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muertarte · 1 year

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PARTIES: @notpigmeat @muertarte

SUMMARY: Jazz is looking for a new date spot, and Metzli ends up being the only tour guide available. Jazz immediately tries to flirt. Will it work?

TIMING: Current

WARNINGS: None!

Jazz was in desperate need for a new place to take his dates. The ice cream shop he frequented started questioning why he brought so many women there. One could imagine the woman he had brought that last time didn't find it amusing.

Jazz wandered the streets of Wicked's Rest. Coffee shops and bars littered the map. "These ain't it." He said as he passed yet another pub. He needed something unique. Something that would make his dates swoon.

A place like…MuertArte?

The red door and black exterior stood out next to the monotony of beige, all but beckoning any soul curious enough to enter. So, he did.

It was early afternoon when the speaker chimed, announcing another patron. Metzli peered around the corner, seeing a man on the search for something. “Hm…” They hummed to themself, placing the clipboard on the counter to scribble a few notes for the latest piece they were archiving for next month’s rotation. The artist wouldn’t be too happy that their piece wasn’t sold, but it would have another chance. Metzli was more than good at their job. They’d see to it.

With a final flick of their pen, the vampire’s deadpan stare met with the stranger’s visage. He was still searching—or was it canvassing? In all their years in the clan, Metzli observed many mannerisms, memorizing what each one meant. There was purpose to every slide of his eyes, but what was it? As much as they hated talking, Metzli knew their paranoia would not be sated until they got to the bottom of whatever he was doing.

Sighing, they adjusted their suit jacket, rolling their shoulders as they approached, movement rigid and cold. “Can I help you?” Metzli looked up to the ceiling, focusing on a single point, “You are looking for something.”

Jazz didn't immediately respond. He took a step back and observed this tall, lanky person that walked up to him.

"What's good, baby? I'm just taking in the sights." He said slickly. He licked his lips and bit the bottom one. Jazz liked tall and lanky. He wasn't getting flirty vibes but he's been able to change that before.

"This chick must have some serious paper." He thought to himself. All types of paintings lined the wall; each one looking more expensive than the last.

There was no baby in sight. What the hell was that man talking about? Metzli looked around, trying to find this misplaced child, but they found none. “There is no baby. Have you bought ticket? If not, there will be no sights.” Logging into the front desk computer, Metzli saw that the last patron was thirty minutes ago. The man in front of them had definitely only been there a few minutes. So, no, he hadn’t bought a ticket.

Metzli rounded the desk and tilted their head, almost ominously, as they watched the man look at the paintings. When it looked like he was turning back to them, they finally spoke up. “You have not bought ticket. Are you going to?” They shifted their weight from front to back repeatedly, wishing they were back in the curation room. Paintings were so much easier to be around.

"There is no baby."

"What the hell is she talking about." Jazz thought. He figured this cutie was playing hard to get. He let out a chuckle expecting one back. "Alright I'll buy a ticket. Unless there's a discount for sexy people?" He ran his fingers through his hair. No one has ever resisted his fingers running through his hair.

To be perfectly honest the paintings did appear interesting. He figured he could actually take in the actual sights of the art.. after getting a phone number of course, he thought.

Their brrows knitted together with confusion, unable to decipher what the hell this man was trying to say. Why would there be a discount for sexy people? Even if there was, Metzli took one good look at the man as he ran his hand through his hair, and shook their head internally. Definitely not their type. Not sexy. At least, not to them. “No such thing as sexy discount.” They stated blandly, face stoic.

“There is child discount, elderly discount, and student discount. That is it. It is fifteen dollars for entry.” Metzli paused, tapping their foot as anxiety rose. As much as they didn’t want to, they knew they’d have to personally give the man a tour with Rachel and Gavin busy. “If you buy ticket, you can have self-guide or have guide like…” Metzli swallowed, “Like me to tell you about works. Your choice.” They clenched their jaw and balled their hand into a fist, somehow still maintaining a face devoid of emotion.

