Phantom on the Shore - A Batman X Danny Phantom Crossover fanfic

Conflicting Perspectives

The crystal-blue eyes narrowed, a glint of defiance appearing. "I am not calm. Don't mistake my composure for indifference. I feel every bit as helpless and desperate as you do. But losing our heads and pointing fingers will not bring him back any faster."

"Oh really? Because from where I'm standing, it seems like you've been sitting on your ass, doing absolutely nothing while we scramble for answers. We've exhausted every lead, turned over every stone, and still, we're no closer to finding him. And you expect us to believe you're doing everything you can?" A scoff punctuated her words, and the plants in the surrounding room seemed to stir, mirroring her agitation perfectly.

Crystal-Blue eyes allowed for her head to lay in her hand. Amber hair following swift, in a manner akin to a petal falling delicately, "Someone still has to manage the political fallout of the king's disappearance. We can't afford to let panic consume us, or the citizens. My role may not be as visible as yours, but it's just as crucial."

"That someone didn't need to be you! Your leadership would have been invaluable in this crisis! Instead, you've left us floundering, grasping at straws while you hide behind bureaucracy and protocol!"

"I am doing everything in my power to help! But if you think you can do better, then by all means, take the lead! See if you can succeed where I've supposedly failed!"

"Maybe your power isn't enough." She turned away from the elder, allowing her black hair to flow angrily, "Maybe we need someone who's willing to take risks, to push boundaries, to do whatever it takes to bring him home."

"And maybe, that someone isn't you," the words hung heavy in the air as the sound of footsteps faded, punctuated by the resounding slam of the door.

Remaining the only one left in the room, the eldest sighed dismissively, her thoughts swirling in a tumult of frustration and uncertainty. Yet, before she could fully retreat into the recesses of her mind, the creak of the door opening once more shattered the silence.

Instead of revealing the familiar presence of the black-haired, violet-eyed girl from before, a different figure emerged from the shadows of the doorway. A dark-skinned boy adorned in garments of fine linen that draped elegantly over his frame. Intricate patterns of gold and azure danced across the fabric, weaving a tapestry of regality and splendor. A headdress, adorned with the sacred symbols of power, rested upon his brow, its golden ornaments catching the faint glimmer of light that filtered into the room. Behind him, a cloak of deep indigo billowed, its edges adorned with intricate hieroglyphics that whispered tales of ancient glory and forgotten lore.

Though dressed in the attire of a pharaoh, the boy's countenance betrayed a sense of unease and discomfort, his features drawn tight with distaste in his own clothing. Despite his regal appearance, there was a eagerness in his stance, and a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.

"Jazz! We have a lead on Danny!"

The elder—Jazz—raised an eyebrow, intrigued, "Are you sure this isn't another dead end, Tucker?"

Tucker nodded with conviction. "I'm confident. But you might want to hear it for yourself."

"The lead is a person?" She glanced down at the scattered papers before her, remnants of the earlier altercation, and sighed wearily. "Take me to them."

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

A towering figure loomed over Jazz and Tucker, casting a dark shadow that seemed to swallow the feeble light of their surroundings. Its presence was suffocating, its gaze empty and hollow, like twin voids that threatened to consume all that stood before it. While the light bounced off Jazz and Tucker's eyes, painting them with soft hues of green, the figure's eyes remained devoid of any semblance of life or emotion, an endless expanse of consuming darkness.

Yet, it was not just the figure's unsettling gaze that sent shivers down Jazz's spine. It was the palpable aura of decay that emanated from its form, a sense of impending dissolution that hung heavy in the air. The figure appeared to be crumbling, fragments of its essence broke off and began floating around it like debris orbiting a dying star. "Chunks" circled the figure in an dance, their movements hauntingly graceful yet filled with an ominous sense of foreboding.

"Is this .. the lead?" Jazz turned to Tucker warily, not from the figure's form but from the illogical nature of the lead itself.

Tucker nodded. "She says she knows where Danny is."

The figure hummed, her voice echoing faintly though unmistakably feminine, "Yes, yes.. the king needed rest, and I provided only the best.. my knight, my child, protected him and gave him a home. A place where he could rest and grow."

"So, you know the location of the king, then?" Jazz sought confirmation.

The figure slowly nodded, "The king rests within my city, he was hurt and harmed .. a great pity. He reached out for help, and it stirred me awake, and as a thanks I helped him see daybreak. But due to injuries, he is in great pain. No ectoplasm to heal, it has caused him great bane.."

"What's the name of your city?" Tucker urged, then realizing his oversight in not addressing the figure properly, quickly added, "Ms..?"

"You may call me Lady Gotham, young advisor. To not know my city even then, would be unwise." The figure—Lady Gotham—offered a slight smile, though it held an unnerving quality, it still carried a sense of humor.

It didn't take long for Jazz to connect the dots, "Lady Gotham .. are you saying you're the spirit of the most crime-ridden city on planet Earth?"

"My knights protect it as best they can, my children have made it better since it all began." Lady Gotham paused, her expression turning serious. "But my presence here comes at a cost, I am in dire need of advice. When the king is healed, I beg for a favor. It is something small, but a lifesaver nonetheless."

Tucker broke the ensuing silence, "From what you've told us, you saved the king and are currently healing him. We accept, what is it that you need?"

"A plague of evil consumes my city. To have it exterminated would serve us plenty. But the balance of good and evil stands strong; to eradicate them all would be wrong. So I propose a task beyond my knights' reach, to eliminate the source of it all so my city may start anew."

"Who, or what, is the source of this evil in your city, Lady Gotham?" Jazz inquired.

Lady Gotham paused once more, her gaze distant as she spoke, "He is often described as the clown prince of crime, a title that becomes prominent in the absence of daylight."

" .. You wish to kill the Joker?"