Ghost Zone

-:-

Two hours had passed since they passed through Clockwork's portal into the Ghost Zone.

It took about thirty minutes for the non-flyers to get used to floating and thirty more minutes before they started towards the Kingdom of Aragon.

It was up until this point that Kid Flash kept quiet.

"Why is everything green?"

The whole of the group sighed internally, and without so much as making a sound, all agreed it was going to be a long trip.

Phantom rolled his green eyes and turned to fly backward so he could face the rest of the Team.

"It's green because of the ectoplasm in the atmosphere."

Miss Martian frowned. "Is that safe?"

The ghost tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean?"

Beast Boy was the one to speak up. "I think she means if it's safe for us- I mean- humans to be breathing this stuff in."

The Halfa shrugged. "It's safe for a certain amount of time, depending if you have food and water. With a decent supply of both, the average human can be in the realms for a few weeks. Without food and water, three days."

"So the average time a human can last without food and water, got it." The speedster added with a roll of his eyes.

Phantom seesawed his hand. "Yes and no."

Superboy furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean? I thought the Ghost Zone was safe for humans?"

The ghost rubbed the back of his neck. "If a human was injured or maybe sick, then the atmosphere would have a more harmful effect on them."

"Like what?" Beast Boy spoke up again.

"It'd just cause their health to decline faster, in simpler terms."

"What? But isn't ectoplasm supposed to, you know, keep you alive in a way?"

"That is true, but it's not meant for the living," Phantom replied as he shook his head.

"What about you? Does ectoplasm affect you differently?" Zatanna asked with a hint of intrigue.

He shook his head with a slight smile. "Nope, my human half is completely immune to it due to my ghost half."

There was a brief silence as new information settled in and a few Team members awed at some of the floating islands and rocks nearby.

"Hey, what happened to the echo in your voice? I can't really hear it," Beast Boy asked.

The half-ghost laughed and shrugged. "Never exactly figured that one out. I think it's because we exist in this plane constantly here, versus when we go out into the Living Realm and we can shift in and out of that plane. So our voices might sound like they echo because, in theory, we're speaking across multiple planes."

Nightwing cleared his throat as he continued the conversation from earlier. "So, how can the atmosphere tell the difference between a human and a ghost, don't you guys have similar anatomy?"

He shook his head. "No, most ghosts are made up completely from ectoplasm and held together by an energy core."

"Oh, I see. And since a human doesn't have ectoplasm-"

"The atmosphere will try to draw from something that isn't there," Phantom finished Zatanna's sentence with a small smile.

"Hmm, interesting..."

"Will the team be alright being at the festival for so long then?" Aqualad worried.

The Halfa gave him a reassuring smile. "The atmosphere around that location is thinner, which is why it's the perfect spot to have the festival."

"Will the ghosts that will be there be okay?" Superboy interjected with a concerned frown.

"Oh yeah, they'll be fine. Ghosts can last in the living realm for a long period of time before fatiguing, just like humans here."

"For how long?"

"Up to a few months, if they feed their obsessions correctly."

"Cool! Wait, then do you ever get like that?" Beast Boy inquired.

"At most I'll feel drained, but that's why we have our own Ghost Portal, so I can access the Ghost Zone to recharge after a while."

"How long does it take for you? For both sides, I mean," Kid Flash questioned.

He hummed in thought for a moment. "My human side can last in here for a few weeks without food. My ghost half can last about three or four months in the living realm without a steady supply of ectoplasm from the Zone."

"Whoa...Hey, how come you haven't told any of this in the past?" the speedster added with a raised eyebrow.

Phantom shrugged and turned back around to fly straight. "It never came up."

The Team looked at each other and went quiet, it was a few minutes after that that a gothic-like castle appeared in the distance.

"Yes finally!"

The half-ghost gestured toward the approaching castle with a nostalgic smile. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Aragon, home of Princess Dorathea."

"Whoa, this is so cool! A real-life medieval castle!"

Miss M sent the other an amused smile. "Beast Boy, we have those back on earth…"

"Yeah, but not with people living in it! Oh, wait-" Beast Boy sent a nervous look toward the half-ghost. "I'm sorry, was that offensive?"

