Whew! It seems like I'm slowing down a bit. Don't worry though; I won't stop! If you haven't already, if you are interested, try reading my other cross-over: Soul Eater X Young Justice. It's basically the same deal, but different characters of course.
Thanks for all the reviews!
To both Bananarock509 and Death of Snipers: Yeah, I guess the wail was overkill, but I felt like it needed to happen. :)
Ok! This A/N is long enough. READ!
Wednesday.
Danny didn't even bother going to class. He dumped his backpack in his locker and left campus. Danny found a place behind the garbage bins for the building next to the school to become invisible and run. Danny made a beeline for the canyon lands and didn't stop until he couldn't see the city anymore. He sat down, panting, and looked up to the sky.
Eternity passed before Danny could breathe normally again. He stood up, knees shaking.
"I just want to go home!" Danny screamed. His hand built up green energy and he shot the ecto beam into a rock, shattering the formation completely. Danny felt a hot tear fall down his cheek as he prepped even more energy. Danny howled as he fired ecto ball after ecto ball at the earth around him. Finally, it all stopped. The dust from landslides settled on the newly porous ground. Danny huffed and started allowing himself to calm down.
"Feel any better there, Danny?" Kenny asked, peeking out from behind one of the few last standing rocks.
"A little. Why are you here?" Danny sighed.
"I don't know if it's weird, but I see a lot of what happens in the school that most people wouldn't. Like you walking in, leaving your backpack and leaving." Kenny answered.
Danny chuckled. "I guess it's not that weird." Danny paused, then said, "I do remember promising to tell you what you want to know last night. So go ahead and ask."
"If you're cool with that, then, how'd you become half-ghost?" Kenny hesitantly asked. Danny rubbed the back of his neck before saying,
"Unlike Duncan, I became a halfa through an accident. My parents built a thing called a ghost portal, but it didn't work in the beginning. My friends convinced me to go inside of it to try and fix it. I went into the portal and accidently pressed a button on the wall that turned the device on. I don't remember much, but I came out as Danny Phantom."
"Dude. What do you remember?"
"Just pain, along with the color of green, but just a whole lot of pain." Danny grimaced and shuddered.
Okay. Changing topic. Um… how'd it go at first?"
"I struggled to control it. Walking through vending machines, falling through floors and chairs, dropping stuff I was holding, losing my pants, and at one point I unintentionally overshadowed a person. It's a miracle nobody picked up on it." Danny laughed.
"What's 'overshadowed' mean?" Kenny inquired.
"Taking over a person's body and turning them into a puppet."
"Neat, but you can just call it 'possess.' New topic… how'd you even get here?"
"Being chased through the Ghost Zone; it's not as dizzying as Walter says it is, I find it a bit relaxing; and coming through a portal that closed on me. Been stuck here since."
Kenny didn't say anything, but his eyes glazed over as he went deeper into thought. Kenny blinked and sighed.
"We should head back… everyone's gonna worry about where we are."
"Yeah, you're right." Danny agreed. He started walking for a moment before stopping. "Hang on, I've got one more little outburst to let loose. You'll want to cover your ears for this one." Kenny nodded and set his hands on the sides of his head.
Danny turned away from Kenny and took a deep breath. His Ghostly Wail erupted from his lungs and knocked over rock formations that hadn't been taken out from Danny's first tantrum. His scream ended as Danny ran out of breath. He listened to the echoes bounce back and forth through the canyon for almost a minute before he brought himself back around to a frozen Kenny.
"Dude... that… was so loud. And powerful." Kenny barely managed to get out.
"It was what I used to get out of the trunk yesterday. Come on, let's go."
Wednesday, After School.
"Hey Danny!" Duncan called to him as he ran over.
"Hey Duncan. What's up?"
"I got confirmation from M.E.G.T.A.F. to take a few friends to visit my dad. I figured since you haven't met him yet, you would want to, right?"
"Uh, your dad is where your Kaiju half came from, if I remember correctly." Danny began eying Duncan suspiciously.
"Your memory is spot-on. Don't worry, he's not able to do anything extreme without M.E.G.T.A.F. doing something. Anyway, once in a lifetime chance to meet the King of all Kaiju. Whadda say?" Duncan seemed oddly chipper.
"Sure. When?"
"Blitz will come to your house in a jet shortly after 5:00. Be ready by then, he doesn't like waiting."
The two smiled and brofisted before Duncan left.
"Hey, nerd." Troy cackled from behind Danny. For a large moron, he definitely knows how to sneak up on people.
"Hey, Troy." Danny grimaced and turned to face him.
"Down to business. My buddy owes his parents $800 for the damage to his car. The damage that you did."
"How do you know it was even me? Not someone who helped me escape?" Danny thought and said fast. The bully frowned and looked at Danny as if there were something unidentifiable on his face.
"Mainly because the damages came from inside the trunk, not the outside." One of the boys said.
Whoops… Danny thought. "Where could a little guy like me ever hope to find the strength to do something like that?" Danny feigned.
"He has a point." Another one of Troy's friends said. They critiqued his tiny frame and all looked like they agreed.
