December 19, 2004: This place.... this place seems so familiar, it's almost like I've been here before. It's like a place I visited once, long ago, and had to leave for years and years and whatnot. Wait.... the memories are coming back to me now.... yes, yes.... I know this place! It's the word document for DSC!
-waves to fans- Hey-o! Ha, I told you I'd be back! But did you believe me? No-o-o-o! Even though I did take a tad longer than planned.... But hey, I have a novel under my belt: "Rift Over Baltimore", a fantasy story set in.... well, Baltimore. Who'da thunkit. It's 50,000 words- 50,000 words of crap, yes, but 50,000 nonetheless. I'm so proud.
But. Anyway. This chapter is not as long, or, in my opinion, as good as the others. I had to get myself out of Baltimore and back in Star City, away from Henri Jackson and Ryan and back to Danny Fenton and Eliza Channings, It was a bit of a shift, and I know this isn't my best work, but you know what? Screw that. It shall all be fixed in the rewrite.
Yes! DSC shall be undergoing a rewrite! See, when I started this venture, I didn't have half this stuff planned out- Conley, Gale, and Jereni weren't in the story, Eidolon showed up in chapter five, and the climax should have been reached two months ago. Now.... -whistles innocently- Biggest thing I want to change is the whole Conley deal, because-
Wait, I don't want to ruin it! Ha. So, let's see.... References in chapter eight: Neverwhere was the whole drunk Jazz deal, Greek mythology was the minotaur (insert a "duh" here), and the Batman comics.... dang, can't find it. No references in this chapter, if you can believe it. What can you say, I'm taking a nice break.
The OFtR is "Comics,
Cookies, and Revenge" by LejindaryBunny. It's about the movie The Incredibles (which is the coolest movie in the history of really cool movies oh my God you have to see it squeeee!) about Syndrome. Cha, he's a good little bad guy. pats head
So. I hope that you all have had a nice break, because guess what? I'm ba-ack.
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Danny in Star City
Chapter Nine: Familiar Faces
After leaving Nawab's, Katrina proceeded to lead the adults up and down the street and into the shops like an excited child on her birthday. She currently had her nose pressed up against the window of Cinna's Jewelry, a store closed on Friday nights.
"But Eric, just look at that necklace! Rubies inlaid with diamonds.... come on, you know rubies are my birthstone."
Eric took a casual look and shrugged. "Lovely. Now, back to that extra room for the restaurant. I was talking to the guys in the shop next to us, and they're going out of business soon. I figure that we'll be able to do some renovations and rent out the space for a while-"
"Oh, quit talking about the restaurant for once. Christmas is only twenty some days off, and-"
"Thirty some, actually, and the restaurant was your idea in the first place."
"But the rubies! Look, the price tag's right there, it's only...." She trailed off as her eyes skimmed the tag, and she turned away abruptly.
"Who wants to pay that much for a bunch of shiny rocks, anyway?" she muttered.
Eric placed an arm around her shoulders. "Maybe next Christmas, Kat."
Maddie and Jack walked a few paces behind the other couple, laughing at Katrina's antics. She and her daughter were so much alike, it was scary. Speaking of which....
"Where do you suppose Danny and Eliza are?" Maddie asked. "We haven't seen them for almost half an hour."
"I'm sure they're all right," Eric said, halfway turning back to face her. "Eliza just wanted to drag her new friend around the city."
"They're so cute together," Katrina said, sighing.
Eric gave his wife a look. "Katrina."
"Eric."
"Danny and Eliza are fourteen. They've known each other for a grand total of two days. What makes you possibly think that could have a thing for each other?"
"Well, she didn't say that, exactly," Maddie said, coming to her friend's defense. However, silently, she agreed with Eric. Though he and Eliza were getting along famously, Maddie didn't think that Danny liked the girl. "What do you think, Jack?"
Her husband squinted thoughtfully at nothing in particular. "Doesn't Danny like that Sam girl?"
"No, they're 'just friends'." Maddie's voice held no little amount of skepticism.
"Oh. Anyway, it's not those two that bother me. No, I'm more worried about Jazz and.... and.... and what's-his-face."
"You mean that mysterious, handsome stranger that just swept your daughter off her feet? Just like in the movies," Katrina quipped.
