weak circus master in the face.
"LYDIA!" he shouted. The ghost flew over and pulled down her hood, giving him an indescribable expression. "What? They have?"
"Robin, over there, on the ringmaster's hat," Batman pointed out.
"That's Mr. Haly! Given a dark, vampire Mr. Haly, but it's him. We've got to help him."
"I'll lower you down on a line. Take it from his hat. Don't let anyone bite you. That's the last thing I need right now," he said.
"Alright, let's do this," Dick stated, latching the line to his belt.
"Be careful. There's nothing sturdy enough to grapple up to if you get into trouble. Whatever you do, don't unlatch," Bruce ordered.
With a nod, Bruce started lowering him down. It was a struggle with his bad shoulder, but he wouldn't let Dick down, figuratively speaking. Robin wrapped his cloak around himself, blending into the darkness. He became darkness, something Bruce taught him well. When he was just over Haly's head, he inverted himself and reached out an arm. "Got it!" he shouted, snagging the stone as Mr. Haly let out a hiss. After throwing it into the thermos in his belt, a light started leaking out around him, consuming everything in its path. As it passed, things started to radiate colour, vibrant and true to a circus.
"I'm going to lower you down, Robin," Bats shouted, slowly sending him down to the floor.
Robin touched down on solid ground and unclipped himself from the line. "Mr. Haly, are you okay?"
"Robin? John and Mary's Robin? Oh, when we heard of a little bird running around Gotham, we knew it had to be you," the older man said, throwing an arm around the Boy Wonder's shoulders.
"Yeah, I stopped Tony Zucco, then I started working with Batman," Robin explained happily.
Bruce tied the line to the one spike holding the big top up and started sliding down as Mr. Haly said, "It's good to see you again my boy, even after that unfortunate talk we've been hearing on the radio lately. You are staying safe, aren't you?"
"As safe as I can be. You know I always perform without a net," Dick said.
"Actually," Bruce said, dropping down next to him and offering a hand to Mr. Haly, "I'm his net. Bruce Wayne."
"Jack Haly. Thank you for keeping our bird flying."
"Of course. Once we get through this mess, I'm sure we will work out some time for Dick to come see his…"
"They're family Bruce," Dick said with a smile.
"To come see his family then. I'd love to stay around and get to know you better, but we have to get across the country to save the rest of our family," he finished.
"That's quite alright. I'll see you again… What on earth is that?"
"What-" Dick questioned, turning around. "Bruce!"
A wave of flying green tattoo ghosts were encircling Bruce Wayne and Richard Grayson. Both boys let out startled shouts as the creatures cut off their view of the outside world. When the creatures vanished, so did they.
"Go on then, bring them here!" Freakshow shouted.
"Here comes the cavalry," I muttered, elbowing Harley in the face. "D, stand down, keep them away from-"
"These guys?"
My head turned to see Joker had Alfred under one arm and Meg under the other, with knives held against both of their throats. "KB, help!" Meg shouted, trying to squirm out of his grip.
"Hey, it's okay babe, calm down," I assured her. "Joker, if you hurt her, I'll just get stronger. You know that."
"But if I kill all of them, you add to the city's air pollution," he threatened.
I smirked. "You're not playing with a full deck J. Jack, Maddie, Jazz, Danielle, Ben, Kris, Barry, Oliver, Dick, Bruce, Danny, Eleven names, probably more. Eleven people you can't kill keeping me alive. Even if you kill everyone else here, all you're going to do is piss. Me. Off. Now, why don't you takes your God damn knives off of my girlfriend and surrogate grandfather's throats."
"Hm, you do think in black and white, don't you? Logic, what good does that do? Throw it out the window, that's what I say. Besides, it's not as though you could actually do anything with that anger. Girlfriend's dead, your heart's broken, boo hoo, but you still have to follow dear old Dad's one rule," he taunted.
"Hate to tell you this nutjob, but Bruce isn't my daddy. My dad taught me an eye for an eye, and a kill is worth doing if it saves the family. Right, Daddy?" I said with an overdramatic smile, glancing over to my father.
"And always point the blade away from yourself," he responded.
"See? You're being stupid Joker. And nothing will be funny when you're dead at my feet. Now put them down," I ordered.
"Alfred!" a very Bruce voice shouted. Not Batman. Definitely Bruce. Scared, concerned, and angry all mixed into one.
