Chapter Text
When J'onn sent out the telepathic messages to the heroes of the world he had almost missed the young Phantom. After all he had focused mostly on older more experienced heroes.
But when he searched for more than the ones he already sent for, he found the young man with amazing potential who already achieved so so much.
So he sent out the message to him as well.
And when they all were gathered together the battle was happening and he couldn't observe the boy at first. But according to the others when he asked later, the boy had been impressive. J'onn did not regret his choice to call for him.
But he was surprised at how small and thin the boy looked when standing near the other members. The child was barely five feet and he looked so small especially beside the Princess and the Kryptonian who both towered over his small frame.
"Who is this child?" The Green Lantern asked looking at the boy who merely raised an eyebrow at him but didn't seem offended.
"Call me Phantom. I heard a call for help and decided to pop in." Danny said and the group were all eyeing each other warily, most not knowing who the others were or having never spoken to them before. It was a gamble admittedly, but J'onn had to call for the worlds greatest heroes. And that was them.
"Are you a Meta?" Batman asked eyeing the boy with eyes narrowed behind his cowl and Phantom crossed his arms and floated slightly, looking very casual even as J'onn felt his unease.
"Nope." He popped his 'p' and eyed everyone else looking curious but not alarmed. He was very good at hiding it.
"Then what are you?" Flash asked eyeing the boy curiously even as his rather insensitive question causes Hawkgirl and Superman to bristle slightly. J'onn bristled as well at his tone but said nothing as he observed them all.
"Dead." Phantom didn't even bat an eye before responding and there was a tense awkward silence as everyone took a second look at the boy. His pale slightly blue tinted skin, his luminous green eyes, the slightly elongated and pointed ears, his almost glowing freckles and shockingly white hair as he floated casually as though gravity had no sway over him...
He looked remarkably alive even for being dead.
"I'm sorry. Did you just say that you're..." Superman cleared his throat and he looked a bit stricken as he stared at the boy.
"Dead? Yep. Your local ghost boy ready for a fight." Phantom shot them all a two finger salute but J'onn could sense his unease and readiness to bolt.
"I am sorry that you are trapped outside of Elysium. After we learn why we were summoned I shall get you some coins to pay the boatman. Would you prefer them in person or shall I lay them on your grave?" The tall greek woman asked looking genuinely upset and making Phantom blink.
"Oh I don't need coins ma'am. And I don't have a grave. Thank you for the thought though!" Phantom said and the adults around him all recoiled or flinched even if they did not show it.
"You were not given proper burial rites?" The Greek princess asked looking outraged at that information. Phantom just shrugged but was obviously confused as to why she cared.
"Didn't have a body to bury. But enough about me. Who called us all here and why? Cause if I don't give my team a heads-up they will flip and come after me to beat someone's ass." He seemed to have no clue just how heartbreaking and horrifying his comment was. What kind of horrible death did he suffer so as to not have a body to bury?!
Flash opened his mouth to ask but was cut off by Superman's habitual "Language."
The flat unimpressed look the teen gave Superman had Green Lantern snorting behind one hand.
"Kids dead. Let him cuss." Hawkgirl said unruffled by how a few of them flinched or wilted. She hid her own unease and sorrow quite well, masking it as impatience or annoyance.
"He has a point however. We were all called here. What for?" The Greek princess asked and that was when J'onn decided to reveal himself.
"Because I called for all of you."