I thought it was a joke.
"I assure you that it was not."
Damian allowed himself to be nuzzled by Batcow as he went about the barn preparing it for winter. The first snow had already been scheduled and he was running on borrowed time. Jerry the turkey followed along loyally at his heels with Cujo right alongside them. Between classwork and trying to be careful in finding any other triggers for Danny, the care for his animals had been put to the wayside. Alfred did do a lot of the work but they were Damian's animals so they were his responsibility. It was just... an adjustment with Danny. There was a lot he was learning about the care for another. But he wouldn't ignore his animals and today was the last day of his grounding. After this, he would be immensely busy with patrols and cases again, so now was the time to get the winter preparations out of the way.
Batcow? You named her Batcow? That... how did you end up with a cow? And a turkey? I've never seen a turkey that didn't try to claw someone's face off. They are gremlins just like geese.
"Then Drake would probably find it fitting. A demon and his gremlin." Damian smirked at the laugh Danny gave off as he went about insulating the barn. "While on a mission, I had to infiltrate a slaughterhouse. The conditions were horrible and the cruelty to the animals was unparalleled. I found Batcow in that place and rescued her. You probably can't see it right now since you can't see patterned details, but Batcow got her name from the bat-shaped pattern that stretches across her face like a mask. Jerry was in roughly the same kind of situation." He paused in his work to give each of the animals a good pet before continuing.
Are you some kind of Disney princess for animals in danger? How come my missions hardly ever involved animals other than talking vultures? I want to save animals! I wish to pet. I wish to pet so bad!
Damian grabbed a hay bale and started throwing it into an organized stack. A fresh shipment had just arrived and it needed to be put in the designated spot. This was one thing that he never allowed Alfred to do. It was good strength training and the butler was getting older. He didn't need an accident happening. "When you fully form, I'm sure that Batcow and Jerry will let you pet them as much as you wish. Despite being a gremlin bird, Jerry is very well-behaved. It's Alfred the cat that you have to look out for. Besides, there will probably be another mission that involves animals and you can claim that one. Father won't let me bring animals home anymore so if someone else does he is more likely to say yes. Cujo was an exception." Danny was quiet for a minute. A slight unsettling feeling of nervousness replaced the amusement he was feeling earlier. "What's wrong?"
Man, that is annoying that you can feel that.
"The feeling was not as prominent as it was before. You have gotten better."
It's still annoying.
"I understand the sentiment but you have yet to answer my question," Damian smirked when Danny grumbled to himself as he moved on to his next task. It took Danny a moment before he started to talk again, his emotions were muted even further than before but Damian could still pick them out if he wanted.
Why does it... why are you making it sound like I will be living here once I fully form?
"Because you are? Why? Were you thinking of vanishing once you are back in your normal body?" Damian stopped and wiped the sweat from his brow. When Danny offered nothing but silence, he tsked at the ghost and tossed his pitchfork to the side. "Where will you go? I have looked into your background and there is nothing left for you back in Amity. What are you going to do once you are free? Do you have a plan?" When all he got was more silence with a feeling of apprehensive sadness, Damian sighed. "Father is not one to turn someone in need a way. Have you seen how many adopted siblings I have? Each one came from some sort of unfortunate circumstance. Even I... his blood child am not exempt from this. Though it does not need to end in adoption, you will be given a room here if you wish it."
But wouldn't he see me as a meta? There aren't supposed to be metas in Gotham.
"That rule doesn't exist because Father despises metas. Though the populace does like to skew it that way and it is misleading." Realizing this conversation was going to take a while, Damian finished setting up the new bedding in Batcow's stall and sat down in it. The cow made her way from the yard into the stall and laid down with Damian happily snuggling against her warm stomach. "Father works with many metas and more with the Justice League. His best friend is Superman and he would bring the world down on anyone who grievously harms one of their members. Even one of the batclan is a meta, Signal."
Then why is that rule there in the first place?
The youngest Wayne chuckled darkly. "Have you seen what Gotham has to deal with on a daily basis? Plants attacking humans, a homicidal clown, mad scientists, and corrupt politicians. All of them looking for ways to meet their goals. None of them are above using mind control to do it. That rule acts as a safety measure for the metas as well as for us. Gotham could be leveled in a day if one of the rogues got in control of a powerful meta. Doesn't matter if the meta is willing or not. We know that there are probably metas living in the city. We run into them from time to time. But because of that rule, they are keeping their powers hidden and so they are less likely to be trafficked or kidnapped to do something worse."
