Hey! I want to start with a massive apology to all my readers. Last chapter was admittedly disgusting, rushed with very little thought put into it. I've been really depressed and up to my neck with work, one of our horses has just had a foal etcetra crappy excuses I know. What I am going to do is go back and edit all my chapters and correct any mistakes and make them longer; so any readers who read back or new readers of this story will not see the sorry excuse for what it is. I am very sorry, I cannot promise faster updating but I will make longer and better chapters. Thank you for your support and:
PLEASE comment on any visible mistakes, anything you would have preferred in the chapters and on anything that could improve a chapter. Be specific and help me out by also saying which chapters need/have mistakes to be taken out and other stuff put in.
Well… tenth chapter, we have many more to go. Before I begin; I wanted to ask this: Would you prefer a longer version of this story or for it to just end? I'm not sure whether this is just getting on my lovely, loyal readers nerves hehe…
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or any of its original characters.
Chapter 10
'His blood and sweat trickled from his chin as he wondered solemnly why he had partaken in such an endeavour,'
-Untitled by RF
~Rain fell before the storm~
Danny's icy gaze was frozen on Foresight who seemed to stare with an emotionless gaze back at him. However, the fifteen-year-old could see that there was an un-fitting emotion stirring behind those luminous, crimson eyes.
The sight was unnerving and the fact that Foresight seemed to be a little nervous worried the boy even more so.
So he'd been tricked and he'd mentally slapped himself at how naive and shallow he had been. He had left himself vulnerable and exposed like a fish out of water. There was a sick fondness this spirit had for him and he had only just realised.
"Tell me what I don't know about him? He saved me from something terrible," Danny repeated impertinently, "What are you planning?"
Foresight shot a dark glare his way, hurt could be recognised through the breaking expression of his pale skeletal face.
Foresight knew very well what Danny was talking about, 'something horrible' and it disgusted him to hear such blasphemous words.
"You child, are hopeless, there is a reason for why Clockwork interfered and surely you should have thought about it before now."
"He wanted to help me," Danny said after a moment, defending his mentor.
"What a beautiful sentiment for such a naïve, little runt," Foresight shot, "he was merely clearing up his own mess."
Danny's fist balled and he stepped away from the spectre in front of him.
Foresight watched the boy warily before carrying on, "Child, have you ever thought of a ghost that could possibly travel in time, despite Clockwork?"
"I… well… Wulf," Danny stuttered.
Foresight laughed shrilly, "That beast is a dimension traveler, unique, but no time surfer."
He came closer to Danny gripping the boy's gloved, peal white hand with his dull, long skeletal one before dragging him roughly to the hall door.
"Wait! Stop," Danny yelped "-What are you doing!?"
The half-ghost attempted to faze from the other's grip before finding that Foresight responded by also condescendingly fazing and making it impossible for him to escape.
"Be patient, I wish for you to see something," Foresight's tone came coolly as he foresaw the boy contemplating offence.
Danny cooled a little, curious and fearful for what he might find or worse, whether it'd be something he would never like.
"Where are you taking me?" Danny asked with defiance, though unsurely trailing his tone.
"To the cellar," Foresight told him simply, "I shall show you why I wanted you to stay clear of it."
He carried on and took the boy down the hall, though a door and down, grey brick-clad winding stars. Danny stumbled down, dragged by Foresight who used his wispy tail to fly down quick and smoothly.
The stairway was darkly lit, candles lighting as Foresight passed them. The bricks were damp and a thick layer of mould accompanied their surface area, there were dusty cobwebs here and there too.
The stairs were uneven, rugged and cracked with little light reaching their surface; his made it hard to see where he was going.
His arm was aching and he was sure, Foresight's tight grip had cut off the circulation in his arm. His heart throbbed behind the activated core and he began to tremble for the coldness began to affect him, even though he was an ice-cored ghost. He was not sure how Foresight coped and if they were in a brighter situation he would have asked but the spirit answered in foresight of his question:
"The cold does not bother such a high powered spirit like myself, my core heats the layers of my skin without me having to even think about it."
