Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.
Author's notes: Hey guys! I'm back with the third and final Under the Moonlit Sky. Thanks again for all the favorites, follows, and reviews for the first two Under the Moonlit Sky's. I hope that you all enjoy this one, too! Oh and also, just an f.y.i. there's a little crossover between this and my other Danny Phantom story My Wish. You don't need to read it to know what's going on here, but it could explain a few dialogues. With that said, thank you once again and enjoy!
Under the Moonlit Sky:
Beyond the Darkening Skies
Ember sat on the park bench. She held her guitar close as she tuned it. Every now and then, she would steal a glance at the night sky. Her eyes followed a pattern: she would look at the tuning key, then at the stars that twinkled above, then to the fountain, and finally back to the guitar. When at last the strings were tuned, she flashed a smile and immediately her hands went to work. As her left hand danced up and down the fret board, her right hand plucked the strings. Her melody instantly filled the quiet, still air. After testing out the sound and being satisfied with it, she smiled once again. She closed her eyes, lifting her head. She heaved a sigh and opened her eyes, staring into the vast sky.
"What should I play?" she thought out loud.
But her hands did not wait for an answer. As soon as those words escaped her mouth, she already started playing a certain melody. Hearing it, she simply closed her eyes again and smiled, but this time, her smile was weak, as though it needed to fight in order to stay. Her mouth opened, ready to sing—however, the first word did not leave her lips. Instead it stayed in her throat, choking her. She coughed and laughed a little after.
"Once more."
Her hands looped the intro and she was back to the first verse.
"…I… never thought that dreams could be so sad,
That days like yesterday would end,
Fleeting, like the heart that is sought,
How could it all end on a note so bad?
So cried a girl who lost a friend,
Though she knew it was a bond that was bought…"
She stopped. The park returned to silence. At this point, Ember wished for at least a breeze to pass through. That way she could hear something else other than her thoughts. Without her realizing it, a tear dripped down her cheek. She sighed.
"Has this park always been this quiet?"
"Only at night."
Ember's eyes widened and she immediately looked up. Before her, floating, was Danny Phantom.
"You should come when it's daytime: it's actually quite lively."
He smiled.
At first, Ember did not know what expression to show. Eventually, she gave in and just copied the half-ghost boy. She smiled back, saying,
"Oh? How lively?"
Danny descended onto the ground directly in front of her and transformed back to his human self.
"Like being in one of your concerts."
Ember raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know if that means my concerts are as tamed as a park day or parks are actually pretty wild and scary."
Danny laughed.
"What's with people misunderstanding me? The point is that parks can be lively, too."
"Right."
Danny looked at Ember while her attention was focused on her guitar. When it was her turn to look at him, Danny turned away, trying to see beyond the darkness that surrounded them. Without looking at Ember, he asked,
"Can I sit next to you?"
He glanced at her and saw that she scooched a little bit to the side. She then patted the area next to her with her hand. Danny stepped forward and fell back onto the bench. He sighed and stared at the fountain in front. Ember placed her guitar down, leaning it against the bench's arm. She then rested back, joining Danny in his activity. For a while, only the sound of the rushing water could be heard. Unable to bear the silence, Ember started humming.
"That was a nice song earlier," Danny eventually said.
"Oh, you heard that?"
"Yeah. Did you write it?"
"About a week ago."
"I see."
Danny played with his thumbs for a little bit before saying,
"So, uh, how's the arm?"
Ember was surprised by the question. She looked down at her forearm and saw that it was fine. A bruise had been there not too long ago, but now it was completely gone. Undeniably, it was still sore; quite sensitive, in fact, but Ember did not let that bother her. It would appear that all she cared about was the ugly bruise that followed the initial injury. She was content to see her complexion back to normal: her skin, smooth and spotless once more, and evenly colored—pale as a ghost. Ember shrugged, answering,
"Eh, it's fine. Like it never even happened."
Unbeknownst to Ember, Danny jumped a little from her last comment.
Without looking up, Ember also asked Danny's wellbeing:
"How about you? How's the black eye?"
Danny chuckled.
"It's still there."
Ember turned to face him with a giant smirk.
"What? Really?"
"Yeah. It's not as bad as two days ago, but you can still see it. It's a good thing it's nighttime. I mean, if you saw it during the day, I don't think I'll be able to take your insults."
Ember laughed softly.
"No, I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't insult you… that bad."
"Sure."
"Hey, if you bruise that easily, maybe you shouldn't be in the fighting business. Be a normal teenage boy, you know. Don't miss classes and do your homework."
"Ha! I wish. It feels like every second my ghost senses go off."
"Must be tough, huh?"
"Not really."
"What makes you say that?"
"Being in this business isn't so bad. I mean, from time to time, there're those nice encounters."
Danny smiled; Ember clearly saw the warmth behind that smile. Although Danny did not face her directly, she knew who that smile was meant for. It showed a certain tenderness that she has not seen for a long time. Yet its absence from her life did not mean she forgot the emotion it entails. At this point, considering what happened a month ago, it was an unwelcome sight. His smile was friendly, but it was too friendly, and so Ember despised it. Her only response was a total disregard of it. She simply turned to the opposite direction and chose to stare into the dark.
