Cherreads

Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: The Ghost Portal

[Third Person Pov] 

Date: May 1st 

Time: 1: 14 PM 

Location: Fenton Work

"Finally!" Wally exclaimed as he set foot inside the house, his body practically vibrating with excitement. "It's been months since I heard about this Ghost Portal of yours, and after all that waiting I'm finally going to see it in person."

Danny walked alongside Wally and Dick, leading them down toward the basement. "Don't mind the mess," he said, glancing back at them. "I was tinkering with something earlier and didn't get a chance to clean up."

"Wooooah!~"

Wally turned into a blur the moment they entered the lab, darting around at super speed as he took everything in at once, his voice overlapping itself as he fired off question after question.

"What does this do?!"

"What are its main components?" 

"Is that its fuel source? Why is it glowing like that?" 

"This is interesting, what's its primary function? Honestly, if you give me the chance to quickly disassemble and reassemble it, I should be able to figure it out on my own." 

"Ooooh~ This one's sharp."

Phew!

Dick and Danny both ducked their heads at the same time as a green blast of energy shot right over them and slammed into the wall behind, followed by a loud explosion that sent bits of rubble scattering across the floor.

Wally stood there holding a large blaster, the barrel still smoking, his entire body going stiff as the realization hit him. He winced, clearly aware of what he had just done.

Dick and Danny slowly turned their heads toward him, staring like he had completely lost his mind.

Wally carefully lowered the weapon back onto the table. "Would you guys believe me if I told you a ghost was the one that pulled the trigger?"

"Just… don't touch anything else, please," Danny said, sounding thoroughly exasperated.

Wally raised both hands in surrender. "In my defense, why is something that dangerous just laying out where someone like me can walk up and grab it?"

Before either of them could respond, Wally vanished again and reappeared directly in front of the portal, now standing just slightly ahead of both Danny and Dick as he examined it up close.

"How cool~ an interdimensional portal."

He turned toward Danny, his expression filled with clear, boyish enthusiasm. "Are we really going to go through it?"

"Yeah," Danny replied, his tone more focused now as he looked toward the portal himself. "There's a place I want to check out. It should help me learn how to better control my ice abilities."

Wally hesitated, his excitement wavering just a little. "Are you sure it's safe to explore inside that? I mean, you're a ghost so you're probably fine, but what if Dick and I get possessed or something?"

Danny didn't answer right away. Instead, he walked over to a large object covered by a tarp. He grabbed the edge and glanced over his shoulder with a small smirk.

"Of course it's not safe," he said casually. "That's just the kind of risk you have to take~"

With that, he pulled the tarp away, revealing the Specter Speeder, a large, spaceship-like machine clearly designed for traveling through the Ghost Zone.

Wally's smirk came back almost instantly. "Sick…"

"We're also not going in blind," Danny added. "We're going to have guides—people familiar with the Ghost Zone—to help us navigate."

He turned toward Robin, who was already suited up, which made Wally do a quick double take.

"If you will do the honors of inviting our guests."

"Oh? If we're having guests…" Wally said, already moving.

He spun in place at super speed, his civilian clothes blurring away until he was back in his Kid Flash uniform.

Robin pressed the button that activated the portal. The green energy swirled to life, forming its familiar vortex as eerie moaning echoed from within, the distant sounds of ghosts and other spectral entities carrying through the opening.

Wally shivered slightly. "Okay… that is trippy as all heck."

The portal shimmered, and almost immediately the surface distorted as something began to pass through, making Wally instinctively tense.

Ember stepped out first, one hand resting casually on her hip as she looked them over. "Yo."

Klemper followed right behind her, far more energetic as he flew straight toward them.

"Danny! Robin!" he cheered, wrapping both of them in a tight, enthusiastic hug.

Kid Flash zipped by and stopped right in front of Ember, a charming smile already in place. "Why hello~ I don't think we properly introduced ourselves last time."

