Chapter 3
Clarity
Disclaimer: I own neither Danny Phantom nor Smallville
The drive back to the Kent Farm was silent and tense. Both boys knew that they owed the other an explanation and were mentally preparing themself for what had to be done.
Clark and Danny sat in the barn loft in awkward silence. Outside the sun was setting, and the two still sat in hushed discomfort. Eventually Clark decided that being the eldest here it was probably best that he started off. "So," he began awkwardly, searching for the easiest place to start.
Danny saved him from finding the right words "I'll tell you about me, if you tell me about you. I somehow don't think you're – what did Chloe say – meteor infected? " Clark sighed, this would be difficult. When he told Chloe of his Kryptonian heritage she'd originally believed him to be meteor infected. That Danny didn't believe that seemed strange.
"No, I'm more complicated. Much more complicated, but like everything here; it is related to the meteors. How did you know?"
Danny replied "Your aura. It's different from anyone else's. Sean... Sean was wrong in a way that I don't know how to describe. But you're different. Different from any normal human I've ever encountered too." Clark didn't know what to make of that. He certainly couldn't interpret auras; he didn't really understand the concept. But it could be a Kryptonian ability that he had yet to develop. After all, the other Kryptonian's he'd met could fly and he couldn't. Since he'd first imagined that Danny was Kryptonian he'd desperately wanted it to be true. He didn't want to be the only good one of his kind. He wondered if Danny had been secretly serving and saving Amity Park like he had been Smallville. Then he remembered that his mom had described Danny as closer to a trouble teen. Maybe Clark could guide Danny back onto the right path.
Deciding to bite the metaphorical bullet, Clark said "That's because I'm not." Danny seemed to accept that fairly easily. "I am... I'm different." Suddenly he wished his parents were here. Chloe had known pretty well everything he could do. It was hard to have to start from the beginning for Danny. "Your average Meteor Freak has one power. Sean's was to suck the heat out of people. A fortnight ago I met twins who could put up a weird shield, it was solid and bulletproof. And their friend could redirect electricity... long story. But the point is they could only do one thing." Clark paused to gauge Danny's reaction.
Danny was slightly surprised. Some of those powers sounded like things he could do. He could erect a bullet proof shield, and he could generate and manipulate electricity. But these were humans. Then again, he remembered when Spectra had infected his peers; they'd all got one ghost power. Seemed meteors could do the same thing.
Clark saw that Danny wasn't too shocked at this and so continued "I'm different. I think you saw me stop that rocket. For the most part I'm bulletproof. Don't know how that thing gave me a bruise though."
Danny looked Clark in the eye. "Only a bruise?" he questioned. At Clark's nod he said "It was ghost powered. Ghosts are pretty... robust. It takes a lot to do damage to them. The right energy can do it, but Skulker doesn't work like that. Skulker uses firepower, fuelled by ecto-energy, but he relies on missiles, blades and sometimes energy canons. There are buildings that can't stand up to his rockets. And you were only bruised?" Clark nodded, Danny whistled. "Wow. Okay, so you're invulnerable. What else?"
Clark wanted to push into this further. "You seem pretty damage-proof yourself. Not many people could get up from being thrown into the road like that. I think you left a two foot crater. Let alone surviving being thrown across town into a cornfield."
"I suppose, to be honest I didn't really notice. The most important thing was getting rid of Skulker." At that Danny pulled the Thermos out and sat it on the trunk-come-table that sat between them. "He's stuck in there 'till I find a portal." Clark elected to set that aside for now and continue his line of questioning.
"So how invulnerable are you?"
"Well, I've survived bullets from human guns. Ghost guns are a little different." Clark remembered his own experience with a Kryptonite bullet and winced. Given the effects of that rocket it seemed possible that a ghost bullet could damage even his steel skin. Still, he could survive human bullets, and that was a definite step in the "Danny is Kryptonian" theory.
Clark debated what to say next. "I can run fast, faster than a bullet at least." Danny looked shocked at this "Really?" He questioned. Clark continued "and I know you can too."
Danny looked shocked. "Not that I know." He knew he could move faster than your average human. He had to, so many ghosts moved ridiculously fast. But he couldn't go that fast. Clark looked confused and elaborated "I saw you, when you moved out of the way of that missile you were moving so fast that no human would be able to see it." Danny mused in a way that would make sense. If no human could see what was going on in my fights, only the destruction left behind, then they'd blame it on me for causing it. Even Sam and Tuck seemed to miss things that were obvious. "So" Danny said quietly "I've been moving in super-speed without even knowing it? Ha, that's actually kinda funny... given everything."
At that moment a bell chimed from the house. Both boys winced at the loud noise. Clark looked over at the house, then back to Danny. "I think they want us to come in for dinner." Danny stayed silent "I reckon this needs to be finished now, but maybe Mom and Dad should be here. After all if you're going to be living here, they should know." Noting Danny's reluctance Clark continued "they'll look out for you. They've supported me all this time. There's no way you're any weirder than me." In fact, if Clark's suspicions were correct they were exactly the same. Clark's heart filled with hope as Danny nodded. In a flash he was over at the house where his Mom and Dad were setting up for dinner.
"Clark!" His Mom reprimanded "Did you just super-speed away from Danny?" Clark nodded, barely able to contain his excitement. It seemed that he was not alone. "But it's okay Mom, he knows." At his Mom's worried expression he said. "Well he doesn't know, know, but he knows."
"What did you do son?" His Dad asked, his voice stern. Clark explained "Well there was this thing in town today, well there were two things. First an old acquaintance showed up. Do you remember Sean Kelvin? He was the one who leeched body heat off people. Lana, Chloe and I were showing Danny around town and he came up to us near the school. Before you ask I tried to send the three of them away, I didn't know that Danny stayed. Sean went for him first, but he survived. Actually he was the one who took Sean out. I was frozen, next thing I know I was waking up in the sun with him next to me. Figured he'd know something was up then."
Clark's parents moved on either side of Clark "Are you okay Clark?" his Mom asked, truly concerned. "I'm fine Mom." Clark's Dad took a firmer stance. "I'm happy you're okay, but is that really reason to reveal your secret?"
"That's not the full reason. Danny and I were headed to meet up with Lana and Chloe when we were attacked by a ghost. Well it was more Danny, but we were attacked." Clark noticed the disbelieving glares of his parents. "I'm serious, it looked like a giant robot, but it had green flaming hair. It floated, and had an unearthly glow around it. It introduced itself as Skulker, the Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter. We've all seen too many things so dismiss the existence of ghosts, so that's what I'm going with."
"You said this ghost attacked you?" Clark's Mom pressed
"It fired a missile at us. I caught it, but it hurt. I think I still have the bruise." His parents stared at him wide eyed. They had always been protective of him, and were always shocked when he got hurt, since it was such a rare occurrence. "I'll be fine. That wasn't the worst bit. The ghost picked Danny up and threatened him. Mom, he was thrown from ten feet in the air so fast I couldn't help him. But he got up. He was fine. Then the ghost physically threw him all the way into the Cornfield just before the Loeb Bridge, at least that's where I found him."
Martha put her hand to her mouth. She'd seen her son and Danny head up to the barn together, so she knew he was alright. As if in answer to her question Clark said "Mom, Dad, I think there's a strong possibility that Danny's Kryptonian." Martha and Jon shared a look. They knew that Clark desperately wanted not to be alone, but they had been through this before, that boy had suffered from paranoid delusions and had ended up catatonic in the hospital. Furthermore the last Kryptonian's they'd met had been cold hearted killers. They didn't feel inclined to be so open about believing in another Kryptonian.
