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valentines-core-exchange · 2 months

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Sweet Reconciliation

Summary:

The last thing Danny expected was Phantom showing up at his front door and dragging him out for a day at the fair. He certainly didn’t want to hang out with 'Dan', much less trust him. But finding himself enjoying a day of rides and games? Sharing quips and food and heart-felt confessions? Maybe he and Dan have more in common than Danny realized.

Word Count: 9,217

Also on AO3

Notes:

It's finally here! I'm so excited to be posting my Valentine's Core Exchange. My giftee was @strawberry-avalanche . I went for a Danny & Dan centric fic, with some fluff, bonding, and redemption. I hope you enjoy this not-so-short story of Danny and Dan enjoying a day at the fair. Happy Reading! @valentines-core-exchange

Finally, it was a perfect Saturday, Danny thought. After all the chaos of time restructuring, his ghostly alter ego becoming number one on the most wanted list again, and learning how to help the ghosts instead of just fighting them, finally the half ghost had a day to himself. There was no one to bother him. His parents were out of town at a conference, his sister on a college tour. Vlad was out of his hair, busy with his new ward, a certain (formerly?) evil alternate Phantom. Best yet, he had plans with Sam and Tucker, an all day movie binge with all the popcorn and candy he could eat. Everything was absolutely perfect.

The boy bent down in his chair, tying his shoes to leave, when an insistent knocking came at the front door.

His brow furrowed; his friends weren’t supposed to be meeting him here, were they?

Another knock came, this one more forceful.

Danny stood, calling. “I’m coming.” He hurried across the kitchen, a second later pulling the door open. “Weren’t we meeting at S-”

The boy blinked, cutting himself off in his confusion. There, on the other side of the door was… himself. Or at least, the figure looked like him. The other teen wore all black, gothic look complete with eye-liner and half a dozen ear piercings. And a familiar scowl.

With that last piece of the puzzle, the answer fell into place. “Phantom?” Danny’s mouth fell open.

“Actually, it’s Dan.” His double shrugged, still scowling.

“Dan…” The boy said slowly. Was this really happening?

The other teen, at least in appearance, didn’t acknowledge the word. Instead, his eyes flickered to the house behind. An odd look flashed in them for a second before a forcible disaffection shifted into place. “You’re not doing anything today, right? Good.”

That broke Danny out of his disbelieving stoop. He stood up straighter, eyes narrowed in distrust. “Actually, I was going to-”

A hand suddenly pulled him out the door, distracting him from his protest. “We’re going to the fair.”

Danny blinked once. “What?”

“The Fair.” Phantom said slowly, like he was stupid. “What, got cotton in your ears?”

“I heard you.” Danny pulled his hand away, arms crossing. “Why?”

The other rolled his eyes. “Vlad is driving me crazy. So I stole his credit card.” With a flash of sharp teeth, he swiped out said card. “I’m gonna eat all the disgusting greasy food I want, cheat at some carnival games, and ride the squirrel cages ‘til I throw up.”

“Have fun?” Danny’s nose scrunched; why exactly was ‘Dan’ telling him this? Not that he cared, on his one day off in months. With a head shake, he pointed back into the house. “Whatever. Knock yourself out. I’m gonna-”

“No you don’t.” Phantom grabbed his arm again. “You’re coming with me.”

The movement gave Danny pause. That hand wrapped around his bicep, the solid warmth of it… he knew that Vlad had stabilized Phantom in this timeline using a human clone of himself, making the figure in front of him a half ghost again. But actually seeing the reality in front of him was another thing entirely. And the demand… “Why?”

The only answer was another eye-roll. Instead, Phantom started pulling Danny down the sidewalk. And the boy found himself following. He could keep arguing; a large part of him wanted to. He could even easily pull away – the other halfa’s grip wasn’t all that tight– but he didn’t resist.

Instead, Danny followed his counterpart into the alley beside Fentonworks.

Hand still around his arm, familiar white rings appeared around the other’s waist. They spread, the warm light tickling Danny's skin in an eerie reflection of his own transforming light. He stiffened, watching.

His double changed, corpse blue skin replacing the human tone. Shoulder-length black hair flickered to white flames. Familiar icy blue eyes became blood red.

Danny couldn’t help but flinch, the image playing behind his eyes, if in reverse. Cords of burning ecto energy binding him. A hellish warping of his own face, looming menacingly over him. Those same white rings, enfolding the figure into a smaller mirror image. So much worse than the towering monster -the nightmare of his enemy taking his place and hurting his loved ones.

The corpse-blue reflection filled his vision again. But now… they were truly eye to eye.

Phantom, teen-sized and equally scrawny, released him. His hard expression wavered for just a moment, brow furrowed, almost… remorseful. He stepped back. After a pause…

“Well? Aren’t you going to ‘go ghost’?” The air quotes were audible, with more than a hint of derision.

And yet, Danny felt his shoulders lowered ever so slightly, the anxious tamper of his heart easing. He summoned his own rings, turning into ghost form.

The two lifted from the ground, silently flying towards the fairgrounds. Danny followed his counterpart’s lead, eyes fixed on the back of the flaming head. The other ghost didn’t turn and look, gaze fixed on their destination. And that destination…

Soon, the colorful tents and rides rose into view. Music and laughter drifted through the air. Despite his swirling nerves, Danny couldn’t help the up-turned twitch of his lips.

“Here.” Phantom said gruffly, breaking Danny from his observation. The other half ghost pointed down, landing between two trailers. With a flash of light, he turned human again.

Danny did the same. A quick text to his friends to tell them where he was instead of handing out with them, and he was following his counterpart out of the fair employees’ parking lot and to the ticket counter. Phantom, surprisingly politely, bought two tickets. They passed through the gate, a cheery older woman giving the even-faced halfa a map.

“Where to first?” Danny asked, hands in his pockets. He gave a deceptively casual shrug.

The other didn’t look up for a long moment, nose buried in the map. His brow wrinkled in contemplation, like this was the most important decision he’d ever make.

Then, he pointed. “There. I need to see the biggest pumpkin in the state.”

Danny raised a brow, but he didn’t question. Wordlessly, he followed the other half ghost through the crowds and into a large white building. They passed through the door, the crowded barn smelling musty, of straw and barnyard animals.

All the while, Phantom’s even severe expression didn’t change. Flat faced and silent, his eyes flitted over the giant pumpkins and watermelons. Slowly, he walked along the rows of painted gourds and prize-winning apples. Through the bee-keeping display. Passed the glass case holding someone’s grandma’s first place honey candy.

Straw-floored pens held bleating lambs and wide-eyed calves. These didn’t crack that disaffected scowl. Nor the tiny piglets. Not even the fluffy baby chicks.

All the while, Danny’s stomach churned with conflict. Earlier he’d flippantly thought he didn’t care what ‘Dan’ did but that was a lie. Now his muscles pulled tense, ill at ease. His mind flickered back to the fight, to throwing down the thermos. The realization of how cruel, how unfair it would be to imprison the ghost in front of him again.

And now… said ghost was watching a carton of eggs under heat lamps. Around him, small children pressed curious palms to the glass.

Danny had decided not to lock Phantom up again. He’d chosen to give ‘Dan’ a second chance. He’d agreed to Vlad’s plan to help the other ghost. And he desperately hoped, desperately wanted to believe it was for the best. But…

“Mommy! Chicky!” A little girl enthusiastically pointed at one egg sporting a tiny hole.

But… Danny certainly didn’t want to hang out with his counterpart. He remembered…. The graves, the rubble, the crazed laughter. The nightmares he’d had for months after seeing that ruined future. The twisted bodies, his own hands covered in blood, the world aflame.

And now, the author of that ruin was here. And frankly, Danny didn’t trust him. Of course he didn't. And here in public, around so many children…. The thought was making his stomach turn.

A finger gently tapped the glass of the incubator. Danny tensed, carefully eyeing the other half ghost. Power swirled in his core, ready to intervene if necessary.

“There you go.” The words were almost so low to be inaudible, spoken toward the glass, to the hatching egg.

Danny’s energy stilled even so slightly. He watched his counterpart, head tilted.

Phantom just stood there, watching. “Good job, little guy.” Something sparked in his eyes. Just the subtlest wrinkle of his brow, the twitch of his lips….

The other half ghost felt something in his loosen. Hardly even realizing it, he let out the breath he’d been holding.

Suddenly, the other’s head turned sharply. “What are you looking at?”

Just like that, the moment broke. Innocently, Danny raised his hands. “What’s next?”

Phantom huffed, eyes narrowed. He whipped out the map, studying it again. “Pig races.” He answered curtly, turning and walking away without a look back. Of course, Danny followed.

Phantom demanded they find some pig races to watch, and they did. A short walk found the two at the sawdust covered track. Metal bleachers surrounded the arena, crowded with people. Tired parents with strollers, carrying bags of cotton candy and huge stuffed animals. An old couple, the husband in a trucker hat, the wife carrying an oversized bag. A few twenty somethings, scandalously eating pork barbeque in front of the pigs.

The two half ghosts managed a seat on the end of the bench, beside a little boy wearing a tiny plastic pig nose and vibrating with excitement.

“When are the piggys gonna race, Daddy?” The child bothered his father, who patiently showed him the time again.

“One more minute.” The man ruffled his son’s hair.

Just then, the sound of a trumpet sounded. The announcer swaggered into the center. “It’s Pig Racin’ Time!” The southern accent came on long and thick. “Good morning and welcome pig racing fans to the Hogway Speedway…”

With wide spread arms and charming enthusiasm, their host masterfully engaged the crowd. He introduced the racers, hogs punnifuly named after different Nascar drivers. The trumpet sounded again, the crowd shouting the name of their section’s chosen racer. And the pigs were off.

Danny watched his counterpart much more than the sprinting pigs. Phantom’s eyes followed the track, lips pressed closed and even. The expression was strange; it wasn’t that ‘Dan’ didn’t want to be there. It was like he was unsure…

“Hamica!” The little boy sitting to Phantom’s side shouted above the crowd. “Go Hamica!” The child jumped out of his seat.

The sound swelled, the cheering and stomping shaking the benches. The little boy hopped up and down, small body carelessly slamming into Phantom in his excitement.

For just a moment, Danny’s breath caught again. Then….

“Number 10! Hamica Patrick wins!” The announcer shouted while the pigs gobbled up their prize of cheese doodles.

“Our piggy won!” The little boy clapped. “She won! Did you see?” He turned to Phantom, starry eyes blind to the halfa’s tense posture.

Wait. Why was the other half ghost tense?

The child continued. “She won! Everyone was cheering so loud and our piggy won.”

“Yeah…” Phantom finally answered quietly, giving an almost sad shrug.

With that, the boy lowered his raised hands. “You weren’t cheering.” Lips pursed seriously; maybe he was picking up on the seeming-teen’s odd mode. “You havta cheer next race. Everyone's supposed ta cheer!”

Meanwhile the boy’s father was giving apologetic looks, trying to get his son’s attention back to the race. “The duck’s are going next. Don’t you want to see?”

The boy pointed at ‘Dan’ demandingly. “You havta cheer.”

“Alright, Alright.” Phantom put up his hands and… he smiled. “I’ll cheer.”

Again, Danny felt like he was looking at an alternate reality. His counterpart was smiling. Not malicious or teasing. Nor mocking or crazed but…

“I’ll cheer. But…” That genuine smile cracked brighter. “You have to cheer even louder. So loud everyone’s eardrums bleed.”

Well… he was being a little macabre. But the little boy was laughing brightly all the same.

And Phantom kept his word. “Oinkheart! You better run!” He did cheer, as loud and enthusiastic as any other pig racing fan.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Danny’s own even lips cracked into a smile. He cheered too, just as loud as Phantom.

The pigs races finished, the host announcing the next show while selling plastic pig noses and pooping pig keychains to the parents of excitable kids. Then a quick trip to the ATM and Phantom pulled Danny towards the fair games.

“That one.” The black clad ghost’s eyes fixed on a wall of balloons. Various prizes including a five feet long stuffed shark hung from the stall.

Phantom handed over a few bills. He fingered the darts, carefully aiming with furrowed brow. He threw, the projectile sailing straight for its target. “Yes!” He cheered, only for the dart to harmlessly hit the balloon and fall.

Danny frowned suspiciously, unintentionally mirroring the other half ghost. Still both said nothing. Instead, Phantom just threw the rest of his darts. One by one, each failed to pop a balloon.

“Come on.” Danny shook his head knowingly. “Let’s try another game.” Trust that the first one they try would be rigged.

“No.” Phantom grumbled, giving the attendant a few more bills. “I’m going to get it.”

Again, the seeming-teen carefully tested the aim of the dart, fixed on his target. Then… his gaze shifted for just a second, fixing on the other half ghost. His eyes flashed red, a purposeful smirk in them. Danny's brows furrowed in question.

The dart flew through the air, again harmlessly bouncing off the balloon and falling. Except this time, a second later the rubber sphere popped with a startling bang.

Danny flinched, shocked. For just a moment, a misty person-shaped outline wavered in front of the wall, a long clawed finger outstretched toward the balloon’s carcass.

Phantom smirked, self satisfied. Then his knees buckled.

Before he could register, Danny’s arms were wrapping around his counterpart’s shoulders, stabilizing the other half ghost.

“Is he okay?” The attendant asked, eyes wide with concern.

Was Phantom okay? He frowned down at the pale, shaky figure. His stomach flopped, feeling unbalanced. What was happening?

Danny shook the unease away. “He’s fine. Just needs something to drink.”

The fair worker still looked worried, brows furrowed, but didn’t argue as Danny started pulling Phantom away.

“Wait. I won.” The other complained. “My shark.”

Danny gave him a dubious look but without a word, accepted the giant plushie from the worker. Holding the shark under one arm, he helped Phantom forward with the other. True to his excuse, he did steer them towards a truck selling lemonade. The two slid to the window, Danny handing over the money.

“I can stand by myself.” Phantom grumbled, just as the server handed over the two cups.

Unceremoniously, Danny unhanded his counterpart who ripped the shark from his grip.

For a few minutes, the two silently shuffled forward, finally finding an empty bench. They sat, drinking their drinks. Phantom wouldn’t meet his eyes, head fixed down, almost as if embarrassed.

Finally, Danny broke the tense moment. “What was that about?”

The other seeming-teen looked up tentatively, almost sheepish, before shrugging forcibly casual. “I said I wanted to win at some carnival games. Don’t give me shit about it.”

Danny shook his head. “No. You almost fainted. Because you were, what, using a duplicate to cheat at balloon darts?”

“It’s not a big deal.” ‘Dan’ made a point of looking at his fingernails. “Just over did it. Stupid… I need to be more strategic next time.”

“Or just.. Not use your powers to cheat?”

Phantom’s eyes narrowed. “I said not to give me crap.” His arms crossed, the perfect picture of a petulant teen. “It’s not like I started melting this time.”

Danny’s eyes popped wide. “That doesn’t make it any better!”

“Like you give a shit.” The other halfa sneered. “You’ve been avoiding me like the plague. I’m stuck here, shoved in this tiny, scrawny body. With all the hormones and the acne and my powers barely working. It’s like I actually am a kid again. The fruitloop keeps trying to act like he’s my dad now, making me go to therapy and shit.” His hands waved, pointing at Danny. “And you’re off, doing god knows what, playing the hero. Trying to completely forget about me.”

Danny’s mind spun, trying to process the onslaught. That last part… “Wait, that’s not-”

“This was a mistake.” Phantom stood abruptly. “I see how you keep tensing up whenever I do anything. Like I’m five seconds away from ripping everyone’s head off.” He grabbed his lemonade and stuffed shark. “I don’t know why I even bothered. I wanted to tell you, show you that I was-.” He growled, cutting himself off. “Go do what you want.” The half ghost turned, stomping off.

For a long second, Danny just stared after him, thoughts churning. The other’s figure grew farther and farther away. Then…

“Wait!” Danny’s mind clicked back into action. “Wait!” He jumped up, running after his counterpart. “Dan! Wait!”

Within seconds, he caught up. “Dan.” And wasn’t that strange, using the name the other half ghost had given him for the first time. Danny shook away the thought. “Dan. I’m… I’m sorry.”

Phantom… Dan stopped walking, giving him a dubious look. “Yeah right.”

“No, I am sorry. You showed up at my house and dragged me here because you actually want to hang out with me, right?”

Dan didn’t respond verbally, just gave the ‘you’re stupid’ look again.

Danny didn’t let that cow him, instead forcing himself to continue. “You’re… you’re right, I have been ignoring you. And that’s not fair. I can’t even imagine why you want to spend time with me but…” The flickers of hurt in Dan’s face, the tension like… he was afraid of miss-stepping. Reasons churned in his head, nebulous and indistinct but so close to focus. His guts twisted; he wasn’t ready to face this, whatever this was.

“But you do.” Danny continued. “And we’re here. So let’s buy some greasy food, ride some rides, and play more games. But no more cheating.” He pointed severely.

For just a moment, Dan’s hard expression softened, visibly letting out a breath. “Alright.” Then his eyes rolled, pointing back. “And yes more cheating.” The corner of his lip turned up. “I know for a fact you cheated at the spring carnival to get that stuffed bat for Sam.”

Danny stumbled over a response. That was true but…

“It’s not going to kill anyone.”

Again Danny felt like he was hit in the head. The understanding, almost compassionate look Dan gave him…. It somehow wasn’t a joke.

Danny couldn’t help but notice his stomach drop. Still, he rolled his own eyes. “I guess it won’t hurt.”

With that, the two went off to find more games.

“How about this one?” Danny motioned to one stall, a line of water guns set up opposite a line of moving targets.

Dan raised an appraising eyebrow. “How am I supposed to cheat at that?” He muttered.

The teen gave him a light elbow jab in response. “I’m sure you can figure it out.” His voice lowered conspiratorially. “Plus it’s Vlad’s money. Who cares how much we waste?”

Dan looked almost surprised. “You have a point.”

The pair bought two seats. They played several rounds, not winning once.

“Come on!” Danny put up his hands. “It’s like half an inch away!” The dolphin-shaped racing marker smiled down mockingly, barely failing to reach the finish line.

The fair worker shrugged helplessly. “So close but so far. I’m sure you’ll get it next time.”

Danny’s eyes narrowed. Oh yeah, next time for sure. Then again… if they gave it another go, maybe?

“I’m bored with this.” Dan interrupted his debating, pulling him off his seat by the back of his collar. “Oh. Those headphones look sweet.”

He marched up to a set of basketball hoops, set up fair behind a metal barrier. Sure enough, a pair of sleek black over-the-headphones hung from the side.

