#he wanted to look like Dorathea when she’s a dragon

[little-pondhead]

[inspired roughly by this post. My brain snails started going nuts so I thought it'd be easier to post this separately :)]

…

It was a lovely day in Gotham. Well, as lovely as it could be. The sun was up, peeking through the overhead cloud cover and making the buildings gleam in the rare sunlight. The air was fresher than usual, and faucets ran clear of strange and unusual toxins.

Somewhere in the Upper East Side, in a little neighborhood tucked away from the rest of the city, marched around the new boss of the area. She was a young girl, just barely in high school. But despite it being the middle of a work day, she wandered around her chosen streets, content to do whatever she wanted. Above her, a pair of siblings watched on and discussed the unique situation.

"So let me get this straight: that fourteen-year-old goth girl is a crime boss?"

Mia smiled at Leon, her older brother, and his dumbfounded expression as they rested on her balcony. "She's fifteen, actually. Her birthday just passed. We all got together and threw a block party for her!"

"You know how insane that sounds, right?" Leon turned to her, a bit miffed that she dared to say those words to his face. "She's a kid. Why do you all listen to her?"

Mia shrugged and sipped her beer. "She does good work. Holds her own pretty well, and the kid has connections. Good ones, too. That can be the difference between life and death in Gotham."

Leon rubbed his forehead in frustration. "I just don't get it. How did she end up in this line of work? Do child labor laws even apply here?? Why aren't the Bats doing anything?"

"Don't think about it too much, dipshit." Mia crushed her now-empty beer can in her hand and tucked it into a paper garbage bag hanging off of a hook on the balcony rail. A familiar set of green arrows was printed on the side.

"And now you're recycling?!" Leon realized. "When did you start doing that, Mia??"

The woman shrugged and got up, stretching. "Probably around the time Brambles absolutely reamed out Mrs. Zalinski for littering at the park."

"Wait, who's Brambles?" Leon scrambled upright and followed his sister inside.

Mia laughed. "Brambles is our fifteen-year-old crime boss!"

...

"I can't believe you got a cool name right off the bat," Danny grumbled, flopping onto Sam's bed face-first. Sam smirked and shoved him off with her foot. Danny just squawked and let himself ragdoll to the ground.

"It's your fault for not having a better gimmick." She said to his prone body. "Besides, it could've been worse."

"I think Inviso-Bill is the worst possible nickname for anyone." Danny groaned. "But you got something cool immediately. Who even thought up 'Brambles'? That's such a unique name!"

"Well the kids call you Grim; that's pretty cool."

Danny flopped over, twisting himself much farther than any human was supposed to just so he could glare at her face. "They only call me that cause one of the is obsessed with Harry Potter." He grumbled, pouting.

Sam just rolled her eyes and went back to sorting through piles of papers scattered all across her duvet. Since moving to Gotham several months ago, Sam had taken it upon herself to turn the experience into something useful rather than just moping all the time, as she originally wanted to. That 'something useful' had landed her as the newest crime boss in Gotham, with about a third of the Upper East Side as her current territory.

So many problems had popped up in the last year, and the group had decided that taking it on alone would never work. The GIW had been trying to close Amity's borders, Danny's parents had a scientific breakthrough, tensions in the Realms were high, etc. There was a lot on their plate! Sam's solution was to create a foothold in Gotham City. She would lay the foundations for Jazz to work in Arkham and forge a safer environment for the residents of Amity Park to sneak off to if the GIW went too far. She was essentially weaving a cushion for everyone to fall back on.

Danny, using the power of duplication, was splitting his focus between foiling his parent's plans and resolving issues with his rouges to create a united front. He was the main distraction, and Sam's own heavy hitter when she needed help establishing dominance.

Tucker planned to gather intel with the help of Technus and Jazz. They were trying to gather as much evidence as possible so they'd be in the clear when the whistle blew. The GIW would crash and burn, legally speaking. They were the bugs of the operation, spreading themselves thin and hoarding information like it was candy.

Dani was their wild card, their jester. She was keeping the JLD's attention focused solely on her and all the supernatural hijinks she was stirring up. When the time was right, she'd point them in the direction needed and let them loose. After winding them up so much, the hope was that the Justice League Dark would descend upon the GIW like hellfire.

But those were their future plans. Right now, Sam was in possession of specific files from Arkham Asylum and the GCPD. She was looking for anything to give her an edge in the upcoming meeting with a few other crime bosses. Some annual thing they host to renew Goonion contracts, see who's still alive, and examine how much the territory lines have changed. Stuff like that. Red Hood was supposed to be there, and she knew she needed an ironclad defense against him and his nosy colony of Bats.

Danny untwisted himself all of a sudden, making a weird face. "Sorry, got to go." He apologized. "Vlad just showed up to my house."

Sam waved him off. "Go, I'll be fine for today. Just be on time for the meeting on Friday. And I want you, not a double."

"You got it!" Danny did finger guns at her and promptly melted into a pile of green goo. Right on her bedroom floor!

Sam sighed and got up to throw a towel over the puddle. The ectoplasm would evaporate eventually, returning to the original Danny little by little. But for now, this would keep anyone from asking about it until it was all gone.

Sometimes she really hated living in student dorms. People always felt the need to burst into her room for no reason.

Who even made dorm rooms for high schoolers in the first place??

...

Jason couldn't help but stare at the new recruit.

Well, 'new recruit' wasn't exactly accurate. 'Potential to be the most headache-inducing supervillain' was more like it. Standing at a solid 5'10" with platform boots, Brambles, the newest crime lord who had taken over half of the Upper East Side in under four months, was almost tall enough to look him in the eye straight on. Which she tried to do anyways, tilting her chin up oh-so-slightly (in that stupid way aristocrats do when they want to look down at you) and glaring at him with open hostility.

Brambles was young, way too young to be in this line of business. At the start of the annual underground crime meeting (yes, they couldn't come up with a better name), she had announced that she was fifteen, went by she/her, and would snap the dick off of anyone who looked at her funny. Most everyone laughed at her, thinking it was an empty threat. Brambles proved it wasn't by sucker-punching a younger lieutenant who tried to get handsy with her five minutes into the meeting.

When the lieutenant's boss protested and threatened a gang war, Brambles had snapped her fingers and summoned what could only be a fucking pit demon from the depths of hell to threaten the man back. The creature looked like a teenager, just like Brambles, at first. But it was...off. The longer you looked, the worse it got.

It wore a draping black cloak that covered most of its body, with the ends turning to mist when it reached the floor. It had a pale, young face and white hair. Its eyes glowed just like Brambles', except they were a toxic green that made Jason's heart skip a beat in fear. The creature was snarling, with a fucking muzzle on it to keep its sharp teeth away from wandering fingers.

With a nod from Brambles, the creature bounded forward and knocked the guy to the floor, its arm elbow-deep into the guy's chest. The dude looked terrified, and a little sick "Would you rather lose a lieutenant or your life?" She had snarled, sounding almost a bit demonic herself. The other boss had backed down without another word, writing off his subordinate as dead and gone.

Instead of killing the guy, however, Brambles simply banished her little guard dog to a corner of the warehouse to play with its new toy in peace.

"Is she allowed to do that?" Someone whispered.

"They weren't unionized, so the Goonion won't say anything." Another answered.

It was the most awkward meeting in the history of the criminal underworld. No one even died since they were all focused on the newcomer.

Jason could feel a headache forming as the meeting came to an end. Brambles was still sitting in her chair. The creature had grown bored of its toy and was leaning against her, sprawled out lazily and barely flicking an ear at the onlookers in acknowledgment. A few people were idling around her, mostly women, trying to talk some big game and get on the kid's good side. Brambles was humoring them, taking tight control of the conversation when they got too prying.

Jason sighed. He knew he'd have to go over and have a talk with the kid, even if it was just for Bruce's files. He hauled himself upwards and stalked over. "Pardon me, ladies and gents, but I'm going to borrow the kiddo here for a moment."

The creature hissed at him, tensed at his approach. Brambles kept a tight grip on the back of its muzzle, keeping it grounded. The other criminals scattered like flies. They were the only two (three?) left in the warehouse within minutes.

Bramble rose to glare at him. "What." She spat. "If you're here to convince me not to get involved with anything, I will set Grim on your ass after lighting it on fire."

The creature, Grim, growled in agreement. The sound echoed strangely like he was hearing it from underwater.

"Relax, I'm not here to do any of that." Jason raised his hands in surrender, immediately abandoning that possible line of thought. "I'm just here to talk business. You're young, and while you don't want to admit it, inexperienced."

"Stop the fancy words, Red Hood." Brambles' eyes glowed again, and she released her hold on Grim's muzzle. "If you want to make a deal, say it to my face. If you're here to dig for information, either ask me or hit the road. I prefer honesty over flower talk, so tell me what you want before I take over your area, too."

Jason bristled. His vision was tinted green as he snapped, "What the fuck is your problem, kid?! I just wanted to make sure you were safe and not being forced to do this. I was even going to offer my support and protection if it was too much! I know you aren't going to stop, but that doesn't mean I want a kid to die just because they got into something they shouldn't and they think their fancy guard dog will always be there to protect them!"

Brambles' eyes stopped glowing, and her stare softened a bit. Grim went deadly still, just floating there, staring at Jason. His heart beat like crazy in his chest. What was he saying? It was all true, but he could've been nicer about it. Dick would've found a way to be nicer.

-krrrk- "Ibis, reporting in. I think you can trust him, guys. Even if he's a Bat, his connections and experience would be useful in our plans. Ibis out." -krrrk-

Jason flinched from the sudden noise, looking around to find the source. It sounded like it had come from everywhere, even inside his own helmet. Brambles immediately switched out her hostile look for an annoyed one, tapping an earpiece he hadn't noticed before.

"Ibis, you really have to stop opening up our comm lines to the public." She snapped, but there was no real heat to it. "And I thought I told you to stop eavesdropping!"

-krrrk- "Sorry, can't help it. I'm everywhere now! You shouldn't have given me this power." -krrrk-

Grim hissed.

-krrrk- "Don't hiss at me, young man! You were the one who suggested this!" -krrrk-

"I'm sorry, time out!" Jason made a T with his hands. The green from his vision had completely disappeared now. "What the FUCK is going on now?"

Brambles sighed, rubbing her temples. "You know what? Fine. We'll trust you. My name is Sam. Nice to meet you, Jason Todd."

Jason stepped back, immediately reaching for his gun. Grim darted forward and promptly flew through him, stealing all his weapons in one go. "I'm Danny!" Grim-Danny?-chirped in a human voice, giving him a shit-eating smile. "Sorry for the act, Mr. Hood. And sorry about the name drop, I'm the one that told them."

-krrrk- "I'm Tucker! There are more of us, but they're busy. I have literally so many questions for you, Mr. Hood." -krrrk-

"Now that introductions are over-Danny don't eat his smoke bombs, you're not gonna look like Dorathea-we'd like your help."

Jason squinted at them. "You understand this is all suspicious as fuck, right? And how did a pit demon find out who I am?"

-krrrk- "Yeah, we know. But lives are on the line here, and I think you'd really be a help!" -krrrk-

Brambles-Sam-sighed and pulled out a flash drive. "I was going to use this as leverage, but I guess it'll have to be useful in other ways." She tossed it to Jason, who numbly caught it. "Look over it if you want. If you don't, then just burn it. Do not try to plug it into the Batcomputer. Don't try to send it to the Batcomputer, either. A virus will target that specific IP address as soon as it makes contact. Any other computer is fine."

"Look it over, and we can go from there," Danny added, spinning in midair while chomping on one of Jason's knives. (His good one, too!) "And I'm not a pit demon, but I am dead. That's how I knew about you. Whatever brought you back to life gave the Realms a real headache for a while. It wasn't hard to look you up in the records."

"This is so much information. Lives are on the line? And two, three kids are dealing with it? By becoming crime bosses?"

-krrrk- "Technically, Sam's the only crime boss here. And that was kind of an accident. She was supposed to create a safe foothold in Gotham in case we needed to evacuate our town. But we all got cool nicknames out of it! And you're the only adult we've told this stuff to!" -krrrk-

"I'm what?"

"The only adult." Sam's unwavering gaze seemed to pierce his soul. "There are quite literally no other adults that can help, Red Hood. None that we trust, not really. Any adult intervention needs to be planned carefully so it doesn't backfire on us. We're trusting you here, Jason. Not only are you like us, which technically puts you in danger too, but you have power and connections to support a whole town of people the government wants to eradicate."

Jason looked at the little green flash drive in his hand. He didn't want to ask. "And this...?"

"A fruit basket," Sam said simply. "Originally, it was supposed to be blackmail. But instead, this is a present to show our goodwill and faith. To show you our skills. That drive contains information on other gangs, upcoming rogue attacks, chemical breakdowns of Joker Venom and Fear Gas, unfinished antidote formulas, etc. Tucker and his team scoured the underbelly of Gotham and gathered dirt on every single prominent figurehead. Including Bruce Wayne, should you choose to use it."

"I would never-"

"But you've thought about it." Danny cut in and scratched his neck. Jason's hands shook. "It's not a bad thing. It's just the nature of the dead. Wanting to right the wrongs left over from their time with the living. Even if you walk and breathe now, that doesn't mean desire disappears."

"The point is, we need help. Even if I'm loathe to admit it." Sam rolled her eyes, and suddenly, Jason didn't see a potential supervillain in the making. He saw a teenager trying her best, shouldering the responsibility of hundreds of people, both in Gotham and her hometown. Danny looked the same, no matter how other-worldly he was. What battles were they facing? Why weren't there any adults to turn to? What kind of lives were they leading if they immediately trusted a known crime lord with their lives upon the first meeting?

"I'll think about it." Jason finally said. Danny trilled in excitement, and some tension bled out of Sam's shoulders. "If the situation is bad enough, however, I'm calling in someone else for help."

Danny shrugged. "As long as it ain't Batman! I don't think he'll appreciate us smuggling a town of liminals into his city."

Sam poked Danny's shoulder, prompting him to look at her. "Let's go, before you break his brain with more info-dumping. Bye Red Hood!"

"Uh, yeah. Goodbye!" Jason stuttered. He watched the two kids walk towards the exit door, before shimmering out of sight before they even touched the handle.

What the fuck.

[satoshy12]

The Dragon's mercenary

Deadstroke x Dorathea

Dora had already spent a few days in the Human world when Ser Phantom told her she could leave whenever she wanted to see the human world. Which she did as she left the Ghost Zone; it had truly changed since she was alive.

