Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or Ultimate Marvel or anything else I reference.
Chapter 21: A Magical Time
(Central Park Zoo, New York)
'Cute.' Danny thought as he watched the four penguins smile and wave.
"You must really like the zoo," Mary Jane said as she stood next to him.
"What do you mean?" Danny asked as he turned to face her.
"I mean that I rarely see you smile like that." Mary Jane said as she raised her phone showing the picture that she had taken.
"Well, this is the first time that I have ever come to the zoo." Danny admitted as he pushed back off of the guard rail.
"Really?" Mary Jane asked. "Your parents never took you?"
"My parents were never really around to take me." Danny said drawing upon his backstory. "My father was busy with business and my mother with her patients."
"Well then let me show you around." Mary Jane said. "First we can walk around and see the animals, then we can go and buy some hotdogs, and finally we see the zoo's center attraction."
"The Lion?" Danny asked as he pulled out the brochure that Alice gave them when they entered.
He had been surprised when Alice handed him the brochure. Apparently for the past two and a half years the zoo has been having the lion perform tricks to gather visitors. The zoo had the lion perform every four hours.
"Yes. Alex the Lion." Mary Jane answered. "It is sort of tradition for first time visitors to see it before they leave."
"Sounds like fun." Danny said as he followed her.
"Still, I am rather surprised that the school was willing to pay for this." Mary Jane said.
"Maybe they thought that the students deserved a break after everything that has happened this year." Danny said.
He would not mention that it had been him that had given the principle the idea. The day after Willie's rampage he had shown up at Principal Harrington's house to discuss a way to improve the student's mood. Even with the condition that it be educational he found that there was plenty that they could do that they would find interesting, and he would find fun.
He even went to Clockwork to find which days would have clear sky and warm weather so that he could enjoy the trip.
"Where do you think they got the money to afford this?" Mary Jane asked.
He used a portion of the money he received from S.H.I.E.L.D. to help fund the trip.
"Maybe the principal is involved in a secret underground gambling circuit." Danny suggested with a smile. "Maybe he went wild after surviving Wilie's rampage and bet wild."
Mary Jane giggled at his suggestion.
"I can picture him now." Mary Jane said with a smile. "Principal Harrington surrounded by flashy gangsters and corrupt industrialists."
"You never know." Danny said with a shrug. "People can surprise you."
"What do you think he bet?" Mary Jane asked. "His car?"
"No way that thing could cover the pot." Danny denied. "Maybe he bet the school's basketball budget?"
"My guess would have been journalism." Mary Jane said. "That way he could prevent us from investigating his mysterious lunch menu ingredients."
"I have been meaning to investigate the school's mystery meat. " Danny said.
Even for public school there was something wrong about it.
"The older students warned us that we would not want to do that until graduation." May Jane warned. "Graduation from college that is."
They started laughing.
'Don't react.' His duplicate thought to him.
'Is something the matter?' Danny asked wondering what might be messing with his field trip. "Mary Jane let me take a picture of you standing in front of the otters."
According to the sign the Asian otter habitat held two otters named Marlene and Rhonda.
She moved to the sign.
No. Clockwork wants to talk to you.' the duplicate replied.
'Is this urgent?' Danny wondered.
'Yes, but he said he will wait for you to return from your trip.' The duplicate replied.
'Good. That is a problem for later.' Danny thought.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
(Clockwork's Lair, Ghost Zone)
"You wanted to speak to me Clockwork?" Danny asked as he stepped out of the portal.
"Yes. I have a mission for you." Clockwork said in his old man form. "I want you to go to Norway."
"First I have something that I want to talk to you about." Danny said. "I will assume that you know my plans for helping Jean control her powers. I want to know if you are aware of a material that can absorb excess power."
Currently he has been working on an idea of a bracelet that would absorb and dampen her powers. That way it would reduce her power level to something that she could handle. However, what he needs is a material that can absorb he psychic power she produces.
"I am aware of what you seek." Clockwork said shifting to his young adult form. "I will tell you after you return from your trip."
"Why do you want me to go to Norway?" Danny asked. "What would I be looking for?"
"That is where Thor and his followers currently are." Clockwork said. "You are going to make him an ally."
"Fury has been trying for months and he has still failed." Danny said. "What makes you think that I will succeed where the others have failed?"
"The difference is that you will be able to give Thor what he wants." Clockwork said "Also, you are not requesting Thor to join The Ultimates. This is to gain an ally in our battle."
