A/N: Hi again.
I know I said I'd hopefully have the Timekeeper chapter out in a month, but I kind of got distracted by (/procrastinated with) this story. Hopefully now that it's out we can get back to our regularly scheduled edits, which, other than being delayed by this thing, are going well. A part of me is still hoping to have the next Timekeeper out in the next few days, but, you know. School. Laziness. A dastardly duo.
This chapter is also longer than I really wanted, but... eh. You win some, you loose some. It doesn't weigh it down any, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Other than that, I don't think there's much else to say, so... back to the story?
Thanks to ZoneRobotnik, Hybridkylin, and LunagaleMaster for reviewing, and Stormy Oton, grinningshade, 14, bookieshdisneydork, vikingparadox, Willoe lament, Kida the Freak, Willow Grove Tiger, crazyonechan, If only I was Creative, KingdomsEnd, and aranymancs13 for following/adding this story to your favorites. I'd differentiate between the two, but I kinda need to run off to my Saturday class soon and need to get this out quick. So. Thank you and on with the show!
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, and have never owned Danny Phantom. If I had, not only would you have probably have never seen it from my own laziness, but it probably wouldn't have been marketed at children. Like, at all. And probably wouldn't have been animated. So, really, even if did still exist, you probably still wouldn't have seen it.
Chapter Seven
-~o~-
Phantom shrank away from Jazz, pushing himself up as close to Danny's body as possible. She ignored him, placing the towel down quickly before turning back to her chair, gathering up her notes. Phantom sent a dubious look at the towel now sitting on the edge of his bed. It meant one thing, and one thing only - they were going to go back out there again.
Phantom didn't resist as Danny put one of his arms under his knees and the other around his back, simply holding and and moving as little as possible as he was picked up with a grunt. Danny turned around with him in his arms, draping the towel over his lap, and Phantom looked up warily to see Jazz take a step back, clipboard in hand, clearing the area around the doorway and giving Danny room to maneuver. Phantom leaned his head against Danny's chest, trying to not shrink down anymore as Danny went out the door and into the lab.
He felt something stir in the air around him and flinched, his hands tightened around both the block and Danny's shirt with a shiver. He heard Danny sighing above him, jostling the ghost slightly as he shifted him around in his arms.
From the side, the large one looked up from the lab equipment, smiling. It said something, but Danny quickly turned away with barely a word, heading off in the other direction. Phantom nearly sighed in relief as they moved away from main part of the lab.
The noise and grinding of equipment fell away, and Danny stopped at the bottom of the stairs that came down into the lab. The ghost turned, tilting his head up to the doorway at the top. His insides squirmed slightly at the thought of traversing the stairs. It was always bumpy and awkward going up, and more than once he'd bumped his head against the door frame and had almost fallen back down. The block laughed, sending out a relaxing, laid back feeling towards him, along with a familiar soothing smell.
Danny growled, and Phantom looked up at his face. He looked just as displeased as Phantom felt, glaring up at the stairs. There was a voice, coming from behind them, and Phantom looked up to see Jazz closing the door behind her, clipboard mysteriously absent.
Danny said something back, irritated, barely turning his head to talk to Jazz. Danny's hands tightened around him, almost firm enough to hurt. A prickle of energy went across Phantom's skin and he blinked - the familiar call from Danny to activate - and he quickly sent an answering pulse out through his body.
There was a quick burst of light around them, making both of them jump. Phantom yelped, immediately stopping what he was doing to shrink against Danny's chest. Danny made a sound of surprise, and then there was an odd pulse of satisfaction. Phantom hesitantly looked up only to see the boy grinning wildly, blue eyes nearly glowing in gratification.
There was a surprised, hushed voice from behind them - Jazz speaking. Danny turned, flippantly and excitedly talking back. Phantom felt Danny's chest expand as he took a deep breath, his eyes sliding shut. A calm focus crossed through into Phantom's body, immediately calling him to attention. The call to activate happened again. He responded, The flash of light blinking around them, this time brighter. Phantom was the only one who jumped, loosing concentration and making it blink out.
Danny grunted, a crinkle forming in between his eyebrows. The call to activate came again, louder. Phantom cast a confused, wary look up at Danny, before closing his eyes, responding again.
