A.N. Wow. I actually wrote this in one day. My muse was really generous, dear readers, and I hope the result is to your liking. I personally really loved the idea and read some amazing stories on the topic. Thus, I decided to try my own hand in this particular crossover. Enjoy.

There exist many definitions of what being a hero truly means. Some would point out that it is about being selfless, being ready to leap into action and save those on whom certain misfortunes had fallen. To others, the ability to overcome their fears is a feat worthy of a hero. Most people just mash the concepts together in hopes of once seeing such a person who embodies all of that at once. But, as is the case with every idealistic notion, the chances of actually seeing its physical manifestation are pretty slim. It doesn't stop people from believing that such people exist, and it is good for them. Everyone needs an ideal to aspire for. However, once again, reality sometimes likes to throw a wrench into this idyll.

Every hero needs a backstory of sorts. What urged them to take the righteous path of goody good? Revenge, a stare into the abyss of injustices every world is teeming with? A good example in life worked just as well. The protagonist of the story took a bit different path. He never was subjected to the world's horrors, living a normal life until a certain point, without ever having to resort to petty thievery or witnessing crime on a daily basis. He was born in a well-to-do family in this regard. A family to which nothing had happened up until the day their ways parted. As for the example, his parents were... unique, both in a good and bad way. The former stems from the fact that they earned enough money to supply their two children with everything they might have desired, and were just average when it came to parenting. Young Danny loved his family still, and his older sister especially. Perhaps, she could be considered a good example in life, but it wasn't a role model that led to anything but being an average, law-abiding citizen.

Average. Now that's a word that many shun. Everyone wants to be special. But Danny wasn't 'special', he never wanted to be, as the ambitiousness of his reached only the child dream of many boys and even girls. To be an astronaut, however, he needed to be unique, and that part evaded him for a long time, even if his school grades steadily tried to remind him of the fact. Danny Fenton, a boy that was average in everything. But as many hero stories go, that image lasted only until a certain point. That point being one day not long after his fourteenth birthday.

It's hard to say what urged the boy to try out his parents' invention. Was it only because of his friend Sam's request? Were those the eyes of his friend who would never forget how he chickened to go inside what amounted to a metal tube? Afterwards, Danny liked to think that he himself took part in this. That he was actually curious to see the machine worked for once. It did work, perhaps even better than anyone could anticipate. It did land him in hospital for a week, and the agonising pain of having your cells ripped apart by the otherworldly energy was going to haunt him for the rest of his days.

Speaking of haunting. The accident changed Danny. He was no longer a human, rather an amalgamation of two worlds — the human and the ghost. Something which was never meant to be. A walking paradox that for some reason never caused the universe to collapse. And that was the moment when he had to decide what to do with the power granted to him. Aside from causing minor mischief and getting small payback on the school bullies. Because eventually it became clear that that power was not a game. When he was confronted by the first ghost coming from the portal, he had to fight it. It was either that or his second death. And since the idea of survival against vile creatures and saving others coincided so well, there wasn't really any choice.

Thus, here is the answer Danny stuck with. He was a hero without being given that choice at all. But he still relished the idea that the world was better with him around. So much in fact, that he got attached to the 'career' should one say. Eventually, however, he realised the enormous strain he was going through. Jogging between school, ghosts, trying not to get by his oblivious parents, and still trying to catch at least some rest — it was straining, no matter how much more powerful the boy was becoming. The small fries did stay away from the one who defeated the ghost king, but there were even more ghosts who were eager to test him out. All of that was driving him insane. Eventually, after being reassured by his sister, Danny finally decided to remove at least one issue from the equation. His ghost-hunting parents. That may have sounded ominous, but all he wanted was to talk with them.

Now, looking at a single luggage by his side, as the rain drenched him, the said luggage and the park bench he was sitting on, Danny realised just how much of a moron he was. Of course. Fentons would never live under the same roof with a spectre, no matter how close they might have been. The shocked boy couldn't say a word, in a state of trance he packed the necessities, before being practically tossed out without him actually resisting. He could remember his sister yelling, but it was all so fuzzy. After that Danny just went in a random direction, so desperate to be left alone with his horror and misery. The boy soon felt a phone in his pocket vibrating. Yes, it was Jazz, of course it was her. Overcoming himself, Danny flipped it open and pressed to accept the call.

"Danny, where are you?!" His sister shouted.

"Where every teenager kicked out of his home goes," he still had it in himself to jest. "Probably I'll go right under that bridge and burn a tire to warm up or something. Going up in the wo..."

"Danny, this is serious, damn it!"

She was at her breaking point, too. Danny didn't want her to actually cross it.

"I'm at the park. Basically the first bench you see. If you see a guy drenched like a stray cat, that will be me."

He could, of course, turn intangible at any moment, but he just wasn't feeling like it. Jasmine arrived soon enough on her little car. Unlike him, she was always more considerate. The redheaded girl was wearing her raincoat, carried another one in her hand, sheltering herself with an umbrella. She quickly ran through the entrance of the park, Danny could easily hear the sloshy sounds of her leather boots landing in the puddles. He wasn't looking her way, so that's everything he had to go by.

"You idiot," she mumbled, and from her voice alone he could feel the tears going down her face. Sobbing, she took a seat near him, holding the umbrella between the two. Danny sighed and snapped his fingers. The umbrella floated above the two.