Danny frowned at the self promotion and caught his breathe as Foresight dropped his arm and began fumbling over a set of keys that had just appeared in front of him. Catching the desired hey, he twisted it and held the door open for Danny.
The boy walked in, breathe ragged as he smelt the musty, dusty room.
It was large with a various amount of shelves stacked high and tight with books. Cluttered piles of different objects littered the area's tables, floors and chairs like a med-evil abandoned library.
He took a long look around before catching Foresight light the place up.
"Obviously this is where everything I count necessary is stored."
Danny came closer, allowing his hand to slip over the different objects.
Foresight paused to watch him closely, his wispy tail tickling the ragged sheets of something covered up by a stool.
Danny floated by: taking in the various equipment, he saw what appeared to be a saddle; some old reins, a few bolts and what would appear to be weapon. It was like an old working shack only with contrasting occupants.
His questioning eyes passed over to Foresight who frowned deeply, he wondered over looking suspiciously over the covered stool.
The half-ghost held the loose cloth in his hand and his gaze traveled to Foresight to seek approval to remove and reveal the concealed thing beneath it.
Foresight's eyes narrowed and he looked away from the boy, like he was resigned into doing something so conqueringly saddening to him. If it were anyone else, Danny may have comforted them but he had yet to pass judgement.
He unveiled the sheets to reveal a frighteningly familiar pair of gauntlets.
It took a moment to register before Danny yelped and shot backwards into the wall behind, his core pulsed with hot ectoplasm energy and the boy's luminous eyes were neon green with panic and grief.
"Whe-where…did you get those!?" He stammered.
Foresight passed him a long tortured glance before Danny sort of roared launching an angry ectoblast at the spirit.
Foresight conceded and allowed the blast to hit him, forcing him down with a subsequent grunt.
Danny looked horrified at his hands and then back up to the being, refraining from going over to aid him yet stuttering incoherent apologies.
Foresight raised a hand and heaved himself from the wreckage.
"I… I concede that I deserve that," He panted in a ragged tone, "I have an explanation, the truth you must know."
Danny's shoulders slacked as the green glow of his hand subsided. He eyes the gauntlets that had ripped his ghost self and human self apart and further created his evil self. Foresight covered them up like a parent does their child and Danny hated him for it.
The spirit avoided the teen's accusing eyes and passed him to the stairs as he uttered simply: "let us come away from this forsaken place."
Danny frowned at the grief echoed in the spectre's tone and followed him in torn silence back up the stairs.
Foresight allowed him to follow and seemed to concentrate on the thin air in front of him as he made his way up and into the dining hall before pausing and turning back to Danny.
"I have some explaining," Foresight stated emotionlessly.
Danny chuckled coldly, "yes…yes, you do."
Ignoring the rudeness Foresight shrugged and asked coolly, "do you remember my question?"
Danny looked curious before he replied, "what ghost I know that has the power to go back in time?"
"Indeed. Excluding Clockwork, do you have an answer?"
"I do," Danny replied crookedly, "My evil self."
"Good, I'm glad you noticed. When did you find out?"
"Well," Danny shrugged, "I only just realised but it was back when he phased the time medallion into my chest, he became me and then opened a portal to the past, I never really thought about it."
"You did think about it though," Foresight frowned, "You thought about it a lot, though you'd never said or expressed your concerns. Why? Because you were suspicious of the fact he had such a power."
"I don't understand."
"If you said anything out loud, out of term… you were afraid the great Clockwork would hear. Admit it child."
Danny was silent in ignominy as the hall turned deathly silent. Foresight crossed his arms behind his back impatiently. Danny looked at his shoes in shameful interest, suddenly ounce more important then the situation around him.
He felt his body tense as Foresight came near, "do not worry boy, Clockwork had no doing in Dan's time travel for it was simply me."
Danny's head snapped up as he looked in horror at the apparition in front of him, "w-what?"
