Danny was just as wild as his brothers, if not more. This teen made his power naps look like power winks. Logically, Danny should still feel groggy, fatigued, and yet... He just watched him mount the rampaging wolf-moose like a bull at a rodeo without much effort.
"Coming your way!" Danny was riding on the back of the moose-wolf. His thermos was on his hip, as he steered the moose-wolf with its antlers.
Tim snapped out of his stupor, and got Nightwing's baton ready. The electricity was green now. The bat-a-rangs worked against the ghost, as a few stayed stuck on its hips.
Danny waited, until the last moment to bail off the moose-wolf, not wanting to be shocked himself. He rolled on the ground, while Red Robin landed a hit on the ghost. The ghost cried out and sunk under the ground. Their make shift weapons were working better than expected.
"Robin's never going to forgive you."
Danny shrugged as he pulled out the sword. "Eh, I'll take my chances-whoa."
Danny barely dodging the moose-wolf by turning intangible. His body shook, reminding him that wasn't a good idea. "Really don't like people, huh? Can't say I blame you. Especially since the one that did that to you is a creep. But can you cut us some slack?"
Tim raised a brow as Danny stretched his smack talk.
The moose-wolf charged again.
"No? Alright, guess I have to do it for ya!" Danny hoped his instincts were right, they usually were. He sliced at the ghost as it charged right through him. The moose-wolf stumbled a few steps forwards, then knelled over with a cry.
Danny grinned widely, bouncing in place, "AHA! It worked! Ah- oh no-"
Tim caught the sword that slipped out of Danny's fingers, using his cape to protect himself from being cut. He noticed how close the sword was to slicing the boy's hand off. He frowned at Danny, who chuckled weakly.
"Oops... but uh.. hey it worked."
"Weren't you going to capture the ghost?" Batman grunted from where he stood. He was forced to watch from the side lines, ghost shield in his hands. It was currently turned off so they could try to see how effective their weapons were.
Batman wondered how reckless Danny was when he's at 100%, considering how careful he was when they started and how reckless he was now. Speedy recovery to list of things Danny could do. Definitely had to give him some combat training and possible a lecture about it.
"Oh right! Shoot." Danny popped off the lid to the thermos and sucked up the moose-wolf once and for all. He almost felt bad for it. Almost. It did try to run down his sister. Maybe once he got it into the ghost zone, it'll calm down.
"Does capturing it in that, harm the ghost?" Tim glancing over at the device, curious.
Danny screwing on the lid, looking a bit shocked at being asked that. "Uhhh, well It didn't hurt me when I've gotten sucked into it. Its more like a sensory deprivation tank, except in a cramp space. Annoying to be stuck in, perfect for time-out session."
They opened their mouths to ask, but Danny cut them off-
"And before you ask, most of the time I've gotten sucked into it, was Jazz's fault. She use to have terrible aim..." Danny furrowed his brows at the thought. She's gotten way better then last time he saw her shoot anything.
All those times she went to the shooting gallery must have helped, not that she knew that he knew. He didn't trust the creep she said she was tutoring. Sam berated him for it, but when anyone can be a ghost or a creep... or both, Danny wasn't going to take the chance.
Batman and Red Robin took note that the thermos can be used on a half-ghost. Tim was thinking of needing to use that on Danny when he gets in over his head, considering what he witness from combat. It might come up.
Batman on the other hand, was thinking more about his theory. He didn't want to be as blunt as he was earlier. Still, he wanted to confirm it. Hmm.
"Do you release the ghost once it's captured?"
"Well, yeah... N-not into this world if that's what you're thinking. I send them back into the ghost zone. Its where they come from." Danny rubbing the back of his neck.
"Ghost zone?" Tim mumbled.
"Its an entire dimension made up of ectoplasm."
Batman nodded. "How long are you planning to keep that one in there?"
"Depends on how long it takes me to get to a portal, though to be honest I rather it be sooner than later." Danny figured he was just curious with how he dealt with his villains... since they were already dead and they couldn't be charged. "Hoping I can convince them to ram down Plasmius instead."
"And how long will you keep Vlad in there?"
"Ugh, that crazed fruitloop can stay-..." Danny squinted his eyes at Batman, feeling betrayed.
"Wait, Vlad's a half-ghost?!" Tim was trying to revisit all the puzzle pieces to figure out how Batman came to that conclusion.
