Chapter 10: Phantom Planet – Part 2

"What do you ghosts want?" Jack asked with a demanding tone. "We already have enough trouble as it is."

"We want to help save the Earth." Danny replied, finding the situation too tense to take advantage of another opportunity to call his father by name.

"What do you care about Earth and humanity?" Jack skeptically asked. "Ghosts are evil!"

"Not all ghosts are evil and even those who are don't want the Ghost Zone to be destroyed as a result of Earth's destruction." Danny explained.

"Jack, our studies about the Ghost Zone do show it to be a plausible reason for concern." Maddie reminded her husband. "Phantom might be telling the truth."

"Alright but what can they do?" Jack asked in return. "The Disasteroid is made of Ecto-ranium! No ghost can touch it!"

"No, but we can make Earth intangible so the Disasteroid will phase through it without causing any sort of damage." Danny replied.

"Can that be done?" Jack asked.

"In theory, yes." Maddie answered. "But it'd require special devices to amplify their intangibility."

"That's where the both of you enter." Skulker said. "You know everything about ghost-related technology."

"True." Jack replied. During normal times, he'd proudly smile at the statement even with it coming from a ghost but things were dire.

Later on, as Jack, Maddie and Danny (as Phantom) announced their plan, everyone was surprised at seeing two ghost hunters next to their main target. 'Well, the world is coming to an end, after all.' Some people thought. "Well, now that we outlined the plan, my wife and I have to discuss some private details with Phantom here." Jack said.

Back at Fentonworks, Jack and Maddie decided to open up with Danny. "Danny, unlike the Guys in White, we never believed you're too prepubescent to be Phantom." Jack said.

"Yeah, Dad." Danny replied, not realizing what his Dad just said. "I even told them I already had… what? I mean…"

"Danny, once Vlad Masters revealed himself as a human with ghost powers that came from a ghost portal, it was obvious that the same thing happened to you." Maddie said. "That explains all those devices identifying you as a ghost."

"Wrong!" Danny exclaimed in horror. "I could be another ghost!" He then realized he was 'Phantom' at the moment. "I mean, he could be another ghost!"

"We'll talk about it after saving the world, son." Jack said and the conversation ended at that moment.

Later on, during a break from building the devices, Danny called his girlfriend. "Do you mean your parents now know you're Danny Phantom?" Mac asked. "That's great! Isn't it?"

"Yes, Mac." Danny hesitantly answered. If not for the fact he, unlike his parents, remembered the Reality Gauntlet incident, he wouldn't be sure until after the day's saved.

By the time the Disasteroid arrived, everyone was ready to turn Earth intangible and the asteroid harmlessly phased through the world. After the Fentons returned to Fentonworks, Danny did have the talk his parents said they'd have. "So, all those incidents that led Casper High to ban you from carrying breakable stuff within school grounds were the result of you being initially unable to control your intangibility?" Jack asked.

"Yes, Dad." Danny uneasily answered.

"Same with the falling pants?" Jack asked.

"Ugh, and yes." Danny answered, not liking that this unfortunate side of his powers was brought up.

"What about the attack on Amity Park's then Mayor Ernesto Montez?" Maddie asked with a glare.

"Another ghost was overshadowing him, Mom." Danny explained.

"The jewel theft back when Freakshow was in town?" Jack asked.

"His magical scepter allowed him to mind-control ghosts, remember?" Danny asked, surprised they still held that incident as a reason to doubt his character.

"Oh, yeah, there was that." Jack sheepishly replied.

"Danny, your friends Tucker and Sam were there with you back when your father and I first saw the Fenton Ghost Portal working." Maddie said. "Did they know from the very beginning about your secret?"

"Yes, Mom." Danny saw no point in lying to his parents.

"I bet the goth one is responsible for your powers." Jack said. "Not that it didn't turn out to be a good thing on the long run but still…"

"No comments, Dad." Danny replied. He wouldn't lie to his Dad but deemed that topic too trivial to be discussed.

"And have you heard from your clone lately?" Maddie asked.

"No, Mom." Danny answered, not really letting it sink in what she had just asked. "I haven't seen her ever since… I mean, clone? What clone? Who said anything about a clone?"

"Funny story, son." Jack commented.

Flashback begins

Jack and Maddie Fenton were working on the devices to amplify ghost intangibility when the Guys in White showed up. "Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, we have reason to believe your son Daniel James Fenton is the ghost boy who calls himself Danny Phantom." Operative O.

"What?" Jack nervously asked. "I thought you guys considered my son 'too prepubescent' to be Danny Phantom."

"Yes, we used to." Operative K replied. "But that was before we found Vlad Plasmius' archives and learned about how your son became part-ghost the same way he did."

"Gentlemen, can't we wait to discuss this after we save the world from the Disasteroid?" Maddie asked.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Fenton." Operative O reassured her. "We're here to inform you that the President declared humans with ghost powers are exempt from the Ecto-Containment act for as long as they aren't wanted for any crimes."

"And to ask about a female clone Vlad Plasmius supposedly made of your son." Operative K added.

