The Soul Defense
Rating: K+
Pairings: DannyxSam, hints of WallyxArtemis and M'gannxSuperboy
Ages: Danny: 14, Danielle: 12, Canon ages for YJ Season One.
Summary: The Young Justice Team find themselves in someplace very far from home. "There's nothing to fear, Richard Grayson, Wallace West, M'gann M'orzz, Kaldur'ahm, Conner Kent, Artemis Crock, Roy Harper. All is as it should be."
Extra Notes: Pre-established reveal that Robin is Dick Grayson to his Team. (His team knows his identity). Somewhere between Performance and Usual Suspects. Post-Phantom Planet.
Earth-320.
It felt like bees were buzzing loudly in his ears and his stomach was clenched tight with nausea. A thin layer of sweat caused his bangs to stick to his forehead.
Then he heard a groan that reverberated around him and sounded familiar. He slowly opened his eyes and then snapped them open when he saw his surroundings. It was a massive tower, filled with ticking clocks, swinging pendulums, and a haunting breeze that blew through the windows. Everything was a mix of stunning but eery greens, purples, blacks, and grey-blues.
Robin glanced behind him and was both surprised and relieved to see his teammates. Superboy and Kaldur had woken up and were both trying to awaken the others and get a good look at where they were.
"Where are we?" Artemis asked and glanced around confusedly.
"No clue," Robin replied as the rest started to wake up. He took note that Zatanna wasn't to be seen and Roy was with them. Perhaps they needed to try and work at remembering what it was they were doing before they could figure out where they were. "Does anyone remember what we were doing?"
Wally huffed as he rubbed his head and clambered to his feet. "I've got nothing."
"Surprising," Artemis snarked with a smirk.
"You're hilarious," Wally muttered.
"Would it be a safe guess that we were on a mission?" M'gann asked and floated upright.
"I was about to offer the same," Kaldur expressed and pulled himself up from a squat next to Roy. Said archer had stood up as well and was carefully looking around the place they were in.
"This isn't normal," Roy muttered.
"You think it's something alien or magical?" M'gann questioned aloud.
"Would you be truly surprised if it were neither?"
Everyone tensed at the unfamiliar voice.
"Show yourself!" Kaldur declared as everyone naturally backed into each other as to not be snuck up on from any angle.
"Very well, but be mindful that I come in peace, young ones."
Before them materialized a strange looking being. He had on a purple garment that covered most of his body and hooded his head. His skin was bluish on his face and forearms, while his eyes were blood red. He wore brown gloves with many watches on them and held a staff which was topped with a clock. A blue tail flowed out of where his feet should've been.
"Who are you?" Robin asked simply.
The being smiled. "Be at ease, Richard Grayson, Wallace West, M'gann M'orzz, Kaldur'ahm, Conner Kent, Artemis Crock, and Roy Harper, you are safe here."
"How do you know our names," Superboy growled, suddenly feeling threatened even more by the strange being confronting them.
"I am Clockwork, Master of all Time. This is my lair. I see all that is, was, will be, could've been, and could be." He floated a bit closer and activated a portal. Robin let out a quiet gasp when he saw himself playing with his parents at the circus. The others on his team relaxed in stunned silence as well at the scene, knowing just how monumental this was. "Your story is a good one. Despite tragedy, you have found purpose."
Robin gave a sharp look at Clockwork. "That's what you say to yourself?" Even Robin himself was a bit surprised by his sudden anger, perhaps it was how indifferent Clockwork seemed to be acting.
Clockwork gazed at him with an unreadable expression. "You are angry. However, did you ever consider all the lives you've changed? Saved? Think a moment of my perspective. I see joy in how many people cause others joy and happiness. Sometimes tragedy begets happiness and redemption. However, I don't expect you to easily accept that. Most mortals have trouble with such a thing."
Robin became silent. Kaldur decided to ask another question and change the subject. "You are not mortal?"
Clockwork shook his head. "No, I am time itself. I just am. Most in this realm view me as a ghost, which is fine seeing as it's not entirely untrue."
Before they could ask more, another voice interrupted. "Hey Clockwork! Cujo visited me and gave me your message!"
The group turned and looked to see a young girl zoom into the room. She had white hair and wore a two piece white and black jumpsuit with a DP symbol emblazoned on her chest. She appeared to be no older than twelve years old. She blinked. "Whoa uh, didn't know you were having company."
Clockwork smiled fondly. "Actually this is the reason I sent for you, Danielle. These young people are from another world. They will be staying for a little while and-"
"Hold on!" Roy barked suddenly. "Who said we're staying? We need to get back home. This isn't some social visit."