While on her travels, she found a wounded Ser Phantom! Only after she took care of the boy and healed him up did she notice it wasn't Danny. But a boy who just looks like Danny Well, she worked on him and healed him; later, Deathstroke found his wounded son, and Respawn stopped his father from attacking his savior; without her help, he would have died.

Slade stopped to try to attack her, talked with her, and led her to his base so she could take care of Respawn there.

After a few months, Danny left to search for Dora; he feared something could have happened to her. As he heard, she didn't return to the Ghost Zone. While it's true she can turn into a dragon and all that, it's better to save her than not.

He found her now a mother and wife?

Respawn saw why the woman thought he was him; they look basically the same. Slade saw what had confused Dora, and Dora is happy that James Wilson will now have friends.

+

Once again, a short time later, it was Rose who saw her father in Jump City. Her dad was playing family! And she has a new stepmother, it seems. He seem to have separated private from job.

[snackleggg]

Duel

~~~

Fright Knight has a crush

~~~

Despite his intimidating look, the Fright Knight was not a particularly malevolent ghost. Sure he had the terrifying power of sending someone to a dimension full of their worst nightmares. Did he used to be the right hand man to the tyrant Pariah Dark? Yes. Was he his right hand man willingly? Not exactly.

When it came down to it Fright Knight was a lot of things. A fighter. A total theater kid. A ghost that lived by chivalry. But he was not malevolent.

So while he may have been scary Fright Knight never went out of his way to terrorise unless to was to get back at someone (like a certain teenager stealing his sword). He was generally docile and approachable for a good chat.

But never ask him for advice.

First rule about interacting with the Fright Knight is to never ask him for advice. Of any kind.

Because his answer will always be, without a doubt "Duel"

Especially with relationship advice.

And then one day the unthinkable happened. The Fright Knight had a crush. He had falled for another ghost.

And of course everyone knew what he was going to do about it.

"Princess Dorathea of the Kingdom of Mattingly! I challenge you to a duel!" He announced loudly, drawing his sword and pointing it at the dragonic princess.

And then she accepted.

She accepted.

Her servants and subjects tried to persuade her to not humor him but the determined glint in her eye let them know she was already dead set on this.

The day came, the duel was to take place in a field not far outside her kingdom.

The Fright Knight stood on one end. His infamous horse Nightmare a few paces behind him eating some grass. Dorathea stood at the other end, an impressive and well maintained sword in her grip.

There was no one else on the field, despite her subjects insisting she have someone else accompany her, she had sent them all away. It was unconventional neither had their Seconds (unless Nightmare counted) but they did not care.

There was a pause before the duel started. Despite Fright Knight's advantage of strength and size, Dora also had an advantage, speed. Her smaller stature and lack of heavy armor made her more agile and adaptive. Both seemed surprised the other evenly matched them. When one striked the other blocked. From far away it would've looked more like a dance than a battle. The two moving fluidly with eachother as they fought.

Finally though Dora got a hit to Fright Knight's knee and he fell. When he looked up he saw Dora holding the sword to his throat, a smirk on her lips.

"I win Sir Fright Knight" She said.

"Indeed it seems you have" Fright Knight wanted to comment on how great a feat that was, on how he was surprised by her agility and battle prowess but he was cut off before he could even get another word out.

"You're a good opponent but your movements are too stiff and closed. Maybe sometime you could come by my kingdom and I could show you how you could make improvements to your stance?" She said as she moved to sheath her sword. Fright Knight stumbled upwards quickly now that he wasn't held at sword point.

"Y-Yes I would very much appreciate that" He managed to keep his voice steady. Dora gave him a smile before going "Then it's a date!" And leaving without another word.

For once Fright Knight's automatic response of challenging someone to a duel actually ended with the desired affect.

He stayed frozen with shock in that field for 2 hours before Nightmare nudged him home.

[playedcrowd5610]

Danny Phantom Head Canons Part 3

This is part 3 of my Danny Phantom head canons!  I hope you enjoy! ^^

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

41. The ghosts call earth the Human Zone.

42. Ember and Kitty are best friends and often hang out together in the human world, going to a coffee shop or just to the park when they want to get away from the boys.  

43. All ghosts can eat if they want, but normal ghosts don’t need to eat anything at all, but if they are really drained of energy they can get a little boost from eating food.  

44. Ghosts absorb the ambient ectoplasm in the ghost zone, and if they are in the Human Zone they need to stick around an ectoplasm or portal rich area to keep their form intact for long periods of time.  But if they are far away from ectoplasm they will start to fade and become less powerful until they get back to the Ghost Zone.

45. Ghosts that have haunts in the human zone that are in low ectoplasm rich areas and can’t get back to the Ghost Zone will become really faded and almost transparent, able to do less and less stuff as time goes on.  That would explain the original ghost sightings of ghosts that would sometimes roam through houses floating and saying nothing while fading out of visibility.  Danny can sometimes catch these ghosts and bring them back to the Ghost Zone to recharge their core and get a more stable form.

46. Danny’s claws can wrip holes into the ghost zone, similar to Wulf.  But it does take a lot out of him when he does that.  

47. Danny has started to make ice Daggers using his core, he is learning from Kitty and she likes to show him the tips and tricks for knife fighting.  He has gotten a great hand on it.  And sometimes uses it to threaten people by holding it to their necks, which is something Kitty taught him.  But if he is low on time he will just create a sharp icicle to throw at someone, often landing above their head.

48. Princess Dorathea has much more control over her dragon form than someone else who would use the pendant as she has had way more practice with it.  She can have a conversation in her dragon form with someone and choose her decisions clearly.  But when she is in her dragon form she is also much more defensive and territorial.  She can also transform back into her core form at will if she is calm enough.

49. Sam often goes into the Ghost Zone to hang out with Princess Dora at her kingdom, they have become close friends and Dora refers to her as Lady Sam.  

50. Sam has been trying to get Dora to go goth, but the princess prefers her normal clothing, but she is willing to try time and again.  

51. After clockwork saved Danny and changed the timeline is is now tasked to being Danny’s guardian and is now incharge of his actions, if Danny does something wrong, either Clockwork gets in trouble or he has to destroy Danny.  Witch he always finds a way around. ;)

52. Youngblood’s guardian is his parrot Cyberious, he will always be around young blood and is tasked with taking care of him, even if he is less powerful than the young ghost. He is a great mentor.

53. Cujo and Pandora’s dog Cerberous play sometimes, even if Cerberus is much bigger.  When the three headed dog gets annoyed by Cujo's playing he will hold up Cujo in his puppy form and bring him back to Danny before going back to Pandora’s palace.

54. Danny as well as most of the other frequently seen ghosts were invited to Box Lunch’s baby shower.  There were no fights during the party. 

55. Box lunch and Youngblood play a lot, but Box lunch gets jealous of the fact that young blood gets to go to the human zone often.  When she can only go with her parents.  Danny often explains to her that Youngblood is technically 30 years older than her and she is only 4 months old, even if they look the same age.

56. Danny often likes to sit on Skulker’s shoulder just to annoy him, Skulker always threatens to kill Danny when he does that but never really does anything.

57. On Danny’s death day, Skulker gave him a hand crafted ecto dagger telling him that it would be unfair of him to fight an unarmed opponent, to which Phantom replied that he could beat him with one hand behind his back.  Skulker didn't say anything and flew away. Danny always keeps the Dagger on him.

58. Danny has a fear of electricity because of the way he died, and Technus is very careful to never use an electricity blast on Phantom, only ever energy beams or other weapons.  As he respects Phantom’s fear of his death, that all ghosts have.

59. To bug Sam, every time they see Aragon or mention him they always say, hey look Sam, it's your ex finance.

60. Sam likes to kick the boys in the shins with her steel toe boots when they are being especially annoying.  But Danny is in his phantom form, he will change his legs into a tail and say, you can kick me in the shin’s if I don't have any.  And in retaliation she will always kick tucker twice.

This was part 3 of some of my DP head cannons.  Please tell me if you want to see more, and what you thought of them. <3

And also, what are some of your own Danny phantom head canons?  I would love to hear about them!

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

[kimera20]

Dannymay 2021!

Also in FF and AO3

Wings

“Are you ready for your first lesson?” Princess Dorathea asked with enthusiasm.

“I think so” Danny answered nervously.

“Alright. First, transform” Dora said and Danny obeyed.

While transforming Danny reflected on how he got into that situation. It had happened with one of Prince Aragon escapades to Amity Park to fight him, the dragon prince couldn't accept defeat and because Dora had way more experience fighting like a dragon, because of her own escapades looking for a ball and getting into fights with aggressive ghosts, he decided to take his angeron Phantom. In the last fight Danny somehow ended up with the dragon necklace in his possession, allowing him to transform into a dragon, he accidentally did because of the annoyance he felt towards the prince and defeated him easily.

After giving Dora her brother and the necklace Danny went home to finally relax after the tiring fight, reminiscing of the day he thought that being a dragon was only temporary or only with the help of the collar. He was wrong. Three days later Danny transformed into a dragon again while chasing the Box Ghost, the halfa was surprised and worried at his new form, he was even a different dragon that the one the collar made him change before. Now he was all black instead of purple, his horns and claws were like white crystals and his wings membranes were transparent, it made him look like he had skeleton wings. After changing back to his more humanoid form Danny decided to ask for help from Dora, this situation reminded him of the time he had somehow absorbed Vortex’s weather powers.

Dora was excited by the news, apparently sentient ghost dragons were not common and having another one was a happy surprise. After some days reading through old scrolls and books in Dora’s library, they had discovered that dragon shifting was a power gained if the dragon necklace found the bearer worthy. Danny didn't know why that weird artifact considered choosing him but after seeing Dora so happy he wasn't going to object besides, being a dragon was cool.

“To fly as a dragon you have to know how to move your wings correctly, otherwise it would cause you to turn into the wrong direction or fall from the sky” Dora’s explanation brought him back to the lesson.

“Wouldn't it be easier to fly like a ghost?” Danny asked, he only knew how to fly without wings.

“It helps with the take of and the landing, but it's not much help when we are flying. You will see how faster proper wing flight is, besides the better control it gives us” Dora said.

“Oh! I get it” Danny nodded, apparently there was a difference in the flight between winged and not winged ghosts.

“Very well. Now, try to copy my movements” Dora said before launching them into the fly practise.

After a few hours Danny made his way back home, not before scheduling more flying lessons with the princess. She had been right, he could move better and faster when using his wings, he wasn't very good yet but he couldn't wait to be able to fly like Dora, her demonstrations were awesome and Danny wanted to try them himself, when he had better coordinations with his new limbs.

[pitch-pearl-void]

The Consort’s Circlet

Danny set the heel of his palms beneath the circlet and pushed upward at the same time he lowered his head. He made a low hissing noise when, instead of sliding cleanly off his head, the circlet glowed, burned, and squeezed his head all the tighter. The jewel nestled in the center of his forehead burned hotter than it had previously, becoming less like a warmed washcloth and more like a sun heated rock. He gasped in pain.

Princess Dorethea grabbed his wrists and pulled his hands away. "Stop this, my lord!"

"You stop it," Danny snapped back, tearing his wrists free. He backed away from the ghost until his back crashed against a wall. His hand went to his hip, reaching for a blaster that wasn't there. Instead his hand grasped uselessly at the rope they had tied around his waist to pull his new tunic against his sides. He gritted his teeth, feeling his face flush. "And give me back my clothes. Guys don't wear tights anymore, you can't just dress me up whatever way you please."

Dorathea sniffed and smoothed her hands down her dress. "I assure you, in this kingdom men do wear 'tights,' as you put it. Are they uncomfortable, my lord?"

Mulishly, Danny muttered, "No..."

"Then stop whining!"

Danny stuck his tongue out. Dorathea bristled, teeth bared, and Danny quickly dropped into a fighting stance he had practiced and used against ghosts for a little over two years, legs bent at the knee, feet flat on the floor, his arms raised in front of his chest. Annoyingly, the tights were as easy to move in as the jumpsuit his parents had made him. He almost welcomed the incoming fight, but unfortunately, Dorathea calmed herself, once more smoothing her hands down her dress.

"This is getting us nowhere," she said, her eyes closed. "You are to shortly become my brother's consort--"

"As if!" Danny shouted, not for the first time. "I'm not marrying a ghost, damn it! Just because you spooks have some sort of ghost hunter fetish--"

"You do not have a choice in the matter!" For a moment, it looked as if Dorathea's eyes were changing, but the moment passed as she once again began petting her dress. "My brother has chosen you as his consort. It is an honor and you should treat it as such." Danny snorted and she glared at him. "This...barbaric behavior is most unbecoming, my lord."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, I don't know what you expected after kidnapping someone. Especially someone who fights ghosts every day. I'm not in the habit of rolling over."

Dorathea sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead, brushing against her own circlet. A smaller one, Danny noted, and one without a garish, creepy eye-like stone in the center. Danny moved cautiously away from her, toward a window in the stonework.

"I told him this was a bad idea," she moaned, sounding as though she was speaking more to herself, "I told him humans had moved beyond our rules and would not obey simply because he commanded it. I especially warned him about you and your kin. Foolish. Humans who can fight ghosts are the most dangerous of them all, but the moment my brother saw you defeat the warriors he had sent to distract your town's defender, he would not be swayed. I have lost count of the number of times he has demanded to watch the recording I took of you in battle."

Danny shuddered, his skin crawling. "I had help. It wasn't just me. Phantom was there too." He rubbed at the circlet, wincing as the stone burned. "We work together most of the time. Why isn't he here? Why me?"

Not that Danny wanted Phantom trapped in this predicament in his stead--

He hissed in pain and pushed at the circlet to no avail. "Phantom defeated the Ghost King almost single-handedly. He's powerful, brave, funny--" Tears sprang to his eyes as it felt like the stone was trying to burn its way to his brain. "--Damn it! Look, I just do what my parents taught me! If you ghosts are really infatuated with power over beauty, why is Prince Asshole trying to force this crap on me instead of marrying, like, Ember or something?"

"You have defeated Miss Ember in the past," Dorathea pointed out. "Numerous times."

"Yeah, with help! Phantom's!"

"Yes, and you regularly compete with Phantom in what you apparently regard as..." She raised an eyebrow. "Sparring?"

Danny felt his cheeks warming and hoped it was in response to the circlet's burning touch and not the fluttering sensation in his stomach. "It's practice," he muttered. "He's helping me get better."

"It is flirting, my lord," Dorathea corrected, "borderline foreplay. If strength is such a huge factor in how we ghosts find each other attractive, then what do you suppose it means when Phantom challenges you in mock battle so that you might test his strength while he witnesses yours?"

