DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN DANNY PHANTOM
Quest for Mind, Body, and Soul conclusion
Human World GiW Headquarters present
"You have a lot of nerve coming back empty handed," the Chief said without looking up from his paper work.
Jazz walked up to his desk and handed him her report. "We followed Danny's trail to one of Vlad Masters old labs. We found evidence of a portal being used recently. We believe that Danny escaped to the ghost zone. Requesting permission to pursue."
"Denied, you and your team are to be assigned to the Crystal Salt for the assault on the Dragon Kingdom. Once we have succeeded then you can resume your search for the ghost boy. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir," Jazz saluted and left the office.
"Are you sure that is such a good idea for her to participate in this sir?" his secretary asked.
"I sent her and her parents after her brother to test their loyalty. If he really has hid himself in the ghost zone then maybe they're the only ones who can track him." Then the chief smiled, "and if family is stronger than duty, well they might as well make themselves useful as hostages."
-Masters Mansion complaints department a.k.a Bill's office-
"Hey, I demand an explanation! Why did you give my ship to that loser? You promised to make me your second in command!" Youngblood complained.
Bill simply smiled and turned on his screen. Youngblood stared in awe at the image on the screen. "It's not complete yet, but when it's done I will need you to back-up Lancelot at Pariah's Keep. Do you think you can help speed up production, Admiral?" Bill winked.
That wink told the little ghost that Bill was planning something wicked, scratch that, something fun. "Yes sir," Youngblood saluted and hurried to his new command.
"That's all fine and dandy but what about my kingdom! Your sources say that her rebels are planning to attack soon! When are you going to send me reinforcements?" the Dragon Prince demanded.
"I'm not, you and your troops are to pull out when your sister attacks," Bill ordered.
"Never, I'm not losing my kingdom to her again!" Aragon sneered.
"Listen, the GiW are planning their invasion around the same time as her attack. Isn't it better to just let our enemies weaken themselves before we finish them off?"
"No, will not appear weak in front of my sister or my subjects. I will destroy any who tries to take my kingdom!"
"Fine, if it means that much to you I send Sir Safir and Sir Palamedes troops to assist you," Bill sighed. "But if you fail, not only will you lose your kingdom you will also lose your seat here as well." Bill warned.
Satisfied the Dragon Prince bowed. "I swear I shall not fail," he promised and left.
"All according to plan," Bill laughed.
Wisconsin 8 years in the future
Danny opened his eyes and found himself in Vlad's lab. "Wha…what's going on, what happened?"
Dani who was sitting in a chair next to him immediately jumped on him, "Danny you're awake! Hey everyone he's up!"
The two Valeries followed by Vlad stepped into the room. "You gave us quiet a scare there, little badger."
"Yeah but what happened, all I remember ghosts were getting ready to kill us, suddenly my powers returned, and then nothing?" Danny tired to get out of bed, but Vale stopped him.
"Easy Danny you've been out for five days," Vale told him. "Here has some tea," she offered him a cup.
"Five Days!" Danny exclaimed, "what about the ghosts? What happened during the fight? Why didn't they kill us?"
"It was amazing! They were just about to decapitate you when all of a sudden your sword came out of nowhere and you got your powers back and kick those ghosts' butt!" Dani said jumping around like an excited fan girl.
"My sword," Danny exclaimed look around, "where is it?"
"It disappeared when you changed back into your human form," Vale explained. "Do you think Clockwork sent it to you?"
"No he's not the type to help us directly like that," Danny said.
"You can figure out the mystery of your powers back later, right now you have more pressing problem," Vlad stated catching their undivided attention. "You've been out for five days now. This means you only have less than a week to return or you all will be stuck here forever."
"Do you think that maybe this Clockwork doesn't want you to return?" Grey offered.
Danny sighed, "It's no use guessing. Clockwork always does what he knows will bring about the best solution. We can only hope that he has our best interest in mind." Danny lifted the cup he was holding and took a sip, "What the, this taste like dirty underwear," Danny accused then gulped it down. "At least it's better than Dani's usual blend," he teased knowing that she was the one who made it.
"Be nice after all, this young lady worked hard to make this swill I mean tea," Vlad teased.
"Hey you know how hard it is to find good tea leaves these days. It's not like I can go to the nearest kwiky mart!" Dani pouted. "How would you know what underwear taste like anyway?"
