"Danny, how do you know your way around?" Danielle asked softly as team alpha followed the halfa. Danny, following his orders, had volunteered to show them a secret passage out of the building. Danny glanced over his shoulder. He turned back to the front when his eyes flashed black and he was forced to tell a half-truth.
"I can remember everything I did under their control now. They took me through the secret passage to lose anyone following me. It's lined with enough lead to block all energy escaping," Danny replied softly. He hadn't tried to fight the orders so far for a simple reason. His orders were to take the others to the ghosts and then spring the trap. He wanted them to find the ghosts. He wanted them to save the ghosts. It was his fault that the ghosts were even captured in the first place. But once they got there, he'd start resisting. He couldn't let them get caught. Especially not Danielle. The Light wouldn't hesitate to put his clone under their control and he wouldn't let her have the same fate as him.
Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his chest, so strong he fell to his knees and gave a soft cry of agony.
"Danny!?" Danielle and Jake exclaimed in alarm. Everyone gathered around the halfa worriedly. Danny groaned softly and massaged his chest before stumbling back to his feet, the pain dulling quickly.
"Are you okay?" M'gann asked worriedly. Danny nodded slowly.
"I think so. It's over now whatever it was," Danny mumbled uncertainly. Conner raised an eyebrow at the halfa. Danny wasn't nearly as freaked out as the team were.
"Has that happened before?" Conner wondered. Danny sighed and nodded.
"Once. But it wasn't as bad last time. I dunno, maybe it's part of the spell," Danny reasoned.
"Kid, that's not part of the spell. The spell controls you, it doesn't hurt you unless the enchanter wants that," Fu dog corrected with concern.
"Could it be the elevated energy?" M'gann guessed.
"Maybe," Danny agreed.
"This is bad isn't it?" Jake whispered fearfully, watching the halfa carefully.
"I feel fine now," Danny reassured them.
"Let's just focus on getting you out of here," Conner muttered and gestured for the halfa to lead the way again.
Danny nodded and took the lead again. They were almost there now anyway. Danny knew he wasn't going to escape unless someone got the crystal ball and then knocked him out before he could get it back to Klarion. He hesitated at the dimly glowing door. Danielle assumed that Danny had been ordered to not touch the door and went to open it for him.
"No! Don't touch it!" Danny exclaimed sharply. Danielle stopped, hearing the warning and fear in her adoptive brother's voice.
"It's lined with ectoranium," Danny explained when he felt everyone's eyes on him.
"Oh, why didn't you say so?" Jake chuckled and opened the door for the group. Danny edged reluctantly into the room and his eyes automatically drifted to the large red button on the wall. His eyes flashed black as his order made itself known. Danny shook his head and pushed down the compulsion to obey.
"Danny!" Sam cried out happily and ran to him, embracing him happily. Danny carefully returned the hug, scanning the room quietly, keeping his eyes away from the alarm as much as possible. He saw that Robin, Zatanna and Wally were also here. He hadn't known why only Jake, Danielle, Fu dog, M'gann and Conner were the ones rescuing him and he hadn't asked. The less he knew the better. If he knew, then Klarion could easily interrogate him and learn their plans.
"This isn't a secret passageway," Jake muttered redundantly. Danielle giggled.
"Danny has a terrible sense of direction," Danielle informed the dragon calmly. Sam pulled away from her boyfriend and frowned worriedly at him when she saw how distracted he was.
"This wasn't your fault Danny. You were being controlled," Sam mumbled reassuringly, assuming that he felt guilty about the caged ghosts.
"Whelp!" A voice suddenly called. Danny turned to see Skulker crammed into a cage that was too small for him while in his suit.
"Skulker," Danny replied, acknowledging the ghost calmly.
"We can't help you but we can help them," Skulker told the halfa, confusing the others in the room.
"Thanks, because I can't hold it off forever," Danny remarked gratefully. Skulker nodded.
"Do you know how to get us out?" Skulker inquired.
"Why would Danny know that?" Robin retorted.
"Because he's been here before, duh," Johnny answered. Danny swept his gaze over the room, his gaze lingering on the alarm button before he tore his eyes away.
"No. I don't. You heard what they said. They only gave me orders to stop me interfering," Danny finally admitted.
"What's going on!?" Danielle snapped.
"Dipstick's got orders to lead you lot in a trap. We were just about to warn you lot before he got here," Ember confessed.
Everyone turned to Danny who was keeping his gaze on Skulker. If he had something to focus on, then he could hold off the compulsion to obey his orders longer. But he wouldn't be able to ignore his orders forever, a headache was starting to form from the pressure of resisting the spell.
"Danny, is that true?" Sam whispered. Danny remained silent. He had orders not to reveal the plan to anyone. Skulker didn't count because he already heard the orders but Sam unfortunately did. He was already holding off a direct order from his master, no, Klarion. He refused to accept the Witch Boy as his master even if the spell compelled to think of him as such. Resisting or disobeying another order wasn't possible.
"Wait, orders to stop you interfering. You can't tell us what you've been ordered can you?" Robin realised. Danny glanced at the boy wonder before returning his gaze instantly to the hunter ghost. Seeing his friends here only increased the compulsion to obey his orders and made resisting harder.
"I can try to hold off long enough for you guys to get out of here. But I can't guarantee it," Danny informed them, directing his comment to Skulker purposefully.
