Danny was sitting in class, taking notes on the lesson for Algebra, when his communicator from the League started to buzz in his back pocket. He has never felt so happy over the fact that Batman seemed to have thought of everything, including being able to put the communicator on silent.
Danny really couldn't miss anymore school than he already has. The League should be fine without him anyway he's only just a kid after all-.
His communicator buzzed insistently in his pocket.
He's got to answer this! Now!
"Can I go to the bathroom!?", Danny raised his hand insistently.
His teacher only sighed.
"Fine, but be quick Mr. Fenton."
Danny practically sprinted from his seat and out the door before she could barely finish her sentence. Causing her to stare at the closed door he just ran through with wide eyes.
"Must've really had to go.", she commented before turning back to the whiteboard in order to continue the lesson.
Far in the back the school's goth and geek shared an unreadable look, one that undoubtably meant no good. But only one saw that, Danny's seatmate and only friend in Amity Park as well as partner to his alter-ego, Valerie. She stared at the duo suspiciously.
Valerie knew in that she needed to keep them busy and away from Danny as much as possible. Already mentally planning ways to prank them and make their lives miserable.
Hey, she didn't say anything about being nice about it.
Danny sprinted to the bathroom, quickly changed into Phantom, before taking out his communicator.
"This better be important.", Danny hissed quietly.
"Earth may be under another Invasion.", Martian Manhunter stated bluntly.
"Again?", Danny raised a brow, "Didn't we just stop one a little under a month ago?"
"Flash, Hawkgirl, and I are the only ones who are going as of yet. Will you be joining us?"
Danny groaned, "Put your trackers on, I'm on my way, just have to tie up some loose ends over here first."
"Understood."
With that he hung up with a tired Phantom groaning on the bathroom floor.
"I can never get a break.", Danny sighs, "Bye Bye Astronaut."
…...
It took Danny longer than he would have liked to admit to get set everything up for his parents to think he was sick and take him from school, but healthy enough that he could be left alone for the rest of the day.
Not to mention the others were farther from Amity Park than Danny would've liked. He just prays to whatever deity that is watching over him, won't let his parents check on him or break down the door when they find it locked, only they wouldn't find Danny in his room.
You know, maybe Danny should consider doing online classes, it would be easier for him to finish school without such low grades. Maybe he could convince his parents he just learns better by himself.
Danny made a mental note to come back to that thought later.
Now, Danny is floating done to see three giant weird looking men wielding bo-staffs.
He landed next to a groaning Flash, Hawkgirl exiting from a diner with broken windows.
"Who's your new friends?", Danny asked.
"Don't know, they came from space, looking for Green Lantern, they're unfriendly.", Flash answered.
"Good to know."
Danny sped forward, Hawkgirl flying in front of him, speeding towards the unknown men.
Hawk girl got there first, raising her mace high above her for a downward strike, only for the head guy to thrust his staff backwards without looking, the end of the staff sparking, electrocuting Hawkgirl and throwing her on top of the hood of a car, creating a massive dent.
Danny used his intangibility and went through them, turning to go for an ectoblast, only for the same guy to swing down with his staff, slamming Danny down on to the concrete, cracks appearing were he hit, and when he bounced up, the giant man thrust his staff forward, the end sparking, and Danny screamed as he was electrocuted and thrusted away, crashing into the side of the bus, screams came from inside as the vehicle tilted back, threatening to fall on its side, only to crash back, remaining right side up.
With a groan, Danny collapsed onto the pavement, making no move to get back up.
Electricity has always been a little sore for the ghost, both in a pain and, maybe even, fear. Let's just say, Danny wasn't always afraid of lightning storms.
Danny could hear more fighting, and with painful effort, Danny got up to see Superman finished fighting the three men. He glanced to the side to see Hawkgirl was fine as well.
Flash speed up to the Man of Steel's side.
"Thought you were busy with that Earthquake?", Flash said smugly.
"It was just a 4.0.", Superman replied, "You mind telling me what's going on here?"
"Wish I cou-!"
But screamed as the two were hit and thrown back by an electric blast from one of the previously fallen men.
The giant charged up his weapon for another hit, Danny was about to fly forward to try and stop it from hitting Superman and Flash, but Martian Manhunter beat him to it.
Flying high above the man before landing on him, straight legged, in high speed. Crushing both the man and car, flipping forward just before the car exploded.
Thinking the battle to be done, Martian Manhunter walked towards his friends, unaware that behind him the giant wasn't down. He was back on his feet, lifting the crushed flaming car above his head.
"J'onn!", shouts Flash.
