A Ghost Girl and a Zombie Boy A Red Hood re-telling.

Chapter 23 Bowsers castle/ the final boss 2022 Lyla

Infinity island wasn't large but It was dark. Lyla had spent the last two hours scouting the main structure. She'd found less than ten guards, the man they called Sensei, a figure in a red hood, Ra's, Talia, and a young boy.
She quickly decided that the fewer she had to face at the same time the better. She made quick work of the guards and made her way back to the open court.
The court was almost empty now. Talia, the boy and Sensei had vanished. Only the hooded man and Ra's remained, standing directly in the middle of the square.
Lyla watched from behind, hiding on the edge of the castle-like structure.

        " How long are you going to lurk, girl?" Ra's voice echoed through the air.

Lyla leapt from the ledge, flipping, before landing, one knee bent the other leg outstretched, behind Ra's. (Dick had thought her that move and it was probably her favorite form of dramatic entry.)

        " You know why I'm here." Phantom declared, doing her best to mask the building fear.
Ra's turned to face her.

        " You are here to die!"

One small movement from his hand and the hooded man was charging for her, katana in each hand. She ducked back avoiding his blade. His face was almost completely covered. He wore a mask around his mouth and nose that wasn't to different from hers. A hood hung low in front of his eyes making him impossible to identify. He lunged at her again, she rolled out of his way this time, but he had caught on. He moved with her and tried to pin her down.
She found Punchlines dagger in her belt and drove it into his side.
The wound didn't move him off, but gave her the opening to wiggle her way out. Her elbow met the side of his head as she scrambled for her feet knocking his hood aside for just a moment.

A bold green eye met her baby blue ones.
All the breath left her lungs in an instant.
She scrambled back telling herself her mind was showing her what she wanted to see.
And she did.
She wanted it desperately.

She couldn't wait to see his green eyes and the forests inside them that she saw every time she closed her eyes.

The ninja was coming at her again. With his katanas lost he tried to land a punch but instead found himself chasing Phantom across the square.
He was fast, she was faster.
Lyla'd always been fast.
She'd spent most of her life running.
Running until she fell.
Until she fell for him.
She couldn't run forever though. She used her momentum to dodge, turn herself 180 degrees and land a kick to the midsection of her pursuer.
The kick didn't land.
Her foot was caught
. 'SHIT' She was tossed across the square. She landed hard on the stone ground.

    "Finish this!" Ra's commanded from his safe corner.

Lyla scrambled to her feet again. Her whole body hurting this time.
The hooded man stood feet from her seemingly hesitant. Lyla took the opening, spinning her whole body to land a kick on his jaw this time.
The mask shattered under her boot and his head flew to the side nocking his hood off his head. Lyla found his face and all the air evaporated from her lungs.
The dark brown hair she once ran her fingers through, the bold green eyes that haunted her mind. His once soft features where sharper now but Lyla could feel his soul.

She'd found him.

    " Jason!" She nearly screamed through the forming tears. She pushed the hair that had escaped its tie from her face as she made her first steps towards him, slowly.

" No!" Ra's shouted.

Jason just stood there staring at her. Like he was incapable of taking the step forward. Lyla had nearly reached Jason, approaching slowly, when Ra's appeared behind him.

        " The hood as been compromised." He declared, before jabbing the back of Jason's neck with two fingers.