Sam pointed at the blob ghost currently doing a slug impression on the ceiling, “Is it ok?”
Danny grinned at her, “It’s fine, I showed it a video of how slugs and snails moved and it wanted to give it a try.”
Tucker frowned at Danny as he used a green stained cloth to wipe off ectoplasm that had dripped from the ‘slug trail’ onto his PDA, “That’s great and all, but I wish it wasn’t so good at it. It’s hard to see my screen when it’s covered in goo.” The blob ghost chirped in what was clearly a laughing tone before detaching from the ceiling and plopping itself onto the screen of the PDA. Tucker grimaced before giving in and petting the little ghost.
Danny looked at him, eyes flashing green as he said, “What do you expect Tuck, it’s a ghost and ghosts love mischief.”
“Cool it Starboy.” Tucker muttered as he continued to pet the now purring blob ghost. At least it had scooted itself to his arms and hadn’t left any residue on his screen.
“Cool it?” Danny repeated with a grin, hands glowing with blue light.
“Agh! Not like that you doof!” Tucker yelped.
Sam smirked at him from across the room, “Well you did ask for it Tuck. He even warned you about his ‘mischievous nature’,” She used her fingers to air quote, “and you know how he is with puns.”
Danny floated high in the sky, above the clouds. It was quiet and peaceful. No ghosts or ghost hunters to bother him, just the vast expanses of the twilight sky above him. He stretched out, flipping over to float on his back as he gazed at the stars just coming visible. His core purred contently beside his heart as he drank in the constellations. Sam and Tucker didn’t always understand how he felt about the sky and space, but they were supportive and did their best to help him make room in his schedule for this pastime.
His eyes half-lidded in bliss, Danny just basked in the starlight, gently rocking with the slight breeze. Once the moon had risen, he reluctantly turned back towards the Earth. He let gravity take him and gave off a faint laugh as he sped towards the ground, taking back control of his flight once buildings were close enough to make out. He twisted, lighter than the air itself, as he flew home. He might not get very much sleep, but moments like this made it worthwhile.
Danny was out exploring. Jazz was supposed to be watching him, but he was seven now and as long as he stayed in the backyard, she didn’t care what he did. He had slipped through a loose plank in the fence and quickly made his way to the park near his house. No one was there to tell him not to climb trees, or run as fast as he could, or to yell if he wanted to. Therefore, he did all of that. He ran as fast as he could, yelling as loud as he could, with his arms stretched out behind him like a comet’s tail until he reached the tallest tree he could find. He had been eyeing this tree for weeks, ever since he noticed it past the line of cut grass that the grownups let him play on. He could tell that this was a special, magical, perfect for climbing, tree.
Danny tossed his shoes on the ground and scrambled up to a branch big enough he could lay on. He was really high up! He sat his back against the trunk of the tree and folded his legs around the branch to help keep his balance as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out his magic watch. This watch was given to him a long time ago by an elf that helped him when he was lost. Jazz had said that elves didn’t exist but Danny knew better, elves and ghosts and monster definitely existed. He had seen them when Daddy accidentally put the house in a different world. He fiddled with it for a moment, enjoying the clicking sound it made as he wound the knob tighter. He closed his eyes as he listened to the soft ticking sound, it made him happy and he felt safe and loved when he heard it.
A breeze gusted by, ruffling his hair and bringing the scents of dinner cooking with it. Danny didn’t want to get down from the tree, he was so close to the sky! He frowned as he read the time on the watch, the little hand was already past the six. If he didn’t get home soon, Mommy and Daddy would be worried, and Jazz would be mad if he got her in trouble by sneaking away.
With a deep sigh, Danny tucked the watch back into the deepest part of his pocket and turned to begin his descent. He made it down two more branches before his foot slipped. It was only grabbing the limb in front of him with both hands that saved him from falling from an unfortunate height. He took a deep breath, glad that he was fast and not afraid of heights, as he tried to figure a way from his predicament.
He heard a rustling sound and looked down; standing on the ground below him was the Elf-man! Danny wiggled a little in his excitement, “Hello!” he called down.
It was hard to see the elf’s face from this high up and with his body and the branch in the way, but it looked like he was smiling.
“Hello little one, it looks like you could use a helping hand.”
Danny nodded his head vigorously, “Yes please, I’m stuck.”
The man held out his arms and called back up to him, “You can let go, do not worry, I’ll catch you.”
