Part 5: Moving

uhhhhhhhhhhhhh batgordon

PHANTOM OF THE BATCAVE: A MUSICAL EPIC

There can only be one brother extras 5 - 25 + bonus parts

(Gotham City. Night. The Bat-Signal shines as the Bats gather on a rooftop. Suddenly—*music swells.)

OPENING NUMBER: "WHO’S THAT (GHOST) GUY?"

(The Batfamily spots Danny for the first time. Suspicion! Drama! Jazz hands!)

DICK: (dramatic spin) "Who’s that guy who caught Damian mid-air? Who’s that guy with the white-streaked hair? He’s too calm, it’s not fair— WHAT’S HIS DEAL, DOES HE CARE?!"

BATFAMILY (harmonizing): "WHO’S. THAT. GUYYYYY?!"

(Danny, oblivious, eats a sandwich in the background.)

DAMIAN’S SOLO: "TT (THE MUSICAL)"

(A furious, Broadway-worthy lament about his failed assassinations.)

DAMIAN: "Tt, tt, tt— I stabbed him twice and he called it ‘cute’! Tt, tt, tt— Now I’m perched here like some kind of brute! Grayson weeps, Father broods— BUT HE JUST RUFFLED MY HAIR AND I DIDN’T SHOOT!"

(Ellie appears out of nowhere to join the chorus.)

ELLIE: "WELCOME TO THE CLUB, KID, IT’S FUN BEING HIS!"

VILLAIN DUET: "JOKER’S LAMENT / WHY SO SPOOKY?"

(Joker and Riddler mourn their ruined chaos.)

JOKER: "I set a trap! It was brilliant! Then shadows moved and now I’m silent! WHO LET THE DEAD KID NEAR MY VIOLENCE?!"

RIDDLER: (sobbing) "He answered my riddle… WITH ANOTHER RIDDLE!"

(Harley Quinn tap-dances through the background, entirely unbothered.)

ROMANTIC BALLAD: "ALFRED’S TEA TIME (WITH THE UNDEAD)"

(Alfred serves tea to Danny, who is half-merged with the manor’s walls.)

ALFRED: "Earl Grey or ectoplasm, dear boy? The poltergeists prefer the chamomile blend…

DANNY: (floating upside down) "You’re amazing— Can I keep you? (Legally, I mean. Ghost laws are weird.)"

SHOW-STOPPER: "THERE CAN ONLY ONE (REPRISE)"

(Ellie and Damian lead a full choreographed fight on the rooftops, complete with backflips and glowing swords.)

ELLIE & DAMIAN: "THERE CAN ONLY ONE! (But also two!) THERE CAN ONLY ONE! (But sibling bonds count too!)"*

(Danny watches from below, eating popcorn.)

DANNY: (yelling) "USE YOUR WORDS, GUYS!"*

ELLE & DAMIAN: (in unison, mid-sword clash) "NO!"

FINAL NUMBER: "WE’RE ALL A LITTLE DEAD INSIDE"

(The entire cast joins in—Bats, Rogues, even Clockwork pops in for a verse.)

BATFAMILY: "Gotham’s dark, the nights are long— But with a ghost, it’s kind of fun!"

ROGUES: (grudgingly) "Fine, we’ll stop the crime… (…Until he leaves town.)"

DANNY: (grinning, arms wide) "FACE IT, GUYS— YOU’RE STUCK WITH ME! I’M DEAD, I’M WEIRD, AND FAMILY’S FREE!"

(The Bat Signal shines. Confetti falls. Somewhere, Bruce sighs—but he’s smiling.)

CURTAIN CALL.

ENCORE: (Because you demanded it.)

BONUS TRACK: "DANNY VS. SANTA (HOLIDAY REMIX)"

(Featuring actual sleigh chases and elf backup dancers.)

SANTA: "YOU’RE ON THE NAUGHTY LIST— YOUR GIFTS ARE MIST!"

DANNY: (dodging candy cane shurikens) "YOU STOLE MY COOKIES, OLD MAN— TIME TO SETTLE THIS!"

(Ellie and Damian ride a ghost reindeer through the chorus.)

