Chapter 18
Fawcett City, October 11, 2010
Danny, in human form, found himself standing in Billy's doorway, looking fondly on at the boy (his boy) as he slept.
As he watched the boy he recalled the moment he and Kaldur had shared in the Cave.
Robin had already returned to Gotham with his father, Zatanna and Zatara had already made their exit as had Wally and Artemis. Meanwhile Conner, Red Tornado, M'gann and Amazo were giving Red Torpedo and Red Inferno a tour of the Cave leaving behind just Kaldur and Danny before the zeta tube.
"You knew," Kaldur accused calmly.
"Knew?" Danny rose a brow.
"That Tornado did not betray us."
"I knew," Danny confirmed.
"And yet you said nothing?"
"He requested that I not."
"And yet you said nothing?" Kaldur repeated himself, tone a bit colder.
Danny cocked his head to the side, studying the teens mannerisms.
"You are upset."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Why?" Kaldur let out a sharp breath, "Why? Phantom, you lied to me, you lied to all of us."
"I was asked-"
"And why would that stop you?"
"He needed you to believe he was a traitor. He needed to find the truth-"
"Why did you need us to believe?"
"I didn't," Danny said, "I wanted to tell you-"
"So. Why. Didn't. You?"
"Bec-"
"Did you not trust us?" Kaldur questioned.
"If you knew you would not have let him go-"
"You don't know that," Kaldur hissed, "You lied to us and you made a choice for us."
"I did," Danny said firmly, "And I would do it again."
"I knew you would say that," Kaldur's lip curled into a frown, shaking his head in disapproval, "I wish you could trust us enough to choose for ourselves."
"I saw the logic in you hiding the information about a potential mole, why can you not see the logic in listening to Tornado's request?" Danny grit his teeth, forcing himself to remain mostly calm.
"Because it wasn't logic that kept you from telling us, it was emotional it had to do with the fact that you don't trust us."
"I do!" Danny hissed, keeping his voice quiet enough for Conner to not hear him.
"Then what are you, Phantom?" Kaldur asked coldly, "We know what you are but you haven't said. So...what are you?"
"..." Danny was silent, eyes widening a tad as he looked to the teen.
"Tell me you trust us again when you can tell us what you are."
Danny blinked the memory away and looked to Billy who was shifting on the couch, turning onto his back and blinking wearily as he stirred, hand absently stroking Mr. Tawny's back.
"Danny!" Billy stirred fully, looking to his guardian with delight and fondness. He moved to get up but tensed and remain where he was when he noted the tiger cub was on his chest, and when a cat's on you, you cannot disturb them.
"Heya, kid," Danny greeted softly.
"I meant to stay up and catch you when you got home from work," Billy smiled sheepishly, "Is everything okay? It's been a while since you let me know you got off work."
"Yeah, um, yeah," Danny mustered up a weak smile. After his talk with Kaldur he had gone flying for a while to clear his head and reflect and calm down.
"Rough day at work?" Billy yawned.
"...Yes, actually," Danny confessed.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not particularly," Danny sighed.
"Okay," Billy shrugged, "If you do, though, you can."
"Thank you," Danny softened, "Come on," He lifted the boy into his arms, Mr. Tawny grumbling and jumping off Billy, "Let's get you to bed," He moved through their apartment and carefully set the boy into his bed, pulling his blanket up, tucking in the boy.
"Night," Billy mumbled, "Love you."
Danny softened, looking to the boy with such care and tenderness.
"I love you too, Billy," He tucked the boy in, bushing his hair back from his forehead.
"'Course you do," Billy mumbled, eyes fluttering closed as Nocturn claimed him.
Danny let out a wet, thick laugh as he looked on at his boy.
★・・・★・・・★
Mount Justice, October 16, 2010
It had been a few days since the mission to Yellowstone and Red Torpedo and Red Inferno were fitting into the Cave nicely. So was Zatanna, who had convinced (blackmailed) her father into letting her join the team.
Everything was honestly...nice. Except for things between Danny and Kaldur, those things were a little tense; they were still cordial with one another, though and they could work together smoothly but the air between them was just a bit...different.
It had also been a few days since Batman proposed a training simulation for the team to do in which no matter what they did things continually got worse. It was strange but Danny seemed to be the only one who thought that would be a horrible idea. He was pleased though that it was just a hypothetical-
"As you all know we have developed a simulation for you all to participate in; this simulation will be the first of it's kind in which the situation gets progressively worse. Martian Manhunter will be the key to the simulation, tying your subconscious' together as we send you in."
"This isn't a good idea," Danny hissed, finding comfort in the hoodie he wore as they were all in their 'civies' the ghost shoving his hands in his pockets, "It's not even been tested, things could go astronomically wrong."
"I appreciate your concerns, Phantom," J'onn softened, "But all will be well."
"You don't know that," Danny protested.
"Is everyone willing to go in?" Batman inquired.
Practically everyone immediately agreed which caused Danny to bristle when they all turned to him expectantly, boy grudgingly nodding.
They were all guided to the front entrance to the Cave where beds had been set up in a circle, everyone lying down.
kaldur m'gann
artemis wally
zatanna robin
conner amazo
danny
Danny screwed his eyes shut as he forced himself to relax on the bed, unease churning in his core.
"Everyone ready?" J'onn asked patiently.
Danny exhaled shakily, no he was not. Instead he grunted out an affirmative, J'onn raising his hands in the air, eyes glowing green.
Danny forced himself not to tense and lash out as he felt J'onn's touch in his mind, J'onn...seizing his mind.
Not only was this objectively not a good idea, going into this simulation with Kaldur at odds with him was not going to make things go well.
★・・・★・・・★
F̵̺̄ã̴̹k̶̟̂e̷͔͊ Mount Justice, October 16, 2010
Danny stepped into the entrance area of the Cave where he and the rest of the team had been called by Tornado. Everyone stood together before Tornado and his siblings.