"Danny!"

"What? Someone might see us?" Danny chuckled grimly. "I just don't care anymore, Jazz."

"Don't say that. Maybe we can do something, maybe they just overreacted because they learned that you have been..."

"Dead this whole time? Please, Jazz," Danny finally sat straight, she could see the anger in his ice-blue eyes, glowing from under the strands of raven hair. "Crying on the floor is overreacting. Not kicking what's left of your son to rot on the street."

His sister sighed shakily, wiping her nose. "I understand what you are going through, Danny."

"No. You don't, Jasmine," the fifteen-year old got up. He finally turned intangible, and all the water fell on the ground. Since he remained that way, he remained dry while standing under the rain. "You have always been their miss perfect. I was just an extra."

"That's not true. They cared for the both of us."

"I don't see your luggage, big sis. I am not angry with you, don't get any idea. It's just so damn infuriating!"

From his eyes emerged an emerald beam of light. It hit the nearest tree and set it ablaze, not without cutting half of its top. With a loud creaking sound it fell down.

"I can raze this city to the ground and defeat the most horrid beasts, and yet..." he looked at his hands, "I am nothing. I am a homeless bum with nowhere to go... I am scared Jazz," he said in a low voice. "What should I do?"

Jazz sighed. For all the power and battle experience her brother had, he never realised how vulnerable he truly was.

"I think you should change the scenery. For some time everything here will only rub salt into the wound. Which is not good if we want to see you recover."

"Are you saying that I should skip the town? Jazz, what about the ghosts? Mom and Dad can't do shit about them."

"I don't hear your suggestions!" Jazz snapped, before quickly regaining composure. "I'm sorry. We both are shaken by what happened back there."

Danny nodded. "I thought I would just stay with Tucker for the time being. I'm sure his parents won't mind, unlike Sam's."

"You can't overstay your welcome, Danny. Besides, they will naturally ask for your reasons. You know how compassionate the Foleys are, they will immediately come to Mom and Dad to give them a piece of mind. And from there it will get all the more difficult."

"Damn it," the teen hero ran a hand through his hair in thought. "Then I'm lost once again. I don't have money, Jazz. Had I known what would happen, I would have saved some pocket money."

"You can have mine," Jazz started digging in her pockets.

Danny's eyes widened, "Jazz, I can't..."

She got up and approached her brother. Then she handed him three one hundred dollar bills.

"Just take them before they get wet," she said in a tone that left no room for discussion.

Danny dropped his intangibility and put them in a pocket of his jeans. He then opted to simply use the floating umbrella.

"Thank you, Jazz," he whispered. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

"You would have actually slept under a bridge," Jazz chuckled and smiled sadly. "Don't do that. Tire fumes contain dangerous toxins."

"I am a half-ghost," Danny snickered as well, "I almost don't breath."

"Danny," Jazz became serious once again. "It goes without saying that school is not a priority now. Not before your living situation is settled."

"I didn't bring any books with me either," the boy shrugged. "But where will I be staying... maybe... yes, maybe I should simply go to the Zone, huh?"

"That... doesn't sound too bad, actually. You have friends there, right?"

"Yes. Maybe Frostbite can take me in. Or Dora. I just didn't think about it at first," Danny rubbed his hands. "I just don't want to put anyone in danger, Jazz. Some powerful ghosts are still on about beating the boy who defeated Pariah."

"Danny, that's what friends are for. To protect each other. Actually, did you call Tucker and Sam?"

Danny shook his head. "Not before I decide what to do."

Then, all of a sudden, a gust of air escaped his mouth, similar to the one people can see when they are out in the cold. Danny's fists balled.

"Not now!" His head snapped in direction of where he sensed a foreign presence. "I'm going to stuff them all so deep in that thermos before pouring in some scorching soup for good measure!"

"Danny..."

Before she could even say anything else, her brother bolted in the direction he sensed a ghost. His speed even as a human was to behold. As he ran, Danny allowed his body to transform. In place of the jeans and white T-shirt came a modified, black hazmat suit, his sneakers were replaced by a pair of white boots, and his palms were covered in white gloves. The changes also reached the boy himself, as his eyes gained neon, unearthly glow. His raven hair, in the meantime, became absolutely bleached, leaving only the pure white colour. That was his alter-ego, the ghost hero and the menace, Danny Phantom himself. Now unburdened by human limitations, he took off the ground, picking up an even greater speed. In what felt like a split second, he rounded the corner of the street, flew towards an alleyway where he sensed the foreign presence. And then he stopped right at his tracks, inertia be damned.

There, he was greeted by an unsightly picture. Three ghosts dressed in what looked like prison guard armour were floating over a downed creature. Except that enormous, wolf-like being in a prison robe was way too familiar to the hero. Phantom's eyes blazed even brighter, before firing a blast right at the guard in the middle. With a scream he was launched into the wall he chose to phase through at the last second.

"Just what I needed," the half ghost hissed, his palm slowly engulfed in the same green energy that radiated from his every fibre. "Walker's little henchmen went where they aren't supposed to show themselves."

"Amiko!" The wolf-like ghost said, joy sipping through his exhaustion.

"I thought we put Wulf issue behind us," Danny didn't take his eyes off the guards. "Should I go and ask Walker as to why he attacks my friend?"

The ghosts could clearly see that Phantom was not in the mood to play. The third guard emerged from the wall and joined his comrades.

