"Ouch!" Danny's muffled voice grumbled. The specter deflector's constant zapping was getting harder to ignore. Granted, it would have been much worse in his ghost form. The belt buzzed consistently with low volts of electricity that occasionally surged as a reminder of its presence. He'd need to get rid of it first in order to move freely. He shifted the visor of his helmet up so that he could get a better look.
As Danny walked, he felt like an ant compared to the tall limestone columns of the palace. They stretched high above him like giant soldiers waiting for a command. The silence was unnerving, but Danny forged on. At first, he had expected there would be more traffic through the hallways, and that he'd have to utilize his subpar acting skills to avoid notice, but so far he hadn't passed a single servant let alone a guard. He supposed that since it was either Hotep or the scepter controlling everything, they weren't wasting energy on needless personnel. Regardless, Danny kept his stealthy behavior in the off chance one walked by.
It wasn't until he was rounding the last corner that he heard voices down a corridor.
"If I have to clean that nerd's feet one more time, I swear I'll cut a toe off!" he heard Paulina seethe.
"The smell, the smell…" Star shivered, clearly scarred.
Standing tall, Danny lowered his visor and tried to act like a strong capable chariot racer who was definitely supposed to be there. Nevermind that chariot racing wasn't big in ancient egypt. Semantics.
It appeared that his disguise worked, since neither the girls nor the guards following behind them gave him a second glance. He easily walked past them and into the throne room only to pause in dismay at finding it empty.
That was unexpected, and Danny stared in puzzlement until a zap reminded him of his mission. Just because Tucker wasn't there didn't mean the key wasn't…
Danny scoured the throne room for the key. He was silent and careful, placing everything back where he had found it. God forbid anyone got suspicious because a pot of reeds went missing.
"What are you doing here?" someone asked threateningly. Danny jumped and turned toward the person who had caught him mid-snoop.
He released a breath of relief. "Sam," he whispered. "It's me, Danny." He lifted the visor to prove it.
Sam's cold gaze turned to surprise. She looked around to make sure the coast was clear before quickly grabbing his arm and pulling him into a crouch behind the throne.
"When Hotep had come back without you, I thought the worst had happened," she admitted with concern.
"It was nothing I couldn't handle," Danny responded confidently, shoving the memory of the dead chariot racer aside. "Listen, there's more at work here than we know-" He winced as another powerful zap went through him.
Sam glared angrily at the belt. "When I get my hands on that slimy little meat-guzzling-"
"-You'll have the time to chew him out later," Danny interrupted. "Speaking of, where is the royal pain?"
Sam rolled her eyes. "Who knows? Probably sitting on his porcelain throne in the privy."
Danny furrowed his brow in thought. "Do you know where the key could be? I can't really do anything until this thing comes off." He gestured at the deflector.
"I think I saw a key ring hooked to the almighty Pharaoh's tunic drawstring," Sam drawled.
Danny nodded before hesitating and biting his bottom lip. "You know, Tucker's probably doing all this because he's really hurting inside."
Sam narrowed her eyes. "What?" she hissed.
Danny rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I mean, we haven't really been there for him lately…"
"Which he could have handled like a normal person!" Sam huffed. "Instead of some Egyptian diva crazed lunatic. What was he thinking, sending us, and everyone else in our pathetic school to this sandy wasteland just to pluck his nose hairs. Nevermind that it's during one of the school's only field trips!"
"Well, this is Tucker's way of lashing out," Danny tried to reason. "Sam, you aren't necessarily calm when you're upset." Sam opened her mouth to argue but Danny gave her a pointed look. "Don't you think burning your mom's massive pile of pink clothing was a bit theatrical?"
"Not the same," she muttered back. Danny gave her a flat look which she tried to ignore. Her will power didn't last long and she dropped her shoulders. "But… you might have a point." She shuddered at the admission.
A smile grew on Danny's face, before faltering with guilt. He had to address his actions before it ate him alive. "And, I-I know I haven't really-"
"-I should have known my own 'friends' would be plotting behind my back, or should I say, throne," Tucker spat from behind them.
