Ghost Stories-Part 1
When it first started, Wally West had been certain that it was just his own imagination. That, or the Rogues had recruited the Pied Piper again after two years of the guy having just lived a normal, civilian life. But after checking in with the Rogues (under disguise, of course. They were always out to kill him.) He found that they had just completely disappeared after the whole event with the League of Evil. So, he decided that the best thing to do was wear Wayne Enterprises headphones that blocked out the music-things that had been specifically designed so that Superman wouldn't be driven insane by bad music constantly being played by Aquaman again.
And then, he found out that he wasn't the only one hearing it.
It would always be late in the evening, when Earth was cloaked in shadows, and the League was ready to return to Earth again. In the dead time between meetings and returning home, they would hear it. It would start out soft, hushed, deep tremors, and then swell until the entire satellite was filled with nothing but deep, hollow music.
And it was always a lovesong.
None of them were experts in music, hell, the most music most of them listened to were whatever the jets could pick up while they were on their way "to do the hero thing," as Wally liked to call it. And most of the time, it was stupid pop songs or strains of country. But somehow, with this music, they knew. It was in the very core of every bridge, every note, every little sound that existed in the hall. And it was filled with so much longing and passion and just pure, undiluted love that it sent chills down every member's spine.
Then, the rats started appearing.
Not in the satellite, of course, but every member would report in strained, hushed voices that they were seeing rats. Swarms of them, all with eyes that glowed with a green light that just seemed so unnatural that it was terrifying. The rats would never attack, they would never beg for food, and they would never run. They would simply watch the heroes, watch and listen, and only leave when the faint, hushed music would call for them again, and they would vanish into the shadows once more.
"I saw him, the ghost. I saw him today." Bruce said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"What? How? What does he look like? Is he real?" Wally asked, eyes wide with astonishment.
"I didn't really get a good look, but I definetly saw him. He dresses in complete black, and wears this ragged, green cloak over his face, so it was in complete shadow. I saw his eyes, though. They glow like the rats, and the things followed him, and they were real rats, too. He looked right at me while he played his flute. Like he saw me, and was expecting me to say something."
"Did you?"
"No. I didn't have anything to say."
In the weeks that passed, all of the league started to see him more and more, and the music was more frequent. He was always a passing shadow out of the corner of their eyes, and he always looked at them, waiting.
When they went on missions, he accompanied them.
----------------
"So, let me get this straight, no one knows how Superman's fingers and toes were painted pink in the middle of the night?" Martian Manhunter demanded, eye twitching in irritation.
The rest of the League agreed.
"And no one knows how Batman's cape was turned green with white polka-dots?"
"Why would any of us do that?" John asked, rubbing his temples with irritation. Wonder Woman dropped her head in her hands.
"I really hope this isn't the Joker."
"No, definitely not. Joker wouldn't prank, he'd just go for the kill."
"Harley Quinn?" Hawkgirl asked. Batman shook his head.
"No. She uses the same style. This is...something different."
A sudden sound filled the entire hall. All of the members jumped, and then paused.
It was laughter.
It wasn't laughter like the Joker, though. And it wasn't relieved laughter, or amused laughter, or anything like that.
It was the kind that filled a person's soul when they were truly happy. The laughter that came from a child, but even then, there was something powerful about it, something...indescribable.
"What...the hell?" Flash asked.
And as soon as it came, it was gone.
"I found him." The music said.
And then, he found out that he wasn't the only one hearing it.
It would always be late in the evening, when Earth was cloaked in shadows, and the League was ready to return to Earth again. In the dead time between meetings and returning home, they would hear it. It would start out soft, hushed, deep tremors, and then swell until the entire satellite was filled with nothing but deep, hollow music.
And it was always a lovesong.
None of them were experts in music, hell, the most music most of them listened to were whatever the jets could pick up while they were on their way "to do the hero thing," as Wally liked to call it. And most of the time, it was stupid pop songs or strains of country. But somehow, with this music, they knew. It was in the very core of every bridge, every note, every little sound that existed in the hall. And it was filled with so much longing and passion and just pure, undiluted love that it sent chills down every member's spine.
Then, the rats started appearing.
Not in the satellite, of course, but every member would report in strained, hushed voices that they were seeing rats. Swarms of them, all with eyes that glowed with a green light that just seemed so unnatural that it was terrifying. The rats would never attack, they would never beg for food, and they would never run. They would simply watch the heroes, watch and listen, and only leave when the faint, hushed music would call for them again, and they would vanish into the shadows once more.
"I saw him, the ghost. I saw him today." Bruce said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"What? How? What does he look like? Is he real?" Wally asked, eyes wide with astonishment.
"I didn't really get a good look, but I definetly saw him. He dresses in complete black, and wears this ragged, green cloak over his face, so it was in complete shadow. I saw his eyes, though. They glow like the rats, and the things followed him, and they were real rats, too. He looked right at me while he played his flute. Like he saw me, and was expecting me to say something."
"Did you?"
"No. I didn't have anything to say."
In the weeks that passed, all of the league started to see him more and more, and the music was more frequent. He was always a passing shadow out of the corner of their eyes, and he always looked at them, waiting.
When they went on missions, he accompanied them.
----------------
"So, let me get this straight, no one knows how Superman's fingers and toes were painted pink in the middle of the night?" Martian Manhunter demanded, eye twitching in irritation.
The rest of the League agreed.
"And no one knows how Batman's cape was turned green with white polka-dots?"
"Why would any of us do that?" John asked, rubbing his temples with irritation. Wonder Woman dropped her head in her hands.
"I really hope this isn't the Joker."
"No, definitely not. Joker wouldn't prank, he'd just go for the kill."
"Harley Quinn?" Hawkgirl asked. Batman shook his head.
"No. She uses the same style. This is...something different."
A sudden sound filled the entire hall. All of the members jumped, and then paused.
It was laughter.
It wasn't laughter like the Joker, though. And it wasn't relieved laughter, or amused laughter, or anything like that.
It was the kind that filled a person's soul when they were truly happy. The laughter that came from a child, but even then, there was something powerful about it, something...indescribable.
"What...the hell?" Flash asked.
And as soon as it came, it was gone.
"I found him." The music said.