Ghost in Gotham

(Actual) Chapter 31: That's Enough

"Looking for something?" I heard a voice say from behind me, making me snap my head a shoot an ectoblast in surprise. Luckily, it hadn't burned anybody and Danny was okay. Unluckily, Robin was only a few yards away from the both of us. Which I had found strange, seeing as the Bat wasn't right beside him.

"None of your business. Just gotta find what we need and we'll be out of your hair." 'Twixt countered, continuing to search through the debris. I was tenser though, still looking at the dynamic duo while stealing glances at Betwixt.

 I didn't know why he carried such a carefree personality while as Phantom, it was almost completely different from her regularly. Maybe he believed that he was different people, at least that the suit changed him in a way. I've heard that's how some people think, a screen or a mask or a suit made them a completely different person, like adopting a new and exhilarating identity.

Robin seemed to run at me, showing me a full view of his bo-staff. "Sorry, but I need a few questions answered." I immediately dodged it, letting reflexes take over my movement. Suddenly, he feigned an attack at my head, which had me protecting my head with my arms. Bird-boy then took a quick swing at my feet, sweeping me on to the rocky ground. He held the bo staff near my throat.

"Hey, hey, hey, we don't have to be so rough. Where's your chivalry, attacking a girl? I'll answer questions," Robin seemed to peek at this, "But I'm not going with you anywhere. I just want to see how long it took to fight with the Bird-Brain." I faintly saw Robin narrow his eyes at Danny, who had put on a playful smirk.

Robin seemed to forget about me and ran at Betwixt, "Here's a question, why the elusiveness?" He aimed his staff at Betwixt's chest, which he dodged.

"I see, we're going to be playing like that then. I'm elusive because I don't need any heroes on my back. Good thing that all I got was a sidekick." Danny said as he continued to dodge. 

I could only gawk at the display, finding myself mesmerized just by watching. Danny seemed to handle everything fine on his own. I had gotten up from the ground but I just couldn't move, I couldn't help but watch. 

Robin seemed to flare with anger. but flung another question, "Why the graffiti branding? What's your end goal?" 

"Ah-ah-ah," Danny wagged his finger mid-dodge, "One question at a time. But if you must know, I do it to let off steam. Don't you ever get that thrill to rebel against what people think is right? Of course you don't, you're just a puny sidekick after all."

"Why answer any of my questions?" Attack.

"I told you last we met, I would repay a favor to a lion in need, as the timid mouse I am." Dodge.

"What're you looking for, Phantom?" Kick.

"Just a lost possession, nothing too much." Sidestep.

"Stop moving!" Hit.

"If you insist." And he went intangible, the fist that was heading for him going through his body. Danny still had an amused look on his face, but it seemed to die down. He looked as if he was getting bored.

Robin's voice was starting to get a little familiar. Like I had heard it somewhere before...

"Two more questions, then we're done." Danny held his hand out, making his own staff out of ice, his eyes shining a light-blue. Robin's eyes widened a fraction and then went to a normal, aggressive glare as if nothing had happened.

"What're you planning?" Attack.

"I don't plan, I wing it. Who needs a plan when you have powers? You wouldn't know that though, now would you?" Block.

"Just who exactly are you, Danny?"

The question made both us freeze. Danny's carefree smirk, washed away in a flash, replaced with narrow-eyed suspicion. He brought his own staff down, freezing the ground around it and cementing Robin down.

He made his slow stride towards the traffic-light themed hero, each step surrounding with icy coldness.

"Who told you that? How do you know?" Danny glowered, his voice becoming dark and dangerous. Robin looked back with a rivaling glare, then swung a left-hook at him. It didn't matter though, Danny had caught his arm swiftly and started to squeeze down on it.

"Let me ask you again, how do you know?" I didn't know how, but Danny seemed to snap out of his dangerous state, immediately taking huge steps back. 

Danny's eyes were wide in surprise, he looked as if he didn't know what happened himself. He retreated the Ice Staff back into his core, slowly disappearing. Each step he took looked shaky. I was surprised myself, barely ever seeing Danny in such a dark state. It was worse than how he reacted to me locking Spooky in the bathroom, much much worse than that.

"Ashes, let's go. Clearly, we haven't found anything. We'll search again tomorrow." His voice sounded shaken up. I removed myself from my rooted place, feeling so foreign to move once more. I followed him as he started to float up.

I didn't know why, but I felt embarrassed all of a sudden. I was just standing there doing nothing like a useless pile of bricks. 

In the corner of my eye, I saw Robin breaking at the ice with his staff. Within a second, he got his feet out and started to head at Danny once more. The kid just didn't know when to quit. When I was about the throw a warning ectoblast at him, a deep and dark voice stopped me.

"Robin, that's enough."