"Alright then, pipsqueak. If you didn't bust out, then who is it that owes us $800?" Troy growled, angry at both Danny and himself for losing focus.
"I could tell you…" Danny sighed. "But you'll have to catch me first." As the 't' slipped from Danny's mouth, he was off and running. His backpack slammed against his back with each step Danny took. I'm starting to do this way too often. Danny noted as he turned a corner. Right there in front of him was Kenny, Isabel, Jenna and Duncan talking.
"Hey guys! Can't talk! Hold this!" Danny yelled and tossed the backpack into Duncan's arms as he ran by. No one got a single word in before Danny was halfway down the hall. The pack of bullies was losing Danny's trail now that he wasn't carrying the bag anymore. Then came the main staircase. Danny jumped down the whole flight, with ghost flight helping him, and landed roughly. A somersault helped him recover.
Danny stopped for a moment and put his hand up on the wall next to him. He panted and looked back. Troy and his posse had stopped at the top of the stairs, unable to comprehend how Danny had achieved a jump of that magnitude. Danny chuckled, still somewhat out of breath. After a few deep breaths, Danny took off again. Once he reached the school's main doors, he blasted them open. Danny grunted as the harsh sunlight entered his vision.
There were a lot of students outside, some waiting for rides home, some chatting with friends. As the doors shut, Danny heard Troy closing in. He turned right and ran along the edge of the building. Got to find a place to hide! Or fly up to the roof, that's good too. Danny planned. Danny whipped around the corner to find two students making out.
"Sorry." Danny apologized and continued running, but gagged when they couldn't see him. By now, Danny was running past the portables. Personally, he didn't have any classes with the teachers inside. He looked behind him to see that Troy wasn't anywhere in sight. Danny made a ninety degree turn and dove between the portables. He went invisible and attempted to control his rapid breathing.
Troy and his friends came into view, huffing, and stopped close to where Danny was.
"Seriously, how does that runt do it?" One panted.
"I have no idea, but it's getting annoying." Troy said and scowled, not winded at all. They remained awhile before leaving. Danny let out a sigh of relief, still invisible. He flew back to his home, where Allie waited for him inside the door.
"Welcome back, Danny!" She wrapped him in a hug, which he returned.
"Allie, I'm going out again tonight with my friends. Is that alright?" He asked.
"Of course. What time?" Allie questioned.
"About 5:00." He answered.
"You'll barely have time for dinner. I hope you get enough to eat before you go." Allie said, a slightly worried look on her face.
"With your cooking, that won't be a problem." Danny stated with a smile.
4:56 PM
Danny sat on the porch with his eyes patrolling the sky for any sign of the jet. The ivory clouds bled a soft pink the more time passed. With nothing to do, Danny's mind wandered.
"Danny, you have some visitors." The head lady of the orphanage informed him after knocking on his door. Me? Visitors? Danny was confused. He got up and followed the head lady down to the lobby. Just before they went through the door, the lady whispered, "Don't blow this. This family is generous enough to foster you."
Danny nodded. She pushed the door open and let him through. The first thing he saw was two kids, a boy and a girl, standing directly next to him and staring up into his eyes.
"Hi! I'm Katie!" The girl squeaked happily.
"And I'm Max!" The boy said proudly. Once that was finished, they ran back giggling to their parents. The woman was wearing a turquoise skirt and a white blouse, but her smile was even brighter. The man had a thin mustache and was wearing a nice tux, complemented by a dark purple tie.
"Hello, Danny. I'm Brandon Nebel. This is my wife, Allie. How are you today?"
"I'm doing good." Danny said, turning around to watch the head lady lock the door behind him. The memory of the ghost zone door danced across his vision, which forced him to blink madly before swinging back to the Nebel family.
"Are you sure?" Allie asked, tilting her head slightly at Danny's behavior.
"Yeah. It's just… you're the first ones to consider me. And I've been here for almost four weeks." Danny murmured, his gaze falling to the floor. Katie's face popped into view.
"Hey Danny, what do you like to do? I like drawing in my coloring book." Katie blurted out. Danny couldn't help but smile.
A jet's roar snapped Danny back to the present. The jet touched down in the street while sending out waves of wind all around. The engine idled as a hatch in the back opened and Duncan walked out, waving. Danny grabbed his small backpack and raced over, fighting the force of the wind the entire way. Once he was inside, Danny relaxed and saw he was the last to be picked up. Jenna, Isabel and Kenny already sat in passenger seats, strapped in and all.
Danny was directed to his own seat by Duncan, who helped Danny strap in before taking his own place in the cockpit next to Blitz. The jet lifted off effortlessly and shot off for the canyon lands. Danny watched the ground below, which was only a light brown blur.
He watched the ghost zone around him become a green blur… He shook his head. Danny did not need that, especially now, when he was trying to have at least some fun. It didn't take long for the jet to reach the base's hangar.
"Alright kiddos, while you're here, you will not touch anything unless told to. Understood?" Blitz commanded, just like a drill sergeant.
"Understood." The teens repeated.
