I found a tag. I want this tag. If I'm gonna have ancient of space Danny just be unaware of the power he holds, then him playing games like the Sims or spore and just not realizing that these are actual worlds he is controlling, is the way I want it done.
I say there would be no better thing in the world for Danny to just be unaware that each "new game" he starts is an actual world he's creating, and people who he is affecting. It just seems like, so perfect, because what shows the distance between a mortal and a god, let alone one that's considered a child, than the God's actions being viewed as nothing more than trivial, the creation and destruction of worlds as simple as playing a game, people and their lives just toys or characters.
Until what would happen one day for the people of these worlds they've created to attempt to reach out to the one who created their world, be it because something is endangering their world, or a cult not understanding just what they would be summoning, but now they stand before their creator, the God of their world, who looks at the heroes before them with what can only be described as curiosity, head tilted almost akin to an animal trying to figure something out, breaking through the barrier like it wasn't even there to float around the heroes like gravity had no effect on them, recognition and slight surprise painting their young looking face.
So, Scarecrow attacks Gotham Academy for some reason. All the kids are scared and Damian is angry and frustrated that he can't do anything to help without risking his identity.
As the chaos is unfolding, in stumbles a half asleep Danny (new kid at school) with a coffee in his hand and no spacial awareness. He just strolls right into the middle of what's happening without even opening his eyes. Just trying to make it to class before the bell rings.
Scarecrow, obviously annoyed, grabs Danny and tries to get him to stop.
Danny grabs the guy's arm so hard you can hear his bones creak and judo slams him into the ground, eyes still closed and coffee still in hand. He tilts his head back in a giant and excessively loud yawn and looks down to squint at Scarecrow.
"Dude, Halloween isn't for another six months. What's with the costume?"
Everyone looks on him horrified fascination as Danny decides not to wait for an answer to his question, and instead lumbers off. Still half asleep and trying to get to a class that is most definitely canceled.
And Damian, is left standing amongst the crowd wondering if he can convince his family that 16 is old enough to get married.
Today was a terrible day. A Scarcrow attack on his University in second period. A Joker attack during fifth period. A Bane attack on his way to and from school. And now he was stuck as an unwilling contestant in the Riddler's latest game. The Riddler, who kept talking and talking and talking into the camera, broadcasting this to the entire city, and possibly the world if anyone outside of Gotham cared to tune in. Danny was kinda just... blankly staring at the ground, mentally calculating how many fucks he had to give at the present moment to decide if he should just phase out and fuck off to go back to his dorm and catch some Zs.
At least he had been, until the Riddler suddenly demanded his attention by stealing his lanyard with his school ID front and center, the grown ass man grinning to himself like a satisfied child who thought bullying made him cool(no that particular thought was not personal at all why would you even say that) Only to pause with a look of increduality that was shown even through the eye mask.
The Riddler turned his attention back to the young man with soulless eyes. His voice was low but clear, and so was the disbelief in his tone. "Is your middle name seriously Danger?" The young man, probably a college student, chuckled to himself. "Aren't my parents hilarious?"
He was staring blankly at the far wall. "I think they cursed me."
I love dp x DC stories in which Ghost King Danny is summoned in his full Eldritch form and scaring the shit out of everyone. I also like it when it combines with aus of him talking in ghost speak and the translation gets wrangled, so he sounds a lot more threatening than he means to.
But in those stories ... his name doesn't really fit. What Eldritch God would be called Danny? Even Phantom isn't that scary.
Then I realized that if ghost speak gets translates wrongly and Danny said his name in ghost speak ... wouldn't it be translated wrong too?
And Daniel means God is my Judge in Hebrew while Phantom of course is a kind of ghost.
So,
The Justice League has summoned Danny and he doesn't realize that he's in his Eldritch form. His skin is black and filled with galaxies constantly being born and dying. His eyes are two endless black holes. His hair is the flash of the big bang. He's terrifying and awe-inspiring.
As he speaks, it sounds like millions of beings screaming in agony before breathing their last breath.
And then Danny says "Hi! My name is Danny Phantom, the Ghost King, how can I help you?"
But what the JL hears through the translation is: "I am the Judge of Gods and the restless Dead, Ruler of the Infinite, for what purpose hath thee summoned me?"
I once had a plan to read at least one classic novel from (almost) every country, I keep forgetting about it but I really should do it, I usually end up enjoying them
This was getting a bit out of hand with people sending asks instead of commenting, so I compiled everything that was sent to me under the cut. The rest of the recommendations are in the comments as usual. Thank you all for the recs!
shabby-alonso asked:
for classic novels, i would recommend Dream of Red Chamber, i think it might align with your tastes well!
Anonymous asked:
have you read notes of a crocodile by qiu miaojin? its a taiwanese classic
shmuel-ben-sarah-kcd2 asked:
Yentl the Yeshiva Boy by I. B. Singer
More queer Yiddish literature, I do love the movie too but the movie doesnât fully convey the utter transness of Anshel.
