Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or Ultimate Marvel
Chapter 20: Lovelorn Spirit Part 2
(Midtown, New York)
"Is Willie up to anything right now?" Mary Jane asked.
"Nope. It looks like he is heading to school." Danny said with the phone to his ear as he watched the video feed of Willie's house.
He had taken a lesson out of the S.H.I.E.L.D. playbook and had duplicates place miniature cameras inside Willie's house. Cameras had been placed in his bedroom, kitchen, living room, dining room, and basement.
"What have you learned so far?" Mary Jane asked.
"His dad works long hours on the docks leaving Willie alone in that house of his. He seems to hold a lot of anger towards his dad. He practices speeches where he spends ten minutes just insulting him." Danny said.
"What are his speeches about?" Mary Jane asked.
"Apparently Willie's dad has high expectations for his son." Danny said turning to look at the board to the side. "It seems that Willie's dad has been breaking Willie's spirit for years. He set huge expectations for his son signing him up for sports teams and then grew angry when Willie failed to succeed in them."
"That's horrible." Mary Jane said. "Do you think that his dad might be in danger? Willie has been going after people that have hurt him. "
"In my opinion he is working up the nerve to that." Danny said.
So far all he had done was petty pranks and beating up a bully, but he could see the anger in his eyes when he looks at his father's back. The cameras caught it through the reflection of the living room cabinet. The way that he clenched his hands as if he was trying to grab something, the angry eyes hidden beneath the bowed head and wide glasses, the twitching mouth like he wanted to say something but holding himself back.
However, he knew that it would soon reach a boiling point.
"Is the ghost overshadowing him making him this angry?" Mary Jane asked.
"It was probably always there but the ghost's power is giving him an outlet to vent on those he hates." Danny said.
"Are you going to confront him today?" Mary Jane asked.
"No, I still need to finish the Spectral Seperator." Danny answered.
He had wanted to find a way to separate Willie and Garrison cleanly and painlessly. So, he looked to create something similar to the Fenton Ghost Catcher. The original had used it to separate Tucker from his ghost half when he had made his wish to Desire.
"How bad is this going to be?" Mary Jane asked.
"If everything goes well then, the worst side effect that Willie might suffer would be a small cold." Danny answered.
"Are you coming to school today?" Mary Jane asked.
"I plan on sending a duplicate to attend my early classes, but I will be there after lunch. I have something else that I have to check out." Danny said as he turned to a magazine article besides him.
"Is it dangerous?" Mary Jane asked.
"It could be." Danny said as he read the article again.
It seems that the Hellfire Club was moving to take advantage of the rising distrust the people had for Charles Xavier and his X-men.
The article stated that Emma Frost and Norman Ozborn are apparently going into business together. They are working to create a training center for those with special abilities. A way for them to live in people with normal people without them having to worry about their powers going out of control. They "promised" that they would keep things above board and out in the open for the public to see. That they would report their actions to the government and submit to their decisions.
Complete lies but it seemed that the public is willing to eat it up like apple pie on thanksgiving.
He distrusted those centers and planned to find out what was truly happening inside of them. At the moment he imagined that once these things were built that the Hellfire Club would use them to gather the soldiers that would make up their army.
Luckily, he knew someone that might give him some insight into the mind of a highly ranked member in the club.
"Do you want me to come with?" Mary Jane asked.
"I should be fine." Danny said as he stood up and stretched.
0-0-0-0-0-0
(Xavier School of Gifted Youngsters)
He landed in the baseball field. He knew that the area would be clear given that Xavier students tried to stay in the mansion while letting the heat die down.
He walked to the pathway that led to the building and sighed when he saw the protesters standing outside the gates. They filled the driveway all the way back to the street.
He is going to have to deal with this.
Danny turned intangible and passed through the crowd until he reached the front and floated above the crowd.
"I am going to need you all to leave the premises and go on with your day." Danny said as he stared at the group of protesters.
From above all he had seen were the backs of the sign but now he could see the hateful words and images that they carried. The signs made threats against their lives, told them to get out of this country before violent action was taken, that they should be locked away in a dark hole until they were forgotten about and left to rot.
He had to be careful with how he dealt with this. Their anger and resentment had brought them together and it would take very little to turn it into panic and from there they would turn into an angry mob.
"It's The Phantom." The protestors began to mumble.
"I want all of you protestors to leave." Danny said. "To go home and continue on with your day.
"Why should we?" Protestor #1 asked. "We are fighting against a traitor to this country."
"They deceived the country and saved a terrorist." Protestor #2 said.
"You are an Ultimate you should be defending this country and arresting these gene-freaks." A protester from the middle shouted.
"There is no need for that kind of talk." Danny said as he refrained from glaring at them with glowing eyes.
That would not help the situation.
"You are a traitor!" A voice shouted from the back throwing a bottle.
