The Omega Child
by Kellie Fay
Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is owned by Butch Hartman yadda yadda yadda. If only he read fan fiction.
Author's Note: This is sort of a one shot and sort of a set up to a story I'm working on. I'm sorry most of my stories take so long to post but I'm fanatical about actually finish the typing of a story before I begin to post. Too many people start a story and then don't finish it. It's a personal pet peeve of mine and I would never do that to anyone. Be assured once I start posting a multi part story you will find an ending.
Sarah and The Guardian's comes from the previous story "The Jewels, the Guardian and the Ghost," You need to read that or this won't make any sense.
And now...
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Time paused long enough for the ancient spirit to find his target It wouldn't do for him to be discovered too soon. Very quietly he entered the child's mind and settled in, briefly soothing his host, who immediately noticed the change. Quickly he altered the boy's memory causing the youngster to forget the incident ever occurred He knew what would happen this day. He always knew, and he knew what it was he must do.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Danny opened the gate and wandered up the stone path to the solid oak door. Without a moment's hesitation he opened the door and walked inside. "Hello Sarah?" He called into the empty room. Silence answered him.
"Sarah," the boy called again and again received no answer. Danny didn't let his teacher's absence bother him though. "Probably went out on an errand or something" Danny said. His math teacher was one of the most unique individuals Danny ever met. A fully trained sorceress and magic user she moved to Amity Park with the intention of being a silent helper, friend, counselor, and guardian to himself, or more specifically his ghost identity Danny Phantom. After a few months where Danny and his friends didn't quite trust the acceptance and assistance of this adult they settled into an odd friendship. Miss Daily, or Sarah as he called her when it was just him and her, seemed to understand exactly what having powers meant, even though she got her powers from years of study and practice, not by accident. Her mother before her had natural magic powers, and Sarah grew up with other super powered children and adults around.
Mind reader or not Sarah knew a lot about Danny's fears and problems. She didn't overanalyze him, something Jazz constantly did, and Danny found himself trusting his teacher and guardian with more than he ever did his sister or friends.
Maybe it's because she's an adult, Danny thought to himself, or maybe it's because she's know people who are powerful like me and they kinda worked things out. Danny wasn't one to knock Sarah's experience. She told him stories of children with powers having the exact same fears and internal crises that he did. Sometimes she even told him about them before he told her his problems then again she always seemed to know his emotional state so maybe she knew what he needed to hear at that moment.
Danny moved into the living room, and immediately checked the large floor length mirror she kept on the far side of her living room. Some time in the late nineteenth century a guardian wizard discovered how to connect reflective surfaces into portholes. Anyone who knew the spell could travel to anywhere else in the world providing they had a physical or mental link to the two mirrors. Sam of course had the mirror in her bed room linked instantly. Tucker was still trying to figure out a safe mirror for him to use. He always had to make sure no one was in his bathroom when he popped in and out of Sarah's house. Jazz made a kind sacrifice for Danny's sake, and asked her parents for a large mirror. Jazz told him it made more sense for a girl to ask for such an item than him, and Danny didn't argue. Now they had a secrete way to get to or from Sarah's house any time they wanted.
Today however only Danny's reflection could be seen in the mirror. If Sarah used it to travel to England, Japan, Hawaii, or any where else, Danny wouldn't be able to tell.
He didn't really need to see her today. Sam was out doing family stuff, and Tucker had an after school computer class today. Danny just wanted some company.
Still Sarah's living room was as good as a museum and Danny was still trying to figure her out. She had art from all over the world. Danny noted that she had no stuffed animals which would have driven Sam to kill her. She did have lots of animal carvings from a Pacific Northwest Orca carving, to a stone lion carving from Africa. She had small statues from China, Japan, and India. She told him lots of stories about how she acquired her little objects-de-art, but Danny wasn't sure he should believe half of them.