"Is that so?"
Danny gasped lightly, his eyes widened, surprised by how distant her voice suddenly became. He looked to her direction but all he saw was her flaming ponytail. For a second, he wanted to reach out and tap her shoulder, but he instantly dismissed the idea. Despite his hesitation, he spoke.
"Ember, I—"
At the sound of his voice, Ember quickly rose to her feet and picked up her guitar. She eventually turned around showing Danny a smile.
"Sorry, Phantom, but I gotta run."
"Already?"
Danny also stood.
"Yeah, I have some things to do. You know, ghost stuff."
"O-Oh, I see."
"Bye."
"E-Ember, wait, I—"
"What! What is it, Phantom?!"
Danny was immediately silenced by Ember's outburst. Her expression was fierce, only comparable to how she was when they first met—when she wanted nothing more than the destruction of Danny Phantom. Danny swallowed hard before saying anything. His lips began to move, but the words refused to come out. It was the hesitation in his eyes that Ember saw which made her realize what she just did; it was so out of character that she even surprised herself. For what reason did she lose her composure? What am I getting worked up for? she thought. Shouting out of the blue—why? Seeing as how Danny was taken aback, she herself did not know how to follow up. Clearly, it was too late to take it back; too confusing to cover up. Ember simply left it all to the silence.
Opposite of her, Danny stood still, his mind racing through countless thoughts at a hundred miles per hour. He wanted to be careful with his words; he was focused on choosing the right thing to say or else he would ruin her mood even more. Not once did Danny consider that Ember's outburst was her fault. Instead, he put the blame on himself: it was because of him that her attitude switched, and it was now his responsibility to fix it. Although he was not sure as to what may have caused the change, he was at fault. I know that, he thought.
"I, uh, just wanted to say… that I'm sorry about the arm."
"Wha—didn't I say that it was fine? It doesn't hurt anymore."
"I know…"
Ember sighed.
"Yeah, don't worry about it. Thanks. I'm also, uh, sorry… sorry about that."
"About what?"
"About yelling out of nowhere."
"Oh," Danny smiled, and then looked down. "It's okay."
Ember turned around and started to fly away.
"I'll be going then."
Danny raised his head.
"Take care."
Suddenly, Ember stopped midflight.
"Stop it."
"What?"
"Would you stop that?!"
She quickly turned to Danny. Her stare was cold and sharp, and Danny felt it.
"What're you—"
"What is up with this friendship crap, huh?! 'Take care.' Stop! Just stop it, all right?"
"What's your problem?"
Ember flew back down and stood in front of Danny.
"My problem? I don't think I have any problems. You're the one with problems."
"What? What're you saying?"
"I'm saying that I'm getting sick and tired of your game!"
"What game? You're not making any sense. And you yelling is not helping at all!"
"I need to yell to get through that thick skull of yours!"
"Then I'm all ears! What? What is bothering you so much?"
"This!"
"Seriously, I don't know what you're talking about."
"I hate feeling this way. I don't like being confused. I just want everything to stop."
Ember lowered her head for a little while. The silence slowly grew and became heavier by the second. At length, Ember looked up. Her face was of defeat, and seeing her this way tugged at Danny's chest. What made it more unbearable for him was that he saw tears forming around her eyes.
"Ember?"
"We are not friends… or companions, not even acquaintances… We are enemies. And it needs to stay that way."
Danny hesitated, but he eventually asked,
"But why?"
Ember's eyes widened. Her surprise almost rendered her speechless.
"Because that's the way it's supposed to be."
Danny took a step forward, but Ember took a step back.
"It doesn't have to be that way."
"But that's the only way."
"I-I don't think so."
"No, stop."
"Can't we be something other than enemies?"
"We can't. You and I—we are enemies. Don't forget that."
"But what if I don't think we should be enemies?"
"Don't be stupid."
"I'm not being stupid. Look, I—"
"Don't say anything. Stop. I'm leaving."
"I just can't see you as my enemy."
"You're wrong. It's not that you can't; you just don't want to."
"…You're right. I don't."
"You're the biggest idiot I've ever met, you know that?"
"Do you wanna know how I see you?"
"Don't. Stop talking."
"You—" Danny stopped, but he knew this was it: the moment when he could let her know how he felt. So he gathered all his strength and went on.
"You're beautiful, funny, and talented. Someone I wanna be with."
"No, no, stop."
"Ember, I—"
"No! Shut up!"
"I want you to know that I—"
"Stop!"
"I—"
"Danny! No!"
"I love you!"
