The final battle with Danny/Dark Danny begins...!
Jazz was able to sneak into the house with the help of Sam, and the first thing that the elder Fenton sibling noticed was; there was no Danny. The questions were already raised; "Where is he?" "What happened?".
After the two friends explained, Jazz took a moment to sink it all in and trying not to panic for her brother. After a few minutes she sat by them ready make a plan of action if they could. While they waited for her, Sam and Tucker were whispering to each other quietly and gave Jazz the space she needed to think.
"So he's stuck in this game thing? Silent Hill or whatever it's called?" She asked, confused still.
Sam nodded. They both went over what happened one more time. This time Jazz had a grip of the situation.
"Well the only thing I can think of right now, is maybe get inside the game and see if we can find him?" She suggested, and shrugged.
"I have no idea how that would work, even if there was a way I just don't know." Sam said.
"Same here. And if we did get inside, what if we never came back?" Said Tucker nervously.
"Tucker said one of the few people, er, Ghost I should say, that can help is probably Clockwork." Sam explained.
Jazz gasped excitedly.
"'Clockwork? Him? Danny told me about him and how he helped him make the right choice not to cheat on the CAT test. I wonder what he's like." She tapped her finger on her cheek in thought.
Sam and Tucker glanced at each other.
"So what should we do? Your parents are going to get worried if we don't bring him back on time." Said Tucker.
"Plus we'd risk his identity as Phantom, I know." Jazz nodded.
"Here's what I've thought up, what if we get to the Ghost Zone and see if Clockwork is willing to help?" Sam suggested.
[ "Time Out."]
All three teens stood frozen. A large clock appeared and the bigger of the hands rotated clockwise, and he appeared. He stepped out, looking over the teenagers, smiling, and ready to help them.
They were no longer in the private theater, they were in his lair.
"Time in."
"What just happened?" Jazz shook her head, "I felt dizzy for a moment-"
She gasped, as well as Sam and Tucker did at the same time. No longer in the mansion, but in the Ghost Zone.
Sam turned around and saw the wise ghost staring at them.
"It's you! Did you bring us here?" She asked, relief was lifted off her chest, If Clockworks here, we can save Danny.
"Of course I did, and I'm the only one who can only lend my aid to the Halfa afterall..." He shifted to the age of a young man.
Jazz stared at him in awe. One thing that stood out to her the most, was the constant shifting of age, from young man, to child, to an older man. As well as the "clock" inside his abdomen.
Clockwork saw this and stretched out his hand to her, changing into an elder man. "Jasmine Fenton; the elder sister, it's an honor to meet you."
"Uh, same to you, sir."
She smiled nervously, and took his hand in return, as soon as she did, he reverted to a child form, shrinking and making him closer to her face, she jumped back, startled.
Clockwork chuckled, amused.
"My apologies. Now where were we?" He diverted his attention to the other two teenagers.
"I think by now you know what's happened to Danny, right? How can we get inside that world?" Tucker gestured his hands.
"You don't. It's simple." Clockwork said flatly.
"What?" All three of them said at once.
"Well, more I should say, it's near impossible. Here's the scenario; the only way you could go there is with the Infa Map of course. But chances of finding him inside a different plane field...is very very low. If Frostbite needs to be involved so be it but that would take time, and there's not much left of it. My dear children..."
He paused and closed his eyes,
"Someone, or something has summoned Daniel into that world, and only "it" can let us in and out. It's something that is beyond my control. It's possibly even more powerful than me-"
"Hold on, what are you saying old man? We can't help him and we just stand here?" Sam said, anger was heard in her voice.
"That's an option that's up to all of you, but what I'm explaining is that the chances of saving him are low. And I said "I'll lend my aid" not "I'll save him."
The trio looked at each other discouraged, not knowing what to say or do. Jazz cleared her throat and stepped forward,
"Could you go into more details about what took him there? What do you know of it?" She wanted to see Danny, at least know he was safe.
"I cannot explain what it is, but my theory is that it is a being neither human, or ghost, and it dwells in a different universe. That is all I've gathered. I'm sorry."
"Can you show us at least?" Sam asked, trying to hold back the want to cry. Tucker could almost hear it in her voice.