"Deep-space monitoring has picked up a large object approaching Earth," Tornado declared, "The initial movements of this object were hidden behind the moon but we know it's here now, if the extra terrestrial visitors are hostile we will stop it. Batman and two Green Lanterns have gone to intercept the arrivals."
Doubtful, given the kind of simulation they were in. Danny didn't say that, though as he stood with the team, looking on at the screen before them.
Batman in his plane and Hal and John, encased in green, flew out into space to study the large figure.
"Deploying camera sensor units," Batman said as they continued forward.
"Attention," John called out to the large object, "You have entered the boundaries of Earth space. Disengage all weapons and engines, this is your final warning."
Instead the object fired up...and let forth a blast of power. The two lanterns surrounded themselves in balls of green...but the blast broke through their defenses...and disintegrated them.
Danny knew it wasn't real but...it was still hard to watch.
"Code red," Batman called out, "Full offensive deploy."
He opened up the bottom of his plane, Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel, Captain Atom, and Superman flying out, surging towards the object...all four of them getting disintegrated. Batman ejected from his plane but moments later...he too was being disintegrated.
Danny glanced to Robin and M'gann and Conner, subtly checking to see how they were doing. Conner's hands balled into fists, M'gann recoiled slightly and Robin's eye twitched but other than that they seemed to be handling the faux deaths of the heroes they had personal connections with fine.
A video call rang out suddenly, a familiar man appearing in the call.
"Dad," Zatanna murmured, a hint of pain and longing in her quiet whimper, the girl perhaps inferring she would have to watch him 'die' soon.
"Tornado, did you-"
"Yes, Zatara," Tornado cut him off, "We saw. Celestial defenses have failed. Initiate all terrestrial measures."
"Affirmative, see you in the field," He ended the call.
Zatanna made a jerking motion, seemingly wanting to stop him from ending the call without saying anything to each other.
"We must join the league," Tornado turned to face the team, "We will protect the planet at all costs but should we fail the responsibility falls to you."
"We stand ready."
★・・・★・・・★
F̵̺̄ã̴̹k̶̟̂e̷͔͊ Mount Justice, October 16, 2010
The team observed the various screens around them, portraying various devastations. One by one heroes were being disintegrated.
"Red Tornado to cave," A familiar voice rang through their comms, "I fear I am all that remains of the League-"
Zatanna screwed her eyes shut at the confirmation her dad was really 'gone.'
"RT!" Robin cried out...before nothing, their den mother was gone.
"We are Earth's heroes now," Kaldur said firmly.
"So what are we waiting for?" Conner drawled, "A theme song?"
"A strategy," Kaldur said, "Earth's weapons are ineffective and it has been made tragically clear a direct attack will not succeed."
"Checking satellite imagery," Robin pulled up a holographic globe, littered with dots, "Here's where the aliens are now."
"This one get lost?" Conner squinted at a singular dot.
"It's Superman's Fortress of Solitude!" Robin gushed.
"Superman has a Fortress of Solitude?" Conner asked incredulously.
"Yes," Amazo declared, "It is the place where Superman first learned about his true identity, heritage, and purpose on Earth. The fortress functions as a place of solace and occasional headquarters for Superman."
"How do you just know that?" Conner wondered, "Does Ivo know that?"
"No," Amazo said, "I have evolved immensely and thus have discovered this on my own."
"Wait, you said he learned the truth about his identity-"
Robin hastily cut off Conner who was perhaps going to inquire about Superman's secret identity which...would not be great to reveal, "It's power source must have attracted the aliens' attention at least enough to send a scout ship to investigate," Robin remarked.
"We will target this lone ship," Kaldur declared.
"Yeah," Wally said, "Break it down, build more! Hit those ugly aliens with their own mojo!" He yelped suddenly in pain when Artemis elbowed him.
"Martian and Kryptonian in the house," Artemis reminded him, "And...whatever Danny is."
"Actually, I'm a-"
"Not to say all aliens are automatically ugly," Wally hurriedly said, cutting off Danny.
Kaldur looked to Danny critically, wondering just what the ghost was going to have said.
★・・・★・・・★
F̵̺̄ã̴̹k̶̟̂e̷͔͊ Fortress of Solitude, October 16, 2010
A little while later of the team soaring through the air in the bioship they reached the Fortress of Solitude. M'gann set the bioship down behind a large clump of snow, ramp lowering and everyone silently exiting the ship.
They were decked out in winter wear, everyone dawned in white and in furs to keep hidden and keep warm.
Eyes on the enemy vessel, M'gann recited, It's in a clearing on the ice.
A clearing? Robin repeated, displeased.
Go with the plan, Kaldur commanded, punching into the ice, slipping into the water.
Go with the plan, Artemis chorused, slight smirk tugging on her lips.
The archer snuck across the ice, hiding and wielding a white bow. Meanwhile, M'gann in camoflauge mode flew forward, ripping apart a piece of the ship, electricity crackling as she did.
Communications and propulsion disabled, she declared.
Artemis twisted around the ice, firing an arrow into the door. Foam consumed it, hardening and keeping the door sealed shut.
And ETs are sealed inside, she said as the ship continued to randomly fire.
Kaldur, in the water below, shot out of the ice suddenly, landing on the ship. The gun immediately rounded on him and powered up. Kaldur would've been disintegrated if Wolf hadn't shot forward, twisting the gun away from Kaldur.
The rest of the team surged in, looking eerily beautiful in their white attire.
Conner and Amazo held the gun still while Robin scanned it.
Identifying weapon's structural stress points and links to the ship, He said before pointing, Here, here, and here.
M'gann sent three blasts of telekenesis at the gun, loosening it. Danny moved forward and grabbed the gun, too, helping Conner and Amazo pull on it. Danny tensed when he heard it behind him, something was whirring with power, turning on. Before he could react, Wolf was tackling himself and his brother's out of the way...taking the brunt of the attack...vanishing in an instant.
Wolf! M'gann gasped.
It's not real, Danny reminded himself, not real, not real.
There was no indication of feedback, Robin said, I-I'm sorry.
