Chapter Text
Louisiana bayou: Tuesday after wwgr mid afternoon
“Here here insufferable beast, it is i! Skulker with treats!” the ghost said as he flew around the swamp a treat made from one of his hunts in hand. Johnny called it ecto jerky. It was tainted with undergrowth ectoplasma, and something else he had yet to disconcert. But it matters not in the grand scheme of finding the whelp and the mightier Cujo. Just an annoying obstacle in his goal. One that would not best him.
However he was not immune to distraction. Having run into a few odd beasts looking to be almost parts of humans ripped apart and reattached. In a way that reminded Skulker of Plasimus experiments with animals to make his hybrid ghosts. That was until he got close enough to one to read its emotions. While lining up one of his nets to add it to his collection. The net flinging the abomination out of the emotional range was the only thing that saved him from the madness that started to over take him. Leaving him hunched in a daze against a tree as the abomination screamed squealed and hissed still trapped in his net. It was similar to the cursed lands at the edges of amity park. Skulker took some time to collect himself. Choosing then to settle on taking pictures of the creatures from afar. He would take great joy in Plasmius flying head first into the problem in his ernst to study them. Once he had the whelped secured.
Plasmius’s focus and obsession turning so strongly so quickly to just the ghost child had been concerning and disturbing to the older ghost. But he was not one to turn down a challenge over others petty personal issues. He also enjoyed the larger payments for the work in the other halfa's desperation. Strangely enough Plasmius wasn’t the only one in the realms to have a growing attention on the ghost child. The ancients were stirring more. Intermingling like they once had before Pariah’s original fall. As such he had been bartering for more defensive tech from Plasmius. To help fortify his haunt and his girlfriends. Since she still refused to move in with him. Claiming he cramped her personal style. If the ancients started getting into direct conflict with each other that would not bode well for the lower spirits. Despite his boasting Skulker knew better than to think himself on the tier of those beings. He found that out the hard way when he took a young yeti from the far frozen. Frostbite, the kinder and more peaceful of the ancients still didn’t pull his punches for the insult for the breach of his borders for the betrayal.
The realms were reacting to whelps abstinence in new ways that made him nervous. His return at the hands of himself would bring some prestige from the discontent ancients. But that required tracking down the infuriating whelp! In this confusing magical swamp. “Any luck?” a vulture asked, flying besides him.
“No, just more of those tainted creatures and stinking swamp.” Skulker said with distaste. “What about you bird?”
Skulker got the stink eye from the other ghost. “No little king.” Skulker scoffed at the title. “But…”
“I care not for the guys in white. Their equipment is just as affected as we are by this strange mix of magics.”
“Yes rot, and undergrowth’s proxy war would confuse such a simple ghosts like you eh?” the vulture dodge the swipe from the exoskeleton ghosts claws.
“Cease your squabbling!” Plasmius shot bolts at both ghosts who dodged. Luckily as the anger in Plasmius was much worse than their annoyance and concern. “We don’t have time for it. Have either of you found the boy?”
“Obviously not.”
“Are we not looking for your neverborn also?” Skulker sneered in disgust at the reminder from the vulture. He had been very unhappy to hear about her creation. And unsurprised by her instability. He had been rather willing to keep her continued existence hidden at the request of Ember and Phantom. Along with a promise not to attempt to hunt her in any way that would cause deterioration. Only capture.
“She will follow Phantom, he is the priority.” Vlad snapped ignoring the growl from Skulker rubbing at his temples. “I will be here searching as long as I can. But a situation is brewing back home. I may not be able to hold my form this far for the search.”
“What issues have plagued your mind to weaken your will Plasmius?” Skulker asked with a smirk. The vulture took off to continue his search area. He and Plasmius flew in the opposite direction.
“The bumbling cheese curds are loosing their minds over members of the justice league and green lantern corp are in Elmerton. Thanks to the ignorant announcement of our little prince. They wish entrance into Amity park and their facilities.”
“If they intend to assist us. We should be assisting them in taking down their lair in elmerton.” Skulker pointed out. He was no longer as willing to wave off the abuses of the guys in white to just Plasmius’s whims after Ember's capture. He had assisted in that rescue operation by Phantom. Seeing first hand what those unsporting hunters were doing to those they captured had enraged him for weeks. Only Ember's direction to help others escape had kept him from turning that rage on the unworthy humans. He’d have happily helped Phantom level the building had he been allowed. It was technically outside Phantom's haunt. But Plasmius was strictly against it. Skulker wasn’t one to linger on the fact he had lost the fight over that intent.
“If you think they will align themselves to us out of the goodness of their hearts and high moral standing you are as foolish as the boy.” Plasmius looked down his nose at his hired henchman. “His own failing in his eagerness to trust.”
“Yet he is wise enough to not trust you.” Skulker pointed out. He knew his mistake instantly but wasn’t fast enough to avoid the ectofueled fist going through the mechsuits arm.
“And look what mess that has brought forth? Heroes on our door step, the world aware of ghosts and the power of the realms! One government aware was a manageable threat and security! Those fools tricked him and now the carefully crafted walls around amity park are at risk of crumbling to new unknown threats! And the imbecilic child guardian is missing! This does not even touch on the brewing discourse in the realms!”
Skulker scowled at Plasmuis for his outburst. He pulled his damaged limb from the other ghosts hand. A few chunks of ecto metal coming away with it. “Perhaps, it is wiser then to not damage my suit in a way that would prevent my ability to contain the wayward whelp. And you to find a way to not alienate the royal pain with your further schemes with our mutual enemies.”
“There was a shift in management that I was unprepared for. My plans were carefully formulated for the methods and training they had previously. It has been corrected.” Plasimius glared eyes glowing red.