"I took pity in the poor fellow who was lost, driven by unravelled rage and terror. His structure was cursed and over powered. I took him in.
I had no one so I could empathize with his situation; he was like a son to me though I grew to understand him more. I and my brother's link were placed in the fact that we both shared unique powers. At the time I was unsure of what to do so I helped this figure soon to be your future self."
"No," Danny squeaked.
"I did it because he needed someone," Foresight defended darkly "-he became dear to me, I taught him everything: teleportation, ecto-energy waves and strikes and the_"
"-Ghostly wail," Danny finished for him.
Foresight nodded.
Danny's icy gaze scolded Foresight whom looked the other way before he told the boy calmly, "the one thing I never taught him was Skjor."
"Why," Danny spat, "did you think he was not deadly enough?"
"I believed the dragon would over-whelm him as Skjor is based on those with_"
"An evil heart?"
"A twisted path and changeling heart," Foresight told him sternly.
"But… He killed my past human self and nearly destroyed Vlad!" Danny argued.
"I acknowledge this, I never knew at the time, I only have the power to see what could have been, and its hard to use when looking into the past events, let alone the future."
The spirit paused for a moment before adding bitterly, "I am no Clockwork."
Danny flinched at the hate in his tone.
"I saw him with these gauntlets and he tried to attack me, obviously I won and I took him in after listening to his story. He was in pain."
Danny's eyes widened, "He was unloved, unwanted referred to as 'these human emotions', and oh he hated you for it."
"I helped him and apart from being devious he was all but an ominous character, I saw no harm in him especially as this realm of which I live is timeless and it takes a hard attempt and a good know how to enter and exit. It was peaceful until Clockwork came back."
Foresight opened his palm, just for a glass of luminous liquid to suddenly appear balanced on it.
He took a sip before continuing morbidly.
"Dan had grown exceptionally well, he never took to me as something close, he was never truly trusting but he found that in me he could learn what ever he wanted in good confidence, he was an extraordinary male. He had obviously caused a disturbance somewhere in the timeline and the observant council had ordered Clockwork to destroy him as the disturbance would cause chaos for everyone if he continued, this was why after a while Clockwork came to tear us apart.
I was frightened so I tricked Clockwork before giving the ghost my ability of time manipulation however as I am not a time ghost, it is painful and exhausting to use; I could only travel ounce every now and then and only in distressing situations. Dan was terrified I told him how to return should he need me and he escaped."
"How can you trick Clockwork?" Danny asked suddenly in disbelief.
"Clockwork has no vision on me or anything I do or anyone I come in contact with, like him I am also a timeless artefact," He smiled coincidently at himself before finishing the closing sentence with such animosity it would make one's toes curl, "We share many things, though he was always much so more stronger and more useful than me, my perfect brother."
Danny froze, mouth gaping, "what?"
*~o~*
Sam leaned against the surfaces watching as the spectre speeder cruised along the confines of the Ghost-zone. She looked around unsurely as Tucker pointed at the map Vlad had printed out which was consequently stolen from Danny's laptop database. Vlad was going on about the fact that the portal to the time-master's realm would be somewhere here and not where Danny had marked it which was over there.
Tucker explained that they had actually never been to the realm but Danny had told them about it. Jazz fretted about the ghosts that either sent curious or annoyed looks toward the spectre speeder or took part in socializing like people at a market.
"Their like normal people," She commented curiously, Sam cocked her head and shrugged before saying:
"They are people but just… dead?"
Jazz chuckled, "good observation."
"Thanks," Sam replied dryly.
"Oh confound it!" Vlad hissed, "We are no closer then we were when we first entered this place. Daniel's map is no more helpful then Jack's boomerang."
"But Danny seemed to know how to read it," Tucker said, lifting it up and grumbling, "I don't get it!"
"Oh of course," Vlad rolled his eyes, "this is the same as a child having the ability to read their own handwriting but no one else can read it."
