Vanessa and Raimundo are in Spook's room in their human forms talking when a knock resounds from the door. They glance at each other in worry.
"Who is it?" Vanessa calls out.
"It's Megan," she says. "Wally and I were planning to have a campfire. I was wondering if you wanted to come along."
"Campfire?" Rai calls out. "That sounds like fun."
"Phantom? I didn't know you were in there too," Megan comments. "I guess that's easier. Anyway, you're both invited if you want to come."
"Sure, we'll be there in a sec," Vanessa says.
"Yay! I'm gonna go get the others," Megan squeals, walking to the next room.
Vanessa grabs a nearby towel and shoves it in front of the crack under the door, so nobody will see the flash of them transforming. The twins transform into their ghost selves and walk out the room up to Megan.
"I haven't had a campfire in years," Spook comments.
"I've never had one before," Megan says. "I mean I wouldn't because martians are vulnerable to fire."
"Are you gonna be okay?" Phantom asks.
"It's okay as long as I don't sit too close," she reassures him.
"Then I'll make s'mores for you," Phantom smiles and she returns it.
They gather the rest of the team from wherever they are in the cave and head to the kitchen.
Wally speeds in carrying lots of things. "Gathered a couple of chairs, some firewood, scrounged the pantry for some graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows and now we'll cozy up together outside-" he cuts himself off seeing the rest of the team. "-just the two of us?"
"We're going to need a lot more stuff than that if we're gonna go camping!" Robin says for everyone.
"I hope you don't mind, I invited all the others to join in the fun with the s'mores," Megan says.
Wally looks down defeated as they all head outside the cave and set everything up.
"This was a great idea, don't you think Wally? Camping in the great outdoors!" Robin says sarcastically.
"I don't remember inviting you. Besides, I didn't say anything about camping. I said a campfire. Big difference between just a campfire and the whole camping thing, I don't like camping... outside..." Wally comments, turning to look at Megan. "Unless of course I'm camping with that special someone."
"Dude, kinda bordering on creepy," Robin and Phantom comment. The two look at each other in surprise before laughing.
"Well, I think all of us camping is a wonderful idea!" Megan exclaims, eating her twelfth s'more.
"She doesn't seem to think so," Wally says, smirking at Robin and Phantom.
"She's probably on a sugar overload," Robin scoffs.
"Thanks to Wally, I get to try s'mores for the first time!" Megan says.
"What can I say? I'm a sweetie! Ha! Get it? Cause s'mores are sweet?" Wally flirts.
"Yeah, still confused on how a ghost can eat human food," Robin comments.
"Well, we used to be human," Spook scoffs. "Besides, we still need energy to operate, whether that be human food or eat someone's life energy."
"Yeah, I'd rather you eat human food instead of life," Wally comments.
"So, this is what you do when you go camping? Sleep in these flimsy things called 'tents' and sit around the fire?" Superboy asks.
"Yeah, that's pretty much about it so if you feel like heading home, I can sit out here with Miss M... alone," Wally comments.
"You're about as subtle as a train wreck, you know that?" Phantom scoffs.
"You're not going to catch any fish unless you go fishing dude," Wally says, realizing what he said and turns to a somewhat horrified Kaldur. "Sorry, no offense."
"No, usually you sit around the campfire and tell stories," Robin says with a glint from his glasses.
"Oh!" Megan shouts. "I would love to hear your story, Kaldur. Could you tell us how you became Aqualad?"
"I was thinking more of a ghost story type thing but I guess... whatever," Robin comments.
"Dude," Spook scoffs. "You literally have two ghosts sitting right here."
"Right, sorry, no offense," Robin says, scratching the back of his neck.
"Oh, I suppose I could do that if you do not think it will be too boring," Kaldur says.
"Not at all! I would love to hear it!" Megan says.
"What else is there to do?" Spook comments.
