Nasty Burger, Amity Park, IL, Year 2005
A ball of blue-white light appeared behind the Nasty Burger. When the light died, a seemingly normal Danny Fenton appeared, holding a bloody Time Medallion.
Little did anybody know, this wasn't the Danny Fenton that they know, but an evil version of Danny Phantom from the future disguised as his living present self.
Evil Danny, stuffed the Time Medallion in his pocket, walked away from behind the present Nasty Burger.
"...It looks like I made it," Evil Danny stated, looking around at his surroundings while regaining his higher pitched teenage voice. "I'm in 2005 again,"
'...Now, I need a plan to gather them all here...but first,' Evil Danny thought as he spotted a local young Indian American woman walking on the sidewalk.
"Hey!" Danny called out, approaching the now idle lady. "I, uh, left my watch in the shop and I don't have a phone on me. What's the date and time?"
"Oh! Well, it's October 27th and it's..." The dark skinned woman said as she checked her watch. "Three-thirty in the afternoon."
"...I see," Evil Danny nodded, "Well, thanks,"
As Evil Danny watched the woman walk away from him, a devilish smirk formed on his face.
'Good. So the final at school bell rang ten minutes ago, and Tucker doesn't get discharged until tomorrow. That leaves the CAT, which takes place in two days' time. Which means that I got plenty of time to prepare for Little Danny's descent.'
Evil Danny sprouted two invisible duplicates. The first one phased into the Nasty Burger and fired a strand of extremely heated ectoplasmic ball of goo at the vats of Nasty Sauce, causing the indicator to slowly teeter away from the green.
Meanwhile, the second one flew elsewhere toward the direction of the school.
"I'm no Cheesehead, but the pieces will fall into place." Evil Danny grinned. "It's only a matter of time."
"Danny!"
The disguised Wraith turned around to see Valerie running up to him, only to be pulled to a hug.
"Thank God, you're okay!" The African American girl said, giving Evil Danny a tight squeeze.
'...Ugh! I knew we were close, but I never expected for her to care this much.' Evil Danny thought to himself as she broke off the hug and punched his shoulder.
"Ow! What the hell was that for!?" Evil Danny reacted in a normal Danny-like manner, given the disguise limited his supernatural strength.
"Don't give me that, DJ! Where the hell have you been!?" Valerie questioned with a glare, putting one hand on her hip while pointing at his chest. "You got me and Jazz worried sick after you and that Skulker-Technus fusion ghost disappeared!"
"Skulktech...?" Evil Danny whispered before it clicked in the Wraith's mind.
'...Of course. That's how the brat got his hands on a Time Medallion. Clockwork used Skulktech as a lure.' Evil Danny mentally assumed.
Playing it cool, Evil Danny said, "Oh, right! Spending all that time lost in the Ghost Zone is messing with my head."
"You were sent to the Ghost Zone?" Valerie questioned.
"Yeah, I searched for the Fenton Portal for hours. But I ran into the ghost mutt, and it led me to a natural portal." Evil Danny smoothly lied, trying to imitate his old cadence.
"Don't you mean Cujo?" Valerie inquired, raising an eyebrow as to how Evil Danny addressed the ghost dog.
Evil Danny blinked and then he waved off the correction and said, "Eh, you know what I meant."
'...Something's not right here.' Valerie thought, starting to become more suspicious with the person that appeared to be Danny.
And she knows that Amorpho was back in the Ghost Zone, so that already raises a red flag.
"...Okay? Anyway, you should hurry up and sneak home while I call Jazz about the news. You don't want to get into any more trouble than you already are."
Evil Danny nodded, saying in a lower tone, "You got a point there. See her around...Val."
With that, Evil Danny looked around and spotted nobody, and turned invisible in broad daylight and flew off without a care in the world. He didn't bother running away and transforming into Danny Phantom and seemingly had no consideration for his secret.
This was red flag number two.
Valerie narrowed her eyes and took out her phone. She called Jazz and waited until she
"Hey, it's me. I just ran into him. He's heading back, but keep an eye on him. He's acting strange." Valerie said from her line.
Clockwork's Lair, Ghost Zone, Year 2005
Within the top of the clock tower, the Specter of Time was tinkering with his Time Staff when he was graced with two of the main Observants' presence.
Next to them was one of his viewer time gates.
"Have you completed the task?" One of the Observants inquired, yearning for results.
"Everything is fine. Everything is the way it's supposed to be," Clockwork reassured the Observants as he pointed to the viewer time gate.
The ghosts found Dark Phantom posing as Present Danny in his bedroom, who glanced at the books that had material found in the CAT. He seemed to have come across as uninterested in the study materials, as any typical American teenager would.
"And there's your boy, back to his time. Safe, sound, and clearly not evil." Clockwork claimed, shifting into his elderly form. "Now. Care to observe the door?"
This prompted the Observants to leave Clockwork's lair by vanishing.
Watching the disguised Wraith, Clockwork shifted into his infant form while saying, "Less than three days remain, Daniel. Value your time and use it wisely."
-Danny's Room, Fenton Works, Amity Park, IL, Year 2005-
Evil Danny was sitting on his bed, trying to recall the information he was trying to study ten years ago and failed. This was for two reasons.
One, the Dark Phantom usually had murder on his mind and nothing else. However, the second reason suddenly came into his mind like a tidal wave as a particular conversation came knocking into his consciousness.
Well, it was more of an argument than a real conversation. That being the last real conversation with his parents, Jack and Maddie Fenton.
This made it next to impossible for Evil Danny to concentrate. Just the thought of Jack confirming his disappointment in him in spite of saving his stupid ungrateful life pissed Evil Danny out to no end. And Maddie was no different.
"...Worthless. The both of them," Evil Danny spoke in his monotone yet bitter tone. "Those fools couldn't even catch a real Ghost when one lived under their roof. I can't wait to watch them burn."
Evil Danny got off his bed to look at his disguise in the mirror and said, "Here I am, acting like I'm still my lesser self in my own room. With my old body."
The disguised malicious Spirit was interrupted when a knock was heard from the other side of his bedroom door.
"Danny? It's Jazz. I want to talk. Can I come in?" Said Present Jazz from outside of Danny's room.
'...And my old sister.' Evil Danny irritatingly groaned, hating being interrupted.
"...Fine." Evil Danny reluctantly replied, allowing the Wraith to see his past self's older sister.
Sure, if he had his humanity, this would have been a touching reunion. But it wasn't the case. Seeing Jazz again, Evil Danny felt nothing. He was empty.
And that made things not only convenient, but easier for the Dark Phantom.
As Jazz entered the room and shut the door, Evil Danny noticed her holding the Fenton Booo-merang.
He was puzzled at the invention, pondering, 'Another mediocre invention of those useless idiots, huh? What does that thing do again? Eh, whatever. None of their weapons could harm me anyway.'
Meanwhile, Jazz looked at the screen of the Booo-merang and mentally gasped at it's readings.
'What? No wonder Valerie was suspicious! It's not picking up Danny's ecto-signature on this guy!' Jazz discovered in her mind. 'Whoever this imposter is, he must know Danny well enough to invade our home. I better play it safe while I pick at this Ghost's mind.'
"What do you want, Jazz?" Evil Danny queried, obviously not interested in speaking to the high school Senior.
"How rude!" Jazz frowned, crossing her arms. "Valerie and I were looking all everywhere for you for a day, you know!"
Evil Danny rolled his eyes, not missing her constant nagging one bit.
"Well, here I am. In one piece." Evil Danny said, gesturing to her to look at him. "Don't get mad at me when you're the one who came in during my limited study time. Unlike some people, I apparently have something to prove."
Jazz flinched at this, having learned about their parents' argument with the youngest Fenton regarding yesterday's incident.
'...That's a low blow. This thing must have read the real Danny's mind or something.' Jazz mentally glared before deciding to switch up her tactics.
"Danny..." Jazz whispered, trying to see how the imposter would react if she attempted to comfort her brother. "I know you haven't heard this much from me, let alone Mom and Dad, but I am proud of you."
Evil Danny's eyes soften a bit, taken aback by Jazz's words, unable to recollect the last time he heard his sister legitimately praising him given how long he's been slaughtering people left and right.