They both jumped and turned. "Tucker!" they both shouted in unison.
"Tucker, listen. We-"
"No, you listen!" Tucker yelled. "I am tired of listening to you, and I am tired of being unheard-"
"-you're right and we-"
"-All you ever do is- wait, what?" Tucker stumbled and looked back at his friends with shock.
Danny stepped forward. "You're right, man," he repeated, taking a deep breath. "I've been too caught up in my own problems to notice that you were dealing with yours alone. I haven't been there for you." He looked at Sam before adding, " We haven't been there for you."
Sam crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air. "I still say you should keep the frogs in your speech," she stated before finally relenting. "But Danny has a point. We could've been more helpful and I could've been less forceful with my justifiable agenda."
Tucker gave them both a long critical look until his face broke into a smile. "I knew you guys would come around. There are plans to make, people! We may have traveled back in time, but I still have a schedule to keep," he stated, pulling out his PDA, surprisingly usable in ancient Egypt. A smile grew on Danny's face. Leave it to their technogeek to send everyone back to Egypt and still have cell service.
A jolt of pain brought him back to reality. "Hey, Tuck. I don't mean to rush things, but do you have the key to this thing?" he asked, gesturing to the belt.
"And before we listen to your riveting ideas," Sam added, "could we, maybe, get out of here?" The boys both looked at her. "Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the vibe of ancient Egypt - my make up has never looked this good. I'm just not into forced labor. Or the blinding sunlight."
Tucker beamed sheepishly. "I suppose I can send everyone back. Though, I will miss my statue," he added whimsically, staring off at his giant sphinx head. He lifted his hand to wave the scepter in the air, but the relic was gone. "Hey! Where'd my scepter go?"
"It was never yours, fool," a cold voice spoke back. In a billowy smoke, Hotep appeared with the scepter in hand. "And nevermore shall a filthy muggle like you touch it, for now I, Hotep-Ra, have gained enough power to be reborn!"
"Muggle?" Tucker mumbled to Sam who shrugged in reply.
"You can't bring back what's already dead, Hotep," Danny argued, ignoring his friends. "At least, not the way you're thinking."
"And what would you know?" Hotep spat, sending a critical look his way.
Danny didn't back down. "I know that you were a vile and horrible scientist who conducted experiments on innocent people," he began. "You experimented on others, and karma smacked you right in the face." He pointed at the scepter. "In your hubris, you trapped your soul in a dusty old relic, and the sad part is, it's not even complete. Your soul's just a fragment. The rest of it died with your body, which was probably obliterated when you decided to play God. Your experiment failed. Your soul is shattered. And to top it all off, you're obsessed." Hotep narrowed his eyes, but Danny continued. "Like every other wandering soul in this God-forsaken place, you have an obsession. Disregarding your obvious thirst for power, you are obsessed with gaining your version of immortality because what you have now is not enough. You can't accept that this broken shell of what you once were is your immortal self. You're doomed to forever seek something you cannot reach. You think that if you prey on enough vulnerable people that it will give you power. Make you human again. But you can't." Danny looked sympathetically at the advisor. "You can choose to live the rest of your afterlife searching in vain for a remedy, or you can find peace. We can help you."
Danny truly meant what he said. He had seen far too many ghosts live out their days without meaning, without purpose. Driven to madness from their unrest.
Hotep would have none of it. He glared spitefully at Danny. "You don't know what you're saying, boy. I have achieved something no one else dared dream could be true. I am only just a spell away from completing my goals. Those in power are weak, weak! Only I have the will and strength to conquer the world. Bow before me and I might show you mercy!"
"Power trip much?" Sam muttered.
"This guy is seriously whacked," Tucker added. It was a good feeling to know that his friends had his back.
Danny met his glare head on. "I can't let you continue preying on innocent people's insecurities!"
"Then how 'bout I prey on yours?" Hotep asked as a nasty smile grew on his face. His gaze grew calculative and Danny felt unease settle in the pit of his stomach. It was the same feeling he had felt earlier when the man had gazed upon him. It was as if he could see straight through Danny.
