i am of the sincere belief that if ur on ur computer a lot you should visually customize it to high hell and back not just for funsies but also because it has literally made me less depressed before. its kind of like how rearranging your bedroom is good for your brain, yknow. i do stuff like this every few months
LIVE WALLPAPER: wallpaper engine. only thing on here that costs any money (its like 5 bucks on steam). im sure theres free alternatives but this one has a lot of presets and stuff so its less hassle and its what i use. might be a bad idea for lower end pcs tho
CUSTOM TASKBAR: retrobar on github (lots of different options)
CUSTOM CURSOR: theres a lot of places to find these, but rw-designer open cursor library is a good place to start
DISCORD: betterdiscord, im using the clearvision v7 theme with a custom background
EXTENSIONS (these are for firefox, might or might not exist on other browsers):
tabliss for the new tab theme
stylus for tumblr -> specifically the 'tumblr - custom dashboard pallette' theme for colors + bg, and this for the pre-twitterifcation layout
enhancer for youtube for custom youtube colors
the browser theme is just one i found on the firefox theme 'store'
I reblogged this last month, tagged it, and said “might as well see if it works.” I used this video as a reference to find all the forms that i needed (which is A LOT, especially if you’re a dependent) and sent them through the mail, not really allowing myself to hope.
dude.
$2,714 of medical debt from my top surgery - gone. im shaking this was such a weight on me for 2 years and it fucking worked. what the fuck.
Hospitals like to hide these policies under a lot of successive links in obscure places, so if you don't see anything right away, keep looking! Get friends to help! Make it a scavenger hunt. A game where you're assassins sent to slit capitalism's throat
For a second I didn’t realize it meant “high” as in a stoner–I thought “High Geologist” was like a rank of geologist or something and he was insulted you would challenge him to naming stones
☆ something new — a steven universe x miraculous ladybug au ☆
☆ 2921 words — au by op: @laziilizard ☆
When the three of them—Red and Pink Coral and Rainbow Moonstone—had gotten settled on Earth with the Crystal Gems, it hadn’t taken long for Red Coral to start creating again. He didn’t have the technology anymore that turned his sketches into statues, and didn’t have the patience for actually carving statues, but that was fine. It was more the drawing of the pieces that he enjoyed anyway. He eventually took up painting, using the long strokes of his brush on walls or large canvases to imitate the lines of a pencil.
Rainbow Moonstone kept stopping by Red Coral's room regularly to check on his progress with the first mural he’d painted there. At first, Red Coral assumed they were just curious of his process, having never been around any Corals on homeworld.
But even after he finished that piece and started on another—a painting Rose Quartz herself requested—they kept coming by.
He certainly didn't mind the company, but he was curious why Rainbow Moonstone was sticking around so long.
“I just like watching you work,” they said simply, when he finally asked.
He liked when they watched him work, too. They had an excellent mind; it made sense why they were a storyteller back on homeworld. They often would tell stories while he painted, using their words to paint a different kind of picture. Usually drawing inspiration from whatever new creation Red Coral was working on, they would tell stories of gems committing impressive deeds, or tales of battles across the stars. Often, though, they told stories about Earth. Their favorite topic was humans, and whatever new things the odd, gemless creatures were up to in the world. Red Coral didn't really get their fascination, but it was interesting nonetheless.
Rainbow Moonstone fell quiet, after a while. Red Coral didn’t mind, but he was curious why they’d stopped talking. Glancing back at them, sitting on a stool Red Coral had used the room to conjure up, he found them with their eyes closed and head tilted back contentedly.
One balmy afternoon, Red Coral and Rainbow Moonstone were holed up in Red Coral's room once again, hiding from the scorching summer heat. The others were off dealing with a corrupted gem Garnet found a lead for, but apparently there would only be space for just a handful of gems—Amethyst had been left behind too. She was sulking about this in her own room, leaving Red Coral and Rainbow Moonstone to their own devices.
The two were chatting amicably as Red Coral painted, about all sorts of things. The conversation ebbed and flowed like the tides at Beach City, steady and idle, until a crashing wave of a comment brought forth a new topic of conversation.
“What are you thinking about?”
Rainbow Moonstone opened their eyes at that, seeming surprised he’d asked. “Oh, um. Nothing, I guess.” They laughed lightly. “Just listening to the music.”
Now it was Red Coral’s turn to be surprised. He never really paid much attention to the music playing in his room; it was just something to tune out the silence. Before he could voice any opinion on the matter, however, Rainbow Moonstone spoke up again.
“This is what humans call a waltz, did you know? A song with three beats instead of four.” They raised a hand and waved it gently around like they were conducting the music themself. One, two, three, one two three.
“Huh.” Red Coral tilted his head to the side to listen as well. “That’s cool.”
Rainbow Moonstone let their hand drop, a smile playing at their lips. “They even have a little dance that goes with it.” Hopping up from their seat, they stretched an arm out to Red Coral. “Do you want to learn?”
Red Coral raised a brow, eyeing Rainbow Moonstone’s outstretched hand suspiciously, like it might try to bite him. Then he shrugged and set down his paintbrush. “Sure, why not?”
Rainbow Moonstone walked Red Coral through the basic steps first, and kindly didn’t laugh when he trampled all over their feet. It took a while, but eventually Red Coral had kinda gotten the gist of it. He was still stepping on his dance partner’s toes every now and then, but it wasn’t with every single step anymore.
“Where did you even learn this dance?” Red Coral asked, staring intently at his feet so he didn’t mess up again.
“You know that corrupted gem we were hunting for in Europe a while ago?”
“Er…” He had to think about it, finding it hard to keep track of what corrupted gems were where. “The one that infiltrated that party, right?”
Rainbow Moonstone nodded their confirmation. “While the rest of you were off tracking it down to take care of it, I was tasked with distracting the humans—they taught me when I said I’d never danced before.”
“You’re really cool,” Red Coral said, still looking down at his feet. Then, realizing what he’d just said, his head snapped up. “I mean! That’s really cool. You’re really good. At this. Yeah.” He forced laughter up out of his throat, but it didn’t sound as nonchalant as he was hoping. His face felt beet-red.
Rainbow Moonstone’s eyes were wide as cup saucers, a dark blue-gray dusting their cheeks. Both of them had stopped dancing. “You think I’m cool?”
“No!” Red Coral blurted, then winced at the hurt on Rainbow Moonstone’s face. “I mean– …yes,” he mumbled, avoiding their dark green-blue gaze. “I do think you’re cool. I just didn’t wanna be weird.”
Rainbow Moonstone was silent. So silent, that Red Coral was worried that he’d done something wrong. He snuck a glance back up at them, then started at the laugh that suddenly greeted his ears. Rainbow Moonstone was grinning, happier than he had ever seen them. “I think you’re cool too!” they exclaimed, “But I didn’t want to seem weird!”
Red Coral blinked, an incredulous laugh breaking free from him as well. Moved suddenly by impulse, he wrapped both arms around Rainbow Moonstone, grabbing them around the waist. Despite their being more than a head taller than him, he lifted them into a spin, earning a shriek of more laughter from them.
It was an entirely different sensation, becoming something new. Someone new. The caterpillar must feel very safe and warm wrapped in its cocoon, even as its very being melts away and rebuilds itself from the remains. A warmth like no other Red Coral had experienced, and an intimacy that Rainbow Moonstone could only dream of; but again warmer than Rainbow Moonstone had ever been, and more intimate than Red Coral had ever known.
They were entwined in every way—arms folded around each other, minds wrapped into one, gems all but touching. Like a warm embrace of light, pressing comfortingly from all sides. One of them wondered if this was what love felt like, though they couldn't quite tell which of them it was.
It was gone too soon, the feeling fading almost as quickly as it came on.
He opened his eyes, then squinted and groaned at how bright everything was. “What was that?”
He was sitting on the ground, but his companion wasn't sitting in front of him, like he was expecting. What was going on? His head—not his head but his very mind felt too big, pushing past borders he'd never noticed existed before. Rubbing his eyes as he wrapped his arms around his torso, he—wait, huh?
He froze. Pulled his hand away from his face. Where a familiar steel gray should have awaited him, instead pastel blue fingers waved their hello up at him. Another set of arms just above his hips tightened their hold on him. Before he could even comprehend having two pairs of arms, another thought derailed his focus.
Steel gray? He'd been pale orange since he popped out of Homeworld's crust, what was he on about?
He? They'd never identified with that before, but now it felt quite natural. But where were they? Where was he? Who was he? Four arms??
“Are we…?”
Fused?
If the joining of two minds was as pleasant as a woven tapestry slowly coming to life, it wouldn't take much imagination to assume that the opposite would be true as well. Edges frayed and invisible threads pulled taut and snapped, leaving Rainbow Moonstone and Red Coral sprawled on the ground next to each other.
They looked at each other. Rainbow Moonstone's eyes were shining, reflecting almost as much light as their gem. Red Coral could bet that his face looked much the same, even as he tried to reign it in. Tinkling bells, then bright, ringing laughter rose from Rainbow Moonstone's lips, and Red Coral couldn't help but follow suit.
“That was amazing!” they exclaimed, scooting across the floor to sit beside Red Coral. “I had no idea your mind works like that—or your eyes! Everything was so bright and colorful, no wonder you have such masterful control of your paints.”
Red Coral shook his head. “My mind doesn't work like that. Everything's colorful, sure, but not so bright. I thought that was your doing. Plus how big it is inside your head.”
Now it was Rainbow Moonstone's turn to shake their head, a look of wonderment on their face as they said, “My mind's the same size as yours, I think. That must have been something else entirely.”
“Something new,” Red Coral murmured.
Rainbow Moonstone pulled themself to their feet, then offered a hand to Red Coral. He took it gingerly, using it as leverage to stand up as well.
They stood there. Red Coral searched Rainbow Moonstone's face, while they did the same to him. He was looking for something—anything—in their expression that said what he wanted to hear. A sign that they wanted the same thing he did.
Not being able to tell, and not knowing if it was the right thing to do, he moved one foot one step forward.
Rainbow Moonstone glanced down at their feet, then back up at Red Coral, uncertainty hiding in their eyes. Then they moved the foot mirroring Red Coral's back.
Red Coral moved his other foot forward, and again Rainbow Moonstone moved the matching foot backwards. This continued for two more steps back, then forward again, until the two were moving in sync across the round room, short bursts of laughter bubbling up from each of them. Red Coral's free hand ended up on Rainbow Moonstone's waist, Rainbow Moonstone's on his shoulder.
It wasn't exactly a waltz, despite the soft music still playing from the hidden speakers. It wasn't any type of dance, really. It was just made up, a random series of steps and spins, guided only by their desire to be together.
Red Coral was awestruck, staring up at Rainbow Moonstone's grinning face as his abandoned mural spun around them.
Their gems were glowing, he noticed. Rainbow Moonstone's with a shimmering mix of all sorts of colors, and his own with a gentle, warming red. Rainbow Moonstone noticed, too. Still grinning wildly, they flicked their arm out, sending Red Coral spinning like a top. He giggled just as wildly as Rainbow Moonstone easily caught his hand again, letting him do one more turn under their arm before tugging him back to themself.
Even though they were both expecting it this time, the sensation of fusing was still so exciting. Rainbow Moonstone didn't think they'd ever get used to it. Red Coral didn't want to get used to it. That warm glow of connection was something he'd never experienced before, and the novelty of this type of intimacy was something he would treasure.
Again, it was over just as fast as it started.
Apache Chrysocolla opened his eyes. Again, the bright light of Red Coral's room assaulted his vision, and he squinted against it. Still, it didn't take long to adjust, and eventually he looked around in wonder. Rainbow Moonstone was right—Red Coral’s vision was much more vibrant than their own, much like his gem. Their fusion took a while to examine the half-finished mural, then stepped away with a gasp.
“Forget the painting! We need a mirror!” he declared, then waited.
Nothing happened.
“That's weird,” he said with a frown, looking around the room curiously. “Usually when I want something it just–”
His sentence was cut off with a yelp of alarm as a large chunk of the ceiling crumbled and fell, concerningly close to his face.
“What the–”
He didn't have long to wonder aloud, as the entire room rumbling and shaking made him stagger and fall. Cracks were rapidly spreading over the walls, the shaking growing worse as more and more pieces of Red Coral's room broke off and fell to the ground.
“What's going on??” he shouted over the noise. “I don't know!” he answered himself, scrambling backwards as even the floor began crumbling away, revealing an infinitely black abyss hiding beneath. “We gotta get out of here! I'm working on it!”
He hauled himself to his feet, dodging another bit of falling debris. Almost dancing over the holes in the floor, he managed to make it to the door. It didn't open.
“What?! Noooo, nononono, please!”
Despite his desperate pleas, the automatic door didn’t budge, even when he banged his fist against it. With the room still crumbling around him, and the floor under and around his feet cracking and breaking away in larger and larger chunks, he was running short of ideas.
Hoping against all odds the floor would hold as he shifted his wait, he dug the fingertips of all four of his hands into the seam of the door, tugging with all his might. “C’mon, c’mon…” The door inched open, just a bit—not nearly fast enough for his liking. Apache Chrysocolla shouted his frustration, then shrieked even louder in terror as the floor just under one of his feet crumbled and broke, sending him dropping down a few feet. His grip on the edge of the door was the only thing keeping him from falling down into the infinite dark.
He pulled. He pushed his strength as far as it could go, straining to get himself up over the ledge. The door was open just barely wide enough to squeeze his head through, but that was enough. Enough to twist his torso so his shoulders could fit through, then his extra arms, his hips, until he had finally hauled all of himself through the tiny gap in the door and was sprawled panting on the floor of the Crystal Gems’ beach house.
The door slid slowly shut behind him. Part of him—the storyteller part, he thought—felt that it would have been more fitting for the door to snap shut instead, to match the finality of the situation. But all of him agreed that it didn’t matter, as long as he was on this side of the door when it did.
