Nasty Burger, Amity Park, IL, Year 2005
Glowing green eyes peered through the cloud of dust, staring down his evil future self. When it subsided, Danny Phantom of the present day was revealed, carrying the Booo-merang in his utility belt, and he was ready to fight the Wraith.
"...Hey, old man," Danny Phantom called out. "It's a blast from your past, and he's ready for round two!"
"...You!" Dark Phantom growled.
"Alright! Spooks is back!" Valerie exclaimed, happy and thrilled of the younger Phantom's return as she glared at the darker future Spirit. "Tall, pale, and freaky is in trouble now!"
"Jazz, i-is that really him?" Maddie questioned, addressing her oldest child. "Is that our Danny?"
"It's him," Jazz confirmed with pride, seeing that the dust cloud has cleared.
Jack remained silent, still fathoming all the times he had raved on about Phantom being nothing but a menace, the instances of him pulling out a firearm on him, and verbally expressing his desire to tear him apart molecule by molecule. It all began to haunt him like the memories were ghosts themselves.
"...He wasn't a truant nor an evil Spirit, was he?" Mr. Lancer questioned the girl, piecing everything together. "The tardiness and his poor grades from last year wasn't because he was lazy, but because he's the ghost boy, right."
"It was always Danny," Jazz nodded, still in her Ghost Peeler MKII battle suit. "All that he tried to do was help people, even if he suffered for it."
"I can't believe it." Tucker uttered, processing that his friend was a superhero the whole time.
Sam was a mess as she felt her heart tremble in despair. Now putting two and two together, she began mentally berating herself for not seeing the signs before.
Her mind felt frustrated about the whole situation. She wanted to be angry at Danny for not telling her about his, yet, Sam was more angry at herself. Her mind kept playing their so-called "date" on repeat. Sure, Phantom basically lied to her, but had he really? Or perhaps, just maybe he was giving her hints about who he was to her throughout the entire time they spoke, but she was too enamored about meeting the town's hero to notice them. And the things she had told him. No wonder this supposed time-traveling evil Phantom hated her.
Not only had Sam been a hypocrite, she had acted no better than Paulina.
She wondered how she would face Danny after surviving this situation. If she survives.
The Dark Phantom, glaring at his younger past self and calmly stated, "...You're challenging me? You must have a death wish, kid!"
Dan fired a large violet ectoplasmic energy blast at the ghost boy who quickly formed a reflective barrier he had practiced using, redirecting the energy projectile back at his evil future-self. The blast forced the Dark Phantom to block it with a Ghost Shield he formed.
When he dropped it, the Dark Phantom gasped at Present Phantom's speed as the Wraith was tackled away from the Nasty Burger and crashed into several vacant buildings.
Everybody marveled at Danny's speed with the context of knowing his identity.
As Danny Phantom floated behind the Nasty Burger, his eyes burned toxic green. He was prepared to pursue his evil future self when some called out to him.
"Danny!"
Phantom turned to see his parents, sister, Valerie, Tucker, Sam, and Lancer.
"Hiya, Jazz," The halfa greeted the eldest teen. "Sorry I was late again, I got your message."
"Apology accepted, little brother. I'm glad you're okay." Jazz smiled. "Welcome home."
"Good to be home," Phantom smiled before glancing at Valerie.
Phantom's eyes widened as he thought, 'Wait, Valerie survived in the original timeline. Why is she-? No! That monster's trying to take her out too!'
Regardless, he addressed his friend, saying, "Hey, Val."
"What took you so long, Spooks?" Valerie questioned with a softer expression.
Danny Phantom quipped, "Long story. Creature of the Night over there chrono-locked and tossed me in his Ghost Zone. But I found my way back."
"...Danny?" Maddie spoke, getting his attention.
Phantom turned to his mother instinctively, which Maddie recognized instantly. When she noticed the distinctive way in which the ghost boy looked at her, she confirmed that this was her son.
God, no wonder why her son didn't trust her. She had been hunting her own son, her baby, for a year! What was she thinking!?
"Hi, Mom," Phantom greeted with a solemn smile. "I made you worry again, haven't I?"
"Dude," Tucker spoke. "How did you get like this?"
"You know me, Tuck. I'm as clumsy as they come," Phantom quipped, trying to make light of the accident.
"...A lab accident," Sam suddenly croaked, getting Lancer and his parents special attention while Jazz, Valerie, and Danny froze. "You told me that you died in a lab accident."
"What!?" Lancer shouted.
"Wait, I heard it was a near-death experience right before Freshman year!" Tucker exclaimed. "How could he have died if he's right there?"
Hearing this suddenly made something click in Jack and Maddie's mind.
"...My God, Jack! It was-" Maddie tearfully realized, only for Jack to beat her to the punch.
"-The portal." Jack woefully understood, fighting the burning tears that nearly blurred his vision. "The portal did this to you, didn't it?"
"...Yes." Phantom nodded in confirmation. "That wasn't your fault, Dad. Nor was it Mom's fault, or Jazz's. And you know what? I don't regret what happened either."
This shocked Danny's entire family as the Phantom of Amity Park addressed everyone.
"I'm sorry that I inadvertently got you in this mess." The ghost boy confessed as he turned to Dan's direction. "And him? He's just bitter at the world. Now, he wants me to be like him, but I'm not going to let that happen."
Phantom turned to everyone with a determined exterior and said, "I won't let my inner demons rob you guys out of your future. I promise."
Everybody smiled at the boy's words when they spotted something flying toward him. This alarmed the kidnapped individuals.
"DANIEL, BEHIND YOU!" Shouted Mr. Lancer.
Alas, Danny could not react fast enough as he was scooped up by Future Shadow at the mental command of the Dark Phantom. With great strength, Danny was thrown to Dark Phantom, who caught him by the front of his shirt.
"You know, I'm not even angry that you came back here. We can watch them all burn together!" Dan grinned.