The feeling quickly left as Hotep disappeared in a puff of smoke. Once the smoke settled, a new figure stepped forward.
"Hi brother," Harry smirked evilly. "Or should I call you cousin now? It is what you're trying to call me."
"Harry?" Danny asked, dropping his defensive stance.
He was in his wizarding robes. In one hand was his wand, and in the other was the scepter. Something was wrong here.
Sam gave Harry a sharp look. "Danny, that's not Harry." Danny looked back and saw Hotep's red eyes glisten in Harry's face.
Harry continued, "Your self-doubt is strong, but it's not where you are most vulnerable." He gave Danny a wicked look and gestured to himself. "I on the other hand…"
"What do you mean?" Danny asked warily. Tucker whispered urgently for him to ignore him, but Danny couldn't. It was like watching the thoughts that had been running in his head play out. He winced as the specter deflector began to act up due to his churning core.
"It's simple, and quite pathetic really," Harry said with a wave. He began to circle around Danny, who followed his gaze. "You're worried that your own family will never accept you. And why would they? Why would I ?"
"Because that's what families do," Danny answered. "You're family." A frown formed. " They're family." Harry smirked at the correction.
In the background, Danny could hear Sam whispering to Tucker about grabbing the key to his belt.
"-It's in my bedchambers-"
"-Of course you have bedchambers-"
"-Well I am the pharaoh-"
"-How could I forget," Sam muttered dryly. "Can your highness please grab the key to the belt that is currently electrocuting our friend?!"
"...yes."
"Thank you," Sam said in exasperation. She gave Tucker a serious look. "I'll keep an eye on Danny, I don't like where this conversation is going."
They both watched Danny arguing with the fake Harry. "I'm surprised Danny knows so much about Hotep," Tucker commented.
"He must have found something when Hotep pulled him aside. I'm more worried about how much Hotep knows about Danny. He seems to know too much."
Tucker shuddered. "Yeah he did that to me too. That guy can either look into people's souls, or is just really good at reading people."
Sam turned back to Tucker with concern. "It's best to hurry."
"Right," Tucker said before blending into his surroundings.
Meanwhile, Harry continued. "Jack and Maddie hate ghosts. You think they will ever come to accept that their own son is one?"
"They just need time," Danny defended. Even he didn't sound convinced.
"Excuses," Harry scoffed. "You've tried for years to get them to change their minds. At this point, you should just give up," he said, shrugging indifferently before giving Danny a pointed look. "Just like I did."
"You're- Harry's just in a bad funk right now," Danny said, frowning. "He's at the age where his friend's opinions are more important than ours." He hesitated before looking back at Harry. "It doesn't mean you don't care."
"You don't actually believe that, right?" Harry laughed. "You can spout Jazz's words at me all you want, but the truth remains that I left you. And I have no intention of coming home."
"You need time," Danny argued. "We all do."
"Time? Time to remember who my real family is? You're just a muggle, Danny, not family. Besides, how could you ever compare to what I have at Hogwarts?"
"You don't know what you're saying," Danny tried to argue back. There was a waver in his voice.
"Danny, you're playing into his-" Sam tried to whisper.
But Harry mercilessly continued. "At Hogwarts I can learn whatever I want; I can do magic whenever I want. There's warm food ready when I'm hungry, and I have friends who are honest and care about me."
"I care, Harry."
"Too much," Harry retorted. "And what do you have here? Summer school, man eating ecto-dogs, and a family full of lies," he listed. "Who could ever want that?"
Harry smirked as he watched Danny shake his head in frustration. He shrugged indifferently, "I don't know why you're bothered by it. It's not like we've been brothers. Not in the past couple years anyway." He paused before saying pointedly, "Brother's don't keep secrets from each other."
Danny felt his eyes water, but refused to let them fall. Harry took notice but gave him no reprieve. "Your secrets pushed me away. How could I stay when the only family I had didn't trust me? Didn't care enough to be honest, or share what was going on in their lives." Harry moved closer. "You're the reason our family is broken."
"I was scared," Danny muttered miserably.