"How did you get here so fast!?" One of them asked.

"I know every nook and cranny of this shithole. Well?!" Danny was not receiving a word from the ghosts, and it irritated him even more.

His patience dried up when he saw them reaching for their police batons. In a swift motion he narrowed the distance between them, his fist brimming with power. The guard he was aiming at dodged the strike, but Phantom landed a downward kick before he could get away. The ghost was pinned to the ground with a deafening crack. The half-ghost grabbed the baton aiming for his head, before pulling the enemy closer. For him to be met with another blast from the eyes. Without being tossed away, held in place, he was forced to receive the entire power behind it. The ghost was out of commission, his power waned completely. Throwing the unconscious enemy away, Danny turned towards the last guard. Finally the façade of bravery fell apart, as the man's legs went wobbly.

"Now, pal. It's in your best interest to talk."

"L-look, Phantom, we are just following orders, you have to understand."

"I do. See how easy it is to just talk?" Danny asked dryly. "I'll talk with your boss, you can count on that. Until then," he reached for the utility on his belt. A cylindrical device resembling a thermos. The guard's eyes went wide.

"Please, anything but that!"

"You caught me in a very bad mood. Sayonara."

Danny opened the cap, and the entire alleyway was basked in the blinding light. He pointed a gust of emerging energy at the guards, both the downed ones and the one still standing. With the power of an expensive vacuum it pulled them all inside, tightly packing them in a strong container. It was easier to kick them to the Zone this way, anyhow.

"Amiko..."

Danny's head snapped towards the wolf-like ghost, who was shakily attempting to stand up. The half ghost rushed to help him, which was difficult, granted the gargantuan size of the creature. Wulf stared at him with his green eyes with no pupils and gave a wolfish grin. Which, admittedly, wasn't that hard, given his complexion.

"Mi ĝojas, ke vi venis. Mi pensis, ke oni kaptos min."

Esperanto. For some reason Wulf only spoke in that language. Usually ghosts could talk in and understand every language. In his case something must have gone wrong, like when a child is born with a defect. Danny himself had eventually grasped the concept, and could still understand the guy. His inner translator just needed to 'attune' in a way.

"Why are you on the run, again, pal?" The half ghost asked in Esperanto, helping his friend to sit by the wall.

"Walker is out of his mind again. He just..." Wulf put a palm over a gash on his side. "Likes to misplace his aggression on me. You know how it is."

Danny nodded sadly. They were in the same roles both in life and in death. A prisoner and his warden. A man who held the man in prison on false charges and the one who gained the power to escape any unjust captivity. The only way to properly stop it was to kill off one of them, it seemed.

"I thought I told that idiot to stop... Give me a second, I'll just text Jazz where we are. I don't want to worry her."

Wulf nodded. "You once again saved me, Friend-Danny. And I still am to repay my debt to you."

"You don't owe me anything. That's what friends are for," Danny smiled after typing the message. He raised his fist and Wulf pumped it reluctantly. The ghost just kept staring at him, and Phantom noticed it. "Something on my face?"

"Has something happened to you, friend? Your face and words try to hide it, but I can sense great sorrow in your core."

The smile slipped off Danny's face. "It's just... My parents learned my secret and kicked me out of home."

"That is sorrowful. But unsurprising."

"What?" Asked Danny in confusion.

"Everyone I know in the Zone, be it Walker or the dragon princess, they all knew this is exactly what will happen."

"And I learn this only now?"

"Friend-Danny, we did try to warn you. Even your enemies did. Perhaps, only Plasmius didn't. But we both know what clouds his usually shrewd judgement."

"The unrequited love for my mom, I know. Almost makes me wish to stay and watch his frootloopish face."

Wulf chuckled, before wincing. Just where was that famed healing factor when you needed it most?

"And what are you going to do?" The ghost asked the teen.

"We are still in the process of figuring this one out. This isn't your problem to solve, pal. You should worry about Walker," whispered Danny dismissively.

"I'll just do what I always do in this situation. Hide in another world until steam blows over."

"He still finds you here, though."

Wulf chuckled. "Usually when this happens, I hide in one of the infinite number of other worlds. It takes time for Walker to find a new one. Eventually he tends to give up for a while."

"And you still come back..."

"I am a nomad by nature, both before and after my demise. I can't stay in one place for long. And yet, all ghosts have to come back to our world at some point."

"Because ectoplasm is finite everywhere but the Zone. I get it."

"And my claws consume a lot of it. Ripples between dimensions are hard to make," smirked Wulf.

"There you are!"

Both spectres turned towards the exit from the alleyway, seeing Jazz run up to them.

"Danny, I'm gonna kill you again for making me run around like that," she panted, red in the face.

"I didn't ask you to come, though," Danny snickered a bit, tilting his head.

He was feeling a bit better if he still joked like this, Jazz reasoned. So her mild anger dissipated soon enough.

"So, ehm," she looked at the giant ghost. "Hello, Wulf."

"Hey," the ghost raised his paw in a greeting.

"Can you move now?" Danny got up and looked down at the ghost.

"Yes, I think," Wulf slowly got up. "Friend-Danny. If I can make a suggestion..."

"What suggestion?" Asked Danny. Jazz remained oblivious to the content of their discussion.

"As I said, I am going to lay low and hide in another world. So I thought if you would like to... stay in one of them."

