Chapter Text
The students at Casper High could not fathom what they had seen at lunch that day, and many were weary of their classmate. Danny on the other hand wished for death. The gazes of the school bore holes through his skin, and peeled the frays like hangnails. The teachers watched him with wide dinner plate eyes, their bodies tense like mice before a cat. This must have been a dream for Wes who ran through the halls cheering and hollering. And Paulina would not stop staring at him. He should like this, she was a very pretty lady after all but this wasn’t a stare someone gave their crush. It was the stare of an obsessive fangirl being close to her idol. Her pink I-phone was tucked under desk , probably recording him or she might have been taking photos of him for her fan twitter account.
This stance was broken by Dash and Kwan. The knuckleheads blocked the hallway with their steroid fueled bodies, arms crossed and faces stitched into frowns. He wanted to phase through them and fly home, but the two suddenly fell to their knees thanking him for saving them, their parents, their friends, and the school. Kwan had paper ready for an autograph from Danny. This started the title wave of fans chasing him.
Sam and Tucker tried their best, but their brave efforts were in vain. Tucker was the first to slip under the trodding feet of his classmates, his voice was muffled by the scream of fangirls and fanboys alike. Sam was next, she sacrificed herself for the greater good. Her strong arms held the classroom door shut. The old wood cracked and rumbled against the horde of hormones behind it. Danny saluted her before he took off to the skies. The roar of a crashing door faded into the Amity Park skyline.
He sailed through the air, letting the wind roll off his body with the day’s stress. Up ahead he could see the large Fenton Works sign in its gaudy neon glory. Maybe today was all a dream, and as soon as he opened the door his alarm clock would scream in his ears and wake him up from this chaos.
Behind his front door, Danny saw his parents waiting for him in their living room. His mother’s eyes were red and his father looked like he was about to strangle someone. It was a very cruel way reality chose to remind him that everything was in fact real.
“Danny, sit down. We heard what happened at school today,” His Mother’s tone was a death sentence.
“Wait, I can explain everything,” Danny said.
“Can you explain why you’ve been lying to us for more than two years?” His father asked in that tone that parents do when it's not really a question. But, Danny could explain why he hid everything. Why he lied, and snuck out of the house, and threw himself in danger every day, but the reasoning would hurt his folks even more. So, Danny chose silence.
“Danny I don’t understand why you would hide this from us? We didn’t know that was you in the at night flying to who knows where! We could’ve killed you. Our weapons aren’t toys, they can do actual harm Danny,” Maddie said.
“I know. I’ve been using them to hunt ghost,”
“I told you It wasn’t me losing them!” Jack said. Danny didn’t see the look Mother shot his Father. But whatever it was, his father chose silence.
“If we knew you were interested in ghost hunting we would’ve helped you,” Maddie said.
“I wasn’t really interested until the accident and then I -”
“What accident?”
“Oh um two years ago I was messing around with the portal and iImighthaveturneditonewhileIwasstillinside,” Danny stammered.
“You WHAT?” His Father yelled. “Danny, that portal blasts enough ectoplasm to destroy a person! You should be dead!”
“Well I’m half dead so you're half right?”
“This is just like Vlad all over again. Son, we need to get you to a hospital pronto!” Jack began to gather items for a hospital trip. “Maddie! Where are the insurance cards?”
“No! It has been two years and I’m fine! I mostly mastered my powers and I even stabilized my core, so it's all good.”
“Humans shouldn’t have ghost cores,” Maddie said.
“Hey can you guys keep it down? I’m trying to watch Tedtalk,” Jazz yelled from her room.
“Jazz Fenton get down here!” Maddie yelled.
“What’s going on?” Jazz asked, her hair and clothes were a complete mess from all night college study sessions. A sticky note that read STUDY HARDER was stuck to her forehead, and a coffee stain spread from her blue tank top to her gray sweatpants.
“Jazz, did you know your brother was a half ghost?”
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh OH! Danny! Oh no Danny how could this have happened to you! Who would do such a thing to my precious baby brother!” Jazz worked up her best acting skills, which were razzie worthy.
“Jazz you knew! You should’ve told us!” Jack yelled.
