[Third Person's PoV]
"Klemper! I was clearly set up! They forced me to say it! You have to believe me! Can't you see how beat up I am!?" Penguin cried out, desperation thick in his voice, arms outstretched, blood trailing from a cut above his brow.
But Klemper didn't move. His body trembled, tears streaming down his transparent, ghostly green cheeks as his voice cracked from the pain buried deep in his chest. "I trusted you… I thought you were my friend… I believed in you," he stammered. "But you— you never cared. You lied to me! You said you were my friend, but it was all just a cruel joke, wasn't it?"
The hurt in Klemper's voice hit like a blade, sharp and cold.
Penguin's face twisted with frustration. He clicked his tongue sharply, realizing that his pleas were falling on deaf ears. There was no turning this around. "That's right!" he spat, suddenly venomous. "I used you! Of course I did, you pathetic, blubbering idiot of a ghost! As if I'd ever be friends with the likes of you!"
His words grew more cruel by the second, fueled by spite. "No one in their right mind would chain themselves to that kind of misery. You're nothing more than a henchman— a tool to be used and discarded. Do you honestly think anyone could ever want to be your friend? You're a nuisance, a joke! The moment anyone gets close, they'll see how utterly annoying you are and abandon you just like everyone else!"
Before he could spew more venom, Danny shot across the room like a bullet, his fist slamming into the Penguin's jaw with bone-cracking force. The impact was so fierce that a couple of the villain's yellowed teeth flew out, clattering to the ground like broken glass. The force of the punch sent Penguin tumbling backward into a stack of crates.
Danny didn't stop there.
Fueled by pure rage, he pounced on the dazed villain, raining down blow after blow with a fury none of them had seen from him before. He snarled, throwing each punch with a growl.
Behind them, Klemper dropped to the ground, his legs giving out beneath him. He collapsed to all fours, trembling, sobbing uncontrollably. His shoulders shook as he curled in on himself, barely able to breathe through his tears. The sight only made Danny angrier.
Robin and Batman lunged forward, each grabbing one of Danny's arms and dragging him off the unconscious Penguin.
"Danny, that's enough!" Robin shouted, straining to hold him back. "He's already out cold!"
"Let me at him!" Danny snarled, kicking at the air, completely forgetting that he could just turn intangible. "That bastard thinks he can say whatever he wants!? That he has the right to tear Klemper down like that?! No way! He's the one who doesn't deserve any friends! He's garbage! Klemper is too good for trash like him!"
"That's enough," Batman growled, his tone low and commanding. "You're wasting your energy on someone who's already been defeated. You have bigger things to worry about right now, look he's getting away."
Danny froze mid-breath, his eyes widening as he turned back. Klemper was flying away, tears still streaming down his face as he phased silently through a nearby wall, disappearing into the night.
Danny's chest rose and fell rapidly as he struggled to calm himself. He took a shaky breath, then nodded. "You're right… I'm sorry. Just make sure he pays for what he did."
Without waiting for a reply, he took off, flying after Klemper with determination in his eyes.
Robin remained where he was, staring at Danny's retreating form with concern etched into his face. "He's been really emotional lately… don't you think?" he asked quietly, glancing toward Batman. "I mean, more than usual. I'm starting to get seriously worried."
"I have been for a while," Batman admitted, his eyes not leaving Penguin's broken form. "He's finally moving past the denial stage."
Robin blinked. "Wait… are you saying Danny's going through the five stages of grief?"
"It's very possible," Batman replied, eyes remained on Penguin. "When it first happened—when his parents died—he didn't show much outward emotion. Most assumed he processed it quickly. But I think that was denial… complete and total shutdown. And now that some time has passed, the reality's catching up to him. The anger's starting to surface."
"Or…" Robin said hesitantly, "Maybe Danny's just deeply empathetic. Maybe he's someone who can't stand injustice and seeing people being hurt. Maybe he just wants to protect those who need it."
Batman was silent for a long moment before giving a faint nod. "Could be… Maybe it's a bit of both."
He glanced down at the Penguin, unconscious and bleeding, then sighed.
"Let's finish up here," he muttered, already pulling out a pair of restraints. "It is a school night after all."
…
Danny soared through the night sky, his white hair trailing behind him, eyes scanning the city below. He flew higher and higher, following Klemper's faint ghostly energy signature until he finally spotted him.
