Dani's To-Do List
- wrap presents
- figure out how to stop her incredibly nosy family from opening said presents prematurely
- get a lesson in economics, apparently
"Alright. Explain Dani." Curiosity. Sternness. Bruce asks, calling the family meeting to order. It's the night after Dani left, and Cass is surprised Bruce managed to wait this long to pounce. The older man casts his stern glance around the table, seeking out weakness.
Cass gives nothing away. She watches, waits.
As expected, Dick takes responsibility. "I met Dani in Blüdhaven," he starts, playing dumb. Apprehension.
Bruce isn't having it. "I read her file. What I'm referring to – as you well know, Dick – are the conclusions that each of you have come to and have not put in her file." Humor. Exasperation.
The table turns a bit more sheepish. Cass can read the secrets in the lines of each of their bodies. Every person at this table had information on their newest little sister that they had yet to share, anecdotes and theories they kept close to their chest as they explored them on their own. Cass herself had many. The ex-assassin could read intentions and emotions as clearly as one would read a book, and Dani seldom tried to hide what she felt.
"We are pooling information," Tim clarifies, his hands folded in front of him primly. Cass recognizes his business-like expression, knows that he doesn't plan on giving much away. Defensive and hesitant, protective.
Bruce seems to come to the same conclusion. He sighs, his stern expression fading into something more weary. "I'm happy to have her in my home. I am not planning on driving her away –" Truth.
"You never plan to," Jason points out, his tone lacking its usual venom. Still bitter. Still pained. Cass had noticed his milder moods, watched as minor annoyances slid off him where they once threw him into a rage.
Guilt is heavy in the way Bruce leans back. "I know. I've been trying to… give her time to get used to me." Truth, but nervous, avoidant.
Which was a smarter move than any of them knew. Dani had a visceral reaction to Bruce that struck Cass as both odd and entirely reasonable. When the young girl looked at Bruce, she was seeing someone else. Someone whom she hated, whom scared her. She had been slowly circling him, testing out the waters, seeing more and more of Bruce, and less of the other.
"Probably for the best," Steph pipes up. Calm. Nonchalant. "She doesn't seem to like authority figures much."
"Unless it's Alfred," Dick corrects in amusement, and the rest of the table give vague gestures of agreement.
"I noticed she has not had formal schooling," Bruce hedges, a question in his tone, but not an accusatory one. Reluctant, hesitant.
"She said she wasn't interested," Tim supplies, calculating, "tutors would be a better bet."
She won't be interested in tutors. Cass knows the only way to convince Dani to enter a formal learning curriculum is to frame it as a new experience. Success is most likely if they enter her into school alongside Damian. When it becomes obvious no one else is going to come to this conclusion, Cass waves for their attention and relays her thoughts with quick signs.
Damian is obviously pleased at the suggestion. "Her presence in my classes would be amenable," he says. Expectant. Eager. Cass reads the surprise in Bruce at his youngest easy acceptance. Damian is territorial at the best of times, but Bruce had yet to see how Dani had entered Damian's realm of affection, a close friend he clearly adores.
"We're getting ahead of ourselves," Dick interjects. Nervous, nervous. "We don't have a birth certificate or any legal documentation for her."
"Not even a passport," Tim adds, curiosity in the glimmer of his eyes. Curiosity. Intrigue. "I'm not sure how she keeps border-hopping without one."
"Our first goal should be to get her legal," Bruce establishes, showing his first true intention for the meeting. Determination. "Once that's done, we can look into enrolling her into the Academy."
"Assuming she agrees," Jason adds. Cynical. Amusement. "Kid's entirely feral. If she doesn't want to, she won't."
Dick nods along, experience in the exhaustion that Cass reads in him. "She's a free spirit." Adoration.
"Danishara will require incentives," Damian agrees, determined, eager, "but she will likely agree to the terms if we suitably explain the benefits of attending."
