#this could be a good parent Fenton story. if i wrote it. it wouldn’t.

[itshype]

Please don’t pet me! I am working! (DC x DP)

The Service Animal Cujo notfic that I, personally requested but just like my extremely cringe Batman x Witcher fic, I have to do everything myself. I wrote this but held off during DC x DP week because I’m not participating in that. If I keep writing these, I’ll have to make a masterpost or probably whack them up on Ao3 for archive purposes at some point but for now: Here is the Space Obsessed Danny story and Here is the Kingmaker Danny story! CW for mention of panic attacks in this one!

So! Let’s get going. Danny died. He can’t stop thinking it. He was dead. He’s walking and talking now but he knows deep in his soul that everything’s different now. He was dead and somehow nothing has changed? He feels like something of his journey to hell itself should be visible in his skin – something more than the small exit scar on his left foot. Another dimension was opened through his body and his hairstyle didn’t even shift?

Sam and Tucker are just as freaked out as he is, but they aren’t nearly as frightened. The ghost powers and Halfa stigma won’t come until later, but right now Danny is having difficulty even considering the possibility of leaving the house. With Danny in such bad condition emotionally, there’s no way to cover up what happened, and Jazz takes them all to the hospital.

Now, I know in a lot of fanfics Danny has weird physiology even in human form (lower body temp, slower pulse etc) but I don’t remember any of that being canon so I’m ignoring it. And if it is canon then I am exercising my right to debone the original show like a small chicken and use it to make a flavourful stock.

So, Danny checks out with the doctors except for a weirdly tiny burn but he is having like 5 concurrent panic attacks about everything from “there’s nothing after we die”, “The electricity cooked me”, “Life has no meaning”, maybe even throw in a fun “I came back wrong”.

Hell, maybe he does have weirdly low vitals, but the rapid pulse is countering his slow heartbeat and decreased blood pressure etc. Up to you!

Danny probably ends up being sedated if he can’t calm down but by then there is a different issue. The doctors Fenton have arrived. Now, I think it’s no stretch of the imagination to say that under the wrong circumstances they would dissect Phantom if they got their hands on him but also I know they somewhat care for their children and canon has shown more than once that under good circumstances that they could accept Danny.

When his ghost sense goes off for the first time it’s pretty obvious. He’s in a hospital and instead of a tiny little whisp of silver breath; it’s like a fogbank creeping along a moor, its sea mist rolling in from the horizon of his mouth and whiting out his private hospital room. No one can see two meters in front of their own face, and it takes over a minute to fade. Sam screams out for Danny and tries to grab his hand where she knows it was but can no longer see. Tucker starts at the sound and drops his device, screeching gratingly at the clattering plastic of his PDA hitting linoleum, hard.

When the mist finally evaporates, the Fentons want to take him home immediately and run tests. They think the ghostly influence is ‘obvious’ but the 68-year-old nurse, Beatrice stands like a 5-foot-nothing wall of solid rock and won’t let them touch him. Jazz also angles herself between her parents and the door so if they did somehow manage to get their hands on Danny, they wouldn’t be able to leave without steamrolling her. Then the heartrate monitor goes wild as Danny panics about being a guinea pig for his parents’ less-than-lukewarm lab safety practices and they back off without further interruptions.

That’s the point when it hits them that everything that has happened to Danny is their fault. His accident was because of them, he’s melting down because of them, both of their children genuinely believe that they will hurt Danny just because he’s having weird ghostly side effects to almost dying in a ghost portal. One they built.

It’s a few hours later when they breach the subject of going home, of at the very least making a decision about school even if that decision is to formally take a leave of absence. Sam and Tucker’s parents had made them go home and he’s a lot calmer now but at this stage, his weird ghost powers are causing problems. It seems to the orderlies and nurses that his anxiety is getting worse because he’s turning intangible through cups and cutlery – making it look like he’s shaking so hard he can’t even hold a single cup, and is flat out refusing to eat.  

Even though it’s been less than a day it looks like Danny’s shock is just getting worse. He phases through his bed right as Beatrice and his parents walk through and they think he’s hiding under there out of fear. He tries to explain, confused, and disoriented and deep in denial. Jazz shuts him up. She doesn’t know completely what’s going on, but she knows enough, and she isn’t letting 12 hours of changed behaviour force her to blindly trust her parents.

Beatrice is most concerned. It hasn’t been very long but there’s no reasonable cause for his steep and steady decline. No reason outside of something-something-ghosts.  

That’s when the first few pamphlets come out about therapy animals. They require some time to be trained and the middle of nowhere Amity Park doesn’t exactly have a pool to choose from, but it’s okay to adopt a younger animal and train it themselves.

Danny looks at the pictures of the fluffy bunnies and alert-eared dogs with big, glistening eyes. Then puts them down. There’s no way an animal would be safe in his house.

That’s when the ghosts attack. Danny isn’t the only spectre with a ghost sense and these ghosts are less human due to a lack of ectoplasm. Obviously, the silver fog reappears, and, in his terror, Danny drops to the next floor of the hospital, glitching through his bed and the floor underneath it. He crashes painfully in the middle of the gift shop.

His parents reach the conclusion that due to his extreme ectoplasm contamination; he’s developed a serious allergy to ectoplasmic weaponry, including things like ectoblasts that ghosts have naturally. They’re not…the wrongest that they could be. Unfortunately, they decide that Evil Ghosts TM can sense this weakness and are trying to kill their poor baby boy. Everyone else is freaking out about ghosts being visibly proven but the Fentons knew ghosts were real with zero doubts so they’re rolling with it.

Now, due to the knowledge that he died, Danny is having difficulty worrying about other things like catching up with schoolwork, his weird new allergies/powers or even Dash.

BTW KUDOS to anyone still reading, I know this part was really long, but I really felt like I couldn’t just flim flam over the details of why Danny would need an emotional support/service animal even if it’s fictional.

First day back at school, the Lunch Lady attacks. Danny barely eeks out a win just like in canon.

His parents decide that this is because of the allergies and the ghosts being able to sense Danny’s weakness as I said above. And they take it upon themselves to root out the problem at its source, to find all the ghosts who could hurt their son and imprison them, partly for Danny’s safety and partly for study. Not even they are sure where the divide is between their two loyalties.

So, they look to their now-functioning portal.

Unfortunately, they were massively underprepared, and they don’t come back.

 Jazz sees the locked lab door and leaves them to it, making dinner and making sure Danny knows she wants him to be at school.

He doesn’t go, she lets him not go.

Two days later the boredom is worse than his fear. He goes to school. Danny, Sam and Tucker enter like a single unit. Dash tries some shit and either:

Jazz emerges and smacks his head hard enough he loses vision for several seconds – long enough for her to knee him hard enough to put the continuance of the Baxter lineage into question.

Danny starts panicking again. The teachers always want to side with Dash but him openly attacking a kid who was just in the hospital who doesn’t even lift a finger in defence of himself is beyond the limits of any sane adult’s “boys will be boys”.

Doesn’t really matter, the point is that he’s not looking to fuck around any time soon now that he’s already found out. But he did in fact attack Danny.

Danny goes home. His first attempt at school following his death has failed.

Tucker, separately, goes to a garage sale to buy old electronics to use in his PDA upgrades. He buys a boxful of weird lab equipment that definitely has a microchip or two. When he opens it at Danny’s house as an effort to distract him, a small pink teddy falls out. No one notices it bounce beneath the sofa. Sam or Jazz brings up the support animal idea again but is reminded of the whole “our house is a toxic waste site” thing and backs off.

Weeks pass, Danny develops his ghost powers and Jazz realises their parents are actually missing. She submits a missing person report mentioning the switched-on portal – the lab door was locked from the inside.

So, when Danny wakes up one day and there’s a glowing green dog already with a collar and a toy he thinks “ah yes, a dog that my sibling has procured for me as we discussed many times to help me cope with my own mortality, the near-constant ghost attacks and my parents who vanished.”

So, he puts a leash on Cujo who is happily chewing on his little pink teddy and takes him off to school while Jazz is using her first free period to go bother the local cops about their parents. (Why haven’t they been taken in by child protective services? Either:

Because I said so

Jazz is 18

Jazz used her improbable psychology powers to bamboozle the social worker into leaving)

Everyone at school loves Cujo. He gets all the love and does a very good job of dragging Danny away from ghost attacks (so he can fight them!!)

Jazz doesn’t find out about Cujo until the afternoon but probably lets the whole thing lie because it’s a great solution.

This could go on for some time. Both Danny and Phantom have Cujo but as Phantom Cujo stays in his big form so there’s no connection made. Canon mostly proceeds as normal except the parents aren’t there and there’s no huge issue with Valerie.

Realistically, a fair few high schoolers are probably also on the hunt for a pet ghost dog because if Danny and Danny both have one there must be heaps going around. Danny is also worried about his parents and periodically looks for them but that isn’t the focus of this story so I won’t go into a lot of detail – just clarifying that he’s not a sociopath who finds out his parents are missing and goes “oh ok”.

This could be its own story but let’s get to the DC part now!!

Eventually the Justice League connects the two calls, one about the ghost dog and one about the parents disappearing through a portal. Maybe Valerie complains, or even fanon favourite Wes contacts the authorities about the ghost dog with no official training or certification. Either way the JLA algorithm picks up these two very strange claims from one town and send someone to investigate.

But I mean, parents vanishing from a locked room and a green dog aren’t exactly world ending stuff, so instead of sending an actual busy superhero they send one of the kid heroes.

Now a lot of people will go ahead and put Damian into this. But I don’t really care for him in a dynamic with Danny. But I have another vigilante in mind, one who is less animal crazy, but more dog focused and also has issues with being seen as an actual person.

That's right, it's Conner Kent. And his faithful alien dog Krypto. I've seen a few fics where Danny adopts him, but you know what other family member should think you're an actual person? Your significant other. This could totally be a friendship thing no problem, but I do feel like some versions of canon Connor Kent would get on great with Danny.

Without the looming, repeated threat of vivisection, I think Danny would be a lot more chill about his secret identity and would probably disclose Cujo’s origins to Superboy. Once Connor knows about Cujo (Phantom’s dog) being able to shrink, he can see Danny with the dog once and connect all the necessary dots. Because I stand by the fact that the main reason Danny’s secret ID isn’t discovered more is because there’s no reason for a dead person to have a secret identity but once the concept is introduced then it’s pretty simple. Connor can hang out with Phantom while Phantom does ghost fights because the Kryptonian can’t really contribute but he’s there for moral support.

Eventually, Danny reveals to Connor that he himself was cloned before and talks excitedly about his clone who he considers a cousin. I definitely think without the parents there that Dani would visit more even if she has an obsession with travel, wanderlust or freedom that prevents her from permanently moving in.

This knowledge makes him very upset about how he was treated by his genetic donors, and Connor decides to move in with the Fenton siblings (without really asking the Fenton siblings) and decides that he’ll commute to the watchtower/titans tower/mount justice (depending on which version of canon he’s in sorry I can’t be bothered to figure it out).

Unfortunately, on top of not asking the Fentons, he doesn’t notify or ask anyone in the caped community. So as far as any of them are concerned, Connor went on a minor mission to investigate some missing people and is now himself missing.

Just as a caveat because I don’t feel like getting into an argument today, I used the terms both “service animal” and “emotional support animal” even though in most countries these are not interchangeable legal definitions. I use it in a non-legal way here because emotionally helping Danny – especially when that emotional stress causes physical damage is a service, and also there is the potential for Cujo to help Danny in other physical ways.

Also, there is definitely room here for Dani being buds with Match. I think that'd be neat.

If I could draw, I would make art of Cujo and Krypto being besties but I cannot so just picture it for two seconds. Done? Great, thanks!

[loop-hole-319]

Whatever is out there it's,  coming for me     -Not Him

This is the third part in the not him series although it does not matter the order you read them. in this specific story it will be heavily implied that is going it unalive himself. Although he does not successfully off himself, he does die.  If you decide to read this, please let me know what you think and if there are any errors. If you wish to read the rest of this series, go to the “that is not Danny Fenton” tag.

Danny went over a mental check list in his head before he left the house this morning. The sun still wasn’t up by the time he walked out the door, he had written a goodbye note for his and left it on her dresser. He knew better than to leave it on the kitchen countertop, his parents wouldn’t notice it, throw it away or even accidentally incinerate it. If that happened his sister would be consumed with worry over the thought of him being kidnapped, it was her senior year, and the third quarter has just started, and she was already taking her college entrance exams.

 On the note to Jazz he had written down than he needed some time alone and some fresh air to clear his head. He knew Jazz was too smart for that, but it didn’t matter, and that’s what he wrote it for.

The only other goodbyes he had made were to a few online friends, ones that he would play online games like Doom with. He didn’t actually say goodbye, in his bio of his social media accounts his birth year, the current year and the phrase “thank you walking with me to the end, but you can’t delay the inevitable.”

He hopes that it was vague enough that they would that he had a terminal illness or something. But other than them and his sister, nobody else would actually miss him.  

A gradually growing pain on his fingertip, noes and cheeks yanked him out of a dissociative state. Danny stopped walking and felt his leg muscles throb in exhaustion, he glanced around at his surroundings.                                              He was still in the forest, but it was much lighter out. He looked up towards the sky and saw that the sun was almost directly overhead.                                      Jez he must have been walking for a while.

He brought his hands up to his mouth to blow hot air over them, it wasn’t cold enough to see his breath, but the air still had a nip to it. It was a good thing that he was not planning on returning home because he was lost as fuck, and he didn’t have his phone to pull up a map as he destroyed it a week and a half ago.

Someone had found his phone number and passed it around, people wouldn’t stop harassing him and sending him all kinds of threats, so finally he smashed it agents a tree.

He walked a little further into the woods scanning the trees for a low hanging branch that would hold his weight. Once he found a tree that suited his needs, he tossed backpack to the ground against a tree and fell to his knees next to it.

  Ignoring the new source of pain shooting up his already sore legs he unzipped his backpack and pulled out a pre-tied noose. He had had to look up how to tie it at home. Danny walked slowly over to the tree, every thing he did was to loud for comfort.  His footsteps echoed on the grass, him zipping up his backpack, even the creaking sound that came from the rope as he tossed it over the branch and tide it to the tree, it all cut straight through the silent forest.

 A violent shiver shot up his spine as the weight of the silent forest pressed down on him, a sensation of being watched began to grow in his chest. But all at once the fear in his veins fled his body as he heard a voice call out.

“Hello”

It was just another person, probably someone in his search party. Although he was in the middle of nowhere miles away from town, so he was surprised that they got out here this fast.

     “Help me!”       the voice called out again, this time it had a sense of urgency. This person was definitely not part of a search team, so Danny decided to call out to them                “Hey I am over, but I am just as lost as you are buddy.”                     If not more so, he added on silently to the end.

In the back of his mind, he thought that maybe whoever was calling out to him was some form of higher being that came to tell him not to give up and that things will get better. But even if they were, he wouldn’t listen.

     A moment passed before they repeated themselves, the voice sounded exactly the same, almost as if it were a recording. But this time it sounded a little further away. Danny scoffed, if this person couldn't figure out how to follow the sound of a voice, then he would not help them, he couldn't help them anyways if they were lost, he had no idea where what he was either. But it didn't really matter for him as he was not planning on returning home.

      “Hi there”    The voice called out to him again this time it sounded as if the person we're way off in the distance, but also at the same time directly behind him. He whipped around to see a man?

 He stood on his tip toes barefooted in the middle of the forest, his feet were much longer than they should be. His fingers were much too long, and he had an overall lankiness to him. Honestly, he looked like a piece of bad taxidermy. 

 “Umm” Danny took a step back and looked up at the man, if he had to guess he would say that he was about 7 ft tall.                                                                     A sense of dread overtook Danny as the mans lips split into an impossibly wide grin. The parting of his lips revealed hundreds of needle like teeth. Danny gasped and began to tremble as the creature darted over to him.                           He could feel his windpipe being crushed as the thing wrapped its boney fingers around his neck, and he heard a crunching sound as it slammed him into a tree behind him. 

The creatures hand left his neck and reared back, bringing down its claws down the center of his chest. Its claws had torn right through his shirt, binder, and a good centimeter of his skin. His brain had finally caught up to the situation at hand, he began to scream and sob profusely as the creature wedged its fingers into the slash mark, and then under his skin.

 Danny cried out as large chunks of his skin were pulled back like someone skinning a rabbit or deer and he renewed that scream as the monster pushed its fingers into his flesh and grabbed onto his ribcage. It spread his ribcage apart like the angel trap from Jigsaw. 

 Danny stopped screaming as he began to convulse, sliding down the tree the pain began to fade. He looked up at the creature as it ripped his heart out and swallowed it whole, but Danny didn’t care, over the sound of it eating the flesh off his leg his eyelids grew heavy. He closed his eyes and rolled his head to his shoulder as everything went silent.

[rubykgrant]

All those years ago, when I wrote my first Danny Phantom fan-fiction story (I started with a sequel to the Ultimate Enemy and then moved into making up episodes I wanted to exist), I wasn’t really sure what to do with Vlad... I mean, I wrote stuff for him to do, he did stuff, he was there and doing things, but like... I didn’t have a lot of thought-process or a way to articulate what my purpose was with him. Thinking about Danny Phantom stuff again has finally helped it click in my head; see, I wanted him to not be so “evil”, because that just got old. It was pointless, too (the way the show kept pushing him in the super-villain direction past the point of any motivations for himself really irked me). I couldn’t imagine him being “nice” exactly, but just not EVIL. 

