Seeing Sounds
Chapter 8
The Conference of a Lifetime
"Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of; the tree is the real thing."
Abraham Lincoln
"That's a lot of people," Phantom muttered looking out over the crowd that had gathered. There were protesters and supporters everywhere. "I was okay about it back at the base, but now I'm having second thoughts."
"Your team is surrounding the place," Superman assured walking up behind him. Phantom tensed and looked behind him at the Man of Steel. "Then we also have some leaguers stationed around the place in case. The entire building has been scoped with a fine tooth comb. We know who all is here, and it's secure in case the Guys in White try anything. We have all the exits marked and guarded."
"If they are given the chance, they'll figure something out to get me," Phantom replied looking out over the crowd. "I'm still trying to figure out why I agreed."
"Because I need backup that can deal with ghosts," Superman smiled. "And my first thought was you. Hope that's okay."
"I'm not sure if it is," Phantom murmured. "I haven't really been in a place with this many people before."
"You never really have been one to go in a press conference, that's okay, here in the league you kinda need to learn that," Superman explained putting his hand on Phantom's shoulder. Phantom was tense, and Superman could feel him slightly trembling. "You scared?"
"Little bit," Phantom smiled slightly. "It's overwhelming."
"No, don't get him started," Kid Flash pleaded smiling as he and Robin walked up.
"Why isn't anyone just whelmed?" Robin asked. "No one answered me the first time."
"Because whelmed is a root word that no one has any use for unless a prefix is added," Phantom responded still looking out over the crowd. Kid Flash and Robin looked at each other and started laughing.
"Phantom, you okay?" Superman asked seeing that Phantom was completely focused on the crowd, but more specifically the Agents sitting in the front row glaring at the stage. "Phantom?"
"I'm okay," Phantom whispered closing his eyes and turning away from the crowd. "Just worried."
"No one can hurt you," Superman assured. "Your friends are here and they aren't letting them get away this time. You're safe. We are more prepared this time than we were last time in case anything happened."
"Yeah, but the words and hatred from the people that I've saved never get easier," Phantom whispered wrapping his arms around himself. "I really don't have the best rep with people."
"All they know is your rep, they have yet to see the real you. They haven't seen what you are really like," Superman explained kneeling down in front of the hybrid. "They'll see who you really are and then see that they have been blinded by lies. Even if they still don't want to believe it, you have the league behind you to back you up. These people's opinions shouldn't matter to you, but the support of your friends should."
"Thanks," Phantom murmured. "Their words will still haunt me, but that's just how my mind works." Superman smiled at the honest voice Phantom used.
"This you is something the public has never seen. They never get to see the young scared teen fighting for them, but they seen your mask of a brave, cocky hero," Superman explained smiling at the expression on Phantom's face.
"Thanks, I think," Phantom laughed a little. "What all will be happening then? You said I didn't even have to be seen."
"You can stay back here or go invisible, but I was hoping that maybe you could go up there with me and talk. Batman doesn't do press, but I think it's because of his secret identity," Superman smiled. Phantom looked back at Robin who was grinning like a fool.
"Yeah, he's like that," Robin shrugged turning around and leaving with Kid Flash. Both of them laughing like a bunch of weirdoes.
"That explains a bit," Phantom mumbled. "My ghost half was cocky while my human half was shy. I think it helps to prevent people from figuring it out."
"I really don't know the differences between my two," Superman thought out loud. "I'm not sure how I would put it."
"Welcome citizens," the mayor of Metropolis announced over the speaker. Phantom turned his head as the entire place grew quiet.
"Creepy," Phantom whispered, and Superman laughed. "I'm use to it getting this quiet when a ghost is attacking; I'm waiting for the screams." Superman put his hand on Phantom's shoulder.
"People here usually are quiet when someone is talking to them about me or the league," Superman explained smiling at the hybrid.
"Still waiting for screams," Phantom muttered as Superman laughed again.
"Today we have our own Superman speaking to us about what has been going on," the mayor explained. "He'll be telling us about what happened in Amity and why the League has been protecting the killer known as Danny Phantom." Phantom flinched and Superman frowned.
"That is not what I wanted him to say," Superman mentioned trying to make sure that Phantom wasn't going to run. He was out of his safety zone, and Superman was afraid that he might run if rubbed the wrong way. "Phantom, it's okay."