He let out a long, relieved sigh. He was safe. Both of them were safe. As he pulled himself to his feet, a thought occurred to him.
“Didn’t Garnet tell us once that her room only exists while she’s fused? Maybe that’s what just happened in there. Red Coral doesn’t exactly exist anymore, so there was nothing holding the room together.”
He stopped and waited for a response, or acknowledgment, then made a face when silence greeted him.
“Right. Talking to myself—gotta get used to that.” He dusted some stray debris from his clothes, then paused to take a look at the new outfit that fusing created. A combination of Red Coral’s overalls, and Rainbow Moonstone’s shirt. Mostly a dark blue, but with some orange stars and buckles. His boots had orange soles. “How about that mirror?” he said cheerily.
In the bathroom, he examined his new features. Light blue skin, but with spots of darker blue and orange that looked almost like freckles on his face, along with some larger patches on two of his four arms. That was certainly a new experience. Experimentally, he moved each arm separately from the others, bending elbows and waggling fingers. It was surprisingly intuitive, despite having never had more than two arms in his respective lifetimes before.
What else was new? Not his hair, which seemed fairly similar to Red Coral’s, despite being messier. It was the same vivid red, and half still covered one of his eyes. Another thing that stayed the same—he still had only two eyes. Probably a good thing, since Garnet’s extra eye always kinda freaked Rainbow Moonstone out.
Finally, he examined his gems, both proudly visible on his chest. Speckled with shades of orange and green, red and blue, when he twisted this way and that the metallic hues caught the light and made them shimmer like coins under the water.
“Beautiful…” he mumbled, gaze glued to his gems as he swayed from side to side to watch them shimmer. “Kinda looks like a Chrysocolla that Rainbow Moonstone saw once on homeworld, only more orange.” Humming thoughtfully, he gave himself another once over, ruffling his fingers through his hair and adjusting his white visor.
Nodding approvingly to the reflection in the mirror, Apache Chrysocolla left the bathroom. He didn’t really know what he was going to do now. He couldn’t go back to painting in Red Coral’s room—not without unfusing, anyway, and he didn’t want to do that. Not yet. He supposed he’d just wait for the others to get back. How shocked would Pink Coral be, he wondered, to see her best friends as a fusion. Garnet would be pleased too, he bet.
But for now, all he had to do was be. Smiling softly, he wrapped his second pair of arms around himself.
I just have a Mental image of Frostbite picking up Dr Freeze like.
Frostbite: Now. I shall be taking that weapon. Tell me young one. Why are you so mired in grief?
And all of Gotham gets to watch this impromptu therapy session. With a yeti. Because it's Gotham. So Fuck it why not?
Frostbite would absolutely try to heal Nora. Learning more about current healing techniques will also be very interesting. And clearly Freeze needs someone to keep him stable.
If he meets Tim. And is asked to help then yes. Or comes across a very banged up Red Robin.
Actually that would be hilarious. Frostbite after helping Dr Freeze heal Nora wanders round picking up injured people. And taking them to his new clinic he convinced Freeze to help with.
And one night comes in with a heavily injured Red Robin. Freeze just sighs and shows him to a room. Tim Wakes up to perfect health. He has never felt healthier wait, is he two inches taller? The fuck?
Frostbite walks in.
"Hello young hero! I found you on my rounds last night. You had a concerning amount of old injuries child. Now. Here is your complete medical file from me. As well as all the treatments I performed. Have a good day!"
And just let's him leave. He gets back to a frantic batfam. Like. What's wrong?
Brice: What do you mean what's wrong? Where were you? Why was your com off! ?
Tim: My com wasn't off? And uh. I woke up in a free clinic at the Bowery. The yeti guy? Totally has healing powers.
Throws file over. As everyone reads through it they are very confused.
Dick: Tim.... Why were you malnourished as a child?
Damian: When did you lose your spleen?
Alfred: Why have you been hiding broken bones!
Tim: Well. I feel like as it is all now solved it is not an issue. And therefore I shall not be answering!
I just realised that after reading Tim's medical file Bruce would probably drag the whole family down for a check up.
Dick: B, come on. There's no need for this!
Bruce: Your brother was hiding broken bones! Clearly there is!
Feostbite: Ah. Hello, how may I help you today?
Bruce: You healed one of my son's recently. His file had some things in there he had hidden from us.
Frostbite: Ah! So you wish to check the rest of the family? You will of course be undergoing the health checks as well? To set a good example?
Bruce*I walked right into that*: Yes. I will be. So my children can't complain.
Alfred is very pleased by the up to date medical files he was given from this venture. He now knows all of his charges are at full health. And had a new ally to call on to force them to heal when needed. He will have to make up a gift basket to go with Master Bruce's donation!
Jason comes out of his check up pit free, and with a new understanding of what the Fuck was going on.
Overall, despite also having to undergo a health check Bruce feels pretty good about that outing. Dr Frostbite really knows his work. He will definitely continue to find their clinic. And it is good to see Dr Freeze doing something good.
Now I'm not saying alfred x frostbite butttttt alfred keeps dropping gifts off at the clinic (all his grand baby's are in full health he is so so happy) and makes sure frostbite takes breaks (hes only a yeti sometimes he loses tracl of time)
And maybe this evolves to getting tea talking about the trouble their young ones get into well it's the only natural conclusion that they'd get closer
Alfred also appreciates that Frostbite got Dr Freeze off the rogues list. Winter is certainly more bearable now. And his joints appreciate that quite a lot.
Is their relationship romantic or deeply platonic? No one but the pair know. Look, no one wants to figure that out. Everyone is just glad they are happy.
Do you think Danny even knows about Frostbite setting up shop in Gotham? I feel like he'd have conflicting feelings about this- not because he doesn't want Frostbite in the human realm or anything (Frostbite's a great guy & honestly as long as a ghost passes the bare minimum of "not terrorizing people" Danny doesn't really care what they do) but because it's GOTHAM, which has a (seemingly) strict "no non-gotham heroes allowed" policy.
But on the other hand, Gotham IS a lot closer to than the Far frozen to get a checkup at, as the Far Frozen is, well, Far.
Phantom shows up in Gotham and asks Commissioner Gordon to get Batman, as he needs to talk. "I know that you don't like non Gotham heroes in your city but may I *Please* visit my doctor?"
Phantom: Frostbite! Yay tall, yeti, excellent Doctor?
Batman: I can escort you to him. Thank you for asking permission?
Phantom: Oh no. I get it. If the League turned up in my city I'd be pissed too. My rogues can mind control people. I do NOT need to be fighting off overshadowed Superman ya know?
Batman: Hence?
Phantom: Asking permission yeah.
Batman: Dr Frostbite does good work.
Phantom: He's the best right! I mean, I'm biased. He's literally the only Dr who can treat me. But eh.
Batman: The only Dr?
Phantom: I have unique physiology. Frostbite was the one who helped me learn about it. And had been ya know. Keeping track to make sure I don't explode or destabilise or whatever might happen.
Batman asking Alfred to ask Frostbite about Phantom.
Alfred: Batman is worried about young Phantom. He apparently mentioned unstable biology?
Frostbite: Oh! There's nothing to worry about anymore. It's only an issue of him being in contact with dangerous substances now! He is quite stable. His poor mirror sister however was not so lucky!
And that is when Bats does a deep dive into Amity Park. Because. Hmm.. No. child hero, alone, with a clone who needs help? Not on his watch.
Frostbite sitting and sipping tea in the background smug as can be.
Alfred: You said that knowing this would be the outcome didn't you?
Frostbite: Young Phantom deserves help. I only, gave him the incentive to do so.
"Uhhh, Danny? Why is Batman here asking to talk to you about Phantom work?" Tucker called from the doorway of the apartment the trio shared (though Ellie was also there this week visiting and Valerie lived in Sam's room more often than not).
"Wait what, who? Why?" Was the destressed response as he stumbled to his feet from his desk and into the hall, tripping over, he glanced down a second, one of Ellie's feet.
"Ellie, it's in the hall, please stop taking your feet off and forgetting them!" He called to his all-but daughter-clone, who he knew was searching for said limbs. She'd likely tried to prank Tucker.
"Don't you mean her shoes?" The confused question reminded him that there was a guest, and he turned towards the front door and nervously scratches the back of his neck.
"Nah, she was probably trying to scare Tuck if he tripped over them."
Tucker shuddering by the door at that. "Why's she gotta do the detachment thing with them. It's so weird man." Was the only half-whined response before the hacker took his leave. He didn't want his stuff looked into and his constant back and forth hacking game he'd been playing with Oracle for the last few years to be discovered.
"So, uh, what can I help you with?"
"You're not 18 but you don't live at home."
It wasn't a question.
"ah, no, we got permission to live here, less chances of the security system shooting me here."
"Hmm." What were those papers in Batman's hands? Danny was concerned.
Danny: Ok. Arrest warrant for my parents? Fair. Cease and desist on the portal? Finally. Repeal of the anti Ecto acts? Very nice.... Why is this last set a change of guardianship form?
Batman: You are a minor living alone. With parents who will be going to prison.
Danny: And? I've lived alone for like, a year? I don't need a guardian?
Batman: Legally. You do. The judge had already granted it to me over Vlad Master's. Who will also be arrested.
Danny: Really? But my mirror sister lives with me! I can't leave her alone!
Batman throws him another set of papers.
Danny: Huh. You really do plan for everything huh? At least we can see Frostbite easier... Wait! How did you.... Patient Doctor confidentiality my ass!
Batman: He spoke nothing of your health issues. Only concerns for your living situation. Which as a Dr he should.
Ellie: Wait... You have papers for me too? What the hell!
Danny: I give you full permission to do the limb prank on everyone!
Ellie: Yes! I wonder how many people I can make cry?
Batman: ... You will get on far too well with Jason.
She loves it. She no longer get 2am calls to look after these idiots. And Frostbite is someone she can respect. She turned up at his clinic with all of her old notes.
Leslie: Right. Here are the bats medical notea. Thank you for taking them off my workload!
Frostbite: Not a problem! I do not need sleep. You however do. As healers it is important to look after ourselves too.
Leslie: How true. How did you deal with Red Robin anyway? He is far too stubborn!
Frostbite: I found him unconscious and bleeding in an alley.
Leslie: Ah that would do it! Anyway. I am going to go home and get a full night of sleep for once.
Frostbite: I hope you sleep well. If I am free you are welcome to visit. I enjoy discussing the different techniques that have been developed.
Leslie goes home and gets a full night of sleep. Knowing she won't be woken up to do emergency medical work. It's such a relief! And Mr Wayne still helps her with funding. So she can still continue to treat the disadvantaged in Gotham.
Medical professionals from around the world seek "Dr. Frostbite" out because he has more accumulated experience with medicine than most middle sized hospitals. So of course somebody asks if he can cure cancer
He is certainly willing to try! And he is more than glad to have so many eager students milling about. And colleagues he can learn from himself. After all the last few dec are a medicine has been improving rapidly. Victor and Leslie can't tell him every new technique!
That is the main thing he wishes to pass on. To always try and learn more. To always push for more knowledge. He loves going to medical conference across the world. He can share his own knowledge, and gain from others! If he can help reignite that not of learning in others? He absolutely will.
Alfred even joins him for a few that are more geared to emergency treatment. He wants to keep his own skills sharp enough to aid his family after all!
I imagine that luthor doesn't like that there is still a new type of alien lying around, but at least he is helping and sharing his exceptional medical knowledge. He is an Alien who is really useful to HIM.
In addition he is interested in working in cancer research? In some timeline Luthor develops cancer from radiation from his armor's kryptonite. He would totally help frostbite in the field even if it's for some selfish reason
When asked why he is so open to working with villains Frostbite would give the most disappointed look to whoever asked.
Frostbite: Even if they are aiding my quest for knowledge for selfish reasons. It still benefits me and many others. Why would I not make use of such resources?,
Lex in the background going, yes, I am an excellent resource! See this one gets it!
Plus? Lex has a fundamental disagreement with the idea of Humanity growing dependent on some sort of Super Alien Strong Man. It stunts progress and strips humans of the desire to grow. It's ALSO not safe *gestures to mind controlled Supes incidents*
Not to MENTION his cagey withholding of Kryptonian technologies and information about himself! Too many secrets, no accountability, too much power. They shouldn't have to rely on his benevolence and hope for the best. Safety should be something THEY can insure.
But! The good Doctor Frostbite? An esteemed scholar. Friendly, professional, willing to learn AND teach. Open with his motives and obeying the laws to the best of his abilities. Respectful of Humanities agency and here to brush up on his skills. It's a clear exchange of knowledge. They aren't at his mercy, they are his well respected colleges.
Lex would probably schedule a check up. Donate resources. POINTEDLY in fact. SEE, Superman? SOME people don't fly around in flippy little outfits playing messiah! He would say. SOME people humbly come to do Good Works and exchange knowledge to better BOTH our respective peoples! ACTUALLY help the common man!
Lex would respect Doctor Frostbite. Especially after learning he's the head of his People on leave. This is basically a hospital head/president on a research trip. And he came to EARTH because he heard good things about their Medical Technology and Knowledge.
Understandable. Humanity is a brilliant, curious, and ever progressing species constantly- *invite the doctor to a Fancy Working Lunch, talks up Humanity*
When the good Doctor drops that one of his favoured students, almost a son to him really. Is human? Well, Lex wants to meet the lad! And Frostbite will happily drag Danny along to any and all of his lectures. Danny of course going happily. He wants to be an engineer, but medical engineering is a thing.
He can make the healing machines! He would love to in fact. A way to sate his obsession without having to be a hero full time? Yes please!
Lex is more than pleased to hear that, a bright young (human) mind working with the good Doctor on better medical machines? He will throw money at that! It's good press!
