Phic Phight 2022

Danny wonders about the nature of his existence and gets a lesson in what it means to be a ghost.

Where You Belong

Ever since Danny was little, stars have soothed him in a way that nothing else can. His mom sometimes tells him about childhood tantrums where she tried for hours to calm him down. Nothing ever worked. Nothing except taking him out to the back porch to see the night sky. His tears would dry. His cries would quiet into soft murmurs. His face, scrunched and red the way any toddler's face gets when they cry, would smooth out and fill with wonder as he stared up at the stars. All his life, they have provided him with a kind of comfort he can't explain.

Now, for the first time Danny can ever recall, he looks up to the stars and still feels a yawning emptiness inside of him. They are beautiful, tonight. So beautiful. Especially from this high up. When Danny first got his powers, he feared flying up too high, even though desperately wanted to. The thought of the chill air, high winds, and lessened oxygen frightened him. Over time, however, he worked his way up, until he realized the cold didn't bother him. The wind could pass right through him. And oxygen... Danny had learned a while ago that breathing, for him, is more of a habit than a necessity.

Thanks to all of that, he can easily fly high enough into the air that light pollution doesn't matter. He can see the stars in all their glory. But the gnawing feeling in his chest remains.

This is where Clockwork finds him at three in the morning. The only thing announcing his presence is the puff of icy air that leaves Danny's throat. He thinks it's one of his many enemies at first, but when he catches sight of a purple cloak at the edge of his vision, he relaxes. Despite being Clockwork's ward ever since the future incident, they rarely interact. Still, Danny enjoys the bond they share. It feels familial.

Not like father and son—they don't speak nearly enough for that. But to Danny, Clockwork is like a weird uncle he sees on special occasions who also happens to be able to control time.

They float in silence for a while, long enough for the stars to shift. In the distance, the first rays of sunlight break over the horizon. It will be a few hours still before that light touches Amity Park.

"What brings you out of the Ghost Zone?" Danny asks.

"The same thing that always does."

"Ah, tacos." Danny doesn't need to look to know Clockwork is giving him an unimpressed stare. "One of these days you will be here for tacos. When that day comes, I'll be ready."

"Care to tell me why you are out here at this hour? You do have school tomorrow."

"Gee, Mom. Thanks for telling me." Danny turns toward the rising sun and basks in the glow. "You already know why I'm here."

"So what if I do?"

Danny considers playing stubborn. If he does, well, they can sit in silence and watch the sunrise together. The emptiness inside him might grow, but it's been growing for a while now, already. Hanging on to these thoughts for a little longer won't make any difference. If he doesn't, if he gives in, then... then... He can't think of a downside. It annoys him. He wants there to be a downside, so he has an excuse not to talk.

He peeks at Clockwork. While Danny turned to face the sun, Clockwork still has his face to the stars. His eyes are closed. A content smile graces his lips. Danny's eye twitches. Clockwork came here knowing which option Danny would choose. That makes him want to go with whatever the opposite choice is, but Clockwork would know that, too. He knows everything. it's kind of his whole schtick.

"You infuriate me," Danny says.

Clockwork cracks an eye open and glances at him. "I know.

Danny groans. What are the chances that he can wait out the Master of Time? Clockwork must have duties he has to get back to. The only thing is, being the Master of Time and all that, he can do his duties whenever he wants.

"Yes, I can."

"You can't read minds!" Danny snaps.

"Perhaps not. But there is a timeline where you said your thoughts aloud just then. I don't need to hear your thoughts; I just need to hear a version of you speak them."

"Like I said, infuriating." Danny bites down on his tongue for as long as possible, determined to waste as much of Clockwork's time as he can.

Clockwork chuckles.

"Can you stop that? I'm trying to be upset and brooding and you're ruining with your... with all of you. Just stop."

"If you insist."

The silence returns. Peaceful. Quiet. Annoying as hell when he knows Clockwork is still floating beside him. Danny flips onto his stomach and opens his mouth.