"No it's not," Phantom growled trying to keep himself from running. He knew that Superman wanted him there, and that he was trying to help clear his name, but that wasn't helping this situation at all. It hurt him deeply to know that people blame him for the deaths of the people who cared about him. "None of this is okay."
"That's why we are here, Danny," Superman assured. "We are here to give them the truth, and tell them what really happened in Amity and why those agents should be behind bars." Phantom nodded not trusting himself to speak.
"I hand this over to Superman, our greatest hero," the mayor annouced as Superman walked on onstage. Phantom went invisible as soon as he left his side. Superman could hear his slow heart beat and smiled knowing he didn't leave. Superman glared at the mayor quickly before standing in front of everyone.
"Wow, there's a lot of you," Superman exclaimed seeing how many more people there were than what he could see when talking to Phantom. He felt a slightly cold presence beside him, and he knew Phantom had walked out on stage with him. "I know you all heard about what happened in Amity with us siding with Phantom and trying to keep him safe from the Guys in White. I know you all believe he was the one to kill those six people, but I did the research, and I looked at all the evidence. There was another ghost there, and Phantom was fighting him." Many people began glaring at Superman and booing by this time. Superman sighed. When the Guys in White smirked, Superman glared at them. "Clearly no one here believes in innocent until proven guilty here. The League worked that end. There isn't enough evidence to show that Phantom did it, but there was plenty against the ghost that did. You people pride yourself on that, so I suggest you listen while I have to prove Phantom's innocence." Everyone shut their traps and no one mentioned that he was wrong.
"Who was the other ghost?" a lone reporter asked cautiously. He was in the section where they had Phantom signs saying that he didn't do it. They were in the small area where they still believed in the young hero.
"His name is Vlad Plasmius," Superman answered and then turned to the invisible ghost beside him pretending to mess with the device next to him. He could hear Phantom's quick breathing and heart rate now, and it worried him. "He was the one in that school, and he planned everything out to the point of when the lab would blow and when Phantom would arrive back in Amity. He played the young ghost, and did everything he could to get you to believe that Phantom would kill those people."
"If what you are saying is true, would that mean Masters is also working against Phantom with Plasmius?" another reporter asked. He was on the other side where they said that the league was only doing their job in trying to find the truth. "Is Masters working for the ghost?"
"We believe so," Superman drawled trending on dangerous waters.
"Is Phantom here?" a citizen that was sitting the area with the Phantom supporters asked. "Can he answer questions too?" Superman looked a little taken back, but decided that honesty would be best.
"Yes, he's here, but he's not one for talking in public. He's more shy than anything else," Superman smirked as everyone looked at each other with mixed expressions. Superman could feel Phantom tap him in the arm in warning. "And I don't think he liked my last comment about being shy." Everyone gave a hesitant laugh except for the ones in the Phantom support area. They just outright laughed. O and K growled and jumped up.
"You are helping to hide a criminal. He has also been seen robbing banks and kidnapping," O yelled out making everyone stop laughing.
"I've heard, and he has told us about those times," Superman growled. He wanted to tell everyone what those men did, but decided that taking Phantom's side first would be a better call. "There was a ringmaster in town that was caught with all of the stolen items, and then Phantom wasn't really being himself. Tell me when I get something wrong," Superman smirked. Everyone was amazing at the little info about the ringmaster. "Phantom was being controlled into doing something out of his own will. His freedom was taken away by the very guy you have locked up in your prisons."
"What about the kidnapping?" K yelled back knowing there was nothing that Superman could have found about that. They knew what Phantom claimed and made sure that there was no evidence to prove his innocence for that one.
"You mean when the entire town was getting over a massive ghost invasion?" Superman asked smirking once more. "Phantom told us that there was a ghost named Walker trying to get him back in the Ghost Zone. He said just his existence was against the rules. I'm guessing the mayor would have been overshadowed considering that Phantom said that he wanted Jack Fenton to lead them. From what I heard, no one in their right mind would let Jack lead." Everyone laughed a little unsure by what he meant. Some that were from Amity whispered to the ones around and eventually everyone got the point Superman was trying to make. "Is there anything else you would like to blame on him?" A reporter from the middle section that believed Phantom did it and that the league should no longer be trusted raised her hand. "Yes, maim."
