Bruised

Chapter Thirteen

A New Age

Martin Luther King said it was time to inject a new dimension of love into the veins of human civilization. I don't think anyone is calling Martin Luther King a New Age woo-woo.

Marianna Willliamson

Superman watched the teenager that Batman had dumped on him with caution.

Phantom was sitting crossed legged.

Floating in the air.

He could fly, but he'd never really done that. When he flew, he needed control, but this kid just did it because it was comfortable for him.

Like he was made for the skies.

Like gravity was just a suggestion.

Which made some sense because the kid would not stop talking about space and saying everything he knew about it.

Stuff he didn't even know either.

"You like stars?" Diana asked bringing Superman back from his thoughts.

"When I was younger, I wanted to be an astronaut," Phantom grinned at her. "I studied everything I could about the stars and planets. I still believe Pluto is a planet and you can't change my mind."

Diana laughed softly and Superman kind of wanted to hit something.

This kid would bring war to their front door if they weren't careful.

This was the King of Ghosts.

Phantom turned to him suddenly and unfolded his legs.

"Did you really come from another planet?" He asked with wide green eyes. Superman nodded getting a disapproving frown from Diana.

"Yes, I was a baby and sent somewhere safe when my home planet was destroyed," Superman explained. "My home was Krypton, my name is Kal-El."

Phantom tilted his head for a moment before smiling at him.

"Do you ever want to see your culture? The Ghost Zone is connected to everything from this universe and has an archive for Krypton," Phantom said as he flipped upside down in the air. "I don't know where it is yet, but I can look of you're interested?"

"I have files," Superman said as he ignored the longing in his heart to meet more of his people.

He'd met enough to know that nothing good would come of it.

Phantom shrugged as he continued to float only to stop when J'onn stood in front of him.

"Would there be an archive of Martians?" He asked getting Phantom to flip back around and smile at him.

"Probably, let me see," Phantom said as he tipped his chin and searched. He could feel the connections in the Zone respond to his query. "Yes, but it's still developing. There's not a set place, which is weird, but understandable as they seem to travel a lot. They haven't found a spot they like."

J'onn smiled.

"Could I perhaps meet them?" He asked wanting to see his people once more. Phantom nodded.

"I'll let you know as soon as they settle. They seem to be close," Phantom said with a smile. "Do you have a phone I can text you on?"

Superman frowned before cutting in.

"Not now, we have to be at the White House in an hour for your meeting," Superman said wanting to protect his friend from this otherworldly being.

Phantom frowned slightly and eyed Superman warily.

"If this is a trap, I won't be happy," Phantom warned as the flames of his crown whipped around and his cloak violently blew away from him. Superman glared.

"It's not. We simply don't want a war on our hands," Superman said. Phantom nodded as his cloak settled back around his frame and the frames slowed some.

"Neither do we. But my people have suffered enough due to humans," Phantom informed. "And I will fight for them."

"Wait, we're going to DC due to the president having a meeting with the King of Ghosts?!" Maddie yelled as she threw her hands up.

"It was a last-minute decision to hold this meeting," Agent Z growled. He wanted something to send the ghosts into a frenzy so that the president wouldn't get rid of the GIW and keep the Anti-Ecto Acts. "The Justice League called it."

So, he was going to use ghost hunters who'd have prior run ins with the ghost's army.

"That filthy ghost took our whole town into the Zone," Jack said as he glared at the agent.

"From what our sources say, it's not the same king, but we have no way to know who it is," Z said as he boarded the plane with the Fentons. "So, we're in the dark. The Justice League were the ones to set this up after they got some kind of intel."

Z wasn't going to mention that Fentonworks has been opened and closed and they'd seen teens and Bats about either.

Something was up, and he wanted to know first.

He hated being in the dark, but if he tried to pull anymore contacts, he was afraid that his plan would slip into the wrong hands, and he'd be screwed again.

Just like before when they got in trouble for firing upon civilians two years ago.

Phantom walked out of the Javelin and stared at the mix of black and white suits that were standing guard. Phantom immediately straightened up his back and glared at the white suits.