"What a ghostly response," Harry mocked. "Letting your emotions drive your actions."
"His ghostliness has nothing to do with it!" Sam growled, shoving her way between Harry and Danny. She had had enough.
Harry smirked and stepped back. "And yet it has everything to do with it. I would have never left if Danny hadn't shut me out."
"Stop it!" Sam yelled.
"Danny pushed me away. He's the reason I'm gone for good."
"You're just using Harry as a way to get to Danny."
Danny listened as the pair argued. He couldn't help but feel that everything that the fake Harry had said was true. He was afraid of telling his parents about his ghost half because he was afraid they wouldn't accept him. That they would try to 'fix' him, or just outright hunt him regardless of if he was their son or not. He kept his secret from Harry because he didn't want Harry's glorification of all things magical to be the reason he still cared for Danny. But the fake Harry was right. It was his secret that pushed his brother away in the end.
Perhaps Harry was right in that he was acting more ghostly than human. In his attempt to keep Sam and Tucker safe, he had been refusing to give them information. Lying to them was clearly taking its toll on their friendship. The feeling of uselessness shot through Danny. He couldn't do anything right, and his choices were destroying his friends and family. His fear was destroying his friends and family.
A jolt of electricity brought Danny back to the present. When had Tucker returned? He was holding Danny's shoulder and saying something to him.
"-This is what he did to me too, Danny. He's trying to make you feel bad. Like there's no other option but his way of thinking. He's feeding you half truths to try and get you to lash out and that's when he'll take control. There's more to what he's saying, and that's something we can work through together, but first," he placed a key in Danny's hand and looked him in the eye, "we have to fight."
Danny closed his hand around the key. "I'm sorry for being the reason he got you to lash out."
Tucker's face softened. "It's okay, man. We'll get Nasties after this and call it a day."
Danny watched Harry as Sam continued her rant. "-And even if Harry, who you're not , did feel that way, he'd be a selfish jerk for not seeing that there's more going on than just what revolves around him!'
Harry opened his mouth to retort, but Danny cut in.
"You're not my brother," he stated with a glare. The throne room was filled with a loud clang as Danny dropped the belt. "And my issues with Harry are not one-sided. He has had his own fair share of choices that he needs to answer for. But these are things I will work out with him . Not a cheap imitation like you." His glowing green eyes were the only warning before Harry was faced with a barrage of ectoblasts.
Harry lifted the scepter instead of his wand. " Protego ," he shouted and the ectoblasts rebounded. Sam and Tucker took cover before the blasts could hit them.
"There must be something we could do to help," Sam shouted above the crashing blasts.
Tucker furrowed his brow in thought before saying, "There might be something hidden away in this room. I wanted to be prepared in case Danny attacked." Sam rolled her eyes and began digging through the decorations.
Meanwhile, Harry successfully blocked Phantom's barrage. He waved his glowing scepter threateningly, but Danny was faster. He quickly threw a snowball and smirked as the projectile met its target. Seeing Harry's snow-covered face shouldn't give him this much pleasure, but he found it oddly therapeutic. It was nice to see his arrogant brother steaming under the slushy mess.
"You speak of ghost obsessions," Harry hissed while dodging an icy spear. "But I know what yours is." When Danny swung again Harry blocked the spear with the scepter and leaned in close. "And it's not your pathetic attempts at acceptance." Harry pushed the scepter so that Danny flew back. Harry turned to Sam and Tucker who were currently digging through various objects of the room. "What will happen when you can't protect the ones you love? Or anyone else for that matter?" He sent a nasty blast toward the pair. Danny barely had time to divert the blast with one of his own. "What happens when your core cracks from the strain of knowing you weren't good enough?" He went back to targeting Danny, punching his gut with the scepter. Danny cried out in pain. "You'd be nothing more than an empty shell."
"Oi, dusty old corpse! Eat this!" Harry looked up as a giant ceramic vase toppled on top of him. "Yeah, take that!" Tucker boldly yelled. "You're nothing but a pharaoh wannabe! Too bad that's not even a real title anymore!" he jeered. "Sucks to suck old man."
