Avoiding Past And Future

(59) Intermediate

(Songs used: Dove Cameron - Too much / Ashnikko - Paint The Town Blue)

October 25

Team communications had been agonizingly quiet after their stellar first meeting. Sure, the restriction had been lifted but that didn't mean they'd instantly start chatting up a storm when Phantom got added. The same happened when Artemis first joined. At least she had the advantage of immediately being placed on a mission from day 1 to help ease her into things.

Not for Phantom, though.

The only time the group chat saw any life was for a reminder of the training they had today. The handful of confirmations everybody will be attending was all there was to it. Of course, this would be the first training since their previous failure of a training attempt. The stakes were pretty high to get it at least semi decent to avoid any more issues between the mentors, the team and their resident trouble magnets.

Robin and Phantom had decided to show up only a handful of minutes before the training session would actually start. Not taking any chances for any fights to break out, both Wolf and Cujo were made to stay away from them. Neither of them liked the idea but at least it wasn't Cujo getting singled out this time. Wolf lived here, though that didn't mean the mutant was allowed to sit in and quietly harass either Bat.

Though their plan had been pretty successful, they had failed to account for actually walking over to the prepped room. As they expertly tried to make their way over, they had to cross through the lounge. Of course, as if they all had the same plan, the rest of the team had been waiting and procrastinating as well. Watching some shoulders sag visibly with resignation, they all started making their way over to their designated training room.

Kaldur tried to formally welcome Phantom, be the good leader his King would want him to be. Forget their less than perfect first official meeting and start over. Extend an open hand and offer of peace between the team and him.

Phantom, however, clearly had other ideas. Staring at the offered hand and then back to Kaldur, the ghost simply sidestepped him and continued floating on.

"So," M'gann awkwardly started, floating up a bit to be hovering next to Phantom. "I, ah, I was wondering if, maybe, you could teach me how you density shift so easily? Uncle J'onn has tried before but I'm still struggling quite a bit." She innocently asked, looking between the two Bats as they ignored the group behind them.

Phantom glanced at her before shrugging nonchalantly. "No can do. I don't density shift." He could feel the prickle of frustration trinkle over from the mind link. It was slightly getting on his nerves. From what his brother said, the mind link was for talking not telepathically emoting into another's brain. He'd have to ask Frostbite about it because knowing their luck, it was somehow his fault once again.

M'gann's confusion drowned out the silent annoyance of the others as she distanced herself a few inches. "Oh, I'm sorry." She apologized sincerely, though the fatigue of continuous bad sleep was coming back already. "I just thought because of the camouflage and going through things, you might know some tips."

"Yeah, well you thought wrong." Phantom sighed deeply, lazily floating on his back as he matched pace with Robin. "Density shifting and true intangibility are two separate things. You change your molecular structure to pass through things, I just simply stop interacting with it all together. Same with your camouflage and true invisibility. Probably flying too, gravity is more like a suggestion anyway."

Wally scoffed loudly, quite purposely out loud rather than telepathically. "Yeah sure, because that's totally how physics works." The speedster grumbled, glaring daggers at the floating child. "Can't you at least try harder to come up with a lie that sounds at least somewhat scientifically plausible."