Hey there, just like to mention that I am working in a comic version of this. The fist pages are up on my tumble Shauds02. I'd appreciate if anyone would tell me whether the markers or pens look better. I can't decide. Any questions about the story to my ao3 account please, where I can awnser them.
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The boy in the blue hoodie flipped over the head of the Red Huntress, tapping her helmet before he ran off in the other direction, laughing all the while. He said something, but the audio wasn't quite good enough to hear just what it was.
Vlad Masters lifted a remote and switched to another recording. He'd decided weeks ago to stop devoting so much time to the younger halfa, but after loosing the ghost he'd been monitoring in the Ghost Zone, it was interesting to find him at the school of the young Miss Gray.
Vlad watched the ghost turn the attack of one of Walkers men around with no overt effort. Even with the advantage of being a surprise attack, that was impressive. This was a ghost who'd almost taken down Skulker using a soup can. A ghost who seemed unable to use abilities that came instinctively to every ghost.
Getting Miss Gray to monitor the boy hadn't taken any of the resources that could have directed elsewhere, but it had borne some interesting fruit.
Vlad flipped off the monitor and decided to set up a little test for the little ghost, see how he behaved in a relaxed environment, and how he reacted when that was knocked out from under him. There were calls to be made.
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Friday at Casper High, the halls were abuzz with students discussing plans for the long weekend, some holiday coming up that commemorated the actions of some guy only history lovers cared about. Fliers for various events exchanged hands and dropped to the ground. In the midst of it all, one frustrated halfa was trying to explain to his ghostly friend why he'd thought copious amounts of soup would have been valued by the other.
"So, my parents say that ghosts are always latch onto something that was important to them in life, and that it becomes their obsession..." Danny was saying.
"I hate clowns." Red chipped in.
"I know that." Danny said. "Anyway, so because you hate clowns, and you looked like you really wanted soup, I figured that was your obsession. You've seen how Box Ghost is with boxes.
" You thought I was Soup Ghost?" Reds face scrunched up it what could have been disgust at the thought. He shook his head, and Danny had the idea that Red was trying to get the picture of himself screaming BEWARE and stealing soup.
Now the picture was in Danny's head too.
"That's not something I want to see." Danny made a cutting motion with his arms. "Ever."
"Yeah, no." Red said. "The clown suit's bad enough."
"Makes me wonder why you'd have it in the first place. Maybe you were in the circus." Danny said.
"I hate the circus." Red shoved his hands into the pockets of his reclaimed red hoodie.
"Doesn't have to have been something weird, you could have been an acrobat." Danny suggested. "You have to admit, it would explain some things."
"I hate acrobats." Red deadpanned. The ghost's posture straightened and he spun around, his head shifting like he was looking for something. "I hafta go check on something." He said and wondered off.
Danny rolled his eyes and began after the ghost, whenever Red got like that something bad seemed to inevitably happen not long after. Best to be safe.
Besides, for all that Red claimed he didn't need to eat the ghost sure got cranky whenever he missed lunch.
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Nightwing swatted off the glowing pink woodchucks who'd attached themselves to his boots when he'd been exploring the forested island below him.
Forests meant plants, some of which must have been edible, they also meant shelter. Jason would have known to go somewhere that had both of those things and wait for help. All Nightwing had found were rabid glowing animals and traps that were presumably set for said animals. Nothing that hinted at the presence of the missing Robin.
The hero touched down on an island and lifted his helmet. Guiltily he began chewing on a protein bar, and took a few sips from a canteen of water. The taste wasn't enough to make him feel any better, neither was the fact that his food supplies were running low.
He'd just begun he process of reactivating the thrusters and moving on - fuel was getting low too - when something on the little island gave him pause. The faintly glowing surface had a dull, reddish-brown splotch near the middle. Before he'd even knelt down to get a closer look he knew what it was. The scanner on his left wrist only confirmed it. Dried blood.
Dried human blood from a person who'd laid completely motionless while they'd bled out, and hadn't been moved until after the blood had already finished drying. It looked old enough, but Nightwing took a sample for DNA analysis just to e sure.
While he waited he searched the surrounding islands for more clues. Two hours later the results were displayed on his small screen, ninety-five percent match, with traces of whatever was in the atmosphere mixed in.
Nightwing's chest swelled with something, something that felt a little like elation and a little like the need to throw up. Jason had been there, on that island, alone, and long enough that he'd woken up in a crusted patch of his own dried blood. Despite the low battery, Nightwing flipped on Jason's tracer, a relieved sigh rushing out of his mouth at the tiny, blinking dot that was Jason's heartbeat. The hero clutched the little monitor to his chest, even as it blinked out, a warning sounded and he knew the tracer would only be usable once more.