"What about when he escaped from the Guys in White facility and destroyed everything that they had worked on for years? He cost them a lot of money," she smarted. Superman glared at her and everyone felt the tension in the room get thicker as Superman's anger showed slightly.
"He was caught by them and more than likely felt unsafe. Anyone would have done the same, and to be honest, no one could have pulled it off like he did," Superman explained as Phantom walked behind him. Superman felt him tense up and leave his side, but not the stage. "I don't think anyone but him could get out of there without hurting anyone. I believe that the agents never told any of you that. Or what they were doing to him. I never asked Phantom what they did for the scars on his body spoke for themselves. The only bad guys I see here are those agents in the front row." Everyone turned to glare at them. Suddenly the room grew colder, and Superman quickly looked back at where he sensed Phantom at. Phantom was completely tensed and his heart rate had slowed down so far that Superman almost lost the hybrid.
"Well, this surely was unexpected," an evil voice sneered. "I'll have to plan better next time." Plasmius appeared and everyone screamed. Phantom appeared glaring at the other hybrid. His eyes turning completely white and Superman felt a little fear run down his spine at the look Phantom was giving the other. "Ah, I was right about Phantom being up there on stage with you. I'm surprised you people even give him the time of day."
"Shut your worthless face," Phantom growled and everything grew quiet. Plasmius faltered slightly at the tone Phantom used. It was raw power, and Plasmius actually second guessed himself for a moment. "You are not welcome here or anywhere."
"Says the ghost leading the Ghost Zone," Plasmius sneered knowing Phantom was part of the rebel movement. "I know you are working in Ghost Zone as well." Superman quickly glanced at Phantom afraid that it was true. Phantom never faltered though and Superman had a feeling that Plasmius was twisting words again.
"Trying to work on keeping everyone safe is much harder than it sounds," Phantom growled out floating up to Plasmius's level. "I wonder how many ghosts hate your guts for taking it too far. Ghosts have limits and you don't. No one likes you, so why keep destroying the peace the ghosts have found there."
"You sure can make a story, Daniel," Plasmius sneered lighting his hands up with ecto energy. Phantom did the same, but power seemed to radiate from his along with a peaceful air. People felt the tension, but they were confused by the peace coming from the hybrid. "I guess everyone will have to learn eventually that you'll turn on them. You weren't going to stay on their side. Just like now, you are fighting a war in the Ghost Zone instead of staying in Amity where you lived." Phantom growled.
"The war in the Ghost Zone is the same war being fought here. Everything and everyone is against you," Phantom shot Plasmius with a beam. "There is a war in the Ghost Zone, but it's not just being planned and fought there. It's here too, and it's not just the Ghost Zone against you anymore, it the human realm as well. You just want them to believe the twisted lies you have told as a human and a ghost." Everyone stopped as Phantom glared at him.
"You dare tell my secret," Plasmius sneered getting up close to Phantom so only the ghost could hear. "What will happen if I told them your dirty little secret?"
"I'm already considered dead, Plasmius," Phantom growled. "They wouldn't be able to do anything about it. You on other hand will be hunted down like an animal. The League already knows who I am, and they know who you are. You have nothing on me anymore." Plasmius shot Phantom in the chest.
"I have more than you can ever imagine my boy. Believe me," he growled and vanished in a cloud of pink. Phantom smirked.
"Fruitloop," he muttered landing next to Superman.
"Well that was unexpected," Superman said looking out over the audience who were staring at Phantom. Phantom suddenly rubbed the back of his neck and backed behind Superman. "I told you he was shy."
"Hey," Phantom snapped smiling. Superman looked over the crowd that was looking at the young ghost confused. Phantom shot a quick look at the agents to see that they had disappeared during the time Plasmius was there. "I think they know what's going on," Phantom whispered looking at the empty seats. "I believe that they have known since the beginning, and if they have then…" Phantom's eyes widen. Superman grew concerned.
"Phantom, what is it?" he questioned as worry entered his voice. Everyone just watched as Phantom grew perfectly still. "Phantom, let's not have you go there now. There are too many people here for that," Superman whispered putting his hand on Phantom's shoulder. "Canary!" he yelled. The hero showed up suddenly and walked behind Phantom and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Danny, come on. No one here is going to hurt you," she whispered into his ear. She began rubbing his shoulder trying to get him to relax. "Get everyone out of here, I don't know if he'll do anything."