There, perched solemnly atop the towering Iceberg Lounge nightclub, was the large, spectral figure of Klemper. The once-mischievous ghost now sat hunched over, his massive body curled in on itself. His translucent hands covered his face, shoulders trembling with every quiet sob. His form seemed to dim under the moonlight,
Danny slowed his flight, landing softly a few feet away. He took in the heartbreaking sight for a moment, his expression softening with a mix of sympathy and quiet understanding. Without saying a word, he walked over and gently sat beside him, the silence stretching between them.
Danny hesitated only a moment before placing a hand on Klemper's large, trembling back—a gesture that spoke louder than words.
"C-Can I really… never have friends?" Klemper finally whispered, his voice barely audible between his choked sobs. "Is that true…? Am I just… a nuisance
?"
Danny looked up at the sky for a moment, then back at Klemper, his tone soft but firm. "Klemper, don't listen to what Penguin said. He's not a good person. He was only saying those things to hurt you because he knew it would work. That's the kind of person he is—he twists kindness into weakness."
Klemper wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, his gaze still distant. "But… maybe he was right. Maybe I don't deserve friends. I'm—"
"Don't say that," Danny interrupted, his voice suddenly more stern, his brows furrowed. "You're just repeating his lies—letting his words control how you see yourself. But you're not a joke, Klemper. You're not a nuisance either"
He paused, letting the silence settle again before continuing, softer this time. "Didn't I tell you before? That I could be your friend?"
Klemper finally turned his head, his tear-streaked green face shining faintly under the moonlight. He looked into Danny's eyes with a conflicted expression. "How do I know you're telling the truth? That you're not just… pretending like Mr. Penguin did?"
"You don't," Danny admitted with a sigh. "And that's scary isn't it? Trust always is. But don't let one bad experience make you believe no one else will ever care about you. You have to give people the chance to show you who they really are."
He smiled warmly and added, "That's what friendship is, isn't it? Trusting someone, even when there's no guarantee. Believing in each other, even when it's hard. I might not know everything about you, Klemper… but from what I've seen? You're someone I'd gladly call a friend."
Then, nudging him playfully with his elbow, Danny added with a grin, "That is, if you're willing to take a chance on someone like me. Believe that I won't hurt you. That I want to be your friend."
Klemper stared at him for a long moment. His expression slowly softened, his eyes filled with something fragile—hope.
"You're a good person… I can feel it," he said, his voice trembling. "You helped me. You stood up for me. You saw what Penguin was doing and stopped it. And now… now you're still here. Willing to be my friend."
He sniffled and asked with timid hope, "Would you really… be friends with someone like me?"
Danny let out a light laugh, genuine and warm. "I'd be more than happy to," he said with a smile.
Klemper's eyes widened with joy, and before Danny could react, the large ghost threw his arms around him in a powerful hug, lifting Danny slightly off the rooftop.
Danny wheezed under the crushing embrace, his arms awkwardly poking out from the side. "Oof—okay! Yep! Hugging—definitely hugging…"
"Friends…" Klemper murmured, a glowing smile spreading across his face as he leaned into Danny.
Danny chuckled breathlessly, patting Klemper's back. "Yeah… Friends."
For a moment, the rooftop was quiet, filled only with the soft sound of the city below and the warmth of the moment between the two spirits.
Then Danny gasped, "Okay, uh, as much as I'm enjoying this… you're kind of squeezing all the air out of me. Maybe we should, uh… officially introduce ourselves? Y'know, like normal people?"
"Oh! Oops!" Klemper said quickly, pulling back with an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry, I was just… excited. It's been a while since I felt this happy."
He floated up slightly, his entire form glowing more brightly now. "Let's do it properly, then! My name is Klemper. It's very nice to meet you, new friend!"
Danny stood and gave a small bow with a playful grin. "Danny. Danny Phantom. And it's really nice to meet you too, Klemper."
Without warning, Klemper surged forward and hugged him again, this time with even more enthusiasm.
"Okay—Klemper—still need to breathe!" Danny wheezed, flailing a little as his feet dangled off the ground.
But before they could fully laugh it off, the wailing of sirens began to echo through the air, growing louder by the second. The flashing red and blue lights were fast approaching the Iceberg Lounge below.
Danny tilted his head and gave Klemper a mischievous smile. "Come on," he said with a grin, floating upward, "Let's go watch the Penguin get what he deserves."
Klemper's eyes sparkled with glee as he followed close behind. "Let's go, Friend!"