Cass agrees. Dani isn't necessarily opposed to structured learning, but she doesn't like being managed. Time tables, deadlines, mandatory attendance, rules; all frustrate her. However, experiencing them is crucial, even if they are uncomfortable.
Bruce looks to Dick. "Are you planning to return to Blüdhaven?" Resistance to the idea, hesitant to ask.
Cass glances back at her eldest brother. Instead of conflict, she finds resolution in the shake of his head. "I'm going to stay in Gotham until further notice." At the mildly surprised lift of Bruce's eyebrows, he adds, "She just found a family. A home. I'm not going to force her to choose one or the other so soon." Determination, worry, conviction. Then he grins, launching himself at Jason in the chair next to him to wrap his arms around the younger but bulkier male. "Plus I miss you guys when I'm gone!" Masked vulnerability.
Jason tries to violently shake Dick off, but the acrobat has always been supernaturally-good at clinging on to his siblings. "Get off, Dickface," Jason grouses, trying to pry off the octopus hold. Affectionate, irritated.
Damian continues as if the tussling grown men aren't there. "The pressing matter at hand is her recent discovery of our night-lives." Thoughtful, pondering.
Cass jumps in, slowly and deliberately signing, "I trust her." Dani wouldn't sell them out for anything. Despite how friendly she is, her secrets remain unknown. None of the other Bats' tricks had managed to extract more information out of her. The closest any of them came were small anecdotes here and there about her travels or interests; her own secrets were difficult – but not impossible – to poke at, but her mysterious brother? Almost nothing past his existence.
And Cass knew that Dani views them the same as her brother. They're special to her, and she'll never reveal their secret.
Bruce takes in the implications of Cass's trust with a thin line to his mouth and a brusque nod. "I'm glad she's trustworthy." Truth, but there's hesitation there; trust in his children, but not yet in Dani.
"That was never in question," Damian states, glowering at the thought. Offended. "I was referring to her possible participation."
"Absolutely not," Jason cuts in, eyes fierce. Conviction. Agitation. His sentiments are echoed by both Tim and Dick, the latter uncharacteristically serious as he puts his hand down on the table to lean forward.
Cass reads the horror at the thought in each of their postures. Steph is more indifferent, while Damian seems undecided (strange, for the usually decisive boy). Bruce views each of their reactions calmly, nodding slowly.
"She may have some sort of power, but she is still an untrained civilian," Bruce concludes. Appeasement. "There is no reason to expect her to join the Mission."
Dick nods furiously. Determination, conviction. "She's too precious for this kind of life."
"She will not benefit from being sheltered," Damian argues, unsure, "and the choice is, ultimately, her own."
"She's never shown much interest beyond our little booting crusade," Steph offers up. Present, engaged.
"Is that why there's a mountain of car boots in my garage?" Bruce asks, arching an eyebrow in amusement.
Amusement. "Obviously. But I don't think she plans on being a hero."
"She never had the option before," Tim points out, worried. "She might want to join in because it's new."
"As previously stated," Damian interjects, forceful, on edge, "it is ultimately her decision."
"She'll get hurt," Dick argues. Worry, worry, fear.
"Less than most people," Steph points out, also worried.
"How does that matter?" Dick snaps, angry, desperate, before he softens, relaxes. "Dami's right. She has the option to choose. I just think… at least, me personally… I'll try to talk her out of it, if I can."
"She flies over my dead body," Jason growls, determined, resentful.
Steph grins in amusement behind her hand, but Jason sees it and a bit of amusement enters his own expression.
"Bad example," Jason amends, no less determined, but still amused. "Over Tim's dead body, then."
Tim nods along, exasperated. "Sure, whatever. It's not like I plan on dying anytime soon."
Bruce, fond, worried, shakes his head and his eyes smile. "Let's get back on track. We need to ask Dani about possible adoption, since she won't stay hidden from the public forever. We also should look into schooling. She may not enjoy it, but a formal education will be essential when she's older." Then he pauses. Hesitant. "I also think we should do some training."
"Over Tim's dead body," Jason reminds, aggressive.