That... actually makes a lot of sense. I've been mind-controlled before and it was not fun... No one believed me when I tried to claim innocence either.
"So I've seen in some of the articles I've read. Your fears are unfounded. If you wished, you would be welcomed with open arms. Especially Thomas. He may not say it but being the only meta among normal people does get to him sometimes." Damian sighed in relief when the apprehensive feeling went away. He was getting better at this. "And in the rare insignificant chance that Father says no, I will make him say yes." The amusement returned from Danny.
How would you go about doing that?
Damian smirked "I have my ways. Father is a lot of things but he cannot win against me if I truly want to get my way." Danny snorted but didn't comment. The two fell into an amiable silence and Damian closed his eyes, enjoying the brief break.
... I'll think about it. Thanks.
It was as close to a yes that Damian was going to get. The boy stood up and brushed some stray hay that had stuck to his pants. "On this note, we need to discuss something. Previously, I always took you on patrol with me. You would rest in a pocket of my utility belt so you wouldn't accidentally get hit or stolen if I wore you around my neck. Do you think you will be able to handle it?"
What do you mean? I've patrolled before. I used to patrol my hometown all of the time.
"Tt. That was before what happened to you." Damian watched Jerry chase Cujo around the barn undoing some of the work he had already put in. Cujo would escape the turkey's attack by phasing through the barn walls and popping up in a different spot. Jerry would squawk indignantly and the chase would begin anew. "You almost turned me into a popsicle when Drake tried to touch my forehead. Though I'm pretty sure he spilled the water on purpose for a different reason, there had been no ill intent and you knew who the person was. Out on the streets will be different. These people will try to harm me. I can't have you freezing every available surface each time someone throws a punch in my general direction."
"I also can't say that I don't want to come on patrol. It would be out of character and a few of my family members are already suspicious." Not to mention, he really needed to see what had happened in the past week. Damian hadn't even been allowed into the cave and he knew that there had to be GIW involvement or more. Which was another thing that he would need to tell Danny about. There was a good chance that they would encounter the jerks in white suits, not that the ghost could differentiate color right now. But they are a very obvious bunch and having them chase Damian across rooftops, calling him 'ghost scum' would be a dead giveaway.
There was no way that he would leave Danny at the manor. His room may be fortified but with Duke's abilities, the meta would be able to get in with ease. Not to mention, Jason would be more than happy to take the opportunity to swipe the core without Damian noticing. There were too many threats in the manor so his only two options were to take Danny on patrol or not go. If he refused, everyone would be suspicious, and bringing Danny out unprepared could have him outed on accident due to his new PTSD. Neither was a good scenario.
Well... I could always just retract my senses? It would be the equivalent of closing your eyes. When a fight is about to go down that's what I could do?
"I get the feeling that even if you could, you wouldn't." Judging by the way Danny was desperately trying to stop any emotion going through, the young Wayne was right. "I will try to keep a reasonable distance but it won't be guaranteed. Also, you need to be prepared for what we may encounter out there." Danny could feel that Damian was gearing up for something but didn't know what. The apprehensiveness returned anew and Damian could feel his chest cool under the spot where Danny's pendant rested.
I mean it can't be any worse than ghost attacks, right?
Oh if only it was that simple. Damian climbed up to the loft of the barn and opened the hatch that overlooked the garden. Settling himself on the sill so that he could see if someone was trying to sneak up on him while he was doing his chores. This was not a conversation that he wanted to be overheard. "Daniel-" When the disgust and fear made themselves known, Damian corrected himself. "Danny. There is something I haven't told you yet because... well, I didn't think it would be a good idea to tell you when you just woke up. Honestly, I still don't think you are ready to hear this but I don't have much of a choice. If I'm taking you with me, then you need to be prepared because there is a high chance that we will encounter them."
Encounter who?
The ghost boy demanded with him trying (and failing horribly) to hide the apprehensiveness that continued to grow with every word that Damian said. The boy sighed and prepared himself for the cold that he knew was going to engulf him. "The GIW is in Gotham, Danny." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, ice spread out at a rapid pace and Damian shuddered. It wasn't as cold compared to the previous times but it wasn't pleasant. Especially since it was only 20 degrees outside. "They were in the alley I found you in and the reason why my school is closed is that they, indirectly, bombed half of it. Most of them were put in jail but, at this point, they should be out. The only ones still holed up are the ones in the hospital." The cold kept growing and Damian was beginning to feel his body stiffen up.