Danielle frowned at the red-headed archer. "Wow, what a grouch."
"Danielle…" Clockwork warned. "Be polite."
Danielle hummed in annoyance. "Whatever."
Clockwork looked at Roy. "Understand, Mister Harper, I'm doing this for a reason. You'll just have to take my word for it."
"You're helping them out? Are they in trouble or something?" Danielle asked, obviously more interested in these people now that Clockwork had revealed how connected he was with them being here.
"I cannot answer that, Danielle."
"Oh fine. Now I get why Danny says you're so frustrating at times."
Clockwork only chuckled. "The complexities of time are an enigma indeed." He nodded to the teens. "Danielle will be taking you to an even safer place. You will meet my apprentice soon and he will care for you until time to see you home."
"Aww… Clockwork! I was going to visit Ember and Youngblood!" Danielle expressed. She then pouted slightly. "And please stop calling me Danielle. It's Dani, with an I."
Clockwork nodded. "Very well, Dani with an I, please postpone your social visit with your friends and bring these teens to Daniel."
Dani sighed. "Alright."
"I'll provide you with a portal to the convention center," Clockwork spoke.
"Why the convention center?" Dani asked.
"Well they can fit in there with the other comic fans while they're wearing those costumes. They will need clothes to help them blend in to the civilian population," Clockwork explained.
"Oh, right. I guess you asked me to do this because I'm not as easily recognizable as Danny yet, right?" Dani asked with a smirk.
"You're catching on," Clockwork replied before turning and forming a portal with little effort.
Dani turned to the teens. "Okay, um, names?"
The teens glanced at each other in silent thought before looking back at her.
"Robin," Dick said, thinking that keeping his name as Robin regardless of whether he was in civvies or not, would be best in this world. Robin sounded like a semi-rare, but acceptable name.
"Kaldur."
"Wally."
"Conner."
"Megan."
"Artemis."
"Roy."
Dani nodded. "Alrighty. My name's Dani obviously, so now that that's out of the way, let's get you guys some clothes."
She floated over to the portal and then let a ring of white light wash over her. In a moment, she was a black-haired, blue-eyed girl in a sweatshirt, beanie, jeans, and converse.
Conner's eyes opened in surprise when he heard a heartbeat start to thrum in her chest.
"I'm a half-ghost and this is my human form. It'll be easier if they don't recognize me. If anyone asks, I'm your little sister, Conner." Dani smirked cheekily and then jumped through the glass-like surface of the portal. "Come on!"
The teens all glanced at each other and then towards where Clockwork had been, only to see he'd vanished. Slowly they all walked towards the portal and jumped through, unsure what they'd gotten themselves into.
zz
As soon as they stepped through, they found themselves following Dani down a small hallway and into a main area where a comic book convention was occurring. The first thing they noticed amongst the hundreds of costumes was that many were dressed as a male version of Dani.
"Now you see why I ditched my other form. They're all dressing as my cousin. He became pretty popular not too long ago when he revealed who he was to the world after he'd saved it."
"Is he some kind of hero?" Wally asked.
Dani smiled. "Yeah. He protects people from ghosts and other things, but ghosts are his specialty."
"Ghosts?" Artemis asked, raising a brow.
Dani sighed. "You were just in the Ghost Zone. I mean yeah I understand people have trouble with their mortality, but come on."
"Hey, how do you know it works the same way where we're from?" Artemis snapped back.
Dani huffed and folded her arms. "Maybe not exactly the same, but ghosts are ghosts no matter how solid they become."
Artemis swallowed a bit, thinking of Secret.
"Ghosts might just be an incorrect term," Wally pushed, obviously having a bit harder time than even some of the others.
"Whatever, it's not that important right now," Dani conceded. She turned and then motioned for them to follow.
"Nice costumes, but uh, who are supposed to be?"
"You an archer or something?"
"What's the S for?"
It were these types of comments that caused the idea that they were in a different dimension to really sink in. Eventually they got over to an area that was selling t-shirts and jeans. Dani deadpanned when she saw the jeans paired with a white shirt that had red accents. "Wow, they're even marketing his casual clothing." Dani muttered to herself and then started to help the teens pick out some jeans and t-shirts. Robin ended up with a DP black t-shirt, Conner kept his clothing, Artemis ended up with a comic book character t-shirt that she didn't know, Megan got a t-shirt with a little green ghost on it, Kaldur got an orange turtle neck to help hide his gills, Roy found a minimalist t-shirt of some band called Humpty Dumpty, and Wally decided to be a clown and picked up the white and red t-shirt.
