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Chapter Text

Limits Of Exploration 

If there was something he loved more than anything, it would be exploring.

When he was young, Danny would explore every nook and cranny of the house. He became intimately familiar with it and every item inside. It was his domain.

He figured out where each creak was and how far he could feel the vibrations of their washer. He learned what lay behind every wall and the spaces they held. He knew the exact tools and their location if he felt the need to use them. More than a few objects inside the house were taken apart by his hands.  

And then, often with parental assistance, he learned how to put them back together. Being taught how things worked and were made. A constant throughout his years as his parents had a love of tinkering and inventing things.

He had memorized the number of rockets his mom had painstaking painted on the walls in his bedroom. (14) He figured out he couldn't possibly keep track of the number to his dad's knitting projects. But he knew exactly where his favorite one was at at all times so he could claim it before going to sleep. (A small thing with the old man teddy bear on it)  

He knew the songs behind every CD and that the radio option on the boombox was static uselessness. He had explored every drawer in his parents bedroom and found the one frustrating box he could never get into. That was ‘just theirs’ he decided after catching sight of them being all teary eyed over some picture from inside of it.

He'd also go as much as he could outside, wanting to see everything around him.

The yard was huge with more than enough room to sprint and fly across. His parents loved that it was their own secluded area with the woods surrounding most of it, but fretted about him going inside and losing sight of him. Of him coming to harm. As any young child, the sight of fear on their faces and serious tones did the trick. There was enough to explore and do, that it didn't bother Danny much as a kid. As he grew older, more familiar with the land and his limits and gained more leeway, he secretly slowly inched his way into the woods.

Yet there had been an overwhelming amount of stuff to see outside. There was a fenced-in garden with fruits and vegetables. An L shape of rose bushes that had many flowers growing wild within that Danny delighted in ducking in and hiding in. Scary chickens in the chicken coop, a pasture area for the sheep and few cows they had, the barn for them which had plenty of cats. There was a workshop. And a couple of sheds. One for feeding stuff and the smaller for tools and odds and ends that got used in fixing up gates and such. What seemed to be endless fields, but there was clearly more woods beyond the field area.

Danny learned and wheedled his way into helping his parents with about all of the interesting farm chores. It was a way to get to see and touch everything. Working his way up to being allowed to try and do them all. Scooping and feeding the animals, getting bales of hay down, shifting all the muck off the sheep. All sorts of stuff to do and that he could do. Helping run the farm was a big thing.

Danny's dad had the better knack with the farmwork and loved passing that on. Let Danny do far more than his mom and waved off any of her voiced concerns. It was awesome. His dad was always telling Danny how his parents farmed years ago. What he did that was different and was the same.  

But the day they finally got a dog for the farm, stood out and remain lodged in Danny's memories.  

Danny had been outside when the man with the puppy came up their long winding driveway.  He'd stopped to stare and watch.  Noticing Danny, the man stuck a hand high up in the air and waved. 

Danny remembered the excitement and amazement and curiosity he felt at the friendly wave, the smile.  He had waved back and shouted a return greeting.  Job of feeding chickens forgotten in face of this new stranger to meet.

And then the confusion at his mom speeding over to grab him and told him to go in the house.  

Once inside and away from the windows, she sat him down.

"Remember how we told you about the terrible man who created you for a terrible reason?"  

Of course Danny did.

They told story on top of story about the terrible man.

But never said for what terrible reason the guy had created Danny.

It had to be truly horrible if it was unspeakable.

"Well, honey, we don't want him to find you.  Right?"

Danny had nodded along and she'd continued.

"So no one else can ever know that you are half ghost.  Have ghostly abilities.  You know me and your dad don't have that.  That we're all human, no ghost.  So is everyone else.  And people talk.  Especially about something that stands out.  And sometimes, something different, as amazing as it is, can be scary to other people.  Both make what you are memorable.  Who Danny is, well that's memorable too and..."

He remembered staring as his mom got choked up.

But her eyes went back to him and graced him with a smile before he could offer a pat or get past being stunned at the effect this conversation held for his mom.

"So we need to stay careful and safe and keep your ghost side a secret, okay?"

And Danny, of course, nodded.

This was obviously very very very important.

It wasn't until years later that, besides the people pictured on CD covers, Danny fully realized how strange it was that the man arriving early with the puppy was the first person he had met in life.  Outside of his parents.  That so very few people came by when he was young.  Danny tucked away inside until he had a stronger handle on his ghostly abilities.

How that day marked the first day of his home and its wide sprawling farm out in the middle of the woods felt...like a manufactured area of confinement.  

While Parents Are Away

With his parents out working, Danny had skipped his daily practice to go to the park. Managing to spot faces he recognized and join in with a game of basketball was preferable to following his parents' rules. A decision he was now intensely regretting.

“Like everyone doesn't have incisors!” He snapped. Turned away. Storming off court and quickly escaping. Swiping his tongue over his teeth, Danny felt the whoosh of relief at nothing dramatically sticking out and leaned over for a long drink from the water fountain.

Then turned back to the court, nerves twisted in a bundle, but he wasn't backing down and giving in and leaving them.

“Ya wing nut.” He muttered pointedly loud as he wiped a hand over his mouth. Then clapped for the ball.  

All Danny had to do was to not draw his lips back to position his teeth for prominent display.

Or get way too possessive on getting and keeping the ball.

Disgruntled at the insult upon himself and tainting his favored position, Norb's nose wrinkled up.  Scowling at Danny.  Then his mouth twitched, going up sly as he half turned away.

"Lil' pointy."

Danny snorted, lips pulling up.  Smug and smirking.  "Pitiful.  Little and quick are a point advantage."

Norb scowled again and rolled his eyes at the resulting laughter.

The game continued into completion, teeth forgotten about through all the taunts and jeers and wisecracks.  

Everyone gathered scattered for other things.  Norbert to his job.  Lucas to head home and do his business class homework he'd been putting off.  Elaine to pick up groceries she promised her mom she'd get.  Dave needed to bring his younger siblings back home in time for food.

Danny meandered off in the correct direction, still unwilling to release his chance of freedom.  He ran his tongue back over his teeth.  They were normal.  Danny's mind ran as he meandered home.  

It was a recent development, but one he had thought confined to his ghost form.  One he had frantically hid from his parents.  He'd just managed to convince them about attending school rather than remaining homeschooled.  He did not want to lose that or any other freedom he had gained.

There had always been a few ghostly abilities he could manage in human form, if limited, but his appearance had never been affected before.  This was new.  As was his appearance in his ghost form.  Enough time has gone by, that Danny chalked it up to ghost puberty.  He'd started up definite signs of puberty in his human form.  So.  That explanation made sense.

Until now.

Skipping practice in his ghost form for too long could cause his ghostly abilities to act up while in human form.

And puberty was supposed to be rapid, weird, awkward, and sharp spurts of body growth and development.

Great.  Just fantastic.

Danny would much rather not.

Grumbling and snarling under his breath, he trudged home.

So much for taking all advantage of his parents being gone to be out and about as much as possible.

With A Capital G

Without looking back, Danny swiftly turned the corner, fingertips trailing along.  Soft solidness to sink into lined all these walls.  Stretching up to heights taller than his dad.  Reaching up a little, his fingers traced the outlined square confines organizing all the colors and variations into patterns he'd become familiar with.  Marveling at the fact of what this yarn once was and what his dad would make it become.  Favorite colors were tapped at.  Deep blues and sky blues and leafy greens and berry bright and berry dark and sunflower yellow.

Strings and strings and strings and instruments to bind all the colors together into whatever you pleased to become glorious pieces of work.  

Danny found wonder in it, in awe when he watched his dad make amazing designs.  The items and picture slowly coming into more and more focus.  Then, there it was.  And Danny would admire it.  While he could and before it was picked up at the monthly art market.  They always got picked up.  Sooner usually rather than later.

Yet as much as he looked forward to that, he darted around the last shelf and into the back.

Sadly, no machines were going, turning out strands to be doled out and used from the shop area.

A chuckle came from somewhere and he quickly spun about.

"Welcome back, Danny."

Nose wrinkling, he nonetheless rushed over to the gathered group eating lunch.

"Are you almost done with lunch?"  He asked.

Bemused laughter followed and he scowled.

"But I wanted to see!"  He complained, whined, pouted.

"How about a story as we eat?"  Suggested Frances.

"A story?  About what?"  Danny dragged back a spare chair and scrambled up to sit and join the group.

They hummed, debating and looking at each other.  And by some unsaid system Danny didn't get, they decided and Maggie turned to him with the answer.