Danny trusted him, so he did as he was asked, and let go of the branch. It was a much shorter drop than he expected before he was caught in the arms of his rescuer. The old man was a lot stronger than he looked, his arms were very steady and didn’t shake at all even holding Danny.
Danny let out a sigh of relief and leaned his head against the man’s chest. There was a faint ticking sound just like his watch and it helped him calm down further.
“Thank you for catching me, and saving me when I was stuck.” he said.
“It was my pleasure little one, I’m glad that I was able to help you.”
Danny tilted his head back slightly to look in his savior’s face, “I never learned your name, what can I call you?”
The man smiled, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling, “You may call me Chrono.” His eyes danced at a joke that only he understood.
Danny hummed lightly, “Thank you for saving me Mr. Chrono, and for helping me when I was little. Thank you for the watch, I always have it with me.”
Chrono smiled gently and said, “You are more than welcome, child.”
The seconds seemed to stretch forever as they stood there, Danny cuddled up in his arms. After some immeasurable time had passed, Chrono gave the child a slightly pained smile and said, “Go on Daniel, you must be hungry and you don’t want to get in trouble for running off to play on your own.” He carefully let Danny down to the ground and handed him his discarded shoes. “If you hurry you can make it back without them noticing you were gone.” He ruffled the child’s hair once he was standing again, “Go on, I’ll be watching.”
Danny grinned at him and gave him a quick hug, before running off with a wave. He made it back through the fence moments before Jazz stuck her head out the door to yell, “Danny! Dinner’s ready!” He skipped up the steps to the back door and kicked off his shoes once he was inside. He patted the hidden watch in his pocket as his mother and father greeted him. This adventure he would keep a secret.
One Door Slams, Another One Unveils (DannyMay2020- Doors)
I’m sorry, I did an angst.
Danny May 2020
Doors
One Door Slams, Another One Unveils
He dragged himself forward by his fingertips.
His arms were locked in frozen agony and his legs limp behind him. The harsh glare of the light reflected off every surface. A distant humming was the only sound besides the quiet scraping of his movements. The air was still and sterile, carrying only the scent of lemon cleaner. He gritted his teeth as he continued his desperate journey, inch by inch. The door was open a few centimeters; if he could just reach it…maybe he could get out. Maybe. He couldn’t not try. He couldn’t stop, if he stopped he would give up, and giving up was not allowed.
Time dragged on as he neared the barred door, his chance at salvation. A shadow passed in front of the tiny window set in it. He heard a cruel laugh and a second later, the door slammed just as his fingers were close enough to touch it. He inhaled sharply, unable to vocalize any sound to express the anguish he was feeling. He breathed shallowly as he lay stretched out on the floor, any deeper and his ribs would shift painfully within him. He turned his head and rested his cheek against the cold tile, passively watching as green spread across white. He hated the smell of lemon.
He closed his eyes, wanting to see anything other than white.
A quiet ripping that he felt more than heard disturbed his exhausted slumber some time later. His eyes cracked open to see a fur covered face peering down at him from a jagged rift in the air.
“Amiko?” he heard before his eyes slid shut again.
Wulf gently picked up Danny’s limp form, taking care not to jostle the still bleeding wounds. He growled deep and low at the green splattered white cell before carefully carrying his small friend back through the portal. Danny would recover and Wulf, and all of Danny’s other allies, would not let the GIW get their hands on him again.
Danny lay in his sleeping bag listening to the snores of his family from the nearby tents. At nine years old, he was finally old enough to have his own tent. He drew his cold feet up further in an attempt to warm them. He hadn’t planned on having an adventure tonight. He had only left his tent because he had needed to go to the bathroom. The night sky out here was nothing like in the city. He clutched the watch in his hand before uncurling his fingers to examine it again. The starlight shone through the gap in the opening of his tent and made the watch face shimmer. The face reflected bright blue and there were faint green swirls that almost looked like they were moving. He rubbed his thumb over the engraved initials on the back. C.W.
Danny tilted his head back as he considered what they could mean. He had called himself Chrono, and he watched over Danny. Chrono means time; Danny had looked that up the last time Jazz took him to the library. Maybe the “W” stands for Watcher. The Time Watcher. Now that’s a cool name. He looked back out at the sliver of visible sky. The stars were what got him into trouble this time. He thought back to his unplanned adventure just a short while ago.