Fear spiked through Danny as Harry sent Tucker a glare. "You dare challenge me?! You?! A filthy muggle?!"
"You keep using that word as if we should know what it means," Sam scoffed. "Well newsflash, it makes you sound ridiculous."
Danny smirked. His friends held no fear in the face of evil. Harry looked as though he was about to boil over.
"Fools," he spat. He floated up in the air. "Foolish, impudent mortals! You will regret ever crossing me! Piertotum Locomotor! " The scepter glowed and a growl rumbled through the palace. The rumbling grew louder and before they knew it, Tucker's giant sphinx burst through the rooftop.
"Aw, man. Not Fido!" Tucker complained. Debris fell as the sphinx bounded forward. Danny acted without thinking,planting his feet and widening his stance. The sphinx was just a hair's breadth away from ripping Tucker's head off his shoulders when Danny screamed with all he had. Glowing reverberations filled the room and the sphinx flew into the air from the force. Sam grabbed Tucker before he could fly off and together they held onto one of the limestone columns and braced themselves. Harry was not in the direct line of the sound waves, but was close enough to feel the effects of it. He struggled to keep his footing until he could no longer withstand the pressure. In a puff, Hotep returned to his normal mummified self.
Silence filled the throne room as Danny panted from the exertion. He was satisfied with the results, but took a mental note to figure out how to save energy when used his ghostly wail again. It wasn't long before the ground began to shake again. In the distance, they could hear the sphinx's barks get closer. Danny knew he had to end this now if they wanted to survive. He scanned the room quickly and found Hotep dusting himself off in a corner. Wasting no time, Danny shot forward while the advisor was distracted and snatched the scepter right out of his unassuming hand.
Hotep cried out angrily, but Danny was too preoccupied to offer a witty quip. He zoomed out of arm's reach and gave the scepter a good look. He could feel the scepter's core and influence trying to corrupt his thoughts.
Granted, the relic affected his emotions, it was nothing like the Ring of Rage. Danny easily plunged his arm through the object in an attempt to rip out the soul. His hand grazed on a sticky substance and recognized it as the sign of an unstable spirit. He latched onto the goop and grunted as he struggled to pull it out. Try as he might, the goop wasn't going anywhere. It was like the soul had merged with the scepter. It felt as though it was now part of the relic and there wasn't a way to separate the two.
Hotep laughed as he watched Danny's face turn red with exertion. "That's never going to work, boy. My spell was flawless."
"If it was flawless then why does your body look like it needs a Cairo-practor?" Danny snapped back, pulling on the goop with all his strength. He couldn't help bantering. Jazz called it a coping mechanism while Vlad called it juvenile and childish. All he knew was that it made him feel better in a tight situation.
Hotep tried to stop Danny, but Tucker stepped in the way. He was holding the Specter Deflector out in front of him so that Hotep couldn't proceed without getting zapped. "You're so wrapped up in the staff, maybe instead you should invest in some crypto-currency!" he shouted before sending Danny a smirk. Vlad might find it annoying, but Danny was reminded that he had people who supported his inane habits. Even partook in them.
"What? Are you afraid to unwind?" Sam added from behind Danny. She was digging through a giant vase and pulled out a Fenton Thermos. Relief filled Danny as he took in the Fentonworks logo etched on the side.
"Oh, I got this!" Tucker said as Sam turned on the device. He had to shout to be heard over Hotep's screams. "Try listening to wrap music! I hear it's very relaxing!"
The ghost was sucked into the thermos without further delay. Vowing to finish this later, Danny released his hold on the unstable soul and threw the scepter in the thermos' path. It was sucked in with little resistance. In an instant, the world blended back to reality and the trio found themselves back in the museum with their classmates. The only sign of their Egyptian excursion was a light layer of sand on the ground. By the looks of the hazy confusion, it appeared as though the only people who remembered what had happened were those that had held the scepter - Danny, Sam, and Tucker.
Danny turned to Sam and grabbed the thermos. "Thanks."
Sam shrugged. "Of corpse." She looked down and sighed with satisfaction at the sight of her usual gothic outfit.