Jazz had flirted with countless women in his days as a boxer. Clenched teeth and a balled fist was never a good sign.

"You're a tough cookie, baby. Here. I'll take the tour." He said with a wink as he slid a $20 bill across the counter. He didn't show it but he was pondering if he came on too strong.

He looked down and saw the tapping foot of an incredibly impatient person. "My bad, honey. You must be taken."

Metzli wanted to bite. Frustrations were reaching an all time high and the peak had nowhere to descend to. They supposed they could take a breath and hold it there. Release the tension with a hunt after the tour.

“Not a cookie. A person.” They took a breath, and took the money, handing over a ticket and change before circling around the front desk. “One moment.” Metzli disappeared into their office and took the moment of reprieve to stretch and remove their suit jacket. Having a little extra room to move always helped.

Returning to the front, Metzli kept their eye trained on the path ahead, nodding to the statement. They’d heard the colloquialism before in reference to Leila. The thought of her alone was enough to settle their nerves. “Yes. Taken. Have girlfriend.” They paused, rolling their shoulders and proceeding down the hallway to begin the tour. “Now follow. We will begin with new exhibit from local artist Natalia Anderson. She uses two mediums. Marble and oil.” Stopping in front of the first painting, Metzli waited for any possible questions their guest may have.

Jazz's toothy grin faded away. He'd never given up on getting the number of someone he was flirting with. "Just need some time to break the ice." He thought. This ice was thick as an iceberg. He followed quickly as this beauty had quite a long stride.

They stopped in front of a painting. He admittedly wasn't listening to the name of the artist but he thought that the painting was really nice.

He rubbed his chin, "Wow. It's so… metaphorical." He said trying to sound artsy. He at least hoped he didn't sound stupid.

There was a pause. Maybe he should ask a question but he didn't have any. He was out of his element. If only there was a painting of an athlete or a pretty girl he'd have plenty to say.

They made eye contact with each other for what seemed like a little bit too long.

It’s so…metaphorical.

Metzli blinked slowly, just once, obviously annoyed by the poor attempt to critique the art. Now that was why they did their best to avoid giving tours. Dios, they needed to hire more guides. Having only Rachel and Gavin was not cutting it anymore.

“You sound like idiot.” Metzli broke the eye contact, rubbing their eyes to try and refocus. At that point, they just wanted to give the guy a refund. Or better yet, maybe a snack was in order.

No. No. They couldn’t do that. MuertArte had to be protected. The lack of planning alone would prove to be to the gallery’s detriment. For now, Metzli would keep their gallery meals to only forgers. It was safer that way.

“Do you even like art? Why are you even here?”

"Geez, what's with the insults?" Jazz snapped. Why are the cute ones always so rude? He gave up on getting the number out of pure frustration.

He looked at the art piece again. He thought hard about something to say but he just couldn't think of anything. It was paint on a canvas! Big freakin' deal!

"Sorry I'm not some artsy prick! I'm here because I'm looking for cool date spots but it seems like y'all don't like the uninitiated. Whatever, bite me." Jazz said as he raised a middle finger. He wasn't usually this mean but hell what was he supposed to do?

He wanted to leave but he wouldn't give this chick the satisfaction. After all, he's a paying customer.

"What would one actually say about this painting?" He asked with a vindictive grin. If he was going to stay he was going to get his money's worth out of this tour guide.

Anger burst into Metzli’s chest. Like a levee bursting on the hottest day of summer. The lights, warm as they may be, became too bright. A ringing filled their ears, and they hardly heard what was being said until bite me echoed in their mind. Now that was something Metzli could do. They’d already had it as an idea before, but now they were being told to do it. How could it be bad if it had been a demand?

Metzli licked their lips, fangs beginning to extend. Just one bite and this idiot would finally shut his—wait. The vampire blinked, straightening their posture as a new question presented itself. Taking a grounding breath, Metzli looked at the painting, brows furrowing together with thought.