"What are you talking about? I know what day it is, and that black and yellow missile that you went on about doesn't show up for another two days!" Present Phantom commented, having learned of certain events from Future Vlad
"You don't get it, do you? I haven't gone through the trouble of exploiting time travel with Clockwork's little trinket just for the fun of it," Dark Phantom said before punching Danny into a streetlight.
The boy landed on the ground as the Dark Phantom hovered above the boy with a vindictive smirk.
"Today is the day of the test, and a meeting was on the same day." Dark Danny revealed. "Ever wondered why?"
"...What did you do?" Danny Phantom demanded, glaring at the Dark Phantom.
"I had to lure the good ole family somehow, Fenton. We both remember what got us in hot water at school, and the extra attention from our so-called esteemed authority figures. What's the one thing I could have done this time to secure the answers to your future?" Asked the Dark Phantom.
Hearing "answers" and "future" in the same sentence made everything click in Danny's mind.
"...You cheated in my place!?" Danny Phantom growled. "You set me up! You've set everybody up!"
"All thanks to one stupid test and a little bit of ecto-energy to nudge fate in the desirable direction," Dark Phantom gleefully confirmed. "Now, I just have to run out the clock until your entire life falls apart."
Dark Phantom lunged at Danny Phantom, but Danny sank into the floor to avoid getting tackled. Danny surfaces, gathers enough ectoplasmic energy, then emits enough light to temporarily get rid of the Dark Phantom's Shadow Cape.
Phantom recognized his future self was blinded, he tried lunging at the older ghost. The Dark Phantom, despite being blind, grabbed his younger self by the throat, then slammed him into a nearby truck.
Danny Phantom flipped out of the wreckage of the car where the Dark Phantom crushed it by slamming his fist into the vehicle, causing it to explode.
Danny stood fifteen feet away from the tall blue flames. He stood near the Nasty Burger where his loved ones were being held, but kept his eyes on the blue fire. The Dark Phantom stepped out of the fire, not affected by the flames that surrounded him.
This time, Dan decided to attack. After releasing his Madness for five seconds, he immediately appeared in front of his younger self. The Dark Phantom tried blasting him with ecto-energy, but Present Phantom moved his head away to narrowly evade the attack. Danny was struck in the chin, feeling his legs lift off of the ground. Flexing his right arm back, the Dark Phantom struck Danny with a burning ectoplasmic palm into his abdomen that blasted the ghost boy into the streets in a skidding motion.
Danny managed to break his fall by rolling into a crouching position, not unlike Spider-Man. Present Phantom tried firing a volley of ecto-rays, but the Dark Phantom formed a reflective barrier from his hands and deflected them elsewhere. The Dark Phantom formed a blue colored ectoplasmic fireball at his younger self. Danny, in turn, summoned a geyser of ectoplasmic ice, creating a screen of steam.
Dan had forgotten about the ice powers, having lost them a decade ago upon giving into the Madness aside from his innate Ghost Sense.
Phantom concentrated, then fired a wave of ice-based ectoplasmic energy, temporarily freezing the Wraith. After that, he charged his evil future counterpart with a large wide sword made of ice, ready to attack his immobilized foe. The Dark Danny immediately broke free with his negatively charged spectral power radiating around his body, He caught the sword drawn toward him, then shattered it with no effort.
Phantom tried punching the Dark Phantom, but he dodged the attack without flinching. Without warning, Dan jabbed Danny in the gut with a normal but incredibly fast punch, causing Danny to gasp in pain as he clenched his stomach. The older Spirit then made an invisible clone that revealed himself. The Dark Phantom threw Danny upward, only for the clone to slam him into a large building, pressing his body into the structure.
"Misery... That's the path you've chosen." Dark Phantom scowled. "Everybody stuck on that tank of flammable condiments is already heading out the door. What more will it take to see what this pointless selflessness, this self-destructive heroism, will bring you."
Danny got out of the impression and took a defensive stance on the side of the building. Dark Danny rolled his eyes and stood on the building, getting the attention of the locals who lived there nearby. The Dark Phantom lunged at Present Phantom, but he jumped up and landed a front kick at his chin, causing him to fly to a different building.
Danny followed this up with a series of midair crosses while he tells his evil future self, "You know why I help people! I have the power to do right, so I have to be right! To be better!"
Danny managed to slam the Dark Phantom onto the ledge of another building's roof. Danny quickly cartwheeled off of him as the Dark Phantom rose to continue fighting. The younger half ghost tried landing a roundhouse kick, but the Dark Phantom's Shadow Cape reformed and gut checked Danny with two large tendrils that formed extra fists, landed a clean uppercut. The tendrils of the Shadow Cape held Danny by the arms, then slammed him into the side of the building, back first.
"Better for whom!? Them?" The Dark Phantom hissed at Danny, baring his fangs with his snake-like tongue. "What about us!?"
Danny fired beams of ectoplasmic energy from his eyes at Dan's face, managing to stun him for a short period. Danny tried using this opportunity to get to his friends, family, and teacher, flying over to them.
He was stopped by the black tendrils of the Dark Phantom's Shadow Cape, who slung him across the street from the Nasty Burger to the side of a department store. The Dark Phantom used Future Shadow's tendrils to grab Danny before he could fall from the building, then tossed him to the ground, causing him to slide toward the Nasty Burger, at least twenty feet away from his loved ones and teacher where vat began to turn red from overheating and started to form cracks.
Danny could barely focus to stay conscious. The ringing from his ears nearly deafened the screams and cries of encouragement of his loved ones, followed by the sound of rolling thunder that accompanied the ecto-storm. All of those things were overshadowed by the looming figure of his twisted evil counterpart standing in front of Danny Phantom.
Danny tried getting up, he felt his head getting cuffed by one of his foe's hands, only for the boy's face to get slammed onto the floor.
"Get up, you semi-demi-mini ghost," The Dark Phantom, grabbing Danny by the skull while Danny's forehead and nose bleed, facing the boy toward the horrified expressions of the captives. "Get a good look at every last one of these lowlifes, because it's the last you'll see them!"
"NO!" Jack and Maddie shouted, wishing they could do something to help their child.
