Chapter 01: Dan's Return

A blue skinned Ghost, wearing a purple cloak looked at multiple screens with his red eyes as he held a purple staff with a clock on it.

His name is Clockwork the Ghost Master of Time.

The one who knows all, sees all and is forbidden from interfering.

Not that the law stopped him when it mattered.

But there is one thing bothering him.

The screens he were watching showed many different versions of the same person.

One of them was a white haired teen with green eyes, wearing a black and white Hazmat suit with a Ghostly DP emblem on the chest carrying a Goth Girl with black hair and amethyst eyes past a statue of him.

The other showed the same teen as a Seventeen year old wearing a black unitard and white vest as he lead a team of metahuman and mutants.

The third one showed the teen as a fourteen year old with a Naked Mole Rat in his pocket and a red head girl with green eyes next to him as they talked in school.

The final one showed a teen wearing a hazmat suit, gauntlets, combat boots and a dark cloak in the shadows who dove in and tackled a mechanical Ghost before leaving a device on his chest, electrocuting it.

All four of them were connected.

The reason Clockwork was watching all four of them was because three of them weren't supposed to exist.

He claims that he see's all there is, but there are beings more powerful than he is that are capable of doing stuff without even him knowing.

And he noticed in his meddling with these three worlds that they originate from the Original Phantom's world.

They were the same in every aspect and yet someone meddled with time to make small changes.

'Who did this?' Clockwork wondered.

If there was one thing he hated, it was not knowing something.

It didn't happen that often, but when it did he wasn't sure how to react.

And one of them happened when he was trying to save Daniel's family in one of the worlds.

'Four different Phantom's.' Clockwork looked at them all and what they would go through. 'Same person, same history for some until a certain point, but vastly different.'

There were some people like the Beyonder and Uatu the Watcher who could interfere without even him knowing, but this didn't seem like them.

'Could the Observors have something to do with it?' He thought remembering his annoying bosses.

Then Clockwork paused as he felt another shift in time.

'Another one I don't know about.' Clockwork opened a portal to find the world with the Justice League in it.

Amity Park was there but-.

'Where's Daniel?' Clockwork checked only to see that the Fenton's don't exist in that world, neither does Vlad Masters.

Skulker was human, as was Ember and the Box Ghost.

Samantha Manson and Tucker Foley were there and young adults.

But Danny wasn't.

'Someone wiped him from existance in this world.' Clockwork realized as he looked into what could happen and his eyes widened at seeing the future. 'No, only Daniel can beat this.'

He made to move to one of the screens when he spotted a rattled Thermos.

It was the Original Dan.

Approaching it, Clockwork picked it up before looking at a portal, seeing what could happen with his idea.

It would be close, but it was the best because he could see from the sheer power of the enemy, Daniel wouldn't stand a chance.

Not even if all four of the Phantom's he was watching teamed-up.

... But Dan could.

Praying that he wasn't about to make a mistake, Clockwork opened the top of the Thermos and pressed the button.

A dark voice laughed as smoke came out of the Thermos taking the form of a tall blue skinned Ghost with flickering white hair and glowing red eyes. He wore a white suit with a black stripe in the middle that held a Ghostly white DP emblem on the front, it was cut off to the pants by a white belt and he wore white boots and black gloves. A white cape fell from his shoulders to his feet.

"Freedom." He said in his dark voice before turning to see Clockwork. "Time Master." He said with a hint of a sneer. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company."

"I have a deal for you." Clockwork said putting the Thermos down.

Dan Phantom crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, indicating that he was listening.

"You now exist outside of time and as such I am able to wipe you from existance." Clockwork said making Dan tense up. "However I am willing to have you be on Parole if you do a simple job."

"And what does this... Job entail?" Dan asked annoyed that Clockwork could wipe him from existance.

"Merely defeating an opponent that only you may be able to defeat-."

"May?" Dan asked before seeing the four portals that Clockwork was looking at earlier. "What is this?"

"Your past." Clockwork explained turning to an old man. "Four different versions because someone is interfering with the timeline."

Dan easily recognized the one he was from. "So the world knows who he is and accepts him?" He asked in confusion. "I always figured the stupid GIW would get to him or that our cheesehead of an Arch Enemy would try to kill him."

"So what are the terms of my... Parole?" Dan asked turning to Clockwork. "And who do I fight?"

"As long as you don't kill innocent people in the world you're going to, I won't interfere." Clockwork answered easily. "As for who you fight, it will be revealed in time."

"So what you're saying is that you're sending me in blind?" Dan asked in annoyance.

"You'll have six years to prepare for this battle." Clockwork said mysteriously. "Trust me when I say that you'll realize what it is."

