Oiyo! I'm a little disappointed no one has given me a story to write, kyon! But once you get an idea, please tell me! I'm anxious!

All right, this is the serious drama. I have a chapter after this one, and it should be complete. I'm still not sure if I want to do an epilogue!

I've been starved of technology for my entire Saturday, other wise, I would have updated much sooner.

Read on:

Chapter five:

Dark Danny sighed, "In the twisted idea of fate...Vlad took us, out of memory for the love of his life. A truce was offered, but Danny stopped caring about being an apprentice. He stopped caring about everything... Nothing mattered to him: Life, death, ghosts, anything at all…

"He kept a photo of us all together like a secret and often cried over it... He would sleep more than a normal boy would…hell, he'd sleep more than a cat. He just locked himself away in his room for hours on end and fell asleep – I actually let him fall asleep - dreaming of the days when things weren't so bleak for him... When the boy was just a boy, and he was normal...

"I messed that up for him.

" 'Daniel, you haven't touched your dinner.' said Vlad, weeks after I had gotten settled.

" 'Not very hungry,' he confessed, shanking the fish with his fork, 'Loosing everyone you cared about kind of...robs of your appetite.'

"Vlad was quiet for a long time, eating silently and keeping Danny under his constant sapphire eyes (Gestures Danny did not notice, but I did.) Finally, he said, ' wouldn't it be great of those pesky feelings just...went away?'

"Danny shrugged, 'I guess...but….' He looked at his knife with a conviction, as though it were speaking to him, 'God, sometimes I wish it could, though.' The thought of the gentle, yet cold, caress of the jagged edges against his skin was appetizing to Danny in a different fashion, but Danny wasn't that kind of guy.

"But devastation can change a person.

"My two human halves ate dinner silently, then each snuck of to their respective rooms.

" 'Phantom…' he cried on my leg,' Phantom, they're dead…dead, and it's all my fault. If I had never cheated…' he sniffed, 'If I had only listened to you and to Jazz and Tucker and Sam…they wouldn't be gone, and we'd be happy…I don't have a home, Phantom, I don't have anyone…not in the whole world.'

" 'I'm always here,' I said, stroking Danny's hair. The set for our world was his bedroom, and he was sitting at his desk, and I was sitting on top of it. 'I'll never leave. Promise.'

" 'You're not like them…' he said, sobbing even louder now, 'you couldn't get rid of this emptiness…I'm sorry, Phantom, but it's true…I need humans…'

"In light of the situation, I decided to let him have that. I couldn't be mad at the boy; he had just lost everything. I couldn't put myself before him…that half of me could not.

" 'YOU? Kind to Daniel!' my other half yelled, 'Are you daft? He's the enemy!'

" 'Quiet!' snapped Vlad, 'I can't help but feel for the boy. He's lost so much, more than I ever have! I must do this for him.

"The realm of Vlad and I was our lower dungeon. We were pacing around each other in the square stone room; I was growing impatient.

" 'But-'

" 'No "buts" ' he barked, 'I'm going to do it, and that's final!'

" 'And what is it, exactly?' I asked him.

" 'I've been thinking,' he began, 'Those ghost gauntlets Maddie and the oaf made, they could rip a ghost to pieces, right?'

"I nodded, 'Yes, I think so. What does that have to do with Danny? I thought you were helping him?'

" 'I am!' said Vlad, 'His emotions are weighing him down…he needs to be set free! I can rip the humanity from him and-'

" 'And then he won't he Danny anymore!' I exclaimed as I stopped pacing. He stopped as well.

" 'No, he will be better! I'll rip the humanity out of him, and he'll be emotionless and happy!'

" 'Think about that: Emotionless and happy! You cannot have both, Vlad, it's impossible!'

" 'But it isn't!' he said, moving toward me, 'you wouldn't understand the genius that lies under this plot! He'll be the perfect apprentice as well and blissful! Our puppet will be more willing that ever!' he laughed.

" 'What shall you do with his humanity?' I interrupted.

" 'What?'

" 'His humanity. You can't have it lying around like a rug, what's to be done with him?'

" 'Oh…right…well, I suppose death.'

" 'Surely you're joking!' I raged, 'You're going to kill your late love's son!'

" 'She's late, is she not?'