"Oh… it's you," Ember said plainly, her tone flat and unimpressed.

"The name's Kid Flash," he continued smoothly, completely unfazed. "And don't worry about introducing yourself, I already know who you are. Ember McLain, the girl taking the internet by storm with her amazing singing. I've heard your music, and I've got to say, I'm already a fan."

"Right…" Ember replied, her voice edged with mild discomfort as she took a step back from him, clearly put off by his flirtatious energy. "You're the fast runt from last time."

Danny, watching the interaction unfold, felt a sharp irritation settle in his chest as Kid Flash kept attempting to flirt with her.

"Runt? Baby, there's nothing little about me, I'll tell you that for free~" Wally said, his grin only widening.

Ember's expression shifted suddenly into a smile, but there was something clearly off about it. "Oh yeah? You want to know what else you can do for free?"

"Getting your number?" Kid Flash shot back instantly, already pulling his phone out like he had been waiting for the moment.

Danny's hand immediately began to glow as he started charging a ghost ray, aiming it directly at the phone. Before he could act on it, Robin casually reached over and lowered his arm.

"No," Ember said bluntly. "Staying as far away from me as possible. The farther, the better."

She scoffed and walked past him toward the others, dismissing him entirely.

"Fiesty~ I like it," Kid Flash said, clearly not taking the hint.

"Stop it, this is a losing battle for you," Robin said, trying to cut it off before it got worse.

Wally waved him off, completely undeterred. "Nonsense. She's just playing hard to get. Just watch, by the end of the day her number will already be mine."

Robin blinked, not even sure how to respond to that level of confidence. "Forget it… it's better if you see for yourself."

"Huh? What's that supposed to—"

Wally didn't get a chance to finish as Klemper suddenly rushed forward with his arms wide open.

"New friend!!"

Wally vanished at the last second, reappearing a few feet away as he looked back at him. "What's with blue Waldo?"

Klemper froze, then slowly looked down at the empty space where Wally had been. His shoulders dropped as he quietly shuffled over to a corner, curling up with his head lowered. He didn't fully understand the insult, but he understood enough to know it wasn't nice.

"Apologize right now!!" Danny, Robin, and Ember all snapped at the same time, their reactions immediate and firm, leaving Wally caught completely off guard.

"Okay, okay!" Wally said quickly, raising his hands before walking over. "Hey… sorry, man. That one's on me."

Klemper peeked up slightly, still a bit down, but the apology helped ease the sting.

After that, things started moving along more smoothly as everyone adjusted to the group dynamic. Danny climbed into the driver's seat of the Specter Speeder, with Robin and Kid Flash taking positions to his right.

Klemper and Ember stayed toward the back as Danny powered up the vehicle, the machine humming to life before lifting off the ground into a steady hover.

"Excuse me, make room, move it," Ember said, clearly not interested in staying in the back. She pushed forward toward the front despite there not really being space for her.

"Hey, hey, if you want to sit up front so bad, my lap is available—"

Wally cut himself off mid-sentence as Ember completely ignored him and instead sat down on Danny's lap, casually draping an arm over his shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Eh?" Wally blinked, staring in disbelief.

"The two of you are a thing?! What?" he asked, completely thrown off.

"I tried to warn you…" Robin said, shaking his head. "Danny and Ember have a thing."

"We don't have a thing," Danny said with a complicated expression. 

"Yet" Ember added with a smirk as she got comfortable on his lap. 

Danny glanced at Ember with a conflicted look. "Is this really necessary? You're making this harder than it needs to be."

"That's the point," she whispered into his ear. "Now stop stalling and floor it."

Danny let out a quiet sigh before looking ahead. "Everyone hold on."

With that, he pushed the controls forward, and the Specter Speeder shot off into the Ghost Zone, leaving behind a bright trail of green light as it sped into the unknown. 

********************************************

+10 advance Chapters and my other patron exclusive content on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3

More Chapters