A Little Overshadowing Never Hurt Anyone

Just For A Minute -Chapter 3

With Batman gone Tim was alone with the ghost in the Batcave. He stood there uncomfortably watching the ghost for a while with his arms crossed assessing him. The ghost was doing the same at first but eventually gave up on staring at him and started to glance around, scanning his surroundings instead. Tim decided that it would be best if he started to do some more research on ghosts while waiting for Batman to return.

He didn't want to start up the interrogation again without B, but that didn't mean he couldn't ask a few curious questions here and there as he came across facts in his research. It was pretty quiet for the first bit. All that could be heard was the clacking of keys from the bat computer and the light buzz of electricity emitting from the containment device. Tim sighed and slouched back in his chair rubbing his temples with his black-gloved hand.

"Headache?"

Tim spun around slowly to see the ghost sitting — or floating in this case? — cross-legged in the cage looking at him with inquisitive eyes, his head tilted to the side like a curious puppy. The glowing green color radiating from them reminded him of the Lazarus waters. "Something like that." Tim grabbed his coffee mug that had his red robin logo on it, it was already getting cold but it wasn't that bad yet.

"So... nice weather we're having?" Tim glanced over at the ghost again, cup still in hand. The ghost in return smirked. "Not that I can see it or anything seeing as I am in a cage." He shrugged.

"We're also in a cave." Tim raised an eyebrow.

The ghost smirked slightly more, Tim could see a sharp canine showing through, not as much to be a vampire fang but definitely that of a predator. "Ahh right, that too." He waved his white-gloved hand to the side. "So, do I get to know the name of my captor? Or do I just go with moody bat teen?" He cracked his fingers as he stood up, placing his feet on the bottom of the cage and crossing his arms.

Tim had fully spun around in his chair by now. He had read a lot about ghosts being manipulative and evil. But you can't trust everything you read, Tim knew first hand what doing that could cause. This is also the first non-animalistic ghost they have come across. "Red Robin... And what about you? Or do ghosts not get names.''

The ghost laughed. "Some do, though it depends on how good you were for Halloween. Name's Phantom."

"Phantom, really? That doesn't sound like a real name." Tim felt his lip tug upwards again.

"Neither does Red Robin." Phantom crossed his arms, a much warmer smile on his face.

Tim chuckled "Touché." He put his cup on his desk and leaned forward placing his elbows on his knees. He was about ten feet away from Phantom at the moment. Well, his cage anyway.

"So do I get anything to eat or are you going to starve me?" Phantom tilted his head and made a fake pouty face.

Tim nodded, "I could probably get you something after you answer Bat's questions... you want a piece of toast or something?"

"Oh man, TOAST! I'm in heaven, five-star treatment right here... do you need me to fill out a survey later?" Phantom smiled. "Where do I put in a request to change my room around? I mean the bars are nice but the whole burning me thing is kind of throwing me off." He pretended to run his fingers along the bars without actually touching them and when he pulled them back he rubbed them together as if they were dirty.

Man, this guy had Dick's sense of humor... And Jason's sarcasm, great. Be here any longer, and he was going to end up part of the family. He doesn't have black hair and blue eyes though. "I was under the impression that ghosts don't eat human food." He could keep this ghost chatting, maybe he would let his guard down a bit and answer some questions.