Chapter Forty-Eight: Persuasion
Plasmius wasn't pleased to hear about the other Dan offering to be Dan's new mentor, especially since he had blatantly insulted his teachings. "I thought he wanted you dead?" He asked.
"I thought YOU did." Dan retorted. "And he does have a point. Right, Vlad?" He looked towards the other man, who was listening quietly.
"As much as I hate to admit it, the other Dan is right." Vlad replied finally after a few more minutes of silence. "You can teach him to improve what he already has well enough, but as for new abilities…" He looked at Plasmius. "After all, we didn't know about the ecto-ball trick."
"And what about his suggestion for Phantom to sleep with Ghostwriter to get in his good graces?" Plasmius demanded.
Vlad looked like he had mixed feelings about that. "I think you should try talking to him before offering that, Phantom." He said, looking at the teen. "Perhaps a heartfelt apology will be enough."
"I can try it." Dan nodded. "Do you think I should ask Danny's opinion?"
"I think he'll make his opinion known to you as soon as you approach a reflective surface, whether you want it or not." Vlad said, raising an eyebrow. "Daniel has always been outspoken, and I doubt what happened earlier made him very happy."
"Yeah, I'll be getting an earful when I get back to my room for sure." Dan said, chuckling nervously. "He keeps trying to get me to give up on my revenge, but I can't let our da-amn captor get away with this. He's still running free, while Danny is..." He looked towards his shadow, which he could swear was shaking its head at him. "Anyways, you know."
Vlad nodded. "Well, you may as well go talk to him. I'm going to discuss something with Plasmius while you're away."
Dan hopped off Plasmius' lap and ran out of the den, heading for his room.
When he got to the room, Danny was already ready for him. Behind he'd even shut the door, he was hearing his voice. "Are you insane? It's bad enough that you're living with the fruit-loop, but now you're going to take lessons from our future self that tried to KILL us? AND you're going to sleep with Ghostwriter? Have you officially lost your mind, Phantom?"
Dan sighed, leaning against the door before walking over to look in the mirror. As he's expression, Danny had his hands crossed disapprovingly in a way that reminded Dan of Maddie Fenton—their mother—and a stern "you're in trouble, young man" look on his face. "I know, I know. But, I have to study somehow, and Dan can really help me out with my powers. I mean, did you SEE the trick he just taught me?"
"Yes, Phantom. I saw the ecto-ball ability." Danny replied. "I just think you're being too careless. When you were wrought with grief I can understand, but you're going to willingly go to not only Dan Phantom but also Ghostwriter? KNOWING that both of them will find any excuse to beat you up?"
Dan frowned. "Well, Daniel, I can't exactly have a human teacher or attend a regular school like you did! Unlike you, I'm NOT human! I'm only half-human, and I can't stop the change if the bracelet gets knocked off! Besides, the ghosts would have far more to teach me than a human teacher! Ghostwriter has all of knowledge in his hands!"
"…Sorry." Danny sighed, turning away. "I guess you don't have to worry about being actually killed, being a ghost already. If you think this is the best choice for you to continue your education and grow stronger, go for it."
"Danny…" Dan reached out and touched the mirror. "Don't be mad."
"I'm not mad. I'm worried." Danny replied. "You don't have to destroy yourself, Phantom. You really don't."
"Danny…" Dan looked down. Danny was still turned away from him, obviously still upset. "I'm sorry." He moved his hand away and went to sit on the bed.
"Phantom?" He heard Danny say and looked over at the mirror. Danny had turned to face him again. "Just be careful. Don't let him turn you into the same as him. Remember your promises."
Dan nodded, hopping off the bed and walked over to the mirror. "Put out your hand?"
Danny looked thoughtful, then placed both hands against the glass. The glass rippled like water and then both his hands were outside the mirror. Dan removed his bracelet and then took Danny's hands, lacing their fingers together. He smiled softly, bowing his head against the mirror. "I won't forget my promises, Danny. And thank you for keeping your promise to never leave my side."
Danny smiled softly, bowing his head against his side of the mirror. "Train well and get stronger and smarter. But don't sell your body to the whole of the Ghost Zone, because Dan is right. Skulker IS unappealing."
Danny busted up laughing, looking up at him. "Well, luckily he hasn't shown any interest in my body besides having it as a pelt at the foot of his bed."
"Yeah, the 'at the foot of his bed' part was just creepy as all hell." Danny remarked.
"Mmhm." Dan nodded. "Anyways, I solemnly swear never to let Skulker screw me. Can't say the same for Walker though." He grinned.
"Don't. Just don't. Why would you even?" Danny looked distraught at the very idea.
