Chapter Text
It took Phantom nearly 20 years in the Realms, but he's finally convinced the Ancient of Time to help send him to his new life!
Originally Phantom asked Frostbite, but the yeti refused to help when he realized Phantom's age. Frostbite had wanted to look at Phantom's core to make sure it was settled after absorbing Plasmius. He wasn't as shocked and appalled by Phantom's actions like he feared on the long flight over, apparently it's not terribly unusual for ghosts to absorb or fuse with other ghosts. It's not necessarily healthy, but it's accepted as a thing that happened when something traumatic happens. No, that's not what horrified Frostbite into not helping. It was the fact Phantom was technically only a year old. The yeti had apparently never looked at the age markers on his core when the ghost was a halfa.
That's how Phantom found out that most of the ghosts thought he was MUCH older. He got a lot of apologies when word got out that they had been fight with a new born, who had no ghostly mentor/parent to show him the ropes. Most ghosts form in the Infinity Realms and are adopted promptly by an older ghost to teach them about all their new instincts and explain anything they have questions on. Danny hadn't had that and so Phantom had to awkwardly explain Danny had no idea what most of them were doing or why and had an unhealthy "work"/ life balance, but started to just roll with the punches, literally most of the time. The ghosts were devastated to know he didn't know that most of them just wanted to play and he could say no at anytime. He then had to awkwardly explain with all the grace of the moody teenager he currently looks like that while Danny/Phantom didn't know, they still usually had fun.
It did make a bunch of ghost panic over who the hell can parent an infant that fought and won against THE Ghost King. It only got worse when they learned his core isn't ice, but mimicry. It suddenly made sense that Danny/Phantom kept gaining powers and why he could smother Plasmius's plasma core so easily and completely. It made him a scary baby.
That's when Clockwork appeared. He volunteered a bit too happily to the absolutely terrified ghosts around. It made Phantom suspicious, but ultimately agrees because Frostbite encourages him to accept, and because Clockwork bribes him with seeing Jazz and Danny again. It's a low blow to use his obsession against him like that, but it's effective.
Clockwork is a very patient, if cryptic mentor, and later parent, as he teachers Phantom about the Realms, ghost nature, his core's abilities, and even some small time powers. Phantom is sent on many time missions in a new dimension, the dimension Phantom will reunite with his core's obsession. First he must help nudge people in the right direct for superheroes to be made. More heroes will keep his Fraid safe in the long run. Jazz will love to psychoanalyze them all and Danny will be thrilled about there being aliens on earth when he's old enough to fall in love with space. Phantom really enjoys the ways he helps Clockwork shape the dimension.
Phantom is less happy that Clockwork forces him to claim his rightful title of Ghost King. A process that should have been him accepting the crown of flames and ring of rage, but somehow ends with Phantom having to absorb Pariah Dark. The Observants had showed up and demanded Phantom REbeat Pariah Dark because he "didn't beat him using just [Phantom]'s powers" and they want him to prove himself worthy. Well, Phantom isn't the bright child he was when he first fought the old king. No, Phantom is darker, stiffer, grumpier (if you ask his ex-rouges). He's also stronger by a long shot. Pariah didn't stand a chance, but the whole thing stressed Phantom out enough he basically ate him like he did Plasmius. The main difference is Phantom had a teenage core and teens don't like you messing with their world view too much. So while Plasmius was smothered and had bits of his obsession added to Phantom's, Pariah's everything was crashed to dust til only his power remained. It's extremely annoying to Phantom that the combination of absorbing Pariah and accepting the Crown and Ring gave Phantom a power boost that takes him the better part of 5 years to learn to control.
Phantom fights to keep himself stable over the years by using the mantra "If I do [insert task], then Jazz and Danny will be safer or better provided for." It mostly works, but his core still cries out for his Fraid. Even when Clockwork is accepted as his parent by his core, he can only sooth him so much. Clockwork is not who he NEEDS.
Clockwork knows this and starts sending Phantom to plant "evidence" of a Dante Phantom existence leading up to the point of time Clockwork said he'd drop him into the time line. It's when Danny is a mere 3 year old. In this world Jack and Maddie are even worse about lab safety, dosing their children with even more ectoplasm than in Phantom's original timeline. Clockwork warned him that both Jazz and Danny will be Halfa before Danny is 5. That gives Phantom, or rather "Dante", time to get a foster license and gather all the proof he need to remove the kids from their "parent's care". Phantom can't remember if Jazz was treated in his dimension the same way the one in this one is, like a mini nurse maid for Danny, but it makes a lot of sense if it was the case. She had been closer to a parent in all his memories than their parents had been, up until she turned 14 and was embarrassed by anything to do with her family. It had hurt, but he understood, especially when he became the same way around 14.
Jazz won't have to be a tiny adult this time. She will probably still be too mature, but he's going to stop the parentification as soon as he can. He's been reading every single child psychology book he can get his hands on, both human and ghost, to best raise his soon to be children. She WILL get to be a child.. and she will also be happy that someone can talk about her special interest, possibly soon to be obsession.
The plan is that "Dante" will start going to college for culinary arts (to better feed his kids) and business (so he can run his own shop when he skips town so the Fenton don't try to find him and the kids) and working (to pay for college and his apartment), both things will help create a fuller paper trail and Clockwork will nudge the Fentons into his path regularly so he can "befriend" Jack and Maddie. He doesn't want to deal with them, especially now that he's a full ghost, but he need to be able to gain evidence of their neglect so Dante can foster to adopt his children. He spent a lot of time practicing to make himself look and behave more human. Luckily, Metas and aliens are a thing in this universe, so any slip ups can be covered up as one of those instead of supernatural. He just has to keep the more obvious supernatural traits hidden.