DpBat Collection

This is my collection of DP x Batman/DC writing I've done so far! I'll be updating it as my works for this specific crossover continue :)) - Kerm

Prompts:

Mutual Loathing // Ghost Emails Prompt // Foster Kids // Bruce Died // Split in 2 Prompt // YJ are Dannys Angels //

Oneshots:

Don't Call Me That // Tell Him // I Wanna Hire You // Just Like You // Yearning for Death // Lady Gotham is Hope // That's a New One //

Asks:

Arkham Asylum Inmate Danny: {First} 2 3 Ideas thrown @ me: 1 2

I'm who you failed au

Danny moves to Gotham and decides to be low key about heroing. Sticks to the background, doesn't tell people his moniker.

Danny runs across Batman one day, and Batman asks who he is. Batman has already done his research, consulted the right people, and knows this new guy is a ghost. A spirit.

And Danny, fresh from a night patrol and listening to Sam chatter on and on about Edgar Allen Poe in his comm all night, suffers what is commonly known as a brain malfunction. A brain fart, if you will.

So he goes completely still, unnaturally so, and stares eerily at Batman. Now realistically, he's mentally screaming into the void that is his thoughts.

"I'm all that remains of your biggest mistake."

And then Danny turns invisible out of sheer embarrassment and nopes out.

Meanwhile, Bruce is now convinced his city is being haunted by the ghost of a victim he couldn't save.

Happy April fools day!!

(Don’tkillspls)

If you are lost with the context check the valentine’s special ;]

PREV // MASTERPOST // NEXT

Teacher: Class, we have a new student joining us today. Danny, could you tell us a little about yourself? Danny, standing up: Ugh, okay. My name is Danny Fenton. I'm from Amity Park, Illinois. I moved to Gotham with my siblings. Teacher: That's lovely, Danny. Do you have any hobbies? Danny: I like to stargaze, but it's tricky here in Gotham to see them. Teacher waiting for more: *Stare* Classroom: *stare* Danny panics as the class stares at him. I also really liked helping Dan with his experiments. Teacher: Who's Dan? Danny: He's my eldest brother. He got a job at Wayne Labs three months ago, so we moved. Classmate: What kind of experiments do you guys do? Danny: Dan's a chemist. He likes to create antidotes to various poisons or toxic substances. Last month, he made the new Anti-Fear Gass Antidote! Classmate: *scoff* Yeah, right, and I'm the tooth fairy Classroom: *laughs* Teacher: Alright, everyone, settle down. Danny, welcome to Gotham, but you should be careful with your fibs. They can be dangerous in this city. Danny: I'm not lying. Teacher: Of course not. Everyone turn to pages three and twelve in your math textbooks- Danny, please sit down. Danny: *sits* It wasn't a lie Damian: I believe you. Danny: Really? Damian: Yes, my Father signs Dan Fenton's paychecks. Danny: Oh, does he work at Wayne Labs, too? Damian: .....In a way. Would you happen to know who I am? Danny: Damian Al Ghul. I heard you tell the teacher you prefer that name. Damian: .....Yes. Your pronunciation of my last is perfect. Most people claim it's too hard. Danny shrugs: If I can learn to pronounce Obi-Wan Kenobi, I can learn how to say your last name. Most people are just rude. Damian, under his breath: Is this the rush Mother felt when she found her Beloved? Danny: What? I'm sorry I didn't catch that Damian: Do not worry about it. Merely know that you belong to me now Danny: Like a friend? Damian:.....In a way. Danny: Cool :D

Hollowing Bones Prequel Bit

Aka: Danny is not a necromancer, he swears.

The small skull clattered as it tumbled across the scattering of stone. The toe of his boot must have caught it as he walked through the secluded jungle. The rest of the skeleton, long decayed of any flesh, half peaked out of mud.

Danny crouched, cradling the skull in his hand. It was so small in the curl his palm, nestled there as it stared up at him with hollow eyes.

It watched him.

Danny scoffed, closing his fingers over the skull. ‘Necromancer’ they called him, spat at him. Usually the word came with color additions and none of them favorable. Sometimes, sometimes, it was Psychopomp or Speaker instead. But if he pissed other occult people off (which, to be fair, he did a lot), it was ‘evil necromancer’. It made Danny want to crush the tiny skull cradled in his hand.

He wouldn’t, of course he wouldn’t. It was this little one’s fault. He twisted towards the rest of the skeleton, brushing away the leaves and muck. It was a lizard of some sort— gecko maybe? It was hardly longer than his hand, tail and all.

Gently, Danny placed the skull back down in it’s resting place.

