Hey everyone. I'm back, with yet another oneshot. Yes, I have really bad writers block with both Blood Magic and Labyrinth. If you read Labyrinth, or even if you dont, please vote in my poll. I'd very very much appricate it. =) Yes, this is another songfic. Don't ask me why i wrote ANOTHER one. I just was in a songfic-y mood this morning.
I am NOT satisfied with this AT ALL. I dont like it at all, I think it needs a hell of a lot of work. I started it, and then got bored with it before the song was over. Thats why the end kinda sucks. This is fresh off the press, becuase I'm too lazy to edit it. Just warning you all that it's probably riddled with spelling/grammer mistakes.
Go ahead and read it though if you want to. =) It probably is decent. Idk. Rated 'T' just in case. Send along a review if you like it. or if you didn't, as long as that one's not a flame. I hate flames. =) I'm fine with one word reviews. Just say 'Good' or 'Decent' or 'Bad' and i'll be fine. =) Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. That goes to Butch Hartman. I do not own Viva La Vida. That goes to Coldplay, who is AMAZING. 3 And anyhting else that i used that i dont own, i dont own.
Oh! And the Mayor isn't Tucker. =) Pretend that Tucker wasn't made Mayor....I just thought that was really really weird.
I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own
Three Years After Phantom Planet
"Daniel Phantom?" The Mayor called for me from his little office on the fourth floor. I rose, used to this routine, and entered casually, flashing the secretary a small smile. I had saved her son right before the big Disasteroid, and she now will go out of her way to make me feel happy and comfortable. Join her to the set of adoring fans I have, I guess. After the Disasteroid, I was a world-wide hero.
I walked into the little room, flopping my exhausted body down onto one of the big, mahogany chairs the Mayor kept in his office. He liked to keep things…simple but elegant. The chairs were wide with green cushions, and deep brown wood, but they were just wood chairs. Same with the desk, and the bookshelves. The windows were thrown open wide to bring in the breeze, and I appreciated that. I had gotten a bit of a claustrophobic issue as my powers matured.
The Mayor sat down behind his desk and studied me, his black stringy hair hanging limply, trying to cover the mass expanse of bald flesh on top of his head. He was a huge man, both big boned and fat.
"Yes, Mr. Mayor, sir? Is something wrong? Why did you call me here?" I asked, confused. I was doing a patrol with Sam and Tucker right after school, before homework, when two burly security guards had ordered me to follow them. Knowing I could take them on with one hand tied behind my back if I had to, I nodded to Sam and Tucker and followed the men, flashing Sam the sign we had made up to mean 'If I'm not back in 30 minutes, come looking.' I felt her nod, and then I had followed those men to the Mayor's office.
"Yes…and no, young Phantom. There is something wrong, maybe for you. But it is a great improvement to the rest of the world."
I could tell I looked confused, and more then a bit worried. Where was he going with this?
"The GIW, or Guys in White, the government agency in charge of hunting ghosts, have finally come up with an ingenious weapon. It's a ghost hunting robot. It has every weapon built in, as well as invisibility. It's called the 'White Hawk', and it is vertically undetectable. It has taken down every test ghost, as well as some in the field. We have ordered over 200 of them to come populate the town of Amity Park." He told me.
My mouth dropped open in horror as I figured out where this was going.
"Sadly, this means there is really no need for Danny Phantom, the ghost hunting superhero. This is good for you, young Phantom, because you can focus on your human side more, the one that has been pushed to the side. I heard you wanted to be an astronaut? But you were only going to go into Amity Community Collage to be able to stay near and protect Amity, giving up your dream? Now you can work on that. I'm sure NASA would love to have a half-ghost astronaut, think of all the things you can achieve!" the Mayor told me.
I'm sure he thought he was doing me a big favor. He looked happy when he told me the news. I'm pretty sure I should be….I don't know. Happy, maybe, that I got to pursue my childhood dream? But I couldn't bring that happiness out. All I felt was anger. Depression. I was pushed aside. They didn't need Phantom anymore. I was their hero. Their savior. And now all their doing is getting RID of me?!
