Chapter 13 - Damage Repair II
Danny was absolutely miserable.
Not like it came to any real surprise; he was being more or less forced to marry the homicidal King of Ghosts, die, and was expected to consummate the marriage despite having a severe rejection of physical touch. Oh yeah, his life was fucking peachy.
Dora had tried to get him to talk about what had happened, but Danny told her nothing. He didnt WANT to tell her anything. He didnt want to talk to anyone. All he had really done for the last week was stay in bed with his head under a pillow, wondering what god he had pissed off in another life to deserve this.
It was now eight days - so he figured - since the huge blow-up, and he still felt as sick and disturbed as ever. He doubted the feeling would ever go away. He'd been too put-out to eat much, and Dora had finally retired for the night, leaving non-perishables by his bed for him to nibble on if he changed his mind, but he still hadnt touched anything.
He'd always learned not to feel sorry for himself, but right now, it was damn hard. It really was.
He thought he felt something poke at his side, but he ignored it, thinking it was just his mind attempting to distract him. After another moment, he felt another poke. "Lemme 'lone, Dora," he mumbled, swatting aimlessly at the air. Silence.
Then he yelped when he felt something smack across his backside.
He shot up, fully ready to beat the crap out of whoever had done that, only to freeze when he saw Clockwork hovering over the side of his bed, his Time Scepter over his shoulder, and looking highly amused.
"Clockwork?"
"None other than, Daniel." Clockwork smirked and sat down on the edge of the bed, vanishing the Scepter, as it was no longer really needed at the moment. Danny settled down and sat next to Clockwork, scowling.
"That wasnt funny," he said tersely, crossing his arms. Clockwork gave him a good-natured, yet naughty smile.
"When you're eternal, Daniel, you'll quickly learn to get your kicks where you can find them," he replied. "Mine just happens to be breaking my Scepter over your obstinate backside to get you out of your pity party." He handed a plate of nibblets Dora had left for Danny out to his young protege. "As I normally do."
Danny took the plate deftly, staring at Clockwork. "...When do you do THAT?" he asked, bewildered. "I dont remember you ever doing that before!"
"Funny what one doesnt remember when time stops..." Clockwork replied smoothly, examining his glove-clad fingertips. Danny just stared.
"...I wonder why I'd get sore some days for no damn reason..." Danny griped to himself. Clockwork poked Danny in the side of the head.
"Not for 'no reason', Daniel," he replied. "I gave you those swats to snap you out of whatever problems you were stressing over. I'm actually wondering why I didnt so this days ago."
"Why dont you, then?" Danny replied, nibbling on what looked like a cracker. It had a hazelnutty taste to it.
Clockwork gave Danny a bland look. "What have we discussed about temporal matters?" he asked in a rhetorical tone. Danny rolled his eyes and recited back almost sarcastically,
"I'm not the Master of Time, so dont think about it." He snorted. "...I got that. What I DONT get is...well...you KNEW this was going to happen, right?"
"I know everything," Clockwork replied matter-of-factly, folding his hands on his lap. "I knew Pariah Dark would break from his Sarcophagus. I knew he would take an interest in you. I knew he would do something foolish, and I knew you would take it without salt, as you normally do."
"...Is this one of those 'work-time-out-for-yourself' type things?" Danny asked. Clockwork nodded. "...So...why are you here?"
"Because I'm fond of cheating often," Clockwork replied, shrugging and taking one of the hazelnut crackers from the plate he'd given Danny. "I'm also a bit biased, I'm afraid. I would very much prefer it if our world gained a proper government again, instead of the anarchy it's become. Poor Walker can only do so much, you know."
Danny snorted. "I do." He nibbled pensively on his cracker. "...Clockwork...I dont know if I can go through with this."
"You CAN," Clockwork replied. "You possess the ability to. You have everything you need to become a very powerful and respectful Prince of this world. The real issue of the matter is whether or not you're prepared to step up to that mantle."
"...I'm not," Danny said, rubbing his hands together almost obsessively. "...Clockwork, despite what the other ghosts think...I'm still just a KID! I'm barely legal! I dont even have a driver's license yet! And I'm expected to marry a king, die, and rule a whole other world, all before I'm really a legal adult?" He buried his face in his hands. "Not to MENTION what happens AFTER the wedding...!"
Clockwork put a comforting hand on Danny's back. "Daniel, no hero is ever ready for their destiny when it comes," he said softly. "But when the time comes, things usually work out for the best. If you just learn to trust others instead of carrying everything on your own shoulders, things will come much easier for you."
