Chapter 2
Danny knew then...this man wouldn't be letting him go anytime soon.
Sure enough the man, Danny would later learn his name was Hal Jordan, brought him to a space station, the Watchtower, he remembered Dan had called it.
He had allowed himself to be rushed to the medbay of the Watchtower to sate Hal's worries, not that that really worked. The elderly man who tended to him could not slip a needle into Danny's elbow to check his vitals, he could not test the boy's reflexes, Danny did not allow his pupils to react to light.
It had been so long since he'd been tended to by a human doctor he had forgotten how he should've reacted. After the elderly british man, with his limited resources, ascertained that Danny was indeed perfectly fine he bid the boy adieu, leaving him alone in the medbay.
That's where Danny was now. Sitting on the hospital bed, awkwardly lying against the pillows, staring intently out the window he thankfully had and at the vastness of space.
Would it be rude if he just left this place and returned to his stars? He hadn't been inside of a supernova recently so maybe he could go do that. No, no, that would definitely be rude and Jazz didn't raise him to be rude so...Danny waited. And waited. And waited and waited and waited.
After what felt like forever an intimidating figure, shrouded in darkness, swept into the room. Batman, Danny recognized.
"You know who I am?" Batman questioned, pulling up a seat and sitting next to Danny.
"Yes, sir," Danny answered, gaze darting to his hands in his lap and to the figure.
Was he supposed to meet his gaze or look away? If he met his gaze would that keep him calm or make him charge? If he looked away and appeared submissive and weak would that keep the man contained or attack Danny thinking him prey? Wait, no, that was animals, Livings weren't quite as feral as that. When had Danny mixed the characteristics of the species?
"What's your name?" Batman questioned, deep voice pulling Danny from his mullings, boy looking at his face.
Danny was a king but still...he shied away from the pupilless gaze of the Dark Knight. It...it reminded him too much of Ellie's pupilless eyes peering into his as...as she lay dead in his arms.
"Danny, sir," The boy answered timidly.
Danny internally smacked himself, now was not the time to show weakness, he was a king, a leader, he should not be so vulnerable in front of the enemy. But then he faltered. Was Batman the enemy? He was a Living which certainly were grounds for him to be considered and enemy but he was also a hero. One of Lady Gotham's favored Livings...no. No, Batman was not the enemy, Danny decided.
"Danny Phantom."
"What are you, Danny Phantom?" Batman questioned, "Your physiology is similar to humans but not the same."
"...My world is gone," Danny spoke.
He didn't like to lie so...omitting key details was the way to go. Even if all information of Phantom had been erased by Tucker before he...before he...Danny didn't want to risk them finding anything.
"...I see," And there was definitely something softer about Batman's tone.
"Am I...a prisoner?" Danny asked hesitantly.
"No," Batman promised, "Can I ask you about your ring?" Batman asked gently.
Danny turned his hand outward, peering at the ring on his right ring finger.
"Um, yes, what about it, sir?"
"Where'd you get it?"
How should he go about describing Priah.
"My...predecessor gave it to me?" Danny offered.
"I see and...was this a happy occassion?" Batman asked carefully.
"Not particularily?" Danny looked to him with a weirded out expression.
"Did this predecessor teach you how to...use the ring?"
"I'm more of a visual learner, so I learned a few things from watching him," Danny blinked, "If...that's what you mean?"
"I see and...why were you out in space?"
"I was feeling sad," Danny admitted.
"Thank you for your honesty, Danny," Batman said gently, "I'll be back in tomorrow morning with breakfast."
"Okay."
★・・・★・・・★
A few minutes prior...
Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Clark Kent, Giovanni Zatara, and J'onn J'onzz wathed the live feed of the cameras recording the medbay. They watched tensely as Batman entered the room, pulling up a chair and sitting next to the boy.
He had been sitting tensely for hours, fidgeting but seeming otherwise focused on the window looking out at the stars.
When Batman had entered the room the boy's gaze landed on him.
"You know who I am?" Batman asked.
Clark winced at Bruce's usual interagatory tone.
