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q-gorgeous · 5 years ago

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Why Am I So Heavy?

fanfiction

Word count: 4318

Prompt for the Phic Phight by @voidetrap. Danny is a ghost who became half-human after stumbling through a portal to the human world.

guys this is the longest fic ive ever written i hope this keeps up i need to catch up to laz

Footsteps could be heard walking through a forest, the sounds of twigs snapping as two teenagers made their way through the trees.

“C’mon, Sam. The last time you dragged me out here to do some spooky ritual I was hiccuping out daisies for a week. Can’t you find someone else to drag out into the middle of nowhere, or go by yourself?”

“No can do, Tucker. Going on hikes by yourself is dangerous and everyone else was busy.”

Tucker grumbled. “I wish I was busy.”

“Here we are!” Sam shouted, running past Tucker into a clearing in the trees that led to a cliff overlooking the rest of the forest.

Sam walked over to a large, dead tree and started rummaging around in it’s hollow base. She pulled out a large stick, a toolbox, and a crystal ball.

“Today the earth and sun’s electromagnetic fields are supposed to form a portal, which usually just exchanges electrons. Though I think if I can get this pentagram set up with these quartz and crystals, I can make it work. Oh! And today’s also the solstice, that’ll help too.”

Tucker watched as Sam walked around the clearing, drawing a large pentagram into the ground with a stick. “Electromagnetic hoohaa? How do you even know what that means?”

Looking up at him, pausing in her task, she blew hair out of her eyes. “Don’t you ever go listen to the Fenton’s when they give presentations at the library? They’re kind of weird, but the concepts they propose are actually pretty rad.”

Tucker shook his head vigorously. “Nuh uh. No way. The last time you took me with it was only the two of us and he spent three hours talking about his childhood. Three hours! I didn’t wanna know about how he cried every night at dinner because he had to eat horse meat.”

Looking back down to her drawing in the dirt, Sam shrugged. “Your loss then. Lately they’ve started bringing their inventions in to show people and they go over their blueprints and everything. Mrs. Fenton is also thinking about doing defense classes. Did you know she’s a fourth degree black belt?”

“Nope, and I don’t really care to learn more.” He squinted his eyes and looked up into the trees, smiling mischievously. “Though… I would like to learn more about Jazz Fenton.”

Sam rolled her eyes. “Dream on, Tuck. Now come here and put down these candles and quartz at each point while I lug the crystal ball over here.”

Tucker walked over and bent down to open the toolbox, scooping everything out of it. “Dream on? Next time I see Jazz Fenton I’ll walk right up to her and use one of my signature pick up lines. It’s foolproof!” He placed a candle and quartz on the ground at his feet.

“Okay, Tucker.” Sam grunted as she lifted the crystal ball into her arms. “I’ll hold you to that.”

She placed the crystal ball in the center of the pentagram and walked over to her backpack as Tucker lit each of the candles. She pulled out a book and flipped to her latest entry. Stepping over a log and kneeling behind it, she beckoned Tucker over.

“Okay, come behind here. I’m not sure what’ll happen but the Fenton’s said when they tried opening a ghost portal in college it blew up in their friend’s face.”

“Wait, what?!”

Before Tucker could continue, Sam interrupted him, chanting.

“Vocare nos spirituum ligno!”

QQQQQQQQQQQQQ

Danny floated on his back through the ghost zone, bored out of his mind. Everyone was busy today.

Ember and Skulker were on a date. Johnny and Kitty were fighting. Even the Box Ghost had something to do! What was a dead guy supposed to do for entertainment around here?

He rolled onto his stomach and let out a large sigh. The ghost zone needed a new attraction or something. Like a theme park. Yeah, maybe he should talk to-

Something a ways ahead of him caught his eye. It looked like a little flicker of green light. Looking closely again, he could see a small swirl of green mist.

Today just got a lot more interesting.

He flew over to it but soon it disappeared again, without a trace. He scratched the top of his head. What was that? He floated around the space in a circle, his eyes never leaving the spot.

After a few seconds, he shrugged. Maybe it was a ghost trying to form that wasn’t very successful. He wondered where it went. Purgatory? Maybe.

Just as Danny was turning away, he could see the swirl again out of the corner of his eye but it increased in size and suddenly Danny was screaming in pain.

Pain, why was he in so much pain? Were ghosts even supposed to feel this much pain? What was happening?

And suddenly, suddenly he was falling. Falling and falling through this bright, swirling thing that engulfed him.

The last thought that went through his mind was that he had forgotten what gravity felt like, and with a smack, everything went dark.

QQQQQQQQQQQQQ

“Si vocare te spirituum.” Tucker said as he looked over Sam’s shoulder at her book. “Clearly you don’t know latin.”

Sam was fuming and pushed his face away from her. “Why’d you tell me to use google translate if you KNOW LATIN?!”

Tucker raised his hands in surrender as he backed away from her. “I couldn’t have you knowing I knew latin! I’d be forever dragged into your schemes!”

“Yeah, well-” Sam was cut off as she heard a groan come from the clearing on the other side of the log. Looking over, covering Tucker’s mouth to shush him, she could see a pale skinned boy with black hair laying on top of her now crushed crystal ball.

A swirling green portal that she hadn’t noticed during her bickering with Tucker was hovering above him, flickering out of existence. Gaze traveling back down to the boy, she scrunched her eyebrows.

This didn’t look like a ghost. He looked like a normal kid. Why did a normal kid just fall out of her ghost portal?

Sam stood up slowly and stepped over the log and out of Tucker’s grasp as he tried to hold her back. She walked over to the boy and knelt down and was just about to check his pulse when he groaned again, sending her toppling down onto her butt.

“Ugh, why do I feel so heavy?”

His eyes slowly slid open, and his head shakily raised and his gaze met hers. They stared at each other until he started taking in his surroundings, panic growing on his face.

“Where am I?! What did you do to me?!” Sam shook her head, eyes wide. “I don’t know! I was trying to open a portal to the ghost zone and then you fell out! What were you even doing in there?”

“What was I doing in there? What do you think I was doing in there? I’m a ghost!”

Tucker cleared his throat from where he still knelt behind the log. “Sorry to break it to you, dude, but you don’t look like any ghost I’ve ever seen.” “What do you-” The boy stopped as his hair fell into his eyes. “Black? My hair isn’t black! What’s going on?!”

Sam hurriedly pulled her phone out of her pocket and opened the camera, pointing it at his face so he could see himself. “What are you supposed to look like?”

The boy grabbed his hair, pulled on the skin under his blue eyes, pinched his arms. His breaths started coming faster and faster until he glared up at Sam, his eyes now flashing green. “What did you do to me?!” He yelled, the sound much louder than anything a human should be capable of, prompting Sam and Tucker to cover their ears.

“I don’t know!” Sam shouted, her heart beating wildly. “I was just trying to open a portal to see if the ghost zone was real! I didn’t know you’d be there!”

“I wanna go home!” He wailed, sending the candles and quartz flying away from the pentagram.

A flash of white light appeared around the boy’s waist, traveling across his figure until a glowing ghost with white hair lay on the ground instead. Floating up, he flexed his fingers and pulled an ectoblast into his hand.

“Sam!” Tucker shouted. “When you’re done talking to ghosts aren’t you supposed to say goodbye to them when they need to leave? Right”

She nodded and looked back up at the boy. “Yeah. Goodbye, spirit! Begone!”

He kept floating steadily towards her, an angry look in his eyes.

Panic flared up inside her chest.

“Goodbye! Au revoir! Auf wiedersehen!”

“Sam?!” Tucker shrieked.

“It’s not working!”

The ghost boy pulled back an arm, readying to throw the ectoplasm in his hand when he shuddered and dropped to the ground, the bright flash appearing once again and leaving behind the same, human looking boy from before.

“What is this?” He grumbled into the dirt. “I feel so heavy and tired. And warm. Gosh, way too warm.”

Sam listened to him wheeze in confusion, her brows furrowed. Ghosts didn’t need to breathe, did they? Why was this one out of breath on the ground?

She scooted towards him slowly and held out her hand to him.

“Can I see something?” She asked softly.

He looked at her hand, puzzled, before placing his own on top of it. Sam cradled it with one hand and with the other she took two fingers and placed them on his wrist.

Her mouth dropped open.

“You… You have a pulse.”

“What?” He pulled his hand away, glaring down at the offending appendage. “That can’t be possible.”

“Well it’s there.” She said, nodding towards him. “ Check for yourself.”

He squinted at her, brows drawn, but reached up two fingers and placed them on the side of his neck. His eyes shot open and he looked back at her in disbelief.

“But… I died. I was a ghost. This can’t… This isn’t…”

The trio was silent for a few moments until Tucker plopped down next to Sam.

“What do we do now?” He asked.

In response, the ghost boy’s stomach grumbled and with wide eyes he looked at it in shock.

“Well.” Sam said. “I guess we need to get him some food. Let’s start cleaning up.”

Tucker and Sam began cleaning up, storing the candles and quartz back in the toolbox and erasing the pentagram while the ghost boy just stared at the ground.

“Uh, Sam?” Tucker started. “What are we going to do about the crystal ball?”

Sam looked at the ground where it was smashed to pieces and groaned.

“We’ll have to lug a garbage bag back with us. Can you grab the shovel from the tree and I’ll get a bag from my backpack?”

“Can do, Stew.” Tucker saluted and walked over to the hollow in the trunk.

Sam picked up the book she had dropped on the ground and stuck it in her backpack before grabbing a bag. Turning back around she saw the ghost boy standing shakily, one hand rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Sorry for breaking your...thing.”

Sam shrugged. “It’s okay, I can just get a new one. It’s not like it was really your fault anyways.”

As she held the bag open, Tucker began scooping up shards of the crystal ball and soon Sam tied it off, slinging it over her shoulder. After storing the shovel back in the tree Tucker joined the two.

“So, man, did you ever say what your name was?”

“Oh, uh, Danny. Danny Phantom.”

“Nice to meet you, sort of.” Danny’s face fell at that and Tucker back tracked. “But it’s going good now! Right? First impressions aren’t everything!”

Sam rolled her eyes. “I’m Sam, and that’s Tucker, my reluctant right hand man.”

Tucker flared up the collar on his button up shirt. “That’s Tucker Foley, TF for Too Fine.”

Chuckling, Sam elbowed him.

“Well, since you’ll need sustenance and shelter for an unforeseeable amount of time, you can sleep over at my house tonight!”

Sam’s face dropped. “Oh my god, Tucker.”

“What? It’s not weird to have sleepovers at our age. It just means we have extra friend time.”

“Not that! What are we supposed to do with him? He’s supposed to be dead! He doesn’t have a birth certificate or any kind of identification! And it’s not like he can stay with us forever. My parents would freak.”

“Hm.” Tucker tapped his chin. “I did not think of that.”

Danny groaned. “So I have to eat food now and find shelter without having anyway to do that? Being dead is so much easier.”

“We’ll make it work!” Sam rushed. “Let’s just go to the Nasty Burger and get something to eat first. Then we’ll figure something out.”

Both boys nodded simultaneously.

“Okay.”

“Sounds good.”

QQQQQQQQQQQQQ

The three were in a booth at the Nasty Burger, Sam and Tucker long finished with their food while Danny was on his sixth round of a Mighty Meaty Burger meal.

“Dude, even if you haven’t eaten since you died surely you aren’t that hungry? You’ve only felt hunger for like, an hour now.” Tucker said incredulously as he tapped something on his phone.

“Try not eating anything for an entire year and see how much you miss the feeling of eating delicious food.” Danny quipped back, his mouth full.

“You got me there.” Tucker said as he threw a finger gun towards Danny.

“Okay, guys, I think we need to start talking about what we’re going to do instead of watching Danny eat.” She tapped her chin as she thought. “We could go talk to the Fentons!”

Tucker looked at her, a deadpan expression on his face.

“You want to go talk to the Fentons, who are ghost hunters, about this ghost-human hybrid that we accidentally unleashed?”

“Wait ghost hunters?” Danny mumbled around a mouth full of food.

“Who else are we gonna talk to? They’re the only people who study ghosts around here, and they know me. No one else would want to listen to a bunch of kids anyways.”

“Wait, Sam, can we go back to the ghost hunter part-”

“Do you know how risky it would be to bring him there?” Tucker asked. “We don’t know what’d they’d do to him, especially because there��d be no trace of him, since he's, you know, dead.”

“Tucker-”

“They’re not gonna kidnap him, Tucker!”

“How do you-”

“GUYS!” Danny yelled.

Sam and Tucker paused in their bickering, looking at Danny’s glowing green eyes.

“Can you explain the ghost hunters thing?”

“Oh. Right.” Sam says. “Well, they’ve been studying ectology since they were in college, they even tried to create a ghost portal but it was unsuccessful. Lately they’ve been working on a newer model and an arsenal of ghost hunting weapons, but they haven’t had the chance to really test them yet.” She pulls a flyer out of her backpack.

“They do presentations at the library every week.”

Danny looks at the paper for a few moments before resting his face in his hands.

“Why would you want to give them a chance to test their weapons? Wouldn’t they be gung ho at any opportunity?”

“Not necessarily!” Sam said rushedly. “They only just moved here a couple months ago but they’re very nice, though a little over the top. They have two daughters too. They should be able to realize that you’re just a kid that needs help.”

Danny raised his head back up and leveled a stare at her.

“When's the next meeting?” He asked.

“Tomorrow at noon.”

He leaned back in his seat, head tilted against the back, and groaned. “Ugh. I guess we really have no other option.” Tucker swiped a fry from Danny’s tray. “Don’t worry man. If they try anything, they’ll probably be stopped by Jazz. She doesn’t believe in the whole ghost schtick.”

“Jazz?” Danny asked as he picked up his burger.

“That’s the oldest Fenton daughter. They also have a daughter named Elle. She sort of looks like you, actually.” Sam said.

“Yeah. She’s a feisty little gremlin. Always beating my high scores when we go to the arcade.” Tucker pouted.

Sam looked at her watch, checking the time. “Well guys, I think we better get going. It’s getting pretty late. Don’t wanna miss the presentation tomorrow.” She jittered excitedly in her seat. “I can’t wait to tell them I opened a ghost portal!”

“Are you into all their ecto, ghost hunting stuff?” Danny asked wryly.

“Not really. I’m more into witchcraft and goth stuff. Ghosts just happened to fall in between those somewhere.” Sam stood up and collected her trash. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow. I’ll meet you at Tucker’s house.”

She waved goodbye and left the restaurant.

“So…” Tucker started. “Do you wanna go back to my place and play some video games?”

“Video games?” Danny asked.

Tucker clutched his chest in mock horror. “You don’t remember video games?! Forget sleep, there’s much you need to see!”

And with that, Tucker jumped up and dragged Danny out the door by the wrist.

QQQQQQQQQQQQQ

Danny walked out the front door of Tucker’s house, yawning. When he blinked open his eyes he could see Sam standing there, tapping her foot.

“What? I haven’t weighed this much in a year. Walking around was tiring.” Danny told her.

“We also played video games until three in the morning.” Tucker yawned as he walked out behind him.

“Why would you tell her that?” Danny asked, turning around.

“To make her mad?” Tucker shrugged.

Sam sighed. “Whatever guys. Let’s just get going. They’re starting soon.”

They walked down the street in silence until Danny spoke.

“How many people usually go to these things? Is there a lot?”

“No.” Sam said. “Usually it’s just me. And Tucker when I can get him to go.”

Tucker groans. “I just hope Mr. Fenton doesn’t get into telling His Life Story: Volume Two. It was so boring the last time.”

“What do we do if they won’t help us?” Danny asked.

Sam and Tucker looked at each other in silence. Sam took a deep breath and spoke. “I’m sure they’ll help us. They’re nice people.”

Soon they walked inside the library, the building quiet except for the few hushed voices reading children's books and the boisterous laughter that could be heard coming from Mr. Fenton across the building. When Danny heard it, he paused, hands clenched into fists.

“What if they hate me? What if they won’t help us? I’ll just be stuck here, alive and homeless. What if they strap me down on some table, tearing me apart molecule by molecule?”

Sam turned to face Danny, walking towards him and resting her hands on his shoulders. “They probably won’t be able to tell anyways. It’ll be alright. We’ll go in and wait until the meeting is over and then go talk to them.”

Danny’s shoulders shook, and he took a deep breath and nodded.

Together, the three of them walked to the presentation room.

“Just remember, stay calm. It’ll be-”

A clatter resounded through the room as they crossed through the door.

“Danno?”

Mr. Fenton was standing in front of the projector screen, an ectogun laying on the floor at his feet. His eyes were wide and haunted, looking straight at Danny.

Looking behind him, Danny wore a confused expression on his face.

“Me?” He said, pointing at himself.

The older man nodded. “But how are you… You… This can’t be possible.” He looked Danny over again and then his gaze traveled to Sam. “Ms. Manson, what..?”

“Do you know Danny, Mr. Fenton?” Sam asked softly, confused.

“He’s my son.”

Sam’s mouth dropped open and she looked at Tucker who was leaning up against the door frame, staring blankly at the floor. Danny still looked confused, but a chirpy voice soon interrupted them.