"Stay back, Batman, or the butler gets it!" Freakshow ordered. "Hand over the gems, or my associate will have no issue killing your loved ones."
He looked about ready to say something, but I cut him off. "Bruce, he's serious. No matter what we threaten, they won't give a shit. Alfred and Meg will die, and we'll be no better off than we started. Give him the gems and they'll give us a fighting chance."
"What chance is there if he can control all of reality?"
"Trust me, please. Have I ever given you a reason not to?"
He sent me an analyzing glance before ordering, "Robin, Phantom, stand down. Robin, hand Freakshow your gem."
Joker let out a laugh and I subconsciously took a step closer to Bruce. Noticing, he took one step ahead of me, asking, "What did he do to you?"
"Anything and everything. I'll be fine," I whispered back, straightening up my stance.
"So good of you to come to your senses Batsy," Joker said, throwing down Meg but keeping hold of Alfred. I quickly grabbed her and pulled her away from him as he added, "Just give yours up Brucie and I'll let Grandpa Bats go."
I hugged Meg close to me, knowing that in a few seconds, she'd be out of my grasp again. "The rollercoaster. Ghost envy. Trick him into changing. Force him in the thermos," she whispered. My memory flashed, and I nodded, understanding her meaning.
"Can I just say it? Please? If I don't, we might die without ever hearing it," I whispered.
"No, because you're not allowed to die," she said. "Save it for a day when it really counts."
"Fine, you're the first person who ever gave two shits about me, the whole me, and if something happens today, you're always the first person I think of when I think of family."
"Ditto," she muttered, taking a step away from me as Bruce handed Freakshow the last two gems he needed. After they were in his gauntlet, he started punching in the combination.
"Finally, ringmaster of all reality! Now, to make everything in the perfect image, mine!" he shouted, lifting his hand as a ghostly light started covering the sky, and eventually, I guessed, the world. The sky was darker, purple in colour. The moon earned a freakish face. My eyes lit up. The object of my obsession was in danger and my powers were finally acting accordingly. "Now, onto the final act. I just need to bring out the guests of honour," Freakshow said, pointing his hand towards the ground. In a second flash of light, Jack, Maddie, and Jazz were teleported in.
"Mom, Dad!" Danny shouted.
"Onto the death-defying escape attempt of the century," he finished, waving his hand and creating a roller coaster out of nothing. Meg, Mom, Dad, and Braden were teleported into the back car, Jack, Maddie, Jazz, and Alfred in the middle, and Sam and Tucker up front.
My powers flared, and I noticed Danny's were doing the same. Sharing a nod, we shouted, "Going Ghost!" I could have sworn I heard a theme song. The rings split out across both of our waists, rising to leave behind our transformations, and Danny gave me an odd look.
"What?" I questioned, looking down to see a jumpsuit. "Damnit! I'll protect the family, you take Freakshow."
"On it!" he agreed.
"We'll keep Joker and Quinn off your backs," Bats said, running at the Clown Prince himself.
"Sweet," I muttered, flying towards the coaster. "Keep your coms up. We'll need them."
"Yes ma'am," Dick called over.
"Always," Danny said.
"Any ideas how to stop this guy?" Bruce asked.
"Ghost envy," I answered, grabbing the back car and trying to pull it back with all my strength. Jumping in front turns you to goo. That I remembered. "He's jealous of the power we have. Use psychology."
"I can do this," Danny said, going to work.
Seeing two giant hammers smashing together up ahead, I flew ahead of the coaster cars. When they were about to smash down, I wedged an ectostaff between the two sides and extended it, holding them apart until they were safely on the other side.
Taking a gasp of breath, I kept chasing, my legs turning to a tail, much to my annoyance. I didn't have much time to focus on it though, because the next task was just ahead.
Freakshow swatted Danny away for long enough to notice Bruce and Dick doing their jobs, with the clowns losing rather badly. "Hm, how about an upgrade?" he said, pointing his glove at the pair. Power rushed towards them, and in an instant, Joker was the size of Bane and Harley's hammer looked a lot bigger and a lot more dangerous. Bruce let out a surprised shout as Joker picked him up by the cape. Thinking fast, he tore off his mask and retreated for a bit of distance. Robin started using his bo staff and acrobatic abilities to face Harley rather than the quick hand on hand maneuvers he was using.
"Hey Freakshow, still think you're cooler than a ghost?" Danny questioned, ducking away from one of Freakshow's hits.