"You are a ghost," Clockwork says before a word can leave his lips.

"Wrong. I was going to ask—"

"Tomatoes are my favourite vegetable."

"But what about—"

"Mariana's Trench. It's peaceful there and I enjoy the darkness."

"Okay, but what—"

"Penguins."

"Well, were you ever—"

"No."

Danny goes quiet. Finally, Clockwork faces him rather than the stars.

"Is something wrong?" Clockwork asks.

"Is your answer really no?"

Clockwork smiles. A genuine smile, rather than a smirk. "Yes. I was never a human."

Danny mulls over Clockwork's answer for a while. He expected Clockwork to say no. Even if he looks somewhat human, there's an energy about him that Danny can't explain. Ghosts like Kitty, Johnny, and Technus don't have that. But others do. Nocturne, for example, and Vortex. The few times he has met them, Danny can feel that same energy around the Observants. Strangest of all, however, is the traces of it he finds on Skulker whenever they clash.

Danny didn't notice it for a while. When he first got his powers, the only distinctions he could make between ghosts—from sense alone—was if they were or were not ghosts. Dead person? Ghost sense! Not a dead person? No ghost sense. Except Clockwork, and many others, aren't dead people.

"What makes someone a ghost?" Danny asks.

"A lot of things, actually." Clockwork waves his arm and four portal appear in the air before them. Each one looks out on a different ghost Danny has fought at some point in his life. Ember, Undergrowth, and Ghostwriter. The fourth portal contains a blurred haze that Danny can't make out yet. "I've been meaning to give you this lesson for a while, but time slips away so easily."

"I find that hard to believe."

"You would be surprised how quickly the passage of time gets away from you when you have lived as long as I have." Clockwork makes a beckoning motion and the first portal, watching Ember, comes forward and grows larger. "Humans have this erroneous habit of referring to anything that comes from the Infinite Realms as a ghost."

"But... we are, aren't we?" Danny asks.

"Indeed, but not the way you think. When humans think of ghosts, they think of dead things. They aren't entirely wrong. Dead people and animals can become ghosts, but they aren't the only kind of ghosts. They are Spirits."

Danny shakes his head. "I don't get it."

"Think of it this way. A blue jay is a bird, but not all birds are blue jays."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Dead people are ghosts but not all ghosts are dead people."

"Exactly." With a flick of his fingers, Clockwork dismisses the image of Ember. Undergrowth comes forward next. "All living beings have a spirit. When they die, that spirit goes to the Infinite Realms. Some, as you know, become ghosts. But others disperse. They are finished with living—in any form—and cease to exist. But their essence has to go somewhere. The Infinite Realms absorbs that essence. Sometimes, there is a likeness in them, and that combines with ectoplasm and forms an Embodiment. Any guesses on what that means?"

"They embody something?" Danny asks.

"Ideas, typically. They come together into a single body and tend to have highly focused powers."

"Like Vortex and Nocturne." Danny thinks hard on the last time he fought either of them. Everything about them is different, from their aura to their appearance, to their abilities, but they give off the same feeling of unity. It's the only word Danny can think of to describe it. Vortex feels like a storm. Undergrowth feels like cool rain in a forest. Nocturne feels like a quiet night. They are what they are and nothing else. "I think I get it. Skulker feels like them."

"He is young for an Embodiment. It will be some time before his true power emerges."

"You mean it's not just hunting things?" Danny asks wryly.

"The third type is ghosts like me." The image of Ghostwriter comes near. "We don't have a particular name, and many times we are erroneously lumped in with Embodiments. But we have existed for eons and have reality-altering powers. I couldn't tell you what makes us because I don't know. We have simply always existed."

Danny eyes the image of Ghostwriter. "Are you sure? Ghostwriter seems... He's just a guy who's a little too into his stories."

"He can also alter the fabric of reality with a few keystrokes. You're lucky your only interaction with him went so well. There are other timelines where it didn't."

