Opening A/N: This is the first Danny Phantom Fanfic I have ever even attempted to write. I haven't watched the show since I was a kid, back when it was first airing. Despite this, I've recently re-developed a love for the fandom. More specifically the Danny Phantom fanfics. And one thing I've noticed is that there is a glaring lack of well written Danny Phantom stories. Now, that's not me bashing the creators who spent their time and poured their heart and soul into their work. But it's hard to ignore blatant misspellings, incorrect grammar, and other such issues. Anyway, this story will be slightly different from canon (of course it will be, it's a fanfic after all), Danny and co. will be older than in the series. This is for a few reasons: One, I can get away with more "mature" themes such as swearing, descriptive violence, and potentially "adult" situations. Which I've also never written before. Anyway, Danny, Sam, Tucker, as well as the ghosts closest to his age in the show (Ember, Kitty, Johnny 13, etc.) will be 18 years old, or slightly older. For this to make sense (at least for the living characters) my story will take place after Danny and co. have graduated high school. Anyway, sorry for rambling and I hope you enjoy!
DISCLAIMER! I do NOT own Danny Phantom or its associated properties. I only claim ownership of the plotline of this fic. (This disclaimer applies to this and any/all future chapters.)
"Two quotation marks mean speech or emphasis on a word."
'One quotation mark means thought.'
Italics mean heavy emphasis on a word or written/digital text
Prologue: The Revelation
To call Danny Fenton strange would not be wrong, nor would it be inaccurate. Not referring to how Danny is a "Halfa" or how he chooses to spend his time fighting malevolent ghosts within Amity Park. No, many people would consider Danny strange for spending his first day of summer post-graduation contemplating the actions of Ember McLain, one of the many ghosts to attack Amity park.
The afternoon sun shines gently into Danny's room through the single window a few feet off the ground, dead center of the far wall, illuminating the light blue walls in a warm yellow light. A gentle breeze flows in through the open void making the curtains dance to an unknown rhythm. The sunshine and gentle breeze creates a comfortable yet cool atmosphere within.
In the corner of the room sits a small wooden desk. Just enough room atop it for a laptop, mouse, a small lamp, and room for writing material. In front of said desk sits none other than Danny Fenton. Twisting absent-mindedly back and forth in a black computer chair. "I just don't get it." he mutters to himself. "Why in the world would Ember use supernatural compulsion/brainwashing to get people to like her music? She's incredibly talented, assuming she's not using her powers to enhance her guitar playing or singing abilities." Danny's face contorted in confusion and deep thought.
It was something that had confused Danny since his first encounter with the punk rock ghost. At one point through their first confrontation Ember had confessed to using mind control/compulsion to make people like her music. Claiming that she wanted to make rock and roll reign supreme over the musical world again. The fact that it was her music was just an added bonus. Danny had never fully bought into her reasoning.
Reminiscing back to when he first saw Ember in person, he can picture the scene clearly. A warm morning, a school day specifically. He, Sam, and Tucker had just gotten to the front of the school and were preparing for the day ahead. Spending the last few minutes before school officially started talking about the latest gossip/rumors, as well as their classes for the day. Just as the trio were about to make their way inside, a black semi truck pulling a black trailer stopped in front of the school.
Along the side of the trailer was a portrait of a girl with pale, nearly white, skin, blue hair that looked practically like a flame, black almost gothic eye makeup which highlighted her toxic green eyes, and black lipstick. The girl was holding a purple guitar with a blue flame motif along either side of it. Ember McLain was written in a fiery font, proclaiming the name of the guitarist.
Next, the sides of the trailer fell revealing a lone figure on the trailer-turned-flatbed. Standing center stage (pun intended) was none other than Ember McLain herself, signature guitar in hand. She yells out a greeting to the assembled students of Casper High, asking if they're ready to hear some real music. The crowd belts back an enthusiastic affirmative response.
Ember smiles and snaps her fingers, seemingly summoning her band members who appear within a swirling purple mist. The group then goes on to play Ember's debut song "Remember" before she's run off by Mr. Lancer. The crowd cheering and chanting her name all the while. Of course, she lets off an attack at the teacher, apparently to get the last word, but in doing so, revealing herself as a ghost before disappearing in a whirlwind of blue flames.
"I mean yeah sure, her music isn't for everyone, but that doesn't mean she has to rely on supernatural compulsion to gain a following. Hell, even I used to be a fan. I'm still a fan if I'm being honest, although the constant battles between us makes it difficult to be" He says, glancing at the spot on his wall where an Ember McLain poster used to reside. "Now that I think about it, her compulsions never worked on me because of me being a Halfa. So she can't be using her powers to make her playing or singing better."
Turning to the open laptop on his desk, Danny decides to open his web browser and search for the song that made Ember famous. Tossing his headphones on, he leans back in his chair with a contemplative look on his face. "It's a long shot, but maybe the lyrics in one of her songs will give me some information on why she's really doing all of this." He mutters to himself, closing his eyes
Nothing about the song sticks out to him until it passes its first chorus and Danny hears the line "Like dead trees in cold December, nothing but ashes remain.".
Danny's eyes fly open. 'Wait, ashes?' It's another thing about the rock star that has always intrigued him. Why does Ember have flames for hair? He never could really find the answer to that question. Or maybe he just didn't want his guess to be correct.
Quickly deciding to pull up the full lyrics to "Remember" he decides to search for more possible clues within the song.
It was, it was September
Winds blow, the dead leaves fall
To you, I did surrender
Two weeks, you didn't call
Your life goes on without me
My life, a losing game
But you should, you should not doubt me!
You will remember my name!
Oh, Ember, You will remember
Ember, one thing remains
Oh, Ember, so warm and tender
You will remember my name!