"Please, boy, I control all of reality! This is my freakdom fit for a king! I can do anything, why wouldn't I be cooler than a simple, stupid, ghost. Haha!" he answered clutching a hand around Danny's body.
"Well for one, can you do… this?" Danny questioned, turning invisible and phasing out of his grasp.
"Show yourself like a normal person!"
"But I'm not a normy like you. I'm awesome," he said, showing his face. "Look, ghost. Ghost. Ghost!" He punctuated each word with an ectoblast to Freakshow's hat.
"Urg…"
"Shit, fire!" I shouted, flying in front of a jack in the box and raising a shield. It kept flickering between blue and green, but I knew it would have to be green to withstand the blast. I kept pushing, but the energy running through my hands was getting disrupted by my injuries. "Danny, help!" I cried, getting it just green enough to save the first car as it started going by.
"Kira!" he shouted, distracted enough that Freakshow got a hit in.
"Use your cloak," Bruce ordered.
With a nod, I phased my cloak into my ghost form and spread it out, trying to take the hit for them, but the force was so strong…
Bruce was struggling with Joker. He didn't have his exoskeleton, and the playing field was definitely not even. "You know, it was fun beating up that freaky kid of yours. She didn't stand a ghost of a chance after all, and guess who wasn't there to help…"
"I won't play your mind games, Joker," Bruce said, dodging away from a fist. "Those kids can handle themselves just fine."
"Kind of like you did in Crime Alley?"
Bruce was thrown off guard just enough to miss a dodge and ended up on his back. His eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of the coaster. "Oh no, she can't hold it," he muttered. Time seemed to slow as he shoved himself to his feet and started to sprint. He didn't know what to do, but he had to do something.
"Hold on Batsy, I'm not through with you yet," Joker said, grabbing his arm and lifting him off of the ground.
"No… Kira, hold on, you can do this!" Bruce knew what was coming, he'd seen it too many times before. It was his job to stop it, his promise, but he couldn't do anything. He watched her strength give out as she slammed into the last coaster car, knocking it off the track and lighting it on fire along the way.
"Do the good guys still always win?" Joker asked, breaking out into a fit of laughter. "Let's go check up on the little tyke."
The giant beast that was Joker pulled Batman tight against his chest, crushing his ribs. A moan of pain escaped his lips as they started moving towards the crashed car and teenager.
"No, no, no. -can't be-Mom-Meg? Please wake up. Please…"
Bruce's chest clenched at that. He'd failed one of his kids. "No use crying over spilled guts kiddo!" Shadow visibly shrank at the sound of Joker's laughter, but the outburst caused him to drop Bats.
He rushed to her side just as two of the crash victim's eyes started opening. "Dad, Meg! Please, stay awake," she pleaded, pulling the two closer to her.
"Baby girl," the man rasped, looking up to her tear stained face. Bruce could tell there and then there was no way he was going to survive. His father had had that same weak look the moment before he passed. "I need to tell you something."
"Please don't die, Dad," she cried.
"Can't help that. But I can fix this. I'm sorry, for everything. And I'm proud of… the woman you've become. So happy you found… someone like Bruce to… to…"
"Dad? Dad!"
"It's okay Shadow," the injured girl breathed. "Life is life. Don't be scared."
"I'm not scared Meg, I'm just not ready to lose you yet," Shadow cried, pulling the girl up to her chest.
"Hey, death… isn't the end, and it's… not permanent. Can still save…"
"No, no, no, Meg, please. Please keep talking."
"Wake me up at dawn. I want to watch… the sunrise," she finished with a smile, letting her eyes slip shut. There was no fear in that girl, something Bruce didn't understand. Not permanent? How was death not permanent? That was the permanent, right? Of course, she could have just been trying to keep Kira calm.
"Meg, please wake up. I love you, Meg. I do. Screw the rules, I love you, wake up," she begged.
Doing the only thing he could think to do, Bruce put an arm around the crying girl's shoulder. What could he say? What could he honestly say?
"You going to keep on crying, little hero?" Joker mocked.
"Shut up," she mumbled, clenching her fists. Bruce could tell something was going to happen.
"Who are you really going to cry to now? Not Mommy and Daddy-"
"SHUT THE HELL UP YOU BASTARD!" she screamed, jumping to her feet, eyes blazing with fire.
"Kira, wait!" Bruce shouted, trying to stop her.
