It's so freaking HOT! I'm roasting! No, I'm MELTING! Blech! I hate the cold but I hate being super warm too! I like spring time and fall; moderate weather. (glares at the sky) No more thunder storms that make it ninety degrees out! The only cool place is the basement! Grrrrr!
Twelve: The Masters Gala and Dan's Detention
It took a while for everyone to get settled in. Jazz had a room to herself, Fenton and Phantom were in the same room in two different beds while Dan stood watch over them both (under Clockwork's orders), and Clockwork had a room to himself. Then, of course, the situation had to be explained to their host; the one and only Vlad Masters.
"If I understand you correctly, and I'm sure I do," Vlad was sitting in a high backed arm chair beside a roaring fire in one of his studies while Clockwork was perched on a love seat across from him, looking very tired. Then again, he'd just spent the better part of two hours explaining everything to the older halfa, "You have to keep those two; Fenton and Phantom; away from the Observers long enough to figure out how to get them back together again. And you're still running out of time because his DNA's breaking apart?" The millionaire gave an obvious scoff of laughter, "Couldn't you just stop time, Clockwork, and figure everything out?"
"I'm afraid not, Plasmius," The Time Ghost reached down and kicked off his boots, stuffing his socks inside them and wiggling his toes (he had to say, he enjoyed the feeling immensely), "I have no idea if stopping time for any long period of, erm, time wouldn't actually hurt their DNA."
"You're not making sense." Vlad's way of saying he didn't get it as he wrinkled his nose at the ghost's antics.
"Fenton and Phantom were torn apart by ghost powers and science, something the Observers have been dabbling in since they were spawned from the Ghost Zone," Clockwork stretched and started to spin his staff in his fingers in an restless kind of way, "My own ghost powers far exceed those of the Observers but their science…" He pushed his hair back into place agitatedly, "I have trouble understanding. If I were to stop time, what's to guarantee it wouldn't speed up the process or just kill them out right?"
Vlad's eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened. Clockwork's red gaze flicked towards him, he could almost hear the cogs and gears turning in the man's mind, piecing things together and trying to solve the dilemma. Not for Danny, no, never for Danny. Vlad was, as ever, doing it for his own gain of happiness. Or, at the very least, an attempt at a gain of happiness.
"And this…Dan Phantom? He's Daniel's evil future self? From ten years in the future?" This was one thing Vlad seemed to have had trouble grasping; the alternate timeline in which the Fenton family was completely annihilated along with Sam, Tucker, and Mr. Lancer, and the result of Vlad's endeavor to be a godfather had resulted in the evil that had nearly destroyed the world.
"Yes," Clockwork said tiredly, rubbing his temples, "I let him out because he's proven himself to be an asset. And he's under my control, you don't have to worry."
"I'm not worried." Vlad sat back in his chair with an aggravated expression, "But what are you going to do with him once this is over?"
"That…" Clockwork said, standing up, "Does not concern you." And he walked out of the room, carrying his staff in one hand and his boots and socks in the other. Vlad scowled after him.
"He thinks he can do whatever he wants because he controls time." The millionaire growled, standing as well and walking over to the fire to stare into its flickering depths, "However…this matter…" He leaned against the mantle, thinking hard, "If Daniel were to die then my precious Maddie would…"
With a snarl, Vlad turned away from the fire and went to go sulk by the window where the light was slowly fading from the sky. A very faint, very tiny star was trying to flicker its way into existence in the middle of a spiral of dark blue and light blue. Vlad frowned.
Irony. He thought bitterly, glaring at the star as though the whole situation was that burning ball of gas's fault, Why do I feel like I've gotten myself mixed up in something that's over my head?
The following morning was met with at least six different arguments.
Dan was arguing with Clockwork about the whole "going to school as Danny" bit, Danny was having three different shouting matches at the same time (one with Clockwork, one with Vlad, and one with Phantom), Jazz was quarrelling with Vlad as well, and Phantom was yelling at Fenton.
To put it bluntly, the house was in chaos.
It was Clockwork who settled most of the disputes. Ordering Dan to do what he was told, while not something the Ghost of Time enjoyed, was what solved that issue, Jazz had to take Dan to Casper High so she left with him, and soon, after about ten minutes, the shouting matches between Clockwork, Fenton, Vlad, and Phantom edged away into a "who can scream the loudest" match between the human and ghost half of the boy Danny.
