So, last we saw, Clockwork let Danny stick around for a week, if he never showed himself again. What a nice guy! How will Danny and Valerie and Phantom spend their week together? ~ Zone
VI
Phantom hadn't shown his face since the signboard incident, and so Valerie and Danny were left with only each other to talk to for the first day. The park was pretty deserted in the wake of recent attacks, so he flew alongside her so they could spend a bit of time out of the house.
"So, I have a question." Valerie said, looking at him.
"Does it have to do to with Grim Reapers?" He asked.
"Sort of. Did you pick the black and silver color-scheme, or is it mandatory?" She gestured to his clothes.
"Oh. Well, the silver sash is my own choice, but otherwise it's all black and not-too-flashy colors." Danny nodded. You won't find a Grim Reaper wearing rainbow, that's for sure."
"You mentioned not being able to touch material objects unless it's connected to your job, so does that mean you have to touch them from time to time?" Valerie continued.
"Human bodies count as material objects. When I shoved you and Phantom out of the way of each other last month, that was part of the job." Danny pouted. "Now, no more questions about my job."
"Okay, how about questions about your daily life outside of work?" Valerie asked. "Do you have a daily life?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "Unlike ghosts, Grim Reapers actually get hungry and stuff. We're pretty close to human, but we're definitely not. There's a city, but ghosts and humans can't get to it – only the Reapers can. And we have our own stuff, so we don't have to take from the human world at all."
"Where do you get this stuff? Play any video games anymore?" Valerie asked.
"Clockwork supplies it. As for video games…" He sighed. "My days consist of eating, sleeping, working, and occasionally hanging out with people. I've got my own place, but by the time I finish work and get back to it, I'm exhausted. Some of my work days can go pretty dang long." He made a face.
"Haha, you're working full-time, then?" Valerie asked.
"Yeah, and my boss is kind of…" He faltered, glancing around nervously. "Well, he's always watching so I'm not gonna risk pissing him off any more than I already have."
"Your boss?" Valerie asked.
"Clockwork." Danny nodded.
"Phantom mentioned him, too. Who is Clockwork?" Valerie asked.
"He's the Master of Time. He takes care of life, death, and making sure people don't muck up the timeline." Danny shrugged. "I guess he and Phantom don't get on, since Phantom has been causing all sorts of trouble. I just do as I'm told and make sure people don't die before their prearranged time, or make sure that they do die when they're meant to."
"Sounds like a sucky job." Valerie grimaced.
"You get used to it. After the first three dozen, you just see it as a job and try to detach yourself." Danny said, sighing.
"Was it…hard, at first?" Valerie asked as they set down in the park.
Danny nodded. "Seeing all those lives, all those people dying…it was painful. I had nightmares for the first month, but they kept saying that the nightmares would stop in time and they did. I just adapted, I guess."
Valerie nodded.
"Has it been hard on you?" Danny suddenly asked, walking over to a bench and sitting down. "Fighting Phantom all this time?"
She sighed, walking over to sit next to him. "It's been…pretty stressful, yeah."
"Sorry." He looked down. "Because of me…"
Valerie shook her head. "No, he was stressful even before he lost it."
"Gee, thanks." Danny raised an eyebrow.
"Well, it's true!" Valerie huffed. "You stressed out both me and my dad with your superhero stuff always getting his work involved!"
"Sorry." Danny looked away.
Valerie glared a bit longer, then chuckled a bit. "But…you saved our lives so many times. That time when Phantom went to fight Pariah Dark…that was when you were one, wasn't it?"
Danny nodded. "I didn't want anyone else to be hurt. Even I had trouble with the suit taking my life-force, but if it was one of you guys…" He looked down. "You would've died."
Valerie reached up and carefully put a hand on his shoulder, testing the waters, before she pulled him into her arms. "You always risked yourself…and we just shot at you in return. What kind of people were we?"
"Only human." Danny replied softly, returning the hug. "Born to make mistakes."
.
Phantom watched the pair silently as they strolled around the vacant park. Danny had his hood down, exposing his face to Valerie, and they seemed to be happily talking and even laughing. He frowned and turned invisible, following behind them.
And then that stupid scanner went off, and Valerie had her gun out, pointing it behind them. "I know you're there, ghost!"
"Maybe you shouldn't call him that. Or pull out your gun. Can't you two try to get along this week? Please? For me?" Danny pleaded, placing his gloved hand on her gun.
"You're asking too much of her, kid." Phantom said, becoming visible. "Valerie can barely tolerate me for a few days, what makes you think she'll tolerate me for a week?" He looked at him. "…And how the hell are you even here?"