He woooould. Cause HE doesn't think he's a bad guy. Lex just firmly believes in his ideals, does NOT trust Superman, and is doing what HE thinks is best For Humanity(tm).
Is he ALSO an asshole businessman? Yes. But he never claimed to be a saint... UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE. And he DOES have employees to pay. He calls this being a god damned ADULT. You can be a PRINCIPLED bastard of a man and STILL, SELFISHLY, prefer Humanity thrive.
Wonder of wonders, is this moral complexity? In Metropolis? Oh SOMEBODY call the papers! He will sarcastically drawl in to his VERY expensive bourbon.
But? Dr. Frostbite and his Irreverent, Sassy, Human Student? Like printing money. Being PAID to rescue orphan kittens from the trees outside the free hugs for little old ladies station you just set up. He? Could not realistically BUY a more perfect example of what he wants. Could not BUY better publicity.
He might actually crack a genuine, heartfelt smile. Dear God.
And the technology? Wildly in demand and basicly handed to him? He can sell it for peanuts and STILL make bank. It's actively washing his record clean as we speak. The people love him. He's saving LIVES.
He swears to God, if ANYONE so much as LOOKS at his Yeti and Genuis Child funny, no one will find the pieces. He will force feed them Kryptonite the long way round, do NOT TEST HIM.
Bruce and Alfred would encourage it as well. Because it's keeping Lex busy! He is too busy to do Evil Deeds(tm) right now. He is busy exchanging knowledge, pushing the bounds of science and engineering.
Actually being mentally stimulated for once! The sassy child is so clever! Witty! Keeps him on his toes! Had the most incredible ideas rattling around in his head. Check he might be busy for years at this rate!
On top of that? Setting up new medical research facilities takes time! Learning new medical techniques! New recipes! And interesting way of fusing magic and technology! He is far too busy to scheme.
And on top of that he is running the company, going to events, ensuring press releases go out on time! Head hunting for fresh ideas!
Bruce looks at it and just goes... Hm. He clearly needed a sassy teen earlier. Well! We need to keep light sirveilance, but for now he is occupied making snarky remarks in public, and actually being useful! I call that a sucess!
I mean? Has anyone MET the man? Of course he needs a Sassy Teen. He'd never stand for a Sassy EQUAL. But a Sassy SON figure? Desperately Needed. The man is MADE of sarcasm. Dry wit and cutting commentary. He needed a Roasting buddy.
And children, ESPECIALLY teens? Need constant enrichment and support and interaction and-
With Kon? That wasn't REALLY his kid, in his mind. That was an experiment that made a person. He never really... BONDED. And at this point it's functionally to late, he assumes. Superman got his grips into him.
But THIS Teen? A Pseudo-StepSon type figure? It's PERFECT. Got that initial Emotional Distance of being a few steps removed, to ease him into it. He can fall back on CEO Politeness if he gets flustered and doesn't know what to do. (Kids like Brunch, right? Mercy. Schedule Brunch at that bistro on Main. The new one.)
And! He can be The Fun One, for the first time in his life. It's like a charm campaign but more... personal, he discovers. And there's all this Positive Feedback.
Danny (He hates being called Daniel, Lex "Alexander" Luthor completely understands.) seems to? Genuinely LIKE Lex. Find him Hilarious and Brilliant and comes to him when he's stuck on things? He even asked for advice about a homework report he had to write.
It's almost unnerving.
Don't get him wrong! He knows IS a very charming man. He leads a multinational, fortune 500 company, afterall. He's INCREDIBLY charming. But! It should not? Be this... this EASY? Danny is NOT the blindly trusting, easily fooled, simpleton type. Lex is RIGHTFULLY concerned, here.
Then? He learns from the good Doctor, over sushi, after a bit of careful prodding, that he too is worried about his student. Specifically "his homelife". Mentions of brilliant but... heavily biased, scientist parents. Poor lab safety. Defense systems targeting the boy. Weapons at the dining table.
.....dear lord, the boy's a Meta isn't he? Mad scientist parents with a Meta child. That is a recipe for HORROR stories, Frostbite. How old was the- Please tell me it was DELIBERATE? Thank God for small mercys, an accident? He still shouldn't have been ABLE to access the area in the first place... but at least that didn't...
How... how old, Frostbite?
And they WEPT! FOURTEEN!? Is that how you-? A PORTAL!? He was INSIDE A-!? *blood pressure in the concerning*
Lex would NOT enjoy that conversation OR the implications. An innocent young man. Ripped from his dreams of becoming an astronaut by his parents negligence. Pulling his life together to HEAL other people. NOT fly around in a flippy little suit punching the disenfranchised like it will solve anything. Life PERMANENTLY ALTERED.
And?? He has a sister?! Who effectively was parentified into RAISING HIM? Dreams of becoming a Psychologist not just for humans but for other Races as well? An ambitious and well adjusted young woman. Pick a college. Any college.
God Damn it, he regrets mocking Brucie Wayne now. Is... This is what keeps happening to him, isn't it? Bleeding heart that he is. This is awful and Lex HATES it. He's adopting them both, SEE if he doesn't. He has lawyers. He can sponsor whomever he likes, damn it.
To be fair? He's less "Aliens bad" and more "I do not trust the benevolence of this Alien Super Being with God Like Powers. Deeply resent being at the mercy of his compassion and willingness to do the right thing. And viscerally fear the day he decides, as I am certain he WILL, to drop the ruse... and attack us."
He no likely that Power Imbalance. Alien Strong Man has Rancid Vibes, according to Luthor. However! Local DOCTOR alien? His crops are watered and his skin is clear. He could totally take a yeti in a fight. Doesn't WANT too, but he could DEFEND HIMSELF. Very important.
It also helps that Dr Frostbite? He is actively engaging in knowledge swap. He is not saying He is better. He is here to learn as much as teach. And that? Lex understands that. That is trade. That is his language. It is also a form of respect. Lex approves!
Danny finds out he has a half alien cousin and demands to meet him.
You'd think it would happen through his 'Uncle' Lex, but it actually happens through Tim introducing his boyfriend/best friend/we're not asking because we don't really want to know the particulars.
For whatever reason, Kon makes a comment about not liking Superman, which leads to Danny filling him in about Lex's embarrassing stalker tendencies.
"He really wants a relationship with you, always has, but he's convinced that you prefer Superman and want nothing to do with him. Something to do with you running away before he finished making you or introduced himself, and going straight to Superman."
"He did *insert evil scheme* so that I would join him and overthrow the Justice League!"
"Ok, yes, he goes about it awkwardly, but can you blame him? The Justice League is famously racist and only really protects the 'pretty' or 'useful' metas. If you don't join their boy band, it's really hard to exist as a meta."
(I'm imagining that the Batfam haven't told Danny that they're vigilantes yet. Whether or not he knows is up for interpretation)
Tim: "he cloned Superman without consent! Multiple times!"
Danny: "I have more alien cousins??? I need to meet them!!
Plot twist: The entire reason Superman hasn't shared any Kryptonian medical advancements with humanity is because it's beyond deadly for humans. Kryptonite poisoning would be a minor head cold compared to what Kryptonian medical treatment would do. Superman's been stressing about how to make it more human friendly.
Idea: Okay so normally with all the Time Traveler that comes back to prevent the apocalypse tagged into the dcxdp tag the guy traveling back sees Danny or Dan and either trying to take out the threat or thinking they can "correct the behavior" to avoid the future.
BUT!! What if like Flash or whoever goes back and meets Danny first and thinks the usual "Oh I can mentor him and prevent him turning evil!" except later, after Danny trusts them enough Big Reveal: Danny has a daughter and son. They're introduced to the small toddlers that this teen hero is showing him absolute trust in revealing and they see Dan in that tiny son. It's Dan.
"Flash! I want to introduce you to my babies!" Danny spoke so excitedly, not at all minding the confusion and alarm flashing across the adult hero's face.
"Babies?! You're sixteen!" Flash blurted alarmed.
"I know, I know. They were...well there was an incident...a very violent and kind of...forget it. There was an incident and I have babies! I want to introduce you to my twins!" Danny told him, sort of pained and floundering. Danny had never been very good at hiding his emotions so Flash could read the alarming red flags in the things he was telling him.
Flash was trapped somewhere between horror and numbness as he grinned and didn't even hear himself agree to meet the twins. He was trying to calculate how this event fit into Danny becoming Dan. Was it the trauma? Did something happen to his children? What was going on here? He didn't know that Dan had any family, though after meeting Danny he had realized that he'd actually had parents, a sister, and pseudo siblings in his friends so a fairly large family that Dan had never talked about.
Danny was so excited as he showed Flash the two tiny toddlers he had hidden nearby. They looked closer to two years old and that only alarmed Flash more deeply. But what made it worse was that looking down at their tiny faces Flash saw Dan. The boy was adorable and with chubby cheeks but the features that he had originally thought Danny would grow into once he got older were already present in the baby boy.
"This is my daughter Danielle Celeste Fenton and my younger son Danior Altair Fenton. Aren't they just the cutest!?" Danny seemed to miss the horrifying pit that had opened in Flash's chest and cuddled and kissed the toddlers who both giggled at the actions. "They like to be called Dani and Dan though."
Flash felt like everything he had previously known or thought had shattered into pieces. He couldn't speak for a few brief moments before he smiled somewhat pained at Danny.
"Can I as who their other parent is?" Flash asked. Danny clearly hesitated for a bit.
"Their father is Vlad Plasmius, he...he wanted a perfect son and when I wouldn't comply voluntarily he decided to force the matter." Danny confessed a little sadly, hugging his children protectively to his far too small chest. Flash felt like the floor had collapsed out from under him.
"Plasmius!? Plasmius forced you to-!" Flash was fuming, he didn't even know he could get this absolutely livid.
There were a million and one things going through Flash's head. So many things he now was beginning to piece together into something truly ugly. There had been no Danny in the future, no sister Dani either, but there had been Vlad Masters. A Vlad Masters who had taken credit quite often in creating the monster Dan. A Vlad Masters who everyone knew had once been Plasmius before Dan had done something to tear the powers from him.
Flash suddenly realized that his mission suddenly went from preventing Danny from becoming Dan, to ensuring that Danny survived to raise Dan himself and never allow Masters to gain custody ever.
Also, you know about the myth of Thetis, Achilles's mother? When I was a kid, I was taught that Zeus and Poseidon and other horny male gods wanted to "take" Thetis but an oracle warned them that whoever sired Thetis's child would one day be dethroned by said child. Simply put, the child will be more powerful than their parent.
Zeus then had Thetis married a mortal (Achilles's dad) so her child would never be as powerful as a god.
That makes me think of Danny and how funny it would be if, as Phantom, every oracle foretells that his child will be more OP. And just like Thetis's case, the superhero community (*cough* Batman) tries a backup plan to have Danny marry a completely normal person.
Unfortunately, Danny pulls a uno reverse card on them and show up with toddlers Dan and Dani who shares DNA with his equally powerful archenemy Vlad Plasimus 😈
Lol, they work so hard to keep him away from powerful ass people except didn't account for villains and their inability to accept a solid "NO". Which they really should have, but most of their villains aren't fucked in the head enough to force children on their underage rival.
Batman is contemplating if killing Vlad counts as murder or just metamorphosis since he'd likely just become full ghost. He also considers ways to seal a ghost for fucking eternity where he'll never be able to ever be near Phantom again ever.
Red Robin: It's not murder, just increasing the ghost population. Just tipping the scale.
Red Hood: Vampire or zombie hunters never get in trouble putting down the undead. I don't see why this would be illegal. We should definitely get it done before the ecto acts come down though or it'll definitely be illegal.
Red Robin: Right! The law says we can! Law says we're allowed to put him down. We just have to get rid of the laws immediately after.
Batman: No. We'll talk to Phantom about methods of containment. We cannot adhere to those laws or we become complicit. (reluctant sigh)
Plasmius is a known villain so they can ask if ghost containment equipment the Fenton’s make and the heroes have already looked into would work on the vampire wannabe.
But yes misunderstandings abound and all the hero parents or mentors with kids about Danny’s age are wanting to go full boar no mercy on Vlad.
Danny was confused when he found Captain Marvel at his front door. (I vote he doesn’t call himself Shazam bc it’s be like stripping in the middle of Times Square in front of the ball on New Years Eve and Billy Batson is many things, but not an idiot. *glares daggers and hisses like an angry goose at DC and Marvel*)
Marvel apparently came bearing gifts. And an invitation.
There was a bath set for each baby, a gift card for the local produce market with an amount that made Danny uncomfortable until it was explained it was from a group, not just one guy. (Alfred stopped B from just having it be from one guy because considering Vlad’s influence, the young parent might be hesitant to accept a large card and might refuse if it came a single person.) The boy’s bath set was Superman themed and the girl’s was Wonder Woman themed.
The invitation was typed up on official JLA letterhead
“You are cordially invited to attend a baby shower at the Watchtower on this upcoming Saturday at 3:00 EST. There will be an assortment of refreshments and entertainment (including a game of Pin the Cape on the Bat if he holds still long enough).”
The last note made him snort, because it was written in purple glitter gel. Clearly, there were hijinx in store. He couldn’t wait to see everyone responding to Dani’s excitement being shown by floating gleefully.
The minute Flash found out about the babies he immediately informed the rest of the league. Then it was a mad rush to make a baby shower because the least Danny deserved was to have something normal for his kids. Flash doubted he had anyone to support him otherwise. So the baby shower had to be perfect.
When Danny arrived and had to physically hold back tears, they believed it was a job well done. (Multiple hijinks ensued from that day.) Meanwhile, the young Justice? Are ecstatic to meet babies. The just want to squish their little cheeks. (Too bad they have intangibility.) and now all the sidekicks are fighting over who gets to be best aunt/uncle.
Also, everyone (especially Batman) are now doing thorough research on members of the infinite realms, including asking Constantine and the rest of Justice League Dark. After all, they didn’t know that male ghosts could become pregnant. Does gender just not matter? What else don’t they know? They (especially Flash) need to know if Danny is alright or if he needs anything. Like if something was wrong.