The piece was haunting. The moment the curator laid eyes on it, they knew they had to have it. Anderson depicted a screaming figure, using masterful skill with her brush to create something moving. Metzli had many things to say about it. That’s what made it easy to speak, words tumbling off their tongue quickly and breathlessly. “The piece captivates viewer with sense of dread. It easily gives energy of humanity locked deep inside the woes of the figure’s screams.” Metzli stepped closer, their passion shining through as they gestured to the painting. "The dark color palette and the intense, wide void creates a sense of foreboding. It gives sense of falling in. Like you are being consumed by the scream just as they are.”

"......ok then." Jazz said quietly. Where in the hell did she get all of that from? It sounded real artsy farty. A bit much though.

"Easy, lady. It's a nice piece I guess." Jazz thought the intensity was weird but he hung on every word as the curator spoke. He could definitely use these words on his next date. But the way these words were said…. If they weren't so mean Jazz may have considered leaving his number behind.

The passion for art that was just displayed was something that Jazz respected. His tour guide’s eyes lit up the same way his did when he heard the bell ring at the start of a boxing match. "At least you're nice to the art." He chuckled.

Metzli snapped from their reverie, anger pluming in their chest just as it had before. “I am not lady.” They gestured to themself, to the pin just above their pocket square. “Read my pronouns.” Metzli demanded, shoulders inching toward their ears with tension squeezing them. If they weren’t so flustered, they probably would’ve given their guest a little more grace. He wasn’t being malicious by calling them a lady. It just seemed to be a part of his typical vernacular.

Regardless, Metzli took a deep breath and rubbed their face tiredly. At least he noticed how much they revered the art they curated. “Art speaks many languages.” They spoke calmly that time, shoulders relaxed and downcast. “Keeps things quiet while it say many things. Say things artist cannot.” Metzli looked back to Jazz, wishing the tour to be over. They weren’t sure how much longer that could take the social interaction.

“I will give you refund. I cannot do this tour.” Metzli turned on their heel and stopped short of exiting into the lobby. “I give apology. Too much happening. No more…what do they call it?” Metzli had heard the term both in person and in a book. They perked up when their mind filled in the gap. “No more social battery. Have very small one.”

Jazz couldn't help but feel embarrassed. How had he not noticed the pronouns pin on their shirt? He was the one being a jerk the entire time. He sighed.

Jazz briefly remembered when he had first learned of Muhammad Ali. A cocky boxer that was born under a different name. When he decided to change it to Muhammad Ali it's like the entire world pushed back. Ali had beaten many an opponent senseless for calling him his dead name. Jazz always made sure that he would always call people what they wanted to be called and that included pronouns.

"That's my bad, fam. I didn't notice. Maybe it was your beauty that blinded me." He raised an eyebrow slightly. He honestly didn't mean it in a flirtatious way. The proverbial ship had sailed as far as getting their number went.

"I don't need a refund. I found exactly what I came here for." Jazz held his hand up and gestured that he didn't want money back. "I'll be back. Soon." Jazz took in the art piece one last time, "Hm… yeah that's definitely dread I'm feeling." He grinned at his tour guide before turning on the spot. He flashed the peace sign as he began strolling towards the door.

As annoying as the man had been, Metzli could see a new, more genuine side of him when embarrassment flooded over him. They considered for a moment that maybe they were a bit too harsh, becoming part of the problem themself. People so often ostracised Metzli, made fun of them when they were so clearly still in the room, that they were too quick to judge the man. Before they could properly apologize though, he turned on his heel and was exiting the door.

Metzli stood there like a deer in the headlights, blinking with lids of confusion. He said he’d be back soon. They’d try harder the next time to be more welcoming. “Okay,” Metzli nodded, looking at their hand and making the peace sign at themself. They mimicked what they’d seen and did it in return, a gesture of good will. The two would meet again.

