Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, not do I own the Teen Titans. I would like to, though...
Afternoon, close to diner time. Danny was reading a book in the sofa of the living room while Dani was watching a show on TV, both engrossed in their activity. A knock on the door alerted them. Danny got up from his spot, putting his book down with a marker, and went to open the door. He opened it cautiously, but as he looks through the crack, he can see who's outside and opens it completely. Outside on the porch is Jazz, a large smile on her face.
"Hey Jazz!" Danny greets his sister with a hug. She returns it gratefully before entering. Danielle had stood up from her spot to great her aunt.
"Hey Aunt Jazz."
"Hey Ellie. How's my favorite niece doing?"
"You do know she's your only niece, right?" Danny asks as he closes the door. A quick glare from his sister shuts him up.
"Doesn't mean she isn't my favorite." Jazz argues while ruffling the younger halfa's hair. Dani giggles a little before swatting the hand away.
"Thanks, and I'm doing great, really. Dad takes good care of me."
"He better does." Jazz threatens under her breath, fully aware that Danny could hear her with his ghost-senses. He shivers a little at the inclined tone, but smiles anyways.
They do a little more small talk before both older Fenton's head for the kitchen, already discussing what to make for dinner. It became a little tradition a few months ago when Jazz came to visit them in their own home. She and Danny got to talk about what to have for dinner, and soon they had a real family meal ready.
It became an enjoyable thing to do, allowing for some talking, and for Danny to learn some cooking from Jazz, who happily showed him. Dani was able to help sometimes, but often she reserved to talking with her father and aunt.
In less than an hour later, the dining table had three plates full of delicious food and some extra servings ready. Danny poured some tea for him and Jazz whilst his daughter went to grab a soda from the fridge. They took their seats and started eating.
"So, Danny." Jazz started with a curious tone before taking a bite from her chicken.
"Yeah?"
"Spill. How did you get to know the Titans? I heard them talk about a ghost helping them, and I know you and Dani are the only 'good' ghosts in town. And I swear of Ellie is the one who…"
"Don't worry. Yes, I'm the one they were talking about. I found a villain they were chasing and helped beat him, and after that I saved them from some ghosts who they had disturbed during the fight." The halfa explained between bites. Danielle had heard the story before, this morning actually, so she focused on eating instead.
"Wow, you saved them from ghosts and helped beat a villain?"
"And they even gave me one of those communicators. Here, see?" He finished, showing the device he had kept in his pocket. Jazz marveled at the small piece of tech, and he bet she had been hoping for her own.
"Cool. Hey, uhm, I saw how you and Raven left to talk a bit more… privately. What was that about?" Jazz asked as she recovered from her daydreaming. Danny stiffened for a moment, and she was about to continue with some teasing, but his face spoke a different volume.
"She… She figured out I'm a half-ghost."
"No way!"
"Yep. She promised she wouldn't tell the rest of her team. I can only hope she'll keep it a secret. She also kind of knows the reason why I acted like that to our parents."
His sister sighed as she got back properly in her seat. Raven sounded like the smartest of the group, no wonder she figured it out. But, what about…?
"You think Robin is going to find out? He's the 'detective' of the team."
Danny mused on the idea and sighed. He could only imagine how the team would feel if they found out. And what would happen if they learn Raven kept it a secret? He suddenly felt a lot less hungry.
"Maybe. Time will tell, I guess. Damn, I sound like Clockwork."
That earned him some laughter from the two girls. He couldn't help but laugh along a little with his own joke. That at least improved the mood.
"Yeah, you're right." Jazz finished before returning to her plate. Danny did the same, and the rest of the evening was spent in relative silence and comfort.
Late evening, the moon was out and the stars danced on the sky. No clouds, again. Danny found it very similar to yesterday evening, minus the fact he wasn't really patrolling right now. No, instead he was thinking as he swung his legs back and fore on the edge of a roof.
He had been thinking about the Teen Titans for a while now. After what happened during lunch in the Nasty Burger, he was a bit worried. Was it a good idea to be in contact with heroes like them? The titans were really focused on the law, and although he seemed to have their trust, he wasn't sure about their friendship.