"One about Huzon.  A tale.  About the Ghosts."

Danny went perfectly still.

Danger thrummed through him and he whispered it out. 

"Ghosts?"

"Ooh, got your attention there, didn't we?  Your family's newcomers and wouldn't know many."

His parents knew plenty.  And more than the picked up mentions and tales Danny had caught a hold of during times in town.  But Danny still wanted to know the tales others held.

Dangerous.

Swallowing, he checked for his dad or mom at the door, but he'd grown old enough and good enough at handling his ghostly abilities that they trusted him enough to wander.  As long as he remained near enough.  He'd done it enough times, he seemed to be trusted enough to go without a parental check on where he was.

It felt a little wrong and yet...

Danny looked back to the group and scooted in closer.

"I know some tales."

"How about the tale of the Nightmare Eater?"  The youngest of the group suggested, eyes dancing wickedly.  A danger of their own.  Promising a tale spilling full of trouble.  Especially with the grumblings against it and debating if he was brave enough for it.

"Tell me."  He demanded.

And the tale began just as all the others his parents yanked him away from before he could hear them to completion, waving them all off as tales and stories and things made and not real.

"Back when the sky swirled in green, land was ill suited, and we lay bare to the whims of Ghosts..."

It was the first Huzon tale young Danny heard to its end.

That night, he awoke from nightmares crawling full of faces he did not know and could only imagine.  The Nightmare Eater.  Vortex.  The Raven.  The All Seeing Eyes.  The terrible man.  And a face Danny knew all too well.  Himself.  Made for a terrible purpose.

Gasping for breath, he didn't dare leave his bedroom and go to his parents for comfort and explain.

He pushed and pushed and pushed away those picked up and heard tales.  Focusing on familiar and comforting words of his parents.  That the terrible man could not raise him.  That without the terrible man, there was no terrible purpose.  Danny's purpose in life was just to be Danny, their son.  

It would be years later, during those predictable rebellious teenage years, that Danny would question and seek more than his parents' words about ghosts.  To those with the capital G.

A Mother Always Knows

His mom was like a mind reader.  Calling him out on not practicing while they were gone.  No one had been here except Danny and all the farm animals.  How would she know?

"I know you didn't practice every evening, Danny."

How does she know? Everytime! This time and the time before that.

"I practiced.  Just, got busy and distracted.  I did it though."

She raised an eyebrow up at him.  Danny made himself not to fidget.  He wasn't going to give her proof.  Plus, he did practice.  Had more reason to practice and not to let them see.

"Really."  He drawled and rolled his eyes.  "I know what happens if I go too long without doing it and I'm not allowing any chance of missing school after working so hard to convince you about going."

Dad had been easy enough to convince, naturally easy going, but Mom had been the one Danny knew would be the real challenge on that.

She finally dropped the eyebrow and smiled.  Lines around mouth and eyes transformed her face.  To something old and worn and fond.

"Wanting so much to be normal and like everyone else," she chuckled to herself.

He shrugged a shoulder.  "Yeah, sure."

It wasn't exactly right, but close enough.

"I dragged out some boards to maybe add to my fort while you guys were out." 

Not true, even if boards being missing was the true bit.  Danny moved toward the box his parents had brought back this time to see what was inside.  Hoping that, like was usual, nothing would require much wood in what they wanted to tinker or make from the new stuff.

His words also directed away from them getting any whiff of him exploring outside of the farm area while they had been gone. 

Danny was positive they'd react badly to that.  Even if he'd never run into problems and it wasn't a big deal.  His grip over his abilities was good enough.  And his recent slip proved how well he could cover.  Eventually, they had to realize and know Danny couldn't live his whole life here this way.  He was getting older and would be a young man, not a kid, someday.

"Well, no worries Danny.  We don't need any wood with what we're thinking.  And you know your dad put those to the side for you to use."

Lie bought.

And good. 

Because Danny had used those boards in part of a deal with Fred who was just past Lazy River and the outer edge of town.  He'd made them into a ladder up a tree and a flat section across two sturdy limbs.  For the man's three little kids to use.  Even got up a thick rope for them to swing and climb on.  For the material and work, Danny had received placement tokens.  There was more freedom in using those, even if a good many disliked them for 'being cold'.

But it was nice having a hold of something that could get him anything from a person.  Bartering and trading worked only so well.  And was dependent on if each side had something the other wanted.  

Besides, he could always just use them for the materials.  Separate it out for using each individual part and possibly combine in a new way.  Or heat the tokens up and form the metal to what he liked.  Handy for his own use before changing them back or artistic pieces he put next to his dad's pieces.

He didn't do that much, so his parents wouldn't ask why he had so many, but he did enjoy what people would offer for the rare little pieces he brought to market.

Really.  His parents couldn't keep thinking he'd stay here forever.

"Oh, honey, I can't believe you're already fourteen.  It doesn't seem right.  Turning fourteen last week.  I don't know if I like you being older, growing into a young man.  It's so strange."  She said in a hush.

Maybe they had some clue.

Lifting up the box, Danny brought it all the way up to the table.  His parents weren't exactly getting younger either.  And he looked over at his mom, watching her distant gaze.  

There was something sad in it.

"Yeah, well, parents always say kids grow up too fast.  It's not like I can stop getting older."

Her face snapped into alertness, looking at him with wide eyes and startled mouth.  He offered her a reassuring smile.

"But you'll always be my mom, even if I won't need you as much as you need me.  Now.  Did you and dad want this on the table to look at first or just cart it outside to the workshop table right now since it'll all likely end up there soon enough anyway?"

Her smile quivered.  "On the table is fine for now.  Thank you."

"No problem, Mom.  Let me know when you need it out in the workshop."

You Grow Into Your Changes

Slowly, Danny drew in a long breath he didn't actually currently need.  But breathing steadied him.  Was habit.  Only a thing he focused on when he needed to steady and center himself.

It worked.

Thus far, he had not had any more incidents of visible aspects of his ghost form appearing at inopportune times.  Not without doing so on purpose.  He had specifically gone without for part of fieldwork break, testing on the daily practice he'd actually started up.  Had never needed it before.  Previous limits were up to five days.

It's not like he had been out during the business of fieldwork.  At their farm.  At a few of the relatively 'close' neighboring farmers.  Neighbors helping them, them helping neighbors.  Only a few around and focused on other things, not close enough to really see details of each other for most of it.

Tested.

Lighthearted resulted in floating hair.

Anger and emotions close, resulted in a gambit.  Claws, fangs, eyes.  Whatever felt fitting or needed.

Closing himself off resulted in touches of blue blooming across his skin.

Returning to the new daily practice found those quite a bit more difficult to pull out.  More along the lines of using his ghostly abilities in human form.  It was there within his grasp to use, but controllable and manageable.

Slowly, he took in another breath as he continued staring at the mirror to look at himself.  Memorizing and getting comfortable with the changes.  Still him.  Just...puberty.  Great.  Fun discovery he had never heard from his parents or any tales.  Ghosts had puberty.  

Or it was just a him thing.  Since half of him was human and humans very much did have puberty. 

A little bluer, a little floatier, a little pointier.

It wasn't that bad.  The mostly black outfit with white was the same.  That hadn't changed.  

He let himself drop in the air some, letting his long white hairs float and drift higher up to better see his eyes.  He had switched over without his hair pulled back for a reason.  But now he grasped at his wrist and found his hair band there.  Like his ghost form had noticed his recent preference in keeping it back and worked it in with this ghost puberty thing.  So small, but the only outfit thing that'd changed in all these years.  

Hair fully back besides a few wisps and loose strands, Danny got a full unobstructed look at his eyes.  No whites.  No pupils.  Just a singular glowing color swallowing up the area.

Unnerving.

Which was more annoying?  Human puberty or ghost puberty?

Well.  Both.  The entire thing was annoying.  Now that he'd finished freaking out on the ghost one since he didn't have a heads-up there.  Happy fourteenth year of life for him.  Ugh.  Puberty fucking sucks.

"Hey, Danny, we need an extra hand getting the wagons and..."

Sucking in a breath, Danny quickly went invisible and looked to the doorway of his room.  Found it open.  With his dad standing within it, face slack.  He blinked, slowly.

"Danny?"

"Sorry, you startled me when I was sneaking in a daily practice and uh." 

Danny hesitated, clearly knowing he'd been caught sight of with the new changes and made himself visible again.

"Apparently ghosts can go through puberty too?"

He offered an awkward smile and joke for his dad.  Mom would have been so much worse, so it being Dad wasn't that bad.  Far more easy going.  Besides.  It's not like he could have hidden it for long and he had a jumpstart handle on it.

