Danny looked up from the tablet Elsa provided him when Jazz arrived to the drawing room, escorted there by a butler named Kai. The ginger was not happy with him as she scowled at her little brother. Danny waved from the sofa, "Hey Jazz!"
Jazz glared at him, "Danny..."
Danny gestured for her to come closer, "Why are you back here?"
Jazz sighed, "Mom and Dad will be away until Halloween, why wouldn't I check up on my most favorite baby brother?"
Danny rolled his eyes, "I am your only baby brother,"
Elsa appeared, "Welcome, Jazz. Would you stay for lunch?"
Jazz cleared her throat, flustered, "Sorry. I, uh...I didn't want to intrude," She eyeballed Danny when she said this, "We should go,"
Elsa stepped closer, "Oh, please do stay for lunch. I insist,"
Danny knew how it felt being on the receiving end of Elsa's 'look'. He swore, she had that 'look' to an art. The kind of look that one would expect from a calm, collected, and know-what-they're-doing superior. It was hard to say no to that 'look'. It was just so...imperialistic. Commanding but not pushy. The pressure to not disappoint was intense.
Right on the money, Jazz folded like a wet tissue, "...sure..."
Danny snorted at her, to which Jazz swatted at him as they followed Elsa to the dining room. She then grabbed his arm, "Why are you here again?"
He shrugged, "I told you, I was tired and I don't want to sleep above Death Wonderland,"
Jazz leveled him a familiar look, "Are you dating her?"
Danny scowled, blue eyes flashing green in warning, "We are friends. I'm not close to her with insincere motive, alright? Besides, Elsa's nice,"
Jazz sighed, "You have to excuse me for being suspicious, Danny. You had been so distant with everyone after your falling out with Sam. I just don't understand why you break up with her. You were both so...into each other, it was like seeing Mom and Dad in a very weird way. You won't explain things and you forced Tucker to keep quiet about it..." She stopped to look at him, causing him to stop as well, "You know you can trust me, right? Danny?" She then asked, "Did she cheat on you?"
Danny quirked a brow at her, "Does she look like someone that would cheat?"
Jazz groaned, "I don't know! She's your friend!" She then sighed, "Danny...what aren't you saying? You're protecting her, I can tell that much. But at the same time, you acted like she's worse than Valerie. Who, also, you had a falling out with even though you're not dating her. You used to at least be nice with her. These days, you are almost angry with her,"
Danny sighed before shaking his head, "Can we...just have lunch?"
Jazz, sensing that he will still not speak, let it go...for now. They finally reached the dining room and Jazz gaped at the sight of the lunch spread before him. Elsa gestured at the big table, "Please, have a seat,"
Jazz watched Danny as he took a seat closest to Elsa. Danny knew that his actions lately was confusing to an outsider. But it wasn't anything that he can really help. Elsa was polite as she asked Jazz about her course; psychology. She did not try to change the subject whenever Jazz channeled Jack's need to blabber about the subject of their passion.
Jazz hummed, "I am already planning my PhD's thesis on the subject of psychology and ghosts. I mean, why not? It is an interesting thing to study, after all. I grew up surrounded by talks of ghosts and although my parents are more into destroying them, I am more curious about their drive as a ghost. Of course, I understand that..."
Normally, people would either tune out her word vomit or subtly change the subject or forcefully change the subject, Elsa was actually listening with a curious look in her eyes. This was an aspect of her that Danny really loved. She wanted to engage even though the subject was over her head. He knew that he can be annoying when he ranted about his daily stress with the ghosts, his grades, and his still blank college application papers. But she listened, fed him soothing teas, and let him air out his grief.
He only wished that she would do the same but Elsa remained silent on her own pain.
But the fact that she will go to him to show her progress with her power was precious to him. It meant that she trusted him. After all, her power was such an important secret to her and he felt honored that she would include him to see a side of her that she must had been frightened of ever sharing with others.
Jazz finally exhausted the things she wanted to share about her latest obsession and looked at Elsa, "So. What's your deal with Danny, anyway? I mean...aren't your...guardians suspicious of my brother?"
Elsa shook her head, "I trust him and that is enough for them to welcome him as well,"
Jazz looked at Danny, "Even though he just showed up in the morning without the use of the front door?"