A slight chill in the room made Danny shiver. If he didn't know better he would have thought it was his ghost sense, but he was the only ghost able to get into Sarah's protected home. With only a thought Danny flung a small ectoblast into the already prepared fire place staring the logs burning merrily. While the fire settled into a steady burn Danny raided the kitchen for some hot chocolate and Sarah's ever present cookies. Danny smiled thinking about how many nights he just stopped by needing a break from ghost hunting to find Sarah settled on her couch reading a book with his share of hot chocolate and cookies just sitting there waiting for him.
Now there's an idea, a book! Sarah has tons of books and I have to learn all about this guardian stuff anyway. Danny shoved one chocolate chip cooking into his mouth, and then began to peruse the shelves trying to find a book he could understand and read. After discarding four other titles Danny came to 'Children of Power: Why They Exist And How Can We Help Them' The very first book he glanced at the first time he and Sam broke into Sarah's house. It was also the first book that explained to him what Sarah was doing here and why she was interested in him. Definitely something I should be reading. Danny took the book settled down onto the couch munched on another cookie and began to read.
An hour later Danny made a toasted cheese sandwich, grabbed a soda from Sarah's fridge, and kept reading. He had no idea how many different kinds of children of power there were. There were Telepaths, empaths, telekinetics, shape changers, energy manipulators, and then those who like Danny who didn't fit into those categories at all. How they got their powers were also varied; some like himself were victims of accidents, others swore they were decedents of powerful sentient non humans and thus had special powers, others were just descendants of other super powered individuals, and there were some psionic children who acquired their powers because they were the victims of emotional and physical trauma.
Basically what Danny was learning was the basic philosophy that nearly began every chapter of this book. Each child of power is a special and unique individual with an original past, and must be treated as such. In all instruction the child comes first not the powers the child holds. Now Danny understood why Sarah was so concerned with his thoughts and feelings about things. Her biggest concern was his emotional stability, not how well he used his powers. He took a bite of his cheese sandwich and opened the book again.
Power classifications for children of power
With the variety of abilities and the levels of powers in each ability category each child despite possessing similar powers may not have similar needs in relation to those powers. Over several centuries of research and study it was determined that children of similar power levels not similar abilities had more in common with each other. To this end all children of power are classified into four basic levels of power; Gamma level, Beta level, Alpha level, and Omega level.
A Gamma child is basically a child whose ability affects only them. A simple example of that would be a clairvoyant or seer ability. Only they are affected by their power, which if not controlled can take over all aspects of their lives. Therefore assisting children in controlling and mastering their abilities should be a primary concern for the chosen guardian
Danny understood that, he had a lot of control problems when he first got his ghost powers, but he had a feeling that this level really didn't apply to him. Danny read the next section.
The next power level is the Beta child. A Beta child can use his or her abilities to affect objects or others around them. A telepath can influence the minds of those around him. Telekinetics and energy manipulators can affect matter or energy. Control will be a major issue if control has not been established, but the ethics of using such power on or around others should also be addressed.
Okay that sounded more like him, and he knew Sarah did talk to him about how he felt about bullies, and Vlad, and how he should be using his powers. Guiltily he admitted to using his powers against Dash on occasion, but oddly enough Sarah didn't chastise him directly. She said it was normal that he feel tempted to using his stronger abilities against those who hurt him, and he shouldn't be too upset if when under a lot of pressure he did give in occasionally.
Yeah but I shouldn't, Danny remembered saying when they had one of these discussions late at night floating up over the city on Sarah's flying cape.
But you know that, Sarah pointed out. That is the big difference between you and Vlad. Even when you give in to the temptation, you usually feel bad afterwards and apologize. ྭVlad doesn't care about what's right or wrong. You do, that's what stops you from doing it most of the time. I can't blame you for losing your temper once in a while everyone has a breaking point. What you and I have to do is find ways to make yours a lot further away than it is now.
To her credit Sarah had been teaching Danny to keep his temper better and not act on impulse. Now he understood why she bothered. If he often gave in to the temptation to act against others he could very well grow into Lad.
... Or worse, Danny thought. The image of the inhuman creature that both was and was not him filled his mind then dissipated quickly. Eager to forget the unsettling memory Danny began to read the next section.