"Whatever." Dan said before sighing. "I guess I'll just find a way to amuse myself with whatever this world has to offer."

'Especially if the alternative is being wiped from existance.'

Clockwork smiled as he opened a portal. "Then step on through, I've already made records for you as well as purchased a place you'll be staying at."

Dan raised an eyebrow, although he wasn't complaining.

Taking a step, he heard Clockwork. "Oh and I've taken the liberty of adding your human form again."

"What?!" Dan spun around but the portal closed on him. "Damn that meddling time walker!"

Looking around the apartment he was in, Dan realized it looked like his old room when he was fourteen. 'I wonder.' Turning invisible, Dan phased through the building to see Amity Park and he lived in the same building as FentonWorks... Only without the Ops Center or the Neon Sign.

"He has a weird sense of humor." Dan commented as he went back into the building.

Standing in front of the mirror in his closet, Dan focused as the all-too familiar rings of light surrounded him and went their seperate ways showing a twenty-five year old man with messy black hair, a black goatee and blue eyes, wearing a grey business suit.

"Hm." Dan inspected his form. "Not bad, I'll give him that-." Then Dan's eyes widened when he realized it was the adult look for Danny Fenton.

Shaking his head, Dan exited the room and walked down to see plain furniture, no pictures and a regular TV as well as a Fridge.

Opening the Fridge, Dan was pleasently surprised that it was well stocked.

It even had beer.

Taking a can and opening it, Dan chugged it before deciding to see if the lab was there and phased into the basement.

It was there, but it was empty.

Dan blinked as he saw an afterimage of his fourteen year old self being electrocuted in the area where the portal was in his old time.

Shaking his head, Dan groaned. "Don't tell me I'm feeling remorse, I got rid of my human emotions-." Then Dan glared at the wall. "Of course, that's why Clockwork gave me my human form back."

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After that discovery, Dan exited his house and walked around Amity Park seeing how it hasn't changed in the slightest... Besides the fact that there were no Ghost Attacks.

"So the Fenton's obviously don't exist here." Dan muttered as he walked into the library, actually enjoying walking around without anyone screaming bloody murder at him.

Getting to the computer, Dan decided something else.

He typed in Vlad Masters.

Nothing came up.

"So the old cheesehead doesn't exist either." Dan realized before sighing. "I may just die of boredom."

Then a link caught his eye.

'Superman arrests Parasite.'

"Hello, what's this?" Dan clicked on it for a video to show a man who had to be wearing the most ridiculous red and blue outfit he has ever seen fighting a purple creature.

But then Dan was shocked as the man punched the creature right through the building before flying after it.

'He sent me to a world of heroes.' Dan realized before chuckling. 'What does he expect me to do? Put on a smile and start saving cats out of trees? Fuck that.'

Then Dan chuckled at how his younger self would react to him walking around like a free man.

"You need help with anything, sir?" A familiar voice asked and Dan turned around only for his eyes to widen at seeing a black haired woman wearing dark clothing with amethyst eyes.

"Sam?" Dan asked causing the woman to raise an eyebrow.

"Have we met?"

Dan blinked and shook his head. "No I saw your nametag, it's just that I knew someone named Sam that looked a bit like you." He pointed to the nametag, thanking whatever deity was watching out for him that there was a nametag... If any deity were that is. "And no thanks."

It felt weird saying thanks.

Just as it felt weird to be talking to a version of Sam that he hasn't met.

"If you say so." Sam left to go help someone else while Dan decided to get out of the library and never come back again.

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Hands in his pockets, Dan began to walk towards the old video game store to see an ad for D.O.O.M 3.

Blinking at that, Dan chuckled as memories of D.O.O.M overtook him before he shook his head.

'Stop that.' He told himself.

He will not feel remorse.

That isn't him.

"Welcome to the Amity Gaming Store." Dan's eyes widened at seeing Tucker Foley there still wearing the red hat and glasses but he wore a stylish black jacket and green jeans. "The name's Tucker Foley, how can I help you sir?"

Trying to avoid staring, Dan shrugged. "How much for the new D.O.O.M game?" He asked to avoid looking suspicious.

Tucker grinned. "It's 24.00 dollars, throw in another twenty and you get a free controller." He said before looking Dan over. "I wouldn't have taken a person who looked like you for a D.O.O.M player."

"Oh I played D.O.O.M as a kid." Dan said with a grin as more memories surged through him. "The Ninja's on Level 2 were always pretty fun to mess with."

Then he frowned. 'Alright now I'm pissed that my old personality is showing.'

He made a silent vow to find a way to get rid of his human emotions again.

"Yeah they are." Tucker said with a nod. "So are you going to buy it? As much as I enjoy talking you have a line behind you."

