The numb haze in his mind faded slowly. He blinked and shook his head slightly before he realised that he wasn't in Fenton Works anymore. Danny gasped in horror as he remembered what he had done. He attacked his sisters! He destroyed the security hub! He fell to his knees as he remembered everything he'd done. He led Cheshire and Klarion to Walker's prison and let them take two thermoses filled with ghosts as well as Johnny 13, his shadow, Skulker, Kitty… and Ember!
He didn't know how long he sat in disgusted horror before he shook himself out of that stupor and finally took in where he was. It was a small room. There was a window showing a barren landscape warmed by a late afternoon sun and a wooden door opposite. There was a single bed with a bedside cabinet and lamp. A dresser was also in the room. In the drawers there were clothes and a few books on top. Danny swallowed nervously as he spotted a second door that led to a bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower stocked with toothpaste, shampoo, soap, everything he needed. Finally he edged over to the door. He knew it would be locked but he had to try it at least. He nervously held the handle and pushed it down. The door opened!
Danny gasped in surprise before grinning broadly. Maybe Cheshire and Klarion hadn't lifted their control after all. Maybe he shook it off himself over time. He took a step forwards eagerly but his eyes pulsed black and it was almost like there was an invisible barrier stopping him. He stepped back in confusion before trying again without success. He gasped fearfully. He was trapped in an unlocked room! He backed up and ran at the doorway, but once he reached the wooden archway, he couldn't move forwards. He growled angrily and backed up once again and jumped through the doorway.
He got further but he couldn't walk forwards. His legs refused to work. His eyes flickered black as he felt compelled to return to his room. He gritted his teeth defiantly and struggled to move forward, but he couldn't. It was like his feet were stuck to the floor. He screwed his eyes shut as he resisted the urge to turn around and walk back into that room. The longer he resisted, the harder it became. Eventually, the urge became painful and a terrible headache throbbed behind his eyes. But he still resisted. He would not be a prisoner. Not again. Not like this. Cheshire had humiliated him enough the last time they had him as prisoner. Something warm trickled from his nose, over his taut lips and dripped off his chin. With a determined growl, Danny changed into his ghost form. If he could float, then maybe he would be able to get around the feet stuck problem. But the instant he changed, the urge got even stronger. Against his will, he began to drift backwards into the room. He fought but it was like fighting a tornado. He couldn't stop himself.
Suddenly the feeling was gone and he felt absolutely exhausted. He collapsed to the ground and panted for breath, reverting to human. He opened his eyes and found himself just inside the room doorway. The ground outside was dotted with red and green blood. He lifted a shaky hand to his nose and looked down at his trembling fingers. They were covered in his blood. He staggered to his feet and glared at the doorway before angrily slamming the door shut. He couldn't bear looking at an empty corridor. He couldn't leave this room. He stumbled into the bathroom and looked at his reflection. His chin was covered in blood. He twisted the tap and splashed water on his face, cleaning the blood off easily. He then changed into his ghost form and cleaned the green blood off his ghostly chin. Once clean and dry, he flopped on the bed in the cell. He crossed his arms angrily and glared at the ceiling.
Gradually the anger faded, leaving fear behind. He attacked his sisters. It had been easy too. He could try to convince himself that it wasn't him but he hadn't even fought the order. He obeyed without question and that filled him with shame. He shook his head and tried to figure out exactly what and when he did things under their control. The memories from those previous blackouts were hazy at best. He helped Cheshire and Klarion take those prisoners in Walker's prison. He remembered that. He fought off Walker and his guards but he couldn't remember exactly how bad that fight was. He knew he sent a duplicate rather than himself, but he couldn't remember if he held the ghosts off or if he fought to incapacitate them. Either way he knew Walker would add those actions to his growing list of crimes. He sighed softly. He then remembered that he told Klarion about what Jake gave him and the potion. He gave them the thermos with the missing ghosts. He helped Klarion sabotage the potion. But he remembered earlier that day best. He blasted Tucker. He captured Ember. He attacked Jazz, Rocket, Danielle and Conner. He destroyed the security hub. Then he flew here and handed Ember over to Cheshire before being brought to this room and being ordered to not leave this room by Klarion.
Danny was startled out of his thoughts by the door opening. He glanced at the person entering the room and scowled furiously at Cheshire. She was standing in the doorway, arms folded, mask off showing her smug smirk.
"Hey cutie. By the way, if you try to attack me, I can stop you with ease so there's no point," Cheshire warned him calmly. Danny returned to glaring at the ceiling. If he couldn't fight back, he wouldn't co-operate at least. He was not giving the assassin the satisfaction.
"It was entertaining watching you try to escape by the way," Cheshire taunted with a snigger. Danny gritted his teeth. He knew what Cheshire was doing. She wanted a reaction. Cheshire chuckled, clearly enjoying herself. Suddenly she was perched on the bed beside him. She tauntingly pinched his cheek, Danny angrily swatted her hand away and flicked his furious gaze from the ceiling to the woman beside him. Cheshire was grinning at him.
"Upsie daisie cutie. Bosses want to meet you," Cheshire cooed. Danny shifted his gaze back to the ceiling and ignored the woman. Cheshire frowned at him.
