Edit: 6/5/18: Next wave of grammar fixes and wording tweaks or some scenes altered to avoid cliches. Took out AN question and answer sections.
I hope you enjoy this chapter
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MENTIONS OF TORTURE AND SOME SLIGHTLY DISTURBING MATERIAL.
That is probably an over-exaggeration, but I like to warn people ahead of time. It's probably not all that bad.
zzz- normal separation
ooo- dream or vision separation (could be a past event of some kind)
Mental thoughts or distant speaking
"Most hatred is based on fear, one way or another. Yeah. I wrapped myself in anger, with a dash of hate, and at the bottom of it all was an icy center of pure terror."
~ Laurell K. Hamilton, Guilty Pleasures
zzz
Ozarks. 5:20 AM.
There are many ways to wake from sleep. Sometimes you wake smoothly and without problem, sometimes you wake wondering what day it is, and sometimes you awaken from a dream, nightmare or different reality and must adjust to the change from one world to another.
Then…
There's being awoken by screams of terror and the weight of several grown men forcing you to eat dirt and trying to pull your arms behind your back as quickly as possible. Your sleeping bag is ripped away and you try to access your ghostly core, only to remember that it's been malfunctioning the last couple days. Your intangibility flickers but doesn't last long enough to escape the glowing green binds on your wrists and arms and now your ankles.
It was times like these that Danny wondered if he could even remember a morning he woken up not worrying about… something.
"Who's there!?" Danny cried out and struggled. Even though their ghostly strength severely outclassed even his decent human strength, he certainly wasn't going to make it easy for them.
"You'll know soon enough, Phantom," the aggressor hissed in the Halfa's ear and slammed Danny's head into the dirt once more for good measure. They then drug him forward and Danny could now see that everyone in the group had been restrained, though not to the same degree as Danny, and were looking at their friend, classmate, and student with fear even in the very dim light of the rising sun.
"Hello there, punk."
Danny's eyes flicked over and landed on none other than Walker and…
"Wulf?" Danny whispered. He noticed that Wulf's eyes were glowing red instead of green and he had a strange and somewhat different collar on his neck.
"That's right, ghost punk. Had to put him through enough pain though before I could break him, but I finally tamed the beast," Walker sneered and walked forward to be closer to Danny.
Danny growled and spat in Walker's face. "Wulf isn't just some beast! You're the beast around here!"
Walker growled and wiped his face before he smirked. "Whatever you say, but in the end, we now have our prisoners and we can return to the Ghost Zone."
Danny paused; his brain was going a million miles per hour, trying to figure out what in the Infinite Realms was going on. Hadn't Skulker been the one hunting them? Why was Walker here? How'd he know Danny was even going to be in a place like the Ozarks? How did any of these ghosts know he was here? At the moment though, that wasn't important. The safety of his friends, peers, and mentors was most important. "Wait! Okay you've got me, Walker, but let them go! They didn't break any of your rules, alright?"
Walker smiled and grabbed Danny's face roughly. "They've been harboring a fugitive… that's against the rules."
"Fenton, a fugitive? What the heck are you guys talking about!?" Dash squeaked.
Walker let go of Danny and walked over towards the group, towering over Dash. "You're not very bright, are you?"
"Leave them alone, Walker! You hear me!?" Danny shouted and thrashed against the hold of the goons and his glowing green bindings.
Walker laughed. "Or what?" He backed up and then nailed Danny in the gut making him almost fall to his knees and gasp for air.
Danny growled as Walker turned to address his men. "Thanks to our friendly hunter and our hard work, we've captured our prisoners. Let's go. Wulf?"
Wulf grunted and then turned before clawing a hole into the Ghost Zone.
"Leave them out of this, Walker! I'm the one that bro…bothers you. I'm the one who's tried to hunt you, not them!" Danny grimaced internally, he'd almost mentioned breaking out of Walker's jail in front of the others not part of Team Phantom. He wasn't sure that info needed to be revealed just yet.
Walker chuckled darkly. "Oh, I know everything you've done boy. You've racked up at least ten thousand years, but you're a troublesome one and I think… execution is in order."
ooo
"Name's Walker son, know it, fear it, OBEY IT!"
"I am your judge, executioner, jury, executioner, jailer and if necessary; your executioner!"
ooo
Walker's words from the time of their first meeting echoed in Danny's head as he stared at the ghost. Everyone in Danny's group went slack jawed and Sam, Tucker, and Valerie looked horrified.
"What do you say boys?" Walker crowed. His goons started cheering, whistling and shouting in excitement as if they were cheering for their favorite football team instead of calling for the death of someone.
The goons then started steering the group and Danny towards the portal, but Danny dug his heels into the earth and the goons were having trouble moving him efficiently.
Walker hissed and pointed a sparking baton at his classmates. "Unless you want to hear them scream, you won't struggle anymore."