The ghostly teen chuckled, "No, you're good. Not everyone in the Ghost Zone was previously people. But I would advise you to try not to bring up the fact that some are dead, okay? "

The younger hero laughed nervously, his tail mimicking his emotions. "Yeah, sure thing…"

As the team landed by the gates, two guards, dressed in traditional medieval garb, got into fighting positions, their spears pointed at the group.

"Halt! Who goes!?"

Phantom stepped in front of the group and calmly gestured to lower their weapons. "Relax you guys, it's just me."

Both of their eyes widened and they immediately put their spears away.

"Sir Phantom! The princess has been expecting you! Are these- strangers- you're allies?" One of them asked with a nervous glance at the large group.

Ignoring the look, the half-ghost continued. "They are. They're friends of mine and were personally invited by Clockwork, the Master of Time, to attend the festival."

They both shared a look of bewilderment before straightening their postures. They put an arm across each of their chests in salute and slightly bowed. "Our sincerest apologies, Sir Phantom and honored company, please proceed. Princess Dorathea and Lord Frostbite of the Far Frozen are awaiting you in the Throne Room."

Phantom saluted back and offered them a reassuring smile. "There's nothing to apologize for, you guys are just doing your job." He then turned to the rest of the Team. "Come on you guys, let's go."

The Team followed him through the gates and eventually made their way through the small village before making it to the castle entrance, to which the guards also saluted and bowed before opening the doors for them as well.

As soon as they were inside, a familiar blue-skinned female servant named Cassandra greeted them with a curtsy and led them toward the Throne Room.

Most of the Team was in silent awe as they looked around the inside of the castle.

"This place is huge!" Kid Flash gaped.

Phantom smiled, thankful that the speedster was occupied by everything around them, rather than complaining about how "none of it made sense".

"It's like we walked straight into medieval times, this is so cool!" Beast Boy added with stars in his eyes.

Cassandra led them to a large set of doors and stopped before entering. She turned to the group with a small polite smile.

"Right through these doors, Sir Phantom and honored company."

Phantom smiled and bowed his head in return. "Thank you, Miss Cassandra."

The female servant blushed a bright blue before giving a small curtsy and briskly walked away.

"Oooo... Somebody is making moves."

He looked back to see Zatanna smiling teasingly. "Who me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yes, you. Calling people by their names~"

Blushing a light green, he quickly tried to wave her off. "No, I just happen to know most of the people that live in Dora's castle."

"And the village?" She smirked playfully.

He blushed a darker green as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Some, but not as much as the castle grounds…"

"Dude, are you like their idol or something?"

Phantom was genuinely confused by Kid Flash's question. "What makes you say that?"

"Because she totally just got all flustered after you called her by her name dude!"

The girl members of the Team giggled or snickered as they traded knowing glances.

The Halfa's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't thin-"

"GREAT ONE!"

Phantom's vision went white as the wind was knocked out of him. It took him a second to gain his bearings before he realized someone with white fur was hugging him.

"Hi-Frostbite- Can't breath-!" He struggled to say in the white fur.

It seemed to take a moment for the giant Far Frozen yeti to register what the young ghost had said.

The larger ghost gently put him down as he bellowed with laughter. "Oh right! Forgive me! I often forget you have the habit of breathing, even when it is not needed."

The Halfa winced but still managed a smile. "It's alright."

Frostbite hadn't changed a bit since the last time he saw him. His frozen horns atop his head seemed recently polished, along with the pair of icy spikes on his tail (as per usual). His frozen skeletal left arm still seemed to be holding up well with no new cracks or scratches. His large blue cape around his shoulders was held by a golden charm, the band on his bicep and his belt matching.

"Sir Phantom.…"

Phantom turned to see Dora, the Princess of the Kingdom of Aragon who wore a pleasant smile.

She had light green skin, red eyes, and blonde hair that was gathered in a braid. She wore her usual, which consisted of a blue headband, her Amulet of Aragon, and a two-toned light blue dress with long sleeves and a green band around the waist.

The half-ghost smiled back and went to kneel when she kicked his knee, causing him to stand back up. She quickly hugged him with a smug look.

"Hey!" he protested playfully.

