"Who can say what destiny really is, my starlight?" The Realms ran a giant finger along Danny's face, her other hand sliding along Nocturn's gift. The fabric of the cloak running like liquid night as it flowed along her palm.
"Perhaps it is something decided for us by higher powers, or maybe it is what we decide for ourselves."
Her body swirled around Danny, blending into the visage of the zone for a moment, hair wrapping losely around his ankles as she went. "Or could it be an amalgamation of all the choices made by every precious creature? From the most high creator, to the smallest blob. Comets colliding into one another and shaping the veil of reality around us."
Her large face tilted down at the boy as he turned to face her, hesitant to take his eyes off her unsettling form.
"Yes." She continued, "Methinks that is the calling of all who rest in my boosum. Those who must find their own paths along this winding red string of eternity. I hold the cries and screams of the lost within me, giving them another chance to find solace as they attempt to claw out of the darkest of voids."
Her face was suddenly close. Too close. The solid white light of her eyes bearing down. Seeing stright into his very being.
"Just as I planned to claim your screams, before my most precious clock meddled in affairs beyond their station." Her eyes squinted, seemingly pleased at her halfa's wide eyes staring back at her.
After recovering from the whiplash, Danny slowly turned his head to look at Clockwork who's red eyes were watching the encounter intensely. He fidgeted with his staff where he had broken of a peice to form his own Ascension gift. A watch wrapped in a red string that dangled in the young prince's grip.
"Clockwork... really did change my fate... didn't he ?"
The smug look on her face intensified and she cupped her hands around Danny's whole body, lifting the hand holding the timewatch up so that it glimmered in the light of her chosen's new crown. "Yes, methinks your core shall be a grand place to find refuge."
He felt his human heart and ghost core both lurch. One in fear, the other in excitement.
Sensing the boys mixed emotions, her face became gentle and almost... comforting. "
"Fret not child," her finger once again ran down his face before gently lifting his chin, this time the piercing look was welcoming. It made him think of Jazz's expression from when they were toddlers and she would gently clean food from his face during dinner.
The Realms began to pet his head affectionately, "I have been within you since the day we met in that reality tear." She gave the top of his head two boops, "I'm simply... settling in more permanent like as it were."
Danny reached up, grabbing the finger in both hands, pouting a bit with a slight blush on his face. "I don't know how I feel about all of this..."
The other large hand made its way beneath Danny and scooped him into the palm, forcing him into a sitting position, "Ah, yes, I'd forgotten that you are of rather shy countenance... allow me to instill comfort, Little Prince. I do not enter your mind nor shape your actions." She cackled, "I rarely even keep an eye on you since Clocky is your caretaker.
She placed the finger on his chest, covering his icon, "I will simply rest my flame within you."
Danny looked down at the finger hesitantly. Confusion and concern clear in his expression.
Humming a bit, she pulled back the finger and scooped it under Danny so that she cupped him in both hands. Spinning slightly in a contented buzz. "This relationship is nothing if not symbiotic, my little starlight."
She tilted her head again, closing her eyes and smiling sweetly, "You require the power, yes? To burn away the darkness that is attempting to swallow us all whole?"
Danny flinched as the memory of Aku's laugh echoed through his mind like a parasite. Yes... a power like that would be... incredible. More than that, it could be the difference between the demon's victory... and his loved ones' survival. But... just like with the crown, he didn't want it... did he? Sure, Clockwork had brought him here to meet the embodiment of the Ghost Zone... now that he was primed to take her throne. 'For the extra power you'll need,' he'd said. But there had to be a catch. There was ALWAYS a catch.
He gave her a skeptical glare, "Is this the same power you gave Pariah Dark before he went crazy?"
Terror. That was all Danny could feel. If damnation had an face, it would would have been the look of pure, deadly hatred that flared as the goddess opened her eyes.
"I would never give my blessing to that slithering cockroach!" She reclosed her eyes for a moment before opening them to gently look at the boy in her hands again. "Being king grants access to my company, but only I decide who is worthy of my flame."
She pulled back a hand pulling the surrounding extoplasm to form a miniature Pariah. Being crowned by an Observant who appeard blinded by a gash in his eye. "He desired my power more than anything, willing to don the chains of Kingship thinking he could take my essence by force."
She looked past Danny and into the distance, the miniature light show shifted to Pariah bowing before the goddess before he was drowned in an ocean of flames, "When I refused him, he took matters into his own hands and forced the creation of that accursed crown, maiming many of my subjects in his arrogance." The visage formed an agonized Frostbite screaming in despair, one arm missing as Pariah held a flaming crown with glee.