They stood motionless, silence their only mediator. Danny was hopeful that his words touched Ember in some way. As he waited for her response, he clenched his fists. To him, everything was going to be fine—he told her his true feelings and he said them with unbending constitution—and that he had passed the toughest part. Unfortunately for the half-ghost boy, everything was far from being fine. What Danny considered to be a glorious victory, Ember saw as the most devastating defeat she has ever experienced. To Ember, it was nothing more than a painful ambush. It was like a strong punch that landed on her stomach—destructive in every way. How could he? she thought. You're so unfair. Ember could not reciprocate Danny's love, for she was filled entirely of rage—of hate—and there was no room for anything else. As a result, she could only spit these words out:
"You love me?"
Danny nodded, his face brightening, and at the same time, a smile forming.
"Are you kidding me?"
And in the blink of an eye, Danny turned to nothing.
"The only reason why I wanted you to stop was because I didn't want you to make a fool out of yourself."
Still, Danny did not utter a sound. He did not move, like a hollow shell; he was not doing anything save for his persistent gaze on Ember, but, that too, was empty.
Ember laughed.
"Wait, wait. Let me get this straight. You actually thought we could be something?"
Silence.
"Did you seriously think that I would like you?"
Ember sighed.
"The fact that you thought you had a chance is hilarious."
Danny looked down.
"Heh, I guess I don't?"
"No, you don't."
"I see…"
"Goodbye, Phantom."
Without another word, Ember left.
Danny sat back down on the bench. He was hunched over, his elbows resting on his knees. He looked at the ground between his feet. Even without looking up, he knew that something was staring at him. Without a doubt, something was peering deep into his being. And he knew exactly what it was: it was the darkness. The darkness that surrounded him glared at him; it mocked him. It spoke to him—it screamed at him, actually. Trying to ignore it was pointless. He could hear it, as though it spoke right next to his ear: "Serves you right." And even after all that, Danny could only smile. He kept his attention on the ground, but after some time, he began to notice his vision becoming blurry. Slowly, with one drop at a time, the ground between his feet became wetter and wetter. Eventually he closed his eyes.
"Ember…"
He looked up and saw only a black sky staring back down at him. Yet, he felt that it wanted to console him. So, with nothing to lose, Danny cried, hoping only the darkness would know.
The next day, Ember found herself roaming the skies of Amity Park, wandering aimlessly as the sun was setting. She enjoyed the soft touch of the wind as she flew; the air gently passed over her cheeks, putting a smile on her face. She looked to the horizon and saw that it was pinkish in hue, with the setting sun's golden rays fighting off the night that was descending. The sun's light dotted the scene down below, and each streak of light reminded Ember of soldiers marching across the town. A little bit beyond the town was a patch of trees that seemed to enjoy the cool afternoon air. What caught Ember's eyes was a lone hill that stood in the middle of the patch. She headed straight for the hill.
On this landmark was a tree stump. Ember landed right next to it. She looked over what remained of what was once a tree and noticed how dark the wood had gotten; how much of its withered bark desperately clung onto the body and how much of it did not make it but still refused to leave its once great home. Ember took a step forward, the dried bark that littered the ground crunching underneath her foot, and sat down on the stump. Using her arms as support, she leaned back and looked at the sky. There were only a few clouds floating. Because it was during the sunset, each cloud looked like pink and yellow cotton candy instead of the usual white. A breeze came by, greeting Ember as it passed. She sighed, her breath joining the gentle wind.
"My, my, what do we have here," a voice called from behind. "It's Ember McLain."
Ember quickly got to her feet and spun around. Her body was tense, as though prepared for a fight.
The visitor laughed. She lifted her hand and waved at the ghost rocker.
"Don't look so surprised."
Seeing who it was, Ember lowered her arms and relaxed. She gave a sigh of relief and then smiled.
"Hey Desiree."
"Hello," answered the wish-granting ghost as she moved closer.
Ember placed a hand on her hip and asked,
"So, uh, what're you doing all the way out here?"
Desiree chuckled.
"Me? I should be asking you that."
"What?"
"You're on my hill."
"Your hill? What does that mean?"
"I come here every day, at this hour. You could even say it's my second home."
"Oh, sorry for intruding… I'll be going then."
Ember turned to fly away, but before her other foot could leave the ground, Desiree got a hold of her wrist and stopped her.
"Calm down, I wasn't kicking you out or anything. Stay."
Ember immediately took Desiree up on her offer. As soon as Desiree let go of her arm, Ember was grounded again. Desiree went over to the tree stump and sat down. She gave Ember a quick glance and smiled. She gestured to the spot next to her, inviting Ember to sit. Desiree scooched to the side as Ember made herself comfortable. Once she was settled, Ember looked at Desiree and saw that she was not even paying attention to her at all. Instead, the wishing ghost silently watched the sunset. Ember shrugged and smiled to herself. She followed Desiree's stare and also looked at the setting sun. It's quite beautiful, she heard herself thinking.
At length, the silence was broken:
"You see," started Desiree, "this is my special place."
Ember looked at her.
But Desiree continued to watch the horizon.
"I come here every day just to watch that orange ball set." She chuckled. "I have yet to grow tired of it. It's just so beautiful, don't you think?"
"Yeah."
Then Desiree turned to her companion.
"I say it's my special place, but it can be anyone's, really. I said 'my hill' but anyone's welcome."