"Let him go, you sick bastard!" Screamed Valerie.
"SHUT UP!" The Dark Phantom roared while flexing his Madness, causing the quivering hostages to go quiet out of the overwhelming feeling of bloodlust. He then used ectoplasmic ooze to cover everybody's mouth shut with his fingers.
The Dark Phantom lectured to his younger self, stating, "We are who we choose to be but for all the good that we've done in the past, it does not change the ridicule, humiliation, and abandonment we've endured because of them. Every single one of these blights are the source of our greater suffering, whether it was intentional or not. And that wound ended up bleeding out."
"No...T-That's not-" Danny tried refusing the notion.
"-Of course it's true," Dan rebuffed. "You can lie to anybody else, but not to me. After all, I was once your phantom, Danny Fenton."
"...You're right," Danny said, causing everybody, including the Dark Phantom, to become shocked. "Humanity, Spirits, they've all let you down. ...And so did I."
The Dark Phantom's eyes widened at this, not expecting to hear what he had heard.
"I got so caught up in the pressure of ghost fighting and fixing things, I've ended up neglecting myself. In some way, somehow, I've let everybody down. And when things got too hard, I abandoned you." Phantom confessed, trying to catch his breath. "Saying sorry wouldn't cut it, I see that now... but things don't have to end this way," The present Phantom stated. "There's still a chance to turn things around, but you have to give me that chance!"
The Dark Phantom let out a maniacal laugh that haunted everyone who was in earshot of it.
"...Oh, you're such a child!" The Dark Phantom mocked. "Did you honestly believe that sappy drivel would get me to spare them? To spare you?"
The Dark Phantom threw Danny to the floor on his rear as the Wraith glared at his younger self.
"As I told the rest of these insects, I don't regret losing them for the power and freedom I acquired, and I certainly didn't bat an eye when I surrendered my humanity." Dark Danny clarified.
"Then why are you doing this!?" Danny demanded.
"...And here I thought you stopped being a C student," Dark Phantom scoffed. "I'm still here! I still exist! And if I could not have a future while alive, nobody can. Not even you."
Danny, despite being worn out and fatigued, got up and tried hitting his evil future self again while flying.
The Dark Phantom saw this coming from a mile away and rolled his eyes.
"Oh please..." The older Wraith muttered before backhanding his younger self effortlessly.
Danny Phantom would have crashed onto the floor if he didn't bump into another Dark Phantom. He turned around in shock.
"...Your time is up, Danny," The first Dark Phantom clone stated.
"...H-Huh?" The younger halfa uttered with chills running down his spine while dazed.
The real Dark Phantom appeared behind him as four other clones surrounded the poor boy.
He knew where this was going, as it was Vlad's fight all over again.
"...It's been up for ten years." All of them spoke.
Jack, Maddie, Jazz, Tucker, Sam, Valerie, and Mr. Lancer watched the brutal beating of the infamous Phantom of Amity Park at the hands of his apparent evil counterpart from ten years into the future.
A future where they were all dead, including him, and his evil ghost rampaged across the planet out of hatred for them and everybody else that scorned him previously.
Danny was lynched through joint beatings involving multiple punches, kicks, and ectoplasmic energy blasts all hitting him at once.
Danny was then thrown upward by a clone of the Dark Phantom's Shadow Capes. As the clones converged into one being, Danny watched his evil future counterpart smirk with glee as his right fist began to glow as sparks of red and black electricity surged around his hand which he reeled back. Dark Phantom flashed a sadistic grin as he warped with a flash and red and black energy, appearing in front of Danny and punching him straight in the gut.
The discharge of negatively charged Ectoplasm dealt internal damage to Danny, making him cough up blood and ectoplasm as he turned back to his human form.
While Danny Fenton was on his hands and knees, with his red jacket, black shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers for his friends, family, and teacher to see.
"...What makes you think you can change my past?" Asked the Dark Phantom. "We were destined to fail sooner or later. Why bother fighting it?"
Danny glared at his evil future counterpart and said "M-my word... I gave everyone my word. ...A m-man is only as g-good as his word!"
Jack, Maddie, and Jazz Fenton teared up at Danny's proclamation.
The Dark Phantom laughed, then kicked Danny to his back, then placed a boot on his chest.
"Are you serious right now? Those are nothing but empty words from the world's biggest fool!" Dark Phantom spat as he pressed his boot onto Danny's chest. "JUST. GIVE. UP."
As Danny struggled to get his evil future self's boot off his chest with his hands on the Wraith's ankle, a raw power swelled from within him. A burning green aura enveloped Danny as his desire to protect his haunt became so intense, his entire eye started glowing green, shocking the Dark Phantom and the hostages.
"Never..." Danny said as his breathing and voice began to shift into something inhuman.
The Dark Phantom quickly took his boot off of the boy's chest, muttering, "W-What the-!?"
In a blast of ectoplasmic energy that the halfa fired from his mouth, Danny screamed, "NEVER!"
The Dark Phantom was flung into the air and skidded several times with significant damage inflicted upon him. He managed to break his fall by planting both of his hands and feet onto the ground and snarled in pain that coursed all throughout his body while the drag marks were carved from the street.
The Dark Phantom gasped for breath as he saw the boy that he loathed the most, stood up to oppose him. The same brat that the Dark Phantom had been trouncing on surrounded himself in spectral energy with power that rose so great, it currently eclipsed his own.
'...That's not possible! I wasn't nearly this strong at his age! Where is he getting all of this power from!?' The Dark Phantom demanded.
The Dark Phantom rushed at his younger past self with a reeled back. Danny saw this and took out the Plasmius Talisman from his pocket, weaving out of the way of a lethal blow by guiding the fist away from his body. He then palmed the Dark Phantom's stomach with the device before kicking him away with a sidekick.
The Dark Phantom staggered back, coughing up ectoplasmic residue from his stomach at the power before the open-handed punch and the sidekick.
"...That power, ugh, it's not possible! I won't control it until ten years from-!" The Dark Phantom groaned, only to be interrupted by Danny, who fired a stronger Ghostly Wail at his older, darker adversary.