"Mom and Dad don't have the full context of your predicament, but I do. Believe it or not, watching you do good things in a difficult circumstance inspires me to improve." Jazz said, placing a hand on Evil Danny's shoulder. "I know things are hard right now, and it may seem like the world has dealt you a bad hand, but taking that aggression out on other people isn't the way."
Evil Danny repressed the urge to scoff, recalling what happened between him, and the three jocks. Jazz wasn't prepared for Evil Danny to swat her hand away from his shoulders.
Satisfied with her reaction, Evil Danny, "Nice try, Jazz. If you think appealing to my empathy is going to get me to show any remorse for the idiots that made my childhood hell, then you're mistaken."
Gasping, Jazz glared at the imposter but stayed in character.
"You know, it's that kind of attitude that will make you no better than Dash." Jazz said, chastising the imposter as if he was the real Danny. "And-"
"-I'm stopping you right there." Evil Danny said, cutting Jazz off completely. "It's easy for you to claim the moral high ground when you're at the top. At least I know one of us enjoys the other's struggles to survive."
"That's not what I meant!" Jazz tried refuting, disgusted at the manipulation this fake was pulling. "I'm trying to keep you from getting expelled-"
"-Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night. A clear conscience must feel nice," Evil Danny nonchalantly stated as he walked back to his bed. "I'm done being everyone's punching bag, and I'm done talking about this. So why don't you help me out by leaving me alone and stop bugging me?"
Feeling rigid, Jazz stiffly nodded before turning around, opening her brother's door and closing it behind her, leaving Evil Danny to plot in his room.
Leaning against her brother's front door, sighed, then glared at the Booo-merang,.
'...Whoever that was in there is definitely not Danny.' Jazz thought to herself.
-In the Vice Principal's Office with the Dark Phantom clone-
The invisible Dark Phantom clone had a sadistic grin filled with mirth and excitement. He was going to enact a plan that was as clever as he was devilishly evil. The clone knew where the assignment took place.
The Wraith flew inside Mr. Lancer's office where he found the man he loathed as a teenager grading assignments.
Appearing behind the man, the clone of the Dark Phantom contemplated while his invisible hands positioned near Lancer's throat, 'I could crush your windpipe with my bare hands and watch you squirm until your fat ass stops moving right now...'
Then, the Dark Phantom glanced at the briefcase containing the answer sheet to the CAT. The invisible Wraith swiftly reached through the briefcase, grabbed it's contents.
The Wraith thought with a satisfied smirk, '...But I have something much better planned. Just you wait, Lancer.'
With that, the invisible Wraith turned intangible at the same time, flying all the way to the roof of the school. On top of the school, the Dark Phantom clone turned tangible and visible, holding the fruit of his effortless labor.
"Phase one, complete." The clone of the Dark Phantom spoke in a silky smooth tone. "And in less than two days, phase two will begin."
Ghost Zone, Year 2015
Danny Fenton drifted within the future version of the Ghost Zone in his lowest point. He was bound by his greatest foe, his evil future self.
The Dark Phantom.
All that plagued his mind was the sins that his future self has caused. The Dark Phantom may exist separately from Danny in this instant because of time travel, but the Wraith was meant to be his future. To Danny, he had destroyed the world, he killed billions, and he failed his loved ones.
And now, the monster which he would become was trying to seal his fate. To purposely change him into something that went against everything that Present Danny stood for.
No! He wouldn't let that happen! He can't!
'I have to break free! My friends and family need me!' Danny thought to himself, while struggling in the ectoplasmic ropes.
"I-I'm goin' ghost!" Fenton cried.
Danny Fenton managed to muster enough spectral energy to summon his white transformation rings, transforming into Danny Phantom.
Unfortunately, despite retaining a bit of his power, the struggle led to no desirable results. He was stuck in his binds, and without the Specter Speeder, Present Phantom was utterly lost.
"...Well, it was worth a shot." Phantom muttered to himself.
While drifting in the green and black void, a familiar voice spoke ahead of him.
It was the bearded Spirit, who had an eager expression on his face
"Well, well, well. It looks like our Phantom has brought us an offering." Said the seaweed covered Poltergeist commented. "He even wrapped you up like a present."
"...Box Ghost," Danny Phantom spoke in realization.
In a cold tone, Future Box Ghost raised his only hand while charging dark blue ectoplasmic energy, uttering, "Beware."
Future Box Ghost attacked him with a ghost ray, making him slam into another familiar Spirit.
Although, that Spirit was a shell of her former self. The being had become physically frail. She wore a rugged dress made of sackcloth, lacked a certain instrument, and the way her make-up looked (especially her eye-liner) made it appear as if she had been crying. And most crucially, her hair drooped down, with her bangs covering her right eye, implying that she was missing one.
This was Future Ember McLain.
Danny gasped, then stuttered, "Ember?! You look..."
"Like I've been through hell? I like I've been ruined?" Future Ember growled. "I got you and your Ghostly Wail to thank for that, after it destroyed my guitar and ruptured my vocal cords!?"
"What!?" Phantom blurted out.
Ember retaliated by blasting Present Phantom with her pinkish violet flames, sending him into another foe he's met in the past. Or, rather an associate of one of his foes.
She looked relatively the same, but similar to Ember, it seemed that she aged with the excessive wrinkles, exposed cheekbones. Notably, she also had a familiar gray leather jacket and wore a familiar skull necklace instead of her usual red jacket and necklace. Her eyes were filled with tears and seething rage.
"K-Kitty!" Danny Phantom gasped in shock. "What did I do to you-wait, is that Jo-?"
"-What did you do!?" Kitty roared, preparing for an ectoplasmic energy blast. "FIRST YOU TAKE HIS SHADOW, THEN HIS LEGS, AND BECAUSE OF THAT STRIKE, HE CAN NEVER REFORM HERE! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM HIM!"
'Johnny's gone!?' A bewildered Danny shouted in his mind.
"W-Wait-!" Present Phantom tried speaking, only to be struck again.
Danny Phantom screamed in pain as he was sent to the middle of a group of many Spirits that circled around him. This included, Skulktech 9.9, the Lunch Lady, a facial disfigured Penelope Spectra in her true shadowy form, a version of the fully white jailor warden, Walker (who lacked an arm), and various lesser Ghosts that were terrorized by the Dark Phantom.
As Danny opened his eyes, he watched as multiple ghosts, namely those from his rogues gallery closed in on him.
"Wait! Don't!" Phantom pleaded for his life as Future Ember and Future Box Ghost. "No! NOOO!"
Nasty Burger, Amity Park, IL, Year 2005
It was Friday. The real Danny had yet to return, leaving Jazz Fenton and Valerie Grey to endure keeping the secret of a fake Danny hijacking his life. One of the many burdens they had to deal with when it came to the crazy double lives they lead.
Even Pacifica and Mr. Gray were kept out of the loop to ensure their safety, making this situation extremely dire.
Normally, Jazz would drive Danny to school, fake or not, but since the boy was still suspended, the two girls decided to meet up at the Nasty Burger parking lot to talk about what they know.
Valerie managed to meet up with Jazz when she walked to the parking lot and got in the passenger side to greet the ginger haired girl.
"Good morning," Valerie lightly greeted.
"Morning," Jazz sighed with a wry smile. "Sorry to call you this early."
"It's fine, Jazz. This is urgent," Valerie said, validating Jazz's reasoning while spotting the girl pulling out the Fenton Booo-merang. "Are you sure the readings on that thing are right?"
"One hundred percent," Jazz nodded with a frown. "I know my brother. Whoever this Spirit is has done their research and is a decent actor, but his attitude and the way he spoke were completely off."
"This is crazy," Valerie muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. "We've got some kind of doppelgänger on our hands. Why don't we just jump him now?"
"That's a bad idea, Valerie," Jazz answered with disapproval in her voice. "Neither of us knows what that fake Spirit is capable of."
"We gotta do something, Jazz!" Valerie interjected. "Danny's missing and that thing wearing his face may be the only lead we got!"
"I know! That's the reason why I don't want to act yet!" Jazz stated. "...And I can't shake this bad feeling that I get when I'm near that guy. Like it's a bad omen. ...Maybe that Spirit knows where Danny is and is planning something."