"Most certainly." Clockwork smiled faintly, and shifted into an older man.
He turned around, the circular windows that stood above them lit up, and it revealed Danny; him fighting another Danny they could see that had blood-red eyes, now two Danny's, one in human form and himself next to each other...and many more horrifying things, which made Tucker had to turn around and trying not to vomit, then returned to watch again.
"Silent Hill, you said...is where he is trapped within; I overheard you before bringing you here...that's where he is." Clockwork said.
"That, we already know, but just how do we get there, if only..." Tucker said sadly.
"I think..the only thing we can do is count on is Danny, if he beats the game, he might be able to come back." Sam said.
"So...we just wait." Jazz tucked her arms behind her back and sighed.
"Indeed. We wait." Said Clockwork.
"Hey you! Come out and show yourself!"
Danny's voice echoed in the hallways, he started to storm his way with loud footsteps, looking and checking every space and corner of the house, and the bathroom as well.
"Fight me already you dumb coward!" Danny threatened.
Only the sound of the rain outside and silence followed.
But this is a good idea, if I provoke him and maybe get on his nerves he might come, He thought, Time to add in my banter, which I'm good at.
"You think you're so cool and strong, huh? Honestly, you're not that scary. My older self who've I fought put up way more of a fight, and he actually gave me chills, you're so lame..."
"He" was hiding upstairs, which he noticed Danny hadn't bothered to check yet,
Did this idiot forget to look up here? He continued to listen.
Danny stood still, waiting for something to happen. Green eyes darted to there and here, looking for any sign of life.
Phantom had his eyes closed, arms folded. He could see him, he watched him from the lower floor.
Danny continued to call him names, provoke, and banter and still nothing.
My life is at stake, if I can't find that picture frame, I'm doomed.
Then a new insult came into mind, one he hadn't tried yet, and he smiled.
"Come out, you dumb, weak halfa." He sneered.
Phantom bit his lip, he bit hard enough he started to bleed. He had enough.
"Okay, Danny..you want a fight, I'll give you one..." He growled.
He phased through the floor, and landed a few feet behind him.
"You wanted me? Here I am."
Danny turned, his fists ready.
Phantom raised his hands and clapped slowly.
"Congrats for that insult, very clever. And congrats for even living this far. My human half at this point had already gave up." He pointed out.
"Where is the picture frame?" Danny demanded.
Phantom started to laugh.
"Oh come on! Are you really that dense?! Why would I tell you where it is?" he laughed, wrapping his arms around his ribcage.
"Fine, I'll force it out of you!" Danny got ready to run at him,
But Phantom made it first to him. Danny didn't get the chance to prepare himself, Phantom was already up to his face...with one hand gripped at his throat, he held him up in midair.
Danny tried to pry off his blood-stained glove, but his grip was like steel.
"The more I look at you..the more I just want to tear you apart...the sight of you just makes me want to vomit...why? Oh I'll explain; because you still have humanity inside of you, I want to tear it to shreds, I can't escape or rest until I destroy it with my own two hands..." He hissed in Danny's face, eyes glowed deathly red.
"I get it now..." Danny struggled to breathe out his words, "You got mad when I called you a halfa because.."
Phantom slammed him into the wall, it cracked and the plaster underneath him fell to the floor.
"Youre right. "I hate it because, I am not a halfa anymore. I'm a full blooded Ghost. I do not need to feel anything, much less sympathy for a weak creature such as yourself. I ripped apart my human self over and over, and I succeeded. He is good as dead. Not even this game can save him and bring him back. You're next to kill on my list."
"So what? I'll defeat you. I've done it before and I can do it again." Danny said confidently.
"I don't think so." Phantom said flatly, and leg him go.
Danny gagged, and soothed his neck.
"And what do you mean "again?" I'm confused. This is the first time I've ever seen you and fought you."
"What do you mean?" Danny looked up puzzled as well.
"You keep saying "older self" or some nonsense."
Danny was quiet, thinking. Then it came to him.
Now I see, so he's not the same as that time when I cheated on the CAT, this is a different form of mine or something. No wonder we're both confused.