The Dark Phantom gets flung into several vehicles, and those follow him to an abandoned building, causing a massive explosion. Danny fell to his hands and knees, nearly completely drained.
The Dark Phantom got out of the rubble, with most of his flaming hair gone and eyes sunken. His tattered clothes were torn and oozing ectoplasm like if it was blood, but he didn't flinch.
"Well, that's it, isn't it? ...I knew it," The Dark Phantom scowled. "You're too weak to escape your fate, and you're too late to save them."
As the Dark Phantom approached Danny with bloodlust oozing off of him, Danny stuck his index finger and thumb from his right hand out and raised it toward his evil future self.
Glaring at the Dark Phantom, Danny uttered, "...Time's up!"
With a blast of ectoplasmic adhesive, Danny pressed the button on the Masters Talisman, activating it indefinitely. This caused the Wraith to scream in pain as he fell down to his knees, clutching his chest as magenta electricity coursed through his entire being.
From there, Danny took out the Null Void grenade from his pocket, saying, "That device planted on you is better than any Specter Deflector. Specifically designed to depower you. So, you can't portal your way outta this one."
"Y-You...!" The Dark Phantom demonically growled. "...Y-You shouldn't have done that!"
"...For what it's worth, I'm sorry for everything. But I won't let you destroy anybody else's future," Danny said as he pressed the button on the Null Void grenade. "Never again!"
Danny threw the grenade at the Dark Phantom. Before anybody knew it, the Dark Phantom was engulfed in a bright yellow explosion as he screamed bloody murder. When the blinding light died down, all that stood was Danny Fenton.
When turned around, he saw the rapidly deteriorating condition of the Nasty Burger vats. The heat indicator is now all the way over in the red. The glass over it cracks then shatters. The cracking, leaking tanks hiss with steam.
"Oh no...!" Danny gasped.
Sam, Tucker, and Valerie had already silently said their prayers. Jazz, Maddie, and Jack accepted their fates, knowing that at least they would be together as a family. Mr. Lancer mentally pleaded for his life to be saved, believing that perhaps Danny could save him.
Danny ran as fast as he could while trying to mid-morph, but the transformation ring fizzled out. The strike the Dark Phantom used had shorted out his power to change.
The ghost child could feel the choking vice grip of desperation begin to take hold of his entire being as he ran as fast as he humanly could. Alas, this reckless action made Danny trip on some rubble and fall on his stomach.
He looked at the people who were in danger because of him and screamed, "NO!"
It was too late.
Thanks to the Dark Phantom's ectoplasmic orb overheating the vats for a couple of days, the Nasty Burger exploded, seemingly taking everybody caught in the blast while Danny Fenton watched. Just as the shockwave reached him and blew him back, time froze.
A clock hand traced out a blue-white circle, which resolved into Clockwork, now in his child form. Smiling, the ghost flew to Danny and dropped a Time Medallion around his neck.
Danny gasped, then tried to gain his balance where he floats in midair without falling. Once he managed to get it, he then noticed the Specter of Time.
"Clockwork?"
The Specter pointed behind Danny, and much to the Alpha Human's shock, he saw that his parents, sister, friends both new and old, and his teacher had been saved by Clockwork, suspended in a nimbus of green energy.
"You saved them?" Danny questioned, confused at the Spirit's angle. "I-I don't understand!"
While shifting between aged forms, Clockwork explained, "The Observants look at time like they're watching a parade, one thing after another passing by in sequence right in front of them."
Clockwork gestured to the destroyed Nasty Burger as he continued speaking, "I see the parade from above, all the twists and turns it might or might not be."
"...You knew my future! That's why you sent Box Ghost and Skulktech my way," Danny recognized. "To give me a chance to fix it!"
Clockwork winked at Danny, then said, "Everything's the way it's supposed to be. And here we are with you, a fifteen-year-old child with moral wisdom beyond his years, standing firm in your beliefs and risking everything to save the people you care about."
Danny smiled at this.
"...TIME IN." Clockwork commanded pressing the button on his Time Staff.
With his power, Clockwork surrounded everyone and everything by ticking clocks before the space was engulfed in a white light.
Downtown, Amity Park, IL
Danny Fenton and Clockwork appeared on top of the Anson Building where the Scarlet Ghost Huntress sat by the ledge, holding her hot dog while her visor was down.
Looking around while time was unmoving, Danny asked, "...Where are we?"
"When," Clockwork corrected. "As for your answer, it is Wednesday, the 24th of October, two hours before midnight and three days before your test."
This surprised Danny as he glanced at the Specter of Time.
"You're giving me another shot?" Danny questioned with hope in his eyes.
Clockwork stated, "You have given everyone else a second chance. Why not give yourself one?"
"That's great and all, but what about my parents?" Asked Danny. "Sam and Tucker, Mr. Lancer?"
Clockwork, shifting to his adult form, explained "In your favor, the counter resets. Time has rewound, keeping your secret intact. But be aware that every decision comes with a consequence. So be mindful."
Danny nodded and said, "I'll remember that going forward."
Clockwork nodded, then used his power to heal Danny, allowing the boy to take his ghost-like form and vanished.
With that, time resumed like usual. This allowed Valerie, the Ghost Huntress, to move as if nothing happened.
Valerie turned around and found Danny Phantom sitting beside her, lacking a hot dog.
"Damn, Spooks! You finished your food already?" Valerie quipped. "Are your folks feeding you at home or-"
Valerie was caught off guard by the ghost boy's sudden hug.
"Uh...okay? Are you good, DJ," The huntress awkwardly asked, subconsciously rubbing Danny's back.
Phantom broke off from the hug, and said, "Y-Yeah! I'm just...thankful for the night is all."
"R-Right. Right." Valerie blushed before quickly changing the subject while clearing her throat. "You gave everybody quite a scare today. But given what Star told me, I'd snap on those fools too."
Danny nodded, then said, "While the payback was a long time coming, it doesn't make me feel any better."
