The Jewels The Guardian and The Ghost.
By Kellie Fay
Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters belong to Butch Hartman. I don't make money out of this. If I did I wouldn't need to work for a living.
Some of my ideas on Danny's energy levels and how he gets energy are loosely based on ideas presented in the story "My strengths and weaknesses" by manzanita, and are used with her permission
Chapter 21 The Attack
Danny realized he was in an awkward position in his own bed. His pillow was missing something was cushioning his back, and his arm was numb. He opened his eyes and lifted his head from his arm. He followed his arm to his hand which was still entwined in Jazz's. She was asleep with her head on Danny's pillow, coiled around Danny protectively.
Danny could feel his face heat in a flush. This was the second time this week he had somehow kept Jazz in his room. It was obviously his fault as he tried to make his uncooperative hand release his sister's.
His movement woke Jazz. She lifted her head from his pillow, and smiled as he finally managed to let go of her hand. "Morning Danny. Good to see you're still here."
He knew it, Jazz was just as worried about Freakshow calling him last night as he was. Jazz was just better at hiding it. "Morning, what happened?"
Jazz looked at her brother puzzled. "You don't remember?"
"I don't remember anything after drinking that stuff," Danny said yawning and stretching.
Jazz smiled. "You fell asleep almost right after. You just wouldn't let me go."
Danny blushed again. "Sorry,"
Jazz shook her head. "It's all right Danny, I didn't mind at all. I'm just glad you got some sleep."
Still Danny felt guilty. "But you didn't get any," Danny said.
"Yeah I did," Jazz said. Then in a business like tone she said. "Come on I'm sure you want to be out of here, before Mom and Dad wake up."
Danny did want to be out of the house before his parents could think to ask prying questions. He wasn't worried about Dad too much, but her remember that Miss Daily believed that his mom had started making connections. The last time Freakshow was around his parents had found out he was Danny Phantom. Fortunately Danny had been able to fix that with the Reality Gauntlet. Still if Freakshow caught him now, Jazz would have to tell their parents the truth. She wouldn't want to, but Danny didn't want them to ever think of their son as being evil.
"Jazz," Danny said slowly. He sounded so serious Jazz turned to face him worried.
"Yeah Danny?" She asked.
Danny swallowed and closed his eyes, but he plowed ahead anyway. "Jazz if something happens to me. If Freakshow gets me, you'll tell Mom and Dad everything right?"
Jazz looked at Danny as if he suddenly grew a second head. "Danny we are not going to let Freakshow get you."
"But if he does," Danny didn't want to think about it either, but he didn't shirk from the possibility that they could fail. "I want Mom and Dad to understand. I don't want their last memories of me to be of an evil ghost. You'll tell them everything?"
"Danny," Jazz begun but Danny didn't want to pretend it wouldn't happen. They had almost lost him when Freakshow came the first time. If Sam hadn't be so determined to turn him back...
"Jazz just promise me, please?"
Jazz sighed and gave her brother a hug. "Okay Danny if that's what you want."
Together the two managed to avoid their parents and went off to school. The moment that Danny crossed the doorway into Miss Daily's room he relaxed. He never noticed before but now he knew that the wards on the room would protect him against magic. He no longer felt exposed and vulnerable.
Miss Daily was there seated on the floor of the room, chanting and glowing slightly. Curious Danny drew closer. Miss Daily lifted her hand and said. "Morning Danny, could you give me your hand a minute?"
Danny looked at Miss Daily puzzled, but Jazz smiled. "Go ahead Danny, she did this yesterday at the house."
Still confused Danny complied giving Miss Daily her hand. Suddenly he felt his energies drain and the glow around Miss Daily began to take on a greenish tint.
"Hey!" Danny said pulling his hand away. It didn't hurt. It wasn't any worse than him releasing an ectoblast, but it was startling to know that Miss Daily could drain him of his own ghost energy.
The blue green gold shine around Miss Daily suddenly increased and inflated passing through Danny and Jazz to settle into the walls. Danny looked around as the spell settled itself then looked at Miss Daily rising to her feet. "You are going to tell me how you do that right?" Danny asked trying to sound slightly cross.