"I told you there's no need to bow or kneel. You are my friend Danny, I expect you to treat me as such." She lightly scolded.

He chuckled as he hugged her back. "Of course, Dora."

She took a step back and he saw her smile at the others behind him. "And who are these fine young men and women?"

Phantom smiled and gestured toward the others with a more formal tone. "Dora, Frostbite, please meet the younger members of the Justice League, also known as The Team. They've been the ones providing me with a home for the past year."

"Ah yes, I do remember you mentioning them at the Christmas celebration," Frostbite grinned. "It is a pleasure to meet you all, and we thank you for keeping an eye on him for us."

"Hey!" He retorted with a smirk.

"It's nice to meet you too, your majesty!" Miss M curtsied, the other heroes following suit with either a curtsy or a bow.

"Now, now! There is no need to bow. Any friend of Danny's is a friend of mine," Dora reassured with a wave of her hand.

"Of course, Princess. Please, allow me to introduce the Team," Aqualad offered as he stepped forwards.

After introductions were made, Dora and Frostbite asked for them to follow them to the Dining Hall.

"The trees are finally beginning to bloom, I'm going to guess the gardeners are happy?" Phantom asked as they passed a few windows that showed the courtyard.

Dora's eyes lit up at the mention of her garden. "Ah, so you noticed as well? My people and I are so excited about this year's harvest. We may finally be able to trade multiple things rather than just weapons and fabrics! Even the farmers are ready to get back to work again after all these years! And we owe it all to you and your old companions."

Phantom's ears rang slightly, but he shrugged it off as he let out a nervous laugh, "Now, let's not make such exaggerated claims, your highness. It was you who took back this kingdom, not me or my old friends."

The princess chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, you are ever so modest, Danny. You may believe what you wish, but without your influence, me nor any of the other ghosts would've made it where we are today. Remember that..."

Phantom let out a resigned sigh and let the conversation drop after that, in which both he, the princess, and Frostbite continued on in a comfortable silence.

Meanwhile, the other heroes accompanying him noticed that Phantom was gaining a lot of attention from the majority of the ghosts they passed by. Every ghost, servant or not, would bow or curtsy as they passed by, to which Phantom, Frostbite, and Dora would reply with a nod of recognition or a bow of the head back.

"Ah, we've made it," Dora sighed happily as some posted guards opened the doors to the main Dining Hall.

They followed Dora, Frostbite, and Phantom all the way to the end of the massive dining table. Dora stood by the head chair, Frostbite stood by her left, and the ghost teen stood by her right.

Phantom pulled out the seat for the princess, which earned a teasing look from the said person as she sat down, and a bright proud smile from Frostbite. The ghostly hero then sat closest to her right, while Frostbite sat on her left. The other heroes reluctantly sat in the chairs they stood by as well and remained in a tense silence.

Dora started to chuckle and looked at Phantom, "Now look what you've done, Sir Phantom. You've gone and confused your friends as to how they're supposed to act."

The teen laughed at the princess's words and looked at his friends, "You guys don't need to worry about formalities here, I sometimes do it for my own reasons."

The members all sighed in relief, to which Phantom, Frostbite, and Dora laughed.

They made small talk with the Princess and Frostbite until the food was ready. The servants bowed and said hello to Phantom as they put the plates of food down.

They ate for a little while, talking here and there, and once everyone was done, the real conversation had begun.

The Team seemed like they couldn't help their curiosity as they began asking the two rulers more about their kingdoms and about the people that lived in them.

Seeing the two groups get along did relieve some of the weight off of the Halfa's shoulders. But he was still worried that it could change should things go south during the Festival.

'Focus on the now, Fenton… Worry about that stuff tomorrow…'

After some time of explaining, Aqualad cleared his throat and all eyes were on him.

"Young Atlantean, you may speak freely here. What is on your mind?" Frostbite gently encouraged.

"Before we begin any more- leisure- conversation, perhaps we could ask some questions about the Festival? Just so we are better prepared for tomorrow."

The yeti put his drink down and smiled. "Good idea, Aqualad! Team, if you have questions about the Festival or customs, please ask them now. Better to be slightly prepared than not at all!" he grinned.

The Halfa stayed quiet as he watched as the Team's excitement grew again.