"Son," Jon began "I know how much you want it to be true. But no-one is like you. That's what makes you such a blessing. How do you know he's not meteor infected?"
"He's not" Clark replied adamantly. "He survived being thrown like that; no meteor infected person has been able to do that. He also moved fast. Mom, he can move as fast as me, but he didn't even know it. He's strong; I know that because he didn't struggle with the hay this morning. And the tractor, I thought I saw a bright flash, but dismissed it. It was probably heat vision. Don't you see, he shares so many of my gifts, no Meteor Freak has more than one, but here he is, able to do at least four of the things that I can." Clark seemed genuinely excited. Martha and Jon seemed sceptical, but agreed to put dinner on hold and go out to the barn so Danny and Clark could finish their talk.
Clark zoomed back to the barn, leaving Martha and Jon behind to talk. "You don't think he is, do you?" Jon asked. "I don't know what to think. I'm pretty sure Maddie would have told me if Danny was adopted, but if he shares Clark's gifts..." Both of them walked up to the barn loft in silence. Clark was seated in a couch opposite Danny. Danny seemed to have buried himself in a sketch, but he stopped when Jon and Martha got to the top. He placed it on the trunk next to a silver Thermos. Clark looked at the sketch for a moment before exclaiming "That's him!"
Jon and Martha walked over to look at the sketch to find it looked exactly as Clark had described, but far more menacing. Clark asked Danny, gesturing to the thermos "He's in there?" to which Danny nodded.
"Mom and Dad designed it." Danny explained "It's an alloy of about fifteen different metals, but needed the right energy source to be functional. The thermos works for capturing and containment until they can get back to the Ghost Zone." Martha and Jon were surprised at the reality in the sketch. It looked as if the ghost was about to jump off the page.
Still, there was a much heavier conversation awaiting them, and all four of them felt that they needed to finish it before the morning. Martha took a seat next to Danny on the couch, and Jon sat, straddling the wooden chair he pulled from the desk. With everyone relatively comfortable Clark elected to break the gathering silence. "So where were we?" he asked.
"I think we just got past the point that you could play tag with a speeding bullet, and apparently I could join you in the game." Martha was surprised; Clark had said that he'd revealed his speed to Danny, but she wasn't sure what to make of that attempt at wit.
Clark blinked. Well, there were a few more questions he wanted to ask before he told Danny that he was Kryptonian. "I'm strong." Clark said. "Someone once said that I had the strength of ten men, but I think it's more than that." Clark couldn't help but show off a bit. "I can lift the tractor single handed." Martha and Jon had seen him do it. They could never quite get used to the strength that their son possessed. Danny looked at Clark slightly confused. "I saw you lift those hay bales like me this morning, Dad often struggles with one and you were throwing them around like you've been doing it for years."
"You're much more observant than anyone in Amity Park you know." Danny shook his head. He'd have to ask how normal people did things if he wanted to keep up his dual identity. But Clark had basically just asked how strong he was. He knew in ghost standards. He'd spent time with Dora in the Ghost Zone training – she had insisted since he was her knight – but he wasn't sure how many tractors were in a ghost Dragon. He absently reached to the necklace hidden by his shirt at the memory. He figured eventually he'd tell all of them about the necklace, but not yet.
"You know, I don't really know. I know that one point I had to carry about twenty students, and their parents, and a couple of extra adults. That's the best I've got without bringing ghosts into it." Danny explained, recalling the time that Youngblood and Ember had kidnapped the town's adults. Clark frowned. According to a quick mental calculation that was close to six and a half tons. That was more than twice the weight of the tractor, but just to be sure...
"Danny, why don't you try the tractor?" Danny looked at his cousin. Now he was equally as strong in both forms, so he should be able to substantiate his claim without going ghost. Danny nodded. Clark smiled and ran down to the tractor, pulling the cover off. Danny ran after his cousin.
The two elder Kent's blinked. One second they were listening to the boys talk, the next second both could be heard downstairs. They were used to Clark doing this, but the only other person they'd met that could keep pace with their son was Bart, and he'd disappeared last year. It would take some time to get used to the idea that apparently both boys had their own gifts. Martha and Jon walked over towards the railing to watch as Clark gave Danny a demonstration. The tractor groaned slightly as it was lifted, perfectly balanced off its wheels. Clark held the tractor's back end with both hands, before slowly pulling one away.
Danny was awestruck. He knew ghosts were capable of doing amazing things, but here Clark was, a living, breathing person lifting a tractor without breaking a sweat. Clark gently placed it down, the axle's groaning as they once more supported the weight of the vehicle above. With a gesture from Clark he realised it was his turn. Shoving all embarrassment aside, he stepped behind the tractor. Taking a firm grip on the back end, careful not to do any damage – he'd only just fixed it – he lifted. Danny was shocked to find no resistance as he lifted it up, above the level of his head. Imitating Clark he pulled one hand away, and then set the tractor back on the ground.
Jon and Martha were stunned. It was one thing to see their burly son bench-press a tractor. They'd seen him do it for years, and he somewhat looked the part. It was another thing entirely to watch a scrawny sixteen year old, who barely looked strong enough to lift a kitten perform the exact same task as their Kryptonian son. Clark shared a significant look with his parents. Suddenly his suspicions seemed much more realistic.
By silent agreement the two boys re-covered the tractor and went back up to the loft. The four of them took their seats and sat in silence for a minute. Clark was tossing up about which of his powers to ask about next. The silence became so deep you could hear a pin drop, and that gave Clark his next idea. Clark excused himself for a minute to go back to the house. He put the radio in his room on. He could always hear it from the barn, but he knew nobody else could. It made it pleasant to work out in the barn last year when Lois had taken over the house.
Clark raced back to the barn to his parents questioning glances. He just looked expectantly at Danny. "What's with the music Clark?" Danny asked seeming bemused "as much as I like their music, I'm not sure that Remy Zero is the right backing music for this conversation." His parents looked confusedly between the two boys. Clark laughed. "Well, I guess that answers that question. Danny's hearing is as good as mine."
"Thanks, I think." Danny commented "But is there any chance you could turn it off, even if Aunt Martha and Uncle Jon can't hear it, it kinda spoils the mood." Five seconds later it had stopped and Clark had resumed his seat on the couch opposite Danny. Clark had a somewhat goofy grin plastered on his face. So Danny was strong, invulnerable, had super speed and super hearing and if Clark was right he had heat vision too. Clark was pretty sure he'd found a Kryptonian who had grown up on Earth, just like him. Clark was getting excited now, and he wasn't the most excitable person. Danny grimaced slightly and moved further back in the chair away from all of them. Clark missed this action, and proceeded, hoping to push Danny into admitting that he was from Krypton.
"I can shoot fire from my eyes." Clark said. Jon put a candle on the trunk next to the thermos. Danny opened his eyes to watch as a surge of heat energy pulsed from Clark's eyes, igniting the candle on contact. Given the warmth that constantly poured off of Clark, Danny wasn't too surprised that he could shoot fire. The question was what was Clark? He wasn't a ghost. His aura had become overwhelming with how alive he was. And he wasn't meteor infected if Sean was anything to go off. There was something more that Danny was missing, something that he half remembered reading in a book somewhere.