Vale giggled, "Because Dash fed his to him once." Everyone in the room laughed.
-Later that Day-
Danny sat alone in front of his grave. "Hey me, wow this is awkward. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'taking to myself' heh…he…cough, cough Well I told Valerie our secret, she took it as well as one can expect. I can't help but wonder if all this could have been avoided if we had told her about me-us sooner. Yeah she would have been mad, maybe even try to kill us, but I'm sure she would have forgiven us in time. Maybe then you wouldn't have felt as lonely as you did. After all she's now one of my best friends now, practically on par with Sam." Danny fell silent after realizing what he just said. He couldn't believe that he just said Vale meant as much to him as Sam. In his naïve little mind that was the same as saying he was cheating with her. His train of thought was broken when he heard some foot steps behind him.
"A penny for your thoughts," Vale said as she walked to him.
"Is that all its worth?" Danny retorted.
"A nickel then," she teased.
"It's just that ever since I got my powers I knew I was destined for something. At the time I was convinced that I was a ghost fighting super hero, heck Frostbite even called me the savior of the ghost zone. I always believed that no matter what mistakes I make, and I made a lot of them, it will all work out in the end." Danny then looked out over the landscape. "Now starting to think that maybe I'm not really a hero, just a stupid kid with powers."
"Danny, look I can understand what you're saying. Heck I felt the same way after I got my ghost hunting equipment." Vale said. "Even though people criticized me for causing more harm than good, I still felt that I was right and it would only be a matter of time before everyone else saw that."
"Yeah but you didn't destroy the world!" Danny pointed out, "In fact you are the real hero who saved everyone in Amity Park from me!"
"I might still destroy the world," Vale whispered. "Remember the prophecy? I'm destined to give birth to the new ghost king! Heck both worlds are now getting ready to go to war because of me."
"Sometimes I think it would be better if I just disappeared." Both Danny and Vale said at the same time. "Don't you ever say that! Don't you even think it! No matter what I will protect you!" again they spoke in unison. They stared at each other for several seconds. "JINKS!" they yell out then laughed out loud.
"Danny no matter what challenges we face we'll face them together," Vale promised giving him a hug.
"Yeah thanks Vale," Danny replied as he hugged her back. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity before Danny hesitantly back off. "I guess we should be heading back now," He laughed nervously.
"Yeah," Vale coughed but she still had her arms around his waist.
"Aw why, things were just starting to get good!"
They quickly turned to see Dani staring at them with a gaga expression on her face. "Dani didn't anyone teach you it's impolite to peep!"
"Not really 'daddy' raised me to be a spy so peeping comes naturally to me," the little girl grinned and ran away.
"That's it, Going Ghost!" Danny turned into his ghost mode and intercepted his clone.
"Hey no fair using powers when I can't!" Dani laughed under Danny's brutal tickling.
"That's a good point. Danny any idea how you got your powers back?" Vale asked.
Danny thought back to the Disastroid incident and how he got his powers back then. "Well I think, and this is just a theory, I might have just absorbed the energies from the other ghosts when they were blasting me and that might have jumpstarted my powers."
"Aw man, If I knew that would happen I would've let them blasted me too," Dani crossed her arms.
"Easy girl, we don't know if that was what happened," Vale trying to calm her down. "For all we know it was the sword that brought his powers back. Speaking of which where is it?"
Danny looked at his hands. Despite him being in ghost mode he could still see the mystic energy but it seems to be radiating from within. "I think the sword inside of me. I'm not sure why or even how to get it out."
"Try calling it out. 'Form Blazing Sword' or something." Dani joked as she mimicked the action of bringing out a sword.
"Worth a shot," Danny said as he focused on where the magic was emanating from. "Come forth my sword!" he called out striking a hero pose for effect. Dani and Vale laughed after nothing happened. "O.K. maybe my battle cry, Going Medieval!" Nothing again. Holding aloft an air sword, "By the power of Camelot!" Still nothing. "Man I don't get it, I mean I can still see the magic but I can't control it."
"Well fun is fun, but we better head back before the others start to miss us," Vale suggested. The two Dannys nodded in agreement. They were about to leave when they saw Grey carrying something.
