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7.) Fake Ghosts

Xia and Terry arrive at school and investigate the crowd formed ahead, looking up above them at trophies embedded in the ceiling. Dana, Chelsea, and Max join the two.

Coach Fitz moves over and complains, making all the students disperse. "My trophies! It took me 20 years to win those trophies!"

"Well, someone finally found a way to get to coach Fitz," Terry says as they walk away.

"You know what they're saying, don't you? It's the work of the ghost, just like everything else that's been happening around here," Chelsea speaks up.

"Ghost?" Terry and Xia voice.

Xia looks to Ami who shakes her head 'no.' Xia gives her a gesture to go and investigate.

"The ghost of Garrison Jacobs, the kid who was killed when they built the east wing," Chels tells him.

"Where have you been the last 2 weeks? In a cave?" Dana harshly scoffs, still somewhat upset with the breakup.

"Uh..."

Max opens her locker. "Isn't that just typical? A few strange unexplainable events, and right away, people start talking poltergeist."

"How else do you explain the mangled lounge furniture and the shop teacher's hair?" Chels asks.

"The wind."

They make their way over to one of the giant computers and search up said boy. Said boy appears with Ami at his side.

"It's not me! I can't even make a paper blow off the table," Garrison claims. "I don't even know what's going on. It's not a ghost."

Xia nods, looking to the computer.

"Well, a lot of people believe it was Garrison, come back from the dead to haunt us," Dana says.

"That's him? Ooh la la," Max purrs.

Garrison chuckles.

"Top athlete in 3 sports. Lead guitarist in a band," Dana reads.

"Not to mention drop-dead gorgeous," Chels says.

"He can haunt my castle anytime."

"Yeah," Dana agrees.

All three giggle as Garrison lightly blushes.

"All of you are gross," Xia scoffs. "Dudes with earrings are unattractive and look stupid. He's not attractive at like all."

"Hey!" he complains.

"Besides," Xia continues. "It's not Harrison Jacobs."

"How do you know?" Dana asks.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Well now you got me curious," Chels says.

Xia sighs. "I can see ghosts."

They all look at her with surprise.

"Prove it," Terry says.

"Alfred and GGB's parents are at the manor," Xia tells him. "I can prove it to you then. Something they know about him that I don't and I'll say it."

"Alright, we'll test that later."

"Anyway," Xia looks beside her at Garrison. "Garrison is right there, blushing after your commentary. He tells me that it's not him doing these things nor is it a ghost."

"Then what else could it be?" Chels asks.