Also, in the one future where Danny became bad, we actually do get to see a less jerk-version of Vlad; he evidently started taking care of Danny, and not in a “get close to your parents so I can kill your dad and steal your mom” kind of way (because uhh... yeah, they were GONE). He also regretted not taking very good care of that version of Danny, and when he met the Danny from a new time-line, Vlad helped him return and stop the bad outcome from happening. So, he obviously doesn’t HAVE to suck. The trick is, how to make him suck less in a different context, because that time-line doesn’t happen anymore. Without giving away too much from my nonsense story (I’ll eventually re-write the whole thing and share it then), there is this new problem of a greater enemy appearing, and it will probably destroy EVERYTHING. Danny somehow finds a way to defeat this problem, and for a moment he’s like super-duper-extra-mega-ultra-turbo POWERFUL. This fades away slightly, it isn’t a power-up that can last (because it would probably tear him apart), but it unlocks a lot of potential. He will eventually be able to get about half that strong on his own, which is still pretty dang strong. Vlad sees this all go down, and he realizes 2 important things; 1, he is not even on the Threat Radar anymore. He just got down-graded from Major Villain to Annoying Antagonist. 2, if he can’t figure something out, nobody is going to pay any attention to him again. EVER. He has no hope of trying to push Danny around, or even try to pull the “I can teach you how to use your powers” trick, because Danny is on a whole other level. Vlad doesn’t NOT care for feeling like he isn’t important, so now he’s on a trip again where he’s constantly trying to be involved with the Fenton’s lives, which means he has to deal with Jack on a regular basis (and that is always hilarious). The opens up to all the fun potential of him trying to be “helpful”, when nobody really wants or needs him around, and this means he throws many a hissy-fit over that, BUT ALSO; he has to actually THINK about why he cares so much about these people. Yeah, he’s had a one-sided love for Maddie, blamed Jack for his accident, and has complicated feelings over how he finds the kids very frustrating, but also wishes Danny and Jazz were his own children. He also has to think about the fact that as far as Jack cares, they are still best friends. Oh, also his clone-baby, and how maybe if he wants to be a dad, he SHOULD START THERE. I also want him to have a few opportunities to do something bad again. Like, he really has a chance or two where, depending on his decisions, he could really WRECK things for the other characters... wouldn’t that put things back the way they had been, the status-quo? Isn’t that what he wants? Or maybe, just MAYBE, he actually gives a heck? Anyway, yeah, I like the idea of totally taking away his ability to be threatening, and then he has to figure out how he fits into things on his own

[ibelieveinahappilyeverafter]

Danny Phantom - belief does not make it real (but fear does)

The first of my Patreon drabbles that I wrote last year and am now posting here to my Tumblr! I hope you guys enjoy it and, remember, to check out my Patreon page so you can see more great drabbles like this one year round!

Summary: Danny, Sam, and Tucker decided to test a few common myths to see if there’s anything that really can repel ghosts. Blood blossoms had managed, after all, and they’d rather not be taken off guard again. Some of the items, though, has Danny amused more than worried - at last until he realizes that some stories are true. 

Fandom: Danny Phantom

Characters: Danny Fenton | Danny Phantom, Sam Manson, Tucker Foley

Rating: Teen Audiences

Word Count: 2,219

               Check out my writing commission information here!         Pledge to my Patreon to get exclusive content like this drabble!

                                                           ⁂

“There’s absolutely no way that this is going to work.” Danny stared at the array of objects on his bed, Sam and Tucker on either side of him with Tucker’s phone still held out in front of his face, screen starting to go dim. “It’s not that I don’t believe in it, it’s just that this is stupid and it’s not going to work. Period.”

“Danny, you know I hate agreeing with Tucker, but he might actually be right for once.” Sam’s serious expression twitched into a smile, Danny trying to keep his stern expression at Tucker’s scoff.

“Thanks, Sam. Thanks a bunch,” Tucker grumbled, waving his phone screen in Danny’s face. “Just read this, okay?” The screen was black due to inactivity. “It seems pretty promising!”

“You literally googled ‘ways to repel a ghost’ and clicked one of the first results. How is that promising?” Danny moved to fall into his computer chair, rolling across the floor and relaxing a bit at the sound of wheels over a wooden floor. When he looked back up, Tucker was sitting on the bed and near drowning in his hoodie of the day and Sam was kicking her feet from where she was on his desk, dress flaring out with the movement. “This is stupid.”

“Yeah, but that’s what you said about your parent’s ghost portal when we were fourteen.” Tucker had a point and Danny hated it. “C’mon, man.”

“He’s got a point,” Sam sighed, kicking at Danny’s chair when he rolled back over. “We didn’t think anything but your parents’ weapons could hurt you, and then that whole blood blossom thing happened.”

“Ugh, thanks for reminding me of that,” Danny shuddered. He was now seventeen and even though that event was years away in the past, he still remembered how much those had hurt. It was almost the same feeling as when he had been stuck in the portal when it had turned on. “You think this stuff is gonna work, though?”

“Won’t know until we try,” Tucker shrugged, picking up a few objects from the pile that had been dumped onto his bed. There were a few pencils and notebooks scattered in there, but Danny had a feeling that was more from the fact Tucker had turned his backpack upside down on his bed. Then again, they could be using homework as a way to ‘repel him.’ It’d probably work. “Okay, first up is protection objects.”

“You’re going to hate this,” Sam ‘whispered.’ Half a second later she caught the object Tucker tossed at her without even looking. There was a reason Danny was afraid of his best friends, sometimes. “Okay, so first we’re going to try crystals.”

“Sam’s gonna do it since she’s the witch.” Tucker ducked the boot that was tossed at him, sticking his tongue out as Sam squirmed around and kicked her other one off, managing to nail Tucker in the knee. “Jesus are those things made of steel?”

“Just the tips,” Sam smiled sweetly, hooking her foot under Danny’s arm and pulling him back over to her. Danny let himself roll across the floor, trying not to laugh as he bumped into Sam’s table, the girl’s feet, covered with bright purple tights, settling in his lap to keep him there. “The website said black tourmaline, so we’re going to try that one, first. I’m also going to try some of my own crystal quartz, though.”

“Are we sure you’re not a witch escaped from Salem or something?” Danny settled back in the path of sunlight that fell over him and his desk, ready to take a nap as his friends got their weird curiosity out of their system. “Alright, hit me with it.”

“Sure.” With that, Sam proceeded to throw what she was holding at him and hit Danny in the middle of his chest with it. Danny caught the stone before it could hit the floor, rolling it around in his hand. The sunlight caught and held in the cracks of the stone, Danny unable to describe it better than a piece of charcoal that didn’t crumble beneath his fingers.

“Can I keep this?” Danny finally asked, Sam pouting while Tucker slumped and mumbled to himself as tapped something on his phone. He was probably making notes that the stones didn’t seem to work against him. “It’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah, yeah, you can keep it. You sure you don’t feel anything, though? Not even an urge to throw it away?” Sam asked, nudging at his stomach with one of her feet. Danny didn’t bother swatting her away, instead fidgeting with the crystal.

“I mean… It doesn’t hurt, but I guess it sort of feels like more than just a rock, maybe?” Danny stared down at it, almost captivated at noticing the sleek sheen the sun brought out in it. Holding it almost reminded him of how it felt moments before he created a shield. “It’s cool.”

“Hm. Let’s try my quartz.” Sam dug under her shirt and tugged out one of her many necklaces, Danny trying not to laugh at the fact Sam was just wearing something that was supposed to repel ghosts. “I’ve had this for almost three years, now, and I cleanse it in moonlight every few weeks.”

“And you’re telling us you didn’t escape from Salem?” Tucker snort laughed, beaming at Sam’s glare and lack of things to throw at him. Danny ignored them and tucked away his own new stone before looking at Sam’s. It was crystal clear and looked almost like glass, a piece of metal wound around it and threading it onto a leather cord. “So, what, you’re going to throw this one at him, too?”

“Yeah, why not?” That was all the warning Danny had before he was scrambling to catch the necklace, eyes widening as he felt something the moment it touched his skin. It took a moment to convince himself not to drop it, Tucker and Sam noticing at once. “Danny? What’s wrong?”

“Dude, you okay? Did the magic crystal thing actually work?” Tucker sounded shocked, which, considering he was behind this, was not reassuring. He had probably done all this because he was bored.

“No, it didn’t- I mean, it’s not hurting or repelling me or anything, really.” Danny swallowed, looking down at the crystal and carefully reaching it back up to Sam, slumping when she took it back. “It felt like it was heavy, I guess. I dunno, it felt like you dropped a ten-pound rock into my hands.”

There were a few beats of silence between them, Tucker finally mumbling a soft little, “Spooky.” It was all it took to send Danny and Sam into a fit of laughter. “Okay, okay, we have a bunch more stuff to get through! Think fast, man!”

Catching the newest torture device tossed at him, Danny laughed at seeing it was a cheap dreamcatcher made of bright pink colors. He didn’t feel anything while holding it beyond a sense of amusement as he fiddled with it, fingers skimming against cheap plastic and cheaper strings.

“I mean, some pretty bad memories are cropping up, but other than that, I think I’m good.” There was a snicker from Sam and a little mutter about capes. Danny ignored her and tossed the dreamcatcher on his desk to give to Jazz later. She’d get a kick out of it, if nothing else.

“Maybe we should be testing these in your ghost form, too,” Sam said, Danny groaning and wiggling away from her before rolling his chair over towards Tucker and the bed.

“That just means this will take even longer, though. Tuck, wouldn’t you rather finish this soon and go play some video games at your place?” Danny grinned as Tucker started to waver before he sighed and slumped, defeat in every inch of his posture.

“We should really check everything in case we run into trouble like this in the future. We need to know what to look out for, man.”

“What’s she got against you?” Danny narrowed his eyes, looking to an evilly grinning Sam, who had her legs crossed. The fact she was wearing a black dress more suited for the daughter of a Disney villain was not helping matters.

“She promised to buy me a new tablet,” Tucker gave in with a completely slump of defeat, Danny rubbing at his back as he ‘glared’ back over at Sam.

“Temptress,” he hissed, trying to keep in his laughter as he let freezing cold energy build up in his chest before it snapped, form spiraling around him and changing him into Phantom. Beneath his now gloved hand, Tucker gave a sharp shiver. “Oh, sorry, man.”

“No big deal, just wasn’t expecting it. Alright, bring out the stones again, Sam!”

As it turned out, there was a bit of a difference between Danny’s ghost form and his human form. The tourmaline actually had him making a shield on instinct and the quartz was heavy enough that he couldn’t even hold it. Once they established that, they went into everything else and Danny learned a few things he hadn’t been expecting to learn.

Holy water, as it turned out, made him feel energized and refreshed and had him flying a few laps around the room, papers and books fluttering in his wake.

Burning sage, however, had him sneezing repeatedly and forced them to open his windows as he tried to stop his eyes from watering.

Sam’s herbs didn’t seem to have any sort of effect, Danny even eating a few to prove that he was fine. They were all relieved when nothing happened beyond a confused tongue due to all the varying tastes because, even Danny could admit, he hadn’t thought that one through.

Praying had ended up with all three of them in a circle on the floor laughing as they prayed to: the Nasty Burger, Lancer’s true or false tests, Sam’s favorite shade of lipstick, and the gaming controller Tucker had been using for the past seven years.

Meditating and cleansing their auras had left Tucker asleep against the bed, Sam in a deep, serene state on his only nice rug, and Danny feeling surprisingly lighter as he floated in the air. Although, it was odd that he found himself messing with his new crystal when they finally opened their eyes after fifteen minutes. They used some water to wake Tucker up, though.

The helpful article step telling them to ‘try and stop believing’ only had them looking at where Danny was floating over the bed and on his back. It had taken them almost half an hour to stop laughing.

“Okay, I got one last thing.” Tucker held up a shaker of salt, Danny unable to stop his snort. “Hey, it’s in Supernatural, so that’s got to mean something!”

“Oh, right, the horrible show that makes no sense, has poor story structure, and is culturally insensitive.” Sam’s words only had Danny laughing again, Tucker looking like his very life had been attacked. “Oh, calm down. You really think salt is going to do something?”

“Tuck, we literally drowned our fries in salt yesterday,” Danny managed past his laughter, floating down to sit beside Tucker, the two knocking into each other from the dip of the bed. “And I’m not anymore dead than I usually am.”

“Aha! We’ve never had you exposed to salt in this form, though!” Tucker held out the salt, Danny snorting and tugging off a glove and then rolling up his sleeve. “I’m just going to pour it straight on there, okay?”

“Sure, since nothing’s going to happen. Hey, think we got some fries downstairs? That would be great with this,” Danny said, beaming when Tucker gave a dry, single laugh while Sam burst into giggles. “Alright, alright, hit me with it.”

“Don’t blame me when this hurts,” Tucker grumbled, trying to hide a smile as he wrapped his fingers around Danny’s wrist to keep his arm steady before tipping the salt shaker over to allow a thin stream of salt to fall.

There was a single moment where Danny was relaxed and at ease because nothing was going to happen, and then it suddenly felt like his arm was being held up against an open flame that burned. It felt like pinpricks of molten fire were sinking down into his flesh and searing him straight down to the bone, squirming and digging their way in to melt everything touched.

By the time Danny realized he wasn’t on fire, he was on the other side of his bedroom and shoved up in a corner on top of some dirty clothes, staring at where Tucker and Sam were watching him with wide, startled eyes. All three looked down to where Danny’s exposed arm was a bright, fiery red in the pattern of small dots that mirrored the specs of salt that had touched him.

“Well, then.” Sam’s voice was as faint as Danny felt. “I guess we figured out something that hurts besides blood blossoms.”

“Yeah.” Danny let go of the gathered cold in his chest, pushing it out slowly and letting his ghost form fade away. When he looked back to his arm, it was smooth and pale, the only pattern visible the small patches of sun freckles. “I guess we did.”

[phantomphangphucker]

Time’s A Game That Plays Us All

ClockWork sees all the plays that can be taken, then substitutes their own. And Danny’s always been their king.

Using the tropes: Play-Along Prisoner and Take A Third Option

There’s a legend of old, from a long time ago. Something you could find if you flipped through a ghost hunters book selection. Having been written about in the first incarnation of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, still remaining largely unchanged outside of language from this original copy, in every subsequent edition. This legend so vital that the creature behind it was listed as a co-author in the book itself. If you asked any ghost hunter why, they’d say it was obvious, much of the information came from this creature. Their work, their profession, was spurred by the very same creature.

See back in the day, before ghost hunting, before any knowledge of ghosts, there had always been stories and rumours of strange glowing creatures. Some humanoid, some animalistic. They caused havoc or skittishly avoided the humans, though most wrote them off as visions or the ravings of the mad/ill. That is except for a select few, eventually anyway. The select few who knew, came to know, when a small little creature who held age in their eyes yet the form of a small buck-toothed child made their presence known to these select few. The first being Galvion Ingride Whitefoot, Adrian G. Groove -ever followed by an albino tiger-, Exterian Slav Break, and Josephine D. Fetonightingal. Of course they had all known each other, to some degree. Met on occasions, even if their respective families grew apart to the point where eventual modern relatives were unawares. But together they had written the first edition of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, after the glowing floating child -with no legs to speak of- had offered their hand and words. Had spoken of another world, filled with creatures of wonder and horror much the same as the creature themselves. Had told them of the nature of these creatures' existence, the dead yet given ‘life’ anew. How they had pointed where they needed to go to find such similar creatures in their living world. Allowed them to witness the power these creatures could wield and how to protect against it.

At first all had questioned the small, well-spoken and mild-mannered creature; and of course they contained/trapped it as best they could. Why would they tell them such things? Give them tools to fight or defend? But they learned that this one, who used their dark purple cloak to hide, instead of invisibility. How they floated around not through things. How they never fired off one of those ecto-blasts, as they said they were called. They all came to realise that this creature did not possess the abilities of the others. And not only that, but none of the other creatures seemed to know the child-like ones’ name; yet they often knew each other’s. These four also noted how every creature they encountered seemed to represent something: sleep, plants, weather, water, electricity, and so on.

Leaving them all to come to the conclusion that this blue-skinned one, with their words of guidance, represented humanity's defence against these creatures. That they were nature’s way of defending her living children and revealing, through the presence of this weak yet wise creature, who would do it best. It was also decided that the strange ticking thing in the ghost's chest represented the growth and time needed to develop and guide a new ghost hunter. Every human who saw this creature, captured it, came to these very same conclusions; and as the story goes, as soon as they did, that very creature would appear with their soft smile and crimson eyes and tell them the name of these creatures they were to fight ‘ghosts’. Then they’d be seen no more. This final appearance came to be seen as the universes seal of approval for the ghost hunter. Their graduation from a young apprentice, learning their role in the world, to ghost hunter in true; and every single one would go on to be masters of their craft, pioneers.

Of course, in the many years that followed, not every ghost hunter saw and caught this small wise ghost, but every single one that did went on to be influential. Those that didn’t, regardless of drive, never seemed to stick with the field, never excelled at creating their own weapons, never made any new discoveries. So it was something of an understood truth that this ghost knew who would make a good true ghost hunter, and simply did not waste their time with any others.

For Jack Fenton, he had seen the ghost in his early youth, had learned everything with wild abandon. Of course his family had always known of ghosts and of the legend, to say they had been ecstatic when Jack claimed to have captured the ghost, would be an understatement.

Maddie Fenton, on the other hand, met this ghost only shortly before meeting Jack. But the knowledge the small ghost gave seemed so obvious to her, so right. Meeting Jack had been easy and obvious after that. The two lovers had felt a little bad for their friend Vlad, having never seen or heard of this ghost. But they knew even those not chosen could be good ghost hunters, and who were they to reject someone’s passion? Though neither was truly surprised when he seemingly dropped out of the ecto-field all together, especially with the accident. Though Maddie’s pretty sure she saw him flipping through a Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book and scoffing at the small ghost, muttering that clearly this little ghost was nothing but a silly myth.