“I see you eyeing these beauties.” The host’s voice projected. “Real Beats, would you believe it? Three shots to win them. Three in a row! Are you up to the challenge?”

Dan’s eyes narrowed, wickedly smug. “Of course, I am.”

The black-clad halfa handed over the money, receiving a ball. He stood in front of the line, lining up the shot. Again, his eyes flashed ever so subtly. And he threw. The ball sailed through the air. It bounced off the backboard. Then its edge hit the hoop and it wobbled, starting to fall out.

Danny’s shoulders fell, disappointed at the near shot.

Then, impossibly, the ball wobbled the other direction, falling neatly into the hoop.

Danny’s mouth fell open. How was that possible?

The game’s host looked just as shocked for a moment. Then, schooling himself, he collected the ball. “Lucky shot.” He handed it back to Dan, who just wordlessly smirked.

The dark-clothed halfa lopped his second shot, then his third. Each landed perfectly. Suspiciously perfectly.

“That’s three for the three.” The fair worker looked somewhere between stunned and suspicious. Still, he handed the headphones over.

Dan accepted the prize with a grin. “I guess I’m just lucky.” He had the audacity to shrugged casually, the movement in sharp contrast to the smugness radiating off of him.

Danny didn’t have it in him to begrudge the other half ghost his success though. The two walked off, in search of another game.

They’d walked for about a minute, out of sight of the basketball stall and Danny couldn’t keep his surprise in anymore. “How did you do that?” He asked, almost awed.

“Just simple telekinesis.” This time, Dan’s shrug was legitimately casual.

“Telekinesis? But…”

“Wait.” The seeming-teen stopped in his tracks, seeming to pick up on the other’s stunned confusion. “You can’t do telekinesis yet? How?” He turned to look at Danny, a mirror of his own confusion. “That’s as easy as breathing. How…” He chuckled. “How don’t you have that power yet?”

“Well, excuse me.” Danny frowned, hands on his hips; he didn’t appreciate being laughed at. “Not all of us have Plasmius’ powers and expertise downloaded right into our head.”

“What? No.” Somehow, Dan sounded even more stunned. “That’s not… Even if that was how that worked…” He looked almost… queasy saying the words. “Plasmius doesn’t have telekinesis.”

“But… yes he does.” Danny tried to argue. Vlad had definitely fought him with telekinesis before. Right?

“He can’t move things with his mind.” The other half ghost shook his head vehemently. “He’s never been able to. Not even now. I’ve tried to explain it a bunch of times.” He pointed severely. “And not out of the goodness of my heart. He wouldn’t stop annoying the shit out of me about how to do it…. And Vlad can’t do it.”

Danny blinked once, twice. “And… you’re serious. You’re not messing with me?”

“Not about this.” Dan rolled his eyes. With a quick look around, they flickered red again. An aura seeped out of his hands, surrounding the newly won headphones. “This telekinesis is one hundred percent Phantom.” The prize hovered off his palm ever so slightly, bathed in green light.

The other half ghost studied the floating object. It was an impressive show, even more shocking that Vlad apparently couldn’t do it while Dan could so easily. Speaking of easily… Danny raised a brow, teasingly. “Maybe not one hundred percent Phantom. Since you’re not the only one, what with, Box Ghost, Lunch Lady, Technus-”

“Shut up.” Dan elbowed him, surprisingly gently, not a hint of malice in the words. “And I guess we’re not the only ones.”

Danny blinked once, surprised for just a moment. Then… “Oh right. I guess I’ll be able to do that at some point.”

Dan shrugged, the light around the headphones winking out as he caught them. “Want me to teach you?”

“Really?” The other half ghost asked, skeptical.

“Somehow you haven’t figured it out yet.” The other snarked back. Was he… blushing? “And how else are you supposed to cheat at fair games?”

For just a second there was the impulse to snark back; he still didn’t really want to cheat. But Dan was offering, authentically offering to teach him something. And Danny had said he was going to actually give this hanging out thing a shot

“Sure. I’d love it if you showed me how to do it.” Danny said, surprised at his own sincerity.

Dan gave a nod. “Come on then.” He pulled the teen along, searching for an at least somewhat secluded place. After nearly ten minutes of looking… “This will do.”

They wedged between two stalls, the busy sound of fair goers waiting for food and workers calling out orders at their backs. The alley smelt of roasted turkey, cotton candy, and the sour tang of throw up. The perfect place for an impromptu lesson.

“That’s going to be your target.” Dan pointed to an abandoned beer bottle. “First…”

After about ten minutes of unsuccessfully getting his younger counterpart to understand, Dan looked just about ready to pull out his hair. “No. You have to reach out. Like the power’s an extension of you.”

“Sorry, but that doesn’t make any sense.” Danny also wanted to pull out his hair.

“Okay, fine. Here. Let’s try this.” Dan grabbed his hand and-

“The fuck!” Danny just about screamed as his counterpart’s hand phased inside his. “What…” He panted, panic suddenly clawing at his throat. “Are you doing?!”

“Bad idea.” Dan was also panting, eyes blown wide. “Bad idea. Too late now.” He pinched red-flickering eyes closed. “We’re like three steps away from being the same person. I should be able to tell your core exactly what to do.”

“Okay?!” Still, Danny’s heart pounded, mind racing back. Dan’s hand, in chest. The solid gear clicking into place. Belittling laughter.

“I’m not…” Dan growled. “That’s not me anymore. I won’t hurt you.”

That was ridiculous. This was crazy. Why did he even agree to doing this? Any of this? Hanging out with Dan, learning from him? Just letting him wander around free?! Why did he trust him? He tried to trust him and this-

Like cold water rushing over him, heavy bricks falling. An immaterial wall shattered. Emotions flooded in. Pain, fear, guilt, regret. But not… not his.

Danny struggled to force his eyes open. When had he closed them?

Dan’s eyes, the same as his own, half a foot from his. They rounded, sincere, desperate. “I’m sorry. Just let me help….”

An exhale. There was a line that had been a solid wall. There was Danny and there was Dan. And Danny could see, he could feel over the line, into his counterpart’s self. The anger, the prickliness, the spite, the smugness. It was all a cover. A pathetic cover over the guilt, the fear, the regret, the pain.

A small, tentative nudge at his own core. Comfort, reassurance. He was out of practice.

Danny looked away, at his right hand. The one uncannily possessed. His stomach lurched violently. “Do whatever it is you were going to do.”

“I’m trying!” Dan grit his teeth. “Stop fighting.”

Stop fighting? How was he supposed to-

A hand wrapped around his core, not crushing but… comfortably warm. Behind his eyes…

Rain dripping down the windows, the world dark and gray. A huge, canopied bed. At his bedside, a picture of his family, the glass shattered.

“Danny?” A voice far away. “Danny?” He couldn’t will his head to lift, not after-

“Danny?” The boy blinked and he was back in that smelly alley. Fingers snapped in front of his face. “Pay attention.” Eyes focused on… Dan. Right.

Wordlessly, Danny nodded.

“Let’s get this over with.” His counterpart shook his head. His brow furrowed in concentration. And Danny felt his own core act.

Energy swirled around, flowing down to his fingertips and passed them. It stretched, ghostly fingers brushing the bottle. Then, as easy as moving his physical fingers, they wrapped around the target. The object lifted, eerily floating above the dirty ground. Gently it moved side and side of Dan’s volition. With hardly a shared thought, the black-clade half ghost gave over control. Roughly, Danny grabbed the bottle, setting it spinning in the air.

“Wow.” Danny gave a laugh. “Why didn’t you just say that?”

The other halfa rolled his eyes. “Try moving two things at once.”

The shared hand flexed, Dan guiding the movement while Danny acted. His telekinesis reached out, enwrapping a small pebble. It lifted, dipped, and spun.

At the same time, the bottle dropped. Reaching out with his other physical hand, Danny felt his power stretch. He let out a sigh of relief, catching the object.

For a few more minutes, Danny flexed his new power. His aura wrapped around handfuls of trash, the pieces bobbing in the air. They spun around the pair. First slowly, then faster and faster. Like dirty little moons circling a planet.

Slowly, a smile grew on Danny’s face. He was actually doing this! His eyes twinkled playfully, suddenly dropping all the trash.

“What? Already tired?” Dan asked.

The other half ghost didn’t dignify the question. Instead, he jerkily pulled the shark into the air. He sent it in a slow circle around them. Closer and closer, all the while humming.

“Is that the Jaws theme-”

Danny rammed the shark into his counterpart’s side.

The plush snoot had Dan bending forward dramatically. His eyes narrowed. And Danny’s smile disappeared. Maybe that had been a step too far; he was getting too comfortable. Then…

Dan rolled his eyes. “Oh, you can effectively attack me with plushies. Color me impressed.” The words came out thick with sarcasm, not the least bit amused. But underneath…

A feeling like subdued laughter brushed Danny’s core.

The smile wavered back into place. “You say that all serious but…” Just hint of a smirk. “You thought that was hilarious.”

“I did not.” Dan tried to deny. But standing side by side, core open to Danny’s prodding, he had no leg to stand on. “It’s this stupid teenage brain.” He lifted a hand pleadingly. “The meat suit thinks the dumbest things are funny. I’m…I’m a big scary grown up ghost, I swear!”

He sounded so desperate, it was almost funny. Danny struggled not to laugh. “Sure you are.”

For a moment more, Dan pouted, eyes trying to argue his point. Then… he huffed. “Fine. It was funny.”

Effortlessly, he pulled his incorporeal hand out of Danny’s. The other half ghost shivered, feeling oddly bare as the background nose of Dan’s emotions faded away.

Across from him, Dan’s arms were crossed, eyes fixed down.

Danny’s brow furrowed. What exactly was Dan’s deal? Flip flopping between emotions. He was snarking and joking one minute and then the next, clamming up and serious. He wanted to be having fun, and then admitting that he was enjoying himself the worst possible thing ever. Part of Danny was at a loss, at his wit’s end. How was he supposed to deal with this?

But another part… the glimpses he caught from the other’s core. The anger and harshness, covering all that pain and guilt and grief. That made sense. How many times had Danny himself put on a brave face while he was hurting?

There was another layer though. Uncertainty, insecurity, loneliness.

So much there and Danny had no idea where to start, what he could say to help, to make it better.

So he offered what comfort he could. “It’s okay if you thought it was funny, you know. It doesn’t mean you’re any less badass or terrifying or whatever.” He shrugged. “Plus, we’re here to have fun. Let yourself actually enjoy it.”

The other half ghost’s shoulders loosened. He looked up and… for a long moment, there was something heavy and serious in his eyes. His mouth opened and closed, chewing on the thought. Then….

“Al… alright then. Let’s go have some fun.” Dan finally said, seemingly letting the heavy words go, for now at least.

“Yeah.” Danny gave him a hearty pat on the back. “I saw one of those milk bottle toss games with a bunch of giant plushies. Wanna play that?”

“Sure.” Dan shrugged. Then pointedly. “And I expect you to use our lesson.”

“Of course.” Danny replied airly. “Can’t have you shoving your hand intangibly into me for nothing.”

“Again, I blame the teenage brain. You get forcibly de-aged and all the common sense goes out the window.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Danny waved him off. “You don’t see me complaining.”

“You haven’t been de-aged before, have you?” Dan raised a brow.

“Well no, but…” He trailed off, at a loss for a response to the seeming-teen. Or rather, just teen. The thought almost knocked him off his feet…. Dan actually was his age again, wasn’t he?

“Thought so.” The other teen snorted, ignoring the odd look. Then pointing. “There’s your milk bottle toss.” He blinked. “What the hell is that?”

Danny’s brow furrowed, just as confused at the ambiguous giant stuffed animal. “A cat? Racoon? Maybe a red panda, except… you know, green?”

Dan rubbed his chin, deadpan serious. “Ah, the famed green cacooanda. Of course.”

That earned an appreciative snort from the other half ghost. “Nice.”

Despite his earlier sarcasm and resistance, Danny fully intended to use what Dan had taught him. A few telekinesis assisted ring tosses and he was walking away from the stand with his own green cacooanda.

“I can’t believe it.” Dan said, dubious. “You actually did it.” He gave a scoff, his typical haughtiness as present as ever. But a twinkle in the corner of his eye…. Dan not-so-secretly looked proud.

More games followed. Wack-a-mole. Skee-Ball. The Shooting Gallery. Darts. Ring the Bell. Even Duck Pond and Bingo. The pair hit up every one, until all the game hosts eyed the two suspiciously, muttering about calling security, much to Dan’s amusement.

“That was satisfying.” The black-clade teen smirked, carrying his collection of cheating-won spoils. “How ya feel about getting burgers?”

“Yeah.” Danny nodded. His eyes nervously flittered over the booth, still wary of being caught cheating. But… he smiled down at his own pair of headphones and the stuffed bear he planned to give to Jazz; his stomach leapt, giddy at the thrill. Slowly, he grinned. “There’s a bunch of stalls set up by local charities and stuff near the South Gate. The food’s normally good and not that pricey.”

“Awesome.” Dan agreed with a nod.

They grabbed lunch, sitting at one of the picnic tables in front of the impromptu restaurants. Neither really talked. Not that Danny minded. That had been the pattern for most of the morning and early afternoon, conversation revolving around what game to play next, which prizes either had their eyes on.

Now, Dan chewed his burger, the corner of his lip subtly lifted. At the same time, his eyes flitted from stall to stall, drifting over the crowds of people. People watching. Just the smallest hint of awe and curiosity flickered in his eyes.

Danny watched all this, his own lips quirking slightly.

Next came the rides. After a quick discussion about what to do with their prizes – they really should have waited until after to play the games – and finding a place to phase them into the ground for later, the two hurried to the midway. So many options stretched in front of them, Dan’s eyes practically shining with excitement.

“We have to do the Gravitron first.” The black-clad teen pulled Danny through the crowds.

As they rounded the corner, the ride appeared before them. Danny could almost feel his eyes go heart-shaped. His heart picked up, airly giddy. It was shaped like a spaceship!

“Come on!” It was Danny’s turn to tug his counterpart onward.

With fastpass bracelets, the two boarded the ride. Back against the padded wall, the boy grinned as the lights started flashing and everything started spinning.

“Yeah! Woa!” People cheered and screamed as the ride rotated faster and faster.

Without even a belt to hold him in place, Danny’s back pressed against the wall, the weight of gravity overwhelming. Suddenly, the panels slid up, the lady to his right shouting in surprise. The boy’s feet rose off the floor, body held in place solely by the centrifugal force. He just shouted louder.

Far too soon, the ride slowed, the panels slotting back into place and feet returning to the floor. The spinning gradually stopped and the force of gravity lessened to its normal weight.

Danny’s ears rang slightly, balance wobbly and stomach churning; boy was he glad they hadn't pigged out on too much greasy food yet. Still, his heart pounded, a buzz with adrenaline. He grinned. “Let’s do that again!”

Ride again, they did. A second spin and then a third had Dan grinning with him, eager to try something else.

“The drop tower?” The teen pointed. And the pair was rushing off again.

The tilt-a-whirl. An upside down swinging Pirate Ship. The Round-up, the Gravitron’s almost vertically spinning cousin.

The two half ghosts took turns choosing which to ride next and excitedly pulling each other across the midway.

“What’s this one?” Danny pointed. “Music Express?”

“Looks kinda boring.” The other half ghost shrugged. “Let’s try it.”

The cars formed a circle, alternating flat and sloped sections making the track look lop-sided. The two picked a car, Dan sliding in first. Danny sat beside him, the metal bar over their laps locking them into place. Again, music started and they were off.

The circle of cars rotated, first slowly and evenly. Honestly, indeed a little boring. Then…

“What wants to go faster?!” The operator yelled into the microphone.

The riders screamed their agreement, the music speeding up. The cars spun faster. Laughter and shouts rang out; Danny’s screams joined the merry noise, caught up in the joy around him.

Then, he slammed into Dan, his shout choking. The spinning force pulled him towards the center and right into his car-mate. His hip and shoulder dug into the other teen, Dan’s own enthusiastic shouting cutting out. The black-clad teen’s mouth snapped shut, face going beat red in mortification.

“Your.. your face!” Danny burst out laughing, unable to keep the amusement in.

Dan just wordlessly shoved Danny’s face away.

The ride continued for a few more minutes, the rotation even reversing and sending the cars backwards. All the while, Danny laughed, a large part of him enjoying Dan’s discomfort.

Finally, the music slowed, movement trickling to a stop. The ride over, Danny exited first. He offered his hand to help his counterpart out.

“I guess this one’s on the no list, huh?” Danny asked, taking pity.

Dan took the offered hand. “Nah. I want to go again.”

“Oh?” The other teen blinked once, surprised.

“Yes. You’re sitting on the inside next time.” His teeth flashed mischievously.

“Guess I deserve that one.” Danny chuckled.

Sure enough, they rode again, this time Danny suffering through being crushed by his seat companion. Dan laughed somewhat evilly all the while, reveling in the discomfort just as much as Danny had earlier.

Bumper cars. Three different mini-coasters. A few turns on the Racing Slide. A surprisingly disorienting house of mirrors, followed by a ridiculously lame “haunted house.” Even the good old carousel and ferris wheel.

Conversation drifted, most trivial but some… almost serious.

The fairwheel ground to a stop, the pair hanging at the apex. “So… how does it work?” Danny asked, casually looking at his nails.

Dan gave him a suspicious look. “How does what work?”

“If you didn’t just download Vlad’s expertise…then how does it work?”

The other teen stiffened slightly, eyes fixed far away on the Amity Park skyline. “It’s mainly emotions. I mean, you and Vlad figured that out. Ghosts are made of emotions. And there’s… they’re not really memories, I guess. More like… the shape of them.” Slowly, the car started descending. “Like I watch football with Vlad… because he’s into it and won’t shut up about father-son bonding.” Dan narrowed his eyes pointedly. “And I find myself liking it.” He stuck out his tongue. “And the weird images of boring board rooms. And Maddie with long hair. It was so curly then, falling against her cheeks…” He grimaced. “Sometimes I really wish I hadn’t eaten Plasmius.”

The words were so blunt, so casual; Danny choked on air. Dan ignored his hacking. “I mean… I think I would have just faded away if I hadn’t so…” He shrugged.

Danny blinked at him. What was he supposed to say to that? A response did niggle at his mind though…and to his horror, the question slipped out. “What did he… taste like?”

“The grossest cheese ever.”

Danny and Dan enjoyed all the rides the fair had to offer, the afternoon gradually giving way to evening. The sun set, the warmth of the day becoming the chill of night. The lines grew longer, teens and young adults piling in to enjoy the bright lights and music. Still, the two were unbothered by the waits, thanks to their blessed fastpasses.