The monitor was tucked carefully back into it's compartment on the suits belt, right next to the Tameranian crystal. Proof that, despite the large amount of blood Jason was still alive, at least a moment ago, Robin's heartbeat had been steady and healthy, and now Nightwing had proof that the boy had been in this place. Proof that he was getting closer.
The hero would later have hated himself for zoning out while he drifted aimlessly past rows and rows of floating doors, missing any potential clues, if it hadn't been what brought him in the path of two beings who at least looked like they may have been cops.
"Heard Jonas's squad was interrupted by the halfa." One of them said solemnly. "Only thing keeping them out of the detention box is that they found the boy brought out a new ghost with him."
"How'd one o those slip under his nose t begin with?" The other asked, while Nightwing listened from behind a floating rock.
"That's what's got The Warden so worked up, wants to send a retrieval squad." The first one shrugged. "Hope I'm not on it. The human world's not where I'd choose my post."
"Got that right, how the others go back is... y hear that?" The maybe cop spun around.
Nightwing stopped tapping the rock and came out, a sheepish expression on his face as he raised his hands. "You got me." He smiled. "Don't happen to know how I can meet this warden, do you?"
"Oh you'll meet him." The cops raised their batons. "Humans can't be in the Ghost Zone, it's against the rules."
"And telling you I'll be out soon doesn't help, huh?" Nightwing pulled out his escrima sticks and got ready as the two of them charged at him.
Nightwing ducked under their baton swings, then flew up, hitting both of them behind their heads with his electrified escrima sticks during a flip that ended with his feet securely on the solid ground of a floating rock. He smirked at their surprised expressions.
"Wanna try that again?" He said, twirling his escrima sticks confidently, the settling into a more battle ready pose and making a come hither gesture.
His opponents growled and charged him again. This fist to get reach him got a kick to the torso. "First prize!" Nightwing chirped and continued the momentum to kick the other who - surprisingly -caught the heroes leg. "Impressive." Nightwing hooked his leg around the guys neck and drew him close enough to strike with an escrima stick. "I'm shocked." He knelt down next to the prone figure.
"Well, I guess you are too, huh buddy." He chucked.
"That would be you, boy." Someone said, before Nightwing was treated to a similar voltage of electricity from behind.
The hero groaned and rolled over to study the new attacker. The new guy looked similar enough to be the same thing as the other two.
"Nice hat." Nightwing said, referencing the man's cowboy hat.
"You're breaking the rules." Was the only response as the first two guys flanked their leader.
"Didn't know was a rule." Nightwing slurred.
"No excuses, get him to that darned portal boys." The man left.
"Yes Sir." The others half shouted and lifted tried to lift Nightwing off the ground.
"Nope." Nightwing rolled out of the way He'd flipped to his feet and was charging the leader before the others had a chance to react. He grabbed the man's arm and twisted it behind his back, holding him tightly with an escrima stick at his neck.
"Stand down." The man ordered, but looked more annoyed than afraid.
"Now." Nightwing huffed."I've got a few questions I was hoping you'd answer for me."
"Speak, boy." The man said. "I've got a prison to run."
"Sorry about that, Sir." Nightwing said. "I don't mean any disrespect to this places laws, but I really need to find someone who wandered in here." Never a good idea to be on law enforcement's bad side. "Where would I look if I were trying to find another human, hmm?"
"Real world items are contraband." The Warden said. "That includes humans, they would have been returned to the real world as soon as we caught sight of them."
"How likely is it he's been found by now?" Nightwing asked. "He's been here for almost a year if that helps."
"Then he'd be in the human world, if he's survived that long." The man's eye was twitching in a way that have away his impatience.
"How would you have gotten him there?" Nightwing asked, letting up on his hold.
"The portal my men were ordered to escort you too." The man frowned at Nightwing. "That way." He pointed then gestured for his men to follow him. "Don't let me see your face here again." He flew off with his subordinates.
"Yes Sir." Nightwing said loud enough for The Warden to hear. If he found Jason in the human world, a call to Bruce would get them home no problem. He wouldn't choose going through the creepy illogical green place again anyway.
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Sam got out of the car a block away from the Skulk and Lurk, she scanned the sidewalk before waving them off. He'd said he'd be there before. Maybe he'd meant a block away in some other direction. She shivered, then stepped forward as though this were one of the many time's she walked the whole way alone. She did her best to keep calm, but it was like there was something hiding in every shadow.
One shadow detached from the building, making Sam's heart feel like it was in her throat.
"Hey." Red held up one hand in a sloppy greeting before stuffing it in the pocket of a a black hoodie.