"I thought you guys might be here!" Grey called out to them. "Listen I know you got a lot on your plate right now but I need you guys help. I've delayed our return to Amity Park long enough." She handed them some shovels. "I know what you've said before, but I thought about it and I still think we should bring your body back with us. If anything I know your family would want to be with you to be with them."
Danny smiled, "Thanks Ms. Grey I really appreciate it, but since I've got my powers back might as well do this the easy way." Danny made his arms intangible and reached down into the ground. Feeling around he pulled an old shipping crate out of the ground.
"Wow when Vlad said he didn't have much he really didn't have much," Vale said. "Are you sure you are in there?"
Danny hesitated for a second but then made the lid of his 'coffin' transparent. They all saw nothing, just an empty box.
"I think that a certain fruit loop owes us an explanation," Danny said looking over to the cave.
They found Vlad working in his lab looking over his test results. "I take it you're not here to call me for lunch?"
"We looked inside Danny's coffin and I'm sure you know what we found or rather didn't find," Vale said.
"My dear I can honestly say that all of his remains are in that coffin. There is just not much of him left that's all."
"You're lying!" Dani accused. "I know you're up to something, why don't you show us you where Danny really is?"
"I had hoped that you would leave peacefully but is seems that I have no choice now." Vlad hit a button on his remote revealing a hidden compartment containing a well preserved Danny.
"Danny! Is he alive," Grey asked.
"No Ms. Grey he is not, and this isn't Daniel. In my guilt over his death I made several failed attempts to clone him. Before I knew it I had used up all his genetic samples. All that remained were a few flakes of skin and some hair which I placed in that grave." Vlad walked over to the clone chamber. "This is the last of the clones. I kept him in stasis in hope that I could find a way to stabilize him." Vlad looked over to them, "and thanks to you I've finally have the data I needed to complete my legacy!"
"What's that a midmorph sample?" Dani said dryly.
"No magic. The very magic that healed all of your injuries, in fact it is also keeping you alive Daniel." Vlad walked over to his computer and brought up some data. "The first time I scanned you I noticed a particular energy reading that I've never encountered before, but it was so small I couldn't get a proper reading on it. Then after you got your powers back I was able to make a full study its effects. Your healing magic could easily compensate for the clone's instabilities. Luckily I still have some mystical items from my more adventurous days, and now after so many years my son will finally be born!" Pressing the button on the chamber it slowly opened and the clone stepped out.
Danny was unsure what to make of this. In the past he would have just destroyed the clone, but now in this future maybe Vlad deserved some peace with a family even it is an artificial one.
"Son," Vlad called out. The clone smiled then grabbed Vlad by the throat and threw him across the room. Danny quickly changed into ghost mode and caught him.
"Happy birthday to me, and look a collection of all the people I hate the most in one room." the clone said in a sinister but familiar voice. "Shall we get this party started?"
Danny's eyes widen as he recognized the voice, "you, but how I saw you dissolve?"
A black ring formed around the clone, it then spilt and traveled along his body. Everyone gasped as they watched him turn into their ultimate enemy Dan Phantom. "After you destroyed the time medallion I was sent my back to this time. Just by coincidence I ended up here in this cave. Dying from my injuries I made a desperate gamble and downloaded my consciousness into this clone body. After that all I could do was waited for that cheese headed idiot to finish me. He was about to pull the plug since he couldn't figure out how to perfect me when you showed up. So thanks for saving me, and sorry for having to kill you."
"No, not this time," Vlad stood up. "I may have been helpless last time but I won't allow my mistakes to hurt anyone else again!" Vlad pulled out a syringe and injected it into his arm. He screamed in pain before the familiar black rings appeared around him as well. "Yes, Vlad Plasmius is back! What, you didn't think that cloning was the only experiment I was doing?"
"I'm starting to question your motives, I mean making clones trying to find a way to get your powers back. It's all very suspicious to me." Danny said.
"Believe what you want boy, but you can believe me when I say that I have no intention of letting that monster lose on the world a second time!" Vlad swore as he charged at his latest creation forcing him out of the cave.
"You girls stay back, protect the portal you can't allow him to destroy it! Going Ghost!" Danny commanded as he flew after his two greatest enemies.
"Alright you two stay here," Grey said as she activated her suit.
"Hold up, what makes you think we're just going to sit here in the sidelines?" Vale asked jumping in front of her older self. Dani ran next to Vale and nodded.
