A/N: Welcome to Kat's—er, ELPHIE's—angry rantings of school! Last time, I believe I told you about the teacher who was my brother's ex-girlfriend? Well, if not, now ya know. Next up, the teacher who knew both that brother and another brother, and declared in front of the WHOLE CLASS "by the way, there's that teacher across the hall who's his ex!" ; My life is NEVER simple, is it?
Anyways, now that I'm done ranting (and the two Fruits Basket volumes I got from the library have been read TT.TT), heeeeeeeere's…….
YOUR NEW CHAPPY!
And also, some art. Found here:
deviantart(dot)com(slash)deviation(slash)38257218(slash)
And deviantart(dot)com(slash)deviation(slash)38174426(slash)
P.S. –to those who've asked, you finally see what happened to his eyyyee….
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Chapter Seven: Explaining
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Sam was the first to start pulling Danny inside. He had fainted from exhaustion after his outburst, and Sam couldn't carry him herself. Jazz and Tucker joined, getting him inside quickly. They laid him out on the couch, then sat nearby on the floor.
"We—we wanted to know what was up, right?" Jazz asked uncertainly.
"We wanted to know, when we thought it would be something normal!" Tuck screamed. "Why does Sam always pick the weird ones, anyway?"
"Hey, you two agre—what do you mean I picked him?" Sam asked, enraged.
"I mean, you're the one who sat down next to him on the bus. He probably wouldn't have bothered with us if—"
"If what? If I hadn't been kind? If I hadn't been polite? If I had shunned him like everyone else?"
"If you hadn't fallen in love with some weird new kid!"
"I—you—he—what?"
"You heard me. You love him. Not just 'like', Sam, love!"
"He's right, Sam," Jazz said quietly, "you love him, and he loves you."
"No, he doesn't…."
"Yes, he does. You're the only one he opened up to. Even his mom noticed, I could tell."
"From what?"
"The way she looked from him to you with hope in her eyes. Sam, that's obviously an emotion she hasn't felt in years, just like Danny."
"You can't possibly think that I—but he—Danny doesn't like me like that!"
"Yes, he does!"
"No, now can we get back to our original problem? What's-up-with-Danny?"
"Facts: he hates his step-dad."
"He hates snow," Tucker said.
"He's afraid of some kind of punishment," Sam continued, staring intently at the unconscious boy, but not really seeing him. Her thoughts flitted around, most denying her feelings for him.
"His dad died on his birthday to be replaced two months later." Jazz sighed. Stuff like this wasn't supposed to happen. At least, not something this… well planned….
"They moved right after."
"They move a lot," Tuck replied, still in shock at the fact.
"Danny hated Wisconsin because of a 'bad snow experience'."
"Danny's shirts are stained with dried blood."
"He's obviously beaten up between the time school lets out and is opened again.
Sam practically hissed out, "He's Vlad Masters' step-son."
"—He just woke up," Tucker said, backing from Danny slightly. "Dude, you okay?"
"Wh—What happened?" Danny asked, standing and wobbling dizzily before Sam forced him back down.
"We pushed you into snow," she replied quietly.
Danny's eyes widened, and he barely managed, "You… did what?"
"Why'd you yell about a 'punishment'?"
"…V—Vlad… ghost… I…."
"Why do you hate snow?"
"Vlad," he whispered. "My step-father is—"
"Evil?" Tucker asked.
"Strict?" Jazz said.
"…Abusive?" Sam whispered, looking up into his discolored eyes.
"And half-ghost. And so am I." And he transformed. In a flash of white that chilled all four to the bone, Danny's hair turned white with pale green tips, his skin pure white, his eyes two shades of green, and his outfit a light blue sleeveless shirt with dark blue sleeves ripped off at the shoulder, light grey pants, and white combat boots. Danny looked at the shocked faces of the others shamefully, wanting to leave in fear they would hate him as Vlad did.
"…How?" was all Sam could manage.
"In Wisconsin…. Vlad was upset that I had done something wrong, but I did what he told me to. His punishment for me was locking me out in the freezing snow. He'd done something to me before then that turned some of the snow I touched ectoplasmic. As I was out there, the snow was absorbed into me, and the ectoplasm fused with my DNA. I literally froze half to death…."
"Danny, why didn't you tell us before?"
"No one believes me…. No one ever believes me…."
"We believe you, Danny, but why would Vlad—?"
