"Ugh…" Danny groaned, he opened his eyes to come face to face with 'R'. Danny jumped and banged his head against the boy's, that did not help his head ache. The boy quickly moved away a slight red tinting his cheeks. Danny scrambled to the back of the bed he was in, propping his back against the headboard.
"Who are you?" Danny asked rubbing the front of his head.
"You don't know?" The part-ghost shook his head in response. "Oh, uh, call me Robin," A red mark visible on Robin's head. "Who are you?"
Danny wasn't sure whether to reveal his name or not, how does he know he can trust this guy? "Uh…" His hand moved from the front of his head to the back of his neck.
"You don't have to tell me if you really don't want to," Robin quickly gushed out.
"No it's fine, you told me yours," Robin blushed again, hiding his face. "It's not your real name, is it?"
"Uh. No, but I'm not allowed to tell you it," Robin walked to another bed and sat crossed legged on it.
"So, probably should've asked sooner but, where am I?" Danny started to trust this 'Robin' despite not knowing anything about him.
"You're in Mount Justice," came a gruff response from behind Danny, for the second time in a few short minutes, Danny jumped again. "I'm Batman, and I assume you have just met Robin?"
"Yeah, but why am I here?" Batman looked at Robin. Robin jumped off the bed and left the room. Now it was just Batman and Danny, the famous duo.
"You're Daniel Fenton," It was quick, simple and monotone.
"How is that a valid reason?" Danny asked, confused. "What do you want with me?"
"You have potential," Again, it was vague and monotone.
"Potential for what? To be a cosplayer, sure dress me up, give me some face paint, just as long as I can leave and go home." Danny crossed his arms, glaring at where he guessed the man's pupils would be.
"Daniel-"
"Danny," Danny corrected.
"Right... Danny, I know about Amity, what happened, who you were," Batman hesitated, "The GIW. The others don't, and I'll keep it that way, only if you consider this offer."
"I'll listen, but tell me how you know me, who you are and give some sort of proof first," Fear was slowly creeping through Danny. What if he worked for the bad guys? What if he wanted to hurt Danny? But if he did, wouldn't he have already done something by now? Wouldn't the others when they first saw him?
"As I have said, I'm Batman, I protect a place called Gotham City," Danny had never heard of Gotham before. "Robin, he's my partner. He doesn't know anything about you, yet. Proof - there's not really much I can show you until you step out of this room and meet the others. And how I knew about you, well, I had suspicions about the Guys in White before I knew who or what you were. And Amity does have its newspapers. Find the right link, it isn't too difficult to make the connection between Fenton and Phantom."
"Um. So you're a hero?" Danny asked Batman gave a stiff nod. "And you know I was a hero too?" Another nod. "So, the offer. What is it?"
"Join." One word that made Danny think, hard. How could he go back after not doing so for so long? How could he join and the others not be suspicious of his identity? Would he be forced? Danny decided to test his odds.
"No," Batman didn't even twitch, he expected this. What sane person wouldn't?
"How about I ask again when you finish meeting the team?" Wow, the Bat really wanted him to join.
"Sure, but you'll just be wasting your breath," Danny walked out of the door. A scowl still present on his face.
As soon as he stepped foot out of the room, Robin was by his side. Next to him stood a guy in yellow with ginger hair, a big grin spread across his face.
"Hey dude, how did the talk go?" Robin said, soon all the team was stood by Danny. Most looked suspicious. He was in the cave, after all, and no one had even seen him before.
"Alright,"
"So, I'm guessing he wants you to meet the team?" Lightning asked.
"Yeah," Danny tried one-word answers, less of an opportunity to mess up. And maybe if he comes of grouchy enough, they won't want him on the team.
Gillboy stepped forwards. "As I have previously stated, I am Aqualad and this is my team," His hands opened out to everyone else.
"Kid Flash," Lightning bowed.
"Artemis," Bow and Arrow girl monotoned.
Suddenly, a squeal came from nowhere and the green girl, the one Danny hadn't realized was missing, appeared. With a plate of cookies.
"Hello, I'm Miss Martian, call me Megan! Cookie?" She gushed, pushing the burnt pile into his face.
"Uh, I'm okay, thanks," Danny said, edging slightly away from her, he could also see Robin smirk.
Kid Flash slung an arm around Danny's shoulders, which he tensed at. The boy's arm was quickly pushed away and back at his side again.
"And that person over there," he pointed to the guy with the 'S' shirt, Kid Flash completely unfazed about being rejected. "Is Superboy,"
Superboy grumbled in response.
Robin then stood directly in front of Danny, "And you are..?"
Just then, Batman stepped out of the room Danny was previously stored in.
"So?" His gruff voice muttered.
"No," Danny stood straighter, arms crossed over his chest.
"You know I can't accept that," The rest of the team just stood there, confused about what they were talking about.
"Why not- because I'm too big of an opportunity to give up? Well, no. I can't turn back to that life, not after that, not after those 'guys'," By now, Danny would've stormed off in a dramatic rage, but he didn't know where to leave from. He didn't see himself come in here. He didn't know how thick the walls were.
Batman grabbed Danny's arm and steered him straight through the crowd of the others, into a small, empty room.
"You have nowhere to go," Batman had an idea.
"So? There's bound to be an abandoned something somewhere," Danny shrugged, stood in the middle of the room.
"You could stay in the Batcave?" Batman suggested. Wow, he must really want Danny to be on the team, like, a lot.
"And what would you want in return? Oh, let me think? Phantom? You know, that's all my parents ever wanted, Phantom. Not Fenton, Phantom. To be able to rip him to shreds, cut him in half and see what's so special about a ghost. They didn't even think he could feel pain or knew what emotions where. They broke him. So, please, tell me, how are you any different to those monsters?" Danny's hands were shaking, nails were digging into his palms trying to hold back the demon within.
"I don't just want Phantom, just like I didn't only want Robin. I want to help, I think you already know I don't want to harm you. Yes, you will be a great asset to the team, there's no denying that. But I also want to make whoever I can safe. And you fall into that category," Batman stepped towards Danny. A look that Danny could only decipher as concern was placed upon Batman's lower face.
"But how can I truly trust that that will happen? How can I know for sure you aren't just gonna leave me one day, abandon me. Give me away once you've had enough?"
"Look, Danny. You've got to stop comparing everyone to your parents. Yes, there may be a lot of monsters out there, tainted by power or hate. But there's a lot of good people too, following a path of righteousness and justice. You're friends, they weren't bad. You, you aren't a bad guy, you help people when you can, if you can," Batman was now an inch away from Danny, trying to convey hope through his features.
"I'll try the cave, yeah? It may not be today or tomorrow, but I might try the hero gig again too," With that, Danny did something he had been afraid to do. He initiated a hug. No one had made him feel so useful in his life. No one had ever shown so much affection towards helping him, and him himself. No one had acted like Batman. The Bat swung his arms around Danny too. The seventeen-year-old was just a bit shorter than him, his head reaching just under the Bats' nose.
I feel like everyone is so OOC and I think that's because I haven't watched the show in so long. Like, definitely Batman, but this is just trying to ease everything into the main story line (hopefully)
Also, a Bunch o' Thanks (see what I unknowingly did there until I read it over) to everyone who has reviewed and suggested ideas so far. I don't know why but I get so nervous reading stuff like that. I'm pretty sure my face turned bright red quite often.
Oh, and wordcount: about 1,500 words, I probably would've written more but this seemed like a good place to stop it.
And now I feel like I'm rambling and that I need to explain myself for everything (I obviously don't need to) See ua next Saturday!
~BoF