"Hey, it may have gotten a little out of hand, but they were asking for that ass whopping!" Valerie claimed. "If that was me, I'd beat them, flip the bird at Lancer and-"
"-And tell him he should suck a fat one?" Danny finished for Valerie, giving her an astonished expression.
Valerie opened her mouth a bit, then asked", "...Yeah, that's exactly what I was gonna say. How did you know that?'
"Anyway, I appreciate you giving me a shot at being your friend." Phantom said with a smile, thinking back to the fight between her, him, and Skulktech 9.9 prior to the reset. "Your support means a lot."
"It's no big deal," Valerie waved off before playfully teasing him. "Now would you stop acting all soft? You're being a weirdo!"
Danny chuckled and asked, "Why am I a weirdo, now?"
"'Cause you are!" Valerie pointed out while giggling. "In the morning, you were like a killer grizzly out on the prowl, and now you're acting like a huggable Care Bear."
Danny shook his head with a solemn smile and said, "...I wasn't myself."
"Like that wasn't obvious enough," Valerie snorted, being her sassy self.
"...I might have had a fight with my parents. And it didn't end well for me." Danny confessed.
"How bad was it?" Valerie questioned.
"...Well, my Dad basically told me what I'd always thought he felt about me." The ghost boy explained.
"That you were a disappointment to him?" The ghost huntress guessed.
"How'd you guess?" The snow white-haired Alpha Human queried.
"Your sister and I talk from time to time. We figured out a lot about you guys. Valerie explained. "From what we picked up on, your dad favors Jazz while your mom favors you. But I guess working on a portal for a majority of your life defeats the favoritism on your mom's part."
"No kidding," Danny dryly snorted before sighing. "But it doesn't matter now. At the peak of our argument, I got so mad I basically called my parents worthless."
"Yikes..." Valerie hissed in sympathy. "That is bad."
"You're telling me ...Think you could spare some time?" Danny weakly looked at the city. "I could use some ideas on how to apologize, and I'm blanking on coming up with anything."
"Sure thing, Spooks," Valerie said. "We have plenty of time.
The two sat together on the edge of the Anson building, enjoying each other's company in the silent night where the pale moon shimmered.
Fenton Works, Amity Park, IL
Danny managed to sneak back home after an hour and thirty minutes of hanging out with Valerie. Thankfully neither vigilante had gotten caught by their parents. When he returned to his room, he found Jazz had waited for him on his bed. Jazz had a look of forlorn and relief in her eyes before she whispered that she remembered. From there, the two siblings embraced, crying over the dreadful experience they had endured until they retired to their beds in their respective rooms. The boy got a good night's sleep and got up early to study for his CAT that would take place in two days.
The next day arrived. Jazz was busy talking to her parents while close to the front door. It was seven in the morning and the girl liked heading to school on time when she didn't have to take Danny in her car.
"Mom, Dad, I know things look bad and you guys are hurt, but please let Danny tell his side." Jazz said, expressing concern over her parents' decision when it came to handling their situation with Danny.
Jack remained silent while still having a reserved expression with a stern gaze. Both her and Jack had already discussed the situation while in bed three hours prior, and so they had come to a decision.
Maddie reassured Jazz, "Sweetheart, we'll sort everything out with your brother. Right now, you should focus on your education. You're graduating, remember?"
Jazz nodded and turned to her father with a pleading expression.
"Daddy," Jazz whispered, looking upon her father's hardened exterior. "He didn't mean what he said last night. He was just upset. You all were."
Once more, Jack remained silent. The girl embraced her father to comfort him.
"You're not perfect, but none of us are. He loves you, Daddy. We both do. Don't ever forget that." Jazz told her father.
Jack took her by one shoulder, and gently broke off Jazz's, and calmly said, "Come back safely, Jazz."
Despite her worry, Jazz obeyed her father and left the house while closing the front door behind her.
Maddie, mask off, then turned to her husband and asked, "Are you ready?"
The man nodded. The couple walked to the kitchen to prepare for the conversation at hand. The two sat down at the usual spots at the table. Jack then looked up and projected his voice.
"Daniel, come downstairs! I know you're awake up there!" Jack commanded.
Within two minutes, Danny got out of his room and walked downstairs to the kitchen rather timidly. Jack and Maddie saw a sight that they haven't witnessed within a year.
While Danny's hair was longer, he had worn a plain white Casper High t-shirt with a red oval that had the school's initials, blue jeans, and his old red and white sneakers.
This was the Danny that the Fenton couple had raised. This was definitely a good sign.
"...Yes?" Danny quietly answered, knowing he was already in trouble.
"Take a seat," Jack instructed in an even tone. "We need to talk."
Danny did so silently, complying to his dad.
"It has come to my attention that there were issues pertaining to bullying that have been ongoing without our knowledge." Jack began. "We have underestimated the amount of emotional and mental damage that you've endured over the years, and our exchange last night did not help the situation. And for that, I apologize."
Maddie followed up by saying, "Nonetheless, you've completely disrespected and acted completely obscene in that office yesterday. Your father and I couldn't believe our eyes the way you behaved there! It was unacceptable. We did not raise a wild delinquent, but a dignified young man! What do you have to say for yourself, young man?"
Danny averted his eyes elsewhere, but then said, "I...don't have an excuse. I was livid at a number of things that piled up on me and was looking for any reason to lash out, so I took my anger out on people that I didn't like."
Jack crossed his arms, satisfied with his answer, "Well, I figured that was the case."
"We need to know a few things before we go forward in this situation." Maddie explained. "What you did was horrible, but we know that you have a history of being bullied and harassed. We need details, and they must be honest, understand?"
Danny nodded.
"Good, we'll talk about that in a moment." Jack stated. "Listen, Son. Between you and me, those boys probably deserved the shiners you gave them. Impulsive or not, you're not the kind of kid to simply act without reason. But just because you can knock some idiots' heads-"
"-Doesn't mean that I should have," Danny finished, reflecting on his actions. "Yeah, Dad. I know. They may have had it coming, but I shouldn't have wasted my time on pathetic guys like them. I should have walked away. And after what I did to them, what I said to you guys last night, it didn't make me feel better. Honestly, I feel worse. I'm sorry."