After changing in some restrooms and putting most of their gear, minus their utility belts and personal weapons, in Dani's backpack, they headed out and found themselves on the streets of some medium-sized midwestern city.
"This is Amity Park, most haunted capital in the world, home of Danny Phantom." Dani expressed with a dramatic flare and a little sarcasm, knowing that her cousin didn't much care about the over-excessive amounts of fame he'd received recently.
"Is that supposed to be a joke, the name that is?" Robin asked letting his now unmasked eyes gaze around the city.
"Nope, it was just some kind of ironic coincidence I guess," Dani replied and gave a shrug.
"Whoa," Wally froze and gazed out at a massive statue that rose above a few of the smaller buildings. It was of a young man that held the globe in one hand.
"Yeah, a bit overkill, no?" Dani asked with a smirk. "Danny's embarrassed by it. If you wanna see him turn tomato red, mention that baby."
"The people built it for him?" Conner asked.
"Yeah, after he saved the world by bringing humans and ghosts together to save everyone, they built that in a bunch of major capitals all over the world," Dani explained calmly as they walked.
"He doesn't appear to be much older than you," Kaldur observed.
"He's two years older, fourteen," Dani answered.
"Are there no other adult heroes?" Artemis asked next.
Dani looked over her shoulder and studied them for a bit. "I'm guessing you guys were heroes wherever you're from, right?"
"Yep!" Wally expressed with a grin.
Dani hummed but wore a smile on her face. "Yeah, Danny's kinda the main one. I mean, I help and so does a girl known at the Red Huntress, but Danny's the main player. So I wouldn't say he's the only one, but kinda? There aren't any adult heroes though."
"He's the strongest then, between you two?" Roy asked with a calculating gaze.
Dani laughed. "Duh. I mean, I'm just kinda… a copy anyways."
Conner's gaze snapped to her in an instant. "A copy?"
Dani looked a bit uncomfortable. "I'm only telling you all of this because Clockwork seems to trust you, which is a big incentive. If that hadn't happened then you wouldn't have gotten squat from me…" She paused and then continued. "I'm actually not Danny's cousin or his sister or anything else you'll hear. I'm his clone, a faulty clone. Danny's arch-nemesis tried to clone him so that he would have a half-ghost son, but…"
"He got a girl instead and wasn't satisfied?" Artemis asked with a glare.
Dani snorted. "Nope, he wanted a son, not a daughter. Ironically, out of all of the other clones, I was the only one that didn't melt. Danny saved me from him and now his parents have adopted me as their own. I owe him everything."
Conner stared at Dani for a long time and saw the truly happy smile she gave after mentioning Danny; not her creator but her origin had shown her open love. It put a pit of disappointment in his gut. He felt M'gann's hand slip around his and give it a comforting squeeze.
The group continued to walk before they ended up in front of the strangest house they'd ever seen. The sign that was illuminated in neon green said, FentonWorks.
"And here is casa Fenton. Our parents are professional ghost hunters and spectrologists. Our older sister wants to be a psychologist and Danny's girlfriend and best friend are probably visiting, they knew Danny before he had his accident and helped him before everyone else knew." Dani hopped up the steps and knocked on the door. "Hopefully we can get inside before anyone wonders who you are."
The teens were about to ask a few other questions, but the door swung open and a bazooka was shoved in their face. "GHOST!"
"Dad! Don't aim before you know who's there!"
"Jack…"
A large man in an orange jumpsuit sheepishly lowered his weapon and then spotted his daughter. A thousand watt smile lit up his face. "Ellie-bell! You're home!"
"Dani? I thought she would've come through the portal." The sound of footsteps sounded in the house.
"Who are your friends?" Jack asked as another smaller figure squeezed in beside the man. He was black-haired and blue-eyed and wore the same shirt and jeans they'd seen at the convention center. He blinked in surprise at the people before him.
"Uh, Dani?"
Dani chuckled. "Clockwork has a message for you. Can we all talk inside?"
Danny nodded and then asked his dad to let them in. Before long the Team were facing a small family and two other teens that were obviously the girlfriend and best friend that were visiting. Dani decided to introduce everyone to each other.
After everyone was introduced and Dani had explained what Clockwork's message to Danny was, Maddie hummed. "You poor kids. Don't worry. You're welcome here."
"Of course! I can blather on about ghosts if you're interested," Jack replied.
Jazz merely face-palmed at her father's predictable remark.
"Nice turtle-neck," Tucker commented and gave Kaldur a thumbs up. Kaldur blinked when he noticed Tucker was wearing the same one.
"Must you always be such a glory-hog?" Sam asked with a short growl in her voice.