Danny's face was definitely flushing now. He spluttered and saw Dorathea's expression soften into something more girlish and, dare he think it, affectionate, before Danny had to slap his hands over his face in a weak attempt to hide. "Don't tell me that," he whined. "Oh my god, he's been flirting?"

"For some years it would seem," Dorathea agreed, amused. She sighed. "Not that it matters, now, of course. He waited too long, and now my brother has snatched you from beneath his nose."

Danny pushed his hands upward, tugged at the burning circlet once more before he moved his hands into his hair, pushing his bangs off his sweating forehead. It felt like his scalp was on fire. "Just because you guys caught me," he growled, irritated as pain traveled down his neck and along his spine, "doesn't mean you can keep me. Just wait. I'll get out of here yet."

Dorathea looked at him sadly. "I'm afraid it is not that simple. Your circlet...it is..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes narrowed as she stared at him. More specifically, at his now visible forehead. "My lord, is your circlet burning?"

"Uh, yeah?" Danny taped a finger against the graceful, silver wires twining in a circle around his head, winced, and jerked his hand away. "It started a little while ago. I figured it was a 'ghost and human can't mix' thing."

Dorathea's eyes widened. "No," she said. "The circlet was made with a human in mind, it is perfectly safe, but it should not be activating. Not so soon."

"Oh wow." Danny braced his back against the wall again. He was almost to the window--Dorathea didn't seem concerned about that for whatever reason--but the fire was spreading from his spine to his limbs and the cool stones offered some small relief. "You guys are trying to kill me, aren't you?"

"Not kill," Dorathea huffed, sounding disgusted by the idea. "What use is claiming a human bride only to kill him? No, my lord, it is meant to bring you closer to my brother."

Danny squinted at her, suspicious. "Closer?"

"Emotionally. Like a true consort."

"That's never going to happen," Danny growled. Actually growled. He blinked and touched his throat where the rumbling noise was still coming from.

Danny's skin crawled with revulsion. He had met Aragon, briefly. When he had spoken to Danny it was as if he thought Danny was already his possession, a mute servant who would obey his command. He had sounded so smug. If Danny hadn't been so dazed and on the edge of unconsciousness from whatever warping portal they had used to transport him deep into the Ghost Zone, he would have decked the so-called prince just on principle. 

Dorathea smiled sadly. "And yet it is working already if the circlet is activating."

Danny swore violently. He tried to push the circlet off again, but it was hot. He barely felt it on his forehead anymore, but it burned his hands. He hissed, frustrated, and the noise sounded as beastial as the growl.

"It is strange, though," Dorathea said thoughtfully.

"What is?" Danny spat, his voice like gravel. 

"You only recently met my brother. In theory, the circlet should keep you bound to the castle until you learn to love him, at which point the circlet would activate and allow you to assume our second form yourself. It's responding far too soon."

Danny squinted an eye open to glare at her. "Your circlet thing must be broken then because the only thing I feel toward him is the desire to rip his damn throat out!" He shouted the last part, the words barely discernible over the growl shaking his chest. 

A roar.

Dorathea's eyes widened, her eyebrows shooting up in alarm. Danny was pleased to finally see her take his anger seriously, even if he was losing his humanity to do it. 

However, before he could feel too smug, Dora's lips curled into a smug smile of her own. "Would you now..." she whispered.

Alarm bells began clanging in the towers above them. Human and ghost rushed to the window, but Danny was closer and reached the sill before Dorathea. He searched the odd, cloud-filled skies for whatever had spooked the sentries until Dorathea slid beneath his arm and shoved her shoulder against his ribs, forcing him to retreat to the left side of the windowsill. 

"Not very lady-like," he grunted.

She sniffed. "As if you have grounds to criticize me."

A black shape shot past their window, cutting their bickering short. It flew farther up and then away from their tower. Danny sucked in a breath. A dragon. A gigantic black dragon. It roared, spewing bright blue flames, and Danny mentally amended, A gigantic black ghost dragon that breathes fire.

It didn't bother flapping its wings but it soared upward all the same, flashing a purple belly and a spiked tail at those below. Was it attacking the kingdom? It was flying the wrong way if it was.

"What kind of kingdom keeps a dragon as a pet?" Danny asked, incredulous.

Dorathea choked beside him.

"You dare challenge ME?" Aragon's voice boomed from above them. From the dragon's throat, specifically.

"Oh..." Danny said weakly. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me. Aragon is the--He turns into a dragon?!"

"There is a reason he has ruled our realm for so long," Dorathea agreed sadly. "In this form, his second form, he is much too powerful for anyone to challenge. Even me." She touched her necklace. "Though I too have a dragon form..."

Danny eyed her warily. He inched closer to the wall, allowing Dorathea more space at the window. "Makes sense," he said archly. "You being a dragon..."

She favored him with a cool glance. 

If she meant to reply--and Danny really hoped she did because he had a snarky quip lined up--the door to Danny's new room banged open. Two voices yelled out in sync, and Danny spun around, recognition already splitting his face into a grin. Sam and Tucker burst into the room. Sam, dressed as a knight, pointed her drawn sword at Dorathea while Tucker pulled back on a bow, an arrow primed and aimed at the princess as well. 

"Unhand our friend, you fiend!" Sam ordered. "And stop looking so cute while you're at it!"

"Yeah!" Tucker chorused. Then, "Wait..."

"Sam! Tucker!" Danny took a step toward them, but Dorathea suddenly grabbed his wrist. It was the first time she had touched him, and he gawked at her a couple seconds before trying to yank his arm away. "What are you doing, let--ow, ow, ow! Gees!"

For such a dainty-looking girl, her grip was hard enough to bruise.

Or break, Danny thought, wincing one eye shut. 

"Let him go!" Sam charged at them, sword raised.

Dorathea jerked on Danny's wrist, and he stumbled to the side, inbetween her and Sam. Dorathea's arm latched around his shoulders, pinning him to her chest. She raised a hand to his throat and five pinpricks dug into the skin around his windpipe. Danny swallowed. He couldn't see it, but he had a bad feeling Dorathea's hand had just grown some talons. 

Sam lowered her sword and held up her free hand. 

"Oh shit," Tucker said. 

Beside Danny's ear, Dorathea leaned in to whisper, "If those two are here then who do you think my brother is chasing outside?"

A cold sense of dread pooled in Danny's stomach. "What are you--"

"Think, my lord. These two humans couldn't have arrived here, in the Ghost Zone, without assistance. Not when my brother posted sentries at the gate, not when our kingdom is so well hidden. So who did Aragon change into a dragon to chase into the skies?"

Danny's eyes widened. He barely managed to breathe, "Phantom..." before the circlet began sending fire down his spine again. He cried out and tried to reach for his head, but Dorathea's arm obstructed his own and the hand at his throat warned him against struggling. 

"What are you doing to him?!" Tucker yelled. 

Dorathea ignored him and brought her lips to the cartilage of Danny's ear. "Phantom has come to rescue you, my lord. He is using himself as bait while these two free you from the castle."

"No," Danny groaned, the word more a guttural growl than spoken.

"Yes. See for yourself." 

Dorathea released Danny's neck and grabbed his chin instead, her claws digging into the sensitive skin of his face. She forced his head to turn toward the window, and Danny pried his eyes open despite the pain urging him to shut the world out. It was difficult to focus at first, but a bright green beam caught his eyes and stole every one of his thoughts. Small as Phantom was from this distance, his brilliant glow, the brightness of his white hair, stood out starkly against the angry gray-green clouds.

The sight of him made Danny's breath catch, his skin burn.

"My brother will destroy him," Dorathea continued, her tone cold, merciless. "He will burn his body to ash."

"No!"

"There is nothing you can do, locked in this tower." Dorathea taped a claw to his chin. "As so many before, your only duty now is to watch two men fight over you. Galling, isn't it? To feel so helpless while the one you love is slaughtered before your eyes."

"Sam!" Tucker cried. "His eyes--"

"I can see it, Tucker!" Sam snapped. 

Danny struggled in Dorathea's iron grip, but as before her strength kept him from breaking free. "Let go of me!" he snarled. His gaze never left the two ghosts battling in the sky above. Phantom was quicker, more agile, but a lucky strike from Aragon knocked him to the ground, and Danny growled, teeth clenched. 

"Phantom is no match for my brother," Dorathea continued. "He has defeated many enemies this way. Now that he has him on the ground, he will crush him, burn him. He will--"

Aragon pinned Phantom to the ground and reared back his head.

Phantom could feel his form condensing beneath Aragon's limb--never a good sign. Ghost bodies were incredibly adaptable, but Aragon had Phantom's core trapped beneath his oversized paw, and the bastard knew it. Phantom could see it in the way Aragon had pulled back his lips in a parody of a human smile.

"No!" Danny roared.

----------------

He means to kill me, Phantom thought somewhat frantically. 

It was such an extreme reaction to a little bit of trespassing, especially from a ruler of a kingdom. Those sorts usually encouraged trespassing so they could steal the unwary into their realm and never let them leave. Even Phantom's attack--such as it was--should have been more of a nuisance than something Aragon took personally. 

But Aragon was crushing Phantom beneath his foot. He was rearing back his head. Flames were gathering around his maw.

What had Phantom done? 

Phantom was the one who should be angry enough to kill, not Aragon. Aragon had stolen his friend, dang it. 

Phantom struggled uselessly beneath the dragon's paw. He couldn't even make a sarcastic comment with his chest crushed. He couldn't yell for help from Sam or Tucker either, of course, but priorities were priorities, and he wanted to go out having wounded Aragon's pride badly enough that the bastard would feel it for years.

At least Sam and Tucker made it into the castle...

Something crashed into Aragon. The prince, fully as big as Fenton Works, stumbled to the side, each step he took sending tremors through the ground, but none so much as the shake that shook the ground as a second set of clawed paws landed on either side of Phantom. 

Phantom turned onto his side and curled inward, pulling his knees to his chest as ribs and organs reformed into the familiar shape Phantom had learned via the portal accident. It wasn't agony, he didn't register any pain, but it was...discomforting. As soon as his lungs finished reshaping, Phantom gasped in a breath, expanding his chest in a sudden burst. His lungs inflated and shoved the other still forming organs and bones to slot into their proper alignment. 

He hated that feeling...

"What is the meaning of this?" Aragon shouted, outraged. "Why would you--"

The second dragon--Phantom was fairly sure it was a dragon--roared at Aragon, interrupting the prince in a rude manner Phantom would have highly approved of had he not screamed and clamped his hands over his suddenly ringing ears. He rolled onto his back and stared up--up--up--at the dragon above him. 

Like Aragon, its scales were predominately black, but unlike the prince the underbelly was a bright blue, and the black-scaled arms on either side of Phantom shone an iridescent blue, highlighted by Phantom's glow. It had poised its front arms, its chest, directly over Phantom, making it nearly impossible for Aragon to reach Phantom without crossing those bared teeth first. Phantom assumed it simply a coincidence of the way the dragon had landed after shoving Aragon aside, but then he saw movement from the corner of his eye and turned his head. A tail, tipped with black hair--fur?--wavered up and down, ready to strike a blow on their left side if Aragon tried to strike from the flank.

Even that could have been a coincidence had Phantom not seen the tip of a wing, its underside colored a bright blue, dip down before rising again, proving that the dragon's wings were outstretched, mantled over them like a bird protecting its kill.

Phantom tilted his head further back, scraping the crown of his skull along the dirt until he could see the dragon's head on the end of a long, sinuous neck as it swayed left to right, fangs bared at Aragon.

The new dragon growled, and a voice Phantom never expected to come from the dragon's throat yelled, "I won't let you hurt him!"

Phantom's jaw dropped. "Danny?" he croaked. He rolled onto his stomach, wincing only slightly, and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. "Danny, you can't just turn into a dragon--it took me weeks just to get this form right! Do you realize how long it will take me to match a dragon?"

Humans were just so insistent on their shapes matching. Danny was never going to consider Phantom mate material if he couldn't become a dragon. Personally, Phantom didn't have a problem with it. If Danny wanted to be a dragon, so be it. Phantom would love him no matter what shape or size.

But would Danny accept Phantom? It was already hard enough convincing him to look past the ghost/human thing, how was Phantom going to convince a gorgeous, overly large and powerful dragon to give him a fair chance?

Maybe...if Phantom could get the shape right...it would take some time...and he couldn't attain the correct size immediately, but Phantom could replicate Danny's shape again--with his own coloring, of course--so that he became a dragon the size of a human. Then, if he could convince Danny to stay in the Ghost Zone, he could steadily grow until he matched Danny in size again. It would take a while...but if Danny wanted a dragon as a mate then, hell, Phantom would become a dragon.

... Oh.

Phantom floated onto his feet and glared at the prince who had stolen Danny from him. Aragon was already a dragon. He could be a humanoid ghost or a dragon at will, but there had to be a trick to it. After all, Danny had only become a dragon after being taken by Aragon. And now Aragon was a dragon, Danny was a dragon, and Phantom, who had spent two amazing years as Danny's friend with little hope of becoming more due to the whole "enemies" thing, was the one on the outside.

Phantom willed ecto-energy to his hands. "That is so not on." He floated up to Danny's draconic head and whispered, "You attack, I'll defend?" It was a strategy they had used before on difficult opponents, guarding one another's backs. Phantom was especially good at it. 

Aragon hadn't taken Danny to spite Phantom or to convince Danny to become his knight. He had taken Danny in order to make Danny his, uncaring about Danny's feelings on the matter. 

Danny growled. 

"I hope that means you agree," Phantom said. "I'm not sure how much control a human has over a ghost form like this. Can you even understand me...?"

Danny's large head swung over to Phantom and nudged against him. At first Phantom squawked, swaying, but then he braced himself against Danny's pushing and realized Danny was rubbing his cheek against him. Nuzzling? 

Phantom cancelled the ecto-energy in his hands and laid a hesitant palm against Danny's scaled hide. Even through the gloves of the jumpsuit Phantom had copied and inverted from Danny's hunter suit, he could feel the pebbled scales, the heat radiating from Danny, so much stronger and hotter than Danny's normal body heat. Phantom scratched his fingers over the scales and looked up at Danny's eye. 

There was a faint white-blue glow that hadn't been there before, an oval pupil expanding into a more familiar circle as Danny stared back at him, but it looked like Danny's eye--felt like Danny's eye. The same dusty blue iris, the same responding burn in Phantom's chest whenever he met that gaze. 

The eye half closed and Danny nudged Phantom a little harder. The growl softened into a soft rumble. Phantom grinned. He still wasn't sure if Danny understood him or not, but he seemed to recognize him at least. 

"No," Aragon hissed. Phantom and Danny swung their attention back to their enemy. Danny's growl sharpened, matched by a responding growl in Aragon. The dragon prince roared, "I will not be bested by him."