"Now, everyone follow me." Blitz turned to lead the group to the door and said, "And no, Duncan, you are not to go anywhere without my permission." Without even turning around to see Duncan's raised hand, which drooped and fell to Duncan's side. Blitz led the teens through a series of doors, some locked and some automatic. Several sentries were posted to various doors along the hallways. All dressed the same, though there were those who had chosen not to wear a helmet.
Danny felt like the walls were getting smaller the more they walked. Is this claustrophobia? He thought and felt a sweat drop trickle down the back of his neck. Danny's hands were shaking, so he shoved them in his pockets. After what seemed like forever, Blitz led them up to a large, reinforced steel door.
"Ready?" Blitz asked. Everyone nodded.
"As I'll ever be." Danny spoke so softly that no one heard him. Blitz ran a card by a scanner, which caused the door to pop and hiss as it creaked open. The door led… outside? Danny looked up to the red sky, through an extremely heavy glass dome. The rock had been carved into a massive pit that now held a large, maroon creature.
"Belloc!" Blitz bellowed. "You've got company!" Belloc first raised his head, then morphed to his humanoid form as he lifted himself from the ground and walked over to the deck where they all stood.
"How've you been, Duncan? I would hope you've been training." Belloc's naturally low voice sent small vibrations through the metal platform, and thus, Danny.
"Not in the way you'd want me to. But yes." Duncan replied. Belloc stared at each person in turn.
"These are the human friends that you associate with?" Belloc growled.
"They are. And I would fight harder than ever to protect them." Duncan growled as well. But when compared to his father's, it was nothing. Belloc gazed at Danny longer than the others.
"I do not recall this friends of yours."
"This is Danny. He's a new addition to our group and already it's like he's been with us longer." Jenna finally gathered the courage to talk.
"Danny… Your name is familiar, in a way." Belloc purred. Danny felt a massive wave of goosebumps coat his entire body.
"Don't you push it, Belloc." Blitz grumbled. Belloc chuckled.
"I see you are, how do you humans put it? Still a little ray of sunshine?" This got even Kenny to laugh. Only Blitz remained still-faced while everyone tried to pull themselves back together. Blitz cleared his throat.
"I think we're done here."
"But we barely got to do anything." Isabel whined. Blitz jerked his head toward the door impatiently.
"Danny, I would like to speak with you a moment." Belloc stopped Danny. He looked at Blitz, who sighed and said, "Fine. Knock on the door when you're finished."
Danny nodded and watched the steel door groan to its resting position when closed. He winced momentarily before he turned to face the giant.
"What is your true nature, boy?" Belloc asked gently, for such a large beast.
"My nature?" Danny questioned, confused.
"Hmm. Are you not aware that kings can sense the presence of other kings?" Belloc explained.
"Oh, that." Danny said, rubbing the back of his neck to try and calm down. "So, you can tell?"
"Yes, I can tell you are royalty of sorts. I am Belloc Rosenblatt, King of the Kaiju. Who are you?" Belloc thundered.
"I am Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom, King of the Ghosts." Danny proclaimed, almost unintentionally.
"Ah, that makes sense now…" Belloc sighed.
"What makes sense?" Danny inquired.
"Danny, you and I are racial kings. As such, for reasons even I do not know, we can tell when a new head has been crowned. I sensed that much and received the knowledge within a dream. I did not see an image, however, only that Danny Phantom was King of Ghosts."
"I understand. I wonder why I haven't experienced this." Danny said thoughtfully.
"Probably because there was no need. As far as I can tell, you are the only King crowned as of late." Belloc explained. "Go on, that maniac Blitz will be getting suspicious of our conversation. Do not fear, young King, I shall not divulge your identity to any."
"Thank you, Belloc." Danny expressed with a bow. Belloc waved and shook his head.
"Do not bow. We are equals, though not the same species. But equals, all the same." The massive king stated.
Danny turned to knock on the door.
"Do me a favor, young Phantom. Give my boy some good battle training."
"I'll try." Danny laughed. The metal door squealed in defiance as it was forced open.
"You good to go, Danny?" Blitz asked.
"Yeah, I'm good." Danny replied.
"Got a sec, Blitz?" Dr. Pytel whispered from behind a corner. Blitz finished shoving the kids into the jet before joining the doctor.
"What's the matter, doc?" The man inquired.
"It's the bandana- the samples within it, to be precise." Dr. Pytel's voice quivered with excitement. "You see, there's DNA on it that even I can't identify. However, it does have a close resemblance to the ice on the Kaiju from the Halloween Dance."
"Meaning?" Blitz probed.
"Duncan told us of a mystery boy who interrupted his fight, remember? Well, the cytokinesis he used left some DNA in it. I was able to compare the DNA from that and the sample from the bandana, which, as I said, closely match. Enough to verify that Danny Fenton was able to escape the car with the help of the mystery kid."
"That does explain a bit." Blitz grumbled. "However, it doesn't explain how that super-whatever kid was able to find and help Danny."
"Don't you worry about that, sir. I'm already working on figuring it out." Dr. Pytel assured with a wink.