“Jack, sweetie, the staff room ran out of sugar again but I think your coffee should be fine with only four packets.”

The three kids turned around to see Mrs. Fenton standing behind them, two coffee cups in her hands. She smiled at them until her gaze landed on Danny. Her expression soured and she dropped the coffees, pulling out an ectogun from her suit pointing it at Danny.

“What is this ectoplasmic scum doing here impersonating our boy?!”

“Wait!” Sam shouted, putting herself between the barrel of Mrs. Fenton’s gun and Danny. “He has a pulse!” “That’s impossible.” Mrs. Fenton scoffed. “Our son passed a year ago. That’s just a form of post human consciousness.”

“No, please!” Sam reached behind her, searching for Danny’s hand. Once she found it, he grabbed it in a death grip, she pulled it forward, opening up his wrist for the woman. “Please, trust me.”

Mrs. Fenton threw another sour look towards Sam, but obliged the girl. She placed her fingers over Danny’s wrist and waited. Once she felt the fast pulse underneath his skin, her eyes widened and shock flashed across her face.

Dropping his wrist, she stepped back, nearly collapsing until Tucker caught her.

“What is this?” Maddie whispered. “What happened?”

Sam moved to sit down at one of the chairs in the room, still holding Danny’s hand and pulling him behind her. “Yesterday had the perfect atmosphere and phenomenon to create a natural ghost portal and after one of your presentations I wanted to try, because who knew when I’d get a better chance.

“When we finished the ritual a swirling green portal formed and he fell out like this but…”

“He has two forms.” Tucker continued. “And he can still do ghost stuff. But he can feel hunger and gravity and he produces heat. Has a pulse. But he doesn’t seem to remember anything.”

“We came to talk to you guys because we didn’t know what to do… Like, what are we gonna do with someone with no identification who’s supposed to be dead?” Sam asked.

Mr. Fenton knelt down in front of Danny, touseling the boy's hair, and rested his hands on his shoulders.

“Do you want to come back home with us? Do you trust us?”

Danny’s grip was still tight on Sam’s hand, and he looked from Mr. Fenton to Mrs. Fenton, who had tears in her eyes and her own tight grip on Tucker’s hand. He nodded.

Mr. Fenton’s own eyes filled with tears and he wrapped Danny up in a bear hug, squeezing the life right back out of him. Slowly, Danny lifted his own arms up around the man, feeling his own tears running down his face.

QQQQQQQQQQQQQ

One Month Later

“Haha! Beat you again!” Elle laughed.

“Man, you really are a little gremlin, aren’t you?” Danny shot back at her, throwing a pillow in her face.

“Excuse you, I’m adorable.”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Of course you are.”

He clicked on the New Round option in the game, going through the fighters and picking the same character as he did for the last fight.

A small frown formed on Elle’s face. “Are you sure you don’t remember anything?”

“Yeah, pretty sure. Why do you ask?” He shot her a look before the round started.

“You keep picking the same character that had been your favorite before…”

Elle trailed off and when Danny turned to look at her there were tears in her eyes.

“No, no don’t cry, Elle. It’s alright. I’m here now. That’s pretty cool, isn’t it?”

She sniffed and rubbed some tears off her face. “Yeah. It’s the only thing I could’ve asked for.” She paused. “Do you think you’ll ever remember?”

Danny looked down at his hands. “I’m not sure. But even if I don’t I’ll still be here for you whenever you need it, okay?”

Elle smiled. “Okay.”

Danny’s phone chirped and he pulled it out from his pocket.

“Oh, that’s Sam. We’re supposed to go see that new movie with Tucker. Rematch when I get home?”

“Can it be called a rematch if I know you’re gonna lose again?”

“You wish!” He pulled her into a side hug. “See you when I get home?”

“Yeah. See you!” She waved him off.

Danny ran down the stairs and was about to bolt out the door to greet his friends when Jazz stopped him.

“Where are you going, little brother?” She asked.

Danny rolled his eyes at the name. “Just to see a movie with Sam and Tucker. I’ll be back in a couple hours, okay?”

Jazz nodded and walked over to him. “Can I have a hug before you leave?”

Danny opened his arms and she pulled him into a tight hug.

“Stay safe.” She whispered.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got the power of ghost muscles now.”

Jazz snorted and pushed Danny towards the door. “Okay. Off you go.”

He opened the door to see Sam and Tucker standing outside it. When Sam looked up, she elbowed Tucker in the side and pointed past Danny at Jazz.

“Pft, I’ve been practicing. This’ll be no biggie.”

Clearing his throat, Tucker caught Jazz’s attention.

“Do you like dates? How do you feel about a raisin?” He shot a pair of finger guns at her.

Jazz tsked and smiled at Tucker. “Dates are very tasty, and a raisin would be a delicious treat!”

Confusion crossed over Tucker’s face before horror broke across it. Sam broke out laughing beside him.

“Better luck next time, Tucker.” Jazz said before walking back to the kitchen.

Tucker kneeled onto the ground, holding his face in his hands. “The shame. I’ve taken the honor from my family's name. I’ve embarrassed myself for the last time.”

“As if.” Sam snorted.

“Hey!” Tucker shouted at her.

Danny chuckled and shook his head at his friend's antics.

“Come on, guys. Let’s go see this movie.”

#gorgi writes #danny phantom #sam manson #tucker foley #fanfic #fanfiction #phic phight #phic phight 2020 #team ghost

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dp-marvel94 · 5 years ago

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Maybe We’ll Find Each Other

Summary: For Phic Phight. Phantom, the adoptive son of Clockwork, doesn't remember his life but wishes he did. Jack Fenton, ghost hunter, lost his only son at a young age. When the portal activates, a newly half-human Phantom stumbles into Jack's lab, barely a painfully familiar blue-eyed, black haired form.

Word Count: 10472

Also on AO3 and FF.net

Note: For the Phic Phight, Prompt by @voidetrap.

Danny is a ghost who became half-human after stumbling through a portal to the human.

I did a bit of a different thing for this one. I wanted both Phantom and Jack's POVs so it switches between sections breaks, with versions of the same scene from both character's perspective. I've never done that before but I think it worked out well.

Phantom floated alone through the green void. He turned around slowly, taking in the various sized slabs of dirt and rock. A few purple doors floated in the distance but no other ghosts flitted between the small islands.

The teenage ghost ran a hand through his white hair. So it wasn't a complete void, but it was boring as ever.

"There's nothing here." He muttered.

The ghost floated forward, kicking a floating rock. His ghostly tail reformed into legs as he touched down on an island only about as wide as he was tall. Then he pulled the map cube his guardian, Clockwork, gave him from a pocket in his black robe. With a few taps, an image projected from it, showing his location and other notable landmarks around him.

Phantom frowned. “Yeah, I’m in the right place.” Another tap and the object displayed the time too. “And he said to be here by now.”

Head turning side to side in hopes of finding anything notable, the ghost sighed. “Ya know, Clockwork could just tell me when the Observants were coming over so I could make myself scarce.” He crossed his arms, huffing in annoyance at his guardian. “He didn’t have to send me on a wild goose chase to the other side of the Realms.”

Then again, this wasn’t the first time the older ghost had sent him on a nonsensical errand so he’d be out of the lair and his guardian’s employers didn’t find out about Clockwork’s adopted child. But the time keeper would make it up to him; he always did. Maybe Phantom would finally get Clockwork to portal him to the human world to see the stars. He’d been begging for years since spotting the night sky through one of Clockwork’s viewing glasses. The sight had sparked a passion he hadn’t even known he’d had until then, lapping at a forgotten memory of a life he only remembered as flashes of colors, shapes, and emotions.

Two adults in orange and blue (love, safety, joy), a smaller person also orange and blue but purple and green too (love, comfort, joy), green grass (happy, fun), a silver metal toy (happy, playful), broken glass and flashing lights (fear), hard rough black and wet sticky red (sadness)

Mommy? Mommy? Why are you crying? Where’s Daddy? I want Daddy.

The ghost shook his head, feeling his chest rising and falling. Breathing. He was breathing like he did when he got upset. It was a strange habit for a ghost and one definitely left over from a life he wished he could make more sense of. He took a deliberate deep breath, calming his sudden panicked emotions. It was okay. He was okay. He wasn’t alone or in pain. He had Clockwork and his friends now. It was probably better to not think of what was before anyway. It’s not like Clockwork probably would ever let him go to the human world, even with supervision. And there was probably a reason Clockwork wouldn’t tell him anything about Earth or his past. So that was best left forgotten, though part of him still longed to know.

The young ghost shook his head,dislodging the thoughts. He glanced at the map again. Hey, he was near Sidney’s lair. Maybe he should drop by, say hi, and hangout for a bit. The fellow nerd was always happy to chat about Phantom’s studies or anything really.

The ghost floated up, preparing the leave when he paused. His brow furrowed. It was quiet and still...too quiet. No haunting wails of far away ghosts. No swirling spectral wind. The churning of ectoplasmic clouds stilled.

Unease rose in his core. Something was wrong. This wasn’t the familiar, even comforting, time stopping power of his guardian. It was the Realm itself holding its breath, an unnatural tension in its very fabric. Phantom turned to flee but before he could act, the space around him distorted, for a split second simmering with colors unnatural to the Realm of the dead. A sudden rush of something….heavier, more tangible than ectoplasmic wind.

And Phantom’s world exploded into bright, white pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Phantom came too, his check pressed into something metal and cold. His brow furrowed sleepily. Why was it cold? Was his ice core acting up again? That would be bad.

With a groan, his eyes blinked open and closed. No. No. Nope. Too bright. He curled in on himself, feeling sore.

Tha-thump

Something in his head pounded. And his chest too, like his core was very unhappy.

Tha-thump

Loud footsteps rang out in front of him and he heard creaking as someone knelt down.

“Kid, are you okay?” A deep voice spoke in front of him.

Phantom slowly opened his eyes again, coming face to face with a tall man wearing orange clothes. (orange? love?) The boy’s brow furrowed again. Black hair, blue eyes, pinkish skin. There was something off with that. Phantom himself had odd coloring for a ghost but the one in front of him didn’t even have Phantom’s green undertone.

“Can you understand me?” The man spoke again.

The boy’s eyes opened farther. His voice didn’t echo either. Wait…..

The thumping in Phantom’s head increased. This man wasn’t a ghost. This was human.

Eyes widening in shock, the boy shakily tried to push himself into a sitting position but his arms collapsed. A large hand touched his shoulder.

The human smiled kindly. “It’s alright. Now can you understand what I’m saying?”

This time, Phantom nodded.

The man sighed in relief. “That’s good.” His brow furrowed as he handed the boy a white fabric garment with buttons. The boy looked at it questioningly and the human answered. “My extra lab coat. I don’t know what happened to your clothes.”

His clothes? Still laying down, Phantom glanced down at himself. His robe…. His robe was gone. He blushed. Oh great, he was naked in front of a human. He frowned, still looking at his arms and bare chest. Something with his body also looked off.

Tha-thump

He pinched his eyes closed, nose wrinkling. And the pounding was still there.

“Let me help you sit up.” The human in front of him blushed, keeping his eyes on the younger’s face. Large hands helped Phantom push himself up until he was sitting on the metal floor.

With a shaking hand, the boy grabbed the….lab coat(?)....before dropping it on his lap, startled. He stared at his hands. Not familiar pale skin with a greenish undertone and almost claw like fingernails. But instead pinkish skin with round pink nails…..Like the human.

Tha-thump

Head and chest pounding again, Phantom put a shaking hand over his chest where his core was. His hand gently pressed down.

Tha-thump

Something under his hand moved. Not vibrating like his core. But….pulsing. Tensing and relaxing.

Tha-thump, Tha-thump, Tha-thump

Tense, relax. Tense, relax. Tense, relax

His chest was moving up and down too. Up and down. Up and down. Was...was he breathing too? When had he started breathing? He tried to stop, holding his breath for thirty seconds until his chest ached. He gasped, greedily taking in breath.

“What’s wrong?” The man stared with slightly paniced eyes.

But Phantom didn’t respond. Okay. Okay. He actually had to breathe. It hurt if he stopped.

Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Phantom turned his mind back to his chest. At the thing….beating?. Yeah, that was a beat….something was beating in his chest in the same space as his core. His hand shook and he gently pressed again, closing his eyes. Tha-thump. Another beat.

A heart, a heart was beating in his chest.

For a second he wondered; was he possessing a human? He’d never done that before. But…..No. The breathing, the heartbeating, the pale skin looked different but not wrong. He clenched and unclenched his hands. This felt….right, like clothes fit perfectly for him. Warm, close, and very real. Or….like this was his body, not borrowed or controlled, stolen from someone else but HIS.

A large hand grabbed his arm. “Kiddo, what’s wrong?”

Phantom opened and closed his mouth a few times. He swallowed and finally whispered. “I’m alive.”

The man’s expression softened. “Yeah, you made it. I have no idea how a human kid made it through our portal, much less survived in the Ghost Zone. But you’re okay.”

“I’m alive.” Phantom repeated, voice filled with awe.

The former (former!) ghost knew it was true. He didn’t know how but he’d been dead, a ghost just minutes before and now he was alive, a human.

The human half-smiled at him. “I hear you. You had me worried there. How did you end up in the Zone anyway?”

The Zone? That must be what humans call the Infinite Realms. And Phantom was a human now. He looked down to his toes, poking out from the fabric around his lap. The boy wiggled the digits.

“I’m a human.” The shaking hand over his heart (!?) moved to his hair. “I can’t believe this. I’m a human.”

The man stiffened, brows wrinkling in confusion. “You’re a human?”

A few black (not white!) hairs entered his peripheral vision. “I’m human.” His breathing increased. “Oh my god. I’m human. How am I human?”

The human’s lips turned down into a frown. “Where you...not before?”

Phantom’s eyes finally meet the man’s. “I’m…I was a ghost.”

The human boy’s new heart sank. He WAS a ghost. Had been, Formerly.

“You were a ghost?” The man raised an eyebrow, skeptically. “But….” He eyed Phantom’s wrist. “Can I check your pulse?” The boy nodded and the adult gently pressed two fingers on the other’s wrist. “It’s there.You’re definitely alive.” He said like it was expected and self-explanatory.

“Yeah.” Phantom replied.

What else could he say? He’d been a ghost and now he was alive. His brow furrowed. How did that even happen? It should be impossible. Yeah, people became ghosts all the time; it’s the natural order. But going from ghost to human, being resurrected….. That shouldn’t be possible.

“I think you’re a little confused, buddy.” The man in front of him finally spoke.

Phantom shook his head furiously. “No. No. I’m not confused.”

The man put his hands out. “It’s okay. How about this? You put on that coat and I help you upstairs. We’ll get you something to eat and drink and just talk. We’ll figure out what’s going on, okay?”

Phantom opened and closed his mouth, wanting to argue but he sighed. “Okay.”

The man nodded and then pointed at the clean white garment. “Unless you need help, I’ll turn around and you can put that on. Just say something when you’re done and I’ll help you up.”

The boy nodded and after the man turned around, he lifted the coat from his lab. He slipped the sleeves over his arms, pulling the collar around his neck. The garment swallowed him, the sleeves ending several inches past his hands. The fabric easily wrapped around his thin chest and waist, with plenty of overlap between the panels. Though it took several tries and groans of annoyance, Phantom managed to fasten the buttons.

With a huff, he finished but remained silent, studying the tall human from the back. He seemed kind and helpful, genuinely concerned for the boy. Phantom frowned; that was probably because he thought the former ghost was and had always been a human teenager. How would he react if Phantom could convince him of the truth? And….he should probably stop calling him a human, since Phantom himself was a human now too. His frown deepened more at the thought.

Then something neon green glinted in the corner of his eye. The teenager turned, his eyes falling on the swirling green vortex.

“Are you done, kiddo?” The adult’s voice interrupted.

But the boy didn’t respond, still studying the ectoplasmic green light. Was that….?

“Say something if you’re not ready but I’m gonna turn around.”

The adult turned around and his eyes fell on what the teenager was looking at. “That’s our portal.” He pointed. “You stumbled out of it about ten minutes ago.”

Phantom gaped, his voice full of awe. “A portal.”

An actual portal between Earth and the Infinite Realms. It was green, more swirling mass of ectoplasm than a blue circle of light….like….like the ones Clockwork could make. Clockwork...

Then he remembered. He’d been on an errand for his guardian, just floating by himself when everything went strange. The portal….it started opening around him, didn’t it? And….that’s what did this to him? Turned him from a ghost and into a human. Forcing him back into a life he didn’t remember and wasn’t sure he wanted.

The man walked a few steps forward and the boy looked up as the adult offered his hand. “Come on. We can go upstairs and I can tell you all about it. And you can tell me what you remember about how you got here.”

Cautiously, Phantom took the hand. With the adult steading him, he pulled himself to his shaking feet. His knees wobbled but as the man put an arm around his back, the teenager stayed on his feet.