"Well for one someone needs to protect the portal, two neither of you have any more weapons, three because I'm older and I said so!" Grey pushed the girls out of her way as she headed towards the exit of the cave.
"So what now? Are we doing as she I mean you asked?" Dani teased.
"Well I've always had a problem with authority, and she was wrong about one thing." Vale pulled out a scrap of paper. "I still have one sheet of spells left. Don't know what it does, but what the heck. There's no time like the present."
"Great let's get going!" Dani yelled excitedly.
"Sorry squirt, but unless you have your own bag of tricks I'm afraid you'll have to sit this one out."
Dani was about to complain when an idea formed in her head. Pretending to look pissed she nodded in understanding. Vale smiled and promised to make it up to her as she ran off. As soon as Vale left Dani had a mischievous grim as she looked at the syringe that Vlad dropped.
The battle outside was a stalemate. Vlad Plasmius is not as young as he used to be, plus the ten years of dormancy didn't help either. Danny might have been able to take him if he still had his sword, but with only ghost powers he was no match for his older self. Normally Dam would savor this fight and toy with them longer, but decided not to take any chances and just finish then quickly. Lining them up Dan used his ghostly wail knocking both of them down. Not giving them a chance to recover he launched another wail sending them rolling on the ground. Dan could see that neither one was getting up and moved in for the kill, when all of a sudden an energy beam struck him from behind.
"Yahoo, how do you like that!" Grey yelled out of the Fenton RV. Her suit may have been out of weapons but the RV still had a health arsenal.
Dan got up and stared at his long time rival through the windshield, "Hiding behind a tank? Really Valerie, what happened to the Red Huntress who always faced me directly?"
Grey not giving in to his taunt aimed her cannons at him, "She grew up!" Grey fired again.
Blocking Grey's attack, Dan sent one of his duplicates behind the RV. Disabling the engines he then picked up the RV and placed it upside down. He then fused the doors shut. "Funny if you had come out to play you might have lived longer." Dan was about to blow the RV up when Danny tackled him.
"When will you learn, I won't let you harm my friends!" Danny yelled as he punched Dan in the face multiple times.
Dan had enough of this and grabbed Danny's arm. Lifting him up and throwing him against the sides of the RV then trapping him there with ecto-glue. His sent another duplicate to do the same with Plasmius. "Now this looks familiar," Dan laughed. "I should gather those other two to join in the fireworks but why risk it. You see Valerie I also grew up." Dan was about to fire when an ecto-beam struck him from behind, again.
"Sorry I'm late, I just had to take my medicine," Dani Phantom joked as she flew over to the RV.
"Dani, but how?" Danny asked.
"The serum the Plasmius used to get his powers back. There was enough in there for me as well. Wait I'll get you free in no time." Dani fired low level beam to cut the glue when Dan grabbed her by the throat.
"You wanted to join the party!" Dan growled. "Fine you're the opening entertainment!" Dan slammed the little girl on the ground then began to repeatedly kick her while she was on the ground.
"No more! You will not harm that child anymore!" Plasmius swore as he fired beams from his eyes. "I may not be much of a father but the very least I can still protect my child!"
If Plasmius wanted to get Dan's attention he had it. Dan punched him in the face nearly knocking him out but it still forced him into his human form. He then ripped Vlad Masters out of the glue and threw him next to Dani. "I never thought I'd see the day you would actually show compassion you old fruit loop. So as a reward I'll let you die together."
"Are you alright my dear?" Vlad asked.
"Yes Daddy," Dani cried as she answered.
As a wave of anger flooded over Danny, he remembered his Spartan training 'Accept you fear and anger but don't succumb to it. Surrender to your instincts, but maintain control.' Danny felt the power within him increasing. Taking a deep breath he released it. The glue holding broke apart as the mystical energy he released circled around his body forming his sword and armor. "O.K. now we end this," Danny ran his hand across the blade which then burst into white flame. Knowing the power of the white flame Dan tried to make a break for it but Danny refused to let him escape. Focusing only on Dan, Danny launched a fire wave at his target. No matter what Dan did the flame just kept following him until it caught up with him. The flame engulfed him then exploded sending his battered body to the ground.