Finally, his dad broke his stunned silence.

"You look like..."

With no smile, laugh, or joke back?

Danny faltered and landed on the floor, slowly drawing in a breath to not badly react to that reaction.  Tucked hands into the small of his back.  Sucked his lips over his teeth.  Lowered his eyelids to have less of all that singular color showing.

"Don't worry about it Danny.  You finish up your practice.  We can handle getting all the big equipment down to Larry's for tomorrow.  It'll just be a later meal since I'll take Mom with me instead."

"I can make a meal."  Danny quickly offered.  Feeling off-footed and scrambling to make up for the misstep.  "And I was almost done-"

"It's fine."  His dad reassured, a smile cracking across his face.  It didn't feel reassuring now though.  A first with his dad.  "We'll be back later.  Rest up.  Or take the chance to get some homework done if you haven't been able to yet.  You can start up some food if you want, but you don't have to.  Done a good job the past few days."

"Okay."  Danny agreed.  In lieu of not knowing how else to respond.

With a parting smile, his dad left his doorway and went back down the hallway.

Danny went invisible again.

That had been something.

He followed.

"I'm sure Jack and Danny will be out in a minute Larry!"

"Maddie."

Solemn and serious didn't happen as much with his dad, yet here it was.  Over Danny's appearance changes.  Something very unsettling vibrated through Danny as he hovered outside of the kitchen, invisible to sight and yet he hid, peering carefully around the door.

"Jack.  What is it?"

"Ghost puberty."  Came out in a baffled tone.

Mom frowned, confused.  "What?"

"His ghost form has changed.  A bit.  It's still..."  Shoving a hand through mostly gray strands, his dad huffed and heaved it out.  "But those changes seem to take after and resemble Vlad."

Danny took it all in.  The words.  The reluctance and fear.  The alarm.  The sharp intake of breath and wide eyes from his mom when hearing that.

"No."  She refused.  "He's been here.  Nowhere near and we've been so-"

"Careful, I know."  His dad sighed.  "Look.  Maybe it is just changes that happen over enough time.  There's bound to be differences after a huge chunk of time.  We saw that with...with him."

"Well I don't like it."  His mom's voice was near a shrill, kept low to avoid broadcasting it across the house.

But Danny was already here listening.  Mouth dry.

"He's nothing like him, Jack.  He can't be.  No matter how he is, he is our son and-"

Danny was gone.

Back in his bedroom.

The name rattling in his brain.

Vlad.

Vlad was the name of the terrible man.

Vlad was the name of the terrible man who created Danny for a terrible purpose.

And Danny, and Danny...

His brain stumbled.

He stared down at his blue tinged hands.

He curled his fingers to see the claws.

He sucked at his lips and felt those fangs pressing against the inside.

And Danny resembled him?

Chapter Text

Popular

"Pardon.  Fenton, right?  Your last name?"

He, and the rest of the class, turned in their seats.  Standing at the door was a small older man with a scruffy mustache and round glasses.  Recognizable.  Danny had briefly shaken hands with him after he and his parents finished up the enrollment papers.  Principal Davis.  A man seen around and in passing by his open doored office.  Busy, but friendly from what Danny had picked up the past couple of days.

"Yes, sir.  Daniel Fenton.  My parents call me Danny."

He added it, thinking it might help jog the man's memory of their quick meeting.

"Ah, right."  Pushing up his slipping glasses, Principal Davis peered at him with a faint never fading smile on his face.  "I thought I'd inquire if you have any passing knowledge soaked up from them.  School's sound system isn't working properly.  If not, I'll just run down to our usual guy who isn't too far from here."

He stood.  "Passable, yeah.  I can take a look.  If that's okay?"

Miss Jones dipped her head at the question.  "That's fine, Daniel.  You've proven yourself more than passing in just one shop class."

Danny smiled, warmed by her words and how his given name sounded in her mouth.

"Oh?  That'd be the electrical one from yesterday, wouldn't it?"  Eyebrows lifted over his round frames, impressed.  Then Principal Davis pushed his eyeglasses back up.  "There's only so few with great grasps with that.  Such as your parents."

"Most of my homeschooling was connected to either the farm or their tinkering and creating.  I'm often with them when they set up or fix the sound system for festivals in town.  And I've recreated a boombox for myself to play music wherever I take it."

He was pretty proud of that too.  And planned on showing it off to Lenard.  The persnickety man who ran guitar lessons from the music shop.  Danny had pestered enough a while ago to snag a lesson anytime he popped in.  All he had to do was clean around the place. 

Danny was pretty sure Lenard let him off easy in the lessons because Lenard was also a newcomer and enjoyed having a kid around who was familiar with musicians like Elvis and Little Richard and Ray Charles and Patsy Cline and The Coasters.  

"Excellent.  Follow me then please.  I'll show you where it is at.  Excuse me for borrowing one of your students, Miss Jones."

Principal Davis glanced back curiously before leading Danny away.

"Recreated a...boombox?  Is that a kind of sound system?"

Danny frowned.  Searched his memory.  Recalled the music store with Lenard.  Only instruments.  A place to learn to play.  He had thought albums of music were elsewhere since his parents had to get them from somewhere.  Any music outside of his house, it was a thing one went to listen to and watch the performance...

Ah.

Newcomer thing.

A new one.  Not gathered up and weaved in like many were.  It was not widespread.  Or mentioned.

"Yep."  He said shortly and shoved his hands in his pockets.  "A version of a sound system."

Annoying.  It's not like he even remembered living elsewhere.  Yet he had been raised by his parents who for sure did.  See example of their talents and knowledge with technology. 

Danny huffed.  Then shrugged.  Ah, well.

At least it meant they were highly welcomed and in need.  That Danny's work in that shop class yesterday quickly gained him popularity and a growing amount of friends.  Awe at his skill. 

It didn't take long at all to sort out all the other tech proficient newcomer kids.  He'd run into them enough throughout the years to know them by name.  It was a bit of a relief to have familiar faces and shared experiences with people in this big group of new friends he seemed to be picking up.

They'd been attending school longer.  He could pick their brains about this kind of stuff.  Rachel had offered yesterday.  Or, more likely, he would say fuck it and end up doing it his own way himself.  It worked for him.

And not that he needed it with all the excitement he got from his favorite familiar faces, loudly greeting him, cheering that Point was finally at school with them.

What I Am

"So I'm going through ghost puberty!"  He snapped, fists clenching, purposely glaring them down, and then snarled.  "I heard you!  You've seen this before.  Ghosts.  Changing.  Said you saw it with him.  The terrible man.  Vlad.  What am I?  His kid?  You've always said crea-"

"You are our child!"

His mom moved, rushing up the stairs to the house, where he'd stood waiting for his chance upon their return.  Danny went mute.  Words gone.  Fled for a moment at her anger back.

"You are not his!"

"Then how am I like this!?  Huh?"  He stepped forward, bringing himself closer, getting right up into his mom's face. 

All this time they'd been gone, he'd been left thinking.  Brain scrambling.  Trying to figure it out.  Needing to know.  It was his right to know about himself!

"You and Dad keep saying ghosts come from dead people!  Did this Vlad create me by trying to kill me as a baby?  Failed or something?  A person is either alive or dead!  If that's how I'm like this, then how come no one else is?  I can't be the only one with some near death experience!  And it doesn't fully explain why I need to keep it secret, to keep it from getting out, like he'll come back to fully finish me off to be all ghost!"

His hands shook.

"But do you know what does?  Me!  Being his kid!  Everyone else here says ghosts are beings, powerful enough to mess with regular people, humans!  Some ghost, this Vlad found a human to-"

"You are our son!"

The screech pierced through his words and into his ears.  His mom jabbed at his chest, tears running down her face.  He stumbled back, but he had too much built up.

"Just because you and Dad raised me, doesn't mean I'm your kid!  You've never explained anything about him!"

He pushed back, at her shoulder, sending her back and away from him.  Clenched his hand back up at sight of the claws, so he didn't do damage.  But let himself, sank into it, pulled up all the newness. 

Eyes and claws. 

Closed himself up, walling himself off, and reveling in the blue. 

Drew his lips back, feeling the dangerous sharp press of fangs against his mouth and forcing room amongst his teeth. 

And snarled.

"You've never explained anything about me!  It's my life!  My body!  Not yours!  You need to start explaining, right the fuck yesterday, about what exact terrible purpose I was supposedly created for or I'm going to attempt forcing it out myself!"

