I… am really proud of this one. It fits both the "Eldritch" and "Space" prompt, so I suppose I can just combine them into one.
This is my headcanon for "Space Ancient!Danny". He calls it his "Cosmic Horror" form, but his friends think it gives more of a "Cosmic Comfort" vibe.
My thought process was this:
Most of the fandom about Danny's Eldritch Form: SHADOWS, DARKNESS, BLACK HOLES, THE COLD CARELESSNESS OF THE INFINITE SPACE!!!"
Me: what if… Lots of Stars?
Danny as Clockwork's apprentice who is made to personally intervene in repairing the damage done to reality by Superboy Prime's punch. This involves entering the site at the moment it was broken, displacing Kon from the break in causality, and ensuring that Jason Todd resurrects as required by the continuity.
This also, apparently, earns him a complex and strangely competitive love polygon bullshit involving Kon-El, Superboy Prime, and Tim Drake.
Jason Todd is not impressed. He is actually deeply stressed about all this.
Just once, I want Danny to spout off something that he’s clearly heard from Jazz and then cringe at it.
Jason: “Just gotta wait until the Stockholm Syndrome kicks in!”
Danny: “Actually, that is a phony diagnosis created by a sexist psychiatrist who saw a hostage situation on TV and decided that the woman, in fight-flight-fawn mode, was in love with the man waving a gun at h-"
Jason: *raises eyebrow*
Danny, realizing: "Oh, you meant it as a joke… Ancients, I sounded like Jazz there.” *shudders*
Dick, exasperated: “Monkey see, monkey do, after all…”
Danny, eating a snack: "Actually, monkeys mimic behavior as a form of communication and survival, while the so-called Chameleon Effect is influenced by a desire to fit in and be liked by the people around us. It's also influenced by a part of the brain that certain- *pauses* *pushes snack away* And that was super fucking weird to bring up all of a sudden, sorry, what were we talking about?" *face screwed up in disgust*
Dick: *is just amused*
Damian, angry enough to turn red: "-I will eviscerate you so much that even your mother would be disgusted by your incompetent-"
Danny, off to the side and kinda zoned out: "Did you know that excess violence in teenagers, while typically attributed towards early childhood development by those around the teenager, is almost always caused by their current situation and a feeling of estrangement, lack of control, or- wow, yea, okay, I'm shutting up now, I just realized what I sounded like. Uegh."
Damian, suddenly calm: "You bring up a valid point, Daniel. Come, make your argument in front of father. Please."
Tim: "I'll sleep when I'm dead; for now, there's coffee."
Jason: "That shit stunts your growth, pipsqueak."
Danny: "That was actually debunked. What coffee does do is it blocks your adenosine receptors and enhances your dopamine signaling, increasing your mood and motivation as well as enhancing your memory, and then it also improves your attention and alertness. However, it also increases your anxiety and sleep disturbances, which can mess up your memory consolidation and brain recovery." *makes a disgusted face* *shudders* *takes a sip of an energy drink* "Anyways, ignoring all that nonsense that I'm definitely ignoring that I've accidentally memorized, sleeping when you're dead is also a myth. I would know." *chugs energy drink*
Tim, despairing with a tight grip on his coffee: "Nooo, I was relying on that!"
"Maybe we can contact the Justice League and find out who your biological parents are!" Jack said, excited. Batman and Robin stare at the large man. Batman's eyes are narrowed and Robin is scowling.
"I'm--adopted?" asked Danny in shock. His voice echoed oddly around the small tank as another vigilante--he vaguely thought he recognized Red Robin, started beating the absolute crap out of the Joker. He looked away and then back at his parents. "But--but--I look just like you!" he protested as he gestured towards his father.
Or towards the man that he's always thought was his father. He barely notices as, out of the corner of his eye, he sees a tooth go flying away from the clown as the vigilante's gauntlet slammed into the face again. He couldn't bring himself to care. He was adopted? Did Jazz know?
Batman stepped forward as the vigilante beating the Joker dropped the clown and then shot a grapple at the ceiling before leaving. "I am a member of the Justice League. How did you--add your child to your family? Perhaps I can help find his biological parents."
"Oh, were hunting the ghost of Alice Flagg," Maddie explained, "and stepped into this saltwater marsh when we found a toddler chewing on an alligator's tail."