"How can you be sure?" Valerie queried.
"I don't know, it's just this feeling I can't shrug off when I'm around it." Jazz said with a worried tone.
With an expression of resignation, Valerie said, "Okay, Einstein. I'll play along in this game. But let's tread lightly. I don't want anybody getting hurt behind this bastard."
"Language," Jazz frowned like a nagging mother. "But I agree. To play our cards right, we have to wait for the right moment to expose and ambush this phony. Hopefully, if all goes well, I can get my mom and dad on this to contain and interrogate it on what it knows."
Valerie's eyes widened as worry appeared all over her body.
"Jazz, isn't that risky? What about Danny's secret?" Asked the secret huntress.
Jazz looked away from Valerie and peered out of the window.
"...We'll get to that when we cross that bridge." Jazz answered with a bit of uncertainty in her tone.
-After School, In the Laboratory-
School had been too slow and too monotonous for her. The high school Senior had more important things to worry about, like keeping her family safe and finding her younger brother.
Once school was out, Jazz quickly drove off while calling her parents. Once she confirmed that Jack and Maddie were out on their patrol and that Danny was home, she wasted no time.
Once Jazz got home, she blazed through the kitchen and made it inside of her parents' lab. The first thing she did was take out a piece of paper and a pen. When the note was complete, Jazz then took her blue headband, tied it to the piece of paper on the Booo-merang.
She went over to the main computer, then opened the Fenton Portal. The seventeen-year-old brought her mouth near the speaker and spoke to a vocal commander.
"Find Danny!"
With all of her might, she threw Booo-merang inside of the portal, allowing it to travel in the spectral void based on Earth's perception of time.
Days become weeks, weeks become months, and months turned into years.
The boomerang, scorched but still beeping sluggishly, floated past a demonic Spirit. The beacon turned green and it nearly got swallowed by the monster, but it quickly switched directions as it searched for its target.
Ghost Zone, Year 2015
Pain. Danny Phantom of 2005 was surrounded by it. Internally, externally, it was like misery and brutality had been choking the life out of him, and he was submerged in it.
The future variants of Present Phantom's rogues gallery took turns taking their pound flesh from the ghost boy. Figuratively, of course. From Future Box Ghost, to Ember, to Kitty and Walker double teaming him, to Spectra and the Lunch Lady Spirit. Even the lesser Ghosts that once trembled at the presence of the Dark Phantom got in a few hits.
And Skulktech 9.9 had led the charge.
Present Phantom could barely think, his mind and body screamed in agony alongside him. He had been burned, electrocuted, and battered in his ghost-like form for who-knows-how-long. It could have been hours, maybe even a day, but to residents in Ghost Zone and to Danny Phantom, it felt like an eternity.
Once the group took their moments to stop playing hardcore hot potato with Present Phantom, Future Ember slams him into a floating wall hard.
Danny Phantom gasped for air as he coughed up blood and ectoplasm from his mouth, which the disfigured ghost savored by licking it from her face.
The group of assailants smirked at their handiwork. Danny had burns, bruises, and lacerations all over his body with tears across his jumpsuit.
"Please!" Present Phantom implored. "I-I didn't do all this to you, it wasn't me!"
Skulktech's top half refuted, "Oh, stop! It doesn't matter that you're from the past. You're responsible for the horrible things that happened to your world and ours."
Skulktech lower half added, "To everyone you've ever come in contact with!"
"And wiping you out just might be the thing to do HIM in." Future Ember with a vindictive and sadistic smirk.
"If not...well, at least it'll be satisfying." Box Ghost said, creating a large flaming cube construct. "Say your prayers, Ghost Punk."
Present Phantom could see them all preparing to kill him. That's when the gravity of the situation hit him.
He was going to die this time.
The snow white-haired teen's chest began to palpitate as his entire life flashed before his eyes. From the beginning to the present, a slideshow of every decision and event that took place led him to this moment. And it led to one conclusion.
Danny wasn't prepared to die. There was so much that he had to experience and there were other people that needed him right at this moment.
The fear of experiencing death and the fear of failing the people he loved caused him to act in the fight-or-flight situation.
As a rejection to death, Phantom let out an ear piercing screech that mimicked the horrific screams of the damned souls trapped in the Unworld. This took the form of an ectoplasmic-based ultrasonic blast that was green, unlike the Dark Phantom's version.
For the second time, Danny Phantom performed the Ghostly Wail.
With its raw power, the green ultrasonic blast quickly defeated his assailants, causing him to transform back into human form while becoming unconscious.
Many of the injured ghost boy rogues gallery got up, Future Spectra was the one to speak first.
"...N-No! How can that brat have that power this early!?" The shadow Spirit hissed, shaking at reliving being hit by such an attack.
"It doesn't matter, the job ain't finished yet!" Future Walker pointed with his remaining arm.
The rogues found Danny, now Fenton, rendered unconscious as he floated.
"The warden's right! We can't let him live to grow up and become that monster!" Skulktech's top half stated. "Everyone, gather your powers and-"
"-LEAVE HIM!" A loud and powerful distorted voice roared, causing every Spirit present to reel back and flinch in fear.
They all turned their heads to find a stronger Spirit walking on thin air towards their way with his arms behind his back.
This happened to be a future version of The Dealer, but his hair was long enough to reach down to his back, his face sported a goatee, and he no longer wore his sunglasses, exposing his yellow serpentine like eyes that resembled colored glass.
"HEY! You can't just-!"
Before Kitty could finish her protest, Future Avarice snapped his fingers and all the Spirits were sent and locked inside their domains with a flash of red electricity.
Future Avarice let out a sigh before he noticed a certain worn out and dull ghost kid about to pass him before catching a fast moving object without even looking in its direction. When the Dealer inspected the object, he discovered it to be the Fenton Booo-merang with a blue headband tied down with a note attached to it.
"This must be for him." Future Avarice remarked before looking at Danny Fenton's direction.
The Spirit approached the unconscious Danny and threw him over his shoulder with one arm.
"Let's go somewhere more comfortable." The Spirit suggested.
Future Avarice began to whistle, and he ascended into the air and walked away with Danny.
Casper High, Amity Park, IL, Year 2005
It was the final day. The day of the Career Aptitude Test. Beforehand, Principal Ishiyama had given the Fenton's clearance for their son to take the test on campus since it seemed that the boy had calmed down.
After a strict warning from his parents to be on his best behavior, Evil Danny was ushered into the school, much to the shock of the students present.
"Mr. Fenton, glad you could make it." Said Mr. Lancer, greeting his suspended student. "Has suspension calmed you down?"
"Why, yes it did. In fact, I've made great progress in my studies while gone, Sir." Evil Danny said in a seemingly genuine tone with a smile that was a bit off, even to Lancer.
Mr. Lancer raised an eyebrow and said, "We'll see about that after testing, won't we?"
Seeing the bewildered reactions to his former classmates was cathartic to the Wraith. Valerie, Pacifica, and Star gave him concerned expressions, but Evil Danny did pay them mind and nodded toward them as if nothing ever happened. This attitude unsettled his former friends. While Paulina's squirming was a highlight, nothing gave Evil Danny more elation than the utter expression of outrage Sam Manson had. If it wasn't for his mission, he would consider that making his day.
But the Dark Phantom in disguise couldn't get sidetracked. He had a schedule to keep.
During testing, Evil Danny was sitting in the back of the classroom with his hoodie down and hair out.
Because he actually studied half of the material, he knew most of the answers enough to pretend to answer the questions of the CAT like a normal student.
Of course, when there was a roadblock, Evil Danny pulled out his trump card when nobody seemed to suspect him.
However, during the halfway mark, he did it for the fourth time, pulling out the answer key with one hand while bubbling in the answers with the other while smirking devilishly.
'...Soon...' Thought Evil Danny.
Little did he know, Sam had caught a glimpse of this, but caught herself from making an audible gasp.
'...He has the answers!' Sam recognized in her mind.
The Avaricious Spirit, Ghost Zone, Year 2015
Danny Fenton woke up on a couch in a place foreign to him. Judging from the void of green and black he saw out a window, he quickly pieced together that he was still in the Ghost Zone, most likely the future version.