Danny glanced over at the group with a defiant look on his face that slowly melted into one of defeat. He stopped resisting and the goons shoved him hard, making him fall face first. The goons laughed at their prisoner's humiliation. One picked him up and held his restrained arms in an uncomfortable way, forcing Danny forward.
Soon everyone was going through the portal, filled with terror or worry. Dash was in deep thought after seeing Danny stop struggling willingly just to make sure the others there weren't hurt. Dash didn't understand. It seemed like he was seeing a different side of Danny all together. The dweeb could lead people, he could think ahead and he didn't even seem as afraid to die like Dash was certain he would be. Ultimately, all Dash could wonder was what had happened to the wimpy and loser geeks he thought he knew.
zzz
The Ghost Zone. Walker's Prison. 5:55 AM.
Lancer was panicking on the inside. Sure, being hunted by some ghost out for revenge was one thing, and actually somewhat expected given the town he lived in, but suddenly being captured, trussed up and marched like prisoners of war into a prison that held numerous amounts of ghosts and creatures of all manners was a completely different realm entirely… no pun intended.
When the Fentons had claimed they'd punched a whole into a different dimension… hearing it and seeing it were also two different things.
He had also noticed something else strange about their predicament. Not only did the main ghost in white talk as if he knew Daniel, which helped to confirm his theory even further that the four students had been secretly ghost hunting all along, but they'd also put a different sort of restraint on Daniel.
While the rest of them had normal rope tying their wrists together, Daniel had rope that was glowing green. For some reason Sam, Tucker, and Valerie kept trying to pull away, looking confused at why they couldn't escape.
Did this mean that Daniel had powers? It wasn't just some metaphor?
ooo
"I'm not sure… but for some reason… I think my core is growing more. That would explain why I was eating so much before we got to the Ozarks. I suppose my body is just coming into new power, since I do eat human food rather than purely emotion and ectoplasm."
"Hmm… I suppose. Clockwork did say that your core is powerful… Maybe your body is simply trying to keep up with you learning more about your abilities."
"Makes since."
"Hey Danny, you think you could increase the heat in our tent again? That was heaven."
"Is that all I am to you people? An air conditioner or heater?"
"But you guys can't even see out in the dark by now. I can see because of my enhanced vision."
"Yeah yeah, whatever…"
"Can you access your powers yet?"
"No… I have no idea what they zapped me with. I've never been without my powers for this long."
ooo
Yes, Lancer had been the one to overhear as well as eavesdrop on the four mysterious students. He was quite ashamed about it, but he'd felt at the time that it was necessary, because indeed the four friends were very good at keeping secrets. Sneaking around had been the only option that Lancer could have chosen at the time; he knew he was lucky though, because if this idea about Daniel having powers was true, then he could've noticed Lancer at any time.
However, he'd actually come about the information, he realized now that his student my very well have some sort of power… perhaps that accident in the lab had done something to the boy after all.
Everyone was led to a large cage where they were untied and left inside to their own devices, while Danny was led further away, only to give Sam and his other two friends a brief half smile.
From that point on, they hadn't seen or heard from Danny and after about two hours had passed, Sam was getting annoyed and trying to hide her concern.
"They have some sort of strange gloves that allowed them to hold us and from what I can tell they also got a hold of a hybrid ghost-human shield…" Tucker murmured he glanced down at his wrapped leg and started pressing in places to see how tender the area still was.
Valerie huffed in frustration and worry. "Yeah I was wondering how they were holding onto us since we're the ghosts in the Ghost Zone…"
Sam was quiet and didn't respond. The others were all in the back, murmuring and talking quietly to themselves. They were interrupted when Sam yelled and pushed herself against the bars of their cell.
"Hey! Hey you!"
A prison guard that had been making his rounds, stopped. "What is it, human?"
Sam growled. "Where's Danny?"
"Tch, probably with Walker. He's most likely trying to break him one last time, if he doesn't break, then his execution date is set for tomorrow. It's supposed to be a packed crowd. It's been a while since Walker's used the Ghostly Gallows."
Sam's face flashed briefly with fear before she growled at the guard.
"Just stay and watch the show. You only racked up seventy years, so most of you will outlive your prison sentence, if only barely." The guard laughed a bit and then floated down the hall.
"What does he mean he's trying to break Danny?" Star asked worriedly, having over-heard the talk like everyone else.
Lancer was watching everything closely and not speaking much, while Tetslaff was trying to calm the majority of the students.
Quite suddenly, they heard an ear-piercing scream of torment. Dash was the first to realize whose it was.
"Fenton?"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Brandon's eyes got wide and he hugged himself as the screams continued.
Sam was massaging her own hands and gritting her teeth until she could hear them scraping in together. She flinched when she thought she heard a pause or gargled gasp before the screaming started again.
"Dios mío. Esto es loco. Querido dios. Querido dios," Paulina muttered, slipping into her native tongue.
"What in blazes…" Tetslaff murmured and seemed to actually get the slightest bit emotional as the screaming continued.