Can't do anything for him now, Conner said as he returned to the ship. With conviction...he ripped it out the rest of the way before leaping to the bioship which had come closer.
Rerouting systems to integrate weapon into ship's biomatrix, M'gann said, We'll need to de-camoflage for a few minutes
Because of course we do, Danny huffed.
On cue five alien ships appeared over one of the distant white mountains.
We may not have a few minutes! Robin warned.
Miss Martian open fire! Kaldur commanded.
Can't! She called back, Weapon systems are offline to incorporate the new cannon and that's not fully integrated yet, either.
Danny planted his feet in the ground and conjured an ectoplasm bazooka.
Artemis, he snarled as he opened fire on the ships, Get over here now.
He shot down one of the ships, causing it to slam into another, duo taken out in a large explosion.
And let you take all the credit? They could hear Artemis' smirk.
She knocked two arrows at once and fired them at the same time Danny took another ship out with another rocket. The arrows Artemis shot slammed into the remaining alien ships. One blew up immediately while the other crashed, skidding across the snow, Artemis turning her back and finally heading toward the bioship. The one that crashed but was not completely destroyed pointed towards Artemis, powering up.
Artemis, look out! Danny exclaimed.
Danny pulled the trigger of the bazooka one last time but...he wasn't fast enough. The ship fired...beam of light disintegrating Artemis a mere moment before it blew up.
"ARTEMIS!" M'gann wailed.
Danny staggered as a psychic blast slammed into him and everyone.
He stumbled away, falling off the ship, clutching his head, feeling an invasive force claw into his mind. He collapsed to his knees, curling in on himself, forehead to the snow, letting out a silent scream.
The invasive force perverted his thoughts and feelings. Forcing thoughts and feelings into him. He thought thoughts that were not his own and he felt feelings that were not his own. He felt grief and rage that was not his own, his thoughts and feelings wrenched from him and replaced with another's.
This invasive force was taking from him the irrefutable fact that this wasn't real, making his mind believe it was.
It wasn't real, he desperately tried to hang onto that fact, it wasn't real. It wasn't real.
It wasn't real. It wasn't real. It wasn't real.
It wasn't real. It wasn't real.
It wasn't real.
It wasn't real.
It was real.
It was real.
★・・・★・・・★
F̵̺̄ã̴̹k̶̟̂e̷͔͊ Fortress of Solitude, October 16, 2010
The world was a haze to Danny.
He swayed as he shakily pushed himself up, sitting on his heel, looking upward to the white sky, eyes glazed over and lost...so lost.
"Artemis!" Wally cried, wracked with grief.
Everyone was so...jarred by their loss, Danny forcing himself to stand, staggering once he straightened.
The world was still and quiet, everyone numb from their horror and grief. Wordlessly they entered the bioship, everyone taking their seats.
Everyone was...processing differently.
Robin was silent in his grief, compartmentalizing and sitting in his seat. He was sorting through his emotions, putting them aside and focusing on the mission.
Kaldur, their leader, was forcing himself to compartmentalize too, reminding himself there'd be time to grieve later.
Conner and Amazo were sitting together, holding each other and trying to process and accept what had happened. They were fairly ignorant of death and her ways, this was the first time they were truly exposed to death and dying. They were confused and struggling and in pain, sorting through feelings of grief they'd never felt before.
Danny sat, stock still, Zatanna leaning against him, resting her head on his shoulder, silent tears rolling down her cheeks as Danny 'processed' his own feelings.
M'gann was continually sniffling and letting out soft sobs as she flew the bioship.
Wally was the most vocal about his distress and grief, grumbling and snarling under his breath. He was restless in his movements, foot tapping impatiently, whole body vibrating with rage and sorrow.
"They're dead," Wally snarled, "Every single alien if it's the last thing I do!"
M'gann let out a strangled sobbed, bioship lurching slightly in response to her volatile emotions.
Wally snarled, roaring indistinctly as he slammed his fists against the console before him.
"There will be time to mourn later," Kaldur said firmly, "Now we have a job to do. Defend the earth, and ensure Artemis' sacrifice was not in vain."
"There would be no need to prove her sacrifice wasn't in vain if Phantom had-"
"Wally!" Robin snapped.
Danny directed his gaze, cold and sharp, to meet Wally's. Everyone tensed, distinctly reminded of how Danny acted in Bialya.
"Oh?" Danny drawled, tone cold, "So...it's my fault she's dead?"
"Wally," Robin growled warningly.
"Yes," Wally spat out.
"I see," Danny said passively, "And? How is it my fault?"
"You weren't fast enough with savi-"
"'Fast enough,'" Danny clicked his tongue, "'Fast enough?' You know who's faster than me? You know who could have sped to her side and carried her out of danger? You know who's a poor copy of his uncle?" Danny bent his head down slightly, evenly meeting Wally's gaze, "You."
"Enough," Kaldur interjected, voice firm, "Phantom, apologies."
"As the leader commands," Danny's voice was saccharine sweet, smiling cordially at Wally who's face was flushed red with his rage, "I sincerely apologize for pointing out your inadequacies."
Wally shot to his feet but at the glare Kaldur leveled him with, he grudgingly sat back down.
"Back to the cave?" M'gann spoke up softly, tears dry on her face.
"The Hall of Justice," Kaldur said, "The human race must know that there are still heroes defending them. That there is still hope."
Hope, Danny peered absentmindedly out the window, a serene and sad smile marring his features. There was no hope. This world...was doomed.
★・・・★・・・★
F̵̺̄ã̴̹k̶̟̂e̷͔͊ Hall of Justice, October 16, 2010
The bottom of the bioship opened up and Conner leapt out, landing and creating a dent in one of the alien ships, punching it emphatically, destroying it. Meanwhile M'gann shot the remaining two ships with the gun they'd integrated with the bioship.
Conner's ship skidded across the ground, the boy leaping off once it stilled, the bioship landing moments later, ramp opening, the team exiting to thunderous applause.
"See?" One of the soldiers gushed, looking on at Conner, "It is Superman. I told you he wouldn't leave us out here alone."