"Does any of this cost money or a certain type of currency?"

"A very good question, Nightwing! There will be a designated section where the food will be free to try and eat. Though they do ask that you eat what you get, as it does use up resources and they'd rather not let those go to waste. Extra or other delicacies will be charged an amount, but it depends on the seller what currency is used, most are very versatile and are willing to work with most Living Realm currency."

"What about clothing or artifacts and stuff like that?"

"It will depend on the seller what currency is used, but again, most are very versatile and willing to work with most."

"Do you have to be a certain age or- species- to join games or activities?"

"Another good question, Kid Flash. Many of the events have advisory guidelines and warnings. They are as humans would say, 'participate at your own risk'."

"Are there any customs or questions we should avoid?"

"Correct, Miss Martian. One that you are probably familiar with, is not to ask another ghost how they may have passed or what their obsession may be. They're invasive questions and don't apply to all that dwell here within the Realms. Also, try not to shake anyone's hand unless they offer theirs first. There are many types of ghosts and sometimes even people from Outer Realms that may see this differently, so it is good to be mindful. Also, be sure not to comment on someone's appearance unless your guides let you know it's customary practice. Some species and people don't appreciate it, while others it's used as a type of introduction-"

"Wait, wait, wait. We're going to have guides?" Kid interjected irritably.

Phantom eyebrows furrowed as he froze mid-drink. 'This is the first I'm hearing about this…'

He made brief eye contact with Dora, who then decided to jump into the conversation, avoiding his gaze. "Only for the first couple of days, just until you all have a better grasp on how things work there."

"No offense, but we're not children. We don't need chaperones," Kid Flash argued as he crossed his arms.

"I'm going to have to agree with Kid on this one…" Artemis voiced.

"Who ordered that anyways?" Beast Boy added.

Frostbite frowned and stated sternly, "The Master of Time, or who you may know as Clockwork. As well as the Heir, and his advisors."

Phantom's eyebrow twitched.

'Oh did he now?' He sarcastically commented internally as he put his drink down.

The room went quiet as glances were exchanged between the Team. While Dora continued to try to avoid the Halfa's gaze and began to fidget with her hands, Frostbite also avoided his gaze with an unreadable expression.

"Wait a minute… you're telling us the Ghost King- heir- prince, whatever- ordered this?"

"Yes, young one and his orders are not to be taken lightly," The yeti warned the speedster.

There was another brief silence as Phantom watched the Team look at each other again.

"Are any of the other guests of the Interdimensional Festival getting guides?"

Frostbite looked at the older shapeshifter with an unreadable expression as he hummed in thought.

"Only if they so wish it… most newcomers prefer it."

'He's not lying, but he's not telling the whole truth either… which means the floating eyeballs might be behind this.'

"Then do we get a choice?"

Phantom attempted to break the tension by offering reassurances to both parties. "…It is only for a couple of days."

The speedster sent a glare his way. "Then how come others can choose but we can't?"

"Kid-" The Halfa warned calmly.

"Come on dude, that's not-!"

"We understand, Lord Frostbite. To provide us with guides is far too generous and we would be honored to accept. We thank you for informing us," Zatanna interjected with a warning glance toward Kid.

Phantom was silently grateful that Zatanna had decided to come along. Her dealings with the supernatural were really going to come in handy in terms of keeping the Team in check, no matter how bitter she may feel about the situation.

The tension in the room slowly started to decline.

The yeti's smile returned. "Please, any friend of the Great One is a friend to me, you may simply call me Frostbite."

"Thank you- Frostbite. Where should we meet our guides tomorrow?" The sorcerer continued.

He nodded his head and chuckled. "The Master of Time will be escorting you to your guides as soon as we arrive tomorrow. Until then, just remain close by and there should be no trouble for you."

"I see. One more question?" Aqualad spoke up.

The large ghost nodded for him to continue.

Phantom watched as the leader of the Team looked around the table and seemed to contemplate something before continuing.

"What's the Heir like?" he asked cautiously.

Frostbite, Princess Dora, and Phantom all went still. The ringing in the Halfa's ears almost felt deafening.

He watched as the yeti rose a curious eyebrow at the Team and shared a glance with Dora and then him. He looked back at the Team with a curious expression.

