Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects, or any characters associated with them. Danny Phantom is property to Nickelodeon, and Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects is property to Electronic Arts and Marvel Comics.

Drown Your Sorrows

Chapter 4: Hydrogen Mus Musculus

Back in the New York underground, Van Roekel had brought Technus to another section of his lab to show him what he had wanted. He explained to Technus as they approached a desk, "This is my test lab. And this is my test." On the desk was a cage of scurrying mice. Beside the cage was a syringe filled with an unknown liquid.

"You lost me, Doc," Technus said, quite confused.

"I thought you'd say something like that," Van Roekel said, removing a mouse from its cage and picking up the syringe. The mouse squeaked and squermed as Van Roekel continued to explain. "These mice are my pre-experimentation specimen. And this syringe is filled with a substance that, when injected into a living organism, rearrange their chemical make up to allow them to be one part liquid and one part solid. But when I inject it..."

Van Roekel stuck the needle into the mouse's back. The mouse gave a painful squeak which became louder as the doctor pushed down on the plunger. After the needle was removed, Van Roekel put the mouse back onto the table to let it run around a bit. It didn't run around for long, as the mouse quickly melted into water. The sight of the small puddle that used to be a small rodent made Technus cringe slightly, but he maintained his composure once Van Roekel began speaking again.

"As you can see," Van Roekel explained, "the serum melts the subject into liquid before any further experimentation can be made." Technus snorted in amusement, as if finding something funny. "What do you find so amusing?"

"You," Technus said. Van Roekel's face went sour, knowing an insult when he hears it. "I mean, how can you consider this experiment without even the thought of creating a stablizer of some sort?"

"If you hadn't interupted me," Van Roekel barked, not liking to have his intellegence mocked, "I was about to suggest such. I have concluded that a stablizer replacing one of the subject's vertebrae, it will be able to hold the body together an allow it control its solid and liquid state. It could be the ultimate hydro weapon! My only problem is whether to place the stablzer in before or after the injection." The indecisivness of the doctor made Technus explode with laughter.

"I see why you seek my knowledge now!" Technus bragged, much to Van Roekel's displeasurement. "Of course you insert the stablizer after the injction! If you put in the stablizer before the injection, the stablizer will liquify with the body! And you call yourself a doctor."

"Even if your beliefs are correct," Van Roekel argued, "testing so would prove impossible! That mouse liquified after only a few seconds! How do you suppose I perform such a complex operation so quickly?"

"It's all about mass, VAN NITWIT!" Technus slammed. "The serum liquified the mouse so quickly because of its diminuative size. It was able to run through its body much faster. A larger subject would last much longer."

Van Roekel gave a loud huff after being outsmarted again. Reluctantly, he asked, "How long would it take for the serum to run through a human subject?"

"Oh, I don't know," Technus playfully said. "I'd say, about..." He paused momentarily to do the calculations in his head, then answered, "Eight minutes, ten tops."

"Fine then," Van Roekel said, very frustrated, "that is all I needed to know! If you'll excuse me." He stormed towards the exit of the test lab.

"Excuse me, Doctor," Technus called, "you still-"

"I KNOW!" Van Roekel shouted without looking back. "Call me when you need you're favor. I'm off to find my subject."

Technus was about to let the doctor continue his way, but after hearing about the search of a subject, a bright idea came to his mind. He zoomed in front of Van Roekel and gave his proclamation.

'Say, Doctor," Technus began.

"You've ridiculed me enough, thank you," Van Roekel said, still moving.

"It's not that," Technus said, "there's time for that later. What do you say to letting me find that subject you want? Think of it as a part two to our agreement."

Van Roekel stopped when he heard Technus's proclamation. He then asked him, "Do you know of any potential beings who can be able to handle the abilities to be bestowed upon them?"

"Oh, I can name one," Technus grinned.

I just really love the conflict between these two. Their clashing egos is just too awesome. Sorry if the title is too scientific. Also sorry that this is a relatively short chapter. Don't worry, the next one is where the story really kicks into gear.