He glanced back at the portal, the gate between the human world in front of him and the realm of the dead with his adopted parent and all his friends, everyone he ever remembered knowing. A boundary he probably couldn’t cross again as a human; his now mortal form won’t survive long in the Realms. He sighed. Yes, he’d wanted to remember who he’d been before he died. He even wanted to visit the human world, but just visit. That didn’t mean he wanted his life back if he lost everyone he’d come to love.

What was he going to do?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack Fenton should’ve known better than messing with the portal while Maddie and Jazz were away on a mother-daughter trip. But the excitement, the temptation got to him. He figured out what was wrong with the portal! Such a small mistake. They’d forgotten to press the start button inside the tunnel. So after disconnecting the power, pressing the button, and turning the power back on, the portal sparked.

“Yes! Come on!” The man cheered.

The air buzzed with electricity and something green wavered in the back of the portal. Space seemed to shimmer, to warp in the tunnel. The green swirling grew with a roar and Jack threw his hand over his ears to block out the sound. But his eyes stayed fixed, mesmerized behind the blast shield. Air seemed to rush past his ears, into the tunnel, the real world atmosphere meeting the ectoplasm. Jack ducked down, shielding his head. He almost thought he heard a scream under the rush of wind.

Then it all just stopped. A beat of silence and Jack looked up. The portal….the portal worked. A swirling green vortex floated in the mouth of the tunnel. His heart raised with elation. They’d done it. They really had! He stared in awe taking in the brand new portal.

Then he frowned, realizing Maddie wasn’t here. This was their achievement, not just his. He glanced down at the portal’s control panel. Maybe he should deactivate it so his wife could be here for a proper start. Yeah, she deserved to see it too. The man’s hand hovered over the panel but he froze as the mist of the portal wavered.

Something pale-skinned and person-shaped stumbled out of the portal and collapsed on the floor. Jack’s heart pounded in his chest. Was it a ghost? One already came through? Grabbing a proto-type gun, he lumbered forward. He needed to deal with this ghost now, before it leapt up and attacked.

But five feet away, Jack froze. The ghost...it...it wasn’t glowing. And….it looked like a kid. A young teenager, 13 or 14. Skinny and short. Male with black hair. And….naked.

A very human looking ghost or…..Jack’s heart just about stopped.

Or a human kid? Dread weighed heavy in his heart. It….he….wasn’t moving. Was he dead? Jack managed to stumble a step forward. Please, please don’t be dead. He didn’t know how he would deal with having the body of a dead teenager in his lab.

Jack’s eyes then fell on the young face, cheek pressed against the floor. Wait...Had the kid’s brow just moved?

Then there was a sleepy groan and Jack tensed. Eyelids fluttered open and closed, briefly showing human looking, maybe blue(?) eyes. The man sighed in relief. The kid was alive, assuming this was a human and not a disguised ghost.

He wouldn’t figure that out standing here. The man walked forward, coming to kneel beside the figure. “Kid, are you okay?”

The kid’s eyes slowly blinked open, fixing on his and Jack’s expression softened. Those eyes were completely human. Beautiful, icy blue and….somehow familiar. The man’s heart clenched.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That, the interaction- after offering his own clean lab coat and helping the kid sit up- after watching the kid stare at his hands like they were brand new- after the child claimed he used to be a ghost but was somehow brought back to life-

That led to Jack walking the kid up stairs with his arm wrapped around him, supportively. The man glanced over. The boy’s shoulder hung low, like a heavy weight fell on his shoulders. His legs shook, his steps slow and heavy. Despite the cautious steps, the boy comfortably leaned into him for support. The pair came to the first step and the kid paused, his blue eyes studying the step cautiously.

Jack smiled at him as comfortingly as he could. “Go on. I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

Weak legs pushed the boy’s thin body up the stairs. He stuck out his tongue in concentration, as if each step took an incredible amount of effort.

Jack watched with raised brow and the pair slowly hobbled up the stairs. The normally chatty man remained silent. He desperately wanted to ask questions and get some answers. The kid was definitely confused about him being a ghost. But what he saw and experienced in the Ghost Zone, Jack could hardly imagine. His mind raced with theories. The kid really did think he had been a ghost. Why? Maybe from being in the Zone so long? He assumed he died and was a ghost. But…

Jack’s eyes trailed the boy’s figure. He was thin, but not emaciated. Not starved or injured so he couldn’t have been in the Zone long enough to forget that he was human. So…. a defense mechanism? He pretended to be a ghost to keep the real ghosts from attacking him and he’s been pretending so long he forgot. But that still left the question of food and water, the Zone didn’t have those things so even if a human could breath, they would die within a week of thirst. Unless…. Pretending to be one of them convinced the ghosts to find food and water for and take care of the human?

Jack’s brow turned up thoughtfully. It reminded him of faerie stories he loved as a kid. Stories about the fae stealing human children and leaving changelings in their place. And if those stories were based on reality and the fae were actually ghosts….?

Finally they came to the top of the stairs. With a wobbly step, the kid passed the threshold of the kitchen. Jack led him to a chair. “Here, sit down.”

The boy did so curious blue eyes blinking up at him. And Jack stared back, just taking in the other’s lithe form. In the too big coat, he looked like a child wearing his parent’s clothes. It sent a pang of complex emotions through Jack’s heart. His heart clenched as familiarity spiked again.

Then the boy’s stomach grumbled. He looked down, lips turned down in confusion.

Jack chuckled lightly at the expression. “I figured you were hungry.” He walked towards the pantry and opened the door. “Is cereal okay?”

“Sure.” The boy answered, uncertainly.

Jack grabbed a box of sugary cereal, a favorite late night treat for him. After grabbing the bowl, he walked to the fridge. “Do you want milk in your cereal?”

The kid nodded. Jack poured the cereal into the bowl and added milk. He also poured a glass for the boy. Then he slid the two across the table to him. “ Here you go, kiddo.”

Tentatively, the boy took a bite. He seemed to hold the bite in his mouth for a moment, tasting it. His eyes lit up with surprise and then his mouth widened into a smile before he swallowed. He eagerly spooned more food into his mouth.

Jack raised a brow. “Slow down. It’s like you’ve never had cereal before.”

The boy paused, half-smiling. “I haven’t. Well...maybe I did when I was alive but I don’t remember much from then.”

Jack frowned, preparing to correct him. But the boy spoke first, pointing at a family picture on one of the kitchen’s walls. “Is that your family? And I guess we’re in your house?”

Jack nodded, looking at the 10 year old picture. “We are in my house.” He pointed at each person. “That’s my wife, Maddie. My daughter, Jazz.” He swallowed, voice falling sadly as he finally pointed at the four year old. “That’s my son. Danny.”

The boy’s wide blue fell on the man. “You sound...sad about him, your son.”

Jack’s heart fell but he tried to smile. “It’s okay. Don’t you worry about it.”

The boy’s lips turned down. “Did something happen to him?”

The man licked his lips. Before he really thought, he was speaking. “We...we lost him.”

“Lost?” The boy’s voice turned up in confusion.

Briefly studying the boy, Jack closed his eyes and swallowed. He doesn’t know why he’s telling a strange kid who just stumbled through his portal this. But….he whispered. “He died.”

The boy’s mouth rounded. “Oh.” He looked down.

“It’s alright. It’s been a long time.” Jack tried to comfort him.

But it wasn’t alright. It wasn't. Jack’s heart flopped as the boy frowned, his blue eyes glancing up at him again. And he realized why this boy made his heart clench. Black hair, blue eyes, small frame. He...he looked like Danny would if his little boy was still here.

Jack shook his head. No. This was someone else’s son, a child that was stolen or lost from another family. All the more reason to find out who he is.

“What’s your name?” A young voice in front of him spoke, shaking slightly.

Jack blinked, startled. “What?”

The kid shrugged, trying to look casual. “You said everyone else’s name, but not yours.”

He hadn’t offered his name? The man stuck his hand forward. “Jack Fenton. Inventor, Ghost Hunter.”

The boy stayed still, studying the hand like he didn’t know what to make of it. He wrapped thin arms around his stomach. “Ghost hunter?”

Jack frowned at the fear in the tone. “Yes?”

The boy seemed to recoil more, making him look even smaller and Jack’s heart clenched. He understood. The man sat down beside the boy, making himself less lumbering and hopefully less intimidating.

“I’m not going to hurt you, kiddo. You’re a human.” The man calmly explained.

The boy posture relaxed, his arms moving to his sides. “Only for the last fifteen minutes.” He grumbled.

Jack didn’t acknowledge. Instead he asked. “What’s your name?”

The boy looked up, startled. He bit his lip. “It’s uhh Phantom.”

“Phantom?” Jack frowned. That was more evidence for the changeling idea; if the ghosts were basically keeping him as a servant...or pet, calling him something demeaning like another word for ghost would make sense. “Do you remember your real name?”

The kid...Phantom...tilted his head. “Real name?”

“The name you had when the ghosts took you.” Jack explained.

“The ghosts...took me?” The kid’s voice rose skeptically. “No ghosts took me.”

The man sighed. “How do you think you ended up in the Zone?”

Phantom’s jaw dropped, holding up one finger. “First, it’s called the Infinite Realms. The Ghost Zone is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. And second,” He held up a second finger. “I died! How do you think people normally end up in the Realms?”

As the boy’s voice rose, green light seemed to swim in his eyes. Jack frowned. What was that? A trick of the light? Ecto Contamination from years in the Zone?

He shook his head, dislodging the thought. “I get it kiddo. It’s confusing. But ghost’s don’t just come back to life.”

The kid glared. “I know! But I did!”

Jack furrowed his brow. “I know you don’t remember. But maybe you were kidnapped by ghosts as a little kid or you accidently came through a natural portal. But you couldn’t have been a ghost.”

“But I was!” Phantom frowned and the swirling green light in his eyes returned.

Jack tensed. That light, it was definitely real. Was the kid even aware it was happening?

“Phantom?” Saying the boy’s ‘name’ for the first time, Jack put out his hands, placatingly.

“Don’t try to tell me I don’t know what happened to me!” He shouted. His eyes lit up green as his body turned translucent and fell through the chair into the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The man, he really was….nice. Really nice and gentle for someone so big and potential intimidating. Except……Something tickled at the back of his mind (orange safe) as he leaned into the man walking up the stairs. Phantom wasn’t scared. He felt...well...not safe. But not in danger.

He took the food offer and happily ate it, the taste pleasantly buzzing on his tongue and the man chuckled at him. The sound sent a pang through Phantom’s new heart- familiarity, fun, joy.

Another pang as he asked about the man’s family and his son. Something about the picture….and the little boy made his heart clench.

“He died.” The man whispered.

He sounded so sad, even though it happened a long time ago. Phantom frowned, glancing up at the sad father. His own mind went to his own past. He’d died at some point, he knew.

Mommy? Mommy? Why are you crying? Where’s Daddy? I want Daddy.

He tried not to shiver. He’d had a Mom and Dad, hadn’t he? He manifested in the Realms crying for them, though he couldn’t remember their faces. And he’d been young, like Jack’s son. He’d started as a small, weak ghost very much in need of an adult ghost to take care of him (He still needed his guardian, even if in different ways now). So he’d been a small, young human before he’d died.

Did his parents’ hearts still break, thinking of him after all this time?

Phantom shook his head, dislodging that thought. He tried to keep his voice steady. “What’s your name?”

“Jack Fenton. Inventor. Ghost Hunter.” The man offered.

Phantom paled, stomach churning with fear. He didn’t know exactly what a ghost hunter was but it sounded dangerous, reminding him of Skulker. The teen had seen the ferocity with which the hunter ghost pursued his prey without mercy. Did this man do that same but to all ghosts indiscriminately?

Jack obviously saw Phantom’s fearful reaction and attempted to calm those fears. The former ghost relaxed, believing the adult wouldn’t hurt him. At least not while the man thought he was completely human and had never been anything but.

And Jack remained in fact persistently and annoyingly convinced. He didn’t believe Phantom was in fact the former ghost's name. He thought he was kidnapped or accidentally wandered into the Realms through a portal.

“No ghosts took me.” The boy argued. And it was true; if anything he’d been saved when Clockwork found him wandering around the Abandoned Lands and took him in.

Jack sighed, raising an eyebrow. “How do you think you ended up in the Zone?”

The tone was kind and patient, not annoyed and belittling. Phantom pricked anyway. How did he think he ended up in the realms? Come on! “First, it’s called the Infinite Realms. The Ghost Zone is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. And second,” He gritted his teeth. “I died! How do you think people normally end up in the Realms?”

As the boy spat out the words, something swirled in his chest but he barely registered it, focused on glaring at the man. Jack was staring at him with a confused look. What exactly was the human not getting?

Before Phantom could really question, Jack shook his head.“I get it kiddo. It’s confusing. But ghost’s don’t just come back to life.”

“I know!” He glared. He did. Ghosts didn’t just come back from the dead. But… “But I did!”

Phantom frowned, the cold churning near his heart returning. “But I was!”

Across from him, Jack tensed. But Phantom didn’t notice, too annoyed. Why wouldn’t this human just listen? How was he supposed to figure this out if the only person who could help him wouldn’t even try to believe him?!

“Phantom?” The boy barely registered when the adult said his name for the first time and put out his hands, placatingly.

Phantom shouted. “Don’t try to tell me I don’t know what happened to me!” The cold swirl in the same place as his heart surged. His eyes burned as his body turned translucent. With a yelp, he fell through the chair onto the floor.

Phantom’s heart hammered in his chest, his breath wheezing as he stared at his instantial legs before they returned to solidified. He didn’t have time to react.

“You’re...you’re a ghost.” Jack stuttered, staring at him in shock.

Phantom’s previous shock morphed into anger. “That’s what I’ve been telling you!”

“But..but you have a heartbeat. I felt it! You’re warm. You just ate!” The human’s eyes widened.

“I know that!” The boy growled.

He still felt his heart, the blood rushed through his veins. But the swirling in his chest remained. The cold swelled again and his arm flickered invisible. Both Jack and Phantom stared at the limb before it returned to visibility.

“It happened again!” Jack exclaimed, voice too booming. “You’re a ghost. A real actual ghost! I’ve never seen one before.”

“You’re a ghost hunter!” Phantom’s brow furrowed in exacerbated confusion, tampering the panic from his re-manifesting abilities.

The man shrugged exaggeratedly. “You ghosts aren’t really common here! That’s why we made the portal! To study ghosts and the Zone!”

Phantom momentarily shivered at the thought of being ‘studied.” His whole body flickered invisible again.

“How are you doing?!” Jack asked, eyes bright. Then his face fell, becoming more serious. “Are you possessing the kid?”

“Gah! This is my body! Why the hell would I pretend to just be a human kid and willy-nilly show you my powers?!” Phantom snapped.

The anger in the adult’s eyes disappeared as his mouth rounded into a oh. “So you were telling the truth.”

“Of course! Your freakin’ portal brought me back to life.” Phantom’s eyes flash green with the energy of his core.

His core… His hand went to rest on his chest again. He could feel it vibrating in his chest in rhythm with his heart. His heart. His heart and core. He had both.

Meanwhile Jack stared at the boy, his hand running through his hair as he excitedly spoke. “Sufferin’ spooks. Our portal…. You….You actually were a ghost. What was it like, being a ghost? What’s the Zone like?”

Phantom ignored the questions, panic growing in his mind. He had a heart and a core. A human body and ghost powers. He...he was….still as ghost but also...

“I beat it’s really big and spooky! What kind of powers do you have?! How do they work?” Jack grinned.

He was a ghost and a human. Both living and dead. He...he was….a freak. An abomination.

“How long have you been a ghost? Do you remember your life? How you died?”

Why wouldn’t the human stop talking? Couldn’t he see he was freaking out?

“Will you stop? I don’t remember!” Phantom snapped.

Jack apparently didn’t register the first part. “That makes sense. Most stories say ghosts don’t remember anything from before they died. ”

“Please stop.” Phantom closed his eyes, gritting his teeth.

“But kiddo, I’m just curious. I mean…..you were dead. But…. you’re alive again.” Jack’s face softened, ever so slightly.

“I said shut up!” A hint of ghostly echo entered his voice as the kid stood up.

Jack’s mouth snapped shut. “I just want to know what’s going on.” He muttered.

“What’s going on? You want to know?” Phantom sneered. “You did this to me. You’re goddamned portal turning me into some half dead, half alive thing! I’m...I’m…”

His human heart pounded, clenching painfully as he remembered. There was another like...like him in Realms, not a ghost, not human. But also somehow both. The other ghosts sneered at it, calling it freak, monster, abomination. It even had its own slur, halfa.

Phantom felt hot tears collecting in his eyes as Jack stared at him in shock. “I’m not a ghost or a human anymore. Just some...some freak that doesn’t belong here or in the Realms!”

“But kiddo… you have your life back.” Jack’s eyes widened sadly and he held out his arms.

“No!” A tear finally fell and Phantom felt his core flare again, his body rippling with invisibility and intangibility. “My life back!? It would have been better if that portal ripped me apart!”

It was true. The ghosts, they hated the halfa. Especially the Observants. They’d been looking for a way to get rid of it for years, unable to get Clockwork to interfere directly. Phantom paled. Clockwork would already get in trouble if the Observants found out about the older ghost adopting him. But now, being parent to an abomination. They’d destroy Phantom and punish his guardian for millenia.