Kwan whimpered and put his hands over his ears. Dinah and Melanie had started to cry themselves and the rest of the nerds were staring blankly in shock until the screams finally tapered off and died.
Eventually food was brought to them, though most only picked at their food and weren't as hungry as normal. About an hour after that, they heard someone walking down the hall. They caught sight of a dirty white t-shirt as two guards took the figure into the adjacent cell. They shackled his limp form to the wall and then left.
"Danny?" Tucker asked aloud, hardly able to find his voice. Everyone was staring in terror at their classmate and student. His t-shirt was dirty and possibly stained with a bit of blood. It appeared he'd been beaten if the several bruises along his arms were anything to go by. His jeans were ripped and tattered as well and he had a strange silver collar around his neck. There was also a bit of dried blood at the corner of his mouth.
"Tucker?" Danny croaked out and glanced up to look at his friends and classmates.
Sam was furious now and water was collection at her eyes. She definitely recognized the shiny collar on Danny; it had once almost been used on her. Danny had always had his powers to help him before and Walker had never gotten Danny back into his prison since that first time Danny had been captured and brought here, though he'd gotten close. To finally see what Walker had been planning for his revenge since then was horrible. "Danny, it'll be okay. We'll get out of this."
They saw a ghost of a smile come to his face. "Yeah… I know. We always do."
In truth, Danny was hurting pretty bad. Fighting against an enemy was never easy, the exception being the Box Ghost, and often ended with wounds of all sorts. He'd even been tortured by Vlad and one could call the two half-ghost's first meeting practical torture since he'd been so outclassed then. He would pull through it; he always did. It was just a matter of getting out of the place before he was executed.
"I swear they don't know what kind of mad they've made me!" Valerie growled and banged her fist into a nearby wall.
Tucker was troubled and in deep thought, trying to figure out a way out of their cell. They just had to find a way out to help Danny. They'd been through too many close calls to count and they all had their share of scars both inside and out that they'd healed or worked through over time; that was one of the things that had made the original trio grow closer and stronger through high school. This was an even closer call, where the evil dude or dudette had actually captured them and was going to get to hurt someone. These scenarios were rarer cases and Tucker had to wonder how lucky they actually were for this kind of thing to not have happened more often. Regardless, Tucker made a decision; they were going to get out of here. There was no question; thinking any other way wasn't an option.
Danny took a stabilizing breath and shifted his legs slightly, which were not restrained. "Is everyone okay?"
Lancer was somehow able to come out of his trance and nodded. "Yes Daniel, everyone is alright. We're concerned about you though."
Danny laughed a bit with some trouble. "You should see the other guy." Danny tried to smile at his own joke, attempting to lighten the mood even a little.
"What did he do to you, Danny?" Sam asked.
"Sam…"
"Danny!" Sam snapped. In that brief moment, Sam forgot that Danny was getting better and sensing emotion.
"Are you crying, Sam?"
Sam paused and everyone flinched, wondering why Danny would think Sam, the goth girl, was crying, but when they looked they realized she was. The small beads of water at her eyes had started to trail down her face. Paulina seemed to be in slight shock.
"Danny…"
Danny frowned and spoke. "He put the collar on me and electrocuted me on and off, then he let his goons rough me up a bit."
Sam clenched her fist in anger. If she ever got the chance to hunt Walker again, she would make sure he got his due. He'd hurt Danny badly and, in her mind,, nothing could justify that kind of cruelty.
"I'll heal in a few days, once we escape." Danny smiled half-heartedly.
"Dude, we have to figure out a way out of here before tomorrow! They're going to execute you then." Tucker spoke up with a determined look on his face.
Dash finally stood up. "Now wait a second! I want some answers here. Why the heck is this ghost tor…" Dash gulped. "Torturing and wanting to execute Fenton? I mean I know his parents hunt ghosts with Phantom now… but why…?"
Tucker shook his head. "Uh well… Danny…"
Danny took a deep breath, wondering if he was going to regret his next words. One thing he remembered hearing from somewhere though, was that sometimes the best lies have a kernel of truth to them. "I came into the Ghost Zone once to retrieve something I'd knocked into it. Walker caught me and told me I had racked up a thousand years in ghost prison. He locked me up, but I figured how to stage a jailbreak and he's hated me ever since." Danny answered and shifted his legs again.
"So, you guys have been hunting ghosts…" Kwan murmured.
Sam, Tucker, and Valerie all exchanged another worried glance.
"Technically? Yes. I can't lie about that anymore," Danny muttered.
"So, you've actually become a hunter like your parents?" Brandon asked softly.
Danny chuckled a bit. "I suppose…"
"Do your parents know?" Lancer spoke up.
Danny frowned. "They didn't until a few months ago."
"And you three?" Lancer asked seriously and glanced over at the other three members of Team Phantom.
"My dad knows…" Valerie murmured.
Tucker and Sam merely shook their heads.
