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teawithshruti · 4 years ago

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How did I keep myself sane amidst a pandemic - My thoughts on books, anime, and restaurants.

Yet another review of The Shining

A plot so well written you would want to go in room 217

Hi there! This blog comes to you from a bored 19 year old who has a knack for reading crime thrillers, watching murder documentaries, and loves watching MasterChef just to see Gordon Ramsay. LOL. And did I mention that she also happens to be a Stephen King fan, because who isn’t? So here is where I try and convince you that The Shining is the best book ever written and how Stanley Kubrick completely butchered the screenplay, as well as why pasta is life.

Welcome to the Rockies!

The story takes place in the town of Boulder, Colorado, where our main protagonist Jack Torrance gets a job as a caretaker of the famous Overlook Hotel. Winters in Boulder are harsh, and the hotel remains closed as travel is not permitted with all the heavy snowfall. Now Jack is a recovering alcoholic with anger issues which led to him breaking his son’s arm prior to where the story begins. This made Wendy, his wife, question her marriage and the safety of their five year old son, Danny. Danny on the other hand isn’t your average five year old who just watches cartoons and plays with toys. He is aglow with a psychic voltage, and has frequent blackouts. In the words of old Mr Hallorann, the hotel’s head chef, Danny’s a shiner. When the Torrances meet Mr Hallorann, he feels an instant connection with Danny. He warns Jack about the hotel and its sinister secrets and how the previous caretaker, Delbert Grady, killed himself and his family. But Jack is sure that this huge and lonely hotel with its splendid views is just what he needs in order to earn back his family’s trust. But going to a haunted hotel with a troubled marriage and a psychic son? Maybe not the best idea. But in his defense, Jack doesn't believe in ghosts. Little does he know that’s about to change.

Snowbound at The Overlook

The Torrance's begin settling in the Overlook. But as winter closes in and the blizzards cut them off from the outer world, the hotel seems to develop a life of its own. Meanwhile, Jack starts growing restless, craving for a friendly drink with each passing day. He also starts experiencing hallucinations, and wonders if they are withdrawal symptoms. Danny on the other hand is experiencing his own share of ghostly sightings, like the terrifying lady in the bathtub of room 217 who seems to have never checked out of the hotel. In one instance, he witnesses her climbing out of the clawfoot tub and advancing towards him with her bloated belly and dry hair as he stands frozen in fear in a blood covered presidential suite. This narrative by King with all its details is the truly the most spine tingling I’ve ever read. Later when Danny’s parents find him in the room, a thumb in his mouth, that is when Wendy truly realizes that they are not alone in that strange big hotel. Jack goes and sees the tub for himself, but the lady from before doesn't want to greet him. Wendy, in tears, sees that both her husband and her son are being tormented by this place and begs Jack to quit the job. Danny later calms his mom down, who is weeping uncontrollably, by telling her not to worry as his daddy doesn't have the shining, so there is nothing to worry about.

Have you never heard of REDRUM?

Sure you have. Read it backwards. Yes, you got it right. And so did Danny after seeing this word in his visions countless times. It so turns out that Danny is much stronger than he looks and after failing to possess him, The Overlook has turned to an easier target - Jack. As Jack slowly starts to lose his mind, he gives in and starts drinking again from the bar in the ballroom. His hallucinations keep getting worse to the point he actually sees Mr Grady, the previous caretaker / murderer, and even has a talk with him. Danny sees his changing behavior and so does his wife, who just doesn't see the man she fell in love with in his cold, distant eyes anymore. With everything going on, Wendy takes Danny to their apartment in the employee wing of the hotel and locks them inside in fear of Jack, who is slowly slipping away from reality. But turns out this move from her proves to be disastrous, as Wendy keeping Jack away from his own son is the last straw for him. In one of his many hallucinations, Jack meets his predecessor, his buddy Mr. Grady and the two have a disturbing conversation about how fun it is to kill your wife. Yes , no one trumps King when it comes to the unique combination of horror and psychological thrillers packed into one nail-biting plot!

In other words...

The only thing I liked about the movie was Jack Nicholson’s excellent acting. Apart from that Stanley Kubrick let go of many crucial parts which were essential to the story. He eliminated the hedge sequence in the book, which was terrifying to just read. The ending was just a complete mess. I get that you can’t exactly get all the details right of a 500 page book, but at least do justice to the ones you have chosen. Anyways I’m gonna go sulk in my room over this. Bye

Is it too late to start Anime?

Hi there! Good to have you back! Ever since pandemic began, everyone’s been locked in their own house. So this led to me taking up a few hobbies like sketching and painting and binging on a whole lot of sitcoms.. My personal favorite is the alluring world of Anime. Several of my friends began watching it and I cannot exactly term it as peer pressure, but I did give in and start watching Anime too. And now my watchlist includes just a bunch of 2D characters with powers that even Superman himself can't fight. So this is my take on how a kryptonian can be defeated with Jutsu, as Mr Naruto would say. Lol. This one is for all the weebs out there.

Manga and Anime are not the same!

To put it simply, manga is a Japanese term for comics and graphic novels, whereas Anime is the term for Japanese animations.. There are many similarities between them, as they both have been created by Osama Tezuka, who is considered as the Japanese version of Walt Disney. Now have you ever seen a simple comic book? The one with black and white newspaper illustrations - like Garfield. Manga is just like that - A book of illustrations. Now we arrive at the perennial question - Manga or Anime, which is better. Both of them are equally interesting, but I personally have a soft spot for anime. The intro theme songs, intense background music, and the beat dropping right before a big fight move, all these factors pack a punch. You don’t get that adrenaline rush from just a book.

My first anime - Demon Slayer

The story begins with the main character Tanjiro, who returns home after selling charcoal in town to find his entire family murdered by demons. Pretty intense right? His sister, Nezuko, survives but there’s a twist - she turns into a demon herself. This makes him vow to take revenge and he sets off to train with Sakonji, who has trained many of the elite members of the Demon Slayer Corps. After many years of training and a painful exam called the final selection, Tanjiro finally becomes a demon slayer and is off on missions along with his sister, who unlike most demons doesn’t consume human flesh. On his missions he meets Zenitsu and Inosuke, who both have excellent powers of their own. My favorite story arc was when the highest ranking slayers, known as the pillars, were introduced. But my words won’t do justice to their powers they possess. So simply get your geek on by watching this short yet amazing series.

The Tale of Naruto Uzumaki

The hidden leaf village is not so hidden anymore! The series I am currently watching is one of the most popular anime from 2020 - Naruto. The story is set around the shinobi villages and their ninjas and how Naruto Uzumaki plans on being the next Hokage [the most powerful shinobi] of the leaf village. He is trained by some of the best ninjas the village has ever seen. Before graduating from the academy, he was a hyperactive boy with lots of energy who just wanted to be the best. After graduation, he was placed in team seven, along with Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha. This team was trained by Kakashi Sensei who is known for wielding his Chidori and even the Sharingan. The sharingan, to put it simply, is a trait passed down in families. The Uchihas are known for their sharingans and hence it naturally comes to Sasuke as well. The mystery still remains unsolved as to how Kakashi got his sharingan, as he is not an Uchiha. But Naruto does have a super power as well. Not technically his powers per se, but we can cut him some slack. After all it's not everyday you get to see a beast like the nine tailed fox sealed away in an 11 year old boy. In my opinion the story picks up Orochimaru’s entry, and it paves the way for Sasuke’s powers in the future. My favorite character has to be Sasuke Uchiha. With his effortless fighting skills and sarcastic yet cool personality, he definitely is an excellent shinobi. You have to start this show right away because once you have seen him use his fire style fireball jutsu.....the world just doesn't look the same anymore.

In other words...

My current watchlist includes Naruto Shippuden, Black Clover, One Piece, and a few other naruto spin offs. Anime was something I never thought I would like, but now as it turns out I can't get enough of it. So bye for now, if you need me I'll be at Ichiraku’s eating ramen with barbeque pork. And if you get this reference, have a bowl of ramen on me. K bye.

Home in a faraway land

Good to see you again ! Do you ever get that feeling of an intense craving for your favourite dish? Like say pasta or pizza? My favorite is pasta, but being raised in India, I can’t say no to a classic plate of butter naan and chicken tikka with a glass of buttermilk or chaas if you please. Of Course you can’t beat the taste of a home cooked meal, but let me tell you about the time I went to this amazing little Indian restaurant in Dubai with my family, and how the food there was absolutely heavenly.

Out and About in Dubai

Skyscrapers, Sleepless nights, Gold Souks and gigantic malls - these are the visions you'd usually get when someone mentions Dubai. Well, they're mostly right! I went there with my family about 5 years ago. We stayed at the Ramada, which was right next to the Dubai Mall. The mall happens to be strategically placed next to the Burj Khalifa and we got lucky enough to see mesmerizing musical fountain shows night after night. The streets are spick and span, and everyone follows the traffic regulations dutifully. We also went for the desert safari, which was no less than an actual roller coaster ride. We also visited the Gold Souk, and oh boy. The name definitely fulfills its purpose, as the entire street is occupied entirely by gold stores. Huge gold ornaments are on display like clothes on hangers. I personally don’t have a thing for gold jewellery, but my mom had the time of her life there fawning and gasping over every store we came across. Shortly after our visit here, we came across this beautiful little Indian restaurant, and you can call me old school but at the end of the day, this girl needs a desi meal, because trust me room service gets boring after a while.

Peshwa - Not your typical 5 star restaurant

Situated away from the hustle of the main city, this place still remains quite underrated. We stumbled across this hidden gem which saved us the efforts of getting back to the hotel for an overpriced lunch. As soon as we entered the restaurant, we could smell the aroma of a classic dal makhani [ a simple gravy consisting of lentils infused with aromatic spices and hints of burnt chillies ] in the air. So we got a table and had a look at the menu and it was almost like being back home. The endless variety of gravies with paneer in almost every single one of them, to at least 6 different types of rotis, a little piece of heaven in this concrete jungle! We went ahead and ordered a simple meal of rotis and some paneer delicacy, along with dal and rice. Apart from the taste of the food, which was just heavenly, the overall ambience of the place in one word, was exquisite. The restaurant lived up to its very ethnic maharashtrian name. The food was served in those traditional style cutlery, reminding us of a simpler time.

A dish you just can’t miss

If you have a sweet tooth like me, you definitely have to try the coconut barfi from this place. Made from desiccated coconuts, sweetened condensed milk, a finely ground cardamom, and a hint of saffron, this dish is a match made in heaven. It was freshly made and we could tell it by the intoxicating aroma of pure ghee [clarified butter]. So just for a day, give yourself a break from watching calories and try this mouth watering dish because here’s something to live for.

In other words…

The next time I’m in Dubai, the first thing I will do is find out if the restaurant is still there. And probably avoid the Gold Souk this time. I will most certainly go for the desert safari, because it’s not everyday you get defy gravity and drive through the sand dunes like in a Fast and Furious movie. Lol. Also thanks for bearing with me throughout this blog. See ya!

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bigowlenergy · 5 years ago

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heat + horror

next chapter of How to Raise the Dead!

Maddie stands at the door to the basement, hazmat tied down around her waist, staring into the green dark. To her left, the cicada scream en mass. The refrigerator hums at her back. The portal buzzes below. The cold air that swirls up the steps is incredible against the summer heatwave. Maddie. Wants to go down. Hesitates, still.

Danny is down there.

Maddie loves her son, but she loves her daughter, too, and knows better than to bother Jazz when she’s trying to finish a paper and watch the finale to her latest K-drama at the same time (again) and expect anything but getting snapped at and increasing her stress. The experience is just new, with Danny. He was always the relaxed one, but once it hit 80 degrees in the house, the basement became his domain, with the same low tolerance for interruption. With an extra edge of physical discomfort and medical concern. Maddie just doesn’t want to upset him further. It feels like she does that all too often, but Danny just won’t say anything when she does. It’s hard to understand him. She wants to, but he’s pulled so far away from them already...

“Hey, mom.” Jazz stands in the entryway, kicking her flip flops off, two bags of gas station ice slung over her shoulders. “He moved yet?” She asks.

“No, I don’t think so. I was just about to check,” Maddie offers, stepping in to take the second bag from Jazz. She’d stepped out to get some water. Hadn’t gone back. Condensation from the ice leaks down her shoulders, sticks her hair to her neck. Instant relief.

“Alright.” She says. “You coming down? It’s cold.”

And Maddie hesitates at the mouth of the threshold, for just a moment.

“Sounds nice,” She tells the stairs, hidden under the clanging of Jazz’s steps.

At the bottom, all she can see is the ring of lawnchairs and the little blow up kiddie pool that Jazz is dumping her bag of ice in. The clear vinyl tubing of the cheap outdoor furniture catches every refraction of green light from the open portal. An oversized alien dollhouse in Maddie’s lab. The smell of squeaky fresh plastic overwhelms the ectoplasm. The basement has always been climate controlled, and underground besides, so the downright frosty air that the open portal adds to the mix creates the strange atmosphere of a sauna in winter. Inverted.

But the chilliest thing by far is Danny.

Maddie finally gets a good look at him when Jazz collapses back into her own chair, sticking her feet into the pool with a great heaving sigh. Maddie appreciates her running to the store for them. It’s nearly 110 out. She goes to dump her part of the ice in and nearly fumbles to keep from pouring it straight over Danny’s head. He’s buried up to his chest, now. What she thought were odd shadows from the portal are actually his folded knees, the only other part not under ice. His eyes are glazed and dull, staring sightlessly into the green vortex, his head pillowed on the wet plastic rim of the pool. Soaked hair drawn back by one of Jazz’s headbands drips slowly onto the concrete floor. Maddie frowns at that. They specifically asked the kids to make sure nothing in the lab was exposed to water. Should have put a towel down.

She probably can’t blame Danny for lack of foresight. He doesn’t look good.

“Hi, sweetie,” Maddie whispers, tucking the ice in around his legs instead.

His blank expression doesn’t change as he belatedly mouths ‘hi’ back to her.

“Drink your slush,” Scolds Jazz, kicking at the ice idly. Danny’s buried hands slowly tip the half melted slushie toward his face. The straw rests in his mouth for a while, but Maddie’s fairly sure he doesn’t drink any. Her poor baby. Jazz had picked it up for him the first time she went to the store, nearly three hours ago.

Maddie pulls her hands from the ice and wipes them on her shirt. Goes to the monitoring station set up on the side of the portal. The nodes taped to Danny’s neck are probably the only things keeping him from fully submerging himself. His oxygen levels are lower than his usual terrifying baseline of 87%, hovering in the 84-86% range, and his heartrate is just short of clinical death. Most worryingly, his temperate is reading at nearly 80 - a deadly fever, considering his normal 71.3.

Maddie wishes they knew how to really help him. This feels strangely like a - not like a test, not really, but like something is being withheld from them. Like Danny knows what to do, but is still too scared to tell them. Like it’s something he doesn’t want them to know, another little secret on the pile. A tiny declaration of loss of trust.

Or he’s afraid of them knowing.

Not that he could tell them, right now. He’s been basically unresponsive to even the most drastic of stimuli since his internal temp hit 75 an hour ago. Jack had driven out for the lawn furniture around that time, helped wrangle Danny out of the bathtub and into the lab for better monitoring, then disappeared again a few minutes ago. Maddie has an inkling of what he’s up to, so she’ll just hold down the fort and see what happens.

But Danny. Looking at this array, she has the clinging idea that this would be easier for him if he was a ghost. But even now, he’s so hesitant about letting them see him. Has never, in word or deed, trusted them with that. It’s an open secret. What he is.

Who he is.

Jazz knows; Maddie knows she known for some time now. Maddie knows. Does Jack? Maddie knows. She tries to imagine that alien presence in this little family tableau. More green in the air. An extra buzz of static under the portal. White hair, dripping. Maddie knows, but it feels like she knows less than she did three weeks ago.

She’s seen Phantom with her own eyes. Seen him fly and fight and snarl like an animal. Seen him bounce and smile and joke. How does he do it? Maybe Maddie just isn’t ready for the perfect intersection of those things yet. Does - does Danny’s ghost leave his body?

Is Maddie really ready to face her sons’ corpse and his ghost at the same time?

Jazz splashes suddenly, feet shifting, head tipped back dramatically off the edge of her seat, hair in a huge bun, wearing her only pair of shorts. Little embroidered ghosts on the hem. Would he electrify the pool, if he changed?

Maddie sucks in a breath and drags her eyes back to the monitor. Maybe it would be better if he did. Actually. The shock might be what he needs to stabilize his heart. He’s obviously reliant on cold temperatures to facilitate stronger conductivity of his electrical impulse based neurology. Like any other ghost. He’s losing stability of consciousness. Unable to rely on the physical, chemical reaction based impulses of the li - of humans. Maddie’s trying not to think about it. She doesn’t want to think about it. The monitor won’t tell her anything else.

Danny, the ghost, Danny, her son, is suffering from mild destabilization and his human body is too close to brain dead to keep him from -

God, Maddie is glad she doesn’t know.

Jack, bless that man, saves her from her thoughts by clambering down the stairs.

“Icecream!” He calls, voice pitched less exuberantly loud than usual. In deference of the small lab space, empty of the usual noise of running machines, or in deference to Danny. Or her own nerves. Jack hands Jazz a pint of strawberry pistachio and a spoon, sets a bag near the pool and then appears at Maddie’s side. Kisses her cheek. Glances at the monitor.

“How’s he doing?” He asks, handing her her own pint and a fork. Pecan Caramel soymilk.

“Not much worse. But we don’t know beyond his baselines, so it could mean anything. Temperature’s been stable for the last twenty minutes.” Maddie digs out the first pecan she sees and keeps it in her mouth to cool her sensitive teeth. Offers nothing else. Jack can read the screen. If he arrives to the same conclusion, then they’ll talk about it upstairs. Away from the kids. Hopefully, Danny’s too busy barely existing to overhear, if it comes down to it.

Jack nods, bullshooter blue eyes sweeping over the monitor. One huge, extremely hot hand rests on her back, goes to rub soothingly, but Maddie shoos him with her fork.

“You’re cold!” He says delightedly, sticking his hands on the folds of her turned down hazmat. He spares her a smile, then snaps his attention back to the screen. Lingers on Danny’s oxygen levels. “Well,” Jack says, straightening up, “Let’s try to get his internal temperature down a bit, then. Come on, Danno!”

He unties the cloth bag and pulls out a full gallon of icecream. There is no room in the freezer for that.

“Okay, buddy, I got us a real treat, straight from the farmer’s market creamery, you know, the people with the ecto-infected cows we helped out last spring? Got us a discount! Anyway, it’s custom. Chocolate icecream, fudge pieces, cacao nibs, coconut shavings, sprinkles, cookie bits, and those little soft dough chunks -” He cuts off, leans in closer to the pool, watches Danny intensely for a few seconds. “Yep! Extra cookie pieces. Wanna try some?”

Jack sticks two spoons in the open gallon and sets it aside. Gently eases the mostly ignored red slushie out of Danny’s hands and passes it off to Jazz. She doesn’t hesitate to pour some of it over her icecream. Maddie shudders. Bites her pecan. Takes a seat.

Jack pulls a shop towel out of his shorts pocket and soaks it in the pool, then wipes his face with it before slinging it around his neck. Takes a tiny spoonful of the icecream and starts to set it in Danny’s direction.

“Just try a bit, Danno. I’ll let you drink dry ice again,” He cajoles. Maddie whips her head up to glare at him. Jazz shrieks with her mouth closed, prevented from yelling properly by a well timed frozen strawberry. Jack ignores them both. He’d better have a damn good reason and some damn good results.

He gets Danny to eat a little, at least. He’d refused dinner last night, and it’s almost 7 PM, now. After a while, Jack leans in again. All Maddie can hear from a bare few feet away is a quiet, wet little rasp.

Jack beams his most reassuring grin at their son. “Of course it’s got ectoplasm in it; it’s for you, Danny-boy!” He says. And. That might be the first time any of them have put it to words. Admitted it out loud. It should feel like a taboo broken, but somehow, it eases a little relief into the atmosphere. A confession they all share.

Then Jack frowns a bit. Eyebrows drawn down in concern when he says “Is it not enough?”

Danny shakes his head, a light tremble of motion. The wet plastic squeaks under his neck. Lies still. Jack sits back, looks up to Maddie. Jazz is leaned back in her seat, staring down at Danny with a sharp frown of disapproval on her face. A fierce set to her eyes that tells Maddie everything she needs to know.

“We’ll get you more, sweetie,” Maddie tests the waters carefully, kneeling down across from Jack, sets a hand on Danny’s drying hair, keeps Jazz in her sights. Danny closes his eyes and shakes his head again, turning further into her palm and sighing quietly. A low, tired sound of dismissal. Not for Maddie. Jazz looks away, guilt and worry plain on her face. Bites her lip. Lids her icecream and mumbles an excuse of a goodbye, looking a bit mutinous as she leaves.

Maddie has to wonder if she should step back from this. Let Jazz do whatever needs to be done that Danny is hiding from them. But she can’t. These are her children; they shouldn’t need to be providing something for themselves. It’s her duty to care for them.

But. She is also an ectobiologist. Knows damn well what ghosts need. Has done in-field observations on this sort of thing for at least a decade.

It’s not the amount of ectoplasm that matters. It’s the source.

They can’t provide what Danny needs from the lab.

Sure, they’ve never seen Phantom feeding, but he’s so rarely seen at all. Elusive. Non-normative behavior. Maybe -

An incomplete hypothesis has never sat well with her. Her son being miserably sick while she has the power to help him is not sitting any better.

“Danny,” She says firmly, gently taking his cold face in her hands and wincing at the mincing slowness of his pulse under his jaw. “Please, just tell us what’s wrong, honey.”

Something thumps upstairs. What is Jazz doing? Maddie had assumed she left the house. To get. Something. Bring something back? Get a ghost they know to help?

Maddie’s seen ghosts negotiate and willingly feed from each other. The statistically significant ratio of mutual encounter to violent attack was one of the things that tipped the scales for Maddie and Jack on whether ghosts have the capacity for civilized society or not.

If Danny has some sort of pact or agreement with a local ghost, then Maddie is intensely interested in learning every detail of it. As both his mother, and as an ectobiologist. Jazz probably has extensive notes.