"A true sign he was meant to be a Fenton!" boasted Jack as Danny floated helplessly in the water and stared at them.
"I see." Batman's eyes narrowed again. "And where was this saltwater marsh?"
"We were on Tybee Island," explained Maddie.
Danny groaned. Having grown up with ghost stories, he actually thought he knew where his parents went wrong. "Mom!" he complained. "Tybee Island is in Georgia! Alice Flagg's ghost is supposed to haunt an island in North Carolina!"
"True," said Jack as he stroked his chin. "Hey, Mads! Maybe that's why we didn't find her!"
As his parents planned a trip to North Carolina to look for the mysterious ghost of Alice Flagg (who was happily in the Ghost Zone chilling; Danny had met her),, he wondered when someone would notice he was STILL TRAPPED IN THE TANK!
Arthur watched Batman warily. He wasn't certain why the man had asked him to stay behind after the meeting, but he wasn't going to ignore it. Batman always either had important questions or information that Arthur needed to know.
And he was feeling a lot more kindly inclined towards the man now that he knew the reason the Sea Folk were banned from the harbors of Gotham was for their own protection.
"Arthur," grunted Batman. He looked at the Sea King. "I'll get straight to the point. Do you know if any of your subjects lost a child, roughly thirteen years ago? Said child would have had black hair and blue eyes." Batman paused. "And the ability to shift between two legs and a tail."
Arthur blinked. That was not a question he was expecting from the Dark Knight. "Why do you ask?"
Batman grunted. "There was a teen who may have Atlantean lineage. He was found in a saltwater marsh as a toddler, and may not have been legally adopted."
Arthur nodded. He was no stranger to how those of his people had been trafficked. Batman probably wanted to reunite the young one with his biological parents. "I will find out," he promised.
Danny waited on the pier. He'd been told to be there, to meet someone who might know something about his biological parents. He wasn't moping, no matter what Jazz said. He just.
He was just a little hurt at how excited his parents--apparently his adopted parents--were at the idea of him meeting his bio parents.
The water in front of the pier rippled and two heads--a blond head and one with astonishing red hair--surfaced. Two figures were soon standing in front of him. Both of them were wearing some kind of scaled armor and their posture was absolutely perfect. Danny felt underdressed as he gave a small wave and tremulous smile.
The one with the red hair smiled at him. "Hello. I have been informed that you are potentially part Atlantean."
The blond rolled their eyes. "This is Mera," they said. "Expert in all things Atlantean, novice in all things land." Mera's eyes rolled. "I'm Arthur, complete opposite."
"You've gotten better with the sea," Mera said.
"Anyway, if anyone is going to know what family you're from, it's Mera. Her knowledge of Atlantean lines is almost encyclopedic."
"Oh, that's..." Danny trailed off. Should he admit that he didn't actually know if he was Atalntean? That he was just a shapeshifter and that was the form he happened into?
"I understand it can be difficult to be different," Mera said gently. "However, whether you are Atlantean or not, we will try to find your birth family."
And. Honestly, what did Danny have to lose? He slipped into the water and shifted. The transformation came easier this time than it had the first one, which meant--absolutely nothing. He always had trouble the first time he used his shapeshifter powers in a new way.
Danny looked up at them. He was bobbing in the water as they were, somehow, standing on it. Arthur looked him over with curiosity. Mera though.
She didn't know how to tell them. The poor, hopeful boy or her King, still innocent in so many Atlantean ways. Both of them trained their eyes on her and she tried to smile. To reassure them.
But how to do you tell a child his lineage was hunted to what the majority of Atlanteans thought was extinction? That if he showed up, in current Atlantean society like that, he'd be hunted? That the majority of her King's citizens would form a mob and try to kill him?
~~~
Clockwork watched the meeting between the King of the Sea, his Aide, and young Daniel. This was a necessary meeting, and all was going well. Mera was horrified, as she should be.
It was just as well that Clockwork never warned Daniel that he could only change into an extinct species.
Now to run just a little bit of interference for the boy's true biological parents...
Danny was--not as surprised as he should be that he was a member of an almost extinct species that every other member of the Atlantean community would try to kill him if they met him. Well, almost every member. King Arthur and Mera seemed cool.
"I am sorry about this," Mera said sorrowfully.
