"So you dip it about three times?" Tim asked watching Danny dipping the wire.

"Mmhm. It worked with the ectoplasm I had, but since this is residual ectoplasm it could be stronger or weaker." Danny hummed, laying his face against the battery, his tongue partially touching it.

He didn't want to stick his tongue to it, but Jazz had insisted. He didn't think it made that much of a difference... but apparently, he thought wrong. Not that he was willing to admit it, as he felt his core buzz with energy after only a few minutes.

"Residual ectoplasm is more unpredictable than pure ectoplasm, because it has already assigned a role. Pure ectoplasm can attach itself to any role you choose. Like uh... the stuff in the battery is converted into electricity... but I can convert ectoplasm into ice."

"Don't you dare demonstrate!" Jazz whipping her head around at Danny, her braid whipping along with it. Cass had help her with it.

Danny lowered his hand, pouting with tongue still stuck out. "...I wasn't going to..."

He thought about it though. Jazz knew it too, as she gave him the 'look'.

Dick gave a laugh, as they finished grabbing what they needed for the scouting. "Little brothers, right?"

Jazz nodded, as all the younger ones scoffed. They were waiting on Tim and Danny to fix up some of their devices.

"Still think I should go."

"Danny, we're just scouting. Besides, you're better at ghostifying stuff than me."

"Thanks for having Coffin-dence in me and not just saying that because I got one foot in the grave." Danny grinned as he kept his tongue stuck out on the battery.

"Oh god, not another one."

"I think this will be a boo-tiful friendship."

"I would ghost him if I was you." Jason leaned and whispered loudly to Danny.

"Hey!"

Danny laughed out loudly, as he laid down the wire, picking up another to dip again. "Seriously, what if the fruitloop set out traps?"

"Then I know you'll come and save us. It'll just be a scouting mission, we'll pick up the repellent we left at camp on the way."

"It'll wash off."

"Sounds like your the one without coffin-dence in us."

Danny's face twisted, did it sound that way? They were heroes and they saved his butt from that ghost blob.. Still he didn't like not being there.

"Usually, I'm the one killing the room."

"Tt.. Can you not replace the wire any faster?" Damian crossed his arms.

"Oh, Yeah, because electricity and ectoplasm sounds like a good combination! I like not to get shock thank you."

"Best case scenario you get to be a half-ghost like me." Danny grinned weakly.

"That does not sound like the best." Tim narrowed his eyes at Danny. So his accident did involve ectoplasm.

"Its not, but you get to make all the dead jokes you want."

"Danny." Jazz gently pulled his face to look at her, "I know you're worried about Plasmius, about us, about Mom and Dad, but it will be ok. Besides, sitting on the side lines for once will do you some good."

"You won't be the only one brooding." Dick put his hand on the back of the chair, Batman was sitting on. Batman scowled.

Danny stared at them a moment then back at Jazz. He frowned which looked more like a pout, "Fine. I'll be here, playing with the dead."

"The usual then?" Jazz squeezed Danny into a hug.

Danny scrunched his face up in the hug, trying to squirm out of her grip.

"Ok, think we got it. Try them out." Tim gestured to the devices.

Everyone grabbed one, turning them on.

"Everyone can hear?"

"Looks that way, though the echo is kind of creepy."

"Ectoplasm for you." Danny chimed, hands covering his ears.

"This won't effect us, will it?"

"Shouldn't, no more than it does me- ok bad example. No more than it does Jazz."

"I'm also a bad example Danny, you forget our food comes back to life."

"I don't forget, I just try not to think about it." Danny waving it off, "Also can I eat real food now."

Danny reached out grabby hands towards the basket. Earlier, Jazz had made him hold off, but she had a terrible time hiding her expression from him of how good the food taste. It made him want it even more.

The bats gave each other a concern look, then glanced at Jason to see if he felt anything weird off the comms. Jason just gave a shrug as he handed the basket to Danny, he was more concerned about their food.

"Okaaaayyy then.. Let's head out. Red Robin, hold the fort." Nightwing ushering the others off the plane.

"Report anything you have found."

"Will do B." Dick giving a thumbs up.

"Be good Danny!" Jazz said quickly as she hoped off the plane.

"Ok, MOM." Danny hollered as he pulled out the packed lunch from the basket. Mouth drooling.


owo


"They end Northwest of the camp, at the lake's edge." Jazz pointed in the direction, the stars were fading from the sky, but she could still make it out. Luckily, she'll have people, who were far better at directions than she was, to get back.

Dick examined some of the remains of the camp, the others looking around themselves. Trying to get a better idea of what happened. "So you think after you and Danny were flown away, Plasmius lured them towards the lake instead?"

Jazz nodded, "Our parents would have come after us first."

"And you're positive of that?"

Jazz frowned, looking offended. "Yes. I know my parents. I psychoanalyzed their patterns of behavior, obsessions, and habits for years now. When they know we're in danger, we come first."