Anonymous asked:
For Argentinian classics I'd recommend Jorge Luis Borges! I recently finished one of his most well known collection "Ficciones" and enjoyed it :)
Anonymous asked:
have you gotten to read brazilian classic lit yet? The Posthumous Memoirs of BrĂĄs Cubas by Machado de Assis is one that defined our literature. i recommend The Devil to Pay in the Backlands by JoĂŁo GuimarĂŁes Rosa as well.
jarenka asked:
I recommend My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola for Nigerian lit. Utterly bizarre prose, 12/10.
kotitontunmanaaja asked:
Sonewhat western book rec depending on your definition, but 'My Cat Yugoslavia' is definitely a modern Finnish classic by Finnish Kosovan author Pajtim Statovci - queer themes, some nice surreal imagery with and a nice layered structure of dual timelines in one family, questions about belonging, intergenerational trauma and refugee life and such. One of the books that got me reading again after a long time!
fatalwa asked:
For book recs - I will double the author and the name in the original Ukrainian so you would have better chances of finding them:
âą The Yellow Prince (ĐĐŸĐČŃĐžĐč ĐșĐœŃĐ·Ń) by Vasyl Barka (ĐĐ°ŃĐžĐ»Ń ĐĐ°ŃĐșĐ°)
âą Do oxen low when mangers are full? (ЧО ŃĐ”ĐČŃŃŃ ĐČĐŸĐ»Đž ŃĐș ŃŃла ĐżĐŸĐČĐœŃ?) by Ivan Bilyk and Panas Myrnyi (ĐĐČĐ°Đœ ĐŃлОĐș, ĐĐ°ĐœĐ°Ń ĐĐžŃĐœĐžĐč)
âą Clouds (Đ„ĐŒĐ°ŃĐž) by Ivan Nechui-Levytskyi (ĐĐČĐ°Đœ ĐĐ”ŃŃĐč-ĐĐ”ĐČĐžŃŃĐșĐžĐč)
âą ĐŻ (Đ ĐŸĐŒĐ°ĐœŃĐžĐșĐ°) / I (Romantic) by Mykola Khvylovyi (ĐĐžĐșĐŸĐ»Đ° Đ„ĐČОлŃĐŸĐČĐžĐč)
âą Enchanted Desna (ĐĐ°ŃĐ°ŃĐŸĐČĐ°ĐœĐ° ĐĐ”ŃĐœĐ°) by Oleksandr Dovzhenko (ĐлДĐșŃĐ°ĐœĐŽŃ ĐĐŸĐČĐ¶Đ”ĐœĐșĐŸ)
I don't really know what kind of literature you prefer so I decided to give 5 different recommendations for you to choose from.
Anonymous asked:
Since you like Hesse, I'd definitely recommend Antal Szerb's Journey by Moonlight (Hungarian classic)
Anonymous asked:
Since someone already mentioned Machado de Assis, i'll recommend then Os SertÔes by Euclides da Cunha, i have never read it fully but it is sure considered a brazilian classic
Anonymous asked:
Brazilian here! About reading a classic from every country, I'd heavily recommend Alexandre e Outros HerĂłis by Graciliano Ramos!
It's one of his lesser known books but it is excellent. He is one of the best writers in the history of my country. It's also, in my opinion, his best book!
the devils by dostoesvky â INSANE characters with homoerotic subtext and crazy plot;
the idiot (also by him) â the gentlest character in the entirety of russian lit, the book kinda reads as "what if i put christ in modern world and made him fall for a tortured fantastic woman" (and she's one of the most fascinating female characters in RL) + you might be more interested in it because there's very strong visual imagery (eg dostoesvky was obsessed with the "dead christ" by holbein and it manifests in the text);
judas iscariot by leonid andreev â ALSO homoerotic subtext + such an interesting and fresh portrayal of jesus; god it's so good!!
the portrait by gogol â kinda wilde's the picture of dorian gray before dorian gray. genuinely reads as if gogol PAINTS the text (he was also a painter himself). the story of an artist, insanity and art. a fascinating read!
(via @hellamorte)
Ok, inspired by @toadlett, I started compiling these in a google doc
WORLD LITERATURE LIST Asia Afghanistan: Armenia: Azerbaijan: Bahrain: Bangladesh: Bhutan: Brunei: Cambodia: China: Dream of Red Cha
And I saw that there are many lists online of a similar kind, but as I'm mostly interested in classical literature rather than modern, and also as I'd like to prioritize the books that have been recommended to me rather than ones I find online, I'll continue to curate this list. Thank you again! âșïž
Just want to make sure people are aware that the artist is on ArtStation and many of these, including the longing stare at witch one, are in fact for sale as prints for highly reasonable prices - the cheapest option being an 8 by 12 art poster for 18 US dollars (plus shipping).
This is the best description Iâve heard for this method, I always thought it was bullshit because I never heard a description that actually explained how to do this other than âtap your head 20 timesâ.
I have anxiety-induced hissing, which sounds/feels different from sound-induced tinnitus (which I have also experience). Sound-based tinnitus actually sounds like youâre âhearingâ something in your ears, whilst the hissing I have feels like itâs âinside my headâ, if that makes sense. But this technique still helps!!
I think one of the big strengths of fanfiction as a medium is that it can, on average, assume the reader has a way higher degree of familiarity with canon than likeâŠcanon can. If youâre in the Star Wars AO3 tag you probably like Star Wars enough to remember more things about it than the average Star Wars-enjoying-ten-year-old. Which makes it way easier for fanwriter a to get to the juicy stuff and really engage with the worldbuilding or minor characters without having to spell out like. Who Wedge Antilles is for everyone who forgot or never noticed him in the first place. You could write a book about Wedge in the old EU because EU readers could also be assumed to be serious fans, but you canât make a new canon Disney+ show about him. Those cost money to make and are intended for a broader audience.