In his thoughts, the boy failed to notice Jack coming to stand in front of him. “Phantom, we’ll figure this out. I’ll...I’ll help you.”

The energy of Phantom’s core swells again as the boy jumped back startled. He doubled over, the surge turning painful.

“Phantom!” Jack shouted, eyes wide with concern.

“No! No!” The energy swelled again and Phantom cried out painfully. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know! What can I do?” The man asked panickedly.

His core pulsed, now visible light swirling under his skin. “No! No! No!”

Gaping, Phantom turned around as if he could stop the human from seeing. If the boy had an inkling of what came next…..he didn’t even want to be seen. He took several hurried steps towards a room with plush seating. But his eyes fell to a mirror before he made it far. Phantom met his own eyes, blue he absently noted like Jacks’. Other than that and the hair, his face still looked mostly the same.

Renewed pain distracted Phantom from the reflection. His ectoenergy swelled again and white light burst through his skin.

Shit.

It spread, banishing the warmth and weight and the pounding of his heart. And replacing it with familiar ghostly chill and weightlessness. The light passed his head, leaving his more familiar green eyed, white haired face. He looked like himself again but…..

His aura flared; a tiny flicker of gravity and warmth remained lodged in his chest. He looked like a ghost but …..

“I’m an abomination!” The now floating halfa cried, punching the mirror.

It shattered and Phantom fled down the stairs and disappeared back through the portal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Their portal, Jack and Maddie’s portal had resurrected a ghost. They had brought a ghost back to life….errr at least partially.

He stood in awe, gaping as the seemingly human boy displayed clearly ghostly powers. This couldn’t be real, right? But it was! The scientist and ghost enthusiast wanted to shout for joy. A real ghost! All the questions he could ask and the discovery! A human body but ghostly powers. It shouldn’t be possible.

But the excitement got the better of the scientist

“I said shut up!” Phantom yelled at him, a hint of ghostly echo in his voice.

Jack’s mouth snapped shut. “I just want to know what’s going on.” He muttered, tail between his legs. He’d messed up; he needed to be more compassionate and understanding. There would be time for discoveries later but now he was facing an angry child with ghost powers.

“What’s going? You want to know?” Phantom sneered. “You did this to me. You’re goddamned portal turning me into some half dead, half alive thing! I’m...I’m…”

Jack’s heart broke as he listened. And he tried to comfort but it failed. He never was good at finding the right thing to say.

“It would have been better if that portal ripped me apart!” Phantom cried.

Jack wanted to cry too at the pain in that young face. Yes, the pain. This reaction wasn’t just anger. It was pain, terror, despair. This wasn’t an angry ghost but a hurting child (Was that any different than what he’d thought just minutes ago?)

“Phantom, we’ll figure this out. I’ll...I’ll help you.” He reached forward promisingly.

But the boy jumped back, face scrunching up in pain. And Jack panicked. What was happening?

His fear just grew as the boy’s blue eyes (like Jack’s own) lit up with pain. What could he do?! What could he do?!

Ghostly light swirled under the boy’s skin and Jack froze in terror. What was happening?! Was Phantom dying again? The ghostly essence inside trying to destroy the new human body? He remained frozen, a coward as Phantom ran away from him.

‘Come one Jack! Move!’ His mind cried but he couldn’t act, even when the white light formed into a ring around Phantom’s waist and changed him. The white lab coat Jack had given him changed into a black robe. The now white haired figure floated a inch above the floor.

“I’m an abomination!” He cried.

Jack still couldn’t move as Phantom broke the mirror and fled past him, into the basement.

Now, five minutes later, Jack remained frozen in the kitchen, staring between the bowl of cereal and the broken mirror. That had happened. That had really happened. His portal had brought a ghost back to life….or half life. He’d let the boy lean on him to get up the stairs, feed him, talk to him. The boy, the kid, the child had been real. He had been a ghost, he was a ghost, yes. But he’d been human. Phantom had changed from a ghost to a human and back to a ghost. But….there was no body in his living room. No blood, nothing to suggest he died again.

So was Phantom still human?

That thought suddenly ripped Jack into action. He’d let the kid leave. But maybe, just maybe he was still in the lab.

Jack pounded down the stairs, hoping and praying at anything and anyone who would listen. But his heart fell. No one was down here. Nothing, no trace down here. But Phantom had been here, obviously. And Jack knew, he knew, the kid fled through the portal.

Suddenly feeling impossibly tired, Jack sat down heavily on the steps. Why? Why? Why would Phantom just leave if he thought he didn’t belong in the Zone (Realms?) anymore? Probably because that was the only place, the only existence he remembered. But Jack wished more than anything Phantom was still here.

The reality, the realizations hit Jack like a tidal wave. Their portal had done this to Phantom. It had changed him, ripping him from an existence he knew and turning him into something he didn’t want. Jack didn’t understand why Phantom reacted as he did, like gaining a living body but keeping his powers was the worst thing that could happen to him. Like it was much worse than just being turned into a human. But the kid acted like he knew what had happened to him and for some reason thought being as he now was, meant he was an abomination. But whatever the outside context was their portal had changed Phantom, hurting and terrifying a child.

Phantom’s scared human face flashed in his mind. A young teenager’s face with blue eyes and black hair. So, so familiar. Jack leaned over, feeling his heart breaking. He could hardly bear to think about it, the thought quiet and insidious. If he indulged it, it would grow and overtake him. But….But the thought hissed in the back of his mind- Black hair, blue eye, lithe build, narrow nose, sprinkle of freckles. Phantom looked like his Danny if his boy was still alive.

And maybe he was.The hideous, impossible but so, so tempting thought hissed. Jack physically cried, covering his mouth. It almost certainly wasn’t true. Even among the living there are millions of men and boys with those features and how many more among the dead? And even if...if….Ghosts don’t age, do they?

But what did Jack really know about ghosts? Never meet one before today. He’d only read stories. Yes, a lifetime of research but he found the most impossible thing today. Or really it found him, stumbling through his portal.

And...and. A tear actually leaked from the man’s eye. The insidious thought whispered. If their portal was going to call through, bring back, resurrect any ghost. If there was any such thing as fate,or mercy. If a higher power looked down on him and could be kind. Who else would the portal bring to him but his Danny?

But just because this was what he wanted, hoped and longer for, that didn’t mean it was real, the more logical part of him argued. Danny almost certainly didn’t become a ghost anyway and there must be billions of ghosts in the Zone. But deeper, his heart, his soul whispered what if? What if?

So Jack Fenton cried. Because it didn’t matter. The impossible boy that stumbled through the portal, Phantom, was never coming back. He��d never see him again and always wonder what happened to him. Or he’d wonder if this had been a dream or a nightmare. For the rest of his life, he’ll wonder and when he’d dream of his little boy, still alive, he’d have Phantom’s human face.

Later he’d have to figure out whether or not to let Maddie. Debate if he should close the portal and stay silent, prevent her this pain. Or tell her, even his deepest darkness hopes.

But right then, all the father could do was sit on the steps and stare at the portal, trying...and failing not to cry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once he fled through the portal, Phantom flew at his top speed. If he could just get to Clockwork….if he could just…..Clockwork, his guardian, could fix everything.

The newly minted half ghost stopped, practically collapsing on a small, bare island after not even ten minutes. His chest heaved, greedily trying to take in the thin air. Dang it! Why was he still breathing? He was a ghost! Phantom forced himself to stop the intake of air but his chest burned after a minute. He gulped in another breath. Okay, apparently breathing’s still required, even his real form.

With shaking arms, the ghost pushed himself into a sitting position. And why did he feel so weak?! He should be able to fly for hours at that speed. But now he felt as weak as a little kid. Like when he’d just died and could barely fly for more than ten minutes.

Phantom growled.It was fine. He was fine, just freaked out because he got turned into a freaking halfa. His stamina would recover. He just needed to get up and keep heading back to Clockwork’s lair.

The ghost floated upright. His body shook as Phantom forced himself forward. He could make it; he could make it. He just needed to push himself a little harder. Soon Phantom’s breath started heaving again. He could see his aura flickering weakly, his core straining. He felt too warm.

Five minutes later, the ghost boy crashed again, this time dropping painfully like a rock. He splayed onto another bare island, knocking up a cloud of purplish-brown dust. He started coughing and pushed up with his hands, intending to get up and move away from the dust. But the boy hissed in pain as his bare palms pushed into the rock. He collapsed back into his stomach, still hacking. Shakily, Phantom tried again, instead pushing with his forearms. In that position, the ghost closed his eyes and covered his mouth with this sleeve while slowly crawling away.

Some of the dust stopped slinging his skin. But Phantom bit his lip. His palms stung. Cautiously, he opened his eyes and frowned at his hands. He’d skinned his palms crashing into the rock, but likely nothing else felt hurt. He furrowed his brows. Although…..something was wrong.

Slowly, Phantom moved so he was sitting on his behind, still staring at his hands. His injured hands were bleeding ectoplasm; that was expected but the color was wrong. It wasn’t the normal vivid, bright green but was darker, mutted. It was an almost brownish-green, like….like...It was mixed with red. Red like human blood. Because he was half human now.

Hissing in pain, Phantom balled his fists. It was wrong. Everything was wrong. Even his ectoplasm was wrong. He was a freak. A frustrated tear fell from his eye but the ghost whipped it away. He couldn’t do this right; he couldn’t. He was in the middle of nowhere and still hours from his guardian’s lair. He needed to leave.

Suddenly something rustled behind him. “What do we have here?” A slimy voice said.

Phantom whipped around, eyes falling on two ghosts. A blue skinned young man with ripped clothes and crooked teeth and a red and blue striped tiger with a snapping snake for a tail. Quickly, the boy stood up, putting his hands in front of him. “I...I was just passing through. So...I’ll go.” He pointed behind him.

“Why the hurry?” The ghostly man grinned

The tiger tilted its head, sniffing. Then it looked at the man. “It smells…. wrong, Pete.” The big cat bared its fangs. “Like heat and blood.”

Phantom swallowed. “Now there’s nothing…”

The man, Pete, flew forward and stopped ten feet from the teenager. His eyes narrowed, looking at Phantom’s hands. “There’s something wrong with your ‘plasm, kid.”

The sneer in the last word made the teen’s skin crawl. “There’s not…”

But before he could argue, an ectoblast shot at him. Phantom fell onto his back, yelping in pain. Before he could react, the tiger leaped on him, pinning him to the ground.

“So is this the famous halfa?” The cat purred maliciously.

“No.” Phantom pushed against the paws holding his down, but the tiger just dug its claws into the boy’s shoulders. The kid bit back a pained yell.

Pete slowly walked to be beside him. “Nah. That vampire creepy at least has the decency to look like a ghost. But…” He bent down, putting a clawed finger under Phantom’s chin. “It’s the same kind of freak.”

“I’m...I’m not a freak.” The boy tried to sound confident but his voice shook as he quickly turned his head away. The man’s claw cut his check, drawing ectoplasm.

Pete’s nose wrinkled in disgust as he jumped away. “It got its dirty ‘plasm on me.”

“And I don’t?!” The cat hissed, turning its head towards the other ghost.

In the distraction, Phantom swiftly swung his legs and kicked the cat’s stomach, knocking it off of him. The tiger yelped in surprise, knocking into the other ghosts. Before his attackers could react, Phantom was on his feet and running.

He got three steps before teeth dug into his leg. Phantom cried out in pain but stayed standing. Then a blast knocked him from the side. The boy hit a boulder with a thud, bruising his back. His knees bucket but before he fell, a clawed hand wrapped around his neck.

“That was real clever, little freak.” The ghostly man lifted him up before slamming Phantom back into the boulder.

“Stop!” Phantom choked out.

“Oh. You can’t breath. I guess abominations like you have to.” The hands around the boy’s throat tightened.

Spots formed in Phantom vision as the cat appeared beside the other ghost. “I wonder how much someone would pay for him. Skulker would love to skin something this rare.”

Phantom squirmed, trying to kick but his legs just dangled uselessly.

Pete grinned. “Or? You know who hates halfas. The Observants. I bet they’d pay an arm and a leg!”

Observants! Phantom’s eyes popped. Oh god. He’d be destroyed if they got claws on him. He needed Clockwork! “Clockwork! Clockwork!” The cry barely passed his lips.

Pete laughed, an ugly sound. “Are you crying for those eyeball’s little pet to save you?”

“Yes.” A deep voice rang out behind him and Phantom’s core leapt for joy.

Dropping the halfa, his attacker turned around. In the middle of the bare rock floated a blue skinned ghost in a purple cloak and a clock face hanging in his chest. The ancient ghost’s red eyes bore into the two attacks. “Useless you wish to spend eternity in the Timeless Vault, reliving your worst memories, you will leave and never speak of this.”

With a brief look at each other, the tiger and other ghost fled, quickly disappearing. Still on the ground, Phantom remained frozen staring at his mentor. “Clockwork?” His voice rose in hope.

Clockwork’s expression softened. “Yes my child.”

The adult ghost floated forward, lowering himself to the ground. Phantom practically leapt into his arms. “Clockwork! I...I thought...they...they were going to destroy me. And..and the Observants were going to find out. It...the portal turned me into...this and I’m a monster.”

Phantom’s voice broke but Clockwork rubbed his back. “You are not a monster.”

“But….but I’m an abomination.” The adrenaline of the attack falling, Phantom finally cried.

Clockwork pulled away and the younger ghost started shaking. Was...was his guardian going to push him away? “Please, please Clockwork. I...I don’t want to be a halfa. Please,The Observants….they’re going to find out. They’ll destroy me. And….and they’ll punish you. Oh, god they’re going to punish you because of me.”

Clockwork gently touched Phantom’s face. “They will not touch you.”

“But…” The boy’s lip wobbled. Then his eyes widened. “Can...can you turn me back? Reverse time so this doesn’t happen?”

The older ghost’s soft expression turned carefully neutral. “I cannot.”

“But.. you’re the master of time. Please I don’t want to be this. You can help me.” Phantom begged.

The older ghost’s expression fell ever so slightly. “I could...But I will not.”

The boy’s jaw dropped. “You...you won’t help me.” Tears welled as his breath quickened. Clockwork…..Clockwork….his guardian wouldn’t help him. He wouldn’t help. Did….did he not love him anymore, because...because...“Please. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I don’t want to be an abomination!”

The adult’s hand gently gripped his wrist. “You are not an abomination.” His voice, though severe, was kind.

“But the Observants…”

“Are wrong.” Clockwork frowned. “You are not a monster. You are not unnatural. Everything is as it should be.”

Phantom’s tears slowed at his mentor’s familiar, comforting platitude. “Okay, okay.” He forced himself to take a slow breath. “But...what if the Observants find out?”

“I will deal with them. They will not harm you.”

“Okay.” Despite his still very present fears, Phantom trusted the adult. If he promised to protect him, the older ghost would. “So can we go home now?”

Clockwork’s frown deepened, his red eyes shining with sadness. He studied the younger ghost for several moments and Phantom’s core dropped. “No, little Phantom.”

“No?” The boy’s lip trembled.

Clockwork floated a step away. “You must return to the human world.”

“The human world?” Phantom paled.

The older ghost nodded. “Yes. Return to the portal, to the house and the man you meet earlier.”

“But...but...I don’t know anything about humans or Earth or…”

Clockwork put his hands on Phantom’s. “You will be safe, little one. The man and his family will help you.” There was a pause and the adult swallowed. “And the answers you are looking for, about who you were and where you came from, they lie on the other side of that portal.”

Blinking at the older ghost, Phantom frowned. The answers? What was he talking about? His mind swam with other worries. “But...what about you?”

Clockwork squeezed his hands. “I will be fine. And I will always be watching.”

“But…” The boy argued.

“Hush now. You will see me again in time. And all will be well.” The older ghost comforted. He gently placed a hand on the boy’s head and Phantom felt his core flare, the pain for his wounds disappear. “Just enough energy for you to get back to the portal.”

“I don’t want to go back!” Phantom begged.

Clockwork floated to his feet. “Little one, you must.” He started floating away.

“I want to stay with you!” Phantom leapt to his feet and lunged towards the older ghost, wanting to cling to him, like he had as a young child. Like he could convince Clockwork to take him back to their lair.

“Time out.” The older ghost calmly commanded.

Phantom froze in place, the Zone slowing around him. But his eyes remained opened and alert.

The older ghost studied him with a sad, compassionate look while the teenager mentally yelled at him. Let me go! Clockwork!

The adult planted a tender kiss on his forehead. “Until we meet again, my little Phantom.”

No! Clockwork! Phantom mentally yelled. With one last loving smile, Clockwork disappeared and time resumed.

The teen stumbled forward, his breathing suddenly loud. “Clockwork! Please!” His heartbeat quickened in panic. When had that restarted? “Please! Don’t leave me! Clockwork!”

A sob wanted to break from his throat but he forced it down. “Clockwork! Please.” He croaked. “I just want to go home! Please!”