"Aw man! Beatrice has sand in her system," Tucker complained, gently tapping his PDA.
"Better that than in your boots," Sam commented, shaking an upturned boot.
"Or in your ears," Danny added, hitting the side of his head. The three paused mid motion and looked at each other. A grin formed on each face before they broke into laughter.
"I've missed you guys!" Tucker exclaimed.
"Me too," Sam agreed. She gave Tucker an apologetic look. "I'll try to rein it back, Tucker. I didn't realize I was going overboard with the micromanaging." She cringed as a realization hit. "Geez, I hate to say it, but maybe I am turning into my mother."
"Or, it was just your way of taking control of one of the few things you can in your life," Tucker offered sagely.
"Still doesn't excuse it," Sam said. "Seriously, Tuck. I'll try to listen more."
Tucker beamed. "Thanks, Sam."
Danny rubbed his neck awkwardly. When the pair looked at him, he cleared his throat. "Er, I know I've been distant lately… A lot has been going on at home." He couldn't take their gazes anymore and looked down. He scuffed the sandy ground. "And I've been keeping some things from you guys…" he trailed off. "Things you deserve to know…"
"No, Danny," he heard Sam say. He looked up to find both his friends smiling at him.
"As much as you try to hide it, you suck at lying," Tucker commented with a shrug.
"To us anyway," Sam pointed out.
At Danny's confused look, Tucker said, "We've known from the beginning that there was something about Harry you were keeping from us."
Before Danny could do anything but gape in shock, Sam chimed in, "And we had agreed that we're okay with it," she insisted. "It's your secret. You shouldn't feel obligated to share it with us, especially if it has nothing to do with us." She looked at him with concern. "But it's clearly affecting you. Not in a good way. Something happened with Harry before he left."
Sam took Danny's slumped shoulders as admission. "I want to help you, Danny-"
" We want to help you," Tucker added. "But… we're not really sure how."
Danny looked at his friends. Their concerns etched on their faces. "Thanks, guys. You have no idea how much that means to me." He released a heavy sigh. "And I appreciate that you haven't been digging too deeply into this."
"As much as we wanted to," Tucker muttered. Sam gave him a playful nudge.
Danny smirked at them before admitting, "I don't think I'm ready to talk about it fully… but, when Harry left, it wasn't on good terms. He made it pretty clear he was never coming home." He released a heavy sigh. "Jazz still thinks she can convince him to stay, but I don't think so. The things that Hotep said when he was Harry, they were all true. Harry does have it better at Hogwarts. He's probably better off staying there."
"He doesn't know what he's missing," Sam stated to try to cheer him up.
It only made Danny feel worse. "Because I never told him," he said glumly.
"I didn't mean Phantom," Sam retorted. "I meant Danny. He hasn't been around to see the person you've become."
"Yeah, you were saving PDAs waaay before Phantom came around," Tucker bragged.
"And PDA owners," Sam added. "If Harry didn't have his head so far up his butt he would have seen it anytime he was home. He was the one that chose to leave."
"Thanks, guys. Honestly, it's probably better this way." By his tone, it was clear he was trying to convince them just as much as he was himself. "Harry only ever stirs up drama. And honestly, it's exhausting… so, who needs him?" he asked more than stated.
"That's the spirit!" Sam cheered.
"Speaking of spirits… what are we gonna do with old dusty bones here?" Tucker asked, pointing at the thermos.
Sam snorted. "Did you hear him calling out all his moves like a cliche anime character? I am surprised he used Latin instead of Arabic."
Tucker punched an invisible foe and boldly stated, "You are no match for me- what word did he use again?"
"I don't know, Puddle?"
"Foolish Puddle! You are no match for me! Cower before my awesome powers!" He jumped in the air and kicked. "Secret pharaoh technique of the lost pyramid flying kick!" he yelled into the air mockingly. Danny and Sam chuckled at his ridiculousness.
"Not gonna lie, though, turning statues real is an awesome ghost power. Imagine doing that to the raven mascot at school. It'd be a real life interpretation of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds ."