And all this means that like. A good fic writer can and often will surpass canon when it comes to like. Thematic resonance and stuff, because they can really dig into something. Star Trek 2009 gave Kirk a new, more generic tragic backstory because it couldnât expect the average moviegoer to be familiar with Kirkâs old, way more interesting tragic backstory. (Frankly, Iâm not sure jj abrams knew about TOS Kirkâs backstory) whereas I have read a LOT of well-written, interesting, deeply resonant fanfic examinations of Tarsus IV, and what it means for Kirkâs character that heâs a genocide survivor. Star Trek 2009 answers the question âwhy did Kirk cheat on the kobayashi maru?â With ââcause his dad crashed a spaceship when he was a baby.â A close examination of TOS canon implies the answer is âbecause he lived through a real-life Kobayashi that did have a win option, but which wasnât taken.â BUTâand this is significantâeven the TOS canon movies canât really assume knowledge of the full TOS tv show, so that implication is never examined or made explicit. Instead itâs fanfic (and maybe spin off novels? Idk Iâve only read 2 trek books, if thereâs one out there that covers this that would be really cool) where we get dives into that thread, where Kirk gets a commendation for original thinking because he can look a testing board in the eye and say âIâve seen what happens when someone is entrenched in this kind of thinking, and I cannot let it happen to me. I understand the lesson, but itâs not hypothetical anymore and it never will be. I did what I had to do.â And thatâs interesting! Thatâs meaningful! That canât happen in a summer blockbuster. But it can happen in fic, easily, and thatâs a strength of fic, I think.
I hope you don't mind me adding to this very good post, but in general i think the financial supremecy of movies and (more recently) tv has lead a lot of people to assume that the best stories can be interchanged between mediums. That every book can be adapted into a movie, every light novel into an anime, every movie into a video game etc etc
and that's the same attitude that underlies all the 'the goal of fanfic is to file of the serial numbers and publish it' or 'fanfic isn't real writing because real writing is novels and fanfic is usually structurally so different from a novel' type of takes come from.
this assumption that the medium is largely coincidental to the story being told
when that's just not true.
the very best adaptations always change things, because mediums are not interchangeable, and they fundamentally shape the stories told in them.
there are things you can do in fanfic that are simply not possible in a traditional novel, because you're starting from that possition of love and knowledge, and because you aren't bound by the need to be canon compliant, so you can ask questions like 'if these characters met in other lives, under different circumstances, what would they be like? how different would they be? how much of what makes them them is tied to the circumstances they found themselves in?' or 'what was it like to not be the heroes, to not be actively involved in the cool exciting bits? what was it like to be a minor character, left behind to deal with the consequences' because your audience is already invested, they'll show up for questions like that in a way a movie or novel or tv audience wouldn't.
there are things you can do in a podcast or radio play that are not possible in visual mediums like film or tv, because you're relying on the audiences imagination. there's a reason the best radio comedy tends to be surreal, and the best podcasts tend to be horror, those are both genres that thrive when the audience's imagination is allowed to fill in blanks.
there are things you can do on TV that are not possible in a novel or a movie. the way WandaVision completely changed its visual style with each episode is something that would not work in any other genre, but it's essential to the story. TV usually exists in very defined seasons, but cannot traditionally be consumed all in one go, which is not true of almost any other medium, and that dictates a specific type of pacing. combine that with the fact that it's a visual medium, and you get something like the overarching stories of the 9th Doctor's season of Doctor Who. No other medium could have delivered the resolution to that storyline as effectively.
Video games can force the audience to consider their own part in events. No movie could do what Spec Ops did, when it gives you a button prompt to commit a war crime, and then turns around and asks you why? why did you do that? was it too easy? do you think it felt like this when the US government committed the exact same war crime within living memory? Was it easy then too? A novel or a movie could show you walker doing this terrible thing, but it could never convey the point with the same effective simplicity, and it could never make you the audience feel culpable. only the author is responsible for the actions of the characters in a novel, but in a game, it's the audience who bears that responsibility, and that allows for moral questions other mediums struggle to effectively convey.
Comics can tell stories that take three decades and ten different writers to tell. Movies can use silence more effectively than any other medium because cinemas give you a captive audience and close-ups means you can reliably assume they can see everything that's happening (unlike theatre, which can use silence, but can't assume everyone has a good view). Theatre provides real time audience interactivity and a very special and unique kind of suspension of disbelief. Professional wrestling can tell ongoing stories in real time over years or decades, and walk the line between fiction and reality. Novels can immerse you more fully in one person's view of the world than any other medium (which also allows for information to be hidden from the reader without it feeling cheap the way it can when a movie does the same thing). Live oral storytelling allows the story to be adapted on the fly to fit audience reactions, allows for infinite variations of the same story, because no two tellings will ever be identical.
Fanfic isn't a genre, not really. Fanfic has genres, but it isn't a genre in and of itself. Fanfic is a medium, and like all mediums, it offers storytelling tools that are unique to it, that it does better than any other medium. and as OP pointed out, one of the big ones is that it can assume both familiarity and love from the audience to the characters depicted. We can stray far further afield from where we started in fanfic than the original creator ever could, because our anchors are not the narrative, but the characters.
