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Robin leapt down the side of the ridge, just outside of the destroyed city of Amity Park. The Team had been sent to find out what had happened. The League had been called during whatever had happened, but they’d gotten there far too late to do anything. When they did get there and get the chance to find out what happened, they'd been called on another mission.
So here the Team was, three days later, investigating the destruction of Amity Park, desperately searching for some clue as to what had happened and why they'd found so many dead or hurt or just altogether not there.
Robin had caught an out of place temperature signature somewhere around here. It was a small blip, but it was far too cold to have been natural, so he figured he should check it out.
He walked around, checking his programs every few minutes to see if anything changed when he lost his footing and the ground collapsed under him.
It was dark and kind of cold, but his eyes adjusted. He looked around, finding some sort of tunnel. He looked up and found the place where he had fallen from was far too neat to not have been there before he fell. He assumed it’d been covered up with something or other to look like just another part of the forest floor.
He checked his readings again and found whatever the cold thing was, it was down this tunnel. So he turned on his flashlight and made his way further in.
I may have found something. Will need to investigate further. I do not currently need back up.
Voices of acknowledgement came through the mind link and he continued on.
Soon, the midday light behind him faded and a cave opened up in front of him. The cold thing was inside. He hesitated for a moment before scanning the cave. Once he found that it was stable and not likely to collapse around him at any moment, he entered.
The walls were smooth stone and the ground was the same. In one corner there was a small pond that seemed to have its own tunnels under it. Robin wasn't particularly interested in those though. In the walls, there were small chiseled indents with lamps placed inside of them, but the lights inside weren't on. There was a space with a blanket laid out on the ground with pillows at the edges. Battery powered fairy lights were taped to the walls, though once again, not on.
But the most interesting thing about the cave was the items sitting in the middle of the place. One was a small projector, facing a blank wall. One was a camera hooked up to the projector with a note on it. And one was a thermos. It'd clearly been silver at one point, but years of wear had dulled the shine.
Robin walked over and sat to read the note.
1-12-20
Dear whoever finds this,
I am a citizen of Amity Park. We're in danger and I sincerely doubt that even with any superhero’s help we will be able to pull through. If you're reading this, it means I’m right. If you've come to help us and value your life, turn away now. There is no point in risking others when we will be the only place harmed.
If you are a wanderer who happened to find this cave and have no interest in our story or what happened to Amity Park, feel free to stay a while. We probably won't be using this place any more.
If you've come to find out what went down, watch these videos. The first few aren't important to the story of Amity Park, but I couldn't bring myself to delete them.
Best wishes, Tucker Foley.
Robin read through the note once more. The somber tone of the note added a depressed note to his curious mood, but he did as the note suggested and turned on the camera. The projector powered to life as well and displayed what was on the camera.
9-14-19 10-6-19 10-31-19 11-6-19 11-17-19 12-25-19 12-31-19 1-8-20
[9-14-19]
Play Video?
Yes/No
[Yes]
Loading…
“It works!” a voice behind the camera says.
Robin put down the camera in favor of looking at the projected scene on the cave wall.
“Of course! Can't let Danny steal my title of best gift giver can I?” a girl says.
A guy, presumably Danny, says, “Wh- hey! I resent that!”
“You aren't denying my title,” she says and flicks his nose.
A light blush spreads across the boy’s face.
“Sam this is the best birthday gift ever!” the guy behind the camera says.
The girl nods smugly and then laughs at herself.
Danny picks a smaller gift up from the pile of them on the table in between the two and offers it to the boy behind the camera. On the tag, the viewer can see that it's labeled “To Tucker, from Danny”.
“It's not as fancy as the camera, but you know. Thoughts counting and whatever,” Danny says, smiling softly.
The camera is set down on the table holding the other gifts. It's then turned to face the boy who was previously holding the camera. He doesn't seem to notice. He undoes the ribbon and pulls the top off of the box and sort of stares at it for a moment before grinning and pulling a necklace from the box. The chain is a plain gold, but the pendant is gorgeous.
It glitters rainbow in the light and seems to be made out of crystal. It's a 3d star with rounded edges and it looks to glow softly as well. He puts it on and looks down at it.
“Now we all match!” Danny says from off screen.