Real classy.
"I am here to talk like a civilized person." Danny said as he caught the bottle. "If you cannot then just stay silent and listen."
"You are here because you feel like Charles Xavier deceived you with how he dealt with Magneto. You must be worried that there is a threat out there that is plotting against you, but you shouldn't use that as an excuse to lash out."
He saw them starting to gain doubt in their eyes.
"When you act like this all you are doing is proving Magneto's rant true. He wants a war between baseline humans and mutants. If you want to prevent such an outcome, you should try to meet an agreement with the mutants of the world." Danny said.
He floated to the ground and resumed his walk up to the mansion. He would let the protesters have some time to think on it.
"What are you doing here spooky?" Wolverine asked holding an apple with his claws. "Here to see your girlfriend. Which one was it? Rogue? or was it the half-pint?
"Funny but actually I was hoping to speak with Professor Xavier." Danny said.
"Do you have an appointment?" Wolverine asked.
He could see why Scott was not fond of him.
"No but this is very important." Danny said.
"The professor is rather busy at the moment." Wolverine said as he turned back into the mansion.
Danny stopped him from closing the door.
"A lot of people can get hurt if I do not get the information that I need." Danny said. "At least tell him that I am here."
"Come inside. " Wolverine said as he walked to the side. "You can wait here while Chuck decides if he wants to see you."
"Great." Danny said as he started walking to the kitchen "What do you guys have to eat? I skipped breakfast."
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Hey Jean." Danny said as he walked into the kitchen.
"Phantom?" Jean asked with surprise as she put down the tangerine he had been peeling. "What are you doing here?"
"I have to have a talk with the professor." Danny said as he moved to take a seat. "How have you been?"
"Not well." Jean answered as she looked at her cup of tea.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Danny asked.
"The professor says that talking to others could help." Jean said as she raised her head.
"Let me pour myself something to drink and we can talk a bit." Danny said as he used telekinesis to open the fridge and pour himself a glass of juice. "What's bothering you?"
"So lately my powers have been messing with me." Jean admitted.
"How so?" Danny asked.
Rogue had told him about her nightmares have been causing the mansion to shake but that was not something that he was going to say. It would probably cause her to become defensive and insecure.
"It feels like I am losing my mind." Jean said. "My powers are turning my dreams into nightmares."
"That seems like it would be horrifying." Danny said.
"I am seeing these horrible images." Jean said as she put her head in her hands. "Goblins and demons chanting around me as I am lit on fire. I wake up floating above my bead. That is when I am not shaking the mansion."
"Is it because of the news lately?" Danny asked.
"I wish." Jean said. "It has been happening since I first gained my powers. It is only thanks to the professor that I have been able to gain control. Or at least had control."
"You are fine when you are awake though right?" Danny asked.
"For now, though I am scared that eventually it will start to happen when I am awake." Jean said.
"I had similar fears when I realized that I was a ghost." Danny said using the fears of the original and Vlad. "My powers were constantly activating without my control. I tried to touch a bird and I accidently blasted it. Not to mention the times that my pants would turn intangible and fall down. It was completely embarrassing."
Jean raised her head and grew a small smile on her face before it vanished. "I just wish that I knew why this was happening."
"Do you have any temporary solutions?" Danny asked.
"The professor is helping me." Jean said.
"I will look into possible solutions as well." Danny said as he looked her in the eyes.
"You don't have to." Jean said as she shook her head.
"Jean I am a hero." Danny said with a smile. "Helping people in need is part of why I joined The Ultimates."
The kitchen door opened.
"The Professor is ready to see you." Wolverine said.
"I hope that this chat has helped you." Danny said before he drank his orange juice and stood up.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"I thank you for what you said at the gate." Charles Xavier said as he stared out the window and into the yard.
"I am an Ultimate. It is my responsibility to keep the country safe. It would make no sense to leave the baseline screaming for mutant blood." Danny said.
"If only others in the government felt the same way." Charles Xavier said.
"Well, you did lie to them about killing Magneto. Now he has returned, and they are going to have to deal with that threat. So, you can kind of see why they would be rather cold to you." Danny said.
"Will the other Ultimates be making similar statements?" Charles Xavier asked.
"They are more hesitant about the situation." Danny admitted.
Steve was rather mad about Xavier's deception and his inability to deal with Xavier. Tony seemed a bit amused yet cautious over it. The others were still coming to terms with it.
"Very well. Let us talk about what has caused you to visit me today?" Charles Xavier asked.
"I want some information on a woman that I believe you know." Danny said. "Her name is Emma Frost."
"What makes you think that I know her?" Charles Xavier asked.
That was an evasion if he had ever heard one.
"According to my research I believe that she and the organization she works with donate money to your institute." Danny said.
"Donations?" Charles Xavier asked. "This money that supports this institute comes from my inheritance."