     When the creature- no, being stepped through the portal, Bruce didnât know what to expect. Heâd created as many plans as he possibly could regarding everything he knew about the entity, which was frustratingly not enough for even twenty possibilities. Depending on how the meeting went, it was highly possible heâd be cobbling together a plan based on contingencies for Darkseid, Klarion, hell even Superman. He didnât know what to expect, just enough to know that the entity was more powerful than anything and anyone that Constantine could think of.
     The first part of the entity visible through the vertical Lazarus portal - and wasnât that worrisome by itself - was their feet. Clad in white boots, ones that seemed impractical as anything more than a fashion statement, platforms that led up to buckles and even some chains and ended just below the knee. The beingâs legs were clad in black, a material that looked like something halfway between Kevlar and leather. They had a black tunic, with intricate silver designs embroidered into the fabric, with long sleeves that tucked into archery gloves, also of a white material. Over the right shoulder, a white fur-trimmed cape was draped, flapping in the wind that only seemed to affect the entity, with the inside fabric showcasing what appeared to be multiple galaxies. The entityâs face suggested they were a male-inclined being, taking the form of a young adult male, Caucasian - lacking in melanin but outside of that and the pure white hair, there seemed to be no other signs of albinism - with unnervingly green eyes which swept across the gathering as the entity adjusted one of their gloves. Elfin ears and sharp teeth completed the look of other as the entity grimaced at what they saw.
     Yet, despite how much this being looked like theyâd just stepped outside of one of Timâs video games, the most eye-catching parts were the glowing ice crown and the gently flaming ring.
     Before anyone could address the entity once the portal had closed, they looked over their own form as if checking something. Then, holding a finger up when someone tried to speak, looked down at the summoning circle as if to read it. Slowly turning in a circle, catching at one part, then turning towards Constantine. âCome hither.â The entity beckoned the magician as the otherworldly voice echoed in the room.
     âAs if, Iâm not falling for such a blatant trick, mate.â Understandably, Constantine was resistant.
     The entity rolled their eyes. âYour foolish mortal mind will not be capable of understanding mine words. The rune is doomed.â It was more obvious now that the beingâs words were being translated, words continuing even though the entityâs mouth was shut. âEven should I attempt thine language, it would be impossible for mere mortals to comprehend.â
     âYeah? And you know how to improve a summoning circle?â Bruce frowned; if the being was truly as powerful as Constantine said they were, then why was he antagon- pride. Constantineâs pride as a magician was being insulted when another pointed out the flaws in his magic.
     The entityâs grin was too wide with too many teeth, âundoubtedly.â
Bruce Wayne is Scared of Bats. This is a Canon Fact.
In a difference from canon, Batman pretends to actually BE a bat man.
(Again, âLoading and Aspect Ratioâ by JUBE514 situation with fake wings. Please go read it I love it so much.)
Bruce turns himself into a physical manifestation of his personal worst nightmares, and sets out to be a street cryptid. People see him flinching from bright lights and loud noises (he hasnât slept in three days and he really hates guns) twitching weirdly (testing his wings function/stimming) not fully understanding human social niceties (you cannot tell me this man isn't Autistic) and, duh, wings, and go ah yes this being is Inhuman.
However, people KNOW Brucie Wayneâą is petrified of bats. There was an incident at a party when one flew through a window, another at a zoo, there was this one time Manbat showed up and he practically teleported away. No one saw him for a whole month, even after Batman had captured Manbat. (He got injured in the fight.)
By extension, this means that Bruce Wayne is afraid of Batman. Just- absolutely terrified of him. No ones seen them in the same place. Ever. Bruce Wayne actually publicly refuses to even believe in the cryptid for YEARS past when he's already been proven to exist.
When the Justice League gets called in to protect Bruce and his smattering of children from some plot (batman conspicuously absent, despite Gotham being his territory) Bruce straight up tells the league that he doesnât believe in Batman, and he feels much safer with âreal heroesâ rather than âa urban legend spawned from overdramatic furries and gang wars.â
The justice league is, obviously, confused.
Certified little shits Dick, Jason, and Tim, (because weâre going with JUBE514âs canon and jason doesnât die theyâre all brothers f off-)
ANYWAYS: Certified Little Shits Dick, Jason, and Tim, ready for chaos/solidifying secret identities: âDonât worry! We believe in batman! We saw him!â :D
They then proceed to tell the justice league that Bruce HAS met Batman, but he has a phobia of bats, so when Batman saved them at a gala Bruce screamed so loud and shrill he threw off the bat-hearing and then punched batman in the face so hard he knocked him out cold, grabbed then-baby Jason and ran. (Nightwing and the second Robin had to HEROICALLY rescue a dazed Batman, Dick saw it with his own eyes!)
Bruce was so scared of the bat coming to take revenge that he jumped at every shadow for a whole month. Why, Jason, (who was younger then) had slept in Bruce's bed to keep him safe! (Dick is crooning about his cute little brother. Jason, who is hitting his growth spurt and not a little kid anymore, is infinitely embarrassed.) Right now, Brucie has settled into firmly denying Batmanâs entire existence so that he can sleep soundly at night.
âWhy is he so scared of bats?â The Justice League is wondering. Oh, they are so glad they asked!
âAlfred told us a story once,â Dick says, eyes wide and innocent as he prepares to lie through his fucking teeth, âthat when Bruce was little, really little, he got trapped in a cave filled with bats, and his dad had to come rescue him. Apparently, Little Bruce had been crying about a massive bat, even bigger than he was, with glowing red eyes and human hands and (gasp) wait oh my goodness gracious what if that was the BATMAN :0â
âThe baby batman.â Jadon adds.