"Good lord…" Tetslaff muttered. "Is that why you and Fenton were so inept, Foley? You were trying to keep it a secret?"
Tucker was about to open his mouth, but Sam interrupted him.
"No, Tucker's always been terrible, until the last year and a half or so. Danny got better after Sophomore year." She sent Tucker a sly look and the techno-geek spluttered.
"I was the tech guy though!"
Danny chuckled listening to his friends tease each other. He could almost pretend everything else wasn't happening. That is, until his enhanced hearing picked up on the sound of someone approaching. He grew silent before everyone else even saw who was there.
"Come on, ghost boy."
He was restrained and led off again. He focused, wondering if his powers had returned despite the restraints keeping him from going invisible or intangible. Such things didn't normally hinder other latent abilities; would it affect his telepathy?
Sam?
Danny? Are you using your telepathy?
Yeah… I was just curious. I think my powers are back, but they've been using the neutralizing rope and shackles on me so it doesn't matter. It's nice to know I can use them though if we find an opening.
Will you please keep the connection up until you come back. I want to know you're still here.
Danny paused in thought. He knew that his friends could feel his emotions while he was dreaming if they were close enough, so the idea of what else they might receive from him while he consciously kept the connection up slightly worried him.
No… I… I don't know if I can…
That was partially the truth. He wasn't sure about that. He felt Sam try to respond and though it didn't seem to be a response filled with impatience or even frustration, he cut off the connection.
zzz
The guards only walked a bit further and Danny realized this room was closer than the last… Would Sam, Tucker, and Valerie be able to feel anything this time?
They opened the door and forced him inside before securing him to a chair. The scene was starting to seem slightly familiar… minus the grudge and the black and white striped prison clothes. The guards turned and left him alone.
"Right then…" Walker appeared from the shadows from the back of the room, trying to look as intimidating as possible. Danny could feel the temperature drop and the atmosphere grow dimmer and darker; Walker was trying to spook him with his ghostly aura. That wasn't going to work and now that Danny had his powers back…
He let ectoplasm flood his irises and even start to bleed into sclera some. Danny rarely did this since it looked really less human than he'd like to admit, but he was going to show Walker he wasn't afraid. The temperature dropped even more, since Danny was part ice spirit and could go even colder than neutral cored ghosts; ice started to form on surfaces in the room and his collar without Danny's direct interference and it started to feel like gravity's influence had increased suddenly, trying to bare down on everything else in the room except Danny.
Walker sneered. "Looks like you got your powers to come back."
Had Walker known about that? Had one of his goons been the one to zap him? Just what was going on?
"Yeah maybe I did. Just what did you zap me with anyways?"
Walker frowned slightly. "I didn't zap you, Skulker said he did."
Danny narrowed his eyes and stored that bit of info away for later.
"Whatever."
Walker then grew serious and somewhat excited again. "Now, are we going to do this the hard way again? All you have to do is give in, ghost boy… then you can serve out your sentence without going to judgement… yet."
Danny glared at the man and the temperature in the room then skyrocketed from below freezing to sweltering hot. Walker pulled at his collar and growled. "Very well. It seems like you've made your choice." He turned and pulled something off of the table nearby, an all too familiar remote. Walker smiled. "Round two then." Danny heard a click of the remote button and then all he knew after that was pain, unbelievable pain.
zzz
"Nothing… I don't see any weakness in the walls, not that that would help much since we'd still have to figure out how to disengage a human-shield from the inside," Tucker grumbled in annoyance and lifted his leg slightly to take some weight off the sore appendage. It had been about ten minutes since Danny had been taken away again.
"There isn't much we can do while we're in here. We have to wait until the execution, that's the only time we'll be out of our cages," Valerie stated simply.
"Why would they take us out of our cages then?" Mikey asked in confusion and nervousness.
"To make us watch. Walker wants to make us watch Danny, die," Sam answered plainly.
Star was about to ask another question when Sam froze and clutched her lower chest, Tucker put a hand to his head and Valerie grabbed at her upper chest.
"Guys? Guys what's wrong?!" Norman asked worriedly, concerned something bodily was happening to them.
Sam grit her teeth. "Danny…" She couldn't exactly feel the pain itself, but she could sense his fear, panic, and despair.
"What about Danny?" Lesley ventured.
Sam hadn't even realized she'd said her boyfriend's name out loud. "I… it's… he's… hurting…"
Lancer furrowed his brows in thought. Was this another one of Daniel's strange powers? Could his friends sense when he was in trouble and vice versa? The teacher's head was starting to hurt at everything that was coming at him.
"Wait is that the famous psychic connection you two share?" Melanie asked.
Sam blinked back tears and looked at the red-head.
"You know…" The girl looked at Valerie and Tucker and frowned. "I didn't know it was more than just you though."
"You and Danny always seemed to speak at the same time and stuff. It was one of the reasons everyone thought you two should end up together," Brandon explained further.