The night stretched on, every ride enjoyed to the two teens’ hearts’ content. And finally…

“The squirrel cages.” Dan spread his arms, practically beaming up at the towering mess of metal. “Saving the best for last.”

“Yes!” Danny’s stomach leapt, queasily excited.

They boarded one of the odd, apostrophe-shaped cars. The plush bench sat under them, metal bars and mesh cradling the two riders. The center, oblong frame creaked, beginning to spin. The car rose into the air, swinging.

The sound of more people being loaded onto the ride rang out below. Danny held his breath in anticipation. Any second now…

A sudden jolt of movement. Beside him, Dan gasped.

The center rotated, the cage swaying violently. Rising higher and higher in the air. Danny’s heart fluttered. They reached the top… A burst of speed and everything spun. Both boys screamed, the cage flipping end over end.

A flurry of movement, the world turning. The inky-black sky flashed into view, then the thousand glittering lights of the fair loomed below. The sky, the ground, the sky, the ground. The scene flickered. On and on.

Screams reverberated, terrified and elated. Weight shifted, the car turning and flipping. Danny’s heart pounded, his stomach in his throat.

Far too soon, the ride ended. Danny looked over at his counterpart, both’s eyes blown wide. “Go again?”

Dan nodded eagerly.

They rode again. And again. And again.

Head over heels, the world turned in flashes of light and dark. Danny’s ears rang, shouts and cheers filling his brain. His head swam. Pressed side by side with Dan, hands grasps to the bars over the door. His veins filled with more adrenaline than blood. In every molecule… terror, giddiness, elation.

The joy bubbled up, first in a smile. A grin. A shout. A laugh. The cackle burst out, unrestrained. Beside him, Dan’s guffaws rang in kind. The laughter filled his world, his mind. Dan’s laugh and his… they were the same laugh, but also so different. Chests and shoulders shook, the delight too much to hold.

The two half ghosts laughed and laughed and laughed.

They laughed until they couldn’t breathe. Until the ride stopped and both stumbled out of the car. Until Danny, one arm around the other’s shoulders, helped a green-faced, wobbling Dan past the ride operator and the line of waiting riders, and the other teen threw up on his shoes.

“Stupid clone body.” Dan complained without heat, whipping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“That’s just being human.” Danny laughed.

“Well, can my body not?” He rolled his eyes, the orbs still sparkling with mirth. “Eating and sleeping are great, really, but I could do without the ability to vomit.”

“Hey, you’re doing better than my first time. You lasted for more than one ride.” The other half ghost shrugged, the movement bringing his counterpart just the tiniest bit closer. “When we went to the fair when I was eleven, I was finally tall enough. I begged to ride. Jazz and Mom absolutely refused, the chickens. But Dad rode with me. It was the best thing ever. We flipped so many times.” His speech grew faster with his excitement. “I was so dizzy after. Stumbling around like I’d just drunk a six-pack. I wobbled up to Jazz, told her she was a chicken and missed the best ride ever and…” A snort burst forth, threatening to choke his words. “I threw up all over her! I’d eaten so much cotton candy before, it was bright blue! And little bits of popcorn and hotdogs.” Danny held his stomach with one arm. “You should have seen her face.” He giggled lost in the memory, in the lingering adrenaline rush.

Beside him, Dan shook his head in amusement. “I remember. I was there.”

“Yeah.” Danny laughed. “I guess you were… there.” He trailed off, the meaning finally hitting him. Eyes trailing over, to his counterpart’s face. Similar to his, not just because the human body was a clone, but… “I guess you were.”

Something shifted between the two, in that meeting of eyes. An unspoken understanding lingered. That heaviness that had flashed in Dan’s eyes, right after their lesson…. It leered, visible but not weighty.

“Come on.” Danny finally offered, smile gentle. “You wanted to eat a bunch of greasy food today. Think your stomach is up to it?”

“Of course.” The other flashed his teeth playfully.

The two weaved through the midway, away from crowded rides. They passed tens of food stalls, visiting at least a half dozen for all the staples. Cotton Candy, Kettle Corn, Candy Apples. They got the best ice cream from a local farm’s stand and incredible homemade pumpkin fudge. And so much fried food- a red-velvet funnel cake, corn dogs, fried pickles, bacon-wrapped fried Reeses’, and the famed, delectable fried oreos.

With their haul, they walked past the fairy-light lit garden displays, plants of all shapes and sizes swaying in the breeze. Clangs sounded from the old-fashioned blacksmith’s shop, curious onlookers’ faces lit by the fire light. A bluegrass band played on the lawn to ground-shaking stomps and cheers.

“This looks like a good spot.” Danny motioned.

They’d wandered to an empty spot on the grass, near the pond at the edge of the fairgrounds. Dan gave a nod, carefully putting down his portion of the food.

And so the two teens sat and ate. Lights flickered on the water. At their backs, music spun. Fiddle and mandolin sang, soft and slow in some kind of lullaby.

The quiet weighed but… not heavy, not oppressive. It encompassed, gentle and protective, like a blanket. Dan ate slowly, unhurried. His eyes drifted over the lake, gaze on the gentle lapping water. But his mind was elsewhere.

And Danny watched his companion. Not tense and distrusting as before but patient, ready to talk when Dan needed.

The lullaby ended to cheers. The sound petered out, the set ending. The murmurs of the crowd ebbed away.

The wind picked up, movement catching Danny’s eye. At the other side of the pond, the trees swayed. Needles and pine cones ruffled, falling to the water with tiny plops.

“Do you really think I’m terrifying?” Dan finally broke the silence.

Danny turned, eyes wide. Of all the questions to ask, he hadn’t been expecting that. “Why do you ask?” He swallowed, eyes darting away evasively.

“Earlier…you said having fun doesn’t make me any less terrifying or whatever. But that’s not…” Dan looked down, picking at his nails. “I don’t care about being scary. I don’t… I don’t wanna be like that. That’s not why… I don’t deserve… that’s not…” He stumbled over the words, finally gritting out. “Just answer the question.”

For just a second, Danny’s stomach twisted; his impulse was to lie. But… back in the alley, his core brushing Dan’s. A door opened between them. And… a door, once opened, may be walked through from either side.

He couldn’t lie, not about this.

Danny swallowed, nodding. “After I saw your future and the CAT and everything… I had so many nightmares. Mostly about you escaping.” The evil laughter, terror on his friend’s faces, Amity Park in rubble. He’d wake up sweating, heart pounding and ecto-blast in hand. Ready to defend. Now… his mouth felt dry, an odd feeling squeezing his core. “Those went on for months.”

“And then it happened.” Dan’s knees pulled his chest, eyes wide, haunted, and… guilty.

Numbly, Danny nodded. It had. He remembered; the rubble, the cries for help, the flames. He shivered. That reality had been erased. Clockwork fixed the timeline, like he had the first time. But it still happened. The monster from his nightmares returned, more powerful and dangerous than ever. And now….

His eyes focused. On the boy sitting across from him. That monster was here and… he wasn’t a monster at all.

And that was the hardest part. The Phantom as evil incarnate. As a twisted, unfeeling abomination. That was easy. But this Phantom? This oddly human reflection….

“I’m sorry.” Danny found himself saying.

Dan looked up at that, blinking at him startledly. “Why the hell are you sorry?”

In a less somber setting, he might have laughed but now, Danny just shook his head. “After the CAT, I kept telling myself that I promised I’d never be like…like you.” The odd feeling squeezed again, something like guilt. “I’d never let that happen. Because… because I promised.” His head fixed down, gnawing on his lip. “Because I was stronger. I knew better now. I was better. I was… I was different somehow. But that’s… that’s a lie.” He forced his gaze back up, focused on the wide-eyed boy in front of him. “We’re… three steps from being the same person. If things had been different…”

The rain, the bed, the shattered picture frame…. That terrible scene from Dan’s memory. It was so easy to imagine that as his reality. Losing everything, his life destroyed… A twist of fate and their places could have been swapped.

“So… I’m sorry. I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m sorry that you lost everything and that you’re stuck here. And having to deal with being 16 again and Vlad thinking he’s your dad. And…” Danny wrung his hands. “I’m sorry that I forgot…”

After the fight, when he’d thrown down the thermos, he’d realized, he’d seen it. That Phantom was hurting, in pain. That he was still just a grieving kid. But in the months since, he’d lost sight of that. “I’m sorry that I forgot you’re a person too. I forgot who you really are.”

Dan stared at him for a long moment, brow wrinkled. His mouth opened and closed a few times. Then… “You are so stupid.” Somehow, no heat was in the words. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be saying sorry. I’m supposed to be groveling, on my knees, begging. I…I destroyed the world, Danny.” His voice started to tremble. “I killed so many people. Maimed so many ghosts. Tried to kill Valerie, my only friend, so many times. I…I tried to kill Mom and Dad.” His eyes shone, taking on a glassy sheen. “Jazz, Sam and Tucker. I tried to kill all of them twice. Twice. And…” His face paled, almost queasy. “I am horrified. I am disgusted. I… It makes me sick. I hate… I hate what I did. I hate who I was. And…” Finally, tears started falling. “I don’t deserve any… any of this. I definitely don’t deserve you saying sorry to me. You… you idiot. You’re too good for your own good. And I’m… I’m just…”

Dan stuttered to a stop, words choking as he furiously whipped at his face.

And it was Danny’s turn to stare stunned. What could he say to that? Nothing was good enough. Nothing would ever be good enough. By all accounts, Dan had done horrible things, unforgivable things. Danny had every reason to still hate and fear him. No reason at all to offer forgiveness or sympathy. But…

The empathy was there, twisting Danny’s heart into knots. Somehow, he understood. Far too well.

“Do you want a hug?” The question slipped out before Danny really considered it.

Dan, apparently completely stunned, nodded immediately.

What he’d asked hit Danny just as the response came. For a moment, he mentally berated himself; what a stupid thing to ask. Dan didn’t actually want a hug. And what was he doing trying to comfort his formerly evil, formerly older alternative self? But then again…

Danny’s resolve crumbled. He leaned over, wrapping his arms around Dan’s shoulders.

The breath-hitching sob caught Danny off guard. Dan letting his walls crumble in front of him had been unbelievable just this morning. But after the rides and games, sharing quips and food and heart-felt truths…. Now it all made sense.

The pair sat for a long time, Danny hugging his counterpart. Dan’s shoulders shook, hands balled in the back of his jacket. Tears wet his shirt. And the only sounds were his own heartbeat, Dan’s pounding right next to his. And the dark-clad teen’s soft cries.

Gradually though, the tears slowed. The sobs quieted. The shaking stopped. Breathing slowed and evened.

Taking a deep breath, Dan pulled away. “I… Sorry.” His face burned red, embarrassed. “That isn’t… I didn’t want to break down on you.”

“It’s okay.” Danny shook his head. “Maybe it didn’t go how you wanted. But this is why you wanted to hang out with me, right? To apologize, getting everything out in the open.”

The other half ghost nodded. “And show you that I’m…I’m different.” He wiped his eyes. “I’m trying to be better.”

“I can see that.” The skin around his eyes crinkled, dawning smile genuine.

And Danny meant it. In a dozen little ways today, he’d witnessed it. This Dan was a far cry from the Phantom he’d fought all those months ago.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Dan gave a watery smile.

Just then, a loud boom cut that air. Lights flashed in the sky. Fireworks above the pond.

“Look at that.” Dan’s eyes widened, voice breathlessly awed.

The two sat, side by side watching the fireworks. Sparks danced across the sky, spheres and swirls and spirals of every color.

And Danny could never have been happier he opened that door and let Dan drag him here. He didn’t know what the future held for them, where exactly his and Dan’s relationship stood; were they friends now? Family? But…

“Cotton Candy?” His counterpart offered, holding open the bag.

“Sure.” Danny nodded, taking the last handful.

There had been tears and apologies. A release of tension and fear and bitterness. New discoveries made and old similarities uncovered.

Danny tore the piece of floss in half, giving Dan back the other piece.

And most importantly, the incredible chance to start again.

Dan accepted with a nod and a smile. “Thanks. For everything.”

Reconciliation was indeed sweet.

#Valentine's Core Exchange 2024

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valentines-core-exchange · 2 months

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Late night post!

Happy Valentine’s Day! @therandomsith

Glad I got to participate in the @valentines-core-exchange this year!

#Valentine’s Core Exchange 2024

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valentines-core-exchange · 2 months

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Valentine's Core Exchange 2024!

Happy Valentine's Core Exchange, @maxattax!

You asked for a flirty, awkward trans Danny gift, and I will deliver!

And a huge thank you to the lovely people at @valentines-core-exchange for putting all this together! I know I'm very happy with my own gift, and I hope everyone else is, too!

Double Trouble on Ao3

For those who don't want to make the trip to Ao3, I'll put it under the read more :)

The idea of a double date was scary. For Danny anyway. Sam thought it was fun.

Besides, she loved any chance to spoil her boyfriend. He was always so shy about asking for or receiving money from her, even though she was easily the richest one out of the four people she was treating to a dinner double date. Valerie was the one to suggest it, but Sam was paying. Dani couldn’t exactly pay for her girlfriend when she was too young to have a job aside from working for Danny’s parents on the side while going to school with him.

But the girl in question was actually the one to find a nice, little spot in Elmerton to dine at. Dani was nice enough to call ahead and make sure to ask for a booth, which they were currently sitting at. They even had a nice spot next to a window, which Danny and Dani had gotten on their respective sides.

They were all dressed up nice. Dani and Valerie in matching blue blouses and jeans, Sam in her usual outfit, but with her tank top replaced with a half-sheer dark green shirt. Danny had tried to dress up like them, but with his matching green button up too tight around his neck, it was clear he hadn’t started off the date with much experience in being fancy(ish).

They hadn’t even been there long, but Sam was, quite frankly, enjoying the awkward first date conversation.

Valerie was a pretty smooth talker, as was Dani. They had been together for a few months now, so spending time together made them closer than anyone else in their lives. They knew each other pretty well, and knew how to play off of each other to make some entertaining back and forth.

As for why Danny wasn’t a smooth talker to his girlfriend (who had been dating him for much longer than a few months), that was probably because Sam was the one who was more of a flirt. Gifts, compliments, generally being touchy—that was all her. Danny could barely handle a single you look cute without stuttering and looking close to phasing into the ground to avoid her flirty response of

thank you, baby.

That all being the case, Danielle’s little spot was a perfect spot for two out of the four of them to flirt with their partners. Val and Dani had been consistently flirting with each other, sometimes taking a break to talk with Sam or to tease Danny. Sam would do the same, but, well, Danny was too nervous to even talk, let alone let out his (rarely) flirty side.

Dani, with her tall soda cup and massive plate of fries, sharing with Valerie, who had a lemonade in front of her. They had never been shy about sharing everything. Tables, food, even drinks.

Sam, with her glass of water and half empty plate of salad. It was too plain to finish, and watching the two of them tease her boyfriend while he tried to stutter out anything cute to her in response was too amusing to pass up on a lackluster meal.

Poor Danny, with fidgeting, cold hands holding one of hers on the seat. He had barely touched his mozzarella sticks with how nervous he was doing anything romantic in public. No one was even watching them, but he must have thought otherwise. She couldn’t help but smile. He was cute. Incredibly so, actually. Slightly green face and ears, legs unable to sit still—everything she knew he hadn’t noticed, but that everyone at the table had.

“Hey, Danny?”

Valerie hadn’t had her turn teasing Danny as much as Dani, so Danny clearly hadn’t expected all eyes on him with the way he squeaked out, “Yeah?”

“I’ve always wondered something.” He nodded at her once, tight. “If Danielle is a clone of you…” Dani perked up from in between scarfing down the contents of their shared plate. “Why are you different genders?”

Sam had to try really hard to not snicker at the way Danny pressed his hands into his face and sunk until he was halfway under the table. If he wasn’t blushing before, he was now.

“Are you okay, Danny?” She had tried to sound like she wasn’t laughing at him, but she wasn’t subtle enough. It was only because she was still holding onto his hand that he hadn’t fallen under the table completely.

“Did I…” Valerie, slowly, worried. She probably thought their teasing went too far. “Say something wrong?”

Sam sighed, trading looks with them. “No, it’s-”

Danny was clearly not in the right not-embarrassed state to come up with any excuses, and Sam herself wasn’t a fan of lying to both girls considering Danielle also didn’t know with the way she was looking at her with a half-full mouth and still holding Valerie’s hand on the seat. Vlad clearly hadn’t informed her before or after siccing her on Danny. If he knew at all.

Besides, Danny had always given Sam the trust to tell anyone who earned it, and Valerie had without a doubt.

“Look, can you-” Sam gestured for Valerie to get closer. She lent forward, but not close enough. Sam pulled her in by her blouse and whispered, “Danny’s trans.”

“Oh.” She blinked, then, “Oh!”

Sam sat back down and nodded. “Yeah, oh.”

A clear look of we’re in public, don’t make a fuss. Valerie got it, but with her pursed lips it was clear she hadn’t been expecting it and wasn’t sure what to say. Sam knew she’d be totally fine with it, but boy did it make the date a little awkward.

“Val?” Dani, rightfully still confused, then turned to Sam and fake-pouted. “What, am I not good enough to share the secret?”

Danielle would be fine with this reveal, too. That was obvious from the first moment. The fact that Danny hadn’t told either of them yet was actually a bit surprising. A roll of her eyes at her insistent look, then Sam gave her the same treatment.

It took a second, and in that time wherein she was confused about just how that related to her coming out of the cloning tube a girl when Danny was a boy, Valerie took the opportunity to quietly say, “If it makes you feel better, I never would have guessed.”

At that, and at her realization, Dani immediately burst out laughing, slapping the table and giggling loudly, nearly choking on her food.

It must be incredibly funny to Dani that no one had ever made the connection even though they said they were identical twins at school. Or she was laughing because despite him being terrible at keeping secrets, this was the one thing everyone seemed to overlook. Or maybe Danielle was laughing at Vlad for not figuring it out either. He always claimed he was some genius prodigy, but apparently he was too dumb to connect some dots.

It was anyone's guess.

Danny himself was now one with the floor, and Sam wasn’t sure she’d ever get him up with all the ruckus his clone was making. He looked about four more seconds from phasing himself into the ground and towards the center of the Earth.

Sam slid down to his level, joining him halfway. Trying to comfort (and trying not to laugh at his admittedly pathetic state), “Doing alright, babe?”