“WHY! You were the ones stomping around the dinner table saying Oh I’ll catch that Ghost boy and rip him apart molecule by molecule! Explain how I was supposed to tell you anything about Danny when you're making threats like that Dad,” Jazz said.
“I never said that! but , if I did, I never meant it!” Jack said. He then leaned down to his wife and asked “Did I really say that?”
“Honey I have to be honest I don’t remember half the things you say.”
“And to be honest, I don’t either.”
“Dad we are right here, we can hear you,” Jazz said. “Also! Danny, Sam just texted me saying the Ghost King is back? When did that happen? Did you fight? Are you okay?”
“Do Sam and Tucker know? How many did you tell before you thought to tell us?”Jack said.
“Well, to quote Jazz’s words I thought you two would kill me if I told you!” Danny said.
“We would never kill you!” Maddie said.
“You held a gun to my head at city hall!”
“We didn’t know that was you! Which is why you should’ve told us!”
“Batman figured it out in a day!”
“YOU TOLD BATMAN BEFORE YOU TOLD YOUR PARENTS!” Jack said. “Batman must think we are terrible parents!”
“To be honest Danny didn’t tell me, I figured it out all on my own,” Jazz said.
“You didn’t even tell your sister!?” Jack said.
“I thought she was going to tell you!” Danny said.
“And I was, until Dad threatened to kill Danny over dinner!” Jazz said.
“I have no memory of that.”
The house around them shook, but not from the family fighting. Picture frames fell from the walls and dishes flew from their cabinets. Jazz ran to the windows while Jack tackled Danny to the floor, their large metal chandelier missing the two by hair’s breath.
“Oh, thank Dad.” Danny said.
“Don’t thank me, I’m just doing my job. By the way, I was joking about the molecule thing.” Jack said.
“I thought you didn’t remember that?”
“Remember what?”
“Oh never mind.”
“Uhhh Danny, he’s here,” Jazz pointed through the opening in the blinds. The whole family moved to the window, to see Pariah Dark standing on top of the neighboring rooftop with a pair of binoculars. The Fright Knight stood behind him in a firm stance. His metal armor sent blinding reflections right into their eyes. Pariah waved to them.
“Oh for christ sake,” Danny rubbed his eyes. He could feel the headache grow ever larger behind his eyes.
“What does he want?” Jazz asked.
“He wants to adopt me or something,”
“Ghost King or not I will not allow anyone to adopt my son while I’m still kicking! Maddie get the guns,” Jack said.
“Wait, I have a better idea, Dad and Jazz, can you distract him?” Danny asked.
“Yes, but first explain,” Jazz said.
“You and Dad will distract those two while Mom and I get Clockwork. By the way, Clockwork is the ghost of time and he was once married to Pariah Dark. I think Clockwork would be willing to reign him back in,” Danny said.
“Wait, they were married? Why? That Pariah guy looks gross,” Jazz said.
“I don’t know and I don’t want to know.” Danny said proudly.
“Okay… we will go along with your plan but only if you tell me everything that has happened on the ghost ride to this Clockwork fella,” Maddie said.
“It’s a deal!”
The Fenton world explorer parked its shiny metal carcass on the edge of Clockwork’s tower. Maddie and Danny exit the vehicle, with Danny mid speech.
“And you remember the giant plant ghost, his name was Undergrowth and I don’t think you remember much as you and everyone else was brainwashed, but it was during that fight that I found out I had an ice coe and I almost froze to death trying to save everyone. But I managed to escape back to the Ghost Zone where I met ghost Ice Yetis who were kind enough to train me on how I could control my powers and - Mom? Mom, are you okay?”
“One second Danny, I just need a moment.” Maddie took a seat on the steps of the tower, her hands ran through her hair and pale face. “Danny.” She said, her eyes wore weariness like a coat.
“Yes Mom?”
“If you ever lie about anything this big again, I will rip your sorry ass from module to module. You understand?”
“Yes Mom.”
“I took you out of this world and I can take you out, you understand?”
“Yes Mom.”
“Good, now let’s meet this Clockwork person and get this over with. Once we get home your Father and I will discuss your punishment.”
“I saved the world countless times you can’t-” His Mother shot him a look, and Danny made the smart choice of silence.
“Are you guys also here to see Clockwork?” A female voice asked.