Some of them flinched when they recognized him.

Phantom walked between them and ensured he had confidence in his steps no matter how much he wanted to turn tail and flee.

He looked around and hoped Batman was going to be here as well.

But he couldn't feel the Bat, but he did notice one thing.

DC wasn't a sentient city in the same sense Gotham was, but the White House seemed unhappy with his showing up. While there didn't seem to be a lot of power here, there was something.

Odd, he'd have to look into it a bit more, but he had a few guesses on why that was.

He looked at another white suited agent and decided that it wasn't worth it.

He stepped into the house and nodded to some of the wait staff that were staring at the teenager.

He smiled at them before following Superman to the Oval office.

The president was standing at his desk nervously. According to the two ghost experts, ghosts were good at lying and manipulating.

He had known very little about the Fentons, but the quick jest he got that morning told him even less.

He wasn't quite sure what to think about all this. He was a politician, not a conspiracy theorist.

Superman walked in and behind him stood a teenager with a flaming crown on his head.

"Mr. President, I present you, King Phantom," Superman introduced.

"Phantom?!" both Fentons exclaimed making the young ghost flinch and look at them.

"Uh, hi. And yeah, I'm the one who bested Pariah Dark, who else would be in line," Phantom asked rubbing the back of his neck.

Well. At least he knew his parents were safe.

"But…but…" Jack stuttered out confused. Maddie just studied the ghost with narrowed eyes.

Phantom rolled his own eyes and looked to the president.

"President Horne, you can just call me Phantom if you want," the teenager smiled as he held out his hand. "I'm glad we could do this peacefully."

Horne straightened out and shook the ghost's hand noting how cold it was.

And a realization that this was a dead kid hit him.

"You can call me John then," Horne said as he nodded to the seat in front of his desk. "Do you not have security of your own?" He asked wanting to know why the Ghost Zone leaders would send their King without backup.

Phantom smiled as he sat down.

"I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. But that's partly why I decided to come with the League. I didn't think you'd like a show of power from the Zone any more than I wanted to show it," Phantom said as he tried to remember how to be diplomatic.

He really should have asked the best way to go about this instead of rambling on about the stars while in the WatchTower.

John just looked concerned.

"Anyway, we're here about the Anti-Ecto Acts?" Phantom said as he tried to keep it on some kind of target.

"Yes, perhaps we could go over it? Explain exactly what it is that's a declaration of war in the eyes of the Ghost Zone," the president said as he sat down. Phantom watched him with wondering eyes. It was kind of starting to get to the president. The non blinking, creepy, glowing, green eyes were hard now.

"You mean other than the green light you gave anyone to kill my people without just cause for simply existing within the same spaces," Phantom asked a touch harshly making Horne blanch.

When it was said like that, he could understand the anger. How it would be considered an act of war if his people got lost in a world they knew nothing about with a kill on order sight.

"Well, ghosts have been coming here and causing havoc," the president started only for Phantom to raise his hand calmly.

"How many have directly died because of a ghost?" Phantom asked looking at the president who didn't have the answer.

"No one," Maddie answered making Phantom turned to her sharply with wide eyes surprised. "People have been hurt, yes. But the only time anyone died from a ghost attack was a result of the GIW being involved."

Agent Z was glaring at her, and she could feel his anger.

But she could see Phantom's point somewhat.

She's fairly certain that this was his plan. Get humans to lower their guard about ghosts before turning on them, and the GIW made it possible for the president to completely discount the warnings of ghost hunters.

If she could manipulate him back, maybe she'd be able to see if hybrids existed.

"So, as of now, the GIW division is terminated," Horne said glaring at the white suited agents. "Get them out. Jack and Maddie may stay. They'll be our ghost liaison officers for now. But based on everything else, I'm hesitant to listen to them."

Everyone seemed surprised at this turn of events, but Phantom smiled at them and nodded.

Maddie thought that was too easy. That the president should have put up more of a fight.

"With that, I fully rescind the Anti-Ecto Acts; however, we need some kind of order here," Horne said as he rubbed his head. "A ground both sides can agree on."