Flashback ends

Danny felt uneasy about that. "Once the fruitloop learned about my powers, he decided he wanted me to become his son." He told his parents. "Eventually, he failed long enough to decide to make a clone of mine to become his son. He made several but Danielle, or Dani with an I, was the only one to develop sapience beyond 'obey father' and the others were too unstable to live long."

"And where's this Danielle you speak of, son?" Maddie asked. "A fully sapient clone is something most scientists can only dream about."

"She's not a guinea pig to be experimented on, Mom." Danny frowned. "And I haven't heard from her ever since I helped stabilize her."

"Stabilize?" Jack asked in confusion.

"Her body, while less unstable than the other clones Plasmius made, still required help so, remember when you and Mom missed some Ecto-Dejecto?" Danny asked.

Jack and Maddie Fenton exchanged some worried looks. Jack was the first one to speak. "Daniel James Fenton, you do remember Ecto-Dejecto does the opposite of what its makers, in this case, your mother and I, expected it to?"

"Yes." Danny answered with a hint of fear. "What're you insinuating?"

"Danny, we don't know how long its effect will last." Maddie told her son. "This Danielle might need a new dose very soon, assuming she doesn't need already."

"What?" They heard someone ask. A ghost girl revealed herself.

"Dani?" Danny asked in shock.

"Wow, she does look like a younger girl version of our son, Mads." Jack commented to his wife.

"If at least Plasmius had more originality when he named her." Maddie muttered.

"At least he didn't name her after you." Jack pointed out.

'I am so not telling them about the cat.' Danny thought.

The next day, Danny was telling his friends about Dani's return. "So, did she need Ecto-Dejecto?" Sam asked.

"Fortunately not, but my parents still think she needs regular check-ups just in case, Sam." Danny answered.

"Danny, are you sure it's not a trick so they can study her?" Tucker asked.

"Even if it's a trick, they have a reason to worry given the experimental nature of the serum I used to stabilize her." Danny replied.

His friends nodded.

Dash Baxter then approached Team Phantom. "Fenton, no matter how much it pains me to tell it, your parents helping Phantom and all those other ghosts save the Earth made you popular enough to be in the A-List again." The bully said as he handed Danny the proper documents.

"No, thank you, Dash." Danny replied with a bored expression. "I'm way more mature than I was back when I was initially offered a chance to join you."

Danny expected a violent reaction from Dash but not what the bully said. "Whatever. I wasn't comfortable with the idea of excluding Kwan again." Dash said and left.

Kwan then approached Danny. "Thank you, Fenton." He said and also left.

"Too bad people don't know your secret or you'd be even more popular." Tucker commented.

"Tucker, you'd be the Mayor of Amity Park before I decide to reveal my secret." Danny replied.

"If you do become the Mayor, sign a decree forcing Casper High to reveal what the mystery meat is made of." Sam said. "I'm sure even non-vegetarians will stop eating it. There must be a reason for it to be mysterious."

"I get where you're coming from, Sam." Tucker commented. "I don't think I really want to know what the mystery meat is made of."

"So, any plans for this afternoon?" Sam asked. "We could watch a movie. The three of us, I mean."

"Sorry, Sam." Danny replied. "I already have a date with Mac."

"Ask her if the twins are available!" Tucker eagerly asked Danny.

"Tucker." Sam scolded the techno geek.

"What?" Tucker asked. "The cheerleaders in Bay City are nicer than the local ones and I already know Chrissy, Ping and Mac already have boyfriends. By the way, who took Star Nightingale's spot at the cheerleading squad? Is she beautiful? Does she already have a boyfriend?"

"Tucker, I don't even know if it's really a she." Danny answered. He never cared to find out.

"Of course it's a she, Danny." Tucker answered. "Boys becoming cheerleaders as temporary replacements are one thing but who would want to see a boy performing the stunts the cheerleaders do?"

"People who enjoy cheerleading for the stunts instead of what the cheerleaders look like, Tucker." Danny answered.

"Or, more realistically, people who'd rather date boys than date girls." Sam added her own two cents.

"Now that's a good answer, Sam." Tucker commented. "If all cheerleaders were boys, I'd never watch a football game unless there were girls playing. Speaking of that, have you thought about making an all-girls team?"

"No but I'm sure my teammates wouldn't allow you to watch practice sessions." Sam answered.

"Would my good looks distract them?" Tucker asked with a creepy smile. "Not that I'd blame them since I'm as good-looking as I'm modest."

"So true." Sam replied and Tucker didn't understand.

"So, Danny, how did your parents react to your girlfriend already knowing your secret?" Tucker asked Danny.

"Honestly, with everything that happened, we never discussed the matter so they probably think she still doesn't know." Danny answered, surprised the thought didn't occur to him until Tucker asked that question.

End chapter.

Author's note: For a change, I decided to write Danny's secret identity remaining a secret from the general public after the Disasteroid incident.

Answer to Guest: They could give Tucker the money to do the shopping but I don't think they'd allow him to take such a dangerous job even with that discount.

Answer to Leonardo (Guest): Muito obrigado.