"You nearly gave a heart attack!" She growled, crossing her arms.
"Sorry." He shrugged. "Figured you'd be ticked off if your parents thought you were meeting your emo Gothic boyfriend."
"Do you even wear anything other than oversized hoodies." She asked as they started walking. "I'm no Paulina, but I'd think you'd get one that fits first chance you got."
"They make me unapproachable." Red said with a smirk. "So I don't have to deal with idiots all day." His eyes shifted around. "Not that it works as well as I hoped it would."
"You're in highschool, what did you expect." Sam said. "Going for the mysterious loner look isn't the best way to keep of the radar." They waited for traffic to pass before crossing the street to the Skulk and Lurk.
"Well they look friendly." Red said, studying the goths skulking around the club, he frowned for a second then turned to her with a grin. "Maybe I should go goth."
"Goths don't smile like that." She said.
"I thought goths were all about not conforming." He said distractedly eyeing the darkly painted walls.
"We are." She guided him over to her favorite table.
"Then there's no reason for me to conform to gothic gloominess." Red checked under the table and chair before sitting down. "I'd be so Gothic I wouldn't even conform to Goth.
Sam bit back a snigger. " You'd have to dress in veeerrry bright colours for that, and go around spreading love and peace."
" That's called being a hippie." Red said looking mildly offended. "How long till the show starts?"
"Just a few minutes." She frowned at him frowning at the glasses of water that were set down in front of them. "Why are you so jumpy?"
"There's a creepy... person that's been staring at me since we walked in." Red said, looking resolutely at the stage like he was doing his hardest not to look anywhere else.
"It's just because you're new, you kinda stand out here." She said, scanning the crowd for whoever was staring, there were quite a few.
"The person was making kissy faces." He disappeared a little more into his hoodie.
She let out a soft laugh. "Maybe a girlfriend would help dispel your loner image." She suggested.
"It's not funny." He pouted. "I couldn't even tell if it was a guy or a girl."
Sam forced back her smile and shushed him when the first person made their way onto the stage.
She didn't hear from Red again until it was time to go home, almost laughed at the faces he pulled at some of the poems.
"Your disaffected scowl is great by the way." Sam said, breathing in the cool night air gratefully.
"Yeah, sure." He grumbled, glaring at a girl who waved at him as she walked off.
"It is a girl." Sam said, smirking at his discomfort.
"A girl who read a very disturbing poem while staring at me." He said. He took a breath, then exhaled quickly and spun on his heel to face her. "That was enough gloom and doom for one night. I'll be right back."
Before Sam could call him back he'd disappeared. "I'm starting to think you're lying about not having an invisibility power." She called, only hearing a far away chuckle in response.
A minute later he popped up in front of her, one oversized, brightly coloured lollipop between his teeth and another being waved as it was offered to her.
She took the candy with a small smile. It really was so easy to forget, what with him trying to fit a lollipop in his mouth while talking about some of the poems he'd actually liked, and those that had disturbed him most.
"Can I ask you something serious?" She asked softly, instantly getting his full attention. "And you'll be completely honest?"
"Sure." Red said with a tired little sigh.
"Would you have done it?" She said, looking at anything but him. "And did you really loose the gun."
"No." He said. "I don't remember much, but I think at least one of my parents was like that, and I think that, maybe they didn't come home one day. If I think about it now, it's unlikely those guys really would have hurt you. I guess when I saw the gun I just freaked, didn't even know it was loaded really."
"I'm sorry." She said bringing the lollipop to her mouth. "I don't think you're a bad person, and I don't want to either, you just..."
"I scare you." He scratched his lollipop and frowned when the candy got stuck under his nail. "I know. I'm surprised Tucker isn't just as scared."
"Tucker's like that."Sam said. "You know when I first saw you, I didn't believe you were a ghost."
"Neither did I." Red said. "You ever hear that joke about being late for your own funeral? It feels like that." Sam's house came in to view, the foyer light still on. "Some parts are pretty cool though." He stopped two gates away. "No parents waiting up for me."
"Yeah, lucky you." She rolled her eyes playfully. "Thanks for coming with me tonight."
"Thanks for letting me." He turned to leave, waving at her over his shoulder. "Seeya."
"Red!" She called before he was too far away. "You're too much a dork to scare me."
He faced her without stopping and, while walking backwards mimed being stabbed in the heart before laughing and breaking into a run.
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The two people in brightly coloured jumpsuits were surprisingly calm when Nightwing found them after reluctantly stepping out of the swirly portal. The first thing he did upon seeing their surprised faces was snap a quick picture. A reference of how they looked could have been helpful if they suddenly turned into Clayface or something.