"I won't," Phantom murmured as he started shaking. Superman looked down at Canary.
"He's scared," Canary whispered as Phantom fell to his knees. "Phantom, it's okay. We're here; nothing is going to happen to you. I promise, and I know everything is a little much, but we weren't thinking he would even come."
"What's going on?" someone asked. No one really knew who it came from.
"Let's just say that he's been though things you wouldn't think possible," Superman mumbled into the microphone. "I'm surprised he's even still alive between what I've seen him do and the things he won't talk about."
"How can you trust him if he won't tell you everything?" the female reporter asked. "How do you know he's not planning against you? He could be and just uses his shyness as an excuse." Superman faltered a bit. Canary just tried to keep Phantom from completely falling apart. He may have been healing, but he was also still mentally unstable.
"I feel like I owe him that," Superman argued. "He needs help, and to be honest if anyone deserves your respect and trust, it would be him. I would put him above anyone else in the league. You can quote me on that. He has been though more than many of the Leaguers can even think of. Most are afraid to imagine what Phantom has been though, just knowing what we know those agents did to him. What we witness from the ghost is enough for me to trust him. He worked hard while most of us were already considered heroes among you. He did more than we did and you still gave him a hard time because he was a ghost. He has a good heart, and just the fact that he kept you guys safe even when you hated him says a lot about his character and his person."
"What about what the Fentons said about him? And ghosts? Their research showed that ghosts were full of tricks and tried to fool the humans into a false sense of security before attacking," the female reporter countered once more. Many people had already put their signs of hating Phantom down after he had started talking to the other ghost. "What if that's Phantom's plan?" Phantom was just staring at the female.
"Should I compare you to Hitler?" Phantom asked suddenly. Everyone in the room grew quiet as Phantom stood back up. Canary stood up next to him with worry on her face. "Why are you comparing me to other ghosts? According to your logic, you should also be a crazy killer and racist. According to what you are saying, you are saying that every person in this room is Hitler."
"That's not what I'm saying," the reporter yelled angrily. "I'm saying why should we trust you…you…"
"You have nothing left to get at me anymore," Phantom said glaring at her. "I'm a person too. I can feel and strongly. I can feel pain just like you guys, and I suffered greatly from that explosion. If it wasn't for the League, I would more than likely be dead by now. They listened to my side of the story and listened when I needed them. They were there when those agents captured and tried to dissect me, and even after knowing what those men tried to do, they still stayed by my side."
"What really happened then?" the reporter sneered. "If you are telling the truth, then what really happened? What did those men apparently do?" Canary glared at her.
"I don't think that's something you need to know," she growled out grabbing Phantom's shoulder and pulling him back.
"Eep," Phantom uttered afterward. "Hey, that hurt." Superman glared at the reporter.
"Why not? He's hiding something, and I think we have a right to know," the reporter shot. "So why not?" Phantom glared at her.
"They don't even know half of it," he muttered as Canary let him go. Phantom stood at the microphone and took it from Superman. "I would suggest everyone with a weak stomach, anyone under twenty-one, and anyone who's not a fan of gore, you should leave."
"Phantom, we shouldn't talk about this now," Canary warned watching the hybrid cautiously. "Come on, now isn't the time." Superman walked closer to the ghost.
"Phantom, you haven't told anyone, and we don't want you to feel like you have to tell these people," Superman said putting his hand on the ghost's shoulder. Phantom tensed and a glazed look came in his eye. Some of the ones in the front looked worried for the ghost. The female reporter backing away slightly at the reaction Phantom gave. It wasn't violent, but it showed that he went though something that was painful for him.
"Maybe it wasn't my time to speak," the reporter whispered as a couple people glared at her. Many in the room left at Phantom's warning, but the ones who were his supporters only listened to every word coming from the stage.
"This is really something that would be between a physicist and the patient," Phantom began. Superman looked at Canary while she stared at Phantom afraid of what he was planning on doing. "So I ask if you guys could not record this, or talk about it outside of here. Most of my time in their facility I have never talked about. Not to my friends, or my family, or even the leaguers that saved me in Amity from being vivisected. I don't want to hear about this again on news, and quite honestly, I don't want you to hear it. That's why I ask once more. If no one wants to hear this, please leave." The female reporter stood.
