Danny took in a few shallow breaths before walking onto the center stage. He had been waiting for this moment ever since he started on this path and now the truth was right in front of him. The dream of becoming a symphonic conductor was finally becoming a reality.

The young halfa turned towards the audience and bowed as the people, and ghosts nobody else could see, gave out a loud applause. Danny turned and allowed his back to face the crowd as he raised his hands in front of his symphony. There were so many different instruments in his lead, he couldn't possibly remember the names of every single one. The best he could do was identify the strings, brass, drums, and pianos. He knew Vlad could do much better, but he wasn't about to admit to that any time soon, even if the older halfa might have been sitting in the VIP section watching his every move.

Danny let one last breath leave his lips before counting the tempo of the first piece in his head. He glanced at the sheet music in front of him and back at the musicians. His right hand tightened its grip on his baton as he flung it down roughly in a swift motion right after a quick and obvious deep breath. He continued his counting to the fast beat as he lead the musicians in front of him, his breathing staying in rhythm with the instruments. A few measures flew by before Danny cued in the next section to start playing their part with the strings.

He continued the rehearsed piece as if he knew it like the back of his hand. Though, he probably knew it even better than the back of his hand. Danny was able to expertly cue in and cut off every part like it was child's play.

As they started reaching the halfway point, Danny was calming down and allowing himself to smile and loosen up to the quick tempo of the music. With a nearly unnoticeable flick of his finger, he cued in his secret weapon to make tonight an even greater success. His ghostly companions had their own instruments at the ready as they began to blend into the music. Danny didn't know anyone, apart from Vald and himself, who could see the orchestrated ghosts, but that shouldn't stop the audience from slightly hearing them with the amount of spirits he had gathered for tonight. The ghosts played loud and strong, giving the piece the perfect haunting tune it previously lacked.

Danny's eyes seemed to tint green in the light with the thrill of conducting in front of the large mass of bodies behind him; most alive, some not. He could especially feel the daggers Vlad seemed to be glaring at him.

Through the last portion of the music, the tempo only got quicker. Danny waved his hands in what could only be seen as frantic to the untrained eye, yet every one of the musicians followed along with precision. As the last note tore through the souls of everyone around them, Danny raised his fisted hands above his head to signal the dramatic ending.

The first piece was finished and they went straight to the next two without much of a break. By the end of it all, Danny had sweat beading on his forehead in a glossy blanket. His eyes converted back to their spectacular blue as he re-adjusted his posture and quickly slicked back his hair out of his eyes. With a deep breath, he turned and bowed towards the now roaring crowd. He stood back up straight and was able to sneak a quick glance at the clear night sky above the outdoor performing stage. The stars were difficult to see through the bright lights, but he thanked them for guiding him on his journey anyway.

The curtains began closing as the cheering started to die down. Danny could hear the host of tonight's show walk out and begin to thank the audience for attending. As for everyone behind the curtain, it was their cue to pack up and get to the main area with tables set up for autographing. Danny was sure he didn't want to sit and give autographs after every concert, but he was willing to let it slide this time since it was his first big performance.

The stage crew set to work almost instantly as everyone gathered their instruments and music sheets to bring backstage to pack up. Danny picked up his baton and booklet of sheet music and pranced off the stage.

A few of the musicians gave a side glance and smile at the young conductor as he skipped off to the back. They enjoyed and usually preferred him to some of the other conductors in the area. He never yelled or belittled a new musician who joined his symphonies or made a mistake. Danny was always calm and started everything slow for them to catch on.

There were rumors that some people had seen his eyes shine green during his conducting, but the rumors never ventured far from just it being a trick of the light. There was also speculation as to why the young composer would choose to have symphonies in outdoor amphitheaters. Some thought that it might have been to let the music travel through the space more naturally, but hardly anyone had any proof on that. Others just thought it helped the audience not to fall asleep on colder nights. In reality, it wasn't either reason. Danny just liked seeing the stars.

The halfa dashed past the room that held the musicians cases, to get a head start on the line that was already forming at his table. There were a few other empty tables next to his intended for the older well known musicians who played for him in his symphony.

He sat in his seat and set his music sheets and baton down on the smooth surface. Danny started signing away with a grin plastered on his young face. The line never seemed to get any shorter as five minutes turned into ten and ten into thirty. His wrist was starting to become stiff causing Danny to call an end for the night.

He walked to a room behind the stage and searched for his family. He couldn't exactly leave without them; they were his ride after all. With a sigh, Danny realized they hadn't made it to their pre-set meeting place yet. The only natural reason he could come up with to excuse their tardiness would be his parents being caught up in a conversation about ghosts or him or even both.

Danny sat down in a chair and checked the status of his phone. Sam and Tucker must have been stuck in the conversation too for them not to have been here by now. He looked up when he heard the door opening, expecting his friends and family. His smile faltered as he saw the graying man shut the door behind himself.

The boy lifted his phone back up to his face in an attempt to distract himself from the older conductor. He mumbled a single disgusted "Vlad" and went on pretending he didn't exist.

"Now that's no way to treat your number one fan." Vlad's voice dripped with mockery.

"What is it you want, Vlad?" Danny's voice growled as cold as it had been since he first walked in.

"I only wanted to congratulate you, my dear boy. Your very first performance was absolutely breathtaking. I'm sure the dead are stirring in their graves just for a chance to hear it again."

Danny looked up from his device, which wasn't even on in the first place, "You shouldn't mock the dead."

Vlad smirked, "Why? You think they can do something to stop me? You know full well how much control we have over them with our powers if your performance tonight has anything to say about it."

Danny's frown deepened, "My powers have nothing to do with tonight. The spirits volunteered by their own choosing."

Vlad showed no visible reaction, "Well that's a real shame. If you'd just use your powers to their full extent, you might have been able to get just as far as I have."

"I'm nothing like you, Vlad."

The manipulative man chuckled, "Indeed you aren't, little badger. Why else do you think I support you so much?"

It was Danny's turn to laugh, "Ha! You only come for the opportunity to see my mom."

Vlad nodded, "While it is true that I admire your mother, I still support you and I advise you to use your powers more in the future. The competition out there is tough. If you want to be recognized for your great potential, you need to push yourself to the top."

Danny glared at him, "I don't need your help. I'm doing perfectly fine on my own."

"Really?" Vlad stepped forward, "How's that arm of yours?"

The young halfa's body tensed, "It's fine."

The tall man took another step, "You were autographing for a while out there. It didn't become too stiff, now did it?"

Danny's voice remained hard, "It's. Fine."

Vlad frowned seeing he wasn't getting far and turned to go back to the door, "Watch yourself, little badger."

The door shut behind him leaving Danny alone with his thoughts. He wasn't sure whether his words were a warning or a threat, and it chilled him to the bone.