"I know that you can see time Clockwork but are you sure about this?" Danny asked. "Thor is powerful but he does not seem sane."
While he seemed like he could be a good friend having an unstable personality in this future war if it was as bad as Clockwork made it sound seemed like a risky idea.
"What do you know about Thor?" Clockwork asked.
"According to S.H.I.E.L.D.S.'s file "Thor" is actually a psychiatric nurse named Thorlief Golman. He had been part of a Belgium research group that sought to recreate the super soldier serum that transformed Steve back during World War II. His powers are a result of his suit. The suit he wore enhanced his strength, The weather manipulation, and teleportation were due to technology stored in his hammer." Danny answered.
"Like most information S.H.I.E.L.D. has parts of it are true yet others are false." Clockwork said as he waved his staff.
A screen floated to them and revealed a kingdom floating on a cloud with a bridge made of rainbow.
"Where is that?" Danny asked as he looked at the strange land.
"This is Asgard." Clockwork answered. "Home to Thor and the other Asgardians."
"Wait Asgard is real? Thor is a real god?" Danny asked.
"Was. Asgard was a real place and Thor was a real god." Clockwork answered. "When Asgard fell Odin incarnated Thor in a human body."
The screen shifted to show crumbled building and bodies lying above and beneath the rubble.
"So, when Thor put on the suit and started talking about his past life..." Danny began.
"He began to regain his memory when he was the Prince of Thunder." Clockwork finished.
"That is some divine luck for you." Danny said with a chuckle. "Still how am I going to get Thor to want to work with me."
"You will tell him that we can bring Asgard back." Clockwork said.
"That is certainly a good offer." Danny said. "How will I do that?"
Lying to a god seemed like skating down a path to misery.
"You will tell him about the Norn Stones." Clockwork said.
A box floated in front of him then fell into his hands. As he held the box, he could feel the power it contained. It felt old but there was a power to it. It felt like he was standing deep in the ocean despite standing in a building made of steel and stone.
Danny lifted the lid and saw tiles with runes on them.
The feeling increased. He could now feel a pressure building inside of him. A tension to be more precise.
"You should keep the box closed for now." Clockwork said using his power to shut it.
"What are these?" Danny asked with awe in his voice.
"The Norn stones are mystical objects created long ago by Odin and given to the Norn. Three oracles that predict the future for the Norse people." Clockwork answered.
"These mystical stones have the power to bring Asgard back?" Danny asked.
"When Odin realized that Asgard might fall he used his power to cast a ritual. He put Asgard in a state between the planes of existence so that Asgard would return if the stones are put together in the right order." Clockwork said.
"How did you get your hands on them?" Danny asked.
The screen shifted to show a snowcapped land. A man kneeled in the snow handing Clockwork a carved wooden box.
"Who was that?" Danny asked.
"A man named Helmut Zemo." Clockwork answered. "He was a soldier on the side of Germany during what you humans would call World War II. His father Baron Heinrich Zemo was in charge of Hydra. A paramilitary group that grew from the Thule society. They joined forces with the Nazi during the war to gather resources for their own goal."
"What was their goal?" Danny asked.
"To find mystical objects of power to attain world domination." Clockwork said. "During the war they came into contact with the Trickster god Loki."
The screen shifted to show Helmut and another man Danny assumed to be Heinrich bowing before Loki.
"Even for a trickster god why would Loki ally with the Nazis" Danny asked. "Isn't Loki the son of Odin?"
"Loki wanted Revenge on Odin for imprisoning his mother Farbauti the Frost Giantess and his subsequent banishment to Earth." Clockwork answered.
"Are you sure that we should be bringing the Asgardians back?" Danny asked.
Holding a parent hostage and banishing their child is something that a villain would do. Many comic stories used such a basis.
"Odin married Farbauti to bring peace between his people and the Frost giants." Clockwork said. "However, it did not work out. Farbauti ordered Loki to steal the Norn stones. In the attempt Odin's son Baldr died."
"Alright." Danny said.
"Loki in an attempt to free his mother convinced the Baron that invading Asgard would give them the tools they would need to dominate the planet." Clockwork said.
"I hope that they failed." Danny said.
It would suck to learn that this world has been taken over and ruled by a secret council of nazi associated cultists. Still there was the chance that the aliens that sent him here might have thought that was an interesting challenge for him to face.