He couldn’t actually be a necromancer, could he? Sure, death magic sung at his fingertips He could feel it even now, humming under the skin and scars and tattoos of his left hand. His fingers twitched and green shimmered between the digits like a hand held aurora.

He could try.

He’d know if he tried. He’d know what he really was now.

(How much of a monster he’d become.)

Danny tilted his head, listening for any sounds of people around. Not that there would be. Danny came here specifically to get away from people. He may have not had Constantine’s talent with portals, but with enough time to set up, he could go anywhere in the world. (Just not back to where he really wanted to be.)

Bird songs and wind rustled leaves were all that answered him.

The tiny skull stared up at him from the rich brown earth.

It was easy to imagine the life the little lizard must have had, here in the jungle that was teaming with life. He could picture the lizard— gecko. Bright green like the others Danny had spotted on his walk. He could picture it scurrying up the side of trees and hiding under leaves. They would have stalk bugs and beetles slowly and carefully with their tiny blue feet. They would have drank from water pooled in a leaf as the world around them was dripped in rain. They would have feasted on fallen, fermented fruit on the forest floor.

They would have lived.

A gasp— soft, fragile, full of life— spilled from Danny’s lips as a sensation ripped down his arm. He doubled over at it, bending just enough that his fingers and the auroras that clung to the tips brushed over the tiny skull.

Danny came too staring up at a forest canopy lit golden with sunset. Everything hurt. Pinpricks of pain shot down his arm, along his Lichtenberg scars. Something was crawling on his left hand.

Slowly, hesitantly, Danny raised his arm.

Laying over it was the gecko skeleton.

The little skull tilted— looked at him with eyes that weren’t there.

The skull was moving all on it’s own.

Danny giggled, a small, hysterics tinged laugh.

Guess they were right.

He was a necromancer.

Well, fuck.

____

AN: Since you all had such a positive reaction to the post about Squiggles, meet the (re)birth of the little dear!

Danny is having a real time of it.

This is a bit of a prequel for Hollowing Bones (snippet 1 and snippet 2), so part of the Salt in the Bones AU that @mokulule and I are doing together. Or the "Danny is totally not a necromancer, back off Constantine" AU. (Endgame dead on main.) This was supposed to be part of a fic about Danny's tattoos, but Squiggles might get their own little fic at this rate to explain where they came from!

Tag list ye be warned, this is one I'll be sharing bits of entirely out of order as I'm just working on it around other stuff. LBFD and Shadow of a Bat are still priority. And Specter of Starlight will prob come before this series too- at least befor the Big Part. If that might bother you/you want to read it in order and want off the list or on the tag list when it goes love in ao3, just let me know!

@apointlessbox | @asphyxia778 | @crystalqueertea | @seraphinedemort | @meira-3919 | @mnemovoid | @mj-arts-n-stuff | @v-inari | @my-perfect-storybook-love | @satanicrutialspecialist | @avelnfear | @saltyladynightmare

DC x DP Prompt (2)

Danny becomes a dreamwalker, and gains another complicated relationship.

It was no secret that Danny had a rocky and awkward relationship with his rogue gallery, especially after his coronation to become the Ghost King. Imagine the faces his enemies made when they learned that baby half-ghost they used to brawl with was now the Eternal Majesty and effectively their boss.

That was mostly how Danny, in a display of abuse of authority, made Nocturn agreed to help him enter a specific person's dream. More specifically, the dream of one Timothy Drake-Wayne.

It all started when Danny got his scholarship to Gotham University after finishing high school. Finally leaving his ghost-fighting life in Amity Park behind, although he still had to fulfill his duty as the Ghost King.

In his first year at Gotham U, he met none other than the Tim Drake - local celebrity, son of billionaire, genius - as his classmate.

Here's the thing, Danny made Tim extremely sleepy for some reasons.

For one, the air around Danny was chill. Unlike the biting cold of winters, this felt more like the cooling of an air conditioner on a summer day. Which made thing way too comfortable, his body just kept dozing off whenever this strange boy was around, like an animal ready for hibernation.

For two, being the Ghost King meant that Danny had the traces of all the Ancients on him. Including Nocturn's trace as the Ancient of Dream, which induced sleep. This was usually unnoticeable when you were awake, but if you were someone who overworked themselves to the limit of consciousness and survived purely of caffein and energy drinks like Tim did, it got much more effective.

So from Tim's perspectice, Danny was just one big sleep-inducing spell. And this was really ticking him off. He kept falling asleep in the middle of classes, or when he needed to concentrate on a vital case during study time. It was almost impossible to focus when Danny was around, everything was just so relaxing.