"You wait," she said, her voice taking on a distorted, almost demonic tone. "No more games." A blood red ectoblast shot from her hand, hitting monster Joker with enough force to knock him down and burn his chest, then her eyes set on Freakshow.
"Shadow, stop, you don't have to do this!" Bruce half ordered, half requested.
She looked like she didn't hear him as fire spread across her body, leaving her as a pitch black silhouette surrounded by fire. She didn't respond to anything he said or shouted. She was gone.
He had to back away because she was getting so hot, and she started lifting up in the air. She shot off in a flash, right at Freakshow's chest. "Looks like Match Stick is about to break your rule Bats," Joker coughed.
"She isn't in control. I've never seen this before," Bruce muttered, not paying too much attention to the clown as he sprinted after his eldest ward. Then the next shock. He watched as she shot right through Freakshow's chest. No intangibility. A shot through the heart. Danny let out a shout of surprise as the Shadow landed on her fist and a knee. As Freakshow shrunk and fell over, she stood, walking towards him as the fire around her started to dissipate. As nothing more than a blank entity, she grabbed the gauntlet from the ringmaster's lifeless body. After it was on her hand, she started to regain her colour. A confused look crossed her face as she fell to her knees, and Bruce and Danny rushed to her side.
"What… What happened? Did I do this?" she questioned, looking at the blood on her suit with wide eyes.
"Shadow…" Bruce started, not knowing what more to say.
"I don't think it was really you Kira, but you need to do something before that coaster goes off the rails," Danny said, trying to stay calm.
"Um, right," she mumbled, shaking her head and pointing a hand towards the coaster. In an instant, the deadly drop at the end was replaced with a end station run by a skeleton, who stopped the cars and helped Danny's family and Alfred off of the coaster.
"What did that girl mean by death isn't permanent, Shadow?" Bruce asked, trying to keep her talking.
"Meg! Of course! It's not too late, the gem of life," she said, getting ready to run.
"Wait," Bruce said, putting a hand on her shoulders. "Freakshow first."
She looked confused, but upon looking down at the body and shuddering, she nodded. "I shouldn't make myself a killer," she said, pointing the glove at the man. A flash of light flew down at him, and the hole in his chest started closing. After a moment, he took a gasp of breath and shot up. Acting fast, Bruce hit him in the head hard enough to put him down for a while.
Then the group of three ran towards the crash site. Acting fast, Kira shot a beam at Joker, shrinking him down to his usually lanky size.
"I've never seen someone die before," the redheaded teenager gasped.
"As far as I'm concerned, you still haven't," Kira stated, glaring intensely at the bodies. Light shot towards them. "Come on, come on," she muttered.
After what felt like forever, the light in her eyes started dimming as fear started setting in. Bruce saw this, and he put a hand on her back saying, "Just keep going. You can do this, I know you can."
Her eyes focused again at the encouragement, and she wiped the tears off her face with her free arm. That's when they heard it: a cough, a gasp, choking, and a short scream. The light stopped to show the four getting to their feet. A smile lit up on Kira's face, wide enough to make it spread to everyone around her. Even Bruce smirked a bit as she wrapped a crushing hug around the two teenagers of the group.
"You're alive. You're actually alive," she muttered, muffled by her sibling's shoulder.
"KB, you beautiful idiot, heal your hand before you hurt yourself," Meg said, pushing her away for a moment.
"Right," Shadow said, giving Meg a quick peck on the cheek before holding up the gauntlet. "Why don't I show you my full self in my natural habitat?"
A golden glow radiated out from the glove, starting at Shadow, it left her in her full suit, clean, pristine, and uninjured. She radiated strength, and the dye and foundation was back in place, making her appear totally normal. The light then spread on to her family, getting rid of the blood and rips in their clothing. The scent of strawberries was quite strong. Then Bruce was hit, repairing his suit and refilling his belt. He couldn't even feel the pain in his shoulder anymore. The same happened to Robin, and then Danny. Then the train and the roller coaster and all of Freakshow's props disappeared. The sky above Gotham was free of smog for the first time in fifty years, giving the perfect view of the sunrise. Bruce could only assume that the same thing was happening all over the world.
"Am I still the most beautiful girl you've ever laid eyes on?" I asked, taking hold of Meg's hands.
"Well, Batgirl is pretty hot…"
"Meg!"
"Just kidding, you know gingers have no souls. You could be blue and yellow and I'd still like you best," she said with a light-hearted smile.