"That's exactly how it is," Tucker laughed though sobered up after seeing Sam and Jazz glare in a procrastinating manner at him.
"Why don't we just ask some ghost?" Jazz asked brightly.
"Oh yes," Vlad smacked his hand over his face dully, "but of course, let's ask them about something most believe to be a simple myth. We are talking about masters of fate and time not just some dead guy with a clock."
Jazz pouted and looked away.
Sam folded her arms and opened her mouth to talk before an alarm went off.
Vlad looked up curiously at the blinking lights while Tucker began to heavy-handedly twist the wheel around causing the rest of the ship's occupants to tumble over.
"What in the world of_"
Vlad shouted before falling over Jazz. Sam untangled herself from the mess and looked angrily at Tucker, before hearing the ghostly roar of some unknown, spectral beast.
Vlad rolled his eyes and became his ghostly counterpart, briefly hearing Tucker shout something about "-losing power."
He fazed through the metal and looked with bored red eyes at the gigantic tape-worm-look-alike of a ghost.
It paid him little attention as it continued its pursuit on the speeder. Vlad shot fuchsia ecto-blasts to grip its attention however his effort, to his surprise, were all in vain. He attempted again to no result and the beast never paid him any mind.
Vlad, now highly aggravated, shot stronger blasts. The worm shook its fat body before swinging its head around to clash hard with him unexpectedly. Plasmius fell under it and blasted it a multiple more of times before it turned to him again. Its mouth gaped and many little, jagged teeth were visible, it sucked the air and before Vlad realised it he felt weak.
A thin, pink hue escaped his outline and was retrieved by the monster.
Vlad trembled in the air before shaking himself down and drawing electricity to crackle at his black-gloved fingertips.
He flashed the electric whip out in anger, swatting it against the ghost's thick hide. The worm writhed in agony before snapping out, sapping more energy from the billionaire.
The speeder was turning back around in the distance as Plasmius felt his energy be soaked up once more.
The three teens grew worried of his slow performance and had turned back to his aid, vainly blasting the spectre with the speeder's turrets.
It took Vlad a moment before he realised the worm was an energy eater.
He blasted its large head and flew under before phasing into the Speeder and back into his human persona.
Jazz helped him stand as he explained to Tucker that the beast absorbs energy by concentrating it, though powerful attacks were too much.
Tucker read out the current energy levels of the Speeder.
They paused to find them too low to go on the offence. Tucker looked to the rest for answers, when none answered Vlad called them to turn back.
After a hesitant heart-wrenching moment, the angry roars of the recovering worm helped them terminate their hesitation.
Tucker rough-handed the steering wheel as he turned the spectre-speeder back; giving up the pointless journey as a bad job, finally speeding swiftly home.
Disappointment etched each face, Jazz sobbed quietly and Sam comforted her with encouraging 'he'll be back,' statements, "because you know what he's like… shows up at the last second."
Vlad was silent; he looked at his watch scathingly before settling down onto a seat and fretted about Daniel.
What could the boy have gotten into?
If it was not his complete fault the brat had gotten injured in the first place then he would not feel so bad.
What was worse was that dear Maddie had been placed in the crossfire and was simply distraught; and Vladimir Masters simply could not allow his dear sweetheart to be in such ache and pain.
He will find Daniel and he would not care at which lengths he would cross to do so and when he did… he would give the boy truly what for.
He felt the Spectre shudder as it came back through the portal door.
Vlad glowered at his hands before exiting the speeder with the three teenagers.
Tucker stretched, rubbing his backside to relieve it of its current numbness.
Sam sighed and muttered, "Well, that was pointless."
"Sorry, it wasn't what you wanted;" Tucker growled in irritation, "not like everything we do goes to plan anyway."
"I didn't mean it in that way, Mr. Snappy Pants," The gothic girl countered.
"Oh, whatever… I don't see what benefit you was for going anyway."
"That's not fair Tucker," Sam frowned, "I helped with the Speeder Turrets".
