Next chapter is here! Also, keep sending in questions for either me or the characters. I'm almost at the minimum amount needed to post the chapter! Anyways, on to the story! This is a smaller chapter than normal as it is just setting the scene for the next chapter which will have Lapis in it.

Episode: Before Mirror Gem

In hindsight, battling Spectra when I was still trying to figure out how to patch things up with Clockwork probably wasn't the smartest idea. Made even worse by the fact that I hadn't been getting a lot of sleep over my inner turmoil. In the back of my mind I knew that as the master of time Clockwork would have already known I would disobey on the not helping Steven rule. Yet I still couldn't help but worry that I had failed Clockwork by not following his order.

Which only gave Spectra more power as she fed on my darker emotions. Taunting me with my insecurities as she had done before, as I struggled to keep her words from getting to me.

"Oh Danny, you always were my favorite patient," Spectra spoke, though the way she said favorite sent shivers up my spine, "you've made new friends since we last spoke how nice. But tell me do you really think they'll accept you?"

"Shut up!" I growled out, not in the mood for her mind games as I sent ecto-blasts towards her. Yet she simply dodged them with ease as I was more focused on firing the shots than aiming them.

"I mean, once they learn how you failed your family, your friends, how it's your fault they're dead!" Spectra hissed, a grin stretched across her face, "and now you've even lost your mentor due to your incompetence. If only you followed the rules they would've lived. Instead you caused their demise."

"No, the Gems will understand," I argued as I switched to ice blasts, hoping to freeze her in place as I landed on the ground to get a better shot.

"Is that so? Then why haven't you told them yet?" Spectra questioned, continuing before I could answer, "I'll tell you why, because they'll see who you really are. A corrupted evil ghost who is better locked away than pretending to be a hero he knows he isn't. And you know once they see you're corrupted they'll simply bubble you away like all the rest."

"That's not true, they try and help corrupted gems," I tried to argue.

"Correction, Steven tired to help one of them. Face it kid, the gems don't care about those who have become corrupted. They won't spend the time to help you heal. Only seal you away so you aren't a threat. Leaving you forgotten within the temple to never see daylight again," Spectra purred, "they don't care about corrupted Gems, and more importantly they'll stop caring about you once they discover you're like one. You're no hero, only a pathetic attempt at one."

"I'm not evil! I will never be evil!" I yelled at her, anger clouding my judgement as my attacks became more spastic and erratic.

"But you have been and you will be," Spectra spoke, "why else would a future exist where you destroy everyone and everything you can? An evil like that doesn't simply sprout up, it has to grow."

"You're wrong," I spoke as I paused in my firing of ecto-blasts.

"Am I? Tell my Daniel, was Vlad evil at first?" Spectra questioned, continuing on before I could answer, "no, but he had malicious intent since the very beginning. Just as he had a seed of evil inside him so do you now. He let his seed sprout and it's only a matter of time before your seed does as well. Producing an evil so great it destroys the entire world in the blink of an eye."

"No," I practically whispered as Spectra's words penetrated me, my arms falling to my side as I couldn't stop the onslaught of despair that gripped me as I thought of what the Gems would do if they ever found out about Dan and how close that future still was to becoming a reality.

"Oh yes dear Phantom," Spectra purred as her hands gripped my shoulders as her near clawlike nails dug into my skin, "you know I'm telling the truth, eventually they'll come to realize the danger you are and lock you away with the rest of the corrupted gem to rot."

"They wouldn't, they would try to save me," I protested.

"Why else would so many bubbles be occupying the temple's inner sanctum if the gems you care so much about cared about those corrupted gems in turn?" Spectra questioned without pause

"Because," I began, yet I fell silent as I realized I had no comeback, was Spectra really telling the truth? I mean, Garnet said Rose tried to help the corrupted gems. But she never said anything about her or the other gems helping them. My mind turning with possibilities or a rational explanation, my mind elsewhere as Spectra fed from my turmoil.

"Danny, snap out of it!" I heard a voice call and as I turned my head I saw Connie as she stood a few feet away. A Fenton wrist wray on her arm and aimed at Spectra as she fired a few blasts, causing the ghost therapist to dodge as she flew away from me in order to get some distance.

"Connie," I spoke in a daze as Spectra's grip on my mind slipped, and I recalled my reason for being here in the first place.

I was fighting her because Connie had come over seeming a bit despondent yesterday, I had overheard her talking with Steven about the school's new therapist and how despite it being the last week of school every student was going to see her to destress over the end of the year her description I had known it was Spectra and had accompanied Connie to school the next day. Giving her a Fenton wrist ray in case Spectra tried anything as I had confronted her at the end of the day when the rest of the students had gone home. Steven being unable to join he had already had plans with the gems.