They asked Danny once if there were any issues when the kids were born.
Danny: Well…Ellie did almost melt but we fixed that.
JL member: I’m sorry, did you say melt?
Danny: yeah, she was kinda unstable. Vlad rushed it so it was a lot more painful than it needed to be.
JL member (thinking of all the horrible things he just insinuated): are…are you ok?
Danny: well yeah, it hurt but it wasn’t like it was going to kill me. (Whisper: I think) Been there, done that. Besides, we managed to stabilize her pretty quickly. And it’s not like Vlad’s going to try and speed up the process again.
JL member: wait, he tried to speed up the process?
Danny: Vlad wanted a son. He figured that he could melt her down and study her remains to figure out how to make a better kid next time. It’s fine though! I managed to break out and save her in time. (Referencing when he broke out from Red huntress but the JL member didn’t realize that) I just wish….well, I just wish I could have made it time for the others….
JL member now thoroughly more traumatized and whispering: …..others?
Danny (trying to hold back tears and looking really sad): yeah….others. There were multiple….attempts…Ellie was the only one from her batch to survive.
JL member: (internal screaming)
The JL decide not to ask Danny anymore since they feel like they’re only going to bring up bad memories. So they do independent research. ….and also might put a hit out on Vlad.
Wonder Woman overheard all of that. Once Danny is fully focused on another topic of conversation she stomps towards the exit. The baby shower presents haven’t been opened yet so Flash zips over from the other side of the room to stop her.
“Yo Wondy, where you going? Party’s not over yet.”
She answers in a hushed tone full of fury, “I’m going to ask my uncle Hades to prepare a special place in hell for Plasmius! Oh and find a sword ghosts can’t phase through. My lasso won’t cause that monster enough pain.”
“Ok I know he deserves it, but what did he do for this?” Flash asked as they got to the zeta tube.
“Ask Green Arrow. He was the one dumb enough to bring up those painful memories for the poor child. Though I’m sure Superman and Batman also overheard.”
Flash went back to the party the moment the zeta tube powered down looking for Oliver. He finds the archer in a dark corner talking to Constantine with an annoyed Batman close by. “Come on Connie, there has to be something you can do to make my arrows able to hurt Vlad in ghost form. And I don’t mean quickly end, I want prolonged pain after what I just learned he did to the kid!”
That caused them grumpy bat to perk up and Flash thought this was the perfect point to intervene. “Yeah Let’s hear what you learned in a private room where Danny won’t hear and be put through any more stress remembering. You know so we don’t ruin the party and the good things those kids deserve.”
Flash may have gritted that out in a strained smile that was almost like bared teeth.
Batman took the hint. “We will talk about this in a debriefing room later. Constantine, in the meantime gather anything magical that can be used as a weapon or protection from Master’s. I’ll do the same with what we have of the fenton’s tech.”
———————————————
Well that is all I have for the night. Have fun adding on to this. @nerdpoe @hdgnj @zylev-blog
Constantine grins and heads out the door before turning back and mentioning "Historically most ghosts are weak against religious symbols, salt and iron. You could use those in the meantime till I find something more. Even if it doesn't cripple Masters it won't do him any favors."
@juubi-mage0327 reminded me that Dick Grayson in the comics has been, ahem, non consensually taken advantage of, at least twice. Which I admit I have not read the comics But I have heard it mentioned before. This would absolutely explain why Batman had contemplated if it is murder if Vlad is already half dead.
So yeah, the only reason Nightwing hasn’t gone to finish Vlad off and crush his ghost core is that he hasn’t found out yet. He was sent with the Teen Titans on an off planet mission before Phantom’s family situation came to light. A mission the YJ weren’t ready to handle so Danny didn’t get to come. (I may be confusing to different cannons but for this we will go with the titans got formed after dick had a spat with Bruce and chose to leave both Gotham and the Team to be solo for bit before starting the titans. They act as a senior group and in between stage before young heroes are ready to move up to the league. In this Flash mentors Phantom and has him join the young justice which is the most junior team.)
Oh boy things went surprisingly smoothly for a YJ mission for a change and they are back early. Just in time to hear there had been a baby shower for Danny last week. He hears all about it from Tim.
Well, excuse him, he is just going to ask Jason if he is up for a brother bonding field trip. And yes, of course Jason, you can bring your guns. In fact they are going to buy some new ones from the Fenton Drs.
Ok so my question is did flash tell anyone about Dan and his suspicions. Because I feel like that should add to the rage the rest of the JL feels. Like not only did this guy take advantage of a child and force children onto him, (to the JL at least) he also started the series of events that killed the entirety of humanity.
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Danny bit back a sigh from his place on the throne as two young vigilantes fell from a portal in his throneroom. He peered at him through his long white veil as he straitened himself. He knew what to do. He had done this song and dance sixty-two times now and he was about to do it again.
He watched them bicker from the cold floor of his ice castle, something he made from his own ice so that the observants couldn't see or hear what was happening inside or pop in without his explicit permission. Something that angered the nosey creeps to no end. Ah, he's getting lost in his thoughts again. Its time to start the test.
"Why have you come to my Realms mortals?" He felt almost silly calling them that, but it worked in getting the two to stop arguing and pay attention to him. Ah, the younger one has a sword. Cool. Won't help him here, but he gets points for ascetic if nothing else.
"State your names."
"I am Robin!" The smaller one yelled, fierceness of his voice to match the fire in his soul.
The older seemed more hesitant, taking a moment to assess the situation before answering, "I'm Red Robin. Sorry for dropping in so suddenly-"
The younger cut in, needlessly destroying his partners attempt at deescalating the situation, "We were not at fault! A portal opened underneath us and we were transported here!"
Danny knows that. Thats why he was testing them, "Are you saying that fate brought you here?"
Robin looked pleased before confirming.
"Then you shall stay here, as those who enter the Lands of Lazarus are never allowed to leave."
They both bulked, one trying to argue and the other trying to reason with him. Danny tapped his fingers on the armrest of his throne, pretending to think. "I will be merciful and allow one of you to leave. I will allow you a moment to make your choice." Danny barely got his words out before the older one declared that he would stay behind, putting himself between the king and his companion. Good. He passed the test.
He turned his attention back to the younger, "And you are fine with this?" This is the part where the companion adamantly refuses and offers themselves as sacrifice and the two bicker about who will get to sacrifice themselves for the other. The king becomes "moved by thier bond" or whatever and sends them both back to the land of the living.
"Of course! He's useless anyway."
...wat.
The older one made a wounded sound that made his core ache with the need to care and protect. This was not how things were supposed to go. Were ten year olds supposed to be this cruel? At that moment he made an admittedly impulsive decision and sent the child back, keeping the older of the two in the spirit would with him.
Leaving the comfort of his throne he walked down the steps towards the young man, his snowy robes fanning out majestically as his crown of stars bobbed around at his movements, some even going so far as to float around him as if showing off.
"I've made a decision. For this day forth you are my royal advisor." He stated before grabbing the other guys hand and pulling him along down the hall, "You're going to help me rebuild my kingdom from the thousands of years of war and political neglect it has faced. You will aid me in political endeavors as well as help the people in any way you see fit." He paused long enough to open the kitchen door and sit him down at the counter,
Tim watched as the self proclaimed Ruler of the Realm turned his back and started going through the motions of food preparation. A small voice in the back of his head was pointedly listing all the accumulated evidence for why eating anything offered in a different realm was dangerous, a bad idea, and likely to have serious consequences later on down the line. The rest of him couldn’t quite find the energy to care. Starving to death in a foreign realm was hardly a better option than being trapped there forever and with Damien in charge of bringing news of his predicament back to the others there was no guessing how long it would take for anyone to mount a rescue.
If they bothered to at all.
Tim shied away from the thought that had been looming over him since he was left behind in the great hall of ice, but there was nowhere to go to avoid it. Damien had left him behind. No hesitation. Not even a token protest. As if he’d been waiting for a chance to be rid of Tim the entire time and was glad for the opportunity.
Did the others feel the same way? No, they couldn’t. But, they had taken the Demon Brat’s side before even when Tim was there to argue his case. With nobody around to contradict him it would be far too easy for the current Robin to make it sound like Tim was beyond saving.
For all they knew he could be dead already.
Not sitting at a table watching his captor finish assembling a plate of sandwiches that looked surprisingly edible considering where they were being made.
Actually, apart from a faint, greenish glow that seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at once, everything in the room looked far more like an ordinary kitchen than anything Tim would have expected to find in the dwelling of the ruler of a death realm. Clean counters and a sink, shelves and cupboards filled with what Tim would judge as ‘normal kitchen stuff’ (he didn’t do a lot of cooking okay?), and the chairs around the table were recognizable as such, which was more than he could say about some human homes he’d been in (rich people were weird).
Even the owner of the place had toned down the imposing aura of power at some point since Tim arrived. Enough that when he brought the sandwiches over to the table and sat down with an awkward smile he looked more like a teenager than the vast otherworldly being he had introduced himself as.
He looked friendly. And Tim knew that it could all be a trick to entice him into letting his guard down, but even if it was, Tim hardly had any better options than playing along until he had more information. If he was going to make it out alive, not antagonising his host seemed like a good start.
Coming to a decision, he picked up a sandwich from the pile and took a bite.
Danny gave a small smile, glad the guy hadn't chosen to starve himself instead of eating the admittedly sketchy food.
"So." Danny began as he watched Red Robin take another bite of his food. "I'm sure you have questions. I'll answer what I can while you eat."
Red's eyebrows rose, supprising Danny with just how much facial expression the domino mask allowed without giving away someone's identity, "You're just going to give me the answers? Just like that?"
Shrugging, the ghost went back to the fridge to grab the leftover enchiladas from yesterday, "Yep. Figured I owed you that much after pretty much kidnapping you."
Red snorted around his sandwich. Good. He had a sense of humor. He could work with this.
"Ok. First question. Why do I get sandwiches and you get enchiladas? Am I being poisoned?"
Danny chuckled a bit, "Well yes and no." He noticed Red freeze and hurried to continue, "the atmosphere of this realm is toxic to all organic matter. Its dangerous for people to be here even for a short amount of time." Red looked like he was about to start panicking, "But my palace is made from my Bi-frost, which was specifically created to shield you from the negative effects. You are safe so long as you stay indoors and away from any open windows."
Red visibly relaxed, and Danny popped his own food into the microwave with a soft beep. "You can build up an immunity if you start with small things with lower concentrations of ectoplasm. I figured it would be best to ease you into it rather than throwing you into the deep end and hoping you don't drown."
The other boy seemed to consider it before nodding. Danny decided that for the sake of transparency, he was going to drop a bombshell on him. "Also underworld rules state that once you eat something from here you can never leave. I don't want you running back to whatever awful life you had with Robin."
Red had froze again and Danny prepared himself for screaming, yelling, arguing, maybe him trying to justify why he thought it was okay for him to be treated like that. But Red just stared down at his food. Seeming to accept his fate.
Dannys core ached again. "I'm sorry."
This seemed to startle the man out of his thoughts. "What?"
Danny repeated himself, "I'm sorry. I acted on impulse and kept you here. I didn't really consider your thoughts or feelings on the matter. I saw you being treated like that and couldn't help myself." Red looked absolutely baffled, but Danny would take his confusion over rage or sorrow. "I know it doesn't excuse my actions, but I hope you can find happiness here in the Infinite Realms."
"I thought it was called the Lands of Lazarus?" He croaked, his voice sounding raw with emotion. Danny really wanted to strangle the younger Robin right now. How long had he been treated like that?
"It has a lot of names. We don't interact with the outside worlds much so each time someone "discovers" us they try to give us a new name." He said, giving a dramatic eye roll for emphasis.
The microwave beeped, and the king went to fetch his lunch. He pulled out a fork from a drawer and two waterbottles from a cabinet, which were thankfully niether glowing or green before handing one off to Red and sitting with him at the table. He took a bite of his meal and savored the oddly calm atmosphere before turning back to his guest, "Any more questions?"
After a verbal barrage of questions from Tim about questions regarding the Infinite Realms, Danny shows him around the place and Tim’s new living quarters.
Tim does indeed assist Danny as his royal advisor. Helping dictate and rule the Ghost Zone alongside the Ghost King. The ghost zone positively thrives and prospers under the duos just rule.
Throughout Tim’s stay in the ghost zone he becomes more and more ghost like. His limbs extend a tad longer than they should normally be, his teeth sharpen into fangs. His hair gently waves in a nonexistent wind. The whites of his eyes are filled with a shockingly blue iris. He wakes up to find a tall glowing scepter next to his bed that Frostbite informs him was used by the royal advisors of the Ghost King before Pariah Dark.
It’s been a year now since Tim first entered the Ghost Zone. In the back of his mind something nags him. Is his family ever going to try to get him back? Are they going to reconnect or figure out a way to communicate? Will they even recognize him now?
All of these questions just swirl at the back of his mind but he shoves them away. Danny is calling him to attend a meeting to help negotiate a peace treaty between two warring ghost nations. It’s time for him to get back to work.
Tim barely noticed it, he usually just spend his time wondering about his life back in earth, that he has been admitably getting hard time remembering much so he just eventually stopped, helping his King manage the Realms (getting a bit too close with him in the process), and adjusting to his relatively new Halfa status (it just happened one day, no warning, no incidents, just him and King Danny (looking back to it, Tim wasn't sure when he started to call his king that) going in their usual days in the Realms when King Danny paused and take a really good long look at him before suddenly blurting, "Oh, you're a Halfa now. I didn't expect that."), and fully growing in to his job as the High Advisor of High Ghost King of The Infinite Realms (admittably, the title could use a little revision other than that, Tim isn't complaining) as well as the powers that his Halfa and the High Advisor Status grant him. By the time he realized the passage of time (he isn't aging, he's stuck just being a around the age he lands in the Realm so he hadn't really noticed), it's already been decades, and decided that, "This is fine, better even."