Phantom willed energy into his hands again. "Gee, Danny, what did you do to him?"

Aragon's burning red eyes shifted to him, ferocity and hatred clear in that gaze. 

"What did I do to him?" Phantom corrected, uncertain. 

Instead of answering, Danny lunged at Aragon. It was a foolish, bullheaded, very Danny-like thing of him to do, charge in without a thought like that, but Phantom sighed and flew after him. Phantom would fight as he always had, at Danny's side, following his lead. 

But hopefully this fight would end with Danny returning to his true human form. Dragon Danny was awe-inspiring to look at, but Phantom had gotten more than a little attached to the one that smiled...

[the-clari-net]

Princess in a Castle (Tie Me Down So You Can Wear Your Crown)

Also on AO3

Princess Dorathea doesn’t remember much from her time alive. She knows some things. She knows that she and her brother were inseparable growing up. She knows that she used to spend a lot of time alone reading while alive as the princess. She knows that because she was the youngest her mother favored her less than her brother (no matter how discrete she tried to be).

She knew that no matter what her family thought of her, she was tasked with holding and keeping part of her family’s legacy alive. To protect one half of their family heirloom with her life if necessary.

Dorathea was told that she was not allowed to take off her amulet, not even to bathe. She remembers finding it odd that the chain never rusted, especially since the chain itself was incredibly light and didn’t weigh much, unlike gold.

The memories and knowledge Princess Dorathea kept from her time spent alive were few. Once she became a ghost, she tried to protect her memories and guard them from ever escaping her mind. She has seen the ghosts who have forgotten and sees the hollowness and desperation in their eyes to find a Purpose, a sense of who they were to understand who they are meant to be.

She swore to do whatever it took to protect herself from becoming “single-minded” as she liked to phrase it. The back of her mind countered her phrasing, hissing a single word that was embedded in her core which she knew was the true title of what she feared to have. An Obsession.

Dorathea has seen this phenomenon spread all across Aragon’s Kingdom. Memories fade, and over time the strongest emotions and core parts of a ghost’s essence take center stage. Sometimes, it depicts something harmless, as it has with her ladies in waiting who shower her with care and affection beyond the grave. While sometimes their caring nature could become overbearing, the princess for the most part enjoyed her time spent with the ladies.

Most of the time the shift in demeanor is not as pleasant. Take her brother Aragon for example. She didn’t see much of her brother by the time the kingdom fell to ruin due to him taking over the throne and being too busy to spend time with his sister. They were distant, but even so, Dorathea knew that there was a familial love and bond between them somewhere. In their final moments, as they both burned and died alongside their people, Dorathea reached for her brother’s hand and he squeezed back so hard that she felt her bones creak while the rest of their bodies were engulfed in flames.

There was a sense of common ground when they both first entered the Ghost Zone. The siblings realized that the amulets that they had been wearing during their final moments brought about an incredible ability in their new afterlife. Aragon was ready to work hard, to be stronger, and to be more powerful so as not to disgrace his people again. He began to spend more time training his ghostly abilities, forcing his dragon form to last for longer periods of time.

At first, Dorathea was proud of her brother’s perceived noble actions at the time. However, things changed once the sky darkened, and a new inescapable Dark Age was born.

Dorathea realized too late the shift in her brother, her mother, and the people in the kingdom. The layer of malice that coated their words and actions, the fading of shared memories of their time before this realm, and finally the loss of their identity. There was no recollection of past bonds, no memory of the land they once knew as home. Not even Dorathea, try as she might, could remember the name of her homeland. The only name she knows is one that has been accepted and recognized by the people, as well as their leader. Aragon’s Kingdom.

To see her people fall victim once again, it reminded the princess of painful memories from her last moments alive. Those memories, so close to her demise, drowned her core in grief and sorrow for being unable to protect and prevent her people from being hurt again. She was helpless to change the outcome, yet she wishes she could do more.

Once the Dark Age had settled in the realm, Dorathea understood how rare it was that she hadn’t succumbed to losing as much of her past as the people around her.

Her mother very early on had become more cruel in her time over this realm. What used to be slight disdain had escalated to controlling, bullying, and finally hatred. The words she would spit at her daughter at first would make Dorathea run to her tower and sob for what felt like days. It wasn’t long before her brother joined in on the cruelty. His words hurt her more than anything. She remembered that as a human Aragon had always been stoic, yet his eyes shone with softness when he saw her. Unfortunately, since Aragon had mastered the power of the amulet, his bright red eyes were frigid and hard. There was a coldness that emanated from her brother that she knows (hopes) it cannot be real.

“That’s not how ghosts change, you know that this realm only enhances attributes, it does not have the ability to create a person anew,” her head whispers. Dorathea had pushed that thought from her mind when she first saw her brother after seeing the malicious glint in his gaze.

However, that was long ago at the beginning of Prince Aragon’s rule of the realm. The princess learned how to act and behave to avoid the majority of her brother and mother’s wrath. The words thrown at her ( useless, pathetic, a waste ) no longer felt like a physical stab wound. The effect her family had on her never fully went away, but it was more of a twitch to her core. After spending what felt like centuries in this realm, the princess understood that whatever bond and love was shared in their human lives has long disintegrated along with their corpses.

She is loyal to her brother, but not out of any real love. Not anymore. The bond that chains her to her brother is the connection that the amulets share.

Those damned amulets.

Dorathea treasures her memories and emotions more than the amulet that has followed her into the afterlife. She wears it out of habit, at least that’s what she says.

To be honest, she doesn’t ever recall having tried taking it off. Something about doing so feels as if she is admitting defeat. It feels wrong. As if she would lose more of herself than she already has.

Perhaps it is because it was the most important task given to her while she was human. When Father passed, he had instructed that Aragon and Dorathea be given the amulets to wear until the next generation of the royal line could take them. Neither of the siblings understood why Father urged that the jewelry be protected at all costs. Even now, Dorathea is not quite sure what Father knew. Any possible secret behind the amulets disappeared along with the King’s final breath.

The point is that Dorathea adapted to her new environment. She learned how to act and behave in the realm, and has survived. But she’s tired. Each new day has her feeling as if a chip of her existence evaporates every time she looks outside and sees the infinitely dark and cloudy sky.  

Dorathea wonders if she will ever feel whole again.

***

Recently there have been whispers from the people in the kingdom.

The border between the Ghost Zone and the human world is thinning.

A portal is forming from the humans’ side. It feels unnatural.

There is tittering from the ladies in waiting, there’s unease, yet also a buzz of energy surrounding the kingdom.

Dorathea feels it too.

It has been a long time since a portal has opened in such close proximity to their realm to be able to feel it this strongly. The last time it had happened, Dorathea created an elaborate scheme that allowed her to escape into the human world, if only for a bit.

She knew the dangers of natural portals. The instability, the real risk of being stuck in the human realm and unable to return for an indefinite amount of time. Yet, she had gone.

Dorathea ended up in the kingdom of Mali, and it was a memory that she looks back on quite fondly. However, due to certain social mishaps, Dorathea learned quickly that the human world had changed quite a lot and it would not help to enter the human realm naive. Since her last adventure, the princess has spent much of her time meeting with the Ghost Writer (she’s unsure how he manages to enter their realm given the “safety” protocols the prince has) and absorbing any information that he is able to bring to her. Most of the time, they’re fictional stories that transport her to new worlds and adventures. They’re bittersweet to read, but the envy fades quickly once a new curious piece of technology or slang appears. When the Ghost Writer comes back to pick up her book, a list of questions spew forth and he gladly answers all her questions.

With the appearance of the new portal, Dorathea is determined to leave again. With the way this human-made portal is operating, it feels to be in one location, and constantly open.

Aragon is in the midst of planning a ball. It’s not so much a ball as it is an excuse for the kingdom’s subjects to bask in Aragon’s power and pretend to enjoy the music that to Dorathea’s ears makes her crave a second death.

The princess knows that the human realm would have a better ball (nowadays called dances, according to Ghost Writer) than anything her brother has hosted. Between the preparation and everyone’s wariness about upsetting Prince Aragon, it was painfully easy for Dorathea to escape towards the portal despite her mother’s words against doing so.

Touching the portal felt nothing like the natural one she had passed through before. This one felt as if her body wanted to simultaneously split and compress. The immense pressure hit her immediately from all different directions, pushing and pulling on different parts of her body. She felt parts of her involuntarily distort. Her legs merged into a tail without her control, an undetectable wind was blowing against her face and hair. There was static in the air that felt like tiny needles poking at her body. The space was screaming into her head.

Wrong, unnatural, LEAVE!

Still, Dorathea pushed on and forced herself to keep moving forward despite the strain it was putting on her body. The only part of her that felt steady was the amulet across her chest. She felt it tugging her towards a direction, which she blindly followed hoping that it would lead her to the other end of the portal. This feels nothing like the last portal I had taken, Dorathea thought to herself.

After what felt like eons, she passed through to the other side.

She collapsed onto the ground, slightly dazed at the intense strain that this portal had placed on her body. Just how strong was this portal? Dorathea made herself invisible, worried about what the powerful and terrifying human beings who managed to create this portal would be like.

She was lucky to notice that the space was empty. Things looked odd here, very metallic and cold. It felt almost like a dungeon. There were glass beakers everywhere, an odd box with a shiny black surface on one side of the box was in the corner of the room. When she saw a green residue on one of the far tables of the room, she concluded that her initial impression wasn’t that far off. The princess decided to avoid the strange box as she looked for an escape. Dorathea saw a staircase that looked to lead up towards the upper levels of this... whatever this place was. Whatever she’s read and learned from the Ghost Writer and his books did not prepare her enough for this strange space. Actually, she’s unsure how long it has been since she came into the human realm.

That doesn’t matter. We came here to find a ball, and a ball is what we shall find, Dorathea reminded herself.

Until she could find a ball to attend, she would remain invisible. Her amulet will protect her, (it might be a chain tethering her to her brother, but is still powerful and allows her to present more human traits) but it would be best to err on the side of caution. After all, she does not want any unnecessary trouble from the humans who created this portal.

Princess Dorathea’s core thrums in excitement, and in her high spirits, she begins to quietly hum to an old tune that has been lost to time and memory to the living and undead worlds. A tune Father had taught her and although she had forgotten the lyrics long ago, the melody plays in her head crystal clear.

She hopes that this new experience will bring memories worth keeping.

[five-rivers]

the Chains of Kings

Okay, I'm going to admit, this one is a little weird. I was sort of experimenting with a distant third-person perspective.  (There’s just a smidge of body horror.)

Phic Phight, prompt by @fabnamessuggestedbytumbler.

.

.

If the Ghost Zone had a secret, it was this: Pariah Dark had been asleep when he was crowned.

He'd had a good reason to rage.

.

It was coronation day.

Phantom laid in his bed in the human world, asleep. Dead to the world, but not quite. It was Nocturne's duty, in this whole affair, to keep him that way until everything was over, and even Phantom's great power and stubbornness cannot reverse what has been done.

The old ghost leaned over the younger one, painting a sleep into his mind so deep that he slumbered even in his dreams.

The third ghost in the room, Clockwork, Master of Time, stepped forward. Gently, with a paternal air, he picked Phantom up, cradling his limp form against his chest.

Phantom deserved what little kindness they could give him.

Clockwork opened a swirling blue portal with a flick of his hand and stepped through, Nocturne following soon after. The room they entered was much larger and more crowded. The windows were high, the ceilings vaulted, the walls hung with tapestries embroidered with tales that had never been told by human tongues. Green light filled the room, cast by floating balls of fire.

The people in the room all had two things in common. They were ghosts and they were leaders. From Clockwork, who ruled time itself and lead the council of Ancients, to Fright Knight, the first and most loyal knight of the Ghost King and King of Fear in his own right, to Princess Dorathea and Prince Aragon of Mattingly, who each had their own supporters when it came to who should rule, to Frostbite, Chief of the Far Frozen, to Pandora, to Mab, to Surtr, to the Yellow King, to the Lady of Ys, to the very least of those ghosts who could claim a crown or throne, no matter how humble, they all were there.

In the center of the room there was a throne. It stood high on a dais and was surrounded by chains.

Clockwork carried Phantom to the throne and set him down, careful not to let him fall to one side or the other. Almost at once, a dozen petty dwarf kings leaped forward, and seized upon the chains. They crossed back and forth in front of Phantom, binding him firmly to the throne, shackling his ankles and wrists.

Undergrowth, Mab, and all the other ghosts who claimed any sort of mastery over plants stepped forward, sowing seeds on the steps of the dais. The seeds grew, roots curling over the stone, woody sprouts snaking upwards, towards Phantom. The vines wrapped around the chains and limbs, binding him again.

The dragon prince and princess came to the edge of the dais with all the others who could command fire. The princess's eyes sparkled faintly, but no one commented as they bound the sleeping child with fire.

And so it was with ice and water and lightning and even the air itself.

Pandora came forward with a box she had once buried deep beneath the maze surrounding her home. She eased back the lid, and the burdens of kingship she had stolen from Pariah dark so long ago scurried out of the box and settled heavily on Phantom's shoulders, though they could hardly be seen beneath all the other fetters looped around him. She stepped back.

Fright Knight stepped forward, sword bare. Even the hardest of ghosts cringed at what they knew was coming, bracing themselves. Fright Knight knelt, briefly, before the dais, then, standing, climbed it to stand before the throne. No one could see his expression as he raised his sword. No one wanted to.

He drove the sword forward, piercing Phantom's heart and core all at once.

Phantom flinched and shed his human skin. His hair went white and his skin darkened as a suggestion of electric scaring brushed over it. His aura flickered softly, enticingly. His clothing, a set of space patterned pajamas, did not change.

Were they human, the assembled leaders would have held their breath. They were not, so they didn't. Even so, the stillness that fell over the room was more than supernatural and did not fade until all present were satisfied that Phantom would stay asleep.

All eyes turned to Clockwork. He had not participated in Pariah Dark's coronation, symbolically giving him a way out. Time will not bind you, he had said. In time you shall be free.

But, now, the Master of Time drifted forward, tail streaming into mist behind him. He bent to cup the side of Phantom's face with one hand.

"I am sorry, Daniel," he whispered, giving voice to the only words that had been spoken since he entered. "This is the way things are meant to be." He pressed a kiss to Phantom's forehead and, at the same time, sketched a strange symbol in the air with his staff. Phantom and the symbol both glowed blue for half of one of Phantom's ever-slowing heartbeats.

Clockwork floated back, off the dais, and turned to face the doors. The crowd parted, and the doors opened.

