#based off of Green Lantern: Alliance Irey West

[lapetitechatonne]

Lightning Strike

so, this was originally for dpxdc ship week back in Febuary, and i just realized i forgot to cross post it lmaoo, so here's my obligatory wlw contribution to tumblr ☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆ ao3 link - here! kate's masterlist - here!

Lightning Strike - 2.5k

Since becoming Clockwork’s apprentice, Dani had seen it all. The beginnings and endings of societies, civilizations, and even whole worlds. She understood now why Clockwork had taken her on, it wasn’t because he needed the help, but rather the company.

Watching all of time pass, over and over again, was a lonely business.

But Dani was used to lonely.

Her years spent on the streets, watching people pass by but never really interacting, taught her that. Sure, she made some friends along the way, but the connections were fleeting as the pull in her core demanded she move on.

Clockwork’s tower was the first place she felt okay truly staying at, but that had to do with the infinite possibilities playing on the portals all around her. It was hard to feel suffocated when you had a new adventure every day.

It wasn’t something she thought about often, but doing her routine portal checks was tedious, and perhaps she had seen one two many happy groups of friends or couples. The human part of her deep down wanted that. Someone to talk to and joke around with who didn’t know all her punchlines—she swore hanging out with Clockwork got more frustrating every day.

Father Time truly was a big blob of dad. All the way down to finishing her jokes for it.

Maybe she should pay her cousin dearest a visit. At least he wouldn’t see her pranks coming.

Her mind was so occupied with the pranks she could pull, she didn’t even notice lightning start to break through thick ectoplasm, until the was a large crack and a hole tore open right beside her.

Dani jumped as an arm of lightning reached out, almost hitting her square in the chest. The green of the zone mixed with the golden colored lightning, swirling in a bright halo of the oddest electrical storm she’d ever seen.

Almost too quickly for her to see, the storm collapsed in on itself, settling into an uneasy silence. Then, as quickly as it collapsed, it expanded to twice the size before spitting out a yellow blob. The blob shot straight through Dani, who barely had time to go intangible, and into the ghost zone, lightning trailing behind it.

Dani didn’t wait for her thoughts to catch up, she just raced after the thing. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but she was pretty sure it was her problem. God, she hated being Clockwork’s personal bouncer.

It wasn’t hard to follow the blur, electricity tended to linger in the ectoplasmic filled atmosphere longer than others. When she finally caught up with it, she couldn’t help but laugh.

Floating upside down, wiggling her legs, was a redhaired girl in a yellow superhero suit—or at least Dani assumed from the Flash symbol on the girl’s chest. Her red hair was falling out of the back of her bun, swaying with her movement, and when she caught sight of Dani there was an immediate fire in her hazel eyes.

Dani liked this one. She seemed fierce.

“Are you just going to stare?” The girl crossed her arms, glaring at Dani.

Dani just giggled and reached out, poking the girls shoulder. She squeaked as her body hurdled around. Dani used a hand to stop her from going in a circle.

“Oh,” the girl blushed lightly and gave Dani face splitting smile, “thank you. You wouldn’t happen to know where I am, would you?”

“The Ghost Zone.” The girl tilted her head and furrowed her brows. It was too cute. “Well, some people call it the Infinite Realms. Or the Place Out of Time. Oh, and the Between.”

Dani tapped her chine, trying to remember any other names. It seemed like every Earth and time had a different name for it, so Dani didn’t really retain any of them.

“Hm. Do you know how I could like, get home?” The girl cringed as she looked around, and a small frown played across her lips.

“Probably,” Dani crossed her arms behind her head, leaning back, “Clockwork would know. If anyone can get you back to your time, it’s him. I can take ya, if you’d like?” Her chores could wait. This was way more interesting.

“Don’t really have any other options, so I guess so,” the girl smirked, playful and a touch mischievous. “I’m Impulse.”

The girl held out her yellow gloved hand and Dani smirked back.

“I’m Dani—with an i.” She took Impulse’s hand, and even through their gloves Dani could feel how warm she was. It was nice. “Humans can fly in the zone, so just hold onto my arm and you should be fine. Wait, you are human right?” Dani blushed as Impulse giggled.

“Meta-human, if that makes a difference?” She tilted her head and blinked her long eyelashes.

Dani could feel the cold ectoplasm rise to her cheeks giving them a green tint.

