As it turns out, Danny makes a pretty good leader. His little gang of homeless children has grown immensely, both from picking up strays and from assimilating other gangs into his group.
Danny might only be 10 and still figuring out his powers but dang, intangibility and flight are over powered even before you add invisibility and laser blasts. At first he regretted sneaking into the lab alone to check out the portal his parents made in this basement. Waking up in a cold alley in a city you've never heard of is a terrifying experience even without the corrupt cops trying to sell you into human trafficking, but finding out he had powers and could do whatever he wanted? That was great. It no longer mattered that adults didn't listen to him or chased him around. He could do anything now. Be anything. Take anything.
He and the people under his protection often robbed places, never banks or anything but high class restaurants and stores that usually wouldn't even let them in through the front doors. Yeah, Danny can admit most of thier robberies were because of grudges the other kids had because of how they were treated but Danny being ten thought this was fine.
The real issue was Gothams Paw Patrol (who absolutely hate being called that :3 ) they were always on thier case, Dannys especially. They kept insisting that the system could help them -Danny called bull. No one helped him or Jazz back in Amity and it was waaaay nicer that Gotham- and kept getting him and his fellow kids arrested. That didn't really matter. Anti-meta stuff never worked on him so getting himself the other kids out was no big deal.
After overhearing a conversation between Nightwing and one of the other bats a kid came into thier current secret base announcing that Nightwing was poor and the other bats weren't. This caught everyone attention. Appearently Nightwing was trying to establish himself outside of the colony cause he didn't get along great with whoever the bats super daddy was, which was fair. A lot of them were runaways for one reason or another and knew a bunch of reasons why you wouldn't want to except "free" money.
This led to them fetching Nightwings "wingdings" and batarangs instead of keeping them/selling them like they do with the others, sharing some of thier spoils with him like the groceries, jewelry, fancy clothes, ect that they stole.
Dick even catches one of the kids in his apartment in Bludhaven filling up his fridge which has him panicking about his secret id being compromised. Luckly the kids had only followed him there and didn't think to check who was on the lease or anything cause they assumed it would be a fake name or something.
Just Dick getting forcibly adopted by a child gang.
When the rest of the batfam find out Dick got reverse adopted by a gang of feral children they will laugh their asses off. Just, really? Really Dick? The children? The pains in the ass we all know and love? HOW!?
Dick: They heard I argued with B. And decided that meant I was one of them apparently. Most of them are runaways. At least most of them sleep inside now?
I’d love to imagine that a lot of the kids (including and especially Danny) have taken a vested interest in checking in on Dick and bringing him extra stuff that they… found. (They have a dry erase board with a list of stuff that they noticed he might need soon)
Like, the next time anyone from the Batfam pops by Dick’s apartment, there’s at least 5 kids trying to sneak something (usually a bag that a single one of them could’ve carried alone, they choose to come along to protect each other and check on Dick) into his apartment and a few others just hanging out around or in the apartment.
It grows in hilarity as the Batfam see new and repeat kids trying out new ways to get the stuff in without detection. It’s cute yet frightening how much of an organized effort these kids have made.
The first week Dick moved in he had a futon. A sofa. And a TV. with a few pots and pans, and a cupboard of random food stuffs that didnt make much of anything really.
The next time Tim visits Dick has a proper bed. A fully stocked medicine cabinet (Those are restricted drugs! What the hell Dick!). And enough food to actually eat for a week. When asked where it came from? Dick shrugs helplessly and vaguely points to the window being opened behind them. A tiny head popping up with a grin.
Dick: Hello menace. You don't need to feed me you know!
Danny: Dude! We so do! We are street kids and we had a safer house and more food!
Tim: Wait! You're the leader of the baby gang right!
Danny: No babies! I'm nearly 11! And Fingers is 16!
Tim: So uh. Why are you feeding a whole ass adult?
Danny: Cause he doesn't act like it! I meant it when I said our hide out was safer and better than this place!
Tim: So. You do have a safe space to live?
Danny: Yeah! No one over 17 is allowed! But anyone near that we are helpin em set up new places! But we took over a place! Set it all up with proper security! Got electric, and heat and water! So we are all golden!
Tim: Dick, you got outdone by literal children. Please let me help you!
Dick: Not with his money!
Danny: Yeah, we get ya! Here. Sally-mae started learnin to bake from granny Iris! She wants you to give her feedback!
