AU. Split Fenton / Phantom, but no slash.

The Summons

January 9, 2013

Danny sat on the couch, reading. It had been a long time since he had been able to read simply for pleasure. He'd always been too occupied with the usual things. Well, the things that were usual for him and the people of Amity Park: growing up, having fun, going to school, dealing with ghosts, getting a job, making a life…

But it had been a while since anything major with the ghosts had given him a problem. Too long, actually, he had thought earlier that morning. It wasn't like them to forget about him for this long, but he wasn't going to spurn his blessings. Blessings like an afternoon in an empty house that he could spend lazily on the couch with a good book.

Of course, though, it wasn't to last.

As he turned a page, his ghost sense went off. The presence accompanying it was unfamiliar, cold, foreign, and made his stomach clench. He set the book down and looked up to see the specter float through the wall, making his sense of dread crawl in shivers through his slim frame.

The ghost stopped in front of him, fixing him with its emotionless red eyes. It made no effort to attack and Danny soon guessed why when he saw its royal black and white livery.

Oh. He was being summoned.

He had known that this would probably happen… someday… and knew the futility of trying to escape the inevitable. So he didn't even stand or slide into a fighting stance. He just sat, eyes fixed on the ghost who hovered closer and closer and stretched out a hand until it met Danny's shoulder.

At that moment, the world turned upside-down.

In a flash of bright light, everything around Danny began to whirl in circles before flying away from him. For a minute, he wanted to reach out and hold on to them, anchor himself to his rightful place in the world, his home, but stopped himself, knowing it would be useless.

Trying to hold on when he knew it wouldn't work would only make him panic if he thought about it too long. Plus, it would make him look weak, vulnerable, everything he didn't want this ghost emissary to see him as. So he held himself together through the whirlwind as he and his guide whizzed through and past countless green and purple doors until the ghost world had completely replaced his.

Soon, their journey was over and Danny landed roughly on the floor, sprawled out over several of the large flagstones beneath him. When he tried to pull himself up, the ghost who had accompanied him pressed firmly down on his shoulder, keeping him on his knees.

And Danny knew where he was.

Without lifting his head, he could see the large empty hall with the dark windows that didn't look out onto anything but empty green-ness. He knew that a handful of powerful ghosts, some more decrepit and translucent than others, spotted the room and all had their cold empty eyes fixed on him.

At the far end of the room, of course, was the dais.

He swallowed when he realized what this meant, but then gritted his jaw to stave off the emotions that wanted to run through him. He couldn't give into them here, now, in front of him.

He should be able to keep himself together. After all, he had played this very scenario out in his head many, many times, on many cold and lonely nights; of course, hoping that he wouldn't have to find himself in it in actuality. He should be prepared for this.

After blinking several times and flicking his eyes nervously from side to side but not finding much information of value in his peripheral vision, Danny boldly lifted his head, taking in every detail exactly as he had envisioned, from the withered monochrome flags pitifully attempting to hang proudly down to the monstrous sharp and cruel throne that dwarfed the lithe white haired figure seated in it.

This figure had become much more alert now that Danny had arrived, examining the human kneeling in front of him. As its bright green eyes grew wide, it seemed to gain life that it previously lacked, energy sparking around its hands as it gripped the hard edges of its seat.

After a moment, it lifted its head with a haughty smirk and waved a hand in mock beneficence. "Ah, so kind of you to drop in on us."

Danny curtly nodded his head in a cold greeting.

The ghost smiled bemusedly at the tone of his body language and leaned forward to get a closer view of every flicker of emotion that ran barely contained through Danny's eyes.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you, Fenton."

Danny narrowed his eyes at the ghost's playful attitude. It did not bode well for him, but without knowing more of his plans, there wasn't much he could do to successfully respond or counter any of them.

So with a quirk of his head, he acknowledged the greeting.

"Phantom."

I really love this idea, although I have no idea what's going on or how/where this would actually fit into a story. At the moment, I have no plans to continue, but if someone out there sees potential in it... come talk to me. :) Actually, that kinda goes for any other oneshot I've ever written. XD