'Man, I've got to stop waking up in random places.' Danny pondered until he noticed the grenade Dipper had given him fell out of his pocket.
He quickly picked it up.
Getting off the couch, Danny wandered around his new location and found a bar with elements of an arcade and a diner inside of the building. But there was an emptiness in the place that felt eerie.
Almost as if something else was haunting the liminal space of the place.
"This place is so empty." Danny Fenton commented, now in front of the bar counter. "It kinda gives me the creeps."
A chuckle was heard from behind the Alpha Human, causing him to turn around and meet his savior.
The Dealer.
"...You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"
This exact phrase made the young halfa make an instant connection between the Dealer and Clockwork.
And so, he interpreted the Spirit as a threat to his life. So, Danny Fenton jumped back, transformed into Danny Phantom, and prepared to fight for his life.
"Woah, take it easy, kid. You're safe here, even if it looks like this place hasn't had a real customer." The Dealer said as he took out a green glass bottle with a fizzy liquid inside. "Can I get you a Sprite? Heard they were your favourite."
'...What the heck? I never told him that. How does he know?' Present Phantom questioned as he placed the grenade Dipper gave him in his metallic utility belt.
Present Phantom frowned and said, "I don't have time for drinks! I have to get back to my time before I lose everything!"
"But do you know when you lose everything?" Future Avarice asked, still offering the drink and even shaking it slightly.
Danny hesitated to answer, but admitted, "...When I lose those I care about during an attack on the Nasty Burger."
Future Avarice chuckled sardonically, before he said "Wrong, I'm not talking about when you lost your family or your old friends."
Danny Phantom was utterly stumped by this answer. What was he missing? He improved his grades but he wasn't a mind reader.
"What do you mean it's wrong? My loved ones are everything to me. It's why I'm fighting Ghosts and stuff." Present Phantom explained.
"Everything you say? Is that how you solely define your life? By your loved ones?" Future Avarice asked with a piercing gaze.
"Of course! I mean, what's life without them?" Phantom exclaimed like it was obvious.
"Life is more than the people who surround you, kid. At the center of each life, there is a person and you, Mr. Fenton, are the center of your life. We are the controllers and the masters of our own stories, and no one can write or finish it without self. Do you get that, kid, or is that too hard on your fifteen-year-old brain?"
"...You have to tell me how to get back home, or my timeline is finished! And he'll do something horrible to my parents, my sister, Tucker, Sam, and everybody else if I don't make it in time!" Present Phantom implored , before Future Avarice grabbed Danny by the collar pulled him towards his face, their eyes locking in with each other.
"You really do put everyone else before your own needs, don't you? No wonder your counterpart broke." Future Avarice said before speaking further. "Look inwards, look to yourself, kid. You wanna know when you truly lost everything?"
"What are you trying to say!?" Danny said, frowning in frustration.
Future Avarice chuckled before letting go of Danny's collar, dropping him on the floor.
"When. You. Gave. Up."
Danny's eyes widened, too shocked to even speak. He thought back to his father's saying. A Fenton never quits. He had always tried applying this saying to his life, but it apparently stopped applying to the Dark Phantom long after his parents and sister passed away.
Without it, what was the point of ghost hunting? What was the point of trying in school? What was the point of anything?
Present Phantom was left completely taken aback, not knowing how to move forward, having lost his conviction momentarily.
"You sure you don't want a drink?" Future Avarice asked nonchalantly.
Without saying a word, he took the bottle of Sprite and downed it, wanting to quell his parched throat.
"Without self, we are lost, confused and empty. Without the ego, the core that makes up our personality, our beliefs, our drive, we are but a shell or a ghost of our former self, sorry I couldn't resist." Future Avarice said with a chuckle.
Danny Phantom gave the ghost of half lidded glare.
"People always preach about giving yourself to other people, to do right by your fellow man and yadda yadda, boring!" Future Avarice said before simmering down. "But doing nothing but giving leaves no room for anything else in your life, including yourself. Such self-destructive behaviour will break you eventually. Can you imagine anything more horrifying or disturbing than ego death? To lose what makes you...you?"
"...Not really, but I guess I don't have to, do I?" Danny rhetorically questioned, grim to the concept of his evil future self.
"I'll tell you what, Mr. Fenton, why don't we make a deal?" Future Avarice asked as his grin widened, showing his razor sharp teeth.
"Huh? What are you supposed to be, some kind of dealer?" Danny half questioned, half-quipped.
"Where are my manners? I have had many names across each era, but to most, I am Avarice, but you may call me 'The Dealer'." Future Avarice said, taking a bow. "And to answer yours and Kid Mystery's other question, I am what you would call a Specter."
"Another one? Wait, Avarice...as in greed?" Danny pondered to himself aloud before shaking his head. "No time for getting sidetracked. What's the deal?"
"I know someone who can get that temporal bastard's special medallion out of your body. Once that happens, your body would be re-synced to the present flow of time, pulling it there like X-Men's Cable." Future Avarice explained.
"What do I need to do to see this guy...or girl?" The ghost kid questioned.
"All you have to do is answer my questions truthfully as I show you the way to my compatriot." Future Avarice replied.
Danny nodded, not wanting to waste anymore time.
"So it's a deal then?" Future Avarice asked, extending his hand to Danny.
The ghost themed superhero extended his right hand to the Dealer's, sealing the agreement. Once they held each other's hand and shook it, red spectral chains formed around their arms, wrapping around them and binding their hands together before evaporating seconds later.
"This vow has been binded." Future Avarice explained. "Once binded, it cannot be broken by either party, or the vow breaker shall suffer the consequences. Do you understand, Danny Phantom?"
"Yeah," Present Phantom nodded, just as serious. "I do."
"Good man." Future Avarice said with a grin before pulling out a familiar Fenton gadget. "Oh before I forget, I think your sister sent you this."
When reading the note he took from the Booo-merang, Phantom grimaced at what was written to him.
'...No! He's tricked my parents into thinking he's me!' Present Phantom growled mentally.
"Sounds like he's already made it to your time." Future Avarice commented, lighting up a cigarette.
"...Just ask me a question." Danny asked in a low, but serious tone.
Future Avarice looked at the front doors to his bar which opened to reveal the Ghost Zone outside.
"We'll continue this on the way." Future Avarice, gesturing to the door. "No one has the guts to lynch you in my presence, I run shit here in the Ghost Zone as you humans call it."
Danny nodded, following the Specter out of his domain.
Casper High, Amity Park, IL, Year 2005
It didn't take long for Evil Danny to complete the test. In fact, he made it apparent to be one of the first ones to hand in his document.
When he approached Me. Lancer, he placed the test on the desk with an audible slam.
This surprised Lancer, but he quickly glanced from the hand of his student to his face.
"...Finished so soon, Mr. Fenton?" Asked Mr. Lancer.
"Do you have a problem with that, Sir? I thought you had more faith in your student's skills."
Lancer decided not to say anything, mentally reminding himself that today was his last day as a teacher in the school.
As Evil Danny walked out of the classroom, he smirked in victory.
'...Phase two, complete. Everything will come ahead in the final hours.' Evil Danny thought in utter confidence.
Three minutes after Evil Danny left, Sam raised her hand to get the teacher's attention, and succeeded.
Mr. Lancer raised an eyebrow and asked Sam, "Is something the matter, Ms. Manson?"
Sam said, "Can I talk to you for a second?"
Mr. Lancer would have made a bit of a snide comment as usual, but the honest and genuine tone of urgency was something that the man could not deny or simply ignored.
"Come up to the front and remain quiet for the other students' sake." Mr. Lancer instructed.
Sam does so and approaches the teacher in the watch eyes of Valerie, Pacifica, and Star. Though, they quickly refocused on their test for obvious reasons.
"What's the problem?" Asked the bald teacher.
When the goth vegan whispered what she saw early, Mr. Lancer gasped in horror.
The man scrambled to open up the briefcase, only to find the answers were gone.
"...Blood Meridian!" Mr. Lancer whispered.
As a last act of his duty as a teacher, Mr. Lancer took out his phone. He dialed the number belonging to Fenton Works and waited for one of Danny's parents to pick up.