"Ĉu ili ne scias?" (Do they not know?)

The Team looked at Frostbite with confusion, not knowing a single word he had said, but he remained still as he awaited an answer.

The Halfa sighed in defeat and replied back quietly without looking up. "Horloĝmekanismo diris ne." (Clockwork said not to.)

The yeti hummed in thought and nodded his head.

Frostbite's smile returned and he glanced at the two other ghosts mischievously before looking back at the Team.

"He hates humans."

Dora snapped her head to the yeti, Phantom proceeding to almost choke on his glass of water in the process. Seeing the other's smirk, the female ruler giggled in response.

"Oh yes," she decided to play along. "Oh and has just the meanest glare."

"Agreed! The scariest I've ever seen! Why I bet the previous king's army just ran in fear just by the mere sight of him!"

The Halfa decided to stay silent to see how things would play out.

"Really?" Artemis asked, unconvinced.

"See this is what I was talking about! What if he hates our guts and shoots us at first sight or something?!"

"You're just paranoid," The archer replied, rolling her eyes.

Dora hummed in thought out loud. "Though… I do suppose he is quite handsome."

Frostbite grinned. "Agreed, why not even the last Ghost King could attract so many admirers of such various genders."

Phantom finally relented as he rolled his eyes and laughed, to which the two rulers stopped and laughed as well.

"Wait, you guys were joking?"

Artemis just sent a look of 'seriously' towards Kid while the ghosts continued to laugh.

"Of course, young speedster! Why the Heir is an honest and humble ghost."

"That he is. Dare I say, you young heroes would get along quite well with him," Dora added with a knowing giggle.

"Wait, will we get to meet him?" BB asked excitedly.

Frostbite hummed in thought for a moment as he looked between Dora and Phantom.

The yeti closed his eyes and nodded to himself before turning to the younger shapeshifter with a huge grin.

"You shall meet him in three days' time."

"That's oddly specific. Why three days?" Miss M inquired.

'Yeah, why only three days?' Phantom commented mentally as he crossed his arms and rose an eyebrow at the yeti.

"The Observers, the Heir, and the Master of Time, all agreed that the best day for the Announcement Ceremony would be on the third day of the Festival. That way, the participants can have time to browse, explore the area, and enjoy the festivities."

'Oh yeah, I forgot about that…well at least they didn't change that decision last minute…'

"But what better way to kick it off than with the announcement of the new Ghost King?" Nightwing jumped in.

"Because, Young Justice League, it was the Heir himself who suggested it. He wished for the participants to be able to enjoy themselves first and have time for others who are running late to be able to get to the Festival in time for the ceremony."

The Team seemed perplexed by this, while Phantom was secretly relieved by it.

"He did it… because he wanted them to have fun first?" Beast Boy questioned curiously.

Frostbite smiled gently. "He did it because he didn't want to appear above them. He even requested not to have a ceremony, however, the Observants and the Master of Time could not permit that request, as it is tradition."

"Whoa…"

"You know what, I think I'm already starting to like this guy," Artemis commented.

"Will we be able to meet him personally?" Aqualad inquired politely.

"Yes, you will. In fact, he will be attending the entirety of the Festival of Peace so that he may meet as many people as he can."

"Okay, but why is that so important?"

Phantom felt that was a good time to speak up. "The previous rulers of the Infinite Realms had never attended the entirety of the Festival. They would just show up for a day or two for a couple of hours and then leave. Not only that, but not many actually know who he is, mainly just a handful of rulers and ghosts that are close to the Observants. So you can see why there's so much excitement."

"Indeed! Such a momentous occasion! This will be a Festival of Interdimensional Peace for the ages!"

"We can't wait to be a part of it, though I do believe we should be headed to bed to rest for tomorrow," Aqualad suggested.

"Yes of course! Princess Dora's servants will lead you to your rooms for tonight."

"Thank you for the food, see you tomorrow!"

"Good night!"

"Aren't you coming, Danny?"

Phantom felt Frostbite put a large paw on his shoulder, and sent the other ghost a questioning look.

Dora was the one to answer. "Sir Phantom, Lord Frostbite, and I need to discuss a few things before we rest. He shall join you soon," she reassured with a gentle smile.