"Jealous that they haven't come out with your line of clothing yet, Samantha?" Tucker asked in a teasing manner.
Sam only rose a brow. "Nope, I didn't want people copying me like trend sheep."
"Anyways, we'll figure out what Clockwork's up to and get you guys home," Danny expressed with a somewhat shy smile.
"Your hospitality and kindness are very much appreciated, friends," Kaldur expressed.
"Is that a video game console?" Wally blurted out, after noticing the wires and controllers on the floor. Robin grinned at his friend.
"Ah yes, the master of tact strikes again," Artemis mumbled. Her brow rose when she saw a predatory grin come to Sam's face.
"Oh, sure it is. I was just beating Danny and Tucker at a game," Sam explained.
"Ouch, right to the ego," Tucker gasped.
"Were you guys playing Zombie Fighter without me?" Dani whined.
"You were supposed to be visiting your ghost friends, remember?" Danny asked.
"I guess…" Dani hummed.
"I'll go make cookies and start dinner," Maddie expressed the turned to head into the kitchen.
"Oh, can I be of help, Mrs. Fenton?" Megan asked. The older woman smiled.
"Of course and, not to be rude, but what are you again?" Maddie asked innocently.
"A martian, ma'am."
"No way!" Danny suddenly shouted and whirled to look at her. "You're really an alien!?"
"Um, yes?"
"Danny's always been fascinated with space," Dani explained.
"What's living on Mars like?" Danny questioned. He was calmer now, and held a look of pure curiosity on his face. "Is there water or do you not need water like humans do?"
"How about you come into the kitchen with us, Danny? You can help make sure no ectoplasm gets into the food this time," Maddie offered.
Danny smiled at Sam and then walked into the kitchen already talking Megan's ears off.
"I hope Megan is patient with questions," Sam smirked a bit.
"She'll be totally whelmed," Robin expressed as he sat in front of the TV and game system.
"How can you all be so calm about this? We need to get home, not just sit around and do as we're told," Roy suddenly snarled out.
Conner glanced at the archer. "What are we supposed to do? We're stuck until Clockwork sends us back."
Artemis put her hands on her hips. "I think we're aware that we should get home, but unless you learn how to dimension hop, Conner's right, I don't think we have much of a choice."
"Yep," Robin mumbled.
"I must concur, we don't have many options, Roy," Kaldur expressed.
"I guess everyone's probably pretty worried about us…" Wally spoke up somberly.
"They may think we're dead," Robin butted in, casing everyone in the room to fall thoughtfully silent.
"Perhaps, perhaps not. We'll simply do all we can and hopefully get home soon," Kaldur responded.
"I'm sure these mentors of yours are looking for you and Clockwork doesn't do anything without reason," Jazz butted in afterwards. Artemis came over to the couch and sat down beside Wally without comment. Everyone else took to the floor, the couch, or a nearby chair, while Jack said he'd be in the lab.
After several minutes of Sam and Robin beating everyone in Zombie Fighter and then having an epic showdown against each other, they heard Dani hiccup. Sam paused the game immediately and everyone looked over at the girl as blue fog floated out of her mouth.
"Ghost."
"Be careful you two!" Maddie shouted from the kitchen as Danny ran into the room.
"Ready, cuz?" Danny asked as the rings of light flashed into the view and began to transform him. Dani stood up and did the same.
"Always."
Megan peered out of the kitchen with Maddie as the others watched the two Phantoms phase right through the wall.
"Sam, Tucker, take the Fenton Phones and make sure to call us or Valerie if you need extra help," Maddie instructed.
"You got it, Mrs. F," Tucker saluted as Sam snatched some green ear buds and a thermos from a table. Sam then looked at the others, seeing at they were staring at the two and standing up.
"I mean, you can come if you want, but stay away from the fight, okay?" Sam expressed. "I don't know what powers you have or anything but a ghost can overshadow or possess anyone and then use their powers against their friends. Usually it doesn't come to that though, seeing as they are mostly focused on trying to beat the snot out of Danny."
Sam and Tucker then ran out the door and, without much prompting, the other superhero teens followed.
zz
Earth-16.
"Nothing? That doesn't make sense. No trace of them?" An anxious Barry Allen asked and tapped his foot impatiently. Currently, a large number of the members of the Justice League were gathered together at the Watchtower, trying to discern where their protégés had disappeared to. Right before the event that would announce the new members to the Justice League, the Team had gone out on a mission. They had lost communication with them entirely at the point. Zatanna had been not up for a mission at the time, as she was still mourning the loss of her father to the Helmet of Nabu.