Clark noticed Danny's reflective face, and decided not to press this. By the lack of recognition it seemed that Danny couldn't do that, but then, what was that flash? There was one more power that Clark had that he wondered if Danny had too. "I can see through things." Danny looked at him at first shocked, and then it sunk into confusion. Clark deflated. It was obvious that this was a talent Danny hadn't developed yet. Still, he clarified "Sometimes it's like whatever is in the way isn't there, others it's more like an X-ray." Danny nodded.
Jon and Martha reflected on this. It seemed that Danny didn't have two of the powers that Clark had come to rely on. But then Martha thought of something. Through Clark's development he'd gradually developed these powers, and they seemingly popped up when they were most needed. Clark had needed the X-ray vision to stop Tina Greer from hurting Lana, and the Heat Vision had developed in time to stop the vixen Desiree. Martha also remembered something significant that Clark had done when he was Kal-El. He had flown. Not just a super-powered jump, but actually flown. If Danny was Kryptonian it was entirely possible that he could fly.
"Danny" Martha asked gently "Can you fly?"
Danny froze. He barely managed to keep control of his tangibility. This conversation was putting so much stress on his mental control, Clark demonstrating his powers and the sheer awesome power that was radiating from his aura was drawing on his concentration. That shattered with that one question from Aunt Martha. There was no way they'd figured out he was a ghost. Only ghosts could fly, right? Clark would've said if he could. And he hadn't, so... Danny didn't know what to think.
Danny nodded slightly, and noticed the three expectant stares directed at him. He let go of his hold on gravity, feeling himself rise up from the couch. Carefully controlling himself he sat in the lotus position, in the air, drifting away from the couch and coming to rest a little away from the telescope. This was the first time he'd done this in his human form with humans around other than with Sam, Jazz and Tuck. The Kent's seemed to take the demonstration in stride. It was almost as if Jon and Martha had expected something like this, and Clark's eyes betrayed a hint of jealousy.
"Clark," Jon said, taking a step over to lay a hand on his Son's shoulder. His tone was slow and measured. "I think it's time to tell the full truth, comparing powers will only get you so far. You need to do this properly, son."
Clark nodded and set his eyes on his cousin, and possible fellow Kryptonian. Still, it wasn't exactly often that Clark had to explain his origins. He'd needed to tell Pete and Chloe, but then the circumstances called for it, and he needed to explain quickly and concisely. Danny was different; since it was possible they came from the same planet. Clark wanted to be careful about it.
Clark looked to his father who sent him an encouraging smile, and then he looked at his Mom who mirrored Jon's smile. "Danny" Clark almost whispered, before gathering both his thoughts and strength. "You know I'm adopted." Danny nodded slowly "well, the truth is, I'm not exactly from around here. My birth name is Kal-El. And I come from..." Clark paused; silently mourning the life he could have had "I come from a planet called Krypton. Mom and Dad found me the day of the first meteor shower in a field. I have been told that I am the Last Son of Krypton..." Clark trailed off; surprised at the actions Danny was taking.
Clark watched as Danny stepped down from the air, took one step towards Clark and then bowed down on one knee, his right hand crossing his chest. "Kal of the Noble House of El" Danny said, slipping into a manner that was common only to medieval nobility. "Heir to the last great empire of the Rao Star system. I humbly thank you for the service of your family and mourn your loss." Clark stood temporarily dumbfounded. He looked over to his parents to see them equally confused by his display.
"You Know about Krypton?" Clark breathed, trying to dispel the slight tension that had crept into the loft. Danny stood to look Clark in the eye and nodded slightly. There was a swirl of compassion, concern and respect that could be seen in his bright green eyes. Wait, green? Danny blinked and his eyes were blue. Perhaps it was just a trick of the light.
"I know what Krypton was, and of the last Great War. I know of Zod and the destruction he wrought in his quest for power. Clark, if you really are Kal, then I know of your father, and the good that he has done for all three worlds." Clark was confused when Danny said this; he'd been told that Jor-El had done many great things for Krypton, but he couldn't think of a single thing he'd done for Earth aside from sending lark here, and what was the third world?
Yet, the fact that Danny knew of Krypton at all coupled with his powers proved to Clark that he was Kryptonian. "Danny," Clark said, allowing his excitement to override his curiosity. "I'm super-strong, have enhanced hearing, can run at supersonic speeds. You, are super-strong, have enhanced hearing, can run at supersonic speeds and you can fly, something which I know Kryptonian's can do. Danny, are you from Krypton?"
Clark watched as Danny looked up into his eyes, blue meeting blue. Clark watched the intense swirl of emotion that pooled through his cousin's eyes. The strongest was a deep sense of longing that Clark couldn't fathom. "Clark" Danny murmured, seeming to weigh how best to phrase his reply. "Listen to your heart and mine and you will have your answer."
Clark was confused at this instruction. His heart screamed yes, Danny was Kryptonian. But the way that Danny had phrased it made Clark think he meant something different. Was it possible that Danny meant literally listen to his heart? Clark expanded his senses, listening for the steady thumping of his own heart. He heard his heart, beating a steady rhythm, close to the pace of his Mom and Dad. This was familiar, something he occasionally did to make himself feel more human. Still he listened for the fourth heartbeat. It was much quieter than his, or even his Mom and Dad's, despite the fact that Danny was closest to him. What really scared Clark was that it was slow, barely beating once for every two of his.
Clark reached to place his hand over Danny's chest to confirm his suspicions. Clark was concerned by the coolness of Danny's chest, despite the summer evening. But there it was; the soft, slow heart beat definitely belonged to Danny. Clark met his cousin's eyes. For his part, he could see that Danny didn't want to hurt Clark with the truth. It was obvious in his eyes. But Clark could see a deeper sadness that clung to Danny. Quietly, Danny said "No Clark, I'm so sorry, but I'm not from Krypton. In a way I wish I were. But I was... born here on earth."
"I think you need to sit down. Uncle Jon... um, maybe you should sit next to Aunt Martha." Clark sat back down in his sofa as his father moved next to his Mom, taking her hand in his. Clark offered the seat next to him to Danny, but he declined, taking a seat mid-air again. Danny took a deep breath before letting out a deep sigh. Looking significantly at Clark he began "earlier this evening you said you were much more complicated than a Meteor Freak. Now, it's obvious that that is true. You are a being from an extinct planet, which for most people is much harder to believe than a genetic mutation from a rock." Danny paused, then proceeded carefully tasting each word as he said it "I think, I'm more complicated still. Strictly speaking... what I am... shouldn't even exist. See Clark, you exist properly within the order of the world. You come from another planet, true, but you have more right to being than I do."
Martha squeezed her husband's hand. She was disappointed for Clark, but she wondered what had possibly happened to make her nephew believe that he shouldn't exist. Everyone was put in the world for a reason, and nobody had the right to make such a young boy think otherwise. Martha was about to offer words of comfort to her nephew, but he waved her off.
"Aunt Martha, it's okay. I've accepted my lot; it's just... hard to know where to start. See I've never really had to tell anyone before, Sam, Tucker and Jazz knew, but they're gone now. Sam and Tuck were there when it happened, and Jazz found out pretty soon after. I never even told my parents. Now they'll never know." Once more Danny paused. "I don't know. Should I tell you what I am, or how it happened? They both come from the other. I guess it all started with Mom and Dad and their obsession with ghosts."