Sam mentally shook her head, she might have been even laughing a bit if she didn't feel the hurt in her heart she did now. It stayed there for at least two minutes, with everyone silently watching the other three gritting their teeth or crying out some.
Finally, though, the pressure faded and whatever subconscious connection or feeling that had been formed, was gone. Valerie let out a breath and sank to the floor of the cell, while Tucker gripped the hem of his shirt tightly in anxiety. Sam let out a shaky breath herself and tried to control her breathing.
zzz
Electricity jumped about his skin and tingled through his body like a ravenous fire or living monster. Danny was certain that if Sam or his human self, without his powers having returned, ever had worn this collar, he or she would've died. It was like he was in the portal again, only there was no dull pain building in him or no energy filled core igniting in his chest, next to his heart, this time.
He couldn't help it. Danny cried out in agony and that made Walker smile. After a minute, Danny could smell his skin around his neck starting to slowly burn. It took longer than normal humans, but it could happen, with or without a mutated Ectopus.
Walker finally turned off the collar and Danny stopped thrashing in the chair and settled, panting.
"This is what happens when you break the rules, punk. I hope you're learning a valuable lesson."
Danny growled slightly, but the sound died halfway in his throat, against his will.
"What was that? No snappy comeback this time, Phantom?"
Danny glared at the floor and almost remained that way, planning on waiting out the torture like before. Then though, he got angry and made the, what he'd consider later, grave mistake of opening his mouth.
"I thought it was wrong to threaten a ghost's obsession…"
That made Walker freeze. "…"
"You heard me… you tell everyone to follow your rules, but you can't even follow your own rules," Danny replied.
Walker's face darkened. "According to the rules, cruel but legal to use a ghost's death against them. It's illegal to directly threaten their obsession directly. However, there's one issue with you though. Most ghosts don't have as complex of an obsession as you and the other halfas. After some discussion, the observants decided that we can't change all the rules for your kind. They gave me permission to ignore that little detail in regards to you."
"Who gave you permission? The whole council or the corrupt ones that probably meet you near the back door?"
"Be silent! You don't know what you're talking about punk."
"Face it, Walker. Even with permission, it drives you nuts that you have to break rules to deal with me. Then of course there's the issue with when you threatened Sam not too long ago. Did you force those guards to zip their lips? Are you going to keep pretending that you didn't break a rule? Not all of the ghosts are going to agree with how you're dealing with me. After all, what's really to stop you from breaking the rules again. It's that a called a gateway crime?"
Walker was silent for a moment, staring down at the ghost boy with an unreadable expression.
"I'll just have to make sure my secret dies with you then."
Walker's face got dark, blank, and strangely cold before he pulled the handkerchief from his pocket. With the other fist, he clocked Danny, hard.
The chair, Danny was tied to, fell over onto it's back as Walker strode over and forced the cloth down the surprised Danny's throat. He then positioned himself above Danny and started to strangle him. Of course, Danny started to struggling, gagging, and doing everything he could while still tied very tightly to a chair and under the weight of the warden.
"You're going to stay quiet. I follow the rules… Do you know how much disorder would break out if anyone found out I made any mistake!? You always ruin everything, punk, but this time? No more distractions, no more close calls. I won't let things fall apart again because of one troublesome punk like you."
Danny let out another choked sound as he tried to take in air instinctually through his mouth, only for the cloth to force him to use his nose. So, he started to kick and thrash, because the one thing wrong with Walker's sudden rage filled attempt on Danny's life was that this method would take a while… Danny could last without oxygen even with his human form for close to fifteen or twenty minutes, some full humans could hold their breaths for over twenty. This was going to be a slow way to go and a little less than heroic.
"You worthless, trouble-making boy!" Walker hissed loudly and continued to put pressure on Danny's throat.
Was this really how things were going to end? He wondered if Clockwork was biting his nails at this moment; the old ghost really was more sentimental than he liked to let on. What would happen to everyone? Even if they all got out with his parents help when they realized the class was missing… He started to think of his mother, his dad, Jazz and Dani… He then focused on Sam… He wondered what could've been if he could continue living.
He continued to kick though and then when Walker leaned even harder on Danny's chest, Danny let out another hindered gasp and kicked even harder. His left leg broke the seat of the chair in half with his enhanced strength. The sound of wood splintering was loud and actually caused Walker to look over his shoulder.
Then Danny heard something that he'd never think he'd be glad to hear. A guard opened the door slightly and spoke, "Boss, you okay?"
"Yeah we heard a ruckus and got worried." The second chimed in.
During this time, Walker had released Danny's throat and had hurriedly stood up. His men couldn't see him trying to murder a prisoner before execution date, there would be questions.
