Danny was not sure how this had happened. No, that’s not true. He knew exactly the series of events. He could trace back, day by day, to the moment this timeline had been set in motion. He also knew that that was a load of bull, and that he could easily manage to trace this as far back as he felt, being that he was the apprentice to the Lord of Time and all. As it was though, he was tracing it back to nine days earlier. Nine days ago when he’d been talking to one of the Far Frozen yetis in a back corner of Amity Park Park. That had led to four days ago when the largest blizzard in recorded history buried Amity Park in seven feet of snow, which had led to two days ago when he had gone flying off in the Specter Speeder to visit Frostbite to talk about how he did not mean seven feet, he had just meant enough to close Casper High for a few days so he could catch up on his sleep schedule and maybe actually get a book report finished. He hadn’t known about the stowaway, but he’d heard the news of a missing kid when he got back to his house. And then, three hours ago, Dora had sent a messenger to tell him that the yetis had apprehended a human trespasser. Given that he was the king of the Ghost Zone (and possibly also the god of the yetis) and that the human realm of Amity Park was his lair, he had complete jurisdiction over the human trespasser. He had been planning on just sneaking them out of the Ghost Zone and paying back Dora and Frostbite tomorrow. Of course, one hour ago, he’d found out that someone might have mentioned to someone else that there was a human in the castle who the Ghost King himself had been summoned for, and word might have spread from there to another someone else, who may have told everyone they knew that there was going to be a trial, even though that was not ever conveyed to them.
And that was how Phantom found himself borrowing the courtroom of the Dragon Queen Dorathea, surrounded by hundreds of important ghosts from the far reaches of the Zone, glaring at Wes Weston. He had plans for the evening, damn it, and now he was here, holding court, because Wes freaking Weston didn’t know when to stop. The air around Phantom seemed to warp with power and annoyance. Wes did not seem to understand the gravity of his situation.
“What the hell, Fenton?” One of the ghosts, a tall sharp fellow, stepped forward towards Wes and raised his hand menacingly.
“You shall refer to His Majesty by his proper title, or not at all, human.” He spat the last word like the worst possible insult. Wes didn’t seem bothered.
“It’s alright Cornelius. He is unfamiliar with our customs.” Phantom called back his herald in the ghost tongue common in Dorathea’s kingdom. “As far as he is aware, I am simply his weak classmate who happens to be dead.”
“That does not excuse his behaviour, Your Majesty,” Cornelius spoke angrily. “He must be punished for his insolence.”
“I’m aware, Cornelius. And I plan on doing so-”
“Seriously Fenton, what’s going on?” Wes was annoyed that no one was explaining anything to him. Phantom groaned. As much as he was pushed around at Casper High, no one dared interrupt him when he was holding court. Even Technus shut up when the Ghost King was speaking in court, and Phantom would not allow Wes to ruin that reputation.
“Cornelius.” Phantom muttered and nodded towards Wes. Cornelius stepped up, and with a giddy expression, slapped Wes across the face. “Thank you.”
Wes didn’t say anything, but he had fallen over backwards, eyes and mouth open in shock. Phantom waited for a few seconds. When Wes didn’t show any signs of getting back up, Phantom sighed and began the official court proceedings.
“For the sake of the human, I will continue in English. I am aware that not everyone understands English, so there are translators among you.” There was a pause as many of the onlookers moved around the stands to find said translators. When the shuffling quieted down, Phantom continued. “As of now, the High Court of the Ghost King is in session.” There was a flash of bright light, and suddenly the Crown of Fire sat amidst Phantom’s white hair and the Ring of Rage glowed on his right hand.
On the ground, Wes muttered “Ghost king?” under his breath. Phantom made eye contact with him, and continued.
“This human, Wes W. Weston, stands on trial, as requested by Lord Frostbite of the Far Frozen. Could the legal representative of the Far Frozen read the charges?”
A smaller yeti stood from within the crowd, and leaped down next to Wes, cracking the ground beneath them. Phantom and Wes both turned to the yeti. They pulled a scroll from a hidden pocket, opened it, and began to read. “The Far Frozen charges this human with stowing away on the Great One’s speeder, trespassing in the homes of Wintermire, Icebeam, and six others, and stealing food from Lord Frostbite.” The yeti rolled the scroll back up, bowed to Phantom, and leaped back into the crowd.
“And how do you plead, Weston?” Phantom turned back to Wes, who had finally managed to close his mouth.
“Um, uh…”
“Do you plead guilty or not guilty?” Phantom asked, emphasizing the first option. It would be so much easier for both of them if Wes stated his own guilt.
“I uh, I plead guilty?” Wes whispered, confusion written across his face. Cornelius turned to Phantom, who nodded back.
“The King accepts your guilt,” Cornelius shouted. The crowd applauded, though many were disappointed. They had wanted to see the human on trial for more.
“Are there any other charges to be brought against Weston?” Phantom scanned the room. He could see the various nobility and common ghosts alike frantically trying to come up with a crime Wes had committed, but none of them were confident enough in their ideas to challenge Phantom. They could see the King was tired and wanted to get this over with. “Alright then. By the power vested in me, I declare you, Wes Weston, guilty of stowing away, trespassing and stealing. For stowing away, I sentence you to twenty hours of service, as dictated by Lord and Lady Fenton of Amity Park. For trespassing eight times, I sentence you to eighty hours of service upon your death, as dictated by Lord Frostbite of the Far Frozen. For your thievery, I sentence you to fifty hours of service upon your death, as dictated by Lord Frostbite of the Far Frozen.” Phantom finished, and the crowd cheered. The yetis present were by far the loudest, especially Wintermire, who already had plans for what Wes was going to do for him.
“I now declare the High Court of the Ghost King closed. All are dismissed.” Phantom floated up from his seat as the Ring and the Crown disappeared in another flash of light. The rest of the ghosts began slowly filtering out. Many were taking their time to converse with friends or to see what would happen next. It had been quite some time since a human had stood trial and not been sentenced to death in the Ghost King’s Court. It had also been quite some time since the Court had been held, and Phantom was so different to the previous King, that many weren’t sure that was a bad thing.
Phantom lowered himself down to where Wes had managed to finally stand up, and switched back to English. “And now, asshole, I’m taking you back home. Follow me.”
Wes followed as Phantom floated down a corridor hidden in shadows in the back of the room. They moved in silence for a few minutes, before Phantom pulled a hidden ladder down from the roof.
“Up you go,” he said. Wes climbed the twenty feet up to a panel in the roof of the hallway. Phantom had already flown through the roof, and Wes was not keen on being left behind.
He poked his head out into surprisingly bright open air. The Fenton Specter Speeder was parked twenty yards away, and Phantom was off to the side talking to a very well dressed female ghost.
“Thank you for letting me know, Dora. And thanks for letting me borrow the courtroom.”
“Of course, Danny. You’re my friend.”
“No, but seriously, thank you. If there’s anything I can do,” He gestured vaguely.
“Come by tomorrow for tea. And do bring your friends. It’s been too long since we’ve had time to relax together.”
“I will. School is still closed for at least a week, so we can stay for longer this time.”
Dorathea laughed. “From what I heard, you may have had something to do with that.” Phantom winked, but didn’t answer.
“I will see you tomorrow, Your Majesty.” He bowed.
“And I will see you tomorrow, Your Majesty.” Dorathea bowed as well. When they both straightened up, Phantom went in for a hug. If Wes didn’t know about Danny and Sam, he would have thought there was something going on here. They were hugging very tightly.
“Now then, Mister I-Think-It’s-A-Good-Idea-To-Sneak-Off-Into-The-Land-Of-The-Dead,” Phantom was right in front of Wes now, shocking him out of his thoughts. “Get in the Speeder.” Wes did as he was told.
Phantom expertly piloted the ship into the Ghost Zone’s sky and set it on autopilot to the Fenton portal, before making his way to the passenger section of the ship, where Wes was being uncharacteristically quiet. He let his transformation rings wash over him, reverting his color scheme back to normal and setting him down on the floor with a clunk.
“I know you have questions. We have two hours before we reach the portal.” Wes made eye contact with Danny, who was relieved to see confusion and anger. He had been expecting emptiness, so this was a good sign.
“They called you the Ghost King.”
“Yes.”
“You’re the King of the ghosts?”
“The ghosts, and the Ghost Zone, and sort of the human realm as well, but that’s more just a title than anything. It keeps most of the ghosts out of Amity though, so I guess it comes with some perks.”
“Do they know you’re,” Wes gestured wildly at Danny. “You?”
“You mean, do they know I’m just an undead corpse being possessed by my own revived soul?” Wes nodded apprehensively. Danny snorted. “Yeah, yeah they do. I actually think it makes them more likely to respect me as their king. I’m not your average ghost. I’m powerful. They like that.”
“Who was that ghost you were talking to, that lady at the end?”
“Dora? Oh, she’s the Dragon Queen. We were in her castle.”
“Wait,” Wes held up his hands to make sure Danny would listen. “If she’s the Queen, and your the King, does that mean…” He trailed off. Danny laughed once and shook his head.
“No, not at all. I’m the Ghost King, as in, all ghosts everywhere and that whole thing. She’s the Dragon Queen, meaning she’s the queen of the Realm of the Dragons. It’s sort of like she’s the governor of New York, but I’m the President. There are a bunch of other minor kings and queens throughout the Zone, but I’m on top. Dora’s just a good friend. She helped a lot with teaching me how to actually be the King.”
“Do your parents know about all of this?” Wes asked.
“Yeah, they do.”
“That’s why they’re always so quick to shut me down whenever I say anything about you as Phantom.”
“Yup!” Danny said, popping the ‘p’ sound. “It’s not super helpful to my whole ‘stay under the radar because there’s at least one government agency that would love to take me away’ thing when you’re going around shouting about how I’m Phantom.”
“But you are.”
“Uh huh, but I don’t want anyone to know. It’s safer for me when they don’t know.”
“And you’ve never said any of this before because?” Wes trailed off, waiting for Danny.
“Because I fully expected you to go off and tell the whole school if I said anything. I’m only telling you now because I had Cornelius slap you and I want to make up for that. Also, because now you’ve seen what I can do if you do to you if you say anything.” Danny smiled, and Wes could have sworn he saw a glint of light reflecting off of fangs. “By the way, that sentencing was serious.”
“Wait, what?”
“Oh yeah. I can’t just let you get off. You committed some pretty serious crimes, at least by ghost standards. When murder’s off the table, other stuff is significantly worse. The only reason you aren’t being executed right now is because I’m nice. Pariah would have had you killed without a second thought.”
“What was my sentence again?”
“Of course you weren’t listening,” Danny muttered. “Just a lot of community service. Most for Frostbite when you actually die and become a ghost, so you got some time there, but some for my parents.”
“Why for your parents?”
“You snuck into their house, onto their Speeder, and now they’re taking the flack because you’ve been gone for two days and everyone is blaming them and their ghost portal. And the ghosts recognize them as being positions of authority over the human realm, so I can.”
“So you’re making me work for them? For free? Isn’t that child labor, or slavery, or something?”
“No, not at all,” Danny said. “Because neither Danny Phantom nor Danny Fenton are going to make you do anything. Danny Fenton has no authority over you, so that’s useless.” He smirked. “Danny Phantom, on the other hand, is both the ghostly ruler of your entire town, and also the dead guy who saved your life, so when he suggests you do something, it’s a good idea to listen.”
Wes nodded, eyes wide.
“So, you’re going to get back to Amity Park and tell everyone how you were kidnapped by a ghost, just any generic ghost, please don’t come up with or use a preexisting name, and then you’re going to say that Phantom came and rescued you. Now, like anyone who was just threatened by a dead man, you want to learn how to defend yourself and how to protect the town from ghosts in the future, so you’re going to tell your parents that you want to help out at FentonWorks. My parents can find something for you to do. Of course, all of this is just a suggestion from Phantom, but I’d recommend you listen.” Wes nodded again.
“No, I got it. I got it.”
“Good, because if you don’t, I will have to change your sentence to something significantly harder. After all, as the eternal overlord of the dead, the god of the cold, and the junior apprentice of Time, I need to set an example, and many of my subjects have a deep-rooted sense of justice.” Wes stayed silent as Danny finished. After a few minutes with not a peep between them, Danny made his way back to the cockpit and took over the controls.
Wes saw the flash that indicated that he was back to being Phantom up there, but didn’t react. He was already planning on how to get out of this. If the Fenton’s knew, that would make it harder, but he’d also probably come away with more information about both Fenton and Phantom. Maybe that would be enough to convince his classmates...
Dash wants many things but there’s two he’s sure he just can’t have, Danny meanwhile, doesn’t think ‘can’t’ is an actual word.
Dash sighs mentally, eyeballing Danny out of the corner of his eye. There had always just been something about how lithe the guy’s body was, the way his clothing would occasionally cling or hang off him giving away the skinnier body underneath. Personally, he would never wear oversized clothing himself, but it was more than a little attractive on people with petite frames.
Watching Danny stretch his arms over his head and yawn in a way that was almost cat-like. He doesn’t know when Danny’d gotten his teeth done like that, the fangs, but they added an even more slender and sharp edge to his face. Moving his gaze up the other teens' jawline to mentally trace out a sharp line all the way past the tapered ears. Everything about Danny’s face was sharp, defined...and incredibly attractive.
Glancing back to Danny’s arms just before he lowers them, the oversized sweater just thin enough and just heavy enough to give away the ever so slight hint of defined muscles underneath. Dash has no clue how that happened and he was honestly a bit hurt and dismayed when he noticed Danny bulking up. How could he not notice? It was so very obvious every time he grabbed around the now practically rock hard biceps to drag the kid off for his daily beating. Or when he snuck a peek down Danny’s shirt, as he always did, when pinning him up against some locker. He knows attacking Danny is pretty stupid, but Dash knows he’s not a smart guy. And really? A jock with a loser? A freak? Never. He’d be a social pariah. So he gets his hands on his secret little crush the only way he knows how. With rough hands and a strong dose of aggression. He does relish the closeness too though with that strange muscle Danny’s built, he does wonder why Danny never truly fights back. He honestly wouldn’t mind getting rough up by the lithe teen. That was half the reason he loved football after all, and working out. The bruises, the cuts, the sore muscles. Pain was a pleasure and carried a feeling of power. Knowing just what your body could do and take. And he’ll admit to testing Danny’s limits sometimes. Seeing just how much pain he could take, which honestly just left him feeling very impressed...and attracted.
But back to why Danny’s muscle growth had bugged him. In the beginning, it did anyway. See Danny had always been skinny, there was a daintiness to him, yet lithe. It’s not like Danny never had muscle, no, it had just been muscle potential hidden away. And wondering just what he could do if that potential developed was a bit exhilarating. Just like getting a new teammate on the field. But his fellow jocks were all rather brutish in their muscle and psyche, which Dash firmly did not have an interest in. And sure, maybe he had gone a little blind, thinking that the only real options were skinny, beefy, or fat.
So imagine his hidden horror with that mindset, when Danny -with the perfect femboy bod, with all the sharpness needed to have a somewhat pixie look- seemed to be transitioning into the beefy category? Over time that worry was quelled, Danny’s muscle was so different. He never seen such a lean tight kind of musculature, Danny even seemed to become more sharp; sharper jaw, the ears, even his eyes had a sharpness. It was, dare he say, exotic. Which if anything, only added to the femboy pixie look. Which okay, sue him, he liked cutesy shit; definitely explained his taste in men. Not that anyone actually knew that. Dash Baxter, number one football star and the example of masculinity, being interested in anything ‘cute’? Never. He had an image he had to keep.
