[Third Person Pov]
Youngblood squirmed in discomfort, his ghostly form flickering with irritation as he hovered there, unable to even reach back and rub his stinging backside as it would only increase the pain. The spectral pirate kid simply stood frozen in mid-air, defeated and sulking, while Danny swiftly uncapped his thermos and sucked the troublesome ghost inside with a decisive pull. Youngblood sniffled pathetically the whole way, his voice cracking with childish frustration. "You're no fun…" were his last grumbled words before he vanished completely into the thermos with one final, dramatic cry.
He was far from the last ghost haunting the vicinity, but with the unstable tear into the Ghost Zone now officially sealed shut, the chaotic situation slowly began to feel more manageable. The remaining numbers of freelancing ghosts were steadily rounded up and captured through the combined efforts of Danny and the rest of the Aqua-Family. Over the course of the intense battle, the Atlantean heroes had come to view Danny not just as an ally, but as a true friend, bonded by the shared struggle against spectral invaders in their underwater realm.
"So, did you guys find him?" Danny asked as he approached Aquaman and Batman, who were engaged in a quiet but intense discussion near the remnants of the battlefield.
"I'm afraid not," Aquaman stated with a hardened expression, his royal bearing still commanding even amid the exhaustion of combat. "Black Manta simply vanished into thin air. There was no trace of him left behind. The sentries tasked with maintaining the perimeter barrier didn't spot him either."
"How does someone just vanish into thin air like that? It makes no sense," Danny said, looking genuinely perplexed as he floated closer, his glowing green eyes scanning the watery surroundings.
Batman slowly turned his head and fixed Danny with a long, silent stare, the Dark Knight's shadowed eyes conveying volumes without a single word.
Danny blinked for a moment, then broke into a sheepish smile. "Okay, touché. But that's beside the point. Black Manta isn't a ghost—he's a flesh-and-blood human with tech and gadgets. People like him don't just disappear into thin air without some kind of trick or escape route."
"Well, this entire area was swarming with spectral entities," Mera pointed out as she swam over gracefully to join the conversation, her presence adding a layer of poised authority. "Who's to say he didn't seize one of them, overpower it somehow, and force it to aid his escape? Desperate men have used stranger tools in battle."
"Unless he's been hiding some kind of advanced ghost-hunting gadget we don't know about, I just don't see that being the case," Danny replied, looking pensive as he crossed his arms and pondered the different alternatives, his mind racing through half-formed theories.
"Sitting here speculating endlessly isn't going to help us locate him," Batman remarked gruffly, though his own intense gaze suggested he was mulling over the very same possibilities, dissecting every angle with his usual relentless logic.
They all agreed it was best to shift focus for now. After a few moments, once Danny had finished absorbing the final stray ghost pirate into his thermos and carefully sealed it shut, he glanced over toward Aquaman. The king was issuing calm, steady orders to his troops, most of whom bore heavy injuries—visible signs of their desperate fight to stay alive against the overwhelming spectral onslaught. As the weary warriors began to swim away, Danny approached Aquaman directly.
"So, how's it looking?" Danny asked quietly, his voice laced with concern. "The casualties, I mean…?"
Aquaman turned to face him fully. Seeing the genuine worry etched across the young hero's face, the king couldn't help but offer a warm, reassuring smile. He reached out and placed a strong, steady hand on Danny's shoulder, the gesture conveying fatherly comfort even in the depths of the ocean. "Don't worry about it, son. All you need to know is that it would have been far worse—a lot more devastating—without your assistance today."
"I know, I get that," Danny began, his tone stiff with lingering guilt, "but still…"
"Still feels like you could have done more?" Aquaman finished for him, a knowing grin softening his rugged features.
Danny let out a faint, self-deprecating laugh and nodded his head.
"For someone who's been doing this kind of work far longer than you have, allow me to offer a piece of hard-earned advice," Aquaman said, his voice warm and compassionate. "That feeling—that nagging sense of 'not enough'—it doesn't ever fully go away. Not really. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. What matters is learning how to channel that restless energy into motivation rather than letting it weigh you down. Instead of dwelling endlessly on what you *could* have done better in the heat of battle, start focusing on what you *can* do right now. On the improvements you can make, the skills you can sharpen, and the strategies you can refine for next time. It's all a matter of perspective and how you choose to confront your innermost doubts and insecurities. Trust me when I say that sometimes simply rephrasing the questions that plague us can make all the difference in the world."
