Chapter 20: Yellow Lantern
"D-does Sinestro know you're wearing his ring?" Bruce Wayne asked while feigning fear so Scarecrow wouldn't suspect he's Batman.
"That's not his ring, Wayne." Scarecrow maliciously replied. "It's another Yellow Power Ring. He's creating a Yellow Lantern Corps to fight the Green Lanterns. As a master of fear, I'm the perfect recruit."
"And what do I have to do with it?" Bruce asked, fearing the villain knew his secret.
"Nothing." Scarecrow answered. "I needed someone to test my new powers and, since I don't know where to locate Batman and you're responsible for all the torture Bolton put me through…"
"I didn't know he's push things that far." Bruce pleaded. "Only that he'd make it harder to escape."
"As if a blue blood like you who never faced financial hardships would care about that." Scarecrow scoffed.
A green beam then hit Scarecrow, breaking his concentration. Bruce started falling until Danny caught him. "Thank you, Danny Phantom." Bruce said.
"You're welcome, Mr. Wayne." Danny replied. The Batjet then approached them and Robin revealed himself. "I'll take Mr. Wayne home and then I'll come back to help you." The Boy Wonder said.
"Okay, Robin." Danny said and Robin took Bruce away. "So, where now, Bruce?" Robin asked.
"Wayne Manor." Bruce answered with his Batman voice. "You told Phantom you're taking me there so I'll have to preserve the cover."
Meanwhile, Danny kept Scarecrow busy. "Why do you keep getting in the way?" Scarecrow asked. "I'm not a ghost even if I look scarier than them."
"Just helping a fellow Leaguer." Danny answered. It was the story Batman instructed him to tell to protect his secret identity.
Scarecrow shot a yellow beam but Danny intercepted it with his own beam and the two got into a battle of wills until Batgirl broke the villain's focus with a Batrang. "Go away, you bug." Scarecrow said and materialized a giant fly swatter. However, before he could use it, a fist-shaped green light hit him. "John Stewart?" Scarecrow asked.
"I see the Guardians were right about another Yellow Ring coming into existence." John commented.
"Are you afraid of snakes?" Scarecrow asked while creating a giant snake-shaped construct.
"Dealing with bureaucrats wanting to make things harder for soldiers helped with that." John answered while creating a mongoose-shaped construct.
"Should we interfere?" Danny asked Batgirl.
"Just keep an eye for collateral damage." She advised her boyfriend.
As John had way more experience as a power ring user, he eventually defeated Scarecrow. Unbeknownst to them, Sinestro was watching it from a distance. "Enjoy your victory while you can, Johnny." The renegade Green Lantern said. "Now that I know how to make more Yellow Rings, I can finally discard the Legion of Doom and create a real Yellow Lantern Corps and then the Guardians will pay."
"No, you won't, Sinestro!" A new voice said and Sinestro recognized Kyle Rayner.
"Kyle?" Sinestro asked.
"And I didn't come alone." Kyle replied as he showed Superman.
Later on, Danny and Barbara rejoined the Commissioner. "Barbara, Danny, are you okay?" He asked out of worry. Both teens nodded. "Good. That means I'm free to be angry at you. HOW DARE YOU RUN OFF DURING A SUPERVILLAIN ATTACK? I HOPE IT'S NOT FOR THE REASON I'M THINKING! AS FOR YOU, YOUNG MAN, YOUR PARENTS TRUSTED ME WITH YOUR SAFETY! IF YOU KEEP MAKING IT HARDER THAN IT SHOULD, I'LL PROHIBIT YOU FROM VISITING MY DAUGHTER UNTIL SHE MOVES OUT OF MY PLACE! UNDERSTOOD?"
"Y-yes, Sir." Danny replied in fear.
"I DIDN'T HEAR YOU." Commissioner Gordon replied.
"YES, SIR!" Danny quickly repeated.
"Good." The Commissioner said. "Now go to the guest room. You had enough for a day."
"YES, I mean, yes, Sir." Danny replied and went inside. He would take advantage of the moment to go Phantom and check on Bruce Wayne but his girlfriend's father's ultimatum really scared him.
The next day, Danny returned home and, after doing some studying, did a patrol and was attacked by Skulker. "What do you want, Skulker?" Danny asked.
"Besides your pelt, whelp, Plasmius is worried about losing the leverage that keeps you from exposing him." Skulker explained. "Now say your prayers."
"Batman!" Danny exclaimed.
"Are you praying for a crazy guy in a bat costume?" Skulker asked in confusion until a beam of light hit him from behind and he was sucked into a thermos attached to the Batjet.
"Thank you, Batman." Danny said.
"Thank your parents for teaching me how to make those." Batman replied. "Now get in."
After Danny obeyed, Batman pushed a button. "I've activated a ghost shield so no ghost can break in… or out. Not that I don't trust you. In fact, I'm willing to trust you with my identity if you agree to keep it a secret even from your friends and family."
"You're Bruce Wayne." Danny said as a matter of fact.
"What?" Batman was shocked.
"Too many coincidences, Mr. Wayne." Danny said and relayed the Robin data told by Jack and Tucker.
"Point." Batman conceded. "Anyway, you mustn't confirm anything."
"Okay." Danny replied. "But what do I tell them when I ask why you invited me in?"
"Just say it was League matters and leave it at that." Batman replied.
"Okay, Sir." Danny replied.
End chapter. Sorry it's short.
Author's Note: At first, I'd make Danny fly to Wayne Manor and learn Batman's secret there but I changed my mind upon writing Commissioner Gordon's ultimatum.
Answer to Leonardo (Guest): Nem Vlad nem Lubek. Eles não têm nada a ver com a soltura do Sr. Lancer.