#wickedswriting #bloody ink #writings #jazz and metzli #c: jazz #pronouns and peace signs

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charlietheepicwriter7 · 7 months

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Despite Danny's best efforts, no matter how much time past, Amity Park refused to see Phantom as a hero.

Sure, there were pockets of support, particularly among teens, but most of the town blames Phantom for the property damage, saying if he didn't fight the ghosts then it wouldn't be so bad, to that time he got mind controlled by Freakshow and "attacked" the mayor. It wears him down. It wears Tucker and Sam down. Jazz can only try to support them all.

Then one day, a member of the Justice League visits. Someone minor, and kinda a jerk... maybe a Wonder Twin? Zan? Whatever. They don't investigate; they don't look deeper. They listen to the town folks and declare the ghost hunters, Red Huntress and the Fentons, to be the official heroes of the town.

Worse? Danny Phantom is officially considered a villain to the Justice League. Tuck hacks into the Watchtower and confirms that they have a file (a heavily inaccurate file) about how to defeat Phantom.

Danny doesn't think he can do this anymore.

A few weeks later, a young villain escapes into Amity and demands (begs) that Danny help them escape from the hero after them. No idea who, I can't find a lot of info on teen villains in DC, so let's fudge some ages and make it Kyd Wyckyd from the Teen Titans cartoon. Danny agrees, because to hell with the Justice Losers, and they defeat the hero, becoming friends in the process. Kyd confesses that they became a villain after being ostracized bc of how they look, and they've been trying to avoid villain organizations because HIVE was abusive, but it's really hard to be a villain alone bc of all the heroes.

Sam gets an idea. Tucker agrees with the idea. Jazz is just happy they'll end up making friends.

The next day, the Teen Villain Alliance is formed, ready to assist with any teenage illegal shenanigans their allies might get into.

Some notes:

It's created to be a healthier option for teen "villains" to connect with others and support each other.

It's more important that this is for Teens rather than Villains. They're tired of adult villains taking advantage of them. The TVA would rather ally with a teen vigilante than with an adult villain.

Again, no idea who the teen villains are, but Klarion is definitely here. He leaves the Light for the chaos of the TVA. Maybe Ember is there too?

Timeline wise, this is around when Tim is still Robin, but Damien has arrived at Wayne Manor.

This is because, when it comes time to try to infiltrate the TVA, they'll have a convenient child-assassin who has none of the monitors of a teen hero that Phantom immediately picks up on.

Damien, who at this point has been abandoned by his mother, dismissed and scolded by his father, and has had no success at carving his own place in the family, jumps at the chance. He is then surrounded by peers who don't insult him or try to change his behavior (too much; jazz is trying to help him find healthier methods of expressing himself). He... might not want to continue being a spy.

Danny, Sam, Tuck, and Jazz are the founding members.

Danny reinvents himself as the High Prince of the Infinite, Prince Phantom Dark. He got kingship from fighting Pariah Dark, but since he's still alive, he's only a prince. He steals the last name Dark as an intimidation tatic against those in the know; only Danny would have the balls to claim family with Pariah.

Sam works as a powerless villain, but she might no be powerless? Either way, Danny gives her a bunch of repurposed Fenton tech, and she buys the rest with her parents credit card. She does NOT care if that's traced back to the Mansons. She would choose something goth, maybe something spider related or even bat?

I love Pharaoh Tucker, so I think he should get magic powers? Since pharaohs of old were considered the balance between the real and the divine. He's still a tech guy, now he's a tech and magic guy.

Jazz isn't really a villain, more of a team mom who's planning on using everyone's psyche's as her thesis paper. You know what, that's her callsign, she's Psyche. Sometimes she flirts with Nightwing.