Jack and Maddie looked at each other, then sighed in relief that their son seemed to have come to his senses.
"Looks like you've come to your senses. That's good to know." Stated Jack. "Even so, you're still in trouble."
Danny parted his lips, but Maddie raised a hand to silence her youngest child.
"Your week-long suspension was out of school protocol, but your father and I may have to find lawyers and prepare to fight against claims that your classmates' parents might decide to file for injuring their kids." Maddie explained. "And that's if the school board doesn't choose to kick you out of school. But given it's your first offense, I think it'll be unlikely."
Danny's eyes widened before he swallowed hard, understanding what his actions had caused while Sam's words about his interference loomed over him.
Jack came back to the conversation stating that, "Now, as per our agreement, your current grades are enough for you to go to the LAUNCH conference. I think that some time away from Amity Park will do you some good. But that doesn't change the fact that you're grounded. For two weeks, you're expected to come straight home after school. No exceptions."
"That means you only keep your phone," Maddie added. "And your internet access is limited to a curfew of eight at night."
'...Compared to the alternative, I'll take anything.' Danny Fenton thought to himself.
Danny nodded in acceptance, then shifted into a serious and somber expression.
"Mom, Dad," Danny questioned with a quiet tone. "I know it's a hefty question to ask, but can I meet up with Tucker and Sam? One last time?"
Jack was immediately going to deny the request, saying, "Absolutely not-"
"Wait a minute, Jack." Maddie stopped her husband as she turned Danny. "One last time? What are you saying, Danny?"
Danny sighed, then explained, "I'm not going to try and cover my own butt, though a lot of what I did stemmed from the gap between me and Sam, and Tucker's injuries earlier in the week. All I ever wanted was for things to be okay between all of us, but after this, I doubt that Sam or her parents would want anything to do with me. Tucker's folks might think this way too."
"That's nonsense!" Jack interjected. "...Well, those prissy Mansons are one thing, but the Foleys love you! Sure, you lashed out, but I don't think they'll think less of you for it! And it's not like that Sam girl ever listened to her folks outside of her granny! I'm sure she'll come around someday! Just look at me and Vladdie!"
This caused Maddie and Danny to frown.
"Dad, Sam said that I was dead to her in my face." Danny pointed out, silencing the usually jolly man. "The only reason why she hasn't filed a restraining order on me yet is because we go to the same school."
"Oh boy..." The man muttered.
"What good would this do for you to see them now? The two haven't exactly been around you in a while." Maddie questioned.
"Mom, Dad, I need closure." Danny expressed, being as serious as he could be without overstepping his boundaries. "And I think for all of us to move past our issues, past this, we can't pretend to walk away like nothing happened. We have to talk and come to a decision about our friendship as a group...and I think I may have reached the end of it with them."
Jack and Maddie were left speechless with Danny's conclusion, now appearing to be extremely concerned for their son.
"...Are you certain about this, Son?" Jack questioned.
"You've been friends with Sam and Tucker for over ten years now." Maddie reminded Danny. "You love them, right?"
"Of course I do. I love them more than anything..." Danny whispered, thinking about the gravestones he saw from the future in a pained tone. "...That's why I have to let them go. So we can stop hurting each other and ourselves."
The parents looked at each other and resolutely nodded to each other,
"Alright, Danny." Jack agreed. "We'll make it happen the day after you take that CAT."
"Thanks guys," Danny said.
Maddie, with a stern expression, asked, "Getting back on topic, I need you to answer my questions. When has the bullying started to become more violent?"
Taking a deep breath, Danny sighed and began recounting old instances of his troubled past at school at the hands of Dash Baxter and his friends.
Nasty Burger, Amity Park, IL
Sam, Danny, and Tucker sat down at an empty table outside the Nasty Burger, something they haven't done in over a year.
Somehow, Jazz managed to convince Sam and Tucker's parents to have this meeting. Jeremy and Pamela only agreed to it because of Ida's interference and because either way, they were going to make sure that the boy would stay away from their daughter. Maurice and Angela agreed to meet, believing that their son was old enough to resolve his social problems.
And so, the Fentons (with Jazz), the Foleys, and the Mansons all waited in their cars within the back of the parking lot outside the Nasty Burger while Sam, Danny, and Tucker had the last conversation they'll have in a long time.
Danny, Sam, and Tucker were silent. Sam refused to look Danny in the eye, being standoffish by his presence. Danny looked timid and filled with guilt, glancing at the table.
Tucker, looking at the two, had enough of the two and the silence. Frustrated, he slammed his hand on the table and glared at both of them.
"OKAY! I am officially tired of playing the middleman! Are we going to just sit here and keep playing the quiet game or are we gonna start talking like normal people?" Tucker questioned.
"I don't know why you're looking at me. I'm not the one who dragged our parents into this." Sam said, now glaring at Danny.
Danny sighed, and said, "It couldn't be helped. Besides, I think this is long overdue, and I owe you an explanation. Both of you."
"Understatement of the fucking century," Sam muttered, crossing her arms.
"Sam, can it!" Tucker hissed, before turning to Danny. "Dude, what the fuck is going on? I heard that you went postal on Dash and his goons, then Lancer had to restrain you."
Danny sighed, then said, "...I saw the news while I was studying for the CAT the other day. That's when I got a call from Pacifica about Mason. So, I ran to General as quickly as possible, but I couldn't see him in the end... Then, Wednesday came around, and I got a text from Star-"
"-Wait, you got Star's number?" Tucker questioned in shock while Sam scowled at the fact.
"-Yeah. It's a long story of itself," Danny confirmed, ignoring Sam's expression to continue the story. "Anyway, I got a text from her, and she told me that Dash and his shitty friends had set you and Mason up as per Paulina's orders."
"You're kidding me!" Tucker gasped.