Ember smiled.
"I see. Then, thanks for having me."
Desiree also smiled.
"Thanks for coming."
Ember turned away to look at the sunset once more, while Desiree kept her attention on Ember. Her smile slowly faded away.
"Something is troubling you."
Her comment instantly pulled Ember's focus away from the descending star. She did not look at Desiree, but Desiree knew that Ember was no longer watching the twilight.
"What makes you say that?" responded Ember, her voice shaky.
Desiree laughed softly before answering,
"Child, I think I've lived long enough to know."
"Lived?" Ember remarked with a smirk.
"You know what I mean."
Ember breathed out.
"Yeah, you're right. Who am I kidding? I mean, I think the other side of the world could hear me sigh."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I don't know… Maybe I should, but I—"
Ember's words trailed off as she stared blankly ahead of her. A cool wind caused a symphony of rustling trees and grass. A strand of hair fell on Ember's face, and as she swept it to the side, she turned to Desiree, saying,
"I just don't know what to do, Desiree. I really don't want to talk about it."
Desiree moved a little bit closer to the troubled girl and looked straight into her eyes. She tried to comfort her with a warm and friendly smile.
"But you need to. Try. Talking does help—it will help."
"Y-Yeah, but I just don't know…"
"Ember."
The blue-haired ghost pulled her knees close to her body and buried her face in them. She stayed in that position for a while, silently sorting out her own thoughts. Desiree did not mind. The wishing ghost simply watched over the distraught girl, waiting patiently for her to open up. At length, Ember picked up her head and looked at Desiree.
"So, are you willing to listen to this silly girl's problems?"
She smiled weakly.
Desiree nodded and, unlike Ember, smiled with much more vivacity.
"Of course."
"And that's the story."
Ember let out a giant breath, feeling that a great weight had been lifted.
"And now, I don't know what to do," she said turning to Desiree. "What should I do?"
Desiree had on a blank expression. Her eyes looked at Ember, but they seemed distant, not even able to see the one in front of them. The wishing ghost was expressionless and motionless.
"Desiree? Hello?"
At the sound of Ember's voice, Desiree was brought back. She blinked twice and then life returned to her face once more.
"W-What?"
"Are you okay? You were kinda out of it."
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. I was just, uh, surprised. That was quite the story."
"So what should I do?"
Desiree went silent again.
"Desiree!"
Desiree jumped.
"W-What?"
"You're not listening!"
"Yes I am!... So what were you saying again?"
"You're unbelievable!"
Ember got to her feet and started stomping away.
"Ember, wait! I'm sorry," Desiree called out as she followed the angry girl.
Ember stopped and then spun around. Her eyebrows lowered and her lips tightened before she spoke. Angry though she was, she also felt sad and disappointed: disappointed at Desiree for failing to provide any help or comfort, but even more disappointed at herself for being so weak and revealing her vulnerable state. For the first time, she realized that her circumstance with Danny had evolved into something out of her hands. The thought that she would not be able to handle it scared her. It was also the first time she felt sure of her feelings. But it was overwhelming for the poor girl. Being confused was better than this. Actually facing what was inside of her scared her more than anything. Frustrated, she could only cry. The tears did not take their time; they immediately flowed down her cheeks, flowing softly like a stream, yet strong and swiftly like a river.
As soon as Desiree caught up with Ember, she saw the tears. Ember did not make a sound, with the want to stay and look strong clear on her face, but Desiree knew better: before her was a little lost child, who was about to break due to fear and simply wanted someone to be there.
"You're unbelievable…"
"Ember, don't misunderstand me. I was just—"
"I can't believe I chose to tell you my story! Why couldn't it have been someone else? Someone more helpful!"
"Watch your tongue! You may not know it, but those words actually hurt! Remember that telling me was completely your own choice! I didn't force you."
"All the more I expected at least one word. Or two! Two would've been great."
"Ember, you need to calm down."
"I still can't believe you were the only one I could turn to. You're unbelievable."
"I'm unbelievable? How about you, huh? If anyone's unbelievable, it's you!"
Ember was pushed back by Desiree's words. Stunned, she could only listen now.
"I mean, come on! Danny Phantom?! Are you kidding me? He is your enemy! He is our enemy! And now, for some reason, you say you like him? Ember, wake up! This isn't you!"
"W-Wait, I didn't say I like him—"
"No, you did say it. I heard it, it was clear as day. You've fallen for the ghost boy."
"No I haven't!"
"No one goes around kissing their enemies!"
"Stop!"
"Oh, and also, uh, news flash! He's alive! And you're dead!"
Ember's eyes widened and the look of terror struck them. She felt as though her whole body shattered, as if a spear pierced her heart. What Desiree said was the most painful truth—a truth Ember could have gone an eternity not knowing. However, in her case, it was a truth that was necessary. Those very words shook Ember's being, and she could only recoil in childish denial. Ember turned away from Desiree and covered her ears with her hands.
"Shut up! I don't want to hear you anymore! Leave me alone!"