Gasping, his mom retreated backwards, quickly and stumbled off the front steps.  Dad scrambled, catching her from crashing to the ground.  Chest pounding, vibrating full of energy, Danny moved to the edge of the front steps, right on the precipice and glared down past his nose at them.  Feeling satisfaction at their huge eyed looks of terror.

"Exactly," he gnashed out.  Snapping and biting out the whole word around his huge fangs.

"All you have left me about it is my own imagination and nightmares.  I've had time to think about what exactly I can do.  What I could do.  Not knowing everything about myself."

He felt his voice break over the admission.  Hating it.  Angry.  He clenched his fists again and lit them up full of destructive force, roaring down at them.

"I deserve to know!"

Got My Ride

It was impressive.  Things one could stash in spaces no one saw.  Or could reach.

Like an entire bicycle.

Not an electric one, but it did Danny well enough.  Electric vehicles were more of a thing in the main part of town.  To avoid the smell of animals he supposed.  The larger ones were either for those bringing something heavier to carry home or those that had a harder time getting around. 

But there were more than a few of those handy with technology adjusting scooters or bicycles for personal fun.  It'd taken off after a few years back. 

Danny's dad had blasted into the main part of town with an overlarge scooter, Mom and him clutching on behind as they shouted instructions.  Long story short.  Dad was not a great listener when excited and a horrible driver on top of that.  He crashed it and was promptly forbidden from making another or driving again.  There had been a broken arm, fractured ribs, and bruises for all three of them.

Danny was absolutely going to electrify his bicycle.  Already had the parts needed for it.  And additions to carry bonus stuff with him.  An all in one to-go and reaching further out to explore more. 

He could only get and had gotten so far in a day of freedom squeezed between morning and evening farm chores.  School days took even more time out, but he was never going to change that addition or bemoan over it.  

Danny tossed on his backpack full of a few tools he totally was going to bring back before his parents notice them missing.  (Honestly, they're disorganized enough, they'd believe it momentarily misplaced and move to another thing to work on until the tool popped up again)

Jumping up and yelling at Rusty to stay, Danny took off down the driveway on his bicycle.

"Hey there, Point!"  Greeted Lucas.  

Eagerly, Danny rushed over and toward the Williams family's shop.  Several hooted as he sped through the open door, letting it slam shut as they sprinted behind him to the workshop area.  They already had all the parts he'd collected up and stored here out and ready to go.

His mouth curled up and he grinned across the space to them.

They grinned back.

And finished with time before evening chores to spare.  They took turns celebrating as loud as they could going up and down, up and down, up and down the stretch of road.  Amelia and Georgie went sheepish and apologetic at the more annoyed adult looks over at their noise and rambunctiousness.  

Danny took out his hair band, pulled his strands back again, higher up so less would blow free, and looped the hair band into place.

"Nah, this is my celebration and no one's stopping me."  He declared.

Yanking his boombox out from the bottom of his backpack, Danny swung it around and lifted it into the bicycle's basket.  Gleefully and dramatic and reveling in the perked up, leaning in, eyes huge interest at the device.  Grin huge, he fought against cackling as he spun the knob for volume.  It broke free of him when everyone jumped back as it boomed out noise.

Music. 

Recorded music.

Recorded newcomer music.

Kids and adults gaped.

Danny swung his leg onto the bicycle and zipped off down the road, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers pounding out into the world.  Head bobbing to the beat and belting out the words.  

"Yeah, running down a dream! That never would come to me!  Working on a mystery!  Going wherever it leads! Running down a dream!"

Back To Exploration 

He supposed they raised him as normal as they could.  Shared overbearing and annoying tendencies that it seemed all kids around his age complained and rebelled against.  Just their own unique flavor.  Every person, every parental guardian was different.  Similarities and each their own person. 

It was only, he felt, that his situation was rather more unique than others.  So his parents raised him as normal as they felt safe.  It was...suffocating.

Secret, okay sure.  But what really got to him was feeling as if he had to stay put.  Secluded at the outskirts of everything.

He loved the openness of the place and loved his parents, but sometimes...  Sometimes he really appreciated being free of them.  He wasn't an idiot.  He knew it.  They knew it.  But they just worried and fretted so over him.

Reaching the first bridge towards town, he debated about traveling the Lazy River to the other side of Huzon.

Yeah.  Sure.  He had everything he needed at home.  Do daily farm chores, keep things tidy, do homework, and relax.  But as soon as he did the morning chores for the animals and did his daily practice early, he was out of there.  Off to explore.  As usual when Mom and Dad were off on a work trip.

'Yeah.  We don't know everything, but a good deal more than most.'

'We've raised you, knowing...'  Trailing off, his mom gave a strained smile and patted his hand.

'Ghosts we have run into have usually been ghosts for a while.  It's more you look more ghostly than before in your ghost form.  You're probably right or close enough to it about it being ghost puberty.'  

'Right.  You're still Danny.  We only...get a little anxious about, about Vlad.  Jumped to conclusions.  But they're just slight appearance changes.  Still recognizably you.  If one is paying attention.'

She had shared a look with Dad, then squeezed Danny's hand with a tight smile.

Worry warts.

Eyeballing the Lazy River, he decided against taking it.  With his bicycle upgraded, he could reach further.  Rather than continue his slowly building map of every path and building and parsing out each nook and cranny, he was going to power his way as far as he could.  Until he reached something really enticing in the unknown hugely busy center of Huzon.

Eyes lit up in resolve, Danny bounced along the packed down portion of gravel and then sped up once he hit paved smoothness.

Head swiveling hard and fast once he went by the first business (not shop!) that stretched nearly as long as the huge yard he grew up on, Danny couldn't stop looking at everything.  Trying to figure out what he would fully explore first. 

Several people worked and more sat past a long glass viewing of a salon filled with devices he vaguely and didn't recognize.  Result of newcomers?  Result of competition with other salons like this?  Going over the top for their clients?  What could they offer him?

One building went upwards a few levels, various signs plastered higgiy piggly at the entrance.  Restaurants!  The smell of warm food hit him as he passed.  Salvating and mentally placing it to go back to later.

Oh and there was Newcomer Wares.  He'd heard about that one and seen a few things from the few other newcomers.  Most of it was basic little household devices and kitschy toys. 

He had grown up with plenty of kitchen devices thanks to his parents.  Ones he had realized a while ago, most everyone else, including other newcomer people he knew, did not have.  Benefits of them being a fresher batch of newcomers and his parents' obsessions with tech putting them far past the rest?  It certainly made them in plenty need and never needing to worry.

Nothing too likely to be of need in there.  But.  He'd made more than a few silly toys together with Dad.  Be fun to see what could be inside.

Head swiveling, Danny stared at a small little squished-in shop marked as Ghost Tales.  

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

Zipping around, he headed back down the street for that one.

It was filled up with books and was as promised instead of some cutely named thing that was something else and it was glorious.

"I said pardon."

Blinking, he looked up from the book filled up with tales focused on The Nightmare Eater, aka Sandman aka Nocturne aka Baku aka Hypnos aka Morpheus aka way too many fucking names.  

The shopkeeper smiled at him, adjusting his round eyeglasses up.  Danny's eyes went to where his long blonde hair was pulled back into a frazzled bun.  Slight jealousy and wanting hit him.  His own hair was long enough to be pulled back, but not like that.  He had issues with it getting that long and behaving after a certain length.

"Uh, yeah?  Am I not allowed to look so much before buying?"

"We're not exactly a library."

Wincing, he scowled and slammed the book shut.  "Fine."

"I don't really mind, I only work here part-time."  The shopkeeper assured him.  As if that explanation explained anything on the young man being okay with Danny treating the place as a library.  "I was only curious.  Most people just pass on the more well known tales about Ghosts.  Not many go looking up them up.  Unless they're researching for a paper at the college's Ghost Mythology courses.  Bit young for that."

Danny huffed.  "My parents are newcomers and haven't really, uh, taken to-"

"Say no more.  I get you.  One of the ten of us in the Myth path has newcomer grandparents who banned the old Huzon tales under their roof.  Tiffany is a huge fan of how they impact us today.  Have left their marks."

Intrigued, Danny lifted his head, eyes on the shopkeeper.  "Such as cursing upon Vortex when a bad storm does damage to crops?"

The shopkeeper grinned and held up a finger before scurrying off down the shelves.  Not patient at all, Danny rushed after him.  Forget whatever one book the man thought of to bring him, Danny was going to see all of what was in a potential section filled up with books like that.

Slipping down a small thick book bound in dark solid green, the shopkeeper grinned at seeing Danny there.  Then flipped it open.  Pointing and excited.

"These are a little less obvious.  There's an extra chapter on the makeup of Huzon, like how the Lazy River loops."