Dan turned to see quite a line so he reached into his pocket, surprised to feel a wallet and he opened it to show at least five hundred dollars in twenties. 'Oh this will be good.' He thought as he pulled out the money to pay for the game and left.

'That was just weird.' Dan thought to himself at meeting both Sam and Tucker... Again... For the first time.

He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear people screaming until someone ran by him.

"What?" Dan turned around to see a giant grey man in dark clothing ripping street lamps out of the ground, roaring as he threw them.

"Grundy Smash!" He shouted in rage.

"What the hell is that?" Dan muttered as the Police showed up and were opening fire at Grundy but they may as well be playing patty-cake because the bullets just pissed him off.

"You shoot Grundy? Grundy rip you in half!" He picked up a car and threw it past the cops and-.

It hit Dan, slamming him through a wall.

"Oh that does it." Dan said pushing the car off of him.

He was going to stay out of this and just keep on his way.

But now he was pissed.

Narrowing his eyes, Dan felt the rings go around him as he changed to his Ghost Form. "Now this is what I'm talking about." Dan said as he felt his Ghost powers surge through him as Grundy picked up another car. "Hey Mr. Albino!"

Grundy turned to see him and a bunch of people backed off knowing he was another powered person.

"You talking to Grundy?" Grundy asked annoyed by what he assumed was a fly compared to him.

"Yeah I'm talking to you." Dan walked up to him. "I was content to leave you alone until you slammed a car into me so I'm giving you a choice, either stand down or prepare to get your ass kicked." Then Dan had a sadistic grin. "And please, choose option two."

"You threaten Grundy?" Grundy snarled. "Grundy sma-!"

He was cut off when Dan slammed an ecto powered fist into Grundy's face, sending him flying ten feet into a car.

"And please stop talking in third person." Dan commented flicking dust off his shoulders. "It's really making you look idiotic."

Grundy shook his head and snarled before charging at Dan who sighed and held up his hand to shoot ecto energy in Grundy's face, causing him to roar in pain.

"Is that all?" Dan asked in a bored tone before Grundy backhanded him right into a building. "Oh that does it."

Dan flew out at top speed slamming Grundy face first into the street before Grundy caught hold of his cape and spun him around.

Narrowing his eyes, Dan turned intangible as he phased out of Grundy's grip.

Grundy blinked in shock as he tried to hit Dan again and again only for his strikes to go through him. "Why no hit?" Grundy muttered as he was tiring himself out.

As Grundy began to pant, Dan turned tangible. "Because you're a moron." He said before unleashing a haymaker to the face.

Grundy groaned as he was still up.

"Geez, you're tougher than I give you credit for." Dan said wondering if this guy could survive his Ghostly Wail. 'I'll save that for later.' He thought wanting to keep that ace up his sleeve. 'But if this is one of the guys to fight I think I may have found a way to pass the time.'

As Grundy shook his head, Dan just focused and a ball of ecto energy appeared in his hands, getting bigger and bigger until it was as big as a Dodgeball. "Hey Grundy." Dan said gaining his attention. "Catch!"

He threw it so fast, Grundy didn't have time to react as it slammed into him, causing a small explosion as he was sent flying down the street before he landed unconsciously.

"Lightweight." Dan remarked as he turned to leave only to hear people cheering. "What?"

People were cheering for him... That was definately new.

Then a familiar reporter with blonde hair, wearing a blue suit showed up. "This is Lance Thunder reporting in Amity Park where the well known Immortal Zombie Solomon Grundy was just apprehended by a new hero."

'Zombie?' That was the last thing Dan expected before he realized what Lance just said. 'Hero? I'm not a damn hero.'

"I am going to attempt to get an interview with him." Lance said as he approached Dan before the Ghost could get away. "Who are you and where do you come from?"

Dan was still surprised, not used to people just approaching him out of nowhere before he decided it wouldn't hurt to give a name. "Dan Phantom and I was just in the neighborhood."

"Dan Phantom." Lance said with a nod. "Alright, what are your thoughts of your acts of heroism?"

"Alright lets get one thing straight." Dan looked annoyed. "I'm not a hero, I just saw a-... Zombie going on a rampage and I interfered once."

"But you did it with no casualties and kept Civilians out of the line of fire." Lance said not giving up. "That does seem heroic."

'I was just focused on the fight.' Dan thought wanting to leave. 'I wouldn't have noticed if a civilian got caught or not.'

"I'm done with this interview." Dan said as he turned to leave.

"Wait-." Lance began before Dan turned invisible. "Well, it seems that Amity Park has a new hero, Dan Phantom!"

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In the City of Metropolis, A muscular man with black hair, wearing glasses and a blue business suit rushed through a building bumping into everything. "Sorry, my bad. I'm late! Excuse me!"

