[Third Person Pov]
Location: The Ghost Zone
"Come on, Klemper, pleeease!!" Ember pleaded, clasping her hands together and shaking her fists in exaggerated desperation. Her glowing blue flame-hair flickered with impatience as she floated beside him, both suspended in the vast, swirling emerald void of the Ghost Zone. All around them hung an endless stretch of floating doors—portals leading everywhere and nowhere at once, each one humming faintly with energy.
Klemper tilted his head, his pudgy ghostly figure glowing softly as he crossed his arms in thought. "Hmm… I don't know," he said slowly, dragging out his words with uncertainty. "I want to see Danny too. He's my friend, and I want to make sure he's okay. He needs his friends!"
"And I am telling you, Klemper, Danny is fine—mostly fine," Ember said, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "If we both go at once, we'll just overwhelm him. You remember what happened last time, right? He panicked and vanished into thin air. Do you really want that again?"
Klemper's expression deflated. His shoulders sagged, and he floated slightly lower, mumbling, "...No." Then, narrowing his eyes, he leaned closer to her and asked suspiciously, "But you were with him yesterday, weren't you? Doesn't that mean today should be my turn?"
Ember's smile froze for a second. "How about this," she said, thinking quickly, "I'll take this week with Danny, and next week, you can have him all to yourself. That way we don't smother him, and he still gets time with both of us. Sound fair?"
Klemper rubbed his chin, still looking doubtful. "Hmm… maybe. But why are you trying so hard to be alone with Danny?"
Ember twitched. Internally, she screamed, 'Why does he suddenly grow a brain when it's inconvenient?!' Outwardly, she forced her face to remain calm, her voice smooth and sincere. "Because, Klemper, I'm just as worried about him as you are. That's all. He's my friend too, remember?"
Klemper blinked, then brightened. "Oh! That makes sense!" he said, his earlier suspicion evaporating instantly. "Okay! You can go see Danny in the human world. But promise me you'll tell him I wanted to visit too, okay?"
Ember exhaled a long, relieved sigh. "Of course, I'll tell him. You have my word," she said with a small, victorious grin.
They began to drift in opposite directions before Ember paused midair, her expression faltering. 'Wait… why WAS I trying so hard to be alone with Danny?' she wondered, crossing her arms and staring off into the glowing horizon. After a few moments, she shrugged it off with a smirk. 'I just didn't want Klemper hogging Danny's attention, that's all. A star like me deserves the spotlight—even if it's just from a halfa.'
Not long after, the very door she and Klemper were standing by creaked open, its hinges groaning through the ectoplasmic air. From within stepped a tall, green-skinned ghost with pointed white hair, crimson eyes hidden behind rectangular black sunglasses, and a mouth full of jagged teeth. He wore a white lab coat over a collared shirt and black tie, his spectral lower body tapering into a swirling wisp of energy.
"Hmm… a way out from the Ghost Zone and into the human word~ That sounds like a phenomenal adventure for none other than Nicolai Technus!" The Ghost declared, "From what I heard the Human world is going through a bit of technological advancement. The perfect place for a ghost such as I!" He declared with extravagance, pushing himself out of the door and presenting himself fully to everyone to bear witness to his greatness.
He struck a dramatic pose, expecting gasps of awe from his imaginary audience. Instead, silence filled the air—broken only by the soft flutter of a ghostly tumbleweed drifting past.
Technus blinked, then huffed indignantly. "No appreciation for genius these days…" he muttered. Then, spotting Ember's faint trail of blue light in the distance, he grinned widely. "To the human world!" he proclaimed, shooting off after her with a trail of green energy in his wake.
…
Danny and Superman flew high above Metropolis, the evening breeze brushing gently against them, carrying the faint hum of traffic and distant city life. Neither of them was in any rush; they floated side by side at a relaxed pace, as though taking a casual stroll rather than soaring thousands of feet above the ground.
Superman glanced toward Danny, a faint crease forming between his brows. "You know," he began, his tone gentle but concerned, "with everything that happened this morning, I never got the chance to ask—how are you holding up after your… fast departure yesterday?"