Miss Daily smiled warmly. "A major part of magic is learning how to take in and utilize energy from all sorts of sources, living things mostly. Now you seem to be able to utilize the same energies other ghosts do, but you're not as good in manipulating it yet.
"So you can use Danny's energies to do magic?" Jazz asked
Miss Daily nodded. "And Danny's been able to absorb energies I generate from the earth. Like he said magic and ghost energies aren't exactly the same but they are compatible."
Danny couldn't help getting excited at the idea. "So can I do that morning pick me up thing you did when I came by your house the first time?"
Miss Daily laughed., but Jazz scowled. "Only after I figure out why you're so hooked on it." Danny's sister said.
"It doesn't do him any harm," Miss Daily said. "Earth magics are some of the best energy sources you can utilize. And most ghosts can't access it. You need to know magic. Anyone in the circle just absorbs the energy generated by the spell. It's like someone living on hamburger suddenly given prime rib with the power of a gallon of cappuccino."
"That explains a lot," Danny said thinking of that day he was juiced up. Jazz looked skeptical, but Miss Daily smiled.
"It's just energy Jazz it can't hurt him, but Danny seems to always be starved for energies anyway, so what I did was actually make him feel full for once. If he does it more often he won't physically need it so badly." Suddenly Miss Daily gasped and looked up. "Someone just triggered the warnings outside."
"Warnings?" Danny asked. Before he could get an answer Dash raced into the room, followed by Paulina Star and Kwan. Dash shut the door behind them, and the four leaned against it trying to catch their breath.
Now on full alert Miss Daily faced the four. "What's wrong?" She asked.
"There's some freaking clown guy or something with a ghost, and they're grabbing anyone that trying to come to school!" Dash said shaking.
Danny couldn't blame Dash for shivering at that. He was now trying to control his own nerves. "A clown guy with a ghost?"
Miss Daily nodded with a sigh. "Fredrich."
Dash looked at Miss Daily puzzled. "You know this guy?"
"Not by choice," Miss Daily said with a sigh. She made a gesture in front of the four. Dash, Kwan, Star and Paulina all sat down on the floor suddenly tired and blinking to stay awake. "You kids just rest here, and I'll take care of things."
There were several sounds of agreement as one by one the four students dropped off to sleep. Danny and Jazz both eyed the math teacher. Jazz went over to the small group and knelt to examine them. "You put them to sleep?" She asked.
"It's easier for them to nap than for me and your brother to work around them especially if Danny has to go ghost." Miss Daily explained. "They're safe here inside of my wards. Lydia and Freakshow can't get in."
Danny couldn't help but feel worried. He knew Miss Daily didn't want him to fight Freakshow, but she was including him, and his powers, in her planning.
Miss Daily moved to her office where they could see the large picture window. Danny and Jazz followed. Outside they could clearly see Lydia and the other ghosts Danny didn't know, holding the students and some of the teachers hostage.
"Oh man," Danny said with a shudder. "Sam and Tucker are out there somewhere, and if Freakshow finds Sam he'll take the ruby from her."
Sarah nodded. "And with the others he can track any of the rubies he doesn't possess. Danny, when I gave Sam the ruby, and the setting I connected you to her. Do you think you could find her if I show you how?"
"Can't you find her?" Jazz asked. "You read minds."
"Too many minds out there," Sarah explained, looking out the window again. "Through the ruby Sam is directly connected to Danny. That's how he was able to call her at the Museum. Then he was under stress, but I can show him how to focus so he could contact and locate her."
Danny looked out the window where Freakshow was taunting the students and teachers. "We have to find Sam and Tucker before Freakshow does," he said. "What do I have to do."
Miss Daily cleared off her desk. "Get into ghost mode and sit up here," She said.
Slightly nervous Danny complied. Shifting into ghost mode he floated up and seated himself cross legged on the desk.