He could feel it, even with his eyes closed. The cold electric power radiating out from Danny's body, calling out. Phantom answered, and he could feel the way his body responding in kind to Phantom's call, too, before it jammed and fizzled out into silence. Phantom frowned, ramping up the activation signal, making it louder.
He peeked out at the room, spotting the wobbling but solid ring of light. He could feel it, as Danny's body tried shakily to meet the volume of his signal. He felt Danny's arms clench tighter around his shoulders and under his knees, cringing as the call went blindingly loud. He turned in the boy's arm, pressing his face and skin against Danny's and closing his eyes shut tight, whining as he forced a single, powerful pulse through into his body.
Danny hissed in discomfort. There was a bright flash. Phantom's eyes opened wide, feeling energy curl around his body, before Danny pushed both of them off the ground, floating. Phantom gasped and clung tight even as Danny let out a loud whoop, shooting up into the air.
Phantom looked up at Danny, and gave a start. White hair and electric green eyes sent him into a panic. Phantom pushed himself away with a startled cry, only for the arms around him to pull him tight. A wave of surprise. Wide glowing green eyes turned down on him.
A wild, raging terror ripped through Phantom. He pushes harder, an inarticulate yell making its way up from his chest, and, unable to break the hold, he lets the thrumming feeling rush through his body. Suddenly he's falling through the arms, down to the floor. The stranger yelps above him, darting down, trying to catch him.
He hits the floor, and he's winded, head hitting the ground with a quick crack and a pain that soaks up his spine and down his back. The block squeaks in alarm in his hold, sending out waves of concern. Phantom's eyes shut in pain, and he almost misses the sound of Jazz's panicked shout, and the small clack of feet landing next to him.
He opens his eyes, and is immediately assaulted with the sight of the stranger crouching down over him hands reaching out. He gasps, pushing himself back, away from the figure.
The figure stalls, hands falling away from where they had hung in the air, a look of confusion coming to their face. Phantom ignores it, shrinking away from the stranger - still too close - and curls himself into a ball as his back hits some equipment from the lab. He shakes, body buzzing in anxiety, eyes darting over the room, trying to find Danny.
The figure takes a step back, standing up from their crouched position, still looking confused. Phantom's breath catches as he hears Danny say something, but as he looks wildly in the direction the voice came from, all he can see is the strange figure, standing there, looking at him. He finally shoves his face into his knees, breath shaking in his lungs as he whines, the block echoing him in sympathy in his hold.
There's a big, exhausted sigh from in front of him - the strange figure. Phantom hears the first step and flinches, looking up and out from the space between his legs, He can see the boots, and he couldn't stop his shaking even if he tried. He can hear Jazz talking, Danny talking, but it doesn't stop the footsteps as they step closer to him.
He can hear it, Danny speaking low, cajoling, right in front of him. But can't bare to look up as the figure crouches down in front of him, and he brings his hands up to cover his head and face, skin nearly crackling with energy with the swell of terror.
A hand comes down and grabs his. He raises up, ready to literally throw the stranger off of him - only to stop, a wail caught in his throat at the familiar thrum of energy through the touch. Phantom stilled, confused, feeling Danny's hands still holding him, almost commanding him to stop. He opens his eyes, turning to look, only to watch the same irritation from the connection reflected on the strange, alien face above him. Phantom could feel his trepidation rising as strange green eyes rolled in a familiar way, turning to look away from him.
From the side them Phantom could hear Jazz's chastising Danny, along with a loud laugh from the large one behind him, still in the lab. Phantom's arm is shaking, buzzing, frozen in place as Danny orders him to remain still from a stranger's hand. Phantom stares, perplexed, and flinches as the stranger reaches down to try and pick him up.
The strange figure turns, glaring at him, and Phantom goes still. He feels himself relax, just barely, under the familiar look, the well of irritation washing over Phantom's skin through the odd connection made around his wrist compelling him to stop.
Phantom doesn't fight, this time, as the figure reaches down below his knees and lifts him up into the air. He only trembles, makes an odd, choked noise as the figure takes off, floating in the air, trying not to shake more and closing his eyes, absorbing himself in the unbridles feeling of Danny soaking in through his skin. The block, tucked in his lap, sends out a calming lull to try and sooth his anxiety.
