Coworkers Are Here. They Don't Understand Why We're Here So Early, Either. I'mma Go Now

Coworkers are here. They don't understand why we're here so early, either. I'mma go now

(04:31)

I can't sleep and the near constant notifications from Tumblr aren't helping.

(No, I can't turn my phone on vibrate because too many people in my family are sick and I'm the only one who wakes up to my phone ringing more than I do my own alarm)

So, I've given up sleeping for the night. I have to wake up in like...two hours anyway. (Shift starts at 4, we leave the house no later than 3:15, my alarm goes off at 2:00 so I have time to get ready)

I've been awake since 11:15 May 1st with only a three hour nap on May 2nd. My shift is 15 hours (4:00 to 19:00)

I've got a Mountain Dew, a Powerade, and 2 Rockstar to keep me awake for the shift (and food)

...sigh

At least the pay's decent. Our highest paying venue at $16 and hour

Listen to me,

we will NOT be bullied out of our own fucking tags by those spam bots.

Don't start using new tags. These are our tags. Defend them!

Who let me think that this shift was a good idea?

My breakfast was a tiny bag of Doritos and a Rockstar.

....we're blaming sleep deprivation and insomnia

I can't sleep and the near constant notifications from Tumblr aren't helping.

(No, I can't turn my phone on vibrate because too many people in my family are sick and I'm the only one who wakes up to my phone ringing more than I do my own alarm)

So, I've given up sleeping for the night. I have to wake up in like...two hours anyway. (Shift starts at 4, we leave the house no later than 3:15, my alarm goes off at 2:00 so I have time to get ready)

I've been awake since 11:15 May 1st with only a three hour nap on May 2nd. My shift is 15 hours (4:00 to 19:00)

I've got a Mountain Dew, a Powerade, and 2 Rockstar to keep me awake for the shift (and food)

...sigh

At least the pay's decent. Our highest paying venue at $16 and hour

How To Balance Your Daytime and Nighttime Activities So That You Don't Burn Yourself Out More Than You Already Have

Dick had to give it to the kid, he'd somehow thought of everything. It was a little concerning, actually, but the kid had brushed off every attempt had probing for answers. Who trained him? If he was trained at all. ...had the kid gone into vigilantism alone? Oh, dear. THat's not good fro Dick's current worries.

Reading the file Danny had handed him, Dick had to wonder how long it had taken him to put together this cover story. Also, where he'd managed to get the equipment to do it. At a glance, the kid didn't seem to have much on him. Not even a phone!

He closed the folder and set it back down on the table. "Really?" he asked, "'Congratulations, it's a boy'?"

Danny's cheeks turned a bit red as his gaze shifted to the folder. "Well, yeah. You're stuck with me now until I can get you into good habits and a healthier schedule."

"That implies that you're planning on leaving."

Danny shrugged, all his confidence now fading away. Is this what he's really like? "Well, I mean, I'm sure you don't want me sticking around at all, let alone for a while."

Dick frowned and looked back at the black folder and the binder sitting on his coffee table. God, his apartment's a mess! He smiled at Danny. "My name's Richard, but everyone calls me 'Dick'. You can stay in the guest room."

Danny lit up like a fucking Christmas tree. "Really?"

"Yep. You went to all this work, it'd be a shame if it all went to waste."

The grin on Danny's face was more than worth the security risk that he now posed. "You won't regret it, Mr. Dick!"

Dick smiled back at him, "Please, drop the formalities. We're cousins, apparently."

Was he attached? No. He wouldn't allow himself to get attached. Sure, maybe he was letting this kid - he really needs to start calling him Danny - stay with him for a while, but he wasn't going to get attached. Getting attached meant losing him. Dick wasn't sure he'd be able to survive if he lost someone again.

...damn it.

***

First order of business, now that Danny was officially Dick's - why would he willingly go by that nickname? - ward/cousin, Danny was going to make sure he got some sleep. Today was Dick's day off, so Danny had sent him to his room to take a much needed nap. The man was basically dead on his feet and Danny would be damned if he let him wander around this mess of an apartment with blurry vision.