"Well, I'm fairly certain Gotham is wondering why it smells like strawberries," I said with a grin.
"Kira honey?"
I looked up to see a very nervous looking Mom and Dad. My eyes narrowed, not in anger, but thought. "Ma?"
"Listen honey, we just want you to know-"
"Mom, I know," I interrupted. "Every night I ask myself why I was so angry, why I said the things I did. You guys were just as scared and confused as I was, and while that doesn't justify the things you did, I get it. It's safer to be normal, but I'll never be normal now. If you can't accept that, I get it. I have another family, just say the word and I'm-"
"Shut up baby girl," Dad said, dumbfounding me with a hug. "I was stupid. If being weird or different or freaky is what makes you happy, I won't ever try to stop you again."
"My daughter is a superhero, how could I ever wish for more," Mom said, joining the hug. "But you better damn well be taking care of yourself."
"She's got to be. Do you see how tall you've gotten?" Dad commented.
"Tall? I haven't grown Dad," I said with a laugh.
"You might want to hold off on that statement Shadow, I think you've gotten a bit taller in the last three days," Danny said, holding his bo staff up next to me. I looked at it and realized it only came up to my chin, where yesterday it would have been to my lips.
I shot a fist up in the air and yelled, "Yes! The perpetual shortness is gone!"
"No fair, I enjoyed my height advantage," Braden muttered.
"We're so proud of you two," Maddie said, walking over and giving Danny and I a motherly hug.
"Who's this Kira?" Mom asked.
"Oh, right, introductions. Guys, this is my mom and dad, Katherine and Luke Blake, my bro, Braden, and my girlfriend Maria "Meg" Grant. Call her Meg or she will cut you," I said.
"Well, I'm Danny Fenton, this is my mom and dad, Maddie and Jack Fenton, my sister Jazz, and my friends Sam Manson and Tucker Foley."
"And I'm Bruce Wayne," B said, pulling down his hood, "and this is my ward Dick Grayson, and our butler Alfred Pennyworth."
"Am I the only one freaking out because my sister literally lives with Batman?" Braden questioned, waving his arms at Bruce.
"Well, the rest of us have been internalizing it fanboy," Meg said, rolling her eyes.
"How's Danielle been doing?" Danny asked, turning to his parents.
"That girl is amazing!" Jack shouted ecstatically. "We've learned so much about ghosts since she moved in. Why didn't you tell us earlier that you were part ghost?"
"Let's see," Danny started, giving Sam, Tucker, Jazz, and I a look.
"When I get my hands on that ghost I'm going to rip it apart molecule by molecule," we all chimed in unison.
"Hm, I guess I'd be pretty scared too," the man said with a smile, crushing the two of us with one of his bear hugs.
After I was released, I looked over to see Braden literally hugging Bruce's arm. "Braden Michael Blake, quit creeping on Bruce," I scolded.
"He's real! I knew it! I so called this!"
"You're so embarrassing," I muttered, pulling him off of Bruce by the ear. Alfred couldn't quit smirking.
"So this is my little girl's family?" Dad asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah, all my three brothers, three dads, two moms, extra grandpa, and only sister," I said with a light smile. "To bad it's going to have to be broken up again."
"What do you mean?" Mom asked.
"Mrs. Blake, we're going to have to go home," Meg said.
"But you're coming with us, aren't you Kira?"
The smile on my face flattened to a line. "About that…"
"You can't just disappear again. We've been searching for you for months," Dad stated.
"I know, but I'm not ready yet. I've made a family here, and I haven't mastered my powers yet, if today is any proof to that. I can't even sleep in a regular bed without setting it on fire," I said.
"We can make it work," Braden said, taking my arm with a look of concern.
"Not without giving up my powers, and if I gave that up, I'd have to give up my memories too. I can't even imagine life without flying, life without Danny, life without being Shadowrule. Right now, I need to be a nomad. I'm growing up guys, and this is how."
"I understand KB," Meg said, hugging my chest. "Promise me you'll come back sometime though. Even if you have to lie."
"How about I make it an unbreakable vow so to speak?" I said, running my bare hand through her hair.
"What?"
"I'm wearing the reality gauntlet Meg, I can do anything," I said. "What if I promised that I could be home before I'm eighteen? And when I get back, we'll be able to go to any world together?"
"That would make my dreams come true. How about this, you ask me to marry you in space?"
