Edit: 5/22/18: Next wave of grammar fixes and wording tweaks or some scenes altered to avoid cliches. Took out AN question and answer sections.
Hmm, I bet some of you were waiting for this. ;)
zzz- normal separation
ooo- dream or vision separation
Mental thoughts or distant speaking
"I don't care about whose DNA has recombined with whose. When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching-they are your family." ~ Jim Butcher, Proven Guilty.
zzz
Christmas was just a few days away. Jazz had come home several days prior and was beyond happy to hear that she no longer had to save her brother from being burnt, zapped, or torn apart by their parents anymore. Danny could see more decorations being put up for the holidays around town and Casper High had finally released them for the break. After a day of helping his parents decorating around the house, night started to fall and Danny waited patiently with a plan in mind.
He remembered the year he'd almost ruined Christmas and messed with the Ghostwriter and had wanted to do something special one year just to make up for almost ruining things. So as the night did fall, he slipped out the house after transforming in Phantom.
He flew high into the air to get an aerial view of all of Amity and looked about. He smirked and took a deep breath before sailing back down towards the town.
zzz
Danny was completely out of it, face down in his bed, snoring. He'd worked hard last night to make his masterpiece. He wasn't certain if everyone would have a bigger clue as to who TheEidolon was or to most, what he was, but he didn't mind too much. They might figure out something or they might not; it was a toss-up. Finally, his phone rang. He and his friends had planned to go Christmas shopping that day. He picked up the phone, not moving, and brought it to his ear before turning his head so he could speak without being hindered by his pillow.
"Hello?"
"Danny?"
"Yeah, Sam?"
"Did you?"
"Do all that stuff you see? Yep."
"You… you really did? Of course, you did. Who else could?"
"Klemper?"
"Oh, ha ha. I just can't believe…"
"Just something as a sorry to everyone in Amity."
"Danny, it's… it's amazing!"
"I'm glad you like it Sam."
"We're meeting at my house, but I'll call everyone else and give you another couple hours of sleep or at least to get ready. You deserve it. You did a great thing, Danny. I can see kids outside looking around."
A smile split Danny's face. "Good. See ya later, Sam."
They hung up and Danny was going to try and get at least another thirty minutes before getting up until he heard a knock at his door.
"Danny! Danny, Oh my God! Did you do all the stuff around the city! You've got to see the news, little brother!"
Danny smirked and with a groan lifted himself from his bed and pulled some things on, mostly some sweats over his boxers and a tank. He opened the door and Jazz saw the slight darkness under his eyes.
"Danny, you must've been up almost all night!"
"Yep."
"And I just woke you up."
"Yep."
Jazz grimaced slightly in guilt. "Sorry?"
Danny smiled and hugged his sister. "No problem. Let's see what they have to say about my masterpiece."
The siblings went downstairs and saw their parents looking at the screen of the TV. The family sat together as Lance Thunder talked.
And in other news, if you've been outside of your home today, then you'll notice that overnight, Amity Park has undergone a strange but beautiful transformation. Some kind of crystal or ice had coated various places around the city. The lake has frozen over and snowbanks are there to save skaters from nasty falls, arcs of ice and icicles are branching between buildings and over the roads, buildings are decorated with icy embellishments and snow, the Mall even has its own solid ice tree decorating its front, complete with a vast variety of ornaments. To say Amity Park has been turned into a winter wonderland is an understatement folks! It's like the North Pole suddenly relocated here to humble Amity! No one is sure how this happened or why the ice like and snow like manifestations show no signs of melting. Children are playing in the streets and finding joy in the various caves and icy forts scattered about town. I don't know who or what did this, but it's given a new twist to Christmas in Amity.
As soon as Lance was done, Jack and Maddie turned to look at their son with blank faces. He blinked when suddenly Jack grinned like a mad-man and scooped him up into a bone-crushing hug.
"Danno! Do you know how proud Santa would be of you!? This is amazing, son!"
"Oh Danny, it's beautiful! You must be exhausted sweetie, making and shaping all that ice."
Danny slipped out of his father's hug with intangibility and took a large gasp of air, before smiling.
"Thanks Mom, Dad. I just wanted to well…"
"Yes dear, but it was the Ghostwriter's fault! You just let your temper act as a catalyst. It's our fault too, your father and I, for being so silly and not being as attentive as we should've been." Maddie smiled sadly and kissed Danny on the cheek.
"Now aren't you and Jazz needing to get ready to go shopping? Me and your father have some things to do before we go out ourselves."
Danny and Jazz perked up before cutting their eyes over at each other. Both then turned and darted for the staircase before slamming into each other and struggling to be the first to go up the stairs. Danny then went intangible and flew up through the wall.
"No fair!" Jazz shouted after she'd fallen to the ground due to the absence of her brother's presence beside her.
She heard the water turn on in the upstairs shower. "What's that, Jazz? I can't hear you over the sound of the water! It'll have to wait until I'm out!"
Jazz grumbled. "Aren't you the jokester."
zzz
"Goodness, Danny. I have to say, obviously ghosts can create beautiful things." Valerie spoke in awe as the five friends walked down the road, towards the Mall. People were out everywhere, looking at the ice and snow that wouldn't melt until Danny made it melt. He saw children laughing and playing with their watchful parents nearby.
"Thanks, Valerie."
"Dude, how'd you shape so much ice?" Tucker asked and started typing on his new PDA, like he was doing calculations.
"Practice from the sculptures. I had to take a few breaks here and there, though."
"This has got to be thousands and thousands of tons of ice and snow dude."
"Don't remind me."
Sam smiled brightly and swung her and Danny's interlocked hands a bit. She was of course happier than her normal self since it was the holidays; she always was cheerful this time of year.
"I think it's just… actually I don't think words do it justice."