Danny leaned into the shopkeeper's side to get a better look to read.  He was so glad he had his stash of placement tokens on him.  He was absolutely going to wind up with at least one of these books.  Just needed to set aside a stash spot for any he got...

"Here's one.  What about this one here?"

Landing on a new page, the shopkeeper pointed again. 

"Skyline Limit for referring to a point far away.  Relates back to tales around The Truce.  Have you heard more than the background mention of that?  Read one of the in depth dives and theories from constants, repeating details, and potential one off mentions that could be...  Oh!  You'll probably like that by what I've seen and the look on your face.  Most copies are more textbook, few, and usually in hands of..."

The shopkeeper trailed off.

"I've got one that I use for reference in Myths, if you come back and want to look if I happen to be here?"

Danny nodded.

The shopkeeper grinned broadly.  Then shifted a hand free to tap his chest.  "Name's Adam Carver.  Go by and called Dam."

Danny tapped, grinning back at the man.  "Dam, nice.  Daniel Fenton.  Always been called Danny."

Pausing, Dam squinted at him and pushed up his eyeglasses.  "No?"

"I'm used to it."  He shrugged.  "My parents named me Daniel, but Danny is what they've called me.  So Danny I am.  Newer call is Point."

"I'll go by Point then.  Wait.  Fenton?"

Gobsmacked, Dam stared at him.

Then shook his head.

"That makes sense."  He muttered.  Then his face lit up again and jabbed at the book.  "Oh!  This is a good one and not far from here!  For where it comes from and from where it is!  You know the phrase 'ported off'?"

"Yeah.  Wait, that's related to Ghosts?"

"Yep!  Full phrase was 'ported off to the realm of Ghosts'.  But that went out nearly 500 years back.  So most now don't realize until it's pointed out and go 'ah, that makes sense'.  Unless you live near or work there.  But I guess some then even don't fully comprehend..."

"Huh?"

Dam lit up, gleeful at imparting Ghost knowledge to someone who was digging for more.

"Also relates back to The Truce!  Enough versions mention it as some sort of compromise in humans being laid bare to Ghost whims."

Slow realization and connection began blooming inside of Danny.

"Because they're not alive?"

A connection of his parents' ghosts and Huzon's Ghosts.

"Guess so.  But considering some tales, you kind of have to wonder exactly what Ghosts could be doing to them.  What waits for us once we're ported off someday."

Dam leaned his head down, eyes wide at Danny.

"It's been passed down through generations of my family.  Not like they really care what I ramble on wondering about it.  Anyway!  Yes, the Ghost Portal.  It only opens when someone dies, closing as soon as their body is through.  It also opens if a living human is in their realm and near Huzon.  All newcomers have seen it.  But the majority of people scoff at anyone having proclaimed to see it.  If they ever talk about it."

Dam winced.  "Most don't.  The accounts from newcomers aren't exactly many."

"My parents never have."

How had he never heard or known about this? 

"Right.  But this is how I got into Myths!  For the past, let me see, 14 years now.  For the past 14 years, the Ghost Portal has been opening and closing far more often than it should.  Particularly lately.  It's like a guarantee now, ever day, at least once.  Creating a whole new amount of work going nowhere in trying to figure out who has potentially passed.  Staring into it only for it to close with no newcomers.  My family has hired outside of the family for the last decade.  It keeps opening and closing with no news of a death or newcomer coming through.  Already had one this morning before I came in to work here."

Dam gave a toss of his shoulders. 

"Absolutely, stealing from Tiffany, wonky.  Absolutely wonky.  You and those from Myths are the only ones who have listened to me about it.  But oh!  Back to 'ported off', newcomers used to have a similar term with 'ported in', but it really wasn't used much even back then."

Absently, Danny nodded, not listening anymore.

Anytime someone dies in Huzon, this Ghost Portal opens.

His parents' ghosts came from dead people.  Some dead people.  Not everyone stayed around according to them.

Every potential ghost opened this portal.  To be ported off to the realm of Ghosts.  In case they became one.

If every dead person, every potential ghost opened this portal then...

Danny was responsible for this Ghost Portal being wonky.

"Can I see it?"  He intrupted, sudden and demanding.

Dam stopped talking, hand hovering above the book he'd pulled down and blinked at Danny.

"Can I see the Ghost Portal, Dam?"

The man beamed.  "Of course, Point!  If you don't mind waiting until I'm off in half an hour?"

Nope.  He didn't mind at all.  Just panicking about what this all meant was all.  No big deal.

No big deal at all.

Chapter Text

Welcome

"Hey, Mom."  

Danny hurried in past Dam, chin lifted and head leaning forward as he eagerly swiveled to see everything inside this room.  There was a large desk covered in paperwork with several plush chairs over at one wall.  A door open beside that displayed a full bathroom and an large first aid kit.  An older lady with Dam's blonde hair, but graying, looked up from replacing some bottles.

She stood, smiling and wiping her hands as she walked over.

"What a lovely surprise, Dam.  Who do you have here?"  Her head tilted, a knowing and laughing smile at him.  "A young fellow looking to join the Myths path in a few years?"

Danny dragged his eyes off the bright welcoming posters plastered around the room.  Such at odds to the solemn dark door with a simple small swirl of green etched into the knob.  He nodded his head at the older lady.

"I don't know about that, but I certainly want to find out more about Huzon's Ghosts over the kind of ghosts I hear from my parents."  He tapped his chest, eyes flicking to his surroundings and back to her.  "Name's Daniel Fenton."

"Oh, you're Danny!"  Her smile went warmer, eyes lit up in familiarity.  "I haven't seen you since you were a baby.  Such a tiny thing.  Your parents say you have got their knack with technology and mentioned you are attending school now.  Good for you.  Maddie and Jack have fretted over you ever since you were a very tiny baby.  But I can't imagine how terrifying the journey to get to Huzon might have been with such a-"

"You keep in touch?"

Voice dying off, her smile shifted into a face of confusion.  "Yes.  Usually every couple months or so for the past several years.  When they're talking to the businesses around here about pieces of their work.  They always offer a helping hand here in the afternoons."

"I didn't know that."  Dam said with surprise.  His head turned to Danny, a bit baffled.  "You didn't know either?"

"About their work trips, yes.  This?  No."

Nose wrinkling, brows furrowing down, Danny scowled.  He was not happy about this discovery.  

They had come through into Huzon here years ago.  Not a word about the journey.  Which sounded right in what Dam said.  In that most didn't talk about it.  Otherwise Danny and the others related to newcomers and general population would know about this.  And yet, with how his parents were in speaking about their ghosts and having him, being half...

It felt wrong that they never said a word or mentioned any of this.

"In the afternoons?"  He blurted out, stunned.

"That's right."  Dam's mom nodded, still appearing the slightest bit confused.  "I suppose they didn't want to bring up their journey and potential questions.  As most do.  It's just.  I would say Jack and Maddie are very straight forward and open, but they aren't when it comes to certain things.  Usually concerning much to do with Ghosts.  Life before here.  Those topics get tense and I figured them helping out here was a way to deal with fears born out of their journey to Huzon with a frail newborn."

At her gaze remaining on him, Danny quickly responded in agreement with her.

"They're definitely afraid of something terrible that's ghost related."

Yet his brain was focused entirely elsewhere.

Helping out here in the afternoons.  

Same time he was supposed to do his daily practice.

Mom always calling him out that he hadn't done them on the daily.

This was how they knew.

There was a connection.  A giveaway.  To his secret.  To what he half was.

And an entire realm of ghosts through this portal.

What his parents were thinking or doing or testing this portal about in relation to Danny flew right out the window.

Forget them.

He wanted to see and explore this realm.

Enter

As nice as Julie Carter was...

Determined, Danny shoved a chair beneath the knob of the closed door.  Jiggled and wiggled and pushed it.  Using a little extra strength to make it difficult to work free.  He knew enough of what annoyed his mom the few times he'd done this while Dad steered her off to give him some space.  Chair, with extra umph for stronger muscles or determination, would do the trick.

He barely paused despite...

This had bad decision written all over it.

But Danny was a combination of pissed off and need with no other idea on how to make sure neither Dam nor his mom entered to see him do this.

Drawing in a breath, keeping his back to the wall with the largest welcome poster, Danny switched his form to be far less human.  Eyes alert.  Searching the room for it to appear.

A green speck appeared in the middle of the room.

Growing outward.

Spiraling outward.

Breathless, he drifted closer as it slowed, ceasing to spread out.

The Ghost Portal.

Real.

Here.

Existing.