Dick: Ok sure. Tell her thanks!
Danny climbs back out the window as Dick looks hunted.
Tim:... How much of the stuff in here is stolen?
Dick: I don't even know. I don't even know how they keep getting in. Do you know how many times I've upgraded my security?
Tim: Wow... B is gonna want to adopt the whole gang isn't he?
Dick: I don't think they'll let him. And I'm pretty sure they chose me.'
Tim: ..... I am NOT telling B he's a gramps.
(I just adore this whole thing)
I can just imagine how exasperated Bruce will be when he hears that Dick was reverse adopted by the ever growing child gang, who all didn’t trust rich people and apparently knew that Batman was at least rich adjacent (therefore, they don’t trust Batman). They’re basically new family members, but he can’t approach them without the risk of an aggressive or timid response. It’s wonderful. Add on that a good percentage of them are worryingly competent at stealth and teamwork (they would absolutely start teaching each other what works and what doesn’t once the kids start trusting each other) plus the lead kid- Danny- has multiple, possibly adapting powers that aren’t affected by meta restraints. He be brooding for a good bit.
Jason would love watching this go down. Any time he’s asked to talk to them for the rest of the Bats? He would absolutely laugh the request off.
Tim would likely be somewhat grateful for the actions the kids took to help Dick out, but be curious to see how good they are at getting through security systems.
Dick really can’t prevent them from helping him, and that’s just amazing. He really doesn’t want to rely on a gang of kids, but they have forced their way in and aren’t giving their human disaster up.
(Alfred is trying to figure out a way to gift the kids some treats)
They kidnap Alfred for cooking lessons once a week. Because Dick mentioned off hand that he missed Alfie's food. The kids scheme. Figure out who Alfred is and take him one afternoon.
Tim may have made a mistake. Oh well. At least they are safer? Fuck it! He's proud of the gremlins! Even if they are baby mobsters in the making.
I love that this group’s plans for making Gotham safe for kids literally includes taking over Gotham. It would probably be cuter (and sadder- due to the reason why they’re so dedicated to that) to everyone if they weren’t so aware of the group’s capabilities.
Gotham Gazzette! Breaking news! Child gang adopts all of Batman's Robin's! Just the child gang being like. Bro. You can't be happy at home. You run around fighting crime. You one of us now.
XD I think the general Gothamites would eventually give them the name ‘The Children of Gotham’, not only because it’s telling of who they are, but also suitably foreboding enough for some of the rumors they’ve heard about the kids’ successes and the odd foreboding feeling some people would probably get around Danny.
Yes! Children of Gotham! Perfectly dark and creepy. Perfect for the little monsters biding their time before they strike! Also, if Danny sheds enough Ecto a lot of them will end up mildly liminal. Just enough to be a bit faster. A but stronger. And a bit more sturdy.
Oh, the idea of a bunch of liminal kids- who have no idea what liminality- running around is an amusing and frightening concept. I love it. People start swearing that the kids have glowing eyes when they pop out of a dark alley. Some believe it, some don’t, and no one knows why the kids has glowing eyes. The nonverbal communication (if we want liminals to have empathetic abilities/Ghost Speak) would be really useful.
Let's add Damien it the mix, he's eleven and already partially (or fully) broken the League brainwashing and had realised that on some level what was done to him and how he was raised wasn't right.. Anyway Damien is young enough to join the Children of Gotham gang. I think at first he joined as a way to put an end to what he believes as idiotic.
Since it's cannon that Damien is good a disguises and acting he could pretend to be a mother street kid or a kid from a wealthier family (no association with the Wayne's what so ever). At first he just relays the information Bruce, I.e. “the kids are playing to to be this place” but I imagine that most of the kids don't trust new comers much, are they friendly and welcoming? Yes but there's not a lot of trust to bring the new kid on a hiest.
I think that only a few kids in the gang knows about the 12 year plan— the kids that ohaed out of the Children of Gotham, Red hood, Tim(Alfred to some degree) but it is known that there is a 12 year plan and surprisingly the details aren't known.
Bruce wants to know about the 12 year plan, he needs to know that it's not something that could destroy Gotham.
The second thing to do is to gsin that trust, Damien figures that he could start by getting close to Jazz who is Danny's second in command. He gains her trust ( after the much need therapy session ) and since Jazz test Damien Danny trust him as well. In fact Danny trust him enough to bring him on a heist.