Upstairs, something drags across the floor. Maddie jumps at the noise.

“I’ll go check,” Jack offers, glancing guiltily back to Danny before heading up the stairs.

Maddie turns her attention back to Danny and actually feels her heart skip a beat when she finds him staring up at her with dull, glazed eyes. His face too-still and eerie in the green light of the buzzing portal. It dyes him colors he shouldn’t be. She takes in a breath, and calms herself, confused by her own reaction. She’s been exposed to high levels of ectoplasm for nearly two decades. Maddie lost her innate terror-reaction to ectoentities years ago. This is completely unfamiliar to her.

But the way Danny’s too blank face flashes into guilt as he flinches and tries to pull away is not. It’s the same reaction as Jazz earlier.

Guilt. Something withheld. Upstairs, something drags against the wood floors again. Slow, deliberate.

“Danny -” She starts, concerned. He squeezes his eyes shut tight and turns away from her. Mouths something that she reads as sorry. A creak on the stairs. The lights flicker. Maddie jolts back in a crouch immediately, hand falling to where her weapons should be. One hand on Danny. Assuring his location. Her other hand closes on nothing. Of course not. Maddie doesn’t wear her weapons around Danny. Not any more. There’s nothing there. She forces herself into a more relaxed stance with some difficulty.

What could they have upstairs for this? Surely there’s not another ghost living in their house? Maddie would like to think that a second instance would be ridiculous. Maybe a hidden freezer of ectoplasmic samples? She looks down at the human ghost in her lab. Maybe he needs a rare type of ectoplasm, due to his unusual biology? His half human biology.

Half human. Needing ectoplasm and emotion, but also needing food. Maddie’s heart picks up uncomfortably, sits high in her throat. At the other end of the room is the wall safe with the Nightingale journals. The myths and accounts and legends of violent ghosts. Hunted for their danger to humanity. Their hunger. Maddie and Jack have long discounted or disproved those old folk tales.

But then again, they’d also disproved the existence of something like Danny.

“Danny -” She tries again, watching the way he’s turned away from her intently. Mouth pressed in a thin, unhappy line. Every ounce of him tense, entombed in ice.

Jack bounds down the stairs. Maddie jolts to her feet. He’s got the bulky old TV from the sitting room in his arms. Maddie’s heart is pounding, her mind blank.

“We’ve got the cure, Mads!” He cries. Jazz follows, carrying the DVD player and a stack of DVDs.

In the pool, Danny shudders strongly enough to stir the ice. Moans out “No,” loudly enough to be heard.

“Shut up, Danny.” Jazz says firmly. “You need this.”

Jack finishes plugging the makeshift entertainment center together. Jazz sets the DVDs down and sticks one in the player. Maddie’s seen every title on the pile, but doesn’t recognize them from anywhere in the house. All horror films, many classic. Monster movies. Slasher flicks. It’s so disingenuous from where her mind had been that she’s left frozen.

“They’re from Sam,” Jazz explains. “For when somebody runs out of juice.” She spares Danny an annoyed glare and hits play.

Oh. Oh. Maddie looks down at the miserable little ghost in the pool, her shadow cast long over his morose, guilty expression. He’s so pale. The colors from the TV flicker against the vinyl and ice and ectoplasm in surreal flashes. Some loud sound blares from the old speakers with more static than usual and Maddie jolts again. All her senses on high alert, an undercurrent of unnatural fear flooding her cerebellum. An artificially induced state of terror. The buzzing she’s been ignoring with all the ease of overexposure is Danny’s aura, set to 18 hz.

There hasn’t been a ghost attack in nearly a week. All the local specters retreating to the other side of the portal as the heat wave rages on theirs. Danny hasn’t been able to emphathically power himself in a week. Maybe longer.

Ghosts feed on fear.

He’s been overwhelmed with the heatwave, unable to patrol his territory, probably not physically fed in a while, and emotionally weakened. Of course he’s destabilizing.

Maddie lets out a breath of relief. This is something easily remedied, at least. She leans in and kisses Danny’s forehead. In apology. In absolution. Feels guilty for her distrust of him with such an irrational idea. Feels the rekindled instinctual hyperawareness of a ghost near to her vulnerable human throat. Ignores it. Helps Jack finish moving the chairs closer to the pool. Sets her icecream back on her lap. Settles in and lets herself overthink the timing of the next jumpscare. Watches her little ghost relax slowly as he draws strength from their shared, controlled fear. Wonders if he has a vomeronasal organ, with the way his mouth is a little open. If it helps with emphathic filtering, or if it’s psychosomatic. Wonders if he feels better. Fishes his hand out of the ice and holds it tight until he squeezes her back.

It’s been a while since they’ve had a family movie night.

#dannymay2020 #danny phantom #heat #fenton family fun times #maddie fenton #jack fenton #jazz fenton #danny fenton #heat and horror #fanfiction

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datawyrms · 5 years ago

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Ectoplasmic Bonds

Dannymay2020 Day 30: Family

“AHA! I have found you, ghost child. You are no match for my peerless intellect!”

This was weird. Not the ranting and dramatic posing in midair, that was just Technus being the weird little boaster he was. The fact he was boasting at a park with no gadgets in sight was the confusing bit. He’d expected the Box ghost or some random animal when his ghost sense rudely interrupted his Saturday, not the tech crazed monologuer.

“I didn’t know we were playing hide and seek!” His hands glowed green, ready to blast the second his foe made a move. “I know a great place you can hide though!”

“Playing? No, we are not playing hide and seek!” the ghost crossed his arms, almost looking insulted. “We are playing BASIC HEALTH EDUCATION, for your feeble mind is clearly LACKING THIS DATA”

“Uh. What.” Danny blinked, eyebrow raising in bafflement. Blasting the ghost would probably be best, but he hadn’t even taken advantage of his blank stare.

Technus shook his head and tisked at him. “Your cousin let us know about your RECKLESS BEHAVIOUR, ghost child! It is a wonder that you haven’t collapsed!”

“My cou-Dani? Wait why would Dani be buddies with you?” the green glow snuffed out, brain struggling to figure out what was going on. Was it April first? Was this a really complicated distraction plot?

The green skinned ghost tisked again. “By being as reckless as you! Young and thinking you are invincible!”

Well that answered approximately nothing at all. Yet the ghost did seem to be serious, he was getting the distinct impression Technus was scolding him. For something. Maybe he was just having a weird dream. “I still have no idea what you’re babbling about.”

“Your education is LACKLUSTER, child! How can you not know you are starving yourself? You are more a ghost baby than a ghost child!”

“Well excuse me for not getting the ‘ghosts for dummies’ book!” he snapped back, wondering if he should go after the ghost for that baby comment.

“Ah, ah, I am not fighting a half starved toothpick! You put those fists down, child and listen to your elders!”

He was totally scolding him, what the heck. “Ghosts don’t eat, what are you even on about?”

Technus put his face in his hands. “The youth of today! So uneducated!” Yet when he looked back up he just seemed more determined. “Fear is all well and good child, but it is no replacement for ectoplasm! The state of your cousin was appalling!” He seemed to notice how Danny tensed at the mention of ‘cousin’ and continued. “She is FINE thanks to our cardboard enthusiast!”

“Well uh. Thanks for helping her out?”

“It was AVOIDABLE! If you were not so reckless in hanging around over here all the time! Do you WANT to start falling apart from lack of ectoplasm? It is distinctly UNGROOVY”

...Was he actually worried about the two half ghosts? Weird. “Errr no, I would not like to do that, thanks.” He had enough nightmares from just seeing it happen to the other clones.

“Then you must stop AVOIDING returning to the ghost zone! You have not come in over a month! Perhaps exhaustion is a thrill to you, but you take it to RIDICULOUS levels! The cousin was quite WORRIED for you, ghost child!”

Dani had managed to set Technus on him for...not going into the ghost zone. What. That was important? “I don’t think I have to-”

“YOU DO! Do you think ectoplasm will rain from the sky for you here? NUH UH. IT DOES NOT.” He seemed larger, looming over the teenager as he pointed at him. “You might have a big battery but it will still RUN OUT. Then no more RECKLESS ghost child!”

Why did he feel so embarrassed? Why was he even letting Technus of all people chew him out? “Okay, okay! I get it!”

“GOOD. Puddles are very BORING nemeses!” He glared at the jumpsuited teenager for a moment longer before vanishing, apparently planning to keep his word on a lack of fighting.

He really, really hoped all this was just a very dumb dream. People had definitely seen the encounter, it was pretty hard to overlook two ghosts yelling in a park in the middle of the day. Mom would probably call it proof that all his fights were staged, or something fun like that. Not that the truth of ‘he came to yell at me because I’m bad at being a ghost’ was much better.

Mom’s pondering at the table in the evening shot any hope square in the chest. “I suppose they do look similar, colour scheme wise. I’m not sure it’s any proof of a familial relation though, there’s no real reason for such relationships”

Jack nodded, scratching at his jaw before adding his thoughts. “Maybe new ghosts cling to older ones at first before separating off to do their own thing? Phantom’s got some electricity powers, doesn’t he?”

“He does, they do share the tendency to never stop talking as well, come to think of it.”

It was very difficult to not respond to that remark. He was not the kind of scenery chewer Technus was! This was going to be a looooong night.

“It’s just strange. They’ve never shown to have a friendly relationship before now. If they wanted to take the town for themselves it’d make more sense to let Phantom stay ill.”

“Even ghosts want to protect the young of their species?” Jack frowned “I didn’t think the spook was actually a young spirit though.”

“True. Technus might only call him a child because of his appearance. Yet it did look like a parent scolding a child, didn’t he complain about the youth?”

“Well if we can nab one of em, we can see if they share or have similar ectoplasmic signatures! It could be an instinctive thing if they’re ‘related’ that way.”

Danny worked to suppress a groan, rubbing at his forehead. Great. Now they thought Technus was his ghost dad. All his dated references were going to be way worse now! He so wasn’t like him! The second his friends found out it was going to be their new favourite joke.

He never did manage to figure out how to track Dani down, instead getting surprised by her with a tackling hello.

“Does this count as a ghost attack?” he asked, smirking as the the ghost snickered at the question.

“I dono, does it? You aren’t fleeing in terror.”

“Maybe I’m just an out of towner that doesn’t believe in ghosts“

Dani shrugged before landing, taking a few glances around before shifting back to her human form. “Then I guess I’m a ghost that doesn’t believe in ghosts either.”

“New outfit?”

“Yup! And it’s all mine,” her grin was infectious as she grabbed the edge of the thick purple hoodie, fiddling with the dark lining that seemed to have a scattering of stars. “I don’t even feel cold in the zone with this on.”

“You know you don’t have to live in the ghost zone, right? Jazz can probably make up some forgotten branch of the family you’re from, or something.”

“What, and join you in tip toeing around ghost hunters that love and hate you at the same time? No way cuz. If I wanted that, I’d be with Vlad.” she paused with a frown. “Well okay, it was fake love but you get it.”

“Too well.” he shrugged, trying to ignore the rush of irritation from his parents being compared to that absolute fruit loop. “What did you drop by for then? Seeing as you sent Technus after me last time. Which I’m still mad about.”

“Oh you know, catch up with Val, enjoy some sunlight. Nothing big.” she rolled her eyes “I didn’t send him after you! I just mentioned to Boxy how you don’t go to the ghost zone much and I guess he spread it around?”

“Well thanks to that people think Technus is my dad!”

“What, he’s not?” she burst out laughing from the other half ghost’s full body shudder, ducking the half hearted snowball thrown her way.

“Oh you think it’s funny now, just wait until they start saying it about you too.”

“Nope, still funny! Besides, I already got a ghost dad.”

“You what.” he stared, but she didn’t seem to be kidding.

“Well after the whole Boxy making sure I didn’t drop dead from lack of ectoplasm thing a lot of ghosts kinda felt bad for me?” the dismissive wave of her hand seemed a bit forced. “Way easier to deal with over there than with humans. They knew I didn’t really have a place that was mine so they let me stick around for awhile.”

“I guess that was nice of them. You sure it isn’t some trick?”

“You worry too much cuz. You really think I wouldn’t have been super suspicious at first? Already did that once!” her glare made him blush, rubbing the back of his neck. Stupid question, of course she’d be careful after Vlad. “Being a clone with no papers is way easier in the ghost zone, so spending most of my time there just makes sense.”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” He couldn’t imagine wanting to live in that green chaotic world, but he actually had a decent amount going for him on this side. Dani...didn’t.

“So yeah, basically got adopted by Nocturn. He helped me figure out the design, it’s reversible.”

“Wait wait NOCTURN? The guy who tried to put everyone to sleep to take over the world? That one?!” he sputtered, only causing his clone to laugh again.

“Yeah? Everyone likes to try and see how powerful they can be sometimes, did you take it personally?”

“Yeah a little! People could have been hurt! And he dumped me on a random rock in the ghost zone! Then tried to kill me!”

“Everyone tries to kill you.”

“Like that makes it better?! He’s a nutcase!”

“Or maybe you’ve only actually met him once? Everyone wants to try messing with Amity Park at one point. It’s just a thing to try, since you never really seriously hurt anyone.”

“Now you make it sound like the ghost attacks are my fault.” he muttered, quickly realizing Dani didn’t care if he wasn’t exactly a fan of the dream ghost.

“Well they’d come anyway because the human world is cool. Some of them are totally only coming to try stealing the town from you though, sorry cuz.” she shrugged again “Oh! Noc’s pretty impressed by your ice attacks by the way, but he’s still pretty sure Frostbite could help with a few things.”

She nicknamed him! “Noted. Uh. Maybe tell him not to do the whole take over the world and kill me thing again?”

“He won’t. One, I consider you family. Two, watching and learning from dreams is more his thing. The take over the world bit was more of a ‘sure why not give it a go’.”

She seemed so relaxed, even while his mind was yelling that she couldn’t be safe around a ghost like that. Yet she was the one who mostly lived in the ghost zone. She probably would know a lot of his foes better than he actually did...though it still rankled. “Well I’m glad you found more family over there. But I’m not inviting him for lunches.”

“You’ll have to be the one to come visit sometime! You have no idea how scared some ghosts are of you, it’s hilarious. They don’t know you’re a total dork.” She perked up when he stopped crossing his arms.

“Hey, that just makes you dork squared ya know.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works.”

“Sure it does. Or not. I’d have to ask Tuck.” he managed to keep smiling, trying not to think too hard about why he’d be considered terrifying to ghosts.

“Or you could ask your daddy” her smirk was vicious as he let out an offended squawk, flinging another snowball after her.

“Don’t even joke about that!”

“Tooooo late! Bye cuz!” her laugh was warm and carefree as she fled from her flustered cousin, vanishing as she darted behind a large bush.

Probably off to go find Valerie now then before headed back home. Still, it was good to know she had a home to go to now. Even if it was with some ghosts he usually had to beat up. Family reunions would be a whole lot messier if she kept that up. Though really, she deserved any kindness she got.

He still wasn’t going to forgive her for the Technus thing though. He was going to need to brush up on dream and sleep puns for proper retaliation.

#dannymay2020 #Danny Phantom #technus #dani phantom #Maddie Fenton #jack fenton #my stuff #brain: ghost adoption #brain also- DANI gets NOT GARBAGE FAM #because srsly she needs some #never have nightmares again with dream control dad #that's probably a plus #HOW IS IT THE30TH

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ghostsray · 5 years ago

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Danny Zombie chapter 2

(remember this fic? here’s the second chapter. tbh i dont even have a plot in mind, im just writing whatever bs pops in my head. based on @burning-clutch‘s prompt: an au where the ghosts are humans and the humans are ghosts)

Walker trudged into the cemetary. It was the dead of night, pun unintended, and he carried a flashlight to provide him better light than the dim full moon. He had received complaints from the surrounding residents about a strange occurence here: a flash of light, a sudden storm. To him, that sounded like a load of crap, but more than one person had witnessed it, so he had no choice but to investigate.

The flashlight's beam caught a group of teenagers up the hill, standing among a row of graves. As soon as they noticed him, they began to flee--two at first, then another pair trailing after. "Hey!" Walker called and picked up his pace, but he was too late. The four troublemakers had already made it to the opposite wall by the time he reached the grave they were ransacking.

Walker stopped and turned his flashlight down over the grave. He let out a disapproving tsk at what he saw. Whoever those teens were, (and he had an idea; he was familiar with all the troublemakers in town,) they had undoubtedly robbed the grave. A deep hole was dug in the mound, almost as if somebody had climbed out from inside the grave. Walker chuckled at that image. As if zombies were real.

The cop shone his flashlight down the hole. At first, he was met with nothingness, which was odd. Surely the graverobbers couldnt have taken the whole corpse with them, could they? Then, something stirred. Walker nearly dropped his flashlight in surprise, but he caught it and kneeled over the open grave to get a better look.

Nothing.

Walker exhaled. He was not a superstitious man, but this place gave him the creeps. He stood up, and as he did, his foot knocked against something. He looked down and grinned. A guitar--and a familiar one at that. He was sure the owner's parents would enjoy a nice chat with him.

He bent down to pick up the instrument, and that was when it happened. Toxic green light gradually grew from the grave and intensified until everything was shed in chartreuse. Walker momentarily forgot about the guitar, whipping his head back to face the grave.

It wasn't so empty anymore. When he peeked inside again, a swirling vortex of green...something...had filled it up. The light it produced was so bright it painted the soil a sickly green. Walker's jaw hung loose as he gawked, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Just then, something rose out of the vortex--or rather, someone.

He was a tall man in a white suit and sunglasses hiding his eyes, but what really caught Walker's attention was the fact that he was glowing. If one stared at him hard enough, his skin appeared transparent, and Walker thought he saw his skull underneath his face. Oh, yeah, and he was floating in the middle of the air above the portal he had come through.

The man, whatever he was, looked down at Walker, and goosebumps broke out on his flesh. He picked up his jaw long enough to ask, "Who...What are--"

He couldn't finish his sentence before the creature lunged at him. Walker held his arms up to protect himself, but it didn't do anything, because he wasn't attacked. Instead, the man--the ghost--had entered his body.

Walker's entire body shuddered. He felt his mind being pushed into nothingness as whatever was inside him wrested control. He desperately tried to cling to his consciousness, but it was no use. When he opened his eyes, he wasn't Walker anymore.

Operative's eyes glowed red. He flexed his borrowed neck and smiled.

Sidney woke up on 6 AM, like he did everyday. The alarm clock was ringing by his bedside, and he rolled in bed and slammed the top until it quieted. His eyes fluttered open. Blue eyes stared at him.

"Jiminy Cricket!" he blurted and fell off his bed.

"Jiminy Cricket?" Danny echoed. "What year were you born in?"

Sidney glared up at him from his spot upside down on the floor. The halfa was standing in Sidney's bedroom, wearing his borrowed clothes after Sidney had insisted he take a shower last night to remove all that creepy dirt on his body. He looked more alive than he had yesterday, almost normal even, though he was still pale.

"Says the guy who died forty years ago," Sidney grumbled and righted himself. He glanced at the halfa again and asked, "Didn't sleep?"

Danny slowly shook his head. "Dreams...are scary."

Sidney raised an eyebrow. Now that he looked at those blue eyes again, he noticed they seemed pretty bloodshot. "Not all dreams are scary," he said. "For example, I was just having a wonderful dream about standing up to Aragon."

"Who's Aragon?"

"This bully in school," Sidney said, and the way he mentioned the word "bully" made it sound like the worst insult possible. "His real name is Aaron, but he thinks calling himself Aragon is edgier or whatever. He thinks that just because he's rich, he's so much better than everyone else." He shook his head and added, "What about you? What dream is so scary you couldn't sleep?"

Danny didn't reply. He averted his eyes and focused on a corner.

Sidney sighed. Once again, he wondered why he was even letting him stay at his house. Curse that Ember for dropping him here. Hey, Poindexter! Here's this undead guy I found in the middle of the cemetary. I'll just drop him in your house and then leave!

He can't say he doesn't understand her reasoning, though. Ember's parents would never let her sneak a boy in her house, but Sidney's grandmother was barely aware of what was going on around her. One time he managed to keep a cat inside for an entire month, and she had no idea. (The cat's name was Gene Kelly, and he escaped when Sidney left the window open one day.)

"Well, you're a human now, and humans need to sleep," Sidney told him. "Eight hours a day. Then again, you are only part human, so I'm not sure if you need that much...um, what are you doing?"

Danny had lost interest in whatever Sidney was saying and had started rummaging around his room. Sidney got up and stopped him before he could pull open his underwear drawer. "Hey, just because I'm letting you stay over in my room doesn't mean you're free to search through my stuff! What are you searching for, anyway?"

"I told you yesterday," Danny said. "I need to make a call."

"The phone is right there, in case you haven't noticed," Sidney retorted and pointed at the telephone on his desk. But Danny shook his head.

"Phones can't contact the dead. Don't you have a ouija board? A crystal ball?"

Sidney's eyebrows rose to his scalp. "No? I'm not really into witchcraft. Maybe Desiree might have that stuff."

"Who's she?"

"A neighbor. But I'm not taking you to see her."

"Why not?"

"Because," Sidney said, "I need to go to school, and I don't trust you enough to let you roam around town unsupervised. How do I know you won't eat anyone's brains or anything?"

Danny huffed. "Why does everyone keep mistaking me for a zombie? I'm a ghost."

"You're a walking dead person who crawled out of his grave, that's why. Now can you just...stay put while I get ready for school?"

"School?" Danny asked, sounding interested.

Sidney rolled his eyes. "Yes, school. You know, where you learn stuff? I'm pretty sure those existed around your time."

"Of course I know what a school is," Danny replied, then hesitantly added, "Can I come?"

Sidney blinked. "You...want to come to school?"

Danny shrugged. "I'm curious about what new stuff students are learning since I was gone."

Despite himself, Sidney grinned. "I didn't know you were a fellow nerd."

"I'm not a nerd," Danny said, blushing. Sidney laughed and patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry, buddy. Being a nerd is actually pretty cool these days."

"You're joking, right?"

"Nope. Dungeons and Dragons is hot. Star Trek is mainstream. You have a lot to catch up on."