âBatboy?â Tim wonders.
âAlfred, do you think Bruce met Batman when they were little?â Dick asks.
âI believe,â Alfred âthe greatest enablerâ Pennyworth hums, offering fresh baked scones to thier gleeful audience, âthat Master Bruce referred to what he saw as âthe bat kingâ and reported seeing him outside his window several times over the years.â
âMaybe it really was him! Will you ask Batman for us?â Tim asks, already planning to hack the watchtower cameras and set up some popcorn with his brothers.
The Justice League, who have learned more about the Batman in one conversation than they have over MANY years of working together, tell the Wayne children that it will be their Genuine Pleasure to quiz batman on his interactions with BRUCIE WAYNE who has, apparently, laid batman out cold with one punch.
Alfred adds on that he personally thinks the Batman is being rather courteous to Master Bruce, as âbat kingâ sightings were after âdifficult timesâ and he doesnât come near the manor otherwise, as robin had been the one to return some family heirlooms that one time they were stolen. He calls the batman and his robins âpolite young gentlemenâ and then leaves.
But now the gears are turning in the justice leagues heads. Batman? Courteous? Polite? Batman is not Courteous or Polite. Not unless something else is going on.
Now. From their point of view. Batman lives in the cave systems under the richest houses in Gotham, Phantom of the Opera style, hiding his meta form (because this batman is playing cryptid really well. Maybe he was a mutant baby of some Rich Gothamites, who threw him into the caves in shame!) Heâs been watching Bruce Wayne, likely as he struggled with the highly reported on demise of his parents, seeing the effects that crime had on the boy that fell into his cave all those years ago. Batman has always been so protective of children, so hateful of guns, obviously the Wayne tragedy is part of what motivates him. He loves Gotham dearly, territorial of it to the point of keeping other heroes out, and yet he breaks that rule here, for Gotham's prince, solely for Bruceâs comfort.
Bruce, another person who obviously loves the city of Gotham just as much, putting millions into charity and relief efforts. Who is clearly very protective of his children, even if he usually has no spine, to the point of attacking his greatest fear to keep then safe, and good enough to land a hit, even. (Bruce Wayne is also considerably attractive.)
Its all so clear to the Justice League: Batman is madly in love with Bruce Wayne. Has been for years. To the point of watching him sleep, on occasion. How very tragic! Batman, in love with someone he can never be with! Not only would it paint a massive target on Bruceâs back if they ever did get together- thereâs no questioning what Gotham villains would do if they discovered this, (and denying himself love out of an attempt to keep others safe is EXACTLY the kind of self-sacrificing nonsense Batman would pull) But Batman canât even truly see the man heâs in love with without Brucie running away in terror! Well, the poor guy⊠how sadâŠ
This conclusion can be supported by the following evidence-
Batman being the one to catch the guy who put the hit out on Bruce. He sent them to babysit/make sure Bruce was safe while dealt with the actual threat. (Bruce had a suspiciously long bathroom break/a nap)
Batmanâs first appearance being right after Bruce Wayne returned to Gotham. Was the bat following him to protect him in those missing years? Or maybe he decided to clean up the city now that his beloved had returned?
Batman always being seen near where Bruce is. Heâs never once been at the watchtower when Bruce has a public appearance- he must be watching over him, a silent guardian in case someone gets it in their head to kidnap Gothamâs Prince.
Batman insisting that Bruce is innocent in a corporate scheme, despite evidence to the contrary. (Hes right in the end, of course, but theyâve never seen him ignore evidence so clear.)
Batman casually referencing Wayne Tech/Foundation inner workings- he keeps an eye on them, of course. (If he canât be close to the object of his affections, the league reasons, of course heâd make sure that Bruceâs company and projects are on the right track)
Nightwing, when asked, confirms the Bruce Punching Batman story. He says âhonestly I think B was impressed! Caught him off guard!â (Since when does Batman lower his guard? Only when heâd be⊠distracted, perhapsâŠ)
Superman saves Bruce, who thanks him with a kiss on the cheek. Later, justice league was teasing Clark, batman huffs and leaves the room. Heâs CLEARLY jealous! Superman feels just awful!
Batman inexplicably knowing social dances/high society manners- he must have learned by watching (stalking) bruce! He can navigate high profile talk if he wants to, he just doesnât want to most of the time. but if the situation calls for it he can talk like the Richest of Pricks in a way that only comes with observation.
Batman bristling when some of the league members start making Comments on Brucie Wayneâs Physical Attributes. (Jealousy? Defensiveness? Perhaps⊠embarrassment at GLâs detailed explanation on what heâd do with a chance in bed with Brucie.)
Batman absolutely freezing up when confronted with any of the above evidence. (Heâs trying SO HARD not to laugh/go tell his kids)
Dick/Jason being big enough to wear the Bat-wings rather than thier own and be convincing- they save Bruce, though the man passes out (from fear? Blood loss from an injury? Perhaps- he is faking) and Dick/Jason, either out of genuine concern for their dad or general âhow can i stir the potâ chaos, gently strokes his hair away from his face in an act of compassion that the cameras just so happen to catch. (Thereâs a few tears shed in the justice league- poor batman! He canât be with his love!)
The robins (in both identities) telling the justice league that they've seen batman watching him.