"What I mean is, I've fought someone just like you before, and I know how to handle it. You're not that much different, and I know I can bring you down again." Danny glared at him.
Phantom held up his hand and snapped his fingers.
Danny saw he was no longer in the hallway, but in a blinding white room. He had been in the dark so long his eyes had not adjusted yet, he distinctively raised his hand to sheild his eyes...only to discover he couldn't.
He looked down at himself. He had been strapped to a metal table facing up and three feet above the floor! Leather straps were bound to his wrists and on his ankles and they glowed green, he knew what it was, it was an anti-ectoplasmic force keeping him immobile. Every nerve, cell and emotion in his body screamed in terror. He was trapped.
"Whats going on?! What did you do?" Danny glared at his evil part.
Phantom was not wearing the black and white jumpsuit, but a white lab coat with black gloves and protective googles on his forehead. And no longer in ghost form but human form, the only giveaway were his red eyes, and hair gone to raven black. He smiled.
Oh, you'll see for yourself, the worst is just about to begin," Phantoms eyes turned from red to baby blue, and smiled with a lazy smug.
Danny was quiet. He tried to think, what did this mean? What did anything mean anymore? This room, is similar to the one back in my folks lab...
Oh no.
Phantom saw the look of horror scribbled over Danny's face, he loved it so much, he chuckled like crazy and put one hand over his face, trying to hold back the need to laugh out-loud.
"Hahahahahaha! Man you should see yourself right now, that look on you is just priceless! You see Danny boy, I don't need to kill you with just my hands..."
Phantom paused and his eyes turned to the right. Two figures behind him in in jumpsuits stood behind him.
"I've got them to tear you apart, molecule by molecule." He finished.
The two adults stood side by side to him, grinning.
Danny's eyes widened even more.
"Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?" He croaked.
"Jack" put his hand on Phantoms should with a proud smile.
"Glad you're willing to help us with the experiment subject son, finally we can discover the answers and secrets of Phantom."
"Even more proud of you honey, that you caught him all by yourself! Great job!" Mad die said cheerfully.
"Wait! You've got it all messed up! I'm your son, Danny!" Danny cried.
The smiles on his parents faces disappeared and was replaced by confusion and disgust.
"What are you talking about? You're a ghost, not our son." Maddie spat at him.
"I'll show you!"
Danny wanted to reveal his human form, but instead, bolts of electricity stung his body, from the straps, he screamed in pain.
"It's no use, you can't fool is into anything and you can't escape. And, our Danny is right here with us."
Dark Phantom made a puppy face to his parents, he tried to look his best even though he hated showing emotions, but he knew it would work. Seeing this, it made Danny furious. His eyes glowed neon green with rage.
"Please hear me out, I'm not the enemy! Your son is also a ghost in disguise! I'm telling the truth!"
They glanced at him, Dark Phantom only preceded to wear an innocent and confused expression and shrugged at his parents.
"Don't ask, he's been raving lies since I caught him, nothing to worry about."
But for a moment, his eyes flashed red and and smiled a smug grin at Danny.
"Let's get started." Said Jack.
Both his parents put on their protective goggles, his mother went to a small table with tools, tools Danny didn't want to even think about that would be used to pry him open.
So it comes down to this, this is it...this game has exposed my biggest weakness and fears..my own parents are going to skin me alive. It's what I've avoided for so long. They'd never accept or love me as I am; I think this is my punishment, for lying to them for so long. I regret it all...
Danny crammed his eyes shut, trying to hold his tears, but it was brewing more and more the want to break down and cry and beg and scream at the two adults to spare his life but he knew it was over...I lost.
"Hmm, that's odd, he appears to have the ability to produce tears, he's good at imitating human emotions." Jack added, he waited for Maddie to give him the scalpel.
His mother stopped in her tracks, observing his point and looked at Danny. She only looked slightly surprised and Danny thought he spotted some concern, but it was gone in an instant.
I have to keep trying..even if it takes my life. Until my options are out I'll just keep convincing them to not kill me...I don't care if this is real or not anymore; this game, it's like it wants me to keep going...it's trying to tell me something...face my sins, as well as my fears.
Danny raised his head at the two, with a confident smile.