Desiree pouted and walked over to Ember.
"You wanted my help? Here it is," she declared as she closed in.
"Don't come any closer! I'm warning you!" Ember cried back.
Desiree's hand shot forward and grabbed Ember's shoulder. She forced her to turn around.
"Stop acting like a child and listen to me," reprimanded Desiree.
But Ember was defiant.
"No! Get away!"
Desiree took hold of both Ember's arms and pulled them down.
"Hold still and listen to me."
Ember tried to pull herself away but Desiree's grip was strong.
"Enough! I've had enough. Let me go and let's just forget this happened."
"See? That's your problem! You always run away!"
"Stop! Just leave me alone!"
"I'm just telling you the truth! You can't be together! You're enemies! Remember that!"
"But I don't want to!"
Desiree's eyes widened. She let go of Ember and took a step back. Ember was also surprised by what she said. When Desiree's grip loosened, her hand immediately went to cover her mouth. She gasped.
"What're you trying to say?" Desiree asked.
"I-I don't know."
"What are you trying to say, Ember?"
"I don't know!"
"Just be honest! Are you saying that you like him?"
"No—No, I'm not!"
"Ember!"
"Desiree, stop!"
"Are you saying that you like him?!"
"How many times do I have to say no?! I don't like him! I don't!"
"What are you so afraid of? Just say it!"
"I'm not afraid of anything. I have nothing to say!"
"Then tell me the truth."
"What truth do you want? I'm giving you all the truths that I know!"
"Just be honest with me Ember. You like him."
"N-No, I don't…"
"Ember…"
But Ember would not budge. Desiree was growing impatient. She frowned and shouted,
"Ember!"
"Okay! I'm afraid all right?! I'm afraid… I'm so scared… I'm about to lose my mind—that's how scared I am."
Desiree was silent.
"You're right. The truth is scary… I don't want to hear it… But it's there, no matter what. Doesn't matter if you say it or not, it's there. Even though I've tried so hard not to listen to it, it didn't matter… Because I already knew what it was saying. I already knew…"
"What did you know?"
"That…"
Desiree leaned closer to hear her, but it was futile. She saw Ember's mouth move but the words she uttered were inaudible.
"What?"
"…"
"I can't hear—"
"I love him!"
Ember looked at the ground. She watched as the grass danced softly to the breeze. And then, a sudden gust of wind passed by that shook the trees and made the grass on the ground bow to its touch. Ember followed the direction of the wind with her eyes, lifting her head to look at the starry sky above. What was once a rosy-colored sky turned black when night descended. There were some clouds that hid some parts of the sky from her. As she stared upward, she could not help but smile a little. Desiree just watched the blue-haired girl who looked to the heavens with distant eyes.
"I love him," Ember repeated. "I don't know when… Or even how… But I've fallen for him. I fell in love so hard that," she paused, laughing a little, "that I thought I was gonna lose my ability to fly." She laughed again. "Just listen to me, sounding all cheesy like him on that night…"
Then she turned her attention to Desiree.
"I'm done pretending Desiree. I'm tired… So tired of running away."
Desiree hurriedly closed their distance and jumped at Ember giving her a tight embrace. Ember was rendered speechless, shocked at finding herself buried in the black-haired ghost's arms.
"I'm so proud of you," said Desiree.
"What?"
"At last, you're being honest with yourself. I told you talking would help."
Ember started tearing up as she returned Desiree's embrace.
"But how am I going to fix this? I hurt his feelings… Telling him that I could never love him back… That he was a fool for falling in love with me. I don't think he'll ever forgive me. What should I do?"
Desiree held Ember at arm's length and looked at her with a smile.
"If I were you, I wouldn't worry about such trivial things. I'm sure he's not even angry at you. He'll just be out there somewhere, waiting for you. The only way you're going to fix this is by going to him. But this time, be honest with him. It wouldn't be fair if he's the only one being honest."
Ember nodded slightly. Desiree moved her hand over Ember's face, brushing loose strands of hair back. She placed her hand underneath Ember's chin and lifted her head back just a little so that she could get a better look.
"Look at you, so beautiful. How could anyone be angry at you? Now smile, and let that beauty shine at its brightest. There is nothing more beautiful than a girl in love."
Ember blushed. At this time, the clouds have started to move. One particular cloud was hiding a grand treasure; as it slid across the sky, little by little, the land was being washed by a soft golden light. Eventually, the moon revealed itself to the world below. Yet, even in all its glory, it seemed to only serve one purpose: it was simply a spotlight, meant for only one particular girl. Ember smiled, and with the moon's light, she appeared even more beautiful than before; her smile shining brighter than anything else in the night.
Desiree grinned, saying,
"There you go, smile. Show off all that beauty. And if Danny has the nerve to turn you away, I will personally haunt him forever."
"Thank you, Desiree. I-I don't know what I would've done without you."
"No trouble at all. You're welcome."
"And I'm so sorry for everything earlier. I was just—"
"No need to explain. I understand. It's all right. If anyone's sorry, it should be me. I shouldn't have talked to you that way or said those things to you. I'm sorry."
