#blue devil

Danny had been fighting Technus. It hadn't even been that serious of a fight. At this point he was fairly certain that Sam and Tucker could handle him on their own. And if not them then now that things are better with Val they could also get her for backup.

So Danny just thought he had him when the strange place Technus had dragged them all in had presented him with a game prompt that asked if he would like to switch to easy difficulty.

He had grinned and had slapped yes without really thinking about it.

He's thinking about it now that he's somewhere completely different, some kind of dark abstract maze. Had that thing simply been a trap? if so he'll give credit where it is due, Technus definitely got him with that one…

He wanders a little when he comes across a random door, "oh wait, am I actually in the ghost zone?" He figures the door will be locked if that's the case but it opens easily enough and he walks into... a bar?

"Hello! Welcome to the Oblivion bar, you're a little early but go ahead and take a seat, what can I get for ya?"

That's a demon, a big blue skinned demon.

"Hmm," Danny's gaze switches to what appears to be a chimpanzee dressed in a snazzy little detective outfit, nursing a beer, "he seems a little young for a drink. But considering the floating, the glowing, the wispy hair and legs, I'd say he's probably a spirit of some kind. So I could be wrong."

"You're not Bobo," Danny now notices the lady in an ornate and old looking dress, some parts of it look regal but he's not sure if that's intended or if he's just recognizing Dorathea in it.

"This one's too young for alcohol still."

The chimpanzee, Bobo? winces, "I'm sorry to hear that kid."

"I don't mind?" Danny says, clearly puzzled, he's not getting that Detective Chimp is feeling bad He'd died young and his appearance isn't just a aesthetic preference.

"No spirit for the spirit, got it" says the Blue Devil before getting Danny something fruity and presumably without alcohol in it. "Here you go that one's on the house."

Danny finally sits down at the bar and has a sip, it's good.

"Now if you don't mind me saying you look a little wide eyed kid. Feel free to share your story, we might be able to help."

Oh so that is the angle the easy prompt took! A demon, a sorceress, a... investigative monkey? As backup, or something, alright that's pretty cool!

Danny fiddles with his glass, "Well-"

A different door opens suddenly, "Everyone, I- oh, I apologize, Hello."

In strides a magician, a lady magician, Danny notices the fishnets, a lady magician from Vegas.

He blinks a couple times before quickly turning and staring at his drink, confident dark haired girls continue to be his weakness.

The lady magician walks over and takes a seat at his side of the bar, "Zatanna Zatara, nice to meet you."

"De- uh, Phantom, nice to meet you too." Wtf was that! Excuse him while he drowns himself in the nearest toilet.

"Well Phantom, you were telling your story" the blue devil prompts and Danny stops himself from further fidgeting with his glass and gets back to telling what happened and how he got there in the first place.

Only they aren't interested in just hearing about his fight with Technus, next thing Danny knows he's talking about Amity Park, about the ghost hunters about his more destructive adversaries, about the mind control and overshadowing.

They are all very good at coaxing more info out of him, and Dan, aka Blue Devil tops his drink back up without Danny even realizing.

"I think, uhm, that's about it, for the last year."

"Damn kid you've been going through it," Bobo pats Danny's back. "I'm going to look into that Walker guy cause that… that doesn't sound right."

"Neither does all those ghosthunters, that can't be allowed like that, can you imagine? Boston would've said something, Lady White and Jim Craddock would've gone full aggro by now." Blue Devil says while wiping a glass.

"That name sounds familiar," mutters Danny, "Craddock." Amorpho had mentioned him, he's pretty sure… He just can't remember if it had been with negative or positive connotations.

Dan Cassidy stops wiping the glass, "That's not good." He says, knowing that's gentleman ghost.

Madame Xanadu smiles serenely at Zatanna who says, "I think I've decided where my next performance will be."

Danny is confused, he doesn't understand why these people are talking like they're gonna help out with all the other problems he's been having.

Once Technus is dealt with they'll vanish in thin air or something.

"Uhm, okay, this has been a nice break but I gotta get back to my friends."

"Ah yes, I'll send you there," Zatanna sits up a little straighter, "you said you'll be fine against him?"

"Oh yeah, Technus is no big deal."

"Okay but just know you're always welcome Phantom."

Dan nods, "even though you're kind of young, you can always wish for oblivion." He grins wide.

Bobo snorts, "you sounded like Etrigan"

The grin slips from his face, "Please don't say that..." Dan sighs, "but really, the bar is only one door away kid."

Danny lifts an eyebrow at him, then shrugs, "okay, thanks."

Dan puts the rag he'd been using on his shoulder, "oh and next time bring your friends!" more people in the bar is good for business.

"They are underage Dan!"

"customers are customers."

Danny snickers at their antics until his attention is pulled back to Zatanna.

"ready to go?"

"oh, uh, yeah?"

"Kcab ot erehw uoy emac morf!"

Danny blinks and the next thing he knows he hears his friends.

"Danny! you're back."

"Bro that freaked us out, you just glitched through the ground! It didn't look like your usual intangibility stuff."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you guys later, where is Technus?"

"Oh don't worry," Sam holds up her thermos, "he freaked after you vanished and left himself wide open for capture, we got worried when you didn't show up right away though."

"oh… well uhm, in that case let's go?"

"Hell yeah, let's get out of this place, there is a deluxe maxi meat calling my name at Nasty Burger."

Sam gags as she follows Tucker, and the trio leaves the place.

A few days later flyers and posters about a grand magic show coming to Amity Park fills the streets. Sam and Tucker run up to Danny each with their own flyer, worriedly showing them to him.

"This better not be another Circus Gothica…"

"Sam are you serious, she's an absolute babe, there is no way she's like Freakshow."

"Just because she's hot doesn't mean she can't be evil Tuck…"

"So you agree she's hot!"

"Tucker, for the love of- Danny help me out here!"

"Guys I met her in that bar I mentioned."

"Oh shi-!" Tucker slaps a hand over his mouth, "is that good or bad?"

"I don't know yet…" he says while looking at the bombastic display on the front of the flyer

[ID: Fanart of Zatanna and Dan Cassidy from DC Comics. Dan is hugging Zatanna and swinging her up while they kiss, her arms are around his neck and her hat is falling back behind her. The background resembles a heart suit card. End ID]

Zatanna #6 - "S'ti Emitwohs!" (2025)