He got up from his spot and floated around a little. His eyes were glued on the road below, and he nearly bumped in a building once, but he flew softly through the cool after-summer breeze.
His eyes darted up for a moment, just in time so he could stop himself from crashing into a certain alien red-head.
"Starfire?"
"Danny?"
Both were surprised to see each other, but Starfire recovered first, grabbing the halfa in a bone-crushing hug. he squeaked as the air was forced out of his lungs by the sudden pressure.
"Starfire, air!"
She quickly released him, and he gulped the precious air into his lungs. Calming down a little, he offered a soft smile.
"What are you doing here?" He decided to ask when she seemed to be waiting for him.
"Oh! We're looking through the town. The Doctor Light has escaped, again."
"Really? What is he, a doctor of escapes?"
The red-head giggled with the joke, putting his worries aside. She looked so innocent, for a flying humanoid alien.
"So… Need some help? I've got nothing else to do." He offered. Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together in joy.
"That would be wonderful!"
And so here he is, flying around town with one of the titans right next to him. They were both fixated on looking for the villain, but still somehow maintained some talk in between. He found her energetic behavior a bit surprising at first, but she also was being very honest with him.
"-And then there is Skulker. He wants nothing else but to have my 'pelt' hanging over his fireplace." He continued, busy telling her about all the ghosts he has faced in his time. She was listening intently, eyes shimmering with admiration.
"He sounds like a real villain."
"Oh, not much really. His gadgets can be a pain, but he's very stupid too. Always claiming he's the 'best hunter in the whole world'!"
She giggled a little before suddenly stopping midflight. Danny was a bit late to catch this and flew back a little, a puzzled look on his face.
"Star?"
"Shhh!" She hushed before placing one hand to her ear. He kept his mouth shut and stopped his breathing, something ghosts can do. He allowed the stillness of night to envelop him.
'Crash.'
Okay, now he heard. He looked at her, and she looked back at him, her eyes showed she had heard too. Both nodded before silently flying over to wherever the sound came from.
They passed a few offices before arriving at an old research lab that once was used before Axion Labs came and settle down in Amity Park. An old pick-up truck was parked on the road, the trunk filled with all sorts of tech and stuff. The large glass doors were shattered to pieces, and from inside a shadowy figure walked out.
As soon as the figure stepped in the light of the light-post, their eyes widened as they saw Doctor Light carrying a very large machine in his hands like it was nothing before putting it in the trunk.
"What is he doing?" Starfire wondered. Danny was less concerned about that, and more about the details.
"How can he lift that thing? It must be three times heavier than him, and last time I checked, he seemed too weak to lift something half his weight."
Starfire her eyes widened as she realized what he meant. She floated from the roof's edge to get a better look. Danny wanted to call after her, but it was too late. The doctor looked up and his eyes widened. Green eyes. Before either could react, green blasts were being fired at them. The redhead shrieked and flew away quickly, and Danny was blown back when one blast hit the part of the roof where he was trying to hide.
He skidded over the roof and he was sure his back had some scratched from the gravel rooftop. He groaned as his eyes refocused, and suddenly the halfa was face to face with a pale face and violet eyes gazing at him confused.
"R-Raven?"
"Here." She offered, extending a hand from under her cloak. He took it and she helped him up from the ground. He swore she had a soft smirk on her face, but all he saw now was the same stoic look. "What happened?"
Danny was about to explain, but the appearance of Dr. Light on the roof surprised both teens. Raven flew back a little and prepared to attack, and Danny took a battle-stance. The Doctor smirked devilishly at them, and his eyes flashed green. At that same moment, a blue wisp escaped Danny's mouth. He looked around before settling on the doctor.
Of course!
"Be careful." He warned. Raven scoffed a little at his side.
"Why? I'll just scare him with my magic."
"That isn't Doctor Light. He's possessed, by a ghost. I bet the same one who helped him escape."
