It's here!! It's finally here! The chapter of secrets! Drum roll please! heehee :D
I really hope you guys like this one; it's a bit longer than the others, but it's one of the most important. I'm sooo excited to post it!! :DD
Anyways, I'm really sorry I took so long to update this time; I still have writer's block and such. Hopefully this chappie will make up for the wait!
Thanks to: DP fan, ShatterMyMuse, DannyTimmygirl327, blondecrazything, Majestic Moon, MutantLover09, goth.one, Kisho16, dragon of spirits, Anime Wildfire and GothicChevy for reviewing! It means a lot!
Enjoy!
I can't believe he did that. I can't believe he actually hit me. He's never done that before.
Danny sat on his bed, his arms wrapped around his knees. His chin rested in the space in between. That's not John out there. I don't know who that guy is, but I know it's not John.
The boy groaned hopelessly. Things were just getting worse and worse for him. But even in his temporary anger and hatred towards John, Danny couldn't help but wonder about his guardian's words.
Is that really possible? Have I actually messed up my chances to live here? Am I really going to have to go to some orphanage or something?
He let out a grunt of despair as he let his head fall onto his knees. I should've just come home early like I was supposed to…it's just that…Sam…
Danny's thoughts wandered off to the girl. He wished she were there so he could talk to her. His guardian probably wasn't going to let him out of the house anytime soon, so the chances of meeting up with her again were minimal. If only he'd thought of taking her phone number…but then again, what would he tell her? 'Hi! I've never really told you this before, but I'm actually being audited about my guardian's right of custody, and I think I might be forced to leave my home!'
Danny sighed. I'm such an idiot…I can't believe this is happening to me…I can't believe John hit me! He thought desperately.
Just then, Danny's door creaked open and Judy stepped in the room. "Danny?" she asked tentatively.
"Come in," the boy grunted.
Judy entered the room and took a seat at the edge of the bed near Danny. "Danny, we need to talk…"
Danny remained silent. He felt as though if he tried to talk, he would just burst into tears. When Judy realized he wouldn't reply, she resumed speech.
"Sweetheart, there's a lot of stuff you don't know," she sighed as she closed her eyes, rubbing her temples with one hand. Danny rolled his eyes.
"Yeah whatever. How many times do you think I've heard that before Judy?" he asked coldly.
"Let me finish, hun. There's a lot of stuff you don't know…that you should know. We can't keep these secrets hidden from you forever, Danny…and I think it's time someone fills you in."
Danny wrinkled his eyebrows lightly, believing he'd misheard Judy. "What?"
"I really wanted John to be the one to tell you, but right now he's being as stubborn as a mule and I think you've already waited long enough to know. You don't deserve to be kept in ignorance," Judy continued.
"What are you talking about?" Danny asked.
"I'm going to tell you about your past," the woman finished confidently, confirming the teen's doubts.
The boy's face broke into a large grin. "Wait…so…you're really going to tell me? This isn't a joke?" he asked, shocked, though still smiling.
"I'm a hundred percent serious- and so is everything I'm about to tell you. I need you to be ready to listen. You're past isn't exactly a…well-, a pleasant one…you're different than others Danny," Judy said solemnly.
Danny was only slightly alarmed at hearing this. He'd always known he was different; it had been especially clear to him in these past few months. But as eager as he was to learn more about himself, he couldn't help but feel somewhat apprehensive, intimated even, when Judy confirmed he had a dismal past.
"And John's okay with this?" Danny's eyebrow arched.
"Honey, that's not what's important. This isn't about waiting for John to be ready to tell you. It's about waiting for you to be ready to hear it. And if I'm not mistaken…you've been ready for quite some time now?" Judy said with a tiny knowing smile.
Danny nodded eagerly.
"Good." Judy then scratched the back of her head in nervousness, "It's actually a bit complicated…I'm not sure where to begin."
Danny looked at her pleadingly.