"Are you okay?" Connie questioned as she ran over to me, her wrist ray and gaze kept on Spectra who floated above us angry that her plan to feed off my misery had failed.

"Yeah," I spoke as I pulled out the thermos and sucked Spectra in before she could escape, shaking my head to clear it from the haze Spectra had placed upon it, "I am thanks to you for snapping me out of it."

"What did she do to you?" Connie questioned, grabbing my arm in reassurance as she gazed up at me in worry.

"What she does best," I answered, "Spectra feeds off of negative emotions like misery and despair. Part of her powers is being able to see a person's deepest fears and insecurities so she can use them against you. And she does so by making those fears and insecurities seem worse than they actually are. Worsening them to the point where you don't feel like it's worth it to continue fighting or even live life."

"That's terrible," Connie spoke, making me realize that I probably shouldn't have gone into so much detail for as mature as Connie seemed she was still just a kid.

"Yeah, well it's getting late. I'll fly you home," I spoke as I didn't want Connie's parents to worry.

"Okay," Connie spoke as I lifted her up and started the flight back to her house. Making it a little more than halfway through the journey before Connie broke the silence.

"Hey Danny?" Connie questioned.

"Yes?" I asked back, prompting her to continue.

"What was it Spectra used against you?" she questioned, my breath catching in my throat as I didn't expect her to ask. Though I suppose I should've due to the girl's curious and adventurous nature.

"My insecurity as a hero," I answered, for while Spectra went more into detail it was the basis of my fear, "I'd rather not get into too much detail if that's alright with you but my biggest fear is failing as a hero and being unable to protect those I care about."

'A fear that's already come true,' I thought to myself, yet didn't say.

"But you were amazing with Spectra and Steven told me about how you always come through on missions. You're a great hero," Connie protested as I landed on her front porch and placed her down.

"That may be so but I can't help but worry about what would happen should I fail, there's always a what-if factor," I told her.

"I suppose," Connie relented as she pulled out her house key.

"Oh and Connie," I spoke before she could go inside, "don't tell Steven, I'd rather not advertise my fear if that's alright with you."

"Okay, bye Danny and thanks for your help," Connie agreed.

"You're welcome," I answered before flying off, putting a bit more speed into it as I rushed home, For despite Spectra being safely in my thermos and the majority of her hold on me had been broken. There was still that small part of me that couldn't stop thinking about what she said about corrupted gems. And how if I was classified as one I would simply be bubble like the rest of the ones within the temple. And as much as I hated to admit it, Spectra did have some truth behind her words.

The truth was the gems didn't try and help the other gems, simply attacking them without even trying to reason with the creature's they had become to see if they could recover. Even now despite Steven having proven the gem monsters could be reasoned with it still wasn't attempted. And I wasn't sure how I truly felt as I realized this. Mainly I suppose I was disappointed for despite knowing that in the middle of a battle maybe it was best to stick to fighting the gems never went back to bubbled creatures to see if they could be docile like the Centipeetle was with Steven.

As I landed in my basement to release Spectra into the ghost zone and free her from the thermos another thought struck me. Was being bubbled like being in the thermos? I knew being in your gem was just a safe space, akin to a ghost's lair in the zone. But how did being bubbled changed that due to it causing the bubbled gem to be unable to reform? Was a gem simply stuck in there safe room until they were released? Or did the room changed to be more like the thermos which was a much more terrifying place to be trapped in. Due to the container being both a claustrophobic space and completely dark on the inside with not even a ghost's natural glow being able to light up the space while inside.

Despite my muddled thought process as I made my way back upstairs from releasing Spectra I knew one thing for sure, I should not be near the gems until I could try and figure out why they didn't try and help bubbled gems on my own. For if I tried to talk to them about it now I was unsure on whether I could stop myself from accusing them of not caring about what happened to the corrupted gems. And that due to my recent encounter with Spectra I would be unable to keep a level-head as my emotions would undoubtedly cause the conversation to escalate. Therefore I elected to simply stay holed up in my room until I was sure I could face the gems without blowing up at them. And as for how long that would take I did not know. Though I suppose only time will tell.

Big brother Danny strikes again, this time with Connie, sort of. Review time people.

Gamelover41592: Danny will almost always be the voice of reason.

YouCanOnlyPretend: Steven won't be scaring Danny with it, let's just say he told Danny about it in between chapters.

Kimera20: Answered in the special chapter.

Drift219: You're quite welcome, thank you, and both questions answered in the special chapter.

Dragonvenom77: Rest assured they do not fight each other.

Panther4Life: i try to be as accurate as I can with dialogue pertaining to the actual episode.

Lecta Jr: His gem does have more secrets to it that have yet to be revealed.

Luna Starbuster: Answered in the special chapter.

Guest: Aww, you're so sweet, you're making me blush.