That was one thing he was insanely jealous of Danny over. Danny’s freaky family made it so that it didn’t damn matter what he did or how he acted. Nothing was unexpected behaviour from a Fenton. And he was already a social pariah. Danny could literally transform into a dog or some shit and no one would really be all that surprised. He might get a few new insults hurled at him but that’s it. But Dash? The slight wrong move and goodbye scholarships or dealing with a furious father. ‘Cause don’t let it fool you, regardless of what the colleague heads said publicly, they absolutely did discriminate. Especially in sports. And bi in football? Bi and hocked up with a cute little thing who was a social outcast of the lowest most mocked kind? Surely his life and future would explode right in front of his face.
And of course there was the issue of if Danny would even be interested. Because finally owning up only to get rejected? By said lowest of the low twink? That would beyond worse. So yeah, the risk wasn’t worth it. And he wasn’t quite dull enough to not realise that Danny probably did not like him, the ‘bullying’ and all that. So even if Danny did swing that way, well, Dash’s chances were pretty well nothing.
Making a damn point to jeer mockingly and with a level of intimidation at the weirdo trio as he passes them on his way to class, firmly making a point to not react to picking up on Danny clearly not being fearful and even smirking slightly. It honestly pleased him immensely that Danny didn’t seem to actually fear him. Again, it was something like hidden strength. That was one thing that had always separated Danny from the other skinny kids, he wasn’t fearful. He was bold and loud. Even if that only really showed if you looked for it or caught him on more of his more mirth filled days. Simply put, Danny had never been pathetic. Never been weak. Even back when he was physically very much weak -Dash had to give him fitness training for peats sake- he had never been mentally weak.
Sitting at the back of the class next to Kwan, sneaking glances at Danny here and there. This was something he liked to do in the less important and boring classes, recently anyway. Sure he had always admired Danny with glances here and there but another one of Danny’s changes was just too intriguing not to watch.
Danny often slept in classes, that was boring and honestly made him worry some which is why he went easier on the guy on the days he seemed to be napping more often than not, but when he didn’t and it was one of these more useless classes? He’d go between looked over the other students and scanning the town through the window next to him. The sharpness to his eyes was most noticeable then and there was something about the way he looked over the rest of their classmates. It reminded Dash of how people talked about how gods and angels would gaze upon humans. Like they were impossibly and unimaginably above them yet fond and even protective. It really added to that pixie aesthetic Danny had, made him seem just that more ethereal. ‘Ethereal’ that’s a new one, maybe he got more out of Lancer’s crappy poetry babble than he thought. That thought makes him wonder if Danny would like fancy words and that poetry stuff. All the fae in his moms' romance novels -which yes he did secretly read- seemed to love that kind of stuff. And sure, he’s pretty sure Danny’s human, ethereal aspects aside, but a guy can imagine can’t he? Dash quickly brings his attention back to the teacher as Danny’s watchful yet distant gaze travels to him. At least he isn’t a blusher, Dash is more than a little thankful for that.
Dash is laying on his bed, quickly turning his head to the side as an explosion sounds. Promptly springing up and sticking his head out the window at spotting Phantom zip by, “WOOOO! Go get him Phantom!”, he can’t help but beam as Phantom glances back and sends him a little wave with a cocky smile.
Dash sighs and flops back against his bed, his crush on Phantom was another dirty little secret. Sure he may pass himself off as ‘his biggest fan’ and he certainly wasn’t nearly as bad -or delusional if he’s blunt- as Paulina, but he definitely was a part of the Phantom Crush Club in spirit. Since of course no one knew about this crush either. Queer thing aside, Phantom was a ghost. Which yes, was part of the attraction so sue him, again the whole ethereal thing. Man that word’s becoming a personal favourite.
Phantom’s glow combined with the white of his hair and skin, that definitely qualified as ethereal. The powers were whatever really, cool and probably really fun but not where Dash’s attraction is based. And really, if anything made Dash’s type clear it was his two crushes. Both of them had the lithe pixie feel to them. Sharp in all the right places and brimming with hidden strength. Though Phantom’s might be much more literal. But honestly, Dash preferred Danny’s less showy nature. Phantom demanded attention, the skin-tight jumpsuit definitely did not help reduce that, and he was loud in a way that could border on obnoxious. Danny was a sleek black cat with piercing knowing eyes, Phantom was a mighty dragon always coiled for a fight.
Blinking at the ceiling, “I’m getting all fancy, man I really need to sleep”. Turning over in his bed only for his hand to brush against the corner of a book, “hurgh?”, pulling it out towards his face and squinting. Staring at the little scrap paper used as a bookmark, “probably a bad idea”, but flicking the book open anyway; a bit curious where he left off.
“I wondered if my head and heart would ever reconcile, or whether I'd just cursed myself to relive this moment for the rest of my years, half assured I'd made the only choice available to me, half always whispering if only, the whole of me filled with bitter regret“ ~ An Enchantment Of Ravens
Dash blinks and grumbles, “you didn’t have to call me out like that”. Deciding to flip around to a random page.
“Are you in love with me?" I blurted out.
A terrible silence followed. Rook didn't turn around.
"Please say something."
He rounded on me. "Is that so terrible? You say it as though it's the most awful thing you can imagine. It isn't as though I've done it on purpose. Somehow I've even grown fond of your - your irritating questions, and your short legs, and your accidental attempts to kill me."
I recoiled. "That's the worst declaration of love I've ever heard!” ~ An Enchantment Of Ravens
Dash chuckles but sighs, “fate hates me”. Deciding to try once more, flipping closer to the beginning.
“My cheeks warmed, and a wistful pang plucked a sweet, sad chord in my stomach. It was simple, really. He didn’t want me to forget him once he’d gone” ~ An Enchantment Of Ravens
Dash blinks, he did always rather like seeing the slight busies he left on Danny. Which now that he thinks about it, they didn’t seem to form anymore or stay for long. Which, okay yes, bugged him, not like he knew why really. Guess it was kind of obvious now. Maybe Danny would See those bruises and remember him. Was that stupid? Likely. Snapping the book shut and sticking it more securely under the mattress, before making a point to force himself to settle down to sleep.
He finds himself waking up way too early for a school day, turning his head to look at the little football-shaped clock, it’s red light glare at him reading ‘3:42’. If non-ghostly objects could be malicious, he’s sure every alarm clock would be. The early morning leading to him thinking back on his current book, the story of a fae royal and human falling in love. Forbidden love that would cost the fae his reputation. Sounded a little familiar huh?
Twenty minutes later and his mind’s still on that damn book, so he throws the blankets off and decides to get dressed. Thankfully sneaking out was relatively easy in his house, normally everyone was so loud that quiet noises went completely unnoticed. So just walking out the front door was a perfectly fine thing to do.
Five minutes later finds him wandering the sidewalks of Amity. If he’s being totally honest, even if Danny wasn’t some social peasant or whatever, he still wouldn’t go for it; even if he was a girl. Why? Hitting on girls like Paulina was easy, expected even. There was no risk. Even if girls like we rejected him, that’s what they were expected to do most of the time. But someone he was actually interested in? That was risky. The thought of trying to take it was thrilling, attractive, fun. Actually trying? Nope.
Kicking a rock down the gravel as he enters the park, eventually bumping into to something or someone. Snapping his head up and cursing his luck -or maybe he should be thanking it?- at seeing it was Danny he ran into...literally. Watching as Danny steadies himself quickly, his hood fällig down in the process. Dash has to make a damn point to not stare and change his face to a scowl when the moonlight practically glows of Danny’s pale skin. Why did he have to be so, um, right, ethereal? “Watch it loser”.
Danny squints at him, then throws Dash through a loop by responding with, “no one wanders around at four am for good reasons”.
Dash blinks a bit at those watchful blue-eyes, losing a bit of the fake bite that Danny hopefully passes off as tiredness, “then why are you here?”.
“Why would I tell you why?”, with that Danny turns back to look over the rest of the park from the little bridge thingy they’re on.
Dash scoffs, “whatever Fentwerp”, joining in looking over the park. The two settle into silence, though it doesn’t take long for Dash to glance at Danny’s back; the dark grey hoodie was arguably in horrible condition but it just looked like a style choice on Danny. Everything probably looked good on him. Flicking his eyes away to avoid Danny possibly noticing, because really, there was no one else here so any staring from him would be rather obvious. That gets him thinking though, when had he ever been just one on one with Danny? With neither of their friends around or teachers? Never. It had never happened. Dash didn’t do lonely, he also didn’t do silence for that matter, and Danny’s friends were practically attached to him. Honestly, he’s pretty sure both of them are crushing on Danny; Valerie definitely still had a thing for him, everyone knew the goth did and the techno-geek had a thing for everyone. And yet none of them were going for him...why? They didn’t really have anything to lose and Valerie already had once. Right, even Paulina had dated him; even if she claimed it was to piss off the goth. Maybe there was just something about Danny that made him easy to crush on but impossible to love? Maybe it had something to do with how he was, what was that word? How could he have forgotten it already?....oh right, ethereal. Or maybe it was because he was ethereal. It was pretty obvious people are, um, put-off? -That sounds right- by things that seem inhuman. What with all the horror movies about such people, and that was a pretty common theme with human/non-human romances. Personally, he didn’t get it. Sharp, predatory, the thrum of potential power or danger, the otherworldliness -he’s pretty sure he’s read it described with that word once- he liked that.
Flicking his eyes back to Danny watching as he opens his mouth to sigh almost soundlessly, fangs dragging across his lips. Yeah, shit like that is going to be the death of Dash. With the silence officially be too much for the jock, Dash mutters, “four am is a stupid time”.
Danny snorts, “perfect for you then”, before pushing off the railing and eyeballing Dash. Smirking slightly, “you still keep a collection of teddy bears?”.
“Oh screw y-”, Dash cuts himself off, there’s not really anyone here to play pretend for. “Yeah, so what I like cute shit, what’s it to ya Fenton”. Including cute shit like you, being left unsaid.
Dash doesn’t miss how Danny’s eyes seem to glint while Danny tilts his head at him before those eyes glance around a little. Dash isn’t sure what he sees or is looking for, while Danny hums before speaking, “so often you aren’t quite what you seem, huh Dash?”. Then walking a bit to stand side to side with Dash, hands in his pockets, “you allow those around you to dictate who you are. Stop that, it’s stupid. You’ll never find what you want or who you fit with that way”.
Dash turns and watches Danny walk off. In some way it almost feels like Danny was never actually here. Looking back tot the bridge and touch where Danny’s hand had been to find it cold. Was he tired enough to actually be imagining Danny being, well, Danny? He’s not sure he’d even be able to imagine the sharpness of Danny’s eyes. Sighing a bit and not sure if he wished the maybe Danny had stuck around or not. Before deciding to walk some more, the air smelled nice at least and no one was around to give a damn how he acted.
Turning and walking off the bridge only to nearly shriek from some blonde-haired guy just suddenly being there. He doesn’t look friendly and the scar over his face doesn’t help that, yet Dash finds himself frozen in spot. He knew he could move, kinda wants to, but something just feels like he shouldn’t. Maybe it was the piercing blue eyes, how even with the strong moonlight he had no shadow, or the cruel-looking smile that somehow felt kind.
Swallowing a bit thickly as the man approaches, the clicking of his purple walking stick being the only sound. The stranger looks up at him slightly, “restless soul, looking for something in another land. The kind heroes and villains dance upon. You think you know your path best, and yet, are just a vagabond too fearful of quicksand to walk from the desert dunes to find an oasis of blues and greens. You are parched dry from your ways, yet refuse to chase waters deeper than you know”.
Dash blinks, catching the moonlight glint off the strange gear cog collar pins, “what?”.
The man chuckles, “you hold tears of the potential of judgment. A soul of man, whose fading light will one day be at its end. Seeking to paint your existences canvas with the lord of graves. One who you’ll grant find in time, one way or another. Painted soot or painted snow. Regardless. Would you not rather run your hands through the textures while you can enjoy it and endeavour it while having a pulse to half match under your skin?”.
Dash’s brain is pretty well mud right now, “who are you?”.
He shrugs, “I’m a tale of time, that history has lost. I see, I guide, I exist. And you, you are a bird that thinks it’s a boar”.
One thing Dash can always do is pick up on insults, and that was an insult, even if he has no clue what that was supposed to mean, “I’m not a meathead”.
The stranger holds up a finger and smiles, his eyes have an oldness to them that is honestly unpleasant, “precisely. You fear not the dark nor the monster with in, you fear the light and things far weaker than you. The boar charges and fights the bull, the bird lives alongside it. You feign your charges, act the boar, even as your flyer eyes see that the target is something to walk with, not against. You do this so others think you are a boar, why would you want to? boars die foolish. Be glad your bull is more of a lording cat, one that won’t strike you down”.
Dash blinks and steps back a little bit, “er, whatever you weird old man”. To make a point, Dash walls forward and around the stranger, but not too close because seriously, what the fuck?
The stranger doesn’t move but follows Dash with his eyes, speaking again just as Dash walks past, “you may find your lithe cat will enjoy your feathers quite fine. And one more thing”, Dash glances back and the stranger winks with a grin, “it’s not time that’s stupid, it’s what you do with that time”.
To say Dash is confused, as he walks the gravel path feeling slightly paranoid, would be an understatement. Lancer’s weird poetry crap made more sense than that. But the weirdos' last words sounding so much like Danny’s is giving him a weird gut feeling that the guy was somehow talking about Danny. Officially deciding he needs to back to sleep, he must be having awake fever dreams or something.
Dash walks through the school doors, firmly glad he got more sleep. Part of him wants to confirm seeing Danny wasn’t some weird fever dream, the other part is a bit distracted when, in his taking in of Danny’s lithe form, he notices the small gear cog charm hanging off his chain belt. It looked exactly the same as the weird guys' pins, has Dash just walked into some strange fantasy story or something?
Looking away and storming through the halls like he owns them, which he does, when Danny looks to him. Catching Danny’s eyes seemingly becoming sharper for a second and his hand brushing the charm on his belt. Why did he feel like Danny noticing where he was staring was somehow...what was that word? Some that started with a ‘c’?whatever, it was somehow a strong play.
Danny just suddenly appearing and stepping out of a bathroom stall, that Dash is sure was empty, during lunch rather confirms his thoughts. Looking Danny over through the mirror, his head was titled and he quickly locks gazed with Dash through the mirror. This was that sharp edge really showing through, and god damn if that wasn’t stupidly attractive. Snapping at him, “what you being creepy for, you freaky weirdo”.
Danny scoffs and rolls his eyes, “it seemed rather timely”.
Dash blinks a bit at Danny almost jarringly quickly snapping his gaze back to Dash’s face in the mirror. The first thought to worm into his head is that this seemed like a cat stalking after a bird. Then basically getting dropped kicked in the brain by Deja Vu. Muttering at the mirror, “what is it with that bird shit”.
“What, someone give you a weird birds and the bees talk?”, Danny snickers, “thought you were too old for that”.
Dash squints at the mirror, was that what that guy was going off about? Honestly anything seems possible. Looking Danny over, if there was one thing everyone knew it was how used to strange he was. How part of it he was, because of his family. But Dash knows there’s more to it than that, that he was something different and strange all on his own. He’s also sure that’s not just his interest in the ethereal boy talking. Deciding to go out on a limb, not like anyone would judge him for using a Fenton to figure out some weird shit, “maybe? Who knows what’s up with weirdos”, turning around and looking more directly at Danny, who’s looking at him with critical sharp eyes, “some guy going off about drinking ‘oasis’ of blue and green. That my cat will like my feathers”.