"Yes, sir," The boy looked between his hands in his lap and Batman.
He seemed...apprehensive and timid and for the umpteenth time Clark had wished he'd won the argument to adress the mysterious young lantern Hal had found floating in space.
"What's your name?" Batman asked, boy meeting his gaze for a moment before recoiling in on himself slightly.
"Danny, sir," The boy murmured, "Danny Phantom."
"What are you, Danny Phantom?" Batman questioned.
J'onn and Clark both winced at Bruce's bluntness.
"Your physiology is similar to humans but not the same."
"...My world is gone," The boy said the words with shame and grief...and the onlookers hearts broke for him.
"...I see," There was a lot more of Bruce in his voice now.
"Am I...a prisoner?" The boy asked softly.
The onlookers all recoiled sharply at that. Damn them! They shouldn't have taken so long to choose who would speak to him. They'd figured he might've grown anxious at the weight but they certainly hadn't been anticipating the boy thinking he was trapped here.
"No," Batman promised firmly, "Can I ask you about your ring?" His tone softened.
The boy studied his ring, hand pointed outward, ring on full display.
"Um, yes, what about it, sir?"
"Where'd you get it?"
"My...predecessor gave it to me?" The boy said after a few moments of hesitation.
"Is that a lie?" John asked.
Clark hadn't heard any change in his heartbeat to warrant that so no, it wasn't a lie.
"Do lanterns not have protégé's?" Giovanni wondered.
"Our rings choose us," John said, "We don't choose them so while it's not unheard of for a lantern to chose someone they think is worthy and then to also have the ring make that choice we typically get mentors..." He trailed off.
"After we get out rings," Hal said softly.
"Ah," Giovanni nodded in understanding.
"I see and...was this a happy occassion?" Batman asked carefully.
Guy facepalmed, "Nice tact," He shook his head.
"Well at least he didn't outright ask the kid if his predecessor was dying," Kyle sighed wearily.
"Not particularily?" Danny looked to him with a weirded out expression.
"Hah, the kid's thinking the same thing as I did," Guy grinned, "AKA I call dibs!"
"What?!" Hal gawked, "I'm the one who brought him, he should be my protégé!"
"I want him!" Kyle gushed.
"I'd be the best teacher," John remarked.
"Not now," Clark shook his head fondly at the four.
"Did this predecessor teach you how to...use the ring?"
"I'm more of a visual learner, so I learned a few things from watching him. If...that's what you mean?"
"I see and...why were you out in space?"
"He said he wanted to be alone," Hal murmured.
"I was feeling sad."
The onlookers blinked in surprise at that answer.
"Thank you for your honesty, Danny," Batman said much softer than usual, "I'll be back in tomorrow morning with breakfast."
"Okay."
★・・・★・・・★
Bruce sighed wearily as stepped out of the medbay, making his way over to his fellow Leaguers.
"Well shit," Guy sniffled, "My heart about broke at that."
"So...what do we think?" J'onn asked curtly, trying to remain put together.
"Well..." Clark pursed his lips, "We...definitely think he's Kryptonian, right?"
"How would we even test that, though?" Guy questioned, "Sure he can breathe in space and his skin can't be pierced but...is that really all a Kryptonian is?"
"Right?" John frowned, "We don't even know if he can fly or if he has super strength or heat vision or freezing breath or inhumane senses."
"We could ask-"
"I don't think we should ask him for demonstrations," Bruce cut off J'onn, "I get that we need answers, trust me, I get that but...the kid's overwhelmed enough as it is."
"What a dad," Guy rolled his eyes goodnaturedly.
"Besides, we have confirmation he's a lantern, that should be our priority before finding out what species he is."
"Sounds good," Clark swallowed his desperate desire to gain a piece of his culture, of his people back.
★・・・★・・・★
In the medbay Danny was peering thoughtfully out his window still, a Kryptonian, huh? Wasn't that what Superman was? Did they seriously think he was a Kryptonian?