"Geez, Sam." Danny replied and blushed deeply.
"How long do you think it'll take for someone to figure out the connection between TheEidolon and this none melting ice?" Jazz asked.
"Probably not too long. Then again, the town still hasn't figure out I'm Phantom," Danny replied and shrugged. "But at least it'll explain what the sculptures are made of at the very least."
"Or they might never make the connection," Tucker quipped.
Suddenly a wisp of blue flew out from Danny's mouth and Valerie's alarm beeped a couple times at her.
"WILL YOU BE MY FRIEND!?"
"AAAAHHHH!"
Danny sighed and looked around before walking into an alleyway and transforming with Valerie beside him. The two flew out with their friends hot on their tails. They neared the center of town and saw Klemper looking at a bunch of people with a finger to his mouth in confusion. He turned to look over his shoulder and saw Danny.
"Phantom!" Klemper shouted and barreled into Danny, giving him a massive hug.
"Hey Klemper," Danny replied and saw everyone below looking up in confusion.
"I was just asking these humans if they'd be my friends. If they scream… is that a yes or a no?" Klemper backed up and cocked his head.
"You just spooked them, that's all," Danny smiled.
Valerie deadpanned and glanced over at Danny. "Really? Spooked them?"
Danny rolled his eyes. "It's the truth."
"Phantom, could you teach me to use my ice powers better? I've made forts before, but nothing like this! You turned all of Amity into a white winter wonderland!" Klemper squealed and spun with his arms wide.
People on the street started whispering and one brave man moved forward. "Is that true, Phantom? Did you do all of this?"
Danny looked down at the man and smiled. He rubbed the back of his neck when he answered. "I uh, was kinda a scrooge one year if you haven't forgotten and I just wanted to do something to try and set things right. I'd thought about this for a while and well… did it. It's ecto-ice. It doesn't melt like normal ice, so whenever everyone wants it gone just give me a shout and I'll melt it down when you've all wintered out."
A little boy broke from his mother's hold and ran forward to be more directly under the two ghosts and the Huntress. He smiled. "Thanks Mr. Phantom. I've nebber seen something so bootyful."
Danny face broke into a smile and he floated down closer to the boy. "Thanks, I'm happy you like it." He held out his hand in front of the boy. With little effort, he formed an ice crystal and placed it in the boy's hand.
"Whoa." The boy looked over at Klemper who'd been watching. "You were wanting a friend?"
Klemper perked up and Danny glanced back nervously.
"A friend?"
"Yeah. I'll be your friend, Mr. Klemppar."
Danny turned to face Klemper and put a hand in front of the ghost's face. "Only for the day though, okay Klemper? I'm sure his parents don't want you popping in randomly."
"Awwww…. Phantom… He WANTS to be my FRIEND!" Klemper whined and his lip trembled.
"I know and that's very kind of him, but his parents wouldn't like that, so you listen and behave and maybe you can be friends with him another day if you ask me."
Klemper pouted. "Why do I have to listen to you?"
"Because, Amity is my lair."
"You don't have a lair because you're a-"
Danny slapped a hand over Klemper's mouth and glanced back at the people nervously. He chuckled and then glanced at Klemper again.
"Maybe not, but it's where I haunt so this can go very well or very poorly, your choice. I can let you play with the kids if you're careful and kind or I can suck you up in the thermos and send you packing, understood?"
Klemper looked into Danny's eyes as he pulled his hand away.
Klemper smiled and nodded. "Okay okay, I just want to be tha boy's friend!"
A little girl ran up to stand beside the boy. "Can you be my friend too, Mr. Klemper?"
Klemper seemed stunned for a moment.
"You can make a snowman whiff us!"
Danny smiled and touched down on the ground. He kneeled and started to form a massive bit of ice that quickly shaped into three balls stacked on each other. The kids and adults both gasped in wonder as it slowly was shaped into a Frosty Snowman. Klemper's jaw dropped.
"Mr. Phantom! Your ice powers are so strong!" Klemper gasped and looked all over the creation.
Danny smiled. "Lots of practice. Maybe next time I'm in the Zone I'll show ya some tricks."
Klemper bounced on his heels in the snow. "Yes yes! Please!"
Danny smiled as the kids started to look all over the snowman and smile at Danny. Danny suddenly tensed though when he heard something. He snatched the kids up, making their parents gasp in alarm, before a missile slammed into the spot they'd all been. Klemper fell onto his rear and Danny halted his roll before shielding the kids with his body.
"Who's there!?" Danny looked around until his hearing picked up small engine sounds. The Guys in White came around the corner on two hover crafts.
"It's the Ghost Boy. Should've guessed by its ectoplasmic energy level."
"Geez do you guys have to show up now? And I'm not an it, I'm a he!"
"We can't have you dirtying the streets, scum."
The little boy behind Danny yelled. "Phantom's a good guy!"
"Yeah! Leave Phantom alone, you bullies!" The girl shouted.
Danny grabbed them up and floated them over to their parents' arms. He then walked back to the center of the road. Sam growled and leapt out from the rest of the crowd.
"Don't you closed-minded fools have someplace else to be!?"
"Negative. We've come to inspect the ice that showed up here. It's of ectoplasmic origin and thus must be eliminated." Operative O spoke.
"Nooo!" The boy and girl whined and the adults started murmuring.
"It's just ice and snow! The only difference is that it doesn't melt from the Human world's properties. I swear that's all it is!" Phantom exclaimed.
"First we need to deal with you, Ghost Boy." Operative K replied.
They aimed two missiles at Danny and fired. Danny leapt into the air and flew away only for the rockets to follow him. Valerie watched in shocked anger with Danny's friends. The people on the street were trying to decide what to do.
