Wow guys, wasn't expecting so many followers so quickly. Thanks for your support for this little project.
Here's the next chapter.
"It's so dark."
"Just a minute. The barrier between layers has to be kinda thick."
"Hey I think I see light."
Everyone finally got down the stairs and into a room that looked like a mix between FentonWork's living room and a grassy knoll. One was on one side and the other was on the other.
"Danny? Is that you?" Sam asked when she noticed a tuft of black hair from the couch on the living room side.
Everyone looked over to see a new Danny pop his head from behind the couch's arm, where he'd been laying on the couch. He spotted Sam, Tucker, and Valerie and ran to them. Before the three could even react he had them in a titanium grip hug.
"Oh guys! I'm so glad you're all okay!"
"I'm trying my best to get them out, Familial."
Sam perked up. "Familial? You mean like-" She gasped when her hands were suddenly snatched by two new strong hands. She was whirled around until she was faced with another Danny.
"Love? Amour?" The new Danny spoke.
"Hey! I was giving a group hug, Romance! No fair!" Familial huffed and finally let go of Tucker and Valerie, who worked to revive their circulation in places.
Danny sighed and face-palmed. "Familial also applies to Friendships since Danny particularly sees friends as family… And Romance well that's not a mystery."
Familial had on Danny's normal clothes that most people associated with him. Romance on the other hand… Vastly different.
Romance had on a black tight muscle cut-off sleeveless shirt that showed off his stomach. The shirt had a high collar much like his hazmat suit as Phantom. He had on jeans that weren't quite as baggy as normal and black and white converse. Romance's hair was also a bit neater.
"Fenton?" Paulina gulped nervously. Star's mouth had dropped open in slight surprise and practically every girl in the class was at the very least, staring. Romance's strong stomach and arms were bare for the world to see and the shirt didn't hide much of his runner's physique.
"Um… Romance?" Sam stuttered.
"Yes, dearest?" Romance sighed.
Tucker busted out laughing immediately while Familial cocked his head in confusion and Danny buried his blushing face in his hands.
Valerie frowned a bit and Paulina looked mad.
"Um… As much as I… wow…" Sam had to close her eyes to steady her thoughts. He is really making this hard right now. "We need to find our way to the next room. He's after us."
Romance's face went from loving to fiercely protective. Familial yelped and poked Romance's shoulder.
"We've got to help them now."
"Of course. This way, everyone."
Romance led the way and they crossed the room. Romance put an arm around Sam's shoulders as if to guide her there.
Romance held out a hand and a door materialized.
"Be careful all of you. The next rooms will be were things start to get more dangerous." Familial sighed.
Danny nodded in understanding. Everyone walked through the door, following Danny as they watched Romance and Familial stay behind and wave goodbye to them.
Romance smiled at Sam. "Talk to me later, my dear Sam."
Sam flushed a brilliant scarlet as the purple door closed behind them.
zz
The group found themselves in a dark spot and took a small break.
"What the heck!? Fenton's mind has got to be making all this stuff up. There's no way Fenton could toss me or look like that Romance guy did." Dash suddenly spoke.
"Of course it's fake, because Danny is infatuated with me!" Paulina expressed.
Sam growled and turned on her heel to face Paulina. "Maybe he was once, but after being treated like dirt by you, I think he realized that you. weren't. worth. it."
Paulina hissed. "As if he could like a Goth freak like you!"
"Enough! This isn't the time to be arguing about that!" Tucker exclaimed. Only to have every girl there turn to him and shout.
"IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME!"
Danny yelled out "Ladies!" Everyone paused and looked at Danny who then looked around at everyone. "and… Gentlemen." He sighed. "Look, Some of this is exaggerated, but the consciousness can't bend the truth too much, else one would never have a grasp on one's true self. We may have a strange mind, but we don't have any kind of personality disorder…"
Tucker whispered to Sam. "Tell that to Fun Danny and Super Danny."
Sam rolled her eyes at that.
"So you're saying that Danny actually looks something like Romance and can act like Anger?" Paulina asked carefully.
Danny nodded. "Each is toned down and balanced out by all of our emotions working together, but yes, there is some truth in what the mind produces."
"At least everyone's learning something." Lancer grumbled with irritation under his breath. This was not how this day was supposed to be.
"Oh Bullshit! I don't buy it, Fentina!" Dash snapped.
Before anyone could speak or add anything, a scream of unbridled terror ripped through the area. It seemed to originate deeper inside the dark room.
"What the hell was that?" Tyson asked
Danny frowned. "Paranoia… You scared him."
Everyone got sober very quickly at those words.
Valerie spoke up. "I don't understand. What does Danny have to be Paranoid about?"
Danny frowned and motioned for them to follow. Danny eventually formed a small ball of ectoplasm to light the room, but hid it enough so that no one would notice what he was using to provide light.
They were met with a trembling chest.
"Huh?" Kwan asked and rubbed the side of his head.