Flash, using his super speed, pushed J'onn out of the way before he could get hit, as the car continued forward, having missed it's intended target, Superman flew forward and caught the car, causing a big explosion, but Danny managed to use a ghost shield in time to protect any civilians from getting hurt.
The heroes stood together in front of the flames, facing down the trio of giant weird meta, probably, men.
The two that still had their staffs pointed them at the group, Superman's eyes glowed red, while Danny's hands and eyes glowed a bright toxic green, as the four of them all shot their respective blasts/lasers, only for a wall of green to block and protect both sides.
"Stop!", shouted a familiar voice, green light coming from the thick smoke from the explosion.
Green Lantern flew forward, withdrawing the wall just as he landed between the two groups, then he joined the rest of the team.
"Better late than never.", Flash stated cheekily.
"Speak for yourself.", groaned Danny, rubbing his sore shoulder, he's pretty sure he dislocated it when he either he hit the concrete or the bus.
Who knows anymore these days.
Danny mentally groaned. He'll have to ask someone to put the joint back in its socket soon at some point.
Green Lantern then approached the men, making no move to attack, much to the other's shock.
"You are the Green Lantern known as John Stewart?", one of the giant metal men asked, his voice robotic.
"I am.", Green Lantern confirmed.
"Your ring.", the metal man demanded holding out an expecting hand.
And, much to Danny's shock and confusion, Green Lantern complied. Dropping the ring in the metal man's awaiting palm.
"John!", Superman gasped.
"What are you doing!?", exclaimed Flash.
"What's going on?", Danny asked worriedly.
"Stay out of this.", Green Lantern order them before turning back to the metal men.
"You will come with us.", the metal man ordered as the other grabbed one of Green Lantern's arms and held them in front of him.
Placing shackles on his forearms. Then with a golden beam of light, they were gone, the golden beam shooting straight towards the shy and out of sight in a blink of an eye.
"What just happened?", Danny breathed out nervously.
…...
The group all gathered back at the watchtower, tending to their injuries and on figuring out what happened and where Green Lantern was taken.
Danny groaned as he clutched his shoulder. His enhanced healing took care of the rest of him, but until he gets it set back in place, it won't heal any time soon.
He looked behind him to see J'onn concentrating out the window, eyes glowing brightly, as he searches for Green Lantern.
The halfa looked up to the sound of footsteps approaching him.
"You alright?", Hawkgirl asked with a tilt of her head.
Danny groaned again, "Not really, I dislocated my shoulder when I crashed into that bus. It won't heal until I get it set back into place."
Hawkgirl knelt beside him, placing a firm grip on between his shoulder and neck, and gripping tightly to his arm.
"Allow me."
Danny nodded his consent, prepping himself for the pain that will most likely shoot out his arm, he dislocated it before, doesn't make it any less fun.
"On three.", Hawkgirl told him, "One..."
She pulled hard and with a shout, his arm was back in place. It will definitely be sore. But he can work through that, and by tomorrow, it'll be like nothing happened.
Danny chuckled breathlessly as he rolled his shoulder, stretching out the soreness.
"You definitely know how to warn a guy.", Danny commented lightly, "You didn't even finish counting to three."
Hawkgirl smirked as she held out her hand and helped him up.
"I find it better when you least expect it.", Hawkgirl replied, her eyes twinkling with hidden mirth.
"I sense great turmoil, a heavy heart.", J'onn announced, turning from the window just as Hawkgirl and Danny rejoined Superman and Flash.
"I could've told you that.", Flash said sarcastically.
"He's looking at stars.", J'onn informed.
"But which stars?", Superman asked.
"Space is so big.", Danny breathed to himself in awe.
Totally floored by the idea that stars looked different from different planets, it'd be amazing to see. Causing Danny to momentarily forget about his shoulder and Green Lantern before shaking his head in reminder.
Got to focus on teammates first, then fanboy about space later.
Superman flew to a panel and pressed certain buttons, then a hologram appeared. Martian Manhunter flew to the pad, followed closely by Hawkgirl, Danny, and along with Flash who sped forward.
"There.", Martian Manhunter pointed to a specific spot on the map.
A name that Danny couldn't read appeared in red.
"That's where he is.", J'onn declared.
…...
The group all gathered inside the jet and shot out into space where Green Lantern was taken. Danny practically plastered himself to the window, not moving a single inch throughout the whole trip.
Flash chuckled at the sight, "Geez kid, your glued to the window, mind sharing what's so neat out there that you refuse to move from that spot?"
Danny chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as he pried himself from the window.
"Just space itself.", Danny answered sheepishly, "I always wanted to be an astronaut when I was little. You have no idea what a dream come true it is traveling through space like this."