Jason rubbed the back of his neck looking off to the side. He picked up on the small emphasis on, when they know.

Dick smiled at her, "Psychology major?"

"Mmhm. I was just going to go into regular psychology, but after the whole ghosts being real.. I'm planning to go into psychological criminal profiling, to help decipher ghosts. Not that all ghosts are criminals, but if I can get them recognized as sentient beings then Danny won't have to worry about his secret coming out as much." Jazz stated.

They froze at that line. "What do you mean about sentient?"

"Oh-! Not-not important yet." Jazz bit her lip, debating.

"Jazz, you can tell us. Batman made a promise, he doesn't take those lightly and neither do we."

"Batman and Red Hood already adopted you."

"I have not-"

Jazz blinked confused, "What?"

"Just a phrase we use." Dick motioning for Damian and Jason to shut up.

Jazz pursed her lips, glancing at them all. She smiled, "I'll hold you all to it then."

Cass was the only one not taken aback by the intimidating glint in Jazz's eye. She was giving her a thumbs up.

"Recently an act was put into effect, called the Anti-Ecto Act... It states any being that needs or creates ectoplasm is considered non-sentient and a dangerous threat. They are to be handed over to the GIW for extermination." Jazz wasn't looking at them as she spoke, sounding almost robotic.

"Danny does both."

"How the hell they get non-sentient from ghosts? Even the animal ones I can tell were fucking sentient. One did a fake out on me." Jason cursed, he couldn't believe this shit.

"Yeah, he does." Her voice cracked a bit, before she chuckled weakly at Jason being pissed on their behalf. "Also means anything they do, they can't be held accountable for."

Hinting that the law does not apply here. Plasmius killing their parents won't be considered a murder, nor would turning Plasmius in help Danny. The more they hear, the more they realized how deep of the hole the kids found themselves in.

"Sooo, you're saying that punishment falls on us?" Jason grinned as he cracked his knuckles. He was already going to give Plasmius a heavy dose of karma, but now that its required... He was going to up the dose.

Jazz nodded, with a smile that held a hint of mischievousness to it.

"Northwest?" Jason was already making his way.

Dick shook his head and gestured everyone to come. "We're not attacking, unless its an emergency."

"How do we know they're not dead by now? Is this villain really a threat if he so incompetent?" Damian asked.

Jazz pursed her lips, trying not to let the anxiety creep back up. She just now felt in control again. "Plasmius would have rubbed it into my brother's face by now, if he had. He also has a thing for my mom, so he probably has been trying to convince her to ditch Dad."

"Gross..."

"You don't even know the half of it. He has an AI shaped after our Mom." Jazz stuck her tongue out, in disgust.

"You two fight this ghost a lot?"

"Danny does. Like I said, he wants Danny to be his apprentice.. his son."

"Just Danny?"

"I'm fodder. Just someone to use against him."

"Why is he so obsess with Danny and your mom?"

Jazz shrugged, though the look on her face showed she had a different answer than one she gave. "Cause he's an obsessive possessive narcissistic jerk?"

"That would sum it up."


owo


Batman frowned as his eyes went to Danny. He sighed, wondering how they were able to make it this far. He had been listening in to the comms, making a note to have Oracle research this act once she came back online.

"Everything ok?" Danny asked giving Batman a raised brow.

He was currently helping Red Robin adjust their weapons to where they could hit ghosts. Battery still sitting between his legs, as he stuffed his cheeks full.

Tim having heard everything and just gave Batman a half smile. It took a lot not to react, while Danny was sitting in front of them.

"Fine." Batman stated.

Danny furrowed his brows, obviously not buying it, then shrugged it off. He didn't have an ear piece, but he was starting to regain more of his senses back. Which meant, he heard some of the conversation, but he kept it to himself.

He glanced over at the broken gun they dissected, Danny explained that it was working until he purposely broke the tank. They were using it as a guide to try and update their weaponry.

Danny's plan for Nightwing's baton was simple, since it produced electricity, just using what they did for the ear piece, but on a larger scale. Tasers could be done the same. Updating anything else, was more tricky. They were focusing on weaponry, in case they would have to fight Plasimus before they found the GAV.

Danny was taken aback by all the planning. He never really made plans, nor did he ever had time too. He usually had to wing it. It felt kind of nice.

Tim had been trying to grasp this new concept in stride, but it was quite baffling. He couldn't believe all the uses ectoplasm had, it literally could be anything. Or do anything. It was something he wanted to keep experimenting with.

Though the prospect of the ectoplasm being highly volatile and unpredictable, did put him off to any crazy experimentation. He didn't have a death wish, nor did he want to end up a ghost.

"How did your parents even stumble onto this?"