The rockets eventually slammed into Danny and he fell to the ground and rolled across the ground. His suit was torn in a few places and ectoplasm was oozing through the burnt places on his skin. He groaned and pulled himself to his hands and knees.
Operative K aimed another set of rockets and the people started booing the Guys in White. The rocket flew, Valerie moved to help Danny before he took a deep breath and let loose a stream of fire from his throat. The rockets exploded as soon as they neared the flames and the ice near Danny melted a bit. Danny glared up at the Operatives and his eyes glowed green before he slid into the ground. The two operatives glanced around with their goggles but couldn't find Danny while he was in the ground. Suddenly he was behind them and he thrust his hands into the hovercraft they were on with intangibility and yanked out some wires. The craft started to waver in the air.
"You leave everyone alone! This ice and snow is for everyone in Amity! If you can't appreciate it, then fly south for the winter!" Danny quipped before letting them go. Their craft wavered a bit and they growled at Danny before starting to fly away. They couldn't continue to fight with gimmicky craft.
"We'll be back Ghost Boy!"
Danny sighed and flew up to start repairing some of the ice he had to melt.
The boy pulled away from his mother's grasp again. "Mr. Phantom are you hurt?"
Phantom looked down and shook his head. "A little, but I'll be okay." Phantom floated back down to the ground and looked at Klemper. "I've got things to do, so behave and play nice, okay Klemper?"
Klemper nodded. "Okay Danny!" He then sat on the ground and started to build and snowball in his hand. The boy and girl looked at their parents and the adults glanced at each other and then Danny before smiling a little bit and slowly nodding.
Danny smiled brightly and then waved goodbye. He grinned and jumped onto the street and started to skate down the road, forcing the ice he made beneath his feet to melt so cars wouldn't have trouble once he was gone. He turned and started skating away backwards before he jumped, backflipping into the air and turning his legs into a tail at the same time and flying off.
A few people cheered at the short display and the children laughed with pleasure.
Valerie shot off after him and they searched for a place to transform.
"Show off."
"What!? I've created all this and I'm not allowed to ice skate when I wanna?"
"Okay okay, you win Danny."
Eventually the two met back up with their friends by the Mall after Valerie transformed out of her suit and Phantom turned into Fenton. The five friends walked towards the Mall, passing by the giant ice tree Danny had created.
-Thwack!-
Danny recoiled slightly when the snowball slammed into the back of his head. He turned to looked over his shoulder and glared at Dash and Kwan who were laughing behind a snow bank. The two jocks then walked off.
"Ignore them," Sam spoke as Danny melted the snow from his head with his hot core while still a bit angry.
"Trying…" Danny grumbled and the friends finally made it into the Mall to shop the day away.
zzz
Amity Park Slums. Christmas Eve.
A rat peeked out of a dirtied and discarded rain guard before running out and grabbing a piece of garbage. It gnawed on the food before running away and into a crack in a worn-down building. A can struck a place near the rat once was.
"I don't think I could eat garbage. I would probably get sick even with my ghost half."
The voice belonged to none other than Dani Phantom. The young girl was in her human form and walking down the alley to kick the can she'd kicked before. She sighed when she got to it and kicked it one more time and a bit harder. After the can had disappeared into a pile of trash, she growled and rubbed her arms. It was so cold. It had been cold before the ice and snow had appeared around Amity, but now it was just a bit colder than before. Dani had overheard that her cousin had made the town into the Winter Wonderland it was and had thought it was great; she would have enjoyed it even more if she could've floated around in her ghost form though, not as susceptible to the cold like that. She was afraid to do that though, she didn't want to get Danny in trouble if someone spotted her and tried to hunt her. It'd been a few months since she'd been in Amity last anyways. She had hoped to find Danny and just hang out with him. Every time she tried to travel far away, she always ended up back with Danny or at least being drawn to him. He was… all she had.
She sighed and walked around a corner. She yelped when a piece of paper smacked against her face due to the wind that had picked up. She peeled it from her face and saw it was a page from a calendar. It read, "December twenty fourth." Dani had forgotten… Christmas was tomorrow.
"The time of year families are supposed to be together…"
She let the wind take the page from her hand.
"Sucks to be me…"
She rounded the next corner and got a good view of the Mall. A tree of ice glistened in the lights about the streets and homes and Mall itself.
"Danny… I think I remember him mentioning he didn't like Christmas."
Dani perked up, thinking that maybe he'd be more apt to come do something with her if he didn't want to be around his house. It was a long shot and Dani knew that in the back of her mind, but that tiny bit of hope was powerful enough to get her to turn herself invisible and run towards Danny's home. That would be the first place she'd look.
zzz
It was finally Christmas Eve and Danny was happy. Imagine that. His family had started some new traditions since that fateful year with the Ghostwriter even before they knew he was a half-ghost; at the moment they were watching a movie as a family and drinking warm drinks. Once the movie was over, they were going to place some of the last ornaments on the tree.
"Danny."
Jazz felt Danny flinch and Danny realized Jazz hadn't heard anything.
"What's up?"
"Uh, nothing."
Danny thought maybe it was just the wind or something when he heard it again.
"Cuz!" It whispered louder in his ear. He realized what might be going on and excused himself from the room. He walked into the room that the family had put the tree in that year.
"Dani?"
As soon as the words came off his tongue. Danielle in her human form phased into view.
"Danny? Uh, Merry Christmas?"
Danny smiled and bent to hug his 'cousin' tightly. "How've you been Dani? You've grown."
"So, have you, Mr. Gigantor!"
"Tch," Danny teased and messed Dani's hair.
"Danny, what are doing in- Oh my!"
Danielle froze and gasped before phasing out of sight in front of Danny's Mom.
"Oh, I didn't mean to scare her!"
Danny stood and looked around. "Dani! Dani! Come back, it's okay! Mom knows, everything. Dad too."