"No, no, not for heroes," Bruce amends, determined, apologetic. "But she was attacked out on the streets. She should have the necessary tools to avoid injury next time."
"There won't be a next time," Jason growls. Fury. Pain.
"Don't be naive, Todd," Damian snaps, furious, "She attracts trouble wherever she roams." Irate. "I am in favor of Father's plan. She will learn to better protect herself, and Todd, should the need arise."
The rest of the table reluctantly agrees, and Cass nods firmly when Bruce's gaze slides over to her.
"That's settled, then." Satisfied. "Now, tell me what exactly this 'GIW' has been up to while I've been off-world."
Fury. Vindication.
Dick launches into the start of a rant, starting with the Anti-Ecto Laws and a League-sanctioned summon of a god-like creature.
"Here you go," Danny says, flipping up his goggles and sending her a grin. "Finishing touches complete." He hands the piece of tech over to her and Dani examines it with a wide grin.
"Thank you!"
"Remind me again who this is for?" He peels off the thick canvas gloves protecting his hands from the welding torch and wipes the sweat off his forehead with an oily rag.
"Jason," Dani supplies, finished with examining the piece of tech and putting it into her bag for safekeeping. "I think you'd like him, he's got a thing for guns."
"That's inspiring," Danny deadpans. "All I look for in my little sister's family is a love of guns and a need for ghost-suppressant tech."
Dani grins with all teeth and zips up her bag. "I could say the same about your family."
"Touche," Danny returns. He folds his arms and leans back, letting out a groan. "Ugh, I don't want to go back. I have like eight chores that I've been putting off." He cracks open an eyelid and glances at her. "Hey, want to do your big brother a favor?"
"I already helped mop the op center," Dani replies immediately. "And clean out its fridge. My debts are paid, thank you very much."
Danny grumbles a little bit, but his eyes are smiling. "Is this the last thing you're picking up?"
Dani nods. "Already dropped by Temper's and met with Garrison. I'm good to go!"
"Frostbite's too?"
Dani's grin fades. "Yeah, I did." She absent-mindedly rubs her sternum above her core, which is still a little achy from parting with the Infa-map. In the short weeks she had it, she'd become ridiculously attached to the thing. The ever-changing landscape of the precious map completely entranced Dani, who already loved maps before she found the coolest one in existence. The map could take her anywhere. It had every detail of every place and every timeline. Giving it back to Frostbite had hurt.
But that was ridiculous, since she'd only ever been borrowing it. Dani knows she needs to stop being a baby about it. Such a powerful and infinite object was never hers to keep.
Even if it kind of felt like it should've been.
"Miss it already?" Danny asks knowingly.
"Yeah…" Dani sighs. "It's so cool."
"It is," Danny confirms. "And powerful, too. I'm glad Frostbite is in charge of it, because in the wrong hands, it became a really dangerous weapon."
"It's not a weapon," Dani grouses. "It's a tool, and Vlad was misusing it."
"No arguments here," Danny says, holding up his hands in surrender. "I am surprised Frostbite let you use it, though. It went so poorly last time."
"Last time with you," Dani points out. "I know how to properly use a map."
Danny rolls his eyes at her and then pushes up off his chair. He pulls off the goggles on his forehead and then ruffles his sweaty hair. "Okay, I should probably get going. Mom will really ground me this time if I don't get those chores done."
Dani hums in agreement and pulls on her backpack. "Alright, I'll see you later."
"Text me when you get home," Danny reminds her.
That's right: Dani's phone works now. She'd even successfully texted Dick to let him know she'd be back later today, and it sent. "If you're sure," Dani warns. She didn't tell Danny about her family's alter-egos, but she did tell him that they were influential and nosy and could possibly track his number back. Danny laughed and told her they could certainly try, but the media-wide blackout around Amity Park basically kept the city invisible to the outside world. She even asked if he'd trust that claim against the Justice League itself, and he said he would. He didn't seem to worry, so Dani shrugged and figured she'd let the Waynes go wild trying to figure it out.