" I stared at him. Being reasonable wasn't something you could be with these two. I simply roared out in frustration, 'Do as you wish! I shall not be present at this sick celebration!' and I disappeared from the dream and refrained from emerging for him again.

"That was the last time Vlad had talked to me.'

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" 'Danny...' I said, 'Danny, I think you should wake up now.'

" 'Hmm?'

" I nudged at his shoulder, 'Danny! Wake up, we're being moved!'

" 'That's silly, Phantom,' said Danny sleepily, 'we're safe in our bed.'

" 'No we are not!' I stood and took hold of his arm, yanking him, trying to get him to snap out of his daze,' Get up! Get - up! Danny, I'm telling you, I-' I stopped dead in my tracks. My hand brushed against something, but I could not believe it.

" 'What is it...?' asked Danny.

" I turned his arm over, staring at his wrist, which was mutilated and slashed. I blinked several times, trying to clear my head, 'What the hell is this!'

"Suddenly springing to attention, he pulled back his arm, 'Nothing!' he rubbed his arm, closing his eyes, as though expecting a blow.

" 'You're a cutter?' I said, stupefied, 'Why didn't youtell me? How couldn't I know? We're practically the same being!'

" 'Yeah, but we're not!' he took a step back, toward our room's window, 'we're not the same person, you are a ghost, and I am human! I need other humans, and you couldn't possibly understand the shit I'm going through right now!' He still gripped his wrist, stroking the scars comfortingly, 'you're just a ghost! Whether you're a part of me or not, you couldn't understand! BECAUSE I TURNED INTO YOU, MY WHOLE LIFE IS RUINED!' "

Dark Danny stopped to take a deep breath.

" 'IF I HAD NEVER GONE IN THAT DAMN PORTAL IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED! YOU'RE A MONSTER AND THE REASON DID WHAT I DID! I CHEATED TO KEEP MY STRESS FROM AFFECTING YOU, BUT YOU'RE TOO DANGEROUS TO KEEP AROUND ANYMORE! I WISH YOU WERE GONE! I WISH I HAD NEVER MET YOU! I HATE YOU! I - JUST - WISH - I - COULD - DIE!' "

"I stared at him, not hearing his words, but understanding the rage. I took a wary step towards him,' Y-you couldn't possibly mean that...' I said, still stunned. Danny and I were close…we were like brothers…we were closer than brothers…we were one hybrid being!

" 'I DO! I mean every word," he brought his hand down to his side as if slicing through the air, "Phantom; you are the biggest nuisance in my life! Not the Box Ghost, not the pressure; It's all you! It's your fault!'

"I rubbed at my eye, trying to hide the tears streaming down my face. I bit hard on my lower lip to keep myself under control. This was Danny! And he was still in there…somewhere. I just had to find him. 'I... I told you I wasn't going to hurt you...I told you I never would! I promised to understand, even though I am a ghost, you're still a part of me and I-'

"Suddenly, my chest got tight and constricted and I screamed.

" 'God damn it!' I cursed, doubling over. My whole body was engulfed in a burning feeling. No, worse than burning, I was consumed in complete pain. My whole body was rigid and still. My tears streamed steadily now, and I couldn't move from my submissive position. 'Sh-sh…it…"

" 'Phantom...?' he took a step toward me, extending his scarred arm, 'Phantom, what's wrong?'

" 'Leave me alone!' I snarled, clutching at my heart, 'you want me gone, remember? I'm the- Christ...' I panted heavily, feeling weaker and weaker by the second,' I-I'm everyth-thing wrong in your life! I'm dangerous, remember!'

"I let out another long scream and felt like I was thrown backwards. Danny was shrinking from my view.

"I was thrown into the real world, the nails of the ghost gauntlets were embedded in my heart. I looked up and met Vlad's eyes, then back at the unconscious Danny. It didn't take long to realize Vlad was trying to separate us. We wouldn't survive long on our own, and I had to get back.

" Ah, hell with going back. I decided. Still raging from Danny's outburst, I threw the man away from me and screamed.

" 'What the hell is your malfunction, Vlad!' my eyes darted around the room. I wanted to cause him unbearable pain. I wanted everyone to feel it. The fallen gloves met my eye and an idea hatched in my head, 'Let's see how you like it!'