Meanwhile, on Earth (the one from Tim's Universe) the Justice League is having a Major world ending threat. The super natural kind of threat.
They were desperate to the point they had the JLD resort to summoning the most powerful entity that they could think of.
Constantine and the rest of the JLD finished the ritual and expected the All Powerful, Almighty High Ghost King of the Infinite Realms, to apear in the circle.
They didnt expect to get Redirected to a different entity.
(Tim decided that Being able to summon the Almighty High Ghost King willy–nilly is a big No–no.
That said, they couldnt just outright remove the rituals. So they decide to make a compromise.)
"Who Dare's To Summon The His Majesty, The High Ghost King Of The Infinite Realm To This Lowly Plane Of Reality?"
The Whole League, more specifically, the Bats, Freeze at the sight of the thing they summoned.
Because the entity in front of them looks exactly like the missing Red Robin.
Sure his skin is greenish gray, more Celadon rather, his ears pointed much like an Elf, has sharp fangs and slightly different costume than the one he was wearing at his dissapearance and has a long ethereal looking scepter at his hand but theres no mistaking it, the entity, the person in front of them is Red Robin, Batmans missing robin.
His son that has been missing for almost a year now.
"Speak, Mortals. Cease Wasting My Time And By Extension, His Majesty's Time With Your Senseless Gawking In Front Of Me. I Have Much More Important Things To Address Than Deal With You Plebians."
Vast pressure that the being that supposed to be Tim seems to unbelievably exudes, slammed on them, brought them to their knees as he stepped out of the wards that the JLD insisted that not even lucifer himself would be able to escape without trying like its nothing.
Is this really Tim?
"Speak, Now."
Bruce is really thorn right now.
Not even mentioning what Damian is feeling right now.
“... Red Robin?” Batman’s voice breaks through the tense silence.
An intense surge of emotion grips Tim’s heart. Pain. Longing. Anger. And he feels it shutter briefly across his face before he locks his expression down again.
“That is irrelevant. State your business, lest you waste any more of my king’s time.”
Nightwing surges forward, ready to push the matter and pain grips his heart again, but Constantine interrupts.
“Sir Ghost, plea-”
“You may refer to me as ‘Cōnsilior.’
Tim could see Constantine’s eye twitch. “Cōnsilior, we seek aid in defeating the Chaos Lord Mordu, and his army of Dead. People are dying by the hundreds and nothing we’ve tried has even scratched them. We need help - in whatever measure you are willing to grant.”
Of course. When is it not a world-ending event?
“And what is in it for my king? What price are you willing to pay?”
Not that they wouldn’t do it for free of course, but needs must and appearances must be kept.
“Nigh anything.” A sure sign that they are desperate. But still foolish.
“Hmmmmm, well, we will aid you in defeating this threat, and we can discuss payment after.”
Constantine grimaced “As you wi-”
At that, Zatanna steps forward, harshly gripping Constantine’s shoulder. “John! Are you out of your mind!? Who knows what he’ll ask for?”
“Zatanna, this is our only option. There’s nothing else we can do.” His voice was harsh, brokering no room for argument
Zatanna looked as if she’d sucked on a lemon, but stepped back.
“How will you help us?” Superman tried to regain direction of the conversation.
Tim looked around the room, seeing their stoic, despondent faces.
“Tell me more about this Mordru, and I will confer with my king and our council. You’ll have the full force of the Infinite Realms behind you, and the greatest minds that have ever died (or never lived),”
With that, Tim summoned a chair towards him and sat, staff across his knees.
The rest of the League remained standing, wary at the casual display of power.
Zatanna took point on this, “Mordru is one of the most powerful chaos lords, and has an army of dead that follow his every command. He uses only the most dark of magics, including those he uses to power his army. He is immortal and undying and almost separate from the timeline itself, having never been born. As such, the only way to defeat him is to entomb him after magically overpowering him - neither of which we have been able to do.”
“Well, that all seems simple enough,”
Army of dead - no matter what controls them, there is no greater call than from their king. Overpowering him should be straightforward enough, King Danny was able to defeat Pariah at 14 and his powers have only grown since then. Existing outside of the timeline is also negligible due to Clockwork, and also the medallion in King Danny’s chest. Additionally, they should be able to create another tomb strong enough to hold the chaos lord - perhaps fashioned after the one Pariah is trapped in. Or the thermoses are pretty good … they’ve kept Dan trapped pretty well - and he ended the entire League and pretty much every other hero.
“Look, kid ,” Tim cut his eyes across to Constantine. “You can’t underestimate this threat. He’s here to conquer and sew chaos. Nothing we’ve done so far has even been able to touch him or make a dent in his army. He’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. We called you for help but not even your king would be able to take him by himself. There’s nothing ‘simple enough’ about this.”
At that, Tim stood and stalked over to Constantine, stopping mere feet away.
“I may not have experienced anything like him exactly, but make no mistake, my king is not to be underestimated. He fought and locked away the old tyrant, Pariah Dark, singlehandedly - a feat that took the entire council of Ancients to do - and has only grown in power since. We have powers that exist outside of the Timeline, and ways to keep even the most powerful entities contained,”
Tim paused to look around the room, meeting each Leaguer’s eyes.
“We have agreed to help, but do not do us the disservice of doubting us. Now, excuse me while I confer with my King and our Council.”
Tim relished the looks of the League as the bright green swirling portal opened behind him, and he stepped through it, into the Council Chambers.
The moment they noticed his halfafication, King Danny didn't spare a second and immediately bring him to the Far Frozen.
The Yetis, Ironically to their Cores and nature, greeted them warmly.
After King Danny and Chief Frostbite, The Ancient Chief of Frost and Winter itself(he claimed that he inherited the title Ancient from the previous one who was originally been a part of Sealing Pariah Dark away with the help of other Ancients barring Frightknight, into the Sacrophagus of Forever Sleep. Tim found it odd but didn't press because it seems like a sensitive topic), talked about Tim's Halfafication, Frostbite led both him and King Danny to his Facility to get better readings.
After a series of test Frostbite expertly performs with outmost care and precision, as he have probably done with his majesty before, he diagnosed that yes, Tim is a Halfa, a fully mature one at that.
Frostbite and King Danny then proceed to explain to him what being an Halfa means.
As it turns out, King Danny is one himself and the second true halfa in all of the Infinite Realms' convoluted history, with the First one being the second High Ghost king, Lazarus.
And boy, wasn't that name a surprise?
Also, if anyone noticed tim being giddy and ecstatic about the prosphect of having something in common with his King, they didn't said a thing.
(Frostbite just sigh at the two young adults in front of him, one is head over heels while the other is completely oblivious.)
(Far away in the depths of the Realms, Clockwors just watch the Drama while Dan (he's been getting therapy from Jazz from other timelines courtesy of Clockwork)is on the floating couch he nabbed from Vlad's Lair while eating ghostly popcorn, yelling at Danny and Tim on the screen in annoyance and to—JUST FUCKING KISS ALREAD—!
"Behave Danimir, there could be kids reading this."
"This is tumblr, why would kids even be here? And also, aren't you supposed to know everything? "
"One can't be really sure about that. Also, that only applies to the clusters of infinite Multiverses that is binded to the Infinite Realms. Outside of it? With the other SINGULARITIES present, i could only peak at best."
"...what"
"Paradox is a really annoying menace, though not as much as Khan. Bunnyx is a sweetheart, the TVA is a cult while Time Baby with his time police is a annoying upstart, alwasy throwing a Time Tantrum™ whenever a time anomaly happens. It was a delight when Cipher killed him. That was he get from trademarking his own tantrum."
"Seriously, what."
"Now hush, just watch and let Timothy dream in peace."
"I could smell a nightmare in the making."
Clockwork just hummed in response.)
Frostbite then began to explain different kinds of halfa, as there are different kinds apparently.
First one he explain are the Human adjacent Halfas; Ghost that has legitimate living(or atleast semi alive) human forms and technically have neverbeen alive or dead in the firstplace.
Dan and Dani has been given out as examples. Dan being both ghost half of Vlad and King Danny in another timeline, with King Danny's persona coming out of top while Vlad's got devoured in the merging process, and has retained the ability to turn human despite claiming to have thrown out his humanity. While Dani, who is a clone of King Danny, she was created, not born, and never have died in any way.
The second kind is are the Ghost adjacent Halfas; Humans who have been exposed to very very high level consentration of Ectoplasm, whether all at once or by slow exposure. All while suffering from slow death.
Ghost adjacent Halfas' transition from being a normal human to being a halfa is a long process. In which a person's cells which got charge with ectoplasm died and got rejuvinated and ghostlified one by one before the person dies which will complete the halfafication.
Apparently, it's the kind of halfa most Ecto liminals could turn in to.
They explained that Ecto liminals (different to common liminals that are dead and alive at the same time without the presence of ectoplasm) are living beings that have been getting exposed to high amounts of high quality ectoplasm for a long period of time that they retain the ability to create their own ectoplasm inside their bodies from their emotions and by fulfilling their Ghostly Fixations, the human version Ghost Obsession, and gain abilities based from it just like tier four ghosts and above with Obsession based powers.
The common examples are the residents of Amity park, especially the students of a School called Casper high from King Danny's home universe, the universe that the Infinite Realms have the most strongest connection with unlike Tim's home Universe which connections only extend to the Corrupted cesspools of ectoplasm called Lazarus pits which the League of Assasins uitilzed and the Phantom Zone, named after King Danny himself (it was a surprise to now that the Kryptonians worship King Danny as Dan-El, the Kryptonian God of Death) that the Kryptonians use as a Prison, which are the only most common examples of ectoplasm source.
They could be called Ecto contaminated, if you decided to asked the Fentons. And no one really liked the Fentons despite being the King's Biological parents so no one does.
He heard the stories, and he's inclined to agree that the Fentons should stay to the other side of the realms and should stay inside the Fenton Corpse™, away from Black Frost Castle. It doesn't matter if their sorry, the damage is done.
Now, despite being majority of the Amity park being Ecto liminals and prime subject to Halfafication, almost none of them really turn in to one.
This is because of the other very specific requirement that the person need to be suffering from slow death and a strong will and emotions.
The most perfect example of this kind of halfa is Plazmius, who got his portal accident from college and suffered from ecto acne which slowly kills him for years before he died and completely turn in to a halfa. In fact, this is the category that he actually belongs to.
"Wait, you mean to tell me that i have been slowly dying over the years? How?"
Frostbite and King Danny exchange looks with each other before answering.
"Young Cōnsilior, you informed us that you do not posses a Spleen, which means that your immune system is very very fragile, I'm actually surprised with your health when you first came! However, the Realms is a very harsh environment to mortals and non ecto based lifeforms, your lifestyle, and your horrifying intake of Caffine and eventually, Ecto coffee and Ecto-dejecto reminiscent of the Great One–"
King danny rubbed his head sheepishly at that and at this point, Tim got where Frostbite is going at.
"Are you saying that I was slowly dying from caffine overdose???"
Frostbite and King Danny exchange look with each other and Tim lowkey felt left out.
"Not exactly, but to simplify things. Yes, you died of overdose."
Tim looks down on his still smoking mug of Ecto coffee before drinking the whole thing down in one go.
"Fair enough."
After that, they began explaining the last kind of Halfa, the one King Danny was classified as.
Not without first teaching him how to transform and detransform from ghost to human and from human to ghost, because apparently, his current appearance is his actual ghost from and not his human one.
Tim was surprised on how his black hair turn snow white in human form with his eyes having something that oddly look like eyeliners which turn out to be actual eyebags from his death.
Apparently, halfafication had the tendency to invert things such as colors and gender (it's the reason that Princess Dani end up as a girl instead of a boy). And that Ghost Adjacent Halfas under go color inversion in their human forms instead of their ghost halves like King Danny had.
(He got to admit, having white hair, pale skin, bright teal eyes highlighted by the eyebags underneath his eyes looks very cool on him.)
Speaking of King Danny, the final known class of halfas, being the true Halfa, is the state of being in complete balance between being dead and alive. Not being a ghostly human or a humanly ghost but being both at the same time.
Much like Schrödinger to be exact.
Both a ghost(dead) and a Human(alive) at the same time.
King Danny turned Halfa with his accident with a manmade Ghost portal when it got turned on while he was inside if it.
He died from electrucution, instantly becoming a ghost with the amount of ectoplasm present while his body got restored by the said ectoplasm, making his ghost and ecto contaminated body bond and rearrange from smallest atom right down to meta physical levels.
Jason instantly comes to his mind.
Did he become ghost when he died? Before he got ressurected? Did it bond with his ressurected body aswell when they threw him in to the cess pool of currupted ectoplasm?
Tim is sure what to feel with that.
Tim shaked his head, not wanting to deal with the idea.
King Danny perked up, as if he remembered something important.
"I almost forgot! I like you to meet someone!"
Tim look at his king questioningly,
Meet someone?
King danny turn to the door behind tim, "You can come inside now!"
Tim's expression fell as it slowly turn in to dread and shock.
"...Jason?"
The person who enter the door looks and acts exactly like Jason, other than the obviously wrong colorings
Instead of black hair with white tuff of hair in the middle, its the other way around. White hair with black tuff. His eyes are red instead of blue, his wears his red hoon costume that are also inverted in colors.
He then notice the the odd ethereal glow that He seems to be giving off and—
"...no"
Jason walk closer and Tim suddenly found himself backed against the wall that was previously not there, grin slowly etching in to jasons face as he stalk closer.
"Oh, yes Replacement."
Tim could feel his slow heart rate rising steadily in panic, "H-how, why?"
Oblivious to Tim's dillema, Danny just chirped cheerfully, "Well why of course, he's my new Knight and bodyguard!"