Danny didn't look like he believed him, which only made Sidney laugh more. "Come on, I'll bring you to school."

Casper High hadn't changed much in forty years, although the student body did grow. Some of the students cast curious glances at Danny as Sidney led him through the crowded hallways, but they didn't say anything. Well, except for one.

"Who do we have here?" a voice purred. Sidney groaned and turned to face the speaker.

"Hey, Aragon," he greeted with a strained smile.

Aragon looked...not as intimidating as Danny expected. He was thin, with a pimple-ridden face and greasy hair, but his sneer was enough to signify that he was a bad guy.

Aragon sized up Danny and said, "I haven't seen you around."

"This is Danny, my, uh...cousin," Sidney lied. "He's..."

"Homeschooled," Danny supplied. "But I'm curious about what regular schools are like, so Sidney offered to show me around his school." He lied so effortlessly that Sidney wondered if he had practiced it beforehand.

Aragon snickered. "Homeschooled? That's probably because you're too wimpy to be around other kids. Hey, Poindexter, why don't you join your cousin at home? It's not like anyone will miss you."

Sidney bristled. He thought of numerous insults he could throw at the bully, and he almost might have said one out loud, but then Danny spoke up and said, "You're not scary."

Aragon blinked. "Excuse me? My dad can probably buy your dad's company."

"I doubt that," Danny muttered.

Aragon bristled and almost said something back, but then a girl came and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Leave them alone, Aaron," she told him.

Sidney smiled when he saw it was Dora. He loved Dora--she was basically the anti-Aragon, kind to everyone. She caught his eyes and smiled back.

Aragon shrugged her hand away and scowled. "Fuck off, Dora. I'm pretty sure that guy just insulted me."

"He just said you aren't scary," Dora said, "which is true."

Sidney snorted. Aragon turned on him, but before he could speak, his condescending posture dissolved at the sight of a woman coming up to them. "Miss Pandora!" he said, suddenly sounding polite.

The tallest human Danny had ever seen stood over them with her hands on her hips. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing," Aragon told her, and he actually wrapped his arm amiably around Danny's shoulders and said with a smile, "We were just greeting Sidney's cousin here."

She raised her eyebrow and noticed Danny. "Cousin, eh?"

"He's homeschooled," Sidney said helpfully.

"Well, then! It's very nice of you to show him around." The teacher smiled at Aragon, and it took Sidney considerable effort not to roll his eyes. Pandora added, "Maybe you can let him take a lesson with you. Class is just about to start, you know."

"Yes, ma'am," Aragon said with a white-toothed smile and saluted her. Pandora passed them, and as soon as she turned a corner and left, Aragon pushed Danny away from him.

"Have fun at school, fuckhead," he said and laughed. He left, and Dora turned to him with a grimace.

"I'm sorry about my brother," she apologized.

Danny shrugged. "He's...interesting."

"What the fuck!"

The three teens turned to see Johnny standing in the hallway, glaring at Danny with his jaw agape. He strode to him, then jabbed a finger at his chest and demanded, "What are you doing in my school?"

"Stop that," Dora said. "Why is everyone intent on bullying the visitor?"

Johnny stared at her with disbelief written all over his face. "You don't know what he is, do you?"

Dora looked confused, but Danny just smiled and said, "Hey, Johnny. Thanks for helping me last night."

Johnny scoffed. "I didn't help you. That was all Ember."

"True, but at least you didn't stop her."

"I'm sorry, what's happening?" Dora asked, glancing between them.

Johnny scowled and said, "He's a zombie."

"Ghost, actually," Danny corrected.

Dora stared at them for a moment, and then she burst with laughter. Johnny raised his eyebrows and saw her with a hand over her mouth, eyes crinkled humorously. "Ghost! Ha ha."

Johnny frowned and said, "It's not--"

"It's a very funny joke!" Sidney interrupted. "I bet he even crawled out his grave."

He smirked at Dora as he said this, and Dora laughed harder. Sidney felt Johnny's eyes boring into him, but thankfully, the school bell chose that moment to ring. Dora wiped tears from her eyes and said to Danny, "Have a nice day, ghost boy."

"Will do," Danny replied with a toothy grin.

Dora left, but Johnny stuck behind. He sent a glare at Danny and stated, "I don't trust the undead." Then he turned to Sidney and added, "You shouldn't, either."

The way his eyes bore into him made goosebumps break out on Sindney's skin. Finally, Johnny turned and left, his shadow trailing behind him.

"What a great guy," Danny said after he was gone. Sidney tried to study his expression, but Danny was wearing an unreadably simple smile, and his hands were in his pockets. Danny's blue eyes met Sidney. "So, where's your class?"

Fuck, Ember thought as she sped down the hallway. She was late for class and Ms. Pandora was gonna kill her. She turned a corner, then stopped so suddenly she almost slipped on the linoleum floor.

The man in front of her turned around. He was wearing sunglasses indoors for some reason. On his chest sat a sherrif badge, and in his hand was her guitar. She had no idea what was with the glasses, but it obviously wasn't enough to stop her from recognizing him, nor quell her anxiety at his presence.

"You," he grunted, which erased any chance she had of escaping unnoticed.

Ember gulped and waved nervously. "Heyyy, Sheriff Walker. What are you doing here?"

Walker held forward her guitar. "Is this yours?"

Oh boy. Ember began to explain, "I swear, I didn't rob that grave. Heck, why would I even be in the graveyard? I don't know how this got there, you must have seen someone else--"

Walker ignored her and shoved the guitar at her. Then, to her surprise, he said, "Take it. I have no interest in it."

Walker? Letting someone go when he had a chance to arrest them? Ember eyed him and asked, "Who are you and what have you done to Walker?"

She had meant it as a joke, but the way he stiffened made her reconsider the truth of her statement. He said, "I don't care what happens to you, human," which Ember thought was a strange choice of words, "I only wish to know where the escapee is."

"The what?"

Walker (if that even was him) turned his attention away from her and focused on the hallway behind her. Now that Ember listened, she heard footsteps approach. She turned around and saw Sidney and...was that Danny? What was he doing in school?

Danny seemed to freeze up at the sight of Walker. Maybe it was her imagination, but she thought she saw his breath turn to mist as it escaped his mouth, which shouldn't have been possible because it wasn't cold enough inside the building. His eyes widened.

When she looked back at who may or may not have been Walker, she saw his face stretched in an unnerving grin. He walked around her and strode toward Danny, who somehow got stiffer the closer Walker got to him.

Ember didn't understand what was going on, but she knew enough to be able to tell that this not-Walker was bad news (yes, even worse than the real Walker) and that Danny seemed to be, for whatever reason, in danger. She shoved herself between not-Walker and Danny and said, "So, Sheriff, how's life?"

Not-Walker growled and shoved her away. Yep, that definitely was not Walker. Danny saw that he wasn't stopping and began to run away, but not-Walker grabbed his arm and tugged him back.

It didn't feel right, seeing the undead guy look so scared. Ember barely thought about her next action. She looked down at her guitar, remembered how good a weapon it made when she whacked Danny in the head last night, and swung it at the back of not-Walker's head. Not-Walker grunted and let go of Danny. His glasses fell to the floor, and when he turned around to glare at her, she froze--because his eyes were as red as blood. Ember was fairly certain that Walker's eyes were supposed to be green.

"Ember, get away! He's a ghost!" Danny warned.

Ember stared wide-eyed at Danny, and that was long enough for not-Walker's fist to connect with her gut and send her toppling backward. He didn't just punch her--he also sent a strange beam of green light that made her body buzz with electricity and sent her skidding across the hallway. She fell over and clutched her stomach, wheezing. She weakly raised her head enough to watch not-Walker grab Danny again and lift him up by his neck. Sidney was next to them, but he looked too paralyzed to help, and Ember was in too much pain to get up.

"Danny Phantom--" Danny Phantom? "--I see you're alive," not-Walker said with a sneer.

Danny quit struggling in not-Walker's grip long enough to gulp. "Alive? Nah. I'm just overshadowing someone, like you are."

"You think you can lie to me? I know what overshadowing senses like. You're alive." His cheeks looked like they were pulled back by invisible strings into a cruel smirk, and he added, "But if you're really only borrowing this body, then I suppose killing it won't do anything to you, would it?"

His grip around Danny's neck tightened, and Danny's struggling became strained. Why couldn't he just go intangible? Sidney looked like he finally snapped out of his paralysis, and he ran forward to help Danny with a yell of, "Let him go!" Unfortunately, he was quickly pushed back by the same weird light that attacked Ember.

"You're mortals," not-Walker growled. "You don't understand the laws that govern ghosts. The dead stay dead. Ressurecting oneself is a major crime--against the laws of the Ghost Zone and the laws of nature."

Cool, so it wasn't Walker, but he sure as hell was equally obsessed with arresting people. Or, well...executing them was more like it, if he continued to squeeze Danny's throat any longer. (Re-executing? What would happen if you die a second time?)

Ember gritted her teeth and pushed herself up. She may have only known Danny for less than a day, but there was no way she was letting the weirdest friend she'd had disappear so soon after she met him.

Without a second thought, she ran up to not-Walker, ignoring the pain in her gut, and shouted, "Hey, dipstick!" Not-Walker turned around but did not have time to prepare when her boot swung up and connected with his crotch.

Not-Walker cringed. Ember wasn't sure if the ghost was able to feel pain from inside Walker's body (probably not, because she was confident in the power of her kick) but the shock of being kicked in the private part was enough to loosen his grip on Danny. Danny, now able to breathe, took this opportunity to thrust his hand into not-Walker's face, and before she could blink, a bright burst of green light not unlike not-Walker's own attacks was released from his palm and roasted Walker's face.

Apparently, the ghost did feel pain from that, because he yowled and let go of Danny. Danny didn't waste any time after he landed before grabbing Ember and Sidney by the arms and sprinting down the hallway and around a corner, away from not-Walker's sight.

Danny kept running, pulling the two humans behind him. She didn't know how long they went--lockers and windows passed by in a blur--before he apparently thought they were far enough from the ghost possessing Walker and let go of their arms to slump on the floor and pant.

"Okay, what was that?" Sidney demanded.

"Yeah, and why did that guy call you Danny Phantom?" Ember added.

Danny didn't answer them at first, still catching his breath. Finally, he gulped and said, "So, that was the ghost police."

"I kind of figured," Ember said, remembering the ghost's words. "Resurrecting yourself is illegal?"

"Of course it is," Sidney said, staring at Danny, and Ember thought she saw a hint of wildness in his eyes. "It's unnatural! You're supposed to be dead!"

Danny flinched. Ember bit her lip and placed a hand on Sidney's shoulder. "Hey, man. What's done is done. Danny's alive now."

Sidney kept huffing for a moment before he covered his face with a hand and sighed. "No. I know. It's just...I wasn't expecting to be a attacked by a ghost-possessed Walker today."

"I mean, you did bring Danny to school," Ember pointed out. "Why did you bring Danny to school?"

"I asked to come," Danny answered.

"Why would you want to come to school? Are you a nerd?"

Danny looked about to argue, but then Sidney spoke up, "That's not important. That ghost inside Walker is still around. How do we get rid of him?"

Danny hummed thoughtfully. "Usually, in the Ghost Zone, we just duke it out with ghost powers, but I don't think that would work when I'm part human."

It was then that Ember finally noticed the way Danny was cradling his hands tenderly. She looked at his palm and saw it filled with slightly greenish blisters. Danny caught her looking and covered his palms, but she had already seen them. Guess that ghostly light attack was too hot for a human body to handle.

"Then what do we do?" Sidney asked.

Danny shrugged. "Maybe...are there myths about ghost weaknesses? Usually those have a little truth in them."

"What, you mean like, sprinkle salt on him?" Ember said with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe," Danny said. "I--"

Whatever he was about to say was cut off when a blur came through the wall behind them, grabbed Danny, and went through the opposite wall. Ember and Sidney both stared slack-jawed as they tried to make sense of what just happened.

"Ghost," Sidney said.

"Salt," Ember said. "I'll go to the cafeteria."

"I think I also have something that might help," Sidney said. "I'll go get that."

There was no time for Ember to ask what thing Sidney had that might work against a ghost. The two teens separated and ran down different directions, Ember to the school cafeteria. She arrived to find it empty apart from the lunch lady behind the counter.

The lunch lady was humming to herself as she cooked...whatever the fuck school lunches were supposed to be. Ember tried to crouch near the wall and sneak into the kitchen. If she was lucky, she could grab the salt and dash without any confrontation...but she had no suck luck.

The humming stopped, and Lunch Lady said, "What are you doing outside of class?"

Ember closed her eyes and silently muttered a few curses before standing up in front of Lunch Lady with a smile. "Sorry. I just wanted to grab some salt...for a lab experiment."

"Salt? We have salt," Lunch Lady said sweetly.

"Great! I'd love some, please."

Lunch Lady grabbed a salt container, and Ember reached out for it eagerly, but the woman held it back with a frown. "If it's for a science class, why were you trying to sneak past me?"

"Me? Sneaking? I would never," Ember said, her smile straining. "I just thought it would be quicker...you know...so I don't waste any class time."

"Of course your teachers wouldn't want you to waste class time. That's why they're supposed to bring their own materials for experiments. I talked to them about that last year."

Ember winced. "They...forgot?" When Lunch Lady seemed unconvinced, Ember brought her hands together in a pleading gesture and said, "Please, I just want some salt. It won't even be long. I'll give it back."

Lunch Lady narrowed her eyes, like she was considering Ember's words. "Salt is a very important part of food, you know. Salt and meat."

Ember quirked an eyebrow. "I thought too much salt is a bad thing. Same with too much fatty meat."

She probably should have kept quiet. Lunch Lady's expression turned into a scowl, and she all but screeched, "Are you questioning my nutritional knowledge?"

Ember had met ghosts, but somehow, this lunch lady was more terrifying. Ember faltered and stammered, "Um, uh..."

She was saved by the large dirt explosion outside. Lunch Lady jumped and leaned forward, trying to look out the window with wide eyes. The salt container in her hand was in reach.

Ember snatched the salt from her and darted. Lunch Lady yelled at her, but Ember was already running away...toward the explosion she heard come from the track field outside. Somehow, she had a feeling that had something to do with Danny and that other ghost.

She emerged outdoors, and sure enough, Danny lay in a crater in the ground, looking worse for wear. Then Ember looked up at the enemy ghost and did a double take. Walker's body must have been left back inside the school, because the ghost wasn't possessing him anymore, which meant she could see his true, ghostly form.

Being near him set her hairs on edge and filled her with dull dread. He was glowing. His edges were blurry, like an old photograph. His skin was bright green and translucent, showing his skull underneath. He wore a suit that looked like it should have been black but was bleached white, and white sunglasses covered his eyes, although Ember had a feeling they were the same red shade that possessed-Walker had.

The ghost hovered over Danny's bruised form. Danny weakly pushed himself on his elbows, wincing all the way, and said, "Can't we talk about this, Operative?"

The ghost, Operative, retorted, "Sure, once you're in jail."

He aimed a hand at Danny, and Ember could tell he was about to attack. She ran toward him, shouted, "Hey! Want some salt with that?" and swung the salt at him.

Operative flinched--then blinked when the salt went through him without any effect. Ember faltered. "So...salt doesn't work."

"Salt?" Operative smirked. "I've heard about that. It has to be blessed to work against ghosts. And it must be pure salt, not table salt."

"Well, fuck," Ember muttered.

She shrieked and ducked out of the way as Operative ghost-blasted the spot where she stood. While she hit the grass, the ghost turned back to Danny and held him up by the neck. Danny was too weak to even struggle in his grip.

Just as Ember was beginning to lose hope, she saw Sidney enter her field of vision. Ember scrambled to her feet and joined him in running toward the ghost. "What did you get?" she asked.

Sidney, poor non-athletic nerd that he was, was panting too much from the process of sprinting as fast as he could to really talk, but he didn't need to. He stopped a short distance away from Operative and held up the object he brought for everyone to see: a reflective silver mirror.

Operative turned his head away from Danny for a moment to look at the mirror. "What is that? Do you want me to see my reflection?"

Ember was wondering about his plan, too. A mirror didn't sound very useful against ghosts. Even Sidney looked uncertain of himself, his knees knocking together in terror.

To his credit, he bravely ignored his fear and ran screaming at the ghost, swinging his mirror right down at him. She thought she saw the ghost's eyes widen at the last moment before he disappeared right into the mirror, somehow sucked up by the silver. Danny fell on his butt as Operative was gone.

Ember picked up her jaw and asked, "What was that?!"

"I have no idea," Sidney admitted, still wide-eyed from the fact his plan worked. "I just remembered hearing some stories about silver working against werewolves and vampires and guessed it must do something about ghosts, too."

"That was brilliant," Danny said, smiling from his spot on the ground. He was bruised all over and had second degree burns on his palms, but other than that, he seemed fine.

Now that the big scary ghost was gone and Ember's heartbeat was settling, she crossed her arms at Danny and said, "You didn't answer my question from earlier. Danny Phantom?"

"Right," Danny said, reaching to rub his neck then stopping when that made him wince. "Ghosts don't usually use each others' real names. It's...personal, I guess. So everyone goes by a nickname."

"That's why you don't like us calling you Daniel Fenton," Ember said, remembering the way he flinched when he got called that in the graveyard and at Sidney's--the same way he flinched just now as she said that.

"Yeah," he said. "That ghost we just fought, Operative...well, he's lucky because no one even knows his real name. He worked with the government back when he was alive. Everyone just calls him by his title--or the Guy in White."

"That makes sense, considering how blindingly white his suit was."

Sidney suddenly yelped, and Ember turned toward him to see that he had dropped his mirror onto the ground. She looked down at it and understood why. A swirling fog appeared on its surface before it morphed into the Guy in White's face.

She jumped when the ghost brought a fist forward and at pounded at the mirror's surface--but the mirror didn't even vibrate, much less fracture. He continued to pound uselessly and growled, "You can't keep me in this relic forever. Just as you can't escape your punishment. You're upsetting the balance between life and death. You--"

Sidney crouched and flipped the mirror over so that its reflective surface was lying face down against the dirt. The Guy in White's voice was muffled.

Danny crawled to them and struggled to push himself up. Ember went to his side and helped him stand, and as soon as he did, she recoiled and asked, "Where did your bruises go?"

Most of them were gone, and she watched as the ones that did remain seemed to glow green before fading away. Ember stepped away from him, and he stayed stable on his feet. "Healing," he said. "Injuries aren't permanent to ghosts. I guess I kept that part of me when I got resurrected."

"You brought yourself back from the dead," Sidney said. Ember turned to him and saw him staring at the mirror he had just flipped over. "That ghost mentioned something about balance."

"Dude, the Guy in White is just ghost Walker," Ember said. "He probably comes up with any lame excuse to jail people."

"But maybe he has a point," Sidney argued, glaring at Ember--and at Danny. "What makes you special enough to get ressurected? Why not everyone else who died--like my parents?"

"Sid--"

"No, he's right," Danny said. He hung his head guiltily, gazing down at his hands. The burns on his palms seemed to take longer to heal. "This was a mistake. I thought I could get my parents' invention to work--and I did--but I didn't think about the consequences. Maybe they gave up on it for a reason."

Ember tilted her head. "So...what? You kill yourself again?"

Danny bit his lip and shrugged. "I...I don't know."

Ember glanced between him and Sidney, who was shuffling in place uncomfortably. She thinned her lips and stood straight. "Well, I'm not letting you do that," she said to Danny. "I don't care if you were dead before. You're alive now."

"Technically, I'm only half alive," Danny mumbled. "I still have some ghostly attributes, but..." He glanced uncertainly at Sidney.

Sidney fidgeted, then crossed his arms and sighed. "I guess...if you're human now...there's no point in going against that. You may as well enjoy your time back. I'll accept that. No need to kill yourself."

Danny's shoulders relaxed. Sidney still had his arms crossed, but he didn't look as angry anymore. The muffled voice of the Guy in White still came from the upside-down mirror on the ground.

Ember prodded the mirror with her foot. "So, what do we do with him?"

"Break the mirror?" Sidney suggested.

"No," Danny said. "Who knows if that would get rid of him. It might just release him again."

"I still don't get how he even got here," Sidney said.

Danny shrugged. "A portal? Though, it seems a little convenient that a natural portal would open up right after I got revived..."

"Or maybe he followed you back to the human world," Ember said.

"But he's not alive..." Danny's eyes widened. "Unless--"

He grabbed the mirror off the ground and began to run.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sidney shouted.

Danny turned back to face them. "My revival must have opened a permanent portal," he told them. "I'm going to send Operative back to the Ghost Zone, and I'm going to see my parents."

"A portal? But where?"

Danny met Ember's eyes, and he knew the same thought went through their heads. "My grave," he said. Then he turned around and kept running.

Sidney and Ember glanced at each other in bewilderment. Then Ember shouted, "Wait up!" and ran after Danny.

"Wait! But what about school!" Sidney shouted.

Fuck school, Ember thought. Ghosts, zombies, portals--ever since Danny entered her life, her days became exciting, and there was no way she was missing any second of this.

#phic phight #danny phantom #species swap #au #fic #fanfiction #writing #mine #danny fenton #sidney poindexter #ember mclain

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phantomphangphucker · 5 years ago

Text

Ectober Day 30: Gathering - The Fright In Halloween

Of course ghosts should celebrate freaking Halloween. The fact that they don’t in the show is a goddamn insult. And it turns out that Danny is a scary son of a corpse.

Danny walks into his room to see the FrightKnight, of all ghosts, just...standing there. Danny tilts his head, “um, hello? Can I help you?”.

The FrightKnight seems as if he’s smiling, “seasons greetings Phantom!”.

Danny blinks, “it’s...not the Christmas truce yet”.

The FrightKnight looks slightly offended, nodding and grumbling to himself, “I figured Phantom would be unawares. Which is precisely why I had to come personally”, nodding again and looking to Danny. Who’s really tempted to point out that he can quite easily hear everything he said. FrightKnight speaking to Danny again, “I’m here to formally invite you to the Halloween Rapine!”.

Danny tilts his head and smirks, of course there was some ghost celebration on Halloween. And honestly, he immediately loves how utterly cliche and spooky that is. “Tell me no more, I’m down. Whatever weird shit this is, it’s weird shit I’m doing”.