The stranger holding him spun in the air, angling their body as he calls back down into the lab. Phantom's breath caught, reaching out to clutch at their shirt only to scrape at the new, firmer material. He scrambled for purchase, before clutching tightly at their collar, making the boy grunt in discomfort. An irritated look and the shock of familiar skin answered him.
Phantom stared down at the his hand - the one he knew was touching Danny. He turned his head shyly to stare up into the stranger's eyes, while they're still distracted. The collar buzzed in his hand oddly like skin, and it was taking a different tune than before, but despite that it was definitely Danny. Did that mean that this...this was Danny? Phantom forced down the jittery buzz in his chest at the thought, the one almost making the air prickle. If it was Danny, he wouldn't like it if he started complaining again.
The strangers eyes turned down on him then, and Phantom couldn't help flinching. The figure's frown deepened, quickly saying something to him, head tilted to the side. Phantom had no idea what he wanted, and simply did his best to do nothing, fighting to stay still and averting his eyes. After a silent moment, they sighed, shaking their head, turning about to face the stairs.
There was a great jerk, and suddenly they where floating up to the door. Phantom flailed as the room flew past them, finally giving in and clutching their collar tighter and squeezing the block hard as he closed his eyes.
Air rushed by them. They slowed slightly. Something wooshed near his head, starting him enough to open his eyes. He saw the bathroom, laid out around them. Phantom looked back, taking in the doorway they just went through as they landed.
He heard Danny say something, and he turned his head and flinched as he stared up at the white haired figure, too confused to be properly afraid anymore. The block made a consoling noise in his lap, warmish tingles going up his fingers where he still held it.
The figure cast a look at the tub, and so did Phantom. It didn't have any of the water in it Phantom was used to, and Phantom frowned in confusion. Were they not going to do that today? The figure sighed, making Phantom glance up. They were frowning again. There was another sigh, and the figure turned to rest him down on the edge of the counter, before backing away and taking a look over the tub. Phantom blinked, staring down at the hard surface he was now sitting on. He hesitantly reached out, touching its cold blue surface.
To be honest, Phantom didn't like leaving the room, especially to go upstairs. He brushed his fingers over the countertop, trying not to cringe at the feeling. It felt empty and lifeless up here, lacking the back and forth that was a constant down in the basement. Everything down there was lively, getting into fragmented but ever-present interactions with each other, squabbling and fighting and merging together only to break apart.
Up here, things were... vacant. Empty. The feelings were still there, still floating, salient in the air itself, but there they stayed. They did not interact. They did not change. If he reached out to them they did nothing. They sat there, layer after layer after layer, the gunk of the world congealing in on itself, like layers of paint and primer revealed to a scraping blade.
He could feel them, distantly. Visions dancing through the back of his head - Danny, Jazz, The big one and curvy one, others - all coming into the room at various times and circumstances, turning on faucets and opening cabinets, their own bodies occupying the same spaces. He got an odd sense of... anxiety, from it. Not from the counter he realized, no - other than the soft calm blue color under his hand, the feeling in the air was all his. He tilted his head to the side, confused. He took a moment to soak it in, the feelings in the room. All the things here where so... so empty, so flat that he felt... exposed, here. Phantom moved his hand away from the counter to clutch at the block tighter, his body nearly buzzing just thinking about it. No, he really didn't like it here.
There was an odd metallic squeak, and Phantom turned his head only to jump as the room was filled with a thunderous crashing noise. Danny was leaning over the tub, looking relaxed. Phantom swallowed, body buzzing in discomfort, and clutched at his block a bit tighter.
Danny took a step back, watching the tub still, and as Phantom glanced over it he realized water was sloshing back and forth inside. He brought his knees up, scooting back on the counter so he could hold them to his chest. His back pressed up against something cold, and something moved out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to look.
Only to realize someone was right behind him.
His yelp echoed in the small room, and there was a loud thump as he pushed himself onto the floor, a clatter as the block fell with an alarmed squeak. Phantom slammed into the figure's legs, and suddenly there was another yelp as the figure tipped over the side of the tub and crashed inside of it, water splashing against Phantom's face as he pushed himself up against the tub, a desperate whine ringing out as he sent a panicked look back up beyond the edge of the counter to where the other person was.