"Even before Amity Park was attacked constantly by ghosts, even before anyone believed in them, Mom and Dad were researching into ghosts and the realm they live in; the Ghost Zone. I don't know if Mom ever told you, Aunt Martha, but the thing they wanted to do most was break through into that dimension for the sake of research. In their college years they built a prototype, which was an abysmal failure. Then, when I was beginning middle school they started again, bigger than the first. It took all the way 'till my freshman year at high school but they finally finished it. Jazz and I were sceptical, since this was before anyone in Amity had even seen a real ghost."
"It was a Saturday, and Mom and Dad invited Jazz and I down to watch them tear a hole into the Ghost Zone. Sam and Tuck were over, and so they came down too. Dad and Mom had a whole melodramatic speech planned out, which Jazz constantly interrupted, maintaining that ghosts didn't exist. They finished their speech, and Dad connected the power. The portal sparked, but did nothing. Mom and Dad headed back upstairs with Jazz behind them, demanding to know why they expected any differently. Sam, Tuck and I though, we stayed down there."
"It was only supposed to be a photo. One photo in front of the Portal. But Sam was curious, and to be honest, so was I. I wanted to see if I could get it working for Mom and Dad, they looked so heartbroken and I couldn't bear to see them like that. So I put on a white Hazmat Suit, and stepped into the Portal. I tripped on a stray wire, and put my hand against the wall for support. Something gave. I think dad put the on button inside the portal." Danny stopped, and stared into the distance, his form still floating in the air, but his mind seemed a thousand miles away. Looking at him in this moment, his eyes looked dead. Like a corpse. Several minutes passed before Danny continued quietly.
"That's how I died. The full power of the portal surged through me. I've since learned that it was over 10,000 Volts. It felt like every molecule of me was on fire. Half of my DNA structure was ripped away and destroyed by the electrical current. It was then that the portal started to open. The unrefined ecto-energy that makes up the Zone was pulled into the portal, flooding through it and me. The DNA codes that had been ripped out were replaced by the ectoplasmic structure that makes up ghosts. The electricity from the Human world was killing me, even as the energy from the Ghost world was keeping me alive. The last thought I had as a human was "I hope no-one else gets hurt like this"."
Once again Danny stopped, his eyes brimming with unfallen tears. Martha, Jon and Clark sat horrified. The pain that Danny had gone through was beyond anything that they could imagine, and that was only from his description. To have actually gone through it... and it sounded like he'd had his entire DNA structure rewritten. That shouldn't be possible to survive. Yet here he was, still alive... or was he? No, Clark dismissed this option, Danny had a heartbeat, he ate, and Clark had heard him breathe. Thus he was alive.
Danny sighed, resting his elbows on his legs, his eyes hidden as his raven hair fell in front of his downturned face. "When I came out of the portal... I was a ghost. It took a few minutes to understand what was going on, but Sam and Tuck were terrified to say the least. They said the sounds from the portal would haunt them forever. I think they blamed themselves, but I never did. It was something that would've happened eventually, I was always just glad that they were there." Danny pulled out the necklace to run his fingers over the pendant. The Kent's couldn't see what he was holding as it was concealed by his hand.
It was then that the Kent's realised that Danny wasn't just telling them about his powers or his secret. Part of this was probably therapeutic for him, helping him resolve his problems with the recent loss of his family. Danny was telling them his own origins. He was telling them about the most painful moment of his life. He was showing them in no unclear way that he trusted them. They all wondered what they had done to deserve such complete trust.
"When I got out of the portal, I looked different. The Hazmat suit that I wore had turned Black with white gloves and boots. That alone I could have dealt with, just take the suit off. But then Sam brought me over to the mirror. My skin had gone pale, almost translucent. My hair had gone white. All around me was a whitish green glow. But the worst thing was my eyes. They were glowing, bright green, but they were dead. They were the eyes of a stranger, but they were mine." Danny shuddered, sinking lower towards the ground, landing with a soft thump.
"I think that's when it first hit me, that I was dead. I was so terrified, because there I was looking in the eyes of a ghost. The thing my parents hunted. The thing my parents hated. I thought that meant that they would hate me too, since I was a ghost. I was panicking; I had no idea what to do. At that point I was seriously debating going through the Portal and staying there. That's when I felt a warm energy in the back of my mind. I reached towards it, and the next thing I knew I was back. The blue eyed, black haired human that I knew to be me was back."
"Over time I realised how much I'd changed. I gradually learned that I could choose when to be human, and when to look like a ghost. At that point I thought I was a kid with cool ghost powers. Mom and Dad's portal started letting other ghosts through, and it also stabilised the local natural portals. I figured it was my responsibility to keep people safe. I had the power to help, so it was my duty to. It wasn't until I met a particular ghost that I really realised what I was."
"Sidney Poindexter, he was a ghost that haunted one of the lockers at school. I did some stupid things and attracted his attention. He called me a Halfa. Half human, half ghost. So the portal did kill me, but only half. I shouldn't exist. Science can explain ghosts. They're dead. And people are alive. Science says there is no middle ground. But I walk it. I have a foot in the world of the living, and one in the world of the dead. I shouldn't exist, science says I can't exist, and yet I do. I don't belong to either world, not really. I'm too alive to exist as a ghost, but I'm too dead to exist as a human. That's what I meant when I said I'm complicated. Really I have no place in any world, I've resigned myself to it, but it doesn't make it any less true."
The four of them sat in silence for several long minutes. By now the sun had long since set, and the stars had come out. The moon was hidden behind one of the few clouds that spotted the summer night sky. Clark reflected on what Danny had said. He knew that his father Jor-El had sent him here for a purpose. While he may not agree with his birth father, he couldn't deny that it felt good to have a reason for being on the planet. He knew that he belonged here, with his parents, Chloe, Lana and even Lois. He couldn't imagine feeling like he shouldn't belong in the world. Yet Danny had had his place in the world ripped from him. Half-dead, half-alive he'd said. Clark couldn't fathom the difficulty of walking such a precarious line, and yet Danny had done so for two years.
Jonathan was astounded. He'd grown up in Smallville, and many of the advances of the scientific world were beyond him. He was a farmer at heart, and the most complex thing he'd had to deal with was the adoption of Clark into his family, and getting out of the grip of the Luthor's. Life had always been simple. Like the grain that grew in the sun, everything lived and everything died. There had never been a middle ground. Now, thanks to his sister-in-law's invention his world view had to shift. While Danny may say that he shouldn't exist, the fact was he did. He was here, talking to them. This simple fact threw him; it seemed Danny existence complicated the natural order.
Martha couldn't believe what she'd just heard. She recalled Maddie telling her about the portal, and the sheer joy she'd felt when she and Jack had felt to find it working. They never once mentioned Danny getting hurt by it. That meant that they never knew what Danny had sacrificed for them to get it working. He'd literally given up half of his life for them. Danny said he had never told them his secret. Maddie had never known the struggle her boy went through. Danny would have been terrified, knowing their occupation. And he did that just to make them happy. Martha promised herself, and to Maddie's memory that she would take care of her boy, and look after him as if he were her own.
Danny for his part reflected on what it meant to be what he was. He no longer considered himself to be human. He couldn't after everything that had happened. Part of him desperately yearned to be fully alive again. The warmth of his human half never made up for all that he had lost. He knew there were many good things he'd done since he'd become a Halfa, but it was painful to know that he'd never again feel like he belonged. He couldn't even consider Vlad. For all that he was "half-ghost" he was not a Halfa. It was a fine distinction, but Vlad had only ever been a human with ghost powers. Danny was the balance between the two. He was eternally stuck in twilight.