And together, the two of them vanished into the night sky as they descended down to the Iceberg Lounge.
…
Danny, Klemper, Batman, and Robin stood just outside the Iceberg Lounge beneath the glow of flashing red and blue lights. The cold night air carried the echo of sirens, reporters' questions, and camera shutters clicking like an avalanche of noise.
From the front doors of the nightclub, Oswald Cobblepot—better known as the Penguin—was escorted out in heavy restraints, his arms locked tightly behind his back in high-grade resistantment cuffs. His face was bruised and bandaged, the remnants of Danny's earlier assault evident on his bloodied lip and swollen eye. Still, he wore a defiant scowl, barking protests even as the FBI agents shoved him toward the armored van.
Klemper, floating nearby with childish glee, stuck out his tongue and began blowing exaggerated raspberries in Penguin's direction. "Ppppthbbbbb! Serves you right, meanie!" he taunted gleefully.
Robin snickered at Klemper's antics, and Danny just shook his head with a small laugh. But the mood tensed slightly as more agents arrived, this time carrying crates and cases filled with confiscated stolen goods—evidence from the hidden backroom of Penguin's lounge, all covered in snow.
Unbeknownst to the group, far above them in the night sky, a small ghost sprite hovered silently, its body invisible to the naked eye. Clutched tightly in its tiny hands was a golden, dust-caked genie lamp, ornate and aged. It watched quietly, its presence invisible, unnoticeable, as it observed the Penguin being locked into the FBI van. Its mission, given earlier by the villain, was complete, to steal anything that could be of value completely undetected. And now, it followed silently, its eyes glinting with strange satisfaction.
Back below, Klemper turned his attention to Robin. With a sheepish glance and a nervous twiddle of his fingers, he asked softly, "Umm… do you maybe wanna be friends too?"
Robin blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the innocence of the question—then smiled warmly. "Sure. A friend of Danny's is a friend of mine."
Klemper lit up like a Christmas tree. "Danny, look! I made another friend!"
Danny gave a playful smile and lifted a hand. "I saw, congrats!" he said, raising his palm.
Klemper laughed shyly and floated over to high-five Danny, his palm giving a faint shimmer as it met Danny's hand with a gentle slap.
Then Klemper turned to look at Batman… and immediately squeaked in fear, hiding behind Danny like a giant, frightened child. "He's scary. I'm not so sure about that one," he whispered, holding onto Danny's shoulders.
Both Robin and Danny burst into snickers, while Batman gave a slow, unimpressed blink. He looked at all of them dryly, though the faintest trace of amusement tugged at the corners of his lips.
"I'll stay behind," Batman added, his voice authoritative. "Make sure everything recovered is returned to the appropriate location—and that the Penguin doesn't try anything."
Danny and Robin exchanged a glance and nodded.
"Come on, Klemper," Danny said with a small wave, "Let's get you back to the Ghost Zone."
"Awww," Klemper whined with disappointment.
Danny smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Hey, don't worry, big guy. You're just going home. I'll come visit you soon. Promise."
Klemper nodded solemnly, but the smile returned to his face as the three went off together into the night, heading away from the crime scene.
Batman watched them go, their silhouettes fading into the sky, before turning back as the FBI van drove off in the opposite direction—carrying Oswald Cobblepot toward a maximum security prison.
What none of them saw… was the faint shimmer above. The green ghost sprite followed silently, still clinging to the lamp like a precious treasure.
---
Later That Night…
In a cold, dim holding cell, the Penguin sat on a narrow bench with a sour expression. His back rested against the concrete wall, and his fingers fidgeted restlessly in his lap. Dried blood clung to his skin, and gauze covered half of his face. Rage simmered behind his eyes.
The air grew colder. A shimmer began to ripple through the corner of the cell wall.
Then—with a soft crackle of ectoplasmic energy—a ghostly sprite phased through the wall, becoming fully visible in front of him. Clutched in its claw-like hands was the golden lamp.
The Penguin's eyes widened.
"Yes… perfect," he whispered, his expression twisting into a gleeful grin. "You're my ticket out of here!"
The sprite zipped forward and dropped the lamp into his lap with a grunt. Penguin blinked, frowning. "The hell is this? I didn't ask for this now. What am I supposed to do with this dusty old—?"
As he wiped it with the corner of his sleeve, the lamp shimmered. A clap of thunder shook the air, and green mist poured from the spout like a wave of liquid emerald.