"Face it Sam you only want to snog Danny's face off, and when you're bored you'll throw him away. I'm his best friend, he doesn't need anyone else!"
Sam flinched and fell back in to Vlad who raised an eye-brow at the outburst. "Now-now children, don't fight over such a simplistic thing!"
Jazz seemed to agree before a very hostile looking Madeline and Jack burst through the doorway.
Jack pointed his weapon at them eagerly though Maddie seemed hesitant before both relaxed to see the kids and…
"Vladdy!" Jack boomed running down the stairs and hugging the man in a bone crushing fashion.
Vlad choked for air before falling straight and brushing him-self off.
Maddie asked suspiciously, "What brings you here?"
"Oh," Jazz lifted a finger, thinking of an excuse before Vlad cut in.
"Madeline my dear, I came around to see how the search was doing, the children then welcomed me into your abode."
"_down in the lab?" She chastised, hands falling crossly onto her hips.
"I was showing Vlad some of your really cool stuff," Jazz aided him swiftly, Vlad nodded vigorously.
"Quite so, as Jasmine say these items do appear quite… what in the name is this?"
He asked picking up a vile of… well… it was hard to tell.
"Oh, just a bit of stuff I managed to squeeze from a spook," Jack said happily, "I'm not sure what it does but… I guess you could stick around to find out with me if you want?"
"No,no!" Vlad said quickly, "I have much better things to do and I should hope you do to."
"Yes Jack, Vlad has a point. You do have things to do have things to do," Maddie debased, before adding cruelly, "that with your son being missing."
Jack consequently saddened at the reminder; he turned and left up the stairs.
Maddie began to tear up and glared at the back of her husband's retreating form.
*~o~*
Dash glared at the wall sulkily behind Mr. Lancer's desk. The fact that somebody had told Mr. Lancer about the little joke he and his supposed friends were going to play a joke on Fenton sucked but the fact that it was actually someone he considered close to him 'blowed'.
He knew Paullina was upset with him because she had the audacity to tell him to shut up.
He then knew she was highly pissed that he decided to tell everyone that she was angry because she was 'on her blob'.
For some unanswered reason she suddenly started to stick up for the absent Danny Fenton.
Dash made a guess that it was the cast and crutches; chicks 'digged' guys with broken bones, scars or nasty cuts, which was a primitive belief but half true either way.
Paullina was suddenly very sympathetic with him and it aggravated Dash more than anything.
Star was acting strange too. She and Paullina were closer then normal maybe they knew something?
Today obviously none of Fenton or his friends and turned in. The only one who did was a very stricken looking Valerie.
Dash couldn't care much for Valerie, not anymore for she was no longer on the top popular charts, he believed she was bellow Star there. She'd had to practically climb up to just bellow Star after she dated Fenton.
It was a damn good thing Paullina and Quan liked her, she was one of the lucky ones.
The blonde jock however was feeling gloomy to the fact someone had stuck up to him, no one ever stuck up to him!
It was not like he could do anything anyway, Paullina's a girl, he cannot possibly wail on a girl.
He huffed in annoyance and thumped his head down onto the desk, too tired for this crap.
Luckily the teacher of which Paullina went and tattled to was Mr. Lancer. Good for Dash was this news because Mr. Lancer let him get away with everything. Why? Because all the teachers knew the by was basically a prophet to Rugby. Since he'd been on the team, the school's rugby team were unbeatable and this excused his C straight grades.
So Mr. Lancer would understand, it was not like he'd been sent to he guy many times before for apparently bullying. Mr. Lancer would get him to apologies and that was it, he wouldn't even log it. So the headmaster couldn't get on his ass about it.
He snorted darkly; bullying is not tolerated in Casper high.
He yawned and looked up as Mr. Lancer himself entered.
"Comfortable?" Mr. Lancer asked indifferently.
"No, this chair is hurting my back," Dash moaned, Mr. Lancer loved him… didn't he?
"Good," The balding teacher hissed, two hands slapping the table, "because I think that the chair was a very kind gesture considering how outraged the headmaster was!"