He put his hands across his fully green face and, incredibly muffled, mumbled, “Just tell me when she stops laughing, and I’ll eat my mozzarella sticks.”

A look back up. Dani had not stopped, and, in fact, was having trouble breathing with how long she had been going on for. Even Valerie had gone from hesitant and worried to laughing, too. The diner was probably incredibly confused as well. Actually, Sam knew they were. Waitresses stopped serving, people had their forks halfway to their mouths and stared.

Danny would never live this down.

She pat his shoulder a few times. He merely whined when Danielle still kept laughing. “I’ll let you know."

#Valentine's Core Exchange 2024

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valentines-core-exchange · 2 months

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Hey @the-oaken-muse I'm your gifter for the Valentine's Core Exchange 2024!! Dora/Ember was a pairing that had never crossed my mind till this event! Thanks for the opportunity I hope you enjoy it!

@valentines-core-exchange

#Valentine's Core Exchange 2024

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valentines-core-exchange · 2 months

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Yippee!

@youmaycallmeyourhighness here's your exchange gift!!

Here

I hope you like it!

@valentines-core-exchange

#Valentine's Core Exchange 2024

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Fanfic - I see what you'll become

(ao3 here) (ff.net here)

This was written for @valentines-core-exchange. I've been wanting to write a story like this for a while, though I'll admit this is outside my comfort zone. I've never written a story like this before, but I definitely had fun writing it. Written for @pennerjones (who for some reason tumblr will not let me @)

Most thought Clockwork had always existed, he was the Lord of Time after all. It made sense. Clockwork was content to let people think that. But Clockwork didn't always exist, there was someone before that.

Cassius flew through the forests. The scouts were wrong. The enemy had encroached so much farther than they had thought. A dozen ghosts, infected and corrupted by the Avatar of Malice, were chasing him through the woods. Cassius was fifteen minutes out from any of the outposts that Dark had set up to watch for the encroachment, but hopefully he could make it.

The internal clock in his head told him he only had a minute till he was caught.

Above the treetops, enraged spirits let out screeches as they clawed at each other. Too filled with hate to even recognize that they were clawing at who should be their allies. Behind him, the Infested scrambled along the ground, their arms and bodies distorting as they all tried to chase him down while also trying to tear into each other.

Even though they recognized Cassius as something they wanted to destroy, it only marked him as slightly above each other.

Cassius felt something grab his cloak. The cloak was of a good make, it held firm even as it forced Cassius to stop suddenly. Cassius cried out as his body impacted against the ground, and for a brief moment, he saw the infinite green of the realm of the dead above him.

Before the Infested blocked his view.

“No! No! No!” Cassius shouted. He swung his staff around trying to beat off the infested. Their bodies had been so infected, that the ectoplasm had turned red, and hardened their skin. Each movement they made was enunciated with a cracking sound that rang sharp, and their clawed fingers tore apart Cassius’s armored clothes, making short work of the token protections he wore.

But there was one part of Cassius that was not even protected by those.

Cassius saw the hands above his face, glowing red eyes forming in their palms as they searched to try and find a weak point so they could tear him apart. The same way they once had been.

It happened so quickly, Cassius hadn’t had time to recognize what was going to happen.

He only felt it.

He let out a guttural scream that tore his throat as the hands reached into his face, tearing chunks out of it. The first Infested had struck quickly, shoving its fingers deep through one of his eyes. But it wasn’t the only one, and they all wanted the pleasure of tearing him apart to themselves. The next infested tore into Cassius’s face, trying to pull away the first so it could have the release of destroying something. Its claws didn’t sink in as deep, but in a wider area.

Then a third followed suit, digging into the cracks the others left behind.

Cassius didn’t so much fight back as thrash about in pain. He screamed and screamed. “Help me!” He cried out, futilely. “Please someone!”

A roar shook the ground and rattled the trees. The infested recognized a threat to their existence, and hesitated. A moment later the ground next to Cassius cracked, as mace crashed through the piled up Infested. Their armored hides did nothing to stop them from being smashed into pieces.

Cassius was ripped off the ground as one hand cradled him to an armored chest. His savior roared and screamed, with enough anger in him to match those contorted by the Avatar of Malice itself. He was pressed further into the arms of the one who saved him, as they swung their weapon about.

This continued for a minute and fifteen seconds, before there was the sound of spears piercing the ground, and everything went still. Cassius was shifted, finally able to look up. “Dark?” He whispered.

“I have you,” Dark said, cradling Cassius in his arms. “I have you. You’re safe now.”

“Dark, they… they tore into me,” Cassius cried, “I’m… I’m going to-”

“No, you’re not,” Dark cut him off. “That is an order, you will not be corrupted. Understand?” Dark twisted and started marching through the woods. “Fetch the healers! All of them! The Frozen Tribes want to swear allegiance? Fine! They can prove their worth by saving this man!”

Dark pulled Cassius in closer to his chest. Even though they were all dead, Cassius could still feel a rise and fall of his king’s chest through the armor he wore. Dark’s steps grew faster and faster as Cassius tried his hardest to keep his eyes open.

Or rather, his remaining eye.

It was futile, darkness had taken him over before the warrior gave up on walking and began to fly.

***

When Cassius came to, it took him three and a half seconds before he recognized where he was. The stone arched ceilings weren’t something he often looked at, usually in this room he watched his king. However, the crimson banners gave him a clue to where he was.

Cassius sat up, causing a cry of shouts to begin to ring out. He was helped up to a sitting position by a large furred man. “Careful,” he said, a low baritone voice echoing out in a calming manner, “Do you know where we are?”

“Dark’s keep,” Cassius said, tearing his eye away from the man. “How did I get here? We were on the outskirts of the kingdom.”

“Ghosts are creatures of emotion, when we want something, when we desire it. We can do much more than we’d expect. The king was quite insistent.”

Cassius tried to see the throne, but he was surrounded by too many healers. He turned toward the one who was helping him. “I’m afraid I don't recognize you… but your form looks familiar.”

“Yes, I am from the Far Frozen, I am one of the many yetis who have come to rally against the Avatar.” The yeti reached over and a piece of ice materialized in his hand. “You may call me Frostbite.”

“Frostbite, thank you.” The yeti hummed as he pressed the ice against Cassius’s head. Cassius let out a gasp as the chill, greater than even death, sunk into him. Pain he hadn't even recognized began to fade as the ice pressed against wounds. Cassius took another breath before he tried to speak again.

He didn't get a chance to, instead a bellowing cry of “Enough!” rang out. The entire throne room grew quiet as the sea of healers began to part. Cassius turned to look and saw Dark trying to push his way through, too impatient to wait for the healers to move. There must have been at least two dozen of them surrounding his bed.

Dark forced his way through. And Cassius gasped as he saw him. A feeling of relief washed over him, as he realized that, yes, he did survive, and he got to see Dark again. He tried to memorize the sight of Dark approaching him. After four seconds, Dark had made his way through and knelt down next to Cassius’s sick bed. “Cassius, my Cassius, you’ve awakened.”

Cassius had to turn more, further than he would have had to before the loss of his eye. He looked down at his hand which was encased by the much larger Dark’s. Cassius felt his chest twitch as he mentally caught up with what was happening.

“Dark…” he whispered. He smiled at his lord and met his gaze. Dark’s lips thinned as two eyes met one. “Dark, I believe you’ve missed several meetings.”

A laugh burst out of Dark's mouth, curving his lips into a smile. “I think I have bigger concerns than a few unimportant meetings.”

Cassius huffed. “Dark, unless I’m wrong, I've been unconscious for 13 days and 7 hours. Which means that you should be meeting with Lord Nocturn-”

Dark squeezed Cassius’s hand possessively. “Cassius, I’ve told you not to call any other Lord or King by their title. You serve me, not any other Lord.”

“Lord Nocturn- and his army of dreamers. They are just as needed to fight this threat as any.”

Dark scoffed. “And what point is there of any of that if the ones I care about are left by the wayside.”

Cassius couldn’t think of anything to say to that. So, he didn’t. Instead, he simply decided to continue staring into Dark’s eyes and squeeze back with a smile on his face..

There was a clearing of a throat, and the two of them looked up at Frostbite. “I hate to interrupt, but there is something important we need to address.” He turned toward Cassius and fixed him with a look. “This treatment was very experimental, and it won’t be without consequences.” His face fell. “I would hope it’s already obvious, but your form has been damaged. Permanently.” Dark raised a hand to turn Cassius’s face toward him. Cassius watched through one eye as Dark’s eyes roamed over his bandages and his lips turned into a frown.

Frostbite’s stern look turned soft and he gave them both a smile. “But, other than the loss of your eye, you should fully recover. The rest is up to you, and bed rest.”

Dark stood. Cassius turned to listen to his announcement, the others in the throne room hadn’t quite caught the way his stance widened, or the set of his shoulders before he gave a demand. “The healer has spoken, Cassius needs rest. Everyone, unless you are a healer, a messenger, or one of the ancient lords, get out.”

Cassius raised his hand and grabbed Dark’s. “Dark, I can sleep in our chambers.”

Dark’s hand squeezed, practically crushing it. Dark’s eyes snapped to Cassius. “No.” The statement was final. There was enough force behind it that Cassius was reminded just why everyone was flocking under his banner. “I nearly lost you. Once in that forest, and once under the doctors’ hands. You’ll stay right here in front of me, where I can see you.”

Cassius felt his mouth dry as Dark continued to focus on him. “As you wish…”

Heavy footfalls approached the two of them, and Dark turned to face him. He addressed the knight that approached them, “What is it?”

“My Lord, what of the captured Infested?”

Cassius blinked. “Captured? We took some of them prisoner?”

Dark didn’t turn, but answered him. “Yes, the healers had said it would help them figure out how to cure you.” He turned toward the knight and waved his hand. “We have no need for them anymore. Bring them to the dungeons.”

Cassius sat forward. “Could they be cured?” He hadn’t intended to shout, but many of those who hadn’t yet left turned to face him.

Dark turned and looked at him, his eyebrows raised. Even the knight seemed surprised Cassius had asked. “Well,” Frostbite began, “It’s not impossible. It’d be much more difficult, you only had a small infestation of malice, and those ones are completely taken over.” Frostbite raised a hand and pointed to a corner of the room. Now that the hall was clearing, Cassius could see the cage holding them.

It wasn’t as large as he would have expected, in fact, it was quite small, it would take Pariah two steps to cross the short side, and three to cross the longer, and it wouldn’t even have reached up to his shoulders.

But the unique thing about it, were the spikes that were pointed inward. Even in the dark of the throne room, he could see them glowing. Not quite the same dark green that permeated the ghost zone, but bright and sharp. Just looking at it made a chill run through the entirety of Cassius’s body that Cassius would never forget.

It was the chill he felt as he lay dying.

“It’d be a long shot,” Frostbite continued, ignorant of Cassius’s discomfort, “but we could theoretically cure them.”

Cassius barked out a laugh. “That’d be great! We might be able to save them!” He turned toward Frostbite. “I doubt we’d be able to reunite them with anyone, but… at least they’d have a chance?” He turned back Dark. “It’d be nice to do something good after all this.”

Dark hummed thoughtfully, and reached over and ran his thumb along Cassius’s jaw. “It would, wouldn't it?” He turned back toward the knight. “Still though, they can’t stay in the throne room. Bring them to the dungeon.”

The knight bowed and turned to follow orders. Dark turned and walked up the steps to the throne. He glanced at Cassius, and raised his fist. The bed Cassius was sitting on began to shake, and Frostbite shouted, before Cassius was raised up, and a horde of skeletons carried Cassius up to Dark’s side.

Dark reached over and placed his hand on Cassius’s shoulder.

“Now then, who needs to be heard first?”

***

The next several hours were a long slog of conversations, the longest of which was a very long conversation between Dark and one of Nocturn’s messengers. With that one, Cassius had to get involved quite often to calm Dark down, as Nocturn had demanded an apology and if there was one thing Dark gave out, it was not apologies.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the dead did not need rest. Physically at least, so 53 hours later, Dark had managed to answer everyone who had come to him.

The moment the last messenger had been dealt with, Dark called in for Frostbite.

“What do you need of me?” Frostbite asked as he approached the throne. He gave Cassius a soft smile before turning back to Dark and turning serious again.

“I want you to check on Cassius’s health.”

Cassius rolled his eyes. “I’m fine, my lord.”

Frostbite scoffed. “Between the three of us, who’s the one with any medical training?” He asked, before bending over Cassius’s bed. His large frame covered all of Cassius’s remaining vision. “Dark is doing the right thing. He’s being cautious.”

This time Dark scoffed. “Cautious? No. I’m being proactive. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this war, it’s that victory favors action.”

“War? Is that what we’re calling it?” Frostbite voiced sadly. “I thought it was a fight for survival before the Infinite Realms are cleared out for the next age.”

“Exactly, a fight I intend to win.”

Cassius felt something touch his face and he jerked. Frostbite leaned back at the same time that Dark’s head snapped in their direction. “Sorry,” Cassius said, shaking his head, “That… surprised me.”

Frostbite shook his head. “No, that was my fault, I should have announced what I was doing. I’m taking off the bandage around the remains of your eye.”

Dark’s lips flattened into a thin line. “Are there options?”

Frostbite paused as he unwound the bandages, just for a quarter of a second. He continued unwinding the bandages. “Options? To fix the eye? His form is damaged, it is not an easy thing to fix.”

Frostbite bit his lip as the wraps came off. “Well, you certainly are a tough one. This is much better than I had even hoped. I’m going to touch your face here to inspect the scar here.”

Cassius glanced at Dark and uttered quietly. “Well, my lord gave me an order to recover from this.”

Frostbite chuckled. “Well, that would do it…” Cassius sat still as Frostbite poked and prodded. He leaned back and shook his hands and dusted them off, clouds of snow drifted off of them with each movement. “Just to confirm, you two know nothing about necromantic medicine?”

Cassius shook his head as Dark leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. “The only information I have on the subject is about how to destroy.”

Frostbite nodded. “Humor me, tell me what you do know.”

“Unlike our mortal forms, our forms are not a physical construct. I could flay the skin off any ghost and they’d be able to recover eventually. But, if I strike with enough intent, when I want to crush and kill, their forms can be broken. That being said,” He glanced at Cassius for a brief moment before looking back at Frostbite, “We still feel like we use our senses. We don’t truly have a form, but we think we do, so we do. So if one were to do enough damage to a ghost to the point that they feel like they have been torn to shreds, and keep them there in a period of time, they’ll be destroyed even without the intent.”

Frostbite nodded. “Excellent, that’s a perfect spot to start.” Frostbite put a hand to his chin and stroked his fur (or perhaps that was his beard? It was a bit long compared to the other Yetis). “The term infested for these wasn’t chosen randomly, they quite literally have a piece of the Avatar of Malice shoved into their forms. And even the Avatar of Malice’s most passive intents are enough to overwhelm most ghosts.”

Frostbite began to pace in front of them. “The operation we did was to excise that infection out of you, but to put it frankly, we had to remove the concept of an eye out of Cassius’s form.”

Dark leaned back, surprise quietly clearly written on his face. “That’s something that can be done?”

Frostbite smiled. “We are the best healers for a reason.” The smile quickly turned into a frown again. “But to that point, Cassius’s form subconsciously feels that he should not have an eye so therefore he doesn’t. I was fearing that there’d be more damage done to his form, but we were cleaner than even I expected, the excess damage is minimal.”

Cassius began to reach up to touch his own face, but Dark’s hand shot out and stopped him. Cassius looked down at Dark’s hand, before reaching up with his other hand and gently prying it off his wrist. “May I see?”

Frostbite nodded and held out a hand. Ice formed in hand taking the shape of a hand mirror. He handed it over to Cassius. He held it up and looked at his reflection in the perfect ice.

Cassius felt his throat seize as he looked at the wound. There was no weeping ectoplasm, or anything of the sort that would indicate this was an injury, but he could see into part of his face. It was like someone had sliced out a chunk of his head, like one would slice open a cake. He could see a static barrier of ectoplasm that acted like a facsimile of skin, but it glowed brightly as compared to the rest of his pale skin.

“Oh…”

“So, options.” Dark demanded.

Frostbite huffed. “Well, going back to your comments about intent. It’s theoretically possible, but-”

“But what?” Dark interrupted. “What would I need to get you?”

Frostbite huffed. “I was getting to that. What we would need is to fill Cassius’s form with something. We removed the concept of an eye from Cassius, so we’d need to put it back in.” Frostbite waved his hand about in the air, “It’s not like we can just create such a thing. Much like to forge a sword, you need to find the ore first before forming the blade, we’d need to find the material to create that concept. That material is a concept, a part of someone’s identity.” Frostbite sighed and ran a hand over his head. “So, in order to fix Cassius’s eye, we’d have to rip it out of someone else.”

“I can have my army go out and capture a thousand ghosts.” Dark dismissed with no hesitation, “Finding someone to take it from is a trivial task.”

Frostbite’s jaw dropped, as Cassius turned. “No, that’s not… I don’t want anyone else harmed for my sake.”

“If it’s for you, I’d send my army into the Avatar of Malice’s clutches myself.”

“Regardless,” Frostbite said, a bit of panic leaking into his voice. “Even then, it’s not so simple.” Frostbite held out his arms as if to try and get Dark’s attention on him, though nothing would tear it away from Cassius. “If it were a simple matter of a transplant from one host, willing or otherwise, to another, that’d be one thing.”

Frostbite lowered his head to look up at Dark and took a step closer. “There’s also the fact we are splitting someone’s soul. That isn’t something to be considered done trivially. If the donor is too weak, it’d be overwhelmed by Cassius’s own will and it’d be like we did nothing. Too strong, and it’d overwhelm him and change him permanently. It’d have to be of equal power to him… or back to the concept of intents, be given willingly.” Dark’s eyes narrowed and Frostbite reiterated. “If it was given willingly, if the donor was stronger and had the intent of giving Cassius his eye, then it’d take with minimal damage.”

Dark let out a hum. “I see… that makes sense.” Dark sighed. “Is there anything else of note that you’d like to share?”

“No, I think that covers it.”

“Then you are free to go.” Cassius cleared his throat and Dark grimaced. “Thank you for your time.”

“My pleasure.” Frostbite said bowing.

As Frostbite left, Cassius turned to look at Dark. Dark’s eyes never left Frostbite’s back before he exited the door and stayed fixed on the exit as it closed. Cassius reached over and grabbed Dark’s hand. Carefully, he removed the gauntlet off of it as Dark watched his fingers entranced. Once the metal was gone, he linked his fingers with Dark’s.

“Does it bother you?” Cassius asked. “My appearance now?”