Danny glanced away. "Clockwork sent me to do work here, but because I asked he's letting me take the week off and hang out. Though, only you two can see me and you can never tell anyone about seeing me."
"Pft. You say that like I have someone to tell." Phantom crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Or haven't you noticed that everyone hates my guts?"
"Maybe if you hadn't gone off the deep end—" Danny cut himself off, holding up a hand. "No. No conflict. I'm not here to argue with you."
"Then why ARE you here?" Phantom snapped. "To mess with my mind?"
"No, Phantom! I'm here to try to spend one last week with you before I go back to reaping the dead unseen for the rest of my afterlife!" Danny snapped. "Clockwork was kind enough to allow me that, because I honestly didn't LIKE not being able to talk to you, or read your letter, or do any of this!"
Phantom and Valerie were silent, as Danny glared at the ghost before him. Finally, Phantom spoke. "What did you mean…'reaping the dead'?"
"Clockwork governs life and death. When it's time for someone to die, he sends Grim Reapers to reap the dead." Danny said simply. "But I didn't come here to talk about my job." He stepped forward. "I came here because…I wanted to…" He looked on the verge of tears and then he was running forward, throwing his arms around Phantom's waist, his face buried in his broad chest.
Phantom blinked in surprise and awkwardly put his arms around the young Reaper. "…I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so mean. I bet Clockwork put you through hell to allow this and I'm being just…terrible."
Danny clung to him, nodding.
Valerie watched them silently, not sure what to do and not wanting to interrupt. The two that had before been one person were finally together again after eight years…and it was only for a week. It was bittersweet, and kind of cruel, really.
Maybe the worst part was not being able to tell anyone that she had met Danny Fenton again after eight years. Though, really, who would she tell? Who actually cared enough about him in life? Dash and Star would call her crazy. Paulina had died three years ago – maybe reaped by Danny, for all she knew. Kwan was….still receiving treatment after being overshadowed by Phantom that one time and forced to do things he normally wouldn't.
Though, of all of the four she'd just thought of, Kwan would be the only one to be excited about seeing Danny Fenton again.
Finally, the two broke apart and Danny stepped back, looking to the side awkwardly like he normally did after showing displays of affection. He even started rubbing the back of his neck. Valerie decided she would have to break the silence sometime.
"Do you guys wanna get some ice-cream? I can buy it, and bring it out to you. Say that I've got a couple friends waiting." She suggested.
"Ice-cream?" Phantom blinked. "Of all the things you could suggest, it's ice-cream?"
"Actually…yeah. Yeah, I think I will." Danny nodded. "The food in the Grim Realm, Reaper Zone, whatever you wanna call it…it's not quite the same as human food."
Phantom looked at Danny and shrugged. "Okay, then. Let's have some ice-cream."
.
"One chocolate, one vanilla, and one swirl." Valerie said to the man at the counter.
"What sizes?" He asked.
"I think just small, we don't want it all melting before we finish it and it's a pretty warm day." Valerie nodded, brushing her curls over her shoulder.
She had removed her battle-suit for the remainder of the day, though she always had it on her to change at the push of a button. After the ice-cream was done, she took it in the to-go container and headed out to join the two that were waiting outside for her.
"This is still weird." Phantom said when she joined them in the grove they'd been hiding in. "Us three…just talking like this."
"And eating ice-cream." Danny said, reaching into his sleeve and pulling off one of his black gloves, doing the same with the other. Then he rolled up his sleeves, obviously not wanting to get his clothes dirty.
"Don't you have any t-shirts?" Phantom raised an eyebrow.
"It's long-sleeved tunics or shirts like this. What can I say, Clockwork chose the fashion." Danny said as he took the swirl from the to-go tray.
"Does he also dress like this?" Valerie asked curiously.
"Clockwork is dressed kind of medieval, but not." Phantom shrugged.
"Says the one in a bodysuit and cape." Valerie remarked.
"It's just Superman-esque." Danny pointed out as he licked his ice-cream and beamed. "He was a superhero at one point. But even Superman went evil once."
"I didn't really follow superhero books, to be honest." Valerie said as she grabbed her vanilla ice-cream. "Phantom, are you eating yours?"
"Yeah, yeah." He picked up the chocolate, licking the tip off the top with his forked tongue. "This is still weird."
Valerie shrugged, then glanced at Danny. "…Your arms have scars on them. Is that from when…?" She glanced at Phantom.
"Nah, the scars are from my own stuff. I guess you never noticed 'cause you were too busy looking at my face. There's more on my chest and back. Being half-ghost Danny Phantom didn't make me invincible." Danny said as he continued to lick his ice-cream.
"Well, you did—do—have very nice eyes." Valerie said, then quickly got distracted by her ice-cream again.