"What do I know?" Jack asked and popped his head into the room, making the ball of his Santa hat he was wearing sway. Jazz was right behind him.
Danny looked around, "They know about you and where you really came from. Please come out, Dani. I want you to meet them."
Finally, Dani slowly appeared and looked around at the people there.
Maddie smiled and kneeled like Danny had done once again.
"Hello sweetie. Your name's Dani right? With an I?"
Dani smiled. "Yep!" She glanced at Danny. "So, they're cool with the clone thing?"
"Yeah." Danny nodded and then furrowed his brows. "Why did you need me by the way?"
Dani glanced at the ground and messed with her foot against the carpet.
"I uh… didn't want to be alone for Christmas. I thought that if you were out and about then we could mess around at the arcade or something. I'm sorry. It was stupid to come. Of course, you'd wanna be with your family. I'll just leave." Dani turned to walk out of the room and towards the front door when she saw Danny frown.
"It's a shame the whole family won't be together for Christmas."
Dani paused and looked over her shoulder at Danny. "Huh? You have another sibling or something? I thought Jazz was the only sibling you had and your parents are here."
"A younger sister. She's been gone for a while. I've been worrying about her since she flew away from me and the Huntress, dramatically, I might add. She's really independent, but I'm becoming more and more of an overprotecting and overbearing brother the older I get. Never shoulda bugged Jazz about her tendencies. Her name starts with a-Ooff!" Danny was winded when Dani slammed into him, hugging his neck tightly.
Dani looked up at Maddie and Jack with tears starting to gather in her eyes. "Can I really stay for Christmas?"
Maddie smiled. "How about always, sweetie?"
Jack jumped in quickly. "We Fentons stick together! No man or woman left behind!"
Danielle tensed and Danny smiled at her. "He's a real father. He won't use you. He'll love you and so will Mom. She's not a hologram and Jazz isn't a cat named after my mother."
Jazz frowned with slight irritation, Maddie grimaced with slight revulsion, and Jack frowned in slight sadness.
"Really?"
"Have I ever lied to you?" Danny asked and noogied her.
"No!" Dani shouted and laughed.
"I'm sure Tucker can forge some kind of birth certificate. Maybe we can say you're some kind of lost cousin from Arkansas or something." Danny smiled and Dani smiled right back before closing her eyes.
"I can't believe I got a family for my Christmas present."
Danny opened his mouth in surprise before a smile adorned his face. He felt her breathing slow in slumber. "She must be tired and it was cold outside. She doesn't have a specific place for shelter."
Maddie sighed. "Poor dear."
"She can sleep in my bed with me until we figure out a room for her," Jazz spoke up.
Danny handed the young girl to his father who lifted her with ease. Danny then smiled and transformed into Phantom.
"Where are you off to?" Maddie asked.
"Dani needs at least a few presents to open for Christmas."
Maddie smiled slowly. "Okay sweetheart. Try to get back soon though. Be careful."
Danny nodded and flew gently through the roof.
"He's getting more and more doting as time goes on," Jazz spoke.
"I guess he's growing up," Maddie smiled before walking out of the room to see if Jack had put Dani to bed.
Jazz frowned wistfully. "Or he's just learn what's important very quickly."
Jazz turned and walked out of the room after taking one last look at the Christmas tree. She spied a few ornaments Danny had made of ecto-ice, there. She smiled and walked away.
zzz
"Danny! Danny! Danny! Danny!"
"Uggg…"
"Danny!"
"Five more minutes."
"But it's Christmas morning!" Dani yelled out bounced one more time as hard as she could on Danny's bed. Danny yelped as he was tossed to the floor.
"Okay okay, let's go." Danny chuckled and pulled himself up from the ground. He walked off behind Dani as she darted out of his room and ran down the stairs. Jazz, Maddie, and Jack were already at the bottom of the stairs.
"Morning Danny, Dani," Maddie spoke and nodded to both children.
"Morning mom," Danny replied.
"Morning, Mrs. Fenton."
"It's going to be mom soon sweetie," she glanced up at Danny. "I got the message from Tucker this morning. We'll be having an advocate from a local adoption agency come sometime next week. They've already looked over the documents Tucker made to show she was a cousin from Arkansas that no longer has her parents. The only thing we need is for our family to be deemed adequate for her home."
"How hard can that be!?" Jack bellowed.
Jazz gulped subconsciously and Danny chuckled a bit nervously as well, both siblings glancing at each other swiftly.
"Shouldn't be a problem," Jazz and Danny replied at the same time.
The family then moved into the room holding the tree and presents and began passing some around to each other to open. Dani was watching the family pass the gifts around, contently, when Danny pulled a box from under the tree and placed it in Dani's hands.
"What's this?"
"A present, dur." Danny teased her before resting back on his calves.
Dani blinked in confusion. "But how'd you get them on such short notice…"
"Ghost powers, dur. It takes like a minute to get to the Mall at over a hundred and twenty miles per hour."
Dani smiled brightly and put the present down to hug Danny.
"Thanks Danny… for everything."
The rest of the day went on merrily with Danny calling and saying Merry Christmas to his friends even if Sam celebrated Hanukah. They were all happy to hear Dani in the background.
zzz
If was a couple days after Christmas and the Fentons, plus friends were in the lab, testing some things and watching Danny and Dani practice their powers. After a bit of speed shooting and aerial maneuvers, they both touched down and transformed into their human selves. Dani shivered.
"Is anyone else cold down here?"
Danny raised an eyebrow and looked at Dani's quivering form.
"Huh… I wonder."
Maddie had heard Dani's complaint and turned from her invention to look that the kids.
"What do you wonder, Danny?"
"That was the same way I first started showing the ability to use my cyrokinesis. I got really cold, colder than normal."