Behind them, floating in the miasma of the Ghost Zone was a pale yellow ghost with long blonde hair that whipped around her body like a spectral trail.
“Yes, but who are you?” Maddie said.
“My name is Celeste, and I’m here to see my husband. Does Clocky know you’re coming?” Celeste said.
“Danny, I thought you said he was married to the Ghost King?” Maddie said.
“That’s what he told me. But I don’t know who this woman is. I’ve never heard him mention Celeste before,” Danny said.
“Excuse me! He’s never mentioned me before! After everything we’ve been through!” Celeste cracked voiced cracked as she spoke. “Maybe I’ve been gone for too long.”
The door to the tower slammed open, sending the purple metal door flying into the void of the Ghost Zone, and Clockwork hurried out.
“Celeste, my love! How great it is to see you again!” Clockwork yelled quickly floating over to her side.
“Is it? Apparently you don’t tell anyone about me,” She said.
“That is because I only tell those worthy about you. I can’t have someone trying to steal you from me,” He said.
“You old fool, there is only room in my heart for two people. You and the sleeping giant. I could never make room for any more suitors.”
“I do know this my dear, but is it too much if I want to keep you to myself?”
“Oh you sly fox, you know one day he's gonna break out of that box, and you’ll have to learn how to share again.”
“And when that day comes you will have to learn how to share me.”
“With how busy the Observants have you I feel as though I am already sharing with you.”
“Danny what is going on?” Maddie whispered.
“I don’t know, I think they are flirting?” Danny said.
“I know that much, but who is this woman? Who are the Observants? Is this man reliable?”
“The Observants were eyeball freaks who watch everything that happens in the world, and -” Danny began.
“Danny, let me formally introduce my wife to you,” Clockwork said. Celeste had her arms wrapped around his shoulders and was kissing his quickly aging face. “This is my wife Celeste, the former Queen of the Ghost Zone and currently its only historian.”
“Is this the boy you were telling me about last time? The one with the evil version locked up in your home?” She asked. Clockwork nodded. “Well it’s very nice to meet you young Phantom.” Danny shook her outstretched hand.
“I didn’t know the Ghost Zone had a historian, or a queen?” Danny asked.
“Yes, while Clocky here can see eons into the past, he is really bad at writing it down for future generations of ghosts to learn from. So, I have been going through the Ghost Zone and recording all traces of history down,” Celeste said.
“But he said you were queen once? Why not?” Maddie asked.
“I have no desire to rule. Do you know how hard it is to rule the afterlife? There are always new ghosts trying to steal the throne from you, and every ghost expects you to solve their issues, and if you address someone with the wrong title they get upset and try to overthrow you. Plus you have to manage what few resources the Ghost Zone actually has, and create an economy, and stop every wayward human who tries to get in, and and and! UGH! It's horrible, I only did it because Pariah was terrible at diplomacy! What is the new phrase, he saw every problem as a nail ?” She looked towards her husband for confirmation. He nodded. “He’s lucky that I loved him enough to do that for three thousands years.”
“What happened? Did you stop loving him or something? I mean why did he get locked in the sarcophagus of forever sleep?” Danny said.
“He went too far and tried to conquer our allies in the Far Frozen. He wouldn’ listen to reason, so Clocky and I started a tiny rebellion.”
“So you left Pariah for Clockwork?” Clockwork and Celeste both burst out laughing at Danny’s comment.
“Oh no, technically the three of us are still married to each other. We have been since we first met in the Ghost Zone,” Celeste said.
“OH!” Danny said.
“In that case can you help my son here, your husband broke out of his box and is now wreaking havoc on earth. The man is trying to adopt my son.” Maddie said.
“Pariah’s out? Since when?” Celeste said.
“Two days ago. I was watching him to see if he did anything,” Clockwork said.
“So, you saw him come to my school and you did nothing?” Danny said.
“I was too busy laughing. For a moment I thought it was a mirage in the time stream.”
“Well, can you stop him? I already have a set of parent’s and no offense I don’t need another one.”
“Yes, we can stop him, but we will need that Fenton fishing pole.”
“Umm…okay?”