It was Martha who interrupted the silence. If she was going to take care of Danny she needed to know how to. "What does being a Halfa mean, exactly?" Danny looked up at her, dropping the necklace. It was still too shadowed for anyone to see. "You mean aside from a wicked case of hypothermia?" Martha nodded "When I'm like this my heart rate is about 34 beats a minute. Roughly half a normal human's, or Kryptonian's I guess." Danny sent a wry smile at Clark before returning his gaze to Martha. "My temperature is 85°F in both forms. When I'm a ghost, I don't have a heart beat at all. If I want to I can stop my heart as a human, but I prefer not to. I don't think I need to breathe; I did when it first happened, but not anymore. Ghosts don't breathe, nor do they have a heart to beat. But I still have enough human in me to be able to do both."
"At first, after the accident there was a clear difference between human me, and ghost me. But over the two years the halves have bled together. Really the only reason I need to use my ghost form is to protect the identity of Fenton. I'll expand on the need for that in a bit. It's harder to explain." Danny responded to the confused look from Martha. After all, this was the second time he'd spoken about himself in the third person.
"Okay, I think that covers basic human biology. But basic to ghost biology are three, no four things. The first thing I should explain is that ghosts are ectoplasmic manifestations. Their very being is comprised purely of ectoplasm, a sort of semi-solid energy. With me it's weird, and I still don't understand it fully. The ectoplasm that bonded to my DNA altered my human biology so it operates more like ghost energy. I still have muscles, blood, bones and all that, but there is pure ectoplasm that pulses in my bloodstream. My human form operates like the solid energy that ghosts are made from; it's just a bit more drawn to the solid side. My ghost form also has some human blood; I know it has bones to break, unlike all the other ghosts."
Acknowledging the incredulous look from the Kent elders he said simply "I had to fight ghosts, it was never risk free and I often wound up finding out about myself in the most painful way possible. More than once I came home with a broken bone." Martha looked alarmed, how could Maddie not have noticed that? Martha knew her sister had been obsessed with ghosts, but there was no way she would have missed Danny arriving home with broken bones. "I heal fast." Danny said by way of explanation. "If I got home at midnight with a fractured leg, I'd only have a limp the next morning. It'd be fully healed by the end of the day." This seemed to calm Martha a bit.
"I think that's enough biology for now. Only reason I bothered is that Clark could probably tell when I had broken a bone with his X-ray power; just figured I'd save you the worry." Danny commented with shrug before continuing "There are three basic ghost powers. You already know I can fly. Ghosts can become intangible, this allows us to walk through walls and phase through solid objects." Jon looked disbelievingly at him. Danny stood up, and walked over to Jon, holding his hand out. "Uncle Jon, try to shake my hand." Jon reached his own out, expecting the same strong resistance he'd felt just yesterday morning. Instead it was as if his hand was clasping the air. He could see his nephew's hand, but it was as if it wasn't there. As if his nephew had become nothing more than a hologram.
Martha gasped, and Clark chuckled. It seemed as if his cousin could have a bit of fun after all. Danny pulled his hand away from that of Clark's father for a moment, "try now" Danny half laughed. A look of relief came over his Father's face as he was met with a firm shake once again. "Sorry, felt like that was the easiest way to demonstrate it. You have no idea how many times reporters asked my ghost half if I was a projection or some high-tech hologram."
"The third basic power is invisibility; pretty self explanatory really." A sneaky look crossed his face. "Hey Clark, you want to play hide and seek?" Danny said before vanishing completely from sight. Recalling the time when someone had turned themself invisible using meteor-infected roses, Clark focused on his X-ray vision. Clark scanned the loft, before seeing a skeleton shape hanging in the air just beyond the staircase. "You'll have to find somewhere better to hide than that." Clark laughed. "Somewhere, or some way" Danny asked. His disembodied voice made Clark's parents jump. Clark stared at the place where Danny floated when he suddenly vanished from his X-ray vision. Clark searched around further, looking for any sign of his cousin, electing to see if he could hear him when...
"Boo!" Danny whispered in Clark's ear as he reappeared on the visible spectrum. He stepped around the friendly punch Clark threw at him before resuming his cross-legged floating. "Hey, I am a ghost. Besides, that was a valuable experiment." Clark looked at him sceptically "Really?" he asked "and that would be?" Danny looked at him as if it was obvious. "I went intangible" Clark still didn't get it and that must have shown on his face. "Your X-ray vision can't see intangible things. Sorta makes sense; you can't "see" what isn't there to be seen."
Danny's face took on an inquisitive angle "Actually I wonder..." Danny held his hand out to Clark "Shake my hand" Clark looked at him incredulously. "You're not getting me with that same trick Danny." Clark said bluntly. "Not exactly trying to... What? I'm the son of two paranormal scientists. Of course I'm gonna be curious. I want to know if ghosts interact differently to Kryptonian's than humans. Please" Danny looked at Clark, his eyes begging Clark to comply. Reluctantly Clark reached out for his hand, and was met with a slightly cold, but form handshake. "Interesting, so you could hit an intangible ghost; or at least a standard one..."
Danny took on a look of concentration, looking at Clark intensely. For a moment Clark felt like Danny was searching his soul. He instinctively grabbed tighter onto Danny's hand, only to find he couldn't feel it anymore. He looked, he could see it, but it was as if it was not there. He wondered if this was how his father had felt a few minutes ago. Danny's face betrayed nothing of what that experiment had confirmed "What did you do?" Clark asked. Danny shook his head and took a minute to breathe. He reflectively rubbed his hand through his hair before he decided to explain.
"Most ghosts wouldn't be able to do that. Um, it's sorta hard to explain. I'll get to the how in a minute. But for most ghosts intangibility is based on the physics they knew when they were alive. You've got to know the rules to be able to break them. The Zone is mostly ghosts from the human world, so they can become intangible to humans. Your dad couldn't touch my hand if I didn't want him to. But you work under different laws of physics. Sure you're bound by those of Earth, but you were born to handle those on Krypton. Your molecular structure is much denser than anything on Earth, so no Earthly ghost would be able to phase through you."
"You were able to. Aren't you an "Earthly" ghost?" Clark asked. While he was glad to know that intangibility wouldn't stop him if a ghost became a problem, there was the fact that Danny ultimately had been able to become intangible to him too. "Yes" Danny sighed "Strictly speaking I am an Earthly ghost. But I'm weird, even for ghosts. First of all, I am human too. Second, I operate different to the most of them and third... well I have a habit of complicating the rules." He finished with a wry smile.
Danny absently flipped so he was hanging upside down in the air. "Okay, so where to start explaining? I as a ghost I know the physics of the human world, and how to break them. But as a human I can break the laws of physics in the Zone. Basically, being unattached to both worlds means if I know the physics I can break the rules. It's one of few benefits to being a Halfa. There are a few ghosts in the Zone that I think lived on Krypton, but I'm not sure... ghosts don't remember much of their life when they wake up in the Zone."
"Anyway, the more powerful ghosts can choose to become intangible to humans, but not ghosts and vice versa. Still comes back to the physics you know. But I can sorta... read people." Clark interrupted, remembering something Danny had mentioned earlier. "Auras?" Clark interrupted. "No questions until the end of the tour please." Danny jested lightly, but seeing Clark wasn't going to let it drop he answered "Yes, now where was I? I got a read on what the laws of physics that bind you Clark, and that is what allowed me to become intangible to you. If you met a Kryptonian ghost, I'd be worried. But most of the ghosts here aren't powerful enough to be able to choose to be intangible to you, and of those that are I don't think there's any that could figure out how."