She sighed. "Alright…well, it happened almost thirteen years ago. You were just under two years old. At the time, John and I lived in a town called Amity Park. We were roommates during our years of University. Anyways, that's not the important part. The thing you should know about Amity Park is…well, I don't know if you remember, but it was often being attacked."
"Wait, what do you mean 'you don't know if I remember'? Did I used to live there too?" Danny asked, cutting Judy off.
"Well, from what we know, yes. At least, that's where we found you anyway. But I haven't gotten to that yet. The point is, Amity is notorious for its numerous ghost attacks-,"
Judy was interrupted once more by an over-excited Danny. "Whoa, wait a sec! Did you just say ghost attacks? As in, Amity was attacked by actual ghosts?!" he asked incredulously.
"Oh, that's right," Judy smiled slightly, "I didn't realize this whole ghost thing would be a new concept for you. It's true Danny. These ghosts all came from a place called the Ghost Zone, which we believed could be accessed through a portal. The problem is, we never found that portal so we could destroy it," Judy finished somberly.
"So the Ghost Zone was basically some type of alternate universe?" Danny asked, trying to make sure he fully comprehended what Judy was telling him.
"That's right. What would happen is that the ghosts would escape from their world through this portal, or these portals, assuming there was more than one, and somehow end up in our world. Of course, once they were out, they would wreak havoc on the first thing in sight: Amity." Judy paused before continuing, "I don't expect you to believe me Danny. I know it all sounds very far-fetched, but-,"
"No, Judy. I do believe you…" Danny trailed off, losing himself in thought. I don't know why I do, and I know it sounds like the silliest thing in the world, but I have a feeling it's true. Ghosts really do exist…I don't know how, I just know they do.
"Oh, ok," Judy said, somewhat startled at the news, though still glad seeing as this would greatly simplify her job of explaining. "Well anyways, as I was saying, these ghosts would escape through a portal. There were many of them: the Lunch-Lady, Skulker, Technus. Eventually, the surprise attacks became too much to handle and the mayor issued a security system. We placed small detectors all over town. That way, when a ghost would escape, the detectors would pick up the scent of ectoplasm and go off, signaling a warning before the ghost could do too much damage. It became a law that whoever lived, owned or occupied any building had to place at least two monitors in the area, preferably one indoors and one outdoors. Life was tough, Danny. We were living in constant fear of attacks."
"Yeah, but the alarms made things easier, right? I mean, you didn't need to be worried all the time, because the monitors would alert you of danger," Danny reasoned.
"Well that's what we thought too," Judy sighed.
"The detectors didn't work?"
"Oh no. They worked just fine."
"Then…?" Danny trailed off, confused.
"There was one ghost who was immune to the monitors. Plasmius." Judy said with disgust. "He was the only ghost who could enter, exit and roam about the town without setting off the alarm. Of course, we weren't initially expecting that, so the first time he appeared, without setting off the alarm, it was a real shock."
"Well, the alarms worked for the other ghosts, didn't they?"
"Oh, perfectly. We were always ready to defend ourselves when any other ghost came around. But not with this one. We tried fixing and even replacing the detectors. At some point, we even resorted to creating a monitor that could specifically detect Plasmius' particular ghost scent. But after a few more of his surprise attacks, we realized nothing could stop him. Some people believe it was because he was too strong. Others say he walked among us, disguised as a human, and was therefore impervious to the alarms. But of course, that's impossible…he's a ghost…" Judy mused, now speaking more to herself than to Danny.
"So, why did these ghosts attack your town anyways?" Danny asked, intrigued.
Judy sighed as she once again turned her attention towards Danny. "Well, nobody really knows, Danny. Some may have had reasons; they may have been searching for something. Others may've been doing it just for fun. You never know what's going on in a ghost's mind. But we did know one thing; we knew what Plasmius wanted."
"What?" Danny asked, captivated and enthralled by the story.
"You."