"Whoa," Dash snapped back, angry to be shouted at, "It was just a_"
"Joke!?" Mr. Lancer growled, "I understand that you like to joke around with Fenton a lot, sometimes you jokes are indeed too far. This, this is unacceptable!"
Dash back tracked, wary and worried suddenly, "I never meant anyone any harm, sir, I… You know how hard it is for me, I'm so stressed lately I_"
"Stressed!? Great Gatsby! The world must be falling apart for you Mr. Baxter I deeply sympathise with you."
The sarcasm was a jagged blade in his throat. Dash had never been shouted at like this before. Was it too serious?
"Sir, Paullina's twisted it," He tried to reason.
"Oh, I see." Mr. Lancer glowered, "So aside from stealing Fenton's crutches what were you plotting?"
"Sir, I_"
"No more excuse Mr. Baxter," The pot-bellied teacher straightened, falling back into his usual cool demeanour; profoundly confusing Dash with the change in gesture.
"I have no choice but to log this, do not interrupt me, I have tried to defend and help you many a time but the message seems to slip over you."
Dash gaped at him and stood, stomping through the door that Mr. Lancer had held open for him.
"I expect to see you every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until second term next year."
Dash snapped around to argue but Lancer raised a hand, prohibiting him from carrying on.
"I think that is a fair jurisdiction Mr. Baxter. I shall call your parents. They will make sure you turn up."
Well this sucks, Dash thought as he glowered at the floor.
Quan was waiting with two of his friends from the team outside; loyal as they were Dash noticed that there were other absent members.
"Where's everyone else?" He asked in annoyance.
Quan looked to Bill and Caesar resignedly and shrugged at him.
Dash rolled his eyes and thought about saying something, instead he ignored them.
"Come one guys," He ordered complacently, "I'm starving lets ditch this place."
He turned and took a few steps before falling back and looking confusedly at the fact they were still standing there.
"Don't just stand there you tard's I have stuff to do."
"Sorry, dude," Caesar, the large quarter-back, brunette boy told him, "we have stuff to do too."
"Oh?" Dash turned, striding up aggressively, sizing Caesar up.
"Chill mate," Bill turned on Dash, "we don't feel like hangin' with you anymore."
"W-what?" Dash stammered looking to Quan for some sort of help.
Quan shook his head, black shaggy hair flowing with the movement, "You've changed Dash. It was your idea to piss around with Danny, we didn't want any part of it… I don't like your jokes either, you're just a jerk."
"Not you guys either!" Dash exclaimed, "It's only harmless fun!"
"No, you went and told everyone that we were part of it, got all the team in trouble along with you, get over your self."
Quan turned his back on anyone and like a new alpha had taken a pack for him-self, he led the two boys away and left the soar loser with his tail between his legs.
Dash could only stand and squeak, "I don't understand, why everyone is acting so… weird?"
Reviewers answers:
IamTheDaydreamer- (Chapter 6 review) Thank you, glad it's awesome for you :D and thanks for commenting on the picture too, I'll do a better one soon. (Chapter 3 review) I acknowledge this, unfortunately it is a canon feature and I love the word 'simultaneous'. Though I see where you are coming from.
Sharksbean- YAY! I love followers and reviewers thank you! Hehe
Chopsuzi- The worst has yet to come. Muhahahahahaha *cough*
Leonardo DiCaprio- Wahoo! I love positive comments. I hope it is, I must put more love into it though.
Thank you all for commenting/reviewing my story, I will try my best for making it better. I just want to ask if there are any BETA Readers out there who can help me out, I really need some help with mistake searching. I love you guys and want to make it better but proof reading something you have just written is torture.
So what do you guys think about the sudden change in temperaments between some of the recurring characters? comment on your thoughts/ theories if you have an idea MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Anyway I hope you enjoyed and as always:
PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW!
P.S Bill and Caeser are just made up, they have no real significance to the story, they are just cameo characters.