Chapter 2 - The Council
(Let's just pretend the meeting was AFTER the argument….)
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Before they knew it, it was time for Danny to go see the expert council. He, Alyson, Cedric, and Zoey walked to the stage room. Brandon and Hunter were already there, and when they saw Danny they burst out laughing.
"Ignore them Danny." Alyson said, and brushed past Brandon, glaring at him.
Max gestured at Danny to come on the stage. He glanced back at Alyson worriedly before sitting down.
Max introduced the council, and they asked questions, Danny answered them, then they asked him to show them his powers. Danny floated in the chair, then Max pushed him down.
Alyson jumped up. "What are you doing?" She and Danny said in unison.
Max explained about the chair.
"I'm not lying!" Danny protested.
"He's telling the truth!" Alyson cried.
"You may sit down now, Alyson." Max said. She glared at Brandon and Hunter, who were snickering, and sat down.
"Now, as you can tell, Danny is just striving for attention, we are done here." Max addressed the council, and they began to leave.
Alyson walked up to Danny. "It's okay, it doesn't matter." She said.
Max walked up. "Danny, if I could have a word in an hour?" he asked.
Danny nodded suspiciously.
"And Alyson, I would prefer if you stayed…out of the way during our conversation." Max said.
She opened her mouth to respond, but Danny stepped on her foot.
"Goodbye!" Max left.
"Ow!" She said.
"We'll find a way to make you be there." Danny said.
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Now that Zoey was in on the secret, she accompanied Alyson and Cedric to the spying grate.
"Why are we here again?" Cedric asked.
"I need you to tape this! Now shh!" Alyson waved her hand at him to be quiet.
They saw and heard Max talk to Danny about his powers, and watched them 'battle'. Then he pulled out the ring and had Danny put it on. Danny left, and Cedric went to turn off the camera.
"Not yet!" Alyson whispered. Cedric rolled his eyes and aimed the camera into the grate again.
Max discussed with Paul about taking Danny's powers, then they left.
"We've gotta tell Danny!" Alyson rushed out of the room, and Cedric and Zoey ran to keep up.
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"Danny! Danny open up, we have to talk to you!" Alyson rapped on the door.
"Shouldn't you three be in bed?" They whirled around to see Paul.
"Uh, well, yeah, you see…" They all stuttered.
Danny opened the door. "Yeah?" he said.
"Um, we just, wanted to say…goodnight!" Zoey smiled enthusiastically, but you could tell it was fake.
"Goodnight then…" Danny said.
Alyson and Cedric smiled as well. Paul looked at them suspiciously.
"Well, we're off to bed!" Cedric said.
"Meet me in the secret room before breakfast." Alyson whispered to Danny hurriedly, then hurried off with Cedric and Zoey, repeating the message to them before closing her door and drifting off to sleep.
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(Alyson's bedroom POV)
"So your probably wondering, what's Max up too? Is he plotting to steal Danny's magic? Well, you have NO idea. We were in for more than we bargained for."
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(Regular POV)
Danny entered the secret room to find Alyson already there.
"Cedric had to clean his lens or something, and Zoey's producer wanted to talk to her about the finale." Alyson shut the book she was reading. "Anyways, you have to take off the ring." She said.
"Why? I've never been happier." Danny smiled.
"Exactly! Max is trying to steal your magic!"
"How do you know?" Danny said.
"He said so after you left! I have proof!" Alyson dashed for her room.
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They ran into the camera room, Cedric and Zoey following.
"Max is evil, he's trying to steal Danny's magic!" Alyson told Mrs. McCalister. When she looked at Alyson strangely, Alyson held up the tape. "I have proof!"
"Why don't we see this proof?" Max said, and reached for it.
Alyson jerked her hand back. "I'll put it in!" She pushed the tape into the slot, and pressed play.
The screen showed a cartoon mouse doing the hokey-pokey.
Mrs. McCalister tried not to laugh.
"He-he jinxed it! Or…something!" Alyson said.
The decision was soon made - Alyson was too stressed, so she had to go home.
"No! Don't make me leave! I'm telling the truth!" She stared dumbfounded at Danny. "Tell them!"
He shrugged apologetically. She shook her head and left, storming down the hall to her room.
Danny ran after her. "Alyson-"
"Save it." It sounded like she was crying.
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Alyson stuffed her belongings into her suitcase angrily, then headed for the entrance. She walked through the practice room, not making eye contact with anyone. A hand grabbed her arm and whirled her around.
"Alyson, I didn't mean-"
"You could have said something! You just another person trying to make me look like a fool, and I'm not gonna sit around and be made fun of." With that, she turned around and stormed out the door.
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She was glad nobody paid attention to her on the train, because she cried for a while. Then she got off at the computer café stop, to research the last puzzle.
She typed the Antonio DeMilo website into the search bar, and the page came up. She skimmed through it, then she saw the picture. Her eyes widened, and she clicked print, then hurried to the printer.
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(Bedroom POV)
"I had to tell Danny about the ring. I couldn't let him get hurt! You wouldn't believe how close to that it came."
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A/N: Hello? Is anyone beside dinolove453 reading this? I have ONE review. I'm not posting until I get three reviews! And I mean it!
Piano-Rox-101