#dc x dp #villain!everlasting trio #dcxdp #villain danny phantom #teen villain alliance #c: danny fenton #c: sam manson #c: tucker foley #c: jazz fenton #c: kyd wyckyd #c: klarion the witch boy #c: batfamily #c: damien wayne #they don't have an agenda like most villain team ups #they're there to support each other commit crimes and play pranks on the justice losers #dp x dc #dp crossover #dc crossover

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dizzybizz · 3 months

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captain jasmine "jazz" drake broke into my brain and is now living there rent free help

#i uhm i uhhh i i i #queen too. i was introduced to queen and uh i uhuhm i yeahgh huhuhu #those two get me all giggly kicking my feet yknow #ep91 killed me three times im triple dead can s omeone help im so deep in my riptide fixation istg if i pick up any vocal stims bc of this #istg if i start going lalala. well idk what id do but smth..#just roll with it #jrwi riptide #jrwi jazz #jasmine drake #chip jrwi #jay ferin #gillion tidestrider #i got to their big revamped designs yiippeeee #N JAYS MAGI C WING S IM SO HYPE #my art #oki now i need to learn how to draw queen uhm i was scared for their debut bc i knew i would be insane but yeah ok i nee d to go like i nee #to leave i cant hes literally perfect i cant deal with it im gonna cry i l ove her sm istg theyer evertyhtinnhg

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warakami-vaporwave · 1 year

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Sakura Jazz

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leclercskiesahead · 1 month

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Apparently it’s international jazz day

#him giggling every time he hears Carlos say ‘jazz’#carlos sainz jr #charles leclerc #scuderia ferrari #f1 #charlos #c2 #c square

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atomic-chronoscaph · 10 months

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Empire Jazz, Produced and Arranged by Ron Carter - Album cover art by Jeff Wack (1980)

#jeff wack #ron carter #empire jazz #star wars art #the empire strikes back #vintage vinyls #80s records #darth vader #c-3p0 #r2-d2 #chewbacca #stormtroopers #1980s #1980

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sainz5516 · 2 months

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talk ab living rent free huh...

#ferrari #f1 #carlos sainz #charles leclerc #charlos #jazz music #i am obsessed with the cuteness of them in this video particularly #fun fact: all men i like has dimples #mainly on one cheek #but ofc charles is special he has dimples on both cheeks #carlos sainz 55 #c² #cs55 #cl16

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tf-animated-out-of-context · 7 months

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#transformers animated #tfa optimus prime #tfa bumblebee #tfa ultra magnus #tfa jazz #tfa sentinel prime #tfa bulkhead #tfa ratchet #tfa lugnut #tfa blitzwing #tfa prowl #sari sumdac #porter c powell #screenshots #the elite guard

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hiromusicarts-blog · 7 months

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8年ほど前、深夜の指定席から、こんばんは^^

今夜は、ショート動画を数本作ります。

オヤスミナサイ Good night

youtube

C-Town

アルバム RED DRAGONより

#C-Town #REDDRAGON #ヒロオガワ #サウンドデザインワークス #jazz #fusion #youtube #Youtube

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puppetmaster13u · 7 months

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Prompt 77

So. This was going to be a problem. Danny felt like he was going to scream, even as Dan laughed at their misfortune. Give a tour of some of the Ghost Zone. Fine. Was going well even! They’d even found some sort of dino-ghost zone that his parents were really excited about!

Running away from a ghost t-rex, not fine! Really not fine! The speeder breaking? Super duper not fine! And then a natural portal had opened while they were fleeing! Extra duper not fine! This was supposed to be a quick weekend hangout thing Sam!

And now they’re dinosaurs, and no he’s not angry because he’s tiny, shut up Ellie! Tucker don’t encourage her! There has to be some way back home… maybe… hopefully… He’s never going to go on another trip like that again.

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muertarte · 1 year

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@notpigmeat

[pm] Goddammit Fam is friend :) A Pride event works... maybe. Do I need to dress in rainbows or bring skittles? It's my first time.

[pm] Oh. We are not friends.

Dress how you feel comfortable. Just wear clothes.