Danny smirks knowingly and moves to wash his hands in the sink, “sounds like a riddle if I’ve ever heard one. Maybe think of who you associate with blue and who with green”, chuckling and shaking his head a little, locking eyes with Dash in the mirror again, “and who you think of as a ‘cat’. Otherwise, sounds like someone’s telling you to stop holding yourself back and chase after what you want”. Danny walks out leaving Dash just kind of staring at the sink.
Dash spends the rest of the day casting glances at Danny a fair bit more often than he usually does. Pretty well sure the boy knew what the strange guy meant but was just letting Dash figure it out himself. He finds he can respect that a bit, even if he’s definitely annoyed. The fact that Danny is seemingly brushing up against him in the hallways doesn’t help, or maybe it does. Because fine, yes he likes it. The fantasy of Danny being forward towards him in an attracted way won’t stop circling in his head. But it isn’t until the second to last class that something clicks. Watching Danny suddenly stiffening, like he often did before running off to the bathroom mysteriously, Dash could have sworn Danny’s face twisted in anger and eyes flashed green for a second as he stands and speed walks out of the classroom. Leaving Dash blinking and getting slapped by Deja Vu again. ‘Blue and green’, blinking more at that making other things click in place. Everything about Danny was lithe, he’d even described him as cat-like. Was weird dude telling him to get with Danny? The hell? How did weird guy even know that?
He guesses that’s one way for the universe or whatever to say something’s fate or some bullshit. But real life doesn’t work like that...right? Well okay, ghosts are real so there is some make-believe that’s real. But then Dash, Hell no one, would ever describe Danny as a bull. A bull that’s a cat, that doesn’t even make sense. Shaking his head as class ends.
Walking out thinking of soot and snow, and didn’t that guy also say something about heroes? Soot was black right? Googling away to find that yes it was, as he makes it to his next class. Of course snow was white. So black and white. Well shit, that was Danny and Phantom’s hair colours; and Phantom was a hero. Danny had organised that rescue mission, so could he be labelled ‘hero’ too. Not really, it was a one-time thing after all.
Groaning and hitting his head into the desk only for the teacher to snap at him about paying attention. Mentally shoving all this crap away, basically mentally screaming at it to sort itself out.
Seeing Danny after last class across the hall and walking towards Danny with a glare, because he absolutely needs to take out his romantically frustrated aggression and, if he’s honest, mentally frustrated aggression -because thoughts of that weirdo just will not leave him alone- on someone.
Dash grabs him and slams him into the lockers, speaking without a whole lot of power behind his worlds, because he’s more than a little preoccupied and Danny’s eyes glittering with mirth and knowing does not help, “you know, I kinda feel like making you eat locker, weirdo”.
Danny speaks with a smirk, “weirdly cute you mean”. Dash sputters and promptly drops Danny, turning on his heel and speed walking off. Though he does throw a glance over his shoulder back at Danny, who looks more smug than anything he’s ever seen before; making Dash blush furiously and then feeling annoyed at blushing.
Dash decides that night that if his head’s just gonna be stuck in a pit of ‘just ask him, you know you want to’ and weird mutterings about painting with the lord of graves -whatever the heck that means- then he might as well finish his book. Well, his mom’s book but still. It seems suiting enough.
He flat-out drops the book when he gets to the point where Gadfly -an ageless fae who can see the future and all the twists and turns it might or might not take- functionally admits to setting up Isobel with Rook. The mortal with the inhuman prince, who -as Dash finishes the book with a fair amount of shock- comes to stand as the King of all fae. The lord of fae. The lord of graves? Was Danny some kind of ethereal prince? King? Or something? And heck! Gadfly was even blonde too! The Hell? And didn’t weird guy go off about Dash painting or something? Isobel’s a painter. Officially finding this a little too weird, Dash closes the book and tucks it away. Looking out the window and deciding that another -not really early enough to be morning but too early to be night- walk might get him more answers.
Somehow, Dash thinks as he watches Danny fiddling with a dandelion puff from afar on the same bridge as before, this isn’t surprising. Shaking himself off and making a point to shove down all the weird stupid feelings, before walking over with his hands in his pockets. “So you’re out here again”
Danny speaks without looking to him, “so are you”.
Dash scoffs and looks at his shoes a little, something tells him Danny wouldn’t be out wandering the night because of a book and some weird guy. The boy would probably handle it without being fazed much at all, “what? do you just wander around in the dead of night for fun?”.
Danny chuckles and side-eyes him, “maybe I do, maybe I don’t. Under the moonlight seems like a great place to be, don’t it?”.
Dash leans against the bridge railing, “it is ethereal I guess”.
Danny laughs and it’s a bit loud, “ethereal, that’s a big word for you. Now I wonder what could make you learn a word like that. Something so applicable to the strange and otherworldly”.
Dash bites his lip slightly at that, feeling incredibly called out, though ha! ‘Otherworldly’ was a word used for it. For people like Danny. Dash scoffs, “whatever, it’s got it’s uses”.
They stand in silence, both looking in opposite directions for a while. Until Dash blushes slightly at Danny humming, recognising the tune as Strangers In The Night.
Now Dash isn’t that much of an idiot, he’s not smart but he’s not dumb. He can recognise a blatant call out when he sees one. Danny knew. And...wasn’t being a dick about it, much. Wasn’t brushing him off. Dash isn’t sure if he’s confused by that or not.
Turning his head slightly to look at where the strange man had been last night before blurting out, “you’re mean”.
Danny laughs loudly at that and looks at Dash, who firmly avoids turning his head further to meet the gaze, “oh yes, says the bully. But you know what they say, ‘he only hits you ‘cause he likes you’”.
Dash jerks a bit and gapes, maybe he underestimated the boldness of Danny. While Danny sighs after a while of furthered silence, “it’s a darker night out hmmm? The darkness always holds something, a secretiveness to it. Where you can watch without being seen or act without being watched. In every story it crawls with monsters, things of depravity. Things people think are wrong, shouldn’t see the light of day. But those things are free in a sense that those who secluded themselves to daylight can never be. Monsters and those who hide, yet even they need to be brought into the sun sometimes. Wouldn’t you say?”.
Dash’s brain had stalled on the monster comment. That weird guy had gone off about monsters too. The whole him not fearing monsters or something? Danny was clearly weird, different. Didn’t people get called monsters in all those mutant movies over being different? And Phantom, well, the Fenton’s literally shouted that he was a monster. This was turning into some beauty and the beast shit. That makes him practically pitch forwards and face-plant into the ground.
Danny catches him and mutters, “geez, are you so repressed that the idea of not being so makes you want to eat the ground you walk upon?”.
Dash just blinks at him as he stands in front of him, because the whole thing with beauty and the beast was the beast transformed. Could look two different ways. And Danny’s eyes were green. Phantoms eyes were green. Danny raises his eyebrows at Dash sputtering at him, “that’s, it’s not, that ain’t”, Dash blinks, this explained a lot and Phantom was so bold, he took what he wanted, yet here he? -They? However it works- was seemingly waiting for Dash to make some kind of decisions thingy. Muttering, “have my cake and eat it too”.
Danny scrunches his face up and laughs, “I never imagined Dash would genuinely confuse me-”, getting cut off by Dash just saying screw it and kissing him, hard.
Dash pulling back but promptly hugging the weird ethereal creature, “I am so many levels of confused”. Danny just chuckles and pats his back, “yet maybe less in some way. Though you know, you really should ask first”.
Dash jerks and basically holds Danny by the shoulders away from him, Dash wasn’t that dumb of a guy but he was definitely a little stupid.
Danny rolls his eyes but smirks, batting off Dash hands before grabbing his shirt collar and kissing back, “you’re an idiot”.
Dash mutters, “you’re a weirdo”, as Danny backs off. After a bit of silence Dash looks at his feet and sticks his hands in his pockets, “so, uh, now what?”.
Danny shrugs and goes back to leaning on the railing, “I dunno, you work through your confusion I guess”, glancing at Dash, “just know that I am never a confused person anymore”.
Dash looks out across the park, well that was as blunt as anything. Why though? “I’ve literally beat the crap out of you for years. And,”, Dash worries his lip a little, blushing slightly from the unusual coldness on them, a coldness from Danny, “and you could have fought back anytime”.
Danny gives him a knowing look before smirking a little, “so you figured that out too huh?”.
Dash doesn’t give him a chance to say anything more, “as of two seconds or whatever ago. My head is mud”, Dash barely cuts himself off from saying ‘congrats’ or ‘thanks’. Who the Hell says that to some who just kissed them?
Danny screws up his face and it honestly looks like something out of a bad movie where the characters make some great discovery. When he chuckles and shakes his head, “so that’s what you meant by the cake thing”, squinting at Dash a little, “now you know I have to ask this, but knowing isn’t why you did that, is it?”.
Dash doesn’t know whether to nod or shake his head because both would be a lie, “I just figured out my two, um, interests, were smashed into one. Excuse me for not being myself, or whatever, enough and pleased, to have some self-control”.
Danny smiles at that, shoving Dash’s shoulder lightly, “lucky you I guess. Who’d you like more?”.
Dash sputters, Danny was a little much, always was, but that’s part of what he liked about him. The fearlessness, the hard sharpness, and he was cutting Dash the Hell up, “you”, Dash keeps talking as Danny raises his eyebrows, “Danny”, continuing when Danny raises his brows further, “Fenton. The weird lithe kid with sharp edges and the whole pixie thing going on”. Dash looks around some, ignoring the slight smirk on Danny’s face.
Danny bumping shoulders with him, “oh fancy words Dash. You know I love words with meanings, that I love to give out nicknames. Maybe you should be Teddy Bear”. Dash blushes more than a bit furiously at that which just makes Danny laugh, “oh yes, that will do wonderfully”. Danny sighing after a while of Dash blushing and staring defiantly into the distance, “not that we have to be public about... whatever this is”.
Dash looks back to him at that, nodding slightly, “that is...why I never would have tried normally. Weird dude threw me through a loop”, smiling a little and shoving Danny lightly, “I think I’m glad he did though”.
Danny nods, “if there’s anyone who can understand secrets Dash, especially for safety’s sake, it’s me”, gesturing around, “night seems to suit us. It’s always been something of mine. There’s not really anything wrong with hiding in the night, if you care to join me in that anyway”.
Dash gapes a little, that felt like a stupid question. Why would he question if Dash wanted this to be a ‘thing’. Dash should be the one worried about that, “yes. That is- why would you even ask that?”.
Danny chuckles and gives him a smile that’s got a sadness to it, which Dash is officially having none of and feeling more like his rather brazen self, just kisses him again before he can respond. Dash then saying, “it doesn’t matter”.
Danny chuckles and shakes his head a little, “you sure watch me a lot huh. Like what you see?”, Dash forced down his blush this time while Danny smirks and glances around with that searching look before looking back to him, “care to see how I own my night?”.
Dash just nods a little before going slightly slack-jawed at the near blinding ring of light and Danny suddenly being Phantom and just floating around to be away from the bridge slightly, holding a hand out to Dash, “well? I could rip off superman and say I promise not to drop you or you can stop holding yourself back”.
Dash barely wastes a second before grabbing Danny’s hand and letting him pull him up off the ground. Dash asking the only other question he really has or that’s still bugging him as Danny wraps his arms around him and just...goes up, “so weird guy also said something about king of graves?”.
Danny laughs and shakes his head a little, “that cheeky bastard”, before looking down at Dash’s face, “Ghost King, Dash. Something beyond what any ghost or mortal could be”.
Dash again feels slapped by Deja Vu, he’s never going to be able to look at that damn book the same again, “you know, I was reading a book where...”.
Dash winds up explaining his ‘girly’ book interests as they fly around, oddly unfazed and comfortable with the whole fly thing. While Danny simply exists as the strange ethereal being he is, face glowing brightly against the night sky; leaving Dash feeling like he just caught a star in a wishing bottle and think that maybe poetry might be a good idea.
Summary: After dying in a house fire, Maddie Fenton never expected to become the thing she hated the most. She certainly didn't expect to be taking orders from her son, either.
Prompts: Ghost King, Fully Dead AU, Someone Dies
Ghost Sauce:
Summary: Sam didn't want to work at the Nasty Burger. Thank goodness her friend could always cheer her up with his stupidity.
Prompts: Sam Works At The Nasty Burger, Ghost Hunger
At Least He's Getting Paid:
Summary: The internship might be unwilling, but hey, at least Danny was getting money from it.
Prompts: Identity Reveal, Danny Interns For The Guys In White, Dissection
Double Date:
Summary: Dash panicked when Valerie asked for him to have a double date, and he ended up going with someone he never thought he could.
Prompts: Swagger Bishie, Vengeful Babes, It's Not Gay If He's Dead
The Phantom Of Waverly Place:
Summary: Alex thinks the guy from the ghost nip lesson is pretty cute. (Dp × Wizards Of Waverly Place Crossover)
Prompts: Crossover, Ghost Nip, Stuck In The Fenton Thermos
Stars Above:
Summary: Danny achieves his dream. Or, two of his dreams.
Prompts: Danny Goes To Space, Reverse/Inverse Trio (Reverse Trio)
He's A... Fenton?:
Summary: It was a well-known fact that Wes was adopted. So when he found his birth mother, Alicia, was having a family reunion soon, he jumped at the opportunity to go.
Prompts: Next Gen, Setting: Family Reunion, Aunt Alicia, Wes Weston
A (Water) Drop Of Payback:
Summary: The pranks went too far, and Tucker took matter into his own hands. Err, fists.
Prompts: Mer AU, Tucker Punches Vlad
The Bar Is Set In The Next Galaxy Over:
Summary: Jazz finally knows what it's like to be compared to a sibling.
Prompts: Setting: Jazz's College, Dual Obsession (Space) AU, Post Reveal
I'm doing #PhangoWeek19! I had a New Years Resolution to particiapte in at least 1 Phandom event this year.
Why can't I get a read more to work on mobile?
Here's my first shot. Prompts: Identity Reveal - Danny Interns for the GIW - Dissection - Ghost Hunger - Ghost Nip - Someone dies - Ghost King
My Name is Danny
My name is Danny Fenton. I am was STILL human.
I got an internship for the Guys In White. It was a bad idea, but my parents were proud of me. I couldn't let them down again. It started out small. I held it together for as long as I could, but they trapped me. It was stupid. Ghost nip. It tipped them off that there was something different about me. Usually I can resist the stuff as a human. This must have been stronger.
They thought I was possessed. At first. They told my parents that I was spending the night to be observed after an experiment backfired. I was trapped in a ghost shield and locked into a small room. It reminded me of the interrogation rooms from cop dramas Dad liked to watch sometimes.
It wasn't a normal ghost shield. Not like one of Mom and Dads. It… blocked all ectoplasm from entering and leaving. It disrupted the ambient energy that Amity Park naturally had. It blocked off my source of food.
My name is Danny Phantom. I am half ghost.
And the Guys in White captured me. It wasn't hard for them. They locked me in a room and waited. I was hungry. They put a few blob ghosts in there after a couple weeks days MONTHS. I was hungry. I couldn't resist for long. I needed ectoplasm or my body (bodies) would shut down.
Then came the experiments. I was forced to transform. They wanted to know how I worked. They started looking. They stopped calling me by name.
My name is Ecto Entity 13.
I am the strongest ghost they ever captured. I kept breaking things (I'm sorry. sorry. SORRY) I hurt them.
But they hurt me first.
I needed out. I needed to eat. I needed to protect.
My name is Phantom, King of All Ghosts.
Lord Clockwork found me (too late too late TOOLATE) and brought me to the castle. It felt wrong. It looked wrong.
Why should it look like a town?
It needed to be bigger.
There should be people there.
If there is no one there yet, I shall bring them to me. Whether they want to come or not.