Appearing due to not a potential ghost inside of Huzon, but for the half of one that already was a ghost.

Green continued swirling in the middle of the room.  Large enough to contain two lengths of Danny.  Easily.  Much larger than any human he had ever seen before.  Why was it this size?

He didn't see anything else other than swirling and shifting and shades of unnatural green.  Squinting, he spotted a few dots of purple.  And wondered at what they were.

Drifting closer yet, he stretched a gloved hand out.  Tentative.  Sharp claws tracing along until a faint tingle caressed up his arm.  Like and not at all like when he lit his hands up with dangerous potential.

He thrust his hand inside, plunging in the entire arm, and pressed his entire being up along the welcoming world.  Shoved his face through, eyes wide at the rush hitting face and head and brain.  Going through into its embrace.

World Cast Adrift

Huzon floated.

Huzon floated in the realm of Ghosts.  

Like those purple bits around it.  

But.

Huzon was huge.

Slightly curved with ends curling under.

An end.

Huzon had an end?

How had Danny or anyone else not reached it?

Danny could see an end to Lazy River.  Could see Huzon through a haze of green, everything tinted green.  His mind swirled as he peered into the precarious bubble that contained his world.  It was difficult to see clearly and everything looked wrongly colored.  Did the Huzon Ghosts still watch and imagine things they could do once humans were placed out for them?

Overwhelmed, he floated along the length of his home.  Looking for the familiar.  Found one.  But it was wrong.  His mind swarmed as he watched a small boat of people reach the impossible end of Lazy River.  And disappear.

Where did they go?

He sped to fly beneath Huzon, eyes up at the rocky and green tinged bottom, trying to find a sign of boat and people.

And crashed.

Tumbled onto a field of lilac colored tallgrass with plumes feathering their tops.

Danny scrambled up, shaking his head, taking a look about.  A few dark violet trees and couple of small purple dotted green boulders, but other than that it was lilac tallgrass as far as Danny could see.  A row of a few indents near the edge of this smaller floating piece beneath the massive Huzon.

Curious, he flew over to look.

Froze up.

A glowing green thing chirruped brightly and darted through a flat-ish patch right at Danny.

He pulled back from it, eyes wide.  

What was it?  What did he do?

It bobbed.  Chirruped again.  Questionly.  Then pressed up against him.

Panicked, Danny bursted off and away from that area, coming back up around the curve of Huzon.

It was a comfort to spot the impossible end of Lazy River.  With the small boat and people inside.  Relieved, he relaxed.  Then realized he did not see the large swirling stamp of icy blue that had marked the portal.

He flew over Huzon.  Like a blur.  Hoping no one looked up to see.  Wondered at no one seeing this swirling green from inside like it seemed you could see Huzon from here.  Danny caught sight of familiar farms and houses and paved roads with people on them and buildings and school and the shops and before he knew it the other impossible end of Lazy River.

Flying along the edge of Huzon, he found the overlarge marker.

Along with what appeared to be a sleek metallic flying vehicle of some sort drifting past one of the floating purple bits of land in the distance.

Automatically, he quickly went invisible.

He didn't have a goal of meeting a Ghost right this very second.

But seeing them, seeing another similar to him?

Remaining invisible, he flew at a steady pace toward that rocky outcrop of land, eyes searching and trying to figure out where this moving thing had gone.

An opening!  In the rocks.

He peered inside and spotted a gleam.

Then movement and he ducked back outside, steeling himself for a look and hoping they didn't notice him making noise or nothing.

Noises echoed out.  Sliding and scraping and something slammed.  Then swooshing with footsteps.  Footsteps?  He'd heard a sparse handful of tales over the years of mimicking humans for amusing trickery, but that was rare and within human sight.  According to tales.  Was it not right?  But then, in his ghost form, he didn't need to-

Before he could attempt to work out the mystery, it was answered as someone exited and yanked at vines to cover the opening.

Danny gaped as he watched his mom turn around, fully human with all her wrinkles and faded auburn hair as she sported a suit startlingly similar to the one he'd always had been stuck with in his ghost form.  Stripping out of the blue suit, she rolled it up and stashed it into one of her pockets.  Back to her regular kind of clothes.  

What the...

Glancing at her wrist, she sighed and shook her head.

"And here I thought he was going to keep up with daily practice correctly.  That boy.  Just like Danny."

He stared.

Invisible still.

His personal world crashing and falling apart and he desperately grasped at pieces to keep it together.

This was...

Mom was only...

Why did that blue suit look like his ghost form's black and white one?

There had to be...

This was for figuring out connection!

With the Ghost Portal!

But.

A whole flying contraption made to venture in the realm of Ghosts.

Why?

Planned around him opening it.

To figure it out.

Where was Dad?

What was the meaning of...

What was going on?!

What was...

What?

Shaking, he flew away away away, right for the giant blue marker.  Kept invisibility and went human.  It was enough, even with ghostly ability in use.  The portal spiraled open again.

Welcome!  Greeted the bright signs.

Room empty.  Except for the sounds of pounding.

Going through, Danny grit his teeth together, remaining invisible as he shifted back to his ghost form to keep the portal open.  Glancing back at the purple smear of land floating in the distance, he fisted his hands.  Keep it secret.  So no one 'freaks' and word about Danny doesn't get out.  But, oh no, let's not tell him about trips into the realm of Ghosts where he really doubted the sight of humans would go unnoticed.

Invisible and now intangible, Danny zipped through the wall.  

Something within him wrenched at sight of his dad standing outside of the door with Julie and Dam.  Fingers threaded through gray strands.  Face wrinkled up in concern, looking at a loss.

Snarling, he rushed past them and through the place, snatching the handles of his electric bicycle parked outside.  Throwing his head back, he looked to the sky.  Blue and speckled with clouds.  Not a hint of the truth behind.

Lie.  Lie.  All a lie!

Taking what was his, he yanked it through the walls.

"Tried to convince her in telling you that."  His dad spoke to the air, ignoring the strange looks the Carters gave him between attempts on the door.  "To face truths together, even if...  Danny.  Everyone makes mistakes and errors and decisions as best they think or when in a bad frame of mind.  Like fear.  Or anger."

And since both of them were disregarding his supposed secret, Danny made himself visible.

"Oh?  Anger?  What makes you think that Dad?"

The man stared, face relaxing.  Simply relieved to see Danny.  Danny stared back, everything tense.

"Dad?  That's..."

"...Ghost.  There is a Ghost in Huzon."

Ignoring the whispers, Danny kept his eyes on his Dad.  Neither of them saying a word.  Danny's voice was somehow hoarse when he finally spoke again into the silence.

"You can't make me stay."  

Dad's mouth twitched up, mournful and long accepting.

"I've known that for years.  But I hope you stay safe."

Danny blinked.

Drifted back in surprise.

"You're...you're letting me go?"  Then rushed the addition with his dad's face.  "If I want."

"Course."

Silence fell again.  Dam and his mom staring at Danny and his dad.  Danny swallowed any emotional reaction down.

Then, quietly.

"Thank you.  Love you, Dad."

All On My Own

Everything was green.  Floating islands and various entryways.  Some islands were larger and he wondered at residents, but stayed away.  Still uncertain as to meeting anyone face to face. And it'd be rude to pop up at someone's place.  For sure, he felt, that anyone there would take it badly.

Things certainly worked differently here.  Like gravity.  If he let go of his bicycle, it simply...floated there.  Giving it a small push propelled it in that direction.  And same if he didn't employ any movement.  He simply floated, drifting in vast green space.

Thankfully, he had never gotten truly hungry in his ghost form.  Even if he could eat this way, it was more for the enjoyment.  For the best he remained as a ghost in a place where ghosts (or Ghosts, same thing, right?) lived.  Yet it felt so odd to go so long in this form and without eating something.

So weird.

Amazing.

But after a while, he got closer and closer to other floating places to see more than before.  Then hurried away past them.  Vast sharp frozen lands.  Tunnel of spikes that somehow, in a way he couldn't explain, chomped.  A red castle that oozed 'do not go here' in both a seemingly unusual color in this realm and the fact no other things dotted the surrounding area.  It took a long time to see anything besides green.  There had been an official impressive white and purple building sitting on a scorch of black.  Surrounded by doors.  

And then Danny reached a place that was made for him.  Felt as though it was a safe bet to venture inside.  A place he'd strived to go for a long time.  Just managed before his ghost appearance changed and could appear in his human form and he'd hiden it in a panic so he could keep attending.  And then he went searching to find out more and...

He shook off the spiral of things around the discovery of the Ghost Portal.

And, instead, sped over with his bicycle to the black and white floating school with a strange flag waving atop it.