The batfam was overjoyed thinking that Tim had finally fixed his broken sleeping habits. In reality, this just made Tim even more paranoid and drank even more caffein than before.

Danny, being someone who had listened to Jazz's rants about the effect of lack of sleep on the mind for all his youth, immediately recognized Tim's worsening symtomps when he saw them. Strangely, whenever he approached Tim to give some advice, the boy just paled and skedaddled away as if he'd seen a ghost (hehe).

So, in true Danny's fashion, he asked Nocturn for help putting a poor classmate to proper sleep. He even manifested himself as the Ghost King in Tim's dream to ease the boy through the process.

This escalated when Tim accidentally developed a crush on Danny in his dreams and was now concerned if he had just developed a crush on a supernatural being in his dream. Or if he had just developed a crush on a figment of his imagination (he couldn't decide which was worse).

Danny was completely unaware of this and patted himself on the back for helping someone while Tim had a crisis.

The Titans set out to investigate a town rumored to be haunted. There they find a ghost boy tirelessly defending his town alone.

I’m Not Brainwashed.

A blizzard hit Fawcett. It was a pretty harsh one too. His apartment doesn’t have heating too. So, Billy went on a journey to find a warm place to sleep.

First, he tried the corner owned by a nice old man. The man said he could bask in the store’s warmth until the store’s closing time.

Old Man: “I’m sorry, it’s just I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here overnight.”

Billy: “There’s no need to apologize, Mister. It’s fine.”

Old Man: “But it isn’t. I wish I could keep you longer but I can’t. Here.” *gives Billy some wrapped sandwiches* “Come back tomorrow. I’ll let you stay again.”

Billy: *small smile* “I’ll try. Thanks, Mister.”

Billy would definitely come back tomorrow, but for now he had to find a place to sleep for the night. This was when Billy made the unfortunate mistake of going to the Rock of Eternity to get out of the cold for a moment.

Billy: *plops down in front of the throne eating one of the sandwiches given to him* “Hmm… Where am I gonna go now?”

Billy didn’t know that those would be his last words as he dozed off at the rock.

A full rest later…

Billy: *stirs awake* “Where am I…? The rock? Geez did I fall asleep?” *feels a buzz from his pocket dimension and pulls out his JL comm and sees like 95 notifications* “-Oh my GODS.”

That’s how Billy found out the hard way never to sleep at the Rock. Turns out, to everyone else, he disappeared. For a WEEK. Damn (he feels like he deserves to curse in this situation) the Rock of Eternity and the weird way it makes time go by. Let’s see… He’d missed an emergency meeting, several messages from his friends, and an either concerned or subtlety threatening text from Batman. Okay. That’s concerning. Uh… You know what? Before he goes and talks to his friends, why doesn’t he go check on Fawcett first?

So, he left the rock, and guess what? The blizzard is still going. He’d be lying if he said this didn’t peeve him. Thankfully, it was daytime, so that means the Old Man would probably let him in the store again.

Old Man: “There you are! You had me worried.”

Billy: “Sorry.” *sounds ashamed*

Old Man: “There’s no need to apologize. It’s just, you said you would be back the next day, and you never came. I thought something had happened to you! I’ve been stress cooking ever since.” *puts a large bag of food into Billy’s hands*

Billy: “I didn’t mean to stress you. You don’t have to give me this.”

Old Man: “Yes I do.” *points to the spot Billy sat the day he had come in* “Now go sit and eat.”

Billy: “Yes, Mister.” *trudges over me eats, feeling bad for making the man worry*

Soon though, Billy had to leave again. He said goodbye to the Old Man and started walking to the blistering cold. He had to find another place to sleep. He looked up the now night sky. He had an idea. It was a stupid one, but it was an idea nonetheless.

The intercom over head announced Captain Marvel’s presence in the watchtower. Wally paused in eating the quadruple double triple quintuple sandwich he made himself. Wasn’t it like 10 pm in Fawcett or something? Cap almost never came to the Watchtower after seven unless it was for monitor duty. The speedster quickly finished his sandwich and decided to go see if something was wrong.

Eventually, he found the Captain near the sleeping quarters. Most members of the JL had one. That included Cap, but as far as Wally knew, Marvel hadn’t so much as stepped foot in that room.