"I cant help it, Clockwork!" Danny sobbed back, starting to cry. "No one else is going to do what I have to, so I HAVE to shoulder it all!"
"That's where you're wrong, Daniel." Clockwork put his arm around Danny. "You have friends who would have gladly taken your burdens from you, had you just asked. You still have that, even now. Dora and Fright are just two who are trying to make your engagement more bearable. If you contact your other friends, then they too will offer their support." He slipped his fingers under Danny's chin to lift the boy's head so he could look him in the eye. "You have no idea how much hope you're giving the other ghosts, Daniel. Many of them have heard mere rumors, but if mere rumors give them that much hope...imagine how they will feel when they find out those rumors are TRUE.
"It is within your and Pariah's power to make this match work, and to make it work HAPPILY. All I'm asking is that you TRY, Daniel."
Danny said nothing for the longest time, then he finally nodded, wiping at his eyes. Clockwork smiled and squeezed Danny's shoulder reassuringly. "Feeling better?" he asked.
"...Kinda," Danny replied, rubbing his hands together again. "...I just..." He looked sidelong at his longtime mentor. "...I'm worried about...the future."
Clockwork smiled at Danny and ruffled the boy's lengthening hair. "You leave that to me, Daniel," he replied. "Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?"
"...Well, there was that time you almost created Dan - ."
"It was a lesson, Daniel." Clockwork's face was blank. "That's all."
"...Sure." Danny sighed and leaned against Clockwork. "...But no, you've never steered me wrong. I'm just asking what to do...I have no clue."
"I know. That's why I'm here." Clockwork smirked.
"Careful, Clockwork, your ego is showing," Danny snickered, earning him a swat upside the head.
"Right," Clockwork said, smiling. "The first thing you need to do, Daniel, is take up an audience with Pariah Dark. Even if it's incredibly awkward, you still need to speak to him." Seeing Danny's unsure expression, he added, "He's learned his lesson, Daniel. He wont touch you without your permission again. I promise."
Danny nodded. "...Okay," he said. "I talk to him. About what?"
"Anything," Clockwork replied. "Believe it or not, there IS more to talk about besides the upcoming wedding."
"Ha ha," Danny replied humorlessly. "What else?"
"So impatient," Clockwork griped, smirking. "Build on trust, Daniel. That's what you and Pariah need to do first and foremost. If this union is going to work, you NEED to trust him, and vice-versa."
"But HOW?" Danny asked, fumbling with his hands again. "What do I DO to trust him? What do I have to do to get HIM to trust ME?"
"That is something to work between yourselves with," Clockwork replied. "But you need to have some bond of trust between the two of you before you leave to visit your family, or Pariah's paranoia could overrun him enough to come get you early and without your consent."
"He's really do that?" Danny asked, then paused. "...The hell am I saying, of COURSE he would...the man sees conspiracy in his morning coffee, for gods' sakes..."
Clockwork barely managed to withhold an uncouth snicker, and nodded. "If you can show him that he can trust you to come back to him, then things will work out fine, and more trust can build up on what you have. The rest is up to you."
Danny sighed and nodded, brushing a stray lock of hair out of his face. "I'll try," he replied.
"That's all I can ask, Daniel," Clockwork said, kissing the top of Danny's head. "Now. Put on your training clothes, and go down to the back courtyard. You've missed Fright's training for far too long, and you need to get back into shape."
Danny blinked and stared at his mentor, ready to point out how late it was, but sighed with resignation at Clockwork's unwavering and insistent stare and went to do as he was told. When he came back out, Clockwork was gone, but his training sword was waiting on his newly-made bed for him to use.
He hesitated only a few moments before picking up his sword and heading down the quiet corridors and out to the back courtyard, where Fright was putting in a few extra hours of late-night training. Danny caught his attention with the sound of a sword being drawn from its scabbard, and the two stared at the other in silence for a few moments.
"...Mind if I join you?" Danny asked. Fright blinked, then nodded, and they both took their stances to start sparring.
Up in a high window, Pariah Dark stared down at the sparring figures below, feeling a rush of elation at the sight of his betrothed finally up and out of his room, followed quickly by unpleasant anticipation. He knew he had to talk to Phantom, and he knew that Clockwork's suggestions were pretty valid. But it could wait until tomorrow, he thought. It was late right now, and he had to still figure out exactly how he could get his fiance to trust him.