"Well, I grew up in the city of Shayeris, which is a city in Atlantis. Surface dwellers think all Atlanteans are the same, but our kingdom has many cities, many people, many cultures," Aqualad begins. "When I was twelve, I completed my education and began my mandatory service in the Atlantean Military, which is standard for all at that age. After a while, I was transferred to the prestigious Conservatory of Sorcery in the Atlantean Capital of Poseidonis." He closes his eyes to think of what to say next. "Queen Mera is the headmistress of the conservatory and wife of King Orin, Aquaman. It was a very different time for me. It was difficult, as it would be for anyone at age fourteen I suppose, but also a time in my life where I met friends that I know will be with me for a lifetime. Then came a day... a horrible day when Poseidonis was attacked by the Ocean Master. I can remember it vividly, as if it happened only yesterday. It was the day Aquaman nearly met his end." He pauses. "Aquaman and Ocean Master fought for what seemed like hours. When Aquaman and Ocean Master clashed, it seemed to shake the very foundations of the city. Ocean Master had gained the upper hand and nearly defeated Aquaman. Correction. Aquaman was defeated." He sighs. "Garth, a fellow student, and I intervened on the king's behalf. It was the only thing we could think of doing. The danger did not occur to us, the only thing that mattered to us at the time was that our king was in trouble. It may have been one of the most foolish things Garth and I ever done, as we nearly met our own end."
"It was mandatory," Spook comments.
"We had no hope of defeating him whatsoever, but the time we spent engaged in battle against the Ocean Master was time enough for our king to recover. That was all he needed as Aquaman finally triumphed over Ocean Master! He was able to drive him away from the city and save us all!"
Spook smiles at how proudly he talks of his mentor. "You really do love your king."
"I do," he replies and continues. "Aquaman is a being of two worlds. On the surface world he fights for justice for all beings. Under the sea he is a leader to many. Both carry the weight of responsibilities. Overwhelming responsibilities only even the best of men can carry for so long. Even Aquaman cannot do both forever."
"That's where you come in," Robin says.
"Yes, realizing that on the surface both Batman and Green Arrow had taken on apprentices that could one day take over their respective mantels, King Orin had been contemplating the same idea. With this in his mind, he approached both Garth and myself with the possibility of becoming his protégés. I had never been to the surface world. And I am the first to admit that I am a bit of an adventurer. Many is the day in class that I would dream of visiting distant oceans and possibly one day even the surface world. Both Garth and I seriously considered the king's offer. Garth ultimately chose to continue his studies with Queen Mera at the Conservatory of Sorcery. So at the age of fourteen, I became Aqualad. I miss my friends. Garth. Tula... But the chance to work with my mentor and king was an opportunity I could not pass up. I like to think the work I am doing makes a difference." He smiles. "The rest of the story you know. Aquaman brought Aqualad to the surface world... and now I am here with you."
"Wow, so you wanted to be Aqualad?" Megan asks.
"Yes, the opportunity arose. I could think of no other path."
"Yeah? If you think he wanted to be Aqualad so bad? Let me tell you about how I got started," Wally says.
"Nobody cares," Phantom scoffs, obviously getting annoyed by his flirting attempts.
"It literally goes back a couple generations... Each generation of Flash started with a bang! Literally! Jay Garrick was in a freak lab accident. Boom! There it is!"
Phantom and Spook look at each other. "I'm confused..." Phantom whispers.
"Me too," Spook admits.
"During the 40's and the 50's he was everywhere! The fastest man alive! Jay Garrick was the world's first Flash!" Wally shouts. "Then one day this guy comes along, a huge fan of the Flash, wanting to know all about this Jay Garrick, back in those days Jay didn't really hide his identity. He contacts Jay and the two spend hours and hours talking about his adventures and about the accident that turned him into the Flash. This guy even goes so far as to recreate the accident that created the original. But where Jay Garrick's accident was a total freak thing, this guy recreated the accident under laboratory conditions. He set the whole thing up in a lab and tried to make it happen! Result? Still a big explosion! But, lo and behold he becomes speedy mcspeed-speed himself! Now he's the Flash! Well, not the original Flash but the new Flash... the Flash we all know! I mean, there's the Jay Garrick Flash and now there's the new Flash, you know, it just occurred to me that they could probably use different names." He gets off track and shakes his head. "Anyway... this time he's even faster than Flash, well, the old Flash... it gave him even more speed!"
"I think I'm following, but say it all again because I lost track," Spook jokes, earning a chuckle from everyone.