-
Danny woke up to an urgent need. He crawled out of his sleeping bag and unzipped his tent. The grass and dirt felt nice between his toes as he stumbled to the edge of the clearing. He scratched his side as decided he wasn’t far enough away from the tents to relieve himself yet. He didn’t want Jazz complaining or Mom scolding him. The thought of waking anyone else up barely crossed his mind, he just had to pee, and he didn’t need someone to hold his hand for that.
Danny shuffled over to a cluster of bushes and did what he came for. With his business taken care of, he started walking back to the camp before pausing to look up at the sky. There were so many stars! He looked around for another clearing where he could see the sky better. There were so many trees blocking the stars from his view. He trotted over to a larger gap between the trees and sat down as he gazed at the stars. He could even see the colors in space!
“Someday I’m gonna be an astronaut and I’m gonna visit you.” He told the moon.
Danny wasn’t sure how much time passed before he was startled out of his peaceful reverie. A high-pitched screaming sound made him jump to his feet. He looked around wildly before sprinting back in the direction he remembered the camp being. He passed several small clearings and many trees before he slowed to a stop. Nothing was chasing him and he couldn’t see his family’s camp. He turned on his heel and tried to spot any familiar landmarks. Nothing. He didn’t recognized a single tree, shrub, or rock.
Danny heaved the heaviest of sighs and leaned against a nearby tree. Now what was he going to do? He rubbed his bare arms to warm them up. It was colder than he remembered when he left his tent. He didn’t want to try to keep walking in a random direction when he was already lost, he might end up even farther away from where he was supposed to be.
He pulled out the watch that Chrono had given him when he was little and rubbed his fingers over the engraving. ‘Now would be a really good time for him to show up and save me again.’ Danny thought. He didn’t really expect to be saved this time though, they were several hours drive away from home and he had never seen the man outside of Amity Park.
‘I could try yelling for someone to come find me. I don’t know if I’m close enough for them to hear me and I don’t want to get in trouble for wandering off.’ He tried to brainstorm a way back. ‘I don’t know if what made that noise was a normal animal or some kind of monster either.’
Danny hugged himself where he was leaned against the tree, the night sky might be pretty, but he really wanted to go back to his tent now. “Hello? Is anyone out here?” he called softly into the dark. He felt something crawling on his arm and jumped away from the tree, smacking at his arm in the hopes that whatever bug had touched him would be knocked off. He couldn’t help the small whimper of distress that escaped him. Being lost in the woods at night was scary.
He was just starting to consider yelling for his parents or Jazz to come find him, if they could even hear with how loud his dad snores, when he heard a quiet rustling sound and froze in place.
“Hello?” he whispered, not sure if he wanted an answer or not.
Suddenly, a figure walked around a large tree near him. The person was carrying a long staff with a clock on the top and the clock was glowing very brightly. The watch that Danny was clutching also started glowing.
It took a moment for Danny’s eyes to adjust to the light, but when they did, he recognized the purple cloak and white hair right away. “Chrono!”
“Hello, child,” he replied, “You seem to be lost.”
Danny dashed over and squeezed his savior’s middle in a hug. “I’m so glad to see you. I didn’t think you would be able to help me this time since I’m not near home.”
Chrono laid his hand on Danny’s shoulder and said, “Child, I will always come for you when you need me, no matter when or where.”
Danny looked up at the man as Chrono lifted him off the cold ground and tucked him into the purple cloak. “Are you my guardian angel?” he asked.
His rescuer just smirked slightly and said, “I wouldn’t call myself an angel, but I am and will always be your guardian.”
Danny tucked himself under Chrono’s chin as he was carried back to the familiar sight of his family’s camp. The faint ticking sound that always came from him was reassuring to Danny. When they had reached the edge of the clearing that held the tents, Danny turned to snuggle further into Chrono’s arms. He hardly ever got to see him and he felt so safe when his guardian held him.
“Why do you watch over me anyways? I’m just Danny, not anybody special.” He asked with his face pressed to the man’s chest.
Chrono lifted one hand from where it was supporting Danny’s weight to turn his face and meet his eyes, “Child, you are so special. Even if you are ‘just Danny’ for now, you are important to me. Why wouldn’t I want to help you and care for you?”
Danny tried to hide his face again but couldn’t with the hand holding him in place. “I don’t feel very special most of the time.” He admitted. “I’m not very good at math or reading and I don’t listen very good when I’m told to do things.”
