The Small Ghost

XII

Dick walked briskly down the hall after exiting Phantom's room. Who was that kid and how did he get into the cave? Dick stumbled when M'Gann collided with him, thanking him for stopping her fall. Dick snapped his fingers, calling for M'Gann as he ran back down the hall.

"Yes, Robin?"

"I need to show you something but you have to promise me you won't freak." Robin watched as M'Gann thought it over, gears turning before she shrugged.

"Alright." Robin lead her to Phantom's room, quickly ushering her inside before closing the door with a click.

"Woah."

"Yeah, he was just... here. I think he was showering." The boy covered his face with his black hair, curling up tighter as M'Gann walked toward him.

"What's your name?" M'Gann asked, crouching low in front of the boy. He shook his head tensely, not opening his mouth as M'Gann glanced back at Robin.

"Be gentle, he looks young." Robin watched as M'Gann probed the kid's mind. He watched as the kid whimpered loudly as M'Gann moved through his mind. Robin winced. It sounded exactly like Phantom's whimpers when he... well, basically whenever. Robin spun around when M'Gann gasped.

"What? What is it?" Robin asked as he rushed over to their side. "Is he injured?"

"No, no he's fine, just scared," M'Gann answered. She looked back at the boy, pity marring her face as the boy clutched her jacket.

"P-Please," he pleaded, "d-don't tell."

"Miss Martian," Robin made her bring her attention back to him, "I need you to tell me if you know something." He watched as M'Gann seemed to have an internal conflict with herself, looking between the boy and Robin before she opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to the boy.

"W-Wait, pl-please don't-" He said between gasps.

"I have to," M'Gann interrupted as she pulled the batarang from the wall. He sobbed, pushing her away as he stood on wobbly legs. He bolted from the room, cries and gasps muffled by his hand as he rushed down the hall.

Robin made to run after him but M'Gann held him back. She shook her head. "Let him go."

"Why?" Robin asked, staring at the closed door.

"Because I got the name and he wants to be alone," M'Gann answered as she rose from the ground. "His name is Danny and he's the human half of Phantom."

Robin whipped around to face her. "What?" He asked with disbelief.

"Remember, he's a halfa. Half human half ghost. He didn't mean any harm but he didn't want us to find out."

"Why?"

"He thought we'd start our experiments." The two walked out the room, heading to the common room as they mulled over what happened in the room.

"Why would he think that? Have we shown intentions other than being friendly to him?" Robin sighed. "This is a far from the aster, it's turning into a disaster."

M'Gann shrugged. "I don't think it matters what we did, he would've always been afraid that we'd experiment on him. He was used as an experiment for years, we can't change that over a couple of weeks." Robin huffed and M'Gann glared at him. "I hope you know that, Robin. You have to give him time."

"Well, we don't have time," Robin growled. He pursed his lips, realizing his mistake as soon as M'Gann quirked an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"