"Phantom, I think we are all waiting for your story, but may I ask one question?" she asked looking at the hybrid. Phantom paused and bit his lip. He nodded for her to continue. "Are you sure? I seen the pictures that those Guys in White had of the place. I've seen what they had there, but I looked closer than they wanted." Phantom had his full attention placed on her now. "There was a whip there that had red and green stains on it. I asked and they just took the picture and burned it, then kicked me out. I figure they used on you."
"Yes," Phantom whispered. Canary and Superman looked at each other before staring back at Phantom. They had only guessed he was whipped, but now they had confirmation about what had happened, and now they were waiting for more of the story. "They did hoping I would break and become their weapon." Everyone looked at each other afraid for the story to go deeper and learn about what they were really hiding. "They had me there hoping to get something from me, and I didn't really know the full extent of what they were trying to do."
"Phantom," Canary exclaimed suddenly. "You don't have to explain anything. Please, let's do this back at the base." Phantom looked back at her and then back out over the crowd that was watching with worry. The reporter who asked what had happened glared at the two heroes behind Phantom.
"I think we should at least know what's been going on between Phantom and those guys. Why are they after you?" the reporter asked. Phantom looked at her and smiled slightly.
"The reason that I know of is because I'm a ghost. I'm the most confusing ghosts anyone has chased because of how I go about things," Phantom explained. "That and they work for the guy who wants me to be by his side. He wanted me to at least until he realized he couldn't break me without completely ruining me." Phantom looked down and studied the floor. "That didn't mean that they didn't try to break me, but they almost did." One of the reporters on the side of supporters stood up.
"What did they do to you then?" he asked curiously. "What happened in there?" Phantom stiffened and slowly looked up at the audience.
"They had me down in the lab in their facility," Phantom explained. "I wasn't completely sure what their plan was until…"
"Where is he?" O asked looking around the corner. K glared at Phantom. Phantom was lying on a cot in the corner of the room barely conscious. Green and red stained the white sheets and there was a small puddle on the floor. The smell of death was floating in the room along with a scent of some type of cologne.
"He said that he's coming from a VladCo. meeting," K said as Phantom groaned. "Although if he wants Phantom still out of it like now, he better hurry."
"Just the him in the head, he'll go down again," O muttered glaring at the ghost that tried to stay somewhat alert.
"I guessed that Plasmius was part of it," Phantom finished. "When the agents mentioned VladCo. I knew for a fact that it was him. But this was before the explosion at the school, and before everything I worked for fell apart." Superman placed his hand on Phantom's shoulders. They were shaking in both pain and regret. "I wish I would have known that was only the beginning. Maybe those people would still be alive if I had seen it sooner, but that week everything was turned upside down in the Ghost Zone. That one week I was missing, he took over, and now because of that, I can't change anything. He destroyed everything that mattered to me in milliseconds, and I didn't have anything left to fight for."
"So that war he was talking about you fighting in the Ghost Zone was true?" Superman asked worried. "You really are working with ghosts?"
"Only the ones heading the rebel movement. They decided to use me as a figure head for the entire thing before I knew what was going on," Phantom explained looking over the audience. "That one week was the turning point of everything. Plasmius had destroyed the peace in the Ghost Zone, and then gained control of a lot of powerful areas. The ghosts that I'm now working with are the ones you'll never see. They are the ones that run the Zone, and they make sure that everything runs smoothly."
"So what he said was true?" one of the supporters asked looking up at the ghost. His tone sounded betrayed.
"About me helping to create peace back in the Zone, then yes he was," Phantom answered. Everyone seemed to sigh at his response. "I'm not fighting for ghosts or am I fighting for humans. I'm not going to pick a side."
"You're a ghost, why don't you just pick them?" the female reporter asked looking at the young ghost on the stage.
"Who said I was a ghost?" Phantom grinned. "I have powers of one, but I never confirmed that I was in fact a ghost." Everyone looked at the hybrid confused.
"That's why you're different," one of the reporters from the side where they had been set on arresting Phantom. "You're not a ghost, so what right do you have to compare us to other humans if you're not even human or ghost?"