Danny glanced between them, biting his lip. He gritted his teeth with a groan, "You CAN NOT tell anyone that! Don't even let him know you know! I'm serious! My secrets one thing, BUT-"
"Why do you want to keep his secret?"
"Because he keeps mine! Its like a truce between us! He doesn't out me, I don't out him."
"But he abuses that power to take you by surprise."
"I-I..." Danny's face scrunched up, as he felt the sting of that statement. He looked off to the side, rubbing his arm as mulled it over. Was it his fault that-? No, no. Listen to the little Jazz voice in your head. Its not your fault Vlad chooses to do what he does.
Danny sighed, shaking his head. He looked back up at them. They already knew, so he might as well explained more.. He didn't like opening up so much. Felt.. weird. "...Look. Halfa's are not common. In Fact, me and Vlad are the only ones that exist like each other."
He was leaving out Dani for now, he'll tell them more after they've known each other for a while. After he felt like his trust in them was right. Danny rather have her permission first too, she deserve a choice. She was free, like an elf. Plus he technically wasn't lying, as Danielle was always half-ghost. She wasn't the same as they were, despite being his clone.
"You feel, kinship?"
"No? Maybe.. I feel sort of... bad for him. If that makes sense. I shouldn't because he's a kook who really needs to back the fu-frick off, and stop trying to kill my Dad and hitting on my Mom. But.. I understand why he's angry at my Dad.." Danny didn't want to admit it, but he felt the urge to blame his parents or his friends for the accident. Maybe it was a ghost thing.
"They're kind of the reason he's like this. It was an accident, but a preventable one."
"Similar to yours?"
"Don't push it." Danny's eyes flashed green, which Danny was unaware of. His angry eyes, Vlad liked to call them.
Batman nodded, seeing Danny's eyes flash green, reminded him of Jason. He knew better than to press, besides Danny's warning gave him all he needed to know. It was similar, perhaps too similar.
Also, recalling what he had heard, Vlad and Danny's relationship was complicated... there was a lot of history, he knew couldn't be unpacked, but it was a start. He'll have Babara do a background check on Masters again. Even if he couldn't be charged with crimes as his ghostly persona, perhaps he slipped up somewhere, so that he can be charged as Vlad.
Tim blinked, he was trying to wrap his head in all this. Vlad Masters was a half-ghost, like Danny. He went to college with Danny's parents. Danny's Dad was the cause of an accident that caused Masters to turn into one. Accident... like..
Tim felt an unpleasant turn in his stomach. He didn't blame Danny on ending the conversation.
Though he had a hard time figuring out as to how Danny could feel sympathy for someone who threatened and actively attacked his family. Reminded him too much of a certain someone. Maybe there was small pieces that Danny couldn't reveal, or is it really that lonely being a half-ghost.
The silence that filled the air was getting awkward. Tim glancing at Danny then Bruce, made him realize neither was going to break the silence. Batman was too wrapped up in his head, and probably feeling a little remorseful for poking Danny too much. And Danny's silence was reasonable.
"Soo, um, your eyes are green?" Tim asked. Maybe he can turn this situation around and still win that bet. They did flash green. Didn't hurt to try.
Danny raised a brow then grinned, "Half of the time."
"Sweet. Now can you say that again with proof, over the comms later."
"...why?"
"They have made bets about you." Batman sighed, though partially was thankful for his kids antics, as it seemed to brighten Danny's mood again.
"What?! And you didn't tell me earlier? Man, I would have bet on that I was dead!"
"But... you're not.." Least not fully, or that what Tim gathered from Danny, "Wouldn't you have lost then?"
"Yeah, but it be funny."
-uwu
"You weren't kidding," Jason stomped on the metal plate, water splashing into Damian's face with his stomp.
Damian growled wiping his face clean.
"I hardly do." Jazz hummed as she stood on dry land. She didn't feel like getting wet again.
Cass was surveying the tree lines around the bank.
The sun was warming up the sky and trees with its light, though it could not be seen itself. It made it a bit easier to look over the area, but the green lights that glowed in the lake were no longer as visible.
Dick was examining the tracks, making sure Jazz's assessment was correct. They ended right up to the plate. He stood up, and pulled out a scanner. Even if it glitched, it should give them a better idea. He plucked a device off of the scanner and tossed it into the water, letting it get a better view of below. The scanner revealed roughly what was below the surface.