"That's the easiest thing you've asked for so far," I said, putting my forehead against hers.
"Hand me the gauntlet after you've done your reality changing. I've got to make up for missing your sweet sixteen."
Giving her a confused look, I backed off and focused my energy, picturing my promise. I could feel something, almost like a door unlocking, then I felt like everything was going to be good.
"It's done," I said, handing her the gauntlet.
She smiled as she put it on and pointed it towards her free hand. In a flash of light, a present wrapped in Batman paper came into existence. "Happy very late birthday," she said, handing me back both the glove and package.
Raising an eyebrow, I slowly pulled open the package to reveal a small and long box. I opened that to reveal a black choker with a teardrop pendant in the middle. That teardrop was made up of a warped S.
"Try it on. It's special," she urged.
Shrugging, I latched it around my neck.
"Wipe off that makeup now," she said with a smile.
I did as she said and she pulled her phone out of her pocket, turned on the front facing camera, and held it in front of my face. "Oh my god," I gasped. I looked totally and utterly normal.
"It'll let you change your look to whatever you want. While I'm fine with whatever you look like, I know how you get. Now you can be as beautiful as you want to be. And you can change the charm, that way Kira Blake won't get branded with Shadowrule's S."
"Thank you so much," I said, morphing myself to have black hair and blue eyes like the boys.
"And hold on to the gem of fantasy when you destroy the gauntlet. If you focus it, I bet you could use it to send messages home," she said.
"Good to know. Danny, if you want to go home, now's the time to say so," I said, turning to my ghostly brother.
"I won't leave you alone Kira, you need me and you know it," he said with a smile.
"You're right, but I'd be terrible if I didn't offer," I said.
"Remember Danny-boy, send me and your mother reports on any new ghosts you find, and don't forget your old man while you're off saving the world," Jack said.
"The great thing about having scientist parents: saving the multiverse, totally valid excuse to break curfew," Danny said with a smile, giving his mom and dad a hug. "And I'm going to miss you guys too," he said, getting Sam, Jazz, and Tucker too.
"We got that at the last goodbye," Sam said with a sad smile.
"As much as I accept your decisions, you can't just strike out on your own. You're sixteen!" Mom argued.
"I'm not on my own Ma, and this will be like a dream for you anyway," I said, waving the gauntlet in front of Mom and Dad's faces. They looked disoriented before being transported home.
"Why did you do that?" Meg questioned.
"They'd get thrown in the loony bin if they ran around talking about their dimension-traveling daughter. And I'll save you two one headache," I said, my eyes drooping.
"What headache?" she asked in fear.
"The memory of death, Meg. The living don't need that," I answered, waving my hand again, sending her and Braden off minus one memory. They could remember me being a hero, being in Gotham, but that was too much. If I was more selfish, I would have pushed it from mine too, but I knew the failure would stop me from failing them again. "Are you guys ready?"
"It's our time," Maddie said with a nod.
"Thanks for protecting Danny, and I'm sorry I wasn't nicer in our universe," Sam said.
"It's alright Sam, and I'll keep watch on him. Goodbye guys!"
The group shared their goodbyes, and I sent them off to their homes.
"Everyone's in their place. Now all there is is to wipe us from the record on this incident," Bruce said, putting a hand on Danny and my shoulders.
"Don't forget to send the Guys in White and Freakshow back," Danny said.
"Of course," I said, raising the gauntlet one last time. A wave was sent across the planet, changing news titles, altering video footage, changing memories, and shrouding the Bat once again.
"Alright, take out the blue one and I'll fry it," Danny said, holding out his hand.
"Do you really think it will work?" I asked shyly.
"Hey, your girlfriend's the ultimate fangirl right? If she thinks it will work, I bet it will," he said.
"Thanks Danny," I said, slipping the gem into my belt before handing the gauntlet to him.
"Now watch the fireworks," he said, throwing the thing up into the air. In a flash of green, it was destroyed, never to cause us trouble again.
"Shadow, we need to have a talk," Bruce said, pulling up his cowl.
"I figured so. Can't we pick this up tomorrow though? I'm tired," I asked, feeling the adrenaline wear off.
"Alright, tomorrow. I'll clean up this mess from here. You four head in," he ordered.
"Thanks Bats," I said, taking Alfred's arm. For helping me save my family. For believing in me even after I broke your rule. For being there. All of that in two words, and I knew he understood. Then we were off, flying home.