âoh yeah he does background checks on aaaaaall bruces conquests. Had a conniption when brucie found a mafia boss that one time.â
âAnd when he found out Bruce and Two-face had a fling!â
(The league notes that often, if a criminal gets too close to Brucie, theyâre put away not long after. B is usually collecting evidence in his civilian ID. But it looks like angry Batman wanted them to get the hell away from his mans.)
The Justice League is swooning over this tragic, forbidden love story. Batman is a little creepy but hey. He apparently grew up in a cave system. Its a wonder he's as well adjusted as he is. Batman has their sympathy, he seems less unflappable/untouchable, theyâre a little more understanding with him now. Superman is all too happy to be a rebound, if needed. There are magic users offering glamour spells. Green Lantern is making exposure therapy innuendos.
The robins canât believe how lucky they got. Theyâre def grounded but B canât be too mad bc his secret identity is FUKIN SET.
Alfred is rather proud of Batman's new nickname in the league being âthe bat kingâ and keeps sending batman along with cookies. The league thinks Batman is checking up on bruce with his butler. Its a mess.
Eventually, Batman loses a bet to one of his kids. Committing to the Bit with an exasperated sigh (heâs definitely not having fun, shut up jason.)
"You know, there's a lot of people that talk about you. In the Infinite realms, I mean."
Batman, who was currently in the Justice League Watchtower going over the latest mission logs, let out an affirming grunt as he listened to Phantom's words.
The ghost had recently joined the league. And while mostly helping the JLD, he could often be found in the Watchtower simply stargazing.
Bruce knew that Phantom had contact with the dead. He informed the League that there are plenty of dead he could interact with in the mortal plane and the Infinite Realms. But this was the first time he's ever brought up the dead talking about one of them before.
"Yeah, there are plenty of them that hate your guts y'know. Like a lot of people. I'm pretty sure a lot of their obsessions were getting revenge on you in someway."
Bruce continued to type, not turning as he allowed the adolescent ghost talk. He wondered why he was bringing it up. Was it his own way of trying to warn him that a ghost is angry with him? With the League? That something was coming that he couldn't interfere with?
"One of them says hi, by the way. She said you knew her as 'Ace'?"
Silence. Bruce froze as the words settlted in. His fingers frozen against the keys of the computer that the keys his fingers rested on began to spam the same letters on the screen until they filled his vision. But his mind was elsewhere completely.
Ace. Ace. So many cases that involved children, all of which he remembered because he was most likely the last many have met. But Ace's case, her and the Royal Flush Gang, her being controlled by the Joker, being there in her final moments, all of that still rested in his mind like it was yesterday.
"Ace said that." Bruce said as he finally turned to face Phantom. His eyes searching and inquisitive despite being hidden behind his lenses. Even his voice, had a tad bit of curiosity in its usual flat tone.
Phantom grinned and flew around his Bruce's head in a lazy manner.
"Yeah! Though, she goes by Queenie in the Infinite Realms. Queen of Aces in her Kingdom of Cards. She managed to make her own haunt fairly quick too. A nice place. And she's doing good too. If she's not in her own little of her kingdom, she's playing with Youngblood. A Queen and pirate, she's got variety." Phantom laughed softly before floating in front of Bruce, his gaze soft as he smiled at him.
"She told me about what you did. About you being there for her before she passed. Said she was thankful to have one living friend before she passed." His grin turned mischievious. "She also said that if you ever need royal help, she'd be more than help you. She'd love to have the Dark Knight in her kingdom."
Bruce stood there, processing what he had learned in the short time span. Ace lived on in the Infinite Realms. She was living freely without anyone controlling her. She thought about him even after all this time.
There were many things that flowed through his mind as he processed the thought. He knew, from what Phantom explained, that the Infinite Realms were filled with beings who ran on high emotions and obsessions. In comparison to Ace, he knew that the girl was angry. Angry about being used. Angry about not having the normal childhood she had wanted. She may have seemed at peace at the end, but she must have held some of that emotion if she ended up in the Realms. It reminded Bruce of the thought he had of how many of him and his family could end up the same way.
"And she is...happy?"
Phantom blinked before his expression softened to one that looked like fondness and understanding.
"She is adjusting well and is doing good. Definitely has enough skills to take care of her. But I can always watch her, just in case."
Bruce slowly nodded, his expression blank except for the slight twitch of his lips at the words.
"Good," he said as he turned back to focus on the computer, "tell me more about her Haunt."
For the next hour, Bruce listened as Phantom explained Ace-Queenie's haunt in avid detail. And if he was caught smiling at the mention of a placement for a Knight of Ace's, he would deny it avidly.
Danny was really starting to hate the Justice League.
Not for the obvious reasons. Not for the âghosts arenât realâ bullshit, or for the years they ignored his calls back when he was a teenage vigilante desperately holding his city together with duct tape and trauma. Noâthose were old wounds, scarred over and mostly forgotten.
The real problem showed up ten years later, when Danny had finally fixed almost everything that had ever gone wrong in his existence.
For some fucked-up reason, the Justice League discovered that the King of the Infinite Realms had changed. And instead of doing the sensible thingâlike minding their own business or being afraidâthey decided, like a pack of overconfident idiots, to summon him.
At first? It went fine.
Danny played the part perfectly: calm, distant, ancient in the way only immortals could be. He negotiated cleanly, secured an alliance that overwhelmingly benefited them, smiled politely through the skepticism, and then went home to sleep for the first time in three days.
He genuinely thought that was the end of it.