"You do realise that you've been ordered to follow my orders. I can force you to do as I say," Cheshire reminded him. Danny frowned in annoyance. He remembered that little detail alright. He also remembered Cheshire relishing in commanding him around. But he wasn't going to obey her unless he had no choice. He refused to stoop that low. Cheshire huffed impatiently and stood up.
"Fine. Be like that. I order you to follow me. You may leave this room, only if you are accompanied by me," Cheshire commanded. Danny's human blue eyes pulsed black. He growled softly as the order registered in his mind.
"Get up," Cheshire added. Danny got off the bed obediently but he refused to act like an obedient pet, folding his arms and refusing to look at the woman, smirking at him.
"Come along Phantom," Cheshire called and clicked her tongue. Danny snarled at the woman's back as he was compelled to follow her out of the room. He hesitated at the doorway as his master's, no Klarion's, order to stay in the room and Cheshire's order to follow her clashed. His current order won out and he followed her down the corridor. He scanned the corridor intently. If he ever got out of that room without being ordered to follow someone, then he might just be able to escape. Cheshire led Danny down a flight of stairs and into a dark room where there were numerous monitors showing glowing white figures. Klarion stood to one side petting Teekl.
"Ah, Danny Phantom. Thank you for coming," one of the monitor's called to him. Cheshire turned to Danny.
"Stand in the centre of the room and don't move until you're told," she ordered softly. Danny growled softly as the order registered and he obediently walked to the centre of the room and became rooted to the spot.
"Nothing to say?" another figure questioned with amused surprise. Danny sighed softly. His orders not to move apparently extended to his mouth which meant he couldn't talk, not that he particularly wanted to speak with these people.
"Phantom, answer your superiors," Klarion growled. Danny smirked slightly and remained silent. He didn't consider these people his superiors so while the order registered it meant nothing to him. He knew, because of the spell, that Klarion and Cheshire were his superiors but these figures weren't.
"Phantom, did you hear me?" Klarion snarled impatiently.
"Of course I did," Danny answered, compelled to answer due to his orders.
"The smart-aleck is using your words against you Klarion. Phantom, answer all questions asked in this room. You can move but not from that spot," Cheshire corrected the orders. Danny scowled in annoyance, and shot the woman a glare. She raised an eyebrow.
"Understood?" she pressed.
"Yes," Danny gritted out.
"Do you know why you're here?" a figure wondered. Danny turned to the monitor the question came from and shrugged.
"I have an idea but nothing for certain," he admitted.
"What do you suspect?" the voice pressed curiously. Danny sighed softly as he knew he had to answer.
"I think you want me as your weapon. You kidnapped me to make it easier to take ghosts to steal energy from which you're gonna use to power a weapon," Danny recalled.
"Have you told others of your suspicions? And if so, who?" another figure asked. Danny mentally swore. He had hoped to have kept it secret that his friends knew his suspicions.
"Yes. I told my girlfriend," Danny told them carefully, snapping his mouth shut before he started a list of everyone currently at Fenton Works.
"Tell us everyone you told Phantom," Klarion ordered. Danny shut his eyes angrily as his eyes pulsed black.
"Tucker, Sam, my mom and dad. Dani, Jake, Spud, Jimmy. Robin, Artemis, Zatanna, Rocket, K-Aqualad, Superboy, Kid Flash, Miss Martian," Danny listed, nearly slipping up on Kaldur's name and making sure not to reveal further names.
"You changed what you were going to say. Why?" a figure pointed out. Danny looked defiantly at the figure.
"Because I'm not going to tell you anything further about them. They're my friends," Danny growled protectively.
"Tell us everything you know about Aqualad," Klarion ordered sharply. Danny's eyes pulsed black but he clamped his mouth down tightly. He refused to tell these people what he knew but the urge to obey was strong. A headache formed quickly and only intensified when Klarion repeated the order angrily.
"He's… an Atlantean," Danny choked out as his nose began to bleed but he knew now that he had to stay human. The spell was stronger in his ghost half. If he changed, he'd tell them everything.
"We know that. Tell us what we don't know!" Cheshire snapped. Danny groaned as his head started to spin.
"He's… leader… of Young Justice," Danny gasped out, unable to stop himself, screwing his eyes shut in pain and concentration. Bright lights flashed in front of his eyes. He didn't notice as his legs gave way and he fell to the ground.
"Stop the order Klarion. There's no point pushing this further," a voice interjected. Klarion whined softly.
"Fine, ignore those orders on Aqualad," Klarion relented. Instantly the pain and pressure lifted off Danny, he slumped tiredly on the ground and panting for air.
"At least we know that he can't turn on us," a figure remarked while Danny recovered.
"That's right. He can't disobey an order but he can resist orders. The worst he can do is pass out from ignoring a command," Klarion confirmed.
"It also seems to be stronger in his ghost form," Cheshire added helpfully. Danny glared weakly at Cheshire but he knew that they were right. He could barely resist orders, let alone go against those orders. He was trapped.
A little more about how the spell works. And how Danny's handling this situation.
Will Danny be able to escape? And if yes, how?
Let me know what you guys think of the story so far.
Don't forget to check out my website and vote for the next fanfic to be posted! There's a link in my bio.
Until the next chapter.
