Everyone gathered in the training room, Justice Leaguers included. M'gann telepathically asked Danny what was going on but Dany refused to answer, only giving them a knowing smirk as he tried to keep Cujo under control. The dog wasn't happy being around so many people he didn't know were friends or not. Especially after seeing Doctor Fate disappear in a flash of light. He wanted to sniff them all but was also growling at them at the same time so Danny kept him close, using the makeshift lead Garfield still had with him. In his puppy form, the dog wasn't too strong for Danny to keep under control particularly with his ghostly strength, even if it was limited in his human form, unlike Garfield, Zatanna and M'gann who would be overpowered.
One by one the rest of the team arrived and gave the room a suspicious and curious look, noticing the large number of adults who weren't usually around. Once everyone was gathered, Wally being the last as usual, Batman called for everyone's attention.
"As some of you already know, there was a meeting today with the Justice League members present and Doctor Fate who has already excused himself. We wanted to discuss something that involved the team," Batman began.
"Are you going to kick one of us off?!" Raquel exclaimed. Icon smiled at his protégé.
"No Raquel. This is something good," Icon assured her.
"Upgraded tech?" Robin guessed.
"A paint job in the cave?" Artemis asked. Batman scowled at the teens.
"No. And if you'd be quiet, I'll tell you," Batman scolded. The teens hung their heads sheepishly.
"You're getting a new member," Batman announced. The team stared at him for a moment.
"Who?" Wally inquired, worried Batman would be angry at the potential interruption. Batman smiled and nodded to Danny, who was still struggling with Cujo who wanted to go and greet the other teens that had arrived, Wally in particular being the latest arrival.
"Danny!?" a number of the teens exclaimed in surprise. Danny looked up and noticed everyone looking at him.
"Sorry, you were saying? Cujo's being a pain," Danny apologised. Some of the Justice Leaguers smiled before nodding to the teens, understanding that Danny, being more or less deaf, hadn't been paying attention and didn't know what had been explained.
Danny turned to the team and glanced at Batman.
"Oh… you heard the news," Danny realised and grinned at the teens as they blinked at him, dumbstruck.
"You're joining the team?" Kaldur asked him. Since Danny had been watching the teens at the time, he saw Kaldur's lips moving and read the question, Danny nodded.
"Just agreed to it before Cujo interrupted the meeting. Didn't even know Batman was considering it before that meeting," Danny informed them.
As the news finally sunk in, the teens began to grin as well.
"Danny that's great!" M'gann cried out with a beaming smile.
"I should have realised that was what was going on. I had to go to a meeting too," Artemis muttered. Raquel nodded as she recalled being considered for the team as well.
"How come I wasn't told?!" Danielle grumbled.
"Dani, sounds like Danny didn't even know," Robin laughed as the teens walked over to congratulate the halfa.
With the team informed, the Justice Leaguers took their leave one by one until only Black Canary, Red Tornado and Batman remained.
"Danny!" Batman called and waited until Danny turned to him.
"From now on, you listen to me and Kaldur. No more stowing away on unsanctioned missions. Understood?" Batman told the halfa.
"Understood, and I'll try and listen," Danny replied with a playful smirk. Batman sighed but nodded before leaving himself. The team laughed and continued to celebrate their new member until Black Canary called for their attention and began her training session with the team, Garfield and Danielle.
After a painful training session and a shower, the teens gathered in the kitchen and M'gann began to bake a celebratory cake.
"I hope I have enough sugar," M'gann remarked to Danny telepathically. He chuckled.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Black Canary kind of came into my room when I was trying to levitate that and a thermos. Lost concentration and dropped it," Danny explained. M'gann smiled at the halfa to show that there were no hard feelings.
"How is that coming anyway?" Robin asked, tapping Danny on the shoulder first. Danny sighed.
"Not great. I'll show you if you want," Danny offered and changed into his ghost form and focused on a school book. His green energy spread from his hand and encased the book. He then lifted the book into the air and held it there for almost ten minutes before his energy began to flicker around the book and he put it down.
"If I try longer, I'd drop the book," Danny concluded as he relaxed, finding that whenever he used his telekinesis he tensed up.
The team nodded in understanding.
"It looked good to us though," Raquel attempted. Danny shrugged.
"It's a lot easier in the Ghost Zone. I don't have to concentrate nearly as much to do it. Here, it's a constant battle to keep whatever I'm levitating airborne," Danny admitted.
"What about your teleporting?" Conner inquired. Danny grimaced.
"I can do it on command, but my accuracy is way off. Honestly I don't know where I'm going to end up when I try," Danny answered.
"How does teleporting work?" Artemis wondered. Danny frowned and floated into a sitting positon, startling those closest to him since they weren't used to him doing that yet.
"Well, there's kind of two parts. The first is a desire to reach somewhere else without being able to move from where you are. That's what happened on Saturday. I was so desperate to get to my friends and Jazz, that my powers did the rest. The second part is allowing my form to disperse and reform elsewhere, which is what I've figured out how to do. I have to consciously make myself unstable enough to break apart and will myself back together afterwards," Danny explained.
"Ugh, that's not easy. I mean when I was destabilising, I had to keep myself together by will and it was hard," Danielle interjected, Danny turning to her when he heard her voice and read her lips for the most of her comment. Danny nodded.
"Yeah, but that was different. Your form didn't want to stay together and you were fighting yourself. This is more like… relaxing my form and then going back to normal. It's really hard to describe. The closest I can liken it to is the Zeta tubes," Danny replied. The team frowned, not understanding the terminology at all. Danielle nodded, slightly understanding what he was saying.
M'gann slammed the oven shut to bake the cake mix.
"Well, a cake is a start but we need to celebrate properly," she decided. Danny smirked at her.
"You guys don't have to do this you know," he interjected.
"We know, we want to," Kaldur replied placing a hand on Danny's shoulder, smiling.
So Danny is officially part of the team.
How will that affect the team and Danny's recovery?
Until the next chapter.