And she really was, Danny could tell. He shrugged. "Eh," he said to the woman's--lady mer? Royal aide? Exactly what was Mera? "What's one more group trying to kill me, am I right?"
"I'm sorry, what?" said Arthur as Danny hauled himself back onto the dock and transformed back into a full human.
"And, hey, I know I can breathe fresh water, so I'll just stick to rivers and lakes," Danny continued.
"No, please go back," said Arthur.
"Less chance of running into another Atlantean that wants to kill me," Danny finished with a shrug. Mera looked heart broken, and Arthur looked stunned.
"That is--that would probably be the best option, yes," agreed Mera with sorrow in her eyes.
"What do you mean, 'one more group trying to kill you'?" pressed Arthur.
Danny ignored him. As the (possibly) last surviving member of an extinct species, Danny could afford to do that. "Fresh water's easier for me to get to anyway, as far inland as I live."
Mera smiled. There were tears at the corners of her eyes. "You are quite wise for your age," she said. "That is a good plan."
Danny smiled back. "And that way I get to exercise my tail," he added.
"About those other people trying to kill you," pressed Arthur.
Danny was done. He stood up. "It was nice meeting the two of you. Thank you for trying to help."
"Seriously, about those people trying to kill you."
"It was nothing, young one," said Mera. "I am only sorry I could not give better news."
Danny simply waved and left. He ignored Arthur trying to get his attention. Was it petty? Perhaps.
But honestly, his life tended to suck and messing with people made it suck a little less. Sorry, King Arthur. You're today's casualty.
Batman. Batman was a detective. Batman also had kids, teens even. Batman could get to the bottom of this.
Arthur put out a call for Batman and waited for the Dark Knight to arrive. (He was not going to risk Gotham's harbor again.) When Batman arrived, Arthur explained the kid's flippant attitude towards being warned that he'd be hunted by people who wanted to kill him.
"Hm." Batman frowned.
Batman was always frowning. "He refused to answer when I asked him to explain it," Arthur continued.
"Hn."
Arthur felt a headache begin to form. He should have contacted Nightwing. At least that Gotham based vigilante actually gave full answers. Plus, everyone loved Nightwing. Surely the teen would tell Nightwing all about the groups of people that wanted him dead.
"The boy may live and have been raised on Land, but I want to make sure he's safe. He's still one of my people," Arthur said.
"And yet your people would hunt him to death."
"That will be addressed."
~~~
"Dude," Tucker said as he, Danny, and Sam walked to school. "You're part extinct mermaid?"
"Tucker," scolded Sam. "It's not extinct. He's an endangered species."
Tucker snickered. "Twice over," he said.
Danny sighed. "At least if there's another mermaid like me, it won't be someone who wants to kill dad and marry Mom."
The portal accident killed him years ago. The Fentons buried their son, mourned him, and somehow managed to move on.
Then a dimensional breach brings Danny Phantom from another universe into the DC Universe.
At first, nobody notices anything strange. The Justice League just sees another teenage meta helping during crises. But eventually reporters get clear footage. Facial recognition software finds a match.
Danny Fenton.
Deceased.
The boy buried years ago.
Now Maddie, Jack, and Jazz are forced to watch news reports of their dead son flying alongside heroes, So they chase him wanting answers.
And Danny is stuck trying to explain something impossible:
"No, I'm not your Danny."
The worst part?
Nobody believes him.
Because how do you tell grieving parents that their son really is dead... and you're just an alternate-universe version who happened to survive?
Danny(23) owns a petting zoo/animal rescue a few miles outside of Gotham. he has some animals from all walks of life; reputable breeders, other rescues, kill shelters, hoarding situations, breeding mills, ect. Be it dogs, to sheep, to goats, to snakes, to lizards, ro hamsters, to chinchillas, and much more- hes got a little bit of eveything. He makes sure they all have the right set ups, and can live as idealy as possible.
Damian(9) hears about this place and of course needs to check it out. Obviously, he needs to make sure the animals are taken care of and nothing else. And Damian just, immediately falls in love with the place. All the animals are so happy and healthy and the information packets are so well put together and accurate! He is disappointed that nobody is allowed to meet the animals in recovery, but he also knows its for the animals health and safety, which he appreciates. Hes impressed, and decides Danny just has to be his new father.