"Okay, now I'll explain the aura thing. See ghosts don't need to eat. They can eat food that is made in the Zone, which is the only exception. But in order to exist, everything needs an energy source. For most ghosts, there's enough ambient energy drifting through the Zone to sustain them. But the more malevolent ones aren't content with that. The main reason those ghosts bother crossing into the Real World is to feed off negative emotions; thus the desire to wreak havoc. See emotions are a form of energy. In essence ghosts are formed around emotional energy, so they need that to sustain themselves."
"Human emotion is an expression of energy. It's sort of like a light bulb. The human feels the emotion, which is the light, but there is excess energy emitted like the heat from the bulb. Most of the ghosts that come here feed off of emotions like fear and anger, so they provoke the humans into it... I've gone off on a tangent. While I am human and I do need to eat human food, my ghost half needs energy too." At the look of disgust that came from the three Kent's he added "I need positive emotions, happiness, contentment, love. That's why being in Social Services made me so sick. There's very little happiness there, and I don't even want to think of Mr Masters."
"No matter what I'll always try to make those around me happy. I need to, but more than that I want to. About a year ago I figured out that I can sense the aura of energy that surrounds a person. I know there are some humans who are more sensitive to auras, but so far as I know there aren't any ghosts that are. I can pretty much tell what a person is like by their aura. When I first met you Aunt Martha and Uncle Jon. I knew you were two of the kindest, most loving people I'd ever met. Just being near you for those few minutes helped reduce how much my ghost half had been starved. I always try not to be like the other ghosts. But ultimately I have little choice. I'm sorry it just seems... parasitic."
Danny flipped back to be upright, and once again slouched in on himself, hovering only a few inches off the ground. Clark took note of the self hatred in his cousin's blue eyes. It did sound off putting that ghosts would feed off of emotions, but if it was as Danny described, with them drawing only the excess, and since Danny had admitted that he tried to act for the benefit of those around him; Clark saw no justification for such a deep level of self loathing. "Hey, you can't help it. It doesn't sound like you hurt people for it, so it's not parasitic. I think it's more of a symbiotic relationship by the sound of it." Danny smiled at that idea and floated a bit higher.
"Anyway, that's how I knew you were different, Clark, and how I made myself intangible to you. You have the warmest aura I've ever felt. It's like the sun. I knew you were a good person the second I met you, just from that. But it is so strong. I think I'm going to have to learn how to filter it out, sorry, but your excitement earlier was overwhelming. I won't need any human food until at least tomorrow. Sorry Aunt Martha. That's why I don't eat much. More than the fact that I physically can't, I simply don't need to. I've never come across an aura like yours Clark, but with a bit of concentration I was able to understand it, and thus the physics that were designed for you. I couldn't explain them, but I know how to break them. Like I said, I have a habit of complicating the rules."
"So you're sure that most ghosts won't be able to do the intangibility thing like you did?" Clark asked. "Pretty sure." Came Danny's quick reply. "Well, that's the ghost basics down. As the ghost gets more powerful they can generally emit ecto-energy. Kinda like how you lit the candle, but a bit more versatile. I can shoot an energy ray, Danny pointed a finger at the Thermos and a beam of emerald energy shot towards it, knocking it over. Danny righted it after a second, before drifting back to where he had originally been floating. "Since it's just manipulating energy I can also just make a light." For a few seconds Danny's hand was encased in a soft glowing green before an emerald orb lit the room above their heads. They hadn't even realised how dark it had gotten. "That's easier than carrying around a flashlight. Although I have pretty good night vision, so it's mostly for my friends. So more powerful ghosts emit and manipulate a ghost blast."
"After that, each ghost has their own powers which are oriented around their obsession. Skulker is obsessed with hunting, so his powers allow him to create weaponry that helps him with his hunting. He's powerless without his suit. Don't know if you saw, but he's really just a six inch frog-like blob. The box ghost is obsessed with boxes, and the occasional roll of bubble wrap. He can telekinetically control boxes. He's pretty harmless. Um, there's Technus, who can manipulate all technology. Desiree, who grants wishes. As you can see, their powers are related to their obsession."
Clark was astounded by the amount of information he was getting on ghosts. With an inward smile he imagined Chloe's face if she'd listened to even half of what Danny had said tonight. But with all this talk of ghosts and obsessions Clark couldn't help but ask "Do you have an obsession?" Danny froze up then nodded. "What is it?" Danny physically shuddered, and Clark watched as Danny fought to repress something.
"Quick few things on ghost etiquette. One, don't ask how the ghost died. It's the most painful thing they can remember and you'll probably make the ghost angry. I told you of my own accord, otherwise you would never have found out. Two, be careful when you call a ghost names. We chose it for a reason, and some are fierce when it's challenged. Three, never ask a ghost what its obsession is. It's the barest essence of its soul, and it's like ordering someone to show you themself naked. Asking what the obsession is the easiest way to make a ghost go into a violent rage. I'm only half ghost, so it's not quite as personal, and I can control myself. I'll probably tell you eventually, but not when asked."
Clark noted Danny's clipped tone and realised that he'd unknowingly offended him. "Sorry." Danny sighed. "It's okay; you had no way to know. The people in Amity Park only clued in towards the end of last year. If you figure it out, that's all well and good. But you should never ask." Searching for something else to talk about Clark elected to ask "So what other powers do you have?" Danny laughed. "Actually, you probably know most of them. There's only one that I never really use." Clark was actually a bit disappointed. Most of what Danny could do were things he could replicate with the powers he'd had all his life. "That's all? You're strong, you're super-fast, and you can fly, phase through stuff and turn invisible. What makes you different from the other ghosts?"
Danny chuckled. This was fun, but it was time. "I am a Halfa; half-human and half-ghost. I've already told you I have a human form, that's this. But I also have a ghost form. I say you already know most of my powers, not because I've shown you, but because I'm sure you know me. Chloe does." Before anyone had the chance to ask what Danny meant a white-blue halo of light formed around Danny's middle. It split in two, one going up, the other down. Danny's cargo pants disappeared to be traded into loose fitting black breeches. His worn sandshoes morphed into silvery combat boots. The deep blue t-shirt that Danny was wearing was replaced by a loose fitting black tunic, with something silver embroidered over his heart. Sliver-white fingerless gloves encircled his hands. A billowing white cloak materialised around Danny's shoulders, fastened by an emerald stone. The hood was down, so you could see the soft white hair that adorned his head. Danny opened his eyes, and the deep cerulean had been replaced by two glowing green emeralds.
It was then that the cloud in front of the moon parted, bathing the loft in its gentle white light. But the moonlight only served to enhance the unearthly elegance of Danny's ghost form. The white glow that surrounded his cousin made the moonlight seem dull. The cloak billowed gently around him, shifting in a breeze that was not there. Clark recognised him. He knew his parents recognised him. Still, Danny stated simply, his voice echoing with an other-worldly resonance "Clark, Uncle Jon, Aunt Martha. I am Danny Phantom." Clark stared at his cousin, the Phantom of Amity Park. His cousin looked more like a medieval prince than the simple boy that had floated in his place a moment ago.