Casper High.

Were You Safe Today Or Just Lucky?

He still stayed safe.  He was not an idiot.  He went in while invisible.

To his relief, all the ghosts milling around the hallways looked very human and familiar.  They were black and white.  With clothes that were strange.  But very much his age and students of learning.  And the classrooms held lots of desks and chairs and a clear teacher of some sort.

What did ghosts go to school to learn?

Walking up a flight of stairs, he remained invisible and carefully lifted his bicycle up with him.

He wasn't going to leave it sitting in plain sight outside of the building.

The second level...had color.

Ghosts that looked a little more odd and unusual.

Crowded and loudly argumentative.

He froze, stopped at the top of the stairs.

Go back down and leave?  Or go up to the third level and see what's there since he was already in?

"We know you can get us through!"

"Let's us through!"

"You know that port-"

"It's not that easy!  It's hard enough for just getting myself through my mirror passageway!  I'm not being a wet rag!"

"You can do it!  You just sent my girl into the Human World!  My girl is there alone!"

"Not now!  Don't flip your lid!  I told you, you beatnik, that it'd take time before I could attempt dragging you through too!  You insisted your girl go first!"

"You little-"

"Don't like what I informed you of?  Ain't that a bite for you."

A portal?  Mirror passageway?  Human World?  Did they mean Huzon?  Was this some backdoor way for them to get in?  Were they getting in and not noticed because of the Ghost Portal acting up?  Humans unknowingly at risk to their whims?

"None of you are supposed to be there!"

Danny went stiff and tense, wide eyed and prepared to sprint at realizing he had just screamed at all of these ghosts.  And the whole jampacked hallway had turned to look in his direction.

Shit.

"Right."

The distinct sound of a fist smacking palm sounded and the hallway parted. 

Shit, shit, shit.

A rough and tumble guy stood with thick boots planted firmly on the floor, ready to rumble and a deep scowl distorting his face.  A hulking version of what could be only passably be referred to as an electronic bicycle loomed behind the ghost, cloaked in dark billowing shadows.  There was a much smaller, awkward looking black and white student fidgeting beside the scary, fight ready ghost.

"I think we did find a wet rag.  Congratu-fucking-lations."  

Darkness billowed higher, crackling along floor and walls, the ghost snarling forward.

"Show yourself punk!  I apparently got me some time before I can be reunited with my girl.  And you sound like a good way to spend it."

"I and my fellow classmates will not tolerate physical altercations in our school by you outsiders!" Pipped up the smaller awkward ghost only for the fighter to roll his eyes and neck.  Undeterred, they continued, their thin voice traveling down the hallway.  Past all the parted ghosts and towards Danny at the end of the hallway.

Panic and uncertainty thrummed through him, previous ideas of this being a safer spot to explore out the window.

"Nor do we condone those who come under false pretense or under disguise!  Reveal yourself!"

The hallway rippled.  Walls and floors pulsing down the length.  Over every ghost.

Including a now suddenly very visible Danny.

Every single ghost-oddly colorful, weird additions, strange, flaming hair, curling tail, metalic bodied, gracefully muscular with weapons, black and white-stared.

Grip tightening, he gulped, stepping back to the edge of stairs.

The smaller, awkward black and white student moved.  Pushing up at his eyeglasses.  Blinking rapidly with mouth agape.  Mouth moving too, stunned, as he stepped out from behind the previously extremely scary looking ghost.

"Danny?"

Chapter Text

What Am I?

"Where have you been, babypop?"

At the anger laced in that question, Danny drew his head back and snapped back.

"Don't call me babypop!"  Tapped his chest with a loud thump.  "Name's Daniel Fenton and you don't get permission to call me anything but!"

And holy fuck, he was so glad that got the fiery ghost to back up from being all up in his face, because sure as shit that was not a good idea.  This was not a person he knew.  Even in passing.

"How do you all seem to know me?  Were you ghosts watching me through the bubble?"

"Bubble?"

"Around Huzon!"

There was a pause down the school hallway.

Murmuring and questions followed that.

Then the gracefully muscular ghost with a spear-like weapon shifted forward.

"Do you perhaps mean the Human Zone inside of the Ghost Zone?  It is a place and location said to only be known to the Ancients."

"I've never heard of it."  Grumbled one ghost.

"Ancients?"  Danny asked, curiosity popping up again as it seemed none were going to do anything to him.

"Powerful, ghosts typically seeming to have always been here and will continue on always."

"The child would stumble his way into something of the sort."

"But how?"  Spoke up the small, awkward black and white ghost.  He fiddled with his glasses and under everyone's gazes.  "It was well known the halfa Danny Phantom perished years ago.  To be inside a human only zone, either as halfa or full ghost does not seem as though it ought to be possible if Ancients played part with it."

"Name's Daniel Fenton."  He intrupted harshly.  

"Taking into account of a few stronger ghostly attributes, you are the spitting image of Danny, Buster Brown."  The kid waggled a finger at him.

"I..."

Danny paused, running through things they'd said in his head again.  

A possibility arose.

"My parents have always said I was created by a terrible man...  Called Vlad."

All the ghosts shared alarmed looks and sharp sudden understanding.

"You know him?!"  Burst from Danny, zooming in close to the ghosts nearest him.  They jolted back with eyes wide.  Looking him up and down and searching, like they were trying to comprehend what he was.

He swiveled his head, flying down the hallway in question, electric bicycle taken with him.

The metalic looking one shifted awkwardly and ended up being the one speaking.

"He's been personally tearing through the Ghost Zone repeatedly throughout the years.  Driven by the need to get his hands on the elder pair of Fentons.  Hunting them down.  A thing I am most familiar with as the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter.  Previously, he had hired me for his doings inside the Ghost Zone."  The ghost hesitated, giving Danny a strange look.  "But not for this."

Danny swallowed.

The terrible man had been looking for him.  All this time.  All these years.  And it didn't sound as if he meant anything good in getting hands onto Danny's parents.

At least, hopefully, this man sounded human if he had a ghost doing things for him in the Ghost Zone.  Until it came to finding Danny.  Which he had created for some terrible reason.

"You aren't the same, are you babypop?"  The fiery haired one flew in close to the metalic covered one, voice dropping low.  It caused his stomach to swoop.  Because he caught the words.  Trembling in an appalled horror.

"What did Vlad do to him, Skulker?"

Zones To World

"Here, I'll help you through into the real Human World and I hope you can find your answers."

Looking up from admiring Danny's electric bicycle, the scary ready to fight ghost from before, nodded.  Not arguing about following through behind his girl.  "If ya see Kitty, she's the absolute babycakes with amazing green locks, tell her that her Johnny is coming soon.  Oh, and kid.  Jazz is still in Amity.  But ya might want to be a little cautious near her."

At the concern from this tough ghost guy, Danny blinked.

"Uh, okay.  Thank you?"

Smirking, Johnny 13 saluted him and looked back to the electric bicycle.  

"I'm all for a much larger ride, but this thing is sweet kid.  Think you might leave it here for me to-"

"Nope."

Yanking his bicycle back, Danny dragged it closer to the open locker and Sidney.

Scowling, Johnny stuck up a very rude finger.  Danny glared back in return, lips tugging up.  He was delighted at this ghost's manners and general attitude.

Danny liked this Johnny guy.  Ghost or not.

"Do be safe."  Sidney advised.  "The stable portals aren't...much of an option anymore.  Getting back requires luck of a natural one or my mirror passageway.  I can only reach through and turn off the alarms so many times.  It is summer, but the school staff working on prep for the next school year do check on them.  Do not linger inside the school when you return in case they're back on and move extremely quickly, okay Danny?"

"Got it.  Thanks, Sidney."

The boy beamed, pushing his slipping eyeglasses back up.  "No problemo!"

My Name Is Here

"What's this?"  Danny asked the only person there.  A short and wheezing man tending to the cutting of grass within it.  Weird.  Why would you cut grass this short like that?

"Graveyard.  Well, Grandview Cemetery."

The older man gave Danny an odd look, staring at pieces of his outfit.  

Frowning, Danny ignored that and looked back across the large expanse of short even unnatural grass with rows and rows of flat stones sticking up unnaturally straight.

It was super unnerving.

"What's it for?"

The man squinted up at Danny, standing straighter instead of cutting the grass close to the imposing black fence.

"You think you're being funny, kid?  Get out of here if ya got no business being here.  Especially don't be pesterin' any of the people visiting their loved ones.  Out!"

"Loved ones?"  Danny mused.  "I'm not being funny and I won't pester anyone.  Promise.  I was only looking."