Phantom cried and screamed into the swirling green void. Why?! Why would his guardian let this happen to him? Why wouldn’t he help me? “Please I don’t want to be a monster!”

Did Clockwork not love him enough to stay? “Please I didn’t mean...Please!”

He broke down in sobs, the words choking him until he felt his core flicker, the energy his mentor lent him draining. With a jolt, the warmth in him tried to swell to the surface. Phantom cried out in panic and fled, his survival instincts over taking his turbulent emotions; turning human in the Realms would mean death.

Vision blurred with tears, Phantom barely paid attention to where he was going but somehow he made it. The portal called him and he sighed in relief as he flew through it. He collapsed on the floor and gave up his ghost form.

The sobbing increased as he became heavy and warm. His heart pounded in his ears. He felt so small and so exposed on the floor there. Like when he first became a ghost and had collapsed on an abandoned island after exhausting himself crying for parents he couldn’t remember. That’s where Clockwork had found him. Clockwork….. His guardian, who was supposed to protect him, had left him. He left him alone.

Heavy footsteps ran towards him. “Phantom!” A relieved voice cried.

Someone was happy to see him. Was it Clockwork? Was he here to take him home? Someone knelt in front of him. “Oh kiddo, what happened?”

Phantom looked up. The human in orange, his red-rimmed blue eyes staring at him in worry. His name was….Jack?

Jack hesitated for a moment before wiping a tear from Phantom’s face with his thumb. The tears just increased as Phantom shakily tried to push himself up. But his arms collapsed. He felt so weak. It hurt. Everything, everything hurt. And he was confused and devastated. What was he supposed to do? He just wanted to be held.

Putting a weak hand forward, Phantom gripped the fabric on Jack’s knee. “Please. I don’t know what to do.”

Jack’s eyes softened and reached forward, seeming to understand. Gently he wrapped arms around Phantom and pulled the boy to his chest. “Shush, It’ll be okay.”

Phantom clung to his clothes, like he had to Clockwork’s robes when he was a young ghost. “He...he left me.” The boy hiccuped.

Jack pulled him closer, rubbing his back. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“I’m a monster. He didn’t want me.” Phantom cried, his heart breaking. A tiny part of him screamed that wasn’t true. But why would Clockwork leave him?!

The arms rubbing his back froze. Phantom felt tears dripping on him from above. “How...how could someone…” Jack shook, his hand reaching to ruffling Phantom’s hair. “I want you.”

The words were so quiet, the halfa was sure he imagined them. No one could want him. No one. He was a monster that didn’t belong in either world. An abomination. Who could love a thing like him?

But Jack didn’t let go. He whispered comforting words Phantom couldn’t quite catch as the boy cried. As the tears slowed, the adult carried him upstairs and laid him on the couch. He gently washed and bandaged his injuries.

Phantom stayed silent as Jack held his hand. “I promise, I’m not going to let anything happen to you again.”

The boy nodded. He didn’t quite know why but he believed him. Drifting off, he studied Jack’s face. Clockwork (The word still hurt his heart and he still loved the ghost so much. Hopefully the promise that he would see him later was true) Clockwork had said Jack would help him and that had been true. Maybe Jack was the adult that he needed right now, a human adult to take care of a now half human teenager. And Clockwork had said that the answers Phantom was looking for were here. And he had always wondered about the human world and who he had been before he died. Phantom squeezed the hand he was holding. Maybe Jack would help him find those answers, and maybe they were closer than he thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack sat on the steps. His tears had just about dried when the mist of the portal wavered. He tensed, preparing to possibly fight what came through.

Then a white haired ghost in a black robe flew through and collapsed on the lab floor. With a sob, the ring of light formed around his waist and the ghost became a black haired human boy. The sobbing increased and Jack’s heart clenched. He could hardly believe it. He...he came back. Phantom...(Danny?)....had come back. A trickle of hopefully joy entered Jack’s heart. Phantom had come back.

With another sob, Jack’s mind caught up. There was a hurting child, weeping in his lab. He ran forward.

“Phantom!” He called, his heart swelling with an odd mix of relief, joy, and concern.

He paused for a second, increasingly alarmed. The boy looked awful. A scratch on his face. Bruises. Were those claw marks? A bite on his ankle?! At least they weren’t bleeding that much.

Jack knelt beside him. “Oh kiddo, what happened?”

Phantom looked up, those familiar blue eyes studying him, first with confusion and then recognition. The father’s heart broke. He gently wiped a tear from his face. The kid looked so heartbroken, so devastated. What happened to him in the Zone?

The tears just increased as Phantom shakily tried to push himself up. But his arms collapsed. Jack wanted to reach out so badly, to sweep the boy up in a hug but would he want it after being hurt so badly?

Then the ghost boy surprised Jack by gripping the fabric on his knee with a weak hand. “Please. I don’t know what to do.”

At the plea, Jack’s eyes softened. He understood the plea to be comforted, to be held. He reached forward, gently wrapping arms around Phantom and pulling the boy to his chest. “Shush, It’ll be okay.”

Phantom clung to his clothes, like a child clinging to his father. And Jack’s heart clenched. “He...he left me.” The boy hiccuped.

Pulling him closer and rubbing his back, Jack apologized. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He didn’t know who hurt him, who left him. But none of this would have happened was it not for Jack.

Another cry broke Jack from his thoughts. “I’m a monster. He didn’t want me.”

Jack froze and stopped rubbing his back. The man couldn’t help the new tears that formed. This kid wasn’t a monster. “How...how could someone…” How could someone not want him because of what happened? But maybe ghosts could be cruel, clearly someone or something injured him. And someone Phantom trusted made the young ghost think he wasn’t wanted. Jack shook, his hand reaching to ruffling Phantom’s hair.

“I want you.” Jack breathed, and he knew it was true.

He whispered comforting words as the boy cried. Eventually the tears slowed and Jack carefully carried his upstairs. He laid the boy on the couch and gathered supplies to wash and bandage his injuries.

Jack held his hand, while washing the scratches on his shoulders. “I promise, I’m not going to let anything happen to you again.”

Jack meant it, with his whole heart. His mind was made up. Jack Fenton may be a ghost hunter but he was and had always been a father first. And he could not and would not reject a hurt child. Though part of his soul sang, tempted with the possibility of his dead son returning to life, his logic argued that it almost certainly wasn’t true. This wasn’t his Danny but another’s son. But his heart still clenched, telling him to listen. But no matter the truth, whoever or whatever this boy was, his Danny or a near stranger who happened to look alike, Jack’s heart said that Phantom was his.

Blinking sleepily, the boy nodded. His brows furrowed, clearly studying Jack’s face and the man wondered what he was thinking. Phantom squeezed Jack’s hand and the father (his father?) smiled down at him.

Endnote:

There you go. Originally I wanted this to be 4,000 words or so but it just kept getting longer and longer. And in all honesty, I would love to do a multi-chapter version that's 50K plus. With Maddie and Jazz returning and meeting Phantom, the half ghost slowly remembering who he is, Jack noticing the resemblance much more slowly until he eventually tells Maddie who refuses to get her hopes up, and Phantom (Danny) figuring out the truth but being scared to say anything because why would the Fentons want him as a son. It would end with him telling Jazz and eventually getting the courage to tell their parents.

Oh, and I'd want a side plot of the Observants finding out and Clockwork dealing with that with an eventual reunion and Clockwork meeting Danny's human parents.

Anyway, it would be a lot but I want to finish Face to Face and a few other multi-chapter stories I want to write first. So IDK when or if this would ever happen.

#Danny Phantom #phic phight #phic phight 2020 #My fic #danny fenton #jack fenton #Clockwork

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darks-ink · 5 years ago

Text

Antonym

Prompt: Danny is a ghost who became half-human after stumbling through a portal to the human world. Prompt by: @voidetrap Word count: 9,526

[AO3] [FFN] [more Phic Phight fics]

---

Tail trailing behind him like a comet’s, Phantom lazily twisted around a few floating chunks of rock. Around him, the ambient ectoplasm of the Ghost Zone ebbed and flowed as usual.

How could a world so centered around change, around what’s ever changing, be so boring? It felt like he’d been here for forever, that he’d seen every crummy corner of this existence. Oh, if only he could see the human world! He didn’t know what it was like—if he’d ever been human, he certainly didn’t have any memories of that time—but he’d heard stories! And what stories they were!

His favorites were the ones detailing the world away from humans, he was sure. The infinite reaches of space, an empty void much like the Ghost Zone except not. With planets and stars and life— life. With enormous balls of whatever that came into being, and then died, spectacularly! That changed whole eons with their coming and going!

And the best part, he thought, was that you didn’t actually have to go there to witness all that. You could stay on Earth, watch the ever-continuing bustle of Earth’s life, and still see space.

But there was no point in wistful thinking. Yes, portals to Earth were commonplace in the Ghost Zone, but the dimension was enormous. The chance of coming across one was practically nil.

Something in the atmosphere changed, suddenly, in a way that Phantom couldn’t describe, could only feel in his core. Could it really be…?

Unwilling to let this chance slip by, he raced towards the distortion. There was nothing visible, nothing to see or hear or smell, but he could feel it in his core. Where was it? He just had to find it!

A few moments of frantic flying and finally he found it. His core screamed, and suddenly Phantom felt overwhelmingly— overwhelmed. His euphoria at finding the spot was swept away in the sudden panic as his core went from screaming ‘purpose, purpose, here!’ to screaming ‘danger danger DANGER!’.

He paused, just a single second, to figure it out.

And his world flashed white, then black, and Phantom’s core quietened entirely.

---

When Phantom awoke again, it was… bright. Way brighter than he usually saw in the Ghost Zone, and he flinched. Shot up into a sitting position, his core jerking oddly in his chest.

“Oh!” a startled voice said, somewhere in the room. It was masculine, Phantom thought, but flat. The echo didn’t sound quite right. “Mads, he’s awake!”

Phantom wanted to look, wanted to know where he was and who was here with him, but his core still hadn’t settled down. It was thudding in his chest, a fast rhythmic thumping, like it was trying to break its way out of Phantom’s ectoplasm. None of the regular whirring or humming, and not even a hint of— of feeling to guide him.

“Hey,” the same voice as earlier said, softly, and suddenly next to him. “Are you okay, kid?”

His eyes snapped towards the source automatically, his core faltering for a brief moment. Big, was his first thought, followed by bright. Orange, though, not a color often seen in the Zone. Dark blue irises in white sclera, black hair, pink skin…

Pink skin?

Phantom ran his eyes over whoever was in front of him again. There was no mistaking it. No glow, not even the slightest hum of a core, and all soft and warm in coloration. This wasn’t a ghost at all! This was a human.

Holy shit, he really had gone through a portal to Earth!

“Jack, don’t scare him,” a second voice chastised, from his other side. Phantom turned to look at her, and yes, this one was definitely human as well. Smaller than the man, with auburn hair and violet irises, dressed in teal.

She crouched, one black-gloved hand hovering over Phantom’s shoulder, not quite touching. “Hi honey. This must all be very overwhelming. Do you… speak English?”

Why were they being all polite and stuff? He thought humans hated ghosts?

He opened his mouth to answer, but his tongue felt too heavy, and he couldn’t manage the words. Instead he grimaced, then nodded at her.

“Well, that’s convenient, at least.” She turned her head to look past Phantom and at the man. “Jack, can you go get him some water? He must be dehydrated.”

Phantom watched the man—Jack, apparently—get up and walk away. Now that he’d gotten used to the bright lights, he could finally look around.

They appeared to be inside, the room decently-sized but with no doors, only a staircase leading up. The entire thing was shiny and chrome-like. Metal plates, maybe? He didn’t know what humans used to construct their homes.

There were a bunch of tables in the room as well, made out of the same stuff as the walls. And, scattered just about everywhere, were parts. Bits that Phantom could never hope to put a name to, but that were clearly used for inventing. He’d seen Technus scavenge for them often enough to recognize the stuff.

Were these humans inventors, then? He wondered how common the occupation was for their kind.

He tried pulling his legs under him—the floor was getting hard and uncomfortable—but they were heavy. Heavy like his tongue, heavy like his core, heavy like… like every part of his body, really. Gravity was a thing, he knew, but he thought ghosts were more-or-less immune to its effects? And surely it wouldn’t weigh down his core, would it?

Resigning himself to having to adjust to it, he turned to look at what his leg was doing.

Uh.

Since when was his leg white? And his boots black?

His core did something weird again, and hop-skip that made Phantom feel very odd. He held out his hands for inspection.

Black gloves, white arms.

Phantom turned to look at the human woman next to him, who was frowning slightly—presumably at his sudden frantic behavior. “What—” His tongue still didn’t quite work, and it felt like he was talking through a straw, but he wanted, dammit, and he couldn’t be stopped that easily. “What color is my hair?”

Her frown deepened. “Black,” she said, cautiously.

Another skip-jump from his core, which Phantom was starting to fear wasn’t actually his core. He remembered, suddenly, the moment just before he’d blacked out. The moment his core had gone entirely silent.

With shaking hands, he reached for his left hand. Hooked a wavering finger underneath the edge of his glove, sliding it up further than he was supposed to be able to, until he found smooth skin at the wrist.

“Are the gloves bothering you?” the woman asked, and reached forward the grab his left glove as well. “Here, let me help, you’re shaking up a storm.”

And, before he could stop her, she tugged off the black glove entirely.

His hand was… was fleshy pink, a pale shade much like Jack and the woman. He clenched and unclenched it, hesitantly, watching it shift and pull with the movements. He felt sick, imagining the structures that laid underneath his skin that could be causing such things.

“Hey, shh, it’s okay,” the woman said, her voice soft and gentle. “What’s wrong? Can you tell me, so I can fix it?”

“I—” His throat felt dry, all of a sudden. Could it be dry?

“I’m human,” he said, but it sounded more like a question.

The woman blinked, seeming surprised. She pulled back a little, her hands lifting away from him. She had taken off his other glove, too. “Yes? What did you think you were?”

He opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly realized. The reason why these people were so nice, so polite… He swallowed, instead, around something big stuck in his throat.

Thudding footsteps echoed through the room, and Phantom snapped his head in the direction they were coming from.

Jack stepped off of the last step of the staircase, a glass with water in his massive black-gloved hand. “Sorry that it took a while. All our glasses were dirty.”

“All of them?” the woman asked skeptically. “Jack…”

The massive human laughed uncertainly, quickly coming over and handing the glass to Phantom. “Here you go, kiddo. Drink slowly.”

Phantom knew how to drink water, yes, thank you very much. Just because ghosts didn’t have to didn’t mean that they never drank anything.

But, he supposed, there might be a human anatomy thing going on here. Better take the advice, since it came from an expert on that sort of thing.

He took a sip, cautiously. The water was fresh, the taste almost empty, like something was absent from it. It felt cool in his throat, though, and felt great going down.

“Better?” the woman asked, still sitting next to him. He nodded, taking another sip.

“Can you tell us your name?” she asked, then.

“Um.” Another mouthful of cool water. Oh, he’d figured out what he was missing. Ectoplasm, of course! All water in the Zone was full of ectoplasm, just like, well. Everything. “Phantom?”

“Phantom?” Jack repeated, an odd tone to his voice. “Just Phantom?”

He shrugged, pushing down his initial spike of irritation. It was probably just a weird name for a human. Didn’t they have two names, anyway, like some of the more human-like ghosts insisted on doing as well? Like Ember and Spectra? Phantom had never really cared about that. He was fine with just being Phantom.

“I suppose that that works,” the woman said, but she was frowning at him anyway. She offered him one of her hands, his gloves in her lap. “My name is Maddie Fenton, and that’s Jack Fenton.”

Phantom stared at the hand for a moment, then took it. Maddie lifted and dropped their linked hands, and he repeated the motion.

“How long have you been in the Ghost Zone anyway, kid?” Jack had crouched on his other side again. “Do you remember how you got there?”

They seriously could not be asking that. Could they? He shrugged again. “I don’t know how I got there, or how long it’s been. Felt like forever.” He took another sip of the water. “I guess I must’ve died, though.”

“Nonsense,” Jack immediately denied, flapping a hand. “Portals between the human world and the Ghost Zone are plenty common, and can even be made with machinery!” They could? That was news to him.

Actually, wait. How did these guys know about the Ghost Zone, anyway? Wasn’t that some kind of secret? He thought most humans didn’t even believe in ghosts at all.

“So, like I was saying,” Jack continued, and Phantom realized he must’ve zoned out in the middle of man’s speech. “There are lots of explanations as to why a human teenager might’ve been in the Ghost Zone!”

“Yeah, I guess.” Phantom shrugged, loosely. “But I wasn’t a human teenager before I went through that portal just now. Or whatever it was, since I don’t think they normally turn ghosts into humans.”

“Phantom,” Maddie said with a scolding tone. “Young man, you do not get to joke about this.”

He stuck out his tongue at her, then paused to stare down at it. Ah, yes, a nice reddish pink, of course. He’d almost forgotten that humans were pink and red instead of green.

“If you were a ghost, though, why would you go through the portal?” Jack asked, apparently more willing to consider it than Maddie. “Why go to our world?”