The ghosts that entered were not leaders, they claimed no crown, but they fancied themselves judges. They fancied themselves righteous and fair and brave and a whole host of other things as well, most of which did not apply. But they were judges, and they did have the duty of crowning kings.

Each gazed at their future King with one baleful eye. The Observants were not pleased with the current state of affairs, but even they could not resist the old laws, and so they carried the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage.

Both artifacts burned with so much power that the nearest rulers subtly backed away.

The Observants flew forward and circled Phantom three times before one darted forward and roughly pushed the Ring of Rage onto his finger. The crown-bearer took that as his cue, and shoved the crown into the space above Phantom's head. Then all the Observants fled the room, the great doors slamming shut behind them.

The auras of the crown and ring began to flare brighter and brighter. Their light reflected beautifully off of the tears running down Phantom's face.

The ancient artifacts began to melt. To drip. Where the molten metal touched Phantom's skin it burned and scarred. In his sleep, the young ghost twisted against his bonds.

No one moved to help him, though a few, Frostbite of the Far Frozen included, clenched their hands until their claws drew ectoplasm and the thick liquid left puddles on the floor.

They waited.

At long last, the metal that had once been crown and ring began to cool and reform, crystallizing into new shapes for the new High King of All Ghosts. The ring became a simple silver band. The crown tangled itself in Phantom's hair, growing thorns and icy flowers, one silvery branch looping down to curl in the eye that had been burned away by a particularly large droplet of molten metal.

Only then did the assembled ghosts move. Each ruler took back their binding, whispering oaths of fealty and obedience that they hoped desperately would never be called on, and left.

Soon, the only ghosts in the room were Clockwork, Nocturne, Fright Knight, and High King Phantom. Fright Knight pulled free his sword, cleaned, and sheathed it before moving to stand behind the throne. Nocturne glanced at Clockwork, shook his horned head, and took back his sleep, leaving Phantom to a more natural unconsciousness, before sweeping away.

Clockwork waited.

Free of his bindings, Phantom curled in on himself protectively, drawing his legs up onto the throne and trembling.

Slowly, a change seemed to spread out from Phantom. The throne, all harsh edges, dark green stone, and severe lines, paled, rounded, curved, until its aspect was more like that of carved crystal or ice, and it almost seemed to cradle Phantom.

The change did not stop at the throne. It inched out, a little wave of alterations with each of Phantom's heartbeats, with each thrum of his icy core. It crept across the floor, and the walls, and the tapestries, cleaning them, repairing them where they had been damaged. The colors became brighter, more varied, the ever-present murk and dust of Pariah's reign swept away. The tall windows were filled with stained glass, and the light in the room took on a rainbow hue. The very air seemed to clear.

Above the palace, the sky become marbled with shades of blue. In all corners of the Ghost Zone, the lands shattered by Pariah Dark felt a faint but irresistible tug, a tug that would only grow stronger with time, a call to return to what they once were, to heal, and to become even more, even greater than they had been. Barren places stirred with the first beginnings of new unlife. Old ruins restored themselves. Ghosts everywhere looked up, aggression, rage, fading, for what was for some the first time in their existences, replaced with something softer but no less insistent.

In the chaotic and lawless wastes not far from the palace, a scar known as the Fenton Portal healed over. A similar wound, poorly hidden by a large football, also disappeared. The fabric of the Infinite Realms knit back together around its new and precious king and smoothed itself, all the thin spots repaired.

With the thing that had split him gone and the power of the Zone itself inside him, Phantom changed as well, though not as much. His two halves slowly, inexorably, began to mix together. Black streaks bloomed in his hair until it was as much black as white. His scars darkened, and his skin paled. When he finally stirred and his one remaining eye fluttered open, it was a shifting, shimmering swirl of Earthly blue and ghostly green, not unlike the new sky.

"Clockwork?" said the king, and even muddied with pain and confusion, his voice was clearer and more compelling than it had been when he had last spoken. "What's going on? Where am I?"

"We are in your palace," answered Clockwork.

"I don't have a palace," said Phantom. He reached up toward his missing eye, and flinched when he encountered the cold metal of the crown. "I- I don't understand." But he did understand. How could he not? He was bound to Infinite Realms, and they to him. He could feel them, under his skin. "Why- Why did you do this?" he asked. "Why me?"

"Because," said Clockwork, "you are a good person."

"There are other good people," said Phantom, pressing himself into the back of his throne. Behind him, Fright Knight stood at the ready, prepared to cut down any ghost who caused his king undue distress. "Good people who would be better kings. Or queens."

"You are a good person," repeated Clockwork, "and you might one day forgive us for this." He bowed deeply to the child king. "You might give us a second chance."

Phantom noticed the ring. He swallowed. "I can't go home, can I?"

"You will never be able to leave the Ghost Zone. Such is the curse of kings."

"I hate you," said Phantom. He pulled at the silver ring on his finger. It did not come off.

Clockwork straightened, and looked at Phantom with something like pity. "No, you don't."

"I hate you," repeated Phantom. He choked back a sob, but could no longer hold back his tears. "Don't leave me," he ordered.

"Never."

[echoghost1]

The Paleontologist and The Princess

Word Count: 2218

For: @aggressivelyclueless

Summary: Danny had one true passion; Paleontology. So can anyone really blame him for getting excited when he thinks he comes face to face with a dinosaur? Even if it isn't a dinosaur after all.

You can read it on AO3 or down below the cut

"Actually, Dad? I wanted to be a paleontologist." Danny admitted as he tried not to squirm in his seat. Sitting this close to the portal felt weird.

It felt like all his hairs were standing on end and that he’d jumped into an ice-cold pool at the same time.

“You know, dinosaurs?”

Just because both of their fields involved dead things, didn’t mean he was at all interested in ghosts. The closest he wanted to be to death was the bones of the ancient creatures who used to roam the earth, not the spooky floating scary things that went bump in the night.

His dad prattled on about the inventions that might not even work. Completely ignoring him, as per usual.

Of course, ever since Danny had got the portal to work last month, his parents had decided that meant he was their lucky charm and he needed to be around when they turned on any and all of their inventions from now on.

He hated it.

Mostly because they were right and everything just worked better, or at all, with him around. Probably because the inventions kept picking him up as a ghost.

Somehow his parents just kept thinking it was a fluke. That he only had some minor contamination and it would wear off eventually.

He was pretty sure that wasn’t true.

Especially given how he had fallen through his bed this morning and had gotten his hand stuck inside his doorhandle when it had partially phased through and then resolidified before he could pull it back out.

That had hurt.

He flexed his hand at the memory and really just wanted all of this ghost nonsense to go away.

================================================

It had been almost two months since his accident and his powers had only gotten stronger. They definitely weren’t going away anytime soon.

Although, he was starting to see the silver lining now. With his abilities, he could explore underground areas and discover fossils and specimens that no one could reach before without disturbing a thing. That was definitely a positive with such ancient and delicate things hidden deep within the earth. It was like they were waiting just for him.

So now whenever his parents called him down to the lab to show off their newest invention he’d just think about how cool and easy spelunking would be with the perks of ghost powers.

“Hey, Danny! Want to try out the Fenton Fisher?”

“Fenton Fisher?” he echoed looking from his dad’s fisherman get-up to the open portal.

“Yeah! I figured fishing and hunting aren’t too far off and I already enjoy the sport anyway. Might as well combine it with my work, am I right?”

Danny just chuckled and shook his head. You couldn’t say his dad wasn’t creative.

“Here, hold this. I’ve gotta go!” his dad said as he jumped up from his seat, pressed the fishing pole into Danny’s chest, and raced up the stairs.

Danny readjusted his grip on the pole and stared into the portal. The swirling green was somehow both super off-putting and oddly inviting.

He wasn’t sure which thought was worse.

Before he could truly think that over, Danny gasped as his ghost sense went off, “Oh no,” there was a tug on the line

The line went taut and he felt the vibration and tug of something very large.

Without enough time to react, Danny just stood there, in the open lab completely exposed, as two large clawed feet stomped out of the portal. Then a large reptilian head emerged from the vortex. Its glowing blue scales shining brightly more from the light the creature produced than from the shine of the scales as they reflected the lights of the lab.

Danny blinked at the massive creature before him. He hardly reacted at all when it spit out the hook onto his head and snarled at him.

All he could think was that there was something that looks suspiciously like someone had mixed a Tyrannosaurus Rex with a Triceratops in his basement. Or at least, the ones depicted in movies anyway.

There was a real-life dinosaur in his basement. Or a real ghost dinosaur anyway.

He didn’t know dinosaurs could be ghosts. Or that ghosts could be dinosaurs?

He couldn’t suppress the manic grin spreading across his face as the beautiful creature snorted hot breath through its nose at him.

He was so going to die.

If Jurassic Park taught him anything it was that being eaten by a dinosaur was the S-tier death.

The creature took another step forward revealing that it had large leathery wings sprouting from its back.

“You’re a dragon!?”

Forget being dino-chow, dragons were way cooler!

The dragon tilted its head at him. Like it could understand him.

It could understand him!

“Hi. You’re amazing! Did you know that?” Danny said full of awe and wonder as he dropped the fishing pole and just took in the absolute beauty of the literal dragon before him.

The dragon’s features went from confusion to surprise and suddenly instead of a dragon, there was a girl.

She wore a blue dress that went down to almost the floor, or it would have touched the floor if not for the fact that she was floating a good foot above it.

Her blonde hair was done in a braid and her bright red eyes looked over him with a mix of confusion and apprehension, “You do not fear me?” she asked with an accent that reminded him of that old Shakespeare movie Mr. Lancer had played in class two weeks ago. The movie was so old that it was only on VHS.

He shook his head, “Why would I?”

“But I’m a cursed beast.” she implored almost as if she wanted him to be afraid of her.

“Well, who told you that?”

“My step-mother.”

“That wasn’t very nice of her.”

The ghost girl looked away, “she rarely spares me any kind words.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Still,” Danny took a step forward but stopped when she took one back, “If you want to talk about it, I’m all ears.”

If he didn’t have to fight he would gladly take that option. Fighting was exhausting and he always ended up getting knocked into a wall or something and his back was not at all enjoying the experience.

“You really wish to hear of my troubles? You don’t even know me?”

“That’s an easy fix,” he smiled, “I’m Danny, what’s your name?”

“Princess Dorathea of Mattingly,” she replied as she cautiously took his offered hand and just stared at their clasped hands as he initiated the handshake.

“Wow, I’ve never met a Princess before.” he chuckled as he let her hand go, “Or a dragon, but before today I figured my chances of meeting royalty were a bit higher despite not living in England.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Danny.” she curtsied and he scrambled to give a quick little bow back. “I do apologize for appearing here when I was so distraught. I do try to keep my temper in check, but sometimes it gets the better of me.” she clutched the amulet on her neck as her gaze went nowhere in particular, “But such is the curse.”

“You turn into a dragon when you’re upset?” Danny asked hoping he was interpreting what she was saying correctly. This fancy English was a bit difficult for him to translate.

“Yes.” she dropped the golden amulet back onto her chest, “But you are the only person outside of my family that does not fear the sight of my enraged form. Why is that?”

“Dragons are cool?”

She cocked her head to the side, “Cool?”

That was right, she spoke fancy English, she probably didn’t use modern slang. “Neat? Uh, awesome?”

“Do you find my other form more appealing?” she asked and her pupils flashed momentarily into reptilian slits.

“No, no! Both forms are great! You look pretty either way.” he said in a rush as he realized his earlier eagerness to die had left and he very much did not want to die in his basement.

Again?

“You think I’m pretty?” she asked as she blushed.

He blushed too because he’d never just said that to a girl before. Even if he had thought it. “Yeah.”

“That’s awfully forward of you.”

“Sorry! I don’t normally say stuff like that.” He wasn’t even sure why he had in the first place. “I just, uh, weren’t you upset about something?”

He grimaced at just how terrible of a transition that was.

“Oh right. Honestly, I shouldn’t have gotten so upset.”

“It’s okay to be upset about things.”

“Not if your me. Not if your anger makes you dangerous. And all over a silly ball.”

“Ball?”

“Yes, there was this wonderful ball I wanted to go to but my horrible stepmother forbade me to go.”

“Ah, I see she’s really trying for the Mother of the Year award.”

Dorathea just stared at him.

“Sorry. Sarcasm doesn't always work. My bad.”

“It’s quite alright. I just didn’t realize it was a joke at first. I think I get it.” She thought for a second and then smiled, “Yes. It’s funny because she’s terrible?”

“Yeah! It’s ironic.” he shrugged, “I really like puns and wordplay. Sarcasm is like my default setting.”

“There’s nothing wrong with using one’s wit. ‘Tis better to disarm thy enemy with a quick tongue than a hidden dagger.”

“Well ain’t that the truth!” he said with a smirk and a finger gun. Then he quickly dropped the finger gun, because it was both, kind of lame, and also she probably didn’t know what that gesture meant anyway.

He had a feeling that the Princess wasn’t just wearing that outfit because she was into vintage fashion.

“So a ball is like a dance, right?”

“Yes, there is dancing, and food too.”

“How come your step-mom said no to the ball? Besides just being the worst.”

“I had no escort. But it’s all moot now. The ball was ages ago. I’ve long since missed my chance to go.”

“There’s a dance at my school this Friday. It’s not the same, but-” he was cut off when she gasped.

“Are you asking me to go with you?”

Was he? “Yeah? I mean if you think she’ll let you. I don’t want to get you in trouble or anything.”

“Tell me everything!”

He walked over to the chair his Dad had previously occupied and pulled out a flyer from his backpack, “Everything you need to know is on here!” he said handing over the page.

She beamed in excitement and hugged the paper tightly. “Oh, I can’t wait! Thank you so much for this Danny!”

“Meet you here at 6?”

“It’s a date!” Then she flew off back into the portal.

================================================

The next morning Danny walked up to his friends and attempted to show off his best smile.

“What have you done this time?” Sam deadpanned before he even had a chance to get a word in.

“What makes you think I did anything?”

“No one enters this building with a smile that big. Now spill.”

“I,” he hesitated, “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“But you did do something, didn’t you,” Tucker added.

Who’s side was this guy on?

“I just have some news.”

His friends just stared at him.

He may be half-ghost but they certainly could give him the spooks, or Sam could anyway.

“You know how there’s a dance this Friday?” he started, hoping if he just came in real gentle they would be super understanding and not laugh in his face.

“Go on,” Sam said as Tucker looked between the two as if expecting a showdown.

“Well I got a date and I think it would be really neat if you guys came too so you could meet her.”

He smiled again and tried not to think about how much it felt like a grimace.

“Wait, when did this happen?” Tucker asked at the same time that Sam glared harder.

“Who is she?”