Tucker shuddered. "No thank you."
Danny looked down at the contraption with a furrowed brow. "His soul is attached to the scepter in some sort of bond. It's what's preventing the soul from moving on. I-I couldn't break it."
"Sounds like it's time to get some outside help," Sam suggested, a knowing look in her eye.
"You left your teacher in Egypt," Clockwork stated bluntly.
Danny hadn't had a chance to even open his mouth. "Well hello to you too, Clockwork," he greeted dryly. Clockwork's face was expressionless as he opened the door for Danny. With a wave of his staff, he led Danny further inside his lair. The rhythmic ticking of the hanging cuckoo clocks resounded against the walls in a familiar and comforting pattern. Danny glanced at the old ghost as he tried to keep pace with him. "How is that even possible? The dust cleared and we were all back in the museum."
"It would appear that Mister Edward Lancer was not supposed to be sent in the first place, but came along when he tried to grab one of your classmates."
"Then we have to go back and get him," Danny said with resignation.
Clockwork gave him an appraising look. "That's very noble of you, Daniel, but I was able to send your teacher back home. The only sign of his journey is a splitting headache."
Danny let out a breath of relief. "Thanks, Clockwork."
Clockwork merely nodded and the pair continued to walk through the ticking corridors of the lair in silence. In the distance, Danny could hear a melody marking the hour.
"Hotep still has a part of his soul stuck to his wand," Danny explained. "I tried to separate them, but I wasn't strong enough."
Clockwork didn't respond but continued his serene pace. Where they were going, Danny had no clue. He figured the old clock knew of his misadventure already, but it felt weird assuming.
"Do you think you could pull him out? Or maybe you know of someone who could?" His hand reached for the back of his neck. "At some point, I kind of need to return the scepter to the museum. The owner currently thinks the Box Ghost stole it, and before you say it, yes. I know he's stolen many things in the past, but it just doesn't feel right to let him take the blame for this one."
"Tell me, Daniel," Clockwork finally spoke. "Do you know how Hotep-Ra did this to himself?"
Danny paused. "Well, yeah. He magicked himself into the stick." Clockwork gave him an unimpressed look. "Or something…"
"First, Hotep had to damage his soul," Clockwork began with a far off look. It was as though he was recounting a memory. "To do this, an act that is considered the most supreme evil had to be done. He killed a defenseless person. The man then cast a spell that would sever the damaged part of his soul and placed it in an object. It could have been any object, but it was preferable to use one of great value. Hotep chose his wand."
As they walked, Danny noticed that it was no longer just cuckoo clocks hanging on the wall, but also analogs and… was that a score board? "While Hotep-Ra's attempt to attach part of his soul to an object worked, his body and the other half of his soul withered away from the partially failed spell."
Now there were giant grandfather clocks. The deeper they went the more Danny felt his core resounding with the ticks of each timepiece. He wasn't sure if he should be concerned, but didn't want to interrupt Clockwork as he explained, "In many ways a fractured soul is like a cracked core. Unable to be whole again, it focuses on its failures and how to fix it. This is why Hotep had a hyperfixation on gaining more power. To him if he had more power than he would be whole again."
"How is that related to ghost cores?"
"A core is fractured due to a failure in their obsession. A broken obsession is not easily fixed for it is easy to dwell on the failings of it."
"I see," Danny murmured uneasily. This whole meeting was different then their usual banter, and Danny was getting the unsettling feeling that Clockwork was telling him all of this for a reason. He just couldn't figure it out.
Clockwork gave him a slight smile. "While a soul fragment is doomed to dwell on what it's missing, a cracked core has the ability to rise above it and transform its obsession into something new.
"Like the Box Ghost and cardboard," Danny recalled. He and Skulker had a similar discussion years ago.
Clockwork nodded approvingly. "Yes, the Box Ghost was able to transform his obsession from cardboard boxes to anything square. This is where cores differ from fractured souls. A fractured soul can never deviate from its focus. Hotep-Ra desired power and immortality. He has already failed. He never ruled and his body was disintegrated. Broken as he is, he is still desperately trying to reach his goals. He looks for power by preying on the weak. A leech doomed for eternity. Will you leave him here to rot, or will you end his misery?"