And now, Jack finds himself flipping through his Fenton family edition of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, smiling fondly and reminiscing slightly over the sketch of the old wise ghost. Though frowning slightly as he traces the scar on the ghosts face. He remembers asking how that happened, after all it was known that he did not use to have it. The only answer he had ever gotten was ‘such is the marks of old beasts that watch, the foolish and power-mad who can not tolerate what they can not control’. Jack gathers it was from another ghost, one who somehow knew of and how to find the small ghost that no others seemed to.

He turns his head and smiles as his wife sits down. Maddie looking at the book and smiling herself, speaking quietly, “wonder if either of the kids will see him”.

Jack chuckles, “surely one will! At least one Fenton child always does. Heck! Both me and my brother did”.

Maddie giggles slightly and nods before frowning a little, “I do worry though Jack dear. Neither seem to have any interest. In fact, they almost seem put-off”.

“I wouldn’t give up faith yet Mads. You certainly had no interest when you were their age after all!”.

Maddie giggles and nods, silently joining her husband in flipping trough the heirlooms pages.  

ClockWork watches the interaction through one of many viewing portals, smiling ever so slightly. Turning their head to another, watching Daniel teasing and insulting Walker before flying lazily home.

Everything had worked out as it should. Everyone was where and who they needed to be. And yet there was a roadblock. A problem. Daniel’s skill at lying and hiding was a much-needed one, a true necessity. But even a fool could see the rift it caused and how it blocked the future of progress.

Ghost hunters, though needed for their purposes, had become advanced enough to pose threats. Not just to single ghosts, but every ghost, the world even. Such a level of advancement was needed of course, had resulted in Phantom. But now, the Observants were nervous, many ghosts were. Enough so that the Zone itself was being affected by all the negative emotions. That wouldn’t change if change didn’t happen. ClockWork chuckles over such phrasing, they had a plan of course, always did. Ghost hunters needed to change, their opinions needed to change. It had to come from the influential of course, not from ClockWork themselves, that wasn’t their purpose. They were a guider not a symbol of change. No, that was Phantom’s place, Daniel’s place.

Phantom couldn’t be exposed yet, not quite, but the forming rift with his parents would cause issues if it continues to grow before the day came for them to know exactly who and what Daniel was.  

Looking back to the portal with the two parents, this provided an opportunity of sorts. ClockWork knows that while they look at this scene, the book, with a slight smile the Observants instead frown. More than a little displeased with ClockWork’s past decision.

See ClockWork always has some plan or another, some idea for the future. That was part of their purpose after all. So of course they did back when humans had first come into existence in genuine, started making the world their bitch so to speak. All the other ghosts at the time, ClockWork’s fellow Ancients, firmly refused the idea that these weak fleshy creatures would ever pose any kind of threat to them. They existed in two different dimensions, sure there were occasionally natural portals between the two planes but all the other mortal creatures never paid any mind to any ghosts causing mischief or hanging about; why would these ‘humans’ be any different.

ClockWork knew better, saw better; so they acted better. Humans would know of ghosts, of course they would, there was no possible future where they would not. And humans were egotistical creatures, things that would steamroll over all other species they could. They also would grow to have a never-ending love for knowledge, that was something ClockWork could appreciate; feel fond of.

So while the other ghosts dismissed these humans ClockWork made plans, made themselves known to the humans. The other ghosts that even knew of ClockWork were uneasy with this but even back then no one questioned ClockWork, well...besides those foolish Observants; who thankfully did not yet exist.

ClockWork appeared to them with careful forethought, let the human capture them, and the knowledge that there really was only two options. Neither of which ClockWork paid any mind. Though fine, technically humans could be blocked out from knowing about ghosts, eliminate any who truly became knowledgable; ClockWork could certainly do that, but that would be far less interesting.

So either humans would know and live in fear, or they would know and come to make it impossible for new earth ghosts to be formed. Both options would make halfas impossible, coexistence impossible. So ClockWork hardly considered them actual options.

Instead letting humans know ghosts, but with the added effect of appealing to their pride. The human belief that they where the top species. That they could crush anything. Simply by showing them weaker ghosts, by altering natural ghost portals, by appearing to them as a guiding hand and without their staff visible, by allowing themselves to be seen as ‘trapped’. And so ClockWork became the stuff of legends to them, and an utter unknown to ghosts; excluding those eyeballs of course.

And why did they exist? The Observants? Well, because their fellow Ancients felt there needed to be overseers, never knowing they already had one in ClockWork. Leaving them with more decisions to make, plans to enact. Of course these knew ghosts would know of ClockWork, be insulted and fearful of the master of time’s power. All beings fear the powerful that they can not control. So these new ghosts would try to control ClockWork, try to force their hand, try to remove or alter them. The Observants, like all creatures, would have motives of their own; would lack objectivity. So either ClockWork was to find a way to hide from them or accept their future actions towards them. Or ClockWork could interfere, alter them to ClockWork’s own design. Bar them from being able to act, from being able to harm. They would be watchers and watchers only. The ghosts would get what they want, and ClockWork would do as ClockWork pleases. Sure ClockWork could just stop them from successfully creating the Observants at all, but where’s the fun in that? Plus, annoying them would become a beloved past time.

So ClockWork lets the other ghosts see these Observants as all powerful overseers; as judge, jury and executioner. Let the Observants fool themselves too. Sure they had enough power to lock up any ghosts that ClockWork, unknowingly to them, let them lock up. But ClockWork would stand as the only executioner, and they knew that.

This decision also helped ClockWork remain an unknown to other ghosts, the Observants didn’t want their lack of power, lack of ability to act, known; and ClockWork was the proof of that. But since ClockWork exists in every different possible future there was, the Observants could never truly control who knew and who didn’t. Only ClockWork could, simply manipulate toward the future they wanted in such a way that the Observants couldn’t so much as object beyond complaining pointlessly.

Smirking at the viewing portal as the two parents head to the lab, it was showtime. ClockWork never appeared to ghost hunters after they finished their apprenticeship, humans need to bloom and blossom of their own accord; else you hurt their egos. But rules were there to be broken and rules couldn’t hold ClockWork. In short, they were a dirty little cheater.  

Jack’s leaning over a microscope while Maddie jerks up and gapes, absentmindedly pushing the button to activate the ghost containment cell right where the familiar purple-cloaked ghost floated. She knew shapeshifting ghosts existed and both her and Jack’s time with him was long past. This couldn’t possibly be? Could it? She speaks softly while the ghost just floats there with a soft smirk, “Jack dear, I think you should look at this”.

Jack looks up, a bit caught off guard by his wife’s cautious but awed tone. He promptly drops the slide he was holding, it shattering as it hits the ground, “you? but it can’t be. Why?”.

ClockWork grins, and gives their typical half-truths, “oh I’m not here to play guide for you. I’ve merely made use of the weakened veil here”, gesturing to the Fenton portal, “that is why you find me here”.

Maddie tilts her head, this was clearly not a fake, “we always just thought you stayed in the mortal world somehow or travelled through natural portals”.

“Not all means bare the same outcomes”, ClockWork glances at the stairs, “and maybe you ought research through more wandering means. You might find something interesting”.

Maddie squints slightly, “and what are you going to do. You never need to go through such indirect means to get to new hunters”.

ClockWork smiles, of course this confrontation was completely avoidable but they had a test to give, “you’ll understand in time. There are plenty of paths one could take. Most often the path I point along is walked with me alone. But every so often that road must open to accommodate fellow travellers”.

Maddie and Jack exchange a look before Jack gets up, asking with barely contained excitement, “are you saying we get to help who your guiding! Oh this is so awesome Mads!”.

ClockWork smiles as the two head up the stairs, “we’ll see how the road forks. They’ll find me, no worries about the shield”. Maddie squints back at them, clearly wondering how whoever was going to find them but deciding that they hardly could do harm in the shield and were trustable enough to leave alone. Unaware they could simply teleport out.

Ten minutes later Danny comes home and phases through the ceiling invisibly to empty his thermos, only to pause and gape slightly before chuckling and shaking his head at spotting ClockWork inside the ghost containment cell. Emptying the thermos as he speaks, “hey CW, um why? Not that I’m questioning your ways, but I’m questioning your ways”.

ClockWork floats towards him, separated only by the shield while Danny transforms back human. ClockWork speaking with a slight smile, “you’re mortal guardians are as paranoid as expected to the appearance of ghosts, even those they think fondly of”.

Danny blinks and jerks slightly, “wait, my parents know you? ‘Think fondly’ of you?”, Danny’s not surprised his folks would trap some ghost in the containment cell, that was literally the point. And it’s not like ClockWork actually needed help getting out.

ClockWork gives a slow nod, “but of course. Many ghost hunters do”.

“Why???”.

“The same reason I involve myself in anyone’s existence, to guide them on their path”.

Danny shakes his head, this was a little absurd, “so you’ve been responsible for people becoming hunters? Why would you do that? Wouldn’t it be better for the people that want to obliterate and tear apart molecule by molecule, every ghost, not to know things?”.

ClockWork holds up a hand and gestures around, “dealing with such things, with antagonism, strengthens us and our defences. Of course, only to so many degrees. With humans, we’ve always had two options, bar the mortals from knowing of ghosts or have them know but fear our power. I merely ensured they’d instead believed they could face us in might”.

Danny snorts and rolls his eyes a little, “so you let them believe a lie?”, shrugging, “and fine, if anyone knows that fighting and experiencing all the ways people can come up to hurt you, can make you stronger; then it’s me”.

ClockWork sticks up a finger, “indeed you do, and I let you believe your family would die; lies have their benefits”.

Danny glares slightly, “that was low”.

ClockWork completely dismisses his displeasure, “good truths are always low blows”, smiling slightly, “besides, how better to control who gets to be a hunter and harvest a collection of apprentices”.

Danny blinks at that, “wait, what?”.

ClockWork smirks, Danny could be hard to really surprise or confuse nowadays, “how do you think any of them know anything about ghosts? I’m a wise fellow”, ClockWork gestures to the ghost shield.

Danny blinks at them, “oh my Ancients. Do you just let hunters capture you to teach them random things?”, sure Danny had done the dumbshit and let his folks capture him but they were his parents, family, it was different.

ClockWork just responds like this was perfectly reasonable and expected. “precisely”.

Danny facepalms, speaking with slight humour though, “my guardian is an idiot”.

ClockWork waves him off, “oh hardly, I always know the outcomes. Plus it’s high time your family knows your guardian”, Danny instantly looks rather panicked and disbelieving, so ClockWork continues, “they won’t be bothered, in fact, they’ll find it quite the good sign. A sign you’ll be a ‘helpful’ spector, seeing as they believe you’ll be a ghost”.

Now Danny’s gaping again, “excuse?”.

“Daniel, you set off their detectors and literally can’t be de-ecto-contaminated. Of course, they think you’re going to become a ghost”.

Danny throws his hands out to the side and walks in a little circle, “well that’s news to me”.

“They don’t mention it because they don’t want to scare you”, floating to follow Danny as he walks around the room a little and holding up a finger, “but now you can get them to open up through revealing you at least know the same, without giving away that you know because you already are”, smirking, “thanks to a helpful guardian”.

Danny blinks, realising this’ll pretty much get him off the hook for tons of weird ghostly shit, “you sneaky bastard”. ClockWork gives a devilish grin just before Maddie and Jack come down the stairs.

Jack beams, thinking back on the earlier words of the tiny ghost, “Danny-boy! So you’ve seen the little guy!”, walking up and patting Danny on the shoulder, who just looks confused and a bit freaked out. While Jack keeps talking, hopefully explaining this particular ghost will make his rather ghost fearing son less seemingly freaked, “this one’s the spirit of hunters! Our profession! Always appears before and guides those destined to be hunters! This is great!”, wiping a tear from his eye, “my boy’s gonna be a fine hunter”.

Danny has to hold back a laugh at calling ClockWork ‘the spirit of hunters’ while also deciding to not jump the gun on what his parents actually know about ClockWork, “er and what do you call them?”, Danny deadpanning, “if you say ‘Hunter’ I will be deeply disappointed”.

Maddie shakes her head with a smile, “don't be silly sweetie, this is an important day in your destiny of being a ghost hunter”, smiling at the tiny spirit, “we call him Herne”. Jack butts in, “which is why the name means mythical hunter!”, smiling some, “even if he’s a tiny thing with no abilities to actually hurt anyone with”.

Danny looks at ClockWork, firmly realising humans know goddamn nothing about them. Maybe they weren’t too much of an idiot. Flicking his eyes back to his parents, “no abilities?”.

Jack nods, surely this ghost being weaker will ease his son up some, “being able to form and float is really all he can do”, smiling at the little ghost, “not that that matters, he’s a wise little guy”.

ClockWork chuckles, “yes, foresight and a keen mind makes up for much. Doesn’t it”, holding up a hand, “but I am here for a different reason of sorts”.

Danny’s instantly nervous as his parents look ClockWork with confusion and slight caution.

Jack and Maddie exchange a glance, surely this explained the strange way the little ghost had appeared. Why they caught the ghost and not Danny. Maddie asking, “his paths a little different, isn’t it?”. While Jack frowns slightly, “is he not going to be a hunter?”.

ClockWork smiles softly, “to you I am but a giver of wisdom and guidance, a mentor of sorts and a hand to point in the right direction”, turning to Danny and smiling, while Danny just looks nervous as ClockWork continues, “but to him I am guardian. A mentor in truth and spiritual parent of sorts, for a young little ghost”. Danny does his damnedest to not outwardly cringe over being point-blank called a ghost by a ghost, in front of his parents.

Jack and Maddie go a little wide-eyed before smiling again, Jack beaming at ClockWork, “that’s great! So he’ll be like you then!?! A guiding spirit, rather than like all those malicious ghosts!”, Jack taps his chin, “though that still doesn’t explain why we needed to be seeing you again”.

While Maddie looks more softly at Danny and holds her hands to her chest then, picking up that he seemed a bit nervous but not exactly surprised, “and you’re alright knowing this? That you’ll be a ghost some day? You don’t seem all that surprised”.

Danny rubs his neck, “heh, well I mean, half your stuff already calls me one and all that”. ClockWork thankfully takes mercy on him and adds in, “and after all, we have met before”.

Maddie and Jack both blink at Danny, Jack instantly asking, “well why didn’t you say so Danny-boy?!?”. Though Maddie clues in that Danny not telling them about this was exactly why Herne showed up to them. He decided that they needed to know about this, likely for Danny’s future development. Which means that Danny likely wouldn’t have told them on his own.

Danny glances at ClockWork and gives them the stink-eye, officially not very thankful. Before looking back to his parents, “well, you’ve never actually talked nice about any ghost. And I didn’t want to get into an argument about them”, rubbing his neck a bit and knowing his folks will be a little more than not happy about this in one regard anyway, “they saved my life after all, so it would bug me someone talking bad about them”.

Both of them instantly look to ClockWork, practically beaming at the ghost though fretting over their son even needing his life saved. Maddie nodding at them, “thank you. If we weren’t already on good terms, we would be now”.

Jack throwing an arm around Danny and hugging him a bit protectively, “but what could have put his life in danger? Especially in a way for you to be saving him?”.

Maddie nods and looks a little sheepish, “you’re not exactly a powerful one”.

Danny sends ClockWork a bit of a pleading look because his folks calling basically the strongest ghost ever 'weak', was too absurd and funny for him to not eventually break down laughing over.

ClockWork eyes the ghost shield they’re ‘trapped’ behind, wondering which path the two will take. Trust them and let the shield down or hold on to their ghost bigotry and keep it up. Be the first to really be around them without them being captured in some device or shield. Smirking slightly as Jack, noticing ClockWork’s eyeballing of the shield, promptly deactivates it. ClockWork floats over to pat Danny’s head before turning to the two parents, ClockWork speaking while Danny’s a bit in shock from his parents actually smiling over a ghost touching him, “indeed, there are some ghosts who fear other ghosts with influence. Seek to get rid of them before they can gain said influence”.

Danny knows damn well ‘influence’ is just a subtle way to say ‘powerful’. And he’s also feeling a slightly renewed distaste for the Observants.

Maddie scoffs, “of course those spooks would dislike any ghost,”, glancing at Danny, “or ghosts, that help humans”.

Jack taps his chin, looking to ClockWork, “I imagine these ghosts can’t destroy ones like you?”, looking at Maddie before looking back to ClockWork, “we always thought you avoided being harmed or bothered by other ghosts by simply being unknown to them”.

ClockWork chuckles, “most don’t know of me. But there are other reasons”, looking to Danny, “and they’re welcome to really know me, Daniel. It would be rather mean to have your mortal family not know your ghostly one”.

Danny tilts his head back, “oh thank Ancients”, though he knows damn well ClockWork isn’t fine with them knowing because it would be ‘mean’ otherwise.

ClockWork smirks, “no need to thank me”, Danny makes a face at them for that before chuckling.

Jack smiles, “well I’m glad you have similar humour!”, looking at the little spirit and tilting his head some, “are you saying we don’t know everything about you? That we’re missing a lot?”.

Maddie smiles sweetly at Jack, “Jack dear, he’s never so much as told us if he has a real name. It is expected”.

Danny shakes his head, “I'm kind of amazed you trust them at all then”.

Maddie ruffles Danny’s hair, “well, he is why we are hunters really and he’s harmless”.

Danny chuckles and eyes ClockWork, who nods, “you can tell them much of what you know of me”, smirking mischievously, “I encourage it in fact”.

Danny squints at them and chuckles, “you just want to enjoy causing confusion and startling them”.

ClockWork nods with a slight smile, speaking almost cruelly, “and piss off the Observants, of course”.