Danny just stared up at him in wide-eyed silence, his glowing green eyes locked onto Aquaman with an almost reverent intensity. Aquaman raised a single eyebrow, clearly amused, and asked with a broad grin spreading across his face, "What?"
Danny let out a heavy, dramatic sigh, his shoulders slumping theatrically. "You have no idea how much I want your autograph right now."
Arthur let out a booming laugh that echoed through the water, his powerful hand patting Danny's shoulder with warm camaraderie. "Hahaha! Let us get our affairs in order first and foremost. Afterwards, I'll sign whatever it is you need me to sign."
Danny placed his hand over his chest in the formal Atlantean gesture he had seen the others perform, bowing his head slightly with mock solemnity. "As your majesty commands!"
Arthur had a proper, heartfelt laugh at that, his eyes crinkling with genuine delight. Meanwhile, Robin turned toward Batman, who was swimming steadily beside him, and muttered under his breath, "Before you know it, he's going to be on the good side of every Justice League member."
"I don't doubt it," Batman replied stoically, his voice as dry and unflinching as ever.
…
Back in the grand halls of Atlantis, Danny stood eagerly in front of Aquaman, clutching a waterproof notepad and pen in his hands. He was practically jumping on his heels with uncontained excitement, his ghostly tail flickering with anticipation.
"Does he really want an autograph that badly?" Tula asked in amusement, barely hiding her snicker behind her hand.
"Yeah, it's a thing he really likes to do for some reason," Robin scoffed, already far too accustomed to Danny's unique antics. "I stopped questioning it a while ago."
"Yay!" Danny cheered happily the moment Aquaman finished signing with a flourish, staring down at the bold signature like it was a priceless treasure.
He took a large, enthusiastic step sideways and planted himself directly in front of Mera, extending the pen and notepad toward her with bright, expectant eyes.
Mera was visibly taken aback. She pointed at herself, surprised. "You want my autograph too?" No one had ever asked her for one before.
"I mean, obviously…" Danny replied passionately, his voice full of sincerity. "You think I'm going to be a fan of Aquaman and not be a fan of you too? You guys are partners in crime, aren't you? Aquaman and Aquawoman—the ideal power couple!"
He tapped the empty space right next to Aquaman's signature with the tip of his pen. "Right here, please and thank you."
Mera started to laugh, a warm, melodic sound that filled the space around them. "The ideal power couple, huh? Hehehe, I quite like that. Alright, give it here."
Arthur looked on in quiet amusement, watching his wife sign the notepad with an obviously pleased and happy expression lighting up her face. The moment brought a rare softness to the usually battle-hardened king.
"Here you go," Mera said warmly as she handed the notepad back to Danny, who looked thoroughly pleased with himself.
"Robin! Look! I got their autographs!!" Danny cheered loudly, holding the notepad high in the air for his friend to see and tapping the fresh signatures excitedly with his pen.
"Yeah, Danny, I see it…" Robin exhaled in pure exasperation, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. His deadpan reaction made everyone around them chuckle and laugh.
Danny floated closer, glancing down at his notepad one more time before looking up at the younger members of the Aqua-Family. He reached out and placed one hand on Garth's shoulder and the other on Jackson's, while Tula stood in the middle of the group. "Become great and important heroes so one day I can ask for your autographs as well," he declared with a playful grin. "Since right now, your autographs hold no value to me."
"Wha—Hey!" Tula exclaimed, placing a hand dramatically over her chest while staring at Danny in mock disbelief. "Ouch, man. That hurt."
Garth rolled his eyes and brushed Danny's hand away with a smirk. "I'll be sure to give it to you when the time comes."
"Likewise," Jackson added in a deadpan tone, brushing Danny's hand off his shoulder as well.
They all shared a good-natured laugh together, the camaraderie lightening the weight of the recent battle. Soon enough, though, it was time to go. Danny and Robin said their farewells and headed out, jumping into the waiting Batmobile that had been specially modified into a high-tech submarine. The three of them—Danny, Robin, and Batman—were finally ready to make the journey back home.
********************************************
+10 advance Chapters and my other patron exclusive content on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3