[Third Person Pov]
Location: Fenton Laboratory
Date: April 16
Time: 8: 56 Pm
The lab looked significantly cleaner than it had the first time Danny brought Princess Dorathea down here. Back then it had been cluttered, half-forgotten, and coated in a thin layer of dust that spoke volumes about neglect and unfinished ideas. Now, however, the place actually looked lived in—and cared for. Danny had spent his free time cleaning it whenever he had spare time, wiping down surfaces, reorganizing shelves, and properly storing equipment instead of leaving it scattered everywhere. He figured that since the lab was technically his now, the least he could do was maintain it properly. Letting it fall into disrepair would feel like disgracing his parents' legacy, and that was something he refused to do.
One section of the lab, however, remained deliberately concealed. A green tarp had been draped over one of Danny's more secretive projects, the fabric stretched loosely over a bulky, unmistakably mechanical shape. Only the bottom half of the project was visible, metal plating and reinforced supports peeking out from beneath the covering. Danny himself was laying flat on his back underneath the tarp, his legs sticking out as he made some last-minute adjustments. From under the cover came the occasional muttered comment and the steady, rhythmic sounds of tools at work.
Sitting nearby on one of the lab tables, kicking her feet idly over the edge, was none other than Ember McLain. Somewhat surprisingly, she had helped Danny clean the lab earlier—though she insisted it was strictly under the guise of "payment" for being allowed to crash there from time to time. Whether that was the real reason or not, Danny wasn't about to complain. Having help made the process faster, and her presence made the hours feel a lot less lonely.
Danny extended one grease-smudged hand out from beneath the tarp, holding a screwdriver loosely between his fingers. Ember leaned forward and plucked it from his grasp, setting it aside near the open toolbox that held an assortment of tools and spare parts.
"Wrench," Danny called out next, his hand opening expectantly.
Ember glanced down into the toolbox, rifling through it with mild annoyance. "Which one?" she asked, lifting her head to glare toward the tarp. "There's like four of them in here. And use English—I don't understand grease monkey."
Danny let out a snicker from beneath the tarp. "The big one," he clarified, "with the wheel in the middle."
With a dramatic sigh, Ember grabbed the correct wrench and placed it into his waiting hand. As his arm disappeared back under the tarp, the sound of bolts being tightened echoed softly through the lab. Ember continued swinging her feet, gripping the edge of the table with her hands as she watched the tarp shift slightly with Danny's movements.
After a moment, she tilted her head. "So… how come you're not out superheroing tonight?" she asked, genuine confusion coloring her tone.
"I was supposed to be," Danny replied, his voice slightly muffled and distracted, "but I asked Batman for the day off. I was almost done with this thing and wanted to finish it in one go. He allowed it."
Ember hummed thoughtfully. "You seem really into this project of yours," she said, handing him another tool as he asked for it.
"Hm…" Danny hummed in agreement, his tone noticeably quieter than usual. "It's a project I started with my dad. I just want to make sure I finish it properly."
"Oh…" Ember said softly, her expression shifting as regret flickered across her face. She winced slightly. "I'm sorry."
From under the tarp came a quiet snort. "Why are you apologizing?" Danny asked, clearly amused.
Ember felt a bit embarrassed at that, heat creeping up her cheeks, but it didn't stop their conversation—or the easy, casual banter—from continuing as Danny worked.
A few minutes later, Danny's voice suddenly rang out, loud and triumphant. "And done! Yes!"
He pushed himself out from under the tarp and sat upright, arms resting over one bent knee. A satisfied, almost proud expression spread across his face as he admired his handiwork. His face and hands were smudged with grease, dark streaks marking his skin. Even his tank top, which clung to his athletic build, was stained and dirty—clear evidence of hard, hands-on work. A rag hung from his shoulder, which he grabbed to wipe down his hands as best he could.
Standing up, Danny stared at the tarp like he was on the verge of tears. "My baby," he said dramatically. "She's finally been born!" He pretended to wipe tears from his eyes with the back of his hands, his voice cracking on purpose. "They always say the greatest day of a man's life is when he becomes a father… I understand that now."
Ember snorted, barely managing to suppress her laughter as she rolled her eyes. Leaning forward, she rested her chin in her hand, her gaze unconsciously drifting up and down as Danny finished cleaning his hands and draped the towel back over his shoulders.
"Anyway," Danny said casually, stretching, "I'm gonna go take a shower and clean myself off. I shouldn't take too long." He paused mid-step and turned back to Ember, his expression suddenly serious. "No peeking."
"I wasn't gonna!" Ember shot back instantly, flustered. "What the hell do you think I am—a pervert?!"
Danny raised his hands defensively, grinning. "I'm just saying—it wasn't an invitation," he teased.
That earned him several balls of fire hurled in his direction. Danny yelped and took off running, laughter echoing behind him as he sprinted upstairs.
Ember huffed, her cheeks burning a noticeably darker shade as she crossed her arms. Danny's footsteps faded as he disappeared to do exactly what he said he was going to do.