"Can't you shut them up!?" Vlad growled, accidentally bending a silver spoon in half in his anger.
"It's better to let them burn themselves out." Clockwork muttered as he peered over the top of his cup of orange juice at the two boys shouting at each other in another room. He and the older halfa had left the main living room where the screaming match was taking place and had moved into a small kitchen to treat themselves. Unfortunately for Vlad, Clockwork had insisted that he be able to keep an eye on them so the millionaire had been forced to turn on one of his many security televisions scattered throughout his manor and endure the noise.
"It's irritating." Vlad stirred his coffee with an unbent spoon, his eyes flashing red as he watched the two boys yelling at each other from across the room, "Why are they even arguing?"
"Because they're scared." Clockwork replied, now lifting open the lid to a box of doughnuts to look inside. Since he was a ghost straight from the Ghost Zone, he didn't really need food but he still enjoyed it when he could get it, "Both Fenton and Phantom are terrified of the damages the separation has taken on their bodies. Normally, this would have made them want to become one person again but Danny's been through too much. He's scared of himself. The situation that resulted from Yulcifer reminded him so much of his alternate future that he's sure that he will become Dan Phantom, no matter what I tell him. Phantom, being the ghost half, doesn't have these fears. He's not angry, he doesn't want to destroy anything, he doesn't have the hatred against the world like Dan di—does. He just wants to stay alive, if you get my meaning."
Vlad started grumbling and turned his back on the screen, sitting down and snatching the box of doughnuts away from Clockwork before the Ghost of Time could grab one. He got a fearsome scowl in return.
"Danny, dude, you look like crap!"
"Thanks Tuck."
"As much as I hate to say this, I have to agree with Tucker." Sam stepped in front of Dan as he attempted to get to Danny's locker, "Are you sick, you have called us or talked to us and you've been acting…" Her face turned a light shade of pink, "Kind of weird."
"I'm—." Dan cut himself off, bit his lip in thought, and then sighed, trying to make himself look pathetic, "The Observers attacked me last night."
"What!?" Sam hushed Tucker high-pitched yelp and motioned for Dan to continue.
"Phantom was there and he…well, it doesn't matter what he wanted. The Observers wanted him and Clockwork said that couldn't happen! So he and Dan knocked me, Phantom, and Jazz out and dragged us to Vlad's manor."
"You're living with Vlad!?" Sam hissed, "Has Clockwork lost his mind!? This is the perfect opportunity for Plasmius to take you out of the picture!"
"Mm," Dan shrugged in an unconcerned sort of way and was about to open Danny's locker when a hand descended on his shoulder and pulled him back.
"Hey Fen-turd! Did you like your locker yesterday!? 'Cause I'll shove you in the toilet today!" Dash jeered and several of the other jocks did the same.
"Leggo Dash…!" Dan snapped in a half-hearted sort of way. In all honesty, he was tired. He hadn't gotten a decent night's rest in a while and his powers were waning. He wouldn't be able to keep up the "Danny disguise" too much longer without his cover being blown.
"Talkin' back to me, Fenton!?" The bully grabbed the front of the red and white T-shirt Dan was wearing and shook him so fiercely that Dan swore he felt his brain rattle around in his skull, "That means extras!" And he pulled his fist back to punch Dan in the face.
Dan snapped. He'd had it. Clockwork giving him orders, getting chased down by the Observers, having to stay with Vlad, Fenton and Phantom's constant bickering and the look of hate that flickered in their eyes whenever they saw him, having to act like Danny, having to hide…it had built up so much over the past couple of days and now…
"EAT ECTOPLASM YOU SON OF A GUYS IN WHITE!"
"THE CAPTAIN'S DOG! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING MR. FENTON!?"
Dan was ripped away from Dash, who he had thrown back, pinned to the ground, and was in the act of punching, and hoisted into an upright position by a very angry looking Mr. Lancer. Dash lay whimpering on the floor, his large hands over his face, "I fhink you brhoke mhy nose…!"
"Serves you right." Dan snarled and then regretted the words instantly.
"DETENTION!" Lancer screamed, "TWO WEEKS! EVERY NIGHT AFTER SCHOOL! AND I'M CALLING YOUR PARENTS!"