"Okay, so check this! The second Flash is a fan of the first Flash—Jay Garrick. It turns out great minds think alike, cause I was a fan of the Flash—the second one, not the first one," Wally continues. "Well, I was a fan of Jay Garrick, the first one, after I got to know him. He was a little before my time."
"Anyway," Spook interrupts.
"Anyway, long story short–"
"Is it really going to be short?" Robin complains.
"If you let me finish," Wally huffs. "One day I was in my uncle's house, stumbled across his notebooks and got the shock of a life-time. That was the day I found out my uncle was the Flash! Once the shock passed a bit, I kept reading. He was keeping a journal of all his experiences and experiments! Especially the one that made him the Flash, the second one, not the first–"
"We get it already!" the team shouts at him.
"When I found that out, I would kind of keep hinting that the Flash could maybe use a partner. I tried to convince him that Flash could use and probably needed a partner. I mean come on, by this time Bats already had Robbie over here and Green Arrow had Speedy! This was a no-brainer! I've got to admit, Flash was a bit resistant at first."
"Does this sound confusing to anyone else?" Superboy asks, arms crossed and rolls his eyes.
"Here, here," Spook says, moving beside him and giving him a high five.
"Just let me finish and you will be confused no more, Supey, Spooky," Wally says as the two roll their eyes at the nicknames. "So, having seen his journal just like he saw the previous Flash's, I try to recreate the experiment with my own chemistry set. And what do you know? I was able to do it!"
"The experiment actually worked?" Kaldur asks.
"Well... not at first, actually," Wally sighs. "It didn't happen at first, but a couple of weeks later... I was off and running. I couldn't wait to show Flash! You guys should've seen his face when I showed him! This time he jumped at the chance to have a partner."
"Doubtful," Superboy scoffs.
"Flash couldn't wait to show the world!" Wally shouts. "The Flash was beyond ecstatic! He couldn't contain his excitement! It was the greatest day in the history of the world! Why, you ask?"
"Just for the record we didn't," Robin says.
"That's the day the world got Kid Flash!" Wally says. "You. Are. Welcome."
"Yeah, we're all thrilled you're so speed capable," Robin comments.
"What's the matter, jealous?" Wally jokes.
"Sheeyeah, right! Jealous of you?" Robin scoffs.
"Can you tell us about how you got started, Robin?" Megan says now on her 25th s'more.
Wally bursts out laughing and snorts. "Are you kidding me?" he says, putting his pointer fingers up on either side of his head to mimic Batman. "Bats won't even let him tell you his real name!" He chuckles more and looks over at Robin who's face is downcast. "I mean... You'll probably get a better origin story out of Supey over here."
"But you already told me his story. Didn't you? You said that the three of you rescued him from Cadmus," Megan says.
"Yeah, we did," Wally says.
"Yes, chronologically, Superboy was only 16 weeks old," Kaldur says.
"...And you have no memory of things before being rescued?" Megan asks.
"I have some memories... from the G-gnome. It would teach me about the world outside while I was in the containment pod," Superboy says.
"So you can remember things? When you were in the containment pod they would feed you information and you could remember it, right?" Megan asks.
"I guess so," Superboy says.
"Well if you can remember what they taught you, you must've been thinking about things as they fed you information. What did you think about?" Spook asks.
"When I was in the containment pod, I was fed... information..." Superboy says. "I really didn't start thinking for myself until after I got out."
"Well, what kind of things do you think about now?" Spook asks.
The team awaits patiently as Superboy thinks on it. "The one thing... that's always on my mind... is... destroying Superman."
"Oh, Superboy..." Spook sighs, placing a hand on his shoulder.
He shrugs it off and stands up, facing away from everyone.
"Robin, did you hear what he said?" Wally asks.
"Hunh? What?"
"Did you hear what Superboy said?" Wally repeats.
"What?" Robin repeats.
"He just said he wants to take down Superman!" Wally shouts.
"Are you serious, Superboy?" Megan asks.
"...It's how I feel... sometimes," Superboy admits. "What if that's why I was created? What if that was the only reason I was created?"
"That's not possible!" Spook huffs.
"Yeah! Look at all the good stuff you've done so far!" Wally shouts.