(Danny interns for the GIW + Post-reveal + Dissection)
Danny was being followed. Contrary to what some may believe, he wasn't so dumb that he wouldn't notice the white van trailing after him as he walked down the block with Sam and Tucker. He had an idea of who may be driving it, too.
Danny was Phantom. That information became public only a few months ago. It happened during a particularily gruesome fight in which he couldn't keep enough energy to stay in ghost form after letting out a ghostly wail. And since it happened in the middle of a crowded park, everybody saw him transform.
His half-life had been hectic for days after the reveal, between explaining things to his parents and dealing with his newfound popularity in school. But as difficult as it was, soon enough everyone came to accept it. His parents, after apologizing profusely for trying to hunt him, were supportive of his heroic duties. Even his teachers were now understanding when he came in late or skipped his assignments. Everything became easier since the reveal.
Maybe too much easier.
He knew that sooner or later the repercussions would reach him. After all, he was a half-ghost. Any scientist would dream of figuring out his biology; he was lucky that his parents are an exception due to him being their son. That was why he wasn't surprised--was expecting it, actually--to see the GiW following him. (It had to be the GiW; no one else would own a van that suspicious and white.)
He felt a nudge to his side and turned his head to see Sam tilting her head toward the van. So his friends have noticed it, too. With a quick glance at the van, which was still following him, he pulled his friends in to whisper to them.
"Leave," he whispered. "I'll handle them."
Tucker frowned. "You sure?" he mouthed.
Danny nodded. When the other two didn't seem convinced, he rolled his eyes and added, "I'll be fine, I promise."
He was grateful that his friends didn't argue with him. After no more than a second of hesitation, they split off, waving to each other as they walked away. Now that Danny was alone, the white van gained confidence and followed him faster. He let it.
As he passed by a row of buildings, he veered in his path and entered a small alley. Hidden from sight, he let himself transform into his ghost form. Not that he needed to be hidden anymore, but old habits are hard to get rid of, he supposed.
Out on the street, he saw the van park in front of the alley. The door slid open, and a GiW agent stepped out, dressed in a white suit and black shades. An ecto-gun sat at his hips, and the man's hand hovered over it as he entered the alley where Danny was hiding.
He let the agent take a few steps into the alley before he sprang into view, ectoplasmic energy ready in his hands. He blasted at the man's hip, knocking the gun away before he could use it. The man didn't go after it. Instead, he stood staring, his pose stiff and ready, at the ghostly teen floating lazily before him.
"There you are," Danny spoke cheekily, positioning himself so that he looked like he was lying across the air, his head resting on his hands. "Guys in White, right? I was wondering when you'd go after me. Heck, I was starting to think you lost interest! I mean, what's a guy to think when someone ghosts him like that?"
The agent didn't comment on Danny's pun. Instead, he did something the teen didn't expect--raise his hands up in a show of peace. "I'm not here to fight," he said.
Danny rolled his eyes. "Right. And I'll just fly into the van peacefully like an obedient little ghost, so you can dissect me when we get to whatever facility you work at."
"We won't dissect you," the agent assured. "We're here to give you an offer."
Danny's interest was piqued. "An offer?" he asked curiously.
The agent nodded. Danny wasn't sure what he was expecting him to say, but he was definitely surprised when the man said, "We want to hire you."
Actually, he wasn't sure if he heard that right. "You want to what?" he asked.
The agent lowered his hands, and Danny tensed as he prepared for an attack, but it never came. He simply let his hands hang by his sides as he explained. "We are a ghost-capturing organization, and you are the world's leading ghost hunter. It is only logical that we seek your assistance."
He couldn't believe it. Danny wanted to laugh--and he did. He bent over in the air and laughed. "Hold on, let me get this right," he said in between wheezes, "you expect me to not only trust, but work for you? An organization that has tried to hunt and maim me several times?"
The white-clad man managed to keep his stance professional despite the laughing teen in front of him. "That was before we discovered you half-human status," he explained. "If we were to vivisect you now, public opinion would not be kind to experimenting on a living minor. Even if you are only half-alive." He said that last part with some contempt, as if it personally didn't matter to him how much human he was as long as he was part-ghost. It probably didn't.
"Public opinion? I don't think you had any in the first place," Danny responded. The agent didnt reply. As danny's laughter died down and his smile disappeared, he finally stopped and stared at the Guy in White.
He was serious.
The GiW really did want to hire Danny Phantom to their ranks.
"No," Danny said, his voice resolute. "Nope. Nada. Absolutely not." The agent looked like he wanted to speak, but Danny stopped him with a raise of his hand and continued, "You really expect me to forgive you after all those times you wanted to capture me? Yes, I'm part-human, but I'm still part-ghost. And I know for a fact that you guys aren't kind to ghosts. So, thank you for the offer, but no."
Danny turned to leave, still feeling incedulous at the agent's proposal. But before he could disappear, the man spoke up and said, "We'll pay you."
That made Danny pause. He turned back to the agent. "Seriously?"
The agent gave a small nod. Danny frowned. Logically, he knew that didn't change much. The GiW were still a bunch of ghost-torturing, evil maniacs. Surely a few wads of cash shouldn't change his mind.
But... he was in his senior year. He was just a year away from going to college, if he could afford it. The money from his parents' inventions was just enough to keep their family fed and clothed, and only sending jazz to college was a huge strain on their income.
The GiW agent knew that. He must have, because Danny could spot a small smirk making its way onto his otherwise neutral expression. Danny bit his lip and hesitated.
Oh, heck it. Why not?
"How much money are we talking?" he asked.
____
"Tell me you didn't accept."
"...It was a lot of money."
Sam gave him an incredulous look. "Seriously?"
"Look, not everyone can be rich like you," Danny snapped. Sam winced, and he immediately felt guilty about using her status against her. But he had to make her see. "They offered me a well-paying job that involved something I'm good at, so I took it."
A moment of silence passed between them, which was broken by Tucker speaking up. "Sam has a point. Can't you find any other job?"
"How many jobs do you know of that accept half-dead superheroes that probably attract ghosts?" Danny pointed out.
"...Touché."
"I still don't like this," Sam said, her arms crossed across her chest. "How do you know it's not a trap?"
"If it's a trap, I'll find my way out of it." At the unimpressed look both his friends gave, he rolled his eyes and added, "Fine, I'll wear a Fentonphone so I can call you for help if I need to. Happy?"
Sam and Tucker exchanged a look. After an unsaid conversation between them, they turned back to Danny and spoke in unison to say, "No."
"But," Tucker continued before he could feel disappointed, "we won't stop you, if you think it's good for you."
"And if things do go wrong, at least I'll say 'I told you so'," Sam added with a smirk.
Danny smiled, feeling grateful for his friends. "I'm probably going to regret this decision, aren't I?" he said.
"Probably," Sam agreed.
"Yep," Tucker said.
Danny nodded. "But it was a lot of money."
"How much?" Tucker asked. Danny told him.
"Holy shit that is a lot."
____
Danny felt awkward walking up to the headquarters of the facility that he would have avoided with his existence less than a year prior. The pristine white building loomed before him, inviting him in.
He wasn't sure whether the GiW were expecting him to appear in human form or ghost form, but when his parents found out he was getting a job, they insisted that he dress formally. So now Danny Fenton was walking through the building's entrance wearing a hand-down tie. He was greeted by a burly man, dressed in white (duh), who introduced himself as Agent C.
"Daniel Fenton-Phantom," Agent C greeted.
"Please, just pick one last name," Danny pleaded. "Saying it like that makes it sound like I'm married to myself."
"Mr. Fenton," the man amended, though it still sounded weird to Danny's ears. "We're glad that you accepted our offer." He sounded more emotionless than glad.
"Right. So, how is this gonna work?" Danny asked, fiddling with his tie. "Do I sign in here every day or...?"
"No need," Agent C replied. "Simply continue capturing ghosts as you always do, but bring them to us instead of releasing them into the Ghost Zone."
Danny narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the agent, but his eyes were impossible to see behind his glasses. He furrowed his brows. "What will you do with the ghosts?" he questioned.
"Research," the man said flippantly. "You don't need to know."
"And what if I want to know?"
"Classified."
Danny raised his chin and stared the man down. "Then I won't work for you," he announced. At Agent C's raised eyebrows, he continued, "I don't want to work here unless I know what it is you guys do."
He could see a slight frown appear on Agent C's face as he considered the statement. After a minute passed (Danny had counted), he finally said, "Very well. I suppose we could make an exception. Besides, a tour of a facility won't hurt." He turned and, motioning for Danny to follow, made his way deeper inside.
They made their way through the building, and as they did, they passed several cameras and wall-mounted ecto-guns that seemed to aim at Danny. As was expected, he didn't feel very comforted. Seeing how nervous he was, Agent C told him, "Don't worry. We calibrated the anti-ghost security to make an exception for you." Danny wasn't sure he believed him.
They passed training facilities where Danny saw rookies shoot at ghost-shaped targets (was that one shaped like him?). They passed workshops where ghost weaponry (clearly ripped off from his parents) were being built. They passed a cafeteria that served food as bland and colorless as the agents' suits.
Finally, they entered an elevator and went down.
The first thing Danny was greeted with when the elevator doors opened were countless shelves lining the walls, each holding what looked like knockoff Fenton thermoses. Almost every thermos had a light on to indicate that it was occupied. He frowned at them, and then his eyes widened as the realization seeped into his skull.
"This is where we keep the ghosts we've captured," Agent C explained, confirming Danny's suspicions.
"Really? And you never let them out?"
"Only for experiments," Agent C replied. "We can't risk letting the ghosts escape."
Danny stared at the rows upon rows of thermoses. He knew from experience how uncomfortable it is being held in one of them. He couldn't imagine what it would be like staying inside one all day, every day.
Agent C didn't wait for Danny as he continued down the hall. The halfa tore his eyes away from the thermoses and hesitantly followed. After passing what must have been a dozen shelves, Agent C stopped in front of a door.
"This is where we conduct our experiments."
He stood and waited. For Danny to take a look inside, he guessed. So, he gulped and peeked into the glass pane in the door.
For a second, he thought that he must have landed in a hospital, because it was an operation room. There were surgeons inside wearing white scrubs instead of white three-piece suits. And then he saw it. On the operation table was--
He had to swallow down the bile that rose in his throat.
On the operation table was a ghost, its body cut open to reveal its anatomy inside. Gooey organs and a shining core that seemed dimmer than it should have been. Knives and scalpels were digging into the ectoplasm, letting out green ooze that stained the surgeons' white gloves green.
All the while, the ghost was awake, its eyes wide and its mouth opened in a soundless scream.
The ghost's eyes met Danny's for half a second, and Danny had to look away.
(Had it not been for his identity reveal, that could have been Danny on that table.)
"Well?" Agent C prodded. "Are you still willing to work with us?"
Danny gulped. His throat still felt like it was burning. For a moment, he wanted nothing more than to scream no, to declare that he would never work with people like the GiW. But then he stopped and thought. He thought about his parents, about college, about Jazz.
He took a deep breath, and he let it out. Finally, he forced himself to raise his head and stare at Agent C's pitch-black sunglasses.
"Okay," he said, trying his best not to let his voice falter. "Okay. I'll do it."
It was supposed to be hard for a ghost to hold conscious thought within the Fenton Thermos. This was definitely a feature, not a bug. With enough practice, a ghost could eventually be able to think the most basic of thoughts while contained within the small cylinder. With years of practice, a ghost could retain full intelligence and awareness. Danny had never thought that would apply to him, and yet here he was, stuck in the thermos, thinking about a brain teaser Tucker gave him yesterday. He hated being in the thermos, and when he got out, Jazz would be in for it.
You’d think, he thought to himself, that after two full years, she’d actually be able to aim the thing. But no, she still hit him every other time. And now he was able to be mad at his sister, try and solve Tucker’s brain teaser, and still be aware of his surroundings. He was upset with Tucker’s brain teaser, because why would anyone need to know which of the twelve coins was heavier or lighter and why would they need to know like this? It was such a stupid riddle, but given that there was literally nothing else Danny could do but think, we was stuck on it. Jazz would be able to solve it in seconds, he thought grumpily, but I won’t tell her about it until I have solved it so that I can lord it over her. That’s what she gets for still sucking at using the thermos. Heh, sucking, thermos, good one. I hope she lets me out soon. I have homework. It’s got to have been at least twenty minutes, she should be home by now. Why isn’t she home yet? Maybe she forgot about me. That would be bad. If she did, Tucker and Sam will figure it out and let me out in the morning. It’ll be fine. Now, if I put those coins there and those coins there…
Jazz Fenton had not, in fact, forgotten about her brother. She had just decided he needed to be in time out. That’s what he gets for taking the last piece of non-reanimated bacon this morning, she thought triumphantly. Maybe this will teach him to respect me as his older sister. That should have been my bacon.
Mutants around a ghost are sorely outmatched and Danny’s one of the strongest there is, even if he’s a slightly broken kid.
Katherine, also now to those around her as Kitty, nods as she drives past the Amity sign, she wasn’t quite sure how she was going to find this mutant Xavier suspected was here. Or more specifically how she was going to get a hold of him. Phantom was more than just often spotted but was notoriously impossible to capture. She’s honestly a little glad for that, who knows what would be done to him. Even more so as it seems this town was notorious for having ghosts hunters and they all believed Phantom was simply a ghost and thus ‘evil’. Xavier seemed to think that wasn’t the case, that the boy was a mutant of some kind. The way he had frowned slightly leads her to think Phantom might be an experiment. The fact that the town was very well hidden and blacklisted was definitely not a good sign. It took a lot to find any information apparently.
Checking in with the hotel and quirking an eyebrow over the waver the receptionist gives her. Said receptionist answering her expression with clearly practiced ease, “to stay here overnight requires wavers, if you really do decide to stay for your full weeks' reservation, you’ll have to acquire ghost insurance down at the station. This is due to the unusual dangers present in town and you, as an outsider, don’t know how to deal with them”.
Katherine shakes her head slightly, “so this whole ghost thing is quite real”.
“Yup. Here’s your key card”, Katherine takes it with a nod and heads to her room.
She doesn’t waste much time setting up before wandering around the town, hoping to either spot Phantom or find some kind of clues. Finding herself chuckling a little at the mall, the kids' symbol was everywhere, some things even having the ‘inviso-bill’ code name on them. Which was honestly horrible, even her first code name ‘Sprite’ would have made more sense. Shaking her head, if Phantom was a mutant, he was already pretty well established in the world of heroics. He even had tons of detractors already, whether that was because of what everyone thought he was or not.
Ending up at the library, hoping to learn anything about what’s being labelled as ‘ghosts’. Leaning over to the receptionist, “so what're the best option for me to look into on this whole ghost deal?”.
Getting a soft laugh in return before the lady shakes her head with a small smile, “if you’re genuinely curious dearie, FentonWorks, but those two could talk anyone’s ears off for days about ghosts. We have a few books if you just want more generalised or fictional reading”.
“Are ‘those two’ experts on ghosts?”.
The lady nods immediately, “top of the field they say. Built an inter-dimensional portal into the Ghost Zone they say. Are the best makers of ecto-weapons they say. People say a lot, they say even more. They’ve got kids too. One’s probably the smartest person on Earth and the others basically an enigma. All four are strange. Head down the road and to the right. Look for the house with a giant FentonWorks sign that should be a light pollution threat and with a ufo, that can turn into a blimp and a jet, on top”.
Katherine blinks and nods at that, certainly won’t be the strangest thing she’s seen but that’s pretty up there. Turning to head out after thanking the lady.