Danny's eyes widened as he looked at Judy disbelievingly. "Mm…m-me?" he managed to stammer hesitatingly.
"Yes Danny. It happened almost 13 years ago. By then, we were already used to Plasmius' surprise attacks. There wasn't much we could do about them; we just had to be prepared and on guard. Anyway, it was evening when it happened." Judy sighed, unable to continue.
"When what happened?" Danny whispered cautiously.
"The Attack. The worst one Amity Park has ever known.
"It started off like any other day. I woke up at noon so I could finish a report for my seven o'clock class at the University. John was free that day, but he had already left the apartment so he could get to his part-time job. Anyways, the real action didn't happen till almost six and a half hours later, when John was returning from work, and I was about to leave for class. As usual, the town was quiet in the evening, and no one expected the sudden explosion of noise, accompanied by the appearance of the notorious Plasmius.
"People were screaming and shrieking at the top of their lungs, running away as fast they could. Of course, there was nowhere to run when Plasmius came around. Everywhere was a danger zone. I was still in my apartment at the time, and I obviously didn't leave once I realized what was going on. Through the window, I could see flashes of pink ectoplasmic beams flying everywhere. The furious ghost kept bellowing, ceaselessly, 'Where's the boy? I need that boy! Bring him to me!'"
"Me…" Danny noted, trembling slightly, "He was talking about me then, wasn't he?"
Judy seemed to notice Danny's reaction because she softly said, "Danny, I didn't want to tell you this story to freak you out and I don't want to add any more stress to your life. I wasn't sure how you would react, but I'm starting to think maybe we should leave your past for another day…"
"No," Danny spoke firmly, trying to conceal any look of nervousness or apprehension. "Please Judy. You've already gone this far. You can't stop now. I need to know what happened."
Judy didn't seem to like the idea of continuing too much, but she reluctantly did so. "Alright, if you insist. So anyway, I wasn't actually outside when it happened, but John was. Now, I know you may not think so at the moment, seeing how your angry at him, but I'm sure somewhere deep down in your heart, you can agree that John is a very kind and caring man."
Yeah, kind, caring and abusive. Danny thought sarcastically.
"He always stops to help those in need…and that's what he did for you," Judy continued.
"What do you mean?" Danny asked, his tone suddenly moody at the mention of his guardian.
"Well, everyone was screaming and running for their lives. Parents grabbed their children and friends fled off together in flocks, calling each other's names to ensure mutual safety. In the midst of the confusion and disorder, nobody seemed to have noticed a little raven-haired boy, wandering around, aimless and lost. Nobody except John of course." Judy stopped for a few moments, almost for effect.
Danny felt like she was telling a tale of dragons and beasts and mystical lands. I only wish it was fantasy…he thought sardonically.
"When he noticed no one was reaching to save you, he figured you must've been somehow gotten lost from your house, and grabbed you by the hand to get you out of harm's way. Right before he could whisk you off though, you were hit by an ectobeam. You fell to the ground, but John picked you up and rushed home. You can only imagine how surprised I was when he brought you in the apartment," Judy tried to laugh to ease the tension, but Danny couldn't be comforted.
"Well, what happened after that?" Danny asked, tentatively. He almost didn't want to know the rest.
"Well, the attack eventually ended. All the occupants of our apartment building took shelter in the basement storage area. There were numerous injuries following the attack, though thankfully nothing a few days in the hospital couldn't fix. Unfortunately, you were one of the injured, thanks to that ectobeam in the stomach. We took you to the hospital, where they told us you had suffered a severe concussion. When you finally came to, almost five hours after the hit, we asked you some questions. Unfortunately, you didn't remember anything but your name and date of birth. The doctors found that very strange…memory loss isn't usually selective. Anyways, John always blamed himself for what happened to you…"
"What? Why? It's not his fault I was hit…" Danny began indignantly.