Although...the power's they mentioned were ones he could easily pretend to have. He could fly, he did have superstrength and inhumane senses and he could pretend to have heat vision by shooting his beams out of his eyes instead of his hands like usual and he could easily make ice shoot out of his mouth or whatever this 'freezing breath' was.
And a lantern? What the fuck was that? Clearly he was humanoid and not something that exhibited light. Although...technically he did and could exhibit light...but did that really mean he was a lantern? Fuck, when had Danny last had an existential crisis?
Oh well, Danny would think on that more the next day.
★・・・★・・・★
How did Danny go about explaining he wasn't like Hal or Kyle or John or Guy? That he wasn't a lantern like them. That he didn't belong with them that...that he would never belong with them.
Sure enough Batman had showed up the next morning with a plate of breakfast.
"You're here," Danny blinked in surprise.
"I promised I would be, didn't I?" Batman said softly as he presented Danny with the covered tray.
"Well yes, I suppose you did," Danny said thoughtfully, "But I figured you might've had servants do it for you."
"Servants, huh?" Batman said casually but there was a tenseness in his frame.
"You give off the vibes of someone with servants," Danny admitted.
"Huh. Well, here you go," Batman pulled the tray off the food.
"Wow..." Danny breathed out in awe.
Plated beautifully were orange and raspberry scones with servings of assorted jams and butter. On another plate there was an omelot with ham and bacon and sausage and cheese.
"There's no way you made this," He sighed in content as he inhaled the scent of the food.
"What? Why do you say that?"
"I know you're a vampire, Batman," Danny looked unimpressed, "You would not be so proficient with human cuisine."
"A vampire?" Batman repeated with a slightly incredulous tone.
"Yes."
"I'm not a vampire."
"Ah, it's a secret," Danny blinked, "My apologies, I won't mention anything to your fellow heroes-"
"No, it's not a-a secret, I'm just not a vampire," Bruce would question later why he'd been so open with about his astoundment later.
"Of course you are," Danny frowned, "Why else do you keep your criminals preserved in Arkham? Ready to harvest their blood whenever you need more?"
"I-I do not do that," Batman was shocked.
"Really?" Danny was genuinely surprised, "Then...what is with your visage? Your aversion to the sun? Your communion with the night?"
"I wear this because bats used to frighten me," Batman admitted, "I go out in the sun but just not as Batman and I merely operate at night, not as a requirement but because that's when my city needs me."
"Because crime does not occur when the sun smiles down upon the world?" Danny rose a brow, "You are a vampire, you can tell me the truth."
"I am not-"
"Alright, Bats," Hal stepped into the medbay, looking like he'd been struggling to contain his laughter, "Why don't you let the kid eat?"
Batman grunted and rose, swiftly exiting the room.
"Eat before your food gets cold," Hal encouraged.
"Okay," Danny blinked and awkwardly began to eat, gaze darting between the wall and Hal.
"Oh!" He gasped suddenly, Danny jumping in surprise, Danny absently listening to the muffled chatter playing into the man's ear, "You want privacy!"
In the next moment he was gone and Danny blinked before resuming his eating. He picked up the plate with the omelot, having finished the scone and slipped out of the bed, moving to the window. Casually eating his omelot as he stared into the vast beyond. It didn't that he'd watched the stars all the day before...he could never tire of this.
There was a knock on the door that Danny hurried to answer, gracefully setting the now empty plate on the tray, leaping with ease over the hospital bed as if gravity was a suggestion to him, pressing a button that slid the door open.
"Oh," Danny blinked in surprise at the now familiar old british man, "Top of the mornin' to ya, laddie," Danny blurted out before he could stop himself, he heaved a heavy sigh, burying his face his hands, "I'm so sorry."
"It's quite alright," The man chuckled.
"Here, come in," Danny stepped to the side, the man entering.
"I'm just here to collect your dishes, pay me no mind," The man said.
"Are you a hero too?" Danny wondered.
"I'm...moreso an associate of Batman," The man spoke.
"Ah," Danny nodded sagely, "Renfield."
