[Third Person Pov]
"You know, that theory of yours would also kind of explain why my powers were going out of control all of a sudden earlier," Danny said as he looked down at his hands, turning them slightly as if expecting something to flicker or spark again.
Bruce watched him carefully, his attention steady and deliberate, giving a small nod for him to continue.
"I was losing my purpose… my center of self, like you put it," Danny went on, his voice quieter now. "With my emotions getting colder, I was losing that drive I have to help people." He slowly clenched one hand into a fist, staring at it. "I guess once that center starts slipping, everything else about me just… follows. Gets unstable. Emotions really are everything to a ghost."
Bruce's expression shifted into something more serious, his tone firm but controlled. "Even if your strength increases with your emotions, that doesn't mean you should let them control you the way they did. You're supposed to be in control of your emotions, not the other way around. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir," Danny replied without hesitation. His voice was subdued, lacking any of the usual sarcasm or lightness he tended to fall back on.
Bruce studied him for a moment, then gave a single nod, seeing that the point had landed. "What you're lacking right now is proper mental discipline and technique. That's what we'll be focusing on next in your training. It should also help you keep your growing set of abilities under control and improve how you handle them overall."
Danny raised a hand calmly, silently asking for permission to speak.
Bruce found the gesture a bit unusual coming from him, but he understood where it was coming from. Danny still carried some guilt over how he had acted while his emotions were suppressed. Bruce gave him a small motion to go ahead.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Danny spoke a little awkwardly. "You remember a few months back when you asked if I wanted a therapist, and I said no? Is it too late to reconsider that?"
Bruce was mildly surprised, though he didn't show it. "I remember. Do you have someone specific in mind?"
"Maybe Black Canary," Danny said after a brief pause. "She's probably the only person I'd feel comfortable opening up to." He shifted slightly as he spoke, clearly not used to admitting something like that. His encounter with Spectra had made it clear that there were still things he hadn't dealt with, even if saying it out loud felt a little embarrassing.
Bruce allowed himself a small, approving smile. It was a good sign that Danny was taking the initiative on his own, after all the first step towards improvement is the one you take yourself. "I'm sure Dinah would appreciate that. From what I've seen, she already has a bit of a soft spot for you."
Danny smiled faintly at that and gave a small nod in return.
After going over the details of what the arrangement with Dinah would look like, Danny eventually excused himself.
Bruce had given him the rest of the day off so he could properly recover from his cold, but before getting any actual rest, there was something else Danny needed to take care of first.
He flew through Gotham in the middle of the day, his ghost tail trailing behind him as he made his way toward Wayne Industries, one of the tallest and most prominent buildings in the city skyline.
Landing on the rooftop, he looked around for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Pulling the thermos from his utility belt, Danny scratched his cheek thoughtfully. "I really don't know how this is supposed to work," he muttered to himself. "Do I just say her name and she shows up? Maybe we can come up with a code word…"
He hesitated, then brought his hand up near his mouth and called out in a low, conspiratorial whisper, "…Death—"
A sudden rush of air brushed against his ear.
Danny let out a high-pitched yelp and jumped back, nearly dropping the thermos in the process. "Ahh—!"
Death doubled over, holding her stomach as she laughed. "Hahahaha, that was actually pretty cute."
Danny quickly covered his ear, his face heating up as he heard her laugh. He straightened himself and forcefully cleared his throat. "I mean—Argh!" he growled, trying to deepen his voice.
Death continued to laugh behind her hand, clearly entertained. She casually rotated her umbrella along her wrist before planting it against the ground and leaning on it like a cane. "Anyways, you called?"
"I did. Here, I wanted to give you something," Danny said, tossing her the thermos. She caught it easily with one hand, barely needing to look.
"Right," she replied, eyeing it for a moment before making small air quotes with her fingers. "The 'Death Penalty,' as you call it. I'll be honest, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that name."
"…I didn't mean anything bad by it," Danny said quickly, his posture stiffening a bit. "It just seemed appropriate at the time. The Ghost Zone feels like too light of a punishment for everything they've done. With the deaths they caused, I figured you'd be able to find something more fitting for them."
"Hm." She hummed softly, considering his words. "I agree, the Ghost Zone would've been too lenient. At best, it would've been a temporary lesson instead of a permanent solution."
At her silent command, the thermos lid popped open. Two thin strands of ectoplasmic energy were forcibly drawn out, twisting and coiling in the air in front of her. They swirled together, compressing and condensing until they formed two small, glowing emerald marbles.
She swept her hand through the air, catching the marbles neatly between her fingers. Inside, Danny could clearly see the figures of Spectra and Bertrand. They pounded against the inner surface, their faces filled with panic as they tried to scream, but no sound reached the outside.
After a moment, the marbles grew cloudy, their contents obscured as Death tucked them away somewhere unseen. "Heh, calling it the Death Penalty is starting to feel more and more appropriate," she said lightly. "Thank you for entrusting them to me, Daniel."
"You're welcome," Danny replied, keeping his tone respectful. "Like you said when we first met, we're going to be working together, so it just felt right. And… you can call me Danny."
She leaned in closer to him, resting a bit more weight on her umbrella as she spoke. "I'll start calling you Danny once you start calling me Didi, like I've told you for the millionth time."
"Ugh… but that just feels disrespectful," Danny admitted, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "I can't really bring myself to do it. I'm Sorry."
Death smiled at that, her expression gentle but understanding. "I think I'm starting to understand you a bit better. You're someone who holds a lot of respect for death, aren't you? That's not something I take lightly, and it's something I can appreciate. But there's something important you need to understand, Daniel."
She straightened slightly as she continued, her tone calm but firm. "Death isn't something meant to be placed on a pedestal, and it isn't something that should inspire fear either. It's not a force to worship or avoid. It's something you come to accept. In time, it becomes something you make peace with, something you're ready to embrace when your life reaches its natural end. When people start to worship it, to give it that kind of weight and reverence, it begins to lose what it's actually meant to be."
Her smile softened again, and it was easy to return.
Danny found himself smiling back without really thinking about it, giving a small nod as he took in what she said. "I guess you've got a point… Didi." The name still felt strange coming out of his mouth, a little awkward, but he made the effort anyway.
"Attaboy Danny," Didi said with a wide grin. She gave him a light, playful punch on the shoulder, the kind of casual gesture that felt natural to her, as if they had known each other far longer than they actually had.
********************************************
+10 advance Chapters and my other patron exclusive content on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3