An Alpha child is a child with the ability to cause damage to either property or living beings. It doesn't mean they wish to. Many Alpha children are afraid of what they are able to do, and need a great deal of patience and acceptance. Both Alpha and Omega children have episodes of fear and self loathing, thinking themselves evil. Neither Alpha nor Omega children are not evil, only children.
Danny tried to ignore the internal shiver that went down his spine. So he probably was an Alpha. He looked with a morbid fascination at his own hand. He remembered vividly the day he first shot an ecto blast at Desires the wish granting ghost. He was glad that the book said that he didn't want to be evil, but he quickly realized that everything that was true about Beta children was doubly true about Alphas. Danny read the last few sentences again. It said that both Alpha and Omega children go through episodes of fear and self loathing. What was the difference between an Alpha and an Omega? Danny began to read the next section.
The most powerful of all the children of power are the Omega children. Where as an Alpha child can cause property damage and have the ability to take a life, they can only kill one person at a time. An Omega child has the ability, again not the desire, to cause not only massive amounts of property damage with a single strike, but they can also in one strike cause catastrophic loss of life.
Massive amounts of property damage and catastrophic loss of life.
Danny closed the book and felt his heart freeze up inside of him. Unbidden the images came back to him. He froze Undergrowth and half the town with his new ice power. He remembered how he was able to destroy Lad's lab with his ghostly wail.
He could see his home town ten years in the future a barren wasteland of rubble and despair.
He thought about him
Oh man, Danny thought completely terrified now. I'm not an Alpha, I'm an Omega! I can destroy people without blinking an eye! I don't want this! How am I going to deal with this?
Keep reading
I don't want to read anymore, Danny thought reacting to, but not quite hearing the new voice within his mind yet. I don't want to find out anymore about what I am. I'm a monster.
Danny, you have to keep reading.
"I don't want to!" Danny said flinging the book across the room. It hit the book case, and fell to the floor with a dull thud. Suddenly he realized that he was answering someone, and that someone was around him. "Whose there?" He asked the empty room.
He didn't precisely hear anything, but he felt in his mind a sudden urge to go pick up the book, and keep reading.
"What the?" Danny closed his eyes, and sat up on the couch trying to concentrate. Something was trying to influence him. Something was trying to control him. "No! Whose there? What are you trying to do to me?"
Danny calm down. Everything will be fine. Relax, let me help you.
"No no no!" Danny tried now to get to his feet. He didn't know how, but something had infiltrated Sarah's defenses, and was attacking him from within. He managed to rise from the couch, but a huge wave of dizziness caused him to teeter, and fall to his knees by the fireplace. Danny tried to get up again, but the more he tried the more his arms and legs refused to respond to his commands. He collapsed on the rug in front of the fireplace breathing heavily. "No," he protested weakly, but his body just wouldn't obey him. He simply lay there paralyzed.
Gradually Danny heard a strange methodical clicking sound. It was something he could focus on, so Danny listened. It was soothing and regular, and soon Danny found his breathing matching the rhythmic tick tick tick.
N...no Danny tried to protest. Something was being done to him. He knew it. He could feel it. He could feel his thoughts slowing down, and his emotions being drained away until he could feel nothing at all. He was still aware of everything that was going on, but he couldn't do anything. The worst thing was that he didn't care at all. He felt as if he should be asleep. His body was completely still and unresponsive. Every time he tried to move, every time he tried to think, or resist, the clicking, or more precisely the ticking sound grew stronger and stronger, until he could hear nothing else. Eventually he forgot to resist the forces controlling him. The ticking sound overwhelmed every thought in his mind.
Danny's eyes opened on their own accord and slowly his body sat up. He wasn't in control of his actions, and he couldn't summon up the strength to fight it. He felt as if there were a layer of warm water between his mind and his body, and it was just too hard to swim through, and regain control. Something told him that he should recognize this feeling, but it was something he knew he had never experienced before. By the time his body got to its feet, and began moving towards the book Danny remembered. He knew this feeling, but this was the first time he had ever been on the receiving end of it.
