October 17, 2004: S'up y'all? grins stupidly Yeah, this is a cool part, so I think. But, before I deal with that, I present to you the long-awaited RESPONSE TO REVIEWERS™®©!!!! By the way, you all get something Conley-related, seeing as how he's the coolest frickin' person on the earth, man.
Firehedgehog: You have all four seasons of Digimon on tape? blinks They're showing the later episodes of season two on Jetix. No, Ken! Don't do it! sobs Oh, and your prediction about Conley using Jazz is correct. Good work, my liege. Also, I'm looking forward to writing about the hangover. For there will be a hangover. You get one of the contacts that Conley's going to get in one of the sequels.
Axion-Pup: Bad girl! No sugar for you anymore! Wait, you are a girl, right? backs away If not, supremest apologies, O Reviewer of Mine. Speaking of things coming out of nowhere, I hate beefcakes! And poor Danny! I'm sure that he'd feeel better to know that there's like an entire frickin' legion of fangirls who'd obey his every command, should he every manifest himself in reality. Hey, weren't you PSDog? If so, then George gets "Conley was here" spray painted on his butt. ; edges away slowly
Snow Owl Queen: I can tell you right off the bat, Conley isn't a halfa. He's a mutant. blinks Darn. Did I just let that vital piece of information slip? I'm such a bad girl. Now I'm going to have rabid fans come busting down my door at three in the morning, demanding an explanation.... And how the crap did you know that my school had block schedualing? That's just freaky, yo. Can you tell my fortune, and all that jazz? You get Conley's orange turtleneck.
KimuraSato: Dude, you finally finished Yearbook Signing! I demand that you do a sequel. After November. Because of the thing. You get a hug from Conley.
cheerin4danny: Wow indeed, my eloquent friend. I hope that this chapter has been worth the wait.... hides under table I know, the chaplet thing wasn't my best idea. I'm just trying to condition myself to get used to Nanowrimo. You get one of Conley's socks.
Shidou-kun and Ryu-sama: Are you like two different people on the same account, or do you have split personalities? If so, would your s/p like to visit with mine? Mine's very friendly and doesn't bite- hard. You get Conley's other contact.
Shadowesque13: Pokeh Shy. You are absolutely correct, Conley must be drawn! Only by someone with far greater skill than I. is sad You get Conley's trench coat.
Desora Selombal: Of course I'm going to write more! This is my little baby! I'm going to write, and write, and write, until my thumbs break and I drown in my own spit, if that's what it takes! You get Conley's future shades.
Aura Spectre: My dæmon is a Malayan fruit bat named Borrick. No, I totally got what you were saying, dude. You get a lock of Conley's hair.
Jazzeh: I know. It does rock, doesn't it? And the Ego-Monitor goes through the roof.... You get a kiss on the cheek from Conley.
Silver Latias: Yes, you got the German phrase correct. I picked it up from reading all those X-Men: Evolution fics long ago. Kurt's funny. Anyway, you're wrong! Absolutely wrong! With your prediction, I mean. You shall see why if you read this chaplet.... insert evil, manical laughter here Drunk Jazz is funny. Conley's been a bad boy. I'll have to think up some mean way to torture him. Let's start with giving the boy a horribly violent and bloody past! That always works! By and by, are you on the Butch Hartman forums? Cause there's someone there that has a name veeery similar to yours, and I was just wondering. And that was an unintentional reference! I've never read Mr. Popper's Penguins, I swear! The monkey made me do it! You get a behind-the-hand snarky comment from Conley.
Anomaly25: Aw, I don't deserve your praise.... Wait a minute, yes I do! Thanks anyway. It's things like this that just make me go all warm and fuzzy. You get Conley's cell phone.
Hikaari: Yeah, I really liked that part, too. It rocks, so it does. You get Conley's other sock.
Wind Cat: Since I've already given away one little secret in the RESPONSE TO REVIEWERS, I think that I'll give away one more: you referring to Conley as Jazz's "not-yet boyfriend dude" is closer to the truth than some might think. You get both of Conley's Reeboks.
Jewel59: Jazz wasn't stupid, she was just under the influence! May this be a lesson to all you minors out there: Don't drink and derive! Alcohol and calculus don't mix! You get Conley's watch thing.
Cartoon Fan: Yeah, I like referencing. It's a hobby of mine. You get Conley's necklace-thing.
Lateraina Wolf: How the heck do you pronounce that first part of your name? Anywho, I like the song, too. You get Conley's pants.
Neptunes Tsunami: Thankee kindly. Now you can know what happens next! You get a glare from Conley.
Ghostly Hamburger: S'up. I'm continuing.... sooner or later.... You get Conley's boxers.
AbeoUmbra: Wow, a new reviewer who read through all of DSC.... That's really neat. And "interesting" doesn't even begin to describe what I've got planned. You get a pillow that Conley drooled on.
Amber: I am updating soon! You'll get another little thing tomorrow! Since I have nothing left, you get Conley. Make sure that you take him for walks, else he gets crabby.
Remember folks, tomorrow is Fan Appreciation Day! Have fun, and drive home safely!
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Danny in Star CityChapter 8.3: Eidolon
"I found our little halfa friend," Conley reported through his cell phone. It was quite a task to manage holding the phone with one hand and keeping Jazz from falling off the bench with the other, but he somehow managed. "You were right. It was the Fenton boy, not his sister."
There was a slight pause and Conley snapped, "I only wanted to be sure! There's no use going through with this if we don't even know-"
He was interrupted and waited impatiently. "I understand that we lost time! I get the concept! But come on, it's not going to be hard to lure the kid off alone- you did what? You know that.... that.... that thing can't be controlled!" The person on the other end of the line gave a smooth reply and Conley sighed irritably. "One person. One person can control it. That's it! ....of course I've heard stories about Phantom! I know he's strong! I just can't believe that you let it loose...."