"...Hello Mrs. Fenton, this is Mr. Lancer. I would like for you, your husband, and son to meet me in front of the Nasty Burger at five."
Ghost Zone, Year 2015
Danny Phantom slowly flew with the Specter of Greed across the Ghost Zone, with the Dealer walking in thin air, a feat that surprised the young hero.
"How are you walking on thin air? I thought Spirits flew."
"Oh please, even you can do something as simple as this." Future Avarice said with a chuckle.
"I can?"
"Anyone can do it, they just have to learn how." The Dealer replied. "Not that anyone gives a shit, they just fly or ride some vehicle they've conjured up. Me? I said fuck gravity, I'm walking on air!"
Present Phantom chuckled at the comment, only for the temporarily light hearted moment to be squandered by a floating landmass covered in ruins of what once a beautiful castle.
"...Is that Dora's Castle?" Phantom whispered solemnly.
The Dealer looked at the castle to which he said, "Nothing was the same after your counterpart surrendered to himself. The Ghost Zone was his playground, and he played with every ride at the park, but a little too much if I might add. Like a kid destroying his fucking toys."
This continued on, discovering the remnants of the different Zones that were destroyed by the Dark Phantom, including Skulker's Island, the Ghost Writer's Manor, the Walker's Prison, and the Warehouse that the Box Ghost once inhabited.
"...I'm surprised that Phantom didn't end up trying to conquer this place during his rampage." Present Phantom commented. "I mean, why hasn't he stuck around when he can make portals? There's only so many people he can waste on Earth."
"He didn't stick around because I didn't let him stick around." The Dealer answered, before taking out another cigarette and lighting it.
"Whoa! You banned him from the Ghost Zone?" Asked Danny.
"I didn't just ban him, I kicked that little bitch's ass!" Future Avarice insisted. "Sure, Phantom is powerful but he is merely a great white shark. Me on the other hand? I'm a fucking Megalodon! That shit wasn't a fight, it was a soldier schooling a bully."
A bully. That's what the Dark Phantom was. What he became.
'...I'm no better than Dash.' Present Phantom thought to himself, shamefaced at his actions. 'Dad was right. I wasn't thinking straight. Now, I'm hurting everybody around me.'
"...I should have never fought those guys, huh?" Present Phantom questioned, flying while his shoulders slumped.
"I mean, if you ask me, that shit was a long time coming! The look on their faces as you one shot Baxter was priceless! Hahahahahahaa!" Future Avarice said with hysterical but slightly creepy laughter, only to get a glare from Present Phantom. "Aw, come on. He forced you to eat his dirty undies and sprayed you with his piss! How any of that degeneracy is tolerated astounds me. I thought humans had more class than that."
"Wait, are you saying that you're okay with that?" Present Phantom asked, surprised by the Dealer's response.
"Of the action itself, yes. If it wasn't you, it would have been someone else." Future Avarice replied. "But in the long run, Mr. Fenton, these actions were detrimental in Dark Phantom's descent, other than the loss of his family."
"I see..." Danny muttered.
There was a silence amongst the two as Present Phantom followed the Specter along the ruinous void that used to be bustling with anarchy. This silence was broken as the Dealer decided to begin the promised exchange.
"Your friends..." The Dealer started asking, walking along a path that's invisible to Danny. "What kind of people are they?"
'...He must be asking the questions as a part of the deal.' Phantom realized.
"...Well, they are all around decent people. Though, I have to admit, some are better than others." Danny Phantom answered truthfully.
"I wonder..." Future Avarice questioned. "Do those people think of you as a friend?"
"Of course they..." Danny was about to answer, only to trial off when a certain goth girl came into mind. "...they... ...I guess not everybody thinks so."
The ghost boy felt his spirits lowering from the realization that Sam may not think of him as his friend. This wasn't a depression of his friendship falling apart, but a solemn pang of acceptance washing over him.
Avarice accepted the truthful answer, then asked, "The right thing...What is it?"
"What's the right thing? Well, I guess it's not a straightforward answer. I guess it's based on perspective, what kind of morals a person is brought up under. For me, I do what I think would help others out, what makes them happy."
Avarice grinned, letting out a small chuckle as they said, "How Interesting. I wonder..."
"Wonder what?" Danny inquired.
"If you do the right thing...Does it really make everybody happy?" The spirit questioned.
Phantom thought about all of the time his decisions as a superhero and how it affected his personal life. He recalled the tardies, the detentions, the built-up resentment and tension Sam had with him, and the fractured state of his friendship with her along with his grades. This caused him to mull over the rabbit hole of people in Amity Park that did not like him because of Walker's sabotage or because he was involved in things ghost-related.
Danny knew the answer to that.
"...No. Nothing I do will make everybody happy, and I don't think it ever will." Phantom answered honestly. "It's something that I'm gonna have to live with."
"...Good answer." The Spirit grinned.
Avarice eventually brought the Phantom of Amity Park to the location he needed to be. As it turned out, he was taken to a comically large American floating football.
Phantom looked confused.
"Uh, why am I staring at this?" Asked the snow white-haired halfa.
"This is where our walk ends." The Dealer replied.
"It ends with a football?" Danny Phantom inquired as he gave Avarice a half-lidded stare. "Am I being scammed?"
"It's what's behind the football that we're here for." Future Avarice said as he moved the football telepathically, revealing a man-made ghost portal.
"That's not the Fenton Portal." Danny Phantom stated, slowly connecting the dots. "Hey, how do you know about-"
"That's a conversation for another time, Mr. Fenton." The Dealer replied, folding his arms behind his back. "If you do make it back, then come find me. I'll remember."
"W-Wait, aren't you from the future! How are you going to-" Present Phantom tried questioning, but failing as the Dealer faded away.
Once Avarice was gone, Danny Phantom went through the man-made ghost portal.
-Laboratory, Masters Manor, Year 2015-
Present Phantom reluctantly entered the lab of Vlad Masters, now in shambles and has collected dust. It seemed as if something had blown up from the inside out.
'Wow, look at this place. Plasmius really let his pad go to the wolves.' Present Phantom thought to himself.
As if he was expecting Danny, an older and wary Vlad Masters asked, "Finally come to put down a defenseless old man?"
Present Phantom parroted, "Defenseless? Old?"
From the voice responding, Vlad turned around from his chair and looked just as surprised as Danny Phantom was to see him.
Vlad was hunched back, frail, wore a shabby version of his black suit, but had grown a messy beard, disgustingly long fingernails, was barefooted, and had long toenails while using a wooden cane for support. He had long wrinkled lines on his forehead, black ringed markings on his eyes with bags under them.
"...You're from the past," Said Future Vlad. "...That's why Father Time appeared before me long ago."
"Wait, you know about Clockwork?" Asked the Phantom of 2005.
"Indeed. He had visited me and delivered a message of great importance." Future Vlad elaborated. "Ironically, he foretold the arrival of a ghost from my past. I would have never imagined it to be in a literal context."
"Man, you look...rough." Present Phantom said in a disturbed tone. "What happened to you?"
Future Vlad rose from his V-emblazoned chair, revealing that he was sitting by a bank of consoles, chemistry glassware to the side.
Standing on his cane, Future Vlad raised an eyebrow and said, "I could ask you the very same question, my boy. Although perhaps I should ask what hasn't happened to you. Yet."
Danny Phantom suddenly questioned, "My friends and family. ...How did they die?"
Future Vlad then handed the ghost boy an old newspaper which read, Nasty Accident For Fenton and Friends.
"If it's any consolation, they went so quickly." Future Vlad explained. "They felt no pain. Perhaps the B.O.R.D. made it so their obstacles were out of the picture. "Unfortunately the same could not be said of you, Daniel."
Present Phantom's face fell as he listened to his old archenemy continue the story.
"As the sole survivor, you had no legal guardian to take you in. That was, until I stepped in. You were reluctant, but it wasn't like either of your mother's sisters were interested in taking you." Future Vlad pointed out.
Despite his disdain for Vlad, Danny believed him. His Aunt Alicia wanted nothing to do with kids, let alone her younger sister's. Besides, she wasn't a fan of his dad anyway. As for Aunt Barbara, neither his father nor his mother trusted his youngest aunt with babysitting, let alone emergency custody. Aunt Barbara and her husband were barely taking care of their son, Timmy, but were arguably more neglectful than Danny's parents.