"I'm just fine," Walker replied gruffly and stalked around Danny again. He kneeled as he spoke. "I just got carried away with our guest here." He pulled back his fist and punched Danny twice in the face. The Halfa's body went limp from exhaustion and the powerful blows. Blood started to drip from Danny's nose as Walker pulled out his handkerchief from Danny's mouth and procured a different gag that wasn't black and happened to be his personal possession; he tied the new cloth around Danny's head and then propped the chair back upright. "Come in and take the prisoner back to his cell. Make sure that gag is good and tight. He needs to learn not to talk back." Walker lied on the fly as his men took the unconscious Danny and left.
Walker huffed, still holding the moist handkerchief in his hand. He had to keep the boy quiet. Internally he knew the ghost-boy had a point, after all. Others would start to question his authority and methods. It didn't matter though, because the ghost-boy was not going to be anyone's problem ever again after tomorrow.
zzz
"Tucker, something's wrong…" Sam whispered. "Do you feel it?"
"Yeah… why is Danny that scared? I mean… it's not the same as the last time…"
Before they could wonder further, everyone was drawn to the sound and then movement of the two guards bringing Danny back. They shackled him to the wall like before and closed the door to his cell, automatically turning on the hybrid-shield.
"I don't understand! Why are they doing this?" Star blurted finally after everyone had taken the moment to see their unconscious, gagged and bleeding classmate.
"Ghosts are almost as varied as humans. There are good ghosts, neutral ghosts, and evil ghosts. Walker is just one of those really terrible ones," Sam answered and shut her eyes tightly in frustration and emotion.
They froze when they heard a quiet moan.
"Danny," Valerie said.
The boy's blue eyes blinked open and he tiredly looked up at the others across from him.
"Danny… I…" Sam started before she was interrupted by Danny's telepathy.
He doesn't want me speaking. I said something that made him question his position of power. Warned him that others would agree with his methods eventually. Danny paused and Sam could tell merely by the way he paused that Walker had done something terrible. He kinda flipped out.
What did he do, Danny? Valerie cut in with anger dripping of her mental words.
"It's okay, dude," Tucker interrupted out loud, to try and cover up the fact that Danny and the two girls were having a mental conversation. The techno geek noticed Lancer giving him a strange considering look.
Just beat me up…
You're lying. Sam stated easily right as Danny cut off the connection. He diverted his eyes away and angled the rest of his face away from the group, resting his head against the cold wall. Some of the more observant people in the group noticed some bruising around Danny's throat.
A very still silence fell on everyone. At the moment, there were no more real questions to ask. The trio from school and apparently Valerie had been fighting ghosts and hunting them since freshman year. Some of their enemies had gotten the jump on them all and now… they were all in big trouble and waiting to see their peer executed, publicly.
Sam, Tucker, and Valerie all tried their hand to talk to Danny again, but couldn't get him to initiate any kind of link.
Eventually though he sent a brief message to Tucker that it was getting late in the human world so everyone needed to get some sleep. Most everyone was able to fall into some type of fitful sleep, while Team Phantom and especially Danny, remained awake, wondering how they'd get out of this one. The only other person that was somewhat awake was Mr. Lancer, who quietly and regretfully glanced at his injured student who'd at one time had simply wanted nothing more than to be an astronaut.
The one quote that came to mind after seeing what his student's hidden life had come to, was from one of his favorite novels that he taught about at Casper High, Lord of the Flies.
"He found himself understanding the wearisomeness of this life, where every path was an improvisation and a considerable part of one's waking life was spent watching one's feet."
Danny was like a soldier and just like his close friends, they were somewhat trapped within the wearisome situation of simply trying to stay alive, watching what they did, said, and even each step they took. It was a life no person, especially no young person should have to live.
zzz
Ghost Zone. Walker's Prison. 5:00 AM.
Everyone was roused from their sleep by two guards. A quick glance over at the opposite cell told the group that Danny had been taken earlier.
They were marched down the corridor towards a large courtyard somewhere near the middle of the massive compound.
zzz
Clockwork's Tower. 5:03 AM.
"This is getting somewhat serious…" Clockwork murmured to himself as he watched the portal showing the events occurring at Walker's prison.
In the back of the room Dan's voice rose up. "What's going on?"
Clockwork smiled slightly. This day in particular, Dan was being very quiet. It seemed he was tired from fighting within the thermos all last night.
"Your younger self is about to be executed."
There was a moment of silence before. "WHAT!?"
Clockwork wasn't exactly expecting that sort of response. "What's wrong? Not happy to hear that?"
Dan growled. "No! Of course not! If he goes, I go!"
Ah yes… here was where things got truly complicated. Obviously, the future isn't something that is set in stone. Danny could exist without Dan, but could Dan exist without Danny? The truth? Dan could exist all on his own and even Clockwork couldn't destroy him by merely snapping his fingers. He'd have to freeze him and then destroy him with Reaper's scythe if it was actually in his possession at the moment, which it wasn't. No, Dan didn't need Danny and Dan wasn't as dependent on cooperating with Clockwork as he thought either. So, it seemed a half-truth would do.
"That is incorrect. You are separate from Danny now."