Elsa nodded, "They are aware of our close friendship and are discreet about his quirks of appearing in my room at night,"
Jazz glared at him, "Just how often did you crashed over here that it's considered normal?"
Danny shrugged, "Often enough?" He then added with a grin, "Matthias have a killer aim with the guns!"
Jazz gasped, "Guns?"
Elsa explained, "We have a shooting arena in the manor. It is good for target practice. The guards needed a place for such a thing, after all," She looked at Jazz, "Would you like to see it?"
Danny coughed, "No! That's okay! Chances of her shooting me instead of the target is 99.99% higher,"
Jazz glared at him, "I have a Fenton Dispenser and I am not afraid to use it,"
Elsa looked at her, "About the Fenton Dispenser, I would like to inquire on purchasing it for the guards. It seems to be a far more practical shape to carry around,"
Jazz cleared her throat, "Sorry, Elsa. I don't know anything about that. You should contact Mom and Dad," She looked at her watch, "We really should go," She eyed him and he rolled his eyes, standing up as well. She smiled, "Thank you for lunch. That was really good. Give my regard to the chef?"
Elsa nodded, "I will inform Ivy,"
Jazz said nothing as she walked to the car. Once they're inside and away from Elsa's manor, she addressed him, "Danny. You're not hanging around her because she's rich, are you?"
Danny scowled, "I'm insulted, Jazz. Do you really think I would do that?"
She looked at him before turning back to the road, "Not now. You would once,"
Danny sighed, slumping on the passenger seat and cramming his long legs on the tight space, "I know you like Sam. Heck, Mom like Sam and Dad was already planning our marriage and honeymoon, putting almost my whole college saving on that. But I just...I can't do it,"
Jazz sighed, "Do what? Commit? I thought you're better than that,"
Danny rolled his eyes, "I'm not a fuck boy if that is what you're not saying,"
Jazz unwrapped her hands on the steering and re-wrapped it several times before sighing, "Danny...explain to me. Talk to me. Help me understand. What is changing?" She glanced at him, "I mean...it feels like more than just your body is changing. There is this...distance that wasn't there before. I mean, I get it with Tucker. But you are also avoiding Mom and Dad," She slowed to a stop on the side of the road, turning her full attention on him, "What is going on with you? You know that I won't judge you, right?"
Danny looked at the palm of his left hand, "...friends drift apart as we grow. That's normal,"
Jazz scowled, "Not your kind of friendship, it don't,"
Knowing that Jazz won't let it go and tired of holding it back, he sighed, "Jazz...remember when Mom and Dad said that Amity Park is my lair?" At her confused nod, he continued, "It isn't. I don't have a lair, Jazz. Amity Park is a big free for all. I just...have the biggest claim on it and I don't want it. I don't...want to get stuck here. A lair is forever. If I Bonded myself to this town, I won't be able to go anywhere. But...I'm growing stronger as time goes on and...ghosts are noticing me in a way that just frankly make me uncomfortable,"
His skin still crawled whenever he thought about how close Desiree was to him last night. Jazz's hand landed on his knee. He can taste her concern for him and he sighed. He shook his head, "I don't want you to worry about me too much. You have your college classes to attend to. I don't need you to give me more of you. I'm tired of taking from you, Jazz. I want you...to live. Don't put your life on pause for me,"
Jazz shook her head, "No. You're my brother. We are family. We are not perfect but we are all that we have against the world. So please...talk to me,"
Danny looked at her, "I can't do it. I can't hang around Sam more than I already did,"
She asked, gently, "Why?"
Danny raised his dead eyes to look into hers, "...she killed me twice, Jazz. The first time...was an honest accident," His tears started falling, betrayal beating in his chest like a heart of its own kind, "The second time...she made a wish. I already checked on the timeline with Clockwork. Jazz, she made a wish that we never met and Desiree was near. Wish granted. We weren't friends and I don't know her, suddenly. Our past friendship was wiped clean. I was human again! All human! Alive!" He burst into full out crying, frost creeping up the inside of her car, "I could have gone to NASA! I could have lived a normal life! I could have...but no. Phantom is more important. So she tricked me into walking to my death, again, knowing what it would do to me..."
Jazz gawked at the reality that he had discovered. The life he could have lived. The future that he could have aimed for, "Danny...I didn't know..."
