Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. This story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind. The author of this story owns nothing.
Chapter 11: Ghost Story
Green Lantern was laughing hard. "Y- you're kidding, right?" he said, catching his breath, and wiping a tear from his eye. "Phantom is worshiped by a tribe of yeti ghosts? In a parallel plane of existence called the 'Ghost Zone'?"
The Flash nodded, a smirk also on his face. "Yeah," he said. "If I hadn't seen it for myself, I would never have believed it, either." Assembled at the their temporary headquarters, Flash and Lantern were in the room Batman had dubbed the Monitor Lab. Batman and Flash had set up a computer monitoring system that used satellites to serve as an early warning system for the League. Flash, J'onn, Lantern, and the Hawks were currently taking turns on monitor duty.
"Indeed," J'onn droned, his focus going between several of the screens. "They were most hospitable and their technology and culture was impressive. I would like to return at some point to learn more about them."
"Why not just ask Danny about them?" Lantern asked.
"There's a little thing called 'respecting someone's privacy'," Hawkgirl huffed from her seat at a nearby table, polishing her mace and knives. "Maybe the reason Danny never told us about being worshiped by others is because he's too humble to throw it in everyone's faces. Ever think of that, Jordan?"
"Hey, that brings up another topic," Lantern said, suddenly sounding bitter. "Why is it that I'm the only one in the League who's identity is known to everyone else?" It was true; during the Brainiac invasion, Danny Phantom had rather unceremoniously revealed Lantern's secret identity to the others when Hal Jordan had made too much of an ass of himself.
Flash shrugged at his friend. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe it's because you weren't keeping it secret enough?"
Lantern scowled. "Oh, is that so, Mister 'Everyone-I-know-in-Central-City-knows-my-real-name'?" he shot back. Lantern huffed, and sat down at the table next to Hawkgirl. "You know," he announced. "I think everyone should reveal their true identities. As a trust exercise."
"You are not the only one whose identity is known to the rest of the League, Hal," Manhunter said. "Both myself and Wonder Woman also openly share our identities with the rest of you."
"That's because she's an Amazon and your a Martian," Lantern countered. "You guys don't have lives outside the team." When no one said anymore, Lantern sighed. Hawkman then walked into the room and sat down next to Lantern with a tired sigh. He then set his large spiked mace before them on the table with a large thud. Lantern looked with a wide-eyed stare back and forth at the weapon and it's owner, both of which were ominously splattered in blood. Hawkgirl looked unfazed at the sight of her husband's appearance. Flash and J'onn were both sitting at the consoles and not paying attention.
"Uh, Hawkman?" Lantern asked, uncertainly. "You okay?"
"Why?" Hawkman growled.
"You're covered in blood," Lantern said.
"It's not my blood," Hawkman replied simply, shrugging his shoulders.
Lantern's eyes widened, and slowly got up. "Uh, wow! Would you look at the time? I got a... thing," he said, nervously. He quickly left the room, leaving the Hawks to share a smirk.
"You really are mean," Hawkgirl jokingly scolded her husband who shrugged in response.
Hawkman chuckled, softly. "Yeah, well, you know," he said. "The look on his face was worth it."
Under her helmet, Hawkgirl raised an eyebrow. "I think Phantom is rubbing off on you."
Hawkman scowled at the thought. Shayera smirked, slightly. She hadn't seen her husband prank someone in years. He rarely ever did, but sometimes, that spark would come to the surface when he was bored. The last time he had was probably to their fellow Justice Society members, a long time ago... The pair seemed to share the same thought, and looked down sadly.
Later, after Flash and Green Lantern had left, Hawkman and Hawkgirl remained, and were standing in the old meeting room for the JSA. Hawkman was staring darkly at the painting of the Justice Society. "Your going to stare holes through that painting if you don't blink," his wife said, bringing him out of his musings. He huffed before lowering his gaze to the floor.
"Never thought we'd be back here, again," he growled softly.
"I know," Hawkgirl agreed. "I miss them, too. But letting that interfere with our thinking might hurt the new team."
"'Team'", Hawkman sneered. "They barely have their feet wet as a team. Half of them don't take it seriously, and the other half is so stubborn that they won't accept any view other than their own."
