Look at this, a very late update
Ember's POV
"Fucking Zone," I cursed at the sight before me.
Here it was, the whole building
Collapsed.
I was basically listing every curse in existence, thinking how much of an inconvenience this was. Though I knew, in the back of my mind, I could sense my guitar when it was near me. It was my special item after all. But it would take much longer in this giant mess.
Rubble and rock were spread out thoroughly and police tape surrounded the whole thing. Not like I cared at all, if the cops came I'd just run. Cloth from ripped costumes hung loosely from the clutter and it was almost like the festivities or yesterday never existed. All the good the place had was erased completely and it was nothing but vast destruction.
"Don't worry," Betwixt tried to comfort. "We'll find it eventually." We had been digging around for ages.
We already got the groceries and placed back home, but it was already an hour and we couldn't find a single thing. I had half the mind to yank off the disguise ring and really let my powers flow. But Danny, being the stickler he was, said I couldn't do that in broad daylight. Even if I turned invisible, I couldn't go looking through rubble and have tiny pebbles look as if they were flying off on their own.
But I was exhausted. I didn't feel the ghostly aura of my guitar anywhere and it was honestly frustrating. There was the possibility that the rubble was stifling the aura, so I just continued working.
My hands were tired and I was working up a sweat. My clothes were covered in dirt and my face was in a permanent scowl.
"I can't just 'not worry'!" I snapped, which I immediately noticed my actions. I was taking out my anger at someone who was just trying to help. I'd be no better than... nevermind.
"Sorry ' bout that, just..."
"I know, I know it's fine. If you want, I can stay here and help search?"
I knew that Danny's work was coming close, it was almost one for goodness sake's.
I sighed, "No, Danny, you don't need to. You already left early for work, I wouldn't want you cutting work completely. Maybe I'll just head home and try to relax." I had felt a slight headache build up and those weren't the best.
Danny twitched a supportive smile, "How about we search at night?" I immediately got what he meant and I smiled back.
"Sounds like a plan!" I would do anything to work at night in something more... natural.
*...SKIPPY*
This was more like it!
Here I was, soaring through the sky with Betwixt, invisible of course, about to reach our destination. I was wearing my cropped cloak, because of 'Twixt's persistence on hiding an identity. I found myself smiling, though worry was still slightly cloudy, as the wind blew against my face.
Though this wasn't any joy trip, it was a careful investigation. Investigating the rubble with powers and all!
Twixt and I landed at the rubble.
"I'll take left rubble and you'll take right, okay?" He asked, which I nodded to the instructions.
I phased through the rubble with my hand, looking for anything that can touch at my ghostly hand. My guitar was ghostly so it could touch you even when you're intangible. I hadn't ever lost my guitar for such a long time, even if it's only been a day. The Joker thing must have shaken me up. I was most definitely going to pummel the clown if he ever showed his ugly, caked face near me ever again.
"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."