Deathstroke's Shadow (DP/YJ)

Chapter 18

Robin's eyes were trained on his brother. His brother. The same one he hadn't seen for four years. He wasn't completely positive when he asked, but the... comment from his brother, calling him by name. He was no doubt in certain now. 

He glanced between the three figures in the room, trying to understand just what was going on.

Vlad stood on the ground, not two feet from his brother. And Deathstroke, with his mask still off, stared at Danny. He was terrified of something. 

***

Danny was knelt on the ground, his eyes clouded over and lost. He was unsure of what to do... what to think? His whole life, the past four years at least, were a complete lie. Deathstroke never cared for him. He kept him away from his brother.

His eyes then trained up, looking at the one person in the room that may still actually care for him. His brother. Their eyes met only for a brief moment before Shadow cast his eyes away once again.

As his head lowered, he caught a glimpse of black hair. It was then he registered that he had transformed back to human. He didn't know when or why it had happened. But it was then it clicked that Dick did truly know who he was. Did he also know he was Shadow? If he did, Shadow knew there is no way his brother would accept him. Care for him.

"So boy, what is your choice? Go back with your master? Or stay and train with me?" 

Shadow's gaze cast upward, meeting eye to eye with the elder half ghost. 

"I-" He choked out.

Plasmius made a motion with his hand and leaned in forward as if to say 'go on'.

"I- I..." Shadow fumbled. 

His gaze cast over to the boy wonder's once more. 

Robin still just stared at him. And with the mask on it was hard to read his expression. 

Shadow looked over to Slade next. He could see the pleading and guilty expression with so much ease across his... old mentor's face with so much ease. He could never read Slade with so much ease before.

'Is it an act?' Shadow questioned himself. 'Or is what I'm seeing from him real?'

Either way, Shadow didn't know the answer for sure. And he couldn't trust himself to know the real answer for sure. It was like his mind was at tug-o-war with itself and neither side seemed to be winning. The only thing he did know for sure was that he could never trust the man he grew up to care for like a father ever again. At least never in the same way. 

"Well, boy?" Plasmius questioned, his impatience becoming quite noticeable to everyone.

Shadow stood back up, stating with full confidence in his voice and stance, "I'm not going with anyone."

As he finished talking, Shadow allowed the feeling of the rings to pass over him. He transformed from human to ghost. 

If there was doubt before, there was none now. His brother now knew just who he truly and really was. And that thought, at least at the current moment, Shadow didn't care.

Shadow leapt up from the ground and jumped into the air. The pain of his wounds completely forgotten as his body now rushed with adrenaline, giving the power boost he needed just for this.

He charged up dual ghost rays in both of his hands and fired both towards Plasmius. 

The older halfa, not expecting the sudden fight, was hit dead center and flung back into the wall.