North pushed through the elves and yetis, all panicking due to the intruder. Jack, Sandy, Tooth and Bunny close behind. Jamie followed, gaping with awe at the immense workshop. A dream come true. What kid didn't dream of going to the Santa's workshop? Even teens would be amazed. Jamie scrambled to catch up with the guardians. Jamie gasped at the sight of the massive globe with lights shining over it. He wasn't watching where he was going and bumped right into Sandy.
"Oh, sorry Sandman," Jamie quickly apologised. He looked up but Jamie couldn't see anything.
The guardians on the other hand saw Danny at the globe controls slowly rotating the globe and watching it carefully.
"Danny," Jack called. Danny waved distractedly to them and returned to what he was doing.
"What do you think you're doing here?" Bunny demanded.
"Won't be here long. Sorry, but I had to borrow your globe North," Danny replied, not moving his eyes from the globe. North blinked in surprise. He grinned.
"So, you're ready to become a guardian?" North guessed. Danny scoffed.
"No. I'm only after Pitch because he ticked me off," Danny retorted. North frowned.
"What is going on?" Jamie asked loudly, startling the guardians. They turned to him.
"You don't see Danny?" Jack inquired. Jamie shook his head.
"You have to believe Jamie. But he's right beside the globe. He's the one turning it," Tooth informed him warmly. Jamie nodded. He blinked, rubbed his eyes, muttered that he believed but nothing worked.
"I still can't see him," Jamie moaned softly.
"Of course he doesn't. That's not how I work," Danny interjected. Jack, Bunny and Tooth turned to him, confused.
"What do you mean that's not how you work? That's how everyone works. Kids can't see you unless they believe in you," Bunny retorted. Danny stopped turning the globe and stepped over to the group. He rolled his eyes as he felt a flicker of fear through Bunny.
"Why are rabbits always so nervous?" Danny remarked. Bunny glared at him.
Danny folded his arms and glared right back at Bunny.
"You work that way yes. Pitch doesn't and neither do I," Danny informed him.
"What do you mean "Pitch doesn't work that way"?" North asked.
"Guys this is getting really boring and annoying. What is he saying?" Jamie interjected. Jack turned to Danny.
"I've seen you talking to kids. They hear you right?" Jack ventured. Danny stepped over to stand beside Jamie.
"Jamie can't hear a word I'm speaking. He can't see or hear me. If I do this," Danny began to explain and placed his hand on Jamie's shoulder. Jamie didn't seem to notice, looking around the guardians looking irritated and feeling like he was missing out.
"I can ask him questions. Suggest things. If he wants my help, he can listen to me. If he doesn't, he'll telepathically tell me to leave him alone. It's all subconscious though. Kids don't know I'm there. I can tell them who I am, that I'm with them, what I look like and so on. But it will be subconscious. They might recognise my name but they won't know where from. They might know I'm there, but they'll think it's all in their heads," Danny resumed and then released Jamie's shoulder.
"Guys," Jamie prompted. Tooth smiled at Jamie.
"I'll tell you what he's saying alright. He was just explaining that you can't hear him but he can talk to you subconsciously so that's how he helps kids," Tooth paraphrased. Danny nodded gratefully to Tooth. She smiled at him.
"Glad to see the only one afraid of me is the overgrown rabbit over there," Danny commented. The guardians turned to Bunny, Tooth muttering a quick explanation why everyone was looking at Bunny. Bunny snarled.
"Keep pushing me and you'll see what these can do!" Bunny threatened and pulled out his boomerangs. Danny snorted and shook his head.
"Er, you were explaining why Jamie can't see you," Jack reminded everyone before Bunny could start a fight. Despite wanting to see who would win, they had more important things to deal with. Danny turned to Jack and nodded.
"That's right. Pitch is seen by kids that fear him. Jamie was afraid of Pitch so he saw him. I work in a similar way," Danny began.
"What, you need to be feared to be seen?" Bunny interrupted snidely.
"One more comment like that and I'll freeze you to that globe... No, it's more complicated than that. People can only see me if they're ready to face their fears. If they can't face their fears or get over their fears, they can't see me," Danny explained. Tooth relayed the explanation to Jamie who looked upset. Danny noticed.
"Tooth tell him, no one has seen me before. It's exceptionally rare for anyone let alone kids to be ready to face their fears. People usually get over them," Danny requested. Tooth blinked in surprise but told Jamie what Danny said.
"So wait, you've never been seen?" Jack inquired, suddenly feeling bad for the teen. He went three hundred years before anyone saw him. It wasn't easy. Danny shook his head.
"Nah, but it's fine. I'm used to not being noticed. Was practically invisible before I died," Danny admitted. The guardians blinked in surprise.
"You remember your life?" Jack ventured. Danny raised an eyebrow.
"Some of it. Not all. Why do you ask?" Danny answered tight-lipped. Jack shifted uncomfortably.
"I didn't remember my life," he muttered. Danny nodded.
"Probably easier that way. Not remembering what you lost or left behind," Danny remarked knowingly. Jack stared at him. Danny looked away and frowned as he noticed the book Jamie was carrying. He scanned the cover before smirking.
"Oh, so you've figured out who I used to be. Good for you, although I did drop enough hints," Danny commented. He returned to the globe.
"So you were Danny Phantom before you died," Jamie called out blindly after Tooth told him what he had said.
Danny laughed.
"Yeah, that was me. You know that book doesn't even cover some of my more interesting ghost encounters. Mostly complied from my ghost files and Sam's diary," Danny revealed. He began to turn the globe again, watching it closely.
So, mainly the guardians getting answers this chapter. But…
Until the next chapter.