Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ TTHS-City Musical: The Phantom of the City ❯ The Phantom Arises ( Chapter 3 )

CHAPTER THREE

Garfield sat in the park the next day still pondering over what to do about what he had discovered the other day. He really wished his parents were alive now to help him through this difficult time. “Give me a sign… somebody.” He muttered softly in frustration.

Then, suddenly, he got his sign when he looked up and saw a crowd of people gathering by the apartment building near the children's playground by the pond. He made his way over to the crowd. Terra and her friends were there.

“Garfield…?” Terra said. “What are you doing here?”

“Funny…” Garfield said trying to keep his sour nature up, “I could ask you the same.”

Terra explained that she only just got word that the city was planning to tear up the whole section of the park to build a packing plant, the building, the playground, even fill the pond with concrete. “What…?”

Jackie and Jillian's fathers were standing there addressing the people. They apologized, though not sincerely for the inconvenience, the people were being forced to move out as the mayor left orders to demolish the place.

When the citizens protested to at least being given some form of compensation, they were rudely denied it. “The mayor gave orders.” snapped John. “You all got thirty-six hours, pack your bags and whatever else you got.” added Joseph. Then the two men got into heir limo and drove away leaving the angry protesters without hope, and many children who were heartbroken that their playground was going to be torn-down.

To make matters worse, many of the adults didn't know what to do as some of them were unemployed due to their businesses being shut down while the buildings were being demolished to make ways for other things like the office complex.

Jackie and Jillian came out from the crowd, and both of them feeling very happy that their dads' project was going to go through. It meant more money for their dads and them. Garfield just had to snap at them, “You're fathers are putting hundreds of people out of home and employment! Don't you feel any remorse for that?”

It was obvious the girls didn't care, and were just as heartless as their fathers. “Square off, brat boy!” snapped Jillian.

Garfield clenched his fists and growled fiercely before he ran off. “Garfield…!” Terra called, but he was already out of sight. Terra couldn't believe her friends, “Ah, he's just hot air, and so are the rest of these people.” Jackie said.

Terra was really starting to see how heartless her friends really were, but rather than start an argument she ran off to find Garfield.

“Why is she wasting her time with that kid?” Jillian asked.

Jackie suddenly began to get the sneaky suspicion. “You think she's got the hots for him?” They both hated the thought of that.

…

Garfield had already made his way out of the park, and was about to mount his moped, when he noticed a billboard near the parking lot, about a freeway that was going to be built in that very area. Garfield gazed over and realized the seniors' home was right in the way.

“You can't do this!” snapped a voice. Garfield turned and saw Dick and his friends also conversing with Jackie and Jillian's fathers who had been passing n their limo. They too were obviously outraged by what was going on.

“You can't just evict the seniors from their home!” snapped Dick.

“Where will they go? How will they take care of themselves?” added Kori.

“Not our business.” snapped John. “Ya got a problem? Write the mayor a letter.”

Vic felt his blood raging and wanted so bad to get at these goons. The goths urged him not to. “Now if you kids excuse us…” John said, and they left.

“RAAAR… Let me at `em!” snarled Vic. The goths could hardly hold him back. “Stop!” cried Kato. “Beating up them won't stop the council.” added Raven.

Dick angrily punched a brick wall. “We can't let them get away with this!” he said.

Kori hated seeing Dick so upset, but she felt the same. “The poor seniors won't have a place to go. The city won't even offer them time to make plans.”

Dick decided there wasn't going to be anymore playing around. “Mayor Jackson's gone too far. It's time we had a little word with him.”

Vic pounded his hand with his fists. “Ah, yeah… I got a few words to say to him.”

Their plan was to attend the grand-opening of the office-complex, “Tonight! Then we'll talk to him.”

Garfield overheard their every word, and he made up his mind! He revved hard on his moped when the others turned and saw him. “Hey... Garfield…!” Dick called out to him, but he already rocketed past and was gone.

“Man, what is with that kid…?” Vic wondered aloud.

“Wouldn't we all like to know?” groaned Raven.

…

Garfield got home to his theater as fast as he could. He had seen far enough. The mayor was getting too greedy for his own good, and now he was making innocent people suffer, almost exactly the same way as he did when he parents died.

“Mommy…! Daddy…! Help me…! HELP…!”

People were unemployed and in debt, being evicted from their homes, and business and industries were going bankrupt due to the mayor's negligence. Garfield knew what it was like to be faced with their situations, and for the first time in his life he knew what he could do… help others from falling into his fate…

All the rest of that day, Garfield studied the phantom spell book, practiced a little with his new cane, and mastered some arts. He also went through all steamer trunks and dressing-rooms and assembled a costume for himself that he would surely need.

A black outfit complete with shoulder-pads, a high collar, matching gloves and boots… a black and red cape, a white top-hat, and a sinister-looking mask to cover him entirely.

He now stood in his grotto, fully dressed and skillful waving his cane as if it were like a sword. “From this day forward… I shall be the phantom, and make those of greed and injustices heed my warning.”

Waving his cane fiercely, he scratched along the rocky-walls a huge capital-P with the diamond headed tip.

…

Night had come quicker than anyone had realized, and many people of the city had gathered for the grand-opening of the new office-complex. The mayor and his council were there, and so where Jackie and Jillian's fathers.

Many of the town's people, especially those who were going to be working in the new complex were overjoyed. Especially when Jackson assured them that his new building would result in profitable incomes for everyone.

