Hyphen Note: Hey guys, Hyphen here. Sorry I haven't updated in like a month I think, haven't been able to get to a computer. I know that with the long time I've been gone I should have much more, but unfortunately the plot bunny attacked me so many times. So instead of working on just the few I have out I created more than a few. I'm iffy to publish because then I'd have more to update. Would you like me to publish them? I'll leave it to you. Legi Sur.
(Danny's Studio)
The day had been long, what they were doing now was just making it longer. They had been working on new songs for Ember for a couple of hours, but nothing solid came to fruition. Danny had decided to take a break and get to work on the homework and extra credit questions he needed to do. Ember didn't mind too much, she knew the importance of a break during the creative process. She wandered on over to Danny's side and peeked over his shoulder to glance at his schoolwork. What she saw just confused her, their was just a bunch of numbers and letters put together in an equation.
'Ughh, math.' Ember thought. It wasn't her best subject, combined with the fact she didn't finish high school because of... you know, dying.
"How do you even understand any of that dipstick?" Ember asked.
Danny looked up at her, "It actually isn't too hard, I just never have enough time to do it. Yeah Tucker always does his, but that's probably only because I don't call him for every ghost attack. If I did he might be in the same boat as me."
That made Danny rise a little bit in her eyes. Always sticking up for his friend, it's the same with her and Kitty. She stared again at the work it was giving her a headache just looking at it. She decided instead to check out the other instruments on the wall.
"Hey babypop, where'd you get all these instruments? I doubt you have that good of an allowance." Ember asked.
"I actually don't have an allowance, but my dad did mention one." He put on a thoughtful expression, making a mental note to ask his dad about that later. "But I've restored a good number of them, you wouldn't believe the stuff people throw out because they don't want to take the time to fix them." Danny said without looking over his shoulder.
"You restored them!" Ember looked at him incredulously.
"Yup a good 85% of those just needed some elbow grease and TLC and they were good as new. The rest were either gifts or ones I bought, a few have a story or two behind their... acquisition, but tales for another time." Danny explained. He closed his math book, and pulled out his English homework, taking note to do the extra credit questions.
"So was this musical bat cave a gift too? Or did you buy it as well?" Ember asked still curious as to why he had such a place.
"Actually I found it."
"Found it?"
"Yeah, back towards the end of grade school I was being chased by Dash and his goons, some things never change, and I needed a place to hide. I ran into the alleyway we were just in, I thought I was a goner... nazi's... burning... art and literature..."
"What?!"
"Oh sorry, English homework, studying the holocaust right now. Anyways as I said I thought I was a goner, I checked around but the doors were locked, and they were closing in. I was really panicking looking around when I noticed that the window up there" Danny points at window "was open. So I climbed up and over and landed in here. It was pretty vacant at the time, all that was in here were shelves, a table and dust bunnies."
"So you just decided to, what, turn it into your own studio?"
"Yup, I found out the place was soundproofed, and this place hasn't been scheduled for demolition anytime soon."
"What about the electricity? I doubt the city left it on."
"Generator in the basement. Turned it on before I pulled you screaming in here."
"Oh, and I wasn't screaming!" Ember shouted, cheeks burning in embarrassment.
"Whatever you say princess. Alright that's out of the way." Danny said as he put his homework away.
"What seriously? You finished it already?"
"I told you it wasn't that hard, it's just the exhaustion and time I lose from fighting you guys all the time. I'm always wiped, and that isn't including the time for school and family." Danny sighed.
"Oh right, sorry again." Ember apologized.
Danny just waved it off, "It's fine."
He got back up and went to a mini fridge he had in the corner and pulled out two sodas. "Here catch." He said as he chucked one towards Ember. She caught it and thanked him, popping the top and taking a swig. "Ahh, that really hit the spot."
"Hehe, yeah." Danny said as he wiped his mouth of any excessive that may have dripped out.
"Well Ember I think it's time to call it a day, I know you want to make a new song, but I just don't feel it right now." Danny suggested.
"It's ok, I guess. I didn't expect a miracle to work itself in one day." Ember said with a tinge of sad in her voice.