"You mean you think I can use cyrokinesis like you?" Dani asked.
"Maybe. Perhaps we should go talk to Clockwork again. He explained why I can use both my cores, maybe he can explain more especially if there's major difference between us or not."
Jack immediately ran over excitedly. "Can we take a family field trip to the Ghost Zone?"
"How could that go wrong?" Jazz asked sarcastically.
Danny looked at his parents and smiled. "Well so long as you do what I say, okay? There are rules."
"Not Walker's though."
"No definitely not Walker's."
With that, everyone climbed into the Spector Speeder and was ready to head off to Clockwork's tower.
zzz
"It seems I'm getting more and more visitors the older I get. I'm not that interesting, am I?" The old ghost asked once everyone was in the room. He had a mischievous smile on his face when he spoke.
"Of course, Clockwork! I mean your library and your knowledge of time," Jazz spouted.
Clockwork chuckled at the response. He glanced only briefly at Jack and Maddie, who were staring at him in stunned silence. He smiled and turned away to get something.
Danny laughed and looked over his shoulder at his parents. "That means he likes you."
"Very funny, Daniel."
Clockwork turned back around with a book that looked very familiar to Sam.
"Hey wait, that book's the one I picked up in Frostbite's library."
"Indeed, it is Samantha. Do you remember what you learned from it?"
"That ghost cores are the same strength always as soon as they are created and a more powerful ghost can consume another's core if they overshadow the other ghost."
"That's correct."
"What does that have to do with me?" Dani asked. "I mean, you do know why we're here. Danny said you know everything."
"Daniel is correct. Father Time knows all."
Everyone turned and saw Hakan float into the room.
"Hakan! It's good to see you again," Danny nodded.
"And you as well, spirit of limbo."
"Spirit of Limbo?" Dani asked and gave Danny a funny look.
"You seem to have a pest problem on your hands, Clockwork. They're multiplying."
Dani frowned and Jack growled. "What was that, spook?"
Danny got anxious and jumped in front of his father. "Wait dad, I know he's kinda a jerk but he is just that way. It doesn't bother me… much."
Clockwork nodded and looked at Hakan. "My friend, you will need to learn and try to drop your preconceptions of these children and their gifts."
"Very well." Hakan nodded.
Clockwork nodded to Jack who seemed visibly calmer.
"Back to the issue at hand. Being what abilities Dani may or may not have of Daniel's. The truth behind Dani's birth is a bit more complicated than a simple clone. If she was a perfect clone then she'd be male, Danny's age, and have every single power he has or could obtain at her disposal. However, she isn't. Vlad didn't think to use the mid-morph DNA during conception of the clone until after Dani. If that last clone had been completed he indeed would've had the perfect clone. Instead he used only Daniel's ghost DNA to make Dani, but he needed mid-morph DNA or some human component to stabilize it. He ultimately took human DNA from Daniel and altered it enough to make a semi-stable clone. A strange sort of apomixis allowed her to form and she became a she, primarily because Vlad mixed his samples on accident and used two X chromosomes instead of one X and one Y. He used her because she was the only one to stay together. From there the clone, Dani, grew until she started to die. That's where the ghost DNA came in. It kept her from dying because her body didn't need as much as a normal human body does, but the two halves forced together weren't stable, as you are aware, Dani. The mid-morph DNA at that stage would've only stabilized you in a different way opposed to the Ecto-dejecto. You were too far developed to receive the benefits of being Daniel's perfect clone. So, you are half as powerful as Daniel because you only received half of his core, the other half would've been only obtainable to you from the mid-morph sequence if you'd received it earlier in development. You only have access to his cold core. Daniel is the only one of the two of you who has access to his hot core. In short, you're essentially a perfect female human clone of Daniel, but not a perfect female half-ghost clone of Daniel."
"So, I can only learn half of the things he will eventually?" Dani asked.
Clockwork nodded. "Only those supported by a cold core. No fire, no lightning."
"Wait, lightning?" Danny asked.
Clockwork paused. "And this is the second thing that must be discussed. Daniel, your core is very special. Not only is it a core of a Halfa, but it is an exceptionally powerful core. Tell me, how did Vlad receive his powers?"
"A portal exploded on his face."
"And Dani?"
"I guess an injection or something to her uh… this is weird… her zygote while Vlad was making her."
"And you?"
Danny paused.
"I got electrocuted by the big portal."
"And?"
"And what?"
Clockwork nodded. "You see Daniel, you weren't just shocked with a bit of ectoplasm or injected with a bit of ectoplasmic material. Your whole body was shocked by the essence of the Ghost Zone itself. Your core is powerful not just because you're growing as a young man and learning how to manage the full power you were given, but because of how you received your powers as well. Remember the book? Your core was strong at the very beginning, you've simply been learning how to control all the power inside you. Dan on the other hand, gave up the ability to 'learn' more about his core since he buried his humanity. A ghost's humanity helps them learn about their core's power so to speak… Indeed Daniel, you're also as strong as you are because your human too."
Danny blinked in awe and furrowed his brows, "So I've been stronger than Vlad all this time?"
"Yes."
Danny gulped. "Then when Dan… overshadowed Vlad's ghost half…"
"That was Vlad's interpretation of what happened. He thought his evil had overwhelmed you. He didn't understand the laws that ghost cores follow. Dan received some of Vlad's physical attributes, mostly the alteration of his flaming hair, cape and teeth as reward for consuming Vlad. What you have to understand is trying to split you and your ghost half in half is like playing Russian roulette. You never know what you get. You could get a placid and irresponsible Fenton and a heroic Phantom with his ice core, or…"
Everyone was watching Danny in confusion. They knew vaguely how Dan was created, but that was it.
