A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it has taken me so long to update this! Again I promise I won't give up on this story as it is not only fun, but it is also great story telling practice for me. I hope you all enjoy it!

Keep letting me know what you think through reviews. Critical reviews are more than welcome! Enjoy!

Chapter 5

Concert Hall – 9:30 pm Monday, August 18th

"If we don't wrap this up quick, my pops is gonna ground me until Christmas." Static mumbled as he and Gear flew over a row of police vehicles. There had to be nearly fifty emergency personnel standing at the ready. Gear spotted the swat team captain who normally filled them in and they landed. "What's going on in there?"

"A band called Dumpty Humpty was performing when Ebon, Shiv, and Talon showed up and started wrecking the place."

"Maybe they were upset they couldn't get tickets?" Gear joked. Virgil suppressed a laugh. Just yesterday Richie had been whining about how the tickets to the concert were sold out.

"If they wanted tickets they should have waited in line like everyone else." The air around Static charged as his hover disk lifted him off the ground. To the Captain he said, "We'll check out the situation. If we need back up Gear'll contact you in the usual way." The heroes flew off before the captain could argue as always.

XXX

Inside the hall, Shiv morphed the energy around his hand into a machete and sliced through yet another speaker. They'd been here for nearly half an hour and yet no sign of Static. But why would there be? He and Talon had tried to tell the new girl that Static had some sort of curfew. Yes he would show up occasionally, but in general after 9pm Static seemed to be off the map.

"Static's not going to show. We should have just waited around and enjoyed the show. I kind of like Dumpty Humpty."

Ember sat on the largest speaker on the stage looking down on all but Talon who was perched above them in the rafters. She rolled her eyes at Shiv. "Leave the thinking to me unless you want to end up like your former boss over there."

The energy swords on his hands flickered nervously. Over on the other side of the stage, Ebon gracefully spun in a pirouette. The black shadow hadn't stopped prancing around like a ballerina on the stage since Ember had gotten bored nearly ten minutes ago. If those mind control powers ever wore off, Ebon was definitely going to rain hell on them all.

XXX

Danny reached the front of the main building where his family lived in the penthouse suite. He reached up and pulled down a strand of his unkempt and newly dyed hair, just to make sure that it was still black. It was, but that wasn't going to make it any easier to go upstairs. He'd told Static that his family probably wouldn't notice he'd been gone, but in reality his father kept such close tabs on him that he'd definitely be in for a world of hurt after staying out for an entire weekend with nothing but a quick phone call to his mother.

Danny didn't even have time to think about sneaking away for another night before his father stormed past the security gate with a furious glare that could have burned a hole through the glass front doors. "Where have you been!? Hanging out with those hooligans again?! Three days is completely unacceptable!"

"I know father I'm sorr-"

"And what the hell happened to your hair?!" Danny's heart skipped a beat, although recently that was nothing new, and he reached to his hair in a panic, but it was still black. Jack Fenton went on without noticing or caring about his son's frantic behavior. "Don't you know how to use a comb. You look like a slob!"

"I-"

"And button that shirt! You weren't raised in a barn!" As Danny desperately worked to make his appearance marginally better, the family car pulled up on the street behind him. His father walked over and opened up the door. "Get in."

"Where are we-"

"I didn't teach you to back talk! Now get in!" Danny quickly dove in the car. This wasn't just his dad's usual rage when Danny did something wrong. This was so much worse! Something serious was going on. Not that there was time to ask. Immediately Jack began conversing with the driver in hushed voices. Danny did manage to catch the phrase "destructive hoodlums," and from there it wasn't hard to figure out that this had something to do with metahumans.

"Something got damaged?" he asked hesitantly.

"Got? It's STILL being damaged. Those freaks are still there!" This was new. His father never went to the sites of any attacks until long after the contractor had given his cost-of-repair assessment. Jack seemed to sense his son's question and said, "I'm going to show you what happens to those who fall in with a bad crowd." Danny ducked his head as some old faces flashed in his memory.

XXX

Back at the concert hall, Ember took a deep breath as two new hummed tones entered her range of hearing. The vibrations were lovely, and complemented each other so perfectly. One held a high pitch which sung with a chaotic crackle. The other matched tempo with the first, only this one held a complex chord filled with intelligence and new ideas.