The FrightKnight seemingly smiles as Wulf pops his head over and onto the window frame, tongue lolling out.

Danny beams, “Wulf! Good to see ya buddy”. Wulf grins devilishly and slashes through the air, making a portal.

Danny points at the FrightKnight as the three walk through the portal, “I will be so very disappointed if this is just trick-or-treating. I expect better from ghosties”.

The FrightKnight laughs, “we share plenty with the mortals”, grinning almost cruelly, “we are tricky things after all”. Danny gives a matching devilish grin. Tricks and jokes were right up his alley. So long as they didn’t harm after all.

Danny’s not even surprised that whatever is held at FrightKnight’s castle. Only acknowledging that fact with a wider smirk. As they dramatically enter. FrightKnight swishing his cape, Wulf howling, and Danny screaming, “THE GHOST WITH THE MOST IS HERE SPOOKY BABIES!!!”, repeatedly raising his eyebrows dramatically.

Skulker shakes his head with a smile before clapping Danny on the back, “you’re indeed here whelp, now we can finally call whatever friends you happen to have. Those snow yeti’s I believe”.

Danny snickers, “my worshipers? Yeah they’re definitely friends”, looking around as Skulker screws up his face, unsure if Phantom is being serious or not. Danny can see most of his frenemies along with others that are clearly friends with his frenemies. And then...there’s the Box Ghost. Chuckling Danny turns his head back to Skulker, “so what? Me being here will just what? Ghostly ping my friends?”.

Ember snorts and elbows him, “that’s exactly what happens dipstick. So long as they’re in the Zone, they get the call”.

Danny frowns, “well that just won’t do. I’m positive one is firmly not in the Zone”.

Skulker beams, “surely I can hunter them down!”. Wulf nods eagerly and steps up.

Danny actually cackles, “good luck with that one! I’m pretty sure none of you have ever met the other Phantom. Her names Dani, with an ‘i’. Smells the same as me Wulf. But a girl. And Skulker, while I don’t honestly mind the hunting me. If you hunt her, I will skin and eat you. Find her fine, with Wulf. But maybe expect to get your ass kicked by a one-year-old twelve-year-old”, smiling happily at their confused faces, “last time I saw her she punched Vlad in the face. And last I heard she was in New York stealing apples and tricking people into thinking she didn’t have hands”.

Skulker laughs, “oh we are getting her. Not going to question how there’s another Phantom”. Wulf grins and makes a portal, the two leaving.

Ember elbows him again, “you have a daughter?”.

“Technically, she’s Vlad’s”, Ember coughs and chokes slightly at this while Danny continues, “but she’s made from my genetics. So technically, I do”.

Ember shakes her head, “the weirdest things happen to you”.

Danny sighs happily, “I know. It’s great”.

A couple seconds later the Far Frozen enter looking like the tough warriors they are. Scowls on their faces and most with weapons on their belts.

Kitty and Johnny, wrapped up in each other, wander over to Danny. Kitty speaking, “I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen the Yeti ghosts. Scary friends you got”.

Danny just smirks as FrostBite notices him, wide grin breaking out and ears perking. The group of yeti’s follow after him as they all come up and bow before Danny. While all of Danny’s frenemies blink and gape. FrostBite stands, shaking Danny’s hand as he speaks, “it is splendid to see you again Great One! I am unsurprised one such as you is enjoying Halloween Rapine. I do hope it lives up to any expectations you may have”.

Danny chuckles, “I have no clue what’s happening other than ticks and my friends will be showing. I’m already amused”.

ColdStep beams, ears perking up, “you are far too easy to please, but I expect no less from the mighty saviour”.

Danny goes about making friendly with all of them. Receiving plenty of cheer, compliments and bits of devotion. While Johnny whispers to Kitty, “the brat wasn’t kidding. He has worshipers”.

Ember shakes her head, “how did that even happen?”.

Danny chuckles, hands behind his head, as he wanders over to the three, “now that would be telling, wouldn’t it?”.

Not even three seconds later everyone but Danny jumps from a booming voice, “where is he!?!”. Danny spinning his head around with a large grin. Shouting, “Pandora!”, quickly walking towards her and spotting Dorathea slightly behind her, “and Dora! It’s great to see you. How have you two been?”.

Pandora claps him on the shoulder hard but fond, while the Box Ghost promptly hinds behind the Ghost Writer. Pandora’s voice quieter but still booming, “I have been well! And I’m sure you have been busy as ever!”.

Danny chuckles and nods as Dora hugs him tightly, tucking her head under his chin, “Prince Phantom, it’s been too long”.

Danny pats her back, “any length is too long. Your kingdoms been well?”. while the ghosts within ear shoot are, once again, gapping.

Ember giving Danny a questioning look as Dora pulls away, still clinging to his hands. Danny chuckles and looks at Ember, “I’m something of an adoptive brother to Queen Dora here. The rest of you best call her Dorathea”. Dora quickly hugging him again before composing herself into the form of a proper queen and sending a curt nod to the group.

Pandora laughs, “you have truly splendid company! How is lady Phantom?”.

Danny shrugs but points up at her, “no clue but I bet she’ll show now”.

And as if on queue, some seriously wondering if this was planned.

Dani, very obviously related to Danny and a Phantom, comes flying through a portal screaming, “THE MINI GHOST WITH THE MOST IS HERE BITCHES!”. Skulker looking disheveled and a little dented while Wulf is snickering.

Skulker points at Danny, “your child is a menace, Phantom”. Both Phantom’s smirk at that.

Danny points at Dani, “that was, almost, my line you little shit! What were you doing when they showed?”.

Dani digs in her pocket and pulls out an avocado, “stealing avocado’s”. Danny chuckles with a smile, “never change, never change”.

Danny walks to Skulker as Dani catches up with Pandora. Smirking at the hunter, “got beat up?”.

Skulker points at him, “menace. Who’s her mom anyway? Are you even dating?”.

Danny taps his chin and chuckles, “well, technically, the ‘mom’ builds and creates the child, the ‘dad’ just provides genetics. So Vlad is”.

Skulker spits out the drink he had nabbed, “is that serious?”.

Danny smirks, “she’s not related to him but yes. He made her”, patting Skulkers startled arm, “have fun with that knowledge”.

Danny wanders over to the drink table, taking a wine glass of fuchsia ectoplasm and swirling it. The FrightKnight next to him looks around and gives a curt nod, “you have more plentiful allies than expected Phantom”.

Danny chuckles, “not everyone’s here actually. I highly doubt Amorpho counts as a friend but there is one who is definitely not here. But they’ll be on time. They always are”.

The LunchLady coughs, “you are on pleasant terms with that one? The shape-shifter?”.

Danny wiggles his hand in the air, “that’s questionable. We’ve got an agreement, a truce of sorts. Same goes with Nocturne actually”.

FrightKnight nods, “you have strong friends and truces”.

Danny only smiles wildly as a voice sounds from behind them, “indeed he does”.

Danny turns around and smiles at ClockWork, “timely as ever”, looking at the FrightKnight, “which means everyone is indeed here”.

While the FrightKnight is rather confused. He knew most ghosts. Not knowing of lady Phantom made sense, being not a normal or full ghost. But this one, “and who might you be?”.

ClockWork smirks and picks up their own glass of ectoplasm, floating around to be in better view of everyone, “I am a many plentiful thing. Everything you never want anyone to be. Hands on a clock going round and round forever, counting down everything’s existence”.

Technus, who had been walking by, pulls a face, “you have strange friends ghost child”.

Danny blinks at the technology ghost, “sweet Ancients, no monologuing? You sick?”.

Technus blinks, “I’m not doing any evil plots? No reason”.

Danny mouths, ‘wow’. While ClockWork smirks, watching FrostBite side-eyeing them all the while.

FrostBite stands before ClockWork before bowing, “I have seen you in riddles and myths Ancient one. The Great One has mighty alliances”.

ClockWork pats the yetis head, “ever so much more. I do believe I mentor him quite well”. Half the room freezes at that, having not known Phantom actually had a ghost guardian.

FrostBite manages to bow deeper, “then it is an even greater honour to met you”, before standing and nodding his head at Danny, “I feel I should have expected as much, yet you always surprise”.

Danny chuckles, “always will”.

The FrightKnight comes to stand more stiff and before ClockWork, “are you truly an Ancient?”.

Pretty well everyone had gathered around, curious and stunned. None had so much as seen an Ancient ghost.

ClockWork grins, “that I am and more. I am the first. Mortals know me a Father Time and The Norns most commonly. I am ClockWork, master and guardian of time. I have seen every action taken, every word spoken, every choice made. In the past, in the current, and in every possible future there will ever be”.

Danny throws an arm around ClockWork, who shifts into an old man, “the McTimeDaddy! They’re grrrrrrrreat!”.

Ember blinks and mutters, “our opponents are dead, very very dead”.

Danny snorts and points at her, “every fucker here is dead”.

Ember glares, “you know what I mean dipstick”.

“Well, I surely don’t know what you mean by ‘opponents’”.

The FrightKnight nods strongly, “ghosts gather in teams with those they are friendly, and as humans go around for treats, we go around for tricks”.

Kitty blows a bubblegum bubble, making a point to not react to ClockWork shifting into a child as she speaks, “be scary Danny. The gathering with the most scares under their belt wins. You can only actually hit ghosts who have hit you though, so its usually really hands-off”.

Danny smirks, damn well knowing no ghosts really thought him capable of being a scary mother fucker. But Dan got his shit from somewhere and it firmly wasn’t Vlad. “So prank and spread generalised terror to other ghosts? Act out on that ghostly nature, that yes, I absolutely have noticed is stronger closer to Halloween. And everyone hits me so I guess it’s free willy for me”.

Everyone nods while Skulker speaks, “and our first hit is Plasmius-”.

Danny snorts, “Plasmius has friends?”. Quite a few chuckle while Skulker shakes his head, “he’s alone. But well, everyone hates him and he owes me money”.

Danny nods, “fair enough”, while Dani comes up, “I’m skipping that one then. I want nothing to do with Murder Father”.

Danny snorts, “sticking with that title?”.

“He tried to destroy me so it works. Fucking prick”.

Danny, in mock shock, “who taught you to speak like that?”.

Dani grins goofily, “you did!”.

Danny smiles fondly and proud, “damn fucking right I did, you weird-ass daughter of a corpse”.

ClockWork shakes their head with a fond smile, “you have brutalised that phrase to the point it’s almost unrecognisable”, patting Dani’s head and floating in their child form in front of her, “I’ll stay behind with you. Vladimir has no place knowing Daniel’s true mentor”.

Danny chuckles as Dani and ClockWork descend into tale-telling. Before he walks with Skulker and the others to fly to Vlad’s mansion.

Vlad, firmly expecting to get messed with as he was every year, is hardly phased by the floating plates or moaning or random snarls or feral animals chomping at him or eyeballs appearing on things.

Danny watches from afar with Skulker, “he’s really used to this shit I see. I know y’all fuckers probably mean this as a ‘show me how it’s done’ but I’ve got a leg up on this fucker”. Skulker side-eyes Danny slightly, not really believing him. But shrugs, “just don’t embarrass yourself, that’s the opposite of the point”.

Danny snickers, “just know this. I’m not actually injured”. Skulker is honestly more confused because Danny being hurt would not scare anyone actually.

Meanwhile, Danny flies off and duplicates himself. Hiding his duplicates in various parts of the house and, having finally pick up a particular skill of Dan’s, sets them into varying states of seemingly melting into or being ectoplasmic goo. Plastering every face with looks of agony and horror.

Letting the first one seep ectoplasm down from the roof to splash onto Vlad’s desk next to his hand. Vlad rolls his eyes but stills as what looks like Phantoms very gooey melted hand lands on the desk. Promptly screaming like a little girl. Danny snickering, that didn’t take long.

Vlad backs off and heads to the bathroom, fully intending to splash his face with water to make sure he’s not dreaming. Only for a barely intact and crying Phantom head and shoulders to fall out from in the mirror, it’s face slamming into the sink and spattering ectoplasm on Vlad, who stumbles back and falls on his ass.

Vlad looks up as he scrambles to stand, trying to avoid the sight of sink Phantom foaming and overflowing from the sink, making a mess on the floor. Only to scramble faster as a stretched out dissolving Danny torso melts down from the ceiling, splattering to the floor just after he scampers off.

Skulker is firmly gaping from his spot on the hill, impressed and...disturbed. Barely having half the mind to hit record on his binoculars to prove the screams. No one had ever gotten Vlad in years. Watching as another partly melted Phantom staggers down a hall Vlad was hurrying past only to explode. Sending the head flying into the hallway Vlad was in. Vlad turning his head and gagging as the eye flies out and nearly hits him.

Vlad turns to go down into his lab, firmly wanting to make sure there isn’t any experiments going, only to stager down into a goddamn pool of ectoplasm and melting Phantoms. One grabbing onto his rob sleeve making Vlad pass out.

Danny sends away the duplicates and hovers above the unconscious Vlad, “whelp that was exactly as expected. Always is”.

The FrightKnight and FrostBite coming to float next to Danny. FrostBite caps Danny’s shoulder, “remind me to never encourage you to scare me”.

Danny chuckles, “wouldn't dream of it Frosty”.

The FrightKnight shakes his head at Danny, “why did you even need my help with Halloween last year?”.

Danny waves him off, “I was younger then. Plus, I do this to Vlad once every few months or so. He thinks they’re nightmares”.

Ember sticks her head through the ceiling, “not that I’m complaining, but why?????”.

Danny points at her but glares down at Vlad, “so that the idea of cloning me will forever haunt him and be his worst fucking nightmare. In short, intentional traumatisation as revenge”.

The FrightKnight nods, rather impressed, “I’m guessing he did try cloning you and they all melted?”.

Danny grunts as they all fly out through the ceiling and head back, “all but one, but he wanted that one to melt”.

Ember grumbles, “that asshole. Mini Phantom’s adorable”.

Danny points at her aggressively as they land back in the Nightmare Castle, “damn fucking straight”.

ClockWork smiles at the group while Dani’s off stuffing her face, turning her head and a hand a-hundred and eighty degrees, waving and smiling. Multiple other ghosts jerking slightly.

Danny shakes his head and walks over, “you're doing wrong. You’re missing the neck-snapping sound and you’re supposed to grin maliciously”. ClockWork grimaces slightly at Danny using his, creatively named, ‘murder voice’ A.K.A. Dan’s deep evil sounding voice, Danny speaking, “it also helps to say”, deep voice, “hello Dani”.

Technus screws up his face, seriously wondering why that particular tone was deeply unnerving.

Skulker grunts, “menace”, and holds up his binoculars, pointing at the Box Ghost who, like usual, was forced to be the scorekeeper, because he couldn’t scare for a damn. Skulker speaking, “we got five, goddamn five, on Vlad”.

Danny points at him, “that was all me Skulkie”. Skulker nods, not even bothering to deny that after the crap Phantom pulled.

The FrightKnight looks around and nods, “our next hit is an actual gathering. Walker’s”. Pretty well everyone grins maliciously at that.

Danny points, “his ‘gathering’ is just his goons and Bullet ain’t it?”. Danny chuckles at everyone’s nods.

Danny smirks and wanders to a room with a mirror as everyone else busy with getting this or that ready. Popping out and basically polishing his fangs, this was a great excuse to have the massive bastards out. Knowing full well only ClockWork had actually seen them. Was way too easy to hurt himself if he kept them out in fights. Ruffling his hair to make his tapered ears more noticeable, before tapping his chin. Floating out and over to ClockWork, testing his elbow on the elderly looking ghost, “question. Will the Observants assault me if I pull a Dan? Seeing as I know you know I’ve got that whole transform into any version or age of myself thing down?”.

ClockWork smirks almost cruelly, “sur-”, they don’t even get to finish as screaming from the Observants fills the Zone. Two suddenly appearing in front of Danny. One pointing at him, “absolutely not”.

Danny smirks, “so that's a yes then? Great”, clapping the Observant who was the one in charge of watching him, as every ghost had their own Observant, “I appreciate your support”, the Observant shrieks in annoyance and the two just leave.

The Box Ghost shrugs, “counts”, and adds one more scream.

Danny and ClockWork smile, Danny speaking, “actually, add about ten thousand”. Looking at ClockWork, who says, “eleven thousand and eight”.

Danny blinks and grins, “wow, that many still haven’t gone numb to my shit?”. While everyone else looks at him.

Skulker muttering as he walks over, “you caused that loud screaming?”.

Danny smirks, “I traumatised the Observants too. That and I’m also horrifyingly difficult to them”.

ClockWork nods at Skulker, “they glimpsed the future without proper context. Believed the apocalypse was happening-”. Danny cuts in, “again”. ClockWork picks back up, “-technically never. But, that’s what you get for viewing in passing and with only an eye for futures not presents. It is our present and past that gives us our meaning and definition”.

FrostBite comes up laughing, “though I’m sure time-travel messes with that some!”.

Danny grins, “oh you have no idea. Least I ain’t traumatised by it”, before scooting off to be alone.

Skulker wants to ask what the Zone Phantom did to traumatise the Observants of all ghosts, as a whole, but he also firmly doesn’t want to engage with the Ancient Time Ghost.

Meanwhile, Danny snaps his fingers dramatically and transforms into an adult version of his full ghost self. Only difference between this form and Dan is the lack of red eyes and slightly greener skin. Skin hardly mattered, eyes well, Danny smirks down at the little set of red contacts that weren’t there before, promptly putting them in. Even if it’s was extremely weird and hard to do that with fucking claws and fucking eight-feet tall.

Doing poses and makes faces at the mirror. He firmly wasn’t Dan but he was at least attempting to play the part, minus gratuitous mass murder, for today. Spinning around and swishing the cape, “oh fuck yeah, let’s kill this shit”. Screwing up his face and laughing, that sounded fucking weird with his murder voice.

Dora walks over to Dani, “lady Phantom, what is Prince Phantom endeavouring?”.

Dani giggles, “putting on a costume, sorta”.

Kitty shakes her head, “how human. That sort of thing hardly phases ghosts, he does know that right?”.

Dani snickers, “oh he’s doing it like how Amorpho does it. Very ghostly”.

Johnny blinks and leans over Kitty’s shoulder, “the little punk can shape-shift??? Since when?”.

ColdStep laughs, “who knows? I’ve never seen it myself. Same as his wail. There are things the great one can do that he seldom does”.

Johnny is a little thrown by the whole ‘great one’ thing but it’s whatever, some yetis want to worship the brat, fine. While Skulker walks over hurriedly, wanting any new information on his favourite prey, “wail? Are you saying that Danny’s scream is an attack?”.

ClockWork, far more interested in being a startling bastard than food, claps Skulker on the shoulder, “indeed. It can destroy weaker ghosts and level cities. You all highly underestimate him. I am his guardian because I am the only ghost he can’t destroy should he choose”.

Skulker pulls a face and coughs, “I find that very difficult to believe”. Only to jump from one of the doors getting kicked open dramatically.

Everyone turns their heads, full well knowing that was Phantom and his dramatics. Everyone gaping or sputtering utterly confused, a couple basically shrieking, “FUCKING ANCIENTS!”, before looking at the one Ancient present awkwardly. As Danny stomps through the door, flames in his footprints, and a cruel smirk on a downright threatening face.

Danny walks over to ClockWork, Dora, Skulker, Johnny, Kitty, ColdStep, and Dani. ColdStep has to actually look up at Danny, ears flicking back and down, “great one? What is this? It is....very unpleasant”.

While Danny stares down and crosses his arms at Skulker, who sputters, “o-okay, I b-believe it”. Johnny grumbles, “what kind of shape-shifting even is this?”.

Danny smirks cruelly, “I am the madness that lurks, violent instincts of mass destruction and brutalisation. Because you haven’t a clue that sanity can be nullified. The one who tears at flesh like snakes”, flicking out his forked tongue and giving a slight hiss.

Skulker stares, those are some serious fangs and the fucks up with the tongue?, “oh fuck me. This is horrifying”. Ember comes up and pokes one of Danny’s massive biceps, “Zone, they’re real. How???”.

Danny shrugs, dropping the whole ‘evil thing’, murder voice staying because of the form making it the ‘natural’ voice, “simply put, I can transform to any state or age of myself. This is full ghost and 24”, snickering, “and red contacts”.

Kitty blinks, “this is how you’d look if your human half died? Just older?”.

Danny nods, “and this”, transforming to his current age full ghost self, the same as young Dan minus the eyes of course and slight skin tone change, “this is current age”, sticking out and flicking his tongue at her before changing back to the older form.

The Box Ghost floats over slowly, “FEARSOME PHANTOM! THE BOX GHOST APPROVES!”.

Danny squints at him, “see you, you’re useful cause nothing fucking scares you”, smirking and giving an exaggerated mocking shrug, “but I'm sure if I take a hand or two as a sssssnack, you might learn a lesson”, chuckling darkly, “or two”.

The Box Ghosts backs up slightly, while Danny laughs loudly. Danny turns his head to The FrightKnight, who’s now a bit shorter than him, “so when we doing this shit? Do some bone-cracking?”, Danny holds up an arm and uses body manipulation to ‘snap’ it, sound included.

Ember looks from Danny’s to the ground, and grins maliciously, “Walker is very very dead”, pointing at Danny, “don't you dare say it”.

“Oh but it’s...inevitable”. ClockWork glares at Danny for that one.

The FrightKnight looks around seems to be smiling, nodding curtly, “LET US RISE!”, before everyone’s flies out followings the FrightKnight’s lead.

Walker, like Vlad, expects to get messed with constantly. Such is the price of trying to achieve some order in this damn place. He knew well enough to hide his rule book but firmly gapes as a purple cloaked ghost seemingly just floats past carrying it like a library book. Flying out after the thief, never noticing the bulky black and white ghost slink into his office. Danny chuckles, sneaking was harder with the bigger form but that wasn’t what Dan did. Brute force didn’t scare Walker though, which is probably why Dan just flat-out destroyed him; instead of handicapping him. Danny was just going to be a dick and creepy.