"A scared and cowardly Fenton… and a bloodthirsty and out of control… Phantom with a hot core." Danny swallowed thickly. "So, he basically devoured Vlad?"
"Yes. His rage knew no limit. His obsession was warped and he set out to protect himself instead of others."
Sam put the pieces together. "So, let me get this straight. Every time Danny is forced apart from his ghost half in one way or another, you could get two very different personalities from either?"
"You are mostly correct. It's not separate personalities, but simply parts of Daniel amplified."
Danny grew angry. "I have no part of that monster inside me! I'm not bloodthirsty!"
Clockwork frowned. "Maybe not in the context most assign that word, but you are human. You've desired revenge just like any other at some point during your life. The more one numbs themselves from their humanity to feed the beast that is hate and revenge the crueler and more malicious they become. Do you recall your time as a slave to Freakshow?"
Danny was trying to keep up with Clockwork jumping topics. "Yeah, well I mean Sam and Tuck told me what I'd done in more detail. It was a bit fuzzy."
"That staff completely numbs the humanity of ghosts and without their humanity present, their freewill is taken. It's an illusion of sorts. The staff fakes the numbing of one's humanity as to lock onto the ghost's core and enslave them to the holder of the staff. However, the staff cannot work on humans and very powerful ghosts. You still had access to all of your humanity so you were able to break free from its spell from time to time. Very powerful ghosts are simply able to ignore the illusion because they've balanced their remaining humanity and obsession perfectly or because they are already so full of malice that the illusion doesn't numb their humanity since it's already numb. The point of all this talk is that that numbness you felt under control of the Staff… is what Dan feels always without the puppet master Freakshow there to pull the strings, though he DID make the choice himself to bury what humanity remains. That time is when you, Daniel Fenton, felt what it was like, a tiny taste of what you would be without your humanity and Dan is what you would have become if you ignored your humanity for a prolonged period of time."
Danny looked away with slight shame on his face.
"Do not fret, Daniel. If you were full ghost and so was everyone in Amity, you would've all fallen to the lure of the staff. This bloodthirstiness is not something unique to you alone. It's something all humans and ghosts must wrestle with. As your father said. We all have our demons."
Danny nodded with a slight reassuring smile on his face. Everyone talked a bit longer about things. Danny asked about lightning and Hakan said that lightning takes extreme focus and concentration to use. He said that trying to make his ghost fire into lightning wasn't the best option and instructed that starting with ectoplasm rays while using his hot core would be the best way to try and manifest lightning, since ectoplasm was already plasma of some kind. The fire would simply spark out every time he tried that route. The family and friends then said their goodbyes and left. While they were leaving, Sam saw Danny glance back at Clockwork's tower with a worried and contemplative look on his face.
"What's wrong?"
Danny looked at her and sighed. "I hate Dan more than anything, but… Clockwork seems to believe he still has humanity inside him... somewhere." He paused and then went back to talking again. "While under Freakshow's control, I felt so hazy and mad the whole time. I knew I had done bad things and I didn't care at all. I didn't care at all if those policemen died or not when I shot at their cars... and in the moments before... I didn't care if you fell."
Danny stopped speaking and became silent after that; he turned away from Sam to be with his own thoughts as they neared the Fenton's portal. Sam frowned at Danny in worry. She had always wondered what sort of control Danny had had while under Freakshow's spell. His words indeed made her wonder too.
How should I scare you?
zzz
"You're placing seeds of doubt into their minds, why?" Hakan asked.
Clockwork sighed. "Mostly because everyone must always remember that everything isn't as it seems." He glanced over at the thermos which rattled a bit.
"I'm not sure I understand what you're planning, Father Time. With Malus coming…"
"Think of it this way, Hakan. "The balance" isn't just an overarching thing that effects everyone like gravity. "The balance" is multiplied millions and millions of times within the lives and afterlives of everything that is. As your people believed, we are all connected. When someone's balance is shifted in an unsavory way, the threads that connect them to the people they love or know are bent with them. The further they fall the more strain is put on all the balances and threads at work. To fix what you perceive as the overarching 'balance', I must fix some individuals' balances or at the very least repair some of the strain on the threads, pull them up a bit from their fall. They can either fix the rest on their own or deal. I can't make the world perfect, but I try to patch up the largest holes. Ironically the lives of the Fentons and their friends… have created a good many holes, but they've also opened doors for others' tears to find repair. A give and take. They will help others while I help them and that is why I'm Daniel's guardian and it is also why I do things the way I do."
Hakan shook his head. "I believe I partially understood what you mean, Time-master, but I will put my trust in your abilities instead of trying to fully comprehend." He frowned. "It's just... that monster has no remorse. You could say he is almost completely indifferent to suffering."
"You could almost say the same about me you realize. I must turn my back on suffering often times."
"But you feel bad about it."
"True... but you must also consider that his experiences have taught him to hate the way he does."
"That doesn't excuse him."
"The past is knowledge, the present is action, and the future is hope..." Clockwork nodded before shifting into his child form. "With time things always become clearer."
zzz
The next day. FentonWorks. Adoption Agency visit.
"So, wait, I'm trying to figure this out. What is the agent looking for?"
Danny was moving around in his room, organizing things the best he could for the visit from the social worker that afternoon. They had fixed up the guest room in their house for Dani's use, since they rarely got any real guests that used it. While they waited for the arrival of the worker, each family member was in charge of their own room of the house to clean. They had securely locked the lab as well. If the social worker ever went down there… they'd probably have Danny removed from the home; Jazz was already legally an adult.
"A nice home environment. They just want to make sure our home is suitable for your needs."
"Tch, it's like they think I don't have a brain or something. Of course, this place suits my needs!"
"I know, it's dumb, but they're just trying to protect you… I guess."
Dani huffed and flopped on Danny's bed. "If they only knew."