Someone was overshadowing him.
Whoever it was had overshadowed him with a great deal of gentleness. They didn't want him to be unaware either. When Danny overshadowed a person he gently sent their minds into a sort of trance so that he could control their bodies. Whatever this ghost had done to him felt like a trance as well, but at the same time he knew what was going on around him. The clicking sound was still strong in his mind, and Danny found it hard to think of anything except that sound. The more he focused on the sound the calmer he felt. He knew he should be fighting this control, but he just couldn't. He could sense the immense power of the ghost controlling him. It had to be stronger than The Ghost King, or Plasmious or anyone else he knew about, and yet it was still familiar. Danny felt like this force could overwhelm and destroy his mind if it chose to do so, but instead it cradled his mind gently using only enough force to keep him from fighting the control. It felt like he was being gently rocked in someone's arms until he was on the edge of sleep; completely aware of his surroundings but unable to do anything.
A passenger in his own body Danny felt himself move towards the book. He bent and picked it up gently wiping the dust away, and smoothing the pages that had bent when he threw it. Then the force controlling him moved him back to the couch, rearranged the pillows for added comfort, laid him back down, and opened the book before him.
You have to keep reading Danny, The force inside of him explained. I need you to understand it all.
Danny couldn't fight the force controlling him. He tried not to look down at the evil book telling him how much he was going to be like his enemies, but the spirit inside of his mind gently insisted on it. His eyes focused back on the pages he had closed on, and he read.
Just like with the Alpha child, an Omega child is no more good nor evil than any other normal child or other child of power. They simply hold a power strong enough to cause a great deal of damage. More than any other child of power an Omega child fears what they are. When accidents occur they go through great periods of guilt and self loathing. They have to understand that they are as fallible as any other human being, and yet at the same time they must always be aware that a mistake in their hands can change lives.
Again Danny tried to regain control of himself, and stop reading. The images of Valerie and all the mistakes he made in dealing with her flashed through his mind. The ticking sound in his mind grew louder momentarily lulling him back under the invading spirit's control. Once Danny's mind settled he found himself reading again.
Guardians dealing with Omega children must always remember that an Omega Child is a child first and foremost. Omega children need a great deal of nurturing, comfort, and understanding. At the same time any guardian assigned to an Omega child must have the capability to neutralize the child in times of crisis.
Neutralize? Danny read the paragraph again, and the force inside of him let him. Did that mean what he thought it meant? Could Sarah if she ever needed to take him down?
Probably, Danny thought. She had fought him the time Freakshow had temporary control of his mind. She didn't actually take him down though. She had used his energy to send a flare up, and she had used a magic whistle to wake him. Could she really completely take him down if she had to?
She would probably try everything else first, Danny reminded himself. Sarah was a capable fighter, and knew more about sorcery and the paranormal than even his parents did. She had to, who knows what she would face being the guardian to a half ghost?
Finish the chapter
Danny didn't resist the suggestion. His attention went back to the book in his hands and he began to read again.
It is most important to remember that Omega children have many more emotional needs than other children of power. They need to understand that it is normal and human to feel anger and fear, that they are just as capable as making mistakes as any other person. They must also understand that they will be loved despite the fear their powers might generate in the normal population. An Omega child must never be abandoned. The position of guardian for an Omega child is a life long one, and any guardian's applying for an Omega assignment must be prepared to devote their entire life to that child.
Sarah gave up her entire life just to be my guardian? Danny thought at the spirit, chilled at the very idea. Why?
You feel as if she shouldn't have? The spirit in his mind asked him.
Danny barely acknowledged that he was able to think and react again, and he was beginning to feel the spirit inside of him recede to the point where he had some control again. I don't know, He admitted. I mean why me? Why am I so important that she would give up her entire life just to be my friend and counselor?
Why do the guardians do that for any Omega child? The spirit countered. The life of a guardian is dedicated to helping children, and Omega children need a great deal of understanding and acceptance.