Cackling as he leaves harsh claw marks strategically. Filling the guys' drawers with blood, this was not one of the way he ever imagined his massive stockpiling of supplement blood, invaded of severe injury, would be useful. Ember floats next to him after hooking up distortion speakers to release barely audible out of beat taps and whispers, “why do you just so happen to have massive amounts of blood and ectoplasm lying around?”.

Danny chuckles darkly, “what can I say? I like to collect beautiful things and I do so love a good bloodbath”.

Ember backs off slightly, “you know, scaring us is counterproductive. Fucking Ancients, where has this side of you been hiding?”.

Danny stands up and looks around. The place looked suitably disgusting and battered, especially is precious chair. Side-eyeing Ember, “underneath the flesh-bag I shockingly failed to mangle”, shrugging, “and y’all have seen this side, just less concentrated. My true enemies are more familiar with ‘goddamn body horror bastard Danny’. Y’all usually get goofy Danny”.

Ember shakes her head as they leave and hide in a nearby cell, “I think I'm content with goofy dipstick”, chuckling, “you know, everyone thought you’d be a weak link. Invited more for your friends”.

Danny chuckles quietly, “well that’s a mistake best corrected. Slowly...with a smile”.

Ember looks at his toothy grin with slight worry, “uh, teach our foes that lesson. Also, you wind up with massive fangs”.

Danny cackles quietly at that, “oh they’ve already come in this size”.

She coughs, “seriously?”, shaking her head at his nodding, “then I guess it’s you who has to grow into them”. Both go quiet as a pissed off Walker starts walking over.

Walker pauses and looks around at the dents and scratches in hall and shakes his head. Subtle was more effective on him but he wasn’t going to let that show. Marking up his prison definitely bugged him.

Ember smirks over noticing Walker is walking a bit stiffer, well damn. She practically has to sit on Danny’s shoulder to fit in their hiding spot, neither being able to phase through walls here. She’s tempted to give him shit for that but Walker might hear.

Walker opens his door and stares, growling at the destruction. Stomping to grab his baton and firmly ignoring the occasional screams from his goons, opening the drawer to find it full of blood. Gritting out, “Phantom”, no one else would have such disrespect and access to human things. Though this was a bit off and disgusting, even for that punk.

Danny smirks over hearing his name, whispering to Ember, “nothing bugs him more than being wrong and the unknown”.

Ember’s got no clue how Danny’s going to achieve that, when Walker clearly knew he was involved. While Danny stands and lets out a deep, heavily reverberating cackle. Which she absolutely shivers from, because damn, part of her is really not looking forward to him ever actually having this voice. She’s assuming the harshness of it is why the sound makes her throat ache.

Walker whips around, that was not Phantom’s voice and he did not like it. Who else could it be though. Sticking his head out the door, only for a massive hand to grab his throat and slam him into the wall.

Groaning and blinking to see a face that seems straight out of his nightmares inches from his own. Snarling with massive fangs in the edge of Walker’s vision. Walker can’t really move and chokes out, “who-who are you?”, trying to keep the waver out of his voice.

Danny tilts his head, rolls his eyes exaggeratedly and cackles; before snapping his teeth right in front of Walker’s eyes. Laughing then, “oh I’m just a silly little thing. Just a pussy cat who’s found a little string”.

Walker gulps and can feel in move near painfully past the ghost's hand.

Danny licks up the side of Walker’s face, “it’ssssss been a while. You going to stay down like a good little mutt this time? or do I have to tear your skull out through your metaphorical intestines”, Danny rubs together his thumb and pointer finger with a nonchalant smirk, “not that I would mind. It was quite...delectable last time”, chuckling as he cups and pinches Walker’s cheeks and chin, Danny was probably enjoying this a little to much, “but of course you don’t remember that. What a perfect excuse to play this little...game again”.

Danny tosses Walker down the hall and rolls his eyes exaggeratedly as he shuffled across the ground to get away, mouth gabbing all the while. Danny chuckles, “what? Cat got your tongue. Why don’t I take a peek and check?”, walking towards him with flames licking his feet and footsteps, crawling up the walls, “who could blame me if I happen to tear it out by mistake?”, Danny shrugs.

Walker is making something close to a terrified whine when Ember pops up behind him covered in ectoplasm and pretends to vomit on him, seeing that and thinking this random ghost had damn murdered her, Walker flat-out shrieks. Flying out of the hallway and getting splattered in ectoplasm in the process.

Danny still feeling rather vengeful, stalks out after Walker with an amused smirk. Ember grimacing at him as he goes. Danny chuckles and drags his claws across bars and makes loud painful scrapping noises across the walls, “oh come now, I just want to play? Don’t you know how to have a little fun?”. Multiple totality m that spot him immediately start screaming.

Danny kicks open the door to the cafeteria, where he can smell Walker, and lets ecto-flames burst out from behind him. Pandora gapes at the scene for a second, but Walker spots that and is officially convinced that this ghost is not part of their group. About to go on the attack before the ghost coats the entire damn room in flames and cackles loudly. Walker passes out.

Bullet, seeing this crap from afar shakes his head, “nope. I don’t get paid enough for this shit”.

Danny frowns deeply and throws up his hand, “ah come on!”, slouching over severely and letting his arms dangle before lift a hand and snapping his claws, all the ecto-flames going out instantly.

Ember walks up and pokes Danny, who straightens up, “dipstick. I am seriously glad you aren’t our opponent. The absolute fuck?”.

Pandora’s voice booms amongst more screaming goons, being chased off by snakes and monster heads, “I’m quite impressed actually! Even if your look seems to make all my joints ache”.

Danny tilts his head wondering if all the ghosts had a bodily memory of the shit Dan did. Looking to ClockWork with a raised eyebrow, who’s terrorising a few goons with ticking nosies and random perpetually spinning gears. ClockWork gives him a little nod. Whelp, that’s pretty fucked up. But whatever, he’s past his Dan issues.

Danny smiles over the Lunch-Lady terrifying the Zone out goon with chuckle legs. Poindexter is just floating around people ominously and fake bleeding. Dora is pulling the whole dragon eyes and tongue; which Danny beams over. Danny launches near here and slams his claws against the ground next to goons head, baring his teeth wide and letting his tongue lashing at the air; his loudly all the while. The goon passes out. Danny and Dora glance at each other and exchange toothy grins and little thumbs up.

As they all set to head out, fully amused and satisfied with their terrorising, Ember elbows him, “seriously, what the fuck. I though you legit lost it and we’re going to murder him. Which is weird Phantom. You licked him? Why???”.

Danny shrugs, “see that I found pretty funny. Licky licky”, sticking his tongue out and snickering at it, “I just can’t take the tongue seriously. It’s so silly”.

Multiple ghosts grunt, “gonna disagree”.

While Danny points around at different ghosts, “plus, you try watching your shit around humans constantly. The very simplest shit is insanely off and creepy to them. Can’t even growl. So yeah, the being fearsome shit gets pent up”.

The FrightKnight instantly nods, made perfect sense. Slamming a hand on his sword, “then you need Halloweens Rapine even more”.

Danny shrugs, “probably”.

Not even eleven minutes after they get back they get raided themselves. It’s the harpy clans from The Blazes Cross. Danny just snarls at, makes ‘come hither’ motions at, or starts acting like a cat stalking prey, any who genuinely try to startle him. Shaking his head at Poindexter shrieking and batting wildly at the air. But snorting and laughing at Skulker doing the same. By the time all the Harpies have left around half the group had gotten startled enough to make something resembling a scream.

Danny punches the Box Ghost lightly, “I might be nearly as hard to scare as you I think”.

Skulker shakes his head, “of course you are, we expected that. Considering how used to being stalked or ghosts cropping up randomly you are. Not to mention getting beat up or seeing things you’ve never seen before”.

Johnny nods and leans against a wall, “you’ve probably seen shit no one else ever has”, either that everyone looks to ClockWork. Someone no one else had ever truly seen or met. ClockWork bows ever so slightly in response.

Kitty points at ClockWork, “you and the Observants have an unfair advantage with this technically. Since you know what people will do before they do it. If I’m guessing your powers right”.

Danny chuckles, “sometimes the best scares are the ones that stalk. The thing slowly dragging itself across the ground to chase you into a spiral of constant paranoia, till your mind begins to splint and crack at the seams. Consciousness and sanity pulled too taught till it snaps, nothing left but horror and absolution. Only then it springs, shredding your being till you match your hollowed-out shell of a mind”, waving his clawed hand lazily in the air, “I recommend going for the intestines. They’re the showiest”.

Technus blinks, “did you just monologue us? About drawn-out murder of all things? A villainous monologue?”, Technus grins and wipes away a proud tear.

The Box Ghost nods, “YOU COULD CERTAINLY BE ENTIRELY FEARSOME IF YOU TRIED! NOT AS FEARSOME AS THE MIGHTY BOX GHOST OF COURSE!”. Multiple ghosts shake their heads at him. Ember crosses her arms after she grabbed some snacks, “well I for one am glad you’re not a so-called bad guy”.

ClockWork nods, “that is indeed a future or present you should never seek to see nor truly know”.

Johnny’s shadow instantly starts laughing and Betrax, a friend of Kitty, snickers into her hand, “Phantom? Evil? Ridiculous”.

Danny rubs his neck and shrugs a little, “you’re faith in me is nice but misplaced. ClockWork isn’t my guardian in the traditional sense”.

ClockWork, deciding to be a little shit, freezes Danny and bops him on the nose with their scythe, “indeed. It’s my duty to destroy him should certain things ever come to pass”, shrugging and unfreezing Danny, spinning their scythe, “now of course I never would let it”.

Danny just chuckles and shakes his head, Skulker points are Danny, “see that is why you basically can’t be startled or scared”, shrugging with a slight smirk, “but I guess we all do have our dark sides”.

Danny points at him, “mine is vantablack”.

The FrightKnight looks around and, sensing the time, nods, “we've done extremely well. Getting the Observants pretty well guarantees our win. So it’s about time for the final hora! The mortals!”.

Both Dani and Danny blink, “excuse?”.

Kitty waves off his slight growl, “not your humans you, currently oversized, protective bastard”.

Danny looks at ClockWork, “is this even actually okay?”.

ClockWork nods, “outside of Amity and with Technus taking out the camera, yes. Though it is rather late, surely it is quite the time for you to lazy about”, Danny easily gets the message of ‘you’ll probably kill someone if you put in any real effort’ as ClockWork winks.

The FrightKnight chuckles slightly, “with mortals lazy works. So easily frightened”.

ClockWork nods, “they have quite the ingrained fear and horror towards that which reads as predatory. Especially some being that has been predatory to them once before. Unremembered or not”. Again the message of ‘everyone is going to be terrified of you because they subconsciously remember you violently murdering them’ is very obvious.

Danny nods slightly nervously as they head out to the human world via Wulf’s portal.

Danny floats next to the FrightKnight, “so hows this work? Oh frightful one?”.

Chuckling slightly, “we lurk, move things around, making strange noises, stare from dark corners. No actual attacking”.

Danny smiles, good then, harmless and this explains all the myths about ghosts.

Kitty shakes her head at Danny, “your oversized will have a hard time of that. Be hard to lurk or slink”.

Danny grins maliciously, “you forget. I know humans far better”, Danny leans he’s head of the ledge of a building roof, cackling deep and reverberating down at the street. The other ghosts raising their eyebrows as every human in earshot jerks to a stop, looks around in nervous paranoia, and then speed walks out of the area.

Danny points at the few ghosts who were around him, the rest all throughout the town causing mischief, “ClockWork meant something with what he said earlier. Every human that exists is subconsciously terrified of me, if I behave a certain way”, shrugging, “my cackle especially”.

Everyone squints at him disbelievingly as they all head out. Danny hopping down into an alleyway. Deciding to sit down, cross his ankles, have a cup of ecto-coffee, and read the newspaper; he just lets his ghostly aura out fully. Letting it carry cackles and ghosts of the feeling of his claws and teeth. Having to move spots every so often as the area clears out people. Everyone else getting very confused by the strange behaviour of the humans. Poindexter eventually happening upon Danny sipping at his coffee, “are you not try at all buster?”.

Danny lifts his head and sniffs the air, “actually I’ll have to move again soon here. Scared all the humans off with my presence”. Poindexter chuckles but indeed follows Danny as he floats up above a building. Soon to be joined by Kitty and Johnny.

Johnny shakes his head, “most have run home, but the rest seem to be gathering in the centre of town. Weird living creatures”.

Danny tilts his head and mentally maps every spot he had been before snorting. He had been accidentally herding them. Grinning maliciously, “a little corral of lambs”.

Johnny rolls his eyes, “at least you’re putting in some effort. Though we can hardly get these humans when they’re all gathered like this”.

“Course, safety in numbers. The same thing sheep do when stalked by a wolf. And if you sick the wolf inside a room with a hundred sheep, the wolf will die. But get a monster, and what the sheep do doesn’t even matter. They are nothing and they know it”. All three squint at him before following after him as he floats to the centre of town.

The four spots most of the other ghosts from their group. Skulker is shaking his head in annoyance, “what are we supposed to do with this? It’s well lit, crowded and noisy”.

Danny rubs his neck, “eh my fault. Unintentionally stalked and herded them. Easier to pick off crowds. Not for this of course”.

Danny looks around at the others, all trying to be creepy. Some working but mostly people just take comfort in the bright lights and close people. Danny looks down and smirks cruelly, he wasn’t going to mess this night up for everyone and, well, he just really wants to be a scary bastard ghost right now okay? Letting his ghostly aura fully out but sending it to circle around the humans, in ever-increasingly tight circles.

Skulker raises an eyebrow, “why are they bundling together so heavily?”.

Danny chuckles, “if you push a bunch of humans together enough, you get panic. They’re reacting to my ghostly aura”.

Everyone raises at least one eyebrow so Danny coils his aura thick and heavy around them. Watching as their faces drop and they all look at Danny with deep concern.

Ember muttering, “your aura is...it’s....there’s not really a word for this but it’s...not fun and very sharp”.

Danny points at her, “the word you’re looking for is predatory. My aura is all fangs, and teeth, and claws. It’s not a threat or a warning, but a promise of suffering should you cross it”.

Kitty grumbles, “who knew Phantom could be such an ominous bastard”.

Everyone watching as Danny floats to crouch on a light post in the very centre, the light bulb creaking and blinking out while his cape draped down. The light going out allows for all the other lights to cast shadows and light all over Danny. Not enough to truly make out anything more than the outline. Instantly the humans scatter, booking it back to their homes, none daring to look back to the thing that just screamed wrong and danger and death.

The other ghosts coming to float around Danny, highly confused. While Danny nods curtly, “well, anything more than that and someone might keel over”.

Multiple ghosts shake their head, while Skulker pats Danny shoulder, “whelp. I’m impressed and confused. Since the nights pretty well over, i heard you have a scream power?”.

Danny looks around, searches the sky to make sure it’s clear, then nods before tilting his head back and fucking wailing his Ghostly Wail.

Everyone who isn’t one of Danny’s true friends, and Dani, jumps or jerks, a couple even swearing. The air itself seeming to shake from the power of it alone.

Danny stops before it threatens to make him transform back human. Looking around and smirking, “my ‘lets fuck shit up’ power. Reserved for desperate times”.

Johnny mutters, “damn well better be”. As they all head back.

Everyone hangs around the castle until the results come in around one a.m. The FrightKnight handing out the bags of winners chocolate. Danny snickering at his, back in his normal Phantom form, “treats after the trick. Nice”. Most of the other ghosts in the Zone chalking up the FrightKnight’s gatherings win due to the FrightKnight himself, not thinking anything of Phantom.

End.

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royvlsrp · 5 years ago

Text

beep boop / ch. 1

Jax came to the door, his parents were said to come pick him up to go to dinner which he assumed wasn’t a good sign but he dressed up anyway. What he hadn’t expected though, was for a strange man to be with his parents, “Hi.” he said as he shook the man’s hand before looking at both of his parents, “is this some kind of intervention? Because Danni needs it way more than I do and I don’t think it’s fair.”

“it’s not an intervention, can we come in?” His mother asked, “no, why?” His father sighed, shaking his head, “we’re coming in.” They pushed their way past Jax to his bare home, his parents were surprised but at the same time not. A reminder of the good timing of their decision. “We want you to meet Robert Hall, he’s our present to you.” “What?” “We got you an android.” Jax laughed at this, “What? Why? No.” Jax looked at Robert, did he look like an android? His handshake was steady, voice was normal, he looked so real, felt so real. “Can we uh–can we talk in the other room? Alone?”

His parents conceded and Jax closed the door to his room, “what the hell are you guys thinking? Are you out of your mind? You know people get those for sex stuff, right?” “well your mother and I met a nice rep and he told us all about it. They have some that help you around the house too, we’re getting one of those coming the next month.” his mother interrupted, “You’re never going to meet anyone on your own, he might be a nice way to break the ice. Get you to see that dating ain’t so bad” “wait, you got me a fake boyfriend? Are you serious?” “he’s hardly fake. they’re legally recognized now, you could marry him and adopt kids, the whole thing.”

Jax looked at his parents like they had grown a second head, “in what world does any of that make sense? I’m not marrying a robot, what the fuck?” he ran a hand through his hair, “why did you pick that one, anyway? He’s way older–does he eat? Do I have to budget for a whole other–this is stupid.” He opened the door and stepped back out, “sorry buddy, not sure what they told you but you’re going to have to go back. Turns out, I don’t need you.”

#ah 1

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funeral-clown · 5 years ago

Text

at last, beth, the triad is complete

gay lawyers

Kevin Punt was an asshole. Violent. Angry. Sadistic.

You know, an asshole.

When Nelson and Murdock put him away for a few years, Foggy started resting a bit easier. Not much, because, well. Drop in the ocean. And. Well. Crime fighting partner with a masochistic streak. And. W e l l.

He didn’t sleep much.

But he slept better after locking Kevin Punt behind bars.

So when his parole hearing came up, he and Matt were quick to retake the case. The evidence was irrefutable, and the last thing they wanted was a monster like him back on the streets.

Kevin Punt’s family was, to say the least, not pleased.

“Ma’am,” Matt interjected in his best ‘I am a sexy blind lawyer, please give me your attention and listen to me and maybe take your shirt off if you want haha just kidding but seriously listen to me’ voice (although that may just be Foggy’s interpretation). “I’m sorry you have to go through this again. But the fact of the matter is, your cousin was guilty. No one wants to face their family members’ dark side, but in Mr. Punt’s case, his violent tendencies and criminal persuasions make him a danger to the public.”

“My cousin,” the young woman hissed back, tears burning in her eyes like rage, “Was innocent. You’re liars. You’re as corrupt as everyone else in this damn city!”

“Hey,” Foggy began, “I know it’s hard to hear-”

His frankly very soothing tone apparently did not work. It was possible his frustration was poking through.

“He’s innocent! He would never hurt anyone, he’s just confused!”

“Sure,” Matt sighed, exhausted, “He didn’t commit egregious acts of violence. He just stumbled into that store owner with a baseball bat. Multiple times.”

“That’s unsubstantiated!”

“There was VIDEO!”

“Doctored evidence!”

“Miss Punt,” Matt broke through, a hint of his alter ego breaking through the thin veneer of civility, “I offer my condolences again. One can’t choose their relatives, and I admire your support. But I’m going to have to insist you leave.”

She stiffened.

“Fine,” she snapped, “But we’ll see how you silver-tongued lawyers do in court when the truth comes out.”

“Pretty sure we’ll rock it, ok, thanks for coming in! Bye!” Foggy watched as she stormed out the door. “Aaaaand she’s gone. Jesus, the whackadoo apple must consist of the whole family tree.”

Matt hummed.

“It was a little weird though, wasn’t it?”

“What?”

“What she said. That last bit.”

Foggy shrugged.

“You didn’t see it, but she had desperate written all over her. She’s just another grieving family member with false hope. Sad, but not exactly uncommon. I expected her to say fake news next.”

Matt stared at the door, considering.

“Yeah,” he muttered.

“Anyway, are you hungry? I could murder some pad thai.”

Matt snorted, and the daily lunch argument began. The strange encounter soon fled to the back of his mind.

For the moment.

When Matt came in for work the next morning, his body was still sore from a relatively painful night. Not too much activity, with his reputation, but it just meant the people who were out and about were more prepared than usual. The armor could only do so much against a taser. Still, the ache was good. It was the ache of a job well done, an ache that saved lives. He took a quiet pride in it, in what his body could do. That said, the day would look much better after a cup of coffee.

“Wow,” Foggy remarked fondly, “You look like hell.”

Matt groaned.

“Do you ever get sick of making that pun?”

“Nah,” he said, “It feels fresh every time. Besides, you like the puns.”

“No, they’re childish and lame,” Matt says.

This is not what comes out of Matt’s mouth.

“Yes, the teasing is a comforting reminder of how far we’ve come since you first discovered my vigilantism. I was afraid of losing you, and the fact that we can now openly joke about it is reassuring.”

Foggy stared, cup halfway to his mouth.

“Uh. Wow, buddy. Thanks for the. Honesty?”

Matt frowned.

“That’s. Not what I meant to say.”

“No, don’t wig out now. It’s kinda refreshing, not having to guess what you’re thinking.”

“Yeah,” Matt said dubiously, “I keep a lot of things private from you because I fear for your safety, and I know it frustrates you but I’m not willing to put you in harm’s way for my own sake.”

Matt glared down at his hands. Foggy’s eyes widened in shock.

“Are you feeling okay?”

Matt’s eyes snapped up.

“Foggy.”

“Matthew,”

“Lie to me.”

Foggy stood up, leaning over his desk.

“What’s that?”

“Lie to me. Something’s wrong. I need to make sure it’s just me.”

He could feel Foggy look him over.

“You look the same, pal. And by that I mean extremely attractive.”

Foggy breathed in sharply. Matt smirked.

“Let me guess.”

“I didn’t mean to say that!”

“Foggy. Something is very wrong.”

“I stole your pillow in college because it smelled like you and it helped me fall asleep!”

“Fog, I. You. Jesus, Foggy!”

“I need to leave right now immediately.”

Before he could stop him, his partner had grabbed his jacket and was out the door.

“Wait!” he called out. But Foggy was already gone.

Danny hummed thoughtfully over the phone, staring in consideration at the paper in front of him.

“Well, it’s a good thing you called me.”

Matt sighed.