She blocked out the noise of her new idiot crew and listened while the air around both figures purred with sound as they discussed the situation with the police. A conflict between them would create a divine cacophony. "Our heroes have arrived." She informed the others. Ember leapt down from her seat and tightened the strap of her guitar.

She plucked at a couple strings, finding the sound she wanted before strumming a light chord. The air around them all began to vibrate, spreading away from Ember and out the doors of the hall. Judging from their melodies and that she was already manipulating Ebon, it wouldn't be possible to force them to wreak havoc, but some mind games were definitely in order.

"What did you do?" Shiv's voice was hesitant and forced. His hands shook but refused to move; the same went for the rest of his body. Up above Talon was in a similar state. Every feather was standing erect as if something dangerous was right around the corner. Ember laughed.

"Oh sorry. Guess I didn't realize it'd have a bigger effect at close range." She plucked a single note which broke the chord that had been hanging in the air, and saw the two immediately relax. "It's a sound I heard from a friend's little brother, the night of the explosion." Her face held a cold stare and though neither Talon nor Shiv had any clue idea whom she might be talking about, neither cared to ask.

When the sounds of Static and Gear entered the building Ember smiled, and strummed another cord, Ebon froze, the stared in the direction she had sensed the heroes, before melting into a dark shadow on the floor. "I'll have my marionette lead them here. I can't control anyone from a distance."

She'd commanded Ebon to act as bait, but if something went wrong she wouldn't be able to change to a new plan. Oh well, he was expendable anyway. Ember opened her mouth to tell Shiv and Tallon what to do in case it did fail, when a familiar sound entered her range. She froze and listened.

It sounded like the chords which had paralyzed her new crew, but also different. It was changing. She couldn't follow the flow of the melody. Interesting…

XXX

The limousine pulled up and Danny jumped out to follow his father to the police blockade. They arrived just in time for an explosion to blow out the south facing windows. Danny saw his father's upper lip curl. He must be thinking about the repair costs… but Danny was more concerned with how Static and Gear were doing.

"Take a good look at it," Jack Fenton said, misinterpreting the worried look on his son's face. "That is what Bang Babies are capable of. They're dangerous and destructive. This isn't just causing trouble for us. Everyone who works at that theater is now out of a job. Even if they didn't have those freakish powers, street gangs do just as much damage and worse. Do you understand now?"

However, Danny wasn't paying any attention to his father's words. That cold feeling was creeping into his chest again. To quickly escape from his father's gaze, he said, "I'll wait in the car," and rushed off, but instead of getting into the limo, he ducked behind it. "No no… Not again," he groaned. He took several deep breaths focusing on keeping himself solid and on the ground but when something black dripped on his pants he knew he had to get away.

The dye was melting… or maybe that wasn't the best word… It was like the color was just falling right through his hairs, like they weren't even there anymore, and the color was gradually lightening back to the ghostly silver. Danny heard his father approaching the car, and did the only thing he could think of. While his hair was at least still a light grey, he ran.

He knew he'd be in huge trouble when and if he made it home.

The spandex suit, which until now had been folded tightly and tucked into the waistline of his pants, was pulled out. Danny hid behind a large van in the concert hall's parking lot and quickly changed. "I know I'll just cause more problems for Static and Gear but… I don't know what else to do."

Once he was suited up, Danny released the cold feeling he'd kept pent up in his chest. A right of light grew around him and dissipated at his head and feet, bleaching out the last of the dye, and stopping his heart. He should have been terrified, but something about letting go of the coldness was freeing. "Heh… Jaz always said I shouldn't bottle things up." The joke came with a painful twinge. Danny shook it off and flew into the theater

XXX

For the fifth time since the fight had broken out in the cramped hallway, Ebon sped away and ducked around another corner. He wasn't particularly stronger today but he seemed to be fighting smarter than usual and it left both heroes confused.

"If you keep running away Ebon, someone might think you're scared," Static taunted. Ebon hadn't gotten any solid hits on them since his initial appearance, but then again, neither had they. Where was he leading them anyway?