Your heart, your heart has rendered
Your loss, now bear the shame
Like dead trees, in cold December
Nothing but ashes remain
Oh, Ember, You will remember
Ember, one thing remains
Oh, Ember, so warm and tender
You will remember my name!
Ember, you will remember
Ember, one thing remains
Ember, so warm and tender
You will remember my name
Yeah, you will remember my name!
Reading the lyrics in full, he notices the repeated mention of ashes, and how only one thing remains. Danny's brain kicks into overdrive, frantically trying to piece together what little pieces of the puzzle he had before him.
"Ashes, which are the byproducts of… fire" He whispers the last word. "Again, Ember has fire for hair. Could the answer really be that obvious..?"
Connecting the dots between the facts he knows about Ember, and the new information given to him by the lyrics written by the girl herself, Danny feels his chest clench uncomfortably. "Like dead trees, in cold December nothing but ashes remain. If I'm looking at this right, it means that Ember died in September. It has also been proven that most ghosts' appearances and powers have something to do with how they died, at least the ones who were once human. So she presumably died in a fire…"
Thoroughly frustrated, Danny stands up and starts pacing around. "Argh… why does this bother me so much?! She's just another ghost wanting to cause trouble! I've never cared about their reasons before, why does it matter now?" He growls out, his hands clenching the hair on either side of his head.
'Or is she? And you've always wanted to know why they attacked. You just never had the option of asking.' The more rational side of him questions . 'After all, if her appearance is anything to go by, she wasn't much older than you when she…' He shakes his head, stopping that train of thought.
Ever since Danny started battling the ghosts that periodically lay siege to Amity Park, he had developed the habit of looking at them as enemies not ghosts specifically. "Why?" you may ask? What does it mean for a ghost to exist? It's simple. For one to become a ghost, at some point they had to have been alive. To think of his adversaries as people who were once living and breathing, the idea that they were once human. It made him incredibly uncomfortable not to mention sympathetic. Also, it seemed as though quite a few of his recurring adversaries were around his age, meaning they had their lives taken from them long before they could actually enjoy their lives to the fullest.
This thought alone made Danny question if he truly wanted to fight them. Sure, he knew he had to, because back then he was the only one who could, and he wanted to protect his home and the people in it. But now? There were plenty of people who were not only capable, but willing to defend Amity Park from the attacks. Leaving him leeway to try and help the ghosts.
Blowing out a breath in frustration, Danny walks back over to his desk, leaning down in front of the illuminated screen and reading the lyrics once more. Grasping for any more information they can give him. Re-reading the chorus, it finally clicks. "She just wants to be remembered…" Danny whispers, "She's not evil at all… she's just a girl who wants people to remember her."
He walks backwards, leaning against the far wall deep in thought. "At the very least the theory has some solid evidence behind it… after all, why else make a song titled "Remember"? How has no one figured this out sooner? How did I not piece this together sooner? The title in itself makes her reasoning glaringly obvious." Danny mutters. "The compulsion! It makes people like her music when they listen to it. That doesn't mean they're actually listening!"
'I want, no I need answers. If I'm right, then maybe I can finally start helping them instead of hunting them. After all, if Ember is only being a legitimate musician, I have no reason to stop her. And if I'm wrong, well… I guess it'll just be business as usual between her and I.'
Danny pushes off from the wall behind him, a determined look on his face. 'I hope I'm right. I'm tired of only hurting ghosts and helping humans. I'm a Halfa. I belong to both sides of this conflict. It's wrong for me to prioritize one species over another. I should be able to help those on either side of the paranormal barrier, no matter what others think.'
The ideology isn't new to him. As a matter of fact it was a topic that regularly caused conflict between himself and Sam, as well as his parents. All three of which always bite back with the reasoning, "There's no proof that any ghosts want help. They cause chaos and destruction just because they can."
Of course Danny always tried to contradict that point by bringing up figures like Clockwork, Frostbite, and Wulf. But they always came up with points they believed were stronger than his on the subject. Now though? Now he has not only the motivation, but evidence supporting it.
Two familiar rings bisect his body, one going upwards, the other going downwards. As the rings pass over Danny's body they cause him to transform. Gone is the t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. In their place is a black hazmat suit, complete with white gloves and boots. An all too familiar logo dead center of his chest. Gone is the dark hair and blue eyes, replacing them is snow white hair, and toxic green eyes. Gone is Danny Fenton, and in his place is Danny Phantom.
"Time to try and find the local rock star of the Ghost Zone." He mutters before becoming intangible and sinking through his bedroom floor, his destination? The ghost portal two floors beneath.
Deep in the Ghost Zone, a lone figure stands at the top of a tall clock-like tower. Watching Danny through one of the many viewing portals within, the figure can't help but smile.
Ending A/N: Pretty short chapter (by my standards anyway), I know. But I feel as though it's enough for a prologue. Anyway, PLEASE don't be afraid to post a review. After all, I'm only one person. I can make mistakes and miss simple spelling errors. Now with that being said, if you don't like where this story is headed, I respect your opinion and you aren't being forced to continue reading. But I appreciate you at least giving me a chance. As mentioned before this story IS NOT going to follow canon very closely. How can it? It takes place after the series ended. Regardless, I'll try and make sure the timeline is accurate anyway. What I mean by this is that the major events that happened in canon, also happened here. E.g. Disasteroid, and the episode by episode visits from the different ghostly characters. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll try to get the next one out soon!
P.S. Some of you may think that the song describes Ember's death happening in December instead of September, but, the opening line of "It was, it was September." clearly states that the events she describes happen IN September. "Like dead trees in cold December" is just a metaphor, or at least that's my interpretation.