"Okay, now do that calming exercise I taught you, but don't stop after ten," Miss Daily instructed.
Danny shifted until he was comfortable, then closed his eyes and began to take long deep breaths.
After about seventeen long breaths Miss Daily whispered in his ear in a low lazy soothing voice."That's very good Danny. Now I want you to completely clear your mind. You want to listen and see if you can hear Sam's thoughts. Just listen, Danny."
Danny obeyed shutting down his own thought processes, and opening himself completely. He had the feeling that he was turning himself into some kind of living antenna that could pick up Sam's thoughts. What he received first almost made him want to give up. "I...I can hear Freakshow," Danny said with a wince, but he continued. "He's...He's searching for Sam's ruby, but I don't think he can sense me."
"He can't sense you," Miss Daily said softly into Danny's ear. She placed a gentle hand on his back. "Freakshow can't receive thoughts, he can only send, and even if he could send he cannot get past my protections. My wards will recognize and allow your thoughts and Sam's to pass through, but Freakshow cannot reach you here. Keep listening. Sam's thoughts will be quieter than Freakshow's but you can hear them."
With his eyes still closed, deep in trance, Danny nodded. After a few more seconds he said, "I think...yes I've found her. She's out there with Tucker. They...they're hiding from Freakshow, but he seems to know where their moving even though he can't see them. He's sensing the ruby."
Miss Daily nodded. "We have to see if we can't get them out of there without Freakshow finding them.
Danny still in trance spoke softly. "Sam, Sam you have to hide. Freakshow can feel the ruby he's looking for you."
Sarah opened her closet and took out her blue green flying cloak. She whirled it around her three times and her clothes changed from a simple blouse and skirt to the deep matching blue green jumpsuit with a belt. She pulled a mask out of the belt and put it on. "I'm going to see if I can't distract Freakshow enough for Sam and Tucker to get over here. Jazz, you and Danny can stay here, and Danny -"
"I know," Danny said coming out of the trance, and transforming back into his human form. "Stay away from the windows, and stay out of ghost mode."
Miss Daily smiled and gave him a quick clap on the shoulder before wrapping herself in her cloak and disappearing.
"Vald can do that," Danny said with a sigh. "I wish I knew how,"
"It will come Danny," Jazz said gently patting him on the shoulder. "Maybe Miss Daily can show you how, though I'll bet she does it differently."
Danny nodded and slipped into Miss Daily's comfortable guest chair and closed his eyes. He didn't need to go into a full trance again to reach Sam now, but if he relaxed a bit and thought of Sam, he could hear her thoughts echo in his mind.
He could see Sam and Tucker creeping along the edge of the crowd. Danny Sam's thoughts came to Danny gently. Danny are you all right?
I'm fine Danny reassured her. I'm under Sarah's wards in the class room. She's gonna try to distract Freakshow so you can sneak over here.
Got it, Sam answered. Danny relaxed further He could see though Sam's eyes. She's and Tucker were waiting for Miss Daily to make her appearance.
Coming Soon Chapter 22 The Decision
"Fredrich, Let them go!" Sarah dove for Freakshow but the three ghosts that fought against her followed and tackled her. Lydia bound her up as well.
"Well," Freakshow said pacing in front of the sorcerous with a wild grin. "It seems that last night I was in error. It appears you have two things that belong to me."
"He doesn't belong to you Fredrich!" Sarah snapped. "He's an independent being with a mind of his own. You have no right to take that from him!"
"An independent being hmmm?" Freakshow looked Danny up and down. Sam tightened her grip on Danny's hand and focused her thoughts on keeping Danny free of Freakshow's power. Somehow through Danny should could hear the hypnotic hum of the gems Freakshow held. Sam concentrated imagining her own will as a barrier around Danny's mind, keeping Freakshow away from Danny's thoughts.
Freakshow unaware of Sam's resistance brandished the five gems. He held his hand out showing off the platinum ruby ring. "Come to me ghost," Freakshow commanded.
Danny didn't look up, but Sam could see a smile creep up his face and a chuckle escape.