Gear shared his thoughts, "I feel like he's setting us up for a trap." Static shook his head still stumped by the odd behavior. "But that's not Ebon's style, and he hasn't said a word." Gear tilted his head. "What're you thinking?" he asked. They stopped midair among some broken debris. "I don't know," Static said, "But something is really wrong here."

"Static!"

Danny's yell startled both heroes. He was flying at a decent speed down the hallway.

Gear lowered the Snap Cap he'd nearly thrown and asked, "What are you doing here, D?" When Danny came to a stop next to them, he noticed that they didn't look particularly thrilled to see him. "Oh… uh… Well I was… nearby… and I saw the explosions so I thought I'd come help."

"No offense, D," Static said with a grimace, "but you're just learning to control your powers. It's dangerous here. You need to leave." Danny ducked his head. He'd figured they'd say that.

He sighed and told them truthfully, "My dad is outside and my hair was turning white again… I didn't know what to do."

Static nodded. That sounded more accurate. "It still would be better if you waited outside."

"Okay… I know you're righ–" Danny gasped mid-sentence. Both Static and Gear whirled around. Ebon slinked out from around the corner and stared at them. Gear threw the snap cap in his hand but Ebon dodged and fled again. Gear clicked his tongue and flew to look down the hallway. "Can't his weirdness give it a break?"

Static shook his head and turned back to Danny. "For now go wait at the library, we'll meet you there when we're done with this." He looked to make sure Danny was going to do as he said, but the boy was looking around. "What's wrong."

"Do you hear a guitar?"

Static paused and listened carefully. There was the sound of an electric guitar, but it was so quiet that he'd never have noticed. Gear heard it as well. "You think there's someone in a practice room?"

"The practice rooms are sound proofed." Danny said. Gear and Static looked at each other then back at Danny for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "And nobody is allowed to practice during a performance."

"Are you sure?" Static asked. Danny nodded, but that begged the question. "And how do you know this?" His face said it was yet another question he didn't want to answer about himself and he shrunk back a bit. Static sighed, "If you're sure then fine. Let's try and get Ebon out of here before he does any more damage."

"And before we spring whatever trap he's leading us to," Gear added.

Luck was not on their side. It was so unlike Ebon to run away that neither Static nor Gear could find a way to stop him. It didn't help matters that Danny continued to follow them. So far, he'd managed to not get in the way of anything. His ability to phase through solid objects came in handy several times. "That's the hall where Dumpty Humpty was playing," Danny told them as Ebon slid under the door.

"He led us in circles around this place just to get us here? What's the point?" Gear grumbled. Static was feeling beyond frustrated now. He'd thrown around so many nova bursts, and electric strikes he was feeling really low on power. If the goal was to wear him out, it was a smart plan.

Mustering up a small but powerful charge into his fist, Static poised himself to shove through the door, ready to blast away at Ebon or anyone else. "Static, wait," Danny jumped in front of him. "Let me look in first. I can turn invisible and phase through the door."

"No offense D, but I'm not sure I trust your control yet." Though through the hallways, it had become evident that he'd gotten better. He also seemed to be more confident while using them. "Besides we don't know what using those powers will do to you. I think it's best you hang back."

"But now what would be the fun in that!?" The yell from nowhere was followed a roar of an electric guitar which rattled both their teeth, and the thick soundproofed wall of the main hall. The concrete and plaster crumbled away, dust filling the air. Static quickly covered his face and put on his goggles. The air around him filled with an electrical charge as he blew the dust away.

Ember stared at them from the stage. "I knew the battery and the toaster would be coming to the show, but I had no idea you'd be trying to play hero again." Static and Gear had their attacks at the ready but her comment caught them off guard. Not to mention, she wasn't looking at them.

Every muscle in Danny's body shook with rage. "You!" The eerie glow that had surrounded his body, ever since he'd allowed his powers to fill him, grew brighter. Green light focused around his hands and his eyes shone with the same terrifying power.

Static saw it before Gear did and dove over top his friend, shoving them both to the ground as an explosion of "ecto-energy" launched Danny forward. Straight at Ember.