He wondered how Steve would react to such a thing.
"They did fail. Even with the assistance of Loki and the stone their invasion of Asgard ended in failure. Heinrich and his men died and Loki for his role was banished to the Room Without Doors." Clockwork said.
Danny could just hear the capitals in the title.
"So, after this failure Hydra fell?" Danny asked.
"Hydra is still around." Clockwork answered. "After Heinrich's failure and the end of the war they chose a different path to world domination."
'So, this is something that I would need to look into.' Danny thought "How did Helmut manage to escape?"
"His father made sure that Helmut stayed close to the gate way to ensure that he could return to earth and protect the stones." Clockwork answered.
"From the image I assume that you had Helmet overshadowed." Danny said.
"After the invasion failed Helmet intended to abandon the facility and flee to his family's castle." Clockwork answered. "I had agents waiting for him to make his move."
"So, I will be bringing the box to Thor?" Danny asked.
"No." Clockwork denied. "Thor is Asgardian. He likes the idea of a challenge. We will give him one."
The box began to float out of his hands and into the air and then it vanished.
"So where will I be bringing him?" Danny asked.
"First you will bring him to the facility in Germany and claim the box." Clockwork said. "Then you will travel to Stockholm or as it was called in Thor's time Agnafit."
"When Will I be leaving?" Danny asked.
"As soon as you leave here." Clockwork said.
"So, I will be travelling through the dark?" Danny asked.
"The moon and night sky will add a mystic feeling to your adventure." Clockwork said.
"Very well." Danny sighed. "So, after I do all of this you will tell me what I want to know?"
"That is correct." Clockwork said as he shifted to his baby form.
"Alright then." Danny said. "Give me the information I need, and I will go."
0-0-0-0-0-0
(Homdreaight Forest, Norway)
'Thor should be straight ahead' Danny thought as landed on the ground.
According to Clockwork gave him beyond this range of trees there is a camp where Thor and his followers are using the place as a campground/shrine. Thor spoke to them about his plans regarding the environment and other issues that he had with the world.
Danny walked through in the same outfit that he used when rescuing the mutant students from Arcade and his cyborgs.
"Halt! Who are you? Why have you come here?" A voice asked in a Norwegian accent.
The voice belonged to a tall man with combed back hair and a goatee.
"I have come to speak to Thor." Danny said.
"Take off your mask." The man said as he reached for a weapon.
Danny glanced at him and sent him flying into a tree.
"What is your name?" Danny asked holding him to the tree.
"Olaf." The man said looking at him with fear in his eyes.
"Well Olaf I want you to contact Thor and tell him that I am coming." Danny said as he walked further down the path.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Danny looked up and could see that storm clouds are beginning to form.
'Looks like he got my message.' Danny thought as he walked past the trees and finally saw the camp.
Tents were lying about in a circle around a rather large campfire pit.
The problem is that no one is there for him to see.
"Halt stranger!" A voice from the ground yelled. "What has brought you to this place?"
Danny looked down the fire pit to see a walkie talkie. He picked it up and brought it to his head.
"Who am I speaking to?" Danny asked as he looked around and up.
So, they had decided to hide themselves after learning of his approach. They could not be too far as range on the device did not seem to cover that vast a distance.
"This is Jakob." The voice said. "What do you want with Thor?"
"I am here to tell Thor of a way to bring back Asgard." Danny said.
The winds increased and lightning began to strike the ground around him.
'Seems like Thor has heard me.' Danny thought.
Looking up Danny could see the former god flying in the air.
"Do not taunt me mortal." Thor said from above with his voice echoing. "You have no idea the wrath I will bring down upon you."
Danny started floating in the air.
"I know that you truly are Thor Prince of Thunder. I know what you have lost, and I know what happened to your home." Danny said. "I am here to offer you a way to get it all back."
"How?" Thor asked glaring at him.
"I am allied with a seer. He saw what happened when your kingdom fell. He told me of Odin's plan to bring it back." Danny said. "I am here to offer it to you."
"In return for what?" Thor asked as he moved closer.
"I am preparing for a battle of my own and having you as an ally would be of great help." Danny said.
"You ask for help but will not reveal who you are?" Thor asked.
He knew that this could happen.
"Let's gain some altitude and I will tell you." Danny said as he started flying into the thunderstorm.
Now that he had some cover, he removed his mask.