"Yep, that sentence just about sums you and me up, huh?"
Dani giggled. Then they both heard Maddie's call. "Come on down! The worker should be here any minute!"
So, the Fenton family all converged in the den and sat on the couch awkwardly, waiting for the social worker to come. Jazz looked like she was nervously sweating and Danny kept fidgeting his fingers. What if they take her away? She'll just run away and come back to us over and over again. What if they take me away? What have we gotten ourselves into?
-Knock- knock-
Maddie took a breath and moved from the couch. "Coming!" She smiled brightly when she opened the door.
There was a Hispanic man at the door in a dark suit. He shifted the papers in his arms and nodded. "Hello Mrs. Fenton."
"Oh, hello, Mr.-"
"Harrison, James W. Harrison."
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Harrison. Please, come in."
Maddie escorted the man to the den where his eyes landed on the rest of the Fenton family and finally, Dani.
"Hello Miss Danielle Barnhill."
Dani cocked an eyebrow at the last name and glanced at Danny. He gave her a look that said to go with it.
"Oh, yeah. Hi there."
Mr. Harrison nodded and Maddie helped seat him before seating herself beside Jack once more.
"Hello, Mr. Harrison. I'm Jack Fenton, a pleasure." Jack extended his hand and Mr. Harrison shook firmly.
"A pleasure to me as well." He glanced at Jazz and Danny. "And you must be Jasmine Fenton and Daniel Fenton, correct?"
"Yes sir," Jazz and Danny answered together.
"Good good… Alright then, let's get this started. This case it quite odd. Let's start with what happened, Danielle."
Dani perked up and nodded. She knew this part. "I uh, used to live with my parents off the grid in the Ozarks. They passed on though and I didn't know where to go. After wandering around a while, I remembered I had distant family in Amity Park, so I came here and found the Fentons. They welcomed me with open arms. I love'em." Dani ended with a tiny smile.
"I see. Have you ever been educated?"
"Yeah, my mom taught me some."
"We'll have to do that evaluation later before trying to place you in the school system, but I'm getting ahead of myself. I want to talk to each of you on your own, then I'll look around the house and we can finish up the paper work if everything checks out."
zzz
Jack.
Jack and Mr. Harrison were alone in the den. Jack was on the couch still and remained in the chair across from him.
"So, Mr. Fenton, what do you do for a living?"
"Well we do live in Amity Park. Since collage, me and my wife have been studying and hunting ghosts."
"Ghosts?"
"They do exist. For a while we weren't sure, but then they just started popping up more and more. Ask anyone in Amity Park about ghosts. They'll say the same."
Mr. Harrison nodded and scribbled something in his notebook.
"Mr. Fenton tell me about your wife."
The agent saw Jack's face burst into a large smile.
"Maddie is the love of my life. I honestly don't know where I'd be without her. She's wonderful. I don't know what she saw in me."
"And your children?"
He saw Jack's smile get larger and his face glow at the mention of his kids.
"Jazzy-pants is so so smart, Danny-boy too, but her mind's a marvel like her mother's. Danny's got the biggest heart and he's super protective of his friends and family. Jazz has always tried to be protective of Danny too, being the big sister. Dani… Danny loves her already. She's grown attached to him and looks up to him in so many ways. My kids are great and having Dani join would be wonderful. Just the idea of her coming all the way here and finding Danny, we didn't hesitate letting her in our home."
Mr. Harrison had been scribbling the whole time.
"You seem to love your children deeply, Mr. Fenton."
"I love fudge too, but I wouldn't give my life to protect fudge."
Mr. Harrison looked up in confusion at first before understanding crossed his features.
"I understand perfectly, Mr. Fenton. Thank you, please tell Jasmine to come in."
zzz
Jazz.
"My dad didn't give you the speech about the log cabin and the war, did he?"
"Uh."
"Good."
Mr. Harrison smiled. "Jasmine-"
"Please call me Jazz."
"Of course, Jazz. Tell me about your parents."
"Oh!" Jazz smiled and clapped her hands together. "You're trying to do a partial psychoanalysis of me by interpreting my descriptions of my parents I give, right?"
"Psych major?"
"Working on a Master hopefully, with a minor in Supernatural Studies."
"So, you like ghosts like your parents?"
"At first it was weird and I didn't believe in ghosts, but over time, especially after I learned they were real, I became more interested. I want to study the psychological influence ghosts have on humans and vice versa."
"I see."
"Oh, my parents, of course. Mom is a strong independent woman. I've always wanted to be as strong as she is. Dad is a little goofy, but he means well. They're both very good parents though. They love us both so much."
"Your brother had a little streak of rebellion for a couple years recently. I have a few notes about his school's assessment of him."
"My brother had some things bothering him personally, but his friends were helping him until he finally felt comfortable talking to our parents about it." Jazz shifted nervously.
"He didn't feel comfortable talking to his parents?"
"What teenager does? But really it was more a misunderstanding or miscommunication rather than a 'fear' per say." Jazz knew she was mostly lying about that, because Danny had been afraid for his life or half-life, but she couldn't explain all that to Mr. Harrison.
"Oh, I see."
"Our family's a bit weird but it's a good one. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Mr. Harrison smiled. "Thank you, Jazz. Please retrieve your mother for me."
zzz
Maddie.
"So, you study and hunt ghosts with your husband, Mrs. Fenton?"
"Behind every strong woman is a strong man."
"Of course. Tell me about your husband."
"Jack is wonderful. He's a bit goofy and clumsy at times but his heart is so kind. He's big and intimidating but he's really a big teddy bear. I love him dearly."
"And your children?"
Maddie's eyes sparkled.
"My children are great. Jazz is so responsible and Danny is so thoughtful. I love them to pieces. They're my whole world. Dani coming now… It's like a blessing really. Jack and I had wanted a third child, but our work had kept us from having one until now. We knew it was meant to be when she came to our door."