"Why do you seem surprised?" Sam asked Tucker as she glared at Danny. "You wouldn't be stuck in crutches if somebody didn't try and come to the rescue like he could do anything."
"Again, I was trying to help!" Danny fired back.
"And look how that turned out!" Sam retorted, counting with the fingers of her right hand. "You're looking at a week's worth of suspension, a police investigation, and a couple of parents looking to do yours in with lawsuits! Need I say more?"
"Sam...!" Tucker said, warning the girl to calm down.
"What are you trying to say, Sam?" Danny questioned, keeping himself calm with the graveyard and the mural of his friends surfacing on his mind.
"God, you're so fucking clueless!" Sam growled, fed up at Danny's attitude. "Why can't you open your eyes for once!? You've changed, and not for the better! Those so-called new friends are messing with your head, and they're turning you into the biggest asshole! When are you going to realize that you're better off with Tucker and me than you are with other people or by yourself!?"
"SAM!" Tucker shouted, enraged at the audacity of the goth.
"What!? You know it's true!" Sam said, raising her hands about. "Danny was never like this! He was being sketchy long before I slapped him at the formal, and the dance was only the catalyst! Why does he get to be a shitty friend, then replace us, and acts like a fucking dick, but I'M the villain for saying things as they are!?"
Tucker was about to defend his friend, only for Danny to hold his shoulder with his hand.
"...Tucker, stop." Danny said, causing the African American boy and the Jewish Caucasian girl to look at him. "...She's right."
"But, dude..." Tucker tried, but Danny shook his head.
Danny looked at both of them and said, "Sam and I can disagree on a lot of things right now, but I have been a bad friend to her. To the both of you. And you guys deserve better than how I treated you last year."
Sam started to form a look of satisfaction, expecting for the rest of the conversation to go her way. Dare she thought, hope of Danny returning to his "normal" self surfaced.
"Dash and his friends, they weren't worth the initial trouble, I'll admit. Maybe I could have handled the situation a little differently. But they got what they had coming."
"Oh, so you're condoning violence now? Wow, Fenton... That's sacrilege if I ever heard of it." Sam said sarcastically.
"Samantha, I nearly died on August 4th of last year." Danny said, which would have caused the girl to strangle him if it weren't for the bomb he dropped. "It almost happened in my parent's lab because of a mishap with one of their inventions. Jazz saved my life, but that scarred me in ways you couldn't imagine."
This left Sam (and Tucker) utterly speechless.
"We never told my parents, but because of that day, I would have bursts of panic and run off." Danny continued explaining. "Then the ghosts came and started to target my family, who are ghost hunters. So, with Phantom's help, I had to watch my back while dealing with what happened. After a year passed, I got jumped and mugged in September and woke up at home in bandages."
"...Right, you told me that a couple of days ago." Tucker recalled with a nod. "That's why you started working out."
"And it's why I started learning how to defend myself in different ways." Danny concluded before turning to Sam. "You may not like or agree how I solve my problems, but I don't care anymore. I'm not going to let anybody walk all over me or other people anymore."
"Right... like beating up morons is totally going to make a statement." Sam snarked in a sarcastic tone.
"Oh my god, Sam, you're not helping!" Tucker growled.
"I'm just saying-"
"NO! I'm so sick of this bullshit!" Tucker erupted out of frustration. "We get it! You got friend-zoned in front of everybody, and you were embarrassed! It's been a whole fucking year! Get over it already!"
"Excuse me!?" Sam said, now getting heated. "It's not just about that-"
"Yes it does," Said Danny, getting the girl's attention along with Tucker's. "Sam, I hurt you. I didn't understand how deep that hurt goes, but I hurt you and I see that now. And I see that explaining myself or apologizing about hurting you is not going to solve the problem."
Sam, surprisingly enough, nodded quietly as she listened to Danny attentively.
"All this time trying to figure out a way for me to fix things with you has gotten me to realize something," Danny stated.
"Oh yeah? What's that?" Asked Sam.
"I may have been a shitty friend to you, but you've been a horrible person to me and Tucker." Danny said with a firm expression.
"What the fuck!? Now I'm calling bullshit!" Sam called out. "There's no way that you're turning this on me!"
"Sam, you told me that I'm dead to you."
"YES! I DID! AND RIGHTFULLY SO!" Sam shouted. "If it wasn't for this desperate little conversation that you need to have, I wouldn't be here!"
"Right," Danny nodded. "But Tucker's still my friend, and you know that I know him longer. How is it fair to break things off with me when you're clinging on to my best friend?"
"FYI, Tucker can hang out with other people you know!" Sam defensively hissed.
'...Did she just speak FOR me again?' Tucker said, feeling his anger boil. 'I'm sick of her not listening to me!'
"...But I can't?" Danny challenged.
"Of course no-" Sam said before catching herself in Danny's trap.
"Ah, you fucked up." Tucker commented, catching the goth.
"Shut up, Tucker..." Sam grumbled in frustration.
"...Guys, let's be honest with ourselves." Danny said with a sigh. "If our group was in shambles before last fall, it's dead in the water now. As it stands, I don't see a way forward for us."
Sam and Tucker grew silent, having a hard time registering what Danny was implying.
"...Danny, you're starting to freak me out," Tucker said with worry evident in his voice. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that this is it," Danny said in a grave but final tone. "We've reached the end of the road together."
Sam's lips parted, not believing what she was hearing. Hearing Danny giving up their group was the equivalent of hearing that her grandmother had died. Sure, she was ultimately playing the long game to hope that somehow, Danny could admit that he was being a shallow macho idiot and return to being her kind and sweet boy that she could protect. But she never would have imagined that he'd simply give up on them. On her.
"Dude, no!" Tucker said, fighting back at the decision. "This is crazy! The three of us have been hanging out for years! It can't just end like this!"
Danny ignored Tucker's pleas and stared directly into Sam's violet eyes.
"I am not as clueless as you think." Danny said in a tired, yet serious tone. "I had a feeling that you may have liked me since the end of eighth grade, but I wasn't entirely sure if it was true until the night you told me."