Tim's felt something stabbed him to his core at his beloved king's words.
Knight? Knight? And bodyguard? Why? What about tim? Wasn't he enough? Is he not needed anymore?
No. Please, please no...
"Yes Replacement, you aren't needed anymore."
"NO!" Tim screamed in denial, turning to his king with fear and desperation in his voice, he is on his knees, clutching his king's Cosmic cape regalia, "K-king danny! Your Highness! Please! Please! This got to be some kind of mistake! I-I'm still usefull! I-I'll do anything, please, please, please don't throw me away."
Tim was ugly sobbing at this point but he doesnt care.
"Please don't leave me alone too.."
His king just stared at him in apathy, the expression felt so foreign to the usually jolly king that he was so used to.
He heard a gun clicking and turn to jason pointing his gun at him.
He isn't at the Far Frozen anymore.
He isn't in the Realms anymore.
Nor he is Cōnsilior, the Ghost King's Advisor anymore.
He's Robin, the replacement.
On the ground with the freshly resurrected Jason looming over him like death.
He gave him a cruel smile, his eyes glowing in sinister green, "Looks like I'm going to be your replacement, Replacement."
Tim woke up screaming as the wind did at the same time.
---
He shot out of his chair, breathing ragged, cold sweat pouring down his face as though he just had a beat down with an Ancient.
It was a dream.
A dream.
He steadied his breathing, calming down himself as he took in the state of his room.
Everything was a mess, just like a hurricane came barreling through his office.
And to be fair, it did.
He tried steadiying his breathing again, trying yo calm down his wind core.
"I could have sworned you'd have an electric core."
Tim immediately turn around and see Fright knight in all his halloween glory sitting on a chair next to the door, unaffected by the localized hurricane.
Tim scoffed, "Me? An electric core? Yeah right." Tim would never want an electric core. He won't even dare to think of the possibility of having one.
the knight stared at him for a moment, "I see, it's about your obsession isn't it?"
"Don't ask questions that you already now the answers."
"Apologies,"
"What are you even doing in my office?"
"Just visiting a colleague, is that wrong?"
Tim felt his eye twitched, "No, but the litteral nightmare i have earlier is."
"It's not my fault that my mere pressence could cause nightmares, young Timothy."
"Then please be out of my pressence instead."
"What a rude colleague I have."
"Also, it's Cōnsilior Starling."
While he isn't Red Robin any more, the bird theme has been a part of him whether he like it or not, hence the Starling part.
"As you say Timothy,"
Tim felt his eye twitched in annoyance again. He doesn't understand why Fright knight keep on pushing his buttons be he does and it's getting in Tim's nerve everytime.
(Fright knight is still bitter that Tim end up as an Advisor instead of a Royal Knight to the Ghost King. It's not that he has anything against to the title itself (to the previous title holder? He does.) But he's been hoping to have a new Knight to the ranks that serve King Phantom other than thralls.)
All of a sudden, Tim felt a ringing pulse in his head. He scowled and went to the door, transforming in to Cōnsilior Starling ghost form on the way, his staff appearing in his hand along with.
"Emergency?"
Tim sighed, "Someone is summoning King Danny in some universe out there."
"Ah, yes. Cultist. This reminds me of the olden days when i was used to be summoned. Making humans tremble in fear whenever I they summoned me." Frightknight let out a sigh from nostalgia.
"Ah, the good times."
This made Tim think for a second, "You know what? I might just do that."
Tim is still in a bad mood from his nightmare and from having a summon right after waking up from an awfull sleep. Perhaps traumatizing some cultist would lift his mood a little.
"Tell me how it goes later."
Tim shrugged at the knight, "Sure."
With that, Tim go to the Summoning Chambers.
Just as Tim leave, Frightknight turn his eyes at the corner of the office.
"I hope you're aware that his majesty will be informed of this."
"Now, don't be like that Frightknight."
Darkness adourned by the moving stars and nightsky poured out of the said corner.
"Then you should have known that intruding to your own colleague is rather rude, Nocturne."
The Ancient King of Dreams chuckled, "A shame, just when I was bearing some good news that I thought you'd be rather interested."
The Ancient Lord of Fear and Halloween spirit raised a brow at that, "And that would be..."
Nocturne grin, "A possible Knight and new Halfa of course."
Frightknight's eyes widen at that, "I see, that seems like a good news indeed."
"Right?"
"The King would still be informed of this however."
This is a story in five acts and some of those acts are going to be super long. Originally only going to be four parts: Steve and Eddie, Robin and Chrissy, Argyle and Jonathan, and the Wayne and the town adjusting to a new life with magical creatures. But as started writing it became clear I needed a prologue.
Summary: Sequel to Spellbound, deals with the aftermath of that story as the town starts to heal.
~
Wayne rubbed his face and let out a long sigh. This place was disgusting. Literally disgusting. If he hadn’t been warned that setting it on fire might unleash some pretty powerful curses, he would have done just that.
As it was Steve had to call in back up from his mom and his two aunts to get rid of all the blood magic that was literally making his life hell at the moment.
Lucia, Tatiana, and Odessa where all powerful witches in their own right. And they all brought their apprentices and all their familiars with them. Wayne had a whole menagerie of people and their animals scattered all over town, housed by good neighbors all around town.
Lucia and Tatiana brought their sons Gareth and Brian respectively, and Odessa brought Jeff Lawrence as her own son was already a powerful witch in his own right. After all Steve Harrington was his mother’s son in every possible way.
And that was just the people, he had three new birds with near human intelligence to contend with, an owl, a dove, and fucking swan of all things for the Halliwell sisters’ familiars. Their apprentices all had canine familiars, a fox, a jackal and a fucking wolf. It appeared that Harringtons and their apprentices liked their familiars slightly terrifying. And yes, that even held true of Robin’s cat, Merlin.
But anyway. He had a full house and was always running into someone doing something that was not what he was used to. He wouldn’t say not normal, though in this case it really wasn’t the whole blood magic thing notwithstanding, just because he wasn’t used to magic flying all over the place did not mean it was weird or strange in someway.
“Master Munson!” Lucia called from the dinning room. “Would you come here a moment?”
Wayne rubbed his face with a sigh. He took on the position of mayor to help Hawkins, but this straining his last nerve. “Coming!” he called back and trotted to the dinning area.
He stopped cold in his tracks when he saw what she was standing in the middle of. It was a gigantic pentagram engraved into the wood floor. And if the gore was any indication, this was where they had their sacrifices.
“Ugh!” he cried covering his nose as the stench hit him. “How did people not notice the sheer smell?”
Lucia was a pretty, older woman of about Wayne’s age, her dark, curly shoulder length hair was currently tied back and piled up on her head to keep it out of her angular face. She had knowing green eyes and full, round lips that were usually smiling, but were turned down in a frown.
She looked down at the floor and them up at him, blinking for a moment. “Oh, that’s certainly a problem. But not the most burning problem, if you catch my meaning.”
It was then Wayne realized what was in her hands. She was holding a rather large grimoire. And it was breathing.
“Is it supposed to be breathing?” he blurted out, eyes wide.
Lucia looked back at the large tome and then back up to him. “Most decidedly not. I think I have found the start of your troubles. And I was wondering if you would be a dear and round up as many witches as you can find. But not dear Robin or Maxine, of course.” She cocked her head to the side. “Or your Eddie. Masters only.”
He smiled at her ruefully. “I knew there was a reason you were my favorite Halliwell sister. I’ll go gather everyone else up then.”
“Thank you!” she said brightly. “And do hurry, I do not like the way it is looking at me.”
~
Odessa and Steve came at dead run when he explained what Lucia needed them for. Jonathan and Argyle hot on their heels. Tatiana on the other hand, let out a pained sigh.
Tatiana was the next Halliwell sister, soft and round. Her hair was a lighter brown than Lucia’s but just as curly and her pale grey eyes shone with a quick wit and a sharper intelligence.
“I was hoping to be the one to find it,” she said as she slowly got to her feet from where she was having tea with Claudia Henderson. “My affinity for charms should have been able to locate it, but it was blocking me.”
Wayne didn’t know much about witches and their magic but he did know this one. “It was probably because she could see its aura while there was a spell preventing it from being located through magic.”
Tatiana sighed again. “You are no doubt right. Still it galls. But no matter, at least Odessa didn’t find it either.”
Wayne just blinked at her for a moment and then looked over at Claudia. They watched as the middle Halliwell sister exited the cottage and moseyed up the lane to the mayor’s residence.
“She certainly is a strange one,” Claudia said, stacking the dishing up neatly for Nona to clean later. “But then middle children often are.”
He nodded and then looked around the cozy cottage. “I’m going to miss my cottage when I finally take up residence in that spooky nightmare.”
“You’ll do fine,” Claudia said, placing a kitchen towel over her shoulder. “Once you get used to be waited on hand and foot, you’ll never go back. Just place firm boundaries about what you will and won’t allow and you’ll be fine.”
Wayne wasn’t so sure. He had his favorite chair and spot by the fire. His own way of cooking things and cleaning. But he promised the town that he would help them navigate this new world they found themselves living in.
Suddenly there was strange sound like the way it felt right before lightning would strike nearby. Like a wahmph sort of noise. It was eerie. And more than a little terrifying.
Claudia and he were out of the house at a dead heat. They made it outside just in time for the second wave to go off. It was coming from the mayor’s residence and seeing it did not make it less creepy.
Then there was a third wave, the largest of all. The whole town felt it as it rattled windows and doors with its force.
Wayne ran for the manor as fast as his arthritis could carry him. As he passed through the streets, he began picking up other concerned citizens. Jim Hopper of the watch; the town baker, Bob Newby; Billy Hargrove, the newly minted master carpenter; and all ready at the front door, a very nervous Eddie.
“You weren’t near that when it went off, were you Ed?” Wayne asked as the four of them skidded to a stop.
Eddie shook his head. “I was in the garden. With Steve and I being true mates, it’s hard to be too far away from each other. Like it physically hurts. So I waited in the garden, which is as far away as I could be and still be on the property.”
Wayne let out a shuddering sigh. He knew what that was like. It was hard. Especially with it still being so new. He clapped his nephew on the shoulder. “You did good, son.”
He steeled himself and then opened the door, leading the way to dinning room. There, standing a large circle was the three Halliwell sisters, Steve, Jonathan, and Argyle standing every other.
The smell had gone as had the book and the markings on the floor. The whole house which had been this general feeling of unease about the place felt like someone had opened up the windows of a house that had been closed for to long.
The musty smell still clung to everything around them but fresh air and sunlight would soon dispel that too.
Odessa and Lucia who had been holding Steve’s hands let go of them as if he had burned them.
“Darling,” Odessa hissed, shaking her hand. “We need to work on your control. Now that the training wheels have come off, your power is trying to overcompensate for lost time. I do believe that quite hurt.”
Steve ducked his head and looked away. “Sorry, Mother.”
She cupped his cheek. “It’s all right, dearest. We’ll get it figured out. Eddie has an advantage because he is learning how to use his abilities at full power, while you learned to use your abilities at half.”
Steve leaned into her touch and sighed. He had only put forth about sixty percent of his power for that spell and still it was too much.
Then Steve’s eyes rolled back and he would have collapsed to the floor if Eddie hadn’t been instantly at his side.
Odessa gasped and then helped Eddie keep him from falling the rest of the way. “Is there a place nearby we can lay him down?” she asked Wayne over her shoulder.
“The smoking room is just here,” Wayne said, directing them to a room just off from the dinning room.
She nodded and with Eddie’s help carried him to the room and laid him on a long sofa.
“What happened to him?” Eddie asked, as he sat down next to Steve on the sofa and took his hand.
“It’s like when you prime a well for water to come out of a single spout,” Odessa said digging into the pockets of her dress. “It all comes out in a rush and to turn the spout to a more manageable flow it takes a lot of strength to even move it an inch.”
She pulled out a tincture and smeared it on his forehead. She didn’t look like her sisters, having taken after their father instead of their mother. Odessa had long, wavy chestnut hair and the soft jaw like her son. But where he had hazel eyes, hers were a deep blue. The eyes being the one way he resembled his father.
“My lady,” Argyle said from the doorway. “I made an amulet for his apprentice, Robin when I first came to town that stemmed the flow of her power until she could manage it. I could do the same for him.”
Odessa turned to her swan, who had stayed near her the whole time. “Fly to this Robin and have her come quickly. Tell her to bring her potions for revival and her amulet from the shapeshifter.”
Odette gave a belabored honk, but did as she was told.
Morgana, Steve’s raven landed on the arm of the sofa where Steve’s head was laid and pecked softly at his hair croaking her concern.
“He’ll be all right, my friend,” Odessa murmured stroking the raven’s chest.
Steve muttered. “How many times do you have to tell you that being dismissive of my friends but not my familiar isn’t nice, Mother?”
Odessa blinked at her son for a moment. “I didn’t realize you were awake, darling.”
“That’s no excuse for bad behavior, Odessa,” Lucia said walking into room with a kettle of tea and several cups. “Robin is a perfectly nice girl, whose potions are as potent as Tatiana’s charms.”
“I’ve never heard of a charm that could hold back one’s powers,” Tatiana said, following Lucia with a tray of sliced meats, cheeses and bread. She placed the platter next to Steve and then smacked Eddie’s hand when he reached for one of the cured beef slices.
“You weren’t the one using your powers, Mister,” she scolded gently. “I’ll be bringing another plate for you and your guests. You wait.”
Eddie pouted but did as he was told.
There was a gentle poking in his ribs and he looked down to see that Steve had slipped a couple of slices into his pocket.
He looked up at his love with absolute adoration in his eyes. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
“Steven!” Odessa exclaimed. “It is because of stuff like that that your dog Rufus got so fat!”
