Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing; this story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.
Chapter 12: Absolute Justice, Part: 1
"What do you mean you're here to avenge the JSA?" Hawkgirl asked.
The Spectre floated ominously before the Hawks and Martian Manhunter. His pale face was shadowed by his tattered green hood, but his glowing eyes had a saddened look to them. It was unsettling to see such a powerful being look uncertain. "It was my greatest sin," he said, his voice echoed. "I was so focused on defeating Eclipso, that I caused their destruction."
His eyes then filled with anger. "But recently, I have made a discovery," he continued. "Even I am not strong enough to rectify this mistake alone. No, to avenge our old team, I need help." He lifted his arm and pointed at them. "Your help. And your new team."
"What discovery have you made?" J'onn asked.
The Spectre cast his gaze upon the Martian. "The members of the Justice Society, once thought lost, are not dead," he said. "I have recently discovered that they still exist."
The revelation all but floored Hawkman and Hawkgirl. They couldn't even speak for several moments. "They- they're still... alive?" Hawkgirl asked, quietly.
"From a certain point of view," came the answer from another dark corner of the room. Everyone turned to see a man in a dark blue trench coat and matching fedora walk out of seemingly nowhere. "Your allies are... trapped, for lack of a better word, in a loop between the fabrics of reality."
"And just who are you?" J'onn asked.
"I am the wanderer of the unbeaten path of time and space," the man said, his voice calm and echoed. "From the apex of creation, to the abyss of damnation, have I traveled. Many call me the Phantom Stranger. I cannot directly interfere, but I can light the way for those who need it."
"You're here to help?" Hawkman assumed.
"As I said, I am not here to interfere," the Stranger answered. "But I can be... proactive in my guidance. I am a hand in the dark. When the danger passes, so will I. But, until then, I will council those of you who face the challenge ahead."
"'Those of us'?" Hawkman asked. "What do you mean by that?"
"Not all of you will be capable of taking part with what comes next," the Stranger replied. "Only those among you with a... shall we say, supernatural affinity can embark on the road that lay ahead."
"And who among us would that be?" J'onn wondered.
"They are being gathered," Spectre said, cryptically.
Danny Fenton was sound asleep in his bed at home in Amity Park. Snoring, he was fully at ease, for once. He was so deep in his dreamland, he hadn't even noticed the bright glowing light briefly fill his room. A large, golden Egyptian Ankh appeared, and a figure wearing a golden helmet that covered his entire head and face stepped through.
The figure gazed at the young boy, sleeping so calmly. He tilted his head, slightly. Dr Fate was unaccustomed to not being noticed, unless he wished it. The figure emitted a faint chuckle. He almost bad for disturbing one so young, but the fates were rarely patient for sentiment. Fate cleared his throat, somewhat loudly, causing Danny to stir. Sitting up in his bed, he cast his groggy gaze around his room. "Huh?" he uttered, sleepily. Then Danny noticed the faintly glowing eyes staring intently at him. "Whoa!" he exclaimed.
"Greetings," Dr Fate said.
Danny flew out of bed, transforming into Danny Phantom in mid air, and flew at the intruder.
The figure once more tilted his helmeted head in amusement, and lifted his glowing hand, grabbing Danny's arm. Fate gasped as the helmet of Nabu showed him the boy's fate. He released Phantom's arm, and Danny fell flat on his face. "What the-?" he stuttered. He looked up at the figure. "Who- who the heck are you?"
"Your fate is utterly blinding," the figure said, surprised. "You are invaluable, Danny Phantom. Be at ease; I am no enemy of yours. I am in need of your assistance."
"Oh, really?" Danny asked, feeling a little ticked off. "You sure have a creepy way of asking for it. Seriously! Nice helmet, by the way."
"Thank you," Dr Fate answered, politely.
"Wait a sec," Danny said, as the last of his grogginess left his mind. " I know you. You're in that painting at the old JSA HQ."
"Indeed," the figure answered. " I am an old ally of your friends, Hawkman and Hawkgirl. I am Dr Fate. And the Justice Society needs your help, Danny Phantom."
"Help with what?" Danny asked.
"Let me show you, my friend," Dr Fate said. With that, he raised his hand, and Danny's vision was filled with a golden glow.