“I couldn’t think of anyone else, and if I could have I would have called literally anyone else.”

“Hey!”

“Rand, I can’t help it! I’m compelled to honesty!”

“Doesn’t mean you have to be a jerk. Well, more of a jerk than usual.”

Matt grit his teeth.

“You’re a man with the heart of a child and the power of at least a MINOR god, I don’t think you’re very responsible and quite frankly while I’m very proud of the strides you’ve taken with your company and wouldn’t want it in any other hands I’m morally opposed to billionaires.”

Danny nodded, beginning to fold creases into the paper.

“Yeah, sounds like a truth spell buddy. You piss off any witches?”

“None that I know of.”

Danny shrugged.

“I just shrugged.”

“I could hear it.”

“You can hear shrugs?”

“Danny.”

“Look, best I can say is let it runs it’s course. These type of things are meant to teach us lessons.”

“I don’t have time for zen bullshit!”

“Sure, Catholic. Also tampering with the spell might make it permanent. Which.”

“Fuck.”

“Have fun saying your Hail Mary’s for that.”

“Good bye, Daniel.”

“Bye, Matt!”

He waited for the click before presenting the table with a perfectly folded paper football.

“You ready for this, Luke?”

“Oh, I was born ready.”

“Foggy,” Matt’s phone politely informed him. “Foggy. Foggy. Fo-”

“Answer,” he snapped.

“It’s a truth spell!” Foggy blurted.

“Yeah, I know. I talked to Danny.”

“Rand? Really?”

“He was on a magical temple for most of his life. How did you figure it out?”

“I just asked Stephen Strange.”

“What?”

“I’m his lawyer. And I never grumble at him, so he likes me better.”

“What did Strange have to say?”

“He said it would probably run about a week, and if he tampered with it it might become permanent.”

“Sounds about the same.”

“You know who did this, right?”

“Punt.”

Foggy growled.

“I am getting really sick of that family, Matt.”

“It’ll be over soon.”

“This is going to make working on the case hell.”

“Why?”

“Because now I have to actively resist telling everyone I know that you’re Daredevil. And I have to actively resist telling you that I-”

The dial tone clicked.

Foggy had apparently found a loophole.

It was awkward. They both left the room multiple times. Matt didn’t know what Foggy was keeping secret, but he sure as hell wasn’t about to admit he was in love with him. Even if it was obvious to everyone else.

“You know,” Foggy remarked over noodles, “This curse sucks, but like. It kinda evens the playing field.”

Matt quirked an eyebrow.

“Well, I mean. You can tell I’m lying whenever you want. But. Now I know for sure you’re not lying to me, either.”

“I’m sorry I hurt your trust enough that you worry about that.”

“I’m sorry you felt you couldn’t trust me.”

“I didn’t want to put you in harm’s way.”

“I’d put myself in harm’s way for you any day. We’re bros.”

Matt bit his tongue.

“Matt?”

Matt bit harder.

“Matt, what the fuck your mouth is bleeding! What’s going on?”

“I’m trying to keep things to myself,” he grunted, hoarse.

“Jesus, Matt, do I need to leave?”

“I never want you to leave.”

“What?”

“I never want you to leave.”

Foggy paused, wheeling the chair around the desk to be knee to knee with him. He radiated caution.

“Well. I never want to have to leave you, buddy.”

“I don’t,” Matt choked out, throat closing from the strain of keeping the words down, “Want to be your buddy.”

Foggy smelled hurt.

“What?”

“Foggy. I don’t just want to be your buddy.”

Foggy gulped.

“I’ve been trying really hard, here, Matty.”

“I know.”

“I don’t. Want to misunderstand. But it hurts to not say what I want to say. What I’ve always wanted to say. And I don’t. I don’t want to say it, if you’re. If you’re not gonna say it back. Not gonna feel it back.”

“Foggy,” Matt whispered.

“Matt.”

“I knew you took my pillow.”

“I know you knew.”

“I never asked to switch back.”

“No, you didn’t.”

Foggy’s hand shook as it reached forward and rested on Matt’s. His skin nearly screamed at the sensation, aching all over from the long time sense he had last been touched like this. Carefully. As if he were fragile. As if he could break.

“Foggy,” he breathed.

“I really want to kiss you,” he admitted, half hope and half rue.

“I’ve wanted you to kiss me for almost 7 years.”

“Well,” Foggy leaned in, “Better late than never.”

It was soft, and firm, and a little wet. It was an everyday, normal, average kiss.

Matt lit up everywhere like an electric panel, gasping as the sensation washed over him. Gripping his hair, he pulled Foggy in deeper, opening his mouth in an attempt to steal back his breath.

“I love you,” he whispered into his mouth, “I think I might have loved you my entire life. I just didn’t know it yet.”

Foggy’s hands tightened around his thighs.

“I love you too. I’ve loved you since we first met. I��ve loved you for so long I don’t know how not to love you.”

“Don’t learn,” Matt hissed, fierce. “Don’t learn how. If you left I’d be lost.”

“Don’t worry, Matty,” Foggy laughed, pulling him in closer by his tie, “You’re the fast learner.”

The trial wasn’t very long. They presented the evidence, spoke of the victim’s family, mentioned his irrational behavior, spoke of the personal threats they’d received in the mail.

Every word of it was honest and true.

Kevin Punt did not receive parole.

His cousin stood in the audience, crying as he was taken away, screaming threats.

“It’s true,” she whispered. “He really did those terrible things.”

Foggy lay a comforting hand on her elbow.

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way.”

She nodded, sniffling.

“Also, you’re a bitch for placing that spell on us.”

She stiffened, before sighing and nodding again.

“I just wanted him to have every chance.”

Foggy squeezed her elbow and left.

“I guess I deserved that. You make someone speak truth, he’ll call you a bitch.”

“Oh, he would have called you that anyway.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t like it when his privacy is invaded. I should know, I’m Da-”

“MATT. I need you to come take me home until this thing wears off!”

Matt turned towards the door.

“Be right there, sweetheart.”

He offered his arm to the woman.

“Thank you.”

“For what? I need you to lead me to my partner.”

“Oh! Right, I’m sorry.”

“Not a problem.”

Bitch, he added silently.

“We’re going to have victory sex after this,” he added.

“The spell wore off after the hearing!”

“I know,” he was giddy, “I just wanted everyone to know. I’m a very lucky man.”

“That you are, Matt,” Foggy took his arm from the stricken woman and gave his hand a squeeze. “That you are.”

“Did you just wink at me?”

“Yup.”

“Good.”

There were some benefits to honesty.

#mattfoggy #beth this is the final part of the honesty trilogy #a witch made them do it and by do it i mean communicate openly and honestly #daredevil

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dear-arin-hanson · 5 years ago

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Day 3: "You know what? Fuck Santa!" // EgoBang

You know what, Fuck Santa!" Mr and Mrs. Hanson were going to be working late on the ranch and little 8 year old Arin couldn't be left alone and would too fussy to stay very long with the horses. His mom left the stables long enough to pick him up from school and take him to the Avidan household. His mom asked where he wanted to go while mommy and daddy worked, she said he could pick any friend from school to ask to go play with, but each time it was Danny. "Are you sure?" She'd ask with an amused smile. "Dan's house! Dan's house! Dan's house!" He'd chant and kick his feet in his booster seat as she looked at him through her rearview mirror with a smile. It was so cute. When they get there he is running to the door as soon as he is told he allowed to get out of the car. He rings the bell a few times then waits, hopping from one foot to the other. Danny's Mom answers the door, smiling down at Arin, giving him a hug as they greeted each other. "Arin, darling, hello!" "Sorry this one is so last minute. Daniel didn't have any plans did he?" Arin's mother asks as she hands off a care bag for Arin to her. "Maurette, you know we love having Arin over, and Danny really gets a kick out of him. Is something wrong though? If you don't mind me asking why the last minute?" Arin impatiently watches them talk, his mom having his hand still as they talked excitedly about the horse due to give birth and the new baby that was going to be on the ranch. They were invited to come see of course. "Danny!" He finally yells out for his friend, hoping if he came out to get him he wouldn't have to sit and listen to adults talk any longer. They stopped for a moment to look down at the shout. Then a moment later, running to the call for help in the form of his name, was Danny. "Arin!" He pushes up his glasses before diving between their mothers to Arin. He picks him up and suddenly the 8 year old has a six foot point of view as Danny held him on his hip. "What's up buddy!? You excited to hang out tonight?" "And actually be sleeping at bed time this time?" Dan's mom reminds him. Danny grins nervously and chuckles a bit. "I wanted him to see the end of the game Debbie, you can't just stop when you're on a roll in the middle of kings quest!" Danny tries to defend himself, blushing a bit as he looks to Mrs. Hanson to make sure she wasn't mad about it. "You really have fun. Don't you two?" She asks letting him know he's off the hook for it. He was too good of a babysitter and influence on her son to be mad about something so small. "Yup!" Arin replied as Danny puts him up on his shoulders, holding both his hands to keep him up and steady. "Sure do Mrs. Hanson, this is my best friend right here." He says and holds a hand out to get a high five from the tike sat on him. "Can we come see the horse tomorrow when she's born?" He asks and Arin smiles ear to ear now listening to them talk. Because now Danny was here and it wasn't listening to adults talk, it was mixed company of adult and kids. The 8 years between them couldn't matter less to him. "... I don't know, I just feel like it's going to be a beautiful little girl, and I'm really hoping you'll let me call her Daphne if it is so I'm being hopeful." "We'll talk about it." She chuckles before saying her partings, kissing her son, and heading back home. Danny takes Arin inside and they say hi to his father and sister and Arin says hi to his dogs while Danny tells his mom what his plan was for the night and why Arin was here instead of Danny staying at the Hanson's house. "I know how to use the buses from here, it's harder from their place. It's out of the way." Which was a good enough answer. She was proud of her son that he didn't just try to get away with doing the least amount of work when he babysat but planned fun things to do. He received the money Mrs. Hanson gave to her for him, then he put on his warm jacket and hat, bundling Arin up too. He made sure he had some snacks and drinks in a backpack before they headed out. Arin had to hold his hand when they walked down the street but he didn't mind. All the walk, wait, and bus ride to the mall Arin told Danny about his day at school. The kid was funny and had solid opinions for a baby so Danny never had a problem being an audience to him. "Hey, you're 16 aren't you?" Arin remembers from when his mom had him read and sign a birthday car he gave Danny a few months ago. "Yeah I am." Danny is interested in where this is going right away because kids have no concept of age. "So why aren't you driving?" "Why would I be driving the bus?" "No!" He laughs at this silly idea and Danny smiles, feeling accomplished that he has the kid laughing. "I mean in your car?" "Oh? Oh! You mean cause I'm 16 I should have my licence, like on TV, right?" He asks and receives a nod. "Well I have my permit, so I'm close, I know how to drive but only when my mom is with me and you wouldn't be able to be in the car. The law says dependents only." "But I'm your best friend." "You sure are,buddy! But the law says not until I've been driving a year unless you were my brother I think… I'm not sure actually." "We could just tell them I'm your brother than." "Oh but that be lying to the cops. Which not only can get you in more trouble but will definitely put you on the naughty list." "No! No no let's not do that then." "You know? That's a good idea Arin. I'm glad I listened to you. Taking the bus? Good call." Arin beams with pride even though he was just doing as Danny said, but he made the kid feel smart and important. They got to the mall and Danny spends a bit of his own money to get Arin one of those things he can ride on for a while. It was shaped like a dinosaur and Danny told Arin all about the mistakes in the anatomy and how this one shouldn't look so mean because they only ate plants. Arin often came home from babysitting knowing something new about dinosaurs. It was important to Danny that Arin recognizes the impossible standards media puts on stegosaurus. They look at video games and toys while he motors around and have to hurry to make it back to the rental drop off or get charged for another half hour, which looked like a gangly teen had stolen a dinosaur with wheels from a child who chased him down. "That was a close one!" Danny says sighing deeply and trying to catch his breath. Arin is panting and he wipes his brow to express his relief. "Pheeww! We sure do-" He tries to go on but he is still trying to catch his breath. Danny cant help but chuckle at how even while probably having a baby heart attack he was trying to entertain him. He carried him on his back for a while as he makes his way to the line to see Santa. He thought it would be cute to be able to give his mom a picture of them with Santa, even if she wanted to take him again some time later in the season. Danny didn't really do the whole Santa thing, but he respected how excited it seemed to make Arin. "So what are you gonna ask him for?" Danny asks to entertain them both while they waited. "I don't know… I can ask him for a better dinosaur for you." He says smiling up him. Danny is melting. "No no! Don't waste your Santa wish on me!" "Okay, I'll keep thinking." "Yeah, you do that Big Cat." Danny chuckled and looked around the area. He looked down seeing he stepped on a crack so when he moved forward again his next foot stepped on the crack too. He watched Ari. Copy this behavior and tried to hold back giggles, pushing up his glasses up as he looked over to the mall Santa. He didn't seem so jolly. Danny was instantly worried, but then he saw the flask and a strange interaction between him and the next kid after he got back from his break. It was kurt, and rude, and when he looked down at Arin it broke his heart to think he would be let down like that. "Hey Arin you know what? Fuck Santa!" He says then covers his mouth. Arin looks at him with shock and a smile. "Ooooh! You said the F!!" "Hey, it's just a word right?" Arjn pondered that one as he took Danny's hand that was offered to him. "Let's go do something better." "But how will Satnta know what what I want?" Arin asks looking over his shoulder as he is lead away. "He'll get your letter won't he?" He asks and picks Arin up so that he can hold eye contact with him and keep him from looking at the nasty Santa. "You should celebrate Hanukkah with me anyways! 8 nights of presents!" "Eight!?" "Yeah!" "I wanna do that!" Arin's hands excitedly drummed on Danny's shoulder. Making him grin and laugh. "Perfect! I'll get you a yamaka and a dreidel." He says and bundles them both up before going back out to the bus to get on and go home.

#YouniversityAdvent #danny

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daresplaining · 6 years ago

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Luke Cage Season 2: Some Thoughts on Misty (and Colleen!)

Misty had a strong, compelling arc this season. In many ways it was the same as her story last season-- negotiating her role as a cop and the limitations of the justice system-- but it has remained a powerful exploration of her character, and so we wanted to discuss it a bit.

Of course, the biggest change in Misty’s life this season is the loss of her arm. While the injury occurs in a very different way in this universe than it does in the comics, the fallout is similar. Misty is forced to reevaluate her whole life, her career as a cop, and her identity itself.

Misty is one character who required more attention than she got this season. Her emotional progression took place in between the action, when it felt like it should have been front and center (but heck, maybe that’s just because we’re big Misty fans). That said, her scenes are great. In the comics, Misty comes out of her accident feeling broken and worthless. She is relegated to desk duty, but can’t deal with being benched in this way, and so she quits her job with the NYPD and starts up a freelance detective agency with Colleen. Here in the show, her reaction is a bit different. She still feels a certain degree of self-loathing and despair, but she also retains more of her fighting spirit-- which is perfectly in-character. She refuses to quit, despite a lucrative retirement offer and the barrage of pity and scorn she faces from her colleagues at the precinct. Her reaction to getting benched is to go out in the field anyway, determined to prove to herself that she can still do the job, while still faced with the undeniable truth that things are different now.

In the comics, Colleen was a major force in digging Misty out of her misery, and we were overjoyed to see her perform this same role in the show. Since Luke and Danny got an episode-long team-up, we would have liked for Misty and Colleen to receive equivalent screentime, but even their small scenes together are fantastic. Their training scene in particular is great, and is-- as we’d suspected-- an expanded version of a pivotal flashback panel from the comics.

Misty: “Hey, Col, what’s the use-- I’m right-handed, remember? I’ll never be any good as a leftie. Might as well give it up.”

Colleen: “If that’s what you want. Thought you had the guts, though.”

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu vol. 1 #33 by Chris Claremont and Marshall Rogers

Since this stage of Misty and Colleen’s lives only takes place in sparse flashbacks in the comics, it’s a thrill to see it expanded upon here. Despite MCU Misty’s tough, confident demeanor, the loss of her arm has rattled her, and the fact that she feels comfortable expressing this to Colleen is proof of their growing bond. In this universe, Misty’s injury is given extra significance via its connection to her basketball playing, and thus her perception of the world. The loss of her dominant arm unbalances her, mentally as well as physically, and this, with its direct repercussions on her crime-fighting career, frightens her. This is a powerful extra layer to her emotional journey, which we found really effective.

And just like in the comics, as expressed in the above panel, Colleen isn’t having it. Her no-nonsense approach to Misty’s struggles is emphasized by Misty’s anger at being pitied in earlier scenes. This is a common disability narrative; we also see it with Matt (in the comics and the Netflix shows), who hates being pitied more than anything. In the show in particular, this plays a key role in his initial bonding with Foggy. Here, Colleen performs the same service-- she doesn’t give Misty sympathy, to a degree that Misty clearly finds both refreshing and irritating. The reason Misty doesn’t want pity from other people is because she sees herself as pitiable, and hates it. Colleen tries to shake her out of that self-image altogether, both in the gym and (to a greater degree) in the bar afterward.

Another neat little detail of Misty and Colleen’s interactions is that they mirror Luke and Danny’s conversations later in the season. Colleen tries to fix Misty’s mindset and restore her emotional balance, just as Danny does for Luke during their team-up. There are even parallel meditation scenes and discussions of chi. It’s great! (Now all four of them just need to team up.)

Misty continues to struggle with her disability and the resulting complications throughout the rest of the season (as she should), but her time with Colleen contributes to her decision to face the problem head-on by acquiring a prosthesis. It seemed a little surprising to us that she didn’t already have something considering the amount of time that had passed between The Defenders and this show, but we could also imagine her just not wanting to think about it. It’s a big decision, and requires the proper mindset. And of course, our buddy Danny is there with the save! We’ve talked before about how much we love that the arm is Rand tech in this universe, but another detail we love is the fact that the arm isn’t a perfect, magical remedy. It’s strange. It’s clumsy. It requires an adjustment period, and Misty isn’t all that enamored with it at the start. In some ways, this undermines the power of her getting the arm. She demonstrates a certain degree of super-strength, but we wanted more smashing and butt-kicking! But there will be plenty of time for that in the future, and we appreciated the adjustment period, which added a nice element of realism to this aspect of her story.

The arm arc would have been great on its own, but it is coupled with a continuation of the moral struggles Misty faced in Season 1. Once again this season she is shown the limitations of the justice system, and attempts to work around them-- often breaking the rules in the process. This is tied into the aftermath of Scarfe’s corruption. Misty realizes how tempted she is to go down that same path, and it frightens her. She is pulled in opposing directions in her identity as a cop: she fights to keep her job and prove that she’s still effective after the loss of her arm, but in doing so she disobeys orders, thus risking her job. She needs to see justice done, but the limitations of the justice system nearly lead her to break the law. She wants to be a cop, is terrified that that will be taken away from her, yet angers her superiors again and again. She goes back and forth on this part of her identity, giving up and then coming back. For a significant period of time she even quits and goes off on her own.

(Oh, Misty...)

Obviously, as comics fans, we want Misty to leave and form her detective agency with Colleen (looking at you, Iron Fist Season 2...). But this emotional tug-of-war added poignancy to her decision to keep her job. It felt right-- a natural outcome for her journey this season. It’s somewhat amazing, given all of her insubordination, that she wasn’t fired anyway. But a great job has been done these past two seasons to demonstrate that above all else, Misty wants-- heck, needs-- to be a cop. And there’s power in her fight to keep that position.

Misty has remained one of our favorite characters in these shows, even disregarding our pre-existing love for her character in the comics, and we’re psyched to see her again soon in Iron Fist!

#Netflix Luke Cage #Misty Knight #Colleen Wing #Commentary

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chronicbatfictioner · 7 years ago

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Theater of the Soul - Chapter 19

Fortunately, in spite of his sudden hysterics, Dr Nelson did not deem a need for Jason to be sedated again.

Jason cried and cried into Bruce's arm, telling them the horror story of how he was brought to a small hospital right after the accident, had his legs merely splinted, and then brought to Napier's house somewhere at the outskirts of Los Angeles. Then he was given a shot, and then he didn't remember anything else. The next thing he knew was that he was crawling across asphalt and there were kids. He remembered Danny and Ellie when Tim showed him their photos, but he didn't know their names. He just said that they looked out for him, and he looked out for them. He was able to walk only a little while before meeting Danny and Ellie.

He could not remember much, just that the photo of red-breasted robin in his jacket kept him feeling like he could get home, someday. That someone would look for him. His head felt cloudy the whole time, and he could not think of what else to do; thus figured out that he was being thrown back to the streets. He knew he had to try to survive, somehow, in a strange city with strange people. He didn't remember wanting to try to figure out how to go home; his head was too clouded and painful to figure out things.

He did remember everything from the time he had met Danny and Ellie, and that they had brought him food. Sometimes there would be people who would try to harass them, and Jason would fight for them. He might be only sixteen, just a few years older than Danny. But he was tall and big enough to fight off three people at once - which he had, at one point.

Food, fortunately, was easy to come by. Unlike Gotham, Los Angeles' population apparently liked to throw away perfectly good food. He remembered that one time, Danny came back to them with a whole large black plastic bag filled with donuts. It might have been a little less fluffy than fresh donuts, but they gorged happily, set aside a dozen for the rest of the day, and shared the loot with the rest of the people around them. There were many homeless like them, some with kids, some with pets; and they all mind their own group's business. But no one would turn down free food.

Tim had left the room a little while later, when Alfred came to pick him up and Dick drove him home. The next day, when Tim returned to visit him, Jason again patted the space on his bed.

"I saw your eyes back then and suddenly thought of-- wanted to go home." Jason said. "Thanks for finding me, Birdie."

"I had to," Tim admitted. "The only option if I didn't find you is that you were... not alive. And I can't... that'll ruin Bruce." and me, said the voice in his head.

Jason was quiet for a moment. "Babs told me you'd found me by kind of referring back to the things I've told you back then." he smiled wryly, "at least that means you'd listened."

"Well, you're a good storyteller." Tim grinned back. "We've all missed you, you know."

Jason was glaring at him, a little blankly, making Tim's heart beat a little faster with worry. He snapped his fingers in front of Jason's face. "Hey, you okay?"