He let Dan go and started to walk away but Dan caught up to him, "Mr. Lancer, my parents are out of town and my house has just been broken into." Lancer's eyes narrowed as he looked down at who he assumed was Danny Fenton, "Jazz and I are staying with Mayor Masters, our legal guardian until our parents return or the house is cleaned up." There were several murmurs and giggles of disbelief from behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, Dan could see Sam and Tucker looking panicked, "If you don't believe me, sir, you can check the emergency numbers on the papers."
With that, Dan turned back to Sam and Tucker and started walking towards his fist class.
Back in the Masters' home, Fenton and Phantom had gone from shouting matches to angry silences during which, if they happened to be in the same room, they would shoot glares at one another. This was a very uncomfortable sort of experience especially when you're trying to sit down with a nice book but you have unfortunately chosen a spot in the room that is directly between the two glaring boys. Vlad kept getting shivers up his spine.
Where is that elusive Clockwork!? He thought sullenly and jumped slightly when the phone started ringing, "Saved!" He left in the room quickly and swept onto the second floor landing to pick up the phone, "Hello?"
"Mayor Masters?"
"Yes." Vlad did his best to keep the irritation out of his voice.
"This is Mr. Lancer calling from Casper High—." Vlad couldn't stop the groan though, "—about Daniel Fenton. He claims his parents are away, his house was broken into, and that he's staying with you. It is true that when I called his home no one answered, however I am not inclined to believe he is staying with you!"
"Yes, well, he is." The halfa peered over the stair banister to see if Clockwork was somewhere on the first floor, "Jack and Maddie were college friends of mine and I have legal guardian custody over Daniel and his sister until their parents return from their trip." He frowned suddenly, "Why does this matter? What did Daniel do?"
Ah, he—THE GAME OF SUNKEN PLACES, MR. FENTON!!" Vlad held the phone away from his ear, "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!? SIT BACK DOWN RIGHT NOW!" There was the noise of several clattering chairs, an angry shout, and then silence for a moment before Mr. Lancer's voice came back over the phone, sounding slightly winded, "He got into a fist fight, Mayor Masters, with a fellow student and gave them a broken nose. He has detention every night for two weeks."
"One week."
"Excuse me, sir?"
"One week's detention, every day." Vlad didn't know why he was doing it but the fact was that he was. Perhaps it something to do with the idea that he didn't think he could handle Fenton and Phantom by himself for that long.
"Mayor Masters, I don't think you quite understand just how much—."
Time to change tactics.
"Don't tell me how much or how little I understand about getting into trouble and punishments, Lancer!" Vlad seethed, "I am Mayor and handling an insubordinate teenager is fairly simple!" Lies, all lies.
"I…I understand that, sir, but I am the Vice Principle at this school and—."
"Daniel has things he must attend to!" Vlad snapped irritably, "If you have any other complaints, I'll be happy to hear them now!" There was a disconcerting silence on the other end.
"Alright, Mayor Masters, everyday, for the next seven school days." Lancer's voice grumbled.
"Have a pleasant weekend." Vlad said in a false, cheerful tone and hung up, "How annoying." And he stomped his way back into the study to continue his reading under the glares of Fenton and Phantom. Only Phantom wasn't there, "Where's Phantom?"
Danny was looking pointedly at a bookcase with a smug and rather haughty look on his face, his arms crossed across his chest and his nose in the air. If Vlad had been in the mood, he probably would have made cracks about how he'd rubbed off on the boy.
"I dunno." Danny responded in a patronizing way, sounding for all the world like he'd won the world championship for something. Vlad made a hissing noise and grabbed Danny's chin, forcing the boy to look at him.
"Where." He snarled out as Danny's blue eyes widened, "Is. Phantom."
"Gone." Danny jerked away, his expression slightly shocked, "He left. Gone." And he folded his arms over his chest again.
Vlad glared daggers, feeling the cold, black light sweeping over his body as he tapped into his ghost powers. Danny cringed slightly and covered his head with his arms and Vlad, who had been about to strike out at him, suddenly realized how utterly defenseless this young teenager really was. He stepped back.
"Daniel…Daniel, look at me." No response, "Daniel…please."
Danny peered through his folded arms and the older halfa saw a flash of fearful, brilliant blue starring at him.
"Daniel, I…" The words fought to stay inside him, "I respected you as a fellow halfa and as a rival." Danny blinked at him, "But you are acting more like a selfish little brat that I ever thought was possible from you." Before the boy could spew out a suitable comeback, Vlad pinned Danny to his seat with ropes of glowing, pink ectoplasm, "You stay there! I need to go find Clockwork and Phantom!"