Bruce(34) thought taking Damian to the petting zoo/rescue would be a nice father/son bonding thing- he did not expect his 9 year old to then try and wingman him to the petting zoo owner, who, might Bruce add, is 10 years his junior!
Basically: Damian is trying to hook his father up with Danny because he wants unlimited animal cuddles. Bruce is unimpressed, Danny's equal parts amused and confused.
Jason, watching concerned as he’s waiting for Gordon to come pick them up:
Joker: HA!
Tim: HaHa!
Joker: HAHAha
Tim: HAHAHAHAHA!
Joker: haHaHAHHAHIIHAHAHAHII-
Tim: HIHAAAHAHAHAHAHIIHAHAHAHIIJAHIAHAHAH
Gordon: did something funny happen.
Jason: worse. I think this is the start of Tim’s slipping into madness.
Gordon: I’m pretty sure him choosing to join your family willingly after knowing how fucked up it was despite everything he’d seen stalking you was the starting point.
Jason:
Tim and Joker: ahahahahahhHahaHAHAhahAhahahhahahHhahaha
Danny moves to Gotham and buys an apartment building.
It was more just a fun project for him to fix up the building, seeing as how after he took over VladCo, and cleaning up operations, Danny was making more money than ever, even after donating to various charities. So yeah, he was bored and just wanted to get his hands dirty and personally repair the appartments.
Once everything was fixed up, he opened the appartments for rent. He didn't really want to charge people, especially in such an area as Crime Alley, but not charging someone rent is way more sketchy than just asking them to pay whatever they could or wanted to. He ended up just setting the money aside to use on the appartments should it need any upgrades or repairs. He doesn't only take money either, while he denies "physical" payments and/or narcotics, he'll take lessons, like the man in 2B teaching him to sew, or the woman in 5A teaching him how to cook, or the two kids who give him very interesting shiny rocks as payment, there was even a few people who paid by cleaning the appartment building's shared places. One teenager paid rent one month by giving Danny a pair of sickly black and white kittens they found outside(they're named Casper, and Specter, and they're the Building's Managers in Pest Apprehension, and Danny loves them).
Because the appartments are so close to where the working girls/boys run, they make up most of his tenants, so Danny asks them to not bring clients back to the apartments, its dangerous to let their clients know where they live, especially because there are other tenants, including children, in the building so its a safety risk. They all agree, they don't really want their clients knowing where they live anyway.
Some do get stalkers though, and Danny is quick to get rid of them. Or when burglars manage to break in, Danny stops them before they can take anything, and if he managed to miss the burglar, he'll personally replace whatever was stolen until they could get the original stuff back. (Maybe he should adopt a gaurd dog, at least for the intimidation factor. Cane Corso's are medium sized*, hes sure he could get away with getting something like that. Something to think about later.)
A lot of his tenants say Danny is really kind, but thats not how Danny sees it, and its something he loudly denies. He's a bored rich person who was taking advantage of his wealth. Him providing them a safe place to live, and a little bit of comfort isn't kindness, its basic human decency. He's not some saint who is doing this of his own kind heart, he's a normal guy who was bored and just decided to do something helpful opposed to harmful, and he shouldn't be praised for that.
*Danny's idea of Dog sizes is skewed, to him Cugo is a big dog, anything smaller than that is medium to small to xsmall.
Bonus
-Red Hood(or the bats in general) thinks the appartment building was suspicious. Maybe it was some rich guy just being nice, but outside of Bruce, stuff like that doesn't happen in Gotham. Maybe its money laundering, or its acting as an underground brothel, or the owner is actually a massive creep. Either way, they want to be discreet, they don't want to ruin a good thing for people in need if everything happens to be clean happenings. So, they go under cover, Jason acts like a working boy, Damian is a abused kid/teen on the run, Steph is hiding from a abusive ex, maybe Alfred gets in on it and acts like an old man whos boss just fired him because of with no severance pay?
-Everytime Danny starts to get bored, he buys another building to fix up. Not always appartment building's, maybe a hotel, or an auto garage, or an abandoned building he could gut and turn into rec center. You'd think Danny would be burning through money, but no, somehow Danny's happenings leaked and it was good press because people are buying things from VladCo more and more.
Jason: I allowed you to come with me under one condition. Don't forget that condition.
