Danny discovers his DNA was used to stabilize Connor long after he and Clark have reconciled. What follows is a Cold War full of passive aggression as the two parents fight for favorite dad status.
Ok, now hear me out here.
Giant plant lady Sam.
Now, if we go with that hc (iirc it is one) where ghosts like Undergrowth, Vortex, Nocturn etc are like gods or something.
Then we could say that Sam died, either by old age, sickness, or injuries either or, and Undergrowth decided to take her soul and turn it into something more.
As such, her soul becomes saturated with the magic of a god, such that she herself, becomes a god, well more of a lesser deity but meh.
Then he drops her off in the DC universe on a rather secluded island, giving her a few pointers to turn this entire island into her place of power and domain. There isn't a set time limit really, however long she needs to take to condense and control her powers is however long she'll take, so long as the entirely of this island becomes her domain.
Which it does, and overtime whatever people that live on the island come to regard her as a goddess and in response, start to worship her as one as well.
Why did Undergrowth drop her into DC on a secluded island? To keep her away from Danny until she properly cemented her power, of course. Can't do that if you get distracted by a figure from your past life.
Sam was just going about her (new) life, making the forest flourish, helping the crops grow in answer to her followers prayer, you know. The normal things a nature deity like herself is supposed to do.
Then one man suddenly dropped himself on her island, and she could practically feel the power coming from him, of many different gods at that, even from in her place in the center of the island.
So of course, she asked her followers to try and bring said man to her, and be careful when doing it.
When one Shazam was spending his time just flying around the world, he expected a lot of things. But one of them was not meeting a giant plant goddess lady on a secluded island.
They had crossed a line, THEY CRACKED BOXY'S CORE, Danny was done holding back. He had never at any point struck out at the GIW directly or with any actual intent to harm, but that has changed. They had crossed a line you just don't cross, the entirety of the realms was waiting for their turn but Danny demanded to be the first.
He struck their base down, wailed until it was nothing but rubble, he now stands before the agents who escaped mostly unscathed ready to strike them down as well.
Only to be taken by surprised when he is shot down from behind where no agents stand. Dodging the shots from the agents and turning to face the new threat, Superman???
The Justice League is informed of a new threat which was currently attacking a government facility and the staff within. They get there before there are any casualties, Superman even shots the rogue unknown before they can attack the people gathered outside the once standing building.
Unknowingly inciting an interdimensional war as the armies that were on standby witness their Crown Prince stuck down.
There was a giant, glowing white dragon flying through Gotham's sky, bright enough to be seen through the dark sky even as high up as it were.
Each and every one of the Batfam were curious about its existence as a whole.
It kept appearing each and every night, seemingly looking for something, something that the batfam is keeping a lookout for, despite not knowing what it was.
A few weeks later, Killer Croc broke out of Arkham, and was currently being fought by the big Bat. Then a flash of white came barreling down from the sky, the dragon that was hanging overhead of Gotham, locked solely upon one Killer Croc.
It seems to shrink, rather than being the length that towers over buildings, it became way smaller. Small enough to wrap around Killer Croc without hiding him from sight.
"Uncle Waylon!"
I saw a few posts that regard belief from others empowering ghosts like how it works with other fantasy creatures (mainly gods) so I formulated this just because.
Clockwork is... For a lack of better term, sick. (was thinking that the Flashes doing time travel stuff makes the poor guy get sick like that)
Its like if that one grandfather clock that came with the old house you just moved into is finally breaking down the moment you least expected it.
Anyways, Danny is a good mentee/grandson. And the only solution that he can really use is...
You guessed it, make a Clockwork™ based religion in the human world so that this empowers and therefore heals clockwork up.
Danny is very into this religion thing to the point it borderline looks like a cult that is somehow very quickly growing.
Transmasc older goon, trying to connect: Hey out of curiosity boss, when did your egg crack?
Jason, thinking this is a bird pun about how he became Robin: Uh, 12 I guess...
****
Penguin henchman: Wow, you really are okay calling yourselves goons? Isn't that like a little demeaning?
Red Hood Goon: Inclusivity my guy -Henchperson is a mouthful, and that way, we don't have to assume.
Penguin Henchman: Oh my god that's so thoughtful!
*they resume shooting at eachother.*
*****
Batman You're not okay Hood, you need a professional. Please, we can help you!
Jason: There's nothing wrong with me, I won't let you throw me into Arkham!
Goon of the week: Yeah Batfreak, the boss doesn't need help, there's nothing wrong with him! How would you like it if we tried to convert you out of being a furry, huh?!!
Batman: reconsiders life choices.
****
Angry goon: *beats the shit out of Nightwing with a trans pride flag*
Dick, a bisexual cis metrosexual: I'm not sure what is happening but this feels offensive.
****
Batman: Please, I know there's a lot of bad blood, but you're still my child...
Jason: Really? Because I clearly remember you saying you weren't my father and didn't have to deal with my "teenage angst"!
The Goons: You said what?!
Oracle : You said what?!
Dick, standing up and picking up the pride flag: You said what.