"Man, that's a child," Their partner deadpanned.
"I'm not Superman," Conner pushed his glasses furhter up his nose.
"I don't know who you are, son, and right now, I don't care," The general spoke, "You wear the 'S' and you got the job done."
"I'm not Superman..." Conner breathed out, Danny putting a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.
"Tell that to the enemy," The man remarked, "General Wade Eiling," He introduced himself, saluting, "US Air Force."
"Aqualad, Justice League," The boy replied, "We'll help you salvage as many of the aliens' cannons as possible. Then, we start taking back what is ours," His eyes narrowed.
★・・・★・・・★
F̵̺̄ã̴̹k̶̟̂e̷͔͊ Hall of Justice, October 16, 2010
The children walked into the destroyed Hall of Justice, taking in the debris of the once imposing and impressive statues of their fellow heroes.
Kaldur kneeled before the destroyed statue of Aquaman; he bowed his head and uttered Last Rites in Atlantean, mourning and honoring his lost king.
Wally stood numbly before the statue of his uncle, lip trembling, hands curled into fists.
Conner stared at the remnants of the statue for Superman with something unidentifiable in his gaze. It could have been admiration or admonishment. It could have been reverence...or hatred. Amazo stood next to Conner, feeling his complicated emotions by his brother's side.
Zatanna silently cried as she clung to a book of spells her father used near constantly; there was no statue to him...so all she had was his book. All she had left...of her dead father...was this one thing. So much time lost, so many memories tainted...her dad was gone...and he was never coming back.
Danny exhaled slowly, sinking to his knees and resting his forehead resting against the lantern statue. The lantern organization was so widespread that the League didn't honor the people but their creed. The statue wasn't of John or Hal or Kyle or Guy but it was of their symbol.
Danny's gaze found Robin staring intently at the destroyed Batman statue. He rose to his feet, locking down his feelings and approaching his teammate, standing by his side.
"It's okay to fall apart, Robin," Danny said gently, "...You loved him."
"I can't," Robin said passively, "Not only did he teach me to compartmentalize mourning a parent...I become something...awful in my grief."
Danny softened and smiled ruefully, "I understand," He whispered, "Believe me...I understand."
As Danny stood next to Robin, consoling him in his suppressed grief he was reminded of how he consoled Zatanna on the bioship ride to Superman's Fortress of Solitude.
"How're you doing?" Danny approached Zatanna, sitting on the arm of her seat on the bioship.
"Honestly?" She exhaled deeply, "Not good."
"Yeah, I figured as much. Do you...want to talk about it?"
"No," She decided, "I just...can't."
"I understand," Danny softened, "Just know I'm here."
"I know," She smiled softly, "Thank you. And-and I know I'll-I'l see him again," Zatanna exhaled shakily, "But just...losing him...I can't deal with it...he's my dad."
Danny nodded in understanding, his own smile soft and sad.
Danny faltered as the memory faded wondering why Zatanna hadn't mourned more...emphatically. Zatanna hadn't been trained to compartmentalize like Robin, she wasn't trained to focus solely on the mission, in fact Danny was almost certan her father would have encouraged her tears so...why hadn't she cried? He also wondered how she could be so confident she'd see her dad again. Danny felt like he was missing something...
M'gann was on her knees before the large statue head of her uncle, sobbing. She tensed suddenly, flying back a ways before flinging out her hands with a grunt, telekinetically lifting the statue...to reveal her uncle.
"Uncle J'onn!" She gasped, tossing the statue aside.
She moved to fly forward but Kaldur got between her and her uncle.
M'gann, check his mind, he commanded, Make sure he is whom he appears to be.
It's him, she gushed, He's real and he's alive!
"But we saw you get disintegrated," Zatanna breathed out, "You and-and my d-my dad and everyone."
"Yes," J'onn held his head, "I remember but...I cannot remember how I survived or...how I arrived here."
"Maybe you were density shifting?" M'gann suggested, "And the beam passed right through you."
"Scrambling your brains along the way," Robin continued.
"My mind is clouded," J'onn confessed, "I feel certain I had something to tell you."
Hello, Wally! The boy smacked his forehead, Come on!
He led everyone back outside and to the weapon that had been attached to the bioship.
Analyze it, He requested Robin, Pull up the specs.
Robin did just that, showing off the specs of the weapon.
I knew it! He beamed, It's giving off zeta beams! The same stuff that powers our zeta tubes. This thing doesn't disintegrate, it-it teleports. Artemis is alive!
Maybe but-
No maybes! Wally cut off Robin, They're all alive!
No...they weren't. Danny could feel Artemis' death grating against his core the same way...the same way Ellie's and Sam's and Tucker's and Jazz's and Dan's had grated against his core. He felt her death as if it were his own...as if he had died with her. Danny didn't have the time to wonder why it hadn't felt like that when he'd watched John and Hal die...why it didn't feel like he'd died with them.
"That must have been what you wanted to tell us!" M'gann exclaimed.
Suddenly dozens of alien ships descended upon the hall, opening fire.
Danny, Robin and Wally hid behind one of the armored trucks, avoiding the firing.
We're on our way! Kaldur's voice cried out in their heads.
Negative! Robin snapped, We can't win this! Miss Martian, camo the bioship!
Before she could do that one of the aliens fired on the ship, M'gann crying out in agony and collapsing to the ground.
We're falling back! Robin called out.
He, Danny and Wally raced into the hall with the remnants of the squad, Kaldur opening the door to the main hall where the zeta tube entrance was.
"We can all zeta to the cave," Kaldur explained as they ran, "If you can grant us computer clearance to access the tubes," He looked to J'onn.
"I can only authorize one at a time," He said.
"Send the soldiers first," Kaldur ordered.
"Belay that!" General Eiling snapped, "You six are assets we cannot afford to lose."
Kaldur hesitated but relented with a nod.
J'onn stepped away from M'gann, getting scanned by the zeta tube.
"Override," He said, "Martian Manhunter 0-7."
"Recognized, access granted."