I used to roll the diceFeel the fear in my enemy's eyesListen as the crowd would sing"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
I rose out of my chair, shoving it backwards. I knew my eyes were glowing green with inarticulate rage and depression.
"Have fun with your 'White Hawk's, sir. But, don't expect me to help when the going gets rough, or when you run out of robots. I'll just be standing aside, watching the carnage. Because, of course, you don't need me." I growled, before slamming open the door and stomping out.
The secretary gave me a confused look, and I glared at her, not wanting to explain to people why I was so furious.
A thought crossed my mind. "Think about how well you did during the Disasteroid incident when I wasn't around to save you!" I yelled, before turning intangible and flying out through the roof.
***
Once I was more than a thousand feet over Amity Park, my rage started dissipating in the wind and the bright sunshine. I floated on my back, my eyes closed, trying to grasp at the last strands of my anger in order to not feel the depression that was sinking into my body. But it was hopeless.
With a sigh, I embraced the depression and sadness. Why were they getting rid of me? I was the hero! After the incident three years ago, I was the talk of the world! Everyone loved me, and everyone was kind. I loved having fans. I used to be able to strike out a ghost in a couple hits, becoming more powerful every day, becoming more like Dan every day. But the fans, the people that knew I was good and kind, were the people who kept me from going evil.
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand
It seemed like only yesterday I was loved, and now I was forgotten. The careful world I had spent three years building up with the help of Sam, Tucker, Jazz, and my parents was gone in one fell swoop.
I had spent over three years building up my reputation as a good ghost, and a decent ghost fighter. It had taken a little over a year, but once the worse catastrophe the world had ever known was over, I had emerged the hero. I was loved and adored by millions.
I was the one who signed the relative peace treaty with the ghosts. I was the one who fought the rule-breakers, and I was the one who delivered them back to there respective rulers. I was the one who helped the humans clamber out of their age of fighting and fear. And this was how I was treated??
I let a scream of rage rip out of me as the full pressure of the situation hit me, and with the force of it I dropped a couple feet, under the cloud cover. I found myself over my statue.
What were the going to do with that If I wasn't the hero anymore? Knock it down? I settled myself on top of the globe. I knew people were going to point and look. If they even liked me anymore. I didn't care.
I also knew that Sam was probably looking for me. Its been a long time, definitely over a half hour. I couldn't bring myself to care about that either. I was just an empty pit, devoid of all emotions except sadness and despair.
I hadn't told anyone what my obsession was. I knew people thought it was Sam. And it could be, that's a very good guess. I love Sam more then life itself.
But my obsession isn't Sam. Its…being a hero. Saving people. And I have no idea what I'm going to do if I can't be a hero anymore. What happens to ghosts when they can't do their obsession?
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
I have ghost powers. I was the savoir of the planet, for goodness sakes. But I keep getting the short end of the stick. I guess I could be just a rouge ghost, or help my parents. I could delve into the pits of my powers and master skills I have yet to even know about. I could be an astronaut, traveling far into the reaches of the stars. They wouldn't have to waste money on a suit!
Even with all those thoughts flashing through my head, I couldn't really get myself to be happy and intrigued with the new situation. I was my humans' protector. The humans of Amity were mine, and I was in charge of their safety, and I also had to show them that I could be as human as them. That more then half the time, I walk among them.
"Danny? Is that you?!" I heard a voice yell up to me, crouching on top of my statue. I peered down at the person who approached me. It was Sam, with Tucker a little bit behind her.
"Yeah…" I yelled back down, trying to get the catch out of my voice.
"I'll be right up!" she yelled back, and I sighed. Well, maybe a good dose of Sam is what I need. If anyone can make me happy, she can.
We had discovered a trap door right under where I was sitting a while ago. I had stored a ladder in the small space of the globe, and Sam could climb right up with me. She did that now, pushing out of the small space and closing the door, grabbing on to me for protection.