"Uh, metahuman?" Xia suggests.

~~~

Chels and Dana somehow convince Xia to come with Blade and them to the school after hours when all the clubs and sports groups are together. One of them brought a ouija board to test. The four set up in the currently unused weight training room.

"Should we turn on the lights?" Dana asks.

"No. A seance works better in the dark," Chels answers.

Xia rolls her eyes, looking at Ami and Garrison nearby.

"How do you know that?" Dana asks.

"Ok, I don't know..." Chels shrugs. "...but it's creepier that way." They all set their hands on the board. "Hear us, Garrison Jacobs. We feel your presence. Hear us and speak to us."

The door to the gym is pushed open, revealing Nelson. Xia rolls her eyes at their screams and gasps.

"What are you primas doing in my gym at this hour?" Nelson asks.

"We're having a seance, Nelson," Chels answers.

"Not for the stiff. What do you need to contact a dead guy for? Wouldn't you rather have a live one? Like me?" Nelson says, leaning in close to Chels for a kiss.

Chels turns the dial of the board to point at no. "The board has spoken, creep!"

The four girls laugh.

"Oh, yeah?" Nelson flips up the board with his foot then kicks it away.

"Hey!" Dana and Chels complain.

"Well, now Nelson has spoken." He turns around and begins to head out. The board suddenly flies up and roughly smashes into the back of Nelson's head who topples to the ground in pain. He turns to the girls, holding the back of his head. "Who did that?"

"Not me," Chels answers, holding her hands up.

The fire extinguishers on the wall rattle then burst out the foam from the nozzle, making everyone dodge the foam. The lights above cackle with electricity before exploding and raining down the glass. Everyone runs out of the way.

Blade stands to the side just out of the way of the falling glass. "It's him. It's Garrison. Come to us, Garrison. We're here for you."

"Maybe you are, but I'm not," Nelson scoffs and begin to leave. He's cut off by a chair being thrown at him.

All the stacked chairs begin to shoot towards everyone. Xia manages to kick away any one of them aimed at her. One manages to knock Dana over. Xia kicks the one heading toward Dana as Batman suddenly appears and pulls her out of the way. Xia and Batman group up with the other girls.

"He's after Nelson," Chels points out.

Nelson is surrounded by floating chairs and bowling pins that will occasionally smack into him.

"Xiara, get them out of here," Batman says, moving to pull Nelson out of harms way.

Xia groups the girls together and shoves them all out the room.

...

"Terry's mother asked if I wanted to have dinner with them, so I want you to go in my place. I have some business at Wayne Enterprises with Damian," Bruce tells Xia.

"Seriously? That's so lame!" Xia complains. "Fine, but you owe me."

"I messaged you the address," Bruce says. "They are expecting you to come any minute."

"Of course you tell me this at the last minute," Xia rolls her eyes.

After getting ready, she makes her way over to Terry's place.

Terry answers the door. "Xia?"

"Old man couldn't make it as he had somethin' to deal with at W.E. with great uncle Damian. He sent me to have dinner with you instead."

A smaller boy, who looks identical to Terry but with black eyes instead of blue, pops his head from around Terry's legs. "Ooo, already have a new girlfriend after Dana? She's way prettier than Dana! Also out of your league! And she's spliced! I wish I could've gotten spliced! Can I touch your tails?"

"She's not my girlfriend twip," Terry huffs. "This is my little brother, Matt."

"Well, he is right about everything else," Xia smirks. "I'm Xia, I'm the great granddaughter of Bruce Wayne. I go to school with Terry."

"So you know about the ghost stories?!" he exclaims excitedly.

"Even better, I was there."

"Really?!"

"I'll tell you all about it at dinner."

"Schway!"

They all head inside as Terry closes the door behind him.

An orange haired woman turns to them. "Oh, who's this?"

"Xia, mom."

"Ah, I'm Mary. The boys' mother. I've heard a bit about you."

"Oh? You talk about me?" Xia teases, fluttering her eyelahes at Terry. "I'm flattered."

He rolls his eyes, crossing his arms. "Yeah, about how much of a pain you are."

"Sure sure," Xia waves off.