"Miss Martian, B-0-5," The tube said, girl quickly flying through.
"Zatanna, B-1-0," The girl vanished through the tube.
"Robin, B-0-1," Robin moved forward, vanishing.
"Kid Flash, B-0-3."
After Wally was scanned the far wall was blasted inward.
Immediately Danny pointed a hand toward the now destroyed wall, filling it with a wall of ectoplasm. It was difficult to contain with the constant barrage of attacks but he held it still.
With a roar, Kaldur threw Wally into the zeta tube.
One of the soldiers had been injured in the initial blast inward, a large slab of wall smacking into him. Conner hurried to him, pulling him to his feet.
"He goes next," Conner said firmly, helping him over to the tube.
"Fine, then you," Kaldur replied.
The injured man was scanned.
"Private Jason Bard USMC," The automated voice rang out.
"Can you make it?" Conner asked gently.
"Sure, Superman," The man hastily limped forward.
"I'm not-" Conner groaned as he was scanned.
"Superboy, B-0-4."
Danny let out a strained guttural growl as he felt cracks form in his shield.
"Phantom," Conner turned back.
"Go!" Danny snarled, gritting his teeth, "Amazo! Get him home!"
"...Brother," Amazo protested weakly.
"None of this will matter if you two don't make it," Danny looked over his shoulder...smiling.
If he had a heart...Amazo would swear his was breaking. With much hesitance...he shoved Conner into the zeta tube, his brother vanishing into it.
He was next, getting scanned by the computer.
"Amazo, B-0-9."
He hastily went into the tube, the quicker he got through the quicker Danny could!
Danny stumbled back and with a strangled cry...the shield shattered.
Kaldur helped J'onn over to the tube, man having already been scanned went through with ease.
The soldiers in the room were zapped out of existence in moments, Kaldur hauling Danny to his feet and dragging him over to the tube.
"...They need you more than me..." He whispered, holding Danny's face in his hands as the ghost king was scanned.
"No, Kaldur," Danny's eyes were blown wide, "You can't do this."
"I trust you."
Before he had time to react...Kaldur was throwing him into the tube.
And as Danny was carted away...he watched Kaldur get disintegrated, the boy feeling his death in his core.
★・・・★・・・★
F̵̺̄ã̴̹k̶̟̂e̷͔͊ Mount Justice, October 16, 2010
"Our next mission is clear," Robin said, "If we believe the aliens have been teleporting their victims-"
"We do," Wally cut in.
"Then the only reasonable detention facility is here," He pulled up a hologram of their mothership, "The mothership," He said, "Atop what used to be Smallville. Ringing any bells?" He asked J'onn.
"No, I'm sorry."
"Superboy," Robin said, "You'll create a distraction-"
"No," Danny hissed, "That's too dangerous."
"Aqualad would never do that," M'gann hissed, "You're sacrificing Conner!"
"You're right," Robin said evenly, "Aqualad would sacrifice himself. A mistake that just cost us our leader," Danny flinched slightly at Robin's words; it's not even like Kaldur's sacrifice would be worth it all the deaths were damaging Danny's core...cracking his core, his powers were currently...unreliable he could feel it within him...he felt incomplete, "Superboy is the most likely to be perceived as a threat," Robin rationalized, "Motivating the aliens to deploy."
"Worst case," Wally said, "He's teleported inside and we set him free along with Artemis and uh, Aqualad and-and everyone."
"The probability of being teleported inside is quite high, the experience was very disorienting for Martian Manhunter, what if Conner is not the same Conner when we retrieve him."
"It's okay," Conner smiled, taking both of his brother's hands in his own, "It's what Superman would do."
"..."
More heroes came to the cave. Red Arrow, Rocket (the protégé of Icon) and among others Tula and Garth came from Atlantis.
"Kaldur'ahm?" Garth asked softly, though the tenseness in his frame indicated he already had the answer to his question.
"I'm sorry," Danny pursed his lips.
"As are we," Garth bowed his head, holding Tula's hand.
"We will go to the others and prepare for war," Tula said tersely.
"We should too," Robin called out to Danny softly, "Will you help me?"
"Of course," Danny followed Robin off to the side where they'd pulled a multitude of weapons out of storage.
Robin and Danny shifted through the weapons gathering, pretty much as much as they could handle.
"I'm sorry Wally was blaming you about Artemis," Robin said softly.
"I'm used to it," Danny said passively.
"What does that mean?"
"Promise me you won't die," Danny asked suddenly.
Robin faltered and softened, pursing his lips into a sad smile.
"I can't."
"Yeah..." Danny exhaled shakily as he draped two straps of bombs over Robin's head, bombs resting against his chest, "I know..."
After everyone was prepared for battle the team gathered together and filmed a video to inspire hope.
"Though we know all seems lost," M'gann spoke, "The one thing the aliens cannot destroy is hope."
"Hope survived because the battle is not over," Conner said, "Not as long as even one of us is willing to fight."
"It doesn't matter how many fall," Wally said, "For new heroes will always rise to carry on, bringing all their resources, their skills, their talents to bear, to defeat the enemy."
"The people of Earth will survive this," Robin guaranteed, "We will rebuild and we will thrive. Never doubt and never forget the Earth will never surrender!"
★・・・★・・・★
F̵̺̄ã̴̹k̶̟̂e̷͔͊ Smallville, October 16, 2010
The trip to the mothership was a quiet affair.
The air was heavy, filled with apprehension and the subconscious knowledge that things wouldn't get better, that in this world things weren't allowed to get better.
As the approached the mothership Robin, their unspoken new leader, gave out some last words.
"We are humanities hope," Robin said, "To save the people of this world...and to rebuild. We have no choice but to succeed. And because we must succeed...we will."
The team all nodded in understanding, steeling themselves and preparing to do what needed to be done.
"Stay close to J'onn," Robin told M'gann softly, "He's still..." He made a 'so-so' motion with his hand. He turned back to the team, "First team, deploy."