“Because the Ghost Zone is boring,” Phantom exclaimed dramatically, throwing out his arms. “It’s just a lot of green and some purple and everything’s always the same. Out here you’ve got humans and they’re always changing and moving on and stuff.”

“Jack,” Maddie said, her voice strangely forced. “You can’t seriously think that he’s telling the truth about this? A ghost turned back into a human?”

Phantom rolled his eyes. “I never said anything about it turning me back into a human. I can’t remember ever being alive, and I know some ghosts just come into existence on their own, in the Zone. Although some of the others have told me that I looked pretty human, so I guess it’s possible that I was, at some point in the past, alive.”

“Jack,” Maddie said again.

“Mads,” Jack said back, and Phantom was wondering if they would notice if he left. “Whether he was a ghost or not, he’s human now, and he doesn’t remember anything. We can’t just leave him to his own devices, can we?”

She made a derisive noise. “Of course we can’t, honey. I’m not saying that. But I don’t know if it’s wise to play along with something like this.”

Ugh. They were talking about him like he wasn’t even there. Time to execute his brilliant plan.

He placed his glass onto the lab floor, then pushed himself up a little, supporting the weight of his upper body on his hands. And then, since neither human had noticed yet, slowly crept away.

“What harm can it do to listen to him?” Jack asked Maddie, apparently not noticing that their guest was leaving. “He’s been in the Ghost Zone for who knows how long. Even if he is just a confused boy, he must know tons about ghosts!”

That sounded reasonable, but also, why did they care? Why were these people so interested in ghosts and the Ghost Zone anyway? Weren’t they inventors? Or did humans just decorate their houses with scattered bits of inventions?

Something hard pressed against his back, and Phantom stopped crawling to look. Ah. The wall. A glance back towards Jack and Maddie revealed that they were too busy talking to notice his disappearance yet. That was…

Honestly, that was unbelievable. What was wrong with mankind?

Hm. Maybe he should stop thinking of them as humans and himself as a ghost, considering the circumstances.

Eh. Problem for future Phantom. What was the worst that could happen? He would die and become a ghost again?

Pressing his back against the metal wall, he pushed himself up onto his feet. Using his hands to brace himself—the metal cool underneath the bare skin and pink fingers—he even managed to stand properly. Ugh. His body was so heavy and, just, fleshy.

Another glance back towards the bickering humans to confirm that, yes, they were still bickering. Wild. They seemed satisfied to stick to words, though, which made sense based on how sluggish human bodies felt. And no powers, so they couldn’t just use ecto-blasts to circumvent that.

The staircase was set in another wall, but close to the corner where said wall met the one he was braced against. As long as those two didn’t look away from each other, Phantom was sure he could make it there.

Going up those stairs might be more challenging, but it looked like there might be a railing. Worst come to worst, he could always try pulling himself up the steps.

He stumbled—and almost fell—a couple of times, and tripped over his own heavy boots just before he had turned the corner. Hands lashing out, though, he managed to catch the railing and just barely stopped himself from face-planting into the floor. Embarrassing. Good thing no one saw that.

The stairs looked a lot more daunting from here, though. Phantom remembered how noisy it had been when Jack had gone down them, but… Jack was a lot bigger than him, and likely a lot heavier as well. That was an important thing with gravity, right?

Well, he’d come this far, so he wasn’t going to back out now. With one last glance backwards—and how were these people still talking about this?—Phantom confirmed that he was free to go. He grabbed hold of the railing with one hand, and planted the other against the opposing wall. Just, one step after another.

He kept his eyes turned downward the whole time, not wanting to see how far he still had to go. And, y’know, to make sure he didn’t trip on a step and fall down the stairs. That would be a stupid way to get caught.

So when the railing ended, suddenly, and his hand hit a metal surface instead… well, he was surprised!

Phantom looked up to see a door, marked with bright yellow and black stripes. A warning, he could guess, but for what?

He decided it didn’t really matter, reaching for the doorknob. It went down smoothly, and Phantom pushed open the door with surprising ease, following it into another room.

Unlike the one downstairs, this room was… almost homely? He wasn’t used to seeing such sights, but he thought that this space suited the word. Some sort of inventions or appliances lined the wall opposite of him, a big table in the space in-between. Four chairs surrounded it, one for each side of the table.

The wall on Phantom’s right contained a door and several windows, looking out into a large open space. A… yard? The outside, for sure, and oh. It must be day, the sky a pale blue, some white clouds decorating it.

He wrenched his eyes off of the sight, though, to continue his investigation. The wall on his left wasn’t actually a full wall, but was open in the middle, allowing him a glance into another room. It was darker there, it seemed, but that might be caused by the pale purple walls.

Phantom took a step out of the stairway, carefully closing the door behind him, but not releasing it. He didn’t trust his legs that much just yet.

What could such a room be used for, he wondered. It looked like a room for eating, with the table and the chairs, but it seemed too small for large gatherings. There were only four chairs! But, ah. Humans had to eat regularly, didn’t they? Having a room just for that purpose made sense with that context, he supposed.

Did that mean that he had to eat now, too? How often did humans eat, anyway? He’d heard people say that humans ate every day, but that seemed pretty extreme. Every week, maybe? He wondered where in the timeline he was starting. How could you tell that you had to eat again?

Too late, he realized that a noise was coming his way. He froze, instinctively trying to turn invisible, but without his core there was no point.

A human walked in from the open hallway on Phantom’s left. She was slight, slighter than Maddie even, but with long fiery hair. She made it almost two steps into the room before she noticed him and paused.

“Um,” she said, blinking at him. “Who— Where did you come from?”

He stuck a thumb over his shoulder, pointing back to the door he was still braced against.

Her expression grew flat and unimpressed. “Great. Brilliant.”

She sighed, and Phantom could almost feel the weariness in it. Then, suddenly, she walked towards him.

“Move,” she instructed him when she stopped in front of him. “I need to yell at my parents.”

Her parents…? Oh. The Fentons must be a married couple, then, and this their daughter.

Phantom nodded, moving his hand over to the wall before stepping aside. Whatever material these yellowish walls were made out of, it was nicer to touch than the other walls. Warmer, almost, a touch softer than metal.

The girl frowned at him for a moment, then shook her head to dismiss whatever thought she was having and reached for the door. Rather than go down the stairs like he’d expected, she just stood in the doorway and leaned forward.

“Mom, Dad!” she yelled down the staircase, “Did you really grow a kid in your lab?!”

“Oh!” a faint voice echoed back. Maddie’s, Phantom thought. “Oh, gosh, he must’ve wandered off while we were talking. Is he up there, Jazz?”

The girl groaned and, yeah, Phantom felt that. He was exhausted just dealing with them for the last few… however long it was. He couldn’t imagine growing up with them. “Mom,” she groaned back.

Footsteps sounded as the two adults moved around. When Maddie spoke again, her voice sounded louder. “Jazz, honey, it’s not what you think. We can explain.”

Wait, did these people really complain about him calling himself Phantom when their own kid was named Jazz? Hypocrites.

He glanced behind him to the door outside, considering his chances. Yes, he’d almost fallen several times while walking in the room downstairs, but! He was already feeling more confident with his human legs.

Just as he was turning around, though, a warm hand grabbed him by the arm. It felt odd; he could feel his suit rub against his skin underneath.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Jazz asked, scathingly. “You look like you’re three seconds away from falling down. Either stay there, or sit down on one of the chairs.”

“I’m fine,” he snipped back, pushing himself into a full stand.

She shot him an utterly unimpressed look. “Sit. I’m not having this conversation standing up, anyway.”

“Well, why couldn’t you just say that from the start?” He pushed himself off of the wall, using the boost to stumble towards the table. Jazz’ expression grew, almost impossibly, even less impressed.

He grabbed the back of one of the chairs, dragging it backwards, then dropped all of his weight onto it. Ah. That felt better already, as much he hated to admit it.

“Stubborn,” Jazz muttered with a shake of her head. He didn’t get a chance to reply, though, because the two adults suddenly came through the door from downstairs.

Maddie sent him a furious glare, and it was, admittedly, pretty scary. For a human, at least.

“Phantom,” she said, voice low and threatening. “What on Earth do you think you’re doing?”

“Sitting?” he offered, plastering a grin on his face.

The second round of glaring was swiftly cut off, however, by Jazz. “Mom,” she gritted. “What is going on here? I thought you two spent all this time working on your big special totally-not-fake ghost portal, not making test-tube babies!”

Woah, woah, hold on. They were making a ghost portal down there? That must’ve been the one he’d found in the Ghost Zone. And what had Jack said, earlier? Artificial, man-made ghost portals? It must’ve been weird, somehow, that’s why it made him human.

But, wow, what a screw-up that was. Turning a ghost into a human. Yikes.

“Jazz, that’s not what this is.” Maddie’s eyes softened, her voice calmer now. “We were working on the Portal. Your father turned it on, but something went wrong, and it spit out… well, him.” She gestured over at Phantom like anybody needed that clarification. “We turned it off immediately, but he was already down in the lab.”

“But… Phantom?” Jazz frowned.

“Yeah?” he countered, crossing his arms. “That’s my name, Jazz. Don’t be a hypocrite.”

Her unimpressed look was back. “It’s short for Jasmine, actually. What’s Phantom supposed to mean?”

“Well, I am a ghost,” he pointed out, before freezing. Oh. Right. “Or, well. I was when I picked it.”

“This is getting crazier by the minute.” Jazz sighed, heavily, her entire frame shaking with the force of it. “Mom, Dad, wherever he might’ve come from, you can’t just… keep him. You realize that, right?”

“We were going to look for his actual family, but someone,” Maddie shot Jack a heated glare, which he studiously ignored, “wanted to ask Phantom all about the Ghost Zone, first. We figured that he could stay here for now, at least, so we could be sure that he was okay. He must’ve been wandering around in that dimension for forever, if he thinks himself a ghost, and he claims he can’t remember his ‘human life’ anymore.”

“I can also hear you,” he pointed out, loudly. “And there’s no claiming about it! I really was a ghost!”

And he was so sick and so tired of them suggesting otherwise! Oh, if only he’d had his core still! He could just imagine it, whirring loudly at his anger. His glow brightening and ectoplasm sparking as energy poured out.

The humans gasped, and Phantom jerked back in his seat, startled. He could swear he could feel his core’s hum in his chest, still, like a—excuse the pun—phantom limb.

“What was that?” Jazz snapped, suddenly furious, whirling between him and her parents. “You two saw that, right?”

“Saw what?” he asked despite himself, his anger giving way to curiosity instantly. The imagined after-image of his core seemed to settle down as well, softening into an almost undetectable hum.

Almost undetectable, except that now that he was aware of it, it didn’t fade entirely. And maybe it was just… just that everything was becoming overwhelmingly much, but… but Phantom could swear that he could feel it, the hot-cold energy of his ectoplasmic core, settled right in the center of his chest.

He pressed a hand against where he thought it was. His body was hard, there, almost like rock. Humans had bone, didn’t they, to support their forms? To protect their vital insides? That must be what he was feeling.

Underneath the bone, he could feel the powerful pounding of that thing he kept confusing for his core. It wasn’t quite located right, though, a little off-center. And, layered just underneath it, its whir synced almost perfectly with the thudding, was his core.

“I still have it,” he whispered, then realized a silence had suddenly fallen. He’d been so occupied with the rediscovery of his core that he hadn’t realized that the three humans were talking.

“Have what?” Jazz asked, skeptically.

“My core.” He turned to look at them again, grinning despite himself. “I’m not fully human!”

All three humans set judgmental gazes upon him and, hey, rude! “Here, just look!”

Phantom thrust out his hand in front of him, reaching out to his core for an ecto-blast.

Nothing happened.

“Uh…” He shook his hand. Nothing. “Hm. This usually doesn’t happen.”

“Phantom…” Maddie said, gently. “There are many explanations for—”

Another prod to his core. Come on, man, just give him something. Don’t let him embarrass himself like this!

“—can’t imagine the severity of your ectoplasmic contamination— oh.”

“Ha! See?” He shook his hand again, or, more accurately, his arm. His hand had gone invisible, his wrist showing a gradual shift back to visibility. “So maybe it’s a little weakened, but it clearly works, still!”

“This is insane,” Jazz muttered. She reached out, suddenly, grabbing him by the arm. Her hand trailed along the limb until her fingers found his own, despite their invisibility. “This is… this is crazy. This isn’t happening.”

Story of his unlife, girl.

His fingers shifted back to visibility, and his core spluttered, exhausted. Oh, man, it was like he was newly formed all over again!

“Severe ectoplasmic contamination?” Maddie suggested, but when Phantom looked at her she was frowning like she didn’t quite believe it, either. “We definitely can’t let him leave before we’re sure he’s okay.”

“We need tests,” Jack agreed with a nod. “See the extent of this. Phantom, kiddo, why don’t you come back to the lab with us?”

The lab… That was downstairs, then? A lab? Who the hell were these people, ghost researchers? Was that a normal human occupation, or did he have the craziest luck imaginable?

“Mom, Dad, no.” Jazz’ hand grasped onto Phantom’s, like she could stop him from following that easily. “You can’t just use him as a test subject! Besides,” she glanced meaningfully at the clock nestled between some appliances, “it’s practically dinnertime.”

“Jazz, sweetie, we need to run some tests on him, at least.” Maddie folded her hands together, looking worried. “We’ve never seen such high levels of ecto-contamination before, and the only case close to it caused severe health issues. The poor guy spent years in the hospital.”

Jazz narrowed her eyes. “After dinner, then. Let him eat first.” She turned back to him. “Phantom, how long has it been since you’ve eaten anything?”

“Uhh.” He remembered his last meal in the Zone; Johnny, Kitty, Ember, and him had eaten some ectoplasmic fast food. But when was that? “I don’t really keep track of time in the Zone very well, but… I think it was a couple weeks ago?”

Apparently that was the wrong answer, because Jazz narrowed her eyes even further. Right. Eating was important for humans, and he was pretty human right now.

He shrugged at her. “I had a glass of water earlier?”

“That’s not a meal,” she snipped back before turning to her parents. “You haven’t offered him any food?!”

The two shared a guilty look.

“It’s fine, I’m not hungry.” Phantom paused to consider this. “Or maybe I am. How can I tell?”

“How can you tell?” Jazz repeated incredulously, looking back at him. “How can you— Because you feel hungry!”

He shot her a flat look. “I have literally no idea what my insides are supposed to feel like. How am I supposed to know if something is hunger or just normal?”

Maddie stepped further into the room, shaking her head. “I’ll order us some pizzas. Is that okay with you, Phantom?”

“Sure.” He shrugged. “Nothing is gonna taste like what I’m used to, anyway. No ectoplasm, y’know?”

“Right,” Maddie said, taking a small device out of its holder. “No preference for any kind, then?”

“Surprise me.”

His hand felt colder, suddenly, and he looked down to realize that Jazz had let go. Huh. He hadn’t even realized they’d been holding hands the whole time.

Jazz walked over to the cupboards, opening doors and pulling down dishes. Jack quickly joined her, helping her place down plates.

“Why are all the glasses dirty?” Jazz asked, stopping in front of the… something, and frowning down at it. She reached down, but stopped before she touched anything, making a face. “Eugh, Dad, did you use these for your experiments again?”

Jack’s silence was audibly guilty.

“Mom, we’re gonna need more glassware,” Jazz told Maddie, who was talking into the wall device. “There’s no way we’re getting the goop out of these.”

“Aw, Jazz, it’s not that bad.” Jack reached past her to grab a glass. Ectoplasm-like goo was slathered on the inside. “We can decontaminate this just fine.”

“Well, I am not drinking out of that.” She reached down. Phantom guessed she was moving stuff around, based on the sound—like glass knocking together. “Here, this one is just ordinarily dirty. Phantom, you had a glass, right?”

He jerked at being addressed. “Uh, yeah, I guess so? I left it on the floor downstairs.”

“Can you go get it?” She placed one hand on the handle of the thing in front of her, then paused, looking over her shoulder at him. “Or, um. You weren’t walking very well earlier…”

“I can get it,” he assured her, ignoring the doubt niggling in his mind. “I have to get used to my legs anyway, right?”

“Right,” she echoed, pulling up the handle. Water started pouring out. Convenient!

Phantom got up from the chair, wobbling for a moment.

“Careful, honey.” Maddie’s hand suddenly closed around his arm, and he started. “Where are you going, Phantom?”

“I was gonna go grab my glass,” he explained, jerking his thumb towards the staircase door. “Y’know, down?”

She made a face, but let go of his arm. “Are you sure you’re up for that?”

“There’s a railing on the stairs, I’m not gonna fall.” He rolled his eyes, then, very purposefully, stepped towards the door. “I’ll be fine.”

Maddie didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t stop him either, so. “Keep the door open, then, so we can hear if something happens.”

“Sure thing.” He pressed down the handle, swinging it open. “Be right back.”

One hand on the railing, the other pressed against the opposing wall, he made his way down the stairs again. Honestly, going down was easier than going up. Gravity, and all that.

Although he didn’t want to experience gravity too closely and tumble down the stairs, so. He gripped tight, and moved down slowly and with purpose.

