#dpxdc

Danny Phantom: no.

JL: what? Why?

Danny: I have yet to receive confirmation from the gods that this action will—*glowing green brick falls on his face, a small sticky note falling off*

JL:

Danny:

JL:

Dpxdc

Danny is in Gotham (yes, that Gotham, different universe, long story) to finish his education before moving on with his life—or afterlife—and eventually ascending to High King status. It’s a good reveal AU. He still has his parents. He still has his friends. Clockwork just strongly suggested that if he wanted to rule the Infinite Realms one day, maybe he should get some cross-dimensional academic experience first.

So now he’s here.

The problem? Everyone is rich. Not “my dad owns a company” rich. More like “we have generational trauma and private islands” rich. Danny tries being friendly. Smiles. Makes conversation. Offers help with homework. It does absolutely nothing. These people only care about connections.

Which would be funny—if it weren’t so isolating—because they have no idea he is, objectively, the single most powerful networking opportunity in the multiverse.

So yeah. He’s a little lonely.

Enter Damian.

One of Damian’s brothers (who will not be named but absolutely thinks he’s hilarious) jokes that Damian has never had a normal civilian friendship in his life. That if he had to, he wouldn’t even know where to start. He offhandedly gestures at Danny like, there, that one looks harmless.

It’s a joke.

Unfortunately, Damian takes it as a challenge.

Not because Danny is a “target.” He isn’t. Damian just fully decides he will prove he can form a normal, healthy, civilian friendship. Out of spite.

There are misunderstandings, but somehow, despite everything, they start… getting along.

And Damian, internally victorious, decides to present Danny to his family as evidence that he can, in fact, maintain a normal friendship.

Danny is delightful.

He charms Alfred. He debates with Tim. He listens to Bruce. He somehow gets Jason to laugh. He and Dick vibe immediately. He treats Damian like an equal without even trying.

For months, the consensus is clear:

Danny is the only normal person at this table.

And then they find his admission essay.

Titled:

“Why Clowns Are Not to Be Given Human Rights.”

Danny: What the fuck..? What time is it?

Tim as Red Robin, staring forlornly at his broken grapple, exhaustion seeping out of him in waves: …

Danny: Hey uh… want me to fix that?

Tim, sounding near tears: Please 🙏

Danny: *quickly fixes the grapple, pulling scrap from his bag.* Here all fixed!

Tim: Here, your payment. *hands over his entire wallet and grapples away*

Danny: *stares blankly for 30 seconds* … Um?

Danny: *Silently screaming inside as he stares at Red Robin’s very civilian state ID*

Batman: ...Phantom why do you have a baby?

Phantom: Oh, I was summoned last night and some lady sacrificed her baby to me, so I'm a dad now.

Superman: What?!

Wonder Woman: Oh? Congratulations.

Batman: You can't seriously just...keep them.

Phantom: Sure I can, anything thats sacrificed to me is mine to do with as I please. Got a puppy once, her name's Bugsy.

Superman: Do people often get sacrificed to you?

Phantom: Oh yeah, but most sacrifices are adults, so I just let them go back to their mortal lives. I'm working with Constantine to get the word out that I prefer nonhuman sacrifices, like food, or herbs, but its slow going.

Batman: Phantom we can't let you keep the baby.

Phantom: *tightens his hold on the baby and eyes falling into slits* And why not?

Superman: Well, you're a ghost and they're...living. I don't think you'd ever hurt them on purpose, but accidents happen, especially with babies.

Batman: A ghost is not equipped to raise living children.

Phantom: Oh, is that all you're worried about? Then- *transforms into living form and quickly puts on a mask* There! I'm human, problem solved. *happily walks away*

Superman: Did you know he could do that?

Batman: *shakes his head*

Danny had to escape his home dimension due to the GIW hurting him too badly during one of their little hunts, causing the ancients to deem Danny’s dimension too dangerous for him. Clockwork gave him a hand making up an identity in another dimension (DC), but he failed to tell Danny that this dimension was nothing like his, and Danny, so focused on getting himself back to his feet and going unnoticed, doesn’t notice that’s the case on his own. 

He’s overwhelmed by how much more advanced technology is in this dimension, and with much reason, they’re like XX years over his dimension, but at least he doesn't have to worry about sustainance, since Clockwork placed him on Gotham's academy Scholarship list, and the school is providing for all the basics. He would cry if he had to figure out a job in a place so much more advanced than his own dimension.

Most people in Amity know Danny is Phantom, especially the teenagers. More importantly, they've realized that everyone in Amity is liminal enough to be summoned with the correct runes. And so a system has been devised so when they want to hang out somewhere, one person goes in, draws a big summoning circle, and just summons everyone else. It saves a lot on transportation and it's just practical.

Now that they're all old enough to go to college, most have spread all around the country. Staying in contact is not a problem, however, they can just summon each other, get together for a while, then break the circle and send them back to wherever they were before. Perfect solution. It doesn't even register as weird, they've been doing it for years and no one even bats an eye anymore. No one in Amity that is.