Danny looked at her with a questioning eye, picking up the tone of her voice. He looked up at the ceiling and placed a hand over his eyes. "Look if you'll allow me to, I could take some of your sheets home and try to make some improvements. Who knows, maybe 'll get struck with inspiration." When he was finished he parted his middle and ring finger and looked at Ember.
As best as she tried to hide it a small smile crossed her face, but Danny had caught it just in time.
"Well I suppose I could let you do that, and it is my music so you should get hit with inspiration." Ember replied in a somewhat haughty tone.
"Oh I should huh? So then why haven't you yet." Danny teased. Ember's face grew red in embarrassment at the rebuttal, and her hair took on a more reddish hue.
"Shut up dipstick. I inspire myself when I feel like it." Ember weakly replied.
"Hahaha, yeah ok. Well if I come up with anything I'll run it by you." Danny then took out a piece a paper and wrote his number down. "Here, this is my cell. If you come up with something I want to be the first to hear it."
"Wow Babypop didn't think you were had it in you." Danny gave her a questioning look. "Giving your number out to a girl you barely know. Got the hots for me?" Ember asked with a devilish grin.
Danny's face grew red, but he tried to keep a straight face. "Ah w-w-w-well, that will h-h-have to be my secret, huh? For now just trying to help a friend out." He managed to stutter out.
Ember just raised a questioning eyebrow. 'Hmm, could he? Nah, I just probably ruffled him a bit.' Ember thought, a little worm of doubt still there. "So what if Kitty wants to listen to it first? Best friend you know. I think that may have to trump music partner." She queried.
"Hmm, do I want to get between you and what Kitty wants?" Danny said with a fake thought look. "Well if I value my half life I don't think that would be a good idea, but if you do either call and put it on speaker, or bring her here, I would still like to know if you come up with something." Danny laid out. He picked a few of the sheets and put them in a notebook which he put in his backpack.
Ember just nodded at his answer in approval, she knew that Kitty would go on a warpath if somebody got in between what she wanted. She also nodded to indicate that she would do as Danny asked. She slung her guitar back on, while Danny slung his backpack on one arm and transformed.
"Not gonna walk back? We walked here, so why fly back?" Ember questioned.
"I wanted to make the studio a surprise."
"Mission accomplished."
"Besides too many eyes between school and here, being able to sing and play isn't the only secret I'm trying to keep here. C'mon, keep up hot stuff."
"Hot stuff? Really?"
"You got dipstick, and baby pop for me. Why can't I have one for you?"
"Keep trying, baby pop."
"You know I get dipstick, it's an insult, but what is baby pop?"
"That... is a topic for another time." Ember said as she flew through the roof.
"Hey, what's it mean?!" Danny shouted, chasing after. (Hehe chasing girls)
(Fenton Works, Basement Lab, 5 mins. Later)
"Forget it Danny, I'm not telling you right now. Live with it."
"Hmph, irritating girl." Danny muttered under his breath.
"Hmm, did you say something." Ember said in a voice that was too sweet.
Danny's instinct told him to not poke the bear, "No nothing at all." He raised his hands in a defensive way.
"I didn't think so. Anyways, thanks a lot for this, you don't know how much it actually means to me."
"You're welcome. Do I get another hug now?" Danny teased, giving her a lopsided grin and opening his arms wide.
She just gave him a hard glare, but she walked forward. She placed a hand on his cheek, Danny thought it felt incredibly soft for a guitarist's hand. She moved closer and Danny thought she was gonna kiss him. Then he lost his breath... As she had just punched him in the gut. He clenched his stomach and doubled over. Ember squatted down and Danny lifted his head.
"Don't push your luck, baby pop." She said, emphasizing baby pop, ending with a loud p, and floated through the portal.
Danny wheezed a few times "Damn girl can really throw a punch." He wobbled back up to his feet, "Guess I can count my few lucky stars that she didn't aim lower."
"Danny you down there?" His mom called from upstairs.
"Yeah, I'm here." He groaned.
"Everything okay? You sound a bit funny?"
Danny cleared his throat, "No I'm fine."
"Well okay then. Come up here and help me with the groceries please."
Danny gave a last look at the portal 'That girl, hmm, maybe...'
"Danny!"
"Coming mom." Danny said as he zipped to and up the stairs. 'Hope she bought some snacks.'
