Puppet Strings

Chapter Four

Phantom felt his nose crack as he hit what felt like a brick wall. "What the." His widened as he stared at a giant bat. He slowly backed up, letting the figure come into focus, all why nursing his nose. "Batman?"

Batman didn't respond, glaring at the boy, while ghost-like footprints sounded from behind Phantom. Phantom didn't move as the blade swiped through his body, or at least where his body was. A surprised gasp came from behind him as the blade only made contact with air.

Phantom's eyes widened. "Batman? Huh... i'd thought you'd be taller..." before a smirk grew across his face. "What brings you down here Batsy?" He asked, gesturing around the area before side-stepping the punch batman threw"The doom and gloom? That dumpster? The body? How about that stray cat over there, his name is Mr. Whiskers, don't judge." Phantom pointed accusatory at the Bats as the katana blade once again hit the air. A frustrated growl followed as Phantom turned back in annoyance at the angry Robin.

"Do you mind?" Phantom asked folding his arms. "I am trying to have a civil conversation about a cat named Mr. Whiskers." A fist went through Phantom's skull, causing him to go crosseyed to look at Batman's fist. Phantom moved to the side. stepping out of the fist.

"Tt that's a stupid name," Robin growled lunging at Phantom. Phantom moved forward, intercepting Robin's wrist and slamming him to the ground.

"Who are you to judge, you run around with a grown man dressed as a bat all while dressed like a traffic light."

Robin didn't respond, coming head-on with Phantom with a series of blows, Batman attempting to attack from behind. Each hit missing as Phantom dodged, his foot sliding underneath Batman's causing the grown man to fall. Phantom sighed floating a little higher and settling himself onto a nearby fire escape. "This conversation is feeling really one-sided, I mean is the name Mr. Whiskers really that bad? I spent a good part of my day coming up with that." Phantom muttered the last part to himself, Mr. Whiskers seemed like a good name, the cat seemed to have more whiskers than the other cats he left...

"Wait!" Phantom declared, causing Robin and Batman to both stop and stare. "This isn't about Mr. Whiskers, is it? It's about that late library book." Phantom chuckled. "I didn't think Batman would stoop that low to deal with overdue books. Well, I guess when a crime is running low you do what you gotta do."

Phantom involuntary flinched as a batarang soared right through him embedding itself onto the wall behind him. He turned around picking it up. "This is cool!" He said with a grin, even though the Bats couldn't see it. "Do you mind?" He asked pointing at the batarang."I've always wanted one."

Batman shifted ever so slightly, Phantom flicked his wrist sending the Battarang back. "Then again, I bet you have tracking devices on all your little gadgets." His hood fell back slightly at the movement, Green eyes piercing Batman. Phantom raised an eyebrow at the almost inaudible gasp that came from the man.

He sighed stretching out as Robin landed next to him. "This has been fun, but you have a body to examine and I have a library book to return. So see ya." Phantom winked and vanished as Robin's katana came down, slamming into the metal of the fire escape, where Phantom was moments before.

Robin glared at the empty air, slowly sheathing his Katana. "Father."

Batman landed next to Robin, his eyes calculating. Robin moved forward before continuing. "His eyes..."

"I know Robin." Batman sighed, "We'll keep this on the down low until further notice."

-_-

Phantom landed softly outside the lab, the door slid open as he neared, allowing him entry. He continued inward, down the familiar blinding halls.