“A bit late, and only after nearly destroying the boy and yourself since he has become your obsession." Skulker threw back. “The ghost child only holds such power because of your miscalculations in the first place. Maybe you should take sometime to remove the threat you allowed to fester before. For it we are searching aimlessly through this swamp.”
“We wouldn’t be had you properly interrogated your girlfriend and gotten us the information she obviously has on his location! You can’t have possibly bought the lies she was just exploring a new are of the realms.” Plasmuis seethed back.
“Unlike you, i will not risk, my fraid for my ambitious nor yours. As she sees the whelp as her fraid, I will not abuse our mutual trust. I know not to alienate myself from my fraid for my goals. They can be reached by other means even if more work. A lesson you should perhaps heed before you attempt to reclaim the ghost child who you’ve continually taken advantage of. That same trusting nature you bemoan having kept you within arms length till your last failure to protect the fraid you so strongly long for.” Skulker knew he hit the mark at the silence from Plasmius along with the shame and anger in his ghost speak. “I will take the north, as your feathered pet has taken the south. I suggest you head away from the human city and make yourself worthy of your goals while you search.” With those parting words Skulker left Plasmuis flying off to cover different ground. Keeping his own ecto pulled close as to not alert the ghost boy. He did grumble a bit to himself as he tried to haphazardly repair his arm.
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“They have split up again.” Swampthing said to those still in the house of mystery as he grew up through the floor. Zatana, his wife Abbey, and Blue Devil holding Tefe. Cujo was on his leash, held by Abbey not that he noticed as he had all his attention on the child in Blue Devil’s arms.
“So should we like i don’t know call someone about that? We aren’t supposed to fight them are we?” Blue Devil asked bouncing Tefe. “Abbey, can you do anything about the dog staring at me like that? Please, it's unnerving. I can feel the threat. Taste it even.” Zee reached out and took Tefe from Blue Devil. Cujo’s tail started to wag right away, growing in pace with her sitting on the couch besides Abbey. Tefe squealed with joy at being able to teach Cujo to give pets. Blue Devil relaxed for the first time since they had rushed the kid and dog back inside the house of mystery at the warning from Swampthing of their presence close to the house. Tefe had been playing with Cujo in what Blue Devil was calling the house’s yard. The house was all about throwing Cujo out whenever able.
“The house doesn’t have enough power to move again so soon. Or that would be our best option.” Zee said. Letting Tefe climb out of her lap to the floor with Cujo.
“John has a spell for moving the house in emergencies. But as I understand it’s more taxing the less the house can support the move or refuses. Both of you together might be able too without taking you both down this close to the last jump.” Abbey suggested.
“The agents are easier to distract. They follow my concentrated life force as I move it. The ghosts are able to ignore it.” Swampthing informed.
“I would hope they can tell their own kind from similar magics Swampthing.” Zee teased. Over-spoken by Tefe’s “puppy!” squeal at the kiss from Cujo.
“Cujo is a good puppy isn’t he Tefe.” Abbey said to her daughter with a teasing look at her husband.
“We are not getting a dog.” Swampthing said, lifting his daughter up away from Cujo and into his wife’s lap before he descended back into the growth to lead the agents away once more. Abbey smiled teasingly at him as he sunk into the floor boards.
“I mean a dog is a good pet for a kid. But maybe not this one.” Blue Devil said. “Plus the prince would probably get mad you take his dog.”
“On the contrary. Prince phantom has made it clear, as by Cujo’s very nature, Cujo is free spirit and allowed to come and go as he pleases and make connections of his own free will. And so he has.” Zatana said with a smile. “You shouldn’t allow your one bad experience to color your view of Cujo.”
“I’m not saying he’s a bad dog. He’s a good dog.” Blue Devil relaxed at the sudden wagging and attention he was getting from Cujo. “I’m not going to begin to understand what kind of power Tefe is going to have, but some caution with a very strong dog, who doesn’t follow basic commands seems… I don't know, logical and reasonable.”
“When has that ever governed our actions?” abbey and Zee both teased back.
Blue Devil gave both women an unimpressed look. “You're a mother abbey. Some caution I think is required.” he sighed. “So should we call in back up or not?”
“We should wait, we don’t want to draw attention if we move the house too soon. The magical surge will draw more attention, and I assume it’s not a fast process when the move is external. We also don’t know if Constantine can return to assist. We should hold off but plan for a new location.” The house flapped its curtains before setting them open. And didn’t respond to Cujo’s small growl.
“I believe that is the house agreeing.” Abbey added.
“I will never get used to that.” Blue Devil frowned. “It creeps me out.”
“Oh the irony, Daniel.” Abbey teased. “We can inform the others of the issues at the call in this evening.”
“How do we think that’s going?” Blue Devil asked.
“John hasn’t called yet, so he either can’t or everything’s fine.” zee said. “Bats hasn’t called in a tizzy. So I'm assuming fine.”
“Or here me out… the team is neck deep in in-fighting?” Blue Devil pointed out.
“That wasn’t off the table in those options. John would call for help hiding the bodies." Abbey said, standing while holding Cujo’s leash. Tefe on her hip. She and tefe were their only chance at keeping Cujo in the house. She was headed to the kitchen to cook.
“I’m sure he can manage socializing with the heroes for a week.” Zee said. “With minimal injuries to all parties.”
“What he does when you are there to rein him in is one thing. Bobo, love him dearly, is not reining him in." Abbey corrected her.
Blue Devil let out a breath and mumbled. “Just remind yourself dog sitting is the better post. Despite the nearly dislocated arm.”