Dr. Fate turned his helmeted head and gave the speedster a cold glare. "This type of locator spell only checks for lifeforms on the Earth. I'd have to meditate for several weeks before I could try a spell as far reaching as the next few solar systems over, months for the Milky Way, etcetera. Either they aren't on planet Earth or they aren't alive."
A deathly silence formed over the mentors present, none of them, wanted to consider that a possibility. Batman spoke up, "Can you see if we are experiencing another dimensional shift like we saw before, regarding the separation of children and adults into two different dimensions?"
Dr. Fate was silent for a moment before he turned away. "I suppose it is possible they could've been sent away…" He muttered something quietly before speaking more loudly. "I sensed no great disruption of any sort, but it's possible an isolated portal was used to send them away."
"Away to where, exactly?" Green Arrow asked and put his hands on his hips.
"Could be anywhere to be precise," Fate replied indifferently.
Suddenly, there was a flash of light so fast that only a few people present caught that something had appeared amongst them, before it clattered to the ground. After everyone had pulled themselves out of their battle-ready stances, Fate levitated the object off the ground and closer to his face.
It was a gear shaped medallion that was tied to purple satin. On it were the letters, CW.
"What is it?" Manhunter questioned.
Fate narrowed his eyes. "Someone I didn't think I'd see again so soon."
"So soon? When was the last time you saw him?" Flash asked.
Fate huffed. "Soon in terms of a being like myself, long before any of you were born was the last time I talked with him."
"Who is he that he can appear here without notice and leave?" Batman asked, not liking the intrusion one bit.
Fate stared at the group for a moment before closing his eyes. "No one to concern yourself with. He will return your apprentices when he deems it appropriate."
"Wait, what?" Green Arrow balked. "What kind of an answer is that?" Canary merely folded her arms to show her displeasure.
"That is not an acceptable answer, Dr. Fate," Wonder Woman expressed. Superman also folded his arms. To be honest the kyrptonian was a bit unnerved. He'd seen the flash and the object appear but he never caught a glimpse of whoever had dropped it.
"There is nothing that can be done. Your young proteges are safe. You simply must have patience." Fate then turned and started to float away.
"That's it?" Flash asked and threw up his hands and gave the others incredulous looks.
Batman merely glared after the magician and thought about the medallion. CW could mean anything and if this being was as much of an unknown as Dr. Fate, there was no easy way to research the subject. It seemed they were truly at an impasse for now. It didn't mean they had to like it though.
zz
Earth-320.
"You're pushing it Clockwork! You're interfering in dangerous ways!"
"Now now, how can you know what kind of gambles I am or am not making if you can't see the whole board."
"Silence! You work for us!" One of the Observants pointed at a portal that showed Danny sitting with the visitors from another world. "First you spare that wretched boy, then you interfere with the destinies of these people! You cannot simply pick and choose when to interfere when you feel like it!"
Clockwork gave a dark piercing look at the Observants. "I don't work for you. I compromise because anyone, including myself, needs to be challenged by the differing views of others. Secondly, you asked me to interfere in Daniel's case. The end result was the same. The Dark Phantom is no longer a threat."
"False! Some paradoxical form of the boy trapped in the thermos is not good enough! The threat must be dealt with at the source!" The one eyed creature jabbed a bony finger in the direction of Danny's visage once again.
"Without Daniel, there would've been no hope for the human and ghost realms. They would've eventually destroyed each other. How long it would take and in what manner, varies greatly per timeline. Regardless, it is only one of many reasons I helped Daniel and his loved ones. As for the other heroes, I have my reasons as well. However, I don't expect you to understand. You never seem to."
The Observants seemed to fume. "This isn't over."
"Are you certain? After all, time is irrelevant. It might truly be over and you just don't realize it yet." They rushed out in a flurry of indignation, obvious on even their one-eyed faces. Once quiet had returned to the tower, Clockwork bowed his head in thought. "A world full of heroes and a world whose true sole defense against destruction is the empowered soul of one boy…" He lifted his head to look over his viewing screens as well as the clock faces that surrounded him. "Only time will tell how deeply they will affect each other. Perhaps symbiosis is truly the only answer."
So I kinda had the idea to write a drabble story where the YJ Team ends up in Danny's world for a change. I'm not sure if anyone else has done this before. Anywho, Clockwork is playing his complicated games again.
Oh and I hope the title makes sense. I tried to give a clue in one of the last sentences in the oneshot. (Bigger Hint: It's a play on the words Soul and Sole)
If you want an idea of what I'm working on, when I'm working on it, and how far along I am with chapters, check my profile.
Until next time,
~NoSignal