“You being hurt bothers me, not your appearance.” Dark clarified. “You could look like the good doctor for all that it matters to me, but I don’t like seeing you wounded.” His lips tightened and he swallowed. Cassius could hear it clearly in the silence of the throne room. “It does bother me, it reminds me that I nearly lost you. That I let you go on your own into a land my scouts said was safe, and that I had stayed behind and nearly got you killed.”

“You did nothing of the sort. It was my decision to be alone for a bit.”

“And it was my decision to not send any soldiers with you. I should have known better.” Dark sighed and stood up, not letting go of Cassius’s hand but turning just the same to face him. He sat down on the bed and scooped up Cassius into his arms and sat him on his lap. “I nearly lost you, and I was playing king.”

Cassius leaned into Dark, but pressed gently against his chest. “I may need to remind you, the doctor said I should rest.”

Cassius could feel Dark’s face shift into a smile against the top of his head. “That’s why we are here on your bed. Besides, he also said you’re recovering well.”

“I suppose that he did.”

***

It was 26 hours later when Nocturn arrived. It was herald by the endless green void darkening to the point that even the oldest ghosts remaining remembered the night sky from their lives. Some marveled at the change, the Infinite Realms were not known for change after all, but most grew restless as the entire realm began to accommodate the Lord of Dreams.

It took another hour and a half for the Ancient to arrive. The doors burst open and a dark mist spilled out. Some of Nocturn’s sleepwalkers marched in, their sackcloth forms forming a corridor. They knelt down as Nocturn entered.

To say he walked in wouldn’t be quite right, the Lord of Dream’s form was more like a mass of darkness than anything else. He slid into the room, ducking his head underneath the doorframe and then stretching up to the full height of the room.

The darkness spread to the foot of the throne, a few torches keeping the dark at bay. Nocturn stopped just outside the light. “So, you are the one called Dark.” Nocturn looked him up and down. “I am not impressed.”

Dark scoffed. “Considering how few can destroy the Infested, you should be. If we counted how many warriors outside of your army can defeat them, we’d still have a hand left.”

This time Nocturn scoffed and bent down, “Yes, let’s ignore the greatest defenders of the Infinite Realms. Are we ignoring the Ancients who survived the last Calling as well?”

“The point is that if we hope to survive this, we should be working together. Or are the stories of the fallen ancients just that?”

Nocturn stood back up. “No. No they are not.” Nocturn looked around the room, at all the ghosts that had fled to Dark’s banner. “Even if I dislike it, this is beyond any of us. If we wish to survive, we’ll all need to work together.” Nocturn turned toward Dark and pointed his finger at him, “Make no mistake, I have heard stories of you, Dark. Stories that I hope are just stories. Stories of how you treat your men, stories of how you treat your allies, stories of-”

“He’s not like that.” Cassius interrupted. “Yes, he can be terrifying, but he’s been keeping us all safe.”

Nocturn turned toward Cassius, then glanced at the bed he was resting on. His gaze shifted towards Dark, before he looked back at Cassius . “Forgive me if I don’t find your words convincing.”

Before Cassius could say anything more. Dark spoke up. “I don’t care if you like me. I’m not here because I was liked, I am here because I am strong.”

“Not strong enough,” Nocturn said, folding his arms. “You speak of strength, but your strength only extends as far as your arm. Unlike me. If it were not for Helios telling me to visit you, you’d be beneath my notice.”

Cassius could see Dark’s jaw work as he bit his tongue. Cassius knew that Dark had much to say about that, but none of them should have been antagonizing each other. Cassius knew Dark though, and knew exactly how to keep him from snapping back. “Helios? I don’t know this name, though it feels familiar.”

Dark’s jaw loosened immediately and turned to Cassius. “Another Ancient,” he began explaining, to ensure that Cassius never felt lost in his presence. “Nocturn is the Lord of Dreams, Helios is the Lord of Vision. He sees much. If he is forcing us to work together, then it is the best chance we have.” Dark huffed through his nose and turned back to Nocturn, “If you have a suggestion, I’m all ears.”

Nocturn laughed. “If you could, oh mighty king, you’d have an army to match mine. No, your royal army doesn’t carry your strength.”

Dark stayed quiet for a moment. “Explain that.”

Nocturn looked down at Dark, confusion spreading across his face. “Explain what, it’s a simple concept.”

“What does kingship have to do with the armies?”

Nocturn frowned, and for two and a quarter seconds, Cassius thought he wouldn’t answer. Then Nocturn reached into the darkness swirling about his feet. “Simply put,” he said, drawing out a sleepwalker from the mists. “This soldier here, carries my intent. He is my hand, carrying out my will. You don’t have enough intent to have your troops carry it.”

Dark leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. “So… if I were a king, my troops would all be able to fight the Infested?”

Nocturn froze. “If you were a king?”

“I am not a king, I am just a warrior who others have been following. This castle wasn’t made for me, it was where I found a handful of fearful ghosts hiding from the Infested. It suits our purposes as a lair, but I have never called myself a king. It is others who call me king.”

Nocturn shrunk down so that he wasn’t towering over Dark. “And how many of those are also capable of fighting the Infested?”

Dark glanced at Cassius, and Cassius refused to meet his eyes. There was a reason he was injured. He was not suited for battle. He hated that, he wanted to stand with Dark as an equal, but what could a ghost who had a knowledge of time do?

“Of those that go into battle? All of them.” Dark stated.

“Exactly… as a king, as a ruler, they carry your intent. If you intend to destroy the Infested then they can too.”

Dark stood up. “Frostbite,” he demanded.

Immediately the Yeti made his way to the front of the crowd that was gathering around the edges of the room. “Yes?”

“I have another task for your craftsmen. I apparently find myself in need of a crown.”

“We’ll have it ready soon. Is there anything else?”

“No, that’s of utmost importance. If we can go from 5 warriors capable of fighting the Infested to a thousand, we will have a chance.” Frostbite bowed before turning and running out the door.

“Another order?” Cassius asked, “What was the first?”

“Nothing of importance. Just a token for myself, a promise to never let you get hurt again.” Dark said, turning to Cassius. He placed his hand on Cassius’s head before moving to cup his cheek.

Nocturn grumbled. “Cute, but we still have matters to discuss.”

“Vortex.”

“He won’t listen to you.”

“Will he listen to you?”

“It’s possible, but unlikely. He’s…”

“Volatile?”

“I was deciding on stubborn, but yes, that as well.”

“I might have a plan, though I’d like to know what someone who fought with him in the past would think of it before deciding on any decisions.”

“What plan could possibly force him into the fight?”

“The yeti’s have a metal, it causes a feeling of fear in those who are in close proximity-”

Nocturn rolled his eyes. “You seek to use that on Vortex? Each of the Ancients can resist such paltry-”

“I don’t intend on using it on Vortex, I intend on using it on the Avatar of Malice.”

Every single ghost in the room, including Cassius turned toward Dark with various levels of incredulity on their faces. “Dark,” Cassius began, “How could that possibly work?”

Dark smiled. “I have fought many of the Infested, and I know one thing. They still have fear. The Avatars of Malice will tremble as I crush them beneath my heel. I have reason to believe that the Avatar of Malice does as well. Aren’t some expressions of malice born of fear?”

Dark stood up. “Additionally, a Calling happens in a place of calm, yes?” When Nocturn didn’t correct him he continued. “If we scatter the spaces where the calling can occur, we can shift it. Pushing it to the nearest stable realm.”

The room was silent as everyone processed the plan. Nocturn never broke eye contact with Dark for thirteen seconds, “You wish to force the Calling to happen in Vortex’s realm.”

Dark nodded. “He will fight, whether he wishes it or not.”

“I don’t know if you’re insane, foolish, or both. This idea could only come from a madman…” Nocturn paused as he thought a bit more. “But it could work.”

***

After that proclamation, the castle broke into a flurry of activity as orders began to be given. Nocturn’s sleepwalkers weren’t the talkative type, but they were quite efficient as messengers carrying written orders to and from the castle. Even better, they didn’t feel fear, so they were quite helpful in moving in spreading the metal that the yeti’s were providing.

Cassius was taken away from the throne room and brought back to his bed at Frostbite’s insistence. Dark practically threw a fit over it, but Frostbite pointed out the fastest Cassius had healed was when Cassius was sleeping and at peace as compared to the last several days of being in the throne room. Convinced of its importance, Dark carried Cassius to their chambers himself.

Cassius threw himself in his bed – big enough for both him and Dark to have plenty of room in – curled under the blankets, and slept for 16 hours straight.

He would have slept longer, but he was awoken by a knock at his door. It would not have been Dark, as Dark would have just entered their chambers. Cassius thought about ignoring it, before there was a second knock.

“Come in,” Cassius called out, not getting out from under the blankets. The door creaked open and heavy footfalls echoed in the chamber.

“Comfortable, are we?” Frostbite chuckled, standing somewhat near the bed.

“Very,” Cassius stated. “And though I am dead, I feel quite warm under here.”

“Unfortunately, I’m going to ask you to scoot over this way and come out from underneath. I am not going to sit on Dark’s bed to get close enough to check your wounds again. I fear our king would splatter me against the walls if I were to be in the same bed as you.”

“He would not, he is a just man.”

“Hmm…” Frostbite hummed.

The sound dragged Cassius out of the bed. “Do you not believe so?” He demanded.

“He is protective of you, very much so. I think when you’re involved, reason flees him, as it does anyone in love.” Cassius felt himself blush at that. He knew Dark loved him, but Dark would never say such a thing outright. “But also, he is a warrior first, and a king second. Even though many called him a king, he refused to accept that title.”

Cassius nodded and sighed. “He called what he was doing playing king quite often. He’s probably quite unhappy to actually have that title.”

“Yes, well, that’s why Dark is having me check on you. He wants you by his side at the coronation.”

“That’s already happening?” Cassius asked, scooting over to the edge of the bed. “It was only twenty hours ago that he gave that order.”

Frostbite nodded, a grim expression on his face as he knelt down. “I’m going to be touching your face here,” he warned. “But yes, apparently after I left to come here, Helios appeared to my tribe. He told them that a crown was needed, and gave them the orders to forge it. I have yet to see the crown myself, but…”

The fact that Frostbite trailed off while inspecting Cassius made him nervous. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything is fine. The rest has done wonders. I think at this point you’re as healed as you can be.” Frostbite said standing up. “I hear the crown was made to Helio’s specifications. It’s not just a crown, but an artifact.”

“Forgive me, but I don’t know what the importance of that is.”

“An artifact is… it’s something that brings out more potential. For example, there’s a gem somewhere in the infinite realms that can alter something else’s form at will. It can make someone’s intent so strong that nothing can stand against it.”

Cassius narrowed his eye at Frostbite. “You did not mention that before when Dark was asking about ways to heal me.”

Frostbite gave a quick nod. “I would have if it was within reach, but it fell through a portal into one of the living realms. It’s out of the reach of any ghost. Even if one were to escape into the living realm to find it, there’s no telling if they made their way into the living realm before or after it, and then it’d be nearly impossible to find their way back, and for all we know, they’d wind up before even the very first Calling, or after this one.”

“So quite impossible.”

“Indeed.” Frostbite took a step back from Cassius and looked him over. “You’re handling this much better than I’d have ever expected. Most would be quite bothered by any damage to their form, let alone as much as you have received.”

Cassius chuckled and indicated his good side. “Well, as you can see, I am lucky to have a spare.”

The door opened again, the wood crashing against the stone and making both occupants of the room jump as Dark strolled in. “Are you well?” He asked.

“I am, thank you.” Dark reached out and took Cassius’s hand. Cassius was brought to his feet and then pulled next to Dark’s side. “Frostbite just gave me a clean bill of health.”

“As clean as it can be, at least.”

“Then let’s not delay any longer,” Dark said, scooping up Cassius.

Cassius pushed on Dark’s chest. “Did you not hear the man? I’m healthy, I don’t need to be carried everywhere!”

Dark laughed. “Need to, no, but I do want to.”

“I’d like some dignity, thank you very much!” Cassius protested, though he did stop fighting to be carried.

“Cassius,” Frostbite interrupted, “I’ll have you know that most of the keep is more terrified of you than Dark. No one truly fears a chained beast, they fear the one who can release it.”

Cassius sighed. “I guess there is no getting out of this is there?” He groaned, placing his head against Dark’s chest. Though he could feel Dark breathing, there was no heartbeat.

None of them had one anymore.

“No, there is not.” Dark chuckled carrying Cassius. Though eventually he did put him down, once they could hear the sounds of a horde of warriors.

Dark held Cassius’s hands in his. “Cassius, I have a favor to ask.”

“Anything.”

“I want you to be the one to crown me. I had no interest in being a king, I was content to battle through all the Infinite Realms before you came into my life. I think it’s fair to have you place the crown on my head.”

“I already told you, I’ll do anything you ask. You don’t need to explain it to me.” Cassius chuckled. “Where is it?”

Another yeti walked forward, holding black box. The box was much smaller than Cassius would have expected. Cassius moved to take the box when the yeti opened it.

Cassius froze as he stared at the crown. Immediately, he knew that there was something to Frostbite’s claims of this being an artifact. A feeling of unease swelled up in his chest as he looked at the unassuming metal.

It was simple, just a golden crown with a few gems inlaid in it.

But as Cassius’s fingers touched it, he knew that this was nothing but simple. This was it, the way for them to survive the Calling. To actually make this a war, not just a desperate fight to survive another day.

“Cassius?” Dark asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Cassius grabbed the crown and looked at Dark. “We will survive this.”

Dark smiled. “When this is over, you’ll need a crown yourself. I believe as a king it is within my right to declare anyone married.”

Cassius froze at that and his eyes widened. Cassius had been content to never put a name to what they had. It was just what it was. Yes, he wanted more, but he was content. There was so much going on that thinking of the future felt like a fool’s task. But… he dreamed.

Dark leaned down and placed a kiss to his lips before Dark turned and walked out onto a balcony. “Denizens of the Infinite Realms!” He shouted, raising his voice so that it could be heard.

Frostbite pushed on Cassius’s shoulder. “Come on now, you can come to grips with the fact you're apparently now betrothed to one of the most important ghosts besides the ancients later. For now, you have a job to do.”

Cassisu stumbled out onto the balcony, and realized that Dark’s statement before that he had a thousand troops was underselling it. He did not just stand above a thousand men. The green of the Infinite Realms sky was blocked by so many bodies, and the ground beneath them was similarly hidden by all the troops.

Dark turned toward Cassius and knelt down, snapping Cassius out of his stupor at the sight. He went to place the crown on top of Dark’s head.

He hadn’t had the time to realize that this crown was tiny compared to Dark, before it stopped in place slipping out of his fingers. The moment his hands came away from the crown, it lit on fire, and the air shifted.

There was a weight to it now, like a pressure waiting for something to just snap. When Dark rose, the already tall ghost felt larger. His presence was unmistakable and impossible to ignore. Dark turned towards the army and threw his fist out in the air. “Now go! Destroy the Infested! Let not a single one claim another! This is my first order as the King of All Ghosts!”

His order was met with screams and cheers and every ghost started flying off to do what he ordered. Dark turned and marched back into the castle. They hadn’t gotten far when Nocturn stepped out from the darkness behind the curtain. “King of All Ghosts, quite the title you’ve claimed for yourself.”

“It's far too late to come up with another one,” Dark snipped. “You had plenty of chances to suggest a better one.”

“Hardly, between the moment you decided to become a king and you receiving the crown, we had much more to discuss than titles or speeches.”

A knight marched into the room, “My Lord! You’re needed in the throne room at once!” Dark turned to say something, possibly to demand who thought he could give him demands, when the knight continued. “Helios is here!”

Dark glanced at Nocturn for just a second before they set off, leaving Cassius and Frostbite to chase them. They made their way into the throne room to find the Ancient of Vision standing there. Cassius couldn’t see his face due the high collar around his neck until the Ancient turned to face them. A golden halo floated behind his head giving the inside of his collar a golden glow, and he stared at them with three eyes.

“Dark, Nocturn, it is good you are here.” He brushed the grey cloak that covered most of his form before he held up a hand in Cassius’s direction. There was an eye on his palm that looked over Cassius’s shoulder. “Frostbite, you are taller in person. And Clockwork…”

“Who?” Cassius asked, looking behind them to see who he was referring to, but there was no one.

“Ah, sorry, I forgot, my vision of you is a bit… scattered. A side effect of how time affects you. We have not met quite yet, but I know you quite well.”

Dark stepped between Cassius and Helios. “Helios…” There was a coldness to his tone that Cassius couldn’t quite place, but he recognized the way Dark stood in front of him. Cassius placed a hand gently on his back, letting Dark know that he was there with him.

Helios turned. “Greetings, King of All Ghosts.”

Dark folded his arms. “From my understanding, it is your idea that I take this title.”

Helio’s head tilted slightly and his eyes roved over him as if he were observing Dark. “It wasn’t my idea, though I was involved in it.” Cassius felt Dark’s shoulders tense the way they always did when he was unsure. Helio’s head titled the other way and he continued to explain. “I see all; things that will happen, things that are happening, and things that have happened. It was already set in the timeline that I’d help you.”

“Do we survive this?” Nocturn demanded. Dark’s head snapped towards Nocturn sharply, which made Cassius jump at the sudden movement. His hand pulled away from Dark for a moment. Dark whirled and swept his arms around Cassius before looking back at the two ancients.

Helios didn’t answer at first. “I… believe you do.” He said quietly.

“Believe?” Dark snapped. “Didn’t you just say you see what will happen?”

“I do, up to a point.” Helios turned toward Dark, a frown marring his features. “I see things that will happen, up until my destruction.”

“Oh…” Cassius was unsure of who spoke, it could have been Nocturn, whose shoulders slumped, it could have been Frostbite who was covering his expression with a large meaty paw, or it could have been himself.

But it never could have been Dark.

“So you’re just giving up?” Dark growled, his hand slid from one of Cassius’s shoulders to the other across his back as he stepped forward. “You’re just going to-”

“If you think I am merely lying down and dying like a dog, you can bite your tongue,” Helios interrupted, his tone dropping with his face. “I am doing what I can to ensure things move along the path it is supposed to.”

“If it weren’t for you and the other ancients’ existence, ghosts would say that we’re intended to be wiped out.”

“We’ve survived a Calling before, and you will do so again…” Helios trailed off before turning to Nocturn. “Though, Nocturn, I’d ask a favor of you. If you would be so kind as to send a message to Undergrowth. He will listen to your message.”