"Never said I wasn't human either," Phantom mentioned grinning. "I'm a hybrid." Everyone just looked at him confused.
"Was your parents one ghost and one human then?" the female reporter asked. "I think that's weird. No offense."
"No, it was an accident," Phantom murmured looking back at the floor. "I was stupid enough to go into my parents lab without them there and I was caught in an explosion."
"Do they know?" one of the supporters asked watching the hybrid.
"I never told them," Phantom said not wanting them to figure out who he was. "That's all you need to know. I don't want you to know who I really am."
"Why not?" the female reporter asked. "Why don't you just tell us?" Phantom looked at her sadly.
"It could ruin everything. I'm technically declared dead, so it would only make things much harder," Phantom explained. "I don't want to open that wound again."
"So everyone thinks you're dead," one of the supporters confirmed. "I bet your family misses you."
"I miss them," Phantom whispered as Canary put her hand on his shoulder for comfort. "I miss them badly."
"Why don't you go home?" the female reporter yelled. "If you miss them and they miss you, just go home." Phantom glared at her.
"There is nothing left for me. I miss them, but there is nothing I can do to change the past. They're gone forever," Phantom yelled back dropping to his knees. Superman and Canary both kneeled in front of the young hybrid.
"Danny, maybe we should go," Canary whispered wrapping him in a hug. Superman put a hand on Phantom's shoulder to prevent him from getting up. "You don't need to do this now. You are just fine, and we need you to stay that way."
"Come on, Danny. Don't push yourself," Superman whispered as Danny tensed. Canary looked at Superman worriedly.
"They were supposed to go to DC before the Guys in White caught me," Phantom whispered. Only Superman and Canary could hear him. Everyone else just stared at the small group of people awkwardly not knowing what to do. "But because I was missing, they didn't. They were only going to see my dad's parents. They were sick, and I was nowhere to be found." Canary looked at Superman confused.
"Danny, I don't understand," Canary said putting her hand against his cheek hoping for him to stop what he was trying to say and wait until they were back home. "Please, let's go."
"They died during that week. Once I had gotten away, I was going to DC for their funeral," Phantom whispered hugging his knees to his chest. "I never got to say anything to them. I wasn't able to do anything."
"Danny, that's not your fault," Superman said not sure what else to say. "It was out of your control."
"I know, but my mom knew I was lying about the time I was missing," Phantom whispered looking at the ground. "She noticed the way I was acting afterward and she knew something was wrong. I never told my friends what had happened. I only told them what they needed to know. They only thought I was captured, but they never knew what really happened."
"Danny, honey, can you come down for a moment?" Maddie yelled up the stairs hoping her son wouldn't freak out like he normally did when they called him. Ever since he came back, he was jumpy. Slowly he walked out of his room, and once he caught the reflection of his shadow, he jumped about three feet in the air. Maddie would have laughed if she wasn't so worried.
"Yeah, Mom," Danny answered timidly looking at her after scooping out the place. "What is it?"
"I want to ask what happened, you were gone for so long," Maddie said as Danny met her at the base of the stairs. Danny looked at her a little worry showing though the mask he had in place ever since he came back.
"I told you guys, I was lost a couple towns over, I was just walking and thinking about a couple things and got lost," Danny lied knowing that she probably didn't believe him. "It was a mistake. I'm sorry." Maddie sighed and ran her finger though his hair soothingly. He tensed and closed his eyes.
"Something happened while you were gone," Maddie whispered bringing her baby into a hug. "I want to know what it was." Danny slowly opened his eyes and looked out the window.
"I don't want to talk about it," Danny murmured as tears began in his eyes. "Can you just be there? I don't want to explain it." Maddie sighed and nodded her head knowing that Danny wasn't giving her anything else. Yet, he did something she wasn't expecting: he cried. He wrapped his arms around her and just let everything go.
"Shhh," Maddie muttered rubbing her baby's back calmly as he broke down. "It's okay, I'm here." She didn't know what else to do, but she did know that all Danny needed right now was her by his side. In time he'll tell her everything, but right now he just wanted her there.
"I wish I would have told her what happened," Phantom whispered. The female reporter had walked up.