Seeing the transformation was surreal. It was a wonder nobody had put it together before now. But then again, the Danny that had accompanied him to the Talon this morning could not seem more different than the one before him. The Danny he had been with today was shy, pretty clumsy and easily slid into the background. The same could not be said for the being that floated in front of him. He exuded power, subtly demanding attention with the ghostly glow. This Danny was confidant, and commanding; every bit the nobility that his outfit depicted. This Danny was the hero that could defeat armies of ghosts without strain. The mannerisms of the two Danny's were a tale in opposites. And perhaps that's just how he wanted it to be.
Danny had changed the out of the hazmat suit shortly after the Gregor incident. There were many contributing factors; he had wanted a change from the Haz-Mat suit, a year and a half of fighting in that thing was trying. It wasn't particularly comfortable, and while the addition of his own insignia had been a welcome change he had eventually decided that it was time to alter the outfit. Sam had demanded that he keep the black and white colour scheme, he wasn't sure if it was because of her gothic inclination or the fact that it was an institution.
Danny had tried several changes in the Real World, but human clothes wouldn't stay on his ghost form after he changed. He'd eventually gone to the Zone, where Dora had leaped at the idea. It was her who decided upon his tunic and gloves, claiming that they suited a Knight of her realm. Sam had convinced Dora that combat boots were of practical use, so Dora had commissioned a pair. It was Sam who had designed the cloak, and he could never be thankful enough for her. She had gone off on her own to some of the Zone's seamstresses to arrange it for him as an anniversary present. The white offset the basic black of the rest of his outfit, and the emerald stone matched his eyes.
But his favourite part of his new outfit was one that very few knew about. Together Dora and Sam had arranged the necklace. It was the only thing that he was able to carry through both forms and he never took it off. The chain was unbreakable, even in the worst ghost fights. On his ghost form hung two pendants, the third he could only access as a human. The first pendant was a silver D with a P hollowed out of the middle; the emblem that Sam had designed for him, and would always remind him of her. The second pendant had practical use. It was a sword, which gave him access to a beautiful ghostly hand-and-a-half sword that Dora had demanded he carried. The blade was made of ghostly steel, and the hilt glittered with silver and green emeralds. These two pendants he had carried since he had changed his outfit.
The third was a much more recent addition. It was made on Earth, so did not come through to his ghost form. Danny liked to imagine that it went into his heart, for that is what it represented. It was the red jewelled class ring that had been engraved "SAM" by his father. He had retrieved it from Sam's house after the meteor struck, one of the few things he had left of her. But it was this third pendant that was the most significant; it reminded him of why he fought and what he had to lose. It was Sam who first encouraged him to fight the ghosts. It was Sam who saw him through the tough times when Amity Park declared him a villain. And it was for Sam that he would continue fighting, so he could be the hero that she had wanted him to be.
Clark thought of how often he had to put things on hold for Meteor Freaks. It seemed that there was maybe one a fortnight, one a week if he was really unlucky. But if the reports from Amity Park held true, the town was in a perpetual state of ghost attacks. There was at least one that made the news a day. And Phantom was always there to stop them. Clark was brought out of his astonishment to ask "how often did you have to fight ghosts?"
"Sorta depends what you mean. Actual fights there were usually four, maybe five a day. Only two if I was lucky or during summer. Ghosts really don't like heat. On bad days there'd be as many as ten. But small five minute captures there was about one every hour or so." For Martha things suddenly clicked. All the troubled behaviour; the late nights, the bad grades, detentions and skipped school, all of it was Danny Phantom going off to be a hero. Saving his town, much like Clark did. Yet like Clark, Danny seemed to eschew fame. He lived two lives, one the shy invisible boy, and the other a hero. The young boy in front of him had dealt with as much, if not more than her own son, and yet he wasn't even out of high school. Martha couldn't help the surge of pride from knowing that Danny had used his powers to do the right thing.
"This last month has been the longest break I've had in nearly two years... although it's probably down to the destruction of the portal as much as anything. Then again it may be that the ghosts can't find me. Skulker was able to track me, but he's a hunter. Still don't know what to do with him..." Danny's eyes went wide "if he found me, the others will follow too. The ghosts will come here. I'm so sorry; I've brought my stupid ghost problems here." Danny sunk his head in defeat. The glow around him dimmed and he silently sunk to the floor.
Clark felt like he had to say something to comfort the ghost in front of him. "Hey, it's all-right. We already have our own problem with the meteor freaks, so we're prepared for the unexplained. Chloe will be thrilled to be able to study ghosts first hand, and I'm sure Smallville wouldn't mind getting to meet you. You just show us how to handle ghosts and we'll handle the rest. The town's already schizo, so there's nothing a few ghosts can do to change it."
Danny smiled thankfully at Clark, and nodded firmly. "Thanks. If it's any help, I think I can help identify the meteor infected people. There was something off about Sean, I first sensed him in the Talon, he followed us through town. But if he's anything to go by..." Clark was surprised at this bit of information. Chloe would be ecstatic if she found out Danny could identify them before they went completely mental.
Thinking that over, there were some questionable things that Phantom – Danny – had done and Clark had a couple of questions to ask. There was the puzzle of the first ghost invasion, which according to most internet sources was Phantom's first attempt to take over the town. Then there was also the issue of when he had led a partition of ghosts into stealing from innocent businesses. "The first invasion. What really happened, did you really kidnap the Mayor?"
Danny shook his head, "No, the mayor was being overshadowed by a ghost. He grabbed on to me, so I couldn't phase out and framed me. He wanted to make Amity Park my personal prison, and for the most part he succeeded. It took close to a year and the town being ripped into the Zone for me to repair some of the damage."
"In the Real World there's a million dollar bounty on my head. Not that anyone but the GIW is interested in that anymore. But in the Zone there's three million for my capture. That was set up by the Zone's warden Walker. He handles the criminal human ghosts."
Martha gasped. That was nearly as much as the most deplorable wanted criminals in the States. "What did you do?" Danny looked over at her. "For both the real reason is that I exist. In the real World it's because I'm a ghost and all ghosts are evil. Therefore I need to be captured, contained, dissected and ultimately destroyed. In the Zone it's because I'm too powerful. Most ghosts take a decade to be able to pull off half of what I can do after just two years. But the official reason is that I brought a real world item into the Zone."
Clark pondered this. There was a very real chance that should anyone ever find out that he was Kryptonian he would wind up in a similar situation. Yet Danny just accepted it, as if it was natural for people to be out to destroy you. Clark wondered why he just took that, but that could be asked later. "And the crime spree?" Danny's eyes darkened as he looked at Clark.
"That is one of the worst things I've ever gone through. It started when a circus came to town; Circus Gothica. It was a darker style of circus, oriented around the gothic culture. No one knew it, but the performers were ghosts. When the circus first arrived I stopped them from robbing a jewellery store, but got blamed for it all the same. No, I'm not denying what I did, that comes later. The ringmaster; Frederich Isak Showenhower, or Freakshow by his ring name was controlling the ghosts. I was stupid, and wound up at the circus with my friend Sam for the opening preview." Danny shivered and turned away, his emerald eyes distant.
"He came out of his train carriage, but all I remember seeing is the red orb of his staff. He said "surrender to your dark side" and it was like I was hypnotized. There was something unnatural about the orb. It was beautiful, but looking into it I felt myself, everything l know as me, disappear. When Freakshow held it, it was like I had no choice but to do as he said. Most of that time is a blur, but what I do remember... it's not good. The staff had been in his family for generations, most of them used the ghosts for harmless entertainment. It was uncomfortable for the ghosts, but we don't really matter. Freakshow was greedy. He wanted more than the pittance that the circus brought in. He made us steal; he used me to marshal the ghosts since I was the most powerful."
