Chapter Text
CLOCKWORKS TOWER, GHOST ZONE
Silently, the wise ghost watched though the portal as the fight finally dwindled and Danny was abandoned.
This child did nothing wrong, and had to be punished for it. All because the time lines pointed only to this outcome and none other. No time manipulation could help him now.
AMITY PARK, PRESENT DAY
It was a nerve wracking knowing that Dan was out there able to destroy the city before Danny could even attempt to stop him.
The ghost could be trailing his parents who had left on his word that he would take care of it. It was the cusp of summer and there were only a few weeks of school left, Danny severely unprepared for final exams because of his ghost fighting, and unable to go to his friends for aid, too afraid it would endanger them. He really felt alone, and he had a feeling that was what Dan wanted. As the weekend went on the boy cooped himself up in the lab, thinking of ways he could defend his family, friends, and city. Hell, maybe even the whole world. Wouldn't be the first time...
There was a ghost shield around his house, and with his help, it was definitely ghostly wail-proof— a measure Danny insisted on and a good thing too. But the imminent threat of Dan cleverly breaking down and obstacle whenever he so please was keeping him alert. He was hardly telling his friends the situation as well, afraid they'd come running to try and help him, only vaguely excusing his families disappearance as a sudden— and highly unavoidable— trip.
Bored, and without anything but homework, Danny ended up laying on his couch, sprawled out and on the verge of drifting off. That was until his ghost sense went off. Sure it could be a ghost from the portal, but the same bad feeling was making his stomach toss like before and it made him rise, if not a bit groggy from his previous dosing.
He walked around his house, yawning while he checked on the still running portal, and some more when he peeked out his windows. What was he doing? Danny was hiding away and ignoring the people he loved. Sure, he could tell himself that he was biding his time, that it was for everyone's own good, but he still felt agitation bubble up from his actions. Since when was Danny someone who waited around for trouble to come to him? He confronted anything that was suspicious or dangerous to his city, and he shouldn't be here waiting to hear about Dan or wait for the shield to go down.
...
Dan was not particularly a creature of patience in the least. But a diligent watch he was, having swooped into Fentonworks just a moment before that pesky 'anti-ghostly wail shield' could go up, trapping him inside with the boy. It was amusing seeing the boy jump, his ghost sense going crazy in the Dan's presence and it was his main goal anyhow— to unnerve and break him. But it was new to watch Danny letting himself hide away rather then barreling in with little experience like he would have two years ago.
It was strange to know that Danny really was growing up, actually having an opportunity to live and be happy. The teen was actually maturing with not only his logic and knowledge but also his powers advancing with it — Danny's ghost half getting stronger and stronger— and the influence on the young halfa was growing, Dan knowing the whispers and temptations would be loud and insistent. It was only a matter of time.
It was only when Dan found himself about to doze off in his wait for action that he decided to swoop in when he did, catching Danny at an inopportune moment for him.
Perching himself in the lab, Danny sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. He had napped some since the whole big reveal, but he was definitely too anxious to get a full eight hours. Not that he ever did anyway. He was only lucky that ghosts were at an all time low in town. If they knew his situation, he couldn't even imagine the mayhem that would be caused in his city.
But even as he ignored his ghost breath that was setting off several times an hour, he almost fell out of his seat when light and sudden fingers grazed him, transforming and rising in the air, trailing away from the humoured laugh.
"You know, Daniel, the trick to using a ghost shield is making sure the ghost isn't inside the shield." he commented, letting himself appear to Danny. "It was annoying waiting around for you to do something drastic and stupid. And low and behold you disappointed me. My have you really grown."
Danny rolled his eyes at Dan's remarks, a glare set on his face. He didn't talk, shooting a strong ecto blast at the ghost who easily avoided it, retaliating easily with a nonchalance in his motions. He laughed as Danny struggled to dart away from the speedy hit, yelping when he fell right into an ectorope, pushing away and growling with effort. It was impressive that the kid was smarter, but it was still laughibly too easy to trick him into Dan's grip.
As he thrashed in the rope, getting shocked as he did he recoiled when yanked closer to Dan. "What do you even want? You could kill me if you wanted to, so what do you want?" Danny snapped, freezing when the ghost chuckled, pushing the boy so he would collapse on the ground. "Who said I wanted to kill you? Hmm? Like I told you before.. I'm here to break you from the inside out. You. Not your family. Not your friends. As delicious as it would be to end their useless lives, that would only hinder my plans. And we wouldn't want your adorable innocence broken jut yet." as he said this he gripped Danny's chin, leaning down to sneer at the teen.
Before Dan could realise it, the halfa reeled back to kick him square in the chest, making Dan stumble back and distracting him just enough for the ropes to lose form, Danny lifting in the air once again. But it was short lived when thick gloved hands caught his neck, seeming to try and squeeze the life out of him.
Gasping like a fish out of water Danny flailed and clawed at Dan, throwing weakened punches as his arms were held— slowly falling limp as he lost more oxygen. It wasn't until Dan was sure the kid was knocked out before he discarded him onto the floor, using his thumb and smiling when he was gained access to the ghost shield. Turns out he was still a Fenton after all.
After sufficiently trashing the system, Dan bailed to a safe distance where he could watch Danny awake in his hazy confused panic, stumbling up the stairs and examining the setting bruises on his neck that would disappear in mere hours.
This was beginning to become fun.