It was a sad truth.
Future Vlad continued, saying, "I had moved us to an estate in Romania, my parents' home country. I earnestly tried to win your trust and favor to get you to my side as my son, yet you resisted me. That night, it had constantly plagued your mind."
'The night I failed.' Present Phantom noted, clenching the newspaper
"All you wanted was to make the hurt go away. A hurt derived from the failure which you associate with your powers. A hurt that I empathize with." Future Vlad recounted. "In spite of my reluctance, I intended to honor those wishes. I used a modified version of the Ghost Gauntlets to conduct a difficult procedure. The gauntlets were meant to drain your body of the ectoplasm that bonded to your body at the molecular level..."
Phantom gasped at the concept of his powers possibly being able to be removed, only to hear the dreadful truth behind the Dark Phantom's origin.
"...But the gauntlets short-circuited in the process, so I ended up separating your spectral half, your phantom, from your human body." Explained Future Vlad. "The other you began to dissociate from your human persona. While angry at your rejection of him, he did not take kindly to my actions. Sadly, that freed him up to rip the phantom out of me. And when Phantom absorbed my spectral half into himself, the Madness consumed him."
Present Phantom looked away from the newspaper and glanced at his old nemesis. "...What happened to my human self?"
A pained look washed over the frail old man.
"...Some things, my boy, are better left unsaid."
Now he knew what the Dealer was talking about. Danny pondered that this was supposed to be his future. A future where all of his hard work and effort was going to be all for nothing. A future where he hated his life so much, he had adopted the same mentality as his parents and threw away his powers when losing purpose. A future where he made everybody else pay the price and robbed them of their future.
He mentally noted that he had contemplated surrendering his ghostly power right before his misadventure to the future transpired, and now he knew that it was possible to do so with an added risk of that power turning against him.
Danny's mind paused when Vlad spoke to him again, holding a picture of an old photo of himself, Jack, and Maddie during their college years. His eyes were filled with guilt and regret.
"My quest for power has destroyed the world around me, and my yearning for love has ultimately left me where I started... Alone. If any good came out of this, it's that ten years without ghost powers gave me the chance to see what a fool I'd been."
That's when Frostbite's words returned to Phantom's mind.
...Those who do not know the danger of wielding power will, before long, be ruled by it.
Danny Phantom, looking inward, verbally suggested, "...Maybe that's what everybody deserves. A second chance".
This caught Future Vlad off guard.
Present Phantom stared Future Vlad down with a glare and said, "You are a real piece of work in my timeline, Vlad. And I won't lie, you may have been the only person that I truly hated with every fiber of my being, but I think I'm starting to get where you're coming from."
"...You do?" Asked Future Vlad.
"Yeah." Phantom nodded. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I have to. Vlad, I forgive you."
"..W-What?"
"Everything you've done to me, you've tried on my family. I forgive you," The ghost kid repeated.
"W-Why? I-I don't deserve..." The former rich hermit choked, feeling an overwhelming surge of emotions come before him.
"That doesn't matter right now," Said Phantom, letting go of his hatred. "I just wanted to let you know."
Future Vlad's heart quaked at the gravity of such words. No amount of words could describe how grateful the man felt. But, the sensation nearly drove the former mad man to tears.
Old Vlad had to take out a handkerchief to wipe any tear that might fall from his face, feeling humble by the courteous nature of his former enemy.
"T-Thank you..." Future Vlad said genuinely.
As a response, Present Phantom said, "Hey, I know it's sudden, but I need to ask you a favor."
Nasty Burger, Amity Park, IL, Year 2005
Evil Danny was currently being driven to the Nasty Burger by the present version of Jack and Maddie Fenton. So far, everything was going according to the Dark Phantom's plan for the most part.
Unfortunately for the disguised Wraith, Jazz wasn't present due to miscellaneous reasons, as he put it. Nonetheless, it didn't matter how, as long as everybody important in Little Danny's life were dead before he came back, his mission would be successful.
Maddie glanced at Danny with a semi-stern expression from the rear view mirror noting, "Mr. Lancer's tone sounds urgent."
Jack asked, "Is there something that you should tell us, young man?"
Suppressing the urge to smile, Evil Danny shrugged, telling both Jack and Maddie, "I have no clue. Let's see what Mr. Lancer has to say."
Although, the Dark Phantom pondered, 'If only the Spazz was here. No matter, whether the explosion happens earlier or not, she'll be dead long before Little Danny comes back. I'm still in control.'
-With Sam and Tucker-
Inside of the Nasty Burger, Sam watched Tucker, with crutches beside his seat, eat a full meal. And seeing him happy made her just as happy.
"Mmm! I can't get enough of these burgers!" Tucker expressed. "Thanks for covering this and my new glasses Sam! You rock!"
Sam smiled and stated, "No sweat, you just got discharged early, and testing is over! It's only natural that we celebrate."
"You're not wrong about that... Tucker agreed, only to spot the Fentons' vehicle and Mr. Lancer outside. "Hey, is that The Fentons' vehicle outside? And Mr. Lancer? What are they doing here?"
Sam recognized the situation and got up and told Tucker to follow her to find out.
"Hey, wait up!" Tucker shouted as he picked up his crutches. "I'm injured, remember?"
Unbeknownst to the others, the indicator on the Nasty Sauce vat moved from the edge of the yellow to the beginning of the red.
-With the Fentons and Mr. Lancer-
As the Fentons arrived in front of the Nasty Burger, Evil Danny got out of the vehicle with Jack and Maddie beside him. They were met with the sight of Mr. Lancer.
"Mr. Fenton, Mrs. Fenton, Daniel, this is the Nasty Burger," The bald man introduced, " A place where people fail if they didn't study enough...or if they cheated."
He held up Danny's scores with an impassive expression.
Jack glared at and bellowed, "Daniel James Fenton!"
Once again, Evil Danny was met with his father's look at him with disappointment and disapproval.
Maddie followed suit with her arms crossed, asking, "Is this true?"
Evil Danny, however, didn't pay too much mind with his parents. No, he decided to play a game with his former teacher.
He raised an eyebrow, then reminded his parents, "Hold on, that's not true. Not only had I been studying for the CAT before I was suspended, but I haven't been present since my suspension."
Evil Danny then glanced at Mr. Lancer, and asked, "Do you have any proof that I cheated, Sir?"
"He sure does! I'm his proof!"
Evil Danny whipped his head around and found Sam behind the entrance of the restaurant with Tucker, while in crutches, following behind her.
Mr. Lancer, the Fentons, and Evil Danny were taken aback by this revelation.
"ANIMAL FARM!" Lancer shouted in genuine shock. "Where did you two come from!?"
Tucker explained "I spotted you from inside the store, so Sam and I came rushing by to see what's up."
Evil Danny mentally noted, 'This never happened the first time, but then again, this works out even better than I hoped for.'
Tucker then asked. "Dude, did you really cheat on the CAT?"
"It is!" Sam claimed as she glared at Danny, "I saw you pulling out another Scantron sheet under the desk!"
Jack glared at Evil Danny and stated, "I raised you better than this! No Fenton has taken the easy way out just to get by! Not a single one!"
Evil Danny, still calm, told his parents. "Guys, you're blowing things out of proportion. I would need to get the answer sheet out of his briefcase for me to cheat."
Mr. Lancer stated, "Those answers are missing, Mr. Fenton. Answers that you somehow got a hold of."
Evil Danny tilted his head, then challenged his former teacher.
"Oh? Wasn't that locked in your briefcase that you kept cuffed on you?" Asked Evil Danny. "Do you think I have the power to move through solid objects or something that absurd, Sir?"
Lancer to stammer in embarrassment, blushing red while Sam got sick of the attitude.
"Oh shut up already!" Sam barked. "We all know that you did it, Danny! Just admit that you got caught red handed and tell the truth for once!"
Evil Danny laughed at the girl's outburst, finding her self-righteous attitude amusing.
"...I never thought I would see the day where the rebellious Sam Manson sells out to Lancer of all people." Evil Danny claimed.
"Excuse me!?" Both Sam and Lancer screamed.
"Dude!" Tucker exclaimed.