Steve snorted and slipped Eddie a couple more slices. “Rufus got fat because Father would feed him after he woke up, never realizing that you fed the beast hours before when you woke up. That dog was get twice the meals and only the same amount of exercise.”
“He what?!” Odessa cried. “That sneaky little bastard. If that dog hadn’t died, I might have done the animal in myself.”
“That dog was far too clever for his own good,” Tatiana said, bringing in the second tray. “He lived a full and happy life, fat off the stupidity of his owners.”
“And why didn’t you say anything?” Odessa asked Steve. “If you knew he was getting more food than he needed, why didn’t you speak up?”
“I honestly thought you knew,” Steve said with a shrug, reaching for a sliver of cheddar. “I would have thought sometime in the twelve years I was home that one of you would have said to the other ‘Oh, hey, I feed the dog in the morning’ and figured out that you were both feeding him.”
Lucia burst out laughing. “He’s got you there, Sissy.”
“I suppose.”
Just then Robin came bursting into the smoke room. “You dork, how did you manage to faint, again?”
“I guess I’m just that unlucky,” Steve huffed, snuggling into Eddie’s side.
She knelt in front of him and then dug into her satchel, pulling out the bottle of potion. She poured about a third of the bottle into a nearby tea cup and then added tea over top. She gave a quick swirl with her magic to mix the two and then handed the tea to Steve.
He took a slow sip and the hot liquid returned color to his cheeks. He sighed happily. “You are one of the only witches I know that can make that potion actually taste like something other ass.”
Tatiana chuckled, piling her plate with her favorite snacks.. “They do it on purpose so that we don’t have people begging for the potions so that they can stay up all hours and do whatever they like.”
Steve looked down at the delicious cup of tea and blinked. “Oh. Yes, I could see that. But I know everything has a cost.”
Odessa smiled at her son. “You are very wise.”
Steve blushed and took another sip of his restorative tea. He polished off a good portion of the food as well and then settle back against Eddie’s chest with a contented sigh.
While he ate, Robin and Odessa spoke with Argyle about his amulet, with Tatiana leaning forward to listen in.
“Oh I think I would love to learn that from you, Foxspirit,” she said warmly. “That kind of charm would be very useful for training small children how to use magic.”
Argyle nodded. “That’s what my people use it for. Children don’t know how to emotional regulate and so their power is often erratic.”
“That makes total sense!” Tatiana said brightly. “How long would it take to for you to make one up?”
Odessa held up her hand. “One moment, Ana. I haven’t inspected the amulet, yet.”
Tatiana looked at her surprise. “But you don’t do charms, Sissy. You’re a curse breaker. Would you even know what to look for?”
“I’m Steven’s mother,” Odessa said, drawing herself upright in indignation. “I want to make sure it’s safe.”
“Mother,” Steve said warningly. “I am a grown adult and I trust Argyle. Robin has worn hers without barely an incident.”
“Barely?” Odessa questioned, clearly upset. “And you think that’s acceptable with something as powerful as magic?”
Eddie snort and shared a knowing glance with Robin. “With all due respect, ma’am but when a demon possessed immortal yanks it off your neck, that’s hardly the fault of the amulet or its maker.”
Argyle cocked his head to side with that serene smile on his face. “Helped stop the evil wizard, though.”
Odessa blinked up at him in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“Well what happens when a dam breaks?” Steve asked. He made a bursting motion with his hands. “It goes everywhere and that included Master Carver.”
“So he can’t remove it?” she asked, frowning in concern. “That doesn’t seem very hygienic.”
“It’s water proof,” Argyle said looking at her as if she had something insane. Which in all honest, to him it probably was.
“And as long as I don’t take it off,” Steve continued, “it acts as a slow release valve until my body can handle the power naturally and...” he made little ‘plop’ noise, “then it falls off on its own.”
Robin dropped her amulet into one of the other cups and poured boiled water on it. Then pulled it out and it was still cool to the touch. “It is perfectly safe.”
Odessa chewed her lip as she still wasn’t convinced of the validity of the amulet. But one look at Steve silenced her on the subject. He had that expression that read he was going to what he wanted regardless of what she said.
He had the same look when he insisted he was leaving home after becoming a master.
She let out a pained sigh. “How long would it take you to make one?”
Argyle dug into his pocket and handed a small braided amulet to Steve. “I had to make this one special because of how much power Steve is literally oozing right now. Max said his aura is so erratic that it looks like it’s trying to escape.”
“Oh!” Lucia said. “Is that what it is? His aura? I assumed it was just his magic acting up after his take down of the demon. Jonathan had told me that with the death of his first familiar it had taken awhile for Steve to be able to do magic at all.”
“Lucy!” Odessa said, “I thought you were the foremost expert on auras, how could you miss it?”
“That’s easy, Sissy,” Lucia said with a shrug. “I’ve never been able to see Steve’s aura.”
Everyone turned and looked at her as if she was crazy.
“I honestly don’t know how that girl was able to see it,” Lucia replied with a cock of her head. “The last time I saw him before he became a master I checked his aura and there wasn’t anything there. I can only assume that it was so large that I couldn’t hone in on it...”
“And then what?” Eddie asked, taking Steve’s hand and rubbing his knuckles with his thumb. “His becoming a master witch allowed him to rein it in?”
“Not at all!” Lucia chirped with the biggest grin on her face. “I think it was meeting you!”
Steve and Eddie looked at each other in shock. “I’m sorry come again?” Eddie asked.
Steve giggled into Eddie’s hair and Eddie tried to shush him, but was failing.
“Boys,” Robin said rolling her eyes.
“Clearly,” Lucia said with a huff of amusement. “What I mean by that, is that as soon as you met, Steve’s power started to equalize because it recognized you as his true love and was trying to rein itself in as not to hurt you. But unfortunately because you were the centennial sorcerers all it did was go from a hurricane to a tropical storm. Still dangerous, even if it was less so.”
“Oh,” Steve said, with a deep blush on his face. “I must have been just leaking all over the place if that’s case.”
“Which isn’t your fault,” Eddie said fiercely. “No one had any idea who you were. But now that we do, we’ll be able to figure out how to make your magic work for you.”
“Do you want us to stay, Steven dear?” Tatiana asked, tilting her head to the side. “I know you have some really good masters here to help you, but I could take on Robin to get her to master and Lucy can take on Max to teach her auras so you can focus on learning to harness your powers. Sissy would of course stay on hand in case there are more curses in this place to break.”
Wayne cleared his throat. “Will that really be necessary? I thought with the breaking of the book, that would be the end of it.”
Odessa nodded. “It should be Mayor Munson, but if Ana couldn’t find the book being a powerful charm witch, I’d rather not leave until I knew for certain you and the town were safe.”
“I think Mayor Munson’s concern isn’t strictly that of the curses in his home,” Argyle said sagely. “This town is so pivotal to the magical community that he feels with so many master witches in town he won’t be able to effective govern as long as we’re in town to look over his shoulder.”
Wayne blinked at the shapeshifter in surprise. “Yes, thank you. With Steve and his two apprentices, or rather three if you include Ed, you three ladies and your apprentices, it makes for a very unbalanced system.”
Lucia nodded. “And with so many magic users in town it would be too easy for your townspeople to get used to have each problem solved by magic. The very thing Steve strove so hard to avoid.”
“Yes,” Odessa sighed. “But we needed all the help we could get for clearing out this house. Jeffery is a combat witch like Steven, he was brought along in case more demons popped up. Steven is a very capable but if there were more then one a little help wouldn’t go amiss.”
“My Gareth,” Lucia said with a note of pride, “was brought along as a sort of human dowsing rod as he can locate magic of any kind. It was unfortunate when there were too many layers of protection in the for him to see through.”
“Now that the book’s been destroyed,” Wayne asked cocking his head to the side. “Do you think that he would have a better time of it?”
She tilted her head to the side tapping her cheek thoughtfully. “Could do, I suppose. I will certainly ask him to go through the house again.”
“My Brian specializes in magic beings and creatures,” Tatiana said solemnly. “He’s been talking to the noble fae about Steven’s deal with them regarding the foundling, Eleanor, trying to strike up a more even balance.”
Steve snorted. “Good luck with that. He’s only an apprentice, they don’t take kindly to that sort of thing. I think he’d have better luck with the brownies and other magical creatures in town.”
Tatiana blinked at him for a moment, struggling to hold back her temper.
“Not that I don’t mind the help,” Wayne said interjecting before it got too tense, “but it is an awful lot of you and those that aren’t getting used to all the magic you’re flinging around are straight up afraid of you. There are a dozen witches and their familiars in town and that just spells trouble.”
Lucia blinked at him for a moment. “Oh my! I didn’t realize there were so many of us.”
Odessa and Tatiana shared glance.
“I see your point Mayor Munson,” Odessa said with a solemn nod. “We will try to wrap up business as quickly as possible as to not strain relations with the townsfolk.”
Wayne let out a sigh. It wasn’t their exodus like he had hoped but at least they weren’t going to be sticking around longer than needed.
“We could house a school while everyone is in town,” Steve said thoughtfully. “Get all apprentices that are ready to master and then when everything is straightened up in town, everyone can go their separate ways.”
“What made you think of that, baby?” Eddie asked, nuzzling Steve’s ear.
Steve blushed and ducked his head. “I think if we told everyone that they were merely here to learn, I think it would go down easier having that many witches around.”
“With the stipulation that afterwards they would be leaving for their homes after?” Wayne pressed.
Steve nodded.
The sisters looked at each other.
“I’m down,” Argyle said brightly. “And I’m sure Jonathan would be as well.”
Lucia clapped her hands. “I too would love such a thing.”
Steve looked at his mother and her remaining sister. “Any objections?”
They both shook their heads.
“I can’t wait!” Robin said gleefully and he smiled.
When Dan was released from his prison, he was ready to go toe to toe in a rematch with his past self. Instead he was handed a baby and guided to two toddlers by Clockwork. The Ancient of Time explained to him that his parents accidentally created a machine that de-aged ghosts. Now Danny and Ellie, as well as Jazz who was just liminal enough to be affected are all tiny tots without a place to go.
That's about all the explanation Dan gets before he's pushed through a portal and into an alley. Before Clockwork closes the portal he tells Dan "Single fatherhood may be tough but do not lose hope!"
Dan stood there silently looking at them for a moment before shaking his head. Not the time to panic Dan. He has to find somewhere safe to get the lay of the land. Not to mention hope he could find food. Shit. He needed baby stuff. Aww crap. He quickly turned them all invisible and flew up to look over the city.
What city, hell what dimension had clockwork dropped him in? The old bastard didn't give any explanation at all. Fuck! Ok. So it looked pretty run down. Lots of abandoned buildings. He could hole up in one for now. But he needed good and clothes first.
Time to look for a shop to steal from then. Hardly the worst thing he has ever done. And if he chooses a big chain it's practically moral. Why did Clocky think he was the right choice for this!
#dpxdc#deaged fentons#dan phantom#single father! dan#dan with his 3 'kids' in gotham#dan when he's freed: muahahahha! villainous plans part 2!! [evil lightning strike]#clockwork: here - hold this! [passes 3 children over]#dan: [record scratch] wait. no. what do i do? they need so much how do i take care of kids? food. i need food and shelter and-#clockwork: [sipping tea and watching through a mirror] ah yes. perfect distraction
I love your tags XD
But yes. Clockwork had thought about it. Searched the time streams. And the only one that offered Dan a chance at redemption was this one. Now Dan could choose not to of course. In that case he had another guardian chosen already. But he needed to give Dan a chance. And given the way the young man had reacted he has chosen to keep them. Good.
Clockwork smirked to himself. This choice led to a far more entertaining timeline. Dan had no idea what would happen. But Clockwork was looking forward to it. Ahh the follies of youth. He would continue to watch of course. The future was still wavering. But it looked like Dan would be doing the right thing. Entirely of his own volition too! No matter that he won't realise that for a while.
I like the idea of Dan realizing that he was being "a good person"TM while doing something very mundane. Like... washing the dishes after putting the kids down for a nap, or pushing them on a swing at a park, or debating which baby food to get while having baby!danny and dani strapped to his front and back (double harness) and toddler!jazz in the shopping cart
Just, that realization that he's free to do all these plans (he's not in a thermos, the only one who could stop him was a baby, no one here knows him, he still has his powers) and he's choosing to be a dad instead XD
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Also - how old do you think single father dan is? I'm thinking early 20s at *most* bc supposedly the merge with plasmius happened when he was what...15? (It wasn't that same year was it?) And then there's the getting stronger and fights and destruction of the world which I think would be a few years.
===
Oh my gosh
Hes in gotham
!!!!!!
Okokokok
Imagine:
Single father dan is neighbors with crime lord's boyfriend jason
Dan (with his skewed morals) gets jason to babysit on occasion
Absolutely. He just stops and stares for a moment. Then very calmly finished his task. Walks to his room and sits down for a moment. And then.
"Clockwork, you motherfucker! Arsehole! Bastard! Creepy watching man! How dare you con me into this! You absolute wanker! How did you even know this would work! "
And Clockwork is in his tower giggling merrily away. Quickly pens a note and sends it to Dan.
'You had a choice to make. I had plans if you made the wrong one. You chose a good path.'
Dan then just has to sit for half an hour to come to grips with the fact that Clockwork gave him a chance to do better. And it took him months to realise. At least he has a family again? Fuck it. He's gonna go bother Jason. Take the kids over with pie.
Jason gets a knock at the door and grins. Hot neighbour Dan probably wants some adult conversation. Jason will not say no to that! Plus the kids are hella cute. And well, they somehow sooth the pit. Jason has been more clear headed since meeting them than since before he died.
Dan greets Jason with an armful of kids and holding a home made pie? Jason is more than happy to let him in. Dan's pie are amazing. Jason is pretty sure the building grannies have started trading clothes and stuff for the kids for them.
Jason: What brings you round tonight?
Dan: Ah. Kinda embarrassed. But uh. You know I've done dodgy shit in the past yeah?
