Going Ghost! (Young Justice)

Chapter 189 189: Logical and Illogical

[Third Person Pov]

Green Arrow appeared nearby and held an arrow nocked on his bow, aiming it directly at Danny. His stance was firm but not aggressive, his voice carrying a measured warning rather than hostility. "Son, I'll only be telling you this once, let both of them go. Tormenting the guilty isn't our job. Our responsibility lies in apprehending them and protecting the innocent, don't take it too far now."

Danny's gaze shifted slightly, and he began to look around, taking in his surroundings with slow, deliberate awareness. It didn't take long for him to realize he was completely surrounded. It wasn't just Green Arrow. Black Canary stood off to the side, her posture tense and ready. Speedy had his bow drawn tight, Kid Flash vibrated in place with restless energy, and Robin stood poised and silent, already prepared to engage at a moment's notice.

Danny's eyes swept across all of them one by one, unhurried, his pupils blazing with energy as faint neon blue trails escaped from the corners of his eyes. "Are all of you seriously willing to fight me to protect trash like these?" he asked, his tone flat but edged with disdain. "They're far from worth it."

Oliver let out a quiet sigh, lowering his bow just slightly though he didn't relax his grip. "Son, we're not trying to protect them from you."

"We're trying to protect you from yourself," Black Canary finished, her eyes narrowing as she kept her gaze locked onto Danny, concern clear beneath her hardened expression.

"How noble," Danny replied, his voice laced with cold sarcasm. "That still doesn't change the fact that you're willing to fight me. You will undoubtedly fail. I know that might come off as arrogance, but it's the truth. None of you stand a chance against me."

His gaze lingered on Robin for a brief moment. "The only one here who might have a chance is Robin."

Then his eyes swept back over the group again. "And yet, knowing this, are you all still willing to fight me?"

Wally's body began to vibrate at super speed, the air around him subtly distorting as he prepared to move. "We don't want to hurt you since you're our bro and all, but we will if we have to."

"Honestly, please give me a reason to loose an arrow at you. My trigger finger's been itching since our little spat earlier," Speedy added, his bowstring pulled taut with tension.

The others shot him warning glances, but Danny didn't react, his expression remaining indifferent as if the threat barely registered.

"Fine, suit yourselves," Danny intoned. The aura around his body flared briefly, flickering with intensity, before he casually tossed Spectra over toward Bertrand's cubed body.

The containment shattered on impact, and Spectra and Bertrand collapsed together in a heap, both unconscious and completely out of the fight.

Just as quickly as it had appeared, Danny's aura vanished. Without another word, he turned and began walking away. "They're yours. Contain them before they wake up. If you let one of them escape because you were too slow, then don't blame me for what happens afterwards."

Silence followed.

"…Huh?" Wally looked around, clearly thrown off as the tension that had been building suddenly dissolved. The others seemed just as taken aback, none of them having expected that outcome.

"We're not going to fight?" Wally asked, his eyes tracking Danny as he moved away.

Danny leaned back against a nearby light pole, crossing his arms as he closed his eyes, his posture relaxed but distant. "No. It would be illogical. Fighting all of you serves me no real purpose beyond earning your animosity, and potentially the League's as well. I'm confident I could defeat the lot of you, but if the entire Justice League decided to intervene, that would be an entirely different matter."

The group exchanged glances before slowly lowering their weapons, the realization settling in that the situation wasn't going to escalate after all. They were left standing there awkwardly in the middle of the street, the tension replaced with an uncertain calm.

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck and let out a tired sigh. "Batman is definitely going to give me that glare for letting this happen. What a pain."

Robin glanced over at Danny without saying anything. Danny remained where he was, leaning against the pole with his eyes closed, looking completely standoffish and unapproachable.

Robin exhaled quietly, then reached into his gear and pulled out the thermos. Without hesitation, he moved forward and captured the two unconscious ghosts lying on the ground.

"Are you going to stay like that permanently or…?" Robin asked as he walked over, his tone cautious but curious.

"I don't know. And honestly, I prefer it this way." Danny replied as he pushed himself off the pole and stood up straight.

He paused briefly before adding, "…It's quiet."

Without another word, he began to levitate, his body lifting smoothly off the ground before he shot up into the sky, disappearing into the distance in a sudden burst of speed.

"What did he mean by that?" Oliver asked, his expression shifting into one of concern as he watched the spot Danny had vanished from.

"I have a feeling I know the answer to that, but it's not my place to say," Robin replied, his eyes lingering on the faint neon trail that slowly faded from the air.

"Based on my expertise and experience, it isn't anything good," Canary said as she ruffled her blonde hair, her voice carrying a quiet seriousness.

"Where do you think he's going?" Wally asked, glancing between them as he wondered whether they should be worried about wherever Danny might end up in his current state.

"From the direction he's flying, it looks like he's heading back to the base," Speedy pointed out as he eased the tension in his stance and placed his arrow back into his quiver.

…

Danny flew through the skies of Star City, his expression passive and indifferent, the wind rushing past him as the city lights blurred below.

"Daniel."

Danny froze the moment he heard his name whispered right beside his ear. Despite the suddenness of it, he was able to track the source almost instantly. It was a voice he recognized, one he knew all too well.

"Death," Danny muttered as his gaze locked onto her figure.

She stood atop a skyscraper, leaning lightly against her closed umbrella while holding onto her top hat, casually waving him down as if this were an ordinary meeting.

Danny adjusted his course and flew closer, coming to a stop as he hovered in the air a short distance from the building while Death remained standing at the edge.

"Hello. It's been a while since we last spoke, hasn't it? How have you been?" Death asked, her voice warm and friendly, her smile soft enough to put almost anyone at ease.

"Good," Danny answered bluntly.

"And the truth?" Death pressed gently, her smile turning faintly sad.

"Fine," Danny replied with a small shrug, his tone indifferent. "Was there something you needed?"

"What, can't I just drop by and see how my favorite ghost hunting superhero is doing?" Death asked, her tone turning slightly animated as she tried to lighten the mood.

Danny simply floated there, rising and falling slightly in place as he stared at her with a completely straight face.

"… "

"Tough crowd," she laughed awkwardly, the stiffness in her expression fading into something more natural. "First, I wanted to thank you. If you hadn't stopped Spectra when you did, I would have had to come find you myself."

"I did what I had to. Nothing more, nothing less," Danny replied with a slight dip of his head.

Death's lips curled into a warmer smile as she stepped closer and reached out, gently patting Danny on the head.

"The ghosts of those who have passed watched as you fought and worked to avenge them. They are thankful for your efforts and your sacrifice."

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