Danny blinked. "But why do you think I would agree?"

"Because as you said, you have no home here anymore."

"Neither do I have it in another world."

"What are you two talking about?" Jazz inquired.

"Wulf just offered to take me to another world."

"That's a horrible idea," she mumbled. "At least there is a safe access from the Zone. You will be essentially blocked without Wulf."

Danny nodded, relaying the message to the ghost.

"And besides," Phantom added. "I can't leave the locals to be picked by ghosts."

"They have long since stopped trying to attack the town, Friend-Danny. They are coming after you now."

"They what now?" Danny asked in shock. In response, he first received a grim nod.

"Yes. I am good at listening. They no longer talk about taking over the world or wrecking havoc. They talk only about killing you."

"As if my day wasn't already messed up," Danny muttered.

"Danny..." Jazz begged to translate. And as he did, her eyes went wide as saucers. Wide with horror.

"He can't be so sure. He just overheard some people, that's all."

As Danny relayed the message to his friend, Wulf shook his head.

"This does make sense, Friend-Danny. They always took you lightly, no matter what you did. And now defeating you comes with a major benefit of becoming entitled to the crown."

"I have to accept it first," Danny growled.

"This may be the key to a better life for you, but admittedly, you will have to fight for survival even more. And they care not for what you think, Friend-Danny. By the long-running tradition, defeating the slayer of the previous king grants one the former's privilege."

"So I am the greater threat to people around me, huh?" Danny huffed, saying this aloud and in English.

"Don't say this, Danny. We have been alright so far. We can manage whatever comes next."

"Jazz..." Phantom directed the gaze of his luminescent eyes towards her. "Remember what happened last month? You still can't use your left hand properly."

"So what? This isn't reason enough to just... leave. Why did you accept this idea so easily after what we talked about?"

"Because what you see, Jazz, is less than a half of the ghosts I face. They come to me at school, in the middle of the night, wherever I go, damn it. And they just break everything they see. And everyone."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because, unlike me you actually have a damn life."

"So is this your solution? To live in seclusion for eternity?"

"If I may, Friend-Danny," Wulf spoke, "I don't understand what you are saying, but if I am to guess, this is about you leaving everyone to save them, correct?"

"You guessed right."

"Then there is an option. How about I take you to the world where everyone can protect themselves well enough?"

"What kind of society are you luring me in, Wulf?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I did exaggerate, of course. But what I mean to say, is that you won't be alone in your struggle, surrounded by people who can take a hit. This is better than living alone, correct?"

"Why are you so eager to do this, Wulf?" Asked Phantom.

"Because I wish to repay my debt to you, Friend-Danny. And if it helps you, I will be happy."

Danny relayed this to Jazz, but she didn't look convinced.

"This may be better than solitude for you, Danny, but how do I know that you won't just shelter yourself out there without interacting to anyone?"

"I still have you people. Our phones are able to call through dimensions, right?"

"Yeah, from the neighbouring worlds. Danny, I am just... afraid that I will lose you too."

"Me too?"

"What, you thought that me and our parents will be all chummy after what they did? Please, don't go, Danny," Jazz took his dead-cold palms in hers.

"Jazz... this may be our best bet. At least for the time being. Ghosts won't know where I am for a very long while. And neither will out dearest frootloop for a family friend. And if they do, I won't be putting you guys in danger."

"But why not in the Zone, then?"

She was now conceding without thinking.

"And to be in the centre of their attention? Jazz, it's like running from the police and hiding in another state's police department."

"You really set your mind to it, didn't you?" A single tear ran down the redhead's cheek.

Instinctively, Danny hugged his sister close.

"I can't do it any other way. But if mom and dad kicking me out wasn't a clear enough message, I don't know what can be."

"Promise me, Danny. Promise you will be the same Danny I know and love."

"Which will be..."

"The one who always helps others with a smile and horrible jokes."

"My jokes aren't that bad," Danny argued, still not letting go of her.

"They are," Jazz sobbed. "Danny I know will also not let anything in the world break him. Be the hero I know you are."

"Is this what you think?" He chuckled. "That's new."

"Shut up," she mumbled.

"I can't promise you that, Jazz. Because I am not the way you think I am. Hell, you saw me not even an hour ago. But I promise you, sis, I will do everything to be the man you see me as."

"This will have to do," the girl wiped her nose. "But you do bounce back quickly. Maybe you should... tell your friends about this?"

"Yeah. I'll tell them to meet up, after we talk, I will go. Wulf."

"Yes?"

"I accept your offer."

-Linebreak-

At first, he had been unsure of what exactly he should expect from the world Wulf had suggested to visit. It did appear normal, at first he was even unsure if he even left Amity. It could, for all intends and purposes, be the version of Amity park from another universe. His hypotheses were short-lived, however. The very first sign he saw was not even in English, but in a foreign language, one that existed in his world, too.

"You brought me to Japan of all places?" Danny asked and sat on his suitcase.

Wulf shrugged. "This is the right world, I am certain of it. I wasn't very specific on what part of it I should open a portal to. Just a city would be enough, since you can speak any language."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Well, at least it's not some distant mountain village. Japan is cool enough. The cost of living might be insane, though."

"I can still take you back if you want. It's not too late."

Fenton snorted. "And return after a heart-melting goodbye? That will be awkward. Besides," his look turned serious. "I am committed to what I decided."