Dick: I know, I know. I'm not allowed to date your friend.
Jason: I mean it, Dick. You have a weakness for red heads and Jazz-
Dick: -Is not looking for a relationship or situationship. I know. You said so at least ten times on the way over here. Come on Jay, have a little faith.
Jason: Alright. Just be cool. *opens door* and welcome to Jazz's Bookshelve. The best place to read and listen to slow jazz.
Dick: *whistles* You weren't kidding when you said this place had a cool theme. But is that shelve all the books they have?
Jason: Nope. I told you the front part was a Coffee shop styled like a bar for a reason. This was a speakeasy back in the 1920s, and behind that bookshelf is the entrance, which leads down into the speakeasy, which is what they turned into the bookshop. The live jazz band plays down there too.
Dick: Very nice. Whoever thought about the idea was a genius
Danny behind the bar: Thank you for the compliment. I'll let Jazz know someone loved her idea today.
Dick: ....
Jason: Hey Danny!
Danny: Hey Jay, back again for another drink and a speakeasy read?
Jason: You know it. By the way, the man frozen in place like a idiot is my older brother. Dick this is Danny Fenton, the owner's brother and my friend.
Danny: Nice to meet you.
Dick:.....
Danny: He doesn't talk much, does he?
Jason: No, he does. A lot Normally he be a chatter box. The only time he freezes is when- Oh come on! I told you the condition!
Dick: He doesn't count! You said the redhead! Not the cute barista!
Danny: Cute barista? Thank you. I try.
Jason: I can't believe you. This is junior high all over again! Stop flirting with my friends!
Dick: *gasp* I don't flirt with your friends! They flirt with me!
Bruce walks into the cave late one night finding the computer glowing the dark space. Thinks one of either Dick or Tim left it on. Pulls back the chair to do some work when he sees a tiny Robin in it with wide shadowed raccoon eyes. Bruce shrieks pulling back not having expected it.
Bruce, calming down: Tim!
Bruce: I thought I sent you to bed hours ago.
Ten year old Tim: I’ve almost figured it out Bruce! Just a few hours more!
Bruce:
Bruce turns around. Begins to head towards the stairs.
Bruce: ALFRED!
Tim scurries off like the raccoon he is heading towards a secret set of stairs to race to bed. Bruce gives a humph.
Bruce: Yes. His name is Clark Kent. He can be trusted.
Danny: Okay. *Writes note down* What about the woman next to him?
Bruce: That's Cat Grant, and no, she can't be trusted. Everything you say to her will turn into a gossip-lifting, life-ruining article.
Danny: Got it. *writes more notes*
Jason, watching the two from a few feet away: Say, who's that kid Bruce is media training? Is he a new ward he took in?
Tim: No, that's Danny Fenton, the face of Fenton Works. They signed up as a sub-company of Wayne Enterprise. Originally, they were a paranormal investigation and capture company- yes, I mean ghost hunters- but it was discovered that almost all thier tech can be used on metas. Bruce wants to make medical equipment that can be used by our enhanced citizens.
Jason: I see. But why a kid so young? He's your age, right?
Tim: Hmm, apparently his parents, the owners of Fenton Works, made him CEO so they could focus on ghost hunting and the occasional meta medical machines for Bruce. He got here a week ago to shadow me for CEO training, and Bruce stole him after they met outside my office. Danny hangs onto his every word, and I think Bruce forgot what it was like to have a kid actually listen to him.
Jason: Ah thats makes sense. What do you think of him?
Tim: Well, he's a little naive, easy to trick, and has way too much empathy for the cold world of business. I'm gonna have him in my bed.
Jason: Ah....well that took a turn. One I do not like so I'm gonna....*walks away*
Tim: He will be ✨️mine✨️
Bruce overhears everything from the bugs he planted on his kids: Danny, go ahead and change Tim's status. He can not be trusted.
*Danny at a new school desperately trying to make a new friend*
Danny: Do you want to go to an alternate dimension with me after school?! Its a dimension where the dinosaurs never died out and dinosaurs are kinda just dangerous pets!
Danny kicks open the door: Bruce! Explain yourself!
Bruce: Hello, Daniel. How are you? How are things in accounting?
Danny: Don't try to use socialized manners to distract me! I want an explanation for these accounts! *slams folders on Bruce's desk*
Bruce: Hmm? These are personal accounts.