#dash #c: jazz #pm: jazz

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charlietheepicwriter7 · 3 months

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Teen Villain Alliance

Chapter 1 - Damian

Despite his proficiency in the skill, Damian hated spying on the Teen Villain Alliance.

Having appeared two years ago in alliance with Klarion Bleak, the Teen Villain Alliance, or TVA, quickly made themselves known as little more than pests, often rushing in to assist other young adult criminals or harass Justice League officials. Father wanted to investigate when they first appeared, but with Todd’s reveal and Damian himself coming to take his place as Robin, he’d been… busy.

Which allowed the TVA to flourish into a respected criminal enterprise. No vault was safe, no hero strong enough. A group had even banded together to take down Superman! And while there was no lasting damage other than some bizarre markings on the Kryptoian’s face, it was enough to prove these teenagers as a threat.

Damian, as much as it galled him, was not the first chosen to infiltrate. Martian Manhunter, shapeshifted into a meta fourteen-year-old girl, tried and was identified as a hero on sight. The Teen Titans and Young Justice got closer, actually able to talk to the villains about joining, but “it was like they could smell the hero on us,” Beast Boy had explained. “I don't know how else to explain it.”

Most likely, the TVA kept tabs on the Justice League and affiliated organizations. They needed someone fresh, someone who wasn’t a hero.

Damian had been more than willing to volunteer.

Introducing himself as Damian Al Ghul, the recently escaped Heir to the Demon Head, he’d been accepted immediately despite having approached the group mid-heist. All he had to do was extrapolate about how Grandfather’s assassins were chasing him, and the Wolf—a designation given to the members of the TVA’s inner circle—allowed him to join, but he was forced to stay with the hacker of the group while the heist commenced with no interference from a hero.

Damian had been confident. He’d gotten so far in mere minutes when a member of the Justice League, and even Drake, couldn’t get past the first few questions. He’d have the Teen Villain Alliance dismantled within the week.

Then Manson, as the Wolf had introduced herself, took out a device that transported them all to another dimension. Which was where the main base of the Alliance was. And none of his communication devices or trackers worked there.

Damian had only been able to update the Justice League a few times since his tenure as a spy began. Superman had reassured him it was fine, that there had been plenty of missions were communication was infrequent, but after a month of living in the TVA Base in the Infinite Realms, Damian hated not being able to contact his father easily. And in return, Father and Drake had taken to interrogating him for as long as possible the couple of times he was outside Headquarters.

(Phantom’s Haunt is what the TVA members called it. It was Phantom Dark’s home that he opened up to them all. Damian didn’t know how to feel about that.)

Damian had only been able to contact Father three times in his four weeks undercover, each time on a supply run… which was essentially just a grocery trip for the Haunt. The first time Damian had slipped away to the bathroom and called, Father had been… furious. He’d thought Damian’s lack of updates was on purpose. It had been five minutes before Damian could correct him.

He wished Grayson had answered during any of his updates, but he was on a mission in space and wouldn’t be back for another two weeks.

In those four months, Damian was still the newest member, and had yet to be involved in the truly illegal aspects of the organization. All the information he’d gathered purely administrative, like how Duulaman, a reincarnated pharaoh turned hacker, stole money from various billionaires and government organizations to fund their plans. He’d yet to be involved with anything serious.

He wasn’t allowed on serious missions either. He only had the supply runs to look forward to, and those only occurred once a month.

His other objective, to undermine the Teen Villain Alliance and spur a mutiny, was also going poorly. The children he surrounded himself with were fanatically loyal to the Alliance, citing Phantom and his harem as the reason they were alive today. Even those who weren’t directly rescued were loyal. One such child, a boy named Kyd Wyckyd, had confessed to turning to a life of crime due to his terrifying meta abilities and their effects on his appearance.

But the TVA took him in after the collapse of HIVE Academy. He hadn’t participated in a crime since, preferring to work with the Wolf named Jasmine who led individual and group therapy sessions for the villains. Jasmine had tried multiple times to convince her therapy sessions—more like brainwashing sessions—but Damian had stayed strong in the face of adversary.

Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be much more Damian could do. He tried to push, to get involved with the criminal aspect of the organization, but the Wolves blocked him at every turn, saying he was “too young.” That he needed “stability” and to “rely on them to keep him safe.”

Perhaps Damian oversold the danger of the League of Assassins.

For now, Damian hid in his room in Phantom’s Haunt. His castle. Even the magnificence of the compound he grew up in couldn’t compare to the headquarters. There were an infinite number of rooms—”as many as we need,” Phantom had told him—that changed based on the user’s preferences. Right now, Damian’s room looked like a cave. The Batcave, to be precise, though he didn’t allow references to his Father and legacy.

He was hiding because Manson had suggested he attend some of the classes held in the libraries—there were four libraries at the moment. Classes were taught by ghosts under Phantom’s control and weren’t mandatory, but “everyone’s worried about the lack of structure in your life.”

He tried to tell himself it was because he didn’t want to be brainwashed by Phantom’s lackeys, and that he already knew everything they were going to teach. But in truth… Damian was anxious. Attending school at the Haunt felt too permanent, too much like he was planning to stay. He hadn’t gotten the choice to attend school back in Gotham, with Father acting like he would compromise their identities around children. He wasn’t that petty.

Someone knocked on his door. “Damian? Are you inside?”

Sighing, Damian stood up and opened the door. “Dr. Fenton. Am I needed for anything?”

Dr. Daniel Fenton was another Wolf, another member of the harem Phantom had built around him, twenty years old and not an actual doctor but everyone called him that anyway. While Damian had yet to see Fenton and Phantom in the same place, Damian was keeping a detailed record of how the Wolves’ polyamourous relationship worked. Phantom and Fenton both dated Manson and Duualman, though they didn’t seem to be dating each other or Jasmine. Klarion often inserted himself into those relationships for hugs and hand-holding, but only seemed to kiss Jasmine.

“Actually, yes.” Damian’s lips parted in surprise. “I wanted to talk to you about something down in my lab. Would you join me?”

Fenton’s lab was off-limits to low level members of the TVA. He was the engineer, the creator of all their weapons of destruction. Fenton had no minions, while Manson had her thieves, Duualman had his hackers, Jasmine had her helpers, Klarion had his witches, and Phantom had his fighters.

Fenton was alone.

Isolated.

Damian agreed.

Fenton led him to the depths below the castle, past the never-used dungeon and through a secret door into a surprisingly bright and airy lab. He caught Damian looking through a window that displayed one of the Haunt’s many gardens, an impossible feat for being so far underground. “Magic castle, remember,” Fenton chided him. “Those work as portals that lead to the garden too, so it’s an easy one-way exit.”

Damian scoffed, abashed that he’d been caught so easily. From a glance, the lab was perfectly maintained, with every piece of equipment assigned to an outline meant to indicate where it belonged. As he walked further into the room, Fenton made slight adjustments to his tools, meticulously shifting them back into place. It looked more like a set than a laboratory.

But then, Damian observed Fenton. The twenty-year-old relaxed as he put his space back into order, nudging the screwdrivers and beakers back into their designated outlines. As he worked, the sleeve of his lab coat road up, revealing a glimpse of lichtenberg scars before it was hidden again.

Finally done, Fenton turned back to Damian. “My sister, Jazz, has told me that you’re not attending individual or group therapy sessions, is that correct?”

Well, that revealed a lot of information. Ignoring the fact that Fenton and Jasmine were apparently siblings, Damian replied, “I do not see a reason to attend. If this meeting is an attempt to force me–”

Fenton held his hands up in surrender. “No, I would never. Therapy doesn’t work if the person receiving it doesn’t want it. But you haven’t been attending any of your classes either, and Phantom has mentioned that you don’t hang out with the other kids. Are you settling in alright? I know the others are a few years older than you, so it might be harder for you to connect with them.”