“Dora? She’s not from around here. I think she’s British?” he put a finger to his lip in thought, “Or at least I think that’s where she’s from. I didn’t ask, but she’s got the accent.”

“When did you meet a potential British girl?”

“Last night.”

“I thought you went home after school?”

“I did. That’s where I met her.”

“You meet a girl and immediately asked her to the dance?”

“Was she wearing a Land Before Time shirt or something?”

“No!”

How dare his friends think he was shallow enough to only ask a girl out if she happened to be into one of the best-animated movie series ever made. Although he probably would, now that he’s thinking about it.

“So what is it about her that’s so mesmerizing?”

“I didn’t say that! She was just upset because she missed this big dance a while back and I just invited her to ours to cheer her up. Plus she’s really nice.”

“And?” Tucker asked knowing him far too well.

“And she has this nasty little habit of turning into a giant dragon when she’s upset.”

His friends just stared at him.

“Also she’s a Princess.” he bit his lip and finally added, “and a ghost.”

[hybrid-phantom-archived]

Halfas vs Full Ghosts!

Headcanon Time Again!

I just have so many, I’m sorry. I’ve been like making my own theories on halfa biology for like a year and a half now and I must share

Headcanon under the read more

So, ghosts are blobs of post-human consciousness. Maddie lobs this insult at Danny in ghost form during Public Enemies, and seeing as she has her doctorate in ecto science, we can assume that it’s an accurate summary for full ghosts.

(Or at least, ghosts that are born from death in the human world. There are ghosts in the Ghost Zone born of the deaths of other things, or freeforming ectoplasm merging together to create new life, another headcanon for another day and all that)

Anyway.

Ghost are made from dead people in some way, shape or form. No duh genius, unlike a certain someone we all know that ghosts are the souls of dead things. That’s how it works.

But, even if it is the soul, how much of that post-human consciousness has retained it’s humanity? I suppose it’d dependent on what the obsession the soul is clinging to, and how powerful the original human conscious was in terms of sheer force of will.

So, to make a long summary short, the more humanity a ghost retained from life, the more powerful it is.

An example? Ember. She’s a humanoid looking ghost with strong memories about how she died, and the circumstances leading up to her death. She wrote her hit single based on that, after all, and with her overwhelming amount of power, she can mind control humans.

Spectra is another example. Being a therapist in life gives her the potential and intelligence to absorb enough mental energy to become as powerful as she is, and she becomes more humanoid the more powerful she gets.

Desiree? Has the power to grant any wish she hears, has a humanoid form and a confirmed human identity.

Dorathea has a powerful amulet that lets her turn into a dragon. She has a confirmed human life, and it can be assumed her brother Aragon was also human. Both are very powerful. See what I’m getting at?

Following that logic, Halfas like Danny and Vlad are broken as hell.

They’re still half human after all. Their soul is still being altered by their humanity, even if only sightly due to the nature of them having obsessions.

Ghost powers are formed through mental command. A ghost’s humanity affects the way it thinks, manifesting new powers based on what they feel they want. With limited memory and lacking humanity, a ghost can only think in ways revolving around the obsession.

Halfas, on the other hand, have a core and a brain. They can think a diverse amount more different things, and whatever they want to happen, will happen, as long as their core has the energy to compensate.

Danny pulling bullshit new powers out of his backside to win a fight? That’s his mental command reaching his core to give him a power he hadn’t thought of yet. Ectoblasts, ice powers, the like.

We’ve also seen his powers react to his mental state back when he had no control. One of first scenes in Mystery Meat has Danny turn invisible when the Fenton Finder is on him, because his core reacted to the mental command of not wanting to be seen in that moment.

When the Lunch Lady fights him, the mental command to not want to be hit reacts with his intangibility and form manipulation, allowing him to phase through and bend around attacks.

As long as Danny can think it, it can happen. So yeah, halfas are broken as hell. Luckily, he’s a bit too focused on trying to be normal to actually realize he can do this, so new powers are always an unconscious thought.

[ladylynse]

Explorations: [FF | AO3] The invitation to join the quest—or hunt or whatever—in the Ghost Zone was only the start of it, but with Sam and Tucker by his side, Danny figured everything would be fine—especially when the ghosts were obligated to play nice. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the Ghost Zone itself is harmless….

For @whosvladagain, for winning one of my follower giveaway prizes. They asked for some friendship between the trio hanging out and exploring the Ghost Zone. This...was not supposed to be this long, so the other prizes will not be this long, but the story got away on me a bit. A preview is found below; you can find the full fic on one of the fanfic sites I’m on (linked at the top and bottom of this post for ease of reading). 

-|-

“Dude, what’s that supposed to be? It looks official.”

Danny followed Tucker’s finger and saw the faintly glowing envelope sticking out of his backpack. The empty hallway meant they could talk freely, but he just shrugged and yanked his backpack out of his locker. “I dunno. I haven’t opened it yet. I found it this morning, but—”

“But you were already late because of the Box Ghost,” Sam interrupted. “We know. We saw. So open it now.”

Danny pulled a face and closed his locker door instead. “What if this is something that just sucks us into the Ghost Zone? I haven’t been pranked in a while. I’m kinda due.”

Sam rolled her eyes and reached for the envelope, plucking it out of his still-open backpack. “It’s Friday. School’s over. We can take that risk.” She flipped the envelope over, her eyebrows climbing when she saw the wax seal on the back. “Fancy.” She slipped a finger into the corner and slid it along the flap, breaking the seal at its centre. Nothing bad happened.

Nothing bad happened when she pulled out the parchment and unfolded it, either.

“What is it?” Danny asked, leaning over to look when Sam didn’t immediately answer.

“It’s…a challenge,” she said.

“A what? What kind of challenge?”

“This isn’t another thing like Pariah Dark, is it? Vlad did not just trick us into something major, did he?” Danny asked. He squinted at the writing—it wasn’t the easiest to read—and then looked to see if there was a signature at the bottom.

There wasn’t.

“I think this is from Dora and Aragon,” Sam said. “Listen, it….” She trailed off, glanced around to make sure the coast was still clear, and then read, “If you wish to find, you must first seek, but the path ahead isn’t for the mild or meek. Come to the castle of the dragon king—”

“Aragon’s not really the king anymore,” Tucker interrupted. “If he ever even was. Didn’t we sort that out when you got kidnapped?”

“—to receive the details for your questing.”

“Is that a challenge or a summons?” Danny asked. “It kinda sounds like a summons.”

“How should I know?” Sam said. “It’s your letter.”

Danny reached out and flipped the envelope back over. “Actually, it’s not addressed to any of us.”

Tucker snorted. “It was in your locker. Even the ghosts know which locker is yours. But I’d put my money on challenge, too. It said if you wish to find, right? As in, if you don’t wish to find, you get to ignore this.”

“Yeah, because that’s worked so well for Danny in the past,” Sam said dryly.

“It just…doesn’t sound like something I’m allowed to refuse is all, even with that,” Danny said. “Which I guess means I should get this over with, since for once I don’t actually have homework. You guys can cover for me if I’m not back by tomorrow, right? I’m usually with you for most of the weekend anyway.”

“Danny, we’re coming with you.” Sam looked at him like she expected him to argue, and even he knew the tightness in her jaw meant she’d have none of it. “If you want someone to cover for you, talk to Jazz. She does it all the time anyway.”

Danny opened his mouth.

“And if you try to say it might be dangerous, that’s why we’re not letting you go by yourself.”

He closed his mouth.

He didn’t really want to argue with that, anyway.

XXXXXX

No one in the Fenton household was home when they got there, so it was easy enough to leave a note for Jazz and steal the Spectre Speeder. Danny sometimes wondered what his parents thought when—if—they noticed its absence. Maybe Jazz always managed to come up with something if they brought it up. Or maybe they always thought the other was responsible and just never asked. He could be that lucky, right?

They took the Spectre Speeder as far as they could—Dora’s kingdom might not be as stuck in time as her brother’s, but some things hadn’t changed—and went the rest of the way on foot.

There were a surprising number of ghosts gathered in the courtyard when they finally arrived, and Danny had the distinct feeling that they were late to whatever this was.

“So you made it after all, whelp,” Skulker muttered to him. “And I see you’ve brought your teammates. You did not choose the hunter girl?”

“Uh. No?”

Skulker laughed. “You will make easy prey.”

That would have been more terrifying coming from someone other than Skulker, but Danny still exchanged glances with Sam and Tucker. Teammates. Did that mean this quest thing was a game? There hadn’t been any official time on the letter—he could have turned up at any time or not at all—so how could this be—?

“Billy Phantom,” a voice drawled behind him. “Did you remember to take a number for your team?”

Danny turned to find Amorpho standing behind him, looking as much himself as he ever had, though Danny had no idea if that was what Amorpho really looked like. “A number?” he repeated.

“I didn’t think so.” Amorpho reached into the breast pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a clipboard that, had he not been a ghost, would have never fit in there. “You and your friends will be Team 43. You get to start when your number is called.”

“Start what?” Sam asked.

“The Holiday Hunt.”

Tucker blinked. “But it’s not Christmas.”

“And the Holiday Hunt won’t coincide with your Christmas unless that happens to be the holiday chosen by the draw.”

“Is this like the truce?” Danny asked. Amorpho had no reason to lie to him, and he’d never heard of this before, so it couldn’t hurt to ask. “This isn’t an annual thing, is it?”

“Princess Dorathea is set on reviving an old tradition,” Amorpho said, and Danny frowned upon realizing Amorpho had no trouble remembering her name. Maybe he just called him Billy on purpose? “The Holiday Hunt hasn’t been held in centuries. But yes, the Truce rules apply.”

“So what holiday is today?”

“Beltane,” Amorpho said, in a tone that made Danny not want to admit he hadn’t heard of it.

“Um.” Tucker held up one finger. “What exactly are we supposed to be hunting?”

Sam looked like she intended to track Dora down and put a stop to the tradition of the Holiday Hunt again, but she contented herself with balling her hands into fists until she had more information. Danny edged slightly away, just in case she didn’t like Amorpho’s answer.

“You’ll find out when your number comes up,” Amorpho said. “If you can figure it out.” He consulted the clipboard again. “You are content with a team of three? You’ll be at a disadvantage.”

“That explains why Skulker asked about Valerie,” Tucker muttered.

“Who else would we work with?” Sam demanded. “You? Skulker? No thanks.”

“Skulker’s on his own team with Ember, Technus, and Youngblood. If you’ll notice, his team was just dispatched.” Amorpho sniffed. “I, like Dora and the Ghost Writer, do not play.”

Danny narrowed his eyes. “Are you really involved in this? Or are you just trying to sow chaos? And isn’t the Ghost Writer locked up?”

“The Truce rules are in effect,” Amorpho repeated, “and helping with the Holiday Hunt has been deemed community service. Are you sure you want me to mark you down as a three-person team?”

“Yes,” Danny and Sam said, but Tucker surprised them with the opposite response.

“What?” he asked when they looked at him. “We don’t know where we’re going. We don’t even have the map. And if we get lost, I’m definitely missing supper, and Mom’s making her special meatloaf.”

“I brought the map,” Sam said. “That’s not the point.”

“Yeah, missing my mom’s meatloaf was the point.”

“That’s not—!”

“Who would you team up with us, if we said we wanted a fourth?” Danny asked. “Who’s not already in a group? Dani’s not here, is she?”

“Dani is already on a team,” Amorpho said. “Your fourth would be someone who is a little less…popular.”

“Dani’s popular?” He hadn’t even known how many of the ghosts knew about her. He wasn’t sure how strong her ties to the Ghost Zone were. To his knowledge, Vlad had never developed something to reliably create portals. Even the Fenton Bazooka just spit out unstable portals, and no ghost would voluntarily use that as a travel method. “Wait, never mind. That doesn’t matter. She’s here? I can talk to her?”

“Her team was among the first to set out. You are welcome to try to find her at the post-Hunt party if you all return.”

“If we—?” Danny broke off, glancing uneasily at the others. “You know what? Yeah, we’ll take that fourth.”

-|-

Keep reading on FF or the AO3. (I’m sorry, but this fic is really too long to be in a single tumblr post; it’s about 9.5 K.) Alternatively, see more fics.

[ghostly-penumbra]

Ectober 2018. Day Three

"Necromancy"

Warning: Dark comedy, murder, gun violence.

People fled the streets of Amity Park as the ghostly dragon of Princess Dorathea roared, thrashed and threw fire everywhere, sometimes shrieking "I want to go to the Ball!".

Amidst the chaos, looking at the destruction with resolve, was Danny Fenton, sided by his two best friends, Sam and Tucker, whom looked at him and, with a solemn nod, ran elbow with elbow towards a dark alley, knowing what they had to do.

"I have to go ghost!" Danny said hurriedly to his friends.

"Don't worry, man, I gotcha..." Said Tucker, grabbing Danny's backpack whilst Sam stood making guard and taking out the small gun his friend had gotten just for this moment.

It hadn't been hard for Danny to get hold of one, it seemed.

He took out the safety, cocked the firearm, and shot his best friend right in the forehead, the noise being drowned by another of Dorathea's roar.

As Danny's body hit the floor with a red hole marking his face, a white ring of light appeared on his waist and split in two, going up and down his body and changing his clothes into a black-and-white HAZMAT suit; his pitch black hair turning pearl white, and his dead blue eyes... dead green eyes.

And soon, Danny Phantom stood without a scratch to show, and launched himself at the dragon, ready to once again save the day.

Sam loved the soul retrival, it was always amazing to go to a spiritual trance and be able to hold her friend's spirit. This was easier for them given that he was a full soul and was just right there.

The moment she held it, Danny's ghost-sona vanished the way he came, his body turning once again the corpse of Fenton; and when she put it back, the wound would heal instantly.

"So, how does it feel to have your brains blown up?" Asked Tucker, passing his backpack to his friend.

"Like a horrible math test, to be honest.

The three of them would laugh, and go get some ammo before heading to the Nasty Burgers.

[sageoftheages]

Danny Phantom headcanons Pre-Phantom: Jack, Maddie, Vlad

1) Vlad’s father ditched his mother while she was pregnant. As he was born out of wedlock, his grandparents didn’t want him. With no support, Vlad grew up poor.

2) Vlad started working towards scholarships in middle school so he could go to college and get a real career.

3) Vlad’s mother overworked herself to support Vlad and grew sick his last year of high school. She died shortly after his graduation. When he was packing away her stuff afterwards, he found her diary. One of the entires talked about being posessed by a bat ghost when she was pregnant. Since she was normally very down to Earth, Vlad believed her and started researching ghosts.