Danny: I'm aware! What I want to know is why you have so much money being transferred to "Barry's food budget", "Clark's furniture replacement fund," and "Diana's art purchases grant!"
Bruce: I believe the names of the accounts are self-explanatory.
Danny: Who are these people!? Why are you funding thier lives?! You have four other accounts with similar titles!.... Bruce, do you have a secret family? Illegitimate children?
Bruce: Yes, because I adopted a dozen children as a single father, but refused to actually provide for my own. That makes perfect sense. Wow, you caught me.
Danny: Ugh, I hate when you use sarcasm. The whole world thinks you're an airhead with no thoughts, but I know the truth. You're a sarcastic, emotionally broken mess that somehow is the most clever mastermind alive!
Bruce: Thank you
Danny: Uggghhhhh! If we weren't best friends, I would have quit by now! I made enough money to retire early!
Bruce: But you won't~🎶
Danny: Aghhhhh! I won't! If I do, I know you'll mess up all the financial systems I set up and run this company into the ground!
Bruce: You're the reason we aren't sinking.
Danny: Damn right I am! *Agressively sits down and crosses his arms and ankles* Alright, if they aren't your children, then who are these people?
Bruce with the straightest face ever: They're my sugar babies.
Danny: .....What?
Bruce pulls out pictures of the Justice League's civilian IDs: Look at them.
Danny: Wow
Bruce: Yeah
Danny: Okay, I guess it makes sense why you would want to fund them. But Bruce, you can't just-
Bruce: Do you want to be one of my sugar babies?
Danny: I would rather be ripped monicule by monicule than be your sugar baby.
Bruce: What if I made you my Splenda nephew?
Danny: What does that entail?
Bruce: I give you money, but you don't give me any sugar. You just spend time with me.
Danny: No kissing, no sex, no romance? Just friends spending time together?
Bruce: Exactly.
Danny: *Narrows eyes* Bruce Wayne, are you bribing me to turn a blind eye to you toeing the line of embazelement?
Bruce: Yes
Danny: Great! Cause I am totally willing to turn a blind eye to your sugar babies! How much are you willing to give Uncle Bruce?
Bruce: This is why we're best friends.
Dick in tears: About two days. We were so worried-
Bruce: Where's Tim?
Jason: It's alright Bruce. You both made it out fine. He wasn't hurt at all.
Bruce: No. Where is Tim!? Where is he?!
Damian: Father calm down. Drake is-
Bruce: You don't understand! You all let Tim out of your sight! On the most dangerous night of the year!
Dick: What?
Bruce: If I was out for two days then tonight the stars align. Tim is going to summon the Ghost King!
Jason: Why would he summon one of the most dangerous and evil being in the multiverse B?
Bruce: Because he's crazy! The only thing keeping Tim's mental state together was his obsession with Batman! But his obsession with the Ghost King is much greater! We have to find him!
Dick: B, please calm down. You were out for two days. Let us worry about Tim.
Damian: I found Drake. He's in the backyard.
Dick: See? Everything is fine. Tim isnt summoning anything.
Damian: Richard, stop spreading falsehoods. Look at the surveillance.
Tim in the backyard:
Bruce leaping out bed: We have to stop him! I can not have the Ghost king as a son in law!
Jason: Wait, he's trying to summon the King to date him!?
Dick: We need to find a way to establish communication with the ghost or we're in for a fight I doubt we can win. Any ideas?
Garth: We already ruled out most of land languages. I could try Atlantean? Or four of the Seven Sea Comman?
Dick: Go for it it.
Garth: *Turns to flouting figure and speaking in clacking tounge sounds*
Dick: Well?
Garth: No reaction. I don't think he understands.
Dick: Drat. Anyone else?
Kori: I have tried using the few languages I know, and I also failed. However, if I can get close enough I could use my people's lip to lip contact to learn his language instantly.
Dick: I doubt that he will let you get that close but we can try- what are you two doing?
Roy: Setting up the ultimate form of communication
Wally: Interpretive dance! Hit it!
Dick: No-
Wally/Roy:
Danny floating down, teary eye: No one has ever said such poetry about my mother.
Dick: you spoke English this whole time!?
Danny: No, I learned it just so I could thank these two for the touching way they spoke of my mother.