It really doesn’t take long to find the house, muttering to herself, “that is one obnoxious sign”, before knocking on the door. She can’t help but think that these two would look right at home with all the mutants, jumpsuits were a pretty common sight with them.
Maddie asking, “hello? Can we help you?”.
Katherine nods with a smile, “yes, I’m visiting town and I was wondering if you could tell me a little about the whole ‘ghosts’ thing?”. She makes a point not to react on instinct to the rather massive Jack practically dragging her inside with an almost disturbing level of excitement.
Jack pushes her at the kitchen table, “wait here! We have awesome inventions!”, before running off down stairs.
Maddie smiles at her and points to a kettle, “would you like some tea?”. At Katherine’s nod Maddie starts up the kettle before sitting down, “so what is it you want to know? Outside of the basics of course”.
Katherine nods with a slight smile, “that for sure”, laughing slightly, “anything important for safety and why there seems to be one that’s just...fighting the others”.
Maddie sighs and shakes her head, “ah yes, Phantom. That one’s strange and an anomaly”, smiling a bit, “what we wouldn’t give to get our hands on It and see how It really works!”. Katherine makes it a point to not react visibly to that. While Jack bounds up the stairs, “talking ‘bout Phantom? If we could only get this baby-”, holding up some weird looking Bazooka with a claw hand on it, “-on It, then we could open that ghostie up! Get right down to the molecules!”.
It’s then that the son walks in the front doors, looking honestly skittish, “I’m home!”. Katherine watches him look her over with extreme caution, he was clearly very mistrustful. While he looks to his mom, “mom, who’s this?”.
“Oh jut a curious traveller sweetie”.
Katherine notes how the kid flinches when Jack swings around the weapon thing, “she wants us to blabber about ghosts! And look! We finished the Fenton Ectoplasm Crusher!”.
The kid looks slightly like a deer in headlights, “that’s great dad. I’m just gonna not stay here. I’ll be in my room if you need me!”, the last bit comes out rushed as the weapon goes off and shoots off at Danny, slamming into the wall where he was standing as he bolts up the stairs; the invention electrocuting the wall.
Katherine looking to Jack, “do inventions often go after him like that? Is that safe?”.
Maddie waves her off, “it’s fine. Ecto-weapons can’t hurt humans. It can just be a little startling”, Katherine watch’s as the women shoots her own hand to prove a point. Only thing, for the kid to have any kind of ingrained fear response to said weapons, means they must affect him. At least a little.
Jack picks up, utterly unaware of Katherine’s slight mistrust of them, “so we’ve been in the field for years! And one thing we know is that ghosts are evil ectoplasmic manifestations of post-human consciousness! They’re dangerous creatures!”.
Maddie nods, “we try to catalogue and record as many of them as we can, their powers too. And how best to contain or defeat them. See, they’re not capable of human emotions or being good. Even that Phantom one”, she shakes her head, “just feeding off the attention people give It. Why so many feel the need to see It as anything but a monster we’ll never know”.
Katherine feels like she’s heard this all before. Deciding to ask something more basic, “are they actually dead though? Or just abnormal people?”.
Jack chuckles, “oh they’re dead all right! No bones, no blood, no organs. Entirely made of ectoplasm! Which is a great energy source actually! We fuel our weapons with it!”.
Maddie looks from her husband to Katherine, “yes it sure is. Some ghosts were once human, or dogs, others we aren’t quite sure what they used to be. There’s plenty of work to be done in the field. One thing we can all agree on, those of us in the profession, is that ghosts are simply the negative and obsessive remnants of their living self. Rarely remembering so much as their name. They come to our world to wreak havoc and hurt those that dare still have what they lost. Or they seek power”.
Jack lifts up a few different weapons, and a fishing pole? While he speaks, “most of our inventions are to counteract their powers! All ectoplasm has certain abilities, but the really tricky ghosts are the ones with unique powers!“.
Maddie nods with a sigh, “which is the problem with Phantom. It’s unlike any other ghost. Able to get past anti-ghost things somehow and get into our world so frequently”.
Katherine tilts her head, “our world?”.
Jack beams and nods, “yup! Ghosts come from and exist in an alternately dimension! The Ghost Zone! Our work started really picking up when we figured out how to access the place!”.
Maddie smiles and gets up to pour the tea, speaking as she does, “it’s a very dangerous place, filled with ecto-filth and their lairs. They plot and heal there, before coming here to cause issues”.
Katherine smiles and takes the offered tea, while the conversation continues.
She listens to them, not really sure what to make of it all other than that the two really hate ghosts and wanted to both harm and control them. But she finds herself paying more attention to the coming and goings of the two kids. The daughter eyes held intelligence that likely surpassed nearly everyone’s and something tells Katherine that the daughter is far more watchful and suspicious than she lets on. The boy, on the other hand, only seemed relaxed when his parents were not looking at or near him. Other wise he was jumpy, skittish. But he was making a point to still be around his parents, though clearly avoiding them as quickly as he can. She also notes how the two seem to be able to look after themselves entirely, how the sister puts herself between the parents and the boy, how the parents are absorbed in their work, and how there are anti-ghost things everywhere...even the toaster is anti-ghost.
She smiles at them as she leaves but frowns when she’s out of sight, if she wasn’t curious about the two kids before, she was now. Pausing as she sees the daughter sitting on a bench, just out of sight of the Fenton house, reading an advanced psychology text.
Katherine walking up and asking, “you’re the daughter, what do you think of all this ghost stuff”.
She giggles slightly and snaps the book shut, “it’s Jasmine or Jazz for short. And it’s very real, even if my parents are extreme about it...and wrong in many ways”, Katherine watches as Jazz squints at her slightly before nodding, “you see the bigotry in it. The human mind is a flawed thing, impressive but flawed. It’s far easier to take what we do not know, do not understand, what is different; and label it less than us. Whether to fight against them, research them, or simply hold onto the ideal that humans are some great alpha species. It’s silly, isn’t it?”.
Katherine blinks and nods with a slight smile, “yes, people can be silly like that. I’m guessing you don’t share their opinions?”.
Jazz shakes her head, “very few teens do. But they’re the adults, the experts. So certainly, they must be right. Funny how that works”.
Katherine smiles slightly and nods, “people with power, sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s bad. You’re a smart girl, you’ll do some good things I’m sure”, the two nod and Katherine keeps walking.
The next thing she does is send a message to Xavier for anyone he wants her focusing more on. And it doesn’t take long to get back said list on who to check out. Sighing a bit over all six being teens. Sam Manson, Elliot Revon, Tucker Foley, Todd Brentex, Valerie Gray, and Danny Fenton. She’s going to leave the Fenton child till last, for a lot of reasons.
Using the library to track down the different residencies and to figure out the kids social circles. Promptly moving Elliot and Todd near the bottom of the list at noticing that Sam, Tucker, and Danny were basically best friends and Valerie was also their friend, just seemingly less close. But she can see why Xavier focused in on these six. Everything about Jasmine was very public even if she was odd. She probably was a mutant to a level but only receiving heightened intellect. Hardly what they were looking for and not who needed their help.
Sam was extremely rich, which wasn’t odd really but she also seems to raise pet plants that bite people, eats exclusively plant matter including soil, and frequently disappeared just before or during ‘ghost attacks’
Elliot has impossibly natural white hair and there was video proof of him being chased and attacked by the government. He also changed personas every few weeks, she’s pretty sure he doesn’t know who he actually is anymore.
Tucker was another’s case of extreme intellect but also seemed to hit on everything with legs, had something dubbed a ‘meat sense’ and was romantically involved with his PDA. He also frequently disappeared just before or during ‘ghost attacks’.
Todd seems like a run of the mill asshole, if you exclude the fact that he snarls, bites and all around acts a bit inhuman and creepy. There is a lot of comments about him having abnormal shows of strength.
Valerie likely carries ecto-weapons with her due to the staggering amount of comments about her having them at some point or another. Has a serious and extreme hatred for ghosts that could very likely be intentional as a cover up. She also disappeared when ‘ghost attacks’ happened.
Daniel was notable because of how little there was to note. He loved space, a lot, his Facebook was near nothing but space facts. He was chronically skipping or leaving classes, sometimes lining up with ‘ghost attacks’ sometimes not. Was so severely clumsy he was banned from handling fragiles. Was severely terrified of ghosts, this could be a cover. And that’s it, nothing else.
Nodding and closing her little notes and deciding she’ll approach the techno-geek first.
Promptly running into an issue. Sam, Tucker and Danny were basically never alone. Either they were together, at home or with family. It was certainly strange. But this gives her time to observe them and Sam and Tucker are extremely protective of Danny. Even seeming so towards his parents. Which is a bit worrying. She also writes Todd off during this time as a guy who wants to be seen as weird and is quite literally acting a part. Valerie also seems like the overworked teen type, and she’s not all that involved with anyone else. Plus the ghost hating is not faked, catching her ranting about ghosts was honestly a bit disturbing.
Leaning against a wall in the mall and watching the three from afar when a floating Mecha bursts through a wall and sends tables and people flying, everyone else fleeing. Deciding to duck down and watch, maybe Phantom will come along and she’ll get lucky.
But the expressions on the trio catch her attention, sure they were running off but their eyes were hard and there was slight smiles playing on their faces. Danny even seemed to roll his eyes. Certainly different from everyone else.
Flickering her camouflage and intangibility on to sneak around and follow the trio enough to keep them in her sights. Maybe they had contact with Phantom. Blinking and smirking to herself of watching Danny’s -rather bright if she’s honest- little transformation sequence and catch phase. Ah teens, and yup, definitely a mutant of some kind. Somehow she doubts he’s a ghost that just can look human. Watching as the Mecha hits him with some hook thing and sends both of them intangibly through a wall.
Her jobs basically half done now so she’s content to just check in with Xavier before approaching the mutant.
Leaning back in a chair and speaking over the protected phones, “found your kid. But he might be a more sensitive case than normal”.
“Oh?”.
“His parents definitely do not know and they point blank said they wanted to very explicitly dissect him, Phantom anyway. The house is basically filled with things that hurt him if he actually is somehow a ghost”.
“Very well, I’ll fly down there”.
Nodding to herself and hanging up. It’s not like he’ll take long and she has to go fill out those insurance papers.
A few days later finds Katherine, Xavier, Scott Summer, and Jean Grey in-front of the Fenton house, waiting for an answer after they knew the Fenton parents would be gone for a while. If it took a bit longer simply to ensure the safety of a mutant then so be it.
Jazz is the one to open the door, Xavier smiles slightly at her not even looking surprised. “Hello Jasmine, I’m Charles Xavier”, gesturing to Scott, “this is Scott Summer”, gesturing to Jean, “this is Jean Grey”, gesturing to Katherine with a slight smile, “and I believe you’ve already met Katherine Pryde. Is Daniel around by chance?”.
Jazz steps to the side and lets the four in, hardly blinking at Jean telekinetically levitating Xavier’s wheelchair inside. Jazz commenting as she goes to make tea, “you’d think they’d create things more useful for everyday people, like stairs that can transform into ramps. Rather than hover cars and wormholes”.
Jean raises an eyebrow, “your parents have created such things?”. Jazz smiles and nods, Katherine nodding as well.
Jazz frowns slightly as she speaks, “now what do you want with my little brother?”.
Xavier holds up a hand, “relax, nothing bad, I can assure you. We merely want to talk, privately if that is possible”. None of them exactly want to assume who knows and who doesn’t about Danny. While Jazz squints slightly at them. Xavier speaks up again, reading that she was simply protective of her brother and very much knew, “I am better know to some as Professor Xavier or Professor X, I help people who are a bit different from the rest of humanity. Give them guidance, teach them”.
Jazz nods slightly, “so you are mutants then? I figured as much”, smirking slightly, “and I’m not one to be wrong”.
Scott frowns a bit more noticeably at that, “and you assumed why?”.
Jazz smirks as she pours teas and goes to walk up the stairs, “often those that see the bigotry towards people and creatures as being such, do so because they see and experience it themselves. Much the same has been said about mutants as ghosts”, turning to look at them with one foot up the stairs, “but make no mistake. Ghosts aren’t the same”.
Scott huffs as the girl walks up the stairs, not really believing this whole ghost nonsense. Much more likely were an unusual set of mutants, mutants with similar powers wasn’t unheard of and maybe this place simply resulted in such an occurrence.
All four turn to the stairs as a cautious looking Danny enters the kitchen, Scott and Jean honestly a bit surprised he’s actually alone. Katherine smiles at him, “hello again. Don’t worry, we’re the good guys”. Something about that makes the skittish boy chuckle as he sits down.
Danny mutters as he plays with the teacup, “everyone always thinks they’re the good guys”.
Xavier nods with a slight smile, “true. I have an old friend who always believed he was doing what was right, what was best. For those like us, for the world, for the future. He did not care who he had to hurt to achieve his idea of the perfect future”.
Danny squints a little, “‘people like us’? Are you including me in that ‘us’ thing?”.
Scott scoffs and crosses his arms, “we know you’re Phantom, kid. We’re mutants”. Scott groans slightly as Danny curls in on himself a little, clearly paranoid and skittish. Jean levitates a tea cup to herself and smiles softly, looking to make the kid feel more comfortable.
Danny watches them for a bit, “you're not with the government...are you?”.
All four shake their heads instantly. Xavier speaking, “we’re not looking to report you or hurt you or anything of the kind. I’m here to offer my help. You see, I run a school for gifted youngsters. Young mutants like yourself”, he steers his chair around the table to put himself in more full view of the skittish Daniel, “it’s a safe place, protected from any who would want to harm us. Where you could develop your gifts around others like you. And be free from the dangers posed to you”, Xavier nods towards one of the strange guns on the counter. “Mutants have been regarded with fear, hatred; as you’ve experienced yourself. There are some even who see us as a new species, but humanity has never been one to share. Our school has plenty to offer, the top classes in everything as well as training facilities that can be specialised to every mutants needs”.
Danny raises his hands and chuckles a bit awkwardly, “I’m, um, not a mutant. I mean, I guess that depends on whatever makes a mutant or whatever. But um, you really can’t tell anyone about me. I’d really rather not get dissected”.
Scott sighs, “kid, did you miss the protected part? The school’s a safe place and from what I’ve heard you can at least float and shoot energy rays, you’re a mutant”, Jean levitates up a pen and Scott lowers his visors quickly to shoot a little beam at it, destroying it. While Xavier explains, “mutants are people with a special gene, the X-gene, resulting in the mutant developing their gift around puberty. And I can assure you, no one is going to be experimenting on you”.
Danny scoffs and rolls his eyes, looking rather tired, “don’t promise things you can’t deliver. And I’m not a mutant then. I wasn’t born with some gene. Just got into an accident”, looking to and squinting at Scott, “um, what do you think ghosts are?”.
Scott shrugs, “collection of mutants probably”.
Xavier nods, Daniel wasn’t lying, “well sometimes traumatic events or emotional distress can cause the surfacing of a mutants gift. But even if you might not be a mutant, my school would and will accept you regardless. We are not ones to discriminate or turn away any gifted youths”.
Danny rubs his neck and shrugs a little, “could it awaken these genes or whatever in late twenties? Because if not, then I’m definitely not a mutant. But I guess thanks for not being discriminatory or whatever, nice change I guess”.
Jean frowns, goes to rub his shoulder reassuringly but pauses when he flinched away. He’s clearly been through a lot and doesn’t trust easily, “you have a place if you want it, and you will be accepted. Clearly this place isn’t safe for you”.