"For the last time, Batman himself could try to track me, and he'll fail," Danny promises.
Dani has to turn away and shove her fist in her mouth to keep from bursting out into laughter. If only he knew.
Their conversation about how much Dani was allowed to say was a bit disappointing. Danny insisted that until the GIW are underwraps, she should avoid anything about him as Phantom, especially when he's wearing the crown. He doesn't mind her telling them some things, but he made her promise to keep the important secrets at her discretion. No one can know of her connection to him, given the GIW would absolutely use her as Phantom's younger sister to get to the King.
And unfortunately, it would work. Danny would give everything for those he cares about. Dani's a walking Achilles' heel, and the only one who is out of range of his protection.
She trusts them, but Danny doesn't even know them yet. He mentioned he'd be interested in meeting them, if an opportunity ever arose. Dani promised she'd look for a good one.
The conversation sadly didn't go the way she wanted it to, but she saw the opportunity for change there and was willing to wait it out.
She still doesn't really understand what it means to have Batman and Co. as her family, so maybe this grace period would be good for her. Plus, watching them try and figure it out is kind of funny. So yeah, she'll wait it out. Might be fun.
"Do you want help getting back?" Danny asks, eyes bright and intent on her.
"Do you want to know where I'm going so badly?" Dani drawls with a roll of her eyes. "Or is it a genuine offer?"
"Can't it be both?"
"Hm, I think the ulterior motive negates the sincerity, actually."
Danny squints at her. "You sound way too much like an adult sometimes."
Dani grins. "It's the language program," she brags. "I sound like this in Spanish, too."
Her counterpart grumbles at the obvious jab to his Spanish grade. She'd helped him with the homework while he worked on Jason's watch and Christmas gift, quizzing him on verb conjugations and tenses in preparation for his last test before winter break. Danny's absolutely helpless at languages. His only saving grace is that Esperanto, which he'd studied a bit in hopes of communicating with Wulf, has some similarities to Spanish.
"You know, you can trust me with your family's identities," Danny points out.
"And I can trust them with yours," Dani counters. Danny sighs, and Dani grins, knowing she'd won. "Look, when you want to meet them, let me know. I'll even bring it up to them and see if they're interested." She pauses, considering. "Okay, they'll be interested. But maybe they'll have an actual idea, who knows."
"It's a little bizarre to think that my sister has a whole other family whom I've never met," Danny says, echoing a few of his previous sentiments throughout Dani's stay, but for the first time saying it outright.
"No more bizarre than the circumstances that brought me here," Dani points out. "And I don't consider your parents my parents, even if a case could be made that they are biologically my parents too."
"That's weird to think about."
"Agreed." Dani glances at her broken watch, pretending to check the time. "Alright, I want to head out. I've missed almost all of December, and I still have some set up to do for the gifts."
"You do have a lot of them," Danny agrees. Then he opens his arms, scooping Dani into a hug that she reluctantly returns. He's sweaty. "Text me when you're back. And let me know when you want to play games?"
"I'll get the Discord," Dani promises. "As soon as I figure out how."
Danny grins. "You mentioned you have your own Tucker. You'll be fine."
Dani wriggles out of his hold and then waves at him. "I'll see you soon!"
"Bye, Elle," Danny returns, smiling fondly.
The younger ghost flies away, wondering if she should get a wagon to cart home all her gifts.
Dani's only just flipped the sign on the door announcing she's home when she's scooped into a strong pair of arms. The hold feels like Danny's, though the arms are larger and the shoulders broad. Dani burrows into Dick's hold, clinging tightly back and inhaling his unique gym-mats-and-lavender-detergent scent.
"I missed you," he whines into his hair. "You've been gone for so long."
It has been a couple of weeks. With the Infa-map, however, Dani'd cut her expected time from almost four weeks down to two and a half. It was only the 17th of December, meaning she still had more than a week of Christmas prep.