Totally inspired by that Red Robin being really photogenic and Danny being a photographer post.
But more focused on the irony. De-aged Danny ends up a street kid in Gotham. Decides taking and selling photos of the vigilantes is a good way to support himself. After all, a small child that can go invisible and fly ? Easy.
Basically, Baby stalker Danny.
Its Tim's turn to deal with a little gremlin photographer who won't stop following them into dangerous situations. Karma Tim, how's it feel on the other side of the fence.
“Hey Mom, Dad, what would you do if me or Danny comes back as a ghost?”
Maddie looked at Jazz as though she were silly for even asking. “Why, we’d catch you, of course! It’s not like it would actually be you, just a shell.”
Jack frowned. “Even though it’s not really them, I’d still feel bad if we did any of our experiments. We’d probably just exterminate them as quickly as possible so your souls could rest.”
“But we could get so much information from them! Why wouldn’t we? It’s not like they’d feel it!” Maddie shot back. Jazz sighed and walked away as their voices began to rise, indicating a starting argument. She had what she came here for.
And, glancing at the cold spot by her side, so did Danny.
College is fast approaching, and Danny knows that it’s unlikely he’ll be accepted anywhere. Really, that’s fine. It’s just… he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life living in fear of his parents and lying to them. It would even be fine if they restrict his powers as long as they close the portal and stop all the ghost attacks! He just doesn’t want to be scared!
So Team Phantom comes up with an idea. Jazz will ask what will happen to them if they become ghosts. And Jack and Maddie both agree that, at the very least, they should be caught and Ended. There is no chance for a safe reveal. No hope that he could ever stay.
So he leaves. Jazz switches to Gotham U without telling her parents, and Sam and Tucker both agreed that they wouldn’t go to Gotham for college to throw off any leads the Fentons might have.
They destroyed the portal before they left. A very, VERY thick layer of ghost ice managed to contain most of the damage. They leave behind two prerecorded tapes, one where Danny knows they’re recording a message and one where Jazz quietly threatens the Fentons to leave them alone. She says that she would sooner kill them before she lets them lay a hand on Danny, who by the way, still feels emotions and pain, and your stupid confirmation bias is preventing you from making any real progress in your career.
(That’s all I have so far but I couldn’t stop thinking about it lol)
Poor Danny is just trying to do well at his job at WE! But annoyingly, they frown on him working late. Sent home, once again by well meaning security and still caught up in design thoughts, Danny gets hit by cuddle pollen.
Suddenly he must keep all the little liminals safe! They're so bitty! They don't even have full cores! He has to protect them! Goes eldritch horror and stuffs them in his plumage to carry around like those water birds.
Poor Batman is just so done.
Jason and Damian keep trying to escape. It does not work. Eventually they get this thing to the Cave and make it a nest to keep it there. Tim asleep before they mange, followed by Duke (look, it's late for him, okay?) and Steph.
When they wake up in the morning, in one big cuddle pile, there's a strange man among them and from the way it looks, and Damian isn't sure if he's got a new pet or if Father has a date.
He met her by sitting next to her at a coffee shop (there were no more empty tables) and letting out a world-weary sigh.
She'd asked him if he was okay.
He'd taken that as permission to just go off.
He finally has someone to complain to nonstop, and most of his complaints are not ghost related.
Oh no no, he has Tucker and Sam for that.
No, most of his complaints are Vlad related, and also by extension Rich People related. He knows so much shit about them because of the gossiping ghosts in Vlad's Hidden Forest Manor, and he's been fucking dying to spill the beans to someone.
Vicki is practically vibrating in her seat as this random nepo baby (because he has to be, how else would he know this crap with receipts to back it up) spills the filthiest tea she's ever heard about the upper elite.
Pariah Dark is finally released from his coffin, most ghosts in the know about this very on edge because he's, well, a literal tyrant king. But contrary to everyone's expectations (except Clockwork), he justs decides to vamoosh from the Infinite Realms entirely.
It's been fine without his active ruling for eons, so surely it wouldn't suddenly go to shit just because he's out of his sleep now. At least that's what he thinks and picks a random earth to go towards- this time surprisingly not for war- and plans to inhabit it.
So, there he was, Pariah Dark, Ghost King of the infinite Realms, one of the most powerful ghosts in existence and bearer of the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage.
Now a humble mortal(disguised) farmer.
And he's surprisingly, never been happier. Well, actually he has been happier than this, on the two of binding between the Ghost King and the Master of Time.
He wonders what his spouse was up to these days. Most likely watching over the multiple timelines, no doubt.
It was on one of those days, where he carried his produce to go sell to a factory for money for more horses, that he ran into a little kid, one with black hair and blue eyes.
That was also, chalked full of magical power and might.
Really, it just escalated from there, if he were to be honest.
===
Billy Batson did not expect to be sitting in the living room of the giant man he ran into on accident. He was kidnapped, yes, but compared to others this was most certainly tame in comparison.
He was picked up by the back of his collar, placed on that guy's head, and was then just taken back to his house.
At least he makes extremely good cookies.
He should probably leave before he's never seen again, but first, cookies.
And milk.