"He used us all in his act. I don't think I was home the whole time the circus was in town. He wouldn't let the ghosts leave. He caught Sam who was trying to free me, and incorporated her into the act. I was on the high-wire. He made me look like the grim reaper. Sam was to cross the wire, and Freakshow ordered me to sever it. I complied, but as she fell I felt some of me come back. Freakshow didn't know but he had asked me to act against my obsession, and ghosts just can't do that."
"I saved Sam, but he came and I was trapped in the orb again. The next thing I really remember is a fight on the top of the train as he tried to escape. Sam and Tuck were both there, trying to get the staff away to free me. Freakshow treated us like dogs, and we were helpless to do anything about it. We were crossing the bridge that left town when Sam was pushed over the edge. At that point I had the staff in my hand and it fell even as I went to save her. It shattered on the rocks below, and we were freed. We caught Freakshow for thieving, but I will always feel guilty for what I did, what I could have done. I nearly killed my best friend."
That was a sobering story. It put paid to the idea that Phantom was just acting the hero while secretly plotting against the humans. But it was disturbing that someone had been able to take away Danny's free will. At this, Martha left the couch and went to give her nephew a hug. The ignored the cold skin, but was surprised at the silent sobs that wracked his body. It took a moment, but she felt his cool arms reaching out to return the hug, even as he calmed himself. Martha was temporarily blinded by a white-blue light as Danny changed back to human.
His blue eyes searched hers. "Thanks, Aunt Martha. Those days were painful; I'd almost take another fight with the Pariah over that." Danny calmed himself, and looked into the faces of his family, for that is what the Kent's were. He'd never been able to share so much, even with his own parents, but the Kent's were so trustworthy that he felt like he needed to tell them. "Freakshow demanded that I act against what makes me who I am. And that was beyond painful. The mind of a ghost works different to that of a human, it's like someone telling you to stop the blood moving around your body, or prevent your heart beating. You just can't and it hurts to try."
"Clark, earlier you asked what all my powers are, but first you need to understand how they came to be. Yours, I know to be drawn from the sun. I'll tell you how I know eventually. But my powers are drawn from my obsession; from my soul. A ghost's obsession is often oriented around the last emotion it had when it died in the Real World. I told you earlier what my last thought as a human was." Danny paused to look at Clark. Clark thought back to when Danny had told them how he died.
"I hope no-one else gets hurt like this" Clark whispered. "Exactly" Danny said. "The last emotion I had when I was alive was to protect others. Every fibre of my being is oriented for the sole purpose of protection. My human half dampens the need, so I can at least behave human, but if someone is in trouble I don't really have a choice."
"That's part of why I couldn't say Phantom is a hero in the Talon when Chloe asked. I don't know the point where my obsession ends and my human half begins. I'm not sure that it counts as heroic to save people given my obsession. And I can't exactly be called a hero if I couldn't even protect my own family. I was there; I should have done something, but... I can't even remember what really happened. All I know is that I woke up in a hospital where Mr Masters had the doctors on the payroll. I'm not a hero, just a freaky half-dead kid who struggles to help people."
"Danny" Jonathan said, standing up from the couch. "In this world everyone has a choice. You may be more drawn to protecting people, but what makes a person a hero is the reason that they do it. You said it yourself; it's based around your last human thought. Yours was a noble one, and if that's the reason that you need to protect people then it is a noble reason. More than that you could have chosen to use your powers for the wrong reasons. You protect anyone; that much is clear from the news that gets here. You may not see yourself as a hero, but what you do says you are."
Danny was vaguely comforted by his Uncle's words. He still felt guilty for not saving his family, but he had seen what happened when he used his obsession selfishly. In that alternate timeline being around Vlad had shifted the protection from others to himself. Coupled with the extreme emotion from losing his family it had driven his ghost half mad. That's what made Dan so powerful, he needed to protect himself, and the only way to do it was to gain power. He had to fight that away every day, knowing what would happen if he became protective only of himself. He felt his aunt give him one more tight squeeze before she went back to stand at her husband's side.
Clark noticed the subtle shift in Danny's mood, so elected to ask another question. "So what exactly are your other powers?" Danny shook his head, raven hair shuffling in the light breeze. "Other than the basics, I can make a shield, or dome, that blocks human weapons, and most ghost weapons. It takes energy to sustain for long though. Um, I can redirect ghost electrical energy, not sure about real electricity. I can duplicate myself... be in two places at once. But that's a head rush. When I reabsorb the duplicates there can be too much information. My powers seem to pop up when I need them. There are some things I've only done once or twice, but don't know what to name them since the situation never called for me to practice."
"Everything comes back to protecting people. I get whatever powers are needed in order to protect people, or ghosts. Whoever is in need of protection." Danny paused, his gaze landing on the thermos. "I feel bad for Skulker; usually I can just capture the ghost and release it back into the Zone, but there aren't any natural portals near here, and my parents' one was destroyed with the house. Sometimes I wish I could just wave my hand and..." Danny paused as a small green and blue swirl formed in the air in front of him. He felt a tug, drawing on his energy reserves and the swirl grew to over a metre in diameter. Danny was shocked, he recognised this as something Dan - his alternate future self - had been able to do, but hadn't imagined he'd be able to do it. That said he needed to get Skulker back into the Zone.
Danny felt the pull as the portal continued to tap into his ghost energy, making him both tired and hungry. He was aware enough to note the confusion in the Kent's eyes. After all it wasn't often that a cross-dimensional portal opened up in your barn loft. Danny half smiled as he realised that he was getting more powerful, few ghosts could summon portals. Somewhat wearily he explained "New power, that's a portal to the Zone." He looked at Clark, unable to move from the newness of the power and the energy drain. "Clark, can you please put Skulker back in the Zone. Take the cap off the Thermos, aim it into the portal and press the red button. It's a release."
Clark kindly obliged and watched transfixed at the blur of blue green and silver that was pulled through the portal. The energy stopped, and the portal flickered out of existence. Danny slumped. "Okay Aunt Martha, I changed my mind. I think I will be able to eat dinner." Danny's eyes blinked tiredly and he yawned. "Then again maybe in the morning." And with that Danny fell asleep, exhausted from the energy required to summon the portal and looking the complete picture of innocent bliss. Jon looked between the two boys. "I think it's time for a late bite to eat. Clark, can you put Danny in bed. We all have a bit to think about."
Clark looked at his cousin, and gently picked him up. As Clark carried the tiny sixteen year old back to the house he lost himself in thought. He's not from Krypton, but in a way he's the same as me. I'm the last Kryptonian, and from what he said he's the only Halfa. We're both just trying to make this a better world for those around us. Both of us are lonely, trying to find a place in a world we really don't belong to. But maybe we can be less alone together. The sleeping boy in his arms shivered slightly, even as Clark laid him on the bed. As Clark went downstairs to join his parents he mused. One thing's for certain, with Danny here things are going to be different.
AN: Okay, so both boys' powers are fully revealed. Some of the powers look a bit different to how they do in the show, like Danny's intangibility just meaning you can't touch him. I figured that's how it would manifest in the real world, like how he's completely invisible unlike the outline you see in the show.
I'd like to give a big thanks to everyone who favourite and reviewed. You know who you are and you're awesome.
Also, do you want me to split up the updates, two a week at around 5,000 words each? Or wait for the full 10,000 on the weekend?
Fare thee well
Bluerose