“It shouldn’t, but I guess we’ll find out,” Dani gave Impulse the cheekiest grin she could muster, and the other girl actually laughed.

Dani offered her arm to Impulse like the movies she’d watched with Jazz.

“A proper gentleman,” Impulse teased as she placed her hand in the crook of Dani’s elbow.

“Of course! I was taught to treat cute girls right.” Dani winked, and they both dissolved into laughter.

Something fluttered in her stomach as they laughed until they were out of breath. It was a euphoric lack of oxygen that stopped all critical thoughts in Dani’s head. The only thing that existed was them and this moment.

“Do you want to take the long way?” Dani asked, not knowing what she was saying until she heard herself. She couldn’t bring herself to regret it.

“Sure,” Impulse smiled, all teeth and pretty pink lips, “we’ve got time.”

Dani beamed at her and began the flight back to Clockworks. She flew slower than normal, but not by much. Irey’s brain was fast, making connections that Dani couldn’t dream of faster than she could keep up.

Still, there was something oddly content about the redhead as she flipped around in the green atmosphere. Dani showed her some of the more interesting sights, almost running them into the River Styx because Impulse wanted a closer look.

“I can’t wait to tell my brother, he’s gonna be so jealous,” Impulse gushed as Dani pulled her away from the black churning waters. “You know, this is actually the slowest I’ve ever gone. Well, my brain I mean, not me physically.”

“It makes sense,” Dani let them float up towards the far frozen, the last place on their little tour, “the Infinite Realms are technically a place outside of space and time.”

Impulse hummed in response, looking deep in thought. Dani let her think—it was a lot to learn there was an afterlife of some sort, Dani learned that on her travels. It was sometimes even harder for people to understand that it wasn’t what they pictured or believed in.

Dani witnessed a lot of breakdowns she didn’t know how to stop before realizing it. Sue her, she was technically like four.

They stayed silent until they reached the Far Frozen, which got the redhead rambling again. This time about biomes and how they related to different species across the universe. Dani thought that she would get along too well with Danny.

It was all too soon that they reached Clockwork’s tower, which rendered Impulse speechless for the first time on their journey.

“Here we are!” Dani gently held Impulse’s sides and brought her down to the platform. Dani could feel her hot breath fanning across Dani’s face and the static electricity that covered the girl's body.

“Thank you,” she smiled, her hazel eyes sparkling with different golds and greens across the deep brown surface, “not just for helping me, but for being so kind. Not everyone is this nice when you fall into their dimension.” She giggled, and Dani sensed there was history there.

She wished they could talk about it all. Funny—even in a place without time, Dani never felt like there was enough.

“It was my pleasure. And kinda my job? It’s a little unclear.” Dani shrugged, while Impulse shot her a questioning look. Her head was tilted to the side, her brows furrowed making a cute little indent on the bridge of her nose. Dani wanted to run her fingers over the area until it smoothed out.

Dani shook the thought out of her head. Now wasn’t the time.

“I’m Clockwork’s apprentice, though, I think he took me on to keep him company more than anything,” Dani pushed open the large doors to the clock tower, the screech of the hinges echoing against the dark stone. “And you’re lost in time. So, it’s kinda my job to help get you back. That’s why I chased after you in the first place.”

“Oh,” Impulse frowned a bit, almost looking disappointed.

Dani felt herself internally panic—oh god, did she make a pretty girl sad? How was she supposed to fix this?

Dani took a deep breath, trying to calm her suddenly racing thoughts. This was not something Vlad’s programming taught her, but you know what? She could figure it out. Yeah. She could do this.

“But I’m really glad I was the one that found you,” Dani said. She watched as the frown on Impulse’s face softened, and Dani knew she was on the right track. “You’re the most interesting thing to happen around here in a while. I liked showing you around.”

Impulse smiled at her and stepped forward into Dani’s personal space. The redhead reached up, and slipped off her mask, revealing more of her tan skin—and freckles that dotted the bridge of her nose.

“My real name is Irey.”

Dani could only stare at Irey, both amazed and shocked by the show of trust. And even though she might never see the redhead again, Dani wouldn’t—couldn’t—let her walk away without knowing the girl behind the ghost.

Dani held eye contact as she let her transformation go. Waves of cold power washed over her skin until she was fully human.

“My name’s still Dani,” she chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck, “but I’m part human too. Half ghost, half human. A halfa.”