Before Maddie could reply, she was cut off by a tremendous bong. The source of the sound seemed to emanate several blocks away, from the downtown clock tower. It rang seven more times, effectively deafening everyone within a five-block radius.
As the last peels of the bell died away, Maddie Fenton checked her watch for accuracy. The black second hand just ticked onto the twelve, agreeing that it was indeed eight o'clock.
"Back to the original topic. How are we going to find our children?"
Eric shrugged. "They'll probably find us first. And ignoring the fact that these are teenagers we're talking about, what's the worst trouble they could get into?"
"You'd be surprised," Maddie muttered.
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Eliza was trying very, very hard not to panic. In the space of about twenty minutes, she had undergone a major paradigm shift (ie., her new friend was half ghost, her brother had been attacked by a figure straight out of Greek mythos, and both showed the vital signs of an ashtray) and had been forced to suspend belief, probably indefinitely. It took every ounce of control for her not to lose it and break down on the spot, and even then, she wasn't a hundred percent successful.
"Danny?"
The boy did not respond. Seconds after the mist had left, his legs had just given out on him, and he sank to the ground. That had been a few minutes ago; he hadn't moved from his knees since. His eyes stared blankly ahead, directed at the brick wall but seeing nothing.
"Danny," she repeated, this time with more force.
There was a slight flicker in Danny's eyes. "He's- he's gone."
Eliza had never seen anyone look so broken in her entire life. She knelt beside him, putting an arm around his shoulder.
"I know, Danny. But we can't just stay here. We need to...." She realized that she had no clue what to do next, but staying in the same place for much longer gave her a very bad feeling.
"We need to find your parents, or my parents, or somebody. I don't know what's going to happen to Todd if we don't get help."
Danny's gaze turned towards the boy and he blinked, reaching out with his hand. He immediately withdrew it, cradling it against his chest. Eliza heard his breath turn to ragged gasps, and she waited patiently for the pain of his broken arm to subside.
"I don't know.... what's going to happen.... to me.... if we don't get help."
His words came out slowly and trembled, as though his voice hadn't been in use for a long time. Cautiously, he let his arm drop, and he reached out towards Eliza with the other. For the second time that night, she helped him to his feet.
"Can you walk on your own?"
Danny took a few steps; they were a bit unsteady, but otherwise fine. She let this answer her question and bent down to pick up her brother. Her heart clenched as she saw Todd's vulnerable face, and she came close to breaking down then and there. She glanced at Danny, who offered her a small, encouraging smile, and hastily wiped away her tears. If he could be strong in such a time as this, then so could she.
"Do you know which way we came?" she asked as they stepped out of the alley, Todd held in her arms hero-style. "I mean, I'm not that familiar with this part of town, and I wasn't paying that much attention in the first place, and when that minotaur thing showed up...."
Danny shook his head, looking up and down the street fearfully as though he were expecting another attack.
"Okay, then." She swallowed, and the dead quiet of the night hit her full force. Where are the cars? she thought frantically. Where is everyone? There should be people out Christmas shopping, or having a late dinner, or something.
They picked a random direction and started walking. The silence began to creep her out, and her mouth opened of her own accord to break it.
"The best point of reference would probably be the science museum, since that's smack in the middle of everything. Too bad I don't know where that is.... We come down here once a week, and you'd think I'd know my way around! I think we're only a few blocks from the restaurant, but it's so easy to get turned around down here. But the park would be good-"
"Eliza."
"-since I know my way from there, and it's not that hard to miss-"
"Eliza."
She blinked. "What?"
Danny was looking over his shoulder, his head framed by a yellowish headlight. "We're being followed," he said as a large, gray Safari pulled up to the curb beside them.
Millions of scenarios began to rush through her head, all having to do with two teenagers on the streets at night when a van full of stalkers was thrown into the mix. Lord, what next? she thought, anxiously wondering if she could run fast enough to elude the car while carrying her brother. Even if she could, would Danny be able to keep up? The answer was a big, obvious, resounding no. Eliza gathered her breath to do the only thing she could do- scream, then fight like hell- when the window rolled down.