M'gann and J'onn both went into their camoflage modes, flying through the air. When they reached the mothership, J'onn took his niece's hand in his own, density shifting and extending the ability to her, pulling her into the mothership.
Ready, in position, the girl said.
"Superboy, you're a-go," Robin forced his voice to remain even.
As Danny watched Conner leave he had a horrible feeling...it would be the last time on this plane of existence.
Conner leapt forth and onto the mothership, pulling one of the torrents out of the metal.
Careful! Robin warned, Don't disconnect the power source.
"Alright, you glorified trespassers!" Conner bellowed, aiming the gun at the other guns, "You wanna see how a real alien fights?!"
He fired on the torrents and countless ships were launched from the mothership.
Now or never! Conner called out to the team.
Immediately they shot forward. Wally raced forward, Robin on his back. Amazo flew just a little slower than Wally ran and Danny, holding Zatanna's hand, flew through the air. The team entered the mothership through one of the ramps the smaller ships were using, hiding as a few more ships zipped out of the exit, passing by them.
Way's clear! Robin called out, Go!
He, Wally, Danny, Amazo and Zatanna hurried forward, hiding behind a pole. A monitor of some kind descended from the ceiling, moving toward them. Danny shot out his hands but before he needed to act M'gann and J'onn appeared, girl using her telekenesis to throw a box into it, destroying it.
The team continued on forward together...when Danny felt it. He stumbled into the wall, legs giving out, gripping his chest over his heart, expression screwed up in anguish.
Brother? Amazo held Danny's shoulders, steadying him.
Conner... Danny let out a strangled cry, eyes wide and disoriented.
It's alright, Wally hurried to Danny, hand on his back, We'll find him with Artemis, I know it.
No... Danny whispered, They're just gone, Wally. I let...I let them both just be...gone.
No, M'gann let out a sob, No, that can't be.
My mind is clearer now, J'onn spoke, The disintegraton beam is exactly that. There is no detention facility. No prisoners to rescue. Our mission holds no purpose.
No! Wally grabbed the front of the man's uniform, You're wrong! The zeta radiation proves she's alive!
I've run through all possible simulations, Amazo declared softly, The zeta radiation coming from the beams would never be enough to transport someone...they are gone.
No! She's-
Stop it, KF, Robin grabbed him, I've been scanning for League and team signals since we got inside. They're not here. Artemis is gone.
Wally staggered back.
But our mission still holds purpose, Robin said, To destroy the mothership.
Danny, Zatanna whispered, tears rolling down her face, expression numb.
"Say the words..." Danny whispered, "I won't be able to go on if you don't say the words."
Somehow Zatanna knew which ones to say, "I bind you to me, Mighty Phantom, obey me...until the war is done."
The sounds that escaped her next were inhuman, guttural, they were a mix of echoey growls and grunts but still...they made sense to her.
"B̸e̵ ̷b̸y̵ ̴m̵y̵ ̸s̵i̴d̵e̷.̷.̸.̴n̶o̸w̸ ̷a̴n̵d̴ ̷a̴l̷w̷a̴y̶s,"Zatanna whispered.
Danny's tears dried and he rose to his feet, head held high, expression devoid of any emotion.
"Let's get it done," He spoke coldly...and M'gann, Wally and Robin were distinctly reminded of who he'd been in Bialya, the emptiness...it frightened them.
The remainder of their team ran off down the hall, bursting through a door that automatically opened, looking on at what they could only assume was the power center of the mothership.
This is the power core, Robin confirmed, Blow this and the whole motherhship blows.
The team moved forward, immediately faltering and struggling when they felt themselves getting yanked into the power source.
"I've gotcha," Danny grabbed Robin, pulling him close to his chest, wrapping his arms around him and flying slowly down to the power source.
"Thanks," Robin was still holding Danny even as they landed on solid ground.
Robin unhooked the straps of bombs from around his chest, setting them down on the power source.
You knew, Wally, who was observing, accused, You knew from the very beginning why we were really here.
Four minutes, Robin set the timer, Let's go.
They exited the center and Danny lurched, losing command over his flying, falling backward towards the center. Robin acted quickly, shooting a grappling hook to the door they entered, pulling them both to safety.
"My flight..." Danny murmured, "I've...lost it."
Robin was understandably confused but now was not the time for questions, he and Danny and everyone else ran down the hall.
In the distance they could see one of the hallway doors sliding closed. With a burst of speed Amazo shot forward, situating himself between the three closing metal panels, holding it open, and straining himself while doing so. Wally leapt through the doorway. With a strangled cry, Amazo switched to his original form, metal joints straining as he continued to try and hold open the door.
A security droid or whatever it was appeared suddenly, firing at the team from behind. Danny held up the rear, shooting blasts of ectoplasm from his eyes, destroying the droids.
Keep going! He hissed to the others.
Danny grit his teeth in outrage when the green blast from his eyes fizzled out...his damaged and pained core wrenching that ability from him. He startled though when Robin came to his side, destroying the door behind them, blocking more enemies from pursuing them.
Sixteen seconds and counting! Robin exclaimed, he and Danny running toward the door Amazo was holding open.
Before them at the door Zatanna had just reached it, Wally pulling her through. In the next moment...the hallway doors were slamming shut...destroying Amazo.
Danny's core screamed and he forced himself to remain numb as Amazo's head...as his brother's head rolled to his feet.
Manhunter, Robin said firmly, looking to the older hero, Take Miss Martian and go.
No! M'gann's voice broke, We won't leave you!
Danny! Zatanna cried out, banging sounding from the other side of the doors, Robin!
Rob, come on find a way out! Wally begged.
Go! Robin snarled, That's an order, we'll follow as soon as we blow those doors!
You better, Wally growled...but his voice broke...he knew that wouldn't be happening.
J'onn grabbed M'gann's hand, extending his density shifting to her...he pulled her through the floor, despite the girls sobbing and protesting.
Danny and Robin approached the metal door, both of them sitting against it, pressed against each other.
"Can you...make a shield?" Robin asked anxiously.