Chains wrapped around the old king's wrists and the hand that looked like Clockwork's placed a ring on the struggling form. She scrunched her nose in disgust, "Perhaps I overreacted with creating that ring to lock it's power away just to spite him, but I fail to internalize the feeling known to you as "regret"."
With that, her hand snapped shut, destroy the visuals in a haze of smoke, "You, as you've become, couldn't be any more different from that slime."
She coiled around the teen's body, faster now, like a snake. Then gently started nuzzling his face with hers, "It doesn't hurt. I simply take refuge within your core, and you obtain all my power."
The Realms seemed to take pleasure as Danny fidgeted uncomfortably. Appearing as if she was primed to devour prey.
An unnatural grin split arcoss her face, excitement evident. "Yes, everything I touch will be yours. Reality shall bend to your whims! You shall become one the shattered veil and lead us into a brighter tomorrow. Life and death in your eyes. Casting judgements on the wicked with an iron fist!"
Danny began to struggle out of her grip, but was only wound tighter into her coils.
"One day you shall have a proper coronation for ALL the multiverse to see! Not some stuffy back room tea party in the shadows of Long Now..." She glanced up at Clockwork who, while appearing neutral as always, was desperately holding himself back. She knew him and everything he desired, she could tell that he was desperate to step in and retrieve his ward. "As lovely as that was."
She rolled her eyes, "Seriously, never leave a grand event such as an Ascension Caucas or, ancients forbid, a Coronation to a stuffy old time counter!" Her face shifted into a pout, "He didn't even pull out the cloth napkins that match my complexion!"
Realizing that struggling was pointless, the teen went lax, head hanging in surrender, "I... actually kinda preferred the low key event... I'm so overwhelmed... and I'm still not sure..."
"If you will take it?" She finished the statement for him, as she loosened her grip. "I am aware, but I do believe you will come to embody the role naturally as the dominoes fall."
This time she gently took his tiny hand in hers, "You must understand, little one. I never much cared for Pariah, even before he was crowned. He brought war upon the multiverse and sealed my people in a prison of anguish. Shaming me and my children in the eyes of the All-Seeing. I want to show you off. The child who joined our worlds, connected my people, and freed me of my despair. Letting all who look upon us know that we have overcome the corruption of eons past." She gently shook his hands up and down playfully, "You are a beacon of a brighter tomorrow, and we must not hide your light."
She was once again holding him in her large hands and nuzzling him lovingly, "The spark of hope you will ignite shall have a ripple effect across all reality and give those who are lost in darkness a chance to reclaim their purpose." She gently released him to float on his own once more. "A public coronation is not just for you, or even for me, but a celebration of renewal with hearts who dream of better tomorrows!"
"Still, I will confess," She twirled his cape in her fingers, appreciating how the stars within glisten like falling snow. Her bedbug had such good taste! "I do want to doll you up in pretty clothes and drape you in jewels as I do enjoy the finer things. As you have become my most special treasure."
Her gaze upon him was fond and peaceful as if seeing his most inner thoughts, desires, and fears across time and space, "I've waited a long time for you, my child."
Her green form leaned in so that her lips were next to his right ear and she whispered, "Let me let you in on a little secret, shooting star. My obsession... is life! Ghost, Human? Maybe a cute little Fairy or a Robot. It matters not. I adore you all in kind. So it is important to me that you continue to fight for them all. Just as you did when you first bested a King."
She pulled back and looked into green eyes that matched all of her being.
"You are my choice, Danny Phantom." The goddess' form began to fade, "May your reign be as long and radient as the love that shines within you're resilient core!"
A wind blew through and a strand of her essence flounced around before traveling into and down Dannys throat and settled into his chest. As she vanished into the swirling atmosphere, Danny felt something in his core click into place. It wasn't much different from the normal cold. As she had said, she had always been there. Ever since that fateful day in the portal when reality ripped in two. But it felt more... full.
He heard her voice echo through the air he brought a hand to touch the familiar emblem on his chest, "I simply cannot wait to see the kind of king you'll become."