Danny blinks and turns fully to them, “you really did just name drop them huh?”, turning back to his parents and rubbing his neck, “Observants, those are the ghosts that tried to ‘get rid of me’”.

Jack scowls, “well we hate them then”.

ClockWork nods, “good, now you’ll never help them”. ClockWork doesn’t need their viewing portals to see the Observants shrieking in annoyance and trashing five different plots to restrict multiple different ghosts.

Danny squints at them, “do you always have to have five different reasons for doing things?”, shaking his head and looking back to his parents and gesturing his arms out to ClockWork, “this is weird but, um, this is ClockWork and they are not even kind of close to the definition of weak or harmless”.

Maddie tilts her head at ClockWork then Danny, “but we’ve scanned him, them, nothing but floating really”. While Jack beams and tries out the name ‘ClockWork’ a few times before asking, “does your name have any meaning?!? Ghost’s names often do”.

Danny squints at ClockWork, Danny knows how he himself tricked their scanners but ClockWork was a full ghost, “how did you even pull that off?”, Danny squints more and really looks ClockWork over before facepalming, “your staff?”. ClockWork’s power was focused in their staff after all.

ClockWork grins and summons their staff, making Maddie blink and get slightly closer to look the staff over quickly; though never actually touching it, “oh! You do actually have some kind of weapon”.

While ClockWork nods at Maddie, “yes and no, this is much more a conduit than a weapon. I do have a scythe as well though”, Danny can’t help but chuckle at that a little; full well knowing that weapon was used exclusively for reaping ghosts that needed to be removed, which was a bit hilarious. While ClockWork promptly startles both of the parents by suddenly changing into their adult form, speaking while they gape at the ghost they only ever knew as a small child-like ghost, “as for my name, it indeed holds plenty meaning. It is, after all, my job and purpose to ensure that the hands on the universe's clock go round and round, until oblivion can no longer be chased off”.

Danny chuckles and shakes his head at ClockWork, who changes to the form of an old man. Danny speaking to his parents, “they mean time control, guys. The very fabric of time is basically theirs to bend and alter”, rolling his hand, “add in being able to see all of the past, present, and every future possible”, looking at ClockWork, “they’re arguably one of the most powerful ghosts there is, not to mention oldest”.  

The two adults raise their eyebrows a bit at ClockWork who nods ever so slightly, “I’ve been around since the beginning, guiding the universe along on its most lengthy path. Watching everything grow along exactly as its supposed to be. Of course that also means I plan when each being eventually stops and falls, guide them to when it is best they be destroyed”.  

Maddie mutters a bit startled and less than pleased, “so you’re more neutral than good, less altruistic and more manipulative”.

Danny instantly shakes his head, “no, they’re just more altruistic on a universal scale, the bigger picture kind of thing. A true neutral, completely objective, I guess”.

ClockWork nods and speaks while patting Danny’s head, “precisely”, sending the parents a small smile, “I have no interests towards ghosts, nor humans, nor earth; but rather existence and time itself”, chuckling a little and side-eyeing Danny slightly, “and I must say, I’ve certainly pushed and pulled many a thing to ensure Daniel exists precisely as he does and will”.

Jack blinks at Danny and pats him on the shoulder, “is he really going to be that important?”, chuckling at Danny, “no pressure son”.

Danny barely stops himself for muttering ‘too late’ and instead just nods slightly. While Maddie’s releasing that this ghost can’t truly be trusted, humans were not where their priorities lay. But that they absolutely did have her son's survival? benefit? well-being? happiness? -well, maybe not that last one. Something tells her that ClockWork would harm or traumatise anyone for the sake of the universe- at their metaphorical heart.

ClockWork smirks, “that is for time to know and the world to see. But if you must know, him simply existing as he does has saved the world more than once”. Danny has to resist cringing at that, seeing as they were pretty effectively leaving out him causing it once.

Jack beams at that, his boy was already doing good! Somehow. Promptly hugging Danny, “good for you Danny-boy! Though I wonder how you managed that?”.

Everyone looks to ClockWork then, full well knowing they know exactly how. They simply smirk, “now that would be telling, wouldn’t it. The simplest of things can change everything, even picking up a rock verses not, could alter everything. Even how much someone knows or doesn’t, can”.

Danny chuckles a little fondly, which his parents definitely pick up on, while Danny speaks, “you’re always an enigma huh”.

Jack and Maddie smile a little fondly, though feeling like outsiders a bit as the two seem to one-up each other in sounding confusing. They both knew their boy was a bit odd, an enigma, so clearly they were two of a kind. That makes it clear Danny’s future lied with this ghost, rather than their profession; whatever that actually meant. Maddie decides to push that, he’s their boy, they should know what his job/future was/would be. Looking at ClockWork, “you’ve still got a way with words, but what are you even guiding Danny with?”.

ClockWork gives both the honest answer and the most confusing one, “everything and nothing. The same as that which you do, except with less restraints and a finger in every pie”, smiling at Danny, “a Guardian has the role of parent when dealing with ghosts”.

Jack’s a bit confused but that’s pretty come-by, “but ghosts don’t need to be taught how to ghost?”.

Maddie shakes her head slightly and tilts her head, “But what is he going to be doing?”.

ClockWork pats Danny’s head, they were not wrong, even with a halfa. Though no ghost just knew how the Zone’s politics worked. But the existence of many levels of law and government within the Zone was not for them to know, not yet. “But of course, ghosts know themselves well, but not so much other ghosts. After all, have you met any who know of me? And”, holding up a finger and smirking at Maddie, “everything. He’ll find there’s little he won’t do”.

Maddie blinks and mutters, “are you trying to say he’s going to be all powerful or control ghosts”.

Danny makes a damn point not to react, considering the whole High Ghost Prince thing, meaning his mom was absolutely right. Though he then gapes at ClockWork and throws his hands out to the side as they promptly teleport away with a twirl of their staff and a wink. Danny groans at the thin air where they used to be, “seriously time-pants?”.

Jack and Maddie both can’t help but laugh while Danny grumbles more while looking at them, “they always make their timing dramatic”.

Jack nods a little, “I did nearly face-plant into them when they showed up for me”. Maddie giggles a little but nods, “they startled me enough that I set my original college application on fire”.

Danny snorts, “tossed through a time portal and slammed my face into a giant bell, five times”. Jack chuckles, “that’s way more silly”.

Maddie nods but looks Danny over, “do you know what that wink meant?”.

“Probably five different things. One part is definitely just to cause mischief and drama. Could be referring to a possible future or just wants to let someone think that’s the case”, is Danny lying a little? Yeah. Is he just going to out the whole prince/future king thing? Ancients no.

Maddie shakes her head and mutters, “now I'm questioning everything to do with them“.

Danny snorts and goes to walk upstairs, “either question everything or accept everything. Both at the same time? I go with that”.

Jack mutters as Danny leaves fully, “I don’t think you can do that really”.

ClockWork watches through a viewing portal, the questions were in place and, watching with a slight smirk as pissed off Observants inadvertently knock a very particular book from the future through a strategically placed portal and lands on the Fenton lab floor, said questions would be answered.

While Jack spots the glowing book and gets a little excited, the two instantly start flipping through to find it’s a storybook, a book telling the tale of a legend.

A king of youth in a castle of dark brick, lording over a word of mythical creatures of the dead persuasion. Spoken of as kind and just, yet powerful and resolute. A black and white dragon, with eyes that see every shade. Who proved his strength through countless battles, and a battered body that moved with pride. Who proved his mind through quick-witted wordplay, and hiding amongst the enemy.

But what really caught the parents’ eyes were the black and gray pictures, the sketches. Largely of landscapes, the castle of course and the flora filled land surrounding it. But also some of a blazing crown and extravagant cape, a sword of ice carved with flowers and skulls. Though they trace their fingers over the silhouette drawing of this king, swinging the sword at another figure with a near-identical physique but flaming hair and snake tongue. It’s titled ‘First Trial’. The king could easily be an older Danny, but they couldn’t be certain.

But what really makes them pause and share a glance is a landscape piece, where a strange clocktower could be seen in the background. Surrounded by floating gears, much the same as the one ClockWork wore for a clasp.

Maddie squints down at the image and runs off looking for a microscope, coming back and hovering it over one of the windows in the clocktower to see ClockWork -in child form- winking right at her with a circular something showing the image of her and Jack leaning over this very book. Maddie jerking back and whispering, “Zone that cheeky bastard”, before flipping to the last page. Both parents blinking down at a familiar-sounding quote signed with a fanciful yet nearly illegible ‘CW’.

“Existence is a story we weave, but a story unread is a story yet to be solidified. What we know can change everything, and once knowledge is written and known, it becomes something to last forevermore”.

Jack scratches his head and mutters, “did we just ensure Danny would become a king or something, or a paradox would happen?”.

Maddie knits her fingers together and speaks into her hands, “I think we did”.

Neither parent’s sure whether they should scream and be pissed or be proud.

ClockWork simply smiles while two Observants float in demanding, “ClockWork, what did you do”.

“My job”.

“It’s your job to watch time, not play favourites. He will destroy us”.

ClockWork turns and levels them with an unreadable gaze, “you mean further restrict and take your power? Precisely. Just because I am not a player on the field doesn’t mean I’m not in control. Time is the field board, and I tilt as I please. You’re simply referees, you are nothing without the players and you’ve been betting on the wrong ones. All in the name of your search for dominance. For those you could control or who lacked the strength to ever stand against you. But in the end”, ClockWork floats to be closer to them almost menacingly, “this game is played in a grandiose casino, and the house always wins in time”.

End.

[ghostsray]

@wastefulreverie helped me write a fic (i wrote the story, and she edited my shitty writing into something good) based on a prompt @dannyphantomisameme came up with in the pbs server

basic summary: wes gets captured by the giw (TW: implied vivisection)

word count: 4591

___

By Danny’s standards, it was a normal day. And by ‘normal’ that entailed battling a large, snarling ghost wolf in the middle of Amity Park Park. But it was fine. After a year of experience, he was getting good at these daily fights, and the wolf provided no challenge for him. He captured the ghost with little difficulty, and the bystanders who were watching erupted into cheers. Well, most of them anyway.

“Fenton!”

At the exclamation, Danny reflexively turned his head. Realizing his mistake, he immediately regretted his decision. Wes Weston, smug as always, was standing behind him. Wes turned to the crowd and pointed out, “See? He responded to his name. He’s Fenton!”

For a split second Danny worried that they might listen to him, but fortunately, his worries seemed to be pointless. On cue, the crowd groaned and collectively rolled their eyes. Paulina put her hands on her hips. “Really, Wes?” She spoke with enough expertise to deny his claim since she always watched Phantom’s battles.

With wide eyes, Wes sputtered, “But—come on, that was solid proof!”

“Right,” Paulina dragged out. “Just because he happened to turn his head in your general direction when you happened to say a name that happened to be Danny Fenton’s last name.”

The fury on Wes’s face was almost comical. He gestured again at Danny and yelled, “He literally looks the same!”

A mischievous smile crawled onto Danny’s face. His voice carried a mocking tone when he spoke, “Gee, Wes, I don’t know.” Floating closer to the boy, he placed a hand under his chin and pretended to inspect the red-headed teen. “I mean, you look kinda similar to me, too.”

Dash laughed, lightly elbowing Paulina. When it came to watching Phantom’s fights, he did his best to accompany her. “I bet Wes is Phantom, and he’s just trying to frame Danny to keep his secret!” the jock conceived.

The steam out of Wes’s ears was nearly visible. “Seriously?” he seethed. He held out his arms Will Smith-style toward Danny and shouted, “How can I be Phantom if he’s right here?!”

“Duplication, duh,” Sam suggested. She and Tucker had been observing the entire exchange, straining to stifle their laughter.

Wes growled and grabbed a fistful of his hair. “Whatever, I’m leaving!” he decided. He fled from the park, ignoring the snickers from the crowd.

Phantom gave one last heroic wave to his audience before he vanished from the visible spectrum. A few feet away, no one noticed the flash of light behind a nearby tree, nor when Danny Fenton stepped out beside it. He joined his friends and watched the crowd disperse.

Once they were out of earshot, Sam was the first to speak. “Do you ever feel bad, bullying Wes like that?” she asked. The three friends met eyes for a moment. Breaking the tension, they all burst into laughter.

“As if,” Tucker choked. “That guy deserves it.”

Swallowing his laughter, Danny straightened himself. “Anyway, I’m sure Wes will be fine,” he pointed out. It’s not like Wes was in danger or anything, he was just… a jerk. Danny wouldn’t joke about it if it was actually serious. As it stood, the worst thing that came out of Wes’s wild accusations was some mockery from his classmates.

Danny grinned, kicking his shoes against the sidewalk. “So,” he gestured to his left, “Nasty Burger?”

Sam and Tucker murmured in agreement and the trio finally exited the park. On their way to the restaurant, they passed a bulky white van, but none of them thought much of it. It was just a white van; it wasn’t peculiar or anything.

The next day, Wes didn’t come to school.

Nobody really cared. Wes was known to cut class everyone now and then. Since adopting his obsession with Danny, he spent so many nights plotting Danny’s grand exposure that he either overslept or simply forgot about school.

Everyone simultaneously decided to enjoy this Wes-free time; any break from having his conspiracy theories shoved down their throats was welcome. Tucker even joked that this was like a vacation for them. The day passed, and Wes remained absent, but nobody thought much about it. People missed school all the time! He must have gotten sick or something.

With all his other problems, Danny easily put Wes out of his mind… until later that night. He’d finally managed to find some time to do homework (for once) when Jazz inevitably interrupted his study-time. She entered his room with a knock and held out a phone, gesturing for him to take it.

“Someone wants to speak with you,” she told him. Danny furrowed his brows. The only people that ever called him were Sam and Tucker... and they only called his cellphone.

He spun his desk chair around and accepted the phone. Before putting it to his ear, he asked Jazz, “Who is it?”

Jazz shrugged. “Some adult. He says his son is your friend.”

The only person Danny could think of was Tucker’s dad (Sam’s dad would be caught dead before talking to him). So why would Tucker’s dad be calling him? Doing little to filter his confusion, Danny raised the phone to his ear and answered it. He was taken aback when he realized that he wasn’t talking to Maurice Foley; it was Walter Weston—Wes’s dad.

“Hi, uh,” Walter started, “have you talked to Wes today?”

Danny thoughtlessly shook his head, then realized Walter couldn’t see him. “No?” Danny replied apprehensively. “He didn’t come to school today. Why?”

He heard rustling on Walter’s end of the call and assumed that he was pacing back and forth. “He’s not home. I haven’t seen him… not since yesterday. Out of everyone, I thought you might know something since he’s…”

“Obsessed with me?” Danny completed.

Walter hesitated, “… yeah.”

And suddenly, despite not caring about Wes, Danny was worried. Wes wasn’t the type to run from anything, especially away from home. And if he’s been missing since yesterday, then it was logical to believe that something must have happened….

But Danny didn’t have the faintest idea where Wes might be. He bit his lip and told Walter, “I’m sorry. I don’t know anything.”

Walter sighed, obviously disappointed. “That’s fine. Just… call me if you see him.”

The line was hung, and Danny tried to go back to his homework, but he found it hard to concentrate. He tried telling himself that Wes was fine, and that he probably slept over at some fellow conspiracy theorist’s place or something. Still, that night when he patrolled the city for ghosts, he made sure to keep his eyes out for any red-haired teen. He didn’t find Wes.

The next day, Wes was still absent. Like before, everyone else at school didn’t mind. Heck, nobody really even noticed. Those who had picked up on Wes’s disappearance had decided that he was sick and was spending his days at home. But Danny knew that wasn’t the case—not after his phone call with Walter.

“So you think Wes is missing?” Sam asked. They were sitting at their usual table in the cafeteria. He couldn’t hold it in anymore and had told her and Tucker about Walter’s call.

“He hasn’t been home for almost two days now. What else could it be?” Danny replied and ran a hand through his hair.

“Maybe he…” Tucker paused, trying to think of a good reason for Wes to spend two days away from home. He came up dry. “Okay, fine, maybe it’s a little concerning.”

Danny picked at his nails anxiously. “What if something bad happened to him because of me?”

Sam crossed her arms. “You mean because he chose to spend his time trying to expose you?” she pointed out with a defensive tone.

“Well, yeah…” Danny amended, “but I still feel kind of responsible.” He stared straight ahead, looking between the A-List and geek tables. “Remember that time he followed Skulker into the Ghost Zone to go after me?”

“You think Wes might be in the Ghost Zone?” Tucker wondered.

Danny shrugged. “It’s possible. Otherwise, someone would’ve found him already.”

“So… what?” Sam figured. “You’re gonna search the entire Zone for him?”

Danny seemed to deflate, but then he perked back up as an idea came to him. “Maybe I don’t need to scour the entire Ghost Zone….”

Hours later, after school was over, Danny made his way to the Far Frozen. He found Frostbite inside one of their grand caves and pulled him aside for a favor. Frostbite bristled hesitantly.  “I am not so sure,” he expressed. “The last time I lent you the Infi-Map…”

“It won’t be like last time,” Danny assured him. “I promise. It’s just to find my friend.”

The frost giant pondered a while longer, but he eventually acquiesced. “Very well,” he said. He strode to the center of the cave and stopped in front of a floating chest encased in pale blue light. He unlocked the chest with a shard of ice and pulled out a golden scroll. Carefully, he handed it to Danny.

Danny nodded and thanked the yeti ghost. “I promise I won’t lose it this time,” he assured. With a sound resolution, he held the map a few feet from his face and declared, “Take me to Wes.” For a moment, nothing happened, and he wondered if he had been too vague; but then the map lurched, and Danny’s world spun as it pulled him out of the cave. The Ghost Zone passed in a whirl of green and purple before he was finally led straight to a newly formed natural portal.