Dinner is quickly served after some more small talk.

"So you guys had this board, and used it to call out to the ghost, and he came back. Just to talk to you?"

"Well that's what everyone believes, but it really isn't ghosts," Xia says, glancing to the side to see Ami and a man that she assumes is Terry's dead father. The man sometimes hangs around Terry.

Matt ignores the second part she told him. "Hey, maybe we could hold a seance here, at home."

"What for, squirt?" Terry asks.

"To bring dad's ghost back."

Everyone tenses even the male ghost who looks down with sadness.

"Matt. Honey... There are no such things as ghosts," Mary says.

"But the board–"

"It's a fake."

Matt looks down in sadness.

"Oh, Matt..." the man says sadly, moving closer to him and putting a hand on his shoulder only for it to phase through.

"Dad is gone, honey. He's not coming back. Even as a ghost."

"But I need to see him again. I need to." He looks up to her. "I'm forgetting what he was like."

Mary looks at him for a second before looking to Terry who looks at her. They then both look at Matt in sadness. The rest of dinner was in uncomfortable silence.

After dinner, Terry and his mom go into the kitchen and wash dishes.

Xia moves up to Matt who's sadly slumped on the couch. "Don't believe what your mom says, Matt. There are such things as ghosts. There's even demons, aliens, vampires, werewolves, and even angels."

He sniffles, turning to her. "How do you know that?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I can see ghosts?"

His eyes lighten up. "Really?!"

"Really," Xia responds. "Your father is sitting to your right at this very moment."

Matt turns to him. "Hi dad."

"Hey, Matt. I wish we could talk in person," he sighs. "I wish I could hug you and tell you everything will be okay."

"He says hello back and wishes he could hug you and say everything will be okay," Xia tells him.

They continue with the conversation until Terry and their mom return to the room.

Matt bounces over to his mom. "Mom! Mom! Guess what?! Dad is here! Xia and I have been talking to him!"

Mary looks at her for a moment before looking back to Matt. "Well, say goodnight to him because it's time for bed."

"Aww, can't we talk a little longer?" he whines.

"No, time for bed."

"Aw man! Uh, goodnight dad!"

"Goodnight Matt."

"He says goodnight," Xia tells him.

Mary and him enter in a room, closing the door behind them.

"You really shouldn't get his hopes up," Terry says.

"It's fine that you don't believe me. Most people don't believe me."

"Why should I believe you?"

Xia looks to his father. "Uh, what's your name?"

"Warren."

"His name is Warren."

"That's information that's easily attainable."

"True," Xia nods. "But exactly why would I want to know?"

"Because that's who you are?"

"Also true. Alright, Warren, tell me things that I wouldn't know," Xia says.

"Xia, you're treading on thin ice," Terry warns.

"Uh, I—when Terry was little I would call him Terry beary."

Xia fails holding back her laugh. "He... haha... when you were little he would call you Terry beary."

Terry sputters and his face flushes. "How–?"

"I was murdered by a man that worked under Powers named Mr. Fixx."

Xia's laughter stops and her eyes widen. "Your father was murdered by Mr. Fixx who worked under Powers."

Terry's eyes widen."Tell him I'm proud of what he's doing now with your great grandfather," Warren tells her. "And how sorry I am that I couldn't be a better father."

"He says he's proud of what you're doing with my GGB and that he's sorry he couldn't be a better father."

"I forgive him and it wasn't his fault, so he needs to stop blaming himself."

"He forgives you and tells me it wasn't your fault and stop blaming yourself," Xia translates.

"Okay, ...okay, I believe you. How long have you been able to do that?"

"Ever since I was born," Xia admits. "My grandpa Jason can do the same. But he said he wasn't born with it like I was. He wouldn't tell me how he began to see them though. He didn't want me to know."

"I'll walk you home," Terry says, standing up.

"It's alright, I have an uber already outside waiting. Tell your mom I liked her cooking. See you at school tomorrow, loser." She heads out the door, closing it behind her.

Warren stops her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