The second thing he did, once he was sure Dick was asleep, was start to clean up. The place was a stereotypical bachelor's pad, complete with questionable stains in the carpet, rips in the cushions, dishes piled up in the sink, and old take-out on every table and counter. Gross.

He made quick work of the old take-out by throwing it all away and hitting it with a very small and controlled ectoblast. He was so glad Dick had disposable gloves on hand.

The dishes were the next thing he handed. The water was cleaner than in Gotham, so he didn't worry about washing the dishes by hand when they all didn't fit in the dishwasher. He dried the ones he'd hand washed before putting them away. Dick had no organisation in his cupboards, so Danny fixed that, too.

The fridge and freezer weren't too bad. Sure, the dairy products had all expired and most of the food was freezer bitten, but none of it was moldy yet and the appliance itself was in perfect working order. He'd have to go shopping later.

Danny had never liked cleaning, but he'd had to when his parents refused to follow any OSHA laws or Lab Safety courses. So, when he found the cleaning supplies, he took a deep breath and began scrubbing the bathroom. It wasn't too bad, thank god, and was already fairly clean. It was quick and he was able to move on very quickly.

The counters, tables, walls, and tile and wooden floors were all easy to clean with a wet rag and a broom. He wasn't going to even try saving the rug because it looked well beyond the point of no return. The couch and chair cushions could be sticked up, but he didn't have a sewing needle and thread with him.

The last thing he did before taking his backpack into the room he'd been given was to write down a shopping list and leave it on the counter. It wasn't a lot, just food and some dishes and toiletries. He'd have to figure out with Dick a way to pay rent, too, but that was a later Danny problem. He'd tired himself out and was still running on pretty much empty. So, he allowed himself to fall asleep. He'd check on Dick when he woke up.

Part 4 Part 6

Tag List:

@flame-343 @ghestie93 @anarinette @aglmry @peachtreewriter @evix-syne666 @loudlypanickinginvenezolano @lumosfeather18581

The plan was set and the game had begun.

There was a meeting on the Watchtower exactly three days after the Bat Clan had decided to mess with the Justice League, so that's when they planned to set everything in motion.

Robin couldn't be at the meeting because it fell during school hours, so Nightwing had come to the meeting with Batman. He'd already had the day off, so it wasn't too much of a hasel. Red Hood and Red Robin had both wanted to come, but they also had civilian duties to take care of.

When the meeting was over, the 'main leaguers', as many others had dubbed them, stayed behind as they always did. Normally, it was just so they all could catch up, sometimes to arrange another meeting, or even to discuss more sensitive topics.

This time, when everyone but Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg, and Nightwing had left the room, Nightwing threw his arm across Batman's shoulders and said "You all should come to the Cave!"

All conversation stopped as everyone turned to look at the black and blue clad vigilante. For a long moment, no one spoke or moved. Then, Batman nodded.

"Perfect!" Nightwing's smile got even bigger.

"Um," Superman, the sweet midwesterner, flicked his eyes over to Batman's face before looking at Nightwing. "Are you sure? Bat's has never let any of us into Gotham, let alone the Bat Cave."

Nightwing winked at the hero, his domino mask not hiding it, "Yeah, well, me and the others managed to wear him down. Besides, we've all wanted to give you guys a tour! We've been to all your secret hideouts, so we figured it's about time you saw ours!"

"I'm sorry," Green Lantern raised his hand slightly, "'Others'?"

Nightwing blinked, his smile dropping. Batman straightened up. "Did you-" Nightwing cut himself off, "You do know how many of us there are in Gotham, right?"

The heroes all looked at one another. Sure, they'd heard that there was two, maybe three, working with Batman, but nothing had ever been confirmed aside from Robin working with Batman and Nightwing working in Bludhaven.

Batman fought very hard to keep a smirk off his face. Nightwing didn't even try to hide his amusement.