Wulf nodded. "Very well. Know this, Friend-Danny. This world holds its own dangers, like any other. It's up to you how to tackle them. I will try to visit in a month, and as long as you don't leave this region, I can track you down with no problems. If I don't..."

"If you get in trouble Wulf, come to me immediately," Danny said in all seriousness. "I'd like you to stay, really."

Wulf smiled. "Thank you, Friend-Danny. But I am driven by my obsession. Unlike us, you are free to decide what to do. You have a choice. You can conquer this world or become its saviour from the threats none yet know of. I know you can."

Danny smirked. "I already have a headache from 'ruling' one world. Why do I need another?"

Wulf snickered, before his claws became almost half as long as his arm. He swung it in the air, and a green ripple appeared out of nowhere.

"Goodbye, Friend-Danny."

"Bye, Wulf. And... thank you for helping me."

"Just returning my debt," Wulf winked and jumped through the portal.

Now, Danny was completely alone in that new world. He was beginning his life from a fresh leaf. An aspiring beginning. First, however, he needed to leave what appeared to be a small, empty park. Immediately he was blasted with the light of the evening sun when he stepped out of the tree shadow. Back at his world it was late evening by the time he left, too. Making no real fuss about it, Danny decided to make a list of priorities. First, he needed to understand just where in Japan he was. Secondly, the living arrangements. Only then he could start thinking on what to do next.

It was, by all means, a welcoming place by the looks of it. The local suburban architecture was something he wasn't really used to, but it did more good than bad for the initial impression. Out there, at the distance, he could see the city centre, or, at least, what he presumed it was from the tall glass buildings. He always assumed those were close to the centre. Danny stood at the start of a serpentine road downwards, getting a nice look at the city below. Amity Park had nothing on that. They were a small community, off the major roads of Illinois. But they were near the Great Lakes, so at least naval connection was there. The town wouldn't die when the next economic crisis hits. Perhaps he could find a neat spot to haunt down in the city.

From his thoughts Danny was snapped by the first sighting the boy had of a person with a very flashy Quirk.

Only later would he learn what the word Quirk meant. At the moment, he was seeing a person with actual dragon wings. Flappy and all that. Danny waited for a moment to take a glance at the man's back and sure enough, they obviously originated from the person's back. Then, as his mind got used to the fact that such things were real around here, he began noticing oddities with other passersby. The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon such tendency of thought process was called. Not that Danny knew the term. He wasn't very bright when it came to that field of science. Danny snapped out of his initial surprise, still wondering what the shtick was with that new world. Mutant people all around? Irradiated water supply turning fish gay and humans into that? Those were just wild assumptions at that point. People caught him staring, so he quickly averted his gaze.

Unconsciously, as Danny tried to get through the crowd of people dying to get on the bus, he raised the guard. His instincts were telling of potential danger some people around held, which was never a good sign in his book. Then again, perhaps he was being too paranoid at that point.

'Come on, Fenton,' Danny thought, 'You fought Pariah before. Surely the locals can't harm you.'

And as if on cue, he was thrown off balance by a strong nudge from another pedestrian in the crowd. Danny barely managed to stop his fall before it was too late.

"Hey, pal, watch where you are going!"

But his complaint was drowned in the noise the crowd created. Soon, however, the crowd was neatly packed in the bus like anchovies in a tin. The road was free for him to use once more. It soon hit him that he still hadn't found out where he was. Asking the locals would make him look really stupid, though. And his social anxiety, harnessed through the years of bullying, did not go anywhere. It did get better after he got his powers, being nearly non-existent when he was Phantom, but he still felt awkward talking to the people about directions. He wondered if his appliances worked here. Danny fished in his pockets and took out the memento his friend Tucker had given him.

Her name was Sherry and she was Tucker's favourite girl. She also was a PDA. Danny had promised to take good care of Sherry, as she was a gift his friend ripped out of his heart. After a while of searching the teen found a cafe with free internet. Luckily for him, wi-fi worked similarly in all dimensions. That was a good sign. After a moment of searching, Danny learned that he was in the city of Musutafu, Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture. It was not so far from Tokyo, probably the only city around that he new. Aside from those two that went down in the WWII history course. Danny then learned that prefecture was something they called their regions in Japan. He really needed to brush his knowledge of the local culture if he wanted to stay there, lest he offended someone, which he definitely didn't want. Besides, the locals always liked when foreigners expressed genuine interest. And aside from the practical need, Danny also had that genuine desire.

With that matter out of the way, he could get down to finding a place where he could sleep. Which was easier said than done. Whilst browsing, he did get a look at the housing prices around there. With his three hundred dollars he was by no means a well-to-do teenager. He could afford to rent an apartment, but that would mean going with no other necessities until he got his first ever pay check. Atop of that, he would get kicked out the next month because he really doubted he would find a proper job that quickly. He had no education, no connections, no nothing. Danny quickly snapped himself out of it, because he was the last person to give up at the start. He needed to see where this self-imposed exile was going to take him.