Hawkgirl and Flash shared a pitying look, but said nothing else. Superman was the one to step forward.
"Don't get too distracted, we still need you.", Superman said with a smile aimed in Danny's direction.
Danny nodded with a smile, "Don't worry, I keep my head in the game when it counts."
A while later, the ship arrived to its intended destination, it just started entering the planet's atmosphere when Hawkgirl cut through the silence.
"Why would he give them his ring?", Hawkgirl asked confusedly, "It still doesn't make any sense."
"John's a strange one, that's for sure.", Superman agreed.
"I'm beginning to think all you humans are.", Hawkgirl said.
Superman gave her a small look.
"Sorry.", she said quickly.
"It's alright.", Superman said, "I take it as a compliment."
The two smiled.
"Initiating landing procedure-!"
Suddenly there was a red beam of light causing the ship to shake. Up ahead flying straight towards them are four alien ships. All of them fired twice at the jet before flying past them.
The ship shook and there was a loud beeping coming from the controls.
"They're not responding!", Flash shouts, having trying to achieve communication, "They're not answering to our signal!"
The three ships flew past, visible at their front.
"It's clear what they want, I say we give it to them.", Hawkgirl declared, going for the ship's weapons system.
But Superman grabbed her wrist, stopping her.
"No.", he ordered, "We're not here to start a war."
He released her and with a scowl she rubbed her sore wrist. Superman must've grabbed her harder than he intended.
"Flash, grab the controls.", Superman ordered as he, Hawkgirl, Martian Manhunter, and Danny got up to leave.
The adults went to the back, while Danny just went intangible and flew through the front.
All four of them flew to one ship to take care of. Danny's legs merged into a ghost tail, and he flew in front of his ship, leading it away from the others. Suddenly, Danny turned invisible, the ship jerked, the only sign of the crew's confusion. Danny reappeared behind the ship, and with bright toxic green glowing hands, and he fired two ectoblasts at the engines, causing the ship to lose its altitude and slowly glide down to the planet. The ship should be able to land safely. It just wouldn't be able to fly until repairs are taken care of.
Danny heard a big explosion and saw the ship that Hawkgirl went after crashing down to the planet.
"Hawkgirl!", Superman shouted, flying after the ship.
"What?", she said defensively.
Danny flew after the ship, his tail allowing him to past Superman. Danny turned intangible and flew inside the ship, moments later, he flew out of the ship, slowly flying towards the ground with three big aliens in his grip.
Superman raced past Danny and caught the ship, putting out the back with his super breath. Danny gently dropped the three aliens who stared at Superman in shock then looked to Danny, mostly eyeing his tail.
"That was a close one.", Danny commented light-heartedly.
Superman shook his head and the two looked up to see the League's jet flying just under out of control.
"Does Flash know how to fly the plane?", Danny asked Superman, who frowned.
The two flew off after the plane, finding it landed and surrounded by aliens with guns. Superman landed with a thud in the middle of the group, throwing them around the platform. Danny just stayed on the outskirts of the circle, knocking two alien's heads together, causing the two to crumble, and then freezing another's gun before throwing a hard punch, effectively knocking him out.
Danny turned to see that Superman handled the several more men just fine by himself. Hawkgirl flew in, knocking down three more, Martian Manhunter easily took out another three, using his density shifting to dodge the lasers.
The gang plank lowered, with Flash walking down it as it did so. Once he joined the group, they all walked away, Danny floated, keeping the tail, despite being in awe of the planet, he wanted to make sure he can have a quick getaway if needed.
"I had everything under control! Honest!", Flash protested defensively.
"Green Lantern is close by.", J'onn informed, "That way."
With Martian Manhunter holding Flash the group flew to where they needed to go.
Danny flew in first, using his intangibility to get through the thick glass. His eyes flickered to the screen with three giant heads and the alien floating on a platform in front of Green Lantern, but he ignored him, opting to wave at his friend instead.
"Hey Greenie!", Danny greeted cheerfully.
Then, the very thick glass melted behind him thanks to Superman's heat vision, and the rest of the League that came flew through the hole he made landing on the ground. Danny floated next to them, still a little paranoid and kept his tail.
"Order. We will have order!", shouts an alien on a platform.
"What is this, some kind of trial?", Flash asked.
"Apparently.", Superman answered.
"Remove the intruders, immediately!", the alien on the platform ordered.
Two orange lizard like aliens in dark blue jump suits rushed to two separate circular floating platforms gliding towards the heroes. Only to run into Superman's outstretched arms and be thrown back.
