A Ghost in Middle-earth
Summary: Danny Phantom is returning home from the Ghost Zone, when he is thrown into an unstable portal. He lands in a mysterious new world where he must help a strange race defeat an ancient evil. Danny Phantom/Silmarillion. This takes place in Middle-earth's Second Age in the year 1697, right before the fall of Eregion. At this point, the Elves and Sauron are at war over the Rings of Power.
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or The Silmarillion.
Chapter 1
A couple of months after the Disasteroid incident, Danny had a weekend without Sam or Tucker. Tucker, of course, had a mayoral function. It was a tape cutting something or other. While Danny was glad for Tucker's good fortune, when Danny showed up people spent entirely too much attention on him. And Danny wasn't in the mood today.
Sam's parents took her on a vacation to visit some family out of state. Now that the world was no longer in danger of complete annihilation, and the family business was back on track, the Mansons decided that now was a good time to visit family. At first, Sam objected strongly, as she didn't want to leave Danny, but more pressingly, she didn't want to wear the frilly pink dress her mother seemed to torture her with when visiting her mother's relations. They managed to work out a compromise: Sam wouldn't be too horribly depressing and dark if they let her wear what she wanted.
Danny had a much better time getting along with his parents now that his secret was out. It was a rare moment that Danny was without his family and friends' company, and he took this moment to visit his friend and guardian, Clockwork.
After passing through the Fenton Ghost Portal, Danny took off towards Clockwork's tower. He thought of his last trip into the Ghost Zone. Failing to collect a bazillion ghosts, he successfully managed to convince the ghosts to help save the world by turning the Earth intangible. Apparently, the ghosts could get along when it served their purpose. Skulker had reminded him, however, that the peace was a temporary thing. "Now that you've saved your world, you are a much more valuable prize."
While Danny remembered Skulker's words, he also realized that he hadn't seen Skulker lately. This was a good thing, but he was reminded that the Ghost Zone was by no means a safe haven.
Reaching Clockwork's tower without incident, Danny alighted and knocked on the door.
"Welcome, Danny. It has been a while."
Danny blushed. It had been a while since the last time he visited. "Yeah. I - "
"You've been busy. I know," Clockwork announced calmly. Of course he knew, Danny thought, he knows everything.
They spoke for quite some time. They discussed Danny's adjustment to school, now that the world knew his secret.
"It is cool that Valerie and I are getting along, now. Being chased by fans through the halls, however... I could do without." Clockwork smiled at his young charge, changing into a child. He didn't mean to disconcert Danny with his amusement, but Danny was so modest, and his expressions of frustration were endearing to the ghost master of time.
"I guess that it helps that my teachers let me out of class to fight ghosts when necessary. But there are some days..." Danny trailed off. "Sometimes, I wish I could find a place where no one knows me."
Clockwork looked thoughtfully at Danny. "Truly?"
Danny centered himself. "I mean, I love my family, and Sam, and Tucker," Especially Sam, he thought to himself. "But there are just some times that, you know..."
"Yes, I know."
They discussed other things. At the conclusion of the visit, Clockwork said, "For now, your world is safe. When it is time to go home, you will go home."
Danny looked up confusedly. "But I'm headed home now."
Clockwork smiled. "Farewell, Danny."
Skulker looked down his sights at a green one-eyed bear. There were a lot of unique ghosts created by Vlad's experiments a couple of years ago. True, none of them were quite as unique or entertaining to hunt as the ghost boy, but... after they worked together with countless other ghosts to save the world, something in him almost lost the heart needed to hunt the ghost child.
But there was no time to spend on this sentimental clap-trap. He had new prey to catch.
He wasn't the only one watching the green one-eyed bear. Walker tapped Skulker on the shoulder. "Hunting endangered species is against the Rules."
"What are you talking about!? Vlad Plasmius experimented on some animals, turning them into ghosts, and -"
"And Plasmius isn't here anymore, either in the Ghost Zone or in the Real World. As such, all ghost animals created by him are endangered. So hunting them is against the Rules. If you continue to hunt them, I'll have to take you in."
Skulker stared indignantly. "Since when is hunting my favorite kind of prey 'against the Rules'?"
"Since Plasmius went away. But it doesn't really matter. A lawless ghost like you could -"
"I don't have to listen to this!" Skulker shouted. A battle between Skulker and Walker ensued.
This is what Danny saw as he left Clockwork's tower. Danny became invisible and watched. He noted that Walker and Skulker were evenly matched. Neither was in desperate straits. And Danny truly didn't need the attention of either of these ghosts on him; he preferred his own freedom and his pelt holding his innards, thank you very much.
Danny took his eyes off the battle to continue on his way home. At that moment, he was hit by a random missile from Skulker. Danny shouted as he was blasted back through a temporary portal that closed behind him.
3