Dan laughed, shaking his head. "I'm just kidding, bro. Just kidding."
"Right, so…a heartfelt apology first, and then if that doesn't work I'll…" Dan groaned, shaking his head. "I don't know if I can do this. Dan has the worst homework."
"You could tell him you can't do it." Plasmius suggested.
"No, no." He took off the bracelet, changing into his Phantom form. "Then he'd tell me I was weak and would beat me up or rape me again." He glared at Plasmius. "He's a lot like YOU that way; he must've gotten his libido from you."
"Be careful." Vlad walked over and hugged Dan. "This other Dan…I'm still not sure if we can trust him. Therefore, I'd like you to ask if Plasmius could sit in on the next lesson."
"Better get going." Dan nodded, moving out of Vlad's embrace. "Don't wanna be late, after all."
Vlad nodded and watched them go through the portal, waving to Dan as they went.
They passed through the Ghost Zone, Plasmius right behind Dan as usual. "So, any idea where Ghostwriter is?" Dan asked as they flew through.
"No, I assumed you knew." Plasmius replied. "Shall we stop and ask for directions?"
"No." Dan sighed. "Things are always changing in here. We'll find it; we just have to keep looking."
Their search wasn't fruitless. They found books drifting through the air and knew they were getting close, and soon they were landing in front of the biggest library Dan had ever seen. Sighing, he reached out and knocked on the door, then turned the doorknob.
He found a bunch of ghosts perusing the contents of the library, and Ghostwriter was putting away a book two stories up. There were stairs, but no one else seemed to be using them so he didn't either. Plasmius waited at the bottom, knowing he would want to do this alone.
"Uh…hi." Dan said, coming up behind Ghostwriter.
"What are you doing in here?" Ghostwriter asked sternly.
"Yeah, uhm…" Dan sighed. "Look, I…I wanted to apologize for…last time."
Ghostwriter glanced back at him and pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "Ah, you mean when you destroyed my handiwork like the thoughtless little imbecile you are?"
"Well, you were—" Dan bit his tongue and bowed his head. "Yes. That time. I'm really sorry that I destroyed your handiwork."
Ghostwriter looked over his shoulder at him. "Hmm. You're acting a little out-of-character for yourself, aren't you? To what end?"
Danny glanced to the side. "Uhm…I want you…to be my teacher." He said quietly.
"Speak up, Phantom, and look at someone when speaking to them." Ghostwriter snapped.
"I want you to be my teacher!" Dan said, looking straight at him this time.
Ghostwriter stared at him, then pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose again. "I see. Yes, I have heard of your situation. With your human form murdered, you now have no proper way to access education." He started to float off, Danny following. "Therefore, you of course thought that you could simply apologize to me and I would be your teacher, when we have such a bitter history? 'Tis a foolish idea, boy. You'll have to prove to me just how apologetic you are." He moved around a corner, into another section of the library.
Dan watched him go, swallowing nervously. 'I'll have to do it.' He thought, then followed him around the corner. "Wait, please."
Ghostwriter looked back at him. "I have already refused, Phantom. Nothing will make me—"
"What if I prove how apologetic I am?" Dan said, cutting the older ghost off. His steely glare at being cut off made him shrink back a bit. "Uh, sorry…"
"And how would you do that?" Ghostwriter asked, turning to him fully.
"…I'll…I'll give myself to you." Dan glanced to the side, his cheeks tinted green. "My body, I mean. Just for a little while."
Ghostwriter looked thoughtful. "I don't suppose you mean for one of my stories. No, you've changed since I last saw you. Your precious morals seem to have dropped significantly, for you to be offering this as an apology." He smirked a bit. "Very well, I'll accept your proof of apology."
Oh boy. Dan didn't like the smirk he just gave, and when he grabbed his wrist and pulled him along he liked it even less.
He was taken up through the ceiling, into a room that appeared to be Ghostwriter's bedroom. That is, if bedrooms had all those odd tools and binds and…what was this? Before he could ask, he was being pulled along and pushed against the wall, the older ghost's lips crushing his with an alarming force.
Dan felt the man's hands wandering on his body, groping here and there before he finally heard his zipper be undone. He let out a soft moan against his lips as he gripped the man's purple jacket, and then his lips were freed as the ghost leaned down slightly to leave marks on his neck, his body still pinned against the wall. Panting, Dan started to remove his gloves but was halted by Ghostwriter's steely gaze.
"Stall still." Ghostwriter said, pulling the gloves off the teen himself. "I will undress you in my own time, in my own way, and you will not interfere with my pattern."
"Okay." Dan nodded, swallowing nervously.