4) Vlad entered college under a chemistry scholarship. He instantly got along with his roommate Jack Fenton, finding him funny and kind. Because Jack grew up in a small town, he was raised to believe in things like ghosts and spirits, and decided to help Vlad. He was Vlad’s first friend.

5) Jack was working towards an engineering degree.

6) Vlad met Maddie in chem class and was smitten instantly. He fell harder after talking to her, but when he talked about ghosts, Maddie scoffed.

7) Noticing her headstrong personality, Vlad challenged to her come with him and Jack on a stake out of a building that had items constantly thrown around mysteriously at night. It turned out to be Princess Dorathea who had lost her dragon amulet and was looking for it. She appeared through the wall they were watching and used a crystal to open a portal. Maddie believed and the three started work on their own portal.

8) Maddie and Vlad cracked the ectoplasm code and created a paper detailing the components. This would earn them both esteem and rewards. Jack designed the portal.

9) It was during their work that Maddie fell for Jack for ironically the same reason Vlad befriended him.

10) Vlad purposfully left the soda next to the ectoplasm believing it would ruin the portal and Jack’s chances with Maddie. After his face full of ectoplasm, he was convinced Jack knew what he did and what the portal would actually do so he could get Vlad out of the way and look like a hero to Maddie.

11) With Vlad gone under quarantine, Jack and Maddie focused on getting their degrees while falling madly in love. They married right out of college.

12) The two found work at Axion Labs, their paranormal work behind them for now. They slowly earned enough money to buy their home and they had Jazz while working there.

13) Danny had been an accident after a celebration for a government project based on ecto-energy - ecto-guns. The two were chosen because of Maddie’s ectoplasm paper. Maddie continued to work even while pregnant despite not being able to wear her protective suit. Danny was born with trace amounts of ectoplasm but nothing life threatening.

14) Between working for Axion and the constant government projects along with their own research on ghosts, Danny and Jazz ended up neglected. Neither parents were happy and tried to shower extra attention whenever they finished a project.

15) When Danny was four, Jack and Maddie had accumulated enough money and credentials to start up Fenton Works. They started selling to the government and left Axion. Even though they worked from home, they busier than ever.

16) It was during this time that they started building a reputation for being weird with their projects being more advertised. Jazz, embarrassed, began to pull away from her family.

17) The two had theorized that ghosts lacked morals and were dangerous so they moved from simple researchers to fighters. Maddie would then teach Danny and Jazz how to fight in her free time. Jazz showed instant prowess, Danny did not.

18) Vlad’s plans and scholarship down the drain after two years of isolation, he went to work at a dairy factory in Wisconson. Falling into mediocrity and strange ghost powers he didn’t understand, Vlad was frustrated. When he learned he might lose his job because of a rival company, Vlad let his frustraion loose by using his powers to steal documents proving unlawful deals and secret recipes of the rival company.

19) Vlad would be promoted for giving his boss the documents. This would inspire Vlad to use his powers to accumulate the power and money that eluded him his entire life.

[kimerarts]

“Look Sam! I did it!” (children practicing magic in the swamp)

Guess who did a new AU!! I did! I call it the Naga!Danny AU cause I can’t think of another name rn

I’ll put all the details I got so far under the link (oh and also 3 extra images cause I was very exited and i draw more hehe)

Takes place in a world where magic is real and humans live in a medieval-victorian like era, mythos (mythological creatures) and some humans can wield magic, humans have more variety in what kind of magic they can use but mythos are more specialized and stronger in their kind of magic. Humans separated the mythos into two categories: Monsters (the dangerous ones or ones that are more likely to attack humans, like werewolves) and benigns (the ones that prefer to be left alone, like centaurs)

Maddie and Jack are monster hunters, this gained them some enemies, one of those enemies is a shadow, a monster without form that is known for their unbreakable curses. In one of their hunts they somehow anger the shadow and it wants revenge, seeing that it couldn't come close enough to the hunters it decides to curse one of the hunters offspring, they had been fool to drag their children to the hunt. the shadow attacked the closer to it but before it could activate the curse completely it was interrupted by the hunters, but it didn’t matter the curse would activate by itself in some time.

The 12 years old Danny Fenton was lucky the shadow didn't completed its curse, his parents were worried for weeks after the incident but at seeing that Danny hadn't changed at all they concluded that the shadow didn't make any curse and that it was only taunting them.

For 2 years Danny felt weird,sometimes he could swore that he had escams in his arms or that his teeth felt a little too sharp, but when he saw himself in the mirror he saw nothing in his reflex and continued with his life.

The Fentons lived in the town of Amity, the town was located near the lake Erie and the Ghoul swap (yes humans aren't very creative with names), the river that feed the lake came from the Frozen mountains in the Kre’k mountain range and continued towards the ocean with the swamp following it, More to the mountains side there was a thick forest where humans could hunt deers, rabbits and was abundant in fruit trees.

The Fenton’s house was separated from the town and was ubicated near the swamp, the volatile experiments of the adults made it clear to the townspeople that it was safest for everyone if their house was far away from the others (fires were a very dangerous thing and nobody would have let them live in the town for fear of one). Even if the Fentons were appreciated for their services they were way too extravagant to have too much respect in the town, not that the Fenton parents care for that.

Maddie and Jack were hunters and inventors, their house was oddly constructed, the main part of the house was constructed with the same bricks as all the houses in the town, though they later added another part in the roof and some other rooms at the sides, the rooms weren't the same size so that the house was very asymmetric and it gave it an odd look to the outsiders, even so Danny loved his house.

Danny, Sam and Tucker were best friends since very young, Tucker was an inventor, though he invented things to make his life easier, Sam was a magic user, she learns everything from her grandma, her favorite magic was the plant and healing kinds, though she knew a little of shadow and fire magic to use in self defense. Magic users were not well seen by the humans because of they could wield magic like the monsters (they conveniently forgot that benigns could do magic too… jerks), so if discovered magic users were treated lower than dirt and were usually enslaved.

Danny learned how to hunt from his parents but he is not interested in killing monsters, he is only willing to kill animal for food and really hates when the other hunters kill for sport (when they kill a deer just for the antlers and leave the body behind), though he is an excellent tracker, he can track any animal or human in land and even the turtles and crocodiles in the swamp, nobody knows how he does it but don't complain when they have turtle to eat. Sam doesn't like that innocent animals are killed but she understands it’s for food (if it was for her she would live of only plants and fruit, but it is not possible in that era)

When Danny reached his 14 bday he was alone in the swamp near his house with only Sam and Tucker as company, his parents had gone to a hunt and would be away for a few days, and his sister was in town teaching to read to the children. The three friends were in search for any fish in the traps that Tucker had built and when the sun was at its highest point danny felt a great pain and screamed, then he passed out.

When Danny woke up his face was in the mud and his legs felt funny, well his everything felt funny, Danny then tried to stand up but for some reason he couldn't and when he saw his “legs” he knew why, he had no legs anymore in its place there was a long muscled snake body covered with black escames, then Danny saw his hands and those were covered with white escames that went as far as his forearm and his fingernails were now small white claws.

Danny then saw his reflection in the dirty water, his hair changed from black to white and his ears were more pointy than before but the thing that was most shocking were his eyes, they were completely green with two vertical slits as pupils. Danny knew that he had transformed somehow into a naga for what his parents told him nagas were one of the most dangerous monsters, nobody knew what kind of magic they were stronger but everybody knew nagas were the most poisonous creatures, their bite was mortal and even their meat and blood wasn't safe to eat for any animal.

When Sam and Tucker called for his name Danny didn't knew what to do, they have seen his transformation and had waited until he woke up to ask him what just happened, Danny told them that he didn't knew and then they agreed to go to Danny's house because maybe his parents have some information in this. Sam and Tucker had to help danny (half dragging him) towards the house (danny doesn't know how to move his snake body yet)

That's how all starts, Danny is now a half monster and after Danny mastered his transformation from human to naga and vice Sam teaches danny some of her shadow magic (they were experimenting what kind of magic Danny can do) and Danny is very good at it, he uses shadows to hide himself, it works better in the night, (this AU version of invisibility) Danny doesn't tell his parents for fear that they will experiment in his naga form and then kill him.

After 2 weeks of Danny transformation monsters start to appear in the town and cause problems in there, Danny Sam and Tucker decided to stop the monsters from causing too much damage to their town and end up saving most of them from the Fenton parents, later Sam teaches Danny fire magic, then Danny can use green fire to attack the most violent monsters (version of ectoblasts)

They later decide that Danny’s naga form should have the name Serpent, it was way better that the name the humans started calling him after someone saw a shadow of him, they were calling him Snaeky (like snake and sneaky fused toegether), Danny hates that name

Because I didn’t want all ghost to be monsters in this AU I made a list (ok 2 lists)

Monsters

-Trollbox: this au version of the box ghost, he is a small troll that likes to do a mess everywhere he goes, mostly for attention, very weak and annoying

-Ember: she is a siren (humanoid creature, only merpeople have fish tails) her blue hair moves from her head like underwater, tho is so bright blue that some humans think is fire, she likes the attention of people when she sings, tho it has a little lure in it that made humans want to approach her and forget what they were doing

-Wulf: lone werewolf, he didn't like his previous pack’s ideology of eating humans and other mythos so he left them, bad side is that he’s hunted by humans, he makes Danny and his friends his new pack and then lives in the forest near Amity

-Nocturne: octopi (half human half octopus… like ursula in the little mermaid), lives in the ocean but like the octopus he can go to land if he wishes, he spacializes in mind magic, visits Amity one night out of curiosity, is neutral with Danny after the encounter

-Frostbite: he and his tribe are yetis (oh wow… shocking -_-... anyway) they live in the frozen mountain and is thanks to their magic over ice and snowstorms that the river that feeds Amity exists, Danny learns ice magic with them

-Pandora: arachni (half human half spider, it made sense with her four arms ok!) she is the queen of the Akr’us empire, they live underground in most of the Kre’k mountain range (that why the name) like canon danny become allies with them at returning a treasure that boxy stole

-Aragon and Dorathea: they are actually dragons that can speak human language, they have a kingdom (more like Aragon ate the king and stayed there as the new king), it’s full of humans but little or almost none mythos, the kingdom is in an islad near the beach where the swamp ends

-Vlad Masters/Plasmius: Vlad kew Maddie and Jack when they were young and he joined in their monster hunts too, in a incident similar at the one Danny had Vlad was cursed to be a half monster too, but he is half vampire so there isn't much he can offer to Danny to leave his father, only safety more information of magic that he could use and acceptance, tho Danny doesn't like his manipulative attitude and refuse. Vampires feed of blood (human or animal, no mythos cause magic does weird thing to their bodies) they have wings that hide them as a cape (yes he’s still the rich manipulative bastard that we all love)

-Vortex: weather spirit, likes to cause electric storms, Danny has to stop him before he creates fires in the town, after confrontation he is convinced to do his storms away from Amity.

-Undergrowth: forest spirit, after a big deforestation he awakes and wants revenge towards the humans, after confrontation he is asured that humans will not desforest more than they need, he then goes back to the forest (he will be busy reforesting)

-Poindexter: weak ghost looking for revenge in his abusers, after misunderstanding becomes friends with Danny

-Amorpho: shapeshifter, likes to prank people, neutral with Danny

-Observants: weird eyeballs with long thin tentacles, they live under the ocean and almost never leave it

-Clockwork: naga,especialized in time magic, (TUE happens as in canon changing some details), becomes teacher of Danny (fuck u vlad!) and kinda father figure

-Dan: mix of naga Danny and vampire Vlad (with the snake half, the wings and Vlad greenish skin), for his thirst of blood he had drank of humans and mythos, the magic in mythos blood make him insane and homicidal- stopped by Danny and erased from the timeline for Clockwork

-Spectra: leech of people's emotions, humanoid with wrinkled skin and pointy teeths she’s very manipulative, enemie of Danny and friends.

-bertrand: shapeshifter, follows Spectra like a puppy

-Cujo: shuck (big black ghostly dog that roams near the coast), he is feared for humans tho he is just a curious creature, becomes friend with Danny roams the swamp near his house, for some reason the Fenton parents never see him

-Hotep ra: mummy that cames to Amity thanks to merchants, wants to rebuild his lost kingdom, manipules Tucker like a puppet, enemie of Danny

-Klemper: ice spirit that is always looking for friends, tho he tends to freeze everything in his path, after becoming friend with Danny he roams the Frozen mountain with his new yeti friends

-Sojourn: air elemental, explorer, can wield lighting like whips to attack or defend himself, good friend with Clockwork and visits him sometimes, becomes a uncle figure to Danny, has way to many stories to share

Humans

-Skulker: monster hunter, wants danny cuase is very rare to even see a naga (duh), is in good terms with Vlad (tho he doesnt know about the half monster thing)

-Technus: inventor of skulker weapons, besides his best friend, extravagant like the Fentons but not interested in hunting

-Johnny and Kitty: horse riders, rebels, after confrontation they are friends with Danny (they adopted him as a little brother, yes they know about the naga thing when Danny tried to stop them for causing too much chaos)

-Walker: runs a prison, tho is very far from Amity, wants to imprison humans and mythos that go against the rules (his rules)

-Freakshow: slaves mythos for his cirqus (monsters and beings), Danny has to be saved by his friends

-Pharia Dark: enemy king, tries to invade the kingdom in where danny lives, Amity is his starting point in conquest, he uses magical artifacts of power created by some mages in his kingdom

-Fright knight: loyal knight (not really) of Pharia Dark, mounts a dark alicorn and has a magic sword, changes his loyalty towards the kingdom that defeated his king

-Desiree: magician slaved by some comerciants, Danny and friends free her and she becomes an allie, she hides in the swamp in a old abandoned house, Danny and friends bring her food and company, she teaches Danny and Sam what she knows of magic

-Dairy king: he is the king of the kingdom in which Amity is, good king doesnt have much enemies, prefers peace and daily products

-Ghost writer: he's known as writer, he teach the kids in the school, his favourite recreation is writing and reading

-Youngblood: little orphan that lives in amity, is friends with Danny since before the incident, they always put pranks in grown ups (probably will get adopted by Desiree)

-Lunch lady: ( have to give her a name!) the best cook of Amity, she’s the head chef in all parties and wants to feed the children, tho she can be scary if they refuse her food

That’s all I have so far, if you guys have any ideas or question u are free to ask (u can also ask in my main blog)

ok now the 3 pictures!!

Naga Danny hissing in anger

Blep with his bifed tounge (also testing the air but still looking adorable)

He grabbed and started to eat a rat like any teen would do with snacks (he still ate the rat, Sam was not pleased and Tucker foud it to funny)

[five-rivers]

I have written the first chapter of the 'Danny Phantom' option of this. Check it out below the cut, or on my AO3 or FFN (linked in pinned post).