"I missed you too," Dani says indulgently, patting Dick's back.
"You are home earlier than you said, though," Dick points out. "Now we can do some holiday activities!"
That's exactly what Dani wanted to hear. She grins, pushing back so she can escape his clutches and see his face. "Gingerbread houses?"
Dick nods. "And ice skating in the city square, Hallmark movies at the theater, seeing Cass's yearly Nutcracker performance. There are lights in Anders Park that we can walk through, and a whole light show in Lemmars."
This is why Dick is Dani's favorite. He knows exactly what kinds of things she wants to do.
"Did you decorate a Christmas tree?" Dani asks. Then she points to the one in the foyer where they're standing, where a ten-meter tree stretches up to the chandelier, gold brushed needles holding up gauzy ribbon and bright blue and white ornaments. "Other than that one, obviously."
"That's another one of our activities," Dick announces. "We're going to go pick out a Christmas tree, find some ornaments, and decorate it in the den."
"And put presents under it?" Dani adds hopefully.
Dick pauses here, considering. "Um, we can, but everyone's going to open them early. We usually hide them somewhere outside the Manor or buy them close to Christmas so no one pokes around." He coughs into his fist, muttering "Tim" under his breath.
Dani glances back at her wagon full of gifts, all of them hidden in non-descript boxes for later wrapping once she found the right paper. "They can't be found until Christmas morning," Dani says in distress. "I have to see everyone cry!"
Dick looks over at the boxes with a bit of a raised eyebrow. "You were off getting more Christmas presents? I thought you bought most of those on Black Friday."
Well, yes, but most were set to be delivered until the week of Christmas. She didn't want anyone to open the packages while she was gone. But now Dick's saying even if they're wrapped they'll get opened?
"These ones are special," Dani insists. "They can't be bought with money." She did mention it to him before, but it looks like he assumed she'd finished the shopping when they handed her a shiny credit card with Bruce's approval (not that they ever needed it to give her money before). She hadn't bought any really good gifts with it anyway. She figured they'd look at the receipts. "I got them from the Realms."
Dick pauses. Seems to think about it, a dawning realization coming over him as he views the wagon of boxes with more interest. "Like, the Realms that are Infinite and have untold secrets?"
Dani smirks. "The very same. Every single one of you is going to cry, I can practically guarantee it."
Curiosity blooms bright and hot in Dick's emotions, and Dani draws away frowning. "You're going to try and figure out what they are now too, aren't you?"
"No," Dick lies.
Dani steps over to block his view of the wagon, eyes narrowed dangerously. "You are not going to open these gifts."
"I wouldn't dare," Dick lies, again.
"I can tell you're lying," Dani accuses, and Dick gets a little surprised at that. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go into my room and brainstorm ways to keep all you nosy Bats from looking into my gifts!"
She stalks off, rolling her wagon until she reaches the stairs, considering them with a pouty frown. She doesn't really want to walk all the way around to the elevator.
"Here, I can help," Dick offers, moving to help her lift the wagon. Dani narrows her eyes at him and snatches it off the ground, holding it aloft easily with one hand. "That works too." He grabs the rest of Dani's bags that she'd been carrying before, the ones filled with some of her stuff from the Keep that she wanted nearby if she was going to be somewhere a bit more permanent.
Dani stalks up the stairs, Dick following closely behind. "I can try and keep everyone from trying to open them too soon," Dick suggests as he trots after her. Psh. Everyone else. He'd look into his own the second he was given half a chance.
She stops on the landing of the first flight, Dick barely even stumbling to avoid running into her. Oh, Dani realizes. Everyone else.
Dani smiles a wicked, plotting smile. Then, without answering Dick's questions, she makes her way back up the stairs.
Dick eventually switches his questioning to more important things. "Tim got a text from you. Was that someone else on your phone or was that actually you?"
"Me!" Dani announces with pride. "My brother helped with all the tech stuff, along with that one guy that owed me a few favors in the Realms, and now it all works! I didn't really know how to text or anything, but I figured it out. And now I can play more games!"