That had been a good interaction with Ghostwriter? Everyone hated him. He hated himself. He can't imagine how that could have been worse. Then again, with the power to alter reality... Danny shudders. He really did get off easy.

"Okay, so, there's basically no such thing as ghosts," Danny concludes. He swipes his hand through the third portal Ghostwriter's image dissolves into nothing. "Humans just call a bunch of things ghosts when they aren't."

"No, that's not what I said."

"Well, then what are you saying? Because I'm not any of those things! I'm not dead. I don't embody anything. I'm definitely not some ancient being as old as time. Look at me!" Danny stretches his arm out, transforming the limb halfway. "I'm not human, but according to your little lesson, I'm not a ghost either. I don't breathe, but I'm alive. I have ghost powers, but I'm not dead."

Danny curls in on himself, finally asking the question that has plagued him ever since his accident. "What am I?"

Halfa, other ghosts called him, but what did that mean? It's a name for a thing they don't understand. There is no one like Danny, except for Vlad, and he hates knowing he shares anything with that man. Just two freaks stuck between life and death.

A hand rests on Danny's head. He curls tighter, hugging his knees to his chest and hiding his face behind his hair. Clockwork pats his hair a few times. He isn't a physical being. The pats are too heavy, and he holds his arm so stiff that Danny can feel the awkwardness even without looking. As far as comforting touches go, Clockwork's pats fall dead last on Danny's list. Even Vlad's annoying hair ruffles are better than this. But it draws Danny out of his tight ball, anywhere. He lifts his head, at first to a face full of Clockwork's glove. Clockwork shifts his hand up and gives him a few more heavy pats.

"Weren't you listening to anything I said?"

Danny sniffs and rubs his eyes. "Yeah."

"Obviously not. What was the very first question of yours that I answered?"

"You're not here for tacos."

"Not that one."

Danny has to go over their conversation a couple of times before he can come up with another answer. "You'll stop because I insist."

Clockwork rolls his eyes. Danny considers that a great personal accomplishment.

"The third question, then." Clockwork puts on an exasperated air. A younger Danny might have fallen for it, but now, he's aware that Clockwork knows exactly how the conversation would go and is merely indulging him. It still brings a smile to Danny's face.

"I didn't actually get to ask that question."

"Ask away, then."

Danny takes a deep breath. "Am I a ghost?"

Again, Clockwork sets his hand on Danny's head. It's much softer this time, though. His thumb moves back and forth, stroking Danny's hair. He leans into the touch and closes his eyes. The gloves make Clockwork's hands bigger. With his eyes closed, it makes Danny think of his father, coming into his room to wish him goodnight when he was little. Always with a kiss on the forehead and a hand in his hair.

"You are a ghost," Clockwork says. He pulls the final portal forward. The hazy image inside clears. Inside, Danny sees himself. He sees the Behemoth. He sees Box Lunch, blob ghosts, the ectopuses, and Vlad's mutant animal ghosts. He sees so many different creatures that he has and hasn't met.

"I don't recall saying there were only a few types of ghosts. A ghost is anything that belongs in the Infinite Realms. And as long as ectoplasm runs through your veins, you belong here. There will always be a place for you here, Daniel. Don't forget that."

Danny closes his eyes again. He feels the weight of Clockwork's hand long after it disappears. By the time Danny opens his eyes, Clockwork is gone, and the sun is peaking over the curve of the Earth. Danny tilts his head back and looks up at the stars. They're fading, now, with the sun's light shining on them. He's not far enough up into the atmosphere to see them in the daylight. He smiles, anyway, and leans back, folding his arms behind his head.

He still has a good hour of starlight left. May as well enjoy it while he can.

Submitted by Habato: Okay everybody hated the 'ghosts are actually just aliens nobody is dead people' take, but like... are ALL ghosts dead people? Including Box Lunch? What about Youngblood's Parrot? The Behemoth? Pariah's Skeleton army? Fright Knight's horse Nightmare? If yes, explain some of the non-human, mindless, or other strange circumstances. If no... well, what makes a ghost a 'ghost'? (PR104)