Danny wasn’t exactly sure where he expected to land, but it certainly wasn’t here. As soon as he fell through the portal, he was greeted with the distinct scent of antiseptics and concentrated ectoplasm. It reminded him of his parents’ lab, but there was something else here… some sort of coppery smell? Danny glanced around and realized that this was a laboratory. But why would Wes be here? he wondered.

He inspected his surroundings more and found that there were tables with beakers, microscopes, and other standard lab equipment. Metal shelves lined the wall, containing what looked like… ecto-weapons? And in the center of the room...

Danny’s stomach did a sickening flip. He felt like he had just floated upside down at two-hundred miles per hour, but his feet were placed firmly on the linoleum floor. Danny fought his nausea and forced himself to keep looking at the ghastly sight.

In the center of the room was a metal table with leather straps, like some sort of demented operating table. It was long enough for a human to be laid on, at least six feet long. And in the dim light of the room, Danny could perceive the sheen of dark, crimson blood. So, so much blood.

Danny practically clasped his hands over his mouth to keep himself from crying out, an alarmed scream halfway up his throat. His stomach lurched again, and this time he was aware that he might… might throw up. Oh Ancients, not good not good not g—

He was subtly rocking back and forth to ease his stomach, to refrain from vomiting. The soft motion helped a bit with his nausea, but did little to soothe his abject terror. And suddenly, he was aware of nearby voices—both male—speaking nearby. To preserve his presence, he quickly turned himself invisible to avoid being caught.

He realized a moment later that the voices were coming from an adjacent room.

“Are you sure?” asked one of the men.

“The evidence is indisputable,” replied the other. “He’s a living human. One hundred percent organic matter, beating heart, lungs, brain—he only has trace ectoplasmic contamination, normal for Amity residents.”

The first man cursed. “So we got the wrong guy.”

Danny hadn’t even realized that he was subconsciously backing away from the voices until he bumped into a metal table. The force of the impact toppled an empty beaker over the edge, breaking it into innumerable shards.

The voices lulled. Then he heard footsteps approaching the door. Danny panicked and turned himself intangible, shooting through the opposite wall and landing in a new room. He realized too late that he had accidentally dropped his invisibility along with his intangibility when a weak voice prompted his attention.

“Danny?”

He instinctively turned to face whoever spoke his name and froze. It was like a vacuum had sucked all the air out of the room, leaving Danny’s lungs empty. In front of him was a shimmering, green barrier—most likely a ghost shield—and behind that transparent wall was… “Wes?”

Admittedly, Danny didn’t even recognize him at first glance. His usually tidy hair was mussed in every direction, dull and greasy. His cheeks were prominently sunken, like he hadn’t eaten in a long time. Not to mention, his bloodshot eyes were weary and tired, emphasized by the dark bags hung under his eyelids. Fresh bruises were peppered across his skin, mottling his skin in hues of blue and purple.

“What—” Danny’s tongue felt like it was tied in a knot, crossed over itself multiple times. “What happ—why—” He struggled to comprehend why Wes was like this, who had done this. Danny stepped close to the ghost shield separating them and pressed his hand against it, trying to move it through the barrier, but it was rock-solid.

Wes’s lips curled into a perturbing smile. His eyes were humorless, chilling. “Why?” Wes’s voice cracked. He sounded dehydrated, broken… Danny doubted he had drunk anything all day, or… maybe he had spent all day screaming. His green eyes misted over and met Danny’s own terrified, neon stare. “They thought I was you.”

His words hit Danny like a hard blow.

The joke that Wes was Phantom had existed for a long time, long before Wes was set on exposing Danny. But that was all it was—a joke. To think that someone genuinely would believe it….

It was then that Danny noticed the bandages wrapped around Wes’s bare chest. At some point, they had stripped his shirt, which allowed Danny a good look at all the new scars gracing Wes’s torso. The white gauze of his bandages was stained with fresh blood, and Danny was instantly reminded of all the blood he had seen on the operation table. Once again, his stomach plummeted—and so did he. Danny dropped to his knees and scoured his gaze across all of Wes’s injuries (that were his fault).

In his peripheral vision, Danny saw his own hand shaking from where it was still pressed against the shield. He considered turning human so he could pull Wes out, but Wes read his train of thought. “Don’t bother transforming,” he informed. “The shield works for both ghosts and humans—you can’t do anything.”

Danny’s eyes darted back to Wes. His chest crumpled at how broken his classmate looked. Wes didn’t deserve to be in this situation. As annoying as he was, he should never have been mistaken for Danny. Despite his helplessness, Danny’s core throbbed with dedication. “I’ll get you out,” he promised.

For a moment, Danny thought he saw a glimmer of hope in Wes’s eyes, a small light in the abyss of dull misery. But it was short-lived. The footsteps—the men from the other room!—returned. Danny whipped around to find a group of white-clad men holding ecto-rifles. Guys in White agents. Of course, how could he have been so blind? The Guys in White were the only organization inept enough to truly mistake Wes for Phantom, ignorant government cronies.

Danny didn’t have time to prepare when they raised their weapons, aiming to fire. Blasts assaulted him from every direction and Danny did his best to fight them off, using the ghost shield behind him to his advantage—unlike a regular wall, the shield would deflect all of their blasts back at them. However, no matter how hard he tried, he knew that it was useless; Danny was outnumbered, and he wouldn’t last forever. It was impossible to defeat them all and break Wes out of the shield before the next round of agents.

In the end, he was pinned under a ghost-proof net, bleeding in about three different places. An agent, a man with cold eyes and calloused hands, stood over him with a lopsided grin. “Looks like capturing the human wasn’t useless, after all,” he said. He placed a foot over Danny’s crouching form. “We got the ghost boy.”

Danny gritted his teeth. He was out of options, and at this point, he wouldn’t be able to escape with Wes. Sure, he still had the map, but he couldn’t just leave him behind… left at the GiW’s mercy...

But what choice did he have?

Danny glanced sideways and met Wes’s desperate stare. Guilt and defeat wracked his conscience and Danny clenched his fists. He didn’t want to… everything in him screamed not to do it. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Wes’s eyes widened. “What?”

Danny held the map in front of him, ignoring the agents’ curiosity and Wes’s gasp of realization. The red-headed boy crawled toward the shield’s wall, trembling as he fought tremors of pain, “No, no, don’t leave me—”

“Take me back,” Danny told the map, firmly holding onto the scroll. The GiW agent standing over him stumbled backward when Danny was pulled out from under the net. As he was whisked away, he heard one last desperate cry from Wes. And then, he was swallowed by a portal to the Ghost Zone, and everything vanished into green.

It was a matter of seconds before he was pulled onto a floating rock and collapsed on his knees. A glance over his shoulder confirmed that the portal he’d been pulled through had closed itself, meaning the GiW wouldn’t be able to follow him. Even though he knew that he was safe now, he couldn’t seem to calm himself down. His breath was still erratic and his hands—dang hands—wouldn’t stop shaking.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Wes and all the scars that had been marked across his pale body, followed by the image of that bloody table. Bile rose in his throat and he haphazardly swallowed it, forcing it down. If what he thinks happened did happen, then….

One of Danny’s biggest fears that he never spoke about, not even to Sam or Tucker, was the fear of being dissected. After all, he was threatened with it enough that it was a probable situation. His biology was rare; obviously getting him on a lab table was any scientist’s dream. His parents rambled on and on about dissecting ghosts that he dreamt about it too—being strapped to an examination table, crowded by scientists, sterilized scalpels digging into his skin. And in every nightmare, he was always the one staring into the eyes of the scientists, on the receiving end of their knives. Not Wes. It was never meant to be Wes.

He clenched his fists. It was never meant to be Wes. This was never supposed to happen, so Danny would make sure it never would… couldn’t… happen.

He made up his mind, stood from his rock, and propelled himself into the air. He knew the way to Clockwork’s lair like the back of his hand and was there in minutes.

“No,” Clockwork refused, upon his arrival.

Danny wasn’t surprised, but that didn’t make him any more content with Clockwork’s answer. “I know you saw what happened to Wes,” he pressed. “They… they thought he was me. It’s wrong. He shouldn’t have been captured.”

Clockwork’s red eyes studied Danny as he shifted into a child, unchanging. “So you’d rather they capture you, instead?”

Danny hesitated. Worst fear or not, Wes didn’t deserve what they had done to him. The images were burned into his eyelids: Wes’s body mottled with half-healing scars, curled up in a heap on the floor, and the sinister curl of the GiW agent’s lips…. He met Clockwork’s eyes with a determined stare. “Yes.”

Clockwork’s sharp gaze softened, shifting into an old man. “I’m sorry,” he stated, “I can’t help you.”

Danny clenched his fists. “So you’re just going to leave him there?” he accused, more desperate than angry.

“Of course not,” Clockwork replied with a staid frown. “He’s going to be released whether I interfere or not.”

Danny blinked in surprise. “Really?” he asked. Clockwork nodded and shifted into a young adult.

“The GiW have seen that he’s not a ghost. They’ll be sending him home by next morning.”

Instantly, Danny felt slightly relieved, but Clockwork’s news didn’t ease all his troubles. He believed the time ghost, seeing as he had no reason to lie. Still, he couldn’t help remember the blood across the table, slick and pooled across the metal surface. Wes’s dark bandages and his abject desperation when Danny left him alone with the agents. Even as a ghost, he found himself shiver. “He won’t be the same,” he realized, quietly.

Clockwork leaned against his staff and turned to look at the circular time window next to them. Danny couldn’t see anything but a swirling green vortex, but Clockwork seemed to discern something in the window. “He’ll heal with time,” he said, watching the swirling green window, knowingly. “You go home. I promise you will meet Wes tomorrow.”

Everything in Danny wanted to argue, to protest that he wanted to speak to Wes now. That he wanted Wes to be okay now, but he knew that it would be useless against the master of time. Reluctantly, he flew from Clockwork’s lair and (after returning the Infi-Map to Frostbite) returned to the human world through the Fenton Portal.

No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t sleep that night. Every time he closed his eyes, he was revisited by graphic images of Wes being tortured, tools of all sorts ripping him open, searching for evidence that he was Phantom—looking for something that only Danny had. He saw Wes pressed against the floor, clutching his bandages, and shaking as he bled. He twisted and turned until finally he couldn’t ignore the sunlight breaking through his curtains.

Normally, Danny flew to school, but something compelled him to walk today. Since it was earlier than usual and Sam and Tucker probably weren’t awake yet, he figured he’d walk alone. His body moved on autopilot, his legs carrying him mechanically to the direction of Casper High.

At least, he thought it was the direction of Casper High. He managed to deceive himself for a while until finally he looked up and found himself standing in front of Wes’s apartment building.

And there, sitting on the doorstep, was Wes.

Danny inhaled sharply. That action must have alerted Wes to his presence because seconds later the broken red-head lifted his head to meet Danny’s eyes. Danny lost himself in the emptiness of Wes’s eyes and realized that they looked just as tired as they had in the GiW facility.

“You’re okay,” Danny managed to say. Even as he said it, he knew it wasn’t true. After what he figured had happened to Wes, he was certain that he could never be okay. Who could?

Wes must have been thinking the same thing, but he kept his silence. His demeanor darkened and he growled, “No thanks to you.”

Danny gulped. “I’m sorry,” he expressed. His apology was heartfelt, but it did little to express his desire that none of this should have happened. He moved closer to Wes, who kept his posture still and guarded. “I didn’t want to leave you behind, but there was nothing I could do, and…” he trailed off and bit his lip. What could he possibly say to make up for leaving him? For any of this screwed up situation? He didn’t know, he couldn’t think. Staying up all night had stolen any coherent apology he might have been able to scrounge up. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, softly.

Wes’s eyes were glued to him, yet dark and unreadable. “Sorry for not trying harder, or for getting me into this mess in the first place?” he ground out.

Danny winced. “I—I never meant to… but you know I had to keep my identity a secret.”

“So you’re glad they caught me instead of you?”

Danny’s eyes widened. “No! Of course not—”

Wes cut him off by standing up. Danny didn’t miss the way that he winced when he moved, pulling himself to his feet. This time when Wes looked into Danny’s eyes, he didn’t mask his pain—Danny could sense his unfiltered agony and cringed.

“I told them I wasn’t a ghost,” Wes began, “but they didn’t believe me. Even after they ran all their tests, they thought I must be hiding my ghostliness in some way,” he emphasized bitterly. “So they…” A lump formed in Wes’s throat, and he turned his gaze to the sidewalk, letting his eyes roam across the sparkly concrete. He took a shaky breath, one so soft that Danny wasn’t sure he could’ve heard without his enhanced senses. He looked back to Danny and whispered, “They cut me up.”

Danny fell silent. He didn’t know what to say. After all, who could even respond to that? All he could do was watch, paralyzed, as Wes sniffled and wiped away a stray tear.

“It doesn’t matter,” the red-head finally decided. “They know now.”

That admission snapped Danny out of his guilt-ridden haze. “Know what?” He had a suspicion… but no. Not that. They couldn’t know that.

“I told them, of course,” Wes nonchalantly explained. “That you’re Phantom. They didn’t listen at first, but after realizing it wasn’t me, well… they did.”

Suddenly, Danny grew aware of the white van in his peripheral vision. A door slid open and men started stepping out of it, armed with guns aimed at the two of them. He knew, now, why Wes was sitting on the doorstep out in the open. They had been counting on his arrival. Wes was bait—and he had fallen for their trap. He felt his heartbeat accelerate, yet he didn’t look away from the broken boy standing before him.

“They were probably listening to our conversation,” Wes stated, eyeing the agents behind Danny. “If they had any doubts about what I told them, they’re gone now.”

The weapons whined as they charged. White boots crunched against gravel as they approached, closer and closer—

And Wes smiled, his first real smile since he had been taken. “You should run now,” he suggested. “I wouldn’t want you to go through what I did.”

Danny ducked at the perfect moment, barely avoiding getting shot. He felt the blasts from the weapons soar where his head had been a split second before and whipped around. He eyed the agents that were surrounding him, doing nothing to mask the fiery green glow in his eyes. It was too late. They know now, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

They know.

With one last glance at Wes, Danny turned himself invisible and kicked off the ground, using what limited flight he had in human form. Wes was right, he had to run—because once they caught him, it would be all over. He’d end up just like Wes, but they wouldn’t let him go. They’d keep him and use him as their sick little lab rat until he finally died.

He had to run… had to… run.

[pilyarquitect]

Hamilton – Ducktales style Chapter 1 – The story beggins

Welp, a few time ago, I got a special request, a request from someone called Ashley Derson. It's been more a challenge than a request, so I finally decided to make a multichapter story from it (my first multichapter story in English), so to be honest, I don't know how'll it be. Honestly, when I got this request, I haven't seen Hamilton yet, I've heard about it, but I didn't see it yet, until i started to work on this story. This story as the title says, is the Hamilton musical but in Ducktales world. I hope you'll like it.

Fenton Crashell-Cabrera, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was A bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman from the Caribbean islands, his father abandoned his mother and him when he was still a child. The day he left, he went to his mom and asked:

“Why did dad left us, mother?”

“I’m sorry my Fenton, you’re too young to understand it” answered his mom with tears in his eyes.

Fenton looked at her sadly and then, narrowing his eyes, he said:

“Mom… I promise you mother; I’ll never abandon my sons; I’ll protect them at any cost”

Fenton’s mom smiled and answered:

“I’m sure about that my dear Fenton”

Sometime later, there was a hurricane that destroyed his island and Fenton’s mom died after a long and painful sickness.

“No, mother please don’t leave me” he cried hugging his mom death body

Fenton only had eleven years old when he saw his mother die.

Fenton went to live with a cousin, but this cousin committed suicide leaving Fenton alone again. But this young duck didn’t fall into a desperate state, he was strong, he was clever and he was determinate. He wouldn’t let those tragedies lead his life. He studied, and studied, reading every book he could get in his hands, his only desire was to make something that he’d pass to his linage.

A few years later, as a prove about all what he’d learn, he wrote about his traumatic experience, he showed to have an exceptional talent for writing. He woke the admiration of everyone in his island, so the people there with Quackmore and Hortense Duck in front of all of them decided to send Fenton to New York in 1776 to study there.

“Go Fenton, go, you have a brilliant future, make us be proud of you” said Quackmore the they that Fenton leaved the island. The young and excited duck smiled at him; he was really grateful with all the people island who gave him this unique chance.

Plenty of joy, the one who was about to leave said:

“Oh, you’ll be proud of me Mr. Duck, sir, I can assure you”

And with those words, Fenton left his island and went to New York college, he’d a little different plan in mind, or to be exacts, a bigger scheme than just study in the city college. Fenton arrived to Princeton and there he heard about someone called Gyro who graduate in two, he wanted to do the same, and then join the revolution. He talked about it with a duck called Fethry, but against any expected, Fethry looked at him like if he was a fool.

This made Fenton angry and he just, punched Fethry, the other duck was surprised for this and asked:

“Why did you do that?”

Fenton looked at the other duck, still angry and then he asked:

“Why did you look at me as if I was stupid? I’m not stupid!”

Fethty’s eyes were opened instantly and with alarmed voice, he said:

“I didn’t said you were stupid”

“But you thought it!” replied Fenton.

Fethry shocked his head and he quickly said:

“No, sir, what I really thought was that not everyone can do what you’re planning to do, just a privileged ones, like Gyro Gearloose”

Fenton narrowed his eyes and then he said to the other duck:

“If you think I can’t, then I’ll talk with Gyro Gearloose and I’ll make him tell me his secret”

“Are you sure about that?” asked Fethry with obviously confused voice, it was clear that he was surprised to have meet such a stubborn duck like Fenton, but the immigrant duck wasn’t willing to get back, he’d meet Gyro Gearloose, he’d make him tell his secret.