There was a long pause. "The kid isn't supposed to die. I don't want anyone else's blood on my hands.... Of course I remember our deal. I'm not trying to back out. You just remember your end. This is the last time I'm serving as your lackey," he spat. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he continued, "And tell Eidolon to hurry up. I want this thing over and done with by midnight."
In one motion, Conley flipped the phone shut and slipped it into a pocket of his trench coat. His hand brushed against the Fenton Ghost Laser and brought about an old, almost forgotten emotion.
"Guilt.... But why?" Conley asked, giving the girl in his arm a searching glance. Jazz shifted and it seemed as though she were going to awaken, but no; she was still out cold. In her sleep, one hand lightly clutched the other teen's shirt and her head drooped over his chest. He hesitated and, not completely knowing why, ran a hand through her hair.
"You're no different than all those other girls," he informed her. I'd never wanted anything to do with them, either, he thought to himself. But hey, orders were orders. Get information by any means necessary....
"This is stupid," he said aloud. "As long as Jazz stays out of the way, she won't be hurt." Judging from the amount of liquor in that punch, he didn't think that she'd be going anywhere for a while. But why do I even care? he wondered, tracing a line up her cheekbone. I've had to charm a lot of girls in the past. Stupid, bubbly gits, the lot of them. But somehow, Jazz is different....
"Ignoring my hormones for a while," he said dryly, "there's no reason this girl should matter to me. It's not like I'm indebted to her or anything...."
'I trust you.'
"Damn conscience," he muttered, closing his eyes. "Absent for years, and it picks now, of all times, to kick in."
"Yes, well, consciences like to do things like that."
Conley's eyes snapped open at the sound of the other voice. Was Jazz- no, she was still asleep. He wrapped her arm around her tighter. The figure in front of him laughed at this display.
The boy presently regained his composure and said, with no little amount of contempt, "Eidolon."
"Conley." Though it wore a hooded cloak, Conley was sure that the spirit was smirking as it said his name. "And who's this fair broad in his arms? Oh, let me guess- this is the one you thought was the halfa! But now that you know you won't have to hurt her, you've decided to be the clichéd lover, the heroic mercenary who ends up crushing on the girl-"
"Be quiet," Conley hissed. Eidolon let out an insane laugh and crossed its arms. The sleeves of its black robe pulled back enough to reveal its apparent lack of hands and wrists.
"Wait til the boss hears about this," the spirit said, grinning. The glow from a streetlight reflected off an obsidian canine. Strangely, the rest of its face remained hidden. "She isn't going to like that you've compromised our situation."
"I haven't," Conley snapped, getting up suddenly. "And she doesn't need to know. This girl-" he gestured to Jazz, who had slumped against the bench, "-isn't involved in any of this. She's just-"
"Let me guess, let me guess! An innocent bystander, correct?" When the boy nodded, Eidolon let out a hysterical shriek. "This is rich! This is simply rich! Conley 'Look at how many girls have to throw themselves at me before I even blink!' Davenport falling head-over-heels, madly in-"
"Don't say it."
"-love."
Conley's hand clenched and he glared at the spirit. "You aren't here to antagonize me, Eidolon. You job is to-"
"I know full well what my job is," Eidolon said. "I'm just waiting for the opportune moment in which to complete it."
"That moment being....?"
"When my pet returns to me," the spirit replied. Conley balked visibly at that statement, and Eidolon let out a high-pitched giggle.
"Oh, that's right, you don't like my pet, do you? I remember now. You used to have nightmares; horrible and ghastly ones, if I do recall."
Eidolon took a step towards Conley and the boy backed away, much to its amusement. "Come to think of it, you don't like ghosts in general much, either. Why? Do we scare you?" it asked, stepping closer.
"Get away from me," Conley said through clenched teeth.
"Even after all these years, I still frighten the child!" Eidolon snorted. "Don't bother trying to deny it, human. You're radiating fear." It turned and gave a whistle. Though the sound was too high for Conley to hear, the boy still felt it; there was an eerie quality to it that seemed to be summoning something. Presently, hoofbeats echoed began to echo towards the park and a large minotaur galloped into sight.
"Someone will see it," Conley murmured as the beast raced past the soiree tents.
"No, they won't," Eidolon said gleefully. Its arms moved in such a manner that indicated that its invisible hands were probably rubbing together. "I've made them all unaware of any supernatural events that take place tonight."
"I trust that this time you actually took care in your spellbinding?" Conley asked.
"Of course I did. I don't me the same mistake twice," the spirit said irritably. Its demeanor noticeably brightened when the beast halted a few yards away. Conley got as far away from the monster as possible while keeping himself between it and Jazz. Eidolon's outline became hazy and it reappeared clearly before the beast.
It floated up to look the creature in the eyes. "There, there," it said, almost soothingly, as it rubbed the muzzle. "I missed you, too. And what's this?" it asked in surprise as a pale mist was exhaled from the minotaur's nostrils. The spirit reached out with reverance, and the piece of Todd's soul wound its way into the shadows of Eidolon's hood.
"Very good, my pet," it crooned. "You've done well. You may rest."
The minotaur grunted and sank to the ground. It dissolved right before Conley's eyes and flashed to a spot on Eidolon's chest. Now, there hung a golden necklace over its black robes, a crude centaurian figure etched upon its surface.
Eidolon turned to Conley, and the boy flinched under the spirit's gaze. "I'll be back soon," it hissed. "And if I find that you've run off...." It let out a chilling laugh. Shadows crept up its robes and enveloped the spirit; when they faded, it was gone.