“That’s sick,” Irey laughed, a small yellow spark jolting through her eyes.

Dani could have stayed there staring into Irey’s eyes for eternity. Unfortunately, Clockwork had other plans.

“Danielle,” the sound of Clockwork’s voice pinged off the walls as he descended from the top of his tower, “I see we have a guest. Aren’t you going to introduce us?” He gave her the smirk he got when he was actively trying to be a little shit.

Sometimes they were too similar for Dani’s tastes. Now was one of those moments.

“I’m Impulse,” Irey put her mask back on, staying close to Dani’s side. “I’m a little lost. We hoped you could help get me home.”

“Of course, child,” he smiled as his form shifted from an adult to an old man. He flew up the tower without another word, just expecting them to follow.

Typical.

Dani huffed, but walked up the broken staircase with Irey, helping her jump from the harder platforms.

“A bit cryptic, isn’t he?” Irey asked as she effortlessly parkoured over the platforms. It was hot.

“That’s his brand or something. We’ve given up questioning it,” Dani shrugged lazily floating up, enjoying the show. Dani’d never seen anyone seriously attempt to take the stairs, even Sam and Tucker would make her or Danny help them.

“Yeah, I know the type—ah!” Irey squeaked as a platform moved at the last moment, causing her jump to fall short.

Dani rushed into action, propelling herself forward to catch Irey. She wrapped her arms around Irey’s lean frame, static electricity and heat coming off the redhead in waves.

“Are you okay?” Dani asked searching Irey’s eyes for any sort of pain or discomfort.

“I’m good,” Irey’s voice was breathy as she relaxed into Dani. She wrapped her arms around Dani’s neck, pulling the dark haired girl close to her.

Dani let her eyes flutter closed, the scent of burned rubber and apple shampoo burning itself into her memory. Her boy tingled where it met Irey’s in a pleasant way, and the heat warmed the parts of her usually cold to the touch.

After a few moments, she felt Irey’s hold on her loosen and the warmth pull away. Dani pushed down the urge to chase the feeling.

“Thank you.” Irey smiled and the bridge of her nose tinted pink. Dani knew that she probably looked like a tomato by now.

“Anytime.”

Dani broke eye contact and floated up to the top of the clock tower. She gently let their feet hit the ground, not wanting to jolt any possible ankle injury Irey might have sustained in the fall.

“Well, you took your time,” a child Clockwork commented, a pleased smirk on his face. “Anyways, I think I’ve found your time.”

With a flourish of his staff, a portal sprung to life, swirling in front of them. In shades of green, Dani could see people dressed a lot like Irey with lightning bolts adorned all over their bodies in a field looking around.

“That’s it! That’s where I was when—well whatever happened, happened.” Irey excitedly pulled out of Dani’s arms, the electric field around her crackling.

Clockwork laughed, deep and boisterous as his form switched to adulthood. “The Infinite Realms is the place between universes. The buffer of the multiverse if you will. Instead of moving between earths, you were going just fast enough to get stuck between them.”

Dani watch different emotions cross Irey’s face faster than she could keep up.

“So, I could come back if I wanted?” She eventually settled on excitement, the air around her crackling with small yellow lightning bolts, the light catching the shine of her hair perfectly.

Dani didn’t know that someone could took so beautiful standing in the middle of a lightning storm. She was suddenly sad lightning didn’t strike the same place twice.

“With your abilities? No doubt about it.” Clockwork shared a look with Irey that Dani couldn’t decipher when her heart was pounding in her chest.

The idea of getting to see Irey again was exciting in a way that life hadn’t been for a long time.

Suddenly, in a burst of wind and yellow, Irey was standing right in front of Dani, their faces only inches apart.

“I’ll see you soon.” The way she said it, like it was a promise, made Dani grin back.

“I’ll see you soon.”

Irey leaned in and placed a small kiss on her cheek, soft and electric all at once.

As quickly as she was there, she was gone. Through the portal back to her world. Her family.

Dani smiled, a dopey stupid grin that Danny so would have made fun of her for, but she didn’t care.

Dani couldn’t wait for the next storm.

#Dani Phantom/Irey West #Short Circuit ship #dpxdcshipweek2023 #dpxdc event #Prompt: First Meetings #meet cute #based off of Green Lantern: Alliance Irey West #dpxdc #batpham #kate's fanfics #kate ships #sapphic ship #wlw ship