Dick and his friends, along with other protesters were in the front of the row and questioned him, trying to get to admit what a greed wrench he really was. “Mr. Grayson… people please… I'm just doing what's best for the town. As soon as we make enough money, all the people who were evicted will have all the money they need.”

“They don't need money! They need homes, and places to play and work!” shouted Vic. “No thanks to your greedy butt!”

His over shouting got him and the others expelled by the police. “Sorry guys!” Vic said, but his friends knew it wasn't really his fault. “What do we do now?” asked Kori.

“I wish I knew…” was all Dick could say.

Terra had been watching from afar too, as she didn't approve of this building, and hoped someone would come to stop all this…!

Then came the big moment-- With his giant pair of scissors, the mayor was ready to but the ribbon when suddenly… something hit his hand hard. “Ow…!” The five member of his council looked around, and so did the other people.

The object that hit Jackson's hand was in fact a playing card. “Who did that?” snarled Jackson. “Speak up…”

“I did…!” called a voice from within the shadows. The stranger stepped forward, holding his cane. He spoke in a deep and hissing voice. “And who are you?” shouted John.

Dick got a good look at the stranger. “Could it… Could it be…?”

The stranger introduced himself, “You may call me… The Phantom, and I've come to set things right.” He then poised his cane at the complex, knowing fully well no one was inside, and began to fire projectiles at it, breaking the windows and cracking the brick. The citizens braces themselves, but strangely, the flames and firepower didn't even seem hot, and didn't seem to spread any further than from the podium, but the phantom still cautioned everyone to run. “Things are about to get ugly.”

He continued to blast at the complex, and Jackson wouldn't stand for this and shouted at the police. “GET HIM…!”

All ten officers grabbed their guns, but when they pulled the triggers the guns only popped little corks on strings. “Just like magic…” the phantom gloated. Soon a large combat fight ensued as the cops all grabbed their battering-rods. The phantom wasn't very big, but he was very swift and skilled in combat. “Did I also mention that I studied martial-arts?”

The police didn't stand a chance, and some of them even feel victim to some of his magic tricks. With a wave of his cane, one cop was wrapped in chains.

With a flick of phantom's cape, two more were stripped of all their weapons and left defenseless. He even used his cane to slice a P on another cop's uniform. “What's the matter with you?!” snarled Jackson.

Now John and Joseph were ticked, but it was John who jumped after the phantom first. “Dad!” called Jackie who saw the fight from afar. “You bust my building, I'm gonna bust you!” John snarled as he grabbed the large scissors and wielded them like a weapon.

The phantom laughed at him insisted he'd never beat him. “I give you this one warning, don't make me punish you!”

“SHUT UP…!” shouted John and yelling like Maniac he charged forward like a knight jousting with the scissors. The phantom leapt out of the way just in time. John tried again, but the phantom continued to dodge him. Finally he began to fight back, and slashed him several times with his cane. Sparks flew everywhere each time Jon was hit.

“Dad… No…!” screamed Jackie

John surprisingly wasn't hurt at all. He had no wounds, no bleeding, but his outfit was tattered and his skin was covered in dust and soot. “Like I said…” laughed the phantom. “Just like magic.”

John still didn't care and was ready for a big finish, but the phantom now realized, “You leave me no choice…!” He held his cane up high, “FEEL THE MAGIC…!”

His cane began to glow and sparkle as lighting and fire seemed to envelope it. He made a single circle and then slashed three times. “ALA…KA… ZAM!” right across John's body. The man howled and screamed as his body was enveloped by lighting bolts. “What's happening to me----?!” he shouted as he fell over and EXPLODED in a great big flare.

Many of the people, including the mayor and his court couldn't believe what they just had seen.

“NO---!” screamed Jackie. “Dad…!” she fell to her knees and actually cried. “Daddy…!”

“Relax…!” the phantom assured her. “Your father is alive and well, for the moment. He has merely been teleported to a place where his changes can do now harm.”

…

John had somehow been transported to a desert. It was the one that surrounded the city, though he had no idea where he was and how to get back, but at least he was as unharmed as the phantom said.

…

Next the phantom used his magic to explode the office-complex, and just like before the flames and explosion were just an illusion, so they did no real damage. The whole thing had been transformed back into everything it once was. The video store, the book shop, the salon…

“But… but how did he…?” cried Jackson. The phantom then glared at Jackson and carved a P on his best suit. “Consider yourself warned.” Then he leapt up, up, high on to the rooftops, and vanished into the night.

Jackson and his council couldn't believe it, but Dick and his friends, even Terra were more amazed. There really was a phantom, and it looked as if he meant business after what he just did.

“Wow…” Raven exclaimed. “And I usually never say that about anything.”

Terra, all on her own in the middle of the street, yet she couldn't believe what had just happened. “Who was that guy…?” she kept wondering.

…

The phantom was standing atop on the tallest building in town as the nighttime breeze blew his cape in this wind. Garfield was amazed at what he had just done, but now he knew he had to be careful. “They'll be coming after me now....” he thought to himself. He gripped his cane tight, and it shimmered magically, and he didn't care.

The people of the city knew him now, especially Mayor Jackson and his council. He was going to continue struggling until peace and proper authority and workmanship would be restored in Jump-City.

He was doing it not just for himself, or the people who were suffer, but also. “This is for you, mom and dad… I'm sorry if I seem wrong, but I know what I'm doing.”

Author's notes:

So now you get the idea… the Phantom is like an avenger-hero…

Like Robin-Hood… like Zorro… and a little bit of Power Rangers to boot.

But seriously… sometimes I wish BB did do this in the actual show.