"Who does that remind you of, Katar?" Hawkgirl spat back, growing tired of her husband's mood.
"Both of you, please stop this bickering," came a sudden plea, startling them. J'onn stood in the doorway, a sad expression on his stoic face. "I understand you both miss your former team members. Your pain is quite evident."
"We don't need your opinion on this, Martian," Hawkman scowled.
"If you wish, I will go, but please hear me out," Manhunter said. "No one knows more about loss than I. And I also know how much pain that holding on to that loss can cause. Some say that to escape the inner turmoil of one's grief is to allow the open ear of another to listen. My ears are open, if you wish to use them."
The Hawks shared a sad glance. They carried this hurt for so long, as did the other surviving members of the JSA. Hawkman sighed, and turned back to the painting. "You want to know the events of the JSA's final hours? Fine," he growled. As he stared at the painting, those final moments came flooding back...
The moon shone brightly over head in Washington, DC. But it was anything but a pleasant night. The Spirit of Wrath, Eclipso, was once more waging war with his old nemesis, the Spectre. The two were polar opposites of one another, and were nearly equal in power. Only this time, Spectre was not alone in this battle!
The Justice Society of America, the greatest team of heroes in the world, instantly came to Spectre's request for assistance. Mostly because it was... unnerving that the Spectre had actually asked for help. The Spirit of Vengeance was one of the most, if not the most, powerful entities in all the universe. He was only a member of the JSA because he chose to be, and only when it suited him. The sheer fact that he had asked his team for help spoke volumes.
Eclipso had gained a great amount of power from an unknown source. And now, he was attempting to undo the universe itself.
Jay Garrick, aka The Flash, sped around beneath the demon spirit, attempting to distract him. "Hey, Eclipso," he said. "Let's see if all that new-found power can help you against the Crimson Comet! Catch me if you can!" The block around where Eclipso floated was empty; everyone was either already dead or had ran away. But as the fight raged on, the damage began to extend further out.
Eclipso cackled, and raised his hand, which glowed purple. The road melted into lava!
"Yikes, hot!" Flash yelled.
"Don't worry Flash, I've got you," called Alan Scott, the Green Lantern. He used his ring to form a bubble around Flash and pulled him to safety. The two flew to the safety of a nearby building.
Flash grimaced as he sat down, his legs and feet badly burned by the sudden lava. It looked bad. He winced in pain, and took off his silver kettle helmet and wiped his forehead. "Eclpiso is really not playing around like he usually does," he said.
Green Lantern looked over at the battle. His long, billowing cape had numerous holes in it from the fight. "This doesn't look good, Jay," he said nervously. Green Lantern was never nervous, but this different. "Fighting Solomon Grundy, or the Shade is one thing, but Eclpiso has taken it to another level." True, the JSA had tangled with Eclipso, before. But he had never truly rivaled Spectre. Glancing back at his friend, Green Lantern said, "Hang on, Flash. I'll get Dr Midnite."
Dr Fate blasted Eclpiso with a powerful blast of magic. "You may be more powerful than ever before, demon," he said, his voice echoing through the helmet of Nabu. "But you are still bound to the rule God himself bound you to! You cannot kill anyone of equal power, for if you do, you shall cease to exist. Let us see if your new power matches Fate!"
"Fate, you are a fool!" Eclipso shouted, throwing Spectre aside. "You and Lords of Order are useless against me, now! I am beyond fate!"
The two battled back and forth, but Eclipso was clearly the superior. Dr Fate was sent hurling back, and slammed into a wall.
"Didn't see that coming, Fate?" Eclipso howled.
Several blocks away, the Hawks were surveying the area from above. The members of the JSA without special powers, or those who clearly had no chance against Eclpiso were busy keeping people safe from the damage. "Wildcat, Canary, there are still people in that diner!" Hawkman ordered. Wildcat gave a nod, and took off towards the diner with Black Canary in tow.
Hawkgirl swooped nearby her husband. "Dr Midnite just got word from Flash," she said. "Jay's hurt. Even with his healing, he's out of the fight, at least for now."
"Great," Hawkman muttered.
Meanwhile, Mr Terrific and the Star-Spangled Kid were on a roof behind Eclipso. Sandman was beside them. "You know this is crazy, right, Kid?" asked Mr Terrific, nervously.
