Warnings for this chapter: None that I know of.
Let's get this show on the road!
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Chapter 4: First time encounters, or was it really?
The days pass and nothing of real merit happens, that is, until one day...
Danny is sitting with his family eating dinner when the overhead speakers start making noise, causing the ship to fall silent.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, uh, we seem to have entered a corner of the Bermuda Triangle by mistake. Now, there's no need to panic for the staff of the ship has handled this kind of situation before, so just sit back and enjoy the few extra days of your cruise."
Jack bobs up and down in his seat like a little kid, eyes sparkling while a grin splits his face. "Isn't this great Mads? We finally get to study the Bermuda Triangle! Is this our lucky day or what?"
"Yeah sure dad, really lucky." Danny says rolling his eyes.
The sarcasm is lost on his parents though, who spring up from their chairs and take off to find their equipment. Jazz smiles tiredly and pats Danny's arm before getting up; going to find a quiet place to read most likely.
Danny stays in his chair, contemplating on what he should do now. He glances over at the piano, as he had been doing for the past six days. He hasn't touched it since that day, afraid that something weird was going to happen again. Oh, the urge is there, but unlike the first time he hasn't given in to the pull. He gets up and is about to leave when he heard a familiar voice calling his name in a stage whisper.
Danny turns so fast you'd think he would get whiplash, "Tucker?!"
"Shhhhhh!" Tucker hisses. His eyes dart around the room before motioning Danny to follow him. They go around the corner of the stage so they can talk in private.
"Tucker, what are you doing here? I thought you were back in Amity Park!"
Tucker frowns, looking at Danny like he'd grown a second head. "What in god's name are you talking about Danny? I don't know what Amity Park is but I've worked on this ship almost as long as you have! What? Because people love your piano playing so much you've decided not to give a lowly violinist the time of day?"
Danny throws his hands up and steps back, still confused on what is happening, "Woah, easy Tuck, that's not what I meant!" He insists anxiously.
Tucker starts laughing, "Naw, don't worry I'm just screwing with you!" He says wiping an imaginary tear from his eye, "But anyway, what were you doing on the dining floor with the passengers? You know Vlad doesn't want the staff mingling with the upper class, he loses profit that way."
Danny feels anger shoot though him at that name, it sounds familiar somehow, "I don't give a damn about Vlad's profits! I'm a pianist, not a servant!" Danny snaps. Tucker gives him a pitying look.
"Vlad's trying to force you again isn't he?"
That question causes Danny to pause. What does he mean by 'force'? He stares at Tucker for a moment before an unpleasant feeling curls in his gut, making him nauseous. He must have a look on his face because anger flares in Tucker's eyes before he puts a hand on Danny's shoulder, glaring at their feet.
"I wish I could stop him Danny, I really do." Tucker tells him ashamed.
Danny shakes his head, "There's nothing you could do Tuck, if it wasn't for him I would still be out on the streets," Danny wonders why he is saying this, this Vlad person hasn't done anything to help Danny that he knows of, but it seems his brain isn't controlling his mouth at the moment.
"Besides, he's almost as rich as King Henry, and has about as much influence. He could make us disappear and no one would wonder what happened to us." Danny says brushing Tucker's hand off.
"Daniel where are you?! You need to be onstage in twenty minutes!"
Danny and Tucker freeze up, eyes wide as dinner plates for two different reasons. "That's Vlad! You need to get out there before he throws a tantrum!" He pushes Danny up on the stage before the raven can register what is happening, careful not to be spotted himself.
Danny stands in front of the piano and gawks at the crowd. All eyes land on him and he starts to feel sweat at the nap of his neck. He bites his lip, looking around the room nervously before quickly bowing and taking a seat on the bench behind him. He looks down and finally notices that he isn't wearing his usual outfit. Instead of his usual blue jeans and T-shirt, he is wearing a light blue and grey three piece suit and instead of sneakers he is wearing black dress shoes.
'Okay, this is beyond weird,' He thinks brow wrinkled at the new development. Danny looks over at Tucker who is motioning him to do something, though Danny thinks he kind of looks like a chicken with how he's jumping and flapping his arms.
Danny sighs, cracks his fingers, and then puts his hands on the piano keys. Figuring that he'd just go with whatever song came to mind.
Danny's fingers automatically start playing a melody that gives off his emotional state. Confusion, turmoil, and an undertone of loneliness that Danny wouldn't have known he was feeling if it didn't come out in the music. But now that he thought about it, he did feel lonely. He doesn't know why he feels that way, or what kind of loneliness it is, but it is there. His hands add an agitated tone to the music as he becomes frustrated trying to figure it out.
He tries to ignore the eyes at his back as he plays, but he has the urge to look behind him. A quick glance shows his audience silent and gazing at him in awe, but one pair of eyes catch his attention in particular. He can't see the person, but the emerald green eyes are crystal clear and show a keen interest. Danny starts to feel uncomfortable, so he turns back to the piano and finishes the song.