"Well, you know John. He's the kind of guy who'll blame himself for anything he could've done but didn't do to help someone. He figured if he'd just pushed you out of the way in time, you could've been saved from that nasty hit. Then you could've told us where you came from, and you could've returned to your family. He's always blamed himself for the way your life's turned out. He feels like he's never giving you enough, like he's inadequate and unfit to be your guardian."
"Well, that's not true!" Danny said resentfully. "I mean, I know we don't always get along, and I don't always understand him, but he's still a really good guy!"
Oh man! I can't believe all the trouble I've put him through all these years. He has to carry so much weight because of me, and I never even knew. Danny thought, suddenly very angry with himself.
"I know Danny. That's what I told him. That's what everyone told him…but he still wouldn't listen."
Danny sighed before softly asking, "So what happened after?"
"Well, you couldn't remember anything, and the hospital didn't seem to have any records of your birth. We even checked at City Hall. Still nothing. The only thing we could do was search for your family. John put up posters all over town, he put several ads in the newspaper and he even notified the police in case anyone called them to report you as missing. Two months passed, but still no one replied to our frantic ads. We were beginning to wonder if maybe your family had been in the hospital and therefore didn't know about what was going on in the outside world. But there were no records of anyone with a son named Danny in the whole hospital. It was official: we could find no trace of your parents."
Danny looked down at his sheets, suddenly becoming very interested in a thread that was sticking out. He felt his face grow hot as he attempted to gulp back angry tears. No! I don't believe that! They must be somewhere! They have to be! They were in my dream…in that photograph…or was that just a memory that had made it's way back to haunt me?
"Is that when John took me in?" Danny asked, his voice strained and his eyes never leaving their place.
"Well…yes. You see, since no one seemed to be responding to our ads, the hospital decided to enter you in the local orphanage. However, John, who had been visiting you in the hospital ever since the attack, was against the decision. Let's just say, the people in charge at the orphanage aren't exactly kind…Then again, since John wasn't your actual legal guardian, he didn't really have a say in the matter. He decided the next best thing he could do would be to adopt you from the orphanage. John had really grown quite fond of you, and he would've hated to see you go somewhere where you wouldn't be taken care of."
"But Judy, he didn't adopt me! That's why we might have to go to court! That's why that lady came over! He didn't adopt me!" Danny urged angrily, confusion and frustration clear in his voice. Angry tears began welling in his eyes.
"I know sweetie. He went to ask permission to adopt you. But they wouldn't let him. They reserve the right to forbid certain people to adopt children."
"Why didn't they let him adopt me?" Danny sniffed, his voice watery. His tone was somewhat calmer now as he wiped the involuntary tears that were rolling down his cheeks.
"Well, they said he was still a student and wouldn't be able to support you the way a couple or family could," Judy noted gently, trying to be considerate to the vulnerable boy. "You wouldn't be able to grow up in a safe, healthy environment. At first, John was devastated. He wouldn't take no for an answer. But eventually, everyone was able to convince him that you really could have a better home if you stayed at the orphanage. John finally agreed, on the condition that he would be allowed to come visit you routinely. The people at the orphanage agreed."
"So then, what? How did I end up with him at the end? Did he steal me or something?" Danny scoffed angrily.
Judy's eyes actually widened. "Well…actually…"
"Are you serious?" an incredulous Danny responded.
"Yes Danny, but with excellent reason. Almost a week after your installment in the orphanage, something strange happened…something dangerous. That was the night John and I were talking about a few weeks ago.
"John had just returned from his regular after-work trip to the orphanage. According to counselors, you were really starting to enjoy his visits; they told us you would never stop saying his name when he left and you were always asking when he would return."
Hm…well I do remember I used to cling to John a lot when I was younger. But I definitely don't remember any orphanage…
"Anyways, it was a weekend, and we were watching a TV movie. John had just gotten us some soda from the fridge and had sat down…that's when it happened."
Danny looked at Judy apprehensively.