"You think that will finish me," Dan yelled as he got up. He was badly injured but the talisman Vlad implanted was quickly healing him. Danny unfortunately was too exhausted to do anything else. Dan got ready for another attack when all of a sudden several chains just shot out of the ground and began to wrap around Dan.
"That was close," Vale breathe a sigh of relief as she came out of her hiding spot. "Sorry I took so long but I wanted to make sure I translated the spell correctly."
"What spell is that?" Danny asked.
"Binding, used to capture wild animals. I only had one chance so I waited for when I was sure he would sit still," Vale explained. "Sorry if I took too long."
"No, you're good. Please look after Dani. I've got to finish this." Danny walked over to Dan who was struggling to get out of the chains.
"So what is my goody goodie self going to finish the job? Somehow I don't think you have it in you." Dan taunted.
"But you would, and if you forgot I am you." Danny brought his hand to Dan's chest. "But I'm never going to be like you. There is another way to stop you and after I'm done you're going to wish I had killed you."
"No no, stop not that!" Dan screamed.
-The Next Day-
"Are you sure about this?" Vale asked her partner.
"We don't have much time left, and we still don't know what the last trial is. Our best bet is to go to Clockwork and ask if he can cancel the trial and send us back." Danny said as he looked at the ghost portal.
"Well I'm not one for goodbyes but I do wish you all luck," Vlad said shaking Danny's hand. "Ms. Grey here is more of my serum just in case this doesn't work and you need your ghost powers again." Vale thanked him as she received the syringe.
"You know I still can't believe I'm also ghost freak," Grey said as she hugged her younger self. "It sure would have made things easier if I found out sooner. Maybe I'll try that serum as well?"
"Farewell to you young Danielle, I'm really going to miss you swill I mean tea." Vlad giggled.
Dani began to tear up. "Danny I'm sorry but I'm not going with you."
"What are you saying, cuz?" Danny asked.
"I mean I need to be here. There's already a Danny Phantom in the past, but this world need a hero more than ever." Dani explained. "Besides, if Ms. Grey's powers awaken someone has to teach her."
"Those are good reasons, but if you want me to understand just tell me the truth." Danny said already guessing what her real reason was.
Dani mustered all the courage she had, "I want to be with my father." Danny hugged his little clone. Truthfully he didn't want to leave here, where everyone is going to want to kill her for having the DP symbol, especially in the care of his greatest enemy the man who in one reality abandoned her.
It took everything Danny had to let go, he turned to Vlad. "You better take care of her, because if you don't I swear not even heaven or hell or any alternate reality will save you from my blade." Danny promised.
Vale had an equally hard time saying goodbye to the little girl who helped her get over her hatred of ghosts, but after the hugging and crying was done she went over to her older self. "Please watch over her. She has Danny's knack for getting into trouble." Grey smiled and nodded.
"Maybe we should get going before we also decide to stay," Vale joked trying to keep from crying. Danny changed into his ghost form, picked up Vale, saying one last goodbye, and then they entered the portal.
"I guess they're really gone. Well let's hurry and dismantle the portal so we can transport it to Amity Park." Vlad said.
"Great I can't wait to get home, but what about him?" Grey pointed to Dan who was back in the cloning chamber.
"I'll find a way to escape you'll see," Dan threatened.
"Maybe we should give him to the ghosts as a peace offering," Dani suggested with a mischievous grin.
"What happened why is he in there to begin with?" Grey asked.
"Danny removed the magic talisman I used to stabilize his body, if he leaves that chamber he will start to dissolve into ecto-goo like all the other failed clones." Vlad reassured her.
"So if he wants to continue existing he's going to have to remain in there indefinitely, sweet." Grey said happy that Dan Phantom is finally getting what he deserves. "Great so where is this talisman?"
"In the care of the only successful clone I made," Vlad said beaming with pride as he glanced at Dani's new necklace.
Ghost Zone
Danny and Vale stepped through the portal they found themselves in Clockwork's Tower.
"Welcome back and congratulations on first to completing the quest." Clockwork announced. "I know you have questions, but that will have to wait until later." Clockwork activated his screen where they watched as three white ships entering the ghost zone.
To Be Continued
Next Time…Sibling Rivalry
The quest for mind, body, and soul has finally been completed, though at a great personal loss. But he doesn't have time to celebrate or mourn, for in the Dragon Kingdom two mighty lizards battle for supremacy. And Danny has to decide where his loyalties lie.