Penguin stumbled back, his eyes wide with disbelief as the mist coiled upward like a serpent—spinning, twirling, then forming into the shape of a beautiful, ethereal woman. She floated above the ground, dressed in glimmering green silks, her long hair veiling part of her face. Her eyes gleamed like starlight.
"Finally… I am free!" she declared, her voice like a song echoing across the cell room.
Penguin gasped. "A… a genie?!"
She hovered above him, smiling confidently. "The name is Desiree~ and I do grant what my speaks of, your greatest desires~," she sang with mystical flair. "State your desire, mortal… and so shall it be."
Penguin stared, heart pounding. Power… riches… revenge… A thousand greedy thoughts raced through his mind.
But then his expression darkened. The image of a looming bat-shaped shadow flickered across his thoughts. "Batman…" he growled under his breath.
No matter what he achieved, no matter how far he climbed—Batman was always there to knock him back down. Always in his way. Always ruining everything.
"I hate him," Penguin hissed. "If he didn't exist, I'd already be King of Gotham. He's the only thing standing in my way."
His grin widened as his eyes widened with sadist glee.
"I wish Batman… never existed in the first place!"
Desiree's eyes gleamed. She slowly raised her arms, her fingers twirling with glowing energy. "If you so desire… then so it shall be!"
With a final chant, she released a brilliant wave of magic into the air—an emerald shockwave that spread like a ripple through reality itself.
…
Location: Fenton Works
Date: March 10th
Time: 6:32 AM
"Danny… Danny, it's time to wake up. Mom's been calling down for breakfast for a while now," a soft, familiar voice called out gently.
Sitting beside his bed was a tall, beautiful girl with bright orange hair pulled back by a blue headband. She leaned over him, nudging his shoulder with gentle persistence, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
"Mmm… In a minute, Jazz. Just let me sleep," Danny mumbled groggily, burying his face deeper into his pillow, barely registering her presence.
Jazz sighed, standing up and crossing her arms, her expression shifting into mock sternness. "Well, Mom's calling, and you really don't want to be late for school. You've got such a perfect attendance record—be a shame to ruin it over beauty sleep."
Danny growled under his breath, but something about the voice—the tone, the cadence—scratched at the edges of his mind.
Then… his eyes snapped open.
His body jolted upright in an instant, too fast, too panicked. He shot up so suddenly that he tumbled out of bed, landing hard on the floor in a tangled heap of blankets and disbelief.
He looked up, heart thundering in his chest.
"...Jazz?"
Jazz blinked, startled by the intensity in his voice and the wild fear in his eyes. "Jeez, Danny, you scared me. What's up with you? You look like you've just seen a ghost. Did you have some kind of nightmare or something?"
But Danny didn't answer. He didn't even think. He moved—almost on instinct—launching himself forward, scrambling along the ground and wrapping his arms tightly around her in a desperate embrace. The force of it nearly knocked Jazz off balance, forcing her to take a few quick steps back.
"H-Hey!" she stammered, her voice rising in surprise. "Okay, now I seriously know something's wrong."
She was prepared to make another sarcastic comment, something to lighten the mood—but she stopped herself as she felt Danny against her.
Danny was trembling.
He clung to her like she was the last solid thing in the world, like the moment he let go, she would vanish. His fingers gripped the back of her shirt, his face buried against her shoulder. He was shaking—not from cold, but from something far deeper, far more broken.
"Danny?" she whispered, her voice softening as her hands instinctively went to comfort him. She rested her head gently against his and held him just as tightly.
"I don't know what's going on," she murmured, brushing her fingers slowly through his hair, "but it's alright. I'm here. Your big sister is here. There's nothing to be afraid of."
That was all it took.
The tears came—fast, unstoppable. Silent at first, then hiccupped, then sobbing. His body shook harder as the dam inside him broke wide open, the grief he had buried deep within himself finally erupting to the surface.
He cried into her shoulder, clutching her like a lifeline.
All the pain. All the heartbreak. All the weight of having lost her—of having faced a world where she didn't exist, where she had been torn away by fate or magic or cruel chance—now pouring out of him in choked sobs and hot tears.
Jazz didn't ask questions. She didn't try to make him talk.
She just held him.
Rocking slightly, gently. Whispering soft reassurances as the morning light poured in through the window.
Whatever this was, whatever nightmare he had been trapped in… for now, he was home.
And she was here.
And that was enough.
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