He knew that was a lie. Rogue had the memories of Colossus from when she first came into contact with him. He knew that the institute gained donations from wealthy families and organizations that felt sympathetic to Xavier's cause but did not want that knowledge publicly known.
Given what is going on right now that decision was rather wise.
"Professor, I work with the government." Danny said. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has granted me the ability to find information. I know what you are telling me is not true."
If the old man wanted to lie to him then he could do the same.
"This is rather serious business." Danny said. "If you are as passionate about your cause as you claim then you know she is working with Norman Osborn. A rather dangerous man that I am suspicious of."
Telling the truth to Professor Xavier was a risk that he was not in the mood to take at the moment. The Hellfire Club was not aware that he was hunting them at the moment and that gave him a measure of protection. If the professor warned Emma due to some manner of concern, then they would probably send their most brutal weapons after him.
"What are your concerns?" Charles Xavier asked.
"I believe that Norman Ozborn has dubious intentions to the individuals that he is gathering. If he gets his training center, then I believe that he will begin using them to search for individuals that he can use to reach those goals faster." Danny said. "His ambition could be very dangerous and place countless people in harm's way.
"That doesn't seem like something Emma would be part of." Charles Xavier denied. "She may have disagreed with my methods, but she always believed that mutants and humans could get along."
"What was your relationship with her exactly like?" Danny asked.
"Emma was a student of mine. We found her in Chicago trying to figure out what her powers meant." Charles Xavier said.
"We?" Danny asked.
"I mean Erik and I. You have to understand that this was before our differences set us apart." Charles Xavier began. "After we discovered the Savage Land, we wanted to make it a safe haven for mutants in a world that would not understand them."
"What was she like back then?" Danny asked.
"She was running from her problems and got involved with a boy with rather dangerous habits." Charles Xavier said.
"What sort of habits?" Danny asked.
"He was a gambler with a lot of debts. Emma used her powers to help him out, but I could see that it was going to end badly." Charles Xavier said.
"So, you got involved and invited her to come with you." Danny said.
He did not bother asking what happened to the boyfriend. With their lives and professor Xavier's traits there were many ways that story could have played out.
"Yes. She was one of our first students. She helped me escape and return to America after Erik and I had our falling out." Charles Xavier said.
"So, what caused her to leave?" Danny asked.
"It was when I was coming up with the idea of the X-men." Charles Xavier said. "She felt that it was wrong to train the students like I was. That hiding them from the world would only cause alienation and suspicion."
"So why do you think that she might be working with Norman Osborn?" Danny asked.
"I believe that she might think it is the best way to unite mutants and humanity." Charles Xavier said.
He still had the feeling that the old man was hiding something. He could see the wistful smile on the old man's face.
"Do you know if Emma is still in contact with her family?" Danny asked.
From the articles he read there seemed to be a cold front between Emma and her family in Rhode Island.
"I am sorry, but I cannot help you there. While I knew her, she refused to say anything about her family and so I did not pry." Charles Xavier said.
"Very well." Danny said. "Thanks for what you have given me."
0-0-0-0-0-0
(Queens, New York)
'We've got a problem.' Duplicate 2 thought to him.
'What do you mean?' Danny asked as he stopped flying and floated above the city.
'It seems that we are out of time. Willie has snapped. He is holding his class hostage. He has sealed the doors. The students are trapped and panicking.' Duplicate 2 thought to him.
'Just great.' Danny thought with annoyance. 'What caused it?'
'It seems that Nelson convinced someone to claim that they saw Willie fill Nelson's car with trash. It seems that Principal Harrington contacted his father to inform him of what happened as well.' Duplicate 2 replied.
So, seeing how the walls were closing in on him Willie decided to lash out and take everyone he hates down.
'What about the other students?' Danny asked.
'They aren't aware of it yet.' Duplicate 2 replied. 'He took their phones so that they could not call for help.'
'Alright I can work with this. You just make sure nobody approaches the classroom.' Danny thought. 'Duplicate 1 how is it going on the Spectral Seperator?'
'I have finished programming them. You can just come and pick them up.' Duplicate 1 replied.
'Good.' Danny said as he pulled out his Ultimate Card and contacted Fury.
"Is something the matter Phantom?" Nick Fury asked.
"It seems that a student in Midtown High is holding his school hostage." Danny said. "I need resources so I can deal with it."
"What do you need?" Nick Fury asked.
"I need you to send about six agents in police uniforms along with some squad cars." Danny said.
"How dangerous is this student?" Nick Fury asked.
"He is sharing his body with a ghost, so he is beyond any baseline human being." Danny said. "I just want Willie to believe that he is surrounded. He will be confused on what decision to make and that is how I will grab him."
"How do you plan to rescue the hostages?" Nick Fury asked.
"My duplicates will make sure that they are safely brought outside." Danny answered.
