Burning Hope
By: Wilona Riva
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.
Author's Note: This story is dedicated to 77757, Totalfangirl01, and everyone who helped me to write this sequel. Please read Burning Angels before reading this story. I will be slow getting the chapters out as I am trying to finish Of Saturn and At Three at the moment. I originally had no intentions of writing a sequel to Burning Angels, but enough of you want there to be one, so here is the prologue.
Prologue
Generations came and went. Danny watched his sister, family and friends live, die, and be reborn many times over. None remembered him as Clockwork had said. When Danny was able to escape Hecate for another lifetime, during the last dark moon of winter, Clockwork had suggested he enroll in a night school program, and suggested one in a timeline which none of his friends or family had been reincarnated into.
"Hey, Abs?" he whispered, leaning a bit to his left.
"Hmmm?" came her questioning hum.
"What was the answer to number 2?"
Whack! "Do your own homework, Daniel," she said, gripping her binder tightly, watching him rub the sore spot on the back of his head.
"Again, Mr. Fenton?" the librarian asked, not looking up from the book she was reading. "You really should study-this is study hall, ya know?"
"We know, Parsnip," Abs responded. "How's the rally going?"
"Shh!" the libarian whispered, holding her index finger to her lips.
"I only have tonight left, Abs," Danny hissed. "Remember daylight equals death for me?"
"Sucks being you," she retorted. "Okay, let's find that damned book."
"No swearing in these sacred halls of knowledge, please," the librarian said.
Abs flipped her the bird, and had it promptly returned. "Love you too, Parnip."
"Abby!"
"Coming, Danny."
When Danny had first started coming to the Night School, Abby thought it was nice not to be the only human attending. Until Danny literally walked into the door, and had a shiner for his trouble, much to teacher's amusement.
"Only for a night or two each month? How do you expect to receive an education, young man?!" Mr. Yellow yelled, reading more of the note the boy handed him.
"It is the only time I am free," Danny stated, clasping his heads, looking at the fascinating puke-colored floor tiles. His raven hair was longish-short in the backand he wore a strip of silver cloth for a headband. She wondered if he copied his look from Gin in the Rosario Vampire manga. So what if his blue jeans were a bit baggy, red-and-white converses a bit scruffy, and his long-sleeved white t-shirt a bit too long in the arms (they were folded back to his elbows, and still covered his wrists). He was still cute, if a bit of a klutz.
"What is your race?" Mr. Yellow asked, letting out a loud sigh, and reaching for the class roster
"Is it necessary, sir?"
"We try to help each race find its niche, such as vampires sleeping below ground, zombies in the graveyard, and humans, or rather, our lone human, in dormitory housing. Not every race can be near others, Mr. Fenton. So, what species, or genus, are you?"
Danny's blue eyes lit up. "Well, I guess you would call me... genus, humanus... Danny."
"Walt Disney's classic 'Alice in Wonderland'," Mr. Yellow mused. "A favorite, Mr. Fenton?"
"My sister's," came the reply, in a sad tone. "She died a long time ago."
"I'm sorry for your loss," the teacher replied. "Please take your seat, and we'll continue where we left off on the ancient Chinese myth of the Candle Dragon."
"Hey, Abs, is this the book?" Danny asked, snapping his fingers to get her attention.
"Yeah," she said, quickly glancing through its table of contents. The Monster Bible of Ghostly Legends and Folklore has every myth known to man in its pages, and then some. It should be able to shed some light on how to break your curse."
"I'm a vampire, Abs," he said, not convinced. "Well, let's get reading. We've only got an hour until Miss White calls us to Riddles and Rhymes."
"Or Mr. Black tries to poison us with his latest concoction," she teased.
Danny made a face. "Good thing, I packed tomato juice then."
"Danny, what are these markings?" Abby whispered, looking down at the phases of the moon on his palms.
He looked down in horror. "I don't see anything." Oh, Ancients, please not again. Please not again.
"Looks like the seven phases of the moon are tattooed right on your...palms," Abby's voice trailed off. "Are you sure, you're alright?"
Danny looked down glumly. "Yes," he mumbled. "I'm not human, Abs. I'll leave you be to your research."
"And where do you think you're going, you silly ass?" she asked. "I told you I'd help you to break your curse, and that's what I'm going to do."
Danny's face held a bit of a smile. "Then what are we waiting for?"
"You will only be visible during the dark of the moon," Clockwork warned. "You will drink tomato juice to ward off the cravings, and drink human blood only when you must. Use discretion, Daniel, and if anyone sees the marks..."
"Tell you at once, and don't partake of the Yakar fruit, which will soon follow," Danny finished. "Can I go to school now? I kinda miss being in a classroom after the last several lifetimes."
"Hecate can still get free; that which seals her is growing weaker each moonrise. If you drink of the Yakar fruit, I cannot save you this time, Daniel. You will belong to her."
He sighed. "I just want you to appear as human as possible. Did you feed yet?"
"Was going out now," came the reply.
"Hey, here's one about a ghost prince...darn it, the pages are torn out," Abby threw the book down with a big thud. "I really wanted to read that story."
"Abs, calm down," Danny told her, relieved that his secret was still safe. "Why don't you try again later? I'll be visible again during the next dark moon rising. In the meantime, I'll ask my guardian and see if he has any information in that huge dusty old book collection of his."
"Fine, just Skype me if anything jumps out at you," she said. "We've got about 5 minutes to get to class."
"Right behind you."
Danny really loved Abby. She had brown eyes, blonde hair styled in a pixie cut with long bangs, and her favorite color was pink. Her favorite cartoon was My Little Pony-80s version, not the new one. She was Sam's complete opposite, but Ancients, did he like this crazy girl. Also, she loved to watch old episodes of NCIS. Her favorite character: Abby, of course. His favorite: Ducky. Which led to many a late night debate via Skype until he could reappear on the mortal plane.
Three nights a month really sucked at times.