~~~

Terry makes his way to the Batcave to meet up with Bruce before patrol.

"Xiara told me something interesting tonight after dinner," Terry speaks up.

"And what would that be?" Bruce replies.

"She basically told me that she's a metahuman."

"Getting spliced doesn't mean she's a meta."

"No, she's able to see ghosts. She said she speaks to your parents and Alfred. She proved it tonight that my dad is with us. She said she was born with it."

Bruce's eyes narrow, bringing a hand to his chin in thought. "If she's telling the truth she may have gotten it from Jason. I was never told about this. I'll have to get in touch with Jason."

"Yeah, a convo with Red Hood? Have fun with that." He pulls on the cowl. "I'm off."

...

Gym is over and most of the girls are in the showers. Except Xia and Max who are hanging out on a bench outside and chatting as they wait. Ami and Garrison are doing something in the middle of the hallway, looks like some sort of game.

The girls in the showers suddenly come bursting out the doors screaming.

"Something's in there," Chelsea pants out as the two waiting girls head up to them.

Max grins and crosses her arms. "Not your phantom menace."

Blade moves off and heads back inside the showers.

"You think?" Dana asks, looking to Chels.

Xia glances at Garrison and Ami, knowing they didn't do anything.

"Sure. I mean, we're the ones who raised his spirit. It's logical that he'd want to contact us," Chels says.

"In the showers?" Dana questions amused.

They all giggle.

"Oh, my God!" Blade suddenly shouts out from the shower room. "You've got to see this."

They all rush inside to find Blade looking at a mirror that was fogged up and written on.

"I still love you," Chels reads.

"Aww," the girls coo as Xia rolls her eyes.

"It obviously wasn't me, I've never fallen in love," Garrison speaks to Xia.

"None of my living boyfriends ever left me a note like that," Blade sighs.

"But who's it for?" Dana questions.

~~~

"An invisible boy in the girls' showers. Why didn't I think of that?" Terry questions.

"What?" Dana and Xia question.

"Never mind."

"We're trying to find out who Garrison's girlfriend was before he died and give her the message," Dana tells Terry.

"He didn't have one," Xia tells them.

"How do you know?" Dana asks.

"He told me."

"Riiight..."

Xia shrugs. "Believe what you want, but he's not doing any of this stuff. Most ghosts aren't able to touch anything."

They walk up to the computer in the hall.

"You said Blade was the last one in the shower?" Terry brings the conversation back, typing on the computer.

"Yeah. She saw it being written. Oh! You think the message was for Blade?"

"First our so-called ghost tried to kill Nelson. Then it left a love message for Blade. Now, what connects them?" Terry questions.

"They're not connected. They broke up after the thing at the pier," Dana says. A picture of a nerdy looking boy is pulled up. "Oh."

"It all fits. The message, Nelson, the shop teacher, the coach. He hated them all. It's no ghost. It's Willie Watt," Terry says.

"Who the hell is that?" Xia asks.

"He was a student here who was sent to juvie for wrecking lots of things with this giant construction robot," Terry explains. "I'll go meet up with him after school."

"I'm going with you," Xia says.

"No, I'm taking you home."

Xia rolls her eyes. "No, I'm going with you. I'm not gonna argue about this with you. I'm going and that's final."

~~~

"Welcome to juvenile hall," the security man greets.

"I've been here before," Terry responds.

The two teens hand him their licenses which he scans before handing them back.

"Be advised that all your activities will be monitored from this point on. You'll have 15 minutes for your visit with inmate number 7725. You're here to see Willie?" He leads them towards his cell.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Nobody ever comes to visit Willie."

"Not even his old man?"

"No one. Not in all the time he's been here. Nobody calls. Nobody writes. It's creepy. But then again, so is Willie. Everyone here is a little afraid of him," the guard says.

"Afraid? Of skinny Willie Watt?"

They stop in front of cell number 10.

"Yeah." He opens the door with a card and lets the two teens in.

"Terry!" Willie grins, standing up. "Ooh, and a pretty lady friend."

"He looks nothing like that picture," Xia whispers.

"Yeah, no kidding," Terry retorts with widened eyes.

The guard shuts the door behind them as they take a seat in front of Willie.

"Well, what's your name gorgeous?" Willie flirts.

"I'm Xiara Todd and flirt with me again, and I'll kick your ass."

"Ooh, feisty too. That's hot."

Xia narrows her eyes, planning to slag him but is held back by Terry.

"So, how's it going here?" Terry speaks up.

Willie shrugs, kicking his feet up on the table and leaning back. "It's not the worst place in the world, just kind of boring."

"You've been hitting the weight machines."

"It helps pass the time, and I found out that I like being strong."

"I'll bet." Terry smirks.

"Besides, with good behavior, I'll be out in less than 2 months."

"In time for the junior prom," Terry says as they clink their glasses of water together.

"If they'll have the gym repaired in time." He moves to sit normally.