"Very well. The agents will be deployed to the school." Nick Fury said.
"Great." Danny said as he teleported to his house.
0-0-0-0-0-0
(Midtown High)
Danny landed on the roof.
He could see the agents at the front spread out playing their role. He had his duplicate standing with them so he could maintain communication with them while he worked on his plan.
He connected with his duplicate and shared its hearing.
"Stop this, Willie." Agent Kane said as she tried to reason with Willie.
It did not seem to be working.
"Your father is here. He would like to talk to you." Agent Kane said as she gestured for Frank to move forward.
"Willie when I said you had to stand up for yourself this is not what I meant." Frank said.
Good. Things were moving to plan.
'I am ready to start moving the students outside.' Duplicate 2 thought.
Now that the students could hear the sirens and grew aware that "police" are stationed outside they would start to move out of their rooms. The duplicate would lead them to the back, and they would escape through those doors.
Danny phased through the building and ended up facing the door that held Willie's math class.
He looked through the door. He could see a girl standing in front of Willie. She had white hair that reached to her shoulders, a red top, and black skirt.
He focused so that he could hear through the door.
"Please, you have to let us go." A girl begged.
"Come on Blade. You liked me when you thought that I was a ghost. What is the matter?" Willie asked.
"Probably the fact that you have gone crazy Willie." Nelson taunted from wherever he was.
"My name is William." Willie shouted.
He could see that his hand began to glow and as he clenched, he heard something thud against the wall.
"Nelson!" Blade screamed as she turned towards the wall.
He phased through the door.
"Alright that is enough of that." Danny said as he phased through the door.
"Phantom." Willie growled.
"This little temper tantrum has to end Willie." Danny said as he looked around the room.
The students are huddling together against the wall, the teacher is bound to the whiteboard by rulers that are stabbed through his clothes.
"All I am doing is standing up to a bully." Willie said.
"Really?" Danny asked.
"Yes. You have no idea how long Nelson and his friends have tormented me." Willie said. "They slammed my books to the floor, stole my lunch, terrorized me during gym class."
"So now that you have this power you believe that it is right to terrorize them?" Danny asked.
"My father told me that the only way to get a bully to back off was to stand up to them." Willie said with a glare.
"This may be a few steps too far though." Danny said as he walked closer.
"Stay away from me!" Willie shouted as desks began to float off of the ground.
"Ow." Nelson groaned as he fell to the ground.
"Come any closer and I send these desks flying." Willie threatened.
"I could understand your revenge against Nelson but you would put the others at risk?" Danny asked.
"They did nothing as Nelson tormented me." Willie said as he glared at them.
"Very well." Danny said as he put his foot down.
"That's right. Even you who took down the Hulk has to listen to me now." Willie taunted.
The students in the classroom began to whimper with fear.
While Willie was basking in his perceived victory Danny teleported himself behind him and grabbed his shoulders.
"What?" Willie asked as he turned around.
Danny teleported them out of the room.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"What did you do?" Willie asked as he glared.
"I brought us to a place with plenty of room to fight in." Danny said as he gestured around the school interior gym.
"You are going to regret getting in my way!" Willie growled as his hands began to glow.
Danny looked around for whatever he was about to bring.
The weight-room door burst open with several dumbbells of varying weights flying at him.
Danny approached Willie by teleporting through the gaps of the weights and punched him in the face sending him skidding back.
"You bastard." Willie growled.
"That is rather rude." Danny said with a smirk as he extended his opposite fist. "It is not too late to give up."
"You will suffer for that." Willie said with two voices as his eyes began glowing.
Willie charged right at him. His fists moving faster than a professional boxer.
Danny started stepping back to dodge them.
"Where has all your arrogance gone?" Willie taunted.
Now that he had let his confidence grow Danny ducked the last one by crouching to the floor.
"What?" Willie asked as he turned around.
Willie did not see the kick coming that sent him flying into the air.
Danny jumped into the air after him.
"I'm glad that you are supernatural because this is going to hurt." Danny said as he placed his right index and ring fingers on Wilie's back.
"What?" Willie asked.
Danny pulled his hand back and moved in with a right kick.
"You won't beat me that easily." Willie said as he blocked the kick.
Danny twirled around and hit him with the bottom of his left fist.
"What?" Willie asked as he gasped in pain.
To finish it off Danny used a right drop kick to his stomach just before he hit the ground.
He had seen this move in a manga and wanted to try it out ever since.
"Sorry Willie but you need to take a little nap." Danny said as he pulled out the chip from his utility belt and placed it on Willie's forehead.
A green shock passed through Willie's body and the moment ghost floated above him Danny sucked him into his thermos.
Now he would need to get Willie to hospital to get checked out.
"Blade." Willie mumbled in his sleep.
'Obsession can make people do crazy things.' Danny thought as he lifted Willie.