Jason blinked, annoyedly. "Yeah, I was just thinking." he said. "The robin. I could remember it being... safe, y'know? Even in the worst times, it... it kept me 'safe', I think..." he shrugged. "You remember when you took the photo?"

"Yeah, sure. Robinson's park. We were making your portfolio and headshots." Tim smiled. "I still haven't given it to you."

Jason smiled ruefully. "I'd offer to pay. But I think I'm broke now..." he said. "We... I should've known he was a con... The gigs he'd gotten me were... crap, and that's just me being nice." Jason inhaled and exhaled loudly. "I hope somebody would take a spade to his damn head and club him to death."

Tim stilled. No one had told Jason that Napier was dead, yet. He'd had another psychotherapy session with Dr Nelson yesterday, and another one this morning. In true, cheeky, Jason form, Jason stated that he has no secrets, and the sessions can take place with whoever present listening along. Yesterday was Bruce; and this morning, Alfred was there.

Tim just thought that Jason simply did not want to be alone. In a way, neither did Tim. He knew what it's like to be alone and lonely, and although there are still times he preferred to be alone; Tim already knew that he would never be lonely with the plethora of people looking out for him.

They chatted and played the video games that Tim had brought along. Jason wanted to know how Tim's school was doing, and there was a little pang of jealousy in his voice when he realized that he'd missed two whole years of school - while Tim would be graduating. Tim was more surprised when Jason apologized for missing Tim's birthday. Birthdays. Plural.

"I'd intended to at least send you a postcard." he said. "Thought if I'd made it big in LA, I'd even send you a plane ticket."

"You can still get me a postcard for this year's birthday." Tim told him.

"Oh yeah, I totally intend to give you something. Fifteen eh, Timmy?" there was a tinge of sadness in his voice. "You going to get your Learner's Permit and all? I'll probably get you a keychain or something." Jason's voice still sounded cheery, but Tim could catch the strain in it.

"How about..." he turned to face Jason. "You get better. By my birthday, I expect you to be in a wheelchair already and get there. And on my sixteenth birthday, you can be my 'accompanying adult' for the permit's test. I'll be starting the lessons after my birthday, anyway. Once you graduated to crutches, I may even allow you in the backseat." he explained, only partly joking.

Jason replied, "Little birdie, I'mma demand them to put me on wheelchairs tomorrow, what makes you think I'll wait a week?"

"There's this thing called infection that could be serious, you know." Tim deadpanned.

"I've weathered bugs and germs from the streets of LA. I'm practically invincible."

"We're in Gotham."

"Oh snap," Jason quipped. "bugs and germs here have horns, don't they? And like, mainline the devil or something?"

"I'd say so, yes." Tim replied, straight-faced. "So no, you're not getting to wheelchairs tomorrow."

"Day after, then." Jason nodded decidedly.

"Nooo...! Wait until Dr Cross give the all-clear!"

"Tim, buddy, it's my body. I know it best."

"Jay, buddy, Dr Cross has literally see the insides of your body, under your skin, to your bones. I think he knows you better." They were on a glare-off standstill for a few seconds, until Tim put his trump card on the table. "I'mma tell Alfred." he delivered.

Jason groaned in dismay. "Nooo...! You traitor!"

"Then wait until Dr Cross okay-ed you for wheelchair and physiotherapy!" Tim replied, almost smugly.

Jason huffed. "Fine... although I think he'll let me on a wheelchair, anyway, within a few days..."

Tim rolled his eyes. In spite of all of his arguments, he knew that Jason was right. If Jason would try to charm Dr Cross, he could probably get away with practically anything he wanted.

A little voice in his head said that if Jason would be charged with Napier's murder, there would be a massive chance that Jason could charm the juries and whatnot. Like Bruce, Jason definitely know how to capitalize on his good looks.

He shook his head lightly, mentally erasing the idea that Jason had been at fault for anything. No matter what. Jason could not be blamed. Must not be blamed. Of all the things Jason has experienced, being viewed as a murderer must not be one of it. His mind was starting to figure out ways to blame Napier's death on other, unrelated issues. Good thing that Tim could actually think better while his hands were doing something else, because Jason seemed insistent on beating him on the video game they resumed.

His eyes felt swollen, dry and he knew that they would be red. He had wept for a good long time, feeling like such an idiot. Bruce kept telling him that it was all alright, that he wasn't at fault for running off with Napier and ended up like this.

A whole damn year was missing from his life. There were birthdays he'd missed, not just his own. There were memories missing, replaced with blurry memories of his life on the streets.

He looked at Tim, still stoically standing - metaphorically, that is, because Tim was basically snuggling right next to him. He'd tried to thank Tim a number of times for not giving up on him, and Tim would just brush him off; as if it was just another day of life for him. Jason simply could not fathom what could happen to him if he'd not been discovered by Tim. On the streets, definitely. Amnesiac and catatonic, totally.

He was just relieved that he had not resorted to violence like the 'crazies'. There were plenty of those in Gotham's homeless community when he was little. The sane ones would always warn his little 10-year-old self and steered him away from the crazies; those with untreated mental problems or substance problems who would not care if those around them were as down-and-out as they were and demand to be given whatever it is they wanted by using violence.

Jason was realistic. He knew that the longer he was on the street with questionable mental health, he would have ended up just like those 'crazies'. Tim had assured him that he hadn't, and that the only acts of violence he had done were of the protective kind. But he still has the nagging feeling that Tim was not telling him the whole truth.

And now Tim was snuggling next to him, seemingly half asleep as the marathoning of the series he'd suggested still running on TV. When he moved, and Tim didn't even blink, he knew that Tim was already asleep with his eyes not-closed properly. He draw up the blanket and smoothed some hair from Tim's forehead, and placed a chaste kiss.

Whatever would happen, he knew that this boy will forever be in his foremost priority. Anyone thinking of hurting him would absolutely regret it. Even if it means he would never get on stage again. Whatever Tim wanted, Jason decided, Tim will get. And Jason would be on the forefront to help and cheer him on.

Right now, though, he shall need to get his physical strength back, especially on his legs. He started mapping out the possible exercises that he could do without aggravating his lower legs, to present to the doctors. He remembered Bruce's words of "figure out the pros and cons, all possible questions and arguments, all roads and pathways; until you can eat, breathe, and sleep the character as if you were born as it."

Fine, it might have been a suggestion on how to understand a character. But that doesn't mean it cannot be applied on everything else. So he started a note on the tablet that Barbara had given him earlier, and listed down a good number of exercises he could do on his own. Physiotherapy be damned. He shall get up on his feet and/or be as mobile as possible as soon as possible.

#Jason Todd #Tim Drake #no-capeAU #SoulTheater!AU #Pieter Cross #batfam #JayTim

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finn-nelson-for-the-win · 7 years ago

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Before the World Stops Turning: Pt.2

Greetings Tumblr! I’m back again after only a few days with the next part to this multi-chapter fic as part of my concert series. This chapter was pretty fun to write and I really enjoyed exploring the friendship dynamic between some of the characters. I’m trying something new with this fic and I’m going to be changing POV from one chapter to another, so fingers crossed that I don’t screw it up haha

Anyways, I added everyone to my tags if you requested to be added…If you would like to be added/removed don’t hesitate to let me know!

I hope you enjoy this chapter! (As always, additional notes and random commentary I have will be at the end beneath the tags)

Finn sat at the far right side of the bar, nursing his third pint after gulping down the prior two almost immediately. As much as he enjoys performing in front of people, he still finds it tiring at times to stick around after the show ends in order to meet fans and sell their CDs; however, Finn also knows better than to be ungrateful or rude towards the people that allow him to keep making music and doing what he loves.

Finn was still debating if he could order another drink and still be sober enough to wake up for work early the next morning when he felt a hand firmly grasp his shoulder, making him jump slightly.

“Sorry if I surprised you,” Archie began as he took a seat on the vacant bar stool beside Finn, “We just finished packing up all the leftover CDs and equipment into my car. We had a really great show tonight and I think we may have sold the most CDs we ever have at a single show! Are you going to head out now or do ya wanna stick around with us here at the bar for a while?”

“I’m not sure. I have work first thing tomorrow morning…” Finn replied, suddenly beginning to regret agreeing to pick an extra shift at work when he knew that he would be playing a show the night before.

“Don’t give me that shit, Finney boy! The lads and I haven’t had the luxury of sitting at the bar for the past half hour while we packed up all our stuff and we want to get drunk too!” Chop called as he walked towards where Finn and Archie sat at the bar.

“Firstly, I’m not drunk. Second, you said you guys didn’t need any more help, even after I insisted on helping you lads! And fine, I guess I’ll stick around a little while longer…go grab a table and I’ll get you all your usual drinks, this first round will be my shout.”

Chop, Danny, Archie, and Alex cheered and clapped Finn on the back before they walked to the nearest empty booth to have a seat and Finn waved the bartender over to put in their drink orders.

As Finn waited for the drinks, he was startled to feel his phone vibrate from within the back pocket of his jeans.

When he pulled his phone out of his pocket and entered his password to unlock it, he saw a number of new notifications for the band’s social media account—which Finn had been put in charge of due to his knack for photography and comparatively better social media prowess.

Izziemarie33 followed you

Izziemarie33 tagged you in a post

Izziemarie33 mentioned you in a comment

Finn opened the notifications to view the photo that their band’s page had been tagged in when the bartender slid the tray of drinks towards Finn. Finn thanked him with a nod as he slid his phone back into his pocket and left a generous tip on the bar before picking up the tray and carrying it to the booth where his band mates sat joking and laughing enthusiastically at something that Chop had just said.

“There he is! I was afraid you might have gotten lost on your way from the bar to here!” Alex joked as Finn passed the drinks around the table to their respective owners.

Once Finn pulled up a seat from a neighboring table and sat backwards on the chair facing his fellow band mates, he pulled his phone back out of his pocket to view the photo that had been posted.

As soon as the post loaded, Finn immediately recognized the girls posing the in the group photo with the caption:

Such a fun night with my bestie! Thanks for being the best concert buddy ever, babes! And thanks to all the bands for putting on such an amazing show tonight!

“What are you looking at, Finney boy?” Chop asked, snapping Finn out of his intense focus on the picture as he leaned over Finn’s shoulder to get a closer look at his phone, “Oh! I remember taking this picture! They were both so sweet and such fun to talk to!”

“Yeah, they really were. Hey, Finn, isn’t that the girl you ran into before the show?” Archie asked pointing to one of the girls in the photo on Finn’s phone screen.

“What’s this I’m hearing about you running into a girl? Finn, you cheeky bastard!” Chop replied with a smirk when he noticed Finn blush slightly and grab his beer from the table to avoid responding to the question.

“It wasn’t like that at all, Chop,” Finn began to clarify when he realized that Chop would not simply drop the conversation if he kept evading the question, “I quite literally ran into this girl when I stepped outside for a smoke before the show and I made her drop her phone.”

“Finnley here apologized—like a gentleman should—and was trying to make friendly conversation, but the girl walked away before the poor lad even had the chance,” Archie added giving Finn a sympathetic smile and pat on the back.

“Well why didn’t you say anything when her and her friend came up to meet us after the show? We all introduced ourselves to the two girls and this could have been your perfect chance to chat her up…maybe get her phone number…or at least learn her name, for fuck’s sake!” Chop added as he grabbed his drink off the table and drank nearly half of it in a single gulp.

“I guess I didn’t really think about it at the time…plus almost the whole time they were chatting with you and you were charming the pants off of them, I was frantically looking for the marker that turned out to be in your pocket the entire time, Chop! By the time I gave up looking we were all gathering to take the group photo and then the girls left without much further conversation!”

“My bad! If I knew that our Finney boy had it bad for this girl, I would have definitely backed off and played wing man for you!” Chop replied, giving Finn’s shoulder a nudge that nearly caused his to spill his beer as he went to take a drink.

“Poor Finn…this girl stole his heart and has it in a vice grip and there was nothing he could even do about it because he was too shy to speak up,” Danny replied sympathetically as he lifted his half-empty glass as a sign of support for his band mate.

“Seriously, Danny? I expect this sort of shit from Chop or Alex, but not you too! This girl did not ‘steal my heart’ and I don’t ‘have it bad for her’ or whatever…I hardly even spoke to her. I just wanted to be friendly and make conversation with her…treating your fans well is part of being a good musician, right? Ugh, whatever…I don’t even know why I’m trying to explain myself to you twats!” Finn replied with a grumble and an eye roll as he stood from the table to order another drink from the bar.

“Oi, don’t get mad just because you know we’re right, Finney boy!” Chop called after his mate giving him a cheeky grin when his friend merely rolled his eyes and flipped him off.

“Wait a second! Chop, take a closer look at the picture and tell me if you see something strange about it…” Alex barely managed to say through the sudden burst of laughter that brought tears to his eyes.

“What should I be seeing—wait! Holy shit! Lads, look at the picture we took with these two girls. Fuck, this is too perfect!” Chop replied, also laughing loudly when he realized what Alex had been trying to point out to him.

Finn returned with a new drink in his hand and looked around the booth at his band mates as they examined the picture that had been posted and everyone fell into fits of laughter interrupted only by muttered profanities and comments about how hilarious the picture was.

“What are you all laughing about? I saw the picture too and didn’t see anything that funny about it…” Finn scoffed when he was tired of being left out of the joke.

“Do you really not see it, Finn?” Finn shrugged and furrowed his thick eyebrows in response to Chop, who regained his composure slightly before explaining, “Finney boy…the girl who posted this picture cropped you out of the photo!”

“Are you fucking serious? Let me see…” Finn replied as he grabbed his phone out of Chop’s hands to look at the picture yet again.

Finn reviewed the photo closely from left to right trying to recall where he had joined into the picture after he had given up his search for Chop’s permanent marker.

Hmm…okay there’s the two girls and Chop with his arm around the girl I ran into earlier today…Danny and Alex are back behind them…

I know I stood next to Archer in the picture. Where did Archie end up?

When Finn found where his best mate Archie stood on the opposite side of Chop than the two girls, he quickly realized that the photo cut off after Archie and he was not in fact anywhere to be seen in the photo that had been posted.

Maybe another drink isn’t such a bad idea…

***

I should not have had another drink…

Finn sat at an empty table in the break room of the office that he worked in gulping down yet another cup of coffee in an attempt to sober up and feel more awake after barely pulling himself together this morning to make it to work on time and through the first few hours of his shift.

His band mates had still been laughing about possible reasons why Finn may have been cropped out of the photo but Finn wasted no time finishing off his final drink of the night and leaving the bar after calling a taxi to take him back to his apartment.

As Finn scrolled through social media to pass the time during his break at work, his curiosity got the better of him and he decided to learn more about the girl that had posted the photos last night.

Hmm…I wonder which of you is Izziemarie33…

Finn clicked on the photo that the Kings and Queens band page had been tagged in and it took him directly to Izziemarie33’s profile where he quickly realized that Izziemarie33 must be “Isabella”, the petite red-headed girl from the photos that they had met the previous evening.

Okay, nice to meet you, Isabella…but who is your friend?

Finn continued to scroll through the photos that Isabella had posted, trying to determine the name of her friend that had been with her at the show last night, but Isabella had not tagged anyone other than Kings and Queens and the individual band members in any of the posts.

Finn felt like he was invading Isabella’s privacy and knew he had no right be to searching through her posts on social media; however, before long he found himself scrolling through posts that were over fifty weeks old before he saw the two familiar—albeit significantly younger—girls smiling in a photo with the caption that read:

No summer afternoon is complete without my little ‘Rae’ of sunshine! @rae_earl1

Finn clicked the profile that was tagged and was met with a private account that did not allow him to see any photos or posts without following the account first. Even without being able to see any of the posts on this account, from the profile picture alone, he was fairly certain that this was the account for the girl from the show last night that he had been looking for.

As Finn stood up from the table and waited for the individual cup coffee maker to finish brewing his cup of coffee before his break ended so he could get back to work, he went back to the various photos Isabella had posted of the concert the prior evening and liked all of them.

@eveerez @tinakegg @hey1tskat1e @lurkernolonger @milllott @nutinanutshell @i-dream-of-emus @milymargot @vivammfd @bitchesbecrazy89 @arathewallflower @mallyallyandra

A/N: So hopefully this chapter was as fun for all of you to read as it was for me to write…I love the different personalities of each of the band members that become more clear through their various interactions.

And poor Finn can’t seem to catch a break with this girl…but alas! There is lots more fun and silliness to come in the next few chapters. (Side note: the 5 chapter estimate is quickly becoming 8-10, because of how I’m formatting each chapter by switching POVs and most of these chapters are kinda short, but oh well!)

I always try my best to show my appreciation for your all and make sure you know that I see every reply, message, reblog, like, etc. and I do not take any of them for granted. I was hesitant to make my return to writing because I’ve been going through some shit in my life lately and I was consistently unhappy with what I was writing (hence why I opted to take a break from writing in the first place). Although I’m still my own worst critic and I was anxious about how this new story would be received, I’ve been met with so much positivity and so many responses from you lovely people that welcomed me and my writing back as if I had never left. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I have some really sweet, fucking adorable follower/readers and I think very highly of all of you, my darlings.

Have any questions, comments, concerns, or emotional outbursts about this chapter or for me? Feel free to share them with me, becasue I always love hearing what you all think! :)

The next chapter should be coming fairly soon as well, so be sure to keep an eye out to read about what happens next!

#mmfd #my mad fat diary #mmfd fanfic #my mad fat diary fanfiction #My writing #Finn-Nelson-for-the-win #Before the World Stops Turning #the concert series

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thekastlediaries · 7 years ago

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Tender Spots - CH3 - Matt/Jessica

Shit goes south when Stick dispassionately tells them that Danny is the key. Jessica doesn’t want any part of it. Danny looks like a cornered animal, rage and desperation painted across his face. He’s struggling to summon whatever it is that gives him his powers. It feels wrong. He’s one of them, someone who’s trying to be a good guy. She knows if she stepped in the conversation would be over immediately. Danny’s glowing fist and his struggle to manifest it wouldn’t stand a chance against being thrown into the wall. It isn’t fair, so she backs off.

Ten seconds later and she wishes she had ended it before it started. It’s funny. Richie Rich is not the person she thought she would be using her newly found punching skills on. The knuckles on her right hand connect with his skull straight on, the line of her wrist perfectly straight so that her had doesn’t snap back painfully with the force. She controls the strength, not wanting the murder the moron. Although, it’s difficult. Every cell in her body is full of kinetic energy and there’s nothing her muscles want more than to unleash it all. Rage had coursed through her when she’d seen him aim the glowing fist bullshit at Luke.

On the surface she looks calm and collected. Her posture is relaxed, shoulders slouched, stance sloppy, but her heart is beating in her chest so hard she thinks maybe her shirt is vibrating from the force of it. Surreptitiously, she glances down at the thin cotton. It doesn’t matter how many times she sends people sailing through the air with her punches, the feeling is surreal. Her adrenaline still spikes. It's not human and her brain struggles to reconcile reality with what should be. Danny is splayed in front of her on the floor, unconscious. His face would almost look peaceful if the ghost of righteous indignation wasn’t pulling down at the corners of his mouth.

She looks back over her shoulder at Luke. “You okay?”

He nods in response, picking himself up off the floor and brushing away the dust from his hoodie. She can tell he’s already forgiven Danny, and that he probably even feels sorry for the unconscious idiot, or maybe it’s just because he knows what it’s like to be put down by the infamous Jessica Jones. That’s how Luke is, forgiving of people who don’t necessarily deserve it. The thought makes her throat constrict, an unexpected longing for something she can no longer have hits her like a ton of bricks.

Again, the feeling doesn’t show on her face, not a muscle twitches. Instead it’s her lungs that feel too small, like her heart is too big pushing against them. Memories swirl inside of her, and not for the first time since this bullshit started, she wishes she could just go home and curl up with a bottle of booze and drink until there’s nothing left inside of her. The idea of letting the city fall down around her doesn’t seem so bad.

She starts to back away from the scene. The others have already taken over, lifting Danny up and tying him to a chair. She can feel it, the ache in the back of her throat, the need for the burning to slip down into her stomach, the curl of it slowly making its way through her limbs. Just a little bit… to make this less sharp, less real…

The warehouse smells like dust, mildewed leather, and freshly spilled blood. She can see particulate in the air where the sun streams through the skylights, and still somehow it is dark. The large space suddenly feels small, like the walls are moving toward her and the lights are getting dimmer. Her breaths are shorter than normal. She needs to get the fuck out of here.

The feeling of someone’s hand on her elbow stops her. Her head snaps up to connect with the unseeing eyes of Matt’s devil mask. She hates that thing. It’s stupid looking with it’s ostentatious devil horns, and the facsimile eyes molded from polymer. She’d like to have a word with whoever designed it. Mostly she hates it because it makes her realize she’d much rather be able to see Matt’s soft brown eyes, even behind the lenses of his glasses. “What’d I tell you about grabbing me, Beelzebub?”

He’s frowning… maybe… It’s hard to tell. So much of his expression is in the upper half of his face, the way he knits his brow when he’s impatient or frustrated with her, the way his eyebrows shoot up when he’s surprised or impressed, the way the apples of his cheeks make his eyes crinkle when he smiles.

His mouth is a straight line, pressed together like he’s debating whether or not to speak. The line begins to quirk up on one side. “Hmm… I like to think that was an idle threat, since you’ve decked me more than once since then and I’m still as blind as ever.”

He lets go anyway. The two of them have situated themselves into a corner away from the rest. It’s strangely private, and Matt leans close to whisper at her. “Seriously though… are you alright?”

He’s asking her that? The man who’s surrogate father just unflinchingly beheaded someone? The man who’s in love with a zombie is asking her if she’s alright? Her nostrils flare, snorting out an annoyed breath. “I told you to stop doing that x-ray hearing shit on me.”

He has the decency to look sheepish. “I’m sorry, it’s second nature.” He reaches for her again, this time pausing to give her time to move out of reach if she wants. His hand curls around her wrist and brings her fingers up to his neck. Gently he presses her fingertips against his pulse. “I’m keyed-up too, okay. I just... “ He sighs. “You seem like you’re about to make a run for it again, and I kind of need that to not happen.”