Ghostwriter nodded and kissed down Dan's body, tugging at the sleeves of Dan's hazmat suit so they hung loose at his waist with the rest of the outfit. Then Dan was lifted up in Ghostwriter's arms and carried to a chair.
"H-Hey, I can wa—"
"Silence." Ghostwriter said sternly, and that was the end of that. He was set in the chair and Ghostwriter knelt to remove his boots, allowing him to pull off the rest of the hazmat suit before he unfastened the boxers and tugged those down as well. Then he tossed them aside with the rest of the clothes and stood up, looking over the blushing, naked teenage ghost in the chair. "Hmm, I don't suppose you've tried S&M yet."
"Isn't that a Metallica CD? Some live performance with a symphony?" Dan asked.
"Well, it's nice to know you're not a completely uncultured swine." Ghostwriter looked amused. "No, Phantom, I'm speaking of the sexual activities labeled Sado-Masochism. Sadist&Masochist."
Dan stared blankly. "Uh…"
"Clearly you don't know them. Very well, I'll enlighten you." He walked over to a dresser and started to change clothes, leaving Dan naked on the chair while he waited. "Tell me, how well do you take to pain?"
"Uh…not very well?" Dan looked over at him, feeling a little nervous. 'Would've been nice if Dan had told me about this…' He thought.
"Well, hopefully you take well enough to it to make this enjoyable." He heard heels clicking and looked over to see Ghostwriter approaching, dressed in some kind of leather outfit and holding rope. "Shall I bind you to the chair or to the bed? OR perhaps the mattress frame?" He gestured excitedly to one of the other things in the room.
"Uhm…given the choice? Bed." Dan nodded.
"Oh, very well. It is your first time." Ghostwriter reached down and lightly tapped Dan's rump. "Up on the bed with you, then."
"Okay." Dan climbed up on the bed, looking unsure if he should be on his front, his back, his side…what?
"Lie on your back." Ghostwriter offered helpfully.
Dan nodded and lay on his back. Ghostwriter approached with the rope and Dan realized that he had four pieces. He couldn't see what Ghostwriter was doing, but when his arms were pulled up to each of the bedposts he got the idea. His legs were bound next and he was held up a few inches above the bed. Ghostwriter ran his hands over Dan's body, sending shivers up his spine, before he left him alone again.
Then he was back, carrying a burning candle with him. "This might hurt, but it's alright if you want to scream. Screaming is part of the game. Though, I would prefer moans." Then he was tipping the candle over Dan's body, dripping hot wax on his skin.
IT HURT! Dan let out a cry of pain, shaking his head from side to side as the wax was dripped all over his body. He knew he would recover, but how could anyone LIKE this?! Ghostwriter finally moved away with the candle, and he thought that was enough.
Apparently not. He next heard the whirr of some kind of machine and looked over to see Ghostwriter holding a jumper cable attached to the machine. 'Oh hell no…' He thought grimly. 'That's REALLY gonna hurt.'
Sure enough, the jumper cable parts were put on his body and a switch was flipped. He felt a strong electric current go through his body and let out a scream of pure agony, throwing his head back. The machine was then switched off and he panted, trembling in his binds. Ghostwriter looked at him thoughtfully and then went to his dresser again, pulling something out. "Here, we don't want you biting your tongue off." He walked over and slipped some kind of ball on a strap in his mouth, reaching behind his head as he fastened it. "For your information, this is a ball-gag. It's pretty much a staple tool for bondage."
Dan couldn't reply, so he just stared at him with a confused expression. Ghostwriter smiled and stroked his cheek affectionately before he untied the ropes. "Let's move on to something else." He suggested jovially.
Dan gave him a questioning gaze, but Ghostwriter had already moved on. Sighing, he sat up and reached up to undo the "ball-gag" in his mouth.
"Don't touch that." Ghostwriter said firmly. "Until I remove it, it stays on. You're lucky I didn't use the one with a lock and key."
Dan dropped his hands to the mattress, sighing heavily. Okay, so he would have to continue playing whatever game Ghostwriter was playing. One thing for sure, this was the last time he was doing "S&M" or whatever it was called. Painful bondage.
"Alright, then. Since your hands keep wandering, we're going to do this." Ghostwriter came up with a dog collar and handcuffs. No, wait, looking closer he saw the handcuffs were ATTACHED to the collar.
'That can't be good.' He thought as the collar was put around his neck and fastened on. Then Ghostwriter grabbed his hands and locked them into the handcuffs, keeping them held just under the collar like a dog's tag normally would be. 'Definitely not good.' He decided, tugging on his binds a little bit.