(Ghost Zone, Ember's Realm)
We find Ember sitting on the couch in her living room tuning her guitar to make sure it was perfect. 'Heh bet the dipstick thought I was going to kiss him.' She chuckled at the memory from a few hours ago. 'He's not that bad to look at, an he is really kind, he also-' Ember shot up 'No girl, do not ride that train of thought. He's just helping me with my music, nothing more and nothing less.' She clapped both her cheeks twice to try and get her senses back. She made a fist and tightened it, strengthening her resolve.
*knock knock*
Ember looked at the door, she put her guitar down and made her way to the day.
*knock knock knock*
"I'm coming don't get your panties in a twist."
She opened the door to find Kitty waiting there with her hands on her hips.
"I'm not wearing any panties for your information."
Ember pulled her friend in taking a look around to make sure nobody heard her say that before closing and locking the door.
"Geez say that a little louder next time." She scolded her friend.
"Calm down Em, I am wearing underwear." She pulled her skirt down a bit and pulled the clothing under to reveal a thong. "See? Told you?"
Ember just massaged her temples with her thumb and finger. 'Kitty sometimes...' "Is there a specific reason you came? Or just wanted to hang for a while?"
Kitty just smiled at her, "Why can't it be both? I love to hang with my bestie!" She got behind Ember and threw her arms around her, and nuzzled her cheek, much to Ember's chagrin. "And I also want the deets on how your hookup with Danny went." She said wiggling her brows.
Ember looked at her with reddened cheeks, "How did you know I was with Danny? And it wasn't a hookup!"
"Oh ho it's Danny now is it? Actual name, no insult? What happened between the two, of you?. She wiggled her brows again. "And I didn't KNOW, you just told me."
Ember mentally face palmed for walking right in to that one, "Nothing happened Kit, I just went with your advice."
"To get a boyfriend?"
"NO! *sigh* To ask him for... help with...my...music." She ended in a whisper.
"Oh right that advice." Kitty said as she thoughtfully tapped her chin... for two seconds. Then she grabbed Ember's wrist and dragged her to the couch sitting her down. "Come on don't leave your bestest friend in two whole dimensions here in the dark. SPILL!" She practically commanded.
Ember tried to get out of the conversation, "Hey want something to drink or eat I'm sure I have-" unsuccessfully that is. Kitty yanked her back down, and gave her the kind of glare that Medusa would be jealous of.
Ember squirmed a bit, wondering why she was reluctant to talk. It's not like anything had transpired between them. She took a breath and exhaled calming herself a bit. "Okay well not much happened I tracked him down at Casper and hung around until school was over. He said I could meet him later, said he trusted me not to do anything, but I figured if he could trust me I might as well let him keep an eye on me." She decidedly kept out the part of the little mark Danny left on her inner thigh. "After that we went to his studio."
"Studio?" Kitty said with a confused look.
"Please hold all questions until the end of the explanation please." Ember said a bit too sweetly. Kitty scowled at her but nodded.
"Anyways where was I? Oh right, studio! So we were there a few hours, unfortunately we came up with nothing. Dipstick said it was something about 'the flow of the music'." She air quoted. "So after a while we took a break he did his homework, I grilled him on how he got the instruments and studio, he wanted to know why I call him baby pop and I punched him in the gut before I left. So just a casual day." Ember finished recounting the days events, feeling like there was something she shouldn't have mentioned.
Kitty remained silent for a second not moving, then she raised her hand high in the air.
Ember fake looked around like there were others, raising a finger, "Er yes, Kitty?"
"Why do you call him baby pop?" Kitty asked forgetting any other question she had lined up.
In her head Ember was cursing enough to make a sailor's mouth sound clean, she knew there was something she forgot to not mention.
"Er, uh, that's uh... not important. Next question." Ember said trying to dodge the question for the second time today.
"Uh-uh no. Answer the question Em, you ain't getting off the hook that easy." Kitty said, knowing that there was more to this.
"I really have no reason to answer that question." Ember defended, crossing her arms.
"I suppose not... I guess I'll have to make one then." Kitty said with a twinkle in her eye and a mischievous smile on her face.
"Kitty what are...? No Kitty, no, back away I mean it." Ember warned crawling away from her friend who was wiggling her fingers towards her.