----------‐‐--------- ♡ --------------------
A/N: Good news guys! My background practice got out of hand! And I only cried like 12 times! 😃👍
In my head I've been calling her Gaia, but she can have any name really. The Ghost Zone to me is sentient and playful, much like the Infa-map and potentially soul shredder. A personality similar to an old fashioned Fae. Perhaps not intentionally malicious, but she lacks an understanding of restraint and her playfulness can be dangerous. Not good, Not evil. Just is as always was. While I imaging Ghost Zone interactions being much more like gusts of winds and random floating objects, I also like the idea that it can form a figure using its natural surroundings. This figure doesn't have to be female, that's just what I went with. Pretty sure swirling ghost essence is agender! 🤣
She didn't turn out quite like I wanted. In my head her hair is curlier and I pictured the nose differently, but its not bad for a first draft. Here's some process versions!
I like the no stairs version too, but I just couldn't figure out how to balance that green. Foiled by color theory again! Its going to click eventually I just know it! Also Rip placeholder Danny, my beloved.
Danny is wearing gifts given to him from the Ancients upon the tentative acceptance of his Ascension to Ghost King. Until his coronation though, he's just the prince. Giving him time to make his final decision while grasping the power he needs to take on threats league's more powerful than he is.
Gauntlets of Endurance- Pandora's gift. Protective cuffs that swap between Gauntlets and a hair clasp. Defends against dark magic and can produce a barrier to prevent sneak attacks. Can also be used for blugening with gusto.
Ring of Retrobution: Vortex's gift. Well it was SUPPOSED to strike lightening through the heart of enemies who DARE mess with Vortex's new baby sibling, but that was "to cruel" and "insane" and "why are you like this, Vortex"! So now it just does dumb things like protect him from the natural elements for periods of time. (Update: It came to me in a flash of clarity that Pandora loved the original idea, as striking down ones foe with lightning is epic and she refuses to believe otherwise.)
Gourd of Life- Undergrowth's gift. Refilling water from the tree of life. It can heal any wound, cure any sickness. The amount ingested determines the healing effectiveness. But beware! The water must be consumed from the gourd and it takes time to refill. It must also be administered before a body reaches rigor mortis. For once a living soul has departed, it can not reclaim its teather. The water is quite tasty though! It goes well with some fresh berries and sprouts!
Cloak of Dreams- Nocturn's gift. Originally intended to be Danny's Death Day gift as he was to appentice under Nocturn before Clockwork cheated. It's designed to allow its wearer access into the dream realm and move swiftly through the shadows. However, the dream realm is dangerous and unpredictable. Think Alice in Wonderland. Bizarre creatures roam the lands, not always friendly, and will attack anyone who they discover is lucid. When simply sleeping, the victim awakens, but in the Dream Realm, the damage is very real. Using the cloak also puts the body to sleep, resulting in going numb during transitions.
Phantom Time- Clockwork's gift. Allows Danny to temporarily stop or rewind time. Only for 15 seconds at most for now. It is another skill that must be trained. It must also recharge and the price is hefty. For however long time is stopped, the user must sacrifice their own. Simply vanishing as they jump through time. Rewinding doubles that tole. For a ghost like Clockwork who is not bound by time, the fee is null and inconsequential. For Danny though... he must use caution or else all he knows could disappear.
Fright Knight's gift is not nuking him on sight. Also combat training. But mostly not strangling the whelp! Fright Knight is in an odd state. He is bound to Pariah, but he serves the Realm's King. Trapped in a conflict of interest, he is neutral. But... though he will never say it, he's beginning to enjoy their training sessions and looks forward to sparing with the brat... and perhaps showing off a bit in case Lady Dora is watching...
Crown of Ice- Frostbite's gift. Forged with the Yeti's hopes and dreams, the aurora borialus dances and shines. A prism of rainbows to be seen both day and night. It is a simple crown, designed to stabilize and comfort Danny's core when it is strained past its limit. Frostbite has forged two crowns in his time as the leader of The Far Frozen, but this is his magnum opus. The Crown of Fire burns away at its host. The Crown of Ice preseves and protects.
The Eye of Discernment (not included here)- All ancients. Under every word, every action there are motives. People lie, people cheat, people abuse. A good king needs wisdom to discern what is truth. This third eye can give its wearer that, but truth can be unbearable at times. The third eye simply sees. It doesn't feel. It is cold and brutal and honest. One could go crazy if they look at infinity for too long, so maybe we just not use this one for now. 😅
Okay, that's all for now! I think all that made sense. Sometimes I say things I think are coherent only to be informed later that they were not. If you got this far, thank you for reading! Feel free to use any of the concepts you like! ❤️