There was a groan and Phantom sent a harried look behind him, only to see the figure holding its head as it floated out of the water. It turned to look at him, still holding its head, and sent him a too- familiar glare. Phantom quailed under it, before sending darting glances back to the counter. He shrunk against the tub again, realizing he could now see the top of its head over the edge.
He heard Danny groan in aggravation behind him. "emNow/em what?"
Phantom whined, staring up at the figure over the counter. He could hear Danny's scoff behind him, the white-haired figure floating out from over the tub and landing in front of him. Phantom just about shrieked as the stranger stepped forward too, reaching out desperately and clutching at the figure - Danny's - legs, turning and shoving his face into them, even as he got soaked through with water.
Danny grunted in surprise above him, almost loosing his balance before catching himself. There was a quiet complaint, something sharp hissed under Danny's breath, before a hand reached down and rested on Phantom's shoulder, pushing him back.
Phantom looked up, meeting an angry face, and looked at him with wide, imploring eyes. Danny rolled his eyes, gently shoving the ghost away from his legs. He was muttering something to himself, glancing up and over the counter with a look of chagrin Phantom could feel through his hands, still wrapped around Danny's legs.
Danny finally shook his head, turning to frown at Phantom, before carefully crouching down. Phantom was forced to pull his arms away from his legs with the motion, and sent a fleeting, longing glance out the door, back in the direction of the lab.
He started when a hand came down on his shoulder, but immediately relaxed at the familiar spark of electricity. He looked over at the figure - no, Danny - and felt himself relax slightly under the focused look in his eyes, the sense of resolution filling his touch. Danny reached forward, wrapping his arms under his legs and around his shoulders again, lifting him up.
Phantom gaped at him openly, before catching himself. His eyes darted over wildly, catching the gaze of two strangers across from them. Phantom cried out, rearing back in Danny's arms, almost making the boy drop him in his wild attempt to escape. There was a low, sharp gasp under Danny's breath, a shot of panic as Phantom slipped down in his hold before his arms tightened around him almost painfully.
Phantom ignored it, squirming wildly in his panic. He called up his energy, letting it shoot out in a buzz before being followed in a rush of tingles, but he was barely out of Danny's arms before a pair of intangible hands wrapped around his translucent body tight. He felt a wave of anger coming off of Danny, and cast a fearful look at his face. His eyebrows where drawn together, his eyes narrowed. Phantom forced himself to still, suddenly conscious again of Danny's insistence he stay still. Phantom shivered, turning to press himself into the body holding his, closing his eyes tight, still feeling the familiar thrum of anger.
If anything, the action just made Danny more irritated. For a desperate, panicked moment Phantom was worried he'd even leave, and he'd be left here with the strangers, without even Jazz to help. Phantom shuddered, squeezing Danny tighter and closing his eyes shut tight to ward off even the possibility. He felt a reassuring croon somewhere across the room, and Phantom really wished he hadn't dropped his block.
And then Danny shifted around, leaning Phantom's shoulder into a wall, and grabbed his head to force his face up. Phantom blinked his eyes in shock, gasping in surprise, and was staring across into the stranger's eyes. And he suddenly stopped moving.
The strangers - they both looked exactly like Danny now did. Bright white hair, sharp green eyes, skin glowing an otherworldly shade darker than Phantom was used to. He blinked at the mirror, slowly tilting his head to the side. one of the figures mimicking him. Or maybe... not so unfamiliar.
Phantom hesitated a moment, before looking down at his hand, raising it up appraisingly. Now that he thought about it, Danny's skin when he looked like this looked... kinda like his. He sent a shy look over to the strangers, only to see the same one copying him, hand hanging motionlessly in the air. Phantom let his hand fall back into his lap, and the other did the same.
Danny then let go of his head, shifting his arm down around his shoulders again, but Phantom didn't dare look away, body stiff. Danny had already been upset enough - anything else, and he might really leave him here. Although, now that he thought about it, maybe...
Phantom blinked, and the other blinked as well. He raised his hand again, watching as it did the same. He reached out his hand watching the motion following his exactly. He felt perplexed at the odd turn of events.