The giant metal men from earlier stepped forward, about to take on the Justice League members.
"Wait!", shouts Superman, "We are sorry for interrupting these proceedings, but John Stewart is our friend."
There was a pause before the head on the right with a female sounding voice spoke up.
"This is a public trial.", she pointed out.
"Very well.", the head on the left agreed, "You may take seats in the gallery."
"But this tribunal will not except anymore outbursts.", the head in the middle decreed.
"Thank you, your honor.", Superman thanked before he and the others turned to take their seats.
Danny's tail turned into two legs as he landed on the platform, still floating, more comfortable that way, as the platform raised them up to the gallery.
"I don't like this.", Danny whispered so only his teammates would hear.
No one said anything in return.
They all took their seats, Danny sat in between Superman and Hawkgirl, fidgeting with his hands nervously in his lap.
"Are you ready to call your first witness?", the middle head asked.
"I am my Lord.", the alien on the platform stated, "I call Kanjar-Ro."
Out walked out a pinked skinned, thin, hunched over alien, with a dark visor over his eyes, and a blue and silver outfit. Kanjar-Ro honestly reminded Danny of some sort of weird humanoid naked mole rat-shark hybrid.
"Kenjar-Ro, do you agree to let us probe and display any and all memories that you have?", asked one of the aliens that tried to apprehend the heroes earlier.
"I have nothing to hide.", Kanjar-Ro answered simply.
He stepped on a platform that lifted him in front of Prosecutor Alien's platform.
"State your name and profession.", the Prosecutor Alien ordered.
"Kanjar-Ro. I'm... a pirate.", the alien answered, lifting up his visor to reveal orange bug-like eyes.
Danny couldn't help but think of the ghost of Captain Youngblood. It's been a while since he saw the young pirate ghost, hoped the kid was doing well.
"A criminal?", the Prosecutor milked, "Yet you come here to bear witness to another crime. Why?"
"I may steal things, but it's nothing compared to what he did.", Kanjar-Ro stated, pointing to Green Lantern.
Danny, for the first time, wondered what on Earth Green Lantern was standing on trial for. He looked to his left and right, meeting his team's eyes. It's apparent they were wondering the same thing.
The Prosecutor pressed a button on the control panel in front of him, a column of white light, almost like a spot light, shined over the pirate alien.
"Tell us about your encounter with John Stewart.", The Prosecutor ordered.
"It all started with these blasters I... found.", Kanjar-Ro began.
More like steal, Danny thought but listened closely to the prate's story.
"I was on my way to sell them to some Rebels in Adjoris-4. That's when he showed up." Kajar-Ro said, "I figured he was going to try and stop me, so I shot first. His ring tore out my engine.
He still wasn't done with me, he wanted to know if I was working with anyone. I told him to turn around and see for himself. He tried to shoot my friends, but his beam bounced off their deflector shield and towards Adjouris-4.
Then it hit a volcanic line, starting a devastating chain reaction. 3 billion, that's how many that were on that planet."
Danny stared in shock, of course, obviously, it was an accident. But even though it wasn't intentional, 3 billion still remain dead. Accident or not, Green Lantern destroyed an entire planet.
"I have no more questions.", the Prosecutor stated with finality.
"This account is most disturbing.", the head in the middle, the obvious leader, stated, "We will recess. Twenty parasitizes."
The faces faded from the screen, the platform's lowered, and Danny followed Hawkgirl out of the pews as everyone left.
Flash sped ahead of the group as they went to meet Green Lantern, Danny floated in the back, unsure on what to say or do for the man's situation.
"Now I get it.", Flash said, "You wanted to clear your name. That's why you didn't want put up a fight back on Earth."
Danny wasn't so sure of that.
"I told you to stay out of this.", Green Lantern hissed.
"That scum's an obvious liar.", Hawkgirl said, holding up her mace threatenly, "Give me five minutes alone with him, I'll get the truth."
She hit the handle to her open palm, body tensed and at the ready.
"Hawkgirl. Flash. All of you. Listen to me.", Green Lantern said, almost desperately, "Nobody's lying. Do you see that."
Green Lantern looked up to the asteroids pointedly. Danny did as told and followed his gaze.
"I did it.", Green lantern said firmly, "I'm guilty."
"But it sounded like an accident.", Danny said hesitantly, his voice sounded small as he hunched in on himself, "You didn't mean to kill all those people. It was just an accident, right? So why are you being arrested?"
"Accident or not kid, I still did it. I'm still responsible for all those lives lost.", Green Lantern said, only confirming Danny's thoughts, "I destroyed a planet in my carelessness. I. Am. Guilty."