"Well, aren't you the clever one?" Came the distorted voice of Doctor Light. Danny his eyes widened before narrowing to splits. Now he knew who was behind this.
"Shadow." He hissed. Of course, he forgot to find Shadow since his battle with Johnny 13. The shadow ghost found Doctor Light and now is using him for his own plan.
"Leave him at once, foul specter." Raven threatened, hands engulfing in black energy. The possessed doctor smirked before two blasts of ghost-energy left his palms. Danny phased into the roof to dodge, whilst Raven put a barrier up. The blast was reflected and missed the possessed man by a hair, blasting into the roof at the other side of the road.
Danny his head popped up behind the doctor, and he caught Raven's attention. He motioned for the man's legs, and she nodded to him. She fired a blast of her own at the doctor, and he dodged backwards. He phased his leg out and tripped the possessed man over the edge and off the rooftop. Both quickly looked down, only to see that he had landed and was now running for the truck. Danny made a quick scan of the tech in the trunk before the doctor was able to escape. He cursed under his breath and at that time Starfire appeared with the rest of the team.
"Raven, where is Doctor Light?" Robin asked as he was put on the rooftop by his girlfriend. Danny was checking his mental list and his memories to be certain. He recognized something in that pile…
"He escaped. Danny says he's possessed by a ghost called…?"
"Shadow." Danny answered her silent question. "A tricky ghost. He can hide in the shadows, but this is the first time he possessed someone. And I think I know why."
"And that is?" Cyborg asked as Beast Boy turned human next to him, yawning a bit.
"He wants to build a new ghost-portal."
"What?" The team asked at once. He sighed, a hand going over his face. He looked at the dark titan next to him in exasperation and she shrugged. Guess he has to explain himself.
"Many ghosts live in the Ghost Zone, a world opposite of this one. The only way to Earth for them is through a portal between the two worlds. Natural portals occur randomly and are rare, but a man-made portal can be activated whenever desired. There is one here in Amity Park, but that one has been locked."
"Why not try and unlock it then?" Robin asked, listening carefully.
"It's owned by the Fenton's, ghost hunters. Why risk being caught if you can make a new one? And I bet that guy, Doctor Light, is smart enough to build one. Shadow is going to use that, so he can let all the ghosts out!"
Starfire gasped and covered her mouth. Beast Boy quickly huddled behind the Cyborg. Robin and Raven reacted the calmest, but Robin was more in thought and planning.
"Cyborg, find out where Doctor Light, or Shadow, or both are. We'll keep looking through the town. Can we count on your help?" The boy wonder explained the plan for now, the question directed to the halfa. Danny nodded confidently, and the team-leader allowed a small smile to appear on his face before they left to do their task.
Raven didn't leave just yet. She had been able to finally get a reading on the halfa's thoughts and emotions, his barriers down for the moment. She knew he wanted to ask her something.
"So, they don't know?"
"No."
"And you knew I was going to ask that, how?"
'He's good.' She mused in her thoughts. "I'm an empath and mind-reader. Although you were a lot harder to read."
"Yeah. A ghost tried that once, reading my mind to use it against me. I found a neat little trick to block all my thoughts and feelings from being found out. I thought that was you trying to read my mind." He said, a smile playing on his lips. His eyes glistened with a unique shimmer, and for a moment she felt her heart race a little. What was that just now?
"Anyways, I'll start looking now. With my Ghost-sense I can find him a lot quicker."
Raven nodded and offered a small smile at him before they both took off, each going a different direction.
As he flew towards the outskirts of town, Danny couldn't stop his thoughts from wandering to the dark titan. 'She's really cute when she smiles.'
In the shadows of an abandoned warehouse, close to the industrial district, an empty truck was parked.
Right inside the warehouse were tables, pieces of tech scattered around. At one table, the possessed Dr. Light was working on a piece of the half-made portal standing at the other side of the room.
One eye was glowing neon green, while the other revealed the scared gaze of the real Doctor Light. His hands were working a bit shakily at the piece of tech needed to finish the portal.