"The Phantom?" Thor realized. "Fury has sent you to try and convince me to join his Ultimates now?"
"No." Danny denied. "Like I told you this is about a battle that I will be fighting. I work with the Ultimates so when that battle arrives, they will want to help as well."
"What has your seer told you?" Thor asked.
"He told me of the Norn Stones and where they are hidden." Danny said.
"Tell me more." Thor demanded.
Danny told them of the base they were heading to and the dangers creatures that guard it.
"Let's go." Danny said.
"We must wait for my followers to join us." Thor said as he held out a hand.
"Why?" Danny asked.
"They are the ones that believed in me. I believe that they should see Asgard restored to glory." Thor explained.
The cynical part of him that belonged to Vlad believed that he wanted to prove to his followers that he was right and increase their worship. The optimistic part that belonged to the original Danny however believed that He may just want to have others as witness to prove he isn't crazy.
Whatever was the truth did not matter at the moment. He was here to fulfil a role.
"Fine." Danny said with a sigh. "However, you are going to have to teleport us there. I can't take that many people with me at once."
"Tis an easy thing." Thor decided as he raised his hammer. "Afterwards we shall have a large feast in honor of restoring Asgard."
0-0-0-0-0-0
(Hamburg, Germany)
Danny's feet landed on the snow-covered ground. The followers of Thor however stumbled backwards into the snow mounds. It seems that they were not used to teleportation.
"Let us go." Thor said as he started marching to the facility.
They walked straight until they approached an iron fence.
"Wait." Danny said as he held out his hand in front of Thor and his group of followers. "I have a bad feeling about this. The seer warned me that we would face challenges as we approached the facility."
"Then what do you suggest Phantom?" Thor asked.
"You and I should pass the fence first." Danny suggested.
That way what happens next would not hurt the humans behind them.
As they stepped past the fence the defense system activated. Machines rose from the ground surrounding them in a circle.
The turrets started shooting at them.
"These bullets cannot stop me." Thor said as he caused a lightning storm that struck down the machines. "Follow me."
Thor started flying forwards.
"You heard your god. Come on." Danny said as he led the humans behind him.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Something is wrong." a woman with blonde hair said as she looked around the trees.
"That is not a surprise." Danny said as he gestured around them. "We are being watched."
Giant rabbits rose from behind the trees glaring at them with red eyes.
"What manner of beasts are these?" Olaf asked.
These Lapins were creatures raised by the Far Frozen. They were as big as a bear and five times as aggressive. He had released them after the war and oversaw their breeding. They would be the second lien of enemies for Thor to charge through.
"The cold is home to things long forgotten by the world." Danny said.
"I wonder what one of these beasts taste like?" Olaf asked.
"Maybe one day you will find out." Jakob said.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Danny ignored the Lapin bodies strewn about.
"Be careful." Dany warned as they trudged through the trees. "It sounds like Thor is fighting something."
As they stood on a hill Danny could see a battle taking place. He ignored it and looked ahead. Castle Zemo would be just ten miles ahead. The facility that they were looking for would be half of that.
'Looks like the plan is working.' Danny thought as he watched Thor smash through the robot guards in soldier uniforms.
"You metal men shall not stop me." Thor cried out as he blasted the robots with lightning.
Danny jumped off of the hill and slammed his foot into the head of a robot soldier. "Seemed like you are having fun Thor."
"It has been a while since I was able to cut lose." Thor said with a smirk.
"We are close." Danny said.
"Hearing that fills me with energy." Thor said as he lifted his hammer.
"Once you finish up, we should take a break. Your followers look like they could use the rest." Danny said.
"These beasts I found in the forest will give us the strength to continue our journey." Thor boasted.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"I feel like we are surrounded." Petra said as she stabbed her food.
Thor had used lightning to cause a fire that kept the group warm and let them cook the Lapin Thor defeated.
"That's because we are. The Lapins are probably not happy that we are eating their kin." Danny said as he looked at the hill. "Stay back and I will deal with them."
Walking past the trees the Lapins glared down at them.
The Lapin started sliding down the snow.
Danny dashed at the Lapin leader and gave it an uppercut.
He planned to start with the biggest and then use that body as a weapon to beat the others down with.
"My friend is against animal abuse so leave if you want to live." Danny said as he looked at the beasts glaring at him.
Danny raised his hands towards the Lapins. Sensing the danger, the beasts retreated.