A few members looked skeptical.

Phantom waved the looks off and offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me guys, I'll be alright. I'll catch up with you guys later."

"Alright, well just in case we fall asleep, good night," Miss M said with a hint of concern.

He smiled and waved, "Night guys."

The team slowly filtered out of the Dining Hall, and when the last person left, Frostbite turned to him with an uncharacteristic frown.

"There is an urgent matter we need to discuss."

The Halfa had to resist the urge to facepalm.

'So much for not worrying until tomorrow…'


The Team had gathered in the room Dick and Kaldur were sharing.

Conner noticed that each member had already changed into their sleepwear and was idly chattering amongst themselves while they all got ready for bed.

"Does anybody else find it weird that Danny didn't say anything about the Heir?"

The room went still and Conner couldn't help but feel claustrophobic all of a sudden.

"Yeah, I did notice that…" Artemis agreed as she crossed her arms.

Zatanna let out an aggravated sigh. "Guys, knowing Danny, he's probably just keeping his mouth shut about the whole thing so he doesn't get in trouble. He can't just say what's on his mind here since he is technically a ghost."

"Yeah, but why not say anything? Like, defend the heir or something?"

"Because he probably knew they were joking Wally-"

"-OR it could be because the guy isn't exactly that great and Danny didn't want to say anything bad about the guy in front of his ghost friends!"

The whole Team shot looks at Wally.

Conner rolled his eyes and sighed to himself as he leaned against the wall.

'Here comes the conspiracy theories again…'

Multiple sighs and groans were let out from around the room.

"Really?" Artemis asked skeptically, unconvinced by the speedster's argument.

"Guys, I'm serious! Why on earth would the guy want us to be with chaperones if they're saying he's such a great guy?"

"To keep us safe?" Conner offered.

"Or maybe because he doesn't trust humans!"

"We're back to this, again? Really?"

"Every encounter we've had with other ghosts, besides Danny's friends, have not liked humans and even outright insulted us before. Heck, Danny even warned us that most of the ghosts at the Festival aren't going to be happy that we're there! What makes this any different?"

"… you know he kind of does have a point-" Dick commented offhandedly.

"Thank you!"

"-about the chaperones…" The other argued. "If the Heir did trust us enough to have Clockwork invite us, then why set up a guide?"

"Maybe it's a tourist thing, maybe the guy just thought a guide would be the best idea since we don't know the area," Zatanna offered.

"Fair point, but that doesn't change the fact we're only hearing about this now," Dick added.

"Wait, yeah you're right. Danny didn't seem too thrilled about the news either, which means he probably didn't about it. That means that it was probably decided after Clockwork came to see us," Wally thought out loud.

"Or Clockwork didn't think it was important and just didn't share that fact," Conner grumbled.

"Wait a sec," Wally turned to Dick. "Where did you hear that the Heir told Clockwork to invite us?"

"How could you not hear it? It's been the top gossip of the servants around the castle since we got here," Artemis interjected.

"Let us not jump to conclusions. Perhaps, it is merely rumors, since it was Clockwork himself that said he was inviting us. Or have you forgotten the conversation?" Kaldur reminded.

"Actually some of us weren't there for that, mind elaborating a little?"

Zatanna sighed and recalled the incident before continuing. "But let's not also forget Danny's reaction. Danny had seemed worried at the fact that Clockwork had invited us. He even went as far as asking if something was wrong, since, according to Danny, he usually wouldn't invite others unless there was something wrong, or of extreme importance."

"Oh yeah that's right, I totally forgot about that," Artemis admitted.

"AND our ghost boy did not look too excited to find out that the Heir to the Ghost Zone throne was gonna be there. BOOM! Point proven."

"Sorry Wally, but I think there may be something missing from this picture. Some things just aren't lining up…"

"And you're already planning on looking into it?" Superboy raised a knowing eyebrow.

Dick nodded. "Especially after… nevermind. For now, we need to lay low. Blend in and do as you're told. While some of us don't like the idea of a tourist guide, we do still need to respect their wishes. This place isn't under League jurisdiction, so we're on our own."

Some of the Team members gulped.

"Noted.…"