"That's awesome!" Dick enthuses. "I know Tim has been waiting to show you some of his favorites." They climb the final flight of steps onto Dani's floor, the door ajar the way she left it. Dani pushes her way inside and glowers at the cat, who'd apparently taken her absence as permission to sleep on her pillow. She unceremoniously drops the wagon on the ground, trying to spook him, but he just flicks his tail lazily at the attempt.
Dick sets down her bags at the foot of her bed, arranging them carefully so they don't jostle too much. He regards them curiously, but doesn't ask.
"If you manage to keep everyone from opening their gifts," Dani starts, an evil plan taking shape in her mind, "I won't take yours away."
Dick stands back, scandalized. "You're putting that on me? I am only one man, Dani!"
Dani nods sagely, pretending to consider. She's completely bluffing. She went through all the trouble to track down his gift, so he will be getting it. But this is about bargaining. She has to start high. "Then I'll just move it to your birthday," she suggests.
"No! My birthday is in March!"
She was planning to keep negotiating, but she pauses. "Wait, really? That's when mine is! What day?"
"The twentieth," Dick says. "What about yours?"
Dani tries to do the mental math. She attacked Danny end of March, but she'd been around for at least a couple of weeks before that. What day did they decide on? She can't remember. "Um. Somewhere at the beginning?" she guesses. "I don't really remember."
There's a flash of pain at her statement, but Dick schools his features into mock-seriousness to cover it up. "Yet another holiday we'll have to teach you to celebrate."
"Once I remember the actual day," Dani reminds him. Then she grabs a bag and hops up on the bed. "Do you want to help me put these back in?" She unzips the first compartment and shows him the tech components inside, each nestled in cloth to protect them from rubbing against each other.
Dick sits beside her and helps unwrap each piece of tech, examining them as he does. "What did you do to them?"
Dani glances over at the piece he's holding; it's some kind of metal sheet with silver dots and wires. "No idea," she says. "Do you notice anything different?"
"Well, they're a little green."
Dani leans over and squints at it. It is a little green, but it's not really noticeable. It makes sense though, since most tech has to be exposed to ectoplasm to work with it. Dani repeats this with a shrug before going back to her task of removing the tech from her bag.
Dick shakes his head with a laugh. "Is that really all?"
"I dunno, I don't know anything about technology." She waves another techy piece at him impatiently. "So if you'd help me get this done? I want to play games."
He laughs softly, gathering a couple different components and making his way over to her computer tower, which was still on its side from when Tim extracted the most important pieces for her to ghost-proof. Even though Tim likes to bash on Dick's technological skills a lot, he seems pretty proficient and starts setting things up quickly.
"Can I maybe get a game?" Dani asks, hesitant, as she holds the tower's cover in place so Dick can screw it back on.
"Of course," Dick says, glancing up at her. "Ask Tim for the family Steam account. The payment information is already saved." Dani nods, but she still feels a bit uncomfortable at the thought of spending their money. Dick seems to understand this and grins sunnily up at her. "Bruce has more money than he could possibly spend. Then any of us could possibly ever spend. We'd need to spend more than a million dollars every hour to break even." He stops to consider this, then adds, "Each."
Holy crap, that's a lot of money.
"Bruce has footholds in almost every industry," Dick explains, then continues, "but do you know what the biggest problem with the top one percent is?"
Dani shakes her head, not quite sure what the 'top one percent' is.
"All the economy's money goes into them," Dick says, wagging his screwdriver at her, "but if it can't go out as fast as it comes in, that's just sucking up the money needed to circulate. The more money we spend, the more goes back out into the economy, and will eventually cycle back up to us." He smiles. "Financial responsibility is incredibly important, and it's something everyone should learn about, including you. But don't ever feel guilty for spending Bruce's money. It's good. Bruce is constantly giving to charities and sponsoring programs and funding research. He spends more money than you can even imagine, but it all comes right back up to him because if the lower classes have money, they spend the money, and it eventually makes its way back into his pocket. If anything, spending money is only going to help Bruce make more money."