The downstairs room—the lab—looked the same as earlier. Big open space, some tables, and, huh.

In the far wall, the one that had been behind Phantom’s back the whole time, was a strange invention. He didn’t really care, it wasn’t something that would normally interest him, but… but it tugged on him, somehow. Drew him in.

It was a big metal arch, though, with the recessed insides painted in yellow and black stripes, like the door upstairs. Maybe something was hidden behind it, like a door?

Oh, but of course. These people were working on an artificial ghost portal, weren’t they? That thing, whatever it was, seemed about the right proportions for that.

And that would explain why he was drawn towards, it, wouldn’t it? It had turned him human. Or part human, at least. He must have a connection to it, now.

He jerked his eyes off of the possible portal machine, searching for his glass. Ah, there it was. In the…

In the middle of the floor, of course, where there was nothing to hold on to. Rude.

Well, nothing for it. Besides, what he said to Jazz earlier was true. If he was going to be human now, or some kind of human/ghost mixture, he would have to learn to function like that.

And, if he learned how to blend in with humans properly, he could spend however long he wanted gazing up at space! Oh, that was a good thought. He would hang onto that for sure.

Braced with that good hope, Phantom pushed himself off of the wall, gently. His legs were slow and heavy, but he’d grown a little more used to them now, and he managed to walk himself over to the glass without falling.

Stumbling, yes. But as long as he didn’t fall, he was fine with that.

Sinking down into a crouch was easy enough, and he grabbed the glass. It was cool underneath his bare hand, and, oh yeah. He’d finally gotten used to seeing that fleshy pink instead of his usual black glove, too.

He stood up again, his jumpsuit creaking, shifting over his skin. See? He was adjusting just fine. Didn’t even shiver at that odd feeling—of his clothes being a layer over him, like a second skin.

And now… back to the stairs.

Another stumble, but hey, that was okay. He made it all the way without falling, twice over! That was pretty good!

Hm. With the glass in his hand he would have to settle for just the railing, though.

“Oh, Phantom!” Maddie said, her tone surprised but pleased, when he pushed the door open to enter the top room again. “The pizza shouldn’t be too long, now.”

“Did I take that long, or is pizza delivery just that quick?” he asked, moving back to the table. “Um. Do you guys have usual seats, or something?”

Jazz flapped a hand, taking the glass from his hand. “You can sit where you were earlier. Any preference for a drink? Water again?”

He made a face. “I’d like something else, if that’s okay. Water tastes… empty.”

“Empty?” Jazz repeated quizzically, but she moved over to one of the tall appliances, opening its door. “Oh, duh. You’re used to ecto-contaminated food?”

“It’s not really contaminated if it’s in the Zone, where everything is ectoplasm.” He sat down in the free chair, idly noticing that Jack wasn’t in the room anymore. “But, yeah, I guess. Everything tastes of ectoplasm, usually.”

She hummed, staring into the brightly-lit space behind the door. “Well, we’ve got contaminated milk that someone should’ve thrown out three days ago, if you want to give that a shot? Not sure how well your body would take that, though.”

“What’s the worst that could happen? I die again?” He huffed. “Big deal.”

“It’s a big deal if we end up with a corpse in our kitchen,” Jazz countered, but she pulled a carton out of the bright space anyway. Away from the light, Phantom could see that it glowed green, like practically everything in the Zone.

Oh, that felt like home.

“You’re weird.” She shook her head, then poured some of the milk into his glass. “But at least you don’t try hiding it.”

“Not much of a point to it, is there?” he countered, taking the glass when she offered it. “I don’t know anything about humans except for crazy fifth-hand stories. How well do you think I could blend in?”

“That’s like the opposite of ghost stories to us!” Jack exclaimed, suddenly appearing in the opening to the other room. He held a stack of pizza boxes in his hands.

“It makes sense, though.” Maddie sat down as Jack placed the stack down in the center of the table. “Humans rarely see ghosts, so most stories are based off of those few sightings. For ghosts, it must be the opposite. With a polar difference being, of course, that most ghosts cross portals on purpose, while most humans do it by accident.”

Jazz shot him a meaningful look. “What about you, then, Phantom? Did you come here on purpose too?”

“Yeah,” he easily acknowledged, waiting for Jack to take the last seat. “The Ghost Zone got boring. It’s all so similar, and it never changes. The human world, though. Wow!”

Her eyes softened a little. “So it’s just… what, admiration for the human ingenuity? How the world changes, constantly?”

“Well, I don’t know about human ingenuity.” He grinned at her while the two adults started sorting through the boxes. “You guys can hardly take credit for the constant changing of the world. Oh, and space.”

“You like space?” Maddie asked beside him, quirking a brow. “I wouldn’t have pegged you for the space enthusiast type.”

“It’s great,” he enthusiastically continued. “And it’s so, so large, that you can stay on Earth and see all the short-term changes, and watch all of the long-term changes out there, too.”

Jazz hummed, lifting up her plate so Jack could move a few slices of pizza onto it. “Isn’t it human ingenuity that allows you to watch all that, though? Inventions like telescopes and rockets to go into space?”

Phantom felt his core still for a moment, his not-core skipping a beat. “Humans have stuff to go into space?” he asked, quietly.

“You didn’t know?” Jazz quirked an eyebrow. “I mean, it’s been a few decades since mankind has first walked on the moon.”

“I take back every mean thing I’ve said about humans.”

Jack snorted next to him. “Kiddo, I haven’t heard you say a single mean thing about humans yet.” He paused. “I think.”

He hadn’t? Must’ve all been thoughts, then. “Oh. Huh. Well, it’s pretty cool, anyway, that humans made it that far.”

“Here, these are for you,” Maddie interrupted, handing him a full box of pizza. “Now, Phantom, I want you to eat slowly, alright? If you haven’t eaten greasy food in a while it can make you sick.”

“Like the water?” He took the box from her, placing it down in front of him. Took a deep breath to appreciate it’s smell. Huh. It actually smelled even better without the acidic tang of ectoplasm. “How do I know… What does sick feel like?”

Maddie made a face, then seemed to consider it carefully.

“There’s all kinds of sick,” Jazz explained before Maddie could. “In this case, it’ll be nausea, I think? That’s like… like your stomach flipping over, if that makes sense?”

“Sure,” he agreed easily. “Like the whole area, or…?”

“No, the organ.” She grimaced at his blank stare. “You know, the guts inside of your body?”

“Oh.” He paused for a moment, considering that. “Are all those things called organs, then?” He prodded the rhythmic one in his chest. “Is this one called the chest, then? Following that logic?”

“No, that’s your heart,” she corrected, a frown on her face. “Or your lungs, but those are on either side of your heart.”

His lungs? He took in a deep breath, thinking that over, and felt… “Oh. I hadn’t even noticed those.”

“You are in severe need of a lesson in anatomy.” Maddie clicked her tongue, then gestured at his pizza. “For now, please just eat. If you start feeling weird, let us know.”

“Okay,” he agreed, reaching for a slice of pizza. Organs, huh? And they all had their own functions? That seemed complicated. How were you supposed to know all that? Did humans just teach all their kids about all that stuff? What if a really young kid got sick?

He took a bite of the pizza, and, wow. It was warm and soft and mushy and, yeah, it tasted way better without the ectoplasm.

The humans watched him for a moment, but apparently seemed satisfied at his ability to eat without killing himself, because they started on their meal too. Silence fell as they all focused on their food.

“What’s your plan, anyway?” Jazz asked, partway through the meal. “You traveled through the portal because you thought the Earth was more interesting that the ghost world, sure, but,” she gestured at him with the slice of pizza, “obviously something happened to you. Whether you were already human and forgot, or you were a ghost and became alive, you’re human now. So what’s your plan?”

He shrugged. “Haven’t thought that far ahead. What does it matter, anyway?”

“You can’t just wander around all day, Phantom,” Jack pointed out, a frown on his face. “You’re a teenager—or you look like one, at least. Anyone under eighteen is supposed to be at school.”

“Not to mention your needs,” Maddie pointed out, her brow furrowing. “You need to eat and drink regularly, and sleep somewhere safe. You could hurt yourself easily out there, or get sick, and then what?”

Man, being human sounded like a lot of work. “Maybe I’ll just fly into space. Being on Earth sounds like a hassle.”

“Food and water,” Maddie reminded him, raising an eyebrow. “And oxygen, to breathe, which is only in Earth’s atmosphere.”

“Ugh.” He took a bite of his third slice. “At least your food is good, although I guess it would have to be if you need to eat it. How often is regularly, anyway?”

“Three big meals a day is normal, although most people snack in-between, too.” Jazz shot Jack a pointed look.

“Three meals a day?!” Phantom repeated, startled. “I thought those ghosts were crazy, when they said that humans had to eat daily. That’s insane. Don’t you waste your entire day doing that stuff?”

“You’ll spent more time sleeping,” Maddie said, her eyes soft but concern clear in them. “Eight hours of sleep a day is considered a healthy amount.”

He made a face. “Being human is starting to sound like a lot of work. Can’t I just go back to being a ghost?”

“Ghosts on Earth get chased down by ghost hunters, though,” Maddie pointed out.

“Like us!” Jack exclaimed. He was grinning at Phantom. “But you, you’re defying everything we thought we knew about ghosts! You got to tell us all about the Ghost Zone, Phantom!”

“I…” He blinked, processing the first part. “You’re ghost hunters? But I’m…”

“Showcasing ghost powers within a human body,” Maddie finished for him. “Your eyes changed color while using them, though, so it’s not a case of overshadowing, which would explain why you claim to be a ghost despite your human body.”

“It could be overshadowing but shared control,” Jack said breezily. “The eye color could signify who is in control, but you didn’t seem any different. And, following that logic, the human should be in control most of the time.”

Jazz, who’s eyes had been bouncing between the two as well, cleared her throat. “Do you guys have any scientific proof of any of that, though? Isn’t everything derived from stories and such?” She gestured at Phantom. “If our ghost stories are anything like his human stories, shouldn’t that tell us exactly why you can’t use those things as a basis for the truth?”

“She has a point,” he agreed. “I mean, I’m not experienced with overshadowing, since you can’t overshadow other ghosts, but I’m pretty sure there’s no such thing as shared control. And I can tell you, for sure, that there’s nobody else in here but me, and that I have full access to my own ghost core.”

“You still have your ghost core?” Maddie said, surprised, then shook her head. “No, of course you do, you’d need one for the ghostly abilities you showed earlier. Speculation isn’t working, we need to run some tests.”

“We’re finishing dinner first.” Jazz glared at Maddie until the woman lowered herself back into her seat. “And after that, you’re following Phantom’s wishes. You’ll explain everything you want to do to him, and he’ll get full say in what he does, or does not want, you to do.”

“Of course,” Jack agreed immediately. “He’s a human. We can’t just experiment willy-nilly on humans!”

Phantom made a face at Jazz, and she shot him an equally disturbed look back. “And what if he wasn’t human?” she asked her parents. “If your tests prove that he really is a ghost possessing a human, or whatever? You can’t deny that he’s intelligent, and that he can feel, can you?”

“No, I suppose not.” Maddie sighed, looking sideways at him. “If that were the case, though, the overshadowing is definitely involuntary, since he’s not aware of it. We would need to figure out some way to separate human and ghost without harming either.”

“The Fenton Ghost Catcher might work for that,” Jack pointed out. “We used it to filter ectoplasmic contaminants out of the air while we were preparing the Portal, remember, Mads? The netting should separate human and ghost.”

“If that’s what’s happening.” Phantom finished another slice, trying to judge how his stomach was feeling. Not the same as earlier—he realized now that that must’ve been hunger, that empty yawning void—but he thought he could fit in more still. He reached for his next slice.

“Are you taking another slice, Phantom?” Jazz asked. “Aren’t you full yet?”

“I don’t think so.” He took a bite, swallowed it, and tried to track how it felt in his stomach. “I don’t feel full yet.”

Maddie leaned back in her chair. “He might’ve been starving without realizing, sweetie. I’m sure he’ll know when he’s full.”

Permission thus granted, Phantom quickly worked his way through that slice.

“I think I’m good for now,” he decided. “Not all the way full, but I’m not feeling that empty feeling anymore.”

“I know teenage boys eat a ton, but that seems extreme even knowing that,” Jazz said. She shook her head. “Well, as long as he doesn’t get sick it’s fine, I guess.”

“To the lab, then?” Jack bounced off of his chair almost before he finished saying it. “I’ll go set some stuff up!”

“He’s deriving way too much fun from my suffering,” Phantom declared. “I don’t know how I feel about that.”

“If it helps, he’s that enthusiastic about anything even vaguely related to ghosts.” Jazz collected their plates, bringing them to the water-dispensing-thing. “Oh, I almost forgot about the dirty glasses.”

“Jack can do the dishes later.” Maddie got up as well, offering her arm to Phantom. “Here, you’re probably feeling sluggish from all the food.”

He rolled his eyes but took the arm anyway, letting her pull him up. He was, admittedly, feeling a little heavier. His core, on the other hand, seemed reinvigorated. It was still syncing up with the thump-thump of his heart, but it was definitely stronger. Not quite up to normal strength, but getting closer.

“Thanks,” he said to Maddie. “Let’s hear the verdict.”

Jazz opened the door for them, watched as he picked his way down the stairs again. Just as he reached the lower steps, though, he heard a third set of footsteps.

“Hold on,” she said, “I’m coming with.”

“I thought you had no interest in ghost stuff?” Maddie asked, stepping off of the last step so Jazz could enter the lab as well. “Did all this change your mind?”

Jazz made a face, stepping into the lab proper. “Kind of, yes. But mostly I just want someone to be here to keep an eye on Phantom. No offense, but you two tend to get caught up in the whole ghost business.”

“Right.” Maddie’s face did something complicated. “Of course. You’re always welcome in the lab, Jazz, you know that.”

The two humans led Phantom towards a nearby table, which had been cleared since the last time he was down here. He leaned against it, the metal cold and hard against his legs.

Jack bounded back over before he could ask what was happening next, his arms loaded with all kinds of gadgets and inventions.

“Why don’t we start with an x-ray?” he said, holding out a flat device. “It’s not a real x-ray, of course, but it scans ectoplasm. That way we can see your core, and how it interacts with the rest of your body.”

“It’s just a scan?” Phantom took the machine from Jack’s hand, looking it over. It looked like a black screen with a thick metal rim around it. “It doesn’t hurt, or draw in ectoplasm, or anything like that?”

“Just a scan,” Maddie assured him. She held out her hand, and he gave the device back to her. “But you’ll have to lie down on the table so we can stabilize it. We’ll just take a picture of your chest, that should tell us plenty.”

Phantom nodded, shoving himself backwards until he was sat on the table. He then grabbed his legs, heaving them onto the metal surface as well. “What, exactly, will it tell you, anyway?”

“It’ll show us all ectoplasm in your body,” Maddie explained as he laid down. “Your core, for example, but the rest of it too. If all the other ectoplasm is clustered around your core, or clearly shaped like a ghost, it’s a case of overshadowing.”

“And if it’s not?” he prodded, watching her draw legs out of the device’s rims and place it over his chest. “What if you can see my core, but the ectoplasm is spread all over the place?”

She bit her lip, looking over at Jack. “I… don’t know.”

Ah. That was encouraging. Glad he was in the hands of these experts.

“Alright. Hit me.”

Light flashed, and then Maddie was picking the device up again. “Wait, was that it?”

“Yes?” She paused to quirk an eyebrow at him. “Why? What were you expecting?”

“I dunno. Something I could feel, I guess.” He shrugged, pushing himself up into a sitting position. The table was cold under his bare hands, but his jumpsuit, at least, seemed to isolate pretty well. “This was literally just a picture.”

Maddie hummed, frowning at the device’s screen.

“Let me guess, it’s not overshadowing?” He figured not. His core was too faded out, clearly weakened, and synced up with the human body. This was some kind of blending.

Besides, overshadowing would’ve required a human body, and it clearly hadn’t come from this side of the portal, either.

“Look at this, Jack,” Maddie said, apparently ignoring Phantom. She raised the device so Jack could look at it. “What do you think?”

“It looks completely integrated,” Jack mumbled. “Like a perfect blend of human and ghost. But that’s not supposed to be possible…”

Phantom threw Jazz a look, and she cleared her throat meaningfully. “Guys? Can we stay focused on Phantom, please?”

“Oh, of course. Sorry, Phantom, it’s just…” Maddie gestured at the device, although it was held so high up that he couldn’t see the screen. “The… the ghostly part, the core and the ectoplasm, it is so well-integrated in the human body. I, quite frankly, can’t imagine a way that a ghost could’ve layered themselves so carefully over a human.”

“So you believe my story? That I was a ghost first, and became part human?” Phantom grinned a little. “That’s the only logical way it could’ve happened, right?”

“Well, I’m not sure.” Maddie hummed in thought. “As far as we knew, it wasn’t possible to combine human and ghost in one body. The ectoplasm would react too badly to the living tissue. But obviously, that’s not the case with you.”