“I’ll… send one of my sleepwalkers immediately.” Nocturn began, his tone soft like a dream. “Are you-”

“I’m alright,” Helios interrupted again. “I’ve known this would happen since I gathered strength to fight the previous avatar.” He let out a slow breath. “I think we all have much to talk about.”

“Would one day be acceptable?” Nocturn asked. “If you don’t expect to survive this then…”

Dark nodded. “I think that should be expected,” he turned toward Cassius. “I have some things I need to get in order as well.”

Helios nodded. “As expected, come Nocturn… And Frostbite? If you’d join us?”

“Me?” Frostbite’s eyes widened in shock as he pointed toward himself. “You wish for me to join you?”

Helios nodded. “I think we have much to discuss as well, as two ancients to a future one.”

Frostbite started moving forward, though his face didn’t change its expression. But, Cassius hadn’t had time to react to that. Instead, Dark pulled him along the halls towards their chambers. When Dark closed the doors behind them, he breathed deeply.

Cassius put his hands on Dark’s back. “You wished to talk.”

Dark straightened and turned around, taking Cassius’s hands in his. “Yes… It’s…” he stopped and steeled his expression. “What kind of crown do you want?”

Cassius laughed. “Is that what you wanted to ask? Really?” Cassius tilted his head and gave Dark his biggest smile. “You know, you never let me answer the question you were asking.”

“Does it need to be?” Dark asked.

Cassius looked down at the ground. “No… I think… I think we both knew this was where we were going, but I thought you were content to leave it be and just let everyone make their assumptions.”

Dark pulled Cassius into his chest. “No, I never intended to leave it. I found you, and I intend to keep you, forever. Death can’t take us apart.”

Cassius squeezed Dark tightly, tighter than Dark was holding onto him. “No, no it can’t.”

***

Twenty three hours later, Cassius was back in the throne room, though now he no longer rested on a bed and instead stood at Dark’s right side. Helios and Nocturn were standing in a corner, partially hidden by the shadowy mists that followed Nocturn everywhere.

Dark had just sent away another messenger – one with good news that Dark’s army was now truly making headway into the calm areas of the Infinite Realms – when a yeti walked into the throne room.

Cassius frowned as he observed his approach. Even without announcing his presence, people gave him distance. He stopped some distance away before opening the box. “Your…” the yeti glanced at Cassius before looking back down at the box, “... ring… sire.” Dark waved him forward and the yeti approached the throne. Dark reached into the box and pulled out the ring.

It was all Cassius could do to not step back away from it.

When the crown was given to him, the feeling of awe was overwhelming, but it wasn’t truly fear that he felt looking at it. But this? The band was solid green, with a gleaming skull on the top. While the skull was a bit morbid – though not unusual in the realm of the dead – that wasn’t the problem.

There were two red gemstones inlaid in the eyes that made the wound on Cassius’s face itch. It was a deep crimson. They seemed to glimmer in the light, but then Cassius realized that it wasn’t the flickering fires from the crown that were causing this, but a facet of the gems themselves.

“Dark…” Cassius began, as he tried to find a way to explain to him that he felt this was a bad idea.

Dark took the ring and slipped it on his own finger. He did not take off his gauntlets to do so, the ring was sized for him to wear it on top of his armor. When it settled into place, everyone jumped as the flames from his crown intensified.

Then he stood, his eyes’ gaze burning. “The Avatar of Malice wishes to inflict us with rage. I’ll admit, it succeeded. So, let’s show it what rage means. Malice only knows anger, it doesn’t know loss, it doesn’t know desperation. I want everyone to go out and make it understand.”

The throne room exploded into a flurry of activity again. Cassius looked out across the throne room as everyone began running around, though he could see that Helios and Nocturn weren’t moving at all. Cassius turned toward Dark and reach over to get his attention, “Dark-”

The moment his hand touched Dark, he whirled to look at him. A snarl was on his face and his eyes were full of hate. Cassius took a step back as the sudden stranger appeared in front of him. Dark realized it was Cassius trying to get his attention and schooled his features. He gave Cassius a soft smile and reached over to touch his face.

With the hand wearing that ring.

Cassius flinched as the hand approached, as he felt a shiver of something run though him. He gasped and took a step back. Dark gaped at Cassius before his hand dropped to his side. “What is it?” Cassius shook his head. “Can’t you feel it, Dark? There’s something wrong with that ring.” Dark looked at the ring on his finger. “I… what is that? That’s not just a normal ring. Even now I feel…” Cassius paused as he tried to describe what he felt. He felt agitated, like there was too much noise around, or that he was waiting on something that should have been completed a while ago. “...angry,” he finally landed on.

Dark clenched his fist. “I am aware, but I won’t turn my back on this.” He held up his hand next to his face. “This ring is a reminder to myself. To make sure that I never let what happened to you happen again. You are mine, and I will never let anyone hurt you.”

“Dark… I’m worried that that will hurt you.”

“It’s not up for discussion,” Dark said tersely. He took a deep breath and looked at Cassius. “Speaking of…” he turned and barked, “Frostbite!”

Frostbite pushed his way through the crowd, running up to them. “Here!”

“What you said before, about one with a powerful intent and willingness? Would I suffice?”

Cassius frowned as he tried to think about what he was referring to. Frostbite got it first. “Sire… are you sure?”

“I now have twenty thousand men under my banner and more are flocking to it by the day. My intent to crush the Avatar of Malice is strong enough that each and every one of them is capable of destroying his Infested. I think it’s fair to say I have strength to spare.”

It finally clicked for Cassius. “Wait, Dark, are you giving up your eye? I don’t need it! What good is giving me an eye? I’m not a warrior and-”

“You are mine, and I refuse to leave you imperfect,” Dark said curtly, before turning back to Frostbite. “Well?”

“You certainly have the power for it, and you quite obviously are willing.”

“Then we shall start this tonight.”

“Dark! I don’t want-”

Dark turned toward Cassius. “Cassius… Helios called you Clockwork…” Frostbite froze as Cassius’s brow furrowed. “He called you something else… you’ll change.” Dark sighed, and turned back to Frostbite. “Frostbite, you said that taking something from a more powerful ghost would possibly change Cassius permanently, correct?”

Frostbite stared at Dark for a moment before he slowly nodded. “Yes, that would be the outcome if you were to try and steal a piece of a greater ghost.”

Dark turned back to Cassius. “I don’t want you to change. I want you to remain as you are, but if you must change, I want it to be because of me. Is that acceptable? I ask this of you…”

Cassius felt his throat tighten, even as his words from earlier echoed from his mouth. “I’ve told you before, I’ll do anything you ask…”

***

Cassius watched himself as he stumbled through the encampment. A handful of ghosts sharing the light of a fire with their backs turned toward it. Each of them watching the woods for signs of Infested. A ticking feeling in the back of Cassius’s head told him this was one year, three months, twelve days, and six hours from where he should be.

The first time he met Dark.

There were twelve warriors, Dark among them. At this time, he wasn’t the great lord that he was now. He was just one face amongst many. There were five others, Cassius was one of them. The five were scurrying about the camp like rats, trying to put together and repair weapons and armor for the fighters. It was a hopeless task, one couldn’t forge a blade without aid, but the five did what they could.

Cassius was stumbling amongst them. Unlike the others, he had a perfect understanding of how long they all had waited, and each second felt like another gamble. Cassius ran toward Dark, though he hadn’t known his name at the time.

“Sir!” Cassius shouted, as he approached.

“Silence! Or do you want the Infested to find us?”

“Your weapon…” Cassius said, handing it over.

Dark had taken the weapon, and then looked back at Cassius. His eyes widened as he took in his appearance. Cassius laughed as he watched himself flounder under Dark’s gaze. “What’s your name?” Dark asked.

“Cassius, sir.”

“You’ll take care of my weapons from now on,” Dark demanded.

Cassius looked down at the weapon. “But… what if I didn’t do a good job?”

There was a screech from outside the camp, and Dark pushed Cassius back, taking the mace in both hands. A pile of Infested pulled themselves along the ground, rapidly approaching. Dark heaved his mace high up into the air before bringing it down on top of it before, smashing it into pieces with one fell swoop.

Dark inspected his mace before turning. “You’ll take care of my weapons from now on.”

“A-as you wish…”

***

Cassius gasped as he woke up. Seeing out of both eyes again. Frostbite was leaning over him. “Cassius, Cassius can you hear me?”

“I-I I can,” Cassius blinked. The Frostbite he knew was no longer there. His fur was longer, and his arm was gone, replaced by a structure of ice. Another blink, and Frostbite was helping him up. “What’s wrong with me?”

“It’s… Dark is way stronger than we thought. Your forms are merging, your own essence and purpose are growing stronger.”

Cassius processed that information as he looked up at Frostbite. “We’re merging?”

Frostbite blinked and pulled back. “Yes, I was just about to explain that.”

Cassius put a hand on his chest, and he could feel… something. Something inside of him, it seemed like sand falling, with each grain hitting the bottom with enough force to shake the universe.

“Cassius, Cassius can you hear me?” Cassius blinked and looked up, Frostbite was leaning over him.

“I can.” Cassius stated, letting Frostbite pull him up. “I’m merging with Dark?”

Frostbite blinked and looked at the other yetis in the room. “Yes, that’s what we think is going on… how did you know?”

“You told me, just a moment ago I-”

“Cassius, Cassius can you hear me?” Cassius’s eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly. “Whoa, careful! You just got done, there was a-”

“I’m changing. Merging with Pariah…”

Frostbite frowned. “Who’s Pariah?”

Cassius blinked, that name… it felt so familiar and yet, he didn’t know it. It rolled off the tongue like he had used it for a millenia. “I… I don’t know.”

“Cassius, Cassius-”

“Stop!” Cassius opened his eyes to see Helios pushing Frostbite away. “You can’t help here anymore, go calm Dark down.” Helios looked down at Cassius and turned his head to face him. “You’re observing too much. Focus, you must silence the rest. There is the present, that is it. Think of this moment right now, don’t try to remember.”

Cassius nodded. “This moment…” he breathed.

“What are you feeling? Tell me.”

“The table beneath me, it’s cold and solid. Your hands, I can feel the eyes in your palms searching…”

“Good, good, try not to-”

***

Cassius watched himself as he entered the tent, four months after Cassius had met Dark. It had taken a bit of convincing with the others of this unmerry band that bringing such a large tent was worth it, but the twenty warriors in the group found it useful.

Though, of the original twelve, only four remained.

The eight in the tent looked up to see Cassius enter. One of them, one that made even Dark look small, towered over Cassius. “This is not a place for the likes of you.”

“I-it’s soon for a change in the watch,” Cassius said, trying to step away from the larger ghost. “The others said that last time the change was late and they had to stay longer than they should.”

The giant stepped toward Cassius and brought up his club. “Who are you to-”

“Enough.” Dark’s voice echoed in the tent. It was loud enough that Cassius could feel his chest rattle. Everyone turned to look at Dark as he came around. “Changing the shifts is important. We all find it tiresome, and a tired guard is a dead one. We’ll go change the shift now.” Dark grabbed the ghost that threatened Cassius and pushed him out the tent. He turned and smiled at Cassius. “Thank you, Cassius…”

***

“Focus on the now!” Helios ordered. “Stop looking in the past, you’re needed here, and now.” Helios pulled Cassius up and held his hands up, the eyes in his hands staring into Cassius’s. “You shouldn’t look back there yet.”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because you won’t like what you see.”

“What would I-?”

***

Cassius hadn’t been here before. In fact, he couldn’t place this moment. Oh he knew exactly when it was, it was four months and two days after he met Dark. He was floating next to the giant ghost from before.

The ghost was looking out into the infinite void, searching for any sign of the Infested. He huffed. “Nothing,” he muttered to himself. “I suppose that’s good but…”

Cassius turned, knowing that something important was going to happen in a few seconds from now. Dark came out of the woods, his mace held tight in his grip. Stealthy he was not, and his footfalls rang out.

The giant turned. “Dark, has it been that long? I thought I had another hour or two before the shift change.”

Dark didn’t say anything, instead he approached. The warrior knew something was wrong and brought his club around, but then Dark smashed right through it, breaking it into splinters. The giant didn't have a chance to react before Dark smashed his legs with enough intent to destroy them, and the man screamed. “What’s the meaning of this?”

“You raise a hand against my Cassius,” Dark explained simply, as if one were explaining that water was wet. Before he brought the mace down and crushed his chest. Cassius floated there transfixed as Dark smashed him over and over again, until there was nothing left but a wet smear of ectoplasm on the ground, before that too disappeared.

***

“You knew?” Cassius asked, looking into Helios’s eyes.

“I see all, Clockwork.”

“I’m not Clockwork.”

“You will be.”

***

Cassius didn’t recognize where he was, though he knew the time. It was four hundred and thirty two years after the Calling, but not truely. Something about what he was seeing was off. He could tell it was off, but he wasn’t sure he could describe how.

It felt like he was watching something, but his head was skewed to the side, or like he was hearing something that wasn’t there. It was all off and made his eyes water.

Despite the strangeness, Cassius knew what he was seeing. It was a timeline that could happen, but wouldn’t.

The green sky of the Infinite Realms was blotted out. Not like Nocturn’s darkness, where the realm was listening and bending to a being of great power. This was smoke from a thousand forges. Cassius stood in the middle of an encampment, he couldn’t see where the encampment ended and the ground had been trampled till the ground was as hard as any stone.

Warriors, wearing armor in Dark’s colors, were carrying a ghost. Cassius couldn’t tell anything about the ghost, not because he couldn’t see it, but because its form was so weak. The poor thing had been beaten down so much that it no longer looked like it had once been a person, but instead was a shapeless ball.

Cassius intended to follow them, to see where they were taking it, but then it faded away entirely into a mist. The two warriors looked at each other and then shrugged, going on about their day as if what had just happened wasn’t a great tragedy. The encampment continued doing what it was doing.

Preparing for the next invasion.

***

Cassius shook his head and pressed his hand over his new eye. “I will survive the Calling?”

Each of Helios’s eyes blinked and he leaned back a bit. “I had guessed, but I wasn’t sure. I can’t see beyond my own destruction.” Cassius started pulling his hand away, but Helios reached out and put it back. “No, keep it covered for now. Seeing out that eye is what’s causing your vision to run amok.”

Cassius glared at Helios with his own eye. “Couldn’t you have started with that?”

Helios smiled sadly. “No, and for once. I know why. You did need to see what you have.”

The door burst open and Dark entered the room. A bandage wrapped around his head, wet with ectoplasm that dripped down his face. “How is he?” He shouted, making the entire castle shake.

Cassius turned and felt an infinite number of responses pour out of his mouth with each having an infinite number of consequences attached to them, not just for this moment, for thousands of years afterwards. Some resulted in the destruction of everyone in the room, and some resulted in them failing to survive the Calling.

But Cassius knew Dark.

“It seems there was a minor problem, Dark, but nothing we should be upset about,” Cassius began as Dark marched over to him. “You were too powerful, and as such, I am much stronger now too.”

Dark knelt down next to Cassius’s bedside. “How?”

“Dark, you are the strongest ghost in all of our histories, and now, I have a part of you inside me. We should have seen that this could have consequences.”

At those words, Dark whirled toward Helios. “You… you should have warned that this would have happened!”

Helios tilted his head. “This is how things are meant to be, but… even if I could have changed it, I wouldn’t have. Cassius must be by your side in order for us to survive the Calling.”

Dark raised his fist, and Cassius could see the multitude of consequences echo out across eternity, and he brought them all to a close by simply standing up. Dark whirled around. “Cassius, you should rest!”

Cassius pulled his hand away from Dark’s eye in his head. “I’m fine, I can already see how-” then he glanced at the ring on Dark’s finger.

***

This wasn’t long ago. It was after Cassius had woken up after Frostbite had removed the infestation from him. Frostbite and Dark were standing outside the hall so they could talk without bothering Cassius as he rested. A knight went up to Dark, “My lord, what should we do with the Infested in the dungeons? Containing them is an arduous task…”

Frostbite hummed. “Well, like Cassius suggested, we could try to cure them. If we could we-”

Dark cut him off with a simple, “No.”

“No?” Frostbite repeated.

“No, even if you were to pull them back, how much of them would there be? They wouldn’t be of much use, partial pieces of weaker ghosts. No, they have no value cured.” Dark straightened his back and he looked down at Frostbite. “I want them destroyed, crushed into tiny pieces so that they’d never harm anyone again, but you, yeti, I hear that your kind have many skilled craftsmen. I want you to take those pieces and forge them into a ring for me.”

“A ring?”

“Yes, one that can fit over my armor. So that I can always look at it and remember what I let happen to my Cassius.”

“That… can be arranged.” Frostbite began hesitantly.

“See that it does.”

***

“-how i will recover…” Cassius got out, schooling his features. He wasn’t well practiced in it, and he thought for sure Dark would notice that something was wrong.

But Dark thought he knew him. He believed that Cassius would never lie to him. Sixteen hours ago, that would have been the truth, but now…

Cassius looked at Helios behind Dark, a grim frown on his face.

No, it still was the truth. Cassius would never lie to Dark.

Clockwork however, would.

Clockwork reached up and stroked Dark’s face. “I’ll be okay, Dark. I promise you.” Dark leaned into his touch. “Your Cassius is as fine as he can be. But… I’ll need some time. Your power is… much. I don’t understand how your form can contain it all. I need to rest, to let it settle within me.”

Dark smiled. “I got used to it.” He kissed Clockwork’s palm before pulling his wrist away. He picked him up and began to carry him. “You’ll be more comfortable in our bed instead of this cold room.”

“Thank you, Dark.”

***

Clockwork awoke to something entering his room. It was not through a door or window, but instead very fabric of the realm beneath them shifted. He sat up and looked at the glowing blue ring of light in front of him.

And out came himself.

“I forgot I used to look like that… it has been ages.” Clockwork took his appearance in. He still wore his favorite cloak that was a gift from Dark, and he could see a scar down his face where Dark’s eye had been implanted. But just when he thought he could recognize himself in the version in front of him, he shifted. Turning from a young man to one that looked older than any ghost he had seen in the zone.

“How long has it been?”

“Long enough for us to get a handle on all our powers,” his future self frowned. The long beard covering up much of his face vanished as he turned into a child. “Forgive me, but until we have them under control, we need to be careful. I’m sure you’ve already felt the reach of our actions.”

Clockwork bit his lip for a moment, but unlike before he couldn’t see the infinite possibilities of every action he could take. “Yes, I could, but I can’t right now.”

“You could say this event is scripted,” his future self began. “I am controlling the outcome of these events. Helios can see the past, present and future, but he doesn’t see all the twists and turns it can take. We can guide it like a river.”