Danny gulped, sobbing, "I'm mourning myself, Jazz. Seeing her hurts because I don't know if I could trust her anymore. I still cared for her, as a friend, as Fenton. But Phantom couldn't do it. I had been blocking his reaction towards her. Desiree told me that I was too kind a ghost. Any other ghost would have tore her apart for what she had done. Heck, Dad accidentally slow poisoned Vlad almost to death and he was all about killing and replacing him. Why do you think he's so obsessed over getting rid of Dad? His ghost counterpart demanded it of him! But I won't. I refused to be all ghost. So I forgave her...I treated her as a friend and that was as far as I can go to compromise with myself,"
Jazz asked, "Did you talk to her about this? Did Tucker know?"
Danny confessed, "I told Tucker when he came after me after I suddenly broke it off with Sam," He shook his head, "I can't. Jazz, you know how she is. She is too headstrong. Besides...she cared and that's what hurts the most. She cared...too much about the wrong things. She didn't care enough about Fenton. But she would do anything for Phantom. Even before I found out about the 'second time', I can't help but feel like she only liked me more because of Phantom. Because I'm dead but not. Because I'm interesting like that. But I thought...maybe that was just me being paranoid since everyone is all about Phantom. Even Mom and Dad,"
Jazz sighed, leaning on her chair before nodding, "Alright. I get you. I know now why you won't say anything. You're protecting her from the consequences of her own action. Heck, you're protecting her from me. But Danny...you can't keep her from owning up her mistakes forever,"
Danny sighed, "If I told her the real reason why I broke it off with her...why her very touch disgusted me...why hanging around her without Tucker hurts...why just the idea of being alone with her was...horrifying...it'll break her. I was a bastard for just...leaving her. For keeping up this...facade of being a friend to her even when...even when I don't want to anymore! If she learned why...it'll break her. I may be repulsed by her but I am not so cruel as to break her like that,"
The car fell silent after that. Jazz sighed as she looked at him. Danny stared at his pale reflection, the frost thawing as he calmed down from his sudden emotional outburst.
Jazz chewed on her bottom lip as she admitted, "Sam have been trying to get me to talk to you for her. She wanted to know why you are treating her like...like she killed you. I..." She trailed away in realization, frowning, "She didn't get it, did she? She honestly thought that she was doing good by you...oh God!" She pushed her head on the steering, "Okay. Okay, I get it. I get why you are keeping me from learning what she did!" She shook her head, "She didn't feel guilt for what she had done. She honestly thought that she was setting things right...even if you have to die for it. God!"
Danny waved his hand, "And now you know why I said nothing,"
She nodded, "Now I know..." She lifted her head to look at him, "So what is this about Elsa?"
Danny blushed, "What about Elsa?" He glanced at her, "There really isn't anything! We are partners for this stupid project for graduation. She knew about me and Phantom. We are friends!"
Jazz hummed, "Still...I have never seen you become so close to someone so quickly like you did with her. Even Sam and Tucker found it weird. Also, they said that she kept feeding you. What's with that?"
Danny rubbed his neck, "I don't know...I guess because she noticed that I'm hungry almost all the time. Also...she adds ectoplasm to my meal and they actually helped make me full enough to get through first and second periods,"
Jazz was the only other person that knew about his sneaking around eating ectoplasm. She caught him drinking from the samples in their fridge. However, he didn't tell her about eating ghosts. Elsa was the only one to know that...and Matthias. Seriously, for an adult, he's real cool. For the first time since a very long time, Danny actually looked up to an adult.
Jazz frowned, undoing the break and putting down her foot on the pedal, "Where did she get ectoplasm? And how did she know about your need for ectoplasm in your diet?"
Danny laughed nervously, "W-well..."
Shit.
Jazz glanced at him, "Danny...what else aren't you telling me?"
Danny groaned, "Well, with ghost puberty comes ghost hunger. I recently found out that those little ghosts that are more blobs than anything else? The ones that I sometimes call Ectopus? Yeah. They are apparently food for ghosts. Elsa saw me eat one. But she was cool with it! Apparently, drinking coffee made out of elephant shit is weirder. I mean...who discovered that?"
Jazz screeched to a stop, "What?! Danny! You've been eating those little ghosts?! Since when?!"
A car honked angrily behind her and she mumbled an apology as she started driving again.