They robbed some wealthy gothmite or a Rogue's hidout. He notices the kids are good but clumsy and needs improvement so after he gives his reports to bruce, he goes back to the bunker and begins training the kids.
Like how Danny became the defacto leader Damien be comes the defacto general or something, he trains the kids assess the kids strengths and weaknesses, make a list of the kids that should be assigned stealth missions and those who are fighters. The kids pick up the training quite well.
And it's only after the batclane see the kids use League training dose it downs on them that having Damien infiltrate the gang was the best idea.
Ooooooo! I’m loving all of this right now-
I love this Damian implementation as I honestly had no clue how he’d be in this AU.
This is all so perfect! I love all the additions! Damian slowly finding himself respecting the feral children? Yes!!!!
(First off, sorry I took so long to reply, had some chores and had to eat food before I decided to read a little bit-. But, I’m back and I’m with my saltine crackers {I got so excited when I found them in my local store. They’re my favorite kind} to reply)
Bruce being a petty bastard and setting them on his colleagues for being teased is so painfully in character! The rest of the Justice League learn really quickly why he can't control the terrors. Holly heck! They have no fear, and terrifyingly good skills! No wonder Damian often asks for their backup! How did they get so good!
It is indeed in character. Also, Damian often calling them in could pair well with @ravenr22 ‘s idea of Damian bring the Children of Gotham with him to the Titans. I imagine that they’d be honorary Titans with how often someone from their group gets called in. The rest of the Justice League swiftly learn their lesson whenever they have to read mission reports from missions that the Children of Gotham were called in for.
The mission reports are always really detailed. And full of absolutely horrifying implications. Oh, oh no. Did the blackmail the CEO? Kidnap someone? Steal a prototype? Why? Also, who let them blown up a building!
The under detailed reports are the worst though. The last time they put one just implied that they “dealt” with Lex Luthor. He’s been publicly seen, but he’s been… concerningly quiet on the criminal side of things. There are rumors about something having happened to his labs while he was there. The Children, also, started up new upgrades to their security and mad science areas with materials that looked oddly familiar.
Mama Gotham pulls some strings and one day the person Jazz decides to sit down for therapy happens to be Harley. Baby therapist just got a mentor and an auntie in one, plus an extra nature auntie for free! And a catlover auntie sometimes!
Constantine somehow gets roped into teaching Danny portals, so they can get Frostbite to check that all new liminals are getting their nutritional (ecto) needs met. How he went from "reluctant teacher of this one particular thing that no one else was able and available to teach" to "reluctant (fond) uncle to several kids, who will not stop begging him to teach them small magic which they then use to prank people including him".
Good soup! Good soup!
But yeah, I love the idea of Mama Gotham itching Jazz towards Harley as Harley can impart knowledge on both psychology and how to avoid getting messed up by a patient. Ivy could probs teach some of the Children about certain gardening techniques because those kids would jump at the opportunity to have easier access to food.
I also love Constantine getting dragged (or rather conned) into teaching a bunch of liminal, gremlin kids magic. They were terrors before, with magic though? They’re just slowly building a frightful arsenal of skills with their supernatural fast learning (context mentioned in earlier reblogs, I don’t remember which ones-)
💜💚💙 Best soup! Wonderful!
Poor Connie. Getting caught in his own trap and at the hands of children! *mwah*.
Mwah indeed!
Demons, angels, and all in between shudder upon seeing the rat bastard con-man get conned, especially when they find that one of the kids just had too many futures to reliably predict the actions of (I like to think that what made Danny interesting to Clockwork, at first, was just how many futures he constantly had. It’s a concept that I saw mentioned once or twice early into my ventures into this crossover fandom, and it kinda just stuck with me?). It was something they didn’t account for, where Constantine held no presence in their all knowing sight, this boy flooded it. Now they knew why the Clock laughed the day he brought that boy to this world. (Sorry, I wanted to be a little dramatic)
No, no sorry! I love that idea. Holy fuck. Constantine? They can't see. it's weird. But they are used to that. But the boy who can change his future by sheer force of will? That is TERRIFYING! How can they account for that? And he is being taught by the laughing magician? HAHAHA no! Nu uh. They are NOT fucking with those kids. NOT worth it. They will sit back and watch the show. Just like Clockwork.