“Oh Daniel.” Chrono murmured as he gently wiped away a tear that Danny hadn’t realized he’d shed. “You’re going to be amazing. Someday you will save the world and you’ll see how much you mean to so many people. These things that you are worried about may seem big right now, but you will overcome them in your own time.
Danny sniffled a little and hugged Chrono as tight as he could, “Do you really mean it? Promise?” He asked. His voice muffled once more against his guardian’s chest.
“Promise.” Chrono replied as he held the child close.
They stayed like that for an unknown amount of time before Danny relaxed his hold slightly to shift position. He looked up at Chrono’s eyes, fascinated by the slight red glow they gave off and gently traced the lightning bolt scar that crossed the left. Chrono closed his eyes and let the child feel the mark.
“Where did you get this scar?” Danny asked.
Chrono opened his eyes again to look at him, “I gained it as a punishment for another’s crimes. Maybe someday I will tell you the story.” He said.
“I’d like to hear it and all of your other stories someday.” Danny replied. His eyes were starting to droop as the excitement from his adventure began to wear off.
“I’ll make sure to tell you when I’m able. Now, however, it is time that you get back to sleep.” Chrono strode forward until he was only a few feet from the open tent Danny had left so long ago.
“Don’t want to go back to sleep, I want to stay with you longer.” Danny pouted as he was set down upon his feet.
Chrono ruffled the boy’s hair, gaining a sleepy scowl, and said, “We will meet again soon, but for now, back to bed. Go on, I’ll be watching.” He smirked slightly at the end of the phrase. Danny couldn’t help a grin himself, his guardian had said that every time they had met when it was time for goodbye.
Danny gave him one last hug, whispering, “Love you,” before shuffling back into his tent and zipping the opening most of the way closed. Once he was settled in his sleeping bag he watched through the gap as Chrono smiled back at him and quietly said, “I love you as well, little one.”
The man then turned and walked a few steps further from the tents. He swept his staff in a large crescent shape and a swirling blue light enveloped him. When Danny blinked the spots away, he was gone.
Now Danny had been lying, still awake in his tent, for several minutes as he wondered at the night’s adventure. He stroked the engraving once more, no matter how long he held it, the metal never got too warm. The watch wasn’t glowing anymore, but it still felt good to hold it in his hands. A tangible proof that he wasn’t alone. That someone was watching over him, someone who had some sort of magic powers. Danny wasn’t sure if he could really save the world someday, or even do his chores when he was supposed to, but stranger things had happened.
Danny tugged Danielle through the doorway when she hesitated. “Come on, I’ve already got a seat picked out for us!” She stumbled slightly as she followed him across the patterned tile flooring to a window booth.
“Are you sure it’s ok?” She asked him, “I don’t really have any money.”
Danny gently pushed her into a seat before sitting down on the opposite side. “Of course it’s ok, I’ve saved up my allowance and chore money for this, so order however much of whatever you want to eat, I’ve got it covered.” He flashed her a grin before flipping her menu over and pointing at a section near the bottom. “You should pick out your drink first, that’ll be the first thing they ask.”
Dani scanned through the drink list until a separate section caught her eye. “Wait, does a milkshake count as a drink?”
“Whatever you want to order, you can. Even if it’s a milkshake or just dessert, or even an entire pie just for yourself.” Danny reminded.
Dani grinned at him, finally relaxing now that she was sure he really meant it. “Thanks Danny.”
His tone was light, but his expression serious, “I mean it. You deserve good things as much as possible. I wish I could help more.”
“Aw Danny, why’d you have to make this emotional?” she asked him, trying not to sniffle. She swiped her hand across her eyes to clear them away. Danny pulled a tissue from his pocket and looked away as she wiped her face. “I love you, you’re the best accidental little sister a guy could have.”
The waitress walked up then, eyeing Dani’s tears and Danny’s slightly embarrassed expression.
“Is everything alright?” she asked.
“Everything is great!” Dani beamed through the tears that were still running down her face, “I’m just really happy right now!”
“Well if you’re sure, what drinks can I get for you today?” The waitress asked them.
“Oh! Can I please get an extra-large chocolate banana malted milkshake with sprinkles and extra whipped cream?” Dani asked.
“Of course you may Hon, any appetizers or starters?”
“Well…” Dani trailed off, “Could I please also get a sampler platter? I’ve never had any of these appetizers before.”