"Renfield?" The man repeated as he gathered Danny's dishes, the boy twitching, instincts propelling him to do it himself but he didn't want to make the man feel like he was unneeded.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, he's Dracula's unwaveringly loyal servant."
"Oh?" The man sounded amused, "Does this have to do with your theory Batman is a vampire?"
"Here," Danny was silent as he pressed a frozen object into the man's hand, "Should you ever need protection from him."
Danny had gifted the kind man with a piece of the sun, encased in unbreakable ice. It was one of his favorite items but he was immortal, he could always retrieve it a couple decades after the man's death.
"I promise you, Batman is no vampire."
"If you say so," Danny wasn't convinced, "Nevertheless take this. As well as it serving protection to you it's also quite pretty."
"Indeed it is," The man spoke, "What is it?"
"A piece of a yellow star," Danny spoke.
"Like the sun?" The man gasped.
"Like the sun," Danny confirmed.
"Where did you get this, dear boy?"
Danny frowned sadly as he recalled the day he had first been brought within the sun. How his guide had captured a piece of the sun's essence in a vial and eventually released it, Danny capturing it in his ice.
"It was a gift from my father," He murmured softly.
"Thank you, Master Danny," The man smiled softly, "Ah," He bristled, apparently receiving word through the comm in his ear, if the garbled chatter was any indication, "The lanterns will be in to see you now."
"Okay," Danny blinked.
Sure enough as the man stepped out of the room a group of four men in...similar green uniforms entered. Immediately Danny tensed, subtly shifting into a fighting stance. Was he about to be beat into a gang?
"Hey," He recognized one as the one who'd brought him to the league, "How you feeling this mornin', kiddo?"
"Fine," Danny blinked, "I was feeling fine yesterday too."
"Right, um..." The man who brought him here shared a glance with his friends? Teammates? Larping group? Boyfriends? "I'm Hal," He began.
"Danny," The boy said.
"I'm Guy!" The redhead piped up.
"I'm Kyle," One of the other's smiled.
"And I'm John."
"We brought you here, I," Hal corrected himself, "I brought you here because you're a green lantern. Like us."
"A...green lantern?" Danny repeated.
"It's our corps," John explained eloquently, "It's, in simpler terms, the...organization, the creed we're a part of. It is our duty to uphold peace and balance in the universe."
"That sounds stressful," Danny blinked.
"It can be, at times," Kyle spoke, "But we are unalone. We are united. We are a People who protect those who cannot protect themselves."
Huh...to protect his people unalone...Danny didn't have that luxury and...he no longer cared much for the Livings who could not protect themselves. Sure he pitied them but he had to be indifferent to be king, he had to put his people first...and he did. He always did.
"And you...think me one of you?" Danny frowned.
"Our rings," Hal explained, "They're...not sentient necessarily but they choose who will weild them. Your predecessor was a lantern and his ring chose you to carry on his legacy."
Yeah, that's definitely not what happened.
That led to now, Danny panicking internally as he looked on at the four men.
How did Danny go about explaining he wasn't like Hal or Kyle or John or Guy? That he wasn't a lantern like them. That he didn't belong with them that...that he would never belong with them.
"We're lanterns too and...us lanterns have to stick together," Guy beamed.
"Normally new lanterns are brought to Oa," Kyle said thoughtfully, "Our...base of operations."
Oa? Oa? Why was that name familiar to Danny.
"But you must've slipped through the cracks," Kyle continued, "It's a miracle Hal found you."
"Or it's destiny," Hal smiled gently, "We know this is a lot but..." Hal moved forward and affectionately rested a hand on Danny's head, the halfa unable to deny the way he leaned into his touch, "Everything's gonna be okay, kiddo. We'll be with you every step of the way."
And fuck, Danny didn't have the heart to tell him he wasn't like them.
So, he decided...he'd stay. He'd 'learn to be a lantern' and once they'd inevitably grow bored of him...he'd go home.
★・・・★・・・★
In the Infinite Realm Clockwork looked on at his young king with a fond smile, finally...his boy could just be again, unburdened by the woes of the timeline and their people. Finally...he could love again...and he could let himself be loved again.