Danny shrugged as he tried to make his hand charge a beam, tongue back on the battery. "I don't know. College? Honestly I kind of tune them out once topic of ghosts come up on the table. Never thought it be relevant until load and behold ghosts are real and you are one. Haha. Now I tune them out because all they talk about is dissecting ghosts."

Batman grunted.

Tim furrowed his brows, but decided not to comment on the dissecting. "They went to college for this?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. Paranormal Science.. or something. They got degrees and everything. Not sure how they got funded for their experiments, but if Vlad's as manipulative then as he is now. I can only imagine. That or mom, Mom's really good at persuading."

"Vlad Masters, one you spoke about earlier?" Batman tried to confirm.

Oh shoot. He probably shouldn't talk so freely about Vlad-wait. Why should he care? Serves him right.. though he could out him to his parents. They were staring at him, crap.

Danny cleared his throat, "Yep."

Tim frowned, that guy gave them all the creeps the few galas they had met the man at. Danny clearly knows something strange about the guy. Was he being blackmailed or worse by him?

Batman, however, was already suspecting Vlad had a bigger hand in this whole situation. Especially, after Danny revealed being half-ghost, but he was trying not to overload the teen again.

"I wonder if I cover these in ice, it'll have a better chance of hitting Plasmius." Danny changed the subject as he looked over the bat-a-rang. Tucker was going to be so jealous when he got back home.

"Didn't your sister tell you not to?"

"She said not to demonstrate." Danny grinned, as he covered a few of the bat-a-rang in his ice. "And I'm not. I'm helping."

Though now he felt a bit whoozy, hoping they wouldn't notice. "Its ghost ice, won't melt until I want it to.. or ghost fire."

Tim examined the ice, Danny had thinly layered the bat-a-rangs in ice. "You're not sure if it'll work?"

"Never tried it, never had to. I usually just blast ecto-beams from my fist." Gesturing to the gun, implying it was similar. "That and Plasmius can create flames."

Tim nodded, it was better than what they could come up with in short time. If he had all night, he would have tried to make replicas of the gun.. but for now this will have to do.

"Soooo Robin uses swords?" Danny glancing over at the sword, they had asked Robin to leave behind. Damian seemed upset about it, and threatened to slice Tim's throat if there was a scratch on it.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you about it." Tim nodded, as he wanted to know more about why the sword reacted different to the ghosts. "When Robin used it to fight, the ghost doubled in size."

Danny's eyes bugged out in surprised, then stared harder at the sheathed sword. "What? Really? Can I … look at it?"

Batman reached over and handed Danny the sword. Danny felt a bit giddy at touching a sword. He had before but he never had time to look at one. He took it carefully and slowly took it out of the sheath to look at it.

He felt a weird flutter in his chest. At first he mistaken it for being excited, but as he hovered his hand over the sword, he could feel it directly coming from it. Like the heat from a flame. That was odd. He lightly touched the side of the blade.

His stomach flipped as he jerked his hand back. Staring at it, confused. "...what's... in this sword?"

"Kryptonite."

"What? Isn't that Superman's..." Danny looked between Red Robin and Batman. Batman was giving Tim a look, who just gave him a weak grin back.

Danny glanced back at the sword, now low key worried. Batman knew how to hurt ghosts now, would he- Well at least he won't have to worry about Dan becoming a thing.

He shook it off, trying not to focus on it. It was too late to let his own paranoia swallow him. Jazz trusted them. It was fine. Everything was as it should.. right?

He focused on the sword again, as he hovered hand back over the blade. He closed his eyes trying to understand how it felt with his core.

"It strengthens ectoplasm, like a boost in signal. I think it does the same for the sword.." Danny tried to explain, rubbing his chin in thought. He glanced at the residue ectoplasm, and moved to hover the sword over it.

Tim and Danny watched as the ectoplasm began to circulate almost like a lava lamp, slowly but noticeably growing in size. Danny moved the sword, then picked at the ectoplasm. He could feel it buzz-until it sucked up into his skin.

Danny let out an eep, and looked physically disturbed. Goose bumps prickling his skin, as a shiver sent down his spine. "...I did not want to absorb that... ugh.."

That was something not to think about after today. Nope. Danny had a lot of moments like that. Red Robin gave him a sympathetic smile.

"The sword glowed a bit too." Tim pointed to the blade that was already dimming.

Danny wondered. "...How mad would Robin be if I iced his sword?"

"We would all die."

"Already halfway there so nothing to lose!" Danny already blowing a thin layer of ice onto the blade.

Batman pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. Tim made a face, knowing he would have to face the wraith of the demon too.

Danny coughed a bit, once he was done. He checked his core to see if it was in pain, surprisingly it wasn't. It didn't feel normal, but it felt normal for being zapped. He then grazed his hand to melt it over, to make it smooth and blend in with the blade. He wasn't trying to ruin it.

Danny let out a gasp as his breath fogged. Tim and Bruce looked at him, as they saw him peek out the window. "Looks like we get a chance to test our handy work."