And it did take him somewhere. There was a building in the northern part of the city. The locals loved their ghost stories. Upon finding said story on the internet, he decided to pay a visit. If it was a hoax, he had a house free of charge. If the "Yōkai" living there was unwilling to share their spot, he would stuff them in a thermos or shoo them away. Would that be rude and aggressive? Probably. Hypocritical? Certainly. He had been kicked out of his own home earlier that day. But if the rumours were true and the Japanese spirit had truly eaten some kids, then he had no moral repercussions about it. Since the house wasn't that far from where he was, an hour by feet, he decided to go there on his own. It could help him get accustomed with the surrounding areas. Maybe he could even find some job offers.

That's what Danny did, reading through every such offer on his way towards a place to claim as his own. Those were plastered on many lampposts, one over another. Occasionally there were public notice boards, Danny examined those, too. They all cited numbers to use and call. The teen picked up only those that interested him. He really wasn't in the mood for washing old people or walking out someone's dog. The latter was unacceptable due to how inconsistent the income was. The former, aside from being a bit unpleasant, also required proper documents. And if he ever wanted to get somewhere, he needed a proper place to work at. So, that landed him several jobs. He could work at a store as a part timer or he could be working at a fast-food chain. The king of the supernatural. Working at a fast food chain. He had a feeling he had watched a show that ran along those lines.

Danny had certain bitter feelings towards working at a burger joint. His career test predicted that exact thing. And he refused to follow the guidelines of a stupid piece of paper. Especially since it had brought about his worst battle to date that he wasn't eager to remember. So, a grocery store. They would pay him each day, and it was exactly what he needed. Danny really wanted to keep Jazz's money for a rainy day, even if it meant eating instant ramen day and night. Not that he had anything against those. He was actually curious as to how it tasted there.

Since the half-ghost also occasionally stopped to read the job offers, his trip lasted twice as long. By the noon he stood in front of the house of city legend. It really wasn't anything special. Yes, the house appeared rundown, as was to be expected. It presented a an amalgamation of rotten wood and rusty metal painted entirely in blue. The coat of paint was obviously cracked. Yet, it appeared sturdy enough not to collapse on him as he slept. Just in case, he would sleep on the first floor. It didn't have many windows there as well. It would allow him some free use of appliances without fearing that someone might spot him. Or better yet, if the house had an attic, he could stay there and be completely unseen.

Danny looked around to see if anybody was watching. He hid behind a trash can and turned invisible, alongside his suitcase, which he took and started to carry. It was awfully noisy, and his strength allowed for it. Danny approached the fence and stepped right through it. Slowly he approached the front door and then went through it as well. On the inside it appeared to be only slightly better. There wasn't any furniture, Danny was also pretty confident that the power sockets didn't work either. He would figure something out later. The floor did appear to be slightly more sturdy, but it did some horrid creaking noises as the teen went deeper inside the haunted house.

Danny put the suitcase on the ground, waiting for his ghost-spotting radar to make a beep. It never came.

"Guess it was a hoax after all," the teen rolled his ice blue eyes and went upstairs.

No furniture again. There was a bathroom Danny went to check. Opening the tap, he didn't see any water. So that was out of the picture as well. A normal human would worry about the lack of heating, but his ice heart disagreed. He would be fine during winter. As for the water, he could always use a bathhouse to clean up and store water to simply brush his teeth. It didn't look all that grim.

Who was he kidding?

Danny sighed and sat on the floor in one of the rooms. Just yesterday he enjoyed a warm bed, a warm breakfast and a proper bathroom. Now he had none of that. Instead, he was forced to stay in a place like this. And yet, the half-ghost wasn't an idiot. He knew that that was probably the same thing waiting for him in Amity. Danny was too pissed to even consider that the Fentons could eventually calm down and call him back. He knew them too well. He was the one they hated with passion, the number one menace of the whole town. And its only hero, too. But Jack and Maddie always tended to ignore that part. Danny gritted his teeth, his palms balling into fists. The bastards didn't even wait until he turned eighteen. He was technically dead, he had no rights and they weren't obliged to do anything.

"This won't get you anywhere, Fenton, get a hold of yourself," murmured Danny and pushed himself up.

He still needed to settle in. The attic awaited him. Soon the teen found the ladder and climbed up. It was pitch dark, aside from a tiny window in the far end. Nothing there, either. Only dust. Nothing a little bit of intangibility couldn't fix. Danny touched the floor and it became this way, allowing the dust to simply fall through on the floor below. He would do the same thing on each floor until the dust was buried underground. On the other hand, he really shouldn't be making the house so visibly more liveable. He needed the house to appear abandoned so that none would enter. The whole 'haunted house' legend was actually perfect for that same purpose.

He was an underage kid, the people could call child services on him, and it was scarier than any potential ghost in his new abode. Because if they happened to check his papers, it would be one hell of a spectacle. And if the passport he kept in his suitcase would be unable to fool anybody, then he would be in deep shit. They could even accuse him of document forgery. All in all, he just needed to stay low and not call attention to this house. Danny opened the suitcase, but didn't really see the need to unpack anything at the moment. Where should he even put the stuff?

Despite the aforementioned reluctance to use his stored money, he had to admit that some quality of life expenses were unavoidable. Just a few things. He had his hygiene tools in the suitcase. The only thing he lacked was a shampoo. He had usually used Jack's. And secondly, he needed something to sleep on. Maybe one of those air mattresses could do the trick.

"Alright," Danny fist pumped. "The half-ghost hero and king of ghosts, Danny Phantom, is off to buy an air mattress. Ancients. I am already talking to myself."