Phantom sent a curious look to the other figure, the one in black. It was watching him. Phantom hesitated, trying not to hide his head for fear of making Danny angry - he didn't know how to deal with that same stern expression from Danny coming from anyone else. He noticed distantly that his counterpart did the same to Danny.
Then, suddenly, Danny sighed, shoulders slumping slightly, before taking a step forward, the stranger copying him and stepping closer. Phantom's breath ceased in his chest, body buzzing in alarm, and the figure stopped. Danny turned his head, looking away from the strangers to give him a look over. For a moment, they where still - even Phantom didn't know what he was thinking - and suddenly with another step his feet where bumping into the counter and he was barely a few feet from them. Phantom leaned away despite his curiosity, as the two figures drew closer.
Danny rolled his eyes, lifting him up and turning to sit him down on the counter. Phantom grunted, shoulders hunched, leaning into the boy, wide eyes still watching the two, less than three feet away.
Danny reached out, pressing his hand against the glass, the other figure in place copying him perfectly. Phantom turned, blinking confusedly, before hesitantly turning to look at Danny, the other two still in the corner of his eyes.
Danny said something, voice calm and neutral, before reaching down to grab his hand, lifting it up. Phantom cried out as he lifted his hand towards the other's, which reached out to meet them. He pulled against Danny's hold, his struggle bringing the forward movement to a standstill, but Danny didn't let go. Phantom felt irritation well up, while the other in the mirror in black shot him a look of - of anger and pity - with the hand of the second mirror-clone held just as hard. Phantom cast a hesitant look at the other copy, only to see wide frightened eyes staring back. Phantom lowered his gaze down to the counter, unable to look anymore, beginning to shake.
The irritation fizzled out, replaced by... he didn't even know what. It filled his chest like too much air, almost burning inside of him. And then Danny's other arm wrapped around his middle, catching him by surprise. He glanced down at it as Danny leaned both of them forward, Phantom only realizing the implication when the movement made his hair brush over his ears, and began squirming wildly, whining loudly as his eyes darted up - their hands barely an inch apart. And released a loud cry as they came together-
- only to feel smooth, hard wall.
Phantom stopped, struck speechless for a moment, looking at the hand mirroring his, looking as though it was trapped barely a breath away from his own, skin pressing against the thin barrier. He stared, wide eyed, at his fingers, as the tips of his fingers pressed up against the surface, fingernail clicking against the glass. He could see his hand shaking. He turned away, looking into the wide, surprised eyes across from him, and blinked, the one in black smirking at him from above, something like satisfaction welling up against his skin where Danny still held him.
And then, suddenly, Danny let go, and pulled away. Phantom was left there, hand reaching out, touching what might as well have been nothing.
Phantom shivered, hand darting away, back to his chest. He held it clutched in his other hand, staring at the wide eyes of the figure across from him, and the one behind him who was still looking at him with some sort of smile.
He shook his head, glancing at the smiling figure before embarrassedly turning away. He shakily rose up onto his knees, hands still planted in front of him to keep his balance. He looked down, ignoring his shaky arms as he looked up.
He felt... he didn't know what he felt. He was frozen there, staring at a face that was... his own? His eyes darted over it, taking it in. The slight frown, the hesitant look in their - his - eye, the white hair, the glowing skin... It was him, wasn't it?
He lifted a hand out to the figure, leaving it hanging in the air as the figure just stared back at him, arm held out the same as his. After a moment the figure's expression shifted into a deeper frown. Phantom felt the same frown overcoming his own face.
Resolving himself, he reached out. He hesitated, slightly, when the figure's hand reached out back for his, but finally gave in and pressed his hand down flat against the others. The surface was cold, and smooth, and Phantom stared blankly at the figure he couldn't even feel on the other side of the smooth surface, feeling oddly lost at feeling nothing there but hard glass.
Something in him - some foolish, silly part - called out anyways. Asked, turning hesitantly to stare into green eyes, head tilted in question, if anyone was there. Reached out into the silent, still thoughts that lingered in this room, wondering, searching. Could someone hear him?
There was no response. He might as well have not even felt the glass, because there was nothing there. After a moment, his hand fell, and he turned away. Even as Danny's hand came down for a moment and filled him with proud thoughts, he couldn't help feeling... disappointed.