"Their taken care of. So, Thor I have been meaning to ask you this." Danny said as he returned to the group. "What do you plan to do after you restore Asgard?"
Thor and his followers are involved in several environmental protests at the moment. If after proving that Asgar is real and he just flew off, then these groups would have to be watched just to be sure that they did not go extreme to cause problems with their beliefs.
"I have many things that I wish to do." Thor answered. "After I visit Asgard I plan to return and help my brother accept the truth as well."
Danny saw Thor clench his hands on his hammer.
"Your brother?" Danny asked. "I am sorry to tell you that Loki was banished during the war."
"I meant my brother Baldr." Thor said. "Loki, Baldr, and I were the best of friends as children."
"You must have many stories." Olaf said.
"Aye. We brothers played together, we fought together, and we explored worlds together." Thor said. "We thought it would be that way forever."
"I thought Loki killed him when he broke into Odin's vault and stole the Norn stones." Danny said.
"Aye he did." Thor said as he threw another stick into the fire. "However, Odin sent his spirit into Midgard to live again as he did with me. The only problem is Baldr has not regained his memories. He does not believe my words about our past."
"If all goes well you will be able to prove it to him." Danny said as he looked to the distance.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Here we go." Danny said as he turned the door intangible.
"Since we have come this far Phantom, I would like to ask how you escaped Nifleheim." Thor said. "Hela is not one to let a soul escape her realm easily."
"I have never visited such a place." Danny said as he handed Thor a flashlight. "I come from a placed called the Ghost Zone."
"What type of place is this Ghost Zone?" Thor asked.
"It is a dimension that reflects the world of the living." Danny said. "Think of it as the other side of the mirror."
They walked through abandoned rooms. Armories with WWII ear weapons, Rooms with maps and charts, a communication room and more.
"Are you certain where we are going?" Thor asked.
"It's this way." Danny said as he led Thor to a door that led to a passageway.
From what Clockwork told him the facility had an underground level. Loki and Baron Zemo needed the space to launch the invasion.
They found the control room. Through the glass screen they were allowed to see the room that held the gate. It had the shape of an arch. The design was silver with gold devices clamped on to it. It had a ramp for an army to march through in groups. It was possibly wide enough for a tank as well.
The center table had the box.
According to Clockwork Loki had hypnotized soldiers in place to activate the stones. After his banishment they were rendered comatose. That allowed Helmut to just take them when he returned.
"Can you feel that Thor?" Danny asked as he walked to the table.
"That is Asgardian magic." Thor said as he followed after. "It feels like my father's power."
"Yes. My story is true." Danny said. "If we go to the right place then we can bring back Asgard."
"Let us goi." Thor said as he gripped the box.
0-0-0-0-0-0
(Stockholm, Sweden)
"Are you ready?" Danny asked as he stared at the former god.
According to Clockwork this location was one of the earliest spots the Asgardians used to come to Earth. In magic there was a power in that sort of connection.
"Yes." Thor said. "What must I do now?"
"Now you must place the runes in the right order." Danny said as he pulled out the paper from his bag.
The paper had the correct placement.
"You must begin with Berkana than Ehwaz then Ansuz then Jera then Gebo then repeat Ansuz then Raidho then finish with Dagaz." Danny instructed as he read the runes.
Thor placed the runes in the correct order and a blast of light lit up the night.
"The Bifrost." Thor said with awe in his voice.
A face formed above them in the sky. It was an old man with an eyepatch.
Danny had a feeling he knew who that was.
"Father." Thor said as he looked to the sky.
It seems that he was right.
"You have done it Thor." Odin said. "You have brought Asgard back."
Danny stayed silent and watched as the father and son talked for the first time in decades.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Eat Phantom. It is a time of celebration." Thor boasted as he drank a tankard of mead from a curved horn.
"Very well." Danny said as he started walking to the table.
As he moved to take a piece of Lapin meat his ghost sense went off.
"Good work." Clockwork said as he floated behind him. "Make sure that you or Thor collect the runes afterwards. They could bring about great damage in the wrong hands."
"So, everything has gone according to plan?" Danny asked as he turned around.
"Yes, it has." Clockwork said. "The Asgardians will be useful when the time comes for them to repay this debt."
"Alright now can you tell me where I can find what I am looking for?" Danny asked.
"First enjoy the party." Clockwork said. "Afterwards come to my realm and I will send you on your way."