Danny shifted uneasily. "How can I help?"
Clockwork stopped and gave him a pointed look. "Only the Ghost King can remove a soul from its constraints."
There it was. He was loath to admit that the trap had been set well this time. Not that Danny had a fair chance against a time ghost. He gave a shaky laugh. "That's a shame. Too bad Pariah's gone. Maybe there's a relative of his or something that could help." Danny trailed off at the unamused look Clockwork was giving him.
"Your mindset is why your first attempt to rid the spirit from its prison failed," Clockwork noted.
He really shouldn't ask. He should just ignore all this royalty garbage. It wasn't his problem. "What do you mean?" Danny asked reluctantly.
Clockwork continued his pace. "That until you embrace your role as ruler of the Infinite Realms, you will not be able to help its people." Danny winced as a spike of pain went through his core. He rubbed his chest to soothe it. "Or the people of your world." Danny gave him a quizzical look. "Hotep-Ra might have been the first wizard to try this method but he isn't the last."
"W-What?" he sputtered in shock. They finally reached their destination. It was a room that Danny never wanted to see again. The thermos in his hand was not the only thermos present seeing as another stood atop a pedestal in the center of the room. Its dented edges and scorched exterior spoke of a battle almost lost.
Clockwork grabbed the thermos from Danny's hand and moved to the center. "Listen well, Daniel. Many wizards have attempted to follow in Hotep's footsteps and many have failed. There is one wizard, however, who has perfected the technique to the point where he has successfully created seven of these so-called horcruxes."
" Seven?! " Danny exclaimed. "Who would do that to themselves?!" He gave Clockwork a suspicious look. "Why are you telling me this?"
Clockwork met his gaze. "Because there will be a time when Harry will face this man, and if you cannot free the fragments of his soul before that moment, then Harry, and many others, will perish."
Of course. Everything goes back to Harry. Danny frowned. "Look, Clockwork. Harry's a jerk. He wants nothing to do with me and frankly, I want nothing to do with him. I'm a muggle and I'm done dealing with wizards. Besides, they don't want me putting my nose in their business anyway."
Clockwork looked at the dented thermos and then at Danny with pity. His eyes spoke of a time not yet manifested, which left an unsettled feeling in the pit of Danny's stomach. "I am sorry, Daniel."
Danny stepped back alarmed, refusing to listen. "You're wrong. I told Jazz that I was done dealing with magic and I meant what I said."
"Whether you like it or not, Daniel, I'm afraid that choice isn't yours," Clockwork replied sadly.
Anger burst through Danny. "Then it's yours! You see how they are! How they treat muggles! Why should I help them?"
Clockwork conjured a second pedestal and placed Hotep's thermos on it.
"It will be a while before I see you again," Clockwork stated calmly, ignoring Danny's outburst. "Hotep will be kept here in the meantime. When you are ready, come and release him."
"You can't just throw all these orders and expect me to comply, Clockwork! You've got the wrong guy! Find a wizard or something. Someone who actually wants to deal with those lunatics! And for Hotep, I couldn't release his soul earlier, and it won't work in the future because news flash: I'm not a ruler of anything! Sorry to disappoin-AH!"
Without another word, Danny fell through a portal on the ground. Silence filled the room save for the rhythmic ticking in the background. With a solemn look, Clockwork waved the portal away with his staff.
"I am not disappointed, Daniel. Quite the opposite."
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A/N - Okay, I admit it. I've been sitting on this one for a while- but hear me out! The next arc is heavy and I wanted to make sure I was happy with it before posting anything else. I wouldn't say I'm finished with it, but I have enough that I am ready to move forward.
Anywho, Danny knows about horcruxes now. Honestly, the idea of Hotep being a horcrux was just too good to pass up. I'm not too familiar with horcrux lore so I tried to make the scene with Danny and Harry similar to Ron's experience with the necklace. I hope it at least made some sort of sense.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and had a great New Years Day!