"Because he hates me. 'Cause I'm a half-ghost freak like him. 'Cause he's not as 'special' anymore. 'Cause I was supposed to be in the car with Dad…."
"What?"
"I was supposed to die then, too. Not just Dad. It was a last-minute change. I had gotten sick just before Dad left, so Mom had me stay. That's why Dad got me such a nice present. He was sorry I couldn't go. Vlad says Mom blames me…."
"It's not your fault, Danny."
"If I had been in the car, Mom would've come, too. She stayed home 'cause I did."
"So, technically, you saved her life."
"She'd rather have died than know Dad did alone. She married Vlad for the simple reason that he was an old 'friend'. She didn't realize…."
"What?"
"Vlad was hoping Dad would die. He didn't know Mom would've been in the car. Dad and I were supposed to die so he would have a son of his own. Mom doesn't see a need to since I'm almost an adult. That's why—"
"—Vlad wanted to kill you when you were young. He failed both times, Danny. Someone out there obviously wants you to live."
"…Clockwork…."
"Huh?"
"He saved me the… second time. The snow thing was the third."
"What?"
"You asked about my eye. Vlad tried to kill me with an ectoplasmic beam. Clockwork interfered. It nearly burned my whole right eye. As I turned out, he blinded me. Mom rushed me to the hospital, but they could hardly do anything. There was a big surgery. I can barely see out of it. It carried over into my ghost-mode. The ectoplasm from that blast is what changed the snow."
"When? When did that happen?"
"December. I was seven."
"…You have great luck with presents…."
"And winter," Tuck said.
Danny sighed. "If you guys hate me, I'll just—"
"You have to tell your mom," Jazz said.
Danny froze. "What?"
"Tell your mom the truth about Vlad, about the snow, about the abuse."
"I—I can't…."
"Why?"
"She'll believe Vlad. As it is, he'll kill you three when he finds out."
"If he finds out."
"When," Danny spat defiantly, pulling in his legs to hug them against his chest. "He'll find out. He always finds out…."
"Trust us, he won't. Think, Danny, with our help, you'll beat him."
"He'll be gone, Danny," Sam said, "for good."
"I can't beat him. I'll mess up too bad."
"Just—start with telling your mom, okay, Danny?"
"If I tell her, Vlad'll kill me, or try to again."
"You have to!"
"No, I DON'T!" With that said, he flew straight up and through the ceiling.
Tuck sighed, then stood. "C'mon, guys—girls."
"We are not leaving, Tuck."
"Who said anything about leaving?" he smirked. "Trapdoors rarely have locks."
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It wouldn't work, Danny told himself again. You may have gotten stronger, but not that strong! He'll kill them because of you!
But I didn't tell them, another side argued. They found out themselves!
He'll still kill them! Think of it, your only friends dead 'cause you couldn't keep your mouth shut!
More like, couldn't keep theirs shut…. They're strong. Especially Sam.
Dude, you have fallen hard.
…Shut up.
I'm not complaining! She's nice….
Yeah, if I ever escape Vlad, maybe we'll stop for dinner at the local 'I'm on the run from a famous-yet deadly-billionaire' diner. No, thanks.
... What happened to 'Glass-Half-Full Man'?
He's on vacation.
Danny sighed as his thoughts were interrupted by a knock. He changed back to human-mode, then yelled down, "What?"
"Let us in, Danny," Sam's voice called out. "Please?"
Ooh, they're good. Send the nice girl to do all the dirty work. …Ack, bad thoughts!
"Fine." He lowered the ladder and watched as they climbed up. "What?"
"We're sorry."
Danny blinked, surprised. "What?"
"We've been a bit… pushy. We accept you, Danny; we really do."
"Okay, so what else?" There's gotta be a catch….
"Just tell your mom, okay?"
"Tell his mother what?" a new voice asked.
Danny jerked up, paling. "Vlad! Uh… nothing, just that we were going to hang out later."
Vlad looked at Danny warily, sizing him up. "Alright, but you be home on time, hear me?"
"Yes'm," Danny murmured as Vlad left. He sighed in relief.
"That's Vlad?" Sam asked.
"Yeah…."
"You've got to tell your mom!"
"Tell me what?" Maddie asked, coming up the ladder.
This day just gets better and better….
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A/N: Alright, I guess y'all can guess what comes next time, so BYES!
CONTEST: Anyone who can think of titles for a sequel and win gets a sneak peek to said sequel! Clues: Summary talks of notes, death threats, and new boyfriends. ;P