"Danny," she whispered looking at the young ghost. "Your family was in that explosion, weren't they?" Phantom tensed and looked at her.
"I'm not going…" he began only to bury his head in his knees. Canary glared at the reporter.
"He's still recovering," she hissed. The reporter only ignored her.
"I won't tell anyone. Maddie Fenton was my best friend in high school. We got into so much trouble together…I remember a time when we got arrested once," the reporter laughed and put a hand on Phantom's shoulder. "We were about fifteen, your age, and we wanted to go to this party downtown. It was supposed to be for the cool kids, and we wanted in the crowd at the time. She was in charge of getting us a ride, and so she stole her parents Caddie. Not the best idea, we were arrested for it, but her parents didn't press charges. They did managed to freak her out enough to not do it again. If it wasn't for her though, I wouldn't have this job. I was mad at you for taking my best friend, but after today, I think you are telling the truth." Phantom looked up at her confused.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked suspiciously. She smiled gently.
"I'm sorry, my name is Destiny Daniels," she held out her hand. "Me and your mother were more like sisters than anything else in the world."
"How did you…" Phantom began backing away. Superman glared at the reporter while Canary looked at the crowd that was whispering among themselves about something other than Phantom.
"Your eyes are a giveaway," she whispered holding his hand. "They have that same look of trouble as Maddie's did once, and I feel like I should have apologized to her before. I wasn't meaning anything by what happened.
"The hell, Destiny," Maddie yelled as her friend appeared. "You left me because you think I'm crazy for believing in ghosts!"
"Sorry, I didn't think that would have happened," Destiny grinned. "I thought they would go easier."
"I hadn't even thought about a career choice and now that they know, they expect me to go into something crazy like ghost hunting," Maddie yelled throwing her hands in the air. "Some freakin' friend you are. I was considering it since it sounded fun. I wasn't actually going to do it."
"That's because you're afraid to," Destiny smirked. "The big bad Mads is afraid of ghosts."
"Ghosts don't exist," Maddie growled throwing a soft ball at her friend's face. It hit home and knocked her out. "And I'll prove it."
"She was my best friend, and I shouldn't have left her out to hang," Destiny murmured sitting next to Phantom. "Can I make it up to her son? I know the league has been helping you, but I want to be part of that as well." Phantom looked at her.
"I can think about it," he whispered reaching out for her shoulder. "Thanks though, it helps." Destiny half hugged him.
"I'll get you my number, and whenever everything in the hero business gets too much, you can call me," she whispered kissing his forehead.
"Alright," Phantom mumbled staring at the paper she had given him.
"Also, if you just want to talk, I'll be there whenever you need it. I'm sure they are too," she said gesturing to Superman and Canary. "But I knew your mom, and I want to be part of it. I only thought you killed them, and because she was my friend, I needed someone to blame, and she died before I could say sorry."
"It's okay, I understand," Phantom mumbled as a few tears streamed down his face. "I wish I would have told her what had happened. She was so worried that week I was gone, and I never got the chance to tell her the truth."
"Yeah," Destiny mumbled as well. "I guess we should have told whenever it happened. I would more than likely have lived next to you with as close as we were in high school. I wish I could have been there when she left for college. She wanted so badly to prove that ghosts didn't exist." Phantom chuckled.
"It's odd, ain't it," Phantom whispered looking at her. "She wanted to prove that they didn't exist, but when she met Jack and Vlad, she wanted to prove that they did."
"I talked to her once before the wedding and that accident, and she would only talk about those two," Destiny smiled. "Although it was mainly Jack she talked about. I knew the way she was talking about him that they would go out, but I never thought she was going to marry anyone. I couldn't see it, and then I let her down again when I told her that I wouldn't be able to go to her wedding. We promised each other that we would be each other's Maid of Honor, and I screwed that up when I got the chance to study in Africa." Phantom looked at Superman and Canary who were just watching the conversation.
"Maybe we can talk somewhere else?" Phantom asked looking at Destiny. "I think I can handle it." Canary nodded but shot a quick look at Destiny.
"I want him back here at nine," she commanded. Superman laughed.
"I don't think anything will happen," he said then looked at the people who were left. "You guys can go, I think it's over." Everyone got up and walked out, and a few turned back and waved at the heroes before disappearing though the doors.