"The doorbell rang. John rose from couch to see who it was. I followed him so I could get myself some ice from the freezer. I'll never forget that moment Danny. The most terrifying moment of our lives…John swung open the door and found before him, none other than Plasmius himself.
"I stood frozen in place. All I remember was John pushing me out of the way, yelling at me to get back and take cover. He blocked the doorway so Plasmius couldn't get in. Then, in a most calm and drawling voice, Plasmius spoke."
Danny held his breath, anxious to hear the rest. A feeling of nervousness swept over him; maybe he really wasn't all that ready to hear about his past. Judy seemed to pause the story for a moment.
No. I have to know this. I have to understand. The pieces are going to have to come together at some point. "What did he say Judy?" Danny asked, signaling for her to continue.
"First he laughed, presumably at John's reaction to his appearance. He told us there was no reason to be scared; he was only there for one thing. I remember John bravely telling him that whatever it was he wanted, we didn't have it. He simply laughed at that though. 'I want something you have Jonathan. And I know you have it.'" Judy imitated what the ghost had said.
"I was so afraid when he spoke. I nudged John and told him to just give the ghost what he wanted so he'd leave us alone. John probably wouldn't have listened to me, but I guess my expression was just too terrified and pleading. So he defiantly asked Plasmius what he wanted. That's when he answered, 'Daniel.' John and I were both confused for a moment, until John's eyes widened in shock and realization."
"He wanted me?" Danny shuddered, as if the scene were taking place right before him.
"Yes. But John wouldn't allow it. I remember him bellowing, 'What do you want with Danny? You'd better stay from him, ghost. If you dare lay a hand on that boy, I'-,'. But John was interrupted. The ghost snickered at his threat and pushed him out of the way, entering our apartment. John quickly pushed me behind him for my protection. His heart was beating so fast, I could actually hear it."
"What did Plasmius do?"
"Well, he demanded to know where you were, but John wouldn't break. He absolutely refused to answer the ghost. I even remember the ghost's tone as he answered us saying, 'I see your very protective of this boy Jonathan.' I could barely watch. John was so brave. He asked the ghost what he wanted from you anyway, though I think it was more out of anger than curiosity." Judy stopped.
"What? What happened after?" Danny implored.
"Danny, do you remember that sketch of the flaming-headed man you drew before the wedding?" Judy asked, looking Danny straight in the eye.
It took Danny a moment to recall the doodle, but he remembered the drawing that John and Judy had freaked out over. "Yeah. What about it?"
"Well, Plasmius has something to do with that. That's why we got so scared when we saw your drawing."
"What do you mean?" Danny said, trying to process the information.
"When John asked Plasmius what he wanted with you, the ghost pointed his finger at a picture of you that was set on the table, and a wisp of silvery mist protruded from his finger. The mist traveled to your picture, engulfed and contoured it. Then, your picture slowly transformed into a young muscular man. He had the same flaming hair, the same grayish cape and the same glowing eyes that you drew awhile ago. When Plasmius made that hologram-esque figure appear, we got scared…we didn't know why, but something about was frightening. Maybe it was the look of pure evil on the figure's face…along with a resemblance to your features."
"What?" Danny asked, skeptical.
"Haven't you noticed Danny? The same eyes, the same smile?"
"I don't understand…" Danny shook his head quickly, as if trying to clear his mind.
"Neither did we. But then Plasmius pointed to the man, and said he needed you for 'this'. We're still not sure what he meant by that. Our guess was that he wanted to turn you into that ghost," Judy said, a little too casually for Danny's liking.
"That's insane! Why would he want to turn me into a ghost?" Danny said, almost hysterically.
"Sweetie, relax. It was just a guess. We're probably wrong," Judy tried to comfort the boy. "Anyways, he asked John to tell him where you were, again. But John wouldn't say. He kept his mouth shut.