Wonder Woman was the one to ask, "There are rumors, but I can't say any of us know exactly how many heroes work within Gotham City limits."

Nightwing and Batman shared a glance. This added so much more to their game. They had to tell the others! This was already so much fun, but it was about to get so much better!

"Then, I guess you all have no choice but to come to the Cave with us so you can meet everyone!" Nightwing exclaimed.

The eight heroes shared looks with one another before looking back at Batman and Nightwing. Their choice was obvious to the two Bats before the group had even decided.

"Alright," Aquaman said, "When would you like us to stop by?"

Right on script. Batman said, "Meet here tomorrow at fifteen-hundred New Jersey time. We'll be here to bring you down to the Cave." Then, he left, Nightwing trailing behind him.

"Cool," Flash nodded, "Cool, cool. Totally not nerve wracking at all."

Cyborg stood from his seat. "Don't be nervous, Flash. We're actually being allowed in Gotham. Batman doesn't let anyone in Gotham."

"No," Green Arrow said, "He doesn't let anyone operate in Gotham. I've been many times."

"As Green Arrow or as a civilian?"

He fell silent and the others all laughed. He joined them.

"Regardless," Martian Manhunter said, "I think it's good he's allowing us to see his main base of operations."

"Yeah," agreed Superman, "I wonder what it'll be like."

Wonder Woman was the next to stand from her seat. "It will be quite the tour, I'm sure."

Part 2 Part 4

(i had this all written out, and then the app broke on me, so here's take two)

Ghost Writer was somewhere between relieved and pissed. Only so many words translate correctly across languages, but none of them can accurately describe how he was feeling.

The Realms had been in chaos for both days and eons. Their King, the child they had raised, had been taken from them. He had been taken from their reach, hidden from their sight. The Realms would not rest until he was back safely in her arms.

John Constantine was a man who was known throughout the afterlives connected to this specific Realm of Reality. He was known as a con man and a thief. Ghost Writer knew him as an ally. A tentative ally, but an ally nonetheless. John Constantine turned over old tomes of magic and Magiks that he deemed too dangerous in the hands of humans and human adjacents to Ghost Writer in exchange for a single favor.

Based solely on the man's reputation, Ghost Writer had assumed the man would attempt to turn the deal around on him. He was glad he was wrong.

"Child," Ghost Writer sat on the wooden stool beside the bed, "They will no longer harm you."

Phantom had been conscious when Ghost Writer had arrived. The child had watched he and John Constantine move into and about the room. Now, under the Concept's gentle hand and careful watch, he allowed himself to sleep. His Obsession would help him heal, but it could not do so alone.

John Constantine ran a hand through his hair in lieu of lighting the cigarette he held between his lips. "This is who you all were looking for, right?"

"That is correct." and fairly obvious.

"Who is he?"

Right, this man had been to an afterlife, but he had never died. He had never become one of Phantom's people. "He is The Great One, The Protector. He is Space, he is Balance. He is the Realm's Child. He is our King."

John was impressed, but he didn't announce that other than a dip of his head in a bow to the Child King. Then, he said, "I don't trust human doctors to be able to help him. I don't think he'd want to be anywhere near a human doctor, actually. Will you call a Healer for him?"

"I already have." Ghost Writer laid his hand over Phantom's, reassurance to the child that he is not alone. He is safe now.

"You have?"

"Indeed." There were not many Healers in the Realms that would heal living beings. There are fewer still who would willingly heal those of this Realm of Reality for what they had done to The King. They would all make an acception to help their King. "He is The King's Healer."

John Constantine is a man who makes it a point to remind living beings of their mortality. There are many who claim immortality, but he knows that there is no such thing. The only beings to achieve true immortality are the ones who have died and the ones born with and from Space and Time. He is very aware that he is in a room with two extremely powerful beings. He knows that a third one is on the way. The power from one of them could bring a weaker man to his knees. And John Constantine is about to be in an enclosed room - in space - with three of them.