"We excel in crazy," Star-Spangled Kid replied, a wry grin on under his mask. "Besides, if we can distract Eclipso, even for a moment, Fate and Spectre might have a chance."
"Why do I always get roped in the two of your's little ideas?" Sandman asked, cocking his unique rifle. Sharing one last glance, Kid raised his staff, and Sandman raised his rifle and readied themselves.
"Hey, Eclipso!" called Terrific. "Want some fresh targets?"
Eclipso turned around to face the three, a look of contempt and disgust on his face. Sandman and Star-Spangled Kid fired their weapons, which had no effect on the villain. Eclipso raised his glowing hand to incinerate the three nuisances.
"NO!" roared Spectre. He grabbed Eclipso before his friends were killed. "You will shed no more innocent blood, Eclipso! Even if it destroys me; even if God condems me to Hell, I will end you!"
The two glowed vividly, and Dr Fate gasped in horror. The helmet of Nabu showed him what was coming next. He flew up to the Hawks. "We must get as far away as possible!" he shouted. "Now!" The Hawks had worked with Fate long enough to not question him.
"What about the others?" Hawkgirl asked, as they flew.
Fate gave her a sidelong glance, his eyes filled with sorrow. "There is no time," he whispered, as they reached Wildcat and Black Canary at a safe distance..
Spectre and Eclipso were consumed in a ball of pure, radiant energy that quickly expanded, consuming the surrounding blocks! Sandman, Mr Terrific, Star-Spangled Kid, Dr Midnite, Flash, and Green Lantern all raised their hands to shield themselves as the ball of energy consumed them.
Once the light faded away, Dr Fate, the Hawks, Black Canary and Wildcat returned to the epicenter. The place was in ruins. And their team-mates were no where to be found...
"Good God," Wildcat muttered. "Are they-?"
"Yes," Fate replied, sadly.
Canary buried her face in her hands as she began to cry. Wildcat put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "I- I can't believe it," Hawkgirl whispered.
A weak moan came from underneath the rubble nearby. They then noticed a tattered green cape! "Spectre," called Hawkman. Dr Fate used his powers to pull the rubble away. Underneath lay the weakened form of the Spectre, who moaned.
The remaining JSA members had never seen Spectre so weak, before. "Spectre, if your still here, does that mean the others are somewhere around here, too?" Wildcat asked, as the helped Spectre sit up.
Underneath his green hood, Spectre shook his head. "Forgive me," he growled, sadly.
"After that, the JSA was never the same," Hawkman said, his voice laced with frustration and sadness. "I tried to lead those of us that remained, as best I could. But it wasn't enough. I wasn't enough. We started quarreling with each other, and went our separate ways shortly there after." His wife put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
J'onn stared at the pair, sharing his sadness. He understood their pain. The JSA was their family, and they had lost them. Just as he had lost his own family. "There was nothing you could have done," he said. "And I know the pain you both hold over that loss. Believe me. I know. I also know that your people are warriors by nature, and such pain is a powerful tool for any warrior. But if you do not let that pain go, it will consume you."
Hawkgirl glared at the Martian. "Sometimes, that pain is the only thing that will keep you alive," she sneered.
"True," J'onn said. "But as you continue to face that pain, do not forget that you two are not alone. The other members of the League and myself are not just colleagues; we are also your friends. And that carries with it an even greater power. Hope."
"Well spoke, Martian," came a surprising voice. "Even if the sentiment is naive."
A green mist filled the room, and billowed into a humanoid shape. "Spectre!" Hawkgirl gasped. They hadn't seen the Spirit of Vengeance since the JSA disbanded. Once the team began to quarrel, Spectre became disgusted, and was the first to leave the team.
Hawkman frowned at the ghost. "Why are you here?" he growled. "What great injustice are you here to avenge?"
Spectre cast his gaze over Hawkman, his eyes glowing a deadly acid yellow from underneath his hooded cloak. The Hawks were startled to see Spectre's haze soften. The only reason they noticed it was because of their time with him. His eyes looked almost... sad. "One of my own doing," Spectre answered slowly; his voice like gravel, echoing. "My greatest sin. I'm here to avenge the Justice Society of America."