"Daniel, you will stop this-" Jack said, attempting to pull his son away, only for Evil Danny to side step the burly man.
"Hold on, Dad," Evil Danny jeered. "Think about it, guys. I'm making perfect sense."
He whipped around to face Lancer, stating, "You, Lancer, have never liked me ever since the Beaker Incident. And then, you steadily grew from that, to ultimately blaming me for you losing your job in Casper High. That gives you a motive."
Lancer gaped at the manipulation he was causing, unable to recognize the student he had taught for over a year.
"And that leaves us with you, Sam," Evil Danny glared with a smirk on his face. "You're making false accusations against me because you're holding onto a grudge from the long dead incident during last year's fall formal. Of course, those feelings of resentment grew, and right when I got suspended, that's where you and the old man hatched your little plan to get me expelled."
This left mostly everybody speechless, contemplating Danny's uncanny ability to manipulate the citation.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Sam shouted, calling on his bluff. "I KNOW WHAT I SAW!"
"And you're not a viable witness," Evil Danny encountered. "Your bias against me wouldn't work well in a court setting. I have a credible alibi, witnesses that can backup my claims, and while the C.A.T. does nothing to affect my grades, it's safe to say that getting a perfect score is much more probable for me this year than it was last year. You and Lancer have nothing on me Manson. Cut the slander."
"Us, slandering you? YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS?!" Sam fired back, outraged at the audacity of Danny.
Evil Danny chuckled to himself and said, "How can I not be? Aren't I dead to you?"
Before things escalated, Tucker caught something out of the corner of his eyes.
"Guys, look!" Tucker pointed toward the sky.
The others glanced up and found that the Ghost Huntress flew toward them.
"EVERYBODY DUCK!" The Scarlet Huntress bellowed with her voice modulator on, prompting the others to do so.
She fired an anti-ecto net that ensnared Evil Danny, making him unable to break free.
"DANNY!" Tucker and Sam screamed in shock, worried about what the huntress was doing to their friend.
Jack and Maddie turned to the masked vigilante, demanding to know, "What is going on!?"
"I'll tell you what's going on." A familiar voice spoke to the group.
The Fentons, Sam, Tucker, Mr. Lancer, and Evil Danny looked to find Jazz had arrived in the Ghost Peeler MKII battle suit, offering an answer.
Raising a hand with a Fenton Peeler repulsor cannon built in its palm, she said,
"Or better yet, I'll show you."
Jazz fired an anti-ghost ray at Evil Danny.
While the process was quick, the pain was so great, it revealed the Dark Phantom in his truest state while he grunted.
Nobody aside from the Ghost Huntress and Jazz could believe their eyes.
"That's not Danny!" Jazz concluded.
Jack and Maddie went from stunned to angry, and immediately pointed anti-ecto guns at the fallen Dark Phantom who collapsed onto the floor.
Jack growled, "I knew you were a menace! Now where is he!? Where's my son!?"
"What have you done to our boy!?" Maddie interrogated.
Dark Phantom, laughing while in Wraith form, revealed, "Hahahaha!...I am your boy!"
Everybody gasped at this.
Ghost Huntress, aimed her own anti-ecto guns at the enemy, said, "Ya'll don't listen to this fraud!"
Flying at the Wraith, she tried attacking the Dark Phantom.
Unfortunately, the Dark Phantom turns into ectoplasmic vapor, avoiding projectile attacks before grabbing the huntress's arm.
"...Nice try, Sparky," Dark Phantom cackled before using the Ghost Stinger to short circuit her watch and suit.
The young girl screamed in agony for a few seconds before being tossed to Jazz, who caught her.
She then was de-transformed back to Valerie, shocking Mr. Lancer and the others minus Jazz.
Laboratory, Masters' Manor, Romania
"So, he lodged the Time Medallion within your spectral form?" Future Vlad recapped, holding the Ghost Gauntlets.
Danny nodded, telling Future Vlad, "Yeah, and when you get it out of me, I plan to go back to my time and take the fight to him."
"And then what? Are you going to stick him into that ridiculous thermos of yours?" Future Vlad sassed. "Send him back to the spirit world like you always do?"
"Well, what other choice do I have?" Questioned Present Phantom.
"Think, Daniel. No mere soup can could hold such an overwhelming evil." Future Vlad pointed out. "And that's not factoring the fact that he's a Portal Spirit that could escape any time he's sent to the flipside."
"Damn it, you're right!" Present Phantom said in frustration. "But there's got to be a place where-"
Phantom paused before taking out the grenade Dipper gave him, piquing Future Vlad's interest.
"What is that in your hand?"
Danny Phantom explained, "Oh, this? The Mason Pines of this time gave it to me. He said it's a grenade that could send someone into a void outside of space and time that isn't the Ghost Zone."
'A Plumber's device? Of course!' The older man realized.
"...The Null Void!" Future Vlad understood.
"Uh, what?" Asked Danny.
"Contrary to popular belief, there exists other realms beyond the living world and the Ghost Zone." Future Vlad started to explain.
"Wait, you mean like the Multiverse? Like other universes beyond our own?" Danny asked.
"Yes, that is correct." Future Vlad replied. "The Null Void is a realm or rather a void that exists outside of space-time, lying between the boundaries of universes and other dimensions and exempt from causality and changes in time. The local intergalactic law enforcement used the Null Void as a prison for the cosmos' most vile and dangerous criminals."
Hearing Vlad's explanation, Danny pointed out, "This Null Void sounds like it would be the perfect place for the old man to go. Like you said, though, he could just portal himself back into the Ghost Zone and come back. There must be a way to render the ghost powerless for him to be trapped in the Null Void..."
Future Vlad's eyes widened, then told Danny Phantom, "Excuse me. I'll be right back."
Within a minute, Future Vlad announced in the background, "Pardon my sluggard movement, I'm not as active as I was ten years ago, but I may have something that could help."
When Future Vlad came back to the ghost boy, Present Phantom noticed a chrome colored disk with a small magenta colored button that had a V on it, sitting in one of the older man's hands..
"What is it?" Asked Present Phantom.
Future Vlad claimed, "It's the pinnacle of anti-ghost technology, a cross between an indefinite Plasmius Maximus and the Fenton Specter Deflector powered by an infinite power source called Chronaton. I call it the Masters Talisman."
Danny gasped, "Wait a sec. If the Dark Phantom had it on him, he'd be powerless."
"No ghost could touch him either." Said Future Vlad as he handed the device to the ghost kid.
"All you have to do is place it on Phantom's being and press the button." Future Vlad instructed.
Phantom nodded, changed back into his human form to place both the grenade and the Masters Talisman in his pockets.
After taking a deep breath, Fenton changed back into Phantom.
He informed Future Vlad, "Okay... I'm ready,"
Before Future Vlad began the procedure, Vlad warned, "If you save your timeline, so will you save my thirst for power. I fear that it will lead it to ruin, as I did here."
Danny Phantom then looked at Future Vlad and smiled at him.
"Hey, you're already forgiven. But if it'll make you feel better, since you're saving me and my world, I'll do everything I can to save you in that world." Promised the Phantom of 2005.
"I pray that it is so," Said the former evil mastermind before he took the Ghost Gauntlets and plunged into the boy's body while hoping for the best.
The sounds of Phantom's screams echoed throughout the broken building as a flash of light lit the area up.
Nasty Burger, Amity Park, IL, Year 2005
Everybody gasped at the Ghost Huntress' identity being revealed.
"I can't believe it!" Tucker whispered in disbelief.
"Valerie's the Ghost Huntress!?" Sam shouted.
"Ha ha ha! Well, well, well, today is just full of surprises, isn't it?" Dark Phantom quipped with sarcasm in his voice.
"HOLD STILL, ECTO-SCUM!" Maddie shouted before she and her husband opened fired on their evil son from the future.
Dark Phantom avoided blasts from Jack, Jazz, and Maddie, who aimed to nail the Wraith.
While the Dark Phantom evaded the line of fire, the Dark Phantom said, "I knew it! Even in the advent of the truth, you would reject me, you're own child!"
"LIAR!" Jack bellowed while trying to shoot the Wraith. "No kid of ours could possibly be a grotesque geist! Especially the biggest menace of them all!"
