Chapter Four: Hero
All things considered, his family took it rather well. Danny was grateful he'd waited until after the world had accepted Danny being Phantom before Dan started begging to be let out. Still, maybe he didn't know the full extent of just how accepted he was…
He'd worry about enlightening him later, he was going to go hang out with Sam today and Dan wasn't going to interrupt! As he walked out, he sensed Dan watching him go from the bedroom window and looked up at him with an "I'm watching you" gesture.
.o.o.o.
Danny was going on a date, apparently he had started hitting it off with Sam after the "Disasteroid" – whatever THAT was – incident happened. He honestly didn't know what Danny saw in Sam, she wasn't spirited and beautiful like Valerie was and red certainly wasn't her color. Hm, maybe it wasn't fair of him to try to imagine her in the Red Huntress uniform.
A knock on the bedroom door caught his attention and he looked away from the window. "Yes?"
The door opened, Jazz standing in the doorway. "Hey. Uhm…wanna take a walk? Reacquaint yourself with the city?"
He looked thoughtful. It WOULD be in his favor to learn all the twists and turns again, but that was likely not what she meant. "Very well, if you don't mind walking with a ghost." He shrugged.
"I was thinking about that." She left and came back with a black hooded jacket. "Here, this might fit you. I got it for dad, but it's still too small for him."
He took the jacket and pulled it on, the hood covering his face and containing his hair. "Well, this will work for the hair, I guess." He shrugged, looking in Danny's mirror.
"Okay! As for the glow, well…" She sighed. "Well, good thing it's winter. There will be white everywhere."
He looked at her. "Are you sure you want to go out with me? Considering our…history?"
She nodded. "You've already apologized for that." She glanced away. "And…I need to learn to forgive."
Dan walked over to her. "Okay…lead me."
She smiled and took his hand, leading him out of the room and down the stairs. "Mom, I'm taking Dan for a walk!"
"Wait, didn't Danny say to keep him insi—" Jazz shut the door on her mother's words, pulling Dan to her car and opening the door.
"Are you breaking the rules?" Dan asked as he got in.
"Yes, now shut up and get in." Jazz shut his door and then got in her side.
"Well." Dan chuckled. "You're certainly not the same as I remember."
"A lot has happened." She glanced at him. "I've had to break a lot of rules for Danny's sake."
The car started and they drove off, leaving the FentonWorks building behind.
"Are you going to get in trouble?" He asked.
"We should've taken off your cape." Jazz commented.
He touched his cape and phased it off, folding it neatly in his lap. "Done."
"Convenient." Jazz smiled.
"Yeah, it is." He nodded, smiling wistfully.
As they drove by the Mayor's house, he suddenly held out his hand, pointing. "What. Is. That?"
"Oh? Oh!" Jazz smiled and parked the car. "You gotta see this, it's amazing!"
He frowned, getting out after her with his cape tucked under his arm. "What's 'amazing'?"
He followed her to the golden statue of Danny Phantom, looking at what was inscribed. "'Saved the world'?" He murmured. "Honored? This is…what a difference."
"He saved both worlds, by recruiting the help of humans and ghosts alike. For one amazing moment, ghosts and humans were allies working towards a common goal." Jazz smiled, looking up at the statue. "You should have seen it…it was so beautiful. Everyone was there, even people who hated Danny! Even the Guys in White admit that Danny isn't a threat anymore! And if they did, they'd have to fight everyone who loves him, which would be the whole world!" She grinned.
Dan stared up at the statue, mesmerized by the sight. "…Loved…" He whispered. "Loved by everyone…"
"Dan?" Jazz looked at him, gasping when she saw a tear slip down his cheek. "D-Dan?"
He looked away, hiding his face from her. "…Let's go." He walked back to the car and got in, holding his cape close to him.
Jazz pursed her lips. She'd never been told about his future but she knew that he was hated. "Dan, I'm so sorry…" She walked over and climbed in. "I really am…I never meant to hurt you with this…" She closed the door and buckled in, starting the car again.
He didn't answer, looking over at the golden statue silently. Danny had managed to gain the love of the entire world, while he couldn't even keep the love of one traumatized boy. He tore his gaze away and looked at his cape silently, gripping it tightly. 'Danny has so much…I don't know if he even realizes it.' He thought bitterly. 'Meanwhile, I…I've been caged again and again…hated and abused and tormented and shot at and no one…no one cared to even look at me as anything but a monster.'
