Chapter Text
Shit had fully hit the fan.
They found out. They knew he was Phantom. The G.I.W., his parents, the whole damn town.
He thought he was alone when changing back into human form after a draining fight with Ember. It turns out that was not the case, as some two-shit kid happened to get his transformation on video. And posted it online!
Of course, the video quickly started to trend in Amity Park, and by the next day, everybody knew. Murmurs filled the halls, whispers of ‘Phantom’, ‘Danny’, ‘ghost boy’, ‘freak’, ‘anomaly’, ‘impossibility’, ‘possession’, and so on assaulted his ears.
It was by third period that his parents and the G.I.W. burst into the school to nab him. So, he did what any ghost superhero who’s being hunted by his parents and a government agency would do. He ran.
He transformed from Fenton to Phantom right in the middle of Mr. Lancer’s teachings, right in front of the whole class, and flew through the outside-facing wall.
And now, here he was, flying through town trying to avoid both parties and figure out what to do. They knew who he was, his secret identity. He couldn’t just go back home; he surely wasn’t welcome there anymore, if this was any proof. He was only 14, a freshman in high school, he wasn’t an adult who knew how to do adult things.
He needed to get out of town, he couldn’t stay in Amity Park. At least Danny had done some research beforehand in case of scenarios like this, and Gotham seemed to be the most promising. Sure, the city seemed like a shitshow and a half; but it was void of ghost hunters, filled with enough ambient ectoplasm to actually sustain him, and had frickin’ Batman! Plus, there weren’t many areas that checked off that second box; in fact, sustainable ambient ectoplasm in the living realm was scarcely rare. Especially areas lacking ghost hunters, unlike Amity Park.
So, Gotham was looking pretty favorable out of his limited options. But first, he had to get rid of the people chasing him.
Danny shot a few ecto-blasts at their feet, not aiming at them, but rather near them. He didn’t want to hurt anyone, despite what people may think, but he did want to deter them. The blasts seemed to at least do… something, but the chase was still on. Shit.
Apparently, Danny hadn’t been paying enough attention, because a new group decided to assault him from the front, promptly shooting a ghost-proof net at him and catching him! Some douchebags in tan uniforms and wait, was that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?
“Great work capturing the ghost scum, we’ll take it from here.” Fantastic, he was about to be handed over to the G.I.W.
“I’m afraid we can’t do that,” the guy who looked like the ‘head F.W.S. agent’, seeing as he was wearing an actual suit instead, spoke. “This ghost is now under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as per the Endangered Species Act. He will be placed under protective custody so as to preserve his livelihood; seeing as you lot wish to hurt and destroy such a rare specimen and his parents are unfit to proceed with his care.”
He… WHAT? Endangered Species Act? Protective custody? What were they even talking about, was it the fact that he was a halfa? Sure, he guessed that there were very few of them in existence, despite the Infinite Realms being, well, infinite. He was the only true halfa, with Vlad having never actually died. Plus, there was Dani (who was traveling) and Dan (who was locked away), if you counted them. That was still only four, though, so he guessed that he really did count as an endangered species if you said it like that. But to actually be protected from the G.I.W.?
The ‘head F.W.S. agent’, as Danny had dubbed him, then held out a sheet of paper. It read, ‘Conservation Notice for one Daniel Fenton/Phantom, in order to preserve the rare and little-known species of a half-human, half-ghost hybrid. By order of the United States Government.’ There was some other technical jargon that he couldn’t read from where he was still trapped in the net, but that seemed to be the important bits. Ancients, was this really happening, could he be getting a break in all this?
The G.I.W. agent who had spoken earlier scoffed at the paper, but began to walk away anyway. Just like that, Danny had gotten rid of the G.I.W. Hopefully, now, the F.W.S. were at least somewhat better.
The head F.W.S. agent approached Danny and untangled him from the net. “I deeply apologize for this, it was our best chance at getting rid of those folks. My name is Oswald Cobblepot, I am the head of the division that will be carrying out your protection.” The man, Oswald, informed him as Danny was finally freed from the restricting net.
He had a pointed face, looking similar to a bird, and walked with a limp, kind of like waddling. He carried an umbrella, despite it being a clear day. “Uh, thank you, Mr. Cobblepot, for saving me. I’ll admit, it was looking a bit scary there before you stepped in. I was afraid you were gonna hand me over to them.” Danny gave a nervous chuckle, not really knowing what to say.
“Please, call me Oswald. It’s only right that this world protects a species such as yourself.”
“Then call me Danny. So, what now? What does this protective custody stuff mean for me?”
“Well, Danny, first we'll have to relocate you. Amity Park certainly is not a safe place for ghosts, and especially half-ghosts such as yourself-”
“Halfa,” Danny interrupted.
“I’m sorry?”
“Halfa. It’s the technical term for what I am.”