Deciding not to dwell on it for long, the teen set out to the nearest store that sold those things. Deciding to finally ask the locals, Danny learned of one such store not so far away, so he chose to go there. By the time he got to the spot, the street lights were switched on, and the night fell on the city. On his way, Danny conveniently found a spot where he could exchange his dollars for yen. Now he had around 45 thousand yen, which sounded like a lot, but those were the same 300 dollars. He should not be deceived by the exchange rates. In the shop that sold home appliances of all sorts Danny asked for an air mattress. However, seeing the price for the cheapest one, the teen felt his heart sink. Sensing the situation, the salesman clearly could see that the boy was not looking for a swimming appliance. Thus, the man offered him to buy a futon. He brought up the selling point of a glorified thick blanket on which to sleep. It was how many Japanese chose to sleep, and as an obvious foreigner, Danny was, apparently, very interested in taking a taste of the local culture. While being curious, Danny mostly thought about how much cheaper it was, especially since the man was willing to throw in a pillow and and an actual blanket.

He bought it, leaving a sixth of his savings behind. Just this once, Danny kept applying the metaphorical ointment to his aching core.

When he traveled a considerable distance from the shop with a box in hand, the teen was faced with a terrible truth that he was lost.

Sighing, he cursed quietly, trying to find a path that was at least somewhat familiar to him. He remembered that the sun was setting on the right side from his house. He also clearly recalled that it was behind him when he was approaching the shop. Which meant that Danny needed to go in direction opposite of the shop, and then probably turn left and right. The thought process was convoluted, but he really wasn't in the mood to find a spot for the PDA to find connection. He was also not in the mood for walking towards another turn, opting to instead go through the small gaps between the worn-out households and take a shortcut. And what happens to naughty boys who choose to enter shady places in shady districts? That's entirely correct.

Danny heard the sound of metal hitting metal. Accompanied by eerie snicker.

"Hey, boyo, are ya lost?"

The teen sighed tiredly. Well, it was bound to happen at some point.

"Oh, great, an ambush in a dark alleyway," Danny turned around, but not without noticing that the only way for him to run was blocked by what looked like a walking rock. "Your next line is: your money or your life."

Before the teen stood two ruffians barely older than him by the looks. One of them had sharp metal nails that were the source of aforementioned sound and more resembled claws. His companion did not have any physical features, but he probably had something up his sleeve as well. Danny knew that now he had to expect anything from every human around. The one with iron claws was the one to answer.

"No, we just saw that you looked lost around here."

"Oh, sorry, my bad," Danny shrugged. "Could you point me in direction of the nearest haunted house?"

The man gained a deadpan expression. "Are you this dense, kid? Your wallet. Now."

"Sorry, my hands are occupied. It's in my back-pocket."

"Then put the box down and hand the wallet over!" The second bandit demanded and pointed his finger at the teen. Then the tip of the finger actually opened, revealing the hollow inside. God knew what was supposed to come out when the ruffian decided to use it.

"Alright, are you guys finger-themed or something?"

"Shut up, smartass," the man said, still pointing at him. "The wallet. Now, or else."

A single red laser flew by the teen's unflinching head, scorching off a couple of sticking hairs.

"Neat trick," Danny inconspicuously moved his palm under the box, his pinky pointed towards the shooter. "I have one just like it."

Now the alleyway was lit by a beam of green energy. The bandit tried to dodge, but instead ran just where Danny had hoped he would go. Since everyone around had freaky superpowers, he figured that he could display some of his with no issue. The bandit cried out in pain; a solid, but small burn mark was left on his cheek. His look now screamed bloody murder. His comrade with claws ran forward, swinging his arm at the teen. Danny tossed the box upward, ducked under a swing and elbowed the bandit's head. Thrown off balance, the bandit tripped, not without Fenton's leg getting in the way. And then the box landed back in Danny's tender arms. He smirked, but his triumph was short. The stone guy lunged forward, too. He was going to be a problem, but he was too slow.

Danny jumped, confusing the bandit. However, he had committed to bashing the spot where Danny used to stand. Seeing the cracks on the ground, Danny realised that that guy had super strength. He landed on the huge man's shoulder, without him actually noticing anything. He could be practically weightless, and the man's strength played part in this too. Danny was about to kick the man's head with just enough force to knock even that bastard out, but the laser man fired at him first. The teen got off, but not without kicking the stone man forward on his way down. It hurt his leg, as he might have just kicked a wall. The landing was hardly as gracious, but he didn't land on his backside.

"Just stand still, you fuck!" The laser bandit yelled, firing a beam after beam. Each of them Danny had avoided, seemingly caring more about the box than his own head.

"Watch your tongue, will you?" Asked Danny, feeling that he was also about to be attacked from the back.

Swiftly, the teen turned intangible, and now the claw bandit was in front of the fresh laser beam. But the half ghost was merciful. He did push him lightly to prevent the damage to the brain. Instead, it hit his shoulder.

"Argh!" The man screamed. "Watch where you are shooting, dumbass!"

Danny's laughter prevented the argument between the two criminals from escalating.

"So, you have two Quirks, huh? You probably think you are so cool," the laser bandit growled.

"Firstly, I am cool. That's a fact. And two, I have no idea what a Quirk is. Is that how you people call your abilities?"

"Well, duh. Are you telling us you don't know shit?"

"I've been pretty much living under a rock. You sounded surprised. Is having two Quirks rare?"