With confident voice, Fenton answered to Fethry’s question:

“Of course, I’m sure, I’m determinate to do it”

Fethry looked genuine worried. Fenton found it weird, but before he could ask anything the other duck talked first saying:

“He’s not a very friendly guy, he just accepts a few as his friends, I’m not sure he’ll want to share his ‘secret’ with you”

Fenton step forward to Fethry and with convinced voice, he said:

“I’ll be his friend, you’ll see, and he’ll tell me his secret”

The bursar just… sighed and with bored voice, he said:

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you”

Then he wrote something on a paper and giving it to Fenton, he added:

“You’ll find Gyro here”

Fenton smiled totally grateful and then he said:

“Thanks!”

Then looking shamed, he added:

“Oh and… sorry for hitting you, I was forced to grow up defending myself and my honor”

Fethry raised his hand and shocking his head slowly, he guaranteed:

“Oh, don’t worry, I guess my face expression didn’t help you think at me as a nice guy, but if it helps, I’d almost forget it”

Fenton smiled gladly an then he asked:

“Friends?”

“Friends” answered Fethry. Then the bursar smiled and with a kind of joyful voice, he said:

“Good luck with Gyro, you’ll need it”

Fenton smiled and he shocked his head while he answered:

“I don’t believe in luck I believe in determination”

 Fenton went to the address place that Fethry gave to him and as the other duck said, there for the recent arrived to New York duck, it wasn’t difficult to find Gyro and as soon as he started to search for him. Once he saw the chicken, he approached to him end then he asked:

“Pardon me. Are you Gyro Gearloose, sir?”

Gyro looked at the Fenton with condescension and then he answered:

“That depends, who’s asking?”

Fenton was excited, very excited and without being able to contain his emotion he answered to Gyro’s question saying:

“Oh, sure, sir I'm Fenton Crashell-Cabrera, I'm at your service, sir I have been looking for you”

“I’m getting nervous” said Gearloose taking a step back. Gyro was very cautious with every new person he meets, he wouldn’t risk to lose everything.

Completely unknowing this fact, Fenton said with excited voice:

“Sir, I heard your name at Princeton I was seeking an accelerated course of study when I got sort of out of sorts with a buddy of yours I may have punched him it’s a blur, sir he handles the financials?”

“You punched the bursar?” asked Gyro with surprised voice.

Fenton pointed at him and answered:

“Yes! I wanted to do what you did, graduate in two, then join the revolution he looked at me like I was stupid I’m not stupid”

Fenton chanced his voice tone and then with curious voice he asked:

“So how'd you do it, how'd you graduate so fast?”

“It was my parent's dying wish before they passed” was Gyro’s answer.

His parent’s dying wish… Gyro was… Oh that made totally sense, turning to him, the duck said:

“You're an orphan, of course! I'm an orphan God, I wish there was a war Then we could prove that we’re worth more than anyone bargained for…”

Gyro turned and looked at him with a compressive look and then the chicken asked:

“Can I buy you a drink?”

“That would be nice” was Fenton’s answer.

Gyro nodded and then he said:

“While we’re talking, let me offer you some free advice. Talk less”

“What?” asked Fenton with surprised voice, Gyro ignored him and continued saying:

“Smile more”

“Ha” was Fenton’s response.

Then Gyro said softly:

“Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for”

“You can’t be serious” answered Fenton with incredulous voice.

Completely ignoring his commentary, Gyro asked to the duck:

“You wanna get ahead?”

“Yes” answered Fenton with joyful voice.

“Fools who run their mouths off wind up dead” was Gyro’s final advice.

Then the two young man walked to a bar, a place where Fenton was about to know some new friends and allies.

This is just the first chapter. Ashley I hope you liked it, I'm sorry if the updatings come slow to each other, my writing time has been incredibly decreased, but I'll do my best to update as soon as possible.

Fortunately, I finished one of my stories, so I've a little bit of more time to write.

P.S. I didn't forget about the other requests I have, I'll do them when I can

[darkwingsnark]

Goofy headcanon, and #'s 1 and 2 for him? :) and also for Rockerduck, too? and MegaVolt, too :D

I already did Megavolt, but I’ll give you the other two!

Goofy

1: sexuality headcanon: Pansexual. 

2: otp: Tie between Goofy/Donald and OT3 Goofy/Peg/Pete. But those are my usual go to’s, and what I headcanon depending on the story/universe I’m thinking about. I also REALLY like him with Clarabelle.

3: brotp: That’s easy, Donald and Mickey. They’re his homeboys. (Also Sora if we’re talking Kingdom Hearts.)

4: notp: …. My mind has gone blank. I don’t tends to hate ships enough to call them that.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: Goofy gives the best massages. To the point his son Max has suggested he open up a business. But naw, he doesn’t want to do that. Massages are meant to be given freely as a sign you care, as far as he’s concerned. he wouldn’t feel right accepting people’s money for it.

6: one way in which I relate to this character: I, too, am a goof with a lot of love to give.

7: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: The scene in ‘An Extremely Goofy Movie’ where he’s walking into his first day of college– thinking he’s the bee’s knees. I don’t usually relate to Max with his daddy troubles– mostly because how dare he see anything wrong when he has a loving father that works hard to support him????- but… That scene was too much. I was just thinking ‘oh god oh no’. It was funny though.8: cinnamon roll or problematic fave? I’M saying cannamon roll, but I’m very much aware he has his flaws. 

Rockerduck

1: sexuality headcanon: Aro Ace, but I question whether he knows that term since he’s an old man. I think he knows he’s not interested in relationships, though. When going to events he does usually make sure to have a date or two, though, just to make himself look good.

2: otp: None so far. But let me just say I am in LOVE with that one post where Rockerduck suggests to Glomgold they get married just to beat Scrooge. Can you imagine? Just them being roomates and acting like it, but when they’re in public playing it up as ‘SO IN LOOOOVE’. And trying to steal the limelight from Scrooge at every turn. Because I’m imagining it and it’s HILARIOUS to me.

3: brotp: I actually think his rivalry with Scrooge and Glomgold is good for him. Keeps him on his toes, and find ways to improve.

4: notp: none

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: Okay, so depending on the writer John can change pretty drastically on just how villainous he is. I tend to prefer him not going as low as Glomgold does, as in willing to break the law to achieve things. Sure, he’ll still be an ass; but his schemes are more petty and about one upping the other two. Especially Scrooge because he’s still not over the fact McDuck won his father’s approval when he never could. I think this helps him be a nice foil to both Scrooge and Glomgold because with McDuck it’s very ‘old way vs new age/hard working vs convenience’. And then with Glomgold you have their difference in achieving their goals to beat Scrooge.

6: one way in which I relate to this character: I would like to get the respect of a parent, too. :c I’m needy and want some good parental love, dammit.

7: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: This is something I wrote in ‘Investments’, buuuut… There’s a bit where John is being interviewed and he’s talking about Scrooge’s newly discovered relationship with Fenton. He goes on to talking about gay stereotypes, and while I don’t think he MEANT it to be homophobic… it was. It so was. While writing it I was just going ‘what a pretentious asshole’.  I love it, though. 8: cinnamon roll or problematic fave? Problem child with some daddy issues.

[petite-neko]

For the fanfictions thing: 6, 9, 10, 20, 31, 41 and 50 please (yes I'm curious 😇)

FANFICTION QUESTIONS

Just Bombarding me with questions, aren’t ya?

Fandom Questions

6. List your OTP from each fandom you’ve been involved in.?

Dear god.... Um let’s start from the beginning? Naruto: kaka sasu//Saso dei. Ze//lda: Sh//ink DBZ: Truhan - but with Mirai and present Trunks. Danny Phantom: Let’s just go with Vlad/Fenton parents, shall we? And of course for One Piece: Lawlu

9. What are the best things about your current fandom?

I COULD GO ON FOREVER ABOUT IT BUT I’LL STICK WITH THIS: It’s what a fandom SHOULD be. I don’t see too many wars. People don’t persecute another for liking a certain ship(s) or character(s). Or the way they write the character(s) or ship(s). That people don’t try and force their ideas or headcanons onto others or try and say their ideas are more canon than another. There isn’t all this comparison to see who is better. It’s just ‘you enjoy what you enjoy. If I like some of it sure, sweet stuff! If I don’t, no biggie, you continue enjoying it!’

10.  Is there a fandom you read fic from but don’t write in?

Bahaha. Yeah. A number of them. I tend to delve into the Tales of series (If I’ve completed the game) And sometimes older fandoms I’ve always enjoyed. (Ranma 1/2 // Inuyasha... Also enjoy Kyo Kara Maoh!) Most of the time as long as I won’t get spoiled forthe series and the concept interests me, I’ll read it, as long as I’m familiar with it :D

Ship Questions for your Current Fandom

20. Any ships which you surprised yourself by liking?

Lawlu, honestly. Like, yeah I have my casual ships (Zolu, Zosan, Nami/Vivi) but they are more ‘sure, why not, it’s nice’ and the other ships that are ‘eh, okay, sure.’ that I can see happening. (Practically, most of the ships that don’t fall under my ‘notp’ section -- which is really just ‘stuff I don’t/won’t ship’ as opposed to an actual ‘notp’)

Mostly because I never really saw myself shipping Luffy with anybody. Like, sure, Zolu to me was ‘okay then, sure, I can see it. Interesting concepts. Artwork’s nice. No smut plz.’ but I’d never thought I’d actually SHIP somebody with Luffy. Like ever. Where I’d wanna write a bajillion ideas, or read more and more stuff. Or rant about ideas with friends and see all these pretty artworks and just get IMMERSED into it so wholly.

Author Questions

31. What’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about your writing?

I’m going to put a disclaimer on this: There’s probably nicer things, but due to ‘recent’ (Within the last year) occurrences this takes the cake.

People telling me how in character I am when I write. Due to old stuff that was a mixture of drama, wars, and RL issues, I really doubted how accurate I wrote my characters. I’m more or less over it, but when I started writing for this fandom, when I was told how good my writing is, and how in character the characters seemed? It just... lifted a weight off of my shoulders. It was like somebody shone the light on me and pulled me out? Because I just... I enjoy writing so much and to have it almost ripped away from me like that was hard. And to know that people enjoy my writing. That they want me to continue and that I do get the characterisations right was what got me going again. And honestly, I don’t think I’d be able to ever forget that. Eventually, I probably would have gotten here by myself - I like writing too much - but that help was just something else.

So thank all of you guys :3 If it weren’t for your comments and likes and just everything, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Fanfiction Questions

41. List and link to 5 fanfics you are currently reading:

Oh dear me.

I am really enjoying Black Gold right now

And there’s always The Greatest Adventure (So amazing. And yes, I know I’ve linked it at least 5 times already but)

How to Snare a Life is also pretty good - one of the few AUs I actually read :D

And the other AU I read: Wrong Number

Annnnd while I’m not CURRENTLY reading it, this is the first thing I’m going to finish once I get back into the fandom: Congruent It’s an amazing Sh//ink fic.

50. How did you get into reading and/or writing fanfiction?

Okay folks. Get out the popcorn. Let’s see a black and white film about me getting into the fandom world. (Really though, it started like 13-14 years ago.)

I’m going to start out with a few years before I even got into being a fanboy: What got me into writing.

Tldr; version of it is, back in grade 5/6 I had some close online friends, and they convinced me to start writing poetry. I used it as an outlet for emotions and stuff. I was an angsty teenager. I was apparently ‘really good’ at it and so I continued. (PS: Also got published in grade 9 for a poem I wrote in grade 6 SNORTS)

Anyway, ended up losing contact with those friends over the years // broke up the friendship with one of them and eventually I just stopped writing poetry. Mostly because I didn’t have anybody to really show it to.

Now, I’m still just enjoying shows on TV, and gradually getting into watching anime online because of my older brother. It wasn’t until the end of grade nine that I became involved (reading/writing/drawing/etc.) in what is known as ‘the fandom’

Now I had a friend, and he was a big old nerd. Nerdier than I. The one who declined to hang out with friends because I wanted to game. We got along great, but soon, I fell. And I never got back up. Because, you see, he introduced me to all these ‘weird’ and ‘strange’ fandom things. At first, there wasn’t fandom things. At first we started making our own characters in their own world and oh look. Roleplaying.

But then these things called ships. and what’s that? Yaoi and Yuri? and What? People ship Naruto and Sasuke together? wth? And then, one day, I had decided to just (not a smart move at all, I must say) google search (Or Deviant Art search, I can’t remember) ‘Naruto Yaoi’ for shits and giggles, before I stumbled upon my First ship. And there was just no going back from there. Soon I began to look up everything on that ship: Drawing, and what’s this? People write stories about this? Holy shit. I need to check this out! Before one day, I decided to take my newfound writing skills of roleplaying my OCs into: Writing fanfiction.

Many different ships and fandoms later: Here I am. And yes, I still ship my first ship.

[topinforma]

New Post has been published on Mortgage News

New Post has been published on http://bit.ly/2vc0YNV

What if the retirement advice you’re getting isn’t quite right?

(iStock)

There’s no shortage of retirement advice from financial professionals to regular folk who’ve retired and are now sharing their perspective on retired life.

5 ill-conceived pieces of retirement advice

With These Two Moves, You Can Retire Well No Matter What the Market Does

But here’s the thing to keep in mind as you consider retirement recommendations. What seems perfectly logical on paper doesn’t necessarily play out in person.

That’s the point Paul B. Brown of the New York Times makes in a recent post: Three Things I Should Have Said About Retirement Planning

“I had co-authored a couple of books on the subject — one when I was in my 30s and another in my 40s — but now that I am north of 60 and retirement is a far less abstract concept, I look back on what I wrote in a different light,” Brown wrote.

He’s got more perspective, he says. He’s more empathetic. — Typical advice: You can work longer to save more. Brown’s take now: “I wrote it was just a no-brainer to work until age 70, if you can. While my math was right, what I now realize is just how hard it is to keep working as you age.”

— Typical advice: Once you eliminate the expenses for raising your children, you can save more for retirement. Brown’s take now: “I used to believe that people edging closer to retirement usually had the ability to save more, since child-rearing expenses were no longer a factor. So, I blithely wrote, you could take all that money you had been putting toward college, for example, and invest it for retirement. Well, our ‘baby’ graduated five years ago, and now all that tuition money is going to home repair.”

— Typical advice: Spend on the big things now before you retire and transition to a fixed income. Brown’s take now: “Our oldest got married 3,000 miles away in Sonoma Valley, Calif., a couple of years ago, and not only did we fly in various family members who would have otherwise been unable to attend, but we rented a huge house for a week and hosted anyone and everyone who wanted to come by. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

I loved that Brown revisited his advice acknowledging that life can get in the way of the best of plans. So as you prepare for retirement, factor in a lot of “what ifs.”

What if you can’t or don’t want to work until you’re 70? I don’t want to be tied down to a job until my 70s. I’d like to spend my 60s, traveling and doing financial ministry work at my church and in prisons.

My husband and I are in our preretirement planning phase and have realized that our children are still going to need some financial assistance beyond the undergraduate college expenses we’ve saved. Starting this fall, we are covering graduate school for our oldest. Yes, that’s money we could put toward our retirement, but we want to make sure she and her siblings – should they also decide to go to graduate school – don’t start their young adult life off with debt.

When it comes to advice, I tend to put more weight on the wisdom from people who’ve “been there and done that” and have come out okay. So with that perspective, read this from NerdWallet’s Liz Weston: Retirement Advice From Retired Financial Experts

Retirement rants and raves I’m interested in your experiences or concerns about retirement. Did you retire early and if so, how did you do it?

Is retirement everything you hoped for? Are you scared you’ll run out of money?

Sharing your story might help others. So send your comments to colorofmoney@washpost.com. Please include your name, city and state. In the subject line put “Retirement Rants and Raves.”

I heard from a lot of you who were forced to retire.

Catherine C. from Gaithersburg, Md., wrote, “I retired early at age 58 due to my mother’s failing health — stroke and Parkinson’s disease. I was the only one of her four children who lived near her and could help. She had been widowed at age 50 and went back to work as a legal secretary after having been a homemaker for 20-plus years. I had planned to go back to work once my mother was stabilized in a continuing care facility. However, her health was precarious and it fell to me to take her to medical appointments, fill her pill dispensers (morning, afternoon and evening), keep her apartment stocked with the foods she liked and wash and iron her clothes. I did this for 16 years. She died 1 week shy of her 97th birthday. I do not regret one moment of this. She was a spectacular mother who put four kids through college and encouraged each of us to follow our dreams.”

Catherine and her husband saved well enough that retiring early didn’t impact their retirement.

“We consider ourselves fortunate,” she wrote. “We learned a lot from our parents. My mother was Michelle Singletary before there was a Michelle Singletary! She believed in living below your means. We have followed in her steps — in our home for 30 years, older cars on the driveway, no bling, no designer clothes. We do splurge on trips to see friends around the country and the occasional dinner out. We are in pretty good health, but we know that could change in a second. My husband retired four years ago at 63. His company was going through a reorganization and he took a buyout. We are enjoying retirement, but we keep a close watch on our pennies. It’s wonderful to get up in the morning and have the day unfurling before us. We both do volunteer work, which keeps us busy and connected to our community. We have a dog and walk her several times a day. Have found some amazing parks that way. We are reconnecting with old friends from college and other volunteer work we have done in the past. At some point, we will downsize to a smaller place in a lower cost area ,but we’re not there yet.”

Chuck Butler of Fenton, Mo., was forced to retire. He’s 62.