"Er, high there." He waved.
Like he'd flipped a switch they both approached excitedly from their work table.
"He's human Maddie!" The big orange one said with a huge grin.
"I know what the scanners said, but how could he have come out of the Ghost Zone, dear?"
"You're right," The man scratched his chin contemplatively. "The scanners do act up around Danny, there might be more glitches.
Since being human seemed like a big deal here, and in a good way, Nightwing quickly lifted off his helmet, leaving only his domino mask to protect his identity. "Completely human." He said, spreading our his arms.
"Mom, Dad?" A girlish young voice called from atop the flight of stairs off to the side. "I'm hearing a distinct lack of exited yelling from down there."
"It's nothing Jazzypants, we've just got a visitor from the Ghost Zone!" The big man yelled back.
"And how were you in the Ghost Zone?" The blue jumpsuited woman asked, stepping closer to Nightwing.
"What!?" The girl screamed and sprinted down the stairs. "She caught sight of Nightwing, who winked.
"Don't even think about Mister. " The man warned, shoving a finger in the heroes face.
Nightwing shrugged, what could he say, wasn't his fault he had a thing for redheads.
"Ahem." The woman cleared her throat. "You were about to tell us why you were here."
"Right." He fiddled in his belt and pulled out the picture of Jason he'd been using. He smoothed the edges and looked fondly at his little brother leaning sassily against their mentor, who was actually smiling.
"What is that?" The man asked excitedly. "A new ghost weapon? Your portal? Or have you come here for help from the great Jack Fenton?"
"No it's," he reluctantly turned the picture around for them to see. "This is my little brother."
The family bent closer to look at the picture.
"Haven't seen that kid." The man said, " and what's with the freaky costume?"
"Dad." The girl chided softly.
"No, it's okay." Nightwing waved a hand as though batting the comment aside. "He was pretty camera shy, so all I have is this Halloween picture. His name is Robin, but it's possible he called himself something else."
"Why are you looking here?" The girl asked, frowning at the picture.
"He was really lost in the other place." He jerked his thumb at the swirling portal. "One of the guys in there told me he'd have been tossed over here if they found him."
The woman sounded genuinely sorry when she said, "I'm sorry, but we haven't..."
"Wait." The girl pulled his hand, still holding the picture, closer to her face. "He does kind of look familiar." She met Nightwing's hopeful eyes. "I don't forget faces, and I know I must have seen his before." She turned to her parents. "He might have come through when you weren't here and freaked out."
"I suppose Danny and his friends might have seen him." The woman said. "Jazz, would you ming bringing Danny to the living room?" The girl tried to protest, but the woman ignored her and guides Nightwing up the stairs with a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Five minutes later Nightwing was crunching on fudge cookies with a mug of coffee streaming in front of him. He was surprised they hadn't questioned his mask, but the woman hadn't taken off her goggles either, leading him to assume it wasn't a big deal.
"What's this about Mom?" A young male voice groaned from the top of the stairs. "Tucker and I were just about to break the forth gate."
"Not everything is about video games." The woman said. "This young man's brother was sent through out portal." Nightwing waved when the boy's eyes locked on him. "Did you notice anything?"
"This is him." Nightwing held out the picture. "Name's Robin."
"I don't think so." The boy said slowly. "Shouldn't you be asking the police?"
Nightwing sighed sadly. It had been a stretch to think he'd find Jason tucked away safely with this family. "Thank you." He said setting down his mug and standing up. "You've all been very kind."
"I'm really sorry." The boy said, scratching the back of his neck. "I really wish I could help you."
"It's fine." Nightwing gave his best attempt at a smile. "I'd better get going."
"It's dark out, maybe you should stay the night, we have a spare room" The woman offered.
"I appreciate it, but I really need to keep looking, he's a little trouble maker, probably got himself mixed up in something by now." Nightwing said, stepping out the door. "I'd been a horrible big brother of I weren't there to bail him out. Have a good night, and thanks again."
Nightwing took in the night sky before he checked his GPS. No signal, but his tracer was still blinking on the screen.
"Not calling B anytime soon." He muttered and began walking. To find Jason in a world that was likely as big as his own, he'd need to narrow it down before he used Jason's tracer.
First thing he'd need was a place he could stay for however long it would take. For that he'd need a job, easy enough, and it didn't look late enough that everything would be closed. He considered actually going to the police of this world, but the ideas of Jason either going there for help, or being caught by them were both equally laughable.
The hero was so busy planning as he walked, that he didn't think to question the hooded kid that crossed the street to avoid him.
Before all that he'd have to change into some street clothes, he needed people to take him at least somewhat seriously for things to go smoothly.