"He feels safer in there." Danny whispered. "It's quiet and contained."
Everyone got very quiet and very upset. Lancer was starting to get increasingly worried; either Daniel had severe mental issues or there was some sort of other stimulus that caused these personifications to be so extreme.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry… I shouldn't of screamed forgive me please please… I'm so useless so useless."
Everyone was startled by the new voice and looked over to see a green force-field. Another Danny was standing against the shield. He wore no shirt and the bottom of his pants were frayed. He was barefoot and tears and ectoplasm leaked from his eyes.
Everyone flinched hard when he started banging his head against the shield, violently.
"So stupid so stupid so stupid. My fault my fault! I can't do anything right. I'm so worthless!"
Sam took a tentative step forward and reached out with her hand.
Self-Loathing suddenly let out a wail of complete and udder sorrow, despair and gut-reaching guilt. As Danny and the others came nearer, they could start to make out words written on the wall behind Self-Loathing…
"Freak, Geek, Ghost-boy, Ghost-child, Dipstick, Fenturd, Fenton, Danny, Daniel, Little Badger, Whelp, Great One, Monster, Evil, Abomination, Loser."
The words were dark red but seemed to glow slightly green.
"Wait a minute, who in the world has ever called Danny, evil or a monster?" Lancer asked a little affronted. He had to understand what was causing all this.
"Ghost-boy, Ghost-child? What is this?" Alroy mumbled.
"Uh I guess he just feels invisible sometimes?" Sam spoke up quickly.
Lancer glanced over at Sam and Tucker. "You two, did you know that Daniel was feeling so terribly about himself?"
Sam and Tucker nervously looked at each other.
"Remember what Danny guide said? These kinda exaggerate Danny's full self." Tucker expressed.
"Besides, some things even Sam and Tucker know nothing about." Danny murmured and placed a hand on the shield while Self-Loathing began to sob before letting out another chilling cry. Paranoia screamed out again in panic when he heard the loud noise.
"Stop Stop Stop Go Stop… GoStop. Leave me ALONE!" The chest rattled and then stilled again.
Danny frowned and looked at Self-Loathing and talked softly. "Loath, please point us to the door."
Self-Loathing looked up and froze before backing away. "No… stay away. I don't… You'll get hurt. I'll lose you. It's my fault. No one should stay around me! NO ONE!"
"Loath, please you can do this."
The emotion glanced at each of the people there who were pretty much all looking at him with pity. He sighed deeply. "Be careful… Revenge and Mercilessness are beyond our door." He then lifted a trembling arm to point the way.
"Great work," Danny smiled and Self-Loathing only glanced sadly at the ground. "You'll fail… we always fail."
Danny frowned and motioned everyone to follow. They reached the orange door which was splintered and cracked. They opened it slowly and walked in. The last thing they heard from the previous room was one last unearthly scream of pure panic from Paranoia.
Sam and Tucker were stuck on Danny guide's words and wondered deeply about how much pain their friend might be hiding from them.
zz
"So what exactly is supposed to be in here again?" Paulina whispered.
"YOU!"
Everyone froze and looked up to see the newest Dannys. One was wearing Danny's typical outfit in the real world only this one was worn and tattered. His irises were red and the whites, bloodshot. He had a wicked grin on his face that almost stretched up to his ears. His eyes were boring into Dash's. The second had on a plain white shirt and jeans. He was barefoot and had a mask of complete indifference on his face as if emotion was something that had never found this boy. The last thing about the second Danny was he was dripping wet with blood.
Danny walked in front of the group and put up two calming hands. "Revenge… Mercilessness… We're just going to pass through."
"LIKE HELL YOU ARE!" Revenge roared and then started to laugh darkly. "I've waited too long for this. They're here… in my domain without Selflessness or Courage or Love or any other of those weak bastards to hinder me!"
"You must admit… Danny. This is… too good to pass up. Do you ever wonder how many bones I'd have to break in Dash's body before he'd fit in a locker?" Mercilessness asked with complete calm. Mikey gagged and several people including Dash paled. "I'm not sure… but I want to find out."
"That's the idea, Merciless!" Revenge cackled. "We can break them, bend them, pummel them! The possibilities are endless!"
Mercilessness looked up at them blankly; his red eyes danced with an evil flicker, like blood filled them. "Yes, whatever the… imagination… could create. We may not be able to change ourselves here, but we can change our surroundings."
Revenge snarled and glared at Valerie, surprising the girl. "I want to begin the hunt! Humans are evil! I used to think there were some good ones but no!"
Danny then got angry. "Enough!"
Both of the emotions looked at Danny.
"You're starting to sound like Him. Remember your jobs."
Revenge snickered. "For all you know we're turning to His side. We're tired of doing what's right. He says we'll have it all. The world will crumble, everyone will kneel and no one will ever… ever… treat us unjustly again."