Xia smirks. Got em.

Terry stops from taking a drink and looks up at him suspiciously. "How'd you know about that?"

He finishes his glass of water then wipes his mouth with his arm. "Someone from school told me."

"Who?"

"What is this, McGinnis, 20 questions?"

"The guard said no one ever comes to see you or calls or writes."

He adjusts his chair and crosses his legs, leaning an arm on the back of his chair. "What are you saying, that I sneaked out of juvie and paid a visit to the school?"

"In a way."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm sure." He takes his glass of water and flings it at Willie who gasps and catches it with some sort of telekinesis. Terry stands up. "The incident at the pier, it left you with some kind of psychokinetic ability, didn't it?"

"A gift from my friend the golem." Willie stands up with a smirk.

"Everyone thinks you're a ghost. It's all they talk about."

"I know. I'm the hero of the school." He creates a small swirl with the water out of the glass before returning it to the glass, dropping it to the table. "And that's not half of what I can do."

"Then why not just bust out of here, do what you want?" Terry says, sitting back down.

"'Cause everybody would know. In 2 months, I'll be gone from here. I'll have all this power and a normal life. If you don't trip on me." He walks around the table and sits on it beside Terry.

"I know how to keep a secret."

He jumps up from the table and holds his hand out for Terry to shake. "You better. I know where you live. You too, toots."

"Don't call me toots."

Before Terry returns the handshake, the door is busted in with three guards with cuffs. Willie backs up against the wall, spotting the camera in the corner.

"Nice work, McGinnis," Willie tells him.

"Face down, Watt! Hands behind your head! Now!" a guard demands.

He uses his power to pull a machine that's in the room to knock out the guards who dodge.

"Cuff him!"

He catches the man midair and throws him back.

"Willie, stop it now, or they'll never let you out," Terry exclaims.

Willie smirks and lifts the table up, smashing through the skylight windows above. "You should have stayed out of it, Terry. It would have been better. For everybody." He lifts himself out of the window and disappears.

...

"Attention, students. This is Principal Nakamora speaking. Classes will be suspended until further notice. Please proceed to your homerooms, where you will be released in an orderly fashion. Thank you."

Everyone from class is released and that's when Willie decides to make an appearance.

"You know, I'm getting real tired of this," Xia growls, looking to Ami. "It's time to stop this fake ghost." She grips Ami's wrist and grants her a few minutes of visibility. "Show Willie what a real ghost can do."

"I never understood why you liked to pick on the weaker kids, Nelson. Until now."

Ami rushes at Willie and tackles him before he can hurt Nelson.

Students scream, watching the black creature let loose on the now muscled nerd. "What is that thing?!"

Willie tries to make Ami move off him but finds he can't. He can't even land a punch as it fazes straight through her.

Xia sneaks up behind them. "Hey, Willie?"

He glances at her. "Xi–?"

Xia grins. "This is for being a fake ghost and for flirting with me." She gives a strong hook to his jaw, knocking him out right as Batman shows up.

"Why am I not surprised?" Batman sighs, looking down at the downed boy then to Xia.

"Little late to the party, Bats," Xia says.

Batman's eyes widen as they land on Ami. "Who is–" She vanishes. "Where did she go?"

"That was Ami," Xia says. "She's my ghost friend. She's still there you just can't see her now."

"How was I able to see her?"

Xia grins. "Did I ever tell you I can see ghosts? Well, I can also make them visible to others with enough concentration."

"You're a meta?"

"Congrats, now you know my secret," Xia grins, flicking her tails. "But seriously, why do I feel like the superhero here and never you?"

"Cause you're a trouble magnet," he scoffs.

"As are you, I suppose," Xia shrugs. "Just call me your partner in crime."

"Absolutely not," both Batmen sternly say, but she only hears the younger of the two.

She scoffs. "I could do better than you do in my sleep. You'll come crawling to me for help eventually."

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