“Cap, buddy! What’re you doing here so late?” Flash asked, causing Marvel to startle.

“Oh uh… I thought I’d get some sleep.” The Captain said, anxiousness rolling off him in waves.

“I thought you didn’t need to sleep?”

“Well, I don’t, but I still like to, y’know?” Marvel said, scratching the back of his neck.

Flash shook his head. “Not really.”

A small, out of place, awkward silence filled the hallway where they stood for a moment before Flash spoke up again, “Where have you been all week-”

“Night!” Cap cut him off, quickly entering the room and letting the door shut behind him, abruptly ending the conversation.

Wally stood there for a few moments. Okay… Something was definitely wrong with his buddy. Had the speedster done something to upset him? He turned to start walking away. He’d talk to his buddy later.

Wally got maybe seven feet away before he heard a loud crash that sounded like lighting and then loud alarms that started ringing throughout the Watchtower. Something about an intruder? Batman walked over to him. Where he came from, only god knows.

“Flash.” Bruce greeted him as he passed, stopping in front of the door Marvel disappeared into just a few moments before.

“Spooky, what’s going on?” Flash sped over to stand next to him.

”There’s an intruder in this room.” Batman replied, as soon as he finished speaking, another large crash of lightning could be heard. The alarm then stopped blaring. This made the Dark Knight pause and start tapping something on the tablet Wally just realized the other man was holding.

“Did something happen?” Wally asked, leaning over to try and see the tablet.

“The intruder is gone. The Watchtower’s also sustained two major electrical strikes that traveled through the tower, temporarily shut down anything in its way. They traveled to this room.” Bruce said.

It was at that moment, Marvel decided to make an appearance. He looked panicked, and when he registered Batman was standing in front of him, the panic seemed to increase. “Mister Batman Sir! Heeeeeeey…”

“Captain, there’s an intru-” Batman didn’t get to finish that sentence before Marvel interrupted him.

“Sorry Mister Batman Sir, but I really gotta be going.” Marvel said hurriedly before speed walking to the zetas. Wally and Bruce watched him go.

Billy should’ve known it was too stupid of an idea to work! He wanted to see if he could detransform and sleep in the bed of the room, but nooooooooo it just had to trigger the alarm. Billy wasn’t proud about interrupting so many (two) people today, but he really, really needed to go because as soon as Flash and Batman step into his room, they’re gonna see two dark lightning marks on the floor. Then they’re gonna try and ask questions. Then that’s gonna lead to Billy having to explain that he can summon lightning to change into a little kid. Then they’re gonna get mad Billy lied to them about being an adult. Then, they’re gonna try stopping him from being a hero, and from there his life as a hero and as Billy Batson will crumble to literal dust.

Around fifteen minutes after Marvel left… Flash was pacing, practically making trails in the ground, “Spooky, he was gone for a week! Not only that but he was acting weird and we got a notification of a security breach. This might sound crazy, but I think it might be that worm thing he mentioned.”

“Worm thing?” Batman asked, sounding incredulous. Wally was wondering why he found that of all the things they’ve seen and heard unbelievable.

“Yeah! He said one of his villains is this little worm that crawls into your ear and takes control your brain.” Flash said, one of his fingers doing a weird wiggling motion as if to resemble a worm.

“So you think he’s being mind controlled?” Supes asked, sounding super concerned. Oh right, he’s here too. He’d just gotten off monitor duty with J’onn. At the moment, the Martian was in the kitchen getting some snacks.

“Yes!” Flash exclaimed. “It could explain why he up and disappeared.”

“Flash, for all we know, he could’ve been gone due to a family emergency or something along those lines.” Batman spoke.

“Well… just to be safe…?” Supes started, sounding cautious as he trailed off and nodded to a nearby cabinet the three, or at least Clark and Bruce, knew housed bug spray.

That was how they ended up cornering Marvel in Fawcett, Superman restraining the man while Batman sprayed bug spray in his face and ears. Meanwhile Flash was standing to the side nervously, holding a jar in case a certain green worm actually crawls out of Marvel’s ear.

So yeah, today was not Billy’s day, let alone week. Also, it turned out that there was a magical creature that was causing the blizzards. He proceeded to promptly beat it up for all the trouble and embarrassment it inadvertently caused him.

Don’t ask why I stopped formatting the dialogue the way I normally do for a couple seconds. I don’t even know. That’s actually why I didn’t post around eleven like I normally do. It was taking a while.