"Continue. I must open a portal, so I can make way for the rest to come." The voice of Shadow sounded through his head. He shivered and suppressed the urge to scream. He always found that the magical member of the Teen Titans was scary, but a ghost?!
Taking the finished piece, he brought it to the portal and installed it. The black lines started glowing a menacing green, and he shrieked back, until his body suddenly spasmed and the other eye turned green. Shadow took control to stop the doctor from running.
"Oh, no. You will finish this for me." He spoke with the distorted voice. Inside the man's head sounded the echoing scream of the doctor, his sanity straining under being possessed and being used by the ghost.
Just when he was going to try and get the rest done, a hole was blasted into the wall. From the cloud of dust appeared the Teen Titans, joined by Danny Phantom. Shadow gritted his teeth, they were here faster than he thought.
"Stop right there! Let him go!" Robin demanded. Shadow started laughing, the distortion in his voice mixed with the insanity of his laughter and the echo of the large room made it sound wicked and creepy, almost like a monster.
"Wow, that guy really lost his marbles." Cyborg remarked. That snapped their opponent from his momentary indulgent and he started firing his ecto-blasts at the heroes. They quickly dodged and started attacking themselves. Starfire and Raven tried to get him with a few blasts, but he dodged them. Cyborg was about to ram in the man, but Shadow turned the doctor's body intangible, and the half-robot ran right through him.
Beast Boy tried to get him down on the ground as a gorilla, but he phased into the floor and reappeared behind the green animal.
"Beast Boy!"
Robin's warning was too late, the changeling blasted in the back and hurled into a table filled with bolts and wires.
Danny fired a few blasts of his own, but Shadow flew into the air to dodge them before hitting down, hard, on the boy's head. He crashed into the floor. He looked up, about to be hit by a strong ecto-blast, until Raven appeared and formed a shield over them.
"You won't hide from me, Phantom!"
Shadow kept on firing. Raven her shield strained and she resorted to disappearing into the ground and reappearing as her signature bird-form. Danny fell out of the energy-mass before it turned back into the dark titan.
"Wow, warn me next time you'll do that." Danny said in a daze, his eyes trying to regain their bearings.
The possessed doctor ran up to the portal and threw the switch installed on the wall. When Danny saw this, he screamed "NO!"
The portal fizzled and sparked as the green swirling appeared. The side that was missing became deformed, and for a moment it seemed like it would just disappear. Instead, it started flashing white and green, the instability taking its toll on the fabric of space.
"Shut it down!"
All the titans raced to get to the switch, but Shadow forced them back. He smirked before waving a hand and leaving the doctor's body, appearing in his real, shadow-like form. Danny tried to get a hold of the ghost, but instead the specter flew into the portal when it flashed green.
The strain of the transportation was the last drop, and the device started sparking and flashing. The menacing green turned a blaring red, and everyone in the room made a mad dash for it, Cyborg carrying the doctor in his arms.
The shaking from the portal caused a section of beams to fall down and block the path for Danny. He looked back and his eyes widened as he saw the state of the portal. Light started shining from inside, and he quickly turned intangible, hoping to phase through the wall and outside.
Just when he was halfway through, it exploded. The blast was utterly devastating. The titans were forced on the ground by the shockwave. Windows shattered and the entire block was torn to shreds.
Trough the sky blasted Danny Phantom, unconscious. He flew through the air like a ragdoll, his landing spot unclear. His eyes opened as he regained consciousness. They immediately widened as he saw solid ground approaching. He braced himself for impact.
The crash was painful, to say the least. He formed a crater roughly a meter deep in the ground, and his body was battered by the explosion and the impact of the crash.
Meanwhile, with the titans, they looked back at the ruins of what once was an entire block. Raven flew up to get a better look, and she gasped as she saw the large tear in the ground, the green swirling from earlier very present near the bottom. It's ominous glow was terrifying, and she could only guess where it lead to.
The Ghost Zone.
A mess. Shadow left them with a real mess.