Diana sat peacefully on the shore line, the light of the full moon glimmering brightly across the sea. She had discovered this pleasant little cove a short while ago. It offered her a serene sanctuary to reflect and escape on nights she found sleeping difficult; from the world of man that so often was wrought chaos. But in that chaos, she found hope for mankind. And that was all she needed.
A bright light suddenly appeared behind her, causing her to turn her head in surprise. When the light faded, she saw a man wearing a billowing yellow cape and a golden helmet standing there. Next to the man, sitting on the ground, was Danny Phantom, looking around, confused.
"Danny?" Wonder Woman asked. "How did you find me? And who is this?"
"Uh, hey, Wonder Woman," Phantom said, slowly standing up and rubbing the back of his neck. "This is Dr Fate, and he's an old member of the JSA. Not sure why we're here, though."
"Allow me to explain," Dr Fate said. "The Spectre and I need your help; both of you. It is urgent. The others have gathered at the JSA Brownstone; your team's current head quarters. When we arrive, everything will be answered. Please, we need your help."
"Oh, sure," Danny muttered to himself and folded his arms. "You ask her and say please, but you basically kidnap me..."
When Dr Fate teleported the three of them to their destination, they found that the other members of the Justice League had arrived, after J'onn summoned them. Superman, Batman, Power Girl and Green Lantern were gathered and were speaking with Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
Danny then got a chill up his spine that didn't feel like his normal ghost sense. He looked over to see the Spectre hovering ominously nearby. "Hey, it's you," he said. "You're the guy that wanted to roast Vlad Plasmius!"
It was true; before the JLA had formed, Danny Phantom had encountered a being in a green cloak that radiated power. Spectre wanted to destroy Vlad for his crimes, but Danny convinced him not to. When Danny learned more about the JSA, he discovered that the being he had encountered was indeed the Spectre. The Spirit of Vengeance glared at him, and simply nodded.
A red blur trailing lightning entered the room. The Flash had arrived, fashionably late. Lantern looked pointedly at the speedster. "How is it you're the fastest man alive, and you still manage to be late?" he asked.
Flash shrugged, smirking. "Yeah, I guess the super-tardiness counteracts the super-speed," he offered.
"So," Superman said, drawing everyone's attention. "Spectre, Dr Fate, how do you plan to retrieve your colleagues? And how do Phantom and Wonder Woman fit into this?"
It was Phantom Stranger who answered. "In answer to both your questions," he said. "A brief tear must be created between our world and the dimensional loop where the trapped members of the JSA are. Wonder Woman and Danny Phantom, because of their supernatural origins, are the only ones among you who could survive this mission."
"But why do you even need us?" Danny asked. "He's the Spirit of Vengeance, that's Dr Fate, and you're... something, I assume? You guys are quite the heavy hitters to start with."
"We have no idea what awaits us on the other side," Fate said. "We might need the extra power on our side. She is the daughter of Zeus and Hippolyta, and you willingly walk the line of life and death, Danny Phantom. Perhaps, together, we can survive this, and rescue our friends."
"How could they still be alive after so long?" wondered Hawkgirl. "It was a long time ago. Even if they are still alive, they'll be much older."
"I do not believe so," Phantom Stranger replied. "Where the Justice Society members are trapped, it will be as if no time has past, or so I suspect. They will not have aged. In fact, to them, it may be as if they just arrived. Time will likely have no meaning in such a reality."
Danny snapped his fingers. "Kinda like the Nexus in that one Star Trek movie with Kirk and Picard," he said. When he noticed everyone in the room looking at him oddly, he shrugged. "What? A ghost can't like Sci-Fi?"
Flash grinned; he really needed to introduce Phantom to Cisco back home in Central City.
Phantom Stranger smirked. "Yes, something like that," he said.
Batman frowned deeply. The Dark Knight didn't like the sound of tearing the fabric of reality, no matter how powerful the ones doing it were. "Where do you plan on opening this 'tear' at?" he asked.
The Spectre and Dr Fate had no answer for that, but the Stranger did. "Fear not, detective," he said. "We are going to a place that, hopefully, can handle such an act. The Rock of Eternity."