"What would be the possible reasoning behind this thinking?" Kaldur asks.
"I just feel... I don't know what I feel. Sometimes... thoughts happen," Superboy grunts.
"Those would be silly thoughts!" Megan says. "You should put them out of your head."
"He does have a valid point," Robin adds. "We really don't know anything about what they did to him yet."
"We know he's one of the good guys, and we know he's part of this team!" Spook says.
"Yeah! You put those thoughts outta your head, Supey!" Wally adds. "Here. Have another s'more."
"Thanks... everyone," Superboy says, back still turned.
Spook floats over to Superboy and gives him a smile. "Are you okay?"
He looks down as he takes a bite of his s'more. "I am now."
Spook smiles as she leads him back to their seats.
"Hey, you haven't told us about your story," Wally says, looking at Megan. "What's the dealio with you, M'gann?"
"Yeah," Robin agrees.
"Oh... Okay, since all of you told your stories... I guess... Well, I'm from Mars," Megan says. "Ugh! Hello, Megan! ...You guys already know that!" She smacks her forehead. "All martians live in underground tunnels because the surface is uninhabitable. Our family lives are very intertwined. As you already know, we mostly communicate telepathically. The form of communication we use helps large martian families maintain a sense of community and stay closer."
"Large? How many are in your family?" Phantom asks.
"Martian families are usually quite large. I have twelve sisters and seventeen brothers! In my extended family I have over 300 cousins."
"Jesus..." Phantom and Spook say.
"300?" Wally asks with a smirk.
"Yes."
"Are they all hot girls like you?" Wally asks.
"Wow. You are a class act," Robin comments with a grin.
"Dude! 300 girls that look just like her? That's a planet I want to visit!"
"Well, half of my cousins are males, but yes, most martians look very similar... Mostly green like myself and uncle J'ohn." The twins look at her confused, sensing that she just lied about something but not knowing what part. "But there are others with... differences," she sighs as if she knows the pain. "There are also martians that are red and white. Some on my planet do not see the whites as equals. My parents were both green and I was raised in what you would call a 'liberal' type of environment. My family... I... had no issue with white martians. Others were not as tolerant... and the treatment of the white martians was especially horrible."
"How did you happen to come to Earth?" Kaldur asks, sticking another marshmallow on his stick.
"Of all the brothers, sisters, parents, aunts, and uncles, the family member I was closest to was uncle J'ohn. We had a great relationship! We would watch his exploits on Earth with the rest of the Justice League! He grew to be a true beacon of hope and stood for what our society could achieve. He became the most famous martian in our history! Upon his return to Mars it was declared a day of planetwide celebration. When he came back it was not just for the adulation of our population. He also had a specific purpose in mind. Having learned about all of you —Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Speedy— J'ohn decided now was the time to introduce a younger martian hero to Earth. He came to Mars and declared he would hold a competition to find the next martian champion that would be returning with him to fly among the heroes of Earth! I decided I would enter the contest, as did what seemed like half the martian population. I, however, was coming to Earth. The competition was fierce... and dangerous. It was exciting and consumed or touched the lives of every single martian on the planet. At first, uncle J'ohn seemed as if he didn't want me to complete. I thought maybe it was that he did not want me coming to Earth. I had seen so many of his adventures, and they were life-threatening and dangerous. But I was not going to let that stop me. I was determined to win! From everything I had seen and heard of Earth up until that point, I found that I... loved it. I wanted to come see it for myself. I would not be bested!" Megan smiles. "I won! The whole competition! My heart soared! I was coming to Earth! This was the most exciting time of my life! Now I am here with all of you, and I am proud of the team! I truly love it!"
The twins once again look at each other, recognizing that that whole story was a made up lie.
"We are happy you're here with us as well, M'gann," Kaldur says.
"You could say that again!" Wally says.
Everyone turns to look at Phantom and Spook expectantly.
"Your turn," Robin says.
Phantom looks at Spook, and she sighs, beginning their tall tale. "Well, I guess it really starts out with me. I was the first to die," Spook admits, earning some 'ohs' and 'reallys'. "Our parents, from what we can remember, were scientists for some lab. We don't remember what their names were or what lab they worked at was called, but they were building something and brought us to see it turned on. It exploded killing all of us but my brother. The ectoplasm from the device reacted with something and covered my body, but only my body. I woke up confused and was... floating. I later learned I had a brother but couldn't remember his name only what he looked like."