"No, it's all right. But I just have to ask, why?"
Desiree shrugged.
"I just wanted to know if you were willing to face your own heart. You knew there were lines that separated you two. You didn't know whether to cross them or not. But I think you wanted to cross them, but fear and confusion was getting in the way. I guess I just thought you needed a little push."
Ember smirked.
"I don't know if that was the only way you could've done it, but I'm thankful that you did."
Desiree pulled Ember close for one final embrace.
"Now go. Hurry before it's too late."
"Until next time."
Desiree sighed as she watched Ember fly away. A cool breeze came and went, leaving Desiree to her own thoughts. She went back to the tree stump that stood at the hilltop and sat down. Looking at the moon, she smiled.
"Good luck, Ember."
As she stared at the moon, her smile slowly disappeared. Her thoughts wandered, reminiscing about the past—about that day on this hill. Eventually, she thought out loud,
"How long ago was it, when we watched the sunset together?"
Danny was walking down an empty street when his ghost senses went off. He hurried to a nearby alley and transformed into Danny Phantom. The night air was cool and calm, just like the people that walked around the town enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. As they enjoyed their stroll, behind the scenes was someone hard at work, unable to bask in the serenity the night offered. Danny flew over Amity Park in search of the source of the ghost activity he detected. However, as he followed the trail, he began to feel uneasy about the hunt for as he closed in on his target, he noticed that he was getting closer and closer to his house. He thought about stopping and going in another direction, suspecting that his senses must be misleading him and that the threat was somewhere else. Yet, he found it very hard to change his course knowing that his senses have never let him down before. In the end, despite much debate within himself, he continued to follow his original path. He even increased his speed.
When the Fenton residence was finally in sight, he felt his body tensed up, glad that he did not go the other way. The thought that a threat was so close to his family scared him but also angered him just the same. He increased his speed even more and hurried towards his home. There was a suspicious figure lingering outside the house, going from window to window as though it were searching for something. Danny could not identify who it was, but at this point, regardless of who it was, he just wanted to get it as far away from the house as possible. Before confronting the stranger, Danny noticed that it stopped just outside his bedroom window. As he closed in on the figure, he shouted,
"Hey! Who are you?!"
Startled, the figure jumped back and looked up. Their eyes met, and even though Danny still could not see who it was, the shadow seemed to recognize him. As soon as it had a positive identification of Danny, it did not waste any time leaving the scene. At speeds that appeared to exceed even that of Danny's best time, the mysterious being disappeared into the distance. Not wanting to let whatever it was run rampant in the town, Danny pursued despite the obvious gap in their speeds.
The distance did not shrink throughout the chase. Nonetheless, Danny was able to keep up and managed to not lose sight of his target. After a few minutes of a game of tag, the figure came to a stop and landed on the rooftop of Nasty Burger. It faced toward Danny's direction and stood there, motionless, waiting for Danny to catch up. Seeing that he was expected, Danny only hastened his pace in order to finally come face to face with his visitor. But there was also the need to not be so excited; caution was to be, and must be, exercised. It remained to be seen whether this sudden stop was a trap or not. Danny was still in the dark concerning the identity of this person, so he did not want to make any false movement. He slowly descended onto the rooftop, keeping about ten yards of space between them. Danny tightened his fists, his body readied for combat, and yet, despite the seemingly inevitable clash between these two entities, the mysterious shadow stood straight—relaxed, in fact. This troubled Danny.
"Okay, who are you?" asked Danny.
But there was no answer. He waited for a delayed response; nevertheless, no words were uttered. So he repeated,
"Who are you?"
The figure took a step forward which made Danny even more uneasy. To show that he was ready for a confrontation, he started gathering his energy into his balled fists. The green light he was emitting grew more intense as he concentrated more. After all, more than wanting to show that he was ready, Danny wanted to intimidate the threat. To his dismay, the light show was not enough to make the stranger retreat. In reality, it had the opposite effect: now, the mysterious form was walking towards him. It was not rushing in any way; it simply walked, taking its time, its footsteps echoing in the empty and silent air.
"I'm not afraid of you!" declared Danny, but his actions betrayed him. With each step the figure took, Danny took a step back. This continued until Danny found himself at the edge of the roof.
"What do you want?" asked Danny.
At last, the figure answered.
"You. Talk! I-I mean, talk. I want to talk to you."
Unlike the calm demeanor this person has been displaying, the nature of the voice suggested a rather anxious state. The voice shook, carelessly tripping over the words. Danny could tell that it was a girl. Although this encounter had made Danny quite apprehensive, hearing the voice made him feel comfortable. He did not know what made the voice very soothing; he thought that maybe it was the ever-present gentleness in a woman's voice that made it so, yet the reason seemed to be more than that. When he heard the clumsy voice come out from the shadows, Danny thought that it was cute.
Danny raised an eyebrow, asking once more,
"Who are you?"
He heard the girl take a deep breath before moving. She stepped forward into the light, revealing her identity at last. However, upon learning of who she was, Danny felt dread come over his body.
