Be All My Sins Forgotten
Chapter 1: Discovery the Ghost in the Room
It was time for their monthly ghost drill and it was always a day Mr. Lancer hated. And while the overweight teacher realized its importance, he couldn't help but cringe at the chaos that was to surely ensue. Mainly because the Fenton's always came and were said cause of the chaos, or Jack was at least. Setting his book down he tensed, waiting for the green alarm that went off and as soon as it did, every one of his students were racing down the halls, trying to get to the auditorium in an 'orderly' fashion. Walking at a more subdued pace Mr. Lancer ignored the sound of the Fenton's yelling into the microphones, scaring the kids into action.
Eight months. That was how long Danny Phantom had been gone. There was a suspicion that Phantom had kidnapped Fenton. But Lancer didn't believe that, not anymore at least, for it was plainly clear to everyone just how much he'd protected the town. Even the most basic ghosts proved difficult, both the Fenton's and the Red Huntress were being worked to the bone. That was why the mayor Vlad Masters requested these ghost drills. Though often times the drill was reality for the students, and it was in those moments when Mr. Lancer prayed Phantom would return, he never did. The English teacher watched as Dash made it to the auditorium first, wrenched the door open and let out a scream. The effect was instantaneous, everyone froze in place, the students learned a long time ago that one scream was all you needed. Mr. Lancer raced forward to the danger, when suddenly Dash turned around a smile on his face.
"It's Danny Phantom!" With this everyone including the faculty raced into the large room and as Mr. Lancer followed he couldn't help the hope and relief that filled his heart as he saw the white hair of the teenage spook up on stage.
I heard the eco of a door opening, followed by a high pitched scream. I felt slightly curious as to why people were running inside this spacious room, it seemed silly to me. Why are they so eager to come into such an empty place? For the first time I began to take in my surroundings. The room was big and dark, lined with rows upon rows of chairs elevating slightly the further it went. The ceiling was high and lined with lights which were focused on the stage. Stage. My mind recognized the word but when I tried to grasp it, it seemed to fall through my hands. Shaking my head to dismiss those thoughts I noticed that everyone seemed to be staring at me now with looks of horror and shock. Two adults in hazmat suits were arguing but fell silent when they met my gaze, I felt nervous, at their stares and I found myself scooting further away from everyone my hands reaching for the lower keys on the piano. Piano. Something clicked, I felt the notes in my head surfacing through the fog. I was on stage, a piano, no a grand piano my mind corrected, opened to her fullest extent, sat before me and I was on the bench. As my mind hazily worked its way through comprehension, someone walked up the five steps to the stage. Looking up, I realized it was a man in his forties with no hair, checkered pants, with a half untucked blue shirt heading towards me, people on the floor protesting in worry. He looked torn between running away and curiosity and before I knew it, I was speaking.
"Do you want to hear a song?" I asked before I quickly looked down a blush painting my face, I hadn't meant to say that.
"Come again?" The man asked, hesitantly I met his gaze before my eyes slid to the pearly white and black keys.
"I…do you want to hear a song? My hands hurt, but I can play if you'd like." I said trying not to sound needy, the notes in my head were growing and my fingers twitched anxiously at my sides. The man seemed to consider my question before he nodded and I felt myself release the breath I didn't know had been trapped in my lungs. Placing my hands on the keys I stopped when the man in orange cut me off.
"Why?" He said some king of gun in his hand I looked at him in confusion. Most of the people had already taken seats, a few of them looking ready to run on stage, one girl in particular looked ready to cry.
"I'm on stage, there's a piano and we're in an auditorium, doesn't that mean I need to play?" The man looked slightly shell shocked, but after a moment he nodded and sat down his wife joining him. Frowning slightly at the term my mind used I closed my eyes and began to play.
*It started, medium tempo, high and pacing, the low bass coming in dark and obstructive, till it bled into the melody forming something that released the tension in me. Before the lowest notes disappeared and all that was left was the voice which hid the true feelings my left hand was trying to speak. Everything disappeared, I felt so much in the bass hand pulling my right along in tempo, my emotions driving the short song with a grace that moved so many to tears. Until finally my right hand molded into perfection, tearing its mask away and letting me speak. After I finished no one clapped all of them trying to hold onto the piece of my soul. For me, I was merely— letting go*.
Mr. Lancer stood in shock, tears flowing down his face, from Danny Phantom's playing, he watched as dark green blood darkened the white bandages wrapped around his wrists and fingers. The teacher in this moment couldn't help but truly take everything in about the hero he'd longed to see. For now Danny Phantom was wearing nothing more then black baggie sweatpants, his feet bare, wrapped in white bandages that stopped at his arch, his torso was almost completely covered in white but it still exposed his upper arms, showing long scars running into the gauze, one collar bone was bare, revealing gashes that wrapped up and around his slim neck were a single scar cut across his cheekbone strangely accenting his face making him look stronger. And yet, he looked completely weak, his snow white hair messy and falling in his eyes, his frame was small, the strong defined muscles stretched across his skin like they couldn't decide to be healthy or malnourished. But his eyes, those glowing green eyes which at one point held self-confidence and mischievousness, now held only desperation and longing. Like the teen no longer knew who he was. Walking forward Mr. Lancer placed a hand tentatively on his shoulder shaking the boy out of his thoughts. He looked up, with lost eyes and the next words he spoke broke the older teachers' heart.
"I'm sorry. I don't know you, but, could you tell me who I am?" When Mr. Lancer didn't answer the boy looked down at the piano and fiddled with the keys, beginning to ramble.
"I don't know who I am, I don't know why I'm here, only that I'm hurt and I don't want to go back. But I don't know where and it's hurts trying to remember. Words pop into my head, but I don't understand them. I just want to remember!" With this he slammed his hands down on a C minor cord startling the old English teacher who jumped away in fright, instantly regretting his actions as Danny Phantom suddenly seemed to curl in on himself, wrapping his abused arms around his trembling frame.
"Danny." Someone said and looking over everyone watched as Jazz walked across the stage, calm determination on her face. She bent down and took Danny's hands in hers, meeting his eyes with only love.
"Your name is Danny Phantom, and we're going to help you." With this Danny let out a soft laugh his eyes lighting up for the first time.
"Thanks. You sound like a therapist." He said his face scrunching up at those words.
"Do you even know what that means?" Jazz asked her voice sarcastic seeming to lift the tension in the room. Danny just smirked right back and replied,
"Not a clue. But something tells me I'm going to find it quite annoying." With this Jazz laughed and ruffled the teen's hair before she stood and faced the audience.
"First things first, everyone get out and head to the gym, we have a lot to discuss."
People quickly left, Danny watching, his eyes not missing the way the red head shook her head at the two teenagers who met here gaze, they looked so familiar. Danny winced as his head screamed out in protest. Finally when they were alone the girl turned back.
"I need to go; will you be alright staying here?" She asked I tried not to show the panic at the thought of her leaving but agreed none the less. With a nod she hopped off the stage and headed for the door.
"Wait? What's your name?" I called, standing from the piano bench but I only made it to the edge of the stage before I felt my legs give out. The girl turned and smiled.
"My name is Jazz Fenton."
Once the door closed I allowed myself to roll onto my back the hard wood floor cold and lonely. I ignored the way it made my body scream and make my heart race. It reminded too much of something else. Pushing those thoughts away I mulled over my name.
"Danny Phantom." I whispered,
It sounded foreign on my tongue; true, but somehow incomplete. I stopped thinking about it when my mind dissolved into the haze of sleep.
AN: *the song is Letting Go by Isaac Shepard