Clockwork waited and there was no reply. It was times like these that he wished he could read minds in the literal sense. He could see the future and know what actions people were going to take, what they spoke about out loud that led to their plans and various other things, but he couldn't truly read minds in the present tense sort of way. That was one of the reasons he liked people go ahead and state their question when they came to him, so he could be certain that the question hadn't changed at all. It was overall a very complicated thing. The point was, he couldn't tell what Dan was thinking presently, even if he knew what things he'd say and do in the future that would determine his fate.
Within the thermos, Dan was quiet. For some reason he was conflicted about something. Practically every part of him was overjoyed that there could be a chance his younger self could be killed, but there was that one part…
Contrary to belief and in accordance to previous actions, Dan did care somewhat for his past self. Sure, he was childish, naive, and annoying, but ultimately, he could remember being that same boy. Ghost or not, the memories were there, minus most of the emotional attachment.
It was better, he reasoned, for Danny to die and loose his human half. It was better to become like Dan himself if it meant being immune to most pain inside and out. That, as well as admittedly the benefits to being the ruler and conqueror of the worlds, was a good future in his assessment.
And if they were going to use the ghostly gallows then his younger self might even get to Paradise or the Elsewhereness or whatever he'd heard the other ghosts call it, more than Dan could ever hope for.
Yes, letting him die was something of a mercy killing, because people are just that. They're human and make mistakes, horrible mistakes, and his humans from the future had made many mistakes with him. Danny would be spared the possibility…
ooo
"Let me out! I swear I'll tear you in half!" It was one of those days again where Dan was so angry and fueled by rage that he was spouting out anything he could think of, not worrying about the logic behind what was said. "Just destroy me! Or are you afraid to do that!? You know how many ghosts I sent to judgement! Take a guess!"
"That would be such a waste of potential…"
That had stopped Dan dead in his tracks. "Say what?"
"I'll tell you something I learned long ago…" Clockwork started. " It's not just the reward to live... it's... the potential... not the outcome. Any person can end up being hated by everyone for no reason at all other than because people feel like it that day… But maybe they could come to like that same person. It's the potential of either path that is so precious. To not try for the hope of one is to sacrifice the possibility entirely. One day… you could help people with your power and maybe you could find happiness-"
"That turned out wonderfully the first time." Dan deadpanned with a snarl.
"Indeed… the first time… but you…" He could tell Clockwork had smiled one of those smiles. "Have the extraordinary opportunity to try again. It's the potential… That is the key. Keep talking so close-mindedly and you'll start to sound like the Observants."
That had gotten Dan angry and he could only remember the sound of Clockwork's chuckling after that and his own rage filled roars. How he hated that time keeper.
ooo
Was that it then? Dan held his chin in thought and tried to remember for only a brief moment… what hope and potential had felt like. Memories of going to space camp, accidentally brushing his hand against Sam's, hanging off the edge of his seat while he tried to best Tucker at a video game… Other flashes of memories and something strange started to flutter in Dan's chest. It was cooler than normal in there and the strange absence of rage, fury, and the jumbled and rapid thoughts in his fractured mind actually frightened him. He shut it all down and the cooler peaceful feeling was consumed with the heat of his hot core and the familiar rush of hate surged through his body and mind again.
He heard Clockwork mumble to himself on the other side of the walls of the thermos. He tried to think back to his past self or well… he couldn't really call him that anymore if they weren't connected, regardless of what the hell that was supposed to mean. For some reason thinking of Danny and his dying wasn't as great of news as it had been before.
For some reason… Danny dying made him angry, though he wasn't certain why, however that was an emotion he could always get behind.
zzz
Walker's Prison. 5:20 AM.
There were hundreds of guards and prisoners around the courtyard, being held back or caged, though still able to witness the 'event'.
Several guards stood near the class and watched them closely as Walker appeared from his door which led to his main office.
"Hello, prisoners and guards!" He glanced down at the students and teachers "And guests…"
He smiled back at the crowd. "I hope you're excited to see the show!"
A roar of excitement rose from the crowd with the exception of the humans.
"I present to you a particularly special execution event!" Walker shouted. "The prisoner that shall receive his eternal judgement is none other than one of… THE HALFAS!"
An even louder roar came from the crowd as Danny was drug from Walker's office by two guards. They marched him up the steps of the gallows and Danny tripped once on the way. Once his feet touched the final platform, a ghostly green noose appeared from the wood arch. The guards walked him up and then put the noose around his neck.
Though many in the group of humans were wondering what the word halfa meant, they were more focused on what was happening in front of them. Lancer though, caught onto various calls from the prisoners saying something along the lines of, "Down with Phantom."
Phantom? What did the supposed hero of Amity Park had to do with any of them? What did Danny Fenton and Dann-
Lancer's mouth went dry as a sudden incredible thought came to him. "Turn of the Screw…" he whispered.