Once the room was finally quiet and she was alone, Ember's eyes shifted slowly from side to side. A mischievous glint crossed her face as her body gradually began to lose its solidity, her form turning translucent—
Until she vanished completely.
…
Location: Wayne Manor - Batcave
Date: April 17
Time: 1: 07 Pm
"I have a mission for the two of you," Bruce said, his voice cutting cleanly through the air as he stood with his arms crossed, standing in his civilian suit.
Danny and Dick immediately stopped sparring. Dick straightened from his defensive stance while Danny lowered his fists, both of them turning toward Bruce with matching looks of confusion as they waited for him to continue.
"I'm sending both of you to Star City," Bruce said plainly.
The statement landed harder than either of them expected.
"Star City?" Danny echoed, eyebrows shooting up as he glanced briefly at Dick before looking back at Bruce. "Wait—seriously?"
"Green Arrow and Black Canary have formally requested assistance," Bruce continued, unfazed by their reactions. "They're dealing with a specific situation they believe requires outside support. They'll explain the details once you arrive."
Danny frowned slightly, folding his arms. "You're honestly just going to send us?" he asked. "No offense to us, but aren't they going to be disappointed? They asked for backup and instead they get… us?"
Bruce's eyes shifted, locking directly onto Danny. "Canary asked for you specifically."
Danny blinked. "Huh?" He pointed at himself reflexively. "Me?"
"They have strong reasons to believe what they're investigating is supernatural in nature," Bruce explained calmly. "You've been making a name for yourself dealing with ghosts and paranormal threats. Canary believes your involvement will be invaluable."
For a moment, Danny just stared—then his posture relaxed and a grin crept onto his face. He rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "Wow… my ego just grew exponentially."
"If they requested Danny," Dick interjected, pointing at himself with his thumb, "then why am I going?"
Bruce didn't hesitate. He simply stared at Dick flatly. "To keep an eye on him," he said. "And to report back to me on how he performs during the mission. You're his supervisor."
"Hey!!" Danny protested instantly.
"Sweet," Dick said at the exact same time, grinning.
Danny's shoulders slumped as he shot Batman a wounded look. "Does that mean you don't trust me?" he asked. "To do good? Or behave? Or… literally anything?"
"Something like that," Bruce replied bluntly.
Danny visibly deflated at the answer.
"But," Bruce added, "this is also a test. A measure of how well you've applied what I've been teaching you. I want to see if the time I've invested in your education and training has been worthwhile."
Danny placed a hand dramatically over his chest. "Mercy, man," he said. "You're honestly killing me here."
Once Bruce finished outlining expectations and instructions for both of them, he dismissed them with a short nod. Dick turned to leave first, but Danny suddenly grabbed his arm, eyes shining with excitement.
"This is it," Danny said eagerly. "An actual chance to use what I've been working on!" He pumped a fist. "Yes! Go on ahead without me—I'll meet you at the edge of the city!"
Dick stared at him. "What?"
Danny didn't bother explaining. Instead, he took a step back, grinned wide, and shouted, "I'm going ghost!"
Rings of energy flared around Danny's waist as his transformation activated. In a flash of spectral light, he shot upward and rocketed out of the Batcave, leaving Dick blinking in stunned silence.
Robin slowly turned to Bruce, clearly questioning him on what he should do.
"Just go," Bruce said calmly. "He'll meet you like he said."
…
Robin stood at the edge of Gotham on his motorcycle, one foot planted on the ground as he leaned against the bike. His helmet rested beside him while his fingers tapped impatiently against his phone screen. His foot bounced in rhythm with his growing impatience.
Then he heard it.
The roar of an engine—low, powerful, and growing rapidly closer.
Robin looked over his shoulder just as a sleek black motorcycle with sharp white highlights tore toward him at full speed. Green fire blasted from its exhaust pipes, leaving a glowing trail in its wake. The rider, clad in black with a matching helmet, zoomed past Robin before abruptly sliding sideways—
Executing a flawless Akira slide directly in front of him.
Green sparks burst across the pavement as the bike skidded to a stop. Spray-painted boldly on the side of the motorcycle was a stylized letter D.
Danny lifted his helmet and tucked it under his arm, biting his lip in barely-contained excitement as he twisted the throttle again and again, making the engine growl.
"So," he asked eagerly, "what do you think?"
Robin burst out laughing, bracing himself against his own bike. "Okay, yeah," he said between chuckles. "Now it makes sense why you were so excited. You finally finished it, huh? Congrats."
"Thank you!" Danny beamed. "I call her The Ghost Rider!" He revved the engine louder. "Hehehe—get it?"
"Hard not to," Robin replied dryly, rolling his eyes with an amused smirk.
He slipped his phone away and pulled his helmet on, Danny mimicking the action a second later.
"Let's ride," Robin said as he leaned forward and kicked his bike to life.
Danny followed immediately, green flames flaring as both motorcycles shot off into the night toward Star City.
(IA/N: IMAGE of the bike is in the comment section, not the Paragraph comment)
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