Dani mulls over this, still a bit confused. "That's not true for everyone though, right?"
Dick laughs, but this time it's more bitter. "Absolutely not. Only those with money can make money like this. It's incredibly unfair."
"So…" Dani thinks about it for a second before deciding, "what if the money goes to people that sell stuff but don't have money? Would that still help the top one percent make money?"
"Eventually," Dick says. "Suppose you sell maps off the street. The money you get will go into your living expenses, like food and housing. If we're assuming the rich people have nothing to do with providing your food and housing, then you're paying local grocery stores and independent landlords. Those people will then have the money for living expenses too, which gives more money to the people they give money to. Eventually, the money makes its way up to a supplier company that is part of that one percent. Or, even if it doesn't, people can use their extra money to buy things from other companies, some of which will eventually be top one percent."
Interesting. "If I buy from people that aren't in the big companies, more money goes into the economy," Dani realizes.
"Exactly. Support local businesses," Dick says, then considers. "Well, I do. It's not always an option for people, but I can definitely afford any extra prices and things I don't need. If I can help it, I usually avoid any major corporation. That's just giving money to the rich, and they have plenty."
"Huh. That's kind of cool," Dani says. She always thought of economy as stuffy and boring, but learning how the money circulates is pretty interesting. "It still feels wrong to spend money I didn't earn."
"Bruce pays people to buy stuff sometimes," Dick adds idly. "You'll just be doing it for free."
Dani blinks twice. He's so rich he pays people to buy things so that he can lose some money? That's insane. Absolutely bonkers. Dani can't comprehend that level of wealthy.
"That's child labor," Dani says instead of voicing any of the wild thoughts in her brain. "I'm being taken advantage of."
Dick rolls his eyes. "I'm sure you'll be able to suffer through it."
"Key word: suffer," Dani says dramatically. "You want me to suffer, Dick? I thought you liked me."
"I love you," Dick corrects, "and suffering builds character."
Dani's core blooms with warmth.
Dick finishes the tower and sets it back down, turning to the rest of the room with a hand on his hip. "So, what's next?"
Dani points out the TV. If they want to have a chance of finishing it all before dinner, they need to stop chit-chatting and get working.
(No, Dani isn't avoiding vulnerability. How dare anyone suggest that.)
She is glad she got permission to buy games, though. Danny was telling her about a ghost investigation game and if she didn't play it in the next two days she was going to riot.
Nothing could be funnier to her than a ghost investigating other ghosts.
- I've never written Cass, or tried before. I hope I did her justice. She sees EVERYTHING, and writing her is a challenge. I may come back and rework it sometime, do even more "show" rather than tell, but we'll see. I just wanted a POV from her, because she deserves the world.
- They discuss a lot more than just what I've written here, but the dialogue would be so long and it'd really just be rehashing everything that you guys have already read.
- The infa-map will return. There's a reason I haven't written more about it and glossed over Dani's adventures, so fear not
- Dani will be pitting the entire bat-fam against each other to keep the gifts secret. Everyone will be like sure, I'll protect the other gifts from getting opened, while fully intending to open their own. But if everyone does that, then it turns into this whole war against each other.
- I don't actually take economics, so I'm useless at it, but what I mentioned is stuff I've heard, and it makes a lot of logical sense to me. Also, I did a little math, and if about eight of them spent a million dollars every hour for the entire year, they'd be spending 70,000 million a year. If we're assuming Bruce is as rich as some of the people in the real world, he'd be making around 30-80 BILLION a year. So, y'know, there's no way he'd ever be able to spend it all (even with the Bat and League expenses). He does his best, and yes, I completely believe he puts so much money back into the economy that the entirety of that earth is thrivin' a bit (if it weren't for the other one-percenters). Is it true? Who cares, canon has little place here.
- I don't like how any of these line-breaks ended, but I'm tired of looking at it