"Hey, look at this." Dick usher everyone close, pointing out to the map it created. There was glitched spots in the image, but still showed the basic shape of the structure.
"Tunnels. So this raises up into a lift."
"It would have to be pretty big to fit the GAV."
The device got closer to the island, revealing an upside down castle like shape under the surface of the water.
"He certainly has an aesthetic."
"I think he's just compensating."
"Both are accurate assumptions." Jazz smirk.
"Can we hack the lift from here?"
"No, its water tight." Jason kicking the mechanism with the heel of his boot.
"You're certain this is a lab?" Dick wanting to double check to make sure what kind of place they were trying to break into.
Jazz thought for a moment then nodded, "We know where he normally resides as far as.. 'living' goes. And, Considering the ghosts we saw, it'll only make sense if this is where he experimented on them."
"...the ghosts.. do not roam here... naturally?"
Jazz shook her head, smiling gently at Damian. He reminded her of Danny a little bit. Just him being small and cute. She had to resist her urge to show affection by squeezing him into a hug, but Jazz didn't think he would appreciate it.
"Plasmius, more than likely, turned the animals here into ghosts. He has done something similar before. Or at least that's what Danny's told me."
Damian went silent as he took that in. Then a rage burned, pulling out the roasting stick. "...He shall be the one roasting."
"Little bird, priorities first! Got to find a way in. A lab, or any base really, needs a lot of ventilation to operate without problems." Dick looked over his scanner, calling the device to come back to shore. Meaning there must be vents they can access nearby.
Jason looked towards the small rocky island in the water. If there was a good place to have a vent, it be on that island. At least a main one. If not a vent, it still was directly above the castle. "Brought a way to cross the water or do we gotta swim?"
Dick patted his suit down, then sheepishly smiled. "Sorry Little Wing, we got to paddle like water fowl."
Jason rolled his eyes, then stretched. He prepared to jump in- only for the pit to swirl, causing him to halt.
A large ghost catfish jumped out of the water swallowing the device that Dick was trying to call back. Splashing back into it and disappearing into the dark water.
"..."
"...cat's got you-"
"Shut it!"
Guess they were stuck looking for a way in from the shore, or finding a way to cross without being swallowed by the giant catfish ghost.
"Found one!" Cass had been searching along the banks, finding a vent further into the treeline, being concealed by a bush.
Everyone made their way over to the vent. Peering at the metal grate. Dick and Jason lifting the grate off and chucking it aside.
"Isn't it a bit small?"
"Perhaps for you."
"Wait Robin-"
Damian already jumped into the vent. He was tired of waiting, especially now he wanted to make Plasmius suffer and feel the wraith of those animals- He let out an omph as he felt something fall on top of him.
Jazz's sisterly instincts caught up to her, as she fell down the vent. Honestly she was a bit surprised she fit in it.. was she that tiny. Maybe she should workout more. Or eat more.. or both.
"Get off- of me!"
"O-oops sorry." It was a bit tight but she was able to lift herself up enough so Damian could crawl out in front of her.
"Are you alright?!"
"We're fine!"
"Imbecile fell on top of me."
Okay, scratch the whole remind her of Danny thing. Robin was definitely not as cute as her little brother was.
Dick sighed, hand over his chest. Jazz had reached out for Damian before he could even react. Now they were both in the vent. Great job Dick.
Jason rubbed his head, having rammed it into Dick's when they both tried to grab for Jazz. These kids really lived off of pure instinct.
Cass just measuring the vent with her hands to see if she could fit down it.
"Tt. I don't have time for this." Damian turned on night vision on his mask, and crawled forward.
"W-wait. Where are you-"
Damian ignore the girl as he moved on. Letting his brothers and Cass deal with getting the girl out.
"Robin, return at sign of danger. Don't try to fight Plasmius alone, he can duplicate." Dick called over the comms, the frustrated pant in his voice.
"I am aware."
"I mean it little bird! Try to hack into the tunnels."
"I am not incompetent, I know what to do." Damian growled, being treated like a child really got on his nerves.
"Right... Um.. uh one.. one more thing, though."
"Tt." Damian was tempted to shut off his earpiece. He paused hearing the sound echoing in the vent.
"Keep an eye out for Jazz."
Damian groaned as he realized that sound was the redheaded Fenton. Already she was his least favorite out of the two of them.