Damian chewed on the question. While part of him was furious that someone, especially a villain like Fenton, was concerned about him and discussed him with his fellows, the other part… wasn’t. It was true; he was having difficulty connecting with the villains. Damian didn’t particularly want to, but it would make his mission easier.

He chose a neutral answer. “In the League of Assassins… I was the only child in the entire compound. Other children weren’t allowed inside, not unless their parents did something wrong. And those children…”

“Were used against their parents?” Fenton offered when he struggled to find the words.

“Precisely. It’s not in my nature to associate with children.”

Fenton nodded in understanding, stroking his chin in thought. “That does present a conundrum alright. How unfortunate; the task I needed your help with requires you to interact with at least some of the others, but if you’re that uncomfortable with the idea, then I could find someone else.”

Damian stared at the man in suspicion. “What task?” he demanded to know. If this was a way to get more information for father, he needed to know. But if this was another trap to get him into therapy…

“You’ve probably noticed by now, but I’m the only Wolf without someone working under me. Sam has her Bats, Tucker has his Flies, Jazz has her Rats, Klarion has his Strays, and Phantom has the TVA as a whole. The others have been pressuring me to create my own group, but babysitting a group of teens in a lab where anything could explode is just asking for trouble.”

Damian stepped away from the nearest device. Fenton continued, “However, I think a group dedicated to investigation would work much better. Here in the Infinite Realms, we’re very isolated from the human world, so my research on competing inventors is always lacking. Tuck and Sam help, but Tucker has his own hacking projects, and Sam targets financially viable targets instead of labs.”

“You want me to be a member of your new… group?” Damian read in between the lines of what Fenton was saying. Surely Father would be proud of him for gaining information about Fenton’s inventions and targets—

“I want you to lead the group.”

His glare dropped right off his face in shock. “Lead?” he whispered.

“That’s right,” Daniel agreed. “It’s not conventional and I barely got the others to agree, but Damian, you’re one of the best trained villains to ever join the TVA. Yeah, you’re really young, but you are serious and professional. To be honest, most of the kids we take in don’t take our work seriously. It’s not a bad thing, but I need a leader who is willing to keep their group in line. Infiltration and information gathering can be very dangerous, and I need someone who can keep the team safe.”

Daniel trusted him enough for that? Father didn’t trust him enough to be his partner; honestly, Father didn’t even trust him enough to introduce Damian to the world as his son! Perhaps he was aggressive towards the interlopers in his home, but he wasn’t going to stab a civilian!

And while Damian didn’t understand why Daniel was so cautious around what amounted to breaking and entering, he wanted Damian to lead. He trusted Damian for that.

And Damian was going to take back whatever information Fenton revealed back to his father, like a hunting dog to its master.

Daniel continued, “Of course, this is still a few months off from being necessary. But that should give you plenty of time to attend some classes to prepare you more! One on leadership skills, one on modern technology, one on basic magic and wards, maybe a refresher on hacking… Knowing you, you’ll test out of them in a few weeks, but the main point is to find other people to join our team. I’m looking for four other team members, and while I am looking for certain traits and skills, it's up to you to decide who you want on the team.” Daniel placed a hand on Damian’s shoulder. “So, what do you think?”

He’d betray Daniel by saying yes. He’d betray Father by saying no.

He made his choice.

Damian looked up at Daniel, determination set into his face. “I won’t let you down.”

Daniel smiled. “I know you won’t. You couldn’t if you tried.”

#dc x dp #dp x dc #dpxdc #dcxdp #ghost prince danny fenton #supervillain danny fenton #damian wayne is not robin #c: danny fenton #c: damian wayne #damian al ghul #Jazz: ok so this kid is really insecure but also really prideful so you can't ever seem like you're looking down on him #Danny: *aggressively taking notes so he can help this kid makes some friends and find a purpose that motivates him*#teen villain alliance

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