"I don't mind Ghost Hunters helping to keep the peace, but I do mind when innocent ghosts are hunted who've done nothing wrong or are just simply lost. Especially with the threat of becoming a lab experiment," Phantom said. "I'm from Amity Park and I try to keep ghosts from hurting anyone to the best of my ability, which will be far easier now."

"What do you mean?" The president asked making Phantom smile.

"I was only crowned yesterday. Which is lucky for you since it very likely would have been a group of ancient ghosts coming instead. And they currently have a dislike for humans thanks to the League of Shadows," Phantom said making the president pale slightly. "They kind of wanted to go to war."

"You…But…" the president put his head on the desk giving up the face of confidence.

Phantom reached over and gently patted his shoulder.

"There, there. It's okay, I've had a shit past few days as well," he tried to comfort only to get the man to glare at him instead.

Phantom just grinned at him.

"You were just crowned king yesterday?" Maddie asked. Phantom turned to her with a light smile.

"Yes. I made a promise to protect them just as I had Amity. I plan on helping to keep the balance," Phantom said as he stood up and looked his parents over quickly. Jack thought about the balance that the GIW were wanting to get rid of.

"Do…are hybrids real?" Jack asked seeing the ghost flinch violently before he stared at them. The president lifted his head off the desk confused.

He knew they were wondering about that, and it's why he decided to disband the GIW so quickly. He didn't want to fight a war that blindly. With the fact that they had no idea how this connection really worked, it would be a recipe for disaster.

Phantom closed his eyes and took in a breath.

Superman was cautious since he knew that Phantom was a hybrid.

"Yes, but there are very few," Phantom decided looking at Superman for a moment before turning to his parents. "But I thought you didn't believe humans could have Ghost powers?"

"If they're hybrids then they wouldn't be human," Maddie said before power blazed around Phantom.

"Enough!" Superman said standing between the Fentons and Phantom. Maddie had smirked at the glare Phantom sent the man of steel.

"Alright, so I'm adding that hybrids are protected under the Metahuman Acts," the president stated making Phantom turn to him. Phantom smiled at him as Maddie growled lowly under her breath.

"And full ghosts?" Phantom asked as he sat down. Horne looked up.

"I think I can take it from here," he informed making his guards take the Fentons out. He looked to Superman.

He didn't get this far just by luck. He knew how to read people, and so far, Phantom was willing to work towards peace and he didn't want anyone to screw it up. He wasn't treating them lesser for being human, but the Fentons had poked a bear, and he wanted nothing to do with it.

After all, an ally like Phantom during another invasion would be far more valuable than whatever the GIW were originally trying to do.

"You can leave as well, Superman," he said. Superman nodded before exiting.

That left him with two secret service members and Phantom who was staring at him in shock before he smiled.

"I think this will go well," Phantom said as he leaned over the desk. "Ghosts aren't really ones to leave their homes in the Zone, sometimes they end up here due to natural portals."

"Alright, as long as they aren't breaking our laws or massively destroying things, we can leave them be," Horne said as he got to work on writing the Ghost Zone Acts. Phantom perked as he realized something.

"Oh. I also think I can help with people who go missing. Sometimes humans wonder into the Zone. I'm not sure what I can do yet, but sometimes humans fall though natural portals as well," Phantom added, and the president looked at him.

"Well, that seems like a great give and take," he said as he wondered why no one bothered to ask about creating peace beforehand. "How do you plan on that?"

"I'll have to look into it more, but there are human settlements in the Zone. They don't want to leave mostly…no taxes," Phantom smiled making the eyes of the president widen before he smiled as well.

It looked like the beginning of a new day.

I'm working on Chapter 18 now! And I think I've got a good idea on where I want to end this. There may be more than 20 chapters...unsure though. I won't change that until I get closer.

Also watching Lego Batman stuff and it's great to laugh at!

PS: I've been updating this once to twice a week. Do not ask for updates on it when it recently updates. Or I will hold the chapters longer until I've finished writing it. I find it rude especially on a story that updated within two days of you asking.

So please don't do that.