Return to Room 2342 - Ray and Michael visit Danny

[gone_byebye]

Ray led the way down the corridor, past the residential rooms, and stopped in front of the otherwise unassuming door marked '2342'. He glanced over his shoulder to Michael. "He's not going to be in the trap," he said. "Getting you in and up to him's going to be tricky, assuming he doesn't try to kill you outright. The shielding layer in front of you won't switch off until the one behind you is turned on, unless I have to drop multiple shields and open proton fire on him, which I'm praying I won't have to do."

He took a piece of paper from his pocket and stuck it to the door: IF YOU ATTEMPT TO ENTER THIS ROOM YOU WILL BE SHOT.

"Okay," he said. "I'm ready if you are."

Comments

[gone_byebye]

Ray took a long, uncomfortable breath, watching, waiting.

Please be good enough, Michael. Please. Please.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael takes a moment just to study the ghost, clinically. When he "speaks", there's something like a telepathic echo as Rath lends weight to his words.

We know the boy's in there. Danny?

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"I am Danny," the ghost said firmly. "Get it through your thick heads."

Faintly, very faintly, there was a weak voice, Tell...

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

You're Danny in the same way I'm Michael, Rath says, lazily amused. Michael concentrates on the fainter voice. Danny? Tell who, what?

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"I'm Danny. Just me. I am what he's supposed to become," said Dan, starting to get irritated.

Tell...Ray...trap...launch...outside or...trap...Ghost Zone...has to...lock...away...lock me...away....destroy...me...can't...won't be him...

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

No. He is himself, and meant to be no more than that. You are... separate.

That's a last resort, Danny. Not going there yet.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

Dan Phantom knew the jig was up, and did the mental equivalent of a punch in the gut and a "Shaddup!"

"We're not separate. This my body, too," sneered the ghost. "It has been ever since he got his powers. I would've come out on top, anyway, given time. The Lady in White just helped it happen sooner. It's his own fault for being too weak, and letting me take over--he was always weak."

Can't...stop...him...he'll...destroy...town...my town...can't...let...happen...

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael raises his eyebrows.

Looks to me like he kept you down pretty well until she stepped in. Who is this Lady in White, anyway?

We won't let him out, Danny. But we won't destroy you just yet either.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

Dan shrugged, "Who cares? All I know is she let me out after she went after the blonde little rat that betrayed Danny. Draco. The kid sure knew how to pick them."

He snorted.

Too...strong.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael makes a note of the name, for later.

No. He's not. You can do this, Danny.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"He can't," said Dan, grinning.

Can't...

"The little loser can't even keep the schoolyard bullies from shoving him in his locker. You think he can shut me up again?"

Weak.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I think he can.

Danny may or may not know how hard it is to lie telepathically. Michael reaches carefully out, isolating one presence from the other in his mind.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

In Michael's head, he might get the mental image of a transparent, intangible hand reaching out for his, fingertips brushing and feeling cold like snow.

After a moment, it was like their hands were wrenched apart.

"Get out," Dan demanded.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

No, Michael snaps, putting more power into reaching for Danny's hand.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

Dan looked smug, as Danny stopped trying.

Can't...Lock...me...away... Then he was forced into silence again.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael growls.

Danny! Don't you dare stop fighting.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

Dan shook his head at Michael, looking amused.

How does somebody fight themselves? Michael probably picked up. He can't. You know it, I know it, he knows it. I'm part of him and he's part of me and I can't be destroyed.

[gone_byebye]

Ray caught the growling, and the look on Dan's face. Yeah, he was as head-blind as a cantaloupe and he didn't do well at reading body language, but you didn't need either of those skills to recognize what was going on.

He raised his voice.

"Danny- if you can hear me over the noise this schmuck is making, we're all fighting for you. No matter who's behind the wheel."

[doc-venkman.livejournal.com]

Peter added in a loud voice, "C'mon, Danny, you're better than this. Stronger. Everybody's got a dark side, but you have to decide who's gonna take the wheel. And it's gotta be you."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

There's a brief wordless discussion in Michael's mind, then Rath comes to the fore.

Destroyed? Certainly not. But the boy can be restored to his rightful place without any need for your destruction. Daniel? Will you come out?

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

Dan suddenly winced. Then he winced again and fell to the floor.

"Shut up! Shut up, you little weakling! Shut up! Augh! Stop it! You're weak! You're weak! Stop it!"

He clutched at his head, then screamed, partly in frustration, partly in pain.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Rath is not impressed.

Stop that pretence, child.

[gone_byebye]

Not being able to hear Rath's words, all Ray had to go on was visuals, and so he flinched- but then he remembered the contents of his other pockets. He hastily dug out a box the size of a matchbox and flipped it open.

"Yo," said the minuscule demon who poked his head out. "What's up?"

"What's going on in there?" Ray asked, pointing at Danny's struggles and trying not to whimper too much.

The imp glanced over towards the containment field and shook his head. "I got one psychic Talent of seven-A caliber, I got one Class Eight free-floating phantasmic vapor of-"

"No! I mean what's going on with the vapor!"

"Oh, that?" The demon snorted. "He's manifesting."

"That's all?"

"If you're so smart, why're you askin' me these questions? Yeah, that's all."

Ray exhaled. "Thank you, Lenny," he said- though he still looked nervous.

"No problem," said the imp, and pulled its head back in.

[doc-venkman.livejournal.com]

"Lenny?" Peter looked amused. "Got a new friend huh, Ray?"

He then went back to Danny, and yelled as his PKE flared even more.

"Danny! If you're so weak, why are you trying to convince yourself of it? You kept control of it up until now, you gonna let it push you around? This is nothing compared with what you've faced. Kick your dark side's ass, and tell him to shut up already. You don't have to be in if you don't want to."

He then added fiercely, "C'mon, Danny, you're a hero. Heroes don't take crap from anybody. Even themselves."

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

But Dan ignored them--his eyes were only on Michael's and suddenly, he stopped faking, and started laughing.

"Oops. You caught me."