"Hey, Danny! What did those guys want? And why are you up here on the statue?" she asked me, her black hair falling into her purple eyes. I brushed it away, and she gasped as she saw my face.
"Danny…Danny, were you crying?" she asked. I nodded.
"What happened?" she asked again, putting her arm around me. I leaned into the touch, and she kissed me on the nose.
"They… they got rid of me, Sam. They don't need me to be the hero anymore. They got robots for that. I'm not allowed to fight ghosts, Sam. I'm not allowed to protect my humans. They told me to go become an astronaut. I'm not even sure if that's what I want to be anymore!" I cried, and the tears started coming again, pearly and luminescent because I was too messed up to change from my ghost form.
"What?!" Sam spat, "They promised you that they would never treat you as someone lower. They promised that you would never be replaced!"
"I know, Sam. But there's really no use fighting it. The robots don't know that I'm not someone to attack. I'd just get in the way of the fights. You know me, I like to sit on the sidelines sometimes." I murmured, and looked up at her with a small grin. She gave me a playful punch on the shoulder.
For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world
"Once my fame started wearing off, they took advantage of me, Sam. I was just a kid to them. Yes, a glowing, very super-powerful kid that saved the world, but a kid all the same. They lied to me, played me like a slot machine. I was just someone to be used, and then thrown to the side when they were done. I just never thought they would take me away from my duty to the town!" I said, now starting to get angry again.
"Danny, you have to fight back. Fight every ghost better then White Hawks. They are made by the GIW of course, they have to have a flaw. You can't back down like this. You're better then that. Remember what happened last time you backed down?" she said fiercely.
"Yeah! I am better then that. Last time was horrible. I will NOT back down!" I yelled out, now pumped up. My green eyes flashed brighter with energy.
"I wonder what the people of Amity would think if they know that the Mayor is getting rid of you?" Sam asked, knowing totally well that the people would be very angry.
"Yeah!" I said again.
"Ok, Sam. This is what we're going to do…."
It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become
Two Days Later
I marched down the road leading up to City Hall, a smile on my face. I was in my ghost form again, because this was the form that gained me much more respect, and a great deal of fear.
Next to me were Sam and Tucker and Jazz. They were just as mad as me, and were ready to fight for my right to be the hero in Amity. If I had to, I would tell them that it was obsession to be the hero. If they take hero-ing away from me, I would die. They would be single-handedly killing of the savoir of the planet.
Behind us was masses of people, citizens of Amity Park, led on by Paulina and her fan-club. After the world figured out that I was half-ghost, Paulina hadn't given up her infatuation with Phantom. By any means, it got worse, because now she knew that I was an actual human she could wed. They were marching with huge signs and yelling and screaming. As long as it didn't get violent, no one could do anything to us. We had the Freedom of Speech, and a Right to Protest.
I strode up to the doors of the City Hall with Sam, Tucker, and Jazz. The protest rally stayed behind, with strict instructions to keep on chanting.
I held up a stack of papers.
"Everyone sign this?" I called out to the crowd, "Come up forward if you haven't signed the petition to get me back into my hero job!"
No one came up. I grinned, and then cleared my throat.
"I'd just like to say 'thanks' to you citizens of Amity Park. I would have been thrown out on the streets somewhere if it wasn't for you. I'm glad all of you trust me now. It's been a long hall these past few years getting all of you to agree that I'm not a bad ghost. But now all of you trust me, and are here to help me. That means more to me then you'll ever know. So, thanks." I yelled out to the crowd.
"We're only helping you to repay you for what you've done for us! You could have forgotten or not cared about us, but you went out of your way to help us anyways! You're a hero, Danny Phantom, and you always will be!" a nameless figure in the crowd shouted. The crowd cheered its approval.
I smiled, nodded to the crowd, grabbed Sam's hand, and stormed into the building. The second I disappeared, the chanting started up, amazingly loud.
"Bring back Danny Phantom!"
"The Phantom can never die!"
Chants rang through the room, but I didn't stop to listen to them. I had someone to talk to. Someone who resides behind a mahogany desk on the fourth floor.