The camera is picked up and turned around to show Danny and Sam showing off their necklaces. Danny's is a rose gold chain with a ringed planet pendant. Sam's has a silver chain with a crescent moon.
Tucker speaks again and you can practically hear him smiling. “I dunno Sam, Danny might have to take your ‘best gift giver’ title this year.”
Sam rolls her eyes and leans back in her chair. “We still have a few more gifts for you, so we’ll have to save it until we’re done.”
“I’m coming for that title Sam,” Danny says.
Sam scoffed. “You can try.”
Tucker laughs and the camera moves again. The screen goes still.
[10-6-19]
Play Video?
Yes/No
[Yes]
“And we're recording!” Tucker says, once again holding the camera. His voice is low, like he's trying not to be heard.
“Okay so, Jazz, Sam, and Elle are doing a horror movie marathon and Tucker bet that I couldn't spook them,” Danny said.
“They're too used to ghosts, you in particular,” Tucker said. “Elle is a ghost!”
“Doesn't mean she can't be scared,” Danny says. He turns invisible and Tucker walks into the living room doorway where all the lights are shut off. Nobody seems to give any indication of noticing him, too engaged by the movie.
One of them, a girl with long red hair, shivers and moves closer to Sam, but the audio the viewer can hear of the movie shows no indication of being particularly scary. The temperature must have dropped.
A very faint tapping sound is heard. The third girl, with long black hair and blue eyes that seem to glow, turns her head to find the source of the noise. She rolls her eyes and starts moving around to get more comfortable.
The audio of the movie gets tense and you can see varying degrees of excitement cross the three girls’ faces as the redhead leans back and the other two lean forward.
The redhead shivers again, and this time Sam does the same.
The movie gets quiet as one character delivers news that leaves the other two characters speechless. The crackling noise that follows is enhanced by the sudden silence.
The girl with the glowing eyes looks around and stifles a laugh, but neither of the others seem to notice whatever she does. Frost blooms across the legs of the couch, spreading outwards onto the carpeted floor.
“I’m going to go get a blanket,” the redhead whispers.
“Have fun with that, Jazz,” Sam says.
The redhead, now named Jazz, stands and the frost crunches under her feet.
“That's weird,” she says. “Who turned the AC down so low the carpet started icing over?”
“Probably Danny,” the last girl says and by process of elimination, she's probably the previously mentioned Elle. “Ice core and whatever. Probably doesn't even notice it's this cold.”
Jazz frowns. “I’ll turn up the heat when I pass then.”
She leaves the room and comes back a minute later with a couple blankets. She sits back down and tosses the extra blankets to the other two on the couch. “The heat wasn't turned down at all.”
“Maybe it’s broken,” Sam says.
The movie seems tense. The characters are wandering through a graveyard when-
There's a crash in the room next to them and all three girls flinch. They pause the movie and stand up. Tucker scrambles to hide and opens the pantry door, quickly entering and pointing the camera through a crack he left open.
There are pots and pans all over the floor, though thankfully, nothing glass had fallen and shattered. Although, there are crystalline ice shards scattered on them and it matches the necklaces’ pendants from the last video.
Sam picks one of them up and sighs. “Come on out Danny, this is clearly you.”
All is silent for a moment before there are footsteps from the stairs and Danny’s coming down them.
“What’s me?” he asks.
She shows him the ice shard and gives him a deadpan look. He looks offended.
“I’m not the only ghost who can make ice Sam!” he says and bleps at her.
“You're the only one we wouldn't notice if they entered the house,” Elle says.
“I-” Danny is cut off by a flash of light and a loud snapping sound.
Everyone is caught off guard. Tucker stumbles back and the camera picks up Jazz’s yelp, a sharp hiss from Elle, and what is presumably Sam dropping the piece of ice she was holding.
All is silent.
Danny cracks up laughing and Tucker stumbles out of the pantry. Jazz doesn't look that entertained, Elle looks shocked, and Sam throws a piece of the ice at Danny, who catches it with no effort.
A person appears out of thin air, with white hair and neon green eyes that glow more dramatically than Elle’s. He's laughing too. He floats over to Danny and the two beings become one.
“When did you learn how to duplicate?” Elle asks.
“A couple days ago. Everything’s been quiet and I got bored so I taught myself!” Danny says.