“Certainly, and for you?” She directed at Danny, tone significantly warmer than when she had first walked up.
Danny grinned at her, “I’d like a triple chocolate peanut butter swirl milkshake please, just regular size, and also an order of onion rings. Thanks.”
The server was nodding as she jotted down the order. “Alright, we’re all set for the start; I’ll be back in just a few with your shakes.”
After she had swished away, they looked at each other and busted out laughing.
“Thanks Danny, you’re the best big brother slash dad that a girl could ask for.” Danielle said as she wiped away a happy tear.
Danny, Sam, and Tucker were all hanging out at the Fenton household. They had already gone on patrol, captured half a dozen ghosts, and even finished their homework for the weekend.
Danny slumped over the kitchen table as his stomach let out a loud growl. Tucker started laughing and said, “Wow dude, your stomach growls scarier than you do!” His own stomach letting out an even louder grumble interrupted his laughter.
“Jeez, didn’t you guys eat right after school? How can you already be hungry?” Sam asked.
“Hey! We’re growing boys, and ghost fights take out a lot of energy, right Danny?” Tucker defended.
Danny just groaned and smushed his face further into the tabletop. After a few seconds he answered, “I could eat a whole cow right now. We could just make some hot pockets?” He asked, finally lifting his face up.
“Oh I love Hot Pockets!” Tucker exclaimed. He started rummaging in the Fenton Freezer before turning back to look at his friends very seriously, “I love them so much I could sing about it.”
“Please don’t.” Sam replied, standing with her arms crossed against the wall.
Tucker smirked and launched into a song that he had clearly just come up with, “Hot pockets are hot! Hot! Oh so Hot! Ooey, gooey, and sometimes chewy. There’s so many flavorsss,” he sang as turned back to the Freezer, “How could I ever choose?”
Danny perked up at the opportunity for shenanigans and chimed in, “Ham and Cheddar, that’s the best! It puts all the others to the test! Breakfast, lunch, or dinner-It’s always the winner!”
Sam faced Danny with her hands on her hips, “Danny no, don’t encourage him.”
Tucker continued on, pulling a box out of the freezer, “How could you beat pepper-oni?” his voice cracked, “It’s like a pizza on the go-Full of cheese and meat, I know what I want to eat. This flavor is better if you disagree, I’ll make you deader.” He rhymed, pointing at Danny.
Danny ignored the threat and repeated the first verse, “Hot pockets are hot! Hot! Oh so Hot! Ooey, gooey, and sometimes chewy. There’s so many flavors, how could you ever choose?”
The sound of Sam facepalming was barely heard over Tucker finishing the song, “Oh Hot Pockets! My one and only love! Your touch burns me, but you’re so cheap-You don’t cost much moneyyy! Mmm Hot Pockets!” He sang, now hugging the box of frozen food to his chest.
Danny was cracking up, laughing while clutching his still grumbling sides at the table. Sam had mostly given up on stopping the madness and had resorted to banging her head on the conveniently nearby wall. She turned back to the boys, a red mark standing out against her forehead and said, “If you two don’t cut it out I’ll be introducing my boot to your backsides!”
She stalked towards them, boot in hand and they backed up to the corner of the kitchen counter. Danny was clutching at Tucker, who was still hugging the box of Hot Pockets, and both were laughing so hard that they were barely upright. Sam’s advance was halted at the unexpected Ding Dong of the doorbell.
Jazz came rushing down the stairs, barely beating her parents to the door as they ascended from the lab. A moment later she yelled, “Pizza’s here!”
The three friends stood frozen in place as the rest of the Fentons joined them in the kitchen. Jazz busied herself setting out the food and plates while Jack peered at the box in Tucker’s arms, “Hey…Are those my Hot Pockets?” he asked suspiciously.
The teenagers finally unfroze and laughed sheepishly at each other while he watched. Tucker jogged back over to the freezer and put away the box, “No worries Mr. F, just keeping ourselves occupied.”
Jazz was telling Danny, “..and I know there isn’t enough food in the house for everyone so I had Mom order pizza. You’re welcome.”
Sam looked up from the Vegan friendly Veggie pizza that had been ordered specifically for her, “Thank you Jazz, you saved me from teen boy stupidity.”
“Hey!” Tucker and Danny both yelled at the same time.
Tucker then continued, “I resemble that remark.”
Danny shot finger guns at him before grabbing his own slice of pizza, this was a lot easier than making Hot Pockets.