"They seem to think that Red Hood and I are ghosts. Drake reverse-engineered their ectoplasm detector to create a jammer because they were using it to track us while we were out on patrol. So there is a chance that we will encounter them out in the field..." Damian brought his hand up to trace the edges of the pendant. The emotions sent across weren't as powerful as a direct touch but Damian didn't want to have Danny out while he talked out in the open like this. "They are rather persistent." The ice continued to grow as Danny fought for control while his mind raced from this new information.
When did they get here? How long has it been? How were they tracking him when he was just in his core? Were they scouring Gotham right now? Was that why Cujo was here? He couldn't go back. He can't go back. He can't go BACK-
"DANNY!" Damian yelled before the teen could spiral even further. "We are already looking into it. You are not going to go back to them. I won't allow it."
But-
"They may have been smart enough to find you but they are NOT smart enough to get you away from me. Their blood will wet my blade long before one even comes close enough to touch you." Damian's voice was resolute leaving no room for argument and Danny's fear cowed under the raw determination that the boy was radiating. "Ever since you have come into my care, they were no longer a threat to you. I became a threat to them."
No, Damian, you don't understand. They may be stupid but they are so stubborn. They are like roaches! When you think you got rid of them, they keep coming back! Do you know what they have done to ghosts? To me?
Growling, Damian flexed his arm a small bit when the ice started to recede. "Roughly." He refused elaborate further. The boy's scream still haunted him at times and Danny was dealing with enough as it was.
Then you know that they won't stop! The worst part of it all, nothing they have done is illegal!
What?
"What do you mean that what they are doing isn't illegal?" Damian couldn't remain sitting anymore. He stood up abruptly, the ice that covered him crackled and fell away, melting long before it reached the floor of the loft. Anger had the boy pacing to burn off his excess energy. "They are performing inhumane experiments on those who should be classified as metas. They fall under the meta rights act. How can you say that they are legally in the right?"
Look it up! They were enacted about two years ago now. The Anti-Ecto Acts state that anything that creates or needs ectoplasm to survive is dubbed non-sentient. Any entity found needs to be handed over to the GIW for research or extermination.
He did just that. Damian pulled out his phone and was looking at the anti-ecto acts with all of their unethical clauses for himself. He gripped his phone so hard that the edges of his phone case cracked. "This needs to be addressed. These laws directly violate the meta rights act and will not be tolerated." Damian forwent the ladder and jumped down to the ground, tucking into a perfect roll that had him back on his feet without losing any momentum. Once Jerry and Batcow were set, Damian broke for the manor as fast as he could.
Wha- wait! What are you doing?!
"The others need to know." If they didn't know already. Damian threw the backdoor open with such force that it took him a second to realize that it had been trapped. Water soaked the boy from the bucket above and the flash of a camera had him glaring in the direction of Tim who was looking a little too pleased with himself. "Drake... what are you doing?" His words came out measured and clipped in a way that had the older boy immediately tensing.
Tim stayed behind the end table that he had decided to hide behind and looked at Damian sheepishly. "Um... you see... I thought... This wasn't what I thought would happen."
"Then, please, elaborate on what was supposed to happen, Drake?" Damian stalked forward with Tim scrambling to get out of his vulnerable spot before his younger brother trapped him.
"Okay, Damian, you see um... You know what? I was in the wrong here. I'm very very sorry. Lemme get you a towel-" Tim was blocked before he could make a hasty retreat by Damian who looked murderous. Now for multiple reasons.
Damian's look morphed into a smirk that Tim did not like one bit. "If you don't want to become a pin cushion then you are going to take me down to the cave."
Tim paled. "Your grounding ends tomorrow. I can't take you down to the cave! Alfred would kill me!"
"Well, then you have a choice. Die now by me." Damian pulled out a hidden knife from his sleeve and tossed it in the air. Easily catching it again without taking his eyes off of his adopted brother. "Or die later by Alfred, who would probably be a lot nicer about it. You choose."
There wasn't much of a debate. Tim sighed heavily and held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, fine. I'd rather not be stabbed today, thank you very much."
"Good choice. Also, give me your phone." Damian held his free hand out with his smirk growing.
"Uh, why?" Tim brought his phone to his chest protectively and Damian just arched his brow at him.
"There is no way in hell I'm letting you keep that photo you just took."