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

[doc-venkman.livejournal.com]

Peter darkly replied, "Shut up, we want to talk to Danny, not you."

[gone_byebye]

Ray coughs. "Uh, Pete, it's not a possession case. This isn't like Zuul."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael just looks at him, eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Mortal? Probably. Easily killed? It's been tried by more than you, and I'm still here."

As am I.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

Danny just stared back, red eyes gleaming. "If you're so sure that you're invincible why don't you come in here?"

He shivered slightly, and a bit of blue fog came out of his mouth, and he looked at Venkman curiously.

[doc-venkman.livejournal.com]

"Right. Dark side, guessing not another personality either."

Peter shook his head at Michael, "Don't, he's being cute. Throw us off."
But the look in his eyes, said, 'Do it, but watch your back.'

He stared at Danny, and noted that weird blue fog again. The PKE around him wavered some, but held.

[gone_byebye]

Ray looked at Michael. "Remember what I told you," he said gravely.

He dipped his right hand into his pocket and pressed the button on the subsidiary remote- the one that kept the Men in Black theta barrier up. It slid aside, waiting for Michael to pass.

His left hand had to be spared; it was wrapped around a wireless remote for the room's remaining trap. The remote had been deadman-switched. If Ray's thumb came off the button for any reason at all, the trap would open immediately.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael nods, gets up and walks past the barrier. It slides back into place behind him and he looks through the bottling at the ghost.

"So."

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"So...why don't you come a little closer?" Danny asked, hands pressed against the shield in between them, his eyes dancing.

[doc-venkman.livejournal.com]

Peter was quietly observing this, mainly focused on Danny, and trying to determine for himself how to fix this.

[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.