Danny lifted his hands and screwed his eyes shut, concentrating. His core screamed in anguish as he conjured an ecotplasm shield that glitched and shattered and collapsed out of existence. Danny wheeze and clutched his chest above his core, pain etched on his face.
"I-I can't," Danny grit out.
"...I thought maybe you wouldn't be able to," Robin smiled ruefully, "Are you...okay? Why aren't your powers working?"
Danny offered no response but to grip his chest tighter.
"Oh..." Robin softened in understanding.
"How much...how much time?"
"Eleven seconds," Robin said softly, resting his head on Danny's shoulder.
Danny was silent as he brought a hand up, absentmindedly and soothingly raking his fingers through Robin's hair.
10
"I think...I think I'm frightened," Robin breathed out.
9
"...You don't have to be," Danny said softly.
8
"Yeah?"
7
"Yeah," Danny promised.
6
"It's okay...we'll be together," He continued, voice soft.
5
"Together...I like the sound of that," Robin chuckled weakly.
4
"Hold...hold me?" Robin's voice came out small...as small as he felt.
3
Danny pulled Robin closer, wrapping his arms around him, holding him tightly and close, his embrace warm and protective.
2
Robin turned and was all but sitting in Danny's lap, clinging to him tighter. He and Danny held each other tightly, burrying his face in Danny's chest, Danny's chin resting on his head, Danny whispering reassurances to him.
1
BOOM!
The explosion of the mothership wrought such destruction.
Wally and Zatanna had been killed in the outward explosion of the mothership; the duo had just slipped out of the ship when the explosion went off they had been caught in a storm of debris and fire...and they had died in a moment.
M'gann and J'onn had escaped the blast unscathed, the uncle and niece standing by each other's sides...looking onward at the destruction. M'gann's eyes were wide in horror, mouth open and tears streaming down her face, and J'onn was looking onward in distress and realization.
When the explosion had gone off Danny had tightened his grip on Robin, turning and shielding him from the explosion with his body...but it wasn't enough. Fire and debris had flown towards them, flames engulfing Danny, burning and charring his back...but it was the debris that destroyed him...because it destroyed Robin.
Scraps of metal flew towards Danny and Robin, cutting up both individuals but beyond that...a metal pole was impaled through Danny's back and out his front...stabbed into Robin's gut and out his back.
"Oh...oh, no," Danny whimpered, taking in the dark blood dribbling past Robin's lips.
Danny grit his teeth in pain and held the pole sturdy as he slid himself back and off it, blood gushing from the entry and exit wounds.
"Danny," Robin choked out, coughing up more blood, gasping in pain as the pole shifted within him.
"Oh, no, no, Robin," Danny hissed, kneeling by Robin's side, gingerly taking his face in his hands.
"You...you tried to save me," Robin rasped.
"Of course I did," Danny whispered.
"I think...I think I'm going to be okay. It...it doesn't hurt anymore," Robin whispered.
Danny forced his tears away, situating himself so he was sitting by Robin's head which now rested in his lap, Danny consoling him in his final moments.
"That's good," He forced his voice to remain soft and even.
"You know me...better than so many others..." Robin breathed out, "And I want you to know...to know all of me."
"Robin?" Danny asked softly, brows furrowed in confusion.
"My name..." Robin whispered, "I want you to know my name...my name...my name is..."
But before Robin could whisper his name...his body went still, lips parted, his name on his tongue. His domino mask was still white, indicating his eyes were open, peering up into Danny's...taunting him.
"No..." Danny broke down, "No...no, no," He pulled Robin into his arms, glaring hatefully at the pole, yanking it out of his corpse and throwing it away as he cradled Robin close.
Elsewhere in the simulation...J'onn remembered why he'd been sent into the simulation. He remembered that in M'gann's grief she seized control of the simulation, he remembered he had been sent to shock her out of it. So...he sharpened his fist to a point...and punched her through the stomach...shocking her and him out of the simulation.
Back with Danny...he had not been freed from the simulation.
Danny cradled Robin closer in his arms, head bowed, forehead pressing against Robin's as he held his corpse.
"Why?" Danny weeped, "Why? Why? Why?"
Why was it never him? Why did he have to go on while the people he loved died? Why was he the one who was always left alone?
Danny began to hyperventilate as a wave of emotions crashed into him. He could feel the cracks in his core begin to slowly grow like a spiderweb.
Danny sat back onto his heels, head bent back, letting out an anguished roar, eyes burning red. In the next moment...his core shattered...and Danny died.
★・・・★・・・★
Mount Justice, October 16, 2010
Danny stirred...and he began to cry.
He felt so...heavy. There was such a weight on him, on his body, on his mind, on his soul, on his core. Grief and agony clung to him and pushed him down. He felt like Atlas...suffering under the weight of the sky.
Danny jumped as a presence made itself known by his side, a pair of arms wrapping around him, pulling him off his back and into a seated position...Danny engulfed in a hug.
"Oh, Danny..." A familiar voice whimpered as the hug he was wrapped in tightened.
"It hurts," Danny croaked out.
"I know, I know," Hal whimpered, "I'm here, Danny, I'm here."
The pain of his core was...to much to bare. The pain as that of phantom cracks etched into it, cracks and deaths that had destroyed his core. Except...except his core wasn't destroyed.
"It hurts," Danny cried, gripping the back of Hal's uniform tightly, consciously making sure his nails didn't grow, "It hurts, my c-heart, it hurts, it hurts so much."
"I know," Hal cried, hugging Danny's tighter, "I know. I know, baby, I'm sorry. I'm here, I'm here."
"We're here," A familiar voice called softly as three more pairs of arms wrapped around Danny.
He relaxed and softened and continued to cry but felt safe as John, Kyle and Guy embraced him, engulfing him in their warmth and love and support.
Eventually Danny calmed and when he began to grow antsy with the lanterns arms around him, they released him but did not leave him alone, continuing to stand beside him as he processed all that had happened.