Maybeâmaybeâif Earth was ever on the brink of total collapse, if reality itself started screaming, theyâd call him again. That would have made sense.
Instead, it turned out they had absolutely no idea ghosts were real.
Worse, they didnât realize he was the king.
His Phantom form wasnât taken seriouslyâtoo young, too human, too familiar. So they started calling him. Every single fucking day. Strategy meetings. Governance seminars. Moral lectures. Thinly veiled attempts to âguideâ him.
Teach him how to rule.
As if a handful of Earth-based heroes could explain leadership to someone who governed infinite afterlives, hostile dimensions, eldritch entities older than language, and entire realms that didnât obey linear time. As if he hadnât been putting down rebellions before some of them were born. As if he hadnât personally rewritten laws of death because the old ones were inefficient.
After a month of patient explanationsâof calmly stating that he was not a child, not a student, and certainly not their subordinateâDanny stopped being patient.
Because at that point, it wasnât ignorance anymore.
It was disrespect.
And Danny Phantom, King of the Infinite Realms, was starting to remember that declaring war was not only an optionâ
Yâknow that cliche drama set up - the rich male lead gets roofied by some scheming chick, ends up finding the poor down-on-her-luck female lead and doing it with her instead, usually ending up with her pregnant or her curing his woman allergy, so he marries her to take responsibility. That one? The one thatâs overused in Asian dramas (but that I watch every time because yesssss) and, idk, possibly other dramas? I mean, havenât watched American dramas passed the snippets I got from when my mom watched soaps, and I am always bewildered by the clips Iâve seen of telenovelas, and I dunno anything about the British drama scene and- anyways. Yes, that overused plot line.
That, but Dead Tired.
Tim, who let himself be roofied for The Mission:
Danny, just trying to hide from people and Vlad at this shitty gala he was forced to go to: ⊠you good, man?
Tim, stumbling because the room is rudely spinning: I just⊠needâŠ
Danny: whoa! Alright, uh, Iâm gonna just- do you need water? I didnât think there was alcohol at this party, thoughâŠ
Tim, squinting at the black and white blob talking in front of him: wha�
Danny: right, um, I have a hotel room a couple floors up? Could let you crash there until you feel better?
Tim, slowly blinking as he tries to make sense of the words:
Danny: yea, Iâm vetoing your decision-making rights, youâre clearly not sober enough for that and I donât trust a single person in Gotham as far as a house cat can throw them. Youâre also prolly not sober enough to find your room, if you even have one.
Danny, picking Tim up bridal style: up we go, and we have lift off.
Tim, starting to feel warmer, leaning his head into Dannyâs neck: âs hot.
Danny, awkwardly: uh, I mean, I guess I can just⊠[pushes his own temperature down]
Tim, sighing blissfully: mmâŠ
Danny, opening his roomâs door: donât judge me for the mess, I wasnât expecting to bring anybody- up????
Tim, doing his absolute best to put all the marks he can fit onto Dannyâs neck:
5 hours later...
Tim, mortified: I am so sorry.
Danny, exhausted: what, why? Actually, would you mind meeting up again later so we can... maybe do this again, with less aphrodisiacs?
Tim, after giving Danny a once-over: y'know what? Why not. Sure. Maybe we could even go on a few dates.
Danny, surprised: wait, really? Yes!
Then they get together, identities are revealed, happily ever after with some speed bumps along the way - you get the idea.
Extra: Another possible way this could go...
Danny, exhausted: wow, just wow.
Tim, mortified, not thinking straight: I will take responsibility, we can probably find a courthouse that's open at this hour - if not, I'm sure I can find a judge to bribe into making it official-
Danny, confused: what are you talking about?
Tim, matter-of-fact: so we can get married, duh. I won't let any child we've potentially conceived be a bastard!
Danny, cis-male: uh, okay.
Several months later...
Tim, also cis-male: I can't believe I thought you'd get pregnant... what.
Danny, amused: It's okay, I know a guy that can make us a kid if that's what you really want.
Tim: nah, I can do that myself - just, what was I thinking??
Danny: prolly about how good of a lay I am. Also, what???
Danny was asked where his in memorium is, after saving another civilian on a JL mision.
Danny in all his glory just "hu?"
"You know, so i can put a thank you for saving me ofrend"
"Oh.. i i dont have one- not even in my secret identidy i had a grave... but thank you so much for thinking of that" the sinsere and melancholical smile that the ghost hero give to the civilian was so full of emotion that even the people acros the screen could feel it.
Not knowing that he was recorded, Phantom guve a false saluted and continued with his work.
The video soon become viral, and with that, little by little a lot of in memoriums and shirenes started poping up all around the globe.
I loved this and kind of just took it and just ran with it. Prompt/Idea credit entirely to OP.
Danny never cared about having a grave when he first died. He had enough on his plate dealing with the half-dead/half-alive fiasco, and he for sure couldn't focus on it when he was constantly fighting ghosts coming through the portal, the GIW, and his own parents.
Sam asked him once if he had ever had a chance to really grieve himself after one particularly nasty run in with the GIW that left him hurt and upset.
That was the first time he ever thought about it. Thought about a grave.
When he brought it up to Frostbite and some of the other ghosts, they were all shocked and upset that he didn't have a grave or memorial for the portion of life he had already lost. Even if he were still technically alive, he was fundamentally changed. Shouldn't there be some place of significance where he and his friends, his family, could go to remember what he once was? What he could have become had the portal not opened on him that fateful day?
