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Damian hated magic. It was utter nonsense. People like Zatanna or the drunken fool Constantine claim that there are rules. The problem is that no one seems to know them all. Either that or they’re just making them up as they go. What he is trying to get at is that it is unpredictable. That is what really grates his nerves.
That is how himself and Batman found themselves being attacked by animated mannequins. Mannequins of all things. Such little imagination from the pathetic excuse of a magician they were chasing. He was almost offended. This was hardly a challenge to someone of his ability.
He sliced mannequin number forty-three in half and glanced over at Batman who was growing impatient with the endless stream of animated fodder. How many mannequins could this establishment have anyway. To make things worse the imbecilic magician who looked like his outfit had been chosen by a nine-year-old Richard was chanting some spell. Fools like this could be annoyingly dangerous if they bit off more than they could chew with a spell.
Damian pushed through the remaining mannequins and made a lunge at the magician, impaling him with his sword. He heard a growl of “Robin” from Batman behind him. He rolled his eyes. This was obviously a non-lethal impalement in order to shut him up before he finishes his spell.
Much to Damian’s annoyance the rainbow puke magician started cackling. Damian sucker punched him across the face in hopes he would cease his insufferable laughter. Unfortunately, he seemed to be set on being more infuriating than Todd when someone mentions the Joker.
“It is too late I have already summoned souls from the beyond!” he cried while disgustingly bleeding all over the place. Damian scrunched his nose up. Seriously some people had no sense of hygiene. Also summoning souls probably wasn’t a good thing. Batman of course agreed with him and grabbed the magician by his orange and purple scarf.
“What did you do” he demanded.
“Its time to see who the Batman and his little bridie mourn most” the moron laughed back.
Damian bristled. How dare this failure call him little. He was not that small for his age.
“Nothing is happening. Your are pathetic as expected” Damian said coldly with his arms crossed.
Just as he said it three glowing green circles appeared on the ground behind the idiotic magician who began screaming something about how they were all going to die now. Batman was glaring at him like this was somehow his fault. Probably that ridiculous notion of `jinxing` something that Drake and Richard sometimes blabber about. Damian huffs. Father was always talking about looking at the evidence in front of him. It wasn’t his fault that the evidence changed.
A flash of green light from the circles blinded him. As his vision began to clear he made out three human figures withing the circles. Beside him Batman gave a uncharacteristic heavy breath and Damian could hear him clenching his fists. As his vision cleared fully, he could see why. Standing in front of them were a glowing Thomas and Martha Wayne. But it wasn’t them that caught Damian’s attention. It was the boy standing next to them. A boy identical to him except with blue eyes.
Damian too clenched his fist and tightened his grip on his sword. He gritted his teeth. How dare this pathetic excuse of a human disturb Daniel. Or use an illusion of him. It didn’t matter to him. He had no right.
“Br-Batman”, Martha said softly.
“Mother” Batman whispered back. His Batman persona forgotten.
Damian didn’t hear the rest of his father’s reunion with his parents. He was focused on Daniel. His brother. The one he betrayed.
“Daniel is it actually you” he said trying to keep up his impassive persona. He was doing a better job thatn his father at least.
“I see you got away from the old psycho fruitloop” Daniel responded.
It was him. He was the only one that called grandfather that name. Who would dare call grandfather names.
“Im sorry Daniel” Damian whispered.
Daniel winced. “It is a bit late now”.
Damian felt like he had been punched in the gut. Of course, Daniel wouldn’t forgive him just like that. After what he had done.
The magician, who Damian and Batman it seemed had honestly forgotten about, decided to act.
“Awww, what a touching reunion. Kill them” he demanded.
Thomas and Martha immediately lunged at Batman who fought them off. Although Damian noticed his heart wasn’t in it. He was fighting purely on the defensive and it didn’t help that Thomas and Martha seemed to be switching between being tangible and intangible randomly.
Damian took up a defensive stance and waited for Daniels attack. It never came.
“How about no?”.
Damian was dumfounded. The magician was shocked.
“YOU CAN’T SAY NO” he screamed. Why was it always the ones in crappy costumes that were so over the top dramatic.
Daniel had his hands in the pockets of his jeans, a strange clothing choice since they never had clothes like that in the league. Did the afterlife have clothes shops?
“Just did you overgrown glitter bomb”.
The magician was fuming now. He was literally stamping his feet like a child while bleeding from his impalement wound. How had he not passed out yet?
“I have bound you to do my bidding!” he whined. Pathetic, a grown man whining.
“You magic is shit magicman. Maybe you should try kids’ birthday parties as a career instead.” Daniel replies smirking. He’s enjoying this Damian realises.
Batman is beginning to lose ground about his parents. He is mentally compromised. It doesn’t help that every time they land a hit, they apologise meaning they are still fully aware. Damian runs to help his Father when the magician lunges at Daniel in anger.
Daniel literally bitch slaps him. Across the room. He didn’t even have the respect to punch him.
“Aww, out cold after one hit” Daniel said. He was actually disappointed Damian notices.
The magician being out cold did not stop Thomas and Martha who were still attacking both Batman and now Damian. That was until Damian heard a shout of “Sorry Granny and Gramps!” before a beam of white light shot at his two grandparents. “No need to apologise dear. Just don’t be late for Sunday dinner!” Martha said cheerily before disappearing into…. A thermos? And dead people have Sunday dinners?
Daniel grinned at them while flipping the thermos. “Ta-da problem solved” he said.
Damian huffed. He is just as unserious as he remembers.
“What did you do to them and who are you?” Father demands having regained some of his Batman persona.
“Relax Pops, they’re fine. Whole control spell will wear off in an hour or two. And to your second question, Damian, I’m hurt you never mentioned me. Although I can`t say I’m surprised anymore” Daniel said. His smile was strained now. His words felt like another punch to Damian. Nothing would ever make up for what he had done. He knew that but he still wanted to try.
“Daniel, can you stay… please” he begged. Batman tried to barge in for more questioning but Daniel interrupted him.
“No can do”, he said before saluting and disappearing into thin air.
Damian found his brother again just for him to run away before literally disappearing. But Damian had questions now. Why had his brothers ghost been different to his grandparents. Daniel didn’t glow. He couldn’t be controlled, and Damian had noticed something even more shocking just before he disappeared.
Daniel had been breathing.
Damian wasn’t going to stop until he had answers.