As far as December went, this one was a strong contender for Danny's top five most stressful. It's rivals included the time he got hypothermia while picking out a tree, the year all their holiday dinners came to life, their family's turn to host the Fenton Family Festival (from which they were subsequently permanently disinvited), and last year, his first as a half ghost, when Vlad spent an entire month harassing him, even going as far as to make a fake science symposium and put a bounty on his head. Being forced into a Christmas poem by a vengeful ghost was, in hindsight, par for the course.

And it was only the first week.

On the other hand, learning about the Holiday Truce, a whole month of relative peace, was amazing. A boon. An almost literal godsend.

He knew the Truce didn't mean he'd have a ghost-free month. Non-sapient ghosts, which actually made the majority of attacks on Amity Park, wouldn't even know the Truce existed. Amity Park also contained enough peaceful ghosts that Danny had to frequently protect them from ghost hunters.

Speaking of which, Danny wondered why the peaceful ghosts hadn’t told him about the truce. Maybe they thought he already knew?

Maybe he should check in with them when he gets back to Amity Park, and see if his enemies weren’t setting him up for something nasty.

"Hey, Phantom!"

Danny turned to face Poindexter, feeling tired. He wanted to go home, and the party was winding down, but, well, he rather suspected the Argument would have started again at this point.

He should take a page out of Dani's book and go traveling.

Remembering why he'd been in such an exceptionally bad mood this week, even as compared to past Decembers, his soul withered. The last time he'd seen Dani was when school started. He missed her. More importantly, he worried about her. It was winter. It was cold. It was her first Christmas, and she'd be spending it alone.

“Are you going to be at the Children’s Day party?” asked Poindexter. “It’s just, I figured if you didn’t know about this party, you might not know about the others.”

“Yeah,” said Danny. “I have no idea what it is.”

“Er, well…” Poindexter looked around, wringing his hands. “Oh, dear, I’m not the best person to describe it, um. Princess Dorathea?” he called out, flagging down the dragon princess. “Can you help me explain…? Children's Day? You were there last year, weren't you?"

"Yes I was. Sir Phantom, I must apologize. I hadn't even considered that you wouldn't know, but I suppose it's only natural, if you didn't even know about the Truce."

Danny knew it wasn't their intention, but this felt an awful lot like they were rubbing his ignorance in. It wouldn't kill them to get to the point, would it?

No, because they were already dead.

(He internally winced, and told himself to keep that particular bit of wordplay to himself, since it probably constituted some kind of hate speech.)

"Children's Day happens on the 28th of December," said Dora. "It was originally based on a Catholic holiday, Holy Innocents Day, if I recall my masses, but people will take any excuse for a celebration." She smiled. "It's been rather adopted by everyone."

"Okay?"

"It's a party," continued Dora, "for children."

Danny had gotten that much.

"Which includes us," clarified Dora.

"Oh."

"And you," said Poindexter.

"Oh," repeated Danny.

"Why don't you go home to rest, Sir Phantom?" suggested Dora, gently. "I will make sure you get an invitation."

“Right,” said Danny, not at all sure he wanted an invitation. Home sounded… Well. Maybe today’s nonsense would actually leave an impression on his parents.

If not… Well. Danny had coped with it before.

.

The Ghost Writer incident did leave an impression on his parents, in that they were now both convinced that ghosts were impersonating Santa Claus for nefarious purposes (which wasn’t completely untrue, unlike many of his parents’ theories, although it was still, ultimately, wrong). The belief had united them for a short period of time, and it had been like any other time of the year, the two of them against all ghosts. Even, or especially, if the ghosts weren’t doing any harm.

Sadly, before the fated holiday actually hit, their alliance had once more dissolved. Jack had proposed that they try to contact Santa so that the good St. Nick could aid them against the nefarious ghosts who were trying to steal his identity. Maddie had countered with the opinion that Santa had been ghosts all along, ghosts tricking their way into being invited into homes and the hearts of children, because how else could a long-dead saint have such abilities, and things went downhill from there.

It was fine. Danny and Jazz were used to it, although they both wished they weren’t. They’d resolved to just be happy with the reduced ghost attacks and

By the solstice, Danny had all but forgotten about the promised invitation. He’d mentioned it, along with the rest of the truce, to Jazz and his friends, but beyond that he hadn’t really thought about it.

So, when a tiny ghost, a blob with feathery white gold wings that may or may not have been attached to it with a ribbon, delivered a crisp white envelope to him with a chirp, Danny was surprised.

The little blob stayed with him while he opened the letter, curling up between Danny’s thigh and the blankets he had swept aside when his ghost sensed him.

Inside the envelope, the letter was a single, unfolded piece of paper, accompanied by a gold coin. It was printed on thick paper with the same texture as the envelope, but had a festive, vibrant design of reds, greens, golds, blues, whites, and silvers, showcasing trees, rocks, tops, hearts, presents, snowflakes, dice, candles, toys, knives, fire, coins, and candies. It was very chaotic and crowded, but it somehow managed to be appealing anyway.

In the center of the card was a paler, whited out rectangle that contained the actual message in wavering, elegant ghost script.

An invitation to the Children’s Day Celebration for the Wastes, Time Locked Lands, and Lands of Ice, to be held at Kastelo Khione on the 28th of December, from false dawn to false dawn.

Danny didn’t know where that was. Luckily, the invitation said that the coin would pull towards the location when it was time.

Unluckily, he hadn’t talked to Frostbite or his other allies about it yet. That was really something he needed to do, before going to this thing. If he decided to go to this thing.

.

Danny arrived in the Far Frozen when their Solstice Celebration was in full swing. He probably should have known about the solstice. That is, he’d known it was the solstice, but he didn’t realize the Far Frozen were having a party about it.

In turn, they didn’t seem to have realized that he wouldn’t know about the celebration, and welcomed him in with open arms. And hugs. Lots of hugs.

The party was loud and involved a lot of sugary-bitter drinks and fried foods. Everyone was singing. There were bright blue bonfires placed around the whole settlement, and people were dancing around them. It was a very fun atmosphere, but Danny couldn’t help but linger near the edges of it, too shy and confused to really participate. He didn’t know the dances, the significance of the little rituals he saw taking place everywhere he looked, he didn’t know what would be allowed, or what would be considered offensive.

At some point, one person pressed a mug of frigid juice into Danny’s hand, and another person gave him a bowl of blisteringly hot soup with little dumplings floating in it. Surprisingly, both felt good despite the cold outside his body.

After an hour or so of awkwardly lingering to the side he began to wonder if he should just ask one of the yetis he didn’t know as well about the Children’s Day thing. Frostbite was probably busy, seeing as he was chief and all. Chiefs usually had ceremonial and organizational things to do during things like this, right? At least, that was his impression from his social studies classes, the History Channel, and Sam’s complaints about her parents and the parties they liked to throw.

But just when he was steeling himself to interrupt someone, or leave and return another, possibly less important, day, Frostbite spotted him. “Great one!” roared the yeti, clearly audible over the laughter, conversation and music.

Danny couldn’t help but grin back at him, especially when Frostbite swept him into a one-armed hug.

“We were worried you wouldn’t come!” said Frostbite with a toothy grin.

“Well, I didn’t know this was happening…” He trailed off as Frostbite’s face fell.

“Oh, I suppose you wouldn’t,” said Frostbite. “Forgive me, great one, it is sometimes hard to remember how young and new you are.”

“Yeah, I didn’t even know the Truce was a thing until this year,” said Danny, feeling rather awkward.

Frostbite blinked. “This year?”

“Mhm,” said Danny. “I mean, I’ve been half ghost for longer than that!” Which Frostbite knew. “But last year I didn’t know about it, and I was sort of distracted by ghost hunters and stuff.”

“I am sorry, then, that you missed the Truce in your first year as a ghost. Perhaps if you had known, we could have met earlier, or you may have found more friends among us.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Danny, somewhat taken aback.

Frostbite patted him on the head, which was a rather surreal experience given that Danny could (and had) sit in one of Frostbite’s hands. Danny made a face and flattened his hair.

“But if you didn’t know, what did you come for?” asked Frostbite.

“I got an invitation,” said Danny, “and I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a trap.” He took out the card and showed it to Frostbite, who blinked, then started to chuckle.

Danny blushed.

“I apologize, great one, I mean no offense,” he said. “This invitation is indeed legitimate. In fact, Kastelo Khione is only a few miles in that direction, on top of Mount Boreas-” Frostbite pointed “-although it isn’t generally visible this time of year…”

Indeed, the Ghost Zone sky was unusually dark today, and the horizon, such as it existed on these floating islands, was further obscured by thick flurries of snow. Still, Danny looked. He couldn’t see it, but he tried to commit the relative direction to memory.

“And… it really is just a party?”

Frostbite chuffed. “I would not say just a party, but, yes, it is. One held every year, although the location changes. Last year, our shared celebration was held in the Time Locked Lands. And other Realms have different traditions, their own ways to celebrate the day, assuming they do celebrate.”

“Okay,” said Danny. “That’s good to know.” That had come out much more… neutral than he’d intended. “I mean, I’d like to see more about… all this. And it’s good not to fight. It’s just, um.” He smiled weakly. “It’s a bit confusing. After everything, you know?”

Frostbite’s face could be hard to read sometimes, but he thought he detected pity. It made him uncomfortable.

“I must go now,” said Frostbite, “but, please, great one, join the dances. Everyone will be happy to teach you. We will be thrilled if you stay until the Farewell to Night.”

“Um,” said Danny. “When is that? Only, I do have to get home before too long.” His parents thought he was asleep in bed.

Of course, considering The Argument was still ongoing and it was the middle of winter break, they might not notice he was gone.

“Are you alright, great one?”

“I don’t want to delay you,” said Danny.

Frostbite hesitated for a minute more. “Please seek me out afterward, if you would like someone to talk to.”

Danny nodded, and Frostbite left. Welp, thought Danny as he leaned back against one of the ice walls. Here he was, doing the ‘I only know one person at the party’ thing. This was… cold. Haha. He didn’t actually feel cold, but… The ice… right…

Okay, that was lame even in his head. He needed new material. Or a longer break from The Argument.

Maybe his parents wouldn’t notice if he camped out in the Ghost Zone until Christmas had passed and The Argument had progressed into the cold-shoulder phase. It could be peaceful.

He’d feel guilty about leaving Jazz to face it all by herself, though. Could she camp in the Ghost Zone with him? No, that would probably be unhealthy for a full human.

He psyched himself up to join one of the dance circles, one that seemed to have a simpler dance, and everyone was so happy and so nice about how clumsy he was with it that he regretted not joining in earlier. By the time the music stopped, he was flushed (but in a sort of cold way) and out of… not breath, exactly, but the ghost equivalent.

It was a weird sensation, but not exactly an unpleasant one, not when it was removed from the context of fighting for his life, or, well… Yeah. Fighting.

When the music stopped, everyone moved off to the sides, away from the bonfires, but they didn’t leave. Danny followed, curious. Frostbite floated out to the middle, a meter or two above the average height the other ghosts were at. Once he was in position, he raised his hands and began to chant. The other yetis took up the chant as well, the sound of it swelling and ebbing, edging into a simple melody. It was reminiscent of a Christmas carol, but lacking that overly cheery flavor. It felt cold, calm, and expectant. Colorless, somehow. Dark, but not ominous.

He hummed along, trying to catch a pattern in the words. It wasn’t in a language he knew.

As the ghosts chanted, the flames of the bonfires lifted from the ground and began to circle the gathering. Slowly, at first, but then with increasing speed. They started to orbit tightly around a point above Frostbite’s head. Faster, faster, closer, closer, and with every circuit they became brighter, until Danny found he couldn’t look directly at the fires anymore.

When the brightness was almost unbearable, the fires collided, briefly merging together before dissolving into thousands of sparks that faded into the Ghost Zone sky.

The sky, Danny realized, as his eyes began to adjust again, was a good deal brighter than it was before.

That, he decided, had been interesting. He rubbed his eyes, which still had a few overloaded spots in them. One would think that being half ghost might solve that particular problem. Alas.

Briefly, Danny considered taking up Frostbite’s offer of a talk, the party did seem to be over… but he really did have to go. He’d been away for hours. Jazz would worry, even if his parents had proven time and time again that they didn’t notice anything while they were having The Argument.

.

“I’m just saying, if you want me to stay and keep you company, I’ll stay. I don’t have to go.”

“Danny, it isn’t as if you get invited to peaceful parties in the Ghost Zone every day,” said Jazz. “It could be useful. You could make friends, or maybe convince some of your enemies to back off… Besides, it sounded like you wanted to go.”

Danny did want to go. He still felt bad about leaving Jazz alone.

“I spend most of this week at the library, anyway,” said Jazz, “and you’d usually be hanging out with Tucker.”

“Sometimes,” said Danny. Other times, he’d just hide. He did, on occasion, feel like he was intruding on the Foleys’ Kwanzaa. Tucker didn’t care, and his parents were very cool about it, but Danny was extremely white, so sometimes it felt a little awkward. Sam had extended an invitation this year, though.

Jazz put both hands on Danny’s shoulders. “Go. Really. Stay the whole day. I’ll cover for you. I think it’ll be good.”

“Well, if you think so,” said Danny, shrugging off her hands with a bit of intangibility and rolling his eyes. “Okay, I’m going. Don’t burn down the house while I’m gone.”

“I don’t think Mom and Dad will burn down anything until they’re on speaking terms again.”

Sadly, that was true.

Fic title: Silk and Ribbons

Fandom: ???

Hmmm.... options, options... Okay, let's take a look at some fandom options here.

Danny Phantom: A rather put upon Danny is getting dressed up like a doll by some of his ghostly friends for the purpose of a ghost party during the Winter Truce. The party focuses on ghost children (coinciding with Holy Innocents Day, and taking place the same year as Fright Before Christmas) and is very soft. I'd probably make it compliant with Mortified.

Secret Saturdays: Completely different genre! Zak is kidnapped and sold to a collector of (not particularly aggressive or dangerous) cryptids post-series (so no powers for Zak). The collector is a highkey creep who likes to put ribbons etc. on the cryptids he owns as a sign he owns them. Zak has to figure out how to escape this situation.

BNHA: Class 1-A, as a pretty famous group, is invited to do a photoshoot for a fashion magazine as a whole class during the winter holidays. UA decides this is fairly innocuous and good work experience for students who are going the spotlight/aboveground route. They go ahead to the shooting location. Things look to be going well, despite the winter storm. Then someone is found strangled by a silk ribbon. Murder mystery time!