Danny realized that he had started for long to the connection that the other ghosts described between their graves, memorials, and ofrendas to the living world and their own histories.
But he couldn't very well ask his parents to help him figure out how to set up a grave without outing himself as no longer fully human. He wouldn't ask his friends or Jazz to help him symbolically bury who he no longer was. He refused to put that additional trauma and burden on their shoulders.
So he just... didn't have one. And time moved forward. As everything aged and grew around him, his ghost form remained almost unchanged. Stuck at the physical appearance of the day he died and unable to let himself grieve that loss, and serving as another constant reminder of his ending adolescence.
Eventually. he got out of Amity Park and was recruited by the JL. It took a long time to convince them that he was actually not a young teenager, that he was bordering on just dead enough to stop aging but not dead enough to decay.
It hurt every time, but it was the reality of what was left of his life. So he pushed through the pain and focused on making a difference in a world that moves past him.
As threats rise and the JL responds, Phantom gains some recognition among civilians. He doesn't come out as often as some of the other heroes, but his presence is noticed nonetheless.
It was after a particularly grueling fight in Central City where an apartment complex collapsed trapping dozens of civilians that Danny found himself thinking of graves again.
He'd spent a better portion of the fight utilizing his intangibility to search through the rubble for survivors, pulling them out and helping to stabilize them away from the danger before going right back in to search for the next person.
It was after the dust settled and the villain had finally been led away by other JL members that an older lady came up to him.
She had been one of the first he had managed to help out of the rubble. One of the fortunate ones.
She limped over, her twisted ankle braced by a paramedic after he'd dropped her off, and she put a hesitant hand on his arm.
"Where can I pay my respects?" She whispered with a sad little smile.
Danny was initially confused.
"Huh? I'm not sure I understand what you mean, ma'am?" He responded back, matching her quiet tone out of respect.
"I'd like to pay my respects to you. To thank you for saving me, saving my family." She turned back to where several others were stood, just out of hearing range, watching the conversation unfold with the same sad little smiles as the woman before him.
"Where is your memorial, Phantom?"
And Danny... Danny couldn't. Couldn't think. Couldn't respond. Couldn't Breathe.
A harmless, polite, and so well-meaning question and he was suddenly 14 again, feeling the lightening from the portal as it spread through his body over and over and over and over again.
He was 15 and realizing he wasn't aging physically anymore in his Phantom form.
He was 16 and realizing that he was never able to grieve himself.
He was 17 and longing for a symbol of what he lost but unable to ask for help to achieve it.
He was 18 and leaving Amity Park in search of a sense of safety and security that had been lacking for years.
But Danny refused to lie to this woman. This woman who asked for so little but had unknowingly just uncovered so much. He couldn't make himself smile, laugh it off, and lie.
So he let out a wet chuckle, tears brimming in his eyes when he looked at her and finally managed to speak.
"I- I don't have one, ma'am. No version of me has ever had a grave, the kid or the hero... But thank you," Danny gently clasped his free hand over hers where it rested on his arm, pouring his genuine sincerity into his words. "Thank you so much for thinking to ask."
And the woman was quite for a moment. This child, this hero, had never had anybody grieve him in life or in death.
She reached her free hand up, cupped his face, and said, "You'll have one with me."
And Danny smiled, tears finally breaching down his face, before giving a polite nod and floating up and away from the group.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a few days later that Tucker sent him the video.
Somebody had been close enough to get a recording of the moment between him and the woman that day, close enough to catch his confession and truth.
And it sparked something beautiful.
The Hashtag #OneWithMe had started circling online within hours of the video going up. People from across the world that had been impacted by Danny as Phantom began erecting memorials and grave markers for him.
A farmer who he had helped pull from a grain silo when law enforcement couldn't figure out how to get to him safely without getting sucked into it themselves had taken a spare piece of tin from one of his buildings and carved out a headstone for Phantom. He'd shared a video of his young daughters putting flowers on at the makeshift headstone sitting at the edge of a beautiful, flourishing orchard. The video's audio capured the two girls thanking him for saving their dad.
A photo of a bookshelf in a home that had been cleared off except a few well done drawings and kid's drawings depicting Phantom protecting the young mother and her son from a robot that was shooting right for them.
An older lady had her neighbor help her post a photo of her ofrenda with the JL's official press photo of Phantom printed out and sitting above a cherry pie. Danny recognized the woman as a lady he had helped get home safe after somebody had attempted to mug her when she was walking home from the store one afternoon, bringing her husband's favorite pie to him since he was sick. He hadn't managed to leave her house before she'd handed him a slice and told him to come back anytime.
The lady from the apartment collapse had even posted a video. It showed her and her family in a makeshift bedroom as they lit a candle. Each member of the family, even ones he didn't remember saving or seeing during the search-and-rescue, took turns thanking him for saving them or expressing their gratitude for saving their loved ones.
And there were so. many. more.
There were hundreds of posts already: pictures and videos of makeshift headstones, memorials, and ofrendas that he had unknowingly become a part of. There were hundreds of people who were willing to make space for him, to help grieve him, to thank him.
And it was then that Danny realized. His half-life could be grieved, the adult hero in a child's body could be recognized, and he could live what life remained knowing that he'd left something impactful behind.
Maybe the physical grave or memorial doesn't mean nearly as much as the people who are there to use them.
Some Nonsense @mypenforfeit - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