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
I stepped out of the elevator on the fourth floor, turned a right and then a sharp left, and entered the Mayor's office.
"Daniel! What a pleasant surprise!" the Mayor lied, quickly shoving some papers into his desk. He started sweating like a pig, and it was obvious he was hiding something he did not want me to see.
I started to get mad, and it was palpable to the man because my energy levels were going through the roof. My body couldn't contain it all, and green energy was shining in a haze around my body.
"Never call me Daniel. That's what he called me." I growled, slamming my hands down on his desk in front of the scared man.
"I'm sorry, Phantom! Is there something I can do for you?" he stuttered, sweating even more profusely.
"Yes, there is, sir. You can get rid of those damn robots and let me have my job back. I don't want to be an astronaut. You know that. I want to be a hero. And I can't be a hero if you don't let me fight ghosts!" I spat.
"Why would I give you your job back?" he said, the man was starting to get just as annoyed as I was. He also kept putting his hand over one of his desk drawers like he didn't want me to see it. Too bad he was too stupid to realize I could reach right through the desk.
"Whatcha hiding?" I asked slyly, and turned the desk invisible so we could see what was inside it.
I stumbled as I read the bold print at the top of the paper, the desk flickering from clear to brown and back.
"Payable $40,000 U.S. Dollars to Mr. M. Carlson, Mayor of the town of Amity Park, for the capture of the notorious ghost child DANNY PHANTOM. Will be made into weapon for China; dead OR alive."
"You were…going to capture me?" This time it was my turn to stutter.
"Of course, boy! You are the perfect weapon! Powerful, and easy to control!" he said gleefully, before looking at my livid face.
Without thinking, I shoved my glowing hand under his chin.
"This hand alone holds enough energy to kill you AND fry your remains. You WILL give me back my job and forget you ever promised this Chinese mafia anything. You WILL get rid of the weapons. I will not be a puppet for any sort of government ever again. This Phantom now works for the citizens, with the citizens!" I snarled, my eyes and hand blazing.
The Mayor, a Mr. Carlson, didn't answer. He was fixed on the glowing hand under his chin.
"Answer me!" I barked, completely furious. I couldn't see through the green haze covering my eyes.
"Danny." Sam's voice broke through my fury, and it calmed me down when she put her slightly calloused hand on my arm.
I took a deep breath, but I kept my hand under his chin.
"Do you agree or not, Mr. Carlson?" I asked one more time.
"Yes! Yes, I agree. I never signed that paper! That paper never existed! You can have your job back, and I won't try to control you ever again!"
"Swear?" I asked.
"Swear." he promised, nodding his head up and down frantically.
I slowly removed my hand, burned offending piece of paper, and then I stalked out.
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
"Wow." I muttered as I got closer to the exit. "I knew he was mean, and ugly, but I didn't think he was going to betray me!"
Sam enveloped me in a hug. "People are greedy, Danny. We knew that already. Forget him, you still have your job, us, and all your fans!" she said, throwing open the doors. People's cheering hit me like a sack of rocks.
I couldn't help the grin that appeared on my face. They were my protection as much as I was theirs. They kept me from going crazy, or sinking so deep into depression no one could pull me out. They were my soldiers, and my protectors, and I had to treat them as such.
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
I know I was just a kid, and I know that I was destined to be a hero here in Amity for the rest of eternity, even after death. No one was ever honest in government. There were lies, and double-crosses, and tricks. No one was really ever totally honest in regular life either.
But now, I'm a half-ghost superhero. I have one foot in the life of humans, and one foot in the life of ghosts and now politics and diplomacy. But I also have my town, and my humans, and my life. I'm happy with what I've got, and I never realized I had it as good as I do.
Thanks, fans. I bet you never realized how much I'm indebted to you.
Weird ending, I know. I'm amazed any of you read this far. Well, if you did, I congrats you. It probably didn't make any sense, huh? Whatever. =) Just send along a review please! Reviews make my day!! =D
~Hawkie