Night Wind
By: Wilona Riva
Disclaimer: Butch Hartman does; I don't.
Twinkling Whisper
"Why the heck do I have to wear this?" Phantom demanded, pulling back the offensive material. The tunic and trousers were solid black. The only color visible were two thin white stripes encircling his sleeves. The blasted thing itched.
"We all wear them, Phantom," a girl of perhaps twelve explained, poking her head in the door. "Are you dressed yet?"
"As I'll ever be," he replied. He ran a hand through his messy frost-white hair, trying to smooth it out a bit.
"Forget it, Phantom," the girl giggled, watching him. "You always wore it a bit longer and tied it back. The Lady always did love that about you."
"Please remind me of your names," Phantom said, a bit puzzled.
"We're the Night Queen's phantoms," the girl replied. "I'm Dusk and this is Bell. Twilight and Moon are attending the Queen in her audience chambers. We always shift rotations."
"Surprise you don't remember any of this, Phantom," Bell said. "I wonder if you remember any of our customs."
"What customs?" Phantom asked, a bit alarmed.
"Phantoms are the silent observers," Dusk answered. "We do not speak unless we're in the presence of the Queen of the Night Stars and then only if given permission."
We also use a special sign language, Dusk signed. We do speak amongst ourselves, but mostly we sign to one another when in others' presence.
"You are home, Phantom," she added, pausing when she caught his glare. "Phantom you were, and Phantom you will always be to us."
"The sooner you remember, the happier we all will be," Bell added, gloomily. He shook his silvery-white dreadlocks and grinned. "Or at least I will be happy."
Dusk sniggered slightly. "When Whitewind pays you a visit next, perhaps," she replied. Grabbing hold of Danny's arms, the two phantoms teleported to the throne room of the Queen of the Night Stars.
The doors to the Hall of Night opened silently, allowing the phantomic trio to enter. To Phantom, it was entering space with all its glittering stars. His emerald eyes grew wide with delight.
"You enjoy my little decorations, my little phantom?" came a voice that caused his heart to soar. He remembered being enraptured by it.
He nodded.
The Queen of the Night Stars motioned for him to come forward. Dusk and Bell all but dragged him towards the throne. On either side of her, two other phantoms stood stoically watching them. One was a younger male around Danny's own age with long, straight starry white hair worn in a braid, while the other-an older version of Sunset-looked straight at him and winked.
"Twilight and Moon," the Queen said, "bring out our other guest."
Sunset was beautiful and pale, the elegant girl bedecked out for a party. She wore black trousers, a half white, half black form-fitting blouse with one long black sleeve and a white spaghetti strap. Her glove was black on the hand that bore no sleeve, and white on the other. Like Phantom, her feet were encased in knee high white boots.
Everyone looked up at the Night Queen. "The girl too has a place within our halls. Your brethren will teach you our customs, my little phantom. You and Sunset will join us."
Sunset looked at her in surprise.
"This isn't our home," Phantom spoke up, ignoring the shocked gasps and whispers broke out from the room's dark recesses.
Oh hell, Twilight thought in horror. Tell me, he's not going to start now.
"My little phantom, you are home," the Queen smiled encouragingly. "Dusk, take Phantom back to the world above. A dose of the light should remind him of who he is."
Dusk's eyes flickered sorrowfully over at her leader. "Yes, ma'am," she said, bowing low.
Phantom remained where he was. "We want to go home," he repeated.
"You are home, Phantom," Bell spoke. "A dose of daylight should remind you of that."
"Huh?"
"Let's go, Phantom," Bell told him. "It is night enough above to get this task done."
Dusk finished tying the last of the glowing knot strands. She checked the sky, then nodded. "It will be dawn in another hour, Phantom," she said. "We'll come back for you then."
Phantom glared at her.
Dusk smiled. "You begin to learn already, Night Lord," she teased, kissing him on the forehead. "Tootles."
Fear rose in his throat. He remembered dimly being human and the way he was now. A strange thought flickered through his mind: his parents were going to kill him when he got back home. He let out a howl of frustration which echoed through the trees startling some of the birds. Why couldn't he remember?
Time passed and the sun rose with it.
Daylight filtering through the canopy above touched him. He flinched away from it involuntarily. Tears came to his eyes as the rays stung him. Why was this happening to him?
"He's had enough," Bell said, removing the bonds. "Dusk, catch him before he falls. We must be away for the light touches us."
Phantom moaned as cool hands reached out to steady him. He didn't tell his rescuers thank you, but his eyes spoke volumes.
Dusk patted and smoothed him out. "Okay, Phantom, the Lady calls you to her side once more."
He nodded as the two phantoms grasped him under each arm and teleported away.
"Well, little phantom, did you enjoy seeing the dawn?" the Night Queen asked upon his return.
Phantom trembled at the memory of the deadly rays slowly caressing his skin. He bowed his head and his knees in submission to the ruler of his heart.
"Permission granted to speak, my little phantom," she said, caressing the arm of her throne.
"I have much to remember and learn anew," he said, fear etched in his voice. "Please, teach me."
"Clockwork, the boy..."
"...has made his choice," the Time Master finished. "But all is not lost."
"You're not going to find the answer in those dusty old tomes," Dusk said.
He paused in the act of pulling another book down from the shelf. She reached over, plucked it out of his hands, and put it back in its place. "Come and sit down by the fire. Let's talk."
Phantom frowned, but complied. She poured him an ice cold tea that had a hint of mango, strawberry and citrus. He took a sip, a surprised expression crossed his face.
"It's mangoberry tea," she told him. "From my own personal stores. Now tell me what is bothering you, Phantom."
He put down the glass and stared into the fire for a moment. "Where do we come from?" he asked, after a moment. "I can't find any reference whatsoever in the library as to the origins of the phantoms."
"And you won't," Dusk said. "All that any of us can remember is that we originate from the human world and you were the first of us to be found. That is why we call you Night Lord. You never chose a name, so our queen always called you Phantom. None of us venture into the human realm. Only you."
"Why?" he asked.
"We don't know. Probably because you have the ability to walk among the humans as one of them. Have you gone to see the Bubble Forest yet?" she asked, switching gears. Her emerald eyes twinkled, when he told her no.
"Then let's have fun!" she exclaimed, yanking him out of his chair.
"Dusk!"