"Oh no you don't, Mr. Fenton, you're coming to my office and we're calling Mayor Masters to see if that tall tale of yours is true!" Lancer grabbed Danny's upper arm and dragged him away from his two friends. Danny muttered something that was probably a profanity under his breath but didn't fight back; obviously he realized the futility of his situation.
When they reached his office, Lancer shut the door and sat the teenager down in one of the plastic chairs in front of his desk, stepping over to the phone and dialing in the unnamed emergency number on the card. There were two rings and then a click as the phone picked up.
"Hello?"
"Mayor Masters?"
Dan stifled a groan and ran a hand through Danny's black hair so that it fell characteristically into his face. Great, now Vlad would tell Clockwork and Clockwork would get on his case about being a "good little Danny." Dan scowled to himself.
"This is Mr. Lancer calling from Casper High about Daniel Fenton." Lancer had his back to him and Dan started pondering whether or not he could slip out the door without the man noticing, "He claims his parents are away, his house was broken into, and that he's staying with you. It is true that when I called his home no one answered, however I am not inclined to believe he is staying with you!"
Dan shifted in his seat and there was a creak of plastic. He froze but Lancer didn't turn to look at him. Dan inched his foot forward, paused again, and leapt for the door. Unfortunately, the second he looked away was the second Lancer looked at him.
"Ah, he—THE GAME OF SUNKEN PLACES, MR. FENOTN!!" Lancer screamed, dropping the phone and making a dive for Dan and practically clotheslining him, "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!? SIT BACK DOWN RIGHT NOW!" He dragged Dan by the scruff of the neck towards the chairs but Dan struggled with an angry yell and kicked, sending the chairs everywhere, "Sit back down in that chair," Lancer said in a low, dangerous voice the Dan never thought the man could muster, "Or I'll expel you. Do you understand that, Mr. Fenton…!?"
Dan kept his face blank, tugged himself out of Lancer's grip, and plopped sullenly back into the only upright chair in the room. Lancer went back to the phone.
"He got into a fist fight, Mayor Masters, with a fellow student and gave them a broken nose. He has detention every night for two weeks."
Dan scowled again, glaring at the floor. There was a lot things that he'd done which he now regretted but maybe killing Lancer wasn't that bad. No, no, he wasn't the one who got to decide when it was right for people to die. Still, the whole fiasco had not been his fault. The time paradox created by him traveling into the past (present?) had shorted out any chance of Danny becoming Dan Phantom. A bit of a disappointment but nothing that was going to entirely ruin Dan's day. He didn't hate Danny, he was just jealous. Jealous that Danny had the love of friends and family whereas Dan had…Dan had what?
Nothing, that's what. Dan had nothing left after the event that had taken the lives of those he'd loved and he hated the world for it. It was the world's fault, all of it, that he'd been left a cold, emotionless, bloodthirsty ghost. And, so help him, as soon as Clockwork sent him back to his own time, he'd be dishing out that revenge ten-fold.
"Alright, Mayor Masters,everyday, for the next seven school days." He managed to wipe off the sadistic grin that had spread across his face as Lancer turned around, hanging up the phone as he did so, "Well, Mr. Fenton, you're lucky. You have one week of detention starting tomorrow. Am I understood?"
"Yessir…" Dan grumbled, "Can I go now? I'm already late for class."
"Get going then!"
Dan jumped out of the office and nearly collided with Sam and Tucker who were waiting outside, "Um ,hello, class started ten minutes ago! You guys are going to get into trouble!"
"I don't think we are, Danny." Sam said with a very mischievous grin on her face, "After all, Mr. Lancer's the one teaching our class."
Dan glanced over his shoulder through the frosted window on the door and observed Mr. Lancer going through a large stack of homework he seemed to be grading. It was swaying precariously on his desk. Dan smiled.
"So, who wants to run down to the Nasty Burger before first hour ends?"
"…it is my sincere hope that you have enjoyed your butt-kicking experience!" –Danny, Urban Jungle
Nice of Dan to land himself in detention, the moron, and now Phantom's gone and disappeared and don't you feel just a tad bit sorry for Vlad for having to deal with all of this? Hm, I dunno.
Well, hopefully this chapter was enough to keep you busy. I don't know when I'll get around to my next update. My obsession with Jak and Daxter is starting to grow on me again and I'm worried that people will start going OOC…oh dear…
Thanks for reading, please review, and have a great day! Byes!