The man didn't look like he believed Danny.

"Uh-huh.  I'm keeping my eye on you."

Danny wandered down one of the paths, peering curiously at the marked up stones.  Names and dates and messages carved on them.  Some of the stones were large with rough edges and others lay as a flat small thing tucked into the ground.  Some had flowers in front of them, but there didn't seem to be an order as to where the flowers were.

What was a graveyard?

Grave meant serious and solemn and somber.

The old man certainly treated the area in a serious and no-nonsense manner.

Some of these messages repeated.  Like 'Loving Wife and Mother'.  So, okay.  Loved ones.  But there was no person there.

Oh.

Perhaps people here liked doing this as a sign and momento to those who have died.

Weird.

But okay.

Pursing his mouth and tucking his hands behind himself, Danny carefully and quietly continued walking the path as he read the names of loved ones gone.

He'd find something more fun after looking at this place.

Colorful flowers drew him and he liked the bright gifts, even if them being cut meant they'd die soon.

A few for a Baxter, proclaimed to be a 'Loving Husband and Father'.  Several tied up for a lady who, from the dates carved, lived a long life.  Bemused, he studied the recipe for rhubarb cake on her stone, attempting to fix it into his brain.  Another one had very close dates and a fallen stuffed bear held a flower in front of that stone.  That was a sad one to see.  The kid had only been six when they died.  Leaning down, Danny fixed the stuffed bear upright.

As he stood back up, he caught sight of a black one that stood out among the mostly gray stones.  It had several bouquets.  A cheerful pot of flowers with a 'Happy Birthday!' sign jabbed in it on one side.  On the other side of the stone was another pot, but with a tall upright singular sunflower.

He headed for that one.

Then stopped.

Staring.

'Daniel Fenton' the stone proclaimed.

His name.

On black.

With a moon.

And stars scattered across it.

He reached out and traced his name.

The dates.

Just over 14 years old.

Like he was now.

Slowly, he tapped his finger along each star.

Eyes memorizing the dates given.

June.

They'd been born in June like him.

Late June to his early June.

He wondered.

How long ago had this other Daniel Fenton lived?

What had he been like?

Very loved with all these flowers.

He shook his head.

This place was strange and it was weird to see his name.

'Beloved Little Brother, Dreamer of the Stars, Friend and Hero to All'

Squeezing his eyes shut to the birthday gifts to a boy gone, Danny turned to leave.

And spotted the crushed, dying remains of flowers beneath a 'Jack Fenton' and 'Madeline Fenton' paired up with only dates and no message.

See It?

Forget the strange and weird place of honoring the dead.  With a dead boy that shares his name.  With a dead set of people that have the same names as his-

No!

Forget it!

He needs to take his overworked and overthinking brain off duty.

And this looks like an event.

People dressed differently, but they were clearly dressed up.

He was not dressed up like that and earned himself numerous looks at himself and bicycle.  Some big muscular looking man began walking toward him.  While the other large man beside him lifted something up in Danny's direction.  It flashed, like a camera would.  Then the other man appeared to be writing something as Danny darted away.

He still wanted to at least check it out.

What kind of fancy events did they have here?

Were they as strange as their places?  Like the weird graveyard? Like the amazing electronics store?  He had been kicked out of it since it was closing and they wouldn't trade or take his placement tokens. 

Danny still didn't get why there were so many striped flags with stars put up everywhere. 

He meandered away, along the side of the large building until he reached a window that he saw no one moving in front of.

Holding one quick internal debate, he decided to switch forms to sneak inside.  No one would connect him to the kid out front.  Not at a quick glance or even second glance.  Take that possible picture.

Could they not recall what he looked like for the extent of this event?  Or was this a part of their fancy events?

Ah well.

He went through the wall and fixed his hair before looking around for signs of the event so he could head that way, invisibly, to check it out.

And a ghost burst through the wall, arms lit up scalding pink and ready to fire.

A ghost!?

Here?!

Shit!

"Jazz!  My alarms went off and Shawn told me you came down here."

Protective ghost.

Shiiiiit.

Maybe if he slowly backed up and left without any sudden movements, he would go unharmed.

His luck so far in crossing ghosts had yet to go badly.

So far.

"Danny?"

And, he turned his head.  How and why did so many strangers outside of Huzon know his name?  There.  Sitting behind him and just to the side of where he entered.  A lady in a flowing gown.  It must be Jazz.

Huh.

Was this the same Jazz Johnny mentioned?  That he should be cautious around?

No wonder if she had a ghost protector sticking close to her in the Human World.

"Danny, it's me!"

That was real helpful lady.  So cleared it up.

Not.

"And yeah, that's Vlad, but it's-"

VLAD?!

This was Vlad?!

"Shit! Shitshitshitshitshit!"

Terrible Purpose

In his panic, Danny's good sense of exploration direction failed him.  Momentarily.  Then he spotted a visual marker, a pink house, and knew where he was again to get back to where he came from.

Reaching the high school, he stopped to get his bearrings back.  A breather.

That had been Vlad.

The terrible man.  

Ghost!

Who created Danny for a terrible purpose.

He caught the eye of something he really fucking shouldn't have.

Danny's hands shook.

Vlad had seen him.

Knew Danny existed.

Found him.

Could find him again.

His parents.

Shit!  Fuck!

Did he go back where the ghost couldn't go?  Couldn't reach him?  At Huzon?  But the ghost could simply wait until his parents were dead...  Until he died.  Fully a ghost.  Still existing for this terrible purpose. As a ghost, Danny couldn't stay in Huzon.  Did he run elsewhere?  Away from Huzon and his parents?  Hoping Vlad never found him.  Got a hold of him.  Did something to him.  Something more.

'What did Vlad do to him, Skulker?'

He flew through the school, sure of the way out of the Human World with Vlad, but uncertain as to what he was to do.

"Hello, Daniel.  I thought you'd come here.  Don't worry.  I made sure the ghost alarms are off right now."

Freezing up, he stared wide eyed at the terrible man, this ghost, Vlad, floating with arms crossed in front of the very locker needed to leave.

The same lady as before stood next to him.  Her large stomach obvious as she stood.  Face vaguely familiar, nose like and the shape like... 

He reached up and touched his nose.

Frowning.

Glancing to Vlad hovering there.

Then back to this lady.  Jazz.

It was as if...

"Danny, it's me.  Do you remember?  You and me.  We're related."

Lady that resembles him.

Had a reaction at seeing him.

Claimed they were related.

The man who was a ghost.

That she was comfortable around.

Vlad, the terrible man who created him.

He looked between them again and mentally guessed at this lady's age.

It...it fit.

He flew back.

"No!  Sorry lady!  I already have a mom!  And a great dad!  What, Vlad?  Having another go at creating me again?"

Both Vlad and Jazz blinked at him.

Then blanched.

"Oh dear all that is pastry heaven, no!  I would never!  Grievous enough when sleazy businessmen suggest such a thing or giving it a go!"

Eyes narrowing, sharp, the lady directed Vlad a look.

"I will be talking to you about what happened with Elroy specifically later."  She looked back at Danny.  "And, no.  I am not your mom and Vlad is not creating anything living.  You're my brother."

A pause followed.

"I think.  You remember Mom and Dad, but not me?"

There was something odd in her voice, but he didn't have time or focus for that.

If they kept talking, could he get past them?

Sidney could only get one at a time through with time between.  It worked going the other way too.  Right?  Hopefully.

"My mom and dad raised me.  I live with them."

"In the Ghost Zone?"  Vlad asked incredulously.

And then, with the lady voicing a dawning surprise of realization, Vlad lost his shit.

The man was like him?  Half human.  Half ghost.  Due to something with his parents?

Then Danny then lost his shit.

"I don't care if it was wrong. Cloning him. But he was my son. And they stole him from me. Kept him from me. For years. For years alone to what I am. I gained you and your company Jazz, but..."

Are you kidding him?

"Wait."

He looked between the lady and the terrible man.

"You mean you only created me...to be your son?"

That was Vlad's terrible purpose with him?

"That's it?!"

The man, who'd just been upset at an unjustice and crying over losing him, simply shrugged a shoulder with a long and tired sigh.

"That's it, Daniel."

That was it?

That was it!

That was all it was?

All he had been scared of, imagining the worst over all these years?

He crossed his arms, grumbling. 

"Well at least you get my damn name right."  He allowed the not so terrible man.

"You prefer Daniel?"  Asked Jazz with some surprise.

"Personally, yeah. It is my name. But Mom and Dad always called me Danny, so Danny I am."

He frowned to himself.

...what did all of this make Mom and Dad?