"Oh, brother." Phantom mumbled before wrapping his long, forked tongue around his ice-cream and pulling it into his mouth.
Danny looked at his ice-cream, his cheeks pink, and then continued to lick it.
"Why the hell are they pink?" Phantom mumbled.
"Huh?" Danny looked at him.
"Your cheeks. Why are they pink and not green?" Phantom said, looking at him.
"Oh. Uhm…Grim Reapers are more like humans than ghosts. We don't have ectoplasm; we have something more akin to blood in our bodies." Danny explained. "It's kind of a silvery-reddish color – at least, that's what I've heard. I've never actually seen a Grim Reaper bleed."
"What can harm a Grim Reaper?" Phantom asked.
Danny shrugged. "I guess really powerful ghosts. Don't know if there any human item that can. Blood blossoms have no effect on us."
"Lucky." Phantom huffed.
"Blood what?" Valerie blinked.
"Never mind." They both said quickly. For a moment, they'd forgotten that Valerie was a ghost hunter. Telling her of a powerful weapon that could be used against ghosts that could be grown in her backyard? Not such a good idea.
"Okay." Valerie shrugged. "I'm almost done with my ice-cream, what do you want to do after this?"
"Gee, I dunno. Maybe you can buy a ticket to the movies and we can tag along invisible. Oh wait, ghost sensors. That might work for you and Danny, but I wouldn't be allowed in." Phantom said sarcastically.
"Okay, Mr. Sarcastic." Valerie rolled her eyes. "I get it. We have very limited options."
"Damn straight, we do." Phantom huffed.
"Speaking of limited options…" Danny looked at his empty cone thoughtfully. "I'm gonna need a place to stay during my trip here. I can't go home until the week is up."
"Ouch." Valerie frowned. "Well, I'd offer you to stay with me, in your old room, but my dad would notice you around. Even invisible, he'd notice you doing stuff and freak out."
Phantom sighed. "Fine. You can stay with me, Danny."
"You have a place?" Valerie blinked.
"Pft. Not any place a human would live anymore, but it works for me. Can't promise there'll be food, but I can steal that easy enough. And there's a bed." Phantom wrapped his tongue around his own cone and took it into his mouth, chewing it down and swallowing it.
"Er, that still had paper on it." Danny commented.
"So? Ghosts don't have to worry about indigestion." Phantom licked his lips. "Want me to eat yours, too?"
"No." Danny started to strip off the paper, nibbling on the cone. "So, I guess I could stay with you, yeah."
Phantom nodded. "Bed's in pretty good condition, though I hope you don't mind the temperature. The heating's broken."
"Where is this place, anyway?" Valerie asked.
"You know that area in town where ghost portals kept opening up and people just started moving out of it to escape being attacked or haunted in their own homes? The one that no one even bothers maintaining anymore, and only the desperate broke and homeless go anymore? Around that area." Phantom made a vague motion. "I'm not telling you exactly where, though, or I'll have to move."
"Do you think I'm so dishonorable I'll attack you in your bed?" Valerie raised an eyebrow, putting her free hand on her hip.
"I would." Phantom smirked.
"Then, why haven't you?" Danny asked.
Phantom and Valerie looked at him, blinking. Come to think of it…why HADN'T Phantom attacked her yet? She had expected him to at least come for the letter, but he seemed to have completely left the Fenton home alone all these eight years.
He didn't reply to that, just stood up and said, "C'mon, kid. I'll take you home. We can play with Valerie tomorrow."
"What? Already? It's only 4pm!" Danny frowned.
"And I need time to steal you some dinner, so let's go." Phantom held out a hand.
Danny sighed, licking ice-cream off his fingers and wiping saliva off on his pants. Then he pulled his gloves back on and rolled his sleeves down. "Okay, okay. Phantom is feeling uncomfortable and wants to get away from Valerie, I see how it is."
"I will swat you." Phantom raised an eyebrow. "I could also change my mind and make you sleep on a park bench."
"I'm coming!" Danny got up, then turned to Valerie and threw his arms around her. "I'll see you tomorrow, Val. Promise."
Valerie smiled and returned the hug, then ruffled his hair. "Sleep well, Danny. Try not to go insane in his company."
"I spent a whole year with him before I died." Danny smiled, shaking his head. "My sanity will remain intact."
"Let's go!" Phantom called, already walking off.
"Okay, bye!" Danny ran after him, the two of them going invisible as they jumped up and flew away from Valerie.
See, this is why you don't ask Phantom questions that make him uncomfortable. He gets all moody and takes off early.
Danny's gonna be living in Phantom's place all week, wonder how that will go?
And how long is Phantom gonna call him "kid"? ~ Zone