“That sounds impossible. Changing the course of a river?”

“Oh, it wasn’t in your time, but eventually, yes it is.” His future self turned back into a young man again after that statement. “But that’s not the purpose of my visit. For a being that controls time, we have very little of it. And you need to have a grasp of some of them before the Calling.”

“Is that… transformation part of them?”

“A sacrifice to use some of our powers, but I won’t tell you about them yet.” He looked morose for a moment before turning to him, “You’ll want to discover them after…” He sighed and held out his hand. “Come, I’ll show you what we can do.”

***

Dark walked into the room five hours later. He froze at the door frame as he looked at Clockwork. “Cassius?”

Clockwork put his staff down on the ground. “Ah, Dark, right on time.” He gave him a smile as he pulled his cloak about his shoulders. “I’m glad you kept my cloak. I’ve missed it since I got injured.”

Dark closed the door behind him. “Yes, well, it was one of my first gifts to you. There was no way I was going to let anyone else touch it.”

“I’m surprised it survived the Infested.”

“I had it repaired, it had been torn to shreds.” Clockwork walked across the room and pulled Dark down into a kiss. Dark’s lips curled into a smile underneath Cassius’s. “Well, it seems that this was very much a good thing in the end. You’re taking what you want, I like that.”

Clockwork stepped back and looked up at Dark, trying to ensure he memorized his face. “Yes, well, I can understand you a lot more now.” Dark was now sporting an eyepatch instead of bandages, but it seemed that the damage to his form was minimal. Clockwork supposed that Frostbite was overzealous with him, and was much more careful with Dark.

Dark’s face fell. “Speaking of… there was a reason I was checking on you.”

“The Calling is soon, isn’t it?”

“We might have a week. The plan seems to be working, the calling is happening in Vortex’s realm.”

“Then you should hurry.”

Dark twitched under Clockwork’s hands. “Helios… made it sound like you’d fight with me…” There was a soft undercurrent of disappointment in that statement, though it was also cloaked in relief. Dark might have enjoyed the idea of Cassius being behind him in battle, but he’d prefer to keep Cassius in the castle, safe and unblemished.

Clockwork smiled from ear to ear to hide the frown that wanted to form. “Oh, I will, but…” He reached over and touched the top of his staff. “Time out…”

Dark looked about as the world shifted around them. “Is this a power of yours?”

“I can stop time for a while…”

Dark laughed. “In that case… Maybe I can take some time before we leave for the battle?”

“I believe you just read our future.”

***

Three hours later, Dark had left the castle with his army. But Clockwork didn’t leave quite yet, instead, he went down underneath the castle. He never went here before, he never had a need to. The dungeons were not a place he was ever brought to, Dark wouldn’t have let him.

After what he had seen, he knew why Dark kept him from here.

It was also a good spot for those who didn’t want Dark to find them to talk.

He opened the door to the dungeons. The hinges of the door creaked as it slowly opened. He walked down deeper into the dungeon where there was a room meant for the guards to get some time away from the prisoners between shifts. As he approached the door opened, revealing Helios.

“Welcome,” Helios greeted.

Clockwork didn’t acknowledge him as he entered, but he took a place along the wall with the other five members in the room. “Him?” Nocturn spat, “Dark’s little pet?”

“Cassius died on that table,” Clockwork interjected. He turned toward Frostbite. “No fault of your own, but the one who woke up was not him.” Cassius turned to face all the occupants of the room. “Call me Clockwork.”

A mass of vines and leaves rose up from under the table. “And just who are you?”

“I was, as Nocturn put it, Dark’s pet. He kept his nature secret from me, but he gave me his eye, and with it, a chunk of his power,” Clockwork’s hands tightened around his staff. “Like Helios, I was able to see the past, and I can see what will become of us under Dark’s rule.”

Helios turned. “Oh? I can only see what will happen. Not other possibilities. What did you see?”

Clockwork looked up at the ceiling. “Dark will not stop once the Calling is ended. He will start to expand his realm. Conquering along the ghost zone. Thousands… millions of ghosts will be fed into his war machine. Those who can’t fight will be forced to work and those that can’t work will be destroyed. Dark will not stop until he is destroyed but…” He shook his head and looked at Frostbite. “The ring that was made, it was made out of those that he had destroyed. He’ll feed off every single destroyed ghost. He’ll grow too powerful for anything to stop him.”

“I… I can confirm what he’s saying. We didn’t know what was being forged until it was. There’s intent behind forging an artifact… and it was forged with pieces of the Avatar of Malice.”

“How could you be so foolish?” A four armed woman in armor cried out. “Frostbite, you’ve seen what my box is meant to contain! It’s meant to stop things like this!”

“I wasn’t there Pandora. If I had known what was going to be forged, I would have stopped it.” He sighed. “The intent was to forge something that could hold Malice back. But… it was corrupted in the process.”

“And you still gave it to him?”

Frostbite threw his hands up in the air. “I wasn’t informed! The carrier brought the ring directly to Dark, his favored knight intercepted him and brought him straight to Dark.”

Clockwork turned toward her. “What’s done is done, we shouldn’t be fighting amongst ourselves. It’s good to meet you, Pandora. This would not be possible without you.”

Pandora opened and closed her mouth a few times. “I see. I think I can see why you say that you are like Helios then.”

Nocturn looked between them. “What makes her so special?”

Pandora straightened to her full height, the top of her helmet scraping the top of the room. “I am the guardian of what’s known as Pandora’s Box. I created it to try and seal as much evil in the Infinite Realms as I could.”

“If anyone can seal Dark, she can.” Frostbite vouched. “I’ve inspected the box myself with the ghost that apprenticed me. It’s a fine artifact.” Frostbite’s face fell, “If there’s any ghost here that should have doubt cast upon them, it’s me. I am just a healer. I am a warrior too, yes, but I don’t have the strength to be compared to one who controls nature, or one who commands an army.”

Helios shook his head. “You’ll have a very important task to do when the battle comes. You’ll be ready for it when it comes.” Clockwork nodded in response, though it didn’t seem to comfort Frostbite any.

“We don’t have much time,” Nocturn said, his presence looming over the others. “We’ll have to get Pandora’s sarcophagus to the site of the battle. Our best chance of stopping Dark will be right after the Calling… if we win. Are we all in agreement?”

“We will…” Clockwork stated. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. “And yes, we are…”

“Good,” Nocturn said. He pulled himself away from the wall and made for the door, “Then let’s declare him a Pariah and get on with it.”

***

Clockwork approached Dark, and stood next to him. “You’re staying this far back?” He asked as he looked over the expanse in front of them. Here, in this part of the Infinite Realms, land was scarce. In front of them nearly as far as the eye could see there were storm clouds, swirling about with a calm spot in the center. The army float in the space around them, but they stayed far enough away that Dark and Clockwork had some privacy.

Dark turned toward him and raised the eyebrow over his missing eye. “I thought you said you can now see the future?” The question was laced with concern, and Dark reached over and pushed off Clockwork’s hood to see him better.

Clockwork smiled. “I can, but while Helios sees one possibility, I see many.” He leaned into Dark’s side. “I can see many choices that you could have made, I don’t just see one… path… I see thousands. I’m still experiencing this moment with you.”

Dark let out a hum and reached up and grabbed Clockwork’s shoulder. “I’m glad. Part of me hated the idea of you being like Helios and doing whatever he wanted because he believes that’s how it’s supposed to be…”

“The other part?”

Dark smiled and squeezed Clockwork tighter. “Part of me hoped you were, because it meant that you were meant to be here.”

“What’s better? To force someone to do something? Or to have it be given willingly?”

“Hmm… a good question,” Dark said. Clockwork raised an eyebrow as Dark didn’t answer. Dark pointed ahead, at the center of the storm. “To answer your earlier statement, the Calling is going to happen in the center of Vortex’s storm. Any closer though, I’ll be within his realm.”

“And… you care what he thinks?” Clockwork asked.

The incredulity in his voice must have been apparent because Dark laughed. “No, no I do not, however,” the smile slipped off his face and was replaced with a sneer. “Vortex refused to come to help, even Nocturn came, and though Undergrowth never spoke with me, my troops told me of the Infested he fed to his plants.

“No, I’m not waiting here because I am afraid of Vortex, I want the Avatar of Malice to attack him before we go in for the kill.”

Clockwork was saved from having to respond, when the realm shook. Not physically, but every ghost could feel something inside them quiver. A wave passed through them, shaking them to their very soul. Some of Dark’s army immediately turned tail and fled.

“Tch,” Dark spat, “I’ll track them down and deal with them later.” He held up a hand and shouted, “Hold!” The order echoed down the line as his commanders repeated his order to their own men. Then he turned towards Clockwork, “It’s almost time,” he said, leaving a kiss on his cheek.

Dark started marching forwards and stopped next to one of his knights. “My lord?” The knight asked, looking down from his horse. “Is there something you need?”

“You’ve served me well, and so, I have a gift for you… and a task.” Dark reached down to his hip and pulled a sword out of its scabbard. The ghosts nearby all took a step away instinctively, before turning to look to see what made them so uncomfortable. Dark handed the glowing green sword to the knight. “Take this blade, it’s forged from the same metal we used to push the Calling here. It’s pure, stronger than any other weapon in the army. Go behind the troops, and if any turn and flee, cut them down. Strike fear into them.”

“Understood, my king,” the knight said, taking the blade before turning his steed around and flying overhead.

Clockwork approached Dark. “Was that necessary?”

“The cowards in this army need to know that fleeing the battle won’t save them.” Dark didn’t explain more, instead looking up as the realm began to change color.

The green skies began to change, they began to darken before turning to a deep crimson. In the center of the storm, the space between began to distort. Wisps of something that looked liquid in nature began to flood out, seemingly out of nowhere as something pushed through.

“Hold!” Dark shouted one more time. A few ghosts turned and began to run, the unlucky ones were caught by Dark’s knight, who flew across the sky and cut down any ghost that he caught. They weren’t cut in two, but instead they screamed before vanishing.

That stopped the tide of fleeing ghosts.

The waters continued to pour into space, slowly beginning to fill an invisible vessel. Eventually, a giant red orb floated in the center of Vortex’s realm, and then the water shot out in ribbons snaking their way into the clouds around it.

The storm instantly came alive with lightning and a furious roar echoed out.

“Hold!” Dark shouted one more time, as bolts of lightning shot from the storm. They impacted against the surface of the sphere before spreading across the surface. It seemed to have done nothing.

But every single ghost felt it, as a spike of rage rose in their hearts. Even Clockwork was not immune, he had to stop himself from raising his fist against the closest ghost near him.

“Charge!” Dark screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. He had totally forgotten that he wished to wait till Vortex was hurt, now he only cared about destroying the thing that was making him angry. This time the order was not echoed, as every ghost broke their formations intent on riding forth and sinking their blades into the avatar in front of them.

The hordes of ghosts flew forward, weapons drawn. Glitters of green speckled the sky in front of Clockwork as they drew their weapons designed to strike fear into the Avatar of malice.

Dark turned toward Clockwork, “Cassius, come!” he shouted before taking off. Clockwork chased after him following behind. It did not take long to cross the distance, but by the time they arrived the troops had already made it.

And thousands had fallen.

The Avatar of Malice didn’t kill. It inflicted those it struck with the water gushing out of it with a Malady of rage. One Infested could turn another.

One became two, two became four, doubling over and over again as the enraged army sought only to try and kill the Avatar of Malice, choosing destruction over their own safety. The safest ones were surprisingly those closest to the avatar itself. Instead of choosing to attack their neighbor, the new Infested kept their focus on what they already hated and tried to tear into the Avatar of Malice instead. They’d splatter themselves against its side trying to tear into it, swiping and slashing the entire time they were absorbed into it.

Then the sky darkened even further, Nocturn’s sleepwalkers charged in themselves, picking up the weapons dropped by Dark’s falling army.

Clockwork and Dark were handling themselves. Clockwork could not stop the avatar entirely, even when he brought time to a standstill the avatar could still move. But he didn’t need to just stop time. Dark and Clockwork dodged around the ribbons that sought them out, their own time slowed down. What seemed like what couldn’t be dodged was instead moving slower than a leisurely walk.

Not just for them though, it was them and every ghost in a hundred meter radius around Clockwork.

“My Lord, our weapons have no effect!”

“Don’t be daft!” Dark shouted back as he continued to hack and slash at the parts attacking him. “You can feel the thing twitch with every blow!”

Someone else down the line shouted back, “But how do we kill this?”

“We don’t!” Dark answered. “This thing was never alive and can’t die. It can only be made so uncomfortable that it determines that it doesn’t want to be here anymore.” Dark grabbed a weapon out of another ghost’s hands and then began stabbing with a weapon in both hands. “So get back to work!”

True to Dark’s words, Clockwork could feel something in him shiver with each and every strike someone made against the surface or the water’s gushing out from it. Though both he and Dark knew it wouldn’t be enough on its own.

Clockwork reached across time, and pulled every ghost he could down a hundred meters, as something sailed through the air above them. A giant bolt, five meters across the shaft, stuck out from the Avatar of Malice.

Pandora’s weapons were a sight to behold.

More bolts began to fly through the air, and this time the avatar reacted. The whips of water that had been corrupting the armor flipped through the air attempting to knock the ballista bolts off course. It succeeded with some, others were stopped as they impacted against trees that sprung out of thin air.

First one struck true, then another. Over and over again until fifteen bolts stuck out from the surface of the Avatar of Malice. Suddenly every ghost fell, as the rage and anger they had been feeling suddenly left their bodies. Some ended on the spot, vanishing into thin air, along with every Infested that had been attacking everything in sight.

The parts of the Avatar that had come through into the Infinite Realms began to fade, losing their cohesion and turning into what looked like a vapor before disappearing entirely. Dark scoffed. “Someday, I’ll find a way to hunt that thing down and end it for good.” He turned and looked over the remains of his army. “It came and slaughtered all my men. I’ll have a chunk of its hide for that.”

Thunder boomed, and Dark brought his weapon up to block a bolt of lightning that was coming for him. He was thrown back several feet as a voice screamed, “DARK!” Clockwork looked up to see Vortex flying at them. “You brought this into my realm?”

“He wants to challenge me? Fine. I wasn’t quite done fighting today.” Dark yelled back as he threw himself towards Vortex. The two met for a moment, Vortex’s hands pushing against Dark as Dark tried to bring his weapon around.

Then Nocturne’s sleepwalkers attacked.

Dark changed targets, striking a sleepwalker in the head and instantly killing it. He frowned for a second, as he wondered why it was there. Then, the others started pouring in. Dark out a scream of rage as he realized that both Nocturn and Vortex were attacking him.

Dark started swinging wildly, crushing each and every sleepwalker that approached. Vortex, even though he didn’t know why Nocturn was joining him, gave the sleepwalkers space so they could surround Dark.

The sleepwalkers were many, but each one was fragile. Dark eventually let out a scream and swung his mace in a wide arc, sending off a wave of ectoplasm that killed many of the sleepwalkers.

“What’s the meaning of this, Nocturn?” Dark shouted.

Nocturn didn’t answer, instead he sent another wave of sleepwalkers at Dark. More rose up to form a wall between Dark and the other ancients, their sole purpose to hide the approach of Pandora and Frostbite, holding a sarcophagus between them.

“He’s distracted, go,” Nocturn ordered. The two of them split, Pandora taking the bottom half while Frostbite took the lid. Nocturn glanced at Clockwork, “Any chance you’re going to help out.”

Clockwork bit his lip as a million possibilities unfolded in front of him, but only a handful had the outcome he wanted. “I’ll only have a moment.” He explained, “Each one of us except for Frostbite is too powerful for me to stop fully. If he realizes I’m betraying him too early, he’ll grow stronger.”

“Likely,” Nocturn spat, but didn’t force the issue. Instead choosing to focus his attention on controlling his forces.

Then Undergrowth struck, his vines snaked through in between the sleepwalkers and wrapped around Dark’s limbs. Immediately Pandora and Frostbite began to close in, moving as fast as they could with the intent of sealing Dark inside the coffin. They weren’t fast enough, Dark roared in rage and with all his strength broke one of the binds holding him. With one arm, he stopped Frostbite’s in his place. “So you all are betraying me? Fine!” A flame enveloped him, burning away Undergrowth’s vines and burning Frostbite. “I’ll destroy you all!”

And he ripped Frostbite's arm from its socket.

Frostbite screamed in pain, as another complication came in. “Sire!” His favored knight shouted, coming in fast with the intent of stabbing Pandora in the back.

And then Helios was in front of him.

The blade pierced right through Helio’s center, and Helios screamed. Though he didn’t disappear. He curled around the blade grabbing onto the knight’s arm. When it seemed he couldn’t scream any louder, his back began to bubble.

It was like he turned into sea foam. Dozens of forms flew out of him, each wearing his robes, as his form shrunk in size. Eventually, they stopped, when there was nothing left of the original form of Helios.

The knight looked up at the things that had circled around him, each one staring at him with a single unblinking eye. “What is the meaning of this?” he shouted.

“Now!” Clockwork shouted, and all the ghosts turned to look at him. Dark back at Clockwork, a snarl on his face before he realized what he was looking at. Clockwork reached across time and dragged it to a stop around Dark. “Time out!”

Dark had an intent powerful enough to fight back against the Avatar of Malice, he was capable of powering through Clockwork’s power. Slowly, he continued to move. The snarl on his face slowly fell off it, replaced with confusion. He knew he was looking at Clockwork, but he didn’t know what the significance of that meant.

Then his jaw slackened, as he realized that it wasn’t just the ancients that betrayed him.

But, his Cassius did as well.

Frostbite slammed the lid into place, shutting Dark within. The sarcophagus glowed, as it began to try to work its powers on Dark, but the lid shook as Dark pounded against the inside. It was well made and thick, the walls able to stand up to Dark’s strength.

But Clockwork could still hear inside. “Cassius! Cassius, why?”

Pandora reached around, jammed a key into the lid and twisted. Their forms shook as the artifact began to work, and they all winced as a blinding light came off of it. But two seconds later, the area was still once again.

“Why have you done this?” The knight shouted, turning his blade toward them. “I’ll have your-”

He cried out in pain as a shadowy hand reached out and grabbed his head. “Let’s have you sleep for a while, shall we?” Nocturn mocked. Immediately the knight’s eyes closed, but Nocturn wasn’t done. Slowly the knight's form began to change, until all that was left was a gourd.

Nocturn raised an eyebrow. “This… is what he wishes to dream about?” He chuckled as he grabbed the sword. He raised it high and then stabbed it through the vegetable.