“The company that I helped start in 1999 was bought out and the deal closed this year,” Butler wrote. “I was told I was to retire the day the deal closed. I was no more ready to retire than the man on the moon, but I had prepared, savings and investments wise for this day for years, and I do not have a fear of running out of money before I’m 95. I doubt I live that long, as I was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic renal cell cancer 10 years ago. I have battled cancer for 10 years, all the while working. I was given a fair severance that included some payment for continued insurance through COBRA. But that runs out in a year. The main problem I have is that at 62, my COBRA insurance will run out before I hit 65, and be eligible for Medicare. I have about a year of private insurance that I’ll have to pay for my wife, and me and youngest son that is in college. And THAT is something I did not plan for. So, I would warn all people that are getting ready to retire early, to check out the cost of insurance before they make that move. It’s an eye opener.”

Retirement blog I believe that wealth happens intentionally and that means for me reading as much as I can about all things financial, especially retirement. In this section of the newsletter, I’ll feature postings from various retirement blogs.

This post caught my eye: 5 Countries Where You Can Retire for $1,000 a Month

As my husband and I plan for retirement, we haven’t considered whether we would be willing to move overseas.

I’d like to hear from any readers who have made the move to live abroad. How’s it working out for you? Or are you planning to retire overseas? Tell me about it.

Send your comments to colorofmoney@washpost.com

Newsletter comments policy Please note it is my personal policy to identify readers who respond to questions I ask in my newsletters. I find it encourages thoughtful and civil conversation. I want my newsletters to be a safe place to express your opinion. On sensitive matters or upon request, I’m happy to include just your first name and/or last initial. But I prefer not to post anonymous comments (I do make exceptions when I’m asking questions that might reveal sensitive information or cause conflict.)

Have a question about your finances? Michelle Singletary has a weekly live chat every Thursday at noon where she discusses financial dilemmas with readers. You can also write to Michelle directly by sending an email to michelle.singletary@washpost.com. Personal responses may not be possible, and comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writer’s name, unless otherwise requested. To read more Color of Money columns, go here.

If you’re viewing this newsletter online sign up to receive Michelle Singletary’s free newsletters right into your email box: “Your Retirement” on Mondays & “Personal Finance” on Thursdays http://wapo.st/personalfinance

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Follow Michelle Singletary on Twitter (@SingletaryM) and Facebook www.facebook.com/MichelleSingletary

[ibelieveinahappilyeverafter]

Your Words On My Skin - Chapter 6

Bonjour, mes chers! I just wanted to clear up a few questions I've received about the time placement of this story. One person (on anon so I couldn't PM back) asked why I didn't just have Danny use the Infi-map. Well, that is for two reasons. One, most of season three is dead to me and the infi-map is the stupidest plot device I have ever seen. And two, when this story starts it's taking place after the events of The Ultimate Enemy, hence why he's never met Ghostwriter before. The Fright Before Christmas was canonically the first episode after TUE. With that out of the way, enjoy!

AO3 FFN

Don’t forget I’m doing more cool things on my Patreon all the time! I also have a Ko-Fi so consider buying me a coffee if you can’t pledge!

Summary: Danny Fenton was born with writing on his arms that proved he had a soulmate out there for him that was much, much older than his parents were comfortable with. The result was his skin being covered as much as possible and Danny warned that he shouldn’t look at the words or write any back. Danny has always been a little bit curious as to who his soulmate was, but he never thought on how curious his soulmate was about him.

<<First Chapter>><<Last Chapter>><<Next Chapter>>

Chapter Six

::

“You know, maybe he’s just searching for the right words.” Seeing Tucker ready to open his mouth, Danny quickly shook his head. “No, you’re right, he should have found the right words by now. Okay, then maybe he’s just trying to figure out how to let me down gently?” This time Sam gave a quiet sigh, Danny nodding. “Yeah, no, you’re right, Sammy, I need to have more faith in myself. Maybe-”

Blinking at the hands now covering his mouth, Danny looked to Sam and tried to look as annoyed as possible. Sam didn’t even flinch, the traitor. “You were rambling to yourself, again. It had to stop.” He hadn’t been- Danny really wouldn’t have called it- Ugh, god, he had been rambling to himself. “How long has it been since he last wrote to you?”

“Four days.” And again with his traitor best friends sharing looks that he wasn’t a part of. Seriously, why hadn’t they confessed they were each other’s soulmates, yet? He was absolutely certain Tucker knew, at this point. “He should have given me an answer by now, right? But, I mean- I haven’t even seen a ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’”

“How would you know if you saw one?” That… Good point. Danny may have gone a little overboard in trying to get Andrew to answer. He was pretty sure he was more ink than skin at this point. “Maybe he just needs more time, Danny. Time without his soulmate hounding after him for the answer.”

“I…” Yeah, okay, time- Danny could understand needing time, especially after meeting Clockwork and everything, but they had been writing back and forth for months, now. It- Danny didn’t like looking down at his arm and seeing nothing but his own writing. Jeez, was that how Andrew always felt? “I’m worried.”

“Hey, it’d be weird if you weren’t worried about this.” Tucker lightly nudged him under the lunch table, giving a bit of a smile. “It’ll work out. I mean, soulmates are soulmates for a reason, right?”

“Yeah- Yeah. I mean, something good has to come out of all of this, right?” Otherwise what would have been the point? “I’m sure he just needs a bit more time to think it all out.”

“That’s the spirit!” Wait. Staring at Sam and her grin, Danny slowly narrowed his eyes and she didn’t. She did. “Someone has to pick up the slack, here.”

“Alright, alright, you two are adorable. You know what we should be focusing on, though.” Watching as Tucker picked up his lunch meat with bare hands, Danny made a face as he heard Sam gag beside him. “This is our last lunch before Christmas break tomorrow.”

“And that means you’re trying to gross us out?” Danny shook his head as Tucker rolled the meat into a little ball and oh- Oh, no. “Tucker- Tucker, remember our last detention-”

Tucker, brave and stupid soul that he was, stood up, pulled back his arm, and launched the ball of meat right at the back of Dash’s head. Danny wasn’t sure whether to cheer or be horrified as silence fell over the room in that awkward way it did when spreading out from the epicenter of a disaster.

“You know,” Sam whispered quietly, “I’m kind of impressed by how much better his aim is.” Dash slowly stood up and Danny and Sam ducked under the table at once just as the cafeteria exploded into chaos. “Think I can get some of that lunch meat down Paulina’s shirt?”

“I think we won’t know until you try.” Danny watched as Sam beamed at him before scrambling into the fight, Danny content to stay under the table and sit this one out. He couldn’t believe it was already almost Christmas, though. It seemed like just the other day he had been starting high school and now he had been half-ghost for over a year and was turning sixteen in a few months.

The thoughts of just how much had changed were on his mind for the rest of the day and all his way home, Danny finally washing all the ink off his skin and writing the question a single time where it would be seen easily. He then may have gotten a bit impatient after a few hours because he asked the question again on the other arm - just to be sure.

That’s how he spent the next few days, filling up his skin with question after question and all of it was the same and why wouldn’t Andrew just tell him? It wasn’t- It wasn’t like he would turn Andrew away if he found out the truth. Did Andrew think that? Did Andrew think Danny would turn him away?

Like- Like yeah, okay, things might be a little awkward and complicated for a while, but they could figure it out, couldn’t they? Every one of their conversations and stories and exchanges had shown them both that they- That there was something there. They could work this out and still get along and figure it out, they just… They just needed somewhere to work from before it could be figured out.

Silence had damned them both and Danny was sick of it, now, and, come on. Fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to distance them like this and make them ill-suited together, right? Andrew was decades older than him and in France, but they… They had to be able to make it work to overcome stuff like that… Right?

Groaning and collapsing onto his bed, Danny had the overwhelming urge to scream into his pillow before he pushed himself back up. “Alright, Fenton. Just- Start small.” Right. Small steps. He could… He could wipe all these questions off and write an apology. That would get Andrew to at least say something to him, right?

Because it was Christmas and this… He didn’t want them to spend their Christmas angry and ignoring each other. Danny’s Christmases were shitty enough and he didn’t want to add a fight with his soulmate onto the list. So, he could go take a shower, wipe all these questions off, and explain to Andrew why he was so upset before apologizing. Even if Andrew was still upset, at least Danny would know that the other was okay.

Depending on the answer, this Christmas could actually be a good one! So, he would just- Thoughts halting as a shudder wracked his body and a wisp of cold slipped past his lips, Danny paused, blinked, and then groaned.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Of all the times for this to happen it was right as he was about to apologize to his soulmate? That was just… That was mean. Okay. Okay. He could be blowing this out of proportion. Maybe it was just Box Ghost or something and he could get rid of him quickly. “Alright, come on out! I don’t have time for this, today!”

“Funny. I was about to say the same thing.” Startling at seeing Skulker in his room, Danny snorted and let the change take over him, already feeling better. At least he could get out some aggression. “Let’s end this now, whelp.”

“Well, well, if it isn’t the Ghost Zone’s lamest hunter. Haven’t you learned your lesson, yet-” An overheated blast of energy was shot at him and Danny just barely dodged, hissing as the blast clipped his shoulder and both burned his shoulder and his suit and that… What had that been? “Okay, guess you got an upgrade.”

“I’m not here for your pelt, whelp.” Oh? Something else, then. Okay. Danny was game. He could do with some plea for help or threat on his life. “Plasmius didn’t appreciate that stunt of yours a few months ago.”

“Stunt- Oh.” The password. The password that had ended up leading him to Andrew and that he had stolen to get into Vlad’s server and then he and Tucker had deleted just about everything they could. “Let me guess, he lost a few plans to kill my dad and marry my mom?”

“According to him he lost millions in business deals.” Oh- Oh, jeez. Danny wasn’t dealing with a pissed off Plasmius. He was dealing with a pissed off Masters. “It seems he wants to talk to you.”

“Ha- Aha! Right! Great! Why don’t we schedule an appointment for never going to happen and I’ll show up in his dreams. Sound good?” Danny was moving the second he heard the whining noise of guns charging up and ooh, his bed was pretty thoroughly destroyed, wasn’t it? Okay, okay, not important, he had an angry Skulker working for Masters after him and Jesus, Vlad’s revenge was always worse than any of Skulker’s hunts could ever be.

Wincing as he pulled on his shoulder, Danny phased down to the basement and started up the portal. He could at least hide in the Ghost Zone for a while, and, right. So much for having a decent Christmas.

::

“There has to be a right answer to this. Everything has a right answer.”  For once, Vidya was silent in his head and that was very much not helping matters. That was doing the opposite of helping matters! “If you’d like to chime in with some advice, now would be a brilliant moment to do so.”

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. “See if I get you anything for Christmas.” A book narrowly missed his head from where it had been thrown and Andrew glared in the direction it had come from. “You had best put that back where you got it!” This time, the book did hit his head.

“Well excuse me for panicking!” Was he panicking? He felt like he might have been slightly panicking- Okay. It was okay. He could work through this. He just needed to think about this problem logically. He could tell Danny he was twenty-two, which he was, but that had the problem of not explaining why his writing had been so advanced when Danny was first born.

He could… What else could he do? He could always tell Danny his chronological age. Of course, that had the very severe backlash of making Danny run away from him all while calling the police- God, he didn’t even know how old he was some days. Perhaps in his late forties- Nope, no, thinking about it tended to make it worse. Okay.

Calmly and rationally. He needed to think this through calmly and rationally. Danny hadn’t pushed him away yet and he was already aware that Andrew’s age was… advanced. He wasn’t going to run if Andrew told him his actual age. That was good.

There was also the option, however, that he could tell Danny he was a ghost. Danny seemed rather open minded, so if Andrew gave proof then perhaps Danny wouldn’t think he was lying or just plain crazy. Great. Two choices, then.

Would he rather have Danny think he was certifiably insane or would he rather have Danny think that he was his parent’s age?

Groaning, Andrew collapsed on the nearest soft surface and contemplated using a book to render himself unconscious. “None of my books prepared me for this.” Because there hadn’t- There- Yes, alright, there had been a few cases of romantic soulmates with an age gap, but nothing with one of them being dead and having an age gap.

There was just… There had to be some way to fix this without hurting either of them. There had to be something out there to fix this mess, right? Nn… Maybe Randy would have some good advice.

It was a sad day when Andrew went to Randy for life advice, but, well. Randy screwed his life up daily, but he was careful to never screw up Andrew’s. At least, not too badly, which was about the best Andrew could ask for.

“Is he in the kitchen?” Vidya gave a little affirmative and the very strong feeling that he should just tell the truth, but Andrew easily brushed that last part off. “Randy! I need you to resist whatever foolish urges my next few words are about to instill in you!”

“Is this an urge in where I get my guns or one in where I resist the urge to tuck you away in your room and keep you from getting your heart broken?” Randy was stress baking again. Great. Andrew’s stress was so great it was getting to Randy.

“Neither. I need your advice.” Insultingly enough, Randy only raised an eyebrow at him. “Advice I plan on taking.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Randy ‘scolded,’ sticking something chocolate in Andrew’s mouth and honestly, how dare- Oh, this was good. “Yes, you should tell your mate the truth.”

“I didn’t even ask my question yet.” Andrew avoided Randy’s judgmental looks and instead moved to collapse into one of the kitchen chairs. “I just… There has to be a right answer to all of this.”

“Oh, Andy.” Randy gave him such a sad smile as he shook his head. “Love never has a right answer, frérot.” It certainly seemed- Wait.

“Did you just quote Heart’s Desire at me?” At the suspicious silence, Andrew scoffed and looked around for the nearest heavy object to throw at him. “You did. I can’t believe you just quoted my own book to me!”

“Okay, okay, there’s no need to throw things! I’m trying to make a soufflé, right now, and I need a calm environment.”

“I thought you couldn’t make-”

“Well I can, so shut the fuck up.” Ah, still a touchy subject. “Want some crème brûlée?”

“Are you just making every French desert you know of?” Andrew was already grabbing a spoon and squirming his way between Randy and the counter, happily digging into the desert. The sugar was perfectly crystalized to where it didn’t taste burnt, either.

“Right. You want some life advice?” Yes- No. Maybe. Quite possibly a maybe, on that one. “Start small.”

“Start small?” That… Hadn’t he already been doing that the whole time he had been writing to Danny?

“Start small,” Randy laughed, stealing Andrew’s spoon and next bite. “Explain that you’re too scared to explain. He’ll understand if you’re scared to tell the truth, Andy. He’s been understanding of everything else, hasn’t he?”

“I… I suppose.” Taking the spoon back, Andrew chewed on the next bites slowly before swallowing and sighing. “Do you really think he’ll understand?”

“Andy, the kid didn’t even try to push you when you said that you didn’t believe in technology. If that’s not true love, then I don’t know what it is.” Hiding a laugh, Andrew bumped his shoulder against Randy’s, Randy bumping right back. “You just… You need to admit you’re scared. Do you think you can do that?”

“For him I can.” Andrew had always been the type to hide his fear, but for Danny? He… He could admit that he was scared. If just to him, then Andrew could admit that he was afraid. “Right, then. What’s with today’s baking spree?”

“It’s a nice way to distract you from your fears and stress.” Well… That was true. “I also wanted to try and make a Christmas soufflé right for once.”

“You really need to-” Wait. “Christmas?” It wasn’t already Christmas, was it? He still had another week at least.

“Mhm. Happy Christmas Eve.” Shit. “Soo, what’d you get me for Christmas, then?” Aha, right, Christmas presents. Andrew could so do something. Maybe.

“It’s a surprise for a reason, Randall.” Andrew stole a few more snacks, easily dodging Randy’s swipes.

“You really are going to get fat if you keep this up!” Andrew only ducked back in to give Randy a quick, one-armed hug before fleeing with his treats. “I’m still upset with you!”

“I love you, too!” Right, right. Christmas presents. He could find Randy something in the library to give him, most likely, but Danny… Maybe for Danny he could finally explain why he had been avoiding him.

A Christmas spent talking with his mate sounded like the best Christmas he could think of, honestly. He just hoped he had the courage to start the conversation.

::

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. Danny had thought going into the Ghost Zone would buy him some time to at least give Skulker the run around, but the ghost hadn’t even paused before following him in and now Danny was pushing himself to go as fast as he could because Jesus. He knew Skulker was powerful and all with that suit of his, but he had never- He had never really been afraid of Skulker.

He was- He was Skulker! He was like a step up from the Box Ghost, but Danny had never seen him this serious. The only time he had ever been scared of Skulker before this was the last time he had captured him for Vlad. It- Skulker was all about the hunt, yeah, but was he really this powerful when he was being serious about it?

Danny was already scratched up to hell and back from the blasts he had just barely been dodging - no doubt he’d need to find a new suit because no amount of sewing was going to fix this - and no matter how fast he went he could only just keep himself out of range of the more dangerous attacks.

Fuck- Fuck. He was going to be fucking skinned alive at this rate if he didn’t manage to find somewhere to hide- “The hunt is over, whelp.” For a moment it felt like he had been toppled over by something ramming into his back, and then Danny screamed as the pain in his back set in. It was like- Jesus, fuck, Jesus it was like his entire back was on fire.

He felt himself roughly land on something - rock? - before he was scrambling to his feet and bad- Bad idea, bad idea, that had been a very bad idea to move. Seeing Skulker come back into view, Danny tried to keep calm as he took a few steps back and okay. Breathe. It was Skulker. He could deal with Skulker.

“Get away from me, Skulker. We both know I would win no matter what you do.” Even Danny could tell that was his weakest lie yet. Skulker seemed to know it, too.