"What did he look like?" Megan asks. "Before he died?"
"He had brown hair and brown eyes," Spook lies. "Each like I did when I was alive, I guess. He was put into foster care because we didn't have any living relatives."
"Then the ghosts started to appear," Phantom says. "The device created a portal to the world of ghosts."
"Then I became the hero of Fox Hollow," Spook says. "Then a day came where my brother was in trouble. He was captured by one of the ghosts and strapped to a bomb. At the time, I didn't know the extent of my powers. I didn't know I could phase the bomb off of him, possess it to stop, or protect us with a shield. I never had a mentor and had to train myself." Spook sighs agitatedly. "I managed to get the bomb off of him and threw it up into the air. I then covered him from the blast, causing my ghost powers to intertwine with his DNA and killing him."
"Giving me powers and losing most of my memories," Phantom says.
"I decided to teach him what I knew, and then we learned the rest together," Spook says.
"What about when you were in Cadmus?" Superboy asks.
Phantom growls. "That no good Lex Luthor..."
"Lex Luthor tricked me into thinking he was going to help me, so I let myself go to try it out, but I got taken instead," Spook says.
"That's terrible," Robin says. "Lex Luthor is a criminal..."
"Ooh! Ooh!" Megan says. "Why do you call him fratello?"
"Fratello means brother in Italian," Robin says. "Which begs the question, how you know the language?"
"We believe our parents were Italian," Phantom says.
"What about the other languages?" Robin asks.
"We're not quite sure how we learned the others," Spook lies. "We seem to favor Italian, English, and French the most."
"Interesting," Robin says, standing up and putting a hand over his full stomach. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I think I've had one s'more too many. I'm going to hit the old sleeping bag."
"Yes!" Megan says. "This has been such a wonderful evening, but I am excited to sleep in a tent."
"I'm right behind you," Wally says.
"Yeah, but you're sleeping in this tent right over here," Robin retorts.
The three of them head to their tents.
"Hey, next time, you think we should go camping for real, like at a real camping place instead of just in our backyard?" Wally asks.
"You don't strike me as the outdoorsy type. Tonight we're sleeping about five feet from the cave entrance, maybe next time we can try down the hill a bit," Robin replies.
"I'm heading to bed too, sorella," Phantom says, heading to the twins' tent.
"That was a fun evening, but I think I will be turning in as well," Kaldur says. "Unless you two would like some company, Superboy, Spook."
"No that's okay," Superboy responds. "I'll turn in soon... I just want to sit here with the fire a bit longer."
"Well, if you need anything. You know we are all here for you," Kaldur says before heading into his tent.
Spook watches as Superboy closes his eyes as if he's in pain or imagining something. After a few minutes, he suddenly opens his eyes and stares into the fire.
"Why are you still here?" Superboy asks.
"Because I want to make sure you're okay," Spook says. "I... I care about you, Superboy."
"Why would you care for a monster like me?"
"The same reason we all care for you," Spook says. "You aren't a monster. If anything I'm the monster."
He sighs and sits down next to her. "These are my thoughts. This is what they put into my brain. I remember... this is why I was created."
"That may be, but that's not who you've become," Spook says. "You're stronger than anyone I've ever met, and not just cause you have super strength. You're learning just like everyone else did. You're only 18 weeks old now? That's pretty incredible."
"I'm an incomplete experiment."
"I'm an incomplete person," Spook says. "I'm alive, but I'm not."
"I just can't seem to win when it comes to you, can I?" he says, looking at her.
She grins. "Nope!" she says, popping the p. "That's what girls do. Now, come, let's get some sleep." She walks him to his tent to make sure he's inside before she heads to her and her brother's tent.
"We can't transform, can we?" Phantom asks.
"No, you know Superboy has super hearing. He'd hear our heartbeats," Spook whispers. "We have to stay in ghost form for tonight."
"I hate being in ghost form while sleeping. I feel dead."
"That's because you are dead," she chuckles. "Let's get some sleep."