“But it might still happen,” Jack added, looking grim. “You’re fine now, but it might get worse over time. Right now, it looks like you might be half and half. Half human, and half ghost. But that balance might get tipped over, and your body might react badly if that happens.”

“So what does that mean for me?” Phantom asked, grin falling. “Besides the fact that I’m a perfect split now, but might not stay that way, and that my body might collapse on me if that happens? What am I supposed to do now, since you guys so cleverly pointed out that humans can’t just wander around in the wild?”

The two adults shared a look.

“Well…” Maddie started, slowly, cautiously. “You could stay here, with us. We would have to go through the police, tackle a lot of paperwork, but since it’s easily proven that you’re ecto-contaminated, we could argue that we’re the best people to keep an eye on your health. Which would be the truth.”

“We could keep an eye on your health, both human and ghostly, and teach you everything you need to know to blend in with humans properly,” Jack continued. “If nothing worsens, we could even enroll you in school.”

Phantom stared at them. His heart thudded in his chest, his core whirring loudly underneath it. “And in return?”

“You could teach us about ghosts.” Jack gestured at the large metal arch on the far side of the room. “We built the Portal for that reason. Even if this wasn’t the way we had envisioned, well, it still works!”

“Learning directly from the source would be better, from a scientific point of view,” Maddie added. She sighed. “We wouldn’t force you to do anything, Phantom, but please consider it. For better or worse, you’re a human/ghost hybrid now. We don’t know anything about those, but apparently, neither do you. For all we know, dying a human death might permanently destroy your core, too. Maybe hybrids won’t become ghosts. We want you to be safe, Phantom.”

He shuffled, uncertainly. Let his eyes wander over to Jazz. If he did take up on this offer, she would have to deal with him, too.

Jazz pressed her lips together. “As much as I hate to agree with them, my parents probably are your best shot at finding ghost experts around here. You might draw in ghost hunters if you make too much of a scene, but…” She sighed, slumping in on herself a little. “Most ghost hunters are hard, and cold, and uncaring. They won’t see you as human, as someone capable of thought and feelings. You might be able to change their minds like you changed Mom and Dad’s, but do you really want to risk that?”

She clicked her tongue. “I would appreciate it if I’m asked, next time, how I feel about us adopting a half-ghost teenager. Just putting that out there.”

“Well, if you all insist so badly…” Phantom felt his heart—and his core—stutter in his chest. “I… I wouldn’t be opposed to sticking around.”

“Great!” Jack clapped a hand on Phantom’s shoulder with such force that he almost collapsed. “First order of business, kiddo, is a first name!”

“What’s wrong with Phantom?” he asked, furrowing his brow. “It’s been my name for forever, I don’t want to change it.”

“You can keep it as a last name,” Maddie assured him. “But it’s not much of a first name, I’m afraid. Is there anything you like?”

He shook his head. “Not… really? I’ve always been fine as just Phantom.”

“How about Daniel?” She looked at Jack, then Jazz, then him again. “It’s… It was the name we agreed on for our son, but then life got in the way, and we never had one.”

Phantom frowned at the two adults. “How could you be sure that you were going to have a son if didn’t actually get that far?”

“It’s a standard pattern with our family!” Jack exclaimed, grinning at him. “All Fentons first have a daughter, then a son.”

“That’s ridiculous. That can’t actually work that way.” He shook his head, then refocused on the earlier part of the conversation. “What did you suggest again? Daniel?”

He tasted the name on his tongue. Frowned. “Can it be… shortened? Like Jazz did with her name?”

“Danny?” Maddie suggested, and Phantom felt his core hum.

“Yeah.” His core chirped in delight. “Yeah, I like that. Danny. Danny Phantom.”

All three humans grinned at him.

“Welcome to the family, Danny Phantom,” Jack said, his smile so bright it almost glowed.

“Welcome, little brother,” Jazz tagged on.

And in his chest, Danny’s core purred.

#phic phight #phic phight 20 #danny phantom #phanfic #dp fanfic #danny fenton #jack fenton #maddie fenton #jazz fenton #dark writes #phic phight fics #tumblr hates it when i do outgoing links and i do not want these to get eaten so #ill drop in outgoing links at some later point in time

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aggressivelyclueless · 5 years ago

Link

prompted by: @voidetrap

“Danny is a ghost who became half-human after stumbling through a portal to the human world.”

Words: 14,129

Rated: T, just in general.

#fanfic #Danny Phantom #phic phight 2020 #Team Ghost #Phic Phight

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phandombingo · 5 years ago

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Phandom Bingo Masterlist

Hey guys! Since this event is officially over, I figured I’d compile a list of everyone’s fics in case not everyone got around to reading them. I know that I loved reading them all this past week! Most of them are on Tumblr, but a few of them are linked to AO3. Listed by number of prompts completed.

@darks-ink [25]: How Rare And Beautiful It Is (To Even Exist)

@spinningground [17]: Hungry Intern | An Evening in Autumn | Teens at Work | Creatures of the Sea

@mr-lancers-english-class [9]: Talks of Freedom | High Court of the Ghost King | The Rescue | Stuck in the Thermos

@katwritesthings [8]: My Name is Danny | Space

@phantomofprocrastination [8]: Ghost Hunger | Intern Danny and the Ghost nip | Would you like a Punch with that? | Swagger Bishie

Dawn_Khee [7]: Winter Solstice Skies | Family Fathoms | Ice and Fire

@dp-marvel94 [5]: Family Reunion

@horrendoushag [5]: The Nasty Ecto Fries

@wastefulreverie [5]: hurts so much when I think so deep | Vexed Vapors

@blueoatmeal [5]: All Nighters | Casual Conversations | Heavy Hangs the Head That Wears the Paper Burger King Crown

@aedelia [4]: Touch the Stars

@anthropwashere [4]: we go around, one foot nailed down

@transannabeths [4]: as the river flows into the sea | take your kid to work day will always be boring, no matter what youre the king of

@voidetrap [3]: Danny interns for the GIW

@catalystofthesoul [2]: Tucker punches Vlad | Danny Interns for GIW

@daddyphannypack [1]: Next Gen

#Danny Phantom #Fanfiction #Danny Phantom Fanfiction #Phango19

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enigmaris · 5 years ago

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Holiday Truce Gift!

Here’s my gift for @voidetrap.

I hope you enjoy the fic! I’ve never written anything about Wes before so I hope I I met your expectations!!

The fic is Wes Weston vs. Jazz Fenton.

Check it out below the cut!

Why No One Believes Wes Weston:

Wes settled down into the chair, his heavy backpack clanking as he placed it on the floo beside him. He had to be careful, if he damaged any of his camera equipment, he wouldn’t have the chance to catch Fenton in the act. Last time Fenton had purposefully transformed in front of him when he saw that his camera’s lens was broken.

The bastard.

After Wes had confronted Fenton for the first time, Fenton had started messing with him consistently. Wes hadn’t gone to the rest of the school with his suspicions, and he wouldn’t until he had real evidence. Which is what the cameras were for. Soon enough he’d record the transformation and then it would be undeniable.

Not that Wes was planning on hunting Fenton down right then. No. He was here for a tutoring session. The tutoring sessions were held in one of the older classrooms, that went more or less unused since the ghost Poindexter had had his old locker moved in there by the principle and claimed it as his own. Despite this the ghost was hardly ever even there, but his haunted locker gave most everyone the creeps. Other than the old locker the classroom was filled with wooden desks and chairs and an old dirty chalkboard. Wes had never actually been in this room before but it looked like most every other classroom in the school.

His grades in science were slipping and his teacher had promised him extra credit if he attended five sessions. She’d been offering that deal to every student, but most kids didn’t take her up on it because tutoring was the lamest way to spend an afternoon. Wes had done it to get his parents off his back. He didn’t know who was running the session, maybe one of the biology teachers, and he didn’t much care. He just had to get through an hour of this and then he could get back to following Fenton around for evidence. The door to the classroom opened and Wes looked up to see one other student walk in.

Jazz Fenton.

Dubbed the hottest senior girl by Wes’ gym class, Jazz Fenton was the anomaly of the Fenton Family. She wasn’t weird, she didn’t scream about ghosts or have to go to the bathroom constantly. She was also human and not a ghost masquerading as a human. She was beautiful, intelligent, and kind. People liked Jazz Fenton and Wes was no exception. He just wondered if she knew what her brother was. Was she even safe from him in Fentonworks?

“Oh!” She said. “Someone’s here.”

“Do people not normally come?”

“Oh, only around finals.” She joked. “What’s your name?”

“W…Wes. Wes Weston.”

“Alright Wes. What class are you in?”

“Chemistry.”

“Mrs. Anderson’s class?” She asked and Wes nodded in lieu of an answer. “Well great! I know what section you’re on then, open up your textbook and let’s get started.”

Wes pulled his textbook out of his bag and listened to Jazz begin to tutor him on stoichiometry. Wes sort of understood what that was but that didn’t mean he was any good at it. It relied on a lot of math that had never been Wes’ strong suit. He’d totally bombed the quiz on it last week and he was almost grateful to be getting the review. She wrote out a few practice problems and walked him through it very carefully. Wes followed along step by step, enjoying having her pretty eyes on him and listening to her friendly voice. Once she was sure he’d gotten it, she gave him a few to do on his own.

“So. Are you the only tutor?” Wes asked.

He wondered if he should tell her what he knew. Maybe then she could help him. Besides if her brother was dead then she needed to know. Living in denial couldn’t be good for anyone.

Wasn’t she all about psychology anyway? She’d love the warning!

“Yep. No one else wants to stay at school after hours since there’s more ghost activity in the late afternoons. Poindexter usually comes by but he and I have an agreement.” She answered. “I volunteered to do most of the afterschool work. It looks good on college applications too.”

“You know you’re pretty cool.” Wes said, trying to subtly warn Fenton’s hot and awesome sister that her younger brother was actually a ghost. “Normal, I mean. Danny’s a bit...”

The girl stiffened and then looked at the Wes with the fakest calm look Wes had ever seen. She looked frightened, as if Wes was threatening her.

“What are you talking about?” She squeaked. “Danny is the normal one.”

What?

Wes spent the rest of the tutoring session in a daze, asking questions and trying to understand why Jazz had reacted like that. Jazz spent the rest of it emphasizing how normal Danny was compared to her, just a normal boy with normal abilities.

She knew.

And what’s worse, she didn’t care.

If Jazz Fenton considered Danny normal then…

Then what was she?

When Wes got home, he started to frantically pace his room. Think Wes. Think. Jazz Fenton seemed normal. She wasn’t a ghost, Wes’ ghost detection equipment would’ve went off around her like it did Danny. So, then what? She was beautiful, pale, intelligent, and most people just got lost in her eyes when she talked. What if she was using some sort of mind control? What if people only thought she was pretty because she had something supernatural going on?

How deep did this thing go?

Wes put a picture of Jazz, taken from the online newspaper from the time she won the science fair, on his cork board and started sticking post-it notes around her, listing out everything he could possibly think of to describe Jazz. Mesmerizing. Strong. Capable. Smart. Welcoming. As he muttered to himself, he started connecting various lists together using yarn. By the end of it, Wes looked up at his tangled mess and gasped.

“No. No. No.”

It can’t be.

He rushed over to his computer and brought up google. He typed in a search term and looked at the various Wikipedia articles that came up all while denying his conclusions.

Strong.

Pale.

Beautiful.

Intelligent.

It was all there.

“Jazz Fenton is a vampire.”

He felt a trickle of fear run down his spine. Ghosts. Ghosts Wes could handle. Everyone in Amity knew how to handle ghosts. If you had ghost weapons you fired, if you didn’t you ducked out of the way and waited for someone who did. But vampires? No. That was new. That was dangerous. No one had vampire hunting equipment in Amity. Why would they?

They’d need them now.

Where were her fangs? Obviously, she wore fake teeth, or maybe they could retract to a normal length when she wasn’t feeding. Wes had seen Jazz Fenton fight ghosts with a whip, no one human could be that strong and that skinny. It was all coming together. The Fentons had adopted two undead teenagers and Jazz thought Danny was the more normal one because he was at least human half the time.

Now Wes just had to prove it.

The next day at school Wes snuck around at lunch trying to catch Jazz Fenton in the act of not eating or drinking blood or something. He didn’t even know where to start and he had to be careful. One false move and she’d be on his neck and then it would be game over. Wes couldn’t die, not when something as dangerous as a vampire walked among them. He didn’t see her in the lunchroom though. He also didn’t see Danny. He frowned and snuck out of the cafeteria. It didn’t take long to find the two Fenton teens talking to each other in an empty hallway.

“I’m serious Danny. The guy asked so many weird questions.”

“It’s just Wes.” Danny scoffed. “He’s not going to figure it out.”

“What if he does? We can’t let this get out, what about our-”

“Jazz. I swear he’s not going to hurt you or anyone else. He’s harmless.”

Wes narrowed his eyes. He’d show Danny harmless.

“Okay. I just. With information like that he could really hurt you.”

“You should be worried about yourself. You’re the one who has to interact with him for hours at a time. Don’t let him get to you. Don’t give anything away.”

The two teens kept talking about but it stopped being interesting, so Wes snuck back without them being aware that he’d listened in from behind a corner. He sat back down in the cafeteria and pulled out his notebook. He grabbed a cheap clicker pen and started to write out on the top of a clean page.

How to hunt a vampire:

1) Garlic:

a. Wear garlic necklace (or put garlic in pocket) to next tutoring session. Look for averse reaction to smell.

2) Cross:

a. Borrow mom’s cross and hide it in palm, shake hands with potential vampire, look for burns

3) Sunlight??

a. Are vampires weak to sunlight? Jazz Fenton never seen outside on sunny day, always studying? Potential hazard? Open blinds during tutoring?

i. Warning could be defeated by thick sunscreen, check for zinc smell.

4) Holy water?

a. Need to go to church with parents.

i. Plan heist of cathedral???

5) Mirror:

a. Test for reflection

6) Invitation:

a. Does Jazz need to be welcomed into a home to enter?

b. How to test??

i. Hold a party?

It was a start Wes thought. He could try the first two easily tomorrow at his next tutoring session.

Wes’ mom kept asking him why he needed the garlic in the pantry, but she let him have it and she didn’t even notice that he’d borrowed her rosary. Wes kept the garlic in his pockets all day and occasionally rubbed it on his skin just so that he smelt very thickly of garlic. People avoided him in the hallways which meant he knew it was working. When the tutoring session started, Wes held out a hand, rosary hidden in his palm. Jazz saw it though and paused.

“Is that a cross?” She asked instead of shaking his hand. “It looks nice.”

“Don’t like crosses?”

“I’m not very religious.”

Right.

Test 1 failed.

At least he still had the garlic.

He put the rosary back into his pocket and pulled out his work. He’d placed a fan in the room so that it was blowing air from him to Jazz, ensuring the scent of garlic was going directly to her face. She didn’t seem to notice at first. But within a few minutes Wes noticed her sniffing.

“Do you smell something?”

“Uh no?”

“Oh. Must be some phantom smell. My parents experiments sometimes smell horrible and it sticks with me for hours after.”

Her parents made her immune to garlic. Damn.

The next tests were also not very successful. He couldn’t get her to look at a mirror without it sounding weird and the classroom didn’t have any reflective surfaces. He asked his parents if he could hold a party and they said no, he had after all gone home covered in garlic and gotten her rosary tainted with garlic smell. He tried to get Jazz to touch crosses multiple more times, but she always managed to slither her way out of it.

Fenton noticed Wes’ suspicions and got really protective. He kept Wes from doing anything to Jazz outside of the tutoring sessions.

It all came to a head two weeks after Wes’ discovery.

He hadn’t slept well in days. Nights were filled with fears and doubts about vampires and ghosts. If ghosts and vampires were real then what else was? Bigfoot? Werewolves? Mermaids? How many things were trying to kill people? How was no one else noticing this? Were they all blind?

He saw Jazz Fenton drinking a red liquid from a thermos during lunch and snapped.

“THAT’S IT!” He shouted loud enough to be heard throughout the cafeteria. Everyone quieted down. “EVERYONE LISTEN UP! I HAVE SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT JAZZ FENTON!”

Wes stood up and climbed onto the top of his lunch table. He struck a very dramatic pose and pointed at Jazz.

“She is a vampire!”

A beat of silence and then the entire school burst into laughter.

“No No! Look, she’s drinking blood!”

“It’s tomato soup.” Jazz denied. “Look.”

She thrust the open thermos over to one of her table mates who sniffed it and confirmed it was tomato soup.

“I’ve never seen you in the sun!”

“I’m on the school’s swim team.” She argued. “Get plenty of sun that way. Wait is that why you kept thrust a cross in my face?”

“Oh my gosh.” Danny said loud enough for everyone to hear. “You’re crazy next thing you’re going to be telling all of us that I’m a ghost!”

He then laughed loudly and the entire school followed suit, even Dash was willing to laugh along with Danny at the expense of Wes.

And from that day onward no one ever believed the boy-who-cried-vampire.

#Danny Phantom #holiday truce 2019 #fic #voidetrap #enigmaris #Wes Weston #Jazz Fenton #vampires #ghosts

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