A crowd had gathered outside of Fenton Works, confused at the sight before them. Jack Fenton and his daughter were engaged in a heated battle with the King of Ghost and his ever loyal Knight. The four stood around a plastic folding table, the urge to kill deep in their eyes. Jazz made the first move, quickly sliding a card from the table before slamming it upon the building piple of casualties.
“Draw four and I change the color to blue!” Jazz said.
“You are making your own father draw cards?” Pariah scoffed.
“Think again bucko, for I have this in my hand!” Jack slammed down a blue draw two card onto the table. “Draw six Fright Knight!”
“I am sorry your Highness, but I can not afford to gain anymore cards,” Fright Knight did not look his master in the eye as he lightly set down a blue draw two card. “Draw eight your Highness.”
“Fright Knight! You betray me again! I will make you pay for this!” Pariah Dark added eight uno cards to his hand.
“That makes twenty cards in your hand your Highness, at this rate you’ll never win Danny’s birth certificate,” Jazz mocked.
“There must be some trick to this! You two are cheating!” Pariah said.
“Nope, you just suck at Uno,” Jack laughed. “Jazz baby, it’s your turn again.”
“Right.” Jazz said, laying down a blue nine card. “Uno!”
“No!” Pariah slammed his first on the table.
“Yes! Once I put this card down, I will win. Got anything in that hand of yours that can stop me?” Jazz said.
“I could kill you all where you stand!” Pariah yelled.
“That is called cheating your kingly-ness,” Jack said.
“You two are the ones who have been cheating! I will just take the boy by force!”
“But sir, the book!” Fright Knight cried.
“DAMN THE BOOK!” The King withdrew his glowing sword and sliced the table clean through.
Jack and Jazz withdrew their weapons and took aim at Pariah. When a spear made of light sliced through the air and knocked the sword from Pariah’s hand. Up in the sky was a pale yellow Ghost with long blonde hair descended from the sku.
“PARIAH DARK WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!?” She screamed.
“Your Highness I believe that is your wife,” Fright Knight said, inching closer to the Fentons.
“Celeste Darling, the star of my night, what has brought you here?” Pariah’s voice reached a level of softness no living human had heard before, but Fright Knight knew it was a signal of the end.
“Would you like me to list my grievances in alphabetical order or by severity?” Celeste threatened.
“My love I did not mean to hide from you, it was going to be a surprise for both you and Clockwork.”
“Who surprises someone with a sixteen year old child?”
“Well you have always mentioned creating a family.”
“Not like this! Now to save face the three of us are going to go back to castle dark and have a discussion about consent and why forced adoption is wrong.”
“Wait, the three of us?”
“Time in,” Clockwork said, appearing behind Pariah with the Fenton ghost fishing pole in hand. The neon green fishing line was sung around Pariah’s wrist and feet, leaving him helpless.
“Clockwork!”
“Hello dear husband, I believe we have a few things to talk about,” Clockwork said.
“You two can’t do this to me again!”
“I’m sorry who attacked the Far Frozen, destroyed the biggest natural portal between the living and the dead, …” Celeste began to ramble on and on about every misdeed Pariah had done. From massive destruction and barren lands, to the minor items, like her 12th century shoes being ruined. Clockwork dragged the two of them away, waving goodbye to the Fenton family as they entered the Fenton home.
“And I thought our family was bad,” Danny said.
“You have no idea,” Fright Knight said. In his metal hands was the entire uno deck, “Do you mind if I borrow this?”
“Only if you agree to go back to the Ghost Zone,” Jack said.
“A deal made sir,” Fright Knight shook Jack’s hand, before skipping into the Fenton home.
“Well, now that this is over, I have a test to study for. See you guys later!” Jazz took her weapon back into the home. The Study harder sticky note still on her forehead.
“I think I have a test too! And look at the time, I better go inside to study,” Danny backed away slowly, inching towards the front door.
“Perfect Danny, and when your done make sure to bring down your TV, cell phone, gaming console, computer, and every single item of Fenton tech that you have,” Maddie said.
“Wait what now?”
“Son, did you really think we wouldn’t ground you for lying to us for over two years? Also Sam and Tucker are not allowed at our home until they apologize for lying to us,” Jack said.
“You know Batman wouldn’t do this to his kids,” Danny grumbled.