The crowd applauds and he hastily takes a bow before fast walking off stage. He makes his way into a hallway that looks very familiar.
"That was beautiful, I don't think I've ever heard a song more beautiful in my lifetime."
Danny turns sharply and tenses, a feeling of Deja Vu niggling in the back of his mind. But when blue eyes lock with green he relaxes a little. He isn't sure who he was expecting but he's thankful that it wasn't that person. He rubs the back of his neck and smiles.
"I'm not that good, I just play whatever comes to my head. There's always someone out there that's better." He says modestly looking at the ground.
The other man chuckles as he walks closer, "Perhaps, but you're the best I've seen by far. You don't play what others expect, I'm sure you'd become quite famous one day."
Danny laughs and shoots back with, "Yeah, and maybe one day I'll marry a marchioness!"
"You don't give yourself enough credit for your talents." The man says seriously before he seems to remember something, "Oh! But where are my manners!"
The man bowed a little, "I am Daniel Baritoni, what might your name be buon signore(1)?"
Danny's eyes widen a bit from the foreign language, but he laughs good-naturedly as he holds his hand out for a shake. "Daniel Jameson, but everyone calls me Danny," He introduces, not stopping to wonder where he got the last name from.
Danny senses the other man's grin, as he says in a charming voice, "We have the same first name? Well the world is small after all," He takes Danny's hand and brushes his lips against the back of it, "I hope to see more of your performance, Mr. Jameson."
Danny's face burns red at the gesture as he mumbles, "Sure," he quickly pulls his hand away as Daniel Baritoni laughs and walks away.
Heart pounding, he covers the hand the green eyed man kissed as he feels a small smile tug on his lips. Danny turns around only to run into the chest of the person he feels he really doesn't want to see.
Dark, angry blue eyes stare into sky blue and Danny's heart startes thundering in his chest for a completely different reason. This man absolutely reeks of ill intent and right now, it seems like it is all focused on Daniel James Fenton.
"Daniel, who was that you were talking to?" He says voice deceptively calm.
Danny's eyes widen as he recognizes the voice. This was the shadow Danny was talking to before, and also the supposed owner of the ship. So his name is Vlad...
When the man narrows his eyes, Danny snaps out of his thoughts and insists in a rush, "N-no one sir! Just someone who was congratulating me on my music!"
Vlad seems to accept this excuse and gives him a kind smile; it makes Danny's skin crawl.
"Well, I suppose that's not unusual, most of my passengers tend to come aboard this ship again and again just to see you play. Though we both know that wouldn't be the case if it wasn't for me, correct?" Vlad puts a hand on Danny's cheek and the younger male feels what can only be described as spiders made of the coldest ice crawl up his back. He instinctively pulls away from the touch, his cheek feeling as if it were burned.
"Of course sir, I wouldn't have even known of my talent if it wasn't for you."
Danny feels sick saying that, but unlike the first conversation he had with Vlad before, something told him it was better to stay on the man's good side.
Vlad chuckles, pretending he doesn't notice Danny's discomfort, "Just be sure to remember that Little Badger, I happen to enjoy your talents as well, it would be a shame if something were to happen to cause you to be unable to preform for the guests now wouldn't it?"
Danny hears the subtle threat under the words and gives the older man a shaky smile, "Of course, sir."
Vlad nods and walks away. Danny lets out a sigh of relief just as Jazz comes around the same corner that Vlad disappeared, concern etched on her face.
"Danny? Who were you talking to?"
Danny shrugs nonchalantly, trying to hide how uneasy he is as he starts walking back towards their cabin, Jazz following behind. "Just a fan and the owner of the ship. Vlad's really creepy though, I keep getting a bad feeling from him."
"Who's Vlad?" Danny turns to see a confused frown on Jazz's face and feels his face match it.
"The owner of the ship?" He half asks.
Jazz shakes her head, her confusion deepening. "The ship owner's name is Jon Donner," She tells him.
Danny's brow wrinkles in disbelief, "No, his name is Vlad," He insists.
Jazz walks past him and out on deck, "Someone is obviously lying to you little brother, there's nobody on this ship with the name Vlad."
Danny stands in the middle of the hallway completely stunned. There's no one on the ship with the name Vlad? How is that possible? Then he remembers the other man and runs after his sister, "Is there anyone on the ship named Daniel Baritoni then?" He questions frantically, hoping that something from his experience was true.
Unfortunately, Jazz answers in the negative, "I talk to the ship's captain all the time and he's got a good memory of everyone who comes on the ship. I can ask, but as far as I know you're the only 'Daniel' here Danny."
Danny stares at her, eyes wide. Was he just imagining what he went through? That would explain why Tucker was here. Danny groans, facepalming at his stupidity. Of course he was just imagining it! He didn't have anything to do so his mind came up with something to occupy his time.
"I think the sea air is getting to me," He mumbles as he turns around and walks on autopilot to their cabin.
Translations for this chapter
(1) "Buon Signore" means Good sir.