“You two are going to clean this up,” Jazz says, gesturing to the mess of pots and pans and ice.
“Why me?” Tucker asks.
“You’re recording, so you're obviously in on this,” Sam says.
Tucker groans and the camera moves. The screen goes still.
When the video ends, Robin didn't turn the first one on immediately. He documented what he'd found out so far and then contemplated what these new people were. They called themselves ghosts, but Artemis and Zatanna had encountered a ghost before and none of these people looked anything like what they described. Maybe they were different kinds of ghosts?
He typed out his thoughts and then continued on.
[10-31-19]
Play video?
Yes/No
[Yes]
“...And because the veil between worlds is so thin, natural portals pop up all over the place. Ghosts utilize them to cross over into the human realm, sometimes to say goodbye to their loved ones, other times to move into the human realm, and some just want to get out of the Ghost Zone to fulfill their obsession, whatever it may be,” Danny says and then catches sight of the camera. “Are you recording?”
“Of course! I didn't get the whole speech, but I had to get some of it. Maybe it'll be useful later,” Tucker says.
“I doubt it,” Danny scoffs and then leans back. In the background, the TV is playing the news.
“Superman saves the day once more tonight when a villain tried to take advantage of the chaos of Halloween,” the newscaster said.
The moment he heard the word Superman, Danny was focused entirely on the TV. Tucker laughs. “Fanboy.”
“You're right but if you're gonna expose me at least don't record while doing it,” Danny says.
Tucker sets down the camera on the side of the table and it's just enough that both of them are in the shot. “It's not like anyone will see these videos anyway. Besides, you being a fan of any and all of the alien Leaguers hasn't been a secret since second grade, Mr. I-want-to-be-an-astronaut.”
As he says this, he pokes the NASA logo on the chest of the shirt Danny's wearing. Danny goes pink.
“Too bad my grades tanked after the accident,” Danny says.
“Well, everything's been quieter than normal! I think today's been the busiest day you’ve had all month and it was only, what, Skulker, The Box Ghost, and Spectra? And the ghosts enjoying the holiday you’ve talked to about keeping out of trouble?” Tucker asks. “So you could try and start getting your grades up again.”
“Maybe,” though Danny doesn't look convinced.
Tucker grabs Danny's hand and they make eye contact. “At least think about it?”
“Okay,” Danny says.
Then they realize that they're about two movements away from holding hands and let go of each other, though the viewer can tell they're both a little flustered.
“ Breaking news! The ghostly villain couple Johnny 13 and Kitty were spotted outside Casper High, terrorizing the local trick or treaters! ” The news anchor announces.
“That's my cue then,” Danny sighs and stands. A white ring travels over his body, leaving behind the suit seen in the previous video.
Tucker picks up the camera. The video goes still.
Robin blinks and replays the last part of the video a couple more times. So this guy was the local superhero? He ran a search and found several matches.
[Phantom- Wikipedia]
Loading…
Phantom is an entity known to a mid size town in Illinois named Amity Park. His reputation has had some less than stellar blemishes over the past two years, but the majority of the town has decided he is a hero. First making an appearance in July of 2018, he's been around for a little under two years.
[Read More]
Robin spent a while looking through articles on Phantom (nobody ever called him Danny, but Robin wasn't surprised. Secret identities and all) but eventually he circled back to the videos.
[11-6-19]
Play video?
Yes/No
[Yes]
“This forest is so beautiful,” Sam’s voice says. She cannot be seen within the frame, but there are three sets of footsteps.
“I won't say I’m glad you dragged us out here, but it's not the worst thing you’ve ever made me do,” Tucker says.
Danny laughs. “No, it's not. It is really pretty out here. We may have to come more often.”
“I wouldn't mind coming out here and documenting all the local flora and fauna out here every so often with you two,” Sam says.
“Are you asking us out on a date?” Tucker asks playfully.
Sam doesn't answer.
“I mean, you two do make pretty good boyfriend and girlfriend material,” Danny says and it’s mostly a joke but there's a hint of seriousness in there.
“It's not a bad idea,” Tucker agrees.
“I do-” Sam starts before the ground crunches beneath her feet and suddenly she's falling into a hole.
There’s a dull thud of the ground below and a soft hiss. “I’m fine! ...Woah. You two need to come see this!”