Meanwhile, Walker was grinning like a kid in the candy store. "Any last words, boy?"
Danny swallowed thickly against the noose and gag. Some of the prisoners seemed slightly confused about the fact that Phantom wasn't being allowed to actually say his last words, but they were too excited to see the halfa fall to truly care. While Walker was busy trying to mock Danny's inability to speak, Danny took the time to actually send messages to his friends and Sam. He was looking over each of the faces of his class and teachers, trying to burn their faces into his mind one last time. Finally, his telepathy activated and he looked at each of his friends mutely as he 'spoke' with them.
Tuck?
Yeah Danny? Tucker asked hoarsely.
I love ya, man. Best friends, always.
I love you too, dude. Always.
Sam?
Yeah? Sam asked as tears started to stubbornly form in her eyes again.
I love you, so much. You never let me give up and you made me a better person because of it.
I love you too, Danny. More than anything. You and Tucker both taught me to care about people again… That's a precious gift.
It was fun. Danny spoke to both of them.
Yeah. Sam and Tucker spoke at the same time, both trying to swallow down tears. It didn't look like they would get out of this one.
Thanks for not being afraid of me, Val…
Yeah, of course Danny. I'm sorry it took so long… Valerie spoke and sniffed as her eyes started to water.
"Alright then…" Walker grunted wiping away an imaginary tear from laughing with his goons. He turned away from the humans.
"You'll see you fiend! Danny Phantom will save us! He'll come and stop you!" Mikey shouted.
Walker started to chuckle and then laugh loudly. "Danny Phantom… is a bit… tied up at the moment. He won't be saving anyone anytime soon."
The humans who didn't know the secret seemed to lose all hope at that moment. Walker shouted in glee and turned to the executioner ghost that was standing at the ready. "Pull the switch! The Halfa is no more!"
The humans gasped at the sound of the switch being pulled and the trapdoor underneath Danny opening. They heard their friend, classmate, and student let out one muffled gasp, which they thought would be his last.
-POW-
A gun shot echoed through the jail and glowing rope, around Danny's neck, snapped after being shot by a narrow beam of ectoplasm. Chaos erupted in the courtyard as Walker made his way towards the gallows to pull Danny from underneath the wooden platform which he'd fallen through.
A strange silence came over the other ghosts as if they'd heard something… then they scattered when a cry rang out.
"AAARROOOOOOOHH!"
Tucker glanced over and saw Wulf, with normal green eyes leap from one of the towers and run towards the gallows. He tackled Walker and started to tumble, claw and wrestle on the ground with the corrupt warden. Danny's gag had slipped off from his fall and he pulled himself to his feet. His eyes locked with the rest of the group and he charged at the guards watching them, or trying to watch them, since the other prisoners were freaking out all around.
One guard swung his baton at Danny's head, only for the half-ghost to duck and then preform and roundhouse kick. When the ghost was down, he was able to snatch the small knife that most guards kept on them; he sliced the ropes binding him and yanked his gag off his neck. He ran over to the others and using the baton, he'd also gotten from the guard, he electrocuted the other guards nearby and gave himself an opening to slice the ropes binding his peer's wrists. Sam immediately hugged him.
"I need you to get everyone out. I'm going to transform and get Walker off our backs for a while…" He whispered in her ear.
"Only if Wulf stays with you."
Danny thought for a second and looked up at Tucker and Valerie who nodded at him, knowing innately what he expected of them and Sam. He looked back at Sam and kissed her.
"Go." He handed her the knife and tossed the baton to Valerie, before turning and running towards Wulf and Walker still wrestling in the courtyard.
"What the heck is Fenton doing!?" Dash yelled.
"Being a badass. Any more questions? No? Good. Let's haul our own butts out of here!" Tucker yelled and pointed towards the corridor they'd been led down. "Follow me!"
With that, a few students looked behind them once last time at the chaos before running after Tucker. Sam and Valerie took up the rear to stave off any guards that tried to follow them. What neither girl saw was Lancer staying behind watching from the darkness of the corridor. He could still see the others running away, so he wouldn't get separated too far from the them, but he just had to know. He had to know if he was right, if all the puzzle pieces were falling into the right places and he hadn't just manufactured some ridiculous theory.
In some sort of strange mix of confusion, horror, worry, but above all else, pride, the over-weight and out of shape teacher of Casper High watched as Danny Fenton leapt into the air in a classic superman or superhero pose and a bright ring of light swept over his body, turning the C average student, the troublemaking, detention-seeking, curfew missing, rebellious teen into the hero…
Danny Phantom.
Well then, what'd you guys think of that? Lancer finally knows the secret. He's put the clues together. I really enjoyed putting the Turn of the Screw book title in there too since part of the mystery of that classic is whether or not most of the characters in the book are actually ghosts and not really there.
Anyways, tell me what you think about the chapter and pacing.
Thank you all so much for your kind and wonderful reviews and words! They mean a lot to me.
~NoSignal