“There was no need to kill him,” Pandora spat.

“I didn’t, but do you have a sheath for this blade? It was meant to inflict fear into the Avatar of Malice and instead this Pariah had his man turn it on his own troops. I don’t have a desire to leave it out.”

Clockwork glared at Nocturn. “He has a name.”

“Not to me he doesn’t.”

Frostbite groaned and everyone turned to him. Pandora reached over and picked him up. “Frostbite! Are you okay?”

Frostbite looked around, looking down at his missing arm and the ectoplasm smeared across the front of the coffin, before turning and looking at each of the ancients. Eventually his gaze landed on Clockwork. He smiled, “I’ll live, fortunately I’ve been given a spare. I’ll be able to continue my work despite this.” His smile fell. “What about you?”

Clockwork could have answered truthfully. “I’m fine. In some ways, I’ve had more time to process this than the rest of you.” Frostbite’s lips flattened into a frown. Clockwork shrugged. “I can see into the future, and I can see into the past. I didn’t just learn my powers in a day, I had to learn how to unfreeze time again before I could continue moving through it.”

“I see…” Frostbite said quietly.

Undergrowth spoke up, “What do we do with this now?”

Vortex spat on it. “I say we destroy it.”

“No,” Pandora shot down, “destroying it would just let Dark out again.”

“I know where to put it,” Clockwork interjected.

Nocturn laughed, and it was all Clockwork could do to not punch him. “Leave Pariah with you? His little pet.”

Clockwork glared at Nocturn. “Pandora,” he said, “You made this, could any one of us destroy it individually?”

Pandora hummed for a moment, “Well, Undergrowth or Vortex probably could. And I, as the creator, would know how to take it apart. I don’t know about… them.” She admitted glancing up at their observers.

“We have no interest, nor ability, to damage that thing. We are here to observe. Nothing more.”

Clockwork didn’t take his eyes off Nocturn. “What about you two?” he asked, addressing Undergrowth and Vortex. “Do either of you want to release him?”

“No,” Undergrowth growled.

“Maybe a little,” Vortex admitted. Nocturn snapped his gaze to him and he huffed. “Fine, fine!”

“I’ll hide the sarcophagus, Nocturn, you take the key. None of us will have the ability to open it on our own that way. Will that make you happy, Nocturn?”

“Nothing will,” Nocturn admitted. He snatched the key out of Pandora’s hand. “But I’m done with this.” Nocturn seemed to fold in on himself before disappearing a buff of black smoke.

Pandora looked down at Frostbite. “I’ll bring him to his people so they can heal him. Or… heal him as much as they can.”

“That… would very much be appreciated.”

“Good good!” Vortex shouted, “Get outta my realm! All ya!”

Clockwork grabbed the sarcophagus and picked it up. He maneuvered it under an arm and brought his staff around. “Time out,” he said, leaving the two ancients in place. It wouldn’t be long before they broke out of his power, but by then he’d be long gone.

Clockwork dragged the coffin into Dark’s keep, bringing it down into the dungeons. He’d take it to the throne room later but for now…

Cassius wept.

#Valentine's Core Exchange 2024

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valentines-core-exchange · 2 months

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Happy VCE @46-reasonable-hamsters

Fic bellow and also on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/53797081 title: A Teacher's Unexpected Revelation Summary: Mr. Lancer knew that this time he was going to have to call home, Danny had been missing class too often for him to be able to just excuse. But maybe it turns out that there's a good reason for all of his absences.

I really hope you enjoy your @valentines-core-exchange gift

William Lancer stood in front of the mirror in the teacher’s room trying his best to look put together. The radio in the teacher’s lounge was broadcasting another story about a ghost fight across town, noticing that it sounded more violent than normal. Selfishly he was grateful that for once it had happened far from the school and that the students would be safe, and that they would actually get to have a normal class. He felt that they had far too many interruptions from the constant ghost fights, and all of his students were being negatively affected by it, and that a number of students behaviour had completely changed when the ghost attacks had become more frequent.

William walked into his classroom taking his seat at his desk pulling out his notes for today’s class, as student’s started to file into the room in the time between bells. Most of the class had arrived and were talking with their friends when the bell went off. “Alright everyone settle down.” William said looking across the room, marking off his attendance while the class found their seats. He marked down that Daniel Fenton was late once again. He left the spot next to his name, knowing that Daniel had a habit of running into class late. He knew that this time he would would have to call home this time after so many consecutive absences and tardies. He wasn’t looking forward to it, anytime the Fenton parents. He was sure that they did actually care about their kids, but their way of showing it had always seemed particularly dramatic, and prone to collateral damage.

William worked through his lecture trying to push the students into paying attention, pointedly calling on some of the students who appeared to be attempting to sleep through class. When the bell rang at the end of the class, that Mr. Fenton had still not arrived, and that his friends seemed to be whispering to each other also looking towards Mr. Fenton’s desk as they packed up their belongings before leaving the room. William sighed softly, if his friends didn’t know why he wasn’t around then it likely wasn’t going to be for any simple reason. The rest of his classes were uneventful, there was the normal teenage drama that came with working in a high school, but it was all familiar to him after years of teaching, instead of the unique brand of crazy that came with working in Amity.

At the end of the day after almost all of the students had left the school, his day was finally over, and he could finally go home and relax, as soon as he dropped off his attendance at the office. Walking past the janitor closet, William could hear someone on the other side. Knowing that at this time of day the janitors would have gone come, he assumed that he was about to be breaking up a make-out session as he opened the door. “The Count of Monte Cristo” William exclaimed, on the other side of the door was Daniel Fenton was leaning against the shelves, eyes glazed over a large scratch down his cheek, blood dripping down onto his shirt.

Danny suddenly sat up stiffly blinking before attempting to sound casual “Oh. Mr. Lancer, I wasn’t expecting to see you in here.” He said slowly stepping away from the wall the blood dripping down his face, but his shirt looked bloodier than would be explained by just that one injury.

William took a few steps closer “Are you okay what happened? How did you get in here?” he said concerned that Danny didn’t seem to be trying to do anything to hide the bleeding, as if he didn’t even realize just how much blood there was.

Danny shifted “Oh, it’s nothing, I just got hurt and was looking for a place to hide out, must have fallen asleep.” he said watching Mr. Lancer imploringly as if he was desperate to be believed.

“I should take you to the hospital.” Mr. Lancer said, “And we can call your parents to let them know that you’re alright, so they don’t worry.”

“No! Don’t” Danny interrupted eyes looking crazed taking a step back stumbling back into the wall knocking over a broom. He hissed softly and bit down on his lip trying to hide the pain. “I’m fine.”

“Mr. Fenton, don’t take me for an idiot I can tell that you’re not fine.” William said shaking his head pulling out his phone, a little bit worried about who could have done this to him. “I have to call your parents”

“Please don’t call anyone, I’m fine, nobody needs to know.” Danny said sounding desperate.

That response had alarm bells ringing in William’s head. He knew that he didn’t like having to deal with the Fentons. That they had a reputation for being eccentric, and overly enthusiastic about chasing after ghosts, but he had never thought that they might do anything to make either of children react like that. He knew that their actions had often embarrassed the two teens, but they had also seemed to deeply care about and want to protect them. But then again how people acted in public never guaranteed how they acted in private. The Fenton parents had built a strong reputation for themselves as eccentrics, who deeply cared for each other and their kids, but thinking about it how well did anyone in town actually know them. He couldn’t think of anyone in town who would actually describe themselves as friends with them, or who he would actually believe truly knew what went on in that house.

Danny had been coming to class with minor injuries often enough that William had stopped noting it. He had thought that it was just bad luck getting caught up in ghost attacks, combined with the fact that he had been a target of bullying. William knew that he could have done more to protect him. But the school had needed the football team and the associated funding that having a successful sports team gave them. He could even justify his choices to himself he had seen before when a teacher tried to step in and it would backfire, and the bullying would be intensified, often taken out of public view, at least in the open William thought he knew could keep an eye on how bad it was. But if this wasn’t the first time that Danny had been hurt like this, he wasn’t sure how much else he could have missed.

It had been a long time since William had had to face a possible abuse situation, and all he could think is how little the training he had gotten, had actually prepared him for this, being faced with the beaten and bloodied form of one of his students. He had gotten used to the injuries that had become common from the ghost attacks, but that was kids being hurt by what felt like a force of nature, this was a kid possibly being hurt by his parents.

“If you’re just going to stand there, I could probably use some help with this he said gesturing to his cut.” Danny said clearing his throat shifting his weight between his feet looking uncomfortable. “It’s just a bit hard to get a good view of it”

William swallowed thickly “That’s a bit beyond my normal first aid skills.” he said slowly putting his phone away, deciding that for now he would focus on immediately helping the boy in front of him, and start filing all the paperwork when he got home.

“It’s okay, I can walk you through it, I’ve done that before.” Danny said with a shrug.

William took a deep breath, hating the thought that Danny would have had to become proficient at walking someone through taking care of his injuries, wondering just how long had this been going on that he’d missed. “Alright” he said regretting not calling an ambulance.

“I have a full first aid kid in my locker.” Danny said.

“Why do you have a full first aid kit?” William asked a little bit surprised, having expected to have to go to the nurse’s office.

“For situations like this, it’s easier, and a lot fewer questions.” Danny said with a shrug.

William sighed softly thinking about what that implied about Danny’s expectations of what he would need to have access of while at school. He carefully helped him to Danny’s locker, watching as he opened it looking to take a look at what he was keeping in there. He saw what looked like a silver thermos, that had reminded him a little bit of one of the weapons he had seen Phantom use, as Danny pulled out what looked like a battered well used first aid kid, with worrying red and green stains on it.

William straightened up taking a deep breath, “Alright let me get a closer look.” he said gently reaching out noticing just how gruesome the wound was, noticing that it was deeper than it looked, trying to push aside his instinctual reaction as he gently tried to clean Danny’s wound with the antiseptic from the first aid kit. Danny stood there barely reacting, making William feel horrible, just how used to pain Danny had to be that he didn’t react to the pain. After wiping away the blood Lancer looked back into the first aid kit, trying to figure out what he would need to use to close the wound.

“I just need a band-aid” Danny said quickly. William looked a little bit skeptical, it differently looked worse than what a band-aid could deal with, but decided not to argue with it.

“And are there any others?” William asked giving Danny the chance to tell him for himself, when Danny looked like he was going to deny it, “I could see the way you’re holding yourself, don’t try to hide it.”

Danny flushed slightly moving to pull off his shirt, which Lancer noticed along with the bloodstains he had noticed it was also stained with green, just like the first aid kit had been, maybe the Fenton parents had dragged their son into being more involved with ghost hunting than he had realized. It would still be a situation that Danny should be removed and kept safe from but, it was better than the thought that it could be his parents hurting him directly. But those hopes were dashed when he saw Danny’s body. He was covered in scars, of varying ages, proving that this wasn’t just one bad injury that this had to be normal for him. But then he noticed the fresh slash along his side, remembering how negatively he had reacted the first time at the suggestion of the hospital William knew that he would have to be careful. “This looks like it would need stitches.” he said hoping that Danny would agree, and they could make sure that he was somewhere safe tonight.

“Yeah I know.” Danny said nonchalantly, as if getting injured bad enough to need stitches was to be expected.

“And you’re still comfortable with me doing them?” William asked carefully.

“Considering my choices right now seem to between that and the hospital, I’m going to pick you. Don’t need more people asking questions about this.” Danny grumbled.

William frowned slightly, he knew that he didn’t have a choice about not involving anyone when he knew that one of his students was being hurt, but at least for now he could help his student, make sure that he felt safe, and that he wasn’t going to get an infection. “Alright” he said as he started to clean the wound, noticing, that there was something off about it, beyond the fact that there shouldn’t be an injury like that on one of his student's. At first he wondered if he was wrong about just how fresh the wound was, maybe infection had already started to set in, but the longer that he looked at it he started realizing that the deepest part of the wounds, it looked like there was something neon holding parts of his flesh together. Then it all clicked together in William’s mind, this was something that he was familiar with, this was something that anyone in Amity would recognize, just not normally from inside someone.

William pulled his hands back trying to make sense of things, “What happened” he asked not sure how to ask how he had gotten ectoplasm so deep into his wound, without it filling the entire wound.

Danny frowned slightly “What do you mean, I just got hurt, if you’re not going to I can just stitch myself up.” he said.

“You have ectoplasm in your body.” William said pointedly he knew that ectoplasm didn’t belong in the human body.

That seemed to wake Danny up and he started slowly backing up looking like he was going to run “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” he said obviously lying.

William took a deep breath “I wasn’t done come back, and I’ll finish stitching you up.” that this wasn’t just him having been caught in the splash zone of a ghost fight. This was something more, giving a different colour to his refusal to visit a hospital or letting his parents know.

“You’re not going to tell them?” Danny asked voice small.

“Teachers are not required to share information about their student’s identities with their parents.” William said, knowing that normally meant not sharing if a student was dating somebody of the same gender, or if they had been going by a different name at school and not something like this, not that he was even really sure what this was at this point.

Danny’s eyes shone with relief “Thank you” he breathed out as if he couldn’t believe that something like that could be possible.

William carefully went back to cleaning Danny’s wound watching as Danny seemed to relax even more as he did. He paused once the wound was clean staring at the first aid kid, pausing looking over it.

“You going to get to the stitches?” Danny asked sounding more confident than he normally did when talking with adults, making him wonder just how much how Danny acted at school was an act to hide whatever secret that he thought William had discovered. “I can do it at this point if you’re not comfortable it’s not that hard to reach.”

“Moby Dick, Mr. Fenton, that’s not what I meant.” William said thinking there was something familiar about the way that Danny was acting.

Danny shrugged “It’s fine.” he said pulling out some of the Fenton Fishing Line threading it through a needle.

William frowned “You should be using actual sutures, not fishing wire.” he said looking appalled “Is this how you normally deal with your injuries?” he asked wondering if that was why some of the scars looked so bad.

“Yeah well if I don’t use something like this then they’ll end up just falling out when I phase through something, never got the hang of having them go intangible at the right moment.” Danny said with a shrug.

William just looked at him for a moment trying to figure out what Danny could have meant by that, before Danny broke out laughing. “Man, you know I never thought about what it would be like to actually talk to an adult about this kind of thing, and not need to worry about them deciding to try to tear me apart ‘molecule by molecule’ “ he said in a voice mocking what his parents often shouted after Phantom, “or if you’re going to try to find some other weird experiments to try to do on me. It actually feels really nice.”

“Yes well I always say if student's have something they need to talk to me about they can.” William said automatically before his brain finally caught up with what exactly Danny had said “You’re actually Phantom.” he said the realization crashing over him in waves, that’s where he recognized the way Danny was speaking from, it was the way Phantom talked when he bantered with the ghosts.

Danny frowned looking at him a sudden wave of horror crossing over his face, “You didn’t realize?” he said “But the stuff you said about keeping my identity a secret, what other identity were you talking about?” he asked.

William stared at him swallowing back an actual curse word, “Fu.. Fahrenheit 451, I don’t think I understood exactingly, how accurate the concept of it being a separate identity was.” This was horrifying, he had known that Phantom had looked like a teenager, one the age of his students, but he had assumed that was just an appearance, not a reality. This meant that Phantom actually was a teenager, that the ghost hero who got into the violent fights to take out the ghosts that attacked the town, the ghosts that were too strong for even the professional ghost hunters to get rid of was actually a teenager. Then he realized what that actually meant about Danny, it meant that Daniel Fenton was a ghost. Ghosts weren’t alive, one of his students had died and he didn’t even realize.

He thought back to when the ghosts had first shown up, it had been early in the school year, and it seemed like Phantom had been there from the beginning. How long had Danny been Phantom, did William ever actually teach Danny while he was alive, or had he already been dead when he first sat down in his classroom.

Danny flinched back looking panicked.

“I still won’t tell anyone.” William said gently, this time meaning it, who could he tell, this was no longer something that he could report through the normal channels. No matter how much he wished that reporting this like a normal case of abuse would still help Danny, he knew that all it would be doing would be tossing him from the frying pan into to the fire. The situation he was in fighting ghosts was bad, but letting the government discover the truth about Phantom, would just leave Danny in more danger, and he wasn’t sure how the Fenton parents finding out would go. He had been so sure that they loved their kids, but even before knowing the truth he had been concerned that their hatred of ghosts, would overshadow their love of their kids, and he didn’t think that he was ready to be the one to put that to the test, without guaranteeing that Danny had a legal safe place to go if it went poorly.

Danny looked thankful “Thanks”

William nodded “I should probably update today’s attendance for you to being an excused absence” he said with a sigh.

Danny frowned slightly “Wait you’d do something like that?”

“Now I know where you are, and you, have had enough absences that it now means if they’re not otherwise explained we have to contact your parents. “William explained. “I’d imagine that right now you’d wish to avoid that.”

Danny looked up at him surprised “You’d do something like that for me?” he asked.

“Now this isn’t a pass on you being allowed to just skip class when you want. But for today, I’m not going to call your parents. But we will need to have a discussion about how to handling this in the long term.” William said, knowing that he couldn’t just continue letting one of his student's continually skip class and risk his life, but at the same time he knew how the town likely did need Phantom, or somebody to do more to take care of the ghosts. “Who else knows?”

Danny shifted slightly “My friends, and Jazz” he said trailing off for a moment as if debating saying something more “And the ghosts” he said rubbing the back of his neck.

William nodded stiffly, “So no other adults?” he asked, thinking about the responsibility of harbouring this secret, and the challenges and dangers that would lay ahead. “Alright, then we’ll manage this here for now but we need to address the long term issues, you can’t keep getting injured like this without proper medical attention.”

“you know why I can’t, you manged to figure it out, and you’re an English teacher, an actual doctor would figure it out way faster.” Danny pointed out.

William cringed slightly “Yes but you can’t continue to just ignore your injuries. Or your schoolwork, as much as you have been.” he said firmly. “We’ll figure this out, but we need to find a way to handle both parts of your identity, you’re still Daniel Fenton, and you can’t just ignore that to be Phantom.”

Danny shifted “I’m not trying to, just people need Phantom, they don’t need Fenton.” he said softly.

“That’s not true, both sides of you are important.” William said knowing that this was likely going to be a discussion that they would have to have many times before Danny would actually believe him. That his role had expanded beyond being responsible for Daniel’s academic success, but now he was also responsible for his secret and well-being. The scars that crisscrossed his body spoke to a story of battles fought and the challenges of leading a double life. He was determined that he would be there for both sides of Danny, the struggling student and the maligned hero.

#valentine's core exchange 2024

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