"It is, brat," the man with claws hissed, putting a palm over his bleeding shoulder. "You are still a dead man."

"Oh, that's neat. The rarity part, I mean," Danny once again was ignoring the threats. "And just how many people have these 'Quirks'?"

"Hell if I know. Only a handful doesn't have any. What are you asking us for?"

"Because I want answers, chums. I am new to this place. And you are kinda the first people I've met and properly talked with around here. That's basically why you are still standing. Alright, next question..."

"Enough of this!" The laser dude barked. "I don't care what happens, I am killing this bastard!"

"Oh? So you are not answering anymore?" Danny tilted his head. "Well, goodbye then."

At this he turned around and went away. The audacity of his caught the bandits off guard, but the surprise didn't last long. The stone guy ran first, right at the teen. Danny sighed, putting the box on the nearest trash can. And once the stone man got close, the teen spun around and punched. The following second, after the shockwave passed and the loud crunching sound resonated through the street, the stone man, with his face expressing shock, riddled with cracks, collapsed on his knees. He could see the teen's deathly green eyes, the devious smirk running across his own youthful face.

"Sit and rest, pal," he said and looked up at his bleeding fist. His human body was so much less durable. "Well, guys, where were we?"

The other two bandits were not attacking. Danny kept his smirk because of that.

"I'm already liking it here. The people actually have common sense. Take your buddy here and get lost," he said and took his box. The glow in his eyes became dimmer, and much more ominous, his whole body was surrounded by white aura. "But try this again and it won't end so well for you."

Without looking back again, leaving the threat hanging, Danny continued his way home, luckily, that street he did recognise. Lightly beating up the thugs gave him little pleasure. It was a momentary moment of glee, but they never were a challenge to begin with. Just an annoyance. Danny didn't enjoy that pointless fight that was horrendously cliché. Then again, it was his own to choice to live in a less lawful part of the city. It was bound to happen eventually. He probably should have been glad to get the thugs off his back on the very first day. And to top it off, he got some information to go by.

So that's what this world's shtick was. Everyone around had unusual powers that were probably the reason behind the name. It was cool, in a way. It meant that he could use his powers without fear. And it was also just as Wulf had told him. The encounter just then was a fight between street ruffians and one of the strongest members of the entire ghost race. It wasn't a very good sampling now, was it? He needed to know where the power ceiling was for that world. And whether he should be worried or not.

Danny yawned. Yes, perhaps it could wait. That day had been the biggest emotional rollercoaster of his entire life. All of the sudden his energy started to drain, and everything that had happened before was slowly catching up to him. Danny made it to the attic of his house, where he unpacked the box and put the futon in the middle of the room. It was pitch dark in there, with the only barred window being the single source of light. The half-ghost almost wished that the local Yokai would appear in the middle of the night, since it hadn't done so earlier. Almost. He had had enough fights for one day. Wearing only boxers and his T-shirt, Danny lied down on the futon. The thing was actually quite comfortable. Smiling slightly, the teen pulled the covers over him. He didn't close his eyes, for once being left alone with his thoughts.

The thoughts that did not concern this world, but rather, the one he left behind. There was a reason for his decision that he was too embarrassed to voice at the time. For months Danny had felt that he was failing. Failing at school, failing to make something of his life. After his education was over he could do nothing. A shmuck with horrific grades could never hope to work at NASA. Other than a janitor. It would only leave him to 'pursue his old folks' path' as his father had put it. On one hand it might have sounded tempting, but seeing what they had done earlier that day, Danny knew that he would be walking the tight rope for years to no end after that. What if they found everything out differently? He had no reason to believe it wouldn't have gone more violent. Occasionally, on evenings like that, Danny had kept thinking about the same thing. How much of a failure he was.  He was a human who could not make use of his life. Danny was no idiot. He might have been called clueless for whatever reason, but he could see it in his parents' eyes. He was a constant disappointment. And each time he brought home an 'F', they weren't even surprised at that point. Perhaps him failing to even make it to his coming of age without dying was a cherry on top, who knew.

He was a ghost more powerful than most who refused to use it as the metaphorical manual said. How it was intended. Danny didn't want to turn his second home into a slaughterhouse. Those who were smart enough to understand that either despised or were thankful to him, but the half ghost was lost on what he should do. Maybe that's how the Zone worked. What if he was upsetting some natural order by his ignorance? Nobody came to explain those matters to him. It was always him against something completely new, something he had to learn in order not to screw even that part up. Eventually Danny learned to shove those concerns under the rug. If the Observants, who were all about balance, paid him no heed, than neither should he.

Wulf, on the other hand, had offered him an opportunity to try again. To make a new life when there would be no outside force to ruin anything, leaving him alone to ponder on his mistakes and make everything right that time. Danny turned to the side and raised his palm. A single ball of green light appeared, and after a gentle push it floated towards the only thing he had taken from the suitcase. A photo within a frame.

It was a silly thing, really. Him and Tucker were wrestling behind each other's backs in an attempt to ruin each other's photo, their faces still seemingly oblivious to the fight, while Sam stood nearby and tried to hold in her laughter. Jazz was near them too, but she tried to make the boys stop, but she failed. Danny smiled. Out of all the pictures he decided to print that one. It just felt so... alive.

"I promise, guys," Danny whispered. "This time I will do everything right."