Danny scoffs and rolls his eyes again, fiddling with and looking down at his cup, “no place is really. And my folks don’t know, they don’t mean to hurt me. Even if they do shoot at me a lot, dad’s not that good of an aim though”, he smirks but it’s a little hallow. Looking to Scott, “ghosts are exactly what they sound like. The dead. I guess since you guys went and revealed yourselves, I’m a hybrid. Half dead”, chuckling and drinking the tea a little, “let me tell you, electrocution is a very painful way to go. Four billion volts, people don’t survive that. But hey, also having a ghost portal open up on me fixed the whole dying problem...partly anyway”.
Katherine breathes out, “well damn”, that was pretty awful. Looking to change the subject, “so what can you do? I can walk through things. Intangibility. And camouflage, it’s almost invisibility”, pointing at Scott, “laser eyes over here”, pointing at Jean, “empath, telekineses”, pointing at Xavier, “telepath in basically every-way”.
Danny jerks a little bit from hearing Xavier’s voice in his head saying ‘hello’ while Xavier smiles a bit playfully. Xavier speaking while Danny watches all of them, “I’m one of the strongest there is, I can manipulate any part of someone’s mind, shutting down their body functions even. But I don’t of course, won’t. I like to think humanity has good to them, at their core. That we can exist peacefully. I know you’re good, and that you fight the ghosts to protect people”, gesturing to the three mutants, “we do much the same, fighting less reputable mutants who want to harm”.
Danny eyeballs them and chuckles, “that’s pretty intense. Mind control really. I’ve been mind-controlled before, I broke it though. Kinda funny you came here with a bunch of people with similar abilities”, Danny levitates over the ectogun and pokes it to spin around in the air, “telekinesis, I don’t use it much though”, shooting a little ecto-beam at it, making the ecto-gun explode, “more laser fingers than eyes, can do that to though”, phasing his hand through the table before flickering invisible, “literally every. Single. Ghost. Can use intangibility, invisibility, and gravity nullification”.
Danny sighs and gets up, putting away his cup; three of the mutants a little surprised at the numerous powers. Xavier nods slightly, “you have more powers, don’t you”.
Danny scoffs and laughs a bit, “many. I don’t know if your school could make a training room actually able to handle me honestly. And I would bring danger with me. I’m wanted by the government, many ghosts want my hide -one very literally-, and there are the ghost hunters. Plus,” Danny sits on the counter and fiddles with the sink a little, letting the tap turn on but making ice shapes with the water, “I protect Amity, I guess some friends of mine could cover for me though”.
Scott scoffs, “don’t underestimate us kid, mutants always bring danger around with them; dealing with that is half the point of the school”.
Xavier nods, “we've seen everything from intolerant parents, to government-funded mad scientists. We’re well equipped”.
“Could I leave at any point to come back here in case?”.
Xavier nods, “of course, it’s not a prison. Though it is a school all the same, you will have classes you’re expected to attend”.
Danny mumbles, “course”, before getting up for some food. Opening the fridge and promptly getting spattered by green stuff, the fridge saying ‘anti-ghost fudge theft mode activated, eat hot ectoplasm Spook!’. While Danny yelps and shakes off his face and hands, Jean moves to help him wash off in the sink; everyone able to see him wincing and the nasty burns where the stuff had contacted him. Danny rubs at his face and looks a little beaten down, “yeah, okay, I’ll try your school thing out”. Jean and Katherine asking, “are you okay?”.
Danny shrugs and mumbles, “I heal fast”.
Jean shakes her head, “you shouldn’t have to be worrying about your own house attacking you”. Danny just shrugs again as he sits back at the table, throwing a slight glare at the fridge.
Xavier smiles anyway, this was certainly an environment he shouldn’t be in. If anything, it seemed Daniel was in more danger than most of the youngsters they collected, “how likely do you believe it is that your parents would allow you to go without any of us having to divulge too much about the school or the reasons behind your attendance?”.
Danny shakes his head, “none. They’ll want to know everything they can. They care, they’re just...not that good at it. But if you have, say, a space program of some sort then that would work for cover”. None of them miss how his eyes sparkle a little, clearly he was fond of space.
Xavier smiles, “we certainly could. Are you interested in space?”.
Danny grins and leans forward a bit, “I landed a spaceship once, been to space a few times. I could build an exact to-scale replica of the Mars rover, pretty well every model of spaceship, and any of the satellites, right now. My goal was NASA before the whole dying thing trashed my grades and being Phantom became more important”.
Jean smiles softly, “well, part of what we teach is managing lifestyles. I’m sure you could do both”.
Katherine giggles a little, “and at least you already have a code name, no one trying to give you unfortunate ones. Have your own designed suit too”, smiling slightly, “you’ve put a lot into this already. Most your age just play with their powers, show off. I was hardly better”.
Danny frowns a little and pats at is chest, “I didn’t design anything. That suit is what I died in but colour inverted, like my hair. It’s part of my body. Phantom though,” Danny smiles slightly, “that’s my fun little pun on Fenton”, sighing and frowning again, “and these mutant kids, they just have powers, I’m part of another dimension and species. So it’s different”.
Xavier nods, “all the same I’m sure we can accommodate you. Accommodating niches is one of our goals. Now the school is a boarding school, located in my mansion, our classes are small but they are specialised to needs. The dorms are comfortable and anything you need you can ask for, no matter how strange or hard to get. Power usage is both accepted and encouraged so long as you avoid intentional damages. The danger rooms are where you can really use any powers”.
Jean smiles and nods, the danger rooms were often what really got any teens exited, “they can be set up for any situation and unique to work against or towards your own skills. There’s no worry about really hurting anyone or thing, so it’s wonderful for testing limits. They get used most often by those looking to become X-Men”.
Scott looks Danny over, the kid was already doing the whole superhero thing, “no doubt you’ll be an X-Man, you’re nearly already doing the job”.
Xavier tilts his head, “with working in the space field as well of course”.
Danny shrugs, “with my vitals I highly doubt they’ll actually let me”.
Xavier grins at that, “oh we have our ways, that sort of thing can be waved”.
Danny goes a little wide-eyed and whispers, “really?”, everyone else nods and Danny grins like an idiot, “okay you are totally allowed to adopt me!”.
Xavier laughs, “not literally of course. But you are free to stay at the mansion as you please, so long as you enrol”.
Danny nods, clearly either more comfortable in their presence or more focused on space, than safety.
They leave after giving Danny the more nitty-gritty details of the school and its programs, giving him one of the schools hoodies, and after explaining what they can to his parents; they were more than a little excited about Danny going to a more specialised school where he will hopefully do better and get to be an astronaut like he always wanted.
Half a week later finds Katherine back at the Fenton door, waiting to pick up Danny. Smiling at him as he opens the door with his bags in tow, obviously already having had the whole farewell talk and hug fest with his family. “You good to go?”.
Danny nods, looking a little sad and nervous but otherwise just a fourteen-year-old kid, “yeah”. Both jumping when Jack sticks his head out the door and shoves a container of fudge at Danny before giving him a thumbs up and disappearing.
Katherine shakes her head, “you’re parents sure are something”.
“Heh heh, yeah”, Danny turns and eyeballs the sleek little car, “well, at least you didn’t show in something overly fancy”.
Katherine smiles as she gets in, speaking as Danny closes the door behind him, “discretion is part of how we maintain safety. We’ll be getting to the jet later”.
“I flew a jet once”.
Katherine shakes her head a little as she drives off, Danny really had clearly been through a lot of weird situations.
Danny looks around a little as they enter the mansion, he didn’t seem all that impressed but more so simply cautious and paranoid. Watching him eyeball possible exits, areas where someone could hide, anything that even slightly seemed like a threat. Katherine watches him eyeball a kid floating paper airplanes around above his hands, “huh, guess that is pretty normal here”.
Katherine nods, “yup, you have to do something very flashing, please don’t, to really get anyone to care. You seem pretty unfazed by the mansion itself. Most gawk more, I know I did”.
Danny rolls his eyes, “my archenemies is bigger, a lot bigger”.
“You really have an ‘archenemy’”.
Danny shrugs, “not much else to call the guy, other than a crazed up frootloop. He’s one of the richest people in the world, wealth acquired by control and manipulating other people. Wants to kill my dad, marry my mom, force me to be his son. He’s got a power and possession Obsession”.
Katherine is definitely a bit concerned by that, sounded like a mutant who was using their powers unethically. Not to mention rather creepy. The two walking into Xavier’s office while Danny grumbles about this archenemy more, “spy's on me with cameras, puts bounties on my head, the whole cloning incident, attempts to take over other times, made me fully dead in another timeline, more attempted murders than I can count”.
Xavier raises an eyebrow, “hello again. Who is this person we’re going to have to keep an eye out for?”.
Danny sighs and sits down in one of the armchairs, scanning his eyes cautiously around the room quickly before speaking, “one of the only others like me. The first Halfa. Vlad Masters, yes that Masters”, Danny shrugs and fiddles with he chairs fabric, “he went to college with my parents. They built a mini-ghost portal, half-killed him. Same as they built a full ghost portal and half-killed me”.
Both mutants blink at him, Katherine shaking her head, “your parents are hazards”. Danny just smirks slightly in response, still looking around the room a little.
Xavier nods, “so not a mutant either. And what of the others like you? Better company I would hope”.
Danny snaps his eyes to Xavier and bares his teeth a little, “touch her and I’ll cut you”, softening a little and seeming to be thinking a bit while Katherine blinks a bit caught off guard. This kid was quiet and skittish not aggressive. Whoever this ‘her’ is she must be special.
Xavier smiles slightly, hearing that Danny is considering bringing another Danny -the identical names was slightly confusing- here, if he felt it safe. Though Xavier’s not pleased she sounds to be on the run, “she’ll be quite safe here, though I’m sure you’ll decide that for yourself”.
Danny glares slightly but nods, “it would be nice for her to have a home. But if I have to blow up an entire mansion to protect her, I will. I’ve done it”.
Xavier nods, “of anyone, I can certainly understand protecting the gifted; mutants or otherwise. Many of the students here are runaways themselves, many more come to consider this place home. Even upon graduating, they tend to stay and become X-men and teachers. Always having a permanent place here, found family, and protection”, driving his chair around the desk and smiling kindly at Danny, “I can only hope you can come to feel fond of this place yourself, and of the gifted around you”.
Danny nods a little stiffly, Xavier doesn’t even have to read him to know he’s slightly overwhelmed. Changing to a topic more well-loved by teens and of some level of importance, “now follow me, I’ll take you to your room. Kitty has responsibilities to attend to”, starting to drive out of the room and looking back at Danny as he gets up, carrying/dragging his things, “feel free to levitate those, I encourage it actually”, speaking again as Danny smiles slightly and does just that before they start walking down the halls, “now one thing that is something of a right of passage, as I’ve heard many of the students say, is choosing code names. Of course yours is already set in stone for you I imagine. So the question will more be, what do you want to be called here? Do you wish to go by Danny still, or Phantom? Both perhaps”.
“The ghosts officially call me Danny Fenton Phantom, but most just say Phantom...or something insulting. But um, Phantom, Phantom’s what I’d like”.
Xavier smiles to himself at that, unlike the mutants that faced persecution Phantom did not hate his abilities, didn’t even dislike them truly. He merely seemed to dislike when they acted up and had learned a policy of absolute secrecy about them, over all he was proud. “What you would like is all that matters, Phantom”.
Phantom pauses in his walking for a beat before shaking his head with a slight smile and following again, “just like that huh? Guess that’s normal here”.
Xavier only nods slightly as they come to a stop before the room that’s meant for Phantom, “here’s where you’ll be staying. If you set up quickly, you’ll have time to make it for lunch. I quite recommend you do”.
Phantom raises an eyebrow but watches Xavier go for only a little while before heading into his room.
Anna is curious, she’s heard mutterings of there being a new student. Like always, that kind of news made everyone excited and buzz about. Curious what the newcomer could do, what their backstory was, if they looked unique. Certain people, glaring slightly towards Monique and her little gang, certainly were more interested on the looks than anything else. Todd, of course, was only going to care how strong the new kid was and if there’s be some kind of challenge to his place as ‘top bitch’. Sure, he said ‘alpha king’ but everyone else just said ‘top bitch’; largely to annoy the overpowered fire-starter. Fire-starter not just because of his power but also ‘cause he’s a prick that fights everything. Sighing as she walks through the lunchroom doors, though peeking up when she sees her good friend Lily and walks over. “So you heard the gossip too I guess?”.
They chuckle, “oh definitely, hard to miss that kind of gossip. Hopefully, they’re not a dick”.
Anna groans, “tell me about it, all five of the recent newbies have been total jerks. I’m almost tempted to think powers only come to the cocky and hotheaded”. The two snicker and eyeball Todd slightly, the unspoken joke needing no further context. Before both of them turn their heads to the side after sitting down with their food, hearing people start to whisper
“Look, it’s the new face”.
“Awww he looks so boring and plain”.
“Think he’s seen some shit? Looks kinda skittish”.
Anna sighs and shakes her head seeing a skinny slightly twitchy black-haired boy with intense crystal blue eyes. Muttering to Lily, “he’s going to get eaten alive”. Apparently he heard though and smirks at them slightly, before waking off to inspect the food. Promptly stuffing his face and clearly trying to ignore the staring, he seems used to it and that pings a little sad place in her.
Anna pokes Lily, “well, wanna see if the newbies an asshole? Seems tolerable so far”.
Lily looks around and shrugs, waving over their two other friends Jackson and Reverent.
Jackson asking, “what we doing?”.
Anna just smirks and points at the newbie. The three following after her as they approach. The kid is clearly eyeballing them cautiously as they sit down in front of him.
Reverent sticking his hand out and beaming a poster-worthy smile, “hiya! I’m Reverent, you’re new. Hopefully, your day’s not sucking. Moving here can be shit, so far away and all that. You seem nice though, I think I approve. I’m a photokenetic”.
Jackson shrugs, “I’m Jackson, ice boy. Please don’t say that’s cool”.
Lily waves slightly, “invisibility and levitation, I know two powers, lucky me. Name’s Lily”.
Everyone looks to Anna, who smiles slightly, “Anna, and my power’s pretty shit, so don’t worry if yours sucks. I can steal people’s life force”.
Lily rolls her eyes and elbows Anna, “and extend your own. That’s practically immortality girl”. Anna just shrugs before everyone looks to the new kid, who swallows harshly.
The kid eyes them a little then shakes his head slightly, “just out with it like that huh? Pretty different from what I’m used to”.
Reverent nods dramatically, “yeah people can be awful. But here’s better! Everyone can be themselves, I intend on being a teacher here one day. Help other kiddos you know?”.
Lily nods but snickers at Reverent a little, “you’re too nice not to get steamrolled by literally every student”, turning to the new kid, “so what’s your name”.
The kid clearly thinks for a bit before smiling a bit sheepishly, the other four deciding this kid's one of the decent types, while he speaks up, “it’s Phantom. And I’m a bag of confusing bullshit”, Phantom holds up a hand and creates a ball of green light, then forms a ice crystal floating above his hand, then turns said hand invisible and floats off his seat a little, “technically I can force a soul out of a body, but that’s not really stealing their life force. Plus, I’ve never done that to someone who was actually in their own body and not someone else’s”.
Anna blinks, Todd was going to hate this kid, even if Phantom’s control sucked or he had some kind of limit, tons of different powers could kick the ass of one. “Well, you hit the Jackpot, damn”.
Phantom rubs his neck, “oh I hit something that’s all right-”. Phantom gets cut off by Todd predictably slamming a hand on the table and saying with a sneer, “look at that, twig boys got himself a little arsenal. Well it’s nothing to this”, Todd dances flames off his fingertips into the kid's face.
Phantom just sighs, “um, good for you?”, he lifts up a palm and creates a ball of green fire floating above it.