"Ember?!" Danny exclaimed.
Ember did not appear to have her usual air of confidence, and acted with more reservation: she stood with her weight resting on one leg, and her right hand grabbing her left arm. At first, she did not make eye contact with Danny, but then she flashed him a smile, saying,
"Hi."
Danny, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck.
"E-Ember! I-I'm sorry, I didn't know—"
In his panic, Danny took a step back, forgetting that he was standing on the edge of the roof. He lost his footing and started to fall. Luckily, Ember was fast enough to reach Danny before he plummeted toward the ground. She lunged forward, landing on the edge, catching Danny's outstretched arm. He looked up only to see a pained expression on Ember's face. The thought of causing her more trouble was too much for the ghost-boy to handle.
"Give me your other hand," ordered Ember.
But Danny was too distracted to answer.
"Danny!"
Instead of reaching for her other hand, Danny grabbed the hand that was holding him up. He pulled his arm out, freeing himself from her grasp—and the only thing that was saving him from the drop. He fell fast, followed by a loud thud.
"Danny!" exclaimed Ember.
She quickly rose to her feet and flew after Danny. She landed near a row of bushes, looking it over and hoping that it served as a sufficient cushion. Her arms reached forward, pushing aside the little branches, and her head swung left and right in search for Danny.
"Dammit, it's too dark," muttered Ember. "Danny? Where are you?"
To her side, she heard a slight moan.
"Danny?"
A sudden flash of light illuminated the surroundings, forcing Ember to cover her eyes from the intensity. As soon as the light dissipated, everything was hidden by the darkness again. Ember had to make her own light source; she held out her hand and created a ball of energy, emitting a warm, pink light. She held the energy-ball over the area where she saw the intense light originate and found Danny. He had reverted back to his normal self. He rubbed his head, trying to massage the pain away.
"That was a bad idea," he groaned.
"Well what do you expect?" Ember returned.
Danny opened his eyes and saw Ember standing over him, bathed in the pink light that she held. Again, Danny started feeling restless.
"Oh, would stop making that face already?" said Ember as she leaned forward and grabbed Danny's arm. She pulled him out of the bushes and onto the well-kept grass that surrounded the fast-food restaurant.
Danny laid flat on his back, staring at the star-filled sky. Ember sat close to him. She had let the ball of light fade away. They rested on a part of the property that was entirely saturated by the moonlight. Despite the calm overtone of the night, Ember felt very agitated. She quickly turned to Danny and punched him on the arm.
"Ow!" cried Danny. "What're you—"
"That's for making me worry! Why would you let yourself fall just like that? You practically jumped off the roof! I mean, who does that?"
"But look, I'm fine—"
"No, you aren't. I saw you have bruises."
"I'm fine, though, really."
Danny tried to sit up but Ember held him down.
"You are not to move. Just stay put and let yourself heal a little."
Danny turned his head the other way. A moment of silence passed by before Danny said,
"I'm always causing you problems, aren't I?"
"I definitely wouldn't have this headache if you had just grabbed my hand. Why would you do something like that?"
Danny shrugged.
"I don't know. I just panicked."
"Panicked? Why would you panic?"
"I didn't want to see you."
Ember's eyes widened. Hearing those words made her chest tighten. She suddenly felt a darkness welling up inside of her, as though her heart had turned into obsidian.
"You… didn't want to see me?"
Danny was beyond shock hearing Ember echo his words. Having her say the very same sentence to him made him realize just how badly he had worded his thoughts. He immediately looked to her direction and tried to sit up, but the pain prevented him from completely getting up. In the end, all that he could manage was to bring his torso up over the ground slightly supported by his arms.
"That's not what I meant! That's not it at all!"
Ember simply gazed at him, and Danny noticed the tears that started to form.
"Far from it," he continued. "I wanted to see you. It was painful not being able to see you. Very painful."
"Really?" said Ember, her face brightening a little.
Seeing her reaction overwhelmed Danny. He started to blush, but because he was too embarrassed to show Ember, he let his body fall back onto the soft grass and instead switched his attention to the sky.
"Then what is the real reason?" asked Ember.
"I guess what I wanted to say was… I didn't want you to see me."
"Why would you think that?"
"I've been so terrible to you. I was selfish. So selfish that I thought that it was all right to say whatever I wanted to say or felt. I… I didn't even think about you. I didn't even stop to think about how you felt. And I'm just so sorry."
"You don't have to apologize."
"No, I do. I'm really sorry."
Ember sighed.
"I can understand why you would feel that way, but what I still don't get is why you would be so scared of me; scared to the point that you actually jumped off a roof."
Danny turned to Ember, his face becoming flustered.
"I wasn't scared of you. I just wanted to run away from you. Wait! That's not what I meant. I just, uh, didn't want to be close to you… No! Ugh! What am I saying?!"
Danny rolled over to his side and faced the other direction. His hands were covering his beet-red face. Ember was caught off guard by Danny's behavior; but eventually, her surprise gave way to a smile, which then developed into a soft laugh.