Everyone was shocked and confused to say the least. Danny always seemed to be so mellow and hardly ever let his anger out. A thought occurred to them and Mr. Lancer. Perhaps this is what happened to all that hate and rage? It was locked completely away? Lancer however took it a step further and started to wonder what in the world could cause so much anger, frustration, and hate in someone in the first place.
Danny growled. "There are less of you! Too many good people and positive emotions fill his mind."
"Yes, but you mustn't ever underestimate… temptation." Mercilessness spoke.
Revenge turned on the negative emotion. "What the hell!? Don't give them advice."
"You forget, Revenge. I. don't. care. I'm just… curious."
Revenge snarled.
Danny sighed as Mercilessness pointed the way.
"You don't want to be controlled, do you? That's all He wants." Mercilessness added.
Revenge huffed and looked away. "Of course not. I'm not an animal to be tamed."
Danny nodded at the two before leading the shaking and fearful group towards the grey door that had appeared.
Dash let out a scream when Revenge grabbed his arms from behind.
"He stays though…"
"To play?" Mercilessness asked with with a chillingly apathetic voice that didn't match the words he'd spoken.
Dany whirled around and shoved Revenge back. "Go!" he shouted to Dash. The jock bolted for the door and went through as Danny took up the rear. He forcefully slammed the door shut and fought against it as it bent and rattled from the two emotions attacking it.
zz
"Holy shit!" Alroy gasped.
"Daniel… what. was. that about?" Lancer asked firmly, looking down at the guide.
Danny gulped. "It's really complicated, but even normal minds have emotions like them… it's just the balance in Danny's is always at jeopardy."
"I thought we fixed that though!" Tucker yelped and Sam glared at the Techno-geek. "I mean… you know… talked it through."
Danny sighed. "It's okay Tuck. Firstly, there's always a chance that things could go horribly wrong. Second, they'll all find out by the end of the trip."
Sam blinked and looked at Danny in panic. "No, you can't. We have to take a different route then!"
Danny frowned. "He would catch you then. I can't risk that."
"Damn it Danny! This is no time for your hero-complex," Sam replied, a strain in her voice.
Danny smiled sadly. "It's who I am. I can't let that go. It would leave a large gap for him to control."
Sam's lip trembled and she gasped lightly when Danny tilted her chin up.
"Don't worry Sam, Joy says everything's going to be just fine. Funny thing is, sometimes if you believe enough in something you can make it happen."
Sam looked into Danny's eyes and then smiled. "Okay, let's go."
Danny smiled. "Good. At least the next two rooms have present counter measures so we won't be in as much danger as the last two."
Danny turned and walked towards the room to see where the next emotions were.
"Danny, me and Tucker will always be there for you." Sam finally said.
Everyone else was watching in fascination. They knew the trio were friends, but they had never seen first hand just how close they were.
"Yeah dude," Tucker grinned.
Danny smiled back at them. "We know… all of us do."
"Yeah right! They just like using me! I'm a commodity! A pawn!"
Everyone turned to look over at the center of the room to see two Dannys fighting each other. They were more accurately wrestling and grappling.
"Not true! They're true friends! Friends like that are hard to find! A once in a lifetime thing!"
Danny's mouth dissolved into a thin line as the rest of the group came closer. "Meet Selfishness and Selflessness."
Selfishness had a scowl on his face while Selflessness had a look of raw determination on his face. Both wore the same thing including a shirt, jeans, and converse except one was in all black and the other white.
"These people, this place, they don't care, why should we!?"
"Because it is the right thing to do!"
"Why should I risk my life? Why should I waste my time if they aren't grateful!?"
"Because it is the right thing to do."
"If they want to blame a monster so bad instead of love a hero, then I'll give them a real monster to fear!"
"They don't know. They don't understand."
"We could beat him up! Make them pay!"
"We would then be no better than him. Then you would prove nothing."
"We could have any girl!"
"They would not love us truly and unconditionally."
"We could take whatever we wanted! Serve ourselves and fulfill all our desires!"
"And then would come the emptiness… the loneliness. It is not the right thing to do."
"How can you be so weak!? How can you be so calm!? They all hate you! Hate you! There's no reason to keep going!"
Everyone gasped went they heard a snap coming from Selflessness' wrist. There was something burgling from the wrist as if it was broken, but Selflessness refused to even hinder his force his was applying.
"Weak!"
"No… if that is weakness then that weakness is what makes me strong." Selflessness looked up and everyone froze when they saw a green glow echo and dance in his eyes. Suddenly Selfishness was having trouble pushing against Selflessness. Selfishness was soon on his knees and looking up weakly at Selflessness.
"It's not fair… Why bother?"
"Because, It's all anyone needs, a second chance."
Selfishness grew very quiet and only stared at the floor. Selflessness looked up at the group and smiled a strange sort of resigned smile and motioned with his head to where the green door was.
Danny nodded sadly to Selflessness before guiding everyone through the door.
Hmmm so next is one more complex emotion and then the Entrance to the Memory Bank...