"Eliza and Danny, right?" said the driver. There was something familiar about his appearance and his voice, and suddenly Eliza placed him as the man they'd met at the convention earlier that day.
"Gale?" Eliza said incredulously, not believing her eyes. She then realized that, compared to everything else that had happened that night, an almost-complete stranger randomly showing up at a very convenient time was positively normal.
He grinned, and then gestured to Todd. "What happened to him?"
Eliza thought quickly. "Uh, it's a long story-"
"Would it by any chance of something to do with a ghost?"
"Oh. Um.... well, yeah. How'd you know?"
"We picked up some weird energy spikes and thought we would come check it out." He took in Eliza's torn shirt and Danny's mangled arm. "Looks like we made it just in time."
"We?"
"Yeah, Jereni's in the back. Come on, we'll give you guys a ride." He got out and opened the sliding door of the van. "Jereni, we got company."
The woman in the third seat blinked her blue eyes, looking up from her laptop. "Are you all alright?"
Eliza bit back a sarcastic reply as Jereni got out and gave Todd a quick once-over.
"His pulse is too slow, and he feels clammy. How long has he been out?"
"About fifteen minutes, I think. Danny?" Eliza said.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure," the other boy mumbled.
It may have been her imagination, but Danny seemed to not be all there. Frowning, she said, "Look, we gotta get these two to a hospital or something. Something snapped in Danny's arm, and Todd's.... he won't wake up."
"Todd was touched by the ghost, wasn't he? They won't know how to treat that at a regular doctor." She motioned Danny and Eliza into the van. "Come on, I know someone who can help."
Eliza held back, not exactly jumping at the chance to go with them. "Who are you two, really? How do you know about the ghost?"
"Eliza, I promise that we'll explain everything on the way," Jereni said gently, "but you're right- we need to get Danny and Todd help. Please trust us."
Hesitating, Eliza nodded, handed her brother over, and slid into the far end of the second seat. Jereni placed Todd next to his sister and settled back into her original position as Danny clambered into the front next to Gale.
"Where've you got in mind?" Gale asked, looking at Jereni in the rearview mirror.
"Civic center. There's someone there who owes me a favor. Oh, and Gale? Hurry."
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Danny slumped into his seat, dazed beyond comparison. His mind seemed to have quit on him, and it felt as though he had used all of his strength getting in the van. To keep the night's events from replaying in his mind, he tried concentrating on the conversation that Gale and Jereni were having with Eliza. At any other time, the coincidence of finding a ride just as they desperately needed to get out of there would have set Danny on edge, but now he was just grateful to let someone else deal with all of this for once. The two were explaining something to his friend, but his mind refused to comprehend it. Instead, he allowed their words to exist as an incomprehensible mumble, hoping that it would drown out the silence echoing through his head.
Placing a hand against the window, he gave a half-hearted attempt to phase it through the glass. He really wasn't surprised when it remained solid, and the glass, which should have given way with more ease than water, enclosed him like it would anyone else. There was very little doubt in his mind that he would encounter the same result if he were to try to fly or turn invisible or use any of his other powers. Without them, he wouldn't be able to fight when the minotaur came back, as he had a strong feeling it would.
Not that his powers had exactly been a big help in the first place. Insofar, he had been easily spotted by two amateur paranormalists, attracted the attention of a wayward ghost, and nearly gotten Todd killed. This last part was what stung him the most- that he had gotten his friends in danger and found himself unable to keep them safe. He hadn't even been able to fight off the mist when it took Phantom, Danny's....
My what? My spirit? My soul? My other self? I don't even know what he is, and I didn't even think he was there at first. And now I've lost him....
He trembled, momentarily at the mercy of his emotions. It felt like there was a gaping wound somewhere between his head and his chest, which was spreading (if such a thing were possible) an aching numbness throughout his body. A dry sob escaped his lips as he laid his head against the window. To his feverish cheek, the glass felt quite cool to the touch.
"I'm sorry, Danny," Gale said, suddenly cutting through Danny's thoughts.
"Huh?" was the boy's intelligent reply.
Gale took one hand off the wheel long enough to flash his Rolex in Danny's direction. "You don't show up as green anymore. You're yellow, just like the rest of us."
Danny shook his head miserably, not wanting this last bit of evidence rubbed in his face. "You know, I don't feel so good," he whispered before blacking out.