"KITTY NO, NO, NAHAHAHAHAHA STOP AHAHAHAHA PLEASE!" Ember laughed,tears forming, as Kitty tickled her.
"Not until you answer the question. Are you going to answer or not?" Kitty taunted.
"AHAHAHAHA NEVER. IN HAHAHA YOUR HAHAHAHA DREAMS!" Ember countered in between laughs.
"You asked for it then!" Kitty warned as she tickled Ember even more furiously.
Ember was being pushed to her limits. Kitty knew all of her tickle spots, she one she wasn't going to win.
"ALRIGHT AHAHAHAHA I'LL TELL, I'LL TELL!"
Ember pleaded.
Kitty stopped her attack but still straddled Ember in case she decided to make a break for it. Ember took a few seconds to catch her breath but Kitty sitting on her chest kind of impeded that.
"Alright but if I tell you, you must swear on your after grave that it stays between you and me." Ember said in a no nonsense tone with a serious look on her face.
Kitty nodded, thinking it must be important if it took this much to get it out of her. Ember motioned for her to lean down, apparently to whisper something in her ear.
'Right because there are so many people listening in.' Kitty thought, but she humored her friend anyway.
Ember leaned up and whispered quietly in her friends ear, Kitty's eyes grew wide with surprise and shock at the juicy tidbit she just heard.
"WHATT!?" She screeched right in her friends ear, literally.
"Ow Kitty off, now!" Ember said with murder in her voice.
Kitty complied floating off her friend and landing at the other end of her couch. Ember sat back up checking her hearing for any damage Kitty might have caused.
"Dang Kitty I thought I wouldn't be able to hear after that." Ember said pulling her finger out of her ear.
"Well how did you expect me to react to something like that? It's not like saying 'oh look at this new vase I got' now is it?" Kitty said laying the sarcasm on heavily.
Ember shot her a mad look but a blush had formed on her face, she crossed her arms and looked away with a "Hmph."
"Just drop it, never gonna happen anyway."
"Oh, I don't know depends on you really." Kitty said with a sly smile
"And him too." Ember profusely defended. "Just drop it!"
"Oh honey, a bomb like that is something that can't be simply dropped."
Ember and Kitty started an argument that is going to last for a while. So let's check on Danny shall we?
(Fentonworks)
Danny just finished helping his mom put away the groceries when his phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey Danny, it's me,"
"Oh hey Sam how's it going in... Sorry where did you guys move to again? I don't think anyone ever told me."
"We're in London, it's okay here. I actually saw Dani not too long ago."
"Oh how is she doing? Did she look well?" Danny asked full of concern. Clone or not Danny cared for her like she was his own flesh and blood, which she was.
"She's fine, I got here some food and money before she left. Anyways that isn't what I was calling for."
Danny, relieved to hear Dani was okay, waited for the question that he knew was coming since yesterday.
"How come you never told us that you could sing and perform?!" Sam asked with a bit of anger.
Danny cringed since she pretty much shouted into the phone. "Hold on a sec." Danny went upstairs to his room and closed his door. "Well it was never anything that came up in a conversation, and there was never a situation that required me to do so."
"How about the first time Ember tried to take over the world?"
"Ah well at the time we had you and Tucker was kinda out of it."
"And he told me this time he was trapped underneath the stage." Sam countered.
"Right well if you remember I was also kind of under the influence of her spell, making me incapable of doing anything except focus on anything Sam related."
"...ok fair point there." Sam relented.
Danny sighed, "It's not like I ever really tried to hide it from the two of you, I just didn't really have a good time to show you two. We were kinda busy since the whole ghost thing."
"And before that?
'Again never a good time." Danny sighed "Look I've had a long day, can we table this discussion for another time?"
Sam hesitated, she was reluctant to let the matter go, but she knew how hard Danny worked and such. "Yeah sure, talk to you later Danny."
"Talk to you later." Danny said, then hung up.
He flopped onto his bed, he didn't realize it but he was really tired. He looked at his backpack and remembered he had promised Ember he would take a look at her work. So with great reluctance he got up and went to his desk, he flipped a lamp switch on, grabbed his backpack, and pulled out her music journal. He may not want to do it, but he did promise her, and Danny always kept his promises.
Hyphen Note: Also mostly a filler chapter, sorry. Thanks for reading please review. Gracias.