Tucker turns to face Danny, who’s already reaching out to him. The viewpoint sinks and for a few moments, everything goes dark. Then, they’re in a tunnel, lighted from the break in the ceiling above. There are plants and vines everywhere. It's kind of dusty, but that only mixes with the light and serves to make the place look like something straight from a movie. Danny gasps and assents of awe come from Sam and Tucker.
“Do you think it leads somewhere?” Sam asks.
“There's only one way to find out, right?” Danny says and a green ball of light appears in his hand, casting a bright glow over the whole tunnel.
They walk for a few minutes, talking the entire time. Eventually, the tunnel opens into a cave.
“This is so cool,” Danny says.
“Bet this would make an awesome hideout,” Sam says.
“We could make it one!” Tucker says.
“It’ll be our first date. Cleaning out and decorating this place,” Danny says.
“Yeah, that sounds great,” Sam says.
“It's a really good idea,” Tucker agrees.
“But until then! We should probably make our way back home. Your parents will be concerned if we don't get back by dinner,” Danny says.
Tucker fumbles with the camera. “Oh shoot, we did lose track of time-”
The video ends.
[11-17-19]
Play video?
Yes/No
[Yes]
“Final trip. I’m ready to take a nap,” Tucker says. The camera is facing him for once. The viewer can see Sam and Danny beside him, though both are partially out of frame.
“Once we finish getting all this stuff to the cave, then you can take a nap,” Danny says.
“And we're almost there anyway. Just a few more minutes,” Sam says.
Tucker sighs dramatically and leans his head on Sam’s shoulder, moving the camera so that they're both in the frame, but Danny's not.
She rolls her eyes but doesn't move him off. He moves himself in a few moments anyway. “So! Tell the camera our plan!”
Danny laughs but speaks anyway and Tucker turns the camera to face him.
“We’ve been going back and forth bringing stuff into our little cave fort and once we bring everything there, we're going to set it all up and then watch a movie or something on the projector.”
“And then we’ll go to sleep,” Tucker yawns.
Sam laughs. “Yeah, that.
Tucker turned the camera back to the original angle.
“If I don't fall asleep during the movie anyway,” Tucker mutters.
Sam shakes her head disapprovingly.
“We're here!” Danny says. The viewpoint sinks and everything goes dark. Instead of all the vines and foliage of the previous video, smooth grey stone is left. The dust, for the most part, had cleared. They walk into the cave once more, the same green glow emanating from Danny's hand and lighting up the place. Tucker sets down the camera and then puts his back beside it, taking out a blanket and some pillows and a couple snacks.
Tucker then picks up the camera and places it in a corner so the viewer can see everything going on in the cave.
In the center lighting everything is a green ball of energy just floating there. Occasionally, there are sparks of blue seen.
Danny goes through and carves holes in the walls with the same green energy and places lamps inside of them, turning them on as he goes.
Sam strings up the fairy lights quickly and then moves onto laying out the blankets and pillows, creating a cozy looking nap nook.
Tucker works out how to connect the projector and the computer they brought with them. It takes some trial and error and at some point, all the projector will show is a stock image of a bee, but he eventually gets it to work like he wants.
When they're done the three collapse into the blankets and breathe a sigh of relief. Tucker sits up and glances at the camera. He stands and walks over to it, panning it over the cave.
The video ends there.
[12-25-19]
Play video?
Yes/No
[Yes]
“It's gift time baby!” Elle’s voice comes from off camera.
The camera is set down on a table. The room is decorated, but not in a Christmas-typical manner. Instead, there are bat decorations hanging from the walls. A cardboard cutout of a bedsheet ghost sits in the corner. There's red, white, and blue streamers hung from the TV. Two pink and white hand fans sit on either side of the couch. Pink, white, and red hearts covered in glitter sit on the table next to the camera. In fact, it seems the only vaguely Christmassy thing is the fireplace video crackling on the TV.
There are five people in the room, if there's nobody who’s out of frame. There’s an assortment of boxes in a pile under a large easter egg, held up by a golden pedestal.
Sam, Tucker, Danny, Jazz, and Elle all gather around the egg and open their gifts. Some are more well received than others (the homework planners were well intended, but with the reactions they got, the viewer could be sure they wouldn't be used) but it goes well.
[12-31-19]
Play video?