He even stepped into a Janitor's bucket by mistake.

"Geez that Clark Kent." The Janitor muttered as he started mopping again.

Unknown to others Clark Kent, a thirty year old man who was a reporter for the Daily Planet was just doing that on purpose to keep their suspicions that he, the mild mannered reporter was none other than Superman, the Man of Steel and hero of Metropolis.

All titles that Metropolis gave him.

He nearly crashed into the wall as he got into the elevator.

"Whoa Smallville, where's the fire?" A voice asked as Clark turned to see a black haired woman wearing a purple coat and a purple skirt.

"Uh no fire Lois." Clark said sheepishly. "I was just running late after sleeping in."

The actual truth was that he was stopping Toyman who decided it would be fun to have a parade of his own while taking Kindergarteners hostage.

"I thought you farmers were up at the crack of dawn?" Lois remarked at hearing that.

"Well I've been in the city for years." Clark said rubbing the back of his head.

The elevator opened up to show that the planet was in a frenzy.

"What's going on?" Lois asked curiously.

"Grundy was spotted in Illinois and is wreaking havoc." Jimmy Olsen an orange haired photographer answered.

Clark gave a start, knowing that there were no heroes in Illinois and barely any super villains go there, so the Police wouldn't be prepared.

'I need to get there-.' He thought before he heard his boss Perry White.

"Hold it, who's that?"

Turning to the screen, Clark was surprised to see a blue skinned man in a black and white suit calmly walking towards Grundy with white hair that was flickering like fire.

The camera didn't catch the words he said before he punched Grundy and as the fight went on, Clark couldn't help but be impressed by how this guy was keeping the fight away from the civilians while taking on Grundy, even showing that attacks could go right through him.

"Looks like we have a new hero in the world." Lois quipped. "He could possible give Superman a run in the terms of power by how this was shown."

"Maybe." Clark said as he saw the reporter getting a name. 'Dan Phantom?'

His phone vibrated in his front pocket as he answered it. "Hello?"

"Kent." A familiar voice greeted.

Slowly walking out of the office, Clark fingered his glasses. "I take it you saw the footage in Illinois, Bruce?" He asked his friend.

"I saw it."

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Miles away in Gotham City, a town full of psychopaths, murderers and thieves. A dark haired man with blue eyes sat inside of a cave underneath a mansion in front of a computer. "I saw it." He said as he was looking over the video. 'Another unknown.'

If there was one thing he hated more than anything else, it was unknowns.

"What do you think of him?" Clark asked.

"Not much was shown." Bruce Wayne answered, getting a look at the facial expressions and how he moved. "He's powerful, took Grundy down with little difficulty. Shown to be cocky. He seems to have enjoyed the fight. Powers shown were super strength, durability, energy manipulation, intangibility, flight, enhanced reflexes, possible Pyrokinesis due to his hair and invisibility. The only one who was shown to have that many powers was you."

"Well he seems to be helping." Clark said.

Bruce shook his head. "We don't know his true motives Clark." He answered. "And we can't based that off of one video footage."

He knew that Clark could be right and that this guy could mean no harm.

And Clark was always willing to give a person the benefit of doubt.

But Bruce looked at his eyes and saw something he sees everytime he goes out into Gotham.

The eyes of a killer.

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Dan phased into his house and changed back to his human form as he stretched. "That was a good workout." He said as he cracked his neck. "I wonder if there's anyone stronger around here?" Then he chuckled. "Maybe I can go to this Metropolis and pick a fight with this Superman to see who is stronger."

Then Dan paused as he felt something tearing at his head. "Gah!" He cried out as he clasped it in agony.

'Help... They... Are... Coming!' A voice shouted in his head.

"Who's there?!" Dan shouted in pain before it disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. "What the fuck was that?"

Dan looked out the window not knowing that in a months time, he will be in a fight of a lifetime.

To Be Continued...

Alright, how do you like this chapter? I'm hoping I did good with expanding on Dan's character in this story as well as showing that him fighting Grundy was personal, not him being a hero.

But now people think he's a hero when he doesn't think so and someone is calling for him.

This was also the first time I've typed Batman and Superman and I hope I showed them alright, along with Clark's 'Klutz' moments and Bruce's paranoia as well as his detective skills at getting that from one video footage.

Also how Clockwork got Dan his human half will be revealed eventually.

And yes I have two of my Phantom stories, soon to be three later on connected to this as well as Canon Danny Phantom.

Someone is changing small points in time to create these worlds.

Who it is and why will be revealed much, much later.

... I just know that someone will ask me 'But I thought Ghosts were immune to telepathy.'

That was in Renegades.

This is a different story, so different rule.

Now I hope that people will review in what they think.