"Do you wanna watch a movie?" Jazz asked.
He glanced at her. "…Sure. I haven't watched movies in eleven years."
"Well, that new Dead Teacher movie is out." Jazz suggested.
"Sure." He looked back at his cape silently.
.o.o.o.
"You can keep that in the trunk." Jazz said, opening the trunk so he could put his cape in.
He put the cape inside and she shut the trunk before gently taking his hand, leading him along.
The thing about Dead Teacher films, though, was that Danny and Sam liked them, too. Danny's expression when he saw her walking over with Dan was priceless.
"What…are…you…doing…out?!" Danny hissed, his eye twitching. "Are you following me?"
"Relax, oh world-renown hero." Dan smirked. "I'm just here to enjoy a movie with my sister. We'll make sure to get seats far away from you so we don't interrupt your date."
"…You know, then." Danny glanced at Jazz.
"I took him to see the statue. I never knew it would hurt him so much…" Jazz gently squeezed Dan's hand, trying to comfort him.
"…Right. Well, stay close to Jazz." Danny moved forward to buy his tickets. "And remember to get seats away from us, okay?"
But, of course, as Fate would have it they had seats right next to the couple. Jazz smiled apologetically while Dan stared straight ahead, watching the previews silently. Danny sighed and handed Sam their popcorn, trying to ignore his older self only three seats away from him.
The movie was boring and cheesy in comparison to what Dan had truly seen at the hands of Plasmius – at HIS hands, controlled by Plasmius – in his time. He recalled the statue and felt despair overtake him, his head bowing in silent shame. If only he hadn't made that mistake…been so stupid…he could've…
The movie ended, but he didn't really pay attention to what happened. Danny and Sam stayed to watch the credits, but Dan had had enough. He got up and left the theater, going out to wait for Jazz over by the arcade.
"Hey, you got some change?" A kid asked.
"Nope. I'm a freeloader waiting for my friend to finish watching the credits." Dan said, shrugging. "Try someone else."
"Aww, but you looked like you had change! You're an adult!" The kid insisted.
Dan glanced at him. "And I just said I don't have anything. Go. Ask. Someone. Else." His eyes flared up in annoyance and the kid screamed and ran away.
"What did you do?!" Danny demanded from beside him.
Dan sighed and looked at him. "Told him to ask someone else for money. What about your movie?"
Danny jabbed a thumb towards the woman's restroom. "We left, Sam had to go."
Dan shrugged, looking forward again. "Jasmine as well, I suppose."
Danny sighed, leaning against the wall with him. "Any sign of Future Plasmius?"
"No." Dan shook his head. "Not even a taunting laugh in my mind. He's being horribly quiet, but I can't locate him to find out why. This place doesn't have anything near the technology my time did…"
Danny shrugged. "It didn't seem that advanced to me. Just a wreck. And it was quiet, like the place was deserted."
Dan laughed. "Of course not! Everyone was all hiding underground, because I was there! That doesn't mean that it wasn't advanced, Danny!"
Danny sighed. "Right. Of course, once again I am the dumb one."
Dan reached out and rubbed his head. "'The dumb one' isn't you, kid. It's me. You saved the world and united the humans and ghosts together. I just went off the deep end." He lowered his hand, looking at the floor. "Everyone hated me, anyway…"
Danny pursed his lips. "Dan…"
"Have you had your time to rest, boy?"
Dan suddenly looked up, his eyes wide. "He's here." He breathed.
"Come! Stop me, if you can!"
"Wait!" Dan ran out the doors.
.o.o.o.
"Dan?" Jazz came out with Sam, looking confused. "Danny?! Where are you two going?!"
"The Future Plasmius is back!" Danny yelled over his shoulder as he transformed amidst cheering crowds and flew into the air after Dan.
"Wait!" Jazz ran after them, stopping when she saw the black jacket on the ground. Sighing, she picked it up and dusted it off. "Be careful, you two…"
Darnit, Future Plasmius, you ruined the moment! They were having such a good one, too!
Oh well. We'll get other chances. They DO share a bedroom, after all... ~ Zone