“I always wondered what you’d be like backed into a corner. Shame I have to drag you to Plasmius, first.” Aha, right, shame- Except no. Good. That meant Skulker would keep him alive- Jesus, what would an angry Vlad Masters do to him, though? This was so frustrating. He felt ready to just scream and charge and- Scream. He could-

“One last time, Skulker. Get back.” Could he still do that attack? That Ghostly Wail? He had managed twice when running around time to stop everything, but he hadn’t managed to pull it off since he got back. If there was ever a time to find out, then it was looking like now was it- Except that power took up all of his energy and Danny would be left defenseless if Skulker managed to survive it.

His best bet would be to push himself as fast as he could and find a place to hide until Vlad calmed down and called Skulker off, but that didn’t give him any ideas as to what he could do right now. Fuck. At least he knew that his Christmases were still cursed, he guessed. Fuck, okay, focus- Just focus. Focus, focus, focus-

Dodging the attack that came for him, Danny scrambled to hide behind- A library? Since when was there a library in the Ghost Zone- Ah, no time to think, didn’t care, hiding behind one of the pillars. “Get out here before I drag you out here, whelp! I’m sure Plasmius won’t mind a bit of you missing here and there!”

“Yeah, no thanks!” Ducking down to avoid the next hit, Danny swore under his breath and okay, think. “C’mon, Fenton, focus.” Library. He was hiding near a library- Could he get into the library and hide? He assumed a ghost lived here, but he didn’t know any ghosts that would live in a library- Well, Poindexter, maybe, if he had the choice. “Welp. Guess it’s the best I got.”

Making a break for the door, Danny dodged a rocket rather impressively, if he did say so himself, but he didn’t manage to dodge the fucking net. Hitting the ground and at least thankful it wasn’t one of those damn ones that shocked him, Danny squirmed and- Bad. That was bad movement. Everything hurt.

“It looks like I’ve finally caught you, whelp.” This… This couldn’t be it. He couldn’t have really lost to Skulker, right? That- That was insane. That- “I suggest you close those doors. This is none of your business.” ...What?

Twisting himself as gently as he could, Danny caught a glimpse of two new ghosts standing in the doorway of the weird library and oh, great. More ghosts that probably didn’t like him. One of them laughed- Ghosts had guns? Since when did ghosts besides Skulker have guns?

“Considering this is our territory, I think it is our business. I thought you didn’t like to break the Warden’s rules, Skulker.” Dangerous. That one was definitely dangerous. Kind of reminded Danny of Wulf when he was overly upset over something. “Hunting down children now, Skulker?”

“Hey! I’ll be sixteen soon!” As usual, he seemed to be completely ignored, the other ghost sighing and bending down with a knife and oh, great, he really was about to be skinned.

“Try not to move. I’m going to cut you free, now.” The voice was stupidly deep, but something about the tone told Danny that he wasn’t about to be hurt with the knife. Forcing himself to stay still, Danny looked back to where Skulker was arguing with the other ghost.

“I’m on a job for Plasmius. You know how that is, Mercenary.” Whoa, wait, what? Ghosts could be mercenaries? That was so cool! “Get out of my way.”

“Our laws are stronger than the word of some parasite.” Oh, hell yeah. Danny didn’t know what the hell any of that meant, but he was already starting to like these two.

“Just about have it,” the ghost cutting him free said quietly, sounding frustrated. “Did he start using steel nets?”

“Yeah, some of them he uses to shock me.” Danny was gratified to see this ghost looked horrified and, huh. Maybe these ghosts were sane. That was cool. He was pretty sure the only sane ghost he had meant before now was Clockwork. “How’s that other one when it comes to fighting?”

“Mm, let’s just say you don’t have to worry about us holding our own.” A few more ropes cut, and Danny was shooting out of the net at once, deciding to worry about the startled gasp from the ghost later.

“Hey, tin can! Can’t you even leave me alone on Christmas!” Seeing Skulker bring out a new weapon, Danny growled. He was so sick of these goddamn weapons. “That’s it.” Dropping down to the stairs, Danny glanced to the ghosts that had come out to help him. “Stay behind me.”

“And just what are you going to do on your own, whelp!” Sucking in a breath, Danny pulled on every scrap of power he had and screamed. It was like- Jesus, he never knew how to explain this power. Like being in the middle of a thunderstorm? It was like standing in the middle of a field with a crazy thunderstorm and knowing that none of the lightning would ever hit.

He made it about ten seconds before he felt his change snap around him and force him to the ground, Danny gasping for breath and so, so thankful that the Ghost Zone had oxygen. Slowly looking up, Danny felt himself pale as he saw Skulker heading back towards him and looking pissed. His suit looked like it was barely being held together, but it seemed like there were enough weapons left to still make his life about to be over.

Scrambling back and instead just falling over, Danny tried to push himself up before he paused at seeing a white ghost shield form in front of him and easily deflect Skulker’s attack. “Mercenary!”

Looking around, Danny almost jumped at seeing the ghost that had cut him free was kneeling beside him and looking at him with wide green eyes that looked as shocked as he felt.

::

Staring down at the teen in front of him, Andrew silently admitted to himself that he had no words to describe the situation he was now in. It was odd enough to hear Vidya warning him of ghosts fighting on her steps, but to come out and see Skulker and the infamous Danny Phantom curled up in a net and looking like he had taken one hit too many? That he hadn’t quite expected.

It was true that today was officially the start of the truce and Andrew was content to send Randy after Skulker as a warning, but cutting the teen out of that god-awful steel net to see words written across his skin that matched his own? That…

And now here the teen was, looking utterly and completely human, and staring at him with frightened blue eyes and a frown that looked two seconds away from becoming a snarl. “I can take care of my own fights.”

Oh, Danny. A precocious little thing with too much fight in him and bristling even when he had no power, was bleeding, and looked a few steps away from fainting. A quick glance down showed that he was wearing his coat, which, good. His skin was covered. No need to throw the teen into even more of a panic attack - which was what Andrew was quickly heading towards- Ah.

Skulker had been hurting his mate. His mate was Danny Phantom and was bleeding in front of him and looking more and more afraid as the seconds ticked by. Right.

“Look, just let me go, I’ll get out of your hair, we can let bygones be bygones, and call this a day and-”

“It’s alright,” Andrew said quietly, slowly making telegraphed moves before helping the teen up and supporting him as he almost fell. “We’re some of the saner ghosts, I’m afraid. No over the top fighting from us.”

“Thank god.” Danny slumped and lost near all tension in his body, Andrew easily keeping him propped up and staring at the words that coated his arms and peeked past his shirt. Words that asked the same question over and over and now… Now he could give Danny an answer, right? This was-

“Riters!” Ah, but first, they had some trash to take care of, it seemed. Feeling Danny flinch against his side as Randy’s shield vanished, Andrew quickly tucked him closer.

“Oh, Randy.” Andrew drawled, looking to Skulker and grinning as that suit of his floated back. “Refresh my memory. What day is today?”

“Well, last I checked it was Christmas Eve.” Randy was by his side in a second, guns already in hand and wicked smile on his face. How nice to see White Fang still loved a good fight. “Interesting, isn’t it?”

“Very. You see, I thought there was- Now, keep in mind, I could be wrong, but I thought there was a certain truce that all ghosts followed.” Andrew noticed that Danny was watching them curiously, relaxed a bit more now that Randy was in front of him. He probably wasn’t used to having people on his side. “Remind me of the truce, grand frère?”

“Of course, frérot. The Christmas Truce dictates that ghosts aren’t allowed to fight with other ghosts from the first seconds of Christmas Eve to the last seconds of Christmas. I do believe that includes half-ghosts, as well.”

“There’s a truce?” Aw. Danny muttered under his breath when he was confused, it seemed. “Sure would have been great to know that last year.”

“Randy, why don’t you teach Skulker a lesson on why ghosts shouldn’t fight during this time of year?” Andrew kept his tone light and pleasant as he turned to Danny to quickly check him over again. It didn’t seem anything was broken, and it looked like he could walk. That was good. “Make it hurt.”

“With pleasure.” A flash of pure white and a scream from Skulker and the two were already half a mile away, Andrew rolling his eyes. Honestly, Randy was far too much of a showoff.

“Would you like to come in? I don’t know much about half-ghosts, granted, but after that last attack it seems like you could use a bit of time to recover without worrying about what crazy ghost will show up next.”

“So instead I walk into the home of a crazy ghost I don’t know?” He knew Danny had fast responses, but Andrew had never seen his words when he was defensive and distrustful. It was fascinating.

“So better the enemy you know than the stranger you don’t know, yes?” Andrew had to hold back a laugh when Danny scrunched up his nose. Hardly a few minutes with his mate and already Andrew was falling more in love with him. “You’re tired, bleeding, and can’t shift back. At least stay until you can fly home without dropping out of the air.”

“I can change just fine!” Danny flashed a smug smile before it slowly dropped, and he cleared his throat. “Not, uh- Not that it’s any of your business. Why do you even care, anyways? This isn’t your problem.”

“Mm, would it make you feel better that the offer is only there so you stop bleeding on my front steps?” Andrew watched the teen almost jump before looking down and around at the pristine marble before he was huffing and glaring at Andrew.

“I am not bleeding all over your steps, man.” Right- Right. Okay. Just- Act calm and collected- This was his mate. And they were already getting along so well- Well… They were bantering? That counted in a way. “Look, it’ll only take me ten or fifteen minutes to get home. I’ll just wait out here for another five until I can change back. There you go. Problem solved.”

“Danny, you’re bleeding.” The stubborn little teen didn’t have anything to say about that-

“How do you know my name?” Ah. Okay. Right. Andrew was a storyteller. He could come up with a lie easily enough. Hopefully.

“You expect me to not know your name?” Andrew watched as Danny shifted, wincing as he jarred something. It took more effort than it should have to not reach out and help. “I believe everyone in our world knows of the half-ghost Danny Phantom.”

“Yeah- Yep. That’s me. Public Enemy Number One and all that. Walker start spreading my wanted  poster around, then?”

“You’re- No,” Andrew laughed, shaking his head and this precious, precious teen. “You’re the one who went through something horrible and still chose to be good. That’s more rare than you might think.”

“Oh.” Danny didn’t seem to be glaring anymore, but he was nervously looking over his shoulder now that it seemed Andrew wasn’t considered a threat. “So, uh, right. Okay. That offer to stay here still open?”

“It really is no trouble.” Besides, now he had an excuse to skip that awful party Randy had been trying to drag him to. “I can even help bandage some of the wounds you might have trouble reaching, if you want.”

“I… Right.” Danny gave him a look that could only be called calculating. “You know my name, but I don’t know yours, you know. Seems kind of unfair.” Oh- Oh! Right. Andrew had his skin mostly covered, so Danny didn’t…

“I’m…” Andrew stared at this shaking and scared teenager that was his soulmate and finally gave a warm smile. “Ghostwriter. My name is Ghostwriter.”

[ibelieveinahappilyeverafter]

Phanniemay 2018 - Day 1

Prompt: Electricity

Alternate Universe: Wes inclusive, no Phantom Planet, Danny age ~16, can be seen as a sequel to Camera Shy

Pairing: Implied/Pre Unidentified Flying Ship (Danny x Wes) but can be read as friendship

Rating: G+ (Because teenagers don’t know when to stop swearing.)

Author Notes: Haaa. You all thought I was going to be on time and upload these day by day? No, where’s the fun in that. It’s catch up time. Day 19 and I’m just now posting the first prompt. Gods above and below help me.

Summary: Wes, as an official member of Team Phantom, has taken on the role of keeping an eye on Danny’s vitals between Fenton and Phantom. It would be easier, of course, if Fenton didn’t keep calling his very important journal a diary.

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Click here to see the other stories I’ve done for Phanniemay this month.

::

“Electricity? Seriously? Are you sure you don’t mean it just feels cold, or something?” Danny Phantom floated in front of him with a dubious expression that had Wes frowning and no, he very much did not mean cold, thank you.

“Definitely electricity- No, maybe more like static?” Wes held his hand out again, Danny sighing as he placed his fingers on Wes’ palm and turned the both of them intangible, Wes shivering at the feeling. It was almost the same feeling as when he took off a shirt filled with static electricity, only instead of just his chest it was everywhere. “Not cold.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, dude. Sam and Tuck never noticed anything weird about it.” Grabbing the notebook Wes had forced Danny to start to keep track of his powers and health, he quickly jotted down the observations. “Really? It’s going in the stupid health book?”

“Yes, it’s going in the stupid health book.” To spite him, Wes flipped open his camera and took a picture of Danny quickly, grinning as the flash startled him into floating back. “Evidence.”

“Ass. Come on, then, what’s next? Wanna tell me my ice powers feel cold, now?” Rolling his eyes and ignoring the floating teenager full of bitter sass, Wes flipped through the pages they had already written in.

“Actually, that might be a good idea. Here.” Wes held out his hand, blinking as Danny took it in his own. He was about to make a joke before he was yelping and jerking his hand back fast enough to near send him out of his seat, Danny cackling as Wes tried to get the fucking ice off his hand. “And you called me an ass?!”

“Calm down, it melts pretty quick like that.” Thankfully, Danny was right and the ice was already rapidly melting. “So? What’d that feel like?”

“Like hot tea. What do you think it felt like!” Making an observational note that Fenton was the biggest ass in all of Amity Park-

“All of Amity Park, really? That seems a bit excessive-”

“Don’t read over my shoulder!” Swatting him away with the book, Wes grinned at the yelp it earned him.

“Alright, alright! Jeez, there’s no need to be so testy about it.” Danny huffed, floating around Wes to hover over his shoulder and read the book that Wes was writing in again. “I still don’t see why we need to keep a stupid health diary.”

“It’s a journal, not a diary. Diaries are for people who aren’t comfortable with who they are.” There was a beat of silence, Danny opening his mouth before Wes narrowed his eyes. “We are in a room full of ghost weapons. Think carefully.”

“So am I dying horribly, then?” What do you know, Fenton really could learn. A miracle, truly. “Or, you know-”

“You make too many dying puns. Yeah, you’re fine, I just wanted to see if anything changed when you were actually using your powers. I can’t believe you lot haven’t thought to do any of this before.”

“We just took enough vitals to know when something was going wrong,” Danny shrugged, sounding unconcerned as he changed back, Wes grabbing his wrist and counting his pulse at once. “Oh, come on, seriously?”

“Someone needs to keep you alive, Fenton. Might as well be me.” Waiting until he had a number, Wes nodded and jotted it down. “I’m taking it again in five minutes. It’s higher than when you’re a ghost, but lower than it usually is when you’re at rest.”

“Weird.” Pausing at the tone of voice, Wes glanced up to see Danny fiddling with his phone. “Are you sure we should keep a journal? I mean, we’ll probably lose it. Journals get lost pretty easily.” Ah, so that was the problem.

“Yeah, they do get lost pretty easily, I guess.” Wes closed the book after writing the numbers down, looking to Danny seriously. “But not this one.” Wes remembered how crazy the Guys-in-White had been when it came to finding Phantom, and he knew there were just as many other people out there who wanted to know how a ghost worked. Any page in this book could ruin Danny’s life. “Is that why you don’t keep records of all of this?”

“No.” Danny sighed, shaking his head. “Yes. Sort of. It was- At first it was more that if I didn’t write it down then maybe it wasn’t real, or it was just temporary.” Ah, the observer effect or whatever. Danny’s mind would go straight to science, wouldn’t it? “Once I realized it wasn’t going away… It seemed dangerous. I mean, I live in a house with ghost hunters.”

“You really should tell them about all of this, you know.” Raising his hands peacefully at the look, Wes shook his head. “Hey, no, trust me, I’m all about keeping things from your parents, but I’m just saying that it would probably be pretty nice to have ghost experts helping you out when you need it.”

“I-” Whatever fight he was gearing up for left him, Danny sighing and slumping back against the doorway. “Yeah. I just- It’s stupid. I know they’ll accept me, but-”

“What if, right?” Wes startled as Danny fell against him, head laying on his shoulder and right, right. Danny could be affectionate as hell. This explained why he was always cuddled up to Sam and Tucker all the time. “Hey, it’s going to be okay, man. You’ve lasted this long after all, right?”

“Yeah.” Danny’s gaze trailed to the journal, Wes frowning. Maybe… Maybe it was more than just not wanting to acknowledge what had happened and then being scared about others finding out. Maybe Danny was afraid of the changes that he might see over time.

“Jesus, you’re depressing.” Wes grabbed Danny’s wrist before flipping it over and taking the pulse again, counting quietly under his breath. “Okay, it rose back to normal.” Wes wrote the numbers down before flipping through the already impressive amount of pages. “Same as yesterday and every other day before it.”

“You’re not subtle,” Danny snorted, hiding a smile against Wes’ shoulder. “Alright, my turn, come on. We’ve been here way too long and it’s time to eat a bunch of unhealthy food!” Danny was pulling Wes up at once, jabbering on about things that didn’t matter as he pulled Wes towards the stairs.

“Oh.” Wes’ quiet understanding was lost in the flow of words, but that was fine because Wes got it now. Danny’s powers didn’t feel like electricity because of some ghost thing or because of how he got his powers. That wasn’t it at all. It was because Danny was electric.

Even before Wes had really taken notice of him he knew enough to know the kid was smart, friendly, hyper, and could probably best be described as a human golden retriever. His entire personality was electric to the point he made friends out of people as easily as Wes took pictures. Maybe that was one of the reasons the kid was Danny Phantom, too. With a personality like that, Wes doubted he could see someone in trouble and not help.

“-do you think?” Startling at the question, Wes blinked at Danny, the other looking more amused than anything else. “Did you just hear anything I said?”

“I think it sounds great.” Wes didn’t know what the hell he had just agreed to, but he couldn’t really find himself upset about it when Danny was beaming and looking happier than should be possible.

Maybe being on ‘Team Phantom’ wasn’t so bad, after all.