Danny was flying in his usual casual manner—back facing forward, hands resting behind his head, one leg lazily crossed over the other as if reclining on an invisible chair. "I'm as fine as I can be," he said with a shrug that seemed a bit too casual to be honest. "Just had a little trouble coming to terms with the fact that I apparently have some… underlying Daddy Issues."
Superman blinked, caught off guard. "Sorry," he said quickly, his voice full of genuine regret. "I didn't mean to—"
"It's fine, man," Danny interrupted, shaking his head, his tone steady but thoughtful. "I needed to hear it. The best way to deal with problems is to face them head-on, right? Even if it makes me uncomfortable. If we try to run from them, they just… tend catch up when we least expect it. Like what happened the other day."
Superman's expression softened. A small, approving smile touched his lips as he said, "You're surprisingly mature for someone your age. Most adults still struggle to talk about their problems that openly or think the way you do"
Danny froze midair, slowly turning his head toward Superman with the most suspicious side-eye imaginable. He didn't say a word at first—just squinted, narrowing his glowing green eyes.
Superman frowned. "What?"
Danny leaned back slightly, brows raised. "You're not trying to groom me, are you? Because that was exactly the kind of thing a groomer would say."
Superman nearly faltered out of the sky. "What?!" he exclaimed, voice cracking in disbelief. "Where did that even come from?!"
Danny lifted his hands defensively. "I'm just saying—'You're really mature for your age'? That's like page one of the Groomer's Handbook."
Superman stared at him in stunned silence, blinking once. Twice. The wind between them filled the awkward pause.
Realizing how his joke had landed, Danny scratched his cheek, embarrassed. "...Sorry"
Superman let out a long, weary sigh and shook his head as he resumed flying forward, his cape fluttering behind him. "You're unbelievable," he muttered.
"Hey, come on!" Danny shouted, flying after him. "Don't be like that—it was just a joke!"
"Jokes are supposed to be funny, Danny," Superman said dryly.
"I thought it was funny…" Danny muttered under his breath, sulking as he followed. Then, after a beat, his grin returned. "Wait, hey! Don't leave me behind! If that one didn't land, I've got plenty more material!"
Superman rolled his eyes but couldn't quite hide the small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he was flying ahead of Danny.
---
Later that night…
The city had transformed into a sea of lights. Danny leaned against the rooftop railing of his hotel, elbows resting on the cold metal as he gazed out over Metropolis. The wind tugged at his snow-white hair, sending loose strands flicking across his face, but he didn't bother brushing them away.
He exhaled softly, watching the faint mist form in front of him. For a rare moment, the world was quiet.
Then a flicker of blue flame erupted behind him, breaking the silence.
Danny glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Ember materialize from a swirling pillar of sapphire fire. The flames coiled around her like a living aura before fading away, leaving her standing confidently with a guitar slung over her back and a mischievous smirk painted on her lips.
"What up, what up," she greeted with a toss of her fiery hair. "Ready to have the best night of your life?"
Danny arched an eyebrow and grinned. "Whoa, wording, Ember. You might wanna dial that back a bit before someone gets the wrong idea."
Without hesitation, Ember punched him in the arm hard enough to send him spinning backward midair.
"OW!" Danny yelled, clutching his arm. "You do remember that you have super strength, right?!"
"And you're super durable and heal pretty fast" Ember shot back, crossing her arms with a scoff. "So what's the problem?"
Danny floated upright again, glaring playfully. "The problem is that it still hurts, you psycho."
She ignored the jab, floating closer with a sly grin. "Make another joke like that," she said, running her thumb across her throat in a clear threat, "and you'll regret it."
Danny raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I got it, jeez." He rubbed his arm again and added under his breath, "Need I remind you, it was your idea to explore the city together? I could've been having a peaceful night alone, but nooo… here I am, you could show a bit of appreciation."
Ember placed a hand on her hip, striking a pose. " Oh Please. You're spending your evening with a massive celebrity here. You should be honored. Consider this a blessing."
Danny smirked and muttered under his breath, "The only thing massive here is your head and ego."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "What was that?"
Danny instantly straightened, forcing the brightest smile he could muster. "I said, I can't wait to begin! It's going to be so much fun!"
Ember nodded smugly, flipping her hair as her blue fire flared slightly. "Thought so."
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