Jason: Yeah. No other reason for you to be laying low in Gotham.
Dan: I uh, had a breakdown. My family were killed when I was 15. Got brutal bloody revenge. Got locked up for a bit. When I got out I was planning to finish the last off. But these three lost their Mum. So I kinda had to look after them yeah?
Jason: Well shit. Fair reason to lie low man.
Dan: I literally just now realised I didn't have to keep the brats. I could have dumped them in a box in a hospital and gone off. Done the whole villain thing.
Jason: Are you having a crisis about choosing to raise your kids?
Dan: Jay, I thought I was irredeemably evil. Yes I am having a crisis over this!
Jason: Well, what's evil anyway? Are you happier?
Dan: Happiest I've been since my parents and sister died.
Jason: Bloody revenge not do it for you?
Dan: Oh I am not saying that! That felt good. But uh, I went a bit too far you know. It's weird, I never thought I'd have kids. Now I've got three. And for all they stress me out....
Jason: Dan your brats all have powers. If course they stress you out. I caught Ellie flying last time I looked after them. I put pillows everywhere!
Dan: Danny sneezed and froze the room last night.
Jason: I caught Jazz picking up a sofa.
Dan: I can't wait till they get older. I wanna see what happens if they get caught in an attack. I know that's fucked up... But.
Jason: Your kids get attacked and the perp is getting destroyed. Fuck me, I'd think you were kryptonians if I didn't know better.
Dan: I know right. And Jazz has the least powers. Bless her.
Jason: Fuck me.
Dan: Gladly!
Jason: Oh piss off! You know what I meant. Imagine them going rogue! Oh, the look on ol bats face!
Dan: Oh, oh that would be so bad! Hah! Gotta admit I do miss fighting.... I should hunt down Croc for a brawl at some point.
Jason: There's a thought. You could always join Hood's gang.
Dan: Nah, can't risk it. Not without another guardian in case I get found out. I
Jason: True that! Anyway, you brought pie. I'll make dinner! What do the bratlings want?l
He has kids to look after. The breakdowns have to be saved for later. When they are out of the house or asleep. He does not want Jazz trying to help again. He has to at least pretend to be functional in front of the kiddos!!
I’m just imagining little 5 y/o Jazzy saying some profound life advice to Dan in front of Jason, and they are just awestruck at how emotionally aware and functional this tiny skinny little child is.
Dan: “Wow…you are still so much like my big sister. How do you even do that?”
Jason: “I swear, she’s more well adjusted than people 4 times her age”
Dan: “Yeah, my sister Jasmine wanted to be a therapist or a psychologist. Psychotherapist? I don’t know, one of those, I couldn’t ever remember the difference.”
I am thinking that Dan and Jason do not realise they are basically married and co-parenting until Jazz blunt asks when they are getting amrried. And when can she call Jay Papa?
And then they have to sit down and talk about it. Because yeah. Actually. They do love each other. And they trust each other.
Dan: Do it for the tax break?
Jason: Do we have to invite my family?
Dan: Only if you want to?
Jason: I want Alfie there.... Urgh! Tell Jazz she can call me Papa.
Tax break is why they getting married. Wouldn't bother with the fact of paperwork otherwise.
They do finally start sharing a bed cause they realised they love each other. That was the only change in their relationship really. Was properly moving in with each other.
I forgot about this!!! Awww, Dan is no longer a single father!
Lol, I feel so honored my tags are shared twice XD (in @bianca-hooks123 's screenshots, the first two shown are mine from my first and second reblog. The third is @hypewinter 's tags for the original post)
===
Ok, but how long until the rest of the batfam realizes Jason is not only married, but married and has 3 kids under 10 XD Alfred was there for the signing, but he's no snitch. Does Barbara have a type of alert for any changes to the legal status of the different bats? Does she get pinged right away? XD (and what last name do they take? Does Jason change his? Dan? Do they make a new one? Merge theirs? Hyphenate?)
Oh my gosh, does Red Hood's gang think Jason is in a throuple? Do they think Jason and Red Hood broke up and thats why Jason is with this other guy? if they think there was a breakup, do they get mad at Jason? Console Red Hood? Tell Red Hood he shouldn't have let Jason go? Or say that Red Hood could do better? XD maybe they get the (wrong) idea that Jason is in a poly with RedHood and Dan bc Jason (as Red Hood) panicked and said no he hadn't broken up (thinking of Dan) and his men are like - ah, a poly! Congrats on finding a third!
Red Hood - I, wha- I didn't??
RH gang - oh it was Jason! Well, this other guy is his type
Red Hood just thankful for his helmet hiding how red his face is as he sputters
Babs finds out. She legitimately has a program to track her family members. So when Jason Todd shows up as marrying Dan Nightingale? She knows. She uses it as blackmail all the time.
Oracle: I need a favour Hood.
Red Hood: No I'm busy!
Oracle: How's the husband? I should really tell B....
Red Hood: .... Fuck! Fine.
They both took Nightingale. As Dan has the kids. Jason decided to match the babies. Easier to fix one person's paperwork than four after all. No other reason.
Alfred adores getting to meet Master Jason's family. He also used it to blackmail Jason. But lovingly. And also used if you don't do self care I will call your children and husband. It's a more effective threat than Jason anticipated.
The goons absolutely think Dan married Jason and they are both dating Hood. Except the few who are pretty damn sure Jason is Hood. But they ain't stupid. They know better than to spread that around.
The batfam find out when Danny gets caught up in a Joker attack. No amount of knowledge that Danny is basically indestructible is enough to calm Jason down. The bats find Joker very very mangled... Possibly (probably) dead. And Jason curled up hugging Danny who is just bemused by his Papa being so scared. Parting his Papa on the back like Dad does if they get sad!
Batman: Hood?
Danny: Shh! Papa is sad! Go way!
Nightwing: Papa?!?
Danny: Yes! Now shoo! I called Dad. He be here soon!
Nightwing: Dad?
Dan: That would be me. Scuse me. Move it or lose it pal. I'm getting my kid and husband. You can bother us tomorrow.
And they have to look up. Cause this guy is build like Superman. And he has two little girls on his back who run to Jason calling out Papa as well.
Holy shit! There is a lot of "did you know about this?" Eye contact. Nightwing snorts as Dan kicks the Joker, scoops up Jason, in full gear. And the three kids and just walks away with a nod and nothing else. Whispering softly to Jason the whole time.
The next day they show up at the manor. Alfred called everyone for a family meal. " as the secret is out now Master Jason." Bruce just sighs. Of course Alfred his this when asked. Babs grumbled at the loss of her best blackmail. But there is always more.
And then they meet Dan and the kids. And hoo boy. David the ex con who had been a single Dad after his ex passed away? Moved to Gotham to get away from the memories, and to avoid getting dragged back into crime. And where else in the country would take on an ex con and pay enough to raise three kids?
The same three kids with obvious powers. Who are bright and clever. And full of mischief. Jazz is very happy to tell them how silly her Dad and Papa were. They hadn't even noticed they loved each other till she asked when they were getting married!
Bruce and Dick realise this family is why Jason started to level out.... How he stopped being so angry. Tim is just amazed they work so well together. Steph just teases him for having the same physical taste in partners as Bruce.
Backing up a bit. Jason, probably over the course of many days, helping Dan work through his crisis of "Hey, I'm not actually the totally irredeemable monster, the irrevocably stained soul, I thought I was." Only to wake up months later in a cold sweat with the exact same crisis when he realizes he didn't have to help Dan or babysit the kids.
Dan helps him through it of course, but also probably laughs at him. And then at himself. And then Jason joins in. Both laughing at each other and themselves over the realization that somehow fatherhood made them both better people.
Also, would be funny if all/most of the other Bats already knew about Jason's husband and kids. Dick probably broke into Jason's safe house to hang out at some point and found the business end of three startled meta toddlers and a mama bear. Tim's love language is mild stalking. Cass is Cass, nough said. Steph would realize the others are keeping something secret and weasel her way into it just for the fun and chaos. And Damian would realize the others are keeping something secret and strive to find out what so as not to be excluded of caught off guard, only to repeat Dick's mistake. By the time that night with Joker comes around, Bruce is the only one who didn't already know.
Bruce say at the table, trying his best to be polite to his son in law. The one he only just found out about. Who has three kids. That are now his grand kids. How long did they hide this! How much time has he missed! This is cruel Jason! You gave him grand kids and hid them from him!!
Bruce: So.. How did you meet?
Dan: Moved into the unit next to Jay's civilian place. Introduced myself to everyone on our floor. What with the kids able to walk through walls? Best to earn the neighbours.
Bruce: Huh. How, how did everything ah, fall into place?
Jazz: Dad and Papa were friends for ages! They didn't notice they wanted to cuddle and couple stuff! But I could feel it! So I asked when they were getting married!
Tim: Feel it?
Danny: Yeah! Dad went all gushy in his feelings! And so did Papa!
Ellie: Feels like bubbly soda! All fizzy good!
Jason: The four of them are empaths. But only with people they trust. I can't hide anything.
Danny: Papa needs lots of hugs when he's angry. Makes him calmer!
Dan: Yeah. The bratlings took to Jay real quick. It's why I ended up falling for him ya know. He was so good with our kids.
Jason: Dan is an inventor and engineer. He took to helping the people in our building. The local oldies love him.
Dan: It's a good way to build bonds! Means people like the kids. Make em safer. Plus, the knitted stuff and cooking lessons are useful payment alright!
Damian:... The fact Nightingale can throw you through a wall did not factor into your attraction Todd?
Jason: Ok. First. Maybe. Second? I took Dan's name. Easier to change mine to match him and the kids.
Bruce: How are you finding Gotham?
Dan: It's ok. Not as chaotic as home was. Much calmer actually. Great for the kids.
Dick: Gotham. Is calmer? Than your home place?
Dan: Yeah? I was neck deep in chaos all the time. My entire family was murdered. Gotham is way safer for the kids. You saw how Danny handled Joker. Nothing here can hurt us much. Unlike back there.
Steph: So. When can we throw a party? I mean, Jay IS B's kid. We need to do a gala! Introduce B's first grandkids. And show them off.
Jazz: Urgh. Gross adult parties? Really?
Tim: I could always hire Harley Quinn to attack it?
Danny: Jazz thinks Harley is super cool! Can we meet her? Please?!?
Ellie: I like Mr Waylon. He's nice!
Dan: You want to convince your Gramps to invite rogues to a gala? Waylon would probably enjoy scaring the shit out of high society types. While playing with your menaces.
Bruce: You know Waylon?
Danny: Uh huh! Mr Waylon was getting bullied for how he looks. Dad beat em up. And now Mr Waylon comes over for dinner some times!
Dan: Waylon's chill. He likes the kids. Thinks they're hilarious little brats.
Jason: Which he isn't wrong about. I'm trying to convince him to work as security for one of my legal ventures.
Jazz: Mr Waylon is scared it will make people think Papa is a villain. Plus, people are mean to him. And scared of him.
Bruce:.. If I invite him, would you agree to a gala?
Dan: Why not. If nothing else? It means the gala won't be attacked. Plus, the kids need to learn how to deal with rich snobs.
Duke: This can only go hilariously. Dibs on standby. I don't want to actually go.
Cass: Dibs also!
Steph: Me three!
Bruce: Fine. The rest of you should turn up at least.
Tim: Dammit. Fine, at least I can use the three terrors as a shield.
Damian: If any old ladies try to pinch your cheeks? You may hide behind me. Father will not allow me to stab them. I doubt he would agree to let you.
Dan:... Jay, love, where are we gonna find me a suit?
Alfred: Master Bruce's tailor will be made available to you. His friend Clark suffers the same as yourself.
Okay, but the "Gotham is calmer than our original home" things is gonna stick in their heads, especially cause Cass can tell that they're being honest. That's not the story of things to be brushed aside, cause Gotham is widely regarded as one of if not the worst cities to live in the world, so where did they come from?
Their pursuit of answers for this line of questions could be hope they find out about Dan's actual origin story, which will make Bruce insufferable about everyone being able to change and grow for a while. (Though it would be interesting if he could beg Clockwork for ideas on how to help with reforming his rogues and removing Gotham's curses.)
Bruce just keeps hitting nothing. Dan and his kids? Did not exist until four fake ID's popped into existence. So. Aliens or another dimension. Fuck. Ok. So, he is going to start making a list. And ask the Green Lanterns of they know of any species with these traits. Jason and Dan as fully aware. And highly amused. Jason knows, Dan told him everything. But Jason is a petty bitch and is hiding the knowledge.
Bruce has no idea of just how far Dan went. So sure, ex-con who is being redeemed by fatherhood is great. But he's under the impression he was, at worst, as bad as Jason. Who he has already convinced to be less murdery.
Who wants to be Dan helps Jason kill Joker as an anniversary gift?
Oh, Dan definitely does, if he doesn't do it sooner. He might've accidentally reformed himself but he still doesn't accept threats to his family existing.
Do they ever find out the true origin of Dan and his "kids"? How & how long did that take?
I think Dan would make a date of the murder. Mostly cause he knows Jay would enjoy watching someone avenge him.
I get the feeling that any truth about their story told to the Bats? Would be downplayed as much as possible. Jason knows exactly how Bruce would react to bring told his son in law is a world ending threat. He does not want that thanks. The truth of the kids being de-aged siblings? Them on the run from murderous government branch? That much they would share.
@ailithnight "found the business end of three startled meta toddlers and a mama bear." lmao
I was initially operating under the assumption that Dan knew who the kids were (Dan: REMATCH- wtf baby me baby jazz baby clone wtfwtfwtf-) but continuing it seems like that might not be the case and from Dan's perception Clockwork just dumped 3 random babies on him.
Dan after figuring it out just sits in a silent crises for a bit then starts trying to track down Clockwork for the sole purpose of cursing at him in person.