Sam's eyes widened at this reveal, and tried asking about it, only for Danny to hold out his left hand.
"And before you ask me why I didn't speak up about it or complain about how long you've been throwing hints at me, you've also been sending me mixed signals. I'm not a mind reader, Sam, and I'm no romance expert. You saw it from how my shot with Paulina went. I'm not perfect, nor do I claim to be. But just because I made mistakes and hurt you, doesn't mean I deserve to be treated worse than Dash."
Sam looked down in guilt, listening and starting to finally understand how much she messed up.
"Do you even hate me, or was this some crackpot plan to get me to snap me out of some edgy phase you think I'm in?" Danny questioned.
At this point, Sam's resent washed away and was replaced with a sense of guilt and empty feeling, not unlike Danny's night with her as Phantom. She couldn't bring herself to answer, not just out of shame, but a bit of the girl's pride for being the "voice of reason" got in the way. So, she opted to avert her eyes elsewhere.
Sighing, Danny got up from the table and looked at Sam and Tucker for the last time in a while.
Danny reminisced on the past and said, "...You guys got me through the rough times during elementary and middle school, so thanks for that. We had some good times here..."
Looking at Sam, Danny continued. "It's better to call it off relatively neutral than to go at each other's throats. If I am dead to you or whatever, I'll do what you wish and stay away from you, but if you want to talk again, you know where to find me. But I doubt you'll bother to. The silver lining in all of this is that we're both cool with Tucker, so at least we have a mutual friend."
'...Oh fuck, he's actually going through with it!' Sam recognized in her mind.
Danny turned his back, preparing to walk off, only for Sam to stop him with a question.
"...So, this is it?"
For a moment, Danny thought he heard a tinge of regret in the girl, but dismissed it, knowing it was too late to go backwards and repair something that had been damaged.
Danny didn't bother looking at the goth or the techno geek, and said, "Yeah, I guess it is... Thanks for the ten years, guys. They were the best a guy could have."
With that, Danny was the first one to leave with his head up while his bangs obscured his sorrowful expression.
Once Danny entered the Fenton Family Ghost Assault Vehicle, Tucker and Sam felt the weight of the finality their friendship group had ended in.
'...I-Is he actually-' Sam thought, starting to be driven by fear and anxiety with sweat pouring from her forehead as she grasped her head with one hand.
Not paying attention to the bitterness of her tone, Sam said, "I can't believe this... He actually gave up on us."
The girl didn't catch herself in time, which earned her the wrath of Tucker.
"Us? US!?" Tucker erupted. "Holy mother of Christ, I-!"
Tucker then caught himself before he blew a gasket, trying to keep himself calm due to his arm and leg being broken.
"...Fuck this. I can't do this anymore. I can't." Tucker said, grabbing his crutches and standing up.
"Hey, where are you going, Tucker?" Sam questioned.
"I'm going home." Tucker said in a pain stricken and bitter tone. "I need time away from this and from you."
"Don't you walk away from me like Danny did to us!" Sam shouted, feeling her fear reaching its peak.
"OPEN YOUR EYES, SAM!" Tucker exploded. "I gave you every chance to tell him how you feel, but you didn't take it! You just had to go about things your way! This whole thing could have been avoided if you listened the first time! But no! MULTIPLE FUCKING PEOPLE warned you, me included, You. Don't. LISTEN!"
This left Sam speechless, quivering at the boy's enraged state. Her heightened raw emotions nearly drove her to tear up.
Tucker sighed, then said, "...Want to know the worst part about this? I was rooting for you two. I was, the Fentons were, Bubeleh was. And now, not only do I think you blew any chance at another shot, your bullshit nuked our whole group! Congratulations!"
Sam watched as Tucker's breaths began to hick as tears welled in his eyes. While the goth could see that the techno geek was angry, she could see that he was genuinely upset.
"...I hope you're happy, because this is the worst day of my life!" Tucker exclaimed as he clenched his crutches. "I'm going home. And for the record, Sam, he didn't give up on us. He let go of you."
Tucker hobbled back to his parents' car on his crutches, leaving a devastated Sam to put her head down, mulling over the choices she made.
If Sam hadn't been a coward and told Danny her feelings like Tucker and many others warned her, much of the unnecessary drama would have been avoided. But no, she held onto the grudge and placed her twisted desires before reaching an actual resolution.
Thanks to her anger, she was left alone for the first time in over ten years.
Now, all of the resentment and rage that once occupied Sam Manson's heart had evaporated and was replaced with a sorrow deeper than any heartbreak of the past.
'...What have I done?' Sam repeated in her mind, not daring to lift her head to expose the rushing tears running down her face.
From a building across the street, two Specters of the spirit world watched the melancholy scene. One was the Specter of Greed, and the other, the Specter of Time.
"...And so the variants of the famous ghost trio part ways," Said Clockwork. "How sullen,"
Avarice scoffed at the entire scene, "Ugh, teenagers. Bloody mess the lot of them, especially when they trash my establishment."
"Regardless, everything is as it should be." Clockwork stated.
"Hm, I will not deny that this branch in time is interesting. Most timelines have those three joined by the hips. Aren't you curious to see how this goes? What if they reunite?" The Dealer questioned.
"Whenever there is a meeting, a parting shall follow." Clockwork cryptically stated, staring into the distance. "Whether their parting will be forever or merely for a short while is up to them."
"Always the cryptic one, aren't you?" The Dealer questioned before lighting his cigarette.
"I am nothing if not punctual, or consistent." Clockwork said with a wink.
"I guess now, those one-eyed prudes won't be bothering you." The Dealer remarked.
"Oh, I will be hearing from them again soon." Clockwork mentioned. "My headache seems to never end with their complaining. At the very least, we can enjoy the scenery that is in front of us - a perfect moment in time."
From there, the sun had begun to set.
Avarice took a hit from his cigarette, then asked his brother, "...What do you see, Old Timer?"
As Sam was guided to her parents' car, Clockwork peered into the horizon and beyond, claiming, "...A dawn of a new day."
To Be Continued...