Danny groaned, "I got so hungry one night and one just...swim by and I just...chomped on it. It was only after that, that my body started growing again. Apparently I had been starving myself. Just watered down ectoplasm wasn't enough to kick start my ghost growth," He patted his stomach, "My living side also started growing again, just to catch up with my ghost side. Because of that, I'm always hungry and you know how Mom and Dad are like with stocking up food at the house,"
Jazz groaned, "This is why I shouldn't have left home..."
Danny argued, "Oh, no! None of that! You need this! You need this college and whatever to build a life, Jazz! Don't you dare drop all that for me! I'll never forgive you!"
Jazz sighed as she stopped at their driveway, "Fine,"
They made their way in, Danny deftly avoiding their ghost securities and deactivated them as he made his way through. He sat down in their living room and Jazz joined him. She looked at him and snorted, "You're growing as big as Dad, maybe even bigger,"
Danny leaned his head back, "I know I'm taller,"
She laughed at that before sighing, "So...have you chosen your college yet?"
Danny's mood plummeted, "...no..." He looked at the ceiling, "What can I even do? My grades would tell me that all I'm good for is either the retails, the fast foods, or...the army," He scrunched his nose at the last one, "With how eager the government is at turning me into sashimi, I think not,"
Jazz sighed, realizing just how badly Sam had messed up Danny's life. Granted, it wasn't all that important as a teen but adult life was different. Danny's future was bleak. His dream to become an astronaut completely destroyed simply by the fact that his health was as good as a corpse.His grade ruined by his constant distraction with world ending invasions from the other side. Now that she knew that Sam could have trusted an adult to deal with Desiree instead of killing Danny all over again...
He was right; how can he trust Sam to do what was right for him?
He then grinned, "Maybe I'll go on a long journey or something. I mean...I can fly real fast. The speed of a shooting star; 130 km/s!I can get anywhere real fast!"
Jazz looked at him, "And where will you stay when you're not traveling?"
Danny paused at that, "...I don't know,"
She patted his knee, "You know you're always welcome wherever I am,"
Danny smiled at her, "Thanks, Jazz,"
She then joked, "Maybe Mom and Dad will have you pick up their job?"
Danny pulled a face, "A job that I have been doing my whole teenage years anyway? No, thanks. I'm still trying to convince them to just...close the portal permanently and cover it up so ghosts will stop coming through. But you know how they are. If ghosts kept coming through, they might be able to catch a good one," He sighed, "They won't close it until they get a good sample,"
Jazz frowned, "Then? How are you going to leave? The ghosts will just go crazy if you leave,"
Danny looked at his left hand and slipped of his glove, revealing the Lichtenberg figure there. It spread out in fern-like pattern like a spiraling star, blooming like the galaxy in the palm of his hand. It pulsed green lightning. It some way, it was beautiful and hypnotic. In another way, it was the scar of his death. A reminder of his violent departure from life.
Jazz whispered, "Danny? How are you going to leave if they refused to close the portal?"
Danny smiled, "I have an idea...a last resort,"
As finished his homework, chased after a few more ghosts and the usual troublemakers, Danny thought about his 'last resort'. He's not going to use Desiree's ability. No. He had been training his abilities with his core's alignment to the universe beyond. Most of the time, he was forced to figure it out if he wanted to survive what the visitors from behind the doors threw at him.
Vlad wasn't pretending when he told Danny that he would rather not make an enemy of them.
They were strong. And Danny had fought strong ghosts before. He had fought Vortex, the ghost of storms and typhoons. He had fought Nocturne, a ghost of nightmares and sleep without wake. He had fought Undergrowth, a ghost of their dying ecosystem. He had even fought Pariah Dark, the crowned King of Ghosts and all around dictator. Hell, he had even fought a version of himself that had beaten all of them and killed more than half of the world's population!
But the ghosts from behind the doors were different.
He suspected that they were closer in strength to Clockwork than they liked to show.
It was because of them that Danny learned that he was capable of manipulating things like the stars and other form of energy that build the cosmos. It was how, as he floated in space, that he learned that he was able to create a sun in the palm of his hands. That was how he also knew, that should he need it, he can create a controlled black hole to destroy the Ghost Portal in his parents' basement.
He whispered as he dismissed his sun, "Last resort..."