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Mwahaha. I'm so mean to Danny. And it's not just me- it's all his fans! I'm going to have to write something to fix that.... No worries, we shall find out what happens to Conley, Jazz, Phantom, and Eidolon in the next chapter. Anyway, this fic is dedicated to Brad Bird, who directed the coolest frickin' movie on the planet since Spirited Away (The Incredibles, as though that needed clarification). Kudos also to Mar, KimuraSato, and Ghostly Hamburger, for getting back to me on such sort notice and being overall good betas.
Anomaly25: -gets all teary-eyes- Oh, what can I say? The very best thing someone can do is compliment the writer on his/her style. Here. You can have Buddy's rocket-boot things.
Ghostly Hamburger: Ah, indeed, indeed. You get an Increds poster.
Firehedgehog: Sigh. What can one do? You can have Mirage's bling-blingin' business card.
Snow Owl 2: Woah, did you change your name or something? Yes, clichés suck. Glad I surprised you. Think I might have a trick or two up my sleeves- I dunno, I mean, the way the whole Conley deal worked out.... sigh. Gotta love cliffhangers, neh? You can have Syndrome's mask.
Shindou-kun and Ryu-sama: Hey, since you're all split-personality-ish, could you explain to me what -kun and -sama mean? You can have the tack that Dash made his teacher sit on.
KimuraSato: I know. I don't give my betas half the respect they deserve. You get to listen to me slog around ideas for an Increds fic. That's priceless, okay? And don't change the sequel to YS on account of me! I mean, I'm certainly not the first person to think up separating Danny and Phantom.
Silver Latias: Please, please, "Take a Look in the Mirror" far surpasses this (and I'm not just playing The Game). Too bad it hasn't been updated in, like, forever. Yeah, the genre changed, but I think the rating will stay the same. The sequels, now, might be PG-13, just in case. Or maybe not. I dunno. You're doing a research paper as well? Mine is about He Who Is Named Ray Bradbury. You get a DVD of the Increds before it's even left theatres.
Destiny's Dragon: Cool name, dude. Of course I shall keep writing! I might fall over dead if I did not continue my writing!
Axion-Pup: Dude, I cannot get over the fact that you changed your name from PSDog. -sighs and laughs- Yeah, I wasn't really thinking when I gave you your last gift. Today, I grant thee an Incredibles-themed Rubber Ducky Water Slide, to be put to use in six months or so.
cheerin4danny: Yeah, part of Todd's soul now rests with Eidolon. There's a scary though. Stay tuned to see how else I torture these poor characters of mine! You get to babysit Jack-Jack.
FicFan: Kick some butt? What an excellent idea! It's high time that Eliza took part in some butt-kicking, and I know just the thing to do it with. -Insert Evil Grin Here- You get the cup that Lucius Best drank from in order to freeze that cop dude in the movie.
Liaranne: Ah, I love that name. It rocks. Yeah, I left the adults alone for a chapter, but hopefully this one has remedied that. I'm glad you liked the part with Conley- looking over it again, I'm struck with how clichéd it is. Sigh. You get a half-off coupon to get your very own supersuit from Edna Mode.
SawCyn-WroteSin: Come on, dude, you gotta tell me the story behind your pen name. And seeing how I'm female, I believe that I would be a bitch, not a bastard. Silly goose. Didn't I tell you not to eat popcorn? Geez. That's natural selection for you. You get the Omnidroid Mark Ten.
PhantomHeart37: I'm sorry that you didn't understand the last bit of chapter eight. Yes, Phantom and Danny are now separate entities. You get Violet's hairband she starts wearing at the end of the movie.
Windwaker: Geez, stop spazzing, okay? I'm not going to stop writing DSC until the words "The" and "End", which shall be used in conjunction. You get an Increds-themed lunchbox.
So, as I wrap this chapter up, let me tell you that my goal is to finish this story by the first of the year. I want it over and done with! I think that I have 2-3 chapters to go, but only if they're really, really long. So. Expect more soon. You can see what's up at my writing blog, which is in my bio, or you can use this broken link: www(dot)livejournal(dot)com(slash)users(slash)wormmonabc(slash).