Anna slaps the table and laughs, this was great. While Todd glares and covers his own hand in flames, clearly trying to be menacing.
Phantom sighs, seemingly more comfortable with confrontation than friendly interaction, “yes yes, you’re very fancy firebug. But don’t make moves to threaten me unless you’re going to follow through”.
Todd growls, “oh I’ll follow through”, before going to punch Phantom with his flaming fist. Phantom smirks a little to himself when the guy hits a green shield. Trying again results in him going through the intangible kid and flailing to the floor.
Phantom spins around on the bench and looks down at him, “I’m used to fighting actual villains. So I’m not going to actually hit you or something”.
That gets Maxi’s attention, as he walks over and looks down at Phantom, “wait, you’ve actually fought villains?”.
Phantom groans, “only every day of the week and weekend for that matter”, Phantom fiddles with his food, “I’m kind of already an established superhero. Xavier brought me here more so to help with schooling than powers I think. Other things too”, sighing and glancing down at Todd, “I’m going to give you a warning I guess, to be nice and all that. My perfectly normal friends back home could kick your ass. My enemies are all more or less indestructible, I don’t fight the breakable”.
Todd scoffs and walks off, glaring at everyone, while Reverent claps his hands together, “well alright then! On to something less dark! What're your favourite movies...”.
Phantom walks awkwardly into the medi-bay, grumbling something almost unintelligible under his breath about not knowing he signed up for scientific examinations. Xavier is instantly tipped off by the way he says that, and the images flickering through his mind are more than just unpleasant and concerning. The Fenton’s are very strange and aggressive about how they ‘treat’ things as simple as just a cold. The Manson parents seem pretty bad too. Speaking to him after sending a nod of greeting to Jean, “relax. The danger room can be rather stressful and it is always best to be cautious. Wouldn’t want you to get inadvertently hurt or traumatised. But I assure you, it’s nothing weird or extreme, certainly nothing with strange dream catchers or whatever that green bath was supposed to be”.
Phantom glances at him and chuckles a little, seeming both less and more on edge. Which is expected, many people would far prefer for him to stay out of their minds. Jean smiles at Phantom and gestures at the bench, “hello again. I hear you’ve chosen to go by Phantom officially. Good, you’re pretty fond of the way you are huh? Most of us are, when we’re older anyway. Now please have a seat, I’m just going to be doing basic things. Temperature, pulse, heart rate, lung capacity. It’s not to see if you fall in line with ‘normal’ though”, she ends with a slight wink.
Phantom sits down as some other guy also enters, raising an eyebrow at him. The guy grunting, “Logan. Or wolverine. Don’t care. So you’re the different mutant who’s already got some kind of culture following huh?”.
Phantom scoffs and rolls his eyes, but Xavier’s the one to speak up, “actually it would seem this one isn’t a mutant. But rather much more unique. He’s different even among those who are different, yet he’s a proud one. Don’t go causing him issues Logan”.
Logan scoffs and leans against a wall, “don’t intend to”, nodding his head a little at the kid, “I’m pretty out of the norm around the others too. Still a mutant though. But hey, I’m up for something interesting”.
Jean shakes her head and looks at the curious-looking Phantom, “he likes to stir up trouble, maybe he wants to see if you’ll choke me like he did”, Logan rolls his eyes, Jean points at Phantom‘s shirt before setting up everything she’ll need, “shirt off”.
Phantom looks down, seeming more than a little nervous, “uhh, rather not”.
Xavier smiles, “no need to worry, different appearances are rather normal around here. Even scars”.
Logan scoffs, “understatement for some of us, adds to the look if you ask me”.
Phantom fiddles with his sweater some and eyeballs the examination supplies, awkwardly muttering, “at least nothing’s green”, before sighing and pulling the sweater over his head. Everyone’s silent for a bit, he was seriously scarred up and no one needs to even guess what the Y shaped one came from. Logan mutters, “Jesus fuck. Alright then. Colour me surprised he doesn’t hate humans”.
While Jean studiously draws no attention to the marks as she busies herself with her tasks. Explaining medical jargon as she goes. Xavier, meanwhile, can’t help but frown over Phantom‘s memories. Frozen, unable to move, and under scalpels and bone-saws. With nothing but his own lab basement and his parents' goggle covered faces to look at. The fact that he’s not truly traumatised is impressive, Phantom‘s mental fortitude is more than a little impressive. If he hadn’t already decided that Phantom needed out of that house, his mind would be made up now.
Phantom, clearly catching the way Xavier’s looking at him, speaks while tracing the Y shape, “they're good people, just good scientists first. They wouldn’t have done it if they knew though. They’ve known about me a few times, but um, I undid that. I’d rather this”, poking at the centre of the Y, “than them getting hurt in the crosshairs because they wanted to ‘help’ or ‘protect’ me”.
Logan groans and walks in a little circle, looking up at the ceiling, “the self-sacrificial kind, lovely. Don’t go pulling that on us kid, we can look after ourselves. And I sure as shit wouldn’t be so okay with anyone involved with experimenting on me”.
Phantom raises an eyebrow while Jean works around him, “you were experimented on?”.
Logan unsheathes his claws and waves a fist around a little, “understatement kid”.
Phantom tilts his head but smiles, “at least you got something out of it”, Phantom pokes his chest, clearly ignoring the too slow beeping of the heart monitor, “I just got to find out my organs are green”, Phantom shakes his head and looks off to the distance.
Everyone deciding not to interrupt his mental musings, Xavier giving him some privacy with that.
By the end Phantom‘s revealed to have vitals that are definitely not something someone can actually live with, but that it’s his normal.
Xavier nods to him as they leave, “you’ve seen a lot in a small time, you’re a strong person. An old friend of mine was much the same, but he let it make him bitter, restful, full of hate. You’ve become more protective instead, the amount of caring I see in you is remarkable”.
Phantom shrugs as they head to the danger rooms, “it’s what’s right. It’s my Obsession too, one of them anyway”.
Xavier nods, a student having unusual needs was not actually unusual, “Kitty explained Obsessions as your parents told them. Are their theories accurate?”.
Phantom nods as they come to stand before a door, “yeah, it’s, um, less for me. Halfa means only half the things”.
Entering the room, which Phantom gaps around at, the place looked like a sprawling city in chaos devoid of any people or life. Phantom mutters, “well damn”. While Xavier chuckles lightly, “impressive, isn’t it? Don’t worry about damaging things. I’ll be watching”.
Phantom muttering, “ominous much” as Xavier leaves the room.
Logan and Katherine join Xavier in watching. Logan asking more or less rhetorically, “he’s strong, isn’t he? But if he’s not a mutant then what? And who the Hell beat him up?”.
Katherine smiles and elbows him, “you and your soft spot for damaged kids”.
Xavier smiles, giving Phantom a signal to go ahead, “if I recall Kitty, you were one such kid. And he exists on the cusp of life and death. Alive and dead. His existence is nearly unique, how it’s even possible I can’t even fathom. His mind seems to view himself as a glitch in the matrix so to speak. Created by accident and purpose. To say he has a hero complex would be a ridiculous understatement. He seeks and needs to protect others, holding himself to an ideal that only he can do it. He has deep-seeded fears and mental blocks around the idea that he could fail at that. And he has seen a world, the land of the dead, we could barely begin to imagine”.
Logan scoffs, “sounds like a bit of a god complex too”.
Katherine rolls her eyes, “oh and like you’re any better. Mr. Lone wolf”.
Xavier shakes his head, “those with god complexes do not hold a fear of themselves. He fears what his gifts could do, should they be used to harm or destroy. He fears anyone being hurt or him hurting someone. It’s not the shameful kind of fear as it is for most students, it’s more resolute and concrete. His fear of that, reinforces him to not be that, with pride and something like reckless abandon”.
Katherine smiles, he was clearly a good kid who had been through far too much.
The three watch as Phantom looks around awkwardly before seemingly steeling himself. Then a bright ring of light appears around his waist and suddenly it’s the Phantom seen in what little footage they could find floating in the air.
Xavier grins, “oh yes”, not missing how Phantom instantly likes more bold and cocky. Phantom was a hero and he knew the role well, lived it. Watching him fly off and zip around. Blasting things to smithereens with a wide range of blasts/rays.
After a while of him phasing through stuff, blowing things up, flickering out of visibility, teleporting, tossing things around with his mind, and one point where Logan jerked slightly from the entire place getting coated in ice and forming hundreds of little ice weapons.
Katherine gapes slightly when there’s suddenly three Phantom’s though it’s clear this is a bit harder for him to do or maintain, “I think he’s just running through a list at this point”.
Xavier nods, “precisely”.
Logan shakes his head a bit as Phantom starts electrocuting things, “alright, so the kids overpowered. The others are going to love him...or hate him”.
Katherine tilts her head when Phantom turns and asks, “you sure this is all indestructible? Cause I’m not going to hold back then”.
Xavier raises an eyebrow, responding, “that’s its purpose. So please do”.
Phantom shrugs, “if I blow out your wall, it’s not my fault”. They watch as he sucks in a breath and releases a sonic wailing sound, massive blasts of green energy resonating from his mouth.
Logan covers his ears and snaps, “fucking Hell. Remind me not to pick a fight with this one for no reason”. Xavier’s eyebrows raise as the place shakes, before Phantom does indeed blow out the wall. Phantom points to them as he steps out, “you lied”.
Xavier waves off the damage, “everything can be repaired. The whole mansion and various compounds have been rebuilt many times over the years”.
Phantom shrugs and lands his feet on the ground, rubbing his neck, “still sorry though, and to think I only got up to thirty percent there”.
Logan blinks, “seriously glowstick?”.
Phantom chuckles with a wily smirk, making it very obvious he was more confident and brazen in this form, “yeah and that’s a new one. Usually, it’s ‘whelp’ or ‘dipstick’ or ‘babypop’ or ‘ghost child’ or ‘punk’ or ‘ectoplasmic scum’ or ‘ectoplasmic filth’ or ‘spook’ or ‘half creature’ or ‘bastardisation’ or most annoyingly, ‘little badger’. Though I guess there are positives to, like ‘great one’ and ‘saviour’. But if you call me ‘inviso-bill’ or ‘billy’ I will shot you”.
Logan snorts, “saviour? Really? And how is ‘litttle badger’ worse than ‘bastardisation’?”.
Phantom glares a little, “‘cause it comes out of the mouth of a pompous creepy cruel piece of shit prick. Nailed a dead badger to my door once for emphasis. And how many times have you saved the world, Claws?”.
Logan rolls his eyes, “original. Three or four”.
Phantom chuckles and starts floating off, “it’s been seven for me in the past year”.
Xavier nods to the two mutants as Phantom floats off back to his room, confirming that he’s being honest. Again, the things this kid has been through.
Anna, curious, sticks her head into Phantom’s room and looks around. Gapping a little at the strange glowing green star constellations on the roof. Phantom promptly dropping the pieces to a model spaceship from floating in the air, “oh it’s you”. She looks him up and down, it was still the same kid but glowy and white-haired and green-eyed and...in a spandex jumpsuit? Well alright then. “Hey, was wondering if you wanted to go hang out with me and the gang? Also, something tells me you’re going to keep being surprising”.
Phantom smirks, “oh you don’t even know the half of it”, floating over and landing his feet on the ground, “sure, why not. So long as it ain’t a dissection party or something”.
“Man are you ever morbid”.
“Well, I am dead. Life and death took a piss on me so I’ve earned the right”.
Anna coughs and is pretty sure the only reason he’s walking is not being used to others seeing his powers, “you're what now?”.
Phantom blinks and laughs with a loud echo, “oh yeah, guess I never mentioned that. See I’m the idiot who got himself offed in a portal and now...”
He ends up explaining some of his story as they walk, going to meet up with their friends outside the mansion.
(Ghost Nip + Trapped In The Fenton Thermos + Vengful Babes)
Ghost Nip, Cat Nip; same thing. Ghosts, cats; surprisingly much the same. And Valerie would never hurt Phantom just for being cuddly, right?
After the whole, into the Ghost Zone -multiple times might she add- Valerie decided that actually exploring and coming to have some grasp of the place was an absolute necessity. She refused to rely on Phantom, especially to save her...again. Sure she’ll admit he’s an...okay ghost maybe good, but a ghost’s still a ghost. And she will not be defenceless, not in Amity and not in enemy territory.
And that’s how she found herself in this situation, on a strange floating rock and covered in flower pollen; sparkling flower pollen. She can’t help but grumble with a bit of humour as she shakes her hands off, “Paulina would love this for shimmer highlighter”, then brushing off the rest of her suit as best she can and checking the time, “shit, it’s late. Dad’s gonna be pissed”. Shrugging a little before jumping in the air and clicking her feet together, summoning out her board.
Thankfully, she got back pretty quickly and checked in with her dad before a quick night patrol, then she’d go for date night. The one positive, she thinks, of her dad knowing about her ‘profession’ was not having to lie about it...much. And even if he didn’t exactly approve, she could tell he was a little proud. Shaking her head a little as she flies over the town, “pretty quiet, Phantom must have been out earl-”, cutting herself off at spotting a little three-eyed ghost cat and pointing a blaster at It before moving to creep up on It. But the thing springs at her face just as she rounds the corner, her charged up blast going off wild.
Batting at It to get It off just results in It winding around her waist looking blissed out. Pointing her thermos at It and catching It with ease, “okay? That was weird”. Over the past two years she’s learned that the animal and wisp ghosts were hardly problems...except that stupid dog. Most were easy to catch and not really worth wasting her blasters energy on.
Plus, looking to the side some and spotting a little hoard of the wisp ones, she’s pretty sure Amity is growing? creating? spawning? its own wisp ghosts. Like the ones that seemed to just appear in the Zone as part of the environment. Personally, she prefers to just avoid them, though she has absolutely spotted people -and Phantom- playing with them. But she goes wide-eyed as the wisps just stop bobbing around before practically launching at her. Her yelping a little and flying off, these ones never chased or attacked, the Hell? Them all basically slamming into her sends her spiralling in the air.
Looking down at herself after managing to right herself in the air. They were just seemingly rubbing themselves all over her suit and making humming and purring sounds. Muttering, “this is weird. Um, could you go away?”. Not really surprised when they don’t react at all. Not really getting a chance to be all that annoyed, when she sees a snake ghost looking to be sniffing the air towards her before also flying at her, she’d catch It but It’s not alone. Pretty well shouting as she flies away, being chased by a bunch of animal ghosts and more wisps, “WHY ARE THERE SO MANY!?!?!?”.
And that’s how she spends well over an hour just flying away from the collection of ghosts, occasionally blasting at and capturing them; date night forgotten in lieu of things being really weird. But it gives her enough time to notice a bit of a trend, common denominators, all the animal ones seemed to be sniffing at her and literally none of them had pupils. Sure, lack of pupils was common for ghosts -and people in Amity for some reason that she did not want to think about- but for none of them to have pupils was weird.
Danny was enjoying speed running through some levels of Doom when his ghost sense goes off in a concerningly large plume of cold mist. Quirking an eyebrow over the multiple different animal ecto-signatures, “what the? Is someone invading with animals or something?”, and promptly transforms and zips out the window.
Valerie’s a little too preoccupied with her current predicament to notice Phantom, until she speed flies past him and nearly slams into a wall. Course correcting and having to bat away a couple animal ghosts with her empty blaster, before stilling a little at catching Phantom sniffing at the air. Groaning while pretty well getting tackled by multiple animal ghosts and wisps, “oh damnit! NOT YOU TOO!”, when she sees Phantom snap his head around to her, his pupils contracting to pinpoints before disappearing all together.