Powerful entities everywhere just having a whole
moment when they notice John “Perpetual Blank Spot in Awareness” Constantine interacting with Danny “Floods Every Single Sense with Possible Futures” Fenton.
I imagine Constantine learning about this after trying to demonstrate a simple fortune teller thing with Danny and then just… everything pinging as “this could happen!” He’d take a swig of alcohol and laugh his ass off because. Of course! Of course he got conned by a kid with the exact opposite ability of his omnipotence immunity. By a kid who can will his future in any way he pleases.
John loves it! Holy Fuck! Kid can stubborn his way to victory!! He needs to help him hone that ability! Because that! Absolute game changer!
These kids are his bratty little arseholes now! And he will train them well. They conned him. But they are so worth it!
Yes yes yes! John would look at that power at be like “Kid, we’re about to make you so powerful”. It’s like a somehow- possibly- even more busted version of his luck magic! Danny just thought that most of it was just the Fenton Luck™, if he’s being honest. Makes more sense that he’s been accidentally willing things into happening, oddly enough.
Also, I’d love for Constantine to just one day announce to the whole JL that the Children conned him and he’s now their teacher. Just to watch them all silently devolve into dread. Watching any hope in their eyes that they had for the chaos to stay at a consistent level shatter.
Like
Constantine, who came to this meeting purely for this: Oh, before I leave, I just wanted to announce that I got conned into teaching some kids about magic. Found out one of the bloody menaces had infinite futures and could just Will things into happening. I’m pretty proud of that lo’ so far though.
Batman, who had a very Children of Gotham style premonition head ache pop up recently that he hopes isn’t connected: Constantine, who are you teaching?
Constantine, purposely acting absentminded on this: Ah, they’re from around your area, call ‘emselves the Children of Gotham I think?
Batman:
Batman: I think I will have a lot to discuss with my nieces and nephews later.
John: Don't worry! They are all fucking great at followin instructions! They don't fuck about with it on their own! only practise what I taught em. Great students! Danny's a little mad lad. Can't believe he fuckin conned me! Pretty sure I eard a Demon cryin after!
Batman: Diana. Please ask your godly family to protect the world if they go bad....
Diana: Oh come now. They might be a little... rambunctious. But they are good children!
Batman: Hn...
Superman: You adore those kids. Don't even try to deny it! Even Constantine likes them!
Batman does indeed adore them, but he’s also the one stuck reigning them in. It’s like trying to wrangle a bunch of kittens on catnip on a good day.
Batman: They did not need to add magic to their skill set.
Constantine: I’m pretty sure that ‘ey’d have figured out how to bloody learn magic on their own eventually. Just be glad that ‘ey’re doin’ the safer method of learnin’ magic. ‘Ey learn bloody fucking fast though. An’ Danny has been tryin’ to get me to allow him to blend spells in… ways that I’m not sure would work if he couldn’t stubborn his way through things.
Diana: Actually, what do you mean by that Constantine? You mention it earlier.
Constantine: Kid’s apparently got infinite possible timelines and, in short, if he wills it enough, then he can choose one where whatever he want’d to happen, happens. Used to just think it was his luck causing things to happen that way.
Batman, realizing he’s going to get so many more stress headaches: .
Even Bruce looks at John's flask consideringly at that piece of news.
What is he meant to do with a mini mob boss who can stubborn his way into changing FATE?????
at some point Dick pats Constantine's back: Congratulations on the adoption and welcome to the family
Constantine: .... screwed up for screwed up, do I have an authorization to enter the batwine cellar?
I also imagine Constantine revealing that it's all Batman and Dick's fault for starting the Robin line and getting Gotham to like adopting children of chaos. The batfam takes it as a spade, but not even:
Lady Gotham's psychology is influenced by its inhabitants and their perception, when Batman was called the knight of Gotham she mutated, when Bruce the prince of Gotham became famous as an adoptive in series it also mutated her, the influence of Danny's ectoplasm accelerated her changes, she essentially became this lady with no regrets but with children of the had instead of an alley cat. Now that the band has called the kids of Gotham their influence on it has also increased And being called mom more of the ectoplasm available and the fact that more and more people are assimilated into the imitation family....
I propose Lady Gotham who gets pregnant
And you also know who else is a child who learns magic, loves chaos, who can live on the streets (or not) and runs around Constantine? yep, come in Billy batson~