“I see, thank you for telling me. You’ll have time to gather your things and say goodbyes. Your parents' custody of you has already been revoked, and the video exposing your status has been taken down. It will not do anything for those who have already seen it, but it will at least prevent the video from spreading globally and help prevent other ambitious ghost hunters and poachers. Seeing as we’re having to relocate you, we thought it was only fair that you get a say as to where that might be-“
“Gotham!” Danny had blurted immediately, a little too eagerly.
“Go-Gotham?” Oswald stammered, “Are you certain?”
“Yes, I’ve done the research, and between the ample amount of ambient ectoplasm and the lack of ghost hunters, Gotham is the most ideal fit to my biology.”
“Uh, very well then, Gotham it is, Danny!”
And just like that, Danny, Oswald, and the absolute horde of F.W.S. agents were heading to Danny’s house. His old house, now, because apparently, he was moving to freaking Gotham. His parents no longer wanted him around, and wasn’t that a hit to the gut.
When they arrived, the Fentons were temporarily restrained, and he was allowed to gather the things he wished to take with him. A moving truck was somehow already parked up front. Danny ascended the stairs slowly, taking in what had once been his home one last time. Family photos hung on the wall as a brutal reminder of what he was losing. No more parents, no more Jazz; Jack and Maddie were screaming downstairs, calling him ghost scum and an abomination, demanding their son’s body back. Jazz was just sitting on the couch quietly, patiently; she had already known about her brother’s ghostliness and had accepted it wholeheartedly. She was just sad to see him go, to be taken away, though she knew it was for the best.
Danny walked into his room for the final time, taking in all that it was. He started deconstructing it, taking down the band posters and glow-in-the-dark stars. Carefully packing away his model rockets and knick-knacks, folding away sheets and clothes. Framed photos he put in boxes carefully, wrapping the ones with his parents as he couldn’t bear to look, didn’t know how to feel.
It took a while, but by the time Danny was done, the room looked lifelessly barren. The walls bore signs of sun bleach from the things he had hanging on them. Looking at it like this, it was almost like he was never here, like this wasn’t his home for the past 14 years. He could really see all the spots he was neglectful in his cleaning this way.
The Fentons were quieter by now, not silent; they were still putting up a fight after all, but the energy had drained from them since the time they got there. Some of the F.W.S. people helped Danny take the final boxes down the stairs, they had generally left him alone to take everything in. Jazz was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, waiting to say goodbye.
“Hey lil’ bro bro,” she croaked out. There were tears already welling in her eyes, but Danny couldn’t say much himself, or he’d be a hypocrite. He found himself unable to speak, the words lodged in his throat. Jazz seemed to have noticed, so she just pulled him into a hug instead.
It was tight and warm and everything he needed in that moment. Danny melted into the embrace, letting his actions help him say goodbye. He could leave Amity Park, he could leave his parents, but he found it hard to leave the ones he truly loved. His sister, his friends; damn everything else, he just needs them.
“It’s going to be ok, Danny. Everything is going to be ok. This is for the best; it’s not safe for you here anymore, and I’m not old enough to take you in. But I’ll watch over Amity for you; Sam, Tucker, and I will make sure the townsfolk and ghosts don’t hurt each other. And this isn’t goodbye, not for good. They said I would get an encrypted phone so I can contact you still. Same for Sam and Tucker, it’s going to be alright.”
Danny could no longer hold back as he sobbed into his big sister's arms. Why did things have to go the way they did? Why did he have to leave? Why did home have to no longer be that? Why did he ever have to walk into that stupid portal and half-die?
Jazz just held him silently, patiently, as she always was, as he cried right there. Cried in her arms as her shoulder grew wet, in front of the Fentons and the F.W.S. agents and Oswald. At least it wasn’t in front of the local news trucks that were waiting outside, but Ancients, this was already too much.
Everything was too much. The eyes watching him. The people taking him away. His parents claiming his tears were fake, that he was fake. The people waiting outside, who knew his secret. Because it was no longer a secret, not anymore, the whole town knew. His teachers, classmates, neighbors, parents.
Danny couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if he were able to stay, if his parents and the G.I.W. weren’t after him. What Mr. Lancer, his ever-present teacher, would have thought as he taught another day of lessons. What the school bully, Dash, would do, if he would still shove Danny into his locker. Would Paulina want to date him now that she knew he was Phantom, even if he had long gotten over her? Would the popular kids like him? Would Valerie, the Red Huntress, still try to go after him?
It didn’t really matter. It was all hypotheticals that he would probably never get the answers to. At least he could count on the ghosts, sister, and friends to stay consistent. They all already knew, after all, it’s not like the reveal changed anything for them. Not really. Just that he would be moving away now.
Hopefully, Gotham would be the fresh new start he needed. And maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t screw it up this time.