"What's the damage?" the occultist asked the Concept given form, "What's going to happen to the people here?"

A deep voice tore through the air, opening a rip in the middle of the room as it spoke. "Those who did this will be punished."

"All who worked at the facility," Ghost Writer continued, "all who allowed and promoted their work, and all who supported them will be put on Trial within the Infinite Realms."

The yeti was now fully in the room, the Rio closing behind him. "They will be sentenced to Punishment for whatever time remains of their natural life."

"When they die, they will be sent to the Void." Ghost Writer whispered, though his voice carried as though he'd yelled.

"A place of existing without existing. A paradox." The yeti growled, "A merciful end for the likes."

"Frostbite," Ghost Writer greeted, his eyes leaving Phantom, "You will heal him?"

"Of course," Frostbite said, "I will do what I can here, but he will have to be taken to the Far Frozen so that I may help him properly."

"This world has heroes, did you know?" The Concept moved to sit on the foot of the bed, his hand moving to rest on Phantom's ankle so that Frostbite could examine him.

"Other than Phantom?" Frostbite asked, "I did not know."

John felt as though the weight of the Sky was dropped on him, but he didn't stumble. He knew that showing weakness to beings and entitles stronger than him was a good way to get killed slowly and painfully for their enjoyment. He spoke anyway, "Phantom-" He cut himself off at the glare from Ghost Writer and Frostbite. "King Phantom," he amended, "was- is? was a hero here?"

"Yes," Frostbite smiled smally, "He was born here, he was raised here, he lived here, and he died here. He is Balance. He is The Protector."

"He protects the living from the dead and the dead from the living." Ghost Writer said.

"And the living fucked it up." John finished. He sighed. "I'll alert the others to your decision. They won't interfere."

"Good," Ghost Writer stood and looked John in the eye, "Keep your favor. You have earned it." Then, the three beings were gone.

John Constantine is a man who is consciously aware of how easy it is to die. He knows the different afterlives and those who run them as well as he knows his own past.

The Justice League will keep out of the way of supernatural affairs. They will warn against getting in the way of the Ghost's Retribution. They will turn a blind eye or they will die for complacency.

John leaves the room and lights his cigarette, rules be damned. He's used to cleaning up messes, but this is of a scale on its own.

Don't know why but I kind of want to use that one scene from Prince of Egypt where the Nile turns into blood with like the Lazarus pits turning the blood after the Giw kidnapped Danny like the pits and Lazarus Island are just turning into dark red blood and we'll be like this until Danny's returned back as their King like every place that has like a high level of death energy now has things turn into like locus or like ancient curses until Danny's returned

Also every ghost acting like a feral monster cuz the king is gone and that means they're stableness is gone with the King

Oh interesting.

The world was in chaos. No one knew what had caused the change. But suddenly supernatural entities and forces everywhere were causing chaos. Batman had been in the cave when the Lazarus Pit turned blood red. Shortly after he heard reports from Crime Alley. Hood had flown into the worst murderous rampage yet. The two incidents were clearly linked. He is to sedate Hood to stop his rampage. H was currently in an induced coma.

Jason was hardly the only one affected. Everyone he knew that had been revived by the pits? Were more angry, rash, prone to violence. Talia had called as well. Every put under the control I the LoA? Were affected the same way. Then he got the calls from Constantine and other members of JLD. Ghosts everywhere were causing massive amounts of damage. To both people and property.

Any people who were sensitive to death magic? Were either angry, depressed or in pain. Something he happened. But they were at a loss as to what. The fact they were compromised wasn't helping. He could feel his control sipping the longer this went on. Robin had been benched. He was currently far too likely to cause damage.

Then they found the starting clue. A city in Illinois was under constant attack by ghosts. Amity Park had been evacuated now for the most part. One facility seemed to be the focus of the attacks. Whatever was causing this? Was likely being held there. The government was being obstructionist at best. And with their collective patience being stretched to the limit? That wasn't going to keep them out of that facility.