" I picked him up by the collar with both hands and exerted all of my strength to rip him apart. Vlad flew to one side of the room, his ghostly half to the other. I dropped the gloves, powered by pure rage, and overshadowed Vlad's ghostly self. For the second time in a matter of seconds, I felt a soul-shattering rupture throughout me. I screamed long and hard, holding my head as I tried to accept him. I had to…if I didn't, who knew what would happen to Danny if I weren't there to protect him?

"But it almost broke me in half!

"After the ungodly fusing of our ghostly halves finally settled, I stood and turned to Vlad. My voice was unsteady and deep, wavering between Vlad and Danny's voice.

" 'I don't know if I should let you live after what you've done to me.' I glanced at the weak old man and smiled at his trembling, 'I'll give you a head start. A day. Then, the hunt is on, Masters.' I pointed to the door.

" 'Get the hell out.'

" Speechless, gutless, and powerless, Vlad made a mad dash for the door. Not much of a fight from him, just a flash of black Armani and white hair, but he evaded me well enough in latter years.

" I then turned to Danny.

" He was cowering in the corner, broken free from the machine that bonded him. I looked upon him as a friend, perfectly willing to accept him back as my other half again. Certainly, the concern showed on my face, but then I remembered the things he had said.

BECAUSE I TURNED INTO YOU, MY WHOLE LIFE IS RUINED!

YOU'RE A MONSTER AND THE REASON DID WHAT I DID!

YOU'RE TOO DANGEROUS TO KEEP AROUND ANYMORE!

I WISH YOU WERE GONE! I WISH I HAD NEVER MET YOU!

I HATE YOU!

I - JUST - WISH - I - COULD - DIE!

"Protecting Danny be damned!

" 'You wish you could die, huh?' I asked him, fixing my red eyes on his frightened little form. Amusement sprung forth and I laughed, my serpent-like tongue danced at him. I lifted a few inches from the ground.

" 'I'm going-'

" 'Ghost?' I finished for him, 'Oh, stop with the lame battle cry, already. It's over. It's a wonder I didn't try to do this sooner! It was more annoying that your supposed 'Witty Banter.' I'm your power! I'm out here; you're over there. You are weak, I am pretty damn powerful right about now.' I laughed again, inching towards him slowly.

"He was powerless and he was weak. I could repay him for everything he'd said to me, everything he had done! He deserved what was coming to him, I convinced myself, more than anything.

" 'Ironic,' I began, 'that you started this vicious cycle because you were worried about your future. You assumed I was the dangerous one, but it was you who let this happen to you!' I growled proudly,' Not me. I tried to warn you...you're your own ultimate enemy, Danny.' I roared, 'And I've grown tired of you.'

" 'Don't...d-d-on't k-k-kill-'

" 'S-s-s-sp-sp-SPIT IT OUT, DANNY!' I demanded, balling my gloved fist, forming an energy beam, 'Go on, what is it you want? Not to kill you? But isn't that what you wanted so badly, cutter? ISN'T THAT WHAT ALL CUTTERS ULTIMATLY DESIRE! WHY SHOULDN'T I GRANT YOUR WISH, MASTER! I'VE DONE EVERYTHING ELSE FOR YOU! I've let you use my powers, and I've consoled you when you were depressed over the stupidest teenage bullshit! I AM THE NUISANCE?YOU'RE WRONG AGAIN! That is YOU! YOU WERE THE THING SO WRONG WITH YOUR LIFE! YOU WERE RIGHT TO WISH TO DIE! IT'S THE ONLY FATE FITTING FOR YOU!"

" Danny held onto his mutilated wrist, shaking like a rattle. I could almost hear his organs ricocheting around inside of him. 'No...I...I-I d-d-didn't m-m-m-'

" 'You're pathetic! I can't believe I took orders from you!' The energy around my fist disappeared,' I'm going to grant your wish, Danny-'

" 'NO! PLEASE!'

" 'In return to all of those wonderful sentiments from you to me.'

"But as I stared at him, frightened and alone, I wondered for a second-just for a second-if I really wanted to become this monster. He was kind, though thick, and tried to do the right thing.

"Only for a second, though...

"And it's amazing, ClockWork, how one second...one moment of blind rage and anguish can ruin everything...ruin your whole future…"

Dark Danny sighed, looking up, "ClockWork?"

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I know what ClockWork's doing! Do you know? Eh, I guess you'll find out! Five reviews!