"Choosing willful ignorance, huh? How typical!" The Dark Phantom snorted while rolling his eyes.
With ease, the Wraith fired ectoplasmic beams at Jack and Maddie's weapons, causing them to incinerate on contact. He was about to incapacitate his former parents with a possibly fatal ectoplasmic wave when someone called out to him.
"Wait, stop!" Sam called to the Dark Phantom, causing him to look at the goth that stood in front of the Fentons.
"I don't know what's going on, but if you're our Danny, then you have to snap out of this!" Sam shouted. "You're a hero, you don't hurt people!"
Those were the wrong choice of words.
With a pulse of his Madness, the Dark Phantom brought all of his foes to their knees, unable to move their bodies. For Sam, it was like she was being stared down by death itself, causing her to turn pale.
The Dark Phantom then wiped out the top of the Nasty Burger with an ectoplasmic wave from the flick of his right hand, exposing most of the interior, including the vat was close to exploding.
He sprung into the air, hovering over everybody's heads with his arms spread out as he created an ecto-storm covering Downtown Amity Park, just like in the future.
Once again, the Wraith sent a wave of ectoplasmic energy at his kneeling victims. He ensnared and trapped everybody in the strand of it as they were violently slammed into the tank, getting attached to it.
Hovering toward the victims, the Dark Phantom glared at every single one of them with his ten-year-long animosity that resurfaced after being dormant.
"I'm going to enjoy watching every single one of you die again, but not before you take to the grave all the hatred and resentment I have for you!" Dark Phantom yelled before looking at his past self's parents. "Mom and Dad, Jack and Maddie Fenton, the quote on quote the best paranormal researchers in the country. Yet still too stupid to see that the accident that nearly killed their son, gave him the powers of a Ghost! Hell, for over a year you didn't even seem to notice that the jumpsuit you made for your son was missing! You made one suit, and just lost it! How do you do that?!"
Dark Phantom then glared at his father Jack.
"But then why am I surprised? I may have hated Masters, and he was right about one thing, Father! You are a half-witted moron who constantly opens and closes one of the two country's ghost portals! You were fishing ghosts out of it, like a fucking fisherman catching carp on a summer's day! THEY'RE SPIRITS, YOU DUMBASS, NOT FISH TO BE REELED IN AND DISSECTED! IMBECILE!"
Dark Phantom then glared at his mother Maddie, his anger rising constantly.
"I never understood it, Mother, why you let your idiotic husband get away with so many stunts and mistakes! You're supposed to be the smartest member of our family and time after time you caved in and enabled Jack's foolishness! While you wasted away catching and studying ghosts, your son was left to suffer and bear the pain of a society that ridiculed and belittled him! What other choice did I have but violence when the system is rigged and the parents are all either in on it or none the wiser! Well I killed my tormentors, killed my abusers, and I have never felt better! I relished in their deaths, Mother, and I will relish yours all the same!"
This left Jack and Maddie shook, realizing that the portal mad mutated their son into the ghost boy that they've hunted
Dark Phantom turned his attention to Mr. Lancer, who was the most scared of his captors, caused the evil spirit to chuckle.
"Not such a tough guy now, are you, Lancer? Remember when you accused me and Tucker of stealing all the school's meat, yet you gave no punishment to Baxter for what he did to me and to every other kid who the A-Listers saw as weak or different! I can't believe that you have the audacity to want respect and admiration from your students when you've done nothing but enable corruption and thus enable more pain and more suffering! Star was going to kill herself, Lancer! That's why the two of us were on the roof, I saved her! And how does the world thank me? By giving me detention! Well hear this, you old ugly excuse of a human being, NO ONE LOVES YOU AND NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU!"
If it wasn't for his recent improvement on his health, Lancer would have had a heart attack then in there. But added with a sense of dread, he realized that he had been giving his student, who had moonlit as a ghost hunter/superhero, a difficult time.
Dan fumed as he turned to Jazz.
"Honestly, the only person here I don't hate is you, Jazz. You always looked out for me when it counted, until when it didn't of course. You were so focused on leaving Casper High that you chose to ignore the corrupt system put in place, a system that sees your dear brother as easy pickings for a human punching bag! You strived to be the best student to get you out of there as quickly as possible, yet didn't give a thought to what leaving would mean for Danny, who would be left all alone with his parents with no one to have his back when his cover is blown or if he got stranded in the Ghost Zone."
Jazz gasped at this, now understanding why this imposter was angry. Whether he was actually some older evil version of her brother or not, the Spirit had a point. Sure Danny had his new friends, but she never considered what would happen to her brother once she graduated. She felt tears building up from her eyes before softly crying for her little brother.
Dark Phantom huffed before then looking at Valerie.
"Just when I thought one of you was already a pain in my ass ten years into the future, now I have to deal with you, Past-Valerie! Always the one to go in guns blazing, shoot first and ask questions later! You and my parents are so alike, stubborn and blind to the opinions of everyone around you. Wanna know what happens to you in the future, Valerie? Exactly what's going to happen to you now!"
Valerie growled at the Wraith's words, yet she knew that deep down, Dan had been right. She knew fighting him would result in her immediate demise.
Most of the victims were caught off guard from the new information Dan had given them as he set his sights on Tucker, with his teeth gritting in anger.
"You are nothing but a shameless pervert and a two-faced opportunist that would leave his friends just to score a piece of ass." Dan scoffed, making Tucker wince.
Finally, the Wraith finally turned his attention to is when his rage and hatred burned the brightest now.
"You! I hate you most of all, Samantha Rebecca Manson! I hate everything about you! Your beliefs, your veganism, your hypocrisy, entitlement and sense of moral high ground! And above all else, I hate you for toying with my emotions, for refusing to accept that I had legitimate reasons for not accepting your little feelings! I hate you for damning me and turning me into a bigger pariah than I already was! You had all that power and influence under your fingertips, and NOT ONCE DID YOU LIFT A FINGER TO CHANGE ANYTHING! But we both know why that is, don't we, Sam?! Because you don't really care about this town, the world or its problems, you just want someone, something to love you, at the expense of everyone else if it benefits you! Selfish to the core, and a plague on every life you've ever known! I hope you burn in hell, because no ghost or human or other freak I have faced hurt me more than you!"
This completely broke the Jewish goth, now having the full context for both Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom. Not only has the gravity of what she did and said to Danny came in full force, but it made her previous encounter with Phantom all the more gut wrenching. And now, not all her former friend's spirit came back to the past to kill her, he purposely returned just to rebuke her personally. Now, she was a sobbing mess, and she blamed herself for the predicament.
Dark Phantom continued his rant stating, "I don't regret the ten years of freedom and power that I acquired by losing any of you. No. The fact that I slaved for you and the rest of this ungrateful backwater town for over a year, only to be screwed over by them, has always driven me up the wall!"
Dan pointed to them with his left index finger, saying, "Now it's your turn to lose it all! This time, I'm going to have a front row seat to watch all of the burdens of my past be blown everywhere."
As he chuckled slowly, a sinister smirk appeared when he said, "And you've all been reduced to ash, no ghost vermin or any human wretch will be spared from my wrath-"
The monologue ended when his Ghost Sense went off.
"...Huh? What the-" The Wraith uttered, only to be struck by a blast of turquoise ectoplasmic energy from the epicenter of the storm Dark Phantom created, causing him to skid back while hissing.
"Woah!" Tucker gasped.
"TUCK EVERLASTING!" Exclaimed Mr. Lancer. "He was sent flying!"
"Did you see where that blast came from?" Maddie questioned
Dark Phantom thought, '...Who the hell did that?'
"Look!" Sam cried. "I see something coming down in the sky!"
The Dark Phantom and the rest of the humans looked up, spotting a black and white blur descending from the eye of the storm land in the middle of the street.
Once the figure made impact on the ground, it created a large crater that shook the street along with a cloud of dust.
As the dust started to settle, the glowing green eyes of Danny Phantom peered through the dust clouds as he spoke to his evil future self in a cold tone.
"...Hey, old man," Danny Phantom spoke, glaring directly at Dan, the Dark Phantom. "It's a blast from your past, and he's ready for round two!"
To Be Continued...