Yes/No
[Yes]
“10! 9! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! Happy new year!” a chorus of voices cheered.
Quieter, there were three murmurs of “Happy New Year”. There was a moment before the camera stopped recording, and in that moment, the viewer can hear a whispered “I love you”, though who says it is hard to tell.
[1-8-20]
Play video?
Yes/No
[Yes]
There's a clattering and a pained whine.
“Are you alright?” Sam’s voice asks.
“I’m fine. Nothing broken,” Tucker responds.
Sam hums and the screen goes dark as the camera is put back into a bag.
“.. Do you think he'll be alright?” Tucker asks.
“I’m not sure. With everyone attacking all at once and his parents being out of commission for the time being and Elle being gone and Valerie being his only on-field back up.. It doesn't look good,” Sam answers.
“I wish I could help him,” Tucker says.
“I do too,” Sam responds.
A motor skids to a halt.
“Red? What are you doing here?” Sam asks.
A voice not in any of the previous videos speaks. “I know you know it's me, Sam. Not the point. Danny's hurt pretty bad and I don't have the time to help him.”
A sharp breath is taken. “Where?”
“Get on,” the voice, ‘Red’ says.
There's a rustling and then Red says, “Hold on.”
For a few minutes, the audio is choppy and presumably, there’s a lot of wind rushing by. No one speaks.
Then the wind stops. Two pairs of footsteps hit pavement and the motor starts up again, Red leaving the two.
“Oh Danny..” Sam's voice says.
“I have a first aid kit,” Tucker says. There's a light but not a bright enough one to see what's going on and a rustling of fabric. Then the light disappears again.
Everything is silent for minutes. Then Sam finally breaks the silence.
“He’s in no condition to fight. We can't tell if Elle got our message. I think it's time to call it,” she murmurs.
“And you think he'll let us do that?” Tucker asks incredulously.
“No,” Sam says resolutely. “They’ll stop once he’s gone. That's all they wanted, right? So we'll make it look like he’s gone.”
“But what if they were lying? What if they don't stop?” Tucker asked.
“Then we're screwed,” Sam states.
Silence.
“Do you really think we have a choice?” Sam asks.
“No. No I guess not,” Tucker says.
“Bring him to the cave. Nobody but us knows about it, they won't find him. Then come back, tell them he surrendered or something,” Sam tells him.
“I don't want to leave him alone. What if he gets worse? Or what if he wakes up and tries to come back and fight?” Tucker asks.
Sam takes a breath. “The thermos. It’ll put him in stasis and with him this weak, he won't be able to get out. We’ll come back for him once this is over.”
For a moment, all was quiet. Then the bag shifted around again, the vague light coming back and disappearing once more. A noise. Then the thermos is placed back in the bag.
They stand. There's a moment of quiet.
“I’ll see you soon. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Two sets of footsteps start walking. One gets quieter as time goes on. In a matter of minutes, the footsteps jostle leaves and sticks and suddenly the footsteps are running. The running stops after some more time, the thud of someone dropping onto stone from a rather short distance, and the pit pat of feet in an echoey room.
The camera is removed from the bag, along with the thermos. The projector is still there.
“Oh, it's recording. How long’s it been doing that?” Tucker asked idly, his voice moments away from breaking. He set the camera down and then turned it to face him.
“Um. I guess I should say something in case our plan doesn't work and we don't get to come back for you but you get out anyway. I’m sorry, I guess. It's better for you, safer, if you don't get stuck in the middle of this. Maybe you'll find a way to stop them. I hope you do.”
Tears rolled down his face, but he didn't seem to notice or care. “I’ll see you soon, okay? I love you.”
Tucker reaches for the camera. The video ends.
Robin blinked, the beginnings of tears forming in his eyes as well. Stupid empathy. He takes a blank USB drive from his bag.
USB Connected
Options/Close
[Options]
Upload/Download
[Download]
Processing…
Download complete!
Carefully, Robin put the camera, projector, and USB port in an empty pouch in his belt. He clipped the thermos to his belt and breathed a sigh.
I think I have some key clues to lead us to the answer of what happened to this town. Robin thought.
Good work. We’re done here as well. We’ll reconvene at the bioship in ten minutes. Aqualad’s voice came over the mind link.
And hopefully, whatever this was, they could fix it.