Title: Shattering the Voice

Author: Digimon Empress Yaten (de yaten)

Notes: AU? Explanation for how Ember's vocal chords were damaged in TUE. Pretty OOC Ember, unless you count the four years of time I skipped in character development. And purple prose gushing about Danny's eyes, and Ember being girly over Danny. Eh.

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't claim to.

Ember eyed the boy before her warily. He looked wilder, and had a savage glint in his eyes. There was something terribly severe about the way his eyes bore into her.

She had heard about Danny splitting into his two halves, and the subsequent murder of his human side. She had heard about the damage he had been causing, mostly to the human world, but knew it wouldn't be long before he decided to pay the ghost world a visit. She hadn't expected him to seek her out, however.

"What do you want?" She asked.

Danny smirked.

"Destruction." He took a step towards Ember, "And I thought that you could use my help."

Ember scoffed. "Me need your help? Fat chance, Phantom. I'm out'ta here." She turned away and began to leave.

Danny appeared in front of her.

"Don't you want to rule the world?"

Ember stopped. Was he serious?

"I can give you that," he said, "Or at least the human world. Of course, it's nearly destroyed now, but I'm sure you could remake it to your liking."

He reached out a gloved hand to Ember, giving her an eery smile. "What do you say?"

Ember found herself staring at his eyes. Before the split they were full of passion, a kind of fiery passion that was utterly uninteresting to Ember. This new Danny's eyes were harder, more distant, and they stung her with an icy charisma.

"I don't know..." She began. How would she know he wasn't just going to try to destroy her? Then again, if he wanted to do that, he would've done so by now. Maybe he was just bored with causing destruction by himself. And, hey, the whole human realm to control? She couldn't pass it up. If he tried anything funny, she could just blast him with her guitar. Yeah, sure, why not? What did she have to lose?

Ember took Danny's hand and grinned.

"Let's do it."

"He's LATE!"

Ember paced restlessly in front of the broken streetlamp. It had been nearly four years since she and Danny teamed up, and for the most part, he had given her free reign over the human world. The only catch was that she had to find the small pockets of humans planning against Danny, and destroy them. Easy enough. She had even been adding to her trademark song, twisting the lyrics this way and that. Partnership with Danny hadn't been that bad. Actually, she had been enjoying his company for the better part of the four years. He reminded her of someone she used to know.

But for the moment, he was late. Danny had told her to meet him at the street corner at exactly 11:00 PM, stressing the exactly for most of the conversation. She had obeyed, somewhat thrilled at the idea of a nighttime meeting. She knew it had to be something important, because why else would he arrange for such a precise location and time? They hadn't met for almost half a year. Ember decided it was because he was far too busy with his plans, and he knew she could get along fine on her own. He was thoughtful like that.

Ember was startled by a rough hand on her shoulder. She spun around to see Danny standing there, his face dimly visible in the moonlight. Ember felt a wave of deja vu as she looked at him. The moment reminded her of when he had first asked her to join him. Again, he looked different. He wasn't the scrawny ghost-boy she had come to know. He was larger, not fat, but definitely muscular. He was much taller, and sported a small white goatee. It was strangely charismatic.

She found herself lost for words, but barely managed to whisper, "You... look different."

The new Danny smirked, and let go of Ember's shoulder. "I feel different."

He began walking along the street, pausing to turn into an empty alleyway. Ember followed him, face flushing with excitement. She noted this and mentally pinched herself. Had she become a giggling schoolgirl in those 6 months without him? He probably thought she was a silly little girl, waiting around for him because she held even a glimpse of him as the highest honor. In a small way, she did.

Danny stood at the end of the alley, waiting for Ember to catch up. When she did, Danny reached out a hand to stroke her face. Her skin went hot under the touch, and Danny feigned a surprised look.

"Did you miss me that much?"

Ember felt herself trembling. God, she really had become a little girl again. She nodded weakly, trying to avoid having to speak. She knew her voice wouldn't steady, just as her legs were threatening to give way underneath her.

"There's something I need you to do for me..." He lightly caressed her neck and shoulders, not bothering to hide a small chuckle as her body began to shake visibly. "I want to test out a new power of mine... I've been practicing with open range, but of course, it's no good to me if I can't get a specific target. Will you help me?"

Ember nodded, and let out a small gasp of surprise as Danny grabbed her shoulders, pushing her against the brick wall of the alley. He didn't allow her time for thought, and forcefully slammed his lips against hers.

Ember's body buckled, and she closed her eyes. Her lips would probably be bruised. The same for her shoulders. Did it really matter now? She found herself trying to push his body against hers, because while his face was locked against hers, his body was strangely stiff and distant. When this failed, she opened her mouth slightly, hoping to make the kiss more... adult.

Danny smiled. This was what he had been waiting for. "I'm going to test out my new power now..." He dove in suddenly, kissing her deeply, before unleashing a powerful Ghost Wail inside her mouth.

Ember's eyes shot open, and her hands clawed at her throat. She felt as if someone had stabbed her lungs. Her limp body slid to the floor, and she began coughing harshly, trying to say something, anything, to Danny.

Dan Phantom stood in front of Ember, examining her. It had worked. It seemed that the Ghost Wail could be used for small areas, even very specific areas, such as Ember's vocal chords. He laughed when he saw her trying to speak.

He hadn't destroyed her vocal chords completely, but he had ruined them so that she couldn't possibly sing anymore. Not that he was wary of her defeating him, but it was clear that singing was the most important thing in his life. Well, besides Danny, of course. He chuckled again and disappeared from her sight.

Ember lay on the dirty street, still coughing and clutching her throat. After the sharp pain disappeared, and the steady ache took its' place, Ember propped herself up against the wall.

He had been lying. He had been tricking her, all this time. Promise her what she wants, play with her a bit, then destroy her in some experiment. For four years. Worst of all, she knew, was that she had gone right along with it. Just slap a dark side to Danny Phantom, and she would follow him, swooning whenever he smiled or blinked or talked.

Her eyes narrowed into slits.

She hissed, "You will remember my name."

-END-

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