She stills completely and leans her back against a wall, the ghosts basically rubbing and rolling all over her when Phantom is just suddenly in front of her; having not known he could move that fast. Lifting her arms up a bit as Phantom just starts winding himself around her waist, ghostly tail curling around her board. Though she chuckles a bit awkwardly at him snarling at the animal ghosts, making them back off. Anyones that keep trying to get close getting swiped at or bit at by Phantom. Valerie muttering, “um...thanks?”, at him when the animal ghosts just sort of float a safer distance away from the stronger ghost and ghost hunter.
Valerie turns her board and flies away from the hoard of animal ghosts as fast as she can, though Phantom and the wisp ghosts are making it kind of hard to steer; and the animal ghosts are following. Trying to not react at Phantom rolling around on her back before he bends over her shoulder and rubbing his head under her chin. But she definitely jerks and gapes a bit when Phantom winds around her more, his back basically pushing her chin up and he seemingly decides that these animal ghosts need to fuck off. Promptly making an honestly horrifying ghostly wailing sound at them and her glancing over her shoulder to see them all get knocked out. Just how strong was Phantom?
Deciding to not look a gift horse in the mouth and promptly flying away from all the downed ghosts. She’d already filled up one thermos, she’d rather save the other for real threats. Just in case a stronger ghost, that’s not Phantom, decides to do whatever the Zone Phantom is. Muttering a quick, “thanks”, at him again when his body seems to vibrate aggressively resulting in all the wisps practically slingshotting themselves off of her and fleeing.
Deciding to land herself on one of the tall buildings on the outskirts of Amity, walking and sitting down a bit awkwardly with Phantom pretty well wound all over her and purring? so loud that she doubts she’d be able to hear anything else; able to feel his form vibrating with it.
Muttering, “fucking Zone Phantom”, as she pushes one of his arms out of her face and blushes a bit from him rubbing his face into her neck. And with how his ghostly tail was wiggling and wrapped around her legs, she doubts she’ll be able to go anywhere until whatever’s going on goes away. Though fine, the purring? is kind of nice. Weird, but nice. Though she blinks and mutters, “shit, date night”, sighing while Phantom seems to be rubbing his hands over her helmet. At least she had a reason, though her having to ditch was something she tried to avoid; still happened too often though.
After a while, the behaviour is honestly way too cat-like for her to not pat at his head which is now snuggling her stomach a bit aggressively and he hums sounding very pleased, before muttering, “smell good, feel good”.
Valerie decides to attempt at getting answers out of him, though she’s got a feeling he’s high or something, “do you know why Phantom?”. Sighing as she only gets another hum and louder purring in response.
Trying for something else as the only times he seemed to take his attention off her or move away from her body some, was to ‘deal with’ the other ghosts, “why’d you chase off the other ghosts? They seemed content to, er, share me?”.
Him humming again before moving to be hugging her upper torso and wrapping his waist and base of his tail around her waist, making her wonder just how damn long his ghostly tail could be. While he mutters, “annoying”. Which she can’t help but snort and laugh a little at, “so you just wanted me, or whatever, to yourself then”, she knew ghosts to be territorial creatures and with the way Phantom chased other ghosts out he was clearly more territorial than most. Though usually he’d let the less harmful ghosts slide, especially animal and wisp ones.
“Annoying you”.
She blinks at the correction slightly. So it wasn’t him being territorial, instead it was him being a good guy ghost? Well, that tracks. “Why’d they actually back off though? Strength thing?”, obviously Phantom could easily beat the other ghosts up but whatever was going on seemed to be a little distracting. Normally the Amity wisps avoided all other ghosts except Phantom, animal ghosts included. So logically, right, the animal ghosts should have been more likely to chase off the wisps than Phantom.
Moving her arms around a bit as Phantom pulls his chest to rest over her shoulder, stretching his arms down her back before fully sliding down her back and winding around to rest his torso on her lap and legs, playing with her feet with his hands. She bats his tail tip out of her face but otherwise ignores it winding around her head. Glad when he finally responds to her, “Imma top bitch”.
Valerie rolls her eyes, “so it is a strength thing. Mr. Alpha ghost”. Phantom just hums loudly and bites her foot lightly. Valerie gapes down at his back, a little shocked, sounding a bit incredulous, “did you just bite me???”. Phantom hums and it sounds a bit like a giggle before biting her again. Valerie snapping with a bit of a laugh because this was just so weird, while twitching her foot away from him, “stop that”. More genuinely laughing when Phantom seemingly pounces his hands on her foot. Though she grabs the back of his jumpsuit collar and pulls him away from her feet and legs when he opens his mouth, clearly looking to bite her again. Blinking a bit down at him as he promptly goes back to snuggling into her stomach, her mind’s a little stuck on seeing Phantom’s fangs more up close and not in the heat of battle for the first time really. Zone those things were huge.
Jerking a bit from Phantom nipping her side, making her whack his head like a misbehaving dog, “none of the others were trying to bite me, why are you?”. It’s not like biting was something she ever actually saw him doing.
Catching a slight green blush to his cheeks, she was just learning all over the place today; purring, blushing, apparently ghosts could get high. “Teething”.
Valerie coughs at that, “um what?”. Watching him open his mouth and poke at the fangs with his tongue and hum instead of responding. Alright, the big fangs -she’s sure he had some before? or maybe not?- were new and thus uncomfortable. Shaking her head a little, “well, I’m not a chew toy and you’re not a baby. So stop that...even if it is a bit funny”.
Phantom hums again for a bit and starts playing with her feet with the tip of his tail, “was baby”.
Valerie blinks at the teenage looking ghost, she’d always assumed he was really old, seeing as she’d found evidence of him back in the time of pharaohs. Ghosts were weird though, especially Phantom, “um, how old are you?”. She coughs and chokes a little when he purrs a bit louder and sounds a bit proud when he says, “three!”.
Valerie squints at him and moves her arm around his head to get at her com system, “uhhh, good for you?”. Calling up her girlfriend aka this idiots cousin while he hugs her waist and mutters, “no more baby rights for me”.
Valerie sighs a bit happily when her girl picks up, “hey you, sorry for missing date night but I have your cus here and I am very confused”. Groaning a little when Phantom moves to basically crawl up her side and lay his stomach over her head, his hands rubbing down her left arm and purring so damn loud that she can’t hear jack shit. Grabbing at him with her free right hand and yanking him off to lay on her lap again, pushing around his tail so it stops fiddling with the helmet, “are you trying to hang up my call?”. Then whacking him again for biting her knee, “again with the biting!”.
Hearing Elle’s loud laughter over the com, “I know sharing’s caring but should I be worried!”.
“Like I said, I’m confused. I think he’s high or something and-”, Valerie cuts herself off and looks down at Phantom’s face, him practically giving her puppy-dog eyes with his tongue sticking out and halfway through licking her arm, “are you...licking me???”. Elle on the other end just laughs.
Phantom promptly resumes said licking but she pushes his face away a bit disgusted, which he seems to find funny and instead goes to lick at her stomach functionally knocking her onto her back and descending into a weird version of a wrestling match. “Fucking Zone Phantom!”, before laughing because this was weird, oddly familiar, and ridiculous. Elle’s wheezing echoing in her ears all the while.
Eventually ending up with her pinned on stomach against the rooftop, with Phantom snuggling and licking her back. Panting a little, “I’m okay. So here’s the deal, I’ve been chased, all over town, by every ghost in town, even wisps, all being cuddly and shit. Any ideas?”.
Elle wheezes and starts laughing, replying after a while, “oh man this is great!”, laughing again, “touched any sparkly pollen lately?”.
Valerie groans, so this was her fault, wonderful, “yeah, got covered in-”, cutting herself off and shivering a little from Phantom licking the back of her neck and helmet, “oh Zone this is weird. Stop that”. Phantom just purrs loudly and coils around her, but him doing that lets her sit back up so she’s not complaining. He wasn’t trying to be a weird aggressive prick, if anything he was probably being as ‘nice’ about this as he could. She firmly doesn’t want to know what someone like Skulker or Johnny would be doing right now. Well fine, they’d be in the thermos. She’s pretty damn tempted to shove Phantom in it.
Elle’s voice comes through the com again, “congrats! You’re covered in Ghost Nip! Think catnip but for ghosts! It’ll wear off. I’m guessing it’s just him pestering you now?”.
Valerie groans again while Phantom hums, nodding his head into her stomach; obviously he was agreeing, how he heard she’s not sure. Something tells her she has severely underestimated him in every single way. “Wonderful. And yeah, he chased the others off. Literally knocked a hoard out, just how strong is your cousin? And now that I think about, how old are you actually? ‘Cause this idiot is claiming he’s three”. Phantom makes a huffing sound and pushes a hand agains her chin, biting her arm which she whacks him again for.
“Very strong and I’m honestly amazed you’ve never asked me? I’m literally one, doesn’t matter though. We age funny. You want me to let your dad know you got caught up with ghost issues? ‘Cause he’s gonna be a while”.
Valerie sighs as Phantom rolls around on his back against her torso, pushing his head under hers and purring a bit louder, “sure, and that just makes me want to stuff him in a thermos, then hope to everything I can get home without running into any ghosts”. Patting Phantom slightly as he makes some kind of mix between a whine and growl, “chill it spooky, you’re the one being aggressively touchy. The thing can’t suck that much”.
Elle laughs, “oh please do! Don’t you dare hang up though, I so want to hear you trying that!”.
Valerie doesn’t really need any more prompting but Phantom can give some serious puppy-dog eyes, just like Elle; damn Phantom genes or whatever ghosts have. Pointing her thermos at him anyway and sucking him in, honestly a bit surprised he didn’t even try to avoid it. “I’m not sure what you were expecting”.
Elle snickers, “wait for it. I hope you weren’t attached to that thermos”.
Valerie stops in her walk, having intended to go home, “um wha-”, getting cut off by the thermos shaking and promptly exploding. Gaping as Phantom practically tackles her, muttering, “mean”, while winding around her again; making her stagger a bit, not sure if she should be highly bothered or impressed by thermoses not working on him.
Elle apparently finds it funny as she starts laughing, “Vee babe, I’m sure as shit the thermoses you have are the ones he gave, aka threw at, you back when you first started. Meaning they’re old model, no way that’s going to hold him”.
Valerie sighs and pushes Phantom’s face away from her cheek, eyeballing him as he seems to settle in to just sniffing at her shoulder; at least she could walk if she wanted, his tail just coiled around her waist with the tip flicking around lazily. He looked more peaceful and sleepy rather than high and silly now. But looking around for his thermos -that has to be a strong one, right?- just makes her kind of confused. “Where the heck does he keep his?”.
Elle laughs loudly at this, “you’ve seen the weird way he dodges! The body horror! Where do you think? The safest closest spot possible, inside his back. I mean yes that would work. But good luck with that!”.
Valerie screws her face up, “oh my Zone Phantom. You have issues”, Phantom hums slightly but otherwise looks like he’s going to pass out. Deciding to take her chances and slightly take advantage of how out of it Phantom is, “hey Phantom, feel like giving me your thermos. Since you destroyed mine”.
Elle snorts, “oh now that’s just mean babe. How could he say no to you now”. Valerie just smirks to herself before pulling a face at Phantom, who just makes a hole through himself revealing the thermos. Zone it really is inside him, this is possibly the weirdest thing she’s ever discovered about him.
Shifting him around some before reaching through the hole for the thermos, muttering to Elle over the com, “you have the weirdest cousin, might as well let you go now though. Feel like trying date night tomorrow? ‘Cause as funny as it would be for you to get all high on this Ghost Nip stuff...”. Clicking her board out and looking over the thermos, which yes did look a little different still Fenton made though, before flying off slowly. Might be better to just fly home with him all wrapped around her so he can chase off any other ghosts.
Elle snickers, “aw come on, you saying you don’t want a cuddle fest with the cuter Phantom?”. Valerie blushes at that and Phantom snickers at her before pushing himself up her arm and wrapping his arms and face around her helmet, “cute ‘cause ‘o me”. Valerie can’t really disagree with that and she’s not going to try.
Elle laughs, “true. You be nice to my lady and Vee, be nice to my cus. Love ya”.
“Love ya too, you cute sorta Spook”. With that she hangs up and thankfully lands in her room without incident, shoving Phantom off her head to wrap more around her waist and legs as she sticks her head out of her door, “I’m fine dad, just the weird kind of time-consuming not the dangerous kind”.
Damon walks up the stairs and scrutinises her face before nodding, “good. Now get some rest, you’ve got school tomorrow”.
Valerie nods, “of course dad”, and quickly ducks back into her room. Holding up the thermos and looking down at Phantom, “thermos time for you, I actually need sleep and this-”, gesturing to how he’s coiled around her and purring softly, “-will make that super difficult”. He glares at her a bit but doesn’t really attempt at stopping her from sucking him in.
Valerie cautiously puts it on her nightstand, seriously hoping it doesn’t explode, before crawling into bed.
After a while Danny finds himself feeling a bit miffed, well, and a little blissed out. But he wants to roll around and snuggle stuff, good smelling stuff. And that stuffs not here, he wants it to be here; it was nice. Chuckling absentmindedly to himself and attempting to scratch his chest, clueing in a bit more consciously then that he’s liquid and vapour at the moment. Grumbling, “thermos...Val”. Oh that was awkward, so awkward. Least she didn’t try shooting him but did she really have to stuff him in here? Sure he’s not so aggressive or zonked out now, but he’d like out thank you very much. Or cuddles, that would work too. Letting his mind drift to the tingling feeling contacting whatever the shit was on her suit...Ghost Nip? Right, yeah. Humming a little to himself before sliding his ectoplasm around. He knew the insides of these things well, had to after Jazz, and it seemed like a good idea to know how to get out of one. Course his friends knew how to lock it in case of evil Danny situations. But Val didn’t.
Slipping around through some of the creases and little bits of wiring, the pressure felt nice but he’s not solid enough to really enjoy it, so not fair. Humming, pleased with himself and feeling sneaky, as he seeps out of the thermos. Solidifying in the air and sniffing around, humming some more but having enough of a mind to not pester the good smelling huntress...much. Coiling over top of her blankets and her, rubbing his head under her chin and inhaling deeply. The sweet scent on her suit sleeping through her veins and skin. So he’s content enough.
Valerie’s the one who’s miffed when she wakes up with Phantom seemingly sleeping on top of her. “Oh you have got to be kidding me. How???”. Turning her head to the -still closed? How?- thermos, before just shoving Phantom off the bed. Him grunting and rubbing his eyes before floating upright, Valerie just points at the window. Phantom points at his thermos and she puts her hands on her hips, “I think I’ve earned it”.
Phantom throws his hands out to the side, “not my fault you rolled in Ghost Nip, and can’t say that was particularly how I wanted to spend my night either”.
“You were high, you had the better experience”, rolling her eyes and sighing but glaring, “but thanks, I guess, for getting the rest to leave me alone”.
Phantom shrugs and rubs his neck before smirking, “you know how you could repay me? Giving my damn thermos”.
Valerie crosses her arms, grabs the thermos and sits on it, “no, go home. Where ever that is”.
“Did you really just sit on it?”.
“And you bit me, multiple times might I add, you don’t have the high ground here”. She decides to ignore how he blushes over that.
Danny huffs, technically she should have an upgraded thermos. Would be safer. He’ll just have to go through the hassle of stealing yet another one, then get to school late, get detention, utterly fail at finishing homework, yada yada. Groaning and tilting his head back, ignoring her slight smirk, “fine. You need a better one anyway”, pointing at her as he turns to leave, “plus you do take good care of my cus”.
Valerie blushes but rolls her eyes at him as he smirks and leaves. Her muttering, “damn spook”.