"Good luck, Dan." Dante blinks at Clockwork's sudden use of a nickname. It's extremely unusual and Dante isn't sure how he feels about the nickname itself. It sounds a bit too close to Danny and Dante isn't that boy. Dante is someone new and not good. He's not the ghost boy who played hero.
"Thanks, Dad." The two ghosts hug goodbye before Dante steps through a portal into his new, sparsely furnished apartment. "Don't be a stranger."
"We shall see each other soon enough." Clockwork smiles lightly and closes the portal.
"He's still a weird fucker." Dan sighs. He checks his reflection one last time, making sure his shoulder length white hair isn't floating or flaming or liquid or fogging and no inhuman glowing anywhere, before heading out the door. He timed it so he could go directly to his first day as a waiter and not mope around his apartment or be tempted to hunt down the Fentons to see his babies. It's certainly a distracting experience. Between learning the ropes and having people scared of his frowns and scowls or being TOO into him (he grew to Jack's height and filled out quite a bit with muscle), it distracts him completely for all 8 hours of his shift.
Over his first week his coworkers quickly start sending him to tables with young children, noticing his frowns soften and he almost smiles at those tables (he can't help it, they make him think of his kids and are usually pretty cute too), or the tables filled with sexist assholes, his scowls usually get the, generally, men to behave. A 7ft scowling man is very intimidating, but he can't bring himself to really care about being personable. He's here to do his job and that's it. Surprisingly, his coworkers warm up to him anyways.
It's mid way into his second week in the dimension, he finally runs into the Fentons on his way home from his second day of classes. Literally. Jack smashes into him as he arounds a corner, knocking them both to the floor.
"Jack!" "Daddy!?" Maddie and Jazz sound very concerned.
Jack starts laughing, as if he couldn't have seriously hurt someone. "I didn't see you there."
"I'm hard to miss." Dante scowls while picking himself up, because he really is, between his size and coloration. Alas Jazz did raise him with some manners, and he has to "befriend" them, so he offers Jack a hand. He easily pulls Jack to his feet, causing the Fentons to realize Dante is as tall, if not slightly taller than Jack, a very uncommon thing to see.
"Haha! Yeah! Sorry!" Jack's laugh is both bright and awkward.
"Are you okay, Mister?" A tiny 5 year old Jazz asks from her spot next to Maddie. Danny is asleep uncomfortably in a glowing stroller. Dante is a little scared to learn what it's designed to do. It can't be healthy for baby liminal Danny to be sleeping in since Jazz is clearly avoiding touching the monstrosity.
"I'm fine, sweetheart." Is rolling off his tongue before he can process, so he rolls with it, letting the full force of his mid-western accent out. Dante also tries to be less intimidating by hunching slightly and smiling a bit. Smiling doesn't come as naturally to him anymore. "Your da just should've been slower going around the corner. Luckily, I've eaten all my veggies and gotten big and strong, huh?"
"Good one!" Jack laughs, and poor Jazz looks like she has no idea how to respond.
"I eat my veggies?"
"Jazz is very good about clearing her plate." Maddie says proudly, as if she doesn't forget to feed her children regularly and therefore they can't afford to waste food over something like dislike at this age. "I'm Maddie, my husband Jack, and our children Jazz and Danny. Sorry about Jack running into you. He gets over excited at times."
Jack shouts cheerfully, "That I do!"
"Dante. Nice to meet you." Dante lies. He'd just kidnap Jazz and Danny if he could, but this universe's heroes would definitely take issue with him doing that, so he has to do this whole thing the legal way.
"Are you new around town?" Maddie asks, clearly knowing the answer already. Amity Park isn't small, but it isn't large either. Most people at least vaguely know who everyone is.
"Yes. I'm going to the local university for their culinary courses." Dante offers. "And you?"
"Maddie and I are Ecto-Biologists!" Jack booms.
"Huh? I'm not sure I've heard of such science." Dante fabricates curiosity. "What is it?"
"It's the science of ghosts and what they're made of." Maddie explains, and Jazz makes a face. It lets Dante know she's being teased at school for her parents' already.
"Ghosts?"
Jack launches into a complicated and almost completely inaccurate explanation of Denizens with Maddie adding random tidbits. The things they got right are twisted back around into being incorrect. It was highly annoying, but Dante keeps his face neutral. Jazz looks more and more upset as time goes on and fidgeting like her feet hurt. He can't do anything to help just yet without seeming weird, but they're both saved after about 30 to 40 minutes by Danny waking up and fussing.
"Sorry to cut this short," Dante isn't sorry at all, "but it seems like your kids are hungry and tired."
The negligent parents finally notice their kids unhappiness. "Oh dear!"
"Why don't I carry you, Jazzrincess?" Jack beams and scoops the poor girl up. "How far was the restaurant again?"
"Just a block away." Maddie smiles, sickeningly in love. But that might be his dislike, bordering on hate he's slowly developing over the years. "We must be off. It was a pleasure talking to you, Dante."
"I'm sure I'll see you around." Tilting a head towards Jack's everything, getting amused looks and Jack laughing again. He starts to continue walking to his apartment with a forced relaxed posture.
His core is elated to see Jazz and Danny and devastated he has to walk away. It's overwhelming and painful, but he has to deal. He will get his kids. And it'll be completely legal so no one can take them from him. He can do this. Just suck it up, Phantom.