He found himself burying his face in his hands as he recalled what exactly had happened. He remembered the simulation now, he remembered how he had protested in vain, he remembered how things had-as they were supposed to-go wrong...but then he remember how things had-in a way they weren't supposed to-gone even more wrong. He remembed how everything became...real. Had it been Artemis' death? Had it been that her faux death had caused such tremendous grief their minds fractured under the weight of the ex-
"You're all alive!" M'gann's gushing voice echoed in Danny's ears.
Danny stilled, dread churning within him. His ears rang, world muffling and simultaneously screaming at him. Rage bubbled within him as he realized what precisely had gone wrong. It was M'gann.
"You," Danny growled.
Danny lifted his head, eyes blazing a toxic green, not his usual toxic green, no, no, this toxic green was alight with power and fury.
"You!" He snarled.
He pushed himself off the bed, standing tall, hands balled into fists, teeth and nails on the verge of sharpening.
"Danny-" John tried to stop him but Danny ignored his mentors stalking forward.
"This is all your fault!" He snarled, "You did this to us! You seized control of the simulation and infected it!"
"Phantom," Martian Manhunter moved to grab Danny, "Please, don't-"
"Don't?" Danny scoffed, "Don't?!" He boomed, "Don't what?! Hurt her precious feelings?! Oh, no, will she manipulate my mind in this world too?! Will she ruin everything here too?! I warned you! I told you this was a bad idea! I told you things could go astronomically wrong and they did! Because of her!" He glared heatedly at M'gann.
"Daniel," Batman growled, stepping forward menacingly.
"Don't you fucking 'Daniel' me," Danny snapped his teeth at the man, "Why did none of you listen to me?!" His voice broke as he screamed, "We suffered because none of you listened!"
"Danny, please," Zatanna whimpered, fresh tears in her eyes, reaching out for him from where she was clinging to her father, "Please just...stop, stop...talking like that."
Danny faltered as a stiffness seemed to invade his joints. Oh...oh no...Danny opened his mouth to speak about it but faltered when no sound escaped him. He grit his teeth and turned swiftly, beginning to pace anxiously.
"What-what's Danny talking about?" Artemis' voice broke.
"Try to remember," Batman urged, "What you experienced was a training excercise. Manhunter psychically linked the eight of you within an artificial reality. You all knew this going in. What you didn't know was that it was a train for failure excercise. No matter what the team accomplished the scenario was designed to grow worse. Still, you were aware nothing was real, including the deaths of the entire Justice League."
"That is why you hardly grieved," J'onn said, "Even when Wolf was disintegrated before your eyes," Conner frowned and rubbed the wolf's head, "But all that changed when Artemis died."
Everyone glanced to the girl who was impassively silent, staring at her hands as she listened.
"Though consciously, Miss Martian knew it was not real, her subconscious mind could not make that distinction. She forgot it was only an exercise...and her subconscious took control making all of you forget, too. Phantom..." Danny looked to J'onn, his eyes still burning green, "Your mind almost fractured under the weight of her abilities."
I know! Danny wanted to bellow but all that escaped him was a feral growl, the noise a mix between a stilted snarl and roar.
"You tried to cling so desperately onto the fact that it was a simulation that it was fake...that your mind almost broke...and you almost died."
"..." Everyone was stunned into silence, looking to Danny in horror.
"Danny almost...died?" Zatanna looked to him, "You...why didn't you tell us? Did you not know?"
Ah, permission to speak again, how fun.
"When the people I love die," Danny said coldly, "I die with them."
"I'm-I'm so sorry," M'gann whimpered.
"This isn't her fault," Wally protested.
"Oh, so now you're not gonna blame people?" Danny sneered.
"Danny," Zatanna hurried over to him, "Please, calm down."
Danny grudgingly had to obey, heart rate immediately slowing, blood no longer boiling.
"Why didn't you stop the excercises?" Conner demanded.
"We tried," J'onn said, "But M'gann had a death grip on the scenario. Even Artemis, who should have awakened upon her death was so convinced she had passed she slipped into a coma. I realized I would have to wrest control from Miss Martian's subconscious from within but upon entering the reality I was overwhelmed by your collective emotion. There was...too much...noise to think clearly. To remember why I was there. The deaths of Aqualad, Superboy and Amazo helped."
"Oh, did they?" Danny growled.
"But only when the mothership exploded and Kid Flash and Zatanna were silenced did my mind clear enough to remember my true purpose...to shock M'gann out of the exercise before your comas became permanent."
J'onn had been in the simulation for significantly less time than the
"My apologies," The martian hung his head low, "I had no idea a training excercise could be so dangerous...so damaging."
"No idea?" Danny snarled, eyes burning brighter, "I told you! I fucking told you-"
"Danny," Zatanna snapped, "That's enough. Stand down."
Instantly Danny stilled, stubbornly taking a seat on his bed.
His grudging actions...finally seemed to catch everyone's attention.
"Danny?" M'gann faltered, "Are you...okay?"
"Do not speak to me with such familiarity, Martian," Danny glowered.
"Danny," Zatanna hissed, "Don't speak to M'gann like that."
Danny grit his teeth as his mouth clamped shut.
Zatanna had given him a new command which made him no longer beholden to her previous one. Danny rose to his feet.
"I am leaving," He declared, "So that I inflict no damage upon this place," He sent M'gann a venomous side eye, "Or certain individuals. You will let me leave," He warned everyone, "Do not try to stop me."
"Danny," Zatanna protested, taking an urgent step forward.
"Dominus Meus," Danny met her gave evenly, "Do not make me disobey your orders so soon after binding me to you."
Everyone faltered and fell silent at his words providing Danny with the chance to escape this stifling and suffocating place, leaving behind a collection of confused and lost and apprehensive heroes.
F̵̺̄ã̴̹k̶̟̂e̷͔͊ -- Fake
B̸e̵ ̷b̸y̵ ̴m̵y̵ ̸s̵i̴d̵e̷.̷.̸.̴n̶o̸w̸ ̷a̴n̵d̴ ̷a̴l̷w̷a̴y̶s̶-- Be by my side...now and always
Dominus meus -- My Master