"Dezzy, that was so unnecessary," Maddie laughed leaning against her friend. "Yet, it was so funny."
"I don't think they'll ever be the same," Destiny grinned like a fool. "And to think that tomorrow we'll be going to Florida."
"I know," Maddie exclaimed happily looking out the window of the car Destiny was driving. "It'll be the best thing ever." Destiny looked over and smiled at her best friend.
"So now what?" Destiny asked as they walked behind the curtains of the stage. There were no more people there. Phantom looked around to make sure that there were no more cameras.
"Can you change into something a little less noticeable?" Phantom asked as they walked away from the one camera Phantom seen. "I can change in my human form and we'll be good to go." Destiny paused.
"Are you sure?" she asked. She didn't want him to do something that he might regret later.
"I can't go around like this, and my human form has changed enough that people won't be able to recognize it, and we aren't in Amity so it's fine," Phantom said as they walked behind the building. He stopped and double checked, and then a white ring appeared around his middle and split revealing a younger teen underneath.
"Whoa," Destiny whispered as a black haired blue eyed teen appeared. He was wearing a black shirt and dark blue jeans along with a black leather jacket. He also had red wrapping around his neck. Destiny reached out to see what it was when Danny grabbed her hands quickly.
"I don't like people around my neck," Danny whispered letting her hands go. "Please, let's just go," he murmured. Destiny didn't drop her hands though, she just stood there with them in midair. She watched as Danny backed away. "Why don't we go now? I'm sure we can talk somewhere else."
"Okay, but wait," Destiny reached out for him. Danny stopped and looked at her hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I know you might not like it, but please, I want to see."
"See what?" Danny asked cautiously. Danny looked at her confused as she slowly moved her hand closer to his collar.
"I want to see them. The burns," she whispered as Danny reached up to keep her hand away from his neck. "I know you were in the explosion, but no one knows how badly you were hurt. I want to, please." Danny looked at her and dropped his hands, and she slowly pulled his shirt away to reveal the red burns and scars running down under his shirt.
"I wasn't Phantom at the time since I had ran out of energy," Danny explained flinching when she lightly ran over the burns. "I was trapped under some lockers and that's what kept me from being killed, but everyone else was trapped in the ChemLab. There was nothing I could do, and I was barely lucky enough to save myself afterward."
"Now that I really know who you are, I can see that you were telling the truth," Destiny said. "I met you once before, and you still have that jet black hair and those sweet blue eyes like before." Danny looked at her confused.
"I don't remember," he murmured as he pulled her hand away. She smiled at him.
"I wouldn't expect you to. You were just a little thing. Jazz may have remembered, but I doubt it since she was asleep in the couple of hours I spent with Maddie. I was only passing though and it was late," Destiny ruffled his hair.
"Hey," he complained. "Really, what is it with people doing that? People I don't know do that, even when I'm Phantom. I wouldn't be surprised if that's how my secret gets out." Destiny laughed.
"Your hair is soft and nice to play with," she smiled. "I don't think anyone could resist." Danny smiled as they headed out to her car. It was a black Chevy Nova 1971 with a baby blue race strip.
"Whoa," Danny stammered looking over the car. "This is awesome."
"I appreciate a good car," Destiny smiled. "I rebuild her from the ground up. Me and my dad worked on her for six years before he passed."
"Cool," Danny whispered opening the side door. The seats were the same blue as the strip while the rest was black. "Did you paint it too?"
"Yea, we wanted something different, and I loved the color scheme," Destiny explained starting the car on.
"It's awesome," Danny exclaimed as they headed out. "Where we going?" Destiny smiled.
"I'll leave that a surprise," Destiny smiled as she turned out on the road and floored it making the car tear down the road, Danny grinning the entire time.
Danny: You were supposed to put this up yesterday with Broken Record
Me: yes, I'm sorry...but it's up now...and also, I would like you guys to go and check out Broken Record, you read Silent Tears, Broken Record follows it into the last part of the week after Danny gets back and into a second week
Danny: I'm not an addict either
Me: In that story you are...go read it and tell me if anything's not following...I can still fix it since my one shot just turned into a somewhat short story
Danny: And Thanks for all the reviews, they made her day even better!
Me: Most reviews go to this story and it makes me so happy!