"That's a good look." Ghostwriter smirked, pulling Dan to his feet and over to some kind of leaning seat that had something resembling a pillow in front of it. He was sat down and his legs strapped in before he was pushed forward, his arms resting on the pillow. "Alright, now. What shall I use…" He walked off, leaving Dan to worry what he had planned for him next.
He tried to swallow saliva building up in his mouth, but he found it very difficult and it just spilled out onto his chin from around the ball. Ghostwriter came back and he heard the sound of a belt snapping, making him stiffen up. While he'd never been hit with a belt, he'd heard that it really HURT, so he wasn't looking forward to this at all.
"Try to moan in pain for me, instead of screaming." Ghostwriter coaxed, stroking his back before swinging his arm back. Dan let out a high moan of pain around the ball in his mouth as the belt connected with his skin sharply before pulling away and striking another spot. "Good, nice moans." Ghostwriter smirked, enjoying the sight and sounds of the bound teen before him. He swung his belt a few more times before he heard a soft sob and paused. "Oh no, was I too harsh?"
Dan couldn't hold it back anymore, the pain was unbearable and his tears slipped down his cheeks and onto his bound hands. He heard Ghostwriter walked away and then come back and then his legs were untied.
"Poor little Phantom. Let me give you some ointment for that." He lifted the teen into his arms and carried him to the bed, rolling him onto his stomach carefully. Then he pulled out a bottle from his jacket and poured some of it on his back, gently rubbing it into the welts. It was a relaxing feeling and Dan almost let himself drift away before the ointment was against his hole and fingers were pushing in. "Let's move on to the last part, then." Ghostwriter said, leaning over and kissing Dan's shoulder as he spread the teen out with his fingers.
Dan moaned softly with pleasure as he was finally experiencing something he knew. The leather-clad ghost prepared him carefully, apparently deciding that once Dan started crying he had caused enough pain. After he was ready, he slowly pushed in, gripping the teen's hips gently.
It was nice to know that Ghostwriter had a gentle side. He was starting to wonder if he'd have to deal with his teacher smacking him left and right during the lessons, or wouldn't ever reward for good work. As he was thrust into again and again, his bound hands gripped the blanket beneath him and he moaned louder and softer, his body arching in pleasure. Ghostwriter kissed his back and shoulders as he thrust again and again, growing closer to completion.
Clockwork's tower doors burst open and the other Dan smirked at the fuming boy as he entered, hopping down from a gear up above. "You're early. Do you bring good news?"
"Yes, he'll teach me. But why didn't you tell me about his damn fetish?!" Dan demanded.
"I didn't know." The older ghost shrugged. "I never had sex with him, since I never royally pissed him off and had to atone for it."
"You—freakin—nngh…" Dan slumped to his knees, panting. "It freakin' hurts!"
"Didn't you use the healing ability?" The other Dan asked calmly. "I don't teach you things for you to use them once and then forget about them. You should've healed as soon as you were done. In this state, you won't be able to." He held out his hands and formed the ecto-blasts, putting them together to create the ball. "Good work with finishing your homework early, for once." He smirked at him as he allowed the ball to grow bigger in his hands.
"You're an asshole." Dan spat.
"And you're being incredibly ungrateful to the person who is not only teaching you but is also about to heal you. Maybe I'll let Plasmius take you back home like this?" The other Dan raised an eyebrow. "I don't recall ever being so ungrateful."
"…Sorry." Dan looked down. "I didn't mean to be rude."
"Eh, you're a bratty teenager. You'll outgrow it in a few years." The older ghost walked over and placed the ball at Dan's chest, repairing his body as it absorbed it. "I admit; I did used to be bratty too at your age. Ghostwriter would smack my hand with his ruler every time I was rude to him and I went home and took it out on Danny." He sighed. "He seemed to not mind it, though. Or else he just acted like he didn't. Dunno. I never did the mind-link thing with him like you did, so I didn't know his thoughts. Still don't, and he's really broody at times."
Dan was silent for a bit. "You actually miss him." He said, looking up at him. "Don't you?"
The other Dan cringed, like he was caught doing something he really didn't want to be caught doing. "Fine. Yeah, I miss him. But not for any stupid familial reason and if I told him about our 'twin' thing he'd give a half-hearted laugh and say 'what does it matter, you're not just Phantom anymore'." He stood up and stepped back, nodding. "There, you should be good as new now."
"Thanks." Dan got up and checked himself over. He wasn't sore at all, like it had never happened and was just a bad dream. "Hey, uhm, can I ask you something?"
"I'm here to be asked." Dan did a dramatic spreading of his hands.
"Can I meet him? The other Danny?" Dan asked.