"But you said resisting your orders is bad for you," M'gann pointed out worriedly.
"It is. But I can try," Danny grunted. His headache was getting worse. Soon his nose would bleed. He had learnt the stages of consequences for resisting his orders. The first was a headache. Then it was a nose bleed from the pressure building in his mind. Then he'd get dizzy and collapse and probably pass out. As long as he didn't have to change into his ghost form, he'd be able to hold off but if he changed, his body would obey against his will.
"Don't worry Danny. We're not gonna leave you here," Sam muttered reassuringly while the others spread out to find the release button.
"You're not making this easier," Danny mumbled carefully. Sam blinked and took a step away from her boyfriend.
"Reckon it's this big red button!?" Wally shouted to the others. Danny made the mistake of glancing at the speedster. His eyes instantly found the alarm and his eyes flashed black again as his compulsion to obey increased. He groaned and struggled to tear his gaze away from the button. Sam turned to her boyfriend and gasped as she saw a trickle of red blood flow out his nose.
"No! That's the alarm!" Ember yelled sharply. Wally jumped away from the button like he'd been shocked.
"Right, so don't touch. Got it," Wally muttered before jogging away.
"Danny?" Sam ventured.
"N-no," Danny grunted and shook his head. Sam turned to Skulker.
"What are his orders?" she demanded.
"Press the alarm and then fight you lot until he passes out. Pressing the alarm puts this room in lockdown and ghost knock-out gas will flood the room," Skulker answered easily. Sam nodded in understanding. Now she knew his orders, maybe she could help him.
"Danny, look at me. Just focus on me," Sam encouraged and pulled his face to hers. His eyes were flickering with black and his nose was still bleeding.
"N-no. N-not h-helping," Danny mumbled with effort.
"What will?" she asked. Danny shook his head, his gaze returning to the alarm button against his will. He was fighting himself to stop himself taking a step closer to that button. Hearing and seeing his friends wasn't helping. It only reminded him of his orders. Seeing the button was worse. Against his will, he took a step but managed to stop himself taking another. Sam gasped in alarm and grabbed her boyfriend's shoulders, hoping to stop the halfa if he tried to get to the button.
"N-no S-Sam. T-too d-dangerous," Danny groaned as he head started to spin from pain and the pressure of resisting the spell.
"What are you talking about?" Sam retorted, struggling to hold Danny back as he took another step towards the alarm.
"He might attack you to fulfil his orders. If he loses control, he is not accountable for his actions. And part of his orders is to attack you," Skulker explained on Danny's behalf. Sam glanced at the hunter ghost before gasping in alarm as Danny took another step. The halfa had shut his eyes with the effort and pain resisting took, his face pale and tense with concentration. Sweat poured down his face as well as blood from his nose. Sam set her jaw and held onto Danny's shoulders firmly.
"I'm helping you," she decided firmly.
"I found it!" Conner shouted, Danny had refused to be included in the mind link. For many reasons but the first was because he feared that the spell would affect the others. Another was because Danny didn't want to know any of their plans. The numerous cages swung open and the ghosts surged out. The prisoners from Walker's prison cackled happily and flew to phase out of the room through the walls but ended up crashing into the phase-proof walls. Skulker stepped out his cage and stretched, his metal joints creaking loudly. Ember, Johnny and Kitty joined the ghostly hunter and Johnny's shadow flew from a far corner to merge with Johnny once again. Sam pushed her boyfriend back as he tried to take another step. Danny shouted loudly in pain and effort as he fought the spell.
"Go!" He screamed.
"No! Not without you!" Sam growled stubbornly.
Suddenly a blaring alarm sounded. Everyone froze but Danny and Sam as they struggled against each other and the spell on Danny. The door exploded open and Klarion stormed inside. He glared at Danny and instantly understood the situation.
"Phantom! Change into your ghost form. Now!" Klarion shouted. Danny cried out as his transformation rings appeared around his waist. He opened his eyes and gave Sam a desperate and apologetic look.
"I'm sorry," he gasped before he became Phantom. Sam blinked in confusion.
"Get over here," Klarion growled angrily. Danny's green eyes pulsed black and he instantly flew to Klarion's side.
"Explain yourself!" Klarion demanded.
"I obeyed your orders so I could lead them here to save the ghosts and then I resisted. Skulker overheard your orders earlier in here and told the others for me," Danny answered immediately in a monotone and emotionless voice. Sam gasped in horror.
Klarion glowered at the halfa, before he turned to the ghosts in the room.
"We'll discuss your obedience later. Now, get those ghosts back in their cages. Now. And don't let any of your friends stop you, lock them in cages too," Klarion commanded. Danny's eyes pulsed black and he floated into the air and turned to face Sam and the other ghosts. His expression was relaxed, his eyes glazed over. That wasn't Danny Phantom, it was Klarion's puppet, Sam realised in despair.
And nothing goes to plan, for everyone.
Will the others stop Danny fulfilling his orders or will Klarion force the halfa to capture all his friends and loved ones?
Let me know what you guys think so far. I'm curious about what theories you guys might have on what will happen.
I'm super busy right now writing a thesis for college so I won't be able to post up an ad for the winner of the poll for a few days. Bear with me though. I will have it up before the end of this fanfic.
Until the next chapter.