It was day, and the police had set up a perimeter around the block where the explosion was. The Teen Titans were there with their T-Car. At the edge of the tear was Danny Phantom. He had been observing the tear all night and the morning, having called Dani and told her what happened. She told him she could take care of herself and he trusted her.
"You need a break?"
Raven appeared at his side, eyes focused on the portal but her attention to the halfa next to her. He needed sleep, right?
"No, thanks."
It felt odd for them, seeing the normally happy and joking ghost acting so serious. Even Robin was stunned when he heard Danny's tone. Raven, however, did notice how his tone was more friendly when she asked.
"Dude, why are you still standing there?" Beast Boy asked, really getting bored of all the waiting. Cyborg was trying to figure out what to do.
"I need to be ready. A ghost can appear from here any moment."
As if on cue, a green form flew out of the tear. Its red eyes fixated on the two human beings, who startled back a bit, but when it saw the halfa the creature screamed in fright and flew back into the green swirling vortex.
"Wow, what scared that guy?"
"Me." Danny states with solid voice. Both teens give him a weird look, and he sighs.
"I've been fighting them for three years, now. My reputation for kicking ghost-butt has gone pretty far."
Beast Boy gave a realizing "oh" whilst Raven could only feel impressed. Danny had grown such a reputation that his very presence can scare beings that normally wouldn't run for anything. Even they didn't have that impression with some of the villains they fought.
Cyborg came walking over, Robin by his side. The leader asked for an update, and Raven gave the report seeing that the halfa wasn't paying attention anymore. She could feel the tension radiating of him. The way he was ready for anything. That burning glare he held on the portal.
An hour passed, two, three. The sun moved across the sky. The occasional ghost would appear, but they would quickly fly back to the Ghost Zone when noticing Danny Phantom standing guard.
The titans didn't leave, either. Cyborg was analyzing the structure of the tear in hopes of finding a way to close it. The others held their gaze on the citizens gathered around the perimeter and Danny.
He hadn't moved a single inch. They were growing worried for him.
From the crows appeared Dani, a basket in her hand. She snuck past the policemen and over the perimeter. She made sure the titans were distracted for a moment before rushing to Danny's side.
When she arrived next to him, the young halfa tapped his shoulder lightly. He turned to face her and the glare on his face quickly melted away and a soft, but also tired smile graced his face. She showed the basket to him.
Robin had just finished talking with the local chief when he noticed Dani.
"Hey!"
Both Fenton's looked to him. Dani stiffened when she realized she was caught. Her dad offered her a reassuring smile before taking the basket. He opened it, finding both some food for him to eat, and a cup filled with tea for him to drink. He smiled at his daughter and ruffled her black hair, eliciting a giggle from the girl.
The titans stopped when they saw Danny acting so nicely to the young girl. Raven smiled a little as she saw the interaction.
"Thanks, Dani." He whispered to her. She blushed a little, and decided to take a small risk.
"No thanks, dad." She whispered back even more quiet before giving a soft peck on his cheek. She quickly high-tailed it out of there, and vanished into the crowd. Danny his smile remained a bit longer before he turned more serious. He took a cross-legged seat and opened the basket, taking one of the sandwiches inside and eating some.
Time passed some more. Danny finished the contents of the basket, but he remained in his cross-legged position, eyes closed and arms crossed. Raven noticed the alertness in his stance, but also the new peace in his mind. Whatever his cousin did, it helped him relax.
Suddenly, Cyborg his scanners started beeping loudly. He started panicking as he sees the readings.
"Cyborg?" Robin asked in worry. The half-robot started grabbing some of the weapons they had picked up from the Fenton's.
"Scanners show a large increase in ectoplasm in the tear. Something's coming, something big!"
That brought the rest of the team in action. Danny had opened his eyes, his ghost-sense going off like grazy.
"Oh, man." He whispers in fright as he feels the growing tension in the air. The swirling became more frantic, and suddenly from inside appeared a swarm of ghosts.
The green mass towered over the buildings as the swarm of specters started spreading out. Many aimed to terrorize individuals, while some others went for going after entire groups.