"I'fe cothd you too much thwable alwedy," mumbled Danny.
"What? Move your hands. I can't understand what you're saying."
"I've caused you too much trouble already—too much pain. I just didn't want to hurt you anymore."
"Hence, you were trying to avoid me."
Danny nodded.
"Look, Ember, I… If only I knew that it was you who was flying around my house, I would have left you alone."
"Really? You would leave just like that?"
"Yes."
"So you would just leave without even knowing why I was there in the first place?"
Danny's eyes widened. Only now, when Ember mentioned it, did Danny start to ask that very question. Why? Why was she there in the first place? He turned to face her and saw Ember wearing a smirk.
"Why were you there?"
"I already told you, didn't I? I wanted to talk to you."
"About what?"
Ember chuckled and stood up. She then sat down next to Danny's head, her shins against the ground. Picking up his head, she positioned him so that he rested on her lap, acting as his pillow. Danny blushed intensely at her gesture. He looked up at her, but her attention was somewhere else. Her expression was vibrant; her eyes and lips touched by the gentle moonlight. Ember took in the cool night air and then she exhaled, followed by a soft breeze that swept across the town.
"Isn't this how it all started?" asked Ember.
Danny was speechless but only momentarily; it was not long before he found his voice:
"Yeah… It was also a night like this… About a month ago."
"A month, huh? That's a long time."
"Not really. It feels like it happened just yesterday."
Ember laughed softly.
"No. I meant that's a long time for thinking."
"Thinking about what?"
"The reason why I wanted to talk to you was to tell you this: I'm done thinking. My brain's at its limit. If I do anymore thinking, my head might just explode. And I'm tired Danny. Too tired to keep up this juggling act; too tired of acting; too tired of lying to you and especially to myself. I'm just so sick and tired of this game. I'm done. I don't even know why I started playing. Maybe it was because of the rush from the beginning. It's that rush that always gets us so addicted to this little game. But then, before you know it, the levels are advancing and everything just becomes harder. I guess when I started to notice that things were going a little too fast for me, I just wanted to stop and leave. I just wanted to give up… because I knew it would be easier. But did you know? It's actually the opposite. The trick is to not stop; you have to keep going. Sure it's hard now, but when you think of the reward at the end, it's worth it, you know? When you're there, standing on the last level, about to face the final boss, you just have to look at yourself and say 'I can do this.' In the end, your worst enemy is yourself. A friend taught me that."
Ember smiled a little and continued:
"It's pointless to pretend that something doesn't exist when it's right in front of you; it's pointless to say 'I don't' when all your life you've been waiting for the chance to say 'I do.' And Danny,"
Ember looked down. Their eyes met. Both were red from embarrassment, but neither wanted to look the other way. They simply wanted to look at each other.
"It's pointless to say that the heart is mute when in fact," Ember placed her hand over her chest, "it's been screaming at you, telling you to follow it; mine's been beating this loud for a month now."
"Ember… W-What're you trying to say?"
"I'm saying that I finally have an answer. I love you."
Danny's mind went blank and so did his expression. But after a while, color started to return, and a smile slowly crept onto his lips. His eyes have never been brighter.
"Say that again," he whispered.
Ember smiled, saying,
"I love you."
Tears started to form around Danny's eyes. It did not take long for them to overflow, dripping down his cheeks like a waterfall.
"Thank you," he said, though his voice was weak.
Ember laughed a little.
"Why are you crying?"
"I'm just so happy… So happy to hear those words."
"So what is your answer? I hope that it hasn't change."
"Of course not. I love you, Ember. And I always will."
"I was so scared that you would hate me after I said all those terrible things."
"I would never hate you."
"But I am sorry Danny. Really sorry for hurting you."
"You've done nothing wrong. If anyone should be sorry, it should be me."
"You really are a kind person."
Danny smiled and then looked up at the sky. He wiped his tears away, saying,
"Hey, look at the moon."
Ember raised her head and also stared at the golden sun of the night sky.
"What about it?" she asked.
"To me, you're like that moon."
"What?" she said, turning her attention back to Danny.
"No matter how dark the night gets, the moon is always able give enough light for everyone to see. In that sense, because I have you, I will never be alone."
Silence followed, which was soon broken by Ember's laughter. Danny was surprised at her reaction, to say the least; to be exact, he thought she would react in a way that would befit his poetry. He turned red.
"W-What's so funny?"
"You!" answered Ember as she wiped a tear from her eye.
"Was it something I said?"
"It was everything you said."
"I didn't think it was that silly."
Ember simply smiled.
"It was sweet… And sappy."
"I guess it was too much, huh?"
"No, it was just right."
She bent down and held her face close to Danny's.
"You really are a dipstick, you know that?"
She leaned closer and gave him a kiss on the forehead. She then straightened herself again, but her gaze remained on Danny.
"And I wouldn't want you any other way."
Danny smiled.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too," replied Ember.
"Can I stay here a little bit longer?"
"As long as you want."
The End