Are there a lot of Omega kids, Clockwork?
Deep within his mind Danny felt the ancient spirit chuckle. You guessed?
It wasn't hard, Danny answered grinning that he figured it out. I couldn't imagine any other ghost who would be able to sneak inside of me without me knowing, and overshadowing my mind like that. Can you show me how to do it like this?
I'm sure you'll figure out how to eventually, Clockwork answered. Danny could tell the temporal ghost was still amused at the conversation. And to answer your question, Danny, There are many Omega children all over the world with guardians; each one as powerful and unique as yourself. I am sure when you are reclassified Sarah will make a point of introducing you to a few of them.
Reclassify? Danny was puzzled at the thought. You mean Sarah doesn't know I'm an Omega?
You have always shown a great deal of restraint in using your abilities, Clockwork reminded him. You have very rarely if at all demonstrated anything above an Alpha level power in front of even the watchers. Sarah has you classified as an Alpha child, but if explain to her that you understand what an Omega is and can prove you have that level of power she will change your classification. She will never bring the subject up however. Most children of power especially the Alpha's and Omega's don't get instruction on the levels of power until they are approximately nineteen or twenty. The elder guardians didn't want younger children to 'figure it out.'
Danny nodded understanding that. He wouldn't have wanted to know. He had enough pressures in his life. He didn't need to worry about avoiding 'massive property damage and catastrophic loss of life.' So why did you want me to know? I could have done with out this little library session.
I know, and I am sorry, The ancient spirit answered sounding truly contrite. But I believe you will need this knowledge very soon, and it is better to make decisions based on total information.
Oh, Danny didn't doubt the time ghost's claim. If a ghost who knew past present and future said he needed this knowledge, then Danny wasn't about to argue. In that case thanks, Clockwork.
You are welcome Daniel.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"Hey lazy bones get up."
Danny blinked and opened his eyes looking up and Sarah Daily his math teacher and guardian. "Oh," Danny said with a yawn, "hi Sarah."
"You're sister's looking for you," She said with a grin. "It's almost dinner time."
"Huh?" Danny sat up, checked his watch, and found that he had ten minutes to get home for dinner. "Oh, I was waiting for you to come home. I didn't know where you went." Danny tried to shake the cobwebs out of his head. He didn't feel Clockwork's presence in his mind anymore. In fact the only thing he remembered after talking with Clockwork was an odd dream in which Clockwork used his body to put the book back in its place on the shelf where it belonged. Danny glanced over to the third bookcase and sure enough the book was in its proper place.
"Oh I had a meeting with some of the senior guardians in Brazil, Sarah explained. " You wouldn't have found me." She stopped talking and scrutinized her charge carefully. "Danny are you all right?"
"Huh?" Danny said realizing that he wasn't paying her any attention. "Oh yeah Sarah, it's just that I had a funny dream just now and it kinda threw me."
"You had a nightmare? In my house?"
Danny smiled he felt immensely safe in Sarah's house Clockwork's infiltration not withstanding. He never had nightmares over here. "No, not really a nightmare, it was just several shades of weird." Something told Danny that now was not the right time to tell Sarah that Clockwork somehow got into her home defenses.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Sarah asked.
Danny smiled and shook his head no. "Nah, it's not that important Sarah. I'd better hurry home so Jazz doesn't worry." Danny said quickly. He got to his feet and transformed into his ghost form in the blink of an eye. "I'll see you tomorrow in school!"
Before Sarah could ask again Danny was through the door and into the skies of Amity Park, heading for home. No, he wasn't going to tell Sarah about Clockwork not right now. He was going to save that little bit of information for when he really needed it. Clockwork said he needed this info, and Danny wasn't about to doubt him. He knew what he was now, but telling anyone else could wait until he knew why he needed to know now.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Far away in the Ghost Zone Clockwork watched the boy speeding for home. Danny had surprised the old ghost by dealing with the information better than Clockwork had expected. Everything was happening the way it should be, and when the time came for Danny to fully understand his Omega status he would be very comfortable with what being an Omega child meant.