"Titans, go!"
They started firing at the many ghosts. Quite a few started flying back in fright as they notice the amped-up protections. Other targeted the titans, but were forced to retreat when they became the focus of the fire.
From across the streets appeared the GAV, the weapons firing at every ghost daring itself closer. From inside jumped the Fenton's, weapons a' blazing and glares focused on the ghosts.
Suddenly, a strong force rocked the ground. A white/black blur shot up from the ground, and it crashed into the swarm, dispersing the ghosts. Many started flying into different directions, disappearing in the horizon. Others fought back, but were blasted into buildings and the ground by powerful ecto-blasts.
Danny Phantom was showing his true strength as he fought ghost after ghost, forcing the invasion back. Those who valued their after-life retreated, while others were pushed back to the titans and the Fenton's.
Suddenly, a group gathered together and fired a collective beam in his back. He flew across the air, over the town and soon he crashed in the forest.
As Danny crawled out of the hole, he groaned in pain from the impact. He held his side, something feeling broken. His eyes dart around, and they settle with fear on the wooden abode behind him.
The swarm flew down onto him from the sky, the many ghosts seething with rage at his attempt of stopping them. He gritted his teeth, this wasn't going to end well.
The only thing the Teen Titans noticed after their friend was pushed back was a massive explosion as the battle in the forest commenced. They gazed in awe as blasts flew into the air, and ghosts came crashing down one by one. The fallen specters retreated into the tear quickly.
When the last ghost was finally defeated and flew back, the group had collected around the tear. From the air appeared a battered and bruised Danny, his suit scratched up and his hand clutching his side with pain. He grunted as he landed on the ground and landed to his knees, fighting the pain and trying his best to stay conscious.
Raven was quickly at his side, her hands glowing as she tried to heal the worst of the wounds. He smiled weakly at her before groaning in pain as she removed his hand and healed his side as good as she can.
Cyborg appeared with Jack Fenton at his side, the two holding a large metal disk in their hands. Jack his eyes darted to his son, and he felt a pang of guilt in his heart. They threw the disk into the tear, and the portal started closing as the metal device was spinning around. When it finished absorbing the portal, it clattered to the bottom of the large hole in the ground.
The battle was won, the enemy defeated.
But what was the cost?
The town was smoking, buildings were destroyed everywhere. The titans looked like they had seen better days, and Danny Phantom was almost pushed over the edge of being 'half-dead'. People were traumatized for live, and then there was the worst of damage.
In the battle against the swarm, Danny had seen the entire abode being blasted to bits. The entire place was wrecked, and hardly anything was left standing. The area around it was a warzone, trees broken and on the ground, holes and craters scattered around.
Looks like he's homeless.
Again.
Dani and her father were standing in front of what was left of their home.
Smoke was coming of the smoldering wood. The fires had been put out long ago, but ghostly fire lasts a lot longer than normal flames. The ground was filled with craters and scorched spots. Trees were broken, shattered or hanging on their last bits of bark. Leaves and broken branches were everywhere, and some of the furniture inside had been blasted outside, lying broken and/or burned.
Dani picked what was left of a green, plush ghost from the ground. She held it close to her chest and allowed a few tears to fall. Danny glanced sadly at her before embracing her in a hug.
"I talked with Jazz. She'll let you stay at her place." He said as she got out of the hug. She looked at him worriedly.
"What about you?"
"I had to tell them that I lived here. They offered me to join them back to Jump City and move in to Titans Tower."
She tried to hold a smile for him, but they both knew the situation wouldn't allow it yet. She was going to be able to live with her aunt, but he would be all across the country.
"Hey, it'll only be temporary, until I found a solution." He tried to reassure her. She sighed, knowing full well that he was right.
"Just, be safe, okay?"
Author's note: They lost their home, and will be seperated for a while. But, it looks like Jump City is going to have a temporary resident ghost-fighter among their ranks. But, will it stay temporary? Wait until next chapter to find out!
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