She frowns. His pulse is rapid and his skin feels a touch warmer than it should, slick with sweat. She pulls her hand away roughly, glancing back at the rest of the group. “What’s the plan now? None of us have slept in days, and we don’t even know what the hell is going on at Midland Circle or what we’re supposed to do about it. If your buddy Stick is right about Danny being some sort of doomsday key…”

She trails off, hoping Matt will understand what she leaves unspoken. If Danny is the key, wouldn’t it be easiest just to get rid of him? The thought makes her feel more heartless than usual, but hell, she’s so fucking tired of everything, and this week has felt like a million years in the desert without water. She’s thirsty, god damn it.

“We need to find out what the architect was planning, and how he was going to do it.”

She pushes herself away from the wall, stomping past Matt. Any excuse to get out of this dank warehouse is a good one. “Well then, let’s get a move on.”

For any other person, this would be a scene straight out of their most romantic fantasies. Walking along the streets of New York in the fall, chilly breeze whipping up against their skin as a handsome devil (ha) clinging to their arm, smiling mischievously at their quick wittedness.

It makes Jessica feel strange. She wonders if Matt knows how attractive he is. Surely… he’s stupidly charming whenever they have to talk to strangers, that smile, that body. He has to know the way women melt when he turns their attention toward them. Of course, she’s noticed. It’s shocking, actually, that no one else has figured out Matt is Daredevil. How many overworked defense attorneys have arms like that?

“Is it close?”

“I think so.”

“You think?”

She knows exactly where Mrs. Raymond lives, recalls the stunted maple tree out on the sidewalk in front of the brownstone. The last time she’d walked up the steps there had been a half gallon of whiskey coursing through her veins, and the image of a man’s brains exploding on her wall running in and out of her head.

She pushes the memory away. “Yeah, I mean… don’t all these brownstones look the same?”

He chuckles. She can feel the sound against her. Is that how it is for him? Is every sound like a touch. She shivers at the thought. She mumbles an apology, and presses forward. The maple tree is almost the same, missing a few more leaves than the last time. She practically drags Matt up the stoop.

Jessica curses softly under her breath. The brownstone is empty. One glance through the ground level windows tells her everything she needs to know. They left in a hurry, newspapers from packing litter the floor. The glass of a broken vase is scattered across the hardwood. Leave it, we don’t have time. She can almost hear how frantic they must have been.

Matt is close behind her, one hand still curled around her bicep. “What is it?”

“They’re gone.”

He nods. Of course he nods. He was probably just about to tell her no one was home. “From the tone of your voice, I assume they probably won’t be coming back anytime soon.”

“They were afraid.” She kicks herself. She shouldn’t have come back around the first time. The daughter thought her father was some kind of selfish prick, but the wife had known something shady was going on. Jessica fights the urge to put her fist through the door in a fit of anger. Instead she spins on her heel, leaving Matt in the dust. “Come on. I’d be a pretty shitty private detective if I couldn’t track people down.”

The thought of bringing him to her apartment isn’t a pleasant one. She’s never been ashamed of the way she lives, but for some reason the thought of letting him walk pass the threshold makes her feel naked, like she’s exposing the pale blue veins on her body to someone with a sharp knife. Matt doesn’t seem like the type of person to start cutting her to pieces, but neither had Luke. Sometimes people aren’t in control of what they do.

Even if you don’t feel like reblogging or whatever, please feel free to leave comments and such on ao3. It really stokes my motivation to write. :D

#jessica jones #matthew murdock #daredevil #jessmatt #jessica x matthew #matthew x jessica #darejones #messica #messica fanfiction

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sanssouciavecmoi · 8 years ago

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Ir0n F*st: Eh, what? (with background Asian count)

Spoilers follow:

Episode 1: Enter the White Dude

Hi, I am Singaporean Chinese. Yes, Netflix is available here and yes, they are trying to sell this to us.

Secondly: I do read comics, but the whole “he was white in the comics” thing does not fly–see article for context. This is 2017, not 1974.

Thirdly: the creators of Iron Fist were fetishising the heck out of kung-fu movies when they wrote the comic back in 1974. And they are crusty old relics that use the word “Orientals” even though it’s 2017 and they know it’s not the right word (but use it anyway in interviews).

Fourthly: Iron Fist is not one person–it’s a power that is passed onto people that subsequently bear the title. Only two of them have been white. However this is is not important, because they changed almost everything about Danny Rand (and 90% of his backstory and even what the Iron Fist is for) except the bit about him being white. So the less deliberately obtuse understand that this was the most important thing to the writers, directors and producers. Lewis Tan also auditioned for the same role, so most people know that they did not pick the best actor for the job–unless you think white actor = default best lead actor.

Fifth point: this show had awful writing. And that’s even without the Orientalism and pseudo Buddhism. However, this dissection will be focused on this point.

Warning(s): Death, drug overdose, needles, guns, violence (kinda slow violence but still), Orientalism, lazy writing, car crashes, mangling of Mandarin, drugging someone against their will, forced institutionalisation, ableism, plane crashes.

Opening is … eh, kung fu in slow-mo. On a mountain top. With stuff like black ink. Like Chinese calligraphy. Only without any calligraphy. Just the vague aesthetics of calligraphy. *sighs* This is going to be painful.

In the first bit, Danny Rand returns to New York and tries to get into his parents’ company’s building. It goes as well as expected. His ex-childhood buddies treat him like shit. (He doesn’t get shot for assaulting security officers–this article explains why.) He also does not know that people think he’s dead–after 15 years, who would have thought, eh? Action scene was kinda slow. His ex-childhood buddies are also greedy cynical capitalists, so they have no reason to believe him.

I have to stop to ask: Can someone please tell me why this guy is barefoot? Other than bad writing (bad characterisation and bad worldbuilding)? Shoes were invented a long time ago and while a lot of Asians take shoes off when they enter a dwelling, we understand the need to wear shoes outdoors. Someone will no doubt write a fic where Danny gives his shoes up to some other homeless person. But there is no reason why he should be barefoot in that scene.

(How did this guy get to New York anyway?)

Back to Danny Rand, trying to get back into his old place. Ah, his other skill is animal communications or something??? His ex-childhood buddy Ward was a douche way back when. Still is. It gets creepy because Joy lives in this house now, so DR looks like a stalker.

Homeless in the park with DR. Time for him to use his iPod and read a book written in … I can’t make out what language that is but I know what they want me to think it is. (Stereotyping: your mind fills in the blanks with pre-existing scripts. Lazy writing.) Unless someone can tell me that this book is significant in some way later on, I’m going to call it unnecessary window dressing for that “Asian flavour”.

Translation: the original comic creators were crusty old relics that wanked over the aesthetics of 70s kung fu movies and the producers and writers of this show are not much better. I kid–it could be line of poop emojis and we would never know.

In a scene that would have been much nicer without the extra window dressing, DR makes a friend. Big Al shows him Google search on an iPhone so that DR knows that people think he’s dead. His uncle is also apparently dead. The only person to be nice to him the whole day is another homeless person. Maybe we can focus on the plight of the–nope, not going that way.

The next morning, DR is very persistent. Joy feels (rightfully) harassed and calls people. That car-jumping scene was … um. Really extra. Let me try to articulate this, okay? This is 2017, people have access to decades of martial arts movies. (The Matrix was 18 years ago.) The action sequences in this show will compare very badly to those movies. So even people watching this for fight scenes will not be entertained.

First meeting with Colleen Wing, she gives him money and he mangles Mandarin without subtitles (for subtitles please look at gif set exhibit A under the link: white man polices biracial woman’s identity) and she says she hasn’t spoken it since she was a kid (rather than punching him for that). Man, if you wanted a job, you could have said so in English. Why do you suppose Colleen would know how to speak Mandarin?

This is so uncomfortable on so many levels. If magical K’un Lun is not of this world, then why would they speak Mandarin? If it was truly isolated in another dimension, then K’un Lun would have its own distinct dialect, like most regions in China and most countries. So DR speaking (mangling) Mandarin is also BS. (Not even talking about the yoga-like poses in the park.) This would mean so much more if it was Chinese American DR, who was never very good in Mandarin class, and Colleen Wing, who might be able to relate.

Back to the more douchy sibling and DR. Apparently DNA tests cannot be done because Danny has no living relatives. (That’s BS too, btw.) Way to be ableist, Ward. (The only thing I like is that major douches in MCU are named Ward.) However, Danny is not as peaceful as his initial appearance suggests. We get it, he’s traumatised by the deaths of his parents–why does it get expressed as him being rather violent in a car? Apparently he’s not out of touch enough to not know how guns work (or maybe all kids know how to use guns in the US or K’un Lun–I dunno).

More job-hunting in vain. It’s not like it isn’t obvious that a) she practices a totally different school of martial arts in her dojo and b) she doesn’t have the money to pay another instructor. Yes, kick him out, Colleen. That’s what he gets for trying to police a biracial woman’s identity–is he trying to flirt with her? Ew. (Colleen Wing obviously cannot afford to pay DR–her dojo is sharing space with AA meetings. But she gives him shoes. It’s almost as if everyone who is nice to DR in this show are not very well off and–yeah, it’s very unsubtle.)

Then DR gets attacked and chased into Chinatown (while Colleen Wing watches from above). Where a parade is happening. With lion dancers, dragon dancers and fire crackers and everything. But why? Is it Chinese New Year? What is the context for this? Can someone tell me why this is necessary? Or is this a way to claim that this show is diverse because there were something like 100 Asian extras in that scene? Way to endanger the lives of all the people in the parade, DR. Fight scenes are a yawn. Even though the mask DR is wearing in no way hides his curly mop of blond hair in this parade of Asian people–who do not notice the fighting at all.

(I feel that this scene is a metaphor for the whole show.)

On one hand, I hope the extras were paid a reasonable rate and had a good experience. On the other hand, I have a feeling that when it comes to telling the kids about how Mum/Dad/Second Aunt/your Cousin were extras on this show, it would come with the caveat that they shouldn’t try to be actors–because they’ll probably wind up as extras in a show (with not very good fight scenes) that needed a parade of Asian faces for reasons unknown. Representation matters.

(Story time: there were Chinese actors from my tiny state that tried to make it to Hollywood. Shanghai Knights was back in 2003 and Fann Wong is still mostly known as a local actress. Lau in The Dark Knight might still be Ng Chin Han’s biggest role to date in a major movie right after Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Currently, he’s got a part in Gh0st in the *hell–not sure if he gets more or less lines than in Captain America. Most parents here still don’t encourage kids to become actors because there’s so little room for them.)

Back to Ward, the more evil sibling who sends people to assassinate homeless dudes–he has reasons for being a terrible person. Reason number one being his dad (supposedly dead but still alive???)–who is probably why Ward is the nice cuddly guy he is. Wow, every baddie has a backstory. Probably affects plot in future. But is anyone interested? (I loved the art deco style building this scene supposedly took place in. Anyone know where it is?)

Remember DR’s one friend? His one friend is now dead of a drug overdose. Why? Maybe Big Al was around for for one Google search, some food and to allow DR to mouth some platitudes over his body? Or to highlight the plight of the homeless by ki–that’s really … really not good storytelling.

Security at Rand Enterprises is dreadful–DR has no problem sneaking in again. (Or maybe it’s that other thing.) Cut to Joy, the nicer sibling. Who is very calm for a woman that’s just found a strange guy in her office (again). Maybe it’s because she might believe him. Or is being swayed by his rhetoric. (”It’s a Zen saying” … gag me with a spoon.) His backstory is taking way too long … So Joy drugs him. I take everything back, she’s just as bad.

DR wakes to … a very troubling scene of forced institutionalisation at the end. As if everything else had not been bad enough.

Plot: It’s all over the place … Not sure if the writers know what DR is supposed to be. He has trauma, tries to be a pacifist but is really angry inside? What is the message here? Wall Street is evil? Problematic portrayals all over the place? The plight of the homeless and people with mental health issues? Not enough women with lines? Colleen Wing needs her own show with Misty Knight!

Orientalism: Check, aesthetics over substance, mangling of Mandarin despite the fact that DR has no reason to be speaking Mandarin, Zen sayings, yoga poses, a huge Chinese New Year-style parade in the background for reasons unknown (oooooooor they just wanted a certain type of backdrop for a not very good fight scene). One East Asian character with lines.

Asians in the background: around 100 of them perhaps, no lines, much firecrackers. Not sure if they were Chinese-American, Korean-American, Japanese American, Hmong-American … because they have no lines.

#spoilers #iron fist for the sensitive #it has the potential to be very triggering #i actually watched this #it was dreadful #worse than anything the reviews prepared me for #i struggled through one episode #nearly yelled at the screen for colleen to just fucking punch this guy already #orientalism #if you took those bits out it might be marginally less offensive #aiyoh #long post #sorry for cluttering up your dash with this dreck

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morfiction · 4 years ago

Text

END GAME

Michael Woodard

Welcome to Ultimate Quest IX!

Press Start.

“Wow, uh, now what?” Shirley asks. She is in her room at her parent's house.

“You make a character,” Tyler says. He is hunched under a blanket in the pick up parked in Shirely's parent's driveway. He is using his laptop.

“I feel so stupid! There's no START button!” Shirley objects.

“Its a push button screen. Just press the word 'start,'” Tyler tells her.

'So there's nine UltiQue games?” Shirley asks.

Tyler chuckles. “Only five were released, out of order, in the USA,” he tells her.

“You PIRARED this game?” Shirely squirms and tosses her headset on the desk, looking panicky around the room to make sure she isn't watched. “I don't want to do anything illegal!”

“Don't worry, Shirl,” Tyler says.

'What?” she says as she puts the headset back on.

“--- I got it from the official translator of the project.”

“Cool! Who was that?”

“Cave Girl,” Tyler brags.

“WHO?” Shirley don't get it. “Strange name.”

“It's a pseudonym. Not even the game's programmers know her real name but she rakes in a fortune.”

“An ex-girlfiend of yours,” Shirley wants to know.

“I made a male barbarian named Claude.” Tyler says. “And, no, she is a famous recluse. She says she literally lives in a darn cave.” Tyler makes a hush noise. “In the UK somewhere is the rumor. Not a fact.”

“Bonnie!” Shirely says. “I can't decide from all of these jobs but I'll make a female named Bonnie.”

“Just push the randomizer button if you want,” Tyler sighs. It's freezing out here.”

“I'm sorry, my dad knows you're out there but he still doesn't trust you.” Shirely glances at a shadow behind her. Her dad was walking past when he heard the remark.

“Okay, Kiddo! Claude can play from the living room couch while you play in your room. Alone. With the door locked. Alone.” Her father laughs. “Did I say 'alone' enough times.”

“Yes, dad,” Shirely says.

The front door bangs shut. “Ooops! Just me!” Tyler says from the living room. “Tyler! Not Claude.”

Shirely's dad sticks his head over the bannister. “Get me all of the UltiQue games that are out now,” he says while looking Tyler in the eye.

“There's twenty five, sir!” Tyler whines. He puts his laptop on the coffee table.

“Sir was my dad,” says Shirely's dad. “Call me Danny.” He whistles. “Twenty five?”

“What can I say? Cave Girl programmed the Amateur versions!” Tyler gloats. “Poor Imagineer doesn't know how she did it but she finished two or three of the company's projects all alone, even releasing the MMO teased three and six years back respectively.”

Danny sighs. “I would never afford all those games.” His cell phone rings. “Hello? … You're who? … and you what? Listen, if you're some hacker I'll....!”

Tyler shows his hands, palms out. “Cave Painting Studio?”

Danny nods. “Yah, she introduced herself as Tiffany and the voice is.... electronic?”

Danny's phone beeps in his hand. “I'm shy! Think of me as mostly mute, sir... I mean Danny.” There's a groan. “Hope you don't mind I pushed your speaker button.”

Danny shrugs. “I sorta wish the games were playable on phones.”

“DONE!” Tiffany says. “Ooops, I mean I've already done that. Ignore the previous email.”

Danny's phone starts to play a special synth version of what sounds like classical music.

“Holy crap, who are you?” comes Shirely's voice from behind her locked bedroom door.

“Tiffany,” says Tiffany.

“Go away!” shouts Shirley. There's sounds of struggle afterward.

Danny tosses his phone over the bannister at Kyle before turning to face Shirely’s door which is now slightly ajar for some reason. “You better not have anything to do with this!” he hisses at Tyler.

Tyler rushes up the stairs, dropping the phone in his pocket.

“I can’t see what the hell is going on!” complains Tiffany from the phone in the pocket. Tyler ignores her. A security camera at the top of the stairs swivels to watch as Tyler hits the second floor landing. “This feels so skeezy!” says Tifany’s voice from the camera.

Danny is the first into the room followed by Tyler. They collide in the middle of the room and stumble to make sense of what they are looking at. It’s Dylan, back again from who knows where. He is forcing Shirley to lay in the bed beneath him, his one hand over her mouth and the other on a shoulder.

Shirley screams but the sound is muffled. Sitting on the window sill is one other guy Tyler hadn’t seen before but it is obvious he is an accomplice. There is a ladder pushed against the window from the outside and “Troll Girl” is at the bottom, holding it up.

Tyler cannot see her just yet, but he can hear her whispered questions and complaints from where he stood.

“You said you just wanted to talk to her!” complains Troll Girl. Behind her the siren of a police car can be heard. She panics, but holds onto the ladder for dear life anyway.

Danny finally gains his voice: “What the hell are you doing back here to my daughter, you prick?”

Dylan laughs. He raises his face to look at Shirley’s father. His eyes are glassy, not dilated. He squints at the light but his face has a grim smile on it. There’s blood on his lips which he licks at. “This tasty bitch thinks she can get away with carrying my child into the loving arms of some shit heel loser? I don’t think so!” He glances at the lamp lighting the room and spits at it. His buddy kicks at it, knocking the lamp down, but it doesn’t break when it hits the floor.

“That’s strange, I didn’t contact the police just yet,” says Tiffany. All at once a mechanical dog stands up from the corner amongst the other forgotten toys. Its fur is ragged & dirty. “Oh neat! I’m embodying a Doggerella doggie!” Tiffany comments before shutting herself up again.

The police officers enter thru the front door of the house which nobody had bothered locking. “We have or orders,” one of the three men says to his fellows.

Danny turns to them. “Arrest these fools!”

The cop who had been speaking pulls his weapon and points it at Danny. “Those aren’t the orders, asshole.” Dylan laughs again.

The mechanical doggie leaps at the one cop who had drawn his gun.

The cop isn’t concerned. He fires at the small autonomaton. This proves a mistake as it manages to dodge the bullet and chomps hard onto the cop’s crouch. “Haha,” laughs the cop. “It doesn’t have teeth.”

But that doesn’t matter as Cave Girl somehow modified it to emit an electric shock much like that of a taser, zapping the cop in his privates. He drops his gun and falls to the ground. Dylan’s friend grabs the gun from the floor.

Troll Girl finally makes an appearance by climbing the ladder although there was no on to hold it for her. “Oh shit, I got to record this for the interwebs!” she says, holding her phone up to attempt a video recording. “Shit! What’s wrong with the phone?” she complains. “I can see their uniforms but not badges or faces at all thru this thing!”

“Sorry, young lady,” says one of the other cops. He draws his weapon and shoots at the camera on the phone, causing the bullet to pass through the viewfinder and strike a hole in Troll Girl’s head thru the eyeball. The mess is repugnant. “No witnesses, order said.”

Her body goes flying out the window. Dylan looks over his shoulder as it falls backward, muttering a curse. “Don’t shoot me!”

“I’m not going to, boss,” says the second cop. “Though I might shoot yer buddy for holding a gun in my face.” He kicks at the toy doggie to dislodge it from his partner. Without wasting another bullet he stomps it.

“I might as well go all out!” exclaims Cave Girl’s voice. Nearly a dozen household objects suddenly come to life and begin to harass the cops. From an electric toothbrush to the accessories for Shirley’s computer to less wholesome objects... The power cords attempt to constrict their legs while the blunt parts of the objects dive-bomb at them.

“Get out of the house!” Cave Girl shouts. “You two dudes I mean, now!”

“Not without Shirley!” exclaims Tyler.

Dylan just laughs another time, but starts to scream as the waffle maker slams shut on his face and the flying coffee maker spills hot coffee in his eyes.

Shirley squirms from his grip and trips to the floor trying to step over one of Dylan’s flailing legs. Dylan’s friend had picked that exact moment to shoot at her, but misses as he was aiming at where she was standing just as she fell beneath his aim.

He doesn’t get a second shot as the mirror on the bureau explodes into his face. Tyler

& her father scramble to grab her from the floor and drag her from the bedlam.

Just as they get her to the hallway and cross the threshold into her room, the door slams shut. “Get downstairs in a hurry! And leave the house. Take your phones and the laptop with you,” orders Cave Girl.

“You are not kicking me out of my own home,” protested Danny even as he stepped down a few stairs, bringing up the rear because Tyler had scooped Shirley up off the floor and carried her like a bride sa he ran down the stairs two at a time. When Danny was halwfway down the stairs and Tyler was a the fornt door, there was an explosion from upstairs.

Danny was thrown over the bannister and fell into the middle of the couch. He wasn’t fazed one bit by the fall because he got up immediately and grabbed at Tyler’s laptop and both cell phones.

Tyler had fallen backward with Shirley landing in his lap. She quickly got up since Tyler had accidentally lost control of his bladder due to fright. “EW! Dad, my phone is in my room!” she said even as the sprinklers came on.

“Get out! Ger out!” shouts Cave Girl. “I don’t think you will survive if you went back in there now.” She sighs. “I guess I took it a little too far in evacuating you from there, but it is important for you to escape these evil bastards.” Ding. “I just copied all your phone’s contents to a folder. I’ll download the stuff into a new one if you want, but... RUN!”

One of the crooked cops had emerged from the smoking remains of Shirley’s room and started to fire at them. He didn’t hit any of them because as of yet his face was a bloody disfigured mess, but he was sure to be lucky soon enough.

Tyler fumbled to pick Shirley up again but she fought her way to her feet and ran out the front door ahead of him and her father. A fire engine sounded its horn but only once. It was also making slow progress towards the burning house.

The three of them ran in the opposite direction.

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