"I see. Thank you, bring in Daniel next please."
zzz
Danny.
"So, uh, my parents didn't weird you out, right?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Uh, they can be a bit goofy, but they're good parents."
"Daniel-"
"Please, Danny."
"Danny, talk to me about your parents."
"They're great."
"…" Mr. Harrison shifted in his seat. "That's all?"
"Well I mean what more can I say? I love them? They're the best? Uh, they're kind, caring, good role models, uh…"
"I see, that's fine. Now about the last couple years. You were having some trouble in school. Nothing major… except your grades were lower than they had been and you'd been late and even skipping class all together. That's the extent of what I know."
"I just uh… was going through a phase?"
"You don't talk much, huh?"
"Is that a requirement?"
Mr. Harrison laughed. "No no, of course not."
Danny sighed. "I just was confused for a while. I came to my senses though. I realized my parents weren't the bad guys and were just trying to help. I was just being a teenager that wanted to be an adult before I was ready." Not true at all, but that won't hurt him.
Mr. Harrison glanced down and saw Danny's fingers trembling against his legs.
"Is something wrong?"
Danny flinched slightly and chuckled. "I have some anxiety problems, but that's what family's for. I just worry about Dani. I know if this doesn't go well she won't be happy. She'll run away from her family and come back to us."
"What makes you so sure? It sounds like you know Dani more than it would seem possible since you just met her, being a long-lost family member and all."
"Uh… Well. When she first showed up, I didn't mention her to mom or dad. She found me at school. She didn't know at first that we were family, until we slowly started to talk more and more. After we found out we were distantly related, I asked her if she wanted my family as hers and at first, she said no. Eventually though, she missed me, so she came in Christmas Eve. I would like having a little sister. She's fun and we like a lot of the same things. My girlfriend and other friends like her a lot too."
Mr. Harrison nodded. "I guess you both really are related by more than just distant blood then, huh?" He smiled.
Danny chuckled. "I guess so." If only you had any idea how related we are.
"Wonderful. Well thank you Daniel, let's get Dani in here and then I'll take a walk of the house."
zzz
Dani.
"Ms. Barnhill."
"Just Dani, please… with an I."
"Ah, of course." Mr. Harrison nodded. "So, you traveled all the way from Arkansas to Amity."
"Yeah."
"What made you come to Amity?"
"I was pretty sure I had some family up there, but I didn't know what they looked like."
"I see. What do you think of your prospective family?"
Dani smiled. "I don't know much about Mr. and Mrs. Fenton or even Jazz, but they seem very very nice."
"And Danny?"
Dani beamed. "He's the brother I always wanted. He brought me into his home and loved me no matter where I was from or who I was. He's… a life saver. He even went at midnight on Christmas Eve to get presents for me to open on Christmas day. He didn't want me not to have something to open."
"That's very thoughtful of him."
"That's just how he is. He's a good guy."
"What do you think about the Fenton's occupation?"
"Huh?"
"Their job? To hunt and study ghosts?"
"I thought it was a little freaky at first, but really it's cool."
"So, you want to be here?"
"Yes."
"You are certain? Have any concerns?"
"Nope. I just want to be here because I like the Fentons a lot."
"Why's that?"
Dani grumbled and yelped out something before she could stop herself. "I don't belong anywhere but here!" She paused when she realized what she'd subconsciously admitted to the worker and more importantly to herself.
Mr. Harrison smiled. "Very well."
zzz
Mr. Harrison looked over the house, seeing that it was clean and nothing was dangerous for Dani's health at her age. He didn't have to worry as if they were adopting a baby, so it wasn't as intrusive. He did ask about the basement and Maddie explained that they did invent things down there, but it was always locked when they were working and they took great pains to keep everything safe and secure.
Mr. Harrison smiled as he was walked to the front door. He turned and faced the family. "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, I'll be expecting you at City Hall tomorrow to fill out some forms and-" He glanced at Dani. "-and you in a few days to do an evaluation for your educational future. But I feel this home and this family will be more than suitable for Dani's new home. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, Ms. Danielle Barnhill. Soon you'll be Ms. Danielle Fenton."
Maddie clasped her hands together and hugged Jack, while Danny and Jazz threw and arm over each other and Dani. Dani was staring forward blankly, but no one noticed. She snapped back to reality when Mr. Harrison kneeled.
"I hope this family can help you heal from your loss."
Dani didn't know what he meant at first until she remembered he was meaning her non-existent deceased parents.
"Yeah…" Dani replied and for some reason thought of Vlad. She remembered her parental love she once had felt for him and could see him resting in his large chair. She frowned. "I'm certain they will…" Those visuals in her mind faded away as she spoke.
Mr. Harrison rose and said his parting words to the Fentons before exiting through the front.
"Dani! You're part of our family now!"
"Oh sweetie, welcome."
"Do you mind if I call you Pumpkin? or Princess? What nickname would you like?"
Dani turned and faced her new family with a blank look. Danny frowned and bent slightly to look into her shielded eyes when she glanced at the ground.
"Dani, what's wrong?" Danny paused when he thought he heard sniffling. "Dani?"
He gasped when she leaned forward and hugged him, leaning her body weight on him. He could really hear it now. She was crying.
"I have a real family."
Danny smiled and the other Fentons smiled too when they finally understood.
"A real family…"
The feels are real! Dani's part of the crew!
Thanks to everyone for all their support and such! I appreciate it so greatly. I certainly wasn't expecting the amount of support I've received so quickly. You're all wonderful!
~NoSignal
Edit: 5/22/18: Next wave of grammar fixes and wording tweaks or some scenes altered to avoid cliches. Took out AN question and answer sections.