Danny Phantom meets Young Justice

4: Zeal Mast

Danny's POV:

"I need to catch you up on exactly who you're running with and we need to come up with a plan."

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"Kid before we go any further you need to know what kind of trouble you're getting into with me and my past."

I look at him confused. He has trouble after him too? "A-alright but so y-you know I don't e-exactly have the best past either."

Zeal just has a slight grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "Guess we'll trade back stories then. But I'll start so you can rest your voice and gain a little more energy." I nod and lean back against the tree I had been propped up against while I had been passed out. Zeal sat across from me leaning against his own tree while using a stick to scratch at the dirt near his feet. "So I've had trouble after me since I was born. I was actually born to a couple of GIW scientists but my biological mom didn't want me to get caught up in that life so she put me up for adoption. My dad didn't know she was pregnant, she just that she took a brief leave of absence and came back a few months later."

Zeal sighed and ran a hand down his face as he got a faraway look in his eyes. "So after I got put up a couple from Arizona adopted me but they were abusive. They never hit where someone could see and acted perfect in public... But once we were alone they hurt me and my adoptive siblings mentally and physically. Luckily the police caught them when I was about 12 but it took a long time to recover."

"I got put into the system, but that's where the people I consider my parents found me." Zeal got a wistful look on his face."It was Mr. And Mrs. Mast they were a sweet and supportive couple that helped me recover and gave me all the care that they could. I lived with them 'til I went off to college at 23 and moved on to campus. This is when I got involved with the GIW. Unbeknownst to me, my roommate was on the GIW's radar because of his experiments with ectoplasm and his large knowledge of the science behind supernatural happenings. If I remember right his name was Jack Fenton, and he had a girlfriend named Maddie."

Jack and Maddie Fenton! This guy knew my parents? My eyes widen at the sudden revelation and I jerk my head up to inspect Zeal closer. He notices my sudden reaction to the names. He raises an eyebrow. "You know them kid." I pause for a moment before hesitantly nodding my head. Now Zeal looks curious. "Did they become famous? Where do you know them from?"

"W-were my p-pare-r-rents." Now Zeal looked taken aback before all of my words register. "Were? Are they... Gone?" Zeal Pauses before saying dead, realizing it may sound a bit abrupt and harsh if it is true.

"Yes" the word slips past my lips as I feel my heart clench at the memory of what the GIW did to them. I shake my head before the memory overtakes me. "Those m-monsters took them fro-from me"

Zeal looks sympathetic. "That's what happened to the Masts too. I feel responsible because if they had adopted another kid they wouldn't have been taken." He gets a dark look. "The GIW will pay for hurting them. They were good people who had done nothing wrong, all they did was help a messed up kid."

Zeal sighs before meeting my gaze. "I'm sorry kid I wish I could do something but I will promise to do ever thing in my power to help and protect you. Your dad was a good person, "Zeal gets a fond smile, "A bit crazy at times. But he was a true friend to me, and if he can't be there for you I will be since I don't have anyone else."

"By the time I'm done we won't need to hide, and the GIW will be finished forever. For now though, we gotta get to the city so I can check on your injuries and we can get our strength back." Zeal stands up and brushed off his tattered clothes. "C'mon kid I'll carry you and you can tell me your story as we go."

I open my mouth to protest but he cuts me off before I can start. "No objections you look like crap and probably feel even worse. I'm not nearly as injured or deprived since they thought I was a regular person without powers, but with you they didn't hold anything back because in their minds you were less than human." I close my mouth and reluctantly nod my consent to be carried although I made up my mind that as soon as I could convince Zeal that I was able to, I would walk by myself.

Zeal walks towards me and crouched in front of me so I could get onto his back. I reach my arms around his neck being careful not to choke him as he stands back up.

"Alright so we ran north of the GIW base, and if I remember correctly their files said that Gotham City is just a bit farther and a little west." I raise my eyebrows even though he can't see my face. "How..." I feel the vibration of his chuckle in my chest as he shifts his grip around my legs.

"Once I got out of my cell I crept around until I found the files on where the compound was so I could make a proper escape and not just die in some random forest or get caught again."

My mouth makes an "O" shape as I realize I probably would be dead two times over if it weren't for Zeal.

With that Zeal starts off towards this city 'Gotham' and I begin to slowly tell him how I grew up in a ghost-hunter household and got my powers and helped my city by myself before I got caught by the GIW.

The whole time we were talking we didn't realize that eyes were watching us from afar as the sun set and highlights the searching red gaze.

A/N: Is anyone actually reading and enjoying this story? I'm honestly curious is anyone is liking the story. Also which is preferred long chapters with long breaks between or short chapters every (or every other) week? Thanks for reading I'm getting to the main plot soon. Stay chill Kiwis.

~Kiw