"I was so scared…I remember feeling so sure, so certain he was going to blast us, destroy us on the spot. But then he did something very strange…he just looked at us and smiled calmly and said, 'I see you don't give up easily. No matter, I don't need the boy quite yet. You can keep him for now, it will save me the extra trouble. But as the infant ages, near his fifteenth year, you will understand. The ghostly symptoms will begin to appear and his blood will change. That's when I'll need him, and I'll be back.'" Judy recited.
Wait a minute…That dream I had right before we left to Wisconsin…was Plasmius the guy in it? After all, he had a picture of the same guy Judy's talking about, right? He pulled it out of his cape and said that's why he needed me…Does that mean it wasn't a dream? It was real? Or maybe it was one of those ghost symptoms Judy was talking about! Danny contemplated for a few moments whether or not he should tell Judy about the dream he'd had a fortnight ago. But as he began to open his mouth to say something, he stopped, gesturing for Judy to continue.
"That's why we were afraid of your drawing Danny. We thought that was one of the 'symptoms' he was talking about. And then when you later mentioned doing it unconsciously…what if that was like being possessed? Another symptom."
"Well what happens when these symptoms begin to appear?" Danny asked worriedly.
"We don't know. We don't know what it means. All we know is that the ghost said he'd be back when it happened. Plasmius is dangerous Danny. We don't want him to get near you."
I never knew I was such a burden…Danny thought, upset about what he was hearing.
"Anyways. That night, John broke into the orphanage and brought you home. He's always regretted breaking in, but he's never regretted the reason. He thought that since only he and I knew about your…well, your fate, we were the best people to protect you. He didn't want any random stranger to take you home without knowing what kind of danger you were in. So he and I packed our things and left town, with you in our hands."
"That's why we're so afraid for you Danny. That's why John is so overprotective. Plasmius is an extremely dangerous ghost. We may have moved away, but it would be like taking candy from a baby for him to track you down. That's why John wants to keep you as hidden as possible. It's because he cares."
"If he cares and loves me so much, why did he hit me?" Danny challenged, suddenly angry again.
"Sweetheart," Judy began with a sigh as she ran her fingers through her hair, "I know that wasn't right of him to do. But it doesn't mean he doesn't love you. It's just that…John's really stressed about this. This is more than just about getting to keep custody of you, this is about protecting you. If some other family were to adopt you, they wouldn't be aware of the danger you're in."
Danny just grunted in response before asking softly, "Judy, do you think I really will be put up for adoption?"
"Let's hope not."
The room was silent for a few moments. Finally, Danny spoke.
"Judy, I have a question. What did Plasmius mean by 'his blood will change?'"
"We don't know, Danny. That's why John wouldn't take you to the hospital that night you got sick."
"I thought it was because he didn't have any birth certificate or health card or any proof that he was my guardian." Danny interrupted.
"Well, yes that too. But he was also worried because of what Plasmius said about your blood change. See, knowing Plasmius, he may've somehow infused the ectobeam he threw at you with something dangerous. John thought if he brought you to the hospital, they would find the substance in your body and put the pieces together. They might figure out you were the boy who'd been kidnapped from the Amity orphanage so many years ago," Judy said before adding light-heartedly, "You did make headlines, you know."
Danny nodded.
"Anyways, this is all just a theory. We don't really know if that's what Plasmius meant," Judy said, noting the look of worry on Danny's face, "But it's as close as we could get to an explanation."
"I don't understand why I don't remember any of this. Not even the orphanage or anything…" Danny said.
"Well sweetie, you were quite young. It's only natural that you don't remember. Anyways, I hope you know that I didn't tell you this to stress you more than you already are. I just thought you should know."
Danny nodded. He was too absorbed in his thoughts to say anything. This was just too much information to take in all at once.
"Sweetie, I just want you to know we both love you and no matter what, we'll always be there."
"Thanks, Judy."
"No problem hun. Do you want to get some rest? You look like you could use some."
Danny nodded and Judy rose from the bed. She gently closed the door and left Danny alone to simmer silently in his thoughts and newly discovered past.
