Ghosts Don't Exist

Chapter 3: So, Who Was the One?

D- 37, now known as Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom, waited patiently for Batman to respond.

Batman tried to make sense of this, it was two in the same thing. His DNA was mixed with ectoplasm radiation, ghost DNA. He's half- ghost. "You're half ghost," Batman breathed out and Danny nodded. "Which name do you prefer I call you?" He asked. The looked of pure confusion in Danny's face was evident. "Prefer?" He mumbled. Why does he talk so quietly? He sounded like a mouse. "Preference? You can pick what I call you." Batman stated. "I can pick? Um... both?" He asked and shut his eyes waiting to be hit. That was a stupid answer.

Batman chuckled and felt embarrassed for asking something of a child who had hardly any idea how things worked. "Never mind, so if you're half- ghost, you're also half- human. What is your human side like?" Batman asked. Danny smiled and closed his eyes and concentrated, he hadn't been in his human form in so long. Two bright white ring appeared around his torso and they both went in opposite directions. One down and the other up.

Danny Fenton was now present. A human child with baby blue eyes and raven black hair. This was the young boy that had caught Batman's interest. Danny opened his eyes and looked up at Batman with a small smile.

Always smile honey, smiling could make someone's day.

He heard it echo in his head, a motherly voice he couldn't pinpoint. A tall woman standing confidently, but her face was blurred out.

"How about in this form I call you Danny Fenton and in your ghost form I call you Danny Phantom?" Batman suggested. Danny nodded and hugged Batman. He reminded him of an older woman he had grown close to, her bossy pose and blurred face made him smile wider. Batman patted his head and ran his gloved hand through his wild hair. Danny let go and rubbed his eyes. "So when can I go home? I don't have to stay here much longer do I?" Danny asked and yawned. "Let's put a pen in that, you just sleep, okay?" Pennyworth said and laid Danny down covering him up. "Will Batman be coming back to see me?" He asked. "Superheroes have stuff to save, will he have time to come see me?" He asked another. Batman smiled softly and said a short, "Yes."

But Danny was already asleep.

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The nurse in Danny Fentons room yelled when she saw him without green eyes and white hair. She calmed down when she read the note left by Pennyworth saying they gave him a wig and contacts because they made him feel self conscious.

She sat a try of food in front of him and sat with him while he ate and talked. "Oh, what's this?" He asked holding a pudding cup in the air. "This is to help you get used to eating food with stronger flavor. Here," she said and peeled the tinfoil lid off. Danny took it and his spoon before taking out a small scoop. "Is it like apples slices?" He asked staring at it. "No, it's a bit duller than that." She assured. He took a small bite and his tongues tingled, it had a small burst of flavor, but he could handle it. "See, it's not that bad. You're such a big boy!" She said with a warm smile. He smiled back and slowly ate his pudding.

"So, you seem to be healing faster than normal." A male voice said. It sent cold chills down Danny's spine. He knew that voice and the small click of a gun was heard. The nurse fell limp in her chair beside him. He looked up and saw a very evil man.

Doctor Oval D. Richards.

"D- 37, nice to see you again." He said and pulled at his sleeve. He smiled widely and put the gun in his pocket. "I see you've not been silent, the vigilance hero, Batman has become very interested in your case." He pressed the matters at hand. Danny didn't move, he stayed staring at his pudding cup of which was empty. He felt something sharp press up the side of his neck and he shut his eyes tightly and whimpered. "Ya know, I thought you'd be a bit smarter." Dr. Oval whispered into Danny's ear and injected something into Danny's neck. He immediately felt dizzy. "No!" He heard and passed out.

Danny decided talking was no longer allowed.

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Danny awoke in a hospital bed, but he wasn't at the hospital, he was in a room lined from wall to wall with hospital beds and equipment. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. He heard snoring and looked over to see a well dressed man with a square cotton patch on his cheek sleeping. Danny had never seen this man, who was he? If he had waited beside his bedside then he couldn't be bad. He cared for him. So, like any child would do, he poked his face. Twice.

The unfamiliar man awoke and looked up to see Danny awake and well. Danny sat up and the man quickly gently pushed him back onto the bed. "Lay down, you're still injured." He stated. He shook his head, held his arms out, and unwrapped his bandages. He was healed. Amazingly, his side was almost healed too. "Oh, you're already healed. How is your foot?" He asked. Danny looked down and tried to move his toes and winced. "I'll bring some pain killers, are you hungry?" He asked. Danny nodded. Though, he wasn't sure what pain killers were. He rubbed his eyes again and stretched. The man left and Danny looked around him.

Multiple items found in hospitals stood around him, they were reasonably scary. He heard someone come in and noticed an old man, Pennyworth. He smiled and waved. "Good morning little one, how are you?" He asked and sat food down in front of Danny. Danny yawned and covered his mouth and blushed. Pennyworth chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Tired I supposed." He stated simply.

Danny looked down at his tray of food and noticed everything on it was something he didn't know about. "Uh?" He breathed out quietly. Pennyworth sat beside him and fed him whilst explaining the foods. "Master Bruce has gotten you a coloring book and your pink lion for you to have. He would like to adopt you." Pennyworth explained and fed Danny unflavored cereal.

What did 'adopt' mean? Was it something bad? Who the heck was Bruce? Where's Batman? How does this Bruce guy know so much about Danny? Were him and Batman buddies?

"Oh, if you're wondering, Master Bruce is Batman, or his preferred nickname 'Cool Bat'." Pennyworth stated. Danny smiled and his eyes sparkled. Batman was also two people? Was Batman also half- ghost? The doors opened and Bruce came through with arms full of items of which Pennyworth had told him of. He sat the coloring book to the side and sat his pink lion on the pillow. He sat a bag of unknown content on the